shades to find thee out O! O death quick dispatch Let me unprisoned be my body is old decayed and worn times ruins shews it Oh! Oh! let life fall for pitty pull it down stops a time Am I not dead you cruel powers above to lengthen out an old mans life in misery and pain why did not Time put out the sight of both my eyes and also deaf my ears that I might neither hear nor see the death of my lifes joy O Luxurious Death how greedily thou feedst on youth and beauty and leist old Age hang withering on lifes tree O shake me off let me no longer grow if not grief shall by force snip off my tender stalk and pitty lay me in the silent grave Heark Heark I hear her call me I come I come Childe He feches a great sigh O no she is gone she is gone I saw her dead her head hung down like as a Lilly whose stalk was broke by some rude blusterous wind He stares about There there I see her on her dutious knee Her humble eyes cast to the ground Her spotlesse hands held up for blessings crave asking forgivenesse for faults not done O no She is dead She is dead I saw her eye-lids cloze like watry Clouds which joyn to shut out the bright Sun and felt her hands which Death made cold and numb like as to Cristal balls She is gone she is gone and restless grows my mind thoughts strive with thoughts struggle in my brain passions with passions in my heart make War My Spirits run like furies all about Help help for Heavens sake and let life out Ex. Scene 15. Enter the Lady Mother Love alone LAdy Mother Love O my daughter my daughter is dead she is dead Oh that ever I was born to bear a Childe to dye before me Oh she was the Comfort of my Heart the pleasure of my Eyes the delight of my life Oh she was Good she was Sweet she was Fair O what shall I do what shall I do Ex. Scene 16. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love half distracted SIr Thomas Father Love Mercury lend me thy winged feet that I may fly to Heaven there to observe how all the Gods and Godesses doe gaze upon my Beautiful Childe for she is fairer than the light that great Apollo gives and her discourse more ravishing than the Musick of the Spheres but as soon as she sees me she will leave them all and run unto me as she used to do kneeling will kiss my hands which she must not do being a Goddess and I a Mortal wherefore I must kneel to her and carry her an offering but what shall the offering be Let me think Why I will kneel and offer up my Aged life unto her Memory but now I think of it better I cannot dye in Heaven wherefore let me Study let me Study what she did love best when she lived upon the Earth O I now remember when I did ask her what she lov'd best she would Answer her Father and her Fame but I believe if she were here it would be a hard Question for her to resolve which she preferr'd and being not to be separated in Affection we will not part in our Resurrection wherefore Mercury farewel for I will fly up with the Wings of her good Fame And carry up her Wit and there will strow It on Heavens floor as bright as Stars will show Her Innocency shall make new Milky waies Her Virtue shall Create new Worlds to praise Her never-dying Name Ha Ho! It shall be so it shall be so Ex. ACT IV. Scene 17. Enter the Lady Innocence alone studious with her eyes to the ground thou casting them up speaks LAdy Innocence I am not so much in love with the World as to desire to live nor have I offended Heaven so much as to be afraid to dye then way should I prolong my life when Honour bids me dye for what Noble Soul had not rather part with the Body than live in Infamy Then t is not Death that affrights me and yet I find my Soul is loath to leave its bodily Mansion but O to be buried in Oblivions grave is all I fear no Monumental Fame nor famous Monument my Soul displeases that makes it loath to leave the body in forgotten dust whilst it doth sadly wander in the Aire She walks a turn or two as in a musing thought then speaks Soul be at ease for the Memory of the dead is but like a dying Beauty vades by degrees or like a Flower whither'd hath neither Sent Colour nor Tast but moulders into dust so hath the mind no form of what is past But like as formless heaps those Objects lye And are intomb'd in the dark Memory O Foolish Vanity to be so much a slave to Fame since those that Fame doth love the best and favoureth most are not Eternal Wherefore Nature perswades me to release my woe Though foolish Superstition Natures foe Forbids it yet Reason aloud sayes dye Since Ease Peace Rest doth in the grave still lye Walkes about as in a silent musing then speaks I am resolv'd then Come sweet Death thou friend that never fails give me my liberty But stay my hasty resolution for I would not willingly go to the grave as beasts doe without Ceremony for I being friendless those humane Funeral rites will be neglected none will take the pains nor be at the charge to see them perform'd but some base vulgar person will throw me into the Earth without respect or regard wherefore I will Living perform the Ceremonies and as a guess or friend be at my own Funeral it shall be so and I will prepare it Ex. Scene 18. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love alone and for a time walkes as in a musing or thinking with his eyes cast on the ground then speaks FAther Love Multitudes of Melancholy thoughts croud in my brain And run to pull down Reason from his Throne Fury as Captain leads the way Patience and Hope is trod upon O these distracted thoughts burrie my Soul about Seeking a place to get a passage out But all the Ports are stopp'd O Cursed Death for to prolong a life that is so weary of its Mansion Enter Mr. Comfort Sir Thomas Father Loves friend Friend Sir will you give order for your Daughters Funeral and direct how you will have her interred Father Love How say you why I will have you rip my body open and make it as a Coffin to lay her in then heave us gently on sighs fetcht deep and lay us on a Herse of sorrowful groans then cover us with a Dark Black Pitchy Spungy Cloud made of thick Vapour drawn from bleeding hearts from whence may tears of showers run powring down making a Sea to drown remembrance in But O remembrance is a fury grown Torments my Soul now she is gone Friend Sir where there is no remedy you must have patience Father Love Patience out upon her she is an Idle lazy Gossip and keep
expresse himself in such high poetical Raptures for his discourse is plain and ordinary Nobilissimo Nay sometimes his discourse is extraordinary as when he hath Wars but Nurse thou art old and the fire of love if ever thou hadst any is put out by old Father Times extinguisher Doltche True love never dyes nor can time put it out Nobilissimo 'T is true but Nurse seems by her speech as if she had never known true love for true love as it alwaies burns clear so it alwaies flames high far infinite is the fewel that feeds it Nurse Well well young Lovers be not so confident but let me advise you to ballance reason on both sides with hopes and doubts and then the judgement will be steady Nobilissimo But in the scales of love Nurse nothing must be but confidence Nurse Yes there must be temperance or love will surfeit and dye with excess Doltche Love cannot surfeit no more than souls with grace or Saints of Heaven Ex. Scene 37. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. My smiles shall be as Baits my eyes as Angels where every look shall be a hook to catch a heart I 'l teach my tongue such art to plant words on each heart as they shall take deep root from whence pure love shall spring my lips shall be as flowery banks whereon sweet Rhethorick grows and cipherous fancy blows from which banks love shall wish to gather Posies of kisses where every single kisse shall differ as Roses Pinks Violets Primroses and Daffidillies and the breath therefrom shall be as fragant as the touch soft thereon and as the Sun doth heat the Earth so shall my imbraces heat my Lovers thoughts with self-conceit which were before like water frozen with a dejected and despairing cold Hay ho Ex. ACT V. Scene 38. Enter Monsieur Profession and Madamosel Solid PRofession Dear Mistress you are the only She that is fit to be crown'd the sole Empresse of the World Solid Let me tell you Sir I had rather be a single Shepheardesse than the sole Empress of the World for I would not be a Mistress of so much power to be as a Servant to so much trouble Profession But put the case Alexander were alive and would crown you Empress of the World you would not refuse that honour but accept of it for the sake of renown Solid Yes I should refuse it for if I could not get renown by my own merits I should wish to dye in Oblivion for I care not Nay I despise such honours and renowns as comes by derivations as being deriv'd from another and not inherent in my self and it is a poor and mean renown that is gain'd or got only by receiving a gift from a fellow-creature who gives out of passion appetite partiality vain-glory or fear and not for merit or worthsake wherefore no gifts but those that comes from the Gods or Nature are to be esteem'd or received with thanks but were to be refused had man the power to chose or to deny Profession Sweet Mistress nature hath crown'd you with beauty and wit and the Gods hath given you a noble soul Solid I wish they had for the Gods gifts are not like to mans and natures crown is beyond the golden crown of Art which are greater glories than Power Wealth Title or Birth or all the outward honours gain'd on Earth but I desire the Gods may crown my soul with reason and understanding Heaven crown my mind with Temperance and Fortitude Nature crown my body with Health and Strength time crown my life with comely and discreet age Death crown my separation with peace and rest and Fame crown my memory with an everlasting renown thus may my creation be to a happy end Profession Gods Fortune and Fates hath joyned to make me happy in your love and that which will make me absolutely happy is that I shall marry you and imbrace you as my wife Solid The absolute happiness is when the Gods imbraces man with mercy and kisses him with love Ex. Scene 39. Enter Madamosel Caprisia CApris. Hay ho who can love and be wise but why do I say so For reason loves wisely 't is only the mistaken senses that loves foolishly indeed the sense doth not love but fondly and foolishly affects for it 't is an humoursome and inconstant appetite that proceeds from the body and not that noble passion of true love which proceeds from the soul But O! what a ridiculous humour am I fallen into from a cholerick humour into an amorous humour Oh! I could tear my