Chapter III: Part 3

_Atl._ Well, stand aside, weele imploy you anon:
Forbeare your tortors yet, something is hid,
That we must haue reueal’d, and he himselfe
Shall be his owne accuser: you all know,
He hath arraign’d vs for inconstancie:
But now weele arraigne him, and iudge him too,
This is womans counsell: Madame, we make you
Ladie Chiefe Iustice of this Female Court,
Mistris Recorder, I. _Loretta_, you,
Sit for the Notarie: _Crier_, she:
The rest shall beare inferior Offices,
As Keepers, Seriants, Executioners.

_Swash._ Ide rather be a Hangman then a Seriant:
Yet there’s no great difference, if one will not,
T’other must.

_Atl._ Mother, goe you and call a Iurie full,
Of which y’are the fore-woman.

_1. Old W._ Thanke you forsooth, Ile fetch one presently:
’Tis fit he should be scratcht, and please your Grace:
Sure, he is no man.

_Atl._ We want a Barre. O, these two foyles shall serue:
One stucke i’ the Earth, and crosse it from this Tree.
Now take your places, bring him to the Barre,
Sirrah, vngag him.

_Swash._ Let him be gag’d still:
Then you are sure what e’r you say to him,
He cannot contradict you.

_Atl._ Pull it out.

_Swash._ Doe not bite y’are best.

_Mis._ Oh, that I were a Serpent for your sakes,
Bearing a thousand stings.

_Aur._ Worse then thou art,
Thou canst not wish to be, abortiue wretch.
Bring him to the Barre.

_Swash._ You’ld not be rul’d by me: I told you o’this,
And now you see what followes,
Hanging’s the least, what-cu’r followes that.

_Aur._ Clarke of the Peace,
Reade the Indictment.

_Scold._ Silence in the Court.

_Swash._ Silence? & none but women? That were strange!

_Lor._ _Misogynos_, hold vp thy hand.

_Swash._ His name is _Swetnam_, not _Misogynos_.
That’s but a borrowed name.

_Mis._ Peace, you Rogue,
Will you discouer me?

_Aur._ _Swetnam_ is his name.

_Swash._ I, _Ioseph Swetnam_, that’s his name, forsooth,
_Ioseph_ the Iew was a better Gentile farre.

_Lor._ Then _Ioseph Swetnam, alias Misogynos,
Alias Molastomus, alias_ the _Woman-hater_.

_Swash._ How came he by all these names?
I haue heard many say, he was neu’r christen’d.

_Lor._ Thou art here indicted by these names, that thou,
Contrary to nature, and the peace of this Land,
Hast wickedly and maliciously slandred,
Maligned, and opprobriously defamed the ciuill societie
Of the whole Sex of women: therefore speake,
Guiltie, or not guiltie?

_Mis._ Not guiltie.

_Swash._ Hum.

_Omnes._ Not guiltie.

_Mis._ No, not guiltie.

_Aur._ Darest thou denie a truth so manifest?
Didst thou not lately both by word, and deed,
Publish a Pamphlet in disgrace of vs,
And of all women-kind?

_Mis._ No, no, no, not I.

_Swash._ Hum.

_Atl._ Calling vs tyrannous, ambitious, cruell?

_Aur._ Comparing vs to Serpents, Crocodiles
For Dissimulation, _Hiena’s_ for Subtilties,
Such like?

_Lor._ And farre worse:
That we are all the Deuils agents,
To seduce Man agen?

_Scold._ That all our studies are but to delude
Our credulous Husbands?

_Mis._ I denie all this.

_Swash._ Hum.

_Lor._ Nay more,
Thou dost affirme, without distinction,
All married Wiues are the Deuils Hackneyes,
To carrie their Husbands to Hell.

_Aur._ Inhumane Monster, hast thou neu’r a Mother?

_Swash._ No, forsooth, he is a _Succubus_, begot
Betwixt a Deuill and a Witch.

