purse nor sheath'd my sword from helping the distress'd nor turn'd my back upon my assaulting Enemy I never stole good Fame nor rob'd good Names nor stab'd Innocency with slander I never scorn'd those below my self nor envy'd those above me I never infring'd the Laws of Honour nor disturb'd civil Society and though I cannot suffer an injury patiently yet I never did omit a duty willingly As for the truth of what I say I have none to witness for me as being a stranger but my own words from which this company perchance may think self-love and great desire hath brib'd my Tongue but if they do their thoughts make Truth no less no more than Eyes that are blind Ears that are deaf can rob you of your Wit and Beauty for though your Wit they do not hear nor Beauty see yet you passess them no less their want only robs you of their Admiration not of the Possession and say I am blind of one eye my other eye doth see and I have Hearing perfectly which doth inform my Knowledge and Understanding with that which makes my Admirations and Adorations perfect and sound within my Heart wherein your Picture is printed on which my Soul doth view and gazing kneels with wonder and astonishment that so much Wit Wisedom and Virtue should be in one so young fair And if you cannot love me despise me not for my pure Love is Divine as being divinely placed on you and it would grieve my Soul to have the zealous fire and immaculate flame of my Affection extinguish'd with your neglecting Thoughts and rak'd up in the ashes of your Forgetfulness But if any of my Sex shall seem to jest or scorn me for my outward form or shape My Courage and my Sword shall take my bodies part To cut their Limbs or thrust them through their Heart Prudence Worthy Sir you must excuse me from answering you at this time for I am taken on the sudden very sick Strange Wooer I wish you health although it were to be only purchas'd by my death Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Mistris Trifle and a Grave Matron MAtron What is the cause you weep Trifle Because my Father will not get me a Husband and Mistris Fondly will have a Husband before I shall have one for I hear she is to be maried she is happier in her Parents than I am for my Parents are unnatural and take no care how to get me a Husband and to see me maried Matron You may marry soon enough to repent Trifle I am sure I shall not repent for to be a Wife is a condition I am most desirous of and cannot be happy any other way Matron And Wives think Maids only happy because they are not vex'd nor troubled with a Husband Trifle Such women deserve no Husbands for certainly a Husband is a joy and a comfort as being a companion and a friend Matron But Husbands seldome keep in the company of their Wives and many times instead of a friend prove an enemy Enter a Servant Trifle What have you been at Mistris Fondly's House Servant Yes Trifle And have you inquir'd of her Maid as I bid you whether the Report is true that her Mistris is to be maried Servant Yes Trifle And what said she Servant She said that a Gentleman did Treat with her Mistrisses Father but they could not agree for the Gentleman would have more portion than her Father would give whereupon the Match is broke off Trifle I am glad of that for I would not have her maried before me for all the World But did you not see mistris Fondly Servant No for her Maid said her Mistris at the breaking off her Mariage almost broke her heart for she hath so afflicted her self and hath so wept and sigh'd as she is fallen sick and keeps her Chamber Trifle Alas good Friend I pity her extremely but I will go with her and try if I can comfort her Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lady Prudence to give her Answer to her Suter the Stranger The Assembly standing about the Lady and Suter take their places PRudence Noble Sir the Wit wherewith Nature Time and Education hath endu'd my tender brains is like new kindled fire that sparkling flies about the fuel being green and newly laid to burn there is more smoke than flame But since the time I heard you speak a newer fire is kindled in my Heart which equally doth burn with your profess'd Affections and though your Person is none of Natures exactest Peeces yet your Mind doth seem to be compos'd with all her best Ingredients and sure your Thoughts set notes of Honour Honestly and Love by which your Tongue plays Harmony 'T is not the sattin Skin that 's painted white and red nor near-carv'd Bodies can win my Love nor Wealth Titles Birth nor crown'd Power but Truth Sincerity Constancy Justice Prudence Courage and Temperance by which as Magistrates your life seems to be governed which life I wish the Gods may Crown with happy days and in Fames Tower long live your praise I will not ask you from whence you came nor what you are For though you seem but poor and mean Your Soul appears to me sublime Stranger And will you chuse me for your Husband Lady Prudence I shall be proud to be your Wife Sir Stranger The Gods are just to my pure Love rewarding it with your acceptance but I must beg your leave for some short time of Absence and then I shall return and claim your Promise Prudence You have the liberty Sir Exit Strange Wooer The Lady Gravity speaks to the Lady Prudence Gravity Lady surely you are in a High Feaver Prudence Why Madam Gravity As to do so extravagant an Action as to marry a man you know not what he is nor from whence he came and may prove as deformed in Mind as in Body as mean of Birth as poor in Parse as beggars that live on cold dry Charity Prudence If he be poor my Estate will make him rich if humbly born his Merits make him Honourable from whence he comes I do not care and where he will have me go I will wait upon him never questioning to what place Exit Lady Prudence Gravity Her Courage is beyond her Wit Liberty For the Example of this Lady I would have a Law made that there should be no more Publick Wooing Parle She hath cast away her self Minion Who can help it The Assembly go out holding up their hands as at a wonder Scene 26. Enter the Lady Mute as being in a melancholy Humour Enter Sir William Holdfast as meeting her HOldfast Lady why seem you so melancholy Mute My melancholy disposition is apt to catch hold on my evil Fortunes and both joyning together help to multiply my sad thoughts Holdfast Why should you be sad Mute How can I be merry when I am left destitute of Friends and unacquainted with Experience Holdfast Nature hath furnish'd you with all store you need none Mute If she
me weep doubting you Love me not you are so Jealous Monsieur Esperance By Heaven I love thee beyond my Soul wherefore forbear to weep if thou canst stop thy tears Madamoiselle Esperance Tears may be stopt unless they flow from an unrecoverable loss which Heaven forbid mine should yet sorrow oft doth stop the Spring from whence tears rise or else the Eyes do weep themselves quite blind Monsieur Esperance Pray dry yours Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Madamoiselle Bon alone MAdamoiselle Bon. O Man O Man How various and Inconstant are you all how cruell to betray our faint and unexperienced Sex bribing our Judgments with flattering words obscure our reasons with Clouds of Sighs drawing us into belief with protestations bind us with promises and vows forcing us to yield up our affections then murther us with scorn and bury us in forgetfullness but O how happy was I before I was betrayed by Love my heart was free my thoughts were pleasant and my humour gay but now my mind is a Garrison of cares my thoughts like runaways are wanderers Grief on my heart his heavy taxes layes Which through my Eyes my heart those taxes payes Exit Scene 17. Enter Madamoiselle Amor and at a distance seeth Monsieur Nobilissimo she speaks first as to her self MAdamoiselle Amor Love and Discretion sight duels in my mind one makes me Mute the other doth perswade me to prefer my Sute but why should I be nice to speak or be ashamed to woo with words when all our Sex doth woo with several dresses and smiles each civil courtesy doth plead Loves Sute then I will on Love give me Courage and Mercury guide my tongue She goeth as towards the Lord Nobilissimo Amor Noble Sir impute it rather as a folly to my Sex and Youth and not any impudence of Nature if that my Innocency discovers my passion and affection not having Craft or subtilty to conceal them but I must plainly tell you no sooner did I see you and hear you speak but loved but yet mistake me not I dote not on your person but your mind for sure your Noble Soul shot fire through my Eyes into my Heart there flames with pure affection but for this confession perchance you will set me as a mark of scorn for all to shoot their scofs at and in derision pointing will laugh and say there is the Maid that wooed a Man Nobilissimo Is this to me Lady Amor It cannot be to any other Nature could make but one and that was you Nobilissimo If this be real you do profess the Gods should they have sent an Angel down to offer me their Heavenly Mansion it had not been so great a gift as your affection Amor Do you not hate me then Nobilissimo Nothing I Love so well Amor And will you Love me ever Nobilissimo Yes ever for when my Body is dissolved Love shall live in my dust in spight of Death Amor And will you love none but me Nobilissimo An intire and undivided affection can be placed but upon one and that is you Amor May your constancy be as firm as my Love pure Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Madamoiselle La Belle and her four Suters Admiration Ambition Vainglory and Pride ADmirat Dear Mistriss stay that I may gaze upon you Then bow my knee as to the rising Sun Heave up my hands as when to Heaven I pray But being amaz'd know not one word I say Yet superstitiously I shall adore As my chief Goddess shall thy love implore And being worship'd you are deifi'd Your Godhead in your Beauty doth recide Vainglory Thou absolute Beauty for thy dear sake Of Lovers hearts a foot-stool shall be made A Cushion soft with Hopes fill'd full then laid For thee to stand and triumph on fair Maid And Lovers Souls shall from their bodyes fly For thee a Couch when weary on to ly Pride Thy Lovers tears for to invite thy rest In murmuring streams fall on thy marble brest And gentle sighs like whispering winds shall blow And fan thy Cheeks that Poets fire may glow Loves Melancholy thoughts like Clouds of night Like as thy Curtains drawn before thy sight For fear the Sun should trouble out of spight Thy Eyes repose being the greater light Ambition Sweet Beauty thou in a glorious Throne shall set The spangled Heaven seems but thy Counterfeit Thy Charriot shall be stuck with Eyes all gazing And oyld with Eloquent tongues that runs with praysing Drawn by large strong well shapt Commendations Guided by Fame about two several Nations La Belle Admiration Vainglory Pride and Ambition Why do you woo Beauty that is Deaf and Dumb That hears no praise nor adoration It seeth no hands heav'd up nor tears that fall It hath no tongue to answer Love withall It hath no Life no Soul where passion lies It neither gives nor takes instructions wise It is no solid Body you admire No substance but a shadow you desire FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES Monsieur Nobilissimo Monsieur Heroick his Brother Monsieur Esperance Monsieur Phantasie Monsieur Amy. Monsieur Poverty and other Gentlemen Madamoiselle Esperance Madamoiselle La Belle Madamoiselle Amour Madamoiselle Grand Esprit Madamoiselle Bon Madamoiselle Tell-truth Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious Madamoiselle Detractor THE SECOND PART OF NATURES three DAUGHTERS Beauty Love and Wit ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit and her Audience GRand Esprit Great Fame my Prayers I direct to thee That thou wilt keep me in thy memory And place my Name in the large brazen Tower That neither Spight nor Time may it devour And write it plain that every age may see My Names inscrib'd to live eternally Let not Malice obstruct my Wit with spight But let it shine in its own clear light Noble and Right Honourable I divide my discourse into three parts as namely Vanity Vice and Wickedness Vanity lives in the Customs and Manners of men and Wickedness in the Souls of men Vices in the Senses of men as vain habits evill appetites and wicked passions as for Vanity and Vice they are commodities that are sold out of the Shops of Idleness Vice is sold by wholesale but Vanities are sold by retail the Buyers of these Commodities are Youth the Merchants are evil Customs and ill examples the Masculine youth buyes more Vice than Vanity and the Effeminate youth buyes more Vanity than Vice but they all buy as salt as they can be sold they will spare for not cost and will give any prices although it be their Healths Lives Fortunes or Reputations as for Wickedness it is inlayed into the soul like as Mosaick work and so close it is wrought therein as it makes it appear to be the soul it self but evill Education and Custome are the Artificers of this work and not natural Creation or divine infusion or inspiration from whence the Soul proceeds or is produced for neither the Gods nor Nature is the Author of Wickedness but Vanity Vice and
