one demand What was he tooke the burden of my debts From off my backe staid my appeale to death Dischard my fees and brought me liberty Keep A curteous knight one cald sir Francis Acton Susan Acton Char. Ha Acton Oh me more distrest in this Then al my troubles haile me backe Dubble my yrons and my sparing meales Put into halues and lodge me in a dungeon More deepe more darke more cold more comfortles By action freed not all thy manacles Could fetter so my heeles as this one word Hath thrald my hart and it must now lie bond In more strict prison then thy stony Iaile I am not free I go but vnder baile Keeper My charge is done sir now I haue my fees As we get little we wil nothing leese Exit Char. By Acton freed my dangerous opposite Why to what end or what occasion ha Let me forget the name of enemy And with indifference ballance this hy fauor ha Susan His loue to me vpon my soule t is so That is the root from whence these strange thinges grow Char. Had this proceeded from my father he That by the law of nature is most bound In offices of loue it had deserued My best imploiment to requite that grace Had it proceeded from my friends or him From them this action had deseru'd my life And from a stranger more because from such There is lesse execution of good deeds But he nor father nor ally nor friend More then a stranger both remoat in blood And in his hart oppos'd my enemy That this hie bounty should proceed from him Oh there I loose my selfe what should I say What thinke what do his bounty to repaie Susan you wonder I am sure whence this strange kindnes proceeds in Acton I wil tel you Brother He dotes on me and oft hah sent me guifts Letters and tokens I refus'd them al Char. I haue inough though poor my hart is set In one rich guift to pay backe al my debt Exeunt Enter Franckeford and Nickwith keyes and a letter in his hand Frank. This is the night and I must play the tuch To try two seeming Angels wher 's my keies Nick They are made according to your mold in wax I bad the Smith be secret gaue him mony And there they are Nick The Letter sir Frank. True take it there it is And when thou seest me in my pleasantst vaine Ready to sit to supper bring it me Nick I le doote make no more question but I le do ot Exit Enter Mistris Frankeford Cranwell Wendoll and Ienkin Anne Sirra t is six a clocke already stroke Go bid them spred the cloath and serue in supper Ienk. It shal be done forsoth mistris where is Spiggot the butler to giue vs out salt and trenchers Wend. We that haue bin a hunting all the day Come with prepard stomacks maister Frankeford We wisht you at our sport Franke. My hart was with you and my mind was on you Fie maister Cranwel you are stil thus sad A stoole a stoole where 's Ienkin and where 's Nick T is supper time at least an hower ago What 's the best newes abroad Wend. I know none good Franck. But I know too much bad Enter Butler and Ienkin with a table-cloath bread trenchers and salt Cran. Methinkes sir you might haue that intrest In your wiues brother to be more remisse In this hard dealing against poore Sir Charles Who as I heare lies in Yorke castle needy And in great want Frank. Did not more weighty busines of my owne Hold me away I would haue labourd peace Betwixt them with al care indeed I would sir Anne I le write vnto my brother earnestly In that behalfe Wend. A charitable deed And will be the good opinion Of all your friends that loue you maister Frankeford Frank. That 's you for one I know you loue Sir Charles And my wife too well Wend. He deserues the loue Of al true Gentlemen be your selues iudge Frank. But supper he now as thou louest me Wendol Which I am sure thou doest be merry pleasant And frolicke it to night sweet master Cranwell Do you the like wife I protest my hart was nere more bent on sweet alacrity Where be those lazy knaues to serue in supper Enter Nick Nick Sir here 's a letter Frank. Whence comes it and who brought it Nick A stripling that below attends your answere And as he tels me it is sent from Yorke Frank. Haue him into the seller let him tast a cup Of our March beere go make him drinke Nick I le make him drunke if he be a Troyan Frank My boots and spurs wher 's Ienkin God forgiue me How I neglect my busines wife looke here I haue a matter to be tride to morrow By eight a clock and my Attorney writes me I must be there betimes with euidence Or it wil go against me where 's my boots Enter Ienkin with boots and spurs Anxe I hope your busines craues no such dispatch That you must ride to night Wend. I hope it doth Frank Gods me no such dispatch Ienkin my boots where 's Nick saddle my Roane And the gray dapple for himselfe Content ye It much concernes me gentle master Cranwell And maister Wendoll in my absence vse The very ripest pleasure of my house Wend. Lord maister Frankeford wil you ride to night The waies are dangerous Frank. Therefore wil I ride Appointed wel and so shal Nick my man Anne I le cal you vp by fiue a clock to morrow Frank. No by my faith wife I le not trust to that T is not such easie rising in a morning From one I loue so deerely no by my faith