Two new playes ... written by Tho. Middleton, Gent.

Scaen. 2.

Enter Aurelia like a Gipsey.

Aur.

I'm happily escap'd, not one pursues me, This shape's too cunning for 'em; all the sport was

The Porter would needs know his fortune of me As I past by him: 'Twas such a plunge to me, I knew not how to bear my self; at last I did resolve of somewhat, look'd in's hand, Then shook my head, bad him make much on's eyes, He would lose his sight clean, long before he dies, And so away went I, he lost the sight of me quickly. I told him his fortune truer for nothing, then some Of my Complexion, that would have couzen'd him of his money. This is the place of meeting; where's this man now, That has took all this care and pains for nothing? The use of him is at the last cast now, Shall onely bring me to my former face again, And see me somewhat cleanlier at his cost, And then farewel Andrugio; when I am handsome I'm for another straight: I wonder troth That he would miss me thus, I could have took Many occasions besides this, to have left him, I'm not in want, he need not give me any; A womans will has still enough to spare To help her friends, and need be: What, not yet? What will become of me in this shape then? If I know where to go, I'm no dissembler; And I'll not lose my part in one woman so, For such a triffle, to forswear my self▪ But comes he not indeed?

Enter Dondolo.

Dond▪

Oh ex'lent, by this light here's one of them. I thank my Stars: I learnt that phrase in the Half-Moon Tavern. By your leave good Gipsey, I pray how far off is your company?

Aur.

Oh happiness! This is the merry Fellow My love Seignior Lactantio takes delight in;

I'll send him away speedily, with the news Of my so strange and fortunate escape, And he'll provide my safety at an instant. My friend, thou serv'st Seignior Lactantio.

Dond.

Who I serve? Gipsey, I scorn your moti∣on; and if the rest of your company give me no better words, I will hinder 'em the stealing of more Pully then fifty Poulterers were ever worth, and prove a heavier enemy to all their Pig-booties; they shall travel like Jews, that hate Swines flesh, and never get a Sowe by th'ear all their life time. I serve Lactantio? I scorn to serve any Body, I am more Gipsey-minded then so; though my face look of a Christian colour, if my belly were ript up, you shall finde my heart as black as any patch about you. The truth is, I am as arrant a theif, as the proudest of your company, I'll except none: I am run away from my Master in the state of a Fool, and till I be a perfect knave, I never mean to return again.

Aur.

I'm nev'r the happier for this Fortune now, It did but mock me.

Dond.

Here they come: Here they come.

Enter a company of Gipseys, Men and Women, with Booties of Hens, and Ducks, &c. singing.

Musick.

SONG.

Cap.

Come my dainty Doxes, My Dells, my Dells most deer. We have neither House nor Land, Yet never want good cheer.

All.

We never want good cheer▪

Cap.

We take no care for Candle, Rents,

2:

We lie.

3.

We snort.

Cap.

We sport in Tents. Then rouze betimes, and steal our dinners. Our store is never taken Without Pigs, Hens, or Bacon, And that's good meat for sinners▪ At Wakes and Fairs we cozen, Poor Country folks by dozen▪ If one have money, be disburses, Whilst some tell fortunes, some pick purses▪ Rather then be out of use We'll steal Garters, Hose, or Shoes, Boots, or Spurs with gingling Rowels, Shirts or Napkins, Smocks or Towels. Come live with us, come live with us, All you that love your eases; He that's a Gipsey, May be drunk or tipsey, At what hour he pleases.

All.

We laugh, we quaff, we roar, we scuffle. We cheat, we drab, we filtch, we shuffle.

Dond.

Oh sweet! they deserve to be hang'd for ravishing of me.

Aur.

What will become of me, if I seem fearful now, Or offer sudden flight? then I betray my self; I must do neither.

Cap. Gips.

Ousabel, camcheteroon, puscatelion, hows-drows.

2.

Rumbos stragadelion Alla piskitch in Sows-clows. Oh, Oh!

Dond.

Piskitch in howse-clout.

I shall nev'r keep a good tongue in my head, till I get this Language.

Cap.

Umbra fill kevolliden, magro-pye.

Dond.

He calls her Magot o' pie.

Aur.

I love your Language well, but understand it not.

Cap.

Hah.

