purse nor sheath'd my sword from helping the distress'd nor turn'd my back upon my assaulting Enemy I never stole good Fame nor rob'd good Names nor stab'd Innocency with slander I never scorn'd those below my self nor envy'd those above me I never infring'd the Laws of Honour nor disturb'd civil Society and though I cannot suffer an injury patiently yet I never did omit a duty willingly As for the truth of what I say I have none to witness for me as being a stranger but my own words from which this company perchance may think self-love and great desire hath brib'd my Tongue but if they do their thoughts make Truth no less no more than Eyes that are blind Ears that are deaf can rob you of your Wit and Beauty for though your Wit they do not hear nor Beauty see yet you passess them no less their want only robs you of their Admiration not of the Possession and say I am blind of one eye my other eye doth see and I have Hearing perfectly which doth inform my Knowledge and Understanding with that which makes my Admirations and Adorations perfect and sound within my Heart wherein your Picture is printed on which my Soul doth view and gazing kneels with wonder and astonishment that so much Wit Wisedom and Virtue should be in one so young fair And if you cannot love me despise me not for my pure Love is Divine as being divinely placed on you and it would grieve my Soul to have the zealous fire and immaculate flame of my Affection extinguish'd with your neglecting Thoughts and rak'd up in the ashes of your Forgetfulness But if any of my Sex shall seem to jest or scorn me for my outward form or shape My Courage and my Sword shall take my bodies part To cut their Limbs or thrust them through their Heart Prudence Worthy Sir you must excuse me from answering you at this time for I am taken on the sudden very sick Strange Wooer I wish you health although it were to be only purchas'd by my death Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Mistris Trifle and a Grave Matron MAtron What is the cause you weep Trifle Because my Father will not get me a Husband and Mistris Fondly will have a Husband before I shall have one for I hear she is to be maried she is happier in her Parents than I am for my Parents are unnatural and take no care how to get me a Husband and to see me maried Matron You may marry soon enough to repent Trifle I am sure I shall not repent for to be a Wife is a condition I am most desirous of and cannot be happy any other way Matron And Wives think Maids only happy because they are not vex'd nor troubled with a Husband Trifle Such women deserve no Husbands for certainly a Husband is a joy and a comfort as being a companion and a friend Matron But Husbands seldome keep in the company of their Wives and many times instead of a friend prove an enemy Enter a Servant Trifle What have you been at Mistris Fondly's House Servant Yes Trifle And have you inquir'd of her Maid as I bid you whether the Report is true that her Mistris is to be maried Servant Yes Trifle And what said she Servant She said that a Gentleman did Treat with her Mistrisses Father but they could not agree for the Gentleman would have more portion than her Father would give whereupon the Match is broke off Trifle I am glad of that for I would not have her maried before me for all the World But did you not see mistris Fondly Servant No for her Maid said her Mistris at the breaking off her Mariage almost broke her heart for she hath so afflicted her self and hath so wept and sigh'd as she is fallen sick and keeps her Chamber Trifle Alas good Friend I pity her extremely but I will go with her and try if I can comfort her Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lady Prudence to give her Answer to her Suter the Stranger The Assembly standing about the Lady and Suter take their places PRudence Noble Sir the Wit wherewith Nature Time and Education hath endu'd my tender brains is like new kindled fire that sparkling flies about the fuel being green and newly laid to burn there is more smoke than flame But since the time I heard you speak a newer fire is kindled in my Heart which equally doth burn with your profess'd Affections and though your Person is none of Natures exactest Peeces yet your Mind doth seem to be compos'd with all her best Ingredients and sure your Thoughts set notes of Honour Honestly and Love by which your Tongue plays Harmony 'T is not the sattin Skin that 's painted white and red nor near-carv'd Bodies can win my Love nor Wealth Titles Birth nor crown'd Power but Truth Sincerity Constancy Justice Prudence Courage and Temperance by which as Magistrates your life seems to be governed which life I wish the Gods may Crown with happy days and in Fames Tower long live your praise I will not ask you from whence you came nor what you are For though you seem but poor and mean Your Soul appears to me sublime Stranger And will you chuse me for your Husband Lady Prudence I shall be proud to be your Wife Sir Stranger The Gods are just to my pure Love rewarding it with your acceptance but I must beg your leave for some short time of Absence and then I shall return and claim your Promise Prudence You have the liberty Sir Exit Strange Wooer The Lady Gravity speaks to the Lady Prudence Gravity Lady surely you are in a High Feaver Prudence Why Madam Gravity As to do so extravagant an Action as to marry a man you know not what he is nor from whence he came and may prove as deformed in Mind as in Body as mean of Birth as poor in Parse as beggars that live on cold dry Charity Prudence If he be poor my Estate will make him rich if humbly born his Merits make him Honourable from whence he comes I do not care and where he will have me go I will wait upon him never questioning to what place Exit Lady Prudence Gravity Her Courage is beyond her Wit Liberty For the Example of this Lady I would have a Law made that there should be no more Publick Wooing Parle She hath cast away her self Minion Who can help it The Assembly go out holding up their hands as at a wonder Scene 26. Enter the Lady Mute as being in a melancholy Humour Enter Sir William Holdfast as meeting her HOldfast Lady why seem you so melancholy Mute My melancholy disposition is apt to catch hold on my evil Fortunes and both joyning together help to multiply my sad thoughts Holdfast Why should you be sad Mute How can I be merry when I am left destitute of Friends and unacquainted with Experience Holdfast Nature hath furnish'd you with all store you need none Mute If she
Funeral Oration Friend Why Sir your distemper hath so disordered all your Family as it was not thought of Father Love She shall not go to the Grave without due Praises if I have life to speak them Wherefore raise me up and carry me to the Holy place before her Herse thus in my Chair sick as I am For I will speak her Funeral Oration although with my last words Thus will I be carryed living to my Grave He is carried out in a Chair by Servants Ex. Scene 21. Enter the Lord de l' Amour alone as in a Melancholy humour LOrd de l'Amour When I do think of her my mind is like a tempestuous Sea which foams and roars and roles in Billows high My brain like to a Ship is wracked and in it's ravenous Waves my heart is drowned And as several winds do blow so several thoughts do move some like the North with cold and chilly Fears others as from the South of hot Revenge do blow As from the East despairing storms do rise A Western grief blows tears into mine eyes Walks about and weeps Enter Master Charity his Friend Mr. Charity My Lord why are you so melancholy for that which is past and cannot be help'd Lord de l'Amour Oh! the remembrance of her death her cruel death is like the Infernal Furies torments my soul gives it no case nor rest For sometimes my soul is flung into a Fire of Rage That burns with furious pain And then with frozen despair it rips it up again But I unjust and credulous I was the cause of her untimely death Enter the Maid that accused her Falshood O my Lord forgive me for I have murdered the innocent Lady you grieve for for my false Accusation was the hand that guided the dagger to her heart but my Ladies command was the Thief that stole the Chain for she commanded me to take the Chain and accuse the Lady of the Theft for which she gave me the Chain for a reward This I will witnesse by oath unto you and all the World For it is heavier than a world upon my Conscience Lord de l'Amour Why did your Lady so wicked an act Falshood Through Jealousie which bred Envy Envy Malice Malice Slander and this Slander hath produce Murder Enter Informer the other Maid Informer Oh my Lady My Lady hath hanged her self for when she heard Falshood was gone to tell your Lordship the truth of the Chain she went into a base place and hung her self and upon her breast I found this written Paper She gives it de l'Amour to read Lord de l'Amour It is the Lady Incontinents Hand-writing He reads it I have been false to my Marriage-bed lived impudently in the sin of Adultery in the publick face of the World I have betray'd the trust imposed to my charge slandered the Innocent poysoned the Instrument I imployed Falshood All which being summ'd up was worthy of hanging Falshood falls down dead Lord de l'Amour She hath sav'd me a labour and kept my Heroick Honour free from the stains of having laid violent hands on the Effeminate Sex Friend What shall be done with this dead Body Lord de l'Amour Let her Ladies body with hers be thrown into the Fields to be devoured of Beasts Ex. ACT V. Scene 22. Enter the Funeral Herse of the Lady Sanspareile covered with white Satine a silver Crown is placed in the midst her Herse is born by six Virgins all in white other Virgins goe before the Herse and strew Flowers white Lillies and white Roses The whilst this Song is sung SPOtlesse Virgins as you go Wash each step as white as Snow With pure Chrystal streams that rise From the Fountain of your eyes Fresher Lillies like the day Strew and Roses as white as they As an Emblem to disclose This Flower sweet short liv'd as those The whilst her Father is carryed as sick in a Chair the Chair covered with black and born black by Mourners he himself also in close Mourning when they have gone about the Stage The Herse is set neer to the Grave there being one made Then the Father is placed in his Chair upon a raised place for that purpose the raised place also covered with Black he being placed speaks her Funeral Sermon Father Love Most Charitable and Noble Friends that accompany the Dead Corps to the Grave I must tell you I am come here although I am as a Dead Man to the World yet my desire is to make a living Speech before I go out of the world not only to divulge the Affections I had for my Daughter but to divulge her Virtue Worth and good Graces And as it is the custome for the nearest Kindred or best and constantest Friends or longest acquaintance to speak their Funeral Oration wherein I take my self to be all wherefore most fit to speak her Funeral Oration For I being her Father am her longest acquaintance and constantest Friend and nearest in Relation wherefore the fitest to declare unto the world my natural and Fatherly Love Death will be a sufficient witnesse For though I am old yet I was healthful when she lived but now I cannot live many hours neither would I for Heaven knows my affections struggle with Death to hold Life so long as to pay the last Rites due to her dead Corps struck by Death's cruel Dart But most Noble and Charitable Friends I come not here with eye fil'd with salt tears for sorows thirsty Jaws hath drunk them up sucked out my blood left my Veins quite dry luxuriously hath eat my Marow out my sighs are spent in blowing out Life's Fire only some little heat there doth remain which my affections strive to keep alive to pay the last Rites due to my dead Child which is to set her praises forth for living Virtuously But had I Nestors years 't would prove too few to tell the living Stories of her Youth for Nature in her had packed up many Piles of Experience of Aged times besides Nature had made her Youth sweet fresh and temperate as the Spring and in her brain Flowers of Fancies grew Wits Garden set by Natures hand wherein the Muses took delight and entertained themselves therein Singing like Nightingales late at Night or like the Larks ere the day begin Her thoughts were as the Coelestial Orbes still moving circular without back ends surrounding the Center of her Noble mind which as the Sun gave light to all about it her Virtues twinkled like the fixed Starrs whose motion stirs them not from their fix'd place and all her Passions were as other starres which seemed as only made to beautifie her Form But Death hath turned a Chaos of her Form which life with Art and Care had made and Gods had given to me O cursed death to rob and make me poor Her life to me was like a delightful Mask presenting several interchanging Scenes describing Nature in her several Dresses and every Dresse put in a
