honest soul and heart that is ready to serve you in any honest way but since I am deceived and couzened into love by false reports finding the best of man-kind basely wicked and all the World so bad that praise nothing good and strives to poyson vertue I will inancor my self and live on Antidotes of prayers for fear of the infection Lord Singul. And I will not you pray for me Affectionata I cannot chose my Lord for gratitude inforces me First because I have loved you next because I have served you and give me leave to kiss your hand and then there drop some tears at my departure Weeping kneels down and kisses her hand Lord Singularity Rise you must not go away until you have cleared your self from being a spie Affectionata I fear no accusations Exeunt FINIS THE SECOND PART OF LOVES ADVENTURES THe Lord Singularity Sir Serious Dumb Sir Timothy Compliment Sir Humphry Bold Sir Roger Exception Sir Peaceable Studious Foster Trusty Collonels Captains Lieutenants and Corporals Petitioners Officers Messengers Iudges Iuries Servants The Lady Orphant Lady Bashfull Lady Ignorance Lady Wagtail Lady Amorous Nurse Fondly Mistriss Reformer Lady Bashfulls woman Chamber-maids EPILOGUE NOble Spectators you have spent this day Not only for to see but judge our Play Our Authoress sayes she thinks her Play is good If that her Play be rightly understood If not 't is none of her fault for she writ The Acts the Scenes the Language and the Wit Wherefore she sayes that she is not your Debtor But you are hers until you write a better Of even terms to be she understands Impossible except you clap your hands THE SECOND PART ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lady Bashfulls Chamber-maid and Mrs. Reformer her woman REformer This dumb Lower is the most diligent'st servant that ever was and methinks my Lady is somewhat more confident than she was for she will sit and read whilst he sits by Maid Doth she read to him Reformer No she reads to herself Maid There comes abundance of Gallants to visit my Lady every day and they have all one answer that is she is not willing to receive visits and they all go civilly away unless Sir Humphry Bold and he rails horribly Reformer I have received from several Gentlemen above 20. Letters a day and as fast as they come she makes me burn them Maid But she reads them first Reformer No I read them to her Maid And doth she answer all those Letters Reformer She never answered one in her life and I dare swear she never will The Lady Bashfull calls as within another Room Reformer Madam Exeunt Scene 2. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata Lord Singularity Affectionata Hast thou forgiven me my fault of doubting of thy vertue so much as to put it to a Tryal Affectionata My Noble Lord have you forgiven my facility and wavering faith that could so easily and in so short a time believe you could be wicked although you did accuse your self Lord Singularity Nay Affectionata I did not accuse my self though I did try thee Affectionata Then I have committed a treble fault through my mistake which requires a treble forgiveness Lord Singularity Thou art so vertuous thou canst not commit a fault and therefore needs no forgiveness Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady VVagtail and Sir Humphry Bold SIr Humpry Bold Madam You have been pleased to profess a friendship to me and I shall desire you will do a friendly part for me Lady Wagtail Any thing that lyes in my power good Sir Humphry Bold Sir Humphry Bold Then pray Madam speak to the Lady Bashfull in my behalf that I may be her Husband Lady Wagtail I will Sir Humphry but she is bashfull yet I was there Yesterday and she entertained me indifferently well but seemed to be wonderfull coy but howsoever I will do my poor indeavour Sir Humphry Sir Humphry Bold Pray do Madam Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Affectionata walking in a melancholly posture his Hat pulled over his brows and his arms inter-folded To him enters the Lord Singularity LOrd Singularity My Affectionata Why walks thou so melancholly He pulls of his Hat to his Lord and Bows Affectionata The cause is not that I lye under an aspersion by reason I lye not under a crime But truly my Lord I am troubled that I am threatened to be tormented for I would not willingly indure pain though I could willingly receive death but as for the aspersions I am no wayes concerned for I make no question but my honest life my just actions and the truth of my words will so clear me at the last as I shall appear as innocent to the World as Angels doth in Heaven Lord Singularity Comfort your self for I will rather suffer death than you shall suffer pain Affectionata Heaven defend you my Lord whatsoever I suffer Ex. Scene 5. Enter the Lady VVagtail and Mistriss Reformer LAdy Wagtail Pray Mistriss Reformer be Sir Humphry Bold's friend to thy Lady and I protest to thee he shall be thy friend as long as he and you live and I do not see any reason your Lady should refuse him for he is both as proper and stout a man as any is living this day in the Land Reformer Indeed Madam I dare not mention it to my Lady for she is so adverse against marriage as she takes those for her enemies as doth but mention it Lady Wagtail Then surely she is not a woman for there is none of the effeminate Sex but takes it for a disgrace to live an old maid and rather than dye one they will marry any man that will have them and the very fear of not marrying is so terrible to them as whilst they are so young as they are not fit to make wives they will miserably cast away themselves to the first that makes a proffer although they be poor base or mean rather than venture to try out their fortunes Reformer But my Lady is not of that humour Lady Wagtail Come come I know thou canst perswade thy Lady if thou wouldst and if you will Sir Humphry Bold will give thee 500 l. to buy thee a Husband for thou hast lived too long a maid I faith Reformer I am not a maid Madam I am a widow Lady Wagtail What a musty widow Reformer I know not whether I am musty but I am a widow Lady Wagtail Let mee tell thee that it is as great a disgrace to live a widow as an old maid wherefore take thee 500 l. to get thee a second Husband Reformer Truly I would not sell my Lady for all the World much less for 500 l. neither would I marry again if I were young and might have my choyce Lady Wagtail Lord bless me and send me out of this house least it should infect me for let me tell thee were my Husband dead to morrow I would marry the day after his Funeral if I could get any man to marry me and so I would serve 20. Husbands
will send you amongst the effeminate Sex where you may learn to sport with Ladies as well as fight with Turks Affectionata speaks softly to her self pray Jove they do not search me Exeunt Scene 26. Enter the Lady Wagtail and the Lady Amorous LAdy Wagtail I can tell you news Lady Amorous What news Lady Wagtail Sir Serious Dumb can speak again Lady Amorous I am sorrow for that for now he may tell tales out of School Lady Wagtail If he do we will whip him with the rods of tongues which is more sharp than the rods of wyer Lady Amorous We may whip him with words but we our selves shall feel the smart of reproch Lady Wagtail How simply you talk as if reproch could hurt a woman when reproch is born with us and dyes with us Lady Amorous If reproch have no power of our Sex why are all women so carefull to cover their faults and so fearfull to have their crimes divulged Lady Wagtail Out of two reasons first because those of the masculine Sex which have power as Fathers Uncles Brothers and Husbands would cut their throats if they received any disgrace by them for disgrace belongs more to men than women The other reason is that naturally women loves secrets yet there is nothing they can keep secret but their own particular faults neither do they think pleasure sweet but what is stollen Lady Amorous By your favour women cannot keep their own faults secret Lady Wagtail O yes those faults that may ruine them if divulged but they cannot keep a secret that is delivered to their trust for naturally women are unfit for trust or council Lady Amorous But we are fit for faction Lady Wagtail The World would be but a dull World if it were not for industrious factions Lady Amorous The truth is that if it were not for faction the World would lye in the cradle of Peace and be rock'd into a quiet sleep of security Lady Wagtail Prithee talk not of quiet and peace and rest for I hate them as bad as death Lady Amorous Indeed they resemble death for in death there is no wars nor noise Lady Wagtail Wherefore it is natural for life neither to have rest nor peace being cantrary to death Exeunt ACT IV. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata AFfectionata My Lord I hear the King hath invited you to attend him in his progress this Summer Lord Singularity Yes but I have made my excuse and have got leave to stay at home for I will tell thee truly that I had rather march ten miles with an Artillery than travel one with a Court and I had rather fight a battel than be bound to ceremony or flattery which must be practised if one live at Court Besides I have been bred to lead an Armie and not to follow a Court And the custom of the one have made me unacquainted and so unfit for the other for though I may truly say I am a good Souldier yet I will confess ingenuously to thee I am a very ill Courtier Affectionata I think they are the most happiest that are least acquainted with a great Monarchs Court Lord Singularity I will tell thee a discourse upon this theam in the time of Henry the eighth of England there were many Courtiers of all degrees about him and the theam of their discourse was who was the happiest man in England So all the Nobles and inferiour Courtiers agreed unanimously it was his Majesty and it could be no man else and they all said that their judgements was so clear in that point that it could not admit of a contradiction or dispute Said Henry the eighth by the body of our Lord you are all mistaken then said one of the Courtiers I beseech your Majesty to tell us who is the happiest man By the Lord said the King that Gentleman that lives to his profit and dare moderately spend for his pleasure and that neither knows me nor I know him he is the happiest man in the Kingdom and I am of Henry the eights opinion but howsoever it were better to be such a one that goeth with the bagge and baggage of an Armie than one of the tail of a Court Affectionata But your Lordship would not refuse to be as the chief as to be a Favourite for a Favourite is more sought feared and flattered than the King himself Lord Singularity I think I should not refuse to be a Favourite by reason a Favourite is a General to command Martial and Conduct in all affairs both at home and abroad in peace and in war and all by the power and authority of the commission of Favourites Affectionata Which Commission hath a greater and larger extent than any other Commission Lord Singularity You say right for it extends as far as the Kings power Exeunt Scene 27. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Reformer her woman REformer Madam shall your wedding be private or publick Lady Bashfull Private Reformer I wonder you will have it private Lady Bashfull Why do you wonder Reformer Because the wedding-wedding-day is the only triumphant day of a young maids life Lady Bashfull Do you call that a triumphant day that inslaves a woman all her life after no I will make no triumph on that day Reformer Why you had better have one day than none Lady Bashfull If my whole life were triumphant it would be but as one day when it was past or rather as no day nor time for what is past is as if it never were and for one day I will never put my self to that ceremonious trouble which belongs to feasting revelling dressing and the like Reformer I perceive your Ladyship desires to be undrest upon the wedding-Wedding-day Lady Bashfull No that I do not but as I will not be carelesly undrest so I will not be drest for a Pageant show Exeunt Scene 28. Enter the Lord Singularity and AFfectionata AFfectionata I think there is no Family more methodically ordered prudently governed than your Lordships Lord Singularity It were a disgrace to my profession if I should not well know how to command for a good Commander in the field can tell how to be a good Manager in his private Family although a prudent Master of a Family knows not how to be a skilfull Commander in the field but a prudent Master must have a trusty Steward so a knowing General must have a carefull and skilfull Lieutenant-General or else he will be very much troubled also both Master and General must have other Officers or else they will not find their Accounts or Conquests as he hopes or expects For neither General nor Master can order every particular command nor rectifie every particular errour himself for a Generals Office is only to direct order and command the chief Officers and not the common Souldiers So the Master of a Family is only to direct order and command his Steward he the rest of the Officers and the common servants every one must order those that belongs
say he was the honour of the Age the glory of our Nation and a pattern for all mankind to take a sample from and that his person was answerable to his merrits for he said he was a very handsome man of a Masculine presence a Courtly garbe and affable and courteous behaviour and that his wit was answerable to his merits person and behaviour as that he had a quick wit a solid judgment a ready tongue and a smooth speech Mrs. Acquaintance And did your Father proffer you to be his wife Lady Orphant Yes and I remember my father sighing said he should have died in peace and his soul would have rested in quiet if he had been pleased to have accepted of me Mrs. Acquaintance When did your Father proffer you Lady Orphant When I was but a Child Mrs. Acquaintance He is not married and therefore he may chance to accept of you now if you were profer'd Lady Orphant That were but to be refused again for I heare he is resolved never to marry and it will be a greater disgrace to be refused now I am grown to womans Estate than when I was but a Child besides my Father is dead and my marring can give him no content in the grave unless his soul could view the world and the severall actions therein Mrs. Acquaintance So is his Father dead Lady Orphant Yes and I here that is the cause he cares not to return into his native Country Mrs. Acquaintance I have a friend that hath his picture Lady Orphant Is it a he or a she friend Lady Acquaintance A she friend Lady Orphant Pray be so much my friend as to get your friends consent to shew me the Picture Mrs. Acquaintance Perchance I may get it to view it my self but I shall never perswade her to lend it you jealousy will forbid her Lady Orphant She hath no cause to fear me for I am not one to make an Amorous Mrs. and I have heard he will never marry Mrs. Acquaintance That is all one woman hath hopes as much as feares or doubts what ever men doth vow for or against Lady Orphant Pray send to her to lend it you and then you may shew it me Mrs. Acquaintance I will try if she will trust me with it Exit Lady Orphant Solus O Heaven grant that the praise my Father gave this Lord whilst in the world he lived prove not as curses to me his Child so grieve his soul with my unhappy life Exit Scene 4. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Mrs. Reformer her woman she being in yeares MIstriss Reformer Madam now you are become a Mrs. of a Family you must learn to entertain visitants and not be so bashfull as you were wont to be insomuch as you had not confidence to look a stranger in the face were they never so mean persons Lady Bashfull Alas Reformer it is neither their birth breeding wealth or title that puts me out of Countenance for a poor Cobler will put me as much out of Countenance as a Prince or a poor Semestress as much as a great Lady Mrs. Reformer What is it then Lady Bashfull Why there are unacustomated faces and unacquainted humours Mrs. Reformer By this reason you may be as much out of countenance as an unacustomed Dogg or Cat that you never saw before or any other beast Lady Bashfull O no for mankind is worse natured than boasts and beasts better natured than men besides beasts lookes not with censuring eyes nor heares or listens with inquisitive cares nor speakes with detracting tongues nor gives false judgment or spitefull censures or slandering reproaches nor jeeres nor laughs at innocent or harmless Errours nor makes every little mistake a crime Enter the Lady Bashfulls Page Page Madam there is a Coachfull of gallants allighted at the gate Lady Bashfull For heavens sake say I have no desire to be seen Reformer No say my Lady is full of grief and is not fit to receive visits Enter the Ladyes and Gentlemen Whereat the Lady Bashfull stands trembling and shaking and her eyes being cast to the ground and her face as pale as death They speak to Reformer Where is the Lady Bashfull pray Gentlewoman tell her we are come to kiss her hands Reformer offers to go forth Lady Wagtaile Will you do us the favour old Gentlewoman as to let the Lady know we are here Reformer If I am not so old as to be insensible this is she Lady Wagtaile Is this she alas good Lady she is not well for surely she hath a fit of an Ague upon her she doth so shake you should give her a Carduus-possit and put her to bed Lady Amorous Lady are you sick She Answers not Lady Wagtaile She is sick indeed if she be speechless Reformer Madam pray pull up your spirits and entertain this honourable Company Lady Wagtaile Why is the defect in her spirits Reformer She is young and bashfull They all laugh except Sir Roger Exception and Sir Serious Dumb. Ha! Ha! She is out of countenance Sir Roger Exception No she is angry because we are strangers unknown unto her and she takes it for a rudeness that we are come to visit her therefore let us be gone Lady Amorous Let me tell you it is meer shamefacedness Sir Roger Exception I say no for those that are angry will shake extreamly and turn as pale as death Sir Humphrey Bold Lady take courage and look upon us with a confident brow All the while Sir Serious Dumb lookes on the Lady Bashfull with sixt eyes The Lady Bashfull offers to speak to the Company but cannot for stuttering they all laugh again at her Reformer Lord Madam I will you make your self ridiculous Lady Bashfull I cannot help it for my thoughts are consumed in the fiery flame of my blushes and my words are smothered in the smoak of shame Lady Wagtaile O! she speakes she speakes a little Reformer Pray Madam leave her at this time and if you honour her with your Company again she may chance to entertain you with some confidence Lady Wagtaile Pray let me and Sir Humphry Bold come and visit her once a day if it be but halfe an hour at a time and we shall cure her I warrant thee Reformer I wish she were cured of this imperfection Sir Humphry Bold She must marry she must marry for there is no cure like a husband for husbands beget confidence and their wives are brought a bed with impudence Lady Wagtaile By your favour Sir Humphry Bold marriage must give way or place to courtship for there are some wives as simply bashfull as Virgins but when did you ever see or know or hear of courtly lovers or Amorous courtships to be bashfull Their eyes are as piercing as light and twinckles as Starrs and their countenance as confident as day and the discourses is freer than wind He imbraces her Sir Humphry Bold And your imbraces are wondrous kind Lady Wagtaile In troth we women love you men but too well that
shall perswade me for this time Lady Ignorance I thank you Husband Ex. Scene 12. Enter the Lady Orphant and Foster Trusty as two Pilgrims FOster Trusty My childe you were best sit and rest your self you cannot chose but be very weary for we have travelled a great journey to day Lady Orphant Truly I am as fresh and my spirits are as lively as if I had not trod a step to day Foster Trusty I perceive love can work miracles Lady Orphant Are not you Father a weary Foster Trusty It were a shame for me to be weary when you are not But my childe we must change these Pilgrims weeds when we are out of our own Countrey as when we are in Italy otherwise we cannot pretend to stay in the Venetian Armie but must travel as Pilgrims do to Ierusalem But it were best we put our selves into Beggers garments until we come into the Armie for fear we should be strip'd by Thieves for I have heard Thieves will strip Travellers if their cloths be not all ragges Lady Orphant 'T is true and Thieves as I have heard will rob Pilgrims soonest finding many good Pilladge wherefore we will accoutre our selves like to ragged Beggers Ex. ACT III Scene 13. Enter the Lady Bashfull as in a melancholly humour and Reformer her Woman REformer Lord Madam I hope you are not seriously troubled for being out of Countenance Lady Bashfull Yes truely Reformer What as to make you melancholly Lady Bashfull Yes very melancholly when I think I have made my self a scorn and hath indangered my reputation Reformer Your reputation Heaven bless you but your life is so innocent harmless chaste pure and sweet and your actions so just and honest as all the Divels in Hell cannot indanger your reputation Lady Bashfull But spitefull tongues which are worse than Divels may hurt my reputation Reformer But spite cannot have any thing to say Lady Bashfull Spite will lye rather than not speak for envie is the mother to spite and slander is the Mid-wife Reformer Why what can they say Lady Bashfull They will say I am guilty of some immodest act or at least thoughts or else of some heynous and horrid crime otherwise I could not be ashamed