CLARE

Troth Sir, carrying no watch about me but mine eyes, I answer you: I cannot tell. Yet I am big enough to keep my sclfe. I know not that neither, till I am better acquainted with a man. To distinguish betwixt himself and my self. Oh Lord Sir, three or four things: I Love my meat, choice of Suitors: Clothes in the Fashion: and Like a right woman I love to have my will. Let me first know, what you think of me for a wife? Do you but think so? It is great pity then I should be alone without a proper man. And I say God forbid Sir: I am a great deal to young. Oh pray you do not so, for then you stray from the steps of Gentility, the fashion among them is to marry first, and love after by leisure. You will not enforce me I hope Sir? For better, for worse. Why then I thank you Sir, and now I am Like to have that I long looked for: A Husband. How soon from our own tongues is the word said, Captives our maiden-freedom to a head. We being thus subdued, pray you know then, As women owe a duty, so do men. Men must be Like the branch and bark to trees, Which does defend them from tempestuous rage, Cloth them in Winter, tender them in age, Or as Ewes love unto their Eanlings lives, Such should be husbands custom to their wives. If it appear to them they have strayed amiss, They only must rebuke them with a kiss, Or Clock them, as Hens Chickens, with kind call, Cover them under their wing, and pardon all: No jars must make two beds, no strife divide them, Those betwixt whom a faith and troth is given, Death only parts, since they are knit by heaven: If such a husband you intend to be, I am your Clare, and you are fit for me. Advise before you swear, let me remember you, Men never give their faith, and promise marriage, But heaven records their oath: If they prove true, Heaven smiles for joy, if not it weeps for you, Unless your heart, then with your words agree, Yet let us partly, and less us both be free. Till when you please, where ere you live or lie, Your loves here worn, your presence in my eye. Such welcome as befits my Scarborrows brother's, From me his trothplight wife be sure to have, And though my tongue prove scant in any partly, The bounds be sure are large, full in my heart. Returned so soon from London? Whats the news? A Letter from my Scarborrow, give it thy mistress. I am glad your gone, Shall I now opent: no, I'll kiss it first, Because his outside last did kiss his hand. Within this fouled, I'll calt a sacred sheet, Are writ black lines, when our white hearts shall meet, Before I open this door of my delight, Methinks I guess how kindly he does write, Of his true Love to me, as Chuck, Sweet-hart, I prithee do not think the time too long, That keeps us from the sweets of marriage rites, And then he sets my name and kisses it, Wishing my lips his sheet to write upon, With Like desire methinks as mine own thoughts, Ask him now here for me to look upon, Yet at the last thinking his love too slack, Ere it arrive at my desired eyes, He hastens up his message with Like speed, Even as I break this open, wishing to read: O: whats hear? Mine eyes are not mine own? sure th'are not, Though you would been my lamps this sixteen years, You do belie, my Scarborrow reading so; Forgive him, he is married, that were Ill: What lying lights are these. Look I would no such Letter, No wedded sillable of the least wrong Done to a Troth-plight-Virgin Like my self Beshrew you for your blindness: Forgive him, he is married. I know my Scarborrowes constancy to me, Is as firm knit, as faith to Charity, That I shall kiss him often, hug him thus, Be made a happy and a fruitful Mother Of many prosperous children Like to him, And read I, he was married? Asked forgiveness? What a blind Foolo was I? yet heeres a Letter To whom directed tro? To my beloved Clare. Why Law? Women will read, and read not that they saw, It but my fervent love misled mine eyes, I'll once again to the Inside, Forgive me, I am married: william Scarborrow. He has set his name too't to, Oh perjury? within the hearts of men Thy feasts are kept, their tongues proclaims them. Kind Sir, excuse me I pray you a little, I'll but peruse this Letter and come straight. He was contracted mine, yet he unjust Hath married to another: whats my estate then? A wretched maid, not fit for any man, For being united his with plighted faiths, Who ever sues to me commits a sin, Besiegeth me, and who shall marry me: Is Like my self, lives in Adultery, (Oh God) That such hard Fortune, should betide my youth. I am Young, Fair, Rich, Honest, Virtuous, yet for all this, who ere shall marry me I am but his where, live in Adultery. I cannot step into the path of pleasure For which I was created, born unto, Let me live never so honest, rich or poor, If I once wed, yet I must live a whore. I must be made a strumpet gainst my will, A name I have abhorred, a shameful Ill I have eschewed, and now cannot withstand it In my self. I am my father's only child, In me he hath a hope, though not his name Can be increased, yet by my Issue His land shall be possessed, his age delighted. And though that I should vow a single life To keep my soul unspotted, yet will he Enforce me to a marriage: So that my grief does of that weight consist, It helps me not to yield, nor to resist: And was I then created for a Whore? A whore, Bade name, bade act, Bade man makes me a scorn: Then live a Strumpet? Better be unborn. Sister, Pray you will you come, Your father and the whole meeting stays for you. I come, I come, I pray return: I come. Scarborrow come close mine eyes, for I am dead. Your daughter, That begs of you to see her buried, Prays Scarborrow to forgive her: she is dead. Thats more then I know Sir. And by that proof I am a man too, for I have kissed you. Thy news good Robin. Prithee be gone, I would not have my father nor this Gentlemen, Be witness of the comfort it does bring. Prithee begone, With this, and the glad news, leave me alone. May Gentlemen the honesty of mirth Consists not in Carousing with excess, My father hath more welcomes then in wine: Pray you no more. Oh God, you are too hight in your gifts, should I ac cept them, we should have you plead nonage, some half a year hence: sue for reversement, & say the deed was done under age. Be thou my Usher, sooth I'll follow you No (God is my record) I speak in earnest: & desire to know Whither you mean to marry me, yea or no.