Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker
Page 27
Which they have brought; they scorn to bear their spoils.
Their neighing jennets, armed to the field,
Do yerk and fling and beat the sullen ground,
And uncontroll’d, come loose abroad in France.
Navarre is sack’d, and like a mighty flood,
The haughty Spaniard overturneth all.
Gather your power, make head against the foe.
The devil drives; ’tis full time to go.
MERCURY
The devil burst those bawling chops of thine!
Spain and the plague and hell and all together!
If the full turn of vengeance be abroach,
Fill out and swill until you burst again!
Come, dog!Come, devil!He that scapes best,
Let him take all, and split and roar and choke!
Hook swords and caps, if hell will ha’t thus do!
Let him lives long’st wipe the reckoning out!
Sound drum, away!Before out glory die,
Some shall be low, that now do look full high![Exeunt.
Scene 4
ENTER YACOB VAN SMELT, LOD’WICK, ORIANA, DIANA and BUNCH.
YACOB
Well, my lifekins, so ick must be you wert, dat is, you host, and you mine guess, to eat met me, and shop met me, in my huys.Well, here been van youvier, four, as you seg in English, two manikins, two tannikins, two mans, two womans.Spreak, what will you geven by de dagh?By de week?By de mont?By de year?All to mall.[Well, my loves, so I must be your wert, that is, your host; and you my guests, to eat with me and sleep with me in my house.Well, there are vier of your here, four as you say in English:two little men, two little women; two men, two women.Speak, what will you pay by the day?By the week?By the month?By the year?What will the total be?]
BUNCH
Saving your tale, mine host, what is your name?
YACOB
Yacob van Smelt.
BUNCH
Smelt?Lord, many of your name are taken in the Thames, you’ll not be angry?
YACOB
Angry?Niet, neit.
BUNCH
How?Nit?Nay, then I perceive I shall be angry first.Zounds, twit me with my trade?I am the fag end of a tailor; in plain English, a botcher.And though my country men do call me pricklouse, yet you, Flemish boor, shall not call me nit!Yea, base butterbox!Ye Smelt!Your kinsfolk dwell in the Thames and are sold like slaves in Cheapside by the hundred, two pence a quatern.
YACOB
God’s pestilence!Beest thou frantic?
LOD’WICK
Patience, my friends.Fellow, he spoke no ill.
My gentle host was casting his account
To what our weekly charges must amount.
YACOB
Yaw, yaw, true, true.
BUNCH
“True, true?”Lie, lie! Did you not say first you would mall us all?And thencall’d me nit, nit?’Tis not your big belly, nor your fat bacon, can carry it away, if ye offer us the boots; what though we be driven from our own dwelling, there’s mo fitling houses then yours to host in.
LOD’WICK
Well, mine host Yacob, though out state be poor,
Yet will we pay you justly our compound.
For me, my wife and daughter, by the week,
For diet, lodging, and for laundry,
So long as we shall host within your house,
Five guilders weekly I will answer you.
YACOB
Dat is for you, you frow and your skow daughter.Well, whea sall betalll for dis gack? Dis shallam?[That is for you, your wife, and your beautiful daughter.Well, who will pay for this geck, this rascal?]
BUNCH
Ay, ye shall find me a tall fellow if ye try me.But what is it ye talk ofme?
LOD’WICK
He doth demand who shall defray thy charge
For meat and drink and lodging in his house.
BUNCH
Neither you nor he.Let him take care for a large winding sheet to wrap his fat guts in.Have not I a trade?Yes, goodman Smelt, if you have any hose to heel or breeches to mend, or buttons to set on, me me have your work.
YACOB
Goots morkne, be’est thou a snyder?Snip, snap met de shears?[God’s little monster, are you a tailor?Snip, snap, with the shears?]
BUNCH
Speak reverently of tailors, of I’ll have ye by the ears.
YACOB
Yaw, yaw, ’tis good honest man’s occupation, good true man’s living.
BUNCH
Ay, sir.I’ll live by it, and neither charge this man’s purse, not run upon your score.I’ll get me a little hole to put —
YACOB
A knave’s head in.
BUNCH
My head in, and fall to work here, and instead of parle buon francoys, learn to brawl out butterbos, yaw, yaw, and yawn for beer like a jackdaw.
YACOB
Hear me eance.Ick heb a cleyne skuttell, a little stall, by mine huys door.Sall dat hebben for a skoppe. [Listen to me for a moment.I have a small shop, near the door of my house.You shall have that as a place of business.]
BUNCH
“Hebben, habben,” quoth ‘a?What shall I “hebben?”
LOD’WICK
A place to work in Yacob offers thee.
Hark hither, Bunch. [He takes him aside and whispers.
YACOB
Ay, frow, hey, comt here![He takes ORIANA by the hand.] You bene a skone frow, a soot a lief.Up miner zeel dat is, by my soul ick love you met my heart.And you will love me, smouch me, and be my secret friend, de charl sall niet know; ick will you gelt given, and you man sall niet betall, niet paid for you logies no you meat.What seg you?[Ay, lady, hey, come here.You are a beautiful woman, a sweet, dear one.Up miner zeele, that is, by my soul, I love you will all my heart.And you will love me, kiss me, and be my secret sweetheart.Your husband will not know.I will give you money, and your husband will not have to betall, to play for your lodgings or your food.What do you say?]
