That he was not
_Wittipols_
friend.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
tronger fall by his owne vice,
Or be the le? ? e a friend, cau? e vertue needs him.
WIT. Vertue ? hall neuer aske my ? uccours twice; 35
Mo? t friend, mo? t man: your _Coun? ells_ are commands:
Lady, I can loue _goodnes_ in you, more [155]
Then I did _Beauty_; and doe here intitle
Your vertue, to the power, vpon a life
You ? hall engage in any fruitfull ? eruice, 40
Euen to forfeit.
MER. _Madame_: Do you heare, Sir,
Mere-craft _takes_ Wittipol _a? ide,_
& _moues a proiect for him? elfe_.
We haue another leg-? train'd, for this _Dottrel_.
He'ha's a quarrell to carry, and ha's cau? 'd
A deed of _Feoffment_, of his whole e? tate
To be drawne yonder; h'ha'? t within: And you, 45
Onely, he meanes to make _Feoffee_. H'is falne
So de? peratly enamour'd on you, and talkes
Mo? t like a mad-man: you did neuer heare
A _Phrentick_, ? o in loue with his owne fauour!
Now, you doe know, 'tis of no validity 50
In your name, as you ? tand; Therefore adui? e him
To put in me. (h'is come here:) You ? hall ? hare Sir.
[699] SD. SCENE III _Another Room in the same. Enter_ WITTIPOL,
_and Mrs. _ FITZDOTTREL. G
[700] 1 Yo'] you W
[701] 4 MANLY _enters behind_. G
[702] 8 m'] W, G
[703] 28 SN. ] [_comes forward. _] G
[704] 40 faithfull 1641
[705] 41 SN. ] _Enter_ MEERCRAFT. (after 'forfeit. ')
_Aside to Wittipol. _ (after 'Sir,') G
[706] 42 leg-strain'd] hyphen om. 1692, f.
[707] 43 He'] H' 1692, 1716
[708] 45 h' om. 1641 he W, G
[709] 46 H'is] He's 1716, W He is G
[710] 49 phrenetic G
[711] 52 me! --_Enter_ FITZDOTTREL, EVERILL, _and_ PLUTARCHUS. G || h'is
He's 1716, f.
ACT. IV. SCENE. VIJ.
WITTIPOL. Mi? tre? ? e FITZ-DOTTREL.
MANLY. MERE-CRAFT.
FITZ-DOTTRELL. EVERILL.
PLVTARCHVS.
FIT. _Madame_, I haue a ? uit to you; and afore-hand,
I doe be? peake you; you mu? t not deny me,
I will be graunted.
WIT. Sir, I mu? t know it, though.
FIT. No _Lady_; you mu? t not know it: yet, you mu? t too.
For the tru? t of it, and the fame indeed, 5
Which el? e were lo? t me. I would vfe your name,
But in a _Feoffment_: make my whole e? tate
Ouer vnto you: a trifle, a thing of nothing,
Some eighteene hundred.
WIT. Alas! I vnder? tand not
Tho? e things Sir. I am a woman, and mo? t loath, 10
To embarque my ? elfe--
FIT. You will not ? light me, _Madame_?
WIT. Nor you'll not quarrell me?
FIT. No, ? weet _Madame_, I haue
Already a _dependance_; for which cau? e
I doe this: let me put you in, deare _Madame_,
I may be fairely kill'd.
WIT. You haue your friends, Sir, 15
About you here, for choice.
EVE. She tells you right, Sir.
_Hee hopes to be the man. _
FIT. Death, if ? he doe, what do I care for that?
Say, I would haue her tell me wrong.
WIT. Why, Sir, [156]
If for the tru? t, you'll let me haue the honor
To name you one.
FIT. Nay, you do me the honor, _Madame_: 20
Who is't?
WIT. This Gentleman:
_Shee de? ignes_ Manly.
FIT. O, no, sweet _Madame_,
H'is friend to him, with whom I ha' the _dependance_.
WIT. Who might he bee?
FIT. One _Wittipol_: do you know him?
WIT. Alas Sir, he, a toy: This Gentleman
A friend to him? no more then I am Sir! 25
FIT. But will your _Lady? hip_ vndertake that, _Madame_?
WIT. Yes, and what el? e, for him, you will engage me.
FIT. What is his name?
VVIT. His name is _Eu? tace Manly_.
FIT. VVhence do's he write him? elfe?
VVIT. of _Middle-? ex_, _E? quire_.
