Mar. I'll be divorced immediately.
Leon. You shall not.

You shall not have so much will to be wicked.

I am more tender of your honour, lady.
You took me for a shadow,

You took me to gloss over your discredit,
To be your fool.

You had thought you had found a coxcomb.
I'm innocent of any foul dishonour I mean to ye;
Only I will be known to be your lord now,
And be a fair one, too, or I will fall for it.

Mar. I do command ye from me, thou poor fellow,

Thou cozened fool!

Leon. Thou cozened fool!

I will not be commanded: I'm above ye.
You may divorce me from your favour, lady,
But from your 'state you never shall. I'll hold
that,

And hold it to my use; the law allows it.
And then maintain your wantonness, I'll wink

at it.

Mar. Am I braved thus in mine own house? Leon. 'Tis mine, madam!

You are deceived, I'm lord of it, I rule it,
And all that's in it; you've nothing to do here,
madam,

But as a servant to sweep clean the lodgings,
And at my farther will to do me service;

And so I'll keep it.

Mar. Tis well.

Leon. It shall be better.

Mar. As you love me, give way.

Leon. I will give none, madam;

I stand upon the ground of my own honour,
And will maintain it; you shall know me now
To be an understanding, feeling man,
And sensible of what a woman aims at;
A young proud woman, that has will to sail with;
A wanton woman, that her blood provokes too.
I cast my cloud off, and appear myself,
The master of this little piece of mischief,
And I will put a spell about your feet, lady;
They shall not wander, but where I give way

now.

Duke. Is this the fellow, that the people pointed at,

For the mere sign of man, the walking image? He speaks wondrous highly.

Leon. As a husband ought, sir,

In his own house; and it becomes me well, too. I think your grace would grieve, if you were put to it,

To have a wife or servant of your own, (For wives are reckoned in the rank of servants) Under your own roof to command ye.

But falling thus, they shew nor sweet nor orient.
Put up, my lord ! this is oppression,

And calls the sword of justice to relieve me,
The law to lend her hand, the king to right me;
All which shall understand how you provoke me.
In mine own house to brave me, is this princely?
Then to my guard; and if I spare your grace,
And do not make this place your monument,
Too rich a tomb for such a rude behaviour,
Mercy forsake me!

[Drazos.

I have a cause will kill a thousand of ye.
Juan. Hold, fair sir, I beseech ye!
The gentleman but pleads his own right nobly.
Leon. He, that dares strike against the hus-

band's freedom,

The husband's curse stick to him, a tamed cuc

kold!

His wife be fair and young; but most dishonest,
Most impudent, and he have no feeling of it,
No conscience to reclaim her from a monster;
Let her lie by him like a flattering ruin,
And, at one instant, kill both name and honour:
Let him be lost, no eye to weep his end,
And find no earth, that's base enough to bury him!
Now, sir, fall on, I'm ready to oppose ye.

Duke. I've better thought. I pray, sir, use your wife well.

Leon. Mine own humanity will teach me that,

sir.

| And now, you're welcome all, and we'll to dinner; This is my wedding-day.

Duke. I'll cross your joy yet.

She's

Sure they dare fight in fire, that conquer women.

Enter PEREZ.

Per. 'Save ye, which is the lady of the house? Leon. That's she, sir, that good-natured pretty lady,

If you'd speak with her.

Juan. Don Michael!

Per. Pray do not know me, I am full of busisiness.

When I have more time I'll be merry with ye.
It is the woman.
Good madam, tell me truly,
Had you a maid called Estifania?
Mar. Yes, truly had I.

Per. Was she a maid do you think?
Mar. I dare not swear for her;

For she had but a scant fame.

Per. Was she your kinswoman?

Mar. Not that I ever knew; now I look better, I think you married her; give you much joy, sir. Per. Give me a halter.

Mar. You may reclaim her; 'twas a wild young girl.