Affectionata O no but I should be the ingrate of ingratitude should I leave my Noble Lord who from a low despised poor mean degree advanced me to Respect and Dignity Whose favours I will keep close in my heart And from his person I will never part For though I dye my soul will still attend And wait upon him as his faithfull friend He offers to go away in a melancholly posture and humour so as not considering the Gentlemen Whereupon one of them follows him and catches hold of his Cloak 2. Gentleman Noble Sir will not you send the Duke an answer Affectionata Have not I answered Then pray present my thanks in the most humblest manner to the great Duke and tell him he may force the presence of my person but if he doth it will be but as a dead carcase without a living soul for tell him when I am from my Lord I withering vade as flowers from Sun sight His presence is to me as Heavens light Affectionata Exit 1 Gentleman 'T is strange that such an honour cannot perswade a boy 2. Gentleman That proves him a boy for if he had been at mans estate he would not have refused it but have been ambitious of it and proud to receive it 1. Gentl. Indeed youth is foolish and knows not how to chose 2. Gentl. When he comes to be a man he will repent the folly of his youth Exeunt Scene 18. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Lady VVagtail not knowing Sir Serious could speak LAdy Wagtail Pray Madam let me perswade you not to cast your self away to marry a dumb man for by my troth all those that are dumb are meer fools for who can be witty or wise that cannot speak or will not speak which is as bad Lady Bashfull Why Madam wisdom nor wit doth noth not live not lye in words for prudence fortitude and temperance expresses wisdom and capacity ingenuity and fancie expresseth wit and not words Lady Wagtail But let me advise you to chose Sir Humphry Bold he is worth a thousand of Sir Serious Dumb besides he is a more learned man by half and speaks several Languages Lady Bashfull Perchance so and yet not so wise for Parrots will learn Languages and yet not know how to be wise nor what wisdom is which is to have a found judgement a clear understanding and a prudent forecast Lady Wagtail Faith all the World will condemn you to have no forecast if you marry Sir Serious Dumb Lady Bashfull Let them speak their worst I care not as not fearing their censures Lady Wagtail You were fearfull and bashfull Lady Bashfull 'T is true but now am grown so confident with honest love I care not if all the World did know of it nay I wish it were published to all ears The Lady Bashfull offers to go away Lady Wagtail Nay you must not go until you have granted my suit in the behalf of Sir Humphry Bold Lady Bashfull Pray let me go for I hate him more than Heaven hates Hell Lady Wagtail Nay then I will leave you Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Affectionata who weeps Enter the Lord Singularity LOrd Singularity Why weepest thou Affectionata Affectionata Alas my Lord I am in such a passion as I shall dye unless it flows forth thorough mine eyes and runs from off my tongue For like as vapours from the Earth doth rise And gather into clouds beneath the skies Contracts to water swelling like moist veins When over-fill'd falls down in showering rains So thoughts which from a grieved mind are sent Ariseth in a vaporous discontent Contracts to melancholly which heavy lies Untill it melts and runs forth through the eyes Unless the Sun of comfort dry doth drink Those watery tears that lyes at the eyes brink Or that the rayes of joy which streams bright out With active heat disperseth them about Lord Singularity Faith Affectionata I am no good Poet but thy passion moves so sweetly in numbers and stops so just with rhymes as I cannot but answer thee Like as the Sun beauty streams rayes about A smiling countenance like day breaks out And though a frown obscures sweet beauties sight Yet beauties beams makes cloudy frowns more bright But melancholly beauty doth appear As pleasing shades or Summers evenings clear So doth thine Affectionata but prethee do not wast thy breath into sighs nor distill thy life into tears Affectionata I wish I might here breath my last and close my eyes for ever Lord Singularity I perceive Affectionata you take it unkindly I did perswade you to take the Dukes offer But if you think I did it out of any other design than a true affection to you By Heaven you do me wrong by false interpretation Affectionata If you my Lord did love but half so well as I you would rather chose to dye than part with me Lord Singularity I love thee beyond my own interest or delight for what is best for thee I account as the greatest blessing should it bring me any other wayes a curse Affectionata Then let me still live with you for that is best for me Lord Singularity Here I do vow to Heaven to do my indeavour with my life to keep thee with me or to be alwayes where thou art Affectionata O! what a weight you have taken from my soul wherein my thoughts like wet-winged-birds sate heavy my senses like as blinking Lamps which vaporous damps of grief had neer put out Lord Singularity Let me tell thee Affectionata I have travelled far observed much and have had divers incounters but I never met such vertue found such truth nor incountered such an affection as thine imbraces him And thus I do imbrace thee and do wish our souls may twine As our each bodyes thus together joyn Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Sir Serious Dumb and his Mistriss the Lady Bashfull SIr Serious Dumb. Dear Mistriss do not you repent your favours and wish your promise were never made doth not your affection vade Lady Bashfull No it cannot for never was any love placed upon a Nobler soul than my love is which is on yours insomuch as I do glory in my affection and grow self-conceited of its judgement Sir Serious Dumb. And will you be constant Lady Bashfull Let not your humble thoughts raise a doubt of jealousie for I am fixt as time is to eternity Sir Serious Dumb. Then I thank nature for your Creation honour for your Breeding and heaven for your Vertue and fortune that hath given you to me for I can own nothing of that worth that could deserve you Lady Bashfull I cannot condemn jealousie because it proceeds from pure love and love melts into kinds on a constant heart but flames like Oyle on a false one which sets the whole life on fire Sir Serious Dumb. But now I cannot doubt your love nor constancies since you have promised your heart to me for true Lovers are like the light and the Sun inseparable Exeunt Scene 21. Enter some Commanders 1. COmmander
the Air of Conversation but when continually kept close in the Chamber of Contemplation they will be apt to fall into many several diseases as melancholy Opinions and extravagant Fancies which may over-heat the minde and sire the thoughts wherefore Lady let me give you Counsel Lady Contempl. What Counsel would you give me as a Lawyer or Physician Sir Fan. Poet As a Physician Lady Contempl. For the Body or the Minde Sir Fan. Poet For the Minde Lady Contempl. The Physicians for the Minde are Divine Sir Fan. Poet No the best physicians for the Minde are Poets Lady Contempl. How will you prove that Sir Fan. Poet By Example and Skill for when the Minde is raging mad Poets with gentle perswasions in smooth numbers and soft musick cure it and when the Mind is despairing Poets draw hopes into numbers which beats out the doubtful Foe And for Example David with his Poetical Inspirations and Harpsical harmonious Musick allay'd the ill Spirit and raging passion of Saul for Poets take from the sweet Spring of Nature an Oil of Love and from Heaven the Balsom of Mercy and pour them through golden numbers and pipes of wit into the fester'd wounds of despair when oft-times Divines in stead of supple Oil pour in corroding Vitriol and in stead of healing Balsoms pour in burning Sulphure which are terrifying threats and fearful menaces wherefore Lady let me advise you as a Poetical Physician to keep your minde cool and your thoughts in equal temper wherefore in order thereto when the minde is wrapt in the mantle of Imagination if it finds it self very hot therewith let it lay that mantle by and bathe it self in the fresh clear pure Rivers of Discourse Lady Contempl. By your favour Sir for the most part the Mind becomes hotter with the motion of the tongue than the mantle of Imagination for when the tongue hath liberty it runs wildly about and draggs the minde after it and rather than I will have my minded dragg'd and hurried about by my unruly tongue which will neither endure the bit of Reason nor the bridle of Discretion but runs beyond all sense I will tye up my tongue with the cords of silence in the stable of the mouth and pull down the Port-cullis of the teeth before it and shut the doors of my lips upon it Thus shall it be treble lock'd and kept with the Key of Judgment and the Authority of Prudence Exeunt Scene 20. Enter the Lady Conversation and a Grave Matron LAdy Conversat. Did you hear him say he had layn with me Matron Yes Madam Lady Conversat. O the wicked base vain-glory of men to bely the pure chastity of a woman But surely he did not plainly express so much in clear words as by nods winks shrugs dark sentences or broken discourses Matron He said plainly he had layn with you in an unlawful manner Lady Conversat. Fates assist me in revenge for it is no dishonour to be reveng'd of a base person that hath maliciously slander'd me or vain-gloriously injur'd me Matron Revenge is against the Laws of Honour Madam Lady Conversat. It may be against the Tenets of some particular Religion or religious Opinions But a noble revenge is the ground or foundation of Heroick Honour Matron But what do you call a Noble Revenge Lady Conversat. First to be an open Enemy as to declare the enmity next to declare their endeavour to prosecute to the utmost of their power either their Enemies Estate Liberty and Life whereas a base Revenger is to dissemble in professing they have forgotten and forgiven their injury and pardon'd their Enemy yet under-hand and disguisedly endeavour to do their Enemy a mischief Not but an honourable Revenger may choose their time for executing their revenge but they must declare they will be revenged before they execute their revenge and let their Enemies stand upon their Guard Matron But a revengeful woman is not good Lady Conversat. Why not as well as a revengeful man For why may not a woman revenge her scandaliz'd honour as well as a man Is there any reason why it should be a dishonour for a man to pass by a disgrace and for a woman to revenge her disgrace Is it not as great a blemish to the honour of a woman to be said to be unchaste as for a man to be said to be a Coward And shall a woman only sit and weep over her lost honour whilest a man fights to regain his And shall it be thought no dishonour for a man to pistol or at least bastonade another man for an injury or an affront receiv'd and a fault for a woman to do or cause to be done the like Must women only sit down with foolish patience and endure wrong when men may execute revenge with fury These were both injustice and an unjust act of Education to our Sex as also it would be an unjust sentence not only from men but from the Gods since neither Gods nor men will suffer injury wrong or dishonour without revenge But if Gods Men and Education should be so unjust to our Sex yet there is no Reason in Nature we should be so unjust to our selves But for my part as I am constant to an honest friend and can easily forgive an honourable Enemy so I can never forgive a malicious Foe nor forget a vain-glorious bragging fool or false slandring knave but will persecute them to the utmost of my power and the weight of my revenge should be according to the pressure of my injury or dishonour Matron But let me tell you Madam those that brag are seldome believ'd and there is none that believe these vain bragging Ranters for it 's well known that all Ranters are idle deboyst persons and do usually belye the most Honourable and Chaste Ladies for which all worthy persons hate them and account them so base as they will shun their companies no man of honour will come near them unless it be to beat them But if you appear to the world as concerned you may raise those doubts which would never have been raised had you took no notice thereof Lady Conversat. Indeed Disputes raise doubts wherefore I will not bring it into a Dispute but take your Counsel and take no notice of it Matron You will do vvisely Lady Exeunt Scene 21. Enter Sir Golden Riches to Poor Virtue SIr Gold Rich. I vvish my tongue as smooth as oil to make my vvords as soft as Air that they may spread about your heart there intermixd with your affection Poor Virtue Words cannot win my love no more than wealth nor is my heart subject to those infections Sir Gold Rich. I will build thee Palaces of burnish'd gold where thou shalt be worshipd whilest thou livest and when thou diest I will erect a Monument more famous than Mausolus's was Poor Verrtue My Virtue shall build me a Monument far richer and more lasting for the materials with which it shall be built shall be try'd Chastity as
