Come fellow-souldiers are you ready to march 2. Commander Whether 1. Commander Into our own native Country for our General is sent sol home 3. Commander Except there be wars in our own Country we cannot go with him 1. Commander I know not whether there be wars or peace but he obeys for he is preparing for his journey 2. Commander Who shall be General when he is gone 3. Commander I know not but I hear the States offers to make our young Lieutenant-General General but he refuseth it 2. Commander Would they would make me General 3. Commander If thou wert General thou wouldst put all method out of order 1. Commander Faith Gentlemen I would lead you most prudently and give you leave to plunder most unanimously 1. Commander And we would fight couragiously to keep what we plunder 2. Commander Come let us go and inquire how our affairs goeth Exeunt Scene 22. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata LOrd Singularity Now Affectionata we have taken our leave of the States I hope thy mind is at peace and freed from fears of being staid Affectionata Yes my my Lord Lord Singularity They did perswade thee much to stay Affectionata They seemed much troubled for your Lordships departure Lord Singularity Truly I will say thus much for my self that I have done them good service and I must say thus much for them that they have rewarded me well Affectionata I have heard my Lord that States seldom rewards a service done wherefore I believe they hope you will return again and sees you for that end Lord Singularity I shall not be unwilling when my Country hath no imployment for me Affectionata Methinks my Lord since you have gotten a fame abroad you should desire to live a setled life at home Lord Singularity A setled life would seem but dull to me that hath no wife nor children Affectionata You may have both If you please my Lord Lord Singularity For children I desire none since I have thee and wives I care not for but what are other mens Enter a Messenger with a Letter to the Lord Singularity Lord Singularity From whence comest thou friend Messenger From Rome my Lord Lord Singularity If you please to stay in the next room I shall speak to you presently Messenger Exit The Lord Singularity breaks up the Letter and reads Lord Singularity Affectionata From whence do you think this Letter comes Affectionata I cannot guess my Lord Lord Singularity From the Pope who hath heard so much of thy youth vertue wit and courage as he desires me to pass thorough Rome im my journey home that he might see thee Affectionata Pray Heaven his Holynesse doth not put me into a Monastery and force me to stay behind you Lord Singularity If he should I will take the habit and be incloistered with thee but he will not inforce a youth that hath no will thereto Affectionata Truly my Lord I have no will to be a Fryer Lord Singularity Indeed it is somewhat too lazie a life which all heroick Spirits shames for those loves liberty and action But I will go and dispatch this Messenger and to morrow we will begin our journey Exeunt Scene 23. Enter the Lady Wagtail and the Lady Amorous LAdy Wagtail Faith Amorous it had been a victory indeed worth the bragging off if we could have taken Sir Peaceable Studious Loves prisoner and could have infettered him in Cupid's bonds Lady Amorous It had been a victory indeed for I will undertake to inslave five Courtiers and ten Souldiers sooner and in less time than one studious Scholar Lady Wagtail But some Scholars are more easily taken than the luxurious Courtiers or deboist Souldiers Lady Amorous O no! for Luxurie and Rapine begets lively Spirits but a study quenches them out Lady Wagtail One would think so by Sir Peaceable Studious but not by some other Scholars that I am acquainted with Lady Amorous But confess Lady Wagtail do not you find a studious Scholar dull company in respect of a vain Courtier and a rough Souldier Lady Wagtail I must confess they that study Philosophy are little too much inclined to morality but those that study Theologie are not so restringent Lady Amorous Well for my part since I have been acquainted with Sir Peaceable Studious I hate all Scholars Exeunt Scene 24. Enter three Men as the Inhabitants of Rome 1. T Is a wonder such a youth as the Lord Singularity's Son is should have so great a wit as to be able to dispute with so many Cardinals 2. Man The greater wonder is that he should have the better of them 1. Man 'T is said the Pope doth admire him and is extreamly taken with him 2. Man If Iove had so much admired him he would have made him his Ganimed 1. Man He offered to make him a living Saint but he thanked his Holyness and said he might Saint him but not make him holy enough to be a Saint for said he I am unfit to have Prayers offered to me that cannot offer Prayers as I ought or live as I should then he offered him a Cardinals hat but he refused it saying he was neither wise enough nor old enough for to accept of it for said he I want Ulisses head and Nestors years to be a Cardinal for though less devotion will serve a Cardinal than a Saint yet politick wisdom is required 3. Man Pray Neighbours tell me which way and by what means I may see this wonderfull youth for I have been out of the Town and not heard of him 2. Man You cannot see him now unless you will follow him where he is gone 1. Man Why whether is he gone 2. Man Into his own Country and hath been gone above this week 3. Man Nay I cannot follow him thither Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata as being in the Country Lord Singularity Affectionata you have promised me to be ruled by me in every thing so that you may not part from me Affectionata I have my Lord and will obey all your commands so far as I am able Lord Singularity Then I am resolved now I am returned into my own Country to get thee a wife that thy fame and worthy acts may live in thy Posterity Affectionata Iove bless me a wife by Heaven my Lord I am not man enough to marry Lord Singul. There is many as young as you that have been Fathers and have had children Affectionata If they were such as I am they might father Children but never get them Lord Singularity Thou art modest Affectionata but I will have you marry and I will chose thee such a wife as modest as thy self Affectionata Then we never shall have children Sir Lord Singul. Love and acquaintance will give you confidence but tell me truly Affectionata didst thou never court a Mistriss Affectionata No truly Sir Lord Singularity Well I will have you practice Courtship and though I will not directly be your Band or Pimp yet I
a Non-pluss they would be glad to be quit of each other yet are ashamed to part so soon and are weary to stay with each other long when a Play entertaines them with Love and requires not their answers nor forceth their braines nor pumps their wits for a Play doth rather fill them than empty them 2. Gentleman Faith most Playes doth rather fill the spectators with wind than with substance with noise than with newes 1. Gentleman This Play that I would have you go to is a new Play 2. Gentleman But is there newes in the Play that is is there new wit fancyes or new Scenes and not taken our of old storyes or old Playes newly translated 1. Gentleman I know not that but this Play was writ by a Lady who on my Conscience hath neither Language nor Learning but what is native and naturall 2. Gentleman A woman write a Play Out upon it out upon it for it cannot be good besides you say she is a Lady which is the likelyer to make the Play worse a woman and a Lady to write a Play fye fye 3. Gentleman Why may not a Lady write a good Play 2. Gentleman No for a womans wit is too weak and too conceived to write a Play 1. Gentleman But if a woman hath wit or can write a good Play what will you say then 2. Gentleman Why I will say no body will believe it for if it be good they will think she did not write it or at least say she did not besides the very being a woman condemnes it were it never so excellent and care for men will not allow women to have wit or we men to have reason for if we allow them wit we shall lose our prehemency 1. Gentleman If you will not goe Tom farewell for I will go set this Play let it be good or bad 2. Gentleman Nay stay I will go with thee for I am contented to cast away so much time for the sake of the sex Although I have no saith of the Authoresses wit 3. Gentleman Many a reprobate hath been converted and brought to repentance by hearing a good Sermon and who knowes but that you may be converted from your erroneous opinion by seeing this Play and brought to confesse that a Lady may have wit Loves Adventures Play The Lord Fatherly The Lord Singularity His Sonne Sir Serious Dumbe Sir Timothy Complement Sir Humphry Bolde Sir Roger Exception Sir Peaceable Studious Foster Trusty The Lady Orphant The Lady Ignorant wife to Sir Peaceable Studious The Lady Bashfull The Lady Wagtaile The Lady Amorous Mrs. Acquaintance Nurse Fondly Foster Trusties wife Lady Orphans Nurse Mrs. Reformers woman to the Lady Bashfull Two Chamber-Maydes Prologue NOble Spectators you are come to see A Play if good perchance may clapped be And yet our Authoresse sayes that she hath heard Some playes though good hath not been so preferr'd As to be mounted up on high raised praise And to be Crown'd with Garlands of fresh hayes But the contrary have been hissed off Out from our Stage with many a censuring scoff But afterwards there understanding cleer'd They gave the praise what they before had jeer'd The same she sayes may to her Play befall And your erroneous censures may recall But all such Playes as take not at first sight But afterwards the viewers takes delight It seemes there is more wit in such a Play Than can be understood in one whole day If for she is well content for her wits sake From ignorance repulses for to take For she had rather want those understanding braines Than that her Play should want wits flowing veynes ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lord Fatherly and the Lord Singularity his Son LOrd Singularity Pray Sir do not force me to marry a childe before you know whether she will prove vertuous or discreet when for the want of that knowledge you may indanger the honour of your Line and Posterity with Cuckoldry and Bastardry Lord Fatherly Son you must leave that to fortune Lord Singularity A wise man Sir is to be the maker or spoiler of his own fortune Lord Fatherly Let me tell you Son the wisest man that is or ever was may be deceived in the choosing a wife for a woman is more obscure than nature her self therefore you must trust to chance for marriage is a Lottery if you get a prize you may live quietly and happily Lord Singularity But if I light of a blank as a hundred to one nay a thousand to one but I shall which is on a Fool or a Whore her Follies or Adulteries instead of a praise will found out my disgrace Lord Fatherly Come Come she is Rich she is Rich Lord Singularity Why Sir guilded I Horns are most visible Lord Fatherly 'T is better Son to have a rich whore than a poor whore but I hope Heaven hath made her Chast and her Father being an honourable honest and wise man will breed her vertuously and I make no question but you will be happy with her Lord Singularity But Sir pray consider the inequality of our ages she being but a Child and I at mans Estate by that time she is ready for the marriage bed I shall be ready for the grave and youths sharp appetites will never rellish Age wherefore she will seek to please her pallat else where Lord Fatherly Let me tell you Son should you marry a woman that were as many years older than she is younger than you it were a greater hazard for first old women are more intemperate than young and being older than the husband they are apt to be jealouse and being jealouse they grow malitious and malice seeks revenge and revenge disgrace therefore she would Cuckold you meerly to disgrace you Lord Singularity On the other side those Women that are marryed young Cuckholds there Husbands fames dishonouring them by their ignorant follyes and Childish indiscretions as much as with Adultery And I should assoon choose to be a Cuckhold as to be thought to be one For my honour will suffer as much by the one as the other if not more Lord Fatherly Heaven blesse the Sonne from jealousy for thou art horrible afraid of being a Cuckold Lord Singularity Can you blame me Sir since to be a Cuckhold is to be despised scorned laught and pointed at as a Monster worse than nature ever made and all the Honour that my birth gave me and my education indued me my vertue gained me my industry got me fortune bestowed on me and fame inthron'd me for may not only be lost by my wifes Adultery but as I said by her indiscretion which makes me wonder how any man that hath a Noble Soul dares marry since all his honour lyes or lives in the light heels of his wife which every little passion is apt to kick away wherefore good Sir let me live a single life Lord Fatherly How Son would you have me consent to extinguish the light of my Name and to pull out the root
be not so cruel to me as to lay my Wives indisposition to my charge Lady Wagtaile But we will and we will draw up an Accusation against you unless you confess and ask pardon Sir P. Studious Will you accuse me without a Witness Lady Wagtail Yes and condemne you too Sir P. Studious That were unjust if Ladies could be unjust Lady Amorous O Madam we have a witness her blushing is a sufficient witness to accuse him Besides her melancholly silence will help to condemn him Lady Ignorance Pardon me Ladies for when any of our Sex are offended or angered whether they have cause or not they will rail louder than Ioves thunder Lady Amorous So will you in time Lady Wagtail Let us jumble her abroad Come Madam we will put you out of your dull humour Lady Ignorance No Madam Pray excuse me to day in truth I am not well Lady Amorous No let us let my Lady alone but let us take her Husband and tutour him Sir P. Studious Ladies give me leave to praise my self and let my self and let me tell you I am as apt a Scholar as ever you met with and as willing to learn Lady Amorous Farewell Madam we will order Sir P. Studious and try what disposition he is of and how apt to be instructed Lady Ignorance Pray do Madam he promiseth well Ex. Scene 16 Enter Foster Trusty and the Lady Orphant LAdy Orphant Now we are come into the Armie how shall we demean our selves like poor Beggers Foster Trusty By no means for though you beg well yet you will never get what you come for with begging for there is an old saying that although all charity is love yet all love is not charity Lady Orphant It were the greatest charity in the World for him to love me for without his love I shall be more miserable than poverty can make me Foster Trusty But poverty is so scorned and hated that no person is accepted which she presents Nay poverty is shunn'd more than the Plague Lady Orphant Why it is not infectious Foster Trusty Yes faith for the relieving of necessity is the way to be impoverished Lady Orph. But their rewards are the greater in Heaven Foster Trusty 'T is true but their Estates are less on earth Lady Orphant But blessings are more to be desired than wealth Foster Trusty Well Heaven bless us and send us such fortune that our long journey may prove successfull and not profitless and because Heaven never gives blessings unless we use a prudent industry you shall put your self into good clothes and I will mix my self with his followers and servants and tell them as I may truely that you are my Son for no mans Son but mine you are was so importunate as you would never let me rest until I brought you to see the Lord Singularity and they will tell him to let him know his fame is such as even young children adore him taking a Pilgrimage to see him and he out of a vain-glory will desire to see you Lady Orphant But what advantage shall I get by that Enter the Lord Singularity and many Commanders attending him Foster Trusty Peace here is the General Commander The enemie is so beaten as now they will give us some time to breath our selves General They are more out of breath than we are but the States are generous enemies if they give them leave to fetch their wind and gather strength again Lady Orphant Father stand you by and let me speak She goeth to the General and speaks to him Heaven bless your Excellencie Lord General From whence comest thou boy Lord Orph. From your native Countrey General Cam'st thou lately Lady Orph. I am newly arrived General Pray how is my Countrey and Countrey-men live they still in happy peace and flourishing with plenty Lady Orph. There is no noise of war or fear of famine General Pray Iove continue it Lady Orphant It is likely so to continue unless their pride and luxurie be gets a factious childe that is born with war and fed with ruine General Do you know what faction is Lady Orph. There is no man that lives and feels it not the very thoughts are factious in the mind and in Rebellious passions arises warring against the soul General Thou canst not speak thus by experience boy thou art too young not yet a mans Estate Lady Orphant But children have thoughts and said to have a rational soul as much as those that are grown up to men but if souls grow as bodies doth and thoughts increases with their years then may the wars within the mind be like to School-boys quarrels that falls out for a toy and for a roy are friends General Thou speakest like a Tutour what boyish thoughts so ever thou hast but tell me boy what mad'st thee travel so great a journey Lady Orph. For to see you General To see me boy Lady Orph. Yes to see you Sir for the Trumpet of your praise did sound so loud it struck my ears broke open my heart and let desire forth which restless grew until I travelled hither General I wish I had merits to equal thy weary steps or means for to reward them Lady Orph. Your presence hath sufficiently rewarded me General Could I do thee my service boy Lady Orph. A bounteous favour you might do me Sir General What is that boy Lady Orph. To let me serve you Sir General I should be ingratefull to refuse thee chose thy place Lady Orph. Your Page Sir if you please General I accept of thee most willingly Captain But Sir may not this boy be a lying couzening flattering dissembling treacherous boy General Why Captain there is no man that keeps many servants but some are lyers and some treacherous and all flatterers and a Master receives as much injurie from each particular as if they were joyned in one Lady Orph. I can bring none that will witness for my truth or be bound for my honesty but my own words General I desire none boy for thy tongue sounds so sweetly and thy face looks so honestly as I cannot but take and trust thee Lady Orph. Heaven bless your Excellence and fortune prosper you for your bounty hath been above my hopes and equal to my wishes General VVhat is thy name Lady Orph. Affectionata my Noble Lord General Then follow me Affectionata Ex. ACT IV. Scene 17. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Reformer her woman Enter Page PAge Madam there was a Gentleman gave me this Letter to deliver to your Ladyships hands Lady Bashfull A Letter I pray Reformer open it and read it for I will not receive Letters privately Page Exit Reformer The superscription is for the Right Honourable the Lady Bashfull these present The Letter MADAM Since I have had the honour to see you I have had the unhappiness to think my self miserable by reason I am deprived of speech that should plead my suit but if an affectionate soul chaste thoughts lawfull desires and a fervent heart can