FIT. Say nothing, _Madame_. _Clerke_, come hether 30
VVrite _Eu? tace Manly_, Squire o' _Middle-? ex_.
MER. What ha' you done, Sir?
VVIT. Nam'd a gentleman,
That I'll be an? werable for, to you, Sir.
Had I nam'd you, it might ha' beene ? u? pected:
This way, 'tis ? afe.
FIT. Come Gentlemen, your hands, 35
For witnes.
MAN. VVhat is this?
EVE. You ha' made _Election_
Eueril _applaudes it_.
Of a mo? t worthy _Gentleman_!
MAN. VVould one of worth
Had ? poke it: whence it comes, it is
Rather a ? hame to me, then a prai? e.
EVE. Sir, I will giue you any Satisfaction. 40
MAN. Be ? ilent then: "fal? hood commends not truth".
PLV. You do deliuer this, Sir, as your deed.
To th' v? e of M^r. _Manly_?
FIT. Yes: and Sir--
VVhen did you ? ee yong _Wittipol_? I am ready,
For proce? ? e now; Sir, this is _Publication_. 45
He ? hall heare from me, he would needes be courting
My wife, Sir.
MAN. Yes: So witne? ? eth his Cloake there.
FIT. Nay good Sir,--_Madame_, you did vndertake--
Fitz-dottrel _is ? u? picious of_ Manly _? till_.
VVIT. VVhat?
FIT.
That he was not _Wittipols_ friend.
VVIT. I heare S^r. no confe? ? ion of it.
FIT. O ? he know's not; 50
Now I remember, _Madame_! This young _Wittipol_,
VVould ha' debauch'd my wife, and made me _Cuckold_,
Through a ca? ement; he did fly her home
To mine owne window: but I think I ? ou't him,
And rauifh'd her away, out of his pownces. 55
I ha' ? worne to ha' him by the eares: I feare
The toy, wi' not do me right.
VVIT. No? that were pitty!
VVhat right doe you aske, Sir? Here he is will do't you?
Wittipol _di? couers him? elfe_.
FIT. Ha? _Wittipol_?
VVIT. I Sir, no more _Lady_ now,
Nor _Spaniard_!
MAN. No indeed, 'tis _Wittipol_. 60
FIT. Am I the thing I fear'd?
VVIT. A _Cuckold_? No Sir,
But you were late in po? ? ibility,
I'll tell you ? o much.
MAN. But your wife's too vertuous!
VVIT. VVee'll ? ee her Sir, at home, and leaue you here,
To be made _Duke o' Shore-ditch_ with a proiect. [157] 65
FIT. Theeues, raui? hers.
VVIT. Crie but another note, Sir,
I'll marre the tune, o' your pipe!
FIT. Gi' me my deed, then.
_He would haue his_ deed _again_.
VVIT. Neither: that ? hall be kept for your wiues good,
VVho will know, better how to v? e it.
FIT. Ha'
To fea? t you with my land?
VVIT. Sir, be you quiet, 70
Or I ? hall gag you, ere I goe, con? ult
Your Ma? ter of dependances; how to make this
A ? econd bu? ine? ? e, you haue time Sir.
VVitipol _bafflees him, and goes out_.
FIT. Oh!
VVhat will the gho? t of my wi? e Grandfather,
My learned _Father_, with my wor? hipfull _Mother_, 75
Thinke of me now, that left me in this world
In ? tate to be their _Heire_? that am become
A _Cuckold_, and an _A? ? e_, and my wiues Ward;
Likely to loo? e my land; ha' my throat cut:
All, by her practice!
MER. Sir, we are all abus'd! 80
FIT. And be ? o ? till! VVho hinders you, I pray you,
Let me alone, I would enioy my ? elfe,
And be the _Duke o' Drown'd-Land_, you ha' made me.
MER. Sir, we mu? t play an _after-game_ o' this.
FIT. But I am not in ca? e to be a _Gam-? ter_: 85
I tell you once againe--
MER. You mu? t be rul'd
And take some coun? ell.
FIT. Sir, I do hate coun? ell,
As I do hate my wife, my wicked wife!
MER. But we may thinke how to recouer all:
If you will act.
FIT. I will not think; nor act; 90
Nor yet recouer; do not talke to me?
I'll runne out o' my witts, rather then heare;
I will be what I am, _Fabian Fitz-Dottrel_,
Though all the world ? ay nay to't.
MER. Let's follow him.
[712] SD. om. G
[713] 3 granted 1692, f.
[714] 16 SN. om. G
[715] 21 SN. _She_ om. W _She_ . . . ] [_Pointing to Manly. _ G
[716] 22 He's 1716, f.
