 | The Blind Lady |  |
SCEN. 1.
Enter Mironault Solus.Miro.
To be still subject to calamities,
We all must bear: yet not esteem it hard
Our frailty sets this odds from higher powers,
And their dis-orders are appeas'd by ours,
It is a hard injunction of the gods
To set our natures and our selves at odds
When they afflict though due unto our crimes,
Yet they give to the nature that repines
Though if we use it well, none but they give
That blessing, that we are displeas'd to live
'Twas life first cousned man, and did entice
By knowledge its fair gift to cheat him twice;
Man was a happy stranger to himself,
When he believ'd his ignorance his wealth;
Did these Extreams our knowledge ne're employ
We should have lesse of cares, though lesse of joy,
For in the mind, they never gain a height
From their own natures but each others weight;
Thus truly man has either more or lesse,
From what he had, not what he does possesse.
78
Worthy of our affections, but our fear,
For should we fall from happinesse the store
Makes us more wretched of those joy's before.
Such a disease is life we hold so dear,
Health's in the other world, our Physick here;
—O—Hyppasus—what's to be done
Enter Hyppasus.
Fortune has strangely jaded us—
Hyp.
Heaven knows: I am confident we are persued,
The house is strong, had we but any men
We might resist their numbers, and by that time
They have supplies, we may have too relief.
Miro.
Where's Pysander?
Hyp.
Shifting from the old blind Lady, who follows him
As if he were her dog and led her,
And as the devil would hav'it, her reverend blindness
Is at a venter faln in love
Miro.
We must resolve of some thing, and whats most hard
In ignorance, and without any aid: so may a ship,
With wounds in pieces torn, expect as well
To sail or fight;—
—And yet me thinks there might be made
Some use of this Pysander's fooling.
Hyp.
By the Masse it's true, she has Tenants
That were obliged, without all doubt to assist her
In the holy War; they live here till they dye
Of the infection of old age; see Sir,
Where Pysander comes marching with her maid.
Enter Pysander, Quinever.
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Let's conceal our selves a little, and observe.
Pys.
Nay, by this light I'le ne're lye for the matter.
If thou hast no faith thou'lt be damn'd.
Quin.
Say you so, Sir?
Pys.
How couldst thou chuse but guesse it? didst thou e're know
A dunghill without a Cock upon't. Meer sympathy
Guides me to love thee, dost thou not find
Some such kind of thing for me?
Quin.
Indeed I have a grudging towards you.
Pys.
The devill take up the quarrell.
[aside.
Nay 'tis grown to that I dream on thee,
Me-thought last night I rode a Flanders Mare,
And every night I dream of a fresh Beast,
And then I think on thee.
Hyp.
What means the Rogue?
Mir.
Peace, on my life he has some farther purpose.
Hyp.
Lord how she swells, hold a stick of fire to her
And she'l pisse.
Pys.
But since I love you so, you must assist me
In what I told you, for I should be loath
Now to be taken from thee; and I know
The rascalls will attempt the house for me.
This can be brought about no other way,
But by report that I should marry
Thy Lady, for then all her Tenants
Will be the willinger to assist me.
But all this while thou shalt be dear Lindabrides,
Thou shalt rule and govern; and for thy comfort
Above pragmaticall Peter; and, by this hand,
80
I'le hang a thousand crackers at his britch,
Then throw him off from some high Tower,
In a high wind, hung between bladders;
And all this for thy love.
Quin.
And will you still be constant?
Pys.
As a Bell, still in one Tune:
And that we may be suddain, and I safe
To follow our Amours, perswade thy Lady
And instantly conduct her this way.
Quin.
I'le take my leave first—
[she kisses him.
[Exit Quin.
Pys.
Slid, her lips are lin'd with Cosier's wax,
She kiss'd me in a full Career.
Sure she has hoarded up a store of onyons
In her dry chaps, to butter against winter.
The Devill's troubled but with one Dam, I have two
—And there's a formall Weathercock,
They look which way the wind sits by him,
That from deliberation fetches wisdom;
And when he gapes at bed-time, 'tis a clinch
For my blind Mistresse now, whose chaps are mew'd
Of all their teeth, which yet she hopes again
Will spring like a fell'd Copice, and from the gums
New sprouts shoot up, she's almost deaf,
Would she were dumb too, for her tongue's oblig'd
To supply other organs, and tells us all
Her life, perhaps the History
Of twenty years a time—This thing
Must I make love to, with brevity and ease.
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She shall have Serenades on an old Jews-trump,
That was Pirk-abboths, an emblem of antiquity,
And all my little Oaths shall be
By Cupid's Eye and hers, the Devill's in't
If I am then forsworn—O how now,
Mironault and Hippasus appear.
What are you bolted? Come Gentlemen,
What's to be done? Hyppasus, thou wert wont
To be nimble at sudden chances.
Hyp.
How insolent the Rogue is? now he thinks
We know not his design.
Mir.
Nay, Pysander, we referr'd all to you,
We onely are your poor friends.
Pys.
Well, a Mathematician would not have breath enough
To tell the kindnesse of my Stars—
Mir.
But for this rare fortune—
Pys.
Why my old vessell is sailing this way,
When she appears, stand close
And you shall hear it.
