or Wife to the Lord de L'amour 6. Passive the Lady Innocences maid 7. Falshood an informer to maids of the Lady Incontinent Physitians Natural Philosophers Moral Philosophers young Students Souldiers Lovers Mourners Virgins Servants and others ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love and his wife the Mother Lady Love MOther Love Husband you have a strange nature that having but one child and never like to have more and this your childe a daughter that you should breed her so strictly as to give her no time for recreation nor no liberty for company nor freedom for conversation but keeps her as a Prisoner and makes her a slave to her book and your tedious moral discourses when other children have Play-fellows and toyes to sport and passe their time withall Father Love Good wife be content doth not she play when she reads books of Poetry and can there be nobler amiabler finer usefuller and wiser companions than the Sciences or pleasanter Play-fellows than the Muses can she have freer conversation than with wit or more various recreations than Scenes Sonets and Poems Tragical Comical and Musical and the like Or have prettier toyes to sport withall than fancie and hath not the liberty so many hours in the day as children have to play in Mother Love Do you call this playing which sets her brain a working to find out the conceits when perchance there is none to find out but are cheats and cozens the Readers with empty words at best it fills her head but with strange phantasmes disturbs her sleep with frightfull dreams of transformed bodyes of Monsters and ugly shaped vices of Hells and Furies and terrifying Gods of Wars and Battles of long travels and dangerous escapes and the pleasantest is but dark groves gloomy fields and the happiest condition but to walk idly about the Elizium fields and thus you breed your daughter as if your Posterity were to be raised from a Poets phantastical brain Father Love I wish my Posterity may last but as long as Homers lines Mother Love Truly it will be a fine airey brood No no I will have her bred as to make a good houswife as to know how to order her Family breed her Children govern her Servants entertain her Neighbours and to fashion herself to all companies times and places and not to be mewed and moped up as she is from all the World insomuch as she never saw twenty persons in one company in all her life unless it be in pictures which you set her to stare on above an hour everyday Besides what Father doth educate their Daughters that office belongs to me but because you have never a Son to tutor therefore you will turn Cotqucan and teach your daughter which is my work Father Love Let me tell you Wife that is the reason all women are fools for women breeding up women one fool breeding up another and as long as that custom lasts there is no hopes of amendment and ancient customs being a second nature makes folly hereditary in that Sex by reason their education is effeminate and their times spent in pins points and laces their study only vain fashions which breeds prodigality pride and envie Mother Love What would you have women bred up to swear swagger gaming drinking Whoring as most men are Father Love No Wife I would have them bred in learned Schools to noble Arts and Sciences as wise men are Mother Love What Arts to ride Horses and fight Dewels Father Love Yes if it be to defend their Honour Countrey and Religion For noble Arts makes not base Vices nor is the cause of lewd actions nor is unseemly for any Sex but baseness vice and lewdnesse invents unhandsome and undecent Arts which dishonours by the practice either Sex Mother Love Come come Husband I will have her bred as usually our Sex is and not after a new fashioned way created out of a self-opiniated that you can alter nature by education No no let me tell you a woman will be a woman do what you can and you may assoon create a new World as change a womans nature and disposition Enter the Lady Sanspareille as to her Father as not thinking her Mother was there Sanspareille O Father I have been in search of you to ask you a question concerning the Sun When she sees her Mother she starts back Mother What have you to do with the Sun and lives in the shade of the Worlds obscuritie Sansp. VVhy Madam where would you have me live can I live in a more serene aire than in my Fathers house or in a purer or clearer light than in my Parents eyes or more splendrous than in my Parents company Mother I would have you live at Court there to have honour favour and grace and not to lose your time ignorantly knowing nothing of the VVorld nor the VVorld of you Sansp. Can I live with more honour than with my Father and You or have more favour than your loves or is there a greater grace than to be Daughter of vertuous Parents can I use or imploy my time better than to obey my Parents commands need I know more than honesty modesty civility and duty As for the VVorld mankind is so partial to each self as they have no faith on the worth of their Neighbour neither doth they take notice of a Stranger but to be taken notice of Mother Love Yes yes your beauty will attract eyes and ears which are the doors to let in good opinion and admiration Sansp. Had I a tongue like a Cerces-wand to charm all ears that heard me it would straight transform men from civil Obligers to spitefull Detractors or false Slanderers my beauty may only serve but as a bribe to tempt men to intrap my youth and to betray my innocency Mother To betray a fools-head of your own Lord Lord how the dispositions of Youth is changed since I was young for before I came to your Age I thought my Parents unnaturall because they did not provide me a Husband Sanspareille If all youth were of my humour their dispositions are changed indeed for Heaven knows it is the only curse I fear a Husband Mother Love Why then you think me curst in Marrying your Father Sansp. No Madam you are blest not only in being a Wife a condition you desired but being marryed to such a man that wishes could not hope for Mother Love Why then my good Fortune may encourage you and raise a hope to get the like Sansp. O no! It rather drives me to dispair beleiving there is no second Mother Love Come come you are an unnatural Child to flatter your Father so much and not me when I endured great pains to breed bear and nurse you up Sansp. I do not flatter Madam for I speak nothing but my thoughts and that which Love and duty doth allow and truth approve of Father Love Come come Wife the Jeerals wit will out-argue both ours Ex. Scene 2. Enter the
to their several Offices Affectionata Then the common Servants are like the common Souldiers Lord Singularity They are so and are as apt to mutiny if they be not used with strickt discipline Thus if a Master of a Family have the right way in the management of his particular affairs he may thrive easily have plenty live peaceably be happy and carry an honourable port with an indifferent Estate when those of much greater Estates which knows not nor practices the right method or rules and governs not with strictness his servants shall grow factious mutinous and be alwaies in bruleries by which disorders his Estate shall waste invisible his servants cozen egregiously he lives in penurie his servants in riot alwaies spending yet alwaies wanting forced to borrow and yet hath so much that if it were ordered with prudence might be able to lend when by his imprudence he is troubled with stores yet vex'd with necessity Affectionata I should think that no man ought to be a Master of a Family but those that can govern orderly and peaceably Lord Singularity You say right for every Master of a Family are petty-Kings and when they have rebellions in their own small Monarchies they are apt to disturb the general Peace of the whole Kingdom or State they live in for those that cannot tell how to command their own Domesticks and prudently order their own affairs are not only uselesse to the Common-wealth but they are pernicious and dangerous as not knowing the benefit and necessity of obedience and method Exeunt Scene 29. Enter the Lady VVagtail and the Lady Amorous Lady Wagtail The Lord Singularity hath brought home the sweetest and most beautifullest young Cavalier as ever I saw Lady Amorous Faith he appears like Adonas Lady Wagtail Did you ever see Adonas Lady Amorous No but I have heard the Poets describe him Lady Wagtail Venus and Adonas are only two poetical Ideas or two Ideas in poetical brains Lady Amorous Why Ideas hath no names Lady Wagtail O yes for Poets christens their Ideas with names as orderly as Christians Fathers doth their children Lady Amorous Well I wish I were a Venus for his sake Lady Wagtail But if you were only a poetical Venus you would have little pleasure with your Adonas Lady Amorous Hay ho He is a sweet youth Lady Wagtail And you have sweet thoughts of the sweet youth Lady Amorous My thoughts are like Mirtle-groves to entertain the Idea of the Lord Singularity's Son Lady Wagtail Take heed there be not a wild-boar in your Mirtle Imagenarie Grove that may destroy your Adonas Idea Lady Amorous There is no beast there only sweet singing-birds called Nightingals Exeunt Scene 30. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata AFfectionata Pray my Lord what Lady is that you make such inquiry for Lord Singularity She is a Lady I would have thee marry One that my Father did much desire I should marry although she was very young and may be now about thy years I hear her Father is dead but where the Lady is I cannot find out Affectionata Perchance she is married my Lord Lord Singularity Then we should find her out by hearing who she hath marryed Affectionata But if she be not marryed she being as old as I I am too young for her for Husbands should be older than their wives Lord Singularity But she is one that is well born well bred and very rich and though thou art young in years yet thou art an aged man in judgment prudence understanding and for wit as in thy flourishing strength Affectionata Perchance my Lord she will not like me as neither my years my person nor my birth Lord Singularity As for thy years youth is alwayes accepted by the effeminate Sex and thy person she cannot dislike for thou art very handsom and for thy birth although thou art meanly born thou hast a noble nature a sweet disposition a vertuous soul and a heroick spirit Besides I have adopted thee my Son and the King hath promised to place my Titles on thee and hath made thee Heir of my whole Estate for to maintain thee according to those Dignities Affectionata But I had rather live unmarried my Lord if you will give consent Lord Singularity But I will never consent to that and if you be dutifull to me you will marry such a one as I shall chose for you Affectionata I shall obey whatsoever you command for I have nothing but my obedience to return for all your favours Lord Singularity Well I will go and make a strickt inquiry for this Lady Lord Singularity Exit Affectionata alone Affectionata Hay ho what will this come to I would I were in my Grave for love and fear doth torture my poor life Heaven strike me dead or make me this Lords wife Exeunt Scene 31. Enter the Lady Wagtail and the Lady Amorous LAdy Amorous How shall we compass the acquaintance of the Lord Singularity's Son Lady Wagtail Faith Amorous thou lovest boys but I love men wherefore I would be acquainted with the Lord Singularity himself Beside his adopted Son was a poor Beggar-boy 't is said and I cannot love one that is basely born Lady Amorous His birth may be honourably though poor and of low and mean descent for if he was born in honest wedlock and of honest Parents his birth cannot be base Lady Wagtail O yes for those that are not born from Gentry are like course brown bread when Gentry of ancient descent are like flower often boulted to make white mancher Lady Amorous By that rule surely he came from a Noble and Ancient Race for I never saw any person more white and finely shap'd in my life than he is and if fame speaks true his actions have proved he hath a Gentlemans soul But say he were meanly born as being born from a Cottager yet he is not to be despised nor disliked nor to be lesse esteemed or beloved or to be thought the worse of for was Lucan lesse esteemed for being a Stone-Cutter or his wit lesse esteemed or was King David lesse esteemed or obeyed for being a Shepheard or the Apostles lesse esteemed or believed for being Fisher men Tent-makers or the like or the man that was chosen from the Plough to be made Emperour I say was he lesse esteemed for being a Plough-man No he was rather admired the more or was Horace esteemed or his Poems thought the worse for being Son to a freed man which had been a slave or was Homer lesse admired or thought the worse Poet for being a poor blind man and many hundred that I cannot name that hath gained fame and their memories lives with Honour and Admiration in every Age and in every Nation Kingdom Country and Family and it is more worthy and those persons ought to have more love and respect that have merit than those that have only Dignity either from favour of Princes or descended from their Ancestors for all derived Honours are poor and mean in
