 | The Fancies Chast and Noble |  |
Act. IIII.
Enter Livio and Castamela.Li.
Prithee be serious.
Cast.
Prithee interupt not
The Paradise of my becharming thoughts,
Which mount my knowledge to the spheare I move in,
Above this uselesse tattle.
Li.
Tattle? Sister,
Dee know to whom you talke this?
Cast.
To the Gentleman
Of my Lords Horse, new stept into the Office:
'Tis a good place Sir, if you can be thankfull.
Demeane your carriage in it, so that negligence
Or pride of your preferment oversway not
The grace you hold in his esteem. Such fortunes
Drop not down every day; observe the favour
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Li.
Thou mistak'st sure
What person thou holdst speech with.
Cast.
Strange and idle.
Li.
Ist possible? why? you are turn'd a Mistris,
A Mistris of the trimme; beshrew me Lady
You keepe a stately Port, but it becomes you not:
Our Fathers Daughter, if I erre not rarely,
Delighted in a softer humbler sweetnes:
Not in a hey-de-gay of scurvey Gallantry.
You do not brave it like a thing oth' fashion;
You Ape the humor faintly.
Cast.
Love deare Maid
Is but desire of beauty, and 'tis proper
For beauty to desire to be belov'd.
Li.
Fine sport, you mind not me; will you yet heare me Madam?
Cast.
Thou shalt not wish for any full addition,
Which may adorne thy rarities to boast em:
That bounty can withold—I know I shall not.
Li.
And so you clapt the bargaine, the conceit on't
Tickles your contemplation. 'Tis come out now,
A Womans tongue I see, some time or other
Will prove her Traytor: This was all I sifted,
And here have found thee wretched.
Cast.
We shall flourish.
Feed high henceforth, man, and no more be streightend
Within the limits of an emptie patience:
Nor tire our feeble eyes with gazing onely
On greatnes, which enjoyes the swindge of pleasures.
But be our selves the object of their envie,
To whom a service would have seem'd ambition.
It was thy cunning Livio, I applaud it,
Feare nothing; Ile be thrifty in thy projects:
Want misery? may all such want as thinke on't;
Our footing shall stand firme.
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You are much witty.
Why Castamela, this to me? you counterfeit
Most palpablie. I am too well acquainted
With thy condition Sister; if the Marquesse
Hath utter'd one unchaste, one wanton syllable,
Provoking thy contempt: not all the flatteries
Of his assurance to our hopes of rising,
Can or shall slave our soules.
Cast.
Indeed not so Sir,
You are beside the point, most gentle Signior,
Ile be no more your ward, no longer chamber'd,
Nor mew'd up to the lure of your Devotion:
Trust me, I must not, will not, dare not; surely
I cannot for my promise past; and sufferance
Of former trialls hath too strongly arm'd me:
You may take this for answer.
Li.
In such earnest?
Hath goodnes left thee quite? foole thou art wandring
In dangerous fogges, which will corrupt the puritie
Of every noble vertue dwelt within thee.
Come home againe, home Castamela Sister;
Home to thine owne simplicitie, and rather
Then yeeld thy memorie up to the Witch-craft
Of an abused confidence; be courted
For Romanello.
Cast.
Romanello.
Li.
Scornst thou
The name? thy thoughts I finde then are chang'd rebells
To all that's honest, that's to truth and honour.
Cast.
So Sir, and in good time.
Li.
Thou art falne suddainly
Into a plurisie of faithlesse impudence;
A whorish itch infects thy blood; a leprosie
Of raging lust, and thou art madde to prostitute
The glory of thy Virgin dower basely
For common sale. This foulenesse must be purg'd,
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Which can even taint the very ayre about thee:
But I shall studie Physick.
Cast.
Learne good manners:
I take it you are sawcie.
Li.
Sawcie? strumpet
In thy desires: 'tis in my power to cut off
The twist thy life is spunne by.
Cast.
Phew, you rave now:
But if you have not perished all your reason,
Know I will use my freedome; you (forsooth)
For change of fresh apparell, and the pocketting
Of some well looking Duccats, were contented,
Passinglie pleas'd, yes marry were you (marke it)
To expose me to the danger now you raile at.
Brought me, nay forc'd me hither, without question
Of what might follow, here you finde the issue:
And I distrust not but it was th'appointment
Of some succeeding fate that more concern'd me
Then widdowed virginity.
