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FOURTH GENTLEMAN

Now, sir, you lie at mercy.

HUSBAND

Ay, you slave!

FOURTH GENTLEMAN

Alas, that hate should bring us to our grave!

You see my sword's not thirsty for your life.

I am sorrier for your wound than yourself.

Y'are of a virtuous house: show virtuous deeds;

'Tis not your honour, 'tis your folly bleeds.

Much good has been expected in your life:

Cancel not all men's hopes. You have a wife

Kind and obedient: heap not wrongful shame

On her, your posterity. Let only sin be sore,

And by this fall, rise never to fall more.

And so I leave you.

Exit Gentleman.

HUSBAND

Has the dog left me then

After his tooth hath left me? Oh, my heart

Would fain leap after him; revenge, I say!

I'm mad to be reveng'd! My strumpet wife,

It is thy quarrel that rips thus my flesh,

And makes my breast spit blood! But thou shalt bleed.

Vanquish'd? Got down? Unable e'en to speak?

Surely 'tis want of money makes men weak.

Ay, 'twas that o'erthrew me; I'd ne'er been down else.

Exit.

Scene iii. The Husband's house, a room above

Enter Wife in a riding suit with a serving-man.

SERVANT

Faith, mistress, if it might not be presumption

In me to tell you so, for his excuse,

You had small reason, knowing his abuse.

WIFE

I grant I had, but alas,

Why should our faults at home be spread abroad?

'Tis grief enough within doors. At first sight

Mine uncle could run o'er his prodigal life

As perfectly as if his serious eye

Had numbered all his follies,

Knew of his mortgag'd lands, his friends in bonds,

Himself withered with debts; and in that minute

Had I added his usage and unkindness,

'Twould have confounded every thought of good:

Where now, fathering his riots [on] his youth,

Which time and tame experience will shake off,

Guessing his kindness to me--as I smoothed him

With all the skill I had, though his deserts

Are in form uglier than an unshap'd bear--

He's ready to prefer him to some office

And place at court, a good and sure relief

To all his stooping fortunes; 'twill be a means, I hope,

To make new league between us, and redeem

His virtues with his lands.

SERVANT

I should think so, mistress. If he should not now be kind to you and love you, and cherish you up, I should think the devil himself kept open house in him.

WIFE

I doubt not but he will now. Prithee, leave me; I think I hear him coming.

SERVANT

I am gone.

Exit.

WIFE

By this good means I shall preserve my lands,

And free my husband out of usurers' hands:

Now there is no need of sale. My uncle's kind;

I hope, if aught, this will content his mind.

Here comes my husband.

Enter Husband.

HUSBAND

Now, are you come? Where's the money, let's see the money. Is the rubbish sold, those wiseacres, your lands? Why, when! The money, where is't? Pour't down, down with it, down with it! I say, pour't o' th' ground; let's see't, let's see't!

WIFE

Good sir, keep but in patience, and I hope

My words shall like you well. I bring you better

Comfort than the sale of my dowry.

HUSBAND

Hah? What's that?

WIFE

Pray, do not fright me, sir, but vouchsafe me hearing. My uncle, glad of your kindness to me and mild usage--

For so I made it to him--has in pity

Of your declining fortunes, provided

A place for you at court of worth and credit,

Which so much overjoyed me.

HUSBAND

Out on thee, filth!

Over and overjoyed, when I'm in torments?

Spurns her.

Thou politic whore, subtler than nine devils, was this thy journey to [nuncle], to set down the history of me, of my state and fortunes? Shall I that dedicated myself to pleasure be now confin'd in service to crouch and stand like an old man i' th' hams, my hat off, I that never could abide to uncover my head i' th' church, base slut?

This fruit bears thy complaints!

WIFE

Oh, Heaven knows

That my complaints were praises, and best words

Of you, and your estate: only my friends

Knew of your mortgag'd lands, and were possess'd

Of every accident before I came.

If thou suspect it but a plot in me

To keep