_Plot._ Dere it is, Sir. It be commonly called de _Lapis Lydius
Virginitatis_, or touch-stone of virginity.
[_gives him a vial._
_Foss._ It has the smell of your common hart's-horn. But all your
volatile spirits have a near resemblance.
_Plot._ Right, Sir. De distillation be made from the _Hippomanes_ of a
young mare. When a deflower'd virgin take ten drops, she will faint and
sneeze, and de large red spot appear on the cheek; which we call
de spot of infamy. All de young bridegroom make de experiment. De
archbishop did make obligation to de nun to take it every ninth month.
And I fly for the hurlyburly it make.
Enter HUGH.
_Hugh._ Sir here is a patient in a chair.
_Foss._ Doctor Lubomirski, let me conduct you into my study, where we
will farther discuss the wonderful virtues of this liquor. Tell the
patient I will attend him this instant.
[_Exeunt Plotwell and Fossile._
Enter UNDERPLOT in a chair like a sick man.
_Hugh._ The doctor will wait upon you immediately.
[_Exit Hugh._
_Underp._ I dogg'd Plotwell to this door in a doctor's habit. If he has
admittance as a doctor, why not I as a patient? Now for a lucky decision
of our wager! If I can't succeed myself, I will at least spoil his
intrigue.
Enter FOSSILE.
_Underp._ Ah! ah! have you no place? Ah! where can I repose a little? I
was taken suddenly. Ah! ah! 'tis happy I was so near the house of an
eminent physician.
_Foss._ Rest yourself upon that couch.
_Underp._ If I lay a few minutes cover'd up warm in a bed, I believe I
might recover.
[_Fossile feels his pulse. Plotwell peeps._
_Plot._ Underplot in disguise! I'll be his doctor, and cure him of these
frolicks.
[_aside._
_Foss._ What are your symptoms, Sir? a very tempestuous pulse, I
profess!
_Underp._ Violent head-ach, ah! ah!
_Foss._ All this proceeds from the fumes of the kitchen, the stomachic
digester wants reparation for the better concoction of your aliment:
But, Sir, is your pain pungitive, tensive, gravitive, or pulsatory?
_Plot._ All together, ah!
_Foss._ Impossible Sir; but I have an eminent physician now in the
house, he shall consult. Doctor Lubomirski, here is a person in a most
violent cephalalgy, a terrible case!
Enter PLOTWELL.
_Foss._ Feel his pulse. [_Plotwell feels it._] You feel it, Sir, strong,
hard and labouring.
_Plot._ Great plenitude, Sir.
_Foss._ Feel his belly, Sir; a great tension and heat of the abdomen--A
hearty man, his muscles are torose; how soon are the strongest humbled
by diseases! let us retire, and consult.
Enter SARSNET in haste.
_Sars._ My mistress approves your design, bear it out bravely, perhaps I
shall have a sudden opportunity of conveying you into her bed-chamber,
counterfeit a fainting fit and rely upon me.
[_Exit._
_Underp._ As yet I find I am undiscover'd by Plotwell; neither is his
intrigue in such forwardness as mine, though he made a fair push for it
before me.
[_aside._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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