20 In any place, but I will visit thee And whisper such a sad tale in thine ear Vent. Forgive me, Jasper! Oh, what might Tell me, to satisfy thy troubled ghost? Jasp. There is no means; too late thou think'st of this. Vent. But tell me what were best for me to do? Jasp. Repent thy deed, and satisfy my father, And beat fond Humphrey out of thy doors. 35 Exit. Wife. Look, George; his very ghost would have folks beaten. Wife. Hark, George, the drums! Cit. Ran, tan, tan, tan; ran, tan! Oh, wench, an thou hadst but seen little Ned of Aldgate, [1 Drum Ned, how he made it roar again, and laid on like a tyrant, and then struck softly till the ward came up, and then thund'red again, and together we go! Sa, sa, sa, bounce! quoth the guns; Courage, my hearts!" quoth the captains; "Saint George!" quoth the pikemen; and withal, here they lay, and there they lay: and yet for all this I am here, wench. 100 Wife. Be thankful for it, George; for indeed 't is wonderful. [SCENE II.] 6 Enter RALPH and Company of Soldiers (among whom are WILLIAM HAMMERTON, and GEORGE GREENGOOSE), with drums and colours. Ralph. March fair, my hearts! Lieutenant, beat the rear up. -Ancient,7 let your colours fly; but have a great care of the butchers' hooks at Whitechapel; they have been the death of many a fair ancient. Open your [5 files, that I may take a view both of your persons and munition. Sergeant, call a muster. Serg. A stand!-- William Hammerton, pewterer! Ham. Here, captain! 10 Ralph. A corselet and a Spanish pike; 't is well: can you shake it with a terror? Ham. I hope so, captain. Ralph. Charge upon me. [He charges on RALPH.-T is with the weakest: put more [15 strength, William Hammerton, more strength. As you were again!-- Proceed, Sergeant. Serg. George Greengoose, poulterer! 3 I. e. full membership in his Company. 4 Ramrod. 5 Guard (Moorman); regiment (Murch). 6 A street (and afterwards Mile-End). 7 Ensign (the flag or its bearer). Green. Here! Ralph. Let me see your piece,1 neighbour [20 Greengoose: when was she shot in? Green. An't like you, master captain, I made a shot even now, partly to scour her, and partly for audacity. Ralph. It should seem so certainly, for her [25 breath is yet inflamed; besides, there is a main fault in the touch-hole, it runs and stinketh ; and I tell you moreover, and believe it, ten such touch-holes would breed the pox in the army. Get you a feather, neighbour, get you [30 a feather, sweet oil, and paper, and your piece may do well enough yet. Where's your powder? Green. Here. Ralph. What, in a paper! As I am a soldier and a gentleman, it craves a martial court! [35 You ought to die for 't. Where's your horn? Answer me to that. Green. An't like you, sir, I was oblivious. Ralph. It likes me not you should be so; 't is a shame for you, and a scandal to all our [40 neighbours, being a man of worth and estimation, to leave your horn behind you: I am afraid 't will breed example. But let me tell you no more on 't. - Stand, till I view you all. What's become o' th' nose of flask? 45 your 1 Sold. Indeed, la, captain, 'twas blown away with powder. Ralph. Put on a new one at the city's charge. - Where's the stone 3 of this piece? 2 Sold. The drummer took it out to light [50 tobacco. Ralph. Tis a fault, my friend; put it in again. You want a nose, and you a stone. Sergeant, take a note on 't, for I mean to stop it in the pay.Remove, and march! [They [55 march.] Soft and fair, gentlemen, soft and fair! Double your files! As you were! Faces about! Now, you with the sodden 4 face, keep in there! Look to your match, sirrah, it will be in your fellow's flask anon. So; make a crescent now: [60 advance your pikes: stand and give ear! Gentlemen, countrymen, friends, and my fellowsoldiers, I have brought you this day, from the shops of security and the counters of content, to measure out in these furious fields honour by [65 the ell, and prowess by the pound. Let it not, oh, let it not, I say, be told hereafter, the noble issue of this city fainted; but bear yourselves in this fair action like men, valiant men, and free men! Fear not the face of the enemy, nor the noise of the guns, for, believe me, brethren, the rude rumbling of a brewer's car is far more terrible, of which you have a daily experience; neither let the stink of powder offend you, since a more valiant stink is nightly with you. To a resolved mind his home is every-where: I speak not this to take away 70 76 80 The hope of your return; for you shall see (I do not doubt it) and that very shortly Your loving wives again and your sweet children, Whose care doth bear you company in baskets. 3 Flint. 4 Bloated. 1 Mucket. ? Serious. 85 Remember, then, whose cause you have in hand, And, like a sort of true-born scavengers, Scour me this famous realm of enemies. I have no more to say but this: stand to your tacklings, lads, and show to the world you can as well brandish a sword as shake an apron. Saint George, and on, my hearts! All. Saint George, Saint George! Exeunt. so Wife. 