 | The Antiquary |  |
Actus Quartus.
Enter Æmilia, and Angelia.Æmil.
VVhy, gentle Boy, think what a happy blisse
Thou shalt enjoy, before thou know'st what 'tis.
Ang.
'Twill be a dear experiment, to waste
My prime, and flower of youth, and suffer all
Those liquid sweets to be extracted from me,
By the hot influence of consuming lust:
Onely to finde, how well you can expresse
What skilfull arts are hid in wickednesse.
Æm.
Thou dream'st, food Boy, those sweets of youth and beauty,
Were lent, to be employ'd upon their like;
And when they both do meet, and are extinguish'd,
From their mixt heat, a rich perfume shall rise,
And burn to love, a gratefull sacrifice.
But Ile not be so prodigall, to lavish
Such gifts away, that be irrevocable,
And yet the first that leave us.
Æm.
'Twill be ne're exacted,
How soon you have bestow'd them, but how well:
What good or profit can a hidden treasure
Do more than feed the misers greedy eye?
When, if 'twere well bestow'd, it might enrich
The owner, and the user of it; such
Is youth, and Natures bounty, that receive
A gain from the expence: but, were there none
But a meer damage, yet the pleasure of it,
And the delight, would recompence the losse.
Ang.
What e're the pleasure be, or the delight,
I am too yong, not plum'd for such a flight.
Æm.
Too yong! a poor excuse; alas, your will
Is weaker than your power: no one can be
Too yong to learn good arts; and for my part,
I am not taken with a boysterous sinew,
A brawny limb, or back of Hercules;
But with a soft delicious beauty; such
As people, looking on his doubtfull sex,
Might think him male or female.
Ang.
I cannot blame
These just Italians, to lock up their wives,
That are so free and dissolute; they labour,
Not with their country's heat, more than their own.
Will you be satisfi'd? I am too yong.
Æm.
Too yong, I like you the better; there is a price
Due to the early Cherry: the first Apples
Deserve more grace; the budding rose is set by;
But stale, and fully blown, is left for vulgars
To rub their sweaty fingers on. Too yong!
As well you may affirm the tender tree
Too yong to graft upon, or you may say,
The rising Sun's too yong to court the day.
Ang.
But there are bonds, Hymen has laid upon you,
Æm.
Those are onely toyes,
Shadows, meer apparitions of doubt
To affright children: do but yield unto me,
My arms shall be thy sphær to wander in,
Circled about with spels to charm these fears;
And when thou sleep'st, Cupid shall crown thy slumbers
With thousand shapes of lustfull dalliance
Then will I bathe thee in Ambrosia,
And from my lips distill such Nectar on thee,
Shall make thy flesh immortall.
Enter Lorenzo.
Lor.
How now wife, is this your exercise?
Wife did I say? stain of my blood and issue,
The great Antipathy unto my nature,
Courting your Paramour; death to my honour,
What have I seen and heard? curse of my fate!
Would I had first been deaf, or thou struck dumb,
Before this Gorgon, this damn'd vision
Have numm'd my faculties.
Æm.
What have you seen
Or heard, more than a Dialogue I read
This morning in a book?
Lor.
Would thou and that book
Were both burnt for Hereticks; you geniall powers,
Why did you send this serpent to my bosome,
To pierce me through with greater cruelty,
Than Cleopatra felt from stings of Adders?
Hence from my sight, thou venom to my eyes,
Would I could look thee dead, or with a frown,
Dissect thee into Atomes, and then hurl them
About the world, to cast infection,
And blister all they light on.
Æm.
You are mad, and rave without a cause.
Lor.
Oh heavens! she means
To justifie her sin; canst thou redeem
Thy lost fame, and my wrongs?
No Sir, Ile leave you,
You are too passionate.
Exit.
Ang.
Pray Sir be satisfi'd, we meant no hurt.
Lor.
What charm held back my hand, I did not let
Her foul blood out? then throw't into the air,
Whence it might mount up to the higher region,
And there convert into some fearfull Meteor,
To threaten all her kindred. Stay, sweet childe,
For thou art vertuous, yet go however,
Thou put'st me in remembrance of some ill.
