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
of the same fault but we have this advantage of men which is that we know this imperfection in our selves although we do not indeavour to mend it but men are so Partial to themselves as not to perceive this imperfection in themselves and so they cannot mend it but in this will not or cannot is as one but this discourse hath brought me to this that if I have spoke at any time to any person or persons impertinently improperly untimely or tediously I ask their pardon but lest I should be impertinently tedious in this Epistle and so commit a fault in asking pardon I leave my Readers to what may be more pleasing to them M. N. TO THE READERS NOBLE READERS I Make no question but my Playes will be censured and those Censurors severe but I hope not malicious but they will perchance say that my Playes are too serious by reason there is no rediculous Iest in them nor wanton Love nor Impossibilities also 't is likely they will say that there are no plots nor designs nor subtil Contrivances and the like I answer that the chief Plots of my Playes were to imploy my idle time the designs to please and entertain my Readers and the contrivance was to join edifying Profit and Delight together that my Readers may neither lose their time nor grow weary in the reading but if they find my Playes neither Edifying nor Delightfull I shall be sorry but if they find either I shall be pleased and if they find both I shall much rejoyce that my time hath been imployed to some good use M. N. TO THE READERS WORTHY READERS I Have heard that such Poets that write Playes seldome or never join or sow the several Scenes together they are two several Professions at least not usual for rare Poets to take that pains like as great Taylors the Master only cuts out and shapes and his Iourny-men and Apprentices join and sow them together but I like as a poor Taylor was forced to do all my self as to cut out shape join and sow each several Scene together without any help or direction wherefore I fear they are not so well done but that there will be many faults found but howsoever I did my best indeavour and took great pains in the ordering and joining thereof for which I hope my Learned Readers will pardon the errors therein and excuse me the worker thereof M. N. TO THE READERS NOBLE READERS MY Lord was pleased to illustrate my Playes with some Scenes of his own Wit to which I have set his name that my Readers may know which are his as not to couzen them in thinking they are mine also Songs to which my Lords name is set for I being no Lyrick Poet my Lord supplied that defect of my Brain with the superfluity of his own Brain thus our Wits join as in Matrimony my Lords the Masculine mine the Feminine Wit which is no small glory to me that we are Married Souls Bodies and Brains which is a treble marriage united in one Love which I hope is not in the power of Death to dissolve for Souls may love and Wit may live though Bodies dye M. N. I Must trouble my Noble Readers to write of one thing more which is concerning the Reading of Playes for Playes must be read to the nature of those several humours or passions as are exprest by Writing for they must not read a Scene as they would read a Chapter for Scenes must be read as if they were spoke or Acted Indeed Comedies should be read a Mimick way and the sound of their Voice must be according to the sense of the Scene and as for Tragedies or Tragick Scenes they must not be read in a pueling whining Voice but a sad serious Voice as deploring or complaining but the truth is there are as few good Readers as good Writers indeed an ill Reader is as great a disadvantage to wit as wit can have unless it be ill Acted for then it 't is doubly disgraced both in the Voice and Action whereas in Reading only the voice is imployed but when as a Play is well and skillfully read the very sound of the Voice that enters through the Ears doth present the Actions to the Eyes of the Fancy as lively as if it were really Acted but howsoever Writings must take their Chance and I leave my Playes to Chance and Fortune as well as to Censure and Reading M. N. To the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle upon her Playes TErence and Plautus Wits we now do scorn Their Comick Socks worn out in pieces torn Only their rags of Wit remain as toyes For Pedants to admire to teach School Boyes It is not time hath wasted all their Fame But your high Phancies and your nobler flame Which burnt theirs up in their own ashes lies Nor Phoenix like e'r out of those will rise Old Tragick Buskins now are thrown away When we read your each Passion in each Play No stupid block or stony heart forbears To drown their Cheeks in Seas of salter Tears Such power you have in Tragick Comick stile When for to fetch a tear or make a smile Still at your pleasure all our passions ly Obedient to your pen to laugh or cry So even with the thread of Natures fashion As you play on her heart-strings still of passion So we are all your Subjects in each Play Unwilling willingly still to obey Or have a thought but what you make or draw Us by the power of your wits great law Thus Emperess in Soveraign power yours fits Over the wise and tames Poetick wits W. Newcastle A General Prologue to all my Playes NOBLE Spectators do not think to see Such Playes that 's like Ben Johnsons Alchymie Nor Fox nor Silent Woman for those Playes Did Crown the Author with exceeding praise They were his Master-pieces and were wrought By wits Invention and his labouring thought And his Experience brought Materials store His reading several Authors brought much more What length of time he took those Plays to write I cannot guess not knowing his Wits flight But I have heard Ben Johnsons Playes came forth To the Worlds view as things of a great worth Like Forein Emperors which do appear Unto their Subjects not 'bove once a year So did Ben Johnsons Playes so rarely pass As one might think they long a writing was But my poor Playes like to a common rout Gathers in throngs and heedlesly runs out Like witless Fools or like to Girls and Boyes Goe out to shew new Clothes or such like toyes This shews my Playes have not such store of wit Nor subtil plots they were so quickly writ So quickly writ that I did almost cry For want of work my time for to imploy Sometime for want of work I 'm forc'd to play And idlely to cast my time away Like as poor Labourers all they desire Is to have so much work it might them tire Such difference betwixt each several brain Some labour hard and
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
it do her any service Nurse Fondly But we indanger her life by the consenting to this journey for she that hath been bred with tenderness and delicateness can never indure the coldes and heats the dirt and dust that Travellers are subject to Besides to be disturbed and broaken of her sleep and to have ill Lodging or perhaps none at all and then to travel a foot like a Pilgrim Her tender feet will never indure the hard ground nor her young legs never able to bear her body so long a journey Foster Trusty T is true this journey may very much incommode her yet if she doth not go to satisfie her mind I cannot perceive any hopes of life but do foresee her certain death for her mind is so restless and her thoughts works so much upon her body as it begins to waste for she is become lean and pale Nurse Fondly Well! Heaven bless you both and prosper your journey but pray let me hear often from you for I shall be in great frights and fears Foster Trusty If we should write it may chance to discover us if our Letters should be opened wherefore you must have patience Ex. Scene 10. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Reformer her Woman LAdy Bashfull Reformer I am little beholding to you Reformer Why Madam Lady Bashfull Why you might have told a lye for me once in your life for if you had not spoke the truth by saying I was the Lady they came to see they would never have guest I had been she for they expected me to have been a free bold Entertainer as they were Visitors which is as I do perceive to be rudely familiar at first sight Reformer But to have told a lye had been to commit a sin Lady Bashfull In my conscience tto please the effeminate Sex is to praise their beauty wit vertue and goa most pious and charitable act in helping the distressed Besides you had not only helped a present distress but released a whole life out of misery for as long as I live my thoughts will torment me O! They wound my very soul already they will hinder my pious devotions For when I pray I shall think more of my bashfull behaviour and the disgrace I have received thereby than of Heaven Besides they will starve me not suffering the meat to go down my throat or else to choke me causing it to go awry or else they will cause a Feaver for in my conscience I shall blush even in my sleep if I can sleep For certainly I shall dream of my disgrace which will be as bad as a waking memory O! that I had Opium I would take it that I might forget all things For as long as I have memory I shall remember my simple behaviour and as for my Page he shall go I am resolved to turn him away Reformer Why madam Lady Bashfull Because he let them come in Reformer He could not help it for they followed him at the heels they they never stayed for an answer from you or to know whether you were within or no and there were a great many of them Lady Bashfull I think there was a Legion of them Reformer You speak as if they were a Legion of Angels Lady Bashfull Nay they proved a Legion of Divels to me Reformer There was one that seemed to be a fine Gentleman but he spake not a word Lady Bashfull They may be all what you will make them or describe them for I could make no distinction whether they were men or women or beasts nor heard no articulated sound only a humming noise Reformer They spake loud enough to have pierced your ears if strength of noise could have done it but the Gentleman that did not speak looked so earnestly at you as if he would have looked you thorough Lady Bashfull O that his eyes had that piercing faculty for then perchance he might have seen I am not so simple as my behaviour made me appear Ex. Scene 11. Enter Sir Peaceable Studious and the Lady Ignorance his Wife SIr Peaceable Studious I have lost 500. pounds since you went in with the Ladies Lady Ignorance 500. Pounds in so short a time Sir P. Studious 'T is well I lost no more But yet that 500. pounds would have bought you a new Coach or Bed or Silver Plate or Cabinets or Gowns or fine Flanders-laces and now it s gone and we have no pleasure nor credit for it but it is no matter I have health for it therefore I will call to my Stewards to bring me some more Lady Ignorance No do not so for after the rate you have lost you will lose all your Estate in short time Sir P. Studious Faith let it go 't is but begging or starving after it is gone for I have no trade to live by unless you have a way to get a living have you any Lady Ignorance No truly Husband I am a shiftless creature Sir P. Studious Yes but you may play the Whore and I the Shark so live by couzening and cheating Lady Ignorance Heaven defend Husband Sir P. Studious Or perchance some will be so charitable to give us suck'd bones from stinking breaths and rotten teeth or greasie scraps from fowl hands But go wife prithy bid my Steward send me 500. pounds more or let it alone I will run on the score and pay my losings at a lump Lady Ignorance No dear Husband play no more Sir P. Studious How not play any more say you shall I break good Company with sitting out Besides it is a question whether I have power to leave off now I have once begun for Play is Witch-craft it inchants temperance prudence patience reason and judgment and it kicks away time and bids him go as an old bald-pated fellow as he is also it chains the life with fears cares and griefs of losing to a pair of Cards and set of Dice Lady Ignorance For Heaven sake pitty me If you consider not your self Sir P. Studious Can you think a Husband considers his wife when he forgets or regards not himself when all love is self-love for a man would have his Wife to be loving and chaste for his honours sake to be thrifty for his profit sake to be patient for quiet sake to be cleanly witty and beautifull for his pleasure sake and being thus he loves her For if she be false unkind prodigal froward sluttish foolish and ill-favoured he hates her Lady Ignorant But if a Husband loves his wife he will be carefull to please her prudent for her subsistence industrious for her convenience valiant to protect her and conversable to entertain her and wise to direct and guide her Sir P. Studious To rule and govern her you mean wife Lady Ignorance Yes but a Husbands follies will be but corrupt Tutors and ill Examples for a wife to follow wherefore dear Husband play no more but come amongst the effeminate Societie you will finde more pleasure at less charges Sir P. Studious Well wife You
