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Rule a Wife, and Have a Wife: Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (3 of 10)Fletcher, John

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Rule a Wife, and Have a Wife: Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (3 of 10)

Name: Rule a Wife, and Have a Wife: Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (3 of 10)
Author: Fletcher, John

Fletcher, John

Comedy plays; Drama

I believe you,
      I pray you be civil, I believe you would see me,
      And when you have seen me I believe you will like me,
      But in a strange place, to a stranger too,
      As if I came on purpose to betray you,
      Indeed I will not.
173]

Michael Perez:

      I shall love you dearly,
      And 'tis a sin to fling away affection,
      I have no Mistress, no desire to honour
      Any but you, will not this Oyster open?
      I know not, you have struck me with your modesty;
      She will draw sure; so deep, and taken from me
      All the desire I might bestow on others,
      Quickly before they come.

Estifania:

      Indeed I dare not:
      But since I see you are so desirous, Sir,
      To view a poor face that can merit nothing
      But your Repentance.

Michael Perez:

      It must needs be excellent.

Estifania:

      And with what honesty you ask it of me,
      When I am gone let your man follow me,
      And view what house I enter, thither come,
      For there I dare be bold to appear open:
      And as I like your vertuous carriage then,

      [Enter _Juan_, _Clara_, a Servant.]

      I shall be able to give welcome to you;
      She hath done her business, I must take my leave, Sir.

Michael Perez:

      I'll kiss your fair white hand and thank you, Lady.
      My man shall wait, and I shall be your Servant;
      Sirrah, come near, hark.

Servant:

      I shall do it faithfully.
                                                                        [Exit.

Juan de Castro:

      You will command me no more services?

Clara:

      To be careful of your noble health, dear Sir,
      That I may ever honour you.

Juan de Castro:

      I thank you,
      And kiss your hands, wait on the Ladies down there.

                                                 [Exeunt Ladies, and Servants.

Michael Perez:

      You had the honour to see the face that came to you?

Juan de Castro:

      And 'twas a fair one; what was yours, _Don Michael_?

Michael Perez:

      Mine was i'th' clipse, and had a Cloud drawn over it.
      But I believe well, and I hope 'tis handsome,
      She had a hand would stir a holy Hermite.

Juan de Castro:

      You know none of 'em?

Michael Perez:

      No.

Juan de Castro:

      Then I do, Captain,
174]  But I'll say nothing till I see the proof on't,
      Sit close _Don Perez_, or your Worship's caught.
      I fear a Flye.

Michael Perez:

      Were those she brought Love-Letters?

Juan de Castro:

      A Packet to a Kinsman now in _Flanders_,
      Yours was very modest methought.

Michael Perez:

      Some young unmanag'd thing,
      But I may live to see--

Juan de Castro:

      'Tis worth experience,
      Let's walk abroad and view our Companies.

                                                                      [Exeunt.

      [Enter _Sanchio_, and _Alonzo_.]

Sanchio:

      What, are you for the Wars, _Alonzo_?

Alonzo:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Rule a Wife, and Have a Wife: Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (3 of 10)

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