Atheist's Tragedie, The - Act 4, Scene 5
[SCENE. V]
Enter S NUFFE importuning S OQUETTE . Soqu .
Nay, if you get me any more into the Churchyard! Snu .
Why, Soquette, I neuer got thee there yet. Soqu .
Got me there! No, not with childe. Snu .
I promis'd thee I would not, and I was as good as my word. Soqu .
Yet your word was better then than your deede. But steale up into the little matted chamber o' the left hand. Snu .
I prithee let it be the right hand. Thou left'st me before and I did not like that. Soqu .
Precious quickly — — So soone as my Mistresse shall be in bed I'll come to you.
Enter S EBASTIAN , L EUIDULCIA , and C ATAPLASMA . Cata .
I wonder Fresco stayes so long. Seba .
Mistresse Soquet, a word with you. Leu .
If he brings word my Husband is i' bed
I will aduenture one night's liberty.
To be abroad. — —
My strange affection to this man! — — 'Tis like
That naturall sympathie which e'en among
The sencelesse creatures of the earth commands
A mutuall inclination and consent.
For though it seemes to be the free effect
Of mine owne voluntarie loue, yet I can
Neither restraine it nor giue reason for 't.
But now 'tis done, and in your power it lies
To saue my honour, or dishonour me. Cata .
Enjoy your pleasure, Madame, without feare.
I neuer will betray the trust you haue
Committed to me. And you wrong your selfe
To let consideration of the sinne
Molest your conscience. Me thinkes 'tis unjust
That a reproach should be inflicted on
A woman for offending but with one,
When 'tis a light offence in Husbands to
Commit with many. Leui .
So it seemes to me. — —
Why, how now, Sebastian, making loue to that Gentlewoman? How many mistresses ha' you i' faith? Seba .
In faith, none; for I think none of 'em are faithfull; but otherwise, as many as cleane shirts. The loue of a woman is like a mushroom, — it growes in one night and will serue somewhat pleasingly next morning to breakfast, but afterwards waxes fulsome and unwholesome. Cata .
Nay, by Saint Winifred, a woman's loue lasts as long as winter fruit. Seba .
'Tis true — till new come in. By my experience no longer.
Enter Fresco running . Fresco .
Some bodie's doing has undone us, and we are like to pay dearely for't. Sebast .
Pay deare? For what? Fresco .
Wil't not be a chargeable reckoning, thinke you, when heere are halfe a dozen fellowes comming to call us to accompt, with eu'rie man a seuerall bill in his hand that wee are not able to discharge. Cata .
Passion o' me! What bouncing's that?
Madame withdraw your selfe. Leuid .
Sebastian, if you loue me, saue my honour. Seba .
What violence is this? What seeke you? Zownes!
You shall not passe
Enter B ELFOREST and the Watch . Belfo .
Pursue the Strumpet. Villaine, giue mee way
Or I will make my passage through thy bloud. Seba .
My bloud will make it slipperie, my Lord,
'Twere better you would take another way.
You may hap fall else. Seba .
I ha't i' faith.
While B ELFOREST is staggering enter L EUIDULCIA . Leuid .
O God! my Husband! my Sebastian! Husband!
Neither can speake, yet both report my shame.
Is this the sauing of my Honour when
Their bloud runnes out in riuers, and my lust
The fountaine whence it flowes? Deare Husband, let
Not thy departed spirit be displeas'd
If with adult'rate lips I kisse thy cheeke.
Heere I behold the hatefulnesse of lust
Which brings me kneeling to embrace his dead
Whose body liuing I did loathe to touch.
Now I can weepe. But what can teares doe good
When I weepe onely water, they weepe bloud.
But could I make an Ocean with my teares
That on the floud this broken vessell of
My body, laden heauie with light lust,
Might suffer shipwrack and so drowne my shame.
Then weeping were to purpose, but alas!
The Sea wants water enough to wash away
The foulenesse of my name. O! in their wounds
I feele my honour wounded to the death.
Shall I out-liue my Honour? Must my life
Be made the world's example? Since it must
Then thus in detestation of my deede
To make th' example moue more forceably
To vertue thus I seale it with a death
As full of horrour as my life of sinne.
Enter the Watch with C ATAPLASMA , Fresco , S NUFFE , and S OQUETTE . Watch .
Hold, Madame! Lord, what a strange night is this! Snu .
May not Snuffe be suffer'd to goe out of himselfe? Watch .
Nor you, nor any. All must goe with us.
O with what vertue lust should be withstood!