not set a fouler mark than thy self upon me therefore come not near me Matron Worse and worse worse and worse O that I were so young and fair as my Beauty might get me a Champion to revenge my quarrel But I will go back to the Ladies they are fair and young enough as being in the Spring of Beauty although I am in my Autumnal years Satyrical Thou art in the midst of the Winter of thine Age and the Snow of Time is fallen on thy head and lies upon thy hair Matron They that will not live untill they are old the Proverb sayes They must be hang'd when they are young and I hope it is your Destiny Exeunt Scene 24. Enter Liberty and Wanton and Surfet LIberty I am come to tell you Wanton and Surfet that my Lady is gone to receive the Visit of Monsieur Tranquillities Peace who is come to see her and old Matron Temperance is gone to wait upon her wherefore you may go for there is none left with the five Senses but Excess They run out then enters the Five Senses in Antick Dresses to distinguish them but they behave themselves as mad-merry dancing about in Couples as Hearing with Wantonness Idle with Scent and Excess with Sigh and Surfet with Taste and Touch dances alone by her self and when they have danced they go out Exeunt Scene 25. Enter Bon' Esprit Superbe Faction Portrait Ambition FAction I wonder Mother Matron should stay so long Portrait I cannot guess at the reason Bon' Esprit She might have deliver'd her Message twice in this time Enter Mother Matron All the Ladies speak at once Ladies Mother Matron Welcome welcome welcome What Newes what Newes Faction What says Monsieur Satyrical Bon' Esprit Will he come Portrait Or will he not come pray speak Superbe Are you dumb Mother Matron Matron Pray Ladies give me some time to temper my passion for if a house be set on fire there is required sometime to quench it Ambition But some fires cannot be quenched Matron Indeed my fire of Anger is something of the nature of the unquenchable fire of Hell which indeavours to afflict the Soul as well as to torment the Body Superbe Iove bless us Mother Matron Are you inflamed with Hell-fire Matron How should I be otherwise when I have been tormented with a Devil Ambition Jupiter keep us What have you done and with whom have you been Matron Marry I have been with a cloven-tongu'd Satyr who is worse far worse than a cloven-footed Devil Bon' Esprit Is all this rage against Monsieur Satyrical Matron Yes marry is it and all too little by reason it cannot hurt him Faction How hath he offended you Matron As he hath offended you all railed against you most horribly railed against you He says you are all mad and hath condemned your Poems to the fire and your imployment to the making of bone-lace Bon' Esprit Why these sayings of his do not offend me Ambition Nor me Portrait Nor me Superbe Nor me Matron But if he had said you had been old and ill-favour'd carrion for Crows dust and ashes for the grave as he said to me then you would have been as angry as I Bon' Esprit No truly I should have only laughed at it Faction By your favour I should have been as angry as Mother Matron if I had been as old as she so I should have been concerned in the behalf of my Age Matron Marry come up are you turned Lady Satyrical to upbraid me with my Age Is this my reward for my jaunting and trotting up and down with your idle Message to more idle persons men that are meer Jackstraws flouting companions railing detractors such as are good for nothing but to put people together by the cars Faction By the Effects it proves so for you and I are very neer falling out But I thought you would have given me thanks for what I said as taking your part and not inveterates your spleen Matron Can you expect I should give you thanks for calling me old Can the report of Age be acceptable to the Effeminate Sex But Lady let me tell you if you live you will be as old as I and yet desire to be thought young For although you were threescore yet you would be very angry nay in a furious rage and take those to be your mortal Enemies that should reckon you to be above one and twenty for you will think your self as beautiful as one of fifteen Faction I do not think so although I believe our Sex have good opinions of themselves even to the last gasp yet not so partial as to imagine themselves as one of fifteen at threescore Matron It is proved by all Experience that all Mankind is self-conceited especially the Effeminate Sex and self-conceit doth cast a fair shadow on a foul face and fills up the wrinkles of Time with the paint of Imagination Portrait But the Eyes must be blind with Age or else they would see the wrinkles Time hath made in the despight of the paint of Imagination Superbe By your favour Self-conceit doth cause the Eyes of Sense to be like false glasses that cast a youthful gloss and a fair light on a wither'd skin For though the deep lines in the face cannot be smoothed yet the lines or species in or of the sight may be drawn by self-conceit so small as not to be perceived And were it not for the Eyes of Self-conceit and the Paint of Imagination as Mother Matron says which preserves a good Opinion of our selves even to the time of our Death wherein all remembrance is buried we should grow mad as we grow old for the losse of our Youth and Beauty Matron I by my faith you would grow mad did not Conceit keep you in your right wits Faction The truth is our Sex grow melancholy when our Beauty decayes Portrait I grow melancholy at the talking of it Ambition Let us speak of some other subject that is more pleasing than Age Ruine and Death Bon' Esprit Let us talk of Monsieur Satyrical again Matron He is a worse subject to talk of than Death Bon' Esprit As bad as he is you shall carry another Message to him Matron I will sooner carry a Message to Pluto for in my Conscience he will use me more civilly and will send you a more respectful Answer than Monsieur Satyrical Bon' Esprit Indeed I have heard that the Devil would flatter but I never heard that a Satyrical Poet would flatter Matron But a Satyrical Poet will lye and so will the Devil and therefore talk no more of them but leave them together Exeunt Scene 26. Enter Temperance and Madamoiselle Pleasure PLeasure O Temperance I am discredited for ever the Ladies the Senses are all sick What shall I do Temperance You must send for some Doctors Pleasure What Doctors shall I send for Temperance Why Old Father Time he hath practiced long and hath great Experience then there is Rest and
thought And so farewel Exeunt Scene 15. Enter Sir William Holdfast and his Friend Mr. Disswader HOldfast Sir Thomas Letgo's Mistris that he is to marry is a pretty Lady Disswader But I do not perceive he is very hasty to marry her Holdfast If she were mine I would not prolong my Wedding-day Disswader For fear she should die and you should lose her Estate Holdfast No I am not covetous for my Estate will maintain a Wife according to my quality although she bring no Portion and upon that condition I might have her I would give a Portion for her so much I like and fancy her Disswader And would you marry her if you might have her Holdfast Yes Disswader Pray tell me what would you do with a Fool she would be neither good for Breed nor Conversation for she might bring you a Race of Fools and vex you with ignorant Follies Holdfast Why should you think her a Fool she neither appears froward peevish or spightful she hath a sober Face a bashful Countenance a natural Garb she is silent and pensive which shews she is no Fool but if she were always laughing or toying or singing or dancing or simpering or prating or had an affected countenance or affected garbs or postures I should conclude her to be a Fool But certainly she must needs have a wise Wit for she seems melancholy and contemplative which no fool is she hears much and speaks little which no fool doth wherefore I judge she hath Wit but either she is careless and cares not to express it or thinks the company fools and therefore will not express it or is so bashful as she cannot express it and there is nothing shews or discovers Wit so much as Bashfulness which shews the Mind and Thoughts so sensible as they apprehend beyond anothers perceivance and so fearful lest they should commit Errors in their Actions and Expressions as they obscure their Virtues and natural Excellencies for want of a confident Assurance and a good Opinion of their own Abilities besides Bashfulness thinks the least natural defect a Crime and every little errour a Disgrace never to be rubb'd out they will blush at their own thoughts and will pine almost into a Consumption if two or three idle words should slip out of their mouths or that they should mistake an Argument or that their Behaviour was not so or so The truth is they never think their Actions or their Words well enough done or spoken they are the first that shall condemn themselves and the last that shall give themselves a pardon But prethee Ned as thou art my Friend see if you can procure me or watch for an opportunity that I might speak with her alone Disswader I think that were not difficult to be done but I will enquire a way Holdfast Do not forget it Disswader No it is so remarkable you should be in love with so simple a creature as I shall remember it Exeunt Scene 17. Enter the Lady Prudence and her Suter a Divine The Divine goeth to the place where the Suters plead and the Assembly about them DIvine Madam I should not thus presume did not my Profession dignifie me to a Spiritual Office wherefore a fit Suter to a Divine Lady And since my Sute is holy by reason Mariage is sacred despise me not Prudence Worthy Sir all of your Profession require a solitary Habitation for studious Contemplation to a holy life wherein their Thoughts are Consecrated to Devotion that their Doctrine may flow from a pure Mind in Eloquent words to the ears of their Flock to instruct them with the light of Knowledge and to lead them into the ways of Truth whereas Mariage although it be sacred in it self yet it is rather apt to disturb than unite especially a double Mariage which are of different Natures for there are two sorts of Mariages as a Spiritual and a Corporal The first is betwixt the Gods and Mankind the other is betwixt Man and Woman The one is by a Consecration and Communion of Spirits the other is by a Combination and Communication of Persons wherefore those that are maried to Iove ought to keep themselves pure in that Unity As for the mariage of Combination and Communication of Persons although it is requisite for the continuance of Mankind and civil Common-wealths yet to spiritual Elevations is is a great hinderance for though a woman especially a Wife be accounted as a Helper and Comfort to man by her diligent attendance and loving service yet women are accounted not only unprofitable in learned Schools but obstructers to a studious life for which women are not suffer'd to inhabite in Universities Schools or Colleges indeed we are in a maner banish'd from the sight or entrance thereinto and men have reason so to do since learning especially Divine learning requires study and study requires a quiet solitary and silent life and certainly there can be neither solitariness nor silence where women and children are for Nature hath made women and children to have restless spirits unquiet minds busiless active and such voluble tongues as it is impossible they should be silent whilest life gives them motion so that a woman is a very unfit companion for Contemplations wherein there should be no other company but thoughts which thoughts in a Divine should be only such as are the Inquirers and Searchers of Ioves divine Mysteries and Scholars to Ioves divine Schools and Orators to explain plead in Ioves divine Laws and servants to Ioves divine Orders that they may be Instructers and Intelligencers of Ioves divine Commands And though women ought to be instructed in Divinity yet for the most part women are obstructers and disturbers of Divinity and Divines besides the Original Woman was a Tempter to Sin which all her Effeminate Posterity inherit as a Natural Right and Gift from their great Grandmother And though Divines ought to be industrious to cut off the Intail of that Original Inheritance with their holy Doctrine quenching the fire of Temptation with the spiritual dew of Divine Instructions yet ought they not to run themselves into that fire they should quench serving as fuel to increase it Wherefore those that dedicate themselves to Ioves Church ought to live separated from Natures daughters lest they should yield to humane frailties and become slaves to the Effeminate Temptations Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Mistris Trifle and Mistris Parle TRifle Friend I am come to ask thy counsel Parle Concerning what Trifle Concerning Mariage Parle I will give you the best I can but it is both difficult and dangerous to give counsel in so weighty a Concernment as Mariage Trifle You say very true and being so weighty a Concernment as you say I am come for thy Advice not trusting to my own judgment and thus it is There is a Gentleman that hath come two or three times thorough out street and the last time he came he look'd up to my Chamber-window wherefore I conceive he
