all Drinks to him La. What do you mean Had. You will meet him you say La. I shall be posted else And I shall lose my honour and reputation Had. I 't is true but La. But what Had. 'Slid you had as good meet Iove armed with Thunder the sheers of Atropos the dart of death it self is not half so fatal as his Rapier La. Say you so Had. The Sword of Justice strikes not so certain no fore man of a Jury could breathe more sure destruction Slur. If it be so in my mind the Gentleman hath a great cause of comfort fo• to know the certainty of his death is that which many a good Christian prayes for all his life long Had. 'T is wel you put him in mind for certainly it is time for him to begin to forsake the flesh the world and the Divel Slur. Some Ghostly Father indeed were fitter company for him then we Had. No no Mr. La-gul I say drink on it may be your last We will meet somewhere to morrow before you go and sing a Psalm and it will be well enough I 'll warrant you La. Nay but Mr. Hadland Had. Come Mr. La-gul to deal plainly and seriously with you you have chanc'd upon a man that hath not his fellow I am confident in the Kingdom he is absolutely one of the greatest Duellifts about the Town Slur. Prethee who is it Mr. Hadland Had. One Caster as I take it his name is Slur. Caster I have heard indeed very much of the man he came lately out of France Had. I the very same he killed a great Monsieur there in a Duel the last Summer and was pardoned by the King for the gallant service he did against the Spainiard at the siege of Arras Slur. I believe he is fain to leave France now upon some such account I have heard somewhat Had. Nay to my knowledg he hath killed some of our own fellow Subjects but that he hath had the luck to carry things closely Slur. The truth of it is the Gentleman is a gallant spirited Gentleman but he hath one humour in his fighting that I do not so well like of Had. What is that I pray Sir Slur. When once he is in the field he will make the utmost use of all advantages he never spares any man Had. I have heard that very thing dis•uted with him diver• time• but he saith it is the only Mode b•yond se• crye• Vn enemy le m•indre S•u•. But me thinks Sir that it doth not savour so much of magnanimity true Valour sh•uld never think upon enemies in the way of fear La. What should I do then Gentlemen in this case Had. Nay for my part I cannot tell Slur. Truly Sir your condition in my opinion is somewhat desperate Had. This 't is when you will venture upon quarrels when I am not with you L•. Venture I could not possibly avoid it I did but deny to lend him forty pounds and straight he called me base uncivil fellow and told me I did not like a man of honour Had. I think so could you expect any other consequence 'Slid could any man have been guilty of such an uncivility La. What to deny a man I never saw before Had. It was no matter he looked like a Gentleman La. Upon that you know I could do no lesse then give him the Lye and so the businesse began For my part I thought I might safely have done so for I am sure I saw a Gentleman beat him not above an hour before Had. Beat him 'Slid Slur what shall I say What a Rogue is this he did not tell us of it Aside In some cases you know one is not bound to strike again by the rule of Honour as if I have given the Lye or so La. No there was no such matter here for the Gentleman was at play with him when on the sudden he told him he was a Cheat and gave him a blow on the pate with a Candlestick Had. And did he do nothing say you Pox what shall I say Aside La. No nothing Slur. You cannot tell what new Mode of quarrelling he may have brought over with him from France Had. Strike him if there be not some such matter in it he had as good have strooke fire into a Magazine La. Well then I am resolved Had. What to do La. I will not fight Had. How Not fight La. No Slur. Nay now we have over done the businesse Aside Had. Prethee have but a little patience Aside What do you say Will you not fight Speak it againe for I c•n scarce believe my ears La. I say I will not fight Had. What is all the paines that I have taken with you lost Will you with one act forfeit all your Honour La. Honour hang it I am almost weary of it Slur. Do not you value your reputation La. I cannot tell what to do it doth every day so endanger my life Had. Your life Can there be a life without it To live to be the scorn of men is worse then a hundred deaths Can he be said to live that is not fit company for a Foot-boy that will be howted and laugh•d at and posted for a Coward La. I care not let them post me it is but going into the Country for a while or giving out that I am gone to travel as you know one did not long ago in such a case Had. No that will not do for you would as soon avoid your own shadow as him no troubled conscience could more closely pursue you divine Justice would not so soon •ind out the wicked as he would you 'Slid 't was but the last Summer he followed from France quite through Germany into Italy one that he had never seen neither had the least affront past betwixt them meerly out of a generous humour because he heard he was a man of Armes La. What shall I do then Had. Come Mr. La-gul the truth of it is your Quarrel was not an hour old before I heard of it and I being extremely sensible of your danger began to think how I might possibly procure your safety at the last came into my mind a Gentleman one that is an intimate friend of this same Casters whom I have some acquaintance with And to be short I did a little feel him to see whether he would be a means of taking up this matter but La. What Had. Why to be short he I believe hath heard that you are a man of Estate and he it seems hath had an ill hand of late and is a little out of money and so he thinks to take an advantage of this opportunity to request a courtesie of you La. What would •e borrow any money Had. He talked as if he wanted 200. La. 200 l. I cannot Sir by no means you know how much I have lost of late Had. That is all one he knows your credit is good and if you should deny him this small favour he is somewhat a humoursome
