[Enter Iailor, Wooer, Doctor.]
DOCTOR.
Her distraction is more at some time of the Moone, then at other some,
is it not?
IAILOR.
She is continually in a harmelesse distemper, sleepes little,
altogether without appetite, save often drinking, dreaming of another
world, and a better; and what broken peece of matter so’ere she’s
about, the name Palamon lardes it, that she farces ev’ry busines
withall, fyts it to every question.—
[Enter Daughter.]
Looke where shee comes, you shall perceive her behaviour.
DAUGHTER.
I have forgot it quite; The burden on’t, was DOWNE A, DOWNE A, and pend
by no worse man, then Giraldo, Emilias Schoolemaster; he’s as
Fantasticall too, as ever he may goe upon’s legs,—for in the next world
will Dido see Palamon, and then will she be out of love with Eneas.
DOCTOR.
What stuff’s here? pore soule!
IAILOR.
Ev’n thus all day long.
DAUGHTER.
Now for this Charme, that I told you of: you must bring a peece of
silver on the tip of your tongue, or no ferry: then, if it be your
chance to come where the blessed spirits, as ther’s a sight now—we
maids that have our Lyvers perish’d, crakt to peeces with Love, we
shall come there, and doe nothing all day long but picke flowers with
Proserpine; then will I make Palamon a Nosegay; then let him marke
me,—then—
DOCTOR.
How prettily she’s amisse? note her a little further.
DAUGHTER.
Faith, ile tell you, sometime we goe to Barly breake, we of the
blessed; alas, tis a sore life they have i’th other place, such
burning, frying, boyling, hissing, howling, chattring, cursing, oh they
have shrowd measure! take heede; if one be mad, or hang or drowne
themselves, thither they goe, Iupiter blesse vs, and there shall we be
put in a Caldron of lead, and Vsurers grease, amongst a whole million
of cutpurses, and there boyle like a Gamon of Bacon that will never be
enough. [Exit.]
DOCTOR.
How her braine coynes!
DAUGHTER.
Lords and Courtiers, that have got maids with Child, they are in this
place: they shall stand in fire up to the Nav’le, and in yce up to’th
hart, and there th’offending part burnes, and the deceaving part
freezes; in troth, a very greevous punishment, as one would thinke, for
such a Trifle; beleve me, one would marry a leaprous witch, to be rid
on’t, Ile assure you.
DOCTOR.
How she continues this fancie! Tis not an engraffed Madnesse, but a
most thicke, and profound mellencholly.
DAUGHTER.
To heare there a proud Lady, and a proud Citty wiffe, howle together! I
were a beast and il’d call it good sport: one cries, ‘O this smoake!’
another, ‘this fire!’ One cries, ‘O, that ever I did it behind the
arras!’ and then howles; th’other curses a suing fellow and her garden
house. [Sings] I will be true, my stars, my fate, &c. [Exit Daugh.]
IAILOR.
What thinke you of her, Sir?
DOCTOR.
I thinke she has a perturbed minde, which I cannot minister to.
IAILOR.
Alas, what then?
DOCTOR.
Vnderstand you, she ever affected any man, ere she beheld
Palamon?
IAILOR.
I was once, Sir, in great hope she had fixd her liking on this
gentleman, my friend.
WOOER.
I did thinke so too, and would account I had a great pen-worth on’t, to
give halfe my state, that both she and I at this present stood
unfainedly on the same tearmes.
DOCTOR.
That intemprat surfeit of her eye hath distemperd the other sences:
they may returne and settle againe to execute their preordaind
faculties, but they are now in a most extravagant vagary. This you must
doe: Confine her to a place, where the light may rather seeme to steale
in, then be permitted; take vpon you (yong Sir, her friend) the name of
Palamon; say you come to eate with her, and to commune of Love; this
will catch her attention, for this her minde beates upon; other objects
that are inserted tweene her minde and eye become the prankes and
friskins of her madnes; Sing to her such greene songs of Love, as she
sayes Palamon hath sung in prison; Come to her, stucke in as sweet
flowers as the season is mistres of, and thereto make an addition of
som other compounded odours, which are grateful to the sence: all this
shall become Palamon, for Palamon can sing, and Palamon is sweet, and
ev’ry good thing: desire to eate with her, carve her, drinke to her,
and still among, intermingle your petition of grace and acceptance into
her favour: Learne what Maides have beene her companions and
play-pheeres, and let them repaire to her with Palamon in their
mouthes, and appeare with tokens, as if they suggested for him. It is a
falsehood she is in, which is with falsehood to be combated. This may
bring her to eate, to sleepe, and reduce what’s now out of square in
her, into their former law, and regiment; I have seene it approved, how
many times I know not, but to make the number more, I have great hope
in this. I will, betweene the passages of this project, come in with my
applyance: Let us put it in execution, and hasten the successe, which,
doubt not, will bring forth comfort. [Florish. Exeunt.]