90H, that ever I was born, that ever I was born!

10Sir Godfrey. Nay good sister, dear sister,

11sweet sister, be of good comfort, shew your

12self a woman, now or never.

13Wid. Oh, I have lost the dearest man, I have buried

14the sweetest husband that ever lay by woman.

15Sir God. Nay give him his due, he was indeed an ho-

16nest, virtuous, discreet wise man,---he was my Brother,

17as right, as right.

18Wid. O, I shall never forget him, never forget him,

19he was a man so well given to a woman---oh!

20Sir God. Nay, but kind sister, I could weep as much

21as any woman, but alass, our teares cannot call him again:

22me thinks you are well read, sister, and know that death

23is as common as Homo, a common name to all men;---a

24man shall be taken when he's making water,---nay,

25did not the learned Parson Master Pigman tell us e'ne

26now, that all Flesh is frail, we are born to die, Man has

27but a time: with such like deep and profound perswasi-

28ons, as he is a rare fellow you know, and an excellent

29Reader: and for example, (as there are examples abun-

30dance) did not Sir Humphrey Bubble die tother day,

31there's a lusty Widow, why she cri'd not above half an

32hour---for shame, for shame: then followed him old Ma-

33ster Fulsome the Usurer, there's a wise Widow, why she

34cry'd ne're a whit at all.

35Wid. O ranck not me with those wicked women, I

36had a husband out-shin'd 'em all.

37Sir God. I that he did, ifaith, he out-shin'd 'em all.

38Wid. Dost thou stand there and see us all weep, and

39not once shed a tear for thy fathers death? oh thou un-

40gracious son and heir thou?

41Edm. Troth, Mother, I should not weep I'me sure;

42I am past a Child I hope, to make all my old School-fel-

43lowes laugh at me; I should be mockt, so I should; pray

44let one of my sisters weep for me, I'le laugh as much for

45her another time?

46Wid. O thou past-Grace thou, out of my sight, thou

47gracelesse Imp, thou grievest me more then the death of

48thy Father: oh thou stubborn onely Son: hadst thou such

49an honest man to thy Father---that would deceive all the

50world to get riches for thee, and canst thou not afford a

51little salt water? he that so wisely did quite overthrow

52the right heir of those Lands, which now you respect not:

53up every morning betwixt four and five, so duely at West-

54minster-Hall every Tearm-time, with all his Cards and

55Writings, for thee, thou wicked Absalon---oh dear hus-

56band!

57Edm. Weep, quotha? I protest I am glad he's Chur-

58ched? for now he's gone I shall spend in quiet.

59Fran.Dear Mother, pray cease, half your teares suffice,

60'Tis time for you to take truce with your eyes,

61Let me weep now?

62Wid. O such a dear Knight, such a sweet Husband have

63I lost, have I lost?----if blessed be the Coarse the rain

64rains upon, he had it, pouring down?

65Sir. God. Sister, be of good cheer, we are all mortall

66our selves, I come upon you freshly, I ne're speak without

67comfort, hear me what I shall say;---my brother has left

68you wealthy, y'are rich.

69Wid. Oh!

70Sir God. I say y'are rich: you are also fair.

71Wid. Oh!

72Sir God. Go to, y'are fair, you cannot smother it,

73beauty will come to light; nor are your yeares so far en-

74ter'd with you, but that you will be sought after, and

75may very well answer another husband; the world is

76full of fine Gallants, choyce enow, sister,---for what

77should we doe with all our Knights I pray? but to marry

78rich Widowes, wealthy Citizens Widowes; lusty fair-

79brow'd Ladies; go to, be of good comfort I say, leave

80snobbing and weeping---yet my Brother was a kind-

81hearted man---I would not have the Elf see me now?

82---come, pluck up a womans heart---here stands your

83Daughters, who be well estated, and at maturity will also

84be enquir'd after with good husbands, so all these teares

85shall be soon dried up, and a better world then ever----

86what, Woman? you must not weep still? he's dead, he's

87buried---yet I cannot chuse but weep for him.

