Beaumont and Fletcher's Works. Volume 9. Beaumont Francis
so inhumane! I would not ha the air corrupted with it.
Alb. O barbarous men! sit down Du-pont,
Good Master, and honest Saylors.
Tib. But stand you off,
And waite upon our charity; I'll wait on you else;
And touch nothing but what's flung ye; as if you were dogs;
If you do, I'll cut your fingers; friends,
I'll spoil your carving.
Amin. There wretches, there.
Tib. Eat your meat handsomely now,
And give Heaven thanks.
Alb. There's more bread.
Tib. See, they snarle like dogs;
Eat quietly you Rascals, eat quietly.
Alb. There is drink too.
Tib. Come, come, I'll fill you each your cups,
Ye shall not surfet.
Amin. And what have you discover'd?
Alb. Sweet, a paradise,
A paradise inhabited with Angels,
Such as you are: their pitties make 'm Angels,
They gave me these viands, and supply'd me
With these pretious drinks.
Amin. Shall not we see 'em?
Alb. Yes, they will see you
Out of their charities, having heard our story,
They will come, and comfort us, come presently;
We shall no more know wants nor miseries.
Amin. Are they all women?
Alb. All, and all in love with us.
Amin. How!
Alb. Do not mistake: in love with our misfortunes,
They will cherish and relieve our men.
Tib. Do you shrug now,
And pull up your noses? you smell comfort,
See they stretch out their Legs like Dottrels,
Each like a new Saint Dennis.
Alb. Dear Mistris,
When you would name me, and the women hear,
Call me your brother, you I'll call my sister,
And pray observe this all —
Why do you change color sweet.
Amin. Eating too much meat.
Alb. Sawc't with jealousie;
Fie, fie, dear saint, yfaith ye are too blame,
Are ye not here? here fixt in my heart?
All. Hark, hark;
Alb. They are come, stand ready, and look nobly,
And with all humble reverence receive 'em,
Our lives depend upon their gentle pitties,
And death waits on their anger.
Mor. Sure they are Fairies.
Tib. Be they Devils: Devils of flesh and blood;
After so long a Lent, and tedious voyage,
To me they are Angels.
Fran. O for some Eringoes!
Lam. Potatoes, or Cantharides.
Tib. Peace you Rogues, that buy abilities of your 'pothecaries,
Had I but took the diet of green Cheese,
And Onions for a month, I could do wonders.
Ros. Are these the Jewels you run mad for?
What can you see in one of these,
To whom you would vouchsafe a gentle touch?
Can nothing perswade you
To love your selves, and place your happiness
In cold and chast embraces of each other.
Ju. This is from the purpose.
Hip. We had your grant to have them as they were.
Cla. 'Tis a beauteous Creature,
And to my self, I do appear deform'd,
When I consider her, and yet she is
The strangers sister; Why then should I fear?
She cannot prove my rival.
Ros. When you repent,
That you refus'd my counsel, may it add
To your afflictions, that you were forward;
Yet leap'd into the Gulfe of your misfortunes,
But have your wishes.
Mast. Now she makes to us.
Amin. I am instructed, but take heed Albert,
You prove not false.
Alb. Ye are your own assurance,
And so acquainted with your own perfections,
That weak doubts cannot reach you; therefore fear not.
Ros. That you are poor and miserable men,
My eyes inform me: that without our succors,
Hope cannot flatter you to dream of safety;
The present plight you are in, can resolve you
That to be merciful, is to draw near
The Heavenly essence: whether you will be
Thankful, I do not question; nor demand
What country bred you, what names, what maners;
To us it is sufficient we relieve
Such as have shapes of men: and I command you,
As we are not ambitious to know
Farther of you, that on pain of death
You presume not to enquire what we are,
Or whence deriv'd.
Alb. In all things we obey you,
And thankfully we ever shall confess
Our selves your creatures.
Ros. You speak as becomes you;
First then, and willingly, deliver up
Those weapons we could force from you.
Alb. We lay 'em down
Most gladly at your feet.
Tib. I have had many a combat with a tall wench;
But never was disarm'd before.
Ros. And now hear comfort,
Your wants shall be supply'd, and though it be
A debt women may challenge to be sued to,
Especially from such they may command;
We give up to you that power, and therefore
Freely