pure rogues but if you come to our lib ken or our stalling ken you shall finde neither him nor mee a quire cuffin Mol. So sir no churle of you T. Cat. No but a ben caue a braue caue a gentry cuffin L. Nol. Call you this canting Iack. Dap. Zounds I 'le giue a schoolemaister halfe a crowne a week and teach mee this pedlers French Trap. Do but strowle sir halfe a haruest with vs sir and you shall gabble your belly-full Mol. Come you rogue cant with me T. Long Well sayd Mol cant with her sirra and you shall haue mony else not a penny Trap. I 'le haue a bout if she please Mol. Come on sirra Trap. Ben mort shall you and I heaue a booth mill a ken or nip a bung and then wee 'l couch a hogshead vnder the Ruffemans and there you shall wap with me I le niggle with you Mol. Out you damn'd impudent rascall Trap. Cut benar whiddes and hold your fambles and your stampes L Nol. Nay nay Mol why art thou angry what was his gibberish Mol. Marry this my Lord sayes hee Ben mort good wench shal you and I heaue a booth mill a ken or nip a bung shall you and I rob a house or cut a purse Omnes Very Good mans Mol. And then wee 'l couch a hogshead vnder the Ruffe And then wee 'l lie vnder a hedge Trap. That was my desire Captaine as 't is fit a souldier should lie Mol. And there you shall wap with mee and I 'le niggle with you and that 's all Sir Bewt. Nay nay Mol what 's that wap Iack. Dap. Nay teach mee what niggling is I 'de faine bee niggling Mol. Wapping and niggling is all one the rogue my man can tell you Trap. 'T is fadoodling if it please you Sir Bewt. This is excellent one fit more good Moll Mol. Come you rogue sing with me A gage of ben Rom-bouse In a bousing ken of Rom-vile T. Cat. Is Benar then a Caster Pecke pennam lay or popler Which we mill in deuse a vile Oh I wud lib all the lightmans The song Oh I woud lib all the darkemans By the sollamon vnder the Ruffemans By the sollamon in the Hartmans T. Cat. And scoure the Quire cramp ring And couch till a pallyard docked my dell So my bousy nab might skew rome bouse well Auast to the pad let vs bing Auast to the pad let vs bing Omnes Fine knaues i'faith Iack. Dap. The grating of ten new cart-wheeles and the gruntling of fiue hundred hogs cōming from Rumford market cannot make a worse noyse then this canting language does in my eares pray my Lord Noland let 's giue these souldiers their pay Sir Bewt. Agreed and let them march L. Nol. Heere Mol Mol. Now I see that you are stal'd to the rogue and are not ashamed of your professions looke you my Lord Noland heere and these Gentlemen bestowes vpon you two two boordes and a halfe that 's two shillings sixe pence Trap. Thankes to your Lordship T. Cat. Thankes heroicall Captaine Mol. Away Trap. Wee shall cut ben whiddes of your Maisters and Mistreship wheresoeuer we come Moll You 'l maintaine sirra the old Iustices plot to his face Trap. Else trine me on the cheats hang me Mol. Be sure you meete mee there Trap. Without any more maundring I 'le doo 't follow braue Tear-Cat Exeunt they two manet the rest T. Cat. I prae sequor let vs go mouse L. Nol. Mol what was in that canting song onely milke Mol. Troth my Lord onely a praise of good drinke the Which these wilde beasts loue to sucke and thus it was A rich cup of wine oh it is iuyce Diuine More wholesome for the head hen meate drinke or bread To fill my drunken pate with that I 'de sit vp late By the heeles wou'd I lie vnder a lowsy hedge die Let a slaue haue a pull at my whore so I be full Of that precious liquor And a parcell of such stuffe my Lord Not worth the opening Enter a Cutpurse very gallant with foure or fiue men after him one with a wand L. Nol. What gallant comes yonder T. Long Masse I thinke I know him 't is one of Cumberland 1 Cut. Shall we venture to shuffle in amongst yon heap of Gallants and strike 2 Cut. 