World for knowledge yet so as it looks as out of a window on a prospect it uses the World out of necessity but not serves the World out of slavery it is industrious for its own tranquility fame and everlasting life for which it leaves nothing unsought or undone is a wise soul Monsieur Profession Madam my soul is tyed to your soul with such an undissoulable knot of affection that nothing no not death can lose it nor break it asunder wherefore wheresoever your soul doth go thine will follow it and bear it company Madam Solid Then your soul vvill be incognita for my soul vvill not know whether your soul will be with it or not Ex. Monsieur Comorade Faith Thom. it s happy for thy soul to be drawn by her magnetick soul for that may draw lead or direct thy soul to Heaven otherwise thy soul will fall into Hell with the pressure of they sins for thy soul is as heavy as crime can make it Mons. Prof. Why then the divel would have found my soul an honest soul in being full weight his true coyn the right stamp of his Picture or Figure for vvhich he vvould have used my soul vvell and if Heaven gives me not this Lady Hell take me Monsieur Comorade Certainly you may be the Divels guest but whether you will be the Ladys Husband it is to be doubted Mons. Profession Well I will do my endeavour to get her and more a man cannot do Ex. Enter Madamosel Caprisia and Monsieur Importunate MOnsieur Importunate You are the rarest beauty and greatest wit in the World Mad. Capris. Wit is like beauty and beauty is oftener created in the fancie than the face so wit oftener by opinion than in the brain not but surely there may be a real beauty and so a real wit yet that real wit is no wit to the ignorant no more than beauty to the blind for the wit is lost to the understanding as beauty is lost to the eyes and it is not in nature to give what is not in nature to receive nor in nature to shew what is not in nature to be seen so there must be eyes to see beauty and eares to hear wit and understanding to judge of both and you have neither judgments eyes nor understandings ears nor rational sense Monsieur Importunate VVhy then you have neither beauty nor wit Mad. Capris. I have both but your commendations are from report for fools speaks by rote as Parrots do Ex. Monsieur Importunate solus Monsieur Importunate She is like a Bee loaded with sweet honey but her tongue is the sting that blisters all it strikes on Ex. Scene 8. Enter Madamosel Volante and Monsieur Bon Compaignon Bon Compaignon Lady why are you so silent Madam Volante VVhy soul I speak to those that understands me not Bon Compaignon VVhy are you so difficult to be understood Mad. Volante No but understanding is so difficult to find Bon Compaignon So and since there is such a total decay of understanding in every brain as there is none to be found but in your own you will make a new Common-wealth in yours where your thoughts as wife Magistrates and good Citizens shall govern and traffick therein and your words shall be as Letters of Mart and your senses shall be as legate Embassadors that lives in other Kingdoms which takes instructions and give intelligence or rather your thoughts are destinies and fates and your words their several decrees Mad. Volante Do you think my thoughts can warrant Laws or can my words decree them Bon Compaignon I believe your thoughts are so wise and just that whatsoever they allow of must be best and your words are so witty rational positive and powerfull as none can contradict them Mad. Volante Good Sir contradict your self or Truth will contradict you Bon Compaignon Nay faith I will never take the pains to contradict my self let Truth do what she will Ex. ACT II. Scene 9. Enter Madam la Mere and her daughter Madamosel Caprisia Madam Mere Daughter did you entertain the Lady Visit civilly Mad. Capris. Yes Mother extraordinary civilly for I gave her leave to entertain herself with her own discourse Mad. Mere That was rudely Mad. Capris. O no for certainly it is the height of courtship to our sex to let them talk all the talk themselves for all women takes more delight to discourse themselves than to hear another and they are extreamly pleased if any listens or at lest seems to listen to them For the truth is that talking is one of the most luxurious appetites women have wherefore I could not be more civiller than to bar and restrain the effeminate nature in my self to give her tongue liberty Madam Mere But you should have spoken a word now and then as giving her civilly some breathing rest for her discourse to lean upon Mad. Capris. Her speech was so strong and long-winded as it run with a full speed without stop or stay it neither need spurre nor whip the truth is it had been well if it had been held in with the bridle of moderation for it ran quite beyond the bounds of discretion although sometimes it ran upon the uneven wayes of slander other times upon the stony ground of censure and sometimes in the soul wayes of immodesty and often upon the furrows of non-sense besides it did usually skip over the hedges of Truth and certainly if the necessities of nature and the separations of Neigh-bourhood and the changes and inter-course of and in the affairs of the VVorld and men did not forcibly stop sometimes a womans tongue it would run as far as the confines of death Mad. Mere But let me tell you Daughter your tongue is as sharp as a Serpents sting and will wound as cruelly and deadly where it bites Capris. It proves my tongue a womans tongue Mad. Mere VVhy should a womans tongue have the effects of a Serpents sting Capris. The reason is evident for the great Serpent that tempted and so perverted our Grandmother Eve in Paradise had a monstrous sting and our Grandmother whetted her tongue with his sting and ever since all her effeminate rase hath tongues that stings Ex. Scene 10. Enter Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Lady Monsieur Nobilissimo is so in love with you as he cannot be happy untill you be his wife Doltche I wonder he should be in love with me since I have neither beauty to allure him nor so much riches as to intice him nor wit to perswade him to marry me Bon Compaignon But Lady you have vertue good nature sweet disposition gracefull behaviour which are sufficient Subjects for love to settle on did you want what you mentioned out you have all not only what any man can with or desire with a wife but you have as much as you can wish and desire to have your self Doltche I will rather be so vain as to strive to believe you than
expresse himself in such high poetical Raptures for his discourse is plain and ordinary Nobilissimo Nay sometimes his discourse is extraordinary as when he hath Wars but Nurse thou art old and the fire of love if ever thou hadst any is put out by old Father Times extinguisher Doltche True love never dyes nor can time put it out Nobilissimo 'T is true but Nurse seems by her speech as if she had never known true love for true love as it alwaies burns clear so it alwaies flames high far infinite is the fewel that feeds it Nurse Well well young Lovers be not so confident but let me advise you to ballance reason on both sides with hopes and doubts and then the judgement will be steady Nobilissimo But in the scales of love Nurse nothing must be but confidence Nurse Yes there must be temperance or love will surfeit and dye with excess Doltche Love cannot surfeit no more than souls with grace or Saints of Heaven Ex. Scene 37. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. My smiles shall be as Baits my eyes as Angels where every look shall be a hook to catch a heart I 'l teach my tongue such art to plant words on each heart as they shall take deep root from whence pure love shall spring my lips shall be as flowery banks whereon sweet Rhethorick grows and cipherous fancy blows from which banks love shall wish to gather Posies of kisses where every single kisse shall differ as Roses Pinks Violets Primroses and Daffidillies and the breath therefrom shall be as fragant as the touch soft thereon and as the Sun doth heat the Earth so shall my imbraces heat my Lovers thoughts with self-conceit which were before like water frozen with a dejected and despairing cold Hay ho Ex. ACT V. Scene 38. Enter Monsieur Profession and Madamosel Solid PRofession Dear Mistress you are the only She that is fit to be crown'd the sole Empresse of the World Solid Let me tell you Sir I had rather be a single Shepheardesse than the sole Empress of the World for I would not be a Mistress of so much power to be as a Servant to so much trouble Profession But put the case Alexander were alive and would crown you Empress of the World you would not refuse that honour but accept of it for the sake of renown Solid Yes I should refuse it for if I could not get renown by my own merits I should wish to dye in Oblivion for I care not Nay I despise such honours and renowns as comes by derivations as being deriv'd from another and not inherent in my self and it is a poor and mean renown that is gain'd or got only by receiving a gift from a fellow-creature who gives out of passion appetite partiality vain-glory or fear and not for merit or worthsake wherefore no gifts but those that comes from the Gods or Nature are to be esteem'd or received with thanks but were to be refused had man the power to chose or to deny Profession Sweet Mistress nature hath crown'd you with beauty and wit and the Gods hath given you a noble soul Solid I wish they had for the Gods gifts are not like to mans and natures crown is beyond the golden crown of Art which are greater glories than Power Wealth Title or Birth or all the outward honours gain'd on Earth but I desire the Gods may crown my soul with reason and understanding Heaven crown my mind with Temperance and Fortitude Nature crown my body with Health and Strength time crown my life with comely and discreet age Death crown my separation with peace and rest and Fame crown my memory with an everlasting renown thus may my creation be to a happy end Profession Gods Fortune and Fates hath joyned to make me happy in your love and that which will make me absolutely happy is that I shall marry you and imbrace you as my wife Solid The absolute happiness is when the Gods imbraces man with mercy and kisses him with love Ex. Scene 39. Enter Madamosel Caprisia CApris. Hay ho who can love and be wise but why do I say so For reason loves wisely 't is only the mistaken senses that loves foolishly indeed the sense doth not love but fondly and foolishly affects for it 't is an humoursome and inconstant appetite that proceeds from the body and not that noble passion of true love which proceeds from the soul But O! what a ridiculous humour am I fallen into from a cholerick humour into an amorous humour Oh! I could tear my soul from my body for having such whining thoughts and such a mean submissive croaching feigning flattering humour and idle mind a cholerick humour is noble to this for it is commanding and seems of an heroick spirit but to be amorous is base beastly and of an inconstant nature Oh! How apt is busie life to go amisse What foolish humours in mans mind there is But O! The soul is far beyond the mind As much as man is from the beastly kind Ex. Scene 40. Enter Madamosel Volante and Doctor Freedom DOctor Are you weary of your life that you send me for you said you would not send for me untill you had a desire to dye Volante True Doctor and if you cannot cure me kill me Doctor In my conscience you have sent for me to play the wanton Volante Why Doctor If I do not infringe the rules and laws of modesty or civility I cannot commit wanton faults Doctor Yes faith your tongue may play the wanton Volante Indeed Doctor I had rather tell a wanton truth than a modest lye Doctor Well what is your disease Volante Nay that you must guesse I can only tell my pains Doctor Where is your pain Volante In my heart and head Doctor Those be dangerous parts but after what manner are your pains Volante On my heart there lyes a weight as heavy as the World on Atlas shoulders and from my melancholly mind arises such damps of doubts as almost quenches out the fire of life did not some hope though weak which blows with fainting breath keep it alive or rather puffs than blows which intermitting motions makes my pulse unequal and my bloud to ebbe and flow as from my heart unto my face and from my face unto my heart again as for my head it feels drousie and my spirits are dull my thoughts uneasily doth run crossing and striving to throw each other down this causes broken sleeps and frightfull dreams and when I awake at every noyse I start with fears my limbs doth shake Doctor VVhy this disease is love wherefore I cannot cure you for love no more than wit can neither be temper'd nor yet be rul'd for love and wit keeps neither moderate bounds nor spares diet but dyes most commonly of a surfeit Volante O yes discretion can cure both Doctor Then send for Monsieur Discretion and hear what he sayes to you for your disease is past my skil Volante By your industry
Objects unexpected preferments or advancements by Fortunes favour or partiall affections also great ruines losses and crosses also Plagues Deaths Famines Warres Earthquakes Meteors Comets unusuall Seasons extraordinary Storms Tempests Floods Fires likewise great strength very old Age Beauty deformities unnaturall Births Monsters and such like which time Records But Fame is the Godess of eminent and Meritorious Actions and her Palace is the Heaven where the renowns which are the Souls of such Actions lives I say Eminent and Meritorious Actions for all Meritorious Actions are not Eminent but those that transcends an usuall degree as extraordinary valour Patience Prudence Justice Temperance Constancie Gratitude Generosity Magnaminity Industry Fidelity Loyalty Piety also extraordinary Wisdome Wit Ingenuities Speculations Conceptions Learning Oratory and the like but it is not sufficient to be barely indued with those vertues and qualities but these vertues and qualities must be elevated beyond an ordinary degree insomuch as to produce some extraordinary Actions so as to be Eminent for Fame dwells high and nothing reaches her but what is Transcendent either in worth or power for it is to be observed that none but Ioves Mansion is purely free from deceit and corruptions for Nature is artified and fame is often forced by fortune and conquering power and sometimes bribed by flattery and partiality and in Times Records there is more false reports than true and in Infamous Dungeon which is deep although not dark being inlightened by the eye of knowledge and the lamp of Memory or Remembrance which divulges and shewes to several and after Ages the evill deeds which lyes therein as Thefts Murther Adultery Sacriledg Injustice evill Government foolish Counsells Tyrany Usurpation Rapine Extortion Treason broken promises Treachery Ingratitude Cosening Cheating Sherking Lying Deluding Defrauding factions Disobedience Follies Errours Vices Fools Whores Knaves Sicophants Sloth Idleness Injury Wrong and many Hundreds the like yet many Innocent vertues and well deserving deeds at least good Intentions lyes in the Dungeon of Infamy cast therein by false constructions evil Events Malice Envy Spight and the like Sometimes some gets out by the help of right interpretation friendly assistance or eloquent pleading but yet these are very seldome by reason the Dungeon is so deep that it allmost requires a supernaturall strength to pull out any dead therein for therein they are oftner buried in Oblivion than translated by pleading but as I said many Innocents are unjustly cast into Infamies Dungeon and lyes for ever therein and many a false report is writ in times Records and never blotted thereout And many vain and unworthy Actions feigned vertues and vitious qualities hath got not only into Fames Palace but are placed high in Fames Tower and good successes although from evill designs and wicked deeds doth many times usurp the most cheifest and highest places as to be set upon the Pinacle for fortune conquering power and partiality forceth carries and throwes more into fames Palace than honest Industry leads or merit advances therein or unto which is unjust yet not to be avoided for Fortune and victory are powerfull and so powerfull as many times they tred down the Meritorious and upon those pure footstoole they raise up the unworthy and base thus fames base Born thrust out the Legitimate heirs and usurp the Right and Lawfull Inheritance of the Right owners of fames Palace Wherefore worthy Heroicks you cannot enjoy