marriage had it seems Past her Estate away into what hands 'T is fall'n I know not nor I care not I. Fruit. 'T is fall'n into the hands of wise men Sir That know how to make use of what is theirs Cov This hypocrite perswaded me to do 't And then discover'd all as if one purpose He sought my ruine Fruit. No not I good Madam 'T was for your soules health I have done you good And eas'd you of a burden and a great one So much Estate would have been still a cause Of cares unto you and those cares have hinder'd Your quiet passage to a better life Euph. Excellent divel how I love him now Never did knavery play a juster part Fru And why should you at such an age as this Dreame of marriage a thing so farre Unfit nay most unnatural and prophane To stain that holy ordinance and make it But a meere bargain for two clods of earth Might have been join'd as well in matrimony 'T is for your soules health Madam I do this Euph. How much was I mistaken in this Chaplaine I see h' has braines Free Though 't be dishonesty In him yet justly was it plac'd on her And I could even applaud it Lad. Whim I protest I love this Chaplain Dot. So do I sweet Mistris Or I am an errant foole Cov. But yet I hope The feoffees may prove honest I le try them Fru I le goe and bring them to your Ladyship Exit Fruitful Arg. I le stay no longer make my Litter ready Lady farewel and to you all Free Nay Sir Then let me interpose let me entreat you By all the rites of neighbourhood Sir Argent Make not so suddain a departure now What though the businesse have gone so crosse You may part fairly yet Stay till to morrow Let not the country take too great a notice Of these proceedings and strange breach 't will be Nothing but a dishonour to you both Pray Sir consent give me your hand Sir Argent Arg. At your entreaty Sir I le stay till morning Free Before that time you may consider better Exeunt Finis Actus Quarti Actus Quintus Matilda Theodore Mat. I 'Ll not refuse my Uncles courtesie But go and see his House I should before Have done that duty to him but I thought My visits were not welcom since he liv'd So close and privately Theod. Sweet Coz ' you 'll finde A happy alteration in my Father And that there dwel a kinde and honest soul Within his brest though wretched Avarice The usual fault of age have heretofore Too much kept back the good expressions Of such like thoughts he now will make a mends To all the world and has begun already With his poor Neighbours Mat. Cozen I shall be Too bad a Guest at this sad time and bring Nothing but sorrow to my Uncles house Theod. You 'll be your selfe a welcom Guest to him And I shall think our roof exceeding happy If it may mitigate that killing grief Which your so solitary life too much Has nourish'd in you Cozen feed it not 'T is a disease that will in time consume you I have already giv'n the best advice That my poor knowledge will afford to ease Your troubled thoughts If time which heaven allows To cure all grief should not have power to do it If death of Father Mother Husband Wife Should be lamented still the world would wear Nothing but black Sorrow alone would reign In every Family that lives and bring Upon poor Mortals a perpetual night You must Forget it Cozen Mat Never can I Forget my love to him Theod. Nor do I strive To teach you to forget that love you bear To his dear memory but that grief which lies Wrapt in amongst it and turns all to Poyson Making it mortal to that soul that tastes it 'T is that sweet Cozen which I hope that time May by degrees extinguish Will you please To walk along my Father long ere this Expects us I am sure and longs to see you Exeunt Eugeny in the Officers Hands Eug. I blame you not at all that by the Law And vertue of your places are requir'd To apprehend me Offi. We are sorry Sir We were inforc'd to see you Eug. But I wonder What curious eye it was that search'd so far Into my secret walks that did discover This dark abode of mine and envy'd me My solitary sorrow such a life As I enjoy'd a man might well afford To his most great and mortal Enemy Offi 'T was a plain fellow Sir tha brought us hither In the Kings name and left us when we had you But Sir we wish you all the good we may Eug. I thank you Friends I cannot tell at all Whom to suspect nor will I further vex My thoughts in search of such a needless thing I call to minde what once my Theodore Told me by way of a surmise but sure It cannot be so foul shall I entreat you To carry me to old Sir Argent Scrape My Kisman I would onely speak with him Before I go to prison And let one If you can spare a man go run for me To Mr. Earthworm's house and bid his son Meet me with old Sir Argent he lies now At my Lady Covets house I have about me What will reward your pains and highly