Act 4 — Scene I.[3595]

Lug. Faint not, but do as I direct ye: trust me; Believe me too; for what I have told ye, lady, As true as you are Lillia, is authentic; I know it, I have found it: ’t is a poor courage Flies off for one repulse. These travellers5 Shall find, before we have done, a home-spun wit, A plain French understanding, may cope with ’em. They have had the better yet, thank your sweet squire here! And let ’em brag. You would be reveng’d? Lil. Yes, surely. Lug. And married too? Lil. I think so. Lug. Then be counsell’d;10 You know how to proceed. I have other irons Heating as well as yours, and I will strike Three blows with one stone home. Be rul’d, and happy; And so, I leave ye. Now is the time. Lil. I am ready, If he do come to dor[3596] me. [Exit Lugier.] Serv. Will ye stand here,15 And let the people think ye are God knows what, mistress? Let boys and prentices presume upon ye? Lil. Prithee, hold thy peace. Serv. Stand at his door that hates ye? Lil. Prithee, leave prating. Serv. Pray ye, go to the tavern: I ’ll give ye a pint of wine there. If any of the mad-cap gentlemen should come by,20 That take up women upon special warrant, You were in a wise case now.

Lil. Give me the garland; And wait you here. [Takes the garland from Servant, who retires.] Mir. She is here to seek thee, sirrah. I told thee what would follow; she is mad for thee. Show, and advance.—So early stirring, lady?25 It shows a busy mind, a fancy troubled. A willow garland too? Is ’t possible? ’T is pity so much beauty should lie musty; But ’t is not to be help’d now. Lil. The more ’s my misery.— Good fortune to ye, lady! you deserve it:30 To me, too-late repentance! I have sought it. I do not envy, though I grieve a little, You are mistress of that happiness, those joys, That might have been, had I been wise—but fortune— Pin. She understands ye not; pray ye, do not trouble her:35 And do not cross me like a hare thus; ’t is as ominous. Lil. I come not to upbraid your levity (Though ye made show of love, and though I lik’d ye), To claim an interest (we are yet both strangers; But what we might have been, had you persever’d, sir!)40 To be an eye-sore to your loving lady: This garland shows I give myself forsaken (Yet, she must pardon me, ’t is most unwillingly); And all the power and interest I had in ye (As, I persuade myself, somewhat ye lov’d me)45 Thus patiently I render up, I offer To her that must enjoy ye, and so bless ye; Only, I heartily desire this courtesy, And would not be deni’d, to wait upon ye This day, to see ye tied, then no more trouble ye.50 Pin. It needs not, lady. Lil. Good sir, grant me so much. Pin. ’T is private, and we make no invitation. Lil. My presence, sir, shall not proclaim it public. Pin. May be, ’t is not in town. Lil. I have a coach, sir, And a most ready will to do you service.55 Mir. [Aside to Pinac.] Strike now or never; make it sure: I tell thee, She will hang herself, if she have thee not. Pin. Pray ye, sir, Entertain my noble mistress: only a word or two With this importunate woman, and I’ll relieve ye.—60 Now ye see what your flings are, and your fancies, Your states, and your wild stubbornness; now ye find What ’t is to gird[3597] and kick at men’s fair services, To raise your pride to such a pitch and glory That goodness shows like gnats, scorn’d under ye.65 ’T is ugly, naught; a self-will in a woman, Chain’d to an overweening thought, is pestilent, Murders fair fortune first, then fair opinion.[3598] There stands a pattern, a true patient pattern, Humble and sweet. Lil. I can but grieve my ignorance.70 Repentance, some say too, is the best sacrifice; For, sure, sir, if my chance had been so happy (As I confess I was mine own destroyer) As to have arriv’d at you, I will not prophesy, But certain, as I think, I should have pleas’d ye;75 Have made ye as much wonder at my courtesy, My love, and duty, as I have dishearten’d ye. Some hours we have of youth, and some of folly; And being free-born maids, we take a liberty, And, to maintain that, sometimes we strain highly.80 Pin. Now you talk reason. Lil. But, being yok’d and govern’d, Married, and those light vanities purg’d from us, How fair we grow, how gentle, and how tender! We twine about those loves that shoot up with