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. Sub. What should I swear? Dol. To leave your faction, sir, And labour kindly in the common work. Sub. Let me not breathe if I meant aught beside. I only used those speeches as a spur To him. Dol. I hope we need no spurs, sir. Do we? Dol. Yes, and work close and friendly. Shall grow the stronger for this breach, with me. [They shake hands. Dol. Why, so, my good baboons! Shall we go make A sort of sober, scurvy, precise neighbours, A feast of laughter at our follies? Rascals, 1 objects-urges. 2 fermentation is the sixth process in alchemy, and means the mutation of any substance into the nature of the ferment; cibation, the seventh, is feeding the matter with fresh substances, to supply the waste. Sol and Luna are gold and silver, each of the planets representing a metal.-GIFFORD. As Gifford remarks, an adept himself might be puzzled by some of these terms, and therefore the reader need not expect an explanation of all. 3 King James succeeded to the English throne in 1603; this was written in 1610. 4 to see me ride, &c.-To see me carted,' as Upton says, as a bawd, and you, as a couple of rogues, to lose your ears in the pillory.' 5 crewel-a kind of fine worsted. 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, [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, but Dap. [within.] Captain, I'm here. Face. Who's that?-He's come, I think, doctor. Good faith, sir, I was going away. I am very sorry, captain. Dap. Ay, I am very glad. I had a scurvy writ or two to make, 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, Dap. Nay, dear captain- Use master doctor with some more respect. But for your sake, I'd choak, ere I would change Sub. Pray you, let me speak with you. I e'er embark'd myself in such a business. Sub. First, hear me Face. Not a syllable, 'less you take. Sub. Pray you, sir Face. Upon no terms, but an assumpsit. [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, Face. [Taking DAP. aside.] 'Slight, that is a new business! I understood you, a tame bird, to fly Dap. Ay, 'tis true, sir; But I do think now I shall leave the law, Face. Why, this changes quite the case. All's one to him, I see. Face. What! for that money? I cannot with my conscience; nor should you 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. 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? There must a world of ceremonies pass; Face. Not, if she danced, to-night. Face. Did you never see Face. A strange success, that some man shall Her royal grace yet? be born to! 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. She will do strange things. See her, at any hand. 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. Face. Enough. Sub. Who's there? [Knocking within. Sir, against one o'clock prepare yourself; Face. Can you remember this? [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? Sub. A seller of tobacco? 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; A neat, spruce, honest fellow, and no goldsmith.8 Sub. And in right way toward riches- A certain star in the forehead, which you see not. Sub. The thumb, in chiromancy, we give Venus; 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? Sub. Make me your door, then, south; your broad side, west: And on the east side of your shop, aloft, 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. Nab prays your worship to drink this, and swears 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.- The magisterium,3 our great work, the stone; 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, And have your punks, and punketees, my Surly. 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, 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. |