University of Virginia Library

Scene 1.

Lucy. Phillis.
Lu.
Y'are the first Maid that ere I entertain'd
Upon so small acquaintance. Yet y'are welcom,
I like your hand and carriage.

Phi.
'Tis your favour.
But love, they say sweet Mistriss, is receiv'd
At the first sight, and why not service then,
Which often brings more absolute returns
Of the dear trust impos'd, and firmer faith
By Servants then by Lovers?

Lu.
Stay there Phillis.
I may, by that, conjecture you have been
Deceiv'd by some false Lover.

Phi.
Who, I Mistriss?
I hope I look too merrily for such a one,
Somewhat too coursly too, to be belov'd;
If, I were sad and handsome, then it might
Be thought I were a little love sick. Pray
How long has this disease affected you;
This melancholy, Mistriss? Not ever since
You lost your father I hope.

Lu.
For the most part.
Thou saidst, me thought, that love might be tane in
At the first sight.

Phi.
There 'tis I find her.
Love, Mistriss? yes, a Maid may take in more
Love at one look, or at a little loop-hole,
Then all the Doddy poles in Town can purge
Out of her while she lives; she smothring it,
And not make known her passion. There's the mischief!

Lu.
Suppose she love an enemy to her house.

Phi.
An enemy! Put case the case were yours.

Lu.
But 'tis no case of mine; put by I pray thee.

Phi.
I'le put it to you though I miss your case.
Suppose it were your house, and Master Arthur,
Whose father was your fathers enemy,
Were your belov'd—

Lu.
Pray thee no more.

Phi.
Now I have struck the vein. Suppose I say,
All this were true; would you confound your self
In smothering your love, which, in it self,
Is pure and innocent, until it grow
To a pernicious disease within you;
And hide it in your bosom, till it work
Your kindled heart to ashes?

Lu.
Thou hast won
My patience to attention: Therefore tell me
If thou canst find or think it honourable
In me to take such an affection?

Phi.
Yes, and religious; most commendable,
Could you but win his love into a marriage,
To beget peace between your families.
How many, and what great examples have we,
From former ages, and of later times,
Of strong dissentions between furious factions,
That to their opposite houses have drawn in
Eithers Allies and Friends, whole Provinces,
Yea, Kingdoms into deadly opposition;
Till the wide wounds on both sides have sent forth
Rivers of blood, which onely have been stop'd
By the soft bands of love in marriages
Of equal branches, sprung from the first roots
Of all those Hell-bred hatreds!

Lu.
My good Maid—

Phi.
Yes, I have been a good one to my grief.

Lu.
Thou hast given me strength to tell thee, and I hope
When it is told, I shall have yet more ease.

Phi.
I warrant you Mistriss. Therefore out with it.

Lu.
I love that worthy Gentleman; and am confident
That in the time of our two fathers friendship
He' affected me no less: But since that time
I have not seen him, nor dare mention him
To wrong my brothers patience, who is so passionate,
That could he but suspect I bred a thought
That favour'd him, I were for ever lost.
For this sad cause, as well as for the loss
Of my dear Father, I have sigh'd away
Twelve Moons in silent sorrow; and have heard
That Arthur too (but for what cause I know not)
Has not been seen abroad; but spends his time
In pensive solitude.

Phi.
Perhaps he grieves
As much for the supposed loss of you,
As of his Father too.

Lu.
The best construction,
I make of his retiredness, is the blest
Prevention (which I daily pray for) of
A fatal meeting 'twixt him and my Brother,
Which would be sure the death of one or both.
And now that fear invades me, as it does alwayes,
My Brother being abroad; and such an absence
Has not been usual: I have not seen him
Since yesterday—

Phi.
Fear nothing, Mistriss. Now you have eas'd your mind,
Let me alone to comfort you. And see your Brother.

Enter Theoph.
The.
How is it with you Sister?

Phi.
Much better now then when you left me Brother,
If no ill accident has happened yon
Since your departure; as I fear there has:
Why look you else so sadly? speak, dear Brother.
I hope you did not meet the man you hate.
If you did, speak. If you have fought and slain him,
I charge you tell, that I may know the worst
Of fortune can befal me: I shall gain
Perhaps a death by't.

