Читать книгу Beaumont and Fletcher's Works. Volume 9 - Beaumont Francis - Страница 2

Master.

Lay her aloof, the Sea grows dangerous,

How it spits against the clouds, how it capers,

And how the fiery Element frights it back

There be Devils dancing in the air I think

I saw a Dolphin hang i'th horns o'th' moon

Shot from a wave, hey day, hey day,

How she kicks and yerks!

Down with the Main Mast, lay her at hull,

Farle up all her Linnens, and let her ride it out.

1 Sailor. She'll never brook it Master.

She's so deep laden that she'll bulge.

Master. Hang her.

Can she not buffet with a storm a little?

How it tosses her, she reels like a Drunkard.

2 Sail. We have discover'd the Land, Sir,

Pray let's make in, she's so drunk else,

She may chance to cast up all her Lading.

1 Sail. Sland in, sland in, we are all lost else, lost and perish'd.

Mast. Steer her a Star-board there.

2 Sail. Bear in with all the sail we can, see Master

See, what a clap of Thunder there is,

What a face of heaven, how dreadfully it looks!

Mast. Thou rascal, thou fearful rogue, thou hast been praying;

I see't in thy face, thou hast been mumbling,

When we are split you slave; is this a time,

To discourage our friends with your cold orizons?

Call up the Boatswain; how it storms; holla.

Boats. What shall we do Master?

Cast over all her lading? she will not swim

An hour else;

Mast. The storm is loud,

We cannot hear one another,

What's the coast?

Boats. We know not ye[t]; shall we make in?

Albert. What comfort Sailors?

I never saw, since I have known the Sea,

(which has been this twenty years) so rude a tempest:

In what State are we?

Mast. Dangerous enough Captain,

We have sprung five leaks, and no little ones;

Still rage; besides, her ribs are open;

Her rudder almost spent; prepare your selves;

And have good courages, death comes but once,

And let him come in all his frights.

Albert. Is't not possible,

To make in to th' Land? 'tis here before us.

Morill. Here hard by Sir.

Mast. Death is nearer, Gentlemen.

Yet do not cry, let's dye like men.

Tib. Shall's hoise the Boat out,

And goe all at one cast? the more the merrier.

Mast. You are too hasty Mounsieur,

Do ye long to be i'th' Fish-market before your time?

Hold her up there.

Amint. Oh miserable fortune,

Nothing but horror sounding in mine ears,

No minute to promise to my frighted soul.

Tib. Peace woman,

We ha storms enough already; no more howling.

Amint. Gentle Master.

Mast. Clap this woman under hatches.

Alb. Prethe speak mildly to her.

Amint. Can no help?

Mast. None that I know.

Amint. No promise from your goodness.

Mast. Am I a God? for heavens sake stow this [woman].

Tib. Go: take your gilt [Prayer-Book];

And to your business; wink and die,

There's an old Haddock staies for ye.

Amint. Must I die here in all the frights[, the] terrors,

The thousand several shapes death triumphs in?

No friend to counsel me?

Alb. Have peace sweet Mistriss.

Amint. No kindreds tears upon me? oh! my countrey?

No gentle hand to close mine eyes?

Alb. Be comforted, heaven has the same

Power still, and the same mercy.

Amint. Oh, that wave will devour me.

Mast. Carry her down Captain;

Or by these hands I'll give no more direction,

Let the Ship sink or swim, we ha ne'er better luck,

When we ha such stowage as these trinkets with us;

These sweet sin-breeders: how can heaven smile on us,

When such a burthen of iniquity

Lies tumbling like a potion in our ship's belly?

Tib. Away with her, and if she have a Prayer,

That's fit for such an hour, let her say't quickly,

And seriously.

Alb. Come, I see it clear Lady, come in,

And take some comfort. I'll stay with ye.

Amint. Where should I stay? to what end should I hope,

Am not I circled round with misery?

Confusions in their full heights dwell about me:

Oh Mounsieur Albert, How am I bound to curse ye,

If curses could redeem me! how to hate ye!