_Mis._ If I did any such, let it be produc’d.

_Atl._ Bring in the Books for a firme Euidence,
And bid the Iurie giue the Verdict vp.

_Enter two Old Women._

_Old W._ Guiltie, guiltie, guiltie.
Guiltie of Woman-slander, and defamation.

_Atl._ Produce the Bookes, and reade the Title of vm.

_Lor._ The Arraignment of idle, froward,
And vnconstant women.

_Aur._ What say you, Sir, to this?

_Mis._ Shew me my name, and then Ile yeeld vnto’t.

_Aur._ No, that’s your policie and cowardise,
You durst not publish, what you dar’d to write,
Thy man is witnesse to’t: sirrah, confesse,
Or you shall eu’n be seru’d of the same sawce.

_Swash._ No, no, no, no, Ile tell you all,
He is no Fencer, that’s but for a shew,
For feare of being beaten: the best Clarke,
For cowardise that can be in the World,
To terrifie the Female Champions,
He was in England, a poore Scholer first,
And came to Medley, to eate Cakes and Creame,
At my old Mothers house, she trusted him:
At least some sixteene shillings o’the score,
And he perswaded her, he would make me
A Scholer of the Niniuersitie, which she, kind Foole, beleeu’d:
He neu’r taught me any Lesson, but to raile against women,
That was my morning and my euening Lecture.
And in one yeere he runne away from thence,
And then he tooke the habit of a Fencer:
And set vp Schoole at Bristow: there he liu’d
A yeere or two, till he had writ this Booke:
And then the women beat him out the Towne,
And then we came to London: there forsooth,
He put his Booke i’the Presse, and publisht it,
And made a thousand men and wiues fall out.
Till two or three good wenches, in meere spight,
Laid their heads together, and rail’d him out of th’ Land,
Then we came hither: this is all forsooth.

_Aur._ ’Tis eu’n enough.

_Mis._ ’Tis all as false as women.

_Omnes._ Stop his mouth.

_Atlan._ Either be quiet, or y’are gag’d agen.

_Aur._ Proceed in Iudgement.

_Atlan._ Madame, thus it is.
First, he shall weare this Mouzell, to expresse
His barking humour against women-kind.
And he shall be led, and publike showne,
In euery Street i’ the Citie, and be bound
In certaine places to a Post or Stake,
And bayted by all the honest women in the Parish.

_Mis._ Is that the worst? there will not one be found
In all the Citie.

_Omnes._ Out, you lying Rascall.
Forbeare a little.

_Atlan._ Then he shal be whipt quite thorow the Land,
Till he come to the Sea-Coast, and then be shipt,
And sent to liue amongst the Infidels.

_Omnes._ Oh, the Lord preserue your Grace.

_Lor._ Oh, oh, oh.

_Aur._ Call in his Bookes,
And let vm all be burn’d and cast away,
And his Arraignment now put i’the Presse,
That he may liue a shame vnto his Sex.

_Atlan._ Sirrah, the charge be yours: which if you faile,
You shall be vs’d so too: if well perform’d,
You shall be well rewarded. Breake vp Court.

_Omnes._ Away, you bawling Mastiffe.

_Clow._ Pish, pish. _Exeunt._

_Enter_ Atticus, Sforza, Nicanor, _and one or two Lords more_.

_King._ Why doe you thus pursue me? Can no place
Shelter a King from being bayted thus
With Acclamations beyond sufferance
Of Maiestie, or mortall strength to beare?
We will indure’t no longer. Where’s our Guard?
Where is _Aurelia_? where’s _Iago_ gone?
To studie new Inuectiues? If agen
They dare but vtter the least syllable,
Or smallest title of inueteracie,
They shall not breathe a minute. Must a Prince
Be checkt, and schooled, pursued and scolded at,
For executing Iustice?

