The Merry Devil eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 49 pages of information about The Merry Devil.

The Merry Devil eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 49 pages of information about The Merry Devil.

[Enter Sir John, Blague, Smug, and Banks, one after another.]

Sir John
Grass and hay! we are all mortall; the keepers abroad, and
there’s an end.

Banks
Sir John!

Sir John
Neighbour Banks, what news?

Banks
Z’wounds, Sir John, the keepers are abroad; I was hard by ’am.

Sir John
Grass and hay! where’s mine host Blague?

Blague
Here, Metrapolitane.  The philistines are upon us, be silent;
let us serve the good Duke of Norfolk.  But where is Smug?

Smug.  Here; a pox on ye all, dogs; I have kild the greatest Buck in Brians walk.  Shift for your selves, all the keepers are up:  let’s meet in Enfield church porch; away, we are all taken else.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Brian, with his man, and his hound.]

Brian
Raph, hearst thou any stirring?

Raph
I heard one speak here hard by, in the bottom.  Peace, Maister,
speak low; zownes, if I did not hear a bow go off, and the
Buck bray, I never heard deer in my life.

Brian
When went your fellows out into their walks?

Raph
An hour ago.

Brian
S’life, is there stealers abroad, and they cannot hear
Of them:  where the devil are my men to night? 
Sirra, go up the wind towards Buckleyes lodge. 
I’ll cast about the bottom with my hound,
And I will meet thee under Cony ocke.

Raph
I will, Sir.

Brian
How now? by the mass, my hound stays upon something; hark,
hark, Bowman, hark, hark, there!

Milliscent
Brother, Frank Jerningham, brother Clare!

Brian
Peace; that’s a woman’s voice!  Stand! who’s there?  Stand,
or I’ll shoot.

Milliscent
O Lord! hold your hands, I mean no harm, sir.

Brian
Speak, who are you?

Milliscent
I am a maid, sir; who?  Master Brian?

Brian
The very same; sure, I should know her voice;
Mistris Milliscent?

Milliscent
Aye, it is I, sir.

Brian
God for his passion! what make you here alone? 
I lookd for you at my lodge an hour ago. 
What means your company to leave you thus? 
Who brought you hither?

Milliscent
My brother, Sir, and Master Jerningham,
Who, hearing folks about us in the Chase,
Feard it had been sir Ralph and my father,
Who had pursude us, thus dispearsed our selves,
Till they were past us.

Brian
But where be they?

Milliscent
They be not far off, here about the grove.

[Enter Clare and Jerningham.]

Clare
Be not afraid, man, I heard Brian’s tongue,
That’s certain.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Merry Devil from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.