'T is a question whether there bee any siluer shels amongst them for all their sattin outsides Omnes Let 's try Mol. Pox on him a gallant shaddow mee I know him 't is one that cumbers the land indeed if hee swimme neere to the shore of any of your pockets looke to your purses Omnes Is 't possible Mol. This braue fellow is no better then a foyst Omnes Foyst what 's that Mol. A diuer with two fingers a picke-pocket all his traine study the figging law that 's to say cutting of purses and foysting one of them is a nip I tooke him once i' the twopenny gallery at the Fortune then there 's a cloyer or snap that dogges any new brother in that trade and snappes will haue halfe in any booty Hee with the wand is both a stale whose office is to face a man i' the streetes whil'st shels are drawne by an other and then with his blacke coniuring rod in his hand he by the nimblenesse of his eye and iugling sticke will in cheaping a peece of plate at a goldsmithes stall make foure or fiue ringes mount from the top of his caduceus and as if it were at leape-frog they skip into his hand presently 2. Cut. Zounds wee are smoakt Omnes Ha 2. Cut. Wee are boyl'd pox on her see Moll the roaring drabbe 1. Cut. All the diseases of sixteene hospitals boyle her away Mol. Blesse you sir 1. Cut. And you good sir Mol. Do'st not ken mee man 1. Cut. No trust mee sir Mol. Heart there 's a Knight to whom I 'me bound for many fauours lost his purse at the last new play i' the Swanne seuen Angels in 't make it good you 'r best do you see no more 1. Cut. A Sinagogue shall be cal'd Mistresse Mary disgrace mee not pacus palabros I will coniure for you farewell Mol. Did not I tell you my Lord L. Nol. I wonder how thou cam'st to the knowledge of these nasty villaines T. Long And why doe the foule mouthes of the world call thee Mol cutpursse a name me thinkes damn'd and odious Mol. Dare any step forth to my face and say I haue tane thee doing so Mol I must confesse In younger dayes when I was apt to stray I haue sat amongst such adders seene their stings As any here might and in full play-houses Watcht their quicke-diuing hands to bring to shame Such rogues and in that streame met an ill name When next my Lord you spie any one of those So hee bee in his Art a scholler question him Tempt him with gold to open the large booke Of his close villanies and you your selfe shall cant Better then poore Mol can and know
more lawes Of cheaters lifters nips foysts puggards curbers Withall the diuels blacke guard then it is fit Should be discouered to a noble wit I know they haue their orders offices Circuits and circles vnto which they are bound To raise their owne damnation in Iack. Dap. How do'st thou know it Moll As you do I shew it you they to me show it Suppose my Lord you were in Venice L. Nol. Well Mol. If some Italian pander there would tell All the close trickes of curtizans would not you Hearken to such a fellow L. Nol. Yes Mol. And here Being come from Uenice to a friend most deare That were to trauell thither you would proclaime Your knowledge in those villanies to saue Your friend from their quicke danger must you haue A blacke ill name because ill things you know Good troth my Lord I am made Mol cut purse so How many are whores in small ruffes and still lookes How many chast whose names fill slanders bookes Were all men cuckolds whom gallants in their scornes Cal so we should not walke for goring hornes Perhaps for my madde going some reproue mee I please my selfe and care not else who loues mee Omnes A braue minde Mol i'faith T. Long Come my Lord shal 's to the Ordinary L. Nol. I 't is noone sure or to the world Mol. Good my Lord let not my name condemne me to you A fencer I hope may be cal'd a coward is he so for that If all that haue ill names in London were to be whipt ther And to pay but twelue pence a peece to the beadle I would ra Haue his office then a Constables Iack. Dap. So would I Captaine Moll 't were a sweete tickling office i'faith Exeunt Enter Sir Alexander Wengraue Goshawke and Greenewit and others Alex. My sonne marry a theefe that impudent girle Whom all the world sticke their worst eyes vpon Greene. How will your care preuent it Gosh. 