Aur.

I am but lately turn'd to your profession, Yet from my youth, I ever lov'd it deerly, But never could attain to't: Steal I can; It was a thing I ever was brought up to, My Father was a Miller, and my Mother A Taylors widow.

Dond.

She's a theif on both sides.

Cap.

Give me thy hand, thou art no Bastard born, We have not a more true bred theif amongst us.

All.

Not any Captain.

Dond.

I pray take me into some grace amongst you too, for though I claim no goodness from my parents to help me forward into your Society, I had two Uncles that were both hang'd for robberies, if that will serve your turn, and a brave cut-purse to my Cozen-german: If kinred will be taken, I am as neer a kin to a theif as any of you that had Fathers and Mothers.

Cap.

What is it thou requirest, noble Cozen?

Dond.

Cozen! nay, and we be so near a kin al∣ready, now we are sober, we shall be sworn Brothers when we are drunk: The naked truth is Sir, I would be made a Gipsey as fast as you could devise.

Cap.

A Gipsey!

Dond.

I with all the speed you can Sir; the very sight of those stoln Hens, eggs me forward horri∣bly

Cap.

Here's dainty Ducks too Boy.

Dond.

I see 'em but too well; I would they were all rotten rosted, and stuft with Onions.

Cap.

Lov'st thou the common food of Eygpt, Onions?

Dond.

I, and Garlick too: I have smelt out many a Knave by't; but I could never smell mine own breath yet, and that's many a mans fault; he can smell out a Knave in another sometimes three yards off, yet his Nose standing so nigh his mouth, he can never smell out himself.

Cap.

A pregnant Gipsey.

All.

A most witty sinner.

Cap.

Stretch forth thy hand Coz; art thou for∣tunate?

Dond.

How? fortunate! nay, I cannot tell that my self; wherefore do I come to you but to learn that? I have sometimes found money in old shooes, but if I had not stoln more then I have found, I had had but a scurvy thin-cheek'd fortune on't.

Cap.

Here's a fair Table.

Dond.

I, so has many a man, that has given over house-keeping, a fair Table, when there's neither cloth, nor meat upon't.

Cap.

What a brave line of life's here, look you Gipseys.

Dond.

I have known as brave a live end in a halter.

Cap.

But thou art born to pretious fortune.

Dond.

The Devil I am.

Cap.

Bette, Bucketto.

Dond.

How, to beat Bucks?

Cap.

Stealee Bacono.

Dond.

Oh, to steal Bacon, that's the better fortune o'th' two indeed.

Cap.

Thou wilt be shortly Captain of the Gip∣seys.

Dond.

I would you'ld make me Corporal i'th' mean time; Or Standard-bearer to the Womens Regiment.

Cap.

Much may be done for love.

Dond.

Nay here's some money: I know an Of∣fice comes not all for love; a Pox of your Lime∣twigs, you hav't all already.

Gap.

It lies but here in cash for thine own use Boy.

Dond.

Nay an't lie there once, I shall hardly come to the fingring on't in haste; yet make me an apt Scholler, and I care not: Teach me but so much Gipsey, to steal as much more from another, and the Devil do you good of that.

Cap.

Thou shalt have all thy heart requires: First, here's a Girl for thy desires, This Doxey fresh, this new come Dell Shall lie by thy sweet side and swell: Get me Gipseys brave and tauny; With Cheek full plump, and Hip full brauny. Look you prove industrious dealers To serve the Commonwealth with stealers, That th'unhous'd race of Fortune-tellers May never fail to cheat Town-dwellers; Or to our universal grief, Leave Country Fairs without a Theif. This is all you have to do, Save ev'ry hour a filch or two, Be it money, cloth or pullen, When the ev'nings browe looks sullen. Loose no time, for then 'tis pretious, Let your sleights be fine, facetious; Which hoping you'll observe, to try thee With rusty Bacon, thus I Gipsifie thee.

Dond.

Do you use to do't with Bacon.

Cap.

Evermore:

Dond.

By this light, the Rats will take me now for some Hogs Cheek, and eat up my face when I am asleep; I shall have nev'r a bit left by to morrow morning; and lying open mouth'd as I use to do, I shall look for all the world like a Mouse-trap baited with Bacon.

Cap.

