University of Virginia Library

Actus Tertius.

Enter Decio and Arviedo.
By a Lawrel-Tree is set a Shepherds Hook, a Pipe, and a Wreath of Lawrel.
Dec.
The breath of Musick (Brother Lutenist)
Is Sound, which into points of Time Art breaks:
But Poetry's the Language Musick speaks.
Poetry's that Divinity of Numbers,
By which Pythagoras transform'd himself
Into the sev'ral shapes of Men and Gods;
And thou, or I may do't, as well as He.

Arv.
I think we may.

Dec.
Behold th'Experiment,
I'm Decio now; but now that I take up
This Shepherds Hook, Pipe, and Poetick Lawrel.
I am Apollo Shepherd to Admetus,
Not Herdsman: I have left his Royal Droves
In Thessaly, to keep his Flocks in Naples.
Will Arviedo be my Favourite,
My Hyacinthus?

Arv.
What must transform me?

Dec.

Arv.
You have feasted mine Ear.

Dec.
I'l treat thy Eye;
The sweetest Prospect Naples has, I'l shew thee,
The Pasture where Apollo feeds his Flocks.
The Scene is discovered, over which in Capital Letters is writ CAMPI ELYSII. Decio describes it thus.
Th'Elysian Fields my Hyacinthus sees,
Those Walks are Jessamine and Orange-trees,
Beneath, a Chrystal River cuts the Plain,
Wherein you see those fair Trees o're again,
Close by the Flow'ry Bank, a Flock of Sheep
Feeds in a Mead; the Shepherds fast a-sleep;
The Shepherdesses lying arm in arm.

Arv.
Is't Life? or Art?

Dec.

Arv.
I take this as a high Civility,
For which I'l thank you with a Friend's Advice;
Go to your Wife; lose her not the first day:
If she think you neglect her, she will hate you.

Dec.
She cannot think it a Neglect in me
To leave her with Iberio and the Prince:
Can she have better company than they?

Arv.
She may have safer; the Prince flies at all:
You know, my Lord Iberio was your Rival.

Dec.
True; he and Pyramena were contracted
Upon conditions (mutually agreed to)
And pr'y thee, Arviedo, tell me truly,
Which of our Titles dost thou think the best?

Arv.
I am no competent Judge; but (questionless)
You would resolv't, before you marri'd her;
It must not now be question'd.

Dec.
Not in publick;
But in a Court of Conscience, thou may'st be
Judge or Assistant?

Arv.
How do y' mean Assistant?

Dec.
I mean, if you conceive the Match unlawful,
You then may lawfully assist your Kinsman,
To Cuckold me.

Arv.
Keep distance; we shall meet
As Friends no more; I am thy Enemy,
As much as thou art Enemy to Virtue;
Draw, I will fairly vindicate my Honour.

Dec.
I will not fight.

Arv.
Draw, or I vow to kill thee.
Ingrateful Villain, Is an Infamy
All the return thou mak'st for a Friend's counsel,
Against my Kinsman's Opportunity?
I gave it, that thou might'st not be a Wittall,
He an Adulterer, I a Property.
I'l talk no longer—

Dec.
Hear me; but a word.

Arv.
Quick; for my Wrong calls for a swift Revenge.

Dec.
It needs not any; know, all I said now,
And all I did before, when I brought Gold
To work upon thy Poverty, and make thee
For thy advantage poison thy great Kinsman,
Was but to try the gallantry of thy Mind,
Which I find equal to thy outward Beauty.

Arv.
No fooling now.

Dec.
If you believe me not,
Behold, I put my life into your hands.

Decio delivers up his sword.
Arv.
I must believe th'Innocence of that face;
A thousand times better than mine—

Dec.
Dost like it?

Arv.
Better than any face I ever saw.

Dec.
It seems, thou, and my Lord Iberio
Are not alli'd in Judgment; for, my Sister
(Whose heart he broke) was like me.

Arv.
To preserve
So sweet a Maid, I rather would have dy'd.

Dec.
Pray, wear this Ring for Ericina's sake,
'Twas hers.

Arv.
The Diamond is a rich Stone,
But Ericina's name doubles the value.

Dec.
Something from me you must accept; I know,
You're neither Lord of Gold nor Silver-Mines.

Arv.
My Ancestor did service here in Naples,
VVhich both the Indies could not pay him for:
It pleas'd the King to call him into Spain,
And so his Branches (at this distance) wither'd.