or out of countenance if I were innocent Reformer They cannot say ill or think ill but if they could and did what are you the worse as long as you are innocent Lady Bashfull Yes truely for I desire to live in a pure esteem and an honourable respect in every breast and to have a good report spoke on me since I deserve no other Reformer There is an old saying that opinion travels without a Passe-port and they that would have every ones good opinion must live in every mans age But I am very confident there is none lives or dyes without censures or detraction even the Gods themselves that made man hath given man power and free will to speak at least to think what they will That makes so many Athiests in thought and so many several factions by disputation and since the Gods cannot or will not be free from censures why should you trouble your self with what others say wherefore pray put off this indiscreet and troublesome humour for if you would not regard censure you would be more confident Lady Bashfull I will do what I can to mend Scene 14. Enter the Lady Orphant and Foster Trusty like two poor Beggers FOster Childe you must beg of every one that comes by otherwise we shall not seem right Beggers Lady Orphant If our necessities were according to our outward appearance we were but in a sad condition for I shall never get any thing by begging for I have neither learn'd the tone nor the Beggers phrase to more pity or charity Foster Trusty Few Beggers move pity they get more by importunity than by their oratorie or the givers charity Enter 2. Gentlemen She goeth to them and beggs Lady Orphant Noble Gentlemen pity the shiftless youth and infirm old age that hath no means to live but what compassionate charity will bestow 1. Gentleman You are a young boy and may get your living by learning to work Lady Orphant But my Father being very old is past working and I am so young as I have not arrived to a learning degree of age and by that time I have learn'd to get my living my Father may be starved for want of food 2. Gent. Why your Father may beg for himself whilst you learn to work Lady Orphant My Father 's feeble legs can never run after the flying speed of pityless hearts nor can he stand so long to wait for conscience aimes nor knock so hard to make devotion hear 1. Gent. I perceive you have learn'd to beg well though not to work and because you shall know my devotion is not deaf there is something for your Father and you 2. Gent. Nay faith boy thou shalt have some of the scraps of my charity to there is for thee Lady Orphant Heaven bless you and grant to you all your good desires Gentlemen Ex. Enter a Lady and Servants Lady Orphant Honourable Lady let the mouth of necessity suck the breast of your charity to feed the hungry Beggers Lady Away you rogue a young boy and beg You should be strip'd whip'd and set to work Lady Orphant Alas Madam naked poverty is alwaies under the lash of miserie which forceth us to work in the quarries of stony hearts but we finde the mineral so hard as we cannot get out enough to build up a livelyhood Lady Imploy your selves upon some other work then Lady Ex. Enter a mean Trades-man Lady Orphant Good Sir relieve a poor begger Trades-man Faith boy I am so poor as I want relief my self yet of what I have thou shalt share with me there is a peny of my two pence which is all I have and Heaven do thee good with it Trades-man Exit Lady Orphant I perceive poverty pities poverty as feeling the like miserie where riches is cruel and hard-hearted not knowing what want is Foster Trusty I perceive wit can work upon every thing and can form it self into what shape it please and thy wit playes the Begger so well as we needed not to have stored our selves from our own Stocks but have lived upon the Stocks of others Lady Orphant But if all Stocks were as insipid as the Ladies we should have starved if we had not brought sap from our own home But Father I am weighed down with the peny the poor Trades-man gave me Foster Trusty Why it is not so heavy Lady Orphant It is so heavy as it burthens my conscience and I shall never be at ease not be able to travel any farther until I have restored the peny to the giver again Foster Nurse How should we do that for it is as hard and difficult to find out that man as to finde out the first cause of effects Lady Orph. Well I will play the Philosopher and search for him Foster Nurse
plead without speech let me beg your favour to accept of me for your servant and what I want in Language my industrious observance and diligent service shall supply I am a Gentleman my breeding hath been according to my birth and my Estate is sufficient to maintain me according to both As for your Estate I consider it not for were you so poor of fortunes goods as you had nothing to maintain you but what your merit might challenge out of every purse yet if you were mine I should esteem you richer than the whole World and I should love you as Saints love Heaven and adore you equal to a Dietie for I saw so much sweetness of nature nobleness of soul purity of thoughts and innocency of life thorough your Bashfull countenance as my soul is wedded thereunto and my mind so restless therefore that unless I may have hopes to injoy you for my Wife I shall dye Your distracted Servant SERIOUS DUMB Lady Bashfull Now Reformer what say you to this Letter Reformer I say it is a good honest hearty affectionate Letter and upon my life it is the Gentleman I commended so he that looked so seriously on you and your Ladyship may remember I said he viewed you as if he would have looked you thorough and you made answer that you wished he could that he might see you were not so simple as your behaviour made you appear and now your wish is absolved Lady Bashfull VVhat counsel will you give me in this cause Reformer VVhy write him a civil answer Lady Bashfull VVhy should I hold corespondence with any man either by Letter or any other way since I do not intend to marry Reformer Not marry Lady Bashfull No not marry Reformer VVhy so Lady Bashfull Because I am now Mistriss of my self and fortunes and have a free liberty and who that is free if they be wise will make themselves slaves subjecting themselves to anothers humour unless they were fools or mad and knew not how to chose the best and happiest life Reformer You will change this opinion and marry I dare swear Lady Bashfull Indeed I will not swear but I think I shall not for I love an easie peaceable and solitary life which none injoys but single persons for in marriage the life is disturbed with noise and company troublesome imployments vex'd with crosses and restless with cares Besides I could not indure to have Parteners to share of him whom my affections had set a price upon or my merit or beauty or wealth or vertue had bought Reformer So I perceive you would be jealouse if you were married Lady Bashfull Perchance I might have reason but to prevent all inconveniences and discontents I will live a single life Reformer Do what likes you best for I dare not perswade you any way for fear my advice should not prove to the best Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Affectionata and Foster Trusty FOster Trusty Now you are placed according to your desire what wil you command me to do Affectionata Dear Foster Father although I am loth to part from you yet by reason I shall suffer in my estate I must intreat you to return home for my Nurse your wife hath not skill to manage that fortune my Father left me for she knows not how to let Leases to set Lands to receive Rents to repair Ruines to disburst Charges and to order those affairs as they should be ordered which your knowledge industry and wisdom will dispose and order for my advantage Foster Trusty But how if you be discovered Affectionata Why if I should as I hope I shall not yet the Lord Singularity is so noble a person as he will neither use me uncivily not cruelly Foster Trusty All that I fear is if you should be discovered he should use you too civilly Affectionata That were to use me rudely which I am confident he will not do and I am confident that you do believe I will receive no more civillity if you call it so than what honour will allow and approve of Foster Trusty But jealousie will creep into the most confident breasts sometimes yet I dare trust you though I fear him Affectionata I hope there is no cause to fear him or doubt me wherefore dear Father let us go and settle our affairs here that you may return home to order those there Scene 19. Enter Sir Peaceable Studious and the Lady Ignorance his Wife She being undrest her mantle about her as being not well SIr P. Studious In truth wife it is a great misfortune you should be sick this Term-time when the Society is so much increast as it is become a little Common-wealth Lady Ignorance If there be so many they may the better spare me Sir P. Studious 'T is true they can spare your company but how can you want their companies Lady Ignorance You shall be my Intelligencer of their pastimes Sir P. Studious That I will wife but it will be but a dull recreation only to hear a bare relation Lady Ignorance As long as you partake of their present pleasures and pleasant actions what need you take care for me Sir P. Studious Yes but I must in Justice for since you have cured me of a studious Lethargie I ought to do my indeavour to divert your melancholly and there is no such remedy as the Society wherefore dear wife fling off this melancholly sickness or sick melancholly and go amongst them for surely your sickness is in your mind not in your body She cries Sir P. Studious What do you cry Wife who hath angered you Lady Ignorance Why you Sir P. Studious Who I anger'd you I why I would not anger a woman no not my Wife for the whole World If I could possible avoid it which I fear cannot be avoided for if I should please out of your Sex I should be sure to displease another But that is my comfort it is not my fault but dear Wife how have I offended you Lady Ignorance Why did you kiss my maid before my face Sir P. Studious Why did you perswade me Lady Ignorance Did I perswade you to kiss my maid Sir P. Studious No but you did perswade me to be one of the Society and there is kissing and I thought it was as well to kiss your maid before your face as a sociable Lady before your face Lady Ignorance And why do you make love to the Ladies since I suffer none to make love to me Sir P. Studious No for if you did I would fling you to death to be imbraced in his cold arms Besides those actions that are allowable and seemly as manly in men are condemned in women as immodest and unbecoming and dishonourable but talking to you I shall miss of the pleasant sports and therefore if you will go come the Coach is ready Lady Ignorance No I will not go with you Sir P. Studious Then I will go without you Lady Ignorance No pray Husband go no more thither Sir P.
