none Company but Cowards and Fools and slothful conscientious Persons neither is she usefull but for indifferent imployments for what is of extraordinary worth Patience doth but disgrace it not set it forth for that which is transcendent and Supreme Patience cannot reach Wherefore give me Fury for what it cannot raise to Heaven it throwes it straight to Hell were you never there Friend No nor I hope shall never come there Father Love Why Sir I was there all the last Night and there I was tortured for chiding my Daughter two or three times whilst she lived once because she went in the Sun without her Mask another time because her Gloves were in her Pocket when they should have been on her Hands and another time because she slep'd when she should have studied and then I remember she wept O! O! those pretious tears Devil that I was to grieve her sweet Nature harmless Thoughts and Innocent Soul O how I hate my self for being so unnaturally kind O kill me and rid be of my painful life Friend He is much distracted Heaven cure him Exeunt Scene 18. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gentleman The Miracle is deceas'd the Lady Sanspareile I hear is dead 2. Gent. Yes and it 's reported her Statue shall be set up in every College and in the most publick places in the City at the publick charge and the Queen will build a Sumptuous and Glorious Tomb on her sleeping Ashes 1. Gent. She deserves more than can be given her 2. Gent. I hear her death hath made her Father mad 1. Gent. Though her death hath not made every one mad like her Father yet it hath made every one melancholy for I never saw so general a sadness in my life 2. Gent. There is nothing moves the mind to sadnesse more than when Death devours Youth Beauty Wit and Virtue all at once Ex. Scene 19. There is a Hearse placed upon the Stage covered with black a Garland of Ciprus at the head of the Herse and a Garland of Mirtle at one side and a Basket of Flowers on the other Enter the Lady Innocence alone drest in White and her hair hound up in several coloured Ribbons when she first comes in speaks thus LAdy Innocence O Nature thou hast created bodies and minds subject to pains torments yet thou hast made death to release them for though Death hath power over Life yet Life can command Death when it will for Death dares not stay when Life would passe away Death is the Ferry-man and Life the waftage She kneels down and prayeth But here great Nature I do pray to thee Though I call Death let him not cruel be Great Jove I pray when in cold earth I lye Let it be known how innocent I die Then she rises and directs her self to her Herse Here in the midst my sadder Hearse I see Covered with black though my chief Mourners be Yet I am white as innocent as day As pure as spotlesse Lillies born in May My loose and flowing hair with Ribbons ty'd To make Death Amorous of me now his Bride Watchet for truth hair-colour for despair And white as innocent as purest Ayre Scarlet for cruelty to stop my breath Darkning of Nature black a type of death Then she takes up the Basket of Flowers and as she strews them speaks Roses and Lillies 'bout my Coffin strew Primroses Pinks Violets fresh and new And though in deaths cold arms anon I lye weeps I 'le weep a showr of tears these may not dye A Ciprus Garland here is for my head To crown me Queen of Innocence when dead A Mirtle Garland on the left side plac't To shew I was a Lover pure chast Now all my saddest Rites being thus about me And I have not one wish that is without me She placeth her self on her Herse with a Dagger or pointed knife in her hand Here on this Herse I mount the Throne of death Peace crown my soul my body rest on earth Yet before I dye Like to a Swan I will sing my Elegie She sings as she is sitting on the Herse thus Life is a trouble at the best And in it we can find no rest Ioyes still with sorrows they are Crown'd No quietnesse till in the ground Man vexes man still we do find He is the torture of his kind False man I scorn thee in my grave Death come I call thee as my slave Here ends my Lords Writing And just then stabs her self In the mean time the Lord de l'Amour comes and peeps through the Curtain or Hanging and speaks as to himself whilst she is a dying Lord de l'Amour I will observe how she passes away her time when she is alone Lady Innocence Great Iove grant that the light of Truth may not be put out with the extinguisher of Malice Lord de l'Amour How she feeds her melancholy He enters and goeth to her What are you acting a melancholy Play by your self alone Lady Innocence My part is almost done Lord de l'Amour By Heaven she hath stabb'd her self Calls Help Help Lady Innocence Call not for help life is gone so farr t is past recovery wherefore stay and hear my last words I die as judging it unworthy to out-live my honest Name and honourable Reputation As for my accusers I can easily forgive them because they are below my Hate or Anger neither are worthy my revenge But you for whom I had not only a devout but an Idolatrous Affection which offered with a zealous Piety and pure Flame the sincerity of my heart But you instead of rewarding my Love was cruel to my life and Honour for which my soul did mourn under a Veil of sadnesse and my thoughts covered with discontent sate weeping by But those mourning Thoughts I have cast off cloathing my self with Deaths pale Garments As for my pure Reputation and white Simplicity that is spotted with black Infamy by Hellish slander I have laid them at Heavens Gates just Gods to scoure them clean that all the World may know how innocent I have been But Oh! farewel my fleeting Spirits pure Angels bear away Lord de l'Amour O speak at the last Are you guilty or not Lady Innocence I am no more guilty of those crimes laid to my charge than Heaven is of sin O Gods receive me Oh! Oh! Dies Lord de l'Amour Great Patience assist me Heart hold life in Till I can find who is guilty of this sinn Ex. The Herse drawn off the Stage Scene 20. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love brought in a Chair as sick his Friend by him Mr. Comfort Friend How are you now Father Love O Friend I shall now be well Heaven hath pitty on me and will release me soon and if my Daughter be not buryed I would have her kept as long out of the Grave as she can be kept that I might bear her company Friend She cannot be kept longer because she was not unbowelled Father Love Who speaks her
rudely to contradict you Bon Compaignon It is neither erroneous nor vain to believe a truth Lady Doltche Nor civil to make a doubt Sir but I am obliged unto you for that you help to cover my defects and wants in nature with your civil commendation and your kind estimation of me Ex. Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Importunate and Madamosel Caprisia IMportunate My fair wit you look as if you were angry with me Capris. You dwell not so long in my mind as to make me angry my thoughts are strangers to your figures She offers to go away and he holds her from going Importunate Nay faith now I have you I will keep you perforce untill you pay me the kiss you owe me Capris. Let me go for I had rather my eyes were eternally seal'd up my ears for ever stopt close from sound than hear or see you I care not whether you hear or see me so you will kisse me Capris. Let me go or otherwise my lips shall curse you and my words being whetted with injurie are become so sharp as they will wound you Importunate I will keep you untill your words begs for mercy in the most humblest stile and after the most mollifying manner Capris. Hell take you or Earth devoure you like a beast never to rise Importunate Love strike your heart with shooting thorough your eyes Capris. May you be blown up with pride untill you burst into madnesse may your thoughts be more troubled than rough waters more raging than a tempest may your senses feel no pleasure your body find no rest nor your life any peace Importunate May you love me with a doting affection may I be the only man you will imbrace and may you think me to be as handsome as Narcissus did himself Capris. You appear to me in all the horrid shapes that fancy can invent Enter Madam Mere Madam Mere Why how now daughter alwayes quarreling Capris. Can you blame me when I am beset with rudeness and assaulted with uncivil actions Madam Mere Let her alone Monsieur Importunate for she is a very Shrew Importunate Well go thy wayes for all the Shrews that ever nature made you are the cursest one Ex. Scene 12. Enter Madamosel Volante and a Grave Matron Volante I am not of the humour as most vvomen are vvhich is to please themselves vvith thinking or rather believing that all men that looks on them are in love vvith them But I take pleasure that all men that I look on should think I am in love vvith them vvhich men vvill soon believe being as self-conceited as vvomen are Matron But vvhere is the pleasure Lady Volante Why in seeing their phantastical garbs their strutting postures their smiling faces and the jackanapesly actions and then I laugh in my mind to think vvhat fools they are so as I make my self merry at their folly and not at my own Matron But men vvill appear as much Jackanapeses when they are in love vvith you as if they thought you vvere in love vvith them for all Lovers are apish more or less Volante I grant all Lovers are but those that think themselves beloved appears more like the grave Babboon than the skipping Iackanapes for though their actions are as ridiculous yet they are vvith more formality as being more circumspectly foolish or self-conceitedly vain Matron Well for all your derisions and gesting at men I shall see you at one time or other shot vvith Cupids arrovv Volante By deaths dart you may but never by loves arrovv for death hath povver on me though love hath none Matron There is an old saying that time importunity and opportunity vvins the chastest She vvhen those are joyned vvith vvealth and dignity but to yield to a lawfull love neither requires much time nor pleading if the Suiters have but Person Title and Wealth which women for the most part do prize before valour wisdom or honesty Volante Women hath reason to prefer certainties before uncertainties for mens Persons Titles and Wealths are visible to their view and knowledge but their Valours Wisdoms and Honesties doth rest upon Faith for a coward may fight and a fool may speak rationally and act prudently sometimes and a knave may appear an honest man Marrons They may so but a valiant man will never act the part of a coward nor a wise man prove a fool nor an honest man appear a knave Volante There can be no proof of any mans Valour Wisdom or Honesty but at the day of his death in aged years when as he hath past the danger in Wars the tryals in Miseries the malice of Fortune the temptations of Pleasures the inticements of Vice the heights of Glory the changes of Life provokers of Passion deluders of Senses torments of Pain or painfull Torments and to chose a Husband that hath had the Tryals and experiences of all these is to chose a Husband out of the Grave and rather than I will marry death I will live a maid as long as I live and when I dye let death do what he will with me Ex. Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Profession in mourning then enters his Friend Monsieur Comorade MOnsieur Comorade Well met I have travelled thorough all the Town and have inquired of every one I could speak to and could neither hear of thee nor see thee Profession It were happy for me if I had neither ears nor eyes Comorade Why what is the matter man He observes his mourning and then starts Gods-me Now I perceive thou art in mourning which of thy Friends is dead Profession The chiefest friend I had which mas my heart For that is dead being kill'd with my Mistress cruelty and buryed in her inconstancy Comorade I dare swear not the whole heart for every mans heart is like a head of Garlick which may be divided into many several cloves Wherefore cheer up man for it is but one clove that death or love hath swallowed down into his Stomach to cure him of the wind-cholick and since thy heart hath so many cloves thou mayst well spare him one and be never the worse But if it be buryed as you say in your Mistresses inconstancy it is to be hop'd it will be converted into the same inconstant humour and that will cure the other part of thy heart Profession O! She was the Saint of my thoughts and the Goddesse of my soul Comorade Prethee let me be thy moral Tutor to instruct thee in the knowledge of Truth and to let thee know that vertue is the true Goddesse to which all men ought to bow to and that youth beauty and wealth are sixt to be forsaken when vertue comes in place and vertue is constant both to its principals and promises Wherefore if thy Mistresse be inconstant she cannot be vertuous wherefore let her go Monsieur Profession fetches a great sigh and goes out without speaking a word Comorade alone Comorade I think his heart is dead in good earnest for it hath no sense of what I have
Doctor help may be found in giving directions and ordering the cordial Doctor So I understand you would have my counsel what you should do and my industry to order and get a meeting between Monsieur Discretion and you and to make the match betwixt you Volante You understand me right Doctor VVell I will study the means and trye if I can procure thee a man Volante Good fortune be your guide Doctor And Monsieur Discretion your Husband Ex. Scene 41. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Thoughts be at rest for since my love is honest and the person I love worthy I may love honourably for he is not only learned with study experienced with time and practice but he is natures favourite she hath endued his soul with uncontrouled reason his mind with noble thoughts his heart with heroick generosity and his brain with a supream wit Besides she hath presented his judgement and understanding with such a clear Prospective-glasse of speculations and such a Multiplying-glass of conception as he seeth farther and discerns more into natures works than any man she hath made before him She slops a little time then speaks But let me consider I have us'd this worthy Gentleman uncivilly nay rudely I have dispised him wherefore he cannot love me for nature abhors neglect and if he cannot love me in honesty he ought not to marry me and if I be not his wife for certain I shall dye for love or live a most unhappy life which is far worse than death Hay ho Enter Madam la Mere her Mother Mere What Daughter sick with love Capris. O Mother love is a Tyrant which never lets the mind be at rest and the thoughts are the torments and when the mind is tormented the body is seldom in health Mere Well to ease you I will go to this Lord Generosity and pray him to give you a visit Capris. By no means Mother for I had rather dye with love than live to be despised with scorn for he will refuse your desires or if he should come it would be but to express his hate or proudly triumph on my unhappy state Madamosel Caprisia goes out Madamosel Mere alone Mere She is most desperately in love but I will endeavour to settle her mind Ex. Scene 42. Enter Doctor Freedom and Madamosel Volante DOctor Am not I a good Doctor now that hath got you a good Husband Volante Nay Doctor he is but a Suiter as yet Doctor Why do not you woe upon the Stage as the rest of your Comorades doth Volante O fye Doctor Discretion never whines our love in publick Doctor So you love to be in private Volante Why Doctor the purest love is most conceal'd it lyes in the heart and it warms it self by its own fire Doctor Take heed for if you keep it too tenderly and close it may chance to catch cold when it comes abroad Volante True love ought to keep home and not to gossip abroad Enter a Servant-maid Servant-maid Madam Monsieur Discretion is come to visit you Volante Come Doctor be a witnesse of our contract Doctor I had rather stay with your maid Volante She hath not wit to entertain you Doctor Nor none to anger me Volante Pray come away for no wise man is angry with wit Doctor I perceive if I do not go with you that you will call me fool Ex. Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Comorade and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Comorade what cause makes you so fine to day Comorade I am going to two weddings to day Bon Compaignon Faith one had been enough but how can you divide yourself betwixt two Bridals Comorade I shall not need to divide my self since the Bridals keeps together for they are marryed both in one Church and by one Priest and they feast in one house Bon Compaignon And will they lye in one bed Comorade No surely they will have two beds for fear each Bride-groom should mistake his Bride Bon Compaignon VVell I wish the Bride-grooms and their Brides joy and their Guests good chear Comorade VVill not you be one of the Guests Bon Compaignon No for a Bon Compaignon shuns Hymens Court neither will Hymen entertain him But who are the Brides and Bride-grooms Comorade Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid Bon Compaignon Is Monsieur Profession a Guest there Comorade No for he swears now that he hates marriage as he hates death Bon Compaignon But he loves a Mistress as he loves life Ex. Scene 44. Enter Monsieur Generosity and Madamosel Caprisia he following her GEnerosity Lady why do you shun my company in going from me praystay and give my visit a civil entertainment for though I am not worthy of your affection yet my love deserves you civility Capris. I know you are come to laugh at me which is ignobly done for heroick generous spirits doth not triumph on the weak effeminate Sex Generosity Pray believe I am a Gentleman for if I loved you not yet I would never be rude to be uncivil to you or your Sex But I love you so well as when I leave to serve you with my life may nature leave to nourish me fortune leave to favour me and Heaven leave to blesse me and then let death cast me into Hell there to be tormented Capris. I am more obliged to your generous affections than to my own merits Generosity The ill opinion of your self doth not lessen your vertues and if you think me worthy to be your Husband and will agree we will go strait to Church and be marryed Capri. I shall not refuse you Ex. FINIS PROLOGUE THE Poetress sayes that if the Play be bad She 's very sorry and could wish she had A better plot more wit and skill to make A Play that might each several humour take But she sayes if your humours are not fixt Or that they are extravagantly mixt Impossible a Play for to present With such variety and temperiment But some will think it tedious or find fault Say the Design or Language is stark naught Besides the loose unsetled brains she fears Seeth with squint eyes and hears with Asses ears But she is confident all in this round Their understandings clear and judgements sound And if her Play deserves not praise she knows They 'l neither scoff in words nor preposterous shows Without disturbance you will let it dye And in the Grave of silence let it lye Youths Glory and Deaths Banquet THE FIRST PART 1. THe Lord de L'amour 2. Sir Thomas Father Love 3. Master Comfort Sir Thomas Father Loves Friend 4. Master Charity the Lord de L'amours Friend 5. Adviser the Lord de L'amours man 6. A Iustice of Peace 1. The Queen Attention 2. The Lady Incontinent Mistriss to the Lord de L'amour 3. The Lady Mother Love wife to Sir Thomas Father Love 4. The Lady Sanparelle daughter to Sir Thomas Father and Lady Mother Love 5. The Lady Innocence the affianced Mistriss
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
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
