say he was the honour of the Age the glory of our Nation and a pattern for all mankind to take a sample from and that his person was answerable to his merrits for he said he was a very handsome man of a Masculine presence a Courtly garbe and affable and courteous behaviour and that his wit was answerable to his merits person and behaviour as that he had a quick wit a solid judgment a ready tongue and a smooth speech Mrs. Acquaintance And did your Father proffer you to be his wife Lady Orphant Yes and I remember my father sighing said he should have died in peace and his soul would have rested in quiet if he had been pleased to have accepted of me Mrs. Acquaintance When did your Father proffer you Lady Orphant When I was but a Child Mrs. Acquaintance He is not married and therefore he may chance to accept of you now if you were profer'd Lady Orphant That were but to be refused again for I heare he is resolved never to marry and it will be a greater disgrace to be refused now I am grown to womans Estate than when I was but a Child besides my Father is dead and my marring can give him no content in the grave unless his soul could view the world and the severall actions therein Mrs. Acquaintance So is his Father dead Lady Orphant Yes and I here that is the cause he cares not to return into his native Country Mrs. Acquaintance I have a friend that hath his picture Lady Orphant Is it a he or a she friend Lady Acquaintance A she friend Lady Orphant Pray be so much my friend as to get your friends consent to shew me the Picture Mrs. Acquaintance Perchance I may get it to view it my self but I shall never perswade her to lend it you jealousy will forbid her Lady Orphant She hath no cause to fear me for I am not one to make an Amorous Mrs. and I have heard he will never marry Mrs. Acquaintance That is all one woman hath hopes as much as feares or doubts what ever men doth vow for or against Lady Orphant Pray send to her to lend it you and then you may shew it me Mrs. Acquaintance I will try if she will trust me with it Exit Lady Orphant Solus O Heaven grant that the praise my Father gave this Lord whilst in the world he lived prove not as curses to me his Child so grieve his soul with my unhappy life Exit Scene 4. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Mrs. Reformer her woman she being in yeares MIstriss Reformer Madam now you are become a Mrs. of a Family you must learn to entertain visitants and not be so bashfull as you were wont to be insomuch as you had not confidence to look a stranger in the face were they never so mean persons Lady Bashfull Alas Reformer it is neither their birth breeding wealth or title that puts me out of Countenance for a poor Cobler will put me as much out of Countenance as a Prince or a poor Semestress as much as a great Lady Mrs. Reformer What is it then Lady Bashfull Why there are unacustomated faces and unacquainted humours Mrs. Reformer By this reason you may be as much out of countenance as an unacustomed Dogg or Cat that you never saw before or any other beast Lady Bashfull O no for mankind is worse natured than boasts and beasts better natured than men besides beasts lookes not with censuring eyes nor heares or listens with inquisitive cares nor speakes with detracting tongues nor gives false judgment or spitefull censures or slandering reproaches nor jeeres nor laughs at innocent or harmless Errours nor makes every little mistake a crime Enter the Lady Bashfulls Page Page Madam there is a Coachfull of gallants allighted at the gate Lady Bashfull For heavens sake say I have no desire to be seen Reformer No say my Lady is full of grief and is not fit to receive visits Enter the Ladyes and Gentlemen Whereat the Lady Bashfull stands trembling and shaking and her eyes being cast to the ground and her face as pale as death They speak to Reformer Where is the Lady Bashfull pray Gentlewoman tell her we are come to kiss her hands Reformer offers to go forth Lady Wagtaile Will you do us the favour old Gentlewoman as to let the Lady know we are here Reformer If I am not so old as to be insensible this is she Lady Wagtaile Is this she alas good Lady she is not well for surely she hath a fit of an Ague upon her she doth so shake you should give her a Carduus-possit and put her to bed Lady Amorous Lady are you sick She Answers not Lady Wagtaile She is sick indeed if she be speechless Reformer Madam pray pull up your spirits and entertain this honourable Company Lady Wagtaile Why is the defect in her spirits Reformer She is young and bashfull They all laugh except Sir Roger Exception and Sir Serious Dumb. Ha! Ha! She is out of countenance Sir Roger Exception No she is angry because we are strangers unknown unto her and she takes it for a rudeness that we are come to visit her therefore let us be gone Lady Amorous Let me tell you it is meer shamefacedness Sir Roger Exception I say no for those that are angry will