Mir.
Come I conceive, and did over-hear
Some of your policy, and believ't
There is no other way to save us now.
If we can get but men, 'tis but throwing
A work up in two places, the other parts
Are strong enough.
Pys.
That shall be my care too, but when you see
The old Beldam comming, be sure you vanish.
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We must be quick, our time has straitned us.
As soon as they can have intelligence
They will be here.
Pys.
What if we could send away to Court?
Mir.
I'le rather perish than believe I can
Be worth her care.
Pys.
Why thanks then to Pysander
That believes himself—
Worthy his own—
Hyp.
Would her Ladiship were come.
Prethee Pysander let's have no time delay'd
In asking how she does, and what's a clock.
Pys.
Thou hast reason to be more confident of my wit.
—See where they come—
And like the Graces leading one another.
Let's over-hear a little.
Enter Cæca and Quinever.
Cæc.
Indeed he is a proper Gentleman,
And 'tis great pitty he should suffer.
Quin.
It is indeed, I would not for my Maidenhead
It should be in your house.
Pys.
Nor I by this light.
[aside.
Cæc.
I think as much; indeed he speaks as well
As any that I knew these six King's Reigns:
Where is he, Quinever?
Quin.
He said he would be hereabouts.
Hyp.
Now Pysander uncouple them.
Pys.
So I may be hunted, but I'le advance.
—Save your sweet Ladiship—
I took the boldnesse, urged by my love,
To trouble your kind ears with a petition.
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You'r very welcome, I shall be glad to hear it;
And though I am old, and people think decay'd,
I can tell how to judge a worthy Gentleman.
Hey ho, in my time I have heard many complements,
And blest was he could gain but a good look.
Pys.
He shall be damn'd now that does.
[aside.
Cæc.
The world and I am alter'd.
Pys.
A Carthusian swear the world is,
—I'le swear for thee.
Cæc.
And yet I have warm blood now in my veins,
And it will beat sometimes. I have heard men say,
That age has vigour lies within.
Pys.
She'l tell me by and by she can fart fire.
[aside
Cæc.
And so indeed—
Pys.
I must interrupt her; But you forget
To hear what your poor servant asks.
Cæc.
I pray what is't?
Pys.
First I must beg you, that you'l have the confidence
To believe, I love you; old Lutes
Still sound the sweetest; many a man
Has travailed many miles, and tedious wayes,
To see a lesser monument, and since I love you,
I would preserve my happinesse, sure you ought then
To return equall kindnesse.
Cæca.
By my troth, but justice, and indeed, I will,
I shall not be so cruell to grieve you long
So worthy a kind gentleman; I esteem
A tedious coynesse vice, you put me in mind
Of my old principles, in my Grand-mother's time.
Pys.
That's according to a new account,
84
[aside.
Cæca.
And as I was saying in her time
Matters were quickly ended, I am still
Of the old fashion.
Pys.
In short, then, since you see I love you,
I must beg your assistance; for these rogues
That hurt us, as I hear, are now hard by.
Your Tenants, and a few servants would with ease
Defend us from these wanderers, that I may
Enjoy my happinesse with safety. This your Commands
With ease may finish, and I blesse
The fate that brought me hither.
Cæca.
I pray your selfe command them,
You shall have full power, that in time
Must be my husband.
Pys.
Plague on your nimblenesse, how she mumps,—
[aside.
Cæca.
When my last husband Sir Percivall died,
I little thought to have had another suiter;
But you men have the power to winn us,
And I can tell you, such a tempting Gentleman.
Pys.
For ought she knows, a Sign-post
With Friar Bacon's brazen head upon't,—
[aside.
—If you please Madam, I will attend you,
When your Commands have setled us in safety,
I shall presume to tell you my Love's story.
Cæca.
I shall be glad to hear it, pray lead on,
What you Command, shall be a law.—
[Exeunt.
85
Mir.
Yet Hyppasus, we breathe; and safety now
Begins to wear an easie shape.
Hyp.
The rogue has work't them finely—
Mir.
By Heaven, he is the best composed man,
I e're yet knew, for in the worst extreams,
His cheerfulnesse, and judgment is the same;
We are prepared, if they find us now,
Phylanter's bold to bring them on to action,
Fortune but guide, an equall sword to mine,
And borrow frowns from all the destinies
To hang upon thy then contemned brows.
Hyp.
But I believe, they never will attempt us
But seconded with more, for they will fear
What may proceed from Court.
Mir.
Never believe, he would attempt this action,
But with some feigned story to my prejudice.
Hyp.
But the Princesse, Sir, seem'd to resent the injury,
She is too noble, meanly to suspect.
Mir.
Alas, Hyppasus, they before corrupted
His goodnesse that should incline to her,
These flatterers beset the thoughts of Kings,
As an ill enemy besieges Towns,
—First poisons the fair springs.
Hyp.
These are the worst of fears, we may as well
Hope, that his judgment scorns unlikely stories.
But let the worst that fortune can prepare
Fall unregarded on us, the least defence
Will help us to the noblest fate.
86
Nobly resolved.—
And when we fall so brave,
The world will find more losse, then we can have.
[Exeunt.
| The Blind Lady | |