Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_1 Gent._ I pray ye be satisfied;
If we did laugh, we had some private reason,
And not at you.
_2 Gent._ Alas, we know you not, Sir.
_Bel._ I'le make you know me; set your faces soberly;
Stand this way, and look sad; I'le be no May-game;
Sadder; demurer yet.
_Ros._ What's the matter?
What ails this Gentleman?
_Bel._ Go off now backward, that I may behold ye;
And not a simper on your lives.
_Lil._ He's mad sure.
_Bel._ Do you observe me too?
_Mir._ I may look on ye.
_Bel._ Why do you grin? I know your minde.
_Mir._ You do not,
You are strangely humorous: is there no mirth, nor pleasure,
But you must be the object?
_Bel._ Mark, and observe me;
Where ever I am nam'd;
The very word shall raise a general sadness,
For the disgrace this scurvy woman did me;
This proud pert thing; take heed ye laugh not at me;
Provoke me not, take heed.
_Ros._ I would fain please ye;
Do any thing to keep ye quiet.
_Bel._ Hear me,
Till I receive a satisfaction
Equal to the disgrace, and scorn ye gave me:
Ye are a wretched woman; till thou woo'st me,
And I scorn thee asmuch, as seriously
Jear, and abuse thee; ask what Gill thou art;
Or any baser name; I will proclaim thee;
I will so sing thy vertue; so be-paint thee.
_Ros._ Nay, good Sir, be more modest.
_Bel._ Do you laugh again?
Because ye are a woman ye are lawless,
And out of compass of an honest anger.
_Ros._ Good Sir, have a better belief of me.
_Lil._ Away dear Sister. [_Exit._
_Mir._ Is not this better now, this seeming madness,
Than falling out with your friends?
_Bel._ Have I not frighted her?
_Mir._ Into her right wits, I warrant thee: follow this humor,
And thou shalt see how prosperously 'twill guide thee.
_Bel._ I am glad I have found a way to woo yet, I was afraid once
I never should have made a civil Suiter.
Well, I'le about it still. [_Exit._
_Mir._ Do, do, and prosper.
What sport do I make with these fools! What pleasure
Feeds me, and fats my sides at their poor innocence!
_Enter_ Leverduce, _alias_ Lugier, _Mr._ Illiard.
Wooing and wiving, hang it: give me mirth,
Witty and dainty mirth: I shall grow in love sure
With mine own happy head. Who's this? To me, Sir?
What youth is this?
_Lev._ Yes, Sir, I would speak with you,
If your name be Monsieur _Mirabel_.
_Mir._ Ye have hit it,
Your business, I beseech ye?
_Lev._ This it is, Sir,
There is a Gentlewoman hath long time affected ye,
And lov'd ye dearly.
_Mir._ Turn over, and end that story,
'Tis long enough: I have no faith in women, Sir.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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