shake extreamly and turn as pale as death Sir Humphrey Bold Lady take courage and look upon us with a confident brow All the while Sir Serious Dumb lookes on the Lady Bashfull with sixt eyes The Lady Bashfull offers to speak to the Company but cannot for stuttering they all laugh again at her Reformer Lord Madam I will you make your self ridiculous Lady Bashfull I cannot help it for my thoughts are consumed in the fiery flame of my blushes and my words are smothered in the smoak of shame Lady Wagtaile O! she speakes she speakes a little Reformer Pray Madam leave her at this time and if you honour her with your Company again she may chance to entertain you with some confidence Lady Wagtaile Pray let me and Sir Humphry Bold come and visit her once a day if it be but halfe an hour at a time and we shall cure her I warrant thee Reformer I wish she were cured of this imperfection Sir Humphry Bold She must marry she must marry for there is no cure like a husband for husbands beget confidence and their wives are brought a bed with impudence Lady Wagtaile By your favour Sir Humphry Bold marriage must give way or place to courtship for there are some wives as simply bashfull as Virgins but when did you ever see or know or hear of courtly lovers or Amorous courtships to be bashfull Their eyes are as piercing as light and twinckles as Starrs and their countenance as confident as day and the discourses is freer than wind He imbraces her Sir Humphry Bold And your imbraces are wondrous kind Lady Wagtaile In troth we women love you men but too well that
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
proud and carry the out-side of a Gentleman will do so La. Ward Certainly Nurse they are but Bastard Gentry or else they are degenerated Nurse Careful An incipid Branch may spring from a sound Root many a withered and rotten Plum may hang on a good Tree La. Ward And do Wives play the Bauds for their Husbands as the Husbands play the Pimps for their Wives Nurse Care Most often for they will make Gossiping meetings on purpose for their Husbands to Court other women for they know when their Husbands minds are fill'd with amorous love they will not muse upon their actions nor examine their wayes besides when as the Husband would take his liberty without disturbance he will wink at the liberty his wife takes and so will be procures for each other and the Ladys acquaintance are Confidents La. Ward Confidents what is that Nurse Nurse Careful Why it is thus two Ladies make friendship or at least call Friends and if any man desires to be a Courtly Servant to one of them he addresses himself to the other and expresses what Passions and Affections he hath for her friend and so makes his complaints and affections known to her whereupon she recommends his addresses and service to her Friend thus doing a friendly Office by carrying and declaring his professions and returning her Friends civil answers appointing places for each others love-meetings the other will do as much for her La. Ward Why this is a Baud Nurse Care O peace Child for if any body heard you say so they would laugh at you for a Fool but 't is a sign you never was a Courtier for I knew a young Lady that went to Court to be a Maid of Honour and there were two young Ladies that were Confidents to each other and a great Prince made love to one of them but adddrest himself to the other as being her Friend this young Maid askt why he did so it was answered she was the Princes Mistresse Confident and just as you ask me what said she is a confident a Baud whereupon the whole Court laught at her and for that only question condemned her to be a very Fool nay a meer Changling La. Ward VVell Nurse say what you will Confident is but a Courtly name for a Baud Ex. Scene 20. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely and Mall Mean-bred SIR Effeminate Lovely Those wandering Stars that shine like brightest day are fixt on me the Center of your love This following Scene was writ by the Lord Marquess of New-castle Mall Mean-bred O Heavens Sir Effem. Lovely Happy to touch those Lillies in your cheeks mingled with Roses loves perfumed bath Mall Mean-bred They grow forsooth in our Garden Sir Effem. Lovely You are the Garden of all sweets for love your blushing lips of the Vermillion die and those twin cherries give me leave to taste Mall Mean-bred Truly Sir I understand no Latin but I will call our Vicar to you and he shall expound Sir Effem. Lovely No dearest Dear my lovely Dear my dearest Love my lovelyest Dear Mall Mean-bred I never cost you any thing as yet Sir Sir Effem. Lovely Why then no Lady of Arcadie bred Mall Mean-bred Truly Sir this is as our Vicar saith like Hebrew without poynts to be read backwards say any thing forward in Notthingham-shire speak that I may guess at and I will answer your VVorship though truly it is as fine as ever I understood not Effem. Lovely Why then sweet heart I love you and