 | The Amorous Prince, or, the Curious Husband |  |
SCENE III.
The Apartment of Antonio.Enter Lorenzo pulling in of Isabella.
Lor.
Nay, nay, Isabella, there's no avoiding me now,
You and I must come to a parley.
Pray what's the reason
You took no notice of me,
When I came with so civil an address too.
Isab.
Can you ever think to thrive in an Amour,
When you take notice of your Mistress,
Or any that belongs to her, in publique,
And when she's a Married woman too.
Lor.
Good Isabella, the loser may have leave to speak,
I am sure it has been a plaguy dear Amour to me.
Isab.
Let me hear you name that again,
And you shall miss of my assistance.
Lor.
Nay, do but hear me a little;
I vow 'tis the strangest thing in the world,
A man must part from so much money as I have done;
And be confin'd to Signs and Grimmasses only,
To declare his mind in;
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As long as he pays for speaking.
Isab.
Again with your paying fort; I see you are not
To be reclaim'd; farewel—
Lor.
Stay good Isabella, stay,
And thou shalt here not one word of that more,
Though I am soundly urg'd to't.
Isab.
Yes, yes, pray count them, do;
I know you long to be at it,
And I am sure you will find you are in Arrears to us.
Lor.
Say you so, I am not of that opinion, but well,
—Let me see—here 'tis, here 'tis—
—My Bill of charge for Courting Clarina.
[Draws out his Table Book and reads.
Isab.
And here's mine for the returns that have been
Made you; begin, begin.
[Pulls out her Book.
Lor.
Item, 200 Crowns to Isabella for undertaking.
Isab.
Item, I have promis'd Lorenzo to serve him
In his Amour with all fidelity.
Lor.
Well, I own that debt paid, if you keep
Your word—out with it then—
[He crosses that out.
Item, 2000 Crowns in a Bracelet for Clarina;
What say you to that now Isabella?
Isab.
Item, The day after they were presented,
She saluted you with a smile at the Chappel.
Lor.
And dost thou think it was not dearly bought?
Isab.
No man in Florence should have had it
A Souce cheaper.
Lor.
Say you so Isabella; out with it then.
[Crosses it out.
Item, 100 more to thee for presenting them.
Isab.
Which I did with six lyes in your commendation,
Worth ten Pistols a piece for the exactness of a Lie;
Write there indebted to me—
Tor.
Nay then thou dost deserve it:
Rest due to Isabella.
[Writes.
Item, Innumerable Serenades, night-walks, affronts
And fears; and lastly, to the Poets for Songs, and the like.
Isab.
All which was recompenced in the excessive
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Window on Horse-back, when you made such a
Deal of Capriol and Curvet.
Lor.
Yes, where I ventur'd my neck to shew my
Activity, and therefore may be well accompted
Amongst my losses.
Isab.
Then she receiv'd your Presents,
Suffer'd your Serenades, without sending her footmen
To break your Pate with the Fiddles.
Lor.
Indeed that was one of the best signs,
For I have been a great sufferer in that kind
Upon the like occasions; but dost thou think
In conscience that this should satisfie?
Isab.
Yes, any reasonable man in the world for the
First month at least; and yet you are still up
With your expences, as if a Lady of her quality
Were to be gain'd without them—
Let me hear of your expences more, and I'le—
Lor.
Oh sweet Isabella! upon my knees,
I beg thou wilt take no fatal resolution;
For I protest, as I am a man of Honour,
And adore thy Sex, thou shalt only see,
Not hear of my expences more;
And for a small testimony of it, here, take this;
There's twenty Pistols upon reputation.
[Gives her Money.
Isab.
Fie, Fie, 'tis not brave, nor generous to name
The sum; you should have slid it into my coat,
Without saying what you had done.
Lor.
What signifies that mun, as long as 'tis currant,
And you have it sure.
Isab.
Well, leave the management of your Affairs to me,
—What shall we do? here's Alberto.
Enter Alberto.
Lor.
Well, who can help it; I cannot walk invisible.
Alb.
Lorenzo, what making Love to Isabella?
Lor.
She'l serve, my Lord, for want of a better.
Isab.
That's but a course Complement.
Lor.
'Twill serve to disguise a truth however.
[Aside to her.