Exit.
Diana blush Acteon to a Stag?
What shall Lust do? Chastity made horns!
I shall be grafted with a horrid pair,
And between every branch, a written scrowl
Shall speak my shame, that Foot-boys shall discern it,
And Saylers reade it as they passe along:
If I bear this, I have no soul nor spleen,
I must invent some mischief; smallest cares
Are talkative, whilst great ones silent are.
Exit.
Enter Æmilia.
Æm.
What have I done? that with a clew of lust,
Have wrought my self in such a Labyrinth,
Whence I shall ne're get free: there is no wrong,
Like to the breach of wedlock, those injuries
Are writ in Marble, Time shall ne're rase out;
The hearts of such, if they be once divided,
Will ne're grow one again; sooner you may
Call the spent day, or bid the stream return,
That long since slid beside you: I am lost,
Quite forfeited to shame, which till I felt,
I ne're foresaw, so was the lesse prepar'd.
But yet they say, a womans wit is sudden,
And quick at an excuse; I was too foolish,
Had he confounded heaven and earth with oaths,
I might have sworn him down, or wept so truly,
That he should sooner question his own eyes,
Than my false tears; this had been worth the acting,
Been angry, and took a courage from my crimes;
But I was tame and ignorant.
Enter Lionell.
Lio.
Save you Lady.
Æm.
Oh Signior Lionell, you have undon me.
Lio.
Who I! which way?
Æm.
The boy you brought my husband.
Lor.
I; what of him?
Æm.
He is a witch, a theef;
That has stoln all my honours, his smooth visage
Seem'd like to a Sea becalm'd, or a safe harbour,
Where love might ride securely, but was found
A dangerous quick-sand, wherein are perish'd
My hopes and fortunes, by no art or engine
To be weigh'd up again.
Lio.
Instruct me how.
Æm.
Teach me the way then that I may relate
My own ill story, with as great a boldnesse
As I did first conceive, and after act it;
What wicked error lead my wandring thoughts
To gaze on his false beauty, that has prov'd
The fatall minute of my minds first ruine?
Shall I be briefe?
Lio.
What else.
Æm.
How can I speak
Or plead with hope, that have so foul a cause!
Lio.
You torture me too much; the fear of evill
Is worse then the event.
Æm.
Then, though my heart
Abhorre the memory, Ile tell it out;
The boy I mention'd (what ever power
Did lay on me so sad a punishment)
I did behold him with a lustfull eye,
And which is the perfection of sinne,
Did woe him to my will.
Lio.
Well, what of that?
Æm.
My suit no sooner ended, but came in
My jealous husband.
Lio:
That was something indeed.
Æm.
Who overheard us all.
Lio.
A shrewd mischance.
Æm.
Judge with what countenance he did behold me,
Or I view him, that had so great a guilt
Hang on my brow; my looks and hot desire
Both fell together: whil'st he big with anger,
And swoln high with revenge, hasts from my presence
Onely to study how to inflict some torture,
Which I stay to expect, and here you see
The suffering object of his cruelty.
Lio.
Methinks it were an easie thing for one
That were ingenious, to retort all
On his own head, and make him ask forgivenesse.
Æm.
That would be seen indeed.
Lio.
I have been fortunate
In such turns in my daies.
Æm.
Could you do this,
I'de swear you had more wit than Mercury,
Or his son Autolicus, that was able
To change black into white.
Lio.
Do not despair,
I have a genius was ne're false to me;
If he should fail me now in these extreams,
I would not onely wonder, but renounce him;
He tels me something may be done, be rul'd:
And if I plot not so, to make all hit,
Then you shall take the morgage of my wit.
Æm.
However Sir, you speak comfortably.
Exeunt.
Enter Aurelio above, Duke and Leonardo over the Stage.
Aur.
Good morrow Gentlemen; what, you are for the feast, I
perceive.
Duke.
Master Aurelio, good morrow to you; whose chamber's that
I pray?