your Solitary musing to those whose condition of fortune denies them the use of the World and worldly pleasures and do not deny your self for I hate a self-denying Creature Solitary Well you shall prevail with me for this one time Exeunt Scene 4. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Have you seen Monsieur Thesis Book of Poems that is newly come forth 2 Gent. Yes 1 Gent. And how do you approve of them 2 Gent. As well as I do of an Anagram 1 Gent. There is never an Anagram in the Book 2 Gent. Why the whole Book is an Anagram of Doctor Costives Poems for he hath only new placed the words as they do Anagrams of names but the whole matter sense and conceits is the same 1 Gent. Indeed he hath imitated him 2 Gent. By your favour imitation is only to be like another and not the same but his is the very same as I have told you for which he deserves less praises than a Imitator although those that do imitate any Excellent Poet do not gain so much honour to themselves as they give honour to those they imitate as for example the Imitators of Homer give more honour to Homer than to themselves for Imitators are only as Painters where he that is imitated is as Nature or the Gods for the one draws but Copies the other makes the Original so that there is as much difference as a Man and the Picture of a man 1 Gent. But a Painter that draws the Picture of a man very like the life he may be more famous than the man that is drawn 2 Gent. But not worshiped and adored as Nature is that made him for Art cannot out-do Nature nor do as Nature hath doue and doth do and an Imitator is but an Artificer when as the Original Author is a Creator and ought to be accounted of and respected and worship'd as Divine but there are or have been but very few Poets that have such powers and parts to make a perfect Creature which is a perfect work as Poems scenes or story but some Poets are like Chymist that strive and labour to make as Nature makes but most fail in their work and lose their labours wanting that Natural heat or well-tempered matter which should produce such Creatures as Nature makes yet some 't is said have made gold as Raimond Lully 1 Gent. Then Homer is a Raimond Lully in Poetry 2 Gent. Nay rather Raimond Lully is a Homer in Chymistry for no man ought to compare Homer to any Creature by reason he hath out-wrought Nature having done that which she never did for Nature never made Gods Devils Hells and Heavens as Homer hath done 1 Gent. For my part I had rather be Raimond Lully than Homer for I had rather have the Art to make Gold than the Nature to make Poems 2 Gent. You would not gain so much by Gold as Wit 1 Gent. VVhy what shall I gain 2 Gent. Fame 1 Gent. But Gold will bribe Fame to speak as I would have her if I have gold enough to bribe her 2 Gent. But Poems will force Fame to speak for you without a bribe 1 Gent. That were all one to me so she speaks well whether she be forced flattered or bribed 2 Gent. But there is a fate of Poverty on Chymists as much as on Poets so that if you were as Excellent a Chymist as Raimond Lully you would be as poor as Divine Homer 1 Gent. Not if I could make Gold 2 Gent. Yes for Chymists spend more in the making of Gold than they gain by it when it is made and how should they do otherways when they must needs spend a pound or pounds to make a grain for the limbeck of a Chymist is but a little Still set a-work by a wasting fire whereas Natures limbeck is the Earth set a-work by an undecaiable fire which is the Sun this Chymist becomes as poor by an over-greedy Covetousness as Poets by a despising Carelessness 1 Gent. Then Chymists are like those Bodyes which become lean with over-eating and Poets like those Bodyes that becomes lean by over-fasting the one surfits the other famishes 2 Gent. Indeed Chymists are so greedily Covetous and feed so much on hopes as they never leave untill such time as they have vomitted out all their wealth and then they become sick and lean with Poverty Exeunt ACT II. Scene 5. Enter two other Gentlemen 1 GEnt. The Lady Faction is of a strange busy Nature she runs into every House takes upon her to govern every ones Family yet cannot rule her own she condemns all Actions be they never so Just or Prudent all Officers be they never so worthy or fitly placed all Laws be they never so beneficial or expedient for the Common-wealth all Customs be they never so antient or harmless indeed all peaceable wise and well ordered Governments she hates and delights in nothing but disordered change 2 Gent. 'T is said she is in love with Sir William Admirer 1 Gent. And he in love with the Lady Peaceable 2 Gent. She is a sweet Lady Exeunt Scene 6. Enter the Lady Peaceable and Sir William Admirer ADmirer I will sit and lissen to what you say and learn from you what is the noblest way to entertain the life Peaceable Alas I cannot learn you I have not long experience my Soul is young a meer novice Soul it wants both growth and experienced years for I am like a House that is newly built and is unfurnished Admirer Though you are young you are wise Peaceable How can you expect youth can be discreet and wise when those that have lived long and have had much experience are oftentimes Fools wherefore I can only entertain you like a Parrot only with words not wisely to discourse and if you should lissen to me long I shall surfit your Ears with idle words for the Brain will be as soon over-charged with noise as the Stomack with meat Admirer I can no more be weary of thy words than Angels are with Heavenly Musick Enter the Lady Faction Faction Lady Peaceable the report is you are Ambitious to get away my Servant Sir William Admirer from me Peaceable I am only Ambitious to live Virtuously and dye Piously Faction Why Servant I hear you have forsaken me Admirer I despaired of ever being entertained and so I never really address'd a Sute but by way of rallery Faction Your Mistriss doth not believe you for she blushes either for your faults or her own Peaceable My Bashfullness proceeds not from a Guiltiness either of base actions wicked thoughts mean birth or breeding or evill or erronious opinions for my bashfullness is only an effect of Nature for as some are naturally fearfull so am I naturally bashfull and as Melancholy produces a sad Countenance so Bashfullness produceth an extorted and a Convulsive Countenance as Grief produces tears so Bashfullness produces blushing Admirer Lady Faction spare my young Mistriss lest she should out-run you in a full speed Faction
passions indangers it most Affectionata Anger malice and despair Lord Singularity Were you never angry Affectionata I am of too melancholly a nature to be very angry Lord Singularity Why are melancholly persons never angry Affectionata Very seldom my Lord for those that are naturally melancholly doth rather grieve than fret they sooner wast into sighes than fly about with fury more tears flows thorough their eyes than words pass thorough their lips Lord Singularity Why should you be melancholly Affectionata Alas nature hath made me so Besides I find there is not much reason to joy for what we love perchance it loves not us and if it doth we cannot keep it long for pleasures passeth like a dream when pains doth stay as if eternal were Lord Singularity Thou art composed with such harmonie as thy discourse is as delightfull musick wherein the soul takes pleasure Exeunt Scene 26. Enter the Lady Bashfull Sir Serious Dumb following her where Reformer her Woman meets them REformer Madam now the Gentleman is here you must use him civilly and not strive to run away from him wherefore pray turn and entertain him The Lady Bashfull turns to him but is so out of countenance and trembles so much as she cannot speak but stands still and mute All the while he fixes his eyes upon her Reformer Pray speak to him Madam and not stand trembling as if you were like to fall Lady Bashfull My spirits is seized on by my bashfull and innocent fears insomuch as they have not strength to support my body without trembling Reformer Sweet Madam try not speak to him Lady Bashfull Honourable Sir give me leave to tell you that my bashfullness doth smother the senses and reason in my brain and chokes the words in my throat I should utter but pray do not think it proceeds from crimes but an imperfection of nature which I have strove against but cannot as yet rectifie Sir Serious Dumb Civily bows to her and then gives Reformer his Table-book to read She reads Madam He hath writ here that had his tongue liberty to speak all that he could say would be so far below and inferiour to what might be said in your praise as he should not adventure to presume to speak Lady Bashfull I will presume to break my brain but I will invent some ways to be rid of his company He follows her Exeunt ACT. V. Scene 27. Enter the General and sits in a melancholly posture Enters Affectionata and stands with a sad countenance The General sees him LOrd Singularity What makes thee look so sad my boy Affectionata To see you sit so melancholly Lord Singul. Clear up thy countenance for it s not a deadly melancholly though it is a troublesome one Affectionata May I be so bold to ask the cause of it Lord Singul. The cause is a cruel Mistriss Affectionata Have you a Mistriss and can she be cruel Lord Singularity O! Women are Tyrants they daw us on to love and then denies our suits Affectionata Will not you think me rude If I should question you Lord Singul. No for thy questions delights me more than my Mistriss denials grieves me Affectionata Then give me leave to ask you whether your suit be just Lord Singul. Just to a Lovers desires Affectionata What is your desire Lord Singul. To lye with her Affectionata After you have married her Lord Singularity Marry her saist thou I had rather be banish'd from that Sex for ever than marry one and yet I love them well Affectionata Why have you such an adversion to marriage being lawfull and honest Lord Singul. Because I am affraid to be a Cuckold Affectionata Do you think there is no chaste women Lord Singularity Faith boy I believe very few and those that are men knows not where to find them out for all that are not married professes chastity speaks soberly and looks modestly but when they are marryed they are more wild than Bachalins far worse than Satyres making their Husbands horns far greater than a Stags having more branches sprouts thereon Affectionata And doth he never cast those horns Lord Singul. Yes if he be a Widower he casts his horns only the marks remains otherwise he bears them to his grave Affectionata But put the case you did know a woman that was chaste would not you marry her Lord Singul. That is a question not to be resolved for no man can be resolved whether a woman can be chaste or not Affectionata fetches a greater sighe Lord Singul. Why do you sighe my boy Affectionata Because all women are false or thought to be so that wise men dares not trust them Lord Singularity But they are fools that will not try and make use of them if they can have them wherefore I will go and try my Mistriss once again Exeunt Scene 28. Enter the Lady Ignorance and her Maid She hears a noise LAdy Ignorance What a noise they make below they will disturb my Husbands study go and tell those of my Servants that I will turn them away for their carelesness as that they cannot place set or hold things sure but let them fall to maké such a noise Maid I shall maid Ex. Lady Ignorance It shall be my study how to order my house without noise wherefore all my Servants shall be dumb although not deaf and I will take none but such as have corns on their feet that they may tread gently and all my Houshold-vessel shall be of wood for wood makes not such a noise when it chance to fall or is hit against a wall as metal doth which rings like bells when it is but touched neither will I have Houshold-vessels of Earth for earthen-pots pans and the like when they fall and break sounds as if a stonewall fell Ex. Scene 29. Enter the General and three or four Commanders GEneral On my soul Gentlemen the boy is an honest boy and no wayes guilty of this you tax him for Commanders Pardon us my Lord for giving your Excellence notice that the States are jealouse of him for a Spie but we do not any wayes accuse him General Will the States examine him say you Commanders So we hear my Lord General Well Gentlemen pray leave me for this time and I will take care the boy shall be forth-coming whensoever the State shall require him Commanders Your Lordships humble Servants Commanders Ex. The General solus General A Spie it cannot be for he is neither covetous nor malicious revengefull nor irreligious but I will try him Exit Scene 30. Enter the Lady Bashfulls Chamber-maid and Mrs. Reformer her Gentlewoman CHamber-maid Mrs. Reformer pray tell me who that handsome Gentleman is which follows my Lady about Reformer He is one that is Noble and Rich and is in love with my Lady Chamber-maid Truly it is the strangest way of wooing that ever was for my Lady goeth blushing out of one room into another and he follows her at the heels In my conscience my Lady is ashamed to
