May I ne're find pity Sir John Be your own judge Appear as I commanded Sad musick Enter Goldwire and Tradewell as from prison Fortune Hoyst Penurie following after them Shavem in a blew gown Secret Dingem Old Tradewell and Old Goldwire with Serjeants As erected they all kneel to Luke heaving up their hands for mercy Stargaze with a pack of Alminacks Milliscent Luke Ha ha ha This move me to compassion or raise One sign of seeming pity in my face You are deceiv'd it rather renders me more flinty and obdurate A South wind Shall sooner soften marble and the rain That slides down gently from his flaggy wings O'reflow the Alps then knees or tears or groans Shall wrest compunction from me 'T is my glory That they are wretched and by me made so It sets my happinesse off I could not triumph If these were not my captives Ha! my tarriers As it appears have seiz'd on these old foxes As I gave order New addition to My Scene of mirth Ha ha They now grow tedious Let 'em be remov'd some other object If Your art can shew it Sir John You shall perceive 't is boundlesse Yet one thing reall if you please Luke What is it S. Jo. Your Neeces er'e they put to Sea crave humbly Though absent in their bodys they may take leave Of their late suitors statues Enter Lady Anne and Mary Luke There they hang In things different I am tractable Sir John There pay your vows you have liberty Ann. O sweet figure Of my abused Lacie when remov'd Into another world I 'le daily pay A sacrifice of sight to thy remembrance And with a shower of tears strive to wash of The stain of that contempt my foolish pride And insolence threw upon thee Marie I had been Too happie if I had injoy'd the substance But far unworthy of it now I shall Thus prostrate to thy statue Lady My kind husband Blessed in my misery from the monastery To which my disobedience confin'd thee With thy souls eye which distance cannot hinder Look on my penitence O that I could Call back time past thy holy vow dispens'd With what humility would I observe My long neglected duty Sir John Does not this move you Luke Yes as they do the statues and her sorrow My absent brother If by your magick art You can give life to these or bring him hither To witnesse her repentance I may have Perchance some feeling of it Sir John For your sport You shall see a Master-piece Here 's nothing but A superficies colours and no substance Sit still and to your wonder and amazement I 'le give these Organs This the sacrifice To make the great work perfect Enter Lacie and Plenty Luke Prodigious S. John Nay they have life and motion Descend And for your absent brother This wash'd off Against your will you shall know him Enter Lord and the rest Luke I am lost Guilt strikes me dumb Sir John You have seen my Lord the pageant Lord I have and am ravish'd with it S. John What think you now Of this clear soul this honest pious man Have I stripp'd him bare Or will your Lordship have A farther triall of him 't is not in a wolf to change his nature Lord I long since confess'd my errours S. John Look up I forgive you And seal your pardons thus Lady I am too full Of joy to speak it Ann. I am another creature Not what I was Mary I vow to shew my self When I am married an humble wife Not a commanding mistris Plenty On those terms I gladly thus embrace you Lacte. Welcome to My bosome As the one half of my self I 'le love you and cherish you Goldwire Mercv Tradewell and the rest Good Sir mercy Sir John This day is sacred to it All shall find me As far as lawfull pity can give way too 't Indulgent to your wishes though with losse Unto my self My kind and honest brother Looking into your self have you seen the Gorgon What a golden dream you have had in the possession Of my estate but here 's a revocation That wakes you out of it Monster in nature Revengefull avaritious Atheist Transcending all example But I shall bee A sharer in thy crimes should I repeat 'em What wilt thou do Turn hypocrite again With hope dissimulation can aid thee Or that one eye will shed a tear in sign Of sorrow for thee I have warrant to Make bold with mine own pray you uncase This key too I must make bold with Hide thy self in some desart Where good men ner'e may find thee or in justice Pack to Virginia and repent Not for Those horrid ends to which thou did'st design these Luke I care not where I go what 's done with words Cannot be undone Exit Luke Lady Yet Sir shew some mercy Because his cruelty to me and mine Did good upon us Sir John Of that at better leisure As his penitencie shall work me Make you good Your promis'd reformation and mistrust Our City dames whom wealth makes proud to move In their own spheres and willingly to confesse In their habits manners and their highest port A distance 'twixt the City and the Court Exeunt omnes FINIS
since my Master longs to be undone The great Fiend be his Steward I will pray And blesse my self from him Exit Holdfast Goldwire The wretch shews in this An honest care Luke Out on him with the fortune Of a slave he has the mind of one However She bears me hard I like my Ladies humor And my brothers sufferage to it They are now Busie on all hands one side eager for Large portions the other arguing strictly For jointures and securitie but this Being above our scale no way concerns us How dul you look in the mean time how intend you To spend the hours Goldwire We well know how we would But dare not serve our wills Tradewell Being prentices We are bound to attendance Luke Have you almost serv'd out The term of your Indentures yet make conscience By starts to use your liberty Hast thou traded In the other world expos'd unto all dangers To make thy Master rich yet dar'st not take Some portion of the profit for thy pleasure Or wilt thou being keeper of the Cash Like an Ass that carries dainties feed on Thistles Are you gentlemen born yet have no gallant tincture Of gentry in you You are no Mechanicks Nor serve some needy shop-keeper who surveighs His every-day-takings You have in your keeping A masse of wealth from which you may take boldly And no way be discover'd He 's no rich man That knows all he possesses and leavs nothing For his servants to make prey of I blush for you Blush at your poverty of spirit you The brave sparks of the City Goldwire M. Luke I wonder you should urge this having felt What