home but I will go to bed for I am not very well 1 Servant You do not look well Sir Malateste Indeed I am sick Exeunt Scene 42. Enter Madam Soeur and Monsieur Frere MAdam Soeur Lord Brother what is the reason you are come back so soon Hath not your Barb run the Race Frere No Soeur What makes you here then Frere To see you Soeur To see me why I shall give you no thanks because you left my Husband behind you Frere I do not come for your thanks I come to please my self Soeur Prethee Brother get thee gone for thy face doth not appear so honest as it uses to do Frere I do not know how my Face doth appear but my Heart is as it was your faithful Lover Soeur Heaven forbid you should relapse into your old disease Frere Let me tell you Sister I am as I was and was as I am that is from the first time I saw you since I came from Travel I have been in love with you and must enjoy you and if you will imbrace my love with a free consent so if not I 'll force you to it Soeur Heaven will never suffer it but cleave the Earth and swallow you alive Frere I care not so you be in my Arms but I will first try Heavens power and struggle with the Deities He takes her in his arms and carries her out she cries help help murther murther Exeunt Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Malateste as being not well and his Wife Madam Malateste MOnsieur Mal. Wife Is this the way to cure melancholy to sit up all night at Cards and to lose five hundred pounds at a sitting or to stay all night abroad a Dancing and Revelling Madam O yes for the Doctors say there is nothing better than good company to imploy the Thoughts with outward Objects otherwise the Thoughts feed too much upon the Body besides they say that Exercise is excellent good to open Obstructions and to disperse melancholy Vapour and the Doctors say there is no Exercise better than Dancing because there are a great Company meet together which adds Pleasure to the Labour Monsieur My other Wife did not do thus Madam Wherefore she died in her youth with melancholy but I mean to live while I am old if mirth and good company will keep me alive and know I am not so kind-hearted to kill my self to spare your Purse or to please your Humour The Lady goes out and he goes out after sighing Scene 44. Enter Madam Soeur alone as ravished Soeur Who will call unto the Gods for aid since they assist not Innocency nor give protection to a Virtuous Life Is Piety of no use or is Heaven so obdurate no holy prayers can enter Heaven-gates or penitential tears can move the Gods to pity But O my sorrows are too big for words and all actions too little for his punishment Enter Monsieur Frere all unbutton'd and his sword drawn in his hand Frere Sister I must die wherefore you must not live for I cannot be without your company although in death and in the silent grave where no Love 's made nor Passion known Soeur It 's welcom News for if death comes not by your hand my hand shall give a passage unto life Frere There is none so sit to act that part as I who am so full of sin want nothing now but murther to make up measure He wounds her to death Soeur Death thou are my griefs Reprieve and wilt unlade my Soul from heavy thoughts that miserable life throws on and sinks me to the Earth Brother farewel may all your crimes be buried in my grave and may my shame and yours be never known Oh Oh dies Frere Now she is dead my Mind is at rest since I know none can enjoy her after me but I will follow thee I come my Mistris Wife and Sister all in one Monsieur Frere falls upon the point of his sword then falls clos'd by Madam Soeur and lays his Arm over her then speaks You Gods of Love if any Gods there be O hear my prayer And as we came both from one Womb so joyn our Souls in the Elizium out Bodies in one Tomb Oh oh oh dies Scene 45. Enter Monsieur Malateste upon a Couch as sick of a Consumption his Friend Monsieur Fefy sitting by him Then enters Madam Malateste to her sick Husband MOnsieur Mal. Wife you are very unkind that you will not come to see me now I am sick nor so much as send to know how I do Madam I am loth to trouble you with unnecessary visits or impertinent questions Monsieur Is it unnecessary or impertinent to see a Husband when he is sick or to ask how he doth Madam Yes when their visits and questions can do them no good But God be with you for I must be gone Monsieur What already Madam Yes for I doubt I have staid too long for I have appointed a meeting and it will be a dishonour for me to break my word Fefy But it will be more dishonour to be dancing when your Husband is dying Lady Madam What will you teach me go tutor Girls and Boys and not me Monsieur Let her go friend for her anger will disturb me Exit Lady Fefy I know not what her anger doth you but her neglect of you doth disturb me And for my part I wonder how you can suffer her Malateste Alas how shall I help or remedy it But Heaven is just and punishes me for the neglect I used towards my first Wife who was virtuous and kind Fefy She was a sweet Lady indeed Malateste O she was But I Devil as I was to use her as I did making her a slave unto my whore and frowns conjecturing all her Virtues to a contrary sense for I mistook her patience for simplicity her kindness for wantonness her thrist for covetousness her obedience for flattery her retir'd life for dull stupidity and what with the grief to think how ill I used her and grieving to see how ill this Wife uses me wasting my Honour and Estate she hath brought me into a Consumption as you see But when I am dead as I cannot live long I desire you who are my Executor to let me buried in the same Tomb wherein my Wife is laid for it is a joy to me to think my dust shall be mixt with her pure ashes for I had rather be in the grave with my first Wife than live in a Throne with my second But I grow very sick even to death wherefore let me be removed Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Monsieur Pere and his Son-in-law Monsieur Marry MOnsieur Pere Son-in-law did your Brother say he was very ill Marry He said he had such a pain on his left side as he could not sit on his horse but must be forced to return home again Pere Heaven bless him for my heart is so full of fears and doubts as if it did Prognosticate some great
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
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