fame when you will nor make her sound out so loud as you would nor so long as you would nor where you would have her unless you force her which is only to be done by the assistance of time the providence of forecast the diligence of prudence the Ingenuity of Industry the direction of opportunity the strength of Power the agility of Action the probability of opinion the verity of truth the favour of Fortune the esteem of Affection the guilts of Nature and the breeding of education besides that fame is of several humours or Natures and her Palace stands on several soyles and her Trumpet sounds out several Notes Aires Strains or Dities for some Aires or Strains are pleasant and chearfull others sad and Melancholly and sometimes she sounds Marches of War some to Charge some to Retreat also sometimes her Palace stands on Rocks of adversity other times on the flat soyles of prosperity sometimes in the Sun shine of plenty other times in the shade of poverty sometimes in the flowery Gardens of peace other times in the bloody fields of War but this is to be observed that fame at all times sounds out a Souldiers Renown louder than any others for the sound of Heroick Actions spreads furthest yet the renown of Poets sounds sweetest for fame takes a delight to sound strains of wit and Aires of Fancies and time takes pleasure to record them but worthy Heroicks give me leave to tell you that if time and occasion doth not fit or meet your Noble ambitions you must fashion your Noble ambitions to the times and take those opportunities that are offered you for if you should slip the season of opportunity wherein you should soe the seeds of Industry you will loose the harvest of Honourable deeds so may starve wanting the bread of report which should feed the life of applause but noble Heroicks when you adventure or set forth for the purchase of Honour you must be armed with fortitude and march along with prudence in an united body of patience than pitch in the field of fidelity and fight with the Sword of Justice to maintain the cause of right and to keep the priviledges of truth for which you will be intailed the Heirs and Sons of fame and my wishes and Prayers shall be that you may be all Crowned with Lawrell After she had made her respects She goeth out My Lord Marquess writ these following Speeches A Souldier Silence all thundring Drums and Trumpets loud with glistering Arms bright Swords and waving Plumes And the feared Cannon powdered shall no more Force the thin Aire with horrour for to roare Nor the proud steeds with hollow hoofes to beat The humble Earth till Ecchoes it repeat This Lady makes Greek Tactiks to look pale And Caesars Comentaries blush for shame The Amazonian Dames shakes at her Name Poets The Lady Muses are deposed unthroned from their high Pallace of Parnassus-Hill Where she in glory with Poetick flames there sits In Triumph Emperess of wits Where her bright beams our Poets doth inspire As humble Mortalls from her gentle fire She is the only Muses gives Phancy slore Else all our Poets they could write no more Oratour Were the oyled tongue of Tully now alive and all the rest of glibed tongued Oratours with their best arguments to force a truth or else with subtilty of slight to avoid it those tongues with trembling Palsies would be all struck dumb with wonder and amazement to hear truth Cloathed so gently as to move all Oratours their passions into love admired Virgin Then all the Auditory goeth
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
that you are in love with why to cure your disease I will deform it or do you think I have wit to cure that Imagination I will put my tongue to silence I am sure it cannot be my Vertue that inflames you to an intemperance for Vertue is an Antidote against it But had you all the beauty in Nature squeez'd into your form and all the wit in Nature prest into your brain and all the prosperities of good fortune at your command and all the power of Fate and Destiny at your disposal you could not perswade me to yield to your unlawful desires for know I am honest without self-ends my virtue like to Time still running forward my chastity fix'd as Eternity without circumferent lines besides it is built on the foundation of Morality and roof'd and ciel'd with the faith of Religion and the materials thereof are Honour which no subtil Arguments can shake the one nor no false Doctrine can corrupt or rot the other neither is the building subject to the fire of unlawful love nor the tempestuous storms of torments nor the deluge of poverty nor the earthquakes of fear nor the ruines of death for so long as my Soul hath a being my Chastity will live But were you as poor as I even to move pity or so lowly and meanly born at might bring contempt and scorn from the proud yet if your mind and soul were endued with noble qualities and heroical vertues I should sooner embrace your love than to be Mistris of the whole World for my affection to merit hath been ingrafted into the root of my Infancy which hath grown up with my yeares so that the longer I live the more it increases Lord Title You cannot think I would marry you although I would lie with you Poor Virtue I cannot but think it more possible that you should marry me than I to be dishonest Lord Title Thou art a mean poor wench and I nobly descended Poor Virtue What though I am poor yet I am honest and poverty is no crime nor have my Ancestors left marks of infamy to shame me to the world Lord Title Thy Ancestors what were they but poor peasants wherefore thou wilt dignifie thy Race by yielding to my love Poor Virtue Heaven keep them from that dignity that must be gained by my dishonesty no my chastity shall raise a Monumental Tomb over their cold dead ashes Poor Virtue goes out Lord Title alone Lord Title What pity it is Nature should put so noble a soul into a meanborn body Exit Scene 4. Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady VVard LOrd Courts Pray go visit the Lady Amorous and if her husband be absent deliver her this letter Lady Ward Excuse me my Lord Lord Courts Wherefore Lady Ward I am no Carrier of Love-letters Lord Courts But you shall carry this Lady Ward But I will not Lord Courts Will you not Lady Ward No I will rather endure all the torments that can be invented Lord Courts And you shall for I will torture you if you do not for I will have you drawn up high by the two thumbs which is a pain will force you to submit The Lady Ward falls into a passion Lady Ward Do so if you will nay scrue me up into the middle-Region there will I take a Thunderbolt and strike you dead and with such strength I 'll fling it on you as it shall press your soul down to the everlasting shades of death Lord Courts Sure you will be more merciful Lady Ward No more than Devils are to sinful souls there will I be your Bawd to procure you variety of torments for I had rather be one in Pluto's black Court caused by my own revenge than to be a Bawd on earth which is a humane Devil Lord Courts You are mad Lady Ward Might every word I speak prove like a mad dogs bite not only to transform your shape and turn your speech to barks and howlings but that your soul may be no other than the souls of beasts are Lord Courts You are transformed from a silent young Maid to a raging Fury Lady Ward May all the Furies that Hell inhabites and those that live on earth torment your minde as racks do torture bodies and may the venom of all malice spleen and spight be squeez'd into your soul and poyson all content your thoughts flame like burning oyl and never quench but be eternally a fiery Animal and may the fire feed onely on your self and as it burns your torments may increase The Lady Ward goes out Lord Courtship alone Lord Courts She is mad very mad and I have only been the cause Exit Scene 5. Enter the Lord Title and Poor Virtue LOrd Title Fairest will not you speak Poor Virtue My words have betrayed my heart as discovering the secrets therein wherefore I will banish them and shut the doors of my lips against them Lord Title What for saying you love me Sweet why do you weep Poor Virtue weeps Poor Virtue Tears are the best Cordials for a heart opprest with grief Lord Title I should hate my self if I could think I were the cause But pray forbear to weep Poor Virtue Pray give my grief a liberty my tears are no disturbance they showre down without a ratling noise and silent fall without a murmuring voice but you disturb me Wherefore for pity-sake leave me and I will pray you may enjoy as much prosperity as good fortune can present you with and as much health as Nature can give you and as much tranquillity as Heaven can infuse into a mortal creature Lord Title Neither Fortune Nature nor Heaven can please me or make me happy in this world without you Poor Virtue O you torment me Exit the Lord follows her Scene 6. Enter Sir Humphry Interruption to the Lady Contemplation SIr Humphry Inter. Surely Lady Contemplation your thoughts must needs be very excellent that they take no delight but with themselves Lady Contempl. My thoughts although they are not material as being profitable yet they are innocent as being harmless Sir Humphry Inter. Yet your thoughts do the world an injury in burying your words in the grave of silence Lady Contempl. Let me inform you that sometimes they creep out of their graves as Ghosts do and as Ghosts walk in solitary places so I speak to my solitary self which words offend no ears because I speak to no ears but my own and as they have no flatterers to applaud them so they have no censurers to condemn them Sir Humphrey Inter. But you bury your life whilst you live retir'd from company Lady Contempl. O no for otherwise my life would be buried in company for my life never enjoys it self but when it is alone and for the most part all publick societies are like a discord in Musick every one playing several contrary parts in their actions speaking in several contrary notes striking on several contrary subjects which makes a confusion and a confused noise is
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
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
only Politick Arts Civil and Combining Arts Profitable and necessary Arts Military Arts and Ceremonious Arts but there were Superstitious Arts Idolatrous Arts false factious and mischievous Arts destructive and wicked Arts base and mean Art foolish childish vain superfluous and unprofitable Arts Upon all these Arts the Muses made good sport for at some they flung jests scorns and scoffs and some they stripp'd naked but to others they were cruel for some they stayd their skins off and others they made very Skeletons of dissecting them to the very bones and the truth is they spared not the best of them but they had one saying or other to them But when all the Arts departed they took me and carry'd to the Well of Helicon and there they threw me in over head and cares and said they would Souse me in the Liquor of Poetry but when I was in the Well I thought verily I should have been drown'd for all my outward Senses were smother'd and choak'd for the water did blind my eyes stop'd my ears and nostrils and fill'd my mouth so full as I had not so much space as to spout it forth besides all my body was so numb as I had no feeling insomuch as when they took me out of this Well of Helicon into which they had flung me I seem'd as dead being quite senseless Whereupon they all agreed to take and carry me up on Parnassas Hill and to lay me on the top thereof that the Poetical Flame or Heat therein might dry and warm me after which agreement they took me up every one bearing a part of me or was industrious about me for some carried my Head others my Legs some held my Hands others imbraced my Waste another oiled my Tongue and others powr'd Spirits into my Mouth but the worst-natur'd Muse pinch'd me to try if I was sensible or not and the sweetest and tenderest natur'd Muse wept over me and another was so kind as to kiss me but when they had brought me up to the top of the Hill and laid me thereupon I felt such a heat as if they had laid me on AEtna but after I had layn some time I felt it not so hot and so less and less until I felt it like as my natural heat just like those that goe into a hot Bathe at first crie out it is insufferable and scalding hot yet with a little use will finde it cool enough But whilest I lay on Parnassus Hill I began to make a Lyrick Verse as thus Bright Sparkling hot Poetick sire My duller Muse Inspire Unto thy Sweeter Lyre My Fancies like as Notes all sit To play a Tune of VVit On well-strung Numbers fit But your unfortunate Visit hath pull'd me so hastily down from the Hill that the force of the speed hath crack'd my Imaginary Fiddle broke the Strings of my Wit blotted the Notes of Numbers so spoil'd my Song Lady Visit. Prethee there is none that would have taken the pains to have sung thy Song unlesse some blind Fidler in an Alehouse and then not any one would have listen'd unto it for the fume of the drink would stop the sense of their ears Besides Drunkards love not nor delight in nothing but beastly Nonsense but howsoever I had done thee a friendly part to fetch thee down from off that monstrous high Hill whereby the vastnesse of the height might have made you so dizzy as you might have fallen there-from on the sharp stones of Spite or at least on the hard ground of Censure which might have bruised if not wounded the Reputatio of thy Wit Lady Contempl. Let me tell you you had done me a Courtesie to have let me remain'd there some time for if you had let me alone I might there have improv'd the Stature of my Wit perfected the Health of my Judgment and had nourished the Life of my Muse Exeunt Scene 27. Enter the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue Cloathed like her Self LOrd Title Still I fear my fault is beyond a Pacification yet the Gods are pacified with submissive Actions as bended knees repentant tear imploring words sorrowful Sighs and dejected Countenances all which I gave to thee Lady Virtue Though there is always in my minde an obedient respect to Merit yet a scorn is a sufficient cause to make a rebelling of thoughts words and actions for though I am poor yet I am virtuous and Virtue is to be preferr'd before Wealth or Birth were I meanly born But howsoever true Love like a great and powerful Monarch soon disperses those rebellious passions and quiets those factious thoughts and all murmuring speeches or words are put to silence banishing all frowning Countenance returning humble looks into the eyes again Lord Title Then you have pardon'd me Lady Vertue Yes Lord Title And do you love me Lady Virtue As Saints do Heaven Lord Title kisses Lady Virtues hands Lord Title Your Favours have rais'd my spirits from the grave of Melancholy and your pure Love hath given me a new Life Lady Virtue So truly I love you as nothing but death can destroy it my I am of that belief that were I dead and turned to ashes my dust like firm and lasting steel would fly unto you as to the Loadstone if you were at such distance as nothing might oppose Lord Title Thus Souls as well as Bodies love Exeunt Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Amorous LAdy Amorous Since I cannot have the happinesse of your Lordships company at my House I am come to wait upon you at your House Lord Courts Your Ladyship doth me too great an honour Lady Amorous Your Lordship is grown very Courtly Pray how comes our familiar friendship so estranged and set at distance with Complements Lord Courts Madam my wilde manners have been so rude to your Fair Sex as I am become a scorn and shame unto my self Lady Amorous I hate Civility and Manners in a man it makes him appear sneakingly poorly and effeminate and not a Cavalier Bold and free Actions become your Sex Lord Courts It doth so in a Camp amongst rude and rough Souldiers whose Breeding never knew Civility nor will obey gentle Commands submitting only to rigorous Authority But to the fair tender effeminate Sex men should offer their service by their admiring Looks civil Discourses and humble Actions bowing as to a Deity and when they are pleased to favour their servants those Favours to be accounted beyond the Gifts of Iove Lady Amorous Have I Cuckolded my Husband dishonour'd my Family defam'd my self for your sake and am I thus rewarded and thrown aside with civil Complements O basest of men Lord Courts I am sorry I have wronged your Husband but more sorry I have dishonour'd you and what satisfaction a true repentance can make I offer upon the Altar of a Reformed Life Lady Amor Do you repent O false man May you be cursed of all your Sex and die the death of Orpheus Lady Amorous goes out Lord Courtship alone Lord