[717] 30 [_To Plutarchus. _ G || hither 1692, f.
[718] 32 sir? [_Aside to Wit. _ G
[719] 36 SN. om. G
[720] 38 it! but now whence W, G
[721] 39 to] unto W, G
[722] 43 [_To Manly. _ G
[723] 48 SN. om. G
[724] 49 VVIT. _What. _ 1641
[725] 53 Thorow 1692 Thorough 1716, f.
[726] 54 sou't] fou't 1692 fought 1716, W sous'd G
[727] 58 SN. Wittipol om. G
[728] 67 SN. om. G
[729] 69 Ha! 1692, f.
[730] 73 SN. ] [_Baffles him, and exit with Manly. _ G
[731] 82 injoy 1641
[732] 94 to't. [_Exit. _ G || Let's Let us W, G || him. [_Exeunt. _ G
ACT. V. SCENE. I. [158]
AMBLER. PITFALL. MERE-CRAFT.
Bvt ha's my Lady mi? t me?
PIT. Beyond telling!
Here ha's been that infinity of ? trangers!
And then ? he would ha' had you, to ha' ? ampled you
VVith one within, that they are now a teaching;
And do's pretend to your ranck.
AMB. Good fellow _Pit-fall_, 5
Tel M^r. _Mere-craft_, I intreat a word with him.
Pitfall _goes out_.
This most vnlucky accident will goe neare
To be the lo? ? e o' my place; I am in doubt!
MER. VVith me? what ? ay you M^r _Ambler_?
AMB. Sir,
I would be? eech your wor? hip ? tand betweene 10
Me, and my _Ladies_ di? plea? ure, for my ab? ence.
MER. O, is that all? I warrant you.
AMB. I would tell you Sir
But how it happened.
MER. Brief, good Ma? ter _Ambler_,
Put your selfe to your rack: for I haue ta? que
Of more importance.
Mere-craft _? eemes full of bu? ine? ? e_.
AMB. Sir you'll laugh at me? 15
But (? o is _Truth_) a very friend of mine,
Finding by conference with me, that I liu'd
Too cha? t for my complexion (and indeed
Too hone? t for my place, Sir) did adui? e me
If I did loue my ? elfe (as that I do, 20
I mu?
Or be the le? ? e a friend, cau? e vertue needs him.
WIT. Vertue ? hall neuer aske my ? uccours twice; 35
Mo? t friend, mo? t man: your _Coun? ells_ are commands:
Lady, I can loue _goodnes_ in you, more [155]
Then I did _Beauty_; and doe here intitle
Your vertue, to the power, vpon a life
You ? hall engage in any fruitfull ? eruice, 40
Euen to forfeit.
MER. _Madame_: Do you heare, Sir,
Mere-craft _takes_ Wittipol _a? ide,_
& _moues a proiect for him? elfe_.
We haue another leg-? train'd, for this _Dottrel_.
He'ha's a quarrell to carry, and ha's cau? 'd
A deed of _Feoffment_, of his whole e? tate
To be drawne yonder; h'ha'? t within: And you, 45
Onely, he meanes to make _Feoffee_. H'is falne
So de? peratly enamour'd on you, and talkes
Mo? t like a mad-man: you did neuer heare
A _Phrentick_, ? o in loue with his owne fauour!
Now, you doe know, 'tis of no validity 50
In your name, as you ? tand; Therefore adui? e him
To put in me. (h'is come here:) You ? hall ? hare Sir.
[699] SD. SCENE III _Another Room in the same. Enter_ WITTIPOL,
_and Mrs. _ FITZDOTTREL. G
[700] 1 Yo'] you W
[701] 4 MANLY _enters behind_. G
[702] 8 m'] W, G
[703] 28 SN. ] [_comes forward. _] G
[704] 40 faithfull 1641
[705] 41 SN. ] _Enter_ MEERCRAFT. (after 'forfeit. ')
_Aside to Wittipol. _ (after 'Sir,') G
[706] 42 leg-strain'd] hyphen om. 1692, f.
[707] 43 He'] H' 1692, 1716
[708] 45 h' om. 1641 he W, G
[709] 46 H'is] He's 1716, W He is G
[710] 49 phrenetic G
[711] 52 me! --_Enter_ FITZDOTTREL, EVERILL, _and_ PLUTARCHUS. G || h'is
He's 1716, f.
ACT. IV. SCENE. VIJ.
WITTIPOL. Mi? tre? ? e FITZ-DOTTREL.
