A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 60

[_Discovers_ FRANCIS _and_ MALL.]

And thus late too? what, hath your mother sent ye To cut my throat, that here you be in wait?-- Come from him, mistress, and let go his hand.-- Will ye not, sir?

FRAN. Stay, Mistress Barnes, or mother--what ye will; She is[329] my wife, and here she shall be still.

MRS BAR. How, sir? your wife! wouldst thou my daughter have?

I'll rather have her married to her grave.[330]

Go to; be gone, and quickly, or I swear I'll have my men beat ye for staying here.

PHIL. Beat him, mother! as I am true[331] man, They were better beat the devil and his dam.

MRS BAR. What, wilt thou take his part?

PHIL. To do him good, And 'twere to wade hitherto up in blood.

FRAN. G.o.d-a-mercy, Philip!--But, mother, hear me.

MRS BAR. Call'st thou me mother? no, thy mother's name Carries about with it reproach and shame.

Give me my daughter: ere that she shall wed A strumpet's son, and have her so misled, I'll marry her to a carter; come, I say, Give me her from thee.

FRAN. Mother, not to-day, Nor yet to-morrow, till my life's last morrow Make me leave that which I with leave did borrow: Here I have borrowed love, I'll not denay[332] it.-- Thy wedding night's my day, then I'll repay it.-- Till then she'll trust me. Wench, is't[333] not so?

And if it be, say ay, if not, say no.

MAL. Mother, good mother, hear me! O good G.o.d, Now we are even, what, would you make us odd?

Now, I beseech ye, for the love of Christ, To give me leave once to do what I list.

I am as you were, when you were a maid; Guess by yourself how long you would have stay'd, Might you have had your will: as good begin At first as last, it saves us from much sin; Lying alone, we muse on things and things, And in our minds one thought another brings: This maid's life, mother, is an idle life, Therefore I'll be, ay, I will be a wife; And, mother, do not mistrust[334] my age or power, I am sufficient, I lack ne'er an hour; I had both wit to grant, when he did woo me, And strength to bear whate'er he can do to me.

MRS BAR. Well, bold-face, but I mean to make ye stay.

Go to, come from him, or I'll make ye come: Will ye not come?

PHIL. Mother, I pray, forbear; This match is for my sister.

MRS BAR. Villain, 'tis not; Nor she shall not be so match'd now.[335]

PHIL. In troth, she shall, and your unruly hate Shall not rule us; we'll end all this debate By this begun device.

MRS BAR. Ay, end what you begun! Villains, thieves, Give me my daughter! will ye rob me of her?-- Help, help! they'll rob me here, they'll rob me here!

_Enter_ MASTER BARNES _and his men_.

MR BAR. How now? what outcry's here? why, how now, woman?

MRS BAR. Why, Goursey's son, confederate[336] with this boy, This wretch unnatural and undutiful, Seeks hence to steal my daughter: will you suffer it?

Shall he, that's son to my arch-enemy, Enjoy her? Have I brought her up to this?

O G.o.d, he shall not have her, no, he shall not!

MR BAR. I am sorry she knows it. [_Aside_.]--Hark ye, wife, Let reason moderate your rage a little.

If you examine but his birth and living, His wit and good behaviour, you will say, Though that ill-hate make your opinion bad, He doth deserve as good a wife as she.

MRS BAR. Why, will you give consent he shall enjoy her?

MR BAR. Ay, so that thy mind would agree with mine?

MRS BAR. My mind shall ne'er agree to this agreement.

_Enter_ MISTRESS GOURSEY _and_ COOMES.[337]

MR BAR. And yet it shall go forward:--but who's here?

What, Mistress Goursey! how knew she of this?

PHIL. Frank, thy mother!

FRAN. 'Sowns, where? a plague upon it!

I think the devil is set to cross this match.

MRS GOUR. This is the house, d.i.c.k Coomes, and yonder's [th'] light: Let us go near. How now? methinks I see My son stand hand in hand with Barnes his daughter.

Why, how now, sirrah? is this time of night For you to be abroad? what have we here?

I hope that love hath not thus coupled you.

FRAN. Love, by my troth, mother, love: she loves me, And I love her; then we must needs agree.

MRS BAR. Ay, but I'll keep her sure enough from thee.

MRS GOUR. It shall not need, I'll keep him safe enough; Be sure he shall not graft in such a stock.

MRS BAR. What stock, forsooth? as good a stock as thine: I do not mean that he shall graft in mine.

MRS GOUR. Nor shall he, mistress. Hark, boy; th'art but mad To love the branch that hath a root so bad.

FRAN. Then, mother, I will graft a pippin on a crab.

MRS GOUR. It will not prove well.

FRAN. But I will prove my skill.

MRS BAR. Sir, but you shall not.

FRAN. Mothers both, I will.

MR BAR. Hark, Philip: send away thy sister straight; Let Francis meet her where thou shalt appoint; Let them go several to shun suspicion, And bid them go to Oxford both this night; There to-morrow say that we will meet them, And there determine of their marriage. [_Aside_.]

PHIL. I will: though it be very late and dark.

My sister will endure it for a husband. [_Aside_.]

MR BAR. Well, then, at Carfax,[338] boy, I mean to meet them. [_Aside_.]

PHIL. Enough. _Exit_ [MASTER BARNES.]

Would they would begin to chide!

For I would have them brawling, that meanwhile They may steal hence, to meet where I appoint it. [_Aside_.]