soul from my body for having such whining thoughts and such a mean submissive croaching feigning flattering humour and idle mind a cholerick humour is noble to this for it is commanding and seems of an heroick spirit but to be amorous is base beastly and of an inconstant nature Oh! How apt is busie life to go amisse What foolish humours in mans mind there is But O! The soul is far beyond the mind As much as man is from the beastly kind Ex. Scene 40. Enter Madamosel Volante and Doctor Freedom DOctor Are you weary of your life that you send me for you said you would not send for me untill you had a desire to dye Volante True Doctor and if you cannot cure me kill me Doctor In my conscience you have sent for me to play the wanton Volante Why Doctor If I do not infringe the rules and laws of modesty or civility I cannot commit wanton faults Doctor Yes faith your tongue may play the wanton Volante Indeed Doctor I had rather tell a wanton truth than a modest lye Doctor Well what is your disease Volante Nay that you must guesse I can only tell my pains Doctor Where is your pain Volante In my heart and head Doctor Those be dangerous parts but after what manner are your pains Volante On my heart there lyes a weight as heavy as the World on Atlas shoulders and from my melancholly mind arises such damps of doubts as almost quenches out the fire of life did not some hope though weak which blows with fainting breath keep it alive or rather puffs than blows which intermitting motions makes my pulse unequal and my bloud to ebbe and flow as from my heart unto my face and from my face unto my heart again as for my head it feels drousie and my spirits are dull my thoughts uneasily doth run crossing and striving to throw each other down this causes broken sleeps and frightfull dreams and when I awake at every noyse I start with fears my limbs doth shake Doctor VVhy this disease is love wherefore I cannot cure you for love no more than wit can neither be temper'd nor yet be rul'd for love and wit keeps neither moderate bounds nor spares diet but dyes most commonly of a surfeit Volante O yes discretion can cure both Doctor Then send for Monsieur Discretion and hear what he sayes to you for your disease is past my skil Volante By your industry
Funeral Oration Friend Why Sir your distemper hath so disordered all your Family as it was not thought of Father Love She shall not go to the Grave without due Praises if I have life to speak them Wherefore raise me up and carry me to the Holy place before her Herse thus in my Chair sick as I am For I will speak her Funeral Oration although with my last words Thus will I be carryed living to my Grave He is carried out in a Chair by Servants Ex. Scene 21. Enter the Lord de l' Amour alone as in a Melancholy humour LOrd de l'Amour When I do think of her my mind is like a tempestuous Sea which foams and roars and roles in Billows high My brain like to a Ship is wracked and in it's ravenous Waves my heart is drowned And as several winds do blow so several thoughts do move some like the North with cold and chilly Fears others as from the South of hot Revenge do blow As from the East despairing storms do rise A Western grief blows tears into mine eyes Walks about and weeps Enter Master Charity his Friend Mr. Charity My Lord why are you so melancholy for that which is past and cannot be help'd Lord de l'Amour Oh! the remembrance of her death her cruel death is like the Infernal Furies torments my soul gives it no case nor rest For sometimes my soul is flung into a Fire of Rage That burns with furious pain And then with frozen despair it rips it up again But I unjust and credulous I was the cause of her untimely death Enter the Maid that accused her Falshood O my Lord forgive me for I have murdered the innocent Lady you grieve for for my false Accusation was the hand that guided the dagger to her heart but my Ladies command was the Thief that stole the Chain for she commanded me to take the Chain and accuse the Lady of the Theft for which she gave me the Chain for a reward This I will witnesse by oath unto you and all the World For it is heavier than a world upon my Conscience Lord de l'Amour Why did your Lady so wicked an act Falshood Through Jealousie which bred Envy Envy Malice Malice Slander and this Slander hath produce Murder Enter Informer the other Maid Informer Oh my Lady My Lady hath hanged her self for when she heard Falshood was gone to tell your Lordship the truth of the Chain she went into a base place and hung her self and upon her breast I found this written Paper She gives it de l'Amour to read Lord de l'Amour It is the Lady Incontinents Hand-writing He reads it I have been false to my Marriage-bed lived impudently in the sin of Adultery in the publick face of the World I have betray'd the trust imposed to my charge slandered the Innocent poysoned the Instrument I imployed Falshood All which being summ'd up was worthy of hanging Falshood falls down dead Lord de l'Amour She hath sav'd me a labour and kept my Heroick Honour free from the stains of having laid violent hands on the Effeminate Sex Friend What shall be done with this dead Body Lord de l'Amour Let her Ladies body with hers be thrown into the Fields to be devoured of Beasts Ex. ACT V. Scene 22. Enter the Funeral Herse of the Lady Sanspareile covered with white Satine a silver Crown is placed in the midst her Herse is born by six Virgins all in white other Virgins goe before the Herse and strew Flowers white Lillies and white Roses The whilst this Song is sung SPOtlesse Virgins as you go Wash each step as white as Snow With pure Chrystal streams that rise From the Fountain of your eyes Fresher Lillies like the day Strew and Roses as white as they As an Emblem to disclose This Flower sweet short liv'd as those The whilst her Father is carryed as sick in a Chair the Chair covered with black and born black by Mourners he himself also in close Mourning when they have gone about the Stage The Herse is set neer to the Grave there being one made Then the Father is placed in his Chair upon a raised place for that purpose the raised place also covered with Black he being placed speaks her Funeral Sermon Father Love Most Charitable and Noble Friends that accompany the Dead Corps to the Grave I must tell you I am come here although I am as a Dead Man to the World yet my desire is to make a living Speech before I go out of the world not only to divulge the Affections I had for my Daughter but to divulge her Virtue Worth and good Graces And as it is the custome for the nearest Kindred or best and constantest Friends or longest acquaintance to speak their Funeral Oration wherein I take my self to be all wherefore most fit to speak her Funeral Oration For I being her Father am her longest acquaintance and constantest Friend and nearest in Relation wherefore the fitest to declare unto the world my natural and Fatherly Love Death will be a sufficient witnesse For though I am old yet I was healthful when she lived but now I cannot live many hours neither would I for Heaven knows my affections struggle with Death to hold Life so long as to pay the last Rites due to her dead Corps struck by Death's cruel Dart But most Noble and Charitable Friends I come not here with eye fil'd with salt tears for sorows thirsty Jaws hath drunk them up sucked out my blood left my Veins quite dry luxuriously hath eat my Marow out my sighs are spent in blowing out Life's Fire only some little heat there doth remain which my affections strive to keep alive to pay the last Rites due to my dead Child which is to set her praises forth for living Virtuously But had I Nestors years 't would prove too few to tell the living Stories of her Youth for Nature in her had packed up many Piles of Experience of Aged times besides Nature had made her Youth sweet fresh and temperate as the Spring and in her brain Flowers of Fancies grew Wits Garden set by Natures hand wherein the Muses took delight and entertained themselves therein Singing like Nightingales late at Night or like the Larks ere the day begin Her thoughts were as the Coelestial Orbes still moving circular without back ends surrounding the Center of her Noble mind which as the Sun gave light to all about it her Virtues twinkled like the fixed Starrs whose motion stirs them not from their fix'd place and all her Passions were as other starres which seemed as only made to beautifie her Form But Death hath turned a Chaos of her Form which life with Art and Care had made and Gods had given to me O cursed death to rob and make me poor Her life to me was like a delightful Mask presenting several interchanging Scenes describing Nature in her several Dresses and every Dresse put in a
I will teach you Mall Mean If your Honour will take the pains to teach a poor ignorant Country Maid I will do the best I can to learn forsooth but will it not be too much pains for your Honour do you think Lo. Title No no it will be both for my Honour and my pleasure and for the pleasure of my Honour Mall Mean-bred Blesse us how the Lords doe It backward and forward at their pleasure the finest that ever was but what would your Honour have of me Lo. Title By this kiss I le tell you He goes to kiss her she seems nice and coy Mall Mean O fie fie good your Honour do not scandalize your lips to kisse mine and make me so proud as never to kisse our Shepherd again He offers Mall Mean No fie Lo. Title I will and must kisse you He strives Mall Mean-bred Nay good your Honour good your Honour He kisses her What are you the better now But I see there is no denying a Lord forsooth it is not civil and they are so peremptory too the Gods blesse them and make them their Servants Lo. Title This kisse hath so inflamed me therefore for Loves sake meet me in the Evening in the Broom close here Mall Mean I know the Close forsooth I have been there before now Lo. Title Well and when we meet I will discover more than yet I have done Mall Mean So you had need forsooth for nothing is discovered yet either on your side or mine but I will keep my promise Lo. Title There spoke my better Angel so adiew Mall Mean An Angel I will not break my word for two angels and I hope there will be no dew neither God shield you forsooth Ex. Here ends my Lord Marquesse Scene 18. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely following Poor Virtue Sir Effeminate Lovely Fair Maid stay and look upon my person Poor Virtue Why so I do Effem. Love And how do you like it Poor Vir. As I like a curious built house wherein lives a vain and self-conceited owner Effem. Love And are not you in love with it Poor Vir. No truly no more than with a pencilled Picture Effem. Love Why I am not painted Poor Vir. You are by Nature though not by Art Effem. Love And do you despise the best and curiousest Works of Nature Poor Vir. No I admire them Effem. Love If you admire them you will admire me and if you admire me you will yield to my desires Poor Vir. There may be admiration without love but to yield to your desires were to abuse Natures VVorks Effem. Love No It were to enjoy them Poor Vir. Nature hath made Reason in man as well as Sence and we ought not to abuse the one to please the other otherwise man would be like Beasts following their sensualities which Nature never made man to be for she created Virtues in the Soul to govern the Senses and Appetites of the Body as Prudence Justice Temperance and Conscience Effem. Love Conscience VVhat is that natural fear Poor Vir. No it is the tenderest part of the Soul bathed in a holy dew from whence repentant tears do flow Effem. Love I find no such tender Constitution nor moist Complexion in my Soul Poor Vir. That is by reason the Fire of unlawful Love hath drunk all up seared the Conscience dry Effem. Love You may call it what Fire you will but I am certain it is your Beauty that kindles it and your Wit that makes it flame burning with hot desires Poor Vir. Pray Heaven my Virtue may quench it out again Poor Virtue goes out Lovely alone Effem. Love I am sure Nature requires a self-satisfaction as well as a self-preservation and cannot nor will not be quiet without it esteeming it beyond life Ex. Scene 19. Enter the Lady Ward and Nurse Careful Lady Ward I wonder my Lord Courtship he being counted a wise man should make me his Baud if he intends to make me his Wife and by my troth Nurse I am too young for that grave Office Nurse Careful How ignorantly you speak Child it is a sign you have been bred obscurely and know little of the world or rather it proves your Mother dyed before you could speak or go otherwise you would be better experienced in these businesses Lady Ward My Mother Nurse Heaven rest her soul she would never have made me a Baud Nurse Careful No why then she would not do as most Mothers do now a dayes for in this age Mothers bring up their daughters to carry Letters and to receive messages or at lest to watch at the door left their Fathers should come unawares and when they come to make some excuse and then the Mother laughs and sayes her daughter is a notable witty Girle La. Ward What for telling a lye Nurse Careful Yes when it is told so as to appeare like a truth Lady Ward But it is a double fault as to deceive the Father and be a Baud to the Mother Nurse Careful Why the Mother will execute the same Office for the daughter when she is marryed and her self grown into years for from the age of seven or eight years old to the time they are maryed the Daughter is a Baud to the Mother and from the time of their marriage to the time of their Mothers death the Mother is a Baud to the Daughter but if the Mother be indifferently young and hath a young tooth in her head as the old saying is they Baud for each other Lady Ward But why doth not the Mother Baud for her Daughter before she is marryed Nurse Care O there is reason for that for that may spoil her fortune by hindering her marriage for marriage is a Veile to cover the wanton face of adultery the like Veil is Baud-mothers and Baud-daughters for who would suspect any lewdnesse when the Mother and the Daughter is together La. Ward And are not Sons Pimps for their Fathers as Daughters are for their Mothers Nurse Careful No saith Boys have facility or ingenuity as Girles have besides they are kept most commonly so strictly to their Bookes when Girles have nothing else to do but when they have cast away their Books and come to be marryed men then they may chance to Pimp for their Wives Lady Ward O fie Nurse surely a man will never play the Pimp to Cuckold himself Nurse Care O yes if they be poor or covetous or ambitious and then if they have a handsome woman to their wife they will set her as a bait to catch their designs in the trap of Adultery or patient quiet simple fearful men will if they have a Spritely wise they will play the Pimp either for fear or quiet for such men to such wives will do any thing to please them although it be to Cuckold themselves La. Ward But surely Nurse no Gentleman will do so Nurse Gare. I know not who you call Gentleman but those that bear up high and look big and vant loud and walk
not set a fouler mark than thy self upon me therefore come not near me Matron Worse and worse worse and worse O that I were so young and fair as my Beauty might get me a Champion to revenge my quarrel But I will go back to the Ladies they are fair and young enough as being in the Spring of Beauty although I am in my Autumnal years Satyrical Thou art in the midst of the Winter of thine Age and the Snow of Time is fallen on thy head and lies upon thy hair Matron They that will not live untill they are old the Proverb sayes They must be hang'd when they are young and I hope it is your Destiny Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Liberty and Wanton and Surfet LIberty I am come to tell you Wanton and Surfet that my Lady is gone to receive the Visit of Monsieur Tranquillities Peace who is come to see her and old Matron Temperance is gone to wait upon her wherefore you may go for there is none left with the five Senses but Excess They run out then enters the Five Senses in Antick Dresses to distinguish them but they behave themselves as mad-merry dancing about in Couples as Hearing with Wantonness Idle with Scent and Excess with Sigh and Surfet with Taste and Touch dances alone by her self and when they have danced they go out Exeunt Scene 25. Enter Bon' Esprit Superbe Faction Portrait Ambition FAction I wonder Mother Matron should stay so long Portrait I cannot guess at the reason Bon' Esprit She might have deliver'd her Message twice in this time Enter Mother Matron All the Ladies speak at once Ladies Mother Matron Welcome welcome welcome What Newes what Newes Faction What says Monsieur Satyrical Bon' Esprit Will he come Portrait Or will he not come pray speak Superbe Are you dumb Mother Matron Matron Pray Ladies give me some time to temper my passion for if a house be set on fire there is required sometime to quench it Ambition But some fires cannot be quenched Matron Indeed my fire of Anger is something of the nature of the unquenchable fire of Hell which indeavours to afflict the Soul as well as to torment the Body Superbe Iove bless us Mother Matron Are you inflamed with Hell-fire Matron How should I be otherwise when I have been tormented with a Devil Ambition Jupiter keep us What have you done and with whom have you been Matron Marry I have been with a cloven-tongu'd Satyr who is worse far worse than a cloven-footed Devil Bon' Esprit Is all this rage against Monsieur Satyrical Matron Yes marry is it and all too little by reason it cannot hurt him Faction How hath he offended you Matron As he hath offended you all railed against you most horribly railed against you He says you are all mad and hath condemned your Poems to the fire and your imployment to the making of bone-lace Bon' Esprit Why these sayings of his do not offend me Ambition Nor me Portrait Nor me Superbe Nor me Matron But if he had said you had been old and ill-favour'd carrion for Crows dust and ashes for the grave as he said to me then you would have been as angry as I Bon' Esprit No truly I should have only laughed at it Faction By your favour I should have been as angry as Mother Matron if I had been as old as she so I should have been concerned in the behalf of my Age Matron Marry come up are you turned Lady Satyrical to upbraid me with my Age Is this my reward for my jaunting and trotting up and down with your idle Message to more idle persons men that are meer Jackstraws flouting companions railing detractors such as are good for nothing but to put people together by the cars Faction By the Effects it proves so for you and I are very neer falling out But I thought you would have given me thanks for what I said as taking your part and not inveterates your spleen Matron Can you expect I should give you thanks for calling me old Can the report of Age be acceptable to the Effeminate Sex But Lady let me tell you if you live you will be as old as I and yet desire to be thought young For although you were threescore yet you would be very angry nay in a furious rage and take those to be your mortal Enemies that should reckon you to be above one and twenty for you will think your self as beautiful as one of fifteen Faction I do not think so although I believe our Sex have good opinions of themselves even to the last gasp yet not so partial as to imagine themselves as one of fifteen at threescore Matron It is proved by all Experience that all Mankind is self-conceited especially the Effeminate Sex and self-conceit doth cast a fair shadow on a foul face and fills up the wrinkles of Time with the paint of Imagination Portrait But the Eyes must be blind with Age or else they would see the wrinkles Time hath made in the despight of the paint of Imagination Superbe By your favour Self-conceit doth cause the Eyes of Sense to be like false glasses that cast a youthful gloss and a fair light on a wither'd skin For though the deep lines in the face cannot be smoothed yet the lines or species in or of the sight may be drawn by self-conceit so small as not to be perceived And were it not for the Eyes of Self-conceit and the Paint of Imagination as Mother Matron says which preserves a good Opinion of our selves even to the time of our Death wherein all remembrance is buried we should grow mad as we grow old for the losse of our Youth and Beauty Matron I by my faith you would grow mad did not Conceit keep you in your right wits Faction The truth is our Sex grow melancholy when our Beauty decayes Portrait I grow melancholy at the talking of it Ambition Let us speak of some other subject that is more pleasing than Age Ruine and Death Bon' Esprit Let us talk of Monsieur Satyrical again Matron He is a worse subject to talk of than Death Bon' Esprit As bad as he is you shall carry another Message to him Matron I will sooner carry a Message to Pluto for in my Conscience he will use me more civilly and will send you a more respectful Answer than Monsieur Satyrical Bon' Esprit Indeed I have heard that the Devil would flatter but I never heard that a Satyrical Poet would flatter Matron But a Satyrical Poet will lye and so will the Devil and therefore talk no more of them but leave them together Exeunt Scene 26. Enter Temperance and Madamoiselle Pleasure PLeasure O Temperance I am discredited for ever the Ladies the Senses are all sick What shall I do Temperance You must send for some Doctors Pleasure What Doctors shall I send for Temperance Why Old Father Time he hath practiced long and hath great Experience then there is Rest and
