as a great Lady But if we could conquer and imprison Monsieur Satyrical in Loves Fetters that would be a Conquest worthy Fames Trumpet Pleasure O that would be such an Exploit as it would be an Honour to our Sex Bon' Esprit There is nothing I desire more than to be she that might infetter him Portrait I long to insnare him Ambition So do I Bon' Esprit Faith I will lay an Ambuscado for him Matron Fie Ladies fie I am asham'd to hear the Designs you have no catch Monsieur Satyrical such Fair Young Noble Ladies to be so wanton as none will content you but a wilde rough rude Satyr Bon' Esprit If I were sure there were no other ways to get him I would become a Wood-nymph for his sake Matron You have forgot the Nymph that was turned into a Bear Bon' Esprit O she was one of cruel Diana's Nymphs but I will be none of her Order Matron No I dare swear you will not for 't is unlikely you should when you desire to imbrace a Satyr Bon' Esprit I do not desire to imbrace him but to enamour him Matron Well Ladies your Parents gave you to my Care and Charge but since you are so wilde to talk of nothing but Nymphs Woods and Satyrs I will resigne up the Trust which was imposed on me to your Parents again for I will not adventure my Reputation with such wanton young Ladies Bon' Esprit Mother Matron let me tell thee thy Reputation is worn out of thee Time hath devoured it and therefore thou hast no Reputation to lose Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Monsieur Censure and Monsieur Frisk FRisk Fath Tom I have emptyed thy pockets Censure Thou hast pick'd my pockets with thy juggling Dice for which if thou wert a woman and in my power I would be reveng'd for my loss Frisk Why what would you do if I were a Woman Censure I would condemn thee to a solitary silent life which to a woman is worse than Hell for company and talking is their Heaven and their Tongues are more restless than the Sea their Passions more stormy than the Winds and their Appetites more unsatiable and devouring than fire they are lighter than Air more changing than the Moon Frisk What makes thee thus rail at the Effeminate Sex Censure Have I not reason when Fortune is of the same gender Enter Madamoiselle Faction Frisk Faith Tom I must tell Faction What will you tell Frisk Why I will tell you Lady he hath rail'd most horribly against your Sex Faction That is usual for all those men which never received nor hope to receive any favour from our Sex will rail against it Censure Those men have no reason Lady to commend you if they never received neither profit nor pleasure from you and those that have been cruelly used by your Sex may lawfully rail against it Faction The Laws of Honour forbid it Censure But the Laws of Nature allow it and Nature is the most prevailing law Faction Natures law is for Men to love Women and Women Men but in you and I there is not that Sympathy for I dislike your Sex as much as you do ours and could rail with as free a will against it The truth is that although I do not hate men yet I despise them for all men appear to me either Beasts or Butter-flies which are either sensual or vain Indeed most men are worse than beasts for beasts are but according to their kind when men are degenerated by beastly Sensualies from which they were made for as most men are worse than beasts so you are worse than most men Censure It is a favour Lady from your Sex to rail against ours for it is a sign you have considered us and that we live in your memory although with your ill opinions yet it is better to live with Enemies than not to be and of all men I have received the greatest favour from the chiefest of your Sex which is your self in that you have considered me most though you have found me worst yet it proves you have thought of me Faction If those thoughts and dispraises be favours I will binde so many together until they become as thick and hard as steel of which you may make an Armour to keep your Reputation from wounds of reproach She goes out Frisk There Tom she hath paid thee both for thy Railings and Complements Censure She hath not payd me in current coyn Frisk It will pass for disgrace I 'll warrant thee Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Madam Ambition Faction Portrait Bon' Esprit Pleasure BOn Esprit There are but three things a gallant man requires which is a Horse a Sword and a Mistris Ambition Yet a gallant man wants Generosity for the greatest honour for a man is to be generous for Generosity comprises all Virtues good Qualities and sweet Graces for a generous man will never spare his life purse nor labour for the sake of just Right plain Truth Honest Poverty Distress Misery or the like for a generous man hath a couragious yet compassionate Heart a constant and noble Mind a bountiful Hand an active and industrious Life and he is one that joyes more to do good than others to receive good Pleasure There are few or none that have such noble Souls as to prefer anothers good before their own Portrait The truth is men have more promising Tongues than performing deeds Faction For all I can perceive mans life is composed of nothing but deceit treachery and rapine Bon' Esprit Indeed mans mind is like a Forest and his thoughts like wilde beasts inhabit therein Ambition Mans Mind is like a Sea where his Thoughts like Fishes swim therein where some Thought are like huge Leviathans others like great Whales but some are like Sprats Shrimps and Minnues Enter Monsieur Sensuality Sensuality What is like a Minnues Ambition A mans Soul Sensuality It is better have a soul although no bigger than a Minnues than none at all as Women have but if they have I dare swear it is no bigger than a pins point Bon' Esprit Very like which point pricks down thoughts into the Brain and Passions in the heart and writes in the Brain witty Conceits if the point be sharp Sensuality No no it serves onely to raise their brains with Vanity to ingrave their hearts with Falshood and to scratch out their lives with Discontent Pleasure We oftner scratch out mens lives than our own Sensuality Nay you oftner scratch out our honour than our lives Faction For my part I have an itch to be scratching Sensuality I believe you for you have a vexatious soul Faction It hath cause to be vexatious for the point of my soul is whetted with Aqua Fortis against your Sex Sensuality I 'm sure Lady your tongue is whetted with Aqua Fortis Faction So is yours Sensuality If it be let us try which point is sharpest Faction I will leave the Trial to Time and Occasion Exeunt Scene 17.
