University of Virginia Library

Scen. 4.

Philautus, Triphæna, Trimalchio, Ardelio. Snarle, Fidelio.
Ard.
God save your honour, may your flourishing youth
Enioy an everlasting spring of beauty,
And know no Autumne.

Philau.
Thankes good Ardelio:
Your wishes haue effect, this is the tree,
Vnder whose shadow Flora builds her Bower,
And on whose branches, hangs such tempting fruit,
Would draw faire Atalanta from her course;
An Altar, on which Queenes should sacrifice
Their scorned loves: Nature will scarce beleeve
It is her owne invention, and repines
She has no way to be incestuous.

Triphæ.
Mr. Trimalchio, I am sicke to heare him.
I can't abide these repetitions,
And tedious Encomiums of himselfe:
Let you and I walke a turne in the Garden.

Trim.
You are the onely Garden of my delight,
And I your deare Adonis, honour'd Lady.

Exeunt Trimalchio, Triphæna.
Philau.
Ardelio, tell me how this suit becomes me?

Ard.
Exactly well, Sir without controuersie,
And you weare it as neatly.

Philau.
Nay I have
A reasonable good Taylor, I hope he has not
Survayd me so long, but he knowes my dimensions.
I thinke, I may venter i'th presence with it.

Ard.
I'th presence, I, and Iove were in the presence,
You'd thrust Ganimede out of his office.

Philau.
What thinke you Gentlemen?

Fid.
We all doe wish,
Your beauty, or your vanity were lesse.
For by this meanes, that which would else commend you,
Proves your disgrace, you take the edge of prayse oft,
Is due to you, by too much whetting it.

Philau.
I should prove too injurious to my selfe,
Should I passe over, with a slight regard,
This building, Nature has solemnized
With such Magnificence, to which I owe
The loves of Ladies, and their daily presents,
Their hourely solicitations with letters,
Their entertainments when I come, their plots
They lay to view me, which should I recount,
'Twould puzzell my Arithmeticke, and to answer
Their uniust desires, would aske the labours
Of some ten Stallions.

Ard.
And make all jades of them.

Fid.
You are the Center of all womens love then.

Philau.
'Tis true, I haue a strange attractive power
Over your females, did you never heare of
Three Goddesses, that stroue on Ida hill,
Naked before a shepheard, for a Ball,
With an inscription; Let the fairest have it.

Fidel.
And what of those?

Phil.
Bring them all three before me:
If I surprize them not all at first dash,
If they fall not together by the eares for mee,
Nay, if they runne not mad, and follow mee,
As if they were drunke with a loue potion,
Nere trust a Prognosticator againe.

Snar.
But how if you should chance to meet Diana?
Take heed of her, it is a testy Girle,
A profest Virgin.

Phil.
'Tis my ambition
To meet with her, to bath my limbs with her,
In the same Well, shoot in her bow, dance with her,
And get the formost of her troupe with child,
And turne the rape on Iupiter.

Snar.
Fine yfaith.

Fid.
It seemes that you are of opinion,
There is no text of woman-kinde so holy,
But may be corrupted, though a Deity.

Philau.
Ardelio, tell me what thou dost think of them

Ard.
Who I? hang me should I be questioned
Now for my faith, concerning Articles,
Of womens chastitie, I should bee burnt
For a ranke Heretike, I beleeve none of them.

Fid.
But I thinke otherwise; and can iustifie it.
What if I bring you now unto a beauty
As glorious as the Sunne, but in desire
Cold, as the middle Region of the ayre,
And free from all reflexion of lust?

Philau.
But shall I speak with her, and tempt her to it?

Fid.
You shall converse with her, and she shall feed
Your sense with such discoursive influence,
And a voyce sweeter than the Lydian tunes
Iove would bow downe his eare to, yet her bloud
Shall runne as cold as Iulips through her veynes:
The spring-tide of her youth, shall swell with more
Delights, then there be drops in Aprill, yet shee
As chast as Salmacis, amidst the streames.
Her eye shall sparkle like the Diamond,
And be as pure, her kisses soft and melting,
As the South wind; but undefil'd as heaven.
And you shall feele the Elementall fire
Of her unspotted love, and grieve, and sweare
Shee is so celestiall, and Divine a creature,
Thats onely hot in her effect, not nature.

Philau.
Why such an one would I converse withall
The Conquest will be greater, shall I see her?

Fid.
I'll bring you to her.

Ard.
He has a strong beleefe.
I have no such confidence, she may be Lucresse,
And he' a foolish Colatine to brag of her.
But most of them, in playing fast and loose,
Will cheat an Oracle. I haue a creature
Before these, Courtiers licke their lips at her,
I'll trust a wanton haggard in the wind.

Eid.
This Lady is his sister, and my Mistris,
Yet both unknowne to him, some few yeares since,
Her father iealous of my love, because
I was a Gentleman of no great fortune,
Sent her away, and charg'd her by an oath,
To marry none, till seven yeares were expir'd,
Six parts of which are gone, yet shee remaines
Constant to what she promis'd, though his death,
Has partly quit her: To live in her sight,
And not enioy her, is a heavenly torment,
But unsufferable, I must liue apart,
Till the præfixed minute be expir'd.
In the meane time, I'll worke by some good meanes,
To winne his love, and draw him from his folly.
But first by him, I'll try her constancy.
I must prepare her for his entertainment,
Because she will admit no Company,
Nor will be knowne to any, but my selfe.
Come Sir, let's goe, by that which shall ensue,
You shall affirme, what I relate, is true.