ORIANA
I say, mine host, that you are ill advis’d
To tempt the honour of a stranger’s wife.
Consider if your fortune were as ours,
In foreign place to rest ye for a time,
Would you your wife should be alurr’d to sin,
To break her vow and to dishonour you?
YACOB
Swig, swig, peace.Ick sall an aunder time talk met you. [Quiet, quiet, peace.I shall talk with you another time.][YACOB whispers with ORIANA.
LOD’WICK
No, Bunch, by no means tell from whence we came,
Nor what enforced us seek a refuge here;
And though my want as instant be extreme,
Yet when the havens shall better my estate,
Thy secrecy will I remunerate.
BUNCH
Why, what do ye think of me? A horseleech to suck ye? Or a trencherfly to blow ye?Or a vermin to spoil ye?Or a moth to eat through ye?No, I am Barnaby Bunch, the botcher, that ne’er spent any man’s good but my own.I’ll labour for my meat, work hard, fare hard, lie hard, for a living, I’l not charge ye a penny.I’ll keep your counsel, and ye shall command me to serve you, your wife, and your daughter in the way of honesty, like honest Barnaby.
LOD’WICK
Gramercies, honest friend.
ORIANA
No, Yacob, no!
Need cannot enforce, nor flattery entreat.
YACOB
Swig dan, nea maer. [Peace, then, no more] Come, sall us in to eat?
[Exeunt YACOB, BUNCH, and ORIANA.
LOD’WICK
Even when you please, mine host.Come, daughter,
Come, be of good comfort.Heaven is where it was.
When fortunes storm awhile out state hath toss’d,
A calmer gale may give what we have lost.
DIANA
Assure ye, sir, even as I am your child,
Not discontent, but patience makes me mild.
If inward grief external joy su
pplant,
It moans not mine, but your unwonted want.
LOD’WICK
Thou seest how easily I endure the smart
Because thy mother and thyself self bear part.
Come, let us in.On Him that knows us best
Let’s fix out hope, and so in patience rest.[Exeunt.
Scene 5
ENTER HERNANDO DE MEDINA and DON UGO DE CORDOVA with their Soldiers.
HERNANDO
It seems that the nobility of France
Are all asleep, that unresisted, thus
We dive into the entrails of their land.
Is there no haughty chevalier, no spirit
Heroic, dare so much as once demand
Wherefore we come, or offer us the fight?
Why then, proceed we as we have begun
To take possession, not to conquer here.
What city call you this?
DON UGO
Shamount, my lord.
HERNANDO
Mount?Whither does it mount?I’ll make it lie
As level as her other fellwos do,
And though her lofty turrets touch the clouds,
Yet will I teach her like an humble handmaid,
To make a lowly curtsey to the ground.
Shamount shall stoop; Medina says the word.
Enter several Citizens.
But who are these?Don Ugo, question them.
DON UGO
Of whence are you?Speak quickly, lest my sword
Prevent your tongues by searching of your hearts.
FIRST CITIZEN
Great prince of Spain, we are th’inhabitants
Of this distressed city of Shamount.
HERNANDO
Yet more of mount?Shall I be haunted still
With echo of Shamount?How dare you slaves
Have any such proud title in your mouths?
Shall stoop, I say, be that your city’s name,
For I will make it stoop before I pass.
SECOND CITIZEN
Then, dread commander of the Spanish force,
If not for out humility and prayers,
Yet for these presents which we bring to thee,
A cup of gold, and in the same contain’d
Five thousand marks, respect out naked walls.
Draw not thy sword against out yielding souls,
But passing by in peace, let this alone,
This harmless city mongst all other ruins,
Stand as a trophy of thy clemency.
HERNANDO
Would you corrupt out valour with your coin,
Or do you think the Spaniard is so poor
A little gold can make him sell his honour?
No, were your streets through ston’d with diamonds,
And you should dig them up to bring them hither,
Or were your houses, in the stead of slate,
Cover’d with silver, and yourselves prepar’d
To tear it off and give it us,
Nay, were your walls of purest chrysolyte,
And pull’d beside their bounds for out own use;
Yet would we scorn all this and ten times more,
For we count honour sweetness of dominion;
’Tis lordship that we come for, and to rule,
More worth then millions, stoop and kiss our feet,
Bring forth your daughters and your fairest wives
To be our concubines; wait you yourselves
Upon our trenchers, and like stable grooms,
Rub out horse heels, and then perhaps we’ll yield
That you shall live, or so, but otherwise,
Look for no pity at Medina’s hand.
And for an instance, thus and thus I seal[He kills them.
The covenant of my great controlling spirit.
[To DON UGO] And now amain give onset to the town.
Enter MERCURY and his men.
MERCURY
First, insolent Medina, here is one
Will try how thou canst but end a man
Before thou lay thy force unto a wall.
