Anne Are you not well sir that you seeme thus troubled There is sedition in your countenance Wend. And in my hart faire Angel chast and wise I loue you start not speake not answere not I loue you nay let we speake the rest Bid me to sweare and I wil cal to record the hoast of Heauen Anne The hoast of heauen forbid Wendol should hatch such a disloyall thought wend. Such is my fate to this sute I was borne To weare rich pleasures Crowne or fortunes scorne Anne My husband loues you wend. I know it Anne He esteemes you Euen as his braine his eye-bal or his hart Wen. I haue tried it Anne His purse is you exchequer and his table Doth freely serue you wen. So I haue found it Anne Oh with what face of brasse what brow of steele Can you vnblushing speake this to the face Of the espoused wife of so deare a friend It is my husband that maintaines your state Wil you dishonor him I am his wife That in your power hath left his whole affaires It is to me you speake Wend. O speake no more For more than this I know and haue recorded Within the red-leau'd table of my hart Faire and of al belou'd I was not feareful Bluntly to giue my life into your hand And at one hazard al my earthly meanes Go tel your husband he wil turne me off And I am then vndone I care not I T was for your sake perchance in rage heel kil me I care not t was for you say I incurre The general name of villain through the world Of traitor to my friend I care not I Beggery shame death scandal and reproach For you I le hazard all what care I For you I le liue and in your loue I le dy Anne you moue me sir to passion and to pitty The loue I beare my husband is as pretious As my soules health Wend. I loue your husband to And for his loue I wil ingage my life Mistake me not the augmentation Of my sincere affection borne to you Doth no whit lessen my regard of him I will bee secret Lady close as night And not the light of one smal glorious star Shal shine heer in my forehead to bewray That act of night Anne What shal I say My soule is wandring and hath lost her way Oh maister Wendol oh Wend. Sigh not sweet saint For euery sigh you breath drawes from my hart A drop of blood Anne I nere offended yet My fault I feare wil in brow be writ Women that fal not quite bereft of grace Haue their offences noted in their face I blush and am asham'd oh maister Wendol Pray God I be not borne to curse your tongue That hath inchanted me This maze I am in I feare will proue the laborinth of sin Enter Nick Wend. The path of pleasure and the gate to blisse Which on your lips I knocke at with a kisse Nick I le kil the rogue Wend. your husband is from home your beds no blab Nay looke not downe and blush Nick Zounds I le stab I Nick was it thy chance to come Iust in the nicke I loue my maister and I hate that slaue I loue my mistris but these tricks I like not My Master shal not pocket vp this wrong I le eat my fingers first what saist thou mettle Dos not the rascall Wendol go on legs That thou must cut off hath he not Hamstrings That thou must hough Nay mettal thou shalt stand To al I say I le henceforth turne a spy And watch them in their close conueyances I neuer lookt for better of that Rascal Since he came miching first into our house It is that Sathan hath currupted her For she was faire and chast I le haue an eie In al their gestures thus I thinke of them If they proceed as they haue done before Wendols a knaue my Mistris is a c. Exit Enter Charles and Susan Char. Sister you see we are driuen to hard shift To keepe this poore house we haue left vnsold I am now inforcst to follow husbandry And you to milke and do we not liue wel Wel I thanke God Susan O brother heere 's a change Since old Sir Charles died in our fathers house Char. Al thinges on earth thus change some vp some downe Contents a kingdome and I weare that Crowne Enter Shafton with a Sargeant Shaf. God morrow god morrow sir Charls what with your sister Plying your husbandry Sergeant stand off You haue a pretty house here and a garden And goodly ground about it since it lies So neare a Lordship that I lately bought I would faine buy it of you I will giue you Char. O pardon me this house successiuely Hath long'd to me and my progenitors Three hundred yeare my great great Grandfather He in whom first our gentle stile began Dwelt here and in this ground increast this Molehil Vnto that mountaine which my father left me Where he the first of all our house begun I now the last will end and keepe this house This Virgin title neuer yet deflourd By any vnthrift of the Mountfords line In breefe I will not sel it for more gold Then you could hide or paue the ground withall Shaf. Ha ha a proud mind and a Beggers purse Where 's my three hundred pounds