The little Stars, and all, that look like aglets:
The Sun has seen my Folly: Palamon;
Alas no; he's in heaven; where am I now?
Yonder's the sea, and there's a Ship; how't tumbles
And there's a Rock lies watching under water;
Now, now, it beats upon it; now, now, now,
There's a leak sprung, a sound one, how they cry!
Upon her before the wind, you'll loose all els:
Up with a course or two, and tack about Boys.
Good night, good night, y'are gone; I'm very hungry,
Would I could find a fine Frog; he would tell me
News from all parts o'th' world, then would I make
A Careck of a Cockle-shell, and sayll
By East and North East to the King of Pigmies,
For he tels fortunes rarely. Now my Father
Twenty to one is trust up in a trice
To morrow morning, I'll say never a word.
Sing.
And I'll clip my yellow locks; an inch below mine eie.
hey, nonny, nonny, nonny.
And I'll goe seek him, throw the world that is so wide.
hey nonny, nonny, nonny.
Against. I shall sleep like a Top else. [Exit.
Scæna [5].
Enter a Schoolmaster 4. Countrymen: and Baum. 2. or 3., with a Taborer.
Sch. Fy, fy, what tediosity, & disensanity is here among ye? have my Rudiments bin labour'd so long with ye? milk'd unto ye, and, by a figure, even the very plumbroth & marrow of my understanding laid upon ye? and do you still cry where, and how, & wherefore? you most course freeze capacities, ye jave Judgements, have I said thus let be, and there let be, and then let be, and no man understand me, prob deum, medius fidius, ye are all dunces: For why here stand I. Here the Duke comes, there are you close in the Thicket; the Duke appears, I meet him, and unto him I utter learned things, and many figures, he hears, and nods, and hums, and then cries rare, and I goe forward, at length I fling my Cap up; mark there; then do you as once did Meleager, and the Bore break comely out before him: like true lovers, cast your selves in a Body decently, and sweetly, by a figure trace, and turn Boys.
1. And sweetly we will doe it Master Gerrold.
2. Draw up the Company, Where's the Taboror?
3. Why Timothy?
Tab. Here my mad boys, have at ye.
Sch. But I say where's their wom[e]n?
4. Here's Friz and Maudline.
2. And little Luce, with the white legs, and bouncing Barbary.
1. And freckled Nel; that never fail'd her Master.
And carry it sweetly, and deliverly
And now and then a favor, and a friske.
And see what's wanting; where's the Bavian?
My friend, carry your tail without offence
Or scandall to the Ladies; and be sure
You tumble with audacity, and manhood,
And when you bark doe it with judgement.
As learned Authors utter, wash'd a Tile,
We have been fatuus, and labour'd vainly.
That gave her promise faithfully, she would be here,
Cicely the Sempsters daughter:
The next gloves that I give her shall be dogs-skin;
Nay and she fail me once, you can tell Arcas,
She swore by wine, and bread, she would not break.
A learned Poet sayes: unles by'th' tail
And with thy teeth thou hold, will either fail,
In manners this was false position.
Shall we determine Sir?
Our business is become a nullity
Yea, and a woefull, and a pittious nullity.
Now to be frampall, now to piss o'th' nettle,
Goe thy ways, I'll remember thee, I'll fit thee.
Enter Jaylor's daughter.
The coast of Barbary a.
And there he met with brave gallants of war
By one, by two, by three, a.
Well hail'd, well hail'd, you jolly gallants, [Chair and stools out.
And whither now are you bound a?
O let me have your company till come to the sound a.
There was three fools, fell out about an howlet:
The one sed it was an owl
The other he sed nay,
The third he sed it was a hawk, and her bels were cut away.
mad as a march Hare; If we can get her dance, we are made
again: I warrant her, she'll do the rarest gambols.
Give me your hand.
You are a fool: tell ten, I have poz'd him: Buz
Friend you must eat no white bread, if you do
Your teeth will bleed extremely, shall we dance ho?
I know you, y'are a Tinker: Sir, ha Tinker
Stop no more holes, but what you should.
Quipassa, o'th' bels and bones.
Et opus exegi, quod nec Jovis ira, nec ignis.
Strike up, and lead her in.
[Ex. all but Schoolemaster.
Meditation, and mark your Cue;
Pallas inspire me.
Enter Thes. Pir. Hip. Emil. Arcite: and train.
