_Fred._ No Friend to Love like a long Voyage at Sea.
_Blunt._ Except a Nunnery, _Fred_.
_Will._ Death! but will they not be kind, quickly be kind? Thou know"st I"m no tame Sigher, but a rampant Lion of the Forest.
_Two Men drest all over with Horns of several sorts, making Grimaces at one another, with Papers pinn"d on their Backs, advance from the farther end of the Scene._
_Belv._ Oh the fantastical Rogues, how they are dress"d! "tis a Satir against the whole s.e.x.
_Will._ Is this a Fruit that grows in this warm Country?
_Belv._ Yes: "Tis pretty to see these _Italian_ start, swell, and stab at the Word _Cuckold_, and yet stumble at Horns on every Threshold.
_Will._ See what"s on their Back-- _Flowers for every Night._ [Reads.
--Ah Rogue! And more sweet than Roses of ev"ry Month! This is a Gardiner of _Adam"s_ own breeding.
[They dance.
_Belv._ What think you of those grave People?-- is a Wake in _Ess.e.x_ half so mad or extravagant?
_Will._ I like their sober grave way, "tis a kind of legal authoriz"d Fornication, where the Men are not chid for"t, nor the Women despis"d, as amongst our dull _English_; even the Monsieurs want that part of good Manners.
_Belv._ But here in _Italy_ a Monsieur is the humblest best-bred Gentleman-- Duels are so baffled by Bravo"s that an age shews not one, but between a _Frenchman_ and a Hang-man, who is as much too hard for him on the Piazza, as they are for a _Dutchman_ on the new Bridge-- But see another Crew.
Enter _Florinda_, _h.e.l.lena_, and _Valeria_, drest like Gipsies; _Callis_ and _Stephano_, _Lucetta_, _Phillippo_ and _Sancho_ in Masquerade.
_h.e.l.l._ Sister, there"s your _Englishman_, and with him a handsom proper Fellow-- I"ll to him, and instead of telling him his Fortune, try my own.
_Will._ Gipsies, on my Life-- Sure these will prattle if a Man cross their Hands. [Goes to _h.e.l.lena_] --Dear pretty (and I hope) young Devil, will you tell an amorous Stranger what Luck he"s like to have?
_h.e.l.l._ Have a care how you venture with me, Sir, lest I pick your Pocket, which will more vex your _English_ Humour, than an _Italian_ Fortune will please you.
_Will._ How the Devil cam"st thou to know my Country and Humour?
_h.e.l.l._ The first I guess by a certain forward Impudence, which does not displease me at this time; and the Loss of your Money will vex you, because I hope you have but very little to lose.
_Will._ Egad Child, thou"rt i"th" right; it is so little, I dare not offer it thee for a Kindness-- But cannot you divine what other things of more value I have about me, that I would more willingly part with?
_h.e.l.l._ Indeed no, that"s the Business of a Witch, and I am but a Gipsy yet-- Yet, without looking in your Hand, I have a parlous Guess, "tis some foolish Heart you mean, an inconstant _English_ Heart, as little worth stealing as your Purse.
_Will._ Nay, then thou dost deal with the Devil, that"s certain-- Thou hast guess"d as right as if thou hadst been one of that Number it has languisht for-- I find you"ll be better acquainted with it; nor can you take it in a better time, for I am come from Sea, Child; and _Venus_ not being propitious to me in her own Element, I have a world of Love in store-- Wou"d you would be good-natur"d, and take some on"t off my Hands.
_h.e.l.l._ Why-- I could be inclin"d that way-- but for a foolish Vow I am going to make-- to die a Maid.
_Will._ Then thou art d.a.m.n"d without Redemption; and as I am a good Christian, I ought in charity to divert so wicked a design-- therefore prithee, dear Creature, let me know quickly when and where I shall begin to set a helping hand to so good a Work.
_h.e.l.l._ If you should prevail with my tender Heart (as I begin to fear you will, for you have horrible loving Eyes) there will be difficulty in"t that you"ll hardly undergo for my sake.
_Will._ Faith, Child, I have been bred in Dangers, and wear a Sword that has been employ"d in a worse Cause, than for a handsom kind Woman-- Name the Danger-- let it be any thing but a long Siege, and I"ll undertake it.
_h.e.l.l._ Can you storm?
_Will._ Oh, most furiously.
_h.e.l.l._ What think you of a Nunnery-wall? for he that wins me, must gain that first.
_Will._ A Nun! Oh how I love thee for"t! there"s no Sinner like a young Saint-- Nay, now there"s no denying me: the old Law had no Curse (to a Woman) like dying a Maid; witness _Jephtha"s_ Daughter.
_h.e.l.l._ A very good Text this, if well handled; and I perceive, Father Captain, you would impose no severe Penance on her who was inclin"d to console her self before she took Orders.
_Will._ If she be young and handsom.
_h.e.l.l._ Ay, there"s it-- but if she be not--
_Will._ By this Hand, Child, I have an implicit Faith, and dare venture on thee with all Faults-- besides, "tis more meritorious to leave the World when thou hast tasted and prov"d the Pleasure on"t; then "twill be a Virtue in thee, which now will be pure Ignorance.
_h.e.l.l._ I perceive, good Father Captain, you design only to make me fit for Heaven-- but if on the contrary you should quite divert me from it, and bring me back to the World again, I should have a new Man to seek I find; and what a grief that will be-- for when I begin, I fancy I shall love like any thing: I never try"d yet.
_Will._ Egad, and that"s kind-- Prithee, dear Creature, give me Credit for a Heart, for faith, I"m a very honest Fellow-- Oh, I long to come first to the Banquet of Love; and such a swinging Appet.i.te I bring-- Oh, I"m impatient. Thy Lodging, Sweetheart, thy Lodging, or I"m a dead man.
_h.e.l.l._ Why must we be either guilty of Fornication or Murder, if we converse with you Men?-- And is there no difference between leave to love me, and leave to lie with me?
_Will._ Faith, Child, they were made to go together.
_Lucet._ Are you sure this is the Man? [Pointing to _Blunt_.
_Sancho._ When did I mistake your Game?
_Lucet._ This is a stranger, I know by his gazing; if he be brisk he"ll venture to follow me; and then, if I understand my Trade, he"s mine: he"s _English_ too, and they say that"s a sort of good natur"d loving People, and have generally so kind an opinion of themselves, that a Woman with any Wit may flatter "em into any sort of Fool she pleases.
_Blunt._ "Tis so-- she is taken-- I have Beauties which my false Gla.s.s at home did not discover.
[She often pa.s.ses by _Blunt_ and gazes on him; he struts, and c.o.c.ks, and walks, and gazes on her.
_Flor._ This Woman watches me so, I shall get no Opportunity to discover my self to him, and so miss the intent of my coming-- But as I was saying, Sir-- by this Line you should be a Lover.
[Looking in his Hand.
_Belv._ I thought how right you guess"d, all Men are in love, or pretend to be so-- Come, let me go, I"m weary of this fooling.
[Walks away.
_Flor._ I will not, till you have confess"d whether the Pa.s.sion that you have vow"d _Florinda_ be true or false.
[She holds him, he strives to get from her.
_Belv._ _Florinda_! [Turns quick towards her.
_Flor._ Softly.
_Belv._ Thou hast nam"d one will fix me here for ever.