Chapter 22

Enter _Lorenzo_ pulling in of _Isabella_.

_Lor._ Nay, nay, _Isabella_, there’s no avoiding me now, You and I must come to a parley. Pray what’s the reason You took no notice of me, When I came with so civil an address too?

_Isab._ Can you ever think to thrive in an Amour, When you take notice of your Mistress, Or any that belongs to her, in publick, And when she’s a married Woman too?

_Lor._ Good _Isabella_, the loser may have leave to speak, I am sure it has been a plaguy dear Amour to me.

_Isab._ Let me hear you name that again, And you shall miss of my Assistance.

_Lor._ Nay, do but hear me a little; I vow ‘tis the strangest thing in the World, A Man must part from so much Money as I have done, And be confin’d to Signs and Grimaces only, To declare his Mind in: If a Man has a Tongue, let him exercise it, I say, As long as he pays for speaking.

_Isab._ Again with your paying for’t? I see you are not To be reclaim’d; farewel--

_Lor._ Stay, good _Isabella_, stay, And thou shalt hear not one word of that more, Though I am soundly urg’d to’t.

_Isab._ Yes, yes, pray count them, do; I know you long to be at it, And I am sure you will find you are in Arrears to us.

_Lor._ Say you so, I am not of that opinion: but well, --Let me see--here ‘tis, here ‘tis-- My Bill of Charge for courting _Clarina_. [Draws out his Table Book, and reads.

_Isab._ And here’s mine for the returns that have been Made you; begin, begin. [Pulls out her Book.

_Lor._ _Item_, two hundred Crowns to _Isabella_ for undertaking.

_Isab_. _Item_, I have promis’d _Lorenzo_ to serve him In his Amour with all Fidelity.

_Lor._ Well, I own that Debt paid, if you keep Your word--out with it then-- [He crosses that out. _Item_, two thousand Crowns in a Bracelet for _Clarina_; What say you to that now, _Isabella_?

_Isab._ _Item_, the day after they were presented, She saluted you with a smile at the Chappel.

_Lor._ And dost thou think it was not dearly bought?

_Isab._ No Man in _Florence_ should have had it A Souce cheaper.

_Lor._ Say you so, _Isabella_? out with it then. [Crosses it out. _Item_, one hundred more to thee for presenting them.

_Isab._ Which I did with six lyes in your Commendation, Worth ten Pistoles a piece for the exactness of a Lye; Write there indebted to me--

_Lor._ Nay then thou dost deserve it: Rest due to _Isabella_. [Writes. _Item_, Innumerable Serenades, Night-walks, Affronts And Fears; and lastly, to the Poets for Songs, and the like.

_Isab._ All which was recompensed in the excessive Laughing on you that Day you praunc’d under our Window on Horse-back, when you made such a Deal of Capriol and Curvet.

_Lor._ Yes, where I ventur’d my Neck to shew my Activity, and therefore may be well accompted Amongst my Losses.

_Isab._ Then she receiv’d your Presents, Suffer’d your Serenades, without sending her Foot-men To break your Pate with the Fiddles.

_Lor._ Indeed that was one of the best Signs; For I have been a great Sufferer in that kind Upon the like occasions: but dost thou think In Conscience that this should satisfy?

_Isab._ Yes, any reasonable Man in the World, for the First Month at least; and yet you are still up With your Expences, as if a Lady of her Quality Were to be gain’d without them. --Let me hear of your Expences more, and I’ll--

_Lor._ Oh sweet _Isabella_! upon my Knees I beg thou wilt take no fatal Resolution; For I protest, as I am a Man of Honour, And adore thy Sex, thou shalt only see, Not hear of my Expences more; And for a small testimony of it, here take this; There’s twenty Pistoles upon Reputation. [Gives her Money.

_Isab._ Fy, fy, ‘tis not brave, nor generous to name The Sum, you should have slid it into my Coat, Without saying what you had done.

_Lor._ What signifies that, mun, as long as ‘tis current, And you have it sure?

_Isab._ Well, leave the management of your Affairs to me-- What shall we do? here’s _Alberto_.

Enter _Alberto_.

_Lor._ Well, who can help it? I cannot walk invisible.

_Alb._ _Lorenzo_, what, making Love to _Isabella_?

_Lor._ She’l serve, my Lord, for want of a better.

_Isab._ That’s but a coarse Complement.

