A Select Collection of Old English Plays - LightNovelsOnl.com
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SOPHOS.
I'll prove as true as ever Troilus was.
LELIA.
And I as constant as Penelope.
SOPHOS.
Then let us solace, and in love's delight And sweet embracings spend the livelong night; And whilst love mounts her on her wanton wings, Let descant run on music's silver strings.
[_Exeunt_.
A SONG.
1.
_Old Triton must forsake his dear, The lark doth chant her cheerful lay; Aurora smiles with merry cheer, To welcome in a happy day_.
2.
_The beasts do skip, The sweet birds sing; The wood-nymphs dance, The echoes ring_.
3.
_The hollow caves with joy resounds, And pleasure ev'rywhere abounds; The Graces, linking hand in hand, In love have knit a glorious band_.
_Enter_ ROBIN GOODFELLOW, _old_ PLOD-ALL, _and his son_ PETER.
PLOD-ALL.
Hear you, Master Goodfellow, how have you sped?
PETER PLOD-ALL.
Ha' you played the devil bravely, and feared the scholar out on's wits?
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
A pox of the scholar!
PLOD-ALL.
Nay, hark you: I sent you vorty s.h.i.+llings, and you shall have the cheese I promised you too.
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
A plague of the vorty s.h.i.+llings, and the cheese too!
PETER PLOD-ALL.
Hear you, will you give me the powder you told me of?
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
How you vex me! Powder, quotha? zounds, I have been powdered.
PLOD-ALL.
Son, I doubt he will prove a crafty knave, and cosen us of our money.
We'll go to Master Justice, and complain on him, and get him whipped out o' the country for a coneycatcher.
PETER PLOD-ALL.
Ay, or have his ears nailed to the pillory. Come, let's go.
[_Exeunt_ PLOD-ALL _and his son_.
_Enter_ CHURMS.
CHURMS.
Fellow Robin, what news? how goes the world?
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
Faith, the world goes, I cannot tell how. How sped you with your wench?
CHURMS.
I would the wench were at the devil! A plague upon't, I never say my prayers; and that makes me have such ill-luck.
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
I think the scholar be hunted with some demi-devil.
CHURMS.
Why, didst thou fray him?
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
Fray him? a vengeance on't! all our s.h.i.+fting knavery's known; we are counted very vagrants. Zounds, I am afraid of every officer for whipping.
CHURMS.
We are horribly haunted: our behaviour is so beastly, that we are grown loathsome; our craft gets us nought but knocks.
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
What course shall we take now?
CHURMS.
Faith, I cannot tell: let's e'en run our country; for here's no staying for us.
ROBIN GOODFELLOW.
Faith, agreed: let's go into some place where we are not known, and there set up the art of knavery with the second edition.
[_Exeunt_.
_Enter_ GRIPE _solus_.
GRIPE.
Every one tells me I look better than I was wont: my heart's lightened, and my spirits are revived. Why, methinks I am e'en young again. It joys my heart that this same peevish girl, my daughter, will be ruled at the last yet; but I shall never be able to make Master Churms amends for the great pains he hath taken.
_Enter_ NURSE.
NURSE.
Master, now out upon's. Well-a-day! we are all undone.
GRIPE.
