University of Virginia Library

Scæn. 2.

Enter Lord Skales, Treatwell, 2. Gentlemen, Geffery, and Mistris Changeable.
Lo.
But is your house so haunted?

Wo.
Wondrously.

Lo.
How long hath it bin so?

Wo.
Ten daies, no more,
Part of that time that Slightall hath bin Mad,
My daughter past her sences.

Gen. 1.
The whole house?

Wo.
No, onely one by Chamber stands remote,
And in that after Midnight there's a noise,
That troubles the whole house of howlings, shrickes,
Fire-workes and Crackers, as if the great squib-maker
Were new come from beyond Sea.

Gen. 2.
Hath none seene the Vision?

Wo.
Onely my desperate Husband, who, one night,
Would be so foolish venturous as lodge there,
But did returne so frighted, told such wonders,
Still fright me to remember.

Tre.
'Tis most strange: sure 'tis some vex'd spirit that hath
Deceas'd of late from out the house: who dyed last in that Chamber?

Wo.
Heaven rest her soule, my mother.

Tre.
Perhaps hers; who having hid some treasure in her
Life time must, till that be discovered, walke of force,
The like I have read in Legends.

Gen. 1.
It hath bin common, though not in these dayes
Frequent, might I advise, I would seeke out for some
Religious man to exorcise the Spirit, and by that meanes
To banish thence the vision.

Lo.

Counsail'd well; there are in towne 4. severall sorts
of Friers, white and blacke Friers, Gray Friers and crutched Friers.

Gen. 2.
Good, you call to my remembrance
Among them, one expert in the Art of Necromancy,
His Name Frier Iohn, whom Islington hath
Made famous through London.

Gef.
Him I saw but now crosse by the doore.

Lo.
Good Geffrey finde him out, and gently intreat him hither,
But acquaint him not with the cause.

Gef.
Sir I shall doe't.

Tre.
But hath he done such strange things?

Gen. 2.
Wondrous sir; he can transhape his spirits, if fame
Lye not, into what forme he please, to imitate me,
Or personate you; he could produce a Divell
In shape of this good ancient Gentlewoman.

Wo.
A Divell sir like me?

Gen. 2.
H'hath done't in habite of a Constable,
And may doe't in a Gentlewomans; for his commons
In the Friers he cares not, he can for a need
Conjure his bread from Spaine, from France his wine,
His dyet from the utmost of the Earth,
Thus hath his fame given out.

Gen. 1.
Would we might see him to make proofe of his cunning.

Enter Changeable, and his daughter Anne.
Chan.
And as I told thee Nan, beswayed by mee,
Ile make him thine, employ my industry,
Counsell and paines, to weane him by degrees
From his wild course of desperate Melancholy:
Ile seeke him out, perswade him, lay thy love
As open as the mid-day: hope in me
And doubt not to prevaile.

An.
Sir, I am yours.

Ch.
Thou knowest he loves me; I was still his friend,
And friend with friend what cannot he performe?
Make thy selfe mine, Ile crosse thy Mothers workings,
And foole that Lords attempts; onely be you of a more
Temperate humour, and more stay'd, observing but what I
Shall project for you, and doubt not my performance.

An.
You in all things
Have prov'd your selfe a Father: Ile henceforth
Strive to expresse a Daughter.

Ch.
Then enough.

Wo.
Here's now my Husband, he can speake it all.

Lo.
But ere I question that, of you, faire Mistris,
Let me be first resolv'd; is your Braine yet
In a more setled temper?

An.
Sir, it is; me thinkes I am new wakened from a
Dreame, in which I long have slumbering lost my selfe.

Wo.
And now art found.

An.
I am, thanke Heaven, and my good
Fathers counsell and advice.

Chan.
I held it wife, a deed of charity, & did it for the Lords sake.

An.
Sir, henceforth I shall observe you better.

Lo.
You now have wreath'd me with a Crowne of hopes.

Wo.
Made me againe thy Mother, and this worke,
Your ever patient and obedient wife.

Chan.
Marry Heaven continue it wife, 'tis but need;
In conscience thou hast bin froward long enough.

Tre.
These things so well succeeding, pray resolve us
In what forme doth this Divell haunt your house.

Chan.
A womans sure.

Tre.
So I told you, sure your Mothers.

Chan.
Troth she was somewhat shrewish like my wife,
But yet I thinke not hers.

Tre.
Your reason sir?

Chan.
This apparition was the full portract of a young beautious Lady.

Gen. 1.
On my life Acadna then.

Lo.
Acadna? what's Acadna?

Gen. 1.
A harmelesse Spirit fashion'd from the Aire,
And yet assuming substance, shape and forme,
That where she loves, doth all the Offices
Of a faire Lady: can supply with gold.

Gen. 2.
And all things to man usefull.

Chan.
So I have heard; but this cannot be she,
For this had with her beauty so much terrour,
So much affright and horrour in her lookes,
Such a confused noyse, with hellish sounds
Able to drive the sences retrograde;
Turne reason into madnesse, and invert
Capacity to fury; that, I vow
I would not to be heire of all the World
Endure like night againe.