miserie follows riot Tradewell And the penance You indur'd for 't in the Counter Luke You are fools The case is not the same I spent mine own money And my stock being smal no mervail 't was soon wasted But you without the least doubt or suspicion If cautelous may make bold with your Masters As for example when his Ships come home And you take your receipts as 't is the fashion For fifty bales of Silk you may write forty Or for so many pieces of Cloth of Bodkin Tissue Gold Silver Velvets Sattins Taffaties A piece of each deducted from the grosse Will never be miss'd a dash of a pen will do it Trad. I but our fathers bonds that lye in pawn For our honesties must pay for 't Luke A meer bugbear Invented to fright children As I live Were I the master of my brothers fortunes I should glory in such servants Did'st thou know What ravishing lechery it is to enter An Ordinarie ca pa pe trim'd like a Gallant For which in truncks conceal'd be ever furnish'd The reverence respect the crouches cringes The musical chime of Gold in your cram'd pockets Commands from the attendants and poor Porters Tradewell Oh rare Luke Then sitting at the Table with The braveries of the kingdom you shall hear Occurrents from all corners of the world The plots the Counsels the designs of Princes And freely censure 'em the City wits Cri'd up or decri'd as their passions lead 'em Judgment having nought to do there Tradewell Admirable Luke My Lord no sooner shal rise out of his chair The gameing Lord I mean but you may boldly By the priviledge of a gamester fill his room For in play you are all fellows have your knife Assoon in the Pheasant drink your health as freely And striking in a luckie hand or two Buy out your time Tradewell This may be but suppose We should be known Luke Have mony and good cloaths And you may passe invisible Or if You love a Madam-punck and your wide nostrill Be taken with the sent of cambrick smocks Wrought and perfum'd Goldwire There there M. Luke There lyes my road of happiness Luke Injoy it And pleasures stol'n being sweetest apprehend The raptures of being hurried in a Coach To Brainford Stanes or Barnet Goldwire 'T is inchanting I have prov'd it Luke Hast thou Goldwire Yes in all these places I have had my several Pagans billeted For my own tooth and after ten pound suppers The curtains drawn my Fidlers playing all night The shaking of the sheets which I have danc'd Again and again with my Cockatrice M. Luke You shall be of my counsel and we two sworn brothers And therefore I 'le be open I am out now Six hundred in the Cash yet if on a sudden I should be call'd to account I have a trick How to evade it and make up the sum Tradewell Is 't possible Luke You can intrust your Tutor How how good Tom Goldwire Why look you We cash-keepers Hold correspondence supply one another On all occasions I can borrow for a week Two hundred pounds of one as much of a second A third lays down the rest and when they want As my Masters monies come in I do repay it Ka me ka thee Luke An excellent knot 't is pity It e're should be unloos'd for me it shall not You are shew'n the way friend Tradewell ou may make use on 't Or freeze in the ware-house and keep company With the Cator Holdfast Tradewell No I am converted A Barbican Broker will furnish me with out side And then a crash at the Ordinarie Goldwire I am for The Lady you saw this morning who indeed is My proper recreation Luke Go to Tom What did you make me Goldwire I 'le do as much for you Imploy me when you please Luke If you are enquired for I will excuse you both Tradewell Kind M. Luke Goldwire Wee 'l break my Master to make you You know Luke I cannot love money go boyes When time serves It shall appear I have another end in 't Exeunt Enter Lord Sir John Lacie Plenty Lady Ann Mary Milliscent Sir John Ten thousand pounds a piece I 'le make their portions And after my decease it shall be double Provided you assure them for their jointures 800 l. per annum and intail A thousand more upon the heirs male Begotten on their bodies Lord Sir you bind us To very strict conditions Plentie You my Lord May do as you please but to me it seems strange We should conclude of portions and of jointures Before our hearts are settled Ladie You say right A chair set out There are counsels of more moment and importance On the making up of marriages to be Consider'd duly then the portion or the jointures In which a mothers care must be exacted And I by speciall priviledge may challenge A casting voice Lord How 's this Lady Even so my Lord In these affairs I govern Lord Give you way to 't S. John I must my Lord Lady 'T is fit he should and shall You may consult of somthing else this Province Is wholly mine Lacie By the City custom Madam Lady Yes my young Sir and both must look my daughters Will hold it by my Copie Plenty Brave i'faith S. John Give her leave to talk we have the power to do And now touching the businesse we last talk'd
from my Husband That 's base all o're mine shall receive from me What I think fit I 'le have the State convey'd Into my hands and be put to his pension Which the wise virago's of our climate practise I will receive your rents Plenty You shall be hang'd first Mary Make sale or purchase Nay I 'le have my neighbours Instructed when a passenger shall ask Whose house is this though you stand by to answer The Lady Plenties Or who owes this manner The Lady Plenty Whose sheep are these whose oxen The Lady Plenties Plentie A plentifull Pox upon you Mary And when I have children if it be enquir'd By a stranger whose they are they shall still Eccho My Lady Plenties the Husband never thought on Plenty In their begetting I think so Mary Since you 'l marry In the City for our wealth in justice we Must have the Countries Soveraignty Plenty And we nothing Mary A Nagg of forty shillings a couple of Spaniels With a Spar-Hawk is sufficient and these too As you shall behave your self during my pleasure I will not greatly stand on I have said Sir Now if you like me so Lady At my intreaty The Articles shall be easier Plenty Shall they i'faith Like Bitch like Whelps Lacie Use fair words Plenty I cannot I have read of a house of pride and now I have found one A whirle winde overturn it Lacie On these terms Wil your minxship be a Lady Plenty A Lady in a morris I 'le wedd a Pedlers