'T is impossible They marry close thei 'r gone but none knowes whether Alex. Oh Gentlemen when ha's a fathers heart-strings Enter a seruant Held out so long from breaking now what newes sir Seruant They were met vppo' th water an houre since sir Putting in towards the Sluce Alex. The Sluce come Gentlemen 'T is Lambith workes against vs Greene. And that Lambith ioynes more mad matches then your sixe wet townes twixt that and Windsor-bridge where fares lye soaking Alex. Delay no time sweete Gentlemen to Blacke Fryars Wee 'l take a paire of Oares and make after 'em Enter Trapdore Trap. Your sonne and that bold masculine rampe My mistresse are landed now at Tower Alex. Hoyda at Tower Trap. I heard it now reported Alex. Which way Gentlemen shall I bestow my care I 'me drawne in peeces betwixt deceipt and shame Enter sir Fitz-Allard Fitz-Alla. Sir Alexander You 'r well met and most rightly serued My daughter was a scorne to you Alex. Say not so fir Fitz-All. A very abiect shee poore Gentlewoman Your house had bene dishonoured Giue you ioy sir Of your sons Gaskoyne-Bride you 'l be a Grandfather shortly To a fine crew of roaring sonnes and daughters 'T will helpe to stocke the suburbes passing well sir Alex. O play not with the miseries of my heart Wounds should be drest and heal'd not vext or left Wide open to the anguish of the patient And scornefull aire let in rather let pitty And aduise charitably helpe to refresh 'em Fitz-All. who 'd place his charity so vnworthily Like one that giues almes to a cursing beggar Had I but found one sparke of goodnesse in you Toward my deseruing child which then grew fond Of your sonnes vertues I had cased you now But I perceiue both fire of youth and goodnesse Are rak'd vp in the ashes of your age Else no such shame should haue come neere your house Nor such ignoble sorrowe touch your heart Alex. If not for worth for pitties sake assist mee Greene. You vrge a thing past sense how can he helpe you All his assistance is as fraile as ours Full as vncertaine where 's the place that holds 'em One brings vs water-newes then comes an other With a full charg'd mouth like a culuerins voyce And he reports the Tower whose sounds are truest Gosh. In vaine you flatter him sir Alexander Fitz-All. I flatter him Gentlemen you wrong mee grosly Greene, Hee doe's it well i'faith Fitz-All. Both newes are false Of Tower or water they tooke no such way yet plundges Alex. Oh strange heare you this Gentlemen yet more Fiz-Alla. Th' are neerer then you thinke for yet more close then if they were further off Alex. How am I lost in these distractions Fitz-Alla. For your speeches Gentlemen In taxing me for rashnesse fore you all I will engage my state to halfe his wealth Nay to his sonnes reuenewes which are lesse And yet nothing at all till they come from him That I could if my will stucke to my power Preuent this mariage yet nay banish her For euer from his thoughts much more his armes Alex. Slacke not this goodnesse though you heap vpon me Mountaines of malice and reuenge hereafter I 'de willingly resigne vp halfe my state to him So he would marry the meanest drudge I hire Greene. Hee talkes impossibilites and you beleeue 'em Fitz-Alla. I talke no more then I know how to finish My fortunes else are his that dares stake with me The poore young Gentleman I loue and pitty And to keepe shame from him because the spring Of his affection was my daughters first Till his frowne blasted all do but estate him In those possessions which your loue and care Once pointed out for him that he may haue roome To entertaine fortunes of noble birth Where now his desperate wants casts him vpon her And if I do not for his owne sake chiefly Rid him of this disease that now growes on him I 'le forfeit my whole state before these Gentlemen Greene. Troth but you shall not vndertake such matches Wee 'l perswade so much with you Alex. Heere 's my ring He will beleeue this token fore these Gentlemen I will confirme it fully all those lands My first loue lotted him he shall straight possesse In that refusall Fitz-All. If I change it not change mee into a beggar Green Are you mad sir Fitz-All. 'T is done Gosh. Will you vndoe your selfe by doing And shewe a prodigall tricke in your old daies Alex. 'T is a match Gentlemen Fitz-All. I I sir I I akse no fauour trust to you for none My hope rests in the goodnesse of your son Exit Fitz-Allard Greene. Hee holds it vp well yet Gosh. Of an old knight i'faith Alex. Curst be the time I laid his first loue barren Wilfully barren that before this houre Had sprung forth friutes of comfort and of honour He lou'd a vertuous Gentlewoman Enter Moll Gosh. Life heere 's Mol Green Iack Gosh. How dost thou Iacke Mol. How dost thou Gallant Alex. Impudence where 's my sonne Moll Weakensse go looke