Dec.
Here, take this Purse.

Arv.
I take no Purses, Sir,
I am no Thief, I have more of the Merchant,
The Money I receive I will return.

Dec.
I'l shew thee how to pay this Debt, and leave
Me in Arrear: get Dancers, and this Ev'ning
Make me a Serenade, 'tis only a Round
Well-danc'd, and a short Song or two; let's see
Thy Poetry?

Arv.
I never studi'd it,
Yet naturally I'm a Ballet-maker,
I'l keep your Purse, and lay out the Gold for you.

Dec.
Then I've the noblest Steward in the world.

[Exit Arviedo.
Enter Corbulo.
Cor.
Good e'n; what day's this?

Dec.
St. Gennaro's day,
Patron of Naples.

Cor.
And your Wedding-day,
I take it: here's the Bridegroom, at his Pastime,
But where's the Bride? what Sport is she at? Cards;
Who plays with her?

Dec.
The Prince.

Cor.
The Prince is gone;
My Lord Iberio plays with your Wife.

Dec.
I like that well—

Cor.
And they're lock'd up; you like
That well too?

Dec.
Do you grumble at it, Slave?
Cannot my Wife be private with her Servant,
But that my Servant must take notice of it?

Cor.
Why do I wait?

Dec.
What did I hire thee for?
To be my Porter, and to guard my Wife.

Cor.
That she may take her pleasure undisturb'd?

Dec.
That she may take her pleasure undisturb'd.

Cor.
But must she take it with another man?
Cannot you, Sir, content a Wife?

Dec.
Nor you, Sir,
Nor any man in Europe, with one Body:
He sooner might content her with one Gown.

Cor.
Then you'l allow your Lady a Gallant?

Dec.
I hold it Husband's Duty to provide
An Adjutant.

Cor.
Th'Opinion's new, and strange.

Dec.
'Tis strange, that you (a Soldier) say 'tis new:
Why? Generals have Adjutants General.

Cor.
This I pass over; look I never hear,
In things of baseness that you use again
The noble name of Soldier, if I do,
I'l lay down your Commission here, my Staff,
And cut your throat.

Dec.
Thou know'st, Lieutenant, I
Love Soldiers, and have shew'd my love to thee,
Reliev'd thy wants, because thou wert a Soldier,
A Sufferer; trusted thee with the guard
Of my fair Wife, because thou hast the name
Of a stout Soldier; but though I love thee
I do not love thy humor, mine is fooling,
And by a Jeaster's Privilege I speak
Severe things against Women, as if we
Had no Italian Wives but Messalinas,
But I know many Portias, gallant Ladies,
Whose life, and death depends upon their Husbands.
And wouldst thou have me jealous of my Wife?

Cor.
Sir, I would have you jealous of your Honour.

Dec.
What Honour can be greater, than to see
The Ladies point at me, and call me, Mirrour
Of Marri'd men, Mirrour of Marri'd men?

Cor.
They'l point at you, and call you, what do you think?

Dec.
Not Cuckold?

Cor.
No, not Cuckold—

Dec.
That were shameful.

Cor.
But this dishonourable, They'l call you
The basest kind of Cuckold, Wittall, Sir.

Dec.
How? Wittall? that's an ugly name indeed,
(Now thou hast spoke to my capacity)
I'l not indure it—but my Lord Iberio
May challenge me.

Cor.
Against the world, I'l be
Your Second.

Dec.
I shall do brave things, I think:
Lead, Soldier; Devil? Wittal? I defie thee.

[Exeunt.
Enter Filomarini and Gioseppe.
Gio.
Ha, ha, ha!

Fil.
This Laugh promises good news.

Gio.
If't be not profitable news, 'tis pleasant;
Pray wish your old Camrade, Peralta, joy;
He's marri'd to Menanthe.

Fil.
They're well match'd,
Pirate and Cheat: the Gallies give 'em joy,
Is this the pleasant news?

Gio.
No, the sport is,
The two Cheats mean to cozen one another.

Fil.
Why, sure the Pirate will not cheat his Bride?

Gio.
Ev'n of his first nights service, he's in love
With his Wife's Maid, his suppos'd Country-woman,
Your Grand-child, she has told it to your Mistris.

Fil.
But when Thieves fall out, methinks true men might
Come by their own.

Gio.
This is the pleasant news,
Fritilla hopes to cozen the two Cheats.