My own Sir, now, I thank ill fortune, and a good wife.
Duke.
What, are you married, and your friends not preacquainted,
this will be constru'd amongst them.
Aur.
A stoln wedding, Sir; I was glad to apprehend any occasion,
when I found her enclining: wee'l celebrate the solemnities hereafter,
when there shall be nothing wanting to make our Hymen happy, and
flourishing.
Leon.
In good time, Sir; who is your Spouse, I pray?
Aur.
Marry Sir, a creature, for whose sake I have endured many a
heat and cold, before I could vanquish her; she has prov'd one of Hercules
labours to me, but Time that perfits all things, made my long
toil and affection both successfull; and in brief, 'tis Mistris Lucretia, as
very a haggard as ever was brought to fist.
Duke.
Indeed, I have often heard you much complain of her coynesse
and disdain; what auspitious charm has now reconcil'd you together?
Aur.
There is, Sir, a criticall minute in every mans wooing, when
his Mistris may be won, which if he carelesly neglect to prosecute, he
may wait long enough before he gain the like opportunity.
Leon.
It seems, Sir, you have lighted upon't, we wish you much
joy in your fair choise.
Aur.
Thank you Gentlemen, and I to either of you no worse fortune;
but that my wife is not yet risen, I would entreat you take the
pains come up and visit her.
Duke.
No Sir, that would be uncivill, wee'l wait some fitter occasion
to gratulate your rites: good morrow to you.
Exit.
Aur.
Your servant! nay, lye you still, and dare not so much as proffer
to mutter, for if you do, I vanish; now, if you will revolt, you may.
I have laid a stain upon your honour, which you shall wash off as
well as you can.
Enter Lucretia.
Luc.
Was this done like a Gentleman, or indeed like a true Lover,
to bring my name in question, and make me no lesse than your whore,
was I ever married to you? speak.
Aur.
No, but you may when you please.
Luc.
Why were you then so impudent, to proclaim such a falshood,
and say I was your wife, and that you had lain with me, when 'twas
no such matter.
Because I meant to make you so, and no man else should do it.
Luc.
S'light, this is a device to over-reach a woman with; he has
madded me, and I would give a hundred crowns I could scould out
my anger.
Aur.
Come, there's no injury done to you, but what lyes in my
power to make whole agen.
Luc.
Your power to make whole? Ile have no man command me
so far; what can any lawfull Jury judge of my honesty, upon such
proofs as these, when they shall see a Gentleman making himself ready
so early, and saluting them out of the chamber? whether (like a false
man) thou hast stoln in by the bribery of my servant, is this no scandall?
Aur.
'Twas done on purpose, and I am glad my inventions thrive so
therefore do not stand taking, but resolve.
Luc.
What should I resolve?
Aur.
To marry me, for the safeguard of your credit, and that suddenly;
for I have made a vow, that unlesse you will do it without delay,
Ile not have you at all.
Luc.
Some Politician counsell me; there's no such torment to a woman,
though she affect a thing never so earnestly, yet to be forc'd to it.
Aur.
What, are you agreed?
Luc.
Well, you are a tyrant, leade on; what must be, must be, but if
there were any other way in the earth, to save my reputation, I'de never
have thee.
Aur.
Then I must do you a courtesie against your will.
Exeunt.
Enter Petrutio and Cook.
Pet.
Come honest cook, let me see how thy imagination has wrought
as well as thy fingers, and what curiosity thou hast shown in the preparation
of this banquet; for, gluttoning delights to be ingenious.
Cook.
I have provided you a feast, Sir, of twelve dishes, whereof
each of them is an Emblem of one of the twelve signes in the Zodiack.
Pet.
Well said, who will now deny that Cookery is a mysterie?
Cook.
Look you Sir, there's the List of them.
Pet.
Aries, Taurus, Gemini; good:
For Aries, a dish of Lamb-stones and sweet breads;
For Taurus, a surloyn of Beef;
For Gemini, a brace of Phesants.
For Cancer, a butter'd Crab.
For Virgo, a green Sallet.
For Scorpio, a grand one.
