Scene. I.
Enter Miranda and Dorinda.
Dor.
Oh Sister sister, what have I seen pray?
Mir.
Some rare sight I warrant.
Dor.
From yonder dust-cart-top, as I star'd upon the noyse, I
thought it had been fighting, but at last I saw a huge Creature, for
ought I know.
Mir.
O whereof you mean the Coach.
Dor.
Coach! i'fads, I thought it had been a Fish, I'm sure it was
alive, and it ran roaring along, and all the People ran away from it
for fear it should eat 'em.
Mir.
O lo, O lo Sister, O lo!—ha ha he—
Dor.
Why d'ee laugh at one Sister, indeed it had eaten men, for
just by our gate it stood still and open'd a great Mouth in the belly
of it, note and it 'em out all whole:
-- 13 --
Mir.
Oh but Sister, whereof I can tell you news pray, my Father
told me in that Creature was that thing call'd Husband, and we
should see it shortly and have it pray, in a Civil way.
Dor.
Husband, what's that?
Mir.
Why that's a thing like a man (for ought I know) with a
great pair of Hornes upon his head, and my father said 'twas made
for Women, look ye.
Dor.
What must we ride to water upon't, sister?
Mir.
No, no, it must be our slave, and give as Golden Cloaths
Pray, that other men may lye with us in a Civil way, and then it
must Father our Children and keep them.
Dor.
And when we are so Old and Ugly, that no body else will
lye with us, must it lye with us it self?
Mir.
Ay that it must Sister.
Dor.
You see my Father gets men to lye with us, is not he a Husband
then?
Mir.
No, you see he has no Hornes.
Dor.
May be he sheds 'em like a Buck, or puts 'em in his pocket
like a rich Citizen, because he won't lye with us himself when he can
get no body else.
Mir.
Fie Sister; no! Fathers and Mothers are kinder and wiser
now then they were heretofore look ye; for when they see their
Daughters will be modish and kind, they provide 'em Gallants themselves
to lye with them.
Dor.
But if we must take those our careful Parents get, only for
profit, 'tis as bad as marrying.
Mir.
They doe it only 'till they get us Husbands to ease them of
the trouble.
Dor.
O whereof Sister, my Father may spare himself of that trouble,
for I am old enough to shift for myself in a civil way, for I was 13.
last quarter sessions, ay and wise enough too.
Mir.
So we all think i'vads, but they can get us Coaches and settlements,
whereof if we were left to our selves, we should creep
into holes, and yet nothing but Bastards.
Dor.
If our fathers don't get us Husbands quickly, wee'l make
him lye with us himself, shall we sister?
Mir.
Ay ay, that we will, but lets goe in now, He's about something
I long to see the end of, come lets not despair, the flesh is
strong.
-- 14 --
Dor.
O for a Husband Sister how I long.
[Exeunt Miranda and Dorinda.
Thomas Duffett [1675], The Mock-tempest: or the Enchanted Castle. Acted at the Theatre Royal. Written By T. Duffett (Printed for William Cademan [etc.], London) [word count] [S36900].