punck first Lacie Tinkers trull A begger without a smock Plenty Let Mounsieur Almanack Since he is so cunning with his Jacob's Staffe Find you out a Husband in a bowling Ally Lacie The general pimp to a Brothel Plenty Though that now All the loose desires of man were rak'd up in me And no means but thy Maiden-head left to quench 'em I would turn Cynders or the next Sow-gelder On my life should libb me rather then imbrace thee Ann. Wooing do you call this Mary A Bear-baiting rather Plenty Were you worried you deserve it and I hope I shall live to see it Lacie I 'le not rail nor curse you Only this you are pretty peates and your great portions Adds much unto your handsomenesse but as You would command your Husbands you are beggers Deform'd and uglie Lady Hear me Plenty Not a word more Exeunt Lacie and Plenty Ann. I ever thought 't would come to this Mary Wee may Lead Apes in Hell for Husbands if you bind us T' articulate thus with our sutors Both speak weeping Stargaze Now the Clowd breaks And the Storm will fall on me Lady You rascal jugler She breaks his head and beats him Stargaze Dear Madam Lady Hold you intelligence with the Starrs And thus deceive me Stargaze My art cannot erre If it does I 'le burn my Astrolabe In mine own Starr I did fore see this broken head and beating And now your Ladyship sees as I do feel it It could not be avoided Lady Did you Stargaze Madam Have patience but a week and if you finde not All my predictions true touching your daughters And a change of fortune to your self a rare one Turn me out of doors These are not the men the Planets Appointed for their Husbands there will come Gallants of another metall Milliscent Once more trust him Ann. and Mary Do Lady mother Ladie I am vex'd look to it Turn o're your books if once again you fool me You shall graze elswhere Come Girles Exeunt Stargaze I am glad I scap'd thus Actus secundus Scena tertia Enter Lord and Sir John Lord THe plot shews very likely Sir John I repose My principal trust in your Lordship 't will prepare The physick I intend to minister To my Wife and Daughters Lord I will do my parts To set it off to the life Enter Lacie and Plenty Sir John It may produce A Scene of no vulgar mirth Here come the Suitors When we understand how they relish my Wife's humors The rest is feasible Lord Their looks are cloudie Sir John How fits the wind Are you ready to launch forth Into this sea of marriage Plenty Call it rather A Whirle-pool of afflictions Lacie If you please To injoin me to it I will undertake To find the North-passage to the Indies sooner Then plough with your proud Heifer Plenty I will make A Voiage to Hell first Sir John How Sir Plenty And court Proserpine In the fight of Pluto his three headed Porter Cerberus standing by and all the furies With their whips to scourge me for 't then say I Jeffrey Take your Mary for my Wife Lord Why what 's the matter Lacie The matter is the mother with your pardon I cannot but speak so much is a most insufferable Proud insolent Ladie Plenty And the daughter 's worse The Damm in years had th' advantage to be wicked But they were so in her belly Lacie I must tell you With reverence to your wealth I do begin To think you of the same leaven Plenty Take my counsel 'T is safer for your credit to prosesse Your self a Cuckold and upon record Then say they are your Daughters Sir John You go too far Sir Lacie They have so Articl'd with us Plenty And will not take us For their Husbands but their slaves and so aforehand They do profess they 'l use us Sir John Leave this heat Though they are mine I must tell you the perverseneess Of their manners which they did not take from me But from their mother qualified they deserve Your equalls Lacie True but what 's bred in the bone Admits no hope of cure Plenty Though Saints and Angels Were their Physitians Sir John You conclude too fast Plenty God bowy you I 'le travail three years but I 'le bury This shame that lives upon me Lacie With your licence I 'le keep him company Lord who shall furnish you For your expences Plenty He shall not need your help My purse is his we were rivals but now friends And will live and die so Lacie E're we go I 'le pay My duty as a son Plenty And till then leave you Ext. Lscei and Plenty Lord They are strangely mov'd Sir John What 's wealth accompanied With disobedience in a wife and children My heart will break Lord Be comforted and hope better Wee 'l ride abroad the fresh air and discourse May yield us new inventions Sir John You are noble And shall in all things as you please command me Exeunt Actus tertius Scena prima Enter Shaveem and Secret Secret DEad doings Daughter Shave'm Doings sufferings mother Men have forgot what doing is And such as have to pay for what they do Are impotent or Eunuchs Secret You have a friend yet And a striker too I take it Musick come down Shaveem. Goldwire is so And comes to me by stealth and as he can steal maintains me In cloaths I grant but alas Dame what 's one friend I would have a hundred for every hour and use And change
THE City-Madam A COMEDIE As it was acted at the private House in Black Friers with great applause Written by Phillip Massinger Gent. LONDON Printed for Andrew Pennycuicke one of the Actors in the year 1659 The Actors names Lord Lacie Sir John Rich a Merchant Sir John Lacie Son to Lord Lacy Mr. Plenty a Country Gentleman Luke Brother to Sir John Rich Old Goldwire Two Gentlemen Old Tradewell Young Goldwire their sons prentices to Sir John Rich Young Tradewell Stargaze an Astrologer Fortune a decaied Merchant Hoyst a decaied gentleman Penurie Holdfast a Steward Ramble Scuffle two Hectors Dingem a Pimpe Gettall a Box-keeper Lady Rich Anne her daughters Mary Milliscent her woman Shavem a Wench Secret a Baud Scene London To the truly Noble and virtuous Lady Ann Countess of Oxford HONOURED LADY IN that age when wit and learning were outconquered by injury and violence this Poem was the object of love and Commendations it being composed by an infallible pen and censured by an unerring Auditory In this Epistle I shall not need to make an Apologie for Playes in generall by exhibiting their antiquity and utility in a word they are mirrors or glasses which none but deformed faces and fouler consciences fear to look into The encouragement I had to prefer this