our lives did part After she had walkt silently a turn or two about her Chamber her eyes being sixt on the ground she return'd as to her Bed Exit Scene 15. Enter a Gentleman and another meets him as in great haste 1 GEnt. What news what news 2 Gent. Sad news for there hath been a Battel fought betwixt the two Armies and our Army is beaten and many of our gallant men slain 1 Gent. I am sorry for that The second Gentleman goeth out Enter a third Gentleman 1 Gent. Sir I suppose you are come newly from the Army pray report the Battel 3 Gent. Truly I came not now from the Army but from the Town the Generals heroical Lady and the rest of the heroicks did surprize seise and plunder 1 Gent. What the Garrison Town they were sent to for safety 3 Gent. Yes 1 Gent. And doth their number encrease 3 Gent. O very much for after the suprisal of the Town the women in that Town did so approve of their gallant actions as every one desired to be inlisted in the roul and number of the Amazonian Army but in the mean time of the forming of their Army intelligence was brought of the Battel which was fought and that there was such loss of both sides as each Army retir'd back being both so weak as neither was able to keep the Field but that the loss was greater on the reformed Army by reason there was so many of their gallant men slain but this news made many a sad heart and weeping eyes in the Female Army for some have lost their Husbands some their Fathers others their Brothers Lovers and Friends 1 Gent. Certainly this will fright them out of the Field of War and cause them to lay by their Heroick designs 3 Gent. I know not what they will do for they are very secret to their designs which is strange being all women Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 16. Enter two women like Amazons 1 WOman Our Generalless seems to be troubled perceiving how heavily this Female Army takes their losses 2 Woman She hath reason for it may hinder or at least obstruct her high designs Exeunt Scene 17. Enter the Lady Victoria and her Amazons she takes her stand and speaks to them LAdy Victoria Noble Heroicks I perceive a mourning veil over the Face of this Female Army and it becomes it well for 't is both natural and human to grieve for the Death of our friends but consider constant Heroicks tears nor lamentations cannot call them out of the grave no petitions can perswade Death to restore them nor threats to let them go and since you cannot have them alive being Dead study and be industrious to revenge their quarrels on their Enemies lives let your justice give them Death for Death offer upon the Tombs of your Friends the lives of their Foes and instead of weeping Eyes let us make them weep through their Veins wherefore take courage cast off your black Veil of Sorrow and take up the Firematch of Rage that you may shoot Revenge into the hearts of their Enemies to which I hope Fortune will favour us for I hear that as soon as the Masculine Army have recovered strength there will be another Battel fought which may be a means to prove our loves to our Friends our hate to our Enemies and an aspiring to our honour and renown wherefore let us imploy our care to fit our selves for our march All the women We shall follow and obey you where and when and how you please Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Doctor Educature and Nell Careless the Doctor weeps DOctor Educature Doth my Lady hear of my Lords Death Nell Careless The Messenger or Intelligencer of my Lords Death is now with her Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Madam Jantil and a Gentleman Intelligencer the Lady seems not disturb'd but appears as usually MAdam Iantil. How died my Lord Gentleman Madam he fought with so much courage as his actions will never dye and his valour will keep alive the memory of this War for though he died his Death was Crown'd with Victory he digg'd his Grave out of his Enemies sides and built his Pyramid with heaps of their Bodies the groans of those he slew did ring his dying Knell Madam Iantil. What became of his body Gentleman He gave order before the Armies joined to fight that if he were kill'd his body should be sought out and delivered to you for he said it was yours whilst he lived and he desired it might be disposed of by you when he was dead his desires and commands were obeyed and his body is coming in a Litter lapt in Searcloth Madam Iantil. Worthy Sir I give you many thanks for your noble relation assuring my self it is true because you report it and it is my Husband that is the subject and ground of that honourable relation whom I always did believe would out-act all words Gentleman He hath so Madam Madam Iantil. Sir if I can at any time honourably serve you I shall be ready whensoever you will command me Gentleman Your Servant Madam He was going forth and returns If your Ladyship hath not heard of Monsieur la Hardy's Death give me leave to tell you he is slain Madam Iantil. I am sorry and for his Lady for she loved him most passionably The Gentleman goes out Enter as running and calling out Doll Pacify Madam Passionate's Maid Doll Pacify Help help my Lady is dead my Lady is fallen into a swound at the report of my Masters being kill'd The Lady goeth out and the Maid then they enter strait again with two or three Servants more bringing in the Lady Passionate as in a swound Madam Iantil. Alas poor Lady her Spirits are drown'd in Sorrow and Grief hath stopt her breath loosen her Garments for she is swell'd with troubled Thoughts her Passions lie on heaps and so oppress life it cannot stir but makes her senceless Upon the loosing of her garments she revives and cryes out Madam Passionate O my Husband my Husband She swounds again Madam Iantil. Bow her forward bow her forward Madam Passionate revives again Madam Passionate O let me dye let me dye and bury bury me with him Swounds again Madam Iantil. Alas poor Lady put her to Bed for her life will find most case there The Servants goes out with Madam Passionate Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. O life what art thou and Death where doest thou lead us or what dissolv'st thou us into Exeunt Scene 20. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. I wonder there is no news or Messenger come from the Army yet when there usually comes one every day Enter a Messenger 2 Gent. O Sir what news Messenger Faith there hath been nothing acted since the last Battel but it is said there will be another Battel very suddenly for the Enemy provokes our men to fight by reason our Lord General lies sick of his wounds having had a Feavour caused by the anguish of his hurts and by his Sickness
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
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
several way Also her life was like a Monarchy where Reason as sole King did govern al her actions which actions like as Loyal Subjects did obey those Laws which Reason decreed Also her life was like Ioves Mansions high as being placed above this worldly Globe from whence her Soul looked down on duller earth mixt not but viewed poor mortals here below thus was her life above the world because her life prized not the Trifles here Perchance this Noble Company will think I have said too much and vainly thus to speak That Fathers should not praise their Children so Because that from their Root and Stock did grow Why may not Roots boast if their Fruites be good As hindering worth in their own Flesh and blood Shall they dissemble to say they are naught Because they are their own sure that 's a fault Unpardonable as being a lye that 's told Detracting lyes the baser lyes I hold Neither can strangers tell their life and worth Nor such affections have to set them forth As Parents have or those that 's neer of Kin Virtuous Partiality sure that 's no sin And virtue though she be lovliest when undrest Yet she is pleas'd when well she is exprest But Oh! my words have spent my stock of breath And Life 's commanded forth by powerful Death When I am dead this company I pray The last rites done me by my daughter lay And as her soul did with the Muses flye To imitate her in her a verse I dye He falls back in his Chair and is dead Mr. Comfort Noble Friends you heard his request which was to be buryed in his daughters grave and whilst you show your charity in laying the Corps of his daughter in the grave I will carry out his body and put it into a Coffin and then lay him in the same grave The Company said Do so Goes out with the body The whilst the Virgins take up the Lady Sanspareiles Herse and whilst they are putting it into the grave this Song following was sung Tender Virgins as your Birth Put her gently in the earth What of Moral or Divine Here is lapt up in this shrine Rhetorick dumb Philosophy Both those arts with her did dye And grieved Poets cannot choose But lament for her their Muse When she was putting into the Grave this Song following was sung Her Tomb her Monument her Name Beyond an Epitaph her Fame Death be not proud imbracing more Now than in all thy reign before Boasting thy Triumphs since thou must But justly glory in her dust Let thy Dart rust and lay it by For after her none 's sit to dye After this her Peal is Rung on Lutes by Musicians And the Company goes out Scene 23. A Tomb is thrust on the Stage then the Lord de l'Amour enters LOrd de l'Amour Now I am free no hinderance to my own Tragedy He goeth to the Tomb This Tomb her sacred Body doth contain He draws his Sword then he kneels down by the Tomb and then prayes Dear Soul pardon my crimes to thee they were crimes of ignorance not malice Sweet gentle Spirits flye me not but stay And let my Spirits walk thy Spirits way You lov'd me once your Love in death renew And may our soules be as two Lovers true Our Blood 's the Bonds our wounds the Seals to Print Our new Contract and Death a witnesse in 't He takes his Sword Had I as many lives as Poors in skin He sacrifize them for my ignorant sin As he speaks he falls upon his Sword Enter his Friend Master Charity He seeing him lye all in blood almost dead runs to him and heaves him up Friend I did fear this which made me follow him but I am come too late to save his life O my Lord speak if you can Lord de l'Amour Friend lay me in this Tomb by my affianced Wife for though I did not usher her to the grave I will wait after her Dyes EPILOGUE Noble Spectators now you have seen this Play And heard it speak let 's hear what now you say But various judgements various sentences give Yet we do hope you 'l sentence it may live But not in Prison be condemn'd to lye Nor whipt with censure rather let it dye Here on this Stage and see the Funeral Rites Which is to put out all the Candle lights And in the grave of darknesse let it rest In peace and quiet and not molest The harmlesse soul which hopes Mercury may Unto the Elizium fields it safe convey But if you sentence life the Muses will Attend it up unto Parnassus Hill If so pray let your hands here in this place Clap it as an applause the triumph grace FINIS These Verses the Lord Marquesse writ This Song the Lord Marquesse writ This Song was writ by the Lord Marquesse This Song was writ by the Lord Marquesse of New-castle The first Part of the Lady Contemplation The Actors Names Lord Title Lord Courtship Sir Experience Traveller Sir Fancy Poet Sir Golden Riches Sir Effeminate Lovely Sir Vain Complement Sir Humphrey Interruption Mr. Adviser Doctor Practise and other Gentlemen Tom Purveyer Roger Farmer Old Humanity Servants and others The Lady Contemplation The Lady Conversation The Lady Visitant The Lady Ward The Lady Virtue Lady Amorous Mrs. Troublesome Mrs. Governesse the Lady Virtues Attendant Nurse Careful Nurse to Lady Ward Maudlin Huswife Roger Farmers wife Mall Mean-bred the daughter Nan Scape-all Maid to the Lady Virtue The first Part of the Lady Contemplation ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lady Contemplation and the Lady Visitant VIsitant What Lady Contemplation musing by your self alone Contemplation Lady Visitant I would you had been ten miles off rather than to have broken my Contemplation Visitant Why are you so godly to be so serious at your Devotion Contemplation No faith they were Contemplations that pleas'd me better than Devotion could have done for those that contemplate of Heaven must have death in their mind Visitant O no for there is no Death in Heaven to disturb the joyes thereof Contemp. But we must dye before we come to receive those joyes and the terrifying thoughts of Death take away the pleasing thoughts of Heaven Visitant Prethee let me know those pleasing thoughts Contemplation I did imagine my self such a Beauty as Nature never made the like both for Person Favour and Colour and a Wit answerable to my Beauty and my Breeding and Behaviour answerable to both my Wisdome excelling all And if I were not thus as I say yet that every one should think I were so for opinion creates more and perfecter Beauties than Nature doth And then that a great powerful Monarch such a one as Alexander or Caesar fell desperately in love with me seeing but my Picture which was sent all about the world yet my Picture I did imagine was to my disadvantage not flattering me any wayes yet this Prince to be inamoured with this shadow for the substance sake Then Love perswaded
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
home but I will go to bed for I am not very well 1 Servant You do not look well Sir Malateste Indeed I am sick Exeunt Scene 42. Enter Madam Soeur and Monsieur Frere MAdam Soeur Lord Brother what is the reason you are come back so soon Hath not your Barb run the Race Frere No Soeur What makes you here then Frere To see you Soeur To see me why I shall give you no thanks because you left my Husband behind you Frere I do not come for your thanks I come to please my self Soeur Prethee Brother get thee gone for thy face doth not appear so honest as it uses to do Frere I do not know how my Face doth appear but my Heart is as it was your faithful Lover Soeur Heaven forbid you should relapse into your old disease Frere Let me tell you Sister I am as I was and was as I am that is from the first time I saw you since I came from Travel I have been in love with you and must enjoy you and if you will imbrace my love with a free consent so if not I 'll force you to it Soeur Heaven will never suffer it but cleave the Earth and swallow you alive Frere I care not so you be in my Arms but I will first try Heavens power and struggle with the Deities He takes her in his arms and carries her out she cries help help murther murther Exeunt Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Malateste as being not well and his Wife Madam Malateste MOnsieur Mal. Wife Is this the way to cure melancholy to sit up all night at Cards and to lose five hundred pounds at a sitting or to stay all night abroad a Dancing and Revelling Madam O yes for the Doctors say there is nothing better than good company to imploy the Thoughts with outward Objects otherwise the Thoughts feed too much upon the Body besides they say that Exercise is excellent good to open Obstructions and to disperse melancholy Vapour and the Doctors say there is no Exercise better than Dancing because there are a great Company meet together which adds Pleasure to the Labour Monsieur My other Wife did not do thus Madam Wherefore she died in her youth with melancholy but I mean to live while I am old if mirth and good company will keep me alive and know I am not so kind-hearted to kill my self to spare your Purse or to please your Humour The Lady goes out and he goes out after sighing Scene 44. Enter Madam Soeur alone as ravished Soeur Who will call unto the Gods for aid since they assist not Innocency nor give protection to a Virtuous Life Is Piety of no use or is Heaven so obdurate no holy prayers can enter Heaven-gates or penitential tears can move the Gods to pity But O my sorrows are too big for words and all actions too little for his punishment Enter Monsieur Frere all unbutton'd and his sword drawn in his hand Frere Sister I must die wherefore you must not live for I cannot be without your company although in death and in the silent grave where no Love 's made nor Passion known Soeur It 's welcom News for if death comes not by your hand my hand shall give a passage unto life Frere There is none so sit to act that part as I who am so full of sin want nothing now but murther to make up measure He wounds her to death Soeur Death thou are my griefs Reprieve and wilt unlade my Soul from heavy thoughts that miserable life throws on and sinks me to the Earth Brother farewel may all your crimes be buried in my grave and may my shame and yours be never known Oh Oh dies Frere Now she is dead my Mind is at rest since I know none can enjoy her after me but I will follow thee I come my Mistris Wife and Sister all in one Monsieur Frere falls upon the point of his sword then falls clos'd by Madam Soeur and lays his Arm over her then speaks You Gods of Love if any Gods there be O hear my prayer And as we came both from one Womb so joyn our Souls in the Elizium out Bodies in one Tomb Oh oh oh dies Scene 45. Enter Monsieur Malateste upon a Couch as sick of a Consumption his Friend Monsieur Fefy sitting by him Then enters Madam Malateste to her sick Husband MOnsieur Mal. Wife you are very unkind that you will not come to see me now I am sick nor so much as send to know how I do Madam I am loth to trouble you with unnecessary visits or impertinent questions Monsieur Is it unnecessary or impertinent to see a Husband when he is sick or to ask how he doth Madam Yes when their visits and questions can do them no good But God be with you for I must be gone Monsieur What already Madam Yes for I doubt I have staid too long for I have appointed a meeting and it will be a dishonour for me to break my word Fefy But it will be more dishonour to be dancing when your Husband is dying Lady Madam What will you teach me go tutor Girls and Boys and not me Monsieur Let her go friend for her anger will disturb me Exit Lady Fefy I know not what her anger doth you but her neglect of you doth disturb me And for my part I wonder how you can suffer her Malateste Alas how shall I help or remedy it But Heaven is just and punishes me for the neglect I used towards my first Wife who was virtuous and kind Fefy She was a sweet Lady indeed Malateste O she was But I Devil as I was to use her as I did making her a slave unto my whore and frowns conjecturing all her Virtues to a contrary sense for I mistook her patience for simplicity her kindness for wantonness her thrist for covetousness her obedience for flattery her retir'd life for dull stupidity and what with the grief to think how ill I used her and grieving to see how ill this Wife uses me wasting my Honour and Estate she hath brought me into a Consumption as you see But when I am dead as I cannot live long I desire you who are my Executor to let me buried in the same Tomb wherein my Wife is laid for it is a joy to me to think my dust shall be mixt with her pure ashes for I had rather be in the grave with my first Wife than live in a Throne with my second But I grow very sick even to death wherefore let me be removed Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Monsieur Pere and his Son-in-law Monsieur Marry MOnsieur Pere Son-in-law did your Brother say he was very ill Marry He said he had such a pain on his left side as he could not sit on his horse but must be forced to return home again Pere Heaven bless him for my heart is so full of fears and doubts as if it did Prognosticate some great
the Enemies hope to gain an advantage of his absence but he hath put a Deputy in his place to command in chief untill he recovers 1 Gent. What is become of the Female Army Messenger I hear they are marched towards the Masculine Army but upon what design I cannot understand Exeunt Scene 21. Enter Madam Jantil and her Maid Nell Careless Madam Iantil. Call my Steward The Maid goes out The Lady walks in a musing posture her eyes fixt on the ground Enter the Steward weeping Steward O Madam that I should live to hear this cursed news of my dear Lord and Masters Death Madam Iantil. Life is a curse and there 's none happy but those that dye in the womb before their birth because they have the least share of misery and since you cannot weep out life bear it with patience but thy tears have almost washt out the memory of what I was to say but this it is that I would have you sell all my Jewels Plate and Houshold Furniture to the best advantage and to turn off all my Servants but just those to attend my person but to reward all of them with something more than their wages and those Servants that are old and have spent their youth with my Lords Predecessors and in his service but especially those he favoured most give them so much during their lives as may keep them from the miseries of necessity and vexations of poverty Thirdly I would have you hire the best and curioust Carvers or Cutters of Stones to make a Tomb after my direction as First I will have a marble piece raised from the ground about half a mans height or somthing more and somthing longer than my Husbands dead body and then my Husbands Image Carved out of Marble to be laid thereupon his Image to be Carved with his Armor on and half a Head-piece on the Head that the face might be seen which face I would have to the life as much as Art can make it also let there be two Statues one for Mercury and another for Pallas these two Statues to stand at his head and the hands of these Statues to join and to be laid under as carrying the head of my Husbands figure or as the head lay thereupon and their hands as his Pillow on the right side of his figure let there be a Statue for Mars and the hand of Mars's Statue holding the right hand of my Husbands figure and on the left hand a Statue for Hymen the hand on the place of the heart of my Husbands figure and at the feet of the figure let there be placed a Statue for Fortune also about a yard distance from the Tomb at the four Corners thereof let there be four Marble Pillars raised of an indifferent height and an Arched Marble Cover thereupon and let all the ground be paved underneath with Marble and in the midst on the outside of the marble roof let the Statute of Fame be placed in a flying posture and as blowing a Trumpet then some two yards distance square from those Pillars let the ground be paved also with Marble and at the four Corners four other Marble Pillars raised as high as the former with Capitals at top and the body of those Pillars round and the Statues of the four Cardinal Virtues placed on those Capitals sitting as in a weeping posture and at the feet of those Pillars the Statues of the Graces imbracing each Pillar as the Statue of Charity the Pillar whereon the Statue of Justice sits and the Statue of Patience the Pillar of Temperance and the Statute of Hope the Pillar of Prudence and the Statue of Faith the Pillar of Fortitude then set a grove of Trees all about the out-side of them as Lawrel Mirtle Cipress and Olive for in Death is Peace in which Trees the Birds may sit and sing his Elegy this Tomb placed in the midst of a piece of ground of some ten or twenty Acres which I would have incompassed about with a Wall of Brick of a reasonable height on the inside of the Wall at one end I would have built a little house divided into three Rooms as a Gallery a Bed-chamber and a Closet on the outside of the Wall a House for some necessary Servants to live in to dress my meat and to be ready at my call which will be but seldome and that by the ring of a Bell but the three Rooms I would have furnished after this manner my Chamber and the Bed therein to be hung with white to signify the Purity of Chastity wherein is no Colours made by false lights the Gallery with several Colours intermixt to signify the varieties changes and incombrances of life my Closet to be hung with black to signify the darkness of Death wherein all things are forgotten and buried in Oblivion thus will I live a signification not as a real substance but as a shaddow made betwixt life and death from this House which shall be my living Tomb to the Tomb of my dead Husband I would have a Cloyster built through which I may walk freely to my Husbands Tomb from the injuries of the weather and this Cloyster I would have all the sides thereof hung with my Husbands Pictures drawn to the life by the best Painters and all the several accidents studies and exercise of his life thus will I have the story of his life drawn to the life see this my desire speedily carefully and punctually done and I shall reward your service as a carefull and diligent Steward and Servant Steward It shall be done but why will not your Ladyship have my Lords figure cast in Brass Madam Iantil. Because the Wars ruin Tombs before Time doth and metals being usefull therein are often taken away by necessity and we seldome find any ancient Monuments but what are made of Stone for covetousness is apt to rob Monuments of metal committing Sacrileges on the dead for metals are soonest melted into profit but Stone is dull and heavy creeping slowly bringing but a cold advantage wherein lies more pains than gains Steward But your Ladyship may do all this without selling your Jewels Plate and Houshold Furniture Madam Iantil. It is true but I would not let so much wealth ly dead in Vanity when exchanging them for money I can imploy it to some good use Steward Your Ladyship hath forgotten to give order for blacks Madam Iantil. No I have not but I will give no mourning untill my Husbands body be carried to the Tomb wherefore I have nothing more to imploy you in at this time but only to send hither my Chaplain Doctor Educature The Steward goes out Enter Doctor Educature Madam Iantil. Doctor although it is not the profession of a Divine to be an Historian yet you knowing my Husbands life and natural disposition best being in his Childhood under you Tutorage and one of his Family ever since I know none so proper for that work as you and though you are
Trusty Beshrew your tongue wife for speaking so sharply to our young Lady she was left to our trust care and tender usage and not to be snapt and quarrelled with Nurse Fondly Yes and you would betray your trust to her childish folly Foster Trusty No that I would not neither would I venture or yield up her life to loves melancholly Nurse Fondly Come Come husband you humour her too much and that will spoile her I am sure Ex. Scene 8. Enter Sir Peaceable Studious with a Book in his hand a Table being set out whereon is Pen Ink and Paper After he hath walked a turn or two with his eyes fixt upon the ground he sits down to the Table and begins to write Enter the Lady Ignorant his Wife LAdy Ignorant Lord Husband I can never have your company for you are at all times writing or reading or turning your Globes or peaking thorough your Prospective Glasse or repeating Verses or speaking Speeches to your self Sir P. Studious Why wife you may have my company at any time Nay never to be from me if you please for I am alwaies at home Lady Ignorant 'T is true your person is alwaies at home and fixt to one place your Closet as a dull dead statue to the side of a wall but your mind and thoughts are alwaies abroad Sir P. Studious The truth is my mind sometimes sends out my thoughts like Coye ducks to bring more understanding in Lady Ignorant You mistake Husband for your thoughts are like vain or rather like false Scouts that deceives your understanding imprisons your senses and betrayes your life to a dull solitariness Sir P. Studious 'T is better to live a quiet solitary life than a troublesome and an uneasie life Lady Ignorant What is a man born for but to serve his Countrey side with his friends and to please the effeminate Sex Sir P. Studious You say right wife and to serve his Countrey is to finde out such inventions as is usefull either in Peace or War and to form order and settle Common-wealths by Devizing Laws which none but studious brains e're did or can do T is true practice doth pollish beauty and adorn but neither layes the Foundation nor brings the Materials nor builds the walls thereof and to side with friends is to defend Right and Truth with sound arguments and strong proofs from the tyrannical usurpation of false opinions vain phantasines malicious satires and flattering oratorie and to please the effeminate Sex is to praise their beauty wit vertue and good graces in soft Numbers and smooth Language building up Piramides of poetical praises Printing their fame thereon by which they live to After-ages Lady Ignorant Prithy Husband mistake us not for women cares not for wide mouthed fame and we take more delight to speak our selves whilst we live than to be talked of when we are dead and to take our present pleasures than to abstain our selves for After-ages Sir P. Studeous Well wife what would you have me do Lady Ignorance Why I would have you so sociable as to sit and discourse with our friends and acquaintance and play the good fellow amongst them Sir P. Studious What need we to have any other friends than our selves our studies books and thoughts Lady Ignorance Your studies books and thoughts are but dull acquaintance melancholly companions and weak friends Sir P. Studious You do not wife consider their worth for books are conversable yet silent acquaintance and study is a wise Counsellor and kind friends and poetical thoughts are witty Companions wherein other Societies and Companies are great inconveniences and oftimes produces evil effects as Jealousie Adulterie Quarrels Duels and Death besides slanders backbitings and the like Lady Ignorance Truly Husband you are strangely mistaken for those Societies as I would have you frequent doth Sing Dance Rallie make Balls Masks Playes Feasts and the like and also makes Frollicks or Rubices or Playes at Questions and Commands Purposes or Ridles and twenty such like Pastimes and fine sports they have Sir P. Studious But surely Wife you would not like this kind of life nor I neither especially if we were in one and the same Company for perchance you may hear wanton Songs sung and see amorous glances or rude or immodest Actions and when you dance have a secret nip and gentle gripe of the band silently to declare their amorous affections and when you are at Questions or Commands you will be commanded to kiss the men or they you which I shall not like neither should you or if they are commanded to pull of your Garter which no chast and modest woman will suffer nor no gallant man or honourable husband will indure to stand by to see and if you refuse you disturb the rest of the Company and then the women falls out with you in their own defence and the men takes it as an affront and disgrace by reason none refuses but you This causes quarrels with Strangers or quarrels betwixt our selves Lady Ignorant 'T is true if the Company were not Persons of Quality which were civilly bred but there is no rude Actions or immodest behaviours offered or seen amongst them Besides if you do not like those sports you may play at Cardes or Dice to pass away the time Sir P. Studious But Wife let me examine you have or do you frequent these Societies that you speak so Knowingly Learnedly and Affectionately of Lady Ignorance No otherwise Husband but as I have heard which reports makes me desire to be acquainted with them Sir P. Studious Well you shall and I will bear you company to be an Eye-witness how well you behave your self and how you profit thereby Lady Ignorance Pray Husband do for it will divert you from your too serious studies and deep thoughts which feeds upon the health of your body which will shorten your life and I love you so well as I would not have you dye for this I perswade you to is for your good Sir P. Studious We will try how good it is Ex. Scene 9. Enter Nurse Fondley and Foster Trusty her Husband NUrse Fondly How shall I keep your Journey secret but that every body will know of it Foster Trusty We will give out that such a deep melancholly have seized on her since her Fathers death as she hath made a vow not to see any creature besides your self for two years As for me that I have lived so solitary a life with my solitary Master this Ladies Father that I have few or no acquaintance besides I will pretend some business into some other parts of the Kingdom and I having but a little Estate few will inquire after me Nurse Fondly So in the mean time I must live solitary all alone without my Husband or Nurse-childe which Childe Heaven knows I love better than if I had one living of my own Foster Trusty I am as fond of her as you are and Heaven knows would most willingly sacrifice my old life could
honest soul and heart that is ready to serve you in any honest way but since I am deceived and couzened into love by false reports finding the best of man-kind basely wicked and all the World so bad that praise nothing good and strives to poyson vertue I will inancor my self and live on Antidotes of prayers for fear of the infection Lord Singul. And I will not you pray for me Affectionata I cannot chose my Lord for gratitude inforces me First because I have loved you next because I have served you and give me leave to kiss your hand and then there drop some tears at my departure Weeping kneels down and kisses her hand Lord Singularity Rise you must not go away until you have cleared your self from being a spie Affectionata I fear no accusations Exeunt FINIS THE SECOND PART OF LOVES ADVENTURES THe Lord Singularity Sir Serious Dumb Sir Timothy Compliment Sir Humphry Bold Sir Roger Exception Sir Peaceable Studious Foster Trusty Collonels Captains Lieutenants and Corporals Petitioners Officers Messengers Iudges Iuries Servants The Lady Orphant Lady Bashfull Lady Ignorance Lady Wagtail Lady Amorous Nurse Fondly Mistriss Reformer Lady Bashfulls woman Chamber-maids EPILOGUE NOble Spectators you have spent this day Not only for to see but judge our Play Our Authoress sayes she thinks her Play is good If that her Play be rightly understood If not 't is none of her fault for she writ The Acts the Scenes the Language and the Wit Wherefore she sayes that she is not your Debtor But you are hers until you write a better Of even terms to be she understands Impossible except you clap your hands THE SECOND PART ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lady Bashfulls Chamber-maid and Mrs. Reformer her woman REformer This dumb Lower is the most diligent'st servant that ever was and methinks my Lady is somewhat more confident than she was for she will sit and read whilst he sits by Maid Doth she read to him Reformer No she reads to herself Maid There comes abundance of Gallants to visit my Lady every day and they have all one answer that is she is not willing to receive visits and they all go civilly away unless Sir Humphry Bold and he rails horribly Reformer I have received from several Gentlemen above 20. Letters a day and as fast as they come she makes me burn them Maid But she reads them first Reformer No I read them to her Maid And doth she answer all those Letters Reformer She never answered one in her life and I dare swear she never will The Lady Bashfull calls as within another Room Reformer Madam Exeunt Scene 2. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata Lord Singularity Affectionata Hast thou forgiven me my fault of doubting of thy vertue so much as to put it to a Tryal Affectionata My Noble Lord have you forgiven my facility and wavering faith that could so easily and in so short a time believe you could be wicked although you did accuse your self Lord Singularity Nay Affectionata I did not accuse my self though I did try thee Affectionata Then I have committed a treble fault through my mistake which requires a treble forgiveness Lord Singularity Thou art so vertuous thou canst not commit a fault and therefore needs no forgiveness Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady VVagtail and Sir Humphry Bold SIr Humpry Bold Madam You have been pleased to profess a friendship to me and I shall desire you will do a friendly part for me Lady Wagtail Any thing that lyes in my power good Sir Humphry Bold Sir Humphry Bold Then pray Madam speak to the Lady Bashfull in my behalf that I may be her Husband Lady Wagtail I will Sir Humphry but she is bashfull yet I was there Yesterday and she entertained me indifferently well but seemed to be wonderfull coy but howsoever I will do my poor indeavour Sir Humphry Sir Humphry Bold Pray do Madam Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Affectionata walking in a melancholly posture his Hat pulled over his brows and his arms inter-folded To him enters the Lord Singularity LOrd Singularity My Affectionata Why walks thou so melancholly He pulls of his Hat to his Lord and Bows Affectionata The cause is not that I lye under an aspersion by reason I lye not under a crime But truly my Lord I am troubled that I am threatened to be tormented for I would not willingly indure pain though I could willingly receive death but as for the aspersions I am no wayes concerned for I make no question but my honest life my just actions and the truth of my words will so clear me at the last as I shall appear as innocent to the World as Angels doth in Heaven Lord Singularity Comfort your self for I will rather suffer death than you shall suffer pain Affectionata Heaven defend you my Lord whatsoever I suffer Ex. Scene 5. Enter the Lady VVagtail and Mistriss Reformer LAdy Wagtail Pray Mistriss Reformer be Sir Humphry Bold's friend to thy Lady and I protest to thee he shall be thy friend as long as he and you live and I do not see any reason your Lady should refuse him for he is both as proper and stout a man as any is living this day in the Land Reformer Indeed Madam I dare not mention it to my Lady for she is so adverse against marriage as she takes those for her enemies as doth but mention it Lady Wagtail Then surely she is not a woman for there is none of the effeminate Sex but takes it for a disgrace to live an old maid and rather than dye one they will marry any man that will have them and the very fear of not marrying is so terrible to them as whilst they are so young as they are not fit to make wives they will miserably cast away themselves to the first that makes a proffer although they be poor base or mean rather than venture to try out their fortunes Reformer But my Lady is not of that humour Lady Wagtail Come come I know thou canst perswade thy Lady if thou wouldst and if you will Sir Humphry Bold will give thee 500 l. to buy thee a Husband for thou hast lived too long a maid I faith Reformer I am not a maid Madam I am a widow Lady Wagtail What a musty widow Reformer I know not whether I am musty but I am a widow Lady Wagtail Let mee tell thee that it is as great a disgrace to live a widow as an old maid wherefore take thee 500 l. to get thee a second Husband Reformer Truly I would not sell my Lady for all the World much less for 500 l. neither would I marry again if I were young and might have my choyce Lady Wagtail Lord bless me and send me out of this house least it should infect me for let me tell thee were my Husband dead to morrow I would marry the day after his Funeral if I could get any man to marry me and so I would serve 20. Husbands
