John Fletcher

“ Can you love a young Lady? How he blushes!
Altea
Leave twirling of your hat, and hold your head up,
And speak to'th' Lady.
Leon
Yes, I think I can,
I must be taught, I know not what it means Madam.
Margarita
You shall be taught, and can you when she pleases
Go ride abroad, and stay a week or two?
You shall have men and horses to attend ye,
And mony in your purse.
Leon
Yes I love riding,
And when I am from home I am so merry.
Margarita
Be as merry as you will: can you as handsomely
When you are sent for back, come with obedience,
And doe your dutie to the Lady loves you? ”

“ Juan de Castro
'Tis true, such we must look for: but Mich. Perez,
When heard you of Donna Margarita, the great Heiress?
Michael Perez
I hear every hour of her, though I never saw her,
She is the main discourse: noble Don Juan de Castro,
How happy were that man could catch this Wench up,
And live at ease! she is fair, and young, and wealthy,
Infinite wealthy, and as gracious too
In all her entertainments, as men report.
Juan de Castro
But she is proud, Sir, that I know for certain,
And that comes seldome without wantonness,
He that shall marry her, must have a rare hand. ”

“ I warrant ye he is busie in the celler
Amongst his fellow servants, or asleep,
Till your command awake him.
Enter Leon.
Margarita
'Tis well Altea.
It should be so, my ward I must preserve him.
Who sent for him, how dare he come uncall'd for,
His bonnet on too?
Altea
Sure he sees you not.
Margarita
How scornfully he looks!
Leon
Are all the chambers
Deckt and adorn'd thus for my Ladies pleasure?
New hangings every hour for entertainment,
And new plate bought, new Jewels to give lustre?
Servant
They are, and yet there must be more and richer,
It is her will. ”

“ Margarita
Whither you will, I wait upon your pleasure;
Live in a hollow tree Sir, I'le live with ye.
Leon
I, now you strike a harmony, a true one,
When your obedience waits upon your Husband,
And your sick will aims at the care of honour,
Why now I dote upon ye, love ye dearly,
And my rough nature falls like roaring streams,
Clearly and sweetly into your embraces.
O what a Jewel is a woman excellent,
A wise, a vertuous and a noble woman! ”

“ Indeed I will not.
Michael Perez
I shall love you dearly,
And 'tis a sin to fling away affection,
I have no Mistress, no desire to honour
Any but you, will not this Oyster open?
I know not, you have struck me with your modesty;
She will draw sure; so deep, and taken from me
All the desire I might bestow on others,
Quickly before they come.
Estifania
Indeed I dare not:
But since I see you are so desirous, Sir,
To view a poor face that can merit nothing
But your Repentance.
Michael Perez
It must needs be excellent. ”

“ Margarita
I do Sir,
'Tis Estifania, that was once my woman.
Leon
She writes to me here, that one Cacafogo
An usuring Jewellers son (I know the Rascal)
Is mortally faln in love with ye.
Margarita
Is a monster, deliver me from mountains.
Leon
Do you goe a birding for all sorts of people?
And this evening will come to ye and shew ye Jewels,
And offers any thing to get access to ye,
If I can make or sport or profit on him,
(For he is fit for both) she bids me use him,
And so I will, be you conformable, and follow but my will. ”

“ For every year you lose, you lose a beauty,
A Husband now, an honest careful Husband,
Were such a comfort: will ye walk above stairs?
Estifania
This place will fit our talk, 'tis fitter far Sir,
Above there are day-beds, and such temptations
I dare not trust Sir.
Michael Perez
She is excellent wise withal too.
Estifania
You nam'd a husband, I am not so strict Sir,
Nor ti'd unto a Virgins solitariness,
But if an honest, and a noble one,
Rich, and a souldier, for so I have vowed he shall be,
Were offer'd me, I think I should accept him,
But above all he must love. ”

“ Duke of Medina
Let me be gone, I'le never more attempt ye.
Margarita
You cannot goe, 'tis not in me to save ye,
Dare ye do ill, and poorly then shrink under it?
Were I the Duke Medina, I would fight now,
For you must fight and bravely, it concerns you,
You do me double wrong if you sneak off Sir,
And all the world would say I lov'd a coward,
And you must dye too, for you will be kill'd,
And leave your youth, your honour and your state,
And all those dear delights you worship't here. ”

“ What think ye now?
Altea
I think him an Asse still,
This boldness some of your people have blown
Into him, this wisdom too with strong wine,
'Tis a Tyrant, and a Philosopher also, and finds
Out reasons.
Margarita
I'le have my celler lockt, no school kept there,
Nor no discovery. I'le turn my drunkards,
Such as are understanding in their draughts,
And dispute learnedly the whyes and wherefores,
To grass immediatly, I'le keep all fools,
Sober or drunk, still fools, that shall know nothing,
Nothing belongs to mankind, but obedience,
And such a hand I'le keep over this Husband. ”

“ Enter Juan de Castro, Sancho, and Cacafogo.
Sanchio
Thou art very brave.
Cacafogo
I have reason, I have mony.
Sanchio
Is mony reason?
Cacafogo
Yes and rime too Captain,
If ye have no mony y'are an Asse.
Sanchio
I thank ye.
Cacafogo
Ye have manners, ever thank him that has mony.
Sanchio
Wilt thou lend me any?
Cacafogo
Not a farthing Captain,
Captains are casual things.
Sanchio
Why so are all men, thou shalt have my bond.
Cacafogo
Nor bonds nor fetters Captain,
My mony is mine, I make no doubt on't. ”

“ Your rarest jugglers work still by conspiracy.
Estifania
Cry ye mercy husband, you are jealous then,
And happily suspect me.
Michael Perez
No indeed wife.
Estifania
Me thinks you should not till you have more cause
And clearer too: I am sure you have heard say husband,
A woman forced will free her self through Iron,
A happy, calm, and good wife discontented
May be taught tricks.
Michael Perez
No, no, I do but jest with ye.
Estifania
To morrow friend I'le see you.
Clara
I shall leave ye
Till then, and pray all may goe sweetly with ye. ”

“ Be there no pitifull 'Pothecaries in this town,
That have compassion upon wretched women,
And dare administer a dram of rats-bane,
But thou must fall to me?
Estifania
I know you have mercy.
Michael Perez
If I had tuns of mercy thou deserv'st none,
What new trick is now afoot, and what new houses
Have you i'th' air, what orchards in apparition,
What canst thou say for thy life?
Estifania
Little or nothing,
I know you'l kill me, and I know 'tis useless
To beg for mercy, pray let me draw my book out,
And pray a little. ”

“ As in the Hall to know my self the Mistris.
Michael Perez
Sweet, rich, and provident, now fortune stick
To me; I am a Souldier, and a bachelour, Lady,
And such a wife as you, I cou'd love infinitely,
They that use many words, some are deceitfull,
I long to be a Husband, and a good one,
For 'tis most certain I shall make a president
For all that follow me to love their Ladies,
I am young you see, able I would have you think too,
If't please you know, try me before you take me. ”

“ Estifania
I'le wise your worship
Before I leave ye, pray ye walk by and say nothing,
Only salute them, and leave the rest to me Sir,
I was born to make ye a man.
Michael Perez
The Rogue speaks heartily,
Her good will colours in her cheeks, I am born to love her,
I must be gentler to these tender natures,
A Souldiers rude harsh words befit not Ladies,
Nor must we talk to them as we talk to
Our Officers, I'le give her way, for 'tis for me she
Works now, I am husband, heir, and all she has.
Enter Margarita, Estifania, Leon, Altea, and Ladies. ”

“ Juan de Castro
This is another tenderness to try him,
Fetch her up now.
Margarita
You must provide a cradle, and what a troubles that?
Leon
The sea shall rock it,
'Tis the best nurse; 'twill roar and rock together,
A swinging storm will sing you such a lullaby.
Margarita
Faith let me stay, I shall but shame ye Sir.
Leon
And you were a thousand shames you shall along with me,
At home I am sure you'l prove a million,
Every man carries the bundle of his sins
Upon his own back, you are mine, I'le sweat for ye.
Enter Duke, Alonzo, Sanchio. ”

“ Altea
I would not deal so truly for a stranger.
Margarita
Well I could chide ye,
But it must be lovingly and like a Sister,
I'le bring you on your way, and feast ye nobly,
For now I have an honest heart to love ye,
And then deliver you to the blue Neptune.
Juan de Castro
Your colours you must wear, and wear 'em proudly,
Wear 'em before the bullet, and in bloud too,
And all the world shall know
We are Vertues servants.
Duke of Medina
And all the world shall know, a noble mind
Makes women beautifull, and envie blind. ”

“ I will not, alas I never knew my self sufficiently.
Margarita
Nor must not now.
Leon
I'le be a Dog to please ye.
Margarita
Indeed you must fetch and carry as I appoint ye.
Leon
I were to blame else.
Margarita
Kiss me again; a strong fellow,
There is a vigor in his lips: if you see me
Kiss any other, twenty in an hour Sir,
You must not start, nor be offended.
Leon
No, if you kiss a thousand I shall be contented,
It will the better teach me how to please ye.
Altea
I told ye Madam.
Margarita
'Tis the man I wisht for; the less you speak. ”

“ Suffer abundantly? 'tis the Crown of Honour;
You think it nothing to lie twenty days
Under a Surgeons hands that has no mercy.
Sanchio
As thou hast done I am sure, but I perceive now
Why you desire to stay, the orient Heiress,
The Margarita, Sir,
Alonzo
I would I had her.
Sanchio
They say she will marry.
Alonzo
I think she will.
Sanchio
And marry suddenly, as report goes too,
She fears her Youth will not hold out, Alonzo.
Alonzo
I would I had the sheathing on't.
Sanchio
They say too
She has a greedy eye that must be fed
With more than one mans meat. ”

