John Fletcher - The Spanish Curate - A Comedy

He's old indeed, sir.

With a goodly white Beard,
(For now he must be so: I know he must be)
Signior Alonzo , Master.

I begin to have him.

H'as been from hence, about some twenty years, sir.

Some five and twenty, sir.

You say most true, Sir,
Just to an hour; 'tis now just five and twenty,
A fine straight timber'd man, and a brave soldier,
He married: let me see,—

De Castro's Daughter.

The very same.

Thou art a very Rascal.
De Castro is the Turk to thee, or any thing:
The Mony rubbs 'em into strange remembrances,
For as many Duckets more they would remember Adam .

Give me your hand, you are welcome to your country,
Now I remember plainly, manifestly,
As freshly, as if yesterdy I had seen him,
Most heartily welcome: sinfull that I am,
Most sinfull man! why should I lose this Gentleman?
This loving old Companion? we had all one soul, sir,
He dwelt here hard by, at a handsome—

Farm sir,
You say most true.

Alonzo Tiveria !
Lord, Lord that time should play the treacherous knave thus!
Why, he was the only friend I had in Spain , sir,
I knew your Mother too, a handsome Gentlewoman,
She was married very young: I married 'em:
I do remember now the Maskes and Sports then,
The Fire-works, and the fine delights; good faith, sir,
Now I look in your face, whose eyes are those, Diego ?
Nay, if he be not just Alonzo's picture—

Lord, how I blush for these two impudents!

Well Gentleman, I think your name's Leandro .

It is indeed, sir,
Gra'-mercy letter, thou hadst never known else.

I have dandled ye, and kist ye and plaid with ye
A hundred, and a hundred times, and danc'd ye,
And swong ye in my Bell-ropes, ye lov'd swinging.

A sweet Boy.

Sweet lying knaves.
What would these doe for thousands?

A wondrous sweet Boy then it was, see now
Time that consumes us, shoots him up still sweeter.
How do's the noble Gentleman? how fares he?
When shall we see him? when will he bless his Country?

O, very shortly, Sir, till his return
He has sent me over to your charge.

And welcome,
Nay, you shall know you are welcome to your friend, sir.

And to my Study, Sir, which must be the Law.
To further which, he would entreat your care
To plant me in the favour of some man
That's expert in that knowledge: for his pains
I have three hundred Duckets more: For my Diet,
Enough, Sir, to defray me: which I am charged
To take still, as I use it, from your custodie,
I have the mony ready, and I am weary.

Sit down, sit down, and once more ye are most welcome,
The Law you have hit upon most happily,
Here is a Master in that art, Bartolus ,
A neighbour by, to him I will prefer ye,
A learned man, and my most loving neighbour,
I'le doe ye faithful service, Sir.

He's an Ass,
And so wee'll use him; he shall be a Lawyer.

But if ever he recover this mony again—before, Diego ,
And get some pretty pittance: my Pupill's hungry.

Pray ye Sir, unlade me.

I'le refresh ye Sir;
When ye want, you know your Exchequer.

If all this get me but access, I am happy.

Come, I am tender of ye.

I'le go with ye.
To have this fort betray'd these fools must fleece me.

My Amaranta , a retir'd sweet life,
Private and close, and still, and houswifely,
Becomes a Wife, sets off the grace of woman.
At home to be believ'd both young, and handsome,
As Lilies that are cas'd in crystall Glasses,
Makes up the wonder: shew it abroad 'tis stale,
And still the more eyes cheapen it 'tis more slubber'd,
And what need windowes open to inviting?
Or evening Tarrasses, to take opinions?
When the most wholsome air (my wife) blows inward,
When good thoughts are the noblest Companions,
And old chast stories, wife, the best discourses;
But why do I talk thus, that know thy nature?

You know your own disease: distrust, and jealousie,
And those two, give these Lessons, not good meaning,
What trial is there of my honestie,
When I am mew'd at home? to what end Husband,
Serves all the vertuous thoughts, and chast behaviours
Without their uses? Then they are known most excellent
When by their contraries they are set off, and burnish'd.
If ye both hold me fair, and chast, and vertuous,
Let me goe fearless out, and win that greatness:
These seeds grow not in shades, and conceal'd places:
Set 'em i'th' heat of all, then they rise glorious.

Peace, ye are too loud.

You are too covetous.
If that be rank'd a vertue, you have a rich one.
Set me (like other Lawyers wives) off handsomely,
Attended as I ought, and as they have it,
My Coach, my people, and my handsome women,
My will in honest things.

Peace Amaranta .

They have content, rich clothes, and that secures 'em,
Binds, to their carefull husbands, their observance,
They are merry, ride abroad, meet, laugh.

Thou shalt too.

And freely may converse with proper Gentlemen,
Suffer temptations daily to their honour.

You are now too far again: thou shalt have any thing,
Let me but lay up for a handsome Office,
And then my Amaranta —

Here's a thing now,
Ye place as pleasure to me: all my retinue,
My Chamber-maid, my Kitchin-maid, my friend,
And what she fails in, I must doe my self.
A foyle to set my Beauty off, I thank ye,