I shal not leaue so sweet a bed-fellow But with much pain you haue made me a sluggard Since I first knew you Anne Then if you needs wil go This dangerous euening maister Wendoll Let me intreat you beare him company Wend. With al my hart sweet mistris my boots there Frank. Fie fie that for my priuate busines I should disease my friend and be a trouble To the whole house Nick Nick Anon sir Frank. Bring forth my gelding as you loue me sir Vse no more words a hand good master Cranwel Cran. Sir God be your good speed Frank. Goodnight sweet Nan nay nay a kisse and part Dissembling lips you suâ—t not with my hart Wend. How businesse time and houres all gratious proues And are the furtherers to my new borne loue I am husband now in maister Franck fordes place And must commaund the house my pleasure is We will not sup abroad so publikely But in your priuate Chamber mistresse Franckford Anne O sir you are too publike in your loue And maister Franckfordes wife Cran. Might I craue fauour I would intreat you I might see my Chamber I am on the sodaine growne exceeding ill And would be spard from supper Wen. Light their hoe See you want nothing sir for if you do You iniury that good man and wrong me to Cran. I will make bold godnight
in a strangers shall I die in debt To Acton my grand foe and you still weare The pretious Iewell that he holds so deere Susan My honor I esteeme as deere and pretious As my redemption Charles I esteeme you sister As deere for so deere prizing it Susan Will Charles Haue me cut of my hands and send them Acton Rip vp my breast and with my bleeding hart Present him as a token Charles Neither Iane But heare me in my strange assertion Thy honor and my soule are equall in my regard Nor will thy Brother Charles suruyue thy shame His kindnesse like a burden hath surcharged me And vnder his good deedes I stooping go Not with an vpright soule had I remaind In prison stil there doublesse I had dyed Then vnto him that freed me from that prison Still do I owe that life what mou'd my foe To infranchife me T was sister for your loue With full fiue hundred pounds he bought your loue And shall he not inioy it Shall the waight Of all this heauy burden leane on me And will not you beare part you did pertake The ioy of my release will you not stand In ioynt bond bound to satisfie the debt Shall I be onely charged Susan But that I know These arguments come from an honord mind As in your most extremity of need Scorning to stand in debt to one you hate Nay rather would ingage your vnstaind honor Then to be held ingrate I should condem you I see your resolution and assent So Charles will haue me and I am content Charles For this I trickt you vp Susan But here 's a knife to saue mine honor shall slice out my life Charles I know thou pleasest me a thousand times More in that resolution then thy grant Obserue her loue to sooth them in my suite Her honor she will hazzard though not loose To bring me out of debt her rigorous hand Will pierce her hart Oh wonder that will chuse Rather then staine her bloud her life to loose Come you sad sister to a wofull brother This is the gate I le beare him such a present Such an acquittance for the knight to seale As will amaze his senses and surprize With admiration all his fantasies Enter Acton and Malbie Susan Before his vnchast thoughts shal seize on me T is here shall my imprisoned soule set free Acton How Mountford with his sister hand in hand What Miracles a foot Malby It is a sight Begets in me much admiration Charles Stand not amasd to see me thus attended Acton I owe thee mony and being vnable To bring thee the full summe â—o ready coyne Loe for thy more assurance here 's a pawne My sister my deere Sister whose chast honor I prise aboue a Million here nay take her Shee s worth your mony man do not fortake her Francis I would he were in earnest Susan Impute it not to my immodesty My Brother being rich in nothing else But in his interest that he hath in me According to his pouerty hath brought you Me all hir store whom howsoere you prise As forfeit to your hand he valewes 〈…〉 And would not sell but to acquit your 〈◊〉 For any Emperors ransome Francis Sterne hart relent Thy former cruelty at length repent Was euer knowne in any former age Such honorable wrested curtesie Lands honors lines and all the world forgot Rather then stand ingagde to such a foe Charles Acton she is too poor to be thy Bride And I to much apposd to be thy brother There take her to thee if thou hast the hart To ceize her as a Rape or lustfull prey To blur our house that neuer yet was staind To murder her that neuer meant thee harme To kill me now whom once thou sauedst from death Do them at once on her all these relie And perish with her spotted chastity Francis You ouercome me in your loue sir Charles I cannot be so cruell to a Lady I loue so dearely since you haue not spard To engage your reputation to the world Your sister honor which you prise so deere Nay all the comforts which you hold on earth To grow out of my debt being your foe Your honored thoughts doe thus I recompence Your metamorphisd foe