charm Enough is our Feast and for to morrow Let rich men care we feel no sorrow No sorrow no sorrow no sorrow no sorrow Let rich men care we feel no sorrow Sp. The Emperour hears no such Musick nor feels content like this Each City each Town and every Village Affords us either an Alms or Pillage And if the weather be cold and raw Then in a Barn we tumble in straw If warm and fair by yea-cock and nay-cock The Fields will afford us a Hedge or a Hay-cock A Hay-cock a Hay-cock a Hay-cock a Hay-cock The Fields will afford us a Hedge or a Hay-cock Spr. Most ravishing delight But in all this Onely one sense is pleas'd mine ear is feasted Mine eye too must be satisfied with my joyes The hoarding Usurer cannot have more Thirsty desire to see his golden store When he unlocks his Treasury then I The equipage in which my Beggars lie He opens the Scene the Beggars are discovered in their postures then they issue forth and last the Patrico All Our Master our Master our sweet and comfortable Master Spr. How cheare my hearts I Beg. Most crowse most capringly Shall we dance shall we sing to welcome our King Strike up Piper a merry merry dance That we on our stampers may foot it and prance To make his heart merry as he has made ours As lustick and frolique as Lords in their Bowers Musick Dance Spr. Exceeding well perform'd 1 Beg. 'T is well if it like you Master But wee have not that rag among us that we will not daunce off to do you service we being all and onely your servants most noble Sir Command us therefore and imploy us we beseech you Spr. Thou speak'st most courtly 2 Beg. Sir he can speak and could have writ as well He is a decay'd Poet newly fallen in among us and begs as well as the best of us He learnt it pretty well in his own profession before and can the better practise it in ours now Spr. Thou art a wit too it seems 3 Beg. He should have wit and knavery too Sir For he was an Attorney till he was pitch'd over the Bar And from that fall he was taken up a Knight o' the Post and so he continued till he was degraded at the whipping-post and from thence he ran resolutely into this course His cunning in the Law and the others labour with the Muses are dedicate to your service and for my self I 'l fight for you Spr. Thou art a brave fellow and speak'st like a Commander Hast thou born Arms 4. Beg. Sir he has born the name of a Netherland Souldier till he ran away from his Colours and was taken lame with lying in the Fields by a Sciatica I mean Sir the strapado After which by a second retreat indeed running away he scambled into his Country and so scap'd the Gallows and then snap'd up his living in the City by his wit in cheating pimping and such like Arts till the Cart and the Pillory shewed him too publiquely to the world And so begging being the last refuge he enter'd into our society And now lives honestly I must needs say as the best of us Spr. Thou speak'st good language too 1 Beg. He was a Courtier born Sir and begs on pleasure I assure you refusing great and constant means from able friends to make him a staid man Yet the want of a leg notwithstanding he must travel in this kinde against all common reason by the special pollicy of Providence Spr. As how I prethee 1 Beg. His Father Sir was a Courtier a great Court Beggar I assure you I made these Verses of Him and his Son here A Courtier beg'd by Covetise not Need From Others that which made them beg indeed He beg'd till wealth had laden him with cares To keep for 's children and their children shares While the oppress'd that lost that great Estate Sent Curses after it unto their Fate The Father dies the world saies very rich The Son being gotten while it seems the itch Of begging was upon the Courtly Sire Or bound by Fate will to no wealth aspire Tho' offer'd him in Money Cloathes or Meat More then he begs or instantly must eat Is not he heavenly blest that hates Earth's Treasure And begs with What 's a Gentleman but 's pleasure Or say it be upon the Heire a curse What 's that to him The Beggar 's ne'r the worse For of the general store that Heaven has sent He values not a penny till 't be spent All A Scribble a Scribble 2 Beg. What City or Court Poet could say more then our hedge Muse-monger here 2 Beg. What say Sir to our Poet Scribble here Spr. I like his vain exceeding well and the whole Consort of you 2 Beg. Consort Sir We have Musicians too among us true merry Beggars indeed that being within the reach of the Lash for singing libellous Songs at London were fain to flie into our Covie and here they sing all our Poet 's Ditties They can sing any thing most tunably Sir but Psalms What they may do hereafter under a triple Tree is much expected But they live very civilly