Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Rol._ Canst thou do it neatly?
_Lat._ Let me alone, and such a bait it shall be,
Shall take off all suspicion.
_Rol._ Go, and prosper.
_Lat._ Walk in then, and your smoothest face put on Sir.
[_Exeunt._
SCENE II.
_Enter the Master Cook, Butler, Pantler, Yeoman of the Cellar,
with a Jack of Beer and a Dish._
_Cook._ A hot day, a hot day, vengeance hot day boys,
Give me some drink, this fire's a plaguy fretter:
Body of me, I'm dry still; give me the Jack boy;
This wooden Skiff holds nothing.
_Pant._ And faith master, what brave new meats; for here
Will be old eating.
_Coo._ Old and young, boy, let 'em all eat, I have it;
I have ballast for their bellies, if they eat a gods name,
Let them have ten tire of teeth a piece, I care not.
_But._ But what new rare munition?
_Coo._ Pish, a thousand;
I'le make you piggs speak _French_ at table, and a fat swan
Come sailing out of _England_ with a challenge;
I'le make you a dish of calves-feet dance the Canaries,
And a consort of cramm'd capons fiddle to 'em;
A calves head speak an Oracle, and a dozen of Larks
Rise from the dish, and sing all supper time;
'Tis nothing boyes: I have framed a fortification
Out of Rye paste, which is impregnable,
And against that, for two long hours together,
Two dozen of marrow-bones shall play continually:
For fish, I'le make you a standing lake of white broth,
And pikes come ploughing up the plums before them;
_Arion_, like a Dolphin, playing Lachrymæ,
And brave King Herring with his oyle and onyon
Crown'd with a Limon pill, his way prepar'd
With his strong Guard of Pilchers.
_Pant._ I marry Master.
_Coo._ All these are nothing: I'le make you a stubble Goose
Turn o'th' toe thrice, do a cross point presently,
And sit down again, and cry come eat me:
These are for mirth. Now Sir, for matter of mourning,
I'le bring you in the Lady Loyn of Veal,
With the long love she bore the Prince of _Orenge_.
_All._ Thou boy, thou.
_Coo._ I have a trick for thee too,
And a rare trick, and I have done it for thee.
_Yeo._ What's that good master?
_Coo._ 'Tis a sacrifice.
A full Vine bending, like an Arch, and under
The blown god _Bacchus_, sitting on a Hogshead,
His Altar Beer: before that, a plump Vintner
Kneeling, and offring incense to his deitie,
Which shall be only this, red Sprats and Pilchers.
_But._ This when the Table's drawn, to draw the wine on.
_Coo._ Thou hast it right, and then comes thy Song, Butler.
_Pant._ This will be admirable.
_Yeo._ Oh Sir, most admirable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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