_Long._ Of what I was unwilling to have been
The first reporter.
_Mont._ Didst observe no more?
_Long._ At least no better.
_Mont._ Then th'art not inform'd
So well as I am; I can tell thee that
Will please thee, for when all else left my cause,
My very adversaries took my part.
_Long._ --Whosoever told you that, abused you.
_Mont._ Credit me, he took my part
When all forsook me.
_Long._ Took it from you.
_Mont._ Yes I mean so, and I think he had just cause
To take it, when the verdict gave it him.
_Dub._ His Spirit would ha' sunk him, e'r he could
Have carried an ill fortune of this weight so lightly.
_Mont._ Nothing is a misery, unless our weakness apprehend it so;
We cannot be more faithful to our selves
In any thing that's manly, than to make
Ill fortune as contemptible to us
As it makes us to others.
_Enter Lawyers._
_Long._ Here come they
Whose very countenances will tell you how
Contemptible it is to others.
_Mont._ Sir?
_Long._ The Sir of Knighthood may be given him, e'r
They hear you now?
_Mont._ Good Sir but a word.
_Dub._ How soon the loss of wealth makes any man
Grow out of knowledge.
_Long._ Let me see, I pray, Sir,
Never stood you upon the Pillory?
_1 Law._ The Pillory?
_Long._ Oh now I know you did not.
Y'ave ears, I thought ye had lost 'em; pray observe,
Here's one that once was gracious in your eyes.
_1 Law._ Oh my Lord, have an eye upon him.
_Long._ But ha' you ne'er a Counsel to redeem
His Land yet from the judgement?
_2 Law._ None but this, a Writ of error to remove the cause.
_Long._ No more of error, we have been in that too much already.
_2 Law._ If you will reverse the judgement, you must trust to that
delay.
_Long._ Delay? indeed he's like to trust to that,
With you has any dealing.
_2 Law._ E'r the Law proceeds to an _Habere facias possessionem_.
_Dub._ That's a language Sir, I understand not.
_Long._ Th'art a very strange unthankful fellow to have taken Fees
of such a liberal measure, and then give a man hard words for's
money.
_1 Law._ If men will hazard their salvations,
What should I say? I've other business.
_Mont._ Y'are i'th' right;
That's it you should say, now prosperity has left me.
_Enter two Creditors._
_1 Cred._ Have an eye upon him; if
We lose him now, he's gone for ever; stay
And dog him: I'll go fetch the Officers.
_Long._ Dog him you Bloud-hound: by this point thou shalt more
safely dog an angry Lion, than attempt him.
_Mont._ What's the matter?
_Long._ Do but stir to fetch a Serjeant; and besides your loss
Of labour, I'll have you beaten, till
Those casement in your faces be false lights.
_Dub._ Falser than those you sell by.
_Mont._ Who gave you Commission to abuse my friends thus?
_Lon._ Sir, are those your friends that would betray you?
_Mont._ 'Tis to save themselves rather than betray me.
_1 Cred._ Your Lordship makes a just construction of it.
_2 Cred._ All our desire is but to get our own.
_Long._ Your wives desires and yours do differ then.
_Mont._ So far as my ability will go
You shall have satisfaction _Longeville_.
_Long._ And leave your self neglected; every man
Is first a debtor to his own demands, being honest.
_Mont._ As I take it, Sir, I did
Not entertain you for my Counselor.
_Long._ Counsel's the office of a servant,
When the master falls upon a danger; as
Defence is; never threaten with your eyes,
They are no cockatrices; do you hear?
Talk with [a] Girdler, or [a] Mill'ner,
He can inform you of a kind of men
That first undid the profit of those trades
By bringing up the form of carrying
Their _Morglays_ in their hands: with some of those
A man may make himself a priviledge
To ask a question at the prison gates
Without your good permission.
_2 Cred._ By your leave.