Per. Is not this house mine, madam? Was not she owner of it? Pray, speak truly. Mar. No, certainly, I'm sure my money paid for it,

you,

And ne'er remember yet I gave it sir.
Per. The hangings and the plate, too?
Mar. All are mine, sir,

And every thing you see about the building;
She only kept my house, when I was absent;
And so I'll keep it, I was weary of her.
Per. Where is your maid?

Mar. Do you not know, that have her?

SCENE I-A street.

Enter PEREZ.

You are so jealous now! Pox on your jealousy, How scornfully you look!

Per. Prithee leave fooling.

I'm in no humour now to fool and prattle.
Did she ne'er play the wag with you?
Mar. Yes, many times,

So often that I was ashamed to keep her.
But I forgave her, sir, in hopes she'd mend still;
And had not you o' the instant married her,
I'd put her off.

Per. I thank ye; I am blest still;
Which way soe'er I turn I'm a made man.
Miserably gulled beyond recovery.

Juan. You'll stay and dine?

Per. Certain I cannot, captain. Hark in thine ear, I am the arrantest puppy, The miserablest ass! But I must leave ye. I am in haste, in haste. Bless you, good madam, And may you prove as good as my wife! Leon. What then, sir?

Per. No matter, if the devil had one to fetch the other. [Exit PEREZ.

Leon. Will you walk in, sir? will your grace but honour me,

And taste our dinner? You are nobly welcome. All anger's past, I hope, and I shall serve ye.

[Exeunt.

I'm glad I have found ye; for, in truth, I am weary,

Weary and lame with looking out your lordship.
Per. I have been in bawdy houses-

Estif. I believe you, and very lately, too.
Per. 'Pray ye, pardon me;

To seek your ladyship, I have been in cellars,
In private cellars, where the thirsty bawds
Hear your confessions; I have been at plays,
To look you out among the youthful actors;
At puppet-shows, you are mistress of the mo-
tions;

At last, I went to church to seek you out;
'Tis so long since you were there, they have for-
got you.

Estif. You had a pretty progress; I'll tell

mine now.

To look you out, I went to twenty tavernsPer. And are you sober?

Estif. Yes, I reel not yet, sir;

Where I saw twenty drunk, most of them soldiers.

There I had great hope to find you disguised, too; From hence to the dicing-house; there I found quarrels

Needless and fenceless, swords, pots, and candlesticks,

Tables, and stools, and all in one confusion,
And no man knew his friend. I left this chaos,
And to the surgeon's went: he willed me stay,
For, says he, learnedly, if he be tippled,
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 ven-
tured,

Amongst diseases, base and vile, vile women;
For I remembered your old Roman axiom,
The more the danger, still the more the honour.
Last, to your confessor I came, who told me,
You were too proud to pray; and here I've
found ye.

Per. She bears up bravely, and the rogue is witty,

But I shall dash it instantly to nothing.
Here leave we off our wanton languages,
And now conclude we in a sharper tongue.
Why am I cozened?

Estif. Why am I abused?

Per. Thou most vile, base, abominable-
Estif. Captain.

Estif. Sir, there's your treasure, sell it to a tinker

To mend old kettles! Is this noble usage?
Let all the world view here the captain's trea-

sure.

A man would think now these were worthy

matters.

Here's a shoeing-horn chain gilt over; how it scenteth,

Worse than the dirty mouldy heels it served for! And here's another of a lesser value;

So little, I would shame to tie my dog in it.
These are my jointure; blush and save a labour,
Or else these will blush for ye.

Per. A fire subtle ye! are ye so crafty?
Estif. Here's a goodly jewel!

Did not you win this at Goletta, captain?
Or took it in the field from some brave bashaw?
See how it sparkles !-Like an old lady's eyes;
And fills each room with light, like a close lan-
thorn.

This would do rarely in an abbey window,
To cozen pilgrims.

Per. Prithee leave prating.

Estif. And here's a chain of whitings' eyes for pearls ;

A mussel-monger would have made a better. Per. Nay, prithee wife, my clothes, my clothes. Estif. I'll tell ye,

Your clothes are parallels to these, all counter

feit.

ble

Estif. Captain.

Per. Do you echo me?

