MISTRESS ARTHUR

Come hither Pipkin, how chance you tread so softly? Art thou afraid of breaking, how so? Knew I that mirth would make you love my bed, I would enforce my heart to be more merry. You are a stranger sir, but by your words You do appear and honest Gentleman: If you profess to be my husbands friend, Persist in these persuasions: and be Judge With all indifference in these discontents. Sweet husband, if I be not fair enough To please your eye, range where you list abroad, Only at coming home speak me but fair: If you delight to change, change when you please, So that you will not change your love to me. If you delight to see me drudge and toil, I'll be your drudge, because 'tis your delight. Or if you think me unworthy of the name Of your chased wife, I will become your maid, Your slave, your servant, any thing you will, If for that name of servant, and of slave, You will but smile upon me now and then. Or if as I well think you cannot love me, Love where you list, only say but you love me: I'll feed on shadows let the substance go. Will you deny me such a small request? What will you neither love nor flatter me? Oh then I see your hate here does but wound me, And with that hate it is your frowns confound me. Father's farewell, spend not a tear for me: But for my husbands sake let these woes be. For when I weep, 'tis not for my own care, But fear least folly bring him to despair. It is so much too deer, But you are welcome for my husbands sake, His guests shall have best welcome I can make. And when was that? I know your meaning. Cracked Pipkin, how, hath any cracked your crown? But what? Sirrah run to the Exchange, and if you there Can find my husband, pray him to come home. Tell him I will not eat a bit of bred Until I see him: prithee Pipkin run. I thou mayest jest, my heart is not so light, It can digest the least conceit of joy: Entreat him fairly, though I think he loves All places worse that he beholds me in, Wilt thou be gone? Make haste again I prithee, till I see him My heart will never be at rest within me: My husband hath of late so much estranged His words, his deeds, his heart from me, That I can seldom have his company: And even that seldom with such discontent, Such frowns, such chidings, such impatience, That did not truth & virtue arm my thoughts, They would confound me with despair & hate, And make me run into extremities. Had I deserved the least bade look from him, I should account my self too bade to live, But honouring him in love and chastity, All judgements censure freely of my wrongs. Come master Arthur, shall we in to dinner? Sirrah be gone, and see it served in. Not speak to me, nor once look towards me? It is my duty to begin I know, And I will break this Ice of courtesy. You are welcome home sir. If thou wilt win my heart, die suddenly, But that my soul was bought at such a rate, At such a high price as my Saviour's blood, I would not stick to lose it with a stab. But virtue banish all such fantasies. He is my husband, and I love him well, Next to my own souls health I tender him: And would give all the pleasures of the world, To buy his love if I might purchase it. I'll follow him, and Like a servant wait, And strive by all means to prevent his hate. Oh Father be more patient, if you wrong My honest husband, all the blame be mine, Because you do it only for my sake. I am his handmaid, since it is his pleasure To use me thus, I am content therewith, And bear his checks and crosses patiently. Will you divorce whom God hath tied toga there? Or break that knot the sacred hand of heaven Made fast betwixt us? Have you never read What a great curse was laid upon his head That breaks the holy band of marriage, Diuorsing husbands from their chosen wives? Father I will not leave my Arther so, Not all my friends can make me prove his foe. My husband in this humour, well I know Plays but the unthrift, therefore it behooves me To be the better huswife here at home, To save and get, while he does laugh and spend: Though for himself he rio S it anlarge, My needle shall defray my households charge. You are welcome sir. Come you to speak with me, Or with my husband, pray you whats your will? Sir you may freely speak what ere it be, So that your speech suits with modesty. Sir, what you mean by service and by love I will not know: but what you mean by villain I feign would know. Sir I have herd thus lo ̄ g with paty ̄ ce, If it be me you term a villains wife, Insooth you have mistook me all this while, And neither know my husband nor my self, Or else you know not man and wife is one: If he be called a villain, what is she Whose heart, and love, & soul, is one with him? 