_Mont._ Stay Sir, what one example since the time
That first you put your hat off to me, have
You noted in me to encourage you
To this presumption? by the justice now
Of thine own rule, I should begin with thee,
I should turn thee away ungratified
For all thy former kindness, forget
Thou ever didst me any service: 'tis not fear
Of being arrested, makes me thus incline
To satisfy you; for you see by him,
I lost not all defences with my state;
The curses of a man to whom I am
Beholding terrify me more, than all
The violence he can pursue me with.
_Duboys_, I did prepare me for the worst;
These two small Cabinets do comprehend
The sum of all the wealth that it hath pleased
Adversity to leave me, one as rich
As th'other, both in Jewels; take thou this,
And as the Order put within it shall
Direct thee, distribute it half between
Those Creditors, and th' other half among
My servants: for (Sir) they are my Creditors
As well as you are, they have trusted me
With their advancement: if the value fail,
To please you all, my first increase of means
Shall offer you a fuller payment; be content
To leave me something, and imagine that
You put a new beginner into credit.
_Cred._ So prosper our own blessings, as we wish you to
your merit.
_Mont._ Are you[r] silences of discontent, or of sorrow?
_Dub._ Sir, we would not leave you.
_Long._ Do but suffer us to follow you, and what our present
means, or industries hereafter can provide, shall serve you.
_Mont._ Oh desire me not to live
To such a baseness, as to be maintained
By those that serve me; pray begone, I will
Defend your honesties to any man
That shall report you have forsaken me;
I pray begone. [_Exeunt Servants and Creditors._
Why, dost thou weep my boy,
Because I do not bid thee go to[o]?
_Ver._ No, I weep (my Lord) because I would not go;
I fear you will command me.
_Mont._ No my child,
I will not; that would discommend th' intent
Of all my other actions: thou art yet
Unable to advise thy self a course,
Should I put thee to seek it; after that
I must excuse, or at the least forgive
Any [un]charitable deed that can be done against my self.
_Ver._ Every day (my Lord) I tarry with you, I'll account
A day of blessing to me; for I shall
Have so much less time left me of my life
When I am from you: and if misery
Befall you (which I hope so good a man
Was never born to) I will take my part,
And make my willingness increase my strength
To bear it. In the Winter I will spare
Mine own cloth[e]s from my self to cover you;
And in the Summer, carry some of yours
To ease you: I'll doe any thing I can.
_Mont._ Why, thou art able to make misery
Ashamed of hurting, when thy weakness can
Both bear it, and despise it: Come my boy
I will provide some better way for thee
Than this thou speakst of: 'tis the comfort that
[Ill] fortune has undone me into the fashion:
For now in this age most men do begin,
To keep but one boy, that kept many men. [_Exeunt._
_Enter Orleans, a Servant, his Lady following._
_Orl._ Where is she? call her.
_Lady._ I attend you Sir.
_Orl._ Your friend sweet Madam.
_Lady._ What friend, good my Lord?
_Orl._ Your _Montague_, Madam, he will shortly want
Those Courtly graces that you love him for;
The means wherewith he purchased this, and this;
And all his own provisions to the least
Proportion of his feeding, or his clothes,
Came out of that inheritance of land
Which he unjustly lived on: but the law
Has given me right in't, and possession; now
Thou shalt perceive his bravery vanish, as
This Jewell does from thee now, and these Pearls
To him that owes 'em.
_Lady._ Ye are the owner Sir of every thing that does belong to me.
_Orl._ No, not of him, sweet Lady.
_Lady._ O good [God]!
_Orl._ But in a while your mind will change, and be
As ready to disclaim him; when his wants
And miseries have perish'd his good face,
And taken off the sweetness that has made
Him pleasing in a womans understanding.
_La._ O Heaven, how gratious had Creation been
To women, who are born without defence,
If to our hearts there had been doors through which
Our husbands might have lookt into our thoughts,
And made themselves undoubtfull.
_Orl._ Made 'em mad.
_La._ With honest women.
_Orl._ Thou dost still pretend
A title to that virtue: prethee let
Thy honesty speak freelie to me now.
