young page or monkey, so there are young courtiers will be hungry upon an old woman, I warrant you. [Exit. SCENE II. A Street. Enter HELLGILL and COUNTRY WENCH. HELL. Come, leave your puling and sighing. COUN. W. Beshrew you now, why did you entice me from my father? HELL. Why? to thy better advancement. Wouldst thou, a pretty, beautiful, juicy squall, live in a poor thrummed house i' th' country, in such servile habiliments, and may well pass for a gentlewoman i' th' city? does not five hundred do so, thinkest thou, and with worse faces ? O, now in these latter days, the devil reigning, 'tis an age for cloven creatures! But why sad now? yet indeed 'tis the fashion of any courtesan to be sea-sick i' th' first voyage; but at next she proclaims open wars, like a beaten soldier. Why, Northamptonshire lass, dost dream of virginity now? remember a loose-bodied gown, wench, and let it go; wires Hellgill] Old eds. "Lethes Pandar:" his name, as we find afterwards, is Dick Hellgill. thrummed] Seems here to mean thatched: the father of the Country Wench, speaking of her (act ii. sc. 2), says, "O, if she knew The dangers that attend on women's lives, She'd rather lodge under a poor thatch'd roof," &c. Thrum is, properly, the tuft at the end of the warp in weaving. ka loose-bodied gown] Is frequently mentioned as a common dress of courtesans: so Taylor, the water-poet; "Her loose gowne, for her looser body fit." A Whore, p. 111.-Workes, 1630. and tires, bents and bums,k felts and falls, thou that shalt deceive the world, that gentlewomen indeed shall not be known from others. I have a master, to whom I must prefer thee after the aforesaid deckening; Lethe by name, a man of one most admired property; he can both love thee, and for thy better advancement, be thy pander himself; an excellent spark of humility. COUN. W. Well, heaven forgive you! you train me up to't. HELL. Why, I do acknowledge it, and I think I do you a pleasure in't. COUN. W. And if I should prove a harlot now, I should be bound to curse you. HELL. Bound? nay, and you prove a harlot, you'll be loose enough. COUN. W. If I had not a desire to go like a gentlewoman, you should be hanged ere you should get me to't, I warrant you. HELL. Nay, that's certain, nor a thousand more of you; I know you are all chaste enough till one thing or other tempt you: deny a satin gown and" you dare now? COUN. W. You know I have no power to do't, and that makes you so wilful; for what woman is there such a beast that will deny any thing" that is good? HELL. True; they will not, most dissembler. kbums] i. e., perhaps, bum-rolls: "The ladies also extended their garments from the hips with foxes' tails and bum-rolls [stuffed cushions]," &c.-Strutt's Dress and Habits, &c. vol. ii. p. 259. and] i. e. if. n and] i. e. if. m deny] i. e. refuse. thing] So ed. 1630. First ed. "things." P most] i. e. greatest,—thorough. COUN. W. No; and she bear a brave mind, she will not, I warrant you. HELL. Why, therefore take heart, faint not at all; Women ne'er rise but when they fall: Let a man break, he's gone, blown up; Virginity is no city trade, You're out a' th' freedom when you're a maid: Let coarser beauties work within, Whom the light mocks; thou art fair and fresh ; COUN. W. Beshrew your sweet enchantments, you have won! HELL. How easily soft women are undone! So farewell wholesome weeds, where treasure pants;" And welcome silks, where lies disease and wants! [Aside. Come, wench; now flow thy fortunes in to bless thee; I'll bring thee where thou shalt be taught to dress thee. COUN. W. O, as soon as may be! I am in a swoon till I be a gentlewoman; and you know what flesh is man's meat till it be dressed? HELL. Most certain, no more; a woman. ¶ and] i. e. if. r [Exeunt. pants] "Qy. haunts?" says a friend; but I believe the text is right: for the sake of the rhyme, pants is used in the forced sense of-breathes, exists, dwells. EASY. I count myself the happier. SHO. To master Alsup, sir; to whose remembrance I could love to drink till I were past remembrance. Drinks. EASY. I shall keep Christmas with him, sir, where your health shall likewise undoubtedly be remembered; and thereupon I pledge you. [Drinks.] I would sue for your name, sir. SHO. Your suit shall end in one term, sir; my name is Blastfield. EASY. Kind master Blastfield, your dearer acquaintance. [Drinks. REAR. Nay, come, will ye draw in, gentlemen? set me. EASY. Faith, I'm scattered. SHO. Sir, you shall not give out so meanly of yourself in my company for a million: make such privy to your disgrace! you're a gentleman of fair fortunes; keep me your reputation: set 'em all; there's crowns for you. [Giving him money. EASY. Sir, you bind me infinitely in these courtesies. SHO. You must always have a care of your reputation here in town, master Easy: although you ride down with nothing, it skills" not. EASY. I'm glad you tell me that yet, then I'm indifferent. Well, come; who throws? I set all these. SHO. Why, well said. SALE. This same master Lethe here begins to undo us again. LET. Ah, sir, I came not hither but to win! SHо. And then you'll leave us; that's your fashion. LET. He's base that visits not his friends. skills] i. e. signifies. - |