English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Spurious and doubtful works
CORPORAL.
I’m hurt, and had more need have Surgeons
Lay hands upon me then rough Officers.
OFFICER.
Go, carry him to be dressed then.
[Exeunt some of the Sheriff’s Officers with Corporal Oath.]
This mutinous Soldier shall along with me to prison.
SKIRMISH.
To prison? where’s George?
OFFICER.
Away with him.
[Exeunt with Skirmish.]
[Re-enter Pye-board.]
PYE.
So.
All lights as I would wish. The amazed widdow
Will plant me strongly now in her belief,
And wonder at the virtue of my words:
For the event turns those presages from em
Of being mad and dumb, and begets joy
Mingled with admiration. These empty creatures,
Soldier and Corporal, were but ordained
As instruments for me to work upon.
Now to my patient; here’s his potion.
[Exit Pye-board.]
SCENE II. An apartment in the Widow’s house.]
[Enter the Widdow with her two Daughters.]
WIDDOW.
O wondrous happiness, beyond our thoughts:
O lucky fair event! I think our fortunes,
Were blest e’en in our Cradles: we are quitted
Of all those shameful violent presages
By this rash bleeding chance. Go, Frailty, run, and know,
Whether he be yet living, or yet dead,
That here before my door received his hurt.
FRAILTY.
Madam, he was carried to the superiour, but if he had no
money when he came there, I warrant he’s dead by this time.
[Exit Frailty.]
FRANCES.
Sure, that man is a rare fortune-teller; never looked upon
our hands, nor upon any mark about us: a wondrous fellow,
surely.
MOLL.
I am glad, I have the use of my tongue yet: tho of nothing
else. I shall find the way to marry too, I hope, shortly.
WIDDOW.
O where’s my Brother, Sir Godfrey? I would he were here,
that I might relate to him how prophetically the cunning
Gentleman spoke in all things.
[Enter Sir Godfrey in a rage.]
SIR GODFREY.
O my Chain, my Chain! I have lost my Chain. Where be these
Villains, Varlets?
WIDDOW.
Oh! has lost his Chain.
SIR GODFREY.
My Chain, my chain!
WIDDOW.
Brother, be patient, hear me speak: you know I told you
that a cunning man told me that you should have a loss, and
he has prophecied so true.
SIR GODFREY.
Out, he’s a villain, to prophecy of the loss of my chain:
twas worth above three hundred Crowns,—besides, twas my
Fathers, my fathers fathers, my Grand-fathers huge grant-
fathers. I had as lieve ha lost my Neck, as the chain that
hung about it. O, my chain, my chain!
WIDDOW.
Oh, brother, who can be against a misfortune! tis happy twas
no more.
SIR GODFREY.
No, more! O goodly godly sister, would you had me lost more?
my best gown, too, with the cloth of gold-lace? my holiday
Gascoines, and my Jerkin set with pearl? No more!
WIDDOW.
Oh, Brother! you can read—
SIR GODFREY.
But I cannot read where my chain is.—What strangers have
been here? you let in strangers, Thieves, and Catch-poles;
how comes it gone? there was none above with me but my Tailor;
and my Tailor will not—steal, I hope?
MOLL.
No, he’s afraid of a chain!
[Enter Frailty.]
WIDDOW.
How now, sirrah? the news?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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