_Nic._ Royall, Sir.
Be pleased, to cast away these Discontents.
_Iago’s_ sorrie for his bold offence.
The Queene repents her too, and all the Court
Is clowded o’r with griefe: your sadnesse, Sir,
Fils euery Subiects heart with heauinesse.
Will’t please your Highnesse to behold some pastime,
There is a Maske and other sports prepar’d:
Prepared to solace you,
To steale away your sorrowes.

_King._ Who’s that spoke?
_Nicanor_, is’t hee? I thought as much:
I knew no other would be halfe so kind,
Nor carefull of our health: doe what thou wilt,
We will deny nothing that thou demandest,
My dearest Comforter, stay to my age,
The hope of Sicilie lyes now in thee.
Come sit by vs, weele see what new deuice
Thy diligence——_Nic._ My dutie.

_King._ No, thy loue
Hath studied to delight thy Soueraigne.
Come sit, _Nicanor_.

_Nic._ Pardon, Sir, awhile,
Ile giue command to see it straight perform’d,
And instantly returne.

_King._ Make no delay:
We haue no ioy but in thy companie.

_Nic._ Nor I no Hell, but thy continuance.
Ile present that will shorten it, I hope.

_King._ _Sforza_, thou louest me too: come neerer vs:
But old _Iago_ is a froward Lord,
Honest, but lenatiue, ore-swaid too much
With pitt e against Iustice, that’s not good:
Indeed it is not in a Counsellar.
And he has too much of woman, otherwise
He might be Ruler of a Monarchie,
For policie and wisdome. _Sforza_ sit,
Take you your places to behold this Maske.

_Enter_ Nicanor.

_Nic._ Now they are readie.

_King._ Let vm enter then.
Come sit by vs, _Nicanor_, and describe
The meaning, as they enter.

_Enter_ Iago, _and the Queene_.

_Iag._ Heere your Grace
May vndiscouered sit, and view the Maske,
And see how ’tis affected by the King:
I know, 'twill nip him to the verie soule.
The Maskers. _Enter Musike, dance._

_Nic._ He that leads the Dance,
Is called wilfull Ignorance.

_King._ The next that pryes on euery side,
As if feare his feet did guide,
Is held a wretch of base condition,
He is titled false Suspition.

_Nic._ The third is of a bolder Faction,
But more deadly, ’tis Detraction.
The last is Crueltie, a King that long,
In seeming good, did sacred Iustice wrong.

_King._ This Moral’s meant by me: by heauen it is,
By Heauen, indeed: for nothing else had power
To make me see my Follies. I confesse,
’Twas wilfull Ignorance, and Selfe-conceit,
Sooth’d with Hypocrisie, that drew me first
Into suspition of my Daughters loue,
And call’d it Disobedience: false Suspect,
’Twas thou possest me, that _Leonida_
Was spotted and vnchaste.

_Nic._ So, now it workes.

_King._ And then Detraction prou’d a deadly Foe.

_Iag._ I knew ’twould take effect.

_Aur._ Most happily.

_King._ I am that King did sacred Iustice wrong,
Vnder a shew of Iustice, now ’tis plaine,
It was my crueltie, not her desert,
That sacrific’d my Child to pallid Death.
_Lisandro_ flew himselfe, but I, not he
Must answere for that guiltlesse bloud was spilt:
For I was Authour on’t, my Crueltie,
Diuorcing two such Louers, was the cause
That drew him to despayre. How they all gaze,
Whisper together, and then point at me,
As if they here had being! yes they haue:
But it shall proue a restlesse bed for them.
Why doe they not begin?

_Enter Repentance._

_Nic._ Belike they want some of their companie.

_King._ But stay, who’s that descends so prosperously,
With such sweet sounding Musike? All obserue.

