 | Albvmazar |  |
SCENE. 9.
Salpitia. Flavia.Sul.
Flavia
I kisse your hands.
Fla.
Sulpitia, I pray you pardon me, I saw you not.
Sul.
I faith you have some fixt thoughts draw your eyes inward
when you see not your friends before you.
Fla.
True, and I think the same that trouble you.
Sul.
Then 'tis the love of a yong Gentleman, and bitter hatred
of an old Dotard.
Fla.
Tis so, witnesse your brother Eugenio, and the rotten carkase
of Pandolfo. Had I a hundred hearts, I should want roome
to entertain his love, and the other's hate.
Sul.
I could say as much, were't not sinne to slander the dead.
Miserable wenches, how have we offended our fathers, that they
should make us the price of their dotage, the medcines of their
griefs, that have more need of Physick our selves? I must be frostbitten
with the cold of your Dads Winter, that mine may thaw
his old Ice with the Spring of your sixteen. I thank my dead mother
that left me a womans will in her last Testament: That's all
the weapons wee poore Girles can use, and with that will I fight
'gainst father, friends, and kindred, and either enjoy Lelio, or
die in the field in's quarrell.
Fla.
Sulpitia, you are happy that can withstand your fortune
with so merry a resolution.
Sul.
Why? should I twine mine armes to cables, and sigh my
soule to ayre? Sit up all night like a Watching Candle, and distill
my brains through my eye-lids? your brother loves mee, and
I love your brother; and where these two consent, I would faine
see a third could hinder us.
Alas, cur Sex is most wretched, nurst up from infancy in
continuall slavery. No sooner able to pray for our selves, but they
brayle and hud us so with sowre awe of parents, that we dare not
offer to bate at our desires. And whereas it becomes men to vent
their amorous passions at their pleasure; wee poore soules must
take up our affections in the ashes of a burnt heart, not daring to
sigh, without excuse of the spleen, or fit of the mother.
Sul.
I plainly will professe my love of Lelio, tis honest, chast,
and stains not modesty. Shall I be married to Antonio, that hath
been a soust Sea-fish, this three moneths! and if he be alive comes
home with as many impaire, as a Hunting Gelding fal'ne Packhorse.
No, no, Ile see him freeze to Christall first. In other
things, good father, I am your most obedient daughter, but in
this a pure woman. Tis your part to offer, mine to refuse if I like
not. Lelio's a handsome Gentleman, yong, fresh, rich, and well
fashioned, and him will Sulpitia have, or die a maid: And ifaith,
the temper of my bloud tels mee I was never borne to so cold a
misfortune. Fie Flavia, fie wench, no more with teares and
sighs, cheere up, Eugenio to my knowledge loves you, and you
shall have him: I say you shall have him.
Fla.
I doubt not of his love, but know no means how he dares
worke against so great a Rivall: your father in a spleene may disinherit
him.
Sul.
And give't to whom? has none but him and mee: What
though he dote awhile upon your beauty; hee will not prove unnaturall
to his sonne. Go to your chamber: my Genius whispers
in my eare, and sweares this night we shall enjoy our loves, and
with that hope farewell.
Fla.
Farewell Sulpitia.
| Albvmazar | |