FRANK

Stay there my horse: Whence comes this echo of extremity? What do I hear, a virgin call for help? Hands off dam'nd villains, or by heaven I swear, I'll send you all to hell. Fight and driven them away. Now you distressed objects, do you tell Upon what mount of woe your sorrows dwell. How, love! why whats that love? And be overcome by him! plagued by him! Driven into dumps by him! put down by a boy! Mastered by love! Oh, I am mad for anger: By a Boy! is there no rosemary and bays in England To whip the Ape? by a boy! Whats here, Phillis and love, and love and Phillis : I have seen Phillis, and have herd of love; I will see Phillis, and will hear of love: But neither Phillis, nor the power of love, Shall make me bondslave to a woman's beck. Who's here, my second brother malcontent? I'll stand aside and note his passion. More lovers yet! what the devil is this love? What brother Anthony, at prayers so hard? Tell me what saint it is thou invocates? Is it a male, or female? howsoever, God bless thee brother, th'art in a good mind, But now I remember me, thy saint is blind. I brother, blind, I herd thee talk of love, And love is blind they say. A voluntary motion of delight, Touching the superficies of the soul; A substance less divine then is the soul, Yet more then any other power in man Is that which loves, yet neither is enforced, Nor does enforce the heart of man to love: Which motion as it unbeseems a man, So by the soul and reason which adorn, The life of man it is extinguished, Even at his pleasure that it does possess. 'Tis true, before God it is, and now me thinks, My heart begins to pity hearts in love: Say once more, Anthony, tell me thy griefs, Let me have feeling of my passion, Possess me deeply of thy melting state, And thou shalt see. No by my troth, if every tale of love, Or love it self, or fool-bewitching beauty, Make me crosse-arme my self; study ay-mees; Defy my hatband; tread beneath my feet Shoestrings and garters; practice in my glass Distressed looks, and dry my liver up, With sighs enough to win and argosy. If ever I turn thus fantastical, Love plague me, never pity me at all. What? Phillis, the fair maid of the Exchange? Is she God Cupid's judge over men's hearts? Brother, isle have one venny with her tongue, To breathe my wit, and jest at passion: By your leave Mistress Flower. I prithee tell me Phillis, I hear say, Thou keepest love captive in thy maiden thoughts. But shall I know it? May not your friend command as great a matter? Why, I hope you know me. The gods of Love that sits above, and pity Lovers pain, Look from your thrones upon the mones, that I do now sustain. Was euerman thus tormented with love? You little birds that fit and sing Amid the shady valleys, And see how Phillis sweetly walks Within her Garden alleys; Go pretty birds about her bower, Sing pretty birds she may not lower, Ah me, me thinks I see her frown You pretty wantons warble. Go tell her through your chirping bills, As you by me are bidden, To her is only known my love, Which from the world is hidden: Go pretty birds and tell her so, See that your notes strain not too low, For still me think I see her frown, You pretty wantons warble. Go tune your voices harmony, And sing I am her Lover; Strain loud and sweet, that every note, With sweet content may move her: And she that hath the sweetest voice, Tell her I will not change my choice, Yet still me thinks I see her frown, You pretty wantons warble. Oh fly, make haste, see, see she falls Into a pretty slumber, Sing round about her rosy bed That waking she may wonder, Say to her, 'tis her lover true, That sends love to you to you: And when you hear her kind reply, Return with pleasant warblings. Avant delusion, thoughts cannot win my love; Love, though divine, cannot divine my thoughts: Why to the air then do I idle here Such heedless words far off, and never the near; High thee young Frank, to her that keeps thy heart, There let sweet words they sweeter thoughts impart. But stay; here comes my melancholy brother's both, I'll step aside, and hear their conference. Exit aside. Brother, say on. Sblood, and I thought you did not, Idem retire: Brother you know, I love you as my life. By the read lip of that dainty saint, I'll aid thee all I may. Now fortune be my guide, this is the shop; And in good time the Cripple is at work: God speed you sir. I would entreat you read a letter for