Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10

Tib. You do well to ayr us, Ladies, we shall be musty else.
What are your wise wills now?

Cro. You are very crank still.

Tib. As crank as a holy Fryer, fed with hail-stones.
But do ye bring us out to bait, like Bulls?

Mast. Or are you weary of the charge ye are at?
Turn us abroad again, let's jog Ladies;
We are gross, and course, unfit for your sweet pleasures.

Tib. Knock off our shooes, and turn's to grass.

Cro. You are determined
Still to be stubborn then: it well becomes ye.

Tib. An humour Lady that contents a prisoner.
A sullen fit sometimes serves for a second course.

Jul. Ye may as well be kind,
And gain our favours; gain meat and drink,
And lodging to rest your bones.

Tib. My bones have bore me thus long,
And had their share of pains and recreations;
If they fail now, they are no fair companions.

Cro. Are ye thus harsh to all our Sex?

Mast. We cannot be merry without a Fidler,
Pray strike up your Tabors, Ladies.

Cro. The fools despise us.

Jul. We know ye are very hungry now.

Tib. Yes 'tis very wholsom, Ladies;
For we that have gross bodies, must be careful
Have ye no piercing air to stir our stomachs?
We are beholding to ye for our Ordinary.

Jul. Why slaves, 'tis in our power to hang ye.

Mast. Very likely.
'Tis in our powers then to be hang'd, and scorn ye.
Hanging's as sweet to us, as dreaming to you.

Cro. Come, be more courteous.

Jul. Do, and then ye shall be pleas'd, and have all necessaries.

Tib. Give me some Ratsbane then.

Cro. And why Ratsbane, Mounsieur?

Tib. We live like vermine here, and eat up your cheese,
Your mouldy cheese, that none but Rats would bite at;
Therefore 'tis just that Ratsbane should reward us.
We are unprofitable, and our Ploughs are broken;
There is no hope of Harvest this year, Ladies.

Jul. Ye shall have all content.

Mast. I, and we'll serve your uses.
I had rather serve hogs, there's more delight in't;
Your greedy appetites are never satisfied;
Just like hungry Camels, sleeping or waking
You chew the cud still.

Cro. By this hand we'll starve ye.

Mast. 'Tis a noble courtesie.
I had as lief ye should famish me, as founder me:
To be jaded to death, is only fit for a hackney.
Here be certain Tarts of Tarr about me,
And parcels of potargo in my Jerkin,
As long as these last.

Jul. Which will not last ever.

Tib. Then we'll eat one another like good fellows.
A shoulder of his for a haunch of mine.

Jul. 'Tis excellent.

Tib. 'Twill be as we'll dress it Ladies.

Cro. Why sure ye are not men?

Mast. Ye had best come search us,
A Seaman is seldom without a salt Eele.

Tib. I am bad enough,
And in my nature a notorious wencher;
And yet ye make me blush at your immodesty.
Tell me good Master, didst ever see such things?

Mast. I could like 'em, though they were lewdly given,
If they could say no; [but fie on 'em,
They gape like Oysters.]

Tib. Well, ye may hang, or starve us;
But your commanding impudence shall never fear us.
Had ye by blushing signs, soft cunings, crept into us,
And shew'd us your necessities: we had met your purposes,
Supply'd your wants. We are no Saints Ladies;
I love a good wench, as I love my life,
And with my life I will maintain my love:
But such a sordid impudence I'll spit at.
Let's to our dens again. Come noble Master.
You know our minds, Ladies:
This is the faith in which we'll die. [Exit Tib. and Mast.

Cro. I do admire 'em.

Jul. They are noble fellows,
And they shall not want, for this.

Cro. But see, Clarinda comes.
Farewel, I'll to my charge.

Enter Clarinda.

Cla. Bring out those prisoners now,
And let me see 'em, and hear their business.

Jul. I will, Madam. [Exit.

Cla. I hope she hath prevail'd upon her brother.
She has a sweet tongue, and can describe the happiness
My love is ready to fling on him.
And sure he must be glad, [and certain] wonder,
And bless the hour that brought him to this Island.
I long to hear the full joy that he labours with.

Enter Juletta, Morillat, Franvile, Lamure.

