University of Virginia Library

Scena sexta.

Enter Alonzo, Frederique, Picarro.
Alo.
Let me perswade you, Brother, to surcease
This endlesse suit, what will't advantage you
To keep his carcasse?

Fred.
Why ran he in debt?
I could have kept my money.

Pic.
Sir, my Father
Doth not deny to pay you, all he asks
Is time of payment.

Alo.
Can he offer fairer?
He owes me money, yet I so respect
Alvarez credit, that I'll take his word
Without security.

Fred.
And because you
Will play the fool, and lose your money, must
I doe so too; let me then have his land.

Pic.
Sir, if you'l take my bond, I will oblige
My selfe, and all the land my Father leaves me,
To give you satisfaction.

Fred.
Keep your land,
Sow garlick on't, I will have nought but money.
Give me my money.

Alo.
You're the strangest man
That e're I dealt with, had not you farre better
Take that then loose all; say, he die in prison,
What will you get then?

Fred.
'S body, that I'll sell
To the Dice-makers, they shall put his bones
To the same use they were at while he liv'd,
He may thank's gaming for't, the Dice, and 's Drabs.

Pic.
My patience will not hear this: Covetous man,
Were't not for th'reverence I ow, this house,
Thou shouldst not thus abuse thy betters—

Fre.
He
Threatens, bear witnesse, Sir, I'll have your tongue
Bound to the peace.

Enter Balthazar.
Alo.
Balthazar, pray perswade
Your Fathers patience.

Bal.
Where's your daughter, Sir?
Not stirring?

Alo.
Yes!—Mariana!

Enter Mariana.
Ma.
Did you call?

Bal.
My business, Sir, is private.

Alo.
We'll withdraw

Exeunt Alonzo, Frederique, Picarro.
Bal.
Good morrow, Mistress, slept you well last night?
Your eyes look red, I doubt you slept not well.

Ma.
What makes you look so ghastly?

Bal.
Faith! I dream'd
Last night, that being underneath your window,
I heard men talk there, and you answer.

Ma.
Dreams
Are foolish fancies, and 'tis witchcraft, Sir,
To credit them.

Bal.
Nay more, I heard you vow
Love unto one, and bid him come and enter
Into your Conclave; you doe understand me?

Ma.
Yes! that you dream'd so.

Bal.
And as he was going,
I staid his passage, and he wounded me.
And when I wak't, blushing Aurora told me
That I was wounded.

Ma.
Sir, You did but dream,
Beleeve it not.

Bal.
Yes, Mariana, see
This Crimson livery which your servants bounty
Last night bestow'd upon me, 'tis a brave one,
Does't not become me finely?

Ma.
Saints protect me!
How came you hurt, my dearest Balthazar?
You are not wounded?

Bal.
This is brave, she will
Perswade me she is innocent. O woman!
How various are thy humours? thy devices?
How sly thy projects? Men with ease can find
Natures obscurest reaches, over-reach
The craft of Serpents, tame wild beasts, and bring
All things to their subjection, onely woman
With her deceit, surpasses man, confounds
His best capacity. But tell me, Mistress,
Did you not see me wounded?

Ma.
I? These eyes
Would have turn'd blind at such a sight; let's see!
Is your wound dangerous?

Bal.
Heav'ns! I think deceit
Has left its room in Hell, and built its mansion
Within thy breast: Is't possible your face
Can be so full of impudence, to sweare
A thing so false?

Ma.
He raves! I'll call for help!

Bal.
Yet more Mæanders! tell me hypocrite,
My fine dissembler, who it was you set
To be my Butcher? I'll not seek revenge;
But (as my duty is) go kiss his hands,
Prostrate my neck unto his honor'd feet,
Because my Mistress loves him.

Ma.
Las! he's frantick!

Bal.
True! you have made me, Mariana, were there
Any evasion to excuse thy crime,
I should be ready to believe thou mightst
Be blamelesse yet! But I have proofs that banish
All probabilities, my ears can tell
That thou'rt turn'd Harpy; Oh! there is no trust,
No faith in woman left!

