University of Virginia Library

Enter Votarius with Anselmus the Husband.
Votar.
you shall stand here my lord vnseene, and here all
do I deale now like a right frend wt h you?

Ansel.
lyke a most faithfull.

Votar.
you shall haue her mynde een as it comes to me
thoughe I vndoo her by'te, yor frendship sir
is the sweet mistres that I onlie serue,
I prize the roughenes of a mans embrace
before the soft lippes of a hundred ladies

Ans.
and that's an honest mynde of thee

Votar.
locke yor self sir
into that closet and be sure none see you
trust not a creature, weele haue all ronne cleere
een as the heart affordes it

Ans.
tis a matche Sir.—

Exit.
Votar.
troth he saies true ther, tis a matche indeed
he does not knowe the strengthe of his owne wordes
for if he did ther were no mastring on him
has cleft the pynne in twoe wt h a blinde mans eyes
thoe I shoot wide, ile Coozen him of the game—

Exit.
Leonella aboue in a Gallery with her loue Bellarius.
Leo.
doest thow see thine enemie walke

Bel.
I would I did not

Leo.
pry thee rest quiet man, I haue feed one for him
a trustie Catchpowle too that wilbe sure on him,
thow knowst this gallerie well tis at thy vse now
t'as bin at myne full often, thow mayst sitt
like a most priuat gallant in y'on corner
see all the plaie and nere be seene thy self

Bel.
therfore I chose it

Leo.
thow shalt see my ladie
plaie her part naturallie, more to the life
then shees aware on

Bel.
ther must I be pleazde,
thowr't one of the Actors, thow't be myst anon,

Leo.
alas a womans action's allwaies readie
yet ile downe now I thinck on't—

Descendet Leonela.
Bel.
doe tis tyme yfaithe

Ans.
I know not yet wher I should plant belief
I am so straungely tost, betwene two tales,
Ime told by my wiues woman the deedes donne
and in Votarius tonge, tis yet to come,
the Castle is but vpon yeilding yet
tis not deliuerd vp, well, we shall finde
the misterie shortlie, I will entertaine
the patience of a prisoner ith meane tyme./

Locks him self in
Enter Anselmus Lady with Leonella.
Wife
Is all set readie wench

Leo.
push, madame, all

Wife
Tell not me so, she liues not for a ladie
that has less peace then I

Leo.
nay good sweet madame
you would not thinck how much this passion alters you,
It drinckes vp all the bewtie of yor cheeke
I promise you madame you haue lost much blood,

Wife
let it drawe death vpon me, for till then
I shalbe mistres of no true content
whoe could endure howerlie temptation
and beare it as I doe

Leo.
nay that's most certaine
vnless it were my self agen, I can doot
I suffer the like dailie, you should complaine madame

Wife
wc h way, were that wisdome pry thee wench to whome

Leon
to him that makes all whole agen, my lord
to one that if he be a kinde good husband
will let you beare no more then you are able,

Wife
thow knowst not what thow speakst, why my lords hee
that giues him the howse-freedome, all his bouldnes,
keeps him a purpose heare to warr wt h me

Leo.
Now I hold wiser of my lord then soe
he knowes the world, he would not be so idle,

Wife
I speake sadd truthe to thee, I am not priuat
in myne owne chamber such his impudence is
nay my repenting tyme is scarce blest from him
he will offend my praiers

Leo.
owt vpon him
I beleeue madame hees of no Religion

Wife
he serues my lord and thats enoughe for him
and pray vpon poore ladies like my self.
ther's all the gentlemans devotion

Leo.
marry the devill of hell giue him his blessinge

Wife
pray watche the doore, and suffer none to troble vs
vnless it be my lord

Leo.
twas finely spoke that
my lord indeed is the most troble to her,
now must I shewe a piece of service here;
how do I spend my daies, [life] shall I neuer
get higher then a ladies doorekeper
I must be maried as my ladie is first
and then my maide may doe as much for me

Wife
O miserable tyme, except my lord
do wake in honorable pittie to me
and rid this vitious gamster from his howse
whome I haue checkt so often, here I vowe
ile ymitat my noble sisters fate
late mistres to the worthy Gouianus
and cast awaie my life as he did hers,

Enter Votarius to the doore wt hin
Leon.
back, y'are to forward sir, ther's no comyn̄ge for you

Votar.
how mistres len, my ladies smock woman
am I no farder in yor dutie yet?

Leo.
dutie looke for't of them you keep vnder sir

Votar.
you'le let me in

Leo.
who would you speake wt hall

Vota.
wt h the best ladie you make Curtsie too

Leo.
she will not speak wt h you

Vota.
haue you her mynde
I scorne to take her answer of her broker

Leo.
madame

Wife
whats ther, how now Sir, whats yor busines?
we see yor bouldnes plaine

Vota.
I came to see you madame

Wife
ffarwell then, tho twas Impudence to much
when I was priuat,

Vota.
madame

Wife
[life] he was borne
to beggar all my patience;

Vota.
I'me bould
still to preferr my loue—yor woman heres me not

Wife
whers modesty and honour? haue I not thrice
answerd thy lust

Leo.
birladie I thinck oftner

Wife
and darst thow yet looke wt h temptation on vs,
since nothing will prevaile, come death, come vengeance
I will forget the weaknes of my kinde
and force thee from my chamber