Mor. Bless thy Divine Beauty.

Fran. Mirror of sweetness.

Lam. Ever-springing brightness.

Cla. Nay, Stand up Gentlemen, and leave your flatteries.

Mor. She calls us Gentlemen, sure we shall have some meat now.

Cla. I am a mortal creature,
Worship Heaven, and give these attributes
To their Divinities. Methinks ye look but thin.

Mor. Oh we are starv'd, immortal beauty.

Lam. We are all poor starv'd knaves.

Fran. Neither liberty nor meat, Lady.

Mor. We were handsome men, and Gentlemen, and sweet men,
And were once gracious in the eyes of beauties,
But now we look like Rogues;
Like poor starv'd rogues.

Cla. What would ye do if ye were to die now?

Fran. Alas, we were prepar'd. If you will hang us,
Let's have a good meal or two to die with,
To put's in heart.

Mor. Or if you'll drown us,
Let's be drunk first, that we may die merrily,
And bless the founders.

Cla. Ye shall not die so hastily.
What dare ye do to deserve my favour?

Lam. Put us to any service.

Fran. Any bondage,
Let's but live.

Mar. We'll get a world of children,
For we know ye are hainously unprovided that way;
And ye shall beat us when we offend ye;
Beat us abundantly, and take our meat from us.

Cla. These are weak abject things, that shew ye poor ones.
What's the great service ye so oft have threatned,
If ye might see me, and win my favour?

Jul. That business of discovery.

Mor. Oh, I'll tell ye Lady.

Lam. And so will I.

Fran. And I,
Pray let me speak first.

Mor. Good, no confusion.
We are before a Lady that knows manners;
And by the next meat I shall eat, 'tis certain,
This little Gentlewoman that was taken with us.

Cla. Your Captains Sister, she you mean.

Mor. I, I, she's the business that we would open to ye.
You are cousened in her.

Lam. { How, what is't you would open?
Fran. { She is no Sister.

Mor. Good Sirs how quick you are.
She is no Sister, Madam.

Fran. She is his.

Mor. Peace I say.

Cla. What is she?

Mor. Faith, sweet Lady,
She is, as a man would say, his.

Cla. What?

Lam. His Mistriss.

Mor. Or, as some new Translators read, his.

Cla. Oh me!

Mor. And why he should delude you thus,
Unless he meant some villany? these ten weeks
He has had her at Sea, for his own proper appetite.

Lam. His Cabin-mate I'll assure ye.

Cla. No Sister, say ye?

Mor. No more than I am brother to your beauty.
I know not why he should juggle thus.

Cla. Do not lie to me.

Mor. If ye find me lie, Lady, hang me empty.

Cla. How am I fool'd!
Away with 'em Juletta, and feed 'em
But hark ye, with such food as they have given me.
New misery!

Fran. Nor meat nor thanks for all this. [Exit.

Cla. Make 'em more wretched.
Oh I could burst! curse and kill now,
Kill any thing I meet, Juletta, follow me,
And call the rest along.

Jul. We follow, Madam. [Exeunt.

Enter Albert and Aminta.

Amint. I must be gone now, else she may suspect me;
How shall I answer her?

Alb. Tell her directly.

Amint. That were too suddain, too improvident;
Fires of this nature must be put out cunningly,
They'll waste all come near 'em else.
Farewel once more.

Alb. Farewel,
And keep my love entire.
Nay, kiss me once again, me thinks we should not part.

Amint. Oh be wise, Sir.

Alb. Nay, one kiss more.

Amin. Indeed you're wanton;
We may be taken too.

Enter Clarinda, Juletta, Crocale, Hippolita.

Cla. Out thou base woman.
[By Heaven] I'll shoot 'em both.

Cro. Nay stay, brave Lady, hold;
A suddain death cuts off a Nobler vengeance.

Cla. Am I made Bawd to your lascivious meetings?
Are ye grown so wise in sin?
Shut up that villa[ine]: and sirrah,
Now expect my utmost anger.
Let him there starve.

Alb. I mock at your mischiefs. [Exit.