me. I know you do Cripple, better then you think. Sir, a Gentleman of good learning, and my friend; To say the truth, was written for my self, Being somewhat overtaken with found love, As many men be sir. Trusty John men call me sir. Nay then I see I must disclose my self: Sir, might I built upon your secrecy, I would disclose a secret of import. Sayest thou me so friend, for that very word My life is thine, command my hand and sword. I'll arm my self with flouts and cruelty. Will you so Phillis, what a state am I in? Why I of all am furthest from her love: Sblood, if I now should take conceit at this, Fallen sick with love indeed, were not my state Most lamentable? I by this hand were it: Well heart, if thou wilt yield, look to thy self, Thou wilt be tortured, well what remedy. Here comes my brother Anthony, I am for him. I too late, to my grief, Spoke with her, sir, I'faith I think I have; Here's a letter for you, and by that You shall be judge if I did speak with her; Now Cripple, shall we prove your learned wit? You have your answer, and a kind one too; Cripple isle make thee chrutches of pure silver For this devise, thou hast a golden wit; Now if my brother Ferdinand were here To read his absolution, here he comes. Brother. Farewell poor tortured heart; was ever known Two loving brother's in such misery? Let me consider of my own estate: What profit do I reap by this delusion? Why none; I am as far from Phillis heart As when she first did wound me with her eyes: Cripple, to thee I come, 'tis thou must be My counsellor in this extremity. Exit. For which my love to thee shall never end. Yea Mistress Flower, it is finished. Fair Mistress Phillis, such wanton toys as these, Are for young Novices that will soon be pleased, The careful thoughts that hammer in my brain, Bid me abandon wanton love; 'tis vain. Is my vngarnishd, dark, and obscure Cell, A mansion fit for all-commanding love? No, if thou wilt sport with love, And dally with that wanton amorous boy; High thee unto the odoriferous groves. Forbear, forbear, admit that I should yield: Think you, your father would applaud your choice. Now to employ the virtue of my shape: Fair mistress, If heretofore I have remorseless been, And not esteemed your undeserved love, Whereby in the glass of your affection I see my great unkindness; forgine what's passed, And here I proffer all the humble service Your High prizde love does merit at my hands, Which I confess is more then I unable Can gratify: therefore command my toil, My travel, yea, my life to pleasure you. That foolish boy may chance prove to be witty: What, and the elder brother's fools? O ti's pity! What are you cursing too? then we catch no fish: Comes there any more, heeres two Snights to a dish. Well, to her both, both do the best you can; I fear young Frank will prove the happier man. What, you repulsed too? Phillis is too unkind. I take thy offering, And for the gift you gave to me, take this, And let us seal affection with a kiss. Now gentlemen, please you draw near and listen to the Cripple. Know you that letter? sir, what say you to this? So, vomit forth the rhume of all your spite, These threats of yours procure me more delight. I will assail with expedition. Well, I will go, but not in this disguise; Arm thee with policy Frank, Frank must be wise: Now would the substance of this borrowed shape Were here in presence, and see where he comes, Poor in the well framed limbs of nature, but Rich in kindness beyond comparison. Welcome deer friend, the kindest soul alive, Here I resign thy habit back again, Whereby I prove the happiest man that breathes. Hark, I will tell thee all: Whisper in private. I thank you, when I leave to love my wife, Heaven hasten death and take away my life. Were he the devil, thou shalt not budge a foot. Fear not deer heart. Dear heart, revoke these words, Here are no spirits nor deformities, I am a counterfeit Cripple now no more, But young Frank Golaing. as I was before: Amaze not love, nor seem not discontent, Nor thee nor him shall ever this repent. But I did for you both; I was your Scribe, The while you went to see your house a fire: And you (as I remember) I did send, To see your sister drowned at Londonbridge. Why brother's, she's mine by her father's gift. Thy life, thy love, thy self, and all for me, For if I want but one, I then want thee. I ask but all for I deserve no more. By heaven, I ask