and gentily among us Spr. But what is he there that solemn old fellow that neither speaks of himself nor any body for him 2 Beg. O Sir the rarest man of all He is a Prophet See how he holds up his prognosticating nose He is divining now Spr. How a Prophet 2 Beg. Yes Sir a cunning man and a Fortune-teller 't is thought he was a great Cleark before his decay but he is very close will not tell his beginning nor the fortune he himself is falne from But he serves us for a Clergy-man still and marries us if need be after a new way of his own Spr. How long have you had his company 2 Beg. But lately come amongst us but a very ancient Strowle all the Land over and has travell'd with Gipsies and is a Patrico Shall he read your Fortune Sir Spr. If it please him Pat. Lend me your hand Sir By this Palme I understand Thou art born to wealth and Land And after many a bitter gust Shalt build with thy great Gransires dust Spr. Where shall I finde it but come I le not trouble my head with the search 2 Beg. What say Sir to our Crew are we not well congregated Spr. You are A Iovial Crew the onely people Whose happiness I admire 3 Beg. Will you make us happy in serving you have you any Enemies shall we fight under you will you be our Captain 2. Nay out King 3. Command us something Sir Spr. Where 's the next Rendevouz 1. Neither in Village nor in Town But three mile off at Maple-down Spr. At evening there I 'le visit you Song COme come away The Spring By every Bird that can but sing Or chirp a note doth now invite Vs forth to taste of his delight In Field in Grove on Hill in Dale But above all the Nightingale Who in her
We have just reason to become so now And what we thought on but in jest before We 'll do in earnest now Spr. O I applaud this resolution in you Would have perswaded it will be your Servant in 't For look ye Ladies The Sentence of your Fortune does not say that you shall beg for need hungry or cold necessity If therefore you expose your selves on pleasure into it you shall absolve your destiny nevertheless and cure your Father's grief I am over-joy'd to think on 't and will assist you faithfully All A Springlove a Springlove Spr. I am prepar'd already for th' adventure And will with all conveniencies furnish And set you forth give you your Dimensions Rules and Directions I will be your Guide Your Guard your Convoy your Authority You do not know my Power my Command I' th' Beggars Commonwealth Vin. But how But how good Springlove Spr. I 'll confess all In my Minority My Master took me up a naked Beggar Bred meat School then took me to his Service You know in what good fashion and you may Collect to memory for seven late Sommers Either by leave pretending Friends to see At far remote parts of the Land or else By stealth I would absent my self from service To follow my own Pleasure which was Begging Led to 't by Nature My indulgent Master Yet ignorant of my course on my submission When Cold and Hunger forc'd me back at Winter Receiv'd me still again Till two years since He being drawn by journey towards the North Where I then quarter'd with a ragged Crew On the high way not dreaming of him there I did accost him with a Good your Worship The Guift one smale penny to a Creeple For here I was with him and the good Lord Halts To bless you and restore it you in Heaven All Ha ha ha Spr. My head was dirty clouted and this leg Swadled with Rags the other naked and My body clad like his upon the Gibbet Yet He with searching eyes through all my Rags And counterfeit Postures made discovery Of his Man Springlove chid me into tears And a confession of my forespent life At last upon condition that vagary Should be the last he gave me leave to run That Sommer out In Avtumne home came I In my home Cloaths again and former Duty My Master not alone conserv'd my Counsel But laies more weighty Trust and Charge upon me Such was his love to keep me a home-Man That he conferr'd his Stewards place upon me Which clog'd me the last year from those Delights I would not lose again to be his Lord All A Springlove a Springlove Spr. Pursue the course you are on then as cheerfully As the inviting Season smiles upon you Think how you are necessitated to it To quit your Father's sadness and his fears Touching your Fortune Till you have been Beggars The Sword hangs over him You cannot think Upon an Act of greater Piety Unto your Father then t' expose your selves Brave Volunteers unpress'd by common need Into this meritorious Warfare whence After a few daies or short season spent You bring him a perpetual Peace and Joy By expiating the Prophecy that torments him T' were worth your Time in painful woful steps With your lives hazard in a Pilgrimage So to redeem a