Enter Geffrey & Frier Iohn.
Gen. 2.
Here comes the Frier, the man can best instruct us.

Io.
Haile Gentlemen, this man that stands at Livery
And saith he doth belong to a great Lord.
Hath partly by intreates, part by command,
Enforc'd me from my meditations backe
To know his Lordships pleasure.

Lo.
Welcome Frier, 'tis told us thou canst exorcise a spirit,
We have employment for thee.

Io.
Expect you such things from religious men,
And of our holy Order?

Gen. 2.
Come, we know you are an Artist in that hidden skill,
And have commerce with mighty Asterothe,
That great Arch Divell.

Io.
Now mercy Heaven, who hath seduc'd you thus?

Gen. 1.
Come, come we know it,
And this withall; in what men are most expect,
In that they are most dainty, and so you;
In Dauncers and Musitions 'tis found true;
Of all men, where they are most excellent,
They are most curious to expresse their skill,
So no question, you.

Gef.
Remember Islington, my Host, my Hostesse, and the Constable,
Should we be silent, every Oyster-wife,
Fish-wife, and those cry Milke and Orenges
Can speake of your rare supper; fye, Frier Iohn,
And so dainty to your friends?

Io.
Either I must take upon my selfe, and by some tricke evade it,
Or else shame that which I have done before.

Lo.
Nay gentle Frier.

Wo.
For reverence of your Order.

Tre.
As you would purchase us your lasting friends.

Gen. 1.
Or make us at our deaths,
Give Legacies unto your holy Couent.

Gen. 2.
Come, we know what you can doe, good Frier.

Io.
What, you make me a Conjurer?

Gef.
A man of Art, no more; so much we know you are.

Io.
Well, what's the businesse?

Lo.
This Gentleman, you know him.

Io.
My good Master.

Lo.
His house is haunted by a wicked spirit
Which we would have you by your Art remove.

Io.
As how?

Lo.
To lodge one night within the Chamber,
And know of it the cause of its disturbance,
Or what might be the will of the deceass'd,
Which knowne, and being performed, the troubled Ghost
Might rest in peace.

Io.
Lodge where the foule fiend walkes?
A propper jest t'expose me to such danger,
So I might come to justifie the Proverbe,
Where had the Divell the Frier, but where he was;
But I must face it out: Pray Gentlemen, which of you all
Hath seene that Vision? in what shape walkes it?

Chan.
Like a woman sir, but with such horrour
And astonishment, I tremble once to speake't.

Io.
And I to heare't.
What a shee Divell now? for all the World
I would not once affront her; bring me hither
Ten thousand male Fiends, I could charme their tongues
Before one Female fury.

Chan.
Sure this Frier is wittily conceited?

Io.
Had it bin great Belioth, Asteroth, or Belzebub,
I durst affront them, and confront them too,
Oh but the Divells Dam; why against her
There is no Prayer, no Spell, no Exorcisme;
No Circle that can hold her: But appear'd she
Wrinckled in Brow or faire and beautifull?

Chan.
As lovely to the view as flourishing May,
Clad in the pride of Spring.

Io.
So much the worse,
Well wot you that our Order is by Oath
Confin'd from any meeting with that Sex,
Especially at Midnight; and so late;
Scarce in the day-time durst I meet a face
Of such Temptation, but in dead of rest
'Twould scandalize my Order.

Chan.
Presse him not, if he be so precise.

Io.
Heavens Benison and mine light on you till I meet you next;
But to lye there where a she Divell haunts,
(Lesse with my Hostes by at Islington)
May the Grand Divell fetch me, blesse you all.

Exit.
Chan.
Tush, Schollers still are Cowards, let him passe,
Daughter, you still are mine?

An.
Else not my owne.

Chan.
Enough; will any of you Gentlemen,
In that my last nights lodging second me?

Lo.
'Tis too full of terrour; Geffrey wilt thou?

Gef.
Offer my selfe to the Divill before my time?
You might accuse my folly.

Chan.
Or any heere?

Gen. 1.
Not I.

Gen. 2.
Nor I.

Chan.
It shall be then my care to finde out one
To conjure downe this spirit, and doubt it not.

Lo.
So much for that: But Mistris, what from me,
Except you to expresse my gratitude
For this so late a favour?

An.
Onely this; t'avoyd all imputation fame may cast
Upon my honour touching Slightalls fall,
In which the World may thinke I had chiefe hand:
'Tis but to find him out, and on his poverty
Bestow some small reliefe.

Lo.
Now as I live, Ile doe't with a full and
Plentious hand if that be all.

Tre.
Ile aide him in the search to make
That sweet conclusion.

Ch.
In the meane time't shall be my providence
To have my house unhaunted; come my Lord,
Leade you the way, my wife and I will follow.
Remember Nan.

Exeunt.