Ladies sit down, we'll stay it.
We are a few of those collected here
That ruder Tongues distinguish villager,
And to say veritie, and not to fable;
We are a merry rout, or else a rable
Or company, or by a figure, Chorus
That for thy dignitie will dance a Morris.
And I that am the rectifier of all
By title Pedagogus, that let fall
The Birch upon the breeches of the small ones,
And humble with a Ferula the tall ones,
Doe here present this Machine, or this frame
And daintie Duke, whose doughtie dismall fame
From Dis to Dedalus, from post to pillar
Is blown abroad; help me thy poor well willer,
And with thy twinckling eyes, look right and straight
Upon this mighty Morr—of mickle waight
Is—now comes in, which being glew'd together
Makes Morris, and the cause that we came hither
The body of our sport of no small study
I first appear, though rude, and raw, and muddy,
To speak before thy noble grace, this tenner:
At whose great feet I offer up my penner.
The next the Lord of May, and Lady bright,
The Chambermaid, and Servingman by night
That seek out silent hanging: Then mine Host
And his fat Spouse, that welcomes to their cost
The gauled Traveller, and with a beck'ning
Informes the Tapster to inflame the reck'ning:
Then the beast eating Clown, and next the fool,
The Bavian, with long tail, and eke long tool
Cum multis aliis, that make a dance,
Say I, and all shall presently advance.
Intrate filii, Come forth, and foot it.
Knock for Schoolm. Enter The Dance.
And have pleas'd thee with a derry,
And a derry, and a down
Say the Schoolmaster's no Clown.
Duke, if we have pleas'd thee too
And have done as good Boys should doe
Give us but a tree or twaine
For a Maypole, and again
Ere another year run out
We'll make thee laugh and all this rout.
I never heard a better.
And thy dogs be swift and strong:
May they kill him without lets,
And the Ladies eat his dowsets: Come we are all made. [Wind Horns.
Scæna [6].
Enter Palamon from the Bush.
To visit me again, and with him bring
Two Swords, and two good Armors; If he fail
He's neither man, nor Soldier; When he left me
I did not think a week could have restor'd
My lost strength to me, I was grown so low,
And Crest-fal'n with my wants: I thank thee Arcite,
Thou art yet a fair Foe; And I feel my self
With this refreshing, able once again
To out-dure danger: To delay it longer
Would make the world think when it comes to hearing,
That I lay fatting like a Swine, to fight
And not a Soldier: Therefore this blest morning
Shall be the last; And that Sword he refuses,
If it but hold, I kill him with; 'tis Justice:
So love, and Fortune for me: O good morrow.
Enter Arcite with Armors and Swords.
To too much pains Sir.
Is but a debt to honor, and my duty.
As kind a kinsman, as you force me find
A beneficiall foe, that my embraces
Might thank ye, not my blows.
Well done, a noble recompence.
More than a Mistris to me, no more anger
As you love any thing that's honorable:
We were not bred to talk man, when we are arm'd
And both upon our guards, then let our fury
Like meeting of two tides, fly strongly from us,
And then to whom the birthright of this Beauty
Truely pertains (without obbraidings, scorns,
Dispisings of our persons, and such powtings
Fitter for Girles and Schooleboyes) will be seen
And quickly, yours, or mine: Wilt please you arme Sir?
Or if you feel your self not fitting yet
And furnish'd with your old strength, I'll stay Cosen
And ev'ry day discourse you into health,
As I'm spar'd, your person I 'm friends with
And I could wish I had not said I lov'd her
Though I had [dide]; But loving such a Lady
And justifying my Love, I must not fly from't.
That no man but thy Cosen's fit to kill thee,
I'm well, and lusty, choose your Armes.
To make me spare thee?
With all the justice of affection
I'll pay thee soundly: This I'll take.
I'll arme you first.
Where gotst thou this good Armor?
And to say true, I stole it, doe I pinch you?
But I shall make it serve.
You would fain be at that Fight.
Through far enough.
Prethee take mine good Cosen.
How doe I look, am I falen much away?
I'll give you cause sweet Cosen.
Me thinks this Armor's very like that, Arcite,
Thou wor'st that day the 3. Kings fell, but lighter.
I well remember, you out-did me Cosen,
I never saw such valour: When you charg'd
Upon the left wing of the Enemie,
I spur'd hard to come up, and under me
I had a right good horse.
