Enter a Servant.

Serv. Oh, sir, the duke Medina !Leon. What of the duke Medina? Serv. Oh, sweet gentleman, is almost slain. Marg. Away, away, and help him, all the house help. [Exit Servant. Leon. How, slain? why Margarita, Why, wife! sure some new device they have on foot again,

Some trick upon my credit; I shall meet it.
I had rather guard a ship imperial

Alone, and in a storm, than rule one woman!—

Enter Duke, MARGARITA, SANCHIO, ALONZO,

Servant.

Marg. How came ye hurt, sir?

Duke. I fell out with my friend, the noble co-
lonel,

My cause was nought, for 'twas about your honour:
And he that wrongs the innocent ne'er prospers,
And he has left me thus; for charity,
Lend me a bed to ease my tortur'd body,
That ere I perish I may show my penitence;
I fear I am slain.

Leon. Help, gentlemen, to carry him ;
There shall be nothing in my house, my lord,
But as your own.

Duke. I thank ye, noble sir,

Leon. To bed with him, and, wife, give your at

mad.

If you have more hurt dukes or gentlemen,
To lye here on your cure, I shall be desperate;
I know the trick, and you shall feel I know it;
Are ye so hot that no hedge can contain ye?
I'll have thee let blood in all the veins about thee,
I'll have thy thoughts found too, and have them
open'd,

Thy spirits purg'd, for those are they that fire ye;
Thy maid shall be thy mistress, thou the maid,
And all those servile labours thou shalt reach at,
And go through cheerfully, or else sleep empty :
That maid shall lye by me to teach you duty,
You in a pallet by to humble ye,
And grieve for what you lose.

Marg. I have lost myself, sir,

And all that was my base self, disobedience.

[Kneels.

How like a sheep-biting rogue taken i'th' manner,
And ready for the halter, dost thou look now?
Thou hast a hanging look, thou scurvy thing;
hast ne'er a knife,

Nor ever a string to lead thee to Elysium?
Be there no pitiful 'pothecaries in this town,
That have compassion upon wretched women,
And dare administer a dram of rats-bane,
But thou must fall to me?

Estif. I know you have mercy.

Per. If I had tons of mercy thou deserv'st none. What new trick is now a-foot, and what new houses

Have you i' th' air, what orchards in apparition? What canst thou say for thy life?

Estif. Little or nothing.

I know you'll kill me, and I know 'tis useless To beg for mercy; pray let me draw my book out, pray a little.

And

Per. Do, a very little,

For I have farther business than thy killing.

I have money yet to borrow; speak when you are ready.

Estif. Now, now sir, now- [Shews a pistol. Come on! do you start off from me?

Do you swear, great captain, have you seen a spirit?

Per. Do you wear guns?

Estif. I am a soldier's wife, sir,And by that privilege I may be arm'd.

Now what's the news, and let's discourse more friendly,

And talk of our affairs in peace.

Per. Let me see,

Prithee let me see thy gun, 'tis a very pretty one. Estif. No, no, sir, you shall feel.

Per. Hold ye, villain! what, thine own husband? Estif. Let mine own husband then

Be in's own wits: there, there's a thousand ducats. Who must provide for you? and yet you'll kill me! Per. I will not hurt thee for ten thousand millions.

Estif. When will you redeem your jewels? I have pawn'd 'em

You see for what; we must keep touch.

Per. I'll kiss thee,

And get as many more; I'll make thee famous. Had we the house now!

Estif. Come along with me;

If that be vanished, there be more to hire, sir. Per. I see I am an ass when thou art near me.

[Exeunt.

Enter LEON, MARGARITA, and ALTEA, with a Taper.

Leon. Is the fool come?

Alt. Yes, and i' th' cellar fast,

And there he stays his good hour till I call him;
He will make dainty music among the sack-butts.
I have put him just, sir, under the duke's chamber.
Leon. It is the better.

Alt. Has given me royally,
And to my lady a whole load of portigues.

Leon. Better and better still. Go, Margarita, Now play your prize; you say you dare be honest,

VOL. III.

I'll put you to your best.

Marg. Secure yourself, sir; give me the candle, Pass away in silence. [Exeunt LEON and ALTEA. [She knocks.

Duke. Who's there? Oh, oh,

Marg. My lord.

Duke. [Within.] Have ye brought me comfort.
Marg. I have, my lord.

