Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 08 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 08 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Petru._ That shall be too;
And if a Tun of Wine will serve to pay 'em,
They shall have justice: I ordain ye all
Pay-masters, Gentlemen.
_Tra._ Then we shall have sport boys.
_Mar._ We'll meet you in the Parlor.
_Petru._ Ne'r look sad, Sir, for I will do it.
_Soph._ There's no danger in't.
_Petr[u]._ For _Livia_'s Article you shall observe it,
I have ti'd my self.
_Petron._ I will.
_Petru._ Along then: now
Either I break, or this stiff plant must bow. [_Exeunt._
_Actus Tertius. Scaena Prima._
_Enter_ Tranio _and_ Rowland.
_Tra._ Come you shall take my counsel.
_Row._ I shall hang first.
I'll no more love, that's certain, 'tis a bane,
(Next that they poison Rats with) the most mortal:
No, I thank Heaven, I have got my sleep again,
And now begin to write sence; I can walk ye
A long hour in my chamber like a man,
And think of some thing that may better me;
Some serious point of Learning, or my state;
No more ay-mees, and [miseries] _Tranio_,
Come near my brain. I'll tell thee, had the devil
But any essence in him of a man,
And could be brought to love, and love a woman,
'Twould make his head ake worser than his horns do;
And firk him with a fire he never felt yet,
Would make him dance. I tell thee there is nothing
(It may be thy case _Tranio_, therefore hear me:)
Under the Sun (reckon the mass of follies
Crept into th' world with man) so desperate,
So mad, so senceless, poor and base, so wretched,
Roguy, and scurvy.
_Tra._ Whether wilt thou _Rowland_?
_Row._ As 'tis to be in love.
_Tra._ And why for virtue sake?
_Row._ And why for virtue's sake? dost thou not conceive me?
_Tra._ No by my troth.
_Row._ Pray then and heartily,
For fear thou fall into't: I'll tell thee why too,
(For I have hope to save thee) when thou lovest,
And first beginst to worship the gilt calf:
_Imprimis_, thou hast lost thy gentry,
And like a Prentice, flung away thy Freedom,
Forthwith thou art a slave.
_Tr[a]._ That's a new Doctrine.
_Row._ Next thou art no more man.
_Tra._ What then?
_Row._ A Fryppery;
Nothing but braided hair and penny ribbond,
Glove, Garter, Ring, Rose, or at best a Swabber,
If thou canst love so near to keep thy making,
Yet thou wilt lose thy language.
_Tra._ Why?
_Row._ Oh _Tranio_,
Those things in love, ne'r talk as we do.
_Tra._ No?
_Row._ No, without doubt, they sigh, and shake the head,
And sometimes whistle dolefully.
_Tra._ No tongue?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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