 | The Honest mans Fortune |  |
Actus primus
Scena prima:
Enter the Duke of Orleans, and the Earle of Amiens at severall doores.Ame.
Morrow my Lord of Orleance.
Orl.
You salute me like a stranger;
brother Orleance were to me a Title
more belonging, whom you call the
husband of your sister.
Ami.
Would the circumstances of
your brotherhood had never offer'd cause to make our
conversation lesse familiar: I meet you like a hinderance
in your way: your great law suit is now upon the
tongue, and ready for a judgement.
Orl.
Came you from the Hall now?
Ami.
Without stay; the Court is full, and such a presse
of people does attend the issue, as if some great man were
brought to his araignment.
Orl.
Every mothers sonne of all that multitude of
hearers went to be a witnesse of the misery your sisters
fortunes must have come to, if my adversary who did
love her first, had been her husband.
Ami.
The successe may draw a testimony from them
to confirme the same opinion, but they went prepar'd
with no such hope or purpose.
Orl.
And did you intreat, the number of them that are
come with no such hope or purpose.
Ami.
Tush, your own experience of my heart can answer
ye.
Orl.
This doubtfull, makes me clearly understand
your disposition.
Ami.
If your cause be just,
I wish you a conclusion like your cause.
Orl.
I can have any common charity to such a prayer
From a friend I would expect a love to prosper in;
Without exceptions such a love as might
Make all my undertakings thankfull to't;
Precisely just is seldome faithfull in our wishes
To another mans desires: Farewell.
Exit Orl.
Enter Montague having a Purse, Duboys, Longueville, and Voramer the Page with two Caskets.
Dub.
Here comes your adversaries brother in law.
Long.
The Lord of Amiens.
Dub.
From the Hall I thinke.
Ami.
I did so: save your Lordship.
Mont.
That's a wish my Lord, as courteous to my present state,
As ever honest mind was thankfull for;
For now my safety must expose it selfe
To question: yet to look for any free
Or hearty salutation (sir from you)
Would be unreasonable in me.
Ami.
Why?
Mont.
Your sister is my adversaries wife;
That neernesse needs must consequently draw
Your inclination to him.
Ami.
I will grant
Him all the neernesse his alliance claimes,
And yet be nothing lesse impartiall
My Lord of Montague.
Mont.
Lord of Montague yet:
But (sir) how long the dignity or state
Belonging to it will continue, stands
Upon the dangerous passage of this houre,
Either for ever more to be confirm'd,
Or like the time wherein twas pleaded, gone:
Gone with it, never to be call'd again.
Ami.
Justice direct your processe to the end;
To both your persons my respect shall stil
Be equall; but the righteous cause is that
Which bears my wishes to the side it holds,
Where, ever may it prosper.
Exit Amiens.
Mont.
Then my thanks
Are proper to you, if a man may raise
A confidence upon a lawfull ground
I have no reason to be once perplexed
With any doubtfull motion, Longueville,
That Lord of Amiens, (didst observe him?) has
A worthy nature in him.
Long.
Either tis his nature or his cunning.
Mont.
That's the vizard of most mens actions;
Whose dissembled lives
Do carry onely the similitude
Of goodnesse on 'em, but for him
Honest behaviour makes a true report,
What disposition does inhabit him,
Essentiall vertue.
Long.
Then tis pitty that
Injurious Orleance is his brother.
Dub.
He is but his brother in law.
Long.
Law? that's as bad.
Dub.
How is your Law as bad? I rather wish
The hangman thy executor then that
Equivocation should be ominous.
Enter two Lawyers, and two Creditors.
Long.
Some of your Lawyers.—
1 Law.
What is ominous?
150
Let no distrust trouble your Lordships thought.
1 Law.
The evidences of your question'd land
Ha' not much as any literall
Advantage in 'em to be made against
Your title.
2. Law.
And your Councell understands
The businesse fully.
1 Law.
Th'are industrious, just.
2 Law.
And very confident.
1 Law.
Your state endures
A voluntary tryall; like a man
Whose honours are maliciously accus'd.
2 Law.
The Accusation serves to cleare his cause.
1 Law.
And to approve his truth more.
2 Law.
So shall all
Your adversaries pleadings strengthen your
Possession.
1 Law.
And be set upon record
To witnesse the hereditary right
Of you and yours.
2 Law.
Courage, you have the law.
Long.
And you the profits.
Mont.
