Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Ori._ 'Tis no matter wench, we are warm in it, keep thou thy mind
pure, and upon my word, that name will do thee no hurt: I cannot
force my self yet to fear any thing; when I do get out, I'll [have]
another encounter with my Woman-Hater. Here will I sit. I may get
sight of some of my friends, it must needs be a comfort to them to
see me here.
_Enter_ Duke, Gondarino, Count, Arrigo.
_Gond._ Are we all sufficiently disguis'd? for this house where she
attends me, is not to be visited in our own shapes.
_Duke._ We are not our selves.
_Arr._ I know the house to be sinful enough, yet I have been
heretofore, and durst now, but for discovering of you, appear here
in my own likeness.
_Duke._ Where's _Lucio_?
_Arri._ My Lord, he said the affairs of the Common-wealth would not
suffer him to attend always.
_Duke._ Some great ones questionless that he will handle.
_Count._ Come, let us enter.
_Gond._ See how Fortune strives to revenge my quarrel upon these
women, she's in the window, were it not to undoe her, I should not
look upon her.
_Duke._ Lead us _Gondarino_.
_Gond._ Stay; since you force me to display my shame,
Look there, and you my Lord, know you that face?
_Duke._ Is't she?
_Count._ It is.
_Gond._ 'Tis she, whose greatest virtue ever was
Dissimulation; she that still hath strove
More to sin cunningly, than to avoid it:
She that hath ever sought to be accounted
Most virtuous, when she did deserve most scandal:
'Tis she that itches now, and in the height
Of her intemperate thoughts, with greedy eyes
Expects my coming to allay her Lust:
Leave her; forget she's thy sister.
_Count._ Stay, stay.
_Duke._ I am as full of this, as thou canst be,
The memory of this will easily
Hereafter stay my loose and wandring thought[s]
From any Woman.
_Count._ This will not down with me, I dare not trust this fellow.
_Duke._ Leave her here, that only shall be her punishment, never to
be fetcht from hence; but let her use her trade to get her living.
_Count._ Stay good my Lord, I do believe all this, as great men as
I, have had known whores to their Sisters, and have laught at it:
I would fain hear how she talks, since she grew thus light: will
your grace make him shew himself to her, as if he were now come
to satisfie her longing? whilst we, unseen of her, over-hear her
wantonness, let's make our best of it now, we shall have good mirth.
_Duke._ Do it _Gondarino_.
_Gond._ I must; fortune assist me but this once.
_Count._ Here we shall stand unseen, and near enough.
_Gond._ Madam, _Oriana_.
_Oria._ Who's that? oh! my Lord?
_Gond._ Shall I come up?
_Oria._ Oh you are merry, shall I come down?
_Gond._ It is better there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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