would gladly enjoy you Mall Mean-bred O fie enjoy is a naughty word forsooth if it please you Effem. Lovely It would please me your thoughts of what you mince Mall Mean-bred Thoughts are free forsooth and I love whole joints without mincing Effem. Lovely Why then in plain English I would have your Maiden-head Mall Mean-bred O dear how will you get it can you tell Truely truely I did not think such naughty words would come forth of so fine a Gentlemans mouth Effem. Lovely But tell me truely do you think me fine Mall Mean You will make me blush now and discover all so fine cloaths the Taylor of Norton never made such and so finely made unbottoned and untrust doth so become you but I do hang down my head for shame and those Linnen Boot-hose as if you did long to ride do so become you and your short Coat to hang on your left arm O sweet O sweet and then your Hat hid with so fine a Feather our Peacocks tailes are not like it and then your hair so long so finely curled and powder'd in sweets a sweeter Gentleman I never saw My love 's beyond dissembling so young so fresh so every thing I warrant you O Sir you will ravish me but yet you cannot Effem. Lovely O how you have made me thankfulnesse all over for this your bounty to me wherefore my earthly Paradise let us meet in the next Close there under some sweet Hedge to tast Loves aromatick Banquet at your Table Mall Mean O Sir you blushes I consent farewel do not betray me then you must not tell Farewell my sweetest granting of my sute Shall still inslave me and be ever mute Here ends my Lord Marquesse's Scene Ex. Scene 21. Enter Poor Virtue and Sir Golden Riches following her Golden Riches Stay lovely Maid and receive a Fortune Poor Virtue I am Fortune proof Sir she cannot tempt me Gold Rich. But she may perswade you to reason Poor Virtue That she seldome doth for she is alwayes in extremes and Extremes are out of Reason's Schools That makes all those that follow Fortune Fooles Gol. Rich. What do you Rime my pretty Maid Poor Virtue Yes Rich Sir to end my discourse Golden Riches I will make you Rich if you will receive my gifts Poor Virtue I love not gifts Sir because they often prove bribes to corrupt Gold Rich. Why what do you love then Poor Vir. I love Truth Fidelity Justice Chastity and I love obedience to lawful Authority which rather than I would willingly and knowingly infring I would suffer death Gold Rich. Are you so wilful Poor Vir. No I am so constant Gold Rich. But young Maid you ought not to deny all gifts for there are gifts of pure affection Love-gifts of Charity gifts of Humanity and gifts of Generosity Poor Virtue They are due debts and not gifts For those you call gifts of pure Love are payments to dear deserving friends and those of Charity are payments to Heaven and those of Humanity are payments to Nature and those Generosity are payments to Merit but there are vain-glorious gifts covetous gifts gifts of fear and gifts that serve as Bauds to corrupt foolish young Virgins Gold Rich. Are you so wise to refuse them Poor Vir. I am so virtuous as not to take them Ex. ACT V. Scene 22. Enter the Lady Contemplation and Lady Visitant Visitant What still musing O thou idle creature Contemp. I am not idle for I busie my self with my own fancies Visitant Fancies are like
by reason they put on their civilest demeanors gracefullest garbs modestest countenance and speaks their most choycest phrases or words when they meet strangers all which makes them appear to their advantage when after acquantaince they will seem but vulgar as when they are used to their ordinary garbs countenances and phrases and that their natures and dispositions were known they will appear to be no better than their Neighbours nay perchance not so good the like will Madamosel Doltche appear to you Matron I do suppose she looks more familiar on her acquaintance than strangers and it is likely she looks more grave and sober on strangers than on her known friends and familiars yet those several looks and countenances may be as pleasing and obliging the one as the other for though the one may be more kind the other may be more respectfull for every ones countenance and behaviour is to be ordered according to the several degrees or relations of several persons and to several persons and to several sexes or according to their condition state life and fortune and according to the times and occasions for women are or should be more free and confident to and in the company of women than men and men are more respectfull in their discourse and behaviour to women than to their own Sex and a merry countenance in a sad condition or state of life or fortunes would not be seemly mirth in the house of mourning would be inhumane or to dance or sing over the Graves of their Parents Children Husbands Wives or Friends would be unnatural or to be merry in the time of a general calamity as in time of VVars Plagues or Famine or Deluges or to