Classic Poem

ACT. V. S CEN. IV.

To them Cosmeta, Pandena, Rhodia Adr .

Your business Ladies? Cos .
Please you to dismiss
Those Faces that have Beards? Adr .
Fear not, they shall not
Betray your Counsels. Cos .
Please your Highness then,
There's fear that our Design will come to nought,
Our Trust is falsifi'd. Adr .
How so? Cos .
We came
To ask Machessa about Weapons, and
She presently demands, how many cases
Of knives, what Forks we have, Tosting, or Carving? Pan .
Talk we of Swords, she asks what Crisping Pins
And Bodkins we could guess might easily be
Rais'd through the Common-wealth? Rho .
We spake of Armour,
She straight replies, send in your steel Combs, with
The Steels you see your Faces in, wee'l quickly
Convert 'em into Greaves, and Gorgets. Cos .
If
This be not treason 'gainst the Female State,
Beleeve not Policy, nor me. Eum .
Why she
Was your own choice; you cri'd her up as one
That having neither Child, nor Husband, would
Take to her self the Commonwealth as both. Cos .
We do suspect your sadness sweet Florina . Rho .
And your retir'dness too Malthora , (as
Demure as you stand here) is deep engag'd. Pan .
Nor is Eumela free. Mal .
Whence do you gather it? Cos .
Pray'y why those Myrtle wreaths? why your Gates drest?
And your Doors Crown'd? Flo .
In hope our Lords will shortly
Enter, and Crown 'em more. Cos .
Most evident!
Can there be bolder Falshood? Did we not
Agree to keep out Husbands from our City
And our Minds too? And yet behold there are
Garlands and Flowers prepar'd; and they to be
Receiv'd as Lovers. Husbands are at best
But a sad kind of pleasure; one good Look,
And a Salute's enough at any time
For the Good-man o'th' Family. Flo .
Pray y allow
Affection more Expressions; Love doth cease
To be, when that it breaks not out into
Those signs of Joy; as Souls cease to be Souls
When they leave off to shew their Operations. Pan .
This is no time for vain Philosophy,
We are to have a fine State of it shortly,
When Ladies once begin to utter Axioms,
And raise a Faction 'gainst the seven Sages.