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Scæna
secunda.
[Act One, Scene Two]
Enter Rowland, and Livia.
Row.
Now Livia, if you'l goe away to night,
If your affections be not made
of words.
Liv.
I love you, and you know how dearly Rowland,
[110]
Is there none neere us? my affections
ever
Have been your servants; with what
superstition
I have ever Sainted you ____
Row.
Why then take this way.
Liv.
Twill be a childish and a lesse prosperous course,
Then his that knows not care: why
should we do
Our honest and our hearty love
such wrong,
To over-run our fortunes?
Row.
Then you flatter.
Liv.
Alas you know I cannot.
[120]
Row.
What hopes left else
But flying to enjoy ye?
Liv.
None so far,
For let it be admitted we have
time,
And all things now in other expectation,
My father's bent against us; what
but ruine,
Can such a by-way bring us? if
your feares
Would let you look with my eyes,
I would shew you,
And certain, how our staying here
would win us
A course, though somewhat longer,
yet far surer.
[130]
Row.
And then Moroso h'as ye.
Liv.
No such matter:
For hold this certaine, begging,
stealing, whoring,
Selling, ( which is a sin unpardonable
)
Of counterfeit Cods, or musty English
Cracus,
Switches, or stones for th'toothache
sooner finds me,
Then that drawn Fox and Moroso.
Row.
But his money,
If wealth may win you ____
Liv.
If a Hog may be
[140]
High Priest among the Jewes: his
money Rowland?
Oh Love forgive me, what faith
hast thou?
Why, can his money kisse me?
Row.
Yes.
Liv.
Behind,
Lasd out upon a Petticote: or graspe
me
While I cry, O good thank you?
o' my troth
Thou makst me merry with thy feare:
or lie with me,
As you may do? alas, what fooles
you men are?
[end column one, begin column two page 98]
His mouldy money? half a dozen Riders,
[150]
That cannot sit but stampt fast to
their Saddles?
No Rowland, no man shall
make use of me;
My beauty was born free, and free
Ile give it
To him that loves, not buys me. You
yet doubt me.
Row.
I cannot say I doubt ye.
Liv.
Goe thy waies,
Thou art the prettiest puling piece
of passion :
Yfaith I will not faile thee.
Row.
I had rather ____
Liv.
Prethee believe me, if I do not carry it,
[160]
For both our goods ____
Row.
But ____
Liv.
What but?
Row.
I would tell you.
Liv.
I know all you can tell me; all's but this,
You would have me, and lie with me;
is't not so ?
Row.
Yes.
Liv.
Why you shall ; will that content you? Goe.
Row.
I am very loth to goe.
Enter Byancha,
Liv.
Now o' my conscience
and Maria.
[170]
Thou art an honest fellow: here's
my sister;
Go, prethee goe; this kisse, and
credit me,
Ere I am three nights older, I am
for thee:
You shall heare what I do.
Farewell.
Row.
Farewell.
Exit Rowland.
Liv.
Alas poore foole, how it looks?
It would ev'n hang it selfe, should
I but crosse it.
For pure love to the matter I must
hatch it.
Bya.
Nay never look for merry houre Maria,
[180]
If now you make it not; let not your
blushes,
Your modesty, and tendernesse of
spirit,
Make you continuall Anvile to his
anger:
Believe me, since his first wife
set him going,
Nothing can bind his rage: Take your
own Councell,
You shall not say that I perswaded
you.
But if you suffer him ____
Mar.
Stay, shall I do it?
Bya.
Have you a stomack to't?
Mar.
I never shew'd it.
[190]
Bya.
Twill shew the rarer, and the stronger in you.
But do not say I urg'd you.
Mar.
I am perfect,
Like Curtius to redeeme my
Countrey, have I
Leap'd into this gulph of marriage,
and Ile do it.
Farewell all poorer thoughts, but
spight & anger,
Till I have wrought a miracle. Now
cosen,
I am no more the gentle tame Maria;
Mistake me not; I have a new soule
in me
Made of a North-wind, nothing but
tempest; [200]
And like a tempest shall it make
all ruins,
Till I have run my will out.
