SCENE III.[3551

_Enter_ ROSALURA _and_ ORIANA.

_Ros._ Ne’er vex yourself, nor grieve; ye are a fool, then.

_Ori._ I am sure I am made so: yet, before I suffer Thus like a girl, and give him leave to triumph——

_Ros._ You say right; for, as long as he perceives ye Sink under his proud scornings, he ’ll laugh at ye. 5 For me, secure yourself; and, for my sister, I partly know her mind too: howsoever, To obey my father, we have made a tender Of our poor beauties to the travell’d monsieur; Yet two words to a bargain. He slights us 10 As skittish things, and we shun him as curious.[3552] May be, my free behaviour turns his stomach, And makes him seem to doubt a loose opinion.[3553] I must be so sometimes, though all the world saw it.

_Ori._ Why should not ye? Are our minds only measur’d? 15 As long as here ye stand secure——

_Ros._ Ye say true; As long as mine own conscience makes no question, What care I for report? That woman ’s miserable, That ’s good or bad for their tongues’ sake. Come, let ’s retire, And get my veil, wench. By my troth, your sorrow, 20 And the consideration of men’s humorous maddings, Have put me into a serious contemplation.

_Enter_ MIRABEL _and_ BELLEUR.

_Ori._ Come, faith, let ’s sit and think.

_Ros._ That ’s all my business.

[_They go into the summer-house_, _and sit down_, ROSALURA _having taken her veil from a table_, _and put it on_.][3554]

_Mir._ Why stand’st thou peeping here? Thou great slug, forward!

_Bel._ She is there; peace!

_Mir._ Why stand’st thou here, then, 25 Sneaking and peeking[3555] as thou wouldst steal linen? Hast thou not place and time?

_Bel._ I had a rare speech Studied, and almost ready; and your violence Has beat it out of my brains.

_Mir._ Hang your rare speeches! Go me on like a man.

_Bel._ Let me set my beard up. 30 How has Pinac performed?

_Mir._ He has won already; He stands not thrumming[3556] of caps thus.

_Bel._ Lord, what should I ail! What a cold I have over my stomach! Would I had some hum![3557] Certain I have a great mind to be at her, A mighty mind.

_Mir._ On, fool!

_Bel._ Good words, I beseech ye; 35 For I will not be abus’d by both.

_Mir._ Adieu, then (I will not trouble you; I see you are valiant); And work your own way.

_Bel._ Hist, hist! I will be rul’d; I will, i’ faith; I will go presently. Will ye forsake me now, and leave me i’ th’ suds? 40 You know I am false-hearted this way. I beseech ye, Good sweet Mirabel—I ’ll cut your throat, if ye leave me, Indeed I will—sweet-heart—

_Mir._ I will be ready, Still at thine elbow. Take a man’s heart to thee, And speak thy mind; the plainer still the better. 45 She is a woman of that free behaviour, Indeed, that common courtesy, she cannot deny thee. Go bravely on.

_Bel._ Madam—keep close about me. Still at my back—Madam, sweet madam—

_Ros._ Ha! What noise is that? What saucy sound to trouble me? 50

_Mir._ What said she?

_Bel._ I am saucy. [ROSALURA _and_ ORIANA _rise and come forward_.]

_Mir._ ’T is the better.

_Bel._ She comes; must I be saucy still?

_Mir._ More saucy.

_Ros._ Still troubled with these vanities? Heaven bless us! What are we born to?—Would you speak with any of my people? Go in, sir; I am busy.

_Bel._ This is not she, sure: 55 Is this two children at a birth? I ’ll be hang’d, then: Mine was a merry gentlewoman, talk’d daintily, Talked of those matters that befitted women; This is a parcel prayer-book.[3558] I ’m serv’d sweetly! And now I am to look to; I was prepar’d for th’ other way. 60

_Ros._ Do you know that man?

_Ori._ Sure, I have seen him, lady.

_Ros._ Methinks ’t is pity such a lusty fellow Should wander up and down, and want employment.

