A Chamber.
La Nuche on a Couch in an Undress, Willmore at her Feet, on his Knees, all unbraced: his Hat, Sword, &c. on the Table, at which she is dressing her Head.
Will. Oh Gods! no more!
I see a yielding in thy charming Eyes;
The Blushes on thy Face, thy trembling Arms,
Thy panting Breast, and short-breath’d Sighs confess,
Thou wo’t be mine, in spite of all thy Art.
La Nu. What need you urge my Tongue then to repeat
What from my Eyes you can so well interpret?
[Bowing down her Head to him and sighing.
— Or if it must — dispose me as you please —
Will. Heaven, I thank thee!
[Rises with Joy.
Who wou’d not plough an Age in Winter Seas,
Or wade full seven long Years in ruder Camps,
To find out this Rest at last? —
[Leans on, and kisses her Bosom.
Upon thy tender Bosom to repose;
To gaze upon thy Eyes, and taste thy Balmy Kisses,
[Kisses her.
— Sweeter than everlasting Groves of Spices,
When the soft Winds display the opening Buds:
— Come, haste, my Soul, to Bed —
La Nu. You can be soft I find, when you wou’d conquer absolutely.
Will. Not infant Angels, not young sighing Cupids
Can be more; this ravishing Joy that thou hast promis’d me,
Has form’d my Soul to such a Calm of Love,
It melts e’en at my Eyes.
La Nu. What have I done? that Promise will undo me.
— This Chamber was prepar’d, and I was drest,
To give Admittance to another Lover.
Will. But Love and Fortune both were on my side — Come, come to Bed — consider nought but Love —
[They going out, one knocks.
La Nu. Hark!
Beau. (without.) By Heav’n I will have entrance.
La Nu. ’Tis he whom I expect; as thou lov’st Life
And me, retire a little into this Closet.
Will. Hah, retire!
La Nu. He’s the most fiercely jealous of his Sex,
And Disappointment will inrage him more.
Will. Death: let him rage whoe’er he be; dost think
I’ll hide me from him, and leave thee to his Love?
Shall I, pent up, thro the thin Wainscot hear
Your Sighs, your amorous Words, and sound of Kisses?
No, if thou canst cozen me, do’t, but discreetly,
And I shall think thee true:
I have thee now, and when I tamely part
With thee, may Cowards huff and bully me.
[Knocks again.
La Nu. And must I be undone because I love ye?
This is the Mine from whence I fetcht my Gold.
Will. Damn the base Trash: I’ll have thee poor, and mine;
’Tis nobler far, to starve with him thou lov’st
Than gay without, and pining all within.
[Knocking, breaking the Door, Will. snatches up his Sword.
La Nu. Heavens, here will be murder done — he must not see him.
[As Beau. breaks open the Door, she runs away with the Candle,
they are by dark, Beau. enters with his Sword drawn.
Will. What art thou?
Beau. A Man.
[They fight.
Enter Petron. with Light, La Nuche following, Beau. runs
to her.
Oh thou false Woman, falser than thy Smiles,
Which serve but to delude good-natur’d Man,
And when thou hast him fast, betray’st his Heart!
Will. Beaumond!
Beau. Willmore! Is it with thee I must tug for Empire? For I lay claim to all this World of Beauty.
[Takes La Nuche, looking with scorn on Willmore.
La Nu. Heavens, how got this Ruffian in?
Will. Hold, hold, dear Harry, lay no Hands on her till thou can’st make thy Claim good.
Beau. She’s mine, by Bargain mine, and that’s sufficient.
Will. In Law perhaps, it may for ought I know, but ’tis not so in Love: but thou’rt my Friend, and I’ll therefore give thee fair Play — if thou canst win her take her: But a Sword and a Mistress are not to be lost, if a Man can keep ‘em.
Beau. I cannot blame thee, thou but acts thy self —
But thou fair Hypocrite, to whom I gave my Heart,
And this exception made of all Mankind,
Why would’st thou, as in Malice to my Love,
Give it the only Wound that cou’d destroy it?
Will. Nay, if thou didst forbid her loving me, I have her sure.
Beau. I yield him many Charms; he’s nobly born,
Has Wit, Youth, Courage, all that takes the Heart,
And only wants what pleases Women’s Vanity,
Estate, the only good that I can boast:
And that I sacrifice to buy thy Smiles.
La Nu. See, Sir — here’s a much fairer Chapman — you may be gone —
[To Will.
Will. Faith, and so there is, Child, for me, I carry all about me, and that by Heaven is thine: I’ll settle all upon thee, but my Sword, and that will buy us Bread. I’ve two led Horses too, one thou shalt manage, and follow me thro Dangers.
La Nu. A very hopeful comfortable Life;
No, I was made for better Exercises.
Will. Why, every thing in its turn, Child, yet a Man’s but a Man.
Beau. No more, but if thou valuest her,
Leave her to Ease and Plenty.
Will. Leave her to Love, my Dear; one hour of right-down Love,
Is worth an Age of living dully on:
What is’t to be adorn’d and shine with Gold,
Drest like a God, but never know the Pleasure?
— No, no, I have much finer things in store for thee.
[Hugs her.
La Nu. What shall I do?
Here’s powerful Interest prostrate at my Feet,
[Pointing to Beau.
Glory, and all than Vanity can boast;
— But there — Love unadorn’d, no covering but his Wings,
[To Will.
No Wealth, but a full Quiver to do mischiefs,
Laughs at those meaner Trifles —
Beau. Mute as thou art, are not these Minutes mine?
