The Perjur'd Husband Part 10

_A Mask in_ Ba.s.sino_'s Lodgings_.

Ba.s.sino, Alonzo, Armando, _in a Disguise_; Placentia _in Man's Cloaths, Signior_ Pizalto, _Lady_ Pizalta, Lucy, &c.

_An Entry of three Men and three Women of several Nations._

_Ba.s.s._ I can't imagine where I dropt my Letter: Pray Heaven it be where none can ever find it.

G.o.ds! Let me once enjoy her, then call on me Your Store of Plagues, and I will meet 'em all.

_Enter_ Ludovico, _singing_.

_Lud._ Ah! Mistress _Lucy_! I'm come thou see'st----I expect thou shalt be as good as thy Word, Child----is the Lady here?

_Lucy._ The Lady is forth-coming, if you are still in the same Mind?

L. _Piz._ My Lover here! Harkee, _Lucy_.

_Lucy._ By and by, Madam, I am catering for myself now----Well, Sir, will two thousand Pistoles do?

_Lud._ I must humour her----[_Aside._] Ay Child.

_Lucy._ Why then I take you at your Word, Sir, and can produce the aforesaid Sum----[_To_ Piz.] With a little of your a.s.sistance, My Lord.

_Lud._ (_aside._) Hum----A pretty Wife I am like to have----Catch me there if you can----

_Piz._ Ha----How's that?

_Lud._ How! Mistress _Lucy_, worth two thousand Pistoles?

_Lucy._ Ay: And I have a very good Pay-master for one Half of it too--Do you know this Hand, my Lord? [_To_ Pizalto.] (_Shews the Bond._)

_Piz._ (_aside._) Confound your jilting Sneer.

_Lud._ Ha, ha, ha----What, a thousand Pistoles a Dish, my Lord? I hope you don't change often, ha----ha----

_Piz._ Hussy, I'll be reveng'd----'Tis all false, 'tis counterfeit.

_Lucy._ Ha--ha--But it had been current Coin, if I had suffer'd you to put your Stamp upon't----in my Bed-chamber, my Lord----

L. _Piz._ How, Mistress, have you trick'd my Husband out of a thousand Pistoles, and never told me of it?

_Lucy._ Nay, Madam, don't frown----Remember you have trick'd him out of something too, which I never told him of--Don't urge me to more Discoveries.

_Lud._ (_aside._) So----Here's Trick upon Trick: But, Faith, you shall never trick me out of my Liberty. I'm not so fond of a Wife to marry a Chamber-maid, tho' with ten Times as much Money: And so, sweet Mistress _Abigail_, your humble Servant. [_Exit_ Ludovico.

L. _Piz._ (_aside.]_) The Jade has me upon the Hip--I must be silent.

_She who has her Husband's Bed abus'd,_ _Can ne'er expect she should be better us'd._ [Exit.

_Lucy._ Ha----What! my Lover gone! With all my Heart: Better now than after; for whilst I have my Fortune in my own Hands, I must have no Need to sue for a separate Maintenance, and get nothing for it neither.

_Arm._ to _Pla._ Now, Madam, go: May Heaven be propitious To your Designs: I'll stay and watch _Ba.s.sino_: And when he goes, will follow with _Alonzo_.

_Pla._ Oh! my sick Fancy frames a thousand Forms, Which tell me that our Meeting will prove fatal.

And warn me not to go, what shall I do?

Must I bear calmly my _Ba.s.sino_'s Loss?

Why do I tremble thus?

Sure it can't be the Fear of Death----No, for if I go not I must lose him, and that's more Than Death to me----and if I go, I can but fall, And Life without him is the greater Woe, Therefore I'll on, I'll use the softest Words That Tongue can frame to sooth her into Pity, And dissuade her from this impious Marriage.

If I succeed I am compleatly happy, If not, I'd rather die than live with Hate, But first, curst Rival, thou shalt share my Fate.

[_Exit_ Placentia.

_A Flourish of Musick._

_Ba.s.s._ 'Tis now the Time----but whither do I go?

Shall I a Maid, a Wife, a Friend betray?

No matter---- All Arguments are vain, where Love bears Sway.

[_Exit_ Ba.s.sino.

A SONG.

_When the Winds rage, and the Seas grow high,_ _They bid Mankind beware,_ _But when they smooth and calm the Sky,_ _'Tis then they would ensnare._

_So the bright_ Thais _Kindness shows,_ _By frowning on her Lovers,_ _For Ruin only from her flows,_ _When she her Charms discovers._

_Piz._ Come now, Gentlemen and Ladies, be pleas'd to walk into the next Room, and take a small Collation--But where's my Lord _Ba.s.sino_?

Come, Gentlemen, he's gone before us.

_Arm._ Where we will quickly follow. (_Aside._) _Alonzo_, a Word with you-- [_Exit Omnes_.

SCENE II.

_A Chamber in_ Aurelia's _House_.

_Two Arm-Chairs._ Aurelia _sola_.

_Aur._ I wonder much at my _Ba.s.sino_'s Stay: Oh! Love! how swiftly fly thy Hours away When we are blest! How tedious are thy Minutes When cruel Absence parts two longing Lovers!

_Enter_ Florella.

Is my _Ba.s.sino_ come? speak----

_Flor._ No, Madam, a young Stranger desires to speak with you: He says, you are not acquainted with his Name, but will soon with his Business, which is something of great Import, that can be told to none but yourself.

_Aur._ A Stranger Business with me! I know of none I have with Strangers--Heaven! what's this?

I feel a sudden Throbbing in my Heart, As if 'twas conscious of some fatal News-- [_Aside._ Womanish Fears----Admit him--(_Exit_ Florella) it must be One of _Ba.s.sino_'s Friends, whom he intrusts To be a Witness of our Marriage Vows.