Beggars Bush: A Comedy
SCENA II
Enter Gerrard and Florez.
Ger. By this time Sir I hope you want no reasonsWhy I broke off your marriage, for though IShould as a Subject study you my PrinceIn things indifferent, it will not thereforeDiscredit you, to acknowledge me your Father,By harkning to my necessary counsels.Flo. Acknowledge you my Father? Sir I do,And may impiety, conspiring withMy other Sins, sink me, and suddenlyWhen I forget to pay you a Sons dutyIn my obedience, and that help'd forthWith all the cheerfulness.Ger. I pray you rise,And may those powers that see and love this in you,Reward you for it: Taught by your exampleHaving receiv'd the rights due to a Father,I tender you th' allegeance of a Subject:Which as my Prince accept of.Flo. Kneel to me?May mountains first fall down beneath their valleys,And fire no more mount upwards, when I sufferAn act in nature so preposterous;I must o'ercome in this, in all things elseThe victory be yours: could you here read me,You should perceive how all my facultiesTriumph in my blest fate, to be found yours;I am your son, your son Sir, and am prouderTo be so, to the Father, to such goodness(Which heaven be pleas'd, I may inherit from you)Than I shall ever of those specious titlesThat plead for my succession in the Earldom(Did I possess it now) left by my Mother.Ger. I do believe it: but—Flo. O my lov'd Father,Before I knew you were so, by instinct,Nature had taught me, to look on your wants,Not as a stranger's: and I know not how,What you call'd charity, I thought the paymentOf some religious debt, nature stood bound for;And last of all, when your magnificent bountyIn my low ebb of fortune, had brought inA flood of blessings, though my threatning wantsAnd fear of their effects, still kept me stupid,I soon found out, it was no common pityThat led you to it.Ger. Think of this hereafterWhen we with joy may call it to remembrance,There will be a time, more opportune, than nowTo end our story, with all circumstances,I add this only: when we fled from WolfortI sent you into England, and there placed youWith a brave Flanders Merchant, call'd rich Goswin,A man supplyed by me unto that purpose,As bound by oath never to discover you,Who dying, left his name and wealth unto youAs his reputed Son, and yet receiv'd so;But now, as Florez, and a Prince, rememberThe countreys, and the subjects general goodMust challenge the first part in your affection:The fair maid, whom you chose to be your wife,Being so far beneath you, that your loveMust grant she's not your equal.Flo. In descentOr borrowed glories from dead Ancestors,But for her beauty, chastity, and all vertuesEver remembred in the best of women,A Monarch might receive from her, not give,Though she were his Crowns purchase; in this onlyBe an indulgent Father: in all else,Use your authority.Enter Hubert, Hemskirk, Wolfort, Bertha, and Souldiers.
Hub. Sir, here be two of 'em,The Father and the Son, the rest you shall haveAs fast as I can rouze them.Ger. Who's this? Wolfort?Wol. I Criple, your feigned crutches will not help you,Nor patch'd disguise that hath so long conceal'd you,It's now no halting: I must here find Gerrard,And in this Merchants habit, one call'd FlorezWho would be an Earl.Ger. And is, wert thou a subject.Flo. Is this that Traitor Wolfort?Wol. Yes, but youAre they that are betrai'd: Hemskirk.Ber. My Goswin Turn'd Prince?O I am poorer by this greatness,Than all my former jealousies or misfortunes.Florez. Gertrude?Wol. Stay Sir, you were to day too near her,You must no more aim at those easie accesses,Less you can do't in air, without a head,Which shall be suddenly tri'd.Ber. O take my heart, first,And since I cannot hope now to enjoy him,Let me but fall a part of his glad ransom.Wol. You know not your own value, that entreat.Ger. So proud a fiend as Wolfort.Wol. For so lost A thing as Florez.Flo. And that would be soRather than she should stoop again to thee;There is no death, but's sweeter than all life,When Wolfort is to give it: O my Gertrude,It is not that, nor Princedom that I goe from,It is from thee, that loss includeth all.Wol. I, if my young Prince knew his loss, he would say so,Which that he yet may chew on, I will tell himThis is no Gertrude, nor no Hemskirks Niece,Nor Vandunks Daughter: this is Bertha, Bertha,The heir of Brabant, she that caus'd the war,Whom I did steal, during my treaty there,In your minority, to raise my self;I then fore-seeing 'twould beget a quarel,That, a necessity of my employment,The same employment, make me master of strength,That strength, the Lord of Flanders, so of Brabant,By marrying her: which had not been to doe Sir,She come of years, but that the expectationFirst of her Fathers death, retarded it,And since the standing out of Bruges, whereHemskirk had hid her, till she was near lost:But Sir, we have recover'd her: your MerchantshipMay break, for this was one of your best bottomsI think.Ger. Insolent Devil!Enter Hubert, with Jaqueline, Ginks, and Costin.