You forc'd me from my quiet, from my friends;

Even from their Arms, that were as dear to me,

As day-light is, or comfort to the wretched;

You forc'd my friends from their peaceful rest,

Some your relentless sword gave their last groans;

Would I had there been numbred;

And to fortunes never satisfied afflictions,

Ye turn'd my Brother; and those few friends I'd left,

Like desperate creatures, to their own fears

And the world's stubborn pitties: Oh merciless!

Alb. Sweet Mistriss.

Amint. And wh[e]ther they are wandred to avoid ye,

Or wh[e]ther dead, and no kind earth to cover 'em;

Was this a Lovers part? but heaven has found ye,

And in his loudest voice, his voice of thunder,

And in the mutiny of his deep wonders,

He tells ye now, ye weep too late:

Alb. Let these tears tell how I honor ye;

Ye know dear Lady, since ye are mine,

How truly I have lov'd ye, how sanctimoniously

Observ'd your honor; not one lascivious word,

Not one touch Lady; no, not a hope that might not render me

The unpolluted servant of your chastity;

For you I put to sea, to seek your Brother;

Your Captain, yet your slave, that his redemption,

If he be living, where the Sun has circuit,

May expiate your rigor, and my rashness.

Amint. The storm grows greater, what shall we do?

Alb. Let's in:

And ask heavens mercy; my strong mind yet presages,

Through all these dangers, we shall see a day yet

Shall crown your pious hopes, and my fair wishes.

Mast. It must all over-board.

Boats. It clears to Sea-ward Mast.

Fling o'er the Lading there, and let's lighten her;

All the meat, and the Cakes, we are all gone else;

That we may find her Leaks, and hold her up;

Yet save some little Bisket for the Lady,

Till we come to the Land.

Lam. Must my Goods over too?

Why honest Master? here lies all my money;

The Money I ha wrackt by usury,

To buy new Lands and Lordships in new Countreys,

'Cause I was banish'd from mine own

I ha been this twenty years a raising it.

Tib. Out with it:

The devils are got together by the ears, who shall have it;

And here they quarrel in the clouds.

Lam. I am undone Sir:

Tib. And be undone, 'tis better than we [perish].

Lam. Oh save one Chest of Plate.

Tib. Away with it lustily, Sailors;

It was some pawn that he has got unjustly;

Down with it low enough, and let Crabs breed in't.

Mast. Over with the Trunks too.

Alb. Take mine and spare not.

Mast. We must over with all.

Fran. Will ye throw away my Lordship

That I sold, put it into cloaths and necessaries,

To goe to sea with?

Tib. Over with it; I love to see a Lordship sink;

Sir, you left no wood upon't, to buoy it up;

You might ha' sav'd it else.

Fran. I am undone for ever.

Alb. Why we are all undone; would you be only happy?

Lam. Sir, you may loose too.

Tib. Thou liest; I ha' nothing but my skin,

And my cloaths; my sword here, and my self;

Two Crowns in my pocket; two pair of Cards;

And three false Dice: I can swim like a fish

Rascal, nothing to hinder me.

Boatsw. In with her of all hands.

Mast. Come Gentlemen, come Captain, ye must help all;

My life now for the Land,

'Tis high, and rocky, and full of perils.

Alb. However let's attempt it.

Mast. Then cheer lustily my hearts.

Sebast. Yes, 'tis a Ship, I see it now, a tall Ship;

She has wrought lustily for her deliverance;

Heavens mercy, what a wretched day has here been!

Nicu. To still and quiet minds that knew no misery,

It may seem wretched, but with us 'tis ordinary;

Heaven has no storm in store, nor earth no terror,

That can seem new to us.

Sebast. 'Tis true Nicusa, if fortune were determin'd

To be wanton, and would wipe out the stories

Of mens miseries: yet we two living,

We could cross her purpose; for 'tis impossible

She should cure us, we are so excellent in our afflictions;

It would be more than glory to her blindness,

And stile her power beyond her pride, to quit us.

