 | The Carnival |  |
3
ACTUS I.
SCENA I.
Enter Ferdinando, Beatrice, at a low Window.Ferd.
Pedro , stay you there:
And whistle if any chance to pass this way:
Let me not be surpriz'd I charge you.
Hem! Beatrice! my Life! Hem!
Bea.
Hem! softly: I come.
[Opens the door: Enters.
Fer.
Now all the blessings of Auspicious Heaven
Fall on so beauteous and so kind a Mistress!
Bea.
I now must owne this as my duty, Sir;
And yet I will confess,
That Love does prompt me to it with a joy
As great as yours.
Fer.
Still kinder! and I most happy!
Bea.
But you did promise me, the other night,
You would prefix a time wherein my Brother
Should be acquainted with all what has past;
It were not kind to doubt his Love,
And keep him (in it) longer ignorant.
Fer.
My fairest Beatrice, I'le tell you why
I hitherto have kept it from him:
That you and I are now made sure
4
But he's unsatisfied in his affections,
Sad with despairing Love is froward grown,
Brooks no discourse but what tends to his Cure.
If I can serve him in his business ought
I then make sure of him too;
And I would fain remove all possibilities
Of Letts to my most wish'd Adventure here.
Bea.
And has he, Sir, implor'd your help?
Fer.
'A has, to wait upon him as a friend,
And to secure his walks by night.
She is the Sister to a man of Quality,
Though he be absent now, imploy'd about
Some business in his Charge of Barcelona:
Her kindred being of the greatest Rank
May boggle at the least of Gallantry
To this young Lady without his admittance.
Bea.
You have not yet seen her?
Fer.
No; but this time of Carnival
Allows more freedom then all the year besides:
And in a Masque we are resolv'd to see
The Saint your Brother prays to.
Bea.
But my Fernando tell me when—
Pedro
within.
Pheu! Pheu!
Fer.
Be gone, be gone my Soul,
[Exit Beatrice.
Here comes Company.
Who are they, Pedro?
[Enter Pedro.
Pedro.
Don Alvaredo, with your Brother, Sir.
Fer.
O! walk as if you came from his house.
Enter Alvaredo, Felices.
Welcome, dear friend, I had sent my Man
To see if you were at home.
Alva.
'Twas thither I was going; I just now sent my Servant
To desire you would come to me.
Fer.
I'm glad my Fates have brought me to your wishes.
O Brother! 'tis a wonder to meet you:
5
Ha? merry still! what device now on foot?
Feli.
Any to be doing,
Except making Love at Churches;
For there a man is bound at least
To a serious look, (and that I hate)
Turning up the whites of your Eyes
Look more precise then a Dutch Puritan,
Or play tricks with your fingers
To tell the hour of visitation:
When the poor vulgar think
You thereby count your Ave-Maries,
Having forgotten your Rosario.
Out on't! what a damn'd Device
To cloath Dame Venus in sackcloth!
Alva.
Well, Gallant, would I had thy mirth,
And thou my Love.
Feli.
So would I, if she be handsome.
Alva.
Nay, I mean the Passion I have for her,
Not her Person, Sir.
Feli.
O bezo les Manos Signior; I thank you for nothing:
But marry, prithee marry;
And to please you I will be in love with your wife,
Or any mans wife in Christendom that desires it:
And then we'l see what will come on't.
Ferd.
Why what will come on't think'st thou?
Feli.
Children, brave lusty Children, if she be but kind as she should be.
Alva.
Away Madcap; come let's in, Friend, I must now implore
Your help and counsel.
Exeunt
Enter Quintagona and Miranda.
Quin.
Come, come, I must not have you so inquisitive.
Mir.
Well, if I do not serve ye both a trick—
What, do ye think because I'm young
I cannot keep counsel?
Quin.
What counsel? what counsel?
I'de have you to know I'm no Counsel-keeper.
6
Nay, on my Conscience, I do believe thee, Nurse.
Quin.
You do so; well, well,
God send all Proverbs prove not true.
Mir.
Prithee what Proverbs, Nurse?
Quin.
E'en one I have often heard.