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[Ex. Isab.
As this, that sav'd me 500 pound once upon a time;
And I have lov'd the whole Tribe of Waiting-women
The better ever since.
Alb.
You have reason, how was it?
Lor.
Why look you Sir?
I had made love a long time to a Lady,
But she shall be nameless,
Since she was of a quality not to be gain'd under
The aforesaid sum; well, I brought it,
Came powder'd and perfum'd, and high in expectation.
Alb.
Well Sir.
Lor.
And she had a very prety wench, who was to
Conduct me, and in the dark too;
And on my conscience, I e'ne fell aboard of her,
And was as well accommodated for my five,
As five hundred pounds, and so return'd.
Alb.
A great defeat to the Lady the while a my word.
Lor.
I, she smelt the Plot, and made a vow to follow
The Italian mode for the future;
And be serv'd in affairs of that kind, by none,
But an old Woman.
Alb.
'Twas wittily resolv'd.
Lor.
Are you for the presence this morning?
Alb.
No, I have business here with Antonio.
Lor.
Your Servant my Lord—
Exit. Lorenzo.
Alb.
I do not like this fellows being here,
The most notorious Pimp, and Rascal in Italy;
'Tis a vile shame that such as he should live,
Who have the form and sense of man about them,
And in their action Beast,
And that he thrives by too:
Enter Isabella.
—Isabella, is Antonio stiring?
Isab.
He is, please your Lordship to walk in.
Alb.
You may tell him I wait here—
—For I would avoid all opportunity of seeing Clarina.
[Aside.
Isab.
My Lord, you need not stand upon Ceremonies.
[Ex. Alberto.
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—Drest already! now on my conscience
I know not which is which;
Pray God Antonio be not mistaken at night,
For I'le be sworn I am by day-light.
Ism.
Dost think I may pass thus for Clarina?
Isab.
Madam, you are the same to a hair,
Wood I might never stir,
If I can do any thing but wonder.
Clar.
But hark Isabella, if thou should'st have
Heard amiss, and that thy information should not be good,
Thou hast defeated us of a design,
Wherein we promise our selves no little pleasure.
Ism.
Yes I vow, all the Jest is lost if it be so.
Isab.
I doubt 'twill be a true Jest on your side.
[Aside.
—I warrant you, Madam, my Intelligence is good;
And to assure you of what I have said,
I dare undertake you shall hear the same over again;
For just now Alberto is come to visit my Lord,
Who I am sure will entertain him with no other stories,
But those of his jealousie,
And to perswade him to Court you.
Clar.
'Tis strange, since he set him that task so long ago,
He would not begin before.
Ism.
Nay, pray God he begin now;
Sister, he has hitherto took me for thee,
And sometimes his eyes give me hope of a secret
Fire within, but 'twill not out;
And I am so impatient till he declares himself,
That if he do not do it soon,
I shall e'ne tell him who I am;
For perhaps, the Wife takes off the appetite
Which would sharpen upon knowledge of the Virgin.
Clar.
What then, you'l have all the sport to your self;
—But, Ismena, remember my little revenge on Antonio
13
[Aside.
Isab.
But why this resemblance?
For, Madam, since he never saw you,
And takes Ismena to be you;
Might you not still pass so, without this likeness?
Clar.
Didst thou not say, Antonio left the Court
And City, on purpose to give Alberto the more freedom
To Court me:
—Whilst he was away, I needed but retire,
And Ismena appear, and 'twould sufficee;
But now he is return'd,
He may chance to see them together, en passant, or so,
And this dress will abuse him as well as Alberto,
For without that, this Plot of ours signifies little.
Ism.
Aye truly for my part, I have no other design
Then doing my Sister a service.
Isab.
The Plot is very likely to thrive I see,
Since you are so good at dissembling.
Ism.
Fie Isabella, what an ill opinion you have of me?
—But Sister, 'tis much Alberto being so intimate
With Antonio, should never see you all this whole
Six months of your being Married.
Clar.
Had you been bred any where,
But in a Monastery, you would have known,
'Tis not the custom here for men to expose their
Wives to the view of any.
Isab.
I hear them coming, let's away,
And pray listen to the truths I have already told you.
[Exeunt.
| The Amorous Prince, or, the Curious Husband | |