ALASTOR

As your own thoughts Madam, I can stick as close to any piece of villainy As a Punk to a Farmers son new gentilize; And when beside so many good angels tempt, They are enough—to make a woman keep counsel. Here's a villainous pitfall to stifle a poor wench in; who can be a beggar, now, that's not afraid to be damned? well, I can no more tell how to thrive without doing villainy, than greatness can without doing injury. Pretty piece of man's flesh I my heart will leap when I see thee come off the Rock Like a Magpie; and I shall wish, for thy sake, that nature had made women a little lighter, all of feathers, that they might have taken hurt by no manner of falling: but pity is a thing clean out of fashion, and the high way to irreparable Beggary; I'll none of it. exit. He did, and does intend to use my help alone in effecting of his project. Sweet villainy, thou art the thrivingst trade under heaven. Exit. Come dispatch, the Duke's at hand. The matter in question is great. They be fools to say so. I, as very a folly as to be virtuous indeed: Dost ima gin 'twill gain any thing but hate? None but such as were predestined never to be great; they be tender conscienced dunces: they never leatn'd Esops Fables. Dost not remember the tale of the Lion that banished all horned beasts from Court? That then the Fox went away as banished too, because if the Lion should say his pricked ears were Horns, what then? She would not have been guilty so soon else: shall a swaggering wench that will take Tobacco eight and forty times in four and twenty hours; talk bawdy as familiar as and Oyster wife; retain seven servants with good backs, and a weak hus band to keep Dogs from door; have no privilege above sum spected virtue? Why what does he teach us? A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poet I warrant him. D'sfoote Sir, your speeches be peremptory. I yield Sir, 'twas a mad partly to venture a painful death for a woman, when a woman will venture nothing, but she'll have pleasure at one end of it, for the life of a man; yet the Dukes Son was not a madman for it. I say you lie — Assassino gives him a blow; D'foote Sir, you will not strike me? Why sir, this is not mine own sword. I thank you sir, for indeed I had a suit to you before. I attend you sir. exeunt. It's strange I hear not from the Prince, nor Antonio, who promised to meet me here, where I have now stayed three days in expectance, and had the wind been fair, must have passed for Greece—Before Heaven it's a gallant thing to be a Lord, if but in name, you shall be so applauded in every vanity, scurrill jest, and impious Actium: A Satin Thersites that stalks among the Peasants Like the Stork that Jupiter sent among the frogs, will so bend and bow to your little Toe, fawn and protest your excel lencies; Si be ructavit—Sirectum minxit — I would I had the faith that some have, I would never be unlorded again. Before Heaven I must begin to fawn, and get my self created: This service done for the Prince is a good step to it. Now Captain, the wind's unconstant still, every where save where to steed us. Indeed their levity has got them now that Simile appropriated. Nay, that's enough faith. As what! Then the Gram ̄ marians methinks did ill to make Ventus of the Masculine Gender. Impossible sir, they couple Genders by Book. Cozenage and dissimulation help me, it's impossible to escape discovering. D'sfoote I must walk stately, look scornfully, talk simply, and be Noble at all points now. But it falls out some thing fortunately to be in the Evening: let him have entrance. As much to them that bring it: how fare our friends at Court? Have you ought to impart that concerns us? Attend us then on the Litto, where I'll presently meet you, and take this soft Evening breath. By Jove methinks I begin to be my Craftsmaster and Lord it handsomely. If it were as easy for a Villain to be a Lord, as a Lord to be a villain, I would write noble instantly: get me a Herald for seven shillings, or a frown to forswear himself, and draw my Pedigree as deep as Romulus. Captain, as the wind serves, either on the Litto, or at my Lodging. exit.