LADY ALWORTH

Sort those silks well? I'll take the air alone. Prithee be not angry, I shall ere long: I'the mean time, there is gold To buy thee aprons, and a summer suit. And as I gave directions, if this morning I am visited by any, entertaine'em As heretofore: but say in my excuse I am indisposed. Do, and leave me. Nay stay you Alworth. So soon turn worser Courtier. Well, you shall overcome; I'll not contend in words. How is it with Your noble master? I am honoured in His favour to me. Does he hold his purpose For the Low-countries? It's well answered, And I commend your spirit: you had a father (Blessed be his memory) that some few hours Before the will of heaven took him from me, Who did commend you, by the dearest ties Of perfect love between us, to my charge: And therefore what I speak, you are bound to hear With such respect, as if he lived in me, He was my husband, and how ere you are not Son of my womb, you may be of my love, Provided you deserve it. I much hope it. These were your father's words. If ere my Son Follow the war, tell him it is a school Where all the principles tending to honour, Are taught if truly followed: But for such As repair thither, as a place, in which They do presume they may with licence practice Their lustest, and riots, they shall never merit The noble name of soldiers. To dare boldly In a fair cause, and for the Countries safety To run upon the cannons mouth undaunted; To obey their leaders, and shun mutinies; To bear, with patience, the winter's cold, And summer's scorching heat, and not to faint When plenty of provision fails, with hunger, Are the essential parts make up a soldier, Not swearing dice, or drinking. To conclude; Beware ill company, for often men Are Like to those with whom they do converse, And from one man I warned you, and that's Welborne: Not cause He's poor, that rather claims your pity, But that he's in his manners so debauched, And hath to vicious courses sold himself. It's true your father loved him, while he was Worthy the loving, but if he had lived To have seen him as he is, he had cast him off As you must do. You follow me to my chamber, you shall have gold To furnish you Like my son, and still supplied, As I hear from you. I am amazed, To see, and hear this rudeness. Darest thou think Though sworn, that it can ever find belief, That I, who to the best men of this Country, Denied my presence since my husbands death, Can fallen so low, as to change words with thee? Thou Son of infamy, forbear my house, And know, and keep the distance that's between us, Or, though it be against my gentler temper, I shall take order you no more shall be And eyesore to me. Have you ought else to say? I come to meet you, and languished till I saw you. This first kiss is for form; I allow a second To such a friend. Sir, you may command me. Nay, pray you rise, And since you are so humble, I'll exalt you You shall dine with me to day, at mine own table. You are too modest: I will not be denied. Your arm, Master Welborne: Nay keep us company. You wait well. Let me have no more of this, I observed your icering. Sirrah, I'll have you know, whom I think worthy To fit at my table, be he never so mean, When I am present, is not your companion. You are master. Of your own will. I know so much of manners As not to inquire your purposes, in a word To me you are ever welcome, as to a house That is your own. As my wishes Are with yours my Lord, yet give me leave to fear The building though well grounded: to deceive Sir Giles, that's both a Lion, and a Fox In his proceedings, were a work beyond The strongest undertakers, not the trial Of two weak innocents. May he be so, yet in his name to express it Is a good Oh men. Troth my Lord My own un worthiness may answer for me; For had you, when that I was in my prime, My virgin-flower uncropped, presented me With this great favour, looking on my lowness Not in a glass of selflove, but of truth I could not but have thought it, as a blessing Far, far beyond my merit. I were blind to my own good Should I refuse it, yet my Lord receive me As such a one, the study of whose whole life Shall know no other object but to please you. There needs no protestation my Lord To her that cannot doubt, you are welcome Sir. Now you look Like your self. When I know, Sir Giles, Her state requires such ceremony, I shall pay it But in the mean time, as I am my self, I give you to understand, I neither know, Nor care where her Honour is. This is excellent! Help murder, murder. You may, but make not My house your quarreling Scene. In my judgement He does advise you well. Never: do not hope it. A fair skin of parchment How he foams at the mouth with rage. The better. His threats move me No scruple, Madam. And how approve you of his course? you are yet, Like virgin parchment capable of any Inscription vicious, or honourable. I will not force your