my affection with all the industry of Life gifts of Fortune and actions of Honour sued for my favour as if he had sued to Heaven for mercy but I as many cruel goddesses do would neither receive his obligations nor regard his vowes nor pity his tears nor hearken to his complaints but rejected his Sute and gave him an absolute denyal whereupon he was resolved to dye as believing no torments could be compared to those of my disdain and since I would not love him living he hoped by dying his death might move my pity and so beget a compassionate remembrance from me wherupon he got secretly neer my chamber-door and hung himself just where I must go out which when I saw I starred back in a great fright but at last running forth to call for help to cut him down in came Monsieur Amorous which hinderance made me leave him hanging there as being ashamed to own my cruelty and he hath been talking or rather prating here so long as by this time my kind Love is dead Visitant O no for Lovers will hang a long time before they dye for their necks are tuff and their hearts are large and hot Contempl. Well pray leave me alone that I may cut him down and give him Cordials to restore life Visitant Faith you must let him hang a little time longer for I have undertaken to make you a sociable Lady this day wherefore you must goe abroad to a friends house with me Contempl. Who I what do you think I will goe abroad and leave my Lover in a twisted string his legs hanging dangling down his face all black and swelled and his eyes almost started out of his head no no pray goe alone by your self and leave me to my Contemplation Visitant Well if you will not goe I will never see you nor be friends with you again Contempl. Pray be not angry for I will go if you will have me although I shall be but a dull companion for I shall not speak one word for wheresoever I am my thoughts will use all their Industry to cut the string and take him down and rub and chafe him against a hot fire Visitant Come come you shall heat your self with dancing and let your Lover hang Contempl. That I cannot for active bodies and active brains are never at once the one disturbs the other Visitant Then it seems you had rather have an active brain than an active body Contempl. Yes for when the brain doth work the understanding is inriched and knowledge is gained thereby whereas the body doth oft-times waste the life with too much exercise Visitant Take heed you do not distemper your brain with too much exercising your thoughts Contempl. All distempers proceed from the body and not from the minde for the minde would be well did not the humours and appetites of the body force it into a distemper Visitant Well upon the condition you will goe you shall sit still and your wit shall be the Musick Contempl. Prethee let me rest at home for to day the strings of my wit are broken and my tongue like a fiddle is out of tune Besides Contemplative persons are at all times dull speakers although they are pleasant thinkers Exeunt FINIS Written by my Lord Marquess of New-castle The Second Part of the Lady Contemplation The Actors Names Lord Title Lord Courtship Sir Fancy Poet Sir Experienced Traveller Sir Humphry Interruption Sir Golden Riches Sir Effeminate Lovely Sir John Argument Sir Vain Complement Master Inquirer Doctor Practice Old Humanity Roger Farmer Thom. Purveyor 2. Beadles Gentlemen and others Lady Amorous Lady Ward Lady Contemplation Lady Conversation Lady Visitant Poor Virtue Mistris Troublesome Mistris Gossip Mistris Messenger Lady Amorous's woman Nurse Careful Maudlin Huswife Roger Farmers wife Mall Mean-bred their daughter Mistris Troublesomes maid Servants and others The Second Part of the Lady Contemplation ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely and Poor Virtue EFfeminate Lovely Sweet-heart you are a most Heavenly Creature Poor Virtue Beauty is created and placed oftner in the fancy than in the face Effem. Lovely 'T is said there is a Sympathy in likeness if so you and I should love each other for we are both beautiful Poor Virtue But 't is a question whether our Souls be answerable to our Persons Effem. Lovely There is no question or doubt to be made but that loving souls live in beautiful persons Poor Virtue And do those loving soules dye when their beauties are decayed and withered Effem. The subject pleads it self without the help of Rhetorick for Love and Beauty lives and dies together Poor Virtue 'T is Amorous Love that dies when Beauty is gone not Vertuous Love for as Amorous Love is bred born lives and dies with the appetite so Vertuous Love is Created and shall live with the Soul forever Effem. Lovely You may call it what love you please Poor Virtue It is no love but a disease Exeunt Scene 2. Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Ward LOrd Courtship Why did you leave the Lady Amorous company so uncivilly as to go out of the room leaving her all alone Lady Ward I heard your Lordship was coming then I thought it was fit for me to withdraw for I have heard Lovers desire to be alone Lord Courtship Do you desire to be alone with a man Lady Ward I am no such Lover for I am too young as yet but I know not what I shall or may be wrought or brought to but time and good example may instruct and lead me into the way of amorous love Lord Courtship May it so Lady Ward Why not for I am docible and youth is apt to learn Lord Court But before I marry you I would have you learn to know how to be an obedient wife as to be content and not murmure at my actions also to please my humour but not to imitate my practice Lady Ward If I might advise your Lordship I would advise you to take such a Portion out of my Estate as you shall think just or fit and then quit me and choose such a one as you shall like for I shall never please you for though I may be apt to learn what will please my self yet I am dull and intractable to learn obedience to anothers will nor can I flatter their delights Lord Court I finde you have learned and now begin to practice how to talk for now your sober silence seems as dead and buried in the rubbish of follish words But let me tell you a talking wife will never please me wherefore practise patience and keep silence if you would enjoy the happiness of peace The Lord Courtship goes out Lady Ward alone Lady Ward There can be no peace when the mind is discontented Exit Scene 3. Enter Lord Title and Poor Vertue POor Virtue Why do you follow me so much as never to let me rest in peace and quiet alone Is it that you think I have beauty and is it
light from the Sun or the World from its Center or the fix'd Stars from their assigned places than draw away love from him Sensible Why how if he will not have you Amor I can only say I shall be unhappy Sensible I hope you will be wiser than to make your self miserable for one you cannot have to be your Husband Exeunt Scene 27. Enter many of Monsieur Malateste's Servants writing against their Master and Ladies comming home Enter Monsieur Malateste and his Lady SErvants Heaven give your Worship joy and our noble Lady Madam Mal. What is this your best House Monsieur Mal. Yes and is it not a good one Sweet Madam Mal. Fie upon it I hate such an old-fashiond House wherefore pray pull it down and build another more fashionable as that there may be a Bell-view and Pergalus round the outside of the Horse also Arched Gates Pillars and Pilasters and carved Frontispeeces with Antick Imagery also I would have all the lower rooms vaulted and the upper rooms flat-roof'd painted and gilded and the Planchers checker'd and inlaid with silver the Stair-case to be large and winding the steps broad and low as shallow then to take in two or three Fields about your House to make large Gardens wherein you may plant Groves of Mirtle as also to make Walks of green Turf and those to be hanging and shelving as if they hung by Geometry also Fountains and Water-works and those Water-works to imitate those Birds in Winter that only sing in Summer Monsieur Mal. But this will cost a great summ of money Wise Madam Mal. That 's true Husband but to what use is money unless to spend Monsieur Mal. But it ought to be spent prudently Madam Mal. Prudently say you why Prudence and Temperance are the Executioners of Pleasure and Murtherers of Delight wherefore I hate them as also this covetous humour of yours Exeunt Monsieur Malateste and his Wife 1 Servant I marry Sir here is a Lady indeed for she talks of pulling down this House before she hath throughly seen it and of building up another 2 Servant If you will have my opinion the old servants must go down as well as the old house 3 Servant I believe so for she look'd very scornfully upon us nor spoke not one word either good or bad to us 4 Servant Well come let us go about our imployments and please as long as we can and when we can please no longer we must seek other Services Exeunt Scene 28. Enter Monsieur Frere and Madam Soeur MAdam Soeur Do not pursue such horrid Acts as to Whore your Sister Cuckold your Brother-in-Law dishonour your Father and brand your life and memory with black infamy Good Brother consider what a world of misery you strive to bring upon your self and me Frere Dear Sister pity me and let a Brothers pleading move your heart and bury not my youth in Death before the natural time Soeur 'T is better you should die and in the grave be laid than live to damn your soul Frere To kill my self will be as bad a crime Soeur O no for Death any way is more honourable than such a life as you would live Exeunt Scene 29. Enter the two Gentlemen 1 Gent. FRiend prethee tell me why you do not marry 2 Gent. Because I can find no woman so exact as I would have a Wife to be for first I would not have a very tall woman for the appears as if her soul and body were mis-match'd as to have a pigmy soul and a gyantly body 1 Gent. Perchance her soul is answerable to her body 2 Gent. O no for it is a question whether women have souls or no but for certain if they have they are of a dwarfish kind Neither would I have a wife with a masculine strength for it seems praeposterous to the softness and tenderness of their Sex neither would I have lean wife for she will appear always to me like the picture of Death had she but a sythe and hour-glass in her hand for though we are taught to have always Death in our Mind to remember our End yet I would not have Death always before my Eyes to be afraid of my End But to have a very lean wife were to have Death in my Arms as much as in my Eyes and my Bed would be as my Grave 1 Gent. Your Bed would be a warm Grave 2 Gent. Why man though Death is cold the Grave is hot for the Earth hath heat though Death hath none 1 Gent. What say you to a fat woman 2 Gent. I say a fat woman is a bed-fellow only for the Winter and not for the Summer and I would have such a woman for my Wife as might be a nightly companion all the year 1 Gent. I hope you would not make your Wife such a constant bed-fellow as to lie always together in one bed 2 Gent. Why not 1 Gent. Because a mans stomack or belly may ake which will make wind work and the rumbling wind may decrease love and so your wife may dislike you and dislike in time may make a Cuckold 2 Gent. By your favour it increases Matrimonial Love 't is true it may decrease Amorous Love and the more Amorous Love increases the more danger a man is in for Amorous Love even to Husbands is dangerous for that kind of Love takes delight to progress about when Matrimonial Love is constant and considers Nature as it is Besides a good Wife will not dislike that in her Husband which she is subject to her self but howsoever I will never marry unless I can get such a Wife as is attended by Virtue directed by Truth instructed by Age on honest grounds and honourable principles which Wife will neither dislike me nor I her but the more we are together the better we shall love and live as a maried pair ought to live and not as dissembling Lovers as most maried couples do 1 Gentlem. What think you of choosing a Wife amongst the Sociable Virgins 2 Gent. No no I will choose none of them for they are too full of discourse for I would have a Wife rather to have a listning Ear than a talking Tongue for by the Ear she may receive wise instructions and so learn to practise that which is noble and good also to know my desires as to obey my will when by speaking muck she may express her self a fool for great Talkers are not the wisest Practisers Besides her restless Tongue will disturb my Contemplations the Tranquillity of my Mind and the peace quiet and rest of my Life Exeunt Scene 30. Enter Madam Malateste and another Maid and Nan the former Ladies Maid MAdam Mal. Are you she that takes upon you to govern and to be Mistris in this House Nan Why I do but that I did in the other Ladies time Madam Mal. Let me tell you you shall not do so in my time nay you shall have no doings wherefore get you out of the
follies I commit are not by Nature born nor yet by Education bred in me Holdfast Sweet Mistris you can no more be guilty of a fault than Angels in Ioves Mansion Fare you well Sir Thomas Letgo the Lady Liberty will counterpoize your losses Sir William Holdfast goes out leading forth his Mistris the Lady Mute whereat Sir Thomas Letgo frowns Liberty Let her go Sir Thomas Letgo for if she be not a Fool for certain she is wanton or otherwise she would not be so well pleas'd with change Letgo He hath affronted me Sir Thomas goes out frowning The company speak to the Lady Liberty 1 Gent. There is no change so visible as the most opposite but Sir Thomas Letgo is both troubled and angry wherefore Lady Liberty you had best try to pacifie him Liberty He is like little children which despise what they have but cry when they are taken from them Exeunt Scene 38. Enter Mistris Parle Mistris Trifle Mistris Vanity and a Matron PArle Ha ha ha prethee teach me something to keep in laughter or I shall disgrace my self for ever Matron Are you so loosly set together that you cannot hold Parle No I shall burst out laughter at this ridiculous Wedding before all the Bridal Company and so be thought rude Matron If you burst out nothing else the company will excuse you for Weddings are compos'd of mirth and jollity and every one hath liberty and leave to sport and play to dance and skip about Parle But if the Bridegroom limping should come to take me out to dance I shall laugh in his face which he will take as an Affront and then will kick me with his wooden stump Matron O no he seems too wise to take Exception and too civil to kick a Lady he will rather kiss you than kick you Parle I had rather he should kick me thrice than kiss me once by Iupiter I would not be his Bride to be the Empress of the whole World Matron It is probable nor he your Bridegroom Enter Mistris Fondly Fondly Come away the Bride is going to bed and you stand talking here Parle To bed say you If I were she I would first choose to go to my Grave Hymen and Cupid bless me from such a bed-fellow as the Bridegroom Trifle Prethee let us watch to see if we can descry whether he hath cloven feet or not Parle Should he have no Cloven Feet yet certainly the Original of his shape came from Hell for surely he was begot by the Devil on some witch or another and his Cloaths were spun by the Devils Dam Vanity The truth is he hath damnable old cloaths on they seem as if they were made of old rags scrap'd out of dunghils Matron I perceive Ladies you prefer Beauty and Cloaths before Virtue and Merit Parle 'Faith Virtue is too rigid to be belov'd and Merit is but an incorporeal Spirit and an incorporeal Spirit is no good bed-fellow Trifle Wherefore I would have a Handsome Personable Fashionable Courtly man Fondly Nay if I could have my wish I would wish for more than one man The young Ladies go out The Grave Matron alone Matron The truth is that one man would have too much by either of those Ladies Exeunt Scene 39. Enter Sir Thomas Letgo and the Lady Liberty Letgo Was it not enough to win but to affront me with my losses Liberty Its true they say Losers have only leave to speak but Winners may be merry Letgo Was there no subject for his mirth but I Enter Sir William Holdfast and his Mistris the Lady Mute Letgo You are a false cheating fellow Holdfast You are a base lying Villain for saying so Letgo You have cozen'd me of my Mistris and I will have her again Holdfast I have won her fairly and honestly and I will keep her with my Life They both draw and fight Mute runs to Sir William Holdfast and cries out Mute For Heaven-sake leave off to sight for me I am not worth the life you hazard for me He speaks while he fights Holdfast Sweet Mistris fear not Death hath no power on me so long as you stand by They fight still Mute O let my sad complaints like murmuring Rivers flow thorough your Ears that running into your Heart may move it to a gentle pity Enter company and parts them Liberty You should have let them fight to see whether Portune hath the same power on their Swords as she hath on the Dice whether she can dispose of Life and Death as of Honour and Riches Letgo You may part us now but we shall meet again Sir Thomas and the company go out only Sir William and the Lady Mute stays The Lady Mute weeps Holdfast My dear Mistris what makes your eyes to flow Mute As my tears flow thorough my eyes so I wish my life may flow thorough my tears then might you live in safety Holdfast Let not your love to me make waste of such Tears that every drop might save a Life nay save a Soul they are so pure and penetrating But your fears doe apprehend my Foe more dangerous than he is Exeunt ACT V. Scene 40. A Bed is thrust on the Stage as presenting the Bride-chamber the Bride being in the Bed finely drest and a company of young Ladies her Companions about her TRifle 'Faith confess to us your Maiden-companions do not you repent Prudence So fat am I from repentance as I should repent were I not as now I am Vanity You will repent before seven years Parle Seven years you mean seven days for seven years to our Sex is seven Ages for Maids and Widows account it so before their mariage and maried Wives do account time so until their Husbands die Fondly 'Faith I think there are few women but when they marry hope to be Widows Parle That 's certain and were it not for such hopes men would hardly get Wives Enter the Bridegroom and a company of Gentlemen and Knights then enters a servant with a rich night-gown or Mantle another servant with a rich Cap Waste-coat and Slippers Then the Bridegroom first pulls off his patch from his Eye then pulls off his bumbast Doublet and then his wooden Leg and his snarled Periwig having a fine head of hair of his own then puts on his wastcoat cap slippers and night-gown he then appearing very handsome the company staring upon him the mean time they as in amazement He speaks to the Ladies Bridegroom Fair Ladies as other men strive to adorn themselves to mend their broken Bodies and patch up their decays with false and feigned shews to cozen credulous women that think them such as they appear when they abuse your sweet gentle natures But lest my Wife should think me better than I am or expect more than I could give her I formed my self far worse than Nature made me nor have I promised more than well I can perform And if she lov'd me crooked lame and blind Now I am perfect she 'll
Husband is taken away from her as his wife was from him but leaving this siege let us return to our own homes Exeunt Scene 33. Enter the Lord Melancholy as the Grate of the Cloyster of the Lady Perfection then she draws the Curtain before the Grate and appears to him LOrd Melancholy Madam yesterday when you were pleased to speak with me as now through this Grate you were pleas'd to tell me your Vows were so binding as they could not be dissolved wherefore I am not now come to examine or perswade nor to trouble your Devotions or to hinder your Meditations but to take my last leave for I shall never see you more at least not in this VVorld Lady Perfection Are you going to Travel Lord Melancholy I cannot say my body is going a far Journey I know not what my Soul may do Lady Perfection Shall not they go together Lord Melancholy No Death will make a divorce as the Law did betwixt you and I Lady Perfection Are you resolved to dye Lord Melancholy Yes Lady Perfection VVhy so Lord Melancholy To be at rest and peace for know that ever since I was last married my life hath been a Hell my Mind was tortured with thoughts of discontent and though I am releast from what I did dislike my mind is restless still for what it would enjoy this resolution is not new it hath been long considered for since I cannot live with that I love better than life I le try whether the passions of the Soul doe with the Body dye if so Death will be happy because it hath no sense nor feeling Lady Perfection How long have you been resolved of leaving life Lord Melancholy I have pondered of it ever since I was last Married but was not resolved untill you enter'd into this Order Lady Perfection Can I not perswade you to live Lord Melancholy Not unless you break your Vow Lady Perfection That I may not do Lord Melancholy Nor can I perswade you for I love your Constancy Lady Perfection Will you grant me one request before you dy Lord Melancholy Yes any thing but what may hinder my dying Lady Perfection Swear to me you will Lord Melancholy I swear by Heaven and Love I will Lady Perfection Then the time you are resolved to dye come hither and dye here that I may bear you Company dying the same minute if I can that you do Lord Melancholy How Lady Perfection Nay you have sworn it and if it be best for you it will be so for me for when you are dead I shall possess those torments that you in life feel now and if you love me so well as you express you do you will not desire to leave me to endure that you cannot suffer Lord Melancholy 'T is fit you should live to be a President to the World Lady Perfection Were I a President fit for the World to follow yet the World would not practice my precepts it is too bad to follow what is good and since my life cannot better the World and Death will ease my life of that which will trouble and afflict it I am resolv'd to dye And in the grave will bear you Company Lord Melancholy I do accept of thy dear Company Heaven so joyn our Souls they never may be separated and to morrow we will leave the World Lady Perfection Let me advise you concerning the manner of our Deaths get a Sword pointed sharp at both ends and when we are to dye put one end of the Sword through this grate and just when you set your heart to the end towards you I will set mine to the end towards me and thrusting forward as to meet each other the several points will make several passages or wounds into our several or rather our own united hearts and so we dye just together Lord Melancholy I shall follow your advice and be here to morrow at the time Which time will seem to me like as an Age Till that our Souls be fled forth from their Cage Lady Perfection My Soul will fly your Soul to imbrace And after Death may hope a resting place Exeunt ACT V. Scene 34. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. You here the match is concluded betwixt the Emperors Daughter and our Prince 2 Gent. Yes and I hear that the Lord Dorato was a great Instrument to help the match forward 1 Gent. Methinks they should need no other Instrument to forward the match than the Princes interest 2 Gent. 'T is true but the Princes affection being placed upon another Lady it was hard first to draw off those affections and then to place them anew besides the Death of his Neece was some hinderance 1 Gent. All great Princes doe soon cast off all Funeral sadness but the Lord Dorato methinks takes the Death of his Daughter to heart 2 Gent. 'T is a doubt whether he will continue in such great favour with the Prince now his Neece is dead 1 Gent. There is no likelyhood he should be in less favour since the Princess Death for it was the favour he had with the Princess that caused the match with his Son besides he hath left a Son which the Prince no doubt will favour the Grandfather the more for the Childes sake 2 Gent. I wonder whether the Lord Melancholy the Princesses Husband will marry again for he had ill fortune with his Wives 1 Gent. Methinks he hath had good Fortune for the Laws have quitted him of one and Death of the other but that Husband hath ill fortune that neither Law nor Death will free him from Exeunt Scene 35. Enter the Lord Melancholy at the Grate the Curtains open and appears the Lady Perfection he takes the Sword out of the sheath LOrd Melancholy Sweet here 's that will quit us of all trouble Lady Perfection Indeed life is a trouble and nothing is at rest but what lyes in the grave Lord Melancholy Are you not affraid of the sight of a murthering Sword Lady Perfection No more than you are affraid of the sight of the glorious Sun Lord Melancholy You seem to have a courage above you Sex Lady Perfection My love is above Life as far as my Courage is beyond Fear I neither fear Death nor consider Life but can imbrace the one and fling away the other for Loves sake Lord Melancholy Then dear Wife for so you are my heart did never own another I wish our breaths and bloods might intermix together and as Deaths Ceremonies might joyn our Souls Whilst he speaks he puts one end of the Sword through the Grate she takes hold of it Lady Perfection They 'r joyned already by love and Death's sufficient to bring them both together and our bloods 't is like will run in trickling streams upon this Sword to meet and intermix Whilst he holds the Sword in one hand he unbuttons his Doublet with the other hand so she unties her Cord about her Gown Lord Melancholy These Buttons are like troublesome guests at