If discouragement
Could worke upon me, your assurances
Would put me strongly into heart again;
But I was never fearfull: and let fate
Deceive my expectation, yet I am
Prepared against dejection.
1 Cred.
So are we.
2 Cred.
We have received a comfortable hope
That all will speed well.
Long.
What is he Duboys?
Dub.
A Creditor.
Long.
I thought so, for he speaks
As if he were a partner in his state.
Mont.
Sir, I am largely indebted to your loves.
Long.
More to their purses.
Mont.
Which you shall not lose.
1 Cred.
Your Lordship.
Dub.
That's another creditor.
1 Cred.
Has interest in me.
Long.
You have more of him.
1 Cred.
And I have had so many promises
From these and all your learned Conncellors,
How certainly your cause wil prosper: that—
Long.
You brought no Serjeants with you?
Dub.
To attend his ill successe.
Mont.
Good sir, I will not be
Unthankfull either to their industries
Or your affections.
1 Law.
All your land (my Lord)
Is at the bar now, give me but ten Crowns
Ile save you harmlesse.
Long.
Take him at his word;
If he does lose, you're sav'd by miracle,
For I never knew a lawyer yet undone.
1 Law.
Then now you shall sir, if this prospers not.
Long.
Sir, I beseech you doe not force your voyce
To such a loudnesse, but be thrifty now;
Preserve it till you come to plead at bar
It wil be much more profitable in
The satisfaction then the promise.
1 Law.
Is not this a satisfaction to engage
My selfe for this assurance, if he—
Mont.
No sir, my ruine never shall import
Anothers losse, if not by accident,
And that my purpose is not guilty of:
You are engaged in nothing but your care.
Exit Law.
Attend the Procurator to the Court,
Observe how things incline, and bring me word.
Long.
I dare not sir; if I be taken there,
Mine eares will be in danger.
Mont.
Why? hast thou
Committed something that deserves thine eares?
Long.
No, but I feare the noyse; my hearing will be
Perished by the noise; tis as good't want
A member, as to loose the use—
Mont.
The ornament is excepted.
Long.
Well my Lord
Ile put 'em to the hazzard.
Exit Long.
1 Cred.
Your desires be prosperous to you.
2 Cred.
Our best prayers waite
Upon your fortune.
Exeunt Cred.
Dub.
For your selves, not him.
Mont.
Thou canst not blame 'em: I am in their debts.
Uer.
But had your large expence (a part whereof
You owe 'em) for unprofitable Silkes
And Laces, been bestowed among the poore,
That would have prayd the right way for you:
Not upon you.
Mont.
For unprofitable Silkes
And Laces? now believe me honest boy
Th'ast hit upon a reprehension that belongs
Unto me.
Ver.
By—my Lord,
I had not so unmannerly a thought,
To reprehend you.
Mont.
Why I love thee for't.
Mine own acknowledgement confirmes thy words:
For once I do remember, comming from
The Mercers, where my Purse had spent it selfe
On those unprofitable toyes thou speakst of,
A man halfe naked with his poverty
Did meet me, and requested my reliefe:
I wanted whence to give it, yet his eyes
Spoke for him, those I could have satisfied
With some unfruitfull sorrow, (if my teares
Would not have added rather to his griefe,
Then eas'd it) but the true compassion that
I should have given I had not: this began
To make me think how many such mens wants
The vaine superfluous cost I wore upon
My outside would have clothed, and left my selfe
A habit as becomming: to encrease
This new consideration there came one
Clad in a garment plaine and thrifty, yet
As decent as these faire deare follies; made
As if it were of purpose to despise
The vanity of show: his purse had still
The power to doe a charitable deed,
And did it.
Dub.
Yet your inclination, sir,
Deservd no lesse to be commended, then his action.
Mont.
Prethee do not flatter me;
He that intends well, yet deprives himselfe
Of means to put his good thoughts into deed,
Deceives his purpose of the due reward
That goodnesse merits: O antiquity
Thy great examples of Nobility
Are out of imitation, or at least
So lamely follow'd, that thou art as much
Before this age in vertue, as in time.
Dub.
Sir, it must needs be lamely followed, when
The chiefest men love to follow it
Are for the most part cripples.
Mont.
Who are they?
151
Souldiers, my Lord, souldiers.
Mont.
