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The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

Author: Anonymous
Not Peer Reviewed
The Tragedy of Locrine.
Trum. The can stands full of nappy ale,
585 Dan: dan: dan: dan:
Strum. In our shop still withouten fail:
Dan diddle dan.
Dor. This is our meat, this is our food:
Dan: dan: dan: dan:
590Trum. This brings us to a merry mood:
Dan diddle dan.
Strum. This makes us work for company:
Dan, dan, dan, dan:
Dor. To pull the Tankards cheerfully:
595 Dan diddle dan.
Trum. Drink to thy husband Dorothie,
Dan, dan, dan, dan:
Dor. Why then my Strumbo there's to thee:
Dan diddle dan:
600Strum. Drink thou the rest Trumpart amain:
Dan, dan, dan, dan.
Dor. When that is gone, we'll fill't again:
Dan diddle dan.
Cap. The poorest state is farthest from annoy,
605How merrily he sitteth on his stool:
But when he sees that needs he must be prest,
He'll turn his note and sing another tune,
Ho, by your leave Master Cobler.
Strum. You are welcome gentleman, what will you
610any old shooes or buskins, or will you have your shooes
clouted, I will do them as well as any Cobler in Cathnes
whatsoever?
Captain shewing him press-money.
O Master Cobler, you are far deceived in me, for
615don you see this? I come not to buy any shooes, but to
buy your self; come sir, you must be a souldier in the
King's cause.
Strum. Why, but hear you sir, has your King any
Commission to take any man against his will. I pro-
620mise you, I can scant believe it, or did he give you
Commission?
Cap. O sir, ye need not care for that, I need no
Commission: hold here, I command you in the name of
our King Albanact, to appear to morrow in the town-
625house of Cathnes.
Strum. King Nactabell, I cry God mercy, what have
we to do with him, or he with us? but you sir master
capontail, draw your pasteboard, or else I promise you,
I'le give you a canvasado with a bastinado over your
630shoulders, and teach you to come hither with your im-
plements.
Cap. I pray thee good fellow be content, I do the Kings
command.
Strum. Put me out of your book then.
635Cap. I may not.
Srumbo Snatching up a staff.
No will, come sir, will your stomack serve you, by gogs
blew hood and halidom, I will have about with you.
Fight both.
640
Enter Thrasimachus.

Thra. How now, what noise, what sudden clamor's this?
How now, my Captain and the Cobler so hard at it?
Sirs what is your quarrel?
Cap. Nothing, sir, but that he will not take press-mony.
645Thra. Here good fellow, take it at my command,
Unlesse you mean to be stretch'd.
Strum. Truly, Master gentleman, I lack no mony, if
you please I will resigne it to one of these poor fellows.
Thrasi. No such matter,
650Look you be at the common house to morrow.
Exit Thrasimachus and the Captain.
Strum. O wife I have spun a fair thred, if I had
been quiet, I had not been prest, and therefore well
may I wayment; But come sirra, shut up, for we must to
655the warrs.
Exeunt.
Scena Quarta.
Enter Albanact, Debon. Thrasimachus,
and the Lords.

Alb. Brave Cavaliers, Princes of Albany,
660Whose trenchant blades with our deceased sire,
Passing the frontiers of brave Grecia,
Were bathed in our enemies lukewarme bloud,
Now is the time to manifest your wills,
Your haughty minds and resolutions,
665Now opportunity is offred
To try your courage and your earnest zeal,
Which you alwayes protest to Albanact,
For at this time, yea at this present time,
Stout fugitives come from the Scithians bounds
670Have pestred every place with mutinies:
But trust me, Lordings, I will never cease
To persecute the rascal runnagates,
Till all the rivers stained with their bloud,
Shall fully shew their fatal overthrow.
675Deb. So shall your Highnesse merit great renown,
And imitate your aged father's steps.
Alb. But tell me cousin, cam'st thou through the plains?
And saw'st thou there the faint-heart fugitives
Mustring their weather-beaten souldiers,
680What order keep they in their marshalling?
Thra. After we past the groves of Caledone,
We did behold the stragling Scithians Camp,
Repleat with men, stor'd with munition;
There might we see the valiant minded Knights
685Fetching carriers along the spacious plains,
Humber and Hubba arm'd in azure blew,
Mounted upon their coursers white as snow,
Went to behold the pleasant flowring fields;
Hector and Troilus, Priamus lovely sons,
690Chasing the Grecians over Simoeis,
Were not to be compared to these two Knights.
Alba. Well hast thou painted out in eloquence
The portraiture of Humber and his son;
As fortunate as was Policrates,
695Yet should they not escape our conquering swords,
Or boast of ought but of our clemencie.

Enter Strumbo and Trompart crying often;

Wild fire and pitch, wild fire and pitch, &c.
Thra. What sirs, what mean you by these clamors made,
700Those outcries raised in our stately Court?
Strum. Wild-fire and pitch, wild-fire and pitch.
Thra. Villains I say, tell us the cause hereof?
Strum. Wild-fire and pitch, wild-fire and pitch.
Thra. Tell me you villains, why you make this noise,
705Or with my Lance, I will prick your bowels out.
Al. Where are your houses, where's your dwelling place?
[F4r]
Strum.