A bright Bay I remember.
Was vainly labour'd in me, you out-went me,
Nor could my wishes reach you; Yet a little
I did by imitation.
Yo[u] are modest Cosen.
Me thought I heard a dreadfull clap of Thunder
Break from the Troop.
The lightning of your valour: Stay a litt[l]e,
Is not this peece too streight?
A bruise would be dishonor.
Here's one, if it but hold, I aske no more,
For all my hopes: My Cause and honor guard me.
[They bow severall wayes: then advance and stand.
And that blood we desire to shed is mutuall.
In me, thine, and in thee, mine: My Sword
Is in my hand, and if thou killst me
The gods, and I forgive thee; If there be
A place prepar'd for those that sleep in honor,
I wish his wearie soul, that falls may win it:
Fight bravely Cosen, give me thy noble hand.
For none but such, dare die in these just Tryalls.
Once more farewell my Cosen.
If we be found, we're wretched, O retire
For honors sake, and safely presently
Into your Bush agen; Sir we shall find
Too many hours to dye in, gentle Cosen:
If you be seen you perish instantly
For breaking prison, and I, if you reveal me,
For my contempt; Then all the world will scorn us,
And say we had a noble difference,
But base disposers of it.
I will no more be hidden, nor put off
This great adventure to a second Tryall
I know your cunning, and I know your cause,
He that faints now, shame take him, put thy self
Upon thy present guard.
Mine own, and what to come shall threaten me,
I fear less then my fortune: Know weak Cosen
I love Emilia, and in that I'll bury
Thee, and all crosses else.
Thou shalt know Palamon, I dare as well
Die, as discourse, or sleep: Only this fears me,
The law will have the honor of our ends,
Have at thy life.
Enter Theseus, Hippolita, Emilia, Perithous and train.
Are you? That 'gainst the tenor of my Laws
Are making Battail, thus like Knights appointed,
Without my leave, and Officers of Armes?
By Castor both shall dye.
We are certainly both Traitors, both despisers
Of thee, and of thy goodness: I'm Palamon
That cannot love thee, he that broke thy Prison,
Think well, what that deserves; And this is Arcite
A bolder Traytor never trod thy ground,
A Falser never seem'd friend: This is the man
Was beg'd and banish'd, this is he contemnes thee
And what thou dar'st doe; and in this disguise
Against this own Edict follows thy Sister,
That fortunate bright Star, the fair Emilia
Whose servant, (if there be a right in seeing,
And first bequeathing of the soul to) justly
[I am], and which is more, dares think her his.
This treacherie like a most trusty Lover,
I call'd him now to answer; If thou be'st
As thou art spoken, great and virtuous,
The true decider of all injuries,
Say, Fight again, and thou shalt see me Theseus
Doe such a Justice, thou thy self wilt envie
Then take my life, I'll wooe thee to't.
What more than man is this!
Thy breath of mercy Theseus, 'Tis to me
A thing as soon to dye, as thee to say it,
And no more mov'd: where this man calls me Traitor,
Let me say thus much; If in love be Treason,
In service of so excellent a Beautie,
As I love most, and in that faith will perish,
As I have brought my life here to confirme it,
As I have serv'd her truest, worthiest,
As I dare kill this Cosen, that denies it,
So let me be most Traitor, and ye please me:
For scorning thy Edict Duke, aske that Lady
Why she is fair, and why her eyes command me
Stay here to love her. And if she say Traytor,
I'm a villain fit to lye unburied.
If unto neither thou shew mercy, stop
(As thou art just) thy noble ear against us,
As thou art valiant; For thy Cosens soul
Whose 12. strong labors crown his memory,
Let's die together, at one instant, Duke,
Only a little let him fall before me,
That I may tell my Soul he shall not have her.
Has ten times more offended, for I gave him
More mercy than you found, Sir, your offences
Being no more than his: None here speak for 'em
For ere the Sun set, both shall sleep for ever.
Speak not to be denied; That face of yours
Will bear the curses else of after ages
For these lost Cosens.
I find no anger to'em; Nor no ruin,
The misadventure of their own eyes kill'em;
Yet that I will be woman, and have pitty,
My knees shall grow to'th' ground but I'll get mercie.
Help me dear Sister, in a deed so virtuous,
The powers of all women will be with us,
Most royall Brother.
That fair hand, and that honest heart you gave me.