business as there was no room more for a thought to stay in So I went away in despair but coming home I chanced to see him at a little distance so I made all the haste I could to overtake him placing my Eyes fixedly upon him because I would not lose him but his pace was so swift and his several turnings in several Lanes and Allyes were so many as it was impossible for me to keep my measure pace or sight for like a Bird he did not only fly out of my reach but out of my view but by a second good fortune I met him just at your Gate and I stopp'd his way until I had told him your Message which was you would speak with him He answered me he could not possibly stay for his businesse called him another way I told him that if he did not come and speak with you or stay until you did come and speak with him his Law-sute which was of great Importance would be lost for you could not do him any further service to your Friends that should help him until he had resolved you of some questions you were to ask him besides that you wanted a Writing that he had He told me that he was very much obliged to you for your favour to him but he could not possibly stay to speak with you for he had some businesse to do for two or three other men and he must of necessity go seek those men out whom the businesse concerned so that I could not perswade him by any means although for his own good to come in or to stay till you went to him Tranquill. Peace Faith he is so busie that he will neither do himself good nor any other man for he runs himself out of the Field of Business being over-busy neither holding the Reins of Time nor sitting steady in the Seat of Judgment nor stopping with the Bit of Discretion nor taking the Advantages of Opportunity but totters with Inconstancy and falls with Losse Thus his busy thoughts do tire his Mind so that his life hath a sorry sore and weary Journey Servant I think he is a man that is full of Projects Tranquill. Peace So full as his head is stuff'd with them and he begins many designs but never finisheth any one of them for his designs are built upon vain hopes without a Foundation But were his hopes solid with probability yet his inconstancy and unsteady doubts and over-cautious care would pull down or ruine his designs before they were half built Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Bon' Esprit Portrait Ambition Superbe Pleasure Faction Grave Temperance Mother Matron Enter Monsieur Sensuality POrtrait Monsieur Sensuality let us examine you What company have you met vvithall that hath caused you to break your Word vvith us when you had promised you would come and carry us to a Play Pleasure If he carry us all he will carry a very heavy load Matron Ladies should be heavy and not light Portrait But Monsieur Sensuality pray tell us where you have been and with whom Sensuality Why I have been with as proper a Lady as any is in this City Ambition What do you mean by a proper Lady Bon' Esprit He means a prop'd Lady Sensuality I mean a Tall Proportionable Lady which is a comely sight Faction Not to my Eyes for I never see a tall big woman but I think she rather proceeds from the race of Titan than Iove for she seems to be more Body than Soul more Earth than Flame Sensuality For my part I think there cannot be too much of a fair Lady and if I were to choose I would choose her that had more body than soul for her soul would be uselesse to me by reason souls cannot be enjoy'd as bodies are Ambition Yes in a spiritual conversation they may Sensuality I hate an incorporeal Conversation Superbe Why then you hate the Conversation of the Gods Sensuality I love the Conversation and Society of fair young Ladies such as you are Portrait That is not the Answer to my question Sensuality Then let me tell you Ladies that most of our Sex do venture Heaven for your sakes and will sooner disobey the Gods than you Bon' Esprit So you make as if Women commanded Men against the Gods Sensuality No Lady but we serve Women when we should serve the Gods and pray to your Sex when the Gods would have us pray to them Pleasure The more wicked creatures are men Sensuality No the more tempting creatures are women Faction So you will make us Devils at last for the original of temptation came from Pluto Sensuality Temptation Lady was bred in Nature born from Nature and inhabites with all your Sex as with Natures self whom I have heard is a most beautiful Lady and that is the reason I suppose she hath favoured women more than men being her self of the Effeminate Sex And the truth is Nature hath been cruel to our Sex for she hath not only made you so beautiful as to be admired and desired but so cruel as to despise reject and scorn us taking pleasure in our torments Portrait If all Women were of my mind we would torment you more than we do Faction We have tormented him enough with talking therefore let us leave him Sensuality Nay Ladies I will wait upon you Exeunt ACT II. Scene 10. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Monsieur Frisk FRisk Monsieur Satyrical I can tell you sad News Satyrical Let sadnesse sit upon the grave of Death for I defie it Frisk But that man is in danger that stands as a Centre in a Circumference from whence all the malignant passions shoot at him as Suspition Spight Envy Hatred Malice and Revenge and the more dangerous by reason their Arrows are poysoned with Effeminate Rage Satyrical Let them shoot for I am arm'd with Carelesnesse and have a Spell of Confidence which will keep me safe But who are they that are mine Enemies Frisk No less than a dozen Ladies Satyrical If I can attain to fight with them apart hand to hand I make no question but to come off Conquerour and if they assault me altogether yet I make no doubt but I shall so skirmish amongst them as I shall be on equal terms But what makes the breach of peace betwixt me and the Ladies and such a breach as to proclame Open Wars Frisk The Cause is just if it be true as it is reported Satyrical Why what is reported Frisk It is reported you have divulged some secret favours those Ladies have given you Satyrical It were ungrateful to conceal a favour for favours proceed from generous and noble Souls sweet and kind Natures Frisk But Ladies favours are to be concealed and lock'd up in the Closet of secrecie being given with privacy and promise not to divulge them and it seems by report you have broke your promise for which they swear to be revenged Satyrical Faith all Women especially Ladies their natural humour is like the Sea which
be not so cruel to me as to lay my Wives indisposition to my charge Lady Wagtaile But we will and we will draw up an Accusation against you unless you confess and ask pardon Sir P. Studious Will you accuse me without a Witness Lady Wagtail Yes and condemne you too Sir P. Studious That were unjust if Ladies could be unjust Lady Amorous O Madam we have a witness her blushing is a sufficient witness to accuse him Besides her melancholly silence will help to condemn him Lady Ignorance Pardon me Ladies for when any of our Sex are offended or angered whether they have cause or not they will rail louder than Ioves thunder Lady Amorous So will you in time Lady Wagtail Let us jumble her abroad Come Madam we will put you out of your dull humour Lady Ignorance No Madam Pray excuse me to day in truth I am not well Lady Amorous No let us let my Lady alone but let us take her Husband and tutour him Sir P. Studious Ladies give me leave to praise my self and let my self and let me tell you I am as apt a Scholar as ever you met with and as willing to learn Lady Amorous Farewell Madam we will order Sir P. Studious and try what disposition he is of and how apt to be instructed Lady Ignorance Pray do Madam he promiseth well Ex. Scene 16 Enter Foster Trusty and the Lady Orphant LAdy Orphant Now we are come into the Armie how shall we demean our selves like poor Beggers Foster Trusty By no means for though you beg well yet you will never get what you come for with begging for there is an old saying that although all charity is love yet all love is not charity Lady Orphant It were the greatest charity in the World for him to love me for without his love I shall be more miserable than poverty can make me Foster Trusty But poverty is so scorned and hated that no person is accepted which she presents Nay poverty is shunn'd more than the Plague Lady Orphant Why it is not infectious Foster Trusty Yes faith for the relieving of necessity is the way to be impoverished Lady Orph. But their rewards are the greater in Heaven Foster Trusty 'T is true but their Estates are less on earth Lady Orphant But blessings are more to be desired than wealth Foster Trusty Well Heaven bless us and send us such fortune that our long journey may prove successfull and not profitless and because Heaven never gives blessings unless we use a prudent industry you shall put your self into good clothes and I will mix my self with his followers and servants and tell them as I may truely that you are my Son for no mans Son but mine you are was so importunate as you would never let me rest until I brought you to see the Lord Singularity and they will tell him to let him know his fame is such as even young children adore him taking a Pilgrimage to see him and he out of a vain-glory will desire to see you Lady Orphant But what advantage shall I get by that Enter the Lord Singularity and many Commanders attending him Foster Trusty Peace here is the General Commander The enemie is so beaten as now they will give us some time to breath our selves General They are more out of breath than we are but the States are generous enemies if they give them leave to fetch their wind and gather strength again Lady Orphant Father stand you by and let me speak She goeth to the General and speaks to him Heaven bless your Excellencie Lord General From whence comest thou boy Lord Orph. From your native Countrey General Cam'st thou lately Lady Orph. I am newly arrived General Pray how is my Countrey and Countrey-men live they still in happy peace and flourishing with plenty Lady Orph. There is no noise of war or fear of famine General Pray Iove continue it Lady Orphant It is likely so to continue unless their pride and luxurie be gets a factious childe that is born with war and fed with ruine General Do you know what faction is Lady Orph. There is no man that lives and feels it not the very thoughts are factious in the mind and in Rebellious passions arises warring against the soul General Thou canst not speak thus by experience boy thou art too young not yet a mans Estate Lady Orphant But children have thoughts and said to have a rational soul as much as those that are grown up to men but if souls grow as bodies doth and thoughts increases with their years then may the wars within the mind be like to School-boys quarrels that falls out for a