Doctor help may be found in giving directions and ordering the cordial Doctor So I understand you would have my counsel what you should do and my industry to order and get a meeting between Monsieur Discretion and you and to make the match betwixt you Volante You understand me right Doctor VVell I will study the means and trye if I can procure thee a man Volante Good fortune be your guide Doctor And Monsieur Discretion your Husband Ex. Scene 41. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Thoughts be at rest for since my love is honest and the person I love worthy I may love honourably for he is not only learned with study experienced with time and practice but he is natures favourite she hath endued his soul with uncontrouled reason his mind with noble thoughts his heart with heroick generosity and his brain with a supream wit Besides she hath presented his judgement and understanding with such a clear Prospective-glasse of speculations and such a Multiplying-glass of conception as he seeth farther and discerns more into natures works than any man she hath made before him She slops a little time then speaks But let me consider I have us'd this worthy Gentleman uncivilly nay rudely I have dispised him wherefore he cannot love me for nature abhors neglect and if he cannot love me in honesty he ought not to marry me and if I be not his wife for certain I shall dye for love or live a most unhappy life which is far worse than death Hay ho Enter Madam la Mere her Mother Mere What Daughter sick with love Capris. O Mother love is a Tyrant which never lets the mind be at rest and the thoughts are the torments and when the mind is tormented the body is seldom in health Mere Well to ease you I will go to this Lord Generosity and pray him to give you a visit Capris. By no means Mother for I had rather dye with love than live to be despised with scorn for he will refuse your desires or if he should come it would be but to express his hate or proudly triumph on my unhappy state Madamosel Caprisia goes out Madamosel Mere alone Mere She is most desperately in love but I will endeavour to settle her mind Ex. Scene 42. Enter Doctor Freedom and Madamosel Volante DOctor Am not I a good Doctor now that hath got you a good Husband Volante Nay Doctor he is but a Suiter as yet Doctor Why do not you woe upon the Stage as the rest of your Comorades doth Volante O fye Doctor Discretion never whines our love in publick Doctor So you love to be in private Volante Why Doctor the purest love is most conceal'd it lyes in the heart and it warms it self by its own fire Doctor Take heed for if you keep it too tenderly and close it may chance to catch cold when it comes abroad Volante True love ought to keep home and not to gossip abroad Enter a Servant-maid Servant-maid Madam Monsieur Discretion is come to visit you Volante Come Doctor be a witnesse of our contract Doctor I had rather stay with your maid Volante She hath not wit to entertain you Doctor Nor none to anger me Volante Pray come away for no wise man is angry with wit Doctor I perceive if I do not go with you that you will call me fool Ex. Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Comorade and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Comorade what cause makes you so fine to day Comorade I am going to two weddings to day Bon Compaignon Faith one had been enough but how can you divide yourself betwixt two Bridals Comorade I shall not need to divide my self since the Bridals keeps together for they are marryed both in one Church and by one Priest and they feast in one house Bon Compaignon And will they lye in one bed Comorade No surely they will have two beds for fear each Bride-groom should mistake his Bride Bon Compaignon VVell I wish the Bride-grooms and their Brides joy and their Guests good chear Comorade VVill not you be one of the Guests Bon Compaignon No for a Bon Compaignon shuns Hymens Court neither will Hymen entertain him But who are the Brides and Bride-grooms Comorade Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid Bon Compaignon Is Monsieur Profession a Guest there Comorade No for he swears now that he hates marriage as he hates death Bon Compaignon But he loves a Mistress as he loves life Ex. Scene 44. Enter Monsieur Generosity and Madamosel Caprisia he following her GEnerosity Lady why do you shun my company in going from me praystay and give my visit a civil entertainment for though I am not worthy of your affection yet my love deserves you civility Capris. I know you are come to laugh at me which is ignobly done for heroick generous spirits doth not triumph on the weak effeminate Sex Generosity Pray believe I am a Gentleman for if I loved you not yet I would never be rude to be uncivil to you or your Sex But I love you so well as when I leave to serve you with my life may nature leave to nourish me fortune leave to favour me and Heaven leave to blesse me and then let death cast me into Hell there to be tormented Capris. I am more obliged to your generous affections than to my own merits Generosity The ill opinion of your self doth not lessen your vertues and if you think me worthy to be your Husband and will agree we will go strait to Church and be marryed Capri. I shall not refuse you Ex. FINIS PROLOGUE THE Poetress sayes that if the Play be bad She 's very sorry and could wish she had A better plot more wit and skill to make A Play that might each several humour take But she sayes if your humours are not fixt Or that they are extravagantly mixt Impossible a Play for to present With such variety and temperiment But some will think it tedious or find fault Say the Design or Language is stark naught Besides the loose unsetled brains she fears Seeth with squint eyes and hears with Asses ears But she is confident all in this round Their understandings clear and judgements sound And if her Play deserves not praise she knows They 'l neither scoff in words nor preposterous shows Without disturbance you will let it dye And in the Grave of silence let it lye Youths Glory and Deaths Banquet THE FIRST PART 1. THe Lord de L'amour 2. Sir Thomas Father Love 3. Master Comfort Sir Thomas Father Loves Friend 4. Master Charity the Lord de L'amours Friend 5. Adviser the Lord de L'amours man 6. A Iustice of Peace 1. The Queen Attention 2. The Lady Incontinent Mistriss to the Lord de L'amour 3. The Lady Mother Love wife to Sir Thomas Father Love 4. The Lady Sanparelle daughter to Sir Thomas Father and Lady Mother Love 5. The Lady Innocence the affianced Mistriss
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
the Lawyers she will plead for them gratis 1 Gent. It is a pious and Noble Act 2 Gent. Also her Father hath challenged all the eloquent Oratours of our Nation to make Orations extemporately likewise he hath challenged the most famous Schollars and learned men to dispute with her 1 Gent. Her Father is most doatingly fond of her 2 Gent. He hath reason and out of love to her he is building a very fine Library to lay in all her Works for they say she writes much and hath writ many excellent Works 1 Gent. She deserves a Statue for her self as well as a Library for her Works Ex. Scene 9. Enter the Lady Innocence and Adviser the Lord de l'Amours Man ADviser Madam my Lord and the Lady Incontinent hath sent me to tell you you must come to be examined about the Chain Lady Innocence I am so shrunk up with fear that methinks I could thrust my self into a Nut-shell to hide myself Adviser Faith if you could it would not conceal you for they would crack the Nut-shell and find you out Adviser goes out Lady Innocence alone O that Innocency should tremble as much as guilt with fear but if they did but know how little I value the riches of the world they would not believe I should steal so frivolous a thing Enter as to the Lady Innocence the Lord de l'Amour the Lady Incontinent and a Iustice and the Ladies two Maids Informer and Falshood Lord de l'Amour The Lady Incontinent hath brought a Iustice who hath power to make you confesse She falls a shaking Lady Incontinent You may perceive her guilty she trembles and shakes looks so pale Lady Innocence Pray judge me not guilty by my countenance bring it not as a witnesse against me for the childish fears in my heart causeth a trembling which like an Earthquake shakes my body and makes my breath as pent up Air that pants for passage