Mar.
Yet in this fury?
Dear Balthasar, what have your jealous eyes
Observ'd in my behaviour? You should think
That when my Fathers will hath made me yours.
I should fall off and take another.

Bal.
Nothing!
My eyes and feeling faile me, all my senses
Were wrapt in extasies of endlesse pleasure,
To think you were my Misress; I do know
That you are vertuous, your affection's wholly
Bent to my love; let me but kisse your hand,
But touch it onely, and you'l soon perceive
With what an equall temper I can doe it;
I'm none of those who carry hot-houses,
Stoves in their blood, I've been too cold a Lover,
Too modest with you, therefore you reject me.

Mar.
Yet more outragious?

Bal.
And have taken one
Some strange-backt monster, whom perchance you've seen
Out of your window in the Placa, take
The quick Strapado nimbly; or, have born
Some massy burden, and his big-made joynts
Ne're crack beneath his ponderous weight, that promis'd
An abler body to content your lust,
More raging then a Goats; be briefe, who is't?
Some slavish Galliego, that has stoln
My int'rest in thee?

Ma.
You're a foul mouth'd man!
Come you to rail? you shall find fuell, friend
To feed your fire with, till its heat has burn'd
Thy intrails out; I love another, goe,
And tell my father on't, nor you nor he
Shall know his name: it was the same that hurt you,
You may goe tell, Sir.

Bal.
Impudence, declare
(draws his sword.)
Or perish.

Mar.
Murder!

Enter Alonzo, Frederique, Gaspar.
Alo.
How now Balthazar?
What drawn upon my daughter? 'tis not fair.

Mar.
Pray give an ear unto my short request;
As you're my Father, kill me, e're my name
Be blasted thus by this ignoble man,
Whose head hath forg'd a crime against me; Fiends
Would ne're have dream't of.

Bal.
Strumpet!

Alo.
Sir, desist.
You have done more already then you'l answer.

Mar.
He charges me, that underneath my window
Last night some people hurt him; that he heard
Men talk to me: which how 'tis possible,
And you not heare it, judge your selfe: but malice
Ne're wants a subject to defame.

Bal.
Your servant
Can verifie my words as truth.

Gas.
Who I?
Did not the rev'rence which I ow this house,
With-hold me from the fury which the lie
(You call me as a witness to) had stir'd?
In these hot veins, you should be taught, base man,
How to create such Fabricks.

Bal.
Slave! we will
Have vengeance.

Gas.
Yes! we mean to have it, Sir.
You'l walk, or by this Rapier

Bal.
Walk awhile, I shall
Live to dissect thy treacherous Corps, as small
As crums or Atomes.

Exeunt Balth. Fred. Mariana.
Gas.
Heark you, Signior,
The goodness that your goodness makes me owe
Your Family, obliges me to be
Nice in a point, that does so near concern
Your houses reputation: Balthasar
Said nought but truth, for Mariana has
Assiduall suitors.

Alo.
Hadst th' a Devils spleen,
Or Serpents breath, thou could'st not blast her goodness?

Gas.
First should this weapon rip my entrals out,
E're I would be so impious as to seek
To blast her fame: honest? her sex may raise
After her death Mausolæan monuments,
Or some tall Pyramid, as to the chastest,
E're crown'd the name of women. Nature first
Would go awry, the Ocean lose its course;
E're she her vertue. Lass! Sir, I do only
Tell, she's frequented.

Alo.
Why did you deny this?
When he did charge you with it?

Gas.
Though to you
In privat I give notice; think not, Patron,
I am so careless of your Daughters honour,
Or your good name: (although in things of truth)
To back her foes. I do believe, her spirit
Flowing with noble thoughts rejected him
Only to place her love upon another,
Of higher merit.

Alo.
Then it seems you know
Whom she's frequented by?

Gas.
Your'e pleas'd to call
My faith in question, Sir.

Alo.
Next time he comes,
Be sure you give me notice; that's your charge

Gas.
I'll loose this worthlesse breath else, when you see,
You will believe it, mean time what you please,
Do Sir: Be sure you shall behold that she
Shall miss her match by my fine treachery.

(Aside)
Exeunt.