By your own virtues infinite.
By all the chast nights I have ever pleas'd you.
By all you love most, wars; And this sweet Lady.
In which you swore I went beyond all women,
Almost all men, and yet I yielded Theseus.
Which cannot want due mercie, I beg first.
Compassion to'em both, how would you place it?
But want the understanding where to use it.
If you desire their lives, invent a way
Safer than banishment: Can these two live
And have the agony of love about 'em,
And not kill one another? Every day
They'ld fight about you; Hourly bring your honor
In publique question with their Swords; Be wise then
And here forget 'em; It concerns your credit,
And my [oth] equally: I have said they die,
Better they fall byth' Law, than one another.
Bow not my honor.
That [oth] was rashly made, and in yo[u]r anger,
Your reason will not hold it, if such vows
Stand for express will, all the world must perish.
Beside, I have another oath, gainst yours
Of more authority, I'm sure more love,
Not made in passion neither, but good heed.
Fit for my modest suit, and your free granting:
I tye you to your word now, if ye fall in't,
Think how you maim your honor;
(For now I'm set a begging Sir, I'm deaf
To all but your compassion) how, their lives
Might breed the ruin of my name; Opinion,
Shall any thing that loves me perish for me?
That were a cruell wisdom, doe men proyn
The straight young Bows that blush with thousand Blossoms
Because they may be rotten? O Duke Theseus
The goodly Mothers that have groan'd for these,
And all the longing Maids that ever lov'd,
If your vow stand, shall curse me and my Beauty,
And in their funerall songs, for these two Cosens
Despise my crueltie, and cry woe worth me,
Till I'm nothing but the scorn of women;
For Heavens sake save their lives, and banish 'em.
To make me their Contention, or to know me,
To tread upon the Dukedome, and to be
Where ever they shall travel, ever strangers to one another.
Before I take this oath, forget I love her?
O all ye gods dispise me then: Thy Banishment
I not mislike, so we may fairly carry
Our Swords, and cause along: Else never trifle,
But take our lives Duke, I must love and will,
And for that love, must and dare kill this Cosen
On any peece the earth has.
Take these conditions?
To take my life so basely, though I think
I never shall enjoy her, yet I'll preserve
The honor of affection, and dye for her,
Make death a Devill.
If one of them were dead, as one must, are you
Content to take th'other to your husband?
They cannot both enjoy you; They are Princes
As goodly as your own eyes, and as noble
As ever fame yet spoke of: Look upon'em,
And if you can love, end this difference,
I give consent, are you content too, Princes?
Must dye then.
And Lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes.
And Soldiers sing my Epitaph.
For me, a hayr shall never fall of these men.
And by mine honor, once again it stands,
Or both shall dye. You shall both to your Countrey,
And each within this month accompanied
With three fair Knights, appear again in this place,
In which I'll plant a Pyramid; And whether
Before us that are here, can force his Cosen
By fair and knightly strength to touch the Pillar,
He shall enjoy her: The other loose his head,
And all his friends: Nor shall he grudge to fall,
Nor think he dies with interest in this Lady:
Will this content ye?
I'm friends again, till that hour.
[Els] both miscarry.
And take heed, as you are Gentlemen, this Quarrell
Sleep till the hour p[re]fixt, and hold your course.
Actus Quartus. Scæna Prima.
Enter Jailor and his Friend.
Hear you no more? was nothing said of me
Concerning the escape of Palamon?
Good Sir remember.
For I came home before the business
Was fully ended: yet I might perceive
E'r I departed, a great likelyhood
Of both their pardons: for Hippolita,
And fair-ey'd Emilia, upon their knees,
Begg'd with such handsome pitty, that the Duke
Methought stood staggering whether he should follow
His rash oath, or the sweet compassion
Of those two Ladies; and to second them,
That truly noble Prince Perithous
Half his own heart, set in too, that I hope
All shall be well: neither heard I one question
Of your name, or his scape.
Enter 2 Friends.
Good news.
And got your pardon, and discover'd
How, and by whose means he scap'd, which was your Daughter's,
Whose pardon is procured too, and the prisoner
Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness,
Has given a sum of money to her Marriage,
A large one I'll assure you.
And ever bring good news.
But they prevail'd, had their suits fairly granted.
The prisoners have their lives.
At better time.
How good they'll prove, I know not.
Enter Wooer.