 | Lady alimony |  |
Scen. 6.
Enter Gentleman Usher.Give way,—make present way for his Excellence and his Consuls.
Enter Duke Eugenio and his Consuls. After them the deserted Knights; the Platonick Confidents; the Alimony Ladies; the Tunis ingagers.
Duke.
As we have view'd and clear'd our forreign coasts,
Wee'r now to prune those wild luxurious Sprayes
Which give impede unto this spreading Vine,
Our flowry Sivel; whose succeeding Fame
Acquir'd by Civil Discipline exacts
Our care and yours, grave Counsellours of State.
'Tis not enough with Balms to close the skin
And leave the wound t'exulcerate within;
For He, whose care's to cure the Core without
And searcheth not the bottom, spoils the Root.
Wee'r now to prune those wild luxurious Sprayes
Which give impede unto this spreading Vine,
Our flowry Sivel; whose succeeding Fame
Acquir'd by Civil Discipline exacts
Our care and yours, grave Counsellours of State.
'Tis not enough with Balms to close the skin
And leave the wound t'exulcerate within;
For He, whose care's to cure the Core without
And searcheth not the bottom, spoils the Root.
Let's first then look on Vices which put on
The face of vertue; and where modesty
(Meerly dissembled) cloath'd with taking Beauty
Arms it self strongly 'gainst all Opposition:
Nay, what retains ofttimes such influence
On reverend Scarlet, as it darks the light
Of Judgement; and makes Elders fix their eyes
On rare-light Objects, which so strangely takes
As they make Judges vices Advocates:
But here's none such, I hope: Our State is free,
And so our Patriots and State-Consuls bee.
The face of vertue; and where modesty
(Meerly dissembled) cloath'd with taking Beauty
Arms it self strongly 'gainst all Opposition:
Nay, what retains ofttimes such influence
On reverend Scarlet, as it darks the light
Of Judgement; and makes Elders fix their eyes
On rare-light Objects, which so strangely takes
As they make Judges vices Advocates:
But here's none such, I hope: Our State is free,
And so our Patriots and State-Consuls bee.
Complaints inform us, and we wondred much
At th'first perusal, how a Feminine Nature
So sweetly pleasing, should be so deprav'd.
So sweetly pleasing, should be so deprav'd.
Fricase.
What means the Duke?
Caranto.
I relish not th'discourse.
Duke.
Have we not here some Ladies oth' New-dress,
So newly styl'd and in their Honour soil'd,
Who have deserted whom they ought to love?
Ladies.
Is this the Court-Mask, and the Ball we look't for?
(Aside.
Duke.
Be you those Ladies?
Cristobel.
I am one of them forsooth.
Ladies.
We are the same, so like your Excellence,
And now redrest.
Duke.
We understand no less;
Your Alimonies signed by our Court!
Cristobel.
They have not signed mine, if't please your Dukeship.
Truly I am a very impudent lame Woman: and my Husband
a feeble weak-doing man, your Grace must needs
grant me Alemony.
Duke.
See what Examples, Ladies, you have given
To simple Women!—I shall here propose
Two tenders to your choice: either receive
(And with a Conjugal Indeerment too)
Your late deserted Husbands, or prepare
Th'Remainder of your dayes to entertain
A strict Monastick life: your Sentence's past,
Chuse which you please.
Joculette.
I never shall endure
A cloister'd life unless I had a Frier; Sir Gregory Shapeless shall be my Platonick.
Medler.
Rather then none, Ile take Sir Tristram Shorttool.
Julippe.
I for Sir Arthur Heartless.
Caveare.
I must put on my Night-gown for Sir Jasper Simpleton.
Fricase.
Sir Amadin Puny then must be my joy,
Who will be still, I think, a Puny Boy.
Tinder.
Well, since we are to this condition grown,
While I of youthful Favourites bereft
Will live with Scattergood, if ought be left.
Sir Reuben.
Nay, Madam, but it were not amiss if you
knew first, whether Scattergood will live with you or no.
