Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Alin._ Come, good wench,
And speedily: for I have strange faiths working,
As strange fears too, I'le tell thee all my life then.
_Jul._ Come quick, I'le conduct ye, and still serve ye,
And do not fear; hang fear, it spoils all projects.
This way; I'le be your guide. [_Exeunt._
SCENE III.
_Enter Governour_, Verdugo, _Citizens_.
_Gov._ Use all your sports,
All your solemnities; 'tis the Kings day to morrow,
His birth-day, and his marriage, a glad day,
A day we ought to honour, all.
_1 Citi._ We will Sir,
And make _Segovia_ ring with our rejoycings.
_Gov._ Be sumptuous, but not riotous; be bounteous,
But not in drunken _Bacchanals_: free to all strangers,
Easie, and sweet in all your entertainments,
For 'tis a Royal day admits no rudeness.
_2 Citi._ Your Lordship will do us the honour to be here your self,
And grace the day?
_Gov._ 'Tis a main part of my service.
_3 Citi._ I hope your honour has taken into your consideration
The miseries we have suffered by these Out-laws,
The losses, hourly fears; the rude abuses
Strangers that travel to us are daily loaden with,
Our Daughters, and our wives complaints.
_Gov._ I am sorry for't,
And have Commission from the King to ease it:
You shall not be long vext.
_1 Cit._ Had we not walls, Sir,
And those continually man'd too with our watches,
We should not have a bit of meat to feed us.
And yet they are our friends, and we must think so,
And entertain 'em so sometimes, and feast 'em,
And send 'em loaden home too, we are lost else.
_2 Cit._ They'l come to Church amongst us, as we hope _Christians_,
When all their zeal is but to steal the Chalices;
At this good time now, if your Lordship were not here,
To awe their violence with your authority,
They would play such gombals.
_Gov._ Are they grown so heady?
_2 Cit._ They would drink up all our Wine, piss out our Bonfires;
Then, like the drunken _Centaures_, have at the fairest,
Nay, have at all: four-score and ten's a Goddess,
Whilst we, like fools, stand shaking in our cellars.
_Gov._ Are they so fierce upon so little sufferance?
I'le give 'em such a purge, and suddenly.
_Verdugo_, after this solemnity is over,
Call on me for a charge of men, of good men,
To see what house these knaves keep: of good Souldiers,
As sturdy as themselves: that dare dispute with 'em,
Dare walk the woods as well as they, as fearless,
But with a better faith belabour 'em;
I'le know what claim they have to their possession.
'Tis pity of their Captain _Roderigo_,
A well-bred Gentleman, and a good Souldier,
And one his Majesty has some little reason
To thank, for sundry services, and fair ones;
That long neglect: bred this, I am sorry for him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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