Tis true Duboys: but if the Law disables me no more
For Noble actions, then good purposes,
Ile practice how to exercise the worth
Commended to us by our ancestors;
The poore neglected souldier shall command
Me from a Ladies Courtship, and the forme
Ile study shall no more be taught me by
The Taylor, but the Scholler; that expence
Which hitherro has been to entertaine
Th'intemperate pride and pleasure of the taste
Shall fill my Table more to satisfie,
And lesse to surfeit.
What an honest worke it would be; when we finde
A Virgin in her poverty, and youth
Inclining to be tempted, to imploy
As much perswasion, and as much expence
To keep her upright as men use to do upon her falling.
Dub.
Tis charity that many mayds wil be unthankful for,
And some will rather take it for a wrong,
To buy 'em out of their inheritance,
The thing that they were born to.
Enter Longueville.
Mont.
Longueville thou bringst a cheerfull promise in thy face.
There stands no pale report upon thy cheeke,
To give me feare or knowledge of my losse, tis red and lively.
How proceeds my suit?
Long.
That's with labour sir, a labour that to those of Hercules
May adde another; or (at least) be cald
A imitation of this burning shirt:
For twas a paine of that unmercifull
Perplexity, to shoulder through the throng
Of people that attended your successe:
My sweaty linnen fixt upon my skin,
Still as they puld me, tooke that with it; 'twas
A feare I should have left my flesh among 'em:
Yet I was patient, for (me thought) the toyle
Might be an emblem of the difficult
And weary passage to get out of Law.
And to make up the deare similitude,
When I was forth seeking my handkircher
To wipe my sweat off, I did finde a cause
To make me sweat more, for my Purse was lost
Among their finger.
Dub.
There twas rather found.
Long.
By them.
Dub.
I mean so.
Mont.
Well, I will restore
Thy dammage to thee: how proceeds my suit?
Lang.
Like one at Brokers; I thinke forfeited.
Your promising councell at the first
Put strongly forward with a labour'd speed,
And such a violence of pleading, that
His fee in Sugar-candie scarce will make
His throat a satisfaction for the hurt
He did it, and he carried the whole cause
Before him with so cleare a passage, that
The people in the favour of your side
Cried Montague, Montague: in the spight of him
That cryed out silence, and began to laugh
Your adversaries Advocate to scorn:
Who like a cunning foot-man? set me forth
With such a temperate easie kind of course
To put him into exercise of strength,
And follow'd his advantages so close,
That when your hot mouthed pleader thought 'had wonne,
Before he reacht it, he was out of breath,
And then the other stript him.
Mont.
So all is lost.
Long.
But how I know not; for (me thought) I stood
Confounded with the clamour of the Court,
Like one embarqued upon a storm at Sea,
Where the tempestuous noise of Thunder mixt
With roaring of the billows, and the thick
Imperfect language of the Sea-men, takes
His understanding and his safety both
Together from him.
Mont.
Thou dost bring ill news
Long.
Of what I was unwilling to have been
The first reporter.
Mont.
Didst observe no more?
Long.
At least no better.
Mont.
Then th'art not inform'd
So well as I am; I can tell thee that
Will please thee, for when all else left my cause,
My very adversaries tooke my part.
Long.
—whosoever told you that abused you.
Mont.
Credit me, he took my part
When all forsook me.
Long.
Took it from you.
Mont.
Yes I meane so, and I think he had just cause
To take it when the verdict gave it him.
Dub.
His Spirit would ha' sunke him, ere he could
Have carried an ill fortune of this waight so lightly.
Mont.
Nothing is a misery unlesse our weaknesse apprehend it so;
We cannot be more faithfull to our selves
In any thing that's manly, then to make
Ill fortune as contemptible to us
As it makes us to others.
Enter Lawyers.
Long.
Here come they
Whose very countenances will tell you how
Contemptible it is to others.
Mont.
Sir?
Long.
The sir of Knighthood may be given him, ere
They heare you now.
Mont.
Good sir but a word.
Dub.
How soon the losse of wealth makes any man
Grow out of knowledge.
Long.
Let me see I pray sir,
Never stood you upon the pillory?
1 Law.
The Pillory?
Long.
O now I know you did not.
Y'ave eares, I thought ye had lost 'em; pray observe,
Here's one that once was gracious in our eyes.
1 Law.
O my Lord, have an eye upon him.
Long.
But ha' you nere a Counsell to redeeme
His Land yet from the judgement?
2 Law.
None but this, a writ of errour to remove the
cause.
Long.
No more of errour, we have been in that too
much already.
