University of Virginia Library

Scena Tertia.

Enter Jailor, Wooer, Doctor.
Doct.
Her distraction is more at some time of the Moon,
Than at other some, is it not?

Jay.
She is continually in a harmless distemper, sleeps
Little, altogether without appetite, save often drinking,
Dreaming of another world, and a better; and what
Broken piece of matter so e'er she's about, the name
Palamon lards it, that she farces ev'ry business.
Enter Daughter.
Withal, sits it to every question; Look where
She comes, you shall perceive her behaviour.

Daugh.
I have forgot it quite; the burden on't was Down
A down a: and penn'd by no worse man, than
Giraldo, Emilias Schoolmaster; he's as
Fantastical too, as ever he may goe upon's legs,
For in the next world will Dido see Palamon, and
Then will she be out of love with Æneas.

Doct.
What stuff's here? poor soul.

Jay.
Ev'n thus all day long.

Daugh.
Now for this Charm, that I told you of, you must
Bring a piece of silver on the tip of your tongue,
Or no ferry: then if it be your chance to come where
The blessed spirits, as there's a sight now; we Maids
That have our Livers, perisht, crackt to pieces with
Love, we shall come there, and do nothing all day long
But pick Flowers with Proserpine, then will I make
Palamon a Nosegay, then let him mark me,—then.

Doct.
How prettily she's amiss? note her a little farther.

Dan.
Faith I'll tell you, sometime we goe to Barly-break,
We of the blessed; alas, 'tis a sore life they have i'th'
Other place, such burning, frying, boiling, hissing,
Howling, chatt'ring, cursing, oh they have shrowd
Measure, take heed; if one be mad, or hang, or
Drown themselves, thither they goe, Jupiter bless
Us, and there shall we be put in a Cauldron of
Lead, and Usurers grease, amongst a whole million of
Cut-purses, and there boil like a Gamon of Bacon
That will never be enough.

Exit.
Doct.
How her brain coins?

Daugh.

Lords and Courtiers, that have got Maids with
child, they are in this place, they shall stand in fire up to the
Navel, and in Ice up to th'heart, and there th'offending part
burns, and the deceiving part freezes; in troth a very grievous
punishment, as one would think, for such a Tristle believe
me one would marry a leprous witch, to be rid on't
I'll assure you.

Doct.

How she continues this fancie? 'Tis not an engraffed
madness but a most thick, and profound melancholly.

Daugh.

To hear there a proud Lady, and a proud City
wife, howl together I were a beast, and Il'd call it good
sport: one cries, oh this smoak, another this fire; one cries
oh that I ever did it behind the Arras, and then howls;
th'other curses a suing fellow and her Garden-house.

Sings.
Exit Daugh.

Jay.
What think you of her, Sir?

Doct.
I think she has a perturbed mind, which I cannot minister to.

Jay.
Alas, what then?

Doct.
Understand you, she ever affected any man, e'r
She beheld Palamon?

Jay.
I was once, Sir, in great hope she had fix'd her
Liking on this Gentleman my friend.

Woo.
I did think so too, and would account I had a great
Pen'worth on't, to give half my state, that both
She and I at this present stood unfainedly on the
Same terms.

Doct.
That intemperate surfet of her eye, hath distemper'd the
Other sences, they may return and settle again to
Execute their preordained faculties, but they are
Now in a most extravagant vagary. This you
Must doe, confine her to a place, where the light
May rather seem to steal in, than be permitted; take
Upon you (young Sir, her friend) the name of
Palamon; say you come to eat with her, and to
Commune of Love; this will catch her attention, for
This her mind beats upon; other objects that are
Inserted 'tween her mind and eye, become the pranks
And friskins of her madness; sing to her such green
Songs of Love, as she says Palamon hath sung in
Prison; Come to her, stuck in as sweet Flowers as the
Season is mistriss of, and thereto make an addition of
Some other compounded odors, which are grateful to the
Sense: all this shall become Palamon, for Palamon can
Sing, and Palamon is sweet, and ev'ry good thing desire
To eat with her, carve her, drink to her, and still
Among, intermingle your petition of grace and acceptance
Into her favour: learn what Maids have been her
Companions, and Play-pheers; and let them repair to
Her with Palamon in their mouths, and appear with
Tokens, as if they suggested for him, it is a falshood
She is in, which is with falshoods to be combated.
This may bring her to eat, to sleep, and reduce what's
Now out of square in her, into their former Law, and
Regiment; I have seen it approved, how many times
I know not, but to make the number more, I have
Great hope in this, I will between the passages of
This project, come in with my applyance: Let us
Put it in execution; and hasten the success, which doubt not
Will bring forth comfort.

Florish. Exeunt.