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  • Title: The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

    • Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Authors: Anonymous, William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

    88
    The Tragedy of Locrine.
    Strum. Place, Ha, ha, ha, laugh a month and a day
    at him; place! I cry God mercy, why doe you think that
    such poor honest men as we be, hold our habitacles in
    710Kings Palaces: Ha, ha, ha. But because you seem to be
    an abominable Chieftain, I will tell you your state.

    From the top to the toe,
    From the head to the shoe;
    From the beginning to the ending.
    715 From the building to the burning.

    This honest fellow and I had our mansion Cottage in
    the suburbs of this City, hard by the Temple of Mercury.
    And by the common Souldiers of the Shittens, the Scythi-
    ans what doe you call them? with all the suburbs were burnt
    720to the ground, and the ashes are left there for the Coun-
    trey Wives to wash bucks withall. And that which
    grieves me most, my loving Wife, O cruell strife; the
    wicked flames did roast.

    And therefore Captain Crust,
    725 We will continually cry,
    Except you seek a remedy,
    Our Houses to reedifie,
    Which now are burnt to dust.

    Both cry. Wild-fire and Pitch, Wild-fire and Pitch.
    730Alba. Well, we must remedy these outrages,
    And throw revenge upon their hatefull heads,
    And you good fellows for your houses burnt,
    We will remunerate your store of Gold,
    And build your houses by our Pallace gate.
    735Strumbo. Gate! O petty treason to my person, no
    where else but by your backside; Gate! oh how I am
    vexed in my Coller: Gate! I cry God mercy, do you
    hear, Master King? If you mean to gratifie such poor
    men as we be, you must build our houses by the Ta-
    740vern.
    Alba. It shall be done, sir.
    Strum. Near the Tavern, I, by Lady, sir, it was spo-
    ken like a good fellow. Do you hear, sir? when our house
    is builded, if you do chance to passe or re-passe that way,
    745we will bestow a quart of the best Wine upon you?Exit.
    Alb. It grieves me, Lordings, that my Subjects goods
    Should thus be spoyled by the Scythians,
    Who as you see with lightfoot forragers,
    Depopulate the places where they come,
    750But cursed Humber thou shalt rue the day
    That ere thou cam'st unto Cathnesia.Exeunt.
    Scena Quinta.
    Enter Humber, Hubba, Segar, Trussier, and
    their Soldiers.

    755Hum. Hubba, go take a Coronet of our Horse,
    As many Launciers, and light-armed Knights,
    As may suffice for such an enterprise,
    And place them in the Grove of Calcedon,
    With these, when as the skirmish doth encrease,
    760Retire thou from the shelters of the wood,
    And set upon the weakned Trojans backs,
    For policy joyned with Chivalry,
    Can never be put back from victory.Exeunt.
    Enter Albanact, Clownes with him.
    765Alb. Thou base born Hunne, how durst thou be so bold,
    As once to menace warlike Albanact?
    The great Commander of these Regions,
    But thou shalt buy thy rashnesse with thy death,
    And rue too late thy over-bold attempts,
    770For with this Sword, this Instrument of death,
    That hath been drenched in my Foe-mens blood,
    I'le separate thy body from thy head,
    And set that Coward blood of thine abroach.
    Strum. Nay with this staffe great Strumbo's Instru-(ment,
    775I'le crack thy Cockscombe, paltry Scythian.
    Hum. Nor wreak I of thy threats, thou princox boy,
    Nor doe I fear thy foolish insolency,
    And but thou better use thy bragging blade,
    Then thou dost rule thy overflowing tongue,
    780 Superbious Britain, thou shalt know too soon
    The force of Humber and his Scythians.
    Let them fight.
    Humber and his Soldiers run in.
    Strum. O horrible, terrible.
    785Scena Sexta.
    Sound the Alarm. Enter Humber and his Soldiers.
    Hum. How bravely this young Britain, Albanact,
    Darteth abroad the thunderbolts of warre,
    Beating down millions with his furious mood;
    790And in his glory triumphs over all,
    Moving the massie squadrants of the ground;
    Heap hills on hills, to scale the starry skie:
    As when Briareus armed with an hundred hands,
    Flung forth an hundred mountains at great Jove,
    795And when the monstrous gyant Monichus
    Hurl'd mount Olimpus at great Mars his targe,
    And shot huge Cedars at Minerva's shield.
    How doth he overlook with haughty front
    My fleeting hoasts, and lifts his lofty face
    800Against us all that now do fear his force,
    Like as we see the wrathfull Sea from farre,
    In a great mountain heapt with hideous noyse,
    With thousand billowes beat against the Ships,
    And tosse them in the Waves like Tennis Balls.
    805Sound the Alarm.
    Humb. Ay me, I fear my Hubba is surpris'd.
    Sound again. Enter Albanact.
    Alba. Follow me, Souldiers, follow Albanact;
    Pursue the Scythians flying through the field:
    810Let none of them escape with victory:
    That they may know the Britains force is more
    Than all the power of the trembling Hunnes.
    Forward, brave soldiers, forward, keep the chase,
    He that takes captive Humber or his Son,
    815Shall be rewarded with a Crown of gold.

    Sound alarm, then let them fight, Humber give back
    Hubba enters at their backs, and kills Debon, let Strumbo
    fall down, Albanact run in, and afterwards enter wounded.
    Alba. Injurious fortune, hast thou crost me thus?
    820Thus in the morning of my victories,
    Thus
    [F4v]
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