Cla. Tie that false witch unto that Tree,
There let that savage beasts
Gnaw off her sweetness, and Snakes
Embrace her beauties; tie her, and watch
That none relieve her.

Hip. We could wish ye better fortune, Lady,
But dare not help ye.

Amin. Be your own friends, I thank ye.
Now only my last audit, and my greatest,
Oh Heaven, be kind unto me,
And if it be thy Will, preserve.

Enter Raymond.

Ray. Who is this?
Sure 'tis a woman, I have trode this place,
And found much footing; now I know 'tis peopl'd.
Ha, let me see! 'tis her face.
Oh Heaven! turn this way Maid.

Amin. Oh Raymond, oh Brother.

Raym. Her tongue too: 'tis my Sister; what rude hand!
Nay kiss me first, Oh joy!

Amin. Fly, fly dear brother,
You are lost else.

Jul. A man, a man, a new man.

Raym. What are these?

Enter Juletta, Crocale, Clarinda.

Cro. An enemy, an enemy.

Cla. Dispatch him,
Take him off, shoot him straight.

Raym. I dare not use my sword, Ladies,
Against such comely foes.

Amin. Oh brother, brother!

Cla. Away with 'em, and in dark prisons bind 'em.
One word reply'd, ye die both.
Now brave mother, follow thy noble anger,
And I'll help thee. [Exeunt.

Actus Quintus. Scæna Prima.

Enter Rossella, Clarinda, Crocale, Juletta, Hippolita.

Ros.
I am deaf to all your intreaties: she that moves me
For pity or compassion to these Pirats,
Digs up her Fathers, or her Brothers Tomb,
And spurns about their ashes.
Couldst thou remember what a Father thou hadst once,
'Twould steel thy heart against all foolish pity.
By his memory, and the remembrance of his dear embraces,
I am taught, that in a Noble cause revenge is Noble;
And they shall fall the sacrifices to appease
His wandring Ghost, and my incensed fury.

Cla. The new come prisoner too!

Ros. He too[. Y]et that we may learn
Whether they are the same, or near ally'd
To those that forc'd me to this cruel course,
Better their poor allowance, and permit 'em
To meet together and confer,
Within the distance of your ear; perhaps
They may discover something that may kill
Despair in me, and be a means to save 'em
From certain ruine.

C[r]o. That shall be my charge.

Ros. Yet to prevent
All hope of rescue: for this new-come Captain
Hath both a Ship and Men not far [off] from us,
Though ignorant to find the only Port,
That can yield entrance to our happy Island,
Guard the place strongly, and e'r the next Sun
Ends his diurnal progress, I will be
Happy in my revenge, or set 'em free. [Exeunt.

Enter Crocale, Juletta, Hippolita. [A Table furnish'd.

Cro. So serve it plentifully,
And lose not time to enquire the cause;
There is a main design that hangs upon this bounty.
See the Table furnisht with Wine too,
That discovers secrets which tortures cannot open:
Open the doors too of the several prisons,
And give all free entrance into this room.
Undiscover'd I can here mark all.

Enter Tib. Mast.

Here's Captain careless, and the tough Ship-master,
The slaves are nos'd like Vultures
How wild they look.

Tib. Ha, the mistery of this,
Some good Hobgoblin rise and reveal.

Mast. I'm amazed at it: nor can I sound the intent.

Tib. Is not this bread,
Substantial bread, not painted?

Mast. But take heed,
You may be poisoned.

Tib. I am sure I am famish'd;
And famine, as the wise man says,
Gripes the guts as much as any Mineral.
This may be Treacle sent to preserve me
After a long Fast: or be it Vipers spittle,
I'll run the hazard.

Mast. We are past all fear, I'll take part with ye.

Tib. Do: and now i'faith, how d'ye feel your self?
I find great ease in't. What's here;
Wine, and it be thy Will;
Strong lusty Wine. Well, fools may talk
Of Mythridate, Cordials, and Elixirs.
But from my youth this was my only Physick.
Here's a colour, what Ladies cheek,
Though cerus'd over, comes near it?
It sparkles too: hangs out Diamonds.
Oh my sweet-heart, how I will hug thee,
Again, and again! They are poor drunkards,
And not worth thy favors,
That number thy moist kisses in these Crystals.