Li.
You are a gallant
One of my old Lord Fancies. Peevish girle,
Was't ever heard that youth could doate on sicknesse,
A gray beard, wrinckled face, a dryed up marrow,
A toothlesse head,—a—this is but a merriment,
Meerely but triall. Romanello loves thee,
Has not abundance, true, yet cannot want.
Returne with me, and I will leave these fortunes,
Good Maid, of gentle nature.
Cast.
By my hopes,
I never plac'd affection on that Gentleman,
Tho a deserv'd well; I have told him often
My resolution.
Li.
Will you hence, and trust to
My care of setling you a peace.
Cast.
No surely,
52
Li.
Off bee't broken,
Ile doe what thou shalt rue.
Cast.
You cannot Livio,
Li.
So confident? young Mistris mine, Ile do't.
Exit.
Enter Troylo.
Troy.
Incomparable Maid.
Cast.
You have been Counsellor
To a strange Dialogue.
Troy.
If there be constancie
In protestation of a vertuous nature;
You are secure, as the effects shall witnes.
Cast.
Be noble, I am credulous, my language
Hath prejudic'd my heart; I and my Brother
Nere parted at such distance; yet I glory
In the faire race he runs: but feare the violence
Of his disorder.
Troy.
Little time shall quit him.
Enter Secco leading Nitido in a Garter with one hand, a Rod in his other; followed by Morosa, Silvia, Floria, Clarella; Spadone behind laughing.
Sec.
The young Whelp is mad, I must slice the worme
out of his breech: I have noos'd his neck in the Collar;
and I will once turne Dog-leech. Stand from about me, or
you'l finde me terrible and furious.
Nit.
Ladies good Ladies, deare Madam Morosa.
Flo.
Honest Secco.
Sil.
What was the cause? what wrong has hee done
to thee?
Cla.
Why dost thou fright us so, and art so peremptory
where wee are present fellow?
Mor.
Honey-bird, Spouse, Catamountaine; ah the Child,
the pretty poore Child; the sweet fac'd Child.
Spa.
That very word halters the eare-wig.
Sec.
Off I say, or I shall lay bare all the naked truth to
your faces: his foreparts have been so lusty, and his posterions
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away burres, out Mare-hagge moyle; avaunt, thy turne
comes next, avaunt thy turn comes next; avaunt the Horns
of my rage are advanced; hence or I shall gore ye.
Spa.
Lash him soundly, let the little Ape shew trickes.
Nic.
Helpe, or I shall be throtled.
Mor.
Yes, I will helpe thee pretty heart, if my tongue
cannot prevaile; my nayles shall. Barbarous minded man, let
go, or I shall use my tallons.
Spa.
Well playd Dog, well playd Beare, sa, sa, sa; to't to't.
Sec.
Fury, whore, baud, my Wife and the Devill.
Mor.
To spot, stinckard, pander, my husband & a rascal.
Spa.
Scould Coxcombe, baggage, Cuckold.
Crabed Age and Youth
Cannot jumpe together:
One is like good lucke,
T'other like foule weather.
Troy.
Let us fall in now: What uncivill rudenesse
Dares offer a disturbance to this company.
Peace and delights dwell here, not brawles and outrage:
Sirrah be sure you shew some reasons why
You so forget your duty? quickly shew it,
Or I shall tame your choller; what's the ground on't?
Spa.
Humh how's that? how's that? is he there with
a Wanion? Then doe I begin to dwindle,—O oh, the
fit, the fit; the fits upon me now, now now now.
Sec.
It shall out. First then know all Christian people
Jewes and Infidels, hees and shees, by these presents, that
I am a beast; see what I say, I say a very beast.
Troy.
'Tis granted.
Sec.
Go to then, a horned beast: a goodly tall horn'd
beast in pure verity a Cuckold: nay I will tickle their
Trangdidoes.
Mor.
Ah thou base fellow! wouldst thou confesse it
and it were so: but 'tis not so, and thou lyest and lowdly.
Troy.
Patience Morosa, you are you say a Cuckold.
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Ile justifie my words; I scorn to eate em: this sucking
Ferret hath been wrigling in my old Coney borough.
Mor.
The Boy, the Babe, the Infant; I spit at thee.
Cast.
Fie Secco fie.
Sec.