love or rather this beastly lust that doth corrupt all good manners as gentle civility free society lawfull recreations honest friendship natural affections it cuts off the feet of obedience it breaks the knees of duty it wounds the breast of fidelity it pulls out the heart of loyalty it turns away prudence it banishes temperance and murthers justice it breaks peace and makes warrs and turns arms into petticoats O sweet pure Chastity how amiable thou art how beautifull thou appearst in women how heroick in men for Chast women have such innocent thoughts such pure clean clear white immaculate minds such modest countenances such gentle behaviour such civil discourses such noble actions such discreet entertainments such cautionarie recreations otherwise they are bold impudent rude flanting ranting romping women also Chastity in men makes them heroick for propriety justice constancy and natural and honest love is the basis pillars or foundation whereon true valour is built when amorous affections make men effeminate causing them to cast away their hard iron arms to lie in the soft arms of beauty and stops their cares from loud alarums with charming notes of Musick it takes them from being masters of themselves and others and makes them become servants and slaves from commanding an Army to be commanded by single women by whom he is checkt like a school-boy lead like a dog in a string as after his mistrisses humours her frowns make him crouch like a cur her smiles make him skip and make face like a Jack anapes and their beastly appetites make them so rude and wilde as they regard no civility of behaviour no gentleness of disposition no constancy of affection they keep no friendship constancy or vowes they break all decent customs and disobey all honest laws but this is a theam too wilde to be preacht on Gentlewoman Why Madam my Lord your father may be a very chast man although he lieth with his maid if he hath made her his wife before he made her his bedfellow Lady Sprightly His wife he scorns the thought and hates the act Gentlewoman Pardon me Madam if I offer to lay a wager of it Lady Sprightly Are you so confident that you dare lay a wager Gentlewoman If you inquire more I believe you will find it to be true Exeunt ACT V. Scene 39. Enter the Lady Chastity and her woman gives her a letter Lady reads the Letter LAdy Chastity Who brought this letter Woman A kind of a Gentleman servingman Chastity Pray receive no more letters from that man Woman He said he would come in the evening to receive an answer Chastity If he comes tell him it needs no answer Enter Sir Henry Sage Chastity Husband will you read a Love letter Sir Hen. Sage From whence comes it and to whom is it sent Chastity You will soon find from whence it comes and to whom it is sent He reads it Sir Hen. Sage So wife I perceive I am in danger to be made a Cuckold Chastity Doth the letter beget your faith to that opinion Sir Hen. Sage But the praises and professions this letter brings you raises scruples and those scruples beget controversies and those controversies may in time make a convert Chastity Rather a pervert Husband but be you constant and I will warrant you safe Sir Hen. Sage But Youth and Beauty wife when they plead are greater Bawds and have a more perswasive power than the Lady Procurer Chastity Truly all three as Beauty Youth or the Lady Procurer rather than perswade me would divert me had I a wanton nature as first for the Lady Procurer her baseness appeared such as made me hate my self for being of the same sex she was of and grieved me to see the follies of mankind the one appearing like a Devil the other like a beast so seem'd the Lover and the Bawd when men have Reason to govern as much as Appetite to perswade the one proceeding from the Soul the other from the body besides Virtue is the Natural Complexion of the Soul not Vice for Vice is bred not born in man As for Youth it is so fantastical extravagant wilde and self-opinionated doing such ridiculous Actions putting themselves into such affected Postures as I might be as soon enamour'd with a Jack-anapes Besides the discourses of Youth are so flashy as it gives the hearers no relish and their Judgment is so shallow and their Understanding so mysty as when Reason discourses with them it is apt to be lost in the darkness of Ignorance Lastly for Beauty in men it is worse than unhansomeness in women for an ill-favour'd woman seems masculine as if she had an Heroick Spirit though she were a Coward to have a judicious Understanding though she should be a Fool to be Chaste although she were Wanton when on the contrary a beautiful man appears Effeminate Foolish and Cowardly when perchance he may be Wise and Valiant yet 't is Beauty makes him seem otherwise and for the most part a beautiful man is more nice and curious about his person as in his cloathing dressing trimming perfuming powdering curling and some will pomate and paine themselves all which seems to me preposterous to men insomuch as I could as soon be amorously affected with my own Sex as those that are accounted beautiful men and you might sooner be jealous of Age than Youth with a Sun-burnt face and a wither'd skin than a face that looks as if it had not seen the Sun or the Sun it nor felt the nipping Frost nor parching Wind but I hope you have a better opinion of your self than to be jealous as to think I can like any man better or so well as you And if you have not so good an opinion of me us to believe I am constantly honest yet I have such an assurance of my self as to know I am not liable to be corrupted and I am so Chaste as I have not a thought subject to fully the purity of my chaste Mind and honest Heart Sage I believe you Exeunt Scene 40. Enter Roger Trusty as to his Master Sir VVilliam Lovewell LOvewell What is the matter Roger that you are come Trusty And 't please your Worship my Lady hath sent me to know how your VVorship is in health Lovewell VVhy very well How does she Trusty She 's well but that she 's afraid your VVorship 's kill'd Lovewell If I were kill'd I were past sickness or health But who should kill me Trusty Nay that her Ladyship could not guess Lovewell Return home to your Lady and tell her I shall be with her within an hour Trusty I dare not leave your VVorship for she hath sent me to guard and protect you from all harm and to fight in your quarrel and hath sent one of the Foot-boys to bring her word how your VVorship doth Lovewell Go you and return back and tell your Lady from me that Honesty Civility and Courage is a sufficient Guard and Protection if not then my Sword and my
be like beasts rather than to make them like as Gods which men should strive to be Procurer By your favour Sir there can be no Law that can keep men from being horned beasts Sage Whose fault is that Madam not mens which make the Laws but womens that break the Laws Procurer It is mens fault for giving women such liberty And let me tell you Sir women are such subtil creatures as they strive first to get an honourable esteem from their Friends and Husbands and a belief of their Chastity and when they have secured mens jealousies they make their Husbands Cuckolds which all their Neighbours perceive although the Husband is blind and muffl'd with affection Sage Madam your Sex deserve a better Character than you give of them for by your description there are few chaste Procurer Every woman knows the humours of her own Sex better than men know the humours of one another wherefore let me advise you Sir Henry Sage to watch my Lady your Wife for many to my knowledge seek for to corrupt her Sage Madam although she is one of your Sex yet she is of an Angelical nature and not corruptible Procurer Sir I am your humble servant and I wish your Angel may not fall from Virtue into Vice Sage I have no jealous doubt Madam Procurer I wonder at it for wise men use to doubt He leads her forth Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Sir Edward Courtly and the Lady Jealousie COurtly Wife I have given you warning twice beware of the third time that you receive no Masculine Visiters for by Heaven if you do I will hang you up in my garters Iealousie Do if you dare I will have those that shall cut your throat Courtly You could not fright me with your Champions were I a coward for they are Carpet-Knights and dare not fight Iealousie They dare more than you dare Sir Edward Courtly takes off a garter or some other string or ribband about his cloaths and makes her believe he will strangle her Courtly By Heaven I 'll give an Example to all men that love their Honour and hate to be Cuckolds He takes the string and offers to put it about her neck She is afraid Iealousie O Husband Husband spare me spare me Courtly Wife you may make me a Fool but not unman me you may flatter me but not frighten me you may make me commit an indiscretion but never to be Effeminate Iealousie O mercy mercy Husband do but spare me this time and I will be the best wife in the World Courtly Well I will pardon you this time and know VVife that though I am willing to part with my Breeches and Doublet to give them you yet I will never part with my Sword and my Spurs which is my Courage and my Management And I will give you all liberty in Vanity but not in Dishonesty you shall keep the Purse but not manage the Horse Also let me tell you that it is not enough to be honest but you must give no suspicion to the contrary Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady Procurer and the Lady VVanton LAdy Procurer Come Come Madam are you ready for Monsieur Amorous hath provided a great and costly Banquet for you Wanton I am ready I did only stay for you to go along with me Procurer But will not your Husband watch whither we go Wanton O no for he believes I am going to the Lady Breeders Up-sitting Procurer That 's well be is so credulous to believe so easily whatsoever you would have him believe and if he be but as obstinate of belief of that you would not have him believe you are happy for let me tell you that all men hath not that spiritual gift of Faith but have strange opinions and full of doubts and suspitions VVanton Nay I thank Iove I have as good a Husband as any woman whatsoever hath Procurer Prethee Madam leave some thanks for your loving servant which loves and adores you more than he doth Heaven and worships you as his only Goddess VVanton He shall not pray in vain nor shall I be as an Idoll made of Stone or Brass Procurer Come your wayes then Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Monsieur Disguise alone MOnsieur Disguise O man O man inconstant man false and perjurious man flattering dissembling man and the worst of Mankind is Sir Francis Inconstant He hath not only forsaken me but forgot me drowning the memory of me in his superfluous Cups O Pluto from whence all wickedness proceeds make his fair Bride as false to him as he hath prov'd to me and fill his mind with furious Jealousie Exit Scene 5. Enter the Lady Hypocondria as at her Husband Sir VVilliam Lovewells Closet-door she knocks at the door LOvewel. Who 's there Hypocon. 'T is I Husband She enters Lovewel I may bid you welcome VVife for you are a stranger here Hypocon. Truly Husband I should not have disturb'd you but that I was afraid you were not well for I came two or three times to the door and heard no noise which made me afraid you might be in a swoun or dead Lovewel I thank you for your loving fear and care of me Hypocon. You may think this is an over-fond humour in me but I have heard of many that have been found dead in their Beds and in their Closets when as their Friends never mistrusted it but thought they were asleep or at study which if they had been found or known in time they might have been recover'd Lovewell You say true Wife Hypocondria But now I know you are well I will not disturb you any longer Lovewell I will bear your kindness company Exeunt Scene 6. Enter Sir Henry Sage and the Lady Chastity his Wife SAge VVife thou art false Chastity 'T is strange to hear you say so when but yesterday you made me such protestations of your Faith believing I was Virtuous Chaste and full of Truth which I did think Time had not power to alter your belief and such Vows and Protestations of your Affections to me as if the fire of Love within your heart did burn so clear and flame so high as nought could quench it out but Death's cold damps yet not so much but still a heat within the ashes would remain Sage I confess VVife my doubts of Love did make me to try at least to say so to you Chastity True Love never makes doubts and though you can dissemble with me I cannot dissemble with you could the Gods command me as they cannot things unjust Sage I perceive you are angry VVife Chastity No truly Husband I am rather griev'd than angry to think my honest truth mistrusted for Doubts are unjust to great Affections true Love and good Intentions and Examinations are scandalous to a strict chaste life and makes it seem as criminal but could the VVorld lay falshood to your charge and should condemn you yet my Affections would set you free and rather tax my self for want of Merit to deserve your