The Roaring Girle OR Moll Cut-Purse As it hath lately beene Acted on the Fortune-stage by the Prince his Players Written by T. Middleton and T. Dekkar My case is alter'd I must worke for my liuing Printed at London for Thomas Archer and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head-pallace neere the Royall Exchange 1611 To the Comicke Play-readers Venery and Laughter THE fashion of play-making I can properly compare to nothing so naturally as the alteration in apparell For in the time of the Great-crop-doublet your huge bombasted plaies quilted with mighty words to leane purpose was onely then in fashion And as the doublet fell neater inuentions beganne to set vp Now in the time of sprucenes our plaies followe the nicenes of our Garments single plots quaint conceits letcherous iests drest vp in hanging sleeues and those are fit for the Times and the Tearmers Such a kind of light-colour Summer stuffe mingled with diuerse colours you shall finde this published Comedy good to keepe you in an afternoone from dice at home in your chambers and for venery you shall finde enough for sixepence but well coucht and you marke it For Venus being a woman passes through the play in doublet and breeches a braue disguise and a safe one if the Statute vnty not her cod-peece point The book I make no question but is fit for many of your companies as well as the person itselfe and may bee allowed both Gallery roome at the play-house and chamber-roome at your lodging worse things I must needs confesse the world ha's taxt her for then has beene written of her but 't is the excellency of a Writer to leaue things better then he finds 'em though some obscoene fellow that cares not what he writes against others yet keepes a mysticall baudy-house himselfe and entertaines drunkards to make vse of their pockets and vent his priuate bottle-ale at mid-night though such a one would haue ript vp the most nasty vice that euer hell belcht forth and presented it to a modest Assembly yet we rather wish in such discoueries where reputation lies bleeding a slackenesse of truth then fulnesse of slander THOMAS MIDDLETON Prologus A Play expected long makes the Audience looke For wonders that each Scoene should be a booke Compos'd to all perfection each one comes And brings a play in 's head with him vp he summes What he would of a Roaring Girle haue writ If that he findes not here he mewes at it Onely we intreate you thinke our Scoene Cannot speake high the subiect being but meane A Roaring Girle whose notes till now neuer were Shall fill with laughter our vast Theater That 's all which I dare promise Tragick passion And such graue stuffe is this day out of fashion I see attention sets wide ope her gates Of hearing and with couetous listning waites To know what Girle this Roaring Girle should be For of that Tribe are many One is shee That roares at midnight in deepe Tauerne bowles That beates the watch and Constables controuls Another roares i' th day time sweares stabbes giues braues Yet sells her soule to the lust of fooles and slaues Both these are Suburbe-roarers Then there 's besides A ciuill Citty Roaring Girle whose pride Feasting and riding shakes her husbands state And leaues him Roaring through an yron grate None of these Roaring Girles is ours shee flies VVith wings more lofty Thus her character lyes Yet what neede characters when to giue a gesse Is better then the person to expresse But would you know who 't is would you heare her name Shee is cal'd madde Moll her life our acts proclaime Dramatis Personae Sir Alexander Wentgrane and Neats-foot his man Sir Adam Appleton Sir Dauy Dapper Sir Bewteous Ganymed Lord Noland Yong Wentgrane Iacke Dapper and Gull his page Goshawke Grèenewit Luxton Tilt-yard Ciues Vxores Openworke Gallipot Mol the Roaring Girle Trapdoore Sir Guy Fitz-allard Mary Fitz-allard his daughter Curtilax a Sergiant and Hanger his Yeoman Ministri The Roaring Girle Act. 1. Scoe. 1. Enter Mary Fitz-Allard disguised like a sempster with a case for bands and Neatfoot a seruingman with her with a napkin on his shoulder and a trencher in his hand as from table Neatfoote THe yong gentleman our young maister Sir Alexanders sonne is it into his eares sweet Damsell embleme of fragility you desire to haue a message transported or to be transcendent Mary A priuate word or two Sir nothing else Neat. You shall fructifie in that which you come for your pleasure shall be satisfied to your full