146

Sub. Ay, they may.

Dol. May, murmuring mastiff! ay, and do. Death on me!

Help me to throttle him.

[Seizes SUB. by the throat. Sub. Dorothy! Mistress Dorothy! Ods precious, I'll do anything. What do you mean?

Dol. Because o' your fermentation and cibation 2 Sub. Not I, by heaven

Dol. Your Sol and Luna.-Help me.

[TO FACE. Sub. Would I were hang'd, then! I'll conform myself.

Dol. Will you, sir? Do so then, and quickly:

swear.

make

1 objects-urges.

Sub. Royal Dol!

Spoken like Claridiana, and thyself.

Face. For which at supper, thou shalt sit in triumph,

And not be styled Dol Common, but Dol Proper,
Dol Singular: the longest cut at night,
Shall draw thee for his Doll Particular.

[Bell rings without. Sub. Who's that? one rings. To the window, Dol. [Exit DoL.]-Pray heaven

The master do not trouble us this quarter.

Face. Oh, fear not him. While there dies one a week

O'the plague, he's safe, from thinking toward London:

Beside, he's busy at his hop-yards now;

I had a letter from him. If he do,

He'll send such word, for airing of the house,
As you shall have sufficient time to quit it:
Though we break up a fortnight, 'tis no matter.
Re-enter DOL.

but

Dap. [within.] Captain, I'm here.

Face. Who's that?-He's come, I think, doctor.
Enter DAPPER.

Good faith, sir, I was going away.
Dap. In truth,

I am very sorry, captain.
Face. But I thought
Sure I should meet you.

Dap. Ay, I am very glad.

I had a scurvy writ or two to make,
And I had lent my watch last night to one
That dines to-day at the Sheriff's, and so was
robb'd

Dap. Not so, good captain.

Face. Would I were fairly rid of it, believe me. Dap. Nay, now you grieve me, sir. Why should you wish so?

I dare assure you, I'll not be ungrateful.

Face. I cannot think you will, sir. But the law Is such a thing-and then he says, Read's' matter Falling so lately.

Dap. Read! he was an ass, And dealt, sir, with a fool. Face. It was a clerk, sir. Dap. A clerk!

Face. Nay, hear me, sir, you know the law

Better, I think

Face. What's that?

Dap. The Turk was here.

As one would say, do you think I am a Turk? Face. I'll tell the doctor so.

Dap. Do, good sweet captain.

Face. Come, noble doctor, pray thee let's prevail; This is the gentleman, and he is no chiaus.

Sub. Captain, I have return'd you all my answer. I would do much, sir, for your love.-But this I neither may, nor can.

Face. Tut, do not say so.

You deal now with a noble fellow, doctor,

One that will thank you richly; and he is no Let that, sir, move you.

Sub. Pray you, forbear

Face. He has

Four angels 3 here.

Sub. You do me wrong, good sir.

[chiaus:

Face. Doctor, wherein? to tempt you with these spirits?

Sub. To tempt my art and love, sir, to my peril. Fore heaven, I scarce can think you are my friend, That so would draw me to apparent danger.

Face. I draw you! a horse draw you, and a halter,

You, and your flies together

Dap. Nay, good captain.

Face. That know no difference of men.

Sub. Good words, sir.

Is a fine clerk, and has his cyphering perfect,
Will take his oath o' the Greek Testament,
If need be, in his pocket; and can court
His mistress, out of Ovid.

Dap. Nay, dear captain-
Face. Did you not tell me so?
Dap. Yes; but I'd have you

Use master doctor with some more respect.
Face. Hang him, proud stag, with his broad
velvet head!-

But for your sake, I'd choak, ere I would change
An article of breath with such a puckfist:1
Come, let's be gone.

Sub. Pray you, let me speak with you.
Dap. His worship calls you, captain.
Face. I am sorry

I e'er embark'd myself in such a business.
Dap. Nay, good sir; he did call you.
Face. Will he take then?

Sub. First, hear me

Face. Not a syllable, 'less you take.

Sub. Pray you, sir

Face. Upon no terms, but an assumpsit.
Sub. Your humour must be law.

[Going.

[He takes the four angels.

Face. Why now, sir, talk.

Now I dare hear you with mine honour. Speak. So may this gentleman too.

Sub. Why, sir- [Offering to whisper FACE. Face. No whispering.

Sub. Fore heaven, you do not apprehend the loss

You do yourself in this.

Face. Wherein? for what?

Sub. Marry, to be so importunate for one, That, when he has it, will undo you all: He'll win up all the money in the town. Face. How!

Sub. Yes, and blow up gamester after gamester, As they do crackers in a puppet play. If I do give him a familiar,

Give you him all you play for; never set 2 him: For he will have it.

Face. You are mistaken, doctor.