The.
You speak as if you lov'd the man I hate,
And that you fear I have kil'd him.

Phi.
Not for love
Of him I assure you Sir; but of your self.
Her fear in this case, Sir, is that the Law
May take from her the comfort of her life
In taking you from her, and so she were
But a dead woman. We were speaking
Of such a danger just as you came in;
And truly, Sir, my heart even tremble-tremble-trembles,
To think upon it yet. Pray, Sir, resolve her.

The.
Then 'twas your frivolous fear that wrought in her.
Good Sister be at peace: for, by my love to you,
(An oath I will not violate) I neither saw
Nor sought him, I. But other thoughts perplex me.

Lu.
What, were you at the wedding, Brother?

The.
Whose wedding, Sister?

Lu.
Your lost love Millicents. Are you now sad
After your last leave taking?

The.
What do you mean?

Lu.
There may be other matches, my good Brother—

The.
You wrong me shamefully, to think that I
Can think of other then her memorie.
Though she be lost and dead to me, can you
Be so unnatural as to desire
The separation of a thought of mine
From her dear memorie; which is all the comfort
My heart is married to, or I can live by.

Phi.
Surely good Sir, in my opinion,
Sharp, eager stomacks may be better fed
With a'ery smell of meat, then the bare thought
Of the most curious dainties—

The.
What piece of impudence have you receiv'd
Into my house?

Lu.
Pray Brother pardon me.
I took her, as I find her, for my comfort,
She has by councel and discourse wrought much
Ease and delight into my troubled thoughts.

The.
Good Maid forgive me; and my gentle Sister,
I pray thee bear with my destractions.

Phi.
A good natur'd Gentleman for all his hasty flashes.

The.
And now I'le tell you Sister (do not chide me)
I have a new affliction.

Lu.
What is it brother?

The.
I am ingag'd unto a Gentleman,
(A noble valiant Gentleman) for my life,
By hazarding his own, in my behalf.

Lu.
It was then against Arthur.
What villain was't durst take your cause in hand
Against that man?

The.
You wrong me beyond suffrance,
And my dear fathers blood within your self,
In seeming careful of that mans safety—

Phi.
His safety Sir? Alas! she means, he is
A villain that would take the honor of
His death out of your hands, if he must fall
By sword of man.

The.
Again, I ask you pardon. But I had
A quarrel yesterday, that drew strong odds
Upon my single person; Three to one:
When, at the instant, that brave Gentleman
With his sword, sides me, puts 'em all to flight—

Lu.
But how can that afflict you?

The.
How quick you are!

Lu.
Good Brother I ha'done.

The.
My affliction is,
That I not know the man, to whom I am
So much ingag'd, to give him thanks at least.
Enter Nath.
O Sir y'are welcome, though we parted somewhat
Abruptly yesterday.

Nat.
I thank you Sir.

The.
Pray thee Nat. tell me, for I hope thou know'st him;
What Gentleman was that came in betwixt us?

Nat.
If the devil know him no better, he will lose
A part of his due I think. But to the purpose,
I knew your wonted nature would be friends
With me before I could come at you. However, I
Have news for you that might deserve your love,
Were you my deadly enemy.

The.
What is't pray thee?

Nat.
Sweet Mistriss Lucy so long unsaluted?

Kiss.
Lu.
My Brother attends your news Sir.

Nat.
My Wench become her Chamber-maid! very pretty!
How the Jade mumps for fear I should discover her.

The.
Your news good Nat? what is it ready made,
Or are you now but coining it?

Nat.
No, it was coin'd last night, o'the right stamp,
And passes current for your good. Now know,
That I, and Mun, and Vince, with divers others
Of our Comrades, were last night at the Bride-house.

The.
What mischief did you there?

Nat.
A Masque, a Masque lad, in which we presented
The miseries of inforced Marriages
So lively—Zooks, lay by your captious countenance,
And hear me handsomely.

Lu.
Good brother do, it has a fine beginning.