one after another Reformer Your best way were to have 20. Husbands at one time so that your Ladyship might not be a day without Lady Wagtail O fie If women might have twenty Husbands they would have no room for courtly Servants but prithy help Sir Humphry Bold and take his offer and let me speak with the Lady my self Reformer That your Ladyship cannot at this time for my Lady is not well Lady Wagtail Then pray remember my most humble service and tell her I will come to morrow and if she be sick I will talk her well Lady Wagtail Ex. Reformer alone Reformer Dead you would talk her for thou hast an endless tongue Oh! what man is so miserable that is her Husband Reformer Exit Scene 6. Enter two or three Commanders 1. COmmander It is reported that our Generals Page hath behaved himself so handsomly spoke so wittily defended his cause so prudently declared his innocence so clearly and carried his business so wisely as the Venetian States have not only quitted him freely but doth applaud him wonderfully extolls him highly and offers him any satisfaction for the injurie and disgrace that hath been done him but he only desires that the man that had accused him which man was one of the Generals men should be pardoned and not punished 2. Commander I hope our General is well pleased that his beloved boy is not only cleared but applauded 1. Commander O! He doth nothing but imbrace him and kiss him as if he were his only son yet he did gently chide him that he asked pardon for his accusers for said he if all false accusers should be pardoned no honest man would escape free form censure 3. Commander But I hear the States have given order to our General to meet the Turkes again for it is reported by intelligences that they have recruited into a numerous body 2. Commander Faith I think the Turkes are like the tale of the Gyant that when his head was cut off there rise two in the place 1. Commander I think they are like the vegetable that is named threefold the more it is cut the faster it growes 3. Commander I would the Devil had them for me 2. Commander We do what we can to send them to Hell but whether they will quit thee I cannot tell Exeunt Scene 7. Enter the Lord General and Affectionata LOrd Singularity My Affectionata I wonder you could suffer an accusation so patiently knowing you were accused falsly Affectionata The clearnesse of my innocency needed not the fury of a violent passion to defend it neither could passion have rectified an injury Lord Singularity T is true yet passion is apt to rise in defence of innocency and honour Affectionata And many times passion my Lord destroye the life in striving to maintaine the truth and defend the innocent but I find a passionate sorrow that your Lordship must go to indanger your life in the warrs again Lord Singularity The warrs is pastime to me for I hate idlenesse and no imployment pleases me better than fighting so it be in a good cause but you shall stay Affectionata Why my Lord are you weary of my service Lord Singul. Know I am carefull of thy safety thy rest and peace for shouldst thou not come near danger yet the very tragical aspect will terrefie thee to death thou art of so tender a nature so soft and sweet a disposition Affectionata Truly my Lord if you leave me behind you the very fear of your life will kill me where if your Lordyship will let me go love will give me courage Lord Singul. Then let me tell you you must not go for I have adopted you my Son and I have setled all my Estate upon thee where if I am killed you shall be my Heir for I had rather vertue should inherit my Estate than birth yet I charge thee take my Name upon thee as well as my Estate unto thee Affectionata My noble Lord I should be prouder to bear your name than to be Master of the whole World but I shall never be so base to keep my self in safety in hope of your Estate wherefore must intreat your leave to go with you Lord Singul. I will not give you leave but command you to the contrary which is to stay Affectionata I cannot obey you in this for love will force me to run after you Lord Singul. I will have you lash'd if you offer to go Affectionata Stripes cannot stay me Lord Singul. I will have you tyed and kept by force fectionata By Heaven my Lord I 'l tear my flesh and break my bones to get lose and if I have not legs to run I 'l creep thorough the Earth like worms for though I shall move but slowly yet it will be a satisfaction to my soul that I am travelling after you Lord Singularity Affectionata You anger me very much Affectionata Indeed my Lord you grieve me more than I can anger you Affectionata weeps Lord Singularity What do you crie and yet desire to be a souldier Affectionata A valiant heart my Lord may have a weeping eye to keep it company Lord Singularity If no perswasion can stay you you must go along with me Affectionata bows as giving his Lord thanks Exeunt Scene 8. Enter the Lady VVagtail the Lady Amorous Sir Humphry Bold Sir Timothy Compliment to the Lady Bashfull who hangs down her head as out of countenance LAdy Wagtail Faith Lady Bashfull we will have you abroad to Balls and publick meetings to learn you a confident behaviour and a bold speech Fie You must not be bashfull Lady Amorous Our visiting her sometimes hath made her so as she is not altogether so bashfull as she was Enter Sir Serious Dumb who bows first to the Lady Bashfull then to the rest of the Company and then goeth behind the Lady Bashfull and stands close by Mistriss Reformer Lady Amorous Surely Sir Serious Dumb is a domestick servant here he stands and waits as one He bows with an acknowledging face Sir Humphry Bold If she wil entertain such servants as he she is not so modest as she appears Lady perchance if I had come privately alone I had been entertained with more freedom and not have had my suit denied and my person neglected with scorn and he received with respect Sir Serious Dumb comes and gives him a box on the eare they both draw their swords all the women runs away squeeking only the Lady Bashfull stayes and runs betwixt their swords and parts them Sir Timothy Compliment looks on as affraid to stir Lady Bashfull For Heaven sake fight not here to affright me with your quarrels Sir Humphry Bold I will have his heart-bloud Lady Bashfull Good Sir Serious Dumb and Sir Humphry Bold leave off fighting Sir Serious Dumb draws back Lady Bashfull Pray Sir Humphry Bold give me your sword that I may be sure you will not fight Sir Humphry Bold What yield my sword up I will dye first Enter the Ladies
will send you amongst the effeminate Sex where you may learn to sport with Ladies as well as fight with Turks Affectionata speaks softly to her self pray Jove they do not search me Exeunt Scene 26. Enter the Lady Wagtail and the Lady Amorous LAdy Wagtail I can tell you news Lady Amorous What news Lady Wagtail Sir Serious Dumb can speak again Lady Amorous I am sorrow for that for now he may tell tales out of School Lady Wagtail If he do we will whip him with the rods of tongues which is more sharp than the rods of wyer Lady Amorous We may whip him with words but we our selves shall feel the smart of reproch Lady Wagtail How simply you talk as if reproch could hurt a woman when reproch is born with us and dyes with us Lady Amorous If reproch have no power of our Sex why are all women so carefull to cover their faults and so fearfull to have their crimes divulged Lady Wagtail Out of two reasons first because those of the masculine Sex which have power as Fathers Uncles Brothers and Husbands would cut their throats if they received any disgrace by them for disgrace belongs more to men than women The other reason is that naturally women loves secrets yet there is nothing they can keep secret but their own particular faults neither do they think pleasure sweet but what is stollen Lady Amorous By your favour women cannot keep their own faults secret Lady Wagtail O yes those faults that may ruine them if divulged but they cannot keep a secret that is delivered to their trust for naturally women are unfit for trust or council Lady Amorous But we are fit for faction Lady Wagtail The World would be but a dull World if it were not for industrious factions Lady Amorous The truth is that if it were not for faction the World would lye in the cradle of Peace and be rock'd into a quiet sleep of security Lady Wagtail Prithee talk not of quiet and peace and rest for I hate them as bad as death Lady Amorous Indeed they resemble death for in death there is no wars nor noise Lady Wagtail Wherefore it is natural for life neither to have rest nor peace being cantrary to death Exeunt ACT IV. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata AFfectionata My Lord I hear the King hath invited you to attend him in his progress this Summer Lord Singularity Yes but I have made my excuse and have got leave to stay at home for I will tell thee truly that I had rather march ten miles with an Artillery than travel one with a Court and I had rather fight a battel than be bound to ceremony or flattery which must be practised if one live at Court Besides I have been bred to lead an Armie and not to follow a Court And the custom of the one have made me unacquainted and so unfit for the other for though I may truly say I am a good Souldier yet I will confess ingenuously to thee I am a very ill Courtier Affectionata I think they are the most happiest that are least acquainted with a great Monarchs Court Lord Singularity I will tell thee a discourse upon this theam in the time of Henry the eighth of England there were many Courtiers of all degrees about him and the theam of their discourse was who was the happiest man in England So all the Nobles and inferiour Courtiers agreed unanimously it was his Majesty and it could be no man else and they all said that their judgements was so clear in that point that it could not admit of a contradiction or dispute Said Henry the eighth by the body of our Lord you are all mistaken then said one of the Courtiers I beseech your Majesty to tell us who is the happiest man By the Lord said the King that Gentleman that lives to his profit and dare moderately spend for his pleasure and that neither knows me nor I know him he is the happiest man in the Kingdom and I am of Henry the eights opinion but howsoever it were better to be such a one that goeth with the bagge and baggage of an Armie than one of the tail of a Court Affectionata But your Lordship would not refuse to be as the chief as to be a Favourite for a Favourite is more sought feared and flattered than the King himself Lord Singularity I think I should not refuse to be a Favourite by reason a Favourite is a General to command Martial and Conduct in all affairs both at home and abroad in peace and in war and all by the power and authority of the commission of Favourites Affectionata Which Commission hath a greater and larger extent than any other Commission Lord Singularity You say right for it extends as far as the Kings power Exeunt Scene 27. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Reformer her woman REformer Madam shall your wedding be private or publick Lady Bashfull Private Reformer I wonder you will have it private Lady Bashfull Why do you wonder Reformer Because the wedding-day is the only triumphant day of a young maids life Lady Bashfull Do you call that a triumphant day that inslaves a woman all her life after no I will make no triumph on that day Reformer Why you had better have one day than none Lady Bashfull If my whole life were triumphant it would be but as one day when it was past or rather as no day nor time for what is past is as if it never were and for one day I will never put my self to that ceremonious trouble which belongs to feasting revelling dressing and the like Reformer I perceive your Ladyship desires to be undrest upon the Wedding-day Lady Bashfull No that I do not but as I will not be carelesly undrest so I will not be drest for a Pageant show Exeunt Scene 28. Enter the Lord Singularity and AFfectionata AFfectionata I think there is no Family more methodically ordered prudently governed than your Lordships Lord Singularity It were a disgrace to my profession if I should not well know how to command for a good Commander in the field can tell how to be a good Manager in his private Family although a prudent Master of a Family knows not how to be a skilfull Commander in the field but a prudent Master must have a trusty Steward so a knowing General must have a carefull and skilfull Lieutenant-General or else he will be very much troubled also both Master and General must have other Officers or else they will not find their Accounts or Conquests as he hopes or expects For neither General nor Master can order every particular command nor rectifie every particular errour himself for a Generals Office is only to direct order and command the chief Officers and not the common Souldiers So the Master of a Family is only to direct order and command his Steward he the rest of the Officers and the common servants every one must order those that belongs
rudely to contradict you Bon Compaignon It is neither erroneous nor vain to believe a truth Lady Doltche Nor civil to make a doubt Sir but I am obliged unto you for that you help to cover my defects and wants in nature with your civil commendation and your kind estimation of me Ex. Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Importunate and Madamosel Caprisia IMportunate My fair wit you look as if you were angry with me Capris. You dwell not so long in my mind as to make me angry my thoughts are strangers to your figures She offers to go away and he holds her from going Importunate Nay faith now I have you I will keep you perforce untill you pay me the kiss you owe me Capris. Let me go for I had rather my eyes were eternally seal'd up my ears for ever stopt close from sound than hear or see you I care not whether you hear or see me so you will kisse me Capris. Let me go or otherwise my lips shall curse you and my words being whetted with injurie are become so sharp as they will wound you Importunate I will keep you untill your words begs for mercy in the most humblest stile and after the most mollifying manner Capris. Hell take you or Earth devoure you like a beast never to rise Importunate Love strike your heart with shooting thorough your eyes Capris. May you be blown up with pride untill you burst into madnesse may your thoughts be more troubled than rough waters more raging than a tempest may your senses feel no pleasure your body find no rest nor your life any peace Importunate May you love me with a doting affection may I be the only man you will imbrace and may you think me to be as handsome as Narcissus did himself Capris. You appear to me in all the horrid shapes that fancy can invent Enter Madam Mere Madam Mere Why how now daughter alwayes quarreling Capris. Can you blame me when I am beset with rudeness and assaulted with uncivil actions Madam Mere Let her alone Monsieur Importunate for she is a very Shrew Importunate Well go thy wayes for all the Shrews that ever nature made you are the cursest one Ex. Scene 12. Enter Madamosel Volante and a Grave Matron Volante I am not of the humour as most vvomen are vvhich is to please themselves vvith thinking or rather believing that all men that looks on them are in love vvith them But I take pleasure that all men that I look on should think I am in love vvith them vvhich men vvill soon believe being as self-conceited as vvomen are Matron But vvhere is the pleasure Lady Volante Why in seeing their phantastical garbs their strutting postures their smiling faces and the jackanapesly actions and then I laugh in my mind to think vvhat fools they are so as I make my self merry at their folly and not at my own Matron But men vvill appear as much Jackanapeses when they are in love vvith you as if they thought you vvere in love vvith them for all Lovers are apish more or less Volante I grant all Lovers are but those that think themselves beloved appears more like the grave Babboon than the skipping Iackanapes for though their actions are as ridiculous yet they are vvith more formality as being more circumspectly foolish or self-conceitedly vain Matron Well for all your derisions and gesting at men I shall see you at one time or other shot vvith Cupids arrovv Volante By deaths dart you may but never by loves arrovv for death hath povver on me though love hath none Matron There is an old saying that time importunity and opportunity vvins the chastest She vvhen those are joyned vvith vvealth and dignity but to yield to a lawfull love neither requires much time nor pleading if the Suiters have but Person Title and Wealth which women for the most part do prize before valour wisdom or honesty Volante Women hath reason to prefer certainties before uncertainties for mens Persons Titles and Wealths are visible to their view and knowledge but their Valours Wisdoms and Honesties doth rest upon Faith for a coward may fight and a fool may speak rationally and act prudently sometimes and a knave may appear an honest man Marrons They may so but a valiant man will never act the part of a coward nor a wise man prove a fool nor an honest man appear a knave Volante There can be no proof of any mans Valour Wisdom or Honesty but at the day of his death in aged years when as he hath past the danger in Wars the tryals in Miseries the malice of Fortune the temptations of Pleasures the inticements of Vice the heights of Glory the changes of Life provokers of Passion deluders of Senses torments of Pain or painfull Torments and to chose a Husband that hath had the Tryals and experiences of all these is to chose a Husband out of the Grave and rather than I will marry death I will live a maid as long as I live and when I dye let death do what he will with me Ex. Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Profession in mourning then enters his Friend Monsieur Comorade MOnsieur Comorade Well met I have travelled thorough all the Town and have inquired of every one I could speak to and could neither hear of thee nor see thee Profession It were happy for me if I had neither ears nor eyes Comorade Why what is the matter man He observes his mourning and then starts Gods-me Now I perceive thou art in mourning which of thy Friends is dead Profession The chiefest friend I had which mas my heart For that is dead being kill'd with my Mistress cruelty and buryed in her inconstancy Comorade I dare swear not the whole heart for every mans heart is like a head of Garlick which may be divided into many several cloves Wherefore cheer up man for it is but one clove that death or love hath swallowed down into his Stomach to cure him of the wind-cholick and since thy heart hath so many cloves thou mayst well spare him one and be never the worse But if it be buryed as you say in your Mistresses inconstancy it is to be hop'd it will be converted into the same inconstant humour and that will cure the other part of thy heart Profession O! She was the Saint of my thoughts and the Goddesse of my soul Comorade Prethee let me be thy moral Tutor to instruct thee in the knowledge of Truth and to let thee know that vertue is the true Goddesse to which all men ought to bow to and that youth beauty and wealth are sixt to be forsaken when vertue comes in place and vertue is constant both to its principals and promises Wherefore if thy Mistresse be inconstant she cannot be vertuous wherefore let her go Monsieur Profession fetches a great sigh and goes out without speaking a word Comorade alone Comorade I think his heart is dead in good earnest for it hath no sense of what I have
unchaste lives would be as marks of disgrace and spots of infamie upon the Tombs of those dead Ancestors and their ashes would be full'd with their stains whereas a chast woman and a gallant man obliges both the living and the dead for they give honour to their dead Ancestors in their Graves and to those friends that are living in the World and to those that shall succeed them Besides their examples of their vertues for all Ages to take out patterns from Comorade Madam you have answered so well for your self and Sex as I can say no more in the behalf of my friend Ex. Scene 20. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her daughter MEre Daughter your tongue is so sharp as it is not only poynted but edged on both sides Capris. Use Mother will blunt the poynt and flat the edges Mere No Daughter the more 't is used the sharper it will be for words and passions are the whetstones to that Razor Capris. As long as that Razor shaves no reputation let it raze or shave what it will Ex. Scene 21. Enter Madamosel Solid Madamosel Doltche Madamosel Volante and a Grave Matron MAtron Madamosel Solid what say you to Monsieur Ralleries wit Solid I say of him as I would of a wild or skittish jade who hath only strength to kick and fling but not to travel or to bear any weight so Rallerie is antick postures and laughing reproaches not solid and judicious discourses or continued speeches the truth is a ralleying wit is like obstructed or corrupted lungs which causes difficult and short breathing So that wit is short and puffing spurting out words questions and replyes 't is squib wit or boys sport Matron Madamosel Doltche what say you of Monsieur Satericals wit Doltche As I would of frosty weather his wit is sharp but wholesome and though he hath a frowning brow yet he hath a clear soul Matron Madamosel Volante What say you of Monsieur Pedants wit Volante As I would of Leeches for as Leeches sucks bloud from the back parts of men and spues it forth when rubb'd with salt so Monsieur Pedant sucks wit from other mens pens and mouths and then spues it forth again being rubb'd with the itch of prayse But all the learned knows the wit was no more his own than the bloud that was suck'd was the Leeches Matron What say you of Monsieur Lyricks wit Volante As I would of a Bird that chirps more than sings Matron Madamosel Doltche What say you of Monsieur Tragedians wit Doltche As I would of Winter wherein is more rain than Sun-shines more storms than calms more night than day so his wit hath more melancholly than mirth causing or producing tears sighs and sadnesse the truth is his wit dwels in the shades of death Matron Madamosel Solid what say you to Monsieur Comicals wit Solid As I would of the Spring which revives and refreshes the life of every thing it is lightsom and gay So Monsieur Comicals wit is chearfull pleasant lively natural and profitable as being edifying Ex. Scene 22. Enter Madam la Mere and Madamosel Caprisia her Daughter MERE Daughter let me tell you you have brought your Hogs to a fair Market Capris. That is better than to keep them in a foul stye Mother Mere You cannot speak without crossing Capris. Nor readily crosse without speaking Mere I am sure your bitter discourses and crosse answers hath caused the Lady namely the Lady Hercules to send a rayling message by a Messenger to declare her anger for your abusive discourses against her Capris. I never mentioned her in my discourse in my life Mere But you speak against big and tall women Capris. I gave but my opinion of the size and Sex not of any particular and I may speak freely my opinion of the generalities Mere You may chance by your opinion of the generalities to be generally talk'd of Capris. VVhy then I shall live in discourse although discourse were dead in me and who had not rather live although an ill life than dye Mere But you might live so as to gain every bodyes good opinion if you would palliate your humour and sweeten your discourse and endeavour to please in conversation Capris. Which do you mean Mother either to please my self or the company Mere Why the company Capris. That is impossible for in all company there is diversities and contrarieties of humours passions appetites delights pleasures opinions judgements wits understandings and the like and for talking speaking and discoursing they are inter-changing inter-mixing reasoning arguing disputing which causes contradictions wherefore to agree in and to every humour passion opinion and discourse is impossible indeed one may seemly or truly agree and approve of any one opinion or discourse but not a diversity of discourses opinions also one may flatteringly applaud or sooth any particular persons humour but not diverse persons diverse humours but to flatter is base as to approve in their words and disapprove in their thoughts as to commend or applaud that or those that is not praise-worthy But howsoever for the soothing of any bodies humour I will never take the pains for why should I make my self a slave to the several humours of mankind who is never in one humour two minutes and why may not I think or desire to be flattered and humoured as well as others and when I am not flattered and humoured to be as much displeased at others as others at me VVherefore good Mother be not you displeased that I chose rather to displease my self than any body else besides your self Mere You will follow your own wayes Daughter Capris. I cannot walk safer than in my own ground Mother Ex. Scene 23. Enter Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid SOlid Dear Mistress I fear my absence hath made you forget me Solid No certainly I cannot forget you by reason my brain is hung about with the memory of your worthy nature and meritorious actions which my love doth admire and takes delight for to view each several piece and part Perfection Do you love me Solid How can I chose but love when in my infancy such a number of words in your praise was thrown into my ears like seeds into the Earth which took root in my heart from which love sprouted forth and grew up with my years Perfection And will you be constant Solid As day is to the Sun Perfection Do you speak truth Solid Truly I have been bred up so much and so long in the wayes of truth as I know no tract of dissembling and therefore certainly my words will ever keep within the compass of Truth and my actions will alwaies turn and run with that byas but why do you seem to doubt in making such questions Perfection I will truly confess I have heard that since I have been in the Countrey you had entertained another Lover Solid It 's false but false reports is like breathing upon a pure and clear Glasse it dimns it for a time
whence you came Profession No faith I am dry wherefore I will go to a Tavern Comorade Content Ex. Scene 33. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone in a studeous humour walking for a time silently then speaks CApris. Which shall I complain of Nature or Education I am compassionate by nature for though I am froward I am not cruel I am pious by education for though I am froward I am not wicked I am vertuous by nature and education for though I am froward I am neither dishonest unchaste base or unworthy Why then 't is Fortune I must complain of for Fortune hath given me plenty and plenty hath made me proud and pride hath made me self-conceited self-conceit hath bred disdain and disdain scorn So pride disdain and scorn makes me disapprove all other creatures actions or opinions but my own and this disapproving is that which men calls cross pievish and froward disposition being most commonly accompanied with sharp satyrical words and angry frowns These faults I 'l conquer whereresoere they lye I 'l rule my froward humour or I 'l dye Ex. Scene 34. Enter Madamosel Solid and a Matron SOlid Lord Lord I wonder men and women should spend their time so idley and wast their lives so vainly in talking so ignorantly and acting so foolishly upon the great Stage or the Stage of the great World Matron VVhy how would you have them spend their time or talk or act Solid I would have them spend their time to gain time as to prevent or hinder times oblivion and to speak and act to that design That when their bodies dye Their Names and Fames may live eternally Matron But it is not in every mans or womans power to get fame for some are made uncapable by nature others are hindred by fortune some are obstructed by chance others want time and opportunity wealth birth and education and many that are pull'd back by envie spite and malice Solid VVhat man or woman soever that nature is liberal to may eternalize themselves as for fortune she may hinder the active the like may chance envie spite and malice but cannot hinder the contemplative the like may time and opportunity but poor poverty and birth can be no hindrance to natural wit for natural wit in a poor Cottage may spin an after-life enter-weaving several colour'd fancies and threeds of opinions making fine and curious Tapestries to hang in the Chambers of fame or wit may and carve Images of imaginations to place and set forth the Gardens of fame making fountains of Poetry that may run in smooth streams of verse or wit may paint and pensel out some Copies and various Pictures of Nature with the pensels of Rhethorick on the grounds of Philosophy to hang in the Galleries of fame Thus the Palaces of fame may be furnished and adorn'd by the wit of a poor Cottager Ex. Scene 35. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Item I am to be courteous but not familiar to be merry but not wild to be kind but not wanton to be friendly but not intimate to be sociable but not troublesome to be conversable but not talkative to look soberly but not frowningly to return answers civilly to ask questions wisely to demand rights honestly to argue rationally and to maintain opinions probably These rules I will strictly observe and constantly practice Enter Monsieur Bon Compaignon Capris. Sir I cry peccavi and ask your pardon for speaking so unhandsomely of the effeminate Sex when I was last in your company for my indiscretion made me forget so as not to remember that all men hath either VVives Sisters Daughters or Mothers But truly my discourse proceeded neither from spite or malice but from the consideration of my own faults which being so many did bury the good graces of other women for though I am vertuously honest yet I am but rudely fashion'd and untoward for conversation but though my discourse had a triangular countenance for it seem'd foolish spitefull and wicked yet pray Sir believe the natural face was a perfect round honest face Bon Compaignon Lady what faults soever your Sex is guilty of your vertues will get their pardon and your beauty will cover their blemishes Capris. I wish my indiscretion had not discovered my froward imperfections but I am sorry and shall hereafter endeavor to rectifie my errours Ex. Scene 36. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Nurse NObilissimo Good Nurse where is my vertuous sweet Mistresse Nurse In her chamber Sir Nobilissimo VVhat is she doing Nurse She is reading Nobilissimo VVhat Books doth she read are they Divinity Morality Philosophy History or Poetry Nurse Sometimes her study is of one and then of another But now I think her chief study is you wherein she may read humanity Enter Madamosel Doltche and seeing Monsieur Nobilissimo with her Nurse starts back and then comes forth blushing Nurse Lord child what makes you blush Doltche Not crimes but my blushing is caused by a sudden assault or surprisal meeting him I did not expect to meet at this time which raised up blushes in my face for blushing is like the full and falling tide for the bloud flows to the face and from thence ebbes to the heart as passions moves the mind And thoughts as waves in curling folds do rise And lashfull eyes are like the troubled skies Nobilissimo Sweet Mistress crimes cannot stain your cheeks with blushes but modesty hath penseld Roses there which seems as sweet as they look fair Doltche I desire my looks and countenance may alwaies appear so as they may never falsly accuse me and as I would not have my looks or countenance wrong my innocency or deceive the Spectators so I would not have my heart be ungratefull to bury your presence in silence Wherefore I give you thanks Sir for the noble Present you sent me to day Nobilissimo I was affraid you would not have accepted of it Doltche Truly I shall refuse no Present you shall send me although it were ushered with scorn and attended with death Nobilissimo My kind Mistress I shall never send you any Present but what is ushered by my love attended by my service and presented with the offer of my life Nurse Child you are very free of kind words Doltche And my deeds shall answer my words is need requires yet I am sorry if my speaking over-much should offend but I chose rather to set bosses of words on the sense of my discourse although it obscures the glosse of my speech than my love should be buried in my silence Nobilissimo Sweet Mistresse your loving expressions gives such joy unto my heart and such delight unto my hearing as my soul is inthron'd in happinesse and crown'd with tranquility Nurse Pray Heaven you both may be as full of Love Joy and Peace when you are married as you express to have now But let me tell you young Lovers that Hymen is a very temperate and discreet Gentleman in love I will assure you neither doth he
