A maid； and bid good night a sober wife！
Julia。 That Monday week； I trust； will never come；
That brags to make a sober wife of me！
Helen。 How changed you are； my Julia！
Julia。 Change makes change。
Helen。 Why wedd'st thou； then？
Julia。 Because I promised him！
Helen。 Thou lovest him？
Julia。 Do I？
Helen。 He's a man to love！
A right well…favoured man！
Julia。 Your point's well favoured。
Where did you purchase it？ In Gracechurch Street？
Helen。 Pshaw！ never mind my point； but talk of him。
Julia。 I'd rather talk with thee about the lace。
Where bought you it？ In Gracechurch Street； Cheapside；
Whitechapel； Little Britain？ Can't you say
Where 'twas you bought the lace？
Helen。 In Cheapside； then。
And now； then； to Sir Thomas！ He is just
The height I like a man。
Julia。 Thy feather's just
The height I like a feather！ Mine's too short！
What shall I give thee in exchange for it？
Helen。 What shall I give thee for a minute's talk
About Sir Thomas？
Julia。 Why； thy feather。
Helen。 Take it！
Clif。 ＇Aside to Modus。＇ What； likes she not to speak of me？
Helen。 And now
Let's talk about Sir Thomasmuch I'm sure
He loves you。
Julia。 Much I'm sure； he has a right！
Those know I who would give their eyes to be
Sir Thomas； for my sake！
Helen。 Such too； know I。
But 'mong them none that can compare with him；
Not one so graceful。
Julia。 What a graceful set
Your feather has！
Helen。 Nay； give it back to me；
Unless you pay me for't。
Julia。 What was't to get？
Helen。 A minute's talk with thee about Sir Thomas。
Julia。 Talk of his title； and his fortune then。
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Indeed！ I would not listen； yet I must！
Julia。 An ample fortune； HelenI shall be
A happy wife！ What routs； what balls； what masques；
What gala…days！
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ For these she marries me！
She'll talk of these！
Julia。 Think not； when I am wed；
I'll keep the house as owlet does her tower；
Alone；when every other bird's on wing。
I'll use my palfrey； Helen； and my coach；
My barge； too； for excursion on the Thames：
What drives to Barnet； Hackney； Islington！
What rides to Epping； Hounslow； and Blackheath！
What sails to Greenwich； Woolwich； Fulham； Kew！
I'll set a pattern to your lady wives！
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Ay； lady？ Trust me； not at my expense。
Julia。 And what a wardrobe！ I'll have change of suits
For every day in the year！ and sets for days！
My morning dress； my noon dress； dinner dress；
And evening dress！ Then will I show you lace
A foot deep； can I purchase； if not；
I'll specially bespeak it。 Diamonds too！
Not buckles； rings； and earrings onlybut
Whole necklaces and stomachers of gems！
I'll shine！ be sure I will。
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Then shine away；
Who covets thee may wear thee；I'm not he！
Julia。 And then my title！ Soon as I put on
The ring； I'm Lady Clifford。 So I take
Precedence of plain mistress； were she e'en
The richest heiress in the land！ At town
Or country ball； you'll see me take the lead；
While wives that carry on their backs the wealth
To dower a princess； shall give place to me； …
Will I not profit； think you； by my right？
Be sure I will！ marriage shall prove to me
A never…ending pageant。 Every day
Shall show how I am spoused！ I will be known
For Lady Clifford all the city through；
And fifty miles the country round about。
Wife of Sir Thomas Clifford； baronet …
Not perishable knightwho； when he makes
A lady of me； doubtless must expect
To see me play the part of one。
Clif。 ＇Coming forward。＇ Most true；
But not the part which you design to play。
Julia。 A listener； sir！
Clif。 By chance； and not intent；
Your speech was forced upon mine ear； that ne'er
More thankless duty to my heart discharged！
Would for that heart it ne'er had known the sense
Which tells it 'tis a bankrupt； there； where most
It coveted to be rich； and thought it was so！
O Julia； is it you？ Could I have set
A coronet upon that stately brow；
Where partial nature hath already bound
A brighter circletradiant beauty's own …
I had been proud to see thee proud of it；
So for the donor thou hadst ta'en the gift；
Not for the gift ta'en him。 Could I have poured
The wealth of richest Croesus in thy lap；
I had been blest to see thee scatter it；
So I was still thy riches paramount！
Julia。 Know you me； sir！
Clif。 I do。 On Monday week
We were to wedand areso you're content；
The day that weds； wives you to be widowed。 Take
The privilege of my wife； be Lady Clifford！
Outshine the title in the wearing on't！
My coffers； lands； all are at thy command；
Wear all！ but； for myself； she wears not me；
Although the coveted of every eye；
Who would not wear me for myself alone。
Julia。 And do you carry it so proudly； sir？
Clif。 Proudly； but still more sorrowfully； lady！
I'll lead thee to the church on Monday week。
Till then； farewell and then； farewell for ever！
O Julia； I have ventured for thy love；
As the bold merchant； who； for only hope
Of some rich gain； all former gains will risk。
