Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ... Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

cch.kcl.ac.uk
from cch.kcl.ac.uk More from this publisher
13.07.2015 Views

270 XXIII. NICHOLAS UDALL.—!You ought' to make him an answere somewhat to hisminde.C. Ctistance. I sent him a full answere by you, dyd I not ?M. Mery. And I reported it.C. Custance. Nay, I must speake it againe.R, Royster. No, no, he tolde it all.M. Mery. Was I not metely plaine ?R. Royster. Yes.M. Mery. But I would not tell all, for faith, if I had,With you, dame Custance, ere this houre it had been bad.And not without cause : for this goodly personageMent no lesse than to ioyne with you in mariage. 25C, Custance. Let him wast no more labour nor sute aboutme.M, Mery. Ye know not where your preferment lieth, I see,He sending you such a token, ring, and letter.C. Custance. INIary here it is, ye neuer sawe a betterM. Mery. Let vs see your letter.C. Custance. Holde, reade it if ye can,And see what letter it is to winne a woman. \_Gives a letter^M, Mery. [reads'] ' To mine owne deare [darling] birde,swete heart, and pigsny,Good Mistresse Custance, present these by and by,'Of this superscription do ye blame the stile ?C. Custance. With the rest as good stuffe as ye redde agreat while. 35M. Mery. ' Sweete mistresse, where as I loue you nothingat all,Regarding your substance and richesse chiefe of all.For your personage, beautie, demeanour, and wit,I commende me vnto you neuer a whit.^ Old text ' not.'

XXIIL ROISTER DOISTER, III. 4. 27Sorie to heare report of your good welfare. 40For (as I heare say) suche your conditions are,That ye be worthie fauour of no lining man,To be abhorred of euery honest man ;To be taken for a woman enclined to vice ;Nothing at all to Vertue gyuing hir due price. 45Wherfore concerning mariage, ye are thoughtSuche a fine Paragon, as nere honest man bought.And nowe by these presentes I do you aduertiseThat I am minded to marrie you in no wise.For your goodes and substance, I can ^ bee contente 50To take you as ye are. If ye will ^ bee my wyfe,Ye shall be assured for the tyme of my lyfe,I will keepe you ^ ryght well from good rayment and fareYe shall not be kepte but in sorowe and care.Ye shall in no wyse lyue at your owne libertie, 55Doe and say what ye lust, ye shall neuer please me ;But when ye are mery, I will be all saddeWhen ye are sory, I will be very gladde.When ye seeke your heartes ease, I will be vnkinde.At no tyme in me shall ye muche gentlenesse finde. 60But allthings contrary to your will and mindeShall be done : otherwise I wyll not be behindeTo speake. And as for all them that woulde do you wrong,I will so helpe and mainteyne, ye shall not lyue long.Nor any foolish dolt shall cumbre you but I. 65I, who ere—say nay—wyll sticke by you tyll I die *.Thus, good mistresse Custance, the lorde you saue and kepeFrom me Roister Doister, whether I wake or slepeWho fauoureth you no lesse, (ye may be bolde)Than this letter purporteth, which ye haue vnfolde/ 70^ Old text' coulde'; but see p. 278. ^ Qld text ' mynde to'; cf. p. 278.3Old text ' you.' * This line is omitted here ; but see p. 278.

270 XXIII. NICHOLAS UDALL.—!You ought' <strong>to</strong> make him an answere somewhat <strong>to</strong> hisminde.C. Ctistance. I sent him a full answere by you, dyd I not ?M. Mery. And I reported it.C. Custance. Nay, I must speake it againe.R, Royster. No, no, he <strong>to</strong>lde it all.M. Mery. Was I not metely plaine ?R. Royster. Yes.M. Mery. But I would not tell all, for faith, if I had,With you, dame Custance, ere this houre it had been bad.And not without cause : for this goodly personageMent no lesse than <strong>to</strong> ioyne with you in mariage. 25C, Custance. Let him wast no more labour nor sute aboutme.M, Mery. Ye know not where your preferment lieth, I see,He sending you such a <strong>to</strong>ken, ring, and letter.C. Custance. INIary here it is, ye neuer sawe a betterM. Mery. Let vs see your letter.C. Custance. Holde, reade it if ye can,And see what letter it is <strong>to</strong> winne a woman. \_Gives a letter^M, Mery. [reads'] ' To mine owne deare [darling] birde,swete heart, and pigsny,Good Mistresse Custance, present <strong>the</strong>se by and by,'Of this superscription do ye blame <strong>the</strong> stile ?C. Custance. With <strong>the</strong> rest as good stuffe as ye redde agreat while. 35M. Mery. ' Sweete mistresse, where as I loue you nothingat all,Regarding your substance and richesse chiefe <strong>of</strong> all.For your personage, beautie, demeanour, and wit,I commende me vn<strong>to</strong> you neuer a whit.^ Old text ' not.'

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!