LORD. Hence comes it that your kindred shuns your house, As beaten hence by your strange lunacy. O noble lord, bethink thee of thy birth, Call home thy ancient thoughts from banishment, Wilt thou have music? hark! Apollo plays, [Music. 40 Or wilt thou sleep? we'll have thee to a couch On purpose trimm'd up for Semiramis. Say thou wilt walk; we will bestrew the ground: soar Above the morning lark: or wilt thou hunt? Thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them, FIRST SERV. Say thou wilt course; thy greyhounds are as swift As breathed stags, ay, fleeter than the roe. SEC. SERV. Dost thou love pictures? we will fetch thee straight Adonis painted by a running brook, And Cytherea all in sedges hid, Which seem to move and wanton with her breath, 50 LORD. We'll show thee Io as she was a maid And how she was beguiled and surprised, As lively painted as the deed was done. THIRD SERV. Or Daphne roaming through a thorny wood, Scratching her legs that one shall swear she bleeds, So workmanly the blood and tears are drawn. Thou hast a lady far more beautiful Than any woman in this waning age. FIRST SERV. And till the tears that she hath shed for thee Like envious floods o'er-run her lovely face, SLY. Am I a lord? and have I such a lady? I smell sweet savours and I feel soft things: And not a tinker nor Christophero Sly. SEC. SERV. Will 't please your mightiness to wash your hands? O, how we joy to see your wit restored! O, that once more you knew but what you are! 60 70 SLY. These fifteen years! by my fay, a goodly nap. FIRST SERV. O, yes, my lord, but very idle words: And say you would present her at the leet, THIRD SERV. Why, sir, you know no house nor no such maid, Nor no such men as you have reckon'd up, As Stephen Sly and old John Naps of Greece And twenty more such names and men as these SLY. Now Lord be thanked for my good amends ! SLY. I thank thee: thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the Page as a lady, attended PAGE. How fares my noble lord? SLY. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? PAGE. Here, noble lord: what is thy will with her? SLY. Are you my wife and will not call me husband? My men should call me "lord": I am your good-man. 86 seal'd quarts] quart pots certified by an official stamp. 91 Greece] Doubtless a misreading of Greet, a hamlet in Gloucestershire, not far from Stratford-on-Avon. 80 90 100 PAGE. My husband and my lord, my lord and husband ; I am your wife in all obedience. SLY. I know it well. What must I call her? LORD. Madam. SLY. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam ? LORD. "Madam and nothing else: so lords call ladies. SLY. Madam wife, they say that I have dream'd And slept above some fifteen year or more. PAGE. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me, Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. SLY. "T is much. Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam, undress you and come now to bed. PAGE. Thrice-noble lord, let me entreat of To pardon me yet for a night or two ; For your physicians have expressly charged, I hope this reason stands for my excuse. you SLY. Ay, it stands so that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again: I will therefore tarry in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Messenger MESS. Your honour's players, hearing your amend ment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy; 110 120 For so your doctors hold it very meet, Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, Therefore they thought it good you hear a play SLY. Marry, I will, let them play it. Is not a comonty a Christmas gambold or a tumbling-trick? PAGE. No, my good lord; it is more pleasing stuff. PAGE. It is a kind of history. 130 SLY. Well, we'll see 't. Come, madam wife, sit by my side and let the world slip: we shall ne'er be younger. 140 Flourish 134 comonty] comedy. In the old play there figures a similar blunder "comoditie" (for "comedy "). 140 let the world slip] Cf. note on Induction, i, 5, supra. |