too Offi. It shall be done as would have it Sir Eug. I dare not send to fair Artemia The sight of her and of so dear a sorrow As she would shew would but afflict me more Perchance I may come safely off till then I would conceal this accident from her But Fame is swiftest still when she goes laden With news of mischief She too soon will hear And in her sorrow I shall doubly suffer Thus are we Fortunes pastimes one day live Advanc'd to Heaven by the peoples breath ' The next hurl'd down into th' Abyss of death Enter Euphues Artemia Euph. But are you sure 't is hereabouts he lives Ha! who is that 't is he and in the hands Of Officers Cozen the mischief 's done Before we come Art O my dear Eugeny Eug. Artemia too Ay me she swoons help help Look up my Love there is no fear at all For me no danger all is safe and full Of hope and comfort Euph. She begins to come Unto her self again Eug. But pray Sir tell How came you hither Noble Euphues Euph. I never knew the place but now by her Instructions found it out I came to bear Her company and her intent of comming Was to inform you of a danger neer Of such a monstrous mischief as perchance You scarce can credit old Sir Argent Scrape By me and by another Gentleman Was overheard to say •hat he had Scouts And had laid certain plots to apprehend His Kinsman Eugeny just before th' Assizes Besides what further means he did intend Closely to work your death he then declar'd To the old covetous Lady whom he came A Suiter to Eug. Prophetick Theodore How
man would fawn Or to his belly fell his liberty There would be then no slaves no sycophants At great mens tables if the base Samentus Or that vile Galba had been thus content They had not born the scoffs of Caesar's board He whose cheap thirst the springs and brooks can quench How many cares is he exempted from Hee 's not indebted to the merchants toile Nor fears that Pyrates force or stormes should rob him Of rich Canatyes or sweet Candyan wines He smels nor seeks no feasts but in his own True strength contracted lives and there enjoyes A greater freedome then the Parthian King Ear Thou mak'st me more in love with my blest life The Besides pure cheerful health ever attends it Which made the former ages live so long With riotous banquets sicknesses came in When death 'gan muster all his dismal band Of pale diseases such as Poets fain Keep sentinel before the gates of hell And bad them wait about the gluttons tables Whom they like venom'd pills in sweetest wines Deceive swallow down and hasten on What most they would eschew untimely death But from our tables here no painful surfets No fed diseases grow to strangle nature And suffocate the active brain no feavers No apoplexies palsies or catarrhs Are here where nature not entic'd at all With such a dangerous bait as pleafant cates Takes in no more then she can govern well Ear But that which is the greatest comfort son Is to observe with pleasure our rich hoords Dayly increase and stuff the swelling bags Come thou art mine I see here take these keys Keyes These keyes can shew thee such amazing plenty Whose very sight would feed a famish'd country I durst not trust my servants The Me you may Who equal with my life do prize your profit Ear Well I le go in I feel my self half sleepy After the drinke I took The 'T will do you good Sir Exit Work sweetly gentle cordial and restore Those spirits again which pining avarice Has ' rest him of ay me how wondrous thin How lean and wan he looks how much alas Has he defrauded his poor Genius In raking wealth while the pale grisly sighs Of famine dwell upon his aged cheeks Oh avarice then thee a greater plague Did nere infest the life of wretched man Heaven ayd my work that rare extraction Which he has drunk beside the nourishment Will cast him in a safe and gentle sleep While I have liberty to work my ends And with his body's cure a means I le finde To cure his fame and which is more his minde Enter Jasper Jasper Jasp Sir Theod. Are those disguises ready Which I bespoke Jasp They are all sitted Sir Theod. Then at the hour which I appointed thee Invite those people Jasper but be true And secret to me Jasp As your own heart Sir The Take this I will reward thy service better Counters Assoon as these occasions are dispatch'd Jasp I thank you Sir I have a letter for you Letter Left here but now from Mr. Euphues Old Mr Freeman's nephew The Give it me I will anon peruse it but my hast Permits not now Eugeny waits my coming Exit Theod. Jasp I like this well yet if I should prove false To my old master for my young masters sake Who can accuse me for the reason 's plain And very palpable I feel it here This will buy ale so will not all the hoords Which my old master has his money serves For nothing but