Thou know'st that _Montague_, of whose Land
I [a]m the master, did affect thee first,
And should have had thee, if the strength of friends
Had not prevail'd above thine own consent.
I have undone him; tell me how thou dost
Consider his ill fortune and my good.
_La._ I'll tell you justly his undoing is
An argument for pity and for tears
In all their dispositions that have known
The honor and the goodness of his life:
Yet that addition of prosperity,
Which you have got by't, no indifferent man
Will malice or repine at, if the Law
Be not abused in't; howsoever since
You have the upper fortune of him, 'twill
Be some dishonor to you to bear your self
With any pride or glory over him.
_Orl._ This may be truely spoken, but in thee
It is not honest.
_La._ Yes, so honest, that I care not if the chast _Penelope_
Were now alive to hear me.
_Enter Amiens._
_Orl._ Who comes there?
_La._ My brother.
_Am._ Save ye.
_Orl._ Now Sir, you have heard of prosperous _Montague_.
_Am._ No Sir, I have heard of _Montague_,
But of your prosperity.
_Orl._ Is he distracted.
_Am._ He does bear his loss with such a noble strength
Of patience that,
Had fortune eyes to see him, she would weep
For having hurt him, and pretending that
Shee did it but for triall of his worth:
Hereafter ever love him.
_Orl._ I perceive you love him, and because (I must confess)
He does deserve that though for some respects,
I have not given him that acknowledgement,
Yet in mine honor I did still conclude to use him nobly.
_Am._ Sir, that will become your reputation and make me
grow proud of your alliance.
_Orl._ I did reserve the doing of this friendship till I had
His fortunes at my mercy, that the world
May tell him 'tis a willing courtesie.
_La._ This change will make me happy.
_Orl._ 'Tis a change; thou shalt behold it: then observe me when
That _Montague_ had possession of my Land,
I was his rivall, and at last obtain'd
This Lady who, by promise of her own
Affection to him, should ha' bin his wife;
I had her, and withheld her like a pawn,
Till now my Land is rend'red to me again,
And since it is so, you shall see I have
The conscience not to keep her--give him her-- [_draws._
For by the faithfull temper of my sword, she shall not tarry with
me.
_Am._ Give me way-- [_draws._
Thou most unworthy man--give me way;
Or by the wrong he does the Innocent,
I'll end thy misery and his wickedness, together.
_Lady._ Stay and let me justifie
My husband in that, I have wrong'd his bed. [_Exeunt Am. Orl._
_Enter Orleans in amazement, the servants following him._
Never--all shames that can afflict me fall
Upon me if I ever wrong'd you;
_Orl._ Didst thou not confess it;
_La._ 'Twas to save your blood from shedding, that has
Turn'd my brothers edge;
He that beholds our thoughts as plainely as
Our faces, knowes it, I did never hurt
My honesty but by accusing it.
_Orl._ Womens consents are sooner credited
Than their denials: and I'll never trust
Her body that prefers any defence
Before the safety of her honor--here
_Enter Servant._
Show forth that stranger--give me not a word.
Thou seest a danger readie to be tempted.
_La._ Cast that upon me rather than my shame,
And as I am now dying I will vow
That I am honest.
_Orl._ Put her out of dores; but that I fear my land
May go again to _Montague_, I would kill thee, I am loth,
To make a beggar of him that way; or else--
Go now you have the liberty of flesh,
And you may put it to a double use,
One for your pleasure, th'other to maintain
Your wellbeloved, he will want. [_Exit Lady._
In such a charitable exercise
The virtue will excuse you for the vice. [_Exit Orleans._
_Enter Amiens drawn, Montague, Veramor meeting._
_Mont._ What means your Lordship?
_Ver._ For the love of [God].
_Am._ Thou hast advantage of me, cast away this buckler.
_Mont._ So he is Sir, for he lives
With one that is undone--avoyd us boy.
_Ver._ I'll first avoid my safety,
Your Rapier shall be button'd with my head, before it touch
my Master.
_Am. Montague?_
_Mont._ Sir.
_Am._ You know my sister?
