BALLAD. The wanton god, that pierces hearts, They have charms, whilst mine can please; Is to love me whilst he can. [Exeunt EUPHROSYNE and Pastoral Nymph. Comus. Cast thine eyes around and see How from every element Nature's sweets are cull'd for thee, "Hither Summer, Autumn, Spring, Paying homage to your queen!" [The Lady attempts to rise. Nay, lady, sit; if I but wave this wand, Your nerves are all bound up in alabaster, And you a statue. Lady. Fool, do not boast; Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind With all thy charms, altho' this corp'ral rind Thou hast immanacled, while heaven sees good. Comus. Why are you vex'd, Lady? why do you frown? Here dwell no frowns nor anger; from these [Points to his crew. But such as are good men, can give good things; That you are cheated by the lying boasts "SONG, by a Nymph. "Preach not to me your musty rules, Ye drones that mould in idle cell! Comus. List, lady; be not coy, and be not cozen'd With that same vaunted namie, Virginity. yet; This will inform you soon. One sip of this Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight, Beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise, and taste. [The Brothers rush in with their swords drawn, wrest the glass out of his hand, and break it against the ground; He and his rout are all driven out. And bound him fast; without his rod revers'd, Comus. Why should you be so cruel to your-That sways the Severn stream: she can unlock self, The clasping charm, and thaw the numbing spell, If she be right invok'd in warbled song. Which from her bed the fair Sabrina calls." "Listen where thou art sitting Attend and save! SABRINA rises and sings. Gentle swain, at thy request, I'm here. By the rushy fringed bank, RECITATIVE. Sab. Shepherd, 'tis my office best To help ensnar'd chastity; Brightest lady look on me! Thus I sprinkle on thy breast Drops, that from my fountain pure I have kept of precious cure; Thrice upon thy fingers tip, Thrice upon thy rubied lip; Next this marble venom'd seat; Smear'd with gums of glutinous heat, Itouch with chaste palms, moist and cold: Now the spell hath lost its hold; And I must haste, ere morning hour, To wait in Amphitrite's bower. SABRINA descends, and the Lady rises out of her seat; the Brothers embrace her tenderly. "Y. Bro. Why did I doubt? Why tempt the wrath of heaven To shed just vengeance on my weak dis trust? "E. Bro. The freedom of the mind, you see no charm, No spell can reach: that righteous Jove forbids, Lest man should call his frail divinity "Spirit discovering himself. "Pay it to heaven! There my mansion is; But when a mortal, favour'd of high Jove, Chances to pass thro' yon advent'rous glade, Swift as the sparkle of a glancing star, I shoot from heav'n to give him safe convoy. "Now my task is smoothly done, I can fly, or I can run Quickly to the green earth's end, Where the bow'd Welkin slow doth bend Spirit. Mortals, that would happy be, SCENE I. Enter OCTAVIAN and SHIFT. ACT I. Oct. THIS is unhappy news! I did not expect my father in two months, and yet you say he is returned already. Shift. 'Tis but too true. Oct. That he arrived this morning? Shift. This very morning. he understands what things have happened in his absence! I dread his anger and reproaches. Shift. Reproaches! Would I could be quit of him so easy; methinks I feel him already on my shoulders." Oct. Disinheriting is the least I can expect. Shift. You should have thought of this before, and not have fallen in love with I know not whom; one, that you met by chance in the Dover-coach: She is, indeed, a good snug lass; but Oct. And that he is come with a resolution to God knows what she is besides; perhaps some marry me? Shift. Yes, sir, to marry you. Oct. I am ruined and undone : pr'ythee advise Oct. Villain! Shift. I have done, sir, I have done. Oct. I have no friend that can appease my father's anger, and now I shall be betrayed to want and misery. Shift. For my part, I know but one remedy in our misfortunes. Oct. Pr'ythee, what is it? Shift. You know that rogue and arch-cheat Scapin? Oct. Well; what of him? Shift. There is not a more subtle fellow breath 3 ing: so cunning, he can cheat one newly cheated: 'tis such a wheedling rogue, I'd undertake, in two hours he shall make your father forgive you all; nay, allow you money for your necessary debauches. I saw him, in three days, make an old cautious lawyer turn chemist and projector! Oct. He is the fittest person in the world for my business; the impudent varlet can do thing with the peevish old man. Prithee, go look him out; we'll set him a-work immediately. Shift. See where he comes-Monsieur Scapin! Enter SCAPIN. Sca. Worthy sir! any Shift. I have been giving my master a brief account of thy most noble qualities: I told him thou wert as valiant as a ridden cuckold, sincere as whores, honest as pimps in want. Sca. Alas, sir, I but copy you: 'Tis you are brave; you scorn the gibbets, halters, and prisons which threaten you, and valiantly proceed in cheats and robberies. Oct. Oh, Scapin! I am utterly ruined without thy assistance. Sca. Why, what's the matter, good Mr. Octavian? Oct. My father is this day arrived at Dover with old Mr. Gripe, with a resolution to marry Sca. No matter, no matter, all shall be well. I am public spirited; I love to help distressed young gentlemen: and, thank Heaven, I have had good success enough. Oct. Besides, my present want must be considered; I am in rebellion without money. all things easy to us; which is a sign it is the chiefest good. But I have other cares. Will you be ever constant? Shall not your father's severity constrain you to be false? Clara. Love shall teach mne-that can make Oct. Never, my dearest, never! Clara. They, that love much, may be allowed some fears. Sca. Come, come; we have now no time to hear you speak fine tender things to one another. Pray, do you prepare to encounter with your father. Oct. I tremble at the thoughts of it. Sca. You must appear resolute at first: Tell him you can live without troubling him; threaten him to turn soldier: or, what will frighten him worse, say you'll turn poet. Come, I'll warrant you we bring him to composition. Oct. What would I give 'twere over! Sca. Let us practise a little what you are to do. Suppose me your father, very grave, and very angry. Oct. Well. Sca. Do you look very carelessly, like a small courtier upon his country acquaintance: A little more surlily: Very well.Now, I am full of my fatherly authority.