Courts It is beyond the power of Iove to please the various humours of Woman-kind Exit Scene 29. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEntleman There was never so many Noble Persons Married in one day in one City I think before those that are to Marry to morrow 2 Gentlem. Who are they 1 Gentlem. Why do you not hear 2 Gentlem. No 1 Gentlem. Surely you have been either dead or deaf 2 Gentlem. I have been in the Country 1 Gentlem. That is some reason indeed but the Newes of the City uses to travel in Letters on Post-horses into the Country 2 Gentlem. No faith for the most part they come in slow Waggons but tell me who those are that are to be Maried to morrow 1 Gentlem. Why first there is the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue Secondly the Lord Courtship and the Lady VVard Thirdly there is Sir Famit Poet and the Lady Contemplation Fourthly the Lady Conversation and Sir Experienc'd Traveller And fifthly the Lady Visitant and Sir Humphry Interruption 2 Gentlem. I will do my endeavour to see them all for I will go to each Bridal House 1 Gentlem. How will you do so being all maried on a day 2 Gentlem. Why I will bid Good-morrow to the one and I will goe to Church with another and dine with the third and dance the afternoon with the fourth and see the fifth a bed 1 Gentlem. That you may do Exeunt Scene 30. Enter Mistris Troublesome and her Maid MIstris Troubles Lord there are so many Weddings to be to morrow as I know not which to go to Besides I shall displease those I go not to being invited to them all Maid If you would displease neither of them you must feign your self sick and go to none of them Mistris Troubles None of them say you that would be a cause to make me die for I would not but be a guest to one of them for any thing could be given me But I am resolved to go to the Lady Conversation and Sir Experienc'd Travellers Wedding for there there will be the most company and it is company that I love better than the Wedding-cheer for much company is a Feast to me Maid Truly Mistris I wonder you should delight in company you being in years Mistris Troubles Out you naughty Wench do you say I am old Maid No indeed I did not name old Mistris Troubles Then let me tell you that those women that are in years seek company to divulge their Wit as youth to divulge their Beauty and we Aged Wits may chance to catch a Lover from a young Beauty But I should applaud my own wit if it could contrive to bring each Bride and Bridegroom into one Assembly making Hymen's Monarchy a Republick where all should be in common Maid So Mistriss you would prove a Traytor to Hymen which is a Bawd Mistris Troubles Faith I will turn you away for your boldness Enter Mistris Gossip O Mistris Gossip you are welcome what Newes Mistris Gossip I am come to tell you that the five Bridals meet with their Guests and good Cheer at the City-Hall and make their several Companies Joyning as one as one Body and there will be such Revelling as the like was never before Mistris Troubles Iuno be thanked and Venus be praised for it for I was much perplex'd concerning their Divisions till you came and brought me this good Newes of their Corporation Exeunt Scene 31. Enter the Lord Title and the Lady Virtue as his Bride both of them richly attired and Old Humanity following them LOrd Title Come Old Humanity and be our Father to ioyn and give us in the Church and then when we are Maried we will live a Country-life I as a Shepherd and this Lady as my Fair Shepherdess Exeunt Scene 32. Enter the Lady Ward as a Bride and her Nurse Nurse Careful NUrse Careful My dear Child you appear as a sweet budding Rose this morning Lady Ward Roses are beset with thorns Nurse I hope I am not so Nurse Caref. By 'r Lady your Husband may prove a thorn if he be not a good man and a kind Husband but Oh my heart doth ake Lady Ward Wherefore doth it ake Enter Lord Courtship as a Bridegroom Lord Courts Come Sweet are you ready for it is time to go to Church it is almost twelve a clock Lady Ward I am ready but my Nurse doth affright me by telling me her heart doth ake as if she did fore-know by her experien'd age some ill fortune towards me or that I shall be unhappy in my mariage Lord Courts Her heart doth not ake for you but for her self because she cannot be a young fair bride as you are as being past her youth so that her heart doth ake out of a sad remembrance of her self not for a present or a future cause for you Nurse Caref. Well well I was young indeed and a comely bride when I was maried though I say it and had a loving bridegroom Heaven rest his soul Exeunt Scene 33. Enter the Lady Visitant as a Bride to the Lady Conplation another Bride LAdy Visit. Come I have brought all my bridal guests hither to joyn with yours for we will go to Church together Wherefore prethee come away our Bridegrooms and our Guests stay for you Lady Contempl. I will go to them by and by Lady Visit. Why I hope you do not stay to muse upon Phantasmes saith Mariage will banish them out of your head you must now imploy your time with Realities Lady Contempl. If I thought Mariage would destroy or disturb my Contemplations I would not marry although my Wedding-guests were come and my Wedding-dinner ready drest and my Wedding-cloaths on nay were I at the holy Altar I would return back Lady Visit. That would be such an action as all the Kingdome would say you were mad Lady Contem. I had rather all the World should not only say I were mad but think me so rather than my self to be unhappy Lady Visit. Can want of Contemplation make you unhappy Lady Contem. Yes as unhappy as a body can be without a soul for Contemplation is the life of the soul and who can be happy that hath a dead soul Lady Visit. By my troth I had rather be dead than have such a dull life Enter Maid Maid Madam the Bridegroom is coming hither Lady Contempl. I will prevent him and meet him Exeunt Scene 34. Enter the two Gentlemen 1 GEntlem. Come away come away they 'l be all married before we shall get to Church 2 Gentlem. There will be enough Witnesses we may well be spared but so I share of the Feast I care not whether they be married or not 1 Gentle The truth is the benefit to us will be only in eating of their meat and drinking of their wine 2 Gentlem. And I mean to be drunk but not for joy of their Mariages but for pleasure of my Gusto Exeunt Scene 35. Enter the five Couples and all the Bridal Guests The Bridegrooms and
a Non-pluss they would be glad to be quit of each other yet are ashamed to part so soon and are weary to stay with each other long when a Play entertaines them with Love and requires not their answers nor forceth their braines nor pumps their wits for a Play doth rather fill them than empty them 2. Gentleman Faith most Playes doth rather fill the spectators with wind than with substance with noise than with newes 1. Gentleman This Play that I would have you go to is a new Play 2. Gentleman But is there newes in the Play that is is there new wit fancyes or new Scenes and not taken our of old storyes or old Playes newly translated 1. Gentleman I know not that but this Play was writ by a Lady who on my Conscience hath neither Language nor Learning but what is native and naturall 2. Gentleman A woman write a Play Out upon it out upon it for it cannot be good besides you say she is a Lady which is the likelyer to make the Play worse a woman and a Lady to write a Play fye fye 3. Gentleman Why may not a Lady write a good Play 2. Gentleman No for a womans wit is too weak and too conceived to write a Play 1. Gentleman But if a woman hath wit or can write a good Play what will you say then 2. Gentleman Why I will say no body will believe it for if it be good they will think she did not write it or at least say she did not besides the very being a woman condemnes it were it never so excellent and care for men will not allow women to have wit or we men to have reason for if we allow them wit we shall lose our prehemency 1. Gentleman If you will not goe Tom farewell for I will go set this Play let it be good or bad 2. Gentleman Nay stay I will go with thee for I am contented to cast away so much time for the sake of the sex Although I have no saith of the Authoresses wit 3. Gentleman Many a reprobate hath been converted and brought to repentance by hearing a good Sermon and who knowes but that you may be converted from your erroneous opinion by seeing this Play and brought to confesse that a Lady may have wit Loves Adventures Play The Lord Fatherly The Lord Singularity His Sonne Sir Serious Dumbe Sir Timothy Complement Sir Humphry Bolde Sir Roger Exception Sir Peaceable Studious Foster Trusty The Lady Orphant The Lady Ignorant wife to Sir Peaceable Studious The Lady Bashfull The Lady Wagtaile The Lady Amorous Mrs. Acquaintance Nurse Fondly Foster Trusties wife Lady Orphans Nurse Mrs. Reformers woman to the Lady Bashfull Two Chamber-Maydes Prologue NOble Spectators you are come to see A Play if good perchance may clapped be And yet our Authoresse sayes that she hath heard Some playes though good hath not been so preferr'd As to be mounted up on high raised praise And to be Crown'd with Garlands of fresh hayes But the contrary have been hissed off Out from our Stage with many a censuring scoff But afterwards there understanding cleer'd They gave the praise what they before had jeer'd The same she sayes may to her Play befall And your erroneous censures may recall But all such Playes as take not at first sight But afterwards the viewers takes delight It seemes there is more wit in such a Play Than can be understood in one whole day If for she is well content for her wits sake From ignorance repulses for to take For she had rather want those understanding braines Than that her Play should want wits flowing veynes ACT I. Scene 1. Enter the Lord