MANLY. MERE-CRAFT.
FITZ-DOTTRELL. EVERILL.
PLVTARCHVS.
FIT. _Madame_, I haue a ? uit to you; and afore-hand,
I doe be? peake you; you mu? t not deny me,
I will be graunted.
WIT. Sir, I mu? t know it, though.
FIT. No _Lady_; you mu? t not know it: yet, you mu? t too.
For the tru? t of it, and the fame indeed, 5
Which el? e were lo? t me. I would vfe your name,
But in a _Feoffment_: make my whole e? tate
Ouer vnto you: a trifle, a thing of nothing,
Some eighteene hundred.
WIT. Alas! I vnder? tand not
Tho? e things Sir. I am a woman, and mo? t loath, 10
To embarque my ? elfe--
FIT. You will not ? light me, _Madame_?
WIT. Nor you'll not quarrell me?
FIT. No, ? weet _Madame_, I haue
Already a _dependance_; for which cau? e
I doe this: let me put you in, deare _Madame_,
I may be fairely kill'd.
WIT. You haue your friends, Sir, 15
About you here, for choice.
EVE. She tells you right, Sir.
_Hee hopes to be the man. _
FIT. Death, if ? he doe, what do I care for that?
Say, I would haue her tell me wrong.
WIT. Why, Sir, [156]
If for the tru? t, you'll let me haue the honor
To name you one.
FIT. Nay, you do me the honor, _Madame_: 20
Who is't?
WIT. This Gentleman:
_Shee de? ignes_ Manly.
FIT. O, no, sweet _Madame_,
H'is friend to him, with whom I ha' the _dependance_.
WIT. Who might he bee?
FIT. One _Wittipol_: do you know him?
WIT. Alas Sir, he, a toy: This Gentleman
A friend to him? no more then I am Sir! 25
FIT. But will your _Lady? hip_ vndertake that, _Madame_?
WIT. Yes, and what el? e, for him, you will engage me.
FIT. What is his name?
VVIT. His name is _Eu? tace Manly_.
FIT. VVhence do's he write him? elfe?
VVIT. of _Middle-? ex_, _E? quire_.
FIT. Say nothing, _Madame_. _Clerke_, come hether 30
VVrite _Eu? tace Manly_, Squire o' _Middle-? ex_.
MER. What ha' you done, Sir?
VVIT. Nam'd a gentleman,
That I'll be an? werable for, to you, Sir.
Had I nam'd you, it might ha' beene ? u? pected:
This way, 'tis ? afe.
FIT. Come Gentlemen, your hands, 35
For witnes.
MAN. VVhat is this?
EVE. You ha' made _Election_
Eueril _applaudes it_.
Of a mo? t worthy _Gentleman_!
MAN. VVould one of worth
Had ? poke it: whence it comes, it is
Rather a ? hame to me, then a prai? e.
EVE. Sir, I will giue you any Satisfaction. 40
MAN. Be ? ilent then: "fal? hood commends not truth".
PLV. You do deliuer this, Sir, as your deed.
To th' v? e of M^r. _Manly_?
FIT. Yes: and Sir--
VVhen did you ? ee yong _Wittipol_? I am ready,
For proce? ? e now; Sir, this is _Publication_. 45
He ? hall heare from me, he would needes be courting
My wife, Sir.
MAN. Yes: So witne? ? eth his Cloake there.
FIT. Nay good Sir,--_Madame_, you did vndertake--
Fitz-dottrel _is ? u? picious of_ Manly _? till_.
VVIT. VVhat?
FIT.
That he was not _Wittipols_ friend.
VVIT. I heare S^r. no confe? ? ion of it.
FIT. O ? he know's not; 50
Now I remember, _Madame_! This young _Wittipol_,
VVould ha' debauch'd my wife, and made me _Cuckold_,
Through a ca? ement; he did fly her home
To mine owne window: but I think I ? ou't him,
And rauifh'd her away, out of his pownces. 55
I ha' ? worne to ha' him by the eares: I feare
The toy, wi' not do me right.
VVIT. No? that were pitty!
VVhat right doe you aske, Sir? Here he is will do't you?
Wittipol _di? couers him? elfe_.
FIT. Ha? _Wittipol_?
VVIT. I Sir, no more _Lady_ now,
Nor _Spaniard_!
MAN. No indeed, 'tis _Wittipol_. 60
FIT. Am I the thing I fear'd?
VVIT. A _Cuckold_? No Sir,
But you were late in po? ? ibility,
I'll tell you ? o much.
