Kneele Fres. Your health will make me sicke sir 1. Then t' will bring you o' your knees I hope sir Fres. May I not stand and pledge it sir 2. I hope you will doe as wee doe Fres. Nay then indeed I must not stand for you cannot 3. Well said old boy Fres. Old boy you 'l make me a young childe anon for if I continue this I shall scarce be able to goe alone 1. My body is as weake as water Fresco Fres. Good reason sir the beere has sent all the malt vp into your braine and left nothing but the water in your body Enter D'amville and Borachio closely obseruing their drunkennesse D'am. Borachio seest those fellowes Bor. Yes my Lord D'am. Their drunkennesse that seemes ridiculous Shall be a serious instrument to bring Our sober purposes to their successe Bor. I am prepar'd for th' execution sir D'am. Cast off this habite and about it straight Bor. Let them drinke healthes drowne their braines i' the floud I le promise them they shall be pledg'd in bloud Exit 1. You ha' left a damnable snuffe here 2. Doe you take that in snuffe Sir 1. You are a damnable rogue then together by th' eares D'am. Fortune I honour thee My plot still rises According to the modell of mine owne desires Lights for my Brother What ha' you drunke your selues mad you knaues 1. My Lord the Iackes abus'd mee D'am. I thinke they are the Iackes indeed that haue abus'd thee Dost heare that fellow is a proud knaue Hee has abus'd thee As thou goest ouer the fields by and by in lighting my brother home I le tell thee what' sha't doe Knocke him ouer the pate with thy torch I le beare the out in 't 2. I will sindge the goose by this torch Exit D'am. Doest heare fellow Seest thou that proud knaue I haue giuen him a lesson for his sawcinesse H 'as wrong'd thee I le tell thee what' sha't doe As we goe ouer the fields by and by clap him sodainely o'er the coxe-combe with thy torch I le beare thee out in 't 2. I will make him vnderstand as much Exit Enter Languebeau Snuffe D'am. Now Mounsieur Snuffe What has my brother done Lan. Made his Will and by that Will made you his heyre with this prouiso that as occasion shall hereafter moue him hee may reuoke or alter it when he pleases D'am. Yes Let him if he can I le make it sure from his reuoking Aside Enter Montferrers and Belforest attended with lights Mont. Brother now good night D'am. The skie is darke wee 'l bring you o'er the fields Who can but strike wants wisedome to maintaine Hee that strikes safe and sure has heart and braine Exeunt Enter Castabella alone Casta. O Loue thou chast affection of the Soule Without th' adultrate mixture of the bloud That vertue which to goodnesse addeth good The minion of heauens heart Heauen is 't my fate For louing that thou lou'st to get thy hate Or was my Charlemont thy chosen Loue And therefore hast receiu'd him to thy selfe Then I confesse thy anger 's not vniust I was thy riuall Yet to be diuorc'd From loue has beene a punishment enough Sweete heauen without being marryed vnto hate Hadst thou beene pleas'd O double miserie Yet since thy pleasure hath inflicted it If not my heart my dutie shall submit Enter Leuidulcia Rousard Cateplasma Soquerte and Fresco with a lanthorne Leu. Mistresse Cataplasma good night I pray when your Man has brought you home let him returne and light me to my house Cata. He shall instantly waite on your Ladiship Leu. Good Mistresse Cataplasma for my seruants are all drunke I cannot be beholding to 'em for their attendance Exeunt Cataplasma Soquette and Fresco O here 's your Bride Rous. And melancholique too me thinkes Leu. How can shee choose your sicknesse will Distaste th' expected sweetnesse o' the night That makes her heauie Rou. That should make her light Leu. Looke you to that Casta. What sweetnesse speake you of The sweetnesse of the night consists in rest Rou. With that sweetnesse thou shalt be surely blest Vnlesse my groning wake thee Doe not moane Leu. Sh 'ad rather you would wake and make her grone Rou. Nay'troth sweete heart I will not trouble thee Thou shalt not lose thy maiden-head too night Casta. O might that weakenesse euer be in force I neuer would desire to sue diuorce Rou. Wilt goe to bed Casta. I will attend you Sir Rou. Mother good night Leu. Pleasure be your bed-fellow Exeunt Rousard and Castabella Why sure their Generation was asleepe When shee begot those Dormice that shee made Them vp so weakely and imperfectly One wants desire the tother habilitie When my