striving to get forth and my innocent bashfulnesse or my bashful innocency makes my eyes like perturbed lights that see nothing cleerly my words to flow like rough and broken streams for my mind is so troubled and my passions in such a storm as my words can neither flow easie nor free Lady Incontinent Here be two that will witnesse that she stole the Chain Falshood I will swear she took the Chain of Pearl and put it in her pocket and so went out of the room with it Lord de l'Amour Why did not you follow her and take it from her Falshood I thought she would bring it again for I never suspected she would deny it Lord de l'Amour And will you witnesse the same Informer Informer I will witnesse I saw it in her hand looking on it Lord de l'Amour What say you for your self Lady Innocence Lady Innocence I say my accusements doth not make me guilty of a crime but I confess I took the Chain in my hand out of a curiosity and trial of my judgment or skill to see whether I could find any defect in somuch valued esteemed and high-prized a thing as Pearl but not any wayes out of a covetous Appetite as to steal it nor had I any tempting thoughts thereto nor wisht I that or the like should be lawfully given me Lord de l'Amour What did you with it when you had done viewing it Lady Innocence I laid it on the Table from whence I took it off Lady Incontinent But here are those that will swear you carried it away with you Maids Yes that we will Lady Innocence I cannot alwayes avoid a false accusation Lord de l'Amour Will you swear you did not Lady Innocence Yes If my Oath will be taken Lady Incontinent Well you did take it that is certain wherefore you were best confess it or you shall be wrackt to make you confess it Lady Innocence I will never bear false-witness against my self I will dye first Lady Incontinent My Lord pray let her be carried away and be whipt until the be forced to confess it Lady Innocence Let me killed first for to be whipt is base and is only fit for Gally-slaves or those that are born from Slaves but to be kill'd is Noble and gives an Honourable triumph Iustice. Young Lady you are heer accus'd by two Witnesses and unless you can bring Evidence to clear you you are liable to punishment Lady Innocence Truly Sir I have but two invisible Witnesses Conscience and Innocency to plead for me and Truth my Judge who cannot be brib'd although it may be over-powr'd by false and slanderous reports Iustice. But it is imagin'd by your best friends you are guilty Lady Innocence Neither my friends nor enemies can create me a Criminal with their Imaginations Lord de l'Amour But speak are you guilty Lady Innocence To what purpose should I speak for what can I say to those that make it their delight to accuse condemn and execute or what justice can I expect to have where there is no equity wherefore to plead were a folly when all hopes are cut off to desire life a double misery if I must indure Torments but silence and patience shall be my two Companions the one to help me in my suffering the other to cut of impertinencies She goes out from them Lord de l'Amour What think you Justice is she guilty Lady Incontinent Why should you make a question when it hath been proved by Witnesses Come Justice Come and drink a Cup of Sack and give your opinion then The Lady Innocence comes as passing by alone Lady Innocence I am so confidently accus'd of this Theft as I am half perswaded I did take the Chain but that Honour and Honesty sayes I did not Ex. Scene 10. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love at one door and a servant-Maid at the other door SIr Thomas Father Love Where is your Mistriss the people do flock about the house to see her as I think they will pull it upon my head if she shews not her self to them wherefore call her The Maid goes out Enter the Lady Sanspareile Sir Thomas Father Love Come Come Child there are such expectations without for thee but what makes thee to look so heavy Lady Sanspareile Truly Sir I am not well Sir Thomas Father Love Not well Heaven bless thee where art thou Sick Lady Sanspareile I cannot say I am very sick or in any great pain but I find a general alteration in me as it were a fainting of spirits Sir Thomas Father Love Prethee say not so thou dost so affright me but thou art not very sick art thou Lady Sanspareile I hope I shall be better Sir Sir Thomas Father Love My dear Child go to bed whilst I send for some Doctors to thee Ex. Scene 11. Enter the Lady Innocence alone TO whom shall I powre out my sad complaint for all do them a Melancholy mind O Gods how willingly would I be buried in the grave with dust and feast the worms rather than live amongst
Satyrical But Mistris what prayer made you for me Bon' Esprit Not a cursing prayer for though Mother Matron would have carried me up to the top of the Hill of Rage and instead of a prayer for you there to have made curses against you yet she could neither force me up the one nor perswade me to the other for I told her I would give a blessing instead of a curse and for fear of that she left persisting Satyrical I perceive I had been in danger had not you sav'd me and like a merciful Godess kept me from their fury but I 'm afraid that for my sake they will curse you now Bon' Esprit No doubt of it but the best of 't is that their cursing prayers or prayers of curses go no farther than their lips Satyrical For all their furious rage self-conceit perswades me that if I had addrest my self as a Suter to any one of them they would have been more merciful than to have deny'd my sute Bon' Esprit I can think no otherwise for I shall judge them by my self Satyrical Pray let 's go and invite them to our Wedding Bon' Esprit By no means for they will take that as ill as if you did indid invite them to a poyson'd Banquet But if I may advise it is not to tell them our Design but let them find it out themselves Satyrical I shall agree to your Counsel Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Mother Matron and her Maid Matron Come come I have watch'd and long'd for your Return above two hours I may say above two years for so the time did seem to me O Venus thou Fair and Amorous Godess send me a comfortable Answer if 't be thy will Maid I have brought you a Letter from Monsieur Frisk but for my part I know not what comfort he hath sent you Matron O Cupid O Cupid be my friend She opens the Letter and reads it aloud The Letter Amorous Mother Matron THough Time hath made you sit for Heaven having worn out your body a substance for Love to work upon converting or translating it all into Soul an incorporeal shadow which none but the Gods can imploy to any use yet since you Esteem and Love me as a God to resign up that incorporality I can do no less than return you thanks although I never did merit such a gift But my sins I confess are many and deserve great punishments yet I hope the Gods will be more merciful than to leave me void of reason or to suffer Nature to make me to have extravagant appetites or Heaven to leave me to extravagant appetites but howsoever as occasions fall out I shall shew reverence to your Motherly Gravitie and in the mean time rest Your Admirer FRISK Matron I know not by this Letter whether he will be my Lover or not yet I will kiss it for his sake She kisses the Letter O sweet Letter thou happy Paper that hast receiv'd the pressure of this hand What