beside the vse I haue brought it to an execution By course of Law what is my money ready Char. An execution sir and neuer tell me You put my bond in suite you deale extreamely Shaf. Sell me the land and I le acquit you straight Char. Alas alas T is all trouble hath left me To cherrish me and my poore sisters life If this were sold our meanes should then be quite Raced from the Bed roule of gentility You see what hard shift we haue made to keepe it Allied still to our owne name this palme you see Labor hath gloud within her siluer brow That neuer tasted a rough winters blast Without a Maske or Fan doth with a grace Defie cold winter and his stormes outface Susan Sir we feed sparing and we labor hard We lie vneasie to reserue to vs And our succession this small plot of ground Char. I haue so bent my thoughts to husbandry That I protest I scarcely can remember What a new fashion is how silke or satten Feeles in my hand why pride is growne to vs A meere meere stranger I haue quite forgot The names of all that euer waited on me I cannot name ye any of my hounds Once from whose echoing mouths I hard al the musicke That ere my hart desired what should I say To keepe this place I haue chang'd my selfe away Shaf. Arest him at my suit actions and actions Shall keepe thee in perpetuall bondage fast Nay more I le sue thee by a laite appeale And call thy former life in question The keeper is my friend thou shalt haue yrons And vsage such as I le deny to dogs Away with him Char. You are
tongue To this base key I do beseech you vncle For the names sake for Christianity Nay for Gods sake to pitty his distresse He is denied the freedome of the prison And in the hole is laid with men condemnd Plenty he hath of nothing but of yrons And it remaines in you to free him thence Mount Money I cannot spare men should take heed He lost my kindred when he fell to need Exit Susan Gold is but earth thou earth inough shalt haue When thou hast once tooke measure of thy graue You know me maister Sandy and my sute San. I knew you Lady when the old man liud I knew you ere your brother sold his land Then you were mistris Sue trickt vp in Iewels Than you sung well plaid sweetly on the flute But now I neither know you nor your sute Su. You maister Roder was my brothers tennant Rent free he placst you in that wealthy farme Of which you are possest Roder True he did And haue I not there dwelt still for his sake I haue some busines now but without doubt They that haue hurld him in wil helpe him out Exit Susan Cold comfort stil what say you chosen Tydy Tydy I say this comes of roysting swaggring Call me not Cosen each man for himselfe Some men are borne to myrth and some to sorrow I am no Cosen vnto them that borrow Exit Susan Oh charity why art thou fled to heauen And left al things on this earth vneuen Their scoffing answeres I wll nere returne But to my selfe his griefe in silence mourne Enter Sir Francis and Malby Fran. She is poore I le therefore tempt her with this gold Go Malby in my name deliuer it And I wil stay thy answere Mal. Faire mistris as I vnderstand your griefe Doth grow from want so I haue here in store A meanes to furnish you a bag of gold Which to your hands I freely tender you Susan I thanke you Heauens I thanke you gentle sir God make me able to requite this fauor Mal. This Gold Sir Francis Acton sends by me And prayes you c. Susan Acton oh God that name I am borne to cursse Hence Bawd hence Broker see I spurne his gold My honor neuer shal for gaine be sold Fran. Stay Lady stay Susan From you I le posting hie Euen as the Doues from feathered Eagles flie Fran. She hates my name my face how should I wo I am disgracst in euery thing I do The more she hates me and disdaines my loue The more I am wrapt in admiration Of her diuine and chast perfections Woo her with gifts I cannot for al gifts Sent in my name she spurnes With lookes I cannot For she abhors my sight Nor yet with letters For none she wil receiue How then how then Well I wil fasten such a kindnes on her As shal orecome her hate and conquer it Sir Charles her Brother lies in execution For a great sum of mony and besides The appeale is sued stil for my Huntsmans death Which onely I haue power to reuerse In her I le bury al my hate of him Go seeke the keeper Malby bring me to him To saue his body I his debts wil pay To saue his life I his appeale wil stay Exeunt Enter Sir Charles in prison with yrons his face bare his garments al ragged and torne Char. Of al on the earths face most miserable Breath in the hellish dungeon thy laments Thus like a slaue ragd like a fellon giued That hurles thee headlong to this base estate Oh vnkind Vncle oh my friends ingrate Vnthankeful kinsmen Mountfords al