Mir.
Come out with't, out with't, good Nurse.
Quin.
Marry I have heard them say,
Soon Ripe soon Rotten:
God bless thee, and send thee grace.
Mir.
And thee wit.
Enter Felices.
Feli.
O have I caught ye?
Mir.
A Rape! Nurse, a Rape!
Run for the Alquazil,
He's a grave man, and will do women justice.
Feli.
I, run, Nurse, run,
Your young Mistress may be undone;
Is this your diligence?
Quin.
Well Gallants, well,
Thus must I be abus'd and jeer'd:
I wonder what the Devil was in my Masters mind
To give you leave to use his Sister so;
He thinks she's young, but if he knew her
As well as I, he would trust her no farther then
He could throw a Milstone.
Fel.
Do you remember, Nurse,
When you took away my young Mistress from me,
And were, forsooth, so scrupulous.
Quin.
I, I, but she is grown half an inch since.
Feli.
How good Nurse! how dost thou mean?
Quin.
Away you wag, I mean no harm.
Feli.
Nor I truly, Nurse;
But remember still as I told you.
Quin.
What should I remember?
Feli.
Why, how you were call'd:
I'le but repeat his words.
7
Nay, nay, good Sir, let it alone;
I'm sure my heart has been ready to break ever since.
Mir.
Alas poor heart!
Pray Signior Felices rub not old sores;
She'll fall into a fit of the Mother.
Feli.
A fit of the Grandmother you mean, ha, ha, ha.
Mir.
Ha, ha, ha, ha! O Donna Quintagona!
Feli.
O Donna Quintagona!
Mir., Feli.
Cheri chink, cheri chink, cheri chink, tery chink chink.
Quin.
I'le not stay to be abus'd thus.
[Exit running.
[Exeunt laughing and singing, Miranda, Felices.
Enter Sancho.
San.
Vizards I have got, and all the tricks and devices
Necessary for our Gambals; troth I have
A great mind to practise here a little
Upon these City Gallants; fools I'm sure they
Are as well as we, only drest better, and
Keep their gravity more; for the first learned
Counsel a Mother gives the Don her child,
Though but of two years old, is, Guarda la
Gravidad. Hi, hi, hi, hi! Here's your fools face,
[puts on a vizard.
And here's your Don's:
[looks fantastically, blowing up his cheeks.
Pray which is better, to play the fool well,
Or to dissemble the wise man,
And be an errant Cockscomb here?
[Shews his head.
Why I have seen the Lord of our Village,
When he has been ask'd what a Clock 'tis,
Look on the Meddal of his Rosario, (as if
That could direct him;) and durst not (as
We do) look in the Sun; for that dazling
Of him makes him grin, and then,
Boutoua Crispo, a looses his Gravity.
Enter Ossorio running.
Osso.
Why Pedro! Pedro! come away Man!
San.
I do, d'ye hear? pox, how a stays!
8
Why, what are you, friend?
San.
One of Gods making, and his own undoing.
Osso.
Prithee about thy business.
Sancho.
So I am. Oh! in good time.
[Enter Pedro.
Pedro.
Bezo los Manos.
San.
Hi, hi, hi, hi!
Pedro.
Ossorio, what a Devil ails this fellow?
Ossor.
He's mad I think; what Trade art of?
San.
A Giber, sweet Gentlemen.
Ossor.
Why then about thy business, I say again;
For we are not for thy Turn.
San.
The properest men in Sevil.
Osso.
Nay, that we are not neither;
My Friend Pedro is not tall by any means.
San.
O Signior, I meant it not in that sence.
Pedro.
How then?
San.
Pray, Gentlemen, what's likest a Horse and
Is no Horse?
Pedro.
Oh I can answer that, I read it in a Book
T'other day; 'tis a Mare, friend.
Sancho.
Troth and that's true; but I thought
Ye would have answered, an Ass.
Osso.
Well, come, suppose I answer so.
San.
Why then, Gentlemen, you come much
Nearer my Conceit;
For you two are as like one another
As one Ass can be to t'other. Hi, hi, hi!
