The Battle of Hexham; or, Days of Old: a play in three acts — John Shaqi
The Battle of Hexham; or, Days of Old: a play in three actsColman, George
General
The Battle of Hexham; or, Days of Old: a play in three acts
Colman, George
Margaret, of Anjou, Queen, consort of Henry VI, King of England, 1430-1482 -- Drama
_Adeline._ Fie! Gregory; be content, be content. Think that we are
happy in this forest, in having thus escaped the enemy's fire, and be
grateful in the change.
_Gregory._ Why, we are out of the fire, to be sure; but, make the best
on't we can, we are still in the frying-pan. And starving is one of
those blessings for which people are not very apt to be thankful. But
we have escaped killing; so I'll e'en be content, as long as there is
comfort in comparison. I stumbled over a fat trumpeter in the field,
stript and plunder'd, with his skin full of bullets. Well, I am
thankful yet--mine is a marvellous happy lot, to be better than a dead
trumpeter!
_Adeline._ Truce now, Gregory; and consider how we can best dispose
ourselves here, till the morning.
_Gregory._ Nay, there's no need of much consideration; there's little
distinction of apartments here, madam: we shall both sleep on the
ground floor--and our lodgings will be pure and airy, I warrant them.
_Adeline._ Peace, fool! nor let thy grosser mind, half fears, half
levity, thus trifle with my feelings! I have borne me up against
affliction, till my o'ercharged bosom can contain no longer.
_Gregory._ O the father! look if my poor dear lady be not a
weeping!--why, madam--Lady Adeline--dear madam! I am but a fool as you
say; but I'm as honest and as faithful as the greatest knave of them
all:--and haven't I sighed, sobbed, fasted, fought, and run away, to
show you that I would stand by you to the last? and haven't I----
_Adeline._ Pr'ythee, no more, Gregory! bear with, my pettishness--for,
now and then, the tongue of disappointment will needs let fall some of
the acid drops which misery sprinkles the heart withal.
_Gregory._ Now must I play the comforter. Why, lord, madam, I think,
when a body comes to be used to it a little, this forest must be a
sweet, dingy, retired, gloomy, pleasant sort of a place;--besides,
what's one night? sleeping bears it out--and I'll warrant us we'll find
such snug delicious beds of dry leaves, that-- [_Hard shower_.] 'Sbud!
no!--I lie--it rains like all the dogs and cats in the kingdom--there
won't be a dry twig left, large enough to shelter a cock-chafer--we
shall both be sopped here, like two toasts in a tankard-- [_Thunder._
_Adeline._ Why, why should fortune sport with a weak woman thus! why,
fickle goddess, wanton as boys in giddy cruelty, torture a silly fly
before you kill it?
_Gregory._ 'Faith, madam, for that matter, I am but a blue-bottle of
fortune's myself; and, though sorrow is dry, they say, this is a sort
of soaking it does not care to be moistened with. If it would rain good
barrels of ale, now, sorrow would not so much mind being out in the
storm. [_Thunder again._] No; sorrow would be disappointed there too:
this rumbling is enough to flatten the finest beer shower, a man would
wish to take a whet in.--Lud! lud! madam! let's get out ou't, if
there's a hollow tree to be found. [_Thunder._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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