Mast. But Mounsieur,
Here are Suckets, and sweet dishes.

Tib. Tush, boys meat,
I am past it; here's strong food fit for men:
Nectar, old lad. Mistriss of merry hearts,
Once more I am bold with you.

Mast. Take heed (man)
Too much will breed distemper.

Tib. Hast thou liv'd at Sea
The most part of thy life, where to be sober
While we have Wine aboard, is capital Treason;
And dost thou preach sobriety?

Mast. Prethee forbear,
We may offend in it; we know not for whom
It was provided.

Tib. I am sure for me: therefore footra,
When I am full, let 'em hang me, I care not.

Enter Albert, Aminta, Raymond, Lamure, Morrillat, Franvile, severally.

Mast. This has been his temper ever.
See, provoking dishes; candid Eringoes,
And Potatoes.

Tib. I'll not touch 'em, I will drink;
But not a bit on a march, I'll be an Eunuch rather.

Mast. Who are these?

Tib. Marry, who you will;
I keep my Text here.

Alb. Raymond!

Ray. Albert!

Tib. Away, I'll be drunk alone;
Keep off Rogues, or I'll belch ye into air;
Not a drop here.

Amint. Dear brother, put not in your eyes such anger;
Those looks poison'd with fury, shot at him,
Reflect on me. Oh brother, look milder, or
The Crystal of his temperance
Will turn 'em on your self.

Alb. Sir, I have sought ye long
To find your pardon: you have plough'd the Ocean
To wreak your vengeance on me, for the rape
Of this fair Virgin. Now our fortune guides us
To meet on such hard terms, that we need rather
A mutual pitty of our present state,
Than to expostulate of breaches past,
Which cannot be made up. And though it be
Far from you[r] power, to force me to confess,
That I have done ye wrong, or such submission
Failing to make my peace, to vent your anger;
You being your self slav'd, as I to others:
Yet for you[r] Sisters sake, her blessed sake,
In part of recompence of what she has suffer'd
For my rash folly; the contagion
Of my black actions, catching hold upon
Her purer innocence, I crave your mercy;
And wish however several motives kept us
From being friends, while we had hope to live,
Let death which we expect, and cannot fly from,
End all contention.

Tib. Drink upon't, 'tis a good motion;
Ratifie it in Wine, and 'tis authentical.

Ray. When I consider
The ground of our long difference, and look on
Our not to be avoided miseries,
It doth beget in me I know not how
A soft Religious tenderness; which tells me,
Though we have many faults to answer for
Upon our own account, our Fathers crimes
Are in us punish'd. Oh Albert, the course
They took to leave us rich, was not honest,
Nor can that friendship last, which virtue joyns not.
When first they forc'd the industrious Portugals,
From their Plantations in the Happy Islands.

Cro. This is that I watch for.

Ray. And did omit no tyranny, which men,
Inured to spoil, and mischief could inflict,
On the grie[v]'d sufferers; when by lawless rapine
They reap'd the harvest, which their Labou[rs] sow'd;
And not content to force 'em from their dwelling,
But laid for 'em at Sea to ravish from 'em
The last remainder of their wealth: then, then,
After a long pursuit, each doubting other,
As guilty of the Portugals escape,
They did begin to quarrel, like [ill] men;
(Forgive me piety, that I call 'em so)
No longer love, or correspondence holds,
Than it is cimented with prey or profit:
Then did they turn these swords they oft had bloodi'd
With innocent gore, upon their wretched selves,
And paid the forfeit of their cruelty
Shewn to Sebastian, and his Colonie,
By being fatal enemies to each other.
Thence grew Amintas rape, and my desire
To be reveng'd. And now observe the issue:
As they for spoil ever forgot compassion
To women, (who should be exempted
From the extremities of a lawful War)
We now, young able men, are fall'n into
The hands of Women; that, against the soft
Tenderness familiar to their Sex,
Will shew no mercy.

Enter Crocale.

Cro. None, unless you shew us
Our long lost Husbands.
We are those Portugals you talk'd of.

Ray. Stay,
I met upon the Sea in a tall Ship
Two Portugals, famish'd almost to death.