no more: Brother's, have done, and Dad to end all strife, Come take her hand and give her for my wife. Wilt thou not tell me (brother Ferdinand ) Now by this light I'll haunt thee Like a sprite, Until I know whence springs this melancholy. Well, if you do not, you shall before I stir. Know you yonder lump of melancholy, Yonder bundle of sighs yonder would of groans, The same and I were chickens of one brood, And if you know him, as I am sure you do, Being his brother, you needs must know me too. Hark you fair maid, are you a Surgeon? I prithee give my brother Anthony Somewhat to heal the love soar of his mind, And yet 'tis pity that he should have help: A man as free as air, or the Suns rays, As boundless in his function as the heavens, The male and better partly of flesh and blood, In whom was powrde the quintessence of reason, To wrong the adoration of his Maker, By worshipping a wanton female skirt, And making Love his Idol: fie dotard, fie, I am ashamed of this apostasy, I'll talk with her to hinder his complaints. Phillis, a word in private ere you go, I love ye sweet. Sour, and sweet; faith that does scarce agree. I, but thou canst not weep. How say you? come brother, now to your partly. I am not well, and yet I am not ill, I am, what am I? not in love I hope? In love! let me examine my self, who should I love? who did I last converse with, with Phillis: why should I love Phillis? is she fair? faith so so: her forehead is pretty, somewhat re sembling the forehead of the sign of the maiden head in, &c. Whats her hair? faith to Bandora wiars, theres not the Like simile: is it likely yet that I am in love? Whats next? her cheeks, they have a reasonable scarlet, never a Diars daughter in the town goes beyond her. Well, yet I am not in love. Nay, she hath a mole in her cheek too: Venus mole was not more natural; but what of that, I am Adonis, and will not love. Good Venus pardon me. Let us descend: her chin, Oh Helen, Helen, where your dimple Helen? it was your dimple that bewitched Paris, and without your dimple I will not love you Helen, No, yet I am safe. Her hand, lets handle that, I saw her hand, and it was lily white, I touched her palm, and it was soft and smooth: and then what then? her hand did then bewitch me, I shall be in love now out of hand. In love! shall I that ever yet have profaned love, now fallen to worship him? Shall I that have jested at lovers sighs now raise whirl winds? shall I that have flouted ay-mees once a quarter, now practice ay-mees every minute? shall I de fie hatbands, and tread garters and shoestrings under my feet? shall I fallen to falling bans and be a ruffian no longer? I must; I am now liege man to Cupid, and have read all these informations in his book of statutes, the first chapter, page millesimo nono, therefore, hatband avaunt, ruff regard your self, garters adue, shoestrings so and so; I am a poor en amorate, and enforcde with the Poet to say, Love overcomes all, and I that love obey. Exit. Brother, 'tis a base task, by this light, But to procure a further force of love, I'll doot, i'faith I will sweet Ferdinand, About it then, provide thee some disguise, But see you stay not long in any wise, Here shall you find me, go, dispatch. Mean time isle cross your love and if I can. Heeres no villainy betwixt us three brother's: My brother Ferdinand he would have the wench, And Anthony he Hope's to have her too: Then what may I? faith hope well, as they do. Neither of them know that I love the Maid; Yet by this hand I am half mad for love. I know not well what love is, but 'tis sure, I'll die if I have her not, therefore Good brother's mine beguile you one and other, Till you be both gulled by your younger brother. Waste still, but let me in my love increase, Now would not all the world take me for a Porter? How strangely am I metamorphosed? And yet I need not be ashamed neither, Jove when his love-scapes when he attempted ever Transformed himself, yet ever sped in love, Why may not I then in this strange disguise? This habit may prove mighty in loves pour, As beast, or bird, bull, or swan, or golden shower. Sir, my abiding is not far from hence, And Trusty John men call me by my name. Sir, I was never yet disproved in either. Sir, give me your letter, if I do it not, Then let your promised favour be forgotten. And so fare thee well loving brother, It had been better you had sent some other, Let me