'Tis pity that so fair a Gentleman Should fallen into such villains company. O sir take heed, if you regard your life, Meddle not with a villain, or his wife. Father's you do me open violence To bring my name in question, and produce This gentleman and others here to witness My husbands shame in open audience: What may my husband think when he shall know I went unto the Justice to complain: But M. Justice here more wise then you, Says little to the matter, knowing well His office is no whit concerned herein: Therefore with favour I will take my leave. Sirrah when saw you your Master? And when was that? Was he not at my father in laws? Didst thou not entreat him to come home? Didst not thou say he was there? About your business, here I'll fit and wait His coming home, though it be never so late. Now once again go look him at the Change, Or at the Church with Sir Aminadab, 'Tis told me they use often conference: When that is done, get you to school again. You are welcome sir. Wrong not my husbands reputatio ̄ so, I neither can nor will believe you sir. Sir, sir, I understand you well enough, Admit my husband does frequent that house Of such dishonest usage, I suppose He does it but in zeal to bring them home By his good counsel, from that course of sin: And Like a Christian, seeing them astray In the broad path that to damnation leads, He uses thither to direct their feet Into the narrow way that guides to heaven. Sir what I think I think, and what I say I would I could enjoin you to believe. You are deceived he is not unkind, Although he bear and outward face of hate, His heart and soul are both assured mine. Tempt no more devil, thy deformity Hath changed it self into and angels shape, But yet I know thee by thy course of speech: Thou gets and apple to betray poor Eve, Whose outside bears a show of pleasant fruit, But the vild branch on which this apple grew, Was that which drew poor Eve from Paradise. Thy Sire's song could make me drown my self, But I am tied unto the mast of truth. Admit my husband be inclined to vice, My virtues may in time recall him home, But if we both should desperate run to sin, We should abide certain destruction. But he's Like one that over a sweet face Puts a deformed vizard for his soul, Is free from any such intents of ill: Only to try my patience, he puts on And ugly shape of black intemperance. Therefore this blot of shame which he now wears, I with my prayers will purge, wash with tears. Come spread the Table: Is the hall well rubbed, The cushions in the windows neatly laid, The Cupboard of plate set out, the Casements stuck With Rosemary and Flowers, the Carpets brushed? Where's that knave Pipkin, bid him spread the cloth, Fetch the clean diaper napkins from my chest, Set out the guilded salt, and bid the fellow Make himself handsome, get him a clean band. Heel be a sloven still: Maid take this Apron, And bring me one of Linen, quickly Maid. There was a curtsy, let me see't again. I that was well. I fear my guests will come Ere we be ready, what a spite is this. What's the matter? Bid him come hither, what a knave is that. Fie, fie, never out of the kitchen, Still broiling by the fire. Well sirrah get a Napkin and a Trencher And wait to day. So let me see my Apron. She shall be welcome if she be his guest. But here's some of our guests are come already, A Chair for Justice Reason sirrah. More stools & cushions for these gentlemen. What are you there? Husband, I will: o this is she usurps The precious interest of my Husbands love: Though as I am a woman, I could well Thrust such a lewd companion out of doors, Yet as I am a true obedient Wife, Idem kiss her feet to do my Husbands will. You are entirely welcome Gentlewoman, Indeed you are, pray do not doubt of it. Indeed you shall, for he will have it so. That is no wrong which we impute no wro ̄ g, I pray you fit. Hear M. Justice, this to your graven years, A mournful draught God wot, half wine, half tears. The welcomest pledge that yet I ever took: Were this wine poison, or did taste Like gall, The honey sweet condition of your draught, Would make it drink Like Nectar, I will pledge you, Were it the last that'I should ever drink. My deer, deer husband, in exchange of hate, My love and heart shall on your service wait. Who am I? or where am I? Lives any amongst these dead? none but my self. Oh tell me not my husband was ingrate, Or that he did attempt to poison me, Or that he laid me here, and I was dead, These are no means at all to win my love. So your