our lives did part After she had walkt silently a turn or two about her Chamber her eyes being sixt on the ground she return'd as to her Bed Exit Scene 15. Enter a Gentleman and another meets him as in great haste 1 GEnt. What news what news 2 Gent. Sad news for there hath been a Battel fought betwixt the two Armies and our Army is beaten and many of our gallant men slain 1 Gent. I am sorry for that The second Gentleman goeth out Enter a third Gentleman 1 Gent. Sir I suppose you are come newly from the Army pray report the Battel 3 Gent. Truly I came not now from the Army but from the Town the Generals heroical Lady and the rest of the heroicks did surprize seise and plunder 1 Gent. What the Garrison Town they were sent to for safety 3 Gent. Yes 1 Gent. And doth their number encrease 3 Gent. O very much for after the suprisal of the Town the women in that Town did so approve of their gallant actions as every one desired to be inlisted in the roul and number of the Amazonian Army but in the mean time of the forming of their Army intelligence was brought of the Battel which was fought and that there was such loss of both sides as each Army retir'd back being both so weak as neither was able to keep the Field but that the loss was greater on the reformed Army by reason there was so many of their gallant men slain but this news made many a sad heart and weeping eyes in the Female Army for some have lost their Husbands some their Fathers others their Brothers Lovers and Friends 1 Gent. Certainly this will fright them out of the Field of War and cause them to lay by their Heroick designs 3 Gent. I know not what they will do for they are very secret to their designs which is strange being all women Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 16. Enter two women like Amazons 1 WOman Our Generalless seems to be troubled perceiving how heavily this Female Army takes their losses 2 Woman She hath reason for it may hinder or at least obstruct her high designs Exeunt Scene 17. Enter the Lady Victoria and her Amazons she takes her stand and speaks to them LAdy Victoria Noble Heroicks I perceive a mourning veil over the Face of this Female Army and it becomes it well for 't is both natural and human to grieve for the Death of our friends but consider constant Heroicks tears nor lamentations cannot call them out of the grave no petitions can perswade Death to restore them nor threats to let them go and since you cannot have them alive being Dead study and be industrious to revenge their quarrels on their Enemies lives let your justice give them Death for Death offer upon the Tombs of your Friends the lives of their Foes and instead of weeping Eyes let us make them weep through their Veins wherefore take courage cast off your black Veil of Sorrow and take up the Firematch of Rage that you may shoot Revenge into the hearts of their Enemies to which I hope Fortune will favour us for I hear that as soon as the Masculine Army have recovered strength there will be another Battel fought which may be a means to prove our loves to our Friends our hate to our Enemies and an aspiring to our honour and renown wherefore let us imploy our care to fit our selves for our march All the women We shall follow and obey you where and when and how you please Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Doctor Educature and Nell Careless the Doctor weeps DOctor Educature Doth my Lady hear of my Lords Death Nell Careless The Messenger or Intelligencer of my Lords Death is now with her Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Madam Jantil and a Gentleman Intelligencer the Lady seems not disturb'd but appears as usually MAdam Iantil. How died my Lord Gentleman Madam he fought with so much courage as his actions will never dye and his valour will keep alive the memory of this War for though he died his Death was Crown'd with Victory he digg'd his Grave out of his Enemies sides and built his Pyramid with heaps of their Bodies the groans of those he slew did ring his dying Knell Madam Iantil. What became of his body Gentleman He gave order before the Armies joined to fight that if he were kill'd his body should be sought out and delivered to you for he said it was yours whilst he lived and he desired it might be disposed of by you when he was dead his desires and commands were obeyed and his body is coming in a Litter lapt in Searcloth Madam Iantil. Worthy Sir I give you many thanks for your noble relation assuring my self it is true because you report it and it is my Husband that is the subject and ground of that honourable relation whom I always did believe would out-act all words Gentleman He hath so Madam Madam Iantil. Sir if I can at any time honourably serve you I shall be ready whensoever you will command me Gentleman Your Servant Madam He was going forth and returns If your Ladyship hath not heard of Monsieur la Hardy's Death give me leave to tell you he is slain Madam Iantil. I am sorry and for his Lady for she loved him most passionably The Gentleman goes out Enter as running and calling out Doll Pacify Madam Passionate's Maid Doll Pacify Help help my Lady is dead my Lady is fallen into a swound at the report of my Masters being kill'd The Lady goeth out and the Maid then they enter strait again with two or three Servants more bringing in the Lady Passionate as in a swound Madam Iantil. Alas poor Lady her Spirits are drown'd in Sorrow and Grief hath stopt her breath loosen her Garments for she is swell'd with troubled Thoughts her Passions lie on heaps and so oppress life it cannot stir but makes her senceless Upon the loosing of her garments she revives and cryes out Madam Passionate O my Husband my Husband She swounds again Madam Iantil. Bow her forward bow her forward Madam Passionate revives again Madam Passionate O let me dye let me dye and bury bury me with him Swounds again Madam Iantil. Alas poor Lady put her to Bed for her life will find most case there The Servants goes out with Madam Passionate Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. O life what art thou and Death where doest thou lead us or what dissolv'st thou us into Exeunt Scene 20. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. I wonder there is no news or Messenger come from the Army yet when there usually comes one every day Enter a Messenger 2 Gent. O Sir what news Messenger Faith there hath been nothing acted since the last Battel but it is said there will be another Battel very suddenly for the Enemy provokes our men to fight by reason our Lord General lies sick of his wounds having had a Feavour caused by the anguish of his hurts and by his Sickness
no comfort left upon the Earth Let me consider Vegitable birth The new born virgin Lilly of the day In a few hours dyes withers away And all the odoriferous flow'rs that 's sweet Breath but a while and then with Death do meet The stouter Oak at last doth yield and must Cast his rough skin and crumble all to dust But what do Sensitives alas they be Beasts Birds and flesh to dy as well as we And harder minerals though longer stay Here for a time yet at the last decay And dye as all things else that 's in this World For into Deaths Arms every thing is hurll'd Alass poor man thou' rt in the worst Estate Thou diest as these yet an unhappier fate Thy life 's but trouble still of numerous passions Torments thy self in many various fashions Condemn'd thou art to vexing thoughts within When Beasts both live and dye without a sin O happy Beasts than grasing look no higher Or are tormented with thoughts Flaming fire Thus by thy self and others still annoid And made a purpose but to be destroyed Poor Man Here ends my Lord Marquesses Verses Muses some short time then kneels to the Tomb again and prayes as to her self then rises and bows to the Tomb so Exit Scene 14. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. What news Sir of our Armies abroad 2 Gent. Why Sir thus in the time of our Masculine Armies recruiting the Female Army had taken the Fort they besieged where upon the taking of that Fort many considerable Towns and strong holds surrendred and submitted to the Female Army whereupon the Lady Victoria sent to her Husband to bring his Army when the General and all the Masculine Army came to the Female Army much mirth and jesting there was betwixt the Heroicks and Heroickesses and so well they did agree as the Female Army feasted the Masculine Army and then gave the possession of the surrendred Towns to the Lord General and the Lady Victoria and all her Army kept themselves in and about the Fort laying all their victorious spoils therein and whilst the Masculine Army is gone to Conquer the Kingdome of Faction they stay there upon the Frontiers passing their time in Heroick sports as hunting the Stags wild Boars and the like and those that have the good Fortune to kill the Chase is brought to the Fort and Trenches in Triumph and is Queen untill another Chase is kill'd but we hear the Masculine Army goeth on with victorious success 1 Gent. I am very glad to hear it Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Doll Pacify and Nell Careless NEll Careless O Doll I hear thy Lady is married and not only married but she hath married a very young man one that might be her Grand-Son or Son at least Doll Pacify Yes yes my Lady doth not intend to live with the dead as your Lady doth but to have the Company and pleasure of that which hath most life which is a young man Nell Careless Her marriage was very sudden Doll Pacify So are all inconsiderated marriages but happy is the wooing that is not long a doing Nell Careless If I had been your Lady I would have prolonged the time of my wooing for the wooing time is the happiest time Doll Pacify Yes if she had been as young as you or your Lady but time bids my Lady make haste Exeunt Scene 16. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Do you hear the news 2 Gent. What news 1 Gent. Why the news is that all the Kingdome of Faction hath submitted to the Kingdome of Reformation and that the Armies are returning home 2 Gent. I am glad of it Exeunt Scene 17. Enter Madam Passionate alone MAdam Passionate O unfortunate woman that I am I was rich and lived in plenty none to control me I was Mistriss of my self Estate and Family all my Servants obeyed me none durst contradict me but all flattered me filling my Ears with praises my Eyes with their humble bow and respectfull behaviours devising delightfull sports to entertain my time making delicious meats to please my palat sought out the most comfortable drinks to strengthen and encrease my Spirits thus did I live luxuriously but now I am made a Slave and in my old Age which requires rest and peace which now Heaven knows I have but little of for the minstrels keep me waking which play whilst my Husband and his Whores dance and he is not only contented to live riotously with my Estate but sits amongst his Wenches and rails on me or else comes and scoffs at me to my face besides all my Servants slight and neglect me following those that command the purse for this idle young fellow which I have married first seized on all my goods then let Leases for many lives out of my Lands for which he had great fines and now he cuts down all my VVoods and sells all my Lands of Inheritance which I foolishly and fondly delivered by deed of gift the first day I married devesting my self of all power which power had I kept in my own hands I might have been used better whereas now when he comes home drunk he swears and storms and kiks me out of my warm Bed and makes me sit shivering and shaking in the Cold whilst my Maid takes my place but I find I cannot live long for age and disorders bring weakness and sickness and weakness and sickness bring Death wherefore my marriage Bed is like to prove my grave whilst my Husbands Curses are my passing Bell hay ho Exit Scene 18. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. I hear the Army is returning home 2 Gent. Yes for they are returned as far back as to the Effeminate Army and all the Masculine Commanders have presented all the Female Commanders with their spoils got in the Kingdome of Faction as a tribute to their heroical acts and due for their assistance and safety of their lives and Country 1 Gent. And do not you hear what privileges and honours the King and his Counsel hath resolved and agreed upon to be given to the Female Army and the honours particularly to be given the Lady Victoria 2 Gent. No 1 Gent. Why then I will tell you some the Lady Victoria shall be brought through the City in triumph which is a great honour for never any one makes triumphs in a Monarchy but the King himself then that there shall be a blank for the Female Army to write their desires and demands also there is an Armour of gold and a Sword a making the hilt being set with Diamonds and a Chariot all gilt and imbrodered to be presented to the Lady Victoria and the City is making great preparation against her arrival 2 Gent. Certainly she is a Lady that deserves as much as can be given either from Kings States or Poets Exeunt Scene 19. Enter the Lady Jantil as being sick brought by two men in a Chair and set by the Tomb of her dead Lord and many Servants and Friends about her weeping MAdam Iantil. VVhere
Trusty Beshrew your tongue wife for speaking so sharply to our young Lady she was left to our trust care and tender usage and not to be snapt and quarrelled with Nurse Fondly Yes and you would betray your trust to her childish folly Foster Trusty No that I would not neither would I venture or yield up her life to loves melancholly Nurse Fondly Come Come husband you humour her too much and that will spoile her I am sure Ex. Scene 8. Enter Sir Peaceable Studious with a Book in his hand a Table being set out whereon is Pen Ink and Paper After he hath walked a turn or two with his eyes fixt upon the ground he sits down to the Table and begins to write Enter the Lady Ignorant his Wife LAdy Ignorant Lord Husband I can never have your company for you are at all times writing or reading or turning your Globes or peaking thorough your Prospective Glasse or repeating Verses or speaking Speeches to your self Sir P. Studious Why wife you may have my company at any time Nay never to be from me if you please for I am alwaies at home Lady Ignorant 'T is true your person is alwaies at home and fixt to one place your Closet as a dull dead statue to the side of a wall but your mind and thoughts are alwaies abroad Sir P. Studious The truth is my mind sometimes sends out my thoughts like Coye ducks to bring more understanding in Lady Ignorant You mistake Husband for your thoughts are like vain or rather like false Scouts that deceives your understanding imprisons your senses and betrayes your life to a dull solitariness Sir P. Studious 'T is better to live a quiet solitary life than a troublesome and an uneasie life Lady Ignorant What is a man born for but to serve his Countrey side with his friends and to please the effeminate Sex Sir P. Studious You say right wife and to serve his Countrey is to finde out such inventions as is usefull either in Peace or War and to form order and settle Common-wealths by Devizing Laws which none but studious brains e're did or can do T is true practice doth pollish beauty and adorn but neither layes the Foundation nor brings the Materials nor builds the walls thereof and to side with friends is to defend Right and Truth with sound arguments and strong proofs from the tyrannical usurpation of false opinions vain phantasines malicious satires and flattering oratorie and to please the effeminate Sex is to praise their beauty wit vertue and good graces in soft Numbers and smooth Language building up Piramides of poetical praises Printing their fame thereon by which they live to After-ages Lady Ignorant Prithy Husband mistake us not for women cares not for wide mouthed fame and we take more delight to speak our selves whilst we live than to be talked of when we are dead and to take our present pleasures than to abstain our selves for After-ages Sir P. Studeous Well wife what would you have me do Lady Ignorance Why I would have you so sociable as to sit and discourse with our friends and acquaintance and play the good fellow amongst them Sir P. Studious What need we to have any other friends than our selves our studies books and thoughts Lady Ignorance Your studies books and thoughts are but dull acquaintance melancholly companions and weak friends Sir P. Studious You do not wife consider their worth for books are conversable yet silent acquaintance and study is a wise Counsellor and kind friends and poetical thoughts are witty Companions wherein other Societies and Companies are great inconveniences and oftimes produces evil effects as Jealousie Adulterie Quarrels Duels and Death besides slanders backbitings and the like Lady Ignorance Truly Husband you are strangely mistaken for those Societies as I would have you frequent doth Sing Dance Rallie make Balls Masks Playes Feasts and the like and also makes Frollicks or Rubices or Playes at Questions and Commands Purposes or Ridles and twenty such like Pastimes and fine sports they have Sir P. Studious But surely Wife you would not like this kind of life nor I neither especially if we were in one and the same Company for perchance you may hear wanton Songs sung and see amorous glances or rude or immodest Actions and when you dance have a secret nip and gentle gripe of the band silently to declare their amorous affections and when you are at Questions or Commands you will be commanded to kiss the men or they you which I shall not like neither should you or if they are commanded to pull of your Garter which no chast and modest woman will suffer nor no gallant man or honourable husband will indure to stand by to see and if you refuse you disturb the rest of the Company and then the women falls out with you in their own defence and the men takes it as an affront and disgrace by reason none refuses but you This causes quarrels with Strangers or quarrels betwixt our selves Lady Ignorant 'T is true if the Company were not Persons of Quality which were civilly bred but there is no rude Actions or immodest behaviours offered or seen amongst them Besides if you do not like those sports you may play at Cardes or Dice to pass away the time Sir P. Studious But Wife let me examine you have or do you frequent these Societies that you speak so Knowingly Learnedly and Affectionately of Lady Ignorance No otherwise Husband but as I have heard which reports makes me desire to be acquainted with them Sir P. Studious Well you shall and I will bear you company to be an Eye-witness how well you behave your self and how you profit thereby Lady Ignorance Pray Husband do for it will divert you from your too serious studies and deep thoughts which feeds upon the health of your body which will shorten your life and I love you so well as I would not have you dye for this I perswade you to is for your good Sir P. Studious We will try how good it is Ex. Scene 9. Enter Nurse Fondley and Foster Trusty her Husband NUrse Fondly How shall I keep your Journey secret but that every body will know of it Foster Trusty We will give out that such a deep melancholly have seized on her since her Fathers death as she hath made a vow not to see any creature besides your self for two years As for me that I have lived so solitary a life with my solitary Master this Ladies Father that I have few or no acquaintance besides I will pretend some business into some other parts of the Kingdom and I having but a little Estate few will inquire after me Nurse Fondly So in the mean time I must live solitary all alone without my Husband or Nurse-childe which Childe Heaven knows I love better than if I had one living of my own Foster Trusty I am as fond of her as you are and Heaven knows would most willingly sacrifice my old life could