dedication to your powerfull protection proceeds from the universall fame of the deceased Author who although he composed many writ none amiss and this may justly be ranked amongst his best I have redeemed it from the teeth of time by committing of it to the press but in more imploring your Patronage I wil not slander it with my praises it is commendations enough to call it Massingers if it may gain your allowance and pardon I am highly gratified and desire only to wear the happy title of MADAM Your humblest Servant Andrew Pennycuicke THE City-Madam A COMEDIE Actus primus Scena prima Enter Goldwire and Tradewell Goldwire THe Ship is safe in the Pool then Tradewell And makes good In her rich fraught the name shee bears the Speedwell My Master will find it for on my certain knowledg For every hundred that hee ventured in her She hath return'd him five Goldwire And it comes timely For besides a paiment on the nail for a Mannor Late purchas'd by my Master his young daughters Are ripe for marriage Tradewell Who Nan and Moll Goldwire Mistris Anne and Mary and with some addition Or 't is more punishable in our house Then Scandalum magnatum Tradewell 'T is great pitie Such a Gentleman as my Master for that title His being a Citizen cannot take from him Hath no male heir to inherit his estate And keep his name alive Goldwire The want of one Swells my young Mistresses and their madam mother With hopes above their birth and scale Their dreams are Of being made Countesses and they take state As they were such already When you went To the Indies there was some shape and proportion Of a Merchants house in our family but since My Master to gain precedencie for my Mistris Above some Elder Merchants Wives was knighted 'T is grown a little Court in bravery Variety of fashions and those rich ones There are few great Ladies going to a Masque That do out-shine ours in their every-day habits Tradewell 'T is strange my Master in his wisdom can Give the reins to such exorbitancie Goldwire He must Or there 's no peace nor rest for him at home I grant his state will bear it yet hee 's censur'd For his indulgence and for Sir John Frugall By some styl'd Sir John Prodigal Tradewell Is his brother Mr. Luke Frugal living Goldwire Yes the more His misery poor man Tradewell Still in the Counter Goldwire In a worser place He was redeemed from the hole To live in our house in hell since his base usage Consider'd 't is no better My proud Ladie Admits him to her Table marry ever Beneath the Salt and there he sits the subject Of her contempt and scorn and dinner ended His courteous Neeces find emploiment for him Fitting an under-prentice or a Footman And not an Uncle Tradewel. I wonder being a Scholler well read and travel'd The world yielding means for men of such desert He should endure it Enter Star-gaze Ladie Anne Mary Millescent in several postures with looking-glasses at their girdles Goldwire He does with a strange patience and to us The servants so familiar nay humble I 'le tell you but I am cut off Look these Like a Citizens wife and daughters Tradewel. In their habits They appear other things but what are the motives Of this strange preparation Goldwire The young wag-tails Expect their suitors The first the Son and Heir Of the Lord Ladie who needs my Masters money As his daughter does his honour The second Mr. Plenty A rough hew'n gentleman and newly come To a great estate and so all aids of Art In them 's excusable Lady You have done your parts here To your studie and be curious in the search Of the Nativities Exit Stargaze Tradewel. Me thinks the mother As if she could renew her youth in care Nay curiosity to appear lovely Comes not behind her daughters Goldwire Keeps the first place And though the Church-book speak her fifty they That say she can write thirty more offend her Then if they tax'd her honesty t'other day A Tenant of hers instructed in her humor But one she never saw being brought before her For saying onely Good young Mistris help me To the speech of your Lady-mother so far pleas'd her That he got his Lease renew'd for 't Tradewell How she bristles Prethee observe her Millescent As I hope to see A Country Knights son and heir walk bare before you When you are a Countess as you may be one When my Master dies or leavs trading and I continuing Your principal woman take the upper-hand Of a Squires wife though a Justice as I must By the place you give me you look now as young As when you were married Lady I think I bear my years well Millescent Why should you talk of years Time hath not plough'd One furrow in your face and were you not known The mother of my young Ladies you might passe For a Virgin of fifteen Tradewell Here 's no grosse flattery Will she swallow this Goldwire You see she does and glibly Millescent You never can be old wear but a Masque Forty years hence and you will still seem young In your other parts What a waste is here O Venus That I had been born a King and here a hand To be kissed ever Pardon my boldnesse Madam Then for a leg and foot you will be courter When a great Grandmother Ladye These indeed Wench are not So subject to decayings as the face Their Comliness last's longer Milliscent Ever ever Such a rare Featur'd and proportion'd Madam London could never boast of Ladye Where are my Shoos Milliscent Those that your Ladyship gave order Should be made of the Spanish Perfum'd Skins Ladye The
