University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Flamette, Pamphilus, Philena.
Phil.
Prithy Flamette, an' thou lov'st me, get me rid
Of this Importune heer; is more tedious
Than a painful-sleepless night, and worser than
A Feaver or Catharr, I am even sick of him.

Fla.
Oh! have you found him then?
This comes of your complacency, I told ye so,
All curtesie is cast away on him, and discurtesie
Is no discurtesie to such as he,
Who either brag of favours they ne'r received,
Or else abuse those they receive of us.

Pam.
I, I shall be sure
Of your good word still, but no matter what
You say, she knows me well enough, and I
Know what I owe too, to such Nymphs as she.

Fla.
Nothing but a blanquetting as I know of.

Pam.
Come Lady shall we go?

offers to take her by the hand.
Phi.
What shall I do to rid me of this Importune?

Fla.
Why an' take my counsel, a flat denyal's best,
And if that won't do, a good Cudgel; I know
No other way.

Pam.
Come, come, let her talk
Till her tongue's a-weary, and let us go.

Phi.
Still does this Burr
Stick on me?

Fla.
Burr? he is Pitch rather, defiles all those
He touches; 'tis imputation enough of Curtezan
For any Nymph but to be seen in's Company:
But hear you not the News?

Pam.
Huh! she must come
Tattling with her News now!

Phi.
No, what ist?

Fla.
The lamentablest and dolefullest.
As ever yet was heard in Cypres,
Will leave, I fear, no heart without a sorrow,
No eye without a tear.

Phi.
For heavens Love what?

Fla.
Why Bellinda,
The lovely Bellinda, and so belov'd of all,
Who merited to live beyond the natural bounds
Of life, this day untimely is to die.

Phi.
Ay me! how so?

Fla.
Condemn'd to death
By our Ilands Laws, for falsifying her faith
To Gods and men, in swearing she lov'd one here,
Whilst 'tis prov'd she was betroath'd before
Unto another.

Phi.
And how's that known?

Fla.
By a Stranger's arrival here
Just on the point she took the sacred Oath,
And proving her forsworn.

Phi.
Strange! but on a strangers bare information
This may not be believ'd, there may be malice,
And consequently falshood in it,—and may't not be
That other to whom she was betroth'd, she swears she loves?

Fla.
The Oath you know admits no such equivocation,
Being expresly limited to some one in the Isle.

Phi.
And so may he be for ought we know.

Fla.
What probability of that?
And you at her lodging ne'r know of it!—
No no, her guilt's but too apparent.

Pam.
Ugh, ugh, ugh.

[He cryes]
Fla.
What ails the Fool?

Pam.
Oh I've lost the best Wife, the best Wife
As ever poor Husband had—what shall I do?
What shall I do?

Fla:
Why prethee go hang thy self,
So we were rid of thee.

Pam.
Oh, oh, such a Wife! such a wife!

[exit crying]
Phi.
I see now
The man is vain and foolish,—but this is wondrous strange;
The patient gods latter or sooner still
Follow ('tis true) all crimes with punishment,
But just i'th Act to meet her punishment
Declares them mightily offended—I can't believe it yet,
Where there is gain in sinne, there is excuse
For sinning, but he sins twice who commits
An unprofitable crime, as must be this of hers,
To lose her life for nothing, for an Oath,
A breath.

Fla.
Unhappy breath the Whilst,
And most unhappy she,
That what is cause of others living shou'd be
Her cause of death—but see where Polydor comes,
We shall know all of him.