and wise Governors force pens although pens cannot force swords 2 Virgin By your favour but pens and prints force swords sometimes nay for the most part for do not books of Controversies or ingraving or printed Laws make Enemies and such Enemies as to pursue with fire and sword to death 3 Virgin Well for my part I do not believe it was the glory of Victory and conquering the most part of the World which made Alexander and Caesar to be so much reverenc'd admir'd and renown'd by those following Ages but that their Heroick Actions were seconded with their generous deeds distributing their good fortune to the most deserving and meritorious persons in their Parties 1 Virgin You say true and as there have been none so Heroical since their deaths so there have been none so Generous Matron Ladies by your leave you are unlearned otherwise you would find that there have been Princes since their times as Heroical and Generous as they were 2 Virgin No no there have been none that had so noble souls as they had for Princes since their days have been rul'd check'd and aw'd by their petty Favourites witness many of the Roman Emperors and others when they rul'd and check'd all the World 4 Virg. Indeed Princes are not so severe nor do they carry that State and Majesty as those in former times for they neglect that Ceremony now adays which Ceremony creates Majesty and gives them a Divine Splendor for the truth is Ceremony makes them as Gods when the want thereof makes them appear as ordinary men 1 Virgin It must needs for when Princes throw off Ceremony they throw off Royalty for Ceremony makes a King like a God 2 Virgin Then if I were a King or had a Royal Power I would create such Ceremonies as I would be Deify'd and so worship'd ador'd and pray'd to whilst I live 1 Virgin So would I rather than to be Sainted or pray'd to when I were dead 4 Virgin Why Ceremony will make you as a God both alive and dead when without Ceremony you will not be so much as Sainted 1 Virgin I had as lieve be a Saint as a God for I shall have as many prayers offer'd to me as if I were made a God Matron Come come Ladies you talk like young Ladies you know not what Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Madam Bonit and her Maid Joan. Joan. Lord Madam I wonder at your patience that you can let Nan not only be in the house and let my Master lie with her for she is more in my Masters chamber than in yours but to let her triumph and domineer to command all as chief Mistris not only the servants but your self as you are come to be at her allowance Bonit How should I help it Ioan. Why if it were to me I would ring my Husband such a peal as I would make him weary of his wench or his life Bonit Yes so I may disquiet my self but not mend my Husband for men that love variety are not to be alter'd neither with compliance or crosness Ioan. 'T is true if he would or did love variety but he onely loves Nan a Wench which hath neither the Wit Beauty nor good Nature of your Ladyship Bonit I thank you Ioan for your commendations Ioan. But many times a good-natur'd Wife will make an ill-natur'd Husband Bonit That 's when men are fools and want the wit and judgment to value worth and merit or not to understand it Ioan. Why then my Master is one but why will you be so good as to spoil your Husband for in my conscience if you were worse he would be better Bonit The reason is that Self-love hath the first place and therefore I will not dishonour my self to mend or reform my Husband for every one is only to give account to Heaven and to the World of their own actions and not of any others actions unless it be for a witness Ioan. Then I perceive you will not turn away this Wench Bonit It is not in my power Ioan. Try whether it be or not Bonit No I will not venture at it lest I and my Maid should be the publick discourse of the Town Ioan. Why if she should have the better yet the Town will pity you and condemn my Master and that will be some comfort Bonit No truly for I had rather be bury'd in silent misery and to be forgotten of mankind than to live to be pity'd Ioan. Then I would if I were you make him a scorn to all the World by cuckolding him Bonit Heaven forbid that I should stain that which gave me a Repution my Birth and Family or defame my self or trouble my conscience by turning a whore for revenge Ioan. Well if you saw that which I did see you would hate him so as you would study a revenge Bonit What was that Ioan. Why when you came into my Masters Chamber to see him when he was sick of the French Pox I think you chanced to taste of his broth that stood upon his Table and when you were gone he commanded Nan to fling that broth out which you had tasted and to put in fresh into the porringer to drink Bonit That 's nothing for many cannot endure to have their pottage blown upon Ioan. It was not so with him for he before he drank the fresh broth Nan blew it and blew it and tasted it again and again to try the heat and another time to try if it were salt enough and he seem'd to like it the better besides he was never quiet whilst you were in the Chamber until you went out he snap'd you up at every word and if you did but touch any thing that was in the Chamber he bid you let it alone and at last he bid you go to your own Chamber and seem'd well pleas'd when you were gone Bonit Alas those that are sick are always froward and peevish but prethee Ioan have more Charity to judge for the best and have less passion for me Exeunt ACT III Scene 15. Enter the Sociable Virgins and Matron MAtron Come Ladies what will you discourse of too day 1 Virgin Of Nature Matron No that is too vast a Subject to be discours'd of for the Theme being infinite your discourse will have no end 2 Virgin You are mistaken for Nature lives in a quiet Mind feeds in a generous Heart dresses in a Poetical Head and sleeps in a dull Understanding 3 Virgin Natures Flowers are Poets Fancies and Natures Gardens are Poetical Heads Matron Pray leave her in her Garden and talk of something else 4 Virgin Then let us talk of Thoughts for thoughts are the children of the Mind begot betwixt the Soul and Senses 1 Virgin And Thoughts are several Companions and like Courtly Servitors do lead and usher the Mind into several places 2 Virgin Pray stay the Discourse of Thoughts for it 's a dull Discourse 4 Virgin Then let us talk of Reason 3 Virgin Why should we talk of
Reason when there are so many seeming reasons as the right cannot be known 1 Virgin Seeming reasons are like seducing flatterers perswade 't is truth when all is false they say 2 Virgin Let us talk of Justice 4 Virgin Justice to the Generality hath a broad full face but to particulars she hath but a quarter and half-quarter face and to some particulars she veils it all over Wherefore to talk of Justice is to talk blindfold 2 Virgin Let us talk of Bashfulness 3 Virgin What should we talk of our own disgrace Matron A Grace you mean Lady 3 Virgin No surely a distemper'd Countenance and a distorted Face can be no grace 1 Virgin Let us talk of the Passions 2 Virgin It is easier to talk of them than to conquer and govern them although it is easier to conquer the perturbed passions of the Mind than the unruly Appetites of the Body for as the Body is grosser than the Soul so the Appetites are stronger than the Passions 4 Virgin Let us talk of Gifts 5 Virgin There are no Gifts worth the talking of but Natural Gifts as Beauty Wit good Nature and the like 4 Virgin Let us talk of Wit that is a Natural Gift 1 Virgin Nature gives true Wit to very few for many that are accounted Wits are but Wit-leeches that suck and swell with wit of other men and when they are over-gorg'd they spue it out again besides there are none but Natural Poets that have variety of Discourses all others talk according to their Professions Practice and Studies when Poets talk of all that Nature makes or Art invents and like as Bees that gather the sweets of every flower bring honey to the Hive which are the Ears of the Hearers wherein Wit doth swarm But since we are not by Nature so indu'd Wit is a subject not fit to be pursued by us 5 Virgin Let us talk of Beauty 3 Virgin Those that have it take greater pleasure in the Fame than in the Possession for they care not so much to talk of it as to hear the praises of it Matron Come Ladies let us go for I perceive your Wits can settle upon no one subject this day Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Monsieur Frere alone as being melancholy FRere O how my Spirit moves with a disorder'd haste my thoughts tumultuously together throng striving to pull down Reason from his throne and banish Conscience from the Soul Walks as in a melancholy posture Enter Monsieur Pere Pere What Son Lover-like already before you have seen your Mistris Well her Father and I am agreed there 's nothing wanting but the Priest and Ceremony and all is done Frere Sir there are our Affections wanting for we never saw one another Wherefore it is not known whether we shall affect or nor Pere I hope you are not so disobedient to dispute your Fathers will Frere And I hope Sir you will not be so unkind as to force me to marry one I cannot love Pere Not love why she is the richest Heiress in the Kingdom Frere I am not covetous Sir I had rather please my Fancy than increase my Estate Pere Your Fancy Let me tell you that your fancy is a fool and if you do not obey my will I will dis-inherit you Frere I fear not poverty Pere Nor fear you not a Fathers curse Frere Yes Sir that I do Pere Why then be sure you shall have it if you refuse her Frere Pray give me some time to consider of 't Pere Pray do and consider wisely you had best Exeunt Scene 17. Enter two Servants I SErvant I doubt my Lady will die 2 Servant I fear so for the Doctor when he felt her pulse shook his head which was an ill sign 1 Servant It is a high Feaver she is in 2 Servant The Doctor says a high continual Feaver 1 Servant She 's a fine young Lady 't is pity she should die 2 Servant My Master puts on a sad face but yet me thinks his sadness doth not appear of a through-die Exeunt Scene 18. Enter the Sociable Virgins and two Grave Matrons MAtron Come Ladies how will you pass your time to day I Virgin Pray let us sit and Rhime and those that are out shall lose a Collation to the rest of the Society All speak Agree agreed I Virgin Love is both kind and cruel As fire unto fuel It doth imbrace and burn Gives Life and proves Deaths Urn 2 Virgin A lowring Sky and Sunny wrays Is like a commendation with dispraise Or like to Cypress bound to Bays Or like to tears on Wedding days 3 Virgin A flatt'ring Tongue and a false Heart A kind Imbrace which makes me start A beauteous Form a Soul that 's evil Is like an Angel but a Devil 4 Virgin A woman old to have an Amorous passion A Puritan in a fantastick Fashion A formal States-man which dances and skips about And a bold fellow which is of countenance out 5 Virgin A Scholars head with old dead Authors full For want of wit is made a very gull 1 Virgin To laugh and cry to mingle smiles and tears Is like to hopes and doubts and joys and fears As sev'ral passions mixes in one mind So sev'ral postures in one face may find 2 Virgin To love and hate both at one time And in one person both to joyn To love the man but hate the crime Is like to sugar put to brine Matron Ladies you had better tell some Tales to pass your time with for your rhymes are not full of wit enough to be delightfully sociable 3 Virgin Agreed let us tell some Tales 4 Virgin Once upon a time Honour made Love to Vertue a gallant and Heroick Lord he was and she a sweet modest and beautiful Lady and naked Truth was the Confident to them both which carried and brought love messages and presents from and to each other 2 Matron Out upon beastly truth for if she goeth naked I dare say she is a wanton Wench and Virtue I dare swear is little better than her self if she keeps her company or can behold her without winking and I shall shrewdly suspect you Ladies to be like her if you discourse of her but more if you have any acquaintance with her And since you are so wilde and wanton as to talk of naked truth I will leave you to your scurrilous discourse for I am asham'd to be in your company and to hear you speak such Ribauldry O fie O fie naked Truth Iove bless me and keep me from naked Truth as also from her sly Companion Virtue out upon them both She goes out and the Sociable Virgins follow her saying Stay or else Truth would meet her and cloath her in a fools coat Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Madam Soeur and Monsieur Frere MAdam Soeur Now you have seen your Mistris Brother tell me how you like her Frere It were a rudeness to your Sex if I should say I dislike any Woman Soeur Surely Brother you cannot dislike her
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
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