demand may be no preiudise To my chased name, no wrong unto my husband, No suit that may concern my Wedlock breach, I yield unto it, but to pass the bans of modesty & cham stitie, First will I be queath my self again Unto this graven, and never partly from hence, Then taint my soul with black impurity. And yet, and yet, and still, and ever while I breathe this air: Nay after death my unsubstantial soul, Like a good Angel shall attend on him, And keep him from all harm. to is he married, much good do his heart, God she may content him better far Then I have done: long may they live in peace, Till I disturb their solace; but because I fear some mischief does hangore his head, I'll weep mine eyes dry with my present care, And for their healths make hoarse my tongue with prayer. Come hither fellow, wherefore dost thou turn Thy guilty looks and blushing face aside? It seems thou hast not be brought up to this. It seems thou hast be in some better plighted, Fit down I prithee, men though they be poor, Should not be scorned: to ease thy hunger, first Eat these Conserves: and now I prithee tell me, What thou hast be, thy Fortune's, thy estate, And what she was that I resemble most? Hast thou known one that did resemble me? Tell me, of what estate or birth was she? Why dost thou grieve at their adversities? You are wise, and blessed, and happy to repent so, But what became of him and his new wife? I can endure no more but I must weep, My blabbing tears cannot my counsel keep. Why weep you friend, your rainy drops keep Repentance wipes away the drops of sin. Yet tell me friend, he did exceeding ill, A wife that loved and hononr'd him, to kill. Yet say one Like her, far more chaste then fair, Bids him be of good comfort, not despair. Her soul's appeased with her repentant tears, Wishing he may survive her many years. Fain would I give him money to supply His present wants, but fearing he should fly, And getting over to some foreign shore, These rainy eyes should never see him more. My heart is full, I can no longer stay, But what I am my love must needs bewray. Farewell good fellow, and take this to spend, Say one Like her commends her to your friend. Nay stay them, stay them yet a little while, I bring a warrant to the contrary, And I will please all parties presently. This man is continued ̄ deemed for poisoning of his wife, His poisoned wife yet lives, and I am she: And therefore justly I release his bans. This man for suffering him these drugs to take, Is likewise bound, release him for my sake. This gentleman that first the poison gave, And this his friend to be released I crave. Murder there cannot be where none is killed, Her blood is saved whom you supposed was spilled. Father in law I give you here your son, The act's to do, which you supposed was done. And father now joy in your daughters life, Whom heaven hath still kept to be Arthurs wife. Nay shun me not, be not ashamed at all, To heaven not me, for grace and pardon fallen. Look on me Arthur, blush not at my wrongs. I to the Change. I understand you, and I thank the heavens, That sent you to revive me from this fear, And I embrace my safety with good will. Your mother is a virtuous Matron held, Her counsel, conference, and company, May much avail me, there a space I'll stay, Upon condition as you said betore, You never will move your unchaste suit more. Look to the kitchen Maid, and bid the Cook take down the Oven stone, the pies be burned: here take my keys and give him out more spice. 'Tis but my countenance, for my heart is merry, Mistress were you as merry as you are welcome, You should not fit so sadly as you do. It is my husband, o how joust is heaven! Poorly disguised, and almost hunger-starved. How comes this change? The fault is neither in the place nor me. Oh what are the vain pleasures of the world, That in their actions we affect them so? Had I be born a servant, my low life Had steady stood from all these Misery's: The waving reeds stand free from every gust, When the tall oaks are rend up by the roots: What is vain beauty but and Idle breath? Why are we proud of that which so soon changes? But rather wish the beauty of the mind, Which neither time can altar, sickness change, Violence deface, nor the black hand of envy, Smudge & disgrace, or spoil, or make deformed. Oh had my riotous husband born this mind, He had be happy, I had be more blessed, And peace had prought our quiet souls to rest. Oh who can tell me where I am become? For in this darkness I have lost my self, I am not dead, for I have sense and life, How come I then in this Coffin buried?