For Sagittarius, a Pasty of venison.
For Aquarius, a Goose.
For Pisces, two Mullets: is that all?
Cook.
Reade on, Sir.
Pet.
And in the middle of the Table, to have an artificiall Hen made
of puffpaste, with her wings display'd, sitting upon Eggs compos'd of
the same materials, where in each of them shall be enclosed a fat
Nightingale, well season'd with Pepper and Ambergreece: so then
will I adde one invention more of my own; for, I will have all these
descend from the top of my roof, in a Throne, as you see Cupid or Mercury
in a Play.
Cook.
That will be rare indeed, Sir.
Exit.
Enter Duke and Leonardo.
Pet.
See, the guests are come; go, and make all ready. Gentles, you
are welcome.
Duke.
Is the Antiquary arriv'd, or no; can you tell, Sir?
Pet.
Not yet, but I expect him each minute—
Enter Antiquary.
See, your word has charm'd him hither already.
Duke.
Signior, you are happily encountred, and the rather, because
I have good news to tell you; the Duke has been so gratious, as to release
his demand for your Antiquities.
Ant.
Has he? you have fill'd me all over with spirit, with which I
will mix sixteen glasses of wine, to his health, the first thing I do;
would I knew his Highnesse, or had a just occasion to present my
loyalty at his feet.
Duke.
For that, take no thought, it shall be my care to bring you,
and Signior Petrutio here, both before him: I have already acquainted
him with both your worths, and for ought I can gather by his speech,
he intends to do you some extraordinary honours; it may be he will
make one a Senator, because of his age; and on the other, bestow his
daughter, or neece in marriage; there's some such thing hatching,
I assure you.
Very likely, I imagin'd as much, that last shall be my lot; I knew
some such destiny would befall me, shall we be joviall upon this news,
and thrust all sadnesse out of doors?
Leo.
For our parts, Vitellius was never so voluptuous; all our discourse
shall run wit to the last.
Duke.
Our mirth shall be the quintessence of pleasure,
And our delight flow with that harmony;
Th'ambitious sphærs shall to the center shrink,
To hear our musick; such ravishing accents,
As are from Poets in their fury hurld,
When their outragious raptures fill the world.
Pet.
There spoke my genius.
Ant.
Now you talk of Musick, have you e're a one that can play us
an old lesson, or sing us an old song?
Pet.
An old Lesson? yes, he shall play the beginning of the world;
and for a song, he shall sing one that was made to the moving of the
Orbs, when they were first set in tune.
Ant.
Such a one would I hear.
Pet.
Walk in then, and it shall not be long before I satisfie your
desire.
Exeunt.
Enter Petro and Iulia, with two Bottles.
Iul.
Come, Master Petro, welcome heartily, while they are drinking
within, wee'l be as merry as the maids; I stole these Bottles from under
the cupboard, a purpose, against your comming.
Pet.
Courteous Mistris Iulia, how shall I deserve this favour
from you?
Iul.
There is a way, Master Petro, if you could finde it; but the
tendernesse of your youth keeps you in ignorance; 'tis a great fault, I
must tell you.
Pet.
I shall strive to amend it, if you please to instruct me, Lady.
Iul.
Alas, do not know what Maids love all this while? you must
come oftner amongst us, want of company keeps the spring of your
blood backward.
Pet.
It do's so, but you shall see when we are private, I shall begin
to practise with you better.
Enter Bacha.
Ba.
Master Petro, this was kindly done of you.
What's my Master a doing, can you tell?
Ba.
Why they are as joviall as twenty beggars, drink their whole
cups, six glasses at a health, your Master's almost tipt already.
Pet.
So much the better, his businesse is the sooner dispatch'd.
Iu.
Well, let not us stand idle, but verifie the proverb, Like Master,
like man; and it shall go hard, Master Petro, but we will put you in
the same Cue.
Pet.
Let me have fair play, put nothing in my cup, and do your
worst.
Ba.
Unlesse the cup have that vertue, to retain the print of a kisse,
or the glance of an eye to enamour you, nothing else I assure you.
Pet.