_Mont._ Yes Sir.
_Am._ For a whore?
_Mont._ You lye, and shall lie lower if you dare abuse her honor.
_Enter Lady._
_La._ I am honest.
_Am._ Honest!
_La._ Upon my faith I am.
_Am._ What did then p[e]rsuade thee to condemn thy self?
_La._ Your safety.
_Am._ I had rather be expos'd
To danger, than dishonor; th'ast betray'd
The reputation of my familie
More basely by the falseness of that word,
Than if thou hadst delivered me asleep
Into the hands of base enemies.
Relief will never make thee sensible
Of thy disgraces; let thy wants compell thee to it. [_Exit._
_La._ O I am a miserable woman.
_Mont._ Why Madam? are you utterly without means to relieve you?
_La._ I have nothing Sir, unless by changing of these cloaths for
worse, and then at last the worst for nakedness.
_Mont._ Stand off boy, nakedness would be a change
To please us Madam, to delight us both.
_La._ What nakedness Sir?
_Mont._ Why the nakedness of body Madam, we were Lovers once.
_La._ Never dishonest Lovers.
_Mont._ Honestie has no allowance now to give our selves.
_La._ Nor you allowance against honestie.
_Mont._ I'll send my Boy hence, opportunitie
Shall be our servant, come and meet me first
With kisses like a stranger at the door,
And then invite me nearer to receive
A more familiar inward wellcome; where,
Instead of tapers made of Virgins wax
Th'increasing flames of our desires shall light
Us to a banquet: and before the taste
Be dull with satisfaction, I'll prepare
A nourishment compos'd of every thing
That bears a naturall friendship to the blood,
And that shall set another edge upon 't,
Or else between the courses of the feast
We'll dallie out an exercise of time,
That ever as one appetite expires another may succeed it.
_La._ O my Lord, how has your nature lost her worthiness!
When our affections had their liberty,
Our kisses met as temperatelie as
The hands of sisters, or of brothers, that
Our bloods were then as moving; then you were
So noble, that I durst have trusted your
Embraces in an opportunity
Silent enough to serve a ravisher,
And yet come from you--undishonor'd--how
You think me altered, that you promise your
Attempt success I know not; but were all
The sweet temptations that deceive us set
On this side, and [on] that side all the waiters,
These neither should p[e]rsuade me, nor these force.
_Mont._ Then misery may waste your body.
_Lady._ Yes, but lust shall never.
_Mont._ I have found you still as uncorupted as I left you first
Continue so; and I will serve you with
As much devotion as my word, my hand
Or purse can show you; and to justifie
That promise, here is half the wealth I have,
Take it, you owe me nothing, till you fall
From virtue, which the better to protect
I have bethought me of a present means:
Give me the Letter; this commends my Boy
Into the service of a Lady, whose
Free goodness you have bin acquainted with, _Lamira_.
_Lady._ Sir I know her.
_Mont._ Then believe her entertainment will be noble to you;
My boy shall bring you thither: and relate
Your manner of misfortune if your own
Report needs any witness: so I kiss your hand good Lady.
_Lady._ Sir, I know not how to promise, but I cannot be unthankfull.
_Mont._ All that you can implore in thankfulness
Be yours, to make you the more prosperous.
Farwell my boy,--I am not yet oppress'd. [_Exit Lady Vere._
Having the power to helpe one that's distress'd. [_Exeunt._
_Actus Secundi. Scæna Prima._
_Enter Longaville and Dubois._
_Long._ What shall we do now: swords are out of use,
And words are out of credit.
_Dub._ We must serve.
_L[o]ng._ The means to get a service will first spend
Our purses; and except we can allow
Our selves an entertainment, service will
Neglect us; now 'tis grown into a doubt
Whether the Mr. or the servants gives the countenance.
_Dub._ Then fall in with Mistresses.
_Long._ They keep more servants now (indeed) than men,
But yet the age is grown so populous
Of those attendants, that the women are
Grown full too.
_Dub._ What shall we propound our selves?
_Long._ I'll think on't.
