The Elder Brother: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Volume 2 of 10)Fletcher, John
General
The Elder Brother: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Volume 2 of 10)
Fletcher, John
Comedy plays; English drama -- 17th century
_Bri_. You'l stay and dine though? _Mir_. All your meat smells mustie,
Your table will shew nothing to content me.
_Bri_. Ile answer you, here's good meat. _Mira_. But your sawce is
scurvie;
It is not season'd with the sharpness of discretion.
_Eust_. It seems your anger is at me, dear Uncle.
_Mir_. Thou art not worth my anger, th'art a boy,
A lump o' thy fathers lightness, made of nothing
But antick cloaths and cringes; look in thy head,
And 'twill appear a footbal full of fumes
And rotten smoke; Ladie, I pitie you;
You are a handsome and a sweet young Ladie,
And ought to have a handsome man yoak'd t'ye,
An understanding too; this is a Gincrack,
That ca[n] get nothing but new fashions on you;
For say he have a thing shap'd like a child,
'Twill either prove a tumbler or a tailor.
_Eust_. These are but harsh words Uncle. _Mir_. So I mean 'em.
Sir, you play harsher play w' your elder brother.
_Eust_. I would be loth to give you. _Mi_. Do not venter,
Ile make your wedding cloaths fit closer t'ee then;
I but disturb you, lie go see my nephew:
_Lew_. Pray take a piece of rosemarie. _Mir_. Ile wear it,
But for the Ladies sake, and none of yours;
May be Ile see your table too. _Bri_. Pray do, Sir.
_Ang_. A mad old Gentleman. _Bri_. Yes faith sweet daughter,
He has been thus his whole age to my knowledge,
He has made _Charles_ his heir, I know that certainly;
Then why should he grudge _Eustace_ any thing?
_Ang_. I would not have a light head, nor one laden
With too much learning, as they say, this _Charles_ is,
That makes his book his Mistress: Sure, there's something
Hid in this old mans anger, that declares him
Not a mere Sot. _Bri_. Come shall we go and seal brother?
All things are readie, and the [P]riest is here.
When _Charles_ has set his hand unto the Writings,
As he shall instantly, then to the Wedding,
And so to dinner. _Lew_. Come, let's seal the book first
For my daughters Jointure. _Bri_. Let's be private in't Sir. _Exeunt_.
_Actus III. Scaena IV_.
_Enter_ Charles, Miramont, Andrew.
_Mir_. Nay, y'are undone. _Cha_. hum. _Mira_. Ha' ye no greater feeling?
_And_. You were sensible of the great b[oo]ke, Sir,
When it fell on your head, and now the house
Is ready to fall, Do you feare nothing? _Cha_. Will
He have my bookes too? _Mir_. No, he has a book,
A faire one too to read on, and read wonders,
I would thou hadst her in thy studie Nephew,
And 'twere but to new string her. _Cha_. Yes, I saw her,
And me though[t] 'twas a curious peece of learning,
Handsomely bound, and of a daintly letter.
_And_. He flung away his booke. _Mir_. I like that in him,
Would he had flung away his dulness too,
And speak to her. _Cha_. And must my brother have all?
_Mir_. All that your father has. _Cha_. And that faire woman too?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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