Release your Alimony, and I'le resign my right in your
propriety: and in my widdow'd life mourn in sack—lo
infinitely.
Duke.
This Juncto must be fixt on firmer grounds,
Coolness of Fancy acts not on the Object,
Which it pretends to love:—Joyn hearts to hands,
And in this second Contract reunite
What was so long divided: Love's a Cement
Admits no other Allay but it self
To work upon th'affiections:—be it yours,
(For virile spirits should be so demean'd,)
With pleasing candor to remit what's past,
And with milde glosses to interpret thus
In their defence still to the better sense:
“Their frailties in your Ladies wrought these failings,
“Which pious pitty should commiserate
“And seal it with Indulgence: Then intend
“Your Office, Madams: which is to redeem
“Your late-abused time: which may be deem'd
“Richly recover'd being once redeem'd.
Ladies.
May all our actions close with discontent,
When we oppose their humours.
Knights.
Say and hold;
They salute & take hands.
And this Act of Oblivion shall be sign'd.
Duke.
This does content us highly: Powers above
Makes Lovers breach renual of their love.
Cristobel.
And must Cristobel too pack home to her
Husband without her Alemony?
Duke.
Or to thy death an aged Prioress.
Cristobel.
Nay, but by your good favour, Ile meddle
with none of your Priorities; Ile rather go mumble a crust
at home: and chuck my old Josalin.
Duke.
Nor is this all; our sentence must extend
Strangely debaucht, made spoil of womens honours.
Ladies.
We hate them worse then Hell.
Favourites.
Good your Grace; we are reclaim'd.
Duke.
That's but an ayry Note.
When Practical, wee'l hold it Cordial.
Mean time we do adjudge you to the Quarries;
Where yon shall toil till a relation give
Test of your reformation:—Look on those
Tunis-ingagers, who were timely drawn
From their Trapanning Course: and by their hazard
Secur'd through valour, rais'd their ruin'd Fortunes
Above Expectance: when your work is done,
We shall finde like Adventurers for your spirits
To graple with, and rear your blanch'd repute.
Leave interceding, for we are resolv'd.
When Practical, wee'l hold it Cordial.
Mean time we do adjudge you to the Quarries;
Where yon shall toil till a relation give
Test of your reformation:—Look on those
Tunis-ingagers, who were timely drawn
From their Trapanning Course: and by their hazard
Secur'd through valour, rais'd their ruin'd Fortunes
Above Expectance: when your work is done,
We shall finde like Adventurers for your spirits
To graple with, and rear your blanch'd repute.
Leave interceding, for we are resolv'd.
Now Conscript Consuls, whose direction gives
Life to our Laws: we cannot chuse but wonder
How your impartial judgements should submit,
As if they had been byassed, to grant
These Alimonies to their loose demands.
Sure such Decrees would not have relish'd well
Your jealous Palats, had you so been us'd.
“Wives to desert your Beds; impeach your Fames,
“In Publick Courts discover your defects,
“Nay, to bely your weakness: and recover
“For all these scandals, Alimonious wayes
“To feed their boundless riot!
Life to our Laws: we cannot chuse but wonder
How your impartial judgements should submit,
As if they had been byassed, to grant
These Alimonies to their loose demands.
Sure such Decrees would not have relish'd well
Your jealous Palats, had you so been us'd.
“Wives to desert your Beds; impeach your Fames,
“In Publick Courts discover your defects,
“Nay, to bely your weakness: and recover
“For all these scandals, Alimonious wayes
“To feed their boundless riot!
Consul.
They'r annull'd,
Our Courts will not admit them.
Duke.
'Tis well done,
For Gentlemen t'engage their State and Fame,
And Beds of Honour, were a jugling Game.
So we dismiss you:—may the Palms of Peace
Crown Sivils State with safety and increase.
Whereto when our reluctant actions give
The least impede, may we no longer live.
Exeunt omnes, Trumpets sounding.
| Lady alimony | |