upon you but in this dear Sir You have many equals Such a mans possessions Extend as far as yours a second hath His bags as full a third in credit flies As high in the popular voice but the distinction And noble difference by which you are Divided from 'em is that you are styl'd Gentle in your abundance good in plentie And that you feel compassion in your bowels Of others miseries I have found it Sir Heaven keep me thankful for 't while they are curs'd As rigid and inexorable Sir John I delight not To hear this spoke to my face Luke That shall not grieve you Your affability and mildnesse cloath'd In the garments of your debtors breath Shall every where though you strive to conceal it Be seen and wondred at and in the act With a prodigall hand rewarded Whereas such As are born only for themselvs and live so Though prosperous in wordly understandings Are but like beasts of rapine that by odds Of strength usurp and tyrannize o're others Brought under their subjection Lord A rare fellow I am strangely taken with him Luke Can you think Sir In your unquestion'd wisdome I beseech you The goods of this poor man sold at an out-crie His wife turn'd out of doors his children forc'd To beg their bread this gentleman's estate By wrong extorted can advantage you Hoyst If it thrive with him hang me as it will damn him If he be not converted Luke You are too violent Or that the ruine of this once brave Merchant For such he was esteem'd though now decay'd Will raise your reputation with good men But you may urge pray you pardon me my zeal Makes mee thus bold and vehement in this You satisfie your anger and revenge For being defeated Suppose this it will not Repair your losse and there was never yet But shame and scandall in a victorie When the rebells unto reasons passions fought it Then for revenge by great souls it was ever Contemn'd though offered entertain'd by none But cowards base and abject spirits strangers To morall honestie and never yet Acquainted with religion Lord Our divines Cannot speak more effectually Sir John Shall I be Talk'd out of my money Luke No Sir but intreated To do your self a benefit and preserve What you possesse intire Sir John How my good brother Luke By making these your beads-men When they eat Their thanks next heaven will be paid to your mercy When your Ships are at Sea their prayers will swell The Sails with prosperous winds and guard 'em from Tempests and pirates keep your ware-houses From fire or quench 'em with their tears Sir John No more Luke Write you a good man in the peoples hearts Follow you every where Sir John If this could be Luke It must or our devotions are but words I see a gentle promise in your eie Make it a blessed act and poor me rich In being the instrument S. John You shall prevail Give 'em longer day But do you hear no talk of 't Should this arrive at twelve on the Exchange I shall be laught at for my foolish pity Which mony men hate deadly Take your own time But see you break not Carrie 'em to the Cellar Drink a health and thank your Orator Penurie On our knees Sir Fortune Honest M. Luke Hoyst I blesse the Counter where You learn'd this Retorick Luke No more of that friends Exeunt Luke Hoyst Fortune Penurie S. John My honorable Lord Lord I have seen and heard all Excuse my manners and wish heartily You were all of a peece Your charity to your debtors I do commend but where you should expresse Your pietie to the height I must boldly tell you You shew your self an Athiest Sir John Make me know My error and for what I am thus censur'd And I will purge my self or else confesse A guiltie cause Lord It is your harsh demeanour To your poor brother S. John Is that all Lord 'T is more Then can admit defence You keep him as A Parasite to your table subject to The scorn of your proud wife an underling To his own Neeces And can I with mine honor Mix my blood with his that is not sensible Of his brothers miseries S. John Pray you take me with you And let mee yeeld my reasons why I am No opener handed to him I was born His elder brother yet my fathers fondnesse To him the younger robb'd me of my birth-right He had a fair estate which his loose riots Soon brought to nothing Wants grew heavy on him And when layd up for debt of all forsaken And in his own hopes lost I did redeem him Lord You could not do lesse S. John Was I bound to it my Lord What I possesse I may with justice call The harvest of my industry Would you have me Neglecting mine own family to give up My estate to his disposure Lord I would have you What 's pass'd forgot to use him as a brother A brother of fair parts of a clear soul Religious good and honest S. John Outward gloss Often deceivs may it not prove so in him And yet my long acquaintance with his nature Renders me doubtful but that shall not make A breach between us Let us in to dinner And what trust or imployment you think sit Shall be conferred upon him If he prove True gold in the touch I 'le be no mourner for it Lord If counterfeit I 'le never trust my judgment Exeunt Actus secundus Scena prima Enter Luke Holdfast Goldwire Tradewell Holdfast The like was never seen Luk. Why in this rage man Holdfast Men may talk of Country-Christmases and Courtgluttonie Their thirty pound butter'd eggs their Pies of Carps tongues Their Pheasants drench'd with Ambergreece the carkases Of three fat Weathers bruised for gravie to Make sauce for a single Peacock yet their feasts Were fasts compar'd with the Cities Tradewell What deer dainty Was it thou murmur'st at Holdfast Did you not observe it There were three sucking piggs serv'd up in a dish Took from the sow as soon as farrowed A fortnight fed with dates and muskadine That stood my Master in twenty marks a piece Besides the puddings in their bellies made Of I know not what I dare swear the cook that dress'd it Was the Devill disguis'd like a Dutch-man Goldwire Yet all this Will not make you fat fellow Holdfast Holdfast I am rather Starv'd to look on 't But here 's the mischief though The dishes were rais'd one upon another As woodmongers do billets for the first The second and third course and most of the shopps Of the best confectioners in London ransack'd To furnish out a banquet yet my Lady Call'd me penurious rascall and cri'd out There was nothing worth the eating Goldwire You must have patience This is not done often Holdfast 'T is not fit it should Three such dinners more would break an Alderman And make him give up his cloak I am resolv'd To have no hand in 't I 'le make up my accompts And