2 Law.
If you will reverse the judgement, you must
trust to that delay.
Long.
Delay? Indeed he's like to trust to that,
With you has any dealing.
2 Law.
Ere the Law proceeds to an habere facias possessionem.
Dub.
That's a language sir, I understand not.
Long.
Th'art a very strange unthankfull fellow to have
taken Fees of such a liberall measure, and then give a man
hard words for's money.
1 Law.
If men will hazzard their salvations,
What should I say? I've other businesse.
Mont.
Y'are ith' right;
That's it you should say now prosperity has left me.
152
1 Cred.
Have an eye upon him; if
We lose him now, he's gone for ever; stay
And dog him: Ile goe fetch the officers.
Long.
Dog him you blood-hound: by this point thou
shalt more safely dog an angry Lion then attempt him.
Mont.
What's the matter?
Long.
Doe but steere to fetch a Serjeant; and (besides your losse
Of labour) Ile have you beaten, till
Those casements in your faces be false lights.
Dub.
Falser then those you sell by.
Mont.
Who gave you Commission to abuse my
friends thus?
Lon.
Sir, are those your friends that would betray you?
Mont.
Tis to save themselves rather then betray me.
1 Cred.
Your Lordship makes a just construction of it.
2 Cred.
All our desire is but to get our own.
Long.
Your wives desires and yours do differ then.
Mont.
So far as my ability will goe
You shall have satisfaction Longeville,
Long.
And leave your selfe neglected; every man
Is first a debtor to his own demands, being honest.
Mont.
As I take it sir, I did
Not entertaine you for my counsellor.
Long.
Counsel's the office of a servant,
When the master fals upon a danger: as
Defence is never threaten with your eyes,
They are no cockatrices; do you heare?
Talke with a Girdler, or a Milner,
He can informe you of a kind of men
That first undid the profit of those trades
By bringing up the forme of carrying
There morglachs in their hands: with some of those
A man may make himselfe a priviledge
To aske a question at the prison gates,
Without your good permission.
2 Cred.
By your leave.
Mont.
Stay sir, what one example since the time
That first you put your hat off to me, have
You noted in me to encourage you
To this presumption? by the justice now
Of thine own rule, I should begin with thee,
I should turn thee away ungratified
For all thy former kindnesse, forget
Thou ever didst me any service: tis not feare
Of being arrested makes me thus incline
To satisfie you; for you see by him,
I lost not all defences with my state;
The curses of a man to whom I am
Beholding terrifie me more, then all
The violence he can pursue me with.
Duboys, I did prepare me for the worst;
These two small Cabinets doe comprehend
The sum of all the wealth that it hath pleased
Adversity to leave me, one as rich
As th'other, both in Jewels; take thou this,
And as the Order put within it shall
Direct thee, distribute it half between
Those Creditors, and th'other halfe among
My servants: for (sir) they are my creditors
As well as you are, they have trusted me
With their advancement: if the value faile,
To please you all, my first increase of meanes
Shall offer you a fuller payment; be content
To leave me something, and imagine that
You put a new beginner into credit.
Cred.
So prosper our own blessings, as we wish you to
your merit.
Mont.
Are your silences of discontent, or of sorrow?
Dub.
Sir, we would not leave you.
Long.
Do but suffer us to follow you, and what our
present means, or industries hereafter can provide, shall
serve you.
Mont.
O desire me not to live
To such a basenesse, as to be maintained
By those that serve me; pray be gone, I wil
Defend your honesties to any man
That shal report you have forsaken me;
I pray be gone.
Exeunt Servants and Creditors.
Why dost thou weep my boy,
Because I doe not bid thee goe too?
Ver.
No, I weep (my Lord) because I would not goe;
I feare you will command me.
Mont.
No my child,
I wil not; that would discommend th'intent
Of all my other actions: thou art yet
Unable to advise thy selfe a course,
Should I put thee to seeke it; after that
I must excuse or at the least forgive
Any uncharitable deed that can be done against my selfe.
Uer.
Every day (my Lord) I tarry with you, Ile account
A day of blessing to me; for I shall
Have so much lesse time left me of my life
When I am from you: and if misery
Befall you (which I hope so good a man
Was never born to) I wil take my part,
And make my willingnesse increase my strength
To beare it. In the Winter I will spare
Mine own clothes from my selfe to cover you;
And in the Summer, carry some of yours
To ease you: Ile doe any thing I can.