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
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
Terrestriall globes which globes are as Man and Wife the Coelestiall as the Husband the Terrestriall as the Wife which breeds and bears what the Coelestiall begets For the Coelestiall and the Terrestriall globes are Natures working houses where Animals Vegetables and Minerals are wrought into several figures shapt and formed into divers fashions like as Smiths makes diverse fashioned things out of mettals so Nature is as the Smith the Earth as the mettal the Sun as the fire the Sea as the quenching water the aire as the Bellows youth is the Furnace time is the Forge and motion is the Hammer both to shape and break assunder but for fear I should break your patience I shall desist from speaking any more at this time After a modest and humble respective bow to the assembly She goeth out The whilst the Audience holds up their hands in admiration 1. Philosopher Now you have heard her what do you say 2. Philosopher I say let us go home and make a funerall pile of our bookes that are Philosophy burn them to Ashes that none may file as Phenix like out of that dust 3. Philosopher No throw them at those foolish men that walk in black who would be thought learned by the outside although they are unlettered 4. Philosopher Take heed of that for so they may have hopes of a resurrection and so rise again in ragged covers and tattered torn sheets in old Duck-lane and quack their to be bought 1. Philosopher No no we will all now send for Barbers and in our great Philosophies despair shave of our reverend beards as excrements which once did make us all esteemed as wife and stuff boyes foot-balls with them 2. Philosopher Nature thou dost us wrong and art too prodigall to the effeminate Sex but I forgive thee for thou art a she dame Nature thou art but never shewed thy malice untill now what shall we do 3. Philosopher Faith all turn gallants spend our time in vanity and sin get Hawks and Hounds and running Horses study the Card and Dye Rich Cloathes and Feathers wast our time away with what this man said or what that man answered backbite and raile at all those that are absent and then renownce it with new Oathes Alamode 4. Philosopher No no honour this Virgin whose wit is supreme whose judgment is Serene as is the Sky whose life is a Law unto her selfe and us virtue her handmaid and her words so sweet like to harmonious musick in the Aire that charms our Senses and delights the Soul and turns all passions in our hearts to love teaches the aged and instructs the youth no Sophister but Mistriss still of truth Ex. Here ends my Lord Marquisses Scene 10. Enter the Lord de l'Amour and the Lady Innocence LOrd de l'Amour I begin to be so fond of your Company as I cannot be long absent therefrom Lady Innocence 'T is your favours to me which favours are above my merits indeed I have no merits but what your favour creates Lord de l'Amour You seem so virtuous and sweetly dispositioned and are so beautifull and witty as I cannot but admire and love you Lady Innocence I dare not be so rude not yet so ungratefull to speak against my selfe now you have praised me for your words are like to Kings which makes all currant coyn they set their stamp on although the substance should be mean and of no value Lord de l'Amour Thy words are Musicall Lady Innocence I wish I could speak as eloquently upon every subject as several birds sings sweety in several Tunes to please you Lord de l'Amour Do you love me so well as to wish it onely for my sake Lady Innocence Yes and how should I do otherwise for my affections to you was ingrafted into the root of my infancy by my Fathers instructions and perswasions which hath grown up with my Age The Lady Incontinent peeps in and sees them together speaks to her selfe in the mean time they seem to whisper Lady Incontinent Are you both so serious in discourse I will break your friendship or I will fall to the grave of death in the attempt Lady Incontinent goes out Lord de l'Amour Heaven make you as virtuous as loving and I shall be happy in a Wife Lord de l'Amour goes out Lady Innocence alone Lady Innocence Heaven make him as constant as I virtuous and I shall be sure of a gallant man to my Husband Ex. ACT IV. Scene 11. Enter the Lady Sanspareille and takes her place her Father and her Audience about her being all Morall Philosophers When she had done her respects speaks SAnsp. By my fathers relation to me I understand that all this worthy Assembly are students in morality wherefore I shall treat this time of passions wherein I make no question being all sage that you have not only learnt to distinguish them but have practiced how to temper and govern them but perchance you will say to your selves what need she speak of that which have been so often treated of only to make repetitions of former Authors but you all know without my telling you that new applications may be made on often preached Texts and new arguments may be drawn from old principles and new experiences may be learnt from former follies but howsoever my discourse shall not be very long least tedious impertinencies should make it unpleasant to your eares cause too great a loss of time to your better imployments but my discourse is as I said on the passions which I will first divide as the Ancient Philosophers into two love and hate First I will treat of pure love which is self-love for love to all other things is but the effects thereof And is derived therefrom self-love is the sole passion of the Soul it is a passion pure in it self being unmixt although all other passions do attend it this passion called self-love is the legitimated Child of Nature being bred in infinite and born in eternity yet this passion of self-love being the Mother of all other love is oftentimes mistaken for a fond or a facile disposition bred from a weak constitution of the body or a strong or rather exstravagant appetite of the Senses or from a gross constitution or evill habit or custome of life or an ill example of breeding but these Childish humours facile and easy dispositions foolish and earnest desires gross and greedy appetites Inconstant and evill Natures these are not pure love as the effects of self-love for it doth it self hurt but they are the effects of the body and nor of the Soul for some of them proceeds from a gross strength of body hot and active spirits others from a tenderness and weakness of body and faint spirits but the true passions of love which is self-love but mistake me not for when I say self-love 〈…〉 as is appertaining thereto as love of honour love of virtue humane love naturall love pious love Sympatheticall love which are the
Objects unexpected preferments or advancements by Fortunes favour or partiall affections also great ruines losses and crosses also Plagues Deaths Famines Warres Earthquakes Meteors Comets unusuall Seasons extraordinary Storms Tempests Floods Fires likewise great strength very old Age Beauty deformities unnaturall Births Monsters and such like which time Records But Fame is the Godess of eminent and Meritorious Actions and her Palace is the Heaven where the renowns which are the Souls of such Actions lives I say Eminent and Meritorious Actions for all Meritorious Actions are not Eminent but those that transcends an usuall degree as extraordinary valour Patience Prudence Justice Temperance Constancie Gratitude Generosity Magnaminity Industry Fidelity Loyalty Piety also extraordinary Wisdome Wit Ingenuities Speculations Conceptions Learning Oratory and the like but it is not sufficient to be barely indued with those vertues and qualities but these vertues and qualities must be elevated beyond an ordinary degree insomuch as to produce some extraordinary Actions so as to be Eminent for Fame dwells high and nothing reaches her but what is Transcendent either in worth or power for it is to be observed that none but Ioves Mansion is purely free from deceit and corruptions for Nature is artified and fame is often forced by fortune and conquering power and sometimes bribed by flattery and partiality and in Times Records there is more false reports than true and in Infamous Dungeon which is deep although not dark being inlightened by the eye of knowledge and the lamp of Memory or Remembrance which divulges and shewes to several and after Ages the evill deeds which lyes therein as Thefts Murther Adultery Sacriledg Injustice evill Government foolish Counsells Tyrany Usurpation Rapine Extortion Treason broken promises Treachery Ingratitude Cosening Cheating Sherking Lying Deluding Defrauding factions Disobedience Follies Errours Vices Fools Whores Knaves Sicophants Sloth Idleness Injury Wrong and many Hundreds the like yet many Innocent vertues and well deserving deeds at least good Intentions lyes in the Dungeon of Infamy cast therein by false constructions evil Events Malice Envy Spight and the like Sometimes some gets out by the help of right interpretation friendly assistance or eloquent pleading but yet these are very seldome by reason the Dungeon is so deep that it allmost requires a supernaturall strength to pull out any dead therein for therein they are oftner buried in Oblivion than translated by pleading but as I said many Innocents are unjustly cast into Infamies Dungeon and lyes for ever therein and many a false report is writ in times Records and never blotted thereout And many vain and unworthy Actions feigned vertues and vitious qualities hath got not only into Fames Palace but are placed high in Fames Tower and good successes although from evill designs and wicked deeds doth many times usurp the most cheifest and highest places as to be set upon the Pinacle for fortune conquering power and partiality forceth carries and throwes more into fames Palace than honest Industry leads or merit advances therein or unto which is unjust yet not to be avoided for Fortune and victory are powerfull and so powerfull as many times they tred down the Meritorious and upon those pure footstoole they raise up the unworthy and base thus fames base Born thrust out the Legitimate heirs and usurp the Right and Lawfull Inheritance of the Right owners of fames Palace Wherefore