Osso.
You Rogue, if I light on you—
[Exit.
Pedro.
What a Rascall's this! But come,
Our Master stays for us:
[Exeunt.
Enter Alvaredo, Ferdinando, Felices.
Alva.
I have her leave this night;
And yet I fear this favour may all turn
To my undoing.
Ferdi.
She cannot have so much of Marble
'Bout her heart;
9
Without she meant it kind?
Alva.
She bad me bring a friend with me,
And he should judge between us of our Case;
Nay she will freely there confess (she says)
That her denial does not spring from hate;
For she has so much Justness in her Nature,
To see that all the Actions of my Life
Are bent to court the honour of her Love:
And yet I fear shee'l never understand
An Argument so much to my advantage
As may confute her of her too much Coldness.
Feli.
This needs must be your fault:
Talk of a womans Coldness!
Why who should warm the poor Wretches
But we? we who are the sprightly active Animals,
And they the phlegmatick passive,
Sweet or not sweet,
Leering or lowring visible Creatures.
Fer.
Peace, prithee, Brother, peace:
For shame shew not your mirth
When your poor friend lays open thus his wounds.
Alva.
Nay, let him talk;
I could wish that I could talk so too:
It moveth not my Anger but my Envy,
To see him in so much a better state.
Stay here, we're near the house.
Come friend, now thou shalt see if I have
Cause to mourn,
That can behold the Joys of Heaven
Wrapt in Hells chiefest Torment, black Despair.
Fer.
I hope your Love, like Children in the dark,
Fancies the Bugbear you shall never see.
Brother, pray stay, and see that none come up this
Street till we are entred; I'le call upon you here.
Feli.
Well, Gallants, remember ye owe me a watching.
Pedro! Ossorio! are not you two stout enough
To keep this Streets end? I'le go but hard by,
10
Osso.
O Lord! Sir, your Brother will take it unkindly.
Pedro.
Indeed, Sir, my Master will wonder if he hears on't.
Feli.
And I should wonder if he did not hear on't,
As long as such a Tadpole, Rascally, Gurmudgeonly
Whelp as thou know'st it: Sirrah do you remember
The fright you put me and my poor Whore in
At your Masters house, you Rogue? I got the
Whole truth out of him; and I yet owe thee
A beating for't, and now I have nothing
Else to do I will pay my debts.
Pedro.
Hold, Sir, for Heavens sake hold:
Here comes Company.
[Enter Sancho.
San.
Oh cry you mercy, Sir!
I find you were busie: pray, Sir,
Let not my presence put any constraint
Upon your humour; but kick him again
Soundly; and that Fellow too, if your Worship
Pleases: you have my leave freely.
Feli.
Your leave, Rascal!
San.
Yes my leave, Sir:
Why, I can give any body leave to kick me
If I please.
Feli.
I am one of those never ask it,
[kicks him.
Especially of such sawcy Companions.
San.
Oh, your humble servant, Sir:
Pray no farther; 'tis too much honour
I assure you, Sir.
Osso.
This is the Rogue that jeer'd us to day.
Pedro.
I, I, peace, peace, man:
The young Signior's blown;
How a pants!
Feli.
This is the pleasantest Rogue that e're I
Met with—
Sancho
within.
Help! help! murther! murther!
Feli.
Ha, what's that? let's go see.
San.
No help? good people help, help.
Feli.
Come fellows, this way the Cry is.
[Exeunt all drawn.
11
This way Gentlemen I'm.
[Exit.
Enter Feli. &c.
Where art thou? sure 'tis some Ghost.
Peeps in Sancho.
Hi, hi, hi, hi!
Pedro.
'Tis that Rogue jeers us.
Feli.
If I can but catch you—
[Exeunt all running.
The Scene changes to a Parlour.
Enter Alvaredo, Ferdinando, Elvira.
Alva.
But, Madam, must I never hope for more then this?
Elvi.
Pray ask this Gentleman
If I ha'nt dealt most like a friend,
That's plainly, with you, Sir:
The Laws of Gratitude make me deny
To tye a woman to you, when her heart
Is so averse to what you now desire.