Nicu. Do they live still?

Sebast. Yes, and make to harbor:

Nicu. Most miserable men; I grieve their fortunes.

Sebast. How happy had they been, had the Sea cover'd em!

They leap from one calamity to another;

Had they been drown'd, they had ended all their sorrows.

What shouts of joy they make!

Nicu. Alas poor wretches, had they but once experience

Of this Island, they'd turn their tunes to wailings.

Sebast. Nay, to curses.

That ever they set foot on such calamities;

Here's nothing but Rocks and barrenness,

Hunger, and cold to eat; here's no Vineyards

To cheer the heart of man, no Christal Rivers,

After his labour, to refresh his body,

If he be feeble; nothing to restore him,

But heavenly hopes, nature that made those remedies,

Dares not come here, nor look on our distresses,

For fear she turn wild, like the place, and barren.

Nicu. Oh Uncle, yet a little memory of what we were,

'Twill be a little comfort in our calamities;

When we were seated in our blessed homes,

How happy in our kindreds, in our families,

In all our fortunes!

Sebast. Curse on those French Pirats, that displanted us;

That flung us from that happiness we found there;

Constrain'd us to Sea, to save our lives, honors, and our riches,

With all we had, our kinsmen, and our jewels,

In hope to find some place free from such robbers,

Where a mighty storm sever'd our Barks,

That, where my Wife, my Daughter

And my noble Ladies that went with her,

Virgins and loving souls, to scape those Pirats.

Nicus. They are yet living; such goodness cannot perish.

Sebast. But never to me Cosin;

Never to me again; what bears their Flag-staves?

Nicu. The Arms of France sure;

Nay, doe not start, we cannot be more miserable;

Death is a cordial, now, come when it will.

Sebast. They get to shore apace, they'll flie as fast

When once they find the place; what's that which swims there?

Ni. A strong young man, Sir, with a handsom woman.

Hanging about his neck.

Sebast. That shews some honor;

May thy brave charity, what e'er thou art,

Be spoken in a place that may renown thee,

And not dye here.

Nicus. The Boat it seems turn'd over,

So forced to their shifts; yet all are landed:

They're Pirates on my life.

Sebast. They will not rob us;

For none will take out misery for riches:

Come Cosin, let's descend, and try their pities;

If we get off, a little hope walks with us;

If not, we shall but load this wretched Island

With the same shadows still, that must grow shorter.

Tib. Wet come ashore my mates, we are safe arrived yet.

Mast. Thanks to heavens goodness, no man lost;

The Ship rides fair too, and her leaks in good plight.

Alb. The weathers turn'd more courteous;

How does my Dear?

Alas, how weak she is, and wet!

Amint. I am glad yet, I scap'd with life;

Which certain, noble Captain, next to heavens goodness,

I must thank you for, and which is more,

Acknowledge your dear tenderness, your firm love

To your unworthy Mistriss, and recant too

(Indeed I must) those harsh opinions,

Those cruel unkind thoughts, I heapt upon ye;

Farther than that, I must forget your injuries.

So far I am ti'd, and fet'red to your service,

Believe me, I will learn to love.

Alb. I thank ye Madam,

And it shall be my practise to serve.

What cheer companions?

Tib. No great cheer Sir, a piece of souc'd Bisket

And halfe a hard egg; for the Sea has taken order;

Being young and strong, we shall not surfet Captain.

For mine own part, I'll dance till I'm dry;

Come Surgeon, out with your Clister-pipe,

And strike a Galliard.

Alb. What a brave day again!

And what fair weather, after so foul a storm!

La mure. I, an't pleas'd the Master he might ha seen

This weather, and ha' say'd our goods.

Alb. Never think on 'em, we have our lives and healths.

Lam. I must think on 'em, and think

'Twas most maliciously done to undoe me.

Fran. And me too, I lost all;

I ha'n't another shirt to put upon me, nor cloaths

But these poor rags; I had fifteen fair suits,

The worst was cut upon Taffaty.