Tib. Our Ship by this Wine.
And those the rogues that stole her,
Left us to famish in the barren Islands.

Ray. Some such tale they told me,
And something of a Woman, which I find,
To be my Sister.

Cro. Where are these men?

Ray. I left 'em,
Supposing they had deluded me with forg'd tales,
In the Island, where they said
They had liv'd many years the wretched owners
Of a huge mass of treasure.

Alb. The same men: and that the fatal muck
We quarrell'd for.

Cro. They were Portugals you say.

Ray. So they profess'd.

Cro. They may prove such men as may save your lives,
And so much I am taken with fair hope,
That I will hazard life to be resolv'd on't:
How came you hither?

Ray. My ship lies by the Rivers mouth,
That can convey ye to these wretched men,
Which you desire to see.

Cro. Back to your prisons,
And pray for the success: if they be those
Which I desire to find, you are safe;
If not, prepare to die to morrow:
For the world cannot redeem ye.

Alb. However, we are arm'd
For either fortune. [Exit.

Tib. What must become of me now
That I am not dismiss'd?

Cro. Oh Sir, I purpose
To have your company.

Ti. Take heed wicked woman,
I am apt to mischief now.

Cro. You cannot be so unkind,
To her that gives you liberty.

Ti. No, I shall be too kind, that's the devil on't;
I have had store of good wine: and when I am drunk,
Joan is a Lady to me, and I shall
Lay about me like a Lord: I feel strange motions:
Avoid me temptation.

Cro. Come Sir, I'll help ye in. [Exeunt.

Enter Sebastian and Nicusa.

Nicu. What may that be
That moves upon the Lake?

Sebast. Still it draws nearer,
And now I plainly can discern it.
'Tis the French Ship.

Nicu. In it a woman,
Who seems to invite us to her.

Sebast. Still she calls with signs of Love to hasten to her;
So lovely hope doth still appear:
I feel nor age, nor weakness.

Nicu. Though it bring death,
To us 'tis comfort: and deserves a meeting.
Or else fortune tyr'd with what we have suffer'd,
And in it overcome, as it may be,
Now sets a period to our misery. [Exeunt. [Horid Musick.

Enter severally, Raymond, Albert, Aminta.

Ray. What dreadful sounds are these?

Amint. Infernal Musick,
Fit for a bloody Feast.

Alb. It seems prepar'd
To kill our courages e'r they divorce
Our souls and bodies.

Ray. But they that fearless fall,
Deprive them of their triumph.

[An Altar prepar'd.

Enter Rossillia, Clarinda, Juletta, Hippolita, &c.

Amin. See the furies,
In their full trym of cruelty.

Ros. 'Tis the last
Duty that I can pay to my dead Lord,
Set out the Altar, I my self will be
The Priest, and boldly do those horrid Rites
You shake to think on, lead these Captains nearer,
For they shall have the honor to fall first
To my Sebastian's ashes: and now wretches,
As I am taught already, that you are,
And lately by your free confession,
French Pirats, and the sons of those I hate,
Even equal with the devil; hear with horror,
What 'tis invites me to this cruel course,
And what you are to suffer, no Amazons we,
But women of Portugal that must have from you
Sebastian and Nicusa; we are they
That groan'd beneath your fathers wrongs:
We are those wretched women,
Their injuries pursu'd, and overtook;
And from the sad remembrance of our losses
We are taught to be cruel; when we were forc'd
From that sweet air we breathed in, by their rapine,
And sought a place of being; as the Seas
And Winds conspir'd with their ill purposes,
To load us with afflictions in a storm
That fell upon us; the two ships that brought us,
To seek new fortunes in an unknown world
Were severed: the one bore all the able men,
Our Treasure and our Jewels: in the other,
We Women were embarqu'd: and fell upon,
After long tossing in the troubled main,
This pleasant Island: but in few months,
The men that did conduct us hither, died,
We long before had given our Husbands lost:
Remembring what we had suff'red by the French
We took a solemn Oath, never to admit
The curs'd society of men: necessity
Taught us those Arts, not usual to our Sex,
And the fertile Earth yielding abundance to us,
We did resolve, thus shap'd like Amazons
To end our lives; but when you arriv'd here,
And brought as presents to us, our own Jewels;
Those which were boorn in the other Ship,
How can ye hope to scape our vengeance?