Doctor help may be found in giving directions and ordering the cordial Doctor So I understand you would have my counsel what you should do and my industry to order and get a meeting between Monsieur Discretion and you and to make the match betwixt you Volante You understand me right Doctor VVell I will study the means and trye if I can procure thee a man Volante Good fortune be your guide Doctor And Monsieur Discretion your Husband Ex. Scene 41. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Thoughts be at rest for since my love is honest and the person I love worthy I may love honourably for he is not only learned with study experienced with time and practice but he is natures favourite she hath endued his soul with uncontrouled reason his mind with noble thoughts his heart with heroick generosity and his brain with a supream wit Besides she hath presented his judgement and understanding with such a clear Prospective-glasse of speculations and such a Multiplying-glass of conception as he seeth farther and discerns more into natures works than any man she hath made before him She slops a little time then speaks But let me consider I have us'd this worthy Gentleman uncivilly nay rudely I have dispised him wherefore he cannot love me for nature abhors neglect and if he cannot love me in honesty he ought not to marry me and if I be not his wife for certain I shall dye for love or live a most unhappy life which is far worse than death Hay ho Enter Madam la Mere her Mother Mere What Daughter sick with love Capris. O Mother love is a Tyrant which never lets the mind be at rest and the thoughts are the torments and when the mind is tormented the body is seldom in health Mere Well to ease you I will go to this Lord Generosity and pray him to give you a visit Capris. By no means Mother for I had rather dye with love than live to be despised with scorn for he will refuse your desires or if he should come it would be but to express his hate or proudly triumph on my unhappy state Madamosel Caprisia goes out Madamosel Mere alone Mere She is most desperately in love but I will endeavour to settle her mind Ex. Scene 42. Enter Doctor Freedom and Madamosel Volante DOctor Am not I a good Doctor now that hath got you a good Husband Volante Nay Doctor he is but a Suiter as yet Doctor Why do not you woe upon the Stage as the rest of your Comorades doth Volante O fye Doctor Discretion never whines our love in publick Doctor So you love to be in private Volante Why Doctor the purest love is most conceal'd it lyes in the heart and it warms it self by its own fire Doctor Take heed for if you keep it too tenderly and close it may chance to catch cold when it comes abroad Volante True love ought to keep home and not to gossip abroad Enter a Servant-maid Servant-maid Madam Monsieur Discretion is come to visit you Volante Come Doctor be a witnesse of our contract Doctor I had rather stay with your maid Volante She hath not wit to entertain you Doctor Nor none to anger me Volante Pray come away for no wise man is angry with wit Doctor I perceive if I do not go with you that you will call me fool Ex. Scene 43. Enter Monsieur Comorade and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Comorade what cause makes you so fine to day Comorade I am going to two weddings to day Bon Compaignon Faith one had been enough but how can you divide yourself betwixt two Bridals Comorade I shall not need to divide my self since the Bridals keeps together for they are marryed both in one Church and by one Priest and they feast in one house Bon Compaignon And will they lye in one bed Comorade No surely they will have two beds for fear each Bride-groom should mistake his Bride Bon Compaignon VVell I wish the Bride-grooms and their Brides joy and their Guests good chear Comorade VVill not you be one of the Guests Bon Compaignon No for a Bon Compaignon shuns Hymens Court neither will Hymen entertain him But who are the Brides and Bride-grooms Comorade Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid Bon Compaignon Is Monsieur Profession a Guest there Comorade No for he swears now that he hates marriage as he hates death Bon Compaignon But he loves a Mistress as he loves life Ex. Scene 44. Enter Monsieur Generosity and Madamosel Caprisia he following her GEnerosity Lady why do you shun my company in going from me praystay and give my visit a civil entertainment for though I am not worthy of your affection yet my love deserves you civility Capris. I know you are come to laugh at me which is ignobly done for heroick generous spirits doth not triumph on the weak effeminate Sex Generosity Pray believe I am a Gentleman for if I loved you not yet I would never be rude to be uncivil to you or your Sex But I love you so well as when I leave to serve you with my life may nature leave to nourish me fortune leave to favour me and Heaven leave to blesse me and then let death cast me into Hell there to be tormented Capris. I am more obliged to your generous affections than to my own merits Generosity The ill opinion of your self doth not lessen your vertues and if you think me worthy to be your Husband and will agree we will go strait to Church and be marryed Capri. I shall not refuse you Ex. FINIS PROLOGUE THE Poetress sayes that if the Play be bad She 's very sorry and could wish she had A better plot more wit and skill to make A Play that might each several humour take But she sayes if your humours are not fixt Or that they are extravagantly mixt Impossible a Play for to present With such variety and temperiment But some will think it tedious or find fault Say the Design or Language is stark naught Besides the loose unsetled brains she fears Seeth with squint eyes and hears with Asses ears But she is confident all in this round Their understandings clear and judgements sound And if her Play deserves not praise she knows They 'l neither scoff in words nor preposterous shows Without disturbance you will let it dye And in the Grave of silence let it lye Youths Glory and Deaths Banquet THE FIRST PART 1. THe Lord de L'amour 2. Sir Thomas Father Love 3. Master Comfort Sir Thomas Father Loves Friend 4. Master Charity the Lord de L'amours Friend 5. Adviser the Lord de L'amours man 6. A Iustice of Peace 1. The Queen Attention 2. The Lady Incontinent Mistriss to the Lord de L'amour 3. The Lady Mother Love wife to Sir Thomas Father Love 4. The Lady Sanparelle daughter to Sir Thomas Father and Lady Mother Love 5. The Lady Innocence the affianced Mistriss
all their Predecessours besides it is with succession as with a married pair for if the wife be chast the World will give the honour only to the woman but if she be false the World will lay the disgrace on the Husband and think she sees some defect which makes her prefer another before him So in succession if their succession proves fools cowards avaricious treacherous vitious or the like the World straight judges these imperfections and vices were in hereditarie and that they were attaint or stained from the root or stock but if they prove wise valiant generous just or the like they think they were particular gifts of nature or education thus the faults of succession many descents after may darken like black clouds the bright light of their Predecessours worth and merit Besides there is no certainty of a continued line nor doth many children give an assurance to their Father at the day of his death for when he dyes doubts closes his eyes and fears blowes out lifes fire therefore I had rather live in thy fame than live or dye in an infamous and foolish succession Sansp. Heaven make me thankfull that my desires and my fathers approvement agrees Sir you have not only bred me with a tender love but with a prudent Industry And I have followed your instruction with a Religious Ceremony Keept to your principles with a pious Conscience and since nature and education hath joyned together in my tender years to make my life propitious If fortune favour me and opportunity promote me but we are to consider which way I shall steer the course of my life and if you will please I will tell you how I have designed my voyage Father Heaven prosper the through it and send the a safe passage wheresoever thou adventurest Sansp. Then first it is to be considered I am but a small and weak vessell and cannot swim upon the rough and boysterous Seas which are pitcht fields and fighting Armyes wherein I shall be shattered in the croud and drowned in the confusion of disorder wherefore I must swim in the calm rivers of peace where their is no such storms nor high billows only some cross winds may chance to rise which may hinder me but not drown me this calm river is a Theater and the rough Sea as I said a pitcht field my self the ship you the steeradge and fame the port then thus I will relate how I have designed the voyage of my life first never to marry if I may have your consent to live a single life for that time which will be lost in a married condition I will study and work with my own thoughts and what new Inventions they can find out or what probabilityes they conceive or phancies they create I will publish to the world in print before I make them common by discourse but if I marry although I should have time for my thoughts and contemplations yet perchance my Husband will not approve of my works were they never so worthy and by no perswasion or reason allow of there publishing as if it were unlawfull or against nature for Women to have wit And strives allwayes if their wives have wit to obscure it And I am of that opinion that some men are so inconsiderately wise gravely foolish and lowly base as they had rather be thought Cuckolds than their wives should be thought wits for fear the world should think their wise the wiser of the two and that she rules and governs all the affairs at home for most men rather than they will not shew their power and Authority will appear a Quat-queen that is an effeminate scold Secondly I will not receive nor give private vissits or entertainments but from those and to those that duty and gratitude and loyalty enjoyns me for in private visits or entertainments is onely so much time stuft with senceless vain idle light discourses or flattering compliments wherein time and life is unprofitably lost Thirdly I would never speak but in publick for if nature and education have given me wit I would not willingly bury it in private discourses besides privat hearers are secret Thieves and boldly steals having no witnesses to betray or reveale the truth or divuldge their thefts and so they will adorn their discourses with my wit which they steal from me Fourthly I will never speak of any considerable matter or subject or of any new conception but I will have them ready writ to print them so soon as my discourse of them is past or else print them before I discourse of them and afterwards explain them by my tongue as well as by my pen least they should mistake the sence of my workes through Ignorance for those subject that are only discourst off in speach flyes away in words which vanisheth as smoak or shadows and the memory or remembrance of the Author or Oratour melts away as oyle leaving no sign in present life or else moulders as dust leaving no Monument to after-posterity to be known or remembred by when writeing or printing fixes it to everlasting time to the publick view of the World besides a passing discourse makes the tongue but as an Almner to give wit to poor Sharkes to feed them which Sharkes eats without giving praise or thankes never acknowledging at whose cost they live at Nay so unthankfull they are that they will bely the Authors and themselves saying it was their own and it is a certain rule that those Authors they steal most from they will dispraise and rale most at And some are so foolish and of such short memoryes that they will repeat the Authors wit to the Authors self and as confident as it had been created or invented out of their own brains Fifthly I will select times for several discourses and subjects to discourse in publick to several Audiences to which you may if you please invite the grave and wise to hear me and being a woman Oratour the singularity will advance my fame the more besides many accidents may we chance to meet which may prove as steps to ascend or Mount up Thus Sir if you please to approve of my design I shall follow the means or wayes unto it if not I shall submit to what you shall think will be better for me Father I do approve of your design so well as I cannot but admire it And I believe the best designer that ever was never cast such a mould or laid such a plot or drew such a draught to raise a fame on or to work a fame out Sansp. But Sir you must arm yourselfe against all oppositions and Baracodo your ears against all cross perswaders and muster your forces of hopes drawing them into a body of confidence and march with a resolution either to dye in the adventure or to triumph with victory and to live everlastingly in a glorious fame for Sir we shall meet wranglers and jesters scorners and scoffers disputers and opposers contradictors and lyers which
true begotten Children of self-love This love hath no other object but perfection it hath an absolute command over life it conquers death and triumphs over torments but every soul hath not this pure love for there is a seeming self-love and a reall self-love but as I said every soul hath it not for it is with souls and the passions therein as with bodyes and the sensuall life some are more healthfull and strong others infirm and weak some are fair and well favoured others foul and ill favoured some are straight well shapt others crooked and deformed some high some low some are of long life others of short life some lifes have more actions than others some more sensitive relishes than others some good Natures some bad and all of that sort of Animals we call mankind and as the body and sensitive Spirits so for the Soul and rationall Spirits for some hath as I may say more Soul than others as some hath larger Souls than others some purer than others as being more Serene some hath more ingenuity and understanding than others So passions although one and the same sorts of passions yet in some Souls they are more Serene and elevated than others but many times the pure passions of the Soul is so allyed with the gross humours of the body as they become base and of no good use but in the passion of pure love for the most part dwels naturally Melancholly I mean not that dry cold sharp humour bred in the body which makes it Insipid inclosing the Soul as it were within Walls of stone which causeth a dull heavy and stupid disposition as it oppresseth and lyes like a heavy burthen on the Soul hindering the active effects thereof but this naturall Melancholly dwells not in every Soul but onely in the noblest for it is the noblest effect of the noblest passion in the noblest Soul As for the passion of hate it is not that lothing or aversion which is caused by a full or sick Stomack or surfetted Senses or glutted Appetites or cross humours or an Antipathy of dispositions or evill fortunes or the like but the true passion of hate is in the Soul not bred in the body yet hate is a bastard passion of self-love begot by opposition bred from corruption and born with disturbance this hate as it is derived from the bowels and loynes of self-love so it pursues self-loves enemyes which is suspect falshood and neglect With this passion of hate anger is a great Companion these two passions being seldome assunder but anger is oftentimes mistaken as all the rest of the passions are but this passion of anger is one of the uselest passions of the Soul and is so far from assisting fortitude as many think it doth as it is an opposite enemy to it for it cannot suffer patiently and oftimes knows not what it Acts or on what it Acts or when it Acts this passion is one of the furyes of the Soul which oftimes deposes reason but a Chollerick disposition is sooner to be pardoned and less to be feard being bred in the body and as the humour ebbes and flowes this disposition is less or more But to return to the two Principle passions which is love and hate I will at this time similize them to two several Kingdoms or Regions love being the largest for it reaches to the shades of death and strongest for it can indure and hold out the assaults of any torment being intrenched with fidelity fortified with constancy imbatled with courage victualled with patience and armed or manned with resolution and were it not for the many labyrinths of feats running in and out with continuall doubts wherein the content of the mind is oftentimes lost otherwayes it would be as pleasant a Kingdome as it is a strong one having large prospects of honour and Land-Skips of perfection green Meddows of hopes wherein grows sweet Primroses of Joy and clear springs of desires runs in swift streams of industry by the banks of difficulty besides this Kingdome is allwayes serene for the Sun of Fervency of allwayes shines there In this large Kingdome of love reigns naturall Melancolly who is the Heroick Royallest soberest and wisest Prince born in the mind he directs his Actions with prudence defends his Kindome with courage indures misfortunes with patience moderates his desires with temperance guides his Senses with judgment orders his Speech with Sence and governs his thoughts with reason he is the commander of the Appetites living in the Court of imaginations in the City of silences in the Kingdome of love in the little world called Man and the greatest favorite to this Prince is wit and the Muses are his Mistrisses to whom he applies his Courtship recreating himself in their delightful Company entertaining himself with Balls Maskes Pastorills Comedyes Tragedyes and the like presenting them in the Bowers of fancy built in the Gardens of Oratory wherein growes flowers of Rhetorick but the greatest enemies to this Prince is unseasonable mirth which oftimes disturbes his peace by bringing in an Army of empty words sounding their loud Trumpets of laughter shooting of bald jests beating the drums of idleness with the sticks of ridiculous Actions But hate although it be a Kingdome that is very strong by reason it hath high mountainous designes hard Rocks of cruelties deep pits of obscurity many Quagmires of subtilty by which advantages this Kingdome is inpregnable yet the Kingdome of its self is barren and Insipid bearing nothing but thorny Bushes of mischief and moss of ill Nature no noble thoughts or worthy Actions the climate is various for the Aire of the mind is gross having thick mists of envy which causeth several sicknesses of discontent other whiles it is very cold and sharp with spight other times it is sulphury hot with malice which flashes lightning of revenge which in a thundery fury breaks out In this Kingdome of hate reigns anger who is a Tyrant and strikes at every smale offence and many times on Innocence and so unjust as he seldome takes witnesses pride and jealousy are his favourites which governs all with scorn and executes with fury he imposes taxes of slander and gathers levies of detraction exception is his secretary to note both wordes and Actions he accuseth the Senses with mistakes and beheads the Appetites on the Scaffolds of dislike he strangles truth with the Cords of Erronious opinions and tortures the thoughts one Wheels of foul suspition whipping imagination with disgrace he confounds the Speech with disordered hast that neither Sence nor wordes can take their right places but anger dyes as most Tyrants doth being kild by repentance and is buryed in salt teares betwixt these two Kingdoms of love and hate runs a salt Sea of sorrow which sometimes breaks into the Kingdome of love and sometimes into the Kingdome of hate from this Sea arises thick vapours of grief which gathers into dark Clouds of sadness which Clouds dissolves into showring
lay Ex. ACT II. Scene 5. Enter the Lady Sanspareile all in white Satin like as a Bride and her Father and her audience which are all Lovers these stand gazing upon her SAnspareile This Noble assembly may chance to think it a vanity in me never to receive any particular visit or adresse from any particular or single person but I do so by reason life is lost in particular acquaintance as small Rivers are in running through the earth But in the publick life swims as in a full Sea having a fair gale of observation and Sailes of opportune time to swim withall marking the Card of actions and the Needle of dispositions drawn or turned by the Loadstone of affection to the North-pole of Experience to guide me safe from the Rocks of slander and quick-sands of scandal till I come to the Port of death there to unload my Lifes Merchandise and I hope my Voyage may be so prosperous as I may be inriched with the praises of After-Ages Likewise the reason why I choose to speak in publick is that I would not speak idely for in publick I shall take care of what I speak and to whom I speak when in private visitations to single persons my speech may be carelesse with negligence in which I may throw away my time with my words For to speak to no purpose is to make words useless and words is the marks to distinguish things and Figures to number merits with and Notes to record the noble Acts of men But at this time I am to speak by my Fathers command upon a Subject which my contemplation hath no acquaintance with which is marriage and I hear by my Father that you have all treated with him or rather intreated him to bestow me in marriage which is to make me unhappy not but that I believe what I hear which is that you are all persons of Quality Birth Breeding and Merit far beyond my desert yet with the best if any best there be being all worthy yet were I a wife to any one I might be unhappy by reason marriage is an incumbered life although the Husband and the Wife were fitly matcht for years Births Fortunes Dispositions Humours Capacities Wits Conversations Constancies Vertues and affections and first by your leave I will discourse of mens marriage by reason Man being accounted the Supremer Creature and alwayes bearing Rule he shall be first placed As for marriage to men it is a great hinderance to a speculative life it cuts off Phancies Wings and quenches out the Poetical Fire it breaks the Engine of invention disturbs sweet contemplation corrupts honest Counsels obstructs all Heroick actions obscures fame and often times causes infamy by the wifes inconstancies and many times by her indiscretion for a man is dishonoured if his wife is but thought wanton or but inclining to be amorous and though she be as sober in her Nature and as constant as any woman can be yet the very suspition is a disgrace and if the suspition is a disgrace what is a visible truth His very Neighbours makes Horns as he passeth by their doors whilst he sadly and shamefully hangs down his head with a dejected countenance which makes him seem a Coward and a Fool although it be unjust that the faults of the wife should be a blemish to the Husbands honour yet so it is this being the greatest cause why Husbands are jealouse which jealousie is more for their Honours sake than for their Wives affections thus you see how dangerous a thing it is for man to marry who must trust his honour to the management of a Foolish Woman and women naturally like children inconstant unlesse education doth rectifie their frail natures peevish humours various appetites and inconstant affection Likewise marriage is not only apt to corrupt the mind with jealousie but with Covetousnesse for the extreme fondnesse and natural love of Parents to their Children maks them strive by all their endeavours to inrich them this makes them gripe their Tennants pinch and half starve their servants quarrel and dispute with their neighbours corrupt Judges take Bribes besides it makes men apt to rebell and turn Traitorus murmuring at their Taxes and impositions it also makes them timorous and fearful in warrs by reason their wife and children may be ruined by their death Also it makes them dull in their Conversations by reason they are alwayes plodding for their worldly affairs and for the Muses had a husband time to entertain them yet the wife would right them or drive them from him with their quarreling disputes or sencelesse prizes besides most women are as jealouse of the Muses as of their Maids but to treat or discourse of married women is to discourse of a most unhappy life for all the time of their lives is insnared with troubles what in breeding and bearing children what in taking and turning away Servants directing and ordering their Family counting their expences and disbursing their revenues besides the vexations with their servants for their quarreling and combining for their sloth and sluttery for their spoiles and carlessnesse for their treachery and couzenage and if they have Children what troubles and griefs do unsue Troubled with their frowardnesse and untowardnesse the care for their well being the fear for their ill doing their grief for their sicknesse and their unsufferable sorrow for their death Yet this is the best part and not to be avoided But if these troubles be joyned with an ill Husband it heightens their torments for if he be a Drunkard she had better be marryed to a Beast her nostrils is stencht with the Lees of wine her eyes are offended with his rude behaviour and her ears are struck with a cursed noise of cursing and Oaths and if he be a Gamester she lives in an unsetled condition she knows not how soon she may want for if she have plenty one day she may be in a condition to beg the next And if her Husband be inconstant and loves variety of women O how jealousie torments her besides the wrongs she suffers from him what affronts she receives from his Mistresse How is she dispised amongst her neighbours sleighted by her servant suspected by the world for having some defect as either to be incontinent sluttish foolish froward crosse unkind ill natured sickly or diseased when perchance the woman may be worthy to be marcht with a temperate wise valiant honest rich and honourable man and if women go fine and take pleasure in themselves and Garments their Husbands are jealouse and if they regard not themselves or Garments their Husbands dislikes them For though men will swear to their wives they like them better in their old cloaths than other women in their glorious Apparrel because they would not have them expensive yet if their wives neglect themselves regarding not their dressing but sleights all outward Adornments and change of Garments as prodigal spend-thrifts they starve their Husbands esteem in their thrifty plainness Consumes
mankind Oh! Oh! that these Melancholy damps arising from my afflicted Soul could extinguish the Lamp of life or that my sad and grieved thoughts that feed upon my troubled Spirits could bite with sorrows teeth the thread of life asunder She sits down on the ground leaning her Cheek on her hand and weeps Enter to her her Maid Passive Passive My sweet Mistriss why do you weep Lady Innocence The spring of grief doth send forth streams of tears to wash off my disgrace and the foul spots which slandring tongues have stain'd or rather slain'd my reputation for which my eyes did they not weep would seem unnaturally unkind but my dead reputation is imbalm'd with salt tears bitter groans shrowded in sorrows and intomb'd in misery Passive My dear Lady you are imbalm'd with the pretious gums of Virtue and sweet spices of wit wrapt up in youth and beauty and are intombed or rather inthroned in honest hearts wherefore waste not your self with grief for certainly the world will condemn your Accusers and not you Lady Innocence Those feeble hopes cannot my spirits uphold they give no light of comfort to my mind for black despair like Melancholy night mustles my thoughts and makes my Soul as blind O but why do I thus mourn in sad complaints and do not curse Fortune Fates and destiny their Wheels there spindel threads and Chains She heaves up her hands and lifts up her eyes May Nature great turn all again to nought That nothing may with joy receive a thought She goes out in a very Melancholy posture Passive alone She is deeply Melancholy Heavens ease her mind Ex. Scene 12. Enter 2. or 3. Doctors 1. DOctor The Lady Sanspareile cannot live for the hath no pulse 2. Doctor No she is descending to the grave 3. Doctor But had we best tell her Father so 1. Doctor No by no means as yet 2. Doctor Why not he will know when she is dead Enter the Lady Mother Love as to the Doctors Lady Mother Love Mr. Doctors What do you mean to let my Daughter dye will you not prescribe something to give her 1. Doctor Madam we shall do our best you may be confident Lady Mother What if you prescribed a Glister or a Purge 1. Doctor I shall not need Madam Lady Mother Why if any one be sick they ought to have some remedies applyed to them 2. Doctor We shall consider what course is best to be taken Lady Mother Love For Gods sake do not neglect her Ex. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love to the Doctors Sir Thomas Father Love Mr. Doctors what is your opinion of my Daughter 1. Doctor Truly Sir she is very dangerous sick Sir Thomas Father Love I can find no pulse she hath 2. Doctor Nor we Sir that makes us doubt her Father Love Pray consult about her what is best to be done 1. Doctor We shall Sir Ex. Scene 13. Enter the Lord de l'Amour and the Lady Innocence LOrd de l'Amour What makes you look so gastly pale Lady Innocence I am so ashamed of my accusation as my bashfullness is beyond all blushing as greatest griefs are beyond all tears it causes my limbs to tremble face look pale like Death's assault making my courage fail Lord de l'Amour Perchance you are asham'd to confess so base a crime you may confess to me for I shall strive to hide your faults and cover them with some excuse wherefore confess for though it be a fault to steal yet it is a double fault to hide it with a Lye and by these crimes you do offend the Gods nor will their anger be remov'd unless you confess and ask pardon Lady Innocence Your Doctrine is very good and Application well applied had I been Guilty but being Innocent they are vainly uttered Lord de l'Amour I hope you will agree to resign the interest you have to me if I should desire you Lady Innocence Saints never offred up their Souls to God more willingly than I all interest to you not but that I love you yet I should be loath to be bound to one that hath so ill an opinion of me as you have Lord de l'Amour The World would condemn me if I should marry you to stain my Posterity with your Crimes Lady Innocence O Heavens is my scandal of so deep a dye as to stain Predecessors and Posterity yours may avoid it but my Predecessors are spotted all over She goes out weeping Lord de l'Amour I cannot chuse but love her although I fear she is guilty but I perceive she is resolv'd not to confess as being asham'd of it Ex. Scene 14. Enter the Lady Sanspareile in a bed as being sick the bed drawn on the stage and her Father kneels by the bed-side whilst she speaks as dying SAnspareile Let spotless Virgins bear me to my grave and holy Anthems sing before my Herse and soft-toucht Instruments to play the while and keep just time with tears that trickling fall from the sad eyes of my most sorrowful friends and one my Coffin spread upon a covering of smooth Sattin white to signify here how I lived a Virgin pure I lived and dyed and let my works which I have wrought and spun out of my brain be given to times Library to keep alive my name And set a Lilly-Garland on my Herse On every leaf therein stick on a verse And when my Coffin to the grave you bring Let Poets on my Herse some verses fling For whilst I liv'd I worship'd Nature great And Poets are by Nature favoured I in the Muses Arms desire to Dye For I was bred up in their Company And my request 's to them when I am dead I may amongst them be remembered But death drawes near my destiny is come Father farewell may time take up my years which death cuts off and add them to your life Peace keep your mind and Comfort give you rest He weeps But why do you weep dear Father my life 's not worth your tears yet Heavens doe weep and mingle with dull earth their Cristal streams and earth 's refresht thereby so is not death for death is ever dry Father O Child O Child my heart will break Sanspareile Sir why do you sigh and groan and grieve that I must dye life is perpetual and death is but a change of shape Only I wish that Death may order it so That from your rootes I may your flower grow I fear not Death nor am I loath to dye Yet I am loath to leave your Company But O the Muses stay my dying lips to close Farewel Dyes Her Father starts up from her Bed-side and stares about the Bed and the dead Lady is drawn off the stage Father What art thou sted dear Soul where dost thou goe stay and I will bear thee Company Stares about Where art thou Soul why mak'st thou such great haste I pray thee stay and take thy aged Fathers Soul along with thee left it should wander in the dark and gloomy