Wol. Who are these, Hemskirk?Hem. More, more, Sir.Flo. How they triumph in their treachery!Hem. Lord Arnold of Benthusin, this Lord Costin,This Jaqueline the sister unto Florez.Wol. All found? why here's brave game, this was sport royall,And puts me in thought of a new kind of death for 'em.Hunts-man, your horn: first wind me Florez fall,Next Gerrards, then his Daughter Jaquelins,Those rascals, they shall dye without their rights:Hang 'em Hemskirk on these trees; I'le takeThe assay of these my self.Hub. Not here my Lord,Let 'em be broken up upon a scaffold,'Twill shew the better when their arbour's made.Ger. Wretch, art thou not content thou hast betrai'd us,But mock us too?Ginks. False Hubert, this is monstrous.Wol. Hubert?Hem. Who, this?Ger. Yes this is Hubert, Wolfort, I hope he has helpt himself to a tree.Wol. The first,The first of any, and most glad I have you Sir,I let you goe before, but for a train;Is't you have done this service?Hub. As your Hunts-man, But now as Hubert; save your selves, I will,The Wolf's afoot, let slip; kill, kill, kill, kill.Enter with a drum Van-dunk, Merchants, Higgen, Prig, Ferret, Snap.
Wol. Betray'd?Hub. No, but well catch'd: and I the Huntsman.Van-d. How do you Wolfort? Rascal, good knave Wolfort,I speak it now without the Rose, and Hemskirk,Rogue Hemskirk, you that have no niece, this LadyWas stoln by you, and ta'ne by you, and nowResign'd by me, to the right owner here:Take her my Prince.Flo. Can this be possible,Welcom my love, my sweet, my worthy love.Van-d. I ha' giv'n you her twice: now keep her better, and thankLord Hubert, that came to me in Gerrards name,And got me out, with my brave Boyes, to marchLike Caesar, when he bred his Commentaries,So I, to bread my Chronicle, came forthCaesar Van-dunk, & veni, vidi, vici,Give me my Bottle, and set down the drum;You had your tricks Sir, had you? we ha' tricks too,You stole the Lady?Hig. And we led your Squadrons,Where they ha' scratch'd their leggs a little, with brambles,If not their faces.Prig. Yes, and run their heads Against trees.Hig. 'Tis Captain Prig, Sir.Prig. And Coronel Higgen.Hig. We have fill'd a pit with your people, some with leggs,Some with arms broken, and a neck or two I think be loose.Prig. The rest too, that escap'd,Are not yet out o'the briars,Hig. And your horses, Sir,Are well set up in Bruges all by this time:You look as you were not well Sir, and would beShortly let blood; do you want a scarf?Van-d. A halter.Ger. 'Twas like your self, honest, and noble Hubert:Can'st thou behold these mirrors all together,Of thy long, false, and bloody usurpation?Thy tyrrannous proscription, and fresh treason:And not so see thy self, as to fall downAnd sinking, force a grave, with thine own guilt,As deep as hell, to cover thee and it?Wol. No, I can stand: and praise the toyles that took meAnd laughing in them dye, they were brave snares.Flo. 'Twere truer valour, if thou durst repentThe wrongs th' hast done, and live.Wol. Who, I repent? And say I am sorry? yes, 'tis the fool's languageAnd not for Wolfort.Van-d. Wolfort, thou art a Devil,And speakst his language, oh that I had my longingUnder this row of trees now would I hang him.Flo. No let him live, until he can repent,But banish'd from our State, that is thy doom.Van-d. Then hang his worthy Captain here, this HemskirkFor profit of th' example.Flo. No let himEnjoy his shame too: with his conscious life,To shew how much our innocence contemnsAll practice from the guiltiest, to molest us.Van-d. A noble Prince.Ger. Sir, you must help to joinA pair of hands, as they have done their hearts here,And to their loves with joy.Flo. As to mine own,My gracious Sister, worthiest Brother.Van. I'le go afore, and have the bon-fire made,My fire-works, & flap dragons, and good backrack,With a peck of little fishes, to drink downIn healths to this day.Hig. 