Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Boats._ Come sirs, a quaint _Levet_. [_Trump. a_ Levet.
To waken our brave General. Then to our labor.
_Enter Duke of_ Sesse _above, and_
_his daughter_ Martia _like an Amazon._
_Ses._ I thank you loving mates; I thank you all,
There's to prolong your mirth, and good morrow to you.
_Daugh._ Take this from me, you're honest, valiant friends;
And such we must make much of. Not a sail stirring?
_Gun._ Not any within ken yet.
_Boats._ Without doubt Lady
The wind standing so fair and full upon us,
We shall have sport anon. But noble General,
Why are you still so sad? you take our edge off;
You make us dull, and spiritless.
_Ses._ I'll tell ye,
Because I will provoke you to be fortunate;
For when you know my cause, 'twill double arm you.
This woman never knew it yet; my daughter,
Some discontents she has.
_Daugh._ Pray sir go forward.
_Ses._ These fourteen years, I have stored it here at Sea,
Where the most curious thought could never find it.
_Boats._ Call up the Master, and all the Mates.
_Enter below the Master and Sailers._
_Ses._ Good morrow.
_Mast._ Good morrow to our General, a good one,
And to that Noble Lady all good wishes.
_Daugh._ I thank you Master.
_Ses._ Mark me, thus it is then;
Which I did never think to have discovered,
Till full revenge had wooed me; but to satisfie
My faithful friends, thus I cast off my burden.
In that short time I was a Courtier,
And followed that most hated of all Princes,
_Ferrant_, the full example of all mischiefs,
Compell'd to follow to my soul a stranger,
It was my chance one day to play at Chesse
For some few Crowns, with a mynion of this Kings,
A mean poor man, that only serv'd his pleasures;
Removing of a Rook, we grew to words;
From this to hotter anger: to be short,
I got a blow.
_Daugh._ How, how my Noble Father:
_Ses._ A blow my girl, which I had soon repaid,
And sunk the slave for ever, had not odds
Thrust in betwixt us. I went away disgrac'd--
_Daugh._ For honors sake not so Sir.
_Ses._ For that time, wench;
But call'd upon him, like a Gentleman,
By many private friends; knockt at his valour,
Courted his honor hourly to repair me;
And though he were a thing my thoughts made slight on,
And only worth the fury of my footman,
Still I pursu'd him Nobly.
_Daugh._ Did he escape you?
My old brave father, could you sit down so coldly?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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