toy and for a roy are friends General Thou speakest like a Tutour what boyish thoughts so ever thou hast but tell me boy what mad'st thee travel so great a journey Lady Orph. For to see you General To see me boy Lady Orph. Yes to see you Sir for the Trumpet of your praise did sound so loud it struck my ears broke open my heart and let desire forth which restless grew until I travelled hither General I wish I had merits to equal thy weary steps or means for to reward them Lady Orph. Your presence hath sufficiently rewarded me General Could I do thee my service boy Lady Orph. A bounteous favour you might do me Sir General What is that boy Lady Orph. To let me serve you Sir General I should be ingratefull to refuse thee chose thy place Lady Orph. Your Page Sir if you please General I accept of thee most willingly Captain But Sir may not this boy be a lying couzening flattering dissembling treacherous boy General Why Captain there is no man that keeps many servants but some are lyers and some treacherous and all flatterers and a Master receives as much injurie from each particular as if they were joyned in one Lady Orph. I can bring none that will witness for my truth or be bound for my honesty but my own words General I desire none boy for thy tongue sounds so sweetly and thy face looks so honestly as I cannot but take and trust thee Lady Orph. Heaven bless your Excellence and fortune prosper you for your bounty hath been above my hopes and equal to my wishes General VVhat is thy name Lady Orph. Affectionata my Noble Lord General Then follow me Affectionata Ex. ACT IV. Scene 17. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Reformer her woman Enter Page PAge Madam there was a Gentleman gave me this Letter to deliver to your Ladyships hands Lady Bashfull A Letter I pray Reformer open it and read it for I will not receive Letters privately Page Exit Reformer The superscription is for the Right Honourable the Lady Bashfull these present The Letter MADAM Since I have had the honour to see you I have had the unhappiness to think my self miserable by reason I am deprived of speech that should plead my suit but if an affectionate soul chaste thoughts lawfull desires and a fervent heart can
Enter Madam Superbe and an Antient Woman VVOman Madam I am an humble Suter to your Ladyship Superbe What is your sute Woman That you will be pleased to take a young Maiden into your service of my preferring Superbe In what place Woman To wait and attend on your person Superbe Let me tell you that those servants that attend on my person do usually accompany me in all my Pastimes Exercises and sometimes in Conversation Wherefore they must be such as are well born well bred well behav'd modest and of sweet dispositions virtuous and of strict life otherwise they are not for me and if I find them not so I shall soon turn them away Woman Why Madam even Diana her self as severe and strict as she was had some wanton Nymphs that would commit errours although they seemed all sober and modest and profess'd chastity yet they would slip out of the way and her presence sometimes Superbe But she never failed to turn them out of her service and some she cruelly punished so that what her severity could not prevent yet her severity did punish for Diana's practice was not to watch her wanton Nymphs nor to hunt out their evil haunts or lurking-places to see their evil actions but her practice was to hunt the more modest and temperate creatures which were the beasts of the Fields and Forests So like as Diana I shall not watch my Maids nor pardon their rude or dishonourable actions Woman Pray Madam try this Maid for she is very honourably born and well bred but poor Superbe I shall not refuse her for poverty But as I will have some bound for the truth and trust of my vulgar servants so I will have some bound for the behaviour virtue and modesty of my honourable servants or else I will not take them Exeunt ACT III Scene 18. Enter Mother Matron and meets Monsieur Frisk MAtron Monsieur Frisk you are well met for I was even now sending a Footman for you Frisk For what good Mother Matron Matron Marry to come to a company of young Ladies who do half long for you Frisk They shall not lose their longing if I can help them Matron Now by my Troth and that is spoke like a Gentleman but let me tell you there is a great many of them Frisk Why then there is the more choice Matron But there is no choosing amongst Ladies you must take better for worse Frisk There is no worst amongst Ladies they are all fair and good Matron Yfaith I perceive now why the Ladies desire your company so much as they do Frisk Why my dear Mother Matron Matron Because you speak well of them behind their backs and promise them much to their faces and I will assure you they have as promising faces as you can promise them but great Promisers are not good Frisk Will you say the Ladies faces are not good Matron I say mens promises are not good But you are very quick with me Monsieur Frisk to take me upon the hip so suddenly but beshrew me your sudden frisking Answer hath put me into a Passion which hath perturbed the sense of my Discourse Lord Lord what power a villanous word hath over the passions Frisk If you please Mother Matron a kiss shall ask pardon for your villanous word Matron And now by my troth I have not been kiss'd by a young Gentleman above this twenty years but now I am in haste and cannot stay to receive your gift wherefore I will refer it until another time Frisk But I may forget to give it Matron Never fear that for I shall remember you of it when time shall serve But come away for the Ladies will be horrible angry I have stayd so long for they were all going to dance for the Fiddles were tuned Tables and Stools removed room made and they in a dancing posture only they stay for you to Frisk them about Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Madam Superbe and Flattery her Maid FLattery Madam you behav'd your self more familiar to day than your Ladyship was wont to do Superbe 'T is true because those I convers'd with to day were but inferiour persons and I speak more familiar to such persons as are below my quality than those that are equal to me to do them grace and favour and if they take it not so I can onely say my Civility was ignorantly placed on foolish and ignorant persons Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Bon' Esprit Portrait Faction Ambition POrtrait Some say Poems are not good unlesse they be gloriously Attired Faction What do they mean by glorious Attire Ambition Rhetorick Bon' Esprit Why gay words are not Wit no more than a fair Face is a good Soul and it is Wit which makes Poems good not words Ambition Indeed Rhetorick is no part of the Body of Wit no more than of the Soul only it is the outward garment which is Taylors work Bon' Esprit Then it seems as if the Grammarians Logicians and Rhetoricians are the Taylors for Oratory who cut shapes sit places seam and few words together to make several Eloquent Garments or Garments of Eloquence as Orations Declarations Expressions and the like worditive work as they please or at least according to the fashion Ambition They are so Portrait Why then those that say Verse is not good unless gloriously Attyr'd do as much as to say a man is a fool that hath not a fine Suit of Cloaths on or that a Curl'd Hair sweetly powder'd is a wise or witty Brain powder'd with Fancies This surely is an unpardonable mistake or rather an incurable madnesse for there is neither Sense nor Reason in it Bon' Esprit It is not so much a madness nor that we call Natural Fools but Amorous Fools or Finical Fools or such as are Opinionated Fools or Self-conceited Fools or High-bound Fools Portrait High-bound Fools What doe you mean by High-bound Fools Bon' Esprit Strong-lin'd Fools Faction Those are Learned Fools Bon' Esprit No they are Conceited Fools for their strength of Wit lies in a Conceit Ambition Those for the most part their Wit is buried in Oblivion Faction If there be any Wit to bury Enter Monsieur Sensuality Sensuality Who is so foolish to bury Wit Faction You in the rubbish of words Portrait The only Grave to Wit is a foolish Ear Sensuality Let me tell you Ladies that Wit is so far from lying in a Grave as it hardly settles any where for it is so Agile and flies so swiftly and yet extends in breadth so far as it spreads the wings of Fancy not only over all the World and every particular thing in the World but one Infinite and Eternal Nature and with the Bill of Conception picks a hole whereby the Eyes of Imagination spy out the dark Dungeons of Pluto and the glorious Mansions of Iove Portrait Then Poems need not the garments of Rhetorick Sensuality No more than a Fair Lady And as for my part I like Poems as I like a Woman best uncloathed for
Covetousness Pleasure No Wanton it is your glancing Eyes simpering Countenance and toyish Tricks Wanton Truly Madam Idle and I are fitter to make Wenches than Bawds 't is your Ladyship that is the Lady of Pleasure which perswades more to Adultery than we poor harmless creatures Pleasure Go get you out of my house for I will not keep such bold rude Wenches as you are Temperance Pray Madam pardon them for this time Exeunt Scene 37. Enter Madamoiselle Ambition Superbe Faction Pleasure Portrait Monsieur Heroick Monsieur Tranquillities Peace Monsieur Frisk Monsieur Censure Monsieur Inquisitive PLeasure How shall we pass our time to day Tranquill. Peace For us men we cannot pass our time better or more pleasanter than in the company of fair young Ladies Ambition To avoid tedious Complements and Discourses to particular cars or the confusion of many Tongues speaking at once let us sit and discourse in Dialogues Heroick Agreed but shall we discourse in Rhime or in Prose Superbe In rhymes by any means for rhymes many times hide and obscure that Nonsence that would be discover'd in Prose Vain-glor. Then it seems Rhime is a Veil to cover the face of Nonsense Superbe They are so for one can never discover an ill Poem until the rhymes be dissolved into Prose which shews whether there be Sense Reason Wit or Fancy in them Ambition But to be turned into Prose the Poems will lose the Elegance of the Style and the Eloquence of the Language Faction Why if a man should lose his Hat and Feather and be stript of a fine and gay Suit of Cloaths he would neither have the less brain nor blood nor soul nor body beauty nor shape and though gay and glorious Apparel may allure the Eyes of a young Lady or a Novice Gentleman or may draw the ignorant vulgar to Admiration and so to an Esteem and Respect yet those that have clear Understandings solid Judgments quick Wits and knowing Wisedoms will be so far from admiring the man for the sake of his gay Cloaths or esteeming him for his glorious Attire as they will be apt to condemn him as a vain man Inquisitive Then you reject the cloathing of Poems in fine Language Faction No but I despise those Poems that have nothing but Language and rhymes Frisk Then it is a folly to write in Verse if Rhymes be not accounted of Pleasure Verse is to be accounted of for the sake of Numbers which is harmonious yet neither Harmonious Numbers nor Chyming Rhymes nor Gay Rhetorick is Reason Wit nor Fancy which is the Ground Body or Soul of a good Poem Censure Yet no Poem is esteem'd but condemn'd that is not in gay and new-fashion'd cloathing Ambition Then Chaucers Poems which are in plain and old-fashion'd garments which is Language is to be despised and his Wit condemned but certainly Chaucers Witty Poems and Lively Descriptions in despight of their