Appeare Spadone, my proofes are pregnant and
grosse: truth is the truth; I must and I will be divorced.
speake Spadone and exalt thy voice.
Spa.
Who I speake, alas I cannot speake I.
Nit.
As I hope to live to be a man.
Sec.
Dambe the prick of thy weason Pipe: where but
two lie in a bed you must be Bodkin bitch-baby must ye.
Spadone, am I a Cuckold or no Cuckold?
Spa.
Why? you know I an ignorant unable trifle in
such businesse; an Oafe, a simple Alcatote; an Innocent.
Sec.
Nay nay nay, no matter for that; this Ramkin hath
tup'd my old rotten carrion Mutton.
Mor.
Rotten in thy maw, thy guts and garbage.
Sec.
Spadone speake alowd what I am.
Spa.
I do not know.
Sec.
What hast thou seen em doing together? doing.
Spa.
Nothing.
Mor.
Are thy mad braines in thy mazar now, thou
jealous Bedlam?
Sec.
Didst not thou from time to time tell me as much?
Spa.
Never.
Sec.
Hoyday, Ladies and Signior I am abus'd, they are
agreed to scorne jeere and runne me out of my wits; by
consent this gelded hobet a hoy is a corrupted Pander:
the page a milke liverd Dildo; my Wife a Whore confest;
and I my selfe a Cuckold arrant.
Spa.
Truely Secco for the antient good Woman; I dare
sweare point-blanck; and the Boy surely, I ever said was
to any mans thinking, a very Chrisome in the thing you
wot, that's my opinion clearely.
Cla.
What a wise goose-cap hast thou shew'd thy self?
Sec.
Here in my fore-head it sticks, and stick it shall.
55
thee; I will father no mis-begotten of thine; the Court
shall trounce thee, the Citie casheere thee, diseases devoure
thee, and the Spittle confound thee.
Exit.
Cast.
The man ha's dream'd himselfe into a lunacie.
Sil.
Alas poore Nitido.
Nit.
Truely I am innocent.
Mor.
Marry art thou, so thou art; the World sayes how
vertuously I have carried my good name in every part about
me, these threescore yeares and odde; and at last
to slip with a child; there are men, men enough, tough
and lustie (I hope) if one would give their mind to the
iniquitie of the flesh, but this is the life I ha' led with him
a while since when a lies by me as cold as a dry stone.
Troy.
This onely (Ladies) is a fit of noveltie,
All will be reconcil'd, I doubt, Spadone;
Here is your hand in this how ere deny'd.
Spa.
Faithfully in truth forsooth.
Troy.
Well, well enough—Morosa, be lesse troubled;
This little jarre is argument of loue,
It will prove lasting; Beauties, I attend yee.
Ex. Troy. La.
Spa.
Youngling, a word youngling: have not you
scap'd the lash hansomly? thanke me for't
Nit.
I feare thy roguery, and I shall finde it.
Spa.
Ist possible, give me thy little fist, we are friends;
have a care henceforth, remember this whilst you live.
Pretty knave, and so forth: Come, truce on all hands.
Nit.
Beshrew your fooles head; this was jeast in
earnest.
Exeunt.
Enter Romanello.
Rom.
I will converse with beasts; there is in mankinde
No sound society, but in woman (blesse me)
Nor faith nor reason: I may iustly wonder
What trust was in my Mother.
Enter a Servant.
56
A Caroch, sir,
Stand at the Gate.
Rom.
Stand let it still, and freeze there:
Make sure the locks.
Ser.
Too late, you are prevented.
Enter Flavia, Camillo, and Vespuci.
Fla.
Brother, I come—
Rom.
Vnlookt for;—I but sojourne
My selfe; I keepe nor house, nor entertainments,
French Cookes compos'd, Italian Collations;
Rich Persian surfets, with a traine of services,
Befitting exquisite Ladies, such as you are,
Perfume not our low Roofes;-the way lies open
That there:—Good day, great Madam.
Fla.
Why d'yee slight me?
For what one act of mine, even from my Childhood,
Which may deliver my deserts inferiour
Or to our Births or Familie; is Nature
Become, in your contempt of me, a Monster?
Ves.
What's this Camillo!
Cam.
Not the straine in ordinary.
Rom.
I'm out of tune to chop discourses—however,
You are a Woman.
Fla.