Since 'tis a fire quench'd seldome without bloud.
Enter S NUFFE importuning S OQUETTE . Soqu .
Nay, if you get me any more into the Churchyard! Snu .
Why, Soquette, I neuer got thee there yet. Soqu .
Got me there! No, not with childe. Snu .
I promis'd thee I would not, and I was as good as my word. Soqu .
Yet your word was better then than your deede. But steale up into the little matted chamber o' the left hand. Snu .
I prithee let it be the right hand. Thou left'st me before and I did not like that. Soqu .
Precious quickly — — So soone as my Mistresse shall be in bed I'll come to you.
Enter S EBASTIAN , L EUIDULCIA , and C ATAPLASMA . Cata .
I wonder Fresco stayes so long. Seba .
Mistresse Soquet, a word with you. Leu .
If he brings word my Husband is i' bed
I will aduenture one night's liberty.
To be abroad. — —
My strange affection to this man! — — 'Tis like
That naturall sympathie which e'en among
The sencelesse creatures of the earth commands
A mutuall inclination and consent.
For though it seemes to be the free effect
Of mine owne voluntarie loue, yet I can
Neither restraine it nor giue reason for 't.
But now 'tis done, and in your power it lies
To saue my honour, or dishonour me. Cata .
Enjoy your pleasure, Madame, without feare.
I neuer will betray the trust you haue
Committed to me. And you wrong your selfe
To let consideration of the sinne
Molest your conscience. Me thinkes 'tis unjust
That a reproach should be inflicted on
A woman for offending but with one,
When 'tis a light offence in Husbands to
Commit with many. Leui .
So it seemes to me. — —
Why, how now, Sebastian, making loue to that Gentlewoman? How many mistresses ha' you i' faith? Seba .
In faith, none; for I think none of 'em are faithfull; but otherwise, as many as cleane shirts. The loue of a woman is like a mushroom, — it growes in one night and will serue somewhat pleasingly next morning to breakfast, but afterwards waxes fulsome and unwholesome. Cata .
Nay, by Saint Winifred, a woman's loue lasts as long as winter fruit. Seba .
'Tis true — till new come in. By my experience no longer.
Enter Fresco running . Fresco .
Some bodie's doing has undone us, and we are like to pay dearely for't. Sebast .
Pay deare? For what? Fresco .
Wil't not be a chargeable reckoning, thinke you, when heere are halfe a dozen fellowes comming to call us to accompt, with eu'rie man a seuerall bill in his hand that wee are not able to discharge. Cata .
Passion o' me! What bouncing's that?
Madame withdraw your selfe. Leuid .
Sebastian, if you loue me, saue my honour. Seba .
What violence is this? What seeke you? Zownes!
You shall not passe
Enter B ELFOREST and the Watch . Belfo .
Pursue the Strumpet. Villaine, giue mee way
Or I will make my passage through thy bloud. Seba .
My bloud will make it slipperie, my Lord,
'Twere better you would take another way.
You may hap fall else. Seba .
I ha't i' faith.
While B ELFOREST is staggering enter L EUIDULCIA . Leuid .
O God! my Husband! my Sebastian! Husband!
Neither can speake, yet both report my shame.
Is this the sauing of my Honour when
Their bloud runnes out in riuers, and my lust
The fountaine whence it flowes? Deare Husband, let
Not thy departed spirit be displeas'd
If with adult'rate lips I kisse thy cheeke.
Heere I behold the hatefulnesse of lust
Which brings me kneeling to embrace his dead
Whose body liuing I did loathe to touch.
Now I can weepe. But what can teares doe good
When I weepe onely water, they weepe bloud.
But could I make an Ocean with my teares
That on the floud this broken vessell of
My body, laden heauie with light lust,
Might suffer shipwrack and so drowne my shame.
Then weeping were to purpose, but alas!
The Sea wants water enough to wash away
The foulenesse of my name. O! in their wounds
I feele my honour wounded to the death.
Shall I out-liue my Honour? Must my life
Be made the world's example? Since it must
Then thus in detestation of my deede
To make th' example moue more forceably
To vertue thus I seale it with a death
As full of horrour as my life of sinne.
Enter the Watch with C ATAPLASMA , Fresco , S NUFFE , and S OQUETTE . Watch .
Hold, Madame! Lord, what a strange night is this! Snu .
May not Snuffe be suffer'd to goe out of himselfe? Watch .
Nor you, nor any. All must goe with us.
O with what vertue lust should be withstood!
Since 'tis a fire quench'd seldome without bloud.
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