Bar.
Good words, my Lord.
Jam.
And grew my Brothers Bawd,
In all his vitious courses, soothing him
In his dishonest practises, you are grown
The rich, and eminent Knave, in the Devils name,
What am I cited for?
Bar.
You shall know anon,
And then too late repent this bitter language,
Or I'll miss of my ends.
Jam.
Were't not in Court,
I would beat that fat of thine, rais'd by the food
Snatch'd from poor Clyents mouths, into a jelly:
I would (my man of Law) but I am patient,
And would obey the Judge.
Bar.
'Tis your best course:
Would every enemy I have would beat me,
I would wish no better Action.
Octa.
'Save your Lordship.
Asc.
My humble service.
Jam.
My good Boy, how dost thou?
Why art thou call'd into the Court?
EnterAssistant, Henrique, Officer,andWitnesses.
Asc.
I know not,
But 'tis my Lord the Assistants pleasure
I should attend here.
Jam.
He will soon resolve us.
Offi.
Make way there for the Judge.
Jam.
How? my kind Brother?
Nay then 'tis rank: there is some villany towards.
Assist.
This Sessions purchas'd at your suit,Don Henrique,
Hath brought us hither, to hear and determine
Of what you can prefer.
Hen.
I do beseech
The honourable Court, I may be heard
In my Advocate.
Assist.
'Tis granted.
Bar.
Humh, humh.
Jam.
That Preface,
If left out in a Lawyer, spoils the Cause,
Though ne're so good, and honest.
Bar.
If I stood here,
To plead in the defence of an ill man,
(Most equal Judge) or to accuse the innocent
(To both which, I profess my self a stranger)
It would be requisite I should deck my Language
With Tropes and Figures, and all flourishes
That grace a Rhetorician, 'tis confess'd
Adulterate Metals need the Gold-smiths Art,
To set 'em off; what in it self is perfect
Contemns a borrowed gloss: this Lord (my Client)
Whose honest cause, when 'tis related truly,
Will challenge justice, finding in his Conscience
A tender scruple of a fault long since
By him committed, thinks it not sufficient
To be absolv'd of't by his Confessor,
If that in open Court he publish not
What was so long conceal'd.
Jam.
To what tends this?
Bar.
In his young years (it is no miracle
That youth, and heat of blood, should mix together)
He look'd upon this woman, on whose face
The ruines yet remain, of excellent form,
He look'd on her, and lov'd her.
Jac.
You good Angels,
What an impudence is this?
Bar.
And us'd all means
Of Service, Courtship, Presents, that might win her
To be at his devotion: but in vain;
Her Maiden Fort, impregnable held out,
Until he promis'd Marriage; and before
These Witnesses a solemn Contract pass'd
To take her as his Wife.
Assist.
Give them their Oath.
Jam.
They are incompetent Witnesses, his own Creatures,
And will swear any thing for half a Royal.
Offi.
Silence.
Assist.
Proceed.
Bar.
Upon this strong assurance
He did enjoy his wishes to the full,
Which satisfied, and then with eyes of Judgement
(Hood-wink'd with Lust before) considering duly
The inequality of the Match, he being
Nobly descended, and allyed, but she
Without a name, or Family, secretly
He purchas'd a Divorce, to disanul
His former Contract, Marrying openly
The LadyViolante.
Jac.
As you sit here
The Deputy of the great King, who is
The Substitute of that impartial Judge,
With whom, or wealth, or titles prevail nothing,
Grant to a much wrong'd Widow, or a Wife
Your patience, with liberty to speak
In her own Cause, and let me face to face
To this bad man, deliver what he is:
And if my wrongs, with his ingratitude ballanc'd,
Move not compassion, let me die unpitied;
His Tears, his Oaths, his Perjuries, I pass o're;
To think of them is a disease; but death
Should I repeat them. I dare not deny,
(For Innocence cannot justifie what's false)
But all the Advocate hath alledged concerning
His falshood, and my shame, in my consent,
To be most true: But now I turn to thee,
To theeDon Henrique, and if impious Acts
Have left thee blood enough to make a blush,
I'le paint it on thy cheeks. Was not the wrong
Sufficient to defeat me of mine honour,
To leave me full of sorrow, as of want,
The witness of thy lust left in my womb,
To testifie thy falshood, and my shame?
But now so many years I had conceal'd
Thy most inhumane wickedness, and won
This Gentleman, to hide it from the world,
To Father what was thine (for yet by Heaven,
Though in the City he pass'd for my husband,
He never knew me as his wife.)
Assist.
'Tis strange:
Give him an Oath.
Oct.
I gladly swear, and truly.
Jac.
After all this (I say) when I had born
These wrongs, with Saint-like patience, saw another
Freely enjoy, what was (in Justice) mine,
Yet still so tender of thy rest and quiet,
I never would divulge it, to disturb
Thy peace at home; yet thou most barbarous,
To be so careless of me, and my fame,
(For all respect of thine in the first step
To thy base lust, was lost) in open Court
To publish my disgrace? and on record,
To write me up an easie-yielding wanton?
I think can find no precedent: In my extreams,
One comfort yet is left, that though the Law
Divorce me from thy bed, and made free way
To the unjust embraces of another,
It cannot yet deny that this thy Son
(Look upAscaniosince it is come out)
Is thy legitimate heir.
Jam.
Confederacie!
A trick (my Lord) to cheat me; e're you give
Your Sentence, grant me hearing.
Assist.
New Chimera's?
Jam.
I am (my Lord) since he is without Issue,
Or hope of any, his undoubted heir,
And this forg'd by the Advocate, to defeat me
Of what the laws ofSpainconfer upon me,
A meer Imposture, and conspiracie
Against my future fortunes.
Assist.
You are too bold.
Speak to the causeDon Henrique.
Hen.
I confess,
(Though the acknowledgment must wound mine honour,)
That all the Court hath heard touching this Cause,
(Or with me, or against me) is most true:
The later part my Brother urg'd, excepted:
For what I now doe, is not out of Spleen
(As he pretends) but from remorse of conscience
And to repair the wrong that I have done
To this poor woman: And I beseech your Lordship
To think I have not so far lost my reason,
To bring into my familie, to succeed me,
The stranger—Issue of anothers Bed,
By proof, this is my Son, I challenge him,
Accept him, and acknowledge him, and desire
By a definitive Sentence of the Court,
He may be so recorded, and full power
To me, to take him home.