-Octavian, thou makest me weep to see thee; but, alas! they are not tears of joy, but tears of sorrow. Did ever so good a father beget so lewd a son? Nay, but for that I think thy mother virtuous, I should pronounce thou art not mine! Newgate-bird, rogue, villain! what a trick hast thou played me in my absence? Married! Yes. But to whom? Nay, that thou knowest not. I'll warrant you some waiting-woman, corrupted in a civil family, and reduced to one of the play-houses; removed from thence by some keeping coxcomb, orClara. Hold, Scapin, hold Sca. I have tricks and shifts, too, to get that: I can cheat upon occasion; but cheating is now grown an ill-trade: yet, Heaven be thanked, there were never more cullies and fools, but the greatest rooks and cheats, allowed by public authority, ruin such little undertraders as I am. Sca. No offence, lady, I speak but another's Oct. Well, get thee straight about thy busi-words.-Thou abominable rascal, thou shalt not ness. Canst thou make no use of my rogue here? Sca. Yes, I shall want his assistance; the knave has cunning, and may be useful. Shift. Ay, sir; but, like other wise men, I am not over-valiant. Pray, leave me out of this business: My fears will betray you; you shall execute, I'll sit at home and advise. Sca, I stand not in need of thy courage, but thy impudence; and thou hast enough of that. Come, come, thou shalt along: What man, stand out for a beating? That's the worst can happen. Shift. Well, well, have a groat, not a groat! Besides, I will break [Exeunt Ocr. and CLARA. Enter THRIFTY. Thrifty. Was there ever such a rash action? Sca. He has been informed of the business, and is now so full of it, that he vents it to himself. Thrifty. I would fain hear what they can say for themselves. Sca. We are not unprovided. [At a distance. Thrifty. Will they be so impudent to deny he thing? Sca. We never intend it. Sca. Very true, indeed, very true; but fye upon you, now! would you have him as wise as yourself? Young men will have their follieswitness my charge, Leander, who has gone and thrown away himself at a stranger rate than your son. I would fain know, if you were not Thrifty. Or will they endeavour to excuse it? once young yourself. Yes, I warrant you, and Sca. That, perhaps, we may do. Thrifty. I know how to lay that rogue my son fast. Sea. That we must prevent. Thrifty. And for the tatterdemallion, Shift, I'll thresh him to death; I will be three years a cudgelling him! Shift. I wonder he had forgot me so long. Thrifty. Oh, ho! yonder the rascal is, that brave governor! he tutored my son finely! Sca. Sir, I am overjoyed at your safe return. Thrifty. Good-morrow, Scapin.-Indeed you have followed my instructions very exactly; my son has behaved himself very prudently in my absence has he not, rascal, has he not? [TO SHIPT. Sca. I hope you are very well. Thrifty. Very well-Thou say'st not a word, varlet; thou say'st not a word! Sca. Had you a good voyage, Mr. Thrifty? Thrifty. With that confounded rogue there! Thrifty. Upon what reason! Hast thou not heard what hath happened in my absence? Sca. I heard a little idle story. Thrifty. A little idle story, quotha! why, man, my son's undone; my son's undone ! Sca. Come, come, things have not been well carried; but I would advise you to make no more of it. Thrifty. I'm not of your opinion; I'll make the whole town ring of it! Sca. Lord, sir, I have stormed about this business as much as you can do for your heart! but what are we both the better? I told him, indeed, Mr. Octavian, you do not do well to wrong so good a father: I preached him three or four times asleep; but all would not do; till, at last, when I had well examined the business, I found you had not so much wrong done you as you imagine. Thrifty. How! not wrong done, to have my son married, without my consent, to a beggar? Sca. Alas! he was ordained to it. Thrifty. That's fine, indeed! we shall steal, cheat, murder, and so be hanged-then say, we were ordained to it! Sca. Truly, I did not think you so subtle a philosopher! I mean, he was fatally engaged in this affair. Thrifty. Why did he engage himself? had your frailties. Thrifty. Yes; but they never cost me any thing: a man may be as frail and as wicked as he please, if it cost him nothing. Sca. Alas! he was so in love with the young wench, that if he had not had her, he must have certainly hanged himself. Shift. Must! why, he had already done it, but that I came very seasonably, and cut the rope. Thrifty. Didst thou eut the rope, dog? I'll nurder thec for that! thou shouldst have let him hang! Scu. Besides, her kindred surprised him with her, and forced him to marry her. Thrifty. Then should he have presently gone, and protested against the violence at a notary's. Scu. O Lord, sir! he scorned that. Thrifty. Then might I easily have disannulled the marriage. Sca. Disannul the marriage? Sco. You shall not break the marriage. Sca. No. Thrifty. What! shall not I claim the privilege of a father, and have satisfaction for the violence done to my son? Sca. Tis a thing he will never consent to. Sca. No: Would you have him confess he was hectored into any thing, that is, to declare himself a coward? Oh, fye, sir! one that has the honour of being your son, can never do such a thing. Thrifty. Pish! talk not to me of honour! he shall do it, or be disinherited. Sca. Who shall disinherit him? Sca. You disinherit him! very good- Sca. You shall not disinherit him. Thrifty. No! Sca, No. Thrifty. Sir, you are very merry; I shall not disinherit my son? Sca. No, I tell you. Thrifty. Pray, who shall hinder me? Sca. Alas, sir! your own self, sir; your own self. |