'Slight, here be changes,The Bells ha' not so many, nor a dance, Prig.Prig. Our Company's grown horrible thin by it,What think you Ferret?Fer. Marry I do think,That we might all be Lords now, if we could stand for't.Hig. Not I if they should offer it: I'le dislodge first,Remove the Bush to another climat.Ger. Sir, you must thank this worthy Burgomaster,Here be friends ask to be look'd on too,And thank'd, who though their trade, and course of lifeBe not so perfect, but it may be better'd,Have yet us'd me with courtesy, and been trueSubjects unto me, while I was their King,A place I know not well how to resign,Nor unto whom: But this I will entreatYour grace, command them follow you to Bruges;Where I will take the care on me, to findSome manly, and more profitable courseTo fit them, as a part of the Republique.Flo. Do you hear Sirs? do so.Hig. Thanks to your good grace.Prig. To your good Lordship.Fer. May you both live long.Ger. Attend me at Van-dunks, the Burgomasters.[Ex. all but Beggars.Hig. Yes, to beat hemp, and be whipt twice a week,Or turn the wheel, for Crab the Rope-maker:Or learn to go along with him, his course;That's a fine course now, i' the common-wealth, Prig,What say you to it?Prig. It is the backwardst course, I know i'the world.Hig. Then Higgen will scarce thrive by it,You do conclude?Prig. 'Faith hardly, very hardly.Hig. Troth I am partly of your mind, Prince Prig;And therefore farewel Flanders, Higgen will seekSome safer shelter, in some other Climat,With this his tatter'd Colony:Let me see Snap, Ferret, Prig, and Higgen, all are leftO' the true blood: what? shall we into England?Prig. Agreed.Hig. Then bear up bravely with your Brute my lads,Higgen hath prig'd the prancers in his dayes,And sold good penny-worths; we will have a course,The Spirit of Bottom, is grown bottomless.Prig. I'le mand no more, nor cant.Hig. Yes, your sixpenny worth In private,Brother, sixpence is a sum I'le steal you any mans Dogg for.Prig. For sixpence more You'l tell the owner where he is.Hig. 'Tis right,Higgen must practise, so must Prig to eat;And write the Letter: and gi' the word. But nowNo more, as either of these.Prig. But as true Beggars, As e're we were.Hig. We stand here, for an Epilogue;Ladies, your bounties first; the rest will follow;For womens favours are a leading alms,If you be pleas'd look cheerly, throw your eyesOut at your masks.Prig. And let your beauties sparkle.Hig. So may you ne'er want dressings,Jewels, gowns Still i' the fashion.Prig. Nor the men you love,Wealth nor discourse to please you.Hig. May you Gentlemen,Never want good fresh suits nor liberty.Prig. May every Merchant here see safe his ventures.Hig. And every honest Citizen his debts in.Prig. The Lawyers again good Clyents.Hig. And the Clyents good Counsel.Prig. All the Gamesters here good fortune.Hig. The Drunkards too good wine.Prig. The eaters meat Fit for their tastes and palats.Hig. The good wives kind Husbands.Prig. The young maids choyce of Sutors.Hig. The Midwives merry hearts.Prig. And all good cheer.Hig. As you are kind unto us and our Bush,We are the Beggars and your daily Beadsmen,And have your mony, but the Alms we askAnd live by, is your Grace, give that, and thenWe'l boldly say our word is, Come again.APPENDIX
p. 194, l. 1. A] God e'n then. l. 28. C misprints] secrely. l. 30. A and B] tipple in wine.