to look upon but this Knows what the common use of money is Well for my own part I 'm resolv'd to do Whatever he commands me hee 's too honest To wrong his father in it if he should The worst would be his own another day Exit Eugeny solus Eug. Just thus in woods and solitary caves The ancient hermits liv'd but they liv'd happy And in their quiet contemplations found More real comforts then society Of men could yeeld then cities could afford Or all the lustres of a court could give But I have no such sweet preservatives Against the sadness of this desert place I am my self a greater wilderness Then are these woods where honor and dismay Make Make their abodes while different passions By turns do reign in my distracted foul Fortune makes this conclusion general All things shall help th' unfortunate man to fall First sorrow comes and tells me I have done A crime whose foulness must deserve a sea Of poenitent tears to wash me clean again Then fear steps in and tels me if surpriz'd My wretched life is forfeit to the Law When these have done enters the Tyrant Love And sets before me the fair Artemia Displayes her vertues and perfections Tels me that all those graces all those beauties Suffer for me for my unhappiness And wounds me more in her then in my self Ah Theodore would I could ever sleep But when thou com'st for in my self I find No drop of comfort welcome deatest friend Enter Theodore The Pardon the slowness of my visit friend For such occasions have detain'd me hence As if thou knew'st I know thou would'st excuse Eug. I must confess I thought the hours too long But the fruition of thy presence now Makes me forget it all The Collect thy self Thou droop'st too much my dearest Eugeny And art too harsh and sour a censurer Of that unhappy crime which thou were forc'd Lately to act I did allow in thee That lawful sorrow that was fit but let Well grounded comforts cure thee nought extream Is safe in man Eug. 'T is time must work that cure The But why thy pardon is not yet obtain'd Let me be free in my conjectures to thee Eug. Speak friend as to thy self The Sir Argent Scrape Your old rich kinsman who to morrow morning Is to be married to the Lady Covet Eug. Is that match come about oh avarice What monsters thou begett'st in this vile age The Sr. Argent Scrape I say is next heir male On whom thy whole estate was long ago Entail'd Eug. 'T is true The He must inherit it Should thy life fail Eug. 'T is granted The Then friend hear What not a bare conjecture but strong grounds Move me to utter think upon that word Thou spok'st so lately thinke what avarice Can make her bondmen do that such a price As sifteen hundred pounds a year will make Him labor not thy pardon but thy death Eug. Can there be such a miscreant in nature The I should not thinke so if I weigh'd him only As hee 's thy kinsman I have been inform'd He labors under hand to apprehend thee Just at the assizes now and has layd plots To stop all pardons which in that short time Might be procur'd and then what bribes may do In hastening execution doe but consider If this be false some Courtiers have abus'd His fame And pardon me my dearest friend If I suspect the worst for fear of thee Eug. When I consi•er what accurst effects Proceed from wretched
right thou wert Euph. This thing when I had heard I told it her and we with speed made hither But ere we came the mischief was fulfil'd Eug. I thank you Sir for this discovery How ere I speed pray pardon me if I Shall by the Hand of Justice die your Debtor How soon from Vertue and an honoured Spirit Man may receive what he can never merit Be not thou cruel may Artemia Do not torment me with thy grief and make Me die before my time let hope a while Suspend thy sorrow if the worst should fall Thy sorrow would but more enfeeble me And make me suffer faintly for thy sake Art If worst should fall my Love which Heaven foresend How could I chuse but suffer Euph. I will hope Your safety yet may well be wrought and knowing Sir Argent's minde you know what wayes to trust Art Good Cozen help us with thy counsel now If thou do'st love my life Euph. Fear it not Coz ' If I may aide you Sir in any thing You shall command it Eug. Sir I cannot thank you So much as it deserves this timely favour If not in life yet shall at least in death Endeare me to you Art Do not name that word My dearest love Euph. You must be speedy Sir In all your courses now Eug. Then let me begge That you would meet me at my Lady Covets I le ring Sir Argent Scrape so loud a peale As shall perchance awake his bedder'd soule And rowze it though so deepely sunke in drosse Drown'd and orewhelm'd with mucke Goe you together And leave me to my way Art Farewel deare love Exeunt Enter Barnet Lady Whimsey Bar. Madam 