349VincentIs this the life that we admired in others, with envy at their happiness?

350HilliardPray let us make virtuous use of it, and repent us of that deadly sin — before a greater punishment than famine and lice fall upon us — by steering our course homeward. Before I’ll endure such another night ――

351VincentWhat? What wouldst thou do? I would thy mistress heard thee.

352HilliardI hope she does not. For I know there is no altering our course before they make the first motion.

353VincentIs’t possible we should be weary already? And before their softer constitutions of flesh and blood?

354HilliardThey are the stronger in will, it seems.

355SpringloveHow now, comrades! Repining†gg704 grudging, grumbling already at your fullness of liberty? Do you complain of ease?

356VincentEase, call’st thou it? Didst thou sleep tonight†gg3626 that is, last night ?

357SpringloveNot so well these eighteen months, I swear, since my last walks.

358HilliardLightning and tempest is out of thy litany†gg3627 an ecclesiastical term: a form of public prayer, usually of a penitential character, consisting of a series of supplications, deprecations, or intercessions in which the clergy lead and the people respond, the same formula of response being repeated for several successive clauses (OED 1); generally, it may be any form of repetitive supplication or complaint . Could not the thunder wake thee?

359SpringloveHa, ha, ha!

360VincentNor the noise of the crew in the quarter†gg3628 lodging, room (now usually plural) (OED 16a) by us?

361HilliardNor the hogs*n5565 This term generally refers to swine; but possibly 'hoggs' or young sheep up to the time of first shearing. Either might be noisy neighbours. On the other hand, the reference might be to the beggars, the term applied opprobriously to coarse, self-indulgent, or filthy persons (OED n1, 1a, 4, 7a). in the hovel†gg3768 shed used as a shelter for farm animals, or for wretched human habitation; more specifically, a pigsty, whether literally for swine, or figuratively for dirty people, especially an abode of bestial lust, or of moral pollution generally; a place inhabited or frequented by the morally degraded (OED hovel, n1; sty n3, 1 and 2) that cried till they drowned the noise of the wind? If I could but once ha’dreamed in all my former nights that such an affliction could have been found among beggars, sure I should never have travelled to the proof on’t.

362VincentWe looked upon them in their jollity, and cast†gs663 reckoned, calculated, as in astrology; interpreted or forecast no further —*n5568 ] This edition. further. Q1. The next line makes it clear that Hilliard interrupts Vincent, since he apologizes to his friend for taking over the conversation.

363HilliardNor did that only draw us forth — by your favour, Vince*n5566 nickname for Vincent, and the sole use of this boyish nickname in the play. Its use may prompt a mute but expressively negative reaction from Vincent, who tends to be serious, even humourless, and earnestly formal in his conversations. Hilliard is more relaxed socially; nevertheless, neither Hilliard, Meriel, Rachel, nor Springlove attempts to address Vincent so familiarly in any subsequent scene. — but our obedience to our loves, which we must suffer†gs664 wait out patiently till they cry home again. Are they not weary yet as much as we, dost think, Springlove?

364SpringloveThey have more moral understanding than so. They know (and so may you) this is your birthnight*n5567 This term represents the rebirth of the four young people as beggars, but also is a reminder that this night was also a birthnight for the beggars in Act 2, when one of their women went into labour, and the metaphorical rebirth of Oldrents, slowly emerging from his depression and gradually discovering who he really is. into a new world. And we all know, or have been told, that all come crying into the world*n5422 King Lear utters this same placebo for suffering in this life: 'When we are born, we cry that we are come / To this great stage of fools' (4.6.200-201), but Lear's point is that our birth-cries are simply the beginning of pains we endure in this life. Springlove's purpose is the contrast between the pain of birth and the joys of life spent close to nature. , when the whole world of pleasures is before us. The world itself had ne’er been glorious, had it not first been a confused chaos.

365VincentWell, never did knight–errants in all adventures merit more of their ladies than we beggar–errants, or arrant*n4307 That is: manifest, downright (punning on errant, or wandering, vagrant). beggars, do in ours.

366SpringloveThe greater will be your reward. Think upon that. And show no manner of distaste to turn their hearts from you*n5423 That is: to make them reject you. . You’re undone†gg1946 ruined, destroyed then.

367HilliardAre they ready to appear out of their privy*n5424 The usage here is punning on two meanings: (1) private or separate (from the men); (2) latrine. The latter meaning is emphasized in the reference to their lodging as a pigsty. lodgings in the pigs’ palace of pleasure*n5425 That is: a pigsty. THe usage here is an ironic allusion to William Painter's The Palace of Pleasure (1566), a collection of stories and moral arguments for the readers' profit and delight. ? Are they coming forth?

368SpringloveI left ’em almost ready, sitting on their pads of straw, helping to dress each other’s heads*n5426 That is: to create head-dresses or head-coverings for each other. — The one’s eye is the t’other’s looking–glass — with the prettiest coil†gg1034 fuss, noisy row they keep to fit their fancies in the most graceful way of wearing their new dressings that you would admire.

369VincentI hope we are as gracefully set out. Are we not?

370SpringloveIndifferent well. But will you fall to practice†gs697 rehearsal (of skills needed to work in one's chosen profession) ? Let me hear how you can maund†gg3769 beg (thieves' cant) (OED v1, citing 1567 T. HARMAN Caueat for Commen Cursetors (new ed.) Peddelars Frenche sig. Giiiv, To maunde, to aske or requier) when you meet with passengers†gg3629 passers-by .

371HilliardWe do not look like men, I hope, too good to learn.

372SpringloveSuppose some persons of worth or wealth passing by now. Note me.   [Performing a beggar]   Good your good worship, your charity to the poor, that will duly and truly pray for you day and night —

373Vincent   [Performing a gentleman]   Away, you idle rogue, you would be set to work and whipped —

374Springlove— that is lame and sick, hungry and comfortless —

375VincentIf you were well served —

376SpringloveAnd even to bless you and reward you for it —

377Hilliard   [Interrupting in his own voice]   Prithee hold thy peace — Here be doleful†gg4393 gloomy, dreary, dismal notes indeed! — and leave us to our own genius*n5569 That is: inclination, natural aptitude, humour or bent. Here Hilliard is impatient with learning 'rules' -- he wants the freedom to act by inspiration -- whereas Vincent, typical of his behaviour, wants to know and implement a formal plan with professional tools. . If we must beg, let’s let it go as it come: by inspiration. I love not your set form of begging.

378SpringloveLet me instruct you*n5427 ] ye. though.

379Rachel   [To MERIEL aside]   Have a care, good Meriel, what hearts or limbs soever we have and, though never so feeble, let us set our best faces on’t, and laugh our last gasp out before we discover any dislike or weariness to them. Let us bear it out till they complain first, and beg to carry us home a pick–pack†gg3630 piggyback; riding on the back and shoulders of another person .

380MerielI am sorely surbated†gg3631 (of animals or persons) foot-sore; weary with excessive travelling on foot (OED 1b) with hoofing†gg3632 going on foot already though, and so crupper–cramped†gg3633 seized with cramps in the posterior from too confined or narrow a space with our hard lodging and so bumfiddled†gg3634 prickled in the buttocks with the straw that —

381RachelThink not on’t. I am numbed i’the bum and shoulders too a little. And have found the difference between a hard floor with a little straw and a down bed with a quilt upon’t. But no words, nor a sour look, I prithee.

382HilliardOh, here they come now: Madam Fewclothes and my Lady Bonnyrag*n6591 As these mocking names imply, Rachel and Meriel are dressed in a few rags, nothing like the more elegant lady-like dress they wear at home as the daughters of a landed gentleman. .

383VincentPeace, they see us.

