University of Virginia Library

Scena, 4.

The Duke enters and starts back seeing them together.
Duk.
Ha!

Au.
Madam my Lord the Duke.

Duc.
He here!

Au.
Never was poor
condemned wretch awaiting every hour
his execution, more glad of his reprieve,
then I am now of mine.

Duc.
That he shud come when I'd half past the shame,
which now is wholly to begin again?—
He looks as he were jealous too, to see
us here together.

Duke.
I like not this privacy,
but the liberty of reprehension's lost,
when we our selves are guilty once, of that
we'd reprehend in others.

Duc.
My Lord I know not
whether I shu'd more wonder or rejoyce,
to see you return'd so soon; you said you went
a hunting, and what sudden accident
has made you leave the Chase so soon?

Duke.
Nothing, nothing,
(Enter Prince
onely I cod finde no Game.

Prince.
'Tis true, and I'm
glad you were frustrated as well as I.

(Aside.
(Enter Anthenor and Leontius.
Duc.
I must dissemble
O my dearest delight of my delight,
joy of my joy, how do I love your sight?
how jealous? how fearful I am of every thing?
the ground's too hard (me thinks)
you tread upon, the air not soft enough
you breathe; and as oft as any one
looks on you, methinks they usurp a right
and priviledge belongs to me alone,—
I mean thee Aurindo.

looking towards him.
Duke.
This is dissembling,
and I must dissemble too;
Aside.
and I my dearest when th'art absent dye,
to think what happiness, what felicity
they enjoy, enjoy thy presence; and what delight
th'are depriv'd of, are depriv'd of thy sight.

(Enter Cleora and Olinda.
Pr.
He means Erminia I'm sure.

Leo.
Hei day! here's brave courtship now;
where shall you finde a married couple, and
married so long too, so kind and complemental?
this in a Gallant to his Mistris, wod
shew handsomly now; but in a husband to
his wife, looks as ridiculously as
to complement with ones self.

Ant.
I, but there's more
in it then so; 'tis all dissembling,
rank dissembling, not onely pieces it out
with the Fox's tail, but is all Fox, and stinks;
you may see it plain, for dissimulation
whilst 'tis solicitous to do enough,
most commonly over do's; and through its care
to conceal its self, but discovers it self the more.

Pr.
Pray who was this Duchess
before he married her?

Ant.
Why, a Lady he married in second nuptials
onely for her beauty, the frailer part of woman.
and that which men are soonest cloy'd with,
which yet she cunningly seasons so,
she keeps him alwayes in fresh appetite;
and there's nothing but my dearest,
and my dearest with them.

Leo.
See, see, how the Ladies flock
about the Page?

Ant.
I, this yong and handsom is a bait
catches women as fast as nux vomica do's crows,
and intoxicates them much alike too.
The modester sort of them,
use men as they do Lions,
play with them when they are young,
but grown old once, th'are afeard of them:
and if the Page be modest too,
let him look to himself,
for they'l try what mettle he's made of.

Leo.
Marry, heaven defend!
(Aside.
for they'l soon finde him a counterfeit

Cleo.
Fye, fye, you must learn more boldness,
this modesty's vertue ith' Countrey,
but vice ith' Court;
come to our Chambers
we'l read you a Lecture of it,
'tis here, one of the Liberal Sciences.

Ant.
A my conscience he's a Maid still,
you may see by's blushing.