Estif. Yes, sir, and go before ye,

And round about ye! Why do you rail at me, For that was your own sin, your own knavery? Per. And brave me, too?

Estif. You'd best now draw your sword, cap-
tain !

Draw it upon a woman, do, brave captain,
Upon your wife, Oh, most renowned captain!
Per. A plague upon thee, answer me directly;
Why didst thou marry me?

Estif. To be my husband;

I thought you had had infinite, but I am cozened.

Per. Why didst thou flatter me, and shew me wonders?

A house and riches, when they are but shadows; Shadows to me!

Estif. Why did you work on me, (It was but my part to requite you, sir) With your strong soldier's wit, and swore you'd bring me

So much in chains, so much in jewels, husband, So much in right rich clothes?

Per. Thou hast them, rascal;

I gave them to thy hands, my trunks and all,
And thou hast opened them, and sold my trea-

sure.

VOL. II.

A kind of candlestick,

A copper, a copper captain! these you thought,

my husband,

To have cozened me withal; but I am quit with

No plate nor hangings

Estif. There are none, sweet husband. Shadow for shadow is as equal justice.

[PEREZ sings-ESTIFANIA sings. Can you rail now? Pray, put your fury up, sir, And speak great words! you are a soldier; thunder!

Per. I will speak little; I have played the fool, And so I am rewarded.

Estif. You have spoke well, sir;

And now I see you're so comfortable,
I'll heighten you again. Go to your house;
They're packing to be gone; you must sup there;
I'll meet you, and bring clothes and clean linen
after,

And all things shall be well. I'll colt you once

Leon. Do you hear, ho? Go carry this unto your mistress, sir,

And let her see how much the king has honoured me;

Bid her be lusty, she must make a soldier.
Go, take down all the hangings,
And pack up all my clothes, my plate and jewels,
And all the furniture, that's portable.
Sir, when we lie in garrison, 'tis necessary
We keep a handsome port, for the king's honour.
And, do you hear? let all your lady's wardrobe
Be safely placed in trunks; they must along too.
Ser. Whither must they go, sir?

Leon. To the wars, Lorenzo.

Ser. Must mistress go, my

sir?

Mar. No sooner love ye,

Love ye entirely, sir, brought to consider
The goodness of your mind and mine own duty,
But lose you instantly, be divorced from ye!
This is a cruelty. I'll to the king,

And tell him 'tis unjust to part two souls,
Two minds so nearly mixed.

Leon. By no means, sweet-heart.
Mar. If he were married but four days, as I am-
Leon. He'd hang himself the fifth, or fly his
[Aside.
Mar. He'd make it treason for that tongue,
that durst

country.

But talk of war, or any thing to vex him.
You shall not go.

Leon. Indeed I must, sweet wife.
What, should I lose the king for a few kisses?
We'll have enough.

Mar. I'll to the duke, my cousin; he shall to the king.

Leon. He did me this great office;

I thank his grace for it: should I pray him now To undo it again? Fie, 'twere a base discredit, Mar. Would I were able, sir, to bear you company!

How willing should I be then, and how merry! I will not live alone

Leon. Be in peace, you shall not.

[Knocking within. Mar. What knocking's this? Oh, Heaven, my head! Why, rascal,

I think the wars begun in the house already. Leon. The preparation is, they are taking

down

And packing up the hangings, plate and jewels, And all those furnitures, that shall befit me, When I lie in garrison.

Enter LORENZO.

Lor. Must the coach go too, sir?

Leon. How will your lady pass to the sea else easily?

We shall find shipping for't there to transport it. Mar. I go? Alas!

Leon. I'll have a main care of

ye:

And all accommodation shall attend ye.

Mar. Would I were able!
Leon. Come, I warrant ye.

Am not I with ye, sweet? Are her clothes packed up,

And all her linen? Give your maids direction: You know my time's but short, and I'm commanded.

Mar. Let me have a nurse,

And all such necessary people with me;
An easy bark.

Leon. It shall not trot, I warrant ye;
Curvet it may sometimes.

Mar. I am with child, sir.

Leon. At four days warning! This is something speedy.