did he say when he gave you this letter to bring me Maid He talk'd of Pluto and of Hell Matron How of Hell Maid Yes but it was concerning AEneas and Dido Mother Matron fetches a great sigh Matron I hope he will not make me such an Example as Queen Dido nor himself so false a Lover as AEneas but if he should I will cry out O thou my cruel AEneas hast slain me Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Superbe Portrait Faction and Pleasure FAction Now I have seen Madamoiselle la Belle I perceive Fame gives more praise than Nature Beauty Superbe To some she doth Portrait Nay faith for the most part to all Enter Monsieur Sensuality Sensuality O Ladies there is the greatest loss befallen me that ever befell man Portrait What loss Sensuality Why Madamoiselle la Belle is gone Pleasure How gone Is she maried or dead Sensuality Faith she 's as bad as dead to me and worse than if she were maried for if she were a Wife there would be some hopes but her careful Father hath carry'd her away into the Country being jealous of the much company that came to visit her Faction It seems he knew she was apt to be catch'd that he durst not trust her But how came you to receive a greater loss than the rest of the Masculine Visiters Sensuality Because I had greater hopes than I perceive the rest had Portrait Why had you a design to get her for a Wife Sensuality No faith mine was a better design which was to get her for a Mistris Superbe But it was likely she would never have been your Mistris Sensuality It was likely she would have been my Mistris for she was fair and foolish kind and toyish and had an inviting Eye Pleasure Why you may follow her into the Country Sensuality No the City is so well stored as I shall not need to put my self to that trouble as to journey after her Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Mother Matron alone Matron O Love thou tormenter of soft hearts or a melter of hard ones soften the hard heart of Monsieur Frisk and ease my soft and tender heart inflame his spirits to love and refresh mine with his kindness O Venus perswade thy Son in my behalf and consider me by thy self Ha ho Exit Scene 17. Enter Temparance Faction Portrait Pleasure Ambition and Superbe TEmperance I would never have an extraordinary Beauty seen but once and that should be in a publick Assembly Pleasure It is a sign Temperance your beauty is past for would you have an extraordinary Beauty to be buried in oblivion Temperance No for I would have all the World see if it could be shewn to the whole World but I would have it shewn but once and no more Superbe Why so Temperance Because what is common is never highly priz'd but rather despis'd or at least neglected by continuance for that which is at first admir'd as a wonder when it comes to be as domestick is not regarded for it is an old saying That the greatest wonder lasts but nine days Portrait But there is such a sympathy betwixt beauty and sight that as long as beauty doth last sight will take delight to look thereon and the Design End or Fruition of Beauty is to be gaz'd upon for from the sight it receives Praise Love and Desire and by reflection sets all hearts on fire Faction O that I had such a Beauty as would burn every Masculine heart into cinders Temperance Why are you so cruel Lady to wish such a wish to the Masculine Sex Faction My wish proceeds out of love to my self and mercy to men First out of love to my self for as I am a woman I naturally desire Beauty and there is no woman that had not rather have beauty although attended with an unfortunate life than be ill-savour'd to enjoy prosperity The last wish is out of mercy to men for their hearts are so false and foul as no way but burning can purifie them Ambition That were
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
follies I commit are not by Nature born nor yet by Education bred in me Holdfast Sweet Mistris you can no more be guilty of a fault than Angels in Ioves Mansion Fare you well Sir Thomas Letgo the Lady Liberty will counterpoize your losses Sir William Holdfast goes out leading forth his Mistris the Lady Mute whereat Sir Thomas Letgo frowns Liberty Let her go Sir Thomas Letgo for if she be not a Fool for certain she is wanton or otherwise she would not be so well pleas'd with change Letgo He hath affronted me Sir Thomas goes out frowning The company speak to the Lady Liberty 1 Gent. There is no change so visible as the most opposite but Sir Thomas Letgo is both troubled and angry wherefore Lady Liberty you had best try to pacifie him Liberty He is like little children which despise what they have but cry when they are taken from them Exeunt Scene 38. Enter Mistris Parle Mistris Trifle Mistris Vanity and a Matron PArle Ha ha ha prethee teach me something to keep in laughter or I shall disgrace my self for ever Matron Are you so loosly set together that you cannot hold Parle No I shall burst out laughter at this ridiculous Wedding before all the Bridal Company and so be thought rude Matron If you burst out nothing else the company will excuse you for Weddings are compos'd of mirth and jollity and every one hath liberty and leave to sport and play to dance and skip about Parle But if the Bridegroom limping should come to take me out to dance I shall laugh in his face which he will take as an Affront and then will kick me with his wooden stump Matron O no he seems too wise to take Exception and too civil to kick a Lady he will rather kiss you than kick you Parle I had rather he should kick me thrice than kiss me once by Iupiter I would not be his Bride to be the Empress of the whole World Matron It is probable nor he your Bridegroom Enter Mistris Fondly Fondly Come away the Bride is going to bed and you stand talking here Parle To bed say you If I were she I would first choose to go to my Grave Hymen and Cupid bless me from such a bed-fellow as the Bridegroom Trifle Prethee let us watch to see if we can descry whether he hath cloven feet or not Parle Should he have no Cloven Feet yet certainly the Original of his shape came from Hell for surely he was begot by the Devil on some witch or another and his Cloaths were spun by the Devils Dam Vanity The truth is he hath damnable old cloaths on they seem as if they were made of old rags scrap'd out of dunghils Matron I perceive Ladies you prefer Beauty and Cloaths before Virtue and Merit Parle 'Faith Virtue is too rigid to be belov'd and Merit is but an incorporeal Spirit and an incorporeal Spirit is no good bed-fellow Trifle Wherefore I would have a Handsome Personable Fashionable Courtly man Fondly Nay if I could have my wish I would wish for more than one man The young Ladies go out The Grave Matron alone Matron The truth is that one man would have too much by either of those Ladies Exeunt Scene 39. Enter Sir Thomas Letgo and the Lady Liberty Letgo Was it not enough to win but to affront me with my losses Liberty Its true they say Losers have only leave to speak but Winners may be merry Letgo Was there no subject for his mirth but I Enter Sir William Holdfast and his Mistris the Lady Mute Letgo You are a false cheating fellow Holdfast You are a base lying Villain for saying so Letgo You have cozen'd me of my Mistris and I will have her again Holdfast I have won her fairly and honestly and I will keep her with my Life They both draw and fight Mute runs to Sir William