Bya.
This is brave now,
If you continue it; but your own
will lead you.
Mar.
Adieu all tendernesse, I dare continue;
Maides that are made of feares and
modest blushes,
View me, and love example.
Bya.
Here is your sister.
Mar.
Here is the brave old mans love.
Bya.
That loves the young man.
[210]
Mar.
I and hold thee there wench: what a grief of heart
When Paphos Rebels should
up rowse old night, (is't,
To sweat against a Cork; to lie and
tell
The clock o'th longs, to rise sport-starv'd?
Liv.
Deere sister,
Where have you been you talke thus?
Mar.
Why at Church, wench;
[End page 98, catchword: Where]
Where I am tide to talke thus: I
am a wife now.
Liv.
It seems so, and a modest.
Mar.
You are an asse;
[220]
When thou art married once, thy modesty
Will never buy thee Pins.
Liv.
'Blesse me.
Mar.
From what?
Bya.
From such a tame foole as our cozen Livia?
Liv.
You are not mad.
Mar.
Yes wench, and so must you be,
Or none of our acquantance, marke
me Livia.
Or indeed sit for our sex: Tis bed
time.
Pardon me yellow Hymen, that
I meane [230]
Thine offrings to protract, or to
keepe fasting
My valiant Bridegroome.
Liv.
Whether will this woman?
Bya.
You may perceive her end.
Liv.
Or rather feare it.
Mar.
Dare you be partner in't?
Liv.
Leave it Maria,
I feare I have mark'd too much, for
goodnesse leave it;
Devest you with obedient hands; to
bed.
Mar.
To bed? No Livia, there are Comets hang
[240]
Prodigious over that yet; there's
a fellow
Must yet before I know that heat
( nere start wench )
Be made a man, for yet he is a monster;
Here must his head be Livia.
Liv.
Never hope it.
Tis as easie with a Sive to scoope
the Ocean, as
To tame Petruchio.
Mar.
Stay: Lucina heare me,
Never unlock the treasure of my womb
For humane fruit, to make it capable;
[250]
Nor never with thy secret hand make
briefe
A mothers labour to me; if I doe
Give way unto my married husbands
will,
Or be a wife, in any thing but hopes,
Till I have made him easie as a child,
And tame as feare, he shall not win
a smile,
Or a pleas'd look, from this austerity,
Though it would pull another Joynture
from him,
And make him ev'ry day another man;
And when I kisse him, till I have
my will, [260]
May I be barren of delights, and
know
Onely what pleasures are in dreams,
and guesses.
Liv.
A strange Exordium.
Bya.
All the severall wrongs
Done by Emperious husbands to their
wives
These thousand yeeres and upwards,
strengthen thee :
Thou hast a brave cause.
Mar.
And Ile doe it bravely
Or may I knit my life out ever after.
Liv.
In what part of the world got she this spirit?
[270]
Yet pray Maria, looke before
you truly,
Besides the obedience of a wife,
Which you will finde a heavy imputation,
Which yet I cannot thinke your own,
it shews
So distant from your sweetnesse.
Mar.
Tis I sweare.
Liv.
Weigh but the person, and the hopes you have,
To worke this disperate cure.
Mar.
A weaker subject
Would shame the end I aime at, disobedience.
[280]
You talk too tamely: By the faith
I have
In mine own Noble will, that childish
woman
That lives a prisoner to her husbands
pleasure,
Has lost her making, and becomes
a beast,
Created for his use, not fellowship.
[End column one, begin column two page 99]
Liv.
His first wife said as much.
Mar.
She was a foole,
And took a scurvy course; let her
be nam'd
'Mongst those that wish for things,
but dare not do 'em:
I have a new daunce for him.
[290]
Liv.
Are you of this faith?
Bya.
Yes truly, and wil die in't.
Liv.
Why then let's all weare breeches.
Mar.
