(SCENE 1.)

Enter Thorowgood, Bonvill & Grimes.

Bon. What? will it be a match man? Shall I kneele to thee and aske thee blessing, ha?

Tho. Pish! I begin to feare her, she does Dally with her affection: I admire itt.

Bon. Shee and her daughters Created were for admiration only, And did my Mistress and her sister not Obscure their mothers luster fancy could not Admitt a fuller bewty.

Tho. Tis easier to expresse Where nimble winds lodge, ore investigate An eagles passage through the agill ayre Then to invent a paraphrase to expresse How much true virtue is indebted to their Unparaleld perfections.

Bon. Nay[56], but shall I not be acquainted with your designe? when we must marry, faith to save charges of two wedding dinners, lets cast so that one day may yeild us bridegroome,—I to the daughter and thou to the mother.

Tho. She falls off With such a soddaine ambiguitie, From the strong heate of her profesd[57] love That I conceive she intends a regular proofe Of my untainted Faith.

Grimes. Soe I thinke, too: when I was young the plaine downe-right way serv'd to woe and win a wench; but now woing is gotten, as all things else are, into the fashion; gallantts now court their Mistress with mumps & mows as apes and monke[y]s doe.

Bon. But cannot all your fluent witt interpret Why she procastinatts your promisd match? By this light, her daughter would be married tomorrow If her mother and I had concluded on the Joynture.

Tho. The most evident reason she will give me of this unwellcome protraccon is she has some new employment to put on me, which performd she has ingaged her selfe to certainty of her designing me an answerare [sic].

Enter Lovell.

Grimes. Here comes your Rivall, Mr. Thorowgood,—Alexander the Great, her Ladishipps loving Steward.

Bon. But does he affect the lady; what's his character?

Grimes. He was by trade a taylor, sir, and is the tenth part of the bumbast that goes to the setting forth of a man: his dealing consists not much in weight but in the weight of his pressing Iron, under whose tyranny you shall perceave no small shrinking.

Tho. Well said, Grimes. On!

Grimes. He has alterd himselfe out of his owne cutt since he was steward; yet, if you saw him in my ladyes Chamber you would take him for some usher of a dancing schoole, as being aptest in sight for a crosse cap.

Tho. Excellent Grimes still!

Grimes. By his cloathes you might deeme him a knight; but yet if you uncase him, you will find his sattin dublett naught but fore sleaves & brest, the back part buckram; his cloake and cape of two sorts; his roses and garters of my ladyes old Cypres: to conclude, sir, he is an ambodexter or a Jack-of-all-sides & will needs mend that which Nature made: he takes much upon him since the old Knight dyed, and does fully intend to run to hell[58] for the lady: he hates all wines and strong drinks—mary, tis but in publique, for in private he will be drunke, no tinker like him.

Bon. Peace, sirrah; observe.

Lov. So, let me see the summa totalis of my sweet ladies perfections.

Grimes. Good, he has her in whole already.

Tho. Peace, Grimes.

Lov. Imprimis, her faire haire; no silken sleave Can be so soft the gentle worm does weave. It[em], noe Plush or satten sleeke, I vow, May be compard unto her velvet brow. It[em], her eyes—two buttons made of iett; Her lipps gumd taffety that will not frett; Her cheeks are changeable, as I suppose,— Carnation and white, lyllie and rose.

Grimes. I, there it goes.

Bon. I protest I comend him; he goes through stitch with her like the Master of his trade.

Lov. It[em] her brests two bottomes[59] be of thred, By which love to his laborinth is led. Her belly—

Grimes. I, marry, sir, now he comes to the purpose.

Lov. Her Belly a soft Cushion where no sinner But her true love must dare stick a pin in her.

Grimes. That line has got the prick and prayse from all the rest.

Lov. Butt to that stuff of stuffs, that without scoff Is Camills haire or else stand further off.

Grimes. How many shreads has he stoale here to patch up this lady?

Lov. The totall some of my blest deity Is the magazine of Natures treasury.— Soe, this made up, will I take an occasion to dropp where she may find it. But, stay; here's company.

Bon. Mr. Lovell.

Lov. And see, I shall divulge myselfe.

Grimes. A foole, I doubt not.

Bon. Is your lady stirring?

Lov. She is risen, sir, and early occupied in her occasions spiritual, and domesticke busines.

Enter Lady & Magdalen.

Lady. Sweet Mr. Bonvil. The simple entertain[m]ent you receave here I feare will scare you from us: you're so early Up, you do not sleepe well.

Tho. I cannot looke on her But Ime as violent as a high-wrought sea In my desires; a fury through my eyes At every glance of hers invades my heart.

Lady. What ayles you, servant? are you not well?

Bon. 'Tis his humour, Madam; he is accustomed, though it be in company, to hold a dialogue with his thoughts. Please you, lady, to give his fever libertie; the fit will soon be overpasd.

Tho. She bears her age well, or she is not sped Far into th'vale of yeares: she has an eye Piercing as is an Eglets when her damme, Training[60] her out into the serene air, Teaches her face the Sunbeames.

Bon. Madam, I fear my friend Hath falne againe in love; he practises To himself new speeches; you and he are not Broke off, I hope.

Lady. O, sir, I value my servant at a higher rate: We two must not easily disagree. Sir Alexander, attend in Mr. Bonvill. My daughter's up by this time, and I would have him give her the first salute. You had best be wary, Bonvill; the young cittizen or the souldier will rob you of her.

Bon. O, we feare not them: shall we goe, sir?

Lady. Nay, Ile detaine my servant.

Bon. Harke you, sir, strike home; doe you heare?

[Exeunt Bonvill, Grimes, Lovell & Mag.

Lady. Servant, have you leasure To hear what I inioyne you?

Tho. Your good pleasure.

Lady. What shall I doe? I can no longer beare This flame so mortall; I have wearid heaven With my entreaties and shed teares enough To extinguish Aetna, but, like water cast On coales, they ad unto my former heate A more outragious fervor. I have tried All modest meanes to give him notice of My violent love, but he, more dull then earth, Either conceives them not or else, possessd With full affection of my daughter, scornes me.

Tho. Madam, wilt please you to deliver your pleasure?

Lady. Thorowgood, Not clouds of lightning, or the raging bolt Heavens anger darts at the offending world, Can with such horrid rigor peirce the earth As these sad words I must demonstrate to you Doe my afflicted brest.—Ime lost; my tongue When I would speake, like to an Isicle Disturbd by motion of unruly winds Shakes to pronounce't, yet freezes to my roofe Faster by th'agitation.

Tho. Your full Judgment Could not have found an apter instrument For the performance of what you designe, Then I experience how much any man May become passive in obedience To the intent of woman, in my truth. Set the abstrusest comment on my faith Imagination can resolve, my study Shall mak't as easie as the plainest lines Which hearty lovers write.

Enter Timothy.

Tim. Madam, this letter and his humble vowes From your deserving sonn.

Lady. He writes me here he will be here tomorrow. Where left you him?

Tim. At your right worthy Cosens.

Lady. What manner of man is this Mr. Thurston He brings with him?

Tim. A most accomplishd gentleman.

Lady. 'Tis well: Mr. Thoroegood, Weele walke into the Gallery, and there Discourse the rest.

Tho. I long till I receive the audience of it.

Tim. Your ladiship will vouchsafe to meete The Gent[lemen] in your Coach some two miles hence?

Lady. Ile thinke of it.

[Exeunt omnes.