_Musike, dance._

_Nic._ See how the splendor of that Maiestie,
That came from Heauen, hath disperst away
Suspition, Ignorance, and Crueltie,
And instantly o’rcome Detraction too,
Those enemies to vertue, foes to man,
Are vanisht from my sight, and from my heart.
But let Repentance stay. Ha, shallow Foole,
Doe I so slightly bid her? On my knees,
She must be followed, call’d and su’d vnto.
And by continuall Prayers, woo’d, and wonne,
Which I will neuer cease, if not too late.
I doe repent me, let this Sacrifice
Make satisfaction for those fore-past Crimes
My ignorant soule committed.

_Repen._ ’Tis accepted.
Imbrace me freely, rise: neuer too late
To call vpon Repentance.

_Nic._ I am trapt.
Oh, the great Deuill! whose deuice was this?
Now all will be reueal’d, I neuer dream’t
Vpon Repentance, I: but now I see,
Truth will discouer all mens Trecherie.

_King._ Liue euer in my bosome. What meanes this?

_Enter_ Lorenzo, Lisandro, Leonida, _a Siluan Nymph_.

_Lor._ If a Siluan’s rude behauiour
May not heere despaire of fauour:
Then to thee this newes I bring,
Thou art call’d the righteous King,
And as Fame do’s make report,
Heere liues Iustice in thy Court:
Know, that all the Happinesse
I did in this World possesse,
Was my onely Daughter, who
_Pan_ did on my age bestow,
She was named _Claribell_,
Whom _Palemon_ loued well:
And she lou’d him as well againe;
So that nothing did remaine,
But the tying _Hymens_ Knot.
But it chanced so, God wot,
That an old decrepit man
Most prepostrously began,
With flatt’ring words to woo my Daughter,
But being still deny’d, he after
Turn’d his loue to mortall hate
_Claribell_ to ruinate,
Striuing to o’rpresse her fame,
With Lust, Contempt, Reproch, and Shame.

_Kin._ What wouldst thou haue Vs doe?
Good Father, speake.

_Lor._ This fellow hath subborn’d a rout
Ofsome base Villaines here-about,
To take away my daughters life,
Or else to rauish her. To end this strife
Be pleas’d to ioyne these Louers hands
Into sacred nuptiall bands.

_Sfor._ Nothing but put vm both together, Sir.
The good old Shepheard would faine ha’t a match.

_Kin._ We are content. Come giue Vs both your hands.

_Lor._ You are a King; yet they are loth
To take your word without an othe.

_Kin._ As We are King of Sicil, ’tis confirm’d
Firme, to be reuoked neuer,
Vntill death their liues disseuer.

_Lor._ Princes, discouer: Here are witnesses
Inow to testifie this royall match.

_Kin._ My daughter, and _Lisandro_, liuing?

_Lor._ Nay, wonder not, my Liege, your oath is past.

_Kin._ Which thus, and thus, and thus I ratifie:
There is but one step more, and farewell all.

_Aur._ Oh, I am made immortall with this sight:
My daughter, and _Lisandro_, both aliue?

_Iag._ This is no newes to mee: yet teares of ioy
Ore-flowes mine eyes to see this vnitie.

_Kin._ Oh daughter, I haue done thee too much wrong:
And, noble Prince, We now confesse Our errour:
But heauen be prais’d that you haue both escap’d
The tyrannie of Our vniust decree.

_Aur._ What happie accident preseru’d your liues?
Whose was the proiect? Was it thine, old man?

_Lor._ Madam, ’twas mine: Those that I could not saue
By eloquence, by policie I haue.

_Kin._ Worthie _Atlanta_, thou hast merited
Beyond all imitation. We are made
Too poore to gratifie thy high deserts.

_Lor._ Dread Soueraigne,
All my deserts, my selfe, and what I haue,
Thus I throw downe before your Highnesse feet.

_Att._ My Sonne _Lorenzo_! Oh, assist, my Lords.
The current of my ioy’s so violent,
It does o’r-come my spirits. Worthy Sonne,
Welcome from death; from bands, captiuitie.