Father But you 'l finde A Progress of such Pleasure as I 'll govern 't That the most happy Courts could never boast In all their Tramplings on the Countries cost Whose envy we shall draw when they shall reade We out-beg them and for as little Need All A Springlove a Springlove Spr. Follow me Gallants then as cheerfully As heark we are summon'd forth Birds singing All We follow thee Exeunt Enter Randal A Purse in his hand Ran. Well go thy waies If ever any just or charitable Steward was commended sure thou shalt be at the last Quarter-day Here 's five and twenty pounds for this Quarters Beggar-charge And if he return not by the end of this Quarter here 's order to a Friend to supply for the next If I now should venture for the commendation of an unjust Steward and turn this Money to mine own use ha deare Devil tempt me not I 'll do thee service in a greater Matter But to rob the Poor a poor trick every Church-warden can do 't Now something whispers me that my Master for his Stewards love will supply the Poor as I may handle the matter Then I rob the Steward if I restore him not the Money at his return Away Temptation leave me I am frail flesh yet I will fight with thee But say the Steward never return O but he will return Perhaps he may not return Turn from me Satan strive not to clog my conscience I would not have this weight upon 't for all thy Kingdom Enter Hearty singing and Oldrents Hey down hay down a down c. Remember Sir your Covenant to be merry Old I strive you see to be so Yet somthing pricks me within me thinks Hea. No further thought I hope of Fortunes tell-tales Old I think not of 'em Nor will I presage That when a disposition of sadness O'rclouds my spirits I shall therefore hear Ill news or shortly meet with some disaster Hea. Nay when a man meets with bad tidings why May not be then compel his minde to mirth As well as puling stomacks are made strong By caring against Appetite Old Forc'd Mirth tho' is not good Hea. It relishes not you 'll say No more does Meat That is most savory to a long sick stomack Until by Strife and Custom 't is made good Old You argue well But do you see yon'd Fellow Hea. I never noted him so sad before He neither sings nor whistles Old Something troubles him Can he force Mirth out of himself now think you Hea. What speak you of a Clod of Earth a Hind But one degree above a Beast compar'd To th' aëry spirit of a Gentleman Old He looks as he came laden with ill news To meet me on my way Hea. 'T is very pretty Suppose the Ass be tir'd with sadness will you disburden him To load your self Think of your Covenant to be merry In spight of Fortune and her Riddle-makers Old Why how now Randal sad where 's Springlove Hea. He 's ever in his Care But that I know The old Squire 's virtue I should think Springlove Were sure his Bastard Ran. Here 's his Money Sir I pray that I be charg'd with it no longer The Devil and I have strain'd courtesie these two hours about it I would not be corrupted with the trust of more then is mine own Mr. Steward gave it me Sir to order it for the Beggars He has made me Steward of the Barn and them while he is gone he saies a Journey to survey and measure Lands abroad about the Countries Some purchase I think for your Worship Old I know his measuring of Land He is gone his old way And let him go Am not I merry Hearty
that all come crying into the World when the whole World of Pleasures is before us The World it self had ne'r been glorious had it not first been a confused Chaos Vin. Well never did Knight Errants in all Adventures merit more of their Ladies then we Beggar-errants or errant Beggars do in ours Spr. The greater will be your Reward Think upon that And shew no manner of distaste to turn their hearts from you Y' are undone then Hill Are they ready to appear out of their privy Lodgings in the Pigs Palace of pleasure Are they coming forth Spr. I left 'em almost ready sitting on their Pads of straw helping to dress each others heads The ones eye is the tothers Looking-glass with the prettiest coyle they keep to fit their fancies in the most graceful way of wearing their new Dressings that you would admire Vin. I hope we are as gracefully set out Are we not Spr. Indifferent well But will you fall to practise Let me hear how you can Maund when you meet with Passengers Hill We do not look like men I hope too good to learn Spr. Suppose some Persons of Worth or Wealth passing by now Note me Good your good Worship your Charity to the Poor that will duly and truly pray for you day and night Vin. Away you idle Rogue you would be set to work and whipt Vin. That is lame and sick hungry and comfortless Vin. If you were well serv'd Spr. And even to bless you and