Amint. It boots not then to swear our innocence?

Alb. Or that we never forc'd it from the owners?

Ray. Or that there are a remnant of that wrack,
And not far off?

Ros. All you affirm, I know,
Is but to win time; therefore prepare your throats,
The world shall not redeem ye: and that your cries
May find no entrance to our ears,
To move pity in any: bid loud Musick sound
Their fatal knells; if ye have prayers use 'em quickly,
To any power will own ye; but ha!

Enter Crocale, Sebastian, Nicusa, Tibalt.

Who are these? what spectacles of misfortune?
Why are their looks
So full of Joy and Wonder?

Cro. Oh! lay by
These instruments of death, and welcome
To your arms, what you durst never hope to imbrace:
This is Sebastian, this Nicusa, Madam:
Preserv'd by miracle: look up dear Sir,
And know your own Rossella: be not lost
In wonder and amazement; or if nature
Can by instinct, instruct you what it is,
To be blessed with the name of Father,
Freely enjoy it in this fair Virgin.

Seb. Though my miseries,
And many years of wants I have endur'd,
May well deprive me of the memory
Of all joys past; yet looking on this building,
This ruin'd building of a heavenly form
In my Rosilla; I must remember, I am Sebastian.

Ros. Oh my joyes!

Seb. And here,
I see a perfect model of thy self,
As thou wert when thy choice first made thee mine:
These cheeks and fronts, though wrinkled now with time
Which Art cannot restore: had equal pureness,
Of natural white and red, and as much ravishing:
Which by fair order and succession,
I see descend on her: and may thy virtues
Wind into her form, and make her a perfect dower:
No part of thy sweet goodness wanting to her.
I will not now Rosilla, ask thy fortunes,
Nor trouble thee with hearing mine;
Those shall hereafter serve to make glad hours
In their relation: All past wrongs forgot;
I'm glad to see you Gentlemen; but most,
That [it] is in my power to save your lives;
You say'd ours, when we were near starv'd at Sea,
And I despair not, for if she be mine,
Rosilla can deny Sebastian nothing.

Ros. She does give up her self,
Her power and joys, and all, to you,
To be discharged of 'em as too burthensom;
Welcome in any shape.

Seb. Sir, in your looks,
I read your sute of my Clarinda: she is yours:
And Lady, if it be in me to confirm
Your hopes in this brave Gentleman,
Presume I am your servant.

Alb. We thank you Sir.

Amin. Oh happy hour!

Alb. O my dear Aminta;
Now all our fears are ended.

Tib. Here I fix: she's mettle,
Steel to the back: and will cut my leaden dagger,
If not us'd with discretion.

Cro. You are still no changling.

Sebast. Nay,
All look chearfully, for none shall be
Deny'd their lawful wishes; when a while
We have here refresh'd our selves; we'll return
To our several homes; and well that voyage ends,
That makes of deadly enemies, faithful friends. [Exeunt.

Wit at several weapons.

A COMEDY.

The Persons represented in the Play.

Sir Perfidious Oldcraft, an old Knight, a great admirer of Wit.
Witty-pate Oldcraft, his Fathers own Son.
Sir Gregory Fopp, a witless Lord of Land.
Cunningham, a discreet Gen. Sir Gregories comrade and supplanter.
Sir Ruinous Gentry, a decayed Knight, } Two sharking
Priscian, a poor Scholar, } companions.
Pompey Doodle, a clown, Sir Gregories man, a piece of puff-paste, like his Master.
Mr. Credulous, Nephew to Sir Perfidio[u]s, a shallow-brain'd Scholar.

WOMEN.

Neece to Sir Perfidious, a rich and witty Heir.
Lady Ruinous, Wife to Sir Ruinous.
Guardianess, to Sir Perfidious his Neece, an old doting Crone.
Mirabell, the Guardianesses Neece.

The Scene, London.

Actus Primus. Scæna Prima.

Enter Sir Perfidious Oldcraft an old Knight, and Witty-pate his Son.