But thou — ah false — hast dealt ‘em out already,
With all thy Charms of Love, to this unknown —
Silence and guilty Blushes say thou hast:
He all disorder’d too, loose and undrest,
With Love and Pleasure dancing in his Eyes,
Tell me too plainly how thou hast deceiv’d me.
La Nu. Or if I have not,’tis a Trick soon done,
And this ungrateful Jealousy wou’d put it in my Head.
[Angrily.
Beau. Wou’d! by Heaven, thou hast — he is not to be fool’d,
Or sooth’d into belief of distant Joys,
As easy as I have been: I’ve lost so kind
An Opportunity, where Night and Silence both
Conspire with Love, had made him rage like Waves
Blown up by Storms: — no more — I know he has
— Oh what, La Nuche! robb’d me of all that I
Have languish’d for —
La Nu. If it were so, you should not dare believe it —
[Angrily turns away, he kneels and holds her.
Beau. Forgive me; oh so very well I love,
Did I not know that thou hadst been a Whore,
I’d give thee the last proof of Love — and marry thee.
Will. The last indeed — for there’s an end of Loving;
Do, marry him, and be curst by all his Family:
Marry him, and ruin him, that he may curse thee too.
— But hark ye, Friend, this is not fair; ’tis drawing Sharps on a Man that’s only arm’d with the defensive Cudgel, I’m for no such dead doing Arguments; if thou art for me, Child, it must be without the folly, for better for worse; there’s a kind of Nonsense in that Vow Fools only swallow.
La Nu. But when I’ve worn out all my Youth and Beauty, and suffer’d every ill of Poverty, I shall be compell’d to begin the World again without a Stock to set up with. No faith, I’m for a substantial Merchant in Love, who can repay the loss of Time and Beauty; with whom to make one thriving Voyage sets me up for ever, and I need never put to Sea again.
[Comes to Beau.
Beau. Nor be expos’d to Storms of Poverty, the Indies shall come to thee — See here — this is the Merchandize my Love affords.
[Gives her a Pearl, and Pendants of Diamond.
La Nu. Look ye, Sir, will not these Pearls do better round my Neck, than those kind Arms of yours? these Pendants in my Ears, than all the Tales of Love you can whisper there?
Will. So — I am deceiv’d — deal on for Trash — and barter all thy Joys of Life for Baubles — this Night presents me one Adventure more — I’ll try thee once again, inconstant Fortune; and if thou fail’st me then — I will forswear thee [Aside.] Death, hadst thou lov’d my Friend for his own Value, I had esteem’d thee; but when his Youth and Beauty cou’d not plead, to be the mercenary Conquest of his Presents, was poor, below thy Wit: I cou’d have conquer’d so, but I scorn thee at that rate — my Purse shall never be my Pimp — Farewel, Harry.
Beau. Thou’st sham’d me out of Folly — stay —
Will. Faith — I have an Assignation with a Woman — a Woman Friend! young as the infant-day, and sweet as Roses e’er the Morning Sun have kiss’d their Dew away. She will not ask me Money neither.
La Nu. Hah! stay —
[Holds him, and looks on him.
Beau. She loves him, and her Eyes betray her Heart.
Will. I am not for your turn, Child — Death, I shall lose my Mistress fooling here — I must be gone.
[She holds him, he shakes his Head and sings.
No, no, I will not hire your Bed,
Nor Tenant to your Favours be;
I will not farm your White and Red,
You shall not let your Love to me:
I court a Mistress — not a Landlady.
[bis.
Beau. He’s in the right; and shall I waste my Youth and powerful Fortune on one who all this while has jilted me, seeing I was a lavish loving Fool? — No — this Soul and Body shall not be divided —
[Gives her to Will.
Will. I am so much thy Friend, another time I might be drawn to take a bad Bargain off thy Hands — but I have other Business at present: wo’t do a kind thing, Harry, — lend me thy Aid to carry off my Woman to night? ’tis hard by in the Piazza, perhaps we may find Resistance.
Beau. My self and Sword are yours. I have a Chair waits below too, may do you Service.
Will. I thank ye — Madam — your Servant.
La Nu. Left by both!
Beau. You see our Affairs are pressing.
[Bows, and smiles carelesly. Ex. Will. singing, and Beau.
La Nu. Gone! where’s all your Power, ye poor deluded Eyes? Curse on your feeble Fires, that cannot warm a Heart which every common Beauty kindles. Oh — he is gone for ever.
Enter Petronella.
Pet. Yes, he is gone, to your eternal Ruin: not all the Race of Men cou’d have produc’d so bountiful and credulous a Fool.
La Nu. No, never; fetch him back, my Petronella: Bring me my wild Inconstant, or I die —
[Puts her out.
Pet. The Devil fetch him back for Petronella, is’t he you mean? you’ve had too much of him; a Curse upon him, he’as ruin’d you.
La Nu. He has, he shall, he must compleat my ruin.
Pet. She raves, the Rogue has given her a Spanish Philtre.
La Nu. My Coach, my Veil — or let ‘em all alone; undrest thus loosely to the Winds commit me to darkness, and no Guide but pitying Cupid.
[Going out, Pet. holds her.
Pet. What, are you mad?
La Nu. As Winds let loose, or Storms when they rage high.
[Goes out.
Pet. She’s lost, and I’ll shift for my self, seize all her Money and Jewels, of which I have the Keys; and if Seignior Mountebank keeps his Word, be transform’d to Youth and Beauty again, and undo this La Nuche at her own Trade —
[Goes in.