Pensive and unfortunate,
Wanting a Brothers bosome to dis-burthen
More griefs, then female weaknesse can keep league with;
Let worst of malice, voyc'd in loud report,
Spit what it dares invent against my actions;
And it shall never find a power to blemish
My mention, other then beseemes a patient:
I not repine at lownesse; and the Fortunes
Which I attend on now, are as I value them,
No new creation to a looser liberty:
Your strangenes only may beget a change
In wild opinion.
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Heere's another tang of sence, Vespuci.
Ves.
Listen and observe,
Rom.
Are not you pray ye, (nay, wee'l be contented
In presence of your Vshers, once to prattle
Some idle minutes) are you not inthroan'd
The Ladie Regent, by whose speciall influence
Iulio the Count of Camerine is order'd?
Fla.
His Wife 'tis knowne I am; and in that title,
Obedient to a service; else, of greatnesse
The quiet of my wish was nere ambitious.
Rom.
Hee loues you?
Fla.
As worthily, as dearely.
Rom.
And 'tis beleev'd how practice quickly fashion'd
A port of humorous anticknesse in carriage,
Discourse, demeanour, gestures.
Cam.
Put home roundly.
Ves.
A ward for that blow.
Fla.
Safety, of mine Honor,
Instructed such deceit.
Rom.
Your Honour?
Fla.
Witnesse
This brace of sprightly Gallants, whose confederacie
Presum'd to plot a siege.
Cam., Ves.
Wee, Madam!
Rom.
On, on,
Some leysure serves us now.
Fla.
Still as Lord Iulio
Pursu'd his Contract with the man (oh pardon
If I forget to name him) by whose poverty
Of honest truth, I was renounc'd in Marriage:
These two, intrusted for a secret Courtship,
By tokens, letters, message, in their turnes,
Profferd their owne devotions, as they term'd them,
Almost unto an impudence; regardlesse
Of him, on whose supportance they relyed.
Rom.
Dare not for both your lives to interrupt her.
58
Bayted thus to vexation, I assum'd
A dulnesse of simplicity; till afterwards
Lost to my Citie, Freedome, and now enter'd
Into this present state of my Condition;
(Concluding henceforth absolute security
From their lascivious Villanies) I continued
My former custome of ridiculous lightnesse,
As they did their pursuit; t'acquaint my Lord, were
T'have ruin'd their best certainty of living:
But that might yeeld suspition in my nature;
And woman may be vertuous without mischiefe,
To such as tempt them.
Rom.
You are much to blame sirs,
Should all be truth is utterd.
Fla.
For that Justice
I did command them hither, for a privacie
In conference 'twixt Flavia and her brother
Needed no Secretaries such as these are:
Now Romanello, thou art every refuge
I flie for right to; if I be thy Sister,
And not a Bastard, answer their confession,
Or threaten vengeance, with perpetuall silence.
Cam.
My follies are acknowledg'd; y'are a Lady
Who have outdone example: when I trespasse
In ought but duty, and respects of service,
May hopes of ioyes forsake me.
Ves.
To like pennance
I joyne a constant votarie.
Rom.
Peace then
Is ratified,—my Sister thou hast waken'd
Intranc'd affection from its sleepe to knowledge
Of once more who thou art; no jealous frenzie
Shall hazard a distrust: reigne in thy sweetnes,
Thou onely worthy Woman; these two Converts
Record our hearty vnion, I have shooke off
My thraldome Lady, and have made discoveries
59
Thus wee seale love, you shall know all and wonder.
Enter Livio.
Liv.
Health and his hearts desire to Romanello;
My welcome I bring with me; noblest Lady,
Excuse an ignorance of your faire presence;
This may be bold intrusion.
Fla.
Not by me, Sir.
Rom.
You are not frequent here as I remember;
But since you bring your welcome with you, Livio,
Be bold to use it; to the point.
Liv.
This Lady,
With both these Gentlemen, in happie houre
May be partakers of the long liv'd amity,
Our soules must linke in.
Rom.
So belike the Marquesse
Stores some new grace, some speciall close employment,
For whom your kind commends by deputation
Please thinke on to oblige, and Livio's charity
Descends on Romanello liberally, above my means to thank.
Liv.
