of the tempting Fair. But now each puny Sinner dares to cross A Woman's inclinations Enter Ludovico Oh! are you come Signior I suppose you have Some other Assignation that made you miss My hour Pursue it pray I 'll not interrupt you Your Servant Going I hope he 'll not take me at my word Aside Lud. Nay nay Signiora Why this Passion Stops her You sent me a Challenge and I like a man of Courage am come to answer it Pray don't let a quarter of an hour break squares I own 't was a Fault to make a Lady wait but Friends Madam Friends and good Wine are the Devil Come I 'll make you amends L. Piz. Friends and good Wine I suppose those Friends were female ones Lud. No faith You shall judge of that But suppose they were Why should you be angry that I did not fly with the desir'd haste as long as I am come time enough to give you satisfaction Besides I han't seen your face yet and for ought I know it mayn't reward my Compliment in coming now Prithee Child unmask and then I 'll tell thee more of my mind L. Pizal The Devil take this fellow and yet methinks I love him for his indifferency aside You talk as if you were unskill'd in the Art of Love Don't you know that Expectation feeds more than twenty tasted Pleasures Lud. Hum some sort of Fops it may But I 'm none of those I never give my opinion of a Dish till I 've tasted Neither do I care to dine often on one sort of Meat without changing the Sauce But when that Cloud 's withdrawn how long I shall keep my Resolution I know not L. Piz. Say you so Why then the only way to preserve your Appetite is to feed you slenderly or only let you see the food but not to taste Lud. Faith Madam I 'm no Cameleon but Flesh and Blood Therefore these Prescriptions are of no use One sight of that dear Charming Face of yours would be more obliging to your humble Servant L. Piz. unmasks Well Sir what think you is there any thing in this Face worth your regard Lud. Ah! By Heaven an Angel Oh! Madam now blame your self for my neglect for had you sent the Picture of her in whom all those Beauties center I had in this place waited the coming of my Goddess or rather flown on the Wings of eager Love to meet my fair tho in the Arms of ten thousand Dangers Say my Charming Angel do you forgive me But why do I ask your Eyes assure me you do at least I 'll force a pardon from these dear soft ruby lips Kisses her in extasy L. Piz. Hold hold Been't so lavish a sparing Gamester is the likeliest to keep in stock whilst a profuse hand at one cast throws all he has away Lud. To fear that were to doubt your Charms in which a Lover is sure to find constant supplies â— But we lose time Let 's retire to my Lodgings where I 'll give thee the best proofs of my Love I can L. Piz. aside Well! He 's a charming Fellow Oh! how happy are VVives in France and England where such as he swarm Lud. Come Madam come VVhy what do you mean by this delay Consider I 'm a man a mortal wishing amorous man L. Piz. And consider I 'm a Woman Lud. aside Ay ay That I know At least I hope to find you such or I would not be in such haste Aside L. Piz. And have a Reputation to preserve Lud. Oh! Lord what a damn'd Turn's here Reputation say you Egad I find all Women make pretence to that mysterious Word aside What! Are not you married Madam L. Piz. Yes what then Lud. Why then you have a Reputation to preserve that 's all L. Piz. All Sir Yes and all in all to me Do you consider what Country you 're in Sir Lud. Yes Faith Madam and what constitution I am of too I know Murder is as venial a Sin here as Adultery is in some Countries And I am too apprehensive of my mortal Part not to avoid Danger Therefore Madam You have an infallible security if I should betray You I bring my self into jeopardy and of all Pleasures Self-Preservation is the dearest L. Piz. A very open Speaker I vow Lud. Ay Madam that 's best Hang your creeping cringing whining sighing dying lying Lovers Pough Their Flames are not more durable than mine tho they make more noise in the blaze Sings Hang the whining way of wooing Loving was design d a sport Lady Piz. aside The Duce take me if this fellow has not charm'd me strangely Well the Carn val is almost over and then must I be shut up like a Nun again Hey Hoa This time will be so short Lud. Let 's make the better use on 't then my Dear We will consider when we have nothing else to do but at present there 's a matter of the greatest moment which I must impart to you Therefore come dear Rogue come L. Piz. Looking on her Watch. Hold I have out-staid my time and must return home instantly to prevent discoveries Lud. Faith Madam this is not fair To raise a man's Expectation and then disappoint him VVould you be serv'd so your self now L. Piz. I 'll endeavour to disingage my self from my jealous Husband and contrive