that hath employed his endeavours to ra•se a same another way might passe over such a businesse as this and perhaps it would not at all reflect on him But these kind of men are not competent Judges of what in us they call rash for wee shall see when any thing doth happen that doth concerne them in the way they have taken for to acquire a value and esteeme They will act things as strange and inordinate You shall have a man made up of meekenesse A man whose life and doctrine preacheth nothing else but patience and compliance unto others yet he will venture for to •end both Church and State nay tear the world in pieces rather then yeeld himself worsted in one silly argument I must then fight Ha! What said I fight Me thinks the word doth carrie horror in it I may be kil•'d or which is worse I may kill However 't is an action scarce consistent with humanity Yet my unlucky fortune will force me on it for were I one who already had satisfied the world of my courage I might then perhaps pretend a conscience yet preserve my honour But being as I am a fresh and raw young man whose deeds will be looked upon without the countenance of former actions Conscience I say will appear but a lame and pitifull excuse Exit The end of the second Act ACT III. SCENE I. Enter Know-well SHee has an acute and handsome wit a judgment too not usuall in a woman then which there is nothing doth more touch my fancy and yet Shee wants not that which we call Beauty that most divine proportion that doth so lively strike our souls Nay I needs must say this was the only thing which at the first put me to a stop and would not let me pass her over as other common things But now a more noble Idea doth so fully represent it self that I scarce feel its force at all Nor doth it move me more then those trivial petty ends which in my child•sh ignorance I have pursued would now stirre me Nor is this strange for certainly Beauty's chiefest if not only Empire is at the first but afterwards it yeelds unto and is regulated by what farther conversation doth produce For without doubt had shee now all the deformity that age or erring nature ever yet produced I should make her my choice and those impressions that by the little acquaintance I have had with her shee hath made in my mind would so over-rule my fancy that in despight of the world I should account her faire Exit SCENE II. Enter Had-land and Slurre Slur. Stay yonder he comes Had. Come shal we go meet him Enter Wel-bred Hadland and Slurre meet him and justle him Wel. Why how now Sir What is the matter Had. Do you ask questions Hadland Strikes Wel-bred Wel. Was ever man thus abused I will dye a thousand times rather then suffer this you base uncivil villain Drawes and so doth Had land and Slurre they fight a little while and wound Wel-bred and go away Wel. They are gone but yet they have left somewhat behind them for I do bleed a pace the heat they have put mee into has bo•l'd my blood up unto that height that it will all run over well I must goe get a Surgeon as soon as I can Exit and enters again It doth bleed more and more and I begin to grow weak and faint The fatall hour doth certainly draw nigh for me thinks I do begin to feel my life run out with my bloud And now as when some impressions that the fancy doth by day receive other objects continually plying the sense are not at all or else but dully sensible but at night appear more fresh then ever So now me thinks some odde kind of thoughts which in the earnest pursuit of those things my youth addicted me unto I scarce did mark now I am going to my eternal rest begin to stare upon me and look somewhat strange What a high piece of madnesse have I done thus to lose my life about a trifle I say my life that which is the chiefest good in nature that to which all other goods are but subservient nay are not at all without it What competent end then can any man propose in hazarding of it since in all reason that for which we hazard should be of more value then that we hazard What dishonour had it been to me if by my wife declining I had given some cause to think I had fear'd them more then if in such case I had avoided a Beare or Oxe for Honour certainly is nothing else but that respect and value that those things do draw which buoy and prop one up in the world this Wealth Authority good Friends and Knowledg furnishing us with those means by which the great•st actions are performed must needs beget a reverence and esteeme but the force of the body is without doubt the most inconsiderable thing possible he that enjoyes the greatest share of it how small a power doth he therby acquire We see he must be subject to each petty Constable nay a dagger or a pistol makes the weakest equall to him 'T is true those powerfuller arts of the more nobler part are to be honoured and admired These many times with strange subtleties unite into one commanding power particular strengths and being united with as much cunning obtain its rule and Masterie These flights we see do make even weak decrepit age often formidable to and th•refore honoured by the world Had I this way imployed But oh he faints Enter two men 1. Help help the Gentleman 2. What is he dead 1. Almost I think look how he is wounded 2. Me thinks I should know him I certainly he is a customer of my Masters and he lodges in Chancery-lane 1. We had best then to carry him thither 2. Pull out his hand-kercheife to help stop the blood He pulls it out and withall pulls out the challenge La-gull gave him 1. Look what is that you had best to read it 2. What is this I think it is a challenge 1. A Challenge Jesu bless us then it seems this was some duell Will these Gentleman never leave off these same scurvy Duells But wee had best to make haste whilst he hath any blood left in him They carry him out SCENE II. Enter Know-well and Mrs. Crisis Know I heard Lady that with much earnestnesse he seem'd to enquire for me at my lodging and therefore because I think I heard you say he would be here about this time I came hither to see what he would have with me Cris. The truth of it is he appointed to come hither and goe to Hide Park with me but since he hath sent his man to desire me to excuse him because there was a businesse of consequence fallen out that he was to go about Know Then all that I can say to it is that he hath made me lose a little paines Cris. And so truly he hath me for I