Tib. I am glad you ha' lost, give me thy hand,

Is thy skin whole? art thou not purl'd with scabs?

No antient monuments of Madam Venus?

Thou hast a suit then will pose the cunning'st Tailor,

That will never turn fashion, nor forsake thee,

Till thy executors the Worms, uncase thee,

They take off glorious sutes Franvile: thou art happy,

Thou art deliver'd of 'em; here are no Brokers;

No Alchymists to turn 'em into Mettal;

Nor leather'd Captains, with Ladies to adore 'em;

Wilt thou see a Dog-fish rise in one of thy brave doublets,

And tumble like a tub to make thee merry,

Or an old Haddock rise with thy hatch'd sword

Thou paid'st a hundred Crowns for?

A Mermaid in a Mantle of your Worships,

Or a Dolphin in your double Ruffe?

Fran. Ye are merry, but if I take it thus,

If I be foisted and jeer'd out of my goods.

Lam. Nor I, I vow thee.

Nor Master, nor Mate, I see your cunning.

Alb. Oh be not angry Gentlemen.

Moril. Yes Sir, we have reason.

And some friends I can make.

Mast. What I did Gentlemen, was for the general safety.

If ye aim at me, I am not so tame.

Tib. Pray take my counsel Gallants.

Fight not till the Surgeon be well,

He's damnable sea-sick, and may spoil all;

Besides he has lost his Fiddlestick, and the best

Box of Bores-grease; why do you make such faces,

And hand your swords?

Alb. Who would ye fight with Gentlemen?

Who has done ye wrong? for shame be better temper'd.

No sooner come to give thanks for our safeties,

But we must raise new civil broils amongst us

Inflame those angry powers, to shower new vengeance on us?

What can we expect for these unmanly murmurs,

These strong temptations of their holy pitties,

But plagues in another kind, a fuller, so dreadful,

That the singing storms are slumbers to it?

Tib. Be men, and rule your minds;

If you will needs fight, Gentlemen,

And think to raise new riches by your valours,

Have at ye, I have little else to do now

I have said my prayers; you say you have lost,

And make your loss your quarrel.

And grumble at my Captain here, and the Master

Two worthy persons, indeed too worthy for such rascals,

Thou Galloon gallant, and Mammon you

That build on golden Mountains, thou Money-Maggot;

Come all, draw your swords, ye say ye are miserable.

Alb. Nay, hold good Tibalt.

Tib. Captain, let me correct 'em;

I'll make ye ten times worse, I will not leave 'em;

For look ye, fighting is as nourishing to me as eating,

I was born quarrelling.

Mast. Pray Sir.

Tib. I will not leave 'em skins to cover 'em;

Do ye grumble, when ye are well, ye rogues?

Mast. Noble Du-pont.

Tib. Ye have cloaths now: and ye prate.

Amin. Pray Gentlemen, for my sake be at peace.

Let it become me to make all friends.

Fran. You have stopt our angers Lady.

Alb. This shews noble.

Tib. 'Tis well: 'tis very well: there's half a Bisket,

Break't amongst ye all, and thank my bounty.

This is Cloaths and Plate too; come no more quarrelling.

Amin. But ha! what things are these,

Are they humane creatures?

Tib. I have heard of Sea-Calves.

Alb. They are no shadows sure, they have Legs and Arms.

Tib. They hang but lightly on though.

Amint. How they look, are they mens faces?

Tib. They have horse-tails growing to 'em.

Goodly long manes.

Amint. Alas what sunk eyes they have!

How they are crept in, as if they had been frighted!

Sure they are wretched men.

Tib. Where are their Wardrobes?

Look ye Franvile, here are a couple of Courtiers.

Amint. They kneel, alas poor souls.

Alb. What are ye? speak; are ye alive,

Or wandring shadows, that find no peace on earth,

Till ye reveal some hidden secret?

Sebast. We are men as you are;

Only our miseries make us seem monsters,

If ever pitty dwelt in noble hearts.