Fatherly and the Lord Singularity his Son LOrd Singularity Pray Sir do not force me to marry a childe before you know whether she will prove vertuous or discreet when for the want of that knowledge you may indanger the honour of your Line and Posterity with Cuckoldry and Bastardry Lord Fatherly Son you must leave that to fortune Lord Singularity A wise man Sir is to be the maker or spoiler of his own fortune Lord Fatherly Let me tell you Son the wisest man that is or ever was may be deceived in the choosing a wife for a woman is more obscure than nature her self therefore you must trust to chance for marriage is a Lottery if you get a prize you may live quietly and happily Lord Singularity But if I light of a blank as a hundred to one nay a thousand to one but I shall which is on a Fool or a Whore her Follies or Adulteries instead of a praise will found out my disgrace Lord Fatherly Come Come she is Rich she is Rich Lord Singularity Why Sir guilded I Horns are most visible Lord Fatherly 'T is better Son to have a rich whore than a poor whore but I hope Heaven hath made her Chast and her Father being an honourable honest and wise man will breed her vertuously and I make no question but you will be happy with her Lord Singularity But Sir pray consider the inequality of our ages she being but a Child and I at mans Estate by that time she is ready for the marriage bed I shall be ready for the grave and youths sharp appetites will never rellish Age wherefore she will seek to please her pallat else where Lord Fatherly Let me tell you Son should you marry a woman that were as many years older than she is younger than you it were a greater hazard for first old women are more intemperate than young and being older than the husband they are apt to be jealouse and being jealouse they grow malitious and malice seeks revenge and revenge disgrace therefore she would Cuckold you meerly to disgrace you Lord Singularity On the other side those Women that are marryed young Cuckholds there Husbands fames dishonouring them by their ignorant follyes and Childish indiscretions as much as with Adultery And I should assoon choose to be a Cuckhold as to be thought to be one For my honour will suffer as much by the one as the other if not more Lord Fatherly Heaven blesse the Sonne from jealousy for thou art horrible afraid of being a Cuckold Lord Singularity Can you blame me Sir since to be a Cuckhold is to be despised scorned laught and pointed at as a Monster worse than nature ever made and all the Honour that my birth gave me and my education indued me my vertue gained me my industry got me fortune bestowed on me and fame inthron'd me for may not only be lost by my wifes Adultery but as I said by her indiscretion which makes me wonder how any man that hath a Noble Soul dares marry since all his honour lyes or lives in the light heels of his wife which every little passion is apt to kick away wherefore good Sir let me live a single life Lord Fatherly How Son would you have me consent to extinguish the light of my Name and to pull out the root
one after another Reformer Your best way were to have 20. Husbands at one time so that your Ladyship might not be a day without Lady Wagtail O fie If women might have twenty Husbands they would have no room for courtly Servants but prithy help Sir Humphry Bold and take his offer and let me speak with the Lady my self Reformer That your Ladyship cannot at this time for my Lady is not well Lady Wagtail Then pray remember my most humble service and tell her I will come to morrow and if she be sick I will talk her well Lady Wagtail Ex. Reformer alone Reformer Dead you would talk her for thou hast an endless tongue Oh! what man is so miserable that is her Husband Reformer Exit Scene 6. Enter two or three Commanders 1. COmmander It is reported that our Generals Page hath behaved himself so handsomly spoke so wittily defended his cause so prudently declared his innocence so clearly and carried his business so wisely as the Venetian States have not only quitted him freely but doth applaud him wonderfully extolls him highly and offers him any satisfaction for the injurie and disgrace that hath been done him but he only desires that the man that had accused him which man was one of the Generals men should be pardoned and not punished 2. Commander I hope our General is well pleased that his beloved boy is not only cleared but applauded 1. Commander O! He doth nothing but imbrace him and kiss him as if he were his only son yet he did gently chide him that he asked pardon for his accusers for said he if all false accusers should be pardoned no honest man would escape free form censure 3. Commander But I hear the States have given order to our General to meet the Turkes again for it is reported by intelligences that they have recruited into a numerous body 2. Commander Faith I think the Turkes are like the tale of the Gyant that when his head was cut off there rise two in the place 1. Commander I think they are like the vegetable that is named threefold the more it is cut the faster it growes 3. Commander I would the Devil had them for me 2. Commander We do what we can to send them to Hell but whether they will quit thee I cannot tell Exeunt Scene 7. Enter the Lord General and Affectionata LOrd Singularity My Affectionata I wonder you could suffer an accusation so patiently knowing you were accused falsly Affectionata The clearnesse of my innocency needed not the fury of a violent passion to defend it neither could passion have rectified an injury Lord Singularity T is true yet passion is apt to rise in defence of innocency and honour Affectionata And many times passion my Lord destroye the life in striving to maintaine the truth and defend the innocent but I find a passionate sorrow that your Lordship must go to indanger your life in the warrs again Lord Singularity The warrs is pastime to me for I hate idlenesse and no imployment pleases me better than fighting so it be in a good cause but you shall stay Affectionata Why my Lord are you weary of my service Lord Singul. Know I am carefull of thy safety thy rest and peace for shouldst thou not come near danger yet the very tragical aspect will terrefie thee to death thou art of so tender a nature so soft and sweet a disposition Affectionata Truly my Lord if you leave me behind you the very fear of your life will kill me where if your Lordyship will let me go love will give me courage Lord Singul. Then let me tell you you must not go for I have adopted you my Son and I have setled all my Estate upon thee where if I am killed you shall be my Heir for I had rather vertue should inherit my Estate than birth yet I charge thee take my Name upon thee as well as my Estate unto thee Affectionata My noble Lord I should be prouder to bear your name than to be Master of the whole World but I shall never be so base to keep my self in safety in hope of your Estate wherefore must intreat your leave to go with you Lord Singul. I will not give you leave but command you to the contrary which is to stay Affectionata I cannot obey you in this for love will force me to run after you Lord Singul. I will have you lash'd if you offer to go Affectionata Stripes cannot stay me Lord Singul. I will have you tyed and kept by force fectionata By Heaven my Lord I 'l tear my flesh and break my bones to get lose and if I have not legs to run I 'l creep thorough the Earth like worms for though I shall move but slowly yet it will be a satisfaction to my soul that I am travelling after you Lord Singularity Affectionata You anger me very much Affectionata Indeed my Lord you grieve me more than I can anger you Affectionata weeps Lord Singularity What do you crie and yet desire to be a souldier Affectionata A valiant heart my Lord may have a weeping eye to keep it company Lord Singularity If no perswasion can stay you you must go along with me Affectionata bows as giving his Lord thanks Exeunt Scene 8. Enter the Lady VVagtail the Lady Amorous Sir Humphry Bold Sir Timothy Compliment to the Lady Bashfull who hangs down her head as out of countenance LAdy Wagtail Faith Lady Bashfull we will have you abroad to Balls and publick meetings to learn you a confident behaviour and a bold speech Fie You must not be bashfull Lady Amorous Our visiting her sometimes hath made her so as she is not altogether so bashfull as she was Enter Sir Serious Dumb who bows first to the Lady Bashfull then to the rest of the Company and then goeth behind the Lady Bashfull and stands close by Mistriss Reformer Lady Amorous Surely Sir Serious Dumb is a domestick servant here he stands and waits as one He bows with an acknowledging face Sir Humphry Bold If she wil entertain such servants as he she is not so modest as she appears Lady perchance if I had come privately alone I had been entertained with more freedom and not have had my suit denied and my person neglected with scorn and he received with respect Sir Serious Dumb comes and gives him a box on the eare they both draw their swords all the women runs away squeeking only the Lady Bashfull stayes and runs betwixt their swords and parts them Sir Timothy Compliment looks on as affraid to stir Lady Bashfull For Heaven sake fight not here to affright me with your quarrels Sir Humphry Bold I will have his heart-bloud Lady Bashfull Good Sir Serious Dumb and Sir Humphry Bold leave off fighting Sir Serious Dumb draws back Lady Bashfull Pray Sir Humphry Bold give me your sword that I may be sure you will not fight Sir Humphry Bold What yield my sword up I will dye first Enter the Ladies
Come fellow-souldiers are you ready to march 2. Commander Whether 1. Commander Into our own native Country for our General is sent sol home 3. Commander Except there be wars in our own Country we cannot go with him 1. Commander I know not whether there be wars or peace but he obeys for he is preparing for his journey 2. Commander Who shall be General when he is gone 3. Commander I know not but I hear the States offers to make our young Lieutenant-General General but he refuseth it 2. Commander Would they would make me General 3. Commander If thou wert General thou wouldst put all method out of order 1. Commander Faith Gentlemen I would lead you most prudently and give you leave to plunder most unanimously 1. Commander And we would fight couragiously to keep what we plunder 2. Commander Come let us go and inquire how our affairs goeth Exeunt Scene 22. