Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Jul._ A curse else that shall never set
Will light upon thee: Say thy Prayers,
Thou hast as many sins, as hairs.
Thou art a Captain, let thy men
Be honest, and good thoughts, and then
Thou maist command, and lead in chief,
Yet thou art bloody, and a thief.
_Rod._ What shall I do? I do confess.
_Alin._ Retire,
And purge thee perfect in his fire:
His life observe; live in his School,
And then thou shalt put off the fool.
_Jul._ Pray at _Segovia_ too, and give
Thy Offrings up, repent, and live. [_Musick within._
_Alin._ Away, away: enquire no more,
Do this, ye are rich, else fools, and poor;
What musick's this?
_Jul._ Retire? 'tis some neat Joy,
In honour of the Kings great day: they wonder,
This comes in right to confirm their reverence.
Away, away, let them admire, it makes
For our advantage: how the Captain shakes! [_Exit._
_Ped._ This was the Musick.
_Rod._ Yes, yes, how I sweat!
I was never so deserted; sure these woods
Are only inhabited with rare dreams, and wonders;
I would not be a knave again, a villain:
O how I loath it now: for these know all Sir,
And they would find me out.
_Ped._ They are excellent women,
Deep in their knowledge, friend.
_Rod._ I would not be traytor,
And have these of my Jury; how light I am,
And how my heart laughs now me thinks within me!
Now I am Catechiz'd, I would ever dwell here,
For here is a kind of Court of Reformation;
Had I been stubborn friend.
_Ped._ They would have found it.
_Rod._ And then they would have handled me a new way,
The Devils dump had been danced then.
_Ped._ Let's away
And do their great commands, and do 'em handsomely:
Contrite, and true, for I believe _Roderigo_,
And constantly believe, we shall be happy.
_Rod._ So you do well; fall edge or flat o' my side;
All I can stagger at is the Kings anger,
Which if it come, I am prepar'd to meet it.
_Ped._ The King has mercy, friend, as well as Justice:
And when you fall: no more--
_Rod._ I hope the fairest. [_Exeunt._
SCENE V.
_Enter Master_, Seberto, Curio.
_Cur._ We have told ye what he is: what time we have sought him:
His nature, and his name: the seeming Boy too
Ye had here, how, and what by your own relation,
All circumstances we have clear'd: That the Duke sent him
We told ye how impossible; he knows him not;
That he is mad himself, and therefore fit
To be your Prisoner, we dare swear against it.
_Seb._ Take heed Sir, be not madder than you would make him;
Though he be rash, and suddain (which is all his wildness)
Take heed ye wrong him not: he is a Gentleman,
And so must be restor'd and clear'd in all points;
The King shall be a Judge else.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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