World for knowledge yet so as it looks as out of a window on a prospect it uses the World out of necessity but not serves the World out of slavery it is industrious for its own tranquility fame and everlasting life for which it leaves nothing unsought or undone is a wise soul Monsieur Profession Madam my soul is tyed to your soul with such an undissoulable knot of affection that nothing no not death can lose it nor break it asunder wherefore wheresoever your soul doth go thine will follow it and bear it company Madam Solid Then your soul vvill be incognita for my soul vvill not know whether your soul will be with it or not Ex. Monsieur Comorade Faith Thom. it s happy for thy soul to be drawn by her magnetick soul for that may draw lead or direct thy soul to Heaven otherwise thy soul will fall into Hell with the pressure of they sins for thy soul is as heavy as crime can make it Mons. Prof. Why then the divel would have found my soul an honest soul in being full weight his true coyn the right stamp of his Picture or Figure for vvhich he vvould have used my soul vvell and if Heaven gives me not this Lady Hell take me Monsieur Comorade Certainly you may be the Divels guest but whether you will be the Ladys Husband it is to be doubted Mons. Profession Well I will do my endeavour to get her and more a man cannot do Ex. Enter Madamosel Caprisia and Monsieur Importunate MOnsieur Importunate You are the rarest beauty and greatest wit in the World Mad. Capris. Wit is like beauty and beauty is oftener created in the fancie than the face so wit oftener by opinion than in the brain not but surely there may be a real beauty and so a real wit yet that real wit is no wit to the ignorant no more than beauty to the blind for the wit is lost to the understanding as beauty is lost to the eyes and it is not in nature to give what is not in nature to receive nor in nature to shew what is not in nature to be seen so there must be eyes to see beauty and eares to hear wit and understanding to judge of both and you have neither judgments eyes nor understandings ears nor rational sense Monsieur Importunate VVhy then you have neither beauty nor wit Mad. Capris. I have both but your commendations are from report for fools speaks by rote as Parrots do Ex. Monsieur Importunate solus Monsieur Importunate She is like a Bee loaded with sweet honey but her tongue is the sting that blisters all it strikes on Ex. Scene 8. Enter Madamosel Volante and Monsieur Bon Compaignon Bon Compaignon Lady why are you so silent Madam Volante VVhy soul I speak to those that understands me not Bon Compaignon VVhy are you so difficult to be understood Mad. Volante No but understanding is so difficult to find Bon Compaignon So and since there is such a total decay of understanding in every brain as there is none to be found but in your own you will make a new Common-wealth in yours where your thoughts as wife Magistrates and good Citizens shall govern and traffick therein and your words shall be as Letters of Mart and your senses shall be as legate Embassadors that lives in other Kingdoms which takes instructions and give intelligence or rather your thoughts are destinies and fates and your words their several decrees Mad. Volante Do you think my thoughts can warrant Laws or can my words decree them Bon Compaignon I believe your thoughts are so wise and just that whatsoever they allow of must be best and your words are so witty rational positive and powerfull as none can contradict them Mad. Volante Good Sir contradict your self or Truth will contradict you Bon Compaignon Nay faith I will never take the pains to contradict my self let Truth do what she will Ex. ACT II. Scene 9. Enter Madam la Mere and her daughter Madamosel Caprisia Madam Mere Daughter did you entertain the Lady Visit civilly Mad. Capris. Yes Mother extraordinary civilly for I gave her leave to entertain herself with her own discourse Mad. Mere That was rudely Mad. Capris. O no for certainly it is the height of courtship to our sex to let them talk all the talk themselves for all women takes more delight to discourse themselves than to hear another and they are extreamly pleased if any listens or at lest seems to listen to them For the truth is that talking is one of the most luxurious appetites women have wherefore I could not be more civiller than to bar and restrain the effeminate nature in my self to give her tongue liberty Madam Mere But you should have spoken a word now and then as giving her civilly some breathing rest for her discourse to lean upon Mad. Capris. Her speech was so strong and long-winded as it run with a full speed without stop or stay it neither need spurre nor whip the truth is it had been well if it had been held in with the bridle of moderation for it ran quite beyond the bounds of discretion although sometimes it ran upon the uneven wayes of slander other times upon the stony ground of censure and sometimes in the soul wayes of immodesty and often upon the furrows of non-sense besides it did usually skip over the hedges of Truth and certainly if the necessities of nature and the separations of Neigh-bourhood and the changes and inter-course of and in the affairs of the VVorld and men did not forcibly stop sometimes a womans tongue it would run as far as the confines of death Mad. Mere But let me tell you Daughter your tongue is as sharp as a Serpents sting and will wound as cruelly and deadly where it bites Capris. It proves my tongue a womans tongue Mad. Mere VVhy should a womans tongue have the effects of a Serpents sting Capris. The reason is evident for the great Serpent that tempted and so perverted our Grandmother Eve in Paradise had a monstrous sting and our Grandmother whetted her tongue with his sting and ever since all her effeminate rase hath tongues that stings Ex. Scene 10. Enter Madamosel Doltche and Monsieur Bon Compaignon BOn Compaignon Lady Monsieur Nobilissimo is so in love with you as he cannot be happy untill you be his wife Doltche I wonder he should be in love with me since I have neither beauty to allure him nor so much riches as to intice him nor wit to perswade him to marry me Bon Compaignon But Lady you have vertue good nature sweet disposition gracefull behaviour which are sufficient Subjects for love to settle on did you want what you mentioned out you have all not only what any man can with or desire with a wife but you have as much as you can wish and desire to have your self Doltche I will rather be so vain as to strive to believe you than
said Ex. Scene 14. Enter Madamosel Mere and her Daughter Madamosel Caprisia MERE Daughter you have a sufficiency of wit and beauty to get many Lovers to chose a Husband if you had but patience to entertain and prudence to keep them But your being crosse will lose your Lovers as soon as your beauty hath taken them Capris. It is no prize for a woman to have such Lovers that hath amorous natures for it is their nature that drives them to her and not the womans beauty or wit that draws them to her and there is less force required to drive than to draw but the truth is that most men hath such threed-bare souls as if the nap of their understanding were worn of or indeed their souls seems as if there were never any woven thereon as that nature hath made all their souls thin and course or as if time had Moath-eaten them which makes me although not to hate you yet to despise that Sex for men that should imitate the Gods yet are they worse than Beasts which makes me shun their beastly company Mere Daughter you speak and judge passionately and passion can never reason well for how is it possible for reason to exercise its function when passion opposes and is too strong for it Capris. Truth may be delivered in passion but not corrupted with passion for truth is truth howsoever it be divulged or else it is no truth but falsehood Ex. Scene 14. Enter Monsieur Perfection and Madamosel Solid drest very fine PErfection You are wondrous fine to day Madam Solid If I seem fine to day I am obliged more to my fancie than my wealth for this finerie Perfection The truth is you are so adjousted so curiously accoutred as I perceive judgement and wit were joyned associates in your dressing Solid I had rather be commended or applauded for judgement and wit than for wealth and beauty for I had rather have my soul commended than my person or fortunes Perfection Certainly I believe you have a more rational soul than any other of your Sex have Solid Alas My soul is but a young soul a meer Novice soul it wants growth or my soul is like a house which time the architectour hath newly begun to build and the senses which are the Labourers wants information and experience which are the materiall for the rational soul to be built on or with but such materials as hath been brought in I strive and endeavour to make the best and most convenient use for a happy life Perfection How say you the best use for a good Wife Solid No that little reason I have tells me to be a Wife is to be unhappy for content seldom in marriage dwells disturbance keeps possession Perfection If you disprayse marriage you will destroy my hopes and frustrate my honest design Solid VVhy what is your design Perfection To be a Suiter to you Solid And what is your hopes Perfection To be your Husband Solid If I thought marriage were necessary although unhappy yet there would be required more wit and judgement in chosing a Husband than in dressing my self wherefore it were requisite that some of more wit and judgement than my self should chose for me otherwise I may be betray'd by flattery outward garb insinuations or false-hood and through an unexperienced innocency I may take words and shews for worth and merit which I pray the Gods I may not do for to marry an unworthy man were to me to be at the height of affliction and marriage being unhappy in it self needs no addition to make it worse Perfection Madam Discretion forbids me to commend my self although I am a Lover For had I merits worthy great praises it were unfit I should mention them but there is not any man or woman that is or can be exactly known either by themselves or others for nature is obscure she never divulges herself neither to any creature nor by or through any creature for the hides herself under infinite varieties changes and chances She disguises herself with antick Vizards she appears sometimes old sometimes young sometimes vaded and withered sometimes green and flourishing sometimes feeble and weak sometimes strong and lusty sometimes deformed and sometimes beautifull sometimes she appears with horrour sometimes with delight sometimes she appears in glimsing lights of knowledge then clouds herself with ignorance But Madam since we are as ignorant of our souls as of our fortunes and as ignorant of our lives as of our deaths we cannot make any choice upon certainties but upon uncertainties and if we be good whilst we live our deaths will be our witnesse to prove it in the mean time let our promises stand bound for us which is the best ingagement we can give although it may sail and let our marriage be as the Bond of agreement although we may forfeit the same yet let us make it as sure as we can Solid I will consider it and then I will answer your request Perfection That is to yield Solid It is like enough Ex. Scene 16. Enter Madamosel Caprisia and Monsieur Importunate IMportunate My fair Shrew are you walking alone Caprisia My thoughts are my best Companions Importunate Pray let a thought of me be one of the company Capris. When you enter into my mind you do appear so mean as my nobler thoughts scorns that thought that bears your figure Importunate Thoughts are as notes and the tongue is the Fiddle that makes the musick but your words as the cords are out of tune Capris. You say so by reason they are not set to your humour to sound your prayse Importunate I say you are very handsome nature hath given you a surpassing beauty but pride and self-conceit hath cast such a shadow as it hath darkened it as vaporous clowds doth the bright Sun Capris. Your opinions are clowdy and your tongue like thunder strikes my ears with rude uncivil words Ex. He alone Importunate I perceive humility dwels not with beauty nor with but is as great a stranger as with Riches and Titles Ex. Scene 17. Enter Madamosel Volante and Monsieur Discretion DIscretion Madam the fame of your wit drew me hither Volante I am sorry my wit hath a greater fame than my worth that my vain words should spread further than my vertuous actions for noble fame is built on worthy deeds Discretion But it were pity you should bury your wit in silence Besides your discourse may profit the hearers either with delight or instructions Volante O no for discourses pleases according to the humour or understanding of the hearers Besides it is the nature of mankind to think each other fools and none but themselves wise Then why should I wast my life to no purpose knowing times motion swift Discretion You do not wast your life through your words if your words gets you a fame and esteem of the VVorld Volante VVhat shall I be the better in having the VVorlds esteem nay it is likely that prayses whilst I live
