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Scen: 1a
Comastes in A Clownes habitt.Comast:
Nay I am A downe right country man, maistris
We weare not so vine clothes but we thincke
Our selves as wise as you gay volke. my LandLr d
Cæcilius (god restore his eyes) loves you
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Though he cannot I can zee brave mann[e]ures rich
Londs ay and bornes vull too. we Country volke
count that worth lookeinge after. you in y
r zitty
call it durte, Londs durt w
t
h you, but here be rulde
be A [[illeg.]]voole, zuch durte as tis does zarve to daube you
Thus gallantly.
Facet:
A right-Spokes man for[[illeg.]] A blinde mans suite
Comast:
Ile tell you what maistris, y
e best Duke ni Italy lives
by his londes, marke y
t. and many great men, (like my
Londelorde) have more londe y
n they shall ever zee.
Facet:
And prthee how dost yu live? not by thy witts I'me sure
Comast:
Why maistress cham counted zomewhat in our parish
Chave A good lease, and my londe well stockt;
Chave payde scott and Lott these zeaven yeares, chave
A wife and children of mine owne[,] too: and y
t
s more
then every mon can zay. and my wife has me to
her zelfe, y
t
s more then every woman con zay:
Facetia:
But on thy conscience
Wert thou thy selfe a woman couldst yu love A blinde
Man? one yt must grope for his wife: why she must
be his dogg to leade him. vp and downe ye house
Nature indeed made[s] vs for helpes, but not such drudges
Cæcilius haveinge lost his exterior parts may now
57
Comast:
My faith and duty here must cange ye garbe.-
Aside
Faire Lady
Counte you that lover best whom yr faire face
yr hande or outwarde parte allureth, ye ignorante
That judge by [[illeg.]]colours onely are most cheated
He that hath lost his eyes can see yr minde
And courte yr vertues in A higher straine
Then others can yr forme:
Facetia
Hay day whats here, A scholler in A Townesmans suite
Rhetoricke in clokebagg breeches?
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The least parte of A wife's ye face, bate that
And he thats blinde injoyes ye rest, nay that
Benighted is in pointe of Happynes
But then reflect vpon yr self youle finde
That womans blest yt s married to ye blinde
She may salute her freinde wt h out base feare
of Jealouse eyes: she can adorne her selfe
And he nere say she's proude: be hospitable
In liberall entertainements and free welcomes
Her lorde no way repineing at ye charge
She may keep handsome maydes, and trust'm too
In her owne absence (which every Lady dares not)
This she may; & yet most chaste, enjoy
A handesome libertye, be true master of
A title others holde but by selfe flattery
Trust me Lady set aside my Fathers blindenes
And—
He makes him selfe known to her.
Facet:
Comastes!
Comast
Forbeare Ile not defile thee wt h A kiss
Faceti:
As if this shape could change thy naturall
Sweetness: what dost yu come to trye my constancy
put che[[illeg.]]ats vpon my faith? Ile tell ye e Love
Couldst yu outvary Proteus Ile not change
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were thy shifts as numerous as his—
Comastes:
What I haue done
(Soule of my Soule) my dutye prompts me to
Whilst for my selfe, I blaze thy vertues forth
The winninge storye caught my Fathers eare
And Thus in serious dotage, his blinde Cupide
Forcde me to blow this new and vncouth fire
And made me vow thus to sollicite thee
On his behalfe: but as his sonne I knew not
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Sweet be not angrye, yt I tryde all wayes
all meanes to compass Paradise againe
By comeinge to thy prsence.
Facet:
Thou hast noe wife and children then
Of thine owne Comastes hast thou?
Comast:
Yes all in thee. how sweetly this becomes thee.
May no disaster ever cross this omen
Wc h takes his rise frō such an influence:
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