none Company but Cowards and Fools and slothful conscientious Persons neither is she usefull but for indifferent imployments for what is of extraordinary worth Patience doth but disgrace it not set it forth for that which is transcendent and Supreme Patience cannot reach Wherefore give me Fury for what it cannot raise to Heaven it throwes it straight to Hell were you never there Friend No nor I hope shall never come there Father Love Why Sir I was there all the last Night and there I was tortured for chiding my Daughter two or three times whilst she lived once because she went in the Sun without her Mask another time because her Gloves were in her Pocket when they should have been on her Hands and another time because she slep'd when she should have studied and then I remember she wept O! O! those pretious tears Devil that I was to grieve her sweet Nature harmless Thoughts and Innocent Soul O how I hate my self for being so unnaturally kind O kill me and rid be of my painful life Friend He is much distracted Heaven cure him Exeunt Scene 18. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gentleman The Miracle is deceas'd the Lady Sanspareile I hear is dead 2. Gent. Yes and it 's reported her Statue shall be set up in every College and in the most publick places in the City at the publick charge and the Queen will build a Sumptuous and Glorious Tomb on her sleeping Ashes 1. Gent. She deserves more than can be given her 2. Gent. I hear her death hath made her Father mad 1. Gent. Though her death hath not made every one mad like her Father yet it hath made every one melancholy for I never saw so general a sadness in my life 2. Gent. There is nothing moves the mind to sadnesse more than when Death devours Youth Beauty Wit and Virtue all at once Ex. Scene 19. There is a Hearse placed upon the Stage covered with black a Garland of Ciprus at the head of the Herse and a Garland of Mirtle at one side and a Basket of Flowers on the other Enter the Lady Innocence alone drest in White and her hair hound up in several coloured Ribbons when she first comes in speaks thus LAdy Innocence O Nature thou hast created bodies and minds subject to pains torments yet thou hast made death to release them for though Death hath power over Life yet Life can command Death when it will for Death dares not stay when Life would passe away Death is the Ferry-man and Life the waftage She kneels down and prayeth But here great Nature I do pray to thee Though I call Death let him not cruel be Great Jove I pray when in cold earth I lye Let it be known how innocent I die Then she rises and directs her self to her Herse Here in the midst my sadder Hearse I see Covered with black though my chief Mourners be Yet I am white as innocent as day As pure as spotlesse Lillies born in May My loose and flowing hair with Ribbons ty'd To make Death Amorous of me now his Bride Watchet for truth hair-colour for despair And white as innocent as purest Ayre Scarlet for cruelty to stop my breath Darkning of Nature black a type of death Then she takes up the Basket of Flowers and as she strews them speaks Roses and Lillies 'bout my Coffin strew Primroses Pinks Violets fresh and new And though in deaths cold arms anon I lye weeps I 'le weep a showr of tears these may not dye A Ciprus Garland here is for my head To crown me Queen of Innocence when dead A Mirtle Garland on the left side plac't To shew I was a Lover pure chast Now all my saddest Rites being thus about me And I have not one wish that is without me She placeth her self on her Herse with a Dagger or pointed knife in her hand Here on this Herse I mount the Throne of death Peace crown my soul my body rest on earth Yet before I dye Like to a Swan I will sing my Elegie She sings as she is sitting on the Herse thus Life is a trouble at the best And in it we can find no rest Ioyes still with sorrows they are Crown'd No quietnesse till in the ground Man vexes man still we do find He is the torture of his kind False man I scorn thee in my grave Death come I call thee as my slave Here ends my Lords Writing And just then stabs her self In the mean time the Lord de l'Amour comes and peeps through the Curtain or Hanging and speaks as to himself whilst she is a dying Lord de l'Amour I will observe how she passes away her time when she is alone Lady Innocence Great Iove grant that the light of Truth may not be put out with the extinguisher of Malice Lord de l'Amour How she feeds her melancholy He enters and goeth to her What are you acting a melancholy Play by your self alone Lady Innocence My part is almost done Lord de l'Amour By Heaven she hath stabb'd her self Calls Help Help Lady Innocence Call not for help life is gone so farr t is past recovery wherefore stay and hear my last words I die as judging it unworthy to out-live my honest Name and honourable Reputation As for my accusers I can easily forgive them because they are below my Hate or Anger neither are worthy my revenge But you for whom I had not only a devout but an Idolatrous Affection which offered with a zealous Piety and pure Flame the sincerity of my heart But you instead of rewarding my Love was cruel to my life and Honour for which my soul did mourn under a Veil of sadnesse and my thoughts covered with discontent sate weeping by But those mourning Thoughts I have cast off cloathing my self with Deaths pale Garments As for my pure Reputation and white Simplicity that is spotted with black Infamy by Hellish slander I have laid them at Heavens Gates just Gods to scoure them clean that all the World may know how innocent I have been But Oh! farewel my fleeting Spirits pure Angels bear away Lord de l'Amour O speak at the last Are you guilty or not Lady Innocence I am no more guilty of those crimes laid to my charge than Heaven is of sin O Gods receive me Oh! Oh! Dies Lord de l'Amour Great Patience assist me Heart hold life in Till I can find who is guilty of this sinn Ex. The Herse drawn off the Stage Scene 20. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love brought in a Chair as sick his Friend by him Mr. Comfort Friend How are you now Father Love O Friend I shall now be well Heaven hath pitty on me and will release me soon and if my Daughter be not buryed I would have her kept as long out of the Grave as she can be kept that I might bear her company Friend She cannot be kept longer because she was not unbowelled Father Love Who speaks her
desire to be your Shepheard and you my fair Shepheardess attending loving thoughts that feed on kisses sweet folded in amorous arms Poor Virtue My mind never harbors wanton thoughts nor sends immodest glances forth nor will infold unlawful love for chastity sticks as fast unto my Soul as light unto the Sun or heat unto the fire or motion unto life or absence unto death or time unto eternity and I glory more in being chast than Hellen of her beauty or Athens of their learning and eloquence or the Lacedemonions of their Lawes or the Persians of their Riches or Greece of their Fables or the Romans of their Conquests and Chastity is more delightfull to my mind than Fancy is to Poets or Musick to the Ears or Beauty to the Eyes and I am as constant to Chastity as truth to Unity and Death to life for I am as free and pure from all unchastity as Angels are of sin Poor Virtue goes out Lord Title alone Lord Title I wonder not so much at Fortunes gifts as Natures curiosities not so much at Riches Tittle and power as Beauty VVit and Virtue joyn'd in one besides she doth amaze me by expressing so much learning as if she had been taught in some famous Schools and had read many histories and yet a Cottager and a young Cottager t is strange Ex. Scene 15. Enter the Lord Courtship and Mr. Adviser ADviser My Lord doth my Counsel take good effect Lord Courtship Yes faith for she seems to take it very patiently or elce she is so dull a Creature as she is not sensible of any injury that 's done her Adviser How doth she look when you adress and salute your Mistriss Lord Courtship She seems to regard us not but is as if she were in a deep contemplation of another world Adviser I think she is one of the fewest words for I never heard her speak Lord Courtship Faith so few as I am in good hope she is tongue-tyed or will grow dumb Adviser That would be such a happiness as all married men would envy you for Lord Courtship They will have cause for there is nothing so tedious as talking women they speak so constraintly and utter their Nonsence with such formality and ask impertinent questions so gravely or else their discourse is snip snap or so loud and shrill as deafs a mans ears so as a man would never keep them Company if it were not for other reasons Adviser Your Lordship speaks as if you were a woman-hater Lord Courtship O Pardon me for there is no man loves the Sex better than I yet I had rather discourse with their beauty than their wits besides I only speak of generalities not particularities Ex. Scene 16. Enter the Lady Contemplation and Sir Humphrey Interruption INterruption Lady pray make me partaker of some of your conceptions Contempl. My conceptions are like the tongue of an extemporary Oratour that after he hath spoke if he were to speak upon the same subject he could hardly do it if it were not impossible just to speak as he did as to express the same subjects in the same expressions and way of his natural Rhetorick for the sense may be the same but the expressions way of Rhetorick wil hardly be the same but 't is likely will be very different and so differing as not to be like the same but the same premeditated Rhetorick will many times serve to many several designs or preaching pleading or speaking the Theam or cause being altered This is the difference betwixt extemporary Oratory and premeditated Oratory the one may be spoke as many times as an Orator will and make the same Oratory serve to many several Subjects the other being not fixt but voluntary vanishes out of the remembrance the same many times do my conceptions Interrup. But I hope all are not vanished some remain wherefore pray expresse or present any one of your conceptions after what manner of way you please Contempl. Why then I will tell you I had a conception of a Monster as a Creature that had a rational soul yet was a Fool It had had a beautiful and perfect shape yet was deformed and ill-favoured It had clear distinguishing senses and yet was sencelesse It was produced from the Gods but had the nature of a Devil It had an eternal life yet dyed as a Beast It had a body and no body Interrup. What Monster call you this Contempl. I call him Man Interrup. This is a Man of your own conception Contemp. A man of Natures creating is as monstrous for though man hath a rational soul yet most men are fools making no use of their reason and though Man hath a beautiful and perfect shape yet for the most part they make themselves deformed and ill-favoured with antick postures violent passions or brutish vices and man hath clear distinguishing Senses yet in his sleep or with fumes or drink he is sencelesse Man was produced immediately from the Gods yet man being wicked and prone to evil hath by evil wickednesse the nature of a Devil Man 't is said shall live for ever as having an eternal life yet betwixt this life and the other he dyes like a Beast and turns to dust as other Creatures do but the only difference between the man Nature creates and the man my Conceptions create is that Natures man hath a real substance as a real body whereas my conceptive man is only an Idea which is an incorporal man so as the body of my concepted man is as the soul of Natures created man an incorporality Ex. Scene 17. Enter the Lord Title and Mall Mean-bred LOrd Title Well I have lost my first Course in Love and now like an angry bloody Gray-hound I will down with the first I meet were she as innocent as a Dove or as wise as a Serpent down she goes Enter Mall Mean-bred But soft here 's Loves game and I le flye at her Fair One for so you are Mall Mean-bred Truly Sir I am but a Blouse Lord Title Think better of your self and believe me Mall Mean My Father hath told me I must not believe a Gentleman in such matters Lord Title Why sweetest I am a Lord Mall Mean A Lord Lord blesse your Worship then but my Father gave me warning of a Lord he said they might nay say and swear too and do any thing for they were Peers of the Realm there was no medling with them he said without a Rebellion blesse me from a Lord for it is a naughty thing as they say I know not Lo. Title Do you value me so little when I can make you an Apocryphal Lady Mall Mean The Apocrypha forsooth is out of my Book I have been bred purer than to meddle with the Apocrypha the Gods blesse us from it and from all such ill things Lo. Title Well in short will you love me Mall Mean I am so ashamed to love a Lord forsooth that I know not how to behave my self Lo. Title
those back-holders that are the greatest Libertines make the best Husbands Lady Ward 'T is true he is of a noble nature valiant and generous prudent and just and temperate in all delights and free from all other vices but Incontinency civil and obliging to all the world but to me and I could love him better than life could he be constant and only love me as he ought to do a Wife otherwise Death were more pleasing to me Exeunt Scene 10. Enter the Lady Contemplation musing and the Lady Visitant comes to her LAdy Contempl. You were born to do me a mischief Lady Visit. Why how Lady Contempl. Why you have routed an Army Lady Visit. Which way Lady Contempl. I did imagine my self Married my Husband being a General of an Army who had fought many Battels and had won many Victories conquer'd many Nations at last an unfortunate day of Battel being fought my Husband being too active and venturous making lanes of slain bodies as he went and his horse riding thorow Rivers of blood those Rivers rising so high as his horse was forced to swim but the blood growing thick to a jelly obstructed his way which made his horse furious which fury added to his strength forced a passage over a hill or heap of slain bodies but the horses spirits being spent with fury and labour fell strengthless to the ground with my Husband upon his back and being in the midst of his Enemies Army his Enemies seeing him fall ran about him in great numbers and so took him prisoner whereupon his Souldiers soon missing him thought he was kill'd upon which belief their courages grew cold their limbs unactive and their spirits so benumm'd as they all seemed like to a number of stone-statues which unactive dulness gave their Enemies the Day without any after-blows I being in the Camp hearing of my Husbands misfortunes ran with a distracted fear towards the Enemies Camp I being espy'd by some of my Husbands scatter'd Troops was stop'd in the way and so brought back to my Tent again where when I was there some of my Husbands Officers of the Army told me That though the Day was lost yet there was a considerable Body left which I no sooner heard but my spirits took new life and then excusing my fear told those Commanders it was not through fear that made me run out of my Tent for I did not fly from my Enemies but to them and that I sought death and not life and to express my courage I told them That if they would give me leave I would take my Husbands Office and lead the Army They told me that if the rest of the Commanders would agree to it they were well contented So when all the Commanders met together I spake thus unto them Noble Friends and valiant Souldiers you may think it a vain ambition for me to desire to lead your Army especially against so potent an Enemy and being a woman which female Sex are usually unexperienced in Martial Affairs as also by nature fearful which fears may ruine an Army by giving wrong direction causing a confusion through distraction and truly an Army were not to be trusted unto a woman management and ordering if that Records had not given us Precedents which is that Woman have led Armies have fought valiantly themselves and have had good success and not so much by fortunes favour as by their own wise Conduct And to shew that Pallas is a friend unto her own Sex is that in all History there are very few women than can be found that have lost Battels in the field of Wars but many that have won Battels and in all publick Affairs it is to be observed the Gods do generally assist our Sex whereby to shew their own power and to abate the haughty pride of men But to induce you more for men trust not so much unto the Gods as to their own strength is that you are present in all Councels and Actions to assist and direct me besides I am Wife unto your General who was and is an expert Souldier and a valiant man although he now had ill fortune but ill fortune neither lessens valour nor experience but rather increases them This gallant and wise man my Husband and your General his Discourses have been my Tutors and his Example hath and shall be my Guide and if you dare trust me I dare venture otherwise I shall stay in my Tent and pray for your good success After I had left off speaking an old Commander which had served long in the Wars and was much esteemed answered me as thus Noble Lady although your youth doth disswade us yet your beauty and wit doth encourage us for what man although he were possest with fear itself can run away when a fair Lady sights for beauty triumphs in all hearts and commands the whole world wherefore that man that shall or will deny to follow your Command is of a bastard-kind although a lawful Issue With that all the rest of the Commanders cry'd or call'd out that none was so fit to Lead and Command them as I Thus being chosen I call'd a general Muster of my Souldiers and then gave order that some of the broken Regiments should be mended and made up with other broken Regiments also I made new Officers in the room of those that were slain or taken prisoners and after I surveyed my Artillery and Ammunition which done I drew my Army into a Body and after I had given Orders and Directions for the Souldiers to march towards the Enemies Camp which when the Enemy heard of a new Army coming towards them they drew out the Body of their Army in Battel Array But I shunn'd to fight so soon as appeared by reason my Army was tyred with marching wherefore I gave order to Intrench Besides I thought it might give my souldiers more courage when accustomed to the fight and neighbourhood of the Enemies But withall I made some of them give intelligence to the Enemy that a woman led the Army by which they might despise us and so become more negligent by which negligence we might have an advantage In the mean time I sent to Treat of a Peace and to have my Husband set at liberty but the Enemy was so averse to a peace as they returned me both jesting and scornful Answers So when I saw no peace could be made I drew out my Army into Battel Array which when the Enemy perceiv'd they did the like but it will be too tedious at this time to tell the Form and Figures I put my Army into as also what Commanders led or who commanded the Horse or who commanded the Foot that day only let me tell you I led the Van my self and was Accoutred after this manner I had a Masculine Suit and over that a cloth of silver Coat made close to my waste which reached to the ankles of my legs and those Arms I wore being all gilt were Back Brest Gorget
Pot and Gantlet all being made light according as my strength would bear In my hand I carried my Sword for being not accustomed I could not wear a sword by my side as men do but whensoever rested I tyed it to my Saddle-bow and on my Head-piece I wore a great Plume of Feathers As for my Horse he was cole-black only a white star on his fore-head and three white feet my Saddle was crimson Velvet but so imbroidred with silver and gold as the ground could not be seen But when I was mounted I spoke as following unto the common souldiers Worthy Friends and laborous and valiant Souldiers you may justly wonder to see a Woman thus Accoutred like a man and being one of the tender female Sex to be arm'd as a souldier and in a posture to fight a Battel Also you may fear the successe of my Command by reason I am young and unexperienced as also unpractised in the Wars But fear not the gods are with me and will assist me and have promised to give you victory by my Conduct for they will conduct me But the Gods suffer'd the other Battel to be lost because many Victories had made you proud and conceited of your selves and your own valours trusting more to your own strength than to their favours or powers whereupon the Gods destroy'd many of you but since they have taken pity of you drawn to it by your humility whereupon the Gods have commanded me to Lead and Conduct you and they have also commanded me to tell you That if you trust in them and fight couragiously that you shall have Victory and rich Spoils for I heard the common people of which common souldiers were of were apt to be superstitious and to believe in any new reports as also to believe in Miracles Prophecies and the like and withall very covetous all which made me feign my self to be commanded immediately from the Gods and to be sent as from the Gods to command them and to declare such promises to them for all the common souldiers sight for Spoils not for Honour Lady Visitant O but it is not good to dissemble Lady Contempl. Pardon me for without policy which is deceit there can be neither government in peace or war wherefore it is a vertue in a States-man or a Commander to be a dissembler although it be a vice in any other man but you have put me out as you always do and therefore I will tell you no more Lady Visitant Nay pray make an end Lady Contempl. I will not but I could have told you how I kill'd the General of the Enemy with my own hand and how I releas'd my Husband and of such gallant Acts as you never heard the like of Lady Visitant O pray tel me Lady Contempl. Which if I do let me never contemplate more which would be worse than death to me by reason it is the onely pleasure of my life Exeunt ACT III Scene 11. Enter Poor Vertue alone POor Vertue O Love though thou art bred within the Soul yet by the Senses thou art begotten or else by some Opinions for Virtue is but the Tutor or Guide for to instruct or lead thee in a perfect way but though I lead Love right yet may it meet Opposers Exit Scene 12. Enter the Lord Courtship and Doctor Practice LOrd Courts How do you find my Ward Doctor Pract. Truly she is somewhat distemper'd for her wit is very quick Lord Courts That 's it for she being naturally of a dull disposition and of a milde humour and her brain slow of conceits as also unpractis'd in speaking should of a sudden fall into high raptures Doctor Pract. You say true my Lord and it is to be fear'd this distemper will increase Lord Courts Pray Doctor have a regard and care to her distemper for I would not willingly have a Wife that is more mad than natural women are Exeunt Scene 13. Enter Lord Title and Master Inquirer LOrd Title She is not here Enter Poor Virtue with a sheephook in her hand Lord Title O yonder she comes Master Inqui. She hath a garb not like a Farmers Maid but rather one that 's nobly born and her garments though mean sit nearly on her body Master Adviser goeth to her Fair Shepherdess it is a melancholy life you lead Poor Virtue It is a course of life suits best to my condition Master Inqui. You may change this condition if you please Poor Virtue I had rather lie honoured in death than by dishonour raised to glorious state of life Master Inqui. But here you live like a creature not produced by mankind amongst beasts having no conversation by discourse Poor Vir. Want of Speech makes not beasts beasts but want of Reason want of Reason makes a man a beast and speech rather disturbs than benefits the life when silence and pure thoughts make men like Angels whereas speech sometimes expresses men like Devils blaspheming Heaven and God fomenting factions amongst their kind betraying trust friendship cozening innocency flattering vice reproaching virtue and with distractions strives to pull down honour from its feat where silence refines the thoughts elevates the fancy quickens wit strengthens judgment allays anger sweetens melancholy and collects the Reason Master Inqui. Thou art a wonder and for this one Speech I doe adores thee Poor Virtue I should be sorry so worthy a person and so noble a Gentleman as you seem to be should adore my Speech when it might be chance that did produce it and not wit or judgment Master Inqui. Thy speech is like to Orpheus Harp it charms all ears that hear it Poor Virtue I wish my Speech were like a Loadstone to draw the iron hearts of men to pity and compassion to charity and devotion Poor Virtue offers to be gone Lord Title Pray stay and choose me for your Love and let me go along with you Poor Virtue An Amorous Lovers as I believe your Lordship is never walks in sober pace nor hath a constant and assur'd minde for Amorous Lovers run with might and main as if desires were catch'd with haste Poor Virtue goes out Lord Title follows her Master Inquirer alone Master Inqui. I perceive Farmers breed pretty Maids and honest as well as Lambs and Doves and witty and well-behav'd Maids as well as Courts and Cities do O that I were unmaried that I might wed this Sweet Fair Country-maid Enter Mall Mean-bred with a pail in her hand Master Inqui. But stay here comes another by my troth a very pretty Lass but yet her garments sit not so neat nor becoming nor is her behaviour so graceful as the other Maids was Sweet Mistris Mall Mean-bred Pray keep your jeers to your self I am no Mistris Master Inqui. You may be my Mistris if you please and I will be your servant Mall Mean-bred What to do Master Inqui. What you please Mall Mean-bred I am seldome pleased and an idle fellow will anger me more Master Inqui. I
will be very industrious if you please to set me to work Enter Maudlin Huswife her Mother she falls a beating her Maudlin You idle slut do you stand loytering here when it is more than time the Cows were milk'd Mall Mean-bred flings away her milking-pail Mall Mean-bred Go milk them your self with a murrain since you are so light-finger'd Maudlin I will milk your sides first The Mother goeth to beat her again Mall Mean-bred her daughter runs away from her mother she follows her running to catch her Master Inqui. I marry Sir this is right as a Farmers daughter should be but in my Conscience the other Maid that was here before her is a bastard begot by some Gentleman Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Sir John Argument and the Lady Conversation LAdy Conversa. Let me tell you Sir Iohn Argument Love delivers up the whole Soul to the thing beloved and the truth is none but one soul can love another Argum. But Justice Madam must be the rule of Love wherefore those souls which Love must give the bodies leave to joyn Conversat. O no pure souls may converse without gross bodies Argument Were it not for the Senses Madam souls could have no acquaintance and without an acquaintance there can be no reciprocal affection and will you make the Senses which are the souls chief confidence to be strangers or enemies Conversat. I would have them converse but not interrupt Argum. The bodies must have mutual friendship and correspondency with each other or otherwise they may dissemble or betray the souls or abuse the trust loose appetites or wandring senses or contrary humours and what can interrupt Love more than the disagreement of bodies Conversat. The Senses and Appetites of the Body are but as subject to the Soul Argument But 't is impossible for Forein Princes as I will compare two loving souls unto can live in peace and mutual amity if their subjects disagree Enter Mistris Troublesome Conversat. O Mistris Troublesome you are welcome for you shall end the dispute between Sir Iohn Argument and I Troublesome If you cannot decide the Dispute your selves I shall never do it But what is the Dispute Madam Conversat. Whether there can be a perfect friendship of Souls without a reciprocal and mutual conversation and conjunctions of Bodies Troublesome Faith Madam I think it would be a very faint friendship betwixt the Souls without the Bodies Conversat. I perceive Sir Iohn Argument and you would never make Platonick Lovers Troublesome Faith Madam I think Platonick is a word without sense Argument You say right Mistris Troublesome it is an insensible love Conversat. It is the Soul of Love Troublesome What 's that Madam a Ghost or Spirit Conversat. Indeed it hath no material body Argument No for it is an incorporal thing Troublesome What is an incorporal thing Sir Iohn Argument Why nothing Troublesome Pray leave this discourse or else you will talk nonsense Argument That 's usual in Conversation Conversat. Setting aside this discourse at Mistris Troublesomes request Pray tell me how the Lady Contemplation doth Troublesome Faith Madam by the course of her life one might think she were an incorporal thing Conversat. Why Troublesome Because she makes but little use of her Body living always within her Minde Conversat. Then her Body stands but as a Cypher amongst the Figures of her thoughts Troublesome Just so by my Troth Conversat. Pray bring me acquainted with the Lady Contemplation Troublesome If it be possible I will but the Lady Visitant can do it better than I Conversat. I am resolv'd I will visit her Exeunt Scene 15. Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Ward LOrd Courtship What is your passion over Lady Ward My passion will strive to maintain my honour and you may take my life but as long as I live my passion will fight in the quarrel But what man of honour will make a Bawd of her he intends to make his Wife and what man of honour will be cruel to those that are weak helplesse and shiftlesse and what man of honour will be uncivil to the meanest of our Sex It is more noble to flatter us than to quarrel with us but that I have heard you are valiant I should think you were a base coward and such a one that would quarrel in a Brothel-house rather than fight in a Battel But I perceive you are one that loves Pleasure more than Honour and Life more than Fame and I hate to be in that mans company or to make a Husband whose courage lies in Voluptousness and his life in Infamy I will sooner marry Death than such a man The Lady Ward goes out Lord Courtship alone Lord Courts Her words have shot through my soul and have made a sensible wound therein How wisely she did speak how beautiful appear'd Her minde is full of honour and the actions of her life are built upon noble principles so young so wise so fair so chaste and I to use her so basely as I have done O how I hate my self for doing so unworthily Exit Scene 16. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely and Poor Virtue EFfemin. Lovely The more ground is troden on the easier the path to walk in Poor Virtue It seems so that you visit me so often Effem. Lovely Why thou art such sweet company and behav'st thy self so prettily as I cannot choose but visit thee Poor Virtue I would if I could behave my self so to the world as my indiscretion might not defame me Effem. Lovely Why do you think of a Fame Poor Virtue VVhy not since fame many times arises from poor Cottages as well as from great Palaces witness the Country labouring-man that was taken from the plough and made an Emperour as being thought sittest to rule both for Justice and VVisedome and he was more famous than those that were born of an Heroick Line and were of Royal dignity and David a shepherd became a King 'T is Merit that deserves a fame not Birth and sometimes Merit hath its desert though but seldome Effem. Lovely Thy discourse would tempt any man Poor Virtue Mistake not my discourse it hath no such devilish design for to tempt is to pervert 'T is true my Nature takes delight to delight and please others and not to crosse or displease any yet not to tempt or to delude with counterfeit demeanors or fair insinuating words smooth speech or oiled tongue to draw from Virtues side but to perswade and plead in Virtues cause Effem. Lovely Thy very looks would gain a cause before thy tongue could plead Poor Virtue Alas mans countenance is like the Sea which ebbs and flows as passion moves the minde Effem. Lovely I am sure Love moves my minde and makes it in a fiery heat Poor Virtue If it be noble Love it is like the Sun which runs about to give both light and heat to all the world that else would sit in darknesse and be both cold and steril so doth a noble minde run with industry to
pure Gold and Innocency as Marble white and Constancy as undissolving Diamonds and Modesty as Rubies red Love shall the Altar be and Piety as Incense sweet ascend to Heaven Truth as the Oil shall feed the Lamp of Memory whereby the flame of Fame shall never goe out Exit Sir Golden Riches alone Sir Gold Rich. And is She gone are Riches of no force Then I wil bury my self within the bowels of the Earth so deep that men shall never reach me nor Light shall find me out Exit Scene 22. Enter Mistris Messenger and the Lady Amorous's woman and Lord Courtship MIstris Messenger My Lord my Lady the Lady Amourous remembers her Service to you and sent me to tell you her Husband is gone out of Town and She desires to have the happiness of your company Lord Courtship Pray present my Service in the humblest manner to your Lady and pray her to excuse me for though I cannot say I am sick yet I am far from being well Mistris Messen. I shall my Lord Exeunt Scene 23. Enter the Lord Title and then enters a Servant to him SErvant My Lord there is an old man without desires to speak with you Lord Title Direct him hither Servant goes out Enter Old Humanity Lord Title Old man what have you to say to me Old Humanity I am come to desire your Lordship not to persecute a poor young Maid one that is friendless and your Lordship is powerful and therefore dangerous Lord Title What poor Maid do you mean Old Human. A Maid call'd Poor Virtue Lord Title Do you know her Old Human. Yes Lord Title Are you her Father Old Human. No I am her servant and have been maintain'd by her Noble Family these threescore years and upwards Lord Title Ha her Noble Family what or who is She Old Humanity She is a Lady born from a Noble Stock and hath been choisely bred but ruin'd by misfortunes which makes her poorly serve Lord Title Alas he weeps Who were her Parents Old Human. The Lord Morality and the Lady Piety Lord Title Sure it cannot be But why should I doubt her Beauty Wit and sweet Demeanour declares her Noble Pedigree The Lord Morality was a Famous man and was a great Commander and wise in making Lawes and prudent for the Common Good He was a Staff and Prop unto the Common-wealth til Civil Wars did throw it down where he fell under it But honest friend how shall I know this for a truth Old Human. Did not your Lordship hear he had a Child Lord Title Yes that I did an only Daughter Old Human. This is She I mention and if Times mend will have her Fathers Estate as being her Fathers Heir but to prove it and her Birth I will bring all those servants that liv'd with her and with her Father and all his Tenants that will witness the truth Lord Title When I consider and bring her and her Actions to my minde I cannot doubt the truth and for the news thou shalt be my Adopted Father and my Bosome-friend I 'll be a staff for thy Old Age to lean upon my shoulders shall give strength unto thy feeble limbs and on my neck shalt lay thy restless head Old Human. Heaven bless you and I shall serve you as my Old Age will give me leave Exit Lord Title leading him forth Scene 24. Enter Lord Courtship and the Lady VVard LOrd Courts Thou Celestial Creature do not believe that I am so presumptuous to ask thy love I only beg thy pardon that when my body lies in the silent grave you give my restless soul a pass and leave to walk amongst sad Lovers in dark and gloomy shades and though I cannot weep to shew my penitence yet I can bleed He offers her a Dagger Here take this Instrument of Death for only by your hands I wish to die Give me as many Wounds as Pores in skin That I may bleed sufficient for my sin Lady VVard It seems strange to me that you a wise man or at least accounted so should fall into such extreams as one while to hate me to death and now to profess to love me beyond life Lord Courts My Debaucheries blinded my Judgment nor did I know thy worth or my own errour until thy wise wit gave the light to my dark understanding and you have drawn my bad life and all my unworthy actions therein so naturally in your discourse as now I view them I do hate my self as much as you have cause to hate me Lady VVard I only hate your Crimes but for those excellent Qualities and true Virtues that dwell in your Soul I love and honour and if you think me worthy to make me your Wife and will love me according as my honest life will deserve your affections I shall be proud of the Honour and thank Fortune or Heaven for the Gift Lord Courts Sure you cannot love me and the World would condemn you if you should and all your Sex will hate you Lady VVard The World many times condemns even Justice her self and women for the most part hate that they should love and honour Lord Courts But can you love me Lady VVard I can and do love you Lord Courts How happy am I to enjoy a world of Beauty Wit Virtue and sweet Graces Leads her forth Exeunt Scen. 25. Enter the Lord Title and Roger Farmer and Maudlin Huswife his Wife LOrd Title Honest Roger and Maudlin I present you with a kind Good-morrow Roger Present me Bless your Lordship I should present you with a couple of Capons Lord Title 'T is a salutation when you salute but how do you then Roger Very well I thank your Honour How do you Lord Title Well enough of Complements I am come with a Petition to you Roger What is that is 't please your Honour Lord Title A Sute Roger Byrlaken I have need of one for I have but poor and bare cloathing on Lord Title No Roger it is a request and desire I have you should grant Roger Grant or to Farm let no Sir I will not part with my Lease Lord Title Roger you understand me not therefore let me speak with Maudlin your Wife Roger There she is Sir spare her not for she is good metal I 'll warrant your Honour wipe your lips Maudlin and answer him every time that he moves thee and give him as good as he brings Maudlin were he twenty Lords hold up your head Maudlin be not hollow Maudlin I 'll warrant you Husband I 'll satisfie him Lord Title Honest Maudlin Maudlin That 's more than your Lordship knows Lord Title Why then Maudlin Maudlin That 's my name indeed Lord Title You have a maid here in your house Maudlin I hope so forsooth but I will not answer for no Virgin in this wicked world Roger Well said Maudlin Nay your Honour will get nothing of my Maudlin I 'll warrant you Lord Title Well this supposed Maid is Poor Virtue that 's her name