be sad or froward in a general rejoycing but a sad countenance and a grave behaviour is as fitting and seems comely and handsome in a time of calamity as a merry countenance and a dancing behaviour in a time of rejoycing for tears becomes the face sometimes as well as smiles and blushing may appear and expresse a modest nature to strangers when to familiar acquaintantances blushing might be thought an accuser or witnesse of some crime yet bashfull eyes at all times becomes modest Virgins Volante I hate bashfull eyes for they are like to troubled waters thick and unsteady rouling from place to place without an assurance for modest Virgins may look upon the VVorld with a confident brow if they have no guilt to stain their cheeks with blushes and surely amongst well-bred persons there is none so rude injurious or uncivil to force the bloud to rise or stop the light in causing bashfull eyes but such as condemns a confident countenance in Virgins faces my eye of understanding will cast a despising glance on such ridiculous fools and the tongue of reason condemns them Ex. Scene 31. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her daughter MERE I wonder Daughter you should be so rudely uncivil to Monsieur Generosity to use him so unkindly as to entertain him with scornfull words and disrespectfull behaviour Capris. Why did he come to visit me Mere To offer his service and to professe his affection to your person and vertue Capris. I care not for his service or affection Mere But he is a person of an honourable Title and can make you a great Lady Capris. Give me leave to tell you Mother that nature hath given me Titles of Honour Wit and Beauty to which all men will bow to with respect Titles from Kings poor petty things to those Mere But Daughter let me tell you that wit and beauty without modesty civility and vertuous courtesie may insnare facile fools and allure fond persons but not perswade the judicious to esteem you nor the constant to sue to you nor true love to desire you you may have vain Boasters and amotous Flatterers to court you but none that is wise or honourable will marry you and to use this Noble Lord so disrespectfully who is indued with vertue and adorned with the graces and beloved of the Muses is a crime unpardonable Capris. Mother the Muses and the Graces are Witches which enchants the soul and charms the Spirits and makes the Senses extravagant and the actions desperate Mere Methinks they should charm you if they have such power Capris. My humour is a Spell against all such charms Ex. Scene 32. Enter Monsieur Profession and Monsieur Comorade his Friend COmorade You are well met for I was going to your lodging to see you Profession And I am now going home and therefore let us go together Comorade Where have you been Profession At a house you often resort to Comorade What at a Bawdy-house Profession Yes Comorade Why how durst you venture Profession Why Comorade Why why if your angelical Mistresse should come to hear of it Faith she would bury your heart again Profession Yes is it were not out of her power Comorade Why hath she not the Possession Profession No saith Comorade How comes that to passe Profession I know not how but upon some dislike it grew weary and by some opportunity it found it stole home and since it hath promised never to leave me again for it hath confessed to me it hath been most miserably tormented with doubts fears jealousies and despairs Comorade Prethee let me tell thee as a friend that thy heart is a false lying heart for there inhabits no torments amongst angelical bodies Profession By your favour in Plutoes Court there be Angels as well and as many as in Ioves But let me tell you that if I did not love you very well I would call you to an account for calling my heart a false lying heart Comorade Prethee pacifie thy self for I am sure I have had but a heartless friend of thee all the time of thy hearts absence and if I should rayle of thy heart thou hast no reason to condemn me but prethee tell me had not thy heart some pleasure sometimes to mitigate the torments Profession No saith for my heart tells me that what with rigid vertue cruel scorn and insulting pride it never had a minutes pleasure nor so much as a moment of ease and if that there were no more hopes of happiness amongst the Gods in Heaven than there is amongst the Goddesses on Earth it would never desire to go to them or dwell amongst them Nay my heart says it should be as much affraid to go to Heaven and to be with the Gods as mortals are to go to Hell to be with Divels Comorade But if pleasure and happiness is not to be found with vertue nor with the Gods where shall we seek for it Profession I will tell you what my heart saith and doth assure me that is that pleasure lives alwaies with vice and that good fellowship is amongst the damned and it doth swear it is a most melancholly life to live with those that are called the blessed which are the Goddesses on Earth Comorade Why then let us return to the house from
