University of Virginia Library

Scena III.

Enter Fancie in a Cydaris, Concupiscence, Fuga, Hilario before them.
Fan.
The Cydaris well fits me; now must I
Answer this Persian Crown with mutual fitnesse.
What thing was proper to the Persian Kings,
Say Memor.

Mem.
Persian Kings did wed their Sisters.

Fan.
Though in my Person thus I cannot wed,
Ile licence others. You Hilario
May, if you please, enjoy your lively Sister
Concupiscence.

Hil.
I thank your Majesty
Both that I may, and may not; for to me
Nothing so pleasing is as Liberty.
I would not be bound to that neither, though I love it best;
If I were, I should long for the prison.
Bind me to be rich, I shall play at Duckes and Drakes with peices;
Bind me to my good behaviour, I shall feele an itching desire to beate the Justice.
O what a Prentise should I make! I should run away no oftner then I came in sight

Of the threshold. And most of the Passions,
I think, have a spice of this humor;

Fan.
But can no bond please you like Liberty?

Hil.
Neither bond of Matrimony, nor bond of friendship,
Nor bond of Usury, nor bond of iniquity;
I rejoyce in the present, I desire nothing, and therefore would be tied to nothing.

Fan.
Concupiscence your Sister's of another minde.

Conc.
I could well indure to be bound, so I might be loose too.

Fan.
The Theme which I propos'd was Royalty,
No lesse then Persian. Then Concupiscence,
How ist we are so thinly waited on,
By Femal Passions? are there no more women
Of Passion kind?

Conc.
Of Passionate enough.
But to say Truth, the Femal Passions
As soon as they are born; turn all to sins
And they are all my Children.

Mem.
Then have you
More Daughters far then Danaus, or Margaret
Countesse of Henneberg: whereof one did equal
The weekes, and th' other the dayes of the year
With numerous issue.

Conc.
I have more by thousands.
I'm as Fruitful and quick of Delivery
As any Uermin, spreading as Potatoes;
My race runs o're the World.

Fan.
Of what age are they?

Conc.
As old as my selfe very neere.

Mem.
Then you
Continued a maide no longer then Quartilla.

Conc.
O never at all that I can remember.

Mem.
You beare your age exceeding well.

Conc.
I hope
I shall be young forever; I have the vertue
Of making old folkes young by touching them.

Fan.
Are none of those your Children ripe and handsome
And fit for our attendance?

Conc.
Pride my Eldest
She is the likeliest.

Fan.
Let her be admitted.

Conc.
She's now i'th Spanish Court; but when she comes—

Hil.
Then the Court and her Mother will teach her to fall both wayes,
Forward and Backward.

Fan.
Till she return, is't not in Fancie's power
To change a Sex, and make some Passion Female?

Mem.
The like hath been; I have heard of a Femal
By meer force of Fancy turn'd Male: So Iphis
A Maide, in love with a Maide, was transform'd
Just on the marriage Eve. Tiresias
Was Male and Femal annually by turns;
Some Hermaphrodites have been both at once.

Conc.
Wud I could live and turn Hermaphrodite.

Fug.
Wud I could live and be of neither Sex.

Fan.
What think ye of transforming Amorous?

Hil.
He's undone then: he cannot shew his legs, nor use his Postures
Nor enjoy his Idol Morphe. No, change Sir Timerous,
He's as fearful as a Hare, and may be as changable:
He hath many Symbolical conditions of womanhood already:
He is Femal in every part but one, and half Femal in his cloathes
Give me but an Inch of Ribband from Fuga, and I'le undertake to present him
The Lady Timida.

Fan.
Fuga
(Ex. Hil.
Give him one of your changable Fancie's.
Thus first our selves must whet our own Invention;
Else others will not stir. Men do not strive
Methinkes to please me as they ought to do.
No other rarities these many Ages
But Powder, Printing, Seaman Card, and Watches?
So much vain dotage for the fond Elixir?
Why are not yet my Christals malleable,
To make our Gold no Gold, and foile the Di'mond?
Why want I Instruments to measure out
The Year, the Day, the Houre, without the help
Of Sun, or turning of these tedious wheeles?
Nothing to carry me but Barges, Coaches?
Sedans, and Litters? through the Aire I'd passe
By some new waftage. I must have my house
Convey'd by wheeles and sailes and plummets hung
In some deep pit, deep as the way is distant,
To hurry me, my Family, and it,
Whether I please. Ile travel like the Snaile,
With all my house; but swifter then the Faulcon.

Fug.
Rare Lady!

Conc.
Ravishing Inventions!

Fan.
Why have not I not my Beds stuffd all with wind,
Baths fill'd with Maydew, Flowers preserv'd till winter,
As well as Snow till Summer: choisest Fruits
Growing and ripe in midst of January?
Why have not I Ponds running through my Cellars,
For Bottles and for Fish call'd by their names?
Why not in drough an Artificial rain,
Scattered by spowtes, to cheer my Paradise?

Mem.
I wish you had these things; I nere saw such.

Fan.
Cheape I can have Æolian bellowes made
Within the Bowles of Andirons, where the water
Shall blow the fire by which 'tis rarified.
I will have Vaults which shall convey my whispers
In steed of Embasies to forreign Nations;
Places for Ecchoes to pronounce a speech,
Or give a Suffrage like a multitude:
Consorts well play'd by water; Pictures taught
By secret Organs both to move and speak:
We spend our selves too much upon the Taylour;
I rather would new mold new fashion Nature.