BEGGARS BUSH, A COMEDY. Persons Represented in the Play. Wolfort, _an usurper of the Earldom of_ Flanders. Gerrard, _falsely called_ Clause, _King of the Beggars, Father in Law to_ Florez. Hubert, _an honest Lord, a friend to_ Gerrard. Florez, _falsely called_ Goswin, _a rich Merchant of_ Bruges. Hempskirke, _a Captain under_ Wolford. Herman _a Courtier_,} _inhabitants of_ _A_ Merchant, } Flanders. Vandunke, _a drunken Merchant friend to_ Gerrard, _falsely called Father to_ Bertha. Vanlock, _and_ 4 Merchants, _of_ Bruges. Higgen, } Prigg, }_Three Knavish Beggars_. Snapp, } Ferret, }_Two Gentlemen disguised under those Ginkes, } names of_ Gerrard's _party_. Clown. Boores. Servants. Guard. _A_ Sailor. _WOMEN_. Jaculin, _Daughter to_ Gerrard, _beloved of_ Hubert. Bertha _called_ Gertrude, _Daughter to the Duke of_ Brabant, _Mistress to_ Florez. Margaret, _Wife to_ Vandunke. Mrs Frances, _a frow Daughter to_ Vanlock. _The Scene_ Flanders. _ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA_. _Enter a_ Merchant _and_ Herman. _Mer._ Is he then taken? _Her._ And brought back even now, Sir. _Mer_. He was not in disgrace? _Her_. No man more lov'd, Nor more deserv'd it, being the only man That durst be honest in this Court. _Mer_. Indeed We have heard abroad, Sir, that the State hath suffered A great change, since the Countesses death. _Her_. It hath, Sir. _Mer_. My five years absence hath kept me a stranger So much to all the occurents of my Country, As you shall bind me for some short relation To make me understand the present times. _Her_. I must begin then with a War was made And seven years with all cruelty continued Upon our _Flanders_ by the Duke of _Brabant_, The cause grew thus: during our Earls minority, _Wolfort_, (who now usurps) was employed thither To treat about a match between our Earl And the Daughter and Heir of _Brabant_: during which treaty The _Brabander_ pretends, this Daughter was Stoln from his Court, by practice of our State, Though we are all confirm'd, 'twas a sought quarrel To lay an unjust gripe upon this Earldom, It being here believ'd the Duke of _Brabant_ Had no such loss. This War upon't proclaimed, Our Earl, being then a Child, although his Father Good _Gerrard_ liv'd, yet in respect he was Chosen by the Countesses favour, for her Husband, And but a Gentleman, and _Florez_ holding His right unto this Country from his Mother, The State thought fit in this defensive War, _Wolfort_ being then the only man of mark, To make him General. _Mer_. Which place we have heard He did discharge with ho[n]our.