Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Alph._ I say still.
Leave off your Rhetorick, and restore my Daughter.
And suddainly: bring in your rebel too,
Mountdragon, he that mounts without commission
That I may see him punished, and severely,
Or by that holy Heaven, I'll fire your house,
And there's my way of honor.
_Zanch._ Pray give me leave
Was not man made the noblest creature?
_Alph._ Well Sir.
_Zanch._ Should not his mind then answer to his making,
And to his mind his actions, if this ought to be,
Why do we run a blind way from our worths,
And cancel our discretions, doing those things
To cure offences, are the most offences?
We have rules of justice in us; to those rules
Let us apply our angers: you can consider
The want in others of these terminations
And how unfurnish'd they appear.
_Alph._ Hang others,
And where the wrongs are open, hang respects,
I come not to consider.
_Leo._ Noble Sir,
Let us argue cooly, and consider like men.
_Alph._ Like men!
_Leo._ Ye are too sudain still.
_Alph._ Like men Sir?
_Zanch._ It is fair language, and ally'd to honor.
_Alph._ Why, what strange beast would your grave reverence
Make me appear? like men!
_Zanch._ Taste but that point Sir,
And ye recover all.
_Alph._ I tell thy wisdom
I am as much a man, and as good a man.
_Leo._ All this is granted Sir.
_Alph._ As wise a man.
_Zanch._ Ye are not tainted that way.
_Alph._ And a man
Dares make thee no man; or at best, a base man.
_Zanch._ Fie, fie, here wants much carriage.
_Alph._ Hang much carriage.
_Leo._ Give me good language.
_Alph._ Sirrah Signior, Give me my Daughter.
_Leo._ I am as gentle as your self, as free born.
_Zanch._ Observe his way.
_Leo._ As much respect ow'd to me.
_Zanch._ This hangs together nobly.
_Leo._ And for Civil,
A great deal more it seems: go look your Daughter.
_Zanch._ There ye went well off Signior.
_Leo._ That rough tongue
You understand at first: you never think Sir
Out of your mightiness, of my loss: here I stand
A patient Anvil, to your burning angers
Made subject to your dangers; yet my loss equal:
Who shall bring home my Son?
_Alph._ A whipping Beadle.
_Leo._ Why, is your Daughter whorish?
_Alph._ Ha, thou dar'st not,
By heaven I know thou dar'st not.
_Leo._ I dare more Sir
If you dare be uncivil.
_Alph._ Laugh too, Pidgeon.
_Zanch._ A [f]itter time for fames sake: two weak Nurses
Would laugh at this; are there no more days coming,
No ground but this to argue on? no swords left
Nor friends to carry this, but your own furies?
Alas! it shows too weakly.
_Alph._ Let it show,
I come not here for shews: laugh at me sirrah?
I'll give ye cause to laugh.
_Leo._ Ye are as like sir
As any man in _Spain_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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