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
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
Lord de l' Amour and the Lady incontinent LAdy Incontinent Have I left my Husband who was rich and used me well and all for love of you and with you live as a VVanton by which I have lost my esteem and my honest reputation and now to be forsaken and cast aside despised and scorned O most base for what can be more unworthy than for a man to profess friendship to a Lady and then forsake her Lord de l' Amour Madam you do me wrong for my heart is as firmly yours as ever it was and burns with as clear a flame as ever it did Lady Incontinent It is not like it will continue so since you now are resolved to marry Lord de l' Amour The reasons are so powerfull that perswades me by reason there is none lest of my Family besides my self and my Fathers commands so terrifying and my vows so binding as I know not how to avoid it Lady Incontinent But since your Father is dead what need you fear his commands and for your vows those may be dispenced with for a summe of money to the Church for the poor Lord de l' Amour But would you have me cut off the line of my Posterity by never marrying Lady Incontinent Perchance if you marry you may have no children or your wife may prove barren or if you have children they may prove fools for she you are affianced to is none of the wisest Lord de l' Amour That is none of my fault Lady Incontinent But why will you marry so soon Lord de l' Amour I will not marry yet for my affianced is young and well may stay two or three years Lady Incontinent But if you will not marry her this two or three years why must she come to live with you in your house Lord de l' Amour By reason her Father is newly dead and hath left her to my protection as having right to her and by her to her estate Lady Incontinent And when she comes I must deliver up the rule and government of your house and Family to her for I suppose you will make her the Mistriss to command dispose and order as she pleaseth Lord de l' Amour By no means for you that are the Mistriss of my heart shall also be Mistriss of my Estate Lady Incontinent Then pray give her to my charge and education for I hear she is of a high spirit and a proud heart being spoyled with self-will given her by the fondnesse of her Father Lord de l' Amour Pray order her as you think good she shall be your hand-maid Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady Sanspareille repeating some verses of her own making SAnspareille Here flows a Sea and there a sire doth flame Yet water and fire still is but the same Here the sixt earth and there the aire streams out All of one matter moving round about And thus the earth and water sire and aire Out of each others shapes transformed are Enters her Mother and hears her last verse Mother I am sure you are transformed from what you should be from a sober young maid to a Stage-player as to act Parts speak Speeches rehearse Verses sing Sonets and the like Sansp. Why Madam Stages and publick Theaters were first ordained and built for the education of noble youth where they might meet to practise how to behave themselves civily modestly gently comely gracefully manly and majestically to speak properly timely fitly eloquently elegantly tunably tonably readily sagely wittily Besides Theators were not only Schools to learn or practise in but publick patterns to take example from Thus Theaters were profitable both to the Actors and Spectators for as these Theaters were publick Schools where noble principles were taught so it was the dressing rooms of vertue where the Actors as her Servants did help to set her forth Also these Theaters were as Scaffolds whereon vices were publickly executed and Madam if you please but to consider you will perceive that Thrones are but glorious Theaters where Kings and Princes and their Courtiers acts their parts likewise places of Judicature are but places where Judges and Lawyers acts their parts Nay even Churches are but holy Theaters where the Priest and People acts their devout parts But Madam you mistake making no difference betwixt the noble and base the generous and mercenary for shall all noble persons that fights dewels of honour be call'd Fencers or shall a King when he runs at the Ring or Tilt shall he be called a Jockey or Post when he rides horses of Manage shall he be a Quirry or a Rider or shall Kings Princes or noble Persons that dances sings or playes on Musick or presents themselves in Masks be thought or called Dancers or Fidlers Morris-dancers Stage-players or the like as in their masking attire No those are Riders Fencers Dancers Fidlers Stage-players and the like that are mercenary setting Vertuosus to sale making a mercenary profit and living thereof but if such opinions should be held then no Vertuosus should be learn'd of noble Persons because there are mercenary Tutours and Teachers nor no arts understood because of Mechanicks nor no Sciences understood because of Pedants nor no manners nor gracefull behaviours practised because of Players nor none must write because of Clerks nor none must pray because of beneficed Priests nor there must none understand the Laws or plead their own causes because of feed Lawyers if these opinions or rules were followed all the nobler and better sort would be boars clowns and fools nor no civility good manners nor vertues would be known amongst them Mother Well well I will have you shew your self and be known and I known by you for why should not I be as ambitious to be praised in your beauty as your Father in your wit but by that time you have gotten a sufficient stock of wit to divulge to the World your beauty will be dead and buried and so my ruines will have no restoration or resurrection Sansp. Madam I do humbly and dutifully acknowledge that what beauty or wit I have it was derived from my Parents Mother Wherefore you ought to do as your Parents will have you and I say I will have you be a Courtier Sansp. Would you have me go to live at the Court Madam Mother Yes marry would I Sansp. And to do as Courtiers do Mother Yes marry would I Sansp. Alas Madam I am unpractised in their arts and shall be lost in their subtle and strange waies Mother Therefore I would have you go to learn them that you may be as expert as the best of them for I would have you shoot such sharp darts thorough your eyes as may wound the hardest and obduratest hearts Sansp. Amorous affections Madam and wanton glances are strangers to my eyes and heart neither can I perswade nor command them to be otherwise than they are Mother Why I would not have you either wanton or amorous but to be kind and
civil to invite a rich noble Husband Sansp. Why say I had the power to pick and choose amongst the noblest and the richest men a Husband out you cannot promise me a happy life fortune may set a Crown of Diamonds on my head yet prick my heart with thorns bind up my spirits with strong chained fears my thoughts imprisoned in dark melancholly and thus my mind may prove a Hell unto my life and my Husbands actions devils to torment it Mother No disputing but let my will be obeyed Sansp. It is fit it should be by me although it brings my ruine Lady Mother goes out Sanspareille alone Sanspareille Ioy gave me wings and made my spirits fly Hope gave me strength to set ambition high Fear makes me old as paulsie shakes each limb My body weak and both my eyes are dimb Like to a Ball which rackets beats about So is my heart strucken twixt hope and doubt Ex. Scene 4. Enter the Lady Incontinent and one of her women LAdy Incontinent I observe the Lord de L'amour useth the Lady Innocence with more respect than he was used to do and I observe his eyes meets her when she comes in place where he is and follows her wheresoever she goeth and when she stands still they are sixt upon her Woman Truly she hath power if she will put it in force to command a heart at least to perswade a heart to love her for certainly she is very beautifull if it were not obscured under a sad countenance as the Sun behind a dark cloud but sometimes do what she can in despite of her sadnesse it will keep out and the other day when you were gone abroad I saw her dance sing and play on a Gitturn all at one time Lady Incontinent And how did it become her Woman Truly she sung so sweetly played so harmoniously danced so gracefully and looked so beautifully that if I had been a man I should have been in love with her Lady Incontinent I charge you break her Gittar tell her she sings not well and that her dancing doth ill-become her Woman Perchance she will not believe me Lady Incontinent Oh yes for youth are credulous even against themselves Exeunt ACT II. Scene 5. Enter the Lady Sanspareille and walks a turn or two as contemplating SAnspareille Ambitious thoughts flyes high yet never tires Wing'd with the swiftest thoughts of desires Then thoughts of hopes runs busily about Yet oft are stop'd with thoughts of fear and doubt And thoughts of mirth and melancholly strives All thoughts are restless till the body dyes Enter Sir Father Love Father Love My childe it is a sign you are melancholly that you are in a poetical vain She weeps Father Why do you weep Sansp. Melancholly thoughts makes tears to flow thorough my eyes Father Melancholly why thou art not come to the years of melancholly 't is aged brows on which sad Saturn sets and tired thoughts on which he reigns and on grieved heart his heavy taxes layes but those that are young he leaves to other powers neither hath fortune set her turning foot upon thy head for thou art in the same worldly condition that thou wert born to wherefore thy mind may be quiet and thy thoughts merry and free Sansp. Surely sir it is not alwaies age nor yet cross fortunes that clouds the mind for some are old and mean poor and despised yet merry and humours gay and some are young and fairer and rich and well esteemed honoured and loved and yet their thoughts dejectedly doth move and humour dull as lead 't is nature makes melancholly neither age nor evil fortune brings it Father But what makes thee sad my child Sansp. Ambition Sir Father What doth your ambition aim at If it be honour I have an Estate will buy thee an honourable Husband if it be riches I will be saving and live thriftily if it be gallantry or bravery I will maintain thee at the hight of my fortune wear Frieze my self and adorn thee in Diamonds Silver and Gold Sanspareille Heaven forbid that my vanity should prodigally spend your Estate or my covetousnesse pinch and starve your Life or that my pride should be match'd with noble honour which should be as humble as great Father It cannot be for wit and beauty for surely nature hath made her self poor by giving you so much Sansp. My dear Father know it is fame I covet for which were the ambitions of Alexander and Caesar joyned into one mind mine doth exceed them as far as theirs exceeded humble spirits my mind being restless to get the highest place in Fames high Tower and I had rather fall in the adventure than never try to climb wherefore it is not titled Honour nor Wealth nor Bravery nor Beauty nor Wit that I covet but as they do contribute to adorn merit which merit is the only foundation whereon is built a glorious fame where noble actions is the architectour thereof which makes me despairingly melancholly having not a sufficient stock of merit or if I had yet no waies to advance it but I must dye like beasts forgotten of mankind and be buried in Oblivions grave Father If it be fame my child covets it is a noble ambition and Heaven pardon me if I speak vain-gloriously of what is my own yet I speak but my opinion when I say I do believe there is none so fit to raise a fame as thou art Sansp. Sir your love speaks as willing to incourage me but know Sir it is not a vulgar fame I covet for those that goeth with equal space and even hights are soon lost as in a crowd or multitude but when fame is inthron'd all Ages gazes at it and being thus supremly plac'd up high Like as an Idol gets Idolatry Thus singularity as well as merit advances fame Father Child thou speakest alwaies reason and were my life the only singular way to raise thy fame thou shouldst have it Sansp. Heaven forbid For that would raise my infamie if I should build upon my Fathers noble life But Sir do you love me Father Yes above my life for thou art the life of my life Sansp. Do you love me as well as you think you could your Grand-children Father No comparison can be made for thou art come immediately from my loynes those but from the Ioines of my Issue which is estranged from me and for their affections Grand-childrens is but weak only they keep alive my name not love for that dyes in the second descent and many times the first Sansp. But Sir would not you think me strangely unnatural and unworthy of your love to wish or desire you to break the line of your Posterity and bury succession in my grave Father Unnatural no for your vertue can ask nothing of me that my love will think unreasonable to give and for my Posterity I had rather it should end with merit than run on in follies or who knows but their evil or base actions may blemish