was ever wise that was young Foster Trusty And few are praised that are old for as fame divulgeth merits so time wears out praise for time hath more power than fame striving to destroy what fame desires to keep The truth is time is a Glutton for he doth not only strive to destroy what fame divulgeth but what himself begets and produceth Exeunt Scene 39. Enter the Lord Singularity and the Lady Orphant as Bride and Bride-groom and a company of Bridal-guests Enter Musitians and meets them MUsitioners We desire your Excellence will give us leave to present you with a Song written by my Lord Marquiss of New-Castle Lord Singularity Your present could have never been less acceptable by reason it will retard my marriage Lady Orphant Pray my Lord hear them Lord Singularity Come come dispatch dispatch He seems not to listen to them All the time his eyes fixt on the Bride SONG Love in thy younger age Thou then turn'd Page When love then stronger grew The bright sword drew Then Love it was thy fate To advise in State My Love adopted me His childe to be Then offered was my hap A Cardinals Cap Loves juglings thus doth make The Worlds mistake Lord Singularity By Heaven Musitioners you are all so dillotarie with your damnable and harsh prologue of tuning before you play as the next Parliament will make it felony in Fidlers if not treason when your Great Royal Eares begin with a Pox to you Musitians Why my Noble Lord we have done Lord Singularity By Heaven there spake Apollo Give them ten Pieces Musitians Madam an Eppilanian we have more to express our further joy and then we will pray for blessings on you both Lord Singularity O! It will be my funeral song you rogues know all delays doth kill me and at this time your best Musick sounds harsh and out of tune Lady Orphant Pray let them sing that one song more so ends your trouble of them Lord Singularity Begin quick quick SONG O Love some says thou art a Boy But now turn'd Girl thy Masters joy Now cease all thy fierce alarms In circles of your loving arms Who can express the joys to night 'T wil charm your senses with delight Nay all those pleasures you 'l controul With joyning your each soul to soul Thus in Loves raptures live till you Melting dissolv into a dew And then your aery journey take So both one constellation make The Song done the Musick playes as the Bride and Bridegroom goeth FINISH The women in the mean time squeeks Gives him the two swords The Comedy named the Several Wits The wise Wit the wild Wit the cholerick Wit the humble Wit The Names of the Persons MOnsieur Generosity Monsieur Nobilissimo Monsieur Perfection Monsieur Importunate Monsieur Bon Compaignon Monsieur Profession Monsieur Comorade Monsieur Discretion Monsieur Compliment Doctor Freedom a Doctor of Physick Madam Mere Madamosel Caprisia Madamosel Doltche Madamosel Solid Madamosel Volant A Grave Matron Madamosel Doltches Nurse Two Maid-servants PROLOGUE THis Play I do present to Lady wits And hope the wit each several humour fits For though all wit be wit as of wit kind Yet different be as men not of one mind For different men hath different minds we know So different Wits in different humours flow The cholerick Wit is rough and salt as brine The humble Wit flows smooth in a strait line A wise Wit flows in streams fresh pure and clear Where neither weeds nor troubled waves appear But a wild wit in every ditch doth flow And with the mudde doth soul and filthy grow THE COMEDY NAMED THE SEVERAL WITS ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Madamosel Caprisia and her maid MAID Madam Monsieur Importunate is come to visit you Madam Caprisia Did not I tell you I would receive no visits to day Maid I did tell him that you desired to be excused but he said he would not excuse you for he must see you Madam Capris. Go tell him I have taken Physick Maid I did tell him so but he said he would stay untill it had done working Madam Capris. I would it were working in his belly Ex. Scene 2. Enter Madamosel Volante and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Lady hearing of your great wit I am come to prove report Madam Volante You will find him a lyer Sir Bon Compaignon I had rather report should be a lyer than I a Lover Madam Volante Why then we agree in a mind for I had rather be thought a fool than to be troubled with a fools company Bon Compaignon You need not be troubled with that for love is strongest absented Madam Volante O! but there is an old Proverb that love will break thorough stone-walls wherefore if you be in love you will haunt me like a Fairy no locks nor bolts will keep you out for fairy love will creep thorough a creavice Bon Compaignon Faith Lady I find now that love is the Queen of Fayries for it hath crept thorough the key-hole of my eares and hath got into my head and their dances such roundelayes as makes my brain dissie Madam Volante If once your brain begins to be dissie your senses will stagger and your reason will fall down from its feat and when the reason is displaced and the wit is distemper'd the mind become mad and to prevent the mischief that may follow I will depart in time Ex. Scene 3. Enter Madamosel Caprisia as at the door meets Monsieur Importunate he stops her passage MOnsieur Importunate You shall not pass untill you have paid me a tribute Madam Caprisia What Tribute Monsieur Importunate A kiss Madam Capris. I will pay no such tribute for I will bring such a number of words armed with such strong reasons as they shall make my way Monsieur Importunate Your words will prove poor Pilgrims which come to offer at the Altar of my lips Madam Capris. Nay rather than so they shall come as humble Petitioners and as it were kneeling at your heart shall with innocency beg for gentle civility Monsieur Importunate I will shut the gates of my ears against them and my lips as a bar shall force them back being a precise factious rout Madam Capris. Satire shall lead my sharp words on break ope those gates and anger like consuming fire shall both destroy your will and base desire Monsieur Importunate I will try that Madam Capris. But I will rather make a safe retreat than venture least your rude strength might overcome my words She goeth back he follows her Monsieur Importunate I will march after at the heels of you Ex. Scene 4. Enter Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Compliment DOltche Sir you prayse me so much as I may doubt or rather believe you flatter me for it is not possible to be so rare a creature as you express me to be unless I were something divine perchance I may be worthy of some of your inferiour Prayses but not all your high and mighty ones Monsieur Compliment You are more
consent makes a happy marriage wherefore I desire your free consent but know if you refuse it t is in my power to have you without your consent either for a Mistriss or for a Wife Lady Perfection You have no power the power lives within my self for I can take away my life and a dead Mistriss or a dead Wife would neither be conversable nor pleasurable death is not amiable 't is rather a terrour than a delight Arch-Prince I will leave my Sute to your consideration ponder on it well and take good advice my Sute is honest and just a deniall may inveterate my passion and turn my pure love into a raging flame Exeunt Scene 22. Enter the Lord Melancholy he walks about the Room with his Hat pull'd over his forehead his Arms foulded his Eyes bent towards the ground then enters his Father to him the Lord Dorato LOrd Dorato Why how now Son shall I never find you with Company but always alone in a musing Melancholy posture Lord Melancholy I never did love much Company Sir Lord Dorato But methinks in honesty you might love the Company of your Wife Lord Melancholy Were my liberty equal to my Love I should not be often from her Lord Dorato Why who bars you from that liberty Lord Melancholy The Laws Sir Lord Dorato So I perceive you are discontented because you are barr'd from your Whore Lord Melancholy You are my Father but should another man have said so much I would make him prove it with his blood Lord Dorato Why the Laws have proved it Lord Melancholy Oh Heavens that Fathers should be so cruell have not you made me unhappy by forcing me to those actions that neither Conscience Honesty nor Honour can approve of and yet will you disturb my Life trouble my Thoughts and torture me with words Lord Dorato No no I love you so well as I would have you so happy as to be delighted with mirth and not to bury your self in Melancholy and despise those blessings Heaven bestows upon you as Wealth and Honour besides the blessing of Posterity for your Lady proves to be fruitfull being big with Child Lord Melancholy I am so unhappy my self I desire none but to please you Lord Dorato Come come pray let me perswade you to go to your wife the Princess and sit and talk with her for she is displeased she hath no more of your Company she complains and sayes she seldome sees you Lord Melancholy Her humour and mine are so different that we are happyest when we are fardest asunder Lord Dorato Let me tell you Son that all women love to be flattered and when they are not they are peevish cross and froward and therefore you must flatter her Lord Melancholy I must have a Tutor first to teach me Sir for I understand not the Art of flattery I never practise it Lord Dorato Time and Company Ambition and Covetousness will teach you that but the best Tutor is Cupid and the best Tutoress is Venus and you have been a lover Son Lord Melancholy Yes Sir in Hymens Court and there they use not much flattery Lord Dorato Not so much as in Venus and Cupids Courts but yet there are flatterers enough in Hymens both Male and Females but pray Son go to the Princess your wife Exeunt Scene 23. Enter Lady Perfection and her Nurse LAdy Perfection Nurse I hear the Arch-Prince is resolved to have me if not by fair perswasions by force Nurse And what woman would not be perswaded to be an Arch-Princess they need no inforcement Lady Perfection Not I unless I could be perswaded to be an Arch-Whore and if you went about to perswade me you would be an Arch-Bawd Nurse Come come there is none durst call you so is you were the Arch-Princesses nor call me Bawd neither Lady Perfection But they would think me so and think you a Bawd Nurse Thoughts are free and every one may think their pleasure and therefore let me perswade you in spite of thoughts to be an Arch-Princess Lady Perfection If I thought you did not speak in jest I should hate you in earnest Nurse What for giving you good Counsel Lady Perfection No for giving me wicked Counsel but I will give you better Counsel and my self too Nurse What Counsel is that Lady Perfection To forsake the World and to go to Heaven Nurse Faith I would not go to Heaven unless the Gods call me I love this World very well I have been long acquainted with it and I would not willingly part from an old friend Lady Perfection The World did never befriend any Body besides thou art so old as thy friend the World is run away from thee Nurse But howsoever I will stay in it as long as I can The Nurse goes out Enter the Lady Gravity Lady Gravity Daughter I am come to perswade you not to reject a good fortune for Fortunes favours are not profered every day Lady Perfection Nor are her favourites surer to continue in her favour long Lady Gravity But if I should command you to receive the Arch-Princes addresses and to consent to be his wife I hope you will not be less obedient to me than the Lord Melancholy hath been to his Father Lady Perfection If he to obey his Father forgot or neglected his obedience to Heaven you must pardon me if I do not follow his precepts not that I accuse him for perchance his Conscience hath acquitted him and set him free from fault and so from blame but mine doth not acquit me wherefore dear Mother do not perswade me against my Conscience I have had misfortunes enough to trouble my life I shall not need to add the guilt of Conscience and what can outward Title do me good what pleasure can I take when that my Mind or Soul is tortured with black guilt Lady Gravity No Heaven forbid I should perswade you against your Conscience but how will you avoid or escape the Princes inforcement Lady Perfection I have thought of a way that best suits with my Condition and Disposition which is to take a Religious habit and enter into a Religious Order for though I cannot vow Virginity nor a single life having a Husband and been used as a VVife yet I can vow Chastity and retirement and if I could be permitted into an Nunnery as perchance I cannot yet I would not go into any of them for there is too much Company in ordinary Nunneryes and I love solitariness wherefore I will live a kind of a Hermits life only my Nurse and I and that- little Tower my Father built for pleasure shall be my Cloyster and before it is publickly known I will send or go to the Fathers of the Church and acquaint them and strait Incloyster my self and there I shall be safe for the Prince dares not commit Sacrilege for Gods and men would rise against him if he did Lady Gravity Nor I dare not oppose your holy design Lady Perfection Dear Mother
be empty Comical Dutchess Indeed I am obliged to them more than any other Nation for they give me all the due Respects and Homage to my Greatness for which I love that Nation very well 2. Attendant You have reason but I do observe there is nothing doth keep up a Court more than Dancing and several sorts and kinds of merry pastime for wheresoever there is Dancing and Sport Company will flock together 3. Attendant You say true Comical Dutchess I find my self full of pain I believe I shall fall in Labour 4. Attendant I hope then we shall have a young Prince or Princess soon Exeunt Scene 14. Enter three Gentlemen 1. Gent. I Saw Prince Shaddow 2. Gent. What Prince is he 1. Gent. Why he is the Creating Princess's Husband who made him a Prince 3. Gent. I thought no women could give Title to their Husbands unless they had been Soveraigns 2. Gent. O yes all women can give their Husbands Titles if they please 3. Gent. What Title 2. Gent. Why the title of Cuckolds 1. Gent. Indeed most women do magnifie their Husbands by those Titles 2. Gent. But let me tell you that those women that have Inheritary Honours although not Soveraigns may indue their Husbands with the same Honour but it is not generally so but his Children begot on her are indued and not the Husband yet some Husbands are As for Example a Lord Vicount Earl Marquiss Duke King or Emperor if the Honour as Title goeth to the Female for default of a Male in some Nations their Husbands are indued with their Titles but not commonly known to be so in England as a VVife with her Husband which is only during life and not Inhereditary but if their Titles are only during life and not Inhereditary it cannot derive to another that is not an Successor's for Inhereditary Honour goe like Intailed Lands it goeth only to the next Heir but those that are the dignified are like those that have Joynters or Annuitles for life so when a Husband receives a Dignity from a VVife or a VVife from a Husband it is but so much Honour for life 1. Gentleman But if they have Children those Children inherit the Honour 2. Gentleman Yes as having a right from that Parent that is the Dignifyer but if there be none of the line of the Dignifyer the Honour dies neither is the root of the Honour left to any more than one for though the branches of Honour spread to all the Children yet the root remains but with one For say a King have many Children they are all Princes but yet there can be but one that can inherit the Crown and Royaltie So if a Marquiss or Duke have many Children they are all Lords and Ladies if they be lawfully and in true VVedlock born otherwise they are not neither doth any more but one of the Legitimate Children inherit the Root as to be Marquess or Duke Dutchess or Marchioness neither do the Daughters inherit if there be Sons 1. Gent. But cannot a Dukes Daughter make her Husband a Prince 2. Gent. No not except she hath the Inhereditary Honour for if a Kings Daughter should marry a private Gentleman he would remain as only in the Title of a Gentleman unless the King did create a Title for him or bestow a Title on him 1. Gent. VVhy put case the Inhereditary Honour lay in the people and they elect a King hath that King no power to Create or to give Honour 2. Gent. No they may chuse Officers but not give Titles unless the people did dispossess them of their hereditary power and give it to any man and then the root of Honour lyes in him 1. Gent. Nor doth his Children receive no Titles from their Father 2. Gent. No for the Title he hath is none of his he hath it but during life unless the people will give a Lease as for two or three Lives yet they nominate those two or three Lives So neither can they dispose of their Leases or alter them but at the peoples pleasure like as those that are made Governors they cannot dispose of their Governments to whom they please as without the leave of those that placed them in the Government neither do his Children receive any Titles therefrom like as a Lord Mayor his Son is not my Lord Mayor after him unless he is made one nor his children have no place by his Office and an elective Prince is but as a Lord Mayor or rather like as a Deputy Governor who as I said may dispose of Places or Offices but not give Dignities Honours or Titles 1. Gent. I thank you for your Information for I was so ignorant as I knew nothing of Heraldry Exeunt Scene 15. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gent. HAve you seen the Imaginary Queen yet 2. Gent. What Imaginary Queen 1. Gent. VVhy a Great Queen that every one goeth to kiss her hand 2. Gent. From what parts of the VVorld came she 1. Gent. From the North parts 2. Gent. And doe so many go to kisse her hand 1. Gent. Yes throngings of Common people 2 Gent. They would kiss the Dogs Tail if it were turned up and presented to them but do any of the Nobles and Gentry kiss her hand 1 Gent. Some few that are newly come out of the Country to see sights in the City 2 Gent. Pish in this Age there are so many of these kind of Bedlams as I am weary to hear of them as the Comical Dutchess the Creating Princess and the Created Prince Prince Shaddow and now the Imaginary Queen 1 Gent. Why Faith it is as good a sight as to see a Play 2 Gent. A puppet Play you mean but the truth is it is a disgrace to all noble persons and great dignities and true titles to be thus mocked by imitators it is a sign that all Europe is imbroiled in Wars so much as every one doth what they list 1 Gent. VVhy they are so far from being checkt or discountenanced for it as there are many true Princes great and noble persons as give the same respect and homage as if they were real Princes indeed and in truth 2 Gent. Then it if it were in my power I would divest those that had the right and true dignities and titles and put them upon those that only acted princely and royal parts since the Actors bear up so nobly and the Spectators do creep and crouch so basely but indeed both sides are Actors both the Spectators and Players only the one side Acts noble parts the other side base parts the one Acts the parts of Princes the other of Servants but I am sorrow to see True Honour wounded as it is 1 Gent. The truth of it is True Honour lies a bleeding and none doth offer to power in Balsimum Exeunt Scene 16. Enter the Imaginary Queen her Gentleman Usher bare headed leads her her Page holds up her Train her Woman follows her and that is all her Train a Company of
respect of self-creating honour and they only are to be accounted mean and base that are so in themselves but those that are born from low and humble Parents when they have merits and have done worthy actions they are placed higher in fames Court and hath more honour by fames report which sounds their praises louder than those of greater descent although of equal worth and merit and justly for it is more praise-worthy when those that were the lowest and are as it were trod into the earth or was born as the phrase is from the Dunghill should raise themselves equal to the highest who keeps but where they were placed by birth but many times they keep not their place but fall from the Dignity of their birth into the myer of baseness treachery and treason when the other rises as the Sun out of a cloud of darknesse darring forth glorious beams thorough all that Hemisphere Lady Wagtail I perceive by your discourse Lovers are the best Disputers Orators and as I have heard the best Poets But I never heard you discourse so well nor speak so honourably in all my life wherefore I am confident 't was love spake not you Exeunt ACT V. Scene 32. Enter Affectionata Nurse Fondly and Foster Trusty her Husband NUrse Fondly My child we can no longer conceal you for we are accused of murthering you and are summoned to appear before a Judge and Jury AFfectionata For Heaven sake conceal me as long as you can for if I be known I shall be utterly ruined with disgrace Nurse Fondly Whose fault was it I did advise you otherwise but you would not be ruled nor counselled by me and my Husband like an unwise man did assist your childish desires Foster Trusty Well wife setting aside your wisdom let us advise what is best to be done in this case Nurse Fondly In this case we are either to be hanged or she is to be disgraced and for my part I had rather be hanged for I am old and cannot live long Foster Trusty If you were a young wench thou mightest chance to escape hanging the Judges would have taken pity on thee but being old will condemn thee without mercy Nurse Fondly If I were not a pretty wench and the Jurie amorous men at least the Judges so I should be hanged neverthelesse Affectionata Come come Foster Father and Nurse let us go and advise Exeunt Scene 33. Enter the Lady VVagtail and a Captain LAdy Wagtail Pray tell me what manner of Country is Italy Captain In short Madam there is more Summer than Winter more Fruit than Meat and more meat than Hospitality Lady Wagtail Why Captain fruit is meat Captain I mean flesh-meat Lady Wagtail Out upon that Country that hath neither Flesh nor Hospitality But Captain what are the natures dispositions and manners of the Italians Captain In general Madam thus their natures dispositions and manners are as generally all other people of every other Nation are for the generality of every Nation are alike in natures dispositions and persons that is some are of good and some are of bad some handsom and some ill-favoured but for the most part there are more ill-favoured than handsom more soul than fair and the general manner of the whole World is to offer more than present to promise more than perform to be more faigning than real more courtly than friendly more treacherous than trusty more covetous than generous and yet more prodigal than covetous but as for the Italians they are more luxurious than gluttonous and they love pleasures more than Heaven Lady Wagtail They have reason by my troth for who can tell whether in Ioves Mansion there are so many sweet and delightfull pleasures as in this World But Captain you do not tell me what pleasure the women have in Italy Captain Those women that are married are restrain'd and barr'd from all courtly pleasure or as I may say the pleasure of Courtships but the Courtezans have liberty to please themselves and to be their own carvers Lady Wagtail And there is nothing I love so well as to carve both for my self and others Captain And there is no Nation in the World so curious and ingenuous in the art of carving as the Italians Lady Wagtail I am resolved to go into Italy if it be but to learn the art of carving but I will leave my Husband behind me for you say wives have not that free liberty of carving and if I leave my Husband I may pass for a Widow though not for a maid Captain But Madam you are past your travelling years for the best time for women to travel is about twenty Lady Wagtail By your favour Sir a woman never grows old if she can but conceal her age and say she is young Captain But she must often repeat it Lady Wagtail She must so which she may easily do talking much for women wants not words neither are we sparing of them But Captain I must intreat your company for you are acquainted with the Country and hath the experience of the humours and natures of that people and having been a Souldier and a Traveller will not be to seek in the wayes of our journey Captain I shall wait upon you Madam Lady Wagtail No Captain you shall be as Master to command and I will be your Servant to obey Captain You shall command me Madam Exeunt Scene 34. Enter Affectionata alone O! How my soul is tormented with love shame grief and fear she stops a little I am in love but am ashamed to make it known Besides I have given the World cause to censure me not only in concealing of my Sex and changing of my habit but being alwaies in the company of Men acting a masculine part upon the Worlds great Stage and to the publick view but could I live thus concealed I should be happy and free from censure But O curst fortune that pleasure takes in crossing Lovers and basic time that makes all things as restless as it self doth strive for to divulge my acts when I have no defence or honest means for to conceal them for if I do oppose I shall become a Murtherer and bear a guilty conscience to my grave which may torment my soul when as my body is turn'd to dust Stops But since there is no remedy I 'l weep my sorrows forth and with the water of my tears I 'l strive to quench the blushing heat that like quick lightening flashes in my face Enter the Lord Singularity finding Affectionata Weeping Lord Singularity My dear Affectionata What makes thee so melancholly as to be alwaies weeping Affectionata I must confess my Lord here of late my eyes have been like Egypt when it is over-flown with Nilus and all my thoughts like Crockodiles Lord Singularity What is the cause Affectionata Alas my Lord causes lyes so obscure they are seldom found Lord Singularity But the effects may give us light to judge what causes are Affectionata Effects deceives and often
than either I can express or think you to be Mad. Doltche Nay if I be above your thoughts I am above your delight for man-kind takes no great pleasure in that they comprehend not Mons. Compliment I believe you do not comprehend how well I love you Mad. Doltche No truely for love is like infinite it hath no circumference wherefore I will not trouble my self in loves wayes since it is an endlesse journey Mons. Compliment But surely Lady though you cannot find that worth in me as merits your esteem and affection yet you will favour me for your lathers command and love me for his desire Doltche If my Father desires me to dye I shall satisfie his desire for it is in my power to take away my own life when I will but it is not in my power to love those my Father would have me for love is not to be commanded nor directed nor governed nor prescribed for love is free and not to be controuled Also I may marry a man my Father desires me but sure my Father will not desire nor command me to marry if I cannot love the man he would have me marry as I ought to do a Husband Ex. Scene 5. Enter Madam Caprisia and a Grave Matron MAtron Madamosel Caprisia there is a Gentleman one of my acquaintance doth desire to see you Madam Capris. He desires more than I do for I never see a man but I wish a vail before my sight or one before his Matron Have you taken a surfeit of eyes as you hate to look on a mans face Madam Capris. Yes of wanton eyes that skips from face to face which makes me love the blind Matron I wonder whether the soul may be satisfied or surfeit as the senses do Capris. The thoughts passions and appetites which are begot betwixt the soul and senses will surfeit if they be over-fed Enter Monsieur Bon Compaignon Bon Compaignon What is that Lady that is over-fed Capris. A fools-head Bon Compaignon How can a fools head be over-fed Capris. With hearing and seeing more than it can digest into understanding Bon Compaignon You have not such a head Lady for your head is so full of wit as it perpetually flows thorough your lips yet whatsoever it doth receive the Son of reason doth digest and refines into spirits of senses Capris. I must confess my tongue is more fertil than my brain the which comes more words from the one than sense or reason from the other but least I should over-fill your ears with my idle talks I will leave you Ex. Bon Compaignon And I will follow you for my ears are unsatisfied having but a taste of her wit which makes a greater appetite Bon Compaignon and Matron Ex. Scene 6. Enter Madamosel Solid Monsieur Profession and Monsieur Comorade his friend MOnsieur Prosession Lady you live as if you lived not living so solitary a life Lady Solid Indeed few doth live as they should that is to live within themselves for the soul which is the supream part of the life is never at home but goeth wandering about from place to place from person to person and so from one thing to another and not only the soul wanders thus but all the Family of the soul as the thoughts and passions for should any thing knock at the gates of the soul which are the senses or enter the chambers of the soul which is the heart and the head they would find them empty for the thoughts and passions which passions are of the Bed-chamber which is the heart and Presence-chamber which is the head wherein they ought to wait are for the most part all gone abroad as for the thoughts they are gone to inquire news walking and running into every Village Town City and Country and Kingdom all to inquire what such and such persons said or acted and the particular affairs of every particular person and every particular Family as whether they increase with riches or decay with poverty whether they live beyond their means or keep within their compasse what men and women are in love who are constant and who are false what contracts are signed or what contracts are broken who marries and who lives single lives who is happy in marriage and who is not what children is born who hath children and who hath none who is handsome and who is ill-favoured who dyes and of what diseases they died of whether they left wealth or were poor or who were their Heirs or Executors who are Widowers Widows or Orphants who hath losses crosses and misfortunes who is in favour or disgrace with such Princes or States who is at Law what suits there is lost or gained what bribes were given and taken who was arrested or imprisoned for debts or set in the Pillary or Stocks for disorder or cast into the Counter for misdemeanour who is accused or imprisoned for Robbery Murther or Treason who is condemned or reprieved what deaths they died or torments indur'd what Laws there is made repeald or broke what Officers or Magistrates there are made plac'd or displac'd or put out what factions or bruleries there is what leagues and associates there is made betwixt States and Princes vvhat Wars or Peace there is or like to be betwixt such or such Kingdoms vvhat triumphs or shevvs there is or like to be vvhat Mountebanks Tumblers and Dancers there is vvhat strange Birds Beasts or Monsters there is to be seen what Drunkards Bavvds and Whores there is vvhat Duels hath been sought and the cause of their quarrels who hath lost at play and vvho hath vvon vvhat nevv fashions there is vvhat Stuffs Silks Laces and Imbroideries there is vvhat Lords Ladyes Knights or Esquires hath nevv Coaches or Liveries vvhat rich cloths they had or have what Church is most frequented vvhat Balls Masks Plays Feasts there is or like to be and many the like vain idle unusefull unprofitable inquiries observations and entertainments their thoughts imployes and vvasts their time vvith as for the passions and affections they are as much abroad as the rest of the thoughts some being vvith such and such men or such and such vvomen as first vvith one and then vvith another or vvith such a house or houses or lands or vvith such Jevvels or Place or Hangings or Pictures or the like also the passions and affections wander amongst Beasts as with such a Horse Dog Monkey or the like or with Birds as with such a Hawk Cock of the Game or prating Parrot or singing Linet or the like or the passions and affections are attending watching or seeking after such or such Offices or Commands Governments or Titles nay the very soul itself goeth after such and such designes so as it doth as it were run away from it self it follows the World and worldly things but never draws any benefit to it self but that soul that keeps at home which very few souls doth imployes it self for it self it only views the
