University of Virginia Library

SCÆNA. IV.

Callias, Neander, Artops, Orithya, Thalæstris, Menalippe, Marthesia.
Call.
Ladies?

Orith.
Sir?

Call.
You don't train this afternoon,
Or muster, doe you?

Orith.
Your reason Sir?

Call:
Because,
If no Affaire of Discipline call on you
To leave us, wee'd faine change some Campe Aire with you.

Thal:
W'are at full leisure, Sir.

Call.
Pray, Ladies, let us
Be bold to aske you then, what places hold you
In your Queenes Army? Doe you command the Foot,
And Infantery? Or are you Cavaliers
And Regents of the Horse?

Orith:
Why doe you aske?

Call.
Not out of curiosity, t'informe
Our selves in your Arts Military; But onely
Out of a free desire we have Commanders
To be admitted servants to Commanders.

Orith.
How doe you meane?

Nean.
Troth, Ladies, to divert
The Melancholly and Sadnesse which this Accident
Will raise among us; we would gladly joine
Souldiers with Souldiers, and make both Armies one.

Thal:
That's done already Sir.

Art.
Our meaning is,
We would faine doe you civill Right, and pay you
The debts of nature which you come for. Officers
Mingling with Officers will raise a Race
Of stout young Alexanders betweene them, who'l
Once more subdue the world.

Thal:
Now you speake
Without Clouds, we conceive you. Doe you thinke then,
We come to seeke men to get children on us?

Call.
We hope y'are like your Mothers. We know, Ladies
Without our Helpe you are but barren Things;
And cannot propagate betweene your selves.

Orith.
Well, say this be our Errand, since you speake
Soe understandingly; what would you doe
To helpe us in Necessity?

Neand:
Doe? Why,
What should we doe? Doe service to your Country;
And strive to keepe you still a People, by
A new succession of Amazons.

Orith:
But say
They should prove males, Sir.

Nean.
Then breed them up to save you
The trouble of such journies; and employ 'em,
As you do us their Fathers, to th'publicke good.

Thal:
But 'tis against our Lawes to Foster, Sir,
Male births.

Neand:
What do you with 'em? drown 'em then?

Thal:
Restore 'em to their getters. Would you receive 'em,
If we should send 'em home?

Neand:
So they be borne
Perfect; not halfe male, and halfe female; I'le
Nurse no Hermaphrodites.

Orith:
Besides, you have
Beene us'd to th'Ladies of your owne Court; you'l
Ne're like our Company. We are not faire
And beautifull enough to stirre your Loves
To serve us in our needes.

Art.
By this hand, Ladies,
I'me more inflam'd to see a certaine true,
And Genuine smile creepe o're your Nutbrowne faces,
And make a kinde of Day-breake there, then all
The Artificiall whites and reds, laid on
By our Court painters, who call't Beauty to
Create their owne lookes.

Thal.
Are there such Arts, then?

Call.
You saw the two Lords here?

Thol.
Yes Sir,

Call.
They
Have two young Ladies, whom I do question, whether
They may call Wives, or Pictures.

Neand.
Their wedding day
Saw them, perhaps, in their owne blushes; And
They lay the first night in their unbought Roses;
But ever since have varied shapes; scarce worne
The same face twice. Who'd lye with such she Proteusses?
Who change forme in the embrac; And do lye downe
One Mistresse, and ith' morning rise another?

Orith.
Our lookes are course, but native, Sir.

Nean.
Y'are like
The Times which Love delights in; we behold
A faire night in your faces stucke with Stars.

Call.
Me thinks ye exceed the Queene of Love; she had
But one blacke Mole, you are all but one faire Spot.

Art.
Beleeve it Ladies, were he not a boy,
I'de say y'had brought each of you in those lovely,
Darke, shady cheekes, a Cupid, who from thence,
As from an amiable twilight, shootes
His golden arrowes.

Orith.
You do expresse your selves
So affectionate, so like lovers—

Thal.
So comply
With our owne wishes, which are to requite
Your love with love—

Orith.
And do so nobly know
The wants of Ladies, and can as nobly pardon
All their defects, that henceforth we'l expect
Some entercourse of visit from you.

Thal.
We
Shall long to see you at our poore Tents, choose
Your owne times; We lock not our curtaines.

Exeunt Ladies.