when you awake I 'le make a certain truth but I must be A doer not a promiser The performance Requiring host I kisse your hands and leave you Exit Luke Lord Are we all turn'd statues have his strange words charm'd us What muse you on Lady Lady Do not trouble me Lord Sleep you too young ones Anne Swift wing'd time till now Was never tedious to me Would 't were night Mary Nay morning rather Lord Can you grouud your faith On such impossibilities have you so soon Forgot your good Husband Lady Hee was a vanitie I must no more remember Lord Excellent You your kind Father Anne Such an Uncle never Was read of in Storie Lord Not one word in answer Of my demands Mary You are but a Lord and know My thoughts soar higher Lord Admirable I will leave you To your Castles in the Air when I relate this It will exceed belief but he must know it Exit Lord Stargaze Now I may boldly speak May it please you Madam To look upon your Vassal I foresaw this The Starrs assur'd it Lady I begin to feel My self another woman Stargaze Now you shall find All my predictions true and nobler matches Prepar'd for my young Ladies Milliscent Princely Husbands Anne I 'le go no lesse Mary Not a word more Provide my night-rayl Millisc. What shall we be to morrow Exeunt Actus tertius Scena tertia Enter Luke with a key Luke T Was no phantastick object but a truth A reall truth Nor dream I did not slumber And could wake ever with a brooding eye To gaze upon 't It did indure the touch I saw and felt it Yet what I beheld And handl'd oft did so transcend beleefe My wonder and astonishment pass'd ore I faintly could give credit to my senses Thou dumb magician that without a charm Did'st make my entrance easie to possesse What wise men wish and toyl for Hermes Moly Sybilla's golden bough the great Elixar Imagin'd onely by the Alchymist Compar'd with thee are shadows thou the substance And guardian of felicity No marvail My brother made thy place of rest his bosome Thou being the keeper of his heart a mistris To be hugg'd ever In by corners of This sacred room silver in bags heap'd up Like billets saw'd and ready for the fire Unworthy to hold fellowship with bright gold That flow'd about the room conceal'd it self There needs no artificiall light the splendor Makes a perpetuall day there night and darknesse By that still burning lamp for ever banish'd But when guided by that my eyes had made Discovery of the caskets and they open'd Each sparkling diamond from it self shot forth A pyram'd of flames and in the roof Fix it a glorious Star and made the place Heavens abstract or Epitome Rubies Saphires and ropes of Orient pearl these seen I could not But look on with contempt And yet I found What weak credulity could have no faith in A treasure far exceeding these Here lay A mannor bound fast in a skin of parchment The wax continuing hard the acres melting Here a sure deed of gift for a market town If not redeem'd this day which is not in The unthrists power There being scarce one shire In Wales or Englands where my moneys are not Lent out at usurie the certain hook To draw in more I am sublim'd grosse earth Supports me not I walk on ayr who 's there Theivs raise the street thievs Enter Lord Sir John Lacie and Plenty as Indians Lord What strange passion 's this Have you your eies do you know me Luke You my Lord I do but this retinue in these shapes too May well excuse my fears When 't is your pleasure That I should wait upon you give me leave To do it at your own house for I must tell you Things as they now are with me well consider'd I do not like such visitants Lord Yesterday When you had nothing praise your poverty for 't You could have sung secure before a thief But now you are grown rich doubts and suspitions And needless fears possess you Thank a good brother But let not this exalt you Luke A good brother Good in his conscience I confesse and wise In giving o're the world But his estate Which your Lordship may conceive great no way answers The general opinion Alas With a great charge I am left a poor man by him Lord A poor man say you Luke Poor compar'd with what 'T is thought I do possesse Some little land Fair houshold furniture a few good debts But empty bags I find yet I will be A faithful Steward to his wife and daughters And to the utmost of my power obey His will in all things Lord I 'le not argue with you Of his estate but bind you to performance Of his last request which is for testimony Of his religious charitie that you would Receive these Indians lately sent him from Virginia into your house and labour At any rate with the best of your endeavours Assisted by the aids of our Divines To make 'm Christians Luke Call you this my Lord Religious charitie to send Infidelle Like hungrie Locusts to devour the bread Should feed his family I neither can Nor will consent to 't Lord Do not slight it 't is With him a businesse of such consequence That should he onely hear 't is not embrac'd And chearfully in this his conscience aiming At the saving of three souls 't will draw him o're To see it himself accomplish'd Luke Heaven forbid I should divert him from his holy purpose To worldly cares again I rather will Sustain the burthen and with the converted Feast the converters who I know will prove The greater feeders Sir John Oh ha enewah Christ bully leika Plenty Enaula Lacy. Harrico botikia bonnery Luke Ha! In this heathen language How is it possible our Doctors should Hold conference with 'em or I use the means For their conversion Lord That shall be no hinderance To your good purposes They have liv'd long In the English Colonie and speak our language As their own Dialect the businesse does concern you Mine own designs command me hence Continue As in your poverty you were a pious And honest man Exit Luke That is interpreted A slave and begger Sir John You conceive it right There being no religion nor virtue But in abundance and no vice but want All deities serve Plutus Luke Oracle Sir John Temples rais'd to our selvs in the increase Of wealth and reputation speak a wiseman But sacrifice to an imagin'd power Of which we have no sense but in belief A superstitious fool Luke True worldly wisdom Sir John All knowledge else is folly Laoie. Now we are yours Be confident your better Angel is Enter'd your house Plenty There being nothing in The compasse of your wishes but shall end In their fruition to the full Sir John As yet You do not know us but when you understand The wonders we can do and what the ends were That brought us hither
