Volume Ii Part 32 (1/2)

MIDO. And who shall lead you? I?

REBECCA. No, it is my office as long as I am by.

And I would all wives, as the world this day is, Would unto their husbands likewise do their office.

MIDO. Why, dame Rebecca, then all wedded men should be blind.

REBECCA. What, thou foolish lad, no such thing was in my mind.

ACTUS SECUNDI, SCAENA PRIMA.

RAGAN, _the servant of Esau_.

RAGAN. I have heard it oft, but now I feel a wonder, In what grievous pain they die, that die for hunger.

O my greedy stomach, how it doth bite and gnaw?

If I were at a rack, I could eat hay or straw.

Mine empty guts do fret, my maw doth even tear, Would G.o.d I had a piece of some horsebread here.

Yet is master Esau in worse case than I.

If he have not some meat, the sooner he will die: He hath sunk for faintness twice or thrice by the way, And not one seely bit we got since yesterday.

All that ever he hath, he would have given to-day To have had but three morsels his hunger to allay.

Or in the field to have met with some hogs; I could scarcely keep him from eating of these dogs.

He hath sent me afore some meat for to provide, And cometh creeping after, scarce able to stride.

But if I know where to get of any man, For to ease mine own self, as hungry as I am, I pray G.o.d I stink; but if any come to me, Die who die will; for sure I will first served be.

I will see, if any be ready here at home, Or whether Jacob have any, that peakish mome.

But first I must put all my dogs up, And lay up this gear, and then G.o.d send us the cup.

ACTUS SECUNDI, SCAENA SECUNDA.

ESAU, _the master_. RAGAN, _the servant_.

[_Esau cometh in so faint, that he can scarce go_.

ESAU. O, what a grievous pain is hunger to a man?

Take all that I have for meat, help who that can.

O Lord, some good body, for G.o.d's sake, give me meat.

I force not what it were, so that I had to eat.

Meat or drink, save my life--or bread, I reck not what: If there be nothing else, some man give me a cat.

If any good body on me will do so much cost, I will tear and eat her raw, she shall ne'er be rost; I promise of honesty I will eat her raw.

And what a noddy was I, and a wh.o.r.eson daw, To let Ragan go with all my dogs at once: A shoulder of a dog were now meat for the nonce.

O, what shall I do? my teeth I can scarcely charm From gnawing away the brawn of my very arm.

I can no longer stand for faint, I must needs lie.

And except meat come soon, remediless I die.

And where art thou, Ragan, whom I sent before?

Unless thou come at once, I never see thee more.

Where art thou, Ragan; I hear not of thee yet?

RAGAN. Here, as fast as I can, but no meat can I get.