Alb. We understand 'em too: pray mark ['em] Gentlemen.

Sebast. Or that heaven is pleas'd with humane charity;

If ever ye have heard the name of friendship,

Or suffered in your selves, the least afflictions,

Have gentle Fathers that have bred ye tenderly,

And Mothers that have wept for your misfortunes,

Have mercy on our miseries.

Alb. Stand up wretches;

Speak boldly, and have release.

Nicus. If ye be Christians,

And by that blessed name, bound to relieve us,

Convey us from this Island.

Alb. Speak; what are ye?

Seb. As you are, Gentle born; to tell ye more,

Were but to number up our own calamities,

And turn your eyes wild with perpetual weepings;

These many years in this most wretched Island

We two have liv'd: the scorn and game of fortune;

Bless your selves from it Noble Gentlemen;

The greatest plagues that humane nature suffers,

Are seated here, wildness, and wants innumerable.

Alb. How came ye hither?

Nicus. In a ship as you do, and [as] you might have been.

Had not Heaven preserv'd ye for some more noble use;

Wrackt desperately; our men, and all consum'd,

But we two; that still live, and spin out

The thin and ragged threds of our misfortunes.

Alb. Is there no meat above?

Sebast. Nor meat nor quiet;

No summer here, to promise any thing;

Nor Autumn, to make full the reapers hands;

The earth obdurate to the tears of heaven,

Lets nothing shoot but poison'd weeds.

No Rivers, nor no pleasant Groves, no Beasts;

All that were made for man's use, flie this desart;

No airy Fowl dares make his flight over it,

It is so ominous.

Serpents, and ugly things, the shames of nature,

Roots of malignant tasts, foul standing waters;

Sometimes we find a fulsome Sea-root,

And that's a delicate: a Rat sometimes,

And that we hunt like Princes in their pleasure;

And when we take a Toad, we make a Banquet.

Amint. For heavens sake let's aboard.

Alb. D'ye know no farther?

Nicu. Yes, we have sometimes seen the shadow of a place inhabited;

And heard the noise of hunters;

And have attempted [t]o find it, [s]o far as a River,

Deep, slow, and dangerous, fenced with high Rocks,

We have gone; but not able to atchieve that hazard,

Return to our old miseries.

If this sad story may deserve your pities.

Alb. Ye shall aboard with us, we will relieve your miseries:

Sebast. Nor will we be unthankful for this benefit,

No Gentlemen, we'll pay for our deliverance;

Look ye that plough the Seas for wealth and pleasures,

That out-run day and night with your ambitions,

Look on those heaps, they seem hard ragged quarries;

Remove 'em, and view 'em fully.

Mast. Oh heaven, they are Gold and Jewels.

Sebast. Be not too hasty, here lies another heap.

Moril. And here another,

All perfect Gold.

Alb. Stand farther off, you must not be your own carvers.

Lam. We have shares, and deep ones.

Fran. Yes Sir, we'll maintain't: ho fellow Sailors.

Lam. Stand all to your freedoms;

I'll have all this.

Fran. And I this.

Tib. You shall be hang'd first.

Lam. My losses shall be made good.

Fran. So shall mine, or with my sword I'll do't;

All that will share with us, assist us.

Tib. Captain, let's set in.

Alb. This money will undo us, undo us all:

Sebast. This Gold was the overthrow of my happiness;

I had command too, when I landed here,

And lead young, high, and noble spirits under me,

This cursed Gold enticing 'em, they set upon their Captain,

On me that own'd this wealth, and this poor Gentleman,

Gave us no few wounds, forc'd us from our own;

And then their civil swords, who should be owners,

And who Lords over all, turn'd against their own lives,

First in their rage, consum'd the Ship,

That poor part of the Ship that scap'd the first wrack,

Next their lives by heaps; Oh be you wise and careful:

Lam. We'll ha' more: sirrah, come shew it.

Fran. Or ten times worse afflictions than thou speak'st of.

Alb. Nay, and ye will be dogs.