and obey But when a Kingdom is in a Glorious condition and is full of prosperity every particular Citizen or man thinks he can stand upon his own foundation flinging off their supporters which is Duty and obedience which makes them fall to ruine For when men comes to that height of pride caused by prosperity that they all strive to be Superiours and Commanders they become Factious and mutinous against the Magistrates Rulers or Governours which Factions begets warrs either by calling in Forriegners or by making or siding into parties amongst themselves for it is to be observed that States or Monarchies do oftner fall by the pride and Factions of the Commons or Subjects than by the Tyranny of the Rulers or Governours But it is the nature of the vulgar sort of man-kind to be the most basest fearfulest dejected Creatures in adversity that Nature hath made and in prosperity to be the proudest insultingest and imperious and cruelest of all Creatures But Kings and Royal Princes should do as Gods which is to keep their Subjects in aw with the Superstitious fear of Ceremonies wherefore Princes should do no actions no not the meanest without Ceremony to astonish the vulgar for Ceremonies begets fear fear begets Superstition Superstition Reverence Reverence Obedience Obedience brings Peace Peace brings Tranquility But where Ceremonie is not used the Gods are neglected and Princes dispised for Ceremonie is the Throne which Gods and Princes sits on which being pulled away they fall from their Glory for Ceremonie is the Royal Crown which makes them Majestical it is the Scepter by which they rule it is the Altar at which all the Subjects kneel do bow and they offer up there their natural free liberty But most glorious Princess you and your Subjects are like the Sun and the rest of the Planets moving perpetually keeping their proper Sphere they moving in civiler loyalty about you to receive the light of your Authority and you move in them as the just center spreading your glorious beams round about the Circumference of your Dominions and in the light of your commands they see their duty And your Laws are like the fixed Starrs which twinkling move in the night of great offences and doth assist the innocent with sparkling light And your Majesty governs like the Gods your wisdome by your Works is known and by your Wisdome is your Power Immense So doing her respects comes off from her standing and with three Reverences comes to the Queen Queen Young Lady let me tell you that you are fit to be a Governesse although you be very Young that can speak so well of Government Sanspareile 'T is happier for me to be a Subject to so gracious a Sovereign than if I were govern a people my self Ex. Scene 2. Enter the Lady Innocence and her Maid PAssive Madam you retire your self more to solitary than you were used to do Lady Innocence Because I find the world not only more foolish but more wicked than I thought it was but who would endure the world or the worlds folly since solitarinesse is sweet and melancholly Passive The truth is that words pleaseth the world more than reason and vice is exercised more than vertue Lady Innocence You say right for words takes the world of man-kind by the ears drawing them about even where they please when reason is not heard also vice will be imbraced and vertue kickt away thus words and vice will get a room both in the head and heart when reason and vertue are barr'd out but if perchance they are crowded in they are straight thrown out as unfit guests or troublesome intruders Passive But Madam let me advise you from so much solitude for obscurity shadows vertue and buries beauty Lady Innocence And Solitude doth hide defects as well as Excellencies Passive But you have no defects to hide Lady Innocence Nor Excellencies to divulge Enter the Lady Innocence the Lord de l'Amour Ex. Passive Lord de l'Amour T is strange you can be so crafty in dissembling and yet so young for you appear to me to be innocently modest and of a bashfull Nature and yet it is told me you are so impudently bold speaking so wantonly as it is a shame to Nature which makes me fear you will prove dishonest Lady Innocence Perchance I might learn modest words but not the signification yet surely I never spake such words I understood not nor have I many speaking faults to accuse me Lord de l'Amour I am told you speak so knowingly of marriage as if you were a mother of many children Lady Innocence The mystery of marriage I neither know nor guesse at neither do I know how children are bred or born Lord de l'Amour If you be so ignorant you may loose your Virginity for want of knowledge and wit to keep it Lady Innocence I have been taught none can be devirginated that suffers not immodest action if so I am a pure Virgin and my thoughts are so innocent and my life so honest as I wish the Chambers of my mind or soul which is the brain and the heart were set open to your view there should you see the pictures in the one and read the letters in the other for truth records all in the heart and memory pencils all that the imaginations or Senses brings into the brain Lord de l'Amour I cannot but believe what is so confidently reported but your words are such charms as they inchant my angry passions and makes my will a prisoner Lady Innocence Let reason as a Knight of Chevalry and truth as his Esquire set him free and open the gates of understanding then you might see vertue cloathed with white Innocency and truth free from the bonds of falshood Lord de l'Amour So you were as wife as witty Lady Innocence Wisdome is built upon the Foundation of Experience wherefore none can be wise but those that are old but though I am too young to be wise yet not to be vertously honest Lord de l'Amour Pray Heaven you prove so Ex. Lady Innocency alone Heaven blesse my innocency from Thieves of slander that strives to steal away my honest Fame Ex. Scene 3. Enter two Men or Scholars 1 GEntleman This Lady Sanspareile hath a strange spreading wit for she can plead causes at the Bar decide causes in the Court of Judicature make Orations on publick Theaters act parts and speak speeches on the Stage argue in the Schooles preach in the Pulpits either in Theology Philosophy moral and natural and also phisick and Metaphysick 2. Gent. The truth is she is ushered by the Muses led by the Sciences and attended by the Arts Ex. Scene 4. Enter the Lady Innocence alone Lady Innocence I do perceive my shiftlesse youth is round beset with enemies Suspitions round about me placed With slandring words my same disgraced My innocency as crast is thought My harmlesse life to ruine brought Who will adore the Gods if they Vice vertue in one ballance
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
us go then Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Monsieur Malateste to his Wife Madam Bonit MAlateste Lord how ill-favour'd you are drest to day Bonit VVhy I am cleanly Malateste You had need be so for if you were ill-favour'dly drest and sluttish too it were not to be endur'd Bonit VVell Husband I will strive to be more fashionably drest Exeunt Scene 5. Enter Monsieur Pere and Monsieur Frere as newly come from Travelling MOnsieur Pere Well Son but that you are as a stranger having not seen you in a long time I would otherwise have chid you for spending so much since you went to travel Frere Sir travelling is chargeable especially when a man goeth to inform himself of the Fashions Maners Customs and Countries he travelleth through Enter Madam la Soeur and Monsieur Marry her Husband where they salute and welcome their Brother home Pere Look you Son I have increas'd my Family since you went from home your Sisters Beauty hath got me another Son Soeur And I make no question but my Brothers noble and gallant Actions will get you another Daughter Pere Well Son I must have you make haste and marry that you may give me some Grand-children to uphold my Posterity for I have but you two and your sister I hope will bring me a Grand-son soon for her Maids say she is sick a mornings which is a good sign she is breeding although she will not confess it for young marry'd Wives are asham'd to confess when they are with Child they keep it as private as if their Child were unlawfully begotten Monsieur Frere all the while looks upon his Sister very stedfastly Marry Me thinks my Brother doth something resemble my Wife Frere No sure Brother so rude a made face as mine can never resemble so well a shap'd face as my sisters Marry I believe the Venetian Ladies had a better opinion of your face and person than you deliver of your self Soeur My Brother cannot choose but be weary comming so long a Journey to day wherefore it were fit we should leave him to pull off his boots Pere Son now I think of 't I doubt you are grown so tender since you went into Italy as you can hardly endure your boots to be roughly pull'd off Frere I am very sound Sir and in very good health Pere Art thou so Come thy ways then Exeunt Scene 6. Enter Monsieur Malateste and Madam Bonit his Wife MAlateste Wife I have some occasion to sell some Land and I have none that is so convenient to sell as your Joynture Bonit All my Friends will condemn me for a fool if I should part with my Joynture Malateste Why then you will not part with it Bonit I do not say so for I think you so honest a man that if you should die before me as Heaven forbid you should Malateste Nay leave your prayers Bonit Well Husband you shall have my Joynture Malateste If I shall go fetch it She goes out and comes back and brings the writings and gives it him and then he makes haste to be gone Bonit Surely Husband I deserve a kiss for 't Malateste I cannot stay to kiss Enter Madam Bonits Maid Joan. Ioan. Madam what will you have for your supper for I hear my Master doth not sup at home Bonit Any thing Ione a little Ponado or Water-gruel Ioan. Your Ladyships Diet is not costly It satisfies Nature as well as costly Olio's or Bisks and I desire onely to feed my Hunger not my Gusto for I am neither gluttonous nor lickerish Ioan. No I 'll be sworn are you not Exeunt Scene 7. Enter the Sociable Virgins and two Grave Matrons MAtron Come Ladies what discourse shall we have to day 1 Virgin Let us sit and rail against men 2 Matron I know young Ladies love men too well to rail against them besides men always praise the Effeminate Sex and will you rail at those that praise you 2 Virgin Though men praise us before our faces they rail at us behind our backs 2 Matron That 's when you are unkind or cruel 3 Virgin No 't is when we have been too kind and they have taken a surfet of our company 1 Matron Indeed an over-plus of Kindness will soon surfet a mans Affection 4 Virgin Wherefore I hate them and resolve to live a single life and so much I hate men that if the power of Alexander and Caesar were joyn'd into one Army and the courage of Achilles and Hector were joyn'd into one Heart and the wisedom of Solomon and Ulysses into one Brain and the Eloquence of Tully and Demosthenes into one Tongue and this all in one man and had this man the Beauty of Narcissus and the youth of Adonis and would marry me I would not marry him 2 Matron Lady let me tell you the Youth and Beauty would tempt you much 4 Virgin You are deceiv'd for if I would marry I would sooner marry one that were in years for it were better to chuse grave Age than fantastical Youth but howsoever I will never marry for those that are unmaried appear like birds full of life and spirit but those that are maried appear like beasts dull and heavy especially maried men 1 Matron Men never appear like beasts but when women make them so 1 Virgin They deserve to be made beasts when they strive to make women fools 2 Virgin Nay they rather think us fools than make us so for most Husbands think when their Wives are good and obedient that they are simple 1 Virgin When I am maried I 'll never give my Husband cause to think me simple for my obedience for I will be crose enough 3 Virg. That 's the best way for Husbands think a cross and contradicting Wife is witty a hold and commanding Wife of a heroick spirit a subtil and crafty Wife to be wise a prodigal Wife to be generous a false Wife to be beautiful And for those good qualities he loves her best otherwise he hates her nay the falser she is the fonder he is of her 4 Virgin Nay by your favour for the most part Wives are so inslav'd as they dare not look upon any man but their Husbands 1 Matron What better object can a woman have than her Husband 1 Virgin By your leave Matron one object is tiresome to view often when variety of objects are very pleasing and delightful for variety of objects clear the senses and refresh the mind when only one object dulls both sense and mind that makes maried wives so sad and melancholy when they keep no other company but their Husbands and in truth they have reason for a Husband is a surfet to the Eyes which causes a loathing dislike unto the mind and the truth is that variety is the life and delight of Natures works and Women being the only Daughters of Nature and not the Sons of Iove as men are feigned to be are more pleased with variety than men are 1 Matron Which is no honour to the Effeminate Sex
