 | The Ladies Triall |  |
ACTUS PRIMUS.
Enter Piero and Futelli at severall doores.Piero.
Accomplished man of fashion.
Fvt.
The times wonder.
Gallant of gallants Genoas Piero.
Pie.
Italics darling, Europes joy, and so forth,
The newest newes, un-vampt,
Fvt.
I am no foot-poast,
No pedlar of Aviso's, no monopolist
Of forged Corantos, monger of Gazets.
Pie.
Monger of courtezans, fine Futelli,
In certaine kinde a merchant of the staple
For wares of use and trade, a taker up,
Rather indeede a knocker downe, the word
How trowles the common noyse?
Fvt.
Auria who lately
Wedded and bedded to the faire Spinella,
Tyred with the enjoyments of delights, is hasting to cuffe the Turkish
pirats, in the service of the great Duke of Florence.
Pie.
Does not carry
His pretty thing along.
Fvt.
Leaves her to buffet
Land pirats here at home.
Pie.
Thats thou and I,
Futelli (sirrah) and Piero—blockhead
To runne from such an arme full of pleasures
For gaining, what? a bloudy nose of honour,
Most sottish and abominable.
Fvt.
wicked
Shamefull and cowardlie I will maintaine.
Pie.
Is all my signiors hospitality
Huge banquetings, deepe revells, costly trapings
Shrunke to a cabbin, and a single welcome
To beverage and bisket.
Fvt.
Hold thy peace man.
It makes for us—he comes, lets part demurely.
Enter Adurni, and Auria.
Ad.
Wee wish thee (honourd Auria) life and safety,
Returne crownd with a victory, whose wreath,
O triumph may advance thy countries glory,
Worthy your name and Ancestors.
Avr.
My Lord,
I shall not live to thrive in any action,
Deserving memory when I forget
Adurnis love and favour.
Pie.
I present yee
My service for a farewell.
Fvt.
Let few words
Excuse all arts of complement.
For my owne part,
Kill or be kill'd, for theres the short and long on'r.
Call me your shadowes hinch-boy.
Avr.
Gentlemen,
My businesse urging on a present hast,
Enforceth short replie.
Ad.
Wee dare not hinder
Your resolution wingd with thoughts so constant.
All happinesse.
Pie., Phvt.
Contents.
Avr.
So leave the wintred people of the North,
The minutes of their summer, when the Sunne
Departing leaves them in Cold roabes of Ice,
Enter Trelcatio, Spinella, & Castanna.
As I leave Genoa,—now appeares the object
Of my apprentic'd hart, thou bringst Spinella
A welcome in a farewell, soules and bodies
Are severd for a time, a span of time;
To joyne againe without all separation,
In a confirmed unitie for ever.
Such will our next embraces be for life;
And then to take the wracke of our divisions,
Will sweeten the remembrance of past dangers,
Will fasten love in perpetuity,
Will force our sleepes to steale upon our stories.
These daies must come, and shal without a cloud
Or right of feare, or envie: to your charge,
(Trelcatio our good unkle) and the comfort
Of my Spinella's sister, faire Castanna,
I doe intrust this treasure.
Trel.
I dare promise,
My husbanding that trust with truth and care.
Cast.
My sister shall to me stand an example,
Of powring free devotions for your safety.
Avri.
Gentle Castanna, thou art a branch of goodnesse,
Growne on the selfe same stocke with my Spinella.
But why my deere, hast thou lockd up thy speech in so much silent
sadnesse, oh at parting!
Vncle the best of peace enrich your familie,
I take my leave.
Trel.
Blessings and health preserve yee.
Exit.
Aur.
Nay nay Castanna, you may hear our counsels
A while, you are designd your sisters husband,
Give me thy hand Spinella, you did promise,
To send me from you with more cheerefull lookes,
Without a grudge or teare, deed love you did.
Spi.
What friend have I left in your absence?
Aur.
Many thy vertues are, such friends, they cannot faile thee,
Faith, purity of thoughts and such a meekenesse,
As would force scandall to a blush.
Spi.