Why here's a face like thine, so done, Onely grain'd in by the Sun, and this, and these.

Dond.

Faith, then there's a company of Bacon faces of you, and I am one now to make up the number: We are a kinde of conscionable people, and 'twere well thought upon for to steal Bacon, and black our faces with't; Tis like one that commits sin, and writes his faults in his forehead.

Cap.

Wit whether wilt thou?

Dond.

Marry to the next pocket I can come at; and if it be a Gentlemans, I wish a whole quarters rent in't: Is this my in dock, out nettle. What's Gipsey for her?

Cap.

Your doxey she.

Dond.

Oh right, are you my doxey sirra.

Aur.

I'll be thy doxey, and thy dell. With thee I'll live, for thee I'll steal: From Fair to Fair, from Wake to Wake, I'll ramble still for thy sweet sake.

Dond.

Oh dainty fine doxey; she speaks the Lan∣guage as familiarly already, as if sh'ad been begot of a Canter. I pray Captain, what's gipsey for the hind quarter of a Woman?

Cap.

Nosario.

Dond▪

Nosario: Why what's gipsey for my Nose then?

Cap.

Why Arsinio.

Dond.

Arsinio? Faith 'me thinks you might have devised a sweeter word for't.

Enter Father and Governor.

Cap.

Stop, stop, fresh booties, Gentle folks, Seignioroes, Calavario, Fulkadelio.

2 Gip.

La gnambrol a tumbrel.

Dond.

How: Give me one word amongst you, that I may be doing too.

Aur.

Yonder they are again, Oh guiltiness, Thou put'st more trembling fear into a Maid Then the first wedding night. Take courage wench Thy face cannot betray thee with a blush now.

Fath.

Which way she took her flight Sir, none can ghess, Or how she scap't:

Govern.

Out at some Window certainly.

Fath.

Oh 'tis a bold daring Baggage.

Govern.

See good fortune Sir, The Gipseys, they're the cunningst people living.

Fath.

They cunning? what a confidence have you Sir, No wiseman's faith was ever set in fortunes.

Govern.

You are the wilfulst man against all learn∣ing still: I will be hang'd now, if I hear not news of her a∣mongst this company.

Fath.

You are a Gentleman of the flatt'ring'st hopes That ev'r lost woman yet.

Govern.

Come hither Gipsey.

Aur.

Luck now, or I'm undone,—What says my Master, Bless me with a silver cross, And I will tell you all your loss.

Govern.

Lo you there Sir, all my loss, at first word too,

There is no cunning in these Gipseys now.

Fath

Sure I'll hear more of this.

Govern.

Here's silver for you.

Aur.

Now attend your fortunes story, You lov'd a Maid.

Govern.

Right.

Aur.

She never lov'd you. You shall finde my words are true.

Govern.

'Mass I am afraid so.

Aur.

You were about To keep her in, but could not do't. Alas the while she would not stay The cough o'th' Lungs blew her away; And which is worse, you'll be so crost, You'll never finde the thing that's lost; Yet oftentimes your sight will fear her, She'll be near you, and yet you nev'r the nearer. Let her go, and be the gladder; She'ld but shame you, if you had her. Ten Counsellors could never school her, She'is so wilde, you could not rule her.

Govern.

In troth I am of thy minde, yet Il'ld fain finde her.

Aur.

Soonest then, when you least minde her; But if you mean to take her tripping, Make but haste, she's now a shipping.

Govern.

I ever dreamed so much.

Fath.

Hie to the Key, We'll mar your voyage, you shall brook no Sea.

Exit Father and Governor.

Cap.

Cheteroon: High Gulleroon▪

Dond.

Filcheroon, pursse-fulleroon: I can say some∣what too.

All.

Excellent Gipsey, witty rare Doxey:

Dond.

I would not change my Dell for a dozen of black Bell-weathers.

Cap.

Our wealth swells high my Boys.

Dond.

Our wealth swells high my Boys.

Cap.

Let ev'ry Gipsey Dance with his Doxey, And then drink, drink for joy.

Dond.

Let ev'ry Gipsey Dance with his Doxey, And then drink, drink for joy:

All.

And then drink, drink for joy.

Exit with a strange wilde fashion'd dance to the Hoboys or Cornets.