English drama -- 17th century; English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Cas._ O love, thou chaste affection of the soul,
Without the adulterate mixture of the blood,
That virtue, which to goodness addeth good,--
The minion of Heaven's heart. Heaven! is't my fate
For loving that thou lov'st, to get thy hate,
Or was my Charlemont thy chosen love,
And therefore hast received him to thyself?
Then I confess thy anger's not unjust.
I was thy rival. Yet to be divorced
From love, has been a punishment enough
(Sweet Heaven!) without being married unto hate,
Hadst thou been pleased,--O double misery,--
Yet, since thy pleasure hath inflicted it,
If not my heart, my duty shall submit.
_Enter_ LEVIDULCIA, ROUSARD, CATAPLASMA, SOQUETTE, _and_ FRESCO _with
a lanthorn._
_Lev._ Mistress Cataplasma, good night. I pray when your man has
brought you home, let him return and light me to my house.
_Cata._ He shall instantly wait upon your ladyship.
_Lev._ Good Mistress Cataplasma! for my servants are all drunk, I
cannot be beholden to 'em for their attendance.
[_Exeunt_ CATAPLASMA, SOQUETTE, _and_ FRESCO.
O here's your bride!
_Rous._ And melancholic too, methinks.
_Lev._ How can she choose? Your sickness will
Distaste the expected sweetness o' the night
That makes her heavy.
_Rous._ That should make her light.
_Lev._ Look you to that.
_Cast._ What sweetness speak you of?
The sweetness of the night consists in rest.
_Rous._ With that sweetness thou shalt be surely blest
Unless my groaning wake thee. Do not moan.
_Lev._ She'd rather you would wake, and make her groan.
_Rous._ Nay 'troth, sweetheart, I will not trouble thee.
Thou shalt not lose thy maidenhead to-night.
_Cast._ O might that weakness ever be in force,
I never would desire to sue divorce.
_Rous._ Wilt go to bed?
_Cast._ I will attend you, sir.
_Rous._ Mother, good night.
_Lev._ Pleasure be your bedfellow.
[_Exeunt_ ROUSARD _and_ CASTABELLA.
Why sure their generation was asleep
When she begot those dormice, that she made
Them up so weakly and imperfectly.
One wants desire, the t'other ability,
When my affection even with their cold bloods
(As snow rubbed through an active hand does make
The flesh to burn) by agitation is
Inflamed, I could embrace and entertain
The air to cool it.
_Enter_ SEBASTIAN.
_Sebas._ That but mitigates
The heat; rather embrace and entertain
A younger brother; he can quench the fire.
_Lev._ Can you so, sir? Now I beshrew your ear.
Why, bold Sebastian, how dare you approach
So near the presence of your displeased father?
_Sebas._ Under the protection of his present absence.
_Lev._ Belike you knew he was abroad then?
_Sebas._ Yes.
Let me encounter you so: I'll persuade
Your means to reconcile me to his loves.
_Lev._ Is that the way? I understand you not.
But for your reconcilement meet me at home;
I'll satisfy your suit.
_Sebas._ Within this half-hour? [_Exit._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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