3

Why, he does ask one but for cups and horses,
A rifling fly; none of your great familiars.
Dap. Yes, captain, I would have it for all games.
Sub. I told you so.

Face. [Taking DAP. aside.] 'Slight, that is a new business!

I understood you, a tame bird, to fly
Twice in a term, or so, on Friday nights,
When you had left the office, for a nag
Of forty or fifty shillings.

Dap. Ay, 'tis true, sir;

But I do think now I shall leave the law,
And therefore-

Face. Why, this changes quite the case.
Do you think that I dare move him?
Dap. If you please, sir;

All's one to him, I see.

Face. What! for that money?

I cannot with my conscience; nor should you
Make the request, methinks.

Dap. No, sir, I mean

To add consideration.

Face. Why then, sir,

I'll try.-[Goes to SUBTLE.] Say that it were for all games, doctor?

He'll overhear you. Sir, should she but see him.— Face. What?

Sub. Do not you tell him.

Face. Will he win at cards too?

Sub. The spirits of dead Holland, living Isaac,2 You'd swear were in him; such a vigorous luck As cannot be resisted. 'Slight, he'll put Six of your gallants to a cloke, indeed.

Face. Go to. Go, thank the doctor: he's your friend,

To take it so.

Dap. I thank his worship.
Face. So!

Another angel.

Dap. Must I?

Face. Must you! 'slight,

What else is thanks? will you be trival?-Doctor, [DAPPER gives him the money.

When must he come for his familiar?
Dap. Shall I not have it with me?
Sub. Oh, good sir!

There must a world of ceremonies pass;
You must be bath'd and fumigated first:
Besides the queen of Fairy does not rise
Till it be noon.

Face. Not, if she danced, to-night.
Sub. And she must bless it.

Face. Did you never see

Dap. Whom?

Face. Your aunt of Fairy?

Sub. Not since she kist him in the cradle, captain:

I can resolve you that.

Face. Well, see her grace,

Whate'er it cost you, for a thing that I know.
It will be somewhat hard to compass; but
However, see her. You are made believe it,
If you can see her. Her grace is a lone woman,
And very rich; and if she take a fancy,

She will do strange things. See her, at any hand.
'Slid, she may hap to leave you all she has:
It is the doctor's fear.

Dap. How will't be done, then?

Face. Let me alone, take you no thought. Do you

But say to me, Captain, I'll see her grace.
Dap. Captain, I'll see her grace.

Face. Enough.

Sub. Who's there?

[Knocking within.

Sir, against one o'clock prepare yourself;
Till when you must be fasting; only take
Three drops of vinegar in at your nose,
Two at your mouth, and one at either ear;
Then bathe your fingers ends and wash your eyes,
To sharpen your five senses, and cry hum
Thrice, and then buz as often; and then come.

Face. Can you remember this?
Dap. I warrant you.

[Exit.

Face. Well then, away. It is but your bestowing

Some twenty nobles 'mong her grace's servants, And put on a clean shirt: you do not know What grace her grace may do you in clean linen. [Exeunt FACE and Dapper. Sub. [within]. Come in! Good wives, I pray you forbear me now;

Troth I can do you no good till afternoon.

Re-enters, followed by DRUGGER.

What is your name? say you, Abel Drugger?
Drug. Yes, sir.

Sub. A seller of tobacco?
Drug. Yes, sir.

Sub. Umph!

Free of the grocers?

Drug. Ay, an't please you. "Sub. Well

Your business, Abel?

Drug. This, an't please your worship: I am a young beginner, and am building

6

This is my friend, Abel, an honest fellow;
He lets me have good tobacco, and he does not
Sophisticates it with sack-lees or oil,
Nor washes it in muscadel and grains,
Nor buries it in gravel under ground,
Wrapp'd up in greasy leather or piss'd clouts;
But keeps it in fine lily pots, that, open'd,
Smell like conserve of roses, or French beans.
He has his maple block, his silver tongs,
Winchester pipes, and fire of Juniper: 7

A neat, spruce, honest fellow, and no goldsmith.8
Sub. He is a fortunate fellow, that I am sure on.
Face. Already, sir, have you found it? Lo
thee, Abel!

Sub. And in right way toward riches-
Face. Sir!

A certain star in the forehead, which you see not.
Your chestnut or your olive-colour'd face
Does never fail: and your long ear doth promise.
I knew't by certain spots, too, in his teeth,
And on the nail of his mercurial finger.
Face. Which finger's that?
Sub. His little finger. Look.
You were born upon a Wednesday?
Drug. Yes, indeed, sir.

Sub. The thumb, in chiromancy, we give Venus;
The fore-finger, to Jove; the midst, to Saturn;
The ring, to Sol; the least, to Mercury,
Who was the lord, sir, of his horoscope;
His house of life being Libra; which foreshow'd
He should be a merchant, and should trade with
balance.