384Rachel [and] MerielHa, ha, ha!*n6592 This laughter echoes the sisters' merriment in Act 2, perhaps as a role they are trying to sustain in face of the poverty they are now living with. The laughter may be a response to the men's dress, or to the men's surprise at the sisters' slatternly 'half-nakedness' [JC 3.1.speech387] in their new costumes as beggar-maids.

389VincentMerry and lusty too. This night will we lie together as well as the proudest couple in the barn.*n5570 Tonight we will have sex as carefreely as any beggar-couple in the barn. As in the earlier scene with all four young people, it is still not clear how to identify each 'couple'. But clearly this is one beggar-custom that the sisters plan to forego, despite their lovers' pleadings. In terms of stage-practice aligning with the implications of text, the actors will have to maintain this mystery of which sister favours which young man, as it seems essential to the comedy.

390HilliardAnd so will we. I can hold out no longer.

391RachelDoes the straw stir up your flesh to’t, gentlemen?

392MerielOr does your provender†gg1483 fodder; food, provisions, esp. dry food, as corn or hay, for horses prick you?

394RachelOh, ’twas excellent! I feel it good still, here.[She pats her stomach.]

395MerielThere was a brown crust amongst it that has made my neck so white*n5571 Meriel is joking. Brown bread was made of rye and/or whole-meal wheat flour, and was considered a homely or unrefined food. But oatmeal, then as now, and bread-dough were used as cleansers, beauty masks, or skin purifiers. , methinks. Is it not, Rachel?

396RachelYes. You ga’ me none on’t. You ever covet to have all the beauty. ’Tis the ambition of all younger sisters.

397Vincent   [To HILLIARD aside]   They are pleased, and never like to be weary.

398Hilliard   [To VINCENT aside]   No more must we, if we’ll be theirs.

399SpringlovePeace. Here come passengers. Forget not your rules, and quickly disperse yourselves, and fall to your calling —[MERIEL and RACHEL exit in one direction, HILLIARD in another.]*n6594 ] Q gives no stage direction here, but these three characters must exit, as they have entrances separately later in the scene. Springlove has just directed the disguised beggars to 'quickly disperse yourselves', another indication that an exit is required.

400Gentleman 1   [As calling to a groom]   Lead the horses down the hill. — The heat of our speed is over, for we have lost our journey†gg3638 achieved no return or result for our efforts; or perhaps simply lost our way .

401Gentleman 2Had they taken this way, we had overtaken ’em, or heard of ’em at least.

402Gentleman 1But some of our scouts†gg4395 (militarily) men sent out ahead of the main force in order to reconnoitre the position and movements of the enemy; but here the word is used in the wider sense of seekers sent out to obtain information (OED n4, 2a) will light on ’em, the whole country being overspread with ’em.

403Gentleman 2There was never such an escape else.

404VincentA search for us perhaps. Yet I know not them, nor they me, I am sure. I might the better beg of ’em. But how to begin, or set the worst leg forwards, would I were whipped if I know now.

405Gentleman 1That a young gentlewoman of her breeding and heir to such an estate should fly from so great a match and run away with her uncle’s clerk!

406Gentleman 2The old justice will run mad upon’t, I fear.

407VincentIf I were to be hanged now, I could not beg for my life.n10495 The challenge of this episode was twofold: firstly to explore how the actors are disposed in the playing space and how their use of that space may support both the comedy and the threats that are present in the scene; secondly to find an appropriate tone for the action. In his introduction of the sequence for the actors, Richard Cave talked about his conviction that a mid-seventeenth century audience would have been very alert to the dangers that were inherent in begging, not least in terms of the punishments that beggars risked. He wondered how it might be possible in the twenty-first century to create a sense of the darker undertones that are present throughout the sequence.

On paper, the action seems straightforward: Springlove has dressed Vincent and Hilliard, Rachel and Meriel in ragged clothes and given them some instruction in the art of begging. Hitherto he has found food and drink for them all, or the means to acquire them. Now he decides it is time for the lovers to beg for themselves. They decide to separate in couples: the two men will work together and the two women go off apart to try their luck. Vincent (played by Joseph Thompson) tries to hang in with Springlove (played by Alan Morrissey) and beg off two gentlemen travellers (Gentleman 1, Hannah Watkins and Gentleman 2, Jenny McEvoy). Oliver, who appears late in the extract, is played by an editor, Julie Sanders.

In our early read-throughs of the sequence we started by positioning Springlove and Vincent at opposite ends of a diagonal from upstage right to downstage left. In the following video clip, the ‘beggars’ advance on the gentlemen, effectively intruding on their space. This sets up one aspect of the threat that needs to be present in the sequence: the presence of the beggars is certainly disturbing and threatening to the gentlemen. The problem with moving the scene in this way, however, is that even if Vincent is wilfully oblivious to the dangers of begging, the actor playing Springlove has to communicate to a twentieth-first century audience from the outset that this pretence of being beggars is extremely risky, that it is a game that could go very wrong and that both he and Vincent stand to be beaten within an inch of their lives and to lose their liberty. As we reflected on this read-through, Liz Schafer pointed out that all parties would feel that the situation was extremely dangerous. As for the Gentleman: if the beggars turn violent, they are far from the nearest town, a long way from assistance of any kind. As for the ‘beggars’: Springlove would know that the law is on the side of the Gentlemen, who could quite legally beat beggars black and blue. Although this extract is from a first read-through and there was much work to be done on representing the appropriate levels of threat and danger, the movement and the delivery of certain lines offered us useful starting points. Even at this early stage in the process, Joseph Thompson’s repetition of “duly and truly pray for ye” has the flavour of a comic catch phrase that could turn very sour; his body language expressing superficiality and bluster even as he drops to one knee to plead with the gentlemen.

The comedy in this sequence is fairly broad and is driven by Vincent’s reluctant participation in what he sees as little more than a game of begging. Joseph initially adopted a character that drew on the familiar comic type of a young upper class man, ‘nice but dim’, crassly insensitive to any situation which takes him beyond his normal social circumstances. Although a caricature, this seemed an appropriate starting point from which we could work. In the next video clip, the comedy remains broad, but Springlove and Vincent are now more distinctive in their body language. Springlove’s approach to the gentleman is more wary, revealing his understanding of the dangers inherent in begging from strangers. This extract is from a very early stage in the workshop, and the actors are still struggling with the text, but it does include several moments which could be used in building up that sense of threat that we were keen should pervade the sequence. Look, for example, at the moment immediately after Gentleman 2 warns the ‘beggars’, “Be gone, I say, you impudent lusty young rascals!” Springlove taps Vincent on the arm as he retreats. This is a small gesture but significant because it indicates Springlove’s awareness of what is likely to follow and Vincent’s naïveté. It also suggests how the danger of the situation might be realised through the cumulative effect of such apparently minor details. At this stage in the process, however, the organisation of the stage space and the actors’ moves within it seemed to be making it difficult to create a sense of danger. Although it had initially made sense that the Gentlemen and the ‘beggars’ came onto the stage from opposite sides, and that each group stayed together, this diffused the threat each felt from the other. In this walk-through, for example, the Gentlemen cross the stage and Vincent has to follow them, calling after them, but posing little physical threat. Brian Woolland, the director, discussed this with the actors, suggesting that Vincent should physically get in their way to prevent them leaving. This, however, had numerous ramifications in terms of how the actors were positioned earlier in the scene. As a result, we spent much time discussing and experimenting with the stage directions tentatively suggested by Helen Ostovich, the editor who had prepared the text for this workshop, and those actions implied by the dialogue. Towards the end of the above video extract, for example, Jenny (as the Second Gentleman) delivers the line, “Come back, sirrah. His patience and humility has wrought upon me”, to Gentleman 1. There are, however, other possibilities: that the first part of the line (“Come back, sirrah’) is to Springlove; and the second (“His patience and humility has wrought upon me”) an explanation for his own changing tone, which could be delivered either to Gentleman 1 or to the audience. In either case, “Come back sirrah” implies that both ‘beggars’ have moved off; and it is fair to infer that they have to be sufficiently far away for Vincent to mistakenly assume that “Come back sirrah” is directed to him.

