of the rich are damn'd, but if I may haue your Ladiships good will to goe to the world, Isbell the woman and w will doe as we may.
Coun.
Wilt thou needes be a begger?
Clo.
I doe beg your good will in this case.
Clo.
In Isbels case and mine owne: seruice is no heri∣tage, and I thinke I shall neuer haue the blessing of God, till I haue issue a my bodie: for they say barnes are bles∣sings.
Cou.
Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marrie?
Clo.
My poore bodie Madam requires it, I am driuen onby the flesh, and hee must needes goe that the diuell driues.
Cou.
Is this all your worships reason?
Clo.
Faith Madam I haue other holie reasons, such as they are.
Con.
May the world know them?
Clo.
I haue beene Madam a wicked creature, as you and all flesh and blood are, and indeede I doe marrie that I may repent.
Cou.
Thy marriage sooner then thy wickednesse.
Clo.
I am out a friends Madam, and I hope to haue friends for my wiues sake.
Cou.
Such friends are thine enemies knaue.
Clo.
Y' are shallow Madam in great friends, for the knaues come to doe that for me which I am a wearie of: he that eres my Land, spares my teame, and giues mee leaue to Inne the crop: if I be his cuckold hee's my drudge; he that comforts my wife, is the cherisher of my flesh and blood; hee that cherishes my flesh and blood, loues my flesh and blood; he that loues my flesh and blood is my friend: ergo, he that kisses my wife is my friend: if men could be contented to be what they are, there were no feare in marriage, for yong Charbon the Puritan, and old Poysam the Papist, how somere their hearts are seuer'd in Religion, their heads are both one, they may ioule horns together like any Deare i' th Herd.
Cou.
Wilt thou euer be a foule mouth'd and calum∣nious knaue?
Clo.
A Prophet I Madam, and I speake the truth the next waie, for I the Ballad will repeate, which men full true shall finde, your marriage comes by destinie, your Cuckow sings by kinde.
Cou.
Get you gone sir, Ile talke with you more anon.
Stew.
May it please you Madam, that hee bid Hellen come to you, of her I am to speake.
Cou.
Sirra tell my gentlewoman I would speake with her, Hellen I meane.
Clo.
Was this faire face the cause, quoth she,
Why the Grecians sacked Troy,
Fond done, done, fond was this King Priams ioy,
With that she sighed as she stood, bis
And gaue this sentence then, among nine bad if one be good, among nine bad if one be good, there's yet one good in ten.
Cou.
What, one good in tenne? you corrupt the song sirra.
Clo.
One good woman in ten Madam, which is a pu∣rifying ath' song: would God would serue the world so all the yeere, weed finde no fault with the tithe woman if I were the Parson, one in ten quoth a? and wee might haue a good woman borne but ore euerie blazing starre, or at an earthquake, 'twould mend the Lotterie well, a man may draw his heart out ere a plucke one.
Cou.
Youle begone sir knaue▪ and doe as I command you?
Clo.
That man should be at womans command, and yet no hurt done, though honestie be no Puritan, yet it will doe no hurt, it will weare the Surplis of humilitie ouer the blacke-Gowne of a bigge heart: I am go∣ing forsooth, the businesse is for Helen to come hither.
Exit.
Stew.
I know Madam you loue your Gentlewoman intirely.
Cou.
Faith I doe: her Father bequeath'd her to mee, and she her selfe without other aduantage, may lawful∣lie make title to as much loue as shee findes, there is more owing her then is paid, and more shall be paid her then sheele demand.
Stew.
Madam, I was verie late more neere her then I thinke shee wisht mee, alone shee was, and did communicate to her selfe her owne words to her owne eares, shee thought, I dare vowe for her, they toucht not anie stranger sence, her matter was, shee loued your Sonne; Fortune shee said was no god∣desse, that had put such difference betwixt their two estates: Loue no god, that would not extend his might onelie, where qualities were leuell, Queene of Vir∣gins, that would suffer her poore Knight surpris'd without rescue in the first assault or ransome after∣ward: This shee deliuer'd in the most bitter touch of sorrow that ere I heard Virgin exclaime in, which I held my dutie speedily to acquaint you withall, sithence in the losse that may happen, it concernes you something to know it.
Cou.
You haue discharg'd this honestlie, keepe it to your selfe, manie likelihoods inform'd mee of this before, which hung so tottring in the ballance, that I could neither beleeue nor misdoubt: praie you leaue mee, stall this in your bosome, and I thanke you for your honest care: I will speake with you fur∣ther anon.
Exit Steward.
Enter Hellen.
Old. Cou.
Euen so it vvas vvith me when I was yong:
If euer vve are natures, these are ours, this thorne
Doth to our Rose of youth righlie belong
Our bloud to vs, this to our blood is borne,
It is the show, and seale of natures truth,
Where loues strong passion is imprest in youth,
By our remembrances of daies forgon,
Such were our faults, or then we thought them none,
Her eie is sicke on't, I obserue her now.
Hell.
What is your pleasure Madam?
Ol. Cou.
You know Hellen I am a mother to you.
Hell.
Mine honorable Mistris.
Ol. Cou.
Nay a mother, why not a mother? when I sed a mother
Me thought you saw a serpent, what's in mother,
That you start at it? I say I am your mother,
And put you in the Catalogue of those
That were enwombed mine, 'tis often seene
Adoption striues vvith nature, and choise breedes
A natiue slip to vs from forraine seedes:
You nere opprest me with a mothers groane,
Yet I expresse to you a mothers care,
(Gods mercie maiden) dos it curd thy blood
To say I am thy mother? vvhat's the matter,
That this distempered messenger of wet?