affection euen with their cold blouds As snow rub'd through an actiue hand does make The flesh to burne by agitation is Inflam'd I could vnbrace and entertaine The ayre to coole it Enter Sebastian Seba. That but mitigates The heate rather imbrace and entertaine A younger brother he can quench the fire Leu. Can you so sir now I beshrew your eare Why bold Sebastian how dare you approach So neare the presence of your displeas'd Father Seba. Vnder the protection of his present absence Leu. Belike you knew he was abroad then Seba. Yes Let me encounter you so I le perswade Your meanes to reconcile me to his loue Leu. Is that the way I vnderstand you not But for your reconcilement meete m' at home I le satisfie your suite Seba. Within this halfe houre Exit Sebastian Leu. Or within this whole houre When you will A lusty bloud has both the presence and the spirit of a man I like the freedome of his behauiour Ho Sebastian Gone Has set my bloud o'boyling i' my veynes And now like water pour'd vpon the ground that mixes it selfe with eu'ry moysture it meetes I could claspe with any man Enter Fresco with a Lanthorne O Fresco Art thou come If tother faile then thou art entertaind Lust is a Spirit which whosoe'er doth raise The next man that encounters boldly layes Exeunt Enter Borachio warily and hastily ouer the Stage with a stone in eyther hand Bor. Such stones men vse to raise a house vpon But with these stones I goe to ruine one Descends Enter two Seruants drunke fighting with their torches D'amville Montferrers Belforest and Languebeau Snuffe Bel. Passion o' me you drunken knaues you 'l put the lights out D'am. No my Lord th' are but in ieast 1. Mine's out D'am. Then light it at his head that 's light enough Foregod th' are out You drunken Rascals backe and light 'em Bel. T' is exceeding darke Exeunt Seruants D'am. No matter I am acquainted with the way Your hand Let 's easily walke I le lead you till they come Mont. My soule 's opprest with griefe T'lies heauie at my heart O my departed Sonne ere long I shall be with thee D'amville thrusts him downe into the gravell pit D'am. Marry God forbid Mont. O o o. D'am. Now all
to some other man And in that obstinacie shee remaines Lan. Verily that disobedience doth not become a Childe It proceedeth from an vnsanctified libertie You will be accessarie to your owne dishonour if you suffer it Bel. Your honest wisedome has aduis'd mee well Once more I le moue her by perswasiue meanes If shee resist all mildenesse set apart I will make vse of my authoritie Lan. And instantly least fearing your constraint her contrary affection teach her some deuise that may preuent you Bel. To cut off eu'ry opportunitie Procrastination may assist her with This instant night shee shall be marryed Lan. Best Enter Castabella Casta. Please it your Lordship my mother attends I' th' Gallerie and desires your conference Exit Belforest This meanes I vs'd to bring mee to your eare Time cuts off circumstance I must be briefe To your integritie did Charlemont Commit the contract of his loue and mine Which now so strong a hand seekes to diuide That if your graue aduise assist me not I shall be forc'd to violate my faith Lan. Since Charlemont's absence I haue waighed his loue with the spirit of consideration and in sinceritie I finde it to be friuolous and vaine With-draw your respect his affection deserueth it not Casta. Good sir I know your heart cannot prophane The holinesse you make profession of With such a vitious purpose as to breake The vow your owne consent did help to make Lan. Can he deserue your loue who in neglect of your delightfull conuersation and in obstinate contempt of all your prayers and teares absents himselfe so far from your sweet fellowship and with a purpose so contracted to that absence that you see hee purchases your separation with the hazard of his bloud and life fearing to want pretence to part your companies T' is rather hate that doth diuision moue Loue still desires the presence of his Loue Verily hee is not of the Familie of Loue Casta. O doe not wrong him T' is a generous minde That ledde his disposition to the warre For gentle loue and noble courage are So neare allyed that one begets another Or Loue is Sister and Courage is the Brother Could I affect him better then before His Souldiers heart would make me loue him more Lan. But Castabella Enter Leuidulcia Leu. Tush you mistake the way into a woman The