A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 15
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Boy.+ And have ye a mind to be unbound?
+Phil.+ Yes, yes, we are in great torments
To lie thus.
+Boy.+ Then, sir, you shall give me a piece,
And your hat, because I have never
A one, or else farewell.
+Phil.+ Well, stay, here take it out of my pockets.
+Boy.+ Yes, that I will do, before I unbind you,
And your hat too. [_Exit._
+Phil.+ The rogue's too nimble for me.
+Mir.+ Well, Philidor, farewell, I must
Go put
On a clean handkerchief.
+Phil.+ And I
Must go see if I can find a believing
Haberdasher, else I shall be very
Ceremonious to every one I meet. [_Exit._
_Enter +Fiddler+._
+Mir.+ A fiddle! nay, then I am made again;
I'd have a dance, if I had nothing but my
Smock on. Fiddler, strike up, and play my jig,
Call'd, _I care not a pin for any man._
+Fid.+ Indeed I can't stay: I am going to
Play to some gentlemen.
+Mir.+ Nay, thou shalt stay
But a little.
+Fid.+ Give me half-a-crown then.
+Mir.+ I have no money about me. But here, take
My handkerchief. [_Dance and Exit._
ACT IV.
_Enter +Ortellus+ and +Arbatus+, as going into the
+Duke's+ bed-chamber, and the +Duke+ in bed._
+Ort.+ So, I will keep the door, whilst you
Dispatch him.
+Arb.+ My lord,
I find you truly noble. Why, duke; why, duke! I say.
Methinks my voice should wake his guilty soul,
Nothing but innocence can sleep secure;
Then why, good heaven, does he take
Such rest?
Awake, thou drowsy devil! Duke, my sister's
Wrongs do call thee from thy sleep; methinks
The sound of those should pierce thy ears. Why, duke!
+Duke.+ What bold voice is that?
+Arb.+ One that will be more
Bold with you.
+Duke.+ Who is't so impudent as
To break my sleep?
+Arb.+ 'Tis I, Arbatus, that
Will put thee into a wonder.
+Duke.+ Ha! what means
That dagger in thy hands?
+Arb.+ Canst thou ask that
Question? it is to tickle thy false heart.
+Duke.+ Ha, ha, ha! you jest, you jest.
+Arb.+ What,
Does the conceit on't make you laugh already?
I was resolved to wake thee, before
I sent thee to hell, because thou may'st know
Of whose errand thou goest.
+Duke.+ Come, come, leave
Your foolery, lest you heat my blood.
+Arb.+ If
I do, I will let it out all, and that
Will quickly cool it. I would give thee time
To say thy prayers now, but that I know
Thy sin to be so great, that heaven will
Not pardon thee.
_Enter +Artabella+._
+Ort.+ Who's that?
+Art.+ 'Tis I, my lord:
Artabella. Let me in quickly, that I
May have one stab at his false heart, before
My brother has put him past feeling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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