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata LOrd Singularity Now Affectionata we have taken our leave of the States I hope thy mind is at peace and freed from fears of being staid Affectionata Yes my my Lord Lord Singularity They did perswade thee much to stay Affectionata They seemed much troubled for your Lordships departure Lord Singularity Truly I will say thus much for my self that I have done them good service and I must say thus much for them that they have rewarded me well Affectionata I have heard my Lord that States seldom rewards a service done wherefore I believe they hope you will return again and sees you for that end Lord Singularity I shall not be unwilling when my Country hath no imployment for me Affectionata Methinks my Lord since you have gotten a fame abroad you should desire to live a setled life at home Lord Singularity A setled life would seem but dull to me that hath no wife nor children Affectionata You may have both If you please my Lord Lord Singularity For children I desire none since I have thee and wives I care not for but what are other mens Enter a Messenger with a Letter to the Lord Singularity Lord Singularity From whence comest thou friend Messenger From Rome my Lord Lord Singularity If you please to stay in the next room I shall speak to you presently Messenger Exit The Lord Singularity breaks up the Letter and reads Lord Singularity Affectionata From whence do you think this Letter comes Affectionata I cannot guess my Lord Lord Singularity From the Pope who hath heard so much of thy youth vertue wit and courage as he desires me to pass thorough Rome im my journey home that he might see thee Affectionata Pray Heaven his Holynesse doth not put me into a Monastery and force me to stay behind you Lord Singularity If he should I will take the habit and be incloistered with thee but he will not inforce a youth that hath no will thereto Affectionata Truly my Lord I have no will to be a Fryer Lord Singularity Indeed it is somewhat too lazie a life which all heroick Spirits shames for those loves liberty and action But I will go and dispatch this Messenger and to morrow we will begin our journey Exeunt Scene 23. Enter the Lady Wagtail and the Lady Amorous LAdy Wagtail Faith Amorous it had been a victory indeed worth the bragging off if we could have taken Sir Peaceable Studious Loves prisoner and could have infettered him in Cupid's bonds Lady Amorous It had been a victory indeed for I will undertake to inslave five Courtiers and ten Souldiers sooner and in less time than one studious Scholar Lady Wagtail But some Scholars are more easily taken than the luxurious Courtiers or deboist Souldiers Lady Amorous O no! for Luxurie and Rapine begets lively Spirits but a study quenches them out Lady Wagtail One would think so by Sir Peaceable Studious but not by some other Scholars that I am acquainted with Lady Amorous But confess Lady Wagtail do not you find a studious Scholar dull company in respect of a vain Courtier and a rough Souldier Lady Wagtail I must confess they that study Philosophy are little too much inclined to morality but those that study Theologie are not so restringent Lady Amorous Well for my part since I have been acquainted with Sir Peaceable Studious I hate all Scholars Exeunt Scene 24. Enter three Men as the Inhabitants of Rome 1. T Is a wonder such a youth as the Lord Singularity's Son is should have so great a wit as to be able to dispute with so many Cardinals 2. Man The greater wonder is that he should have the better of them 1. Man 'T is said the Pope doth admire him and is extreamly taken with him 2. Man If Iove had so much admired him he would have made him his Ganimed 1. Man He offered to make him a living Saint but he thanked his Holyness and said he might Saint him but not make him holy enough to be a Saint for said he I am unfit to have Prayers offered to me that cannot offer Prayers as I ought or live as I should then he offered him a Cardinals hat but he refused it saying he was neither wise enough nor old enough for to accept of it for said he I want Ulisses head and Nestors years to be a Cardinal for though less devotion will serve a Cardinal than a Saint yet politick wisdom is required 3. Man Pray Neighbours tell me which way and by what means I may see this wonderfull youth for I have been out of the Town and not heard of him 2. Man You cannot see him now unless you will follow him where he is gone 1. Man Why whether is he gone 2. Man Into his own Country and hath been gone above this week 3. Man Nay I cannot follow him thither Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lord Singularity and Affectionata as being in the Country Lord Singularity Affectionata you have promised me to be ruled by me in every thing so that you may not part from me Affectionata I have my Lord and will obey all your commands so far as I am able Lord Singularity Then I am resolved now I am returned into my own Country to get thee a wife that thy fame and worthy acts may live in thy Posterity Affectionata Iove bless me a wife by Heaven my Lord I am not man enough to marry Lord Singul. There is many as young as you that have been Fathers and have had children Affectionata If they were such as I am they might father Children but never get them Lord Singularity Thou art modest Affectionata but I will have you marry and I will chose thee such a wife as modest as thy self Affectionata Then we never shall have children Sir Lord Singul. Love and acquaintance will give you confidence but tell me truly Affectionata didst thou never court a Mistriss Affectionata No truly Sir Lord Singularity Well I will have you practice Courtship and though I will not directly be your Band or Pimp yet I
whence you came Profession No faith I am dry wherefore I will go to a Tavern Comorade Content Ex. Scene 33. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone in a studeous humour walking for a time silently then speaks CApris. Which shall I complain of Nature or Education I am compassionate by nature for though I am froward I am not cruel I am pious by education for though I am froward I am not wicked I am vertuous by nature and education for though I am froward I am neither dishonest unchaste base or unworthy Why then 't is Fortune I must complain of for Fortune hath given me plenty and plenty hath made me proud and pride hath made me self-conceited self-conceit hath bred disdain and disdain scorn So pride disdain and scorn makes me disapprove all other creatures actions or opinions but my own and this disapproving is that which men calls cross pievish and froward disposition being most commonly accompanied with sharp satyrical words and angry frowns These faults I 'l conquer whereresoere they lye I 'l rule my froward humour or I 'l dye Ex. Scene 34. Enter Madamosel Solid and a Matron SOlid Lord Lord I wonder men and women should spend their time so idley and wast their lives so vainly in talking so ignorantly and acting so foolishly upon the great Stage or the Stage of the great World Matron VVhy how would you have them spend their time or talk or act Solid I would have them spend their time to gain time as to prevent or hinder times oblivion and to speak and act to that design That when their bodies dye Their Names and Fames may live eternally Matron But it is not in every mans or womans power to get fame for some are made uncapable by nature others are hindred by fortune some are obstructed by chance others want time and opportunity wealth birth and education and many that are pull'd back by envie spite and malice Solid VVhat man or woman soever that nature is liberal to may eternalize themselves as for fortune she may hinder the active the like may chance envie spite and malice but cannot hinder the contemplative the like may time and opportunity but poor poverty and birth can be no hindrance to natural wit for natural wit in a poor Cottage may spin an after-life enter-weaving several colour'd fancies and threeds of opinions making fine and curious Tapestries to hang in the Chambers of fame or wit may and carve Images of imaginations to place and set forth the Gardens of fame making fountains of Poetry that may run in smooth streams of verse or wit may paint and pensel out some Copies and various Pictures of Nature with the pensels of Rhethorick on the grounds of Philosophy to hang in the Galleries of fame Thus the Palaces of fame may be furnished and adorn'd by the wit of a poor Cottager Ex. Scene 35. Enter Madamosel Caprisia alone CApris. Item I am to be courteous but not familiar to be merry but not wild to be kind but not wanton to be friendly but not intimate to be sociable but not troublesome to be conversable but not talkative to look soberly but not frowningly to return answers civilly to ask questions wisely to demand rights honestly to argue rationally and to maintain opinions probably These rules I will strictly observe and constantly practice Enter Monsieur Bon Compaignon Capris. Sir I cry peccavi and ask your pardon for speaking so unhandsomely of the effeminate Sex when I was last in your company for my indiscretion made me forget so as not to remember that all men hath either VVives Sisters Daughters or Mothers But truly my discourse proceeded neither from spite or malice but from the consideration of my own faults which being so many did bury the good graces of other women for though I am vertuously honest yet I am but rudely fashion'd and untoward for conversation but though my discourse had a triangular countenance for it seem'd foolish spitefull and wicked yet pray Sir believe the natural face was a perfect round honest face Bon Compaignon Lady what faults soever your Sex is guilty of your vertues will get their pardon and your beauty will cover their blemishes Capris. I wish my indiscretion had not discovered my froward imperfections but I am sorry and shall hereafter endeavor to rectifie my errours Ex. Scene 36. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Nurse NObilissimo Good Nurse where is my vertuous sweet Mistresse Nurse In her chamber Sir Nobilissimo VVhat is she doing Nurse She is reading Nobilissimo VVhat Books doth she read are they Divinity Morality Philosophy History or Poetry Nurse Sometimes her study is of one and then of another But now I think her chief study is you wherein she may read humanity Enter Madamosel Doltche and seeing Monsieur Nobilissimo with her Nurse starts back and then comes forth blushing Nurse Lord child what makes you blush Doltche Not crimes but my blushing is caused by a sudden assault or surprisal meeting him I did not expect to meet at this time which raised up blushes in my face for blushing is like the full and falling tide for the bloud flows to the face and from thence ebbes to the heart as passions moves the mind And thoughts as waves in curling folds do rise And lashfull eyes are like the troubled skies Nobilissimo Sweet Mistress crimes cannot stain your cheeks with blushes but modesty hath penseld Roses there which seems as sweet as they look fair Doltche I desire my looks and countenance may alwaies appear so as they may never falsly accuse me and as I would not have my looks or countenance wrong my innocency or deceive the Spectators so I would not have my heart be ungratefull to bury your presence in silence Wherefore I give you thanks Sir for the noble Present you sent me to day Nobilissimo I was affraid you would not have accepted of it Doltche Truly I shall refuse no Present you shall send me although it were ushered with scorn and attended with death Nobilissimo My kind Mistress I shall never send you any Present but what is ushered by my love attended by my service and presented with the offer of my life Nurse Child you are very free of kind words Doltche And my deeds shall answer my words is need requires yet I am sorry if my speaking over-much should offend but I chose rather to set bosses of words on the sense of my discourse although it obscures the glosse of my speech than my love should be buried in my silence Nobilissimo Sweet Mistresse your loving expressions gives such joy unto my heart and such delight unto my hearing as my soul is inthron'd in happinesse and crown'd with tranquility Nurse Pray Heaven you both may be as full of Love Joy and Peace when you are married as you express to have now But let me tell you young Lovers that Hymen is a very temperate and discreet Gentleman in love I will assure you neither doth he
