Examining of the general circumstance, And sure he will be here immediately. Mrs. Fra. You have half reviv'd me with the pleasing news: Raise me a little higher in my bed. Blush I not, brother Acton? blush I not, sir Charles ? Can you not read my fault writ in my cheek? Is not my crime there? tell me, gentlemen. Char. Alas! good mistress, sickness hath not left you Blood in your face enough to make you blush. Is Mrs. Fra. Then sickness like a friend my fault would hide. my husband come? my soul but tarries His arrival, then I am fit for heaven. Acton. I came to chide you, but my words of hate Are turn'd to pity and compassionate grief. I came to rate you, but my brawls, you see, Melt into tears, and I must weep by thee. Mr. Frankford enters. Fran. Good-morrow, brother; morrow, gentlemen : Might (had he pleas'd) have made our cause of meeting But he that made us, made us to this woe. Mrs. Fra. And is he come? methinks that voice 1 know. Fran. How do you, woman? Mrs. Fra. Well, mr. Frankford, well; but shall be better I hope within this hour. Will you vouchsafe (Out of your grace, and your humanity) To take a spotted strumpet by the hand? Fran. Fran. This hand once held my heart in faster bonds Mrs. Fra. Amen, amen. Out of my zeal to heaven, whither I'm now bound, And once more beg your pardon. Oh! good man, Pardon, O pardon me: my fault so heinous is, That kneel I cannot: but on my heart's knees me! Fran. As freely from the low depth of my soul As my Redeemer hath for us given his death, I pardon thee; I will shed tears for thee; Pray with thee: And, in mere pity of thy weak estate, I'll wish to die with thee. All. So do we all. Fran. Even as I hope for pardon at that day, Char. Then comfort, mistress Frankford; Then rouze your spirits, and cheer your fainting soul. Susan. How is it with you? Acton. How d'ye feel yourself? Mrs. Fra. Not of this world. Fran. I see you are not, and I weep to see it. My wife, the mother to my pretty babes; And And with this kiss I wed thee once again : Mrs. Fra. Pardon'd on earth, soul, thou in heaven art free Once more. Thy wife dies thus embracing thee. 13 43 Heywood is a sort of prose Shakspeare. His scenes are to the full as natural and affecting. But we miss the Poet, that which in Shakspeare always appears out and above the surface of the nature, Heywood's characters, his Country Gentlemen, &c. are exactly what we see (but of the best kind of what we see) in life. Shakspeare makes us believe, while we are among his lovely creations, that they are nothing but what we are familiar with, as in dreams new things seem old; but we awake, and sigh for the difference. THE ENGLISH TRAVELLER. HEYWOOD. BY THOMAS Young Geraldine comes home from his Travels, and finds his Playfellow, that should have been his Wife, married to old Wincott. The old Gentleman receives him hospitably, as a Friend of his Father's; takes delight to hear him tell of his Travels, and treats him in all respects like a second Father; his House being always open to him. Young Geraldine and the Wife agree not to wrong the old Gentleman. Wife. Geraldine. Ger. We now are left alone. Wife. Why, say we be; who should be jealous of us? This is not first of many hundred nights, That we two have been private, from the first Of our acquaintance; when our tongues but clipt Increast our sweet society. Since your travel, Ger. I must confess, It is in you, your noble courtesy ; Time, Time, place, or opportunity could tempt Ger. You deserve, "Even for his sake, to be for ever young; Wife. I know your meaning. It was once voic'd, that we two should have matcht; Which I protest was never wisht nor sought), Ger. In those times Of all the treasures of my hopes and love You were th' Exchequer, they were stored in you; Wife. Troth they had, I should have been your trusty Treasurer. Wife. If they should not, We might proclaim they were not charitable, Wife. As to one, That in my bosom hath a second place, Ger. That's the thing I crave, And only that; to have a place next him. Wife. Presume on that already, but perhaps You mean to stretch it further. Ger. |