Act 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Act Too of Amends for Ladies by Nathan Field. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
LibriVox dot org. Act Too. Seene one enter seldom and
his wife Grace, working as in their shop.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Husband, these gloves are not fit for my wearing. I'll
put them in the shop and sell them. You shall
give me a plain pair for them.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
This is wonderful, wonderful, This is thy sweet care and
judgment in all things. This goodness is not usual in
our wives. Well, grace seldom. That thou art fair is nothing,
that thou art well spoken, is nothing, that thou art

(00:52):
witty as nothing, that thou art a citizen's wife, is
nothing but grace, That thou art fair, that thou art
well spoken, that thou art witty, that thou art a
citizen's wife, and that thou art honest. I say, and

(01:14):
let any man deny it the ken it is something.
It is something, I say. It is seldom something. And
for all the sunshine of my joy, mine eyes must
rain upon thee.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Enter mal cut purse with a letter.

Speaker 4 (01:33):
By your leave master. Seldom have you done the hanger's
ibyspake for the night.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yes, Mary, have I, mistress, I and he I'll fetch
them to you.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Exit zounds.

Speaker 4 (01:49):
Does not your husband know my name? If it had
been somebody else, I would have called him cookoldy slave.

Speaker 5 (01:56):
If it had been somebody else, perhaps you might.

Speaker 4 (01:59):
Well I may be even with him. All's clear, pretty rogue.
I have longed to know THEE this twelve months, and
had no other means but this to speak with THEE.
There's a letter to THEE from the party? What party
the night, Sir John Loveall.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Hence slute impudent. I know not what to term me
man or woman for nature shaming to acknowledge THEE, for
either hath produced THEE to the world without a sex.
Some say thou art a woman, others a man, and
many thou art both woman and man. But I think
are rather neither or man an horse, as the old

(02:40):
centallars were feigned.

Speaker 4 (02:42):
Why how, now, Mistress, what lucky are you so fine
with a box? I have seen a woman look as
modestly as you, and speak as sincerely, and follow the
friars as zealously, and she has been as sound as
a jumbler. As air paid for tis true, mistress, Spafpenny,
I've sworn to leave this letter.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
D'ye hear you sword and target to speak in your
own key, Marry Ambrey long meg thou that in myself
methinks alone and looks like a rogan haw under a
hedge bard. Take your letter with you and begone. When
next you come, my husband's constable and Bridewell is hard by.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
You've a good wit and can conceive enter seldom with hangers.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
Look you, here are the hangers.

Speaker 4 (03:34):
Let's see then, fee fee, you've mistook me.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Quite exit, Enter lord proudly, here's my lord, proudly.

Speaker 6 (03:46):
My horse lack Hair is my sister, honor a ball.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
I think her Ladyship my Lord is not well and
keeps her chamber all's one.

Speaker 6 (03:57):
I must see her. The other ladies dined.

Speaker 5 (04:02):
I think not, my Lord.

Speaker 6 (04:04):
Then I'll take a pipe of tobacco here in your shop,
if it be not offensive. I would be loath to
be thought to come just at dinner time to his
servant G's son Phil Syrah.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
Enter page with a pipe of tobacco.

Speaker 6 (04:22):
What said the goldsmith for all the money?

Speaker 1 (04:25):
Seldom having fetched a candle walks off at the other
end of the shop, Lord proudly sits by his wife.

Speaker 7 (04:32):
He said, my Lord, he would lend no man money
that he durst not arrest.

Speaker 6 (04:38):
How got that wit into cheapside troll? He is a cuckold.
Saw you my lady to day?

Speaker 1 (04:46):
What says she takes tobacco?

Speaker 7 (04:50):
Marry my lord?

Speaker 8 (04:52):
She said, her old husband has a great payment to
make this morning, and had not left her so much
as a.

Speaker 6 (05:00):
A pox of her old cat's chaps. The teeth she
had have made a transmigration into hair. She hath a
bigger beard than I.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
By this light, Lord whispers to Grace.

Speaker 3 (05:13):
This custom in us citizens is good. Thus walking off
when men talk with our wives, it shows us courteous
and mannerly. Some count it baseness. He's a fool that
does so. It is the highest point of policy, especially
when we have virtuous wives.

Speaker 5 (05:34):
Fie, fie, you talk them civilly.

Speaker 9 (05:36):
My lord?