am wholly in your power Prudence I will mask my beauty and set you free Wooer A mask may shadow your beauty but cannot extinguish it no more than a dark cloud can the bright Sun And as the Sun begets life and gives light so your beauty begets love and gives delight to all that do behold it Prudence And as Time brings Death Darkness and Obscurity so Age brings wrinckles and Absence forgetfulness burying love in the ruines of Beauty Wooer My love can never die nor hath time power to vade your beauty Prudence Nothing escapes Times tyranny but what the soul possesses Wooer You are the soul of beauty and beauty the soul of love Prudence Such souls have no Eternity but die as bodies do Wooer O save my soul and love me Prudence 'T is not in my power for love is free and resolute it can neither be commanded nor intreated Exeunt Scene 10. Enter the Lady Liberty Sir Thomas Letgo Sir William Holdfast the Lady Parrot the Lady Minion Master Disswader Sir VVilliam Holdfasts Friend being met at a Feast at Sir Thomas Letgo's House LEtgo Ladies you are become melancholy of a sudden I hope you are not tyr'd with dancing Liberty Yes saith we want divertisements wherefore prethy Sir Thomas Letgo send for thy affianced Mistris to make sport Letgo I am asham'd she should be seen or made known to this noble company Liberty O divulge her by all means that the World may know you do despise her and that you will marry her only because she is rich and to obey your Fathers commands Letgo I will obey your commands and send for her He sends for her in the mean time he is talking to another Enter the Lady Mute holding down her head and looking simply Liberty Sir Thomas Letgo your wise Mistris is come to welcome your Guests Letgo She wants words to express her self and Wit to entertain them Liberty Your Father knew you wanted not Wit so much as Wealth Letgo Many Fathers leave their sons nothing but their follies and vices for their Inheritance But my Father not having Vices or Follies enough of his own hath left me another mans Fool for an Annuity Parrot Is she a fool Liberty O yes for she seldom speaks Parrot That 's a great sign of simplicity indeed Liberty She is a meer Changeling for when she doth speak it is but when she is question'd and then for the most part she gives but one answer to all sorts of questions Parrot What Answer is that Liberty Her Answer is she cannot tell Holdfast Lady there may be such questions ask'd as are beyond a wise mans understanding to resolve But perchance she is sceptick that doubts all things All the company laugh Liberty What do you judge the scepticks fools Holdfast A man may judge all those to be fools that are not scepticks Liberty I judge all those that think her not a fool are fools Holdfast Then Lady I am condemn'd for I cannot give sentence against any of your Sex neither in thoughts or words Exeunt ACT II. Scene 11. Enter the Lady Prudence and the Country Gentleman as Suter They take their places the Assembly about them This wooing part of the Country Gentleman was written by the Marquiss of Newcastle Country Gentleman Madam though I no Courtier am by Education Yet I more truth may speak and here declare Your charming Eyes turn wanton thoughts to virtue Each modest smile converts the sinfull'st soul To holy Matrimony and each Grace and Motion Takes more than the fairest Face I am not young not yet condemn'd to age Not handsome nor yet I think ill-favour'd I do not swell with riches nor am poor No Palaces yet have Conveniences What though Poetick Raptures I do want My Judgment 's clearer than those hotter brains To make a Joynture out of verse and songs Or thirds in Oratory to endow you The Mean betwixt Extremes is Virtue still If so then make me happy and your self Courtiers may tell you that you may enjoy And marry pleasure there each minutes time There is all freedom for the female Sex Though you are bound yet feel not you are ty'd For liberty begins when you 'r a Bride Your Husband your Protection and the Court Doth cure all jealousie and fonder doubts Which there are laught at as the greatest follies If not by most yet they 'r thought mortal sins 'T is Heaven on Earth for Ladies that seem wise But you are vertuous and those ways despise Therefore take me that honour you for that Here ends my Lord Marquisses writing Prudence Worthy Sir could I perswade my Affection to listen to your sure you should not be deny'd but it is deaf or obstinate it will neither take your counsel nor be intreated But since you wooe so worthily I shall esteem you honourable as well you deserve Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Parrot and the Lady Minion PArrot Sweet Madam I could not pass by your house for my life but I must enter to see you although I was here but yesterday Minion Dear Madam I am very much joy'd to see you for I am never well but in your company They sit down both in one Couch Parrot When did you see the Lady Gravity Minion I have not seen her these two days Parrot Lord she is the strangest Lady that ever I knew in my life her company is so uneasie and let me tell you as a secret she hath a very ill Reputation Minion If I thought that I would not keep her company Parrot Since I heard that Report I have shunn'd her company as much as I could Minion Even so will I for I would not keep any body company that I thought were not chaste for a World But who is her servant can you tell Parrot 'T is commonly reported Sir Henry Courtly is her servant Minion Out upon him he is the veriest Whoremaster in all the Town nay if she keeps him company I will not come near her I 'll warrant you Parrot Nor I although she would fain be dear with me and seeks all the ways she can to be great with me sending her Gentleman-Usher every day to me with a How do you Minion No pray do not be dear nor great with her but let you and I be dear and great and that will anger her to the heart Parrot That it will faith therefore let us go to morrow together and visit her to let her see how dear and great friends we are Minion Content Parrot Agreed Enter Sir Henry Courtly as to visit the Lady Minion Minion Lord Sir Henry Courtly I have not seen you these three days Courtly I was here yesterday Madam to wait upon you but you were abroad then I went to wait upon you my Lady Parrot but you were also from home Parrot So then I had but the reversions of the Lady Minions Visit Courtly I can be but in one place at one time Madam Minion Why should you take it ill Madam that he should
perfectly and knows your humour so exactly and can match your appetites with pleasure so justly as she hath work'd out her designs skilfully which is to displace me and to place her self in your Affections by which she can make a subtil advantage of your Estate and Fortune I mean good Fortune for in bad Fortune she may chance nay 't is most likely she will desert you for those that will and do forsake Virtue Chastity and Honour are not likely to stick to misfortunes as to follow Banishment or to live with Poverty to bear injury to endure Scorn and to die in Misery True Love may do it but for those Affections that are produced by Incontinency and not bound to Honesty and setled by Constancy will change more often than the wind wavering from person to person Courtly Wife I confess the Amorous Addresses I have made to other Women but though I have strayed in my Actions yet not in my Affections for my love is unalterably constant to you as believing you are unalterably virtuous and I do not only love your Chastity prize your Virtue honour your noble Soul and sweet Disposition but I take delight in your Wit am pleas'd with your Humors admire your Beauty and esteem and believe you to be the most perfect and best of your Sex But Wife know that my Appetites and not my Affections seek after variety for the kissing of a Mistris lessens not the Love to a Wife but rather increases it comparing the falseness and beastliness of the one to the Virtue and Purity of the other Iealousie And shall my Virtue and Chastity be only rewarded with your good Opinion Courtly Virtue Wife is a sufficient Reward in it self and the Chastity of your Sex is crown'd with Honour but the Reward I give you is the free use as a Co-partner of my Estate and the Mistris of my Family Besides I make you the chief care of my Industry the chief subject or object of my Valour the Treasure of my Life the only Possessor of my Heart and for your sake I shall neither refuse Death or Torment Thus you are the Soul of my Soul and since you have my whole soul to you self you may be well contented to lend my person to your Neighbours Wife Daughter Sister Neece or Maid Iealousie And will you be contented that I shall likewise borrow of your Neighbour Courtly No Wife for you can neither lend nor borrow without the loss of Honour Iealousie Nay rather than lose so great a loss as Honour I 'll strive to be content Husband Courtly Do you so Wife and I will strive and indeavour to be contented with my own Wife Exeunt ACT III Scene 21. Enter the Lady Prudence with two Suters a Citizen and a Farmer who both Plead or Wooe and she Answers The Assembly about them CItizen Madam although I cannot Wooe in Eloquent Orations or Courtly Solicitations or Learned Definitions being only bred to Industrious actions thrifty savings gainful gettings to inrich me with worldly wealth and not to studious Contemplations Poetical Fictions Divine Elevations Philosophical Observations State-Politicians School-contradictions Lawes Intrications by which perchance I might have gained Fame but not Wealth But Fame neither cloaths the naked nor feeds the hungry nor helps the distressed neither doth it maintain a Wife in Bravery where if you will be mine you shall sit in a shop all furnish'd with gold and great summs shall be brought you for exchange of my Wares and while you sit in my shop all street-passengers will stand and gaze on your Beauty and Customers will increase and be prodigal to buy whilst you sell not for the use of what they buy but for the delight to buy what you sell besides of all saleable curiosities varieties that are brought to the City you shall have the first offer and the first fruits and meats each Season doth produce shall be served to your taste your cloaths though of the City-fashion yet they shall rich and costly be besides to every Feast the City and each Citizen doth make they will invite you and place you as their chiefest guest and when you by your Neighbours doors do pass their Prentice-boys and Journey-men will leave their shop-boards and run to view you as you go Thus shall you live if you will be mine in Plenty Luxury Pride and Ease Prudence Rich Sir I may sit in your shop and draw Customers but shall get no honour by them I may sell your Wares but lose my Reputation I may be ador'd worship'd sought and pray'd to as for and to a Mistris but shall never be counted as a Saint I may be rich in wealth but poor of the Worlds good Opinion I may be adorn'd with silver and gold but blemish'd with censure and slander I may feed on luxurious Plenty yet my good name starve for want of a good Fame for a Citizens Wife is seldom thought chaste and the men for the most part accounted Cuckolds I know not whether it be a Judgment from Heaven for their Cozening or decreed by the Fates for their Covetousness or bred by a natural Effect of their Luxury which begets an Appetite to Wantonness but from what cause soever it comes so it is wherefore I will never be a Citizens Wife though truly I do verily believe there are as many virtuous and chaste women and understanding men that belong to the City as in the Country and were it not for the Citizens wealth more Antient Families would be buried in poverty than there hath been where many times a rich City-widow or daughter gives a dead Family a new Resurrection wherefore it is more prudent for men to marry into the City than it is advantagious for women especially such women that esteem a pure Reputation before wealth and had rather live in poverty than be mistrusted for dishonesty Then the Citizen goeth from the Standing-place and the Farmer takes it The Lady Prudence keeps her place all the while Farmer Madam although I cannot draw a Line of Pedigree from Gentility yet I can draw a Line of Peasantry five hundred years in length and if Antiquity is to be esteemed my Birth is not to be despised As for my wealth I am not poor but rich for my degree and quality and though it is not fit I should maintain my Wife in silver and gold yet I may maintain her with plenty and with store cloath her in fine smooth soft cloth spun from the fleeces of my Flocks But if you will be mine you shall be crown'd with Garlands made of Lillies Roses Violets Pinks and Daffidillies and be as Queen of all these Downs where all the Shepherds and Shepherdesses shall give you homage and worship you as Godess of the Plains bringing you Offerings of their mornings Milk their Butter Curds and soft prest Cheese and various Fruits fresh gather'd off their Trees also my Kids and Lambs shall sport and play and taught to know your voice