Alva.
Strange Paradoxes these, that out of Love
You will deny me what I most esteem!
Well, Madam, I will leave you,
Never to see the world again:
I'le be your Beadsman, since I am deny'd
To be your Lover.
Fer.
Stay Friend.
Madam, can any thing so fair
Have so much Cruelty!
Look with the Eyes of Justice on his Merits,
You'l find so rich a Jewel worth your Care.
Elvi.
As which, good Sir?
Fer.
As yonder Gentleman you so afflict:
And let me freely tell you, Madam,
'Tis peevishness,
Which is as far from Virtue—
Elvi.
As you from Charity,
To chide me for a fault
That you your self are cause of.
Alva.
Come friend, there is no remedy.
Fer.
Stay, I will have two words more.
12
No, go with him;
But if you will return alone,
I'le tell you freely what you long to know.
[Exit.
Fer.
Ha, I understand you—
Come, dearest Friend, remember 'tis a woman,
Not worth the trouble of a gallant man;
Think on their follies and their weakness,
The scarcity of good ones in the Sex;
The danger you had run in the great plenty
Of evil, cunning, self-will'd, hair-brain'd women:
And all these put together,
Thus I would part with Love,
[puffs.
And tread the Earth in liberty again.
Alva.
And thus would I advise a Friend to do:
But did you know the Passion I had for her,
How vain you would esteem all such advice!
And guess the world should reel beyond its Orbe,
And mix in great Confusion with some Star,
Ere I should leave to love the fair Elvira,
Mistress of all my Love and all my Hopes.
Fer.
Nay, rather term her, Sir,
Mistress of all the Cruelty and Scorn
A wilful woman ever yet did owne.
Why should man lose his Birthright, and proclaim
Himself a servant to a peevish Sex,
That from the first was meant a slave
To all his will and pleasures?
Alva.
Peace, Heretick! it were a sin to hear thee.
'Twas force that first made Laws to be obey'd;
And that's the only priviledge that we
Can claim above those beauteous Creatures.
Was the poor Lamb created for the use
Of wrongful, theevish, and of Ravenous Wolves?
Or was the Constant Turtle only fram'd
To be the Quarry of a Tyrant Hawk?
These have our Plea, and had they industry
Would frame as Rigid Laws as we;
For all were not so strong.
13
And it were justice they should be obey'd.
Alva.
How much of baseness then must all we owne,
That stoop and bow in such humility,
And treasonably court them from their strength,
Which being Masters of, we then proclaim
And use our usurp'd priviledge?
Fer.
Heyda, a womans Orator!
Pray heaven your Fee
Answers your Eloquence.
Alva.
I care not, the fault shall all be hers:
But come, dear Friend, I swear I am not well.
Fer.
Here I did leave my Brother. Ha! Brother! Pheu!
Alva.
No matter, come.
Exeunt.
Enter Felices, leading in Sancho by the hair; Ossorio, Pedro.
Feli.
Oh Rogue! have I caught you?
San.
No.
Feli.
Sure I have.
San.
Why did ye ask the question then?
Feli.
A Wit too!
San.
The people of our Village think me one.
[Pheu within.] Pedro.
Yonder's my Master.
Feli.
Go, get ye both gone, I'le follow straight.
[Ex. Osso. Ped.
Sirrah, what bundle of Trumpery
Have you got here?
San.
Why, I hope you will not rob me.
Feli.
Rob thee, hang thee, what is't?
San.
Why, Sir, I was employ'd Deputy from
Our Village for Vizards and fools Bawbles:
You know to morrow is our Carnival.
Feli.
A pleasant Rogue this: Sirrah, wilt thou serve
Me, I'le pay thee well; and I'le go down
With more Company to thy Village?
San.
Yes; I think we shall be well met:
Like master like man.
Feli.
Come then, follow me.
[Exeunt.
14
Fer.
If ever thou beest ask'd which way I went,
Say home, directly home.
Ped.
I shall, Sir.
Fer.
And thither go you now,
But if my Brother should come home before me,
As he do's seldom use,
Say you have mist me, know not where I am.
