THE FAMELIE OF LOVE Acted by the Children of his Maiesties Reuells Lectori Sydera iungamus facito mihi Iuppiter adsit Et tibi Mercurius noster dabit omnia saxo At London Printed for Iohn Helmes and are to be sold in Saint Dunstans Churchyard in Fleetstreet 1608 To the Reader TOo soone and too late this work is published Too soone in that it was in the Presse before J had notice of it by which meanes some faults may escape in the Printing Too late for that it was not published when the general voice of the people had seald it for good and the newnesse of it made it much more desired then at this time For Plaies in this Citie are like wenches new falne to the trade onelie desired of your neatest gallants whiles the' are fresh when they grow stale they must be vented by Termers and Cuntrie chapmen I know not how this labor will please Sure J am it past the censure of the Stage with a generall applause now whether vox populi be vox dei or no that I leaue to be tried by the accute iudgement of the famous six wits of the Citie Farewell Actorum Nomina Glister A Doctor of Physicke Purge A Iealous Pothecarie Dryfat A Marchant a brother of the Family Gerardine A Louer Lypsalue Two Gallants that only pursue Citty Lechery Guggin Two Gallants that only pursue Citty Lechery Club A Prentice Viall Seruant to Glister Smelt and Periwincle Pages to the Gallants Weomen Mystrisse Glister Mistrisse Purge An Elder in the Family Maria Neece to Glister PROLOGVS IF for opinion hath not blazd his fame Nor expectation filld the generall round You deeme his labors slight you both confound Your grauer iudgement and his merits Impartiall hearing fits iudicious spirits Nor let the fruit of many an hower fall By enuies tooth or base detractions gall Both which are tokens of such abiect spirits Which wanting worth themselues hate other merits Or els of such which once made greate by fame Repine at those which seeke t' attaine the same From both we know all truer iudgements free To them our muse with blushing modestie Patiently to her intreats their fauour Which done with iudgement praise or els dislike the labour ACTVS PRIMVS Actus Primus scena prima Enter Doctor Glister his wife and Maria Glister TRickes and showes protestations with men are like teares with weomen forgot ere the cheeke be drie Gerardine is a gentleman his Lands be in Statutes A is not for thee nor thou for him a is a Gallant and yong thoughts be most vnconstant Ma. Yet yong vines yeeld most wine Mist. Glist. But old veynes the best beleeue not these great breecht gallants they loue for profit not for affection if a brings thee to a fooles paradice a will forsake thee Glist. VVhich fortune God send my enemy Loue is a colde heate a bitter sweete a pleasure full of paine a huge losse and no gaine why shouldst thou loue him onely Ma. VVords cannot force what destiny hath seald VVho can resist the influence of his stars Or giue a reason why a loues or hates Since our affections are not ruld by will But will by our affections T is blasphemy Gainst Loues most sacred deity to axe VVhy we do loue since t is his onely power That swayes all our affections all things which be Beasts Birds Men Gods pay him their fealty Glister Tut Loue is an idle phantasie bred by desire nurst by delight An humour that begins his dominion in Leo the Lyon the signe of the hart and ends in Aries the Ram the signe of the head His power is to stir the bloud prickes vp the flesh fills all the body with a libidinous humour and is indeed the ouerture of all Ladies which to preuent J haue banisht Gerardine your dearly beloued my house and as for you since I Lyp. In her smile deceitfull Gug. Jn her hate reuengeable Lip And in nothing but her death acceptable I le tell thee ther 's no creature more desirous of an honest name and worse keepes it then a woman Dost heere follow this song if euer thou forsake thy Country for a wagtayle let me be whipt to death with ladies hearelaces Gera. Let ts heere that worthy song Gentill master Lipsalue Lips Obserue Now if I list will I loue no more Nor longer waite vpon a gill Since euery place now yeeldes a wench If one will not another will And if what I haue heard be true Then young and old and all will doe How dost thou like this man Gerar. No more no more This is the chamber which Confines my loue This is the Abstract of the spacious world VVithin it holds a Iemm so ritch so rare That Arte or nature neuer yet could set A valued prise to her in valued worth Lip Vnvalued worth ha ha ha VVhy shee s but a woman And they are windy turning veins loue light as chaffe which when Our nourishing graynes are winnow'd from them Vnconstantly they flye at the least wind of passion A womans eye can turne it selfe with quick dexterity And in each wanton glasse can comprehend Theyr sundry fancy suted to each fend tut their loues are all compact of leuitie euen like themselues Nil muliere lenius Gug. Tut man euery