Arn. Are you there, madam? Now You may feast on my miseries. My coldness In answering your affections, or hardness, (Give it what name you please,) you are revenged To strive with destiny; here my dotage ends! Look up, Zenocia! Health in me speaks to you; She gives him to you, that, by divers ways, So long has kept him from you! And repent not That you were once my servant; for which, health, [And] in recompence of what I made you suffer, The hundred thousand crowns the city owes me, Shall be your dower. Man. 'Tis a magnificent gift, Had it been timely given. Hip. It is, believe it. Retire a while, till you shall find occasion; And bring me word when they arrive. Gui. Only stay you to entertain. [Exeunt Servants. Gui. I wonder at the bold and practis'd malice Men ever have o' foot against our honours; That nothing we can do, never so virtuous, No shape put on so pious (no, not think What a good is, be that good ne'er so noble Never so laden with admir'd example) But still we end in lust; our aims, our actions, Nay, even our charities, with lust are branded! Why should this stranger else, this wretched stranger, Whose life I sav'd-at what dear price sticks here yet Why should he hope? He was not here an hour; And certainly in that time, I may swear it, I gave him no loose look; I had no reason! Unless my tears were flames, my curses courtships, The killing of my son a kindness to me,Why should he send to me, or with what safety, (Examining the ruin he had wrought me) Though at that time my pious pity fenc'd him, And my word fix'd? I am troubled, strongly troubled. How do I look, sir, in this handsome trim? Dua. You're very decent. Rut. These by themselves, without more helps of nature, Would set a woman hard: I know 'em all, And where their first aims light. I'll lay my head on't, I'll take her eye, as soon as she looks on me; And if I come to speak once, woe be to her! I have her in a nooze, she cannot 'scape me; I have their several lasts. Dua. You are thoroughly studied. Rut. That's not an hour's work; I'll make a nun forget her beads in two hours. Dua. She being set in years, next; none of those lustres Appearing in her eye that warm the fancy; Rut. I love old stories: Those live believ'd, authentic, When twenty of your modern faces are called in, now, since my [son fell, Gui. [Aside.] How happy am I I offer to his grave, shall be both worthy Rut. Sir, I am made, believe it; she is mine own: I told you what a spell I carried with me. And if you please to know my house, to use it, Gui. Who waits without there? You come, besotted, to your own destruction; Thou desperate fool! Who bade thee seek this ruin? Hatch'd in the life of him? Yet I forgave thee; If ever, in this wretched life thou hast left me, Or came but to the knowledge where thou wandredst To call my vow back, and pursue with vengeance, With all the miseries a mother suffers ? Rut. I was born to be hang'd; there's no avoiding it. Gui. And dar'st thou with this impudence appear here, Walk like the winding-sheet my son was put in, Dua. I am happy now again. Enter a Servant. Serv. The governor's come in. Gui. Oh, let him enter. [Apart. Rut. I have fool'd myself a fair thread! Of all my fortunes, This strikes me most; not that I fear to perish, But that this unmannerly boldness has brought me to it. Enter MANUEL, CLODIO, and CHARINO. Man. Are these fit preparations for a wedding, I came prepar'd a guest. Gui. Oh, give me justice! As ever you will leave a virtuous name, Man. You need not ask it; I am bound to it. Gui. Justice upon this man, Man. Do you confess the act? [lady? Clod. Rutilio ? Cha. 'Tis the same. Clod. How fell he thus ? Here will be sorrow for the good Arnoldo! I am the man! Nor is it life I start at ; Poor in expence of lives; there I am wretched, Excellent lady, now rejoice again; For though I cannot think you're pleas'd in blood, Nor with that greedy thirst pursue your vengeance; (The tenderness, even in those tears, denies that) Yet let the world believe you lov'd Duarte ! The unmatch'd courtesies you have done my miseries, Without this forfeit to the law, would charge me To tender you this life, and proud 'twould please Rut. I'll ask it for you; I'll follow it myself, against myself. Sir, 'tis most fit I die; dispatch it quickly : Gui. Be not too cruel, sir-and yet his bold sword But his life cannot restore that-he's a man too Of a fair promise-but, alas! my son's dead!— If I have justice, must it kill him? Man. Yes. Gui. If I have not, it kills me.-Strong and goodly: Why should he perish too? Man. It lies in your power; You only may accuse him, or may quit him. Gui. Not any. And, if I save him, will not the world proclaim, Gui. Will you pronounce?-Yet, stay a little, 'Tis he restor'd again, thank the good doctor. Pray, do not stand amaz'd; it is Duarte, He's well, is safe again. Gui. Oh, my sweet son! I will not press my wonder now with questions.Sir, I am sorry for that cruelty I urg'd against you. Rut. Madam, it was but justice. Dua. 'Tis true, the doctor heal'd this body again; But this man heal'd my soul, made my mind perfect: The good sharp lessons his sword read to me, Sav'd me for which, if lov'd me, you dear mother, Honour and love this man. Make good, what with the hazard of her life Enter HIPPOLYTA and LEOPOLD, leading ARNOLDO, and Char. Here comes the lady. Clod. With fair Zenocia, health with life again Restored unto her. Zen. The gift of her goodness. Rut. Let us embrace; I am of your order too, And though I once despair'd of women, now I find they relish much of scorpions ; For both have stings, and both can hurt and cure But what have been your fortunes ? Arn. We'll defer Our story, and, at time more fit, relate it. Or for her sake Arnoldo's, join with us Char. She deserves it. [too. SCENE I.-The Country.-A Grove near the | Used by great women, who think any labour House of LEWIS. Enter LEWIS, ANGELLINA, and SYLVIA. Lew. Nay, I must walk you further. Ang. I am tired, sir, And ne'er shall foot it home. Lew. 'Tis for your health; The want of exercise takes from your beauties, And sloth dries up your sweetness. That you are And you in thankfulness must needs acknowledge Ang. Nor can you tax me, sir, I hope, for want of duty to deserve These favours from you. Lew. No, my Angellina, I love and cherish thy obedience to me, Which my care to advance thee shall confirm. The practice of an idle foolish state, (Though in the service of themselves) a blemish To their fair fortunes. Ang. Make me understand, sir, What 'tis you point at. Lew. At the custom, how Virgins of wealthy families waste their youth : After a long sleep, when you wake, your woman Presents your breakfast, then you sleep again, Then rise, and being trimm'd up by others' hands, You are led to dinner, and that ended, either To cards or to your couch (as if you were Born without motion,) after this to supper, And then to bed: And so your life runs round Without variety, or action, daughter. Syl. Here's a learn'd lecture! Lew. From this idleness, Diseases, both in body and in mind, Grow strong upon you; where a stirring nature, With wholesome exercise, guards both from danger. I'd have thee rise with the sun, walk, dance, or hunt, |