Speaker 6 (05:37):
Uncivilly MW Can a lord talk uncivilly? I think you
are finnical Taffeta pipkin may be proud. I'll sit so
near it, uncivilly MW.

Speaker 5 (05:51):
Your mother's cat has kittened in your mouth.

Speaker 6 (05:53):
Shuir prithee. But note, yon fellow, does he not walk
and look as if he did desire to be a cuckold?

Speaker 2 (06:02):
But you do not look as if you could make
him one. Now they have dined to my lord.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
Enter lord feisimple and well tried, God save your lordship.

Speaker 6 (06:13):
How dost thou couz hast thou got any more wit? Yet?

Speaker 10 (06:18):
No, by my dwef I have but little money with
that little wit I have, and the more wit, ever
the less money. Yet as little as I have of either,
I would give something that I durst, but quarrel I
would not be abused. Thus daily as I am.

Speaker 6 (06:35):
Save you, my lord, good master, well tried, you can
inform me pray, how ended the quarrel betwixt young Bold
and the other gentlemen?

Speaker 11 (06:46):
Why, very fairly, my lord, on honorable terms. Young Bold
was injured and did challenge him, fought in the field,
and the other gave him satisfaction under his hand. I
was bold second, and can show it here.

Speaker 6 (07:01):
Tis strange there was no hurt done. Yet I hold
the other gentleman far the better man, so do not I. Besides,
they say the satisfaction that walks in the ordinary is
his counterfeit.

Speaker 11 (07:16):
He lies that, say so, and I'll make it good.
And for I know my friend is out of town.
What man soever wrongs him is my foe? I say
he had full satisfaction. Nay, that which we may call submission.
Said the other sought peace first? And who denies this lord,
Knight or gentleman, English, French or Scott? I'll fight and

(07:40):
prove it on him with my sword.

Speaker 10 (07:42):
No, sweet master, wel try, let's have no fighting till
as you have promised. You have ridden me from this
foolish fear and taught me to endure to look upon
a naked sword.

Speaker 11 (07:54):
Well, and I'll be as good as my word.

Speaker 10 (07:56):
But do you hear cousin proudly they say, my old
father must marry your sister, Honor, and that he will
disinherit me and entail all his lordships on her, and
the heir he shall be get on her body? Is true?

Speaker 6 (08:10):
Not there is such a report?

Speaker 10 (08:14):
Why then, I pray God, he may die an old,
cuckildy slave. Oh world, what art thou? Where is parents?

Speaker 6 (08:24):
Love?

Speaker 10 (08:25):
Can he deny me for his natural child?

Speaker 6 (08:28):
Yet?

Speaker 10 (08:29):
See a fornicator, old and stiff? Not where he should be?
That's my comfort. Yet it's for you, my lord. I
will send to you as soon as I dare. Fight
and look upon the stew which master well tried. I pray,
let be with all possible.

Speaker 6 (08:46):
Speed, what did ye this afternoon?

Speaker 10 (08:50):
Faith? I have a great mind to see long meg
and the ship the fortune.

Speaker 6 (08:55):
Nay, in faith, let's up and have a rested primero.

Speaker 11 (09:00):
My lord, And toward the evening I'll carry you to
the company.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
Well, no more words, excellent lord, proudly lord fee, simple
and well tried.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
I wonder, sir, you will walk so and let anybody
sit pright in to your wife, well a man, I'll
thrust them out of this shop by the head and shoulders.

Speaker 3 (09:21):
There were no policy in that wife. So should I
lose my custom, let them talk themselves weary and give
thee love tokens. Still I lose not by it. Thy
Chastity's impregnable. I know it. Had I a dame whose
eyes did swallow youth, whose unchased gulf together did take

(09:44):
in masters and men, the foot boys and their lords,
making a gallum Moffrey in her blood, I would not
walk thus then, But virtuous wife, he that enchased ears
horrors his ribald talk that gets hate to himself and

(10:04):
not to consent. And even his dirt thrown hard against
the wall, rebounds and sparkles in the thrower's eyes. So
ill words uttered to a virtuous name turn and defile
the speaker with red shame.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
Exciun seem to and her husband and wife.

Speaker 12 (10:26):
Sounds you are whor though I entreat him fair before
his face and compliment, or so I not esteem him
truly as this rush. There's no such thing as friendship
in this world. And he that cannot swear disassemble lie
wants knowledge how to live and let him die.

