English drama -- 17th century; English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
_Sec._ What should I say?--how miraculously sorts
this!--was not I at home, and called thee last night?
_Wi._ Yes, sir, the harmless sleep you broke; and my
answer to you would have witnessed it, if you had had
the patience to have stayed and answered me; but your
so sudden retreat made me imagine you were gone to
Master Bramble's, and so rested patient and hopeful
of your coming again, till this your unbelieved absence
brought me abroad with no less than wonder, to seek
you where the false knight had carried you. 285
_Sec._ Villain and monster that I was! how have I
abused thee! I was suddenly gone indeed; for my sudden
jealousy transferred me. I will say no more but this:
dear wife, I suspected thee.
_Wi._ Did you suspect me? 290
_Sec._ Talk not of it, I beseech thee; I am ashamed to
imagine it. I will home, I will home; and every morning
on my knees ask thee heartily forgiveness.
[_Exeunt._
[_Slit._] Now will I descend my honourable prospect;
the farthest seeing sea-mark of the world; no marvel,
then, if I could see two miles about me. I hope the
red tempest's anger be now over-blown, which sure, I
think, Heaven sent as a punishment for profaning holy
Saint Luke's memory[78] with so ridiculous a custom.
Thou dishonest satire! farewell to honest married
men, farewell to all sorts and degrees of thee! Farewell,
thou horn of hunger, that call'st the inns o' court to
their manger! Farewell, thou horn of abundance, that
adornest the headsmen of the commonwealth! Farewell,
thou horn of direction, that is the city lanthorn!
Farewell, thou horn of pleasure, the ensign of the huntsman!
Farewell, thou horn of destiny, th' ensign of the
married man! Farewell, thou horn tree, that bearest
nothing but stone-fruit! 309
[_Exit._
[73] Horn-fair was held at Charlton on St. Luke's Day, 18th
October.--The tradition was that King John cuckolded a miller who
lived near Charlton, and compensated him by giving him all the
land that he could see from his house, looking down the river;
the condition being that the miller should walk round the estate
annually on St. Luke's Day with a pair of buck's horns fastened
on his head.
[74] _I.e._, think you?
[75] Old ed. "_Enter the_ Drawer _in the tavern before_."
[76] A sneer at those who purchased the honour of knighthood from
King James. As he spoke the words the actor mimick'd James'
Scotch accent.
[77] Old ed. "stale."
[78] See note, p. 72. [Transcriber's Note: Footnote 73]
SCENE II.
_Goldsmiths' Row._
_Enter_ TOUCHSTONE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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