one knowes their woorth when they are at a rack rent In the tearm time they beare as great a prise as wheat when transportations are Gera. Peace le ts draw nere the window and listen if we may heare her Enter Maria at the window Ma. Debard of liberty Oh that this flesh could like swift mouing thoughts transfer it selfe From place to place vnseen and vndisolued Then should no yron ribbes or Churlish flinte diuide my loue and mee Deer Gerardin despight of Chaunce or Gardians Tyranny Jde mooue within thy orbe and thou in myne Lip She 'd mooue within thy orbe and thou in hers blud she talk bawdy to her selfe Guggin stand close Ma. But in vaine do I proclaime my greefe when ayre and walls can yeeld me no reliefe Gug. The walls are the more stony harted then Lip Peace good Gudgin gape not so loude Ma. Come thou my best companion thou art sensible and canst my wrongs reitterate Thou and I will make some myrth in spight of Tyranny The black brow'd night drawn in her pithie wayne In starry spangled pride rides now ore heaune Now is the time when stealing minutes tell The stole delight ioyd by all faythfull louers Now louing souls contriue both place meanes for wished pastimes onely I am pent within the closure of this fatall wall depriued of all my ioyes Ger. My deare Maria be Comforted in this the frame of heauen shall sooner sease to moue bright Phaebus Steeds leaue their diurnall race and all that is forsake their naturall beeing Ere I forget thy loue Ma. Who 'es that protestes so fast Ger. Thy euer vowed seruant Gerardine Ma. O By your vows it seemes you 'd faine get vp Lip I and ryde
Gentry Do. Glist. Then sir know I le effect it but vnderstand withal the apparition will be most horrid if it appeare in his proper forme and will so amaze and dull your sences that your appetite will be lost and weake though mistrisse Purge should attend it naked Now sir could you name a friend with whome you are most conuersant in his likenesse should the spirit appeare Gud. Of all men liuing my conuersation is most frequent with Lipsalue the Courtier Doct. Gli. T is ynough I le to my Spirit are these whips come there Enter one with whips Man Ready here sir Doct. Glist. So lie thou there my noble gallants I le so firke you Sir my Spirit agrees in Lipsalues shape to morrow twixt the howres of foure and fiue shall mistrisse Purge be rapt with a whirlwind into Lypsalues chamber that 's the fittest place for by the breake of day Lipsalue shall be mounted and forsake the City for three dayes so my Spirit resolues me Now sir by my Art at that very houre shall his chamber doore fly open into which boldly enter in this sort accoutered put me on a pure cleane shirt leaue off your doublet for Spirits indure nothing polluted take me this whip in your hand and being entred you shall see the Spirit in Lipsalues shape in the selfe same forme that you appeare speake these words here ready written take three bold steps forward then whippe him soundly who straight vanisheth and leaues mistris Purge to your will Gud. I but shall your Spirit come arm'd with a whippe too Do. Glist. He shall but haue no power to strike Gud. Is this infallible haue you seen the proofe Do. Glist. Probatum vpon my word I haue seene the experience if it fayle say I am a foole and no Magician Gud. Master Doctor I would you had some suite at Court by the faith of a Courtier J would beg it for you Fare you well Sir I shall reporte of you as I find your charme Exit Doct. Glist. And no otherwise sir let me vnderstand how you thriue ha ha ha now to my friend Lipsalue I must possesse him with the same circumstance wherein J am assured to get perpetuall laughter in their follies and my reuenge Exit Enter Maria ouer the Trunke Ma. O which way shall J turne or shift or goe To loose one thought of care no soothing hope Giues entermission or beguiles one howre Of tedious Time which neuer will haue end Whilst loue pursues in vayne my absent friend Thou continent of wealth whose want of stoare For that it could not peiz th vnequall Scale Of Auarice giu'st matter to my moane O drosse the leauell of insatiate Eyes The Diuells Engine and the soules corrupter Thou plaist th' Atturney gainst the lawfull force Of true affection dost enterpose a Barr twixt Harts conioyn'd Curst be thy seede of strife VVhose progresse choakes the naturall course of life Gerardine rising out of the Trunke she seemes fearefull and flyes Ma. O helpe helpe helpe Ger. Stay sweet Maria I bring thee ample ioy To check that sudden feare let thy sweet heart That constant seate of thy affection Repay that bloud exhausted from thy vaines Feare not sweet wench I am no apparition But the firme substance of thy truest friend Knowst thou me now Ma. Gerardine my loue What vnheard of accident presents Thy vnexpected selfe and giues my heart Matter of ioy mixt with astonishment I thought thou hadst bin cabyn'd in thy ship Not Trunkt within my cruell