Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 03 of 10: The Loyal SubjectFletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 03 of 10: The Loyal Subject
Fletcher, John
English drama -- 18th century; Tragicomedy
_Bur._ As fast as they can bustle,
Every man mad to goe now: inspir'd strangely,
As if they were to force the Enemy,
I beseech your Grace to give me leave.
_Du._ Pray go Sir,
And look to the old man well; take up all fairly,
And let no bloud be spilt; take general pardons,
And quench this fury with fair peace.
_Bur._ I shall Sir,
Or seal it with my service; they are villains:
The Court is up: good Sir, go strengthen 'em,
Your Royal sight will make 'em scorn all dangers;
The General needs no proof.
_Duke._ Come let's go view 'em. [_Exeunt._
SCENA IV.
_Enter_ Theodore, Putskie, _Ancient_, _Souldiers_, _Drums_,
_and Colours_.
_The._ 'Tis known we are up, and marching: no submission,
No promise of base peace can cure our maladies,
We have suffer'd beyond all repair of honour:
Your valiant old man's whipt; whipt Gentlemen,
Whipt like a slave: that flesh that never trembled,
Nor shrunk one sinew at a thousand charges,
That noble body rib'd in arms, the Enemy
So often shook at, and then shun'd like thunder,
That body's torn with lashes.
_Anc._ Let's turn head.
_Put._ Turn nothing Gentlemen, let's march on fairly,
Unless they charge us.
_The._ Think still of his abuses,
And keep your angers.
_Anc._ He was whipt like a top,
I never saw a whore so lac'd: Court school-butter?
Is this their diet? I'le dress 'em one running banquet:
What Oracle can alter us? did not we see him?
See him we lov'd?
_The._ And though we did obey him,
Forc'd by his reverence for that time; is't fit Gentlemen?
My noble friends, is't fit we men, and Souldiers,
Live to endure this, and look on too?
_Put._ Forward:
They may call back the Sun as soon, stay time,
Prescribe a Law to death, as we endure this.
_The._ They will make ye all fair promises.
_Anc._ We care not.
_The._ Use all their arts upon ye.
_Anc._ Hang all their arts.
_Put._ And happily they'l bring him with 'em.
_Anc._ March apace then,
He is old and cannot overtake us.
_Put._ Say he doe.
_Anc._ We'l run away with him: they shall never see him more:
The truth is, we'l hear nothing, stop at nothing,
Consider nothing but our way; believe nothing,
Not though they say their prayers: be content with nothing,
But the knocking out their brains: and last, do nothing
But ban 'em and curse 'em, till we come to kill 'em.
_The._ Remove then forwards bravely; keep your minds whole,
And the next time we face 'em, shall be fatal. [_Exeunt._
SCENA V.
_Enter_ Archas, _Duke,_ Burris, _Gent_, _and Sould_.
_Ar._ Peace to your Grace; take rest Sir, they are before us.
_Gent._ They are Sir, and upon the march. [_Exit_ Duke.
_Ar._ Lord _Burris_,
Take you those horse and coast 'em: upon the first advantage,
If they will not slake their march, charge 'em up roundly,
By that time I'le come in.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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