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About this text

  • Title: The History of Sir John Oldcastle (Folio 3, 1664)
  • Editor: Michael Best

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Authors: Anonymous, Michael Drayton, Richard Hathway, Antony Munday, William Shakespeare, Robert Wilson
    Editor: Michael Best
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The History of Sir John Oldcastle (Folio 3, 1664)

    Enter Priest and Doll.
    Doll. By my troth, thou art as jealous a man as lives.
    Priest. Canst thou blame me, Doll. thou art my Lands,
    1330my Goods, my Jewels, my Wealth, my purse, none walks
    within forty miles of London, but a plies thee as truly, as
    the Parish does the poor mans box.
    Doll.I am as true to thee, as the stone is in the wall,
    and thou know'st well enough, I was in as good doing,
    1335when I came to thee, as any wench need to be: and
    therefore thou hast tryed me that thou hast: and I will
    not be kept as I ha bin, that I will not.
    Priest. Doll, if this blade hold, there's not a Pedler
    walks with a pack, but thou shalt as boldly choose of his
    1340wares, as with thy ready mony in a merchants shop,
    we'll have as good silver as the King coins any.
    Doll. What is all the Gold spent you took the last day
    from the Courtier?
    Priest. 'Tis gone Doll, 'tis flown; merrily come, mer-
    1345rily gone; he comes a horse back that must pay for all;
    we'll have as good meat as mony can get, and as good
    gowns as can be bought for gold, be merry wench, the
    Malt-man comes on Monday.
    Doll. You might have left me at Cobham, untill you
    1350had been better provided for.
    Priest. No sweet Doll, no, I like not that, yon old
    Ruffian is not for the Priest: I do not like a new Cleark
    should come in the old Bel-fry.
    Doll. Thou art a mad Priest ifaith.
    1355Priest. Come Doll, I'le see thee safe at some Ale-house
    here at Cray,
    and the next sheep that comes shall leave
    behind his fleece.Exeunt.