MAN. But your wife's too vertuous!
VVIT. VVee'll ? ee her Sir, at home, and leaue you here,
To be made _Duke o' Shore-ditch_ with a proiect. [157] 65
FIT. Theeues, raui? hers.
VVIT. Crie but another note, Sir,
I'll marre the tune, o' your pipe!
FIT. Gi' me my deed, then.
_He would haue his_ deed _again_.
VVIT. Neither: that ? hall be kept for your wiues good,
VVho will know, better how to v? e it.
FIT. Ha'
To fea? t you with my land?
VVIT. Sir, be you quiet, 70
Or I ? hall gag you, ere I goe, con? ult
Your Ma? ter of dependances; how to make this
A ? econd bu? ine? ? e, you haue time Sir.
VVitipol _bafflees him, and goes out_.
FIT. Oh!
VVhat will the gho? t of my wi? e Grandfather,
My learned _Father_, with my wor? hipfull _Mother_, 75
Thinke of me now, that left me in this world
In ? tate to be their _Heire_? that am become
A _Cuckold_, and an _A? ? e_, and my wiues Ward;
Likely to loo? e my land; ha' my throat cut:
All, by her practice!
MER. Sir, we are all abus'd! 80
FIT. And be ? o ? till! VVho hinders you, I pray you,
Let me alone, I would enioy my ? elfe,
And be the _Duke o' Drown'd-Land_, you ha' made me.
MER. Sir, we mu? t play an _after-game_ o' this.
FIT. But I am not in ca? e to be a _Gam-? ter_: 85
I tell you once againe--
MER. You mu? t be rul'd
And take some coun? ell.
FIT. Sir, I do hate coun? ell,
As I do hate my wife, my wicked wife!
MER. But we may thinke how to recouer all:
If you will act.
FIT. I will not think; nor act; 90
Nor yet recouer; do not talke to me?
I'll runne out o' my witts, rather then heare;
I will be what I am, _Fabian Fitz-Dottrel_,
Though all the world ? ay nay to't.
MER. Let's follow him.
[712] SD. om. G
[713] 3 granted 1692, f.
[714] 16 SN. om. G
[715] 21 SN. _She_ om. W _She_ . . . ] [_Pointing to Manly. _ G
[716] 22 He's 1716, f.
[717] 30 [_To Plutarchus. _ G || hither 1692, f.
[718] 32 sir? [_Aside to Wit. _ G
[719] 36 SN. om. G
[720] 38 it! but now whence W, G
[721] 39 to] unto W, G
[722] 43 [_To Manly. _ G
[723] 48 SN. om. G
[724] 49 VVIT. _What. _ 1641
[725] 53 Thorow 1692 Thorough 1716, f.
[726] 54 sou't] fou't 1692 fought 1716, W sous'd G
[727] 58 SN. Wittipol om. G
[728] 67 SN. om. G
[729] 69 Ha! 1692, f.
[730] 73 SN. ] [_Baffles him, and exit with Manly. _ G
[731] 82 injoy 1641
[732] 94 to't. [_Exit. _ G || Let's Let us W, G || him. [_Exeunt. _ G
ACT. V. SCENE. I. [158]
AMBLER. PITFALL. MERE-CRAFT.
Bvt ha's my Lady mi? t me?
PIT. Beyond telling!
Here ha's been that infinity of ? trangers!
And then ? he would ha' had you, to ha' ? ampled you
VVith one within, that they are now a teaching;
And do's pretend to your ranck.
AMB. Good fellow _Pit-fall_, 5
Tel M^r. _Mere-craft_, I intreat a word with him.
Pitfall _goes out_.
This most vnlucky accident will goe neare
To be the lo? ? e o' my place; I am in doubt!
MER. VVith me? what ? ay you M^r _Ambler_?
AMB. Sir,
I would be? eech your wor? hip ? tand betweene 10
Me, and my _Ladies_ di? plea? ure, for my ab? ence.
MER. O, is that all? I warrant you.
AMB. I would tell you Sir
But how it happened.
MER. Brief, good Ma? ter _Ambler_,
Put your selfe to your rack: for I haue ta? que
Of more importance.
Mere-craft _? eemes full of bu? ine? ? e_.
AMB. Sir you'll laugh at me? 15
But (? o is _Truth_) a very friend of mine,
Finding by conference with me, that I liu'd
Too cha? t for my complexion (and indeed
Too hone? t for my place, Sir) did adui? e me
If I did loue my ? elfe (as that I do, 20
I mu?