Old Language as they have lasted in great Esteem and Admiration these three hundred years so they may do Eternally amongst the Wise in every Age Heroick Gentlemen leave off your Disputes for the Ladies will be too hard for us for they are always Conquerors in peace and war both in the Schools and in the Fields in the City and in the Court Portrait Pray leave off this particular Dispute and let us discourse in general Tranquill. Peace Agreed Superbe Begin Inquisitive Who shall begin Faction I will begin for a womans Tongue hath priviledge and preheminency in the first place The Dialogue-Discourses Faction Old brains are like to barren ground Censure Or like a wilderness forlorn Portrait Or like crack'd bells that have no sound Tranquill. Peace Or like a child Abortive born Ambition For Time the fire of Wit puts out Heroick And fills the brain with vapour cold Superbe And quenches Fancy without doubt Vain-glor. For Wit is feeble when 't is old Portrait Wit neither fails weakens decays nor dies Inquisitive Though bred and born as other creatures are Faction Only the Brain the Womb wherein it lies Censure But when 't is born Fame nurses it with care Frisk And to Eternity doth it prefer Pleasure Wit makes the brain sick when it breeding is Tranquill. And painful throws before and at its birth Ambition But when 't is born if good a Comfort 't is Heroick The Parent Poetry creates with mirth Superbe He joys to see his Issue fairly spring Vain-glor. And hopes with time in numbers may increase Portrait And being multiply'd may honours bring Frisk As a posterity that never cease Faction Wit the Issue and Off-spring of the Soul Censure From which the Nature sublimely is Divine Pleasure Dimensions hath and parts yet in the whole Tranquill. United is of breaches there 's no sign Ambition Wit like the Soul is which no body hath Heroick No latitude yet hath a perfect form Superbe Yet flies all sev'ral ways yet keeps a path Vain-glor. A path of Sense which never turns therefrom Portrait But wondrous strange and monstrous is Wit Inquisitive That all contrarieties in it do dwell Faction For it all Shapes Imployments Humours fit Censure Like Beasts Men Gods or terrible Devils in Hell Temperance O fie O fie this discourse is like dancing the Hay or dancing a Scotch Gig which will put you out of breath strait Faction You would have us discourse in the measure of a Spanish Pavin Temperance No but the measure of a French Galliard would do very well Censure For my part Lady I like Gigs best and therefore if you please begin another Gig. Faction The Spring is drest in buds and blossoms sweet Censure The Summer laughs until her Cheeks look red Pleasure The plenteous Autumn warm under our feet Tranquill. Peace The Winter shaking cold is almost dead All speak Go on with the twelve Moneths Ambition Fierce furious March comes in with bended brows Heroick Commanding storms and tempests to arise Superbe Beating the trees and clouds as if it meant Vain-glory. To make them subject to his tyrannies Portrait Then follows April weeping for her buds Frisk For fear rude March had all her young destroy'd Faction But when she thought her tears might rise to floods Censure With Sun-beams dry'd her Eyes his heat her joy'd Pleasure Then wanton May came full of Amorous Sports Tranquill. Peace Decking her self with gawdy Colours gay Ambition And entertaining Lovers of all sorts Heroick In pleasure she doth pass her time a way Superbe Then enters Iune with fair and full fat face Vain-glor. Her Eyes are bright and clear as the Noon-Sun Portrait And in her carriage hath a Majestick grace Inquisitive In Equinoctial pace she walks not run Faction But Iuly 's sultry hot Ambitious proud Censure And in a fiery Chariot she doth ride Pleasure When angry is she thundring speaks aloud Tranquill. Peace Shoots Lightning through the clouds on every side Enter Monsieur Sensuality and breaks off their Dialogue-Discourse Sensuality Iove bless us what Designs have you Ladies and Gentlemen that you sit
are not madly drunk nor drunkly mad for they poor creatures drink nothing but water Portrait Perchance if they did drink strong drink it might make them soberly in their right wits Enter Mother Matron as partly drunk Matron Where is Monsieur Frisk O that Monsieur Frisk were here Faction What would you have with Monsieur Frisk Matron I would challenge Monsieur Frisk Ambition What to sight Matron Yes in Cupids Wars Portrait By Venus I swear thou hast been Cashier'd from Cupids Wars this thirty years Matron Come come Ladies for all your frumps you are forced to make me General to lead up the Train and Generalissimo to set the Battalia so that though I am too old to be a common Souldier I am young enough to be a Commander Superbe Thou art at this time but a drunken Commander Matron If I am drunk I am but as a Commander ought to be or as a Commander usually is Ambition Pray do not accuse Mother Matron for though her Brain may be a little disturb'd yet her Reason is sober and governs her Tongue orderly Matron O sweet Monsieur Frisk Exit Mother Matron Faction If her Reason governs her Tongue I do not perceive it governs her Humour Faction Her Humour say you you mean her Appetites Exeunt ACT II. Scene 7. Enter Madamoiselle Pleasure and Monsieur Tranquillitous Peace PLeasure Passions are begot betwixt the Soul and the Body the Reason and the Sense and the Habitation of the Passions is the Heart which is in the midst of man as betwixt the Rational part the Head and the Sensual Part Tranquill What part is that Madam Pleasure The bestial part Tranquill What part is the bestial part for I cannot perceive but beasts and men are alike in most parts Pleasure I am not a Lectural Reader of parts Tranquill One would think you were by your former Discourse Pleasure Why I may mention