consider what is best be done, Shall I deliver his letter? No: Shall I convey it to my rival brother? Nor so: Shall I tear the same? No not for a million: What shall I then do? marry Like a kind brother, Open the book, see what is written there, If nought but love, in love have thou a share. Brother, by your leave I hope yowl not deny, But that I love you: God bless my eyesight, A Sonnet 'tis in verse, now on my life He hath perused all the impressions Of Sonnets since the fallen of Lucifer, And made some scurvy quaint collection Of fustian phrases, and uplandish words. A Letter. Fair glory of virtue, thy enamorate Pleads loyally in pure affection, Whose passion Love do thou exonorate, And he shall live by thy protection: Nor from thy love shall he once derogate, For any soul under this horizon, Yield thou to love, and I will fail in neither, So love and truth shall always live together. Yours devoted, Anthony Golding. Fair glory of virtue, thy enamorate Pleads loyally in pure affection, Whose passion Love do thou exonorate, And he shall live by thy protection: Nor from thy love shall he once derogate, For any soul under this horizon, Yield thou to love, and I will fail in neither, So love and truth shall always live together. Before God, excellent good Poetry, Sbloud what means he by this line? For any soul under this horizon? No matter for his meaning, mean what he will, I mean his meaning shall not be delivered, But for my other trust my other letter, That shall come short too of fair Phillis hands, There is a Cripple dwelling here at hand, Thats very well acquainted with the Maid, And for I once did rescue them from thiefs, Swore, if he lived, he would requite that kindness, To him I will for council, he shall be My tutor by his wit and policy. Exit. I did, and from my brother Ferdinand, This other letter to the same effect. But this will ask much time, And they by this time look for my return. Of thy own writing? Faith thou hast robbed some Sonnet book or other, And now wouldst make me think they are thine own. I think thou canst not. I pre thee how. This were a piece of cunning. But to our purpose Cripple to these letters. Farewell mad Cripple, now Frank Golaing sly, To put in practice this new policy: But soft, here comes the Maid, I will assay To plead my own love by a stranger way, By your leave sir. I would crave but a word with you. I promise you sir, you have posed me. Yes Mistress, since by chance I meet you here, I'll tell you, though it not concerns my self, What I this morning saw; there is a Gentleman One master Golding the youngest of three brother's, They call him Frank ; Oh this man lies very sick, I being at his house perchance inquired What his disease was of a servant there, Who said, the doctors cannot tell themselves, But in his fits he ever calls on Love, And prays to Love for pity, and then names you, And then names Love again, and then calls Phillis, And sometime starts, and would forsake his bed, And being asked whither, he says he would go to Phillis, My business called me hence, but I herd say His friends do mean to entreat you to take the pains To visit him, because they do suppose, The sick man loves you, and thence his sickness grows. Mistress, not hired, my name is Trusty John. If I delude you, never trust me more. Mirror of kindness, extremities best friend, While I breathe, sweet blood, I am thine, Entreat me, nay command thy Frances heart, That wilt not suffer my ensuing smart. God save you Master Flower, as much to you Ma ster Berry. My brother Ferdinand commends him to you, And heeres a letter to you from himself. With all my heart. Mistress, I do. She is no less indeed. I am indeed. Not yet believe me. To wed your daughter, why she loves me not. Why this is excellent, passed all compare, Sued to to have her, gentle mistress Flower, Let me consider of it. Well, well, I am content. For proof thereof show her this ring. I but conceit me, If I had wood her in my proper shape, I do believe she never would have likde me, Therefore since I shall have her, give me leave To come and court his in my borrowed shape. Then father Flower, I rest upon your promise, I'll leave you for a while, till I put on My counterfeited shape, and then return. Exit. Yea sir, about a little work I have of hers. Out with it brother; If I shrink back, repose trust in some other. Scarce, when you read what there contained is. A