cozens us by reason one effect may be produced from many several causes and several effects proceeds from one cause Lord Singularity But thy tears seems as if they were produced from some passion Affectionata Indeed they are produced from passions and appetites for passions are the rayes of the mind and appetites the vapour of the senses and the rayes of my mind hath drawn up the vapour of my senses into thick moist clouds which falls in showering tears Lord Singularity Tell me thy griefs and thy desires that I may help the one and ease the other Affectionata Alas my Lord I cannot for they lye in the conceptions and conceptions ariseth like mysts and my thoughts like clouds lyes one above another Lord Singularity Come come let reason the Sun of the soul verifie those misty conceptions and disperse this dull humour that the mind may be clear and the thoughts serene Affectionata I will strive to bring in the light of mirth Exeunt Scene 35. Enter the Lady VVagtail the Lady Amorous and Sir Humphry Bold LAdy Wagtail Good Sir Humphry Bold carry us to the Court of Iudicatures to hear the great Tryal which is said to be to day Sir Humphry Bold You would go to hear the condemnation of an old man and his old wife Lady Wagtail No we would go to hear the confessions as whether they have murthered the young Lady that is missing or not Sir Humphry bold Why that you may hear from other relations as well as from their own mouths and so save you so much pains and trouble as you will have to get a place and to stand so long a time as the examining accusing confessing freeing or condemning which will require so long a time as Ladies will find great inconveniencies and be put mightily to it Lady Wagtail But I long to hear and see the manner of it Sir Humphry Bold I will wait upon you but you will be very much crouded Lady Amorous I had rather see them hanged if they be guilty than hear them judged and condemned Sir Humphry Bold Why a condemning Judge is the chief Hang-man for he hangs with his word as the other with a cord Lady VVagtail Will the Lord Singularity be there Sir Humphry Bold Yes certainly for he is the man that doth accuse them Lady Amorous And will his Son be there Sir Humphry Bold I know not that Exeunt Scene 36. Enter the Iudges and Iury-men as in a Court of Judicature the Lord Singularity Foster Trusty and Nurse Fondly and many others to hear them JUdges Who accuses these persons of murther Lord Singularity I my Lord Foster Trusty We beseech your Honours not to condemn us before you have found us guilty Lord Singularity It is a proof sufficient my Lord they cannot clear themselves or produce the party that was delivered to their trust and care Iudges Jurie do you find them guilty or not Iuries Guilty my Lord Iudges Then from the Jurie we can Enter Affectionata drest very fine in her own Sexes habit and stops the Iudges sentence Affectionata Hold condemn not these innocent persons for their fidelity constancy and love I am that maid they are accused to murther and by good circumstances can prove it All the Assembly Iudges and Iurie seems as in a maze at her beauty and stares on her The Lord Singularity as soon as he seeth her starts back then goeth towards her his eyes all the time sixt on her speaking as to himself Lord Singularity Sure it is that face He takes her by the Hand and turns her to the light are not you my Affectionata whom I adopted my Son Affectionata Shame stops my breath and chokes the words I should utter Lord Singularity For Heaven sake speak quickly release my fears or crown my joyes Affectionata My Lord pray pardon loves follies and condemn not my modesty for dissembling my Sex for my designs were harmless as only to follow you as a servant For by Heaven my Lord my only desire was that my eyes and my eares might be fed with the sight of your person and sound of your voice which made me travel to hear and to see you But since I am discovered I will otherwise conceal my self and live as an Anchoret from the view of the World Lord Singularity Pray let me live with you Affectionata That may not be for an Anchoret is to live alone Lord Singularity If you will accept of me for your husband we shall be as one Affectionata You have declared against marriage my Lord Lord Singularity I am converted and shall become so pious a devote as I shall offer at no Alter but Hymens and since I am your Convert refuse me not Affectionata I love too well to refuse you He kneels down on one knee and kisses her hand Lord Singularity Here on my knee I do receive you as a blessing and a gift from the Gods He riseth Affectionata Most Reverend Judges and Grave Jury sentence me not with censure nor condemn me to scandals for waiting as a Man and serving as a Page For though I dissembled in my outward habit and behaviour yet I was alwaies chaste and modest in my nature Exeunt Scene 37. Enter the Lady VVagtail and Lady Amorous LAdy Wagtail Now Lady Amorous is your mind a Mirtel-grove and your thoughts Nightingals to entertain the Idea of your Adonas Lady Amorous Her discovery hath proved the boar that kill'd him but I desire much to be army Adonas Funeral which is the Lady Orphants wedding Lady Wagtail I am acquainted with some of the Lord Singularity's Captains and Officers and I will speak to some of them to speak to the Lord Singularity to invite us Lady Amorous I pray do for since my Adonas is dead I will strive to inamour Mars which is the Lord Singularity himself Lady Wagtail Faith that is unfriendly done for I have laid my designs for himself Lady Amorous I fear both of our designs may come to nothing he is so inamoured with his own She-Page or female Son Exeunt Scene 38. Enter Nurse Fondly and Foster Trusty NUrse Fondly O Husband This is the joyfullest day that ever I had in my whole life except at mine own wedding Foster Trusty Indeed this day is a day of Iubile Nurse Fondly Of Iuno say you but Husband have you provided good chear and enough for here are a world of Guests come more than was invited and you being Master Steward will be thought too blame if there be any thing wanting Foster Trusty If you be as carefull to dress the Brides Chamber as I to provide for the bridal Guest you nor I shall be in a fault Nurse Fondly I saith if you have done your part as I have done my part we shall deserve praise Foster Trusty I saith we are almost so old that we are almost past praise Nurse Fondly None can merit praise but those in years for all Worthy Noble and Heroick Acts requires time to do them and who
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
Affectionata O no but I should be the ingrate of ingratitude should I leave my Noble Lord who from a low despised poor mean degree advanced me to Respect and Dignity Whose favours I will keep close in my heart And from his person I will never part For though I dye my soul will still attend And wait upon him as his faithfull friend He offers to go away in a melancholly posture and humour so as not considering the Gentlemen Whereupon one of them follows him and catches hold of his Cloak 2. Gentleman Noble Sir will not you send the Duke an answer Affectionata Have not I answered Then pray present my thanks in the most humblest manner to the great Duke and tell him he may force the presence of my person but if he doth it will be but as a dead carcase without a living soul for tell him when I am from my Lord I withering vade as flowers from Sun sight His presence is to me as Heavens light Affectionata Exit 1 Gentleman 'T is strange that such an honour cannot perswade a boy 2. Gentleman That proves him a boy for if he had been at mans estate he would not have refused it but have been ambitious of it and proud to receive it 1. Gentl. Indeed youth is foolish and knows not how to chose 2. Gentl. When he comes to be a man he will repent the folly of his youth Exeunt Scene 18. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Lady VVagtail not knowing Sir Serious could speak LAdy Wagtail Pray Madam let me perswade you not to cast your self away to marry a dumb man for by my troth all those that are dumb are meer fools for who can be witty or wise that cannot speak or will not speak which is as bad Lady Bashfull Why Madam wisdom nor wit doth noth not live not lye in words for prudence fortitude and temperance expresses wisdom and capacity ingenuity and fancie expresseth wit and not words Lady Wagtail But let me advise you to chose Sir Humphry Bold he is worth a thousand of Sir Serious Dumb besides he is a more learned man by half and speaks several Languages Lady Bashfull Perchance so and yet not so wise for Parrots will learn Languages and yet not know how to be wise nor what wisdom is which is to have a found judgement a clear understanding and a prudent forecast Lady Wagtail Faith all the World will condemn you to have no forecast if you marry Sir Serious Dumb Lady Bashfull Let them speak their worst I care not as not fearing their censures Lady Wagtail You were fearfull and bashfull Lady Bashfull 'T is true but now am grown so confident with honest love I care not if all the World did know of it nay I wish it were published to all ears The Lady Bashfull offers to go away Lady Wagtail Nay you must not go until you have granted my suit in the behalf of Sir Humphry Bold Lady Bashfull Pray let me go for I hate him more than Heaven hates Hell Lady Wagtail Nay then I will leave you Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Affectionata who weeps Enter the Lord Singularity LOrd Singularity Why weepest thou Affectionata Affectionata Alas my Lord I am in such a passion as I shall dye unless it flows forth thorough mine eyes and runs from off my tongue For like as vapours from the Earth doth rise And gather into clouds beneath the skies Contracts to water swelling like moist veins When over-fill'd falls down in showering rains So thoughts which from a grieved mind are sent Ariseth in a vaporous discontent Contracts to melancholly which heavy lies Untill it melts and runs forth through the eyes Unless the Sun of comfort dry doth drink Those watery tears that lyes at the eyes brink Or that the rayes of joy which streams bright out With active heat disperseth them about Lord Singularity Faith Affectionata I am no good Poet but thy passion moves so sweetly in numbers and stops so just with rhymes as I cannot but answer thee Like as the Sun beauty streams rayes about A smiling countenance like day breaks out And though a frown obscures sweet beauties sight Yet beauties beams makes cloudy frowns more bright But melancholly beauty doth appear As pleasing shades or Summers evenings clear So doth thine Affectionata but prethee do not wast thy breath into sighs nor distill thy life into tears Affectionata I wish I might here breath my last and close my eyes for ever Lord Singularity I perceive Affectionata you take it unkindly I did perswade you to take the Dukes offer But if you think I did it out of any other design than a true affection to you By Heaven you do me wrong by false interpretation Affectionata If you my Lord did love but half so well as I you would rather chose to dye than part with me Lord Singularity I love thee beyond my own interest or delight for what is best for thee I account as the greatest blessing should it bring me any other wayes a curse Affectionata Then let me still live with you for that is best for me Lord Singularity Here I do vow to Heaven to do my indeavour with my life to keep thee with me or to be alwayes where thou art Affectionata O! what a weight you have taken from my soul wherein my thoughts like wet-winged-birds sate heavy my senses like as blinking Lamps which vaporous damps of grief had neer put out Lord Singularity Let me tell thee Affectionata I have travelled far observed much and have had divers incounters but I never met such vertue found such truth nor incountered such an affection as thine imbraces him And thus I do imbrace thee and do wish our souls may twine As our each bodyes thus together joyn Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Sir Serious Dumb and his Mistriss the Lady Bashfull SIr Serious Dumb. Dear Mistriss do not you repent your favours and wish your promise were never made doth not your affection vade Lady Bashfull No it cannot for never was any love placed upon a Nobler soul than my love is which is on yours insomuch as I do glory in my affection and grow self-conceited of its judgement Sir Serious Dumb. And will you be constant Lady Bashfull Let not your humble thoughts raise a doubt of jealousie for I am fixt as time is to eternity Sir Serious Dumb. Then I thank nature for your Creation honour for your Breeding and heaven for your Vertue and fortune that hath given you to me for I can own nothing of that worth that could deserve you Lady Bashfull I cannot condemn jealousie because it proceeds from pure love and love melts into kinds on a constant heart but flames like Oyle on a false one which sets the whole life on fire Sir Serious Dumb. But now I cannot doubt your love nor constancies since you have promised your heart to me for true Lovers are like the light and the Sun inseparable Exeunt Scene 21. Enter some Commanders 1. COmmander