purse nor sheath'd my sword from helping the distress'd nor turn'd my back upon my assaulting Enemy I never stole good Fame nor rob'd good Names nor stab'd Innocency with slander I never scorn'd those below my self nor envy'd those above me I never infring'd the Laws of Honour nor disturb'd civil Society and though I cannot suffer an injury patiently yet I never did omit a duty willingly As for the truth of what I say I have none to witness for me as being a stranger but my own words from which this company perchance may think self-love and great desire hath brib'd my Tongue but if they do their thoughts make Truth no less no more than Eyes that are blind Ears that are deaf can rob you of your Wit and Beauty for though your Wit they do not hear nor Beauty see yet you passess them no less their want only robs you of their Admiration not of the Possession and say I am blind of one eye my other eye doth see and I have Hearing perfectly which doth inform my Knowledge and Understanding with that which makes my Admirations and Adorations perfect and sound within my Heart wherein your Picture is printed on which my Soul doth view and gazing kneels with wonder and astonishment that so much Wit Wisedom and Virtue should be in one so young fair And if you cannot love me despise me not for my pure Love is Divine as being divinely placed on you and it would grieve my Soul to have the zealous fire and immaculate flame of my Affection extinguish'd with your neglecting Thoughts and rak'd up in the ashes of your Forgetfulness But if any of my Sex shall seem to jest or scorn me for my outward form or shape My Courage and my Sword shall take my bodies part To cut their Limbs or thrust them through their Heart Prudence Worthy Sir you must excuse me from answering you at this time for I am taken on the sudden very sick Strange Wooer I wish you health although it were to be only purchas'd by my death Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Mistris Trifle and a Grave Matron MAtron What is the cause you weep Trifle Because my Father will not get me a Husband and Mistris Fondly will have a Husband before I shall have one for I hear she is to be maried she is happier in her Parents than I am for my Parents are unnatural and take no care how to get me a Husband and to see me maried Matron You may marry soon enough to repent Trifle I am sure I shall not repent for to be a Wife is a condition I am most desirous of and cannot be happy any other way Matron And Wives think Maids only happy because they are not vex'd nor troubled with a Husband Trifle Such women deserve no Husbands for certainly a Husband is a joy and a comfort as being a companion and a friend Matron But Husbands seldome keep in the company of their Wives and many times instead of a friend prove an enemy Enter a Servant Trifle What have you been at Mistris Fondly's House Servant Yes Trifle And have you inquir'd of her Maid as I bid you whether the Report is true that her Mistris is to be maried Servant Yes Trifle And what said she Servant She said that a Gentleman did Treat with her Mistrisses Father but they could not agree for the Gentleman would have more portion than her Father would give whereupon the Match is broke off Trifle I am glad of that for I would not have her maried before me for all the World But did you not see mistris Fondly Servant No for her Maid said her Mistris at the breaking off her Mariage almost broke her heart for she hath so afflicted her self and hath so wept and sigh'd as she is fallen sick and keeps her Chamber Trifle Alas good Friend I pity her extremely but I will go with her and try if I can comfort her Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lady Prudence to give her Answer to her Suter the Stranger The Assembly standing about the Lady and Suter take their places PRudence Noble Sir the Wit wherewith Nature Time and Education hath endu'd my tender brains is like new kindled fire that sparkling flies about the fuel being green and newly laid to burn there is more smoke than flame But since the time I heard you speak a newer fire is kindled in my Heart which equally doth burn with your profess'd Affections and though your Person is none of Natures exactest Peeces yet your Mind doth seem to be compos'd with all her best Ingredients and sure your Thoughts set notes of Honour Honestly and Love by which your Tongue plays Harmony 'T is not the sattin Skin that 's painted white and red nor near-carv'd Bodies can win my Love nor Wealth Titles Birth nor crown'd Power but Truth Sincerity Constancy Justice Prudence Courage and Temperance by which as Magistrates your life seems to be governed which life I wish the Gods may Crown with happy days and in Fames Tower long live your praise I will not ask you from whence you came nor what you are For though you seem but poor and mean Your Soul appears to me sublime Stranger And will you chuse me for your Husband Lady Prudence I shall be proud to be your Wife Sir Stranger The Gods are just to my pure Love rewarding it with your acceptance but I must beg your leave for some short time of Absence and then I shall return and claim your Promise Prudence You have the liberty Sir Exit Strange Wooer The Lady Gravity speaks to the Lady Prudence Gravity Lady surely you are in a High Feaver Prudence Why Madam Gravity As to do so extravagant an Action as to marry a man you know not what he is nor from whence he came and may prove as deformed in Mind as in Body as mean of Birth as poor in Parse as beggars that live on cold dry Charity Prudence If he be poor my Estate will make him rich if humbly born his Merits make him Honourable from whence he comes I do not care and where he will have me go I will wait upon him never questioning to what place Exit Lady Prudence Gravity Her Courage is beyond her Wit Liberty For the Example of this Lady I would have a Law made that there should be no more Publick Wooing Parle She hath cast away her self Minion Who can help it The Assembly go out holding up their hands as at a wonder Scene 26. Enter the Lady Mute as being in a melancholy Humour Enter Sir William Holdfast as meeting her HOldfast Lady why seem you so melancholy Mute My melancholy disposition is apt to catch hold on my evil Fortunes and both joyning together help to multiply my sad thoughts Holdfast Why should you be sad Mute How can I be merry when I am left destitute of Friends and unacquainted with Experience Holdfast Nature hath furnish'd you with all store you need none Mute If she
saying is Confidence makes Cuckolds Chastity Your confidence of me shall never harm you Sage But your too serious studies will harm your health and if you be sick I cannot be well besides it will decay your Beauty waste your Youth like Oyl spent in a melancholy Lamp where Life is always blinking Chastity It were better that my Body should be sick than my Mind idle my Beauty decay than my Understanding perish my Youth waste than my Fame lost my Life blinking than my Honour sinking for an idle Mind not well imploy'd creates a restless body which runs from place to place and hates to be at home Thus Mind and Body both being out extravagant Words and Actions run about and Riot keeps possession And though the Beauty withers and decays Yet Wit and Wisedome with the ruine stays And if the Youth doth waste and Life's Oyl 's spent Yet Fame lasts long and builds a Monument A melancholy life doth shadows cast But sets forth Virtue if they are well plac'd Then who would entertain an idle Mirth Begot by Vanity and dies in scorn Or proud or pleas'd with Beauty when the Birth Becomes the Grave or Tomb as soon as born But Wisedome wishes to be old and glad When youthful Follies die which seem as mad If Age is subject to repent what 's past Prudence and Experience redeems what 's lost Sage I perceive Wife the Muses have kept you company although you walk by your self but now I desire you will leave their company for a time and entertain mine Chastity VVith all my heart but the Muses are never with me but when you are imploy'd about serious Affairs for though they are my Visitors yet they are your Domestick Servants Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Sir Humphrey Disagree and his Wife the Lady Disagree LAdy Disagree Dear Husband where have you been Sir Hum. Disagree My dear kind VVife I have been in the Garden where I have heard little Robin Red-breast sing Lady Disagree That 's a sign Sweet-heart we shall have warm weather otherwise they would come into the House Sir Hum. Disag. I had rather believe my pretty Bird we shall have cold weather for they sing always in the coldest time of the year as in the depth of Winter Lady Disagree How ignorantly you speak good Husband as if the Robin Redbreast sings onely in the cold Winter and not in the warm Summer as well Sir Hum. Disagree Why not good VVife as well as Nightingals which only sing in the Spring and Swallows in the heat of Summer Lady Disagree That doth not prove that the Robbin doth not sing in Summer Sir Hum. Disag. I never heard the Robbin sing in Summer Lady Disagree Your never hearing of it is not a sufficient proof Sir Hum. Disag. It is to me Lady Disagree To say it is without a Reason proves a Fool Sir Hum. Disag. I only prov'd my self a Fool in marying you Lady Disagree I was accurst when first I gave consent to be your Wife Sir Hum. Disag. You were easily won Lady Disagree What because I consented to a Knave that wooed Sir Hum. Disag. You are a false woman for calling me a Knave Lady Disagree You are a Cuckold for calling me false Sir Hum. Disag. Am I so Mistris I will be sure to thrust my Horns thorough your Heart He offers to strike her she gets up a stool and slings at him he gets a cushion and slings at her and then gets hold of her she cries out Murder in comes their friends and servants and parts them Sir Hum. Disag. Dam me I 'll kill her Lady Disagree You 'l be hang'd will you Friend Nay good Sir be not angry Servant Good Madam go away until my Masters anger is pass'd over Exeunt ACT III Scene 25. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant alone as being very melancholy INconstant I will read this Letter once again although it shakes my Soul and makes me almost mad He reads aloud the Letter Sir THe wrongs you have done me are more than Heaven can give me patience to endure for which wrongs may thick black clouds of Infamy overspread your Memory and may my Sorrows beat upon your Soul as Northern Winds upon the Sea and raise up all your thoughts in discontent as raging billows causing your voice to roar out loud with hideous noise confounding all the Actions of your Life and way your hopes be drown'd in the salt water of despairing Tears The Heavens cannot condemn me for cursing a man which hath betray'd my Youth by Flattery violated my Chastity by Protestations tormented my harmless thoughts with Perjury disquieting my peaceable Life with Misfortunes But the burthen of my wrongs being too weighty for life to bear hath sunk it to the Grave where I hope all my disgrace will be buried with me though not the revenges of my Wrongs for those will punish you when I am dead For the Gods are just although Mankind is not Enter Nic Adviser Sir Francis Inconstants man Inconstant O Nick what a Villain am I Adviser For what Sir Inconstant For Perjury and Murther for I did not only break those Bonds I had sealed with holy Vows but my Falshood hath kill'd a fair young Lady for she hearing I had forsaken her and was to be maried to another she dy'd for grief Adviser Alas Sir we are all by Nature both frail and mortal wherefore we must complain of Nature of her Inconstancy and Cruelty in making our Minds so changeable and our Bodies so weak the one being subject to Death the other subject to Variety But Sir in my Opinion you have no cause to grieve but rather to rejoyce for what you have erred by Nature you have repaired by Fortunes favour for if that Lady which is dead had lived you would have been incumber'd with many troubles Inconstant As how Nick Adviser Why you would have been as a young Bear baired by two young Whelps the forsaken Lady railing and exclaming against you in all Company she came into and your Wife tormenting you with sharp words and loud noise insomuch as you would have neither ear drank or slept in quiet Thus both abroad and at home you would have heard nothing but your own reproaches Inconstant But shall not I be the same now she is dead think you Adviser No faith Sir for Death hath stopt the mouth of the one and Kisses may chance to muzzle the mouth of the other but if you be melancholy your Lady will think you do repent and will believe that you do prefer the memory of your dead Mistris before the enjoyment of your living Wife besides women are so jealous as they will not allow their Husbands to think that makes them talk so much as they do for they think Thoughts are Bauds to Adulterous Actions and that Imaginations commit Fornication with the Ghosts and Spirits of the dead Inconstant Well Nick I will take thy counsel and cast off melancholy and be merry in Jovial Company Exeunt Scene
Disagree No pray Husband let them alone a little while longer Humphrey Disagree If you keep them out untill our Stomacks be full we shall be so dull and heavy with the vapour of the meat as it will not be in the power of Musick to move our minds to mirth or so drunk with VVine as the Musick will make us mad Lady Disagree I hope you will not be mad before you are drunk Humphrey Disagree No VVife I will be merry before I am drunk wherefore Servants call them in She speaks as to the Servants Lady Disagree Let them alone Humphrey Disagree I say they shall come and play and therefore call them in Lady Disagree I say they shall not come in nor play therefore forbid them Humphrey Disagree Surely I will be Master and therefore they shall play Lady Disagree Surely I will be Mistriss of this Feast and therefore they shall not play Humphrey Disagree Call them Lady Disagree Let them alone The Servants the while sometimes run as to the door and then as from it not knowing whether they should obey Sir Humphrey rises as to call them himself She rises also Humphrey Disagree They shall come and play He offers to go She puls him back Lady Disagree They shall not play He shoves her from him she takes her Napkin and rouls it flings it at him he flings another at her she takes a Plate and throws at him he Curses and she Scolds their Friends strive to part them and in the strife and bussle down goeth all the Pots and Dishes and so they go fighting and striving off the Stage The Servants take away all the meat and things and after all was gone Enter two Maid-Servants 1 Maid Lord there is such doings within as it is wonderfull my Master swears my Lady cries and rails and rails and cries 2 Maid in truth it is a sad Feast and I was joyed to think how merry we should all be 1 Maid And I pleased my self to think what good cheer we should have and what dainties we should eat 2 Maid Why so you may still 1 Maid No Faith in this Hurlyburby every one catcht who catch could that all is vanish'd and purloyn'd away in this disorder 2 Maid Come let us go and see whether they can agree or not 1 Maid That they can never do so long as the sound of their tongues is within the distance of their Ears besides nature hath not matcht their dispositions or humours 2 Maid You say right intruth their Souls are mismatcht and therefore it is impossible they should ever agree Exeunt Scene 46. Enter Sir Francis Inconstant and Monsieur Disguise SIr Francis Inconstant Sir my VVife your Mistriss is Dead Monsieur Disguise No Sir my Mistriss and your VVhore is Dead Inconstant You are a Villain to corrupt her Disguise You are a Villain to marry her Inconstant Draw for either or both of us Villains shall dy Disguise I fear not Death nor you They both draw their Swords Disguise Justice defend the wrong'd and take my part They fight and give each other deadly wounds Sir Francis Inconstant falls and as he lay on the ground speaks Inconstant Heaven is just to punish perjury with violent Death O my Conscience how it stings me at my Death with the remembrance of the wrongs I did my first love Monsieur Disguise sinks close by Sir Francis and then discovers her self Mistriss Forsaken Do you know this Face or have my sorrows disfigur'd it so much as you cannot call it to remembrance Sir Francis Starts Inconstant You powers above affright not my fleeting Soul with visions but let it gently pass and leave my body to the silent grave He directs his Speech to her Inconstant You Spirit