O, I could beat my
infinite
blocke-head--!
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
ING. The foole's in ? ight, _Dottrel_.
MER. Away, then. 70
[515] SD. om. G
[516] 1 't] it G
[517] 3 t'] 't 1716, W it G
[518] 6 he's 1692, f.
[519] 7 want] have 1641
[520] 11 SN. om. G
[521] 12 () ret. G
[522] 17 you to go 1716, W
[523] 35 _Provedore_ 1716 provedore W provedore G
[524] 43 Usher 1716 usher W, G
[525] 47 Sometime 1692, 1716, W
[526] 55 EV. ] _Meer. _ 1716, f.
[527] 59 is hee] he is W, G
[528] 62, 65 () ret. G
[529] 70 [_Exeunt Engine and Wittipol. _ G
ACT. IIJ. SCENE. V.
MERE-CRAFT. FITZ-DOTTREL. PVG.
Return'd ? o ? oone?
FIT. Yes, here's the ring: I ha' ? eal'd.
But there's not ? o much gold in all the row, he ? aies--
Till't come fro' the Mint. 'Tis tane vp for the game? ters.
MER. There's a ? hop-? hift! plague on 'hem.
FIT. He do's ? weare it.
MER. He'll ? weare, and for? weare too, it is his trade, 5
You ? hould not haue left him.
FIT. S'lid, I can goe backe,
And beat him, yet.
MER. No, now let him alone.
FIT. I was ? o earne? t, after the maine _Bu? ine? ? e_,
To haue this ring, gone.
MER. True, and 'tis time.
I'haue learned, Sir, ? in' you went, her _Ladi-? hip_ eats 10
With the _Lady Tail-bu? h_, here, hard by.
FIT. I' the lane here?
MER. Yes, if you'had a ? eruant, now of prefence,
Well cloth'd, and of an aery voluble tongue,
Neither too bigge, or little for his mouth,
That could deliuer your wiues complement; 15
To ? end along withall.
FIT. I haue one Sir,
A very hand? ome, gentleman-like-fellow,
That I doe meane to make my _Dutche? ? e V? her_--
I entertain'd him, but this morning, too:
I'll call him to you. The wor? t of him, is his name! 20
MER. She'll take no note of that, but of his me? ? age. [139]
_Hee ? hewes him his_ Pug.
FIT. _Diuell! _ How like you him, Sir. Pace, go a little.
Let's ? ee you moue.
MER. He'll ? erue, S^r, giue it him:
And let him goe along with mee, I'll helpe
To pre? ent him, and it.
FIT. Looke, you doe ? irah, 25
Di? charge this well, as you expect your place.
Do'you heare, goe on, come off with all your honours.
_Giues him in? tructions. _
I would faine ? ee him, do it.
MER. Tru? t him, with it;
FIT. Remember ki? ? ing of your hand, and an? wering
With the _French_-time, in flexure of your body. 30
I could now ? o in? truct him--and for his words--
MER. I'll put them in his mouth.
FIT. O, but I haue 'hem
O' the very _Academies_.
MER. Sir, you'll haue v? e for 'hem,
Anon, your ? elfe, I warrant you: after dinner,
When you are call'd.
FIT. S'light, that'll be iu? t _play_-time. 35
_He longs to ? ee the_ play.
It cannot be, I mu? t not lo? e the _play_!
MER. Sir, but you mu? t, if ? he appoint to ? it.
And, ? hee's pre? ident.
FIT. S'lid, it is the _Diuell_.
_Becau? e it is the_ Diuell.
MER. And, 'twere his Damme too, you mu? t now apply
Your ? elfe, Sir, to this, wholly; or lo? e all. 40
FIT. If I could but ? ee a piece--
MER. S^r. Neuer think on't.
FIT. Come but to one act, and I did not care--
But to be ? eene to ri? e, and goe away,
To vex the Players, and to puni? h their _Poet_--
Keepe him in awe!
MER. But ? ay, that he be one, 45
Wi' not be aw'd! but laugh at you. How then?
FIT. Then he ? hall pay for his'dinner him? elfe.
MER. Perhaps,
He would doe that twice, rather then thanke you.
Come, get the _Diuell_ out of your head, my _Lord_,
(I'll call you ? o in priuate ? till) and take 50
Your _Lord-? hip_ i' your minde. You were, ? weete _Lord_,
_He puts him in mind of his quarrell. _
In talke to bring a _Bu? ine? ? e_ to the _Office_.
FIT. Yes.
MER. Why ? hould not you, S^r, carry it o' your ? elfe,
Before the _Office_ be vp? and ? hew the world,
You had no need of any mans direction; 55
In point, Sir, of ? ufficiency. I ? peake
Again? t a kin? man, but as one that tenders
Your graces good.
FIT. I thanke you; to proceed--
MER. To _Publications_: ha' your _Deed_ drawne pre? ently.