is for the most part obtains it Thus men become slaves to the distaff for quietness sake otherwise there is such quarrels and brawleries that his house and home that should be his Couch of Ease his Bed of Rest his peaceable Haven or haven of Peace is for the most part his couch of thorns his bed of cares his hell of torments or tormenting hell and his whole Family are like a tempestuous Sea where Passions hurl into Factions and rise in waves of discontent But when men have an absolute power over their wives they force them into quiet obedience and where men have many Wives Concubines and Slaves the women are humbled into a submission each woman striving which should be most serviceable and who can get most love and favour and as for Bastards they are as much the Fathers children as those that are got in Wedlock Censure But it is likely that Concubines and slaves will be false and father their children on those that never begot them Sensuality Why so may Wives and 't is most probable they do so but as other Nations do allow many Wives Concubines and slaves so they give men power and rule to govern and restrain them and the men are so wise in other Nations as they suffer no other men but themselves to come neer them hardly to look at the outside of their Seraglio's as that part of the house they are lodged in Censure Thou hast spoke so well and hast made so learned a Speech for many Wives Concubines and slaves as I am converted and will if thou wilt travel into such Kingdomes as allow such numbers and varieties that I may be naturalliz'd to their liberties Exeunt Scene 6. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Monsieur Inquisitive INquisitive What is the reason Monsieur Satyrical you do not marry Satyrical The reason Monsieur Inquisitive is that I cannot find a wife fit for me Inquisitive Why there are women of all Ages Births Humours Statures Shapes Complexions Features Behaviours and Wits But what think you of marrying the Lady Nobilissimo Satyrical She is a Lady that out-reaches my Ambition Inquisitive What think you of the Lady Bellissimo Satyrical She is a Lady for Admiration and not for use Inquisitive What think you of marrying the Lady Piety Satyrical She is a Lady to be pray'd unto as a Saint not to be imbraced as wife Inquisitive What think you of the Lady Modesty Satyrical She is a Lady that will not only quench amorous love but the free matrimonial love Inquisitive What do you think of the Lady Sage Satyrical She is a Lady to rule as a Husband and not to be ruled as a Wife Inquisitive What think you of the Lady Politick Satyrical She is a Lady fitter for Counsel than for Mariage Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Ceremony Satyrical She is a Lady fitter for a Princely Throne than the Mariage-bed Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Poetical Satyrical She is a Lady fitter for Contemplation than Fruition Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Humility Satyrical She is a Lady sooner won than enjoy'd Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Sprightly Satyrical She is a Lady that will disquiet my rest being fitter for dancing than sleeping Inquisitive What say to the Lady Prodigal Satyrical She is a Lady I might feast with but could not thrive with Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Vanity Satyrical She is a Lady too various and extravagant for my humour Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Victoria Satyrical She is a Lady I had rather hear of than be inslaved by Inquisitive VVhat say you to the Lady Innocent Youth Satyrical She is a Lady that may please with imbracing but not with conversing she is fitter for love than for company for Cupid than for Pallas for sport than for counsel Inquisitive VVhat say you to the Lady Wanton Satyrical She is fitter for an hour than for an Age Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Poverty Satyrical She is fitter for my Charity than my Family Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Ill-favoured Satyrical She is a Lady fitter for a Nunnery than a Nursery for Beads than for Children Inquisitive What say you to the Lady Weakly Satyrical She is fitter for Death than for Life for Heaven than the World Inquisitive By your Answers I perceive you will not Marry Satyrical Have I not reason when I can finde such Answers from the Sex Inquisitive But the Gods have commanded Mariage Satyrical But Saints doe choose a single life and in case of Mariage I will sooner follow the Example of the Saints than the commands of the Gods Exeunt Scene 7. Enter Madamoiselle Ambition Superbe Bon' Esprit Pleasure Portrait Faction Grave Temperance and Mother Matron GRave Temperance Ladies what think you of good Husbands Portrait I think well of good Husbands Bon' Esprit But it is a question whether good Husbands will think well of us Faction I think good Husbands may be in our thoughts but not actually in the World Ambition I am of your opinion they may be mention'd in our words but not found in our lives Pleasure Faith we may hear of good husbands and read of good wives but they are but Romances Portrait You say right for we may as soon finde an Heroick Lover and see all his impossible Actions out of a Romance Book as a good Husbands but as for Wives I will not declare my Opinion Bon' Esprit Nor I but were there such men that would make good husbands it were as difficult to get them as for a Romantick Lover to get his Mistris out of an Inchanted Castle Pleasure For my part I had rather die a Maid than take the pains to get a good Husband Superbe I wonder our Sex should desire to Marry for when we are unmaried we are sued and sought to and not only Mistris of our selves but our Suters But when we are maried we are so far from being Mistrisses as we become slaves Pleasure The truth is there is no Act shews us or rather proves us to be so much fools as we are as in marrying for what greater folly can there be than to put our selves to that condition which will force us to sue to power when before that voluntary slavery we were in a condition to use power and make men sue to us Ambition We must confess when we well consider it is very strange since every Creature naturally desires and strives for preheminency as to be superiour and not inferiour for all Creatures indeavour to command and are unwilling to obey for it is not only Man but even the Beasts of the Field the Birds of the Air and the Fishes in the Sea and not only Beasts Birds and Fish but the Elements those creatures inhabite in strive for superiority only Women who seem to have the meanest souls of all the Creatures Nature hath made for women are so far from indeavouring to get power as they voluntarily
Satyrical alone SAtyrical I am resolv'd yet being a Criminal how to address my Sute I am in doubt To ask pardon for my faults were to make my faults seem greater than they are to excuse them were to make my judgment seem weaker than I think it is to justifie them were to condemn her Well I will neither ask pardon nor make excuse nor yet justifie them but in plain language declare my pure Affections honest Desires and honourable Requests if she believes the first approves the third and consents to the second I hope to be happy if not I must be content for it is a folly to mourn when it brings no remedy Exit Scene 35. Enter Bon' Esprit Portrait Faction Ambition Superbe Mother Matron FAction The Lady Variety now she is a Widow she tricks and dresses up her self in her Mourning and is more fond of the company of men than we that are Maids Bon' Esprit 'T is a sign she knows by Experience that the Masculine Sex are better and more pleasurable company than any of her own Sex which Maids do not know by reason they are for the most part restrain'd Portrait Why should you find fault with Widows when maried Wives indeavour by all the Arts they can to get the company of men and do strive by inticements to allure them to Courtships as much as Widows or Maids to lawful and honest Mariage Ambition One would think that maried women by their neglect and disrespect to their Husbands they loved not the company of men Superbe They may love the company of men though not the company of one man as their Husbands Matron Come come Ladies Maids are always spiteful to Maried Women because they be preferred in Mariage before them and are jealous of Widows for fear that they should get their Servants and Suters from them Faction I should sooner be jealous of a Widow than spightful to a Maried Wife for most Wives are in a condition to be pity'd rather than envy'd but Widows have such a magnetick power as one Widow will draw away the Servants and Suters from a dozen Maids Bon' Esprit Indeed Widows are very prevalent for a poor widow shall have more Suters and better Choice than a rich Maid and an ill-favour'd Widow than a handsome Maid an old Widow than a young Virgin Ambition I wonder at it Faction Why should you wonder at it since they know the humours weaknesses and strengths of men better than Maids do by which they know how to work and draw them to their bent and design Bon' Esprit No that 's not the Cause Faction What 's the Cause then Bon' Esprit Why men think VVidows wiser than Maids as being more known and experienc'd Portrait Indeed they have more knowledge than Maids or else they have very ill luck Ambition VVhy Maids are more desirous to marry VVidowers than Batchelours Superbe VVhat is the reason of that Bon' Esprit I know not except it be the former reason Faction No no it is because it is said that VVidowers love their second wives better than the first Portrait And what their third wife Faction I suppose Love increaseth with the number Ambition But women 't is said love their first husband better than the second Superbe That 's only an excuse to marry a third and so a fourth Husband Bon' Esprit Indeed Death and Hymen are great friends to VVidows and VVidowers for if once a woman buries her husband or a man his wife they never leave marying and burying until they have had five or six husband and wives Faction If it were always so I would I had been maried and had buried my husband O what a Gossipping life should I have had Gossipping at my husbands Funerals and Gossipping at my Maried Nuptials besides the pleasure of being woo'd Bon' Esprit But you would have more trouble and vexation in the time between your Mariage-day and your Husbands Death than pleasure betwixt your Husbands Death and Mariage-day Faction O no for I suppose if Death be a friend he will take away every Husband as soon as that time is past they call Hony-moneth Enter Monsieur Inquisitive Inquisitive Ladies I will tell you News Portrait What News Inquisitive The young Widow the Lady Variety hath the Small Pox Faction That 's no Newes for all sorts of Diseases are too frequent to be News If they were it would be happy for all animal creatures if diseases were strangers Inquisitive But it is News that she should have them Faction It is in respect of a new face or otherwise not for all mankind in these parts of the World have that disease at one time or other if they live to 't Inquisitive Truly I pity her Ambition I hope she is not in such a condition to be pitied for pity is a kin to scorn as near as Cousin-germans for reproach and shame are brother and sister and scorn is the son of reproach and pity is the daughter of shame But although the Small Pox may set marks of deformity they set none of dishonour they only mark the Body not the Soul and that is only to be accounted shame and to be asham'd of as the infirmities of the Soul for which they may be pitied Inquisitive That deserves scorn Ambition Baseness only deserves scorn and not infirmities loss or misfortunes but there is a difference betwixt infirmities losse misfortunes baseness and wickedness Infirmities proceed directly from Nature Losse from Possession Misfortunes from Interpositions Baseness from that creature called Man and Wickedness from Devils The first is caused by the carelesness of Nature the second by the lack of Power the third by the necessity of Fate the fourth by the corruption of Man the last by the perswasion and temptation of the Devil The first second and third are not to be avoided the fourth not to be practised the fifth not to be followed nor fostered The first is to be pitied the second to be grieved for the third to be lamented for the fourth to be scorned and the fifth to be hated and abhorred Thus we may grieve for the loss of her Beauty but not pity her having no natural defect in the Soul which is the Understanding and the Rational part Inquisitive But Sickness is a natural defect Ambition No Sickness is no more a natural defect than Time or Death Life or Growth for they are only Natural Effects but not Natural Defects Exeunt Scene 36. Enter Madamoiselle Pleasure Wanton Surfet Idle Excess her Maids They all weep ALl speak Pray turn us not out of your Service for one fault Pleasure Why you are the ground wherein all Mischief is sown and whereon all Vice grows besides you are the only Bawds for Adultery Wanton No indeed the chief Bawds to Adultery are publick Meetings of all kinds either Divine Customary Triumphant or Recreative Also Bravery whether Ceremonious Gallantry or Magnificency Likewise Beauty Wit Diligence Observance and rich Presents besides Jealousie and
the wisest man as Solomon the wittiest man as David the strongest man as Sampson the fairest man as Paris of Troy the valiantest man as Achilles the subtilest man as Ulysses the power-fullest men as Alexander and Caesar Faction By your favour Women never made a Conquest of the two latter and therefore cannot be said to be absolute Conquerors for none are absolute Conquerors but those that conquer power that is those that get absolute dominion over all the World which Alexander and Caesar are said to have done by their Valour and Conduct and never any Woman or Women conquer'd those men as to get them to yield up their power for a womans sake which shews they were not rul'd by women although they lov'd women by which it is to be proved that women never made an absolute Conquest of men because they could never conquer absolutely those two absolute Conquerors and Masters of the World Pleasure But Livia Conquer'd Augustus Caesar and Ruled his Power and he was as absolute a Master of the Worlds Power as Iulius Caesar and Alexander Faction He was rather to be said the Possessor of the Worlds power than the absolute Conqueror of the Worlds power Superbe It is as good to be a Conqueress of the possessor of power as to conquer the Conqueror of power Ambition It is as good for the Benefit but not so much for the Honour of it Portrait But Alexander nor Caesar lived not so long a time as to be Conquer'd by women for women must have time and opportunity for to gain the Conquest in as well as men have Faction If Alexander and Caesar must have been old before they possibly could have been conquer'd it proves that women do rather conquer Age than power weakens the strength and the truth is women conquer nothing but the vices weaknesses and defects of men As they can conquer an unexperienc'd Youth and doting Age ignorant Breeding effeminate Natures wavering Minds facile Dispositions soft Passions wanton Thoughts unruly Appetites and the luxurious Lives of men but they cannot conquer mens fix'd Resolutions their heroick Valours their high Ambitions their magnificent Generosities their glorious Honours or their conquering or over-ruling Powers Nor can women conquer their moral Vertues as their Prudence Fortitude Justice and Temperance But put the case a man had the power of the whole World and could quit that power for the enjoyment of any particular woman or women yet he quits not that power for the womans sake but for his minds-sake his pleasure-sake as to satisfie his Fancy Passion or Appetites And what Conquest soever Women make on Men if any Conquest they do make is more by the favour of Nature than the Gods Ambition Well I wish I may be the Conqueress of one man let the favour proceed from which it will Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Ease Wanton and Idle EAse There hath been such a Skirmish or rather a Battel Idle How and betwixt whom Ease Why betwixt Grave Temperance and Mother Matron Idle What was the cause of their falling out Ease Why Mother Matron had a spic'd pot of Ale in her hand so she set it to her mouth and drank a hearty draught of it and finding it very good and refreshing drank another draught By my faith said she this is a cheerly cup indeed and a comfortable drink and with that drank another draught and so long-winded she was as she drank up all the Ale therein Whereupon Grave Temperance rebuked her for drinking so much saying that though a little as one draught or so might refresh the Spirits yet a great quantity would make her drunk Whereupon Mother Matron who could not then suffer a reproof in anger she flung the pot which was still in her hand at Grave Temperance's head Idle It was a sign she had drank all the good liquor out or otherwise she would not have throvvn the pot avvay Ease It was a sign she was drunk or else she would not have done so outragious an act as to have broke Grave Temperances head Enter Mother Matron as half drunk and scolding Matron Reprove me teach me Have not I liv'd long enough in the World to be able to govern my self but Temperance must govern me Am I a Child am I a Novice that I must be governed by Temperance No no let her go to Nunneries and let her be the Lady Prioress to govern Nuns for yfaith she shall not Prior me Idle Not Frier you do you say Matron No nor Nunn me neither for I will be neither Fryerd nor Nunn'd Ease Why what will you be Matron Why what should I be but as I am a wise sober and discreet Governess to a company of young Ladies Ladies that love the World better than Heaven and hate a Nunnery worse than Death and by my Faith they have reason for liberty is the joy of life and the World is the place of sensual pleasures and sensual pleasures are substantial and in being when the pleasures after death are uncertain but if they were certain yet I had rather have a draught of Ale in this World than a draught of Nectar in the next Idle This Ale hath heat her into a Poetical height Matron What do you say into a pots head Idle No I say your head is a pot filled with the fume of Ale Matron What have you to do with my head Ease What had you to do with Grave Temperances head Matron I would Temperances grave head were in your throat and then there would be two fools heads one within another Idle Come let 's leave her or she will talk her self into a fit of madnesse Ease and Idle go out Matron alone Matron A couple of Gill-flirts to heat me thus Exit Scene 5. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit SAtyrical Dear Mistris have you freely pardon'd and forgiven me my faults Bon' Esprit Yes Satyrical But will you not reprove me for them hereafter Bon' Esprit In a pardon all faults ought to be forgiven if not forgotten and no repetitions ought to be made of the same for a clear pardon and a free forgiveness blots out all offences or should do so But you imagine your offences greater than they are and by your doubts I to be of less good nature than I am Satyrical There are none that have offended what they love but fears and hopes and doubts sight Duels in their Minds Bon' Esprit Banish those doubts and let the hopes remain to build a confident belief to keep out jealousie otherwise it will take possession and destroy at least disturb affection Satyrical Not my affection to you Exeunt Scene 6. Enter Superbe Ambition and Portrait FAction For Heavens sake let 's go see Mother Matron for 't is said she 's mad-drunk Ambition If she be mad-drunk she 's rather to be shunn'd than sought after Superbe Why do not we give money to see mad people in Bedlam and we may see her for nothing Ambition Those people
the way to try their constancy Temperance For my part if it were in my power to choose I would rather have Wit than Beauty for Wit pleaseth the Ear both longer and more than Beauty pleaseth the Sight and the sound of the one spreads farther than the sight of the other Besides Wit recreates the Mind and entertains the Reason Beauty only the Sense and but one sense as the sight when Wit is a companion not only to the sense of Hearing but the soul of Understanding and it is not only a delightful Companion but a subtil Observer an ingenious Inventer an excellent Artificer a politick Counsellour a powerful Commander a prudent Ruler and a divine Creator it observes all natures works it invents all useful Arts it frames all Common-wealths it guides the Senses rules the Appetites commands the Passions counsels the Thoughts regulates the Opinions creates the Conceptions Imaginations and Fancies it builds Poetical Castles and makes Gardens of Rhetorick and makes the sound Harmonical playing with words as on musical Instruments Besides Wit continues to old Age when Beauty vades in a year or two Superbe Come come Temperance if you were young you would prefer Beauty before a Wit by which you might get more pleasure by the one than profit by the other But all our Sex when they grow in years desire to be thought Wits when they can no longer be thought Beauties which makes them dispute for Wit and dispraise Beauty by undervaluing it Enter Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit Pleasure Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit you are welcom for we long to hear the success of your design since we have heard that Monsieur Satyrical hath been to visit you hath he not Bon' Esprit Yes Ambition But have you catch'd him Bon' Esprit Sure enough Portrait Then strangle him with Cupids bow-string Faction Hang him that 's not punishment enough Superbe No but when he 's a confirm'd Lover report he 's mad Ambition We shall not need to report that for when he is a confirm'd Lover he will do such ridiculous actions and behave himself so extravagantly vain and so constrainly foolish and speak such non-sense in striving to speak beyond the power of words insomuch as all that hear and see him will swear he 's mad Pleasure They will swear nothing but the truth for all Lovers are mad more or less But Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit are you sure you have him in Cupids snare Bon' Esprit I do verily believe I have him in Loves bonds Portrait O how I joy to think how we shall triumph Superbe What shall our Triumphant-Chariot be Faction Scorns scorns set on the wheels of laughter drawn by a company of lame sore scurvy words Bon' Esprit Will you have your Triumphant-Chariot drawn by a company of foolish words that will be as bad and as much disgrace as lean-jaded horses in a brave gilded Coach Pleasure No no sprightly jests were better Bon' Esprit They may chance to run you out of the field of Civility at least out of the right ways of Wit Ambition Let them run where they will so they carry his reproach with them Bon' Esprit Will you carry this reproach along with you and leave him behind you Faction We will carry his reproach about the World Bon' Esprit While you bear the burthen he will rest at home in ease and peace in his mind Faction Good Lord what makes you thus to contradict our Designs Bon' Esprit I do not contradict your Designs but shew you the Errour of your Conduct Pleasure Why then conduct us better Bon' Esprit So I shall if you will give me leave for I shall conduct you through the fair ways of peace and not through the foul ways of malice which are myery and deep with revenge in which you may stick or be thrown in disgrace but I will carry you through the sweet Meadows of good Nature wherein runs clear Rivulets of Charity in which you may bathe your selves under the fruitful trees of good works and take the fresh Air of Applause and be cool'd with the soft winds of Praise Thus wash'd cleans'd and refresh'd you will be fit to enter into the Palace of Fame Faction Heyday where will your Tongue carry us Bon' Esprit As high as it can even to the House of Fame which stands on the highest pinacle of Heaven Ambition Let me examine you Are you not carry'd by love to the top of Parnassus Hill Superbe By Iupiter she that went to catch Love is catch'd by Love her self Portrait Venus forbid for that would be such a disgrace as we shall be never able to pull off or rub out Bon' Esprit What you cannot rub out or pull off you must be content to wear with patience Exit Bon' Esprit Pleasure I suspect her Ambition I confess I doubt her Superbe I fear your doubts Faction I am confident we have lost her striving to catch him Portrait Let us follow her and examine her Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Monsieur Sensuality and Monsieur Censure SEnsuality I hear that thou intend'st to be a marry'd man shortly Censure Yes faith I am going to put my neck into the nooze Sensuality Nay if you nooze it hang it for the nooze of mariage is ten times worse than the halter of death Censure I am not of your Opinion Sensuality Why then thou art not of a wise opinion for in Death there is no trouble and in Mariage no quiet Censure A single life is melancholy being solitary Sensuality So I perceive rather than you 'l want company thou wilt associate thy self with cares and vexations Censure No I will associate my self with Wife and Children Sensuality Well let me tell you if that thou marriest a hundred to one but thou wilt be a Cuckold Censure I hope not Sensuality How canst thou have hopes when that the Gods are Cuckolds wherefore 't is impossible mortal men should escape Censure All the Gods are not so it is but only limping Vulcan that is one Sensuality Pardon me for if their divine Wives make them not Cuckolds yet their humane Wives do Censure But the Gods marry not humane creatures Sensuality But humane creatures marry the Gods and that is all one for in all Religions there are Nuns are the Gods humane wives and did not Cataline Cuckold the Gods when he lay with a Vestal Nun And many more are mentioned in Story and you may well believe all are not Recorded Censure Well if the Gods be Cuckolds I may have the less cause to murmur if I should be one for it is an honour to be like the God Sensuality VVell I wish as thy friend that thou mayst flourish in that Honour Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 19. Enter Ambition Faction Pleasure Portrait Superbe Temperance as following Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit PLeasure VVe do not like your dark Answers for Truth is clear Ambition Confess have you deceived us or not Bon' Esprit I have not deceived you for you did intrust me to
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
light from the Sun or the World from its Center or the fix'd Stars from their assigned places than draw away love from him Sensible Why how if he will not have you Amor I can only say I shall be unhappy Sensible I hope you will be wiser than to make your self miserable for one you cannot have to be your Husband Exeunt Scene 27. Enter many of Monsieur Malateste's Servants writing against their Master and Ladies comming home Enter Monsieur Malateste and his Lady SErvants Heaven give your Worship joy and our noble Lady Madam Mal. What is this your best House Monsieur Mal. Yes and is it not a good one Sweet Madam Mal. Fie upon it I hate such an old-fashiond House wherefore pray pull it down and build another more fashionable as that there may be a Bell-view and Pergalus round the outside of the Horse also Arched Gates Pillars and Pilasters and carved Frontispeeces with Antick Imagery also I would have all the lower rooms vaulted and the upper rooms flat-roof'd painted and gilded and the Planchers checker'd and inlaid with silver the Stair-case to be large and winding the steps broad and low as shallow then to take in two or three Fields about your House to make large Gardens wherein you may plant Groves of Mirtle as also to make Walks of green Turf and those to be hanging and shelving as if they hung by Geometry also Fountains and Water-works and those Water-works to imitate those Birds in Winter that only sing in Summer Monsieur Mal. But this will cost a great summ of money Wise Madam Mal. That 's true Husband but to what use is money unless to spend Monsieur Mal. But it ought to be spent prudently Madam Mal. Prudently say you why Prudence and Temperance are the Executioners of Pleasure and Murtherers of Delight wherefore I hate them as also this covetous humour of yours Exeunt Monsieur Malateste and his Wife 1 Servant I marry Sir here is a Lady indeed for she talks of pulling down this House before she hath throughly seen it and of building up another 2 Servant If you will have my opinion the old servants must go down as well as the old house 3 Servant I believe so for she look'd very scornfully upon us nor spoke not one word either good or bad to us 4 Servant Well come let us go about our imployments and please as long as we can and when we can please no longer we must seek other Services Exeunt Scene 28. Enter Monsieur Frere and Madam Soeur MAdam Soeur Do not pursue such horrid Acts as to Whore your Sister Cuckold your Brother-in-Law dishonour your Father and brand your life and memory with black infamy Good Brother consider what a world of misery you strive to bring upon your self and me Frere Dear Sister pity me and let a Brothers pleading move your heart and bury not my youth in Death before the natural time Soeur 'T is better you should die and in the grave be laid than live to damn your soul Frere To kill my self will be as bad a crime Soeur O no for Death any way is more honourable than such a life as you would live Exeunt Scene 29. Enter the two Gentlemen 1 Gent. FRiend prethee tell me why you do not marry 2 Gent. Because I can find no woman so exact as I would have a Wife to be for first I would not have a very tall woman for the appears as if her soul and body were mis-match'd as to have a pigmy soul and a gyantly body 1 Gent. Perchance her soul is answerable to her body 2 Gent. O no for it is a question whether women have souls or no but for certain if they have they are of a dwarfish kind Neither would I have a wife with a masculine strength for it seems praeposterous to the softness and tenderness of their Sex neither would I have lean wife for she will appear always to me like the picture of Death had she but a sythe and hour-glass in her hand for though we are taught to have always Death in our Mind to remember our End yet I would not have Death always before my Eyes to be afraid of my End But to have a very lean wife were to have Death in my Arms as much as in my Eyes and my Bed would be as my Grave 1 Gent. Your Bed would be a warm Grave 2 Gent. Why man though Death is cold the Grave is hot for the Earth hath heat though Death hath none 1 Gent. What say you to a fat woman 2 Gent. I say a fat woman is a bed-fellow only for the Winter and not for the Summer and I would have such a woman for my Wife as might be a nightly companion all the year 1 Gent. I hope you would not make your Wife such a constant bed-fellow as to lie always together in one bed 2 Gent. Why not 1 Gent. Because a mans stomack or belly may ake which will make wind work and the rumbling wind may decrease love and so your wife may dislike you and dislike in time may make a Cuckold 2 Gent. By your favour it increases Matrimonial Love 't is true it may decrease Amorous Love and the more Amorous Love increases the more danger a man is in for Amorous Love even to Husbands is dangerous for that kind of Love takes delight to progress about when Matrimonial Love is constant and considers Nature as it is Besides a good Wife will not dislike that in her Husband which she is subject to her self but howsoever I will never marry unless I can get such a Wife as is attended by Virtue directed by Truth instructed by Age on honest grounds and honourable principles which Wife will neither dislike me nor I her but the more we are together the better we shall love and live as a maried pair ought to live and not as dissembling Lovers as most maried couples do 1 Gentlem. What think you of choosing a Wife amongst the Sociable Virgins 2 Gent. No no I will choose none of them for they are too full of discourse for I would have a Wife rather to have a listning Ear than a talking Tongue for by the Ear she may receive wise instructions and so learn to practise that which is noble and good also to know my desires as to obey my will when by speaking muck she may express her self a fool for great Talkers are not the wisest Practisers Besides her restless Tongue will disturb my Contemplations the Tranquillity of my Mind and the peace quiet and rest of my Life Exeunt Scene 30. Enter Madam Malateste and another Maid and Nan the former Ladies Maid MAdam Mal. Are you she that takes upon you to govern and to be Mistris in this House Nan Why I do but that I did in the other Ladies time Madam Mal. Let me tell you you shall not do so in my time nay you shall have no doings wherefore get you out of the