by reason they put on their civilest demeanors gracefullest garbs modestest countenance and speaks their most choycest phrases or words when they meet strangers all which makes them appear to their advantage when after acquantaince they will seem but vulgar as when they are used to their ordinary garbs countenances and phrases and that their natures and dispositions were known they will appear to be no better than their Neighbours nay perchance not so good the like will Madamosel Doltche appear to you Matron I do suppose she looks more familiar on her acquaintance than strangers and it is likely she looks more grave and sober on strangers than on her known friends and familiars yet those several looks and countenances may be as pleasing and obliging the one as the other for though the one may be more kind the other may be more respectfull for every ones countenance and behaviour is to be ordered according to the several degrees or relations of several persons and to several persons and to several sexes or according to their condition state life and fortune and according to the times and occasions for women are or should be more free and confident to and in the company of women than men and men are more respectfull in their discourse and behaviour to women than to their own Sex and a merry countenance in a sad condition or state of life or fortunes would not be seemly mirth in the house of mourning would be inhumane or to dance or sing over the Graves of their Parents Children Husbands Wives or Friends would be unnatural or to be merry in the time of a general calamity as in time of VVars Plagues or Famine or Deluges or to be sad or froward in a general rejoycing but a sad countenance and a grave behaviour is as fitting and seems comely and handsome in a time of calamity as a merry countenance and a dancing behaviour in a time of rejoycing for tears becomes the face sometimes as well as smiles and blushing may appear and expresse a modest nature to strangers when to familiar acquaintantances blushing might be thought an accuser or witnesse of some crime yet bashfull eyes at all times becomes modest Virgins Volante I hate bashfull eyes for they are like to troubled waters thick and unsteady rouling from place to place without an assurance for modest Virgins may look upon the VVorld with a confident brow if they have no guilt to stain their cheeks with blushes and surely amongst well-bred persons there is none so rude injurious or uncivil to force the bloud to rise or stop the light in causing bashfull eyes but such as condemns a confident countenance in Virgins faces my eye of understanding will cast a despising glance on such ridiculous fools and the tongue of reason condemns them Ex. Scene 31. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her daughter MERE I wonder Daughter you should be so rudely uncivil to Monsieur Generosity to use him so unkindly as to entertain him with scornfull words and disrespectfull behaviour Capris. Why did he come to visit me Mere To offer his service and to professe his affection to your person and vertue Capris. I care not for his service or affection Mere But he is a person of an honourable Title and can make you a great Lady Capris. Give me leave to tell you Mother that nature hath given me Titles of Honour Wit and Beauty to which all men will bow to with respect Titles from Kings poor petty things to those Mere But Daughter let me tell you that wit and beauty without modesty civility and vertuous courtesie may insnare facile fools and allure fond persons but not perswade the judicious to esteem you nor the constant to sue to you nor true love to desire you you may have vain Boasters and amotous Flatterers to court you but none that is wise or honourable will marry you and to use this Noble Lord so disrespectfully who is indued with vertue and adorned with the graces and beloved of the Muses is a crime unpardonable Capris. Mother the Muses and the Graces are Witches which enchants the soul and charms the Spirits and makes the Senses extravagant and the actions desperate Mere Methinks they should charm you if they have such power Capris. My humour is a Spell against all such charms Ex. Scene 32. Enter Monsieur Profession and Monsieur Comorade his Friend COmorade You are well met for I was going to your lodging to see you Profession And I am now going home and therefore let us go together Comorade Where have you been Profession At a house you often resort to Comorade What at a Bawdy-house Profession Yes Comorade Why how durst you venture Profession Why Comorade Why why if your angelical Mistresse should come to hear of it Faith she would bury your heart again Profession Yes is it were not out of her power Comorade Why hath she not the Possession Profession No saith Comorade How comes that to passe Profession I know not how but upon some dislike it grew weary and by some opportunity it found it stole home and since it hath promised never to leave me again for it hath confessed to me it hath been most miserably tormented with doubts fears jealousies and despairs Comorade Prethee let me tell thee as a friend that thy heart is a false lying heart for there inhabits no torments amongst angelical bodies Profession By your favour in Plutoes Court there be Angels as well and as many as in Ioves But let me tell you that if I did not love you very well I would call you to an account for calling my heart a false lying heart Comorade Prethee pacifie thy self for I am sure I have had but a heartless friend of thee all the time of thy hearts absence and if I should rayle of thy heart thou hast no reason to condemn me but prethee tell me had not thy heart some pleasure sometimes to mitigate the torments Profession No saith for my heart tells me that what with rigid vertue cruel scorn and insulting pride it never had a minutes pleasure nor so much as a moment of ease and if that there were no more hopes of happiness amongst the Gods in Heaven than there is amongst the Goddesses on Earth it would never desire to go to them or dwell amongst them Nay my heart says it should be as much affraid to go to Heaven and to be with the Gods as mortals are to go to Hell to be with Divels Comorade But if pleasure and happiness is not to be found with vertue nor with the Gods where shall we seek for it Profession I will tell you what my heart saith and doth assure me that is that pleasure lives alwaies with vice and that good fellowship is amongst the damned and it doth swear it is a most melancholly life to live with those that are called the blessed which are the Goddesses on Earth Comorade Why then let us return to the house from
whence you came Profession No faith I am dry wherefore I will go to a Tavern Comorade Content Ex. Scene 33. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone in a studeous humour walking for a time silently then speaks CApris. Which shall I complain of Nature or Education I am compassionate by nature for though I am froward I am not cruel I am pious by education for though I am froward I am not wicked I am vertuous by nature and education for though I am froward I am neither dishonest unchaste base or unworthy Why then 't is Fortune I must complain of for Fortune hath given me plenty and plenty hath made me proud and pride hath made me self-conceited self-conceit hath bred disdain and disdain scorn So pride disdain and scorn makes me disapprove all other creatures actions or opinions but my own and this disapproving is that which men calls cross pievish and froward disposition being most commonly accompanied with sharp satyrical words and angry frowns These faults I 'l conquer whereresoere they lye I 'l rule my froward humour or I 'l dye Ex. Scene 34. Enter Madamosel Solid and a Matron SOlid Lord Lord I wonder men and women should spend their time so idley and wast their lives so vainly in talking so ignorantly and acting so foolishly upon the great Stage or the Stage of the great World Matron VVhy how would you have them spend their time or talk or act Solid I would have them spend their time to gain time as to prevent or hinder times oblivion and to speak and act to that design That when their bodies dye Their Names and Fames may live eternally Matron But it is not in every mans or womans power to get fame for some are made uncapable by nature others are hindred by fortune some are obstructed by chance others want time and opportunity wealth birth and education and many that are pull'd back by envie spite and malice Solid VVhat man or woman soever that nature is liberal to may eternalize themselves as for fortune she may hinder the active the like may chance envie spite and malice but cannot hinder the contemplative the like may time and opportunity but poor poverty and birth can be no hindrance to natural wit for natural wit in a poor Cottage may spin an after-life enter-weaving several colour'd fancies and threeds of opinions making fine and curious Tapestries to hang in the Chambers of fame or wit may and carve Images of imaginations to place and set forth the Gardens of fame making fountains of Poetry that may run in smooth streams of verse or wit may paint and pensel out some Copies and various Pictures of Nature with the pensels of Rhethorick on the grounds of Philosophy to hang in the Galleries of fame Thus the Palaces of fame may be furnished and adorn'd by the wit of a poor Cottager Ex. Scene 35. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Item I am to be courteous but not familiar to be merry but not wild to be kind but not wanton to be friendly but not intimate to be sociable but not troublesome to be conversable but not talkative to look soberly but not frowningly to return answers civilly to ask questions wisely to demand rights honestly to argue rationally and to maintain opinions probably These rules I will strictly observe and constantly practice Enter Monsieur Bon Compaignon Capris. Sir I cry peccavi and ask your pardon for speaking so unhandsomely of the effeminate Sex when I was last in your company for my indiscretion made me forget so as not to remember that all men hath either VVives Sisters Daughters or Mothers But truly my discourse proceeded neither from spite or malice but from the consideration of my own faults which being so many did bury the good graces of other women for though I am vertuously honest yet I am but rudely fashion'd and untoward for conversation but though my discourse had a triangular countenance for it seem'd foolish spitefull and wicked yet pray Sir believe the natural face was a perfect round honest face Bon Compaignon Lady what faults soever your Sex is guilty of your vertues will get their pardon and your beauty will cover their blemishes Capris. I wish my indiscretion had not discovered my froward imperfections but I am sorry and shall hereafter endeavor to rectifie my errours Ex. Scene 36. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Nurse NObilissimo Good Nurse where is my vertuous sweet Mistresse Nurse In her chamber Sir Nobilissimo VVhat is she doing Nurse She is reading Nobilissimo VVhat Books doth she read are they Divinity Morality Philosophy History or Poetry Nurse Sometimes her study is of one and then of another But now I think her chief study is you wherein she may read humanity Enter Madamosel Doltche and seeing Monsieur Nobilissimo with her Nurse starts back and then comes forth blushing Nurse Lord child what makes you blush Doltche Not crimes but my blushing is caused by a sudden assault or surprisal meeting him I did not expect to meet at this time which raised up blushes in my face for blushing is like the full and falling tide for the bloud flows to the face and from thence ebbes to the heart as passions moves the mind And thoughts as waves in curling folds do rise And lashfull eyes are like the troubled skies Nobilissimo Sweet Mistress crimes cannot stain your cheeks with blushes but modesty hath penseld Roses there which seems as sweet as they look fair Doltche I desire my looks and countenance may alwaies appear so as they may never falsly accuse me and as I would not have my looks or countenance wrong my innocency or deceive the Spectators so I would not have my heart be ungratefull to bury your presence in silence Wherefore I give you thanks Sir for the noble Present you sent me to day Nobilissimo I was affraid you would not have accepted of it Doltche Truly I shall refuse no Present you shall send me although it were ushered with scorn and attended with death Nobilissimo My kind Mistress I shall never send you any Present but what is ushered by my love attended by my service and presented with the offer of my life Nurse Child you are very free of kind words Doltche And my deeds shall answer my words is need requires yet I am sorry if my speaking over-much should offend but I chose rather to set bosses of words on the sense of my discourse although it obscures the glosse of my speech than my love should be buried in my silence Nobilissimo Sweet Mistresse your loving expressions gives such joy unto my heart and such delight unto my hearing as my soul is inthron'd in happinesse and crown'd with tranquility Nurse Pray Heaven you both may be as full of Love Joy and Peace when you are married as you express to have now But let me tell you young Lovers that Hymen is a very temperate and discreet Gentleman in love I will assure you neither doth he
bred up in Schools of Art to rules forms and tenses the other is bred up in the School of Nature which only observes her rules and studies her works for though all Oratours are not Poets yet all Poets are naturall Oratours and hath a naturall eloquent and elegant and easy expression for if a man should have a Poeticall brain if he had not a full expression to deliver his conceits they would be as if they were not for as their may be several fancies and conceits raised from one object or subject so there requires several significant words to express them for as time is the markes of eternity so words are the markes of things but indeed Poets hath a harder task than Oratours for Oratours builds their discourse upon solid grounds when Poets builds their discourse upon airy foundations but the two principles of Poetry is similizing and distinguishing which are fancy and judgment and some Poets braines are so happy that as soon as they have bre or created any fancy the tongue is ready to deliver them but some brains are a long time in breeding and some fancies puts the brain into great pains and hot and painfull throwes and some tongues as ill Midwifes strangles strong fancies in the birth but a volable tongue is like an expert and understanding Midwife which makes easy safe and quick dispatch for wit and judgment are both the Children of the brain begot by Nature being both Twin Sisters and so Ingenious and Inventive they are that they build their arguments so curiously and compile the sence into so small a compass that there is no waste room nor superfluous wordes nor painted phraises nor useless parentheses nor obstructed Sentences for they build with phancy and compile with similizing cut and carved with Allegoryes polisht with numbers and oftimes adorned with Rhime the persons to which wit and judgment the Children of Nature are placed as Sojourners or Boorders are Poets who are Natures favourites and for the education of her Children she rewards them by inriching their mindes though not their purses for she leaves that to Fortune but Fortune through Envy to Nature is seldome their friend Also Nature gives her Favourite Poets delights for Poets takes more delight and pleasure in their own thoughts and conceptions than an absolute Monarch in his power and Supremacy for like as Birds that hops from Bough to Bough whereon they sit and sing so Poets thoughts moves from Theam to Theam making sweet Melody and as Hens broods Chickens which Chickens are not hacht untill they have strength to pick a passage through their shels with their Bils and when they are fledg'd flies from their Nest on a high perching branch so the brain layes Imaginations and brood fancies and the tongue as a Bil picks a passage through the lips and being feathered with words winged with verse flyes up even with numbers to fames high Tower but the Muses the Handmaids to Nature doth as all other Maidens loves the Courtship of the Masculine Sex which is the cause or reason they seldome visit their own Sex but passes their time in the Company and Conversation of men by some men they are only admired and loved by others they are saed to and enjoyed which happy Suters are Poets but the Muses as all other Female takes a delight to enjoy their Lovers alone that makes them seperate themselves from other Company and Poets as all Lovers doth love solitude wherefore Poets the lovers of the Muses and the Muses lovers of the Poets oftimes chooseth a soletary life as being a Paradise for Innocent delight wherein the Senses lyes on soft banks of repose the whilst the mind with a sober and serious peace walkes in the silent shades of contemplation shunning the hot and burning Sun of high ambition and there the active thoughts the Children of the mind in harmless sports doth with the Muses play and on their heads Garlands of Phancy wear made all of Rhetoricks choisest flowers whose Cullours fresh and gay thus are the thoughts adorned and deckt as the fair Month of May about this paradise which paradise is a soletary life the calm smooth River of safety flowes which Winds or Circles in the life from suffering or acting injury or wrong And from this River of safety runs many streams of pleasures wherein the mind refreshing Bathes secure and free no false witness to accuse their Innocency no tempestuous storms nor dreadfull Thunders hard nor flashing lightning there appears all is their Serene and clear unless sometimes thin Clouds of Melancholly falls in fresh showring tears or from the heart ariseth some gentle sighs which breathing out Fans like to Zephyrus Winds and in this solitary life 3. Trees doth grow Peace Rest and Silence are they named the fruits they bare is plenty ease and quite On which the mind deliciously cloth seed Whose lushious Iuice tranquility as fat doth breed Reason the Nerves and Grissels of the mind Grows strong and cures the understanding blind Ther 's none but Fools this happy life would shun Such as would seek in ruggid wayes to run O Fools O Fools to love their torments so That they will rather choose to hell than Heavens go But there is no man can enjoy this worldly Paradise without a defence for none can live in peace that is not prepared as ready for War for both the Theological Civil Common and Accustomary Laws are protected by the Marshall Law and the Marshall Power is the Supream Authority placing and displacing and is the Monarchical Power that doth not only protect all other Laws but commands them with threats and is obeyed with Terrour and fear honoured for the fame and hated for the Tiranny but Souldiery is a painfull carefull and dangerous although noble profession but as I said t is one of the safest and securest protections for it is protection to the weak and infirm to the decreped and aged to the shiftless youth and to the saint fearfull and tender effeminate Sex it is a guard unto the Ashes of the dead to the Monuments of the Meritorious and to the Temples of the Gods And were it not for Marshall-Discipline there could be no peace kept truth and right would be torn from the Owners Justice would be pulled out of her Seat Monarchy thrown out of his Throne and though a Souldier may loose his life sooner than Nature did ordain yet in recompence honour buryes him and fame builds him a glorious Monument over his sleeping Ashes but by reason that fame is a Souldiers chief reward I ought not to pass it by whithout mentioning it As for fame it is a second life and as I may say the Soul of merit but there is a difference betwixt the Records of time Fame and Infamy for there are many things that are writ in the Records of time that is neither in Fames Tower nor Infamies Dungeon that which is writ in the Records of time is strange accidents unlucky chances unusuall