p. 195, l. 3. A omits] ye. l. 11. A repeats] Ile swinge you. l. 15. A] utter, will all. l. 35. A and B] any devotions.
p. 196, l. 2. B] with torch. l. 18. A misprints] Short for Wid.
p. 197, l. 2. A] and a vertuous. l. 3. A] hay him up. l. 13. B] a your.
p. 198, l. 2. A] take. l. 3. A omits] a. l. 25. A] No armes, no armes. l. 27. A and B] hang 'tis. l. 33. A omits] a.
p. 199, l. 5. B] An here. l. 10. A] his Nleson. l. 37. A omits] have.
p. 200, l. 3. A] pound. l. 10. A omits] you. l. 20. B] such knell. ll 23 and 24. A] to raise.
p. 201, l. 5. A] regements. l. 30. A and B] yond.
p. 202, l. 2. B] sees yon. l. 3. A and B] thy Torch. l. 13. A] hay, but. l. 26. A and B] shall a Lady.
p. 203, l. 10. A] their recompences. l. 20. A and B add] Exeunt.
p. 204, l. 2. B omits] us. l. 4. A and B] this 'tis to. l. 12. A omits] put. l. 28. A and B] too.
p. 205, l. 10 A] they are. B] they 'are.
p. 207, l. 21. A and B add] Finis.
BEGGARS BUSH
(A) The First Folio, 1647.
(B) The | Beggars | Bush. | Written by | Francis Beaumont, And John Fletcher, Gentlemen. | [wood-cut] London, | Printed for Humphrey Robinson, and Anne Mosely, | at the three Pigeons, and at the Princes Arms | in Saint Pauls Church-yard, 1661.
Another issue of the above, dated 1661, has a fresh title-page and bears the following notice:—'You may speedily expect those other Playes, which | Kirkman, and his Hawkers have deceived the | buyers withall, selling them at treble the value, that | this and the rest will be sold for, which are the | onely Originall and corrected copies, as they | were first purchased by us at no mean | rate, and since printed by us.'
B prints the Prologue and Epilogue to The Captaine as though they belonged to Beggars Bush, apparently treating the last page of The Captain in A as though it were the first page of Beggars Bush.
(C) The Second Folio.
p. 208. A omits], A Comedy … The Scene Flanders. ll. 2-4. B] Dramatis Personae. These are as follows:
Drammatis Personae.
Goswin a young Merchant of Bruges, viz. Florez the right Earl of Flanders Woolfort, Usurper of the Earldome, Clause King of Beggars, viz. Gerrard Father to Florez, Hubert disguised like a Huntsman, A Lord of Flaunders Hemskirk, A Favourite of the Usurper. Lord Arnold) Lord Costin) Two Lords of Flaunders disguis'd like Beggars Jaqueline, Daughter to Gerrard. Bertha, Heir of Brabant. Van-dunck Burgomaster of Bruges Merchants, Saylor, &c. Higgen, Ferret, Prig, Snap, and others, Beggars. Boors, Souldiers Young Merchants, and others, Guests at Goswins Wedding. Margaret, Wife to Vandunck Attendants, Boy with a Song. The Scene BRUGES. p. 209, ll. 6 and 27. A and B] Countess. l. 34. C misprints] houour.
p. 210, l. 9. B omits] that. l. 34. A] On mine.
p. 211, l. 37. A and B] loyalty so suspected.
p. 212, l. 15. A and B] answers. l. 22. C misprints] their.