worthy Heroicks you cannot enjoy fame when you will nor make her sound out so loud as you would nor so long as you would nor where you would have her unless you force her which is only to be done by the assistance of time the providence of forecast the diligence of prudence the Ingenuity of Industry the direction of opportunity the strength of Power the agility of Action the probability of opinion the verity of truth the favour of Fortune the esteem of Affection the guilts of Nature and the breeding of education besides that fame is of several humours or Natures and her Palace stands on several soyles and her Trumpet sounds out several Notes Aires Strains or Dities for some Aires or Strains are pleasant and chearfull others sad and Melancholly and sometimes she sounds Marches of War some to Charge some to Retreat also sometimes her Palace stands on Rocks of adversity other times on the flat soyles of prosperity sometimes in the Sun shine of plenty other times in the shade of poverty sometimes in the flowery Gardens of peace other times in the bloody fields of War but this is to be observed that fame at all times sounds out a Souldiers Renown louder than any others for the sound of Heroick Actions spreads furthest yet the renown of Poets sounds sweetest for fame takes a delight to sound strains of wit and Aires of Fancies and time takes pleasure to record them but worthy Heroicks give me leave to tell you that if time and occasion doth not fit or meet your Noble ambitions you must fashion your Noble ambitions to the times and take those opportunities that are offered you for if you should slip the season of opportunity wherein you should soe the seeds of Industry you will loose the harvest of Honourable deeds so may starve wanting the bread of report which should feed the life of applause but noble Heroicks when you adventure or set forth for the purchase of Honour you must be armed with fortitude and march along with prudence in an united body of patience than pitch in the field of fidelity and fight with the Sword of Justice to maintain the cause of right and to keep the priviledges of truth for which you will be intailed the Heirs and Sons of fame and my wishes and Prayers shall be that you may be all Crowned with Lawrell After she had made her respects She goeth out My Lord Marquess writ these following Speeches A Souldier Silence all thundring Drums and Trumpets loud with glistering Arms bright Swords and waving Plumes And the feared Cannon powdered shall no more Force the thin Aire with horrour for to roare Nor the proud steeds with hollow hoofes to beat The humble Earth till Ecchoes it repeat This Lady makes Greek Tactiks to look pale And Caesars Comentaries blush for shame The Amazonian Dames shakes at her Name Poets The Lady Muses are deposed unthroned from their high Pallace of Parnassus-Hill Where she in glory with Poetick flames there sits In Triumph Emperess of wits Where her bright beams our Poets doth inspire As humble Mortalls from her gentle fire She is the only Muses gives Phancy slore Else all our Poets they could write no more Oratour Were the oyled tongue of Tully now alive and all the rest of glibed tongued Oratours with their best arguments to force a truth or else with subtilty of slight to avoid it those tongues with trembling Palsies would be all struck dumb with wonder and amazement to hear truth Cloathed so gently as to move all Oratours their passions into love admired Virgin Then all the Auditory goeth
give away what they have Portrait Talk not of womens souls for men say we have no souls only beautiful bodies Bon' Esprit But beautiful bodies are a degree of souls and in my Conscience please men better than our souls could do Superbe If anything prove we have no souls it is in letting men make such fools of us Matron Come come Ladies by Womens Actions they prove to have more or at least better souls than Men have for the best parts of the Soul are Love and Generosity and Women have more of either than Men have Grave Temperance The truth is that although Reason and Understanding are the largest parts of the Soul yet Love and Generosity are the delicatest parts of the Soul Enter Monsieur Heroick Heroick Goodmorrow young Ladies you appear this morning like sweet-smelling flowers some as Roses others as Lillies others as Violets Pinks and Primroses and your associating in a company together is like as a Posie which Love hath bound up into one Bucket which is a fit Present for the Gods Bon' Esprit If you would have us presented to the Gods we must die for we are never preferred to them but by Death wherefore we must be given to Death before the Gods can have us they may hear us whilest we live and we may hear of them but partake of neither until we die Heroick O that were pity Ladies for there is nothing more sad in Nature than when Death parts a witty Soul from a young beautiful Body before the one hath built Monuments of Memory and the other gained Trophies of Lovers And as for the Gods you will be as acceptable to them when you are old as when you are young Ambition As nothing could make me so sad as untimely death of Youth Wit and Beauty so there is nothing could anger me more as for Fortune to frown upon Merit or not to advance it according to its worth or to bury it in Oblivion hindring the passage into Fames Palace Temperance For my part I believe Death will neither call nor come for you before his natural time if you do not send Surfet and Excess to call him to take you away Pleasure Indeed Mankind seem as if they were Deaths Factors for they do strive to ingross and destroy all other creatures or at least as many as they can and not only other creatures but their own kinde as in Wars and not only their own kinde but themselves in idle and unprofitable Adventures and gluttonous Excess thus as I said they are Deaths Factors buying sickness with health hoping to gain pleasure and to make delight their profit but they are cozen'd for they only get Diseases Pains and Aches Matron Pray Ladies mark how far you are gone from the Text of your discourse as from sweet-smelling flowers to stinking carrion which are dead carkasses from a lively good-morrow to a dead farewel from mirth to sadness Portrait You say right Mother Matron wherefore pray leave off this discourse for I hate to hear off death for the thoughts of death affright me so as I can take no pleasure of life when he is in my mind Heroick Why Ladies the thought of death is more than death himself for thoughts are sensible or imaginable things but Death himself is neither sensible nor imaginable Portrait Therefore I would not think of him and when I am dead I am past thinking Superbe Let us discourse of something that is more pleasing than Death Heroick Then by my consent Ladies your discourse shall be of Venus and Cupid which are Themes more delightful to your Sex and most contrary to death for Love is hot and Death is cold Love illuminates life and Death quenches life out Bon Esprit Let me tell you Sir Love is as apt to burn life out as Death is to quench it out and I had rather die with cold than be burnt with heat for cold kills with a dead numness when heat kills with a raging madnesse Pleasure But Lovers are tormented with fears and doubts which cause cold sweats fainting of spirits trembling of limbs it breaks the sweet repose of sleep disturbs the quiet peace of the mind vades the colours of beauty nips or blasts the blossome of youth making Lovers look withered before Time hath made them old Heroick It is a signe Lady you have been in love you give so right a Character of a Lover Pleasure No there requires not a self-experience to find out a Lovers trouble for the outward Actions will declare their inward grief and passion Superbe Certainly she is in love but conceals it she keeps it as a Secret Pleasure Love cannot be secret the passion divulges it self Portrait Confess Are you not in love Faction Nay she will never confess a Secret unless you tell her one for those that tell no secrets shall hear none Portrait O yes for a Secret is like a child in the womb for though it be concealed for a time it will come out at last only some comes out easier than others and some before their time Ambition Nay whensoever a secret comes out it 's untimely Faction Secrets are like Coy Ducks when one is flown out it draws out others and returns with many Pleasure Then like a Coy Duck I will try if I can draw all you after me Exit Pleasure Bon' Esprit She shall see she is like a Duck which is like a Goose and we like her for we will follow her Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Monsiuer Tranquillities Peace and his Man TRanquill Peace Have you been at Monsieur Busie's house to tell him I desire to speak with him Servant Yes I have been at his house Tranquill. Peace And will he come Servant Faith Sir the house is too unwieldy to stir and Monsieur Busie is too Active to stay at home but the truth is I went at four a clock this morning because I would be sure to find him and his servants and their Master was flown out of his nest an hour before Then I told his servants I would come about dinner-time and they laugh'd and ask'd me what time was that I said I supposed at the usual time about Noon or an hour before or after but they said their Master never kept any certain time of eating being full of business Then I asked them what time that would be when he would come home to bed They answered that his time of Resting was as uncertain as his time of Eating Then I pray'd them to tell me at what time they thought I might find him at home They said it was impossible for them to guess for that their Master did move from place to place as swift as thoughts move in the Mind Then I pray'd them that they would tell him when he came home that you would desire to speak with him They told me they would but they did verily believe he would forget to come to you by reason his head was so full of busie thoughts or thoughts of
