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No glory of pre-eminence; Phlegm and Blood,
Choler and Melancholy, who have stood
In contrarieties, now meet for pleasure,
To entertain time in a courtly Measure.

Detr. Impossible and improper; first, to personate insensible creatures, and next, to compound quite opposite humours! fie, fie, fie; it's abominable.

[scan

Con. Fond ignorance! how darest thou vainly Impossibility, what reigns in man Without disorder, wisely mix'd by nature, To fashion and preserve so high a creature? Detr. Sweet sir, when shall our mortal eyes behold this new piece of wonder? We must gaze on the stars for it, doubtless.

The Scene opens, and discovers the Masquers, (the four Elements, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth; and the four Complexions, Phlegm, Blood, Choler, and Melancholy,) on a raised Platform.

Con. See, thus the clouds fly off, and run in chase,

When the Sun's bounty lends peculiar grace.
Detr. Fine, i'faith; pretty, and in good earnest :
but, sirrah scholar, will they come down too?
Con. Behold them well; the foremost repre-
Air, the most sportive of the elements.

[sents

Detr. A nimble rascal, I warrant him some alderman's son; wondrous giddy and light-headed; one that blew his patrimony away in feather and tobacco.

Con. The next near him is Fire.

Detr. A choleric gentleman, I should know him; a younger brother and a great spender, but seldom or never carries any money about him: he was begot when the sign was in Taurus, for he roars like a bull, but is indeed a bell-wether.

Con. The third in rank is Water.

Detr. A phlegmatic cold piece of stuff: his father, methinks, should be one of the duncetable, and one that never drank strong beer in's life, but at festival times; and then he caught the heart-burning a whole vacation and half a term

alter.

Con. The fourth is Earth.

Detr. A shrewd plotting-pated fellow, and a great lover of news. I guess at the rest; Blood is placed near Air, Choler near Fire; Phlegm and Water are sworn brothers, and so are Earth and Melancholy.

Con. Fair nymph of Harmony, be it thy task To sing them down, and rank them in a masque.

A SONG :

During which, the Masquers descend upon the Stage, and take their places for the Dance.

See the Elements conspire:
Nimble Air does court the Earth,
Water does commix with fire,

To give our prince's pleasure birth;
Each delight, each joy, each sweet
In one composition meet,

All the seasons of the year;

Winter does invoke the Spring,
Summer does in pride appear,

Autumn forth its fruits doth bring,
And with emulation pay

Their tribute to this holy-day;

In which the Darling of the Sun is come,
To make this place a new Elysium.

[A DANCE.-Exeunt Masquers.

Win. How do these pleasures please?

Hum. Pleasures?

Boun. Live here,

And be my lord's friend; and thy sports shail

vary

A thousand ways; Invention shall beget
Conceits, as curious as the thoughts of Change
Can aim at.

Hum. Trifles! Progress o'er the year
Again, my Raybright; therein like the Sun;
As he in Heaven runs his circular course,
So thou on earth run thine; for to be fed
With stale delights, breeds dulness and con-
tempt:

Think on the Spring.

Ray. She was a lovely virgin.
Win. My royal lord!

Without offence, be pleased but to afford
Me give you my true figure; do not scorn
My age, nor think, 'cause I appear forlorn,
I serve for no use: 'tis my sharper breath
Does purge gross exhalations from the earth;
My frosts and snows do purify the air
From choking fogs, make the sky clear and fair:
And though by nature cold and chill I be,
Yet I am warm in bounteous charity;
And can, my lord, by grave and sage advice,
Bring you to the happy shades of paradise.

Ray. That wonder! Oh, can you bring me thither?

Win. I can direct and point you out a path.
Hum. But where's the guide?