receiues your guift In satisfaction of all former wrongs This Iewell I will weare here in my hart And where before I thought her for her wants Too base to be my Bride to end all strife I seale you my deere brother her my wife Susan You still exceede vs I will yeeld to fate And learne to loue where I till now did hate Charles With that inchantment you haue charmd my soule And made me rich euen in those very words I pay no debt but am indebted more Rich in your loue I neuer can be poore Francis Alas mine is yours we are alike in state Le ts knit in love what was proposd in hate Come for our Nuptials we will straite prouide Blest onely in our brother and faire bride Exeunt Enter Cranwell Frankeford and Nick Cran. Why do you search each roome about your house Now that you haue dispatcht your wife away Frank O sir to see that nothing may be left That euer was my wiues I loued her deerely And when I do but thinke of her vnkindnesse My thoughts are all in Hell to avoyd which torment I would not haue a Bodkin or a Cuffe A bracelet necklace or Rebato wier Nor any thing that euer was hers Left me by which I might remember her Seeke round about Nick Sbloud master here 's her lute stonge in a cornet Frank. Her Lute oh God vpon this instrument Her fingers haue run quicke diuision Sweeter then that which now deuides our harts These frets haue made me pleasant that haue now Frets of my hart-strings made oh maister Cranwell Oft hath she made this melancholy wood Now mute and dumbe for her disastrous chance Speake sweedy many a note sound many a straine To her owne rauishing voyce which being well strung What pleasant strange ayres haue they ioyntly sung Post with it after her now nothings left Of her and hers I am at once bereft Nick I le ride and ouertake her do my message And come backe againe Cran. Meane time sir if you please I le to sir Francis Acton and informe him Of what hath past betwixt you and his sister Frank. Do as you please how ill am I bestead To be a widower ere my wife be dead Enter mistris Frankeford with Ienkin her maid Sislee her Coach-man and three Carters Anne Bid my Coach stay why should I ride in state Being hurld so low downe by the hand of fate A seat like to my Fortunes let me haue Earth for my chaire and for my bed a graue Ienkin. Comfort good mistris you haue watered your Coach with teares already you haue but two myle now to goe to your mannor a Man cannot say by my olde Maister Franckford as he may say by me that he wants maners for he
A WOMAN KILDE with Kindnesse Written by Tho: Heywood LONDON Printed by William Iaggard dwelling in Barbican and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard by Iohn Hodgets 1607 The Prologue I Come but like a Harbenger being sent To tell you what these preparations meane Looke for no glorious state our muse is bent Vpon a barrein subiect a bare sceane We could afford this twig a Timber tree Whose strength might boldly on your fauours build Our Russet Tissew Drone a Hony-Bee Our barrein plot a large and spacious fielde Our course fare banquets our thin Water Wine Our Brooke a Sea our Bats eyes Eagles sight Our Poets dull and earthy muse Diuine Our Rauens Doues our Crowes blacke fethers white But gentle thoughts when they may giue the foyle Saue them that yeeld and spare where they may spoyle Enter maister Iohn Frankeford Sir Francis Acton Mistris Acton sir Charles Mountford Maister Malbie Maister Wendoll and Maister Cranwell Francis SOme musicke there none lead the Bride a dance Charles Yes would she dance the shaking of the sheetes But that 's the dance her Husband meanes to lead her Wen. That 's not the dance that euery man must dance According to the Ballad Francis Musick ho By your leaue Sister by your Husbands leaue I should haue said the hand that but this day Was giuen you in the Church I le borrow Sound This marriage musicke hoists me from the ground Frank. I you may caper you are light and free Marriage hath yoakt my heeles pray then pardon me Francis I le haue you dance to Brother Charles Maister Frankford You are a happy man sir and much ioy Succeede your marriage mirth you haue a wife So qualified and with such ornaments Both of the mind and body First her Birth Is Noble and her education such As might become the Daughter of a Prince Her owne tongue speakes all tongues and her owne hand Can teach all strings to speake in their best grace From the shrill treble to the hoarsest base To end her many praises in one word She s beauty and perfections eldest Daughter Onely found by yours though many a hart hath sought her Frank. But that I know your vertues and chast thoughts I should be ielous of your praise sir Charles Cran. He speakes no more then you approue Malbie Nor flatters he that giues to her her due Anne I would your praise could find a fitter theame Then my imperfect beauty to speake on Such as they be if they my Husband please They suffice me now I am married His sweet content is like a flattering Glasse To make my face seeme fairer to mine eye But the least wrinckle from his stormy brow Will blast the Roses in my cheekes that grow