English drama (Comedy); English drama -- 17th century
_Mons. Jarni!_ do you tink beards are as easy to be had as in the
playhouses? non; but if here be no the ugly long Spanish beard, here
are, I am certain, the ugly long Spanish ear.
_Hip._ That's very true, ha! ha! ha!
_Mons._ Auh de ingrate, dat de woman is! wen we poor men are your
gallants, you laugh at us yourselves, and wen we are your husband, you
make all the world laugh at us, _jarni!_--Love, dam love, it makes the
man more ridicule, than poverty, poetry, or a new title of honour,
_jarni!_
_Enter_ Don DIEGO _and_ Mrs. CAUTION.
_Don._ What! at your _jarnis_ still? _voto!_
_Mons._ Why, _oncle_, you are at your _votos_ still.
_Don._ Nay, I'll allow you to be at your _votos_ too, but not to make
the incongruous match of Spanish doublet, and French pantaloons.
[_Holding his hat before his pantaloons._
_Mons._ Nay, pray, dear _oncle_, let me unite France and Spain; 'tis
the mode of France now, _jarni, voto!_
_Don._ Well, I see I must pronounce: I told you, if you were not
dressed in the Spanish habit to-night, you should not marry my daughter
to-morrow, look you.
_Mons._ Well! am I not _habillé_ in de Spanish habit? my doublet, ear
and hat, leg and feet, are Spanish, that dey are.
_Don._ I told you I was a Spanish _positivo, voto!_
_Mons._ Will you not spare my pantaloon! begar, I will give you one
little finger to excuse my pantaloon, da--
_Don._ I have said, look you.
_Mons._ Auh, _cher_ pantaloons! Speak for my pantaloons, cousin. My
poor pantaloons are as dear to me as de scarf to de countree capitane,
or de new-made officer: therefore have de compassion for my pantaloons,
Don Diego, _mon oncle. Hélas! hélas! hélas!_ [_Kneels._
_Don._ I have said, look you, your dress must be Spanish, and your
language English: I am _un positivo_.
_Mons._ And must speak base good English too! Ah! _la pitié! hélas!_
_Don._ It must be done; and I will see this great change ere it be
dark, _voto!_--Your time is not long; look to't, look you.
_Mons. Hélas! hélas! hélas!_ dat _Espagne_ should conquer _la France_
in England! _Hélas! hélas! hélas!_ [_Exit._
_Don._ You see what pains I take to make him the more agreeable to you,
daughter.
_Hip._ But indeed, and indeed, father, you wash the blackamoor white,
in endeavouring to make a Spaniard of a monsieur, nay, an English
monsieur too; consider that, father: for when once they have taken the
French _plie_ (as they call it) they are never to be made so much as
Englishmen again, I have heard say.
_Don._ What! I warrant you are like the rest of the young silly
baggages of England, that like nothing but what is French? You would
not have him reformed, you would have a monsieur to your husband, would
you, _cuerno_?
_Hip._ No, indeed, father, I would not have a monsieur to my husband;
not I indeed: and I am sure you'll never make my cousin otherwise.
_Don._ I warrant you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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