Enter NovALL jun. PONTALIER, MALOTIN, LI- Than to defend your vices, or to soothe them.

SCENE I.

ACT III.

Enter NovALL jun. and BELLAPERT.
Nov. jun. FLY not to these excuses: Thou hast
been

False in thy promise-and, when I have said
Ungrateful, all is spoke.

Bella. Good my lord! but hear me only.
Nov. jun. To what purpose, trifler?
Can any thing that thou canst say make void
The marriage? Or those pleasures but a dream,
Which Charalois (oh Venus!) hath enjoyed?
Bella. I yet could say that you receive ad-
vantage

In what you think a loss, would you vouchsafe

Relish and taste, and make the banquet easy.
You say my lady's married-I confess it:
That Charalois hath enjoyed her-'tis most true:
That with her he's already master of

The best part of my lord's estate. Still better:
But that the first or last should be your hindrance,
I utterly deny: For, but observe me,
While she went for, and was, I swear, a virgin,
What courtesy could she with her honour give,
Or you receive with safety?

Nov. jun. But for her marriage.
Betla. 'Tis a fair protection
'Gainst all arrests of fear or shame for ever.
Such as are fair, and yet not foolish, study
To have one at thirteen; but they are mad
That stay till twenty. Then, sir! for the pleasure;
To say adultery is sweeter, that is stale.
This only-Is not the contentment more,
To say, this is my cuckold, than my rival?
More I could say-but, briefly, she doats on you;
If it prove otherwise, spare not, poison me
With the next gold you give me.

Beaumel. Stay, Bellapert.

Bella. In this I must not, with your leave,
obey you.

Your taylor and your tire-woman wait without,
And stay my counsel and direction for
Your next day's dressing. I have much to do,
Nor will your ladyship now, time is precious,
Continue idle; this choice lord will find

So fit employment for you. [Exit BELLAPERT.

Beaumel. I shall grow angry.

Nov. jun. Not so; you have a jewel in her, madain!

Beaumel. You come to chide me, servant, and
bring with you

Sufficient warrant. You will say, and truly,
My father found too much obedience in me,
By being won too soon: Yet, if you please
But to remember all my hopes and fortunes
Had reference to his liking, you will grant,
That though I did not well towards you, I yet
Did wisely for myself,

Nov. jun. With too much fervour

I have so long loved, aud still love you, mistress,
To esteem that an injury to me,

Which was to you convenient; that is past
My help, is past my cure. You yet may, lady,
In recompence of all my duteous service,
(Provided that your will answer your power)
Become my creditress.

Beaumel. I understand you;

And for assurance the request you make
Shall not be long unanswered, pray you sit,
And by what you shall hear, you'll easily find,
My passions are much fitter to desire
Than to be sued to.

Enter ROMANT and FLORIMEL.
Flor. Sir, it is not envy

At the start my fellow has got of me in
My lady's good opinion, that is the motive
Of this discovery; but due payment
Of what I owe her honour.

Rom. So I conceive it.

Flor. I have observed too much, nor shall my
silence

Prevent the remedy-yonder they are,
I dare not be seen with you. You may do
What you think fit, which will be, I presume,
The office of a faithful and tried friend
To my young lord.

[Exit Florimet

Rom. This is no vision: Ha!
Nov. jun. With the next opportunity.
Beaumel. By this kiss, and this, and this.
Nov. jun. That you would ever swear thus!
Rom. If I seem rude, your pardon, lady! yours
I do not ask: Come, do not dare to shew me
A face of anger, or the least dislike;
Put on, and suddenly, a milder look;
I shall grow rough else.

Madam, deserve not this; nor do I stay
To be the whetstone of your wit: preserve it
To spend on such as know how to admire
Such coloured stuff. In me there is now speaks

to you,

As true a friend and servant to your honour,
And one that will with as much hazard guard it,
As ever man did goodness. But then, lady!
You must endeavour, not alone to be,
But to appear, worthy such love and service.
Beaumel. To what tends this?

Rom. Why, to this purpose, lady;
I do desire you should prove such a wife
To Charalois (and such a one he merits)
As Cæsar, did he live, could not except at,
Not only innocent from crime, but free
From all taint and suspicion.

Will outlast twenty scarfs.

Rom. What mean you, lady?

Beaumel. And all else about you cap-a-pee,
So uniform in spite of handsomeness,
Shews such a bold contempt of comeliness,
That it is not strange your laundress in the
Leaguer

Grew mad with love of you.

Rom. Is my free counsel
Answered with this ridiculous scorn?
Beaumel. These objects

Stole very much of my attention from me;
Yet something I remember, to speak truth,
Delivered gravely, but to little purpose,

That almost would have made me swear, some

curate

Had stolen into the person of Romont,
And, in the praise of good-wife honesty,
Had read an homily.

Rom. By this hand-
Beaumel. And sword;

I will make up your oath, it will want weight else.
You are angry with me, and poor I laugh at it.
Do you come from the camp, which affords only
The conversation of cast suburb whores,
To set down to a lady of my rank

Limits of entertainment?

Rom. Sure a legion has possest this woman.
Beaumel. One stamp more would do well: yet
I desire not

You should grow horn-mad till you have a wife.
You are come to warm meat, and perhaps clean
linen:

Feed, wear it, and be thankful. For me, know,
That though a thousand watches were set on me,
And you the master-spy, I yet would use

Beaumel. They are base that judge me other- The liberty that best likes me. I will revel,

wise.

Rom. But yet be careful!

Detraction is a bold monster, and fears not
To wound the fame of princes, if it find

Feast, kiss, embrace. Perhaps, grant larger fa

vours.