will, but leave you free To your own election. To me? It's most true, He had. For what's passed, excuse me, I will redeem it. Order give the Gentleman A hundred pounds. Fie, nothing else? What you demand is yours. I see in your looks you are sorry, and you know me And easy mistress: be merry; I have forgotten all. Order, and Furnace come with me, I must give you Further directions. If I find welcome You share in it; if not I'll back again, Now I know your ends, for I come armed for all Can be objected. My Lord, Ilay'd wait for you, and much hoped You would have made my poor house your first Inn: And therefore doubting that you might forget me, Or too long dwell here having such ample cause In this unequaled beauty for your stay; And fearing to trust any but my self With the relation of my service to you, I borrowed so much from my long restraint, And took the air in person to invite you. Good Sir Giles Overreach. salutes him. How dost thou Marrall? liked you my meat so ill, You'll dine no more with me? When you please master Greedy If meat can do it, you shall be satisfied, And now my Lord, pray take into your knowledge This Gentleman, how ever his outsid's course. Presents Welborne. His inward linings are as fine, and fair, As any men: wonder not I speak at large: And howsoever his humour carries him To be thus accoutered; or what taint soever For his wild life hath stuck upon his fame, He may erelong, with boldness rank himself With some that have contemned him. Sir Giles Overreach If I am welcome bid him so. Nay you are my guessed, come deer master Well born. With your favour Sir, after a plenteous dinner, I shall make bold to walk, a turn, or two In your rare garden. Come master Welborne. Provide my coach, I'll instantly away: my thanks Sir Giles For my entertainment. I must do you a further wrong In taking away your honourable Guessed. Good mistress Margaret: nay come master Well born, I must not leave you behind, in sooth I must not. Stay not long Sir. Save you my Lord. Disturb I not your privacy? I never pressed my Lord On others privacies, yet against my will, Walking, for health sake, in the gallery Adjoining to your lodgings, I was made (So vehement, and loud he was) partaker Of his tempting offers. Please you to command Your servants hence, and I shall gladly hear Your wiser counsel. It's my Lord a woman's But true, and hearty; wait in the next room, But be within call: yet not so near to force me To whisper my intents. Do so, and talk not't will become your breeding. Exeunt, Amble and Woman. Now my good Lord; if I may use my freedom, As to and honoured friend? I dare then say thus; As you are Noble (how ever common men Make sordid wealth the object, and sole end Of their industrious aims) it'll not agree With those of eminent blood (who are engaged More to prefer their Honours, than to increase The State left to they, by their Ancestors) To study large additions to their Fortune's And quite neglect their births: though I must grant Riches well God to be a useful Servant) But a bade Master. This my Lord; That as all wrongs, though thrust into one scale Slide of themselves off, when right fills the other, And cannot bide the trial: so all wealth (I mean if ill acquired) cemented to Honour By virtuous ways achieved, and bravely purchased, Is but as rubbage poured into a river (How ever intended to make good the bank) Rendering the water that was pure before, Polluted, and unwholesome. I allow The heir of Sir Giles Overreash. Margaret. A maid well qualified, and the richest match Our North partly can make boast of, yet she cannot With all that she brings with her fill their mouths, That never will forget who was her father; Or that my husband Alworths lands, and Welbornes (How wrunge from both needs now no repetition) Were real motive, that more worked your Lordship To join your families; than her form, and virtues. You may conceive the rest. Pray you do my Lord. I am glad to hear this: aside. Why then my Lord pretend you marriage to her? Dissimulation but ties false knots On that strait line, by which you hitherto Have measured all your actions? I am innocent here, and on my life I swear My ends are good. So I shall hear you. I strongly hope. Stay Sir, Contest with one distracted? Come again. By this you know, how strong the motives were That did, my Lord, induce me to dispense A little with my gravity, to advance (In personating some few favours to him) The plots, and projects of the downtrod Welborne. Nor shall I ever repent (although I suffer In some few men's opinions for't) the Actium. For he, that ventured all for my deer Husband, Might rustly claim and obligation from me To pay him such a courtesse: which had I Coiley, or overcuriously denied, It might have argued me of little love To the deceased. For me I am happy That my endeavours prospered, saw you of late Sir Giles, your Uncle?