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
him to send me his Picture which represented him to the life being extreamly handsome yet had a manly and wise countenance This Picture being brought by Embassadours which Embassadours when they came treated with me about marriage with this sole Emperor all other Kings and Princes being but Tributaries receiving these Embassadours with great civility and respect yet behaving my self with a reserved and Majestical behaviour which the Embassadours observing said I was the only Lady that was fit to be the only Emperours wife both for my Beauty Carriage and Wit When after a modest Fear and seeming Humility I had reason'd against the marriage at last by their perswasion I consented then was there Post after Post and Messenger after Messenger sent with letters from the Emperour to me and from me to the Emperour he admiring my letters for the elegancy of the stile and eloquency of the wit and admiring my Picture for the beauty one while reading my letters and another while viewing my Picture made him impatient for my Company which made him send to his Embassadours that with all speed they should bring me away sending to all the Princes whose Kingdomes I was to passe thorow that they should guard me with Armyes but not retard me with Olimpias or the like but to convey me safe and speedily Whereupon I took my Journey most of the Kingdome where I was born petitioning to wait on me but by reason I could not take them all unlesse I should depopulate the Kingdome I would carry none lest I should displease those that were to be left behind but as I went out of the City where I dwelt all the streets were strewed with dead Lovers which had lived only on hopes so long as I lived amongst them But when they knew for certain I was to depart their hopes vanished and they dyed with despair The Embassadours seeing such a Mortality caused the Army that was my guard to march apace and my Coaches to trundle away thinking it was the Plague but at last after my Beauty had killed millions in the Kingdomes I passed thorow I arrived at that part of the world where the Emperour was who was a joyed man to hear of my coming and had made great preparations against my arrival but some few dayes before my arrival he sent a Chariot which was made of the thinnest plated gold because it should be light in the Carriage but the body of the Chariot was enameled and set with precious stones the Horses trappings were only great Chains of pearls but the horses reigns were Chains of gold that might be strong enough to check their hot Spirits and swift speed as for my self I was only cloathed in white Satin and a Crown of Diamonds on my head like a Bride for I was to be marryed as soon as I met the Emperour but as I past along all the High-wayes were beset with Crouds of people which thronged to see me and when they saw me they cryed out I was an Angel sent from the Gods but your coming spoyl'd the Triumph and brake the Marriage Visitant No no it is retarded for a time the next musing Contemplation the marriage Nuptial will be Contemplation If you had not come and hinder'd me I should have gover'nd all the world before I had left off Contemplating Visitant But if you make such hast to be at the Government of the whole world you would want a Theam for your thoughts to work upon for you can aim at no more than all the world Contemplation O yes rather than fail I would make new worlds but this wil last me a long time in shewing you what wise Laws I make what upright Justice I give ordering so as the whole world should be as one united Family and when I had shewed my wisdome in Peace then my thoughts should have raised Warres wherein I would have shewed my valour and conduct Visitant Prethee be not so imprudent to cast away precious time and to bury thy life in fantasms Contemplation Why prethee they manage time best that please life most For it were better not to be than to be displeased for there is none that truly lives but those that live in pleasure the greatest pleasure is in the imagination not in fruition for it is more pleasure for any person to imagin themselvs Emperour of the whole world than to be so for in imagination they reign Rule without the troublesome and weighty cares belonging thereto neither have they those fears of being betrayed or usurped as real Emperours have Besides the whole general Race of Man-kind may this way be the particular Emperour of the whole World if they will but those that desire to be Emperours any other wayes have but sick judgements for the mind is all for is that be pleased man is happy Visitant Well well I had rather have the Material world than you Airy Fictions But confess really to me if you should not think your self accurst if you were to have no other Lovers but what your Fancy creates Contemplation No truely for I finding none so exact as my Fancy creates makes all men appear worse than they are For imagination doth like Painters which takes all the gracefullest lines and exactest Features from two or three good faces and draws them into one this is the reason that there may be handsomer Pictures drawn than any Creature born because Nature distributes and divides her Favours as to the generality when Painter contract them into particulars for there was never any unlesse born as a wonder that hath no exceptions besides my Lovers which my Fancy creates never make me jealouse nor never disturb me come to me and goe from me speak or are silent as I will have them and they are behaved qualified and adorned to my humour also of what Birth Age Complexion or Stature I like best thus their persons and souls are created in my brain live in my Contemplation and are dead and buryed in my forgetfulnesse but have a Resurrection in my remembrance Visitant Prethee do not lose the pleasure of the World for the sake of dull Contemplation Contemplation Why the greatest pleasures that can be in Fruition I take in Imagination for whatsoever the sence enjoyes from outward objects they may enjoy in inward thoughts For the mind takes as much pleasure in creating of Fancies as Nature to create and dissolve and create Creatures anew For Fancy is the Minds creature imaginations are as several worlds wherein those Creatures are bred and born live and dye thus the mind is like infinite Nature Visit. Prethee leave thy infinite folly Contem. It is my infinite delight Ex. Scene 2. Enter the Lady Poor Virtue weeping and her Governesse GOverness Madam why do you weep and grieve your self almost to death Poor Virtue Have I not reason my Father being kill'd and I left friendlesse all alone my Mother dying as soon as I was born Governesse There is no reason you should
grieve for your Father since he dyed in the defence of his King and Country Virtue T is true and I glory in his valiant loyal Actions yet I cannot choose but mourn for the losse of his life and weepe upon his death Governess Methinks the greatest cause you have to weep is for the loss of your Estate which the Enemy hath seized on and you left only to live on Charity Poor Virtue I cannot mourn for any thing that is in Fortunes power to take away Governess Why Fortune hath power on all things in the World Poor Virtue O no she hath power on nothing but base dross and outward forms things moveable but she hath neither power on honest hearts nor noble Souls for 't is the Gods infuse grace and virtue nor hath she power or Reason or Understanding for Nature creates and disposes those nor doth she govern Wisdome for Wisdome governs her nor hath she power on Life and Death they are decreed by Heaven Governess And will you weep at Heavens decree Poor Virtue The Heavens decrees hinder not humanity nor natural affection Governess Well ever since your Mother dyed I have governed your Fathers House and pleased him well but since he is kill'd and that there is nothing for me to govern I will take my leave of you and seek another place and I hope fortune will favour me so as to direct me to some Widdower or old Batchelour which desires a comely huswifly woman to order their private affairs Poor Virtue I wish you all happiness and if I were in a condition I would make you a present Exeunt Scene 3. Enter two Gentlemen 1. GEntleman Sir My Lord is so busy since his Fathers Death with Stewards Atturnies and such like about ordering his Estate as I am loath to disturb him but as soon as he hath done speaking to them I will wait upon you to my Lord 2. Gentleman Sir I shall wait my Lords leasure Enter the Lady Ward and Nurse Careful they pass over the Stage 2. Gent. Sir what pretty young Lady is that which passes by 1. Gent. She is a great Heiress and was Ward to my old Lord and he upon his Death-bed charged his Son my young Lord to marry her 2. Gent. Surely small perswasions might serve turn for her Virtue is Rhetorick enough to perswade nay to force affection 1. Gent. Yet my Lord is discontented he would rather choose for himself than that his Father should have chosen for him for it is the Nature of Mankind to reject that which is offered though never so good and to prize that they cannot get although not worth the having 2. Gent. Of what Quality of Birth and Nature and disposition is she of 1. Gent. She is Honourably Born and seems to be of a sweet disposition but of a Melancholy Nature Enter a Servant Servant Sir my Lord desires the Gentleman would be pleased to walk in Exeunt ACT II. Scene 4. Enter the Lady Contemplation and Sir Humphrey Interruption INterruption Lady what makes you so silently sad Contemplation Pardon me Sir I am not sad at this time for my thoughts are merry and my spirits lively Interrupt. There is no appearance of mirth in you for mirth hath alwayes a dancing heel a singing voyce a talking tongue and a laughing face Contempl. I have such merry Companions sometimes but I seldome dance sing talk or laugh my self Interrupt. Where are those Companions I desire to be acquainted with them and keep them Company Contempl. You cannot keep them Company for the place they inhabit in is too little for your Corporal body to enter besides they are so curious choyce and nice Creatures as they will vanish at the very sight of you Interrupt. Why Lady I am none of the biggest sized Men nor am I of a terrible aspect I have seen very fine and delicate Creatures Contempl. But you never saw any of these Creatures Interrupt. Pray where do they dwell and what are their Names I long to visit them Contempl. They dwell in my head and their Sirnames are called thoughts but how you will visit them I cannot tell but they may visit you Interrupt. Faith Lady your relation hath made me despair of an enterview but not a friendly entertainment if you please to think well of me Contempl. Thoughts are free and for the most part they censure according to fancy Interrupt. Then fancy me such a one as you could like best and love most Contempl. That I cannot doe for I love those best which I create my self and Nature hath taught me to prize whatsoever is my own most although of smaller valew than what 's anothers although of greater worth Interrupt. Then make me yours by creating me anew Contempl. That is past my skill but if you will leave me alone I will think of you when you are gone for I had rather of the two entertain you in my thoughts than keep you Company in discourse for I am better pleased with a solitary silence or a silent solitariness than with a talking conversation or an entertaining talking for words for the most part are rather useless spent than profitably spoke and time is lost in listning to them for few tongues make Musick wanting the Cords of Sense or sound of Reason or singers of Fancy to play thereon Interrupt. But you will injure your wit to bury your wit in solitary silence Contempl. Wit lives not on the tongue as language doth but in the brain which power hath as Nature to create Interrupt. But those are aery not material Creatures Contempl. 'T is true but what they want in substance they have in variety for the brain can create Millions of several Worlds fill'd full of several Creatures and though they last not long yet are they quickly made they need not length of time to give them form and shape Interrupt. But there is required Speech to express them or they are made in vain if not divulged Contempl. Speech is an enemy to Fancy for they that talk much cannot have time to think much and Fancies are produced from thoughts as thoughts are from the minde and the minde which doth create the thoughts and the thoughts the fancies is as a Deity for it entertains it self with it self and only takes pleasure in its own works although none other should partake or know thereof but I shall talk a World out of my head wherefore farewel Ex. Scene 5. Enter Poor Virtue and her Maid Nan Scrapeall NAn Scrapeall Now your Estate is seized on you have not means to keep a Servant as to pay them for their service Poor Virtue No truly Nan but that which grieves me most is that I have not wherewithall to reward thee for thy past service Nan Scrapeall I have served you these seven years and have had nothing but my bare wages unless it were some of the worst of your cast Clothes for Mrs. Governess took order I should have none of the best but I hope
pure Gold and Innocency as Marble white and Constancy as undissolving Diamonds and Modesty as Rubies red Love shall the Altar be and Piety as Incense sweet ascend to Heaven Truth as the Oil shall feed the Lamp of Memory whereby the flame of Fame shall never goe out Exit Sir Golden Riches alone Sir Gold Rich. And is She gone are Riches of no force Then I wil bury my self within the bowels of the Earth so deep that men shall never reach me nor Light shall find me out Exit Scene 22. Enter Mistris Messenger and the Lady Amorous's woman and Lord Courtship MIstris Messenger My Lord my Lady the Lady Amourous remembers her Service to you and sent me to tell you her Husband is gone out of Town and She desires to have the happiness of your company Lord Courtship Pray present my Service in the humblest manner to your Lady and pray her to excuse me for though I cannot say I am sick yet I am far from being well Mistris Messen. I shall my Lord Exeunt Scene 23. Enter the Lord Title and then enters a Servant to him SErvant My Lord there is an old man without desires to speak with you Lord Title Direct him hither Servant goes out Enter Old Humanity Lord Title Old man what have you to say to me Old Humanity I am come to desire your Lordship not to persecute a poor young Maid one that is friendless and your Lordship is powerful and therefore dangerous Lord Title What poor Maid do you mean Old Human. A Maid call'd Poor Virtue Lord Title Do you know her Old Human. Yes Lord Title Are you her Father Old Human. No I am her servant and have been maintain'd by her Noble Family these threescore years and upwards Lord Title Ha her Noble Family what or who is She Old Humanity She is a Lady born from a Noble Stock and hath been choisely bred but ruin'd by misfortunes which makes her poorly serve Lord Title Alas he weeps Who were her Parents Old Human. The Lord Morality and the Lady Piety Lord Title Sure it cannot be But why should I doubt her Beauty Wit and sweet Demeanour declares her Noble Pedigree The Lord Morality was a Famous man and was a great Commander and wise in making Lawes and prudent for the Common Good He was a Staff and Prop unto the Common-wealth til Civil Wars did throw it down where he fell under it But honest friend how shall I know this for a truth Old Human. Did not your Lordship hear he had a Child Lord Title Yes that I did an only Daughter Old Human. This is She I mention and if Times mend will have her Fathers Estate as being her Fathers Heir but to prove it and her Birth I will bring all those servants that liv'd with her and with her Father and all his Tenants that will witness the truth Lord Title When I consider and bring her and her Actions to my minde I cannot doubt the truth and for the news thou shalt be my Adopted Father and my Bosome-friend I 'll be a staff for thy Old Age to lean upon my shoulders shall give strength unto thy feeble limbs and on my neck shalt lay thy restless head Old Human. Heaven bless you and I shall serve you as my Old Age will give me leave Exit Lord Title leading him forth Scene 24. Enter Lord Courtship and the Lady VVard LOrd Courts Thou Celestial Creature do not believe that I am so presumptuous to ask thy love I only beg thy pardon that when my body lies in the silent grave you give my restless soul a pass and leave to walk amongst sad Lovers in dark and gloomy shades and though I cannot weep to shew my penitence yet I can bleed He offers her a Dagger Here take this Instrument of Death for only by your hands I wish to die Give me as many Wounds as Pores in skin That I may bleed sufficient for my sin Lady VVard It seems strange to me that you a wise man or at least accounted so should fall into such extreams as one while to hate me to death and now to profess to love me beyond life Lord Courts My Debaucheries blinded my Judgment nor did I know thy worth or my own errour until thy wise wit gave the light to my dark understanding and you have drawn my bad life and all my unworthy actions therein so naturally in your discourse as now I view them I do hate my self as much as you have cause to hate me Lady VVard I only hate your Crimes but for those excellent Qualities and true Virtues that dwell in your Soul I love and honour and if you think me worthy to make me your Wife and will love me according as my honest life will deserve your affections I shall be proud of the Honour and thank Fortune or Heaven for the Gift Lord Courts Sure you cannot love me and the World would condemn you if you should and all your Sex will hate you Lady VVard The World many times condemns even Justice her self and women for the most part hate that they should love and honour Lord Courts But can you love me Lady VVard I can and do love you Lord Courts How happy am I to enjoy a world of Beauty Wit Virtue and sweet Graces Leads her forth Exeunt Scen. 25. Enter the Lord Title and Roger Farmer and Maudlin Huswife his Wife LOrd Title Honest Roger and Maudlin I present you with a kind Good-morrow Roger Present me Bless your Lordship I should present you with a couple of Capons Lord Title 'T is a salutation when you salute but how do you then Roger Very well I thank your Honour How do you Lord Title Well enough of Complements I am come with a Petition to you Roger What is that is 't please your Honour Lord Title A Sute Roger Byrlaken I have need of one for I have but poor and bare cloathing on Lord Title No Roger it is a request and desire I have you should grant Roger Grant or to Farm let no Sir I will not part with my Lease Lord Title Roger you understand me not therefore let me speak with Maudlin your Wife Roger There she is Sir spare her not for she is good metal I 'll warrant your Honour wipe your lips Maudlin and answer him every time that he moves thee and give him as good as he brings Maudlin were he twenty Lords hold up your head Maudlin be not hollow Maudlin I 'll warrant you Husband I 'll satisfie him Lord Title Honest Maudlin Maudlin That 's more than your Lordship knows Lord Title Why then Maudlin Maudlin That 's my name indeed Lord Title You have a maid here in your house Maudlin I hope so forsooth but I will not answer for no Virgin in this wicked world Roger Well said Maudlin Nay your Honour will get nothing of my Maudlin I 'll warrant you Lord Title Well this supposed Maid is Poor Virtue that 's her name