For that, I shall be more thirsty of, than of the liquor.
Iu.
Then let's make no more words, but about it presently; come
Master Petro, will you walk in?
Pet.
I attend you.
Ba.
It shall go hard but Ile drink him asleep, and then work some
knavery upon him.
Exeunt.
Enter Duke, Leonardo, and the Antiquary drunk.
Ant.
Ile drink with all Xerxes army now, a whole river at a draught.
Duke.
By'r Lady Sir, that requires a large swallow.
Ant.
'Tis all one, to our noble Dukes health, I can drink no lesse, not
a drop lesse; and you his servants will pledge me, I am sure.
Leon.
Yes Sir, if you could shew us a way, when we had done,
how to build water-mills in our bellies.
Ant.
Do you what you will, for my part, I will begin it agen and
agen, till Bacchus himself shall stand amaz'd at me.
Leon.
But should this quantity of drink come up, 'twere enough to
breed a deluge, and drown a whole country.
Ant.
No matter, they can ne're dye better, than to be drown'd in
the Dukes health.
Duke.
Well Sir, Ile acquaint him how much he is beholding to you.
Ant.
Will you beleeve me, Gentlemen, upon my credit?
Leon.
Yes Sir, any thing.
Ant.
Do you see these breeches then?
Leon.
I, what of them?
Ant.
These were Pompeys breeches, I assure you.
Duke.
Is't possible?
He had his denomination from them, he was call'd Pompey the
great, from wearing of these great breeches.
Leo.
I never heard so much before.
Ant.
And this was Iulius Cæsar's hat, when he was kill'd in the Capitoll,
and I am as great as either of them at this present.
Leo.
Like enough so.
Ant.
And in my conceit I am as honourable.
Duke.
If you are not, you deserve to bee.
Ant.
Where's Signior Petrutio?
Enter Pet. and Gasp.
Pet.
Nay good Father, do not trouble me now, 'tis enough now,
that I have promis'd you to go to the Duke with me; in the mean time
let me work out matters, do not clog me in the way of my preferrement;
when I am a noble man, I will do by you, as Iupiter did by the
other Deities, that is, I will let down my chair of honour, and pull
you up after me.
Gas.
Well, you shall rule mee sonne.
Exit.
Duke.
Signior, where have you been?
Pet.
I have been forcing my brain to the composition of a few verses
in the behalfe of your entertainment, and I never knew them flow
so dully from me before, an Exorcist would have conjur'd you up half
a dozen spirits in the space.
Leo.
Indeed I heard you make a fearfull noise, as if you had been in
travail with some strange monster.
Pet.
But I have brought them out at last, I thank Minerva; and
without the help of a midwife.
Ant.
Reach me a chair: Ile sit down, and read them for you.
Leo.
You read them!
Ant.
Yes, but Ile put on my opticks first, look you, these were Hanniballs
spectacles.
Duke.
Why, did Hanniball wear spectacles?
Ant.
Yes, after he grew dim with dust in following the Camp, he
wore spectacles; reach mee the paper.
Leo.
No, an Author must recite his own works.
Ant.
Then Ile sit and sleep.
Leo.
Read on Signior.
Pet.
They were made to shew how welcome you are to mee.
Duke.
Read them out.
Pet.
As welcome as the Gentry's to the Town,
After a long and hard vacation:
As welcome as a toss'd ship's to a harbour,
Health to the sick, or a cast suit to a Barbour:
Or as a good new Play is to the times,
When they have long surfetted with base Rimes:
As welcome as the spring is to the yeer,
So are my friends to me, when I have good cheer.
Duke.
I marry Sir, we are doubly beholding to you; what, is Signior
Veterano faln asleep, and at the recitation of such verses? a most
inhumane disgrace, and not to be digested!
Pet.
Has he wrong'd me so discourteously? Ile be reveng'd, by
Phœbus.
Leon.
But which way can you parallell so foul an injury?
Pet.
Ile go in, and make some verses against him.
Duke.
That you shall not, 'tis not requitall sufficient, I have a better
trick than so; come, bear him in, and you shall see what I will invent
for you, this was a wrong and a half.