Enter Menanthe and Diacelia, Peralta following a-loof.
Fil.
See, see, the Pirate—

Gio.
How he tacks about
To weather her? he's got to Windward of her,
But the small Pinnace to the Lean-ward, proves
The better Sailer.

Fil.
Let us give'em Sea-room.

[Exeunt Fil. & Gios.
Me.
Dog, Dog, Piratick Sea-dog—

Dia.
Patience, Madam,
I may mistake, believe your eyes,
That Pillar will obscure you.

Me.
Good, good Girl.

Menanthe stands behind the Pillar and Peeps.
Per.
Fritilla? hist, Fritilla; is she gone?

Dia.
Her business requires haste, and so does mine.

Per.
One little word with me, before you go.
Dear Country-woman, pitty a poor Spaniard,
Or, like a Roman Funeral, I shall burn
To ashes for thy love.

Dia.
For love to me?
You have a Wife.

Per.
Foh! a rich stinking Jew,
Taken into my Body-Politick;
I marri'd an Expedient, not a Wife;
Jewels and Gold I marri'd.

Me.
A Rope take thee,
My Garter (Rogue) would serve; Queen Joan of Naples
Hang'd up her Husband in her Wedding-garter.

Per.
I took a rich Jade for her wealthy Burden.

Me.
Cheated directly, all the Bootie's gone;
Body and Goods I'l venture after it,
But I'l revenge me on this Spanish Rogue,
My Husband-Gusman.

Per.
Smile some consolation.

Dia.
Why, Don, think you here's such a death of Spaniards,
That I must be a Spanish Pirate's Wench?
Our Country-Fig, a Spanish Fig for Pirates.

Me.
Would mine had one in's guts, a Spanish Fig
Would cure his Itch; but he shall smart, I'l scratch him;
The merry Greek will claw her mangie Don.

Per.
My Wench? I scorn it, thou shalt be my Wife.

Dia.
The Church allows no man two Wives at once.

Per.
True; but this Marriage is a Nullity,
'Tis within the Degrees prohibited;
My Mother was a Grecian, and her Father
Was (I can prove it) Brother to Menanthe,
Th'old-woman's my Great-Aunt.

Me.
O lying Raskal!

Per.
But say thou wilt be mine, and 'tis enough,
I'l hire a passage for's in the Pope's Galley,
That's bound for Ostia, and I'l marry thee
(In the face of the Church, my Girl) at Rome.

Dia.
You see I'm silent.

Per.
Silence gives consent.

Dia.
No Captain.

Per.
Maids say no, and take it, Jewel;
Now I name Jewel, I will give Fritilla
All Lugo's Jewels.

Dia.
If you keep one back,
It is no Match.

Per.
A match then.

Dia.
You must get
My Grand-father's good-will. Here's your Great-Aunt.

Enter Menanthe.
Per.
That we may be kept from commiting Incest;
The Devil choak her; heark you, pretty one,
Lugo must not know we are marri'd, Lamb.

Me.
I would he knew we were unmarri'd, Goat.

Enter Gioseppe and Filomarini.
Gio.
Madam, here's my Lord Lugo.

Me.
Call Leandra.

[Exit Gioseppe.
Enter Lugo.
Fil.
The Prince is come.

Me.
Wait him in, honest Draco.

[Exit Fil.
Lug.
Two thousand Pistols, Madam, I have brought you
In new-coin'd Gold.

Per.
I'l give 'em to her Maid.

[Peralta takes the bag.
Me.
Hey, Snap! she knows for what use they're design'd.

Per.
And I know for what use your Maid's design'd.

Enter Leandra.
Me.
My Lord, you've made a purchase of a Wife.

Lug.
I've purchas'd Happiness in so much Beauty;
But her sweetness of Obedience.
And Harmony of Nature, all those Worlds
Of Musick which Divine Pythagoras
Plac'd in the Planets. Where's the Priest?

Enter Salerno and Filomarini.
Lean.
Here's one
That looks more like the Bride-groom than the Priest.

Fil.
'Tis the Prince of Salerno.

[to Leandra.
Lug.
What wind blows
My cousin of Salerno?

Dia.
The Prince, Madam.

[to Leandra.
Sal.
Directed to the life by this fair Figure.

[He shews her Picture.
Lug.
Decline his courtship; slight him.

Lean.
Slight a Prince?