Ped.
I shall not fail in ought.
[Exit Pedro.
Fer.
What should this woman mean,
She said I was the cause of his repulse;
Nay, she did urge that he should bring me thither,
I've seen her often at the Church with him,
And she is fair, most Excellently fair;
But all the while that he discours'd with her,
My thought the moving Language of her Eyes
Did seem to tell me, had I been the man
That did implore her mercy, she had then
Not been so cruel.—
Here is the house I hope she doth Expect me,
[Knocks softly at the Window.
[Enter Elvira.
Within,
Who's there,
Fer.
'Tis I, I parted just now hence.
Elv.
You'r wellcome, Sir,
Yet did I not expect you would return so soon.
Fer.
'Twere disobedience, did I but prolong
The least of your Commands, and that's a Crime
I never would forgive my self.
Elv.
And I can hardly be induc'd
To grant a pardon to my foolish self
That now commit a fault
'Gainst Womens Honour, and faire Modesty.
Fer.
'Twere so; did you permit this favour to a man,
That brought not all the reverence, and respect,
So fair a presence merits,
But you are safe from scandal,
Relying on the strength of my discretion,
15
[Aside
And am to weak to struggle 'gainst such Charms.
Elv.
I hope your fair construction will admit
No thoughts are tending to my prejudice,
You seem'd to think I was unreasonable
In the denying Alvaredo's Love,
He is a Gentleman I much Esteem,
But when he talks of Love, I lose all that,
And almost grow to hate what I esteem'd.
Fer.
Madam, 'tis true,
Love is a thing that cannot be constrain'd,
And if a heart not yieldeth of it's self,
All force and stratagems are vain.
Elv.
You speak most learnedly of a subject
I thought you had been ignorant in.
Fer.
As well you may deem him a cold
That's in a Calenture,
Or him that faints and melts away
Under the Torrid Zone;
Those beauteous eyes can thaw a heart,
And make an Anchorite knowing in this Art.
Elv.
Yet would he want this Eloquence
Without some practice,
I doubt I am not, Sir, the first
That you have strove to flatter from themselves.
Fer.
But when that doubt shall be remov'd.
Elv.
I can but thank yee for your complement.
Fer.
Why will ye term it so?
Here shall I swear.
[Kneels.
Elv.
Hold, Sir, you go too far,
A Gallant yet did never want an Oath
For the undoing of a harmless Maid;
But grant I knew 'twere true,
What could you then Expect in Recompence.
Fer.
Nothing; for 'tis your due,
And what you e're shall grant of Love
I will call Charity; meer mercy to your Creature;
Nor will I trouble yee with tedious talk
16
Since where the truth is cleer,
And in your power by any strickt Command
To put me to the test,
All circumstance is Needless;
For, Madam, as I cannot live without yee
So I dare die, to shew how much I lov'd yee,
Elv.
That were a testimony I'le never claime,
No live, and live to let me see your Love,
That is the first command I'le lay upon you.
Fer.
Proceed, dear Madam.
[Takes her in his Arms; she puts him away.
Elv.
The next, and chiefly wherein I conjure ye
By all the vertue, faith, and honour in yee
You ne're misconster this my easiness,
Nor ever use a priviledge, or make an offer
To what may cause a blush.
Were the whole world our witness
In recompence I'll promise to be kind,
And what my honour will permit I'll grant.
Fer.
And by that tie I'll claim it;
Can ye vouchsafe a promise to be mine,
Your Brothers absence, and this fittest time
Do's prompt us not to slip it.
Elv.
I dare believe yee, Sir.
Find you the means,
And I'll not foolishly pretend to know
Nothing of what I've given you cause to hope.
Fer.
To morrow then I'll see you,
And bring a man shall so unite us,
Never to be parted,
The Streets are full of Gambols and of Tricks
We shall not be observ'd.
Elv.
Farewell, Sir, 'tis late,
And let my love preserve the title ever,
That you to night have given it in your heart.
Fer.
Let all the blessings Heaven has yet in store
Fall on my fair and kind Elvira's head.
| The Carnival | |