only Politick Arts Civil and Combining Arts Profitable and necessary Arts Military Arts and Ceremonious Arts but there were Superstitious Arts Idolatrous Arts false factious and mischievous Arts destructive and wicked Arts base and mean Art foolish childish vain superfluous and unprofitable Arts Upon all these Arts the Muses made good sport for at some they flung jests scorns and scoffs and some they stripp'd naked but to others they were cruel for some they stayd their skins off and others they made very Skeletons of dissecting them to the very bones and the truth is they spared not the best of them but they had one saying or other to them But when all the Arts departed they took me and carry'd to the Well of Helicon and there they threw me in over head and cares and said they would Souse me in the Liquor of Poetry but when I was in the Well I thought verily I should have been drown'd for all my outward Senses were smother'd and choak'd for the water did blind my eyes stop'd my ears and nostrils and fill'd my mouth so full as I had not so much space as to spout it forth besides all my body was so numb as I had no feeling insomuch as when they took me out of this Well of Helicon into which they had flung me I seem'd as dead being quite senseless Whereupon they all agreed to take and carry me up on Parnassas Hill and to lay me on the top thereof that the Poetical Flame or Heat therein might dry and warm me after which agreement they took me up every one bearing a part of me or was industrious about me for some carried my Head others my Legs some held my Hands others imbraced my Waste another oiled my Tongue and others powr'd Spirits into my Mouth but the worst-natur'd Muse pinch'd me to try if I was sensible or not and the sweetest and tenderest natur'd Muse wept over me and another was so kind as to kiss me but when they had brought me up to the top of the Hill and laid me thereupon I felt such a heat as if they had laid me on AEtna but after I had layn some time I felt it not so hot and so less and less until I felt it like as my natural heat just like those that goe into a hot Bathe at first crie out it is insufferable and scalding hot yet with a little use will finde it cool enough But whilest I lay on Parnassus Hill I began to make a Lyrick Verse as thus Bright Sparkling hot Poetick sire My duller Muse Inspire Unto thy Sweeter Lyre My Fancies like as Notes all sit To play a Tune of VVit On well-strung Numbers fit But your unfortunate Visit hath pull'd me so hastily down from the Hill that the force of the speed hath crack'd my Imaginary Fiddle broke the Strings of my Wit blotted the Notes of Numbers so spoil'd my Song Lady Visit. Prethee there is none that would have taken the pains to have sung thy Song unlesse some blind Fidler in an Alehouse and then not any one would have listen'd unto it for the fume of the drink would stop the sense of their ears Besides Drunkards love not nor delight in nothing but beastly Nonsense but howsoever I had done thee a friendly part to fetch thee down from off that monstrous high Hill whereby the vastnesse of the height might have made you so dizzy as you might have fallen there-from on the sharp stones of Spite or at least on the hard ground of Censure which might have bruised if not wounded the Reputatio of thy Wit Lady Contempl. Let me tell you you had done me a Courtesie to have let me remain'd there some time for if you had let me alone I might there have improv'd the Stature of my Wit perfected the Health of my Judgment and had nourished the Life of my Muse Exeunt Scene 27. Enter the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue Cloathed like her Self LOrd Title Still I fear my fault is beyond a Pacification yet the Gods are pacified with submissive Actions as bended knees repentant tear imploring words sorrowful Sighs and dejected Countenances all which I gave to thee Lady Virtue Though there is always in my minde an obedient respect to Merit yet a scorn is a sufficient cause to make a rebelling of thoughts words and actions for though I am poor yet I am virtuous and Virtue is to be preferr'd before Wealth or Birth were I meanly born But howsoever true Love like a great and powerful Monarch soon disperses those rebellious passions and quiets those factious thoughts and all murmuring speeches or words are put to silence banishing all frowning Countenance returning humble looks into the eyes again Lord Title Then you have pardon'd me Lady Vertue Yes Lord Title And do you love me Lady Virtue As Saints do Heaven Lord Title kisses Lady Virtues hands Lord Title Your Favours have rais'd my spirits from the grave of Melancholy and your pure Love hath given me a new Life Lady Virtue So truly I love you as nothing but death can destroy it my I am of that belief that were I dead and turned to ashes my dust like firm and lasting steel would fly unto you as to the Loadstone if you were at such distance as nothing might oppose Lord Title Thus Souls as well as Bodies love Exeunt Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Amorous LAdy Amorous Since I cannot have the happinesse of your Lordships company at my House I am come to wait upon you at your House Lord Courts Your Ladyship doth me too great an honour Lady Amorous Your Lordship is grown very Courtly Pray how comes our familiar friendship so estranged and set at distance with Complements Lord Courts Madam my wilde manners have been so rude to your Fair Sex as I am become a scorn and shame unto my self Lady Amorous I hate Civility and Manners in a man it makes him appear sneakingly poorly and effeminate and not a Cavalier Bold and free Actions become your Sex Lord Courts It doth so in a Camp amongst rude and rough Souldiers whose Breeding never knew Civility nor will obey gentle Commands submitting only to rigorous Authority But to the fair tender effeminate Sex men should offer their service by their admiring Looks civil Discourses and humble Actions bowing as to a Deity and when they are pleased to favour their servants those Favours to be accounted beyond the Gifts of Iove Lady Amorous Have I Cuckolded my Husband dishonour'd my Family defam'd my self for your sake and am I thus rewarded and thrown aside with civil Complements O basest of men Lord Courts I am sorry I have wronged your Husband but more sorry I have dishonour'd you and what satisfaction a true repentance can make I offer upon the Altar of a Reformed Life Lady Amor Do you repent O false man May you be cursed of all your Sex and die the death of Orpheus Lady Amorous goes out Lord Courtship alone Lord
give away what they have Portrait Talk not of womens souls for men say we have no souls only beautiful bodies Bon' Esprit But beautiful bodies are a degree of souls and in my Conscience please men better than our souls could do Superbe If anything prove we have no souls it is in letting men make such fools of us Matron Come come Ladies by Womens Actions they prove to have more or at least better souls than Men have for the best parts of the Soul are Love and Generosity and Women have more of either than Men have Grave Temperance The truth is that although Reason and Understanding are the largest parts of the Soul yet Love and Generosity are the delicatest parts of the Soul Enter Monsieur Heroick Heroick Goodmorrow young Ladies you appear this morning like sweet-smelling flowers some as Roses others as Lillies others as Violets Pinks and Primroses and your associating in a company together is like as a Posie which Love hath bound up into one Bucket which is a fit Present for the Gods Bon' Esprit If you would have us presented to the Gods we must die for we are never preferred to them but by Death wherefore we must be given to Death before the Gods can have us they may hear us whilest we live and we may hear of them but partake of neither until we die Heroick O that were pity Ladies for there is nothing more sad in Nature than when Death parts a witty Soul from a young beautiful Body before the one hath built Monuments of Memory and the other gained Trophies of Lovers And as for the Gods you will be as acceptable to them when you are old as when you are young Ambition As nothing could make me so sad as untimely death of Youth Wit and Beauty so there is nothing could anger me more as for Fortune to frown upon Merit or not to advance it according to its worth or to bury it in Oblivion hindring the passage into Fames Palace Temperance For my part I believe Death will neither call nor come for you before his natural time if you do not send Surfet and Excess to call him to take you away Pleasure Indeed Mankind seem as if they were Deaths Factors for they do strive to ingross and destroy all other creatures or at least as many as they can and not only other creatures but their own kinde as in Wars and not only their own kinde but themselves in idle and unprofitable Adventures and gluttonous Excess thus as I said they are Deaths Factors buying sickness with health hoping to gain pleasure and to make delight their profit but they are cozen'd for they only get Diseases Pains and Aches Matron Pray Ladies mark how far you are gone from the Text of your discourse as from sweet-smelling flowers to stinking carrion which are dead carkasses from a lively good-morrow to a dead farewel from mirth to sadness Portrait You say right Mother Matron wherefore pray leave off this discourse for I hate to hear off death for the thoughts of death affright me so as I can take no pleasure of life when he is in my mind Heroick Why Ladies the thought of death is more than death himself for thoughts are sensible or imaginable things but Death himself is neither sensible nor imaginable Portrait Therefore I would not think of him and when I am dead I am past thinking Superbe Let us discourse of something that is more pleasing than Death Heroick Then by my consent Ladies your discourse shall be of Venus and Cupid which are Themes more delightful to your Sex and most contrary to death for Love is hot and Death is cold Love illuminates life and Death quenches life out Bon Esprit Let me tell you Sir Love is as apt to burn life out as Death is to quench it out and I had rather die with cold than be burnt with heat for cold kills with a dead numness when heat kills with a raging madnesse Pleasure But Lovers are tormented with fears and doubts which cause cold sweats fainting of spirits trembling of limbs it breaks the sweet repose of sleep disturbs the quiet peace of the mind vades the colours of beauty nips or blasts the blossome of youth making Lovers look withered before Time hath made them old Heroick It is a signe Lady you have been in love you give so right a Character of a Lover Pleasure No there requires not a self-experience to find out a Lovers trouble for the outward Actions will declare their inward grief and passion Superbe Certainly she is in love but conceals it she keeps it as a Secret Pleasure Love cannot be secret the passion divulges it self Portrait Confess Are you not in love Faction Nay she will never confess a Secret unless you tell her one for those that tell no secrets shall hear none Portrait O yes for a Secret is like a child in the womb for though it be concealed for a time it will come out at last only some comes out easier than others and some before their time Ambition Nay whensoever a secret comes out it 's untimely Faction Secrets are like Coy Ducks when one is flown out it draws out others and returns with many Pleasure Then like a Coy Duck I will try if I can draw all you after me Exit Pleasure Bon' Esprit She shall see she is like a Duck which is like a Goose and we like her for we will follow her Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Monsiuer Tranquillities Peace and his Man TRanquill Peace Have you been at Monsieur Busie's house to tell him I desire to speak with him Servant Yes I have been at his house Tranquill. Peace And will he come Servant Faith Sir the house is too unwieldy to stir and Monsieur Busie is too Active to stay at home but the truth is I went at four a clock this morning because I would be sure to find him and his servants and their Master was flown out of his nest an hour before Then I told his servants I would come about dinner-time and they laugh'd and ask'd me what time was that I said I supposed at the usual time about Noon or an hour before or after but they said their Master never kept any certain time of eating being full of business Then I asked them what time that would be when he would come home to bed They answered that his time of Resting was as uncertain as his time of Eating Then I pray'd them to tell me at what time they thought I might find him at home They said it was impossible for them to guess for that their Master did move from place to place as swift as thoughts move in the Mind Then I pray'd them that they would tell him when he came home that you would desire to speak with him They told me they would but they did verily believe he would forget to come to you by reason his head was so full of busie thoughts or thoughts of
will be neither quiet it self always ebbing and flowing nor let any thing be at rest on it I know not what the Fishes are that are in it but for any thing I can perceive to the contrary they live in a perpetual motion So doe Ladies for their Passions and Affections ebb and flow from object to object for one while they flow with love then ebb with hate sometimes they are rough with anger and stormy with rage then indifferent calm with patience but that is seldome But in the Spring-tide of Beauty they overflow all with pride and their thoughts like Fishes are in a perpetual motion swimming from place to place from company to company from one meeting to another and are never at rest Frisk Thou deserv'st to die the death of Orpheus Satyrical 'T is likely I shall by reason I am a Satyrical Poet and Women hate Satyre in Poetry although not Wood or Forrest Satyrs and the most extravagant and maddest Actions that ever were done were done or acted by Women and the truth is Women are not only Batchelling some parts of the year but all their life-long for they drink vanity and are mad-drunk with wantonnesse Frisk Let me tell you that if I should be brought as a Witnesse and should declare the truth there were no hopes of mercy for thee Satyrical I grant it if Women were to be my Judges Exeunt Scene 11. Enter Excess VVanton Idle and Surfet Excess Where shall we go for pastime to day for our Lady hath left us to our own pleasures to day Idle Let us go and swim in a Boat upon the River Wanton That is but a watrish Recreation besides it is very dangerous for many have been drowned in their idle pastimes Surfet If you will take my Counsel let us go to the Lodge in the Park and drink Sullybubs Wanton Yes let us go for the Lodge puts me into a good humour and Sullybubs make me merry Idle You have reason for it is a cheerly Cup and a Cup of good fellowship for we may all eat and drink together Surfet Yes by spoonfuls Excess I love to be drunk by spoonfuls for then I am drunk by degrees and not at one draught as a pinte or a quart at a draught as men do besides though it be allowable for the sobrest noblest Women to be drunk with Wine-caudles Sullybubs Sack-possets and the like so it be by spoonfuls yet it were abominable and most dishonourable for Women to be drunk with plain Wine and great draught as men are besides in great draughts there is not that pleasure of taste as in a little at a time Idle I believe that is the reason that Flemmings love to sip their Wine because they would have the pleasure of Taste Wanton No question but they learn'd that of the Effeminate Sex who love to taste of every thing Surfet I do believe it for all women love spoon-meat Excess 'T is true and to drink in spoons Idle Talk no more of eating and drinking but eat and drink without talking and afterwards talk to digest it Excess And after it is digested let 's eat and drink again Wanton So we shall do nothing but eat drink and talk Surfet Women do nothing else all their life-long Wanton By your favour but we do Excess Come come let us go Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Ambition alone AMbition O that I might enjoy those pleasures which Poets fancy living in such delight as nature never knew nor that all Poets did write of me not only to express their Wit but my Worth and that I might be praised by all mankind yet not vulgarly as in a croud of others praises but my praises to be singularly inthron'd above the rest and that all others commendations might have no other light but what proceeds from the splendor of my Fame Also I wish that Nature had made me such a Beauty as might have drawn the Eyes of the whole World as a Loadstone to gaze at it and the splendor thereof might have inlightned every blind eye and the beams therefrom might have comforted every sad heart and the pleasing Aspect therein might have turned all passions into love then would I have had Nature Fortune and the Fates to have given me a free power of the whole World and all that is therein that I might have prest and squeezed our the healing Balsomes and sovereign Juices and restoring Simples into every sick wounded and decayed body and every disquieted or distemper'd mind Likewise that I might have been able to have relieved those that were poor and necessitous with the hidden riches therein and that by my power I might not only have obliged every particular creature and person according to their worth and merit but to have made so firm a peace amongst mankinde as never to be dissolved Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Monsieur Inquisitive INquisitive I wonder you should be an Enemy to Women Satyrical I am so far from being an Enemy to the Effeminate Sex as I am the best friend they have for I do as a friend ought to do which is to tell them truth when other men deceive them with flattery Inquisitive But they complain and say you exclame and rail against them Satyrical Their complaints proceed from their partial Self-love and Luxury for they love pleasing flattery as they do Sweet-meats and hate rigid truth as they do a bitter potion although the one destroys their health the other prolongs their life Inquisitive But they are so angry as they all swear and have made a vow to be revenged on you Satyrical Let them throw their spleens at me I will stand their malice or dart forth Amorous glances they will not pierce my heart for Pallas is my Shield and Cupid hath no power Inquisitive If they cannot wound you with their Eyes they will sting you with their Tongues for Women are like Bees Satyrical If they are like Bees their stings lie not in their Tongues Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Mother Matron Bon' Esprit Portrait Faction Ambition Pleasure MAtron I can tell you News Ladies Portrait What News Mother Matron Matron Why there is a rich young Heir come to Town Superbe Some foolish Son of a miserable Father who hath spared from his back and belly to make his Son vain and prodigal But what shall we be the better for this rich Heir Matron Why marry if you can get him you will be so much the better as a rich Husband can make you Ambition He will first be got by the Cheats in the Town which Cheats have more subtilty and will be more industrious to get him than the youngest and beautifullest and wittyest Lady of us all so as there is no hopes of gaining him until he is so poor as he is not worth the having Faction But if he could be had whilest he were rich it were no great victory for I dare say his Mothers Landry-maid might be as soon a Conqueress