us! A sullen woman fear, that talks not to ye;85 She has a sad and darken’d soul, loves dully. A merry and a free wench, give her liberty, Believe her, in the lightest form she appears to ye, Believe her excellent, though she despise ye; Let but these fits and flashes pass, she will show to ye90 As jewels rubb’d from dust, or gold new burnish’d: Such had I been, had you believ’d. Pin. Is ’t possible? Lil. And to your happiness, I dare assure ye, If true love be accounted so: your pleasure, Your will, and your command, had tied my motions:95 But that hope’s gone. I know you are young and giddy, And, till you have a wife can govern with ye, You sail upon this world’s sea light and empty, Your bark in danger daily. ’T is not the name neither Of wife can steer you, but the noble nature,100 The diligence, the care, the love, the patience: She makes the pilot, and preserves the husband, That knows and reckons every rib he is built on. But this I tell ye, to my shame. Pin. I admire ye; And now am sorry that I aim beyond ye.105 Mir. [Aside.] So, so, so: fair and softly! She is thine own, boy; She comes now without lure. Pin. But that it must needs Be reckon’d to me as a wantonness, Or worse, a madness, to forsake a blessing, A blessing of that hope—— Lil. I dare not urge ye;110 And yet, dear sir—— Pin. ’Tis most certain, I had rather, If ’t were in mine own choice—for you are my country-woman, A neighbour here, born by me: she a stranger, And who knows how her friends—— Lil. Do as you please, sir; If ye be fast, not all the world—I love ye.115 It is most true, and clear I would persuade ye; And I shall love ye still. Pin. Go, get before me— So much ye have won upon me—do it presently. Here’s a priest ready—I’ll have you. Lil. Not now, sir;119 No, you shall pardon me. Advance your lady; I dare not hinder your most high preferment. ’T is honour enough for me I have unmask’d you. Pin. How ’s that? Lil. I have caught ye, sir. Alas, I am no stateswoman, Nor no great traveller, yet I have found ye;125 I have found your lady too, your beauteous lady; I have found her birth and breeding too, her discipline, Who brought her over, and who kept your lady, And, when he laid her by, what virtuous nunnery Receiv’d her in: I have found all these. Are ye blank now?130 Methinks, such travell’d wisdoms should not fool thus,— Such excellent indiscretions! Mir. How could she know this? Lil. ’T is true she ’s English-born; but most part French now, And so I hope you ’ll find her to your comfort. Alas, I am ignorant of what she cost ye!135 The price of these hired clothes I do not know, gentlemen! Those jewels are the broker’s, how ye stand bound for ’em! Pin. Will you make this good? Lil. Yes, yes; and to her face, sir, That she is an English whore, a kind of fling-dust,139 One of your London light-o’-loves, a right one; Came over in thin pumps and half a petticoat, One faith, and one smock, with a broken haberdasher— I know all this without a conjurer. Her name is Jumping Joan, an ancient sin-weaver; She was first a lady’s chambermaid, there slipp’d,145 And broke her leg above the knee; departed, And set up shop herself; stood the fierce conflicts Of many a furious term;[3599] there lost her colours, And last shipp’d over hither. Mir. We are betray’d! Lil. Do you come to fright me with this mystery?150 To stir me with a stink none can endure, sir? I pray ye, proceed; the wedding will become ye: Who gives the lady? You? An excellent father! A careful man, and one that knows a beauty! Send ye fair shipping, sir! and so, I ’ll leave ye.155 Be wise and manly; then I may chance to love ye! Exit [with Servant]. Mir. As I live, I am asham’d this wench has reach’d me, Monstrous asham’d; but there’s no remedy. This skew’d-ey’d carrion—— Pin. This I suspected ever.— Come, come, uncase; we have no more use of ye;160 Your clothes must back again. Mari. Sir, you shall pardon me; ’T is not our English use to be degraded. If you will visit me, and take your venture, You shall have pleasure for your properties. And so, sweetheart——165 [Exit.] Mir. Let her go, and the devil go with her! We have never better luck with these preludiums. Come, be not daunted; think she is but a woman, And, let her have the devil’s wit, we ’ll reach her! Exeunt.