divine take not revenge for I am truly sorry for the wrongs I did thee in thy life Mistriss Forsaken I forgive you and know I am no Spirit and though I cannot say I live because I am dying yet I am not dead and that Letter I brought you was to disguise me the more by a false report but I have acted the design of my Travel which was to end my life with yours for since I could not enjoy you in life I desir'd to imbrace you by Death and so I shall She flings her arms over him and dyes Inconstant O my Soul make haste and follow hers He kisses her and on her lips dyes FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES Monsieur Nobilissimo Monsieur Esperance Monsieur Phantasie Monsieur Poverty Monsieur Adviser and several other Gentlemen Admiration Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Vainglory Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Pride Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Ambition Madamoiselle La Belles Wooers Madamoiselle Esperance Wife to Monsieur Esperance Madamoiselle La Belle Madamoiselle Amour Madamoiselle Grand Esprit Madamoiselle Bon Madamoiselle Tell-truth Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Malicious THE FIRST PART OF NATURES three DAUGHTERS Beauty Love and Wit ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious and Madamoiselle Tell-truth TEll-truth The Lady Natures Daughters are the only Ladies that are admired praised adored worshiped and sued to all other women are despised Spightfull We may go into a Nunnery for we shall never get Servants nor Husbands as long as they live Tell-truth Why there are but three of them and three women cannot serve and content all the men in the VVorld Detractor No but they may discontent all the men so much as to make them all to be Male-contented Lovers who will reject all because they cannot have what they desire Malicious Let us make a Faction against them Spightfull Alas what Faction against them can hurt and destroy Love Wit and Beauty Detractor Jealousy will weaken Love Dispraise will disgrace Wit and Beauty Time will soon bring that to decay Tell-truth But Jealousy cannot weaken true and virtuous Love nor Dispraise cannot disgrace pure Wit nor Time cannot decay the Beauty of the mind wherefore all the faction you can make against them will do them no hurt besides you will be condemned by all the Masculine Sex if not punished with infamy for your treachery and since you cannot do them harm your best way will be to imitate them for your own good Spightfull So we shall be laughed at and stared on as Monkies and scorned forasmuch as we offer at that which is beyond our abilities and whatsoever is forced and constrained appeareth ridiculous Malicious Come let us leave speaking of them and thinking of them if we can Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Monsieur Esperance and his Wife Madamoiselle Esperance MOnsieur Esperance Surely Wife you do not love me you are not any way kind to me Madamoiselle Esperance True Love Husband is not so fond as serviceable Monsieur Esperance But true Love will express it self sometimes for if you did truly Love me you would hang about my Neck as if you meant to dwell there Madamoiselle Esperance If I thought my kindness might not
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
me weep doubting you Love me not you are so Jealous Monsieur Esperance By Heaven I love thee beyond my Soul wherefore forbear to weep if thou canst stop thy tears Madamoiselle Esperance Tears may be stopt unless they flow from an unrecoverable loss which Heaven forbid mine should yet sorrow oft doth stop the Spring from whence tears rise or else the Eyes do weep themselves quite blind Monsieur Esperance Pray dry yours Exeunt Scene 16. Enter Madamoiselle Bon alone MAdamoiselle Bon. O Man O Man How various and Inconstant are you all how cruell to betray our faint and unexperienced Sex bribing our Judgments with flattering words obscure our reasons with Clouds of Sighs drawing us into belief with protestations bind us with promises and vows forcing us to yield up our affections then murther us with scorn and bury us in forgetfullness but O how happy was I before I was betrayed by Love my heart was free my thoughts were pleasant and my humour gay but now my mind is a Garrison of cares my thoughts like runaways are wanderers Grief on my heart his heavy taxes layes Which through my Eyes my heart those taxes payes Exit Scene 17. Enter Madamoiselle Amor and at a distance seeth Monsieur Nobilissimo she speaks first as to her self MAdamoiselle Amor Love and Discretion sight duels in my mind one makes me Mute the other doth perswade me to prefer my Sute but why should I be nice to speak or be ashamed to woo with words when all our Sex doth woo with several dresses and smiles each civil courtesy doth plead Loves Sute then I will on Love give me Courage and Mercury guide my tongue She goeth as towards the Lord Nobilissimo Amor Noble Sir impute it rather as a folly to my Sex and Youth and not any impudence of Nature if that my Innocency discovers my passion and affection not having Craft or subtilty to conceal them but I must plainly tell you no sooner did I see you and hear you speak but loved but yet mistake me not I dote not on your person but your mind for sure your Noble Soul shot fire through my Eyes into my Heart there flames with pure affection but for this confession perchance you will set me as a mark of scorn for all to shoot their scofs at and in derision pointing will laugh and say there is the Maid that wooed a Man Nobilissimo Is this to me Lady Amor It cannot be to any other Nature could make but one and that was you Nobilissimo If this be real you do profess the Gods should they have sent an Angel down to offer me their Heavenly Mansion it had not been so great a gift as your affection Amor Do you not hate me then Nobilissimo Nothing I Love so well Amor And will you Love me ever Nobilissimo Yes ever for when my Body is dissolved Love shall live in my dust in spight of Death Amor And will you love none but me Nobilissimo An intire and undivided affection can be placed but upon one and that is you Amor May your constancy be as firm as my Love pure Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Madamoiselle La Belle and her four Suters Admiration Ambition Vainglory and Pride ADmirat Dear Mistriss stay that I may gaze upon you Then bow my knee as to the rising Sun Heave up my hands as when to Heaven I pray But being amaz'd know not one word I say Yet superstitiously I shall adore As my chief Goddess shall thy love implore And being worship'd you are deifi'd Your Godhead in your Beauty doth recide Vainglory Thou absolute Beauty for thy dear sake Of Lovers hearts a foot-stool shall be made A Cushion soft with Hopes fill'd full then laid For thee to stand and triumph on fair Maid And Lovers Souls shall from their bodyes fly For thee a Couch when weary on to ly Pride Thy Lovers tears for to invite thy rest In murmuring streams fall on thy marble brest And gentle sighs like whispering winds shall blow And fan thy Cheeks that Poets fire may glow Loves Melancholy thoughts like Clouds of night Like as thy Curtains drawn before thy sight For fear the Sun should trouble out of spight Thy Eyes repose being the greater light Ambition Sweet Beauty thou in a glorious Throne shall set The spangled Heaven seems but thy Counterfeit Thy Charriot shall be stuck with Eyes all gazing And oyld with Eloquent tongues that runs with praysing Drawn by large strong well shapt Commendations Guided by Fame about two several Nations La Belle Admiration Vainglory Pride and Ambition Why do you woo Beauty that is Deaf and Dumb That hears no praise nor adoration It seeth no hands heav'd up nor tears that fall It hath no tongue to answer Love withall It hath no Life no Soul where passion lies It neither gives nor takes instructions wise It is no solid Body you admire No substance but a shadow you desire FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES Monsieur Nobilissimo Monsieur Heroick his Brother Monsieur Esperance Monsieur Phantasie Monsieur Amy. Monsieur Poverty and other Gentlemen Madamoiselle Esperance Madamoiselle La Belle Madamoiselle Amour Madamoiselle Grand Esprit Madamoiselle Bon Madamoiselle Tell-truth Madamoiselle Spightfull Madamoiselle Malicious Madamoiselle Detractor THE SECOND PART OF NATURES three DAUGHTERS Beauty Love and Wit ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit and her Audience GRand Esprit Great Fame my Prayers I direct to thee That thou wilt keep me in thy memory And place my Name in the large brazen Tower That neither Spight nor Time may it devour And write it plain that every age may see My Names inscrib'd to live eternally Let not Malice obstruct my Wit with spight But let it shine in its own clear light Noble and Right Honourable I divide my discourse into three parts as namely Vanity Vice and Wickedness Vanity lives in the Customs and Manners of men and Wickedness in the Souls of men Vices in the Senses of men as vain habits evill appetites and wicked passions as for Vanity and Vice they are commodities that are sold out of the Shops of Idleness Vice is sold by wholesale but Vanities are sold by retail the Buyers of these Commodities are Youth the Merchants are evil Customs and ill examples the Masculine youth buyes more Vice than Vanity and the Effeminate youth buyes more Vanity than Vice but they all buy as salt as they can be sold they will spare for not cost and will give any prices although it be their Healths Lives Fortunes or Reputations as for Wickedness it is inlayed into the soul like as Mosaick work and so close it is wrought therein as it makes it appear to be the soul it self but evill Education and Custome are the Artificers of this work and not natural Creation or divine infusion or inspiration from whence the Soul proceeds or is produced for neither the Gods nor Nature is the Author of Wickedness but Vanity Vice and
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
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
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
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
Gentlemen Doll Pascify Gentlemen would you speak with me Monsieur la Gravity Yes for we desire you will help us to the honour of kissing your Ladyes hands thereon to offer our service Doll Pacify Sir you must excuse me for the Sign of VVidowhood is not as yet hung out Mourning is not on nor the scutcheons are not hung over the Gate but if you please to come two or three dayes hence I may do you some service but now it will be to no purpose to tell my Lady for I am sure she will receive no visits Exeunt FINIS THE ACTORS NAMES The Lord General and many Commanders Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur le Compagnion Monsieur Comerade Doctor Educature Doctor Comfort and divers Gentlemen Messengers Servants Officers and others Lady Victoria and many Heroicks Lady Jantils Lady Passionate Doll Pacify Nell Careless City Wives and others THE SECOND PART OF BELL IN CAMPO ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOll Pacify Good Master Priest go comfort my old Lady Doctor Comfort If you will Comfort me I will strive to Comfort her Doll Pacify So we shall prove the Crums of Comfort Doctor Comfort But is my Lady so sad still Doll Pacify Faith to day she hath been better than I have seen her for she was so patient as to give order for Blacks but I commend the young Lady Madam Iantil who bears out the Siege of Sorrow most Couragiously and on my Conscience I believe will beat grief from the fort of her heart and become victorious over her misfortunes Doctor Comfort Youth is a good Souldier in the Warfare of Life and like a valiant Cornet or Ensign keeps the Colours up and the Flag flying in despite of the Enemies and were our Lady as young as Madam Iantil she would grieve less but to lose an old Friend after the loss of a young Beauty is a double nay a trible affliction because there is little or no hopes to get another good Husband for though an old woman may get a Husband yet ten thousand to one but he will prove an Enemy or a Devill Doll Pacify It were better for my Lady if she would marry again that her Husband should prove a Devill than a Mortal Enemy for you can free her from the one though not from the other for at your words the great Devil will avoid or vanish and you can bind the lesser Devils in Chains and whip them with holy Rods untill they rore again Doctor Comfort Nay we are strong enough for the Devil at all times and in all places neither can he deceive us in any shape unless it be in the shape of a young Beauty and then I confess he overcomes us and torments our hearts in the fire of love beyond all expression Doll Pacify If I were a Devil I would be sure to take a most beautifull shape to torment you but my Lady will torment me if I stay any longer here Exeunt Scene 2. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Sir you being newly come from the Army pray what news 2 Gent. I suppose you have heard how our Army was forced to fight by the Enemies provocations hearing the Lord General lay sick whereupon the Generals Lady the Lady Victoria caused her Amazonians to march towards the Masculine Army and to entrench some half a mile distance therefrom which when the Masculine Army heard thereof they were very much troubled thereat and sent a command for them to retreat back fearing they might be a disturbance so a destruction unto them by doing some untimely or unnecessary action but the Female Army returned the Masculine Army an Answer that they would not retreat unless they were beaten back which they did believe the Masculine Sex would not having more honour than to fight with the Female Sex but if the men were so base they were resolved to stand upon their own defence but if they would let them alone they would promise them upon the honour of their words not to advance any nearer unto the Masculine Army as long as the Masculine Army could assault their Enemies or defend themselves and in this posture I left them Exeunt Scene 3. Enter the Lady Victoria and her Heroickesses LAdy Victoria Noble Heroickesses I have intelligence that the Army of Reformations begins to flag wherefore now or never is the time to prove the courage of our Sex to get liberty and freedome from the Female Slavery and to make our selves equal with men for shall Men only sit in Honours chair and Women stand as waiters by shall only Men in Triumphant Chariots ride and Women run as Captives by shall only men be Conquerors and women Slaves shall only men live by Fame and women dy in Oblivion no no gallant Heroicks raise your Spirits to a noble pitch to a deaticall height to get an everlasting Renown and infinite praises by honourable but unusual actions for honourable Fame is not got only by contemplating thoughts which lie lasily in the Womb of the Mind and prove Abortive if not brought forth in living deeds but worthy Heroickesses at this time Fortune desires to be the Midwife and if the Gods and Goddesses did not intend to favour our proceedings with a safe deliverance they would not have offered us so fair and fit an opportunity to be the Mothers of glorious Actions and everlasting Fame which if you be so unnatural to strangle in the Birth by fearfull Cowardize may you be blasted with Infamy which is worse than to dye and be forgotten may you be whipt with the torturing tongues of our own Sex we left behind us and may you be scorned and neglected by the Masculine Sex whilst other women are preferred and beloved and may you walk unregarded untill you become a Plague to your selves but if you Arm with Courage and fight valiantly may men bow down and worship you birds taught to sing your praises Kings offer up their Crowns unto you and honour inthrone you in a mighty power May time and destiny attend your will Fame be your scribe to write your actions still And may the Gods each act with praises fill All the women Fear us not fear us not we dare and will follow you wheresoever and to what you dare or will lead us be it through the jawes of Death THE PRAYER Lady Victoria GReat Mars thou God of War grant that our Squadrons may like unbroaken Clouds move with intire Bodyes let Courage be the wind to drive us on and let our thick swell'd Army darken their Sun of hope with black despair let us powre down showers of their blood to quench the firy flames of our revenge And where those showers fall their Deaths as seeds Sown in times memory sprout up our deeds And may our Acts Triumphant gat lands make Which Fame may wear for our Heroicks sake Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort Doll how doth our Lady since the burying of my Patron Doll Pacify