Sleep two very good safe Doctors Pleasure Send Ease presently to fetch them bid her make haste Exeunt Enter the five Senses as being very sick yet Touch seems not so sick as melancholy They all pass silently over the Stage Enter Temperance and Madamoiselle Pleasure Pleasure Temperance are the Doctors come Temperance Yes and gone again Pleasure And what have they prescribed Temperance Abstinence Pleasure And will that cure them Temperance They say it will prove a perfect cure Probatum est Pleasure The next act I do shall be to turn away Wanton Idle Excess and Surfet Temperance You will hardly get them out of your Service although you should beat them out Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 27. Enter Madamoiselle Ambition and her Waiting-woman VVOman Madam me thinks Monsieur Vain-glorious is a very proper man and would be a fit Match for your Ladyship Ambition Let me tell you I will never marry a man whose Soul hath Vacuum but that man I would marry should have a soul filled with Natures best Extractions his Head the Cabinet of Natures wisest Counsels and curiousest Fancies his Heart the Treasury of Natures purest currentest and Heroick Virtue For if ever I marry I will have a Husband that is able to govern Kingdoms to Marshal Armies to Fight Battels and Conquer Nations and not a self-conceited Fool or fantastical Gallant such as speaks ranting Words wears slanting Cloaths walks with a proud Garb looks with a disdainful Countenance Courts Mistrisses loves Flatteries hates Superiors and scorns Inferiors keeps a greater Retinue than his Revenue will maintain who like moths eat through the cloth of his Estate and he like another fly plays so long in his Vain-glorious Flame until he is consumed therein spending with an open purse and prodigal vanity and yet receives with a covetous hand So Vanity flies and flutters about in the heat of Prosperity and dies in the Winter of Adversity No I will have a Husband if ever I have any whose Minde is settled like the Centre which can neither rise nor fall with good or bad Fortune and not a little Soul in a narrow Heart and witless Brain Exeunt Scene 28. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and another Gentleman GEntlem. Sir I desire you will pardon me but I am commanded to bring you here a Challenge Gives it Satyrical Are you the Second Sir Gentlem. No Sir He read Satyrical Are you a Pimp Sir Gentlem. I scorn your base words for I am a Gentleman Satyrical Many a Gentleman scorns base words but not base Actions Gentlem. I scorn both base words and base Actions Satyrical It doth not seem so by the Challenge you have brought Gentlem. Why what is the Challenge Satyrical The Challenge is from a Woman and I will read it to you He reads the Challenge Monsieur Satyrical I Challenge you and am resolv'd to fight Not in the Field of Mars as Champion Knight Nor in the Court of Venus will I be But to the Lists of Mercury Challenge thee Where all the Muses will Spectators sit To Iudge which is the great'st Victor of Wit The Weapons which we fight with must be Words For I a woman am not us'd to Swords Custome and Education leaves us bare To Natures Arms the Arms of Death we fear Your Servant Bon' Esprit Satyrical These two last Lines make you a Pimp Sir Gentlem. I must be contended for there is no Revenge to be taken against Ladies But Mother Matron had been a more properer Messenger than I for this Challenge Satyrical I shall send my Answer by a more inferiour person than you are and so shall take my leave for this time Gentlem. Your Servant Exeunt Scene 29. Enter Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit Portrait Faction Ambition Superbe FAction All Poets and Musicians are mad more or less for Madness is caused by a distemper of the Brain like as the Pulse which beats quicker than the natural motion Bon' Esprit You mistake madness for madness is not caused by the quickness of motion but by the irregularity of the motion And as for Poetical and Musical Motions although they are quick yet they keep Time Time and Order when those Motions that cause madness do not But the quick-moving brains of Poets are caused by their lively elevated Spirits which are Active and Industrious always creating for delight or profit as Verses Fancies Scenes Sonnets or inventing Arts And if you account these Ingenious and Divine Spirits to be mad I shall desire to be mad too as they are Faction But some Spirits are so quick that they out run all Invention Bon' Esprit Those are neither the spirits of Poets nor Musicians not but that Poets and Musicians may be mad as other men but their madness is not caused by the Poetical and Harmonical spirits but some other defects of the brain or distemper of the spirits but there are many mad that are so far from Poetical Fancies or Musical skill or Inventions as they can neither conceive the one or learn the other or understand either but Musick and Poetry have oft-times cured madness and certainly are the best and most excellent Physicians for that disease For though madness is but one and the same disease as madness yet the Causes and Effects are divers Superbe A Feaver in the Brain causeth madness Bon' Esprit It rather causeth madness to have outragion Effects but a cold brain may be mad But it is neither heat nor cold that causeth madness but the irregularity of the Spirits Ambition But heat and cold may cause the irregularity of the Spirits for as cold Livers make the Veins like standing ponds which putrifies the blood for want of motion so very cold Brains may be like Snow or Ice to obstruct or bind the Spirits hindring the regular motions Bon' Esprit You say right and that is a stupid madness And as a hot Liver may boyl and inflame the blood so hot Brains may inflame the Spirits causing Combustious Motions as Thundring which is a raging madnesse Enter Monsieur Censurer Censure Who is raging-mad Faction A despairing Lover Censure Hang him in his Mistris Frowns or strangle him in the Cords of her Cruelty Superbe Would you be served so Censure Yes when I am a mad Lover For I had rather die than be in love with a hard-hearted Mistris for of the two I had rather imbrace death than Court her in which Courtship I should be Transform'd or Metamorphos'd into many several things As I should be a River of Lovers Tears a Ventidock of Lovers Sighs an Aquaduct of Lovers Griefs and a Chilling grotto of Lovers Fears and rather than I would endure these Transformations I would be well contended to be annihilated Ambition O fie had you rather be nothing than a Lover Censure I had rather be nothing than a thing worse than nothing Faction Well I hope to see you a desperate Lover at one time or other Censure I hope not for I have no cause to fear for my Mind
a while longer for the Curtezans sake for we shall never get such store nor such choise of Mistrisses therefore though the sober and chaste women are kept up here in Italy yet the wild and wanton are let loose to take their liberty But in Turky that barbarous Country all are kept close those that will as well as those that will not but if they had the custome of Italy to keep up only their honest women it were a Charity for otherwise a man loses his time in Courting those women that will not accept of his love for how should a man know whether women will or will not having all sober faces and demure countenances coy carriages and denying words Frere But yet they consent at last for Importunity and Opportunity 't is said wins the chastest she Friend Faith all the flowry Rhetorick and the most observing times and fittest opportunities and counterfeiting dyings win nothing upon a cold Icy Constitution or an obstinate Morality 't is true it may work some good effect upon an Icy Conscience Enter a man to Monsieur Frere with a Letter Frere From whence comes that Letter Man From France Sir I believe from your Father Exit man He opens it and reads it to himself Friend What News Hath thy Father sent thee money Frere Yes but it is to return home for he hath sent me word my Sister is marry'd to a very rich honest and sweet-natur'd man and that also he would have me come home to marry a rich Heir one that is his Neighbors Daughter for my Father says he desires to see me setled in the World before he dies having but us two my Sister and I Friend Why is he sick that he talks of dying Frere No but he is old and that is more certain of Deaths approach Friend But is your sister marry'd say you Frere Yes Friend Faith I am sorry for 't for I thought to have marry'd her myself Frere Marry she would have had but a wilde Husband if she had marry'd you Friend The thoughts of this Rich Heir make thee speak most precisely as if thou wert the most temperate man in the world when there is none so deboist as thou art Frere Prethee hold thy tongue for I am very discreet Friend Yes to hide thy faults to dissemble thy passions and to compass thy desires but not to abate any of them Well if thy sister had not been marry'd I would have prais'd thee but now I will rail against thee for losers may have leave to talk Frere Why what hopes could you have had to marry her Friend VVhy I was thy Friend and that was hope enough But is thy sister so handsome as Fame reports her Frere I cannot tell for I never saw her since I was a little boy and she a very child I being kept strictly at School and from thence to the University And when I was to travel I went home but then she was at an Ants house a hundred miles from my Fathers house so as I saw her not but I must leave off this discourse unless you 'l return into France with me Friend No faith thou shalt return without me for I will not goe so soon unless my Friends had provided me a rich Heiress to welcom me home but since they have not I mean to stay and entertain my self and time with the plump Venetians Frere Fare thee well Friend and take heed you entertain not a disease Friend Thou speakest as if thou wert a Convertito Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Madam Bonit alone and sits down to work as sowing as she is working Monsieur Malateste her Husband enters Monsieur Malateste You are always at work for what use is it You spend more money in silk cruel thread and the like than all your work is worth Madam Bonit I am now making you bands Malateste Pray let my bands alone for I 'm sure they will be so ill-favour'd as I cannot wear them Bonit Do not condemn them before you have try'd them Malateste You may make them but I wi'l never wear them Bonit Well I will not make them since you dislike it Exeunt Scene 3. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Come will you go to the Gaming-house 2 Gent. What to do 1 Gent. To play at Cards or the like Games 2 Gent. I will never play at such Games but with women 1 Gent. Why so 2 Gent. Because they are Effeminate Pastimes and not manly Actions neither will I meerly rely upon Fortunes favour without merit as Gamesters do 1 Gent. Why then will you go to a Tavern 2 Gent. For what 1 Gent. To drink 2 Gent. I am not thirsty 1 Gent. But I would have you drink until you are thirsty 2 Gent. That 's to drink drunk 1 Gent. And that 's that I desire to be 2 Gent. What 1 Gent. Why drunk 2 Gent. So do not I for I will not wilfully make my self uncapable as I can neither be able to serve my King Country nor Friend nor defend my Honour for when I am drunk I can do neither for a man drunk I weaker than a child that hath not strength to go or stand and is worse than those that are dumb for the dumb keep silence when those that are drunk doe stutter and stammer out non-sense and make themselves fools besides every Coward will take courage to beat at least affront a man that is drunk when as he dares not look ascue or come near him without respect when he is sober 1 Gent. Come come thou shalt go if it be but to decide our drunken quarrels and allay the wrathful vapour of Bacchus 2 Gent. No I will never decide the disputes of Fool Mad-men Drunkards nor Women for Fools understand no Reason Mad-men have lost their Reason Drunkards will hear no Reason and Women are not capable of Reason 1 Gent. Why are women not capable of Reason 2 Gent. Because it is thought or rather believ'd that women have no rational souls being created out of man and not from Iove as man was 1 Gent. If Iove hath not given them rational fouls I am sure Nature hath given them beautiful bodies with which Iove is enamour'd or else the Poets lye 2 Gent. Poets describe Iove according to their own passions and after their own appetites 1 Gent. Poets are Ioves Priests 2 Gent. And Natures Panders 1 Gent. Well if you will neither go to the Gaming-house Tavern nor Bawdy-house will you go and visit the sociable Virgins 2 Gent. Yes I like sociable Virginity very well But pray what are those sociable Virgins which you would have me go to see 1 Gent. VVhy a company of young Ladies that meet every day to discourse and talk to examine censure and judge of every body and of every thing 2 Gent. 'T is pity if they have not learn'd the rules of Logick if they talk so much that they may talk sense 1 Gent. I will assure you they have voluble Tongues and quick VVits 2 Gent. Let
home but I will go to bed for I am not very well 1 Servant You do not look well Sir Malateste Indeed I am sick Exeunt Scene 42. Enter Madam Soeur and Monsieur Frere MAdam Soeur Lord Brother what is the reason you are come back so soon Hath not your Barb run the Race Frere No Soeur What makes you here then Frere To see you Soeur To see me why I shall give you no thanks because you left my Husband behind you Frere I do not come for your thanks I come to please my self Soeur Prethee Brother get thee gone for thy face doth not appear so honest as it uses to do Frere I do not know how my Face doth appear but my Heart is as it was your faithful Lover Soeur Heaven forbid you should relapse into your old disease Frere Let me tell you Sister I am as I was and was as I am that is from the first time I saw you since I came from Travel I have been in love with you and must enjoy you and if you will imbrace my love with a free consent so if not I 'll force you to it Soeur Heaven will never suffer it but cleave the Earth and swallow you alive Frere I care not so you be in my Arms but I will first try Heavens power and struggle with the Deities He takes her in his arms and carries her out she cries help help murther murther Exeunt Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Malateste as being not well and his Wife Madam Malateste MOnsieur Mal. Wife Is this the way to cure melancholy to sit up all night at Cards and to lose five hundred pounds at a sitting or to stay all night abroad a Dancing and Revelling Madam O yes for the Doctors say there is nothing better than good company to imploy the Thoughts with outward Objects otherwise the Thoughts feed too much upon the Body besides they say that Exercise is excellent good to open Obstructions and to disperse melancholy Vapour and the Doctors say there is no Exercise better than Dancing because there are a great Company meet together which adds Pleasure to the Labour Monsieur My other Wife did not do thus Madam Wherefore she died in her youth with melancholy but I mean to live while I am old if mirth and good company will keep me alive and know I am not so kind-hearted to kill my self to spare your Purse or to please your Humour The Lady goes out and he goes out after sighing Scene 44. Enter Madam Soeur alone as ravished Soeur Who will call unto the Gods for aid since they assist not Innocency nor give protection to a Virtuous Life Is Piety of no use or is Heaven so obdurate no holy prayers can enter Heaven-gates or penitential tears can move the Gods to pity But O my sorrows are too big for words and all actions too little for his punishment Enter Monsieur Frere all unbutton'd and his sword drawn in his hand Frere Sister I must die wherefore you must not live for I cannot be without your company although in death and in the silent grave where no Love 's made nor Passion known Soeur It 's welcom News for if death comes not by your hand my hand shall give a passage unto life Frere There is none so sit to act that part as I who am so full of sin want nothing now but murther to make up measure He wounds her to death Soeur Death thou are my griefs Reprieve and wilt unlade my Soul from heavy thoughts that miserable life throws on and sinks me to the Earth Brother farewel may all your crimes be buried in my grave and may my shame and yours be never known Oh Oh dies Frere Now she is dead my Mind is at rest since I know none can enjoy her after me but I will follow thee I come my Mistris Wife and Sister all in one Monsieur Frere falls upon the point of his sword then falls clos'd by Madam Soeur and lays his Arm over her then speaks You Gods of Love if any Gods there be O hear my prayer And as we came both from one Womb so joyn our Souls in the Elizium out Bodies in one Tomb Oh oh oh dies Scene 45. Enter Monsieur Malateste upon a Couch as sick of a Consumption his Friend Monsieur Fefy sitting by him Then enters Madam Malateste to her sick Husband MOnsieur Mal. Wife you are very unkind that you will not come to see me now I am sick nor so much as send to know how I do Madam I am loth to trouble you with unnecessary visits or impertinent questions Monsieur Is it unnecessary or impertinent to see a Husband when he is sick or to ask how he doth Madam Yes when their visits and questions can do them no good But God be with you for I must be gone Monsieur What already Madam Yes for I doubt I have staid too long for I have appointed a meeting and it will be a dishonour for me to break my word Fefy But it will be more dishonour to be dancing when your Husband is dying Lady Madam What will you teach me go tutor Girls and Boys and not me Monsieur Let her go friend for her anger will disturb me Exit Lady Fefy I know not what her anger doth you but her neglect of you doth disturb me And for my part I wonder how you can suffer her Malateste Alas how shall I help or remedy it But Heaven is just and punishes me for the neglect I used towards my first Wife who was virtuous and kind Fefy She was a sweet Lady indeed Malateste O she was But I Devil as I was to use her as I did making her a slave unto my whore and frowns conjecturing all her Virtues to a contrary sense for I mistook her patience for simplicity her kindness for wantonness her thrist for covetousness her obedience for flattery her retir'd life for dull stupidity and what with the grief to think how ill I used her and grieving to see how ill this Wife uses me wasting my Honour and Estate she hath brought me into a Consumption as you see But when I am dead as I cannot live long I desire you who are my Executor to let me buried in the same Tomb wherein my Wife is laid for it is a joy to me to think my dust shall be mixt with her pure ashes for I had rather be in the grave with my first Wife than live in a Throne with my second But I grow very sick even to death wherefore let me be removed Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Monsieur Pere and his Son-in-law Monsieur Marry MOnsieur Pere Son-in-law did your Brother say he was very ill Marry He said he had such a pain on his left side as he could not sit on his horse but must be forced to return home again Pere Heaven bless him for my heart is so full of fears and doubts as if it did Prognosticate some great
and quite from my Patience which makes me miserable and Misery is worse than Death for Death is a cessation of pain and Misery a torment of life But if this Report be true I will lay more curses on his head than a long penitential life shall be able to take off Exit Enter the two Maids of Sir John Dotard 1 MAid Lord Briget is so proud since she is preferr'd to be my Masters Laundry-maid as she will touch none but my Masters linnen 2 Maid She is become very fine upon her preferment I am sure it is not five or ten pound wages that will or can maintain her at that rate she goes for she hath had to my knowledge two new pair of shooes within three weeks of each other whereupon I told her that the shooes that she cast by would be very strong and serviceable if they were cobled and her Answer was what did I think she would wear cobled shooes I told her why not now as well as she did for she us'd to send her shooes to be cobled three or four times over and her wastcoat to be patch'd and her petticoats to be new-border'd and her stockings to be heel'd as the rest of us did and I knew of no Lands that had befallen her and therefore she may doe the same still 1 Maid And what said she then 2 Maid She bid me meddle with my own matters and not meddle with her and I dare not offend her for fear I should be turn'd away nay she is so proud as she turns her head aside when Richard the Carter comes to kiss her and she strives to shun his company when once within a short time she would make haste to wash her dishes that she might have time to sit in Richards Lap and there they would sit colling and kissing until the sea-coal-site was burn'd out 2 Maid But now she sits in a better seat Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Mistris Forsaken in mans Apparel naming her self Monsieur Disguise MOnsieur Disguise I cannot believe he will prove so false and perjurious but this Disguise I hope will bring me to discover the Truth And if he be false for his sake may all the Masculine Sex be slaves to the Effeminate Sex not bound by Love but by base servile fear may they long after the power but never get it may women govern the World and when they command the men dare not disobey and be despis'd for their reward may their Jealousies disturb their Rest their Cares increase their Labours may they work like Horses fawn like Dogs and bear like Asses But if he be constant may all the Masculine Sex be bless'd for his sake may all women desire admire and love him may Pleasure imbrace him Health preserve him and Time attend him may he be arm'd with Power crown'd with Peace and all Obedience bow to his command may the sound but of his Name bring joy to all hearts may all be pleas'd for his Birth pray for his Life and fear his Death may good Fortune trace his ways whilst he tides upon the wings of a glorious Fame Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant as in another Country with his new Mistris INconstant Sweet Mistris you are the Elixar of Beauty all other women are as unrefin'd metal like base coyn New Mistris Whilst I am unmarry'd you 'l flatter me but when I am your Wife you will change your complemental discourse to quarrelling disputes or insulting commands Inconstant O never never your Eye shall direct all my Actions your Commands shall rule my Life and your Pleasures shall be my onely Delight Exeunt Scene 10. Enter Sir James Hearty and his Man HEarty Here take this Note that you may not forget the Guests that are to be invited to my Daughters Wedding The man takes the Note and looks on it Can you read it Man I cannot tell Sir Hearty Let me hear if you can or not Man Imprimis Sir William Lovewell and the Lady Hypocondria his Wife Item Sir Henry Sage and the Lady Chastity his Wife Item Sir Edward Courtly and the Lady Iealousie his Wife and Mistris Iane Single her Sister Item Sir Thomas Cuckold and the Lady Wanton his Wife Item Sir Humphey Disagree and the Lady Disagree his Wife Item Sir Timothy Spendall and the Lady Poverty his Wife Item the Lady Procurer Item Monsieur Amorous Hearty Well read well read As for the Lord Widower I know he will not come for I hear his Lady is newly dead This is the Nature of the World some marry and some die Man Troth Sir of the two Evils I think it is better to die than to marry Hearty I am not of your mind for I had rather have a ruddy plain soft Wench to be my Bed-fellow than pale grim lean numb cold Death But go your way about this Imployment the whilst I will give direction for the Entertainment Exeunt Scene 11. Enter the Lord VVidower and the Lady Sprightly his Eldest Daughter and other small Children and Doll Subtilty all weeping LOrd We have reason to weep for you my Children have lost a good Mother and I a loving Wife and her servants a kind Lady but we cannot alter Heavens Decrees wherefore we must take comfort in what is and not grieve for what cannot be helpt And now Daughter Sprightly you must be as my Wife Friend and Daughter all in one for as your Mother did when she had health govern my Family so must you now she is dead and you must take care of your young Brothers and Sisters and Heaven will reward thee with a good Husband and Children of your own And as for her Maid here who hath taken great pains all the time of your Mothers sickness ought to be rewarded for her care wherefore Daughter let her wait upon you as she did upon your Mother Doll Subtilty I thank your Lordship Exeunt Scene 12. Enter all the Bridal Guests and pass over the Stage as thorough a Room Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Disguise as from the sea MOnsieur Disguise Surely the Fates have conspired against me the winds were so cross just like men sometimes for us and sometimes against us Enter a Skipper Have you found out the Gentlemans lodging Skipper Yes Sir Disguise And was he at home Skipper He hath that which will invite him to stay at home and keep him from wandring abroad for some time Sir Disguise What 's that Skipper A fair Wife Sir for a drunken Serving-man told me that one Sir Francis Inconstant had maried his Masters Daughter and that the Wedding-Feast would continue a Week if not a Fortnight Disguise And was the man drunk that told you so Skipper Yes surely he seem'd so to me Disguise Then perchance he might tell you a lye Skipper He was not so drunk but that he might tell a truth Disguise Prethee Friend do me one favour more and then I will pay thee for thy pains Skipper What you please to command me