Funeral Oration Friend Why Sir your distemper hath so disordered all your Family as it was not thought of Father Love She shall not go to the Grave without due Praises if I have life to speak them Wherefore raise me up and carry me to the Holy place before her Herse thus in my Chair sick as I am For I will speak her Funeral Oration although with my last words Thus will I be carryed living to my Grave He is carried out in a Chair by Servants Ex. Scene 21. Enter the Lord de l' Amour alone as in a Melancholy humour LOrd de l'Amour When I do think of her my mind is like a tempestuous Sea which foams and roars and roles in Billows high My brain like to a Ship is wracked and in it's ravenous Waves my heart is drowned And as several winds do blow so several thoughts do move some like the North with cold and chilly Fears others as from the South of hot Revenge do blow As from the East despairing storms do rise A Western grief blows tears into mine eyes Walks about and weeps Enter Master Charity his Friend Mr. Charity My Lord why are you so melancholy for that which is past and cannot be help'd Lord de l'Amour Oh! the remembrance of her death her cruel death is like the Infernal Furies torments my soul gives it no case nor rest For sometimes my soul is flung into a Fire of Rage That burns with furious pain And then with frozen despair it rips it up again But I unjust and credulous I was the cause of her untimely death Enter the Maid that accused her Falshood O my Lord forgive me for I have murdered the innocent Lady you grieve for for my false Accusation was the hand that guided the dagger to her heart but my Ladies command was the Thief that stole the Chain for she commanded me to take the Chain and accuse the Lady of the Theft for which she gave me the Chain for a reward This I will witnesse by oath unto you and all the World For it is heavier than a world upon my Conscience Lord de l'Amour Why did your Lady so wicked an act Falshood Through Jealousie which bred Envy Envy Malice Malice Slander and this Slander hath produce Murder Enter Informer the other Maid Informer Oh my Lady My Lady hath hanged her self for when she heard Falshood was gone to tell your Lordship the truth of the Chain she went into a base place and hung her self and upon her breast I found this written Paper She gives it de l'Amour to read Lord de l'Amour It is the Lady Incontinents Hand-writing He reads it I have been false to my Marriage-bed lived impudently in the sin of Adultery in the publick face of the World I have betray'd the trust imposed to my charge slandered the Innocent poysoned the Instrument I imployed Falshood All which being summ'd up was worthy of hanging Falshood falls down dead Lord de l'Amour She hath sav'd me a labour and kept my Heroick Honour free from the stains of having laid violent hands on the Effeminate Sex Friend What shall be done with this dead Body Lord de l'Amour Let her Ladies body with hers be thrown into the Fields to be devoured of Beasts Ex. ACT V. Scene 22. Enter the Funeral Herse of the Lady Sanspareile covered with white Satine a silver Crown is placed in the midst her Herse is born by six Virgins all in white other Virgins goe before the Herse and strew Flowers white Lillies and white Roses The whilst this Song is sung SPOtlesse Virgins as you go Wash each step as white as Snow With pure Chrystal streams that rise From the Fountain of your eyes Fresher Lillies like the day Strew and Roses as white as they As an Emblem to disclose This Flower sweet short liv'd as those The whilst her Father is carryed as sick in a Chair the Chair covered with black and born black by Mourners he himself also in close Mourning when they have gone about the Stage The Herse is set neer to the Grave there being one made Then the Father is placed in his Chair upon a raised place for that purpose the raised place also covered with Black he being placed speaks her Funeral Sermon Father Love Most Charitable and Noble Friends that accompany the Dead Corps to the Grave I must tell you I am come here although I am as a Dead Man to the World yet my desire is to make a living Speech before I go out of the world not only to divulge the Affections I had for my Daughter but to divulge her Virtue Worth and good Graces And as it is the custome for the nearest Kindred or best and constantest Friends or longest acquaintance to speak their Funeral Oration wherein I take my self to be all wherefore most fit to speak her Funeral Oration For I being her Father am her longest acquaintance and constantest Friend and nearest in Relation wherefore the fitest to declare unto the world my natural and Fatherly Love Death will be a sufficient witnesse For though I am old yet I was healthful when she lived but now I cannot live many hours neither would I for Heaven knows my affections struggle with Death