Even before trying to put the extract ‘on its feet’, we realised that teasing out the implied stage directions would be demanding, but we were all surprised by the extent to which Brome’s dialogue informs the stage action. In our early read-throughs, for example, Hannah realised that she had to ‘switch’ the ‘beggars’, but (inevitably at such an early stage of the process) her actions were a gestural approximation of what might be required. Brian thought that trying to get the timing and the positioning of the ‘switching’ as accurate as possible would substantially increase the undercurrent of violence and associated sense of danger in the sequence. He suggested to Hannah that she use a leather belt to stand in for the ‘switch’ and, after several ‘cold’ readings, discussions and experiments, we realised that it is possible to read the ‘Ah’ in Springlove’s line (“Ah, the goodness of compassion to soften your hearts to the poor”) as a cry of pain. Taken like this, his next speech contains three such cries: “Ah, the sweetness of that mercy that gives to all to move your compassion to the hungry, when it shall seem good unto you, and night and day to bless all that you have. Ah, ah! —”. The effect of working in such close detail can be seen in the following short video extract. Clearly, Hannah cannot actually beat Alan, but the use of the belt and the sound of it on the floor gives him, and the audience, something concrete to react to.

A by-product of our detailed discussions and experiments with specific moments in the text was to alter our thinking about the configuration of the four characters on the stage. The following video clip is from one of these discussions, and focuses on Brian suggesting moves and stage positioning to the actors. The clip is included for two reasons: firstly because the change in body positioning becomes crucial in the development of the levels of threat in the sequence; and, secondly, because it is indicative of the way that important decisions in a workshop, and indeed a rehearsal process, are sometimes arrived at in unexpected ways. Here, Brian takes his cue not from something that the actors had offered in role during a run-through, but from the way that Alan Morrissey (as himself) has chosen to sit on the stage. Joseph immediately picks up the kind of movement that is required and tries it out – much to the amusement of his fellow actors and the editors. The effect of this movement can be seen in the following clip. By sitting down, Springlove alerts the audience to his need to lower his status. He knows that is the most effective way of begging, and that begging is likely to trigger a lashing. But he stays in a victim position, also aware that succumbing to the ‘switching’ is his best way of avoiding worse punishment. Vincent’s body language, however, hints at arrogance and resistance. He sits down, but he is reluctant to abase himself in this way. He’s prepared to say that he’s joining the beggars, but not to behave as one, not to adopt the lower social status.

From here, we considered the relative positions of the characters on stage. We felt that keeping the ‘beggars’ and the gentlemen in separate pair groups was too safe. We therefore tried a version of the sequence in which the ‘beggars’ enter on either side of the two gentlemen, with Springlove running round the back in order to separate himself from Vincent and appear less confrontational. This organisation of the stage space opened up the sequence and created a far more interesting dynamic between the characters, not least because, whatever Springlove’s intention, the two gentlemen are now effectively surrounded and trapped by the ‘beggars’. The following video clip is from our first run-through using this configuration: Interestingly, this version also includes Joseph delivering Vincent’s line “Did I not say so before?” as direct address to the audience. The line is in response to Gentleman 1’s “You would be well whipped and set to work, if you were duly and truly served.” When we first started working on the scene it had seemed that it made sense to deliver the line as an aside to Springlove. Brian, however, asked Joseph to develop Vincent’s relationship with the audience. By playing it this way, Vincent is behaving as if expecting that we, the audience, sympathise with his situation. As so often in Brome, the disparity between the character’s perception of self and the audience’s perception of the character creates potential for humour. This also sets up a pattern which becomes useful later in the episode, after Springlove has left and Vincent has to beg for himself, where he has a number of lines which comment in a playfully self-deprecating way about his lack of skill as a beggar, for example, “I have spoiled all, and know not how to beg otherwise.” [JC 3.1.speech445] The effect of this can be seen in the final run-through.

In this final version, the positioning on stage works well; and the threat to the ‘beggars’ is beginning to feel more concrete, but the threat that the gentleman feel from the beggars is perhaps still not as strong as the social and political context suggests it should be. In reflecting on the workshop, Liz Schafer commented that she felt that the most explosive line in the whole sequence is “The court goes a-begging” [JC 3.1.speech455], going so far as to suggest that it is the most dangerous line in the whole play. A twenty-first century audience, however, is unlikely to appreciate just how subversive it is; and it would be important in a theatrical production of the play to mark the significance of this and Gentleman 1’s subsequent line, “more Lucifers travelling to hell”. Brian felt that one way of drawing attention to them was to have them delivered as direct address to the audience. This gives the lines something of the weight they deserve, but does not really hint at the deep sense of foreboding which must have been felt by mid-seventeenth century audiences when hearing them for the first time.

As if to remove the possibility that the court ‘going a begging’ might be read as one character’s idiomatic hyperbole, Brome repeats the satirical and highly subversive observation later in the same scene, as we shall see in the next workshop. This time he gives the line to Oliver, who pointedly reminds us, “I think, as my friend said, the court goes a– begging indeed” [JC 3.1.speech479].

408SpringloveStep forwards, and beg handsomely. I’ll set my goad i’your breech*n5572 A goad is a rod or stick, pointed at one end or fitted with a sharp spike and employed for driving cattle, especially oxen used in ploughing; figuratively, an incitement or spur to action (OED n1, 1, 2b). Springlove's threat seems to mean something in between both definitions. As a lame beggar, he would have a crutch or stick to lean on, and may threaten to whack Vincent with that. Or, since he actually has the use of both limbs, he may threaten a kick in the buttocks. else.

409VincentWhat shall I say?

410SpringloveHave I not told you? Now begin.

411VincentAfter you, good Springlove.

412SpringloveGood, your good worships ―

413Gentleman 1Away, you idle vagabond ―

414SpringloveYour worship’s charity to a poor critter†gg3646 creature (dialect) welly†gg3637 well-nigh, almost, nearly starved.

415VincentThat will duly and truly prea†gg3639 pray (dialect) for ye.

416Gentleman 2You counterfeit†gg3082 pretended, spurious, feigned, acted (OED a, 2) villains, hence!

417SpringloveGood masters, sweet worship, for the tender mercy of ―

418VincentDuly and truly prea for you.

419Gentleman 1You would be well whipped and set to work, if you were duly and truly served.

420Vincent   [Aside]*n10498 In the workshop on this scene we tried this as both an aside to Springlove and as an aside to the audience. For reasons discussed in the commentary we chose Vincent’s delivering it as an aside to the audience as the preferred reading. Helen Ostovich, the editor who had prepared the text for this workshop, had tentatively suggested exactly this as a stage direction for exploration.    Did not I say so before?

421SpringloveGood worshipful masters’ worship, to bestow your charity, and ― to maintain your health and limbs ― *n6595 ] limbs. Q.

422VincentDuly and truly pray for you.

423Gentleman 2Be gone, I say, you impudent lusty young rascals!

424Gentleman 1I’ll set you going else.Switch†gs667 (v) beat with a switch, or flexible branch cut from a tree. ’em.

425SpringloveAh, the goodness of compassion to soften your hearts to the poor.

426Vincent   [Aside to SPRINGLOVE]   Oh, the devil, must not we beat ’em now? ’Sdeath!†gg3647 mild oath, meaning by God's death ――

427Springlove   [Aside to VINCENT]   Nor show an angry look for all the skin of our backs. —   [Aloud]   Ah, the sweetness of that mercy that gives to all to move your compassion to the hungry, when it shall seem good unto you, and night and day to bless all that you have. Ah, ah! ―― *n6596 Springlove's cries of pain may be exaggerated to suit his role as beggar. Certainly he does not want to be whipped, and as a beggar he cannot retaliate on a gentleman who already feels accosted by importunate 'rascals'. Vincent's earlier cry of ''Sdeath!' suggests both pain and anger, and so it is doubly important for Springlove to get both of them away from these gentlemen before Vincent asserts own 'gentlemanly' instincts of violence in 'angry' self-defence.