and quite from my Patience which makes me miserable and Misery is worse than Death for Death is a cessation of pain and Misery a torment of life But if this Report be true I will lay more curses on his head than a long penitential life shall be able to take off Exit Enter the two Maids of Sir John Dotard 1 MAid Lord Briget is so proud since she is preferr'd to be my Masters Laundry-maid as she will touch none but my Masters linnen 2 Maid She is become very fine upon her preferment I am sure it is not five or ten pound wages that will or can maintain her at that rate she goes for she hath had to my knowledge two new pair of shooes within three weeks of each other whereupon I told her that the shooes that she cast by would be very strong and serviceable if they were cobled and her Answer was what did I think she would wear cobled shooes I told her why not now as well as she did for she us'd to send her shooes to be cobled three or four times over and her wastcoat to be patch'd and her petticoats to be new-border'd and her stockings to be heel'd as the rest of us did and I knew of no Lands that had befallen her and therefore she may doe the same still 1 Maid And what said she then 2 Maid She bid me meddle with my own matters and not meddle with her and I dare not offend her for fear I should be turn'd away nay she is so proud as she turns her head aside when Richard the Carter comes to kiss her and she strives to shun his company when once within a short time she would make haste to wash her dishes that she might have time to sit in Richards Lap and there they would sit colling and kissing until the sea-coal-site was burn'd out 2 Maid But now she sits in a better seat Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Mistris Forsaken in mans Apparel naming her self Monsieur Disguise MOnsieur Disguise I cannot believe he will prove so false and perjurious but this Disguise I hope will bring me to discover the Truth And if he be false for his sake may all the Masculine Sex be slaves to the Effeminate Sex not bound by Love but by base servile fear may they long after the power but never get it may women govern the World and when they command the men dare not disobey and be despis'd for their reward may their Jealousies disturb their Rest their Cares increase their Labours may they work like Horses fawn like Dogs and bear like Asses But if he be constant may all the Masculine Sex be bless'd for his sake may all women desire admire and love him may Pleasure imbrace him Health preserve him and Time attend him may he be arm'd with Power crown'd with Peace and all Obedience bow to his command may the sound but of his Name bring joy to all hearts may all be pleas'd for his Birth pray for his Life and fear his Death may good Fortune trace his ways whilst he tides upon the wings of a glorious Fame Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant as in another Country with his new Mistris INconstant Sweet Mistris you are the Elixar of Beauty all other women are as unrefin'd metal like base coyn New Mistris Whilst I am unmarry'd you 'l flatter me but when I am your Wife you will change your complemental discourse to quarrelling disputes or insulting commands Inconstant O never never your Eye shall direct all my Actions your Commands shall rule my Life and your Pleasures shall be my onely Delight Exeunt Scene 10. Enter Sir James Hearty and his Man HEarty Here take this Note that you may not forget the Guests that are to be invited to my Daughters Wedding The man takes the Note and looks on it Can you read it Man I cannot tell Sir Hearty Let me hear if you can or not Man Imprimis Sir William Lovewell and the Lady Hypocondria his Wife Item Sir Henry Sage and the Lady Chastity his Wife Item Sir Edward Courtly and the Lady Iealousie his Wife and Mistris Iane Single her Sister Item Sir Thomas Cuckold and the Lady Wanton his Wife Item Sir Humphey Disagree and the Lady Disagree his Wife Item Sir Timothy Spendall and the Lady Poverty his Wife Item the Lady Procurer Item Monsieur Amorous Hearty Well read well read As for the Lord Widower I know he will not come for I hear his Lady is newly dead This is the Nature of the World some marry and some die Man Troth Sir of the two Evils I think it is better to die than to marry Hearty I am not of your mind for I had rather have a ruddy plain soft Wench to be my Bed-fellow than pale grim lean numb cold Death But go your way about this Imployment the whilst I will give direction for the Entertainment Exeunt Scene 11. Enter the Lord VVidower and the Lady Sprightly his Eldest Daughter and other small Children and Doll Subtilty all weeping LOrd We have reason to weep for you my Children have lost a good Mother and I a loving Wife and her servants a kind Lady but we cannot alter Heavens Decrees wherefore we must take comfort in what is and not grieve for what cannot be helpt And now Daughter Sprightly you must be as my Wife Friend and Daughter all in one for as your Mother did when she had health govern my Family so must you now she is dead and you must take care of your young Brothers and Sisters and Heaven will reward thee with a good Husband and Children of your own And as for her Maid here who hath taken great pains all the time of your Mothers sickness ought to be rewarded for her care wherefore Daughter let her wait upon you as she did upon your Mother Doll Subtilty I thank your Lordship Exeunt Scene 12. Enter all the Bridal Guests and pass over the Stage as thorough a Room Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Disguise as from the sea MOnsieur Disguise Surely the Fates have conspired against me the winds were so cross just like men sometimes for us and sometimes against us Enter a Skipper Have you found out the Gentlemans lodging Skipper Yes Sir Disguise And was he at home Skipper He hath that which will invite him to stay at home and keep him from wandring abroad for some time Sir Disguise What 's that Skipper A fair Wife Sir for a drunken Serving-man told me that one Sir Francis Inconstant had maried his Masters Daughter and that the Wedding-Feast would continue a Week if not a Fortnight Disguise And was the man drunk that told you so Skipper Yes surely he seem'd so to me Disguise Then perchance he might tell you a lye Skipper He was not so drunk but that he might tell a truth Disguise Prethee Friend do me one favour more and then I will pay thee for thy pains Skipper What you please to command me
Lovewel But as Allay makes gold work better for use so Temperance makes Love Happy for life Hypocon. Well Husband I will strive to love with Discretion Lovewel Pray do and goe abroad to divert your melancholy and eat as others do that may have good meat and drink and not live by the Air as you do Hypocon. I shall obey you Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Inconstant alone LAdy Inconstant O Cupid thou art a cruel Tyrant making more wounds than remedies And I am wounded so as I am sick with Love and cannot live unless I am belov'd again To make my Passions know is all my care Lest he should love me not is all my fear Exeunt Scene 13. Enter the Lady Procurer and Sir Thomas Cuckold LAdy Procurer Sir Thomas Cuckold Monsieur Amorous desires very much to make friendship with you for he is so taken with your Civilities and your courteous Demeanors when he was to visit you that he swears you are one of the finest Gentlemen in the Kingdome He says you are so gravely wise so hospitably kind and so generously free as he honours you and loves you with his soul Cuckold I am his very humble Servant and shall be glad nay proud of such a worthy Friend as Monsieur Amorous Procurer Have you returned his Visit Cuckold No but I 'll go wait upon him immediatly Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Nan the Lady Jealousies Maid going through the room crying and the Fool following her singing FOol Childrens eyes are always flowing Womens tongues are always going And mens brains are always musing And mans natures all abusing And mans life is always running And mans death is always comming Enter Mistris Single Single VVhose death is comming Fool. Yours for any thing I know wherefore take heed for let me tell you Death is a rough fellow for he pulls the soul out of the body as a Barber-Chirurgeon doth a tooth sometimes with less pain sometimes with more but many times Death is forc'd to tear the body as a Tooth-drawer tears the jaw-bone before he can get it out Single VVhat Instruments doth Death draw out the Soul with Fool. Sickness VVounds Passions Accidents and the like Single But how came Death and you so well acquainted Fool. VVe are near a Kin for Death and Ignorance are Cousin-Germans Single 'Faith thou art rather a Knave than a Fool and a Knave is nearer a-kin to Life than Death Exeunt Scene 15. Enter the Lady Disagree and her Chaplin Master Perswader DIsagree VVell I am resolv'd to be Divorced from my Husband for I cannot endure his tyranny any longer for he will let me have my will in nothing crosses and contradicts me in every thing Perswader Madam we are taught to obey and humble our selves to our Superiours and the Husband is the Master of his Family the Governour of his Estate and Ruler and Disposer of his Children the Guide and Protector of his VVife Disagree Yes he protects me well indeed when he breaks my head Perswader May be your Ladyship doth provoke him with some unkind words Disagree VVhat unkind words were they I only said that Goos-quils made the best pens to write with and he said no that Crows-quils were better for that purpose 't is true at last I returned as bad words as he flung at me Perswader Truly Madam it is a great grief to your friends and servants to see yoo live so disquietous together besides you torment your selves with your own anger Disagree That 's the reason I would part for I will never be a slave to his humour I will rather chuse to die first Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Sir Humphrey Disagree and Master Makepeace his Friend SIr Hum. Disagree It were better we were parted than to live in a perpetual war together Makepeace But Sir is it not possible to temper your Passion Disagree No truly for her words are so sharp and pierce so deep that they make me as furious as a wilde Boar that is hurt with a Javelin And since she cannot temper her Tongue nor I temper my Passion it will be best for us to live asunder for absence is the best and most certain remedy I can think of Scene 17. Enter two Serving-men of Sir VVilliam Lovewels 1 SErvant Have not you heard that my Master hath had a Quarrel and is wounded 2 Servant Yes and 't is said he fought so valiantly as he beat half a dozen lusty men and followed them so close as they were forc'd to take shelter and I have also heard that one of them he beat swears to be revenged 1 Servant But if my Lady hears of it she will run mad or die 2 Servant O no my Lady Ioan says hath left those follies and is become discreet 1 Servant Discreet what is that to be ill-natur'd as not to care if her Husband or Friends be kill'd 2 Servant O yes so much to care as to pity them and be sorry nay sad if they should be kill'd but not passionately to drown themselves in tears or to let their grief feed on their life and die Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Monsieur Amorous and Sir Thomas Cuckold They meet each other and imbrace as two dear Friends CUckold O my sweet Amorous Amorous O my dear Cuckold the delight of my Life Cuckold 'Faith Amorous I have been to seek you all the Town over and my Lady Procurer met me and sent me to the other end of the City telling me you were at the Horn-Tavern Amorous Why do you not know her humour she will serve you twenty such tricks for she is the veriest Wag in all the Town although she is in years Cuckold Well if I be not even with her as very a Wag as she is let me be condemn'd for a fool Exeunt ACT III Scene 19. Enter a Maid as to her Lady the Lady Hypocondria MAid O Madam my Master is comming home being wounded in a Duel The Lady swouns Maid Help help my Lady my Lady Enter Joan her Maid Ioan. What 's the matter Maid My Lady is kill'd with the report of my Masters being hurt Ioan. It were fit you should be punish'd for telling her of it They raise the Lady and bow her forward She revives but with a groan Lady groans Oh oh Ioan. Take life again for my Master is not so much hurt as to be in danger of Death Hypocon. Do you speak this as a known truth or for to recover me Ioan. As a truth upon my Conscience Madam Hypocon. Then I charge you do not discover my Passion Ioan. We shall not Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Sir VVilliam Lovewell and two of his men and his Man Roger Trusty LOvewell Go and give charge to my Footmen that none of them run home to tell my Wife of my hurt for fear of frighting her for if she hears I am hurt before she sees me she will apprehend me worse than I am and that may kill her Servant Sir she hath heard of it already
in foul disgrace Single But hopes and fears bribe or force the VVorld to praise a worthless He or Shee Fool. 'T is true hopes of gain are bribes and fear of punishments are threats for to perswade or force the tongue to flatter yet none but Gods and Kings are subject to this flattery and you are not to marry either the one nor yet the other for Gods joyn not to Mortals and Kings are far too proud to marry Subjects nor were it good for you if that they would as that you were matcht to a King for happiness lives in equallity Single Faith thou art too wise to wear a Fools-Coat wherefore cast it oft Fool. And faith I should be more Fool than my profession makes me if I should cast it off therefore I will keep it on Exeunt ACT V. Scene 39. Enter the Lady Inconstant and Monsieur Disguise LAdy Inconstant O my Dear love I have such an opportunity that Fortune could never have given me a better for my Husband is fallen Sick and if I Poyson him now the VVorld will say and think it was his Sickness that kill'd him and that will secure me Disguise I he be Sick perchance he may dye and that will save you the labour and hazard of poysoning Inconstant O But if he should recover again then I were undone wherefore I will not venture to rely upon his Sickness Disguise Use your discretion but t is not fit we should be seen together wherefore I will kiss your hands and leave you for a time Inconstant And I hope the next time we meet we shall be rid of the obstructor of our loves Exeunt Scene 39. Enter the Lady Wanton and the Lady Procurer LAdy Wanton Madam did you give Monsieur Amorous the present I sent you to give him Procurer Yes there was Shirts Caps and Handkerchiefs of each two dozen Wanton There were so Procurer They were of the finest Holland and Flanders Lace that ever I saw what might the present cost you Wanton Not much above five hundred pounds Procurer You speak as if it were but a slight present but if your Husband knew of it he would think it were too much by four hundred ninety and nine pound nineteen shillings eleven pence halfpeny farthing Wanton But what said Monsieur Amorous when you presented that present as from me Procurer At the first he would not receive the present saying it was too costly and that he could not return enough thanks for it and so should seem as ungratefull against his will but at last upon my perswasion he took your present and to Morrow he will come and give you thanks Wanton I had rather meet him in some other place than receive his visit at home where my Husband is Exeunt Scene 40. Enter the Lady Poverty weeping and two or three Children following her Then Enters her Husband LAdy Poverty Husband how shall these Children live Spendall By Heavens Providence Wife Poverty I fear they will starve unless your providence feeds them Spendall It was imprudently done to get them Poverty But now they are got they must be provided for Spendall Yes as Beggers provide for their Children put them to the Parish Poverty The Parish will not keep them Spendall Then sell them to Animal Merchants they will Traffick with them into the Barbadoes or Barmudes or Virginy or the like places Poverty And how shall I live Spendall Why you may go along and be their Nurse Poverty And the Merchants Whore Spendall As you can agree for he may sell you at as great a prize after as if you were honest besides your Children will prove you to be fruitfull for which they will give a double or trebble price for you and if you thrive send me word and I will come to you if I cannot live here Poverty I thank you Husband for you have made me miserably unhappy by your mispendings yet you would feed upon my good fortune if it can be call'd good fortune to thrive with dishonesty Spendall Faith Fortune hath undone me but may be she will be charitable to you Poverty I hope so for Fortune never befriends those whom Vices besots and though your deboysteries have undone you I hope my Virtues will help to save me Spendall But I never perceived your virtue to do you any good but for any thing I perceive to the contrary you are like to starve for all your virtues Poverty I hope when I am parted from you and your wickedness Heaven will powre down some mercy on me Exeunt Scene 41. Enter the Lady VVanton and the Lady Procurer LAdy Wanton Pray Madam inform me where Monsieur Amorous is for I have sent two or three times to his Lodging and my Messenger is answered still he is from home Procurer He is a wanderer Wanton I think he is wandred into some other parts of the World for after he went from us I sent a dozen Letters whilst I staid in the Country and received not one answer Procurer Faith Madam Monsieur Amorous is one of the lasiest of Mankind Wanton I am resolv'd when I see him to chide him for I could not conveniently do it when he came to give me thanks for my present Enter Sir Thomas Cuckold Procurer Sir Thomas Cuckold you are welcome to the Town for though I have had the Honour to see your Lady two or three times yet I could not got a sight of you never since you came out of the Country Cuckold My Wife did wish for your Company whilst we were in the Country a hundred times Procurer I should be glad to be in any place to do my Lady Service Cuckold I was abroad even now where I met Monsicur Amorous who lookt upon me as if he knew me not or rather as if he did despise me Procurer Perchance he did not know you Cuckold His memory must be very short if he could forget me so soon Wanton Perchance Husband you lookt strangely upon him Cuckold Truly Wife I went to imbrace him as I was used to do with kind love and he crost the street to shun me Wanton I dare lay my life it is some mistake Husband Procurer Friends Sir Thomas must never be exceptious Cuckold I am not apt to be exceptious I will assure you Madam no Man is freer from that humour than I am Exeunt Scene 42. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant as sick upon a Couch he being alone SIr Francis Inconstant This feigned Sickness shall serve as a snare to catch my Wives design Enter the Lady Inconstant Lady Inconstant My dear heart how are you Francis Inconstant Very Sick so Sick as I fear Heaven doth envy my happiness and will part us by Death Lady Inconstant The Gods forbid I hope you will live so long as to Crown your Virtuous life with aged years Francis Inconstant O no I find my life draws towards an end and Death will separate us from each other but you being young Wife will soon forget me placing
your love upon some other Man in whom all the remembrance of me will be buried Lady Inconstant Dear Husband speak not so Melancholy your words strike such terrour into my heart as I cannot indure to hear them I had rather Death should strike me than you Dear Husband cheer up your self your Disease is only Melancholly wherefore take such nurishing things as may give your Spirits strength and life shall I bring you a little Burnt Wine to comfort your Spirits or some Jelly broath to strenghten your Stomack Francis Inconstant If you please VVife The Lady Inconstant goes out He alone Francis Inconstant Now for the poysoned Draught Enter the Lady with a Porrenger of Broath Lady Inconstant Here my dear heart drink this He takes the Porrenger and when it was in his hand he rises and goeth to the Chamber Door and locks it Lady Inconstant VVhat mean you Husband to lock the Door Francis Inconstant Because none shall enter untill the Broath be drunk VVife She seems to be afraid and desires to go forth of the Chamber He stays her Francis Inconstant No Wife you must not go out for I mean to nourish you with that Broath that you would have nourished me with Lady Inconstant Why Husband I am not Sick I do not require Broath Francis Inconstant O yes VVife your Soul is Sick although your Body is well and this Broath may perchance cure the one although it kills the other wherefore drink it Lady Inconstant I will not Francis Inconstant You shall and if you drink it not willingly I will force it down you throat Lady Inconstant Dear Husband spare me Francis Inconstant Why I give you nothing but that which you prepared for me and if it were good for me it is good for you Lady Inconstant Dear Husband have mercy on me and I will confess my crimes Francis Inconstant No VVife no more mercy than you would have had one me and therefore drink it Lady Inconstant 'T is Poyson Husband Francis Inconstant That is the reason you shall drink it VVife Lady Inconstant Dear Husband let me live but to repent my sinns which like a black thick cloud do cover all my Soul Francis Inconstant This will be a sufficient punishment for if you be punished in this World you may escape the punishment of the next Lady Inconstant Good Husband consider youth that is apt to run into errors not being guided with good Counsel as it ought Francis Inconstant I will consider nothing and therefore drink it or by Heaven I will force you to it and therefore linger not The Lady Inconstant takes the Cap and then kneels and lifts up her eyes towards Heaven and then prayes Lady Inconstant You Gods forgive me my crimes and let this deadly draught purge clean my Soul from sin She drinks the poysoned Broath Francis Inconstant Now VVife have you any Amorous desires to Monsieur Disguise Lady Inconstant No the fire of my unlawfull love is quencht She sinks to the ground Heaven receive my Soul O O Husband forgive me Dies Francis Inconstant Ha she is dead what hath my furious passion done I was too sudden to crop her tender life so hastily without more strickt examinations for it was likely thus spruse Gallant corrupted her with his alluring looks and smoth inticing words which he knew well how to apply and youth is credulous and women soon perswaded and being joyned in one they easily are overcome I do repent He walks a turn or two in a Melancholy muse I will revenge my self of those that were the cause Exeunt Scene 43. Enter the Lady Procurer and the Lady VVanton LAdy Wanton Where is Monsieur Amorous that he comes not with you you said you would bring him with you Procurer Faith he desires to be excused for he saith he is not well Wanton This is but an excuse for he hath made an hundred within this week but since he doth neglect me I will have another that shall be more constant Procurer You are wise Madam for since men are so various as they are women would seem but fools should they be constant Wanton Well then Madam you must do me a favour for since I became acquainted with Monsieur Amorous upon your perswasion you must contrive a private meeting for me and another Gentleman upon my perswasion Procurer Sweet Lady you do oblige me to imploy me in your Service Exeunt Scene 44. Enter two Maid Servants that were the Lady Poverties 1 MAid O Ursely I am glad to see thee with all my heart 2 Maid Truly Ioan so am I to see you 1 Maid When did you hear of our good Lady the Lady Poverty 2 Maid It was not long since I saw her 1 Maid And how doth she live poor Lady 2 Maid Why she lives privately but is likely to live happy enough for let friends have now taken care of her and her Children upon the condition that she will receive no visits from her Husband but banish his Company left he should encrease their charge with more Children neither will they allow him any thing 1 Maid By my troth he doth not deserve any maintenance but I am glad she is provided for being a shiftless creature for her self and Children but where do you live Ursely 2 Maid Why I live with an old Widower 1 Maid And I with a grave Matronly Widow wherefore let us endeavour to make a match betwixt them that so we may live once again in a House together for you and I were always dear friends you know 2 Maid 'T is true Iane but as you are my friend I must tell you I should be an ill friend to my self if I should perswade my Master to marry 1 Maid Nay if it be so Ursely make the best of him and if thou wilt shew me where thou dwellest I will come and visit thee when I have leisure 2 Maid Come with me and I will shew you where I live Exeunt Scene 45. A Table set out cover'd and furnish'd with meat Enter Sir Humphrey Disagree and the Lady Disagree and their Friends every one takes their place and sits as to eat SIr Humphrey Disagree Wife where are the Fidlers that you promist we should have Lady Disagree I did forbid them to play untill such time as we had half din'd for their scraping would hinder our eating Humphrey Disagree Pray wife let them come in for I love my meat should dance in my mouth my teeth keeping just time to the tune and the Musick will make my meat turn nimbly in my mouth and will heat my cast to a high gusto Lady Disagree The noise that they will make will take away my Stomack and will make my head ake besides no body will hear one another speak neither will our Servants hear what we call for Humphrey Disagree It will make our Servants the more diligent for Musick will revive their Spirits and will make them agil wherefore pray VVife let them come in and play Lady
spread and communicated over all the VVorld I begin with the First and prime Creature Ignorant Man Man takes himself to be the most knowing Creature for which he hath placed himself next to the Gods yet Man is ignorant for what Man is or ever was created that knows what the Gods are or how many there are Or what power they have or where they reside What Man did ever know the Mansions of Glory the Bowers of bliss or the Fields of pleasure What Man ever knew whether the Gods were Eternal or bred out of infinite or rule or govern infinite Eternally Secondly the Fates What Man is or ever was that knows the Fates As whether they are Gods or Creatures or whether the Fates are limited or decree as they please Or what Man is or ever was that knows the decrees of Fate the links of Destiny or the chance of Fortune or the lots of Chance Thirdly What Man is or ever was that knows what Nature is or from whence her power proceeds As whether from the Gods or Eternity or infinite or from the Fates Or whether the Gods or Fates proceed from her Or what at first set her to work Or whether her work is prescribed or limited Or of what she works on Or what instruments she worketh with Or to what end she works for Or whether she shall desist from working or shall work Eternally Or whether she worked from all Eternity Or whether her work had a beginning or shall have an ending What Man knows the beginning of Motion or the Fountain of Knowledge or the Spring of Life or Gulph of Death Or what Life is Or what Death is Or whether Life Motion and Death had a beginning or shall have an ending Fourthly the World VVhat Man is or ever was that knows how the VVorld was made Or for what it is made Or by whom it was made Or whether it had beginning or shall have end The Fift and last is Man VVhat Man is or ever was that knows how he was formed or of what composition or what is that he calls a Rational Soul VVhether it is imbodyed or not imbodyed VVhether it is Divine or Mortal VVhether it proceeds from the Gods or was created by Nature VVhether it shall live for ever or shall have a period VVhether it shall live in Knowledge or ly in Ignorance VVhether it be capable of pain or pleasure VVhether it shall have a residing place or no certain place assigned Or if it have none where it shall wander Or if it have where that residing place is As for the Body who knows the perfect Sense of each Sense or what mistake or illusions each Sense is apt to make or give or take VVhat Man knows how the Body dissolves or to what it shall dissolve VVhat Man knows whether there be Sense in Death or not VVhat Man knows the motion of the thoughts or whether the thoughts belong only to the Soul or only to the Body or partly to both or of neither VVhat Man is there that knows strength of passion As what Faith may beget Or what Doubts may dissolve Or what Hopes may unite Or what Fears may disorder Or what Love can suffer Or what Hate can act VVhat Man is there that knows the Circumpherence of Admiration the rigour of Adoration the hight of Ambition or the bottom of Covetousness Or what Man knows the end of Sorrow or beginning of Joy And as for the Appetites what Man knows the length and bredth of desire As for the Senses what Man is there that knows the true Sense of Pleasure or the uttermost bounds of Pain VVho can number the varieties of Tast Sent Touch Sound and Sight VVhat Man knows the perfect effects of each Sense Or what Man is there that knows any thing truly as it is Yet certainly there cannot be an Athest for though men may be so irrelligious as to be of no Religion yet their can be none so willfull and utterly void of all Sense and Reason as not to believe there is a God for though we have not the true light of knowledge yet we have as it were a perpetual twilight Man lives as at the poles of knowledge for though we cannot say it is truly day yet it is not night Man may perceive an Infinite power by the perfect distinctions of all particular varieties by the orderly production of several Creatures and by the fit and proper shapes of every several kind of Creature by their orderly Births by the times and Seasons to produce flourish and decay by the distinct degrees qualities properties places and motions of all things and to and in every thing by the exact form of this VVorld by the prudent seperations and situations of the Heavens and Earth by the Circumferent lines and poyzing Centers by their bounds and limits by their orderly and timely motions by their assigned tracts constant Journies convenient distances by their intermixing and well tempering of the Elements by the profitable Commerce betwixt the Heavens and the Earth by the different kinds several sorts various Natures numerous numbers of Creatures by their passions humours appetites by their Sympathies and Antipathies by their warrs and parties by the Harmony that is made out of discord shews that there is onely one absolute power and wise disposer that cannot be opposed having no Copartners produces all things being not produced by any thing wherefore must be Eternall and consequently infinite this absolute wise and Eternal power Man calls God but this absolute power being infinite he must of necessity be incomprehensible and being incomprehensible must of necessity be unknown yet glimses of his power is or may be seen yet not so but that Man is forced to set up Candels of Faith to light them or direct them to that they cannot perfectly know and for want of the clear light of knowledge Man calls all Creations of this mighty power Nature his wise decrees Man calls Fates his pointed will Man calls Destiny his several Changes Man calls Fortune his Intermixing Man calls Life his seperating Man calls Death the Sympathetical and Antipathetical motions of the Senses and their Objects Humours and their Subjects Man calls Pleasure and Pain the interchanging motions in Man Men call Sense and Knowledge the seperating motions Man calls Ignorance Stupidity and Insensibility my application is that this absolute Power wise Disposer and decreeing Creator hath created himself Worship in making Creatures to worship him and it is probable Truth decreed Judgment Punishment and Bliss to such of his Creatures as shall omit or submit thereunto my exhoration to you is to bough humbly to pray constantly to implore fervently to love truly to live awfully to the worship of this incomprehensible power that you may injoy bliss and avoid torment Exeunt ACT III Scene 8. Enter Monsieur NObilissimo and three or four Gentlemen Nobilissimo I wonder who brought up that careless fashion to go without their Swords and I wonder
this discourse is that since Self-love is the Fountain of and in Nature from whence issue out several Springs to every several Creature wherein Mankind being her chiefest and Supreme work is filled with the fullest Springs from that Fountain which is the cause that Mankind is more industrious cruel and unsatiable to and for his self ends than any other Creature he spares nothing that he hath power to destroy if he fears any hurt or hopes for any gain or finds any pleasure or can make any sport or to imploy his idle time he melts metalls distills and dissolves plants dissects animals substracts and extracts Elements he digs up the bowels of the Earth cuts through the Ocean of the Sea gathers the winds into Sails fresh waters into Mills and imprisons the thinner Ayre he Hunts he Fowls he Fishes for sport with Gunns Nets and Hooks he cruelly causeth one Creature to destroy another the whilst he looks on with delight he kills not only for to live but lives for to kill and takes pleasure in torturing the life of other Creatures in prolonging their pains and lengthning their Deaths and when Man makes friendship of Love it is for his own sake either in humouring his passion or feeding his humour or to strengthen his party or for Trust or Counsel or Company or the like causes if he dies for his friend it is either for fame or that he cannot live himself happy without his friend his passion and grief making him restless if Man loves his Children Wife or Parents t is for his own sake he loves his Parents for the honour he receives by them or for the life he received of them if he loves his Wife or the Wife the Husband it is for their own sakes as their own pleasure as either for their Beauties Wits Humours or other Graces or for their Company or Friendships or because they think they love them if they love their Children it is for their own sakes as to keep alive their memory and to have their duty and obedience to bow and do homage to them If Masters love their Servants it is for their own sakes because they are trusty faithfull and industrious in their affairs imployments or for their own profit or ease and if Servants love their Masters it is for their own sakes as either for their power to protect them or for the regard they have to them or for the gain they get from them or for their lives that are nourished and maintained by them if Amorous Lovers love it is for their own sakes as to please the Appetite and to satisfy their desires if Subjects love their Soveraigns it is for their own sakes as that they may have Law and Justice Peace and Unity If Sovereigns love their Subjects it is for their own sakes because they bear up his Throne with their Wealth and Industry and fight to maintain or get him power My Application most Noble and Right Honourable is that since we do all and in every act for our own sakes we should indeavour and study for that which is best for our selves and the ground of our indeavour is to learn and know our selves every particular person must learn and know himself not by comparative as observing others for every man is not alike but by self study reading our own Natures and Dispositions marking our own Passions mours and Appetites with the Pen of Thought and Ink of Examination and let the Truth be the Tutor to instruct you in the School of Reason in which you may Commence Master of Art and go out Doctor of Judgment to practise Temperance for Temperance keeps in its full strength prolongs Beauty quickens Wit ripens Youth refreshes Age restores Decayes keeps Health maintains Life and hinders Times ruines but Temperance is not only a Doctor of Physick a Physician to the Body but a Doctor of Divinity a Divine for the Soul It preaches and teaches good Life it instructs with the Doctrine of Tranquillity and guides to the Heaven of Happiness also Temperance is the Doctor of Musick it tunes the Senses composes the Thoughts it notes the Passions it measures the Appetites and playes a Harmonious Mind Thus Most Noble and Right Honourable I have proved that Self-love is the Fountain of Nature and the Original Springs of her Creatures and that Temperance is the strongest Foundation of Self-love although few build thereupon but upon Intemperance which is a huge Bulk of Excess the substance of Riot worm eaten with Surfers rotten with Pain and sinks down to death with Sickness and Grief not being able to bear and uphold Life wherefore build your Lives upon Temperance which is a strong and sure Foundation which will never fail but will uphold your Lives as long as Time and Nature permits them and your Souls will dwell peaceably and happily therein Exeunt ACT V. Scene 14. Enter Madamoiselle Amor alone as musing to her self alone then speaks MAdamoiselle Amor I will confess to him my Love since my designs are Noble but O for a woman to woo a man is against Nature and seems too bold nay impudent only by a contrary custome but why should not a woman confess she loves before she is wooed when after a seeming coyness gives consent as being won more by a Treaty than by Love when her obscure thoughts know well her heart was his at first bound as his prisoner and only counterfeits a freedome besides it were unjust although an antient custome if dissembling should be preferred before a Modern Truth for length of Time and often practices makes not Falshood Truth nor Wrong Right nor Evill Good then I will break down Customs Walls and honest Truth shall lead me on Love plead my Sute and if I be deny'd My heart will break and Death my Face will hide Exit Scene 15. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Wife whither do you go when I come near you you always turn to go from me Madamoiselle Esperance I saw you not for I had rather be fixt as a Statue than move to your dislike Monsieur Esperance Why do you blush surely you are guilty of some crime Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is said blushing comes unsent for and departs without leave and that it oftner visits Innocency than guilt Madamoiselle Esperance weeps Monsieur Esperance What do you weep Madamoiselle Esperance How can I otherwise choose when my Innocent Life and True Love is suspected and all my pure affections are cast away like dross and the best of all my actions condemn'd as Traytors and my unspotted Chastity blemish'd with soul Jealousy and defamed with slandering words Monsieur Esperance Prethy Wife do not weep for every tear wounds me to Death and know it is my extreme Love which creates my fears but you might have had a Husband with more faults Madamoiselle Esperance 'T is true but not so many noble qualities as you have which makes