And leaue a blancke to put in your _Feoffees_ 60
One, two, or more, as you ? ee cau? e--
FIT. I thank you
Heartily, I doe thanke you. Not a word more,
I pray you, as you loue mee. Let mee alone.
That I could not thinke o' this, as well, as hee?
O, I could beat my infinite blocke-head--! 65
_He is angry with him? elfe. _
MER. Come, we mu? t this way.
PVG. How far is't.
MER. Hard by here
Ouer the way. Now, to atchieue this ring,
From this ? ame fellow, that is to a? ? ure it; [140]
_He thinkes how to coozen the bearer, of the ring. _
Before hee giue it. Though my _Spani? h Lady_,
Be a young Gentleman of meanes, and ? corne 70
To ? hare, as hee doth ? ay, I doe not know
How ? uch a toy may tempt his _Lady-? hip_:
And therefore, I thinke be? t, it be a? ? ur'd.
PVG. Sir, be the _Ladies_ braue, wee goe vnto?
MER. O, yes.
PVG. And ? hall I ? ee 'hem, and ? peake to 'hem? 75
MER. What el? e? ha' you your fal? e-beard about you? _Traines. _
_Questions his man. _
TRA. Yes.
MER. And is this one of your double Cloakes?
TRA. The be? t of 'hem.
MER. Be ready then. Sweet _Pitfall_!
[530] SD. ACT. . . . ] _Re-enter_ FITZDOTTREL. G
[531] 3 Till it G || from G?
[532] 8 comma after 'earnest' om. 1716, f.
[533] 9 it is W, G
[534] 10 since G
[535] 14 or] nor W, G
[536] 21, 27, 35 SN. om. G
[537] 22 Devil! --_Enter_ PUG. G
[538] 27 Do'you] D'you 1692, 1716, W
[539] 30 in] and W, G
[540] 31 now] not 1641
[541] 38 she is W, G
[542] 39 And,] An G
[543] 38, 51 SN. om. G
[544] 47 Then] That 1692, 1716 || for's 1692, f.
[545] 50 () ret. G
[546] 53 o'] on G
[547] 59 publication G
[548] 60 leave me a 1692, 1716, W
[549] 65 SN. ] [_Exeunt. _ SCENE II. _The Lane near the Lady_
Tailbush's _House. Enter_ MEERCRAFT _followed by_ PUG. G
[550] 67 way. [_They cross over. _] G
[551] 68 SN. om. G || is] is, W, G
[552] 73 [_Aside. _ G
[553] 76 else? _Enter_ TRAINS. || SN. om. G
[554] 78 then. [_Exeunt. _ SCENE III. _A Hall in Lady_ Tailbush's
_House_. _Enter_ MEERCRAFT _and_ PUG, _met by_ PITFALL. G
ACT. IIJ. SCENE. VI.
MERE-CRAFT. PITFALL. PVG.
TRAINES.
Come, I mu? t bu? ? e--
_Offers to ki? ? e. _
PIT. Away. MER. I'll ? et thee vp again.
Neuer feare that: can? t thou get ne'r a bird?
No _Thru? hes_ hungry? Stay, till cold weather come,
I'll help thee to an _Ou? ell_, or, a _Field-fare_.
Who's within, with Madame?
PIT. I'll tell you straight. 5
_She runs in, in ha? te: he followes. _
MER. Plea? e you ? tay here, a while Sir, I'le goe in.
PVG. I doe ? o long to haue a little venery,
While I am in this body! I would ta? t
Of euery ? inne, a little, if it might be
After the m? ner of man! _Sweet-heart! _
PIT. What would you, S^r? 10
Pug _leaps at_ Pitfall's _comming in_.
PVG. Nothing but fall in, to you, be your Black-bird,
My pretty pit (as the Gentleman ? aid) your _Thro? tle_:
Lye tame, and taken with you; here'is gold!
To buy you ? o much new ? tuffes, from the ? hop,
As I may take the old vp--
TRA. You mu? t send, Sir. 15
The Gentleman the ring.
Traine's _in his fal? e cloak, brings a fal? e
me? ? age, and gets the ring_.
PVG. There 'tis. Nay looke,
Will you be fooli? h, _Pit_.
PIT. This is ? trange rudene? ? e.
PVG. Deare _Pit_.
PIT. I'll call, I ? weare.
Mere-craft _followes pre? ently, and askes for it_.
MER. Where are you, S^r?
Is your ring ready? Goe with me.
PVG. I ? ent it you.
MER. Me? When? by whom?
PVG. A fellow here, e'en now, 20
Came for it i' your name.
MER. I ? ent none, ? ure.
My meaning euer was, you ? hould deliuer it,
Your ? elfe: So was your Ma? ters charge, you know.
_Ent. _ Train's _as him? elfe againe_.
What fellow was it, doe you know him?
PVG. Here,
But now, he had it.
MER. Saw you any? _Traines_? 25
TRA. Not I.
PVG. The Gentleman ? aw him.
MER. Enquire.
