Act 4 — ACT IV. SCENE I.
Reading edition
A Chamber in Penitent Brothel’s House.
Enter out of his study Penitent Brothel,[840] a book in his hand.
Pen. B. Ha? read that place again—Adultery
Draws the divorce ’twixt heaven and the soul.
Accursed man, that stand’st divorc’d from heaven!
Thou wretched unthrift, that hast play’d away
Thy eternal portion at a minute’s game;
To please the flesh hast blotted out thy name!
Where were thy nobler meditations busied,
That they durst trust this body with itself;
385This natural drunkard, that undoes us all,
And makes our shame apparent in our fall?
Then let my blood pay for’t, and vex and boil!
My soul, I know, would never grieve to th’ death
Th’ eternal spirit, that feeds her with his breath:
Nay, I that knew the price of life and sin,
What crown is kept for continence, what for lust,
The end of man, and glory of that end,
As endless as the giver,
To doat on weakness, slime, corruption, woman!
What is she, took asunder from her clothes?
Being ready,[841] she consists of hundred pieces,
Much like your German clock,[842] and near ally’d;
Both are so nice, they cannot go for pride:
Beside a greater fault, but too well known,
They’ll strike to ten, when they should stop at one.
Within these three days the next meeting’s fix’d;
If I meet then, hell and my soul be mix’d!
My lodging I know constantly, she not knows:
Sin’s hate is the best gift that sin bestows:
I’ll ne’er embrace her more; never, bear witness, never.
Enter Succubus in the shape of Mis. Harebrain,[843] and claps him on the shoulder.
Suc. What, at a stand? the fitter for my company.
Pen. B. Celestial soldiers guard me!
Suc. How now, man?
’Las, did the quickness of my presence fright thee?
386Pen. B. Shield me,[844] you ministers of faith and grace!
Suc. Leave, leave; are you not ashamed to use such words to a woman?
Pen. B. Thou’rt a devil!
Suc. A devil? feel, feel, man; has a devil flesh and bone?
Pen. B. I do conjure thee, by that dreadful power——
Suc. The man has a delight to make me tremble—
Are these the fruits of thy adventurous love?
Was I tic’d[845] for this, to be so soon rejected?
Come, what has chang’d thee so, delight?
Pen. B. Away!
Suc. Remember——
Pen. B. Leave my sight!
Suc. Have I this meeting wrought with cunning,
Which, when I come, I find thee shunning?
Rouse thy amorous thoughts, and twine me;
All my interest I resign thee:
Shall we let slip this mutual hour,
Comes so seldom in her[846] power?
387Where’s thy lip, thy clip, thy fadom?[847]
Had women such loves, would’t not mad ’em?
Art a man? or dost abuse one?
A love, and know’st not how to use one!
Come, I’ll teach thee.
Pen. B. Do not follow——
Suc. Once so firm, and now so hollow!
When was place and season sweeter?
Thy bliss in sight, and dar’st not meet her?
Where’s thy courage, youth, and vigour?
Love’s best pleas’d when’t’s seiz’d[848] with rigour:
Seize me, then, with veins most cheerful;
Women love no flesh that’s fearful:
’Tis but a fit; come, drink’t away,
And dance and sing, and kiss and play!
Fa le la, le la, fa le la, le la la;
Fa le la, fa la le, la le la!
[Singing and dancing round him.
Pen. B. Torment me not!
Suc. Fa le la, fa le la, fa la la lo!
Pen. B. Fury!
Suc. Fa le la, fa le la, fa la la lo!
Pen. B. Devil, I do conjure thee once again,
By that soul-quaking thunder, to depart,
And leave this chamber freed from thy damn’d art!
[Succubus stamps, and exit.
It has prevail’d—O my sin-shaking sinews!
What should I think?—Jasper, why, Jasper!
Enter Jasper.
Jas. Sir? how now? what has disturb’d you, sir?
388Pen. B. A fit, a qualm. Is mistress Harebrain[849]
gone?
Jas. Who, sir? mistress Harebrain?
Pen. B. Is she gone, I say?
Jas. Gone? why, she was never here yet.
Pen. B. No?
Jas. Why, no, sir.
Pen. B. Art sure on’t?
Jas. Sure on’t?
If I be sure I breathe, and am myself.
Pen. B. I like it not. [Aside.]—Where kept’st thou?
Jas. I’ th’ next room, sir.
Pen. B. Why, she struck by thee, man.
Jas. You’d make one mad, sir; that a gentlewoman should steal by me, and I not hear her! ’s foot, one may hear the ruffling of their bums[850] almost an hour before we see ’em.
Pen. B. I will be satisfied, although to hazard.
What though her husband meet me? I am honest:
When men’s intents are wicked, their guilt haunts ’em;
But when they’re just, they’re arm’d, and nothing daunts ’em. [Aside, and exit.
Jas. What strange humour call you this? he dreams of women, and both his eyes broad open! [Exit.
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