another meeting Lud. But will you be sure to meet me again L. Piz. I give you may Hand as a Pledge Lud. kisses her And I this kiss in return Adieu my Charmer L. Piz. Signior Farewel Exeunt severally Enter Bassino Alonzo Rass Well Sir Your Business Alon. It is to tell you You are a Villain Bass. Ha Alon. And that as such Iought to have treated you before the Face Of false Aurelia But I scorn to follow The barbarous custom of my Native Country I seek with Honour to revenge my wrongs Therefore Sir draw Bass. This Action speaks you Noble be likewise Just And let me know the cause that moves your Anger By Heaven I 'd rather call you still my Friend Than be your Enemy Yet if I wrong'd you I 'll give you satisfaction Alon. Trifler away Too well Thou knowst the cause And now wouldst sooth my wrongs with Flattery But my Resolve is fixt as Heaven's Decrees And one of us must fall Let the Surviver Dispose of that base false perjur'd Aurelia As both his Love and Honour shall direct If my propitious Stars desend my Life You shall not die alone Th' adulterous Fair Shall bear you company Now Draw Bass. Oh! hold One moment hold I must unfold this Riddle Adulterous Fair say you Alon. Yes She 's my Wife Bass. Ha your Wife Sure there 's a curse intail'd upon that name Aside What! Your real Wife Alon. If the Command of an expiring Father And her own Vows can make her mine she 's so Indeed the Marriage Rites are yet to come Which slily she delay'd these two Months past On slight Pretence of finishing the time Of Mourning
waiting on your Mistress in her Bed-chamber Ha Lud. Egad I 'm afraid I shall make but an awkward Chamber-maid I 'm undisciplin'd in Dressing a Lady's head Lucy Oh! Sir your Commission won't reach so high as the head I believe my Lady will excuse little matters You can undress I suppose Lud. Oh! The best and the quickest of any man in Venice Buta Pox on 't Canst find no other way I I I I like Petticoats in their proper Places but I don't care to have my Legs in ' em Luc. And so you resolve against it Ha Lud. No not absolutely resolve Child But a Lucy But what Sir Lud. Nothing I will follow thy Directions what ever comes on 't Now lead the way for nothing sutes better with my Humour than a Friend a Bottle a new Mistress and a Convenient Place Ex. Lucy Ludovico SCENE IV. Pizalto's Lodgings Enter Pizalto with a Bond in his Hana Piz. Well My Wife 's a fine Woman a very fine Woman But a Pox she 's a Wife still and this young Jade runs in my head plaguly Well here 't is under my hand a Thousand Pistoles A great samm for a Maidenhead as Maidenheads go now a-days Ah had I been young now A Fiddle and a Treat had bore the Prize away But when we old Fools dote they make us pay Enter Lucy Oh! are you come Here here Lucy Here 's a Fortune for thee worth twenty Maidenheads adod I have not so much money by me at present but there 's security Gives her the Rond Luc. Your Lordships Bond 's sufficient Well but that I am satisfied my Reputation is safe with your Lordship or twice the summ should not have prevailed Go to my Chamber my Lord I 'll but step and see if my Lady wants any thing and I 'll be with you instantly Piz. You won't stay Lucy Ah Girl buss thy Ladys Chucky now do now Lucy Oh! Lord not here we shall be discovered Piz. Will thou art a cunning sinner make hast Lucy dost hear Ex. Piz. Luc. You 're in mighty haste old Gentleman but I shall deceive you My end is gain'd I have my Fortune made Man has not me but I have man betray'd ACT IV. SCENE I. SCENE I. Armando's Lodgings Enter Armando Placentia Plac. OH Armando Thou more than Friend to the distress'd Placentia Say how shall I regain my lost Bassino My false perfidious Husband Weeps Arm. Dear Madam moderate your sorrow Reserve those Tears to move Bassino's heart Mine is all Pity You may rest secure Of all the Arguments a Friend can use To bring him back to your endearing Arms. Vertue 's not quite extinguish'd in his Breast Therefore I hope the sight of bright Placentia Will rouze his slumbring Reason Plac. Oh! Bassino Bassino Oh! wretched woman Oh! that I had dy'd E're I had known him false Then I were happy And tho contented with his second choice He with a pitying sigh perhaps had grac'd My memory Oh! all ye Powers that Vertuous Love inspire Assist me now inform my vocal Organs With Angel Eloquence such as can melt His heart of Flint and move his former kindness Aside But if that fail I will remove the cause Of both our woes Yes that happy Charmer That Rival of my Love shall surely die Arm. Doubt not of the success What Heart of Steel Could e're resist such Beauty drest in Tears Enter a Servant Serv. Sir Count Bassino enquires if you are within Plac. Oh! Heavens how I tremble Arm. Lucky opportunity shew him up Madam be pleas'd to step into that