too base To let thy name lie fettered in disgrace A thousand deaths here in this graue I die Feare hunger sorrow cold al threat my death And ioyne togither to depriue my breath But that which most torments me my dere sister Hath left to visite me and from my friends Hath brought no hopeful answere therefore I Diuine they wil not helpe my misery If it be so shame scandal and contempt Attend their couetous thoughts need make their graues Vsurers they liue and may they die like slaues Enter Keeper Keep Knight be of comfort for I bring thee freedome From al thy troubles Char. Then I am doomd to die Death is th end of al calamity Keep, Liue your appeale is stayed the execution Of al your debts discharg'd your creditors Euen to the vtmost penny satisfied In signe whereof your shackles I knock off you are not left so much indebted to vs As for your fees al is dischargd al paid Go freely to your house or where you please After long miseries imbrace your ease Char. Thou grumblest out the sweetest musicke to me That euer Organ plaid is this a dreame Or do my waking sences apprehend The pleasing tast of these applausiue newes Slaue that I was to wrong such honest friends My louing kinsmen and my neare allies Tongue I wil bite thee for the scandal breath Against such faithful kinsmen they are all Compos'd of pitty and compassion Of melting charity and of mouing ruth That which I spake before was in my rage They are my friends the mirrors of this age Bountious and free the Noble Mountfords race Nere bred a couetous thought or humor base Enter Susan Susan I can no longer stay from visiting My woful brother while I could I kept My haples tidings from his hopeful eare Char, Sister how much am I indebted to thee And to thy trauel Susan What at liberty Char. Thou seest I am thanks to thy industry Oh vnto which of al my curteous friends Am I thus bound my vncle Mountford he Eueu of an infant lou'd me was it he So did my cozen Tydy was it he So maister Roder maister Sandy to Which of al these did this hie kindnes doe Susan Charles can you mocke me in your pouerty Knowing your friends deride your misery Now I protest I stand so much amas'd To see your bonds free and your yrons knockt off That I am wrapt into a maze of wonder The rather for I know not by what meanes This happines hath chancst Char. Why by my vncle My cosens and my friends who els I pray Would take vpon them al my debts to pay Susan O brother they are men all of flint Pictures of Marble and as void of pitty As chased Beares I begd I sued I kneeld Laid open al your griefes and miseries Which they derided more then that denied vs A part in their alliance but in pride Said that our kindred with our plenty died Char. Drudges to much what did they oh knowne euil Rich fly the poore as good men shun the Deuil Whence should my freedome come of whom aliue Sauing of those haue I deserud so wel Gesse sister cal to mind remember me These I haue raisd these follow the worlds guise Whom rich in honor they in wo despise Susan My wits haue lost themselues le ts aske the keeper Char. Gayler Keep At hand sir Char. Of curtesie resolue mee
hath three or foure of which this is one that we are going to Sisly Good mistris be of good cheere sorrow you see hurtes you but helpes you not we all mourne to see you so sad Carter Mistris I spy one of my Landlords men Come riding post t is like he brings some newes Anne Comes he from maister Franckford he is welcome So are his newes because they come from him Enter Nick Nick There Anne I know the Lute oft haue I sung to thee We both are out of tune both out of time Nick Would that had beene the worst instrument that ere you played on my maister commends him to ye their 's all hee can find that was euer yours he hath nothing left that euer you could claim to lay but 〈◊〉 hart he could afford you that Al that I haue to deliuer you is this he prayes you to forget him and so he bids your farwell Anne I thanke him he is kind and euer was All you that haue true feeling of my griefe That know my losse and haue relenting harts Gird me about and help me with your teares To wash my spoted sins my Lute shall groue It cannot weepe but shall lament my mone Enter Wendoll Wendoll Pursued with horror of a guilty soule And with the sharpe scourge of repentance lasht I flye from my owne shadow oh my stars What haue my parents in their liues deserud That you should lay this penance on their sonne When I but thinke of maister Franckfords loue And lay it to my treason or compare My murdring him for his releeuing me It strikes a terror like a lightnings flash To search my bloud vp thus I like the Owle Ashamd of day liue in these shadowy woods Afraid of euery leafe or murmuring blast Yet