Tib. Let me come, Captain:

This Golden age must have an Iron ending.

Have at the bunch.

Amint. Oh Albert; Oh Gentlemen, Oh Friends.

Sebast. Come noble Nephew, if we stay here, we dye,

Here rides their Ship, yet all are gone to th' spoil,

Let's make a quick use.

Nicus. Away dear Uncle.

Sebast. This Gold was our overthrow.

Nicus. It may now be our happiness.

Tib. You shall have Gold: yes, I'll cram it int'ye;

You shall be your own carvers; yes, I'll carve ye.

Morill. I am sore, I pray hear reason:

Tib. I'll hear none.

Covetous base minds have no reason;

I am hurt my self; but whilst I have a leg left,

I will so haunt your gilded souls; how d'ye Captain?

Ye bleed apace, curse on the causers on't;

Ye do not faint?

Alb. No, no; I am not so happy.

Tib. D'ye howl, nay, ye deserve it:

Base greedy rogues; come, shall we make an end of 'em?

Alb. They are our Countrey-men, for heavens sake spare 'em.

Alas, they are hurt enough, and they relent now.

Aminta. Oh Captain, Captain.

Alb. Whose voice is that?

Tib. The Ladies.

Amint. Look Captain, look; ye are undone: poor Captain,

We are all undone, all, all: we are all miserable,

Mad wilful men; ye are undone, your Ship, your Ship.

Alb. What of her?

Amint. She's under sail, and floating;

See where she flies: see to your shames, you wretches:

These poor starv'd things that shew'd you Gold.

1 Sail. They have cut the Cables,

And got her out; the Tide too has befriended 'em.

Mast. Where are the Sailors that kept her?

Boats. Here, here [in] the mutiny, to take up money,

And left no creature, left the Boat ashore too;

This Gold, this damn'd enticing Gold.

2 Sail. How the wind drives her,

As if it vied to force her from our furies!

Lam. Come back good old men:

Fran. Good honest men, come back.

Tib. The wind's against ye, speak louder.

Lam. Ye shall have all your Gold again: they see us.

Tib. Hold up your hands, and kneel,

And howl ye block-heads; they'll have compassion on ye;

Yes, yes, 'tis very likely, ye have deserv'd it,

D'ye look like dogs now?

Are your mighty courages abated?

Alb. I bleed apace Tibalt:

Tib. Retire Sir: and make the best use of our miseries.

They but begin now.

Amint. Are ye alive still?

Alb. Yes sweet.

Tib. Help him off Lady;

And wrap him warm in your arms,

Here's something that's comfortable; off with him handsomely,

I'll come to ye straight; but vex these rascals a little.

Fran. Oh, I am hungry, and hurt, and I am weary.

Tib. Here's a Pestle of a Portigue, Sir;

'Tis excellent meat, with sour sauce;

And here's two Chains, suppose 'em Sausages;

Then there wants Mustard;

But the fearful Surgeon will supply ye presently:

Lam. Oh for that Surgeon, I shall die else.

Tib. Faith there he lies in the same pickle too.

Surg. My Salves, and all my Instruments are lost;

And I am hurt and starv'd;

Good Sir, seek for some herbs.

Tib. Here's Herb-graceless, will that serve?

Gentlemen will ye go to supper?

All. Where's the meat?

Tib. Where's the meat? what a Veal voice is there?

Fran. Would we had it Sir, or any thing else.

Tib. I would now cut your throat you dog,

But that I wo'not doe you such a courtesie;

To take you from the benefit of starving,

Oh! what a comfort will your worship have some three days hence!

Ye things beneath pitty, Famine shall be your harbinger;

You must not look for Down-beds here,

Nor Hangings; though I could wish ye strong ones;

Yet there be many lightsome cool Star-chambers,

Open to every sweet air, I'll assure ye,

Ready provided for ye, and so I'll leave ye;

Your first course is serv'd, expect the second.

Fran. A vengeance on these Jewels.

Lam. Oh! this cursed Gold.