rudely to contradict you Bon Compaignon It is neither erroneous nor vain to believe a truth Lady Doltche Nor civil to make a doubt Sir but I am obliged unto you for that you help to cover my defects and wants in nature with your civil commendation and your kind estimation of me Ex. Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Importunate and Madamosel Caprisia IMportunate My fair wit you look as if you were angry with me Capris. You dwell not so long in my mind as to make me angry my thoughts are strangers to your figures She offers to go away and he holds her from going Importunate Nay faith now I have you I will keep you perforce untill you pay me the kiss you owe me Capris. Let me go for I had rather my eyes were eternally seal'd up my ears for ever stopt close from sound than hear or see you I care not whether you hear or see me so you will kisse me Capris. Let me go or otherwise my lips shall curse you and my words being whetted with injurie are become so sharp as they will wound you Importunate I will keep you untill your words begs for mercy in the most humblest stile and after the most mollifying manner Capris. Hell take you or Earth devoure you like a beast never to rise Importunate Love strike your heart with shooting thorough your eyes Capris. May you be blown up with pride untill you burst into madnesse may your thoughts be more troubled than rough waters more raging than a tempest may your senses feel no pleasure your body find no rest nor your life any peace Importunate May you love me with a doting affection may I be the only man you will imbrace and may you think me to be as handsome as Narcissus did himself Capris. You appear to me in all the horrid shapes that fancy can invent Enter Madam Mere Madam Mere Why how now daughter alwayes quarreling Capris. Can you blame me when I am beset with rudeness and assaulted with uncivil actions Madam Mere Let her alone Monsieur Importunate for she is a very Shrew Importunate Well go thy wayes for all the Shrews that ever nature made you are the cursest one Ex. Scene 12. Enter Madamosel Volante and a Grave Matron Volante I am not of the humour as most vvomen are vvhich is to please themselves vvith thinking or rather believing that all men that looks on them are in love vvith them But I take pleasure that all men that I look on should think I am in love vvith them vvhich men vvill soon believe being as self-conceited as vvomen are Matron But vvhere is the pleasure Lady Volante Why in seeing their phantastical garbs their strutting postures their smiling faces and the jackanapesly actions and then I laugh in my mind to think vvhat fools they are so as I make my self merry at their folly and not at my own Matron But men vvill appear as much Jackanapeses when they are in love vvith you as if they thought you vvere in love vvith them for all Lovers are apish more or less Volante I grant all Lovers are but those that think themselves beloved appears more like the grave Babboon than the skipping Iackanapes for though their actions are as ridiculous yet they are vvith more formality as being more circumspectly foolish or self-conceitedly vain Matron Well for all your derisions and gesting at men I shall see you at one time or other shot vvith Cupids arrovv Volante By deaths dart you may but never by loves arrovv for death hath povver on me though love hath none Matron There is an old saying that time importunity and opportunity vvins the chastest She vvhen those are joyned vvith vvealth and dignity but to yield to a lawfull love neither requires much time nor pleading if the Suiters have but Person Title and Wealth which women for the most part do prize before valour wisdom or honesty Volante Women hath reason to prefer certainties before uncertainties for mens Persons Titles and Wealths are visible to their view and knowledge but their Valours Wisdoms and Honesties doth rest upon Faith for a coward may fight and a fool may speak rationally and act prudently sometimes and a knave may appear an honest man Marrons They may so but a valiant man will never act the part of a coward nor a wise man prove a fool nor an honest man appear a knave Volante There can be no proof of any mans Valour Wisdom or Honesty but at the day of his death in aged years when as he hath past the danger in Wars the tryals in Miseries the malice of Fortune the temptations of Pleasures the inticements of Vice the heights of Glory the changes of Life provokers of Passion deluders of Senses torments of Pain or painfull Torments and to chose a Husband that hath had the Tryals and experiences of all these is to chose a Husband out of the Grave and rather than I will marry death I will live a maid as long as I live and when I dye let death do what he will with me Ex. Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Profession in mourning then enters his Friend Monsieur Comorade MOnsieur Comorade Well met I have travelled thorough all the Town and have inquired of every one I could speak to and could neither hear of thee nor see thee Profession It were happy for me if I had neither ears nor eyes Comorade Why what is the matter man He observes his mourning and then starts Gods-me Now I perceive thou art in mourning which of thy Friends is dead Profession The chiefest friend I had which mas my heart For that is dead being kill'd with my Mistress cruelty and buryed in her inconstancy Comorade I dare swear not the whole heart for every mans heart is like a head of Garlick which may be divided into many several cloves Wherefore cheer up man for it is but one clove that death or love hath swallowed down into his Stomach to cure him of the wind-cholick and since thy heart hath so many cloves thou mayst well spare him one and be never the worse But if it be buryed as you say in your Mistresses inconstancy it is to be hop'd it will be converted into the same inconstant humour and that will cure the other part of thy heart Profession O! She was the Saint of my thoughts and the Goddesse of my soul Comorade Prethee let me be thy moral Tutor to instruct thee in the knowledge of Truth and to let thee know that vertue is the true Goddesse to which all men ought to bow to and that youth beauty and wealth are sixt to be forsaken when vertue comes in place and vertue is constant both to its principals and promises Wherefore if thy Mistresse be inconstant she cannot be vertuous wherefore let her go Monsieur Profession fetches a great sigh and goes out without speaking a word Comorade alone Comorade I think his heart is dead in good earnest for it hath no sense of what I have
unchaste lives would be as marks of disgrace and spots of infamie upon the Tombs of those dead Ancestors and their ashes would be full'd with their stains whereas a chast woman and a gallant man obliges both the living and the dead for they give honour to their dead Ancestors in their Graves and to those friends that are living in the World and to those that shall succeed them Besides their examples of their vertues for all Ages to take out patterns from Comorade Madam you have answered so well for your self and Sex as I can say no more in the behalf of my friend Ex. Scene 20. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her daughter MEre Daughter your tongue is so sharp as it is not only poynted but edged on both sides Capris. Use Mother will blunt the poynt and flat the edges Mere No Daughter the more 't is used the sharper it will be for words and passions are the whetstones to that Razor Capris. As long as that Razor shaves no reputation let it raze or shave what it will Ex. Scene 21. Enter Madamosel Solid Madamosel Doltche Madamosel Volante and a Grave Matron MAtron Madamosel Solid what say you to Monsieur Ralleries wit Solid I say of him as I would of a wild or skittish jade who hath only strength to kick and fling but not to travel or to bear any weight so Rallerie is antick postures and laughing reproaches not solid and judicious discourses or continued speeches the truth is a ralleying wit is like obstructed or corrupted lungs which causes difficult and short breathing So that wit is short and puffing spurting out words questions and replyes 't is squib wit or boys sport Matron Madamosel Doltche what say you of Monsieur Satericals wit Doltche As I would of frosty weather his wit is sharp but wholesome and though he hath a frowning brow yet he hath a clear soul Matron Madamosel Volante What say you of Monsieur Pedants wit Volante As I would of Leeches for as Leeches sucks bloud from the back parts of men and spues it forth when rubb'd with salt so Monsieur Pedant sucks wit from other mens pens and mouths and then spues it forth again being rubb'd with the itch of prayse But all the learned knows the wit was no more his own than the bloud that was suck'd was the Leeches Matron What say you of Monsieur Lyricks wit Volante As I would of a Bird that chirps more than sings Matron Madamosel Doltche What say you of Monsieur Tragedians wit Doltche As I would of Winter wherein is more rain than Sun-shines more storms than calms more night than day so his wit hath more melancholly than mirth causing or producing tears sighs and sadnesse the truth is his wit dwels in the shades of death Matron Madamosel Solid what say you to Monsieur Comicals wit Solid As I would of the Spring which revives and refreshes the life of every thing it is lightsom and gay So Monsieur Comicals wit is chearfull pleasant lively natural and profitable as being edifying Ex. Scene 22. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her Daughter MERE Daughter let me tell you you have brought your Hogs to a fair Market Capris. That is better than to keep them in a foul stye Mother Mere You cannot speak without crossing Capris. Nor readily crosse without speaking Mere I am sure your bitter discourses and crosse answers hath caused the Lady namely the Lady Hercules to send a rayling message by a Messenger to declare her anger for your abusive discourses against her Capris. I never mentioned her in my discourse in my life Mere But you speak against big and tall women Capris. I gave but my opinion of the size and Sex not of any particular and I may speak freely my opinion of the generalities Mere You may chance by your opinion of the generalities to be generally talk'd of Capris. VVhy then I shall live in discourse although discourse were dead in me and who had not rather live although an ill life than dye Mere But you might live so as to gain every bodyes good opinion if you would palliate your humour and sweeten your discourse and endeavour to please in conversation Capris. Which do you mean Mother either to please my self or the company Mere Why the company Capris. That is impossible for in all company there is diversities and contrarieties of humours passions appetites delights pleasures opinions judgements wits understandings and the like and for talking speaking and discoursing they are inter-changing inter-mixing reasoning arguing disputing which causes contradictions wherefore to agree in and to every humour passion opinion and discourse is impossible indeed one may seemly or truly agree and approve of any one opinion or discourse but not a diversity of discourses opinions also one may flatteringly applaud or sooth any particular persons humour but not diverse persons diverse humours but to flatter is base as to approve in their words and disapprove in their thoughts as to commend or applaud that or those that is not praise-worthy But howsoever for the soothing of any bodies humour I will never take the pains for why should I make my self a slave to the several humours of mankind who is never in one humour two minutes and why may not I think or desire to be flattered and humoured as well as others and when I am not flattered and humoured to be as much displeased at others as others at me VVherefore good Mother be not you displeased that I chose rather to displease my self than any body else besides your self Mere You will follow your own wayes Daughter Capris. I cannot walk safer than in my own ground Mother Ex. Scene 23. Enter Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid SOlid Dear Mistress I fear my absence hath made you forget me Solid No certainly I cannot forget you by reason my brain is hung about with the memory of your worthy nature and meritorious actions which my love doth admire and takes delight for to view each several piece and part Perfection Do you love me Solid How can I chose but love when in my infancy such a number of words in your praise was thrown into my ears like seeds into the Earth which took root in my heart from which love sprouted forth and grew up with my years Perfection And will you be constant Solid As day is to the Sun Perfection Do you speak truth Solid Truly I have been bred up so much and so long in the wayes of truth as I know no tract of dissembling and therefore certainly my words will ever keep within the compass of Truth and my actions will alwaies turn and run with that byas but why do you seem to doubt in making such questions Perfection I will truly confess I have heard that since I have been in the Countrey you had entertained another Lover Solid It 's false but false reports is like breathing upon a pure and clear Glasse it dimns it for a time
all their Predecessours besides it is with succession as with a married pair for if the wife be chast the World will give the honour only to the woman but if she be false the World will lay the disgrace on the Husband and think she sees some defect which makes her prefer another before him So in succession if their succession proves fools cowards avaricious treacherous vitious or the like the World straight judges these imperfections and vices were in hereditarie and that they were attaint or stained from the root or stock but if they prove wise valiant generous just or the like they think they were particular gifts of nature or education thus the faults of succession many descents after may darken like black clouds the bright light of their Predecessours worth and merit Besides there is no certainty of a continued line nor doth many children give an assurance to their Father at the day of his death for when he dyes doubts closes his eyes and fears blowes out lifes fire therefore I had rather live in thy fame than live or dye in an infamous and foolish succession Sansp. Heaven make me thankfull that my desires and my fathers approvement agrees Sir you have not only bred me with a tender love but with a prudent Industry And I have followed your instruction with a Religious Ceremony Keept to your principles with a pious Conscience and since nature and education hath joyned together in my tender years to make my life propitious If fortune favour me and opportunity promote me but we are to consider which way I shall steer the course of my life and if you will please I will tell you how I have designed my voyage Father Heaven prosper the through it and send the a safe passage wheresoever thou adventurest Sansp. Then first it is to be considered I am but a small and weak vessell and cannot swim upon the rough and boysterous Seas which are pitcht fields and fighting Armyes wherein I shall be shattered in the croud and drowned in the confusion of disorder wherefore I must swim in the calm rivers of peace where their is no such storms nor high billows only some cross winds may chance to rise which may hinder me but not drown me this calm river is a Theater and the rough Sea as I said a pitcht field my self the ship you the steeradge and fame the port then thus I will relate how I have designed the voyage of my life first never to marry if I may have your consent to live a single life for that time which will be lost in a married condition I will study and work with my own thoughts and what new Inventions they can find out or what probabilityes they conceive or phancies they create I will publish to the world in print before I make them common by discourse but if I marry although I should have time for my thoughts and contemplations yet perchance my Husband will not approve of my works were they never so worthy and by no perswasion or reason allow of there publishing as if it were unlawfull or against nature for Women to have wit And strives allwayes if their wives have wit to obscure it And I am of that opinion that some men are so inconsiderately wise gravely foolish and lowly base as they had rather be thought Cuckolds than their wives should be thought wits for fear the world should think their wise the wiser of the two and that she rules and governs all the affairs at home for most men rather than they will not shew their power and Authority will appear a Quat-queen that is an effeminate scold Secondly I will not receive nor give private vissits or entertainments but from those and to those that duty and gratitude and loyalty enjoyns me for in private visits or entertainments is onely so much time stuft with senceless vain idle light discourses or flattering compliments wherein time and life is unprofitably lost Thirdly I would never speak but in publick for if nature and education have given me wit I would not willingly bury it in private discourses besides privat hearers are secret Thieves and boldly steals having no witnesses to betray or reveale the truth or divuldge their thefts and so they will adorn their discourses with my wit which they steal from me Fourthly I will never speak of any considerable matter or subject or of any new conception but I will have them ready writ to print them so soon as my discourse of them is past or else print them before I discourse of them and afterwards explain them by my tongue as well as by my pen least they should mistake the sence of my workes through Ignorance for those subject that are only discourst off in speach flyes away in words which vanisheth as smoak or shadows and the memory or remembrance of the Author or Oratour melts away as oyle leaving no sign in present life or else moulders as dust leaving no Monument to after-posterity to be known or remembred by when writeing or printing fixes it to everlasting time to the publick view of the World besides a passing discourse makes the tongue but as an Almner to give wit to poor Sharkes to feed them which Sharkes eats without giving praise or thankes never acknowledging at whose cost they live at Nay so unthankfull they are that they will bely the Authors and themselves saying it was their own and it is a certain rule that those Authors they steal most from they will dispraise and rale most at And some are so foolish and of such short memoryes that they will repeat the Authors wit to the Authors self and as confident as it had been created or invented out of their own brains Fifthly I will select times for several discourses and subjects to discourse in publick to several Audiences to which you may if you please invite the grave and wise to hear me and being a woman Oratour the singularity will advance my fame the more besides many accidents may we chance to meet which may prove as steps to ascend or Mount up Thus Sir if you please to approve of my design I shall follow the means or wayes unto it if not I shall submit to what you shall think will be better for me Father I do approve of your design so well as I cannot but admire it And I believe the best designer that ever was never cast such a mould or laid such a plot or drew such a draught to raise a fame on or to work a fame out Sansp. But Sir you must arm yourselfe against all oppositions and Baracodo your ears against all cross perswaders and muster your forces of hopes drawing them into a body of confidence and march with a resolution either to dye in the adventure or to triumph with victory and to live everlastingly in a glorious fame for Sir we shall meet wranglers and jesters scorners and scoffers disputers and opposers contradictors and lyers which
I do esteem of such Riches as Money as I do of Marriage and in my nature I do hate them both for a man is enslaved by either wherefore I would shun them if I could and turn them out of doors but that some sorts of necessity and conveniency inforce me to entertain them the one for Posteritie sake the other for subsistence of present life besides convenient pleasures Lady Am. The Lady Ward who is to be your wife seems of a very dull disposition Lord Court She is so but I like her the better for that for I would have a deadly dull Wife and a lively Mistresse such a sprightly Lady as you are Lady Am. In truth my Lord I am of a melancholy Nature Lord Court Certainly Madam you onely know the Name not the Nature for your Nature is alwayes fresh and sweet and pleasant as the Spring Lady Am. O no my mind is like to VVinter and my thoughts are numb and cold Lord Court If your thoughts were so cold your words would be as if they were frozen between your lips all your discourse would melt by drops not flow so smoothly and swiftly into mens eares as they at all times do Lady Am. T is true I am merry when I am in your company but in your absence I am as dull as a cloudy day and as melancholy as dark night Lord Court I cannot believe so well of my self as that my company can be the light of your mirth but I know that your company is the Sun of my life nor could I live without it Ex. Scene 11. Enter the Lord Title Sir Effeminate Lovely and Sir Golden Riches LOrd Title This is a barren Country for in all this progresse I have not seen a pretty Country wench Effeminate Lovely Nor I Golden Riches Nor I Lord Title If an person can tell it is Tom Purveyer Enter Tom Purveyer Now Tom Purveyer are there no pretty wenches in this part of the Countrey Tom Purveyer Yes that there are an it please your Lorship and not far off two as pretty wenches as are in the Kingdome and no dispraise to the rest They all speak All Where where Tom Purveyer Hard by here at a Farmers House the one is his Daughter the other is his Servant-Maid All Prethee Tom show us the house Tom Purveyer Not all at once but one after another All Nay faith Tom let us all see them at once but we will Court them apart Tom Purveyer Content Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Conversation and Sir Fancy Poet LAdy Conversation What is the reason that Mercury is feign'd