from the bower of bliss into the grave of life the habitation of death from a young Beauty to an old doting Woman Oh I will tear this letter that hath deceived me but stay I will keep this letter to make sport amongst the young Ladies which sport may perchance insinuate me into some favour with the young Ladies for as idle and ridiculous pastime or means as this is hath got many times good success amongst Ladies wherefore I will for their sport-sake jestingly Court Mother Matron and in the mean time of the Progress write her a letter Exit ACT III Scene 11. Enter Madamoiselle Ambition and Monsieur Inquisitive INquisitive I hear Madamoiselle Ambition you are to marry Monsieur Vain-glorious Ambition No for I am too honest to marry one man and love admire and esteem another man beyond him but when I marry I will marry such a one as I prize honour love and admire above all other men or else I will never marry Inquisitive What man could you esteeem honour and love most Ambition He that I thought had the noblest Soul and had done the most worthyest Actions Inquisitive But put the case that man that were as you would have him were so ingag'd as you could not enjoy him in lawful mariage Ambition I could lawfully enjoy him although I could not lawfully marry him Inquisitive As how Ambition As in Contemplation for I could enjoy his Soul no otherwise if I were maried to him for if I were maried I could but contemplate of his Merits please my self with the thoughts of his Virtues honour his generous Nature and praise his Heroick Actions And these I can do as much although I should live at distance from him nor never be his Wife for the mariage of Bodies is no enjoyment of Souls Inquisitive This would only be an opinion of delight but no true enjoyment of pleasure for though an Opinion may affright the Soul yet the Opinion cannot pleasure the Body But say an Opinion could delight the Soul without the Senses yet the pleasures of the Senses are to be preferred before the delight of the Soul for the truth is that the spirits of life take more delight in sensual pleasures than in the Souls imagination for life lives in the Senses not in the Soul for were there no Senses there would be no Life Ambition By your favour there is life in the Soul when Death hath extinguish'd the Senses Inquisitive That 's more than you know you believe it only upon report but who hath had the trial or experience of the truth of it So that the report is upon an unknown ground and your belief is built upon an unsure Foundation Ambition What belief is for my advantage I will strive and indeavour to strengthen it on what foundation soever it 's built upon Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Monsieur Frisk and Mother Matrons Maid FRisk You will pardon me pretty Maid for causing you to stay so long for an Answer of your Mistris's Letter Maid There requires no pardon Sir for I have been very well entertain'd by your man I thank him Frisk I perceive my man hath had better fortune than his Master for he hath had youth to entertain but I hope if you receive the mans entertainment so thankfully you will not refuse the Masters Maid My Mistris would be jealous of your Worship if you should entertain me Frisk Why doth your Mistris love me so much Maid So much as she cannot sleep quietly for dreaming of you nor lets me sleep for she wakes me every night to tell me her dreams Frisk What dreams she Maid One dream was she dream'd that she was Diana and you Acteon Frisk What to set horns on my head Maid No my Mistris said that she in her dream did more as a Godess ought to have done than Diana did for she was generous in her dream and not cruel for instead of horning you she invited you into her Bath Frisk I hope you were one of her Nymphs Maid Another time she dream'd you were Mercury and she Herce and another that she was Venus and you Adonis but the last night she awaked out of a fearful dream Frisk What dream was that Maid She dream'd that she was Queen Dido and you the Prince AEneas and when you were ship'd and gone away she stab'd her self Frisk If she were Dido I should prove AEneas Maid On my Conscience she fetch'd as many sighs when she awak'd and made as many pitious complaints and lamentations as if her dream had been true and she really bad been Queen Dido insomuch as I was afraid that she would have killed he self indeed and was running forth the Chamber to call in company to hinder her but that she commanded me to stay saying that it was but the passion of her dream for she hoped that you would prove a more constant and faithful Lover than to leave her to despair Frisk The next time she is in the same passion tell her I will be like AEneas meet her in Hell In the mean time carry her this Letter Maid Lord Lord she will be a joy'd woman to receive a letter from you and I shall be a welcome Messenger unto her and the letter will be worth a new gown to me Frisk I wish it may be a gown of price to thee Exeunt Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit BOn Esprit How shall I pacifie my companions or qualifie their spleens who will be in a furious rage when they perceive and know my real love to you for they made me as their hook to the line of their Angle and hope to catch you like a Gudgion Satyrical All that Angle do not catch yet you have drawn me forth of the salt Satyrical Sea Bon' Esprit But their desire is that you should lie gasping on the shore of Love Satyrical Would they be so cruel as not to throw me into a fresh River Bon' Esprit No for they joy in the thought of your torments and their general prayers are to Cupid imploring him to wound you with a golden-headed Arrow and she you love with an Arrow headed with lead As for their particular prayers they are after this manner One prays you may sigh your self into Air and the Air so infectious as it may plague all the Satyrical of your Sex Another prayeth you may weep tears of Vitriol and that the sharpness of those tears may corrode your soul Another prays that your passion of love may be so hot as it may torment you as Hell-fire doth the damned but Mother Matron besides saying Amen to all their prayers makes her prayers thus That she for whose sake you must endure all these torments may be the oldest and most ill-favour'd deform'd woman that ever Nature Accident and Time made Satyrical She would have me in Love with her self it seems by her prayer Bon' Esprit If she did hear you she would die for want of Revenge
but I perceive Lady you are a right begotten daughter of Nature and will follow the steps of your Mother 1 Virgin Yes or else I should be unnatural which I will never be Exeunt ACT II. Scene 8. Enter Monsieur Pere and Monsieur Frere MOnsieur Frere Sir I wonder since my sister is so handsome that you did not marry her more to her advantage Pere Why Son I think I have marry'd her very well for your advantage for her beauty was her only Portion and she is marry'd to a noble Gentleman who hath a very great Estate Frere But Sir her beauty doth deserve a King nay an Emperour a Caesar of the World Pere O Son you are young which makes you partial on your sisters side Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Madam Bonit and her Maid Nan BOnit It 's a strange forgetfulness not to come near me in two hours but let me sit without a fire if you were my Mistris I should make a conscience to be more diligent than you are if I did take wages for my service as you do Nan If you do not like me take another Bonit If you be weary of my service pray change perchance you may get a better Mistris and I hope I shall get as careful a servant Exeunt Scene 10. Enter the Sociable Virgins and the Matrons 1 VIrgin I would have all women bred to manage Civil Affairs and men to manage the Military both by Sea and Land also women to follow all Manufactures at home and the men all Affairs that are abroad likewise all Arts of Labour the men to be imploy'd in and for all Arts of Curiosity the women 2 Virgin Nay certainly if women were imploy'd in the Affairs of State the World would live more happily 3 Virgin So they were imploy'd in those things or business that were proper for their strength and capacity 1 Matron Let me tell you Ladies women have no more capacity than what is as thin as a Cobweb-laun which every eye may see through even those that are weak and half blind 4 Virgin Why we are not Fools we are capable of Knowledge we only want Experience and Education to make us as wise as men Matron But women are uncapable of publick Imployments 1 Virgin Some we will grant are so are some men for some are neither made by Heaven Nature nor Education sit to be States-men 2 Virgin And Education is the chief for Lawyers and Divines can never be good States-men they are too learned to be wise they may be good Orators but never subtil Counsellors they are better Disputers than Conuivers they are fitter for Faction than Reformation the one make quarrels or upholds quarrels the other raises doubts But good States-men are bred in Courts Camps and Cities and not in Schools and Closets at Bars and in Pulpits and women are bred in Courts and Cities they only want the Camp to give them the perfect State-breeding 3 Virgin Certainly if we had that breeding and did govern we should govern the world better than it is 4 Virgin Yes for it cannot be govern'd worse than it is for the whole World is together by the Ears all up in Wars and Blood which shews there is a general defect in the Rulers and Governors thereof 1 Virgin Indeed the State-Counsellers in this Age have more Formality than Policy and Princes more plausible words than rewardable deeds insomuch as they are like Fidlers that play Artificially and Skilfully yet it is but a sound which they make and give and not real presences 2 Virg. You say true and as there is no Prince that hath had the like good fortune as Alexander and Caesar so none have had the like Generosities as they had which shews as if Fortune when she dealt in good earnest and not in mockery measur'd her gifts by the largeness of the Heart and the liberality of the hand of those she gave to And as for the death of those two Worthies she had no hand in them nor was she any way guilty thereof for the Gods distribute life and death without the help of Fortune Matron 'T is strange Ladies to hear how you talk without knowledge neither is it fit for such young Ladies as you are to talk of State-matters leave this discourse to the Autumnal of your Sex or old Court-Ladies who take upon them to know every thing although they understand nothing But your Discourses should be of Masks Plays and Balls and such like Recreations fit for your Youth and Beauties Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Malataste and Madam Bonit MAlataste What 's the reason you turn away Nan Bonit Why she turns away me for she is more willing to be gone than I to have her go Malateste It is a strange humour in you as never to be pleas'd for you are always quarrelling with your servants Bonit Truly I do not remember that ever I had a dispute or quarrel with any servant since I was your Wife before this with your Maid Nan and to prove it is that I do not speak many words in a whole day Malateste Those you speak it seems are sharp Bonit