lay Ex. ACT II. Scene 5. Enter the Lady Sanspareile all in white Satin like as a Bride and her Father and her audience which are all Lovers these stand gazing upon her SAnspareile This Noble assembly may chance to think it a vanity in me never to receive any particular visit or adresse from any particular or single person but I do so by reason life is lost in particular acquaintance as small Rivers are in running through the earth But in the publick life swims as in a full Sea having a fair gale of observation and Sailes of opportune time to swim withall marking the Card of actions and the Needle of dispositions drawn or turned by the Loadstone of affection to the North-pole of Experience to guide me safe from the Rocks of slander and quick-sands of scandal till I come to the Port of death there to unload my Lifes Merchandise and I hope my Voyage may be so prosperous as I may be inriched with the praises of After-Ages Likewise the reason why I choose to speak in publick is that I would not speak idely for in publick I shall take care of what I speak and to whom I speak when in private visitations to single persons my speech may be carelesse with negligence in which I may throw away my time with my words For to speak to no purpose is to make words useless and words is the marks to distinguish things and Figures to number merits with and Notes to record the noble Acts of men But at this time I am to speak by my Fathers command upon a Subject which my contemplation hath no acquaintance with which is marriage and I hear by my Father that you have all treated with him or rather intreated him to bestow me in marriage which is to make me unhappy not but that I believe what I hear which is that you are all persons of Quality Birth Breeding and Merit far beyond my desert yet with the best if any best there be being all worthy yet were I a wife to any one I might be unhappy by reason marriage is an incumbered life although the Husband and the Wife were fitly matcht for years Births Fortunes Dispositions Humours Capacities Wits Conversations Constancies Vertues and affections and first by your leave I will discourse of mens marriage by reason Man being accounted the Supremer Creature and alwayes bearing Rule he shall be first placed As for marriage to men it is a great hinderance to a speculative life it cuts off Phancies Wings and quenches out the Poetical Fire it breaks the Engine of invention disturbs sweet contemplation corrupts honest Counsels obstructs all Heroick actions obscures fame and often times causes infamy by the wifes inconstancies and many times by her indiscretion for a man is dishonoured if his wife is but thought wanton or but inclining to be amorous and though she be as sober in her Nature and as constant as any woman can be yet the very suspition is a disgrace and if the suspition is a disgrace what is a visible truth His very Neighbours makes Horns as he passeth by their doors whilst he sadly and shamefully hangs down his head with a dejected countenance which makes him seem a Coward and a Fool although it be unjust that the faults of the wife should be a blemish to the Husbands honour yet so it is this being the greatest cause why Husbands are jealouse which jealousie is more for their Honours sake than for their Wives affections thus you see how dangerous a thing it is for man to marry who must trust his honour to the management of a Foolish Woman and women naturally like children inconstant unlesse education doth rectifie their frail natures peevish humours various appetites and inconstant affection Likewise marriage is not only apt to corrupt the mind with jealousie but with Covetousnesse for the extreme fondnesse and natural love of Parents to their Children maks them strive by all their endeavours to inrich them this makes them gripe their Tennants pinch and half starve their servants quarrel and dispute with their neighbours corrupt Judges take Bribes besides it makes men apt to rebell and turn Traitorus murmuring at their Taxes and impositions it also makes them timorous and fearful in warrs by reason their wife and children may be ruined by their death Also it makes them dull in their Conversations by reason they are alwayes plodding for their worldly affairs and for the Muses had a husband time to entertain them yet the wife would right them or drive them from him with their quarreling disputes or sencelesse prizes besides most women are as jealouse of the Muses as of their Maids but to treat or discourse of married women is to discourse of a most unhappy life for all the time of their lives is insnared with troubles what in breeding and bearing children what in taking and turning away Servants directing and ordering their Family counting their expences and disbursing their revenues besides the vexations with their servants for their quarreling and combining for their sloth and sluttery for their spoiles and carlessnesse for their treachery and couzenage and if they have Children what troubles and griefs do unsue Troubled with their frowardnesse and untowardnesse the care for their well being the fear for their ill doing their grief for their sicknesse and their unsufferable sorrow for their death Yet this is the best part and not to be avoided But if these troubles be joyned with an ill Husband it heightens their torments for if he be a Drunkard she had better be marryed to a Beast her nostrils is stencht with the Lees of wine her eyes are offended with his rude behaviour and her ears are struck with a cursed noise of cursing and Oaths and if he be a Gamester she lives in an unsetled condition she knows not how soon she may want for if she have plenty one day she may be in a condition to beg the next And if her Husband be inconstant and loves variety of women O how jealousie torments her besides the wrongs she suffers from him what affronts she receives from his Mistresse How is she dispised amongst her neighbours sleighted by her servant suspected by the world for having some defect as either to be incontinent sluttish foolish froward crosse unkind ill natured sickly or diseased when perchance the woman may be worthy to be marcht with a temperate wise valiant honest rich and honourable man and if women go fine and take pleasure in themselves and Garments their Husbands are jealouse and if they regard not themselves or Garments their Husbands dislikes them For though men will swear to their wives they like them better in their old cloaths than other women in their glorious Apparrel because they would not have them expensive yet if their wives neglect themselves regarding not their dressing but sleights all outward Adornments and change of Garments as prodigal spend-thrifts they starve their Husbands esteem in their thrifty plainness Consumes
mankind Oh! Oh! that these Melancholy damps arising from my afflicted Soul could extinguish the Lamp of life or that my sad and grieved thoughts that feed upon my troubled Spirits could bite with sorrows teeth the thread of life asunder She sits down on the ground leaning her Cheek on her hand and weeps Enter to her her Maid Passive Passive My sweet Mistriss why do you weep Lady Innocence The spring of grief doth send forth streams of tears to wash off my disgrace and the foul spots which slandring tongues have stain'd or rather slain'd my reputation for which my eyes did they not weep would seem unnaturally unkind but my dead reputation is imbalm'd with salt tears bitter groans shrowded in sorrows and intomb'd in misery Passive My dear Lady you are imbalm'd with the pretious gums of Virtue and sweet spices of wit wrapt up in youth and beauty and are intombed or rather inthroned in honest hearts wherefore waste not your self with grief for certainly the world will condemn your Accusers and not you Lady Innocence Those feeble hopes cannot my spirits uphold they give no light of comfort to my mind for black despair like Melancholy night mustles my thoughts and makes my Soul as blind O but why do I thus mourn in sad complaints and do not curse Fortune Fates and destiny their Wheels there spindel threads and Chains She heaves up her hands and lifts up her eyes May Nature great turn all again to nought That nothing may with joy receive a thought She goes out in a very Melancholy posture Passive alone She is deeply Melancholy Heavens ease her mind Ex. Scene 12. Enter 2. or 3. Doctors 1. DOctor The Lady Sanspareile cannot live for the hath no pulse 2. Doctor No she is descending to the grave 3. Doctor But had we best tell her Father so 1. Doctor No by no means as yet 2. Doctor Why not he will know when she is dead Enter the Lady Mother Love as to the Doctors Lady Mother Love Mr. Doctors What do you mean to let my Daughter dye will you not prescribe something to give her 1. Doctor Madam we shall do our best you may be confident Lady Mother What if you prescribed a Glister or a Purge 1. Doctor I shall not need Madam Lady Mother Why if any one be sick they ought to have some remedies applyed to them 2. Doctor We shall consider what course is best to be taken Lady Mother Love For Gods sake do not neglect her Ex. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love to the Doctors Sir Thomas Father Love Mr. Doctors what is your opinion of my Daughter 1. Doctor Truly Sir she is very dangerous sick Sir Thomas Father Love I can find no pulse she hath 2. Doctor Nor we Sir that makes us doubt her Father Love Pray consult about her what is best to be done 1. Doctor We shall Sir Ex. Scene 13. Enter the Lord de l'Amour and the Lady Innocence LOrd de l'Amour What makes you look so gastly pale Lady Innocence I am so ashamed of my accusation as my bashfullness is beyond all blushing as greatest griefs are beyond all tears it causes my limbs to tremble face look pale like Death's assault making my courage fail Lord de l'Amour Perchance you are asham'd to confess so base a crime you may confess to me for I shall strive to hide your faults and cover them with some excuse wherefore confess for though it be a fault to steal yet it is a double fault to hide it with a Lye and by these crimes you do offend the Gods nor will their anger be remov'd unless you confess and ask pardon Lady Innocence Your Doctrine is very good and Application well applied had I been Guilty but being Innocent they are vainly uttered Lord de l'Amour I hope you will agree to resign the interest you have to me if I should desire you Lady Innocence Saints never offred up their Souls to God more willingly than I all interest to you not but that I love you yet I should be loath to be bound to one that hath so ill an opinion of me as you have Lord de l'Amour The World would condemn me if I should marry you to stain my Posterity with your Crimes Lady Innocence O Heavens is my scandal of so deep a dye as to stain Predecessors and Posterity yours may avoid it but my Predecessors are spotted all over She goes out weeping Lord de l'Amour I cannot chuse but love her although I fear she is guilty but I perceive she is resolv'd not to confess as being asham'd of it Ex. Scene 14. Enter the Lady Sanspareile in a bed as being sick the bed drawn on the stage and her Father kneels by the bed-side whilst she speaks as dying SAnspareile Let spotless Virgins bear me to my grave and holy Anthems sing before my Herse and soft-toucht Instruments to play the while and keep just time with tears that trickling fall from the sad eyes of my most sorrowful friends and one my Coffin spread upon a covering of smooth Sattin white to signify here how I lived a Virgin pure I lived and dyed and let my works which I have wrought and spun out of my brain be given to times Library to keep alive my name And set a Lilly-Garland on my Herse On every leaf therein stick on a verse And when my Coffin to the grave you bring Let Poets on my Herse some verses fling For whilst I liv'd I worship'd Nature great And Poets are by Nature favoured I in the Muses Arms desire to Dye For I was bred up in their Company And my request 's to them when I am dead I may amongst them be remembered But death drawes near my destiny is come Father farewell may time take up my years which death cuts off and add them to your life Peace keep your mind and Comfort give you rest He weeps But why do you weep dear Father my life 's not worth your tears yet Heavens doe weep and mingle with dull earth their Cristal streams and earth 's refresht thereby so is not death for death is ever dry Father O Child O Child my heart will break Sanspareile Sir why do you sigh and groan and grieve that I must dye life is perpetual and death is but a change of shape Only I wish that Death may order it so That from your rootes I may your flower grow I fear not Death nor am I loath to dye Yet I am loath to leave your Company But O the Muses stay my dying lips to close Farewel Dyes Her Father starts up from her Bed-side and stares about the Bed and the dead Lady is drawn off the stage Father What art thou sted dear Soul where dost thou goe stay and I will bear thee Company Stares about Where art thou Soul why mak'st thou such great haste I pray thee stay and take thy aged Fathers Soul along with thee left it should wander in the dark and gloomy
shades to find thee out O! O death quick dispatch Let me unprisoned be my body is old decayed and worn times ruins shews it Oh! Oh! let life fall for pitty pull it down stops a time Am I not dead you cruel powers above to lengthen out an old mans life in misery and pain why did not Time put out the sight of both my eyes and also deaf my ears that I might neither hear nor see the death of my lifes joy O Luxurious Death how greedily thou feedst on youth and beauty and leist old Age hang withering on lifes tree O shake me off let me no longer grow if not grief shall by force snip off my tender stalk and pitty lay me in the silent grave Heark Heark I hear her call me I come I come Childe He feches a great sigh O no she is gone she is gone I saw her dead her head hung down like as a Lilly whose stalk was broke by some rude blusterous wind He stares about There there I see her on her dutious knee Her humble eyes cast to the ground Her spotlesse hands held up for blessings crave asking forgivenesse for faults not done O no She is dead She is dead I saw her eye-lids cloze like watry Clouds which joyn to shut out the bright Sun and felt her hands which Death made cold and numb like as to Cristal balls She is gone she is gone and restless grows my mind thoughts strive with thoughts struggle in my brain passions with passions in my heart make War My Spirits run like furies all about Help help for Heavens sake and let life out Ex. Scene 15. Enter the Lady Mother Love alone LAdy Mother Love O my daughter my daughter is dead she is dead Oh that ever I was born to bear a Childe to dye before me Oh she was the Comfort of my Heart the pleasure of my Eyes the delight of my life Oh she was Good she was Sweet she was Fair O what shall I do what shall I do Ex. Scene 16. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love half distracted SIr Thomas Father Love Mercury lend me thy winged feet that I may fly to Heaven there to observe how all the Gods and Godesses doe gaze upon my Beautiful Childe for she is fairer than the light that great Apollo gives and her discourse more ravishing than the Musick of the Spheres but as soon as she sees me she will leave them all and run unto me as she used to do kneeling will kiss my hands which she must not do being a Goddess and I a Mortal wherefore I must kneel to her and carry her an offering but what shall the offering be Let me think Why I will kneel and offer up my Aged life unto her Memory but now I think of it better I cannot dye in Heaven wherefore let me Study let me Study what she did love best when she lived upon the Earth O I now remember when I did ask her what she lov'd best she would Answer her Father and her Fame but I believe if she were here it would be a hard Question for her to resolve which she preferr'd and being not to be separated in Affection we will not part in our Resurrection wherefore Mercury farewel for I will fly up with the Wings of her good Fame And carry up her Wit and there will strow It on Heavens floor as bright as Stars will show Her Innocency shall make new Milky waies Her Virtue shall Create new Worlds to praise Her never-dying Name Ha Ho! It shall be so it shall be so Ex. ACT IV. Scene 17. Enter the Lady Innocence alone studious with her eyes to the ground thou casting them up speaks LAdy Innocence I am not so much in love with the World as to desire to live nor have I offended Heaven so much as to be afraid to dye then way should I prolong my life when Honour bids me dye for what Noble Soul had not rather part with the Body than live in Infamy Then t is not Death that affrights me and yet I find my Soul is loath to leave its bodily Mansion but O to be buried in Oblivions grave is all I fear no Monumental Fame nor famous Monument my Soul displeases that makes it loath to leave the body in forgotten dust whilst it doth sadly wander in the Aire She walks a turn or two as in a musing thought then speaks Soul be at ease for the Memory of the dead is but like a dying Beauty vades by degrees or like a Flower whither'd hath neither Sent Colour nor Tast but moulders into dust so hath the mind no form of what is past But like as formless heaps those Objects lye And are intomb'd in the dark Memory O Foolish Vanity to be so much a slave to Fame since those that Fame doth love the best and favoureth most are not Eternal Wherefore Nature perswades me to release my woe Though foolish Superstition Natures foe Forbids it yet Reason aloud sayes dye Since Ease Peace Rest doth in the grave still lye Walkes about as in a silent musing then speaks I am resolv'd then Come sweet Death thou friend that never fails give me my liberty But stay my hasty resolution for I would not willingly go to the grave as beasts doe without Ceremony for I being friendless those humane Funeral rites will be neglected none will take the pains nor be at the charge to see them perform'd but some base vulgar person will throw me into the Earth without respect or regard wherefore I will Living perform the Ceremonies and as a guess or friend be at my own Funeral it shall be so and I will prepare it Ex. Scene 18. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love alone and for a time walkes as in a musing or thinking with his eyes cast on the ground then speaks FAther Love Multitudes of Melancholy thoughts croud in my brain And run to pull down Reason from his Throne Fury as Captain leads the way Patience and Hope is trod upon O these distracted thoughts burrie my Soul about Seeking a place to get a passage out But all the Ports are stopp'd O Cursed Death for to prolong a life that is so weary of its Mansion Enter Mr. Comfort Sir Thomas Father Loves friend Friend Sir will you give order for your Daughters Funeral and direct how you will have her interred Father Love How say you why I will have you rip my body open and make it as a Coffin to lay her in then heave us gently on sighs fetcht deep and lay us on a Herse of sorrowful groans then cover us with a Dark Black Pitchy Spungy Cloud made of thick Vapour drawn from bleeding hearts from whence may tears of showers run powring down making a Sea to drown remembrance in But O remembrance is a fury grown Torments my Soul now she is gone Friend Sir where there is no remedy you must have patience Father Love Patience out upon her she is an Idle lazy Gossip and keep