to hold Life so long as to pay the last Rites due to her dead Corps struck by Death's cruel Dart But most Noble and Charitable Friends I come not here with eye fil'd with salt tears for sorows thirsty Jaws hath drunk them up sucked out my blood left my Veins quite dry luxuriously hath eat my Marow out my sighs are spent in blowing out Life's Fire only some little heat there doth remain which my affections strive to keep alive to pay the last Rites due to my dead Child which is to set her praises forth for living Virtuously But had I Nestors years 't would prove too few to tell the living Stories of her Youth for Nature in her had packed up many Piles of Experience of Aged times besides Nature had made her Youth sweet fresh and temperate as the Spring and in her brain Flowers of Fancies grew Wits Garden set by Natures hand wherein the Muses took delight and entertained themselves therein Singing like Nightingales late at Night or like the Larks ere the day begin Her thoughts were as the Coelestial Orbes still moving circular without back ends surrounding the Center of her Noble mind which as the Sun gave light to all about it her Virtues twinkled like the fixed Starrs whose motion stirs them not from their fix'd place and all her Passions were as other starres which seemed as only made to beautifie her Form But Death hath turned a Chaos of her Form which life with Art and Care had made and Gods had given to me O cursed death to rob and make me poor Her life to me was like a delightful Mask presenting several interchanging Scenes describing Nature in her several Dresses and every Dresse put in a
at least VVanton That 's all one for Cupid wounds Age as well as youth Ease But I had thought that an old womans heart had been so hard Love could not have enter'd VVanton Old Mother Matron proves it otherwise for her Heart is as tender as the youngest Heart of us all Idle While I am young I will be a Lover because I will not be a Fool when I am old Ease That 's the way to be a Fool whilst you are young and a Lover when you are old VVanton No that is to be a Curtezan whilst she is young and a Bawd when she is old Idle Nay faith when I can no longer traffique for my self I will never trade for any other VVanton Covetousness will tempt your reverent Age Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Ambition Pleasure Faction Portrait Bon' Esprit Superbe Wanton Ease Excess PLeasure How shall we entertain our time Portrait Let us sit and chuse Husbands Bon' Esprit What in the Ashes Portrait No in our Speeches Faction Content Ambition Begin but let your Maids Lady Pleasure sit and chuse Husbands with us Pleasure If I were to chuse a Husband I would chuse a man that was honourably born nobly bred wisely taught civilly behav'd also I would have him to speak rationally wittily and eloquently to act prudently valiantly justly and temperately to live freely magnificently and peaceably I would have him honourably born because I would not have him a Boor by Nature which is surly rude grumbling and miserable I would have him nobly bred because I would not have him a Shark a Cheat or a Sycophant I would have him wisely taught because I would not have him an ignorant fool nor a pedantical fool I would have him civilly-behav'd to please my Eyes I would have him to speak rational witty and eloquent to please my Ears I would have him valiant to defend his Country to guard his Family and to maintain his Honour I would have him prudent to foresee misfortunes and to provide for the future that I may never want for the present I would have him temperate lest Excess should ruine his Fortune Health or Esteem I would have him just because others should be just to him to live freely as not to be inslaved to live magnificently for to be respected to live peaceably to avoid brawleries And such a man as this will be kind to his Wife loving to his Children bountiful to his Servants courteous to his Friends civil to Strangers faithful to his Trust and just to his Promise Superbe If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a man that were Rich honour'd with Titles and were Powerful I would have him Rich because I would have him live plentifully to feed luxuriously to be adorn'd gloriously I would have him to have Titles of Honour because I would take place of my Neighbours to have the chief place at a Feast and to have the first and choisest meats offer'd me I would have him Powerful to oppose my Opposers to insult over my Enemies and to neglect my Friends which if I be poor and helpless they will do me Thus I shall be honour'd by my Superiours crouch'd to by Inferiours flatter'd by Sycophants brag'd of by my Friends obey'd by my Servants respected by my Acquaintance envy'd by my Neighbours sought to by my Enemies Thus I might advance my Friends punish my Enemies tread down my Superiours inslave my Inferiours insult over my Foes and inthrone my self Ambition