_Lor._ ‘Twill serve to disguise a Truth however. [Aside to her. [Ex. _Isab._ Faith, I’ll tell you, Sir, ‘twas such another Damsel As this, that sav’d me five hundred Pound once upon a time; And I have lov’d the whole Tribe of Waiting-women The better ever since.

_Alb._ You have reason; how was it?

_Lor._ Why, look you, Sir, I had made Love a long time to a Lady; But she shall be nameless, Since she was of a quality not to be gain’d under The aforesaid Sum: well, I brought it, Came pouder’d and perfum’d, and high in expectation.

_Alb._ Well, Sir.

_Lor._ And she had a very pretty Wench, who was to Conduct me, and in the dark too; And, on my Conscience, I e’en fell aboard of her, And was as well accommodated for my five, As five Hundred Pounds, and so return’d.

_Alb._ A great defeat to the Lady the while, a my word.

_Lor._ Ay, she smelt the Plot, and made a Vow to follow The _Italian_ mode for the future; And be serv’d in Affairs of that kind by none But an old Woman.

_Alb._ ‘Twas wittily resolv’d.

_Lor._ Are you for the Presence this Morning?

_Alb._ No, I have business here with _Antonio_.

_Lor._ Your Servant, my Lord. [Exit.

_Alb._ I do not like this Fellow’s being here, The most notorious Pimp and Rascal in _Italy_; ‘Tis a vile shame that such as he should live, Who have the form and sense of Man about them, And in their Action Beast; And that he thrives by too.

Enter _Isabella_.

--_Isabella_, is _Antonio_ stirring?

_Isab._ He is, please your Lordship to walk in.

_Alb._ You may tell him I wait here: For I would avoid all opportunity of seeing _Clarina_. [Aside.

_Isab._ My Lord, you need not stand upon Ceremonies. [Exit _Alberto_.

Enter _Clarina_ and _Ismena_, dress’d like one another in every thing, laughing and beholding one another.

--Dress’d already! now on my conscience I know not which is which: Pray God _Antonio_ be not mistaken at night, For I’ll be sworn I am by day-light.

_Ism._ Dost think I may pass thus for _Clarina_?

_Isab._ Madam, you are the same to a hair; Wou’d I might never stir If I can do any thing but wonder.

_Clar._ But hark, _Isabella_, if thou shou’dst have Heard amiss, and that thy information should not be good, Thou hast defeated us of a design, Wherein we promise our selves no little pleasure.

_Ism._ Yes, I vow, all the Jest is lost if it be so.

_Isab._ I doubt ‘twill be a true Jest on your side. [Aside. --I warrant you, Madam, my Intelligence is good; And to assure you of what I have said, I dare undertake you shall hear the same over again: For just now _Alberto_ is come to visit my Lord, Who I am sure will entertain him with no other stories, But those of his Jealousy, And to persuade him to court you.

_Clar._ ‘Tis strange, since he set him that Task so long ago, He would not begin before.

_Ism._ Nay, pray God he begin now; Sister, he has hitherto took me for thee, And sometimes his Eyes give me hope of a secret Fire within, but ‘twill not out; And I am so impatient till he declares himself, That if he do not do it soon, I shall e’en tell him who I am; For perhaps the Wife takes off the appetite, Which would sharpen upon knowledge of the Virgin.

_Clar._ What then, you’ll have all the sport to your self? --But, _Ismena_, remember my little Revenge on _Antonio_ Must accompany your Love to _Alberto_. [Aside.

_Isab._ But why this resemblance? For, Madam, since he never saw you, And takes _Ismena_ to be you; Might you not still pass so, without this likeness?

_Clar._ Didst thou not say _Antonio_ left the Court And City, on purpose to give _Alberto_ the more freedom To Court me?--Whilst he was away, I needed but retire, And _Ismena_ appear, and ‘twould suffice; But now he is return’d, He may chance to see them together, _en passant_, or so, And this dress will abuse him as well as _Alberto_; For without that, this Plot of ours signifies little.

_Ism._ Ay, truly, for my part, I have no other design Than doing my Sister a service.

_Isab._ The Plot is very likely to thrive I see, Since you are so good at dissembling.

_Ism._ Fie, _Isabella_, what an ill opinion you have of me? --But, Sister, ‘tis much _Alberto_ being so intimate With _Antonio_, should never see you all this whole Six Months of your being married.

_Clar._ Had you been bred any where But in a Monastery, you would have known ‘Tis not the custom here for Men to expose their Wives to the view of any.

_Isab._ I hear them coming, let’s away, And pray listen to the Truths I have already told you. [They retire.