Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Isab._ Has paid thee,
But I'll heal all again with good Gold. _Jaquenet_;
H'as damned nails.
_Jaq._ They are ten-penny nails I think Mistriss:
I'll undertake he shall strike 'em through an inch board.
_Isab._ Go up, and wash thy self: take my _Pomatum_,
And now let me alone to end the Tragedy.
_Jaq._ You had best beware.
_Isab._ I shall deal stoutly with him,
Reach me my Book, a[n]d see the door made fast wench,
And so good night: now to the matter politick.
[Lopez _knocks within_.
_Lop. Within._ You shall see what she is, what a sweet jewel.
_Isab._ Who's there, what mad-man knocks? is this an hour
And in mine Husband's absence?
_Lop. Within._ Will ye open?
You know my voice ye whore, I am that Husband:
Do you mark her subtilty? but I have paid her,
I have so ferk'd her face: here's the blood Gentlemen,
_Ecce signum_: I have spoil'd her Goatish beauty,
Observe her how she looks now, how she is painted,
Oh 'tis the most wicked'st whore, and the most treacherous--
_Enter_ Lopez, Bartello, _Gent. and two Gentlewomen_.
_Gent._ Here walks my cosin full of meditation,
Arm'd with religious thoughts.
_Bar._ Is this the monster?
_1 Gentlew._ Is this the subject of that rage you talk'd of,
That naughty woman you had pull'd a-pieces?
_Bar._ Here's no such thing.
_1 Gentlew._ How have ye wrong'd this beauty?
Are not you mad my friend? what time o' th' moon is 't?
Have not you Maggots in your brains?
_Lop._ 'Tis she sure.
_Gent._ Where's the scratch'd face ye spoke of, the torn garments,
And all the hair pluck'd off her head?
_Bar._ Believe me,
'Twere better far you had lost your pair of pibbles,
Than she the least adornment of that sweetness.
_Lop._ Is not this blood?
_1 Gentlew._ This is a monstrous folly,
A base abuse.
_Isab._ Thus he does ever use me,
And sticks me up a wonder, not a woman,
Nothing I doe, but's subject to suspition;
Nothing I can do, able to content him.
_Bar. Lopez_, you must not use this.
_2 Gentlew._ 'Twere not amiss, Sir,
To give ye sauce to your meat, and suddainly.
_1 Gentlew._ You that dare wrong a woman of her goodness,
Thou have a Wife, thou have a Bear ty'd to thee,
To scratch thy jealous itch, were all o' my mind,
I mean all women, we would [soone] disburthen ye
Of that that breeds these fits, these dog-flaws in ye,
A Sow-guelder should trim ye.
_Bar._ A rare cure Lady,
And one as fit for him as a Thief for a halter,
You see this youth: will you not cry him quittance,
Body 'me, I would pine, but I would pepper him,
I'll come anon, he, hang him, poor pompillion:
How like a wench bepist he looks, I'll come Lady;
_Lopez_, The Law must teach ye what a wife is,
A good, a virtuous wife.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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