_Dub._ Do; Old occupations have too many setters up to
prosper, some uncommon trade would thrive now.
_Long._ Wee'll e'en make up some half a dozen proper men.
And should not we get more
Than all your female sinners?
_Dub._ If the house be seated as it should be privately.
_Long._ I, but that would make a multitude of witches.
_Dub._ Witches? how prethee?
_Long._ Thus the bauds would all turn witches to revenge
Themselves upon us, and the women that
Come to us, for disguises must wear beards,
And that's they say, a token of a witch.
_Dub._ What shall we then do.
_Long._ We must study on't
With more consideration; stay _Duboyes_
Are not the Lord of _Orleans_ and the Lord
Of _Amiens_ enemies?
_Dub._ Yes, what of that.
_Long._ Methinks the factions of two such great men.
Should give a promise of advancement now
To us that want it.
_Dub._ Let the plot be thine, and in the enterprize I'll second thee.
_Long._ I have it, we will first set down our selves
The Method of a quarrell; and make choyce
Of some frequented Tavern; or such a place
Of common notice, to perform it in
By way of undertaking to maintain
The severall honors of those enemies.
Thou for the Lord of _Orleans_; I for _Amiens_.
_Dub._ I like the project, and I think 'twill take
The better, since their difference first did rise
From his occasion whom we followed once.
_Long._ We cannot hope less after the report,
Than entertainment or gratuity,
Yet those are ends, I do not aim at most;
Great spirits that are needy, and will thrive,
Must labour whiles such troubles are alive. [_Exeunt._
_Enter Laverdine and La-poope._
_La-p._ Slander is sharper than the sword. I have fed this three
dayes upon leaf _Tobacco_, for want of other Victuals.
_Lav._ You have liv'd the honester Captain; but be not so dejected,
but hold up thy head, and meat will sooner fall i'thy mouth.
_La-p._ I care not so much for meat, so I had but good liquor, for
which my guts croak like so many Frogs for rain.
_Lav._ It seems, you are troubled with the wind-Collick, Captain,
swallow a bullet: 'tis present remedy I'll assure you.
_La-p._ A bullet? I'll tell you Sir, my panch is nothing but a pile
of bullets; when I was in any service I stood between my Generall
and the shot, like a mud-wall; I am all lead, from the crown of the
head to the soal of the foot, not a sound bone about me.
_La[v]._ It seems you have bin in terrible hot service Captain.
_La-p._ It has ever bin the fate of the low Country wars to spoil
many a man, I ha' not bin the first nor shall not be the last: but
I'll tell you Sir, (hunger has brought it in to mind) I served once
at the Siege of _Braste_, 'tis memorable to this day, where we were
in great distress for victuals, whole troops fainted more for want
of food then for blood, and died, yet we were resolved to stand it
out; I my self was but then Gentleman of a Company, and had as much
need as any man, and indeed I had perished had not a miraculous
providence preserved me.
_Lav._ As how good Captain?
_La-p._ Marry Sir, e'en as I was fainting and falling down for want
of sustenance, the enemy made a shot at me, and struck me full ith'
paunch with a penny loaf.
_Lav._ Instead of a bullet!
_La-p._ In stead of a bullet.
_Lav._ That was miraculous indeed; and that loaf sustained you.
_La-p._ Nourished me or I had famished with the rest.
_Lav._ You have done worthy acts being a soldier, and now you shall
give me leave to requite your tale, and to acquaint you with the
most notorious deeds that I have done being a Courtier. I protest
Captain I will lie no more than you have done.
_La-p._ I can indure no lies.
_Lav._ I know you cannot Captain, therefore I'll only tell you
of strange things: I did once a deed of charity for it self; I
assisted a poor widow in a sute, and obtained it, yet I protest I
took not a penny for my labor.
_La-p._ 'Tis no such strange thing.