428Gentleman 2Come back, sirrah. His patience and humility has wrought upon me.

429Vincent   [Returning]   Duly and ―

430Gentleman 2Not you, sirrah. The t’other. You*n6597 That is, Vincent, who looks too healthy. Springlove seems more convincingly like a desperate malnourished beggar. look like a sturdy rogue*n5573 See 'statue beggars' [NOTE n5397]. .

431Springlove   [Returning]   Lord bless your master’s worship.

432Gentleman 2There’s a halfpenny for you.   [Indicating VINCENT]    Let him have no share with you.

433Vincent   [Aside]   I shall never thrive o’this trade†gg3640 occupation, business .

434Gentleman 1   [To Gentleman 2]   They are of a fraternity†gs943 body of men of the same class, occupation, pursuits, etc. (OED 6) and will share, I warrant you.

435Springlove   [To the Gentlemen]   Never in our lives trooly. He never begged with me before.

436Gentleman 1But if hedges or hen–roosts could speak, you might be found sharers in pillage†gg3641 plundering, theft , I believe.

437SpringloveNever saw him before, bless you, good master, in all my life.   [Aside to VINCENT]   Beg for yourself. Your credit’s gone else.*n6598 ] parenthetical in Q. —   [To the Gentlemen]    Good hea’en †gg3642 heaven (dialect) to bliss and prosper ye.He exits.

438Gentleman 2Why dost thou follow us? Is it your office to be privy to our talk?

439VincentSir, I beseech you hear me. —   [Aside]   ’Slife, what shall I say?*n6599 ] parenthetical in Q. —   [Aloud]   I am a stranger in these parts and destitute of means and apparel.

440Gentleman 1So methinks. And what o’that?

441VincentWill you therefore be pleased, as you are worthy gentlemen, and blessed with plenty ―

442Gentleman 2   [Aside]*n10499 Clearly this observation is an aside, but to whom should it be delivered? It could be directed to Gentleman 1; but it makes just as good sense if delivered as an aside to the audience. Both ways were explored during the workshop but the second is the way the cast chose to treat it in the final run-through    This is courtly!

443Vincent— out of your abundant store, towards my relief in extreme necessity, to furnish me with a small parcel†gg4396 part or portion, usually a piece or two at a time, a little bit of money ― five or six pieces†gg80 of gold or silver, i.e. money (OED n, 1b) , or ten, if you can presently spare it?

444Gentlemen 1 and 2Stand off.[They] draw [their weapons].

445Vincent   [Aside]   I have spoiled all and know not how to beg otherwise.

446Gentleman 1Here’s a new way of begging!

447Vincent   [Aside]   Quite run out of my instructions!

Gentleman 2   [To Gentleman 1]   Some highway thief†gg3643 highwayman, the upper class of thieves; especially one who does his robbery on horseback with pistol or sword, as distinguished from a foot-pad , o’my conscience, that forgets he is weaponless.

449VincentOnly to make you merry, gentlemen, at my unskilfulness in my new trade. I have been another man i’ my days. So I kiss your hands.He exits.

450Gentleman 1   [Calling after him]   With your heels, do you?

451Gentleman 2It had been good to have apprehended the rakeshame†gg3644 disreputable or dissolute person; a rogue (OED) . There is some mystery in his rags. But let him go.

452Oliver   [Calling off]   You found your legs in time. I had made you halt for something else.

453Gentleman 1Master Oliver, well returned. What’s the matter, sir?

454OliverWhy, sir, a counterfeit lame rogue begged of me, but in such language, the high sheriff’s son o’ the shire could not have spoke better, nor to have borrowed a greater sum. He asked me if I could spare him ten or twenty pound. I switched him; his cudgel†gg3645 club, or short thick stick used as a weapon was up. I drew, and into the wood he scaped me, as nimbly ― But first he told me I should hear from him by a gentleman to require satisfaction of me*n5432 That is: to challenge me to a duel. The gentleman so sent would be his second. That is, Hilliard has forgotten that he is a beggar, and has responded to a threat as a person of his class would do. His second is Vincent, who, when he enters with the challenge, also speaks like a gentleman, not a beggar. .

455Gentleman 2We had such another*n6600 That is, Vincent. Oliver refers to Hilliard. begged of us. The court goes a–begging, I think.*n6601 The gentlemanly beggars, Vincent and Hilliard, have suggested this wry comment. Of course, at the time, Queen Henrietta Maria and many other members of court were going a-begging at home and in Europe for money to fund the cavalier army, in anticipation of the approaching civil war.

456Gentleman 1Dropped through the clouds, I think; more Lucifers travelling to hell*n6603 The metaphor here refers to fallen gentlemen on the way to total disgrace, reduced to beggary by their own defiance of social or economic principles of good behaviour. Lucifer was God's light-bearer at his right hand in heaven, but fell with other evil angels into hell when he rebelled against God's orders. The discord in heaven led to the division of the divine cosmos into heaven and hell, a comment perhaps on the decadence or rebellion of Caroline society on the cusp of civil war. , that beg by the way. Met you no news of your kinswoman, Mistress Amy?

457OliverNo. What’s the matter with her?*n6602 Oliver is not part of the search for Mistress Amy, and knows nothing of her refusal to marry. He has entered the stage from the direction (or doorway to the stage from the tiring house) opposite to that taken by the two Gentlemen. Goes her marriage forwards with young Master Tallboy? I hastened my journey from London to be at the wedding.

458Gentleman 2’Twas to ha’ been yesterday morning, all things in readiness prepared for it. But the bride, stolen by your father’s clerk, is slipped away. We were in quest of ’em, and so are twenty more, several ways.

459OliverSuch young wenches will have their own ways in their own loves, what matches soever their guardians make for ’em. And I hope my father will not follow the law so close to hang his clerk for stealing his ward with her own consent. It may breed such a grudge, may cause some clerks to hang their masters, that have ’em o’the hip†gg3648 on or upon the hip, a phrase taken from wrestling: at a disadvantage, or likely to be overthrown or overcome (OED hip n1, 2b) of injustice. Besides, Martin, though he be his servant, is a gentleman. But, indeed, the miserablest†gg3649 most miserly, hoarding his money rascal! He will grudge her meat when he has her.

460Gentleman 1Your father is exceedingly troubled at their escape. I wish that you may qualify†gg3650 appease; to pacify, make mild (OED 10) him with your reasons.

461OliverBut what says Tallboy to the matter, the bridegroom that should ha’ been?

462Gentleman 2Marry, he says little to the purpose, but cries outright.

463OliverI like him well for that: he holds his humour. A miserable wretch too, though rich. I ha’ known him cry when he has lost but three shillings at mumchance†gg3651 dice game; also a game of who can stay silent the longest . But, gentlemen, keep on your way to comfort my father. I know some of his man’s private haunts about the country here, which I will search immediately.

464Gentleman 1We will accompany you, if you please.

465OliverNo, by no means. That will be too public.

466Gentleman 2Do your pleasure.Gentlemen 1 and 2 exit.

467OliverMy pleasure, and all the search that I intend,n10496 This sequence follows directly on from the first, where Oliver made a brief appearance towards the end. Here, the character of Oliver (played by Alan Morrissey) is established for the audience through an extended soliloquy before we experience a scene in which he meets Oldrents’ two daughters, dressed as beggars: Rachel (played by Hannah Watkins) and Meriel (played by Olivia Darnley). Towards the end of the sequence, Springlove (played by Michael Leslie, one of the editors) appears in the nick of time to prevent what seems likely to be a certain rape. He is accompanied by Hilliard (played by Eleanor Lowe, an editor) and Vincent (played, as in the earlier sequence, by Joseph Thompson). It is worth noting that for all the Jovial Crew workshops we created minimal ‘costumes’ for those characters who played beggars. These comprised nothing more elaborate than a few pieces of cloth, worn to signify the distinction between ‘beggars’ and others.