Come forth, 'tis I; come gently out, I'll help ye.
Enter Duke, in a Gown.

Come softly too; how do you?

Duke. Are there none here? Let me look round; we cannot be too wary. [Noise below. Oh, let me bless this hour! are you alone, sweet friend?

Marg. Alone to comfort you.

[CAÇA. makes a noise below. Duke. What's that you tumble?

I have heard a noise this half hour under me,
A fearful noise.

Marg. The fat thing's mad i' th' cellar,
And stumbles from one hogshead to another;
Two cups more, and he ne'er shall find the way

This goblin in the vault will be so tippled!
You are not well, I know by your flying fancy;
Your body's ill at ease; your wounds-

Duke. I have none; I am as lusty and as full of health, High in my blood!

Marg. Weak in your blood, you would say; How wretched is my case, willing to please ye, And find you so disabled!

Duke. Believe me, lady.

Marg. I know you will venture all you have to satisfy me;

Your life, I know; but is it fit I spoil ye?
Is it my love, do you think?

Cac. [Below.] Here's to the duke.
Duke. It named me, certainly;

I heard it plainly sound.

Marg. You are hurt mortally,

And fitter for your prayers, sir, than pleasure. What starts you make! I would not kiss you wantonly

For the world's wealth: have I secured my husband,
And put all doubts aside, to be deluded?
Cac. [Below.] I come, I come.

Duke. Heaven bless me !

Marg. And bless us both, for sure this is the

devil;

I plainly heard it now; he will come to fetch ye; A very spirit, for he spoke under ground,

I

And spoke to you just as you would have snatcht |

me:

You are a wicked man, and sure this haunts ye; Would you were out o' th' house!

Duke. I would I were,

O' that condition I had leapt a window.

Marg. And that's the least leap, if you mean to 'scape, sir.

Why what a frantic man were you to come here, What a weak man to counterfeit deep wounds, To wound another deeper?

Duke. Are you honest then?

Marg. Yes, then, and now, and ever, and excellent honest,

And exercise this pastime but to shew ye, Great men are fools sometimes as well as wretches.

Would you were well hurt, with any hope of life, Cut to the brains, or run clean through the body, To get out quietly as you got in, sir.

I wish it like a friend that loves you dearly; For if my husband take ye, and take ye thus a counterfeit,

One that would clip his credit out of his honour,
He must kill ye presently;

There is no mercy, nor an hour of pity;
And for me to entreat in such an agony,
Would shew me little better than one guilty:
Have you any mind to a lady now?

Duke. Would I were off fair!

If ever lady caught me in a trap more-
Marg. If you be well and lusty; fie, fie, shake

not!

Could not your own discretion tell ye, sir,
When I was married I was none of yours?
Your eyes were then commanded to look off me,
And I now stand in a circle, and secure,
Your spells nor power can never reach my body;
Mark me but this, and then, sir, be most miser-
able;

'Tis sacrilege to violate a wedlock;
You rob two temples, make yourself twice guilty,
You ruin hers, and spot her noble husband's.

Duke. Let me begone; I'll never more at

tempt ye.

Marg. You cannot go, 'tis not in me to save ye; Dare ye do ill, and poorly then shrink under it? Were I the duke Medina, I would fight now, For you must fight, and bravely, it concerns you. You do me double wrong if you sneak off, sir, And all the world would say I loved a coward; And you must die too, for you will be killed,

And leave your youth, your honour, and your

state,

And all those dear delights you worshipped here. [Noise below.

Duke. The noise again!

Cac. [Below.] Some small beer, if you love

me.

Marg. The devil haunts you sure, your sins are mighty;

A drunken devil too, to plague your villany.
Duke. Preserve me but this once.

Marg. There's a deep well

In the next yard, if you dare venture drowning; It is but death.

Duke. I would not die so wretchedly.

Marg. Out of a garret window I'll let you

down then.

But say the rope be rotten? 'tis huge high too. Duke. Have you no mercy?

Marg. Now you are frighted thoroughly, And find what 'tis to play the fool in folly, And see with clear eyes your detested folly, I'll be your guard.

Duke. And I'll be your true servant, Ever from this hour virtuously to love ye, Chastely and modestly to look upon ye, And here I seal it.

Marg, I may kiss a stranger, for you must now be so.