reward you for it Hill Prethee hold thy peace here be doleful Notes indeed and leave us to our own Genius If we must beg let 's let it go as it comes by Inspiration I love not your set form of Begging Spr. Let me instruct ye tho' Enter Rachel and Meriel in Rags Ra. Have a care good Meriel what hearts or limbs soever we have and tho' never so feeble let us set our best faces on 't and laugh our last gasp out before we discover any dislike or weariness to them Let us bear it out till they complain first and beg to carry us home a pick pack Mer. I am sorely surbated with hoofing already tho' and so crupper-crampt with our hard lodging and so bumfidled with the straw that Ra. Think not on 't I am numm'd i' the bum and shoulders too a little And have found the difference between a hard floor with a little straw and a down Bed with a Quilt upon 't But no words nor a sowre look I prethee Hill O here they come now Madam Fewcloaths and my Lady Bonnyrag Vin. Peace they see us Ra. Mer. Ha ha ha Vin. We are glad the Object pleases ye Ra. So do's the Subject Now you appear the glories of the Spring Darlings of Phoebus and the Somers heirs Hill How fairer then faire Floras self appear To deck the Spring Diana's Darlings dear O let us not Acteon-like be strook With greedy eyes while we presume to look On your half nakedness since courteous rags Cover the rest into the shape of Stags Ra. Mer. Ha ha ha Wee are glad you are so merry Vin. Merry and lusty too This night will we lye togither as well as the proudest Couple in the Barn Hill And so will we I can hold out no longer Ra. Do's the straw stir up your flesh to 't Gentlemen Mer. Or do's your Provender prick you Spr. What! do we come for this laugh and lye down When your bellies are full Remember Ladies You have not beg'd yet to quit your Destiny But have liv'd hitherto on my endeavours Who got your suppers pray last night but I Of dainty Trencher-Fees from a Gentlemans house Such as the Serving-men themselves sometimes Would have been glad of And this morning now What comfortable Chippings and sweet Buttermilk Had you to Breakfast Ra. O 't was excellent I feel it good still here Mer. There was a brown Crust amongst it that has made my neck so white me thinks Is it not Rachel Ra. Yes You ga' me none on 't You ever covet to have all the Beauty 'T is the ambition of all younger Sisters Vin. They are pleas'd and never like to be weary Hill No more must we if wee 'l be theirs Spr. Peace Here come Passengers Forget not your Rules and quickly disperse your selves and fall to your Calling Enter two Gentlemen 1. Lead the Horses down the Hill The heat of our speed is over for we have lost our Journey 2. Had they taken this way we had overtaken 'em or heard of 'em at least 1. But some of our Scouts will light on 'em the whole Countrey being overspread with 'em 2. There was never such an escape else Vin. A search for us perhaps Yet I know not them nor they me I am sure I might the better beg of 'em But how to begin or set the worst leg forwards would I were whipt if I know now 1. That a young Gentlewoman of her breeding and Heire to such an Estate should flie from so great a Match and run away with her Uncles Cleark 2. The old Justice will run mad upon 't I fear Vin. If I were to be hang'd now I could not beg for my life Spr. Step forwards and beg handsomly I 'll set my Goad i' your breech else Vin. What shall I say Spr. Have I not told you now begin Vin. After you good Springlove Spr. Good your good Worships 1. Away you idle Vagabond Spr. Your Worships Charity to a poore Crytur welly starv'd Vin. That will duly and truly prea for yee 2. You counterfet Villains hence Spr. Good Masters sweet Worship for the tender mercy of Vin. Duly and truly prea for you 1. You would be well whipt and set to work if you were duly and truly serv'd Vin. Did not I say so before Spr. Good Worshipful Masters Worship to bestow your Charity and to maintaine your health and Limbs Vin. Duly and truly pray for you 2. Be gone I say you impudent lusty young Rascals 1. I 'll set you going else Switch 'em Spr. Ah the goodness of compassion to soften your hearts to the poor Vin. Oh the Devil must not we beat 'em now steth Spr. Nor shew an angry look for all the skin of our backs Ah the sweetness of that mercy that gives to all to move your compassion to the hungry when it shall seem good unto you and night and day to bless all that you have Ah ah 2. Come back sirrah His Patience and Humility has wrought upon me Vin. Duly and 2. Not you sirrah The t'other You look like a sturdy Rogue Spr. Lord bless you Masters Worship 2. There 's a half-penny for you Let him have no share with you Vin. I shall never thrive o' this Trade 1. They are of a Fraternity and will share I warrant you Spr. Never in our lives trooly He never begg'd with me before 1. But if Hedges or Hen-roosts could speak you might be found sharers in Pillage I believe Spr. Never saw him before bless you good Master in