to be the patron of Thieves Sir Fancy Poet That is to be the patron of Scholars for Scholars are the greatest Thieves stealing from the Authours they read to their own use Lady Convers. And why are Scholars counted the greatest Thieves Sir Fancy Poet Because that they steal the Spirits or life of renown out of the treasury of Fame when all other sorts of Thieves steal but the goods of Fortune which is nothing but a Corporal dross Convers. And why is he feigned the talkative God Sir Fancy Poet Because Scholars talk more than other men and most commonly so much as they will let none speak but themselves and when there is a Company of Scholars together they will be so fierce in disputes as they will be ready to go to cuffs for the Prerogative of their opinion Convers. The Prerogative of the tongue you mean but why are Scholars apt to talk most Sir Fancy Poet Because they overcharge their heads with several Authors as Epicures do their Stomacks with variety of meats and being overcharged they are forced to vent it forth through the mouth as the other through the gut for the tongue as a Feather tickles the throat of Vainglory vomiting out the slime of Learning into the ears of the hearers but some heads as Stomacks which are naturally weak are so grip'd by reason it doth not disgest well as they vent nothing but windy Phrases and other brains which are hot and moist by reason of a facil memory disgest so fast as they do nothing but purge loose Sentences and other brains that are too dry and Incipid are so costive as their restringency strains out nothing but strong lines Convers. What is that Non-sense Sir Fancy Poet Indeed they are hard words without sense Convers. What makes a good Poet Sir Fancy Poet A quick Fancy Convers. What makes a good Oratour Sir Fancy Poet A ready Tongue Convers. What makes a good Physician Sir Fancy Poet Much Practice Convers. What makes a good Divine Sir Fancy Poet A Holy Life Convers. What makes a good States-Man Sir Fancy Poet Long experience great observance prudent industry ingenuous wit and distinguishing judgment Convers. What makes a good Souldier Sir Fancy Poet Change of Fortune Courage Prudence and Patience Convers. What makes a good Courtier Sir Fancy Poet Diligence Flattery and time-serving Convers. VVhat makes a good Prince or Governour Sir Fancy Poet Justice Clemency Generosity Courage and Prudence mixt together Convers. VVhat makes a good VVoman Sir Fancy Poet A Poet Convers. VVhy a Poet Sir Fancy Poet By reason the Poetical wits convert their natural defects into sweet graces their follies to pure innocencies and their Vices into Heroick Virtues Convers. By these descriptions you make as if women were more obliged to Poets than to Nature Sir Fancy Poet They are so for where Nature or Education makes one good or beautiful VVoman Poets make ten besides Poets have not only made greater numbers of beautiful women but perfecter beauties than ever Nature made Convers. Then let me tell you that women make Poets for women kindle the masculine brains with the fire of Love from whence arises a Poetical flame and their Beauty is the fuel that feeds it Sir Fancy Poet I confess were there no women there would be no Poets for the Muses are of that Sex Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 13. Enter Roger Farmer and Maudling his Wife MAudling Huswife Truly Husband our Maid Poor Virtue is a very industrious Servant as ever I had in my life Roger Farmer Yes wife but you were angry with me at first because I perswaded you to take her Maudling Huswife VVhy she seem'd to be so fine a feat as I thought she would never have setled to her work Roger Farmer Truly VVife she does forecast her business so prudently and doth every thing so orderly and behaves her self so handsomely carryes her self so modestly as she may be a Pattern to our Daughter Maudling Huswife I am a better Pattern my self Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Poor Virtue with a Sheephook as comming from tending her sheep and the Lord Title meets her LOrd Title Fair Maid may I be your Shepheard to attend you Poor Virtue I am but a single Sheep that needs no great attendance and a harmless one that strayes not forth the ground I am put to feed Lord Title Mistake me not fair Maid I
those back-holders that are the greatest Libertines make the best Husbands Lady Ward 'T is true he is of a noble nature valiant and generous prudent and just and temperate in all delights and free from all other vices but Incontinency civil and obliging to all the world but to me and I could love him better than life could he be constant and only love me as he ought to do a Wife otherwise Death were more pleasing to me Exeunt Scene 10. Enter the Lady Contemplation musing and the Lady Visitant comes to her LAdy Contempl. You were born to do me a mischief Lady Visit. Why how Lady Contempl. Why you have routed an Army Lady Visit. Which way Lady Contempl. I did imagine my self Married my Husband being a General of an Army who had fought many Battels and had won many Victories conquer'd many Nations at last an unfortunate day of Battel being fought my Husband being too active and venturous making lanes of slain bodies as he went and his horse riding thorow Rivers of blood those Rivers rising so high as his horse was forced to swim but the blood growing thick to a jelly obstructed his way which made his horse furious which fury added to his strength forced a passage over a hill or heap of slain bodies but the horses spirits being spent with fury and labour fell strengthless to the ground with my Husband upon his back and being in the midst of his Enemies Army his Enemies seeing him fall ran about him in great numbers and so took him prisoner whereupon his Souldiers soon missing him thought he was kill'd upon which belief their courages grew cold their limbs unactive and their spirits so benumm'd as they all seemed like to a number of stone-statues which unactive dulness gave their Enemies the Day without any after-blows I being in the Camp hearing of my Husbands misfortunes ran with a distracted fear towards the Enemies Camp I being espy'd by some of my Husbands scatter'd Troops was stop'd in the way and so brought back to my Tent again where when I was there some of my Husbands Officers of the Army told me That though the Day was lost yet there was a considerable Body left which I no sooner heard but my spirits took new life and then excusing my fear told those Commanders it was not through fear that made me run out of my Tent for I did not fly from my Enemies but to them and that I sought death and not life and to express my courage I told them That if they would give me leave I would take my Husbands Office and lead the Army They told me that if the rest of the Commanders would agree to it they were well contented So when all the Commanders met together I spake thus unto them Noble Friends and valiant Souldiers you may think it a vain ambition for me to desire to lead your Army especially against so potent an Enemy and being a woman which female Sex are usually unexperienced in Martial Affairs as also by nature fearful which fears may ruine an Army by giving wrong direction causing a confusion through distraction and truly an Army were not to be trusted unto a woman management and ordering if that Records had not given us Precedents which is that Woman have led Armies have fought valiantly themselves and have had good success and not so much by fortunes favour as by their own wise Conduct And to shew that Pallas is a friend unto her own Sex is that in all History there are very few women than can be found that have lost Battels in the field of Wars but many that have won Battels and in all publick Affairs it is to be observed the Gods do generally assist our Sex whereby to shew their own power and to abate the haughty pride of men But to induce you more for men trust not so much unto the Gods as to their own strength is that you are present in all Councels and Actions to assist and direct me besides I am Wife unto your General who was and is an expert Souldier and a valiant man although he now had ill fortune but ill fortune neither lessens valour nor experience but rather increases them This gallant and wise man my Husband and your General his Discourses have been my Tutors and his Example hath and shall be my Guide and if you dare trust me I dare venture otherwise I shall stay in my Tent and pray for your good success After I had left off speaking an old Commander which had served long in the Wars and was much esteemed answered me as thus Noble Lady although your youth doth disswade us yet your beauty and wit doth encourage us for what man although he were possest with fear itself can run away when a fair Lady sights for beauty triumphs in all hearts and commands the whole world wherefore that man that shall or will deny to follow your Command is of a bastard-kind although a lawful Issue With that all the rest of the Commanders cry'd or call'd out that none was so fit to Lead and Command them as I Thus being chosen I call'd a general Muster of my Souldiers and then gave order that some of the broken Regiments should be mended and made up with other broken Regiments also I made new Officers in the room of those that were slain or taken prisoners and after I surveyed my Artillery and Ammunition which done I drew my Army into a Body and after I had given Orders and Directions for the Souldiers to march towards the Enemies Camp which when the Enemy heard of a new Army coming towards them they drew out the Body of their Army in Battel Array But I shunn'd to fight so soon as appeared by reason my Army was tyred with marching wherefore I gave order to Intrench Besides I thought it might give my souldiers more courage when accustomed to the fight and neighbourhood of the Enemies But withall I made some of them give intelligence to the Enemy that a woman led the Army by which they might despise us and so become more negligent by which negligence we might have an advantage In the mean time I sent to Treat of a Peace and to have my Husband set at liberty but the Enemy was so averse to a peace as they returned me both jesting and scornful Answers So when I saw no peace could be made I drew out my Army into Battel Array which when the Enemy perceiv'd they did the like but it will be too tedious at this time to tell the Form and Figures I put my Army into as also what Commanders led or who commanded the Horse or who commanded the Foot that day only let me tell you I led the Van my self and was Accoutred after this manner I had a Masculine Suit and over that a cloth of silver Coat made close to my waste which reached to the ankles of my legs and those Arms I wore being all gilt were Back Brest Gorget