If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a man whom all other men are slaves to and he mine And what can I desire more than to be absolute Bon' Esprit If I were to choose I would choose a man for a Husband that were an honest and plain-dealing man patient and wise that I might neither be deceiv'd by his falshood nor troubl'd with his quarrels nor vex'd with his follies Faction If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a subtil crafty Knave that can cheat an honest Fool with which cheats I can entertain my time like those that go to see Juglers play tricks VVanton If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a man that were blind deaf and dumb that he might neither trouble me with his impertinent Questions nor see my indiscreet Actions nor hear my foolish Discourses Thus I may say what I will and never be crost do what I will and never be hinder'd go where I will and never be watch'd come when I will and never be examin'd entertain whom I will and never be rebuk'd Thus I may Govern as I will Spend as I will Spare as I will without Controlment Portrait If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a man that were industrious thrifty and thriving for the pleasure is not so much to enjoy as getting like those that are hungry have more pleasure in eating their meat than when their stomacks are full Excess If I were to choose a Husband I would choose a man that were a busie Fool which would continually bring me fresh although false News for his busie mind which fills his Head with Projects which Projects will feed my excessive Ambition with his high Designs although improbable and set my thoughts at work with his several Atchievments although there is no leading-path therein But howsoever this will furnish my Imagination imploy my Thoughts please my Curiosity and entertain my time with Varieties wherein and wherewith I may pass my life with fine Phantasms or like a fine Dream Pleasure It is a sign you love sleep excessively well so as you would have your life pass as a dream Excess Why Madam sleeping is the lifes Elizium and our dreams the pastime therein and our beds are our living graves to the greatest part of our life and most are best pleased therein for it gives rest to our wearied and tired limbs it revives the weak and fainting spirits it eases the sick and pained it pacifies the grieved it humours the melancholy it cherishes age it nourishes youth it begets warmth it cools heat it restores health it prolongs life and keeps the mind in peace Ease I will not choose but vvish and pray which is if ever I marry I pray Jove that I may out-live my Husband Bon' Esprit O fie Women pray that their Husbands may out-live them Ease If they do in my Conscience they dissemble but howsoever I will never pray so for I perceive when men are Widowers they are more hasty to marry again than Batchellors are and the last love blots out the first and I should be sorry to be blotted out Ambition But if men do marry after they have buried their first Wife yet perchance they will not love their second Wife so well as the first Ease I know not that but yet to the outward view I perceive a man seems to forget his first Wife in the presence of his second Wife Faction By your favour a second Wife puts a Husband in remembrance of
so restless as it gives no time for content Spightfull The truth is content only lives in words but never lives in deeds for I never heard or saw any one truly content in my life Tell-truth The truth is Content is like the Shadow of a Substance or the Thought of an Act and therefore let us leave it as we would idle or vain Thoughts or vading or vanishing Shadows Exeunt Scene 6. Enter Monsieur Heroick and Monsieur Phantasie PHantasie Sir it is reported you are a Servant to my Mistriss Heroick I am a Servant to the whole Effeminate Sex and to her if she be a woman Phantasie Yes she is a woman and the fairest of her kind Heroick Why then I am her Slave Phantasie I desire you will inslave your self to some other and not to her Heroick You must pardon me if she be the fairest for I am bound to the absolutest Beauty Phantasie Draw Heroick Nay I am not so rash for by your favour I will view her with mine own Eyes and take the opinion of my own Judgment and not venture my life on your bare word Phantasie I say draw Heroick I shall but know I only fight in mine own defence not for her Beauty unless I saw her and approved her such as you affirm her to be for though I am Servant to all yet t is impossible all should be an absolute Beauty Phantasie Know I account all those my Enemyes that question it besides you give me the lye in doubting the truth Heroick I perceive it is your violent passion that perswades you or rather forces you to fight and not your Reason and if your passion were to be counselled I would counsel you to stay untill we choose our Seconds to witness how we fought not in a furious rage but when our spirits are fresh and cool our Minds as equal temper'd as our Blades and that our valours are not ashamed to own the quarrel so shall we sight on just and honest grounds and honour will be the purchase we shall gain Phantasie He hear no more but fight Heroick Nature I ask thy pardon I must ingage thee to a furious rage of sudden fit or frantick humour which are for thee to scorn and flight and not to fight Exeunt Scene 7. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Monsieur Poverty NObilissimo Monsieur Poverty shall I never have the honour of your Company Poverty My Poverty will disgrace you my Noble Lord Nobilissimo I were no noble Lord if virtuous Poverty could disgrace me Poverty Howsoever your Servants Friends and Acquaintance will forsake you if I should wait upon your Lordship Nobilissimo They may be my Acquaintance but neither my Friends nor Servants that will forsake me for the sake of virtuous Poverty for though I would not have thee intail'd to my line and posterity nor to live constantly in my family yet I am neither ashamed nor afraid to shake thee by the hand as long as thou art an honest man and I desire to take Plenty in own hand but to serve Poverty with both hands Poverty May Plenty be always your Lordships Hand-Maid Nobilissimo And your Reliever Sir Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Madamoiselle Amor and her Sister Madamoiselle La Belle MAdamoiselle La Belle Sister be not jealous of me for I have no design to rob you of your Servant I study not those Amorous allurements for I would not be otherwise known unto the Masculine Sex than Angels are to one another yet I may respect honour and admire without a doteing fondness or a surprized affection or an incaptivated love Madamoiselle Amor Yes Sister when I consider your Virtue I cannot be Jealous of you but when I look on your Beauty I cannot be Confident of my Servant for Beauty is victorious and most commonly triumphs in all hearts binding the Passions and leading the Affections as Prisoners and the Thoughts run a-long as Slaves and Constancy if it be not kill'd in the Battell yet it is sore wounded and if it should recover yet never to the former strength again Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo Madamoiselle La Belle My Lord what say you hath your Mistriss my Sister Amor any reason to be Jealous Nobilissimo Yes if my Mistriss were any other but her self Madamoiselle I thank you for I had rather be kill'd with civill although dissembling words than live with rude Inconstancy Nobilissimo Why do you think I speak not truth Madamoiselle Amor I hope your words are marks of truth for all belief to shoot at Nobilissimo But Hopes are built on Doubts and Fears and do you Doubt and Fear my Love Madamoiselle Amor How can I love without attending Fear being inseparable Nobilissimo Pray do not fear for though there is none that seeth your Sister La Belle but must confess she is most beautifull yet all fancy not Beauty alike but were she above what she is as much as Heaven to Earth or Gods to Men yet I am fixt and not to be remov'd no more than is Eternity Exeunt ACT III Scene 9. Enter Madamoiselle Esperance very fine and her Cousin Madamoiselle Tell-truth MAdamoiselle Esperance Am not I very fine to day Tell-truth Yes very fine Madamoiselle Esperance Do I look handsome to Day Tell-truth Yes very handsome Madamoiselle Esperance If I were a Stranger should I attract your Eyes to take notice of me Tell-truth As you are my Cousin and intimate Friend and known acquaintance and see you every day yet I cannot choose but look on you and take notice of your rich Garments but why do you ask for you do not use to make such questions Madamoiselle Esperance I will tell you when I was new Married my Husband took so much notice of my Dress that the least alteration he observed nay he grew jealous at it and thought each curl a snare set to catch Lovers in after I had been Married some little space of time he condemned me for carelessness and desired me to various dresses and now drest or undrest he never observes for were I drest with splendrous light as glorious as the Sun or Clouded like dark Night it were all one to him neither would strike his Sense yet I observe he doth observe my Maids as that one hath a fine Pettycoat and another hath handsome made Shooes and then he pulls up their Pettycoats a little way to see what stockings they have and so views them all over and commends them saying they are very fine when all these Garments he commends on them were mine which I had cast off and given to them when those Garments though fresh and new when I did wear them he never took notice of besides when my Maids do come into the Room where he and I are he strives to talk his best as if he wisht and did indeavour their good opinion when only alone with me the rubbish of his discourse doth serve the turn Tell-truth Madam I perceive you do begin to be Jealous