_Bel._ She takes me for a rogue!—You may do well, madam, To stay this wanderer, and set him a-work, forsooth; 65 He can do something that may please your ladyship. I have heard of women that desire good breedings, Two at a birth, or so.

_Ros._ The fellow ’s impudent.

_Ori._ Sure, he is craz’d.

_Ros._ I have heard of men too that have had good manners. 70 Sure, this is want of grace: indeed, ’t is great pity The young man has been bred so ill; but this lewd age Is full of such examples.

_Bel._ I am founder’d. And some shall rue the setting of me on.

_Mir._ Ha! so bookish, lady? Is it possible? Turn’d holy at the heart too? I ’ll be hang’d then: 76 Why, this is such a feat, such an activity, Such fast and loose! A veil too for your knavery? _O Dio, Dio!_

_Ros._ What do you take me for, sir?

_Mir._ An hypocrite, a wanton, a dissembler, Howe’er ye seem: and thus ye are to be handled!— 81 Mark me, Belleur;—and this you love, I know it.

[_Attempts to remove the veil._]

_Ros._ Stand off, bold sir!

_Mir._ You wear good clothes to this end, Jewels; love feasts and masques.

_Ros._ Ye are monstrous saucy.

_Mir._ All this to draw on fools: and thus, thus, lady, [_Attempts to remove the veil._] You are to be lull’d.

_Bel._ Let her alone, I ’ll swinge ye else, 86 I will, i’ faith! for, though I cannot skill o’ this matter Myself, I will not see another do it before me, And do it worse.

_Ros._ Away! ye are a vain thing. You have travell’d far, sir, to return again 90 A windy and poor bladder. You talk of women, That are not worth the favour of a common one, The grace of her grew in an hospital! Against a thousand such blown fooleries I am able to maintain good women’s honours, Their freedoms, and their fames, and I will do it.— 96

_Mir._ She has almost struck me dumb too.

_Ros._ And declaim Against your base malicious tongues, your noises, For they are nothing else. You teach behaviours! Or touch us for our freedoms! Teach yourselves manners, 100 Truth and sobriety, and live so clearly That our lives may shine in ye; and then task[3559] us. It seems ye are hot; the suburbs[3560] will supply ye: Good women scorn such gamesters.[3561] So, I ’ll leave ye. I am sorry to see this: faith, sir, live fairly. 105

_Exit_ [_with_ ORIANA].

_Mir._ This woman, if she hold on, may be virtuous; ’T is almost possible: we ’ll have a new day.

_Bel._ Ye brought me on, ye forc’d me to this foolery. I am sham’d, I am scorn’d, I am flurted;[3562] yes, I am so: Though I cannot talk to a woman like your worship, 110 And use my phrases and my learn’d figures, Yet I can fight with any man.

_Mir._ Fie!

_Bel._ I can, sir; And I will fight.

_Mir._ With whom?

_Bel._ With you; with any man; For all men now will laugh at me.

_Mir._ Prithee, be moderate.

_Bel._ And I ’ll beat all men. Come.

_Mir._ I love thee dearly. 115

_Bel._ I [will] beat all that love; love has undone me. Never tell me; I will not be a history.

_Mir._ Thou art not.

_Bel._ ’Sfoot, I will not! Give me room, And let me see the proudest of ye jeer me; And I ’ll begin with you first.

_Mir._ Prithee, Belleur— 120 If I do not satisfy thee——

_Bel._ Well, look ye do. But, now I think on’t better, ’t is impossible; I must beat somebody. I am maul’d myself. And I ought in justice——

_Mir._ No, no, no; you are cozen’d: But walk, and let me talk to thee.

_Bel._ Talk wisely, 125 And see that no man laugh, upon no occasion; For I shall think then ’t is at me.

_Mir._ I warrant thee.

_Bel._ Nor no more talk of this.

_Mir._ Dost think I am maddish?

_Bel._ I must needs fight yet; for I find it concerns me: A pox on ’t: I must fight.

_Mir._ I’ faith, thou shalt not. _Exeunt._ 130