HERNANDO
Now by mine honour, welcome to the field!
Live there a Frenchman then dare try with us?
I thought you had been Pygmies all till now,
And durst not look a Spaniard in the face.
But now I see you are of taller shapes,
However hearted, that is yet unknown.
MERCURY
So hearted, Spaniard, as we are resolv’d
To plague thee for thy damned cruelty.
HERNANDO
Talk then no longer.Show your chivalry.
[Alarum.They fight.MERCURY is wounded and put to flight.
HERNANDO
Was this the worthy champion so resolv’d
To plague us as he said?Was this the man
France had pick’d out to take her quarrel up?
Now, sure a trusty wight; when hands serve not,
Be knows the way to take him to his heels.
Yet it is good that we did meet with him,
Be it but for this, to keep our hands in ure
And breathe our pursy bodies, which I fear
Would have grown stiff for want of exercise.
But now no more.Enter the city-gates,
And therein boldly everyone devise
How he can lord it in the Frenchman’s eyes.[Exeunt.
Scene 6
ENTER EMMANUEL WITH LEONTIUS.
EMMANUEL
Could I not resolve myself sufficiently
He should not stay one hour in my court,
But I have noted in her from her birth
A strange innated kind of courtesy,
An affable inclining lenity,
With such a virgin meekness to regard,
As may abuse, a wife and grounded censure
In judging of affection and of honour.
LEONTIUS
Pardon me, gracious lord, I speak it not
In any sort to wrong your princely daughter,
Or to impeach your judgement anywise
In your opinion of the gentleman,
But as a just and honest subject should
In matters that concern my trust so much.
EMMANUEL
Nor as I am a prince I think thou dost.
I have so good assurance of thy love,
Which may I trust, induce thee to resolve me
From what conceit proceeds thy strong surmise.
LEONTIUS
This other day, for hunting of the stag,
Attending fair Odillia to the forest,
Whenas the hounds had rous’d the trembling deer,
And every man spurr’d hard unto the cry,
Riding along a goodly covert side,
The company all straggling here and there,
Only the princess and young Ferdinand,
Curbing their steeds in which their silken reins,
Into a grove rode secretly together.
Thrice did I see him kiss her showy hand,
And with three humble curtsies bow’d his head
Down to the stirrup of Odillia.
Then did I see him whisper in her ear,
When with her fan she won the wanton wind
To cool his face as they rode gently on.
Then came they to a little purling brook
Whereas they paus’d, as it should seem to hear
The birds’ sweet music to the bubbling stream.
Then did I see him lift his eyes towards hers,
Taking her glove which lay upon her lap,
A thousant time did reverence to the same,
And in his baldric wrapp’d it choicely up;
When as she pluck’d a bloomed lemon branch
With her white hand out of her coronet,
And with her fingers twin’d it in his lock,
And smil’d, and bow’d her head into his bosom.
And thus, with gentle parlance, both together<
br />
They pacen on, unto the flowery lawn.
EMMANUEL
If this be not surmis’d which thou reportst,
It should be sign of some affection.
LEONTIUS
I’ll not enforce it on your excellence
By circumstance, but only this I saw.
EMMANUEL
Where’s Ferdinando?Saw you him of late?
LEONTIUS
Lord Strossy and your daughter be at chess,
And they saw him, but even very now.
EMMANUEL
Go call them hither presently to me.
LEONTIUS
I trust you will not urge me in the matter?
EMMANUEL
Go to, I will not. [Exit LEONTIUS.
How now, a villain that I found by chance
To court my only daughter and my heir?
And having thus reviv’d him by my favours,
Will the vile viper sting me for my love?
Enter LEONTIUS, ODILLIA, and FR’dERICK, as FERDINAND.FERDINANDO kneels.
Sirrah, come hither.Didst thou never hear
How first I found thee, being but a child,
Hid in the s’dges fast by a riverside,
As it should seem, of purpose to be lost;
Being so young that thou hadst not the sense
To tell thy name of of what place thou wast?
FERDINAND
I have heard your lordship ofen so report it.
EMMANUEL
Did thy adult-rous parents cast thee off,
As it should seem, ashamed of thy birth;
And have I made a nursery of my court
To foster thee, and grown to what thou art,
Enrich thee with my favors everywhere;
That from the loathsome mud from whence thou camest,
Thou art so bold out of thy buzzard’s nest
To gaze upon the sun of her perfections?
Is there no beauty that can pleseyour eye
But the divine and speldent excellence
Of my beloved, dear Ordillia?
How darest thou but with trembling and with fear
Look up toward the heaven of her high grace,
And even astonish’d with the admiration,
Let fall thy gaudy plumes of thy proud heart?
Dare any wretch so vile and so obscure
Attempt the honour of so great a princess?
FERNINAND
Hear me, my lord–
ODILLIA
Nay, hear me, princely father,
For what you speak to him concerns me most.
Never did he attempt to wrong mine honour,
Nor did his tongue e’re utter yet one accent
But what a virgin’s ear might safely hear.
I never saw him exercise himself