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‹Better GutenbergThomas Heywood: PlaysScene II — Another Room in the Same · 107 of 122Contents›

Thomas Heywood: Plays

by Thomas Heywood

107 of 122 · Contents · Download EPUB

Scene II Another Room in the Same

Enter Clown and a Serving-man.

Clown.

Soft, soft; not too loud; imagine we were now going on the ropes with eggs at our heels; he that hath but a creaking shoe I would he had a crick in his neck; tread not too hard for disturbing56 Prince Sextus.

Serving-man.

I wonder the prince would ha’ none of us stay in his chamber and help him to bed.

Clown.

What an ass art thou to wonder! there may be many causes: thou know’st the prince is a soldier, and soldiers many times want shift: who can say whether he have a clean shirt on or no? for any thing that we know he hath used staves-acre57 o’ late, or hath ta’en a medicine to kill the itch. What’s that to us? we did our duty to proffer our service.

Serving-man.

And what should we enter farther into his thoughts? Come, shall’s to bed? I am as drowsy as a dormouse, and my head is as heavy as though I had a night-cap of lead on.

Clown.

And my eyes begin to glue themselves together. I was till supper was done altogether for your repast, and now after supper I am only for your repose: I think, for the two virtues of eating and sleeping, there’s never a Roman spirit under the cope of Heaven can put me down.

Enter Mirable.

Mirable.

For shame! what a conjuring and caterwauling keep you here, that my lady cannot sleep! you shall have her call by and by, and send you all to bed with a witness.

Clown.

Sweet Mistress Mirable, we are going.

Mirable.

You are too loud; come, every man dispose him to his rest, and I’ll to mine.

Serving-man.

Out with your torches.

Clown.

Come, then, and every man sneak into his kennel.

[Exeunt.

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