English drama -- 17th century; English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
_Fo._ O she's married to a most fine castle i' th' country,
they say. 21
_Ga._ But there are no giants in the castle, are there?
_Fo._ O no: they say her knight killed 'hem all, and
therefore he was knighted.
_Ga._ Would to God her ladyship would come away!
_Enter_ GERTRUDE, Mistress TOUCHSTONE, SINDEFY,
HAMLET, POTKIN.
_Fo._ She comes, she comes, she comes!
_Ga._ } Pray heaven bless your ladyship!
_Fo._ }
_Ge._ Thank you, good people. My coach, for the love
of heaven, my coach! In good truth I shall swoon else.
_Ha._ Coach, coach, my lady's coach!
[_Exit._
_Ge._ As I am a lady, I think I am with child already,
I long for a coach so. May one be with child afore they
are married, mother? 33
_Mist. T._ Ay, by'r lady, madam; a little thing does
that; I have seen a little prick no bigger than a pin's
head swell bigger and bigger, till it has come to an
ancome;[57] and e'en so 'tis in these cases.
_Enter_ HAMLET.
_Ha._ Your coach is coming, madam.
_Ge._ That's well said. Now, heaven! methinks I am
e'en up to the knees in preferment. 40
_But a little higher, but a little higher, but a little higher,
There, there, there lies Cupid's fire!_
_Mist. T._ But must this young man, an't please you,
madam, run by your coach all the way a-foot?
_Ge._ Ay, by my faith, I warrant him; he gives no other
milk, as I have another servant does.
_Mist. T._ Alas! 'tis e'en pity, methinks; for God's sake,
madam, buy him but a hobby-horse; let the poor youth
have something betwixt his legs to ease 'hem. Alas! we
must do as we would be done to. 50
_Ge._ Go to, hold your peace, dame; you talk like an
old fool, I tell you!
_Enter_ Sir PETRONEL _and_ QUICKSILVER.
_Pe._ Wilt thou be gone, sweet honey-suckle, before I
can go with thee?
_Ge._ I pray thee, sweet knight, let me; I do so long to
dress up thy castle afore thou comest. But I marle how
my modest sister occupies herself this morning, that she
cannot wait on me to my coach, as well as her mother.
_Qu._ Marry, madam, she's married by this time to
prentice Golding. Your father, and some one more,
stole to church with 'hem in all the haste, that the cold
meat left at your wedding might serve to furnish their
nuptial table. 63
_Ge._ There's no base fellow, my father, now; but he's
e'en fit to father such a daughter: he must call me
daughter no more now: but "madam," and "please you,
madam;" and "please your worship, madam," indeed.
Out upon him! marry his daughter to a base prentice!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account