Me.
Withdraw, I pr'y thee.

Lean.
Pr'y thee? pr'y thee peace,
(I never heard so simple an old Soul)
When a Prince makes his first Address, withdraw?

Me.
I charge thee—

Lug.
Do you hear who charges you?
Your Mother, never disobey'd.

Lean.
There is
A time for all things, for my Mother too
To be advis'd better than to enjoyn
Ill manners: leave a Prince that visits me?

Lug.
Not when your Mother (that groan'd for you) bids?

Lean.
I'l ask a question first; pray, Sir, how got you
My Picture?

Sal.
Madam, by a Miracle.

Me.
Get y'in.

Lean.
I'l stay to hear the Miracle.

Sal.
Now for a Story to excuse Love's Envoy.
[to Fil.
'Twas news at Court, that the great Virtuoso,
Virgetio, was come from Rome to Naples,
And had brought with him a rare Concave-glass,
Made with Art more than Mathematical,
So that upon a white Plane 'twould cast off
The Form or Species of the Man or Woman
Any one wish'd to see; to him I went
(Out of an Airy curiosity)
To see my Mistris.

Lean.
And he shew'd you this?

Sal.
The form by which my Servant drew this Piece.

Lean.
This? (what a Villain was the Virtuoso!)
This Mistris? Mother, pardon—

Lug.
Her first fault.

Me.
Take heed, my Girl, take heed of a Relapse,
If you forget your duty any more—

Lean.
Then do not you remember such a child.

Enter Gioseppe.
Gio.
The Priest is ready.

Lug.
We are ready for him.

Sal.
I must beg of you—

Lean.
Of me?

Lug.
Hear him not.

Lean.
Not hear a Prince that comes a begging to me?
I'l hear and answer: Sir, what's your command?

Sal.
Madam, my suit is, that you'l please to sit for
Your Picture, and I'l send you a great Master.
Shall limn it (rarely) by the life.

Lean.
He shall.

Me.
Daughter, he shall not.

Lean.
Woman, Shall thy Men,
Those thou imploy'st: the Limner comes to me,
And I'l not have him Shall'd.

Me.
VVoman?

Lean.
Good VVoman,
Meddle with thy own Matters, good Old VVoman.

Me.
Th'Old VVoman's Mother to my fine Young Lady,
If she be pleased to remember it.

Sal.
Remember, that you are a Prince's Mistris.

Lean.
A Prince's Mistris? though 'twas my Resemblance
That Mistris could not be Leandra's Spirit;
I do remember, that you are my Mother,
And once again I pray to be forgiven:
But send your Picture-drawer, Sir, I'l sit,
If she were all the Mothers under th'Sun.

Fil.
Go, leave the Prince to pause on't.

[to Leandra.
Lug.
Come, my Love.

[Exeunt Lug. Lean. Menan. & Gios.
Sal.
She would be my Love too, but not my Mistris;
But, Mistris, I may Master you, I may.

Fil.
You shall; in my Experience, Sir, confide,
Youth marches safe that follows an old Guide.

[Exeunt.
Enter Decio and Corbulo.
Cor.
Your Wife comes.

Dec.
I'm grown valiant now, Lieutenant,
I'l march, but stand thou—

Enter Pyramena.
Cor.
Centree for my Captain.
[Exit Corb.

Py.
My heart, I was at such a loss—

Dec.
At Cards?

Py.
No, I won all I play'd for: but I was
At such a loss for want of thee—

Dec.
To fool?
I know my duty, 'tis my Family-duty;
Tell me true, had'st thou ever marri'd me,
But for the noble quality of fooling,
Taking me for a Gifted man?

Py.
That gift
(I must confess) brib'd me.

Dec.
Th'Acknowledgement
Is most ingenious; at another time,
I'l be as free with thee, and tell thee why
I marri'd thee.

Py.
Will you not tell me now?

Dec.
Now you shall tell me, who play'd at Cards with you?

Py.
None but my Lord Iberio and I plai'd.

Dec.
Who waited?

Py.
No Body.

Dec.
No Page?

Py.
No Page.

Dec.
No Groom?

Py.
No Groom; I tell you no body.

Dec.
What, not your Woman?

Py.
Not my Woman: lack,
How your tongue runs?

Dec.
If any man, but I,
Be private with my VVife, is't for her Honour?

Py.
Is Honour treated of, by your small Poets?
Do y'find it among Gods and Goddesses?
Pray tell me, what's our Honour? or Dishonour?