Madamoiselle Esperance Have I not reason Tell-truth No truly for a Man may do such light actions or speak merrily or solidly without an evill design only to pass a way idle time Madamoiselle Esperance Lord how idly you speak Cousin as to think men might idly pass away their time when Nature allows life no idle time for all things are growing or decaying feeding life or getting food for to nourish life or bearing or breeding for increase and man which only by his shape exceeds all other Creatures in Reason Knowledge and Understanding and will you have him cast away these supreme gifts of Nature with idle time would you have men follow the Sense only like a Beast and not to be guided by reason to some noble study or profitable action would you have them yield to their surfeting Appetites and not indeavour to temper them is Sickness less painfull than Health is Disorder to be prefer'd before Method or Inconveniency before Conveniency Warrs before Peace Famine before Plenty Vice before Virtue all which would be if idle time wery allow'd for Idleness never found out Arts nor Sciences or rules of Government nor the ease of Temperance nor the profit of Prudence nor the commands of Fortitude nor the peace of Justice which Industry produceth but Idleness brings Confusion Exeunt Scene 10. Enter Monsieur Heroick with his Sword bloody and meets his friend Monsieur Amy. AMy. What hast thou been doing that thy sword is bloody Heroick Fighting Amy. With whom Heroick I know not Amy. For what did you fight Heroick For nothing or at least as bad as nothing for that I never saw nor heard of nor knew where to find Amy. This is a strange quarrel that you neither know the man nor the cause it was a mad quarrel Heroick You say right for as for my part I had little reason to fight I know not what my opposite had but prithy friend go help him for he lyes yonder and I doubt he is deadly wounded the whilst I will seek a Chirurgion to send to him Amy. You had need seek one for your self for you bleed I see by your shirt Heroick Yes so I will but it shall be the Lady that was cause of the wounds and I will try if her Beauty can heal them Exeunt Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamoiselle Amor NObilissimo My sweet Mistriss what is the cause you look so pale and Melancholy Amor I hear you have forsaken me and making love to another which I no sooner heard but shook with fear like to a tender Plant blown by a Northern wind wherewith my blood congeal'd with cold my thoughts grew sad and gathered like black Clouds which makes my head hang down my face all wither'd pale and dry but did I love as many do for Person not for Mind your Inconstancy would be a less Crime but were your Body as curious made as Natures skill could form you and not a Soul answerable I might Admire you but not Love you with adoration as I do Nobilissimo Fear not for as thy Tongue unlocks my Ears so it locks up my Heart from all thy Sex but thee and as a Cabinet doth keep thy Picture there Amor Heaven grant my Tongue may never rust but move with words as smoothed with Oyl turned by the strength of Wit easy and free Nobilissimo Dear Mistriss banish this Jealousy it may in time corrupt pure love and be you confident of my Affection as of your own Virtue Amor Your kind words I will take for a sufficient Seal and never doubt the Bond that Love hath made Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Monsieur Phantasie wounded being lead between Madamoiselle Bon and Monsieur Amy he seems to be so faint as not to pass any further but is forced to ly down Madamoiselle sits by him AMy. I will go fetch more help and Chirurgions Monsieur Amy goes out Madamoiselle Bon stayes and holds her Arm under his head Phantasie I am wounded more with thoughts of Sorrow than with my opposites Sword and wish that Death would strike me in thy Arms that I might breath my last there offer up my Soul upon the Altar of thy Breast and yield my life a Sacrifice unto thy Constancy Madamoiselle Bon. May Death exchange and take my life that is useless to the World and spare yours for noble actions to build a fame thereon Phantasie Speak not so Madamoiselle Bon. If my words offend you my tongue for ever shall be Dumb Phantasie No it is your Wish offends and not your Words for they are Musick to my Ears or like to drops of Balsom powr'd therein to heal my wounded Soul Madamoiselle Bon. If that my words could cure your wounds that bleed rather than want I le speak till all my breath were spent no life to form words with She weeps Phantasie Why do you weep Madamoiselle Bon. To see you bleed but if you bleed to Death I will weep to Death and as life issues through your Wounds so shall life issue through my Eyes and drown it self in floods of tears Phantasie Forbear let not the Earth drink up those tears those precious tears the Gods thirst after Enter Men and take him up and lay him forth Exeunt Scene 13. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit and her Audience GRand Esprit Venus thou Goddess fair for thy Sons sake Cupid the God of Love O let me make A Banquet of sweet Wit to entertain This Noble Company and feast each brain And let each several Ear feed with delight Not be disturb'd with foul malicious spight Noble and Right Honourable I shall take my discourse at this time out of Beauty the ground of which discourse is Eyes Eyes are the Beauty of Beauty for if the Eyes be not good the face though ne'r so fair or otherwise well featur'd cannot be pleasing the truth is Eyes are the most Curious Ingenious Delightfull and Profitable work in Nature Curious in the Aspect and Splendor Ingenious in the form and fashion Delightfull in the Society and Profitable in their Commerce Trade and Traffick that they have with all the rest of Natures works for had not Nature made Eyes all her works had been lost as being buryed in everlasting darkness for it is not only Light that shews her works but Eyes that see her works wherefore if Nature had not made Eyes she had lost the glory of Admiration and Adoration which all her Animal Creatures give her begot raised or proceeding from what they see besides not only Light the presenter of objects would have been lost but Life would have been but only a dull Melancholy Motion for want of sight and for want of sight life would have wanted knowledge and so would have been ignorant both of its self and Nature but now life takes delight by the fight through the Eyes and is inamor'd with the Beauties it views and the Eyes do not only delight themselves and life with what they receive but
declared she will never marry Malicious That is all one for men will persue their desires and live of Hopes so long as there is any left Spightfull Well the worst come to the worst we shall only live old Maids Tell-truth But not old Virgins Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit her two Sisters Madamoiselle Amor and Madamoiselle La Belle as Brides and Monsieur Nobilissimo and Monsieur Heroick his Brother as Bridegrooms and a Company of Bridal guests all as her Audience GRand Esprit Great Hymen I do now petition thee To bless my Sisters not to favour me Unless I were thy subject to obey But I am Diana's and to her do pray But give me leave for to decide the cause And for to speak the truth of marriage laws Or else through ignorance each man and wife May rebels prove by Matrimonial strife Noble and Right Honourable From the root of Self-love grows many several Branches as Divine Love Moral Love Natural and Sympathetical Love Neighbourly and Matrimonial Love Divine Love is the Love to the Gods Moral Love is the Love to Virtue Natural Love is the Love to Parents and Children Sympathetical Love is of Lovers or Friendships Neighbourly Love is the Love of Acquaintance and true Matrimonial Love is the Love of United Souls and Bodyes but I shall only insist or discourse at this time for my Sisters sakes of Matrimonial Love this Matrimonial Love is the first imbodyed Love that Nature created for as for Divine Love and Moral Love they are as incorporeal as the Soul and Sympathetical and Matrimonial Love which I will joyn as Soul and Body were before Natural or Neighbourly Love for Marriage beget Acquaintance and none lives so neer nor converses so much as man and wife and there was a Sympathy and Conjunction of each Sex before there were Children and there could be no Parents before there were Children thus Matrimonial Love was the first substantial Love and being the Original and producing Love ought to be honoured and preferr'd as the most perfect and greatest Love in Nature but mistake me not Noble and Right Honourable when I say the greatest Love in Nature I mean not the Supernatural Love as Divine Love as to the Gods but this Matrimonial Love I say is to be the most respected as the Original Love like as Nature is to be honoured and preferred before the Creatures she makes so Matrimonial Love ought to be respected first as being the cause of Friendly Sociable Neighbourly and Fatherly Love wherefore man and wife ought to forsake all the world in respect of each other and to prefer no other delight before each others good or content for the Love of Parents and Children or any other Love proceeding from Nature ought to be waved when as they come in Competition with the Love man and wife for though Matrimonial Love is not such a Divine Love as from man to the Gods yet it is as the Love of Soul and Body also it is as a Divine Society as being a Union but Right Honourable to tell you my opinion is that I belive very few are truly married for it is not altogether the Ceremony of the Church nor State that makes a true marriage but a Union and indissoluble Conjunction of Souls and Bodyes of each Sex wherefore all those that are allowed of as man and wife by the Church State and Laws yet they are but Adulterers unless their Souls Bodyes and Affections are united as one for it s not the joyning of hands speaking such words by Authentical persons nor making of vows and having Witnesses thereof that makes a true marriage no more than an Absolution without a Contrition makes a holy man wherefore dear Sisters and you two Heroick Worthies marry as you ought to do or else live single lives otherwise your Children will be of a Bastard kind and your associating but as Beasts which are worse than Birds for they orderly chuse their Mates and lovingly fly and live together and equally labour to build their nest to feed their young and Sympathetically live and love each other which order and love few married persons observe nor practice but after all this even those marriages that are the perfectest purest lovingest and most equallest and Sympathetically joyned yet at the best marriage is but the womb of trouble which cannot be avoided also marriage is the grave or tomb of Wit for which I am resolved for my part to live a single life associating my self with my own Thoughts marrying my self to my own Contemplations which I hope to conceive and bring forth a Child of Fame that may live to posterity and to keep a-live my Memory not that I condemn those that marry for I do worship married persons as accounting them Saints as being Martyrs for the good cause of the Common-wealth Sacrificing their own Happiness and Tranquillity for the weal publick for there is none that marries that doth not increase their Cares and Pains but marriage Unites into Familyes Familyes into Villages Villages into Cities Cities into Corporations Corporations into Common-wealths this increase keeps up the race of Mankind and causes Commerce Trade and Traffick all which associates men into an Agreement and by an Agreement men are bound to Laws by Laws they are bound to Punishments by Punishments to Magistrates and by Magistrates and Punishments to Obedience by Obedience to Peace and Defence in which Center of Peace my dear Sisters I wish you may live and be guarded with the Circumference of Defence that nothing may disturb or indanger you or yours and that you may live in true marriage and increase with united love blest with Virtuous Children and inrich'd with prudent Care and Industry also I wish and pray that Jealousy may be banished from your Thoughts Pains and Sickness from your Bodyes Poverty from your Familyes evill Servants from your Imployments Disobedience from your Children And that Death may not rob you of your breed But after your life your Children may succeed FINIS An Epilogue spoken by the Lady True-Love O How my heart doth ake when think I do How I a modest Maid a man did woo To be so confident to woo him here Upon the publick Stage to every Ear Men sure will censure me for mad if not To be in some unlucky Planet got Or else will tax me of dishonesty As seeming like a bold immodesty Well I have woo'd yet am I not despis'd But am by Virtuous honour highly priz'd Because my Love was spotless pure and Chast And on a noble worthy man was plac'd Then why should I blush weep or yet repent Or shun the wooing part to represent But rather joy and glory in my choice If you approve my Act pray giv 't a voice THE ACTORS NAMES The Arch-Prince The Lord Dorato The Lord Melancholy the Lord Doratoes Son Sir Thomas Gravity the Lord Doratoes Brother The Lady Gravity Sir Thomas's Wife The Lady Perfection the Lady Gravities
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
Marriage Nuptials but are you ready Wife for our second Marriage Lady Perfection I am now ready to go into the Bed of Earth Enter two Fathers which take hold of the Lord Melancholy and pull him gently from the Grate Religious Father Hold and stain not this sacred places with murderers blood Lady is this the Devotion profess wickedly to murther your self Lady Perfection Father know I accounted self Death no wickedness and I will venture on my own belief Religious Father But the Church hath power to absolve you now if you desire personly to meet Lady Perfection Yes such power as the Laws had to dissolve our Marriage but the Churches absolving can no more acquit my Conscience from my Devoted Vow than the Laws could from my Marriage Vow Religious Father Pray give us leave to plead Lady Perfection Take it Religious Father You have vowed Chastity and a retir'd Incloystered life Lady Perfection I have so Religious Father Why then marry this Lord again and let him make the same Vow and enter into the same Cloyster and into the same Religious Order of Chastity and being Man and Wife you are but as one person so that if you be constant and true to your selves you keep the Vow of Chastity for what is more Chast than lawfull Marriage and Virtuous Man and Wife Lady Perfection Husband are you willing to make the Vow of Chastity and to live an Incloystered life Lord Melancholy I am all will to that Vow and life for so I shall enjoy thy Soul and Body and good Father re-marry us and then I will thank you for Life and Wife Religious Father First you shall make your Vow then take a Religious Habit and then be re-married and go along with us and we will order you fixt for to enter into this Religious Order of Chastity and if you be both happy in life as sure you will thank your Nurse who hearing your cruell and as I may say irreligious design informed us and placing us within a Loby we heard you and saw you though you knew not that we did so for you had barr'd the outward Door but being within we were ready to come forth and hinder you as we did Lord Melancholy Well Father since you have hindered our Deaths pray make me sit to enjoy Life my Heaven of Life or Life of Heaven Religious Father Come then Exeunt Scene 36. Enter Mistriss Odd-Humour and her Maid Nan Mistriss Odd-Humour weeps NAn Why do you weep Mistriss Mistriss Odd-Humour Because my Father will have me marry Nan Many young Maids weep because they cannot get Husbands but few weep to enjoy one Mistriss Odd-Humour I do not cry because I shall have a Husband but because I shall have a Foot to my Husband Nan There are few wise Husbands and fewer wise Men Mistriss Odd-Humour What difference is betwixt a wise Husband and a wise Man Nan Why a wise Husband is to rule and govern his Wife well but a wise Man is to rule and govern himself well and there is more that can tell how to rule and govern others than themselves like as there may be good Kings and not good Men and good Men and not good Kings or as there may be good Teachers as Preachers and not good practisers so this Gentleman you are to marry may be a wise Husband although not a wise Man Mistriss Odd-Humour But he will be both a foolish Husband and a foolish Man Nan If he prove a foolish Husband you have no reason to cry for then you will have the more Liberty Mistriss Odd-Humour The more liberty to be a Fool you mean Nan Indeed liberty to women makes them rather foolish than wise for women know not how to use liberty discreetly for when they have liberty they run beyond the bounds of discretion Mistriss Odd-Humour Faith if I marry this same Gentleman that my Father sayes I shall I shall run beyond the bounds of Matrimony Nan That is to run into your Neighbours Bed Exeunt Scene 37. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Do you hear of the new Religious Order 2 Gent. What new Religious Order 1 Gent. Why the Order of Chastity in marriage 2 Gent. That 's a new Order indeed never heard of before at least not practised but this Order if it continue will make marriage as Religious in life as the marriage of Saints 1 Gent. Why the marriage of men and women is a type of the marriage of Saints 2 Gent. But the type often commits Adultery and for my part I would not be one of that Religious Order 1 Gent. No for on my Conscience I believe you would disorder the Order 2 Gent. But who hath brought up this foolish new Order 1 Gent. The Lord Melancholy and the Lady Perfection who are re-married and have both vowed Chastity in marriage and an Incloystered life and have taken a Religious Habit 2 Gent. The more unwise they that will bind themselves so strictly 1 Gent. So honestly 2 Gent. I hate honesty that way or that way of honesty 1 Gent. You hate that way of honesty because you love the wayes of Adultery Exeunt Scene 38. Enter the Arch-Prince and the Lord Dorato as at the Grate the Curtain is drawn and there appears the Lord Melancholy and the Lady Perfection his Wife as two Religious Devotes both in Religious Habits like to the Normitans they bow like the Religious with their heads downwards and bodyes bent forward ARch-Prince I come not to complain nor reprove your Chast wife for denying my Sute nor am I come only to give you joy of your new marriage but your new Religious Order of Chastity in marriage which Order I believe that few besides your self will enter into Lord Melancholy Then few will be so happy Sir as we are Arch-Prince Indeed happiness lives more in Cloysters than in Courts or Cities or private families but my Lord Dorato your Father here will want the comfort of your Company which should be a Partner with him in the Rule and Government of his Family and Fortunes Lord Melancholy I have left him a Grand-Son Sir to be a comfort to him in my absence and I wish he may prove as obedient to him as I have done Lord Dorato Faith Son the first time of your marriage was without my knowledge or consent but howsoever now I wish you joy and for your sake I will never cross Matrimonial Love whilst I live and I hope God will bless you both so as that you may beget a Religious Generation Arch-Prince All the Children they beget and bring up must be of the Religious Orders Lord Dorato If they will follow their Parents purities and precepts they will Arch-Prince There may proceed from these two a great Generation which may spread all over the World and be famous for Piety and Acts of Devotion Lord Melancholy I hope your Highnesses words are Prophecies of what is to come Arch-Prince I wish they prove so farewell all happiness dwell
love Solitariness and there will be too much Company Censurer There may be a great resort but their Conversation is by single Couples Examination You are a wag Lady Censurer Exeunt Scene 22. Enter four Gentlemen 1 GEnt. If I were to chuse a Wife I would chuse the Lady Solitary 2 Gent. Why 1 Gent. Because those that are Solitary love not much Company and being alone love not much noise and loving no noise love silence and loving silence love not to talk so as in having of her I shall have a Solitary Peaceable Quiet Silent Wife 3 Gent. And if I were to chuse I would chuse the Lady Censurer for she would let nothing pass her judgment for she will give her opinion of all things persons and actions so in having her to my Wife I should have a general Intelligencer or at least her opinion of all things 2 Gent. But if her Judgment were not good her opinion would be erroneous 3 Gent. I care not it would serve to pass an idle time with 4 Gent. And if I might chuse I would chuse the Lady Examination for a Wife 2 Gent. Why 4 Gent. Because she knows most humours and passages of every body and their affairs so by her I should be entertained with news from all places as of all actions done opinions held words spoke or thoughts thought 2 Gent. I would I could have my wish as easily as you might have your choice 1 Gent. What would you wish 2 Gent. I would wish to be unmarried for if I were I would never be troubled with a Wife again but let me advise you for I love to have married Companions that you three should go a woing to those three Ladyes they cannot nor will not deny your Sute being all three of you rich young and handsome All three We will take your Counsel Exeunt FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES The Lord General Seigneur Valeroso Monsieur la Hardy Monsieur Compagnion Monsieur Comerade Monsieur la Gravity Captain Ruffell Captain Whiffell and several other Gentlemen Doctor Educature Doctor Comfort Stewards Messengers and Servants Lady Victoria Madam Jantil Madam Passionate Madam Ruffell Madam Whiffell Doll Pacify Madam Passionates Maid Nell Careless Madam Jantils Maid other Servants and Heroickesses THE FIRST PART OF BELL IN CAMPO ACT I. Scene 1. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. You hear how this Kingdome of Reformation is prepaparing for War against the Kingdome of Faction 2 Gent. Yea for I hear the Kingdome of Faction resolves to War with this Kingdome of Reformation 1 Gent. 'T is true for there are great preparations of either side men are raised of all sorts and ages fit to bear Arms and of all degrees to command and obey and there is one of the gallantest and noblest persons in this Kingdome which is made General to command in chief for he is a man that is both valiant and well experienced in Wars temperate and just in Peace wise and politick in publick affairs carefull and prudent in his own Family and a most generous person 2 Gent. Indeed I have heard that he is a most excellent Souldier 1 Gent. He is so for he is not one that sets forth to the Wars with great resolutions and hopes and returns with maskerd fears and despairs neither is he like those that take more care and are more industrious to get gay Clothes and fine Feathers to flant in the Field and vapour in their march than to get usefull and necessary provision but before he will march he will have all things ready and proper for use as to fit himself with well-tempered Arms which are light to be worn yet musket proof for he means not to run away nor to yield his life upon easy terms unto his Enemy for he desires to Conquer and not vain-gloriously to shew his courage by a careless neglect or a vain carelessness also he chooses such Horses as are usefull in War such as have been made subject to the hand and heel that have been taught to Trot on the Hanches to change to Gallop to stop and such Horses as have spirit and strength yet quiet and sober Natures he regards more the goodness of the Horses than the Colours or marks and more the fitness of his Saddles than the Imbrodery also he takes more care that his Waggons should be easy to follow and light in their carriage than to have them painted and gilded and he takes greater care that his Tents should be made so as to be suddenly put up and as quickly pull'd down than for the setting and Imbrodering his Arms thereupon also he take more care to have usefull Servants than numerous Servants and as he is industrious and carefull for his particular affairs so he is for the general affairs 2 Gent. A good Souldier makes good preparations and a good General doth both for himself and Army and as the General hath showed himself a good Souldier by the preparations he had made to march so he hath showen himself a wise man by the settlement he hath made in what he hath to leave behind him for I hear he hath setled and ordered his House and Family 1 Gent. He hath so and he hath a fair young and virtuous Lady that he must leave behind him which cannot choose but trouble him 2 Gent. The wisest man that is cannot order or have all things to his own contentment Exeunt Scene 2. Enter the Lord General and the Lady Victoria his Wife GEneral My dear heart you know I am commanded to the Wars and had I not such Wife as you are I should have thought Fortune had done me a favour to imploy my life in Heroical Actions for the service of my Country or to give me a honourable Death but to leave you is such a Cross as my Nature sinks under but wheresoever you are there will be my life I shall only carry a Body which may sight but my Soul and all the powers thereof will remain with thee Lady Victoria Husband I shall take this expression of love but for feigning words if you leave me for 't is against Nature to part with that we love best unless it be for the beloveds preservation which cannot be mine for my life lives in yours and the comfort of that life in your Company Lord General I know you love me so well as you had rather part with my life than I should part from my honour Lady Victoria 'T is true my love perswades me so to do knowing fame is a double life as infamy is a double death nay I should perswade you to those actions were they never so dangerous were you unwilling thereunto or could they create a world of honour fully inhabited with praises but I would not willingly part with your life for an imaginary or supposed honour which dyes in the womb before it is Born thus I love you the best preferring the best of what is yours but I am but in the second place in your affections for you
prefer your honour before me 't is true it is the better choice but it shows I am not the best beloved which makes you follow and glue to that and leave me Lord General Certainly Wife my honour is your honour and your honour will be buried in my disgrace which Heaven avert for I prefer yours before my own insomuch as I would have your honour to be the Crown of my glory Lady Victoria Then I must partake of your actions and go along with you Lord General What to the VVars Lady Victoria To any place where you are Lord General But VVife you consider not as that long marches ill lodgings much watching cold nights scorching dayes hunger and danger are ill Companions for Ladyes their acquaintance displeases their conversation is rough and rude being too boisterous for Ladyes their tender and strengthless constitutions cannot encounter nor grapell therewith Lady Victoria 'T is said that Love overcomes all things in your Company long marches will be but as a breathing walk the hard ground feel as a Feather-Bed and the starry Sky a spangled Canopy hot dayes a Stove to cure cold Agues hunger as Fasting dayes or an eve to devotion and danger is honours triumphant Chariot Lord General But Nature hath made women like China or Pursleyn they must be used gently and kept warily or they will break and fall on Deaths head besides the inconveniencies in an Army are so many as put patience her self out of humour besides there is such inconveniences as modesty cannot allow of Lady Victoria There is no immodestly in natural effects but in unnatural abuses but contrive it as well as you can for go I must or either I shall dye or dishonour you for if I stay behind you the very imaginations of your danger will torture me sad Dreams will affright me every little noise will sound as your passing Bell and my fearfull mind will transform every object like as your pale Ghost untill I am smothered in my Sighs shrouded in my Tears and buried in my Griefs for whatsoever is joyned with true love will dye absented or else their love will dye for love and life are joyned together as for the honour of constancy or constant fidelity or the dishonour of inconstancy the lovingest and best wife in all story that is recorded to be the most perfectest and constantest wife in her Husbands absence was Penelope Ulysses wife yet she did not Barricado her Ears from Loves soft Alarums but parled and received Amorous Treaties and made a Truce untill she and her Lovers could agree and conclude upon conditions and questionless there were Amorous Glances shot from loving Eyes of either party and though the Siege of her Chastity held out yet her Husbands Wealth and Estate was impoverished and great Riots committed both in his Family and Kingdome and her Suters had absolute power thereof thus though she kept the fort of her Chastity she lost the Kingdome which was her Husbands Estate and Government which was a dishonour both to her and her Husband so if you let me stay behind you it will be a thousand to one but either you will lose me in Death or your honour in Life where if you let me go you will save both for if you will consider and reckon all the married women you have heard or read of that were absented from their Husbands although upon just and necessary occasions but had some Ink of aspersions flung upon them although their wives were old illfavoured decrepid and diseased women or were they as pure as light or as innocent as Heaven and wheresoever this Ink of aspersions is thrown it sticks so fast that the spots are never rubb'd out should it fall on Saints they must wear the marks as a Badge of misfortunes and what man had not better be thought or called an uxorious Husband than to be despised and laught at as being but thought a Cuckhold the first only expresses a tender and noble Nature the second sounds as a base cowardly poor dejected forsaken Creature and as for the immodesty you mentioned there is none for there can be no breach of modesty but in unlawfull actions or at least unnecessary ones but what Law can warrant and necessity doth inforce is allowable amongst men pure before Angels Religious before Gods when unchosing persons improper places unfit times condemn those actions that are good in themselves make them appear base to men hatefull to Angels and wicked to Gods and what is more lawfull fitting and proper than for a man and wife to be inseparable together Lord General Well you have used so much Rhetorick to perswade as you have left me none to deny you wherefore I am resolved you shall try what your tender Sex can endure but I believe when you hear the Bullets fly about you you will wish your self at home and repent your rash adventure Lady Victoria I must prove false first for love doth give me courage Lord General Then come along I shall your courage try Lady Victoria He follow you though in Deaths Arms I ly Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the two former Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Well met for I was going to thy lodging to call thee to make up the Company of good fellows which hath appointed a meeting 2 Gent. Faith you must go with the odd number or get another in my room for I am going about some affairs which the Lord General hath imployed me in 1 Gent. I perceive by thee that publick imployments spoil private meetings 2 Gent. You say right for if every one had good imployment vice would be out of fashion 1 Gent. What do you call vice 2 Gent. Drinking Wenching and Gaming 1 Gent. As for two of them as Drinking and Wenching especially Wenching no imployment can abolish them no not the most severest devotest nor dangerest for the States-man Divines and Souldiers which are the most and greatest imployed will leave all other affairs to kiss a Mistriss 2 Gent. But you would have me go to a Tavern and not to a Mistriss 1 Gent. VVhy you may have a Mistriss in a Tavern if you please 2 Gent. VVell if my other affairs will give me any leisure I will come to you Exeunt Scene 4. Enter four or five other Gentlemen 1 Gent. The Lord General was accounted a discreet and wise man but he shows but little wisdome in this action of carrying his wife along with him to the VVars to be a Clog at his heels a Chain to his hands an Incumberance in his march obstruction in his way for she will be always puling and sick and whining and crying and tir'd and froward and if her Dog should be left in any place as being forgotten all the whole Army must make a halt whilst the Dog is fetcht and Trooper after Trooper must be sent to bring intelligence of the Dogs coming but if there were such a misfortune that the Dog could not be found the whole Army must
naturally an eloquent Orator yet the bare truth of his worthy Virtues and Heroical actions will be sufficient to make the story both profitable delightfull and famous also I must intreat you to choose out a Poet one that doth not meerly write for gain or to express his own wit so much as to endeavour to Pencil with the pen Virtue to the life which in my Lord was so beautifull as it was beyond all draughts but the theam will inspire his Muse and when both these works are writ printed and set out as divulged to the World as a patern for examples which few will be able to imitate then I would have these books ly by me as Registers of memory for next unto the Gods my life shall be spent in Contemplation of him I know I shall not need to perswade you to do this for your affection to his memory is ready of it self but love and duty binds me to express my desires for his Fame leaving nothing which is for my part thereunto Doctor Educature Madam all the service I can do towards the memory of my dear Pupil and noble Lord and Patron shall be most devoutly observed and followed for Heaven knows if I had as many lives to dispose of as I have lived years I would have Sacrificed them all for to haue redeemed his life from Death Doctor Educature goes out Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. When I have interred my Husbands body and all my desires thereunto be finished I shall be at some rest and like an Executrix to my self executing my own will distributing the Rites and Ceremonies as Legacies to the dead thus the living gives the dead but O my Spirits are tired with the heavy burden of Melancholy and grow faint for want of rest yet my senses invite me thereunto yet I cannot rest in my Bed for frightfull Dreams disturb me wherefore I will ly down on this floor and try if I can get a quiet sleep on the ground for from Earth I came and to Earth I would willingly return She lays her self down upon the ground on one side of her Arm bowing leaning upon her Elbow her Forehead upon the palm of her hand bowing forwards her face towards the ground but her grief elevating her passion thus speaks Madam Iantil. Weep cold Earth through your pores weep Or in your bowels my salt tears fast keep Inurn my sighs which from my grief is sent With my hard groans build up a Monument My Tongue like as a pen shall write his name My words as letters to divulge his fame My life like to an Arch over his Ashes bend And my desires to his grave descend I warn thee Life keep me not Company I am a friend to Death thy Enemy For thou art cruell and every thing torments Wounding with pain all that the World presents But Death is generous and sets us free Breaks off our Chains and gives us liberty Heals up our wounds of trouble with sweet rest Draws our corrupted passions from our breast Layes us to sleep on Pillows of soft case Rocks us with silence nothing hears nor sees She fetches'a great sigh O that I may here sleep my last After a short slumber she wakes If it were not for Dreams sleep would be a happiness next unto Death but I find I cannot sleep a long sleep in Death I shall not dye so soon as I would Love is so strong and pure it cannot dy Lives not in sense but in the Soul doth lye Why do I mourn his love with mine doth dwell His love is pleas'd mine entertains it well But mine would be like his one imbodied Only an Essence or like a Godhead Exeunt Scene 22. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort How doth our Lady Doll Doll Pacify To day she began to sit up but yet she is very weak and faint Doctor Comfort Heaven help her Doll Pacify You that are Heavens Almner should distribute Heavens gifts out of the purse of your mouth and give her single Godly words instead of single silver pence to buy her some Heavenly food to feed her famisht mind Doctor Comfort Thou are a full-fed wench Doll Pacify If I were no better fed than you feed me which is but once a week as on Sundayes I should be starved Doctor Comfort You must fast and pray fast and pray Exeunt ACT V. Scene 23. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. All the young Gallants in the Town are preparing themselves with fine Cloths and Feathers to go a woing to the two rich Widows the Lady Iantil and the Lady Passionate 2 Gent. Riches are the Loadstone of affection or at least professions 1 Gent. The truth is Riches draw more Suters than Youth Beauty or Virtue Exeunt Scene 24. Enter two or three Gentlemen Monsieur Comerade Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Comerade For Heavens sake let us go and address our selves to the two Rich Widows Monsieur Compagnion For my part I will address my self to none but the young Widow the Lady Iantil and to her let us go without delay Monsieur la Gravity It will be uncivil to go so soon after their Husbands Death for their Husbands are not yet laid in their Graves Monsieur Compagnion If they were we should come too late for I knew a man which was a great friend of mine who was resolved to settle himself in a married course of life and so he went a wooing to a Widow for a Widow he was resolved to marry and he went a wooing to one whose Husband was but just cold in his grave but she told him she was promised before so he wooed another whilst she followed her Husbands Corps but she told him he came too late whereat he thought with the third not to be a second in his Sute and so expressed his desires in her Husbands sickness she told him she was very sorry that she had past her word before to another for if she had not she would have ma le him her choice whereat he curst his imprudence and wooed the fourth on her wedding day who gave him a promise after her Husband was dead to marry him and withall she told him that if she had been married before it had been ten to one but he had spoke too late for said she when we are Maids we are kept from the free conversation of men by our Parents or Guardians but on our wedding day we are made free and set at liberty and like as young Heirs on the day of one and twenty we make promises like bonds for two or three lives wherefore I fear we shall miss of our hopes for these two Widows will be promised before we address our Sute Monsieur la Gravity No no for I am confident all do not so for some love to have the freedoms of their wills for every promise is a bondage to those that make a Conscience to keep their promise besides it is not only variety that pleaseth women but