shall be taken then I fear I 'll rather pine to death Mar. Be not so fearfull Who can know us in these Clownish Habits Am. Our Cloaths indeed are poor enough to beg with Would I could beg so it were of Strangers that could not know me rather then buy of those that would betray us Mar. And yonder be some that can teach us Spr. These are the young couple of Run-away Lovers disguiz'd that the Country is so laid for Observe and follow now Now the Lord to come with ye good loving Master and Maystresse your blessed Charity to the poor lame and sick weak and comfortlesse that will night and day All Duly and truly pray for you Duly and truly pray for you Spr. Pray hold your peace and let me alone Good young Master and Mistris a little Comfort amongst us all and to blesse you where e're you go and All Duly and truly pray for you Duly and truly Spr. Pray do not use me thus Now sweet young Master and Mistris to look upon your Poor that have no relief or succour no bread to put in our heads Vin. Wouldst thou put Bread in thy Braines All together No Lands or Livings Spr. No House nor home nor covering from the cold no health no help but your sweet Charity Mer. No Bands or Shirts but lowsie on our backs Hil. No smocks or Petticoats to hide our Scratches Ra. No Shooes to our Legs or Hose to our Feet Vin. No Skin to our Flesh nor Flesh to our Bones shortly Hill If we follow the Devil that taught us to beg All Duly and truly pray for you Spr. I 'll run away from you if you beg a stroak more Good worshipfull Master and Misteres Mar. Good Friend forbear Here is no Master or Mistris We are poor Folks Thou seest no Worship upon our backs I am sure And for within we want as much as you and would as willingly beg if we knew how as well Spr. Alack for pitty You may have enough And what I have is yours if you 'll accept it 'T is wholsome Food from a good Gentlemans Gate Alas good Mistris Much good do your heart How savourly she feeds Mar. What do you mean to poyson your self Am. Do you shew Love in grudging me Mar. Nay if you think it hurts you not fall too I 'll not beguile you And here mine Host something towards your Reckoning Am. This Beggar is an Angell sure Spr. Nothing by way of bargain gentle Master 'T is against Order and will never thrive But pray Sir your reward in Charity Mar. Here then in Charity This fellow would never make a Cleark Spr. What! All this Master Am. What is it Let me see 't Spr. 'T is a whole silver three-pence Mistresse Am. For shame ingratefull Miser Here Friend a golden Crown for thee Spr. Bountifull Goodnesse Gold If I thought a dear yeer were coming I would take a Farm now Am. I have rob'd thy Partners of their shares too There 's a Crown more for them 4. Duly and truly pray for you Mar. What have you done lesse would have serv'd And your Bounty will betray us Am. Fie on your wretched policy Spr. No no good Master I knew you all this while and my sweet Mistris too And now I 'll tell you The Search is every way the Country all laid for you 'T is well you staid here Your Habits were they but a little neerer our Fashion would secure you with us But are you married Master and Mistris Are you joyned in Matrimony In heart I know you are And I will if it please you for your great bounty bring you to a Curate that lacks no License nor has any Living to lose that shall put you together Mar. Thou art a heavenly Beggar Spr. But he is so scrupulous and severely precise that unlesse you Mistris will affirm that you are with Child by the Gentleman or that you have at least cleft or slept together as he calls it he will not marry you But if you have lyen together then 't is a case of necessity and he holds himself bound to do it Mar. You may say you have Am. I would not have it so nor make that lye against my self for all the World Spr. That I like well and her exceedingly Aside I 'll do my best for you however Mar. I 'll do for thee that thou shalt never beg more Spr. That cannot be purchas'd scarse for the price of your Mistris Will you walk Master We use no Complements Am. By inforc'd Matches Wards are not set free So oft as sold into Captivitie Which made me fearlesse fly from one I hate Into the hazard of a harder Fate Actus Quartus Scena Prima Enter Talboy Oliver With riding switches Tal. SHe 's gone Amie is gone Ay me she 's gone And has me left of joy bereft to make my mone O me Amie Ol. What the Devil ayles the Fellow tro why why Master Talboy my Cozen Talboy that