University of Virginia Library

Scen: 4a

Lysander & Ægidius
Ægidius:
Nephew I have to chide you, I heare you haue forsaken
All wayes of thriveinge & now onely accōpanye
A merry old Lord whose Parasite you are become
To feed his mirth & your owne belly.

Lysan:
Sure vnckle it is confest I haue for A while
Taken that course but when you know my intents
you will applaude them, Tis all for yr advantage

Ægid:
For myne Lysander? as how?

Lysand:
The Lorde I live wt h hath A younge daughter
ffaire and fresh ye very flower of Naples
So fitt to cherish yr years, yt ye sole drift of my
Abideinge ther, is only to encline ye virgin
To yr love; I haue wrought her father alreadye
I hope Vncle you will second my indeavors, sinc I have
Smothed out A way of so greate bliss for you.

Ægid:
Oh sr you may spare your paines, talke[[illeg.]]not to me
Of marriage, I know ye charge to well of maintaineinge
Such younge poppetts

Lysand:
Sr she's a match worthye the contention of or neighbour
Dukes, fitt for yr selfe wer you younge againe
And freed from those shackells yt hold you by ye
Legg soe she is full of admirable excellencyes
The fairest, best featurde—.

Ægidius:
Fairest? best featurde? catch younge braines
Wt h smooth faces: Is she rich? well dowrde?
Is she her fathers sole heire?

Lysand:
Sole, soule. yet she has no partner, onely
My aymes are to make you partener of all she has
Pray Sr aboute it leaste you be prevented:

Ægid:
But by ye way how much time will be required?
Loves suites vse to laste longe, and I cannot trace
ye streets often, my three leggs will not beare it
I could afforde about some—two visitts
If all might be done in A weeke

Lysand:
How? in A weeke? A wife gotten so easily would
as quickely forgett you, the wininge of such A prize
should be like ye beseigeinge of A wealthy citty
The purchase were worth A years pursuite Vncle.

Ægidius
A yeare; good Sr yes, pray spare yr paynes
Ile home againe, Ile not putt my selfe
To ye certaine charge of shews and crouches
In a yeares journeye in wooinge for all the
Vncertaine hopes of procureinge ye best she-heire
Our countrye boasts of—

he offers to goe Lysand: stays him:
Lysand:
Stay Sr perhaps it may—
Be effected sooner

Ægidius:
Besides if I should be A yeare[s] her suitor
I might spende in Guifts as much as her
Patrimonye might amounte to[o]
None of that not I.

Lysand:
Why Vnckle what you give to her retournes backe
wt h her, you haue yr owne againe and all hers
To boote; Not any way of yr intereste
so thriveinge as this

Ægid:
Tis well observed of so greene A heade.

Lysand:
Besides, in [pro] procureinge her you purchase
To yr selfe A rich mine; A Treasurye
Why she her selfe is one: her very haires
Are all golde

Ægidius:
That we may sell of.

Lysand:
Her eyes are starrs

Ægidius:
I had rather they were diamonds they would
Yeeld me more monye & profitt. But me thinckes
So much wealth youth and beautye
shoulde never fancye A wooden legg or clubb foote.

Lysand:
O Sr the sooner, yr baggs make vp that loss,
Besides A man is of no accoūte wt h A woman
If his beste parte be not woode, they desyre A well
Timberd man, & above all hearte of Oake.

Ægidi:
Alas I can̄ot accompanye her in ye streets
Nor visher her to church; and To or citty shewes
she shall not, they are chargeable: she must be
Contente to lye below stayres too
I am paste climbeinge.

Lysand:
All this will make her love you ye more
Venus knew what she did, when she tooke
Lame Vulcan to her husbande. Facetia will be
Sure you are no gadder as many are now adayes
[Leave n] Leaveinge theyre wifes solytarye att home.
You are not in the morneinge for ye [Allye]
Bowleinge-Allye, att dinner time att an Ordinarye
Or Taverne, in ye afternoone att A playe.
Ther needs noe other proofe on't but yr legg.
You will gladly sitt as longe att boarde
Lye as longe [[illeg.]] in bedd wt h her as she listeth
Nay scarce stirr out of dores from her
And if att any time (to pleasure her freinde)
she haue private busines aboue staires
you good man she knowes will never disturbe her.

Ægid:
I never considered so many prrogatives of

Lysand:
Lamenes, to catch a wife be fore.
On then Vnckle you loose Time, True love
Will quickly ease you of yr staffe, and tye wings
To yr feet, Faster good vnckle Faster

Exeunt. Ægid Lysand: