_Rom._ I know it not, but doubt it, these the grounds
The seruant of your wife now young _Nouall_, 415
The sonne vnto your fathers Enemy
(Which aggrauates my presumption the more)
I haue been warnd of, touching her, nay, seene them
Tye heart to heart, one in anothers armes,
Multiplying kisses, as if they meant 420
To pose Arithmeticke, or whose eyes would
Bee first burnt out, with gazing on the others.
I saw their mouthes engender, and their palmes
Glew’d, as if Loue had lockt them, their words flow
And melt each others, like two circling flames, 425
Where chastity, like a Phoenix (me thought) burn’d,
But left the world nor ashes, nor an heire.
Why stand you silent thus? what cold dull flegme,
As if you had no drop of choller mixt
In your whole constitution, thus preuailes, 430
To fix you now, thus stupid hearing this?
_Cha._ You did not see ’em on my Couch within,
Like George a horse-backe on her, nor a bed?
_Rom._ Noe.
_Cha._ Ha, ha.
_Rom._ Laugh yee? eene so did your wife,
And her indulgent father.
_Cha._ They were wife. 435
Wouldst ha me be a foole?
_Rom._ No, but a man.
_Cha._ There is no dramme of manhood to suspect,
On such thin ayrie circumstance as this
Meere complement and courtship. Was this tale
The hydeous monster which you so conceal’d? 440
Away, thou curious impertinent
And idle searcher of such leane nice toyes.
Goe, thou sedicious sower of debate:
Fly to such matches, where the bridegroome doubts:
He holds not worth enough to counteruaile 445
The vertue and the beauty of his wife.
Thou buzzing drone that ’bout my eares dost hum,
To strike thy rankling sting into my heart,
Whose vemon, time, nor medicine could asswage.
Thus doe I put thee off, and confident 450
In mine owne innocency, and desert,
Dare not conceiue her so vnreasonable,
To put _Nouall_ in ballance against me,
An vpstart cran’d vp to the height he has.
Hence busiebody, thou’rt no friend to me, 455
That must be kept to a wiues iniury,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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