should'st ha' been art not asham'd to cry at this growth and for a thing that 's better lost then found a Wench Tal. Cry who cries do I cry or look with a crying Countenance I scorn it and scorn to think on her but in just anger Ol. So this is brave now if 't would hold Tall. Nay it shall hold And so let her go for a scurvy what d' e call 't I know not what bad enough to call her But something of mine goes with her I am sure She has cost me in Gloves Ribands Scarfs Rings and such like things more than I am able to speak of at this time Oh Ol. Because thou canst not speak for crying Fy Master Talboy agen Tal. I scorn it agen and any man that saies I cry or will cry agen And let her go agen and what she has of mine let her keep and hang her self and the Rogue that 's with her I have enough and am Heire of a well-known Estate and that she knows And therefore that she should sleight me and run away with a wages-fellow that is but a petty Cleark and a Serving-man There 's the vexation of it Oh there 's the grief and the vexation of it Oh Ol. Now he will cry his eyes out You Sir This life have I had with you all our long journey which now is at an end here This is Master Oldrents house where perhaps we shall finde old Hearty the Uncle of that Rogue Martin that is run away with your Sweetheart Tal. I 't is too true too true too true You need not put me in minde on 't Oh O Ol. Hold your peace and minde me Leave your bawling for fear I give you correction This is the House I say where it is most likely we shall hear of your Mistris and her companion Make up your face quickly Here comes one of the Servants I suppose Enter Randall Shame not your self for ever and me for company Come be confident Tall. As confident as your self or any man But
more then I will speak of distributed among my poor Kinred by my Wages my Vails at Christmas and otherwise together with my Rewards of kinde Gentlemen that have found courteous entertainment here Ol. There he is too But. Have I say gotten together tho' in a dangerous time I speak it a brace of hundred pounds Make me thankfull for it And for losses I have had none I have been Butler these two and thirty yeers and never lost the value of a Silver Spoon nor ever broke a Glasse Make me thankfull for it White Wine and Sugar say you Sir Ol. Please your self Sir But. This Gentleman speaks not Or had you rather take a Drink of brown Ale with a Toast or March Beer with Sugar and Nutmeg or had you rather drink without Sugar Ol. Good Sir a Cup of your Houshold-Beer Exit But. I fear he will draw down to that at last Enter Butler with a Silver Can of Sack But. Here Gentlemen is a Cup of my Masters small Beer But it is good old Canary I assure you And here 's to your welcome Enter Cooke Cook And welcome the Cooke sayes Gentlemen Brother Butler lay a Napkin I 'll fetch a Cut of the Surloyn to strengthen your patience till my Master comes who will not now be long for he 's no Snayle Gentlemen Ol. I have often heard so And here 's to you Master Cook Prithee speak Master Talboy or force one Laugh more if thou canst Cook Sir the Cook drinks to you To Talb. Tal. Ha ha ha Ol. Well said Tal. He is in the same Livory-Beard too Coo. But he is the oldest Cook and of the ancientest House and the best for House-keeping in this County or the next And tho' the Master of it write but Squire I know no Lord like him Enter Chaplain And now he 's come Here comes the Word before him The Parson has ever the best stomack I 'll Dish away presently Exit But. Is our Master come Sir Domine Chap. Est ad Manum Non est ille testudo Ol. He has the Word too in Latine Now bear up Talboy Cha. Give me a Preparative of Sack It is a gentle Preparative before Meat And so a gentle touch of it to you Gentlemen Ol. It is a gentle Offer Sir and as gently to be taken Enter Oldrents and Hearty Old About with it my Lads And this is as it should be Not till my turn Sir I Though I confesse I have had but three Morning-draughts to day Ol. Yet it appears you were abroad betimes Sir Old I am no Snayle Sir Ol. So your men told us Sir Old But where be my Catchers Come a Round And so let us drink The Catch sung And they drink about The Singers are all Graybeards A Round a Round a Round Boyes a Round Let Mirth fly aloft and Sorrow be drown'd Old Sack and old Songs and a Merry old Crew Can charm away Cares when the Ground looks blew Old Well said old Hearty And Gentlemen welcome Tal. Ah He sighs Old Oh mine ears What was that a sigh And in my House Look has it not split my Walls If not make vent for it Let it out I shall be stifled else Exit Chap. Ol. He hopes your pardon Sir his Cause consider'd Old Cause Can there be cause for sighing Ol. He has lost his Mistris Sir Old Ha ha ha Is that a Cause Do you hear me complain the losse of my two Daughters Ol. They are not lost I hope Sir Old No more can be his Mistris No Woman can be lost They may be mis-laid a little but found again I warrant you Tal. Ah Sigh Old Ods my life He sighs again And means to blow me out of my House To Horse again Here 's no dwelling for me Or stay I 'll cure him if I can Give him more Sack to drown his Suspirations While Oldrents and Talboy drink Oliver takes Hearty aside Ol. Sir I am chiefly to inform you of the Disaster Hea. May it concern me Old Your Nephew Martin has stolne my Fathers Ward that Gentlemans Bride that should have been Hea. Indeed Sir Ol. 