In some ways, the questions we wanted to address as we explored this sequence through the workshop were the same as for the first sequence. Issues of tone are again central. But whereas elements of comedy run throughout the first sequence, notably in Vincent’s inability to adopt the role of a beggar with any conviction, here there are fascinating shifts of tone: from a farcical seduction, to an unexpected and very real threat of rape, into a potentially violent confrontation, which is ultimately defused by Springlove’s intervention and his desire to teach the lovers and the audience a pointed social lesson about the divergence between justice and the practice of law. In the first sequence that we workshopped, the danger and the humour run together, layered and interwoven; in the second part of the scene, the shifts of tone can be thought of as contrapuntal.

For the purposes of the workshop, we divided the sequence into three sections: Oliver’s soliloquy, his initial approach to the women and finally the conclusion of the sequence, where the sisters realise the danger they are in. From the beginning of Oliver’s speech, the threat to Rachel and Meriel is clear. In working on the speech we wanted to explore what kind of relationship the actor might build with the audience. In his introduction of the scene for the actors, Richard Cave wondered whether Oliver’s speech should be played as direct address, or as more of an internal monologue, and, if so, how that might affect an audience’s engagement with it and with the humour in it.

After a preliminary read-through of the whole sequence, we focused on Oliver’s speech. Alan asked, “Why does the character refer to himself as Oliver?”, suggesting that the speech sounded less like direct address than many other speeches of that kind we had worked on in other Brome plays. Brian Woolland, the director, asked Alan to try direct address and to charm the audience as much as possible, to make sense of the question and answer form by creating a kind of shared internal dialogue, with Oliver voicing questions, such as “What the devil must I? A beggar?”, as if they had been posed by a member of the audience. The overall drive for the actor here is that the character is trying to convince himself that the social constraints against having sex with beggar women are absurd. The dialogue with the audience creates a strong sense that he is trying to justify what he is thinking of doing, to us and to himself. Mid way through the speech he wags a finger at a member of the audience as he refers to the “present cost” of women in London, then winks broadly. A moment later, he breaks the line “But Oliver, dost thou speak like a gentleman?” by tapping himself on the head as he says, “But Oliver…”, as if to remind himself that he is a gentleman. Thus he presents us with a genial and good natured young man. By implication, however, this suggests that in the moral framework he has set out for us, there is nothing wrong with the sexual exploitation of the poor. Opening up his own internal dialogue draws us into his world and the horror of what he is planning, not only taking us unawares, but creating in us a degree of complicity.

Towards the end of the speech, Oliver refers directly to Meriel and Rachel (“’Slid, yonder they are at peep”). In the workshop situation, Brian had asked Hannah and Olivia to use the curtains as if they were hiding behind bushes (that in a theatrical realisation of the play would probably be signified by scenery); and to play a game of watching Oliver, and hiding behind the curtains if they feared he might catch a glimpse of them. Fortuitously, this creates an image of childlike innocence, a rich visual contrast to Oliver’s guileful arguments. In our early discussions of the speech, we had wondered whether it should be performed to create complicity or distance, as if these were mutually exclusive. What Alan achieves here is to demonstrate that Brome’s structuring of the scene does both. We are drawn into complicity with Oliver as he amuses and engages us, even as we are encouraged to consider the implications of his planned actions. Brome’s dramaturgy further enhances this by the unexpected arrival of Vincent. This ‘delay’ (as Oliver refers to it) not only creates narrative tension, but also gives us time to reflect on what we have just witnessed.

In our early work on the exchange between Oliver and Vincent, Vincent arrives stooping, in the manner he has been taught by Springlove. The disparity between his physical appearance and his courtly voice and language providing the trigger for Oliver’s line “Thy language makes me wonder at thy person.” Briefly, we discussed whether it would be appropriate for Vincent to attempt to adopt an accent appropriate for a beggar, which might then slip. Lucy Munro, one of the editors, made the valuable point that Vincent enters the scene to deliver a challenge, not to beg; and that the humour in the scene on this occasion is driven not by Vincent’s inept performance as a beggar, but by Oliver’s mistaken assumption that because he is dressed as a beggar, he has come here to beg. The following clip shows a delightful moment from this discussion as Alan and Joseph spontaneously explore how this might work. This is later incorporated into the action of a run-through. Here, Vincent is still in his beggar’s apparel, but he makes no attempt to play the role. There is now less comedy in the exchange, although, if fully costumed, there is certainly humorous potential in the incongruity of a head-to-head confrontation between Vincent, dressed as a ragged beggar, and Oliver, the son of a Justice.

We then turned our attention to the interaction between Oliver and the young women. Our discussions focused on how close to the surface we should allow the threat of violence. Brome has written a scene which is very funny in places, but this humour primarily arises from the naïveté and innocence of the young women. We agreed that we wanted to try to push both elements as far as possible. As we talked about the social context of young women begging, Joseph observed, “The stakes are much higher than a modern audience would think.” This triggered a fascinating discussion about the parallels between the world of the play and the modern world, with Michael Leslie pointing out that there are genuine and disconcerting similarities, in that female beggars today are seen by predatory men as sexually available. Indeed, Oliver’s line when he observes that Rachel and Meriel are “sitten down as waiting for my purpose” [JC 3.1.speech467] has frightening echoes of those justifications for rape which focus on a woman’s appearance.

With the entrance of the girls, Brome repeats the comic device that we have seen with Vincent of the discrepancy between the use of language and appearance. Hannah and Olivia decided to adopt what Rachel and Meriel might think of as beggars’ voices, so the incongruity is not only between physical appearance and speech, but also between the sounds of their voices and the exaggerated formality of the language they use. In this version, as the sisters strive to maintain their roles as beggars, they begin to become competitive between themselves. This is certainly not the only way of playing their relationship, but it makes sense of the repetition of “And that…” and “Nay, that…” which prefaces several of their lines. This competitiveness also has the effect of giving a sense of spontaneity, that they are feeding off each other, but making it up as they go along. Towards the end of this video clip, both girls bend forward in a deep bow. If they were in full costuming as beggars, this movement would display their breasts to Oliver in a way that he would undoubtedly find most provocative. As Liz Schafer observed in the discussion which followed this run-through, if a ‘deep curtsy’ is socially acceptable in the drawing room, it is very dangerous on the highway. And, as Michael Leslie added, the problem for the women is the way they read their situation. They take to the exchange a sense of inviolability, assuming “the safety and the authority of gentlewomen, but that is not the situation they are in.”

One of the more unexpected revelations of this workshop had begun to emerge: the extent to which the two women are characterised not just as sisters, but as individuals, each of them dangerously naïve, but each with different sensitivities and different responses to the risks of the situation they have deliberately sought out. Brian now suggested that they experiment and see if they could pursue this differentiation further, and he asked Alan to play Oliver as more overtly voracious from his line “What a tempting lip that little rogue moves there!” [JC 3.1.speech500]. For this version, Olivia had suggested playing Meriel as if she were attracted to Oliver, coquettish and enjoying what she perceives as a game. This enables Rachel to hold back and to try to alert Meriel about what is happening with surreptitious warning glances, which her sister wilfully ignores. Rachel’s line “Sir, are you moved in charity towards us yet?” thus becomes an intervention intended to stop Oliver in his tracks and also to remind Meriel that what they should be doing is begging, not flirting. One of the textual cruxes that we wanted to experiment with in this workshop occurs near the end of this extract, when Oliver says “Look here — All this.” [JC 3.1.speech518]. The text includes an intriguing dash. In this version of the episode, Oliver exposes himself to them, or at least gestures towards his genitalia. Were he making his intentions as explicit as the crude gesture suggests, however, there would be nothing to stop the women running away. And in a subsequent discussion we agreed that the context makes it more likely that he is offering them the contents of his purse (as can be seen in the next video clip, taken from the final run-through of the episode).