Chapter conteins more than half the book The Last Chapter is remembrance which is also a very long Chapter and the variety of thoughts are the several letters in which these Chapters are writ but they are not all writ after one kind of writing neither are they writ with one and the same language For knowledge is writ in great and plain letters memory and understanding in finer and smaller letters Conceptions and Imaginations after the manner of way as like Hierogyphiks Remembrance is writ as after the like way of Characters Knowledge is writ in the Originall Language as we may liken to Hebrew Memory and Understanding are writ in a language derived therefrom Conception and Imagination are written in heathen Greek Remembrance is writ in a mixt or compounded language like as English but yet it is most like that we call old English But the most profitablest School is consideration And the best Tutour is reason and when the mind is distempered or obstructed with Ignorance education is the best Physick which purges it cleanses and freeth it from all gross and foul and filthy Errours but the Educatours which are the Physitians should be well chosen for the plain truth is that youth should be taught by those that are grave and sage that they may learn experience by the Second hand otherwayes Age only knows but hath no time to practise in but if that youth be taught good principles their life growes high by Noble deeds and broadly spreads with Honours but when that youth have liberty to sport and play casting their learning time away they grow like poisonous plants or weeds which makes their life swell big with venomous passions and dispositions and burst with evil deed but youth their understanding is like their years and bodyes little and weak for the Soul is improved by the Senses but Educatours their Physicians presents to their Senses the most wholesom and nurishing meat for as the body is nurished and grows strong by good disgestion so doth the Soul gain knowledge by information but if the food be unwholesom or more than the Stomach be able to digest or that the body is not fed sufficiently the body becomes lean weak saint and sick so the Soul or mind If the senses be imperfect or the objects more than can be well disenst or too many for the temper of the brain or that the brain be too cold or to hot then the Soul or mind like the body decayes for like as the bodily senses so the senses of the Soul decayes for the understanding as the Spirits grows saint the judgment as the liver wan and weak the memory as the eyes grows dim and blind the thoughts as the several limbs grows feeble and lazy but some remedy is for those diseases for the speculative notes helpes the dull memory cordiall learning the faint understanding purging and opening experience the wan and obstructed judgment and necessity exercises the lazy thoughts but if the brain be defective or the Soul imperfect from the birth there is no remedy for then the reason proves a dwarf and the understanding a fool but if the Soul be perfect and the brain well tempered then the Soul is like the serene and azure Sky wherein reason as the Sun gives light to all the Animal World where the thoughts as several Creatures lives therein some being bred in the deep and restless Ocean of Imagination others as from the fixt Earth of knowledge springs and as the Gods governs the World and the Creatures therein so the Soul should govern the body and the Appetites thereof which governing is to govern still to the best As for the continuance of the World so for the prolonging of the life of the body which government I wish to the Soul of every young Student here In the next place I shall speak to Oratours whose study and practice is language and language although it is not born with man yet it is bred with man or in man either by their education or their own Invention for if language had a beginning it was invented by the Creature if no beginning it was taught them by the Gods for though that Nature made such Organs as was proper to express language with yet it seems as if she did not Creat language as a principal work but if she did then Oratours tongues are Natures Musicall instruments but the best Musicall Instruments were better to lye unplaid with than to sound out of Tune or to strike jarring discord which displeaseth more than the harmony can delight so likewise it were better not to speak than to speak to no purpose or to an evill design but Oratory or Rhetorick is as all other Musick is which lives more in sound than in substance it charms the eare but it cannot inchant the reason it may enslave the passions but not conquer the understanding it may obstruct truth and abuse virtue but it can neither destroy the one nor corrupt the other it can flatter up hopes and raise up doubts but it cannot delude experience it can make factions and raise tumults but seldome rectify disorders for it is to be observed that in those States or Nations where Oratory and Rhetorick flourisheth most the Common-wealth is for the most part distempered and Justice looses her seat and many times the State looses its former Government Customs and Lawes witness the Romans Athens and Lacedemonians and others that were ruined by their flourishing Rhetorick and factious Oratory but it is thought that the flowers of Rhetorick is much vaded since the time of the Athens through the whole World and that the lively Cullours are quite lost if it be so then surely the deffect is much in the first education of Children for in Infancy is a time these should take a good print but their Nurses is their Grammar and her tongue is their first Tutour which most commonly learns them the worst part of Speech which parts are Eight as impertinent questions cross answers broken relations false reports rude speeches mistaking words misplaccing words new words of their own making without a signification Wherefore parents that would bring up their Children elegantly and eloquently they must have a learned Grammar and a wise Tutour at the first to teach them for the mouth as the Press Prints the breath as the paper with words as the Ink and reason and sense bindes them up into a book or vollume of discourses but certainly the Oratours of this Age for eloquence and elegancy comes not short of the eloquent Oratours of Athens or any other State they only use it to better designs than to make Warrs on their Neighbours to banish their Citizens or those that ought to be rewarded to alter their Government and ruine their state no worthy Oratours you use your eloquence for peace love and unity and not for faction War and ruine for which may the Gods of eloquence assist you But there is two sorts of Oratours the one
a servant to my Mr. and Mrs. I must be dutiful and careful to their commands and on their employments they have put to me wherefore I must leave you Sir and go fold my sheep Lord Title I will help you Exeunt Scene 24 Enter Sir Golden Riches and Mall Mean-bred GOlden Rich. Sweet-heart I have no Sonnets This Scene was written by my Lord Marquiss of Newcastle Songs or stronger Lines with softer Poesie to melt your Soul nor Rhetorick to charm your Eares or Logick for to force or ravish you nor lap 't in richer cloaths embalm'd in Sweets nor Courtly Language but am an Ancient Squire by name Sir Golden Riches which hath force in all things and then in Love for Cupid being blinde he is for feeling and look here my Wench this purse is stuff'd with Gold a hundred pounds Mall Mean-bred Let me see poure it on the ground Gold Rich. I will obey thee Look here my Girl He poures it on the ground Mall Mean-bred O dear how it doth shine forsooth it almost blinds mine eyes take it away yet pray let it stay truly I know not what to do with it Gold Rich. No why it will buy you rich Gowns ap'd in the Silk-worms toyls with stockings of the softer silk to draw on your finer legs with rich lace shooes with roses that seem sweet and garters laced with spangles like twinckling Stars embalm your hair with Gessimond Pomaetums and rain Odoriferous Powders of proud Rome Mall Mean-bred O Heaven what a Wench shall I be could I get them But shall we have fine things of the Pedlar too Gold Rich. Buy all their packs and send them empty home Mall Mean-bred O mighty I shall put down all the Wenches at the May-pole then what will the Bag-piper say do you think Pray tell me for he is a jeering knave Gold Rich. Despise the Rural company and that windy bag change it for Balls with greatest Lords to dance and bring the Jerkin Fiddles out of frame Mall Mean-bred Then I shall have a Mail-Pillion and ride behind our Thomas to the dancing Gold Rich. No you shall ride in rich gilt Coaches Pages and Lacquies in rich Liveries with Gentlemen well cloath'd to wait upon you Mall Mean-bred And be a Lady then I will be proud and will not know Thomas any more nor any Maid that was acquainted with me Gold Rich. You must forget all those of your Fathers house too for I 'll get a Pedigree shall fit you and bring you Lineally descended from Great Charlemain Mall Mean-bred No I will have it from Charls wayn my Fathers Carter but I would so fain be a Lady and it might be I will be stately laugh without a cause and then I am witty and jeer sometimes and speak nonsense aloud But this Gold will not serve for all these fine things Gold Rich. Why then we will have hundreds and thousands of pounds until you be pleas'd so I may but enjoy you in my Arms Mall Mean-bred No Maid alive can hold our these Assaults Gold is the Petarr that breaks the Virgins gates a Souldier told me so VVell then my Lord Title farewel for you are an empty name and Sir Effeminate Lovely go you to your Taylor make more fine cloaths in vain I 'll stick to Riches do then what you will The neerest way to pleasure buy it still Exeunt Scene 25. Enter the Lady Ward alone LAdy Ward Why should Lord Courtship dislike me Time hath not plowed wrinkles in my face nor digged hollows in my cheeks nor hath he set mine eyes deep in my head nor shrunk my sinews up nor suck'd my veins dry nor fed upon my flesh making my body insipid and bate neither hath he quenched out my wit nor decay'd my memory nor ruin'd my understanding but perchance Lord Courtship likes nothing but what is in perfection and I am like a house which Time hath not fully finished nor Education throughly furnished Scene 26. Enter Poor Virtue and Sir Golden Riches meets her comming from Mall Mean-bred Golden Riches Sweet-heart refuse not Riches it will buy thee friends pacifie thy enemies it will guard thee from those dangers that throng upon the life of every creature Poor Virtue Heavenly Providence is the Marshal which makes way for the life to pass through the croud of dangers and my Vertue will gain me honest friends which will never forsake me and my humble submission will pacifie my enemies were they never so cruel Gold Rich. But Riches will give thee delight and place thee in the midst of pleasures Poor Virtue No it is a peaceable habitation a quiet and sound sleep and a healthful body that gives delight and pleasure and 't is not riches but riches many times destroy the life of the body or the reason in the soul or at least bring infirmities thereto through luxury for luxury slackens the Nerves quenches the Spirits and drowns the Brain and slackned Nerves make weak Bodies quenched Spirits timorous Minds a drowned Brain a watry Understanding which causeth Sloth Effeminacy and Simplicity Gold Rich. How come you to know so much of the world and yet know so few passages in it living obscurely in a Farmers house Poor Virtue The Astronomers can measure the distance of the Planets and take the compass of the Globe yet never travel to them nor have they Embassadors from them nor Liegers to lie therein to give Intelligence Gold Rich. How come you to be so learnedly judicious being so young poor and meanly born and bred Poor Virtue Why Fire Air Water and Earth Animals Vegetables and Minerals are Volumes large enough to express Nature and make a Scholar learn to know the course of her works and to understand many effects produced therefrom And as for Judgment and Wit they are brother and sister and although they do not alwayes and at all times agree yet are they alwayes the children of the Brain being begot by Nature Thus what Wit or Knowledge I have may come immediatly from Nature not from my Birth or Breeding but howsoever I am not what I seem Exeunt Scene 27. Enter the Lady Contemplation and the Lady Visitant Visitant What makes you look so sad Contempl. Why Monsieur Amorous's visit hath been the cause of the death of one of the finest Gentlemen of this Age Visitant How pray Contempl. Why thus my Imagination for Imagination can Create both Masculine and Feminine Lovers had Created a Gentleman that was handsomer and more beautiful than Leander Adonis or Narcissus valianter than Tamberlain Scanderbeg Hannibal Caesar or Alexander sweeter-natur'd than Titus the delight of mankinde better-spoken and more eloquent than Tully or Demosthenes wittyer than Ovid and a better Poet than Homer This man to fall desperately in love with me as loving my Vertues honouring my Merits admiring my Beauty wondring at my Wit doting on my Person adoring me as an Angel worshipping me as a Goddess I was his Life his Soul his Heaven This Lover courted