p. 214, l. 2. A and B for Goswin read] Florez and so throughout the play.
p. 215, l. 30. A and some copies of B] Or the dear.
p. 216, l. 10. A and B] him only. l. 25. A and B] Suck him. l. 35. A and B] near my price.
p. 217, l. 6. C misprints] farily.
p. 218, l. 18. A and B] Quitchineel.
p. 219, l. 3. A and B] God a mercy. l. 15. A here and often later prints Ger. for Clau.
p. 221, l. 18. A and B omit] I. l. 27. A and B] his call. l. 30. A and B] To whom that. l. 36. B] this man.
p. 222, l. 20. B] Thou that art.
p. 223, l. 12. A and B] all hem'd out. l. 34. A and B] bene whids.
p. 224, l. 3. A and B] their true pass-ports. l. 23. A and B] Offices. l. 24. A and B] penny ceast. l. 27. B omits] and. l. 28. A and B omit] comes.
p. 225, l. 4. A and B] Ger. l. 25. A and B omit] Exit. l. 33. A omits] is. B] 'Tis.
p. 226, l. 4. A and B] she says. l. 9. A and B] O the. l. 24. A] skuys. B] scuce.
p. 227, ll. 7 and 18. A and B omit] Exit. l. 9. B] ruine. l. 26. A and B] against. l. 35. A and B] Meg. some wine.
p. 228, l. 15. A and B] Mage, fill out. l. 32. A by error prints this line twice. l. 35. C misprints] with.
p. 229, l. 17. B] to admit.
p. 230, l. 6. A] makes this trade. l. 18. A and B] rate's at more. l. 21. C misprints] Hab.
p. 231, l. 10. B] these. l. 13. A and B] your errour. l. 25. B omits] doth.
p. 232, l. 3. A and B omit] Strikes him. ll. 5 and 6. A and B omit] He gets … the head. l. 7. A and B here and later often print Ber. for Ger. l. 39. B omits] you.
p. 233, l. 4. A and B omit] and Ger.
p. 234, l. 18. A and B] Start beer. l. 33. A] to high, etc.
p. 235, l. 3. B] any branches. l. 28. B] To make up.
p. 236, A and B omit the whole of Song. l. 21. B omits] There sweet Sow-Gelder.
p. 238, l. 17. B] Come away fair Maids, put your ware away. l. 18. B omits the entire line. l. 24. B omits the fourth fill.
p. 239, l. 9. A and B] o' their Prestoes. l. 35. C] commands.
p. 240, l. 4. B omits] a.
p. 241, l. 7. A and B] is toss'd too. l. 18. B] Aa's.
p. 242, l. 12. B] thy honour.
p. 243, l. 7. A and B omit] Sir, I must not leave ye. l. 8. A and B] I must not. l. 25. A and B] That's all.
p. 244, l. 1. B] men that have. l. 3. A and B omit] on. l. 25. A and B] as they please.
p. 246, l. 32. A and B omit] Beat one another.
p. 248, l. 23. A] Reimald. ll. 35 and 38. A and B omit] aside.
