 | The Amorovs Warre |  |
SCÆNA. VIII.
Enter Callias, Neander, Artops. Leading Orithya, Thalastris, Menalippe and Marthesia; with Helmets on, plumed as taken prisoners by them.Call:
Come, come along, Nay you shall know, most stout,
Most sterne Bellona's, what 'tis to be Traitours
Against a State, Was this your errand? This
Your faire pretence of having Children by us.
To betray those that should beget em? Now
We know how you or'ecome the Scythians;
You did invite them to your Tents, And there
Conquer'd the Men by night, by day their Country.
Neand.
What could you see in us to thinke us of
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Nor of such tough Chines as the Thracians, that
You should so itch to sell us to 'em, for
Nights Lodgings, And the transitory pleasure
Of keeping of you waking?
Orith:
To the wrong
You offer to our Innocence, and Honours,
Y'are scurrilous and that is one wrong more
Offer'd to our chaste eares. Your mouthes need washing;
Or rather gelding. We project to betray you?
Art:
Why, I beseech you, Lady Telamon,
If I should aske you, And this Lady Ajax,
Together with your two Sarpedons here,
Was't not contriv'd you in our absence should
Seize on our Magazine? Then crested thus
In your bright Helmets, (To which nothing lackes
But a sheild with a Gorgons Head, to turne
Vs into a stone, and Conquer us with ill lookes,)
That you should sally forth upon us; And
Then joine, almost had said couple, with
The Enemy? You will deny this?
Thal:
Yes,
And having had experience of your Valours,
Dare here maintaine the contrary with our swords,
Two Women 'gainst three Men, without our seconds,
We seize upon your Magazine? Call: so you'l
Deny you did receive us at your Tabernacle,
Your amorous pavilion; And that these two
Sweet Cymball-beaters, otherwise call'd Drummers,
Did strike a false Alarme?
Neand:
Or that you hir'd
Three Meager-halfe-pin'd-Rascals, having first
Depriv'd us of our eyes, To lead us thrice
Round 'bout the Workes, to lengthen out our progresse
Towards the Enemies Campe; And there to be
Arraign'd before a Councell, which consisted
Of two she Collonels, two she Clerks of
Your Comfits, and Suckets; two young Lords; who no doubt
Enjoyed all that we came for.
Orith:
'Tis confest, Sir.
Had you enjoyed us, our Children onely had
Beene valiant by the Mothers side.
Art:
We'l have
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Confesse your Treason too, Against the King.
March on before there.
Theag:
Pray stay Gentlemen;
Where do you lead these Ladies, thus three deepe
In File, without a Drumme? You are not going
To teach 'em postures, are you? Or make a Muster
Of foure commanded by three?
Mel:
If you meane
To lead 'em 'gainst the Enemy, to show
Your Fortitudes before 'em, once more; surely
The Warres are ended.
Call:
Sir, we are leading 'em
To th'King; we have discover'd a foule Treason.
Theag:
How?
Neand:
Yes, Sir, such a Treason, and these the plotters
As does shew Women make but th'other Twinne
With Mischeife; And that Falsehood, when it would
Betray men, still assumes their shape.
Art:
These Sir,
Who can lodge Serpents 'mongst their Roses, and
Smile o're their Treacheries, But that we did
Timely prevent 'em, would have put the Campe
Into a Muteny. We did take these
Two Lady-Rhetoricks mounting heapes of Turfe,
Provided to make speeches to the Souldiers;
T'inflame them to Rebellion.
Mel:
'Tis not possible.
Neand:
Yes, Sir, And these two Yeomen of the Gally pots.
Were imploy'd, as we heare, to offer the
Free use both of Themselves, and Ladies, to
All those who with them would forsake our side,
And turne to th'Thracians.
Orith:
Wee will endure't no longer.
These iron Veyles cast off, thus we confute you.
They take off their helmets
Call:
How's this? Orithya and Thalastris? with
Their Women Menalippe and Marthesia?
Art:
Amazon-fighters turn'd to our owne Court peace-wormes.
And my two Troilus's transfor'd to Knitsters?
Theag:
They are our Wives. Was ever such a plot
Laid by two Women to keepe their Husbands honest?
Mel:
They've turn'd what I thought Fornication
Into the acts of Wedlocke. How I love
Such projects, where men are betray'd unto
Their lawfull pleasure, and tempted to commit
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Thal:
Pray view us well; And now our paintings off,
(As you once pleasantly did stile us) pray,
Officious Gentlemen; what other plot
Can you discerne in us, but to laugh at you?
Neand:
This comes of policy; Our wisdomes have
Made us three sage, discreet, deepe, most rare Coxcombes.
Men:
Ha, ha, ha; Sure they did expect the King
Should Knight 'em for their rare Discovery.
Mar:
Or
Preferre 'em to the Councell Board, and make 'em
Spies Generall of the State.
Orith:
Troth, Gentlemen,
If you intend to scape Playes, and at your
Returne home to Chalcedon, not to see
Your Deeds brought on the Stage, take our advice;
Travell 'till this be over.
Thal:
And be sure,
You keepe your selves from Duels; Least your Country.
Do suffer in your Valours.
Theag:
You see there is
No medling with these Women; I'le undertake,
They can change shapes, as often as shift Linen.
The Booke of Transformations, which reports
Of Women turn'd to Baytrees, and of Men
Turn'd into Women, hath not more various formes,
Then these can practice.
Mel:
Alas 'tis not your case
To be deceived. They did deceive us too.
Orith:
We have two constant Lords of you. So't had been
Had we been Amazons in earnest.
Theag.
you are
The Two first Ladies that ere made their Husbands
Cuckold themselves with their owne Wives.
Thal.
By this
Goodlight 'twould be but justice now to put
A Courtotricke on you.
Mel.
Alas Thalæstris; I
Discern'd you by your brests.
Th.
Be sure you lay
Enter Arch. Eurym. &c.
With your own Wife.
Mel.
Look, Gentlemen,
D'you know these Shapes? Here comes the second part
Oth' Metamorphosis.
| The Amorovs Warre | |