Dec.
VVhat's th'Honour or Dishonour of a VVife?
'Tis at her death (when clear unbyass'd Truth
Takes th'Inventory of her Vice and Virtue)
The Total Sum, th'Account that Fame gives of her.

Py.
How? this is sence; these are not Parot's words:
This Husband is no Engin, but a Man,
A jealous Man; I shall love Jealousie,
If it awake his Soul. I'l try him further:
[aside.
But how gets Fame her good and bad Reports?

Dec.
Of th'eating and the drinking mouths, our Servants:
VVe must be careful of our Credit (Love)
Unless we mean to be our Servants Slaves.

Py.
Kiss me; you shall find fault with me no more,
Henceforth I will be jealous of my self.

Dec.
Howe're you take it, it concerns you most;
If you miscarry in your Honour, I
Shall (like a Merchant broke by his misfortune)
Be pitty'd; but my VVife will be despis'd.

Py.
VVhat will this Man prove? what shall I say to him?
Iberio never was alone with me,
But by my Maids I made your Men believe't,
To put the sense of Honor into you.
Now you deserve my Love, kiss me again.

Dec.
Here's a new VVedding on th'old VVedding-day;
VVere the Mask ready—

Enter Corbulo.
Cor.
Sir, a kind of Mask
Is brought you (these hard words stick in my throat)
Enter Arviedo.
They call't a Serenade, here's the Presenter.

Dec.
My Arviedo, welcome; 'tis apparent,
Thou wilt not fail thy friend in great Ingagements,
Who art so punctual in a promis'd trifle.

Arv.
The man that is not in th'Enemies pow'r,
Nor fetter'd by Misfortune, and breaks promise,
Degrades himself, he never can pretend
To Honour more.

Dec.
Thou art the Soul of Honor.
Enter the Evening (in a Crown of Shadow'd Stars, and a Clowdy Vest with some small Stars upon it) brought in with to Winds.
What's here? if th'Evening (as I fancy it)
Could take a Visible form, this would be ours,
A gloomy Evening, suddenly brought in
By two Winds.

Arv.
You ghess right, 'tis so intended.
Madam, I only beg you'l pardon me,
If you will, he must, for 'twas his Injunction.

[they sit. Flajolet plays a far off.
Song in Dialogue.
Evening.
I am an Evening dark as Night,
Jack-with-the-Lantern bring a Light—

Jack.
Wither, whither, whither?

[within.
Evening.
Hither, hither, hither.

Jack.
Thou art some pratling Eccho, of my making:

Evening.
Thou art a Foolish Fire, by thy mistaking:
I am the Evening that creates thee.

Enter Jack in a black Suit border'd with Glow-worms, a Coronet of Shaded Beams on his head, over it a Paper Lantern with a Candle in't.
Jack.
My Lantern and my Candle waits thee.

Evening.
Those Flajolets that we heard play,
Are Reapers who have lost their way;
They Play, they Sing, they Dance a-Round,
Lead them up, here's Faery-ground.

Chorus.
Let the Men ware the Ditches;
Maids, look to your Breetches,
We'l scratch them with Briars and Thistles:
When the Flajolets cry,
We are a-dry;
Pond-water shall wet their Whistles.

[Exeunt Evening, Winds, & Jack.
Dec.
Does Pyramena know this Dancing Lantern?

Py.
The Violins and Flajolets play. Jack leads in the Reapers, the Men in their Half-Shirts and Linnen Drawers, the Maids in Straw-Hats

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50

they stumble, and their Sickles fall into the Scene. They Dance in Figures. At the end of the first Dance Jack leads them out, and once or twice they thread the doors after him, then they take hands, compass in Jack, Dance a Round, and Sing.

Arv.
Now if the Bride and Bride-groom's patience
Be not tormented with my Poetry—

Dec.
Profess 'tis well, 'tis natural, it suits
This Clowdy Evening: in a little time
Thou'lt make as pretty a Poet as my self.
I'l pay my thanks in Coin of the same Stamp,
You shall see th'Practice of my Mask; I hope,
Love, you'l be pleas'd?

Py.
With any thing of yours.

Dec.
That's the sweet Close to Arviedo's Musique;
Th'expression of your love unclowds the Evening;
What greater blessing can from Heav'n descend?
Decio is happy in a Wife and Friend.

[Exeunt.