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THE
Perjur'd Husband:
OR, THE
Adventures of VENICE.
A
TRAGEDY.
Drawn from
THE
WORKS
OF THE CELEBRATED
Mrs. CENTLIVRE.
VOLUME ONE
LONDON:
Printed for J. Knapton, C. Hitch and L. Hawes,
J. and R. Tonson, S. Crowder and Co. W. Bathoe,
T. Lownds, T. Caslon, and G. Kearsly.
M.DCC.LXI.
[Decoration]
THE
PROLOGUE.
By a GENTLEMAN.
Spoken by Mrs. OLDFIELD.
_Such dreadful Laws of late 'gainst Wit are made,_
_It dares not in the City show its Head._
_No Place is safe; each Cuckold turns Informer,_
_If we make merry--it must be in a Corner._
_And here's To-night, what doubly makes it sweet,_
_A private Table, and a Lady's Treat:_
_At her Reflections none can be uneasy,_
_When the kind Creature does her best to please ye._
_Humbly she sues, and 'tis not for your Glory_
_T'insult a Lady--when she falls before ye._
_But since no human Wit can stand the Test,_
_With_ Gorman! _and the_ Champion of the West!
_She'll fill the Lists, and then you cannot slight her,_
(_With Honour safe_) _for she's_ a fair Inviter.
_Expects no Favour, but at Honour's Call,_
_Defies the boldest_ Briton _of you all;_
_Whate'er's her Fate, she's sure to gain the Field,_
_For Women always conquer, when they yield._
[Decoration]
Dramatis Personae.
MEN.
_Count_ Bassino, _a_ Savoyard, _married to_ } _Mr._ Mills.
Placentia, _and in Love with_ Aurelia, }
Armando, Bassino's _Friend_, _Mr._ Simpson.
Alonzo, _a_ Venetian _Gentleman_, _betrothed }
to_ Aurelia, } _Mr._ Thomas.
Pizalto, _a Noble_ Venetian, _Mr._ Norris.
Ludovico, _a_ Frenchman, _Mr._ Fairbank.
WOMEN.
Placentia, Bassino's _Wife_, _Mrs._ Kent.
Aurelia, _a young_ Venetian _Lady, betrothed_ }
_to_ Alonzo, _but in Love with_ } _Mrs._ Oldfield.
Bassino, }
Forella, _her Woman_, _Mrs._ Baker.
_Lady_ Pizalta, Pizalto's _Wife_, _Mrs._ Moore.
Lucy, _her Woman_, _Mrs._ Lucas.
_Maskers, Dancers, Singers, and Attendants._
SCENE, VENICE, in Carnival-Time.
THE PERJUR'D HUSBAND.
ACT I. SCENE I.
_The Curtains fly up, and discover a Mask in_ Pizalto's _House_.
Pizalto, _Lady_ Pizalta, Lucy; Ludovico _talking to Lady_ Pizalta;
Bassino _and_ Aurelia _talking together_; Florella _and other
Maskers_.
_A_ Spanish _Entry_.
_While the Dance is performing_, _enter_ Armando, _and gives_ Bassino
_two Letters, which he opens and reads_.
_Lady_ Pizalta _and_ Lucy _advance to the Front of the Stage_.
L. Piz. Oh! _Lucy_, I'm undone----
That Stranger there has charm'd my Heart: I feel
The Pow'r of conquering Love; quick, quickly tell me,
What shall I do to ease this racking Passion?
_Lucy._ Nay, Madam, I fancy your Passion has little Occasion for
Lenitives; it blazes so violently at first, 'tis like to be soon
extinguish'd.
L. _Piz._ Dear _Lucy_, don't trifle with me; but contrive, imagine,
do any thing, to bless thy Love-sick Mistress with the Sight of that
dear Man: And as an Earnest of further Rewards, here, take this----
[_Gives her a Ring._
_Lucy._ Madam, I receive your Commands with much Joy, but your Present
with more----[_Aside._] I'll try what this projecting Brain can do,
and if you step into the next Room, I'll soon give you an Account of
my Proceedings. [_Exit L._ Pizalta.
_Bass._ Ye Gods!
What have I done, that you pursue me thus?
Why did you e'er decree that I should wed
A Wife I now must hate? Why did I see
The bright _Aurelia_? Why am I thus torn
'Twixt Love and Duty? Oh! what Pangs, what Torments
My Soul endures! Oh! my _Aurelia_!
[_Exeunt omnes, but_ Lucy & Ludov.
Lucy _pulling_ Ludovico _by the Sleeve_.
_Lucy._ Sir, Sir, one Word with you.
_Lud._ Your Business----
_Lucy._ May one ask you a civil Question, and be resolv'd?
_Lud._ Hum--A civil Question, sayst thou? What's it, prithee, a
Night's Lodging? If so, pull off thy Mask, and I'll resolve thee
instantly----But I never strike Bargains in the Dark.
_Lucy._ I don't know, Sir, but it may tend to that, by way of Proxy,
at the long-run: But at present my Commission reaches no further than
to know your Lodgings; if any Thing comes on't, I fancy 'twill not
displease you.
_Lud._ (_Aside._) Hum----This is but a Pettifogger in Intrigues, I
find----Egad, I'm like to be pretty well employ'd during the
Carnival----Well, considering I am a Stranger here, this Hit may be a
lucky one, and the Lady handsome----Egad, I'll fancy her so at least,
wer't but for the Pleasure of Expectation.
_Lucy._ What are you studying, Sir? Are you so long resolving whether
you shall accept a Lady's Favour, or no?
_Lud._ No, faith, Child: I am not over-scrupulous in those
Matters----Let her be but Woman, and we shan't disagree----And so thou
mayst tell her----There's a Direction for thee. [_Tears the
Superscription of a Letter and gives it her._ [_Exit_ Ludovico.
_Lucy._ Frank and easy, _a la mode de Paris_----Well, these
indifferent Sparks charm more than all your cringing Fops----Now for
my Business--Let me see--I'll to my Lady, she'll write; I'll carry the
Letter, and the Devil will turn Saint, if I don't bring 'em together,
and merit a further Recompence.
_By Coupling many have their Fortunes made;_
_I only want Preferment, not my Trade._
[_Exit_ Lucy.