Letter. GAllant, that write for love, if you had come your self yond might perchance have sped; I do not counsel you nei there, to come your self, unless you leave your head at home, or wear a vizard, or come backwards, for I never look you in the face but I am sick: and so praying God to conti nue my health, by keeping you from me, I leave you. GAllant, that write for love, if you had come your self yond might perchance have sped; I do not counsel you nei there, to come your self, unless you leave your head at home, or wear a vizard, or come backwards, for I never look you in the face but I am sick: and so praying God to conti nue my health, by keeping you from me, I leave you. There of the choicest fragrant flowers that grow Thou mayest devise sweet roseate Coronets, And with the Nymph's that haunt the silver streams, Learn to entice the affable young wag; There shalt thou find him wand ring up and down, Till some fair saint impale him with a crown: Be gone I say, and do not trouble me, For to be short, I cannot fancy thee. Think you to have more favour then and other? To her a Gods name, live not in suspense, While you two strive, I needs must get the wench. Now I will take my leave, to put the same in practice. Exit Frank. I was the first that loved her. Grief me no griefs, but tell me what it is Makes my (sweet Ferdinand ) thus passionate: I'll conjure grief, if grief be such and evil, In spite of Fortnne, Fates, or any Devil. Brother, you know my mind, If you will leave your dumpish melancholy, And Like my self banish that puling humour, Or satisfy my expectation, By telling whence your sorrow does proceed I will not only cease to trouble you, But Like a true skilful physician, Seek all good means for your recovery. I pray you sir, what Gentlewoman is this? His name I pray you sir. Farewell deer friend; was ever known a finer policy? Now brother's, have amongst you for a third partly, Nay, for the whole, or by my soul, isle lose all, What though my father did bequeathe his lands To you my elder brothers, the moveables I sue for Were none of his: and you shall run through fire, Before you touch one partly of my desire: Am I not Like my self in this disguise, Crooked in shape, and crooked in my thoughts Then am I a Cripple right, come wench, away, Thy absence breeds a terror to my stay. Yonder she comes, now frame thy hands to draw, A worse workman never any saw. Good words, deer brother, threatened men live long. Say I should yield, your husband will withstand it. Your hand then brother for to put it on, So now 'tis well, come brother, whats my task? Then Cripple know, I am not what I seem, But took this habit to deceive my friend: My friend indeed, but yet my cruel foe; Foe to my good, my friend in outward show: I am no Porter, as I seem to be, But younger brother to that Anthony ; And to be brief, I am in love with Phillis, Which my two elder brother's do affect: The one of them seeks to defeat the other: Now if that I, being their younger brother Could gull them both, by getting of the wench, I would requite it with loves recompense. Cripple, thou once didst promise me thy love, When I did rescue thee on Mile-end Green, Now is the time, now let me have thy aid, To gull my brother's of that beauteous maid. I have done both, and more then that, behold Here is and answer to your letter brother. Sirs, a porter even of late left them with me, To be delivered to this Gentlewoman. No marvel then we say that love is blind, If it still revel in obscurity, I will depart I will not hinder love, I'll wash my hands fare well sweet turtle dove. Exit. Whats your will with me. Did you not call me back? No, sbloud somewhat did, farewell, farewell. I am in haste pray urge me not to stay. Before God ther's not a maid in all this town, Should sooner win me, but my business calls me, Give me thy hand, next time I meet with thee, Lesser entreaty shall woo my company. I'faith, this was the hand, what means my blood, Do I not blush, nor look extremely pale? Is not my head a fire, my eyes nor heart? Would, art thou here? I feel thee love I faith, By this light, well via farewell, farewell. Exit. A plague on this courting, come, weel make and end. Tut, tell not me sir, for my credit and reputation is as it is, and theres and end: if I shall have her, why so. Sir, I am content, isle not move your patience. I will not err, deer friend, in this command.