University of Virginia Library

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.

Elvi.
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.

Ferd.
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.
Enter Ferdinando, Pedro.
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,
Farewell, all honesty I am o'recome,
[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
How much I love and honour your fair beauty,
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.