contentation I will fairest tree of generation watch when our young maister is erected that is to say vp and deliuer him to this your most white hand Mary Thankes sir Neat. And withall certifie him that I haue culled out for him now his belly is replenished a daintier bit or modicome then any lay vpon his trencher at dinner hath he notion of your name I beseech your chastitie Mary One Sir of whom he be spake falling bands Neat. Falling bands it shall so be giuen him if you please to venture your modesty in the hall amongst a curlepated company of rude seruingmen and take such as they can set before you you shall be most seriously and ingeniously welcome Mary I haue dyed indeed already sir Neat. Or will you vouchsafe to kisse the lip of a cup of rich Orleans in the buttry amongst our waiting women Mary Not now in truth sir Neat. Our yong Maister shall then haue a feeling of your being here presently it shall so be giuen him Exit Neatfoote Mary I humbly thanke you sir but that my bosome Is full of bitter sorrowes I could smile To see this formall Ape play Antick tricks But in my breast a poysoned arrow stickes And smiles cannot become me Loue wouen sleightly Such as thy false heart makes weares out as lightly But loue being truely bred i th the soule like mine Bleeds euen to death at the least wound it takes The more we quench this the lesse it slakes Oh me Enter Sebastian Wengraue with Neatfoote Seb. A Sempster speake with me saist thou Neat. Yes sir she 's there viua voce to deliuer her auricular confession Seb. With me sweet heart What i st Mary I haue brought home your bands sir Seb. Bands Neatfoote Neat. Sir Seb. Prithee look in for all the Gentlemen are vpon rising Neat. Yes sir a most methodicall attendance shall be giuen Seb. And dost heare if my father call for me say I am busy with a Sempster Neat. Yes sir hee shall know it that you are busied with a needle woman Seb. In 's eare good Neat-foote Neat. It shall be so giuen him Exit Neat-foote Seb. Bands y' are mistaken sweete heart I bespake none when where I prithee what bands let me see them Mary Yes sir a bond fast sealed with solemne oathes Subscribed vnto as I thought with your soule Deliuered as your deed in sight of heauen Is this bond canceld haue you forgot me
Seb. Ha! life of my life Sir Guy Fitz-Allards daughter What has transform'd my loue to this strange shape Stay make all sure so now speake and be briefe Because the wolfe 's at dore that lyes in waite To prey vpon vs both albeit mine eyes Are blest by thine yet this so strange disguise Holds me with feare and wonder Mary Mines a loathed sight Why from it are you banisht else so long Seb. I must cut short my speech in broken language Thus much sweete Moll I must thy company shun I court another Moll my thoughts must run As a horse runs that 's blind round in a Mill Out euery step yet keeping one path still Mary Vmh must you shun my company in one knot Haue both our hands by t'h hands of heauen bene tyed Now to be broke I thought me once your Bride Our fathers did agree on the time when And must another bed-fellow fill my roome Seb. Sweete maid le ts loose no time t is in heauens booke Set downe that I must haue thee an oath we tooke To keep our vowes but when the knight your father Was from mine parted stormes began to sit Vpon my couetous fathers brow which fell From them on me he reckond vp what gold This marriage would draw from him at which he swore To loose so much bloud could not grieue him more He then diswades me from thee cal'd thee not faire And askt what is shee but a beggars heire He scorn'd thy dowry of 5000 Markes If such a summe of mony could be found And I would match with that hee 'd not vndoe it Prouided his bags might adde nothing to it But vow'd if I tooke thee nay more did sweare it Saue birth from him I nothing should inherit Mary What followes then my ship-wracke Seb. Dearest no Tho wildly in a laborinth I go My end is to meete thee with a side winde Must I now saile else I no hauen can finde But both must sinke for euer There 's a wench Cal'd Mol mad Mol or merry Moll a creature So strange in quality a whole citty takes Note of her name and person all that affection I owe to thee on her in counterfet passion I spend to mad my father he beleeues I doate vpon this Roaring Girle and grieues As it