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Alas, I am not able! I've no wit, madam.

Mur. Nor do not labour to arrive at any;
'Twill spoil your head. I take ye upon charity,
And like a servant ye must be unto me.
As I behold your duty, I shall love
Can you mark these?

Leon. Yes, indeed, forsooth.
Mar. There is one thing,

you;

That, if I take ye in, I put ye from me,
Utterly from me; you must not be saucy,
No, nor at any time familiar with me,
Scarce know me, when I call ye not.

Leon. I will not. Alas, I never knew myself
sufficiently!

Mar. Nor must not now.

Leon. I'll be a dog to please you.

SCENE IV.--A grand saloon.

Enter CLARA and ESTIFANIA, with a paper.

Cla. What, have you caught him?
Estif. Yes.

Cla. And do you find him

A man of those hopes, that you aimed at?
Estif. Yes, and the most kind man ;

I find him rich too, Clara.

Cla. Hast thou married him?

Estif. What, dost thou think I fish without a
bait, wench?

I bob for fools. He is mine own. I have him.
I told thee what would tickle him like a trout;
And as I cast it, so I caught him daintily;
And all, he has, I've stowed at my devotion.

Cla. Does the lady know this? she's coming

now to town:

Now, to live here, in this house.

Estif. Let her come,

She shall be welcome, I'm prepared for her;
She's mad, sure, if she be angry at my fortune;
For what I have made bold.

Cla. Dost thou not love him?
Estif. Yes, entirely well.

As long as there he stays, and looks no farther
Into my ends; but when he doubts, I hate
him;

Mar. Indeed, you must fetch and carry as I And that wise hate will teach me how to cozen

him.

How to decline their wives, and curb their man

appoint ye.

Leon. I were to blame else.

Mar. Kiss me again.

[Kisses her.

ners;

If you see me

Kiss any other, twenty in an hour, sir,

To put a stern and strong rein to their natures:
And holds he is an ass not worth acquaintance,
That cannot mould a devil into obedience.

You must not start, nor be offended.

Leon. No, if you kiss a thousand, I shall be I owe him a good turn for these opinions;

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And see ye observe my laws.

Leon. Else you shall hang me.

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Mar. I'll give you better clothes, when you In one of the arbours; there 'tis cool and plea

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Per. Or has she e'er a letter from a kinswoman,

That must be delivered in my absence, wife?
Or comes she from the doctor to salute ye,
And learn your health? she looks not like a con-

fessor.

Estif. What needs all this? why are you troubled, sir?

What do you suspect? she cannot cuckold ye : She is a woman, sir, a very woman.

Per. Your very woman may do very well, sir, Towards the matter; for, though she cannot perform it

In her own person, she may do it by proxy.
Your rarest jugglers work still by conspiracy.
Estif. Cry ye mercy, husband! you are jealous,
then,

And haply suspect me?
Per. No, indeed, wife.
Estif. Methinks

more cause,

you

should not, till you have

And clearer, too. I'm sure you've heard say, husband,

A woman forced will free herself through iron;
A happy, calm, and good wife, discontented,
May be caught by tricks.

Per. No, no: I do but jest with ye.
Estif. To-morrow, friend, I'll see you.
Cla. I shall leave ye

Till then, and pray all may go sweetly with ye.

[Exit. [Knocking. Estif. Why, where's the girl? who's at the door? [Knock.

Per. Who knocks there?

Is't for the king you come, ye knock so boisterously?

Look to the door.

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Estif. I'll wise your worship

Before I leave ye. [Aside.] 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.

Per. The rogue speaks heartily:

Her good-will colours in her cheeks: I am born to love her.

I must be gentle to these tender natures :
A soldier's rude, harsh words befit not ladies;
Nor must we talk to them, as we talk to
Our officers. I'll give her way, for 'tis for me

she

Works now; I am husband, heir, and all she has—
Enter MARGARITTA, LEON, ALTEA, and Ladies.
Who are these? I hate such flaunting things.
A woman of rare presence! excellent fair;
This is too big, sure, for a bawdy house;
Too open seated, too.