88Wid. Marry again! no, let me be buried quick then!

89And that same part of Quire whereon I tread

90To such intent, O may it be my grave:

91And that the Priest may turn his wedding prayers,

92Even with a breath, to funerall dust and ashes;

93Oh, out of a million of millions, I should ne're find such

94a husband; he was unmatchable---unmatchable: nothing

95was so hot, nor too dear for me, I could not speak of

96that one thing that I had not, beside, I had keyes of all,

97kept all, receiv'd all, had money in my purse, spent what

98I would, went abroad when I would, came home when I

99would, and did all what I would: Oh---my sweet hus-

100band; I shall never have the like.

101Sir God. Sister? ne're say so, he was an honest Bro-

102ther of mine, and so, and you may light upon one as ho-

103nest again, or one, as honest again may light upon you,

104that's the properer phrase indeed.

105Wid. Never: oh if you love me urge it not:

106Oh may I be the by-word of the world,

107The common talk at Table in the mouth

108Of every Groom and Waiter, if e're more

109I entertain the carnall suit of man.

110Mol. I must kneel down for fashion too.

111Franck. And I, whom never man as yet hath scal'd,

112E'ne in this depth of generall sorrow, vow

113Never to marry, to sustain such losse,

114As a dear husband seems to be, once dead.

115Mol. I lov'd my Father well too; but to say,

116Nay vow, I would not marry for his death,

117Sure I should speak false Latin, should I not?

118I'de as soon vow never to come in Bed:

119Tut, Women must live by th' quick, and not by th' dead.

120Wid. Dear Copy of my husband, oh let me kiss thee:

122How like him is their Model; their brief Picture

123Quickens my teares: my sorrowes are renew'd

124At their fresh sight.

125Sir God. Sister---

126Wid. Away,

127All honesty with him is turn'd to clay,

128Oh my sweet husband, oh----

130Mol. Here's a puling indeed! I think my Mother

131weeps for all the women that ever buried husbands: for if

132from time to time all the Widowers teares in England

133had been bottled up, I doe not think all would have fill'd

134a three-half-penny Bottle: alass, a small matter bucks a

135Handkercher,----and sometimes the spittle stands too

136nigh Saint Thomas a Watrings: well, I can mourn in

137good sober sort as well as another? but where I spend one

138tear for a dead Father, I could give twenty kisses for a

140Sir God. Well, go thy wayes, old Sir Godfrey, and

141thou may'st be proud on't, thou hast a kind loving sister-

142in-law: how constant? how passionate? how full of A-

143pril the poor soules eyes are; well, I would my Brother

144knew on't, he should then know what a kind Wife he

145had left behind him; truth, and 'twere not for shame that

146the neighbours at th'next Garden should hear me be-

147twixt joy and grief, I should e'ne cry out-right.

149Edmond. So, a fair riddance, my Father's laid in dust,

150his Coffin and he is like a whole Meat-Pye, and the

151wormes will cut him up shortly: farewell, old Dad, fare-

152well; I'le be curb'd in no more: I perceive a son and heir

153may quickly be made a fool and he will be one, but I'le

154take another order;---Now she would have me weep

155for him forsooth, and why; because he cozen'd the right

156heir being a fool, and bestow'd those Lands on me his

157eldest Son; and therefore I must weep for him, ha, ha:

158why all the world knowes, as long as 'twas his pleasure to

159get me, 'twas his duty to get for me: I know the Law in

160that point, no Atturney can gull me. Well, my Unckle

161is an old Asse, and an admirable Coxcombe, I'le rule the

162Roast my self, I'le be kept under no more, I know what

163I may doe well enough by my Fathers Copy: the Law's

164in mine own hands now: nay now I know my strength,

165I'le be strong enough for my Mother I warrant you?