Mont.
Why, thou art able to make misery
Ashamed of hurting, when thy weaknesse can
Both beare it, and despise it: Come my boy
I will provide some better way for thee
Then this thou speakst of; tis the comfort that
Ill fortune has undone me into the fashion:
For now in this age most men do begin,
To keep but one boy, that kept many men.
Exeunt.
Enter Orleans, a Servant, his Ladie following.
Orl.
Where is she? call her.
Lady.
I attend you sir.
Orl.
Your friend sweet Madam.
Lady.
What friend, good my Lord?
Orl.
Your Montague, Madam, he will shortly want
Those Courtly graces that you love him for;
The means wherewith he purchased this, and this,
And all his own provisions to the least
Proportion of his feeding or his clothes,
Came out of that inheritance of land
Which he unjustly lived on: but the law
Has given me right in't, and possession; now
Thou shalt perceive his bravery vanish, as
This Jewell does from thee now, and these Pearles
To him that owes 'em.
Lady.
Ye are the owner sir of every thing that does
belong to me.
Orl.
No, not of him, sweet Lady.
Lady.
O good God!
Orl.
But in a while your mind will change, and be
As ready to disclaime him; when his wants
And miseries have perish'd his good face,
And taken off the sweetnesse that has made
Him pleasing in a womans understanding.
253
O Heaven, how gratious had Creation been
To women, who are borne without defence,
If to our hearts there had been doores through which
Or husbands might have lookt into our thoughts,
And made themselves undoubtfull.
Orl.
Made 'em madde.
La.
With honest women.
Orl.
Thou dost stile pretend
A title to that vertue: prethee let
Thy honesty speak freelie to me now.
Thou knowest that Montaigue of whose Land
I am the master, did affect three first,
And should have had thee, if the strength of friends
Had not prevail'd above thine own consent.
I have undone him, tell me how thou doest
Consider his ill fortune and my good.
La.
Ile tell you justly his undoing is
An argument for pitty? and for teares
In all their dispositions that have known
The honour and the goodnesse of his life:
Yet that addition of prosperity,
Which you have got by't, no indifferent man
Will malice or repine at, if the Law
Be not abused in't; howsoever since
You have the upper fortune of him, 'twill
Be some dishonour to you to beare your selfe
With any pride or glory over him.
Orl.
This may be truly spoken, but in thee
It is not honest.
La.
Yes, so honest, that I care not if the chast Penelope
Were now alive to hear me.
Enter Amiens.
Orl.
Who comes there?
La.
My brother.
Am.
Save yee.
Orl.
Now sir, you have heard of prosperous Montague.
Am.
No sir, I have heard of Montague,
But of your prosperity.
Orl.
Is he distracted.
Am.
He does beare his losse with such a noble strength
Of patience that,
Had fortune eyes to see him, she would weepe
For having hurt him, and pretending that
Shee did it but for triall of his worth:
Hereafter ever love him.
Orl.
I perceive you love him, and because (I must confesse)
He does deserve that though for some respects,
I have not given him that acknowledgement,
Yet in mine honour I did still conclude to use him
nobly.
Am.
Sir, that will become your reputation, and make
me grow proud of your alliance.
Orl.
I did reserve the doing of this friendship till I had
His fortunes at my mercy, that the world
May tell him 'tis a willing courtesie.
La.
This change wil make me happy.
Orl.
Tis a change; thou shalt behold it, then observe me when
That Montague had possession of my Land,
I was his rivall, and at last obtain'd
This Lady who by promise of her own
Affection to him, should ha bin his wife;
I had her, and withheld her like a pawne,
Till now my Land is rendred to me againe,
And since it is so, you shall see I have
The conscience not to keep her—give him her—
draws
For by the faithfull temper of my sword, shee shall
not tarry with me.
Am.
Give me way—
draws.
Thou most unworthy man—give me way
Or by the wrong he does the Innocent,
Ile end thy misery and his wickednesse, together.
Lady.
Stay and let me justifie
My husband in that, I have wrong'd his bed
Enter Amiens in amazement, the servants following him.
Never—all shames that can afflict me fall
Upon me if I ever wrong'd you;
Orl.
Didst thou not confesse it?
La.
Twas to save your bloud from shedding, that has
Turn'd my brothers edge;
He that beholdes our thoughts as plainely as
Our faces, knowes it, I did never hurt
My honesty but by accusing it.
Orl.
