Juan. What shall I do with this fellow?
Alon. Turn him off,

He will infect the camp with cowardice,

If he go with thee.

Juan. About some week hence, sir, If I can hit upon no abler officer, You shall hear from me.

Leon. I desire no better.

SCENE V.

[Exeunt.

A Chamber in MARGARITA's Town House.

Enter ESTIFANIA and PEREZ.

Per. You've made me now too bountiful amends, lady,

For your strict carriage when you saw me first:
These beauties were not meant to be conceal'd,

It was a wrong to hide so sweet an object,

I cou'd chide ye, but it shall be thus ;
No other anger ever touch your sweetness.

Estif. You appear to me so honest, and so civil, Without a blush, sir, I dare bid you welcome.

Per. Now let me ask your name?

Estif. 'Tis Estifania, the heir of this poor place,
Per. Poor, do you call it?

There's nothing that I cast my eyes upon,

But shows both rich and admirable; all the rooms
Are hung as if a princess were to dwell here;

The gardens, orchards, every thing so curious.
Is all that plate your own too?

Estif. "Tis but little,

Only for present use; I've more and richer,

When need shall call, or friends compel me use it; The suits you see of all the upper chamber,

Are those that commonly adorn the house ;

I think I have besides, as fair as Seville,

Or any town in Spain can parallel.

Per. Now, if she be not married, I have some hopes.

Are you a maid?

Estif. You make me blush to answer : I ever was accounted so to this hour,

And that's the reason that I live retir'd, sir.

Per. Then wou'd I counsel you to marry presently,

For every year you lose, you lose a beauty ;

A husband now, an honest careful husband,
Were such a comfort: will ye walk above stairs?
Estif. This place will fit our talk, 'tis fitter far, sir,
I dare not trust, sir.

Per. She's excellent wise withal too.

Estif. You nam'd a husband, I am not so strict, sir,

Nor tied unto a virgin's solitariness,

But if an honest, and a noble one,.

Rich, and a soldier, for so I've vow'd he shall be, Were offer'd me, I think, I should accept him ;

But above all he must love.

Per. He were base else.

There's comfort minister'd in the word soldier ;
How sweetly should I live!

Estif. I'm not so ignorant,

But that I know well how to be commanded,
And how again to make myself obey'd, sir;
I waste but little, I have gather'd much;
My rial not the less worth, when 'tis spent,
If spent by my direction; to please my husband,
I hold it as indifferent in my duty,

To be his maid i'the kitchen, or his cook,

As in the hall to know myself the mistress.

Per. Sweet, rich, and provident, now fortune stick

to me;

I am a soldier, and a bachelor, lady;

And such a wife as you I could love infinitely;
They that use many words, some are deceitful;
I long to be a husband, and a good one.
For 'tis most certain I shall make a precedent
For all that follow me to love their ladies;
I'm young you see, able I'd have you think too,
If't please you know, try me before you take me.
"Tis true, I shall not meet in equal wealth with ye,
But jewels, chains, such as the war has given me,
A thousand ducats too in ready gold,

As rich clothes too as any he bears arms, lady.
Estif. You're a gentleman, and fair, I see by ye,
And such a man I'd rather take-

Per. Pray do so.

I'll have a priest o' the sudden.
Estif. And as suddenly
You will repent too.

Per. I'll hang or drown first,
By this and this, and this kiss.
Estif. You're a flatterer.

But I must say, there was something, when I saw you
First, in that noble face, that stirred my fancy.

Per. I'll stir it better e'er you sleep, sweet lady.
I'll send for all my trunks, and give up all to ye,
Into your own dispose, before I bed ye.
And then, sweet wench-

Estif. You have the art to cozen me.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE SECOND,

SCENE I.

An Apartment in MARGARITA's Country House.

Enter MARGARITA, VICTORIA, ISABEL, and ALTEA.
Mar. Come, give me your opinions seriously.
Vict. You say you have a mind to marry, lady.
Mar. 'Tis true, I have for to preserve my credit,
I desire my pleasure, and pleasure I must have.
Isab. 'Tis fit you should have,

Your years require it, and 'tis necessary.

Vict. But might not all this be, and keep ye single! You take away variety in marriage,

Th' abundance of the pleasure you are barr'd then; Is't not abundance that you aim at?.

Mar. Yes, why was I made a woman ?

Isab. And ev'ry day a new?

Mar. Why fair and young, but to use it?

Vict. You're still i'th' right, why wou'd you marry then?

Alt. Because a husband stops all doubts in this point.

Isab. What husband mean ye?

Alt. A husband of an easy faith, a fool,

Made by her wealth, and moulded to her pleasure; One, though he see himself become a monster, Shall hold the door, and entertain the maker.

Isab. You grant, there may be such a man.
Vict. Yes marry, but how to bring them to this rare
perfection?

Isab. They must be chosen so, things of no ho

I care not what they are, so they be comely. Isab. Methinks now, a rich lawyer; some such fellow,

That carries credit and a face of awe.

Mar. No, there's no trusting them; they are too subtle;

The law has moulded them of natural mischief.

Vict. Then, some grave governor,

Some man of honour, yet an easy man.

Mar. If he have honour, I'm undone; I'll none such.

Alt. With search, and wit, and labour,

I've found one out, a right one and a perfect.
Mar. Is he a gentleman?

Alt. Yes, and a soldier; but as gentle as you'd wish him,

A good fellow, and has good clothes, if he knew how to wear 'em.

Mar. Those I'll allow him;

They are for my credit.

Have not the wars bred him up to anger?

Alt. No, he won't quarrel with a dog that bites

him ;

Let him be drunk or sober, he's one silence.

Mar. Is he so goodly a man, do you say?
Alt. As you shall see, lady;

But to all this he's but a trunk.

Mar. I'd have him so.

Go, find me out this man, and let me see him,
If he be that motion that you tell me of,