'Twas well done, Ralph! I'll send thee a cold capon a-field and a bottle of March beer; and, it may be, come myself to see thee. Cit. Nell, the boy has deceived me much; I did not think it had been in him. He has [ performed such a matter, wench, that, if I live, next year I'll have him captain of the galleyfoist or I'll want my will. [SCENE III.] 8 Enter MERRYTHOUGHT. Mer. Yet, I thank God, I break not a wrinkle more than I had. Not a stoop, boys? Care, live with cats; I defy thee! My heart is as sound as an oak; and though I want drink to wet my whistle, I can sing ; [Sings.] Come no more there, boys, come no more there; Mer. It's a brave boy. Canst thou sing? Mist. Mer. [within.] You will not have us starve here, will you, Master Merrythought? Jasp. Nay, good sir, be persuaded; she is my mother. If her offences have been great against you, 55 Luce. Good Master Merrythought, Let me entreat you; I will not be denied. Mist. Mer. within.] Why, Master Merry- [co thought, will you be a vext thing still? Mer. Woman, I take you to my love again; but you shall sing before you enter; therefore despatch your song and so come in. Mist. Mer, [within.] Well, you must have [65 your will, when all 's done. - Mick, what song canst thou sing, boy? Mich. [within. I can sing none, forsooth, but A Lady's Daughter, of Paris properly. Mist. Mer. [Song.] It was a lady's daughter, &c. 70 Vent. Oh, Master Merrythought, I'm come to ask you Forgiveness for the wrongs I offered you ment 95 Sir, if you will forgive him, clap their hands [115 together; there's no more to be said i' th' matter. Vent. I do, I do. Cit. I do not like this. Peace, boys! Hear me, one of you! Every body's part is come to an end but Ralph's, and he's left out. 121 Boy. 'Tis 'long of yourself, sir; we have nothing to do with his part. Cit. Ralph, come away!- Make [an end] 2 on him, as you have done of the rest, boys; come. 126 Wife. Now, good husband, let him come out and die. Cit. He shall, Nell. Ralph, come away quickly, and die, boy! 130 Boy. 'T will be very unfit he should die, sir, upon no occasion and in a comedy too. Cit. Take you no care of that, sir boy; is not his part at an end, think you, when he's dead? Come away, Ralph! 2 Qq. omit. Added in Ed. of 1778. 135 Cit. Come, Nell, shall we go? The play 's done. Wife. Nay, by my faith, George, I have more manners than so; I'll speak to these gentlemen first. I thank you all, gentlemen, for your patience and countenance to Ralph, a pour fatherless child; and if I might see you at my house, it should go hard but I would have a pottle of wine and a pipe of tobacco for you: for, truly, I hope you do like the youth, but I would be glad to know the truth; I refer it to your own discretions, whether you will appland him or no; for I will wink, and whilst you shall do what you will. I thank you with all my heart. God give you good night! - Come, É George. [Exeunt.. As the London prentices did on Shrove Tuesday Cf. the speech of Andrea's Ghost in The Spons Tragedy, I. i., many lines of which are here paródied. 7 Part. 8 Meanwhile. ACT I SCENE 1.2 [DRAMATIS PERSONAE Two Woodmen. The King's Guard and Train. ARETHUSA, Daughter of the King. EUPHRASIA, Daughter of Dion, but disguised like a Page and called BELLARIO. MEGRA, a lascivious Lady. GALATEA, a wise, modest Lady attending the Princess. Two other Ladies. SCENE.Sicily.]1 Thra. Many that will seem to know much say she looks not on him like a maid in love. Dion. Faith, sir, the multitude, that seldom know any thing but their own opinions, speak that they would have; but the prince, be- [15 fore his own approach, receiv'd so many confident messages from the state, that I think she's resolv'd to be rul'd. Cle. Sir, it is thought, with her he shall enjoy both these kingdoms of Sicily and Calabria. Dion. Sir, it is without controversy SO [21 meant. But 't will be a troublesome labour for him to enjoy both these kingdoms with safety, the right heir to one of them living, and living so virtuously especially, the people admir- [25 ing the bravery of his mind and lamenting his injuries. Cle. Who? Philaster? Dion. Yes; whose father, we all know, was by our late King of Calabria unrighteously (30 deposed from his fruitful Sicily. Myself drew 1 This list is taken with slight changes from Q3. Q: omits it. 2 The presence chamber in the palace. some blood in those wars, which I would give my hand to be washed from. Cle. Sir, my ignorance in state-policy will not let me know why, Philaster being heir to one [35 of these kingdoms, the King should suffer him to walk abroad with such free liberty. Dion. Sir, it seems your nature is more constant than to inquire after state-news. But the King, of late, made a hazard of both the [40 kingdoms, of Sicily and his own, with offering but to imprison Philaster; at which the city was in arms, not to be charm'd down by any state-order or proclamation, till they saw Phil aster ride through the streets pleas'd and [45 without a guard: at which they threw their hats and their arms from them; some to make bonfires, some to drink, all for his deliverance: which wise men say is the cause the King labours to bring in the power of a foreign nation to awe his own with. 51 |