Admit Sir,
The patent of your life should be calld in,
How am I left then to account with griefes;
More slav'd to pity then a broken heart?
Auria! soule of my comforts, I let fall
No eye on breach of fortune, I contemne
No entertainment to divided hopes;
I urge no pressures by the scorne of change;
And yet my Auria, when I but conceave
How easie tis (without impossibilitie)
Never to see thee more, forgive me then,
If I conclude I may be miserable,
Most miserable.
Con.
And such conclusion sister
Argues effects of a distrust more voluntarie
then cause by likely hood.
Aur.
Tis truth Castanna.
Spi.
I grant it truth, yet Auria I am a woman,
And therefore apt to feare, to shew my dutie
And not take heart from you, Ile walke from yee,
At your command, and not as much as trouble
Your thought with one poore looking backe.
Aur.
I thanke thee,
My worthy wife! before we kisse, receave.
Let us bid farewell.
Spi.
Speake (good) speake.
Aur.
the steps
Young Ladies tread left to their own discretion,
How ever wisely printed are observed
And construed as the lookers on presume,
Point out thy waies then in such even pathes,
As thine owne iealousies from others tongues
May not intrude a guilt, tho undeserved.
Admit of visits as of Physicke forc'd
Not to procure health, but for safe prevention
Against a growing sickenesse in thy use
Of time and of discourse be found so thrifty,
As no remembrance may impeach thy rest,
Appeare not in a fashion that can prompt
The gazers eye, or holla to report;
Some widdowed neglect of hand, some value
In recreations be both wise, and free,
Live still at home, home to thy selfe how-ere
Enricht with noble company, remember
A womans vertue in her lifetime, writes
The Epitaph all covet on their tombes,
In short I know thou never wilt forget
Whose wife thou art, nor how upon thy lippes,
Thy husband at his parting stald this kisse.
No more.
Spi.
Deere heaven! goe sister, goe.
Exit.
Auri.
Done bravely,
And like the choice of glory to know mine,
Enter Aurelio.
One of earths best I have forgone,—see, see,
Yet in another I am rich; a friend,
A perfect one, Aurelio.
Aurel.
Had I been,
No stranger to your bosome Sir, ere now
You might have sorted me in your resolves,
Companion of your fortunes.
So the wrongs
I should have ventur'd on against thy fate
Must have deny'd all pardon, not to hold
Dispute with reputations, why before
This present instant I conceald the stealth
Of my adventures from the Counsels, know
My wants doe drive me hence.
Aurel.
Wants, so you sayd,
And 'twas not friendly spoken,
Auri.
Heare me further.
Aurel.
Auria take heed, the covert of a folly
Willing to range; be not without excuse
Discoverd in the coynage of untruths.
I use no harder language, thou art neare
Already on a ship-wrack in forsaking
The holy land of friendship in forsaking
To talke your wants. Fie.
Auri.
By that sacred thing
Last issu'd from the Temple where it dwelt,
I mean our friendship, I am sunke so low
In my estate, that bids me live in Genoa
But six moneths longer, I survive the remnant
Of all my store.
Aurel
Vmh.
Auri.
In my Countrey, friend
Where I have sided my superiour friend
Swayd opposition, friend, friend here to fall
Subject to scorne, or rarely found compasion,
Were more than man that hath a soule could beare,
A soule not stoop'd to servitude.
Aurel.
Your shew,
Nor certaintie, nor weake assurance yet
Of reparation in this course: in case
Command be proffered.
Auri.
He who cannot merit
Preferment by employments, let him bare
His throat unto the Turkish cruelty,
Aurel.
For that so, but you have a wife, a young,
A faire wife; she, though she could never claime
Right in prosperitie, was never tempted
By triall of extreames, to youth and beauty,
Bayts for dishonour, and a perisht fame.
Auri.
Shew me the man that lives, and to my face
Dares speake, scarce thinke, such tyranny against
Spinellas constancie, except Aurelio
He is my friend.
Aurel.
There lives not then a friend
Dares love you like Aurelio, that Aurelio,
Who late and early; often sayd and truly,
Your marriage with Spinella would entangle
As much th'opinion due to your discretion,
As your estate, it hath done so to both.
