Sir Ar. Good, good! to con the lesson of our loves, Our secret game. Win. Oh, blush to speak it further. As you are a noble gentleman, forget A sin so monstrous; 't is not gently done, Sir Ar. I for trial? Not I, by this good sunshine! That syllable of good, and yet not tremble That brings not with it pity for the wrongs My prayers, when I. vouchsafe to see or hear you. Sir Ar. Wilt thou turn monster now? art not asham'd After so many months to be honest at last? Win. My resolution Is built upon a rock. This very day Young Thorney vow'd, with oaths not to be doubted, In Heaven's book? Sir Arthur, do not study Of sacrilege; for if you but endeavour 1 i. e. assure you Of holy marriage. I have said enough; Sir Ar. Get you to your nunnery, There freeze in your [c]old cloister: this is fine! Win. Good angels guide me! Sir, you'll give me leave To weep and pray for your conversion? Sir Ar. Yes; Away to Waltham. Out upon your honesty! Win. None that I'll send for To you, for hire of a damnation. When I am gone, think on my just complaint; [Exit. Sir Ar. Go thy ways; as changeable a baggage As ever cozen'd knight; I'm glad I am rid of her. Honest! marry, hang her! Thorney is my debtor; I thought to have paid him too; but fools have for[Exit. tune. SCENE II. Edmonton.-A Room in CARTER'S House. Enter Old THORNEY and CARTER. Thor. You offer, master Carter, like a gentleman; I cannot find fault with it, 't is so fair. Car. No gentleman I, master Thorney; spare the mastership, call me by my name, John Carter.Master is a title neither my father, nor his before him, were acquainted with; honest Hertfordshire yeomen; such a one am I; my word and my deed shall be proved one at all times. I mean to give you no security for the marriage-money. Thor. How! no security? although it need not so long as you live; yet who is he has surety of his life one hour? Men, the proverb says, are mortal; else, for my part, I distrust you not, were the sum double. Car. Double, treble, more or less, I tell you, master Thorney, I'll give no security. Bonds and bills are but terriers to catch fools, and keep lazy knaves busy; my security shall be present payment. And we here, about Edmonton, hold present payment as sure as an alderman's bond in London, master Thorney. Thor. I cry you mercy, sir; I understood you not. Car. I like young Frank well, so does my Susan too; the girl has a fancy to him, which makes me ready in my purse. There be other suitors within, that make much noise to little purpose. If Frank love Sue, Sue shall have none but Frank: 't is a mannerly girl, master Thorney, though but a homely man's daughter: there have worse faces looked out of black bags, man. Thor. You speak your mind freely and honestly. I marvel my son comes not; I am sure he will be here some time to-day. ⚫ Car. To-day or to-morrow, when he comes he shall be welcome to bread, beer, and beef, yeoman's fare; we have no kickshaws: full dishes, whole bellyfuls. Should I diet three days at one of the slender city-suppers, you might send me to BarberSurgeon's hall the fourth day, to hang up for an anatomy. Here come they that Enter WARBECK with SUSAN, SOMERTON with KATHE RINE. How now, girls! every day play-day with you? Valentine's day, too, all by couples? Thus will young folks do when we are laid in our graves, master Thorney: here's all the care they take. And how do you find the wenches, gentlemen? Win 'em and wear 'em; they shall choose for themselves by my consent. War. You speak like a kind father. Sue, thou hear'st The liberty that's granted thee ; what thou? Wilt thou be mine? Sus. Your what, sir? I dare swear Never your wife. War. Canst thou be so unkind, Considering how dearly I affect thee, Nay, dote on thy perfections? Sus. You are studied, Too scholar-like, in words I understand not. As you are. War. By the honour of gentility sayest Sus. Good sir, no swearing; yea and nay with us Prevail above all oaths you can invent. War. By this white hand of thine Sus. Take a false oath! Fy, fy! flatter the wise; fools not regard it, War. Dost thou despise me? Car. Let them talk on, master Thorney; I know Sue's mind. The fly may buzz about the candle, he shall but singe his wings when all 's done: Frank, Frank is he has her heart. Som. But shall I live in hope, Kate? Kath. Better so, Than be a desperate man. Som. Perhaps thou think'st it is thy portion I level at: wert thou as poor in fortunes As thou art rich in goodness, I would rather Be suitor for the dower of thy virtues, Than twice thy father's whole estate; and, prithee, Be thou resolv'd so. Kath. Master Somerton, It is an easy labour to deceive A maid that will believe men's subtle promises; As I presume you to deserve. Som. Which is, As worthily in loving thee sincerely, And when I fail, may all my joys forsake me! Car. Warbeck and Sue are at it still. I laugh to myself, master Thorney, to see how earnestly he beats the bush, while the bird is flown into another's bosom. A very unthrift, master Thorney; one of the country' roaring-lads: we have such as well as 1 The reader who casts his eye over a preceding note, p. 113, and also over the following passages, extracted from others of our old dramas, will find Warbeck, much to his credit, to be but a very tame specimen of the roaring-boy. Their heraldry. Timothy. But I mean, can they roar, Beat drawers, play at dice, and court their mistress? Timothy. You are a captain, sir? Quartfield. I have seen service, sir. Timothy. Captain, I love The City Match. Men of the sword and buff; and if need were, Do you see, captain. The same. Banausus. O, I have thought on 't: I will straightway build A freeschool here in London; a freeschool For th' education of young gentlemen, To study how to drink and take tobacco; To swear, to roar, to dice, to drab, to quarrel. Barnacle. The Muse's Looking-glass. I do not all this while account you in The list of those are called the blades, that roar Discourse for a week's diet; that swear dammės, As they would murder all the king's liege people, And blow down streets. The Gamester. Compared with these heroes, Warbeck is more insipid than even Snore the Constable's roarer : Truly a very civil gentleman; 'Las, he hath only roar'd, and sworn, and curs'd Since he was taken. The Wits. VOL. II.-14 |