University of Virginia Library

Scena Quarta.

Enter Bartolus.
Bar.
Where is my wife? 'fore heaven, I have done wonders
Done mighty things to day, my Amaranta,
My heart rejoyces at my wealthy Gleanings,
A rich litigious Lord I love to follow,
A Lord that builds his happinesse on brawlings,
O 'tis a blessed thing to have rich Clyents,
Why, wife I say, how fares my studious Pupill?
Hard at it still? ye are too violent
All things must have their rests they will not last els
Come out and breathe.

Leandro within
Lean.
I do beseech you pardon me
I am deeply in a sweet point Sir,

Bar.
I'le instruct ye:
Enter Amaranta.
I say take breath, seek health first, then your study,
O my sweet soul I have brought thee golden birds home,
Birds in abundance: I have done strange wonders:
There's more a hatching too.

Am.
Have ye done good husband?
Then 'tis a good day spent

Bar.
Good enough chicken,
I have spred the nets o'th' law, to catch rich booties,
And they come flttering in: how do's my Pupil?
My modest thing, hast thou yet spoken to him?

Am.
As I past by this chamber I might see him,
But he is so bookish.

Bar.
And so bashfull too,
I faith he is, before he will speak, he will starve there

Am.
I pitie him a little.

Bar.
So do I too.

Am.
And if he please to take the aire o'th' gardens
Or walk i'th' inward roomes, so he molest not—

Bar.
He shall not trouble thee, he dare not speak to thee
Enter Moore with Chesse-board
Bring out the Chesse-board—come let's have a game wife,
I'le try your masterie, you say you are cunning

Am.
As learned as ye are (Sir) I shall beat ye

Enter Leandro.
Ba.
Here he steales out, put him not out of countenance
'Prethee look another way, he will be gone else
Walk and refresh your self, I'l be with you presently,

Lean.
I'le take the aire a little.

Bar.
'Twill be healthfull.

Am.
Will ye be there? then here? Ile spare ye that man,

Lean.
'Would I were so neare too, and a mate fitting.

A.
What think ye (,Sir) to this? have at your Knight now

Bar.
'Twas subtilly playd: your Queen lies at my service
Pre thee look off, he is ready to pop in again,
Look off I say, do'st thou not see how he blushes?

Am.
I do, not blast him:

Lean.
But ye do, and burn too.
What killing looks she steals?

Bar.
I have you now close,
Now for a Mate.

Lean.
You are a blessed man that may so have her.
Oh that I might play with her—

knock within
Bar.
Who's there? I come, you cannot scape me now wife
I come, I come,

knock
Lean.
Most blessed hand that calls him.

Bar.
Play quickly wife.

Am.
'Pray ye give leave to think, Sir,

Enter Moore.
Moore.
An honest neighbour that dwells hard by (Sir)
Would fain speak with your worship about businesse.

Lean.
The devil blow him off.

Bar.
Play.

Am.
I will study:
For if you beat me thus, you will still laugh at me—

knock
Bar.
He knocks again; I cannot stay. Leandro
'Pray thee come near.

Lean.
I am well (Sir) here,

Bar.
Come hither:
Be not afraid but come.

Am.
Here's none will bite (Sir)

Lean.
God forbid Lady.

Am.
'Pray come nearer.

Lean.
Yes forsooth.

Bar.
'Pre thee observe these men: just as they stand here
And see this Lady, do not alter 'em,
And be not partiall, Pupill.

Lean.
No indeed Sir.

Bar.
Let her not move a pawn, I'le come back presently
Nay you shall know I am a Conquerour.
Have an eye Pupill—

Exit.
Am.
Can ye play at Chesse Sir?

Lean.
A little Lady.

Am.
But you cannot tell me
How to avoid this Mate & win the Game too
Ha's noble eyes: ye dare not friend me so farre.

Lean.
I dare do any thing that's in mans power, Lady,

39

To be a friend to such a noble beauty.

Am.
This is no Lawyers language: I pray ye tell me,
Whether may I remove, Ye see I am set round?
To avoid my husband.

Lean.
I shall tell ye happily.
But happily you will not be instructed.

Am.
Yes, and I thank ye too, shall I move this man?

Lean.
Those are unseemly: move one can serve ye
Can honour ye, can love ye.

Am.
'Pray ye tell quickly
He will return and then

Lean.
I'le tell ye instantly
Move me, and I wil move any way to serve ye
Move your heart this way (Lady)

Am.
How?

Lean.
'Pray ye heare me.
Behold the sport of Love, when he is imperious
Behold the slave of Love

Am.
Move my Queen this way?
Sure, he's some worthy man: then if he hedge me
Or here to open him.

Lean.
Do but behold me
If there be pity in you, do but view me,
But view the misery I have undertaken
For you the povertie.

Am.
He will come presently.
Now play your best Sir, though I loose this Rook here
Yet I get Libertie.

Lean.
I'le seize your fair hand
And warm it with a hundred, hundred kisses
The God of love warm your desires but equal
That shall play my game now.

Am.
What do you mean Sir?
Why do you stop me?

Lean.
That ye may intend me.
The time ha's blest us both: Love bids us use it.
I am a Gentleman nobly descended:
Young to invite your Love, rich to maintain it.
I bring a whole heart to ye, thus I give it,
And to those burning altars thus I offer,
And thus divine lips, where perpetuall Sping grows.

Am.
Take that, ye are too saucy.

Lean.
How proud Lady?
Strike my deserts?

Am.
I was too blame.

Enter Bartolus.
Bar.
What wife, there?
Heaven keep my house from thieves.

Lean.
I am wretched:
Opened, discovered, lost to my wishes.
I shall be whooted at.

Bar.
What noise was this (wife?)
Why dost thou smile?

Lean.
This proud thing will betray me.

Bar.
Why these lie here? what anger (deare?)

Am.
Why none, Sir,
Onely a chance, your pupill said he plaid well,
And so indeed he do's: he undertook for ye
Because I would not sit no long time idle
I made my Liberty avoided your mate,
And he again as cunningly endangered me,
Indeed he put me strangely to it. When presently
Hearing you come, and having broke his ambush too
Having the second time brought off my Queen fair,
I rose o'th' sudden smilingly to shew ye,
My apron caught the Chesse-board, and the men,
And there the noise was.

Bar.
Thou art grown a Master,
For all this, I shall beat ye.

Lean.
Or I, Lawyer,
For now I love her more, 'twas a neat answer,
And by it hangs a mighty hope, I thank her
She gave my pate a sound knock that it rings yet,
But you shall have a sounder if I live Lawyer,
My heart akes yet, I would not be in that fear—

Bar.
I am glad ye are a gamester, Sir, sometimes
For recreation we two shall fight hard at it.

Am.
He will prove too hard for me,

Lean.
I hope he shall do,
But your Ches-board is too hard for my head, line that good Lady,

Bar.
I have been attoning two most wrangling neighbours,
They had no money, therefore I made even
Come, let's go in, and eat, truly I am hungry.

Lean.
I have eaten already, I must intreat your pardon

Bar.
Do as ye please, we shall expect ye at supper.
He ha's got a little heart, now it seems handsomly,

Am.
You'l get no little head, if I do not look to ye.

Lean.
If ever I do catch thee again thou vanity—

Am.
I was too blame to be so rash, I am sorie—

Exeunt.