Auri.
I finde it hath.
Aurel.
He who prescribes no law,
No limits of condition to the objects
Of his affection; but will meerly wed
A face because tis round, or limb'd by nature
In purest red and white, or at the best,
For that his mistresse owes an excellence
Of qualities, knowes when and how to speake,
Where to keepe silence, with fit reasons why,
Whose vertues are her onely dowre, else
In either kinde, ought of himselfe to master
Such fortunes as adde fuell to their loves
For otherwise:—but herein I am idle,
Have foold to little purpose.
Auri.
She's my wife.
Aurel.
And being so, it is not manly done
To leave her to the triall of her wits,
Her modestie, her innocence, her vowes.
This is the way that poynts her out an art
Of wanton life.
Auri.
Sir, sayd yee?
You forme reasons,
Iust ones, for your abandoning the stormes
Which threaten your owne ruine; but propose
No shelter for her honour; what my tongue
Hath utterd, Auria, is but honest doubt,
And you are wise enough in the construction.
Auri.
Necessitie must arme my confidence,
Which if I live to triumph over friend,
And ere come back in plentie, I pronounce
Aurelio heire of what I can bequeath.
Some fit deduction for a worthy widow,
Allowd with caution, she be like to prove so.
Aurel.
Who? I your heire? your wife being yet so young,
In every probability so forward
To make you a father? leave such thoughts.
Auri.
Believe it,
Without replies Aurelio: keepe this note,
A warrant for receiving from Martino
Two hundred Ducats; as you finde occasion
Dispose them in my absence to Spinella.
I would not trust her uncle, hee good man,
Is at an ebbe himselfe, another hundred
I left with her, a fourth I carry with me,
Am I not poore, Aurelio, now? exchange
Of more debates between us, would undoe
My resolution: Walke a little prithee,
Friends we are, and will embrace: but let's not speake
Another word.
Aurel.
Ile follow you to your horse.
Exit.
Enter Adurni and Futelli. A letter.
Adur.
With her owne hand.
Fut.
She never us'd my Lord,
A second meanes, but kist the letter first,
Orelookt the superscription: then let fall
Some amorous drops, kist it againe, talkt to it
Twentie times over, set it to her mouth,
Then cryd, oh my poore heart, and in an instant
Commend my truth and secresie, such medly
Of passion yet, I never saw in woman.
Ad.
In woman? th'art deceav'd; but that we both
Had mothers, I could say how women are,
In their owne natures, modells of meere change:
Of change of what is naught, to what is worse,
She fed ye liberally.
Fut.
Twenty ducates
She forcd on me, vowd by the pretious love
She bore the best of men, (I use my lord)
Her very words the miracle of men,
Malfato, (then she sigh'd) this mite of gold
Was only entrance to a farther bounty,
Tis meant (my lord) be like presse mony.
Ad.
Divell! how durst she tempt thee, Futelli, knowing
Thy love to me?
Fut.
There lies (my lord) her cunning,
Rather her craft: first she began what pitty
It was, that men should differ in estates,
Without proportion some so strangely rich,
Others so miserable poore; and yet,
Quoth she, since tis very deed unfit
All should be equalls; so I must confesse
It were good justice that the properest men
Should be prefer'd to fortune, such as nature
Had mark't with faire abilities of which
Genoa, for ought I know, hath wondrous few
Not two to boast of.
Ad.
Here began her itch.
Fut.
I answerd, she was happy then, whose choice
In you, my lord, was singular.
Ad.
Well urgd.
Fut.
She smil'd, and said, it might be so, and yet
There stopt: then I cloz'd with her, and concluded
The title of a lord was not enough,
Persons of meaner quality, much more
Exact in faire indowments; but your Lordship
Will pardon me, I hope.
Ad.
And love thee for it.
Fut.
Phew: let that passe (quoth she) and now wee prattle
Of handsome gentlemen, in my opinion,
Malfato is a very prety fellow,
Is he not, pray Sir, I had then the truth
Of what I rov'd at: and with more then praise,
Approv'd her judgement in so high a straine,
Without comparison (my honourd Lord)
That soone we both concluded of the man,
The match and businesse.
