Act 5 — Scene I.[3144]
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Scene I.[3144]
Enter Merchant [Venturewell].
Vent. I will have no great store of company at the wedding; a couple of neighbours and their wives; and we will have a capon in stewed broth, with marrow, and a good piece of beef stuck with rosemary.5
Enter Jasper, his face mealed.
Jasp. Forbear thy pains, fond[3145] man! it is too late. Vent. Heaven bless me! Jasper! Jasp. Ay, I am his ghost, Whom thou hast injur’d for his constant love, Fond worldly wretch! who dost not understand In death that true hearts cannot parted be.10 First know, thy daughter is quite borne away On wings of angels, through the liquid air, To far out of thy reach, and never more Shalt thou behold her face: but she and I Will in another world enjoy our loves;15 Where neither father’s anger, poverty, Nor any cross that troubles earthly men, Shall make us sever our united hearts. And never shalt thou sit or be alone In any place, but I will visit thee20 With ghastly looks, and put into thy mind The great offences which thou didst to me. When thou art at thy table with thy friends, Merry in heart, and fill’d with swelling wine, I’ll come in midst of all thy pride and mirth,25 Invisible to all men but thyself, And whisper such a sad tale in thine ear Shall make thee let the cup fall from thy hand, And stand as mute and pale as death itself. Vent. Forgive me, Jasper! Oh, what might I do,30 Tell me, to satisfy thy troubled ghost? Jasp. There is no means; too late thou think’st of this. Vent. But tell me what were best for me to do? Jasp. Repent thy deed, and satisfy my father, And beat fond Humphrey out of thy doors. 35 Exit.
Wife. Look, George; his very ghost would have folks beaten.
Enter Humphrey.
Hum. Father, my bride is gone, fair Mistress Luce: My soul’s the fount of vengeance, mischief’s sluice. Vent. Hence, fool, out of my sight with thy fond passion!40 Thou hast undone me. [Beats him.] Hum. Hold, my father dear, For Luce thy daughter’s sake, that had no peer! Vent. Thy father, fool! There’s some blows more; begone.— [Beats him.] Jasper, I hope thy ghost be well appeas’d To see thy will perform’d. Now will I go45 To satisfy thy father for thy wrongs. Exit. Hum. What shall I do? I have been beaten twice, And Mistress Luce is gone. Help me, device! Since my true love is gone, I never more, Whilst I do live, upon the sky will pore;50 But in the dark will wear out my shoe-soles In passion[3146] in Saint Faith’s church under Paul’s. Exit.
Wife. George, call Ralph hither; if you love me, call Ralph hither: I have the bravest thing for him to do, George: prithee, call him quickly.
Cit. Ralph! why, Ralph, boy!56
Enter Ralph.
Ralph. Here, sir.
Cit. Come hither, Ralph; come to thy mistress, boy.
Wife. Ralph, I would have thee call all60 the youths together in battle-ray, with drums, and guns, and flags, and march to Mile-End in pompous[3147] fashion, and there exhort your soldiers to be merry and wise, and to keep their beards from burning, Ralph; and then65 skirmish, and let your flags fly, and cry, “Kill, kill, kill!” My husband shall lend you his jerkin, Ralph, and there ’s a scarf; for the rest, the house shall furnish you, and we’ll pay for ’t. Do it bravely, Ralph; and think before70 whom you perform, and what person you represent.
Ralph. I warrant you, mistress; if I do it not for the honour of the city and the credit of my master, let me never hope for75 freedom![3148]
Wife. ’Tis well spoken, i’ faith. Go thy ways; thou art a spark indeed.
Cit. Ralph, Ralph, double your files bravely, Ralph!80
Ralph. I warrant you, sir.
Exit.
Cit. Let him look narrowly to his service; I shall take him else. I was there myself a pikeman once, in the hottest of the day, wench; had my feather shot sheer away, the fringe of my pike burnt off with powder, my pate86 broken with a scouring-stick,[3149] and yet, I thank God, I am here.
Drum within.
Wife. Hark, George, the drums!
Cit. Ran, tan, tan, tan; ran, tan! Oh, wench, an thou hadst but seen little Ned of Aldgate,91 Drum Ned, how he made it roar again, and laid on like a tyrant, and then struck softly till the ward[3150] came up, and then thund’red again, and together we go! “Sa, sa, sa, bounce!”95 quoth the guns; “Courage, my hearts!” quoth the captains; “Saint George!” quoth the pikemen; and withal, here they lay, and there they lay: and yet for all this I am here, wench.100
Wife. Be thankful for it, George; for indeed ’t is wonderful.