University of Virginia Library

SCEN. 3.

To them Melesippus. Diarchus. Philonax. Panareta. Ethusa.
Mel.
Come Lovers to the Temple, you were best
Make all the Speed you can when once agreed:
There are so many tricks in love, I should
Never believe I had my wench untill
The Ceremonies were all quite perform'd.

Diar.
And therefore we think fit my Lord, if you
Can in your Judgment count it so, to passe
All Ceremonious pomp.

Phi.
I'm yours,
And onely do demand my Love here would
Make but a Repetition of the vowes
Which formerly have past between us two.
'Tis but to satisfie this Lady here,
Who otherwise requires my love.

Art.
Nay sure
They are all registred in heaven ere this,
And onely want that approbation which
The Church must soon allow.

Phi.
And therefore Madam,
I here disclaim all right and title to you,
Panareta, come, you see I have perform'd
Your strict Injunction; I have woo'd her so,
That you can witnesse now she disclaimes
All other interest.

Art.
Now blesse me heaven!
Shall I for ever be deluded?

Phi.
Oh!
It cuts my very heartstrings thus t'abuse
So fair a goodnesse: were I well quit here,
I could recant and claim her love again.

Mel.
Sir, are you mad?

Dia.
What mean you Lady?

Pan.
Sir, I shall study to deserve this favour,
(to Phil.)
But cannot now bestow my self upon you,
And therefore Madam here I deliver
What lawfully ought to be yours.

(gives Philo. to Arte.)
Lys.
What strange
Mysterious clouds are these? Fair Mistresse let us
(to Pan.)
Not wander on in darknesse still, I pray
What means this mad confusion?

Pan.
Philonax,
I must confesse you first did wooe my love.
And court my thoughts, but still they were reserv'd
Unto this noble Gentleman; yet still
Finding him backward, in respect he had
Before exprest some love to Artemone,
I know no other means to dis-ingage him,
But this by sending you to court his Mistresse,
Which you were willing then to undertake,
To please me in a Revenge I feigned,
And finding to my wish such vowes between you
Not fit to be revok'd, I much congratulate
Your happy suite. And now Lysander, being
You have here had experience how free
You are from all this Lady can claym from you,
I thus perform my promise unto Theocles,
(gives him Ethu.)
And therefore challenge yours.

Lys.
You cannot Madam
More fully crown my wishes, and I hope
Content dwells smooth on every brow.

Eth.
Sir I hope you'l pardon
All roughnesse that I heretofore have used,
It was but personated; now I freely
Do speak my self and my own thoughts, when I
Do say you are the man I onely Love,

The.
I am
So quite distracted with my happinesse,
I know not well to whom I owe it, and
Therefore deferr my thanks.

Art.
Nay Sir,
I hope you do not still repent you,
Why look you so disturbed in your thoughts?

Phi.
I am studying what great merit I might do
To win your pardon Lady.

Art.
Sir you have it.

Phi.
I now
Begin to be awake my Artemone,
I find I have but dreamed all this while,
Now I can see your merit, and discern
Your real vertues much out-ballance all
My vanted Glories, and I here shake off
That personated pride I first took on me.
Meerely to keep my self from such a blessing,
Which now I do account above the World,
Your Love; which I will study to deserve
By all the Curteous humble Carriage
That crownes a Genial bed.

Art.
O Sir, you have
Redeem'd my desperate thoughts by this discovery,
I ever lov'd you much, but yet I could not
Perswade my self to think your pride a vertue,
Which being thus shook off I do esteem you
Of more then humane worth.

To them a Servant.
Ser.

Here are some Gentlemen without desire admittance to
Madam Ethusa.

Eth.

Bid the Trifles begone, I am now too serious.

Mel.

O by no means, pray Lady let e'm enter.

Dia.

If they bring mirth they'l do well to season our past
fears.

Eth.

If they perform my Injunction, we shall have very good
sport: one of e'm is Pisistratus the quarrelling fighter by my
command turn'd Poet, and t'other my riming Gentleman Lamprias
thrust into his humour: pray interpose not, but let me have
my will.