University of Virginia Library

SCENA 1.

Enter Horsus and Roxena.
Rox.
I have no conceit now that you ever lov'd me,
But as lust led you for the time.

Hor.
See, see.

Rox.
Do you pine at my advancement, Sir?

Hor.
Oh barrenness
Of understanding! what a right love is this?
'Tis you that fall, I that am reprehended;
What height of honours, eminence of fortune
Should ravish me from you?

Rox.
Who can tell that, Sir?
What's he can judge of a mans appetite
Before he sees him eat? who knows the strength of any's constancy
That never yet was tempted? we can call
Nothing our own, if they be deeds to come,
Th'are only ours, when they are pass'd and done.
How blest are you above your apprehension,
If your desire would lend you so much patience
T'examine the adventurous condition
Of our affections, which are full of hazard,
And draw in the times goodness to defend us!
First, this bold course of ours cannot last long,
Nor ever does in any without shame,
And that, you know, brings danger; and the greater
My Father is in bloud, as he is well risen,
The greater will the storm of his rage be
Against his blouds wronging: I have cast for this,
'Tis not advancement that I love alone,
'Tis love of shelter, to keep shame unknown.

Hor.
Oh were I sure of thee, as 'tis impossible
There to be ever sure where there's no hold,
Your pregnant hopes should not be long in rising.

Rox.
By what assurance have you held me thus far
Which you found firm, despair you not in that.

Hor.
True, that was good security for the time,
But in a change of state, when y'are advanc'd
You women have a French toy in your pride,
You make your friend come crouching; or perhaps,
To bow in th'hams the better, he is put
To complement three hours with your chief woman,
Then perhaps not admitted, no nor ever,
That's the more noble fashion: forgetfulness
Is the most pleasing vertue they can have
That do spring up from nothing, for by the same
Forgetting all they forget whence they came;
An excellent property of oblivion.

Rox.
I pity all the fortunes of poor women
In my own unhappiness, when we have given
All that we have to men, what's our requital?
An ill-fac'd jealousie, that resembles much
The mistrustfulness of an insatiate thief
That scarce believes he has all, though he has stripp'd
The true man naked, and left nothing on him
But the hard cord that binds him: so are we
First robb'd, and then left bound by jealousie.
Take reasons advice, and you'l find it impossible
For you to lose me in this Kings advancement
Who's an Usurper here, and as the Kingdom
So shall he have my love by usurpation,
The right shall be in thee still; my ascension
To dignity is but to wast thee higher,
And all Usurpers have the falling-sickness,
They cannot keep up long.

Hor.
May credulous man
Put all his confidence in so weak a Bottom
And make a saving Voyage?

Rox.
Nay as gainful
As ever man yet made.

Hor.
Go, take thy fortunes,
Aspire with my consent, so thy ambition will be sure to prosper.
Speak the fair certainties of Britains Queen
Home to thy wishes.

Rox.
Speak in hope I may
But not in certainty.

Hor.
I say in both,
Hope and be sure I'le soon remove the Lett that stands
Between thee and thy Glory.

Rox.
Life of Love!
If lost Virginity can win such a day
I'le have no daughter but shall learn my way.

Exit.
Hor.
'Twill be good work for him that first instructs them,
May be some Son of mine, got by this woman too,
May match with their own Sisters. Peace, 'tis he,
Enter Vortiger.
Invention fail me not, 'tis a gallant credit
To marry ones Whore bravely.

Vor.
Have I power
Of life and death, and cannot command ease
In my own bloud? After I was a King
I thought I never should have felt pain more,
That there had been a ceasing of all passions
And common stings, which Subjects use to feel,
That were created with a patience fit
For all extremities: But such as we
Know not the way to suffer,then to do it
How most prepost'rous 'tis? tush, riddles, riddles.
I'le break through custom, why should not the mind,
The nobler part that's of us, be allow'd
Change of affections, as our Bodies are
Change of food and rayment? I'le have it so.
All fashions appear strange at first production,
But this would be well followed: Oh Captain!

Hor.
My Lord I grieve for you, I scarce fetch breath
But a sigh hangs at the end of it, but this
Is not the way, if youl'd give way to counsel.

Vor.
Set me right then, or I shall heavily curse thee
For lifting up my understanding to me
To shew that I was wrong; Ignorance is safe,
I then slept happily; If knowledge mend me not
Thou hast committed a most cruel sin,
To wake me into judgement and then leave me.

Hor.
I will not leave you, Sir, that were rudely done,
First y'have a flame too open and too violent,
Which like bloud-guiltiness in an Offender
Betrays him, when nought else can: out with it, Sir,
Or let some cunning coverture be made
Before your practice enters, 'twill spoil all else.

Vor.
Why, look you, Sir, I can be as calm as silence
All the while musick plays, strike on, sweet friend,
As mild and merry as the heart of Innocence;
I prithee take my temper; has a Virgin
A heat more modest?

Hor.
He does well to ask me,
I could have told him once; why here's a government,
There's not a sweeter amity in friendship
Then in this League 'twixt you and health.

Vor.
Then since
Thou find'st me capable of happiness
Instruct me with the practice.

Hor.
What will you say, my Lord,
If I ensnare her in an action of lust?
Oh there were art to the life, but 'tis impossible,
I prithee flatter me no farther with it;
Fye, so much sin as goes to make up that
Will never prevail with her: why I'le tell you, Sir,
She's so sin-killing modest, that if only
To move the question were enough Adultery
To cause a separation, there's no Gallant
So brassie impudent durst undertake
The words that shall belong to't.

Hor.
Say you so, Sir?
There's nothing made in the world, but has a way to't,
Though some be harder then the rest to find,
Yet one there is, that's certain; and I think
I have took the course to light on it.

Vor.
Oh I pray for't.

Hor.
I heard you lately say (from whence, my Lord,
My practice receiv'd life first) that your Queen
Still consecrates her time to Contemplation,
Takes solitary walks.

Vor.
Nay late and early
Commands her weak Guard from her, which are but
Women at strongest.

Hor.
I like all this, my Lord,
And now, Sir, you shall know what net is us'd
In many places to catch modest women,
Such as will never yield by prayers or gifts:
Now there be some will catch up men as fast,
But those She-Fowlers nothing concern us,
Their Birding is at Windows, ours abroad,
Where Ring-doves should be caught, that's married wives,
Or chast Maids, what the appetite has a mind to.

Vor.
Make no pause then.

Hor.
The honest Gentlewoman,
When nothing will prevail (I pity her now)
Poor Soul, she's entic'd forth by her own Sex
To be betray'd to man, who in some Garden-house
Or remote walk, taking his lustful time,
Binds darkness on her eye-lids, surprizes her,
And having a Coach ready, turns her in,
Hurrying her where he list for the sins safety,
Making a rape of honour without words,
And at the low ebb of his lust, perhaps
Some three days after, sends her coach'd again
To the same place, and, which would make most mad,
She's robb'd of all, yet knows not where she's robb'd,
There's the dear precious mischief.

Vor.
Is this practis'd?

Hor.
Too much, my Lord, to be so little known,
A Sprindge to catch a Maiden-head after Sun-set,
Clip it, and send it home again to the City,
There 'twill ne're be perceiv'd.

Vor.
My raptures want expression,
I conceit enough to make me fortunate, and thee great.

Exit.
Hor.
I praise it then, my Lord, I knew 'twould take.

Exit.