Funeral Oration Friend Why Sir your distemper hath so disordered all your Family as it was not thought of Father Love She shall not go to the Grave without due Praises if I have life to speak them Wherefore raise me up and carry me to the Holy place before her Herse thus in my Chair sick as I am For I will speak her Funeral Oration although with my last words Thus will I be carryed living to my Grave He is carried out in a Chair by Servants Ex. Scene 21. Enter the Lord de l' Amour alone as in a Melancholy humour LOrd de l'Amour When I do think of her my mind is like a tempestuous Sea which foams and roars and roles in Billows high My brain like to a Ship is wracked and in it's ravenous Waves my heart is drowned And as several winds do blow so several thoughts do move some like the North with cold and chilly Fears others as from the South of hot Revenge do blow As from the East despairing storms do rise A Western grief blows tears into mine eyes Walks about and weeps Enter Master Charity his Friend Mr. Charity My Lord why are you so melancholy for that which is past and cannot be help'd Lord de l'Amour Oh! the remembrance of her death her cruel death is like the Infernal Furies torments my soul gives it no case nor rest For sometimes my soul is flung into a Fire of Rage That burns with furious pain And then with frozen despair it rips it up again But I unjust and credulous I was the cause of her untimely death Enter the Maid that accused her Falshood O my Lord forgive me for I have murdered the innocent Lady you grieve for for my false Accusation was the hand that guided the dagger to her heart but my Ladies command was the Thief that stole the Chain for she commanded me to take the Chain and accuse the Lady of the Theft for which she gave me the Chain for a reward This I will witnesse by oath unto you and all the World For it is heavier than a world upon my Conscience Lord de l'Amour Why did your Lady so wicked an act Falshood Through Jealousie which bred Envy Envy Malice Malice Slander and this Slander hath produce Murder Enter Informer the other Maid Informer Oh my Lady My Lady hath hanged her self for when she heard Falshood was gone to tell your Lordship the truth of the Chain she went into a base place and hung her self and upon her breast I found this written Paper She gives it de l'Amour to read Lord de l'Amour It is the Lady Incontinents Hand-writing He reads it I have been false to my Marriage-bed lived impudently in the sin of Adultery in the publick face of the World I have betray'd the trust imposed to my charge slandered the Innocent poysoned the Instrument I imployed Falshood All which being summ'd up was worthy of hanging Falshood falls down dead Lord de l'Amour She hath sav'd me a labour and kept my Heroick Honour free from the stains of having laid violent hands on the Effeminate Sex Friend What shall be done with this dead Body Lord de l'Amour Let her Ladies body with hers be thrown into the Fields to be devoured of Beasts Ex. ACT V. Scene 22. Enter the Funeral Herse of the Lady Sanspareile covered with white Satine a silver Crown is placed in the midst her Herse is born by six Virgins all in white other Virgins goe before the Herse and strew Flowers white Lillies and white Roses The whilst this Song is sung SPOtlesse Virgins as you go Wash each step as white as Snow With pure Chrystal streams that rise From the Fountain of your eyes Fresher Lillies like the day Strew and Roses as white as they As an Emblem to disclose This Flower sweet short liv'd as those The whilst her Father is carryed as sick in a Chair the Chair covered with black and born black by Mourners he himself also in close Mourning when they have gone about the Stage The Herse is set neer to the Grave there being one made Then the Father is placed in his Chair upon a raised place for that purpose the raised place also covered with Black he being placed speaks her Funeral Sermon Father Love Most Charitable and Noble Friends that accompany the Dead Corps to the Grave I must tell you I am come here although I am as a Dead Man to the World yet my desire is to make a living Speech before I go out of the world not only to divulge the Affections I had for my Daughter but to divulge her Virtue Worth and good Graces And as it is the custome for the nearest Kindred or best and constantest Friends or longest acquaintance to speak their Funeral Oration wherein I take my self to be all wherefore most fit to speak her Funeral Oration For I being her Father am her longest acquaintance and constantest Friend and nearest in Relation wherefore the fitest to declare unto the world my natural and Fatherly Love Death will be a sufficient witnesse For though I am old yet I was healthful when she lived but now I cannot live many hours neither would I for Heaven knows my affections struggle with Death to hold Life so long as to pay the last Rites due to her dead Corps struck by Death's cruel Dart But most Noble and Charitable Friends I come not here with eye fil'd with salt tears for sorows thirsty Jaws hath drunk them up sucked out my blood left my Veins quite dry luxuriously hath eat my Marow out my sighs are spent in blowing out Life's Fire only some little heat there doth remain which my affections strive to keep alive to pay the last Rites due to my dead Child which is to set her praises forth for living Virtuously But had I Nestors years 't would prove too few to tell the living Stories of her Youth for Nature in her had packed up many Piles of Experience of Aged times besides Nature had made her Youth sweet fresh and temperate as the Spring and in her brain Flowers of Fancies grew Wits Garden set by Natures hand wherein the Muses took delight and entertained themselves therein Singing like Nightingales late at Night or like the Larks ere the day begin Her thoughts were as the Coelestial Orbes still moving circular without back ends surrounding the Center of her Noble mind which as the Sun gave light to all about it her Virtues twinkled like the fixed Starrs whose motion stirs them not from their fix'd place and all her Passions were as other starres which seemed as only made to beautifie her Form But Death hath turned a Chaos of her Form which life with Art and Care had made and Gods had given to me O cursed death to rob and make me poor Her life to me was like a delightful Mask presenting several interchanging Scenes describing Nature in her several Dresses and every Dresse put in a
several way Also her life was like a Monarchy where Reason as sole King did govern al her actions which actions like as Loyal Subjects did obey those Laws which Reason decreed Also her life was like Ioves Mansions high as being placed above this worldly Globe from whence her Soul looked down on duller earth mixt not but viewed poor mortals here below thus was her life above the world because her life prized not the Trifles here Perchance this Noble Company will think I have said too much and vainly thus to speak That Fathers should not praise their Children so Because that from their Root and Stock did grow Why may not Roots boast if their Fruites be good As hindering worth in their own Flesh and blood Shall they dissemble to say they are naught Because they are their own sure that 's a fault Unpardonable as being a lye that 's told Detracting lyes the baser lyes I hold Neither can strangers tell their life and worth Nor such affections have to set them forth As Parents have or those that 's neer of Kin Virtuous Partiality sure that 's no sin And virtue though she be lovliest when undrest Yet she is pleas'd when well she is exprest But Oh! my words have spent my stock of breath And Life 's commanded forth by powerful Death When I am dead this company I pray The last rites done me by my daughter lay And as her soul did with the Muses flye To imitate her in her a verse I dye He falls back in his Chair and is dead Mr. Comfort Noble Friends you heard his request which was to be buryed in his daughters grave and whilst you show your charity in laying the Corps of his daughter in the grave I will carry out his body and put it into a Coffin and then lay him in the same grave The Company said Do so Goes out with the body The whilst the Virgins take up the Lady Sanspareiles Herse and whilst they are putting it into the grave this Song following was sung Tender Virgins as your Birth Put her gently in the earth What of Moral or Divine Here is lapt up in this shrine Rhetorick dumb Philosophy Both those arts with her did dye And grieved Poets cannot choose But lament for her their Muse When she was putting into the Grave this Song following was sung Her Tomb her Monument her Name Beyond an Epitaph her Fame Death be not proud imbracing more Now than in all thy reign before Boasting thy Triumphs since thou must But justly glory in her dust Let thy Dart rust and lay it by For after her none 's sit to dye After this her Peal is Rung on Lutes by Musicians And the Company goes out Scene 23. A Tomb is thrust on the Stage then the Lord de l'Amour enters LOrd de l'Amour Now I am free no hinderance to my own Tragedy He goeth to the Tomb This Tomb her sacred Body doth contain He draws his Sword then he kneels down by the Tomb and then prayes Dear Soul pardon my crimes to thee they were crimes of ignorance not malice Sweet gentle Spirits flye me not but stay And let my Spirits walk thy Spirits way You lov'd me once your Love in death renew And may our soules be as two Lovers true Our Blood 's the Bonds our wounds the Seals to Print Our new Contract and Death a witnesse in 't He takes his Sword Had I as many lives as Poors in skin He sacrifize them for my ignorant sin As he speaks he falls upon his Sword Enter his Friend Master Charity He seeing him lye all in blood almost dead runs to him and heaves him up Friend I did fear this which made me follow him but I am come too late to save his life O my Lord speak if you can Lord de l'Amour Friend lay me in this Tomb by my affianced Wife for though I did not usher her to the grave I will wait after her Dyes EPILOGUE Noble Spectators now you have seen this Play And heard it speak let 's hear what now you say But various judgements various sentences give Yet we do hope you 'l sentence it may live But not in Prison be condemn'd to lye Nor whipt with censure rather let it dye Here on this Stage and see the Funeral Rites Which is to put out all the Candle lights And in the grave of darknesse let it rest In peace and quiet and not molest The harmlesse soul which hopes Mercury may Unto the Elizium fields it safe convey But if you sentence life the Muses will Attend it up unto Parnassus Hill If so pray let your hands here in this place Clap it as an applause the triumph grace FINIS These Verses the Lord Marquesse writ This Song the Lord Marquesse writ This Song was writ by the Lord Marquesse This Song was writ by the Lord Marquesse of New-castle The first Part of the Lady Contemplation The Actors Names Lord Title Lord Courtship Sir Experience Traveller Sir Fancy Poet Sir Golden Riches Sir Effeminate Lovely Sir Vain Complement Sir Humphrey Interruption Mr. Adviser Doctor Practise and other Gentlemen Tom Purveyer Roger Farmer Old Humanity Servants and others The Lady Contemplation The Lady Conversation The Lady Visitant The Lady Ward The Lady Virtue Lady Amorous Mrs. Troublesome Mrs. Governesse the Lady Virtues Attendant Nurse Careful Nurse to Lady Ward Maudlin Huswife Roger Farmers wife Mall Mean-bred the daughter Nan Scape-all Maid to the Lady Virtue The first Part of the Lady Contemplation ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lady Contemplation and the Lady Visitant VIsitant What Lady Contemplation musing by your self alone Contemplation Lady Visitant I would you had been ten miles off rather than to have broken my Contemplation Visitant Why are you so godly to be so serious at your Devotion Contemplation No faith they were Contemplations that pleas'd me better than Devotion could have done for those that contemplate of Heaven must have death in their mind Visitant O no for there is no Death in Heaven to disturb the joyes thereof Contemp. But we must dye before we come to receive those joyes and the terrifying thoughts of Death take away the pleasing thoughts of Heaven Visitant Prethee let me know those pleasing thoughts Contemplation I did imagine my self such a Beauty as Nature never made the like both for Person Favour and Colour and a Wit answerable to my Beauty and my Breeding and Behaviour answerable to both my Wisdome excelling all And if I were not thus as I say yet that every one should think I were so for opinion creates more and perfecter Beauties than Nature doth And then that a great powerful Monarch such a one as Alexander or Caesar fell desperately in love with me seeing but my Picture which was sent all about the world yet my Picture I did imagine was to my disadvantage not flattering me any wayes yet this Prince to be inamoured with this shadow for the substance sake Then Love perswaded
Courts It is beyond the power of Iove to please the various humours of Woman-kind Exit Scene 29. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEntleman There was never so many Noble Persons Married in one day in one City I think before those that are to Marry to morrow 2 Gentlem. Who are they 1 Gentlem. Why do you not hear 2 Gentlem. No 1 Gentlem. Surely you have been either dead or deaf 2 Gentlem. I have been in the Country 1 Gentlem. That is some reason indeed but the Newes of the City uses to travel in Letters on Post-horses into the Country 2 Gentlem. No faith for the most part they come in slow Waggons but tell me who those are that are to be Maried to morrow 1 Gentlem. Why first there is the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue Secondly the Lord Courtship and the Lady VVard Thirdly there is Sir Famit Poet and the Lady Contemplation Fourthly the Lady Conversation and Sir Experienc'd Traveller And fifthly the Lady Visitant and Sir Humphry Interruption 2 Gentlem. I will do my endeavour to see them all for I will go to each Bridal House 1 Gentlem. How will you do so being all maried on a day 2 Gentlem. Why I will bid Good-morrow to the one and I will goe to Church with another and dine with the third and dance the afternoon with the fourth and see the fifth a bed 1 Gentlem. That you may do Exeunt Scene 30. Enter Mistris Troublesome and her Maid MIstris Troubles Lord there are so many Weddings to be to morrow as I know not which to go to Besides I shall displease those I go not to being invited to them all Maid If you would displease neither of them you must feign your self sick and go to none of them Mistris Troubles None of them say you that would be a cause to make me die for I would not but be a guest to one of them for any thing could be given me But I am resolved to go to the Lady Conversation and Sir Experienc'd Travellers Wedding for there there will be the most company and it is company that I love better than the Wedding-cheer for much company is a Feast to me Maid Truly Mistris I wonder you should delight in company you being in years Mistris Troubles Out you naughty Wench do you say I am old Maid No indeed I did not name old Mistris Troubles Then let me tell you that those women that are in years seek company to divulge their Wit as youth to divulge their Beauty and we Aged Wits may chance to catch a Lover from a young Beauty But I should applaud my own wit if it could contrive to bring each Bride and Bridegroom into one Assembly making Hymen's Monarchy a Republick where all should be in common Maid So Mistriss you would prove a Traytor to Hymen which is a Bawd Mistris Troubles Faith I will turn you away for your boldness Enter Mistris Gossip O Mistris Gossip you are welcome what Newes Mistris Gossip I am come to tell you that the five Bridals meet with their Guests and good Cheer at the City-Hall and make their several Companies Joyning as one as one Body and there will be such Revelling as the like was never before Mistris Troubles Iuno be thanked and Venus be praised for it for I was much perplex'd concerning their Divisions till you came and brought me this good Newes of their Corporation Exeunt Scene 31. Enter the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue as his Bride both of them richly attired and Old Humanity following them LOrd Title Come Old Humanity and be our Father to ioyn and give us in the Church and then when we are Maried we will live a country-Country-life I as a Shepherd and this Lady as my Fair