parts without Preaching on parts Tranquill But if Women would Preach of the parts of the Body and leave Preaching of the Spirit and Soul it would be better for themselves their Husbands Friends and Neighbours than it is And if men would do the like it would be better for themselves their wives and neighbours But they preach altogether of the Soul and yet know not what the Soul is Pleasure How would you have them preach of the Body Tranquill First as for themselves if they would consider for they must consider before they Preach which is to Teach If they would consider I say how frail the parts of Mankind are how tender and weak every part of the body is how apt they are to sickness diseases how they are subject more to pain than to pleasure how difficult it is to keep the body from harm how soon the body withers decays and dies If Mankind did consider this of the body they would study what was the guard and the preservation of every part of the body in which study they would find Temperance the only preservation of parts and life of pleasure for in Excess pleasure dies and pains possess the body Thus we can destroy the body sooner by Excess and preserve it longer by Temperance than otherwise it would be Secondly for those that are maried temperance keeps both man and wise chaste patient and healthful because gluttony debauchery and intemperate anger hurts the body and destroys the body Thus temperance keeps the place of Wedlock for a Wife being patient the Husband lives peaceably being chaste he lives honourably being healthful he lives comfortably and the Husband being temperate he will neither be a Glutton a Drunkard an Adulterer nor Gamester for gaming hurts the body with vexing at the losses and sitting still which hinders the Exercise of the body or keeping unseasonable hours which is pernicious to the health of the Body as to the quiet of the Mind and waste of their Estates Thus a man and wife lives free from jealousies and fear of poverty Thirdly for their Neighbours If they be temperate they will neither be covetous quarrelsome nor envious which will keep them from doing injury or wrong and will cause them to be friendly and kind for if they covet not their neighbours goods they will not strive to possess their neighbours right if they be not envious they will be sociable and helpful to each other as good neighbours ought to be thus they will not vex each other with Law-sutes and quarrelling Disputes nor Adulteries and the like And if men live peaceably it is good for the Common-wealth as being free from faction and tumult Besides Peace and Love are the ground whereon all the Commands of the Gods are built on Pleasure You may preach temperance but few will follow your Doctrine Tranquill Yes Pleasure will for without temperance there can be no lasting pleasure Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Idle and Ease EAse Yonder 's Mother Matron so metamorphos'd as at first I did not know her Idle How metamorphos'd is she Ease Most strangely attir'd for her Age and as strangely behav'd Idle How for Iupiters sake Ease Why she hath a green Sattin gown on but it is of an ill-chosen green for it is of the colour of goos-dung and an Orange-yellow Feather on her head Idle I hope she is not jealous Ease Then is she beset with many several colour'd Ribbons as Hair-colour Watchet Blush-colour and White Idle What to express her Despair Constancy Modesty and Innocence Ease I think she may despair but for her constancy I doubt it and for modesty I dare swear she never had any but if she had it was so long since as she hath quite forgot it as for her innocence I will leave it to the Examination or Accusation of her own Conscience Idle But how is her behaviour Ease Why she simpers and draws the deep lines in her face into closes and her wrinckles are the quick-set hedges then she turns her Eyes aside in coy glances and her Body is in a perpetual motion turning and winding and wreathing about from object to object and her Gate is jetting and sometimes towards a dancing pace besides she is toying and playing with every thing like a Girl of fifteen and now and then she will sing quavering as a Note or two betwixt a word or two after the French and Courtly Mode Idle Surely she is mad Enter Wanton Wanton Who 's mad Idle Mother Matron Wanton No otherwise than all Amorous Lovers use to be Idle Why is she an Amorous Lover Wanton Yes a most desperate one Ease Who is she so amourously affected with Wanton With Monsieur Frisk Idle Why he is not above one and twenty years of Age Wanton That 's the reason she 's in love with him for it is his youth and his dancing she amourously affects him for for she swears that the very first time she saw him dance Cupid did wound her and shot his golden Arrows from the heels of Monsieur Frisk Ease Why she is threescore and ten
Wickedness are soon catcht and like the Plague they infect all they come near and Vanity Vice and Wickedness is soon learn'd when Virtue Goodness and Piety are hard Lessons for though Divines and natural Philosophers Preaches and so teaches them yet they are seldom understood for if they were the benefit would be known and men would pious and virtuous be for profits sake for Common-wealths that are composed and governed by Virtue Religion and good Life they are so strongly united by honest love as they become inpregnable against Forein Foes or home factions or temptations so live in peace and plenty which breeds both pleasure and delight for life doth never truly injoy it self but in rest ease and peace but to conclude most Noble and Right Honourable the Soul Sense and Education should be plain with Truth smooth with Virtue and bright with Piety or Zeal that the Body may live Easily the life Peaceably and that the Soul may be blessed with Everlasting Glory Exit Scene 2. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and three or four Gentlemen 1 GEntleman The Ladies of this Age are as inconstant as a fevourish pulse and their affections have more fainting sits than those are troubled with Epilepses 2 Gentleman Faith they will hang about ones neck one hour and spit in his Face the next 3 Gentleman That is because they would have variety for they respect Strangers more than friends for they will entertain Strangers with the civillest Behaviours fairest Faces and costliest Garments they have and make them welcome with their best Cheer when as their best Friends lovingest Servants and oldest Acquaintance they will neglect despise scorn command and rail against and quarrel with Nobilissimo O Gentlemen brave Cavaliers as you all are you must never complain discommend not condemn the Actions of the Effeminate Sex for that we are apt to call their Cruelty is their Justice our Sex meriting not their favours and whensoever we receive the least favours from that Sex we ought to give thanks as proceeding from a compassionate Goodness gentle Nature sweet Dispositions and generous Souls and not as a due or a debt for our service for we are bound by Nature not only to be their Servants but their Slaves to be lasht with their frowns if we be not diligent to their commands present at their calls industrious in their service and our neglects ought to be severely punished for we wear our lives only for their sakes as to defend their Honours to protect their Persons to obey their Commands and to please and delight their humours also the Estates we manage is theirs not ours we are but their Stuards to Husband and increase thier Stores to receive their Revenues and lay out their Expences for we have nothing we call our own since we our selves are theirs wherefore it is enough for us to admire their Beautyes to applaud their Wit to worship their Virtues and give thanks for their Favours Exeunt Scene 3. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Wife why art thou all undrest to day Madamoiselle Esperance The truth is I am become negligent in dressing since you only esteem my Virtue not my Habit Monsieur Esperance I would have you change into as many several dresses as Protheus shapes for it is not the dress can make me Jealous now for I am confident no Vanity can corrupt thy Virtue but that thy Virtue can convert Vanity to a pious use or end Madamoiselle Well Husband I shall study to form my self and fashion my dress both to your fancy and desire Monsieur Esperance Do so Wife Monsieur Esperance goes out Madamoiselle Esperance alone Madamoiselle Esperance Ha is my Husband so confident of me it is an ill sign from extreme Jealousy to an extreme Confidence the next will be a Carelessness and then a Neglect and there is nothing my Nature doth more abhor than neglect for Jealousy proceeds from Love but Neglect proceeds from a despising if not a hating besides he desires variety of dresses which shows my Beauty is vaded or he is weary in viewing of one object often but I find his humour is wandring and seeks for change if he should prove false O how unhappy should I be for I am naturally honest also my birth and education hath been honest besides my affections are so fixt as not to be removed thus I am tyed and cannot take liberty which other women do for no divert the sorrows of my heart or to revenge my wrongs but I shall mourn and weep my self to Water and sigh my self to Ayre Exit ACT II. Scene 4. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamoiselle Amor and Madamoiselle La Belle comes and peeps through the Hangings and sees them NObilissimo The bond of our Love is written in large profession but not sealed with the contracting kiss yet Monsieur Nobilissimo salutes his Mistriss Madamoiselle Amor her Sister Madamoiselle La Belle comes forth from behind the Hangings Madamoiselle La Belle So Sister are not you asham'd Madamoiselle Amor No truly for my love is so honest and the subject of my love so worthy as I am so far from being ashamed to own it as I glory in my affection Madamoiselle La Belle I only wonder that with so small acquaintaince such a familiar friendship should be made Madamoiselle Amor You have no cause to wonder for Innocency is easily known t is craft and subtilty that is obscure and treacherous falshood with leering Eyes doth at a distance stand when honestly and truth straight joyns in friendships bonds Nobilissimo My Sweet Innocent Virtuous Wise Mistriss Kisseth her hand Exeunt Scene 5. Enter Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious and Madamoiselle Tell-truth TEll-truth I pitty poor Madamoiselle Bon Spightfull Why so Tell-truth Because she is forsaken Spightfull I cannot pitty a Fool Tell-truth Why she is no Fool Spightfull Yes Faith but she is to be constant to an unconstant man Malicious The truth is I think that woman wisest that forsakes before she is forsaken Tell-truth But how and if she meets with a constant man Detractor That she cannot do for there is no man constant for they are all false and more changing than women are Malicious If any should prove unconstant to me I would Pistoll him Tell-truth Yes with the Gunpowder breath the Bullets of words and the Fire of anger which will do them no hurt Spightfull The best revenge I know against an Inconstant Man is to despise him Tell-truth He will not care for your despisements but Patience Patience is the best remedy for then a woman will be content although she hath not her desires Malicious Can any Creature be content without the fruition of desire Tell-truth Those that cannot must be unhappy all their Life Detractor Then all Mankind is unhappy for I dare I swear there is not any that can be content without the fruition of desire for desire is