SCENE II.[3600

_Enter_ ROSALURA _and_ LUGIER.

_Ros._ You have now redeem’d my good opinion, tutor, And ye stand fair again.

_Lug._ I can but labour, And sweat in your affairs. I am sure Belleur Will be here instantly, and use his anger, His wonted harshness.

_Ros._ I hope he will not best me. 5

_Lug._ No, sure, he has more manners. Be you ready.

_Ros._ Yes, yes, I am; and am resolv’d to fit him, With patience to outdo all he can offer. But how does Oriana?

_Lug._ Worse and worse still; There is a sad house for her; she is now, 10 Poor lady, utterly distracted.

_Ros._ Pity, Infinite pity! ’t is a handsome lady: That Mirabel’s a beast, worse than a monster, If this affliction work not.

_Enter_ LILLIA BIANCA.

_Lil._ Are you ready? Belleur is coming on here, hard behind me: 15 I have no leisure to relate my fortune; Only I wish you may come off as handsomely. Upon the sign, you know what.

_Ros._ Well, well; leave me. _Exeunt_ [LILLIA BIANCA _and_ LUGIER].

_Enter_ BELLEUR.

_Bel._ How now?

_Ros._ Ye are welcome, sir.

_Bel._ ’T is well ye have manners. That court’sy again, and hold your countenance staidly. 20 That look ’s too light; take heed: so; sit ye down now; And, to confirm me that your gall is gone, Your bitterness dispers’d (for so I ’ll have it), Look on me stedfastly, and, whatsoe’er I say to ye, Move not, nor alter in your face; ye are gone, then; 25 For, if you do express the least distaste, Or show an angry wrinkle, (mark me, woman! We are now alone,) I will so conjure thee, The third part of my execution Cannot be spoke.

_Ros._ I am at your dispose, sir. 30

_Bel._ Now rise, and woo me a little; let me hear that faculty: But touch me not; nor do not lie, I charge ye. Begin now.

_Ros._ If so mean and poor a beauty May ever hope the grace——

_Bel._ Ye cog,[3601] ye flatter; Like a lewd[3602] thing, ye lie: “May hope that grace!” 35 Why, what grace canst thou hope for? Answer not; For, if thou dost, and liest again, I ’ll swinge thee. Do not I know thee for a pestilent woman? A proud at both ends? Be not angry, Nor stir not, o’ your life.

_Ros._ I am counsell’d, sir. 40

_Bel._ Art thou not now (confess, for I ’ll have the truth out) As much unworthy of a man of merit, Or any of ye all, nay, of mere man, Though he were crooked, cold, all wants upon him, Nay, of any dishonest thing that bears that figure, 45 As devils are of mercy?

_Ros._ We are unworthy.

_Bel._ Stick to that truth, and it may chance to save thee. And is it not our bounty that we take ye? That we are troubled, vex’d, or tortur’d with ye, Our mere and special bounty?

_Ros._ Yes.

_Bel._ Our pity, 50 That for your wickedness we swinge ye soundly; Your stubbornness and stout hearts, we belabour ye? Answer to that!

_Ros._ I do confess your pity.

_Bel._ And dost not thou deserve in thine own person, Thou impudent, thou pert—Do not change countenance. 55

_Ros._ I dare not, sir.

_Bel._ For, if you do——

_Ros._ I am settled.

_Bel._ Thou wagtail, peacock, puppy, look on me: I am a gentleman.

_Ros._ It seems no less, sir,

_Bel._ And dar’st thou in thy surquedry[3603]——

_Ros._ I beseech you!— It was my weakness, sir, I did not view ye, 60 I took not notice of your noble parts, Nor call’d your person nor your fashion proper.[3604]

_Bel._ This is some amends yet.

_Ros._ I shall mend, sir, daily. And study to deserve.

_Bel._ Come a little nearer: Canst thou repent thy villany?

_Ros._ Most seriously. 65

_Bel._ And be asham’d?

_Ros._ I am asham’d.

_Bel._ Cry.

_Ros._ It will be hard to do, sir.