't is sure I know your Ladyship Is so possest La. Whim I think he loves me well And will not now start backe from marrying me Bar. That is the happy hour he only longs for But if so strange a thing should come to passe Which yet I think impossible that this Your marriage should break off I will give backe Into your hand this bond which I receiv'd And 't is worth nothing Madam as you know By the condition La. Whim True I fear it not But I durst you if 't were otherwise Bar. He waits the hour when you will please to ty The happy knot with him La. Whim He shall no longer Waite for it now I le goe confirme him Bar. But think not Gentle-Madam that I sharke O• cheat him in it I have to a sum Greater then this from him as good a title As right can give though my unhappy fortunes Made me forbeare the tryal of my title Whiles his old crafty father was alive He held from me a farme of greater value As all the Neighbours know I then forbore it And will do still since by an easyer way I may have satisfaction But here comes Enter Trusty Lady Covet One that has lost a marriage La Cov. Tell me Trusty What say the feoffees Tru. They 'll say nothing Madam Make me no answer but that they know how To manage their own fortunes La. Cov. All the world Conspires against me I am quite undone Tru. I promise you truly Madam I believe They meane little better then plain knavery La. Cov. I 't is too true La. Whim How does your Ladyship I was in hope to day we should have seen you A joyful Bride Cov. Ah Madam 't was my folly To dream of such a thing 't is that has brought me To all this sorrow and undone me quite Whim I hope not so But Madam I confesse The marriage could have done you little good One of your years and then a man so old Cov. Oh do not mention it I am justly punish'd Whim Pardon me Madam I must make so bold As leave you for a while Come Mr. Barnet Shall we goe see the party I wait you Madam Exeunt Cov. My sorrow will not leave me But alas 'T is a deserved punishment I suffer For my unjust oppressions I detain'd Scudmore's estate injuriously and had No conscience to restore what was not mine And now all 's tane away what then I would nor I cannot now performe though I desire Enter Freeman Artemia Free Feare not Artemia there shall no meanes Be left untry'd to save the Gentleman I did approve thy choice and still will do If fortune will consent My Lady Covet Are you sad still Cov. Never had any woman A greater cause of sorrow Mr. Freeman For I protest it does not trouble me So much that by this cheat I lose the power Of my estate as that I lose all meanes Of charity or restitution To any person whom I wrong'd before Free Why then you make a true and perfect use Of such a crosse and may hereafter take True comfort from it Cov. If my conscience Were satisfi'd I could forsake the rest Enter Euphues Euph. My Cozen I perceive has made more hast Hither then I but I have seen a pageant That in the saddest time would make one laugh Free What prethee Euph. I have seen you neighbour Earthworm In such a mood as you would wonder at And all that ever knew him heretofore He is inveighing 'gainst Sir Argent Scrape For being so basely covetous as thus For hope of lucre to betray his kinsman A thing that he himself would scorne as much He does protest as can be Free I have known It otherwise what may not come to passe When Earthworm is a foe to avarice Euph. But he they say has made it good in deedes Free He has been so exceeding bountiful Now to our poore and vowes to be so still That we may well beleeve he is quite chang'd And strives to make amends for what is past He has they say a brave and vertuous sonne Lately come home that has been cause of all Euph. It well may be I know yong Theodore Uncle he is of strange abilities And to convert his father was an act Worthy of him Enter servant and Sir Argent in his chaire Serv. Madam Sir Argent Scrape would take his leave Of you Cov. When it please him Arg. Get me my litter Ready presently I will be gone Madam I now am come to give you loving thanks For my good cheare and so bid you farewel But let me tell you this before we part Things might have been carryed another way For your own good but you may thank your self For what has happen'd now Cov. If you suppose It had been for my good to marry you You are deceiv'd for that in my esteem Though once I was so foolish to give way To that ridiculous motion had brought with it As great a misery as that which now Is fall'n upon me Arg. How as great a misery As to be begger'd Cov. Yes Sir I le assure you I am of that opinion and still shall be But know Sir Argent though I now want power To give you that which you still gap'd for wealth I can be charitable and bestow Somewhat upon you that is better