Face. Why, this is strange! Is it not, honest Nab?

Sub. There is a ship now, coming from Ormus, That shall yield him such a commodity

Of drugs. This is the west, and this the south? [Pointing to the plan.

Drug. Yes, sir.

Sub. And those are your two sides?
Drug. Ay, sir.

Sub. Make me your door, then, south; your broad side, west:

And on the east side of your shop, aloft,
Write Mathlai, Tarmiel, and Baraborat;
Upon the north part, Rael, Velel, Thiel.
They are the names of those mercurial spirits,
That do fright flies from boxes.
Drug. Yes, sir.

Sub. And

Face. Out on thee, Nab! 'Slight, there was such an offer

Shalt keep't no longer, I'll give't him for thee.
Doctor,

Nab prays your worship to drink this, and swears
He will appear more grateful, as your skill
Does raise him in the world.

Drug. I would entreat

Another favour of his worship.

Face. What is't, Nab?

Drug. But to look over, sir, my almanack,

And cross out my ill days, that I may neither Bargain, nor trust upon them.

Face. That he shall, Nab;

Leave it, it shall be done, 'gainst afternoon.

Sub. And a direction for his shelves.

Face. Now, Nab,

Art thou well pleased, Nab?

Drug. Thank, sir, both your worships. Face. Away.[Exit DRUGGER. Why, now, you smoky persecutor of nature! Now do you see, that something's to be done, Beside your beech-coal, and your corsive waters, Your crosslets, crucibles, and cucurbites? You must have stuff brought home to you, to work on:

And yet you think I am at no expense

In searching out these veins, then following them, Then trying them out. 'Fore God, my intelligence

Costs me more money than my share oft comes to, In these rare works.

Sub. You are pleasant, sir.

[Exit FACE.

Sub. Face, go you and shift.-
Dol, you must presently make ready too.
Dol. Why, what's the matter?
Sub. Oh, I did look for him
With the sun's rising: 'marvel he could sleep.
This is the day I am to perfect for him

The magisterium,3 our great work, the stone;
And yield it, made, into his hands: of which
He has, this month, talk'd as he were possess'd.
And now he's dealing pieces on't away.-
Methinks I see him entering ordinaries,
Dispensing for the pox, and plaguy houses,
Reaching his dose, walking Moorfields for lepers,
And offering citizens' wives pomander-bracelets,4
As his preservative, made of the elixir;
Seaching the spittal," to make old bawds young;
And the highways, for beggars, to make rich:
I see no end of his labours. He will make
Nature asham'd of her long sleep: when art,

Enter SIR EPICURE MAMMON and SURLY.

Mam. Come on, sir. Now, you set your foot on shore

In Novo Orbe; here's the rich Peru:

And there within, sir, are the golden mines,
Great Solomon's Ophir! he was sailing to't
Three years, but we have reach'd it in ten months.
This is the day, wherein, to all my friends,
I will pronounce the happy word, BE RICH;
THIS DAY YOU SHALL BE SPECTATISSIMI.2
You shall no more deal with the hollow dye,
Or the frail card. No more be at charge of keeping
The livery-punk for the young heir, that must
Seal, at all hours, in his shirt: no more,
If he deny, have him beaten to't, as he is
That brings him the commodity. No more
Shall thirst of satin, or the covetous hunger
Of velvet entrails for a rude-spun cloke,
To be display'd at Madam Augusta's, make
The sons of Sword and Hazard fall before
The golden calf, and on their knees, whole nights
Commit idolatry with wine and trumpets:
Or go a feasting after drum and ensign.
No more of this. You shall start up young
viceroys,

And have your punks, and punketees, my Surly.
And unto thee I speak it first, BE RICH.

Where is my Subtle, there? Within, ho.

Face. [Within.] Sir, he'll come to you by and by.

Mam. That is his fire-drake,

His Lungs, his Zephyrus, he that puffs his coals,
Till he firk nature up, in her own centre.
You are not faithful, sir. This night, I'll change
All that is metal in my house to gold:
And, early in the morning, will I send
To all the plumbers and the pewterers,
And buy their tin and lead up; and to Lothbury &
For all the copper.

Sur. What! and turn that too?

Mam. Yes, and I'll purchase Devonshire and Cornwall,

And make them perfect Indes!" you admire 1 now?

6 firk-beat.

faithful-believing.

Lothbury was at that time famous for its copper

works.

9 He meant to turn all the tin of these counties inte

gold.

10 admire-in old writers generally means wonder, here it seems to be equal to believe.

11 In the nomenclature of alchemy the Sun represented gold, the Moon, silver, Mars, iron, Mercury, quicksilver, Saturn, lead, Jupiter, tin, and Venus, copper.