have been almost this houre a dressing myself thinking to go with him Know That were a great deal of pity Lady that any paines you have taken should be in vaine rather then so if you will please to give me leave to wait upon you thither although it be a place that I do but little frequent yet Lady upon this occasion I shall not a little desire it Cris. By no means Sir I would not put you to that trouble Know Nay if that be the only obstacle Cris. I beseech you Sir Know Come Lady it is the first request I ever made to you and I will not be denied Cris. Nay if you will not I cannot tell what to say to it As they are going out they meet her Father Old Cris. And whither and whither I pray in all this haste Cris. Only a little way Sir with this Gentleman Old Cris. A little way And why am not I good enough to know Cris. We were a going to Hide Park Old Cris. To Hide Park I thought it was some such place you were going to you were so bedeck'd and trim'd up with all your Jin-combobs wil you never leave following of these idle fashions Come stand out in the light a little Hey da What powder'd and patch'd again have not I time and time forbad you ever to do so off with them I say those filthy blaines and scabs of pride off with them or I will pull them off Know Nay I beseech you Sir with your pardon I must needs say you are a little too severe in not letting her please her fancy in these kind of things Old Cris. Mr. Know-well I ever have had that opinion of you that I do not a little wonder that you of all men should speak thus if you speak according to your Judgement Know Sir for my part I speak what I think for certainly you have little reason to blame her thus Old Cris. Reason though to her my will is reason sufficient yet I would not have you believe that I speak without a cause For do you think it doth become a sober civil modest Virgin as I hope shee is to follow all the several fashions those fantastick changes and whimsical dances led by the vain and emp•y part of the world Know Sir for my part I could wish our habits were as constant as the course of nature nor that we had more change of dress then birds or trees but this I can but wish for we see the generall humour of the world ever yet has been so set upon the contrary that one can scarce discreetly hope it nay hee that would but a little strictly enquire and search into our natures and mark how prone and apt they are for variety and change might almost demonstrate its impossibility for certainly as long as in the world there are men of severall qualities and degrees the inferiour and more base will imitate the waies of those of better ranke and strive to intrench upon and gaine their customes which being no sooner got by the one but the other will despise them and seek for new Seeing then these alterations are so unavoidable without doubt it wil more become one in a moderate way to yeild unto then vainely to oppose them For whatsoever the riged do pretend there is nothing can more argue a fantastick humor or self-conceited pride then with ones single whimseys to oppose what is received by the generality Old Cris. 'T is true Sir I needs must yeeld thus far for I should condemn her of the height of folly should shee oppose the general use in things that are indifferent but that I chiefly blame her is for certaine knacks and fashions which although in common use and custome yet not being decent and comely in themselves must needs be unlawfull Know That Sir is impossible for custome is the very square and rule of what is decent and what not indecency being nothing else but that harsh discord that any thing doth make if it doth chance to interfere with the common course of things and certainly the soundest judgments wil not hold any habit to be simply in its self unlawfull Thus much indeed must be granted that some attires by being first used by and therefore being reckoned for the badges of the vainer and more fantastick sort may from them acquire some accidentall scandall which afterwards they growing into use with the sober and more staid by the same reason they must needs mew and let fall Old Cris. This Sir is somewhat strange for although I cannot tel to what narrow limits you may confine the word decency in its strictest notion yet there is nothing more certain then that there are vain light immodest habits of their proper nature abstracted from all those glosses that custome may fl•ng on them Know Truly Sir I think not nor I believe will you if you but consider the businesse a little more for vanity is nothing else but the affectation of the signes of those things we really have not as in attires if the aged do usurp what doth belong to youth the poor to the rich the inferiour to the more N•ble Now Sir what is it that doth define to each of these their severall Characterizing Ga•bes but use and arbitrary Custome And so farre is any habit in it self from representing what is grave or light that should it please Omnipotence as there is nothing impossible but to invert the common course of Nature make those the markes of age which are now of youth the smooth chin would then be as reverend as is now the bald head Then should you have the grave and venerable s•lver haires bee worne in amorous wanton Bracelets Nay nothing in this kinde but as to these respects would have its alteration And as for Modesty 'T is true although it bee a vertue alike requisite in all yet what those things are wherein 't is exercised Custome doth onely determine You see here that familiar with our coyest nicest Dames which in some places would scarce be done by the most notorious strumpets nay what many times with us is but necessary how strangely would it looke in the other sex And I would faine know that man could give me a solid reason of this difference besides common custome I am sure there can bee no habit whatsoever fancied to be so immodest as wee should now account none at all to bee yet there are some that with no slight reasons will maintaine our onely naturall dresse were it but backed by a ••nerall Custome would bee the most innocent and those desires which by restraint are now chiefly inflamed would then grow cold and dull as wee see some things which else-where are accounted a recompence sufficient for a stab here through there facility are scarce valued Nor was it said amisse of one who called clothes a meere device hatch'd in Madam Venus Closet for surely they are the greatest stratagem by which her Empire doth subsist Old Cris. I must