DRAMATIS PERSONE. SIR MARMADUKE MANY-MINDS. LIEUTENANT BOTTOM. ANCIENT YOUNG. BLOODHOUND, a Usurer. ALEXANDER BLOODHOUND, }his two Sons. TIM. BLOODHOUND, RANDALL, a Welchman. EAR-LACK, a Scrivener. SIM, the Clown. JOHN, Servant to the Widow. JARVIS, the Widow's Husband, disguised like her servant. A MATCH AT MIDNIGHT. ACT I. SCENE I. Enter, as making themselves ready, TIM. BLOODHOUND, and SIM the man. Sim. GOOD-MORROW, Master Tim. Tim. Morrow Sim; my father stirring, Sim? Sim. Not yet, I think; he heard some ill news of your brother Alexander last night, that will make him lie an hour extraordinary. Tim. Hum: I'm sorry the old man should lie by the hour; but oh, these wicked elder brothers, that swear refuse them,' and drink nothing but wicked sack; when we swear nothing but niggers noggers, make a meal of a bloat herring, water it with four shillings beer, and then swear we have dined as well as my lord mayor. Sim. Here was goody Fin, the fish-woman, fetch'd home her ring last night. 1 refuse them.] Refuse me, or God refuse me, appears to have been among the fashionable modes of swearing in our author's time. So in The White Devil, A. 1. S. 1. Flamineo says, God refuse me. Again, in A Dogge of Warre, by Taylor the water poet, folio edition, 1630, p. 229. "Some like Dominicall Letters goe, "In scarlet from the top to toe, "Whose valours talke and smoake all; "Who make (God sink em) their discourse Refuse, Renounce, or Dam that's worse: "I wish a halter choake all." Again in The Gamester, vol. IX. Wilding says, Refuse me, if I "did." Tim. You should have put her money by itself, for fear of wronging of the whole heap. Sim. So I did, sir, and wash'd it first in two waters. Tim. All these petty pawns, sirrah, my father commits to my managing, to instruct me in this craft, that when he dies, the commonwealth may not good member. Enter Mistress MARY want a Sim. Nay, you are curst as much as he already. Mrs. Mary. Now you shall see the dainty widow, the sweet widow, the delicate widow, that to-morrow morning must be our mother-in-law. Tim. What, the widow Wagge? Sim. Yes, yes, she that dwells in Black-fryars, next to the sign of the fool laughing at a feather". Mrs. Mary. She, she; good brother, make yourself handsome, for my father will bring her hither presently. Tim. Niggers noggers, I thought he had been sick, and had not been up, Sim. Sim. Why so did I too; but it seems the widow took him at a better hand, and rais'd him so much the sooner. Tim. While I tie my band, pr'ythee stroke up my foretop a little niggers, an' I had but dreamed of this an hour before I wak'd, I would have put on my Sunday clothes. 'Snails, my shoes are pale as the cheek of a stew'd pander; a clout, a clout, Sim. Sim. More haste the worse speed; here's ne'er a clout, now. Tim. What's that lies by the books? Sim. This? 'tis a summer's coat 3. Tim. Pr'ythee lend's a sleeve of that; he had a noble on't last night, and never paid me my bill-money. • Not is omitted in the quarto. C. the sign of the fool laughing at a feather.] See note 1 to The Muse's Looking-Glass, vol. IX. summer's coat.] See note 5 to The Heir, vol. VIII. Enter Old BLOODHOUND, the WIDOW, her MAID, and MAN*. Bloodhound. Look, look, up † and ready; all is ready, widow. He is in some deep discourse with Sim, concerning monies out to one or another. Widow. Has he said his prayers, sir? Bloodhound. Prayer before providence! When did ye know any thrive and swell that uses it? He's a chip o'th' old block; I exercise him in the trade of thrift, by turning him to all the petty pawns. If they come to me, I tell them I have given over brokering, moiling for muck and trash, and that I mean to live a life monastic, a praying life: pull out the tale of Crœsus from my pocket, and swear 'tis call'd Charity's looking-glass, or an exhortation to forsake world. Maid. Dainty hypocrite! the [Aside. friend, it may I'll tell you an Bloodhound. But let a fine fool that's well-feather'd come, and withal good meat, I have a be, that may compassionate his wants. old saw for't over my chimney yonder, A poor man seem to him that's poor, 4 And prays thee for to lend; But tell the prodigal, (not quite spent) Widow. Trust me, a thrifty saw. Bloodhound. Many will have virtuous admonitions on their walls, but not a piece in their coffers: give me these witty politic saws, and indeed my house is furnished with no other. Widow. How happy shall I be to wed such wisdom! Bloodhound. Shalt bed it, shalt bed it, wench; shalt ha't by infusion. Look, look! Enter a SMITH. Smith. Save ye, master Tim. • Standing unseen for the present. C. The quarto reads, "Look, look upon, and ready, &c. C. 4 an old saw. A proverb or wise saying. So in The Wife of Bath's Prol. 1. 6240. Tim. Who's this; goodman File the blacksmith ? thought it had been our old collier: Did you go to bed with that dirty face, goodman File? Smith. And rise with it too, sir. Tim. What have you bumming out there, goodman File? Smith. A vice, sir, that I would fain be furnish'd with a little money upon. Tim. Why, how will you do to work then, goodman File? Smith. This is my spare vice, not that I live by. Tim. Hum: you did not buy this spare vice of a lean courtier, did ye? Smith. No, sir, of a fat cook, that 'strain'd 5 of a smith for's rent. Sim. Oh, hard-hearted man of grease! Tim. Nay, nay, Sim, we must do't sometimes. Tim. And what would serve your turn, goodman File? Smith. A noble, sir. Tim. What, upon a spare vice, to lend a noble ? Sim. Why, sir, for ten groats you may make yourself drunk, and so buy a vice outright for half the money, Tim. That is a noble vice, I assure you. Sim. How long wou'd you have it? Smith. But a fortnight; 'tis to buy stuff, I protest, sir. Tim. Look you, being a neighbour, and born one for another Bloodhound. Ha, villain, shalt have all. Tim. There is five shillings upon't, which, at the "But all for nought, I sette not an hawe 'strain'd,] i. e. distrain'd. So in Thomas Lord Cromwell. "Which being all strain'd for the king, "He frankly gave it to the Antwerp merchants." |