Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Lam._ I must grant
There's as much worth in him as can be lookt for
From a young Lord, but not enough to make
Me change my golden liberty and consent
To be a servant to it, as wives are
To the Imperious humors of their Lords:
Me thinks I'm well, I rise and goe to bed
When I think fit, eat what my appetite
Desires without controle, my servants study
Is my contentment, and to make me merry
Their farthest ayms; my sleeps are enquired after,
My rising up saluted with respect:
Command and liberty now wait upon
My Virgin state; what would I more; change all,
And for a husband? no; these freedoms die,
In which they live with my Virginity;
'Tis in their choice that's rich to be a wife,
But not being yoakt to chuse the single life.
_Ver._ Madam.
_Lam._ How like you the Countrey?
_Ver._ I like the ayr of it well Madam, and the rather because,
as on _Irish_ Timber your Spider will not make his web, so for
ought I see yet your Cheater, Pander, and Informer being in their
dispositions too foggy for this piercing climate, shun it, and
chose rather to walk in mists in the City.
_Lam._ Who did you serve first boy?
_Ver._ A rich Merchants widow, and was by her preferred to a young
Court-Lady.
_L. Orl._ And what difference found you in their service?
_Ver._ Very much: for look how much my old City Madam gave to
her young visitants, so much my Lady received from her hoary
Court-servants.
_Lam._ And what made you to leave her?
_Ver._ My father (Madam) had a desire to have me a tall-man, took
me from thence.
_Lam._ Well, I perceive you inherit the wag, from your father.
_Ver._ Doves beget Doves; and Eagles, Eagles, Madam: A Citizen
here, tho left never so rich, seldome at the best proves a
Gentleman: the son of an Advocate, tho dub'd like his father, will
shew a relish of his descent, and the fathers thriving practice,
as I have heard: she that of a Chambermayd is metamorphosed into
a Madam, will yet remember how oft her daughter by her mother
ventured to lie upon the rushes before she could get in that which
makes many Ladyes.
_L. Orl._ But what think you of your late Master?
_Ver._ Oh Madam-- [_Sighs._
_Lam._ Why doe you sigh? you are sorry that you left him,
He made a wanton of you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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