Speaker 13 (10:45):
Sir, I did think you had esteemed of him, as
you may show. Therefore I used him well, And yet
not so, But that the strictest eye I durst have
made a witness of my.

Speaker 12 (11:00):
Carriage, plague your carriage. Why he kissed your hand, looked
babies in your eyes, and winked and pink You thought
I had esteemed him some blood you haw? Do not
I know that you do?

Speaker 4 (11:14):
Know?

Speaker 6 (11:14):
You lie?

Speaker 12 (11:15):
When did you hear me say and mean one thing?

Speaker 6 (11:18):
Oh?

Speaker 12 (11:19):
I could kick you now and tear your face and
eat thy breast like utters, sir.

Speaker 13 (11:25):
You may, But if I know what hath deserved all this?
I am no woman, because he kissed my hand unwillingly.

Speaker 6 (11:37):
A little louder pray you are.

Speaker 13 (11:40):
A base fellow, an unworthy man as air poor gentlewoman
matched withal Why should you make such show of love
to any without the truth. Thy beastly mind is like
some decayed tradesman that doth make his wife entertain those
for gain he not endures pitch, swell and burst. I

(12:04):
had rather with thy sword be hewed to pieces than
lead such a life out with it. Valiant sir, I
hold you for a drawer upon women, not on men.

Speaker 5 (12:17):
I will no more.

Speaker 13 (12:18):
Conceal your hollow heart, but and report you as you
are in truth.

Speaker 12 (12:23):
This is called marriage. Stop your mouth, you horr.

Speaker 5 (12:27):
My mother was a whore.

Speaker 13 (12:28):
If I be one, you know.

Speaker 12 (12:30):
There's company in the house.

Speaker 6 (12:32):
Enter, subtle, sweet friend, what have you reach?

Speaker 8 (12:36):
Your letter tis done? Dear friend, I have made you
stay too long. I fear you'll be be knighted.

Speaker 12 (12:45):
Fine No, No, madam and sweetest wife, farewell, God bless
us make much of master Subtle. Here my friend kisses
her till my return, which maybe even as toppens. According
as my business, hath success exit.

Speaker 8 (13:04):
How will you pass the time?

Speaker 1 (13:05):
Now?

Speaker 8 (13:06):
Faire is mistress in troth.

Speaker 13 (13:09):
I know not wives without their husbands methinks our lore
in days.

Speaker 8 (13:17):
Indeed, some wives are like dead bodies in their husband's absence.

Speaker 13 (13:22):
If any wife be, I must needs be so that
have a husband far above all men untainted with the humors.
Others have a perfect man, and one that loves you truly.
You see the charge he left of your good usage.

Speaker 8 (13:43):
Wish he's an ass. I know him, a stunt ass
of a most barbarous condition, false hearted to his friend,
rough unto you, a most dissembling and perfidious fellow. I
care not if he heard me. This I know, and

(14:05):
will make good upon him with my sword or any
for him, for he will not fight.

Speaker 13 (14:13):
Fie, servant, you show small civility and less humanity? Do
you requite my husband's love?

Speaker 9 (14:22):
Thus ill?

Speaker 13 (14:24):
For what do you think of me that you will
utter to my face such harsh, unfriendly, slanderous injuries even
of my husband, Sir, forbear, I pray my ears or
your own tongue. I am no housewife to hear my
husband's merit thus depraved.

Speaker 8 (14:47):
His mariat is a halter by this light you think
he's out of town. Now, no such matter, but gone aside,
and hath importune me to try your chastity.

Speaker 13 (15:01):
It cannot be alas he is as free from jealousy
and never was as confidence itself. I know he loves
me too, too heartily to be suspicious or to prove
my truth.

Speaker 8 (15:17):
If I do fain in aught, ne'er may I precious
the grace I hope for. And fair mistress, if you
have any spirit or wit or sense, you will be
even with such a wretched slave. Heaven knows I love
you as the air I draw think. But how finely

(15:39):
you may cuckold him? And safely too with me? Who
will report to him that you are most invincible, your
chastity not to be subdued by man.

Speaker 13 (15:52):
When you know I am a whore.

Speaker 8 (15:55):
A horror fine, No that you have been kind or
so your whore doth living pique hatch turnbull.

Speaker 13 (16:05):
Street wife aside, Your whore lives there well, servant, Leave
me to myself. Awhile return Anon, but bear this hope
away shall be with you if I at all.

Speaker 1 (16:20):
Do stray exit subtle.