_Lav._ By _Mars_ Captain, but it is, and a very strange thing too
in a Courtier, it may take the upper hand of your penny loaf for a
miracle. I could ha' told you how many Ladyes have languished for
my love, and how I was once sollicited by the mother, the daughter,
and grand-mother; out of the least of which I might have digg'd
my self a fortune; they were all great Ladyes, for two of them
were so big I could hardly embrace them: but I was sluggish in
my rising courses, and therefore let them pass; what means I had
is spent upon such as had the wit to cheat me; That wealth being
gone, I have only bought experience with it, with a strong hope
to cheat others; but see here comes the much declined _Montague_,
who had all the Manor houses, which were the body of his estate,
overthrowen by a great wind.
_Enter Montague, Mallicorne._
_La-p._ How by a great wind? was he not overthrown by law?
_Lav._ Yes, marry was he: but there was terrible puffing and
blowing before he was overthrown, if you observ'd, and believe it
Captain, there's no wind so dangerous to a building as a lawyers
breath.
_La-p._ What's he with him?
_Lav._ An eminent Citizen, Mounsier _Mallicorne_, let's stand a
side and listen their design.
_Mal._ Sir, profit is the Crown of labor, it is the life, the soul
of the industrious Merchant, in it he makes his paradise, and for
it neglects Wife, Children, Friends, Parents, nay all the world,
and delivers up himself to the violence of storms, and to be tos'd
into unknown ayrs; as there is no faculty so perillous, so there's
none so worthy profitable.
_Mont._ Sir, I am very well possest of it, and what of my poore
fortunes remaines, I would gladly hazard upon the Sea: it cannot
deal worse with me than the Land, though it sink or throw it in
the hands of Pirats. I have yet five hundred pounds left, and your
honest and worthy acquaintance may make me a young Merchant; th'one
moity of what I have I would gladly adventure.
_Mal._ How adventure? you shall hazard nothing: you shall only joyn
with me in certain commodities that are safe arrived unto the Key;
you shall neither be in doubt of danger nor dammage; But so much
money disburst, so much receive; Sir, I would have you conceive I
pursue it not for any good your money will do me, but meerly out of
mine own freeness and courtesie to pleasure you.
_Mont._ I can believe no less, and you express a noble nature,
seeking to build up a man so ruin'd as my self.
_Lav._ Captain here is subject for us to work upon if we have wit;
you hear that there is money yet left, and it is going to be layd
out in Rattels, Bels, Hobby-Horses, brown paper, or some such like
sale commodities; now it would do better in our purses, upon our
backs in good Gold-lace, and Scarlat, and then we might pursue
our projects, and our devices towards my Lady _Annabella_; go to,
there's a conceit newly landed, heark I stand in good reputation
with him, and therefore may the better cheat him: Captain, take a
few instructions from me.
_Mont._ What monies I have is at your disposing, and upon twelve I
will meet you at the Pallace with it.
_Mal._ I will there expect you, and so I take my leave. [_Exit._
_Lav._ You apprehend me?
_La-p._ Why do ye think I am a dunce?
_Lav._ Not a dunce Captain, but you might give me leave to misdoubt
that pregnancy in a Soldier, which is proper and hereditary to a
Courtier; but prosecute it, I will both second, and give credit
to it. Good Mounsier _Montague_, I would your whole revenues lay
within the circuit of mine armes, that I might as easily bestow, or
restore it unto you as my curtesie.
_La-p._ My zealous wishes Sir, do accompany his for your good
fortunes.
_Lav._ Believe it Sir, our affection towards you is a strong band
of friendship.
_Mont._ To which I shall most willingly seal. But believe me
Gentlemen in a broken estate, the bond of friendship oft is
forfeited, but that it is your free and ingenuous nature to renew
it.
_Lav._ Sir, I will amply extend my self to your use, and am very
zealously afflicted as not one of your least friends for your
crooked fate; But let it not seise you with any dejection, you have
as I hear a sufficient competency left, which well disposed may
erect you as high in the worlds account as ever.
_Mont._ I cannot live to hope it, much less injoy it, nor is it any
part of my endeavor; my study is to render every man his own, and
to contain my self within the limits of a Gentleman.