The Life of Sir John Oldcastle [8]
and a handsome woman that is his niece, that he says he has
some suit in law for; and as they go up & down to London,
sometimes they lie at my house.
HARPOOLE.
What, is he here in thy house now?
ALE MAN.
She is, sir. I promise you, sir, he is a quiet man; and because
he will not trouble too many rooms, he makes the woman lie
every night at his bed's feet.
HARPOOLE.
Bring her forth! Constable, bring her forth! let's see her, let's
see her.
ALE MAN.
Dorothy, you must come down to Master Constable.
DOLL.
Anon, forsooth.
[She enters.]
HARPOOLE.
Welcome, sweet lass, welcome.
DOLL.
I thank you, good Master serving-man, and master
Constable also.
HARPOOLE.
A plump girl by the mass, a plump girl! Ha, Doll, ha!
Wilt thou forsake the priest, and go with me?
CONSTABLE.
A! well said, Master Harpoole; you are a merry old man,
yfaith. Yfaith, you will never be old. Now, by the mack,
a pretty wench indeed!
HARPOOLE.
Ye old mad merry Constable, art thou advised of that. Ha,
well said, Doll! fill some ale here.
DOLL.
[Aside.] Oh, if I wist this old priest would not stick to me,
by Jove, I would ingle this old serving-man.
HARPOOLE.
Oh you old mad colt! yfaith, I'll feak you! fill all the pots in
the house there.
CONSTABLE.
Oh, well said, Master Harpoole! you are heart of oak when
all's done.
HARPOOLE.
Ha, Doll, thou hast a sweet pair of lips, by the mass.
DOLL.
Truly you are a most sweet old man, as ever I saw; by my
troth, you have a face, able to make any woman in love with you.
HARPOOLE.
Fill, sweet Doll; I'll drink to thee.
DOLL.
'I pledge you, sir, and thank you therefore,
And I pray you let it come.'
HARPOOLE.
[Embracing her.] Doll, canst thou love me? A mad merry
lass! would to God I had never seen thee!
DOLL.
I warrant you, you will not out of my thoughts this
twelvemonth; truly you are as full of favour, as a man may be.
Ah, these sweet grey locks! by my troth, they are most lovely.
CONSTABLE.
God boores, master Harpoole, I will have one buss too.
HARPOOLE.
No licking for you, Constable! hand off, hand off!
CONSTABLE.
Bur lady, I love kissing as well as you.
DOLL.
Oh, you are an odd boy; you have a wanton eye of your own!
ah, you sweet sugar lipped wanton, you will win as many
women's hearts as come in your company.
[Enter Priest.]
WROTHAM.
Doll, come hither.
HARPOOLE.
Priest, she shall not.
DOLL.
I'll come anon, sweet love.
WROTHAM.
Hand off, old fornicator.
HARPOOLE.
Vicar, I'll sit here in spite of thee. Is this fit stuff for a priest to
carry up and down with him?
WROTHAM.
Ah, sirra, dost thou not know that a good fellow parson may
have a chapel of ease, where his parish Church is far off?
HARPOOLE.
You whoreson stoned Vicar!
WROTHAM.
You old stale ruffin! you lion of Cotswold!
HARPOOLE.
Swounds, Vicar, I'll geld you!
[Flies upon him.]
CONSTABLE.
Keep the King's peace!
DOLL.
Murder! murder! murder!
ALE MAN.
Hold! as you are men, hold! for God's sake be quiet! Put up
your weapons; you draw not in my house.
HARPOOLE.
You whoreson bawdy priest!
WROTHAM.
You old mutton monger!
CONSTABLE.
Hold, sir John, hold!
DOLL.
[To the Priest.] I pray thee, sweet hear, be quiet. I was but
sitting to drink a pot of ale with him, even as kind a man as
ever I met with.
HARPOOLE.
Thou art a thief, I warrant thee.
WROTHAM.
Then I am but as thou hast been in thy days. Let's not be
ashamed of our trade; the King has been a thief himself.
DOLL.
Come, be quiet. Hast thou sped?
WROTHAM.
I have, wench: here be crowns, yfaith.
DOLL.
Come, let's be all friends then.
CONSTABLE.
Well said, mistress Dorothy, yfaith.
HARPOOLE.
Thou art the maddest priest that ever I met with.
WROTHAM.
Give me thy hand, thou art as good a fellow. I am a
singer, a drinker, a bencher, a wencher! I can say a
mass, and kiss a lass! Faith, I have a parsonage, and
because I would not be at too much charges, this wench
serves me for