For the final run-through of the sequence, we felt that it was important to try to raise the stakes, to make the violent abuse against the women more imminent. To this end, Brian asked Alan to threaten them with a knife. Regrettably, we did not have the time to explore the final moments in the sequence (when Springlove, Vincent and Hilliard arrive to save the sisters in the nick of time) in the depth which we would have liked. The little work we did manage to do centred on the organisation of the stage space: for example, how Springlove should position himself so that when Oliver is interrupted he does not at first see Vincent and Hilliard. What did become clear, however, is that Springlove’s status is crucial here. If any of them as beggars harm Oliver, they will be hanged. Springlove knows that he has to play low status with Oliver ( “Oh do not hurt ’em, master”) if they are to save the women; but at the same time he has very high status in relation to Vincent and Hilliard, whom he instructs most forcefully. is, by hovering here, to take a review of a brace of the handsomest beggar–braches†gg3652 crude term for beggar-girls: beggar-bitches that ever graced a ditch or a hedge–side. I passed by ’em in haste, but something so possesses me, that I must ― What the devil must I? A beggar? Why, beggars are flesh and blood, and rags are no diseases. Their lice are no French fleas†gg3653 syphilis, then called the French pox (the lesions of the sexually-transmitted disease look like flea-bites) . And there is much wholesomer flesh under country dirt than city painting†gg568 facial make-up . And less danger in dirt and rags than in ceruse†gg3654 white lead, used in make-up and satin. I durst not take a touch at London*n5574 I do not dare to have sex with a London woman. The fear of disease and of bastard-bearing aside, Oliver's casual talk of sex suggests his (in)experience, but also reminds the original audience that the cool man-of-the-world attitude may sit oddly on a Beeston Boy, a member of the children's company putting on the play. Most of the actors would have ranged in age from 14 to 21 -- certainly not too young for sex, but perhaps not as worldly as Oliver implies. On the other hand, sexual games with boys who can sing and play a part appeared in Jonson's Epicoene (see 1.1, in which Clerimont's page describes how the Ladies Collegiate tease him when he visits). Antitheatrical tracts emphasized this abuse especially by men in relation to boys performing the parts of women on-stage and off stage as well. , both for the present cost and fear of an after–reckoning†gg3655 subsequent or final account; the final bill . But, Oliver, dost thou speak like a gentleman? Fear price or pox, ha? Marry, do I, sir. Nor can beggar–sport be inexcusable in a young country gentleman short of means for another respect, a principal one indeed: to avoid the punishment or charge of bastardy. There’s no commuting†gg3656 buying off or ransoming one obligation with another; redeeming or get off an obligation by a money payment with them, or keeping of children for them. The poor whores, rather than part with their own, or want children at all, will steal other folks’ to travel with and move compassion. He feeds a beggar–wench well that fills her belly with young bones. And these reasons considered, good Master Oliver ― ’Slid†gg3658 mild oath: by God's eyelid , yonder they are at peep†gg3657 quick look or glance, especially through a narrow opening or out of a place of concealment . And now sitten down as waiting for my purpose.

Heart†gg3659 mild oath: by God's heart , here’s another delay. I must shift him.    [Aloud, to VINCENT]   Dost hear, honest poor fellow? I prithee, go back presently, and at the hill foot — here’s sixpence for thy pains — thou shalt find a footman with a horse in his hand. Bid him wait there. His master will come presently, say.

468VincentSir, I have a business of another nature to you — which, as I presume you are a gentleman of right noble spirit and resolution, you will receive without offence and in that temper as most properly appertains to the most heroic natures.

469OliverThy language makes me wonder at thy person. What’s the matter with thee? Quickly!

470VincentYou may be pleased to call to mind a late affront which, in your heat of passion, you gave a gentleman.

471OliverWhat, such a one as thou art*n6604 That is, Hilliard, whom Oliver met on the road just before his first entrance [JC 3.1.speech471]. , was he?

472VincentTrue, noble sir. Who could no less in honour than direct me, his chosen friend, unto you with the length of his sword or to take the length of yours*n6605 That is, offering a challenge to a duel with rapiers, Hilliard proposing to match his duelling prowess ('the length of his sword') against Oliver's ('the length of yours'). . The place, if you please, the ground whereon you parted; the hour, seven the next morning. Or, if you like not these, in part or all, to make your own appointments†gg4397 arrangements for the time and place of meeting (OED 4) .

473Oliver   [Aside]   The bravest method in begggars that ever was discovered! I would be upon the bones of this rogue now, but for crossing my other design, which fires me. I must therefore be rid of him on any terms.   [Aloud]    Let his own appointments stand. Tell him I’ll meet him.

474VincentYou shall most nobly engage his life to serve you, sir.

475OliverYou’ll be his second, will you?

476VincentTo do you further service, sir, I have undertaken it.

477OliverI’ll send a beadle†gg4398 messenger of justice, a warrant officer; an under-bailiff; generally, a constable shall undertake you both.

478VincentYour mirth becomes the bravery of your mind and dauntless spirit. So takes his leave your servant, sir.[He bows and exits.]

479OliverI think, as my friend said, the court goes a–begging indeed. But I must not lose my beggar–wenches.

Oh, here they come. They are delicately skinned and limbed. There, there, I saw above the ham†gg3660 hollow at the back of the knee, or the back of the thigh as the wind blew. Now they spy me.

480RachelSir, I beseech you, look upon us with the favour of a gentleman. We are in a present distress, and utterly unacquainted in these parts, and therefore forced by the calamity of our misfortune to implore the courtesy, or rather charity, of those to whom we are strangers.

481OliverVery fine, this!*n6606 Oliver's remark may be aside, or he may be complimenting (with surprise or sarcasm) Rachel's lady-like address, or continuing to stare at the women's legs or other exposed parts.

482MerielBe therefore pleased, right noble sir, not only valuing us by our outward habit†gg128 clothing s, which cannot but appear loathsome or despicable unto you, but as we are forlorn Christians, and in that estimation be compassionately moved to cast a handful or two of your silver, or a few of your golden piece†gg2873 coin, usually gold, and at this date the equal of twenty-two shillings (the spending worth in today's currency would be £94.38p.) s unto us, to furnish us with linen and some decent habiliments†gg3661 clothes ―

483Oliver   [Aside]   They beg as high†gg272 lofty; of an exalted rank; proud, arrogant as the man–beggar I met withal! Sure the beggars are all mad to-day, or bewitched into a language they understand not. The spirits of some decayed gentry talk in ’em, sure.

484RachelMay we expect a gracious answer from you, sir?

485MerielAnd that as you can wish our virgin prayers to be propitious for you.

486RachelThat you never be denied a suit by any mistress.

487MerielNay, that the fairest may be ambitious to place their favours on you.

488RachelThat your virtue and valour may lead you to the most honourable actions, and that the love of all exquisite ladies may arm you.

489MerielAnd that, when you please to take a wife, may honour, beauty, and wealth contend to endow her most with.

490RachelAnd that with her you have a long and prosperous life.

491MerielA fair and fortunate posterity.

492OliverThis exceeds all that ever I heard and strikes me into wonder. Pray tell me how long have you been beggars? Or how chanced you to be so?

493RachelBy influence of our stars, sir.

494MerielWe were born to no better fortune.

495OliverHow came you to talk thus and so much above the beggars’ dialect?

496RachelOur speech came naturally to us, and we ever loved to learn by rote as well as we could.