the Curtezans As for those that are kept honest I can give little or no account for they are so inclos'd with locks and bolts and only look through a jealousie so as a stranger cannot obtain a sight much less an acquaintance Soeur Then they have not that liberty we French women have Frere O no Soeur Why do they fear they would all turn Curtezans if they should be left to themselves Frere The men are jealous and will not put it to the trial for though they are all Merchants even the Princes themselves yet they will not venture their wives Soeur I would not live there for all the World for to be so restrain'd for it is said that Italian men are so jealous of their wives as they are jealous of their Brothers Fathers and Sons Frere They are so for they are wise and know Nature made all in common and to a general use for particular Laws were made by Men not by Nature Soeur They were made by the Gods Brother Frere What Gods Sister old men with long beards Soeur Fie fie Brother you are grown so wild in Italy as France I doubt will hardly reclaim you but I hope when you are marry'd you will be reform'd and grow sober Frere Why Sister are you become more sober or reform'd since you are marry'd Soeur No Brother I never was wild nor wanton but always modest and honest Frere Faith Sister me thinks you might have been marry'd more to your advantage than you are had not my Father been so hasty in marrying you so young Soeur Why do you say so Brother when the man I 'm marry'd to is so worthy a person as I do not merit him neither would I change him for all the World Frere Nay Sister be not angry for 't is my extreme love having no more sisters but you that makes me speak Soeur Prethee Brother do not think I am angry so I believe it proceeds from love and that it is your affection that makes you so ambitious for me Frere Know Sister I love you so well and so much as 't is a torment to be out of your company Soeur Thank you Brother and know I desire never to be in any other Company than my Husband Father and Brother nay any other company is troublesome Exeunt Scene 13 Enter the Sociable Virgins and Matron MAtron Ladies how are your wits to day 1 Virgin Faith my brain is like Salisbury Plain to day where my thoughts run Races having nothing to hinder their way and my brain like Salisbury-plain is so hard as my thoughts like the horses heels leave no print behind so as I have no wit to day for Wit is the print and mark of thoughts 2 Virgin And I am sick to day and sickness breaks the strings of Wit and when the strings are broke no harmony can be made 3 Virgin It is with Wits as it is with Beauties they have their good days as to speak quick and to look well to look cloudy and to speak dully and though my tongue to day is apt to run like an Alarm clock without any intermission yet my mind being out of order my tongue will go out of time as either too fast or too slow so as none can tell the true time of sense 4 Virgin For my part I am so dull to day as my Wit is buried in stupidity and I would not willingly speak unless my speech could work upon every passion in the heart and every thought in the head 1 Virgin For my part if any can take delight in my unfolded tongue and unpolish'd words my discourse is at their service Matron Me thinks Ladies your Wits run nimbly fly high and spread far wherefore make a witty match or a match of Eloquence 1 Virgin With all my heart for in the Combat of Eloquence I shall do like to a valiunt man in a battel for though he wins not the Victory yet he proves not a Coward so though I should not get the victory of Wit or Eloquence yet I shall not prove my self a fool 2 Virgin I will make no such match for though I have read some few books yet I have not studied Logick nor Rhetorick to place and set words in order and though I have read History and such like books yet I have not got their Speeches by heart nor parts of them as the parts of one Oration and a part of another Oration and of three or four to make up an Oration of my own as all Orators do now adays neither have I studied the Morals or the Fathers so much as to have their sayings and sentences to stuff my Discourse as Preachers do and to speak a natural way although extraordinary witty as to have their Orations as full of wit as of words yet it would be condemn'd if the Speaker is not learned or that their Speeches express not learning 3 Virgin Now you talk of Speeches and Orations it seems very strange to me to read the Speeches that Chronologers write down to be truly related as from the mouths of those that spoke them especially such as are spoken ex tempore and on a sudden but more especially those that are spoken in Mutinies and to a tumultuous multitude wherein is nothing but distraction both in the Speakers and Hearers frights and fears in Opposers and Assaulters As for Example when Tacitus set down the Speeches of some persons at such times when and where every one is in such fears and disorders as there seem'd to be not any one person that could have the leisure time rest or silence to get those Speeches by heart to bear them away in their memory or had they Place Time Ink Pen or Paper to write them down 4 Virgin But the Speeches that Thucidides sets down may be better credited because most of them were premeditated and soberly orderly and quietly deliver'd which might more easily be noted and exactly taken to deliver to posterity 3 Virgin Another thing is how Tacitus could come to know the particulars and private speeches betwixt man and man as Friend and Friend Brother and Brother and not only the Speeches of the Roman Nations of which he might be best informed but the Speeches of persons of other Nations whose Language was not easily understood or frequent amongst the Romans nay not only so but he hath writ the thoughts of some Commanders and others Matron Lady you must not be so strict in History as to have every word true for it is a good History if the sense matter maner form and actions be true As for Example Say a man should be presented all naked is he less a man for being naked or is he more a man for being cloathed or for being cloathed after another Fashion than his own So a History is not the less true if the Actions Occasions Forms and the like be related although every word be not express'd as they were so that Tacitus's Speeches may be true as to the sense although he
hope I shall be shortly Parrot Come we will go and chide your Husband that he hath been maried a week and his Wife not with child Lady Gosling Yes pray goe chide him and I will bear your company Exeunt Scene 45. Enter the Prince and Princess PRincess Sir pray perswade the unmaried Ladies to dance for I cannot intreat them Prince That 's strange for Ladies will dance without intreating for no intreating will make them sit still Princess It seems they are not in their dancing-humour to day for every one finds some excuse for to deny Prince Let them alone and take no notice of their reserved humours and they will dance without intreating nay they will intreat you they may dance Enter a Gentleman Gentlem. If it please your Highness the Ladies desire you would give them leave to Celebrate your Mariage with their Mirth and to express their Joy with their Dancing Prince We shall take it as a Favour to our Nuptials Exit Gentleman Prince Did not I tell you they would desire to dance Princess Truly I was so ignorant as I knew not so much the nature of our Sex Prince You knew not so much of their follies Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Mistris Parle Mistris Fondly Mistris Trifle Mistris Vanity VAnity Let us strive to make the Bride jealous Parle That 's impossible now but you may not work to good effect some a half a year hence Fondly Why I have known a Bridegroom leer her the next day he was maried Trifle Perchance a Bridegroom may for men are sooner cloy'd than women but a Bride will fondly hang about her Husbands neck a week at least Parle A week nay a moneth for a woman is fond the first moneth sick the second moneth peevish the third moneth coy the fourth moneth false the fifth moneth and Cuckolds her Husband the sixth moneth Fondly Then a maried man sprouts Horns in half a year Parle Yes for they are set the day of his mariage and some half a year after they are budded but not so fully grown as to appear to the publick view Trifle But will nothing hinder the growth Parle No 'faith but Death and Death like a Frost doth nip those tender buds Vanity Which death the mans or the womans Parle The womans for if the man dies and his Widow marries again the dead Husband is horn'd in his Grave and the living Husband is horn'd in his Bed Vanity Then their Horns may be put together as Stags in Rutting-time Fondly I had rather make Horns than talk of Horns therefore I 'll go dance Exeunt Scene 47. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEntlem. Where have you been 2 Gent. At Church 1 Gent. Did a fit of Devotion hurry you to the Church to pray 2 Gent. No 'faith I went not to pray but to joyn a pair of Lovers hands in Wedlocks Bonds for they chose me to be their Father to give them in the Church 1 Gent. What Lovers were they that were so foolish to marry 2 Gent. So honest you mean 1 Gent. There is more folly in 't than honesty in my opinion 2 Gent. Thou art an Infidel nay a very Athiest 1 Gent. I am a Naturalist But who are they that are maried 2 Gent. Why Sir William Holdfast and the Lady Mute 1 Gent. The truth is he is a worthy Person and she is a virtuous and sweet Lady wherefore they deserve each other besides she is an Heir and he hath a great Estate 2 Gent. He hath so 1 Gent. What is the Wedding kept private 2 Gent. Yes there are only two or three Friends but I must goe dine with them therefore fare thee well unless you will go with me for you know you shall be welcome 1 Gent. I know I shall therefore I shall go with you Exeunt Scene 48. Enter the Prince and Princess and all the Ladies and Gallants as Knights and Gentlemen They dance upon the Stage and then go out FINIS EPILOGUE OUr Auth'ress here hath sent me for her pay She 's at the Charge of Wit to make the Play But if you think it not worthy of Praise Nor an Applause of Hands her Fame to raise She doth desire that it in pawn may lie Till redeem'd by a better Comedie The Actors Names The Lord Widower Sir William Lovewell and the Lady Hypocondria his wife Sir Henry Sage and the Lady Chastity his wife Sir Edward Courtly and the Lady Iealousie his wife Sir Humphrey Disagree and the Lady Disagree his wife Sir Thomas Cuckold and the Lady Wanton his wife Sir Timothy Spendall and the Lady Poverty his wife Sir Iohn Dotard and the Lady Driping his wife Sir Francis Inconstant and the Lady Inconstant his wife Sir Iames Hearty the Lady Inconstants Father Monsieur Amorous Monsieur Disguise The Lady Sprightly the Lord Widowers Daughter The Lady Procurer Mistris Forsaken afterwards named Monsieur Disguise Mistris Single sister to the Lady Jealousie Doll Subtilty the Lady Sprightly's Chambermaid Also a Waiting-Gentlewoman Nan Lightheel the Lady Jealousies Maid and likewise a Waiting-Gentlewoman Joan Cry-out the Lady Hypocondria's Chamber-maid and likewise a Waiting-Gentlewoman Briget Greasy Sir John Dottards Kitchin maid and two other Maids of his Three Maid-servants of the Lady Poverty 's Two or three Maid-servants of the Lady Disagree's A Maid-servant to the Lady Inconstant Nic Adviser Sir Francis Inconstants man Roger Trusty Sir William Lovewels man A Serving-man of Sir James Hearty's A Skipper Doctors and others Steward The first Part of the Play called the MATRIMONIAL TROUBLE A COMEDY ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant and Mistris Forsaken SIr Fran. Incon. When I forsake you let Heaven forsake my Soul Mistris Forsaken I do not doubt you for if I did I could not love you and whilst I love you I cannot doubt you Inconstant O how it wounds my heart to part from you my Thoughts are tortur'd and my Mind is set upon a melancholy Rack Forsaken Since your Journey cannot be conveniently avoided I will please my self with the hopes of your sudden Return Inconstant Farewel sweet Mistris Death is the worst of Nature and your Absence the worst of Fortune Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Master Thrifty the Steward and Briget Greasy the Cook-maid BRiget Greasy Good Master Steward give Order for some Beef-suet to be brought in for there is nor any left in the House and I must make a Venison-pasty and if I should temper my Pasty all with butter you would be angry Thrifty Why cannot you take some of the fat from the Beef-broth for your Crust Briget Yes if every one that eat of it had as fresh a mouth as you or loved drink so well as you do it would serve otherwise it would be too salt for their palats besides I am to make puddings in guts Thrifty If they prove as the last you made the dogs may eat them for the guts stunk so much as no man could eat any of them Briget I 'm sure 't was your fault in that