Nat.
But mark what follows;
This morning, early up we got again,
And with our Fidlers made a fresh assault
And battery 'gainst the bed-rid bride-grooms window,
With an old song, a very wondrous old one,
Of all the cares, vexations, fears and torments,
That a decrepit, nasty, rotten Husband
Meets in a youthful, beauteous, sprightly wife:
So as the weak wretch will shortly be afraid,
That his own feebler shadow makes him Cuckold.
Our Masque o're night begat a separation
Betwixt 'em before bed time: for we found
Him at one window, coughing and spitting at us;
She at another, laughing, and throwing money
Down to the Fidlers, while her Uncle Testy,
From a third Port-hole raves, denouncing Law,
And thundring statutes 'gainst their Minstralsie.

Lucy.
Would he refuse his bride-bed the first night?

Phi.
Hang him.

Nat.
Our Horn-masque put him off it, (bless my invention)
For which, I think, you'l Judge she'le forsake him
All nights and dayes hereafter. Here's a blessing
Prepard now for you, if you have grace to follow it.

The.
Out of my house, that I may kill thee; Go:
For here it were inhospitable. Hence,
Thou busie vaillain, that with sugard malice
Hast poyson'd all my hopes; ruin'd my comforts
In that sweet soul for ever. Go, I say,
That I may with the safety of my man-hood,
Right me upon that mischievous head of thine.

Nat.
Is this your way of thanks for courtesies;
Or is't our luck alwayes to meet good friends,
And never part so? yet before I go,
I will demand your reason (if you have any)
Wherein our friendly care can prejudice you;
Or poyson any hopes of yours in Millicent?

Lu.
Pray brother tell him.

The.
Yes: that he may die
Satisfied, that I did but Justice on him,
In killing him. That villain, old in mischief,
(Hell take him) that has married her, conceives
It was my plot (I know he does) and, for
A sure revenge, will either work her death
By poyson, or some other cruelty,
Or keep her lock'd up in such misery,
That I shall never see her more.

Nat.
I answer—

The.
Not in a word, let me intreat you, go.

Nat.
Fair Mistriss Lucy—

The.
Neither shall she hear you.

Nat.
Her Maid shall then: or I'le not out to night.

Phil.
On what acquaintance Sir.

He takes her aside.
Nat.
Be not afraid: I take no notice o'thee,
I like thy course, Wench, and will keep thy councel,
And come sometimes, and bring thee a bit and th'wilt.

Phi.
I'le see you choak'd first.

Nat.
Thou art not the first
Cast Wench that has made a good Chamber-maid.

Phi.
O you are base, and I could claw your eyes out.

Nat.
Pray tell your Master now: so fare you well Sir.

Exit.
Lu.
I thank you, Brother, that you promise me
You will not follow him now, some other time
Will be more fit. What said he to you, Phillis?

Phi.
Marry he said (help me good apron strings.)

The.
What was it that he said?

Phi.
I have it now.
It was in answer, Sir, of your objections.
First, that you fear'd the old man, wickedly,
Would make away his wife: to which he saies,
That is not to be fear'd, while she has so
Much fear of Heaven before her eyes. And next,
That he would lock her up from sight of man:
To which he answers, she is so indued
With wit of woman, that were she lock'd up,
Or had locks hung upon her, locks upon locks;
Locks of prevention, or security:
Yet being a woman, she would have her will;
And break those locks as easily as her Wedlock.
Lastly, for your access unto her sight;
If you have Land he saies to sell or Mortgage,
He'le undertake his doors, his wife and all,
Shall fly wide open to you.

The.
He could not say so.

Lu.
Troth, but tis like his wild way of expression.

Phi.
Yes; I knew that: my wit else had been puzzl'd.

The.
And now I find my self instructed by him;
And friends with him again. Now, Arnold, any tidings.

Ent. Arn.
Ar.
Not of the gentleman that fought for you.
But I have other newes thats worth your knowledge.
Your enemy, young Arthur, that has not
Been seen abroad this twel'moneth is got forth
In a disguise I hear, and weapon'd well.
I have it from most sure inteligence.
Look to your self, sir.

Lu.
My blood chills again.

The.
Pseugh, Ile not think of him. To dinner sister.