new Changes for stale Acquaintance is as unpleasant as want of change and the only hopes I have to the end of my Sute is that I am a Stranger and unknown for women fancy men beyond what they are when unknown and prize them less than their merits deserve when they are acquainted Monsieur Comerade Well we will not stay but we will do our indeavour to get admittance Exeunt Scene 25. Enter Madam Passionate as very ill sitting in a Chair groaning Enter Madam Jantil as to see her MAdam Iantil. Madam how do you find your health Madam Passionate Very bad for I am very ill but I wonder at your Fortitude that you can bear such a Cross as the loss of your Husband so patiently Madam Iantil. O Madam I am like those that are in a Dropsie their face seems full and fat but their liver is consumed and though my sorrow appears not outwardly yet my heart is dead within me Madam Passionate But your young years is a Cordiall to restore it and a new love will make it as healthfull as ever it was Enter Doll Pacify the Lady Passionat's Maid with a Porrenger of Cawdle Doll Pacify Pray Madam eat somthing or otherwise you will kill your self with fasting for you have not eaten any thing since the beginning of your sorrow Lady Passionate O carry that Cawdle away carry it away for the very sight doth overcome my Stomack Doll Pacify Pray Madam eat but a little Lady Passionate I care not for it I cannot eat it nor will not eat it wherefore carry it away or I will go away Both the Ladies goe out Enter Nell Careless Madam Jantils Maid Nell Careless Prethee if thy Lady will not eat this Cawdle give it me for I have an Appetite to it but I wonder you will offer your Lady any thing to eat but rather you should give her somthing to drink for I have heard sorrow is dry but never heard it was hungry Doll Pacify You are mistaken for sorrow is sharp and bites upon the Stomack which causes an eager Appetite Nell Careless I am sure weeping eyes make a dry Throat She eats and talks between each spoonfull Doll Pacify But Melancholy Thoughts make a hungry Stomack but faith if thou wert a Widow by thy eating thou wouldst have another Husband quickly Nell Careless Do you think I would marry again Doll Pacify Heaven forbid that a young woman should live a Widow Nell Careless Why is it a sin for a young woman to live a Widow Doll Pacify I know not what it would be to you but it would be a case of Conscience to me if I were a Widow Nell Careless By thy nice Conscience thou seem'st to be a Puritan Doll Pacify VVell I can bring many proofs but were it not a sin it is a disgrace Nell Careless VVhere lies the disgrace Doll Pacify In the opinion of the VVorld for old Maids and musty VVidows are like the plague shun'd of by all men which affrights young women so much as by running from it they catch hold on whatsoever man they meet without consideration of what or whom they are by which many times they fall into poverty and great misery Nell Careless You teach a Doctrine that to escape one mischief they fall on another which is worse than the first wherefore it were better to live a musty VVidow as you call them than a miserable VVife besides a man cannot intimately love a VVidow because he will be a Cuckold as being made one by her dead Husband and so live in Adultry and so she live in sin her self by Cuckolding both her Husbands having had two Doll Pacify I believe if you were a VVidow you would be tempted to that sin Nell Careless Faith but I should not for should I commit that sin I should deserve the Hell of discontent Doll Pacify Faith you would marry if you were young and fair and rich Nell Careless Those you mention would keep me from marrying for if any would marry me for the love of youth and beauty they would never love me long because time ruins both soon and if any one should marry me meerly for my riches they would love my riches so well and so much as there would be no love left for me that brought it and if my Husband be taken Prisoner by my wealth I shall be made a Slave Doll Pacify No not if you be virtuous Nell Careless Faith there is not one in an Age that takes a wife meerly for virtue nor valews a wife any thing the more for being so for poor Virtue fits mourning unregarded and despised not any one will so much as cast an eye towards her but all shun her as you say they do old Maids or musty Widows Doll Pacify Although you plead excellently well for not marrying yet I make no question but you would willingly marry if there should come a young Gallant Nell Careless What 's that a Fool that spends all his wit and money on his Clothes or is it a gallant young man which is a man enriched with worth and merit Doll Pacify I mean a Gallant both for bravery and merit Nell Careless Nay they seldome go both together Doll Pacify Well I wish to Heaven that Hymen would give thee a Husband and then that Pluto would quietly take him away to see whether you would marry again O I long for that time Nell Careless Do not long too earnestly lest you should miscarry of your desires Enter Madam Passionate whereat Nell Careless hearing her come she runs away Madam Passionate VVho was it that run away Doll Pacify Nell Careless Madam Iantils Maid Madam Passionate O that I could contract a bargain for such an indifferent mind as her young Lady hath or that the pleasures of the VVorld could bury my grief Doll Pacify There is no way for that Madam but to please your self still with the present times gathering those fruits of life that are ripe and next to your reach not to indanger a fall by climing too high nor to stay for that which is green nor to let it hang whilst it is rotten with time nor to murmur for that which is blowen down by chance nor to curse the weather of accidents for blasting the blossoms nor the Birds and VVorms of Death which is sickness and pain for picking and eating the berries for nature allows them a part as well as you for there is nothing in the VVorld we can absolutely possess to our selves for Time Chance Fortune and Death hath a share in all things life hath the least Madam Passionate I think so for I am weary of mine The Lady goes out Enter a Man Man Mistriss Dorothy there are two or three Gentlemen that desire to speak with one of the VVidows Maids and you belong to one Doll Pacify VVell what is their business Man I know not but I suppose they will only declare that to your self She goeth out and enters again as meeting the
as you Monsieur Compagnion It is to be observed that alwayes old Girls match themselves with young Boyes Monsieur la Gravity None but Fools will do so Monsieur Compagnion VVhy did you or any man else ever know a wise old woman or a chast young woman in their lives for the one dotes with Age the other is corrupted with Flattery which is a Bawd to self-conceit Monsieur la Gravity Grant it be so yet it is better to marry an old doting Fool than a wanton young Fille Monsieur Compagnion For my part I think now it is the best way to marry none since Madam Iantil is gone but to live like the Lacedemonians all in Common Monsieur la Gravity I am of another opinion wherefore if you will go along with me to the old VVidow Madam Passionate and help to Countenance my Sute I shall take it as an act of Friendship Monsieur Comerade Come we will be thy Pillars to support thee Exeunt Scene 10. Enter Nell Careless and Doll Pacify DOll Pacify What doth thy Lady resolve to live an Anchoret Nell Careless I think so Doll Pacify How doth she pass away her time in her solitary Self Nell Careless Why as soon as she rises she goeth to my Lords Tomb and sayes her Prayers then she returns and eats some little Breakfast as a Crust of Bread and a Draught of Water then she goeth to her Gallery and walks and Contemplates all the Forenoon then about twelve a Clock at Noon she goeth to the Tomb again and sayes more Prayers then returns and eats a small Dinner of some Spoon-meats and most of the Afternoon she sits by the Tomb and reads or walks in the Cloyster and views the Pictures of my Lord that are placed upon the Walls then in the Evening she sayes her Evening Prayers at the Tomb and eats some light Supper and then prayes at the Tomb before she goeth to Bed and at Midnight she rises and takes a white waxen Torch lighted in her hand and goeth to the Tomb to pray and then returns to Bed Doll Pacify Faith she prayes often enough in the day she shall not need to pray at Midnight but why doth she rise just at Midnight Nell Careless I know not unless she is of that opinion which some have been of which is that the Souls or Spirits of the dead rise at that hour out of their Graves and Tombs to visit the face of the Earth and perhaps my Lady watches or hopes to converse by that means with my Lords Ghost for since she cannot converse with him living she desires to converse with him dead or otherwise she would not spend most of her time at this Tomb as she doth but how doth thy Lady spend her time now Doll Pacify Faith as a Lady should do with nourishing her Body with good hearty meats and drink And though my Lady doth not pray at Midnight yet she converses with Spirits at that time of Night Nell Careless What Spirits Doll Pacify Marry Spirits distilled from Wine and other Cordials which she drinks when she wakes which is at Midnight but do you watch fast and pray as thy Lady doth Nell Careless No truly for I feed with the rest of my Ladies Servants which live within the House without the Cloyster and they eat and drink more liberally Exeunt Scene 11. Enter Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur Comerade as to Madam Passionates House enter Madam Passionates Gentleman Usher MOnsieur la Gravity Sir we come to kiss the hands of the Lady Passionate if you please to inform your Lady of us Gentleman Usher I shall if 't please you to enter into another Room Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Doll Pacify as to her Lady Madam Passionate in her Chamber where her Cabinets were DOll Pacify Madam there are three Gentlemen come to visit you desiring you would give them leave to kiss your hands Madam Passionate Shut down the lid of the Seller of Strong-waters and rid away the loose things that lie about that my Chamber may appear in some order The Maid sets things in order whilst the old Lady is trimming her self in the Looking-glass Madam Passionate Bring in those Gentlemen The Maid goes out then enters with the Gentlemen the two young men speak to each other the time that Monsieur la Gravity is saluting Monsieur Compagnion I marry Sir here is a comfortable smell indeed Monsieur Comerade Faith the smell of these Spirits overcomes my Spirits for I am ready to swound Then they go and salute the Lady Madam Passionate Pray Gentlemen sit down They sit Truly I have had so great a wind in my Stomack as it hath troubled me very much Compagnion speaks softly to Comerade Monsieur Compagnion VVhich to express the better she rasps at every word to make a full stop Monsieur la Gravity Perchance Madam you have eaten some meat that disgests not well Speaks aside Monsieur Compagnion A Toad Lady Passionate No truly I cannot gess what should cause it unless it be an old pipin and that is accounted a great restorative She fetches a great sigh But I believe it is the drugs of my Sorrow which stick in my Stomack for I have grieved mightily for my dead Husband rest his Soul he was a good Man and as kind a Husband as ever woman had Monsieur la Gravity But the destinies Madam are not to be controuled Death seizes on all be it early or late wherefore every one is to make their life as happy as they can since life is so short and in order to that you should chuse a new Companion to live withall wherefore you must marry again Lady Passionate 'T is true the Destinies are not to be controuled as you say wherefore if my Destiny be to marry I shall marry or else I shall dye a Widow Monsieur Compagnion aside softly as in the ear of Monsieur Comerade Monsieur Compagnion She will lay the fault of her second Marriage on Destiny as many the like foolish actions are laid to Destinies charge which she was never guilty of Monsieur la Gravity If I should gess at your destiny I should judge you will marry again by the quickness of your Eyes which are fair and lovely She simpers Lady Passionate O Sir you flatter me Monsieur Compagnion He be sworn that he doth Aside Lady Passionate But my Eyes were good as I have been told both by my Glass and Friends when I was young but now my face is in the Autumal Softly to Comerade aside Monsieur Compagnion Nay faith it is in the midst of Winter Lady Passionate But now you talk of Eyes that young Gentlemans Eyes points to Compagnion do so resemble my Husbands as I can scarce look off from them they have a good Aspect Monsieur Compagnion I am glad they have an influence upon your Ladiship She speaks as softly to her self La. Passion By my faith wittily answered I dare say he is a notable youth Sir for resemblance of
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
given to any before which is to make you Triumphant for no triumph is ever made in Monarchies but by the Kings thereof besides our Gracious King hath caused an act to be made and granted to all your Sex which Act I have order to declare as First That all women shall hereafter in this Kingdome be Mistriss in their own Houses and Families Secondly They shall sit at the upper end of the Table above their Husbands Thirdly That they shall keep the purse Fourthly They shall order their Servants turning from or taking into their service what number they will placing them how they will and ordering them how they will and giving them what wages they will or think fit Fiftly They shall buy in what Provisions they will Sixtly All the Jewels Plate and Houshold Furniture they shall claim as their own and order them as they think good Seventhly They shall wear what fashioned Clothes they will Eightly They shall go abroad when they will without controul or giving of any account thereof Ninthly They shall eat when they will and of what they will and as much as they will and as often as they will Tenthly They shall go to Playes Masks Balls Churchings Christenings Preachings whensoever they will and as fine and bravely attired as they will Lastly That they shall be of their Husbands Counsel When those were read all the women cryed out God save the King God save the King and Heaven reward the Lady Victoria Then an Act was read concerning the Lady Victoria AS for you most gallant Lady the King hath caused to be enacted that First All Poets shall strive to set forth your praise Secondly That all your gallant acts shall be recorded in story and put in the chief Library of the Kingdome Thirdly That your Arms you fought in shall be set in the Kings Armory Fourthly That you shall alwayes wear a Lawrel Garland Fiftly You shall have place next to the Kings Children Sixtly That all those women that have commited such faults as is a dishonour to the Female Sex shall be more severely punished than heretofore in not following your exemplary virtues and all those that have followed your example shall have respective honour done to them by the State Seventhly and lastly Your figure shall be cast in Brass and then set in the midst of the City armed as it was in the day of Battel The Lady Victoria rises up in her Chariot and then bowes her self to the Magistrates Lady Victoria Worthy Sir the honour and privileges my Gracious King and Soveraign hath bestowed upon me is beyond my merit Then was read the Acts concerning the rest of the Female Army OUr gracious King hath caused to be enacted as First All the Chief Female Commanders shall have place as every Lords Wife shall take place of an Earls Wife that hath not been a Souldier in the Army every Knights Wife before a Barons Wife that hath not been a Souldier in the Army an Esquires Wife before a Knights Wife a Doctors Wife before an Esquires Wife that hath not been Souldiers in the Army a Citizens Wife before a Doctors Wife a Yeomans Wife before a Citizens Wife that hath not been a Souldier in the Army and all Trades-mens Wives that have been Souldiers in the Army shall be free in all the Corporations in this Kingdome these Acts during their lives and all the Chief Commanders shall be presented according to their quality and merit All the Female Souldiers cryed out God save the King God save the King After this the Lady Victoria is drawn on her Chariot and the rest walk after all Exeunt Scene 21. Enter Doll Pacify and Nell Careless DOll Pacify O Nell I hear thy Lady is dead and hath left thee a thousand pound Nell weeps Nell Careless What doest thou weep for joy of thy thousand pound or for grief of thy Ladies Death Nell Careless I wish my Lady had liv'd although I had begg'd all my life Doll Pacify I am not of your mind I had rather live well my self as to live in plenty than to live poor for the life of any body and if upon that condition my Lady would leave me a thousand pound I care not if she died to morrow but my young Master hath robbed me of all but Nell for all thou art left a thousand pound it is upon such a condition as for my part had it been to me I should not thank the giver for they say it is given thee upon condition to live a single life Nell Careless Truly I have seen so much sorrow in my Lady and so much folly in your Lady concerning Husbands that had not my Lady injoyned me to live a single life I would never have married wherefore my Ladies generosity did not only provide for my bodily life and for my plentifull living but provided for the tranquillity of my mind for which I am trebly obliged to reverence her memory Exeunt Scene 22. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. The Lady Victoria hath been at Court and hath had publick Audience 2 Gent. Yes and the Lady Victoria and her she Officers and Commanders have distributed all their spoils got in these Wars amongst the Common she Souldiers 1 Gent. All the Ladies that went not with the Army look most pittifully out of Countenance 2 Gent. Yes and they are much troubled that the Heroicks shall take place 1 Gent. The Lord General seems to be very proud of his Lady methinks he looks upon her with a most pleased Eye 2 Gent. He hath reason for never man had so gallant and noble a Lady not more virtuous and loving a Wife than the Lord General hath Exeunt FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES The Unfortunate Dutchess The Lady True Honour The Comical Dutchess The Creating Princess The Imaginary Queen Waiting Women Bourgers Wives c. The Duke of Inconstancy Prince Shaddow and many Gentlemen PROLOGUE NOble Spectators this play that you 'l see Is taken out of Britains History It is not pleasant nor yields much delight But it did serve the Poetress to write She bids me tell you she was glad to take Any dull plot so she a play could make Her vacant idle time for to imploy For she loves writing more than Company But if it pleases not your Eyes or sight She doth not care since it pleas'd her to write For she indeavours tryes all that she may To please her self in every honest way Wherefore a praise or yet applause from you She expects not nor challenges as her due A COMEDY OF THE APOCRIPHAL LADIES ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Unfortunate Dutchess and her Woman Woman DEar Madam why doth your Highness weep Unfortunate Dutchess As fear frights tears from the Eyes so grief doth send them forth Woman Why should your Highness grieve Unfortunate Dutchess Have I not cause when I am married to a person which doth not love but rather hate me Woman Certainly he hath reason to love you and he were worse than a Devil if
ravenous and cruel Beasts that otherwise would devour them for as women have not natural strength to build so have they not natural courage to sight being for the most part as fearfull as weak Likewise men nourish them for men Fish Fowl and hunt to get them Food to feed them for which women would neither take the pains nor indure the labour nor have the heart to kill their food for women by nature are so pittifull and have such tender dispositions as they would rather suffer death themselves than destroy life in other Creatures Also men maintain them by composing themselves into Common-wealths wherein is Traffique and Commerce that each Family may live by each other Also Laws to keep them in peace to rule them in order to defend them with Arms which women could never do by reason they know not what Government to settle in or to nor what Laws to make or how to execute those Laws that were made neither could they plead Sutes decide Causes Judge Controversies deal out right or punish Injuries or condemn Criminals Also men are the Instructers to inform them of Arts and Sciences which women would nere have had the patience to study for they would never have allowed so much time and solitary musing for the perfecting or devoting those Conceptions as those that first invented or found them out besides if women were not instructed by men of the natural cause of Effects how often would they have been affrighted almost to death with the loud and terrifying Thunders the flashing Lightenings the dark Eclipses the unsteady Earthquakes the overflowing Tides and many the like natural Effects from hidden Causes besides women would want all those conveniencies that Art affords them and furnishes them with Also men instruct women with the Mystery of the Gods whereas for want of which knowledge they would have been damned through ignorance Also men are their Delighters they traffique on the Sea all over the world to every several Climate and Country to find and to bring the Female Sex Curiosities hazarding their lives for the same whereas women could neither build their Ships nor guide them on the Seas when they were built they have not strength to pull and tug great Cable Ropes to set and spread large Sails to cast and weigh Massy Anchors no not in a calm much lesse in furious storms with which men often fight though not with Arms with Subtility and Skill by which the Elements are conquered still whereas women are conquered and not only being strengthlesse and heartlesse but healthlesse for not only the roaring Seas and whistling winds and ratling showres and rumbling Thunders and fiery Lightenings Rocks Shelves and Sands unknown or not to be avoided besides Mountains of Ice if to the Northern Pole all which would terrifie them yet their weak bodies sick stomacks and nice Appetites could never endure long Voyages they would vomit out their life before they could sayl to their assigned Port or Haven Also men are womens admirers they gaze on their Beauties and praise their sweet Graces whereas women through envy detract from each other Also men are womens only True Lovers they flatter kisse and please them whereas women are apt to quarrel rail and fight with each other And lastly men Deifie women making them Goddesses by their Poetical Descriptions Elevations whereas Nature made them meer Mortals Human creatures wherefore it is a great ingratitude nay a horid ingratitude in those women that denye men their Company Conversation and Communication wherefore men have not only Reason to take it ill but to be angry with those women that shun or restrain their Company from them but good Counsel ought to go before Anger for the difference betwixt good Counsel and Anger is that good Counsel goes before a fault is committed and Anger followeth when a fault is committed for as good Counsel or Admonishment is to prevent a fault so Anger is a Punishment for a fault past Exeunt Scene 15. Enter three Antient Ladies 1 LAdy Is your Daughter put into the Academy 2 Lady Yes 3 Lady How long Madam hath your Daughter been in the Academy 2 Lady This week but she hath not profited much for I do not hear her discourse 1 Lady First it is to be considered whether your Daughter be capable of discoursing for she must have a natural ingenuity to the Art of Rhetorick 3 Lady My Daughter was alwayes a pretty talking Girl as any in all the Country and Town I lived in 2 Lady Yes Children may talk prettily for Children but when they come to be women it is a question whether they will talk wisely or no but let us go hear which of the Ladies discourses to day Exeunt Scene 16. Enter the Academical Ladies and their Matrons The Lady Speaker takes the Chair MAtron Lady for this time let the Theam of your discourse be of Discourse Lady Speaker Reverend Matron this Theam hath been discoursed of before by one of our Academy but yet by reason one and the same Theam may be discoursed of after different manners or wayes I shall obey you As for Discourse there is of four sorts the first is discoursing in the mind which is reasoning The second is discoursing with words which is speaking The third is discoursing by signs which is action or acting The last is discoursing by Figures which is by Letters and Hieroglyphicks which is by Printing Writing Painting and the like As for the first which is a discourse in the mind which is Reasoning which reasoning is a discourse with things and not with words as such a thing is not such a thing and what such things are and what they are not or in what such things agreee or disagree sympathy or antipathy or such things resemble or not resemble or on the cause of things or their effects or the like This discourse is in the mind which is distinguishing and distinguishing belongs to Judgement The second discoursing is with words which is Speech and words are not things or notches but only marks of things or nicks or notches to know things by and the Tongue is the Tally on which they are scored for Speech is a number of words which words are made and joyned together by the Breath Tongue Teeth and Lips and the continuance make a discourse for a discourse is like a line or thread whereon are a number of words strung like as a Chain of Beads if the words be well sorted and fitly and properly matched as also evenly strung the discourse is pleasant and delightfull this Chain of discourse is longer or shorter according as the Speaker pleases The third discourse is a discourse by Signes which is in Actions as some can discourse by the Motion of their Faces Countenances Hands Fingers Paces or Measures or by the cast of the Eyes and many such like Postures Looks Actions and several such wayes of Motion as have been invented to be understood This and the first kind of
Commander and Common Souldiers Lady Victoria The reason of this is that Ceremony strikes a reverence and respect into every breast raising up a devotion in every heart and devotion makes obedience and obedience keeps order and order is the strength and life to an Army State or Common-wealth and as for the Prayers presented to these particular Gods and Goddess is that Mars would give us courage and strength Pallas give us prudent conduct Fortune give us Victory and Fame give us Glory and Renown Reader Eleventhly Be it known observed and practised that the most experienced practiz'd and ingenioust Commanders shall preach twice a week of Martial Discipline also those errours that have been committed in former Wars and what advantages have been taken to be cited in their Sermons as also what was gain'd or lost by meer Fortune Reader Twelfthly Be it known observed and practised that when the Army marches that the Souldiers shall sing in their march the heroical actions done in former times by heroical women Lady Victoria The reason of this is that the remembrance of the actions of gallant persons inflames the Spirit to the like and begets a courage to a like action and the reason of singing of heroical actions only of women is that we are women our selves Reader Thirteenthly Be it known observed and submitted to that no Council shall be call'd but that all affairs be ordered and judged by the Generalless her self Lady Victoria The reason of this is that all great Councils as of many persons confounds judgments for most being of several opinions and holding strongly and stifly nay obstinately thereunto as every one thinking themselves wisest cause a division and wheresoever a division is there can be no finall conclusion Reader Fourteenthly Be it known observed and practised that none of this Effeminate Army admits of the Company of men whilst they are in Arms or Warlike actions not so much as to exchange words without the Generalless her leave or privilege thereto Lady Victoria The reason of this is that men are apt to corrupt the noble minds of women and to alter their gallant worthy and wise resolutions with their flattering words and pleasing and subtil insinuations and if they have any Authority over them as Husbands Fathers Brothers or the like they are apt to fright them with threats into a slavish obedience yet there shall be chosen some of the most inferiour of this Female Army to go into the Masculine Army to learn their designs and give us intelligence of their removals that we may order our incampings and removings according as we shall think best but these women shall neither be of the Body of our Army nor keep amongst the Army nor come within the Trenches but ly without the works in Huts which shall be set up for that purpose Reader Lastly Whosoever shall break any of these Laws or Orders shall be put to Death and those that do not keep them strictly shall be severely punished Lady Victoria But I am to advise you Noble Heroicks that though I would not have a general Council call'd to trouble our designs in War with tedious disputes and unnecessary objections and over cautious doubts yet in case of life and death there shall be a Jury chosen to sit and judge their Causes and the whole Army shall give their votes and the most voices shall either condemn or reprieve or save them lest I should hereafter be only call'd in question and not the rest as being not accessary thereunto and now you have heard these Laws or Orders you may assent or dissent therefrom as you please if you assent declare it by setting your hands thereto if you dissent declare it by word of mouth and the Tables shall be broken All the women We assent and will set our hands thereto Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Doctor Educature the Lady Jantils Chaplin and Nell Careless her Maid DOctor Educature Nell how doth your good Lady Nell Careless Faith she seems neither sick nor well for though her Body seems in health her Mind seems to be full of trouble for she will rise in the midst of the Night and walk about her Chamber only with her Mantle about her Doctor Educature Why doth she so Nell Careless I ask'd her why she broke her sleep so as to walk about and she answered me that it was frightfull Dreams that broke her sleep and would not let her rest in quiet Doctor Educature Alas she is Melancholick in the absence of my Lord Exeunt Scene 13. Enter the Lady Victoria and a number of other Women LAdy Victoria Now we are resolved to put our selves into a Warlike body our greatest difficulty will be to get Arms but if you will take my advise we may be furnished with those necessaries as thus the Garrison we are to enter is full of Arms and Amunition and few men to guard them for not only most of the Souldiers are drawn out to strengthen the Generals Army and to fight in the battel but as many of the Townsmen as are fit to bear Arms wherefore it must of necessity be very slenderly guarded and when we are in the Town we will all agree in one Night when they shall think themselves most secure to rise and surprize those few men that are left and not only disarm them and possess our selves of the Town and all the Arms and Amunition but we will put those men out of the Town or in safe places untill such time as we can carry away whatsoever is usefull or needfull for us and then to go forth and intrench untill such time as we have made our selves ready to march and being once Master or Mistriss of the Field we shall easily Master the Pesants who are for the most part naked and defenceless having not Arms to guard them by which means we may plunder all their Horses and victual our selves out of their Granaries besides I make no question but our Army will increase numerously by those women that will adhere to our party either out of private and home discontents or for honour and fame or for the love of change and as it were a new course of life wherefore let us march to the Town and also to our design but first I must have you all swear secrecy All the women We are all ready to swear to what you will have us Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Madam Jantil alone as rising out of her Bed her Mantle wrapt about her and in her night linnen MAdam Iantil. I saw his Face pale as a Lilly white His wounds fresh bleeding blood like rubies bright His Eyes were looking steadfastly on me Smiling as joying in my Company He mov'd his lips as willing was to speak But had no voice and all his Spirits weak He shak'd his hand as if he bid farewell That brought the message which his tongue would tell He 's dead he 's dead a sunder break my heart Let 's meet in Death though Wars