Votar.
how now ladie
vds life you prick me madame

Wife
pree thee peace,
I will not hurt thee,—will you yet begon sir,

Leon.
hees vpon goinge I thinck

Votar.
madame,/[heart] you deale falce wt h me, o I feele it,
y'are a most treacherous ladie this thy glorie?
my brest is all afier—oh—

Leo.
ha ha ha—

Ansel.
ha? I beleeue her Constancie to late
confirmd eene in the blood of my best frend;
Ente: Bellarius
take thow my vengeance, thow bould periurous strompet
that durst accuse thy vertuous ladie falcelie;

kills Leonela
Belar.
o deadly poison after a sweet banquet
what make I here, I had forgot my hart,
I am an Actor too, and neuer thought on't
the blacknes of this season cannot miss me
Sirrah, you, lord.

Wife
is hee ther welcome Ruine

Bel.
ther is a life due to me in that bosome
for this poore gentlewoman.

Ansel.
and art thow then receiuer?
ile paye thee largelie slaue for thy last scape

They make a daungerous passe at one another the Lady purposely runs betwene, and is kild by them both.
Wife
I come Votarius

Ans.
hold, if manhood guide thee
o what has furie donne?

Bel.
what has it donne nowe?
why kild an honorable whore, thats all

Ans.
villaine ile seale that lye vpon thy hart,
A Constant ladie,

Bel.
To the devill as could be,
[heart] must I prick you forward, either vp
or sir ile take my chaunce, thow couldst kill her
wt hout repentinge, that deserud more pittie
and spendst thy tyme and teares vpon a Queane.

Ans.
Slaue

Bel.
that was deceiud once in her own deceit
As I am now, the poison I prepard
vpon that weopen for myne enemies bosome
is bould to take acquaintaunce of my blood too
and serues vs both to make vp death wt hall

Ans.
I aske no more of destynie but to fall
close by the chaste side of my vertuous mistris,
if all the treasure of my weeping strength
be left so wealthy but to purchase that
I haue the deare wish of a great mans spirrit,
yet fauour me, o yet, I thanck thee fate
I expire cheerefullie and giue death a smile—

Ansel: dies
Bel.
o rage I pittie now myne enemies flesh

Enter Gouianus with Servauntes
Go
wher should he bee?

1 Ser.
my ladie sir will tell you
shees in her chamber here

2 Ser.
o my lord

Goui
Peace —my honorable brother, madame, All—
so many dreadfull deedes and not one tongue
left to proclayme em

Bel.
yes, here, if a voice
some mynute long may satisfie yor eare
I'ue that tyme allowde it

Goui.
tis enoughe
bestowe it quicklie ere death snatche it from thee

Bel.
that lord yor brother, made his frend Votarius
to tempt his ladie, she was wonne to lust,
the Act reveald here by her servingwoman,
but that wise close Adulteress storde wt h arte
to praie vpon the weakenes of that lord
dissembled a great rage vpon her loue
and indeed kild him, wc h so wonne her husband
he slew this right discouerer in his furye,
whoe being my mistris I was mov'de in harte
to take some paines wt h him, and has paid me for't
As for the cvnin̄ge ladie I com̄end her,
shee performd that wc h neuer woman tride
she ran vpon [twoe] OUR weopens and so died,
now you haue all I hope I shall sleep quiet—

Dyes.

—quiet

Ansel.

o thunder that awakes me een from death
and makes me curse my confidence wt h cold lips
I feele his wordes in flames about my sowle,
has more then kild me

Gou.

brother

Ans.

I repent the smile
that I bestowd on Destynie a whore
I fling thee thus from my believing brest
wt h all the strength I haue, my rage is great
althoughe my veynes grow beggars; now I sue
to die farr from thee, may wee neuer meet;
were my sowle bid to ioyes eternall Banquet
and were assurde to finde thee ther a guest
Ide sup wt h Torments, and refuse that feast;
O thow beguiler of mans easy trust
“The serpents wisdome is in weemens lust./
dyes.

(Marginal note)

[Goui]
[Is death so longe a comyn̄ge to mankinde]
[it must be met half waies? Lass the full tyme]
[is (to eternitie) but a mynute, A [OMITTED]—]
[was that so long to staie? o cruell speed ]
[thers few men paie their debtes before their daie]
[if they be readie at their tyme, tis well,]
[and but a few that are so, what straunge hast]
[was made among thease people my heart weepes for't]
[goe, beare those bodies to a place more comely;]

Goui.
Brother, I came for thy advice, but I
fynde thee so ill a Counceller to thy self
that I repent my paines and depart sighinge,
the bodie of my loue is still at Courte
I am not well to thinck on't, the poore Spirrit
was wt h me once agen about it, Troth—
and I can put it of no more for shame
thoe I desire to haue it haunt me still
and neuer to giue ouer tis so pleasinge:
I must to courte I'ue plighted my faith toot
t'as opend me the waie to the revendge and I must thorow
[Tyrant ile rvnne thee on a daungerous shelf]
[thoe I be forc't to flie this land my self.]

Exit