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._ You say true, 'tis a fine cunning thing to ring by th' Ear sure:
And can you ring i' th' dark so?
_Wild._ All night long, boy.
_Boy._ 'Tis wonderful, let this be certain Gentlemen,
And half his wager he allows among ye;
Is't possible you should ring so?
_To._ Possible, thou art a child, I'll ring when I am dead drunk
Out with the lights, no twinkling of a candle,
I know my rope too, as I know my nose,
And can bang it soundly i'th' dark, I warrant you.
_Wi._ Come, let's confirm him straight, and win the wager. [_Ex._
_Boy._ Let me hear to strengthen me;
And when y'ave rung, I'll bring the money to you.
_Lur._ So, so, follow 'em;
They shall have a cool reward, one hath gold of mine,
Good store in's pocket, [_Ring._
But this will be reveng'd in a short warning.
They are at it lustily; hey, how wantonly
They ring away their cloaths, how it delights me.
_Boy._ Here, here, Sir.
_Enter Boy with cloaths._
_Lur._ Hast _Wildbrain's_?
_Boy._ His whole case, Sir; I felt it out, and by the guards
This should be the Coachmans, another suit too.
_Lur._ Away boy, quickly now to the Usurer,
His hour to wake approaches.
_Boy._ That once finished,
You'll give me leave to play, Sir: here they come. [_Ex._
_Enter_ Wildbrain, Toby, _and Ringers_.
_Wild._ I am monstrous weary.
_To._ Fie, how I sweat! Reach me my cloak to cover me,
I run to oyl like a Porpise; 'twas a brave peal.
_Sex._ Let me light [my] candle first, then I'll wait on you.
_Wild._ A very brave peal.
_To._ Carman, you came in close now.
_Wild._ Sure 'tis past midnight.
_Ring._ No stirring in the streets I hear.
_To._ Walk further, was that a pillar? 'tis harder than my nose,
Where's the boy promis'd us five pounds?
_Wild._ Room, I sweat still; come, come, my cloak,
I shall take cold.
_Enter Sexton._
_Sex._ Where lies it?
_Wild._ Here, here, and all our cloaths.
_Sex._ Where, where?
_Ring._ I'th' corner.
_To._ Is thy candle blind too, give me the bottle,
I can drink like a Fish now, like an Elephant.
_Sex._ Here are the corners, but here are no cloaths;
Yes, here is a cuff.
_Wild._ A cuff? give me the candle,
Cuffes wonot cover me--I smell the knavery.
_Tob._ Is't come to a cuff? my whole suit turned to a button?
_Wild._ Now am I as cold again as though 'twere Christmas;
Cold with my fear, I'll never ring by the ear more.
_To._ My new cloaths vanish'd?
_Wild._ All my cloaths _Toby_.
_Ring._ Here's none.
_Tob._ Not one of my dragons wings left to adorn me,
Have I muted all my feathers?
_Wild._ Cheated by the ear; a plot to put out the candle;
I could be mad; my chain, my rings, the gold, the gold.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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