Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10 — John Shaqi
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Bawd._ I would take whipping,
And pay a fine now. [_Exit Bawdber._
_Theod._ But were ye once disgraced,
Or fallen in wealth, like leaves they would flie from you,
And become browse for every beast; You will'd me
To stock my self with better friends, and servants,
With what face dare you see me, or any mankind,
That keep a race of such unheard of relicks,
Bawds, Leachers, Letches, female fornications,
And children in their rudiments to vices,
Old men to shew examples: and lest Art
Should loose her self in act, to call back custome,
Leave these, and live like _Niobe_. I told you how
And when your eyes have dropt away remembrance
Of what you were. I 'm your Son! performe it.
_Brun._ Am I a woman, and no more power in me,
To tye this Tyger up, a soul to no end,
Have I got shame and lost my will? _Brunhalt_
From this accursed hour, forget thou bor'st him,
Or any part of thy blood gave him living,
Let him be to thee an Antipathy,
A thing thy nature sweats at, and turns backward:
Throw all the mischiefs on him that thy self,
Or woman worse than thou art, have invented,
And kill him drunk, or doubtfull.
_Enter Bawd[b]er_, _Protaldie_, _Lecure_.
_Bawd._ Such a sweat,
I never was in yet, clipt of my minstrels,
My toyes to prick up wenches withall; Uphold me,
It runs like snow-balls through me.
_Brun._ Now my varlets,
My slaves, my running thoughts, my executions.
_Baw._ Lord how she looks!
_Brun._ Hell take ye all.
_Baw._ We shall be gelt.
_Brun._ Your Mistress,
Your old and honor'd Mistress, you tyr'd curtals
Suffers for your base sins; I must be cloyster'd,
Mew'd up to make me virtuous who can help this?
Now you stand still like Statues; Come _Protaldye_,
One kiss before I perish, kiss me strongly,
Another, and a third.
_Lecure._ I fear not gelding
As long [as] she holds this way.
_Brun._ The young courser
That unli[c]kt lumpe of mine, will win thy Mistriss;
Must I be chast _Protaldye_?
_Pro._ Thus and thus Lady.
_Brun._ It shall be so, let him seek fools for Vestalls,
Here is my Cloyster.
_Lecure._ But what safety Madam
Find you in staying here?
_Brun._ Thou hast hit my meaning,
I will to _Thierry_ Son of my blessings,
And there complain me, tell my tale so subtilly,
That the cold stones shall sweat; And Statues mourn,
And thou shall weep _Protaldye_ in my witness,
And there forswear.
_Bawd._ Yes, any thing but gelding,
I'm not yet in quiet Noble Lady,
Let it be done to night, for without doubt
To morrow we are capons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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