Francis A perfect wife already meeke and patient How strangely the word husband fits your mouth Not married three houres since sister t is good You that beginne betimes thus must needs proue Plyant and dutious in your husbands loue Godamercies Brother wrought her to it already Sweete Husband and a curtesie the first day Marke this marke this you that are Bachelers And neuer tooke the grace of honest man Marke this against you marry this one phrase In a good time that man both wins and woes That takes his wife downe in her wedding shooes Frank. Your sister takes not after you sir Francis All his wilde bloud your father spent on you He got her in his age when he grew ciuill All his mad tricks were to his land intaild And you are heire to al your sister she Hath to her dower her mothers modesty Charles Lord sir in what a happy state liue you This morning which to many seemes a burden too Heauy to beare is vnto you a pleasure This Lady is no clog as many are She doth become you like a well made suite In which the Taylor hath vsd all his art Not like a thicke Coate of vnseasond freeze Forst on your backe in summer shee s no chaine To ty your necke and curbe you to the yoake But shee s a chaine of gold to adorne your neck You both adore each other and your hands Methinkes are matches there 's equality In this faire combination you are both Schollers Both young both being descended nobly There 's musick in this simpathy it caries Comfort and expectation of much ioy Which God bestow on you from this first day Vntill your dissolution that 's for aye Francis We keepe you here to long good brother Franckford Into the hal Away go cheare your guests What Bride and Bride-groom both withdrawne at once If you be mist the guests wil doubt their welcome And charge you with vnkindnes Frank. To preuent it I le leaue you here to see the dance within Anne And so wil I Fran. To part you it were sin Frank Now gallants while the Towne Musitians Finger their frets within and the mad lads And country lasses euery mothers child With nose-gaies and Bridelaces in their hats Dance al their Country measures rounds and Iigges What shall we do Harke they are all on the hoygh They toile like Mil-horsses and turne as round Marry not on the toe I and they Caper But without cutting you shall see to morrow The hall floure peckt and dinted like a Milstone Made with their high shooes though their skill be small Yet they tread heauy where their Hob-nailes fall Char. Well leaue them to their sports Sir Francis Acton I le make a match with you meet me to morrow At Cheuy-chase I le flie my Hawke with yours Fran. For what for what Char. Why for a hundred pound Fran. Pawne me some gold of that Char. Here are ten angels I le make them good a hundred pound to morrow Vpon my Hawkes wing Fran. T is a match t is done An other hundred pound vpon your Dogs Dare you Sir Charles Char. I dare were I sure to loose I durst do more then that heere 's my hand The first course for a hundred pound Fran. A match Wend. Ten Angels on sir Francis Actons Hawk As much vpon his Dogs Cran. I am for Sir Charles Mountford I haue seene His hawke and Dog both tride What clap you hands Or i st no bargaine Wendoll Yes and stake them downe Were they fiue hundred they were all my owne Fran. Be stirring early with the Larke to morrow I le rise into my saddle ere the sunne Rise from his bed Char. If there you misse me say I am no Gentleman I le hold my day Fran. It holds on all sides come to night le ts dance Early to morow le ts prepare to ride We had neede be three houres vp before the Bride Enter Nick and Ierking Iacks slime Roger Brickbat With countrie Wenches and two or three Musitians Ienk. Come Nick take you Ioune Miniuer to trace withal Iacke slime trauerse you with Sisly Milke-pale I will take Iane trubkin Roger Brikbat shall haue Isbell Motly and now that they are busie in the parlor come strike vp wee le haue a crash
the pore remainder Of al the wealth I haue my heauy foes Haue made my purse light but alas to me T is wealth inough that you haue set me free Mal. God giue you ioy of your deliuery I am glad to see you abroad Sir Charles Char. The poorest knight in England M. Malby My life hath cost me al the patrimony My father left his sonne wel God forgiue them That are the Authors of my pennury Enter Shafton Shaf, Sir Charles a hand a hand at liberty Now by the faith I owe I am glad to see it What want you wherein may I pleasure you Char. Oh me oh most vnhappy Gentleman I am not worthy to haue friends stird vp Whose hands may helpe me in this plunge of want I would I were in heauen to inherit there Th imortal birth-right which my sauior keeps And by no vnthrift can be bought and sold For here on earth what pleasures should we trust Shaf. To rid you from these contemplations Three hundred pounds you shal receiue of me Nay fiue for faile come sir the sight of Gold Is the most sweet receipt for melancholy And wil reuiue your spirits you shal hold law With your proud aduersaries Tush let Franke Acton Wage with Knighthood like expence with me And he wil sinke he wil nay good Sir