The Lady of Pleasure: A Comedie, as It Was Acted by Her Majesties Servants, at the Private House in Drury Lane — John Shaqi
The Lady of Pleasure: A Comedie, as It Was Acted by Her Majesties Servants, at the Private House in Drury LaneShirley, James
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The Lady of Pleasure: A Comedie, as It Was Acted by Her Majesties Servants, at the Private House in Drury Lane
Shirley, James
Comedy plays; English drama -- 17th century
_St._ Mr. _Littleworth_ tells you right, you weare your hat
Too like a citizen. _Lit._ Tis like a Midwife,
Place it with best advantage of your haire,
Is halfe your feather molted? this does make
No shew, it should spread over like a Canopy,
Your hot reind Monsieur weares it for a shade,
And cooler to his backe, your doublet must
Be more unbutton'd hereabouts, you'le not
Be a sloven else, a foule shirt is no blemish,
You must be confident, and outface cleane linnen
Your doublet and your breeches must be allow'd
No private meeting here, your cloak's too long,
It reaches to your buttocke, and doth smell
Too much of Spanish gravitie, the fashion
Is to weare nothing but a Cape, a coate
May be allowed a covering for one elbow,
And some to avoid the trouble, choose to walke
In quirpo thus. _St._ Your coat, and cloak's a brushing
In Long-lane Lumbard. _Fre._ But what if it raine?
_Lit._ Your belt about your shoulder is sufficient
To keepe off any storme, beside a reede
But wau'd discreetly, has so many pores,
It suckes up all the raine that falls about one,
With this defence, when other men have beene
Wet to the skin through all their cloakes, I have
Defied a tempest and walked by the Tavernes
Drie as a bone. _St._ Because he had no money
To call for wine. _Fr._ Why you doe walke enchanted,
Have you such pretty charmes in towne? But stay,
Who must I have to attend me? _Lit._ Is not that
Yet thought upon. _St._ I have laid out for servants.
_Lit._ They are every where. _St._ I cannot yet be furnish'd
With such as I would put into his hands.
_Fr._ Of what condition must they be, and how
Many in number sir? _Lit._ Beside your fencing,
Your singing, dancing, riding, and French-master,
Two may serve domesticke to be constant waiters
Vpon a gentleman, a foole, a pimpe.
_St._ For these two officers I have enquird,
And I am promisd a convenient whiskin,
I could save charges, and employ the Pye wench
That carries her intelligence in whitepots,
Or tis but taking order with the woman
That holds the ballads, she could fit him with
A concubin to any tune, but I
Have a designe to place a fellow with him
That has read all Sir _Pandarus_ workes, a Trojan
That lies conceal'd, and is acquainted with
Both citty and sub urbian fripperies
Can fetch em with a spell at midnight to him,
And warrant which are for his turne, can for
A neede supply the Surgeon too. _Fre._ I like
Thy providence,--such a one deserves a livery twice a yeare.
_St._ It shanot need, a cast suite of your worships
Will serve, he'le find a cloke to cover it
Out of his share with those he brings to bed to you.
_Fre._ But must I call this fellow Pimpe? _Lit._ It is
Not necessary, or _Jacke_ or _Harry_,
Or what hees knowne abroad by will sound better,
That men may thinke he is a Christian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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