gardyans house Ger. That cruelty giues fuell to desire For loue supprest fares like a raging fire which burnes all obstacles that stop his course And mounts aloft the Ocean in his source May easier hide himselfe and be confynd Then Loue can be obscurd For in the mind She holds her seate and through that heau'nly essence Is neare when farre remote her virtuall presence Fills like the Ayr all places giues delight Hope in despaire and hart gainst fell despite That worst of men thy cruell gardyan may Keepe downe a while but cannot dissipate what heau'n hath ioynd for fate and prouidence Gaue me this Stratagem to let him know That Loue will creepe where t is restraynd to go Ma. I apprehend the rest O rare conceit I see thy trauell happily was faynd To win accesse which with small ease thou hast gaynd This Trunk which he so greedily supposes Contaynes thy substance as it doth indeed Vpon thy fayre pretence in liew of loue Bequeath'd to me if death should stop the course This Trunk J say he hugs sink thou or swim So he may feed his wolfe that roote of Sin His Auarice but heauen that mocks mans might Giues this close meanes t' incist vpon our right Ger. Ingenious Spirit true Oracle of loue Thou hast preuented me this was my plot Whose end and scope I long to imitate With accents free and vncontrolld with feare Do's oportunity stand fayre Ma. Not now Daunger stands centinell Ger. Then I le retyre We must be cautilous Ma. So so and Tyme Shall not oft turne his howr glasse ere I le find Peace and occasion fitting to thy mind Exeunt Finis Actus Secundi ACTVS TERTIVS Actus Tertius scena prima Enter Gerardine and Maria Ger. THe coast is cleare and Argus wakefull eies Securely sleep time turnes to vs his front Come sweet Maria of th' auspicious howres Le ts take aduantage Ma. With all my hart J do imbrace the motion with thy selfe Welcome sweet friend to liberty of Ayer Which now me thinks doth promp our breaths to moue Sweet accents of delight the ioyes of loue How dost thou brooke thy little ease thy Trunk Ger. That Trunke confines this Chest this Chest contaynes Th' vnbounded speculacion of our loue Incomprehensible Griefe ioy hope and feares Thaffections of my mind are like the spheares VVhich in their iarring motions do agree Through th' influence of loues sweet harmony Ma. Are not inferiour bodies here on earth Produc'd and gouern'd by those heauenly ones Ger. They are Ma. They iar you say yet in that strife maintaine Perpetuall league why should their influence In rationall soules be checkt by erring sence Or why should mutuall loue confirmd by heau'n B' infringd by men me thinks t is most vneuen Ger. Thou argu'st well Maria and this withall That Bruites nor Animalls do proue a thrall To such seruility soules that are wards To gold opinion or th' undue regards Of broking men wolues that in sheep-skin bands Pray on the harts to ioyne th' vnwilling hands Ruine fayre Stocks when generous houses die Or propagate their name with Bastardy Ma. Sterility and barennes ensue Such forced loue nor shall erronious men Peruert my setled thoughts or turne mine eye From thy fayre obiect which I will pursue Rich in thy loue prowde of this interuiew Ger. I le suck these accents let our breaths ingender A generation of such pleasing sounds To enterchange delights O my bloud 's on fire Sweet let me giue more scope
in loue It is beleeud I am out of towne my dore is open the houre is at hand all things squard by the Doctors rule and now I looke for the Spirit to bring me warme comfort to cloath my nakednesse and that is Mistris Purge the cordiall of a Familist and come quickly good Spirit or else my teeth will chatter for thee Enter Gudgin with his whips Gud. O the naked pastymes of loue the scourge of dulnesse the purifier of vncleannesse and the hot house of humanity I haue taken phisick of master Purge any time this twelue months to purge my humor vpon 's wife J haue euer found her so fugitiue from exercise to exercise and from family to Familie that I could neuer yet open the close stoole of my mind to her so that I may well say with Ouid Hei mihi quod nullus amor est medicabilis herbis now am J driuen to proue the violent vertue coniuration if it hit and that I yearke my familist out of the Spirit I le hang vp my Scourge-sticke for a Trophee and emparadize my thoughts though the Doctor goe to the diuell t is no matter ha let me see Lipsalues doore open and himselfe out of towne excellēt Doctor soothsaying Doctor oraculous Doctor Enter Doctor Glister aboue Doct. I haue taken vp this standing to see my Gallants play at Barriers with Scourge-sticks for the honour of my Punke and in good time I see my braue Spirits shining in bright Armour nakedly burning in the Hell fire of Lechery and ready for the hot encounter sound Trumpets the Combatants are mounted Gud. The apparition Mistris Purge peeres through him I see her Lip The spirit appeares but he might haue come