will be very industrious if you please to set me to work Enter Maudlin Huswife her Mother she falls a beating her Maudlin You idle slut do you stand loytering here when it is more than time the Cows were milk'd Mall Mean-bred flings away her milking-pail Mall Mean-bred Go milk them your self with a murrain since you are so light-finger'd Maudlin I will milk your sides first The Mother goeth to beat her again Mall Mean-bred her daughter runs away from her mother she follows her running to catch her Master Inqui. I marry Sir this is right as a Farmers daughter should be but in my Conscience the other Maid that was here before her is a bastard begot by some Gentleman Exeunt Scene 14. Enter Sir John Argument and the Lady Conversation LAdy Conversa. Let me tell you Sir Iohn Argument Love delivers up the whole Soul to the thing beloved and the truth is none but one soul can love another Argum. But Justice Madam must be the rule of Love wherefore those souls which Love must give the bodies leave to joyn Conversat. O no pure souls may converse without gross bodies Argument Were it not for the Senses Madam souls could have no acquaintance and without an acquaintance there can be no reciprocal affection and will you make the Senses which are the souls chief confidence to be strangers or enemies Conversat. I would have them converse but not interrupt Argum. The bodies must have mutual friendship and correspondency with each other or otherwise they may dissemble or betray the souls or abuse the trust loose appetites or wandring senses or contrary humours and what can interrupt Love more than the disagreement of bodies Conversat. The Senses and Appetites of the Body are but as subject to the Soul Argument But 't is impossible for Forein Princes as I will compare two loving souls unto can live in peace and mutual amity if their subjects disagree Enter Mistris Troublesome Conversat. O Mistris Troublesome you are welcome for you shall end the dispute between Sir Iohn Argument and I Troublesome If you cannot decide the Dispute your selves I shall never do it But what is the Dispute Madam Conversat. Whether there can be a perfect friendship of Souls without a reciprocal and mutual conversation and conjunctions of Bodies Troublesome Faith Madam I think it would be a very faint friendship betwixt the Souls without the Bodies Conversat. I perceive Sir Iohn Argument and you would never make Platonick Lovers Troublesome Faith Madam I think Platonick is a word without sense Argument You say right Mistris Troublesome it is an insensible love Conversat. It is the Soul of Love Troublesome What 's that Madam a Ghost or Spirit Conversat. Indeed it hath no material body Argument No for it is an incorporal thing Troublesome What is an incorporal thing Sir Iohn Argument Why nothing Troublesome Pray leave this discourse or else you will talk nonsense Argument That 's usual in Conversation Conversat. Setting aside this discourse at Mistris Troublesomes request Pray tell me how the Lady Contemplation doth Troublesome Faith Madam by the course of her life one might think she were an incorporal thing Conversat. Why Troublesome Because she makes but little use of her Body living always within her Minde Conversat. Then her Body stands but as a Cypher amongst the Figures of her thoughts Troublesome Just so by my Troth Conversat. Pray bring me acquainted with the Lady Contemplation Troublesome If it be possible I will but the Lady Visitant can do it better than I Conversat. I am resolv'd I will visit her Exeunt Scene 15. Enter the Lord Courtship and the Lady Ward LOrd Courtship What is your passion over Lady Ward My passion will strive to maintain my honour and you may take my life but as long as I live my passion will fight in the quarrel But what man of honour will make a Bawd of her he intends to make his Wife and what man of honour will be cruel to those that are weak helplesse and shiftlesse and what man of honour will be uncivil to the meanest of our Sex It is more noble to flatter us than to quarrel with us but that I have heard you are valiant I should think you were a base coward and such a one that would quarrel in a Brothel-house rather than fight in a Battel But I perceive you are one that loves Pleasure more than Honour and Life more than Fame and I hate to be in that mans company or to make a Husband whose courage lies in Voluptousness and his life in Infamy I will sooner marry Death than such a man The Lady Ward goes out Lord Courtship alone Lord Courts Her words have shot through my soul and have made a sensible wound therein How wisely she did speak how beautiful appear'd Her minde is full of honour and the actions of her life are built upon noble principles so young so wise so fair so chaste and I to use her so basely as I have done O how I hate my self for doing so unworthily Exit Scene 16. Enter Sir Effeminate Lovely and Poor Virtue EFfemin. Lovely The more ground is troden on the easier the path to walk in Poor Virtue It seems so that you visit me so often Effem. Lovely Why thou art such sweet company and behav'st thy self so prettily as I cannot choose but visit thee Poor Virtue I would if I could behave my self so to the world as my indiscretion might not defame me Effem. Lovely Why do you think of a Fame Poor Virtue VVhy not since fame many times arises from poor Cottages as well as from great Palaces witness the Country labouring-man that was taken from the plough and made an Emperour as being thought sittest to rule both for Justice and VVisedome and he was more famous than those that were born of an Heroick Line and were of Royal dignity and David a shepherd became a King 'T is Merit that deserves a fame not Birth and sometimes Merit hath its desert though but seldome Effem. Lovely Thy discourse would tempt any man Poor Virtue Mistake not my discourse it hath no such devilish design for to tempt is to pervert 'T is true my Nature takes delight to delight and please others and not to crosse or displease any yet not to tempt or to delude with counterfeit demeanors or fair insinuating words smooth speech or oiled tongue to draw from Virtues side but to perswade and plead in Virtues cause Effem. Lovely Thy very looks would gain a cause before thy tongue could plead Poor Virtue Alas mans countenance is like the Sea which ebbs and flows as passion moves the minde Effem. Lovely I am sure Love moves my minde and makes it in a fiery heat Poor Virtue If it be noble Love it is like the Sun which runs about to give both light and heat to all the world that else would sit in darknesse and be both cold and steril so doth a noble minde run with industry to
from the bower of bliss into the grave of life the habitation of death from a young Beauty to an old doting Woman Oh I will tear this letter that hath deceived me but stay I will keep this letter to make sport amongst the young Ladies which sport may perchance insinuate me into some favour with the young Ladies for as idle and ridiculous pastime or means as this is hath got many times good success amongst Ladies wherefore I will for their sport-sake jestingly Court Mother Matron and in the mean time of the Progress write her a letter Exit ACT III Scene 11. Enter Madamoiselle Ambition and Monsieur Inquisitive INquisitive I hear Madamoiselle Ambition you are to marry Monsieur Vain-glorious Ambition No for I am too honest to marry one man and love admire and esteem another man beyond him but when I marry I will marry such a one as I prize honour love and admire above all other men or else I will never marry Inquisitive What man could you esteeem honour and love most Ambition He that I thought had the noblest Soul and had done the most worthyest Actions Inquisitive But put the case that man that were as you would have him were so ingag'd as you could not enjoy him in lawful mariage Ambition I could lawfully enjoy him although I could not lawfully marry him Inquisitive As how Ambition As in Contemplation for I could enjoy his Soul no otherwise if I were maried to him for if I were maried I could but contemplate of his Merits please my self with the thoughts of his Virtues honour his generous Nature and praise his Heroick Actions And these I can do as much although I should live at distance from him nor never be his Wife for the mariage of Bodies is no enjoyment of Souls Inquisitive This would only be an opinion of delight but no true enjoyment of pleasure for though an Opinion may affright the Soul yet the Opinion cannot pleasure the Body But say an Opinion could delight the Soul without the Senses yet the pleasures of the Senses are to be preferred before the delight of the Soul for the truth is that the spirits of life take more delight in sensual pleasures than in the Souls imagination for life lives in the Senses not in the Soul for were there no Senses there would be no Life Ambition By your favour there is life in the Soul when Death hath extinguish'd the Senses Inquisitive That 's more than you know you believe it only upon report but who hath had the trial or experience of the truth of it So that the report is upon an unknown ground and your belief is built upon an unsure Foundation Ambition What belief is for my advantage I will strive and indeavour to strengthen it on what foundation soever it 's built upon Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Monsieur Frisk and Mother Matrons Maid FRisk You will pardon me pretty Maid for causing you to stay so long for an Answer of your Mistris's Letter Maid There requires no pardon Sir for I have been very well entertain'd by your man I thank him Frisk I perceive my man hath had better fortune than his Master for he hath had youth to entertain but I hope if you receive the mans entertainment so thankfully you will not refuse the Masters Maid My Mistris would be jealous of your Worship if you should entertain me Frisk Why doth your Mistris love me so much Maid So much as she cannot sleep quietly for dreaming of you nor lets me sleep for she wakes me every night to tell me her dreams Frisk What dreams she Maid One dream was she dream'd that she was Diana and you Acteon Frisk What to set horns on my head Maid No my Mistris said that she in her dream did more as a Godess ought to have done than Diana did for she was generous in her dream and not cruel for instead of horning you she invited you into her Bath Frisk I hope you were one of her Nymphs Maid Another time she dream'd you were Mercury and she Herce and another that she was Venus and you Adonis but the last night she awaked out of a fearful dream Frisk What dream was that Maid She dream'd that she was Queen Dido and you the Prince AEneas and when you were ship'd and gone away she stab'd her self Frisk If she were Dido I should prove AEneas Maid On my Conscience she fetch'd as many sighs when she awak'd and made as many pitious complaints and lamentations as if her dream had been true and she really bad been Queen Dido insomuch as I was afraid that she would have killed he self indeed and was running forth the Chamber to call in company to hinder her but that she commanded me to stay saying that it was but the passion of her dream for she hoped that you would prove a more constant and faithful Lover than to leave her to despair Frisk The next time she is in the same passion tell her I will be like AEneas meet her in Hell In the mean time carry her this Letter Maid Lord Lord she will be a joy'd woman to receive a letter from you and I shall be a welcome Messenger unto her and the letter will be worth a new gown to me Frisk I wish it may be a gown of price to thee Exeunt Scene 13. Enter Monsieur Satyrical and Madamoiselle Bon' Esprit BOn Esprit How shall I pacifie my companions or qualifie their spleens who will be in a furious rage when they perceive and know my real love to you for they made me as their hook to the line of their Angle and hope to catch you like a Gudgion Satyrical All that Angle do not catch yet you have drawn me forth of the salt Satyrical Sea Bon' Esprit But their desire is that you should lie gasping on the shore of Love Satyrical Would they be so cruel as not to throw me into a fresh River Bon' Esprit No for they joy in the thought of your torments and their general prayers are to Cupid imploring him to wound you with a golden-headed Arrow and she you love with an Arrow headed with lead As for their particular prayers they are after this manner One prays you may sigh your self into Air and the Air so infectious as it may plague all the Satyrical of your Sex Another prayeth you may weep tears of Vitriol and that the sharpness of those tears may corrode your soul Another prays that your passion of love may be so hot as it may torment you as hell-Hell-fire doth the damned but Mother Matron besides saying Amen to all their prayers makes her prayers thus That she for whose sake you must endure all these torments may be the oldest and most ill-favour'd deform'd woman that ever Nature Accident and Time made Satyrical She would have me in Love with her self it seems by her prayer Bon' Esprit If she did hear you she would die for want of Revenge