Ad.
For delivering
A letter to Malfato.
Fut.
Whereto I
No sooner had consented, with protests,
(I did protest my Lord) of secresie,
And service, but she kist me (as I live)
Of her owne free accord—(I trust your lordship
Conceaves not me amisse) pray rip the seale
(My lord) youle finde sweet stuffe, I dare believe,
Ad.
Present to the most accomplisht
Adurni reades.
Of men, Malfato with this
Love a service.
Kind Superscription, prithee finde him out,
Deliver it with complement, observe
How ceremoniously he does receive it.
Fut.
will not your lordship peruse the contents?
Ad.
enough I know too much be just, and cunning
A wanton Mistresse is a common sewer
Much never project labors in my braine—
Your friend heres now the Gemini of wit
What od conceit is next on foot, some cast
Enter Piero.
Of neate invention, ha sirs.
Pie.
Very fine,
Fut.
Your lordships eare shall share ith' plot.
Ad.
As how?
Pie.
You know my lord
Young Amoretta, old Trelcatio's daughter
An honest man, but poore.
Fut.
And my good lord,
He that is honest, must be poore, my lord,
It is a common rule.
Ad.
Well Amoretta,
Pray one at once my knowledge is not much,
Of her instruct me.
Pie.
Speake Futelli.
Fut.
Spare me.
Piero has the tongue more pregnant.
Pie.
Fie play on your creature.
Fut.
Shall be yours.
Pie.
Nay good.
Ad.
Well keep your mirth, my dainty honies agree
Some two daies hence, till when—
Pie.
By any meanes,
Partake the sport, my lord, this thing of youth.
Fut.
Hansome enough, good face, quicke eye, well bred.
Pie.
Is yet possest so strangely.
Fut.
With an humor of thinking, she deserves—
Pie.
A Duke, a Count.
At least a Viscount, for her husband that—
Fut.
She scornes all mention of a match beneath
One of the foresaid nobles; will not ride
In a caroach without eight horses.
Pie.
Six, she may be drawn to fower—
Fut.
Are for the power,
But for two horses in a coach—
Pie.
She saies,
Th'are not for creatures of heavens making fitter—
Fut.
Fitter for litters to convey hounds in,
Then people christian yet herselfe—
Herselfe walkes evermore a foot, and knowes not whether
A Coach doth trot or amble.
Fut.
But by heare-say.
Ad.
Stop gentlemen, you run a gallop both:
Are out of breath sure, tis a kinde of complement
Scarce entred to the times, but certainly
You coyne a humour, let me understand
Deliberately your fancie.
Pie.
In plaine troath,
My Lord, the she whom we describe is such,
And lives here, here in Genoa, this Citie,
This very citie, now, the very now.
Ad.
Trelcatios daughter.
Fut.
Has refused suiters
Of worthy ranke, substantiall and free parts.
Onely for that they are not Dukes, or Counts,
Yet she herselfe, with all her fathers store,
Can hardly weigh above foure hundred Ducates.
Ad.
Now your designe for sport.
Pie.
Without prevention,
Guzman the Spaniard late casheerd, most gravely
Observes the full punctilios of his nation,
And him have we beleagred to accost
This shee-peece, under a pretence of being
Grandee of Spain, and cousin to twelve Princes.
Fut.
For rivall unto whom we have enrag'd
Fulgoso, the rich cox-combe lately started
A gentleman out of a Sutlers hut,
In the late Flemish warres, we have resolvd him
He is descended from Pantagruel,
Of famous memory by the fathers side,
And by the mother from Dame Fusti-Bunga,
Who troubled long time with a strangury,
Vented at last salt-water so abundantly,
As drownd the land twixt Sirixia and Vere,
Where steeples tops are onely seene: hee casts
Beyond the Moone, and will be greater yet
Ad.
You must abuse the maid
Beyond amends.
Fut.