p. 249, l. 1. A and B omit] with. l. 15. A] I have. l. 38. A and B, in 2 lines] Yes, venson, | Or if I want— |
p. 250, l. 1. A and B] shall learn. l. 4. A and B] Yes if I. l. 5. A and B arrange the rest of the Scene thus]
Ger. Now sweare him.Hig. You are welcom Brother.All. Welcom, welcom, welcom, but who shall have the keeping Of this fellow?Hub. Thank ye friends,And I beseech ye, if you dare but trust me;For if I have kept wilde doggs and beastes for wonder,And made 'em tame too: give into my custodyThis roaring rascal I shall hamper him,With all his knacks and knaveryes, and I feare meDiscover yet a further villany in him;O he smells ranck 'oth rascall.Ger. Take him to thee, But if he scape—Hub. Let me be ev'n hang'd for him, Roome Sir, I'le tye ye to my leash.Hem. Away Rascall.Hub. Be not so stubborne: I shall swindge ye soundly, And ye play tricks with me.Ger. Now sweare him.Hig. I crowne thy nab, with a gag of benbouse,And stall thee by the salmon into the clowes,To mand on the pad, and strike all the cheates;To mill from the Ruffmans, commision and slates,Twang dell's, i'the stiromell, and let the Quire Cuffin:And Herman Beck strine, and trine to the Ruffin.Ger. Now interpret this unto him.Hig. I poure on thy pate a pot of good ale,And by the Rogues oth a Rogue thee install:To beg on the way, to rob all thou meetes;To steale from the hedge, both the shirt and the sheets:And lye with thy wench in the straw till she twang,Let the Constable, Justice, and Divell go hang.Ger. So, now come in, But ever have an eye Sir, to your prisoner.Hub. He must blinde both mine eyes, if he get from me.Ger. Go, get some victualls, and some drink, some good drink For this day weele keep holly to good fortune, Come and be frollick with us.Hig. Ye are a stanger. Exeunt.p. 250, l. 14. C] o' th'.
p. 251, ll. 12 and 37 and often elsewhere. A and B] Jertred.
p. 252, l. 16. A and B] what ayle ye. l. 35. A] Despise me.
p. 253, l. 7. A and B] wind or. l. 11. A and B] no lying here.
p. 254, l. 13. A] Porter. l. 34. B] we daily get.
p. 255, l 13. A and B] confess it. A and B omit stage direction. l. 18. A and B omit] for.
p. 256, l. 28. A and B] Here in bosome, and. C] my bosom.
p. 257, l. 5. A and B] it would.
p. 258, l. 15. A] This ye are I. B] This year I.
p. 260, l. 5. C misprints] righty. l. 35. A and B] your letting free.
p. 261, l. 7. C misprints] Hem.
p. 262, l. 17. A and B] baldrick, what a. l. 28. C] pertious.
p. 263, l. 16. A and B] stands. l. 27. A and B] that whorson. l. 28. A] baster'd bullions. B] bastar'd bullions. l. 30. A and B] and change a. l. 32. A and B] mangy soul. l. 35. A and B] keep this in.
p. 264, l. 1. A and B] We be monstrous out.
p. 265, l. 26. A omits] the.
p. 267, l. 6. C misprints] Heaveu. l. 9. B omits] design.
p. 268, l. 10. A and B] nor sorrow; Oh me. l. 11. A and B omit] Ah me. l. 33. A and B omit] me.
p. 269, l. 11. A and B] left ham. l. 19. A and B omit] strange.
p. 270, l. 26. B] whipt. l. 29. B omits one] 'tis she. l. 39. A and B] Merchants shop.
p. 271, l. 6. A and some copies of B expand Ger.'s speech as follows]
Ber. O I am miserably lost, thus falneInto my uncles hands from all my hopes,Can I not thinke away my selfe and dye?O I am miserably lost; thus fallenInto my uncles hands, from all my hopes:No matter now, where thou be false or no,Goswin, whether thou love an other better;Or me alone; or where thou keep thy vow,And word, or that thou come, or stay: for ITo thee from henceforth, must be ever absent,And thou to me: no more shall we come neere,To tell our selves, how bright each other [B others] eyes were,How soft our language, and how sweet our kisses,Whil'st we made one our food, th'other our feast,Not mix our soules by sight, or by a letterHereafter, but as small relation have,As two new gon to in habiting a grave:Can I not thinke away my selfe and dye?l. 23. A and B] or a. l. 29. A and B] alone for any Farmers. l. 38. A and B] Will ye.
p. 272, l. 17. A and B give from That's well to Hub. (Char.). l. 27. B] to ye will.
p. 273, l. 32. B] those speciall.
p. 274, l. 12. A and B] your story. l. 33. A and B] Use my.
p. 275, l. 37. A and B] For your.
p. 276, l. 2. B] marrying her Sir. B omits at end of line] Sir.
p. 277, l. 19. A and B] to end my. l. 31. B omits] have.