days of my life Parle I doubt I may sing the Song that says O pity take upon me now some gentle Bodie And give me the Willow-Branch for no man will have me Trifle And I may sing this old Song I wander up and down And no body cares for me Although I be but poor and brown Yet constant will I be Fondly And I may sing this old Ballad Every Bird can choose his Mate The Wren can do the same The Fish and Fowl their pleasures take They follow after Game But I poor I poor silly I Do sigh and sorrow still Yea night and day I wear away Wanting my wished will Matron Come come Ladies you are all so desirous to marry and so impatient because you are not maried as I doubt when you are maried your Husbands may sing the Song of Cuckolds all a row Parle It were better for us that our Husbands should be Cuckolds than we lead Apes in Hell Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 32. Enter as weeping the Lady Prudence and her Woman Intelligencer INtelligen. Why do you weep Madam Prudence Have I not reason when one I chose for Honesty proves false and publickly strives for to disgrace me by breaking of his Promise and Appointed day of Mariage Intellig. Perchance he could not come some Accident hath hinder'd him Prudence He might have sent me word the reason of his stay Intelligen. It is likely he is not so rich as to hire a Messenger Prudence Some would have done it for Charity Intelligen. 'Faith Charity is lazie and will not go without Reward Prudence If he had loved Me or Honour he would have found some means or ways Enter her Servant the Strange Wooer Stranger My Virtuous sweet Mistris what makes such showrs of Tears in Sun-shine Eyes Prudence O Sir I thought you had forsaken me and left me to the Worlds wilde scorn Stranger I should sooner forsake Life Fame and Heaven than forsake you He kisses her hand Stranger Will you have your Friends to your Wedding Mistris Prudence If you please Sir for I am not asham'd of my Choise nor shall I be asham'd of my Mariage Stranger Nor I of my self and for you the Gods may envy me Exeunt Scene 33. Enter Mistris Parle Mistris Trifle Mistris Vanity Mistris Fondly and a Matron PArle Shall we go to visit Mistris Simple she that is now my Lady Gosling and bid her joy Vanity Yes if you will for I long to see how she looks now she is a Wife Trifle So do I and to see how she behaves her self since she is maried Matron She is now Ladies for the conversation of Wives and not for the society of Maids her discourse will be now of Houshold Affairs as of Houswifry and of her Husband and of Children and hired servants and not Suters and Courtiers not Fashions nor Dressings neither will she return your Visits for her Visitings will be to other maried Wives and her time will be spent at Labours Christenings Churchings and other Matrimonial Gossippings and Meetings Parle Howsoever we will go visit her Fondly I wish we may see her Husband with her to see if he be kind to her or not Parle If he be not kind to her and hath been maried but two or three days he will never be kind Trifle I wonder whether he will kiss her when we are by Parle Yes certainly for new-maried men and their wives take a pleasure to kiss before company Fondly Hey ho that maried Wives should have such pleasures when Maids have none Exeunt Scene 34. Enter Sir Thomas Letgo with other Gentlemen This Scene of Sir Thomas Letgo the Lord Marquiss writ LEtgo O unfortunate villain that I should be such a Coxcomb such a Fool to lose five thousand pounds at Dice Those bones spotted with the small Pox the great Pox take them for me and the Plague to boot for they have plagued me and yet I have not a token left about me 1 Gent. You may borrow more Letgo Borrow you Puppy you my land 's intail'd a perpetuity I have nothing but for life like a Serving-mans Annuity or an old Ladies Joynture no body will lend me any thing and now I must eat grass and hay for we are all mortal they say and they choke me with that Pox of my Grandfathers and Fathers provident Wisedomes with their learned Counsels in the Law but I hope all their souls fry in Hell for 't that 's my comfort 2 Gent. 'T is a hard case that a young Gentleman cannot undoe himself for those Fetters and Bonds of Parchment truly it is cruel Letgo I is it not Iack to be tied thus like a dog to a cup-board and in chains too that he cannot gnaw or bite them asunder 3 Gent. Faith Sir 't is a strange thing that a man should venture to play his money whether it should be his or another mans Letgo No Dick you are deceiv'd I play whether his money should be mine or his O unfortunate Rogue that I am and that foolish Star-gazer the Astrologer never to see it in my Nativity neither when he cast it Those Knaves and Fools to talk of things that they have no guess at what they are as if the seven Planets or the twelve Houses had to do with a cast of Dice a fine nimble Cheater is worth a thousand of them Rogue that I am And now comes in such a consideration into my brain upon my Repentance 1 Gent. As how pray Letgo As how why if I had this current running money nay rather it hath wings and flies beyond the Fiction of Pegasus why if I had it how I would bestow it for the good of the Common-wealth as thus What rich Apparel with Imbroyderies of gold and silver and silk what Feathers and Mistrisses what gilt Paris Coaches Pages and Lacquies sans number in rich liveries what Coachmen Postilions with six Flanders Horses to strike with amazement the whole street as I pass what running Horses Hounds Hawks Cocks Greyhounds what delicious Banquets Spanish Perfumes most odoriferous soft Musick that should lull the soul asleep sumptuous Furnitures so as I would surfet the Senses and make the seven Deadly Sins live like Princes And set up Sin and Vanity to the hight Since those are still the Gentlemens delight But O my money is gone which cuts off all my hopes of exercising all those virtuous ways well let me cogitate and boy give me a melancholy Pipe to cloud all hopes of joys with sadder thoughts He gives him his Pipe 1 Gent. Truly 't is pity he hath lost his money for you hear how Religiously he would have spent it 2 Gent. Most like a Gentleman I must needs say that for him 3 Gent. Most piously indeed but prethee let us walk for a while lest we should disturb his Thoughts no more Discourse but let us tie our Tongues 1 Gent. Content till his be loose They sit mute a time while he sits musing 2 Gent. What Contemplation now Letgo Pious and
naturally an eloquent Orator yet the bare truth of his worthy Virtues and Heroical actions will be sufficient to make the story both profitable delightfull and famous also I must intreat you to choose out a Poet one that doth not meerly write for gain or to express his own wit so much as to endeavour to Pencil with the pen Virtue to the life which in my Lord was so beautifull as it was beyond all draughts but the theam will inspire his Muse and when both these works are writ printed and set out as divulged to the World as a patern for examples which few will be able to imitate then I would have these books ly by me as Registers of memory for next unto the Gods my life shall be spent in Contemplation of him I know I shall not need to perswade you to do this for your affection to his memory is ready of it self but love and duty binds me to express my desires for his Fame leaving nothing which is for my part thereunto Doctor Educature Madam all the service I can do towards the memory of my dear Pupil and noble Lord and Patron shall be most devoutly observed and followed for Heaven knows if I had as many lives to dispose of as I have lived years I would have Sacrificed them all for to haue redeemed his life from Death Doctor Educature goes out Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. When I have interred my Husbands body and all my desires thereunto be finished I shall be at some rest and like an Executrix to my self executing my own will distributing the Rites and Ceremonies as Legacies to the dead thus the living gives the dead but O my Spirits are tired with the heavy burden of Melancholy and grow faint for want of rest yet my senses invite me thereunto yet I cannot rest in my Bed for frightfull Dreams disturb me wherefore I will ly down on this floor and try if I can get a quiet sleep on the ground for from Earth I came and to Earth I would willingly return She lays her self down upon the ground on one side of her Arm bowing leaning upon her Elbow her Forehead upon the palm of her hand bowing forwards her face towards the ground but her grief elevating her passion thus speaks Madam Iantil. Weep cold Earth through your pores weep Or in your bowels my salt tears fast keep Inurn my sighs which from my grief is sent With my hard groans build up a Monument My Tongue like as a pen shall write his name My words as letters to divulge his fame My life like to an Arch over his Ashes bend And my desires to his grave descend I warn thee Life keep me not Company I am a friend to Death thy Enemy For thou art cruell and every thing torments Wounding with pain all that the World presents But Death is generous and sets us free Breaks off our Chains and gives us liberty Heals up our wounds of trouble with sweet rest Draws our corrupted passions from our breast Layes us to sleep on Pillows of soft case Rocks us with silence nothing hears nor sees She fetches'a great sigh O that I may here sleep my last After a short slumber she wakes If it were not for Dreams sleep would be a happiness next unto Death but I find I cannot sleep a long sleep in Death I shall not dye so soon as I would Love is so strong and pure it cannot dy Lives not in sense but in the Soul doth lye Why do I mourn his love with mine doth dwell His love is pleas'd mine entertains it well But mine would be like his one imbodied Only an Essence or like a Godhead Exeunt Scene 22. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort How doth our Lady Doll Doll Pacify To day she began to sit up but yet she is very weak and faint Doctor Comfort Heaven help her Doll Pacify You that are Heavens Almner should distribute Heavens gifts out of the purse of your mouth and give her single Godly words instead of single silver pence to buy her some Heavenly food to feed her famisht mind Doctor Comfort Thou are a full-fed wench Doll Pacify If I were no better fed than you feed me which is but once a week as on Sundayes I should be starved Doctor Comfort You must fast and pray fast and pray Exeunt ACT V. Scene 23. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. All the young Gallants in the Town are preparing themselves with fine Cloths and Feathers to go a woing to the two rich Widows the Lady Iantil and the Lady Passionate 2 Gent. Riches are the Loadstone of affection or at least professions 1 Gent. The truth is Riches draw more Suters than Youth Beauty or Virtue Exeunt Scene 24. Enter two or three Gentlemen Monsieur Comerade Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Comerade For Heavens sake let us go and address our selves to the two Rich Widows Monsieur Compagnion For my part I will address my self to none but the young Widow the Lady Iantil and to her let us go without delay Monsieur la Gravity It will be uncivil to go so soon after their Husbands Death for their Husbands are not yet laid in their Graves Monsieur Compagnion If they were we should come too late for I knew a man which was a great friend of mine who was resolved to settle himself in a married course of life and so he went a wooing to a Widow for a Widow he was resolved to marry and he went a wooing to one whose Husband was but just cold in his grave but she told him she was promised before so he wooed another whilst she followed her Husbands Corps but she told him he came too late whereat he thought with the third not to be a second in his Sute and so expressed his desires in her Husbands sickness she told him she was very sorry that she had past her word before to another for if she had not she would have ma le him her choice whereat he curst his imprudence and wooed the fourth on her wedding day who gave him a promise after her Husband was dead to marry him and withall she told him that if she had been married before it had been ten to one but he had spoke too late for said she when we are Maids we are kept from the free conversation of men by our Parents or Guardians but on our wedding day we are made free and set at liberty and like as young Heirs on the day of one and twenty we make promises like bonds for two or three lives wherefore I fear we shall miss of our hopes for these two Widows will be promised before we address our Sute Monsieur la Gravity No no for I am confident all do not so for some love to have the freedoms of their wills for every promise is a bondage to those that make a Conscience to keep their promise besides it is not only variety that pleaseth women but