Shepherdess Exeunt Scene 32. Enter the Lady Ward as a Bride and her Nurse Nurse Careful NUrse Careful My dear Child you appear as a sweet budding Rose this morning Lady Ward Roses are beset with thorns Nurse I hope I am not so Nurse Caref. By 'r Lady your Husband may prove a thorn if he be not a good man and a kind Husband but Oh my heart doth ake Lady Ward Wherefore doth it ake Enter Lord Courtship as a Bridegroom Lord Courts Come Sweet are you ready for it is time to go to Church it is almost twelve a clock Lady Ward I am ready but my Nurse doth affright me by telling me her heart doth ake as if she did fore-know by her experien'd age some ill fortune towards me or that I shall be unhappy in my mariage Lord Courts Her heart doth not ake for you but for her self because she cannot be a young fair bride as you are as being past her youth so that her heart doth ake out of a sad remembrance of her self not for a present or a future cause for you Nurse Caref. Well well I was young indeed and a comely bride when I was maried though I say it and had a loving bridegroom Heaven rest his soul Exeunt Scene 33. Enter the Lady Visitant as a Bride to the Lady Conplation another Bride LAdy Visit. Come I have brought all my bridal guests hither to joyn with yours for we will go to Church together Wherefore prethee come away our Bridegrooms and our Guests stay for you Lady Contempl. I will go to them by and by Lady Visit. Why I hope you do not stay to muse upon Phantasmes saith Mariage will banish them out of your head you must now imploy your time with Realities Lady Contempl. If I thought Mariage would destroy or disturb my Contemplations I would not marry although my Wedding-guests were come and my Wedding-dinner ready drest and my Wedding-cloaths on nay were I at the holy Altar I would return back Lady Visit. That would be such an action as all the Kingdome would say you were mad Lady Contem. I had rather all the World should not only say I were mad but think me so rather than my self to be unhappy Lady Visit. Can want of Contemplation make you unhappy Lady Contem. Yes as unhappy as a body can be without a soul for Contemplation is the life of the soul and who can be happy that hath a dead soul Lady Visit. By my troth I had rather be dead than have such a dull life Enter Maid Maid Madam the Bridegroom is coming hither Lady Contempl. I will prevent him and meet him Exeunt Scene 34. Enter the two Gentlemen 1 GEntlem. Come away come away they 'l be all married before we shall get to Church 2 Gentlem. There will be enough Witnesses we may well be spared but so I share of the Feast I care not whether they be married or not 1 Gentle The truth is the benefit to us will be only in eating of their meat and drinking of their wine 2 Gentlem. And I mean to be drunk but not for joy of their Mariages but for pleasure of my Gusto Exeunt Scene 35. Enter the five Couples and all the Bridal Guests The Bridegrooms and
the way to try their constancy Temperance For my part if it were in my power to choose I would rather have Wit than Beauty for Wit pleaseth the Ear both longer and more than Beauty pleaseth the Sight and the sound of the one spreads farther than the sight of the other Besides Wit recreates the Mind and entertains the Reason Beauty only the Sense and but one sense as the sight when Wit is a companion not only to the sense of Hearing but the soul of Understanding and it is not only a delightful Companion but a subtil Observer an ingenious Inventer an excellent Artificer a politick Counsellour a powerful Commander a prudent Ruler and a divine Creator it observes all natures works it invents all useful Arts it frames all Common-wealths it guides the Senses rules the Appetites commands the Passions counsels the Thoughts regulates the Opinions creates the Conceptions Imaginations and Fancies it builds Poetical Castles and makes Gardens of Rhetorick and makes the sound Harmonical playing with words as on musical Instruments Besides Wit continues to old Age when Beauty vades in a year or two Superbe Come come Temperance if you were young you would prefer Beauty before a Wit by which you might get more pleasure by the one than profit by the other But all our Sex when they grow in years desire to be thought Wits when they can no longer be thought Beauties which makes them dispute for Wit and dispraise Beauty by undervaluing it Enter Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit Pleasure Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit you are welcom for we long to hear the success of your design since we have heard that Monsieur Satyrical hath been to visit you hath he not Bon' Esprit Yes Ambition But have you catch'd him Bon' Esprit Sure enough Portrait Then strangle him with Cupids bow-string Faction Hang him that 's not punishment enough Superbe No but when he 's a confirm'd Lover report he 's mad Ambition We shall not need to report that for when he is a confirm'd Lover he will do such ridiculous actions and behave himself so extravagantly vain and so constrainly foolish and speak such non-sense in striving to speak beyond the power of words insomuch as all that hear and see him will swear he 's mad Pleasure They will swear nothing but the truth for all Lovers are mad more or less But Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit are you sure you have him in Cupids snare Bon' Esprit I do verily believe I have him in Loves bonds Portrait O how I joy to think how we shall triumph Superbe What shall our Triumphant-Chariot be Faction Scorns scorns set on the wheels of laughter drawn by a company of lame sore scurvy words Bon' Esprit Will you have your Triumphant-Chariot drawn by a company of foolish words that will be as bad and as much disgrace as lean-jaded horses in a brave gilded Coach Pleasure No no sprightly jests were better Bon' Esprit They may chance to run you out of the field of Civility at least out of the right ways of Wit Ambition Let them run where they will so they carry his reproach with them Bon' Esprit Will you carry this reproach along with you and leave him behind you Faction We will carry his reproach about the World Bon' Esprit While you bear the burthen he will rest at home in ease and peace in his mind Faction Good Lord what makes you thus to contradict our Designs Bon' Esprit I do not contradict your Designs but shew you the Errour of your Conduct Pleasure Why then conduct us better Bon' Esprit So I shall if you will give me leave for I shall conduct you through the fair ways of peace and not through the foul ways of malice which are myery and deep with revenge in which you may stick or be thrown in disgrace but I will carry you through the sweet Meadows of good Nature wherein runs clear Rivulets of Charity in which you may bathe your selves under the fruitful trees of good works and take the fresh Air of Applause and be cool'd with the soft winds of Praise Thus wash'd cleans'd and refresh'd you will be fit to enter into the Palace of Fame Faction Heyday where will your Tongue carry us Bon' Esprit As high as it can even to the House of Fame which stands on the highest pinacle of Heaven Ambition Let me examine you Are you not carry'd by love to the top of Parnassus Hill Superbe By Iupiter she that went to catch Love is catch'd by Love her self Portrait Venus forbid for that would be such a disgrace as we shall be never able to pull off or rub out Bon' Esprit What you cannot rub out or pull off you must be content to wear with patience Exit Bon' Esprit Pleasure I suspect her Ambition I confess I doubt her Superbe I fear your doubts Faction I am confident we have lost her striving to catch him Portrait Let us follow her and examine her Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Monsieur Sensuality and Monsieur Censure SEnsuality I hear that thou intend'st to be a marry'd man shortly Censure Yes faith I am going to put my neck into the nooze Sensuality Nay if you nooze it hang it for the nooze of mariage is ten times worse than the halter of death Censure I am not of your Opinion Sensuality Why then thou art not of a wise opinion for in Death there is no trouble and in Mariage no quiet Censure A single life is melancholy being solitary Sensuality So I perceive rather than you 'l want company thou wilt associate thy self with cares and vexations Censure No I will associate my self with Wife and Children Sensuality Well let me tell you if that thou marriest a hundred to one but thou wilt be a Cuckold Censure I hope not Sensuality How canst thou have hopes when that the Gods are Cuckolds wherefore 't is impossible mortal men should escape Censure All the Gods are not so it is but only limping Vulcan that is one Sensuality Pardon me for if their divine Wives make them not Cuckolds yet their humane Wives do Censure But the Gods marry not humane creatures Sensuality But humane creatures marry the Gods and that is all one for in all Religions there are Nuns are the Gods humane wives and did not Cataline Cuckold the Gods when he lay with a Vestal Nun And many more are mentioned in Story and you may well believe all are not Recorded Censure Well if the Gods be Cuckolds I may have the less cause to murmur if I should be one for it is an honour to be like the God Sensuality VVell I wish as thy friend that thou mayst flourish in that Honour Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 19. Enter Ambition Faction Pleasure Portrait Superbe Temperance as following Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit PLeasure VVe do not like your dark Answers for Truth is clear Ambition Confess have you deceived us or not Bon' Esprit I have not deceived you for you did intrust me to
Enter Monsieur Malateste and his Maid Nan MAlateste Nan you must be contented for you must be gone for your Lady will not suffer you to be in the house Nan Will you visit me if I should live near your House at the next Town Malateste No for that will cause a parting betwixt my Wife and me which I would not have for all the World wherefore Nan God be with you Nan May your House be your Hell and your Wife be your Devil Exeunt Scene 36. Enter Madam Malateste and her Maid MAid What will your Ladyship have for your Supper Madam Whatsoever is rare and costly Exit maid Enter Steward Steward Did your Ladyship send for me Madam Mal. Yes for you having been an old servant in my Fathers House will be more diligent to observe and obey my commands wherefore go to the Metropolitan City and there try all those that trade in vanities and see if they will give me credit in case my Husband should restrain his purse from me and tell them that they may may make my Husband pay my debts The next is I would have you take me a fine house in the City for I intend to live there and not in this dull place where I see no body but my Husband who spends his time in sneaking after his Maids tails having no other imployment besides solitariness begets melancholy and melancholy begets suspition and suspition jealousie so that my Husband grows amorous with idleness and jealous with melancholy Thus he hath the pleasure of variety and I the pain of jealousie wherefore be you industrious to obey my command Steward I shall Madam Exeunt Scene 37. Enter Madamoiselle Amor as to her Father Monsieur Sensible MAdam Amor Good Sir conceal my Passion left it become a scorn when once 't is known for all rejected Lovers are despised and those that have some small returns of Love yet do those saint Affections triumph vaingloriously upon those that are strong and make them as their slaves Sensible Surely Child thy Affections shall not be divulged by me I only wish thy Passions were as silent in thy breast as on my tongue as that he thou lovest so much may lie as dead and buried in thy memory Amor There 's no way to bury Love unless it buries me Exeunt Scene 38. Enter Monsieur Malateste and Madam Malateste MOnsieur Mal. I hear Wife that you are going to the Metropolitan City Madam Yes Husband for I find my self much troubled with the Spleen and therefore I go to try if I can be cur'd Monsieur Why will the City cure the Spleen Madam Yes for it is the only remedy for melancholy must be diverted with divertisements besides there are the best Physicians Monsieur I will send for some of the best and most famous Physicians from thence if you will stay Madam By mo means for they will exact so much upon your importance as they will cost more money than their journey is worth Monsieur But Wife it is my delight and profit to live in the Country besides I hate the City Madam And I hate the Country Monsieur But every good Wife ought to conform her self to her Husbands humours and will Madam But Husband I profess my self no good Wife wherefore I will follow my own humour Exit Madam He alone Monsieur Malateste I finde there is no crossing her she will have her Will Exit Scene 39. Enter Monsieur Marry and Madam Soeur MOnsieur Marry Wife I am come to rob your Cabinet of all the Ribands that are in it for I have made a running match betwixt Monsieur la Whips Nag and your Brothers Barb and he faith that he shall not run unless you give him Ribands for he is perswaded your Favours will make him win Soeur Those Ribands I have you shall have Husband But what will my Brother say if his Barb should lose the match Marry I ask'd him that question and he answer'd that if he lost he would knock his Barbs brains out of his head Soeur Where is my Brother Marry Why he is with your Father and such a good companion he is to day and so merry as your Father is so fond of his company insomuch as he hangs about his neck as a new-maried wife But I conceive the chief reason is that your Brother seems to consent to marry the Lady Amor Soeur I am glad of that with all my soul Marry But he says if he doth marry her It must be by your perswasons Soeur He shall not want perswading if I can perswade him Marry Come Wife will you give me some Ribands Soeur Yes Husband I will go fetch them Marry Nay Wife I will go along with you Exeunt Scene 40. Enter Madamoiselle Amor alone as in a melancholy humour MAdam Amor Thoughts cease to move and let my Soul take rest or let the damps of grief quench out lifes flame Enter Monsieur Sensible Sensible My dear Child do not pine away for Love for I will get thee a handsomer man than Monsieur Frere Amor Sir I am not so much in love with his person as to dote so fondly thereon Sensible What makes you so in love with him then for you have no great acquaintance with him Amor Lovers can seldome give a Reason for their Passion yet mine grew from your superlative praises those praises drew my Soul out at my Ears to entertain his love But since my Soul misles of what it seeks will not return but leave my body empty to wander like a ghost in gloomy sadness and midnight melancholy Sensible I did mistake the subject I spoke of the substance being false those praises were not current wherefore lay them aside and fling them from thee Amor I cannot for they are minted and have Loves stamp and being out increases like to Interest-money and is become so vast a summ as I believe all praises past present or what 's to come or can be are too few for his merits and too short of his worth Sensible Rather than praise him I wish my Tongue had been for ever dumb Amor O wish not so but rather I had been for ever deaf She goes out He alone Sensible My Child is undone Exeunt Scene 41. Enter two servants of Monsieur Malateste's 1 SErvant My Master looks so lean and pale as I doubt he is in a Consumption 2 Servant Faith he takes something to heart whatsoever it is 1 Servant I doubt he is jealous 2 Servant He hath reason for if my Lady doth not cuckold him yet she gives the World cause to think she doth for she is never without her Gallants 1 Servant There is a great difference betwixt our Lady that is dead and this Enter Monsieur Malateste Malateste Is my Wife come home yet 1 Servant No Sir Malateste I think it be about twelve of the Clock 1 Servant It is past one Sir Malateste If it be so late I will sit up no longer watching for my Wives coming
