Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Por._ 'Tis ever so with thee, when thou hast done scratching,
For that provokes thy stomach to ring noon;
O the infinite Seas of Porridge thou hast swallow'd!
And yet thou lookst as if they had been but Glysters;
Thou feedst abundance, thou hadst need of sustenance;
Alms do you call it to relieve these Rascals?
_Enter_ Alphonso, Curio, _and_ Seberto.
Nothing but a general rot of sheep can satisfie 'em.
_Alp._ Did not I tell you, how she would undo me?
What Marts of Rogues, and Beggers!
_Seb._ 'Tis charity
Methinks, you are bound to love her for--
_Alp._ Yes, I warrant ye,
If men could sale to Heaven in Porridge-pots,
With masts of Beef, and Mutton, what a Voyage should I make!
What are all these?
_1 Beg._ Poor people, and 't like your worship.
_[2] Beg._ Wretched poor people.
_3 Beg._ Very hungry people.
_Alp._ And very Lousy.
_4 Beg._ Yes forsooth, so, so.
_Por._ I'le undertake five hundred head about 'em,
And that's no needy Grasier.
_Alp._ What are you?
_Pil._ Strangers that come to wonder at your charity,
Yet people poor enough to beg a blessing.
_Cur._ Use them with favour, Sir, their shews are reverent,
It seems ye are holy _Pilgrims_?
_Pil._ Ye guess right, Sir,
And bound far off, to offer our devotions.
_Alp._ What make ye this way? we keep no Reliques here,
Nor holy Shrines.
_Pil._ The holiest we ere heard of;
Ye keep a living monument of goodness,
A Daughter of that pious excellence,
The very Shrines of Saints sink at her vertues,
And swear they cannot hold pace with her pieties,
We come to see this Lady: not with prophane eyes,
Nor wanton bloods, to doat upon her beauties,
But through our tedious wayes to beg her blessings.
_Alp._ This is a new way of begging, and a neat one,
And this cries mony for reward, good store too;
These commendations beg not with bag, and bottle;
Well, well, the Sainting of this Woman, Gentlemen,
I know what it must come to: these Women Saints
Are plaguy heavy Saints: they out-weigh a he-saint
Three thousand thick; I know: I feel.
_Seb._ Ye are more afraid than hurt, Sir.
_Alp._ Have you your commendations ready too?
He bows, and nods.
_Cur._ A handsome well built person.
_Alp._ What Country-craver are you? nothing but motion?
A puppet-Pilgrim?
_Pil._ He's a stranger, Sir;
This four days I have Travel'd in his Company,
But little of his business, or his Language
As yet I have understood.
_Seb._ Both young and handsome,
Only the Sun has been too saucy with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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