Siena sometimes
Has beene inform'd how gladly there did passe
A treatie of chast loves with Castamela;
From this good heart, it was in me an error
Wilfull and causelesse, 'tis confest, that hinder'd
Such honourable prosecution,
Even and equall; better thoughts consider,
How much I wrong'd the gentle course which led yee
To vowes of true affection; us of friendship.
Rom.
Sits the wind there boy; leaving formall circumstance,
proceed; you dally yet.
Liv.
Then without plea,
For countenancing what has beene injurious
On my part, I am come to tender really
My Sister a lou'd Wife t'yee; freely take her
Right honest man, and as yee live together,
60
One lasting flourishing youth; she is your owne,
My hands shall perfect what's requir'd to ceremony.
Fla.
Brother, this day was meant a holyday,
For feast on every side.
Rom.
The new-turn'd Courtier
Proffers most franckly; but withall leaves out
A due consideration of the narrownesse
Our short estate is bounded in, some Politicks
As they rise vp (like Livio) to perfection
In their owne competencies, gather also
Grave supplement of providence and wisedome;
Yet he abates in his—you use a triumph
In your advantages, it smels of state:
We know you are no foole.
Fla.
Sooth I beleeve him.
Cam.
Else 'twere imposture.
Ves.
Folly ranck, and sence lesse.
Liv.
Enjoyne an oath at large.
Rom.
Since you meane earnest,
Receive in satisfaction; I am resolv'd
For single life; there was a time (was Livio)
When indiscretion blinded forecast in me;
But recollection, with your rules of thriftinesse,
Prevaild against all passion.
Liv.
You'd be courted,
Courtship's the childe of coynesse Romanello;
And for the Rules 'tis possible to name them.
Rom.
A single life's no burthen; but to draw
In yoakes is chargeable, and doth require
A double maintenance; Livios very words,
For he can live without a wife and purchase,
By'r Lady so you doe Sir, send you joy on't;
These rules you see are possible, and answer'd.
Liv.
Full,—answer was late mate to this already,
My Sister's onely thine.
61
Where lives the Creature
Your pitty stoopes to pin upon your servant?
Not in a Nunn'ry for a yeares probation?
Fie on such coldnes, there are Bovvres Of Fancies
Ravish'd from troops of Fairy Nymphs, and Virgins
Cul'd from the downie breasts of Queenes their Mothers,
In the Titanian Empire, far from Mortals:
But these are tales; troth I have quite abandoned
All loving humour.
Liv.
Heere is scorne in Riddles,
Rom.
Were there another Marquesse in Sienna
More potent then the same who is vice-gerent
To the great Duke of Florence, our grand Master:
Were the great Duke himselfe here, and would lift up
My head to fellow pompe amongst his Nobles,
By falshood to the honour of a Sister,
Vrging me instrument in his Seraglio;
Ide teare the Wardrobe of an outside from him
Rather then live a Pandar to his bribery.
Liv.
So would the hee you talke to, Romanello,
Without a noise that's singular.
Rom.
Shees a Countesse
Flavia, shee; but she has an Earle her Husband,
Though farre from our procurement.
Liv.
Castamela
Is refus'd then.
Rom.
Never design'd my Choyce,
You know and I know (Livio) more I tell thee,
A noble honestie ought to give allowance,
When reason intercedes; by all that's manly,
I range not in derision, but compassion.
Liv.
Intelligence flies swiftly.
Rom.
Pretty swiftly;
We have compar'd the Copie with th' Orginall,
And finde no disagreement.
Liv.
So my Sister
62
Rom.
No, no,
One noe once more and ever;—this your courtesie
Foild me a second;—Sir, you brought a welcome,
You must not part without it; scan with pittie
My plainnesse, I intend nor gall, nor quarrell.
Liv.
Far bee't from me to presse a blame, great Lady;
I kisse your noble hands, and to these Gentlemen
Present a civill parting; Romanello,
By the next foot-Post thou wilt heare some newes
Of alteration; if I send, come to me.
Rom.
Questionlesse, yea.
Liv.
My thanks may quit the favor.
Exit.
Fla.
Brother his intercourse of conference,
Appeares at once perplext, but withall sensible.
Rom.
Doubts easily resolv'd; upon your vertues
The whole foundation of my peace is grounded:
Ile guard yee to your home, lost in one comfort
Heere I have found another.
Fla.
Goodnesse prosper it.
Exeunt.
| The Fancies Chast and Noble | |