Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Boy._ Why lockt up in that room.
I saw the old Lady, ere she went to bed
Put up her plate, and some of the rich hangings
In a small long chest, and chains and rings are there too,
It stands close by the Table on a form.
_Lur._ 'Twas a good notice, didst thou see the men.
_Boy._ I saw them sad too, and all take their leaves,
But what they said I was too far to hear Sir.
_Lur._ 'Tis daintily discover'd, we shall certainly
Have a most prosperous night, which way?
_Boy._ A close one,
A back door, that the women have left open,
To go in and out to fetch necessaries,
Close on the Garden side.
_Lur._ I love [thy] diligence,
Wert thou not fearful?
_Boy._ Fearful? I'll be hang'd first.
_Lur._ Say they had spied thee.
_Boy._ I was then determin'd
To have cry'd down right too, and have kept 'em company,
As one that had an interest in their sadness,
Or made an errand to I know not whom Sir.
_Lur._ My dainty Boy, let us discharge, that plate
Makes a perpetual motion in my fingers,
Till I have fast hold of it.
_Boy._ Pray be wise Sir, do't handsomly, be not greedy,
Lets handle it with such an excellence
As if we would bring thieving into honor:
We must disguise, to fright these reverend wat[ch]es.
_Lur._ Still my blest Boy.
_Boy._ And clear the room of drunken jealousies,
The chest is of some weight, and we may make
Such noise [ith] carriage we may be snap'd.
_Lur._ Come open, here's a devils face.
_Boy._ No, no, Sir, wee'l have no shape so terrible,
We will not do the devil so much pleasure,
To have him face our plot.
_Lur._ A winding sheet then.
_Boy._ That's too cold a shift,
I would not wear the reward of my wickedness,
I wonder you are an old thief, and no cunninger,
Where's the long Cloak?
_Lur._ Here, here.
_Boy._ Give me the Turbant
And the false beard, I hear some coming this way,
Stoop, stoop, and let me sit upon your shoulders,
And now as I direct, stay, let them enter,
And when I touch move forward, make no noise.
_Enter Nurse and_ Tobie.
_Nur._ Oh 'tis a sad time, all the burnt wine is [drunke] _Nic._
_Tob._ We may thank your dry chaps for't, the Canarie's gone too
No substance for a sorrowful mind to work upon,
I cannot mourn in beer, if she should walk now
As discontented spirits are wont to do.
_Nur._ And meet us in the Cellar.
_Tob._ What fence have we with single beer against her?
What heart can we defie the Devil with?
_Nur._ The March beer's open.
_Tob._ A fortification of March beer will do well,
I must confess 'tis a most mighty Armor,
For I presume I cannot pray.
_Nur._ Why _Nicolas_?
_Tob._ We Coachmen have such tumbling faiths, no prayrs
Can go an even pace.
_Nur._ Hold up your candle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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