641Flo. Now am I vp and ready, ready? why? because my

642cloathes once on, that call we ready: but readinesse I hope

643hath reference to some fit action for our seuerall state: for

644when I am attyred thus Countesse-like, tis not to worke,

645for that befittes me not, tis on some pleasure, whose chiefe

646obiect is one mans content, and hee my husbande is, but

647what need I thus be attyred, for that he would be pleased

648with meaner weed? besides I take no pleasure thus to please

649him: I am content, because it is my duty to keep to him, and

650not to seeke no further: but if that pleasure be a thing that

651makes the time seeme short, if it do laughter cause, if it pro-

652cure the tongue but hartily to say, I thanke you, I haue no

653such thing, nor can the godliest woman in the worlde, a-

654gainst her nature please her sense, or soule, she may say, this

655I will, or this I will not. But what shall she reape hereby?

656comfort in an other world, if she will stay till then.

658Lab. Yea mary sir now I must looke about, now if her

659desolate proouer come againe, shal I admit him to make

660farther triall? Ile haue a Dialogue betweene my selfe and

661manly reason: to that speciall end reason, shall I indure a de-

662solate man to come and court my wife, and proue her con-

663stancie: reason, to court and proue her you may beare my

664lord, for perfite things are not the worse for triall; gold will

665not turne to drosse for deepest triall: before God a comfor-

666table saying: thanks gentle reason, Ile trouble you no more.

668God saue sweet wife, looke vp, thy tempter comes.

669Flo. Let him my lord, I hope I am more blest then to

670relent in thought of lewde suggestion.

671Lab. But if by frailtie you should yeeld in thought, what

672will you do?

673Flo. Then shall you keepe me close, and neuer let me see

674man but your selfe, if not, then boldly may I go abroade.

675Lab. But how, shall I know whether you yeeld, or no?

676Flo. Heare vs your selfe, my lord.

677Lab. Tut, that were grosse, for no woman will yeeld in

678her husbands hearing.

679Flo. Then to assure you if I yeelde or no, marke but

680these signes: as hee is proouing me, if I doe yeelde, you

681shall perceyue my face blush and looke pale, and put on

682heauie lookes. If I resist I will triumph, and smile, and

683when I hold but vp my finger, stop his vaine lips, or thrust

684him on the breast, then is he ouerthrowne both horse and

685foote.

686Lab. Why, this doth satisfie me mightily: see hee is

687come.

688Lem. Honor to my good lord, and his faire yong ladie.

689Lab. Nowe Monsieur Sathan, you are come to

690tempt and prooue at full the spirit of my wife.

691Lem. I am my lord, but vainly I suppose.

692Lab. You see she dares put on this braue attire fit with

693the fashion, which you think serues much to lead a woman

694into light desires.

695Lem. My lord I see it: and the sight thereof doth halfe

696dismay me to make further proofe.

697Lab. Nay prooue her, proue her sir, and spare not:

698what doth the wittie minion of our King thinke any dame

699in France will say him nay? but proue her, proue her, see

700and spare not.

701Lem. Well sir, though halfe discouraged in my com-

702ming, yet Ile go forward: ladie, by your leaue.

703Flo. Nowe sir, your cunning in a Ladyes proofe.

705Lem. Madam, in prouing you I find no proofe against

706your piercing glauncings, but swear I am shot thorow with

707your loue.

708Flo. I do beleeue you: who will sweare he loues, to get

709the thing he loues not? if he loue, what needs more perfite

710triall?

711Lem. Most true rare ladie.

712Flo. Then are we fitly met, I loue you too.

713Lem. Exceeding excellent.

714Flo. Nay, I knowe you will applaude mee in this

715course, but to let common circumstaunces passe, let vs be

716familiar.

717Lem. Deare life, you rauish my conceit with ioy.

718Lab. I long to see the signes that she will make.

719Flo. I told my husband I would make these signes: if I

720resisted, first hold vp my finger, as if I said, yfaith sir you

721are gone, but it shall say, yfayth sir, we are one.

722Lab. Nowe shee triumphes, and pointes to heauen I

723warrant you.

724Flo. Then must I seeme as if I woulde heare no moret

725and stoppe your vaine lips, go cruell lippes, you haue be-

726witcht me, go.

727Lab. Now she stops in his scorned wordes, and rates

728him for his paines.

729Flo. And when I thrust you thus against the breast, then

730are you ouerthrowne both horse and foote.

731Lab. Now is he ouerthrowne both horse and foote.

732Flo. Away vaine man, haue I not answered you?

733Lem. Madam, I yeeld and sweare, I neuer saw so con-

734stant, nor so vertuous a ladie.

735Lab. Now speake I pray, and speake but truly, haue

736you not got a wrong sow by the eare?

737Lem. My lord, my labor is not altogether lost, for now

738I find that which I neuer thought.

739Lab. A sirrah, is the edge of your steele wit rebated then

740against her Adamant?

741Lem. It is my Lord, yet one word more faire ladie.

742Lab. Faine would he haue it do, and it will not be: harke

743you wife, what signe will you make mee nowe if you re-

744lent not?

745Flo. Lend him my handkercher to wipe his lips of their

746last disgrace.

747Lab. Excellent good, go forward, see I pray.

748Flo. An other signe yfaith, loue is required.

749Lem. Let him haue signes inowe, my heauenly loue,

750then knowe there is a priuate meeting this day at Verones

751ordinarie, where if you will do me the grace to come, and

752bring the beauteous Martia with you, I wil prouide a faire

753and priuate roome, where you shal be vnseene of any man,

754onely of me, and of the King himselfe, whom I will cause

755to honour your repaire with his high presence, and there

756with Musicke and quicke reuellings you may reuiue your

757spirits so long time dulled.

758Flo. Ile send for Martia then, and meete you there, and

759tell my husband, I wil locke my selfe in my choise walke

760till supper-time: we pray sir, wipe your lips of the disgrace

761they tooke in their last labour.

762Lem. Mary the diuell was neuer so dispited.

763Lab. Nay stay, see.

764Lem. No, no, my L, you haue the constantst wife that

765euer: wel, Ile say no more.Exit.

766Lab. Neuer was minion so disminioned, come con-

767stancie, come my girle, Ile leaue thee loose to twentie of

768them yfaith.

769

Then he

sighes.

Flo. Come my good head, come.Exit.