Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Die._ I fear none but fair wenches; those are thieves,
May quickly rob me of my good conditions,
If they cry Stand once: but the best is Signiors
They cannot bind my hands: for any else,
They meet an equal knave, and there's my Passport:
I have seen fine sport in this place: had these three tongues,
They would tell ye pretty matters: do not you fear, though
They are not every daies delights.
_Phil._ What sport Sir?
_Die._ Why to say true, the sport of all sports.
_Phil._ What was't?
_Die._ Such turning up of Taffataes; and you know
To what rare whistling tunes they go, far beyond
A soft wind in the shrowds: such stand there,
And down i'th' other place; such supplications
And subdivisions for those toys their honors,
One, as ye are a Ge[n]tleman in this bush,
And oh sweet Sir, what mean ye? there's a bracelet,
And use me I beseech ye like a woman;
And her petition's heard: another scratches,
And cries she will die first, and then swounds: but certain
She is brought to life again, and does well after.
Another, save mine honor, oh mine honor,
My Husband serves the Duke, Sir, in his kitchen;
I have a cold pie for ye; fie, fie, fie Gentlemen,
Will nothing satisfie, where's my Husband?
Another cries, do ye see Sir how they use me,
Is there no Law for these things?
_Theo._ And good mine Host,
Do you call these fine sports?
_Die._ What should I call 'em,
They have been so call'd these thousand years and upwards.
_Phil._ But what becomes o'th' men?
_Die._ They're stript and bound,
Like so many _Adams_, with fig-leaves afore 'em,
And there's their innocence.
_Theo._ Would we had known this!
Before we reacht this place.
_Phil._ Come, there's no danger,
These are but sometimes chances.
_Enter Bailiff._
_Host._ Now we must through.
_Theo._ Who's that?
_Host._ Stand to it Signiors.
_Phil._ No it needs not,
I know the face; 'tis honest.
_Bayl._ What mine Host:
Mine everlasting honest Host.
_Host._ Mass Baily:
Now in the name of an ill reckoning
What make you walking this round?
_Bayl._ A ---- of this round,
And of all business too, through woods, and rascals,
They have rounded me away a dozen Duckets,
Besides a fair round Cloak: Some of 'em knew me,
Else they had cased me like a Cunnie too,
As they have done the rest, and I think roasted me,
For they began to baste me soundly: my young Signiors,
You may thank heaven, and heartily, and hourly,
You set not out so early; ye had been smoak'd else
By this true hand [y]e had Sirs, finely smoak'd,
Had ye been Women, smockt too.
_Theo._ Heaven defend us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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