tears or windy sighs but if this Sea be rough with the storms of misfortunes or fomented with the tempest of impatience it makes a dolourous noise of complaints and laments roleing with restless bellowes of discontent this is the Kingdome of love but when this Sea breaks into the Kingdome of hate it makes a hidious noise a roaring with exclamations and cursings Also from this Sea flowes four rivers quite through these two Kingdoms two through the Kingdome of hate and two through the Kingdome of love those two through the Kingdome of love are pitty and compassion which when they meet makes a full tide of Charity and overflowes with bounty but those that runs through the Kingdome of hate are the two rivers of fury and despair when these two rivers meet they make a full tide of madness and overflowes with mischief but fearing I should drown your patience with my overflowing discourse I shall desist for this time After a Civill respects She goeth out And one of the Company after she was gone speaks thus My Lord Marquess writ this following speech Were all dead Moralls Writers risen again and their each several souls crusht into one that Soul would languish till it sted the earth in deep despair to see their gloryes last and all their vaster writings so dispised Thus by the Musick of a Ladyes tongue Whose Cords with wit and judgment is thus strung Ex. Here ends my Lord Marquess Scene 12. Enter the Lady Innocence and Adviser an old Man of the Lord de l'Amours as following the Lady Innocence ADviser Pray young Lady stay and take good Counsel along with you Lady Innocence Good Counsel is a guest I would willingly entertain and be glad of his acquaintance and endeavour to make a perfect friendship with and a constant Companion Adviser Then pray Madam have a care of the Lady Incontinent for she is full of designs against you as I perceive by what I hear her say to my Lord Lady Innocence Your Lord is a person of so much worth and merit as he will not yield to plots of destruction to destroy the Innocent he hath more Charity to heal a wound than cruelty to make one his tender Nature and compassionat disposition will strive to dry wet eyes not force dry eyes to weep Adviser My Lord Madam is a generous and noble Lord but she is a dissembling crafty Lady and knowes how to attract my Lord and to winn him to be of her beliefe and I give you warning as a faithfull Servant both to my Lord and you Lady Innocence I thank you friend for your advertising me of this Lady but I shall trust my self to heavens protection fortunes favour and your deeds noble and just Nature Ex. Scene 13. Enter two Men 1. GEntleman The Lady Sanspareilles wit is as if it would over-power her brain 2. Gentleman O no for her brain seems so well tempered as if there were no conceptions which springs therein or propositions or knowledge presented thereunto but it doth digest them with great ease into a distinguishing understanding otherwise she could not deliver her mind and express her conceits or opinions with such method and facility as she doth 1. Gentleman She hath a Monstrous wit 2. Gentleman No her wit is not a Monstrosity but a generosity of Nature it is Natures bounty to her 1. Gentleman Certainly Nature was never so bountifull to any of that Sex as she hath been to her 2. Gentleman The truth is she favours the Female Sex for the most part more than she doth the Masculine Sex because she is of the Female kind herself 1. Gentleman Faith I could wish that I never wisht before 2. Gentleman What wish is that 1. Gentleman Why I wish I were a Woman but such a Woman as the Lady Sanspareille 2. Gentleman Ovid speaks of a Woman that wisht her self a Man and the Gods granted her with and she became a Man but I never heard of a Man that was changed into a Woman 1. Gentleman That was by reason they never wisht that change 2. Gentleman That is a sign they thought the change would be far the worse 1. Gentleman Indeed generally it would be so 2. Gentleman Well for thy sake I wish thou hadst thy wish Ex. Scene 14. Enter the Lady Innocence as musing by her self alone Then Enter her Maid Passive PAssive My dear Mistriss what makes you so studious as you are become pale with musing Lady Innocence The reason is that my Soul is flown out of my body with the wings of desire to seek for love and my thoughts laboriously wanders after it leaving my Senses to a soiltary life and my life to a Melancholly musing Passive Faith I had rather be buryed under the ruins of hate than have a Melancholly life Lady Innocence And I am Melancholly for fear I should be so buryed Passive If you would have love you must give love Lady Innocence Indeed love is like a Coy-Duck it goeth out to invite or draw in others Passive Nay faith a Coy-Woman cannot do so for the Coyer she is the fewer Lovers she will have for Coynes starves Lovers wherefore if you would not starve your beloved you must be free and twine about him as the Ivy doth the Oke Lady Innocence Modesty forbids it but were it lawfull and that it did not infring the Lawes of modesty I could hang about his neck as the earth to the Center but I had rather starve my delights than do an Act immodest or surfite his affection Ex. ACT V. Scene 15. Enter the Lady Sanspareille and her father with the Audience she takes her place and after a Civill respects to the Company speaks SAnspareille Noble Gentlemen you are welcome and though I cannot promise to feast your Eares with an eloquent Banquet yet I hope it will prove so as I hope it will not cause a dislike for the several dishes of my discourse shall neither be bitter with rayling nor sharp with spite nor salt brined with Satyr nor lushious with flattery and though it may prove tastless to the gusto of your humour yet it will not be disagreeing to the stomack of your reason nor dangerous to the life of your understanding but by reason this worthy Assembly is mixt as Oratours Poets young Students and Souldiers it will be hard for me to divide my discourse so as to give each Company a Civil entertainment but howsoever my indeavour shall not be wanting for that wit I have I shall waite upon you I shall first speak to the young Students because youth and learning is the beginning of life and knowledge and young brains are like plain paper books where time as a hand experience as a pen and practice as Ink writes therein and these books conteins several and divers Chapters The First is of knowledge The Second and Third Chapters are of memory and understanding these Chapters are but short The Fourth and Fift Chapters are conceptions and imaginations this
out Here ends my Lord Marquesses FINIS This written by my Lord Marquess THE SECOND PART OF Youths Glory and Deaths Banquet ACT I. Scene 2. Enter the Lord de l'Amour and the Lady Innocence the Lord de l'Amour seems to appear angry LAdy Innocence My Lord what makes you frown on me surely I never willingly offended you Lord de l'Amour But the report I hear of you offends me Lady Innocence I hope my behaviour is not lyable to any aspertion or evil censure for as you have used me civily so I have behaved my self modestly Lord de l'Amour I perceive you are a subtil insinuating young Lady Lady Innocence Think me not subtil for being so brod as not to slight your Love not so uncivil as to scorn your noble favours but strive to merit your worthy affections but if I have erred in my endeavours pray pardon me and if you please to tell me my errour I shall rectify it Lord de l'Amour I hear you will speak more lyes than tell truths Lady Innocence Truly I am too strict a Votary to truth to tell a lye Lord de l'Amour I should be glad you were vowed one of her Order Lady Innocence I am so and have taken the habit of sincerity upon me Lord de l'Amour Tell me truly do you never use to lye Lady Innocence If you have opinion that I never or seldome speak truth let me say what I will you will still believe it is a lye but truly I did never tell a lye as I do know of but did alwayes speak truth Lord de l'Amour I hear to my great grief you have many faults pray mend them Lady Innocence I am sory there are so many ill reports or rather aspersions laid on me as to grieve you but surely youth cannot commit many faults but Age that hath had time to commit faults in but if you can believe my faults surmounts not all accounts I shall desire to know them Lord de l'Amour Examine yourself and you will find them Lady Innocence I shall call a particular Councel and make a General search and what thoughts words or actions I can find guilty or prove Criminal I shall condemn and sacrifice them on the Altar of Repentance and crave mercy and forgiveness Lord de l'Amour Pray do so Ex. Lady Innocence alone 'T is strange his humour should be so suddenly changed from loving professions kind expressions and pleasing smiles to sharp words and angry frowns and that he should seem to love me as much as he did now to believe me so little as it seems he doth I hope it is only the superfluities of his affections that runs into the indiscretion of jealousie Ex. Enter Sanspareile and her Audience As soon as she hath taken her standing place A Messenger Enters Messenger The Queen of Attention is come to be one of your Audience The Company makes a bustle Enter the Queen of Attention and her Train Sir Thomas Father Love kneels down and kisses her hand Queen I am come to hear and see your Daughter whom fame reports to be the wonder of this Age Father It had been more proper and fit for my Daughter to have waited at your Court-Gates untill your Majesty had comanded her into your presence than for your Majesty to come hither to hear and see her but she being a plain bred girle durst not be so bold Queen If your Daughters wit be answerable to her beauty she is a wonder indeed Sanspareile comes off from the place where she stands and makes 3. Obeysances and coming near kneels down and kisses the Queens hand Lady Sanspareile Madam this gracious honour and honourable grace is beyond the management of my young years the evil of my weak confidence and the compass of my little wit and my obscure breeding hath made me so Ignorant that I know not in what manner I should behave or address myself towards your Majesty but if I commit faults in misbehaviour pray impute it to my ignorant youth and not to disobedience Queen I see nothing yet in your behaviour but that you may be not only a pattern for young but also for grave Age to take example from Sanspareile Madam the generosity of your Maiesties Nature the Magnificence of your Majesties mind and the Charity of your Majesties disposition gives an overflowing commendation like to the goodness of the Gods that gives more to the Creature than the Creature can deserve Queen Let me tell you young Lady your speeches are as pleasing to the eare as your beauty is delightfull to the eye Sanspareile Your Majesty is like a Deity can turn or translate words like poor Mortals into a glorified sence like as into a glorified body Queen Sir Thomas Father Love if your Daughter speak at all times and alwayes so eloquently I should not wonder you let her speak in publick Father I beseech your Majesty that you will rather judge me an over fond Father which is natural than a vain opiniatour in that I give her liberty to speak in publick Queen If it were a vanity it might be well forgiven but pray let me hear her speak Sanspareile makes three obeysances as she steps back from the Queen to her standing-place and then ascends Sanspareile Great Queen I nor no other should offer or dare to speak before or to such Supreme persons as your Majesty without a sore premeditation for the words and behaviours of speakers should be fitted to the degrees and qualities Powers Offices and Authorities of the Auditory But your Majesties commands makes that an obedient duty that would otherwayes be a presumption wherefore on the ground of duty I speak at this time before your Majesty but the Royalty of your person the brightnesse of your beauty the fame of your vertues and the glorious splendour of your Majestical Grandeur hath so amazed me that my understanding is as it were blind which will cause my tongue to stagger and my words to run stumbling out of my mouth but I hope your Justice will pardon them For as Divine Justice belongs to the Gods moral Justice to Nature so humane Justice to Monarchial Princes which justice is weighed and measured out according to merit or desert be they good or bad For which Justice Gods and Princes are both feared and loved and Justice is the chief Pillar or upholder of Monarchical States and Common-wealths for without Justice there can be no Government and without Government there can be no Rule and without Rule there can be no peace and where peace is not there will be warrs and warrs causeth ruine and destruction But for the most part those Kingdomes that have arrived to the height of Glory declines or falls to ruine The reason is that a low condition is necessitated and weak wherefore they seek for help to strengthen themselves which makes or rather forces every particular person to associate unite either by Laws of Covenants to which they submit