passage lyes not through her reason but her bloud Exit Languebeau Castabella about to follow Nay stay How wouldst thou call the childe That being rais'd with cost and tendernesse To full habilitie of body and meanes Denies reliefe vnto the parents who Bestow'd that bringing vp Casta. Vnnaturall Leu. Then Castabella is vnnaturall Nature the louing mother of vs all Brought forth a woman for her owne reliefe By generation to reuiue her age Which now thou hast habilitie and meanes Presented most vnkindly dost deny Casta. Belieue me Mother I doe loue a man Leu. Preferr'st th' affection of an absent Loue Before the sweet possession of a man The barren minde before the fruitfull body Where our creation has no reference To man but in his body being made Onely for generation which vnlesse Our children can be gotten by conceit Must from the body come If Reason were Our counsellour wee would neglect the worke Of generation for the prodigall Expence it drawes vs too of that which is The wealth of life Wise Nature therefore hath Reseru'd for an inducement to our sence Our greatest pleasure in that greatest worke Which being offer'd thee thy ignorance Refuses for th' imaginarie ioy Of an vnsatisfied affection to An absent man Whose bloud once spent i' th' warre Then hee 'l come home sicke lame and impotent And wed thee to a torment like the paine Of Tantalus continuing thy desire With fruitlesse presentation of the thing It loues still moou'd and still vnsatisfied Enter Belforest Da'mville Rousard Sebastian Languebeau c. Bel. Now Leuidulcia Hast thou yet prepar'd My Daughters loue to entertaine this Man Her husband here Leu. I 'm but her mother i'law Yet if shee were my very flesh and bloud I could aduise no better for good Rous. Sweet wife Thy ioyfull husband thus salutes Thy cheeke Casta. My husband O! I am betraid Deare friend of Charlemont your puritie Professes a diuine contempt o' th' world O be not brib'd by that you so neglect In being the worlds hated instrument To bring a iust neglect vpon your selfe Kneele from one to another Deare Father let me but examine my Affection Sir your prudent iudgement can Perswade your sonne that t' is improuident To marry one whose disposition he Did ne'er obserue Good sir I may be of A nature so vnpleasing to your minde Perhaps you 'l curse the fatall houre wherein You rashly marryed me D'am. My Lord Belforest I would not haue her forc'd against her choise Bel. Passion o' me thou peeuish girle I charge Thee by my blessing and th' authoritie I haue to claime th' obedience marry him Casta. Now Charlemont O my presaging teares This sad euent hath follow'd my sad feares Seba. A rape a rape a rape Bel. How now D'am. What 's that Seba. Why what is 't but a Rape to force a wench to marry since it forces her to lie with him she would not Lan. Verily his Tongue is an vnsanctified member Seba. Verily your grauitie becomes your perish'd soule as hoary mouldinesse does rotten fruit Bel. Couzen y' are both vnciuill and prophane D'am. Thou disobedient villaine get thee out of my sight Now by my Soule I le plague thee for this rudenesse Bel. Come set forward to the Church Exeunt Manet Sebastian Seba. And verifie the Prouerbe The nearer the Church the further from God Poore wench For thy sake may his habilitie die in his appetite that thou beest not troubled with him thou louest not May his appetite moue thy desire to another man so hee shall helpe to make himselfe Cuckold And let that man be one that he payes wages too so thou shalt profit by him thou hatest Let the Chambers be matted the hinges oyl'd the curtaine rings silenced and the chamber-maid hold her peace at his owne request that he may sleepe the quietlier And in that sleepe let him be soundly cuckolded And when hee knowes it and seekes to sue a diuorce let him haue no other satisfaction then this Hee lay by and slept the Law will take no hold of her because he wink'd at it Exit Actus secundi Scena prima Musicke A banquet In the night Enter D'amville Belforest Leuidulcia Rousard Castabella Languebeau Snuffe at one doore At the other doore Cataplasma and Soquette vsher'd by Fresco Leuidulcia MIstresse Cataplasma I expected you an houre since Cata. Certaine Ladies at my house Madame detain'd mee otherwise I had attended your Ladiship sooner Leu. Wee are beholding to you for you companie My Lord I pray you bid these Gentlewomen welcome th' are my inuited friends D'am. Gentlewomen y' are welcome pray sit downe Leu. Frisco by my Lord D'amville's