Madamoiselle Esperance Have I not reason Tell-truth No truly for a Man may do such light actions or speak merrily or solidly without an evill design only to pass a way idle time Madamoiselle Esperance Lord how idly you speak Cousin as to think men might idly pass away their time when Nature allows life no idle time for all things are growing or decaying feeding life or getting food for to nourish life or bearing or breeding for increase and man which only by his shape exceeds all other Creatures in Reason Knowledge and Understanding and will you have him cast away these supreme gifts of Nature with idle time would you have men follow the Sense only like a Beast and not to be guided by reason to some noble study or profitable action would you have them yield to their surfeting Appetites and not indeavour to temper them is Sickness less painfull than Health is Disorder to be prefer'd before Method or Inconveniency before Conveniency Warrs before Peace Famine before Plenty Vice before Virtue all which would be if idle time wery allow'd for Idleness never found out Arts nor Sciences or rules of Government nor the ease of Temperance nor the profit of Prudence nor the commands of Fortitude nor the peace of Justice which Industry produceth but Idleness brings Confusion Exeunt Scene 10. Enter Monsieur Heroick with his Sword bloody and meets his friend Monsieur Amy. AMy. What hast thou been doing that thy sword is bloody Heroick Fighting Amy. With whom Heroick I know not Amy. For what did you fight Heroick For nothing or at least as bad as nothing for that I never saw nor heard of nor knew where to find Amy. This is a strange quarrel that you neither know the man nor the cause it was a mad quarrel Heroick You say right for as for my part I had little reason to fight I know not what my opposite had but prithy friend go help him for he lyes yonder and I doubt he is deadly wounded the whilst I will seek a Chirurgion to send to him Amy. You had need seek one for your self for you bleed I see by your shirt Heroick Yes so I will but it shall be the Lady that was cause of the wounds and I will try if her Beauty can heal them Exeunt Scene 11. Enter Monsieur Nobilissimo and Madamoiselle Amor NObilissimo My sweet Mistriss what is the cause you look so pale and Melancholy Amor I hear you have forsaken me and making love to another which I no sooner heard but shook with fear like to a tender Plant blown by a Northern wind wherewith my blood congeal'd with cold my thoughts grew sad and gathered like black Clouds which makes my head hang down my face all wither'd pale and dry but did I love as many do for Person not for Mind your Inconstancy would be a less Crime but were your Body as curious made as Natures skill could form you and not a Soul answerable I might Admire you but not Love you with adoration as I do Nobilissimo Fear not for as thy Tongue unlocks my Ears so it locks up my Heart from all thy Sex but thee and as a Cabinet doth keep thy Picture there Amor Heaven grant my Tongue may never rust but move with words as smoothed with Oyl turned by the strength of Wit easy and free Nobilissimo Dear Mistriss banish this Jealousy it may in time corrupt pure love and be you confident of my Affection as of your own Virtue Amor Your kind words I will take for a sufficient Seal and never doubt the Bond that Love hath made Exeunt Scene 12. Enter Monsieur Phantasie wounded being lead between Madamoiselle Bon and Monsieur Amy he seems to be so faint as not to pass any further but is forced to ly down Madamoiselle sits by him AMy. I will go fetch more help and Chirurgions Monsieur Amy goes out Madamoiselle Bon stayes and holds her Arm under his head Phantasie I am wounded more with thoughts of Sorrow than with my opposites Sword and wish that Death would strike me in thy Arms that I might breath my last there offer up my Soul upon the Altar of thy Breast and yield my life a Sacrifice unto thy Constancy Madamoiselle Bon. May Death exchange and take my life that is useless to the World and spare yours for noble actions to build a fame thereon Phantasie Speak not so Madamoiselle Bon. If my words offend you my tongue for ever shall be Dumb Phantasie No it is your Wish offends and not your Words for they are Musick to my Ears or like to drops of Balsom powr'd therein to heal my wounded Soul Madamoiselle Bon. If that my words could cure your wounds that bleed rather than want I le speak till all my breath were spent no life to form words with She weeps Phantasie Why do you weep Madamoiselle Bon. To see you bleed but if you bleed to Death I will weep to Death and as life issues through your Wounds so shall life issue through my Eyes and drown it self in floods of tears Phantasie Forbear let not the Earth drink up those tears those precious tears the Gods thirst after Enter Men and take him up and lay him forth Exeunt Scene 13. Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit and her Audience GRand Esprit Venus thou Goddess fair for thy Sons sake Cupid the God of Love O let me make A Banquet of sweet Wit to entertain This Noble Company and feast each brain And let each several Ear feed with delight Not be disturb'd with foul malicious spight Noble and Right Honourable I shall take my discourse at this time out of Beauty the ground of which discourse is Eyes Eyes are the Beauty of Beauty for if the Eyes be not good the face though ne'r so fair or otherwise well featur'd cannot be pleasing the truth is Eyes are the most Curious Ingenious Delightfull and Profitable work in Nature Curious in the Aspect and Splendor Ingenious in the form and fashion Delightfull in the Society and Profitable in their Commerce Trade and Traffick that they have with all the rest of Natures works for had not Nature made Eyes all her works had been lost as being buryed in everlasting darkness for it is not only Light that shews her works but Eyes that see her works wherefore if Nature had not made Eyes she had lost the glory of Admiration and Adoration which all her Animal Creatures give her begot raised or proceeding from what they see besides not only Light the presenter of objects would have been lost but Life would have been but only a dull Melancholy Motion for want of sight and for want of sight life would have wanted knowledge and so would have been ignorant both of its self and Nature but now life takes delight by the fight through the Eyes and is inamor'd with the Beauties it views and the Eyes do not only delight themselves and life with what they receive but
a fame but what fame soever men get the woman loses as being thought either too kind or cruell Madamoiselle Amor Sister this Gentleman never saw you only fought in his own defence he desires you would give him leave to come and kiss your hands he is a very gallant man and an experienced Souldier Madamoiselle La Belle A Souldier why he never lead an Army nor pitcht a Field nor fought a Battel he never Intrencht nor Incampt he never guarded kept nor took Fort Town or City perchance he hath studied as most Gentlemen do so much of Fortification as to talk of Trenches Lines Ramparts Bullworks Curtains Wings Faces Forts Centries And of Amunition Cannon Muskets Carabines Pistols Slings Bowes Arrows Darts Pikes Bills Halbards Bolts Poleaxes Swords Cimeters Shot Bullets Powder Drums Trumpets Waggons Tents and the like and for Arms Pot Back Breast Gantlets corslets Gorgets and the like thus they learn the Names but seldome practice the use Madamoiselle Amor Yes this Gentleman hath lead Armies pitcht Fields fought Battels where those he won were won by his Prudence and Conduct and those he lost were by Fortunes spight whose changing power and inconstant humour no Mortal can withstand Madamoiselle La Belle Nay Sister if he be so gallant a person I shall not refuse his visits nor deny my self his Company but entertain him as civilly as he may deserve Exeunt ACT V. Scene 17. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Well met I was going to your Lodging 2 Gent. Faith if you had gone to my Lodging you had mist of my Company 1 Gent. But howsoever I should have been entertained by thy old Landlady for she makes me welcome in thy absence 2 Gent. The truth of it is that my Landlady as old as she is loves the Company of men especially of young men for if a young man will trouble himself to stay in her Company and talk to her she is so pleased as she makes more wrinckles with her smiles than Time hath made and she will simperingly put in her Chin as if she were but fifteen 1 Gent. Faith I commend women for they will never yield to ages humours though they are forced to yield to ages infirmities for their minds are always young though their bodyes be old 2 Gent. Indeed their minds are Girls all their life time but leaving old women will you go see Monsieur Phantasie 1 Gent. Is he so well as to admit of Visiters 2 Gent. Yes for he is in a recovering condition and state of Health 1 Gent. Come let us go then Exeunt Scene 18. Enter Monsieur Heroick and Madamoiselle La Belle MOnsieur Heroick Madam the fame of your Beauty and Virtue hath drawn me hither to offer my service on the altar of your commands Madamoiselle La Belle You are so great a favourite to Nature and Fortune and are so splenderous with their gifts as you are able to put the confidence of our Sex out of Countenance especially I that am by Nature bashfull wherefore it is unlikely I should command you Monsieur Heroick I had rather be commanded by you Lady than to command the whole World and should be prouder to be your Slave than to be that sole Monarch Madamoiselle La Belle I should be sorry so gallant a man as fame reports you to be should have so sick a Judgment and so ungoverned a Passion as to yield up your liberty to a woman and to ty your life to her vain foolish humours Monsieur Heroick It is impossible that in so heavenly a form a foolish Soul should be for I perceive by your beautifull person Nature hath out-wrought her self having not Art or skill to make a Second and what man would not be proud to serve the only she Madamoiselle La Belle O Sir take heed you wrong not your noble worth and merit in being over civill for complements are all dissembling and dissembling runs in the ways of perjury Monsieur Heroick Pray Madam conster not my love-service and admiration to an idle Visit a vain Discourse and false Profession for if you appear not so beautifull to all the World as you appear to me yet I dare boldly tell the world I think you so and will maintain it with my life Madamoiselle La Belle I believe then I am more beholding to your Eyes that have contracted me into a beautifull form than unto Nature that hath made me of a vulgar shape Monsieur Heroick Your Tongue Lady hath the power of Circes wand to charm the Senses and transform the shape making all men it speaks to either to appear Monsters or Gods Madamoiselle La Belle You have Inthroned me with your Favours and Crowned me with your Commendations Monsieur Heroick My desire is that you will Crown me with your Love Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Madamoiselle Detractor Madamoiselle Malicious and Madamoiselle Tell-truth TEll-truth I hear that Madamoiselle Bon shall marry her unconstant Servant Monsieur Phantasie Detractor Faith that is a comfort that any woman can get a Husband whilst the Graces are young and in being Tell-truth The Graces never grow old Detractor Let me tell you Time decays and withers all things Tell-truth No not the Gods Detractor But Time doth waste Devotion wears out Religion burns up the Sacrifice of Praise puts out the Lamp of Charity and quenches out the Vestal fire of Zeal Malicious But then there are new Religions brought in the place or room of the old Detractor Yes and new Gods with new Religions and new Religions and Opinions are like young beautifull Ladyes when they appear first to the view of the World they are followed admired worshiped sought sued and prayed to but when they grow old all their Servants and followers forsake them and seek out those that are younger so the last and newest Opinions and Religions are accounted the best and stuck to for a time the closest and followed by the greatest numbers and have most zealous supplicants thus the Gods dy in effect Tell-truth The truth is that all things that are young are Strong Vigorous Active and Flourishing and whatsoever is old is VVeak Faint Sick and witheringly dyes Enter Madamoiselle Spightfull Spightfull I can tell you news Tell-truth VVhat news Spightfull VVhy Monsieur Nobilissimo to is marry Madamoiselle Amor and his Brother Monsieur Heroick is to marry her Sister Madamoiselle La Belle Tell-truth And who is to marry the third Sister Madamoiselle Grand Esprit Spightfull She is resolved to live a single life Detractor I am glad they have chose Husbands out of the numbers of there Suters for when they are married I hope out of the number of there remainders we may have some offers for Husbands Malicious For my part I shall despair unless the third Sister Madamoiselle Grand Esprit would marry also for the whole bulk of Mankind will sue to her and never think of any other woman whilst she is undisposed of Tell-truth But she it seems hath