Exeunt.
Enter Æmilia and Lionell.
Æm.
Now, Master Lionell, as you have been fortunate in the forecasting
of this businesse, so pray be studious in the executing, that we
may both come off with honour.
Lio.
Observe but my directions, and say nothing.
Æm.
The whole adventure of my credit depends upon your
care and evidence.
Lio.
Let no former passage discourage you, be but as peremptory as
cause is good.
Æm.
Nay, if I but once apprehend a just occasion to usurp over him,
let me alone to talk and look scurvily—
Step aside, I hear him coming.
Lor.
My wife! some Angell guard me; the looks of Medusa were
not so ominous, Ile haste from the infection of her sight, as from the
appearance of a Basilisk.
Æm.
Nay Sir, you may tarry; and if vertue has not quite forsook
you, or that your ears be not altogether obdurate to good counsell,
consider what I say, and be asham'd of the injuries you have wrought
against me.
What unheard of evasion has the subtilty of womans nature
suggested to her thoughts, to come off now?
Æm.
Well Sir, however you carry it, 'tis I have reason to complain,
but the mildnesse of my disposition, and injoyned obedience, will not
permit me, though indeed your wantonnesse and ill carriage, have sufficiently
provoked me.
Lor.
Provok'd you, I provok'd you! as if any fault in a husband
should warrant the like in his wife; no, 'twas thy lust, and mightinesse
of desire that is so strong within thee: hadst thou no company, no
masculine object to look upon, yet thy own fancie were able to create
a creature, with whom thou mightst commit, though not an actuall,
yet a mentall wickednesse.
Æm.
What recompence can you make me, for those slanderous conceits,
when they shall be prov'd false to you?
Lor.
Hear me, thou base woman, thou that art the abstract of all
ever yet was bad, with whom mischief is so incorporate, that you are
both one peece together, and but that you go still hand in hand, the devill
were not sufficient to encounter with, for thou art indeed, able to
instruct him; do not imagine, with this frontlesse impudence, to stand
daring of me, I can be angry, and as quick in the execution of it, I can.
Æm.
Be as angry as you please, truth and honesty will be confident,
in despight of you, those are vertues that will look Justice it self in
the face.
Lor.
I, but where are they? not a neer you, thou wouldst blast them
to behold thee; scarse I think in the world, especially such worlds as
you women are.
Æm.
Umh, to see what an easie matter it is, to let a jealous peevish
husband go on, and rebuke him at pleasure.
Lor.
So lewd and stubborn, mads me; speak briefly, what objection
can you alleage against me, or for your self?
Æm.
None alas against you, you are vertuous, but you think you
can act the Iupiter, to blinde me with your escapes, and conceal'd trulls;
yet I am not so simple, but I can play the Iuno, and finde out your exploits.
Lor.
What exploits, what conceal'd trulls?
Æm.
Why, the supposed boy you seem to be jealous of, 'tis your
own Lemon, your own deer morsell; I have searched out the mystery;
husbands must do ill, and wives must bear the reproach; a fine inversion.
I am more in a maze, more involv'd in a Labyrinth, than before.
Æm.
You were best plead innocence too, 'tis your safest refuge, but
I did not think a man of your age and beard, had been so lascivious to
keep a disguis'd caller under my nose, a base cockatrice in pages apparell,
to wait upon you, and rob me of my due benevolence, there's no
law nor equitie to warrant this.
Lor.
Why, do I any such thing?
Æm.
Pray what else is the boy, but your own Hermaphrodite? a female
Syren in a male out-side, alas, had I intended what you suspect,
and accuse mee for; I had been more wary, more private in the carriage
I assure you.
Lor.
Why, is that boy otherwise then he appears to be?
Enter Lionell.
Æm.
'Tis a thing will quickly be search'd out, your secret bawdery,
and the murder of my good name will not longly hid, I warrant you.
Lio.
Now is my Cue to second her.
Lor.
Signior Lionell most wellcome, I would entreat your advise here
to the clearing of a doubt.
