English drama (Comedy); English drama -- 17th century
_Har._ [_Aside._] So, we are hard put to't, when we make our rival our
procurer; but neither she nor her brother would let me come near her
now. When all's done, a rival is the best cloak to steal to a mistress
under, without suspicion; and when we have once got to her as we
desire, we throw him off like other cloaks. [_Exit_ SPARKISH, HARCOURT
_following him._
_Re-enter_ PINCHWIFE _and_ Mrs. PINCHWIFE.
_Pinch._ [_To_ ALITHEA.] Sister, if you will not go, we must leave
you.--[_Aside._] The fool her gallant and she will muster up all
the young saunterers of this place, and they will leave their dear
sempstresses to follow us. What a swarm of cuckolds and cuckold-makers
are here!--Come, let's be gone, Mistress Margery.
_Mrs. Pinch._ Don't you believe that; I han't half my bellyfull of
sights yet.
_Pinch._ Then walk this way.
_Mrs. Pinch._ Lord, what a power of brave signs are here! stay--the
Bull's-Head, the Ram's-Head, and the Stag's-Head, dear--
_Pinch._ Nay, if every husband's proper sign here were visible, they
would be all alike.
_Mrs. Pinch._ What d'ye mean by that, bud?
_Pinch._ 'Tis no matter--no matter, bud.
_Mrs Pinch._ Pray tell me: nay, I will know.
_Pinch._ They would be all Bulls, Stags, and Rams-heads. [_Exeunt_
PINCHWIFE _and_ Mrs. PINCHWIFE.
_Re-enter_ SPARKISH, HARCOURT, ALITHEA, _and_ LUCY,
_at the other side._
_Spark._ Come, dear madam, for my sake you shall be reconciled to him.
_Alith._ For your sake I hate him.
_Har._ That's something too cruel, madam, to hate me for his sake.
_Spark._ Ay indeed, madam, too, too cruel to me, to hate my friend for
my sake.
_Alith._ I hate him because he is your enemy; and you ought to hate him
too, for making love to me, if you love me.
_Spark._ That's a good one! I hate a man for loving you! If he did love
you, 'tis but what he can't help; and 'tis your fault, not his, if he
admires you. I hate a man for being of my opinion! I'll n'er do't, by
the world.
_Alith._ Is it for your honour, or mine, to suffer a man to make love
to me, who am to marry you to-morrow?
_Spark._ Is it for your honour, or mine, to have me jealous? That he
makes love to you, is a sign you are handsome; and that I am not
jealous, is a sign you are virtuous. That I think is for your honour.
_Alith._ But 'tis your honour too I am concerned for.
_Har._ But why, dearest madam, will you be more concerned for his
honour than he is himself? Let his honour alone, for my sake and his.
He! he has no honour--
_Spark._ How's that?
_Har._ But what my dear friend can guard himself.
_Spark._ O ho--that's right again.
_Har._ Your care of his honour argues his neglect of it, which is no
honour to my dear friend here. Therefore once more, let his honour go
which way it will, dear madam.
_Spark._ Ay, ay; were it for my honour to marry a woman whose virtue I
suspected, and could not trust her in a friend's hands?
_Alith._ Are you not afraid to lose me?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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