their affections in their peiced Petticoates and buries their Husbands love in their dirty raggs And from the Dunghill of dirty raggs and grave of soul Linnen is their Husbands transformed to beastly Adulteries stealing by degrees out of one Form into another as from a doting Husband to a fond Husband form a fond to a discreet Husband from a discreet to a careful Husband from a careful to a carelesse from a carelesse to a disliking from a disliking to a hating and then they begin to wander As first an eye glances from an eye glance to an admirer from an admirer to a professour from a professour to a dissembler from a dissembler to an Adulterer then for the dresses and garments of his Mistress First from clean to new from new to fine from fine to brave from brave to glorious from glorious to fantastical from fantastical to profusely various from profusely various to any dirty Slut But his wife on the other side if his wife desires appears handsome and practises civil behaviour and endeavours to be fine takes care to be cleanly observes to be fashionable her Husband straight becomes jealouse although she doth this for his sake and to keep his affection yet he thinks it is for the affection and sake of some other man which causeth private discontents from private discontents to quarreling disputes from quarreling disputes to publick exclamations from publick exclamations to open defiance from open defiance to devorcement and though I cannot say this by or from experience having it only from relation yet I do as faithfully believe it as if I were experienced therein On which faith I made a vow never to marry since I hear men are so hard to please and apt to change wherefore if I were marryed instead of discoursing of several arguments I should be groaning and sighing and weeping with several pains and vexations and instead of a silent solitary contemplation a clamorous quarrelsome conversation instead of a peaceable life I should be alwayes in civil warrs and instead of being happy I should be miserable for mariage is like a ship which always lyes on the roughest Bilows of the Sea rouling from side to side with discontents sailing uncertainly with inconstancy and various winds But noble civil kind and affectionate Gentlemen as I have told you I have made a vow never to marry and surely marriage is not so happy an estate or so pleasing a condition of life as to perswade me to break my vow neither can flattering Rhetorick nor inticing beauty nor adoring admiring deploring praying weeping Suters perswade me no not a bleeding Suter were I sure he would dye did he not enjoy me for I will never be so dishonourable perjurious and impious to break the holy Laws and pull the Virgin Altars down built in the conscience on which are vows offered to Gods on high Should I blow out that with faint inconstancy that pure bright Vestal Fire of innocency from whence the Essence of chast thoughts ascends to Heaven high But rather than I would break my vow I wish my ears as deaf as death that hears no flattering sounds nor sad complaints nor terrifying threats my eyes as dark as night least light should bring some false deluding object in for to deceive me my heart like Adamant so hard love cannot enter nor pity nor compassion wound but howsoever I connot be wife to you all wherefore since I cannot be every mans wife I will dye every mans Maid But I must tell this Noble Assembly their meeting hath occasioned a quarrel here for bashfulnesse and confidence hath fought a Duel in my Cheeks and left the staines of bloud there After her Respects Ex. All her Audience her Lovers goeth out silently some lifting up their eyes others their hands some striking their hands on their breast and the like Ex. Scene 6. Enter the Lady Innocence alone WHilst I was in his favour my mind was like a pleasant Garden where several Phancies like several Birds did make sweet melody and in this Garden a large high Tree of Noble ambition grew whereon hung fruits of hopes but low misfortunes now hath cut it down and therewithall have built a house where melancholly dwels darkened with Clouds of discontents and winds of sighs and showers of tears doth blow and powre thereon She weeping and sighing Ex. Scene 7. Enter the Lady Incontinent and the Lord de l'Amour LAdy Incontinent Faith you will be well wived for your affianced is known to be a Lyer and feared she will be a Whore and proved a Thief Lord de l'Amour How a Thief Lady Incontinent Why she hath stolen my Pearl Chain worth a thousand Pounds Lord de l'Amour T is impossible Lady Incontinent It is not impossible to prove a Thief Lord de l'Amour No for there is too many to misse but sure it is impossible she should prove one she is so honourably born and I never heard but she was Vertuously bred Lady Incontinent By your favour Covetousnesse or Necessity may tempt Honourable Births and corrupt minds that with plenty would be honest enough Lord de l'Amour I grant misery may prove some Noble souls sprung from Honourable stocks yet not to be so wickedly base as to steal although so unworthy as to shark Lady Incontinent Why sharking is next Neighbour to stealing or as near Kindred as an Equivocation is to a Lye Lord de l'Amour But she was never so necessitated as to make her either a shark or a Thief having alwayes plenty Lady Incontinent But she is covetous and youth that is fond of all things they see desires to enjoy all things they have not and will endeavour by any means or wayes to compass their desires Lord de l'Amour I never found my Youth prompt to any such Acts Lady Incontinent Without more discourse she hath stole my Chain and I can prove it She goeth out alone Lord de l'Amour alone T is strange I know not what to think or how to iudge which of the two Ladies is a Divel for surely one of them is Ex. ACT III Scene 8. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEntleman The Lady Sanspareile is the miracle of this age the world doth not parrallel her with the like for her behaviour is graceful and becoming her Countenance modest and wife her speech Majestical and witty yet grave and learned and her Oratory is after a New way 2 Gent. It is reported that there are many men come from all parts of the world to hear her aad those that cannot understand this Language comes only to see her so famous is she to all the world 1 Gent. She is a great Honour to our Nation 2 Gent. I hear she doth intend to plead in the behalf of poor Suiters and hath asked leave of the Queen to be a pleader at the Barr for all such as suffered wrong as injustices and for such Clients as hath just causes but hath not means to follow the Law as to see
grieve for your Father since he dyed in the defence of his King and Country Virtue T is true and I glory in his valiant loyal Actions yet I cannot choose but mourn for the losse of his life and weepe upon his death Governess Methinks the greatest cause you have to weep is for the loss of your Estate which the Enemy hath seized on and you left only to live on Charity Poor Virtue I cannot mourn for any thing that is in Fortunes power to take away Governess Why Fortune hath power on all things in the World Poor Virtue O no she hath power on nothing but base dross and outward forms things moveable but she hath neither power on honest hearts nor noble Souls for 't is the Gods infuse grace and virtue nor hath she power or Reason or Understanding for Nature creates and disposes those nor doth she govern Wisdome for Wisdome governs her nor hath she power on Life and Death they are decreed by Heaven Governess And will you weep at Heavens decree Poor Virtue The Heavens decrees hinder not humanity nor natural affection Governess Well ever since your Mother dyed I have governed your Fathers House and pleased him well but since he is kill'd and that there is nothing for me to govern I will take my leave of you and seek another place and I hope fortune will favour me so as to direct me to some Widdower or old Batchelour which desires a comely huswifly woman to order their private affairs Poor Virtue I wish you all happiness and if I were in a condition I would make you a present Exeunt Scene 3. Enter two Gentlemen 1. GEntleman Sir My Lord is so busy since his Fathers Death with Stewards Atturnies and such like about ordering his Estate as I am loath to disturb him but as soon as he hath done speaking to them I will wait upon you to my Lord 2. Gentleman Sir I shall wait my Lords leasure Enter the Lady Ward and Nurse Careful they pass over the Stage 2. Gent. Sir what pretty young Lady is that which passes by 1. Gent. She is a great Heiress and was Ward to my old Lord and he upon his Death-bed charged his Son my young Lord to marry her 2. Gent. Surely small perswasions might serve turn for her Virtue is Rhetorick enough to perswade nay to force affection 1. Gent. Yet my Lord is discontented he would rather choose for himself than that his Father should have chosen for him for it is the Nature of Mankind to reject that which is offered though never so good and to prize that they cannot get although not worth the having 2. Gent. Of what Quality of Birth and Nature and disposition is she of 1. Gent. She is Honourably Born and seems to be of a sweet disposition but of a Melancholy Nature Enter a Servant Servant Sir my Lord desires the Gentleman would be pleased to walk in Exeunt ACT II. Scene 4. Enter the Lady Contemplation and Sir Humphrey Interruption INterruption Lady what makes you so silently sad Contemplation Pardon me Sir I am not sad at this time for my thoughts are merry and my spirits lively Interrupt. There is no appearance of mirth in you for mirth hath alwayes a dancing heel a singing voyce a talking tongue and a laughing face Contempl. I have such merry Companions sometimes but I seldome dance sing talk or laugh my self Interrupt. Where are those Companions I desire to be acquainted with them and keep them Company Contempl. You cannot keep them Company for the place they inhabit in is too little for your Corporal