Quicken thy spirits, Raybright; I'll not leave

thee:

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Here runs out to the last.-Here, in this mirror,
Let man behold the circuit of his fortunes;
The season of the Spring dawns like the Morning,
Bedewing Childhood with unrelish'd beauties
Of gaudy sights; the Summer, as the Noon,
Shines in delight of Youth, and ripens strength
To Autumn's Manhood; here the Evening grows,
And knits up all felicity in folly:

Winter at last draws on the Night of Age;
Yet still a humour of some novel fancy
Untasted or untried, puts off the minute
Of resolution, which should bid farewell
To a vain world of weariness and sorrows.
The powers, from whom man does derive the
pedigree

Of his creation, with a royal bounty

Give him Health, Youth, Delight, for free at

tendants

To rectify his carriage: to be thankful
Again to them, man should cashier his riots,
His bosom's whorish sweetheart, idle Humour,

His Reason's dangerous seducer, Folly.
Then shall,

Like four straight pillars, the four Elements
Support the goodly structure of mortality;
Then shall the four Complexions, like four heads
Of a clear river, streaming in his body,
Nourish and comfort every vein and sinew;
No sickness of contagion, no grim death
Or deprivation of Health's real blessings,
Shall then affright the creature built by Heaven,

Reserv'd to immortality. Henceforth
In peace go to our altars, and no more
Question the power of supernal greatness,
But give us leave to govern as we please
Nature and her dominion, who from us
And from our gracious influence, hath both being
And preservation; no replies, but reverence.
Man hath a double guard, if time can win him;
Heaven's power above him, his own peace within
him.
[Exeunt

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FRANK, THORNEY'S Son.

CUDDY BANKS, the Clown.

Morrice-Dancers.

SAWGUT, an old Fiddler.

Justice, Constable, Officers, Serving-Men and Maids.

Dog, a Familiar.

A Spirit.

Mother SAWYER, the WITCH.

ANN, RATCLIFFE'S Wife.

SUSAN,

KATHERINE,

}

CARTER'S Daughters.

WINNIFREDE, Sir ARTHUR'S Maid.

SCENE, THE TOWN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD OF EDMONTON: IN THE END OF THE LAST ACT, LONDON.

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Enter FRANK THORNEY and WINNIFREDE.

Request a fuller satisfaction

Than you have freely granted: yet methinks 'Tis an hard case, being lawful man and wife, We should not live together.

Frank. Had I fail'd

Frank. Come, wench; why, here's a business In promise of my truth to thee, we must

soon dispatch'd.

Thy heart I know is now at ease: thou need'st not
Fear what the tattling gossips in their cups
Can speak against thy fame; thy child shall know
Whom to call dad now.

Win. You have [here] discharg'd
The true part of an honest man; I cannot

Have then been ever sunder'd; now the longest
Of our forbearing either's company,
Is only but to gain a little time

For our continuing thrift; that so, hereafter,
The heir that shall be born may not have cause
To curse his hour of birth, which made him feel
The misery of beggary and want;

Two devils that are occasions to enforce
A shameful end. My plots aim but to keep
My father's love.

Win. And that will be as difficult
To be preserv'd, when he shall understand
How you are married, as it will be now,
Should you confess it to him.

Frank. Fathers are

Won by degrees, not bluntly, as our masters
Or wronged friends are; and besides I'll use
Such dutiful and ready means, that ere

He can have notice of what's past, th' inheritance
To which I am born heir, shall be assured;
That done, why let him know it: if he like it not,
Yet he shall have no power in him left
To cross the thriving of it.

Win. You who had

The conquest of my maiden-love, may easily Conquer the fears of my distrust. And whither Must I be hurried?

Frank. Prithee do not use

A word so much unsuitable to the constant
Affections of thy husband: thou shalt live
Near Waltham-Abbey, with thy uncle Selman ;
I have acquainted him with all at large :
He'll use thee kindly; thou shalt want no pleasures,
Nor any other fit supplies whatever
Thou canst in heart desire.

Win. All these are nothing
Without your company.

Frank. Which thou shalt have Once every month at least.

Win. Once every month! Is this to have an husband? Frank. Perhaps oftener; That's as occasion serves.

Win. Ay, ay; in case

No other beauty tempt your eye, whom you
Like better, I may chance to be remember'd,
And see you now and then. Faith; I did hope
You'd not have us'd me so: 'tis but my fortune.
And yet, if not for my sake, have some pity
Upon the child I go with; that's your own:
And 'less you'll be a cruel-hearted father,
You cannot but remember that.
Heaven knows, how-

Frank. To quit which fear at once,
As by the ceremony late perform'd,

I plighted thee a faith, as free from challenge,
As any double thought; once more, in hearing
Of Heaven and thee, I vow that never henceforth
Disgrace, reproof, lawless affections, threats,
Or what can be suggested 'gainst our marriage,
Shall cause me falsify that bridal oath

That binds me thine. And, Winnifrede, whenever
The wanton heats of youth, by subtle baits
Of beauty, or what woman's art can practise,
Draw me from only loving thee, let Heaven
Inflict upon my life some fearful ruin!
I hope thou dost believe me.

