PRUDENCE

comes from her, Employed upon some Ambassy unto you— Forbear, Sir, I am first to have mine audience, Before the compliment. This gentleman Is my address to. My Lady, Sir, as glad o'the encounter To find a servant, here, and such a servant, Whom she so value's; with her best respects, Desires to be remembered: and invites Your nobleness, to be a partly, to day, Of the society, and mirth intended By her, and the young Lords, your fellow-servants. Who are alike ambitious of enjoying The fair request; and to that end have sent Me, their imperfect Orator, to obtain it: Which if I may, they have elected me, And crowned me, with the title of a sovereign Of the days sports devised i'the Inn, So you be pleased to add your suffrage to it. Oh master Lovel you must not give credit To all that Ladies publicly profess, Or talk, o'th vollee, unto their servants. Their tongues and thoughts, oft times lie far asunder. Yet, when they please, they have their cabinet-counsels And reserved thoughts, and can retire themselves As well as others. Is not the issue of their hearts, mine host. Stay, excuse me; Mine errand is not done. Yet, if her Ladyships Slighting, or disesteem, Sir, of your service, Hath formerly begotten any distaste, Which I not know of: here, I vow unto you, Upon a Chambermaids simplicity, Reserving, still, the honour of my Lady, I will be bold to hold the glass up to her, To show her Ladyship where she hath erred, And how to tender satisfaction: So you vouchsafe to prove, but the days venture. hardly. Pox of this errand Tailor, He anger's me beyond all mark of patience. These base Mechanics never keep their word, In any thing they promise. Pru. It's their trade, madam; To swear and break, they all grow rich by breaking, More then their words; their honesties, and credits, Are still the first commodity they put off. Frustrate our whole design, having that time, And the materials in so long before? To be croped With his own Scizzer . And have the stumpssear'd up with his own sea ring candle? And he be strangled with them? Or and ell of taf fata Drawn thorough his guts, by way of glister, & fired With aquam vitae? Yes, Now I have God this on: I do forgive him, What robes he should have brought. This is well. That were illiberal, madam, and mere sordid In me, to let a suit of yours come there. Yes. but, with leave o'your Ladyship, I would tell you This can but bear the face of and odd journey. A Lady of your rank and quality, To come to a public Inn, so many men, Young Lords, and others, i'your company! And not a woman but my self, a Chambermaid! Oh but the censure, madame, is the main, What will they say of you? or judge of me? To be translated thus, above all the bound Of fitness, or decorum? Your Ladyship will pardon me, my fault, If I have overshot, I'll shoot no more. Then madame, Ill crave a farther leave. A toy I have, to raise a little mirth, To the design in hand. Mine host has, madame, A pretty boy i'the house, a dainty child, His son, and is o'your Ladyships name too, Frances, Whom if your Ladyship would borrow of him, And give me leave to dress him, as I would, Should make the finest Lady, and kinswoman, To keep you company, and deceive my Lords, Vpo'the matter, with a fountain o'sport. As I am, madame, Have him in no suspicion, more then me: Here comes mine host: will you but please to ask him, Or let me make the motion? He will deserve it, madame, my Lady has herd You have a pretty son, mine host, she'd see him. We ha'brought a standard of apparel, down, Because this Taylor ailed us i'the main. About it then. And send but Trundle, hither, the coachman, to me. The best. How Like you the boy? Good Madame But take him in, and sort a suit for him, e give our Trundle his instructions; And wait upon your Ladyship, i'the instant. Us? Do you speak pl rall? If you so join them. Elegant Trundle, you may use your figures. I can but urge, it is my Ladies service. You'll still be trundling, And have your wages stopped, now at the Audite. And I think so too, Trundl . Why here's return enough of both our venters, If we do make no more discovery. Sweet my Lord, hand off; It is not now, as when plain Prudence lived, And reached her Ladyship— The lookingglass, mine Host, lose your house Metaph You' have a negligent memory, indeed; Speak the host's language. Here's a young Lord, Will make't a precedent else. If you'll kiss, Or compliment, my Lord, behold a Lady, A stranger, and my Ladies kinswoman. No sweet Sir Glorious, you may still command. But yet Sir being the first, And called a suit, you'll look it shall be such As we may grant. You hear the opinion of the Court. T'is my Ladies, though. What is it? Buz. What in a Fly? Commit you to the steem! His buz will there become him. One must pres rue the other. Oh Lovel, Madam, your sad servant. I will instruct you, madame, if that be all, Go to him and kiss him. Go, and kiss him, I do command it. No, Tame, and exceeding tame, but still your Sovereign. Nor proud Do, what I do enjoin you. No disputing Of my prerogative, with a front, or frown; Do not detract: you know th'authority Is mine, and I will exercise it, swiftly, If you provoke me. No murmuring, nor repining, I am fixed. The royal assent is passed, and cannot altar. Be not you a Rebel, It is a name is alike odious. No, not o'this argument. Would you make laws, and be the first that break'hem? The example is pernicious in a subject, And of your quality, most. Nor Murmur her pretences: Master Lovel, For so your libel here, or bill of complaint, Exhibited, in our high Court of Sovereignty, At this first hour of our reign, declares Against this noble Lady, a disrespect You have conceived, if not received, from her. We see it, his learned Council, leave your planing, We that do love our justice, above all Our other Attributes; and have the nearness, To know your extraordinary merit; As also to discern this Ladies goodness; And find how loath shee'd be, to loose the honour, And reputation, she hath had, in having So worthy a servant, though but