body to enter besides they are so curious choyce and nice Creatures as they will vanish at the very sight of you Interrupt. Why Lady I am none of the biggest sized Men nor am I of a terrible aspect I have seen very fine and delicate Creatures Contempl. But you never saw any of these Creatures Interrupt. Pray where do they dwell and what are their Names I long to visit them Contempl. They dwell in my head and their Sirnames are called thoughts but how you will visit them I cannot tell but they may visit you Interrupt. Faith Lady your relation hath made me despair of an enterview but not a friendly entertainment if you please to think well of me Contempl. Thoughts are free and for the most part they censure according to fancy Interrupt. Then fancy me such a one as you could like best and love most Contempl. That I cannot doe for I love those best which I create my self and Nature hath taught me to prize whatsoever is my own most although of smaller valew than what 's anothers although of greater worth Interrupt. Then make me yours by creating me anew Contempl. That is past my skill but if you will leave me alone I will think of you when you are gone for I had rather of the two entertain you in my thoughts than keep you Company in discourse for I am better pleased with a solitary silence or a silent solitariness than with a talking conversation or an entertaining talking for words for the most part are rather useless spent than profitably spoke and time is lost in listning to them for few tongues make Musick wanting the Cords of Sense or sound of Reason or singers of Fancy to play thereon Interrupt. But you will injure your wit to bury your wit in solitary silence Contempl. Wit lives not on the tongue as language doth but in the brain which power hath as Nature to create Interrupt. But those are aery not material Creatures Contempl. 'T is true but what they want in substance they have in variety for the brain can create Millions of several Worlds fill'd full of several Creatures and though they last not long yet are they quickly made they need not length of time to give them form and shape Interrupt. But there is required Speech to express them or they are made in vain if not divulged Contempl. Speech is an enemy to Fancy for they that talk much cannot have time to think much and Fancies are produced from thoughts as thoughts are from the minde and the minde which doth create the thoughts and the thoughts the fancies is as a Deity for it entertains it self with it self and only takes pleasure in its own works although none other should partake or know thereof but I shall talk a World out of my head wherefore farewel Ex. Scene 5. Enter Poor Virtue and her Maid Nan Scrapeall NAn Scrapeall Now your Estate is seized on you have not means to keep a Servant as to pay them for their service Poor Virtue No truly Nan but that which grieves me most is that I have not wherewithall to reward thee for thy past service Nan Scrapeall I have served you these seven years and have had nothing but my bare wages unless it were some of the worst of your cast Clothes for Mrs. Governess took order I should have none of the best but I hope
I do esteem of such Riches as Money as I do of Marriage and in my nature I do hate them both for a man is enslaved by either wherefore I would shun them if I could and turn them out of doors but that some sorts of necessity and conveniency inforce me to entertain them the one for Posteritie sake the other for subsistence of present life besides convenient pleasures Lady Am. The Lady Ward who is to be your wife seems of a very dull disposition Lord Court She is so but I like her the better for that for I would have a deadly dull Wife and a lively Mistresse such a sprightly Lady as you are Lady Am. In truth my Lord I am of a melancholy Nature Lord Court Certainly Madam you onely know the Name not the Nature for your Nature is alwayes fresh and sweet and pleasant as the Spring Lady Am. O no my mind is like to VVinter and my thoughts are numb and cold Lord Court If your thoughts were so cold your words would be as if they were frozen between your lips all your discourse would melt by drops not flow so smoothly and swiftly into mens eares as they at all times do Lady Am. T is true I am merry when I am in your company but in your absence I am as dull as a cloudy day and as melancholy as dark night Lord Court I cannot believe so well of my self as that my company can be the light of your mirth but I know that your company is the Sun of my life nor could I live without it Ex. Scene 11. Enter the Lord Title Sir Effeminate Lovely and Sir Golden Riches LOrd Title This is a barren Country for in all this progresse I have not seen a pretty Country wench Effeminate Lovely Nor I Golden Riches Nor I Lord Title If an person can tell it is Tom Purveyer Enter Tom Purveyer Now Tom Purveyer are there no pretty wenches in this part of the Countrey Tom Purveyer Yes that there are an it please your Lorship and not far off two as pretty wenches as are in the Kingdome and no dispraise to the rest They all speak All Where where Tom Purveyer Hard by here at a Farmers House the one is his Daughter the other is his Servant-Maid All Prethee Tom show us the house Tom Purveyer Not all at once but one after another All Nay faith Tom let us all see them at once but we will Court them apart Tom Purveyer Content Exeunt Scene 12. Enter the Lady Conversation and Sir Fancy Poet LAdy Conversation What is the reason that Mercury is feign'd to be the patron of Thieves Sir Fancy Poet That is to be the patron of Scholars for Scholars are the greatest Thieves stealing from the Authours they read to their own use Lady Convers. And why are Scholars counted the greatest Thieves Sir Fancy Poet Because that they steal the Spirits or life of renown out of the treasury of Fame when all other sorts of Thieves steal but the goods of Fortune which is nothing but a Corporal dross Convers. And why is he feigned the talkative God Sir Fancy Poet Because Scholars talk more than other men and most commonly so much as they will let none speak but themselves and when there is a Company of Scholars together they will be so fierce in disputes as they will be ready to go to cuffs for the Prerogative of their opinion Convers. The Prerogative of the tongue you mean but why are Scholars apt to talk most Sir Fancy Poet Because they overcharge their heads with several Authors as Epicures do their Stomacks with variety of meats and being overcharged they are forced to vent it forth through the mouth as the other through the gut for the tongue as a Feather tickles the throat of Vainglory vomiting out the slime of Learning into the ears of the hearers but some heads as Stomacks which are naturally weak are so grip'd by reason it doth not disgest well as they vent nothing but windy Phrases and other brains which are hot and moist by reason of a facil memory disgest so fast as they do nothing but purge loose Sentences and other brains that are too dry and Incipid are so costive as their restringency strains out nothing but strong lines Convers. What is that Non-sense Sir Fancy Poet Indeed they are hard words without sense Convers. What makes a good Poet Sir Fancy Poet A quick Fancy Convers. What makes a good Oratour Sir Fancy Poet A ready Tongue Convers. What makes a good Physician Sir Fancy Poet Much Practice Convers. What makes a good Divine Sir Fancy Poet A Holy Life Convers. What makes a good States-Man Sir Fancy Poet Long experience great observance prudent industry ingenuous wit and distinguishing judgment Convers. What makes a good Souldier Sir Fancy Poet Change of Fortune Courage Prudence and Patience Convers. What makes a good Courtier Sir Fancy Poet Diligence Flattery and time-serving Convers. VVhat makes a good Prince or Governour Sir Fancy Poet Justice Clemency Generosity Courage and Prudence mixt together Convers. VVhat makes a good VVoman Sir Fancy Poet A Poet Convers. VVhy a Poet Sir Fancy Poet By reason the Poetical wits convert their natural defects into sweet graces their follies to pure innocencies and their Vices into Heroick Virtues Convers. By these descriptions you make as if women were more obliged to Poets than to Nature Sir Fancy Poet They are so for where Nature or Education makes one good or beautiful VVoman Poets make ten besides Poets have not only made greater numbers of beautiful women but perfecter beauties than ever Nature made Convers. Then let me tell you that women make Poets for women kindle the masculine brains with the fire of Love from whence arises a Poetical flame and their Beauty is the fuel that feeds it Sir Fancy Poet I confess were there no women there would be no Poets for the Muses are of that Sex Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 13. Enter Roger Farmer and Maudling his Wife MAudling Huswife Truly Husband our Maid Poor Virtue is a very industrious Servant as ever I had in my life Roger Farmer Yes wife but you were angry with me at first because I perswaded you to take her Maudling Huswife VVhy she seem'd to be so fine a feat as I thought she would never have setled to her work Roger Farmer Truly VVife she does forecast her business so prudently and doth every thing so orderly and behaves her self so handsomely carryes her self so modestly as she may be a Pattern to our Daughter Maudling Huswife I am a better Pattern my self Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Poor Virtue with a Sheephook as comming from tending her sheep and the Lord Title meets her LOrd Title Fair Maid may I be your Shepheard to attend you Poor Virtue I am but a single Sheep that needs no great attendance and a harmless one that strayes not forth the ground I am put to feed Lord Title Mistake me not fair Maid I
my affection with all the industry of Life gifts of Fortune and actions of Honour sued for my favour as if he had sued to Heaven for mercy but I as many cruel goddesses do would neither receive his obligations nor regard his vowes nor pity his tears nor hearken to his complaints but rejected his Sute and gave him an absolute denyal whereupon he was resolved to dye as believing no torments could be compared to those of my disdain and since I would not love him living he hoped by dying his death might move my pity and so beget a compassionate remembrance from me wherupon he got secretly neer my chamber-door and hung himself just where I must go out which when I saw I starred back in a great fright but at last running forth to call for help to cut him down in came Monsieur Amorous which hinderance made me leave him hanging there as being ashamed to own my cruelty and he hath been talking or rather prating here so long as by this time my kind Love is dead Visitant O no for Lovers will hang a long time before they dye for their necks are tuff and their hearts are large and hot Contempl. Well pray leave me alone that I may cut him down and give him Cordials to restore life Visitant Faith you must let him hang a little time longer for I have undertaken to make you a sociable Lady this day wherefore you must goe abroad to a friends house with me Contempl. Who I what do you think I will goe abroad and leave my Lover in a twisted string his legs hanging dangling down his face all black and swelled and his eyes almost started out of his head no no pray goe alone by your self and leave me to my Contemplation Visitant Well if you will not goe I will never see you nor be friends with you again Contempl. Pray be not angry for I will go