Now thou comst neere the nature of a woman;
Hang these tame hearted Eyasses,
that no sooner
See the Lure out, and heare their
husbands halla,
But cry like Kites upon 'em: The
free Haggard
( Which is that woman, that hath
wing, and knowes it,
Spirit, and plume ) wil make an hundred
checks,
To shew her freedome, saile in ev'ry
ayre, [300]
And look out ev'ry pleasure; not
regarding
Lure, nor quarry, till her pitch
command
What she desires, making her foundred
keeper
Be glad to fling out traines, and
golden ones,
To take her down again.
Liv.
You are learned sister;
Yet I say still take heed.
Mar.
A witty saying ;
Ile tell thee Livia, had
this fellow tired
As many wives as horses under him,
[310]
With spurring of their patience;
had he got
A Patent, with an Office to reclaime
us
Confirm'd by Parliament; had he all
the malice
And subtilty of Devils, or of us,
Or any thing that's worse then both.
Liv.
Hey, hey boyes, this is excellent.
Mar.
Or could he
Cast his wives new again, like Bels
to make 'em
Sound to his will; or had the fearfull
name
Of the first breaker of wilde women:
yet, [320]
Yet would I undertake this man, thus
single,
And spight of all the freedom he
has reach'd to,
Turn him and bend him as I list,
and mold him
Into a babe again; that aged women,
Wanting both teeth & spleen, may
Master him.
Bya.
Thou wilt be chronicl'd.
Mar.
That's all I aime at.
Liv.
I must confesse, I do with all my heart
Hate an Emperious husband, and in
time
Might be so wrought upon.
[330]
Bya.
To make him cuckold?
Mar.
If he deserve it.
Liv.
Then Ile leave ye Ladies.
Bya.
Thou hast not so much Noble anger in thee.
Mar.
Goe sleep, goe sleep, what we intend to do,
Lies not for such starv'd soules
as thou hast Livia.
Liv.
Good night : the Bridegroom will be with you
Mar.
That's more then you know.
( presently.
Liv.
If ye worke upon him,
As you have promised, ye may give
example, [340]
Which no doubt will be followed.
Mar.
So.
By.
Good night: we'l trouble you no further.
Mar.
If you intend no good, pray doe no harm.
Liv.
None, but pray for you.
Exit Livia.
Bya.
'Cheere wench?
Mar.
Now Byancha,
Those wits we have let's wind 'em
to the height,
My rest is up wench, and I pull for
that
Will make me ever famous. They that
lay [350]
Foundations, are halfe builders all
men say.
Enter Jaques.
Jaq.
My Master forsooth.
[Signature Nnnnn 2, end page 99, catchword: Mar.,
EEBO
306/473 ]
Mar.
Oh how do's thy Master? prethee commend me
Jaq.
How's this? my Master staies forsooth.
( to him.
Mar.
Why let him stay, who hinders him forsooth?
Jaq.
The Revel's ended now,
To visit you.
Mar.
I am not sick.
Jaq.
I mean to see his chamber, forsooth. ( sooth?
[360]
Mar.
Am I his Groom? where lay he last night, for-
Jaq.
In the low matted Parlour.
Mar.
There lies his way by the long Gallery.
Jaq.
I mean your chamber: y'ar very merry Mistris.
Mar.
Tis a good signe I am sound hearted Jaques:
But if you'l know where I lie, follow
me;
And what thou seest, deliver to thy
Master.
Bya.
Do gentle Jaques.
Exeunt.
Ja.
Ha, is the wind in that dore?
By'r Lady we shall have foule weather
then: [370]
I doe not like the shuffling of these
women,
( ther:
They are mad beasts when they knock
their heads toge-
I have observ'd them all this
day; their whispers,
One in anothers eare, their signes,
and pinches,
And breaking often into violent
laughters :
As if the end they purpos'd were
their own.
Call you this weddings? Sure this
is a knavery,
A very trick, and dainty knavery,
Marvellous finely carried, that's
the comfort:
What would these women doe in waies
of honour, [380]
That are such Masters this way. Well,
my Sir
Has been as good at finding out these
toyes,
As any living; if he lose it now,
At his own perill be it. I must follow.
Exit.
[Bowers line numbers 1-222. ]
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