saying is Confidence makes Cuckolds Chastity Your confidence of me shall never harm you Sage But your too serious studies will harm your health and if you be sick I cannot be well besides it will decay your Beauty waste your Youth like Oyl spent in a melancholy Lamp where Life is always blinking Chastity It were better that my Body should be sick than my Mind idle my Beauty decay than my Understanding perish my Youth waste than my Fame lost my Life blinking than my Honour sinking for an idle Mind not well imploy'd creates a restless body which runs from place to place and hates to be at home Thus Mind and Body both being out extravagant Words and Actions run about and Riot keeps possession And though the Beauty withers and decays Yet Wit and Wisedome with the ruine stays And if the Youth doth waste and Life's Oyl 's spent Yet Fame lasts long and builds a Monument A melancholy life doth shadows cast But sets forth Virtue if they are well plac'd Then who would entertain an idle Mirth Begot by Vanity and dies in scorn Or proud or pleas'd with Beauty when the Birth Becomes the Grave or Tomb as soon as born But Wisedome wishes to be old and glad When youthful Follies die which seem as mad If Age is subject to repent what 's past Prudence and Experience redeems what 's lost Sage I perceive Wife the Muses have kept you company although you walk by your self but now I desire you will leave their company for a time and entertain mine Chastity VVith all my heart but the Muses are never with me but when you are imploy'd about serious Affairs for though they are my Visitors yet they are your Domestick Servants Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Sir Humphrey Disagree and his Wife the Lady Disagree LAdy Disagree Dear Husband where have you been Sir Hum. Disagree My dear kind VVife I have been in the Garden where I have heard little Robin Red-breast sing Lady Disagree That 's a sign Sweet-heart we shall have warm weather otherwise they would come into the House Sir Hum. Disag. I had rather believe my pretty Bird we shall have cold weather for they sing always in the coldest time of the year as in the depth of Winter Lady Disagree How ignorantly you speak good Husband as if the Robin Redbreast sings onely in the cold Winter and not in the warm Summer as well Sir Hum. Disagree Why not good VVife as well as Nightingals which only sing in the Spring and Swallows in the heat of Summer Lady Disagree That doth not prove that the Robbin doth not sing in Summer Sir Hum. Disag. I never heard the Robbin sing in Summer Lady Disagree Your never hearing of it is not a sufficient proof Sir Hum. Disag. It is to me Lady Disagree To say it is without a Reason proves a Fool Sir Hum. Disag. I only prov'd my self a Fool in marying you Lady Disagree I was accurst when first I gave consent to be your Wife Sir Hum. Disag. You were easily won Lady Disagree What because I consented to a Knave that wooed Sir Hum. Disag. You are a false woman for calling me a Knave Lady Disagree You are a Cuckold for calling me false Sir Hum. Disag. Am I so Mistris I will be sure to thrust my Horns thorough your Heart He offers to strike her she gets up a stool and slings at him he gets a cushion and slings at her and then gets hold of her she cries out Murder in comes their friends and servants and parts them Sir Hum. Disag. Dam me I 'll kill her Lady Disagree You 'l be hang'd will you Friend Nay good Sir be not angry Servant Good Madam go away until my Masters anger is pass'd over Exeunt ACT III Scene 25. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant alone as being very melancholy INconstant I will read this Letter once again although it shakes my Soul and makes me almost mad He reads aloud the Letter Sir THe wrongs you have done me are more than Heaven can give me patience to endure for which wrongs may thick black clouds of Infamy overspread your Memory and may my Sorrows beat upon your Soul as Northern Winds upon the Sea and raise up all your thoughts in discontent as raging billows causing your voice to roar out loud with hideous noise confounding all the Actions of your Life and way your hopes be drown'd in the salt water of despairing Tears The Heavens cannot condemn me for cursing a man which hath betray'd my Youth by Flattery violated my Chastity by Protestations tormented my harmless thoughts with Perjury disquieting my peaceable Life with Misfortunes But the burthen of my wrongs being too weighty for life to bear hath sunk it to the Grave where I hope all my disgrace will be buried with me though not the revenges of my Wrongs for those will punish you when I am dead For the Gods are just although Mankind is not Enter Nic Adviser Sir Francis Inconstants man Inconstant O Nick what a Villain am I Adviser For what Sir Inconstant For Perjury and Murther for I did not only break those Bonds I had sealed with holy Vows but my Falshood hath kill'd a fair young Lady for she hearing I had forsaken her and was to be maried to another she dy'd for grief Adviser Alas Sir we are all by Nature both frail and mortal wherefore we must complain of Nature of her Inconstancy and Cruelty in making our Minds so changeable and our Bodies so weak the one being subject to Death the other subject to Variety But Sir in my Opinion you have no cause to grieve but rather to rejoyce for what you have erred by Nature you have repaired by Fortunes favour for if that Lady which is dead had lived you would have been incumber'd with many troubles Inconstant As how Nick Adviser Why you would have been as a young Bear baired by two young Whelps the forsaken Lady railing and exclaming against you in all Company she came into and your Wife tormenting you with sharp words and loud noise insomuch as you would have neither ear drank or slept in quiet Thus both abroad and at home you would have heard nothing but your own reproaches Inconstant But shall not I be the same now she is dead think you Adviser No faith Sir for Death hath stopt the mouth of the one and Kisses may chance to muzzle the mouth of the other but if you be melancholy your Lady will think you do repent and will believe that you do prefer the memory of your dead Mistris before the enjoyment of your living Wife besides women are so jealous as they will not allow their Husbands to think that makes them talk so much as they do for they think Thoughts are Bauds to Adulterous Actions and that Imaginations commit Fornication with the Ghosts and Spirits of the dead Inconstant Well Nick I will take thy counsel and cast off melancholy and be merry in Jovial Company Exeunt Scene
Disagree No pray Husband let them alone a little while longer Humphrey Disagree If you keep them out untill our Stomacks be full we shall be so dull and heavy with the vapour of the meat as it will not be in the power of Musick to move our minds to mirth or so drunk with VVine as the Musick will make us mad Lady Disagree I hope you will not be mad before you are drunk Humphrey Disagree No VVife I will be merry before I am drunk wherefore Servants call them in She speaks as to the Servants Lady Disagree Let them alone Humphrey Disagree I say they shall come and play and therefore call them in Lady Disagree I say they shall not come in nor play therefore forbid them Humphrey Disagree Surely I will be Master and therefore they shall play Lady Disagree Surely I will be Mistriss of this Feast and therefore they shall not play Humphrey Disagree Call them Lady Disagree Let them alone The Servants the while sometimes run as to the door and then as from it not knowing whether they should obey Sir Humphrey rises as to call them himself She rises also Humphrey Disagree They shall come and play He offers to go She puls him back Lady Disagree They shall not play He shoves her from him she takes her Napkin and rouls it flings it at him he flings another at her she takes a Plate and throws at him he Curses and she Scolds their Friends strive to part them and in the strife and bussle down goeth all the Pots and Dishes and so they go fighting and striving off the Stage The Servants take away all the meat and things and after all was gone Enter two Maid-Servants 1 Maid Lord there is such doings within as it is wonderfull my Master swears my Lady cries and rails and rails and cries 2 Maid in truth it is a sad Feast and I was joyed to think how merry we should all be 1 Maid And I pleased my self to think what good cheer we should have and what dainties we should eat 2 Maid Why so you may still 1 Maid No Faith in this Hurlyburby every one catcht who catch could that all is vanish'd and purloyn'd away in this disorder 2 Maid Come let us go and see whether they can agree or not 1 Maid That they can never do so long as the sound of their tongues is within the distance of their Ears besides nature hath not matcht their dispositions or humours 2 Maid You say right intruth their Souls are mismatcht and therefore it is impossible they should ever agree Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant and Monsieur Disguise SIr Francis Inconstant Sir my VVife your Mistriss is Dead Monsieur Disguise No Sir my Mistriss and your VVhore is Dead Inconstant You are a Villain to corrupt her Disguise You are a Villain to marry her Inconstant Draw for either or both of us Villains shall dy Disguise I fear not Death nor you They both draw their Swords Disguise Justice defend the wrong'd and take my part They fight and give each other deadly wounds Sir Francis Inconstant falls and as he lay on the ground speaks Inconstant Heaven is just to punish perjury with violent Death O my Conscience how it stings me at my Death with the remembrance of the wrongs I did my first love Monsieur Disguise sinks close by Sir Francis and then discovers her self Mistriss Forsaken Do you know this Face or have my sorrows disfigur'd it so much as you cannot call it to remembrance Sir Francis Starts Inconstant You powers above affright not my fleeting Soul with visions but let it gently pass and leave my body to the silent grave He directs his Speech to her Inconstant You Spirit divine take not revenge for I am truly sorry for the wrongs I did thee in thy life Mistriss Forsaken I forgive you and know I am no Spirit and though I cannot say I live because I am dying yet I am not dead and that Letter I brought you was to disguise me the more by a false report but I have acted the design of my Travel which was to end my life with yours for since I could not enjoy you in life I desir'd to imbrace you by Death and so I shall She flings her arms over him and dyes Inconstant O my Soul make haste and follow hers He kisses her and on her lips dyes FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES Monsieur Nobilissimo Monsieur Esperance Monsieur Phantasie Monsieur Poverty Monsieur Adviser and several other Gentlemen Admiration Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Vainglory Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Pride Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Ambition Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Madamoiselle Esperance Wife to Monsieur Esperance Madamoiselle La Belle Madamoiselle Amour Madamoiselle Grand Esprit Madamoiselle Bon Madamoiselle Tell-truth Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Malicious THE FIRST PART OF NATURES three DAUGHTERS Beauty Love and Wit ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious and Madamoiselle Tell-truth TEll-truth The Lady Natures Daughters are the only Ladies that are admired praised adored worshiped and sued to all other women are despised Spightfull We may go into a Nunnery for we shall never get Servants nor Husbands as long as they live Tell-truth Why there are but three of them and three women cannot serve and content all the men in the VVorld Detractor No but they may discontent all the men so much as to make them all to be Male-contented Lovers who will reject all because they cannot have what they desire Malicious Let us make a Faction against them Spightfull Alas what Faction against them can hurt and destroy Love Wit and Beauty Detractor Jealousy will weaken Love Dispraise will disgrace Wit and Beauty Time will soon bring that to decay Tell-truth But Jealousy cannot weaken true and virtuous Love nor Dispraise cannot disgrace pure Wit nor Time cannot decay the Beauty of the mind wherefore all the faction you can make against them will do them no hurt besides you will be condemned by all the Masculine Sex if not punished with infamy for your treachery and since you cannot do them harm your best way will be to imitate them for your own good Spightfull So we shall be laughed at and stared on as Monkies and scorned forasmuch as we offer at that which is beyond our abilities and whatsoever is forced and constrained appeareth ridiculous Malicious Come let us leave speaking of them and thinking of them if we can Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Surely Wife you do not love me you are not any way kind to me Madamoiselle Esperance True Love Husband is not so fond as serviceable Monsieur Esperance But true Love will express it self sometimes for if you did truly Love me you would hang about my Neck as if you meant to dwell there Madamoiselle Esperance If I thought my kindness might not
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
not be seen unless to some particular persons or neer friends 1 Lady And how doth she become her Religious Habit 2 Lady So handsomely as she is far handsomer in her Pease habit than when she was drest with all the Arts of Vanityes 1 Lady What manner of Habit is it 2 Lady Somewhat like the Normetanes but much more becoming 1 Lady Well I will go to the Lady her Mother and intreat her to let me go with her to see her Daughter Exeunt Scene 28. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEntleman 'T is said that now the Lady Perfection is incloystered that the Treaty goeth on betwixt the Arch-Prince and the Emperor Enter a Gentleman running as by they stay him 2 Gent. What 's the matter you run so hastily 1 Gent. I am running to give the Arch-Prince notice that his Neece is in labour and is so ill she is like to dy 2 Gent. We will not stay you then Exeunt Scene 29. Enter Mistriss Odd-Humour and her Maid Nan MIstriss Odd-Humour It 's said the Lady Perfection hath entered into a Religious Order she is happy would I were so Nan It is a question whether you would think your self so if you were as she is Mistriss Odd-Humour I think the happiest life is to be a Devote Nan Faith Mistriss you wish to be a Devote not so much out of a devotion as for a change in life as many wish to be marryed out of a desire to alter their course of life and when they are marryed they wish to be unmarried again so would you do if you were a Devote Mistriss Odd-Humour Oh no for though those that are married wish to be unmarried by reason Marriage is the most troublesome unquiet life that is but a Devotes life is the most peaceable and quiet life that is so as there is as much difference in the course of a Married life and an Incloystered life as between Heaven and Hell Nan Then the most part of the World prefers Hell before Heaven for more are Married than are Incloystered Mistriss Odd-Humour Truly by the course of the VVorld and the action of men one would think there would be more Devils in Hell than Saints in Heaven Exeunt Scene 30. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. You hear the news of the Princess delivery and her Death 2 Gent. Yes I heard she died as soon as delivered but she hath left a Son and Heir to her sorrowfull Husband 1 Gent. I do not believe her Husband is much troubled or grieved for her Death as his Father is 2 Gent. Indeed I think the young Lord had no great affections for her 1 Gent. No surely for he loves the Lady he was first married to so well as he could spare no love for any other woman 2 Gent. If that Lady had not entered into a Religious Order he might have remarried her but now he cannot 1 Gent. I believe that if the other Lady had known the Princess should have died so soon she would not have been so Religious as to have Incloystered her self from the VVorld and to ha' bard up her liberty with Vows 2 Gent. 'T is like when she hears of the Princesses Death she will repent the acts of devotion 1 Gent. Then Repentance is not always for acts of evill but sometimes of good 2 Gent. There is Repentance of all sorts and degrees and there are more enter into Religious Orders out of Discontent than for Love to God 1 Gent. That is an uncharitable opinion 2 Gent. Nay 't is not a bare Opinion that may be proved nor uncharitable to speak the truth Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 31. Enter Mistriss Odd-Humour and her Maid Nan MIstriss Odd-Humour Oh Nan I am undone for ever Nan As how Mistriss Mistriss Odd-Humour Why by your neglect and carelessness for your not watching my Fathers coming home to give me notice my Father hath found my Chair for I hearing him come run to hide a-way my Chair he coming and seeing me scuttle about the room imagined I desired to hide something from him for which he searches all my Chamber over at last he went and looked into the Cole-hole where I had flung my Chair and finding it he carried it a-way in one hand and led me a-long in the other hand and causing a fire to be made of the Chair made me stand by to see the Martyrdome whereat I was so afflicted as I lost my fight in tears which tears I let run on the fire hoping to quench it out but they were so brind with grief as they did rather augment the fury of the fire than abate the rage of the flame so that which I thought would have been a preserver did hasten the destruction Nan Faith Mistriss it is none of my fault for your Mother sent me of an errand and whilst I was absent by your Mothers commands it seem'd your Father came home Mistriss Odd-Humour This is an excuse Nan You may believe it 't is no excuse but truth for I that ventured the loss of my Soul by telling a lie to save your Chair would not neglect the watch had not I been commanded away Mistriss Odd-Humour I am of an opinion you were brib'd to betray the life of my Chair and bribes are so powerfull as they corrupt promises and vows even the Soul its self though the Soul makes no use of bribes yet it will venture to be damn'd for a bribes sake Nan Well Mistriss since a mistrust is all my reward you shall tell the next lie your self Mistriss Odd-Humour No prethee Nan let us be friends for I shall never get a Servant that will so readily tell lyes for me as you do wherefore let us shake hands and be friends They shake hands Nan VVell Mistriss let me tell you that my hand and tongue is at your service the one to work the other to lie for your service Mistriss Odd-Humour I thank you Nan for many Servants will lie but few will work Exeunt Scene 32. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. The Lord Melancholy hath such a sober sad Countenance as I never saw any young man have the like 2 Gent. Indeed I never saw him smile in my life 1 Gent. I askt a Gentleman that waits on him whether his Lord did ever smile he said he never saw him smile since he parted from his first Lady 2 Gent. Then he hath not smiled this nine years for so long it is since he parted from his first Lady 1 Gent. If the siege last one year more it will be as long a siege as the siege of Troy 2 Gent. Indeed the causes of either siege resembles each other as both for the love of fair Ladyes I know not whether the effect will prove alike as whether it will be the destruction of his heart as the siege of Troy was the destruction of Troy 1 Gent. But the Lord Melancholy is rather like Hellen than Menelaus for he hath had two wives and the Lady Perfection is as Menelaus for her