of War and the warring women the General told them he made no question but that most men knew by experience that women were won by gentle perswasions and fair promises and not by rigid actions or angry frowns besides said he all noble natures strive to assist the weakest in all lawfull actions and that he was no gallant man that submits not to a woman in all things that are honourable and when he doth dissent it must be in a Courtly manner and a Complemental behaviour and expression for that women were Creatures made by nature for men to love and admire to protect and defend to cherish and maintain to seek and to sue to and especially such women which have out-done all their Sex which nature ever made before them wherefore said he 't is fit to these women above all others we should yield our selves Prisoners not only in love but in Arms wherefore let us treat fairly with them and give them their own conditions But in the mean time the Lady Victoria thought it best not to lose my opportunity with talking out the time wherefore she besieged a considerable Fort a place which was at it were the Key that unlockt the passage into the heart of the Enemies Kingdome and at this siege they were when became away but the General and his Council had sent a Messenger unto them but what his message was I cannot give you an account Exeunt Scene 6. Enter two men in Mourning 1 MAn Now my Lord is Intombed our Lady will enanchor her self by his Ashe 2 Man 'T is strange so young and beautifull a Lady should bury her self from the World and quit all the pleasures thereof to live with dead Ashes 1 Man A grieved Mind Melancholy Thoughts and an Oppressed Heart considers not the Body nor the World 2 Man But yet I think 't is an example that few of her Sex will imitate 1 Man Because few of the Female Sex can truly Grieve or be Melancholy 2 Man No it is that few of the Female Sex can truly and constantly Love Exeunt Scene 7. The Tomb being thrust on the Stage enter Madam Jantil and a Company of Mourners but the Lady Jantil was attired in a Garment of rich Cloth of gold girt loosly about her and a Mantle of Crimson Velvet lined with powdered Ermins over that her woman bearing up the Train thereof being long her Hair all unbound hung loose upon her Shoulders and Back upon her Head a rich Crown of Iewels as also Pendant Iewels in her Ears and on her Wrists costly Bracelets when she came in she goeth towards the Tomb and bows with great respect and devotion thereto thou speaks directing her speech to every several Figure These following Verses or Speeches were written by my Lord Marquiss of Newcastle Lady Iantil. Pallas and Mercury at thy Death mourned So as to marble Statues here th' are turned Mars sheaths his Sword and begs of thee a room To bury all his courage in thy Tomb Hymen amazed stands and is in doubt Thy Death his holy fier hath put out What various shape of Fortune thou didst meet Thou scorn'st her frowns and kicks he with thy feet Now sound aloud the Trumpet of good Fame And blow abroad his everlasting name After this she directs her speech to the outward figures about the Tomb The Cardinal Virtues Pillars of thy fame Weep to see now each but an empty name Only for Painters and for Carvers be When thy life sustain'd them more than they Thee Each Capital a sadder Virtue bears But for the Graces would be drowned in tears Faith strengthens Fortitude lest she should faint Hope comforts Prudence as her only Saint And Charity to Justice doth advance To Counsel her as Patience Temperance But wofull Counsellors they are each one Since grief for thy Death turn'd them all to stone Then putting off her rich Garments and Ornaments before mentioned as she was undressing she spake thus Now I depose my self and here lay down Titles not Honour with my richer Crown This Crimson Velvet Mantle I throw by There case and plenty in rich Ermins lie Off with this glittring Gown which once did bear Ambition and fond pride ly you all there Bracelets and Pendants which I now do wear Here I devest my Arms and so each Ear Cut off these dangling Tresses once a crime Urging my Glass to look away my time Thus all these Worldly vanities I wave And bury them all in my Husbands grave After this she calls for her other Garments which was a pure white light silk loose Garment girt about her with a white silk Cord and then puts on a thin black Veil over it and then takes a Book in her hand but speaks as they were a putting on those latter Garments More of my Lord Marquesses are these Lady Iantel Put on that pure and spotless garment white To shew my chaster thoughts my Souls delight Cord of Humility about my waste A Veil of obscure Mourning about me cast Here by this sadder Tomb shall be my Station And in this Book my holy Contemplation She turns her self to her Servants Farewell my Servants farewell every one As you all love me pray leave me alone They all go forth weeping When they were all gone and she alone she turns her self to the Tomb No dust shall on thy marble ever stay But with my sadder sighs I le blow 't away And the least spot that any Pillar bears I le wash it clean with grief of dropping tears Sun fly this Hemisphaer and feast my Eyes With Melancholy night and never rise Nor by reflection for all light I hate Therefore no Planet do illuminate The twinkling Stars that in cold nights are seen Clouds muster up and hide them as a Screen The Centrick fire raise vapours from the Earth Get and be Midwife for those fogs their birth Then chilling colds freeze up thy pores without That trembling Earth-quakes no where may get out And that our Mother Earth may nothing wear But Snow and Icicles to curl her hair And so Dame Nature Barren nothing bring Wishing a Chaos since despairs a Spring Since all my joys are gone what shall I do But with the whole World ruined with me too Here ends my Lord Marquesses Verses Exeunt ACT III Scene 8. Enter the Lady Victoria and many of her Amazons then enters a Messenger from the Masculine Army MEssenger May it please your Excellence our Lord General and the rest of the Commanders have sent you and your Heroicks a Letter desiring it may be read in a full Assembly Lady Victoria One of you take the Letter and read it One of the women takes the Letter and reads it to all the Company THE LETTER To the most Excellent of her Sex and her most worthy Heroickesses YOu Goddesses on Earth who have the power and dominion over men 't is you we worship and adore we pray and implore your better opinions of us than to believe we are so unjust
discourse as by things and motions beasts may have for ought we can know to the contrary The last is by Figures or Letters Prints Hieroglyphicks and painted Stories or ingraven in Metal or cut or carved in Stone or molded or formed in Earth as clay or the like in this kind of discourse the Pencil hath sometimes out-done the Pen as the Painter hath out-done the Historian and Poet This discoursing by Signs or Figures are discourses to the eye and not to the ear There is also another kind or sort of discoursing which is hardly learn'd as yet because newly invented or at lest to what I have heard which is by Notes and several Strains in Musick I only mention it because I never heard it but once and then I did not understand it but yet it was by a skilfull and ingenious Musician which discoursed a story of his Travels in his playing on a Musical Instrument namely the Harpsical But certainly to my understanding or reason it did seem a much easier way of discoursing than discoursing by actions or posture But to end my discourse of Discoursing which discoursing may be by several waies several actions and postures by several creatures and in several Languages but reasoning is the Souls Language words the Language of the Senses action the Lifes Language Writing Printing Painting Carving and Molding are Arts several Languages but Musick is the Language of the Gods Exeunt Scene 17. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gent. HOw do you like the Ladies discourse 2. Gent. As I like discourse 1. Gent. How is that 2. Gent. Why I had rather hear a number of words than speak a number of words 1. Gent. Then thou art not of the nature of Mankind for there is no man that had not rather speak than hear 2. Gent. No it is a sign I am not of the nature of Woman-kind that will hear nothing but will speak all indeed for the most part they stop their Ears with their Tongues at lest with the sound of their Voices Exeunt Scene 18. Enter a company of Gentlemen The Speaker takes the Chair Gentleman Speaker IT were too tedious to recite the several humours of the female Sex their scornfull Pride their obstinate Retirednesse their reserved Coynesse their facil Inconstancy by which they become the most useless and most unprofitable Creatures that nature hath made but when they are joined to men they are the most usefull and most profitable Creatures nature hath made wherefore all those women that have common reason or sense of shame will never retire themselves from the company of men for what women that have any consideration of Honour Truth or touch of Goodness will be the worst of all Creatures when they may be the best but the truth of it is women are spoyled by the over-fond dotage of men for being flattered they become so self-conceited as they think they were only made for the Gods and not for men and being Mistrisses of mens affections they usurp their Masculine Power and Authority and instead of being dutifull humble and obedient to men as they ought to be they are Tyrannical Tyrannizers Exeunt Scene 19. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gent. THe young Gallants methinks begin to be whetted with Anger 2. Gent. They have reason when the women have such dull blunt Appetites Exeunt Scene 20. Enter the Ladies of the Academy The Lady Speaker takes the Chair Matron LAdies let the Theam of your discourse be at this time of Friendship Lady Speaker This Theam may more easily be discoursed of than Friendship made by reason it is very difficult to make a right Friendship for hard it is to match men in agreeable Humours Appetites Passions Capacities Conversations Customs Actions Natures and Dispositions all which must be to make a true and lasting Friendship otherwise two Friends will be like two Horses that draw contrary waies whereas Souls Bodies Education and Lives must equally agree in Friendship for a worthy honest man cannot be a friend to a base and unworthy man by reason Friendship is both an offensive and defensive League between two Souls and Bodies and no actions either of the Souls or Bodies or any outward thing or fortune belonging thereunto are to be denyed wherefore Knaves with Knaves and unworthy Persons with unworthy Persons may make a Friendship Honest men with Honest men and worthy Persons with worthy Persons may do the like but an Honest man with a Knave or a worthy Person with a base man or an Honourable Person with a mean Fellow a noble Soul with a base Nature a Coward with a Valiant man can make no true Friendship For put the case in such friendships my Friend should desire me to do a base Action for his sake I must either break Friendship or do unworthily but as all worthy Persons make Truth their Godesse which they seek and worship Honour the Saint which they pray too Vertue the Lady which they serve so Honesty is the only Friend they trust and rely on and all the VVorld is obliged to Honesty for upright and just dealing Exeunt ACT IV. Scene 21. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. Methinks the womens Lectural discourse is better than the mens for in my opinion the mens discourses are simple childish and foolish in comparison of the womens 2 Gent. Why the subject of the discourse is of women which are simple foolish and childish 1 Gent. There is no sign of their simplicity or folly in their discourse or Speeches I know not what may be in their Actions 2 Gent. Now you come to the point for the weaknesse of women lyes in their Actions not in their VVords for they have sharp Wits and blunt Judgements Exeunt Scene 22. Enter the Ladies and Grave Matroness The Lady Speaker takes the Chair MAtronesse Lady let the Theam of your discourse to day be of a Theatre Lady Speaker A Theatre is a publick place for publick Actions Orations Disputations Presentations whereunto is a publick resort but there are only two Theatres which are the chief and the most frequented the one is of War the other of Peace the Theatre of Warr is the Field and the Battels they sight are the Plays they Act and the Souldiers are the Tragedians and the Theatre of Peace is the stage and the Plays there Acted are the Humours Manners Dispositions Natures Customes of men thereon described and acted whereby the Theatres are as Schools to teach Youth good Principles and instruct them in the Nature and Customes of the World and Mankind and learn men to know themselves better than by any other way of instruction and upon these Theatres they may learn what is noble and good what base and wicked what is ridiculous and misbecoming what gracefull and best becoming what to avoid and what to imitate the Genius that belongs to the Theatre of Warr is Valour and the Genius that belongs to the Theatre of Peace is Wit the designer of the rough Plays of Warr is a General