Let it be as you say for I will not contradict you Malateste Well then take notice I will not have Nan turn'd away Bonit I am glad she pleases you so well and sorry I can please you no better Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Monsieur Frere alone FRere She is very handsom extreme handsom beyond all the women that ever Nature made O that she were not my sister Enter Madam Soeur He starts Soeur I doubt Brother I have surpriz'd you with my sudden coming in for you start Frere Your Beauty Sister will not only surprize but astonish any man that looks thereon Soeur You have us'd your self so much to dissembling Courtships since you went into Italy as you cannot forbear using them to your sister But pray leave off that unnecessary civility to me and let us talk familiarly as brothers and sisters use to do Frere With all my heart as familiarly as you please Soeur Pray Brother tell me if the women in Italy be handsom and what Fashions they have and how they are behav'd Frere To tell you in short they are so Artify'd as a man cannot tell whether they are naturally handsom or not As for their Behaviour they are very Modest Grave and Ceremonious in publick and in private confident kind and free after an humble and insinuating manner they are bred to all Virtues especially to dance sing and play on Musical Instruments they are naturally crafty deceitful false covetous luxurious and amorous they love their pleasures better than Heaven As for their fashion of garments they change as most Nations do as one while in one and then in another As for their Houses they are furnish'd richly and themselves adorned costly when they keep at home in their houses for they dress themselves finest when they entertain strangers or acquaintance but this Relation is only of
and wise Governors force pens although pens cannot force swords 2 Virgin By your favour but pens and prints force swords sometimes nay for the most part for do not books of Controversies or ingraving or printed Laws make Enemies and such Enemies as to pursue with fire and sword to death 3 Virgin Well for my part I do not believe it was the glory of Victory and conquering the most part of the World which made Alexander and Caesar to be so much reverenc'd admir'd and renown'd by those following Ages but that their Heroick Actions were seconded with their generous deeds distributing their good fortune to the most deserving and meritorious persons in their Parties 1 Virgin You say true and as there have been none so Heroical since their deaths so there have been none so Generous Matron Ladies by your leave you are unlearned otherwise you would find that there have been Princes since their times as Heroical and Generous as they were 2 Virgin No no there have been none that had so noble souls as they had for Princes since their days have been rul'd check'd and aw'd by their petty Favourites witness many of the Roman Emperors and others when they rul'd and check'd all the World 4 Virg. Indeed Princes are not so severe nor do they carry that State and Majesty as those in former times for they neglect that Ceremony now adays which Ceremony creates Majesty and gives them a Divine Splendor for the truth is Ceremony makes them as Gods when the want thereof makes them appear as ordinary men 1 Virgin It must needs for when Princes throw off Ceremony they throw off Royalty for Ceremony makes a King like a God 2 Virgin Then if I were a King or had a Royal Power I would create such Ceremonies as I would be Deify'd and so worship'd ador'd and pray'd to whilst I live 1 Virgin So would I rather than to be Sainted or pray'd to when I were dead 4 Virgin Why Ceremony will make you as a God both alive and dead when without Ceremony you will not be so much as Sainted 1 Virgin I had as lieve be a Saint as a God for I shall have as many prayers offer'd to me as if I were made a God Matron Come come Ladies you talk like young Ladies you know not what Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Madam Bonit and her Maid Joan. Joan. Lord Madam I wonder at your patience that you can let Nan not only be in the house and let my Master lie with her for she is more in my Masters chamber than in yours but to let her triumph and domineer to command all as chief Mistris not only the servants but your self as you are come to be at her allowance Bonit How should I help it Ioan. Why if it were to me I would ring my Husband such a peal as I would make him weary of his wench or his life Bonit Yes so I may disquiet my self but not mend my Husband for men that love variety are not to be alter'd neither with compliance or crosness Ioan. 'T is true if he would or did love variety but he onely loves Nan a Wench which hath neither the Wit Beauty nor good Nature of your Ladyship Bonit I thank you Ioan for your commendations Ioan. But many times a good-natur'd Wife will make an ill-natur'd Husband Bonit That 's when men are fools and want the wit and judgment to value worth and merit or not to understand it Ioan. Why then my Master is one but why will you be so good as to spoil your Husband for in my conscience if you were worse he would be better Bonit The reason is that Self-love hath the first place and therefore I will not dishonour my self to mend or reform my Husband for every one is only to give account to Heaven and to the World of their own actions and not of any others actions unless it be for a witness Ioan. Then I perceive you will not turn away this Wench Bonit It is not in my power Ioan. Try whether it be or not Bonit No I will not venture at it lest I and my Maid should be the publick discourse of the Town Ioan. Why if she should have the better yet the Town will pity you and condemn my Master and that will be some comfort Bonit No truly for I had rather be bury'd in silent misery and to be forgotten of mankind than to live to be pity'd Ioan. Then I would if I were you make him a scorn to all the World by cuckolding him Bonit Heaven forbid that I should stain that which gave me a Repution my Birth and Family or defame my self or trouble my conscience by turning a whore for revenge Ioan. Well if you saw that which I did see you would hate him so as you would study a revenge Bonit What was that Ioan. Why when you came into my Masters Chamber to see him when he was sick of the French Pox I think you chanced to taste of his broth that stood upon his Table and when you were gone he commanded Nan to fling that broth out which you had tasted and to put in fresh into the porringer to drink Bonit That 's nothing for many cannot endure to have their pottage blown upon Ioan. It was not so with him for he before he drank the fresh broth Nan blew it and blew it and tasted it again and again to try the heat and another time to try if it were salt enough and he seem'd to like it the better besides he was never quiet whilst you were in the Chamber until you went out he snap'd you up at every word and if you did but touch any thing that was in the Chamber he bid you let it alone and at last he bid you go to your own Chamber and seem'd well pleas'd when you were gone Bonit Alas those that are sick are always froward and peevish but prethee Ioan have more Charity to judge for the best and have less passion for me Exeunt ACT III Scene 15. Enter the Sociable Virgins and Matron MAtron Come Ladies what will you discourse of too day 1 Virgin Of Nature Matron No that is too vast a Subject to be discours'd of for the Theme being infinite your discourse will have no end 2 Virgin You are mistaken for Nature lives in a quiet Mind feeds in a generous Heart dresses in a Poetical Head and sleeps in a dull Understanding 3 Virgin Natures Flowers are Poets Fancies and Natures Gardens are Poetical Heads Matron Pray leave her in her Garden and talk of something else 4 Virgin Then let us talk of Thoughts for thoughts are the children of the Mind begot betwixt the Soul and Senses 1 Virgin And Thoughts are several Companions and like Courtly Servitors do lead and usher the Mind into several places 2 Virgin Pray stay the Discourse of Thoughts for it 's a dull Discourse 4 Virgin Then let us talk of Reason 3 Virgin Why should we talk of
Husband is taken away from her as his wife was from him but leaving this siege let us return to our own homes Exeunt Scene 33. Enter the Lord Melancholy as the Grate of the Cloyster of the Lady Perfection then she draws the Curtain before the Grate and appears to him LOrd Melancholy Madam yesterday when you were pleased to speak with me as now through this Grate you were pleas'd to tell me your Vows were so binding as they could not be dissolved wherefore I am not now come to examine or perswade nor to trouble your Devotions or to hinder your Meditations but to take my last leave for I shall never see you more at least not in this VVorld Lady Perfection Are you going to Travel Lord Melancholy I cannot say my body is going a far Journey I know not what my Soul may do Lady Perfection Shall not they go together Lord Melancholy No Death will make a divorce as the Law did betwixt you and I Lady Perfection Are you resolved to dye Lord Melancholy Yes Lady Perfection VVhy so Lord Melancholy To be at rest and peace for know that ever since I was last married my life hath been a Hell my Mind was tortured with thoughts of discontent and though I am releast from what I did dislike my mind is restless still for what it would enjoy this resolution is not new it hath been long considered for since I cannot live with that I love better than life I le try whether the passions of the Soul doe with the Body dye if so Death will be happy because it hath no sense nor feeling Lady Perfection How long have you been resolved of leaving life Lord Melancholy I have pondered of it ever since I was last Married but was not resolved untill you enter'd into this Order Lady Perfection Can I not perswade you to live Lord Melancholy Not unless you break your Vow Lady Perfection That I may not do Lord Melancholy Nor can I perswade you for I love your Constancy Lady Perfection Will you grant me one request before you dy Lord Melancholy Yes any thing but what may hinder my dying Lady Perfection Swear to me you will Lord Melancholy I swear by Heaven and Love I will Lady Perfection Then the time you are resolved to dye come hither and dye here that I may bear you Company dying the same minute if I can that you do Lord Melancholy How Lady Perfection Nay you have sworn it and if it be best for you it will be so for me for when you are dead I shall possess those torments that you in life feel now and if you love me so well as you express you do you will not desire to leave me to endure that you cannot suffer Lord Melancholy 'T is fit you should live to be a President to the World Lady Perfection Were I a President fit for the World to follow yet the World would not practice my precepts it is too bad to follow what is good and since my life cannot better the World and Death will ease my life of that which will trouble and afflict it I am resolv'd to dye And in the grave will bear you Company Lord Melancholy I do accept of thy dear Company Heaven so joyn our Souls they never may be separated and to morrow we will leave the World Lady Perfection Let me advise you concerning the manner of our Deaths get a Sword pointed sharp at both ends and when we are to dye put one end of the Sword through this grate and just when you set your heart to the end towards you I will set mine to the end towards me and thrusting forward as to meet each other the several points will make several passages or wounds into our several or rather our own united hearts and so we dye just together Lord Melancholy I shall follow your advice and be here to morrow at the time Which time will seem to me like as an Age Till that our Souls be fled forth from their Cage Lady Perfection My Soul will fly your Soul to imbrace And after Death may hope a resting place Exeunt ACT V. Scene 34. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. You here the match is concluded betwixt the Emperors Daughter and our Prince 2 Gent. Yes and I hear that the Lord Dorato was a great Instrument to help the match forward 1 Gent. Methinks they should need no other Instrument to forward the match than the Princes interest 2 Gent. 'T is true but the Princes affection being placed upon another Lady it was hard first to draw off those affections and then to place them anew besides the Death of his Neece was some hinderance 1 Gent. All great Princes doe soon cast off all Funeral sadness but the Lord Dorato methinks takes the Death of his Daughter to heart 2 Gent. 'T is a doubt whether he will continue in such great favour with the Prince now his Neece is dead 1 Gent. There is no likelyhood he should be in less favour since the Princess Death for it was the favour he had with the Princess that caused the match with his Son besides he hath left a Son which the Prince no doubt will favour the Grandfather the more for the Childes sake 2 Gent. I wonder whether the Lord Melancholy the Princesses Husband will marry again for he had ill fortune with his Wives 1 Gent. Methinks he hath had good Fortune for the Laws have quitted him of one and Death of the other but that Husband hath ill fortune that neither Law nor Death will free him from Exeunt Scene 35. Enter the Lord Melancholy at the Grate the Curtains open and appears the Lady Perfection he takes the Sword out of the sheath LOrd Melancholy Sweet here 's that will quit us of all trouble Lady Perfection Indeed life is a trouble and nothing is at rest but what lyes in the grave Lord Melancholy Are you not affraid of the sight of a murthering Sword Lady Perfection No more than you are affraid of the sight of the glorious Sun Lord Melancholy You seem to have a courage above you Sex Lady Perfection My love is above Life as far as my Courage is beyond Fear I neither fear Death nor consider Life but can imbrace the one and fling away the other for Loves sake Lord Melancholy Then dear Wife for so you are my heart did never own another I wish our breaths and bloods might intermix together and as Deaths Ceremonies might joyn our Souls Whilst he speaks he puts one end of the Sword through the Grate she takes hold of it Lady Perfection They 'r joyned already by love and Death's sufficient to bring them both together and our bloods 't is like will run in trickling streams upon this Sword to meet and intermix Whilst he holds the Sword in one hand he unbuttons his Doublet with the other hand so she unties her Cord about her Gown Lord Melancholy These Buttons are like troublesome guests at
no comfort left upon the Earth Let me consider Vegitable birth The new born virgin Lilly of the day In a few hours dyes withers away And all the odoriferous flow'rs that 's sweet Breath but a while and then with Death do meet The stouter Oak at last doth yield and must Cast his rough skin and crumble all to dust But what do Sensitives alas they be Beasts Birds and flesh to dy as well as we And harder minerals though longer stay Here for a time yet at the last decay And dye as all things else that 's in this World For into Deaths Arms every thing is hurll'd Alass poor man thou' rt in the worst Estate Thou diest as these yet an unhappier fate Thy life 's but trouble still of numerous passions Torments thy self in many various fashions Condemn'd thou art to vexing thoughts within When Beasts both live and dye without a sin O happy Beasts than grasing look no higher Or are tormented with thoughts Flaming fire Thus by thy self and others still annoid And made a purpose but to be destroyed Poor Man Here ends my Lord Marquesses Verses Muses some short time then kneels to the Tomb again and prayes as to her self then rises and bows to the Tomb so Exit Scene 14. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. What news Sir of our Armies abroad 2 Gent. Why Sir thus in the time of our Masculine Armies recruiting the Female Army had taken the Fort they besieged where upon the taking of that Fort many considerable Towns and strong holds surrendred and submitted to the Female Army whereupon the Lady Victoria sent to her Husband to bring his Army when the General and all the Masculine Army came to the Female Army much mirth and jesting there was betwixt the Heroicks and Heroickesses and so well they did agree as the Female Army feasted the Masculine Army and then gave the possession of the surrendred Towns to the Lord General and the Lady Victoria and all her Army kept themselves in and about the Fort laying all their victorious spoils therein and whilst the Masculine Army is gone to Conquer the Kingdome of Faction they stay there upon the Frontiers passing their time in Heroick sports as hunting the Stags wild Boars and the like and those that have the good Fortune to kill the Chase is brought to the Fort and Trenches in Triumph and is Queen untill another Chase is kill'd but we hear the Masculine Army goeth on with victorious success 1 Gent. I am very glad to hear it Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Doll Pacify and Nell Careless NEll Careless O Doll I hear thy Lady is married and not only married but she hath married a very young man one that might be her Grand-Son or Son at least Doll Pacify Yes yes my Lady doth not intend to live with the dead as your Lady doth but to have the Company and pleasure of that which hath most life which is a young man Nell Careless Her marriage was very sudden Doll Pacify So are all inconsiderated marriages but happy is the wooing that is not long a doing Nell Careless If I had been your Lady I would have prolonged the time of my wooing for the wooing time is the happiest time Doll Pacify Yes if she had been as young as you or your Lady but time bids my Lady make haste Exeunt Scene 16. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Do you hear the news 2 Gent. What news 1 Gent. Why the news is that all the Kingdome of Faction hath submitted to the Kingdome of Reformation and that the Armies are returning home 2 Gent. I am glad of it Exeunt Scene 17. Enter Madam Passionate alone MAdam Passionate O unfortunate woman that I am I was rich and lived in plenty none to control me I was Mistriss of my self Estate and Family all my Servants obeyed me none durst contradict me but all flattered me filling my Ears with praises my Eyes with their humble bow and respectfull behaviours devising delightfull sports to entertain my time making delicious meats to please my palat sought out the most comfortable drinks to strengthen and encrease my Spirits thus did I live luxuriously but now I am made a Slave and in my old Age which requires rest and peace which now Heaven knows I have but little of for the minstrels keep me waking which play whilst my Husband and his Whores dance and he is not only contented to live riotously with my Estate but sits amongst his Wenches and rails on me or else comes and scoffs at me to my face besides all my Servants slight and neglect me following those that command the purse for this idle young fellow which I have married first seized on all my goods then let Leases for many lives out of my Lands for which he had great fines and now he cuts down all my VVoods and sells all my Lands of Inheritance which I foolishly and fondly delivered by deed of gift the first day I married devesting my self of all power which power had I kept in my own hands I might have been used better whereas now when he comes home drunk he swears and storms and kiks me out of my warm Bed and makes me sit shivering and shaking in the Cold whilst my Maid takes my place but I find I cannot live long for age and disorders bring weakness and sickness and weakness and sickness bring Death wherefore my marriage Bed is like to prove my grave whilst my Husbands Curses are my passing Bell hay ho Exit Scene 18. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. I hear the Army is returning home 2 Gent. Yes for they are returned as far back as to the Effeminate Army and all the Masculine Commanders have presented all the Female Commanders with their spoils got in the Kingdome of Faction as a tribute to their heroical acts and due for their assistance and safety of their lives and Country 1 Gent. And do not you hear what privileges and honours the King and his Counsel hath resolved and agreed upon to be given to the Female Army and the honours particularly to be given the Lady Victoria 2 Gent. No 1 Gent. Why then I will tell you some the Lady Victoria shall be brought through the City in triumph which is a great honour for never any one makes triumphs in a Monarchy but the King himself then that there shall be a blank for the Female Army to write their desires and demands also there is an Armour of gold and a Sword a making the hilt being set with Diamonds and a Chariot all gilt and imbrodered to be presented to the Lady Victoria and the City is making great preparation against her arrival 2 Gent. Certainly she is a Lady that deserves as much as can be given either from Kings States or Poets Exeunt Scene 19. Enter the Lady Jantil as being sick brought by two men in a Chair and set by the Tomb of her dead Lord and many Servants and Friends about her weeping MAdam Iantil. VVhere