Enter LEON, JUan, Alonzo, Sanchio. Leon. How do you, my lord? Methinks you look but poorly on this matter. Has my wife wounded ye? ye were well before. Pray, sir, be comforted, I have forgot all, Truly forgiven too. Wife, you are a right one, And now with unknown nations I dare trust ye. Juan. No more feigned fights, my lord; they

never prosper.

Leon. Who's this? the devil in the vault? Alt. 'Tis he, sir, and as lovingly drunk as though he had studied it.

Cac. Give me a cup of sack, and kiss me, lady ; Kiss my sweet face, and make thy husband cuckold;

An ocean of sweet sack; shall we speak treason? Leon. He is devilish drunk.

Duke. I had thought he had been a devil, He made as many noises, and as horrible. Leon. Oh, a true lover, sir, will lament loudly. Which of the butts is your mistress? Cac. Butt in thy belly.

Leon. There's two in thine, I'm sure, 'tis grown

so monstrous.

Caca. Butt in thy face.

Leon. Go carry him to sleep;

A fool's love should be drunk; he has paid well for't too.

When he is sober, let him out to rail, Or hang himself; there will be no loss of him. [Exeunt CAC. and Servant.

Enter PEREZ and ESTIFANIA. Leon. Who's this? my mahound cousin?

Per. Good sir, 'tis very good; would I had a house too,

For there is no talking in the open air;
My termagant coz, I would be bold to tell ye,
I durst be merry too: tell you plainly,
You have a pretty seat, you have the luck on't,
A pretty lady too; I have missed both,
My carpenter built in a mist, I thank him;
Do me the courtesy to let me see it,

See it but once more. But I shall cry for anger.
I'll hire a chandler's shop close under ye,
And for my foolery, sell soap and whip-cord;
Nay if you do not laugh now, and laugh heartily,
You are a fool, coz.

Leon. I must laugh a little;

And now I have done, coz, thou shalt live with me,

My merry coz, the world shall not divorce us; Thou art a valiant man, and thou shalt never want;

Will this content thee?

Per. I'll cry, and then I'll be thankful,
Indeed I will, and I'll be honest to ye.
I would live a swallow here, I must confess.
Wife, I forgive thee all, if thou be honest ;
At thy peril, I believe thee excellent.

Estif. If I prove otherwise, let me beg first. Hold, this is yours, some recompence for service; Use it to nobler ends than he that gave it.

Duke. And this is yours, your true commission, sir;

Now you are a captain.

Leon. You are a noble prince, sir,

And now a soldier; gentlemen, we all rejoice in't. Juan. Sir, I shall wait upon you through all

fortunes.

Alon. And I.

Alt. And I must needs attend my mistress.
Leon. Will you go, sister?

Alt. Yes indeed, good brother;
I have two ties, mine own blood
And my mistress.

Marg. Is she your sister? Leon. Yes indeed, good wife, And my best sister;

For she proved so, wench,

When she deceived you with a loving husband.
Alt. I would not deal so, truly, for a stranger.
Marg. Well I could chide ye,

But it must be lovingly, and like a sister;
I'll bring ye on your way, and feast ye nobly,
For now I have an honest heart to love ye,
And then deliver you to the blue Neptune.

Juan. Your colours you must wear, and wear 'em proudly

Wear 'em before the bullet, and in blood too; And all the world shall know

We are Virtue's servants.

Duke. And all the world shall know, a noble mind

Makes women beautiful, and envy blind.

[Exeunt.

As we hope many, to such fortune sends
Their own desires, wives fair as light, as chaste;
To those that live by spite, wives made in haste.

Enter PETER and ANTHONY, two serving Men. Pet. WOULD we were remov'd from this town, Anthony,

That we might taste some quiet; for mine own part,

I'm almost melted with continual trotting
After enquiries, dreams, and revelations,

Of who knows whom or where. Serve wenching soldiers!

I'll serve a priest in Lent first, and eat bell-ropes.
Ant. Thou art the forwardest fool-
Pet. Why, good tame Anthony,

Tell me but this; to what end came we hither?
Ant. To wait upon our masters.
Pet. But how, Anthony?

Pet. Shew your uses, Anthony.
Ant. To be employ'd in any thing.
Pet. No, Anthony,

Not any thing, I take it, nor that thing
We travel to discover, like new islands;
A salt itch serve such uses! in things of moment,
Concerning things I grant ye, not things errant,
Sweet ladies' things, and things to thank the sur-

Ant. To serve their uses.

brains