sooner I am num'd with colde a shiuering ague hath taken away my Courage Do. They are afrayde one of another looke how they tremble the flesh and the diuell strengthen 'hem ha ha ha Gud. Has a no clouen feete what a laxatiue feuer shakes me Lip Will a not carry me with him to Hell well I must venter Clogmathos Gud. My Cue Clogmathathos Lip My Cue Garrazin Gud. Garragas Lip Garrazinos Gud. Ton tetuphon Lip Tes tetuphes Ambo With a Whirley Twinos they lash one another Ambo Hold hold hold gogs nownes Gogs blude a pox a plague the Diuell take you truce truce J smart J smart Doctor Ha ha ha O for one of the hoopes of my Cornelius Tub I must needs be gone I shall burst my selfe with laughing else Magicke hath no such Rule men can not find Lust euer better handled in his kind Exit Doctor Gud. What art thou with the name of Ioue I coniure thee Lip With any name sauing the whip I le no more of that coniuration a plague on 't Gudg. Speake art not a Spirit in the likenesse of my friend Lipsalue that should transforme thy selfe to mistris Purge Lip How a Spirit I hope Spirits haue no flesh and bloud I am sure thou hast drawn bloud out of my flesh with the spirit of thy whip Then shall we proue to be honest Gulls and the Doctour an errant knaue Lip A plague vpon him for a Glister he has giuen our loues a suppositar with a Recombentibus I le tell thee sirra Gud. Tell not me let me preuent thee the winde shall not take the breath of our grosse abuse we feele the gullery Therfore let vs sweare by our naked truths by the hilts of these our blades our flesh-tamers to be reueng'd vpon that Paraperopandenticall Doctor that pocky Doctor Lip Agreed wee 'l Cuckold him that hee shall not be able to put his head in at 's dores and make his precise puritanicall peculiar Punke his Pothicaries drug there a knowne Cockatrice to the world Gud. Jf report catch this knauery we haue lost our reputations for euer Wherefore le ts be secret Ill tax we weomen of Credulity VVhen men are gulld with such grosse foppery Lip Come let vs in and couer both our shames This Coniuration to the world 's a nouelty Gallants turnd Spirits and whipt for Lechery Exeunt Act. 3. Scen. 4. Enter Maria and Gerardine out of the Trunke Maria Gerardine come forth Maria calls Those Ribs shall not infoulde thy buxom Limbs One minute longer the cincture of myne armes Shall more securely keepe thy soule from harmes Ger. VVhat heauenly breath of Phitonessaes powre That raysd the dead corpes of her friend to life Preuayles no lesse on me for euen this vrne The figure of my sadder Requiem Giues vp my bones my loue my life and all To her that giues me freedome in my thrall Ma. Be briefe sweet friend salute and part in one For niggard time now threats with imminent danger Our late ioyd scope Thy earnest then of loue Ere Sol haue compast halfe the signes I feare VVill shew a blushing fault but t' was thy plot thyne ayme T' inforce consent in him that bars thy claime Ger. Loue salues that fault let time our guilt reueale I le neare deny my Deed my hand and Seale The Elements shall loose their auncient force VVater and earth suppresse the fire and Ayre Nature in all vse a preposterous course Each kind forget his likenes to repaire Before I le falsifie my faith to thee Ma. The humorous bodies elementall kind Shall sooner lose th' innated heate of loue The Soule in natures bounds shal be confind Heauens course shall retragrade leaue to moue Ere I surcease to cherish mutuall fire With thoughts refind in flames of true desire Ger. These words are odours in the sacred shrine Of Loues best deity the mariage God Longs to performe these ceremonious rites Which terminate our hopes till mine grow full I le vse that entercourse amongst my friends That earst I did then in the hight of ioy I le come to challenge interest in my boy Till then farewell Ma. You le come vpon your Cue Ger. Doubt not of that Ma. Then twenty times adieu Exeunt Finis Actus Tertij ACTVS QVARTVS Actus Quartus scena prima Enter Lypsalue and Guggin Shrimp and Periwincle Gud. COme Boyes our clothes boyes and what is the most currant newes Periwincle Peri. Faith sir Fortune hath fauoured vs with no newes but what the Pedlar brought from Norfolke Lyp. Is there nothing stirring at Court Shrimpe Shrim. Faith there is sir but nothing new Lip Good wag fayth thou smellst somwhat of a Courtier though thy Mother was a Citizens wife Off with that filthy great Band nay quick on with your robe of sanctity nay suddenly man Gug. And why must we shift our selues into this demure habite if impossible to be of the Family and keepe our owne fashion Lip Tut man the name of a gallant is more hatefull to them then the sight of a Corner Cap hadst thou heard the protestations the wife of a bellowsmender made but yesternight against Gallants thou hadst for euer abiured Crimson breeches She swore that all Gallants were persons inferiour to bellowsmenders for the trade of