_Bel._ Cry now instantly; Cry monstrously, that all the town may hear thee; Cry seriously, as if thou hadst lost thy monkey; And, as I like thy tears——

_Enter_ LILLIA BIANCA, _and four_ Women, _laughing_.

_Ros._ Now! [_To those within._]

_Bel._ How! how! Do ye jeer me? 70 Have ye broke your bounds again, dame?

_Ros._ Yes, and laugh at ye, And laugh most heartily.

_Bel._ What are these? whirlwinds? Is hell broke loose, and all the Furies flutter’d? Am I greased[3605] once again?

_Ros._ Yes, indeed are ye; And once again ye shall be, if ye quarrel: 75 Do you come to vent your fury on a virgin? Is this your manhood, sir?

_1 Wom._ Let him do his best; Let’s see the utmost of his indignation; I long to see him angry.—Come, proceed, sir.— [_The women display knives._] Hang him, he dares not stir; a man of timber!

_2 Wom._ Come hither to fright maids with thy bull-faces! 81 To threaten gentlewomen! Thou a man! A Maypole, A great dry pudding.

[3] _Wom._ Come, come, do your worst, sir; Be angry, if thou dar’st.

_Bel._ The Lord deliver me!

_4 Wom._ Do but look scurvily upon this lady, 85 Or give us one foul word!—We are all mistaken; This is some mighty dairy-maid in man’s clothes.

_Lil._ I am of that mind too.

_Bel._ [_Aside._] What will they do to me?

_Lil._ And hired to come and abuse us.—A man has manners; A gentleman, civility and breeding:— 90 Some tinker’s trull, with a beard glu’d on.

_1 Wom._ Let’s search him, And, as we find him——

_Bel._ Let me but depart from ye, Sweet Christian women!

_Lil._ Hear the thing speak, neighbours.

_Bel._ ’T is but a small request: if e’er I trouble ye, If e’er I talk again of beating women, 95 Or beating any thing that can but turn to me; Of ever thinking of a handsome lady But virtuously and well; of ever speaking But to her honour,—this I ’ll promise ye, I will take rhubarb, and purge choler[3606] mainly,[3607] Abundantly I ’ll purge.

_Lil._ I ’ll send ye broths, sir. 101

_Bel._ I will be laugh’d at, and endure it patiently; I will do any thing.

_Ros._ I ’ll be your bail, then. When ye come next to woo, pray ye come not boisterously, And furnish’d like a bear-ward.[3608]

_Bel._ No, in truth, forsooth. 105

_Ros._ I scented ye long since.

_Bel._ I was to blame, sure: I will appear a gentleman.

_Ros._ ’T is the best for ye, For a true noble gentleman ’s a brave thing. Upon that hope, we quit ye. You fear seriously?

_Bel._ Yes, truly do I; I confess I fear ye, 110 And honour ye, and any thing.

_Ros._ Farewell, then.

_Wom._ And, when ye come to woo next, bring more mercy. _Exeunt_ [_all except_ BELLEUR].

_Enter two_ Gentlemen.

_Bel._ A dairy-maid! A tinker’s trull! Heaven bless me! Sure, if I had provok’d ’em, they had quartered me. I am a most ridiculous ass, now I perceive it; A coward, and a knave too.

_1 Gent._ ’T is the mad gentleman; 116 Let ’s set our faces right.

_Bel._ No, no; laugh at me, And laugh aloud.

_2 Gent._ We are better manner’d, sir.

_Bel._ I do deserve it; call me patch[3609] and puppy, And beat me, if you please.

_1 Gent._ No, indeed; we know ye. 120

_Bel._ ’Death, do as I would have ye!

_2 Gent._ Ye are an ass, then, A coxcomb, and a calf!

_Bel._ I am a great calf. Kick me a little now. Why, when! [_They kick him._] Sufficient. Now laugh aloud, and scorn me. So good b’ ye! And ever, when ye meet me, laugh.

_Gentlemen._ We will, sir. 125

_Exeunt_ [_on one side_, _the two_ Gentlemen; _on the other_, BELLEUR].