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'Tis all thine own; and though I cannot make the A present payment, yet thou shalt be sure

I will not fail thee.

Frank. But our occasions

Sir Ar. Nay, nay,

Talk not of your occasions; trust my bounty,
It shall not sleep.-Hast married her i'fath

Frank?

'Tis well, 'tis passing well!-then, Winifrede Once more thou art an honest woman. Frani,

Thou hast a jewel, love her; she'll deserve it.
And when to Waltham?

Frank. She is making ready;

Her uncle stays for her.

Sir Ar. Most provident speed.

Frank, I will be [thy] friend, and such a friend!Thou wilt bring her thither?

Frank. Sir, I cannot; newly

My father sent me word I should come to him.
Sir Ar. Marry, and do; I know thou hast a wit
To handle him.

Frank. I have a suit to you.
Sir Ar. What is it?
Anything, Frank; command it.

Frank. That you'll please

By letters to assure my father, that

I am not married.

Sir Ar. How?

Frank. Some one or other

Hath certainly inform'd him, that I purposed
To marry Winnifrede; on which he threaten'd
To disinherit me :-to prevent it,

Lowly I crave your letters, which he seeing
Will credit; and I hope, ere I return,

On such conditions as I'll frame, his lands
Shall be assured.

Sir Ar. But what is there to quit

My knowledge of the marriage?

Frank. Why, you were not

A witness to it.

Sir Ar. I conceive; and then

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That syllable of good, and yet not tremble
To think to what a foul and black intent
You use it for an oath? Let me resolve you:
If you appear in any visitation,

That brings not with it pity for the wrongs
Done to abused Thorney, my kind husband;
If you infect mine ear with any breath
That is not thoroughly perfumed with sighs
For former deeds of lust; may I be curs'd
Even in my prayers, when I vouchsafe

To see or hear you! I will change my life,
From a loose whore to a repentant wife.

Sir Ar. Wilt thou turn monster now? art not asham'd

After so many months to be honest at last?
Away, away! fie on't!

Win. My resolution

Is built upon a rock. This very day

His land confirm'd, thou wilt acquaint him tho- Young Thorney vow'd, with oaths not to be

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doubted,

That never any change of love should cancel
The bonds in which we are to either bound,
Of lasting truth: and shall I then for my part
Unfile the sacred oath set on record
In Heaven's book? Sir Arthur, do not study
To add to your lascivious lust, the sin

Of sacrilege; for if you but endeavour

By any unchaste word to tempt my constancy,
You strive as much as in you lies to ruin
A temple hallow'd to the purity

Of holy marriage. I have said enough;
You may believe me.

Sir Ar. Get you to your nunnery,

There freeze in your old cloister: this is fine! Win. Good angels guide me! Sir, you'll give

me leave

To weep and pray for your conversion? Sir Ar. Yes;

The worst is past thy lip, wench! (kisses her.) | Away to Waltham. Pox upon your honesty!

I must bid

Farewell, for fashion's sake; but I will visit thee

Suddenly, girl. This was cleanly carried;
Ha! was't not, Win?

Win. Then were my happiness,

That I in heart repent I did not bring him
The dower of a virginity. Sir, forgive me ;

I have been much to blame: had not my laundress

Given way to your immoderate waste of virtue,
You had not with such eagerness pursued
The error of your goodness.

Sir Ar. Dear, dear Win,

I hug this art of thine; it shows how cleanly
Thou canst beguile, in case occasion serve
To practise; it becomes thee: now we share
Free scope enough, without controul or fear.
To interchange our pleasures; we will surfeit

Had you no other trick to fool me? well,
You may want money yet.

Win. None that I'll send for
To you, for hire of a damnation.

When I am gone, think on my just complaint; I was your devil; oh, be you my saint!

[Ex it.

Sir Ar. Go thy ways; as changeable a baggage As ever cozen'd knight; I'm glad I am rid of her. Honest! marry hang her! Thorney is my debtor; I thought to have paid him too; but fools have

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