Virginia and commanded With many stripes for that 's his cruel custome I should provide on pain of his fierce wrath Against the next great sacrifice at which We groveling on our faces fall before him Two Christian Virgins that with their pure blood Might dy his horrid Altars and a third In his hate to such embraces as are lawful Married and with your cerimonious rites As an oblation unto Hecate And wanton Lust her favorite Luke A divellish custom And yet why should it startle me there are Enough of the Sex fit for t his use but Virgins And such a Matron as you speak of hardly to be wrought to it Plenty A Mine of Gold for a fee Waits him that undertakes it and performs it Lacie Know you no distressed Widow or poor Maids whose want of dower though well born Makes 'em weary of their own Country Sir John Such as had rather be Miserable in another world then where They have surfeited in felicity Luke Give me leave I would not loose this purchase A grave Matron And two pure virgins Umph I think my Sister Though proud was ever honest and my Neeces Untainted yet Why should not they be shipp'd For this employment they are burden some to me And eat too much And if they stay in London They will find friends that to my losse will force me To composition 'T were a Master-piece If this could be effected They were ever Ambitious of title Should I urge Matching with these they shall live Indian Queens It may do much But what shall I feel here Knowing to what they are design'd They absent The thought of them will leave me It shall be so I 'le furnish you and to indear the service In mine own family and my blood too Sir John Make this good and your house shall not Contain the gold wee 'l send you Luke You have seen my Sister and my two Neeces Sir John Yes Sir Luke These perswaded How happily they shall live and in what pomp When they are in your kingdoms for you must Work 'em a beliefe that you are Kings Plenty We are so Luke I 'le put it in practice instantly Study you For moving language Sister Neeces How Enter Lady Ann Mary Stil mourning dry your eyes and clear these clouds That do obscure your beauties Did you believe My personated reprehension though It shew'd like a rough anger could be serious Forget the fright I put you in My ends In humbling you was to set off the height Of honour principle honor which my studies When you least expect it shall confer upon you Still you seem doubtfull be not wanting to Your selvs nor let the strangenesse of the means With the shadow of some danger render you Incredulous Lady Our usage hath been such As we can faintly hope that your intents And language are the same Luke I 'le change those hopes To certainties Sir John With what art he winds about them Luke What wil you say or what thanks shall I look for If now I raise you to such eminence as The wife and daughters of a Citizen Never arriv'd at Many for their wealth I grant Have written Ladies of honor and some few Have higher titles and that 's the farthest rise You can in England hope for What think you If I should mark you out a way to live Queens in another climate The Banquet ready One Chair and Wine Ann. Wee desire A competence Mary And prefer our Countries smoke Before outlandish fire Lady But should we listen To such impossibilities 't is not in The power of man to make it good Luke I 'le doo 't Nor is this seat of majesty far remov'd It is but to Virginia Lady How Virginia High Heaven forbid Remember Sir I beseech you What creatures are shipp'd thither Ann. Condemn'd wretches Forfeited to the law Mary Strumpets and Bauds For the abomination of their life Spew'd out of their own Country Luke Your false fears Abuse my noble purposes Such indeed Are sent as slaves to labour there but you To absolute soveraignty Observe these men With reverence observe them They are Kings Kings of such spacious territories and dominions As our great Britain measur'd will appear A garden too 't Lacie You shall be ador'd there As Goddesses Sir John Your litters made of gold Supported by your vassalls proud to bear The burthen on their shoulders Plenty Pomp and ease With delicates that Europe never knew Like Pages shall wait on you Luke If you have minds To entertain the greatnesse offer'd to you With outstretched arms and willing hands embrace it But this refus'd imagine what can make you Most miserable here and rest assur'd In storms it falls upon you take em in And use your best perswasion If that fail I 'le send em aboard in a dry fat Sir John Be not mov'd Sir Wee 'l work 'em to your will yet e're we part Your worldly cares defer'd a little mirth Would not misbecome us Exeunt Lacie Plenty Lady Ann Mary Luke You say well And now It coms into my memory this is my birth-day Which with solemity I would observe But that it would ask cost Sir John That shall not grieve you By my art I will prepare you such a feast As Persia in her height of pomp and riot Did never equall and ravishing Musick As the Italian Princes seldome heard At their greatest entertainments Name your guests Luke I must have none Sir John Not the City Senate Luke No Nor yet poor neighbours The first would argue me Of foolish ostentation The latter Of too much hospitality and a virtue Grown obsolete and uselesse I will sit Alone and surfet in my store while others With envy pine at it My Genius pamper'd With the thought of what I am and what they suffer I have mark'd out to miserie Sir John You shall And something I will add you yet conceive not Nor will I be slow-pac'd Luke I have one businesse And that dispatch'd I am free Sir John About it Sir Leave the rest to me Luke Till now I ne're lov'd magick Exeunt Actus quintus Scena secunda Enter Lord Old Goldwire and Old Tradewell Lord BElieve me gentlemen I never was So cozen'd in a fellow He disguis'd Hypocrisie in such a cunning shape Of reall goodnesse that I would have sworn This divell a Saint M. Goldwire and M. Tradewell What do you mean to do put on Old Goldwire With your Lordships favour Lord I 'le have it so Old Tradew. Your will my Lord excuses The rudenesse of our manners Lord You have receiv'd Penitent letters from your sons I doubt not Old Tradew. They are our onely sons Old Goldw. And as we are fathers Remembring the errous of our youth We would pardon slips in them Old Tradewell and pay for 'em In a moderate way Old Goldw. In which we hope your Lordship Will be our mediator Lord All my power Enter Luke You freely shall command 'T is he you are wel met And to my wish And