Charles Applaud your Fortune and your faire escape From al these perils Charles Oh Sir they haue vndone me Two thousand and fiue hundred pound a yeare My father at his death possest me of All which the enuious Acton made me spend And notwithstanding all this large expence I had much ado to gaine my liberty And I haue now onely a house of pleasure With some fiue hundred pounds reserued Both to maintaine me and my louing sister Shaf. That must I haue it lies conuenient for me If I can fasten but one finger on him With my ful hand I le gripe him to the hart T is not for loue I proferd him this coyne But for my gaine and pleasure come Sir Charles I know you haue need of mony take my offer Char. Sir I accept it and remaine indebted Euen to the best of my vnable power Come Gentlemen and see it tendred downe Exeunt Enter Wendol melancholy Wend. I am a villan if I apprehend But such a thought then to attempt the deed Slaue thou art damnd without redemption I le driue away this passion with a song A song ha ha a song as if fond man Thy eies could swim in laughter when thy soule Lies drencht and drownd in red teares of blood I le pray and see if God within my hart Plant better thoughts why prayers are meditations And when I meditate oh God forgiue me It is on her diuine perfections I will forget hir I wil arme my selfe Not to entertaine a thought of loue to her And when I come by chance into hir presence I le haue these bals vntil my eye-strings cracke From being puld and drawne to looke that way Enter ouer the stage Franckeford his wife and Nicke O God O God with what a violence I am hurried to my owne destruction There goest thou the most perfectst man That euer England bred a Gentleman And shal I wrong his bed thou God of Thunder Stay in thy thoughts of vengeance and of wrath Thy great Almighty and all Iudging hand From speedy execution on a villain A villain and a Traitor to his friend Entor Ienkin Ienk. Did your worship cal Wend. He doth maintaine me he allowes me largely Mony to spend Ien. By my faith so do not you me I canot get a crosse of you Wen, My gelding and my man Ienk. That 's Sorrel and I Wend. This kindnes growes of no alliance twixt vs Ienk. Nor is my seruice of any great acquaintance Wend. I neuer bond him to be by desert Of a meere stranger a poore Gentleman A man by whom in no kind he could gaine He hath placst me in the height of al his thoughts Made me companion with the best and chiefest In Yorke-shire he cannot eat without me Nor laugh without me I am to his body As necessary as his digestion And equally do make him whole or sicke And shal I wrong this man base man ingrate Hast thou the power straite with thy gory hands To rip thy Image from his bleeding hart To scratch thy name from out the holy booke Of his remembrance and to wound his name That holds thy name so deere or rend his hart To whom thy hart was ioynd and knit together And yet I must then Wendol be content Thus villains when they would cannot repent Ienk. What a strange humor is my new maister in pray God he be not mad if he should be so I shold neuer haue any mind to serue him in Bedlam It may bee he is madde for missing of me Wend. What Ienkin where 's your Mistris Ienk. Is your worship married Wend. Why dost thou aske Ionk Because you are my M. and if I haue a mistris I wold be glad like a good seruant to do my duty to her Wend. I meane where 's Mistris Frankeford Ienk. Marry sir her husband is riding out of Towne and shee went very louingly to bring him on his way to horse doe you see sir here she comes and here I go Wen. Vanish Enter Mistris Frankeford Anne You are wel met sir now introth my husband Before he tooke horse had a great desire To speake with you we sought about the house Hallowed into the fields sent euery way But could not meet you therefore he inioyned me To do vnto you his most kinds commends Nay more he wils you as you prize his loue Or hold in estimation his kind friendship To make bold in his absence and command Euen as himselfe were present in the house For you must keepe his table vse his Seruants And be a present Frankeford in his absence Wend. I thanke him for his loue Giue me a name you whose infectious tongues Are tipt with gall and poison as you would Thinke on a man that had your father slaine Murdered thy children made your wiues base strumpets So cal me cal me so print in my face The most stigmaticke title of a villaine For hatching treason to so true a friend Anne Sir you are much beholding to my husbande You are a man most deere in his regard Wend. I am bound vnto your husband and you to I will not speake to wrong a Gentleman Of that good estimation my kind friend I will not Zounds I wil not I may chuse And I wil chose Shall I be so missed Or shal I purchase to my fathers crest The Motto of a villaine If I say I will not do it what thing can inforce me Who can compell me What sad desteny Hath such command vpon my yeilding thoughts I wil not Ha some fury pricks me on The swift fates drag me at their chariot wheele And hurry me to mischiefe speake I must Iniure my selfe wrong hir deceiue his trust