Beggars Bush

Bush, by Francis Beaumont and
John Fletcher

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Title: Beggars Bush From the Works of Francis Beaumont and John
Fletcher (Vol. 2 of 10)
Author: Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
Release Date: April 30, 2004 [EBook #12221]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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BUSH ***

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BEGGARS BUSH,
A COMEDY.

Persons Represented in the Play.
Wolfort, an usurper of the Earldom of Flanders.
Gerrard, falsely called Clause, King of the Beggars, Father in Law to
Florez.
Hubert, an honest Lord, a friend to Gerrard.
Florez, falsely called Goswin, a rich Merchant of Bruges.
Hempskirke, a Captain under Wolford.
Herman a Courtier,} inhabitants of A Merchant, } Flanders.
Vandunke, a drunken Merchant friend to Gerrard, falsely called Father
to Bertha.
Vanlock, and 4 Merchants, of Bruges.
Higgen, } Prigg, }Three Knavish Beggars. Snapp, }
Ferret, }Two Gentlemen disguised under those Ginkes, } names of
Gerrard's party.
Clown. Boores. Servants. Guard. A Sailor.
WOMEN.
Jaculin, Daughter to Gerrard, beloved of Hubert.
Bertha called Gertrude, Daughter to the Duke of Brabant, Mistress to
Florez.
Margaret, Wife to Vandunke.
Mrs Frances, a frow Daughter to Vanlock.

The Scene Flanders.

ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA.
Enter a Merchant and Herman.
Mer. Is he then taken?
Her. And brought back even now, Sir.
Mer. He was not in disgrace?
Her. No man more lov'd, Nor more deserv'd it, being the only man That
durst be honest in this Court.
Mer. Indeed We have heard abroad, Sir, that the State hath suffered A
great change, since the Countesses death.
Her. It hath, Sir.
Mer. My five years absence hath kept me a stranger So much to all the
occurents of my Country, As you shall bind me for some short relation
To make me understand the present times.
Her. I must begin then with a War was made And seven years with all
cruelty continued Upon our Flanders by the Duke of Brabant, The
cause grew thus: during our Earls minority, Wolfort, (who now usurps)
was employed thither To treat about a match between our Earl And the
Daughter and Heir of Brabant: during which treaty The Brabander
pretends, this Daughter was Stoln from his Court, by practice of our
State, Though we are all confirm'd, 'twas a sought quarrel To lay an
unjust gripe upon this Earldom, It being here believ'd the Duke of
Brabant Had no such loss. This War upon't proclaimed, Our Earl, being
then a Child, although his Father Good Gerrard liv'd, yet in respect he
was Chosen by the Countesses favour, for her Husband, And but a
Gentleman, and Florez holding His right unto this Country from his

Mother, The State thought fit in this defensive War, Wolfort being then
the only man of mark, To make him General.
Mer. Which place we have heard He did discharge with ho[n]our.
Her. I, so long, And with so blest successes, that the Brabander Was
forc't (his treasures wasted, and the choice Of his best men of Armes
tyr'd, or cut off) To leave the field, and sound a base retreat Back to his
Country: but so broken both In mind and means, er'e to make head
again, That hitherto he sits down by his loss, Not daring, or for honour,
or revenge Again to tempt his fortune. But this Victory More broke our
State, and made a deeper hurt In Flanders, than the greatest overthrow
She ever receiv'd: For Wolfort, now beholding Himself, and actions, in
the flattering glass Of self-deservings, and that cherish't by The strong
assurance of his power, for then All Captains of the Army were his
creatures, The common Souldier too at his devotion, Made so by full
indulgence to their rapines And secret bounties, this strength too well
known And what it could effect, soon put in practice, As further'd by
the Child-hood of the Earl: And their improvidence, that might have
pierc't The heart of his designs, gave him occasion To seize the whole,
and in that plight you find it.
Mer. Sir, I receive the knowledge of thus much, As a choice favour
from you.
Her. Only I must add, Bruges holds out.
Mer. Whither, Sir, I am going, For there last night I had a ship put in,
And my Horse waits me. [Exit.
Her. I wish you a good journey.
Enter Wolfort, Hubert.
Wol. What? Hubert stealing from me?