497MerielAnd to be ambitious above the vulgar, to ask more than common alms, whate’er men please to give us.

498Oliver   [Aside]   Sure, some well–disposed gentleman as myself got these wenches. They are too well grown to be mine own, and I cannot be incestuous with ’em.

499RachelPray, sir, your noble bounty.

500Oliver   [Aside]   What a tempting lip that little rogue moves there! And what an enticing eye the t’other. I know not which to begin with.   [Aloud, brushing MERIEL's chest]    What’s this? A flea upon thy bosom?

501MerielIs it not a straw–coloured one, sir?*n5439 Sarcasm: Isn't it just a piece of straw, sir?

502OliverOh, what a provoking skin is there! That very touch enflames me.*n6608 Oliver's mark may be aside, but may equally be spoken provocatively to Meriel and Rachel, whose subsequent comment 'Sir, are you moved ...' suggests her awareness of his sexual arousal as well as the girls' desire for his 'charity' in the shape of money, not sex.

503RachelSir, are you moved in charity towards us yet?

504OliverMoved? I am moved. No flesh and blood more moved.

505MerielThen pray, sir, your benevolence.[She holds out her hand.]

506Oliver   [Aside]   Benevolence*n5435 The usage here is punning on charitable gesture, and sexual desire expressing favourable feelings towards pretty (or available) girls. ? Which shall I be benevolent to? Or which first? I am puzzled in the choice. Would some sworn brother of mine were here to draw a cut with me*n6609 That is: to draw straws in making a choice; but also punning on cut/cunt in making the reductive sexual selection between one woman and another. .

507RachelSir, noble sir —[She holds out her hand.]

508OliverFirst let me tell you, damsels, I am bound by a strong vow to kiss all of the woman sex I meet this morning.

509MerielBeggars and all, sir?

510OliverAll, all. Let not your coyness†gg3662 shy reserve or unwillingness cross a gentleman’s vow, I beseech —[He gives each a] kiss.

511RachelYou will tell now.

512OliverTell, quotha†gg43 'said he', i.e. indeed! (OED); sarcastic exclamation ! I could tell a thousand†gg3663 count out a thousand in payment (Haaker) on those lips — and as many upon those.   [Aside]   What life–restoring breaths they have! Milk from the cow steams not so sweetly. I must lay one of ’em aboard*n5434 That is: place one's own ship alongside of another vessel for the purpose of grappling and entering. The ship analogy is a metaphor for sexual encounter. ; both, if my tackling*n5433 Thez reference is to rigging; gear, accoutrements; continuing the ship-metaphor begun with 'lay ... aboard'. Oliver means his ability to maintain an erection. hold.

513Rachel [and] MerielSir, sir!

514Oliver   [Aside]   But how to bargain, now, will be the doubt†gs944 a matter or point involved in uncertainty; a doubtful question; a difficulty (OED 2) . They that beg so high as by the handfuls may expect for price above the rate of good men’s wives*n6610 That is: look for a price over and above the usual rate paid to citizens' wives -- in city comedy, at least. In Dekker and Webster's Westward Ho Mistress Justiniano is accused of selling herself at a very high price; other city wives in that play also pretend to assignations, based on the assumption that such women are always available for sex. Similarly, city wives are available in Middleton's The Roaring Girl and by implication in A Chaste Maid in Cheapside. Merchants often deliberately put their wives or daughters on display in their shops as an incitement to customers: see Heywood's The Wise-Woman of Hoxton or Dekker's The Shoemaker's Holiday for a demonstration of the discomfort that practice led to. .

515RachelNow, will you, sir, be pleased?

516OliverWith all my heart, sweetheart. And I am glad thou knowest my mind. Here is twelvepence apiece for you.

517Rachel [and] MerielWe thank you, sir.

518OliverThat’s but in earnest. I’ll jest away the rest with ye. Look here — All this.*n6611 Oliver may be showing more coins at this point, as he has just promised to 'jest away the rest with ye'. But he may make a gesture towards his groin instead. Certainly the situation is getting nasty, and possibly Rachel and Meriel are unaware of just how nasty it might become. When they start to scream for help, they must be reacting to something, perhaps something more shocking than being yanked by the arm or hip, as Oliver loses patience. Come, you know my meaning. Dost thou look about thee, sweet little one? I like thy care. There’s nobody coming. But we’ll get behind these bushes. I know you keep each other’s counsels — Must you be drawn†gg3664 forced to’t? Then I’ll pull. Come away ――

519Rachel [and] MerielAh, ah! ――

520VincentLet’s beat his brains out!

521OliverCome, leave your squealing.

522RachelOh, you hurt my hand.

523HilliardOr cut the lecher’s throat!

524SpringloveWould you be hanged? Stand back. Let me alone.†gg3670 Let me deal with this by myself.

525MerielYou shall not pull us so.

526SpringloveOh, do not hurt ’em, master.

527OliverHurt’em? I meant ’em but too well. Shall I be so prevented?

528SpringloveThey be but young and simple. And if they have offended, let not your worship’s own hands drag ’em to the law, or carry ’em to punishment. Correct ’em not yourself. It is the beadle’s office*n5436 That is, the parish constable's job. The beadle, an inferior parish officer, was appointed to keep order in church, punish petty offenders, and act as the officer or messenger of the parish generally. One of his tasks was to whip whores and beggars, as Springlove suggests [JC 3.1.speech544]. .

529OliverDo you talk, shake–rag†gg3665 ragged disreputable person; beggar ?   [Aside]   Heart, yond’s more of ’em. I shall be beggar–mauled†gg4399 bruised or disfigured by beggars if I stay.   [Aloud]    Thou say’st right, honest fellow. There’s a tester†gg966 sixpence for thee.He exits, running.

530VincentHe is prevented, and ashamed of his purpose.

531SpringloveNor were we to take notice of his purpose more than to prevent it.*n6613 Springlove's point is that beggars have no standing before the law. All they can do, as beggars disrupting a rape, is to prevent the act.

532HilliardTrue, politic†gg514 expedient, sagacious Springlove, ’twas better his own fear quit us of him than our force.

533RachelLook you here, gentlemen, twelvepence apiece.

534MerielBesides fair offers and large promises. What ha’ you got today, gentlemen?

535VincentMore than, as we are gentlemen, we would have taken.

536HilliardYet we put it up†gg3667 put up with it, suffer it in your service.

537Rachel [and] MerielHa, ha, ha! Switches and kicks. Ha, ha, ha! ―

538SpringloveTalk not here of your gettings. We must quit this quarter. The eager gentleman’s repulse may arm and return him with revenge upon us. We must therefore leap hedge and ditch now, through the briars and mires, till we scape out of this liberty†gg3666 district to our next rendezvous†gg4400 an appointed place of meeting or gathering (OED 2a) , where we shall meet the crew, and then hey toss and laugh*n5437 This is possibly a variant of 'laugh and lie down' [NOTE n5385], an obsolete card game the name of which also has sexual connotations. 'Hey' or 'hay' was frequently added as an intensifier to casual comments and exclamations; see OED hey, int., 2a, citing this line. all night.

539Meriel   [Aside to RACHEL]   As we did last night.*n6614 Meriel's tone here is probably sarcastic, given we have already heard the girls' views of sleeping in straw. Both girls may have other business here, such as suppressing giggles.

540RachelHold out, Meriel.

541MerielTo SPRINGLOVELead on, brave general.

542Vincent   [Aside to HILLIARD]   What shall we do? They are in heart still. Shall we go on?

543HilliardThere’s no flinching back, you see.

544SpringloveBesides, if you beg no better than you begin, in this lofty fashion, you cannot scape the jail or the whip long.

545VincentTo tell you true, ’tis not the least of my purpose to work means for our discovery, to be released out of our trade*n6615 That is, being beggars. Vincent is clearly tired of the work and prefers to return to the life of a country gentleman. .

