Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Ju._ That I like not.
_Tob._ Nor I, they walk'd me the Fools Morris.
_Lur._ A Book of Wicked Women.
_Ju._ That's well thought on.
_[L]ur._ Of rude, malicious Women, of proud Women,
Of scolding Women, we shall ne'er get in.
_Boy._ A ballad of wrong'd Maids.
_La._ I'll buy that.
_Lur._ A little, very little Book,
Of good and godly Women, a very little one,
So little you may put it in a Nutshel.
_Tob._ With a small print that no body can read it.
_Nur._ Peace sirrah, or I'll tear your Books.
_Ju._ Open the door and let him in, I love him.
_Lur._ A Book of evil Magistrates.
_La._ I marry d'ye hear that Justice.
_Lur._ And their eviller wives,
That wear their Places in their Petticoats.
_Ju._ D'ye hear that Lady.
_Boy._ A Book new printed against Playing,
Dancing, Masking, May-poles; a zealous Brothers Book,
And full of Fables.
_Lur._ Another Book of Women, of mad women,
Women that were born in _March_. [_Exit._
_La._ Are you got in?
We would ha pull'd your knaves hide else; this fellow
Was sent to abuse us, but we shall have time
To talk more with this Justice.
_Ju._ Farewel Madam, as you like this, come visit me agen,
You and your treble strings, now scold your hearts out--
_Wo._ Shall he carry it thus away?
_Nur._ Go to the Judge, and what you'll have us swear--
_La._ I thank ye heartily,
I'll keep that for the last, I will go home,
And leave him to his Conscience for a while,
If it sleep long, I'll wake it with a vengeance. [_Exit._
_Enter Servants._
_1._ What book has he given thee?
_2._ A dainty book, a book of the great Navy,
Of fifteen hundred ships of Cannon-proof,
Built upon Whales to keep their keels from sinking:
And Dragons in 'em, that spit fire ten mile;
And Elephants that carry goodly Castles.
_1._ Dost thou believe it?
_2._ Shall we not believe Books in print?
_1._ I have _John Taylors_ book of Hempseed too,
Which for two lines I hapned on by chance,
I reverence.
_2._ I prethee what are they?
_1._ They are so pat upon the time, as if
He studied to answer the late Histriomastix,
Talking of change and transformations,
That wittily, and learnedly he bangs him,
So many a Puritans ruff, though starch'd in print,
Be turn'd to Paper, and a Play writ in't
[A Play in the Puritans ruff? I'll buy his Works for't,
And confute _Horace_ with a Water Poet:]
What hast there a Ballad too?
_2._ [This?] This is a piece of Poetry indeed;
[_He sings; Justice cries within._
What noise is that?
_1._ Some cry i th' streets; prethee sing on. [_Sing[s] again._
_2._ Agen, dost not hear? 'tis i'th' house certainly?
_1._ 'Tis a strange noise! and has a tang o'th' Justice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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