becomes a father for a sonne That could be so bewitcht yet I le go on This croked way sigh still for her faine dreames In which I le talke onely of her these streames Shall I hope force my father to consent That heere I anchor rather then be rent Vpon a rocke so dangerous Art thou pleas'd Because thou seest we are way-laid that I take A path that 's safe tho it be farre about Mary My prayers with heauen guide thee Seb. Then I will on My father is at hand kisse and begon Howres shall be watcht for meetings I must now As men for feare to a strange I doll bow Mary Farewell Seb. I le guide thee forth when next we meete A story of Moll shall make our mirth more sweet Exeunt Enter Sir Alexander Wengraue Sir Dauy Dapper Sir Adam Appleton Goshake Laxton and Gentlemen Omnes Thanks good Sir Alexander for our bounteous cheere Alex. Fy fy in giuing thankes you pay to deare S. Dap. When bounty spreades the table faith t' were sinne at going of if thankes should not step in Alex. No more of thankes no more I mary Sir Th' inner roome was too close how do you like This Parlour Gentlmen Omnes Oh passing well Adam What a sweet breath the aire casts heere so coole Gosh. I like the prospect best Lax. See how t is furnisht S. Dap. A very faire sweete roome Alex. Sir Dauy Dapper The furniture that doth adorne this roome Cost many a faire gray groat ere it came here But good things are most cheape when th' are most deere Nay when you looke into my galleries How brauely they are trim'd vp you all shall sweare Y are highly pleasd to see what 's set downe there Stories of men and women mixt together Faire ones with foule like sun-shine in wet wether Within one square a thousand heads are laid So close that all of heads the roome seeemes made As many faces there fill'd with blith lookes Shew like the promising titles of new bookes Writ merily the Readers being their owne eyes Which seeme to moue and to giue plaudities And here and there whilst with obsequious eares Throng'd heapes do listen a cut purse thrusts and leeres With haukes eyes for his prey I need not shew him By a hanging villanous looke your selues may know him The face is drawne so rarely Then sir below The very flowre as t were waues to and fro And like a floating Iland seemes to moue Vpon a sea bound in with shores aboue Enter Sebastian and M. Greene-wit Omnes These sights are excellent Alex. I 'le shew you all Since we are met make our parting Comicall Seb. This gentleman my friend will take his leaue Sir Alex. Ha take his leaue Sebastian who Seb. This gentleman Alex. Your loue sir has already giuen me some time And if you please to trust my age with more It shall pay double interest Good sir stay Green I haue beene too bold Alex. Not so sir A merry day Mongst friends being spent is better then gold sau'd Some wine some wine Where be these knaues I keepe Enter three or foure Seruingmen and Neatfoote Neat. At your worshipfull elbow sir Alex. You are kissing my maids drinking or fast asleep Neat. Your worship has giuen it vs right Alex. You varlets stirre Chaires stooles and cushions pre'thee sir Dauy Dapper Make that chaire thine Sir Dap. T is but an easie gift And yet I thanke you for it sir I 'le take it Alex. A chaire for old sir Adam Appleton Neat. A backe friend to your worship Adam Mary good Neatfoot I thanke thee for it backe friends sometimes are good Alex. Pray make that stoole your pearch good M. Goshawke Gosh. I stoope to your lure sir Alex. Sonne Sebastian Take Maister Greenewit to you Seb. Sit deere friend Alex. Nay maister Laxton furnish maister Laxton With what he wants a stone a stoole I would say a stoole Laxton I had rather stand sir Exeunt seruants Alex. I know you had good M. Laxton So so Now here 's a messe of friends and gentlemen Because times glasse shall not be running long I 'le quicken it with a pretty tale Sir Dap. Good tales do well In these bad dayes where vice does so excell Adam Begin sir Alexander Alex. Last day I met An aged man vpon whose head was scor'd A debt of iust so many yeares as these Which I owe to my graue the man you all know Omnes His name I pray you sir Alex. Nay you shall pardon me But when he saw me with a sigh that brake Or seem'd to breake his heart-strings thus he spake Oh my good knight saies he and then his eies Were richer euen by that which