But countenance the course
My Lord, and it may chance beside the mirth,
To worke a reformation on the mayden,
Her fathers leave is granted, and thankes promis'd,
Our ends are harmlesse trials.
Ad.
I betray me secrets of such use.
Ambo.
Your Lordships humblest.
Exit.
Enter Aurelio and Malfato.
Au.
A Melancholy grounded, and resolv'd,
Receiv'd into a habit, argues love,
Or deepe impression of strong discontents,
In cases of these rarities a friend
Upon whose faith, and confidence, we may
Vent with security, our griefe becomes
Oft times the best Physition, for admit
Wee finde no remedy, we cannot misse
Advise in sted of comfort, and beleeve
It is an ease, Malfato, to disburthen
Our soules of secret clogges, where they may finde
A rest in pitty, tho not in redresse.
Mal.
Let all this sence be yielded to
Au.
Perhaps you measure what I say, the common nature
Of an officious couriosity
Mal.
Not I Sir.
Au.
Or that other privat ends
Sift your retirements—
Mal.
Neither.
Enter Futelli.
Fut.
Under favour
Signior Malfato, I am sent to crave
Your leisure, for a word or two in private.
Mal.
To me! your minde
Fut.
This letter will informe ye.
Mal.
Letter? howes this? whats here?
Speake yee to me sir?
Mal.
Brave riddle: Ile endevour to unfold it.
Au.
How fares the Lord Adurni?
Fut.
Sure in health sir.
Aur.
He is a noble Gentle-man; withall
Happy in his endevours: the generall voyce
Sounds him for courtesie, behaviour, language,
And every faire demeanor, an example:
Titles of honour adde not to his worth,
Who is himselfe an honour to his titles.
Mal.
You know from whence this comes.
Fut.
I doe.
Mal.
D'ee laugh!
But that I must consider such as Spaniels,
To those who feed and cloath them, I would print
Thy pandarisme upon thy fore-head: there
Beare backe that paper to the hell from whence
It gave thee thy directions, tell this Lord,
He ventur'd on a foolish policie,
In aiming at the scandall of my bloud,
The tricke is childish, base, say base.
Fut.
You wrong him.
Au.
Be wise Malfato.
Mal.
Say, I know this whore.
She who sent this temptation, was wife
To his abused servant, and divorc'd
From poore Benatzi, sencelesse of the wrongs
That Madam Levidolche and Adurni
Might revell in their sports without controule,
Secure, uncheckt.
Aur.
You range too wildly now,
Are too much inconsiderate.
Mal.
I am
A gentleman free borne, I never wore
The ragges of any great mans lookes, nor fed
Upon their after-meales; I never croucht
Unto the offall of an Office promis'd
I read no difference between this huge,
This monstrous big word Lord, and Gentleman,
More than the Title sounds; for ought I learne,
The latter is as noble as the first,
I'me sure more ancient.
Au.
Let me tell you then,
You are too bitter, talk you know not what,
Make all men equalls, and confound all course
Of order, and of Nature: this is madnesse.
Mal.
Tis so; and I have reason to be mad:
Reason Aurelio, by my truth and hopes.
This wit Futelli brings a suit of love
From Lenidolche, one however maskt
In colourable privacie, is fam'd
The Lord Adurnies pensioner, at least.
Am I a husband pickt out for a strumpet,
For a cast suit of bawdrie? Aurelio,
You are as I am, you could ill digest
The triall of a patience so unfit.
Be gone Futelli, doe not mince one syllable
Of what you heare: another fetch like this
May tempt a peace to rage: so say, be gone.
Fut.
I shall report your answer.
Exit.
Mal.
What have I
Deserv'd to bee so us'd? in colder blood
I doe confesse nobilitie requires
Dutie and love, it is a badge of vertue,
By action first acquir'd, and next in ranke
Vnto anoynted royaltie wherein
Have I neglected distance, or forgot
Observance to superiours? sure my name
Was in the note mistooke.
Au.
We will consider the meaning of this mystery.
Mal
Not so,
Let them feare bondage who are slaves to feare,
The sweetest freedome is an honest heart.
Exeunt.
| The Ladies Triall | |