if you will have me although I shall be but a dull companion for I shall not speak one word for wheresoever I am my thoughts will use all their Industry to cut the string and take him down and rub and chafe him against a hot fire Visitant Come come you shall heat your self with dancing and let your Lover hang Contempl. That I cannot for active bodies and active brains are never at once the one disturbs the other Visitant Then it seems you had rather have an active brain than an active body Contempl. Yes for when the brain doth work the understanding is inriched and knowledge is gained thereby whereas the body doth oft-times waste the life with too much exercise Visitant Take heed you do not distemper your brain with too much exercising your thoughts Contempl. All distempers proceed from the body and not from the minde for the minde would be well did not the humours and appetites of the body force it into a distemper Visitant Well upon the condition you will goe you shall sit still and your wit shall be the Musick Contempl. Prethee let me rest at home for to day the strings of my wit are broken and my tongue like a fiddle is out of tune Besides Contemplative persons are at all times dull speakers although they are pleasant thinkers Exeunt FINIS Written by my Lord Marquess of New-castle The Second Part of the Lady Contemplation The Actors Names Lord Title Lord Courtship Sir Fancy Poet Sir Experienced Traveller Sir Humphry Interruption Sir Golden Riches Sir Effeminate Lovely Sir John Argument Sir Vain Complement Master Inquirer Doctor Practice Old Humanity Roger Farmer Thom. Purveyor 2. Beadles Gentlemen and others Lady Amorous Lady Ward Lady Contemplation Lady Conversation Lady Visitant Poor Virtue Mistris Troublesome Mistris Gossip Mistris Messenger Lady Amorous's woman Nurse Careful Maudlin Huswife Roger Farmers wife Mall Mean-bred their daughter Mistris Troublesomes maid Servants and others The Second Part of the Lady Contemplation ACT I. Scene 1. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely and Poor Virtue EFfeminate Lovely Sweet-heart you are a most Heavenly Creature Poor Virtue Beauty is created and placed oftner in the fancy than in the face Effem. Lovely 'T is said there is a Sympathy in likeness if so you and I should love each other for we are both beautiful Poor Virtue But 't is a question whether our Souls be answerable to our Persons Effem. Lovely There is no question or doubt to be made but that loving souls live in beautiful persons Poor Virtue And do those loving soules dye when their beauties are decayed and withered Effem. The subject pleads it self without the help of Rhetorick for Love and Beauty lives and dies together Poor Virtue 'T is Amorous Love that dies when Beauty is gone not Vertuous Love for as Amorous Love is bred born lives and dies with the appetite so Vertuous Love is Created and shall live with the Soul forever Effem. Lovely You may call it what love you please Poor Virtue It is no love but a disease Exeunt Scene 2. Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Ward LOrd Courtship Why did you leave the Lady Amorous company so uncivilly as to go out of the room leaving her all alone Lady Ward I heard your Lordship was coming then I thought it was fit for me to withdraw for I have heard Lovers desire to be alone Lord Courtship Do you desire to be alone with a man Lady Ward I am no such Lover for I am too young as yet but I know not what I shall or may be wrought or brought to but time and good example may instruct and lead me into the way of amorous love Lord Courtship May it so Lady Ward Why not for I am docible and youth is apt to learn Lord Court But before I marry you I would have you learn to know how to be an obedient wife as to be content and not murmure at my actions also to please my humour but not to imitate my practice Lady Ward If I might advise your Lordship I would advise you to take such a Portion out of my Estate as you shall think just or fit and then quit me and choose such a one as you shall like for I shall never please you for though I may be apt to learn what will please my self yet I am dull and intractable to learn obedience to anothers will nor can I flatter their delights Lord Court I finde you have learned and now begin to practice how to talk for now your sober silence seems as dead and buried in the rubbish of follish words But let me tell you a talking wife will never please me wherefore practise patience and keep silence if you would enjoy the happiness of peace The Lord Courtship goes out Lady Ward alone Lady Ward There can be no peace when the mind is discontented Exit Scene 3. Enter Lord Title and Poor Vertue POor Virtue Why do you follow me so much as never to let me rest in peace and quiet alone Is it that you think I have beauty and is it
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
love or rather this beastly lust that doth corrupt all good manners as gentle civility free society lawfull recreations honest friendship natural affections it cuts off the feet of obedience it breaks the knees of duty it wounds the breast of fidelity it pulls out the heart of loyalty it turns away prudence it banishes temperance and murthers justice it breaks peace and makes warrs and turns arms into petticoats O sweet pure Chastity how amiable thou art how beautifull thou appearst in women how heroick in men for Chast women have such innocent thoughts such pure clean clear white immaculate minds such modest countenances such gentle behaviour such civil discourses such noble actions such discreet entertainments such cautionarie recreations otherwise they are bold impudent rude flanting ranting romping women also Chastity in men makes them heroick for propriety justice constancy and natural and honest love is the basis pillars or foundation whereon true valour is built when amorous affections make men effeminate causing them to cast away their hard iron arms to lie in the soft arms of beauty and stops their cares from loud alarums with charming notes of Musick it takes them from being masters of themselves and others and makes them become servants and slaves from commanding an Army to be commanded by single women by whom he is checkt like a school-boy lead like a dog in a string as after his mistrisses humours her frowns make him crouch like a cur her smiles make him skip and make face like a Jack anapes and their beastly appetites make them so rude and wilde as they regard no civility of behaviour no gentleness of disposition no constancy of affection they keep no friendship constancy or vowes they break all decent customs and disobey all honest laws but this is a theam too wilde to be preacht on Gentlewoman Why Madam my Lord your father may be a very chast man although he lieth with his maid if he hath made her his wife before he made her his bedfellow Lady Sprightly His wife he scorns the thought and hates the act Gentlewoman Pardon me Madam if I offer to lay a wager of it Lady Sprightly Are you so confident that you dare lay a wager Gentlewoman If you inquire more I believe you will find it to be true Exeunt ACT V. Scene 39. Enter the Lady Chastity and her woman gives her a letter Lady reads the Letter LAdy Chastity Who brought this letter Woman A kind of a Gentleman servingman Chastity Pray receive no more letters from that man Woman He said he would come in the evening to receive an answer Chastity If he comes tell him it needs no answer Enter Sir Henry Sage Chastity Husband will you read a Love letter Sir Hen. Sage From whence comes it and to whom is it sent Chastity You will soon find from whence it comes and to whom it is sent He reads it Sir Hen. Sage So wife I perceive I am in danger to be made a Cuckold Chastity Doth the letter beget your faith to that opinion Sir Hen. Sage But the praises and professions this letter brings you raises scruples and those scruples beget controversies and those controversies may in time make a convert Chastity Rather a pervert Husband but be you constant and I will warrant you safe Sir Hen. Sage But Youth and Beauty wife when they plead are greater Bawds and have a more perswasive power than the Lady Procurer Chastity Truly all three as Beauty Youth or the Lady Procurer rather than perswade me would divert me had I a wanton nature as first for the Lady Procurer her baseness appeared such as made me hate my self for being of the same sex she was of and grieved me to see the follies of mankind the one appearing like a Devil the other like a beast so seem'd the Lover and the Bawd when men have Reason to govern as much as Appetite to perswade the one proceeding from the Soul the other from the body besides Virtue is the Natural Complexion of the Soul not Vice for Vice is bred not born in man As for Youth it is so fantastical extravagant wilde and self-opinionated doing such ridiculous Actions putting themselves into such affected Postures as I might be as soon enamour'd with a Jack-anapes Besides the discourses of Youth are so flashy as it gives the hearers no relish and their Judgment is so shallow and their Understanding so mysty as when Reason discourses with them it is apt to be lost in the darkness of Ignorance Lastly for Beauty in men it is worse than unhansomeness in women for an ill-favour'd woman seems masculine as if she had an Heroick Spirit though she were a Coward to have a judicious Understanding though she should be a Fool to be Chaste although she were Wanton when on the contrary a beautiful man appears Effeminate Foolish and Cowardly when perchance he may be Wise and Valiant yet 't is Beauty makes him seem otherwise and for the most part a beautiful man is more nice and curious about his person as in his cloathing dressing trimming perfuming powdering curling and some will pomate and paine themselves all which seems to me preposterous to men insomuch as I could as soon be amorously affected with my own Sex as those that are accounted beautiful men and you might sooner be jealous of Age than Youth with a Sun-burnt face and a wither'd skin than a face that looks as if it had not seen the Sun or the Sun it nor felt the nipping Frost nor parching Wind but I hope you have a better opinion of your self than to be jealous as to think I can like any man better or so well as you And if you have not so good an opinion of me us to believe I am constantly honest yet I have such an assurance of my self as to know I am not liable to be corrupted and I am so Chaste as I have not a thought subject to fully the purity of my chaste Mind and honest Heart Sage I believe you Exeunt Scene 40. Enter Roger Trusty as to his Master Sir VVilliam Lovewell LOvewell What is the matter Roger that you are come Trusty And 't please your Worship my Lady hath sent me to know how your VVorship is in health Lovewell VVhy very well How does she Trusty She 's well but that she 's afraid your VVorship 's kill'd Lovewell If I were kill'd I were past sickness or health But who should kill me Trusty Nay that her Ladyship could not guess Lovewell Return home to your Lady and tell her I shall be with her within an hour Trusty I dare not leave your VVorship for she hath sent me to guard and protect you from all harm and to fight in your quarrel and hath sent one of the Foot-boys to bring her word how your VVorship doth Lovewell Go you and return back and tell your Lady from me that Honesty Civility and Courage is a sufficient Guard and Protection if not then my Sword and my
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