having made her a Lady Lord Lord to see the fortune that some have over others why if my Master would have maried one of his Maids he might have chosen a prettier wench amongst any of us all than she is 2 Maid Yes 'faith for she was thought the veriest Puss of us all for she is neither snout-fair nor well-shap'd she hath splay-feet and chilblainheels 1 Maid Nay all will grant she was the dirtiest slut in the House for there was never a man-servant but would cry so at her when they kiss'd her besides she was the veriest fool amongst us But Lord what Wealth and Honour will do for now she is a Lady she looks as if she never wash'd a dish or scour'd a kettle or spit 2 Maid But I wonder how she came to be his Wife she might have served as her Betters have done before her I am sure there was Nan a pretty pert cleanly Maid who was kind and willing to do any thing either to serve our Master or fellow servants 1 Maid O but Nan had not an old woman that us'd to come to her to get suet and scraps as Briget had and this old woman they say counsell'd Briget to seem nice and coy 2 Maid I wonder what Richard the Carter will say who was turned out of his service because he should not share with my Master 1 Maid 'Faith I heard that Richard was told of her Advancement and 't is said he laugh'd and said my Master had a hungry stomach that he could feed of his leavings but by his Troth he was glad she was become a Lady for now he could say he had kiss'd and courted a Lady as well as the best Gallant of them all Exeunt Scene 19. Enter the Lord Widower and the Lady Sprightly his Daughter LOrd Daughter although you do govern my Family very well for your years yet you are young and wanting Experience may be cozened and though I have a great Estate yet it will be all consum'd if Order and Method be not put into practice wherefore I would have you take the counsel of Mistris Dorothy Subtilty to assist you Lady Who is that my Lord Lord Why do not you know her she that waited on your Mother Lady Pardon me my Lord I did not know her by that Title for she was plain Dol Subtilty when she waited on my Mother and not knowing of her advancement from a Chambermaid to a Gentlewoman I might easily mistake besides she is not so much older as to have much more experience than my self perchance she may have more craft which was learned her in her poverty than I who have been bred at the Horn of Plenty that knew no scarcity nor sharking necessity Lord You have a sharp tongue when spight moves it but let me hear no more of these words but do as I command you Lady I never disobey'd you as I do know Lord Well no more words Exeunt Scene 20. Enter the Bride and all the Bridal Guests they dance and Monsieur Disguise dances with the Bride Sir Spendall seems to whisper Monsieur Disguise in the Ear being half drunk SPendall Sir but that you look more like a woman than a man you might give the Bridegroom more cause to be melancholy for the living than the dead but let me intreat you young Gentleman that you strike not his Head as your News hath done his Heart for I perceive the Brides eyes are fix'd upon you and from the root of a fix'd eye grows Horns when they are set in a maried Head Disguise There is no fear Spendall Yes Sir as long as there are doubts there are fears Disguise There is no doubt Sir Spendall But that she will be Sir Disguise What Sir Spendall What you please Sir and let me tell you young Gentleman that as long as there are women there will be Lovers and Cuckolds Disguise And let me tell you Sir that as long as there are men there will be Fools and Drunkards Lady Inconstant Sir I doubt we have invited you rather to your trouble than your delight Disguise Madam you are the Treasure of Pleasure and Delight which none can receive but from your Bounty nor enjoy but by your Favour Exeunt Scene 21. Enter the Lady Sprightly and Dol Subtilty LAdy Sprightly What had you to do to contradict my commands Dol Subtilty They were not fit to be obey'd wherefore they were forbid The Lady gives Dol a box on the Ear Lady There take that to remember I forbid you to forbid my commands Dol. I will declare your blows to some that shall revenge me Enter the Lord Widower Lord What are you so light-finger'd 'T is time to get you a Husband to govern and rule your high spirit Lady No pray Sir get me no Husband for if my Father takes part against me surely a Husband will be worse natur'd Lord So you will say I am unnatural Lady No Sir I only say it is not my undutifulness that displeases you but some that hath more wit than I or at least good fortune to please you better Lord VVell pray study your Book and VVork and leave the Houshold Affairs to my disposal Lady Sir I took the Office as my duty to your commands not for Delight Pleasure Ease or Profit and I shall surrender it up again upon the same account and with all the trouble care labour vexations and disquiets belonging thereunto Lord In doing so you will do very well Exeunt Scene 32. Enter the Lady Hypocondria as being frightly sick and her Husband Sir VVilliam Lovewell LOvewell Heaven bless you wife what makes you so extremely pale and to seem so affrighted Hypocon. O Husband I have an Imposthume broken within me and the bag will rise and choke me Lovewell Heaven forbid Hypocon. O I am choak'd I am choak'd I cannot fetch my breath She takes her breath very short Sir VVilliam Lovewell in a great fright calls for help Enter some servants Lovewell O send for Doctors strait for my wife is ready to die They go out running he standing by the Chair his Wife sits in trembling and quaking Lovewell How are you dear VVife how do you feel your self now how are you Hypocondria O very ill but yet me thinks I can fetch my breath a little better than I could I believe the Imposthume-bag is fallen down wherefore I will go to bed Lovewell Pray do VVife He leads her out and she goeth softly Exeunt Scene 23. Enter Sir Henry Sage and the Lady Chastity his Wife SAge Sweet-heart I was in your Bed-chamber and in your Cabinet-chamber and missing you in both I was afraid I must have been forc'd to have hir'd a Cryer to have proclamed my loss Chastity Many a Wife doth proclame her Husbands loss without the help of a Cryer for the Wives Adulterous Acts proclame her Husband a Cucold and the loss of his Honour Sage But I am not afraid of that for I am confident of thy Chastity although the old
Wickedness are soon catcht and like the Plague they infect all they come near and Vanity Vice and Wickedness is soon learn'd when Virtue Goodness and Piety are hard Lessons for though Divines and natural Philosophers Preaches and so teaches them yet they are seldom understood for if they were the benefit would be known and men would pious and virtuous be for profits sake for Common-wealths that are composed and governed by Virtue Religion and good Life they are so strongly united by honest love as they become inpregnable against Forein Foes or home factions or temptations so live in peace and plenty which breeds both pleasure and delight for life doth never truly injoy it self but in rest ease and peace but to conclude most Noble and Right Honourable the Soul Sense and Education should be plain with Truth smooth with Virtue and bright with Piety or Zeal that the Body may live Easily the life Peaceably and that the Soul may be blessed with Everlasting Glory Exit Scene 2. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and three or four Gentlemen 1 GEntleman The Ladies of this Age are as inconstant as a fevourish pulse and their affections have more fainting sits than those are troubled with Epilepses 2 Gentleman Faith they will hang about ones neck one hour and spit in his Face the next 3 Gentleman That is because they would have variety for they respect Strangers more than friends for they will entertain Strangers with the civillest Behaviours fairest Faces and costliest Garments they have and make them welcome with their best Cheer when as their best Friends lovingest Servants and oldest Acquaintance they will neglect despise scorn command and rail against and quarrel with Nobilissimo O Gentlemen brave Cavaliers as you all are you must never complain discommend not condemn the Actions of the Effeminate Sex for that we are apt to call their Cruelty is their Justice our Sex meriting not their favours and whensoever we receive the least favours from that Sex we ought to give thanks as proceeding from a compassionate Goodness gentle Nature sweet Dispositions and generous Souls and not as a due or a debt for our service for we are bound by Nature not only to be their Servants but their Slaves to be lasht with their frowns if we be not diligent to their commands present at their calls industrious in their service and our neglects ought to be severely punished for we wear our lives only for their sakes as to defend their Honours to protect their Persons to obey their Commands and to please and delight their humours also the Estates we manage is theirs not ours we are but their Stuards to Husband and increase thier Stores to receive their Revenues and lay out their Expences for we have nothing we call our own since we our selves are theirs wherefore it is enough for us to admire their Beautyes to applaud their Wit to worship their Virtues and give thanks for their Favours Exeunt Scene 3. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Wife why art thou all undrest to day Madamoiselle Esperance The truth is I am become negligent in dressing since you only esteem my Virtue not my Habit Monsieur Esperance I would have you change into as many several dresses as Protheus shapes for it is not the dress can make me Jealous now for I am confident no Vanity can corrupt thy Virtue but that thy Virtue can convert Vanity to a pious use or end Madamoiselle Well Husband I shall study to form my self and fashion my dress both to your fancy and desire Monsieur Esperance Do so Wife Monsieur Esperance goes out Madamoiselle Esperance alone Madamoiselle Esperance Ha is my Husband so confident of me it is an ill sign from extreme Jealousy to an extreme Confidence the next will be a Carelessness and then a Neglect and there is nothing my Nature doth more abhor than neglect for Jealousy proceeds from Love but Neglect proceeds from a despising if not a hating besides he desires variety of dresses which shows my Beauty is vaded or he is weary in viewing of one object often but I find his humour is wandring and seeks for change if he should prove false O how unhappy should I be for I am naturally honest also my birth and education hath been honest besides my affections are so fixt as not to be removed thus I am tyed and cannot take liberty which other women do for no divert the sorrows of my heart or to revenge my wrongs but I shall mourn and weep my self to Water and sigh my self to Ayre Exit ACT II. Scene 4. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamoiselle Amor and Madamoiselle La Belle comes and peeps through the Hangings and sees them NObilissimo The bond of our Love is written in large profession but not sealed with the contracting kiss yet Monsieur Nobilissimo salutes his Mistriss Madamoiselle Amor her Sister Madamoiselle La Belle comes forth from behind the Hangings Madamoiselle La Belle So Sister are not you asham'd Madamoiselle Amor No truly for my love is so honest and the subject of my love so worthy as I am so far from being ashamed to own it as I glory in my affection Madamoiselle La Belle I only wonder that with so small acquaintaince such a familiar friendship should be made Madamoiselle Amor You have no cause to wonder for Innocency is easily known t is craft and subtilty that is obscure and treacherous falshood with leering Eyes doth at a distance stand when honestly and truth straight joyns in friendships bonds Nobilissimo My Sweet Innocent Virtuous Wise Mistriss Kisseth her hand Exeunt Scene 5. Enter Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious and Madamoiselle Tell-truth TEll-truth I pitty poor Madamoiselle Bon Spightfull Why so Tell-truth Because she is forsaken Spightfull I cannot pitty a Fool Tell-truth Why she is no Fool Spightfull Yes Faith but she is to be constant to an unconstant man Malicious The truth is I think that woman wisest that forsakes before she is forsaken Tell-truth But how and if she meets with a constant man Detractor That she cannot do for there is no man constant for they are all false and more changing than women are Malicious If any should prove unconstant to me I would Pistoll him Tell-truth Yes with the Gunpowder breath the Bullets of words and the Fire of anger which will do them no hurt Spightfull The best revenge I know against an Inconstant Man is to despise him Tell-truth He will not care for your despisements but Patience Patience is the best remedy for then a woman will be content although she hath not her desires Malicious Can any Creature be content without the fruition of desire Tell-truth Those that cannot must be unhappy all their Life Detractor Then all Mankind is unhappy for I dare I swear there is not any that can be content without the fruition of desire for desire is
