Publii Terentii Carthaginiensis Afris poëtae lepidissimi comoediae sex Anglo-Latinae in usum ludi-discipulorum, quo Feliciùs venustatem linguae Latinae ad sermonem quotidianum exercendum assequantur / a Carolo Hoole ... = Six comedies of that excellent poet Publius Terentius, an African of Carthage, in English and Latine : for the use of young scholars, that they may the more readily attain the purity of the Latine tongue for common discourse / by Charles Hoole ...

Act. II. Scen. I.

LACHES. SOSTRATA.

La.

O Strange, what a sort of women is this? what conspiracie is this? That all women should alike affect the same things, and be unwilling to all things? Nor shall you find anie that hath swerved anie whit from others disposi∣tion; And therefore thus with one consent all mothers in law have hated their daughters in law. [line 5] They studie all alike to be crosse to their husbands, their obstinacie is alike. Me thinks they are all instructed to naughtiness in the same school: And I am sure, if anie be, this woman is the mistress of that school.

So.

O wretched woman that I am, who do not know now, wherefore I am accused.

La.

Ha, Do not you know?

So.

No, I swear my Laches; [line 10] And therefore we may lead our lives together.

La.

God forbid those evils.

So.

And you shall know after a while that I am wrongfully accused by you.

La.

I know That you are wrongfully accused. Can anie thing be spoken as you de∣serve for those pranks, Who dost disgrace me & your self, & our family, & breed yovr son sorrow?

And besides you make our marriage-kindred of friends to become our enemies; [line 15] Who deemed him worthie to whom they might commit their chil∣dren. You alone are started up, to put these things out of order by your im∣pudence.

So.

What I?

Lach.

You, I say woman, who judgest me to be a stone altogether, and not a man. Do you think, because I use to be often in the countrie, that I know not, How everie one of you leads his life here? [line 20] I know far better, what things are done here, then there where I am daily. Therefore because as you shall be to me at home, so I shall be by report abroad. Trulie I heard long agoe that Philumena hated you, And it is no marvail; and if she had not done it, it had been a greater marvail: But I did not believe withall, that she hated his whole house; [line 25] Which if I had known, she should rather have tarried here, and you have packt hence out of doors. But see how undeservedly this grief befalls me through you, Sostrata; I went hence to dwell in the countrie, giving way to you, and striving to get something, That my means might be able to bear your cost and idlenesse, Not sparing my pains, above what was meet for me, and my age. [line 30] See how you took no care for these things, that I might not be irou∣bled.

So.

Trulie it came not to passe by my means, nor through my default.

La.

Yes most of all. You was here alone. Sostrata, all the fault lieth upon you. You should have looked to what was here, seeing I acquitted you of all other eares. Are you not ashamed being an old-woman to fall out with a girl? [line 35] You will say It was through his default.

So.

Trulie I do not say so, my Laches.

La.

I am glad, I swear, for my son's sake. For as for you, I know ve∣rie well, No dammage can be done you by your doing amisse.

So.

How do you know, my husband, whether she made as though she ha∣ted me for that cause,

That she might be more with her mother?

La.

What say you? is it not•…•… token sufficient, [line 40] That no bodie would let you in to her yesterday when you came to visit her?

So.

No, for they then said she was verie faint-sick, and so I was not ad∣mitted to her.

La.

I think that your manners are rather a sicknesse to her then a•…•… other thing. And good cause why; for there is none of you, but would have her son Marrie a wife; and what offer pleaseth you, is granted. [line 45] After they have married by your setting on, by your setting on they drive the same wives away.