'T is most true He gives Hearty a Letter Hea. Another Glasse of Sack This Gentleman brings good news Ol. Sir if you can prevent his danger Hea. Hang all Preventions Let 'em have their Destiny Tal. Sir I should have had her 't is true But she is gone d' ee see And let her go To Oldrents Old Well said He mends now Tal. I am glad I am rid of her d' ee see before I had more to do with her Hea. He mends apace Hearty reads the Letter Tal. For should I have married her before she had run away d' ee see And that she had run away d' e see after she had bin married to me d' ee see Then I had been a married Man without a Wife d' ee see Where now she being run away before I am married d' ee see I am no more married to her d' ee see then she to me d' ee see And so long as I am none of hers d' ee see nor she none of mine d' ee see I ought to care as little for her now she is run away d' ee see as if she had stay'd with me d' ee see Old Why this is excellent Come hither Hearty Tal. I perceive it now and the reason of it And how by Consequence d' ee see I ought not to look any further after her Cryes But that she should respect a poor base fellow a Cleark at the most and a Servingman at best before me that am a rich man at the worst and a Gentleman at least makes me I know not what to say Old Worse than ever 't was Now he cries out-right Tal. I know not what to say What to say Oh Hea. Then I do Sir The poore base Fellow that you speak of is my Nephew As good a Gentleman as your self I understand the businesse by your Friend here Tal. I cry you mercy Sir Old You shall cry no Mercy nor any thing else here Sir nor for any thing here Sir This is no place to cry in Nor for any businesse You Sir that come on businesse To Ol. Ol. It shall be none Sir Old My House is for no businesse but the Belly-businesse You finde not me so uncivill Sir as to ask you from whence you came who you are or what 's your businesse I ask you no question And can you be so discourteous as to tell me or my Friend any thing like businesse If you come to be merry with Me you are welcome If you have any businesse forget it You forget where you are else And so to Dinner Hea. Sir I pray let me onely prevail with you but to reade this Old Spoyle my Stomack now and I 'll not eat this fortnight He reads aside Hea. While he reads let me tell you Sir That my Nephew Martin has stolne that Gentlemans Mistris it seems is true But I protest as I am a Gentleman
a Scruple to prevent the Fall Vin. 'T is onely we that live Ra. I 'm glad you are so taken with your Calling Mer. We are no lesse I assure you We finde the Sweetnesse of it now Ra. The Mirth the Pleasure the Delights No Ladies live such Lives Mer. Some few upon necessity perhaps But that 's not worth g'rammercy Vin. They will never be weary Hil. Whether we seem to like or dislike all 's one to them Vin. We must do something to be taken by and discovered we shall never be our selves and get home again else Spr. and Amie come to the rest Spr. I am yours for ever Well Ladies you have mist rare Sport but now the Bride has mist you with her half-half eye and the Bridegroome with the help of his Crutches is drawing her forth for a Daunce here in the opener aire The House is now too hot for 'em O here come the chief Revellers The Souldier the Courtier the Lawyer and the Poet who is Master of their Revels before the old Couple in State Attend and hear him speak as their Inductor Poet HEre on this Green like King and Queen For a short truce we do produce Our old new-married Pair Of Dish and Wallet and of Straw-pallet With Rags to show from top to toe She is the ancient Heire He is the Lord of Bottle-gourd Of Sachell great for Bread and Meat And for small Pence a Purse To all that give Long may you live He loudly cries But who denies Is sure to have his Curse Vin. Well said Field-Poet Phaebus we see inspires As well the Beggar as the Poet Laureat Spr. And shines as warm under a Hedge bottom as on the tops of Palaces Po. I have not done yet Now this is to