Nephew Exit Charlemont Seest thou that same man Bora. Your meaning Sir D'am. That fellowes life Borachio Like a superfluous Letter in the Law Endangers our assurance Bora. Scrape him out D'am. Wut doe 't Bora. Giue me your purpose I will doe 't D'am. Sad melancholy has drawne Charlemont With meditation on his Fathers death Into the solitarie walke behind the Church Bora. The Churchyard This the fittest place for death Perhaps he 's praying Then he 's fit to die We 'l send him charitably to his graue D'am. No matter how thou tak'st him First take this Pistoll Thou knowest the place Obserue his passages And with the most aduantage make a stand That fauour'd by the darknesse of the night His brest may fall vpon thee at so neare A distance that he sha'not shunne the blow The deede once done thou mai'st retire with safety The place is vnfrequented and his death Will be imputed to th' attempt of theeues Bora. Be carelesse Let your mind be free and cleare This Pistoll shall discharge you of your feare Exit D'am. But let me call my proiects to accompt For what effect and end I haue engag'd My selfe in all this bloud To leaue a state To the succession of my proper bloud But how shall that succession be continued Not in my elder Sonne I feare Disease And weakenesse haue disabled him for issue For th' tother his loose humour will endure No bond of marriage And I doubt his life His spirit is so boldly dangerous O pittie that the profitable end Of such a prosp'rous murther should be lost Nature forbid I hope I haue a body That will not suffer me to loose my labour For want of issue yet But then 't must be A Bastard Tush they onely father bastards That father other mens begettings Daughter Be it mine owne let it come whence it will I am resolu'd Daughter Enter Seruant Seru. My Lord D'am. I prithee call my Daughter Enter Casta. Casta. Your pleasure Sir D'am. Is thy Husband i'bed Casta. Yes my Lord D'am. The euening 's faire I prithee walke a turne or two Casta. Come Iaspar D'am. No Weel ' walke but to the corner o' the Church And I haue something to speake priuately Casta. No matter Stay Exit Seruant D'am. This falles out happily Exeunt Enter Charlemont Borachio dogging him in the Churchyard The Clocke strikes twelve Charl. Twelue Bora. T' is a good houre t' will strike one anon Charl. How fit a place for contemplation is this dead of night among the dwellings of the dead This graue Perhappes th' inhabitant vvas in his life time the possessour of his owne desires Yet in the midd'st of all his greatnesse and his wealth he was lesse rich and lesse contented then in this poore piece of earth lower and lesser then a Cottage For heere he neither wants nor cares Now that his body fauours of corruption Hee enioyes a sweeter rest then e'er hee did amongst the sweetest pleasures of this life For heere there 's nothing troubles him And there In that graue lies another He perhaps was in his life as full of miserie as this of happinesse And here 's an end of both Now both their states are equall O that Man with so much labour should aspire to wordly height when in the humble earth the world's condition 's at the best Or scorne inferiour men since to be lower then a worme is to be higher then a King Bora. Then fall and rise Discharges Giues false fire Charl. What villaines hand was that saue thee or thou shalt perish They fight Bora. Zownes vnsau'd I thinke Fall Charl. What Haue I kill'd him whatsoe'er thou beest I would thy hand had prosper'd For I was vnfit to liue and well prepar'd to die What shall I doe accuse my selfe Submit me to the law and that will quickly end this violent encrease of miserie But t' is a murther to be accessarie to mine owne death I will not I will take this opportunitie to scape It may be Heau'n reserues me to some better end Exit Charlemont Enter Snuffe and Soquette into the Churchyard Soqu. Nay good Sir I dare not In good sooth I come of a generation both by Father and Mother that were all as fruitfull as Costard-mongers wiues Snu. Tush then a Timpanie is the greatest danger can be fear'd Their fruitfulnesse turnes but to a certaine kind of flegmatique windie disease Soqu. I must put my vnderstanding to your trust Sir I would be loath to be deceiu'd Snu. No conceiue thou sha't not Yet thou shalt profit by my instruction too My bodie is not euery day drawne dry wench Soqu. Yet