with you both Both Long may your Highness live and flourish They kneel to their Father Lord Dorato My blessing on you both Exeunt FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES Sir William Admirer and many other Gentlemen Lady Peaceable Lady Solitary Lady Censurer Lady Examination Lady Bridlehead Lady Kindeling Lady Gadder Lady Faction and a Matron THE COMICAL HASH ACT I. Scene 1. Enter a Company of young Gentlemen and two or three young Ladyes as the Lady Gadder the Lady Kindeling and the Lady Bridlehead KIndeling My Dear Gadder Gadder My sweet Kindeling They imbrace and kiss each other Gentleman Faith Ladyes Nature never made women to kiss each other and therefore 't is unnatural and being unnatural it is unlawfull and being unlawfull it ought to be forbidden Gadder Yes you would have us kiss you men Gentleman No Ladies we men will kiss you women if you please to give us leave Bridlehead You will take leave sometimes Gentleman 'T is when we think we shall not be refus'd or at least not to be disfavour'd for it The Ladies kiss again Gentleman VVhat kissing again faith Ladies you will make us believe by your often kissing that you desire we should kiss you and with that belief we may run into an error if it be an error to kiss a fair Lady Kindeling Fye fye you men are odd Creatures Gentleman No you women are odd Creatures when you are not with us men Kindeling Preethy Gadder and Bridlehead let us go do something to pass away our time Gadder VVhat shall we do Bridlehead Let us go to Cards Gadder Faith I have made a Vow not to play for money Bridlehead VVe will play for Sweet-meats Kindeling No preethy let us play for a Sack Possit Gadder O no we will play for Sweet-meats Kindeling I say a Sack Possit Gadder Let the most voices carry it Gentleman I will speak for the men we say a Sack Possit for that will make us both good Company in the eating the Possit and after 't is eaten whereas Sweet-meats will make us heavy and dull Gadder Well then let us go play for a Sack Possit Bridlehead Faith a Sack Possit will make me drunk Gentleman You will be the better Company Lady Kindling Fye Bridlehead you should not say drunk but your head giddy Gentleman That is better than to be drunk for a giddy head hath a light heel Exeunt Scene 2. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. The Lord Poverty is a gallant Noble person 2 Gent. They are gallant and Noble that are Rich and titled Honour without Means is like a Body without a Soul 1 Gent. You are mistaken friend it is rather a Soul without a Body 2 Gent. Alas titled Honour without Means to maintain it is despised 1 Gent. If the person hath Merit worthy of his titled Honour that titled Honour is worthy to be respected and bowed to by all inferiour persons nay put the case that Honourable titles are placed upon Unworthy persons yet all ought to give respect to those Titles and to do homage thereunto though not unto the Person yet because it comes from a lawfull and Supreme power as Natural rays of light do from the Sun and those that strive through envy and through spite for to Eclipse the light deserve to be in a perpetual darkness so those that do detract from titled Honours ought never to be honoured with Titles or respect 2 Gent. Why 't is not only I that have no such titles of Honour that speaks against them but those that do possess them and their fore-fathers long before them 1 Gent. They that do so ought to be degraded as being unworthy to wear the badge or mark of their fore-fathers Merits or heroick Acts for they do shew they have none of their own but those that get their own Honours by their own Merits and worthy Actions deserve them best for they like as a clear and glorious day appear for oft-times their posterity like Clouds begot from gross and drowsie Earth strive to quench out their Fathers flaming Honours and by their Baseness obscure the light of their fore-fathers great and glorious Fame and in the end bury themselves in dark Oblivion as vanishing to nothing as being never mentioned nor remembred but those that for their loyalty and their fidelity unto their King and Country have hazarded lives and lost their liberties and Estates and are grown poor for Honesties sake and Virtuous causes yet they in after Ages will live with great renown for 't is not in the power of spite to pull them down for the Gods give Fame to Noble Actions as Kings give titled Honours though men that are base will not relieve them yet Fame will remember them and though base men will rail against them yet Fame will praise them and though they dye with Poverty and should end their lives in a foul Ditch yet shall that Ditch be honoured by their Death more than the rich unworthy man be honoured by his stately Tombs and costly Funerals Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady Solitary and the Lady Examination EXamination What 's the matter with you to day Lady Solitary you look as if you were in a married humour Solitary Why Lady Examination what humour is a married humour Examination Why a masse of ill humours mixt or put together as a lumpish dumpish dull stupid humour or a pievish fretting pining whining humour or a brawling yawling quarrelling scoulding humour or a jealous suspicious humour or a fawning feigning dissembling humour Solitary If these humours are woven into the marriage knot I will never marry for I would be loth to have the peace of my life strangled in discontent for whosoever be subject to these humours can never be happy Examination You will change your mind and rather live with these humours than without a Husband but I am come now to fetch you abroad for their is a Company of sociable Ladyes and gallants that have made a meeting some league of where there will be Mirth Jollity Plenty and Pleasure and they desire you will be sociable for once and go along with them Solitary Would you have the Body which is the habitation of the Mind a wanderer travelling from place to place disturbing the mind with unprofitable journeys Examination No I would have it remove so as it may always situate it self in a wholsome profitable plentifull pleasant and pleasurable place Solitary I perceive you prefer the pleasures of the Body before the delight of the Mind Examination Why the mind can take no delight without the body for the body gives the mind a being and habitation for there would be no mind if there were no body but if there could be a mind without a body yet the mind could receive no delight without the pleasure of the body for the pleasure of the body is the delight of the mind and not the delight of the mind the pleasure of the body for the mind doth never give nor return wherefore come away and leave
naturally an eloquent Orator yet the bare truth of his worthy Virtues and Heroical actions will be sufficient to make the story both profitable delightfull and famous also I must intreat you to choose out a Poet one that doth not meerly write for gain or to express his own wit so much as to endeavour to Pencil with the pen Virtue to the life which in my Lord was so beautifull as it was beyond all draughts but the theam will inspire his Muse and when both these works are writ printed and set out as divulged to the World as a patern for examples which few will be able to imitate then I would have these books ly by me as Registers of memory for next unto the Gods my life shall be spent in Contemplation of him I know I shall not need to perswade you to do this for your affection to his memory is ready of it self but love and duty binds me to express my desires for his Fame leaving nothing which is for my part thereunto Doctor Educature Madam all the service I can do towards the memory of my dear Pupil and noble Lord and Patron shall be most devoutly observed and followed for Heaven knows if I had as many lives to dispose of as I have lived years I would have Sacrificed them all for to haue redeemed his life from Death Doctor Educature goes out Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. When I have interred my Husbands body and all my desires thereunto be finished I shall be at some rest and like an Executrix to my self executing my own will distributing the Rites and Ceremonies as Legacies to the dead thus the living gives the dead but O my Spirits are tired with the heavy burden of Melancholy and grow faint for want of rest yet my senses invite me thereunto yet I cannot rest in my Bed for frightfull Dreams disturb me wherefore I will ly down on this floor and try if I can get a quiet sleep on the ground for from Earth I came and to Earth I would willingly return She lays her self down upon the ground on one side of her Arm bowing leaning upon her Elbow her Forehead upon the palm of her hand bowing forwards her face towards the ground but her grief elevating her passion thus speaks Madam Iantil. Weep cold Earth through your pores weep Or in your bowels my salt tears fast keep Inurn my sighs which from my grief is sent With my hard groans build up a Monument My Tongue like as a pen shall write his name My words as letters to divulge his fame My life like to an Arch over his Ashes bend And my desires to his grave descend I warn thee Life keep me not Company I am a friend to Death thy Enemy For thou art cruell and every thing torments Wounding with pain all that the World presents But Death is generous and sets us free Breaks off our Chains and gives us liberty Heals up our wounds of trouble with sweet rest Draws our corrupted passions from our breast Layes us to sleep on Pillows of soft case Rocks us with silence nothing hears nor sees She fetches'a great sigh O that I may here sleep my last After a short slumber she wakes If it were not for Dreams sleep would be a happiness next unto Death but I find I cannot sleep a long sleep in Death I shall not dye so soon as I would Love is so strong and pure it cannot dy Lives not in sense but in the Soul doth lye Why do I mourn his love with mine doth dwell His love is pleas'd mine entertains it well But mine would be like his one imbodied Only an Essence or like a Godhead Exeunt Scene 22. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort How doth our Lady Doll Doll Pacify To day she began to sit up but yet she is very weak and faint Doctor Comfort Heaven help her Doll Pacify You that are Heavens Almner should distribute Heavens gifts out of the purse of your mouth and give her single Godly words instead of single silver pence to buy her some Heavenly food to feed her famisht mind Doctor Comfort Thou are a full-fed wench Doll Pacify If I were no better fed than you feed me which is but once a week as on Sundayes I should be starved Doctor Comfort You must fast and pray fast and pray Exeunt ACT V. Scene 23. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. All the young Gallants in the Town are preparing themselves with fine Cloths and Feathers to go a woing to the two rich Widows the Lady Iantil and the Lady Passionate 2 Gent. Riches are the Loadstone of affection or at least professions 1 Gent. The truth is Riches draw more Suters than Youth Beauty or Virtue Exeunt Scene 24. Enter two or three Gentlemen Monsieur Comerade Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Comerade For Heavens sake let us go and address our selves to the two Rich Widows Monsieur Compagnion For my part I will address my self to none but the young Widow the Lady Iantil and to her let us go without delay Monsieur la Gravity It will be uncivil to go so soon after their Husbands Death for their Husbands are not yet laid in their Graves Monsieur Compagnion If they were we should come too late for I knew a man which was a great friend of mine who was resolved to settle himself in a married course of life and so he went a wooing to a Widow for a Widow he was resolved to marry and he went a wooing to one whose Husband was but just cold in his grave but she told him she was promised before so he wooed another whilst she followed her Husbands Corps but she told him he came too late whereat he thought with the third not to be a second in his Sute and so expressed his desires in her Husbands sickness she told him she was very sorry that she had past her word before to another for if she had not she would have ma le him her choice whereat he curst his imprudence and wooed the fourth on her wedding day who gave him a promise after her Husband was dead to marry him and withall she told him that if she had been married before it had been ten to one but he had spoke too late for said she when we are Maids we are kept from the free conversation of men by our Parents or Guardians but on our wedding day we are made free and set at liberty and like as young Heirs on the day of one and twenty we make promises like bonds for two or three lives wherefore I fear we shall miss of our hopes for these two Widows will be promised before we address our Sute Monsieur la Gravity No no for I am confident all do not so for some love to have the freedoms of their wills for every promise is a bondage to those that make a Conscience to keep their promise besides it is not only variety that pleaseth women but
as to take the Victory out of your fair hands or so vain-glorious as to attribute it to our selves or so ungratefull as not to acknowledg our lives and liberties from your valours wisdoms and good fortune or so imprudent as to neglect your power or so ill-bred as to pass by you without making our addresses or so foolish as to go about any action without your knowledge or so unmannerly as to do anything without your leave wherefore we entreat you and pray you to believe that we have so much honour in us as to admire your beauties to be attentive to your discourses to dote on your persons to honour your virtues to divulge your sweet graces to praise your behaviours to wait your commands to obey your directions to be proud of your favours and we wear our lives only for your service and believe we are not only taken Captives by your Beauties but that we acknowledge we are bound as your Slaves by your valours wherefore we all pray that you may not misinterpret our affections and care to your persons in believing we sent you away because we were weary of you which if so it had been a sin unpardonable but we sent you away for your safety for Heaven knows your Departure was our Hell and your Absence our Torments but we confess our errours and do humbly beg our pardons for if you had accompanied us in our Battels you had kept us safe for had we fought in your presence our Enemies had never overcome us since we take courage from your Eyes life from your smiles and victory from your good wishes and had become Conquerours by your incouragements and so we might have triumpht in your favours but hereafter your rules shall be our methods by which we will govern all our actions attending only wholy your directions yet give us leave humbly to offer our advise as Subjects to their Princess if you think fit we think it best to follow close the victory lest that our Enemies recruit their forces with a sufficient strength to beat us out of what we have gained or at least to hinder and oppose our entrance and hopes of Conquering them where if you will give us leave we will besiege and enter their Towns and rase their Walls down to the ground which harbour their disorders offending their Neighbours Kingdoms yet we are not so ambitous as to desire to be Commanders but to join our forces to yours and to be your assistants and as your Common Souldiers but leaving all these affairs of War to your discretion offering our selves to your service We kiss your hands and take our leaves for this time All the women fall into a great laughter ha ha ha ha Lady Victoria Noble Heroickesses by your valours and constant and resolute proceedings you have brought your Tyrants to be your Slaves those that Commanded your absence now humbly sue your presence those that thought you a hindrance have felt your assistance the time is well altered since we were sent to retreat back from the Masculine Army and now nothing to be done in that Army without our advise with an humble desire they may join their forces with ours but gallant Heroickesses by this you may perceive we were as ignorant of our selves as men were of us thinking our selves shifdels weak and unprofitable Creatures but by our actions of War we have proved our selves to be every way equal with men for what we want of strength we have supplied by industry and had we not done what we have done we should have lived in ignorance and slavery All the Female Commanders All the knowledge of our selves the honour of renown the freedome from slavery and the submission of men we acknowledge from you for you advised us counselled us instructed us and encouraged us to those actions of War wherefore to you we owe our thanks and to you we give our thanks Lady Victoria What answer will you return to the Masculine Army All the Commanders What answer you will think best Lady Victoria We shall not need to write back an answer for this Messenger may deliver it by word of mouth wherefore Sir pray remember us to your General and his Commanders and tell them that we are willing upon their submissions to be friends and that we have not neglected our good Fortune for we have laid siege to so considerable a Fort which if taken may give an easy passage into the Kingdome which Fort we will deliver to their forces when they come that they may have the honour of taking it for tell them we have got honour enough in the Battel we fought and victory we did win Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur Comerade MOnsieur Compagnion We are bound to curse you Monsieur Gravity for retarding our visits to the Widows for I told you we should come too late if we did not go before their Husbands were buried Monsieur la Gravity But I do not hear they have made a promise to marry any as yet Monsieur Compagnion That 's all one unto us but the noblest youngest richest and fairest VVidow is gone for though she is not promised or married yet she is incloistered and that is worse than marriage for if she had been married there might have been some hopes her Husband would have died or been kill'd or some wayes or other Death would have found to have taken him away Monsieur Comerade Let us comfort our selves with hopes that it is but a Ladies humour which she will be soon weary of for when her Melancholy fit is over she will come forth of her Cloister and be fonder to marry than if she had never gone in Monsieur la Gravity VVell since she is gone let us assault the other Monsieur Compagnion VVhat the old woman that hath never a Tooth in her head Monsieur Comerade VVhy she is rich and she will kiss the softer for having no Bones in her mouth Monsieur Compagnion The Devill shall kiss her before I will besides an old woman is thought a Witch Monsieur la Gravity Pish that is because they are grown ill-favoured with Age and all young people think whatsoever is ill-favoured belongs to the Devill Monsieur Compagnion An antient man is a comely sight being grave and wise by experience and what he hath lost in his person he hath gained in his understanding besides beauty in men looks as unhandsome as age in women as being effiminate but an old woman looks like the picture of Envy with hollow Eyes fallen Checks lank Sides black pale Complexion and more Wrinkles than time hath Minutes Monsieur Comerade Nay by your favour some old women look like the full Moon with a red swell'd great broad face and their Bodies like as a spungy Cloud thick and gross like our fat Hostess Monsieur la Gravity Gentlemen why do you rail against antient women so much since those that are wise will never marry such Boyes