Holdfast and cries out Mute For Heaven-sake leave off to sight for me I am not worth the life you hazard for me He speaks while he fights Holdfast Sweet Mistris fear not Death hath no power on me so long as you stand by They fight still Mute O let my sad complaints like murmuring Rivers flow thorough your Ears that running into your Heart may move it to a gentle pity Enter company and parts them Liberty You should have let them fight to see whether Portune hath the same power on their Swords as she hath on the Dice whether she can dispose of Life and Death as of Honour and Riches Letgo You may part us now but we shall meet again Sir Thomas and the company go out only Sir William and the Lady Mute stays The Lady Mute weeps Holdfast My dear Mistris what makes your eyes to flow Mute As my tears flow thorough my eyes so I wish my life may flow thorough my tears then might you live in safety Holdfast Let not your love to me make waste of such Tears that every drop might save a Life nay save a Soul they are so pure and penetrating But your fears doe apprehend my Foe more dangerous than he is Exeunt ACT V. Scene 40. A Bed is thrust on the Stage as presenting the Bride-chamber the Bride being in the Bed finely drest and a company of young Ladies her Companions about her TRifle 'Faith confess to us your Maiden-companions do not you repent Prudence So fat am I from repentance as I should repent were I not as now I am Vanity You will repent before seven years Parle Seven years you mean seven days for seven years to our Sex is seven Ages for Maids and Widows account it so before their mariage and maried Wives do account time so until their Husbands die Fondly 'Faith I think there are few women but when they marry hope to be Widows Parle That 's certain and were it not for such hopes men would hardly get Wives Enter the Bridegroom and a company of Gentlemen and Knights then enters a servant with a rich night-gown or Mantle another servant with a rich Cap Waste-coat and Slippers Then the Bridegroom first pulls off his patch from his Eye then pulls off his bumbast Doublet and then his wooden Leg and his snarled Periwig having a fine head of hair of his own then puts on his wastcoat cap slippers and night-gown he then appearing very handsome the company staring upon him the mean time they as in amazement He speaks to the Ladies Bridegroom Fair Ladies as other men strive to adorn themselves to mend their broken Bodies and patch up their decays with false and feigned shews to cozen credulous women that think them such as they appear when they abuse your sweet gentle natures But lest my Wife should think me better than I am or expect more than I could give her I formed my self far worse than Nature made me nor have I promised more than well I can perform And if she lov'd me crooked lame and blind Now I am perfect she 'll
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
your love upon some other Man in whom all the remembrance of me will be buried Lady Inconstant Dear Husband speak not so Melancholy your words strike such terrour into my heart as I cannot indure to hear them I had rather Death should strike me than you Dear Husband cheer up your self your Disease is only Melancholly wherefore take such nurishing things as may give your Spirits strength and life shall I bring you a little Burnt Wine to comfort your Spirits or some Jelly broath to strenghten your Stomack Francis Inconstant If you please VVife The Lady Inconstant goes out He alone Francis Inconstant Now for the poysoned Draught Enter the Lady with a Porrenger of Broath Lady Inconstant Here my dear heart drink this He takes the Porrenger and when it was in his hand he rises and goeth to the Chamber Door and locks it Lady Inconstant VVhat mean you Husband to lock the Door Francis Inconstant Because none shall enter untill the Broath be drunk VVife She seems to be afraid and desires to go forth of the Chamber He stays her Francis Inconstant No Wife you must not go out for I mean to nourish you with that Broath that you would have nourished me with Lady Inconstant Why Husband I am not Sick I do not require Broath Francis Inconstant O yes VVife your Soul is Sick although your Body is well and this Broath may perchance cure the one although it kills the other wherefore drink it Lady Inconstant I will not Francis Inconstant You shall and if you drink it not willingly I will force it down you throat Lady Inconstant Dear Husband spare me Francis Inconstant Why I give you nothing but that which you prepared for me and if it were good for me it is good for you Lady Inconstant Dear Husband have mercy on me and I will confess my crimes Francis Inconstant No VVife no more mercy than you would have had one me and therefore drink it Lady Inconstant 'T is Poyson Husband Francis Inconstant That is the reason you shall drink it VVife Lady Inconstant Dear Husband let me live but to repent my sinns which like a black thick cloud do cover all my Soul Francis Inconstant This will be a sufficient punishment for if you be punished in this World you may escape the punishment of the next Lady Inconstant Good Husband consider youth that is apt to run into errors not being guided with good Counsel as it ought Francis Inconstant I will consider nothing and therefore drink it or by Heaven I will force you to it and therefore linger not The Lady Inconstant takes the Cap and then kneels and lifts up her eyes towards Heaven and then prayes Lady Inconstant You Gods forgive me my crimes and let this deadly draught purge clean my Soul from sin She drinks the poysoned Broath Francis Inconstant Now VVife have you any Amorous desires to Monsieur Disguise Lady Inconstant No the fire of my unlawfull love is quencht She sinks to the ground Heaven receive my Soul O O Husband forgive me Dies Francis Inconstant Ha she is dead what hath my furious passion done I was too sudden to crop her tender life so hastily without more strickt examinations for it was likely thus spruse Gallant corrupted her with his alluring looks and smoth inticing words which he knew well how to apply and youth is credulous and women soon perswaded and being joyned in one they easily are overcome I do repent He walks a turn or two in a Melancholy muse I will revenge my self of those that were the cause Exeunt Scene 43. Enter the Lady Procurer and the Lady VVanton LAdy Wanton Where is Monsieur Amorous that he comes not with you you said you would bring him with you Procurer Faith he desires to be excused for he saith he is not well Wanton This is but an excuse for he hath made an hundred within this week but since he doth neglect me I will have another that shall be more constant Procurer You are wise Madam for since men are so various as they are women would seem but fools should they be constant Wanton Well then Madam you must do me a favour for since I became acquainted with Monsieur Amorous upon your perswasion you must contrive a private meeting for me and another Gentleman upon my perswasion Procurer Sweet Lady you do oblige me to imploy me in your Service Exeunt Scene 44. Enter two Maid Servants that were the Lady Poverties 1 MAid O Ursely I am glad to see thee with all my heart 2 Maid Truly Ioan so am I to see you 1 Maid When did you hear of our good Lady the Lady Poverty 2 Maid It was not long since I saw her 1 Maid And how doth she live poor Lady 2 Maid