Yet such as live upon my means, shall know
They must not murmur at it. If my lord

Believe it, wicked one, I will. Hear, heaven!
But, hearing, pardon me: if these fruits grow
Upon the tree of marriage, let me shun it,
As a forbidden sweet. An heir and rich,
Young, beautiful; yet add to this, a wife,
And I will rather chuse a spital sinner,
Carted an age before, though three parts rotten,
And take it for a blessing, rather than
Be fettered to the hellish slavery

Of such an impudence.

Enter BEAUMONT with writings.

Beaum. Colonel! good fortune

To meet you thus: you look sad, but I will tell you

Something that shall remove it. O how happy my lord Charalois in his fair bride!

Is

Rom. A happy man indeed! pray you in

what?

Beaum. I dare swear, you would think so good a lady

A dower sufficient.

Rom. No doubt. But on.

attention:

For what I must deliver, whispered only,
You will with too much grief receive.

Enter BEAUMELLE and BEllapert.
Beaumel. See, wench!

Upon my life as I forespake, he's now
Preferring his complaint: But be thou perfect,
And we will fit him.

Bella. Fear not me, pox on him!

A captain turned informer against kissing?
Would he were hanged up in his rusty armour!
But, if our fresh wits cannot turn the plots
Of such a mouldy murrion on itself,

Rich clothes, choice fare, and a true friend at a call,
Forsake us.

Roch. This in my daughter? Do not wrong her.
Bella. Now begin.

The game's afoot, and we in distance.

Beaumel. 'Tis thy fault, foolish girl! pin on my
veil,

I will not wear those jewels. Am I not
Already matched beyond my hopes? Yet still

Beaum. So fair, so chaste, so virtuous: indeed You prune and set me forth, as if I were

All that is excellent.

Rom. Women have no cunning to gull the
world!

Beaum. Yet to all these, my lord,
Her father gives the full addition of
All he does now possess in Burgundy:
These writings to confirin it are new sealed,
And I most fortunate to present him with them;
I must go seek him out; can you direct me?
Rom. You will find him breaking a young horse.
Beaum. I thank you.
[Exit Beaumont.
Rom. I must do something worthy Charalois'
friendship.

If she were well inclined, to keep her so
Deserved not thanks: and yet, to stay a woman,
Spurred headlong by hot lust to her own ruin,
Is harder than to prop a falling tower
With a deceiving reed.

Enter ROCH FORT.

Roch. Some one seek for me,

As soon as he returns.

Rom. Her father! ha!-

How if I break this to him? Sure it cannot
Meet with an ill construction. His wisdom,
Made powerful by the authority of a father,
Will warrant and give priviledge to his counsels.
It shall be so-my lord!

Roch. Your friend, Romont:
Would you aught with me?

Rom. I stand so engaged

To your so many favours, that I hold it

A breach in thankfulness, should I not discover,

Again to please a suitor.

Bella. Tis the course
That our great ladies take.
Rom. A weak excuse!

Beaumel. Those that are better seen, in what

concerns

A lady's honour and fair fame, condemn it.
You wait well in your absence, my lord's friend,
The understanding, grave and wise Romont-
Rom. Must I be still her sport? [Aside.
Beaumel. Reproved me for it;
And he has travelled to bring home a judgment,
Not to be contradicted. You will say
My father, that owes more to years than he,
Has brought me up to music, language, court-

ship,

And I must use them. True, but not to offend,
Or render me suspected.

Roch. Does your fine story begin from this?
Beaumel. I thought a parting kiss

From young Novall would have displeased no

more

Than heretofore it hath done; but I find

I must restrain such favours now; look, therefore,
As you are careful to continue mine,
That I no more be visited. I'll endure
The strictest course of life that jealousy
Can think secure enough, ere my behaviour
Shall call my fame in question.

Rom. Ten dissemblers

Are in this subtle devil. You believe this?

Roch. So far, that if you trouble me again With a report like this, I shall not only

That you, which are an honest man and worthy,
Should foster this suspicion. No man laughs,
No one can whisper, but thou apprehendest
His conference and his scorn reflects on thee.
For my part, they should scoff their thin wits out,
So I not heard them; beat me, not being there.
Leave, leave these fits to conscious men, to such
As are obnoxious to those foolish things

Enter NoVALL jun. MALOTIN, LILADAM, AY- As they can gibe at.
MER, and PONTALIER.

O, you're welcome.

Use any means to vex him,

And then with welcome follow me.

Nov. jun. You are tired

[Exit Beaumel.

With your grave exhortations, colonel!
Lilad. How is it? Faith, your lordship may do
well

To help him to some church-preferment: 'Tis
Now the fashion for men of all conditions,
However they have lived, to end that way.
Aymer. That face would do well in a surplice.
Rom. Rogues, be silent—or—
Pont. S'death! will you suffer this?

Rom. Well, sir?

Char. Thou art known
Valiant without defect, rightly defined,
Which is (as fearing to do injury,
As tender to endure it) not a brabbler,
A swearer.

Rom. Pish, pish! what needs this, my lord?
If I be known none such, how vainly you
Do cast away good counsel? I have loved you,
And yet must freely speak: So young a tutor
Fits not so old a soldier as I am.

And I must tell you, 'twas in your behalf
I grew enraged thus; yet had rather die
Than open the great cause a syllable further.
Char. In my behalf? Wherein hath Charalois

Rom. And you, the master rogue, the coward Unfitly so demeaned himself, to give

The least occasion to the loosest tongue
To throw aspersions on him? Or so weakly
Protected his own honour, as it should
Need defence from any but himself?
They're fools that judge me by my outward

seeming;

Why should my gentleness beget abuse?
The lion is not angry that does sleep,
Nor every man a coward that can weep.
For God's sake speak the cause.