Closer Till I can sound the utmost of his Thoughts And shew him naked to your secret view Then when he 's in the height of impious Passion You like a Bolt from Heav'n shall rush on him And strike his Folly dumb Plac. Almighty Powers whose Providential Care Is ever kind to vertuous innocence Oh! help me now in this Extremity Exit Placentia Enter Bassino Bass. How does my Friend Armando Arm. My Lord Armando's well And wishes you were so Bass. Dost thou discover ought that gives thee cause To doubt I am not well indeed I think I am in perfect health Arm. My Lord I should be glad To find that Fever of your mind abated In which I left you last Bass. aside I must dissemble now Else I 'll ne're gain my ends My dear Armando That Fever thou speakest of is now succeeded By a cold Ague fit The bare Remembrance Of my unlawful Passion shakes my soul. Arm. such sudden Cures have often prov'd pernicious And we have reason to suspect a wound Too quickly heal'd Bass. Not when thou knowest what Balsom I applied Arm. There 's scarce a Balm for the deep wounds of love Besides Possession and I cannot think You have enjoy'd Aurelia Bass. I swear I have not But I enjoy my Reason my free Reason And who possesses that can never cherish A thought against himself For such I call Whatsoever keeps me from my lawful Wife My dear Placentia to whose Arms I 'll fly With all the eager haste of a fond Bridegroom There I shall revel in the virtuous Pleasures Of a chaste Bed Oh! my Friend Armando My dear Placentia's Friend Canst Thou forgive Indeed I 'm penitent and will offend no more Arm. My Lord these are the words you spoke before What greater Reason have I now to think You 'll keep your promise Bass. Pride Honour Justice are come to my Aid And Love too feeble to withstand 'em all Has left the Field to my victorious Reason Pride with the prospect of my future greatness Allures me to return with speed to Turin T' obey my Princes Orders Honour and Justice tell me I 'm Placentia's And that Aurelia is Alonzo's Bride To him she gave her Virgin Vows Nay more To him her dying Father did bequeath her He loves her too and shall not be depriv'd My Passion is subdu'd and I 'm resolv'd My self to give Aurelia to Alonzo Arm. If this be true then you are my Friend again But how came you to learn Aurelia's Engagement to Alonzo Bass. I have it from him self who an hour since With eager Fury sought to ' venge on me His injur'd Love and ohallenged me to fight I chose with Justice to defend my Life And quit Aurelia rather than to vanquish in such a Cause Alonzo strait embrac'd me Call'd me his Friend and vow'd I should not go Till I had seen him joyn'd in solemn Marriage With bright Aurelia This I readily granted Canst thou believe me true Arm. My Lord I do believe you And am o're joy'd to hear your Resolution By Heaven There 's more Glory in subduing Our wild desires than an embattled Foe Now do I wish his Wife had never come Aside Bass. Armando Thou' rt my Friend and on that score I must desire you to repair to Turin With all the speed you can to bear these Letters To our great Prince and beg he will excuse My stay for three days more And here this
Letter Bear to Placentia speak to her the kindest The softest things thy fancy can suggest I shall make good thy promise My dear Placentia Oh! that she were here Panting and warm within these longing Arms 'T is a long Age since I did see her last But come my Friend you must this hour set forward Arm. With all my Heart But 't will not be amiss Before I go to fix the Victory Which conquering Virtue in your Breast has gain'd And if what you pretend be real Truth I have a welcome present for Bassino Madam come forth Enter Placentia Bass. What do I see My Wife This was a lucky Plot Aside Hypocrisy did ne're befriend me more H This was not like a Friend why should Armando Disturb her soft Tranquility of mind And give her ocular Proofs of my Dissoyalty Oh! my Placentia my beloved Wife Embraces her Oh! That I should e're think to wrong my Dear Pla. My Lord waste not a sigh on my account My Joys are infinite since you are mine And what is past I easily forget Nay let me beg for Pardon for I know I have offended you in coming hither I should have waited this Return of Virtue Or if abandon'd silently have mourn'd My loss without upbraiding my lov'd Lord. All this I should have done but mighty Love Too powerful for Duty to withstand Guided my steps to Venice In hopes my presence would retrieve your Heart Bass. Gods That this Woman were Aurelia Aside Thou wonder of thy Sex Thou best of Women I blush to think that thou hast heard my Folly Yet since your love cancels your just camplaints You make me doubly blest and I 'll reward This excellent Goodness with eternal Fondness Oh! that thou hadst been here Not