longing to receiue some perfect knowledge How he hath dealt with her Oh my sad fate Here and so far from home and thus attended Oh God I haue deuorst the truest Turtles That euer liud together and being diuided In seuerall places make their seuerall mone She in the fieldes laments and he at home So Poets write that Orpheus made the trees And stones to dance to his melodious harp meaning the rusticke and the barbarous Hinds That had no vnderstanding part in them So she from these rude Carters teares extracts Making their flinty harts with griefe to rise And draw Riuers from their rocky eyes Anne If you returne vnto your maister say Though not from me for I am all vnworthy To blast his name with a strumpets tongue That you haue seene me weepe wish my selfe dead nay you may say to for my vow is past Last night you saw me eate and drinke my last This to you maister you may say and sweare For it is writ in heauen and decreed here Nick I le say you wept I le sweare you made me sad Why how now eyes what now what 's here to do I am gone or I shall strait turne baby to Wen. I cannot weep my hart is all on fire Curst be the fruits of my vnchast desire Anne Go breake this lute my Coaches whele As the last musicke that I ere shall make not as my husbands guift but my farewel To all earths ioy and so your maister tell Nick If I can for crying Wen. Griefe haue done Or like a Madman I shall frantick run Anne You haue beheld the wofullest wretch on earth A woman made of teares would you had words To expresse but what you see my inward griefe No tongue can vtter yet vnto your power You may discribe my sorrow and disclose To thy sad maister my aboundant woes Nick I le do your commendations Anne O no I dare not so presume nor to my children I am disclaimd in both alasse I am Oh neuer teach them when they come to speake To name the name of Mother chide their tongue If they by chance light on that hated word Tell them t is nought for when that word they name Poore pretty soules they harpe on their owne shame Wen. To recompence her wrongs what canst thou do Thou hast made her husbandlesse and childlesse to Anne I haue no more to say speake not for me Yet you may tell your maister what you see Nick I le do ot Exit Wen. I le speake to her and comfort her in griefe Oh but her wound cannot be cur'd with words No matter though I le do my best good will To worke a cure on her whom I did kill Anne So now vnto my Coach then to my home So to my deathbed for from this sad houre I neuer will nor eate nor drinke nor tast Of any Cates that may preserue my life I neuer will nor smile nor sleepe nor rest But when my teares haue washt my blacke soule white Sweete Sauiour to thy hands I yeeld my sprite Wen. Oh mistris Frankford Anne Oh for Gods sake fly The Diuell doth come to tempt me ere I dye My Coach this sinne that with an Angels face Courted mine honor till hee sought my wracke In my repentant eyes seemes vgly blacke Exeunt all the Carters whisling Ienk. What my young maister that fled in his shirt how come you by your clothes againe you haue made our house in a sweet pickle haue you not thinke you What shall I serue you still or cleaue to the old house Wen. Hence slaue away with thy vnseasoned mirth Vnlesse thou canst shed teares and sigh and houle Curse thy sad fortunes and exclaime on fate Thou art not for my turne Ienk. Marry and you will not another will farewell and be hangd wold you had neuer come to haue kept this quoile within our doores we shall ha you run away like a sprite againe Wen. Shee s gone to death I liue to want and woe Her life her sins and all vpon my head And I must now go wander like a Cain In forreine Countries and remoted clymes Where the report of my ingratitude Cannot be heard I le ouer first to France And so to Germany and Italy Where when I haue recouered and by trauell Gotten those perfect tongues and that these rumors May in their height abate I will returne And I deuine how euer now deiected My worth and parts being by some great man praisd At my returne I may in Court be raisd Exit Enter sir Francis sir Charles Cranwell and Susan Francis Brother and now my wife I thinke these troubles Fall on my head by Iustice of the heauens For being so strict to you in your extremities But we are now attonde I would my sister Could with like happinesse o'recome her griefes As we Haue ours Susan You tell vs maister Cranwell wonderous things Touching the patience of that gentleman With what strange vertue he demeanes his griefe Cran. I told you what I was witnesse of It was my fortune to lodge there that night Francis O that same villen Wendoll t' was his tongue That did corrupt her she was of her selfe Chast and deuoted well Is this the house