Estif. My husband, lady.

Mar. You have gained a proper man. Per. Whate'er I am, I am your servant, lady. [Kisses. [Apart to PEREZ. And I shall make you rich: this is my cousin; That gentleman doats on her, even to death. See how he observes her.

Estif. Sir, be ruled now,

Per. She is a goodly woman.
Estif. She is a mirror.

But she is poor, she were for a prince's side else;
This house she has brought him to as to her own,
And presuming upon me, and on my courtesy---
Conceive me short; he knows not but she's
wealthy:

Or if he did know otherwise, 'twere all one,
He's so far gone.

Per. Forward; she's a rare face.

Estif. This we must carry with discretion, husband,

And yield unto her for four days.

Per. Yield our house up, our goods and

wealth!

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A part of the house.

Estif. No, no, they shall have all,

And take their pleasure too; 'tis for our advan

tage.

VOL. II.

Why, what's four days? Had you a sister, sir,
A niece, or mistress, that required this courtesy,
And should I make a scruple to do you good?
Per. If easily it would come back.

Estif. I swear, sir, as easily as it came on.
Is't not pity

To let such a gentlewoman for a little help
You give away no house.

Per. Clear but that question.

Estif. I'll put the writings into your
Per. Well then.

Estif. And you shall keep them safe.

hand.

Per. I'm satisfied. Would I had the wench too!

Estif. When she has married him,

So infinite his love is linked unto her,
You, I, or any one that helps at this pinch,
May have-Heaven knows what.

Per. I'll remove my trunks straight,
And take some poor house by; 'tis but four days.
Estif. I have a poor friend; there we will be.

SCENE I.-A Chamber.

Enter MARGARITTA and ALTEA.

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ACT III.

Alt. ARE you at ease now? Is your heart at

rest,

Now you have got a shadow, an umbrella,
To keep the scorching world's opinion
From your fair credit?

Mar. I am at peace, Altea.

If he continue but the same he shews,
And be a master of that ignorance
He outwardly professes, I am happy.
Alt. You're a made woman.

Mar. But if he should prove now
A crafty and dissembling kind of husband,
One read in knavery, and brought up in the art
Of villainy concealed?

Alt. My life, an innocent.
Mar. That's it I aim at.

That's it I hope too, then I'm sure I rule him:
For innocents are like obedient children,
Brought up under a hard mother-in-law, a cruel,
Who, being not used to breakfasts and colla-
tions,

When they have coarse bread offered, are thankful,

And take it for a favour too.

Are the rooms made ready

To entertain my friends? I long to dance now. Let me have a song. Is the great couch up The duke of Medina sent?

Alt. Your house is nothing now but various pleasures.

The gallants begin to gaze too.

Mar. Let them gaze on.

I was brought up a courtier, high and happy;
And company is my delight, and courtship,

[Exeunt.

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Enter a Lady.

1 Lady. Madam, the duke Medina, with some
captains,

Will come to dinner, and have sent rare wine,
And their best services.

Mar. They shall be welcome.

See all be ready in the noblest fashion.

Go, get your best clothes on; but, till I call ye,
Be sure you be not seen. Dine with the gentle-

women,

And behave yourself handsomely, sir; 'tis for my credit.

Enter a second Lady.

2 Lady. Madam, the lady Julia-
Leon. That's a bawd;

A three-piled bawd; bawd major to the army.
2 Lady. Has brought her coach to wait upon
your ladyship,

And to be informed if you will take the air this
morning.

Leon. The neat air of her nunnery.

Mar, Tell her no; i' the afternoon I'll call on her.

2 Lady. I will, madam.

And bills nailed up with horns before your doors,
To rent out wantonness.

Mar. Do you hear him talk?

Leon. I've done, madam:

An ox once spoke, as learned men deliver;
Shortly I shall be such, then I'll speak wonders.
'Till when I tie myself to my obedience. [Erit.
Mar. First I'll untie myself. Did you mark
the gentleman,

How boldly and how saucily he talked,
And how unlike the lump I took him for!
The piece of ignorant dough! he stood up to me,
And rated my commands.