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
VVherefore Lady take me and make your self happy and me No Musk nor Civet courtly words I use Nor Frenchez-pan promises to abuse Your softer Sex nor Spanish sweets to tell And bribe your quicker nostrils with the smell Or let a false tear down my cheek to fall And with dissembling kneeling therewithall Sigh my self into Air these fools disdain These quarter-wits O kick them back again Nor am I like a Justice of the Peace That woo's you just as he would buy a lease Nor like an Heir whose Tutor for his sake So many lyes of Joynter-houses make Nor like a Lawyer that would fain intail And when he 's try'd doth make a Jeofail Nay thousands more that always do dissemble For your sake make my loving heart to tremble Lest you should be deceiv'd Admired Lady fear not my Profession All my Drum-heads I 'll beat them to soft silence And every warlike Trumpet shall be dumb Our feared Colours now shall be torn off And all our Armour be condemn'd to rust Only my Sword I 'll wear the badge of man Por to defend you and your Honour-still Then Madam take me thus your loving Vassal When lying bragging Castrils will forsake you Oh take a man and joy in him for life A Sword-man knows the virtue of a Wife Here ends my Lord Marquisses writing The Lady Prudence's Answer Lady Prudence Gallant Sir should I accept of your Sute I should be either an Enemy to my self or you or my Country As for my self should I marry a Souldier I should be tormented with the cruellest passions for if I love my Husband as sure I shall I shall be perpetually frightned with his dangers grieved for his absence despair of his life Every little misfortune will be as his Passing-Bell I shall never be at rest asleep nor awake my Dreams will present him to my view with bleeding wounds mangled body and pale visage I shall be widow'd every minute of an hour in my own thoughts for as the Senses are to the Body so the thoughts are to the Mind and Imaginations in these or the like cases are as strong as a visible presence for passions live in the Soul not in the senses for a man is as much grieved when he hears his friend is dead or kill'd as if he saw him dead or slain for the dead friend lives in the mind not the mind in the dead friend But with these Dreams and Imaginations I shall grow blind with weeping weak with sighing sick with sorrowing and deaf with listning after reports And should you desist from that noble Profession for my sake I should prove as a Traitor to my Country by taking away part of the strength and support leaving the weakness to the force of the Enemy for a good Souldier is a strong Fort and Bulwark of Defence Indeed a skilful Commander is to be prefer'd before a numerous Army for a number of men without Order are like dust which the least puff of wind blows about so an Army not being well commanded is quickly dispers'd and suddenly routed upon the least errour besides should you desist you would bury your name in Oblivion when by your valiant Actions and prudent Conduct your memory will be placed in Fames high Tower and writ in large Characters of praise 'T is true should I marry I should prefer my Husbands honour before his life yet would I not willingly marry a man whose life shall be set at the stake and Fortune still throwing at it for that would make me live miserably And who would wilfully make themselves miserable when Nature forbids it and God commands it not Exit Lady The Lover goes sighing out Scene 3. Enter the Lady Parrot and the Lady Minion LAdy Parrot Shall we go and visit the Lady Gravity Minion No she lives so solitary a life as we shall meet no company there for none go to visit her Lady Parrot Then let us goe to the Lady Liberty there we shall meet company enough for all the Ladies in the Town go to visit her Minion If she hath no men-visiters I will not add to the number of her Lady visiters Parrot You may be sure she hath Masculine Visiters or else the Ladies would never go to see her for it is to meet the men the Ladies go to see her and not for her own sake Minion And the men go to see the Ladies Parrot I believe some do yet men are better company in the company of their own Sex than in the company of women Minion By your favour the contrary Sex agree best and are better pleased together than men with men or women with women But if the Lady Liberties House be the General Rendezvouz for Men and Women let us go Parrot Content Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Mistris Trifle and Mistris Vanity VAnity O my dear Heart Trifle O my dear Joy how glad am I to see thee But where have you been that you came later than you promis'd for if you had not sent me word you would come to me to day I had gone to you Vanity Why where do you think I have been Trifle I know not where to think Vanity I have been at a Silk-mans shop to buy me a new Gown but I would not choose it before I had shewn thee my patterns Trifle Let me see them She shews them Vanity What do you think of this stuff Trifle This is out of Fashion besides 't is not a Mode-colour Vanity What think you of this Tabby Trifle The colour is good but it is not of a good water Vanity What think you of this Sattin Trifle The Sattin is a good glossy Sattin but the colour is too pale Vanity But pale colours 't is said are Allamode in France Trifle Who says so Vanity A Gentleman told me so which is newly come out of France Trifle Then he perchance could have told you all the French Fashions Vanity So he did most particularly for he said he went into France for no other purpose but to see and observe Fashions Trifle I believe he only observed mens Fashions being a man and not womens Fashions Vanity Nay he swore he observ'd the womens Fashion more than the mens by reason he knew it would make him more acceptable to our Sex at his return not onely for Discourse-sake but for the kind rewards he should have for his Intelligence which rewards he hath found so full and plentiful as he hath made such a beneficial Journey as he will go once every year and stay a moneth or two and then return Trifle For Ioves sake send him to me Vanity I will but prethee choose my Gown Trifle Let the Gentleman that came out of France choose your Gown for he can put you into the French Fashion Exeunt Scene 9. Enter the Lady Prudence and the Amorous VVooer They take their places and the Assembly about them VVOoer Sweet Lady your Beauty hath wounded my heart imprisoned my senses and hath inslav'd my soul so as I
am wholly in your power Prudence I will mask my beauty and set you free Wooer A mask may shadow your beauty but cannot extinguish it no more than a dark cloud can the bright Sun And as the Sun begets life and gives light so your beauty begets love and gives delight to all that do behold it Prudence And as Time brings Death Darkness and Obscurity so Age brings wrinckles and Absence forgetfulness burying love in the ruines of Beauty Wooer My love can never die nor hath time power to vade your beauty Prudence Nothing escapes Times tyranny but what the soul possesses Wooer You are the soul of beauty and beauty the soul of love Prudence Such souls have no Eternity but die as bodies do Wooer O save my soul and love me Prudence 'T is not in my power for love is free and resolute it can neither be commanded nor intreated Exeunt Scene 10. Enter the Lady Liberty Sir Thomas Letgo Sir William Holdfast the Lady Parrot the Lady Minion Master Disswader Sir VVilliam Holdfasts Friend being met at a Feast at Sir Thomas Letgo's House LEtgo Ladies you are become melancholy of a sudden I hope you are not tyr'd with dancing Liberty Yes saith we want divertisements wherefore prethy Sir Thomas Letgo send for thy affianced Mistris to make sport Letgo I am asham'd she should be seen or made known to this noble company Liberty O divulge her by all means that the World may know you do despise her and that you will marry her only because she is rich and to obey your Fathers commands Letgo I will obey your commands and send for her He sends for her in the mean time he is talking to another Enter the Lady Mute holding down her head and looking simply Liberty Sir Thomas Letgo your wise Mistris is come to welcome your Guests Letgo She wants words to express her self and Wit to entertain them Liberty Your Father knew you wanted not Wit so much as Wealth Letgo Many Fathers leave their sons nothing but their follies and vices for their Inheritance But my Father not having Vices or Follies enough of his own hath left me another mans Fool for an Annuity Parrot Is she a fool Liberty O yes for she seldom speaks Parrot That 's a great sign of simplicity indeed Liberty She is a meer Changeling for when she doth speak it is but when she is question'd and then for the most part she gives but one answer to all sorts of questions Parrot What Answer is that Liberty Her Answer is she cannot tell Holdfast Lady there may be such questions ask'd as are beyond a wise mans understanding to resolve But perchance she is sceptick that doubts all things All the company laugh Liberty What do you judge the scepticks fools Holdfast A man may judge all those to be fools that are not scepticks Liberty I judge all those that think her not a fool are fools Holdfast Then Lady I am condemn'd for I cannot give sentence against any of your Sex neither in thoughts or words Exeunt ACT II. Scene 11. Enter the Lady Prudence and the Country Gentleman as Suter They take their places the Assembly about them This wooing part of the Country Gentleman was written by the Marquiss of Newcastle Country Gentleman Madam though I no Courtier am by Education Yet I more truth may speak and here declare Your charming Eyes turn wanton thoughts to virtue Each modest smile converts the sinfull'st soul To holy Matrimony and each Grace and Motion Takes more than the fairest Face I am not young not yet condemn'd to age Not handsome nor yet I think ill-favour'd I do not swell with riches nor am poor No Palaces yet have Conveniences What though Poetick Raptures I do want My Judgment 's clearer than those hotter brains To make a Joynture out of verse and songs Or thirds in Oratory to endow you The Mean betwixt Extremes is Virtue still If so then make me happy and your self Courtiers may tell you that you may enjoy And marry pleasure there each minutes time There is all freedom for the female Sex Though you are bound yet feel not you are ty'd For liberty begins when you 'r a Bride Your Husband your Protection and the Court Doth cure all jealousie and fonder doubts Which there are laught at as the greatest follies If not by most yet they 'r thought mortal sins 'T is Heaven on Earth for Ladies that seem wise But you are vertuous and those ways despise Therefore take me that honour you for that Here ends my Lord Marquisses writing Prudence Worthy Sir could I perswade my Affection to listen to your sure you should not be deny'd but it is deaf or obstinate it will neither take your counsel nor be intreated But since you wooe so worthily I shall esteem you honourable as well you deserve Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Parrot and the Lady Minion PArrot Sweet Madam I could not pass by your house for my life but I must enter to see you although I was here but yesterday Minion Dear Madam I am very much joy'd to see you for I am never well but in your company They sit down both in one Couch Parrot When did you see the Lady Gravity Minion I have not seen her these two days Parrot Lord she is the strangest Lady that ever I knew in my life her company is so uneasie and let me tell you as a secret she hath a very ill Reputation Minion If I thought that I would not keep her company Parrot Since I heard that Report I have shunn'd her company as much as I could Minion Even so will I for I would not keep any body company that I thought were not chaste for a World But who is her servant can you tell Parrot 'T is commonly reported Sir Henry Courtly is her servant Minion Out upon him he is the veriest Whoremaster in all the Town nay if she keeps him company I will not come near her I 'll warrant you Parrot Nor I although she would fain be dear with me and seeks all the ways she can to be great with me sending her Gentleman-Usher every day to me with a How do you Minion No pray do not be dear nor great with her but let you and I be dear and great and that will anger her to the heart Parrot That it will faith therefore let us go to morrow together and visit her to let her see how dear and great friends we are Minion Content Parrot Agreed Enter Sir Henry Courtly as to visit the Lady Minion Minion Lord Sir Henry Courtly I have not seen you these three days Courtly I was here yesterday Madam to wait upon you but you were abroad then I went to wait upon you my Lady Parrot but you were also from home Parrot So then I had but the reversions of the Lady Minions Visit Courtly I can be but in one place at one time Madam Minion Why should you take it ill Madam that he should