Womens consents are sonner credited
Then their denials: and Ile never trust
Her body that prefers any defence
Before the safety of her honour—here—
Enter servant
Show forth that stranger—give me not a word
Thou seest a danger readie to be tempted.
La.
Cast that upon me rather then my shame,
And as I am now dying I wil now—
That I am honest.
Orl.
Put her out of dores; but that I feare my land
May go againe to Montague, I would kill thee, I am loth,
To make a beggar of him that way; or else—
Go now you have the liberty of flesh,
And you may put it to a double use,
One for your pleasure, th'other to maintaine
Your welbeloved, he wil want.
Exit Lady
In such a charitable exercise
The vertue wil excuse you for the vice.
Exit Orleans.
Enter Amiens drawne, Montague, Vereamor meeting.
Mont.
What meanes your Lordship?
Ver.
For the love of God—
Am.
Thou hast advantage of mee, cast away this buckler.
Mont.
So he is Sir, for he lives
With one that is undone—a voyd us boy.
Uer.
Ile first avoid my safety,
Your Rapier shall be button'd, with my heade before
it touch my Master.
Am.
Montague?
Mont.
Sir.
Am.
You know my sister?
Mont.
Yes sir.
Am.
For a whore?
Mont.
You lye, and shall lie lower if you dare abuse her honor.
Enter Lady.
La.
I am honest.
Am.
Honest!
La.
Upon my faith I am.
Am.
What did then perswade thee to condemn thy self?
La.
Your safety.
Am.
I had rather be expos'd
To danger, then dishonor; th'ast betray'd
The reputation of my familie
More basely by the falsenesse of that word,
Then that thou hast delivered me asleepe
Into the hands of base enemie.
Reliefe will never make thee sensible
154
Exit.
La.
I am a miserable woman.
Mont.
Why Madam? are you utterly without means to relieve you?
La.
I have nothing sir, unlesse by changing of these
cloaths for worse, and then at last the worst for nakednesse.
Mont.
Stand off boy, nakednesse would be a change
To please us Madam, to delight us both.
La.
What nakednesse sir?
Mont.
Why the nakednesse of body Madam, we were Lovers once.
La.
Never dishonest Lovers.
Mont.
Honestie has no allowance now to give our selves.
La.
Nor you allowance against honestie.
Mont.
Ile send my Boy hence, opportunitie
Shall be our servant, come and meet me first
With kisses like a stranger at the doore,
And then invite me neerer to receive
A more familiar inward welcome—where,
Instead of tapers made of Virgins wax
Th'increasing flames of our desires shall light
Us to a banquet: and before the taste
Be dull with satisfaction, Ile prepare
A nourishment compos'd of every thing
That beares a naturall friendship to the bloud,
And that shall set another edge upon't,
Or else between the courses of the feast
Wee'l dallie out an exercise of time,
That ever as one appetite expires another may succeede it.
La.
O my Lord, how has your nature lost her worthinesse?
When our affections had their liberty,
Or kisses met as temperatelie as
The hands of sisters, or of brothers, that
Our blouds were then as moving; then you were
So noble, that I durst have trusted your
Embraces in an opportunity
Silent enough to serve a ravisher,
And yet come from you—undishonor'd—how
You think me altered, that you promise your
Attempt successe I know not; but were all
The sweet temptations that deceive us set
On this side, and one that side all the waiters,
These neither should perswade me nor the force.
Mont.
Then misery may waste your body.
Lady.
Yes, but lust shall never.
Mont.
I have found you still as uncorrupted as I left you first
Continue so; and I wil serve you with
As much devotion as my word, my hand
Or purse can show you; and to justifie
That promise, here is half the wealth I have,
Take it, you owe me nothing, till you fall
From vertue, which the better to protect
I have bethought me of a present meanes
Give me the Letter; this commends my Boy
Into the service of a Lady, whose
Free goodnesse you have bin acquainted with Lamira.
Lady.
Sir I know her.
Mont.
Then believe her entertainment wil be noble to you;
My boy shall bring you thither: and relate
Your manner of misfortune if your own
Report needs any witnesse: so I kisse your hand good Lady.
Lady.
Sir, I know not how to promise, but I cannot
be unthankfull.
Mont.
All that you can implore in thankfulnesse
Be yours, to make you the more prosperous.
Farwell my boy,—I am not yet oppress'd.
Exit Lady Uera.
Having the power to helpe one that's distress'd.
Exeunt.
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