Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Bayl._ Nay, that had been no prayer, there were those
That run that prayer out of breath, yet fail'd too.
There was a Fryer, now ye talk of prayer,
With a huge bunch of Beads, like a rope of Onions:
I am sure as big, that out of fear and prayer,
In halfe an hour, wore 'em as small as Bugles,
Yet he was flead too.
_Phil._ At what hour was this?
_Bayl._ Some two hours since.
_Theo._ Do you think the passage sure now.
_Bayl._ Yes, a rope take 'em, as it will, and bless 'em,
They have done for this day sure.
_Phil._ Are many rifled?
_Bayl._ At the least a dozen,
And there left bound.
_Theo._ How came you free?
_Bayl._ A curtesie
They use out of their rogueships, to bequeath
To one, that when they give a sign from far
Which is from out of danger; he may presently
Release the rest, as I met you, I was going,
Having the sign from yonder hill to do it.
_Theo._ Alas poor men.
_Phil._ Mine Host, pray go untie 'em.
_Die._ Let me alone for cancelling: where are they?
_Bayl._ In every bush, like black birds, you cannot miss 'em.
_Die._ I need not stalk unto 'em. [_Exit._
_Bayl._ No, they'l stand ye,
My busie life for yours Sir: you would wonder
To see the several tricks and strange behaviours
Of the poor rascals in their miseries,
One weeps, another laughs at him for weeping,
A third is monstrous angry, he can laugh
And cries, go too, this is no time; he laughs still,
A fourth exhorts to patience: him a fifth man
Curses for tameness; him a Fryer schools,
All hoot the Fryer, here one sings a Ballad,
And there a little Curate confutes him,
And in this linsey-woolsey way, that would make a dog
Forget his dinner, or an old man fire,
They rub out for their ransoms: Amongst the rest,
There is a little boy rob'd, a fine child,
It seems a Page: I must confess my pitty
(As 'tis a hard thing in a man of my place)
To shew compassion, stirr'd at him, so finely
And without noise he carries his afflictions,
And looks as if he had but dreamt of losing.
_Enter Host and_ Leocadia, _and others as rob'd._
This boy's the glory of this robbery,
The rest but shame the action: now ye may hear 'em.
_Host._ Come lads, 'tis Holy-day: hang cloaths, 'tis hot,
And sweating Agues are abroad.
_1._ It seems so;
For we have met with rare Physitians
To cure us of that malady.
_Host._ Fine footing,
Light and deliver: now my boys: Master Fryer,
How does your Holiness, bear up man; what
A cup of neat Sack now and a toast: ha, Fryer,
A warm plaister to your belly Father,
There were a blessing now.
_Fryer._ Ye say your mind Sir.
_Host._ Where my fine Boy: my poynter.
_Bayl._ There's the wonder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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