SELBY This idle bond of wedlock; These sour-sweet briars, fetters of harsh silk; I might have made, I do not say a better, But a more fit choice in a wife. MRS. FRAMPTON The parch'd ground, In hottest Julys, drinks not in the showers More greedily than I his words! [_Aside_.] SELBY My humour Is to be frank and jovial; and that man Affects me best, who most reflects me in My most free temper. MRS. FRAMPTON Were you free to chuse, As jestingly I'll put the supposition, Without a thought reflecting on your Katherine, What sort of woman would you make your choice? SELBY I like your humour, and will meet your jest. She should be one about my Katherine's age; But not so old, by some ten years, in gravity. One that would meet my mirth, sometimes outrun it; No puling, pining moppet, as you said, Nor moping maid, that I must still be teaching The freedoms of a wife all her life after: But one, that, having worn the chain before, (And worn it lightly, as report gave out,) Enfranchised from it by her poor fool's death, Took it not so to heart that I need dread To die myself, for fear a second time To wet a widow's eye. MRS. FRAMPTON Some widows, sir, Hearing you talk so wildly, would be apt To put strange misconstruction on your words, As aiming at a Turkish liberty, Where the free husband hath his several mates, His Penseroso, his Allegro wife, To suit his sober, or his frolic fit. SELBY How judge you of that latitude? MRS. FRAMPTON As one, In European customs bred, must judge. Had I Been born a native of the liberal East, I might have thought as they do. Yet I knew A married man that took a second wife, And (the man's circumstances duly weigh'd, With all their bearings) the considerate world Nor much approved, nor much condemn'd the deed. SELBY You move my wonder strangely. Pray, proceed. MRS. FRAMPTON An eye of wanton liking he had placed Upon a Widow, who liked him again, But stood on terms of honourable love, And scrupled wronging his most virtuous wife--- When to their ears a lucky rumour ran, That this demure and saintly-seeming wife Had a first husband living; with the which Being question'd, she but faintly could deny. "A priest indeed there was; some words had passed, But scarce amounting to a marriage rite. Her friend was absent; she supposed him dead; And, seven years parted, both were free to chuse." SELBY What did the indignant husband? Did he not With violent handlings stigmatize the cheek Of the deceiving wife, who had entail'd Shame on their innocent babe?