_Aur._ Welcome into my bosome as my soule.

_Prince._ My princely Brother, could I adde a loue
Vnto that dutie that I owe for life,
I am ingag’d vnto’t, you are my lifes Protector,
And my Brother.

_Lis._ And for a life I stand indebted too,
Which Ile detayne, onely to honour you.

_Omnes._ And on our knees we must this dutie tender,
To you our Patron, and our Fames Defender.

_Rep._ Behold the ioyes Repentance brings with her,
Thy blessings are made full in Heauen and Earth.

_Att._ Was euer Father happier in a Sonne,
Or euer Kingdome had more hopefull Prince?
But in a loyall Subiect, neuer King
More blest then we are: and the grace we owe,
Though farre too poore to quittance, shall make known,
Thy loue and merit. Now we can discerne
Our friends from flatt’rers. _Nicanor_, as for you,
But that this houre is sacred vnto ioy,
Thy life should pay the ransome of thy guilt.

_Nic._ Your Graces pardon. ’Twas not pride of state,
But her disdaine, that first inspir’d in me
This hope of Soueraigntie.

_Att._ Well, we forgiue.
Learne to liue honest now. Come, beautyous Queene,
We hope that all are pleas’d: and now you see,
In vaine we striue to crosse, what Heauens decree.

_FINIS._

EPILOGVE.

_Enter_ Swetnam _muzzled, hal’d in by Women_.

Swet. _Why doe you hale me thus? Is’t not enough,
I haue withstood a tryall? beene arraign’d?
Indured the torture of sharp-pointed Needles?
The Whip? and old Wiues Nayles? but I must stand,
To haue another Iurie passe on me?_

Loret. _It was a generall wrong; therefore must haue
A generall tryall, and a Iudgement too._

Leon. _The greatest wrong was mine; he sought my life:
Which fact I freely pardon, to approoue
Women are neither tyrannous, nor cruell,
Though you report vs so._

Swet. _I now repent,
And thus to you (kind Iudges) I appeale.
Me thinkes, I see no anger in your eyes:
Mercie and Beautie best doe sympathize:
And here for-euer I put off this shape,
And with it all my spleene and malice too,
And vow to let no time or act escape,
In which my seruice may be shewne to you.
And this my hand, which did my shame commence,
Shall with my Sword be vs’d in your defence._

FINIS.

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

1. Did not change “VV” to “W”.
2. Changed “We all deserue as much” to “We all deserue as much.”
3. Changed “For I should neuer liue till your returne,” to “For I
should neuer liue till your returne.”
4. Changed “For when the the Nauies ioyn’d, the Cannons plaid” to
“For when the Nauies ioyn’d, the Cannons plaid”.
5. Changed “By this hand, I shall thinke my money vell bestowed” to
“By this hand, I shall thinke my money well bestowed”.
6. Changed “_Enter_ Nicanor.” to “_Enter Nicanor_.”
7. Changed “_Scan._ Goe then, Ile follow,” to “_Scan._ Goe then, Ile
follow.”
8. Changed the second “SCEN. II.” to “SCEN. III.” in Act IIII.
9. Changed “_Attic._ But not the the freedome of _Leonida_” to
“_Attic._ But not the freedome of _Leonida_”.
10. Changed “I neuer heard him speake so carefully” to “_Iag._ I neuer
heard him speake so carefully”. [The catchword on the previous
page was “Iag.”]
11. Changed “_Scold,_ He lookes as if he did” to “_Scold._ He lookes
as if he did”.
12. Changed “_King_ No, thy loue” to “_King._ No, thy loue”.
13. Changed “Thus I throw downe before your Highnesse feet,” to “Thus
I throw downe before your Highnesse feet.”
14. Retained all spellings and punctuations as printed except as noted
above.
15. Except for apostrophes, silently corrected spaces around
punctuation, for example changed “ ,” to “,” and “,a” to “, a”.
16. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.