thought And so farewel Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Sir William Holdfast and his Friend Mr. Disswader HOldfast Sir Thomas Letgo's Mistris that he is to marry is a pretty Lady Disswader But I do not perceive he is very hasty to marry her Holdfast If she were mine I would not prolong my Wedding-day Disswader For fear she should die and you should lose her Estate Holdfast No I am not covetous for my Estate will maintain a Wife according to my quality although she bring no Portion and upon that condition I might have her I would give a Portion for her so much I like and fancy her Disswader And would you marry her if you might have her Holdfast Yes Disswader Pray tell me what would you do with a Fool she would be neither good for Breed nor Conversation for she might bring you a Race of Fools and vex you with ignorant Follies Holdfast Why should you think her a Fool she neither appears froward peevish or spightful she hath a sober Face a bashful Countenance a natural Garb she is silent and pensive which shews she is no Fool but if she were always laughing or toying or singing or dancing or simpering or prating or had an affected countenance or affected garbs or postures I should conclude her to be a Fool But certainly she must needs have a wise Wit for she seems melancholy and contemplative which no fool is she hears much and speaks little which no fool doth wherefore I judge she hath Wit but either she is careless and cares not to express it or thinks the company fools and therefore will not express it or is so bashful as she cannot express it and there is nothing shews or discovers Wit so much as Bashfulness which shews the Mind and Thoughts so sensible as they apprehend beyond anothers perceivance and so fearful lest they should commit Errors in their Actions and Expressions as they obscure their Virtues and natural Excellencies for want of a confident Assurance and a good Opinion of their own Abilities besides Bashfulness thinks the least natural defect a Crime and every little errour a Disgrace never to be rubb'd out they will blush at their own thoughts and will pine almost into a Consumption if two or three idle words should slip out of their mouths or that they should mistake an Argument or that their Behaviour was not so or so The truth is they never think their Actions or their Words well enough done or spoken they are the first that shall condemn themselves and the last that shall give themselves a pardon But prethee Ned as thou art my Friend see if you can procure me or watch for an opportunity that I might speak with her alone Disswader I think that were not difficult to be done but I will enquire a way Holdfast Do not forget it Disswader No it is so remarkable you should be in love with so simple a creature as I shall remember it Exeunt Scene 17. Enter the Lady Prudence and her Suter a Divine The Divine goeth to the place where the Suters plead and the Assembly about them DIvine Madam I should not thus presume did not my Profession dignifie me to a Spiritual Office wherefore a fit Suter to a Divine Lady And since my Sute is holy by reason Mariage is sacred despise me not Prudence Worthy Sir all of your Profession require a solitary Habitation for studious Contemplation to a holy life wherein their Thoughts are Consecrated to Devotion that their Doctrine may flow from a pure Mind in Eloquent words to the ears of their Flock to instruct them with the light of Knowledge and to lead them into the ways of Truth whereas Mariage although it be sacred in it self yet it is rather apt to disturb than unite especially a double Mariage which are of different Natures for there are two sorts of Mariages as a Spiritual and a Corporal The first is betwixt the Gods and Mankind the other is betwixt Man and Woman The one is by a Consecration and Communion of Spirits the other is by a Combination and Communication of Persons wherefore those that are maried to Iove ought to keep themselves pure in that Unity As for the mariage of Combination and Communication of Persons although it is requisite for the continuance of Mankind and civil Common-wealths yet to spiritual Elevations is is a great hinderance for though a woman especially a Wife be accounted as a Helper and Comfort to man by her diligent attendance and loving service yet women are accounted not only unprofitable in learned Schools but obstructers to a studious life for which women are not suffer'd to inhabite in Universities Schools or Colleges indeed we are in a maner banish'd from the sight or entrance thereinto and men have reason so to do since learning especially Divine learning requires study and study requires a quiet solitary and silent life and certainly there can be neither solitariness nor silence where women and children are for Nature hath made women and children to have restless spirits unquiet minds busiless active and such voluble tongues as it is impossible they should be silent whilest life gives them motion so that a woman is a very unfit companion for Contemplations wherein there should be no other company but thoughts which thoughts in a Divine should be only such as are the Inquirers and Searchers of Ioves divine Mysteries and Scholars to Ioves divine Schools and Orators to explain plead in Ioves divine Laws and servants to Ioves divine Orders that they may be Instructers and Intelligencers of Ioves divine Commands And though women ought to be instructed in Divinity yet for the most part women are obstructers and disturbers of Divinity and Divines besides the Original Woman was a Tempter to Sin which all her Effeminate Posterity inherit as a Natural Right and Gift from their great Grandmother And though Divines ought to be industrious to cut off the Intail of that Original Inheritance with their holy Doctrine quenching the fire of Temptation with the spiritual dew of Divine Instructions yet ought they not to run themselves into that fire they should quench serving as fuel to increase it Wherefore those that dedicate themselves to Ioves Church ought to live separated from Natures daughters lest they should yield to humane frailties and become slaves to the Effeminate Temptations Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Mistris Trifle and Mistris Parle TRifle Friend I am come to ask thy counsel Parle Concerning what Trifle Concerning Mariage Parle I will give you the best I can but it is both difficult and dangerous to give counsel in so weighty a Concernment as Mariage Trifle You say very true and being so weighty a Concernment as you say I am come for thy Advice not trusting to my own judgment and thus it is There is a Gentleman that hath come two or three times thorough out street and the last time he came he look'd up to my Chamber-window wherefore I conceive he
this discourse is that since Self-love is the Fountain of and in Nature from whence issue out several Springs to every several Creature wherein Mankind being her chiefest and Supreme work is filled with the fullest Springs from that Fountain which is the cause that Mankind is more industrious cruel and unsatiable to and for his self ends than any other Creature he spares nothing that he hath power to destroy if he fears any hurt or hopes for any gain or finds any pleasure or can make any sport or to imploy his idle time he melts metalls distills and dissolves plants dissects animals substracts and extracts Elements he digs up the bowels of the Earth cuts through the Ocean of the Sea gathers the winds into Sails fresh waters into Mills and imprisons the thinner Ayre he Hunts he Fowls he Fishes for sport with Gunns Nets and Hooks he cruelly causeth one Creature to destroy another the whilst he looks on with delight he kills not only for to live but lives for to kill and takes pleasure in torturing the life of other Creatures in prolonging their pains and lengthning their Deaths and when Man makes friendship of Love it is for his own sake either in humouring his passion or feeding his humour or to strengthen his party or for Trust or Counsel or Company or the like causes if he dies for his friend it is either for fame or that he cannot live himself happy without his friend his passion and grief making him restless if Man loves his Children Wife or Parents t is for his own sake he loves his Parents for the honour he receives by them or for the life he received of them if he loves his Wife or the Wife the Husband it is for their own sakes as their own pleasure as either for their Beauties Wits Humours or other Graces or for their Company or Friendships or because they think they love them if they love their Children it is for their own sakes as to keep alive their memory and to have their duty and obedience to bow and do homage to them If Masters love their Servants it is for their own sakes because they are trusty faithfull and industrious in their affairs imployments or for their own profit or ease and if Servants love their Masters it is for their own sakes as either for their power to protect them or for the regard they have to them or for the gain they get from them or for their lives that are nourished and maintained by them if Amorous Lovers love it is for their own sakes as to please the Appetite and to satisfy their desires if Subjects love their Soveraigns it is for their own sakes as that they may have Law and Justice Peace and Unity If Sovereigns love their Subjects it is for their own sakes because they bear up his Throne with their Wealth and Industry and fight to maintain or get him power My Application most Noble and Right Honourable is that since we do all and in every act for our own sakes we should indeavour and study for that which is best for our selves and the ground of our indeavour is to learn and know our selves every particular person must learn and know himself not by comparative as observing others for every man is not alike but by self study reading our own Natures and Dispositions marking our own Passions mours and Appetites with the Pen of Thought and Ink of Examination and let the Truth be the Tutor to instruct you in the School of Reason in which you may Commence Master of Art and go out Doctor of Judgment to practise Temperance for Temperance keeps in its full strength prolongs Beauty quickens Wit ripens Youth refreshes Age restores Decayes keeps Health maintains Life and hinders Times ruines but Temperance is not only a Doctor of Physick a Physician to the Body but a Doctor of Divinity a Divine for the Soul It preaches and teaches good Life it instructs with the Doctrine of Tranquillity and guides to the Heaven of Happiness also Temperance is the Doctor of Musick it tunes the Senses composes the Thoughts it notes the Passions it measures the Appetites and playes a Harmonious Mind Thus Most Noble and Right Honourable I have proved that Self-love is the Fountain of Nature and the Original Springs of her Creatures and that Temperance is the strongest Foundation of Self-love although few build thereupon but upon Intemperance which is a huge Bulk of Excess the substance of Riot worm eaten with Surfers rotten with Pain and sinks down to death with Sickness and Grief not being able to bear and uphold Life wherefore build your Lives upon Temperance which is a strong and sure Foundation which will never fail but will uphold your Lives as long as Time and Nature permits them and your Souls will dwell peaceably and happily therein Exeunt ACT V. Scene 14. Enter Madamoiselle Amor alone as musing to her self alone then speaks MAdamoiselle Amor I will confess to him my Love since my designs are Noble but O for a woman to woo a man is against Nature and seems too bold nay impudent only by a contrary custome but why should not a woman confess she loves before she is wooed when after a seeming coyness gives consent as being won more by a Treaty than by Love when her obscure thoughts know well her heart was his at first bound as his prisoner and only counterfeits a freedome besides it were unjust although an antient custome if dissembling should be preferred before a Modern Truth for length of Time and often practices makes not Falshood Truth nor Wrong Right nor Evill Good then I will break down Customs Walls and honest Truth shall lead me on Love plead my Sute and if I be deny'd My heart will break and Death my Face will hide Exit Scene 15. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Wife whither do you go when I come near you you always turn to go from me Madamoiselle Esperance I saw you not for I had rather be fixt as a Statue than move to your dislike Monsieur Esperance Why do you blush surely you are guilty of some crime Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is said blushing comes unsent for and departs without leave and that it oftner visits Innocency than guilt Madamoiselle Esperance weeps Monsieur Esperance What do you weep Madamoiselle Esperance How can I otherwise choose when my Innocent Life and True Love is suspected and all my pure affections are cast away like dross and the best of all my actions condemn'd as Traytors and my unspotted Chastity blemish'd with soul Jealousy and defamed with slandering words Monsieur Esperance Prethy Wife do not weep for every tear wounds me to Death and know it is my extreme Love which creates my fears but you might have had a Husband with more faults Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is true but not so many noble qualities as you have which makes
declared she will never marry Malicious That is all one for men will persue their desires and live of Hopes so long as there is any left Spightfull Well the worst come to the worst we shall only live old Maids Tell-truth But not old Virgins Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit her two Sisters Madamoiselle Amor and Madamoiselle La Belle as Brides and Monsieur Nobilissimo and Monsieur Heroick his Brother as Bridegrooms and a Company of Bridal guests all as her Audience GRand Esprit Great Hymen I do now petition thee To bless my Sisters not to favour me Unless I were thy subject to obey But I am Diana's and to her do pray But give me leave for to decide the cause And for to speak the truth of marriage laws Or else through ignorance each man and wife May rebels prove by Matrimonial strife Noble and Right Honourable From the root of Self-love grows many several Branches as Divine Love Moral Love Natural and Sympathetical Love Neighbourly and Matrimonial Love Divine Love is the Love to the Gods Moral Love is the Love to Virtue Natural Love is the Love to Parents and Children Sympathetical Love is of Lovers or Friendships Neighbourly Love is the Love of Acquaintance and true Matrimonial Love is the Love of United Souls and Bodyes but I shall only insist or discourse at this time for my Sisters sakes of Matrimonial Love this Matrimonial Love is the first imbodyed Love that Nature created for as for Divine Love and Moral Love they are as incorporeal as the Soul and Sympathetical and Matrimonial Love which I will joyn as Soul and Body were before Natural or Neighbourly Love for Marriage beget Acquaintance and none lives so neer nor converses so much as man and wife and there was a Sympathy and Conjunction of each Sex before there were Children and there could be no Parents before there were Children thus Matrimonial Love was the first substantial Love and being the Original and producing Love ought to be honoured and preferr'd as the most perfect and greatest Love in Nature but mistake me not Noble and Right Honourable when I say the greatest Love in Nature I mean not the Supernatural Love as Divine Love as to the Gods but this Matrimonial Love I say is to be the most respected as the Original Love like as Nature is to be honoured and preferred before the Creatures she makes so Matrimonial Love ought to be respected first as being the cause of Friendly Sociable Neighbourly and Fatherly Love wherefore man and wife ought to forsake all the world in respect of each other and to prefer no other delight before each others good or content for the Love of Parents and Children or any other Love proceeding from Nature ought to be waved when as they come in Competition with the Love man and wife for though Matrimonial Love is not such a Divine Love as from man to the Gods yet it is as the Love of Soul and Body also it is as a Divine Society as being a Union but Right Honourable to tell you my opinion is that I belive very few are truly married for it is not altogether the Ceremony of the Church nor State that makes a true marriage but a Union and indissoluble Conjunction of Souls and Bodyes of each Sex wherefore all those that are allowed of as man and wife by the Church State and Laws yet they are but Adulterers unless their Souls Bodyes and Affections are united as one for it s not the joyning of hands speaking such words by Authentical persons nor making of vows and having Witnesses thereof that makes a true marriage no more than an Absolution without a Contrition makes a holy man wherefore dear Sisters and you two Heroick Worthies marry as you ought to do or else live single lives otherwise your Children will be of a Bastard kind and your associating but as Beasts which are worse than Birds for they orderly chuse their Mates and lovingly fly and live together and equally labour to build their nest to feed their young and Sympathetically live and love each other which order and love few married persons observe nor practice but after all this even those marriages that are the perfectest purest lovingest and most equallest and Sympathetically joyned yet at the best marriage is but the womb of trouble which cannot be avoided also marriage is the grave or tomb of Wit for which I am resolved for my part to live a single life associating my self with my own Thoughts marrying my self to my own Contemplations which I hope to conceive and bring forth a Child of Fame that may live to posterity and to keep a-live my Memory not that I condemn those that marry for I do worship married persons as accounting them Saints as being Martyrs for the good cause of the Common-wealth Sacrificing their own Happiness and Tranquillity for the weal publick for there is none that marries that doth not increase their Cares and Pains but marriage Unites into Familyes Familyes into Villages Villages into Cities Cities into Corporations Corporations into Common-wealths this increase keeps up the race of Mankind and causes Commerce Trade and Traffick all which associates men into an Agreement and by an Agreement men are bound to Laws by Laws they are bound to Punishments by Punishments to Magistrates and by Magistrates and Punishments to Obedience by Obedience to Peace and Defence in which Center of Peace my dear Sisters I wish you may live and be guarded with the Circumference of Defence that nothing may disturb or indanger you or yours and that you may live in true marriage and increase with united love blest with Virtuous Children and inrich'd with prudent Care and Industry also I wish and pray that Jealousy may be banished from your Thoughts Pains and Sickness from your Bodyes Poverty from your Familyes evill Servants from your Imployments Disobedience from your Children And that Death may not rob you of your breed But after your life your Children may succeed FINIS An Epilogue spoken by the Lady True-Love O How my heart doth ake when think I do How I a modest Maid a man did woo To be so confident to woo him here Upon the publick Stage to every Ear Men sure will censure me for mad if not To be in some unlucky Planet got Or else will tax me of dishonesty As seeming like a bold immodesty Well I have woo'd yet am I not despis'd But am by Virtuous honour highly priz'd Because my Love was spotless pure and Chast And on a noble worthy man was plac'd Then why should I blush weep or yet repent Or shun the wooing part to represent But rather joy and glory in my choice If you approve my Act pray giv 't a voice THE ACTORS NAMES The Arch-Prince The Lord Dorato The Lord Melancholy the Lord Doratoes Son Sir Thomas Gravity the Lord Doratoes Brother The Lady Gravity Sir Thomas's Wife The Lady Perfection the Lady Gravities