Classic Poem

[SCENE IV.]

Enter B ELFORESI and L ANGUEBEAU S NUFFE . Bel .

I entertaine the offer of this match
With purpose to confirme it presently.
I haue already moou'd it to my daughter.
Her soft excuses sauour'd at the first,
Me-thought, but of a modest innocence
Of bloud, whose unmoou'd streame was neuer drawne
Into the current of affection. But when I
Replyed with more familiar arguments,
Thinking to make her apprehension bold, —
Her modest blush fell to a pale dislike,
And shee refus'd it with such confidence,
As if shee had beene prompted by a loue
Inclining firmely to some other man;
And in that obstinacie shee remaines. Lang .

Verily, that disobedience doth not become a Childe. It proceedeth from an unsanctified libertie. You will be accessarie to your owne dishonour if you suffer it. Bel .

Your honest wisedome has aduis'd mee well.
Once more I'll moue her by perswaiue meanes
If shee resist, all mildenesse set apart,
I will make use of my authoritie. Lang .

And instantly, lest fearing your constraint
Her contrary affection teach her some
Deuise that may preuent you. Bel .

To cut off eu'ry opportunitie
Procrastination may assist her with
This instant night shee shall be marryed. Lang .

Best.

Enter C ASIABELIA Casta .

Please it your Lordship, my mother attends
I' th' Gallerie, and desires your conference.
This meanes I us'd to bring mee to your eare.
Time cuts off circumstance; I must be briefe.
To your integritie did Charlemont
Commit the contract of his loue and mine;
Which now so strong a hand seekes to diuide,
That if your graue aduice assist me not,
I shall be forc'd to violate my faith. Lang .

Since Charlemont's absence I haue waigh'd his loue with the spirit of consideration; and in sinceritie I finde it to be friuolous and vaine. With-draw your respect; his affection deserueth it not. Casta .

Good sir, I know your heart cannot prophane
The holinesse you make profession of
With such a vitious purpose as to breake
The vow your owne consent did help to make. Lang .

Can he deserue your loue who in neglect
Of your delightfull conuersation and
In obstinate contempt of all your prayers
And teares, absents himselfe so far from your
Sweet fellowship, and with a purpose so
Contracted to that absence that you see
Hee purchases your separation with
The hazard of his bloud and life, fearing to want
Pretence to part your companies —
'Tis rather hate that doth diuision moue
Loue still desires the presence of his Loue. —
Verily hee is not of the Familie of Loue. Casta .

O doe not wrong him! 'Tis a generous minde
That ledde his disposition to the warre:
For gentle loue and noble courage are
So neare allyed, that one begets another;
Or Loue is Sister and Courage is the Brother.
Could I affect him better then before,
His Souldier's heart would make me loue him more. Lang .

But, Castabella — Leu .

Tush, you mistake the way into a woman.
The passage lyes not through her reason but her bloud.

Exit L ANGUEBEAU . C ASTABELLA about to follow .

Nay, stay! How wouldst thou call the childe,
That being rais'd with cost and tendernesse
To full habilitie of body and meanes,
Denies reliefe unto the parents who
Bestow'd that bringing up? Casta .

Unnaturall. Leu .

Then Castabella is unnaturall.
Nature, the louing mother of us all,
Brought forth a woman for her owne reliefe
By generation to reuiue her age;
Which, now thou hast habilitie and meanes
Presented, most unkindly dost deny. Casta .

Beleiue me, Mother, I doe loue a man. Leu .

Preferr'st th' affection of an absent Loue
Before the sweet possession of a man;
The barren minde before the fruitfull body,
Where our creation has no reference
To man but in his body, being made
Onely for generation; which (unlesse
Our children can be gotten by conceit)
Must from the body come? If Reason were
Our counsellour, wee would neglect the worke
Of generation for the prodigall
Expence it drawes us too of that which is
The wealth of life. Wise Nature, therefore, hath
Reseru'd for an inducement to our sence
Our greatest pleasure in that greatest worke;
Which being offer'd thee, thy ignorance
Refuses, for th' imaginarie joy
Of an unsatisfied affection to
An absent man whose bloud once spent i' th' warre
Then hee 'll come home sicke, lame, and impotent,
And wed thee to a torment, like the paine
Of Tantalus, continuing thy desire
With fruitlesse presentation of the thing
It loues, still moou'd, and still unsatisfied.

Enter B ELFOREST , D' AMVILLE , R OUSARD , S EBASTIAN , L ANGUEBEAU , &c . Bel .

Now, Leuidulcia, hast thou yet prepar'd
My Daughter's loue to entertaine this Man
Her husband, here? Leu .

I'm but her mother i' law;
Yet if shee were my very flesh and bloud
I could aduise no better for her good. Rous .

Sweet wife,
Thy joyful husband thus salutes thy cheeke Casta .

My husband? O! I am betraid. —
Deare friend of Charlemont, your puritie
Professes a diuine contempt o' th' world;
O be not brib'd by that you so neglect,
In being the world's hated instrument,
To bring a just neglect upon your selfe! — Kneeles from one to another .
Deare Father, let me but examine my
Affection. — Sir, your prudent iudgement can
Perswade your sonne that 'tis improuident
To marry one whose disposition he
Did ne'er obserue. — Good sir, I may be of
A nature so unpleasing to your minde,
Perhaps you 'll curse the fatall houre wherein
You rashly marryed me. D'am .

My Lord Belforest,
I would not haue her forc'd against her choise. Bel .

Passion o' me, thou peeuish girle! I charge
Thee by my blessing, and th' authoritie
I haue to claime th' obedience, marry him. Casta .

Now Charlemont! O my presaging teares
This sad euent hath follow'd my sad feares. Seba .

A rape, a rape, a rape! Bel .

How now! D'am .

What's that? Seba .

Why what is 't but a Rape to force a wench
To marry, since it forces her to lie
With him she would not? Lang .

Verily his Tongue is an unsanctified member. Seba .

Verily
Your grauitie becomes your perish'd soule
As hoary mouldinesse does rotten fruit. Bel .
Couzen, y' are both unciuill and prophane. D'am .

Thou disobedient villaine, get thee out of my sight.
Now, by my Soule, Ile plague thee for this rudenesse. Bel .

Come, set forward to the Church.

Manet S EBASTIAN . Seba .

And verifie the Prouerbe — The nearer the Church, the further from God. — Poore wench! For thy sake may his habilitie die in his appetite, that thou beest not troubled with him thou louest not! May his appetite moue thy desire to another man, so hee shall helpe to make himselfe Cuckold! And let that man be one that he payes wages to; so thou shalt profit by him thou hatest. Let the Chambers be matted, the hinges oyl'd, the curtaine rings silenced, and the chamber-maid hold her peace at his owne request, that he may sleepe the quietlier; and in that sleepe let him be soundly cuckolded. And when hee knowes it, and seekes to sue a diuoree, let him haue no other satisfaction then this: Hee lay by and slept the Law will take no hold of her because he wink'd at it .