صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

had held your life contemptible, in regard of your

honour.

Daw. No, no; no fuch thing, I affure you. He and I parted now, as good friends as could be.

Tru. Truft not you to that vifor. I faw him fince dinner with another face: I have known many men in my time vex'd with loffes, with deaths, and with abuses; but so offended a wight as Sir Amorous, did I never fee or read of. For taking away his guests, Sir, to-day, that's the caufe; and he declares it behind your back with such threatenings and contempts-He said to Dauphine, you were the arrant'st ass

Daw. Ay, he may say his pleasure.

Tru. And fwears you are so protested a coward, that he knows you will never do him any manly or fingle right; and therefore he will take his course.

Daw. I'll give him any fatisfaction, Sir-but fighting.

Tru. Ay, Sir; but who knows what fatisfaction he'll take: Blood he thirsts for, and blood he will have; and whereabouts on you he will have it, who knows, but himself?

Daw. I pray you, Master Truewit, be you a

mediator.

U 4

Tru.

Tru. Well, Sir, conceal yourself then in this study till I return. [He puts him up.] Nay, you must i be content to be lock'd in; for, for mine own reputation, I would not have you seen to receive a publick difgrace, while I have the matter in managing. Gods fo, here he comes; keep your breath close, that he do not hear you figh.-In› good faith, Sir Amorous, he is not this way; I pray you be merciful, do not murder him: You are arm'd as if you fought a revenge on all his race. Good Dauphine, get him away from this place. I never knew a man's choler fo high, but he would speak to his friends, he would hear reason.-Jack Daw, Jack! afleep?

[ocr errors]

Daw.[Coming forth.] Is he gone, master Truewit ? Tru. Ay; did you hear him?

Daw. Oh, dear, yes..

Tru. What a quick ear fear has?

Daw. But is he so arm'd, as you say? Tru. Arm❜d! did you ever see a fellow set out to take poffeffion?

Daw. Ay, Sir.

Tru. That may give you fome light to conceive of him; but 'tis nothing to the principal. He has got fomebody's old two-hand fword, to mow you off at the knees: And that fword has fpawn'd fuch

a dagger!

a dagger!But then he is so hung with pikes, halberds, peitronels, callivers, and mufquets, that he looks like a juftice of peace's hall: A man of two thousand a-year is not fefs'd at fo many weapons as he has on. You would think he meant to murder all St. Pulchre's parish. He is fufficiently. arm'd to over-run a country.

Daw. Good Lord! what means he, Sir? I pray you, mafter 'Truewit, be you a mediator.

Tru. Well, I'll try if he will be appeas'd with a leg or an arm; if not, you must die once.

Daw. I would be loth to lofe my right arm, for writing madrigals.

Tru. Why, if he will be fatisfied with a thumb, or a little finger, all's one to me. You must think, I'll do my best.

Daw. Good Sir, do. [Goes into the clofet again.

Re-enter Dauphine and Clerimont.

Cler. What haft thou done?

Tru. He will let me do nothing, man; he does all afore me; he offers his left arm.

Dau. Take it, by all means.

Trụ. How! maim a man for ever, for a jest? What a confcience haft thou?

Dau. 'Tis no lofs to him; he has no employ

ment

ment for his arms, but to eat spoon-meat. Beside, as good maim his body, as his reputation.

Tru. He is a fcholar, and a wit, and yet he does

1

not think fo. But he lofes no reputation with us; for we all refolv'd him an ass before. To your places again.

Dau. Come away, Clerimont.

[Retires with Clerimont.

Enter La-Foole.

Tru. Sir Amorous!

La-F. Mafter Truewit.

Tru. Whither were you going?

La-F. Down into the court.

Tru. By no means, Sir."

La-F. Why, Sir?

Tru. Enter here, if you love your life.

La-F. Why, why?``

Tru. Question till your throat be cut, do : Dally

till the enraged foul find you."

La-F. Who's that?

Tru. Daw it is: Will you in?

La-F. Ay, ay, I'll in: What's the matter?

Tru. Nay, if he had been cool enough to tell us that, there had been some hope to atone you; but he feems fo implacably enrag'd

La-F.

La-F. 'Slight, let him rage: I'll hide myself. Tru, Do, good Sir; but what have you done to him within, that fhould provoke him thus? You have broke fome jeft upon him afore the ladies

La-F. Not I; never in my life, broke jeft upon any man, The bride was praifing Sir Dauphine, and he went away in fnuff, and I followed him; unless he took offence at me in his drink e're-while, that I would not pledge all the horse-full.

Tru. By my faith, and that may be; you remember well: But he walks the round up and down, thro' every room o' the house, with a towel in his hand, crying, where's La-Foole? who faw La-Foole? And when Dauphine and I demanded. the caufe, we can' force no anfwer from him, but "Oh, revenge, how fweet art thou! I will strangle "him in this towel;" which leads us to conjecture, that the main caufe of his fury is, for bringing your meat to-day, with a towel about you, to his

difcredit.

La-F. Like enough. Why, an he be angry for that, I'll stay here till his anger be blown over. Tru. A good becoming refolution, Sir; if you can put it on o' the fudden.

La-F. Yes, I can put it on: Or, I'll away into the country prefently.

Tru.

[ocr errors]
« السابقةمتابعة »