Why she lives privately but is likely to live happy enough for let friends have now taken care of her and her Children upon the condition that she will receive no visits from her Husband but banish his Company left he should encrease their charge with more Children neither will they allow him any thing 1 Maid By my troth he doth not deserve any maintenance but I am glad she is provided for being a shiftless creature for her self and Children but where do you live Ursely 2 Maid Why I live with an old Widower 1 Maid And I with a grave Matronly Widow wherefore let us endeavour to make a match betwixt them that so we may live once again in a House together for you and I were always dear friends you know 2 Maid 'T is true Iane but as you are my friend I must tell you I should be an ill friend to my self if I should perswade my Master to marry 1 Maid Nay if it be so Ursely make the best of him and if thou wilt shew me where thou dwellest I will come and visit thee when I have leisure 2 Maid Come with me and I will shew you where I live Exeunt Scene 45. A Table set out cover'd and furnish'd with meat Enter Sir Humphrey Disagree and the Lady Disagree and their Friends every one takes their place and sits as to eat SIr Humphrey Disagree Wife where are the Fidlers that you promist we should have Lady Disagree I did forbid them to play untill such time as we had half din'd for their scraping would hinder our eating Humphrey Disagree Pray wife let them come in for I love my meat should dance in my mouth my teeth keeping just time to the tune and the Musick will make my meat turn nimbly in my mouth and will heat my cast to a high gusto Lady Disagree The noise that they will make will take away my Stomack and will make my head ake besides no body will hear one another speak neither will our Servants hear what we call for Humphrey Disagree It will make our Servants the more diligent for Musick will revive their Spirits and will make them agil wherefore pray VVife let them come in and play Lady
this discourse is that since Self-love is the Fountain of and in Nature from whence issue out several Springs to every several Creature wherein Mankind being her chiefest and Supreme work is filled with the fullest Springs from that Fountain which is the cause that Mankind is more industrious cruel and unsatiable to and for his self ends than any other Creature he spares nothing that he hath power to destroy if he fears any hurt or hopes for any gain or finds any pleasure or can make any sport or to imploy his idle time he melts metalls distills and dissolves plants dissects animals substracts and extracts Elements he digs up the bowels of the Earth cuts through the Ocean of the Sea gathers the winds into Sails fresh waters into Mills and imprisons the thinner Ayre he Hunts he Fowls he Fishes for sport with Gunns Nets and Hooks he cruelly causeth one Creature to destroy another the whilst he looks on with delight he kills not only for to live but lives for to kill and takes pleasure in torturing the life of other Creatures in prolonging their pains and lengthning their Deaths and when Man makes friendship of Love it is for his own sake either in humouring his passion or feeding his humour or to strengthen his party or for Trust or Counsel or Company or the like causes if he dies for his friend it is either for fame or that he cannot live himself happy without his friend his passion and grief making him restless if Man loves his Children Wife or Parents t is for his own sake he loves his Parents for the honour he receives by them or for the life he received of them if he loves his Wife or the Wife the Husband it is for their own sakes as their own pleasure as either for their Beauties Wits Humours or other Graces or for their Company or Friendships or because they think they love them if they love their Children it is for their own sakes as to keep alive their memory and to have their duty and obedience to bow and do homage to them If Masters love their Servants it is for their own sakes because they are trusty faithfull and industrious in their affairs imployments or for their own profit or ease and if Servants love their Masters it is for their own sakes as either for their power to protect them or for the regard they have to them or for the gain they get from them or for their lives that are nourished and maintained by them if Amorous Lovers love it is for their own sakes as to please the Appetite and to satisfy their desires if Subjects love their Soveraigns it is for their own sakes as that they may have Law and Justice Peace and Unity If Sovereigns love their Subjects it is for their own sakes because they bear up his Throne with their Wealth and Industry and fight to maintain or get him power My Application most Noble and Right Honourable is that since we do all and in every act for our own sakes we should indeavour and study for that which is best for our selves and the ground of our indeavour is to learn and know our selves every particular person must learn and know himself not by comparative as observing others for every man is not alike but by self study reading our own Natures and Dispositions marking our own Passions mours and Appetites with the Pen of Thought and Ink of Examination and let the Truth be the Tutor to instruct you in the School of Reason in which you may Commence Master of Art and go out Doctor of Judgment to practise Temperance for Temperance keeps in its full strength prolongs Beauty quickens Wit ripens Youth refreshes Age restores Decayes keeps Health maintains Life and hinders Times ruines but Temperance is not only a Doctor of Physick a Physician to the Body but a Doctor of Divinity a Divine for the Soul It preaches and teaches good Life it instructs with the Doctrine of Tranquillity and guides to the Heaven of Happiness also Temperance is the Doctor of Musick it tunes the Senses composes the Thoughts it notes the Passions it measures the Appetites and playes a Harmonious Mind Thus Most Noble and Right Honourable I have proved that Self-love is the Fountain of Nature and the Original Springs of her Creatures and that Temperance is the strongest Foundation of Self-love although few build thereupon but upon Intemperance which is a huge Bulk of Excess the substance of Riot worm eaten with Surfers rotten with Pain and sinks down to death with Sickness and Grief not being able to bear and uphold Life wherefore build your Lives upon Temperance which is a strong and sure Foundation which will never fail but will uphold your Lives as long as Time and Nature permits them and your Souls will dwell peaceably and happily therein Exeunt ACT V. Scene 14. Enter Madamoiselle Amor alone as musing to her self alone then speaks MAdamoiselle Amor I will confess to him my Love since my designs are Noble but O for a woman to woo a man is against Nature and seems too bold nay impudent only by a contrary custome but why should not a woman confess she loves before she is wooed when after a seeming coyness gives consent as being won more by a Treaty than by Love when her obscure thoughts know well her heart was his at first bound as his prisoner and only counterfeits a freedome besides it were unjust although an antient custome if dissembling should be preferred before a Modern Truth for length of Time and often practices makes not Falshood Truth nor Wrong Right nor Evill Good then I will break down Customs Walls and honest Truth shall lead me on Love plead my Sute and if I be deny'd My heart will break and Death my Face will hide Exit Scene 15. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Wife whither do you go when I come near you you always turn to go from me Madamoiselle Esperance I saw you not for I had rather be fixt as a Statue than move to your dislike Monsieur Esperance Why do you blush surely you are guilty of some crime Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is said blushing comes unsent for and departs without leave and that it oftner visits Innocency than guilt Madamoiselle Esperance weeps Monsieur Esperance What do you weep Madamoiselle Esperance How can I otherwise choose when my Innocent Life and True Love is suspected and all my pure affections are cast away like dross and the best of all my actions condemn'd as Traytors and my unspotted Chastity blemish'd with soul Jealousy and defamed with slandering words Monsieur Esperance Prethy Wife do not weep for every tear wounds me to Death and know it is my extreme Love which creates my fears but you might have had a Husband with more faults Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is true but not so many noble qualities as you have which makes
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
of practice more Masculine Souldiers are overcome by their Arms than by their Enemies for the unaccustomedness makes them so unwieldy as they can neither defend themselves nor assault their Foes whereas Custome will make them feel as light as their Skins on their Flesh or their Flesh on their Bones nay Custome hath that force as they will feel as if their Bodies were Naked when as their Arms are off and as Custome makes the Cold and peircing Ayr to have no power over the naked Bodyes of men for in cold Countreys as well as hot men have been accustomed to go naked and have felt no more harm nor so much by the cold than those that are warmly Cloathed so Custome will make your Arms seem as light as if you had none on when for want of use their waight will seem heavy their several pieces troublesome and incombersome as their Gorgets will seem to press down their Shoulders their Back and Breast-plates and the rest of the several pieces to cut their waste to pinch their Body to bind their Thighes to ty their Arms and their Headpiece to hinder their breath to darken their sight and to stop their hearing and all for want of use and Custome but enough of this read on Reader Secondly Be it known observed and practised that every Company must watch by turns whether they have Enemyes neer or no and at all times and whosoever Drinks any thing but Water or Eats any thing but Bread all the time they are on the watch shall be punished with fasting Lady Victoria Give me leave to declare the reason of this Law the reason is that stronge Drinks and nourishing meats send many vapours to the Brain which vapours are like several Keys which lock up the Senses so fast as neither loud noises bright lights nor strong sents can enter either at the Ears Eyes or Nostrils insomuch as many times their Enemies send Death to break them asunder Reader Thirdly Be it known observed and practised that none of the Troopers march over Corn Fields if it can be avoided unless the Enemy should be behind and then the more spoil the better Lady Victoria The reason of this is that it were a great imprudence to destroy through a careless march of Horse and Foot that which would serve to feed and nourish us in the Winter time and in our Winter Quarters when it is laid in the Barns and Granaries by the labour and the industry of the Farmers Reader Fourthly Be it known observed and practised that none shall plunder those things which are waighty of carriage unless it be for safety or necessity Lady Victoria The reason is of this that all that is heavy in the carriage is a hindrance in our march Reader Fiftly Be it known observed and practised that no Souldiers shall play at any Game for money or drink but only for meat to eat Lady Victoria The reason of this is that those that play for drink the winners will be drunk and those that are drunk are unfit for service besides many disorders are caused by drunkenness and to play for money the losers grow Cholerick and quarrels proceed therefrom which quarrels many times cause great mutinies through their side taking and factious parties besides having lost their money and not their Appetites they become weak and faint for want of that nourishing food their money should get them having nothing left to buy them victuals withall besides it forces them to forrage further about where by straggling far from the body of the Army they are subject to be catch'd by the Enemy but when they play for meat their winnings nourish their Bodies making them strong and vigorous and when their Appetites are satisfied and their Stomacks are fill'd their humours are pleasant and their minds couragious besides it is the Nature of most Creatures either to distribute or at least to leave the remaining pieces to the next takers so that the losers may have a share with the winners and part of what was their own again Reader Sixtly Be it known observed and practised that no Captains or Collonels shall advance beyond their Company Troop Regiment or Brigade but keep in the middle of the first rank and the Lieutenant or Lieutenant Collonel to come behind in the last rank Lady Victoria The reason of this is that Collonels and Captains going a space before their Troops Companies or Regiments for to encourage and lead on their Souldiers do ill to set themselves as marks for the Enemy to shoot at and if the Chief Commanders should be kill'd the Common Souldiers would have but faint hearts to fight but for the most part they will run away as being affraid and ashamed to see the Enemy when their Chief Commander is kill'd and if they have no Officer or Commander behind them the Common Souldiers will be apt to run away having no worthy witnesses or Judges to view and condemn their base Cowardly actions which otherwise they are ashamed of chusing rather to fight their Enemies than to make known their fears Reader Seventhly Be it known observed and practised that none of the Army ly in Garrison Towns but be always intrenched abroad Lady Victoria The reason of this is that Towns breed or beget a tenderness of Bodies and laziness of limbs luxurious Appetites and soften the natural dispositions which tenderness luxury effeminacy and laziness corrupts and spoils martial discipline whereas the open Fields and casting up trenches makes Souldiers more hardy laborious and carefull as being more watchfull Eightly Be it known observed and practised that none unless visibly sick to be idle but imployed in some Masculine action as when not imployed against an Enemy and that they are not imployed about the works forts or trenches but have spare time to imploy themselves in throwing the Bar Tripping Wrastling Running Vaulting Riding and the like exercise Reader Ninthly Be it known observed and practised that every Commander when free from the Enemies surprizals shall train their men thrice a week at least nay every day if they can spare so much time as putting their Souldiers into several ranks files and figures in several Bodies apart changing into several places and the like Lady Victoria The reason of this is that the Souldiers may be expert and ready and not be ignorant when they encounter their Enemies for many a Battel is lost more through the ignorance of the Souldiers not being well and carefully train'd by their Commanders or having such Commanders that know not how to train or draw them up there are more Battels I say lost thus than for want of men or courage Reader Tenthly Be it known observed and practised that every Morning when Incamp'd that every Commander shall make and offer in the midst of his Souldiers a Prayer to Mars another to Pallas a third to Fortune and a fourth to Fame these Prayers to be presented to these Gods and Goddesses with great Ceremony both from the