Speaker 13 (16:24):
Why here's right, worldly friendship. You're well met? Oh men?
What are you, Why is our poor sex still made
the disgraced subjects in these plays for vices, folly and inconstancy.
When were men looked into with such critical eyes of observation,

(16:45):
many would be found so full of gross and base
corruption that none, unless the devil himself turned writer, could
feign so badly to express them. Truly, some wives that
had a husband now like mine, would yield their honors
up to any man. Far be it from my thoughts. Oh,

(17:09):
let me stand, thou, God of marriage and chastity, an
honor to my sex. No injury compelled the virtue of
my breast to yield. It's not revenge for any wife
to stain the nuptial bed, although she be yoked. Ill,
who falls because her husband so hath done, cares not

(17:33):
his wound, but in herself makes one exit wife.

Speaker 1 (17:39):
Scene three, enter engine, reading a letter, sits down in
a chair and stamps with his foot to him A
servant who.

Speaker 7 (17:48):
Brought this letter a little irish footboy, sir, he stasted
it out for an answer.

Speaker 14 (17:54):
Bid him come in, Lord, What deep dissemblers are these females?

Speaker 4 (17:59):
All?

Speaker 14 (18:01):
How far and like a friend this lady used me?
And here how like one mad in love.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
She writes, and her maid like an Irish footboy with
a dart, gloves in her pocket and a handkerchief.

Speaker 14 (18:15):
So bless me heaven. But thou art the prettiest boy
that air ran by a horse, as thou dwelt along
with thy fair mistress, I came.

Speaker 7 (18:25):
But this morning, sir, oh fear, is thy lady boy
like to a turtle that hath lost her mate? Drooping,
she says her grief, Sir, cannot speak, haw did a
voice articulate. We should know how and for what cause
she suffers? And perhaps but tis unlikely give her comfort, sir. Weeping,

(18:47):
she says, And all the sound comes from her is
like the murmur of a silver brick, which her tears
truly would make there about her sat she in any hollow,
continant believe me?

Speaker 14 (18:59):
Boy, Thou has a passionate tongue, live expression, or thy memory.
Hath carried thy lesson well away? But wherefore moreens thy lady?

Speaker 15 (19:09):
Sir?

Speaker 7 (19:10):
You know and would to God? I did not know myself.

Speaker 14 (19:14):
Alas it cannot be for love to me. When last
I saw her, she reviled me, boy with bitterest words.
I wish me never more to approach her sight and
for my marriage. Now I do sustain it as a
penance do to the desert that made her banish.

Speaker 7 (19:32):
Me, Sir, I dare swear she did presume. No words
nor dangers have been powerful to restrain your coming to
her when she gave the charge. But are you married truly?

Speaker 14 (19:44):
Why, my boy does think I mocked myself.

Speaker 7 (19:48):
I sent her gloves, the glove she has returned to you, sir,
by me, and praise you. Give them to some other lady,
that you'll deceive next, and be perjura to sure you
have wronged her.

Speaker 14 (20:00):
Sir.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
She bade me tell you.

Speaker 7 (20:02):
She now thought goodness dwelt in many men, But what
there was of goodness in the world, she thought you
had it all. But now she sees the duwel she
esteemed discounterfeit that you are but a common man, yourself
a traitor to her and her virtuous love. That all
men are betrayers, and their breasts as full of dangerous gulfs,

(20:23):
as is the sea where any women thinking to find harbor,
She and her honor are precipitated, and never to be
brought with safety off alas my hapless lady desolate distressed
forsaken virgin.

Speaker 14 (20:40):
Sure this boy is of an excellent nature, whoso newly
taken her to her service feels his mistress grief as
he and they were all familiar friends. Why weepest thou, gentle.

Speaker 7 (20:52):
Lad who hath one tear and would not saved from
all occasions, from brothers, slaughters, and from deaths, to spend
it here for my distressed lady. But sir, my lady
did command me beg to see your wife, that I
may bear to her the sad report. What creature could

(21:12):
make you untie the hand fast pledged onto her wife?

Speaker 14 (21:17):
Wife? Come forth, now, gentle boy, be judge.

Speaker 1 (21:22):
Enter Injun's brother like a woman masked engine kisses her.

Speaker 14 (21:27):
If such a face as this being paid with scorn
by her, I did adore had not full power to
make me.

