The Mad Lover, a Tragi-Comedy: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (3 of 10)Fletcher, John
General
The Mad Lover, a Tragi-Comedy: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (3 of 10)
Fletcher, John
English drama
Orph. _This Souldier loves, and fain wou'd dye to win,_
_Shall he goe on?_
Cha. _No 'tis too foul a sin._
_He must not come aboard: I dare not row,_
_Storms of despair, and guilty blood will blow._
Orph. _Shall time release him, say?_
Cha. _No, no, no, no._
_Nor time nor death can alter us, nor prayer;_
_My boat is destinie, and who then dare_
_But those appointed come aboard? Live still,_
_And love by reason, Mortal, not by will._
Orph. _And when thy Mistris shall close up thine eyes,_
Cha. _Then come aboard and pass,_
Orph. _Till when be wise._
Cha. _Till when be wise._
_Eumen._ How still he sits: I hope this Song has setled him.
_1 Capt._ He bites his lip, and rowles his fiery eyes, yet
I fear for all this--
_2 Capt._ _Stremon_ still apply to him.
_Strem._ Give me more room, sweetly strike, divinely
Such strains as old earth moves at.
_Orph._ The power I have over both beast and plant,
Thou man alone feelst miserable want. [_Musick._
Strike you rare Spirits that attend my will,
And lose your savage wildness by my skill.
_Enter a_ Mask _of_ Beasts.
This Lion was a man of War that died,
As thou wouldst do, to gild his Ladies pride:
This Dog a fool that hung himself for love:
This Ape with daily hugging of a glove,
Forgot to eat and died. This goodly tree,
An usher that still grew before his Ladie,
Wither'd at root. This, for he could not wooe,
A grumbling Lawyer: this pyed Bird a page,
That melted out because he wanted age.
Still these lye howling on the Stygian shore,
O love no more, O love no more. [_Exit_ Memnon.
_Eumen._ He steals off silently, as though he would sleep,
No more, but all be near him, feed his fancie
Good _Stremon_ still; this may lock up his follie.
Yet Heaven knows I much fear him; away softly. [_Exeunt Captains._
_Fool._ Did I not doe most doggedly?
_Strem._ Most rarelie.
_Fool._ He's a brave man, when shall we dog again?
_Boy._ Unty me first for Gods sake,
_Fool._ Help the Boy; he's in a wood poor child: good hony _Stremon_
Let's have a bear-baiting; ye shall see me play
The rarest for a single Dog: at head all;
And if I do not win immortal glorie,
Play Dog play Devil.
_Strem._ Peace for this time.
_Fool._ Prethee
Let's sing him a black Santis, then let's all howl
In our own beastly voices; tree keep your time,
Untye there; bow, wow, wow.
_Strem._ Away ye Asse, away.
_Fool._ Why let us doe something
To satisfie the Gentleman, he's mad;
A Gentleman-like humour, and in fashion,
And must have men as mad about him.
_Strem._ Peace,
And come in quicklie, 'tis ten to one else
He'l find a staff to beat a dog; no more words,
I'le get ye all imployment; soft, soft in all. [_Exeunt._
_Enter_ Chilax _and_ Cloe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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