This was your providence,

Your wisdom, to elect this gentleman,
Your excellent forecast in the man, your know,
ledge!

What think

ye now?
Alt. I think him an ass 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.

Mar. I'll have my cellar locked, no school kept
there,

[Erit. Nor no discovery. I'll turn my drunkards, Leon. Faith, madam, in my little understand-Such as are understanding in their draughts,

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tions;

And in a well-knit body, a poor parsnip
Will play his prize above their strong potables.
Mar. The fellow's mad!

Leon. He, that shall counsel ladies,
That have both liquorish and ambitious eyes,
Is either mad or drunk, let him speak gospel.
Alt. He breaks out modestly.
Leon. Pray ye be not angry;

My indiscretion has made bold to tell ye
What you'll find true.

Mar. Thou dar'st not talk?

Leon. Not much, madam;

You have a tie upon your servant's tongue;
He dare not be so bold as reason bids him;
"Twere fit there were a stronger on your temper.
Ne'er look so stern upon me! I'm your husband;
But what are husbands? Read the New World's
Wonders,

Such husbands as this monstrous world produces,
And you will scarce find such strange deformities;
They're shadows to conceal your venal virtues ;
Sails to your mills, that grind with all occasions;
Balls that lie by you, to wash out your stains;

And dispute learnedly the whys and wherefores,
To grass immediately: I'll keep all fools;
Sober or drunk, still fools that shall know no-
thing.

Nothing belongs to mankind but obedience,
And such a hand I'll keep over this husband.
Alt. He'll fall again: my life, he cries by this

time:

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Alt. He's humbled

Forgive, good lady.

Mar. Well, go, get you handsome,
And let me hear no more.

Leon. Have ye yet no feeling?

I'll pinch you to the bones then, my proud lady.

[Exit.

Mar. See you preserve him thus, upon my fa

vour.

You know his temper, tie him to the grindstone;
The next rebellion I'll be rid of him.

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Never return to mine own house again?
We're lodged here in the miserablest dog-hole!
A conjuror's circle gives content above it;
A hawk's mew is a princely palace to it:
We have a bed no bigger than a basket,
And we lie like butter clapt together,
And sweat ourselves to sauce immediately;
The fumes are infinite, that inhabit here too,
And to that so thick they cut like marmalade;
So various too, they'll pose a gold finder.
Never return to mine own paradise-
Why, wife, I say; why, Estifania!

Estif. [within.] I'm going presently.
Per. Make haste, good jewel.

I'm like the people that live in the sweet islands:
I die, I die, if I stay but one day more here.
My lungs are rotten with the damps that rise,
And I cough nothing now but stinks of all sorts.
The inhabitants we have are two starved rats,
(For they're not able to maintain a cat here,)
And those appear as fearful as two devils;
They've eat a map o' the whole world up already,

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SCENE III.-A street.

[Exeunt.

And if we stay a night, we're gone for company. Enter JUAN DE CASTRO, SANCHIO, and CACAThere's an old woman, that's now grown to mar

ble,

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FOGO.

San. Thou'rt very brave.

Caca. I've reason, I have money.

San. Is money reason?

Caca. Yes, and rhyme too, captain. If you've no money, you're an ass. San. I thank ye.

Caca. Ye've manners; ever thank him, that has

money.

San. Wilt thou lend me any?

Caca. Not a farthing, captain :

Captains are casual things.

San. Why so are all men. Thou shalt have my bond.

Caca. Not bonds, nor fetters, captain.
My money is my own, I make no doubt on't.
Juan. What dost thou do with it?
Caca. Put it to pious uses.

And you shall, presently, to your own house, sir: Buy wine and wenches, and undo young cox

The remembrance of this small vexation

Will be argument of mirth for ever.
By that time you have said your orisons,
And broke your fast, I shall be back, and ready
To usher you to your old content, your freedom.
Per. Break my fast! break my neck rather.
Is there any thing here to eat

But one another, like a race of cannibals?
A piece of buttered wall you think is excellent.

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