M^rs. FI. And ſuch a one I need, but not this way: 5
Sir, I confeſſe me to you, the meere manner
Of your attempting mee, this morning tooke mee,
And I did hold m’inuention, and my manners,
Were both engag’d, to giue it a requitall;
But not vnto your ends: my hope was then, 10
(Though interrupted, ere it could be vtter’d)
That whom I found the Maſter of ſuch language,
That braine and ſpirit, for ſuch an enterpriſe,
Could not, but if thoſe ſuccours were demanded
To a right vſe, employ them vertuouſly! 15
And make that profit of his noble parts,
Which they would yeeld. S^r, you haue now the ground,
To exerciſe them in: I am a woman:
That cannot ſpeake more wretchedneſſe of my ſelfe,
Then you can read; match’d to a maſſe of folly; 20
That euery day makes haſte to his owne ruine;
The wealthy portion, that I brought him, ſpent;
And (through my friends neglect) no ioynture made me.
My fortunes ſtanding in this precipice,
’Tis _Counſell_ that I want, and honeſt aides: 25
And in this name, I need you, for a friend!
Neuer in any other; for his ill,
Muſt not make me, S^r, worſe.
Manly, _conceal’d this while, ſhews himſelf_.
MAN. O friend! forſake not
The braue occaſion, vertue offers you,
To keepe you innocent: I haue fear’d for both; 30
And watch’d you, to preuent the ill I fear’d.
But, ſince the weaker ſide hath ſo aſſur’d mee,
Let not the ſtronger fall by his owne vice,
Or be the leſſe a friend, cauſe vertue needs him.
WIT. Vertue ſhall neuer aske my ſuccours twice; 35
Moſt friend, moſt man: your _Counſells_ are commands:
Lady, I can loue _goodnes_ in you, more [155]
Then I did _Beauty_; and doe here intitle
Your vertue, to the power, vpon a life
You ſhall engage in any fruitfull ſeruice, 40
Euen to forfeit.
MER. _Madame_: Do you heare, Sir,
Mere-craft _takes_ Wittipol _aſide,_
& _moues a proiect for himſelfe_.
We haue another leg-ſtrain’d, for this _Dottrel_.
He’ha’s a quarrell to carry, and ha’s cauſ’d
A deed of _Feoffment_, of his whole eſtate
To be drawne yonder; h’ha’ſt within: And you, 45
Onely, he meanes to make _Feoffee_. H’is falne
So deſperatly enamour’d on you, and talkes
Moſt like a mad-man: you did neuer heare
A _Phrentick_, ſo in loue with his owne fauour!
Now, you doe know, ’tis of no validity 50
In your name, as you ſtand; Therefore aduiſe him
To put in me. (h’is come here:) You ſhall ſhare Sir.
[699] SD. SCENE III _Another Room in the same. Enter_ WITTIPOL,
_and Mrs._ FITZDOTTREL. G
[700] 1 Yo’] you W
[701] 4 MANLY _enters behind_. G
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account