all the Beauties That Venice holds could have dive ted me No not one moment from my dear Placentia Long absence is the Bane of new born Love But Fate shall ne're have power to part us more Plac. Oh! My dear Lord your Goodness is too great And I 'm o're-paid for all my sorrows past Armando say is not he wondrous kind Arm. Madam I told you Virtue Was struggling in his Breast and that it might O'recome his Vicious Love I thought your presence Was requisite And now My Lord I hope You will forgive me since all the Endeavours I us'd before had been in vain I once Design'd to let Aurelia know you Marriage But then perhaps she would not have believ'd me Let this plead my Excuse in sending for Placentia Without your knowledge Bass I must not let him see I am concern'd Aside I know 't was Friendship all well meaning Friendship Fonly am to blame But I 'll retrieve My Credit in your Heart and still deserve The Name of Friend And thou the best of Wives Shalt ne're have cause to doubt my constant Love Plac. Oh! My Bassino This Excess of kindness Exalts me o're all mortals if you 're true There 's not a blast within the Power of Fortune Can shock my Happiness Bass. Thou shalt ne're find me False I swear Thou shalt not Oh! that I could engage She would return to Turin with Armando Aside For if she stays I never can enjoy My bright Aurelia and by Heaven I will Altho ten thousand lives should pay the Purchase Pla. My Lord you seem disturb'd Bass. It troubles me You can't appear in Venice with a Train That may bespeak the Rank you hold in Savoy Plac. to Armando Oh! Armando He is so kind I wish I ne're had come What if I offer to return with you Arm. Madma you will do well For I my self cannot suspect him now Plac. My Lord let not my Presence here disturb you I doubt your Love no more and to convince you I will go back before 't is known I 'm here Besides 't is fit I should prepare all things To welcom you at home Bass. aside Blest opportunity Fortune I thank thee Would my Dear then leave me So very soon Alas 't will be an Age E're I return to Turin Three long days No my Dear no I will not part from thee At least this night my Love Plac. Will then Armando stay Bass. No my best Hopes he instantly departs With Letters to my Prince Plac. Then suffer me to go this very moment Three days will soon be o're and you 're return Shall make me fully blest if I should stay 'T would look like base distrust and I can't think Bassino would be false Bass. aside Oh! Heaven that I were not Arm. Indeed my Lord I think your truly happy Scarce does an Age produce so good a Wife Bass. Oh! that I could reward this wondrous Goodness Plac. My Lord what makes you sigh Bass. To part from thee But since 't is your desire It shall be so Armando to thy charge I here commit the Treasure of my Soul Takecare of her and think that on her safety My Life depends Arm. My Lord I hope you do not doubt my care Bass. Dear Friend I do not May Heavens Blessings still attend my Love Embraces goes to lead her off My dear Placentia Plac. As many more guard my Bassino Bass. aside A sudden horror seizes all my Limbs I tremble at the thought of this base Deed Pulls out his Hankerchief and drops a Letter which Armando takes up Ha Tears uncall'd for bath my guilty Eyes Gods either give me virtue to withstand This impious Love or dourage to pursue it Without Remorse for I 'm but half a Villain Exeunt Bassino Placent Arm. Opens the Letter A Letter And to Aurelia Now curiosity prompts me to know the subject What 's here Reads I have dispatch'd Armando to the Court of Savoy and found pretence to stay behind False treacherous Man This night I give a Mask at my Lodgings which I hope will divert Alonzo till the Priest has joyned our hands and while all the Company are engaged in mirth I 'll steal to the dear Arms of my Divine Aurelia Oh! Villain Villain Monstrous Villain Oh! Poor Placentia But I will prevent His Policy and break his wicked Measures Exit Armando SCENE II. Pizalta's Lodgings Enter Pizalto solus Piz. Why what makes this young Jade stay so long Adod This is to pay before-hand Ha Methinks I hear a laughing and giggling in my Wife's Apartment I must know whence their Mirth proceeds Ho! Here 's Lucy coming Harkee you pray why did you make me wait so long Nay I 'm resolved you than't scape me now Goes to the door and pulls in Ludovico in Lucy's Cloatbs whose Commode falls off in the streggie and discovers his bald head Oh! Benedicite What have we here A man dilguis'd in my Wife's Chamber And I unarm'd Oh! Curst Minute Speak Thou wicked Prophet Thou Son of Iniquity what can est Thou here for Ha Thou Priest of Baal to offer Sacrifices on the Altar of my Wife Oh! My head My Hores weigh it down to the ground already Within there bring me my Sword and Pisto's