is my Secretary Secretary Here Madam Madam Iantil. Read the Will I caus'd you to write down The Will read I Jantil the Widow of Seigneur Valeroso do here make a free gift of all these following Item All my Husbands Horses and Saddels and whatsoever belongs to those Horses with all his Arms Pikes Guns Drums Trumpets Colours Waggons Coaches Tents and all he had belonging to the War to be distributed amongst his Officers of War according to each degree I freely give Item All his Library of Books I give to that College he was a Pupill in when he was at the University Item To all his Servants I give the sum of their yearly wages to be yearly paid them during their lives Item I give two hundred pounds a year pension to his Chaplin Doctor Educature during his life Item I give a hundred pound a year pension to his Steward during his life Item I give fifty pound a year pension to his Secretary during his life Item I give a hundred pound per annum for the use and repair of this Tomb of my dead Husbands Item I give a thousand pounds a year to maintain ten religious persons to live in this place or House by this Tomb Item I give three thousand pounds to enlarge the House and three thousand pounds more to build a Chapell by my Husbands Tomb Item Two hundred pounds a year I give for the use and repair of the House and Chapell Item I give my Maid Nell Careless a thousand pound to live a single life Item I give the rest of my Estate which was left me by my Husband Seigneur Valeroso to the next of his name These following Speeches and Songs of hers my Lord the Marquess of Newcastle writ Iantil. So 't is well O Death hath shakt me kindly by the hand To bid me welcome to the silent grave 'T is dead and nuns sweet Death how thou doest court me O let me clap thy fallen Cheeks with joy And kiss the Emblem of what once was lips Thy hollow Eyes I am in love withall And thy ball'd head beyond youths best curl'd hair Prethee imbrace me in thy colder Arms And hug me there to sit me for thy Mansion Then bid our Neighbour worms to feast with us Thus to rejoyce upon my holy day But thou art slow I prethee hasten Death And linger not my hopes thus with thy stay 'T is not thy fault thou sayest but fearfull nature That hinders thus Deaths progress in his way Oh foolish nature thinks thou canst withstand Deaths Conquering and inevitable hand Let me have Musick for divertisement This is my Mask Deaths Ball my Soul to dance Out of her frail and fleshly prison here Oh could I now dissolve and melt I long To free my Soul in Slumbers with a Song In soft and quiet sleep here as I ly Steal gently out O Soul and let me dy Lies as a sleep SONG O You Gods pure Angels send her Here about her to attend her Let them wait and here condoul Till receive her spotless Soul So Serene it is and fair It will sweeten all the Air You this holy wonder hears With the Musick of the spheres Her Souls journey in a trice You 'l bring safe to Paradice And rejoice the Saints that say She makes Heavens Holy-day The Song ended she opens her Eyes then speaks Death hath not finish'd yet his work h 'is slow But he is sure for he will do 't at last Turn me to my dear Lord that I may breath My last words unto him my dear Our marriage join'd our flesh and bone Contracted by those holy words made one But by our Loves we join'd each others heart And vow'd that death should never us depart Now death doth marry us since now we must Ashes to ashes be mingling our dust And our joy'd Souls in Heaven married then When our frail bodyes rise wee 'l wed again And now I am joy'd to lie by thy lov'd side My Soul with thy Soul shall in Heaven reside For that is all my In this last word she dies which when her Servants saw they cryed out she is dead she is dead Here ends my Lord Marquesses writing Doctor Educature sayes thus Doctor Educature She is dead she is dead the body hence convey And to our Mistriss our last rights wee 'l pay So they laid her by her Husband upon the Tomb and drawing off the Tomb goe out Exeunt ACT V. Scene 20. Enter Citizens Wives and their Apprentices 1 CItizens Wife Where shall we stand to see this triumphing 2 Citizens Wife I think Neighbour this is the best place 3 Citizens Wife We shall be mightily crouded there 2 Citizens Wife For my part I will stand here and my Apprentice Nathaniel shall stand by me and keep off the croud from crouding me Nathaniel Truly Mistriss that is more than I am able to do 3 Citizens Wife Well Neighbour if you be resolved to stand here we will keep you Company Timothy stand by me Timothy If you stand here Mistriss the Squibs will run under your Clothes 3 Citizens Wife No matter Timothy let them run where they will They take their stand 1 Citizens Wife I hope Neighbour none will stand before us for I would not but see this Lady Victoria for any thing for they say she hath brought Articles for all women to have as many Husbands as they will and all Trades-mens Wives shall have as many Apprentices as they will 2 Citizens Wife The Gods bless her for it Enter a Croud of people She is coming she is coming Officers come Stand up close make way Enter many Prisoners which march by two and two then enter many that carry the Conquered spoils then enters the Lady Victoria in a gilt Chariot drawn with eight white Horses four on a breast the Horses covered with Cloth of gold and great plumes of feathers on their heads The Lady Victoria was adorned after this manner she had a Coat on all imbrodered with silver and gold which Coat reach'd no further than the Calfs of her leggs and on her leggs and feet she had Buskins and Sandals imbroidered suitable to her Coat on her head she had a Wreath or Garland of Lawrel and her hair curl'd and loosely flowing in her hand a Crystall Bolt headed with gold at each end and after the Chariot marched all her Female Officers with Lawrel Branches in their hands and after them the inferiour she Souldiers then going through the Stage as through the City and so entring again where on the midst of the Stage as if it were the midst of the City the Magistrates meet her so her Chariot makes a stand and one as the Recorder speaks a Speech to her VIctorious Lady you have brought Peace Safety and Conquest to this Kingdome by your prudent conduct and valiant actions which never any of your Sex in this Kingdome did before you Wherefore our Gracious King is pleased to give you that which was never granted nor
sit down or to bid him leave her company and surely they must needs be both very weary of walking but sure he will leave her when it is time to go to bed Reformer It is to be hoped he will Enter the Lady Bashfull and Sir Serious Dumb following her Reformer Madam you will tire your self and the Gentleman with walking about your house wherefore pray sit down Lady Bashfull What! To have him gaze upon my face Reformer Why your face is a handsome face and the owner of it is honest wherefore you need not be ashamed but pray rest your self Lady Bashfull Pray perswade him to leave me and then I will Reformer Sir my Lady intreats you to leave her to her self Sir Serious Dumb writes then and gives Reformer his Table-book to read Reformer He writes he cannot leave you for if his body should depart his soul will remain still with you Lady Bashfull That will not put me out of countenance because I shall not be sensible of its presence wherefore I am content he should leave his soul so that he will take his body away He writes and gives Reformer the Book Reformer reads He writes that if you will give him leave once a day to see you that he will depart and that he will not disturb your thoughts he will only wait upon your person for the time he lives he cannot keep himself long from you Lady Bashfull But I would be alone Reformer But if he will follow you you must indure that with patience you cannot avoid Sir Serious Dumb goeth to the Lady Bashfull and kisseth her hand and Ex. Reformer You see he is so civil as he is unwilling to displease you Lady Bashfull Rather than I will be troubled thus I will go to some other parts of the World Reformer In my conscience Madam he will follow you wheresoever you go Lady Bashfull But I will have him shut out of my house Reformer Then he will lye at your gates and so all the Town will take notice of it Lady Bashfull Why so they will howsoever by his often visits Reformer But not so publick Exeunt Scene 31. Enter the General and Affectionata Lord Singularity Affectionata Thou must carry a Letter from me to my Mistriss Affectionata You will not marry her you say Lord Singul. No Affectionata Then pardon me my Lord for though I would assist your honest love by any service I can do yet I shall never be so base an Instrument as to produce a crime Lord Singul. Come come thou shalt carry it and I will give thee 500. pounds for thy service Affectionata Excuse me my Lord Lord Singularity I will give thee a thousand pounds Affectionata I shall not take it my Lord Lord Singul. I will give thee five thousand nay ten thousand pounds Affectionata I am not covetous my Lord Lord Singularity I will make thee Master of my whole Estate for without the assistance I cannot injoy my Mistriss by reason she will trust none with our Loves but thee Affectionata Could you make me Master of the whole World it could not tempt me to do an action base for though I am poor I am honest and so honest as I cannot be corrupted or bribed there-from Lord Singularity You said you loved me Affectionata Heaven knows I do above my life and would do you any service that honour did allow of Lord Singularity You are more scrupulous than wise Affectionata There is an old saying my Lord that to be wise is to be honest Exeunt Scene 32. Enter Sir Peaceable Studious and meets his Ladies maid Sir P. Studious Where is your Lady Maid In her Chamber Sir Sir P. Studious Pray her to come to me Maid Yes Sir Sir P. Studious Exit Enter another Maid to the first 1. Maid Lord Lord What a creature my Master is become since he fell into his musing again he looks like a melancholy Ghost that walks in the shades of Moon-shine or if there be no Ghost such as we fancie just such a one seems her when a week since he was as fine a Gentleman as one should see amongst a thousand 2. Maid That was because he kiss'd you Nan 1. Maid Faith it was but a dull clownish part to meet a Maid that is not ill-favoured and not make much of her who perchance have watch'd to meet him for which he might have clap'd her on the cheek or have chuck'd her under the chin or have kiss'd her but to do or say nothing but bid me call my Lady was such a churlish part Besides it seemed neither manly gallantly nor civilly 2. Maid But it shewed him temperate and wise not minding such frivilous and troublesome creatures as women are 1. Maid Prithy it shews him to be a miserable proud dull fool 2. Maid Peace some body will hear you and then you will be turn'd away 1. Maid I care not for it they will not turn me away I will turn my self away and seek another service for I hate to live in the house with a Stoick Scene 33. Enter the General and Affectionata AFfectionata By your face Sir there seems a trouble in your mind and I am restless until I know your griefs Lord Singularity It is a secret I dare not trust the aire with Affectionata I shall be more secret than the aire for the aire is apt to divulge by retorting Echoes back but I shall be as silent as the Grave Lord Singul. But you may be tortured to confess the truth Affectionata But I will not confess the truth if the confession may any wayes hurt or disadvantage you for though I will not belye truth by speaking falsely yet I will conceal a truth rather than betray a friend Especially my Lord and Master But howsoever since your trouble is of such concern I shall not with to know it for though I dare trust my self yet perchance you dare not trust me but if my honest fidelity can serve you any wayes you may imploy it and if it be to keep a secret all the torment that nature hath made or art invented shall never draw it from me Lord Singul. Then let me tell thee that to conceal it would damn thy soul Affectionata Heaven bless me But sure my Lord you cannot be guilty of such sins that those that doth but barely hear or know them shall be damned Lord Singul, But to conceal them is to be an Actor Affectionata For Heaven sake then keep them close from me if either they be base or wicked for though love prompt me to inquire hoping to give you ease in bearing part of the burthen yet Heaven knows I thought my love so honourable placed on such a worthy person and guiltless soul as I might love and serve without a scandal or a deadly sin Lord Singularity Come you shall know it Affectionata I 'l rather stop my ears with death Lord Singul. Go thou art a false boy Affectionata How false a boy howsoever you think me I have an
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