Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Sess._ Pray Captain, let me ask you
What Noble Lady's that? 'tis a rude question,
But I desire to know.
_Ron._ She is for the King, Sir;
Let that suffice for answer.
_Sess._ Is she so Sir?
In good time may she curse it.
Must I breed hackneys for his grace?
_Ron._ What wouldst thou do
To merit such a Ladies favor?
_Sess._ Any thing.
_Ron._ That can supply thy wants, and raise thy fortunes?
_Ses._ Let her command, and see what I dare execute.
I keep my conscience here; if any man
Oppose her will, and she would have him humbled,
Whole families between her and her wishes--
_Mast._ We have seen bleeding throats sir, Cities sackt;
And infants stuck upon their pikes.
_Botes._ Houses a fire, and handsome mothers weeping.
_Ses._ Which we have heaped upon the pile like sacrifices.
Churches and Altars, Priests and all devotions,
Tumbled together into one rude _Chaos_.
_Gun._ We know no fear Sir, but want of imployment.
_Sess._ Nor other faith but what our purses preach.
To gain our ends we can do any thing,
And turn our souls into a thousand figures;
But when we come to do--
_Mart._ I like these fellows.
_Ron._ Be ready and wait here within this hour
I'll shew you to the King, and he shall like ye:
And if you can devise some entertainment
To fill his mirth, such as your Countrey uses,
Present it, and I'll see it grac'd.
After this _Comicke Scene_ we shall imploy you,
For one must dye.
_Sess._ What is he sir? speak boldly,
For we dare boldly do.
_Ron._ This Ladies husband;
His name is _Virolet_.
_Sess._ We shall dispatch it. [_Exit_ Martia, Ronvere.
O damned, damned thing: a base whore first:
And then a murtherer, I'll look to you.
_Bots._ Can she be grown so strange?
_Ses._ She has an itch;
I'll scratch you my dear daughter, I'll so claw you;
I'll curry your hot hide; married and honour'd?
And turn those holy blessings into brothels?
Your beauty into blood? I'll hunt your hotness.
I'll hunt you like a train.
_Mast._ We did all pitty her.
_Ses._ Hang her, she is not worth mans memory;
She's false and base, and let her fright all stories.
Well, though thou beest mine enemy, I'll right thee,
And right thee Nobly.
_Bots._ Faith sir, since she must go,
Let's spare as few as may be.
_Ses._ We'll take all,
And like a torrent sweep the slaves before us.
You dare endure the worst?
_Mast._ You know our hearts sir,
And they shall bleed the last, ere we start from ye.
_Gun._ We can but dye, and ere we come to that,
We shall pick out some few examples for us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account