A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 32

MIDO. And who shall lead you? I?

REBECCA. No, it is my office as long as I am by.

And I would all wives, as the world this day is, Would unto their husbands likewise do their office.

MIDO. Why, dame Rebecca, then all wedded men should be blind.

REBECCA. What, thou foolish lad, no such thing was in my mind.

ACTUS SECUNDI, SCAENA PRIMA.

RAGAN, _the servant of Esau_.

RAGAN. I have heard it oft, but now I feel a wonder, In what grievous pain they die, that die for hunger.

O my greedy stomach, how it doth bite and gnaw?

If I were at a rack, I could eat hay or straw.

Mine empty guts do fret, my maw doth even tear, Would G.o.d I had a piece of some horsebread here.

Yet is master Esau in worse case than I.

If he have not some meat, the sooner he will die: He hath sunk for faintness twice or thrice by the way, And not one seely bit we got since yesterday.

All that ever he hath, he would have given to-day To have had but three morsels his hunger to allay.

Or in the field to have met with some hogs; I could scarcely keep him from eating of these dogs.

He hath sent me afore some meat for to provide, And cometh creeping after, scarce able to stride.

But if I know where to get of any man, For to ease mine own self, as hungry as I am, I pray G.o.d I stink; but if any come to me, Die who die will; for sure I will first served be.

I will see, if any be ready here at home, Or whether Jacob have any, that peakish mome.

But first I must put all my dogs up, And lay up this gear, and then G.o.d send us the cup.

ACTUS SECUNDI, SCAENA SECUNDA.

ESAU, _the master_. RAGAN, _the servant_.

[_Esau cometh in so faint, that he can scarce go_.

ESAU. O, what a grievous pain is hunger to a man?

Take all that I have for meat, help who that can.

O Lord, some good body, for G.o.d's sake, give me meat.

I force not what it were, so that I had to eat.

Meat or drink, save my life--or bread, I reck not what: If there be nothing else, some man give me a cat.

If any good body on me will do so much cost, I will tear and eat her raw, she shall ne'er be rost; I promise of honesty I will eat her raw.

And what a noddy was I, and a wh.o.r.eson daw, To let Ragan go with all my dogs at once: A shoulder of a dog were now meat for the nonce.

O, what shall I do? my teeth I can scarcely charm From gnawing away the brawn of my very arm.

I can no longer stand for faint, I must needs lie.

And except meat come soon, remediless I die.

And where art thou, Ragan, whom I sent before?

Unless thou come at once, I never see thee more.

Where art thou, Ragan; I hear not of thee yet?

RAGAN. Here, as fast as I can, but no meat can I get.

Not one draught of drink, not one poor morsel of bread.

Not one bit or crumb, though I should straightway be dead.

Therefore ye may now see, how much ye are to blame, That will thus starve yourself for following your game.

ESAU. Ah, thou villain, tellest thou me this now?

If [I] had thee, I would eat thee, to G.o.d I vow.

Ah, meat, thou wh.o.r.eson, why hast thou not brought me meat?

RAGAN. Would you have me bring you that, I can nowhere get?

ESAU. Come hither, let me tell thee a word in thine ear.

RAGAN. Nay, speak out aloud: I will not come a foot near.

Fall ye to s.n.a.t.c.hing at folks? adieu, I am gone.

ESAU. Nay, for G.o.d's love, Ragan, leave me not alone: I will not eat thee, Ragan, so G.o.d me help.

RAGAN. No, I shall desire you to choose some other whelp.

Being in your best l.u.s.t, I would topple with ye, And pluck a good crow, ere ye brake your fast with me.

What? are you mankin[261] now? I reckon it best, I, To bind your hands behind you, even as ye lie.

ESAU. Nay, have mercy on me, and let me not perish.

RAGAN. In faith, nought could I get, wherewith you to cherish.

ESAU. Was there nothing to be had among so many?

RAGAN. I could not find one but Jacob that had any, And no grant would he make for ought that I could say, Yet no man alive with fairer words could him pray.

But the best red pottage he hath, that ever was.

ESAU. Go, pray him, I may speak with him once, ere I pa.s.s.

RAGAN. That message, by G.o.d's grace, shall not long be undone.

ESAU. Hie thee, go apace, and return again soon.

If Jacob have due brotherly compa.s.sion, He will not see me faint after this fas.h.i.+on; But I daresay, the wretch had rather see me throst, Than he would find in his heart to do so much cost.

For where is, between one fremman[262] and another, Less love found than now between brother and brother?

Will Jacob come forth to shew comfort unto me?

The wh.o.r.eson hypocrite will as soon hanged be.

Yet, peace, methinketh Jacob is coming indeed: And my mind giveth me at his hand I shall speed, For he is as gentle and loving as can be, As full of compa.s.sion and pity.

But let me see, doth he come? no, I warrant you.

He come, quod I? tush, he come? then hang Esau!

For there is not this day in all the world round Such another hodypeak wretch to be found, And Ragan my man, is not that a fine knave?

Have any mo masters such a man as I have?

So idle, so loit'ring, so trifling, so toying?

So prattling, so trattling, so chiding, so boying?

So jesting, so wresting, so mocking, so mowing?