The counsel of his reason) would accuse me :
And if my father now (since spirits lose not
Intelligence, but more active when they have

Shook off their chains of flesh), would leave his dwelling,
And visit this coarse* orb again! my innocence
Should dare the appeal, and make Fernando see
His empty accusations.

Fer. He that thrives

By wicked art, has confidence to dress
His action with simplicity and shapes,

To cheat our credulous natures: 'tis my wonder
Thou durst do so much injury, Francisco,

As must provoke my justice to revenge,
Yet wear no sword.

Fran. I need no guard, I know

Thou dar'st not kill me.

Fer. Dare I not?

Fran. And name

Thy cause: 'tis thy suspicion, not Francisco,

Hath wrought thee high and passionate. To assure it;
If you dare violate, I dare possess you

With all my title to your land.

Car. How is that?

Fran. Let him receive it at his peril.
Fer. Ha!

Fran. It was my father's act, not mine: he trembled
To hear his curse alive; what horror will

His conscience feel, when he shall spurn his dust,
And call the reverend shade from his blest seat

To this bad world again, to walk and fright him!
Fer. Can this be more than a dream?

Fran. (Gives him the will.) Sir, you may cancel it. But

think withal,

How you can answer him that's dead, when he

Shall charge your timorous soul for this contemp:
To nature and religion; to break

* Dirty Planet.-Sterne.

His last bequest, and breath, that seal'd your blessings!
Car. These are fine fancies.

Fer. (Returns the will.) Here; and may it prosper,
Where my good father meant it: I'm overcome!

Forgive me, and enjoy it.

[Is going.

His father RAMIRES (supposed dead) appears above, with

Ram. Fernando, stay.

FELISARDA.

Fer. Ha, my father and Felisarda :

Are they both dead!-I did not think

To find thee in this pale society

Of ghosts so soon.

Fel. I am alive, Fernando:

And Don Ramires still thy living father.

Fran. You may believe it, sir, I was of the council.
Car. Men thought you dead.

Ram. I lay within

The knowledge of Francisco, and some few,

By this device to advance my younger son
To a marriage with Jacinta, sir, and try
Fernando's piety, and his mistress' virtue :

Which I have found worth him, and my acceptance.
With her I give thee what thy birth did challenge:
Receive thy Felisarda.

Fer. "Tis a joy

So flowing, it drowns all my faculties.

My soul will not contain, I fear, but loose,

And leave me in this extacy.

[Kneels.

THE LADY OF PLEASURE: A COMEDY. BY JAMES SHIRLEY Sir Thomas Bornewell expostulates with his Lady on her extravagance and love of pleasure.

BORNEWELL. ARETINA, his lady.

Are. I am angry with myself;

To be so miserably restrained in things,
Wherein it doth concern your love and honor
To see me satisfied.

Bor. In what, Aretina,

Dost thou accuse me? have I not obey'd
All thy desires, against mine own opinion;
Quitted the country, and remov'd the hope
Of our return, by sale of that fair lordship
We liv'd in: chang'd a calm and retire life
For this wild town, compos'd of noise and charge?
Are. What charge, more than is necessary

For a lady of my birth and education?

Bor. I am not ignorant how much nobility Flows in your blood, your kinsmen great and powerful In the state; but with this lose not your memory Of being my wife: I shall be studious,

Madam, to give the dignity of your birth

All the best ornaments which become my fortune ;
But would not flatter it, to ruin both,

And be the fable of the town, to teach
Other men wit by loss of mine, employ'd
To serve your vast expences.

Are. Am I then

Brought in the balance? so, sir.

Bor. Though you weigh

Me in a partial scale, my heart is honest:
And must take liberty to think, you have
Obey'd no modest counsel to effect,

Nay, study ways of pride and costly ceremony;
Your change of gaudy furniture, and pictures,
Of this Italian master, and that Dutchman's ;
Your mighty looking-glasses, like artillery
Brought home on engines; the superfluous plate
Antick and novel; vanities of tires,

Four score pound suppers for my lord your kinsman,
Banquets for t' other lady, aunt, and cousins ;
And perfumes, that exceed all; train of servants,
To stifle us at home, and show abroad

More motly than the French, or the Venetian,
About your coach, whose rude postilion
Must pester every narrow lane, till passengers

And tradesmen curse your choaking up their stalls,
And common cries pursue your ladyship

For hindering of their market.

Are. Have you done, sir?

Bor. I could accuse the gaity of your wardrobe,

And prodigal embroideries, under which,

Rich satins, plushes, cloth of silver, dare
Not show their own complexions; your jewels,
Able to burn out the spectators' eyes,

And show like bonfires on you by the tapers:
Something might here be spared, with safety of
Your birth and honor, since the truest wealth
Shines from the soul, and draws up just admirers.
I could urge something more.

Are. Pray, do. I like

Your homily of thrift.

Bor. I could wish, madam,

You would not game so much.

Are. A gamester, too!

Bor. But are not come to that repentance yet,
Should teach you skill enough to raise your profit;
You look not through the subtilty of cards,
And mysteries of dice, nor can you save
Charge with the box, buy petticoats and pearls,
And keep your family by the precious income;
Nor do I wish you should: my poorest servant
Shall not upbraid my tables, nor his hire
Purchas'd beneath my honor: you make play
Not a pastime but a tyranny, and vex

Yourself and my estate by 't.

Are. Good, proceed.

Bor. Another game you have, which consumes more Your fame than purse, your revels in the right, Your meetings, call'd the ball, to which appear, As to the court of pleasure, all your gallants

And ladies, thither bound by a subpoena
Of Venus and small Cupid's high displeasure:
'Tis but the Family of Love, translated
Into more costly sin; there was a play on 't;
And had the poet not been brib'd to a modest
Expression of your antic gambols in 't,

Some darks had been discover'd; and the deeds too;
In time he may repent, and make some blush,
To see the second part danc'd on the stage.
My thoughts acquit you for dishonoring me
By any foul act; but the virtuous know,
'Tis not enough to clear ourselves, but the
Suspicions of our shame.

Are. Have you concluded

Your lecture?

Bor. I have done; and howsoever

My language may appear to you, it carries
No other than my fair and just intent

To your delights, without curb to their modest
And noble freedom.

Are. I'll not be so tedious

In my reply, but, without art or elegance,
Assure you I keep still my first opinion;
And though you veil your avaricious meaning
With handsome names of modesty and thrift,
I find you would intrench and wound the liberty
I was born with. Were my desires unprivileged
By example; while my judgment thought 'em fit,
You ought not to oppose: but when the practice
And tract of every honorable lady

Authorize me, I take it great injustice

To have my pleasures circumscrib'd and taught me.

[This dialogue is in the very spirit of the recriminating scenes between Lord and Lady Townley in the Provoked Husband. It is difficult to believe, but it must have been Vanbrugh's prototype.]

END OF PART II.