“ Men of great fortunes make their mirths at placitum.
Leon
Prethee good stubborn wife, tell me directly,
Good evil wife leave fooling and tell me honestly,
Is this my kinsman?
Margarita
I can tell ye nothing.
Leon
I have many kinsmen, but so mad a one,
And so phantastick--all the house?
Michael Perez
All mine,
And all within it. I will not bate ye an ace on't.
Can you not receive a noble courtesie,
And quietly and handsomely as ye ought Couz,
But you must ride o'th' top on't?
Leon
Canst thou fight?
Michael Perez
I'le tell ye presently, I could have done Sir. ”

“ And now with unknown nations I dare trust ye.
Juan de Castro
No more feign'd fights my Lord, they never prosper.
Leon
Who's this? the Devil in the vault?
Altea
'Tis he Sir, and as lovingly drunk, as though he had studied it.
Cacafogo
Give me a cup of Sack, and kiss me Lady,
Kiss my sweet face, and make thy Husband cuckold,
An Ocean of sweet Sack, shall we speak treason?
Leon
He is Devilish drunk.
Duke of Medina
I had thought he had been a Devil.
He made as many noises and as horrible.
Leon
Oh a true lover Sir will lament loudly,
Which of the butts is your Mistris? ”

“ Margarita
Why where's your Husband?
Estifania
Gone Madam.
When you come to your own he must give place Lady.
Margarita
Well, send you joy, you would not let me know't,
Yet I shall not forget ye.
Estifania
Thank your Ladyship. ”

“ Michael Perez
Do you wear guns?
Estifania
I am a Souldiers wife Sir,
And by that priviledge I may be arm'd,
Now what's the news, and let's discourse more friendly,
And talk of our affairs in peace.
Michael Perez
Let me see,
Prethee let me see thy gun, 'tis a very pretty one.
Estifania
No no Sir, you shall feel.
Michael Perez
Hold ye villain, what thine own Husband?
Estifania
Let mine own Husband then
Be in's own wits, there, there's a thousand duckets,
Who must provide for you, and yet you'l kill me.
Michael Perez
I will not hurt thee for ten thousand millio [n] s. ”

“ Margarita
I find it as all bodies are that are young and lusty,
Lazy, and high fed, I desire my pleasure,
And pleasure I must have.
2 Lady
'Tis fit you should have,
Your years require it, and 'tis necessary,
As necessary as meat to a young Lady,
Sleep cannot nourish more.
1 Lady
But might not all this be, and keep ye single.
You take away variety in marriage,
The abundance of the pleasure you are bar'd then,
Is't not abundance that you aim at? ”

“ And exercise this pastime but to shew ye,
Great men are fools sometimes as well as wretches.
Would you were well hurt, with any hope of life,
Cut to the brains, or run clean through the body,
To get out quietly as you got in Sir,
I wish it like a friend that loves ye dearly,
For if my Husband take ye, and take ye thus a counterfeit,
One that would clip his credit out of his honour,
He must kill ye presently,
There is no mercy nor an hour of pity,
And for me to intreat in such an agony,
Would shew me little better than one guilty,
Have you any mind to a Lady now? ”

“ Alonzo
Would she were mine,
I would cater for her well enough; but Sanchio,
There be too many great men that adore her,
Princes, and Princes fellows, that claim priviledge.
Sanchio
Yet those stand off i'th' way of marriage,
To be tyed to a man's pleasure is a second labour. ”

“ Quarrels needless, and senceless, Swords and Pots, and Candlesticks,
Tables and Stools, and all in one confusion,
And no man knew his Friend. I left this Chaos,
And to the Chirurgions went, he will'd me stay,
For says he learnedly, if he be tipled,
Twenty to one he whores, and then I hear of him,
If he be mad, he quarrels, then he comes too.
I sought ye where no safe thing would have ventur'd,
Amongst diseases, base and vile, vile Women,
For I remembred your old Roman axiom,
The more the danger, still the more the Honour. ”

“ Upon these Jewels, Sir, they are fair and rich,
And view 'em right.
Cacafogo
To doubt 'em is an heresie.
Estifania
A thousand Duckets, 'tis upon necessity
Of present use, her husband, Sir, is stubborn.
Cacafogo
Long may he be so.
Estifania
She desires withal a better knowledge of your parts and person,
And when you please to do her so much honour.
Cacafogo
Come, let's dispatch.
Estifania
In troth I have heard her say, Sir,
Of a fat man she has not seen a sweeter.
But in this business, Sir.
Cacafogo
Let's do it first
And then dispute, the Ladies use may long for't. ”