Lio.
What's that Sir?
Lor.
'Tis concerning the boy you plac'd with mee.
Lio.
I, what of him?
Lor.
Whether it were an enchantment or no, or an illusion of the
sight, or if I could perswade my self it was a dream, 'twere better, but
my imagination so perswaded mee that I heard my wife and him enterchanging
amorous discourse together; to what an extremity of passion
the frailty of mans nature might induce me to.
Lio.
Very good.
Lor.
Not very good neither, but after the expence of so much anger
and distraction, my wife comes upon me again, and affirmes that
he is no boy, but a disguis'd mistresse of my own, and upon this swells
against mee, as if she had lain all night in the leaven.
Æm.
Have not I reason?
Lor.
Pray Sir will you inform us of the verity of his sex.
Lio.
Then take it upon my word, 'tis a woman.
Æm.
Now Sir, what have you to answer?
Lor.
I am not yet throughly satisfied, but if it be a woman, I must
confesse my errour.
Æm.
What satisfaction's that, after so great a wrong, and the taking
you a dowry of ten talents, besides I find no such superfluity of courage
in you to doe this neither.
Lor.
Well, were he a boy or no, 'tis more then I can affirm, yet
this Ile swear, I entertain'd him for no mistris, and I hope you for no
servant, therfore good wife be pacified.
Æm.
No Sir, Ile call my kindred and my friends together, then present
a joynt complaint of you to the Senate, and if they right me not,
Ile protest there's no justice in their Court or government.
Lor.
If she have this plea against me, I must make my peace, shee'l
undoe me else; sweet wife, I ask thee forgivenesse upon my knees, if
thou wilt have me; I rejoyce more that thou art cleere, then I was angry
for the suppos'd offence, be but patient, and the liberty thou enioy'dst
before shall be thought thraldom hereafter: sweet Sir, will you
mediate?
Lio.
Come sweet Lady, upon my request you shall be made friends,
'twas but a mistake, conceive it so, and he shall study to redeeme it.
Æm.
Well Sir, upon this Gentlemans entreaty, you have your pardon,
you know the propensity of my disposition, and that makes you
so bold with me.
Lor.
Pray master Lionell will you acquaint my wife with the purpose
of this concealment, for I am utterly ignorant, and she has not the patience
to hear mee.
Lio.
It requires more privacy then so, neither is it yet ripe for projection,
but because the communitie of Counsell is the onely pledg of
friendship, walk in and Ile acquaint you.
Lor.
Honest sweet wife I thank thee with all my heart.
Exeunt.
Enter Duke, Leonardo, and Petrutio bringing in the Antiquary in a fools coat.
Duke.
So set him down softly, then let us slip aside and overhear him.
Ant.
Where am I? what metamorphosis am I crept into? a fools
coat! what's the Emblem of this trow? who has thus transform'd me
I wonder? I was awake, am I not asleep still; why Petro you rogue,
sure I have drunk of Circes cup, and that has turn'd me to this shape
of a fool, and I had drunk a little longer, I had been chang'd into an
asse, why Petro I say, I will not rest calling till thou com'st—
Hoiday, what more transmigrations of formes, I think Pythagoras has
been amongst us, how came you thus accowterd Sirrah?
Pet.
Why Sir, the wenches made me drunke, and dress'd mee as
you see.
Ant.
A merry world the while, my boy and I make one hermaphrodite,
and now next Midsummer ale, I may serve for a fool, and he for a
maid Marrian.
Enter Duke and Leonardo.
Duke.
Who is this Signior Veterano?
Ant.
The same Sir, I was not so when you left mee, do you know
who has thus abus'd mee?
Duke.
Not I Sir.
Ant.
You promis'd to do me a courtesie.
Duke.
Any thing lies in my power.
Ant.
Then pray will you bring me immediately to the Duke?
Duke.
Not as you are I hope.
Ant.
Yes as I am, he shall see how I am wrong'd amongst them, I
know he loves me, and will right mee; pray Sir, forbear perswasion
to the contrary, and lead on.
Exeunt.
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