Speaker 7 (21:33):
Marry by the God of love. She's a fair creature,
but faith should be fairer. My lady, gentle mistress, one
that thought she had some interest in this gentleman who
now is only yours, commanded me to kiss your white hand,
and to sigh and weep and wish you that content

(21:53):
she should have had in the fruition of her love.
You hold, she badly say, God give you joy to both.
Yet this withal if you were married, no one her
footsteps ever more should meet nor see her face but
in a winding sheet.

Speaker 9 (22:11):
Alas, poor lady, faith, I pity her, and but to
be in the same state could forego anything I possess
to ease her woe.

Speaker 7 (22:25):
Love's blessing light upon thy gentle soul. Men rail at women, mistress,
But if we are force and cruel ten times more unkind,
you are smoother far and of a softer mind. Sir,
I have one request.

Speaker 14 (22:41):
More, gentle lad it must be one of a strange
quality that I deny THEE both thy form and mind.
Inform me that thy nurture hath been better than to
betray THEE to this present life.

Speaker 7 (22:56):
To that you would vouchsafe to entertain me my feet.
Do you try rumble under me to bear my body back?
Unto my uncouth lady to assure her grief? What heart
so hard would owe a tongue to tell so sad
a tale to her? Alas, I dare not look upon
her eyes where wronged love sits like the basilisk, and

(23:17):
sure would kill me for my dire report. Or rather,
should I not appear.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
Like death holding up his dart, when.

Speaker 7 (23:27):
Every word I spake shot through her heart more mortally
than his unsparing dart.

Speaker 9 (23:32):
Let me speak for the boy do what in love?

Speaker 14 (23:37):
No, I will sue to him to follow me and troth.
I love thy sweet condition, and may live to inform
thy lady of thee. Come in dry, dry thine eyes,
respite thy woe, the effects of causes crown or.

Speaker 1 (23:55):
Overthrow seen for enter, lord proudly, lord fee simple, well, tried,
seldom widow, bald, pinning in a rough wife slight.

Speaker 6 (24:09):
What should be become of her? You swear she passed
not fourth of doors, and in the house she is not.

Speaker 16 (24:17):
Did you not see her, Prince Cox?

Speaker 6 (24:20):
This same board has brought her letters from some younger brother,
and she is stolen away, bored.

Speaker 17 (24:29):
I defy, or indeed your lordship thinks you may make
boards of whom you please. I'll take my oath upon
her book. Since I met her in the necessary house
in the morning, I ne'er set eye on her.

Speaker 5 (24:44):
She went not out of doors.

Speaker 6 (24:46):
Sure she has an invisible ring.

Speaker 10 (24:49):
Mary, she's the honest woman with some of their rings
are visible enough. The more shame for them. Still say, ay,
let the pond at isingdon be searched. There's more have
drowned themselves for love this year than you are aware of.

Speaker 6 (25:04):
Pish, you are a fool.

Speaker 11 (25:07):
So hard call him a fool again.

Speaker 10 (25:09):
By this light, and I will, as soon as ever
you have shown me the swaggerers.

Speaker 13 (25:15):
Her clothes are all yonder, my lord, and even those
same she had on to day.

Speaker 6 (25:21):
Madam, where is your husband?

Speaker 10 (25:24):
Read into the country, oh, my conscience, read into France
with your.

Speaker 6 (25:29):
Sister away away for shame?

Speaker 10 (25:33):
Why I hope she is not the first lady that
has ran away with other women's husbands.

Speaker 11 (25:39):
It may be she's told out to see a play.

Speaker 6 (25:42):
Who should go with her? Man?

Speaker 16 (25:45):
Upon my life, you'll hear of her at Master Jen's house.
Some love passed betwixt them, and we heard that he
was married to day to another's hot.

Speaker 1 (25:57):
I'll go see sit, lord proudly.

Speaker 11 (26:01):
Come to the squaggerers, messy upon me a man or
a lord?

Speaker 1 (26:07):
Now, excellent lord fee simple well tried He's.

Speaker 16 (26:12):
Call with a lord and his sister print cox hast
thou not pinned in that rough? Yet?

Speaker 11 (26:19):
Oh?

Speaker 16 (26:20):
How thou found list truth?

Speaker 17 (26:24):
Madam?

Speaker 15 (26:25):
I was never brought up to it, but tis a
chambermaid's work, and I have ever lived gentlewoman, and been
used accordingly.

Speaker 1 (26:36):
Excellent end of Act two,