incite you to daunce PRepare your selves like Faëry Elves Now in a Daunce to show That you approve the God of Love Has many Shafts to 's Bow With Golden head and some of Lead But that which made these feel By subtile craft was sure a Shaft That headed was with Steel For they were old no Earth more cold Their Hearts were Flints intire Whence the Steels stroak did sparks provoke That set their Bloods on fire Now strike up Piper and each Lover here Be blith and take his Mistris by the Goll Hil. That 's no Rime Poet Po. There 's as good Poetry in blank Verse as Meetre Musick Spr. Come hay the Daunce the Daunce Nay we 'll ha' the old Couple in as blind and lame as they are Bri. What will you so Daunce Spr. Well hobled Bridegroome Vin. Well grop'd Bride Hil. Hay lusty Hay Holy-day Spr. Set 'hem down set 'em down They ha' done well Gro. A ha I am lustier than I was 30. yeers ago Bri. And I than I was threescore past A hem a hemh Vin. What a night here 's towards Hil. Sure they will kill one another Po. Each with a fear the tother will live longest Spr. Poet thou hast spoken learnedly and acted bravely Thou art both Poet and Actor Po. So has been many famous men And if here were no worse we might have a Masque or a Comedie presented to night in honour of the old Couple Vin. Let us each man try his ability Upon some Subject now Extempore Spr. Agreed Give us a Theme and try our Action Po. I have already thought upon 't I want but Actors Hil. What Persons want you what would you present Po. I would present a Common wealth Vtopia With all her Branches and Consistencies Ra. I 'll be Vtopia who must be my Branches Po. The Country the City the Court and the Camp Epitomiz'd and personated by a Gentleman a Merchant a Courtier and a Souldier Soul I 'll be your Souldier Am not I one ha Con. And am not I a fashionable Courtier Po. But who the Citizen or Merchant Spr. I Vin. And I your Country Gentleman Hill Or I Po. Yet to our Morall I must adde two Persons Divinity and Law La. Why la you now And am not I a Lawyer Po. But where 's Divinity Vin. Mary that I know not One of us might do that if either knew how to handle it Spr. Where 's the old Patrico our Priest my Ghostly Father He 'll do it rarely 1 Beg. He was telling Fortunes e'ne now to Country Wenches I 'll fetch him Exit Spr. That Patrico I wonder at He has told me strange things in clouds Am. And me somewhat that I may tell you hereafter Spr. That you shall be my Bride Am. I will not tell you now Vin. Well but what must our Speeches tend to what must we do one with another Po. I would have the Country the City and the Court be at great variance for Superiority Then would I have Divinity and Law stretch their wide throats to appease and reconcile them Then would I have the Souldier cudgell them all together and overtop them all Stay yet I want another person Hill What must he be Po. A Beggar Vin. Here 's enough of us I think What must the Beggar do Po. He must at last overcome the Souldier and bring them all to Beggars-Hall And this well acted will be for the honour of our Calling All A Scribble A Scribble Hill Come where 's this Patrico that we may begin Enter Patrico Pa. Alack and welladay this is no time to play Our Quarter is beset We are all in the Net Leave off your merry Glee Vin. You begin scurvily Spr. Why what 's the Matter Within Bing awast bing awast The Quire Cove and the Harmanbeck Some Beggars run over the Stage Spr. We are beset indeed What shall we do Vin. I hope we shall be taken Hil. If the good hour be come welcome by the grace of good Fortune Enter Sentwell Constable Watch The Crew slip away Sent. Beset the Quarter round Be sure that none escape Spr. Lord to come with you blessed Master to a many distressed Vin. Hill Duly and truly pray for you Ra. Mer. Good your good Worship duly and truly c. Sen. A many counterfeit Rogues So frolick and so lamentable all in a breath You were acting a Play but now We 'll act with you Incorrigible Vagabonds Spr. Good Master 't is a Holy-day with us An Heire was married here to day Sen. Married Not so I hope Where is she 'T is for an Heire we seek Spr. Here She is Master Hide your selves in the Straw the Straw Quickly into the Straw Sen. What tell'st thou me of this An old blind Beggar-woman We must finde a young Gentlewoman-Heire among you Where 's all the rest of the Crew Con. Slipt into the Barn and the Bushes by but none can scape Sen. Look you to that and to these here Exit with Watch Spr. Into the Straw I say Vin. No good Springlove The Ladies and we are agreed now to draw Stakes and play this lowsie Game no further Hil. We will be taken and disclose our selves You see we shall be forc'd to it else The cowardly Cleark has don