Before I asked a portion of thy heart；
I perilled all my own； and now； all's lost！
＇CLIFFORD and MODUS go out。＇
Julia。 Helen！
Helen。 What ails you； sweet？
Julia。 I cannot breathequick； loose my girdle； oh！
＇Faints。＇
＇MASTER WALTER and MASTER HEARTWELL come forward。＇
Wal。 Good Master Heartwell； help to take her in；
Whilst I make after him！ and look to her！
Unlucky chance that took me out of town！
＇They go out severally。＇
SCENE III。The Street。
＇Enter CLIFFORD and STEPHEN； meeting。＇
Ste。 Letters； Sir Thomas。
Clif。 Take them home again；
I shall not read them now。
Ste。 Your pardon； sir；
But here is one directed strangely。
Clif。 How？
Ste。 〃To Master Clifford； gentleman； now styled
Sir Thomas Clifford； baronet。〃
Clif。 Indeed！
Whence comes that letter？
Ste。 From abroad。
Clif。 Which is it？
Ste。 So please you； this； Sir Thomas。
Clif。 Give it me。
Ste。 That letter brings not news to wish him joy upon。 If he was
disturbed before； which I guessed by his looks he was； he is not
more at ease now。 His hand to his head！ A most unwelcome letter！
If it brings him news of disaster； fortune does not give him his
deserts； for never waited servant upon a kinder master。
Clif。 Stephen！
Ste。 Sir Thomas！
Clif。 From my door remove
The plate that bears my name。
Ste。 The plate； Sir Thomas！
Clif。 The platecollect my servants and instruct them
To make out each their claims； unto the end
Of their respective terms； and give them in
To my steward。 Him and them apprise； good fellow；
That I keep house no more。 As you go home；
Call at my coachmaker's and bid him stop
The carriage I bespoke。 The one I have
Send with my horses to the mart whereat
Such things are sold by auction。 They're for sale；
Pack up my wardrobe； have my trunks conveyed
To the inn in the next street； and when that's done；
Go round my tradesmen and collect their bills；
And bring them to me at the inn。
Ste。 The inn！
Clif。 Yes； I go home no more。 Why； what's the matter？
What has fallen out to make your eyes fill up？
You'll get another place。 I'll certify
You're honest and industrious； and all
That a servant ought to be。
Ste。 I see； Sir Thomas；
Some great misfortune has befallen you？
Clif。 No！
I have health； I have strength； my reason； Stephen； and
A heart that's clear in truth； with trust in God。
No great disaster can befall the man
Who's still possessed of these！ Good fellow； leave me。
What you would learn； and have a right to know；
I would not tell you now。 Good Stephen； hence！
Mischance has fallen on mebut what of that？
Mischance has fallen on many a better man。
I prithee leave me。 I grow sadder while
I see the eye with which you view my grief。
'Sdeath； they will out！ I would have been a man；
Had you been less a kind and gentle one。
Now； as you love me； leave me。
Ste。 Never master
So well deserved the love of him that served him。
＇STEPHEN goes out。＇
Clif。 Misfortune liketh company； it seldom
Visits its friends alone。 Ha！ Master Walter；
And ruffled too。 I'm in no mood for him。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER。＇
Wal。 So； SirSir Thomas Clifford！ what with speed
And cholerI do gasp for want of breath。
Clif。 Well； Master Walter？
Wal。 You're a rash young man； sir；
Strong…headed and wrong…headed； and I fear； sir；
Not over delicate in that fine sense
Which men of honour pride themselves upon！
Clif。 Well； Master Walter？
Wal。 A young woman's heart； sir；
Is not a stone to carve a posy on！
Which knows not what is writ on't； which you may buy；
Exchange； or sell； sir； keep or give away； sir：
It is a richeryet a poorer thing；
Priceless to him that owns and prizes it；
Worthless； when owned； not prized； which makes the man
That covets it； obtains it； and discards it …
A fool； if not a villain； sir。
Clif。 Well； sir？
Wal。 You never loved my ward； sir！
Clif。 The bright Heavens
Bear witness that I did！
Wal。 The bright Heavens； sir；
Bear not false witness。 That you loved her not
Is clearfor had you loved her； you'd have plucked
Your heart from out your breast； ere cast her from your heart！
Old as I am； I know what passion is。
It is the summer's heat； sir； which in vain
We look for frost in。 Ice； like you； sir； knows
But little of such heat！ We are wronged； sir； wronged！
You wear a sword； and so do I。
Clif。 Well； sir！
Wal。 You know the use； sir； of a sword？
Clif。 I do。
To whip a knave； sir； or an honest man！
A wise man or a foolatone for wrong；
Or double the amount on't！ Master Walter；
Touching your ward； if wrong is done； I think
On my side lies the grievance。 I would not say so
Did I not think so。 As for lovelook； sir；
That hand's a widower's； to its first mate sworn
To clasp no second one。 As for amends； sir；
You're free to get them from a man in whom
You've been forestalled by fortune； for the spite
Which she has vented on him； if you still
Esteem him worth your anger。 Please you read
That letter。 Now； sir； judge if life is dear
To one so much a loser。
Wal。 What； all gone！
Thy cousin living they reported dead！
Clif。 Title and land； sir； unto