of In private if you please Lord 'T is well remembred You shall take your own way Madam Exeunt Lord and S. John Lacie What strange lecture Will she read unto us Lady Such as wisedom warrants From the Superiour bodies Is Stargaze ready With his several Schemes Millis. Yes Madam and attends Your pleasure Exit Milliscent Lacie Stargaze Ladie What is he Lady Call him in You shall first know him then admire him For a man of many parts and those parts rare ones Hee 's every thing indeed parcel Physician And as such prescribes my diet and foretells My dreams when I eat Potato's parcel Poet And sings Encomiums to my virtues sweetly My Antecedent or my Gentleman Usher And as the starrs move with that due proportion He walks before me but an absolute Master In the Calculation of Nativities Guided by that ne're-erring science call'd Judicial Astrologie Plentie Stargaze sure I have a penny Almanack about me Inscrib'd to you as to his Patroness In his name publish'd Lady Keep it as a jewel Some States men that I will not name are wholly Governed by his predictions for they serve For any latitude in Christendome Aswell as our own climate Enter Milliscent and Stargaze with two Schemes Lady I believe so Plentie Must we couple by the Almanack Lady Be silent And e're we do articulate much more Grow to a full conclusion instruct us Whether this day and hour by the planets promise Happie success in marriage Stargaze In omni Parte toto Plentie Good learn'd Sir in English And since it is resolved we must be Coxcombs Make us so in our own language Stargaze You are pleasant Thus in our vulgar tongue then Ladie Pray you observe him Stargaze Venus in the West-angle the house of marriage the 7th house in Trine of Mars in Conjunction of Luna and Mars Almuthen or Lord of the Horoscope Plentie Hoy day Ladie The Angels language I am ravish'd forward Stargaze Mars as I said Lord of the Horoscope or geniture in mutual reception of each other shee in her Exaltation and he in his Triplicitie trine and face assure a fortunate combination to Hymen excellent prosperous and happie Ladie Kneel and give thanks The Women kneel Lacie For what we understand not Plenty And have as little faith in 't Lady Be credulous To me 't is Oracle Stargaze Now for the sovereigntie of my future Ladies your daughters after they are married Plenty Wearing the breeches you mean Lady Touch that point home It is a principal one and with London Ladies Of main consideration Stargaze This is infallible Saturn out of all dignities in his detriment and fall combust and Venus in the South-angle elevated above him Ladie of both their Nativities in her essential and accidental dignities occidental from the Sun oriental from the Angle of the East in Cazini of the Sun in her joy and free from the malevolent beams of infortunes in a sign commanding and Mars in a constellation obeying she fortunate and he dejected the disposers of marriage in the Radix of the native in feminine figures argue foretel and declare preheminence rule preheminence ce and absolute soveraignity in women Lacie Is 't possible Stargaze 'T is drawn I assure you from the Aphorismes of the old Chaldeans Zoroastes the first and greatest Magician Mercurius Trismegistius the later Ptolomy and the everlasting Prognosticator old Erra Pater Lady Are you yet satisfi'd Plentie In what Lady That you Are bound to obey your Wives it being so Determin'd by the starrs against whose influence There is no opposition Plenty Since I must Be married by the Almanack as I may be 'T were requisite the services and duties Which as you say I must pay to my wife Were set down in the Calender Lacie With the date Of my Apprenticeship Lady Make your demands I 'le sit as Moderatrix if they presse you With over hard conditions Lacie Mine hath the Van I stand your charge sweet Stargaze Silence Anne I require first And that since 't is in fashion with kind husbands In civil manners you must grant my will In all things whatsoever and that will To be obey'd not argu'd Lady And good reason Plenty A gentle Imprimis Lacie This in grosse contains all But your special Items Lady Anne When I am one And you are honour'd to be styl'd my husband To urge my having my Page my Gentleman-Usher My Woman sworn to my secrets my Caroch Drawn by six Flanders Mares my Coachman Grooms Postilian and Footmen Lacie Is there ought else To be demanded Anne Yes Sir mine own Doctor French and Italian Cooks Musicians Songsters And a Chaplain that must preach to please my fancie A friend at Court to place me at a Mask The private Box took up at a new Play For me and my retinue a fresh habit Of a fashion never seen before to draw The Gallants eies that sit on the Stage upon me Some decay'd Ladie for my Parasite To flatter me and rail at other Madams And there ends my ambition Lacie Your desires Are modest I confess Anne These toies subscrib'd to And you continuing an obedient Husband Upon all fit occasions you shall find me A most indulgent Wife Lady You have said give place And hear your younger Sister Plenty If shee speak Her language may the great Friend booted spurr'd With a Sithe at his girdle as the Scotchman saies Ride headlong down her throat Lacie Curse not the Judg Before you hear the sentence Mary In some part My Sister hath spoke well for the Citie pleasures But I am for the Countries and must say Under correction in her demands She was too modest Lacie How like you this Exordium Plenty Too modest with a mischief I Mary Yes too modest I know my value and prize it to the worth My youth my beauty Plenty How your glasse deceives you Mary The greatnesse of the portion I bring with me And the Sea of happinesse that from me flows to you Lacie She bears up close Mary And can you in your wisedom Or rusticall simplicity imagine You have met some innocent Country girle that never Look'd further then her fathers farm nor knew more Then the price of corn in the Market or at what rate Beef went a stone that would surveigh your dayrie And bring in mutton out of Cheese and butter That could give directions at what time of the Moon To cut her Cocks for apons against Christmas Or when to raise up Goslings Plenty These are arts Would not mis-become you though you should put in Obedience and duty Mary Yes and patience To sit like a fool at home and eye your thrashers Then make provition for your slavering Round When you come drunk from an Ale-house after hunting With your Clowns and Comrades as if all were yours You the Lord Paramount and I the drudge The case Sir must be otherwise Plentie How I beseech you Mary Marry thus I will not like my Sister challenge What 's usefull or superfluous