for few minutes. Do here enjoin. Charge, will, & come maud Her Ladyship, pain of our high displeasure And the committing and extreme contempt, Unto the Court, our crown and dignity. To entertain you for a pair of hours, (Choose, when you please, this day) with all respects, And valuation of a principal servant, To give you all the titles, all the privileges, The freedoms, favours, rights, she can bestow. Or can be expected, from a Lady of honour, Or quality, in discourse, access, address. Not to give ear, or admit conference With any person but your self. Nor there, Of any other argument, but love, And the companion of it, gentile courtship. For which your two hours service, you shall take Two kisses. For each hour, a kiss, To be taken freely, fully, and legally; Before us; in the Court here, & our presence. But those hours passed, and the two kisses paid, The binding caution is, never to hope Renewing of the time, or of the suit, On any circumstance. What is the answer? Be you he, And go together quickly. If I be madam, you were best appeal me! Sir your resolution— Sou' aignes use not To ask their subjects suffrage where it's endue; But where conditional. Content. Here set the hour; but first produce the par ties: And clear the court. The time is now of price. Who keeps the watch? Usher of Loves Court, give them their oath. According to the f rme, upon Love's Missal. Do your endeavours, in the name of Love. Yes, to assist; but not to interrupt. Well feigned, my Lady: now her parts begin! She fails me else. Excellent actor! how she hits this passion! Vpo'my Soon raignty, Mark her anon. Most S cratick Lady! Or, if you will Ironic! give you joy OF you Platonic love here, M r Lovel. But pay him his first kiss, yet, i'the Court, Which is a debt, and endue: For the hour's run. Cry Trundle- And ran as fast, as a knocked Marro'bone. It is the fashion! And the same Petticoat, lace, and all! Yo'haue a fine suit on, Madam! and a rich one! And a new! Who is your Taylor? Your Ladyships Taylor! mass, Stuff! 'Tis the suit, Ma dame, Now, without scruple! and this, some devise To bring it home with. We all looked for a Lady, A Duchess, or a Countess at the least. To rags, and cinders, burn th'idolatrous vestures. I cannot help you. Oh here comes Lovel, for his second hour. Well then summon the Court. Content. Or you can feign! my Subtle and dissembling Lady mistress. The whole Court runs into your sentence, Sir! And see, your second hour is almost ended. Why? I'll consult our Shelee ni n, To-mas. Usque bagh's her drink. But'twi' not make the time drunk. I, that will be sport anon too, for my Lady. But she hath other game to fly at yet: The hour is come, your kiss. I ay the kiss, first; and I so enjoined it: At your own peril, do, make the contempt. Nay nothing, Sir, beyond. Sweet Madame. In whose power Was it to stay him, properer then my Ladies! Would you, in conscience, Madame, would me vex His patience more? That's but one bodies work. Two cannot do the same thing handsomely. And were not you i'rebellion, Lady Frampal, From the beginning? But how do I know, when her Ladyship is pleased To leave it off, except she tell me so? I thought you did expect none, you so jeered him, And put him off with scorn- I swear, I thought you had dissembled, Madam, And doubt, you do so yet. Why, take your spangled properties, your gown, And scarves. I will not buy this play-boys bravery, At such a price, to be upbraided for it, Thus, every minute. The Tailors wife? There was a word of sco Good Madame, please to undeceive your self, I know when words do slip, and when they are darted With all their bitterness: uncased? demolished? And idiot—Chambermaid, stupid, and dull? Be damned for ignorance? I will be so. And think I do deserve it, that, and more, Much more I do. After the Tailors wise? Hang him poor snip, a secular shop-wit! He hath nought but his sheeres to claim by, & his meam sures, His prentice may as well put in, for his needle, And plead a stitch. Yes, of his wives haunches, Thus thick of fat; I smell them, o'the say. No, I will tell him, as it is, indeed; I come from the fine, froward, srampull Lady, One was run mad with pride, wild with selflove, But late encountering a wise man, who scorned her, And knew the way to his own bed, without Borrowing her warming pan, she hathrecouerd Par of her wits: so much as to consider How far she hath trespast'd, upon whom, and how. And now sits penitent and solitary, Like the forsaken Turtle, in the volary Of the light Heart, the cage, she would h abused, Mourning her folly, weeping at the height She measures with her eye, from whence she is fallen, Since she did branch it, on the top o'the wood. Spare expressi ns. I'll once more venture for your Ladyship, So you will use your Fortune's reverendly. To whom, not your Son ? If her Ladyship could take truce A little with her passion, and give way To their mirth now running. We must of this, It was our own conception. Room for green rushes, raise the Fiddlers, Chamberlain, Call up the house in arms. The thing being done, and passed, You bear it wisely, and Like a Lady of judgement. Why secretary? My wise Lord? is your brain lately married? I am annulled, how can I treat with Lovel, Without a new commission? And this brave Lady too. I wish them joy. But Lady Letice, you showed a neglect Vn-to-be-pardon'd, towards my Lady, your kinswoman, Not to advice with her. Give us points, my Lord. If this be your Latitia, Shee'l pr we a counterfeit mirth, and a clipped Lady. My Lord, Your praises, are instructions to mine ears, Whence, you have made your wife, to live the servant. You send me a feasting, madame. My Lady-No-body, Any thing what you will. Bless us, what's that? But Flies are busy! Leave your And uocate-ship Except that we shall call you Orator Fly, And send you down to the dresser, and the dishes. And pots. There is his quarry. The Court's dissolved, removed, and the play ended. No found, or air of Love more, I decree it. Beware, you do not conjure up a spirit You cannot lay.