Gentlemen Doll Pascify Gentlemen would you speak with me Monsieur la Gravity Yes for we desire you will help us to the honour of kissing your Ladyes hands thereon to offer our service Doll Pacify Sir you must excuse me for the Sign of VVidowhood is not as yet hung out Mourning is not on nor the scutcheons are not hung over the Gate but if you please to come two or three dayes hence I may do you some service but now it will be to no purpose to tell my Lady for I am sure she will receive no visits Exeunt FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES The Lord General and many Commanders Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur le Compagnion Monsieur Comerade Doctor Educature Doctor Comfort and divers Gentlemen Messengers Servants Officers and others Lady Victoria and many Heroicks Lady Jantils Lady Passionate Doll Pacify Nell Careless City Wives and others THE SECOND PART OF BELL IN CAMPO ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOll Pacify Good Master Priest go comfort my old Lady Doctor Comfort If you will Comfort me I will strive to Comfort her Doll Pacify So we shall prove the Crums of Comfort Doctor Comfort But is my Lady so sad still Doll Pacify Faith to day she hath been better than I have seen her for she was so patient as to give order for Blacks but I commend the young Lady Madam Iantil who bears out the Siege of Sorrow most Couragiously and on my Conscience I believe will beat grief from the fort of her heart and become victorious over her misfortunes Doctor Comfort Youth is a good Souldier in the Warfare of Life and like a valiant Cornet or Ensign keeps the Colours up and the Flag flying in despite of the Enemies and were our Lady as young as Madam Iantil she would grieve less but to lose an old Friend after the loss of a young Beauty is a double nay a trible affliction because there is little or no hopes to get another good Husband for though an old woman may get a Husband yet ten thousand to one but he will prove an Enemy or a Devill Doll Pacify It were better for my Lady if she would marry again that her Husband should prove a Devill than a Mortal Enemy for you can free her from the one though not from the other for at your words the great Devil will avoid or vanish and you can bind the lesser Devils in Chains and whip them with holy Rods untill they rore again Doctor Comfort Nay we are strong enough for the Devil at all times and in all places neither can he deceive us in any shape unless it be in the shape of a young Beauty and then I confess he overcomes us and torments our hearts in the fire of love beyond all expression Doll Pacify If I were a Devil I would be sure to take a most beautifull shape to torment you but my Lady will torment me if I stay any longer here Exeunt Scene 2. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Sir you being newly come from the Army pray what news 2 Gent. I suppose you have heard how our Army was forced to fight by the Enemies provocations hearing the Lord General lay sick whereupon the Generals Lady the Lady Victoria caused her Amazonians to march towards the Masculine Army and to entrench some half a mile distance therefrom which when the Masculine Army heard thereof they were very much troubled thereat and sent a command for them to retreat back fearing they might be a disturbance so a destruction unto them by doing some untimely or unnecessary action but the Female Army returned the Masculine Army an Answer that they would not retreat unless they were beaten back which they did believe the Masculine Sex would not having more honour than to fight with the Female Sex but if the men were so base they were resolved to stand upon their own defence but if they would let them alone they would promise them upon the honour of their words not to advance any nearer unto the Masculine Army as long as the Masculine Army could assault their Enemies or defend themselves and in this posture I left them Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady Victoria and her Heroickesses LAdy Victoria Noble Heroickesses I have intelligence that the Army of Reformations begins to flag wherefore now or never is the time to prove the courage of our Sex to get liberty and freedome from the Female Slavery and to make our selves equal with men for shall Men only sit in Honours chair and Women stand as waiters by shall only Men in Triumphant Chariots ride and Women run as Captives by shall only men be Conquerors and women Slaves shall only men live by Fame and women dy in Oblivion no no gallant Heroicks raise your Spirits to a noble pitch to a deaticall height to get an everlasting Renown and infinite praises by honourable but unusual actions for honourable Fame is not got only by contemplating thoughts which lie lasily in the Womb of the Mind and prove Abortive if not brought forth in living deeds but worthy Heroickesses at this time Fortune desires to be the Midwife and if the Gods and Goddesses did not intend to favour our proceedings with a safe deliverance they would not have offered us so fair and fit an opportunity to be the Mothers of glorious Actions and everlasting Fame which if you be so unnatural to strangle in the Birth by fearfull Cowardize may you be blasted with Infamy which is worse than to dye and be forgotten may you be whipt with the torturing tongues of our own Sex we left behind us and may you be scorned and neglected by the Masculine Sex whilst other women are preferred and beloved and may you walk unregarded untill you become a Plague to your selves but if you Arm with Courage and fight valiantly may men bow down and worship you birds taught to sing your praises Kings offer up their Crowns unto you and honour inthrone you in a mighty power May time and destiny attend your will Fame be your scribe to write your actions still And may the Gods each act with praises fill All the women Fear us not fear us not we dare and will follow you wheresoever and to what you dare or will lead us be it through the jawes of Death THE PRAYER Lady Victoria GReat Mars thou God of War grant that our Squadrons may like unbroaken Clouds move with intire Bodyes let Courage be the wind to drive us on and let our thick swell'd Army darken their Sun of hope with black despair let us powre down showers of their blood to quench the firy flames of our revenge And where those showers fall their Deaths as seeds Sown in times memory sprout up our deeds And may our Acts Triumphant gat lands make Which Fame may wear for our Heroicks sake Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort Doll how doth our Lady since the burying of my Patron Doll Pacify