546SpringloveStay, here come more passengers. Single yourselves again and fall to your calling discreetly.

547HilliardI’ll single no more. If you’ll beg in full cry†gg3668 expression used of the yelping of a pack of hounds in the chase , I am for you.

548MerielAy, that will be fine; let’s charm†gs668 (v) (1) work charms, use enchantments or spells, practise magic; (2) persuade, induce all together.

549SpringloveStay†gs670 stand aside first and list†gs669 listen a little.

550MartinBe of good cheer, sweetheart, we have scaped hitherto. And I believe that all the search is now retired, and we may safely pass forwards.

551AmyI should be safe with thee. But that’s a most lying proverb that says, ‘Where love is, there’s no lack’. I am faint and cannot travel further without meat; and if you loved me, you would get me some.

552MartinWe’ll venture at the next village to call for some. The best is, we want no money.

553AmyWe shall be taken then, I fear. I’ll rather pine†gg3669 become exhausted or wasted from physical or emotional suffering, especially from hunger; lose vitality or languish; frequently used with 'to death' (OED 4a) to death.

554MartinBe not so fearful. Who can know us in these clownish†gg4401 rough, coarse, rustic habits?

555AmyOur clothes, indeed, are poor enough to beg with. Would I could beg, so it were of strangers that could not know me, rather than buy of those that would betray us.

556Martin   [Seeing the others]   And yonder be some that can teach us.

557Springlove   [To MERIEL, RACHEL, HILLIARD, and VINCENT]   These are the young couple of runaway lovers disguised, that the country is so laid for†gg3674 set on the look-out, lying in wait for . Observe and follow now.   [Approaching MARTIN and AMY using his beggar's voice]    Now the Lord to come with ye, good loving master and maystress, your blessed charity to the poor, lame and sick, weak and comfortless, that will night and day ―

558AllDuly and truly pray for you. Duly and truly pray for you.

559SpringlovePray hold your peace and let me alone. — Good young master and mistress, a little comfort amongst us all, and to bless you where’er you go, and —

560AllDuly and truly pray for you. Duly and truly ―

561Springlove   [Aside at the other Beggars]   Pray do not use me thus.    [Aloud to AMY and MARTIN]   Now sweet young master and mistress, to look upon your poor that have no relief or succour, no bread to put in our heads —

562Vincent   [Aside to SPRINGLOVE]   Wouldst thou put bread in thy brains?

563VincentNo lands or livings.

564SpringloveNo house nor home; nor covering from the cold; no health, no help, but your sweet charity.

565MerielNo bands or shirts but lousy†gg3671 infested by lice on our backs.

566HilliardNo smocks or petticoats to hide our scratches.

567RachelNo shoes to our legs, or hose†gg4407 stockings to our feet.

568VincentNo skin to our flesh, nor flesh our bones shortly.

569Hilliard   [Aside]   If we follow the devil that taught us to beg.

570AllDuly and truly pray for you.

571Springlove   [Aside at the other Beggars]   I’ll run away from you if you beg a stroke more.   [Aloud to MARTIN and AMY]   Good worshipful master and mistress —

572MartinGood friend, forbear†gs524 stop (this behaviour), desist . Here is no master or mistress. We are poor folks. Thou seest no worship upon our backs*n6644 That is: no badges or symbols of office on our clothing, as for example a judge's robe. 'Good worshipful', the salutation Martin is rejecting here, would be the proper address to a mayor or a ranking member of a livery company. , I am sure. And for within we want as much as you, and would as willingly beg, if we knew how as well.

573SpringloveAlack for pity. You may have enough. And what I have is yours, if you’ll accept it.   [He offers food.]    ’Tis wholesome food from a good gentleman’s gate ― Alas, good mistress ― Much good do your heart.    [Aside]   How savourly†gg3672 with keen enjoyment; with relish she feeds!

574MartinWhat do you mean, to poison yourself*n5438 That is: to become sick either from eating food offered by a beggar; or from eating too much of the food too quickly. ?

575AmyDo you show love in grudging†gs946 grumbling about (someone or something); begrudge me?

576MartinNay, if you think it hurts you not, fall too. I’ll not beguile†gs947 deprive you.   [To SPRINGLOVE]    And here, mine host, something towards your reckoning.[Offering money.]

577AmyThis beggar is an angel, sure!

578SpringloveNothing by way of bargain†gg3673 payment in a business transaction (OED n1, 2a) , gentle master. ’Tis against order and will never thrive. But pray, sir, your reward in charity.

579Martin   [Offering money again]   Here then in charity.    [Aside.]   This fellow would never make a clerk.

580Springlove   [He counts the money.]   What! All this, master?

581AmyWhat is it? Let me see’t.

582Springlove’Tis a whole silver threepence, mistress.

583Amy   [To MARTIN]   For shame, ingrateful miser.    [To SPRINGLOVE]   Here, friend, a golden crown for thee.

584SpringloveBountiful goodness! Gold? If I thought a dear†gs546 serious, damaging year were coming, I would take a farm now.

585AmyI have robbed thy partners of their shares too. There’s a crown more for them.

586All fourDuly and truly pray for you.

587Martin   [To AMY]   What have you done? Less would have served. And your bounty will betray us.

588AmyFie on your wretched policy.

589SpringloveNo, no, good master. I knew you all this while, and my sweet mistress too. And now I’ll tell you. The search is every way; the country all laid for†gg3674 set on the look-out, lying in wait for you. ’Tis well you stayed here. Your habits, were they but a little nearer our fashion, would secure you with us. But are you married, master and mistress? Are you joined in matrimony? In heart I know you are. And I will, if it please you, for your great bounty, bring you to a curate that lacks no licence, nor has any living to lose*n6645 The Patrico answers to this description. He is the beggars' 'hedge-priest' and lacks no licence in that he does not care about having a permit, degree, or licence, and has no assigned ministry or parish (any living); therefore, he has nothing to lose by 'marrying' people. , that shall put you together.

590MartinThou art a heavenly beggar!

591SpringloveBut he is so scrupulous†gs948 over-nice or meticulous in matters of right and wrong (OED 1a) and severely precise†gg2870 puritanical (from being scrupulous in religious observance) that unless you, mistress, will affirm that you are with child by the gentleman, or that you have, at least, cleft†gs671 clung or held fast to each other, remained faithful and attached to each other (OED cleave v2, 4) or slept together, as he calls it, he will not marry you. But if you have lyen together, then ’tis a case of necessity, and he holds himself bound to do it.

592MartinYou may say you have.*n6646 Martin's comment here, giving permission to Amy to lie about her relations with him, suggests the assumptions that make Amy reject him. He assumes he has the right to tell her what to do, and assumes that she will lie for convenience' sake -- for his convenience in marrying her money, that is.

593AmyI would not have it so, nor make that lie against myself for all the world.*n6647 Amy's reply shows her character clearly. She may have been impulsive in running away with Martin, but avoiding a bad marriage was her goal. She is not about to lie in order to get married, and resents Martin's 'permission' for her to lie. Her self-esteem forbids her to be dishonourable, whether in marrying a man she does not love, or in misrepresenting herself as a woman who engages in premarital sex.

594Springlove   Aside   That I like well, and her exceedingly.    [Aloud]   I’ll do my best for you however.

595MartinI’ll do for thee that ― thou shalt never beg more.*n6648 Martin's interrupted reply seems to combine a truculent attempt to gain an advantage over Springlove's promise to do his 'best' for Amy, and (perhaps squelched by Amy's contempt, indignation, or ironic dismissal of Martin's boast) at least a promise that she won't have to beg, as might be her fate if she relied on Springlove.

596SpringloveThat cannot be purchased, scarce for the price of your mistress. Will you walk, master? — We use no compliments.[They all exit, except for AMY.]