mee thinkes Sir your want of vse should rather make your body like a Well the lesser t' is drawne the sooner it growes dry Snu. Thou shalt try that instantly Soqu. But we want place and opportunity Snu. We haue both This is the backe side of the House which the superstitious call Saint Winifrea' Church and is verily a conuenient vnfrequented place Where vnder the close Curtaines of the night Soqu. You purpose i' the darke to make me light Pulles out a sheete a haire and a beard But what ha' you there Snu. This disguise is for securitie sake wench There 's a talke thou know'st that the Ghoast of olde Mon ferrers walks In this Church he was buried Now if any stranger fall vpon vs before our businesse be ended in this disguise I shall be taken for that Ghoast and neuer be call'd to examination I warrant thee Thus wee shall scape both preuention and discouerie How doe I looke in this habite wench Saq. So like a Ghost that notwithstanding I haue som fore-knowledge of you you make my haire stand almost an end Snu. I will try how I can kisse in this beard O fie fie fie I will put it off and then kisse and then put it on I can doe the rest without kissing Enter Charlemont doubtfully with his sword drawne is vpon them before they are aware They runne out divers waies and leaue the disguise Charl. What ha' wee heere a Sheete a haire a beard What end was this disguise intended for No matter what I 'le not expostulate the purpose of a friendly accident Perhaps it may accommodate my scape I feare I am pursued For more assurance I 'le hide mee heere i' th Charnell house this conuocation-house of dead mens sculles To get into the Charnell house he takes holde of a Death's head it slips and staggers him Death's head deceiu'st my hold Such is the trust to all mortalitie Hides himselfe in the Charnell house Enter D'amville and Castabella Casta. My Lord The night growes late Your Lordship spake of something you desir'd to moue in priuate D'am. Yes Now I 'le speake it Th' argument is loue The smallest ornament of thy sweet forme that abstract of all pleasure can command the sences into passion and thy entire perfection is my obiect yet I loue thee with the freedome of my reason I can giue thee
reason for my loue Casta. Loue me my Lord I doe beleeue it for I am the wife of him you loue D'am. T' is true By my perswasion thou wert forc'd to marrie one vnable to performe the office of a Husband I was author of the wrong My conscience suffers vnder 't and I would disburthen it by satisfaction Casta. How D'am. I will supply that pleasure to thee which he cannot Casta. Are y'a diuell or a man D'am. A man and such a man as can returne thy entertainment with as prodigall a body as the couetous desire of woman euer was delighted with So that besides the full performance of thy empty Husbands dutie thou shalt haue the ioy of children to continue the succession of thy bloud For the appetite that steales her pleasure drawes the forces of the body to an vnited strength and puts 'em altogether into action neuer failes of procreation All the purposes of Man aime but at one of these two ends pleasure or profit And in this one sweet coniunction of our loues they both will meete Would it not grieue thee that a Stranger to thy bloud should lay the first foundation of his house vpon the ruines of thy family Casta. Now Heau'n defend me May my memorie be vtterly extinguish'd and the heire of him that was my Fathers enemie raise his eternall monument vpon our ruines ere the greatest pleasure or the greatest profit euer tempt me to continue it by incest D'am. Incest Tush These distances affinitie obserues are articles of bondage cast vpon our freedomes by our owne subiections Nature allowes a gen'rall libertie of generation to all creatures else Shall Man to whose command and vse all creatures were made subiect be lesse free then they Casta. O God! is thy vnlimited and infinite omnipotence lesse free because thou doest no ill or if you argue meerely out of Nature doe you not degenerate from that and are you not vnworthie the prerogatiue of Natures Maister-piece when basely you prescribe your selfe authoritie and law from their examples whom you should command I could confute you but the horrour of the argument confounds my vnderstanding Sir I know you doe but try me in your Sonnes behalfe suspecting that my strength and youth of bloud cannot containe themselues with impotence Beleeue me Sir I neuer wrong'd him If it be your lust O quench it on their prostituted flesh whose trade of sinne can please desire with more delight and lesse offence The poyson of your breath euaporated from so foule a soule infects the ayre more then the dampes that rise from bodies but halfe rotten in their graues D'am. Kisse me I warrant thee my breath is sweet These dead mens bones lie heere of purpose to inuite vs to supply the number of the liuing Come we 'l get young bones and doe 't I will enioy thee No Nay then inuoke your great suppos'd protectour I will doe 't Casta. Suppos'd protectour Are y'an Athiest Then I know my prayers and teares are spent in vaine O patient Heau'n Why doest thou not expresse thy wrath in thunderbolts to teare the frame of man in pieces How can earth endure the burthen of this wickednesse without an earthquake Or the angry face of Heau'n be not enflam'd with lighning D'am. Coniure vp the Diuell and his Dam Crie to the graues the dead can heare thee inuocate their helpe Casta. O would this graue might open and my body were bound to the dead carkasse of a man for euer e're it entertaine the lust of this detested villaine D'am. Tereas-like thus I will force my passage to Charl. The Diuell Charlemont rises in the disguise and frights D'amville away Now Lady with the hand of Charlemont I thus redeeme you from the arme of lust My Castabella Casta. My deare Charlemont Charl. For all my wrongs I thanke thee gracious Heau'n th' ast made me satisfaction to reserue me for this blessed purpose Now sweet Death I 'le bid thee welcome Come I 'le guard thee home and then I 'le cast my selfe into the armes of apprehension that the law may make this worthie worke the crowne of all my actions being the best and last Casta. The last The law Now Heau'n forbid what ha' you done Charl. Why I haue kill'd a man not murder'd him my Castabella He would ha' murder'd me Casta. Then Charlemont the hand of Heau'n directed thy defence That wicked Athiest I suspect his plot Charl. My life he seekes I would he had it since he has depriu'd mee of those blessings that should make mee loue it Come I 'le giue it him Casta. You sha'not I will first expose my selfe to certaine danger then for my defence destroy the man that sau'd mee from destruction Charl. Thou canst not satisfie me better then to be the instrument of my release from miserie Casta. Then worke it by escape Leaue mee to this protection that still guards the innocent Or I will be a partner in your destinie Charl. My soule is heauie Come lie downe to rest These are the pillowes whereon men sleepe best They lie downe with either of them a Death's head for a pillow Enter Snuffe seeking Soquette Snu. Soquette Soquette Soquette O art thou there He mistakes the body of Borachio for Soquette Verily thou lyest in a fine premiditate readinesse for the purpose Come kisse me sweet Soquette Now puritie defend me from the sinne of Sodom This is a creature of the masculine gender Verily the Man is blasted Yea cold and stiffe Murder murder murder Exit Enter D'amville distractedly starts at the sight of a Death's head D'am. Why doest thou stare vpon me Thou art not the scull of him I murder'd What hast thou to doe to vexe my conscience Sure thou wert the head of a most dogged Vsurer th' art so vncharitable And that Bawde the skie there she could shut the windowes and the dores of this great chamber of the world and draw the curtaines of the clouds betweene those lights and me about this bed of earth when that same Stumpet Murder my selfe committed sin together Then she could leaue vs in the darke till the close deed was done But now that I begin to feele the loathsome horrour of my sinne and like a Leacher emptied of his lust desire to burie my face vnder my eye-browes and would steale from my shame vnseene she meetes me i' th face with all her light corrupted eyes to challenge payment o' mee O beholde Yonder 's the Ghoast of olde Montferrers in a long white sheete climbing yond loftie mountaine to complaine to Heau'n of me Montferrers pox o' fearefulnesse T' is nothing but a faire white cloude Why was I borne a coward He lies that sayes so Yet the count'nance of a bloudlesse worme might ha' the courage now to turne my bloud to water The trembling motion of an Aspen leafe would make me like the shadow of that leafe he shaking vnder 't I could now commit a murder were it but to drinke the fresh warme bloud of