Cutter of Coleman-street/Act 1 Scene 3
Scene 3.
Lucia (veil'd) Truman.
Trum.This is a favour, Madam!
That I as little hop'd, as I am able
To thank you for it——— But why all this muffling?
Why a disguise, my Dearest, between us?
Unless to increase, my desire first, and then my joy to see thee
Thou cast this subtil night before thy beauty.
And now like one scorch'd with some raging Feaver,
Upon whose flames no dew of sleep has faln,
I do begin to quarrel with the Darkness,
And blame the sloathful rising of the Morn,
And with more joy shall welcome it, than they
Whose Icy dwellings the cold Bear o're-looks,
When after half the years Winter and Night,
Day and the Spring at once salutes their sight!
Thus it appears, thus like thy matchless beauty,
offers to pull off the Veil.
When this black Clowd is vanish'd.
Why d'e you shrink back, my Dearest?
I prethee let me look a little on thee:
'Tis all the pleasure Love has yet allow'd me,
And more than Nature does in all things else.
At least speak to me; well may I call it Night
When Silence too thus joyns it self with Darkness.
Ha! I had quite forgot the cursed Oath I made———
Pish! what's an Oath forc'd from a Lovers Tongue?
'Tis not recorded in Heaven's dreadful book,
But scatter'd loosely by the breath that made it,
Away with it; to make it was but a Rashness,
To keep it were a Sin——— Dear Madam———
Offers agen, but she refuses, & gives him a Note
Ha! let's see this then first!
That I as little hop'd, as I am able
To thank you for it——— But why all this muffling?
Why a disguise, my Dearest, between us?
Unless to increase, my desire first, and then my joy to see thee
Thou cast this subtil night before thy beauty.
And now like one scorch'd with some raging Feaver,
Upon whose flames no dew of sleep has faln,
I do begin to quarrel with the Darkness,
And blame the sloathful rising of the Morn,
And with more joy shall welcome it, than they
Whose Icy dwellings the cold Bear o're-looks,
When after half the years Winter and Night,
Day and the Spring at once salutes their sight!
Thus it appears, thus like thy matchless beauty,
offers to pull off the Veil.
When this black Clowd is vanish'd.
Why d'e you shrink back, my Dearest?
I prethee let me look a little on thee:
'Tis all the pleasure Love has yet allow'd me,
And more than Nature does in all things else.
At least speak to me; well may I call it Night
When Silence too thus joyns it self with Darkness.
Ha! I had quite forgot the cursed Oath I made———
Pish! what's an Oath forc'd from a Lovers Tongue?
'Tis not recorded in Heaven's dreadful book,
But scatter'd loosely by the breath that made it,
Away with it; to make it was but a Rashness,
To keep it were a Sin——— Dear Madam———
Offers agen, but she refuses, & gives him a Note
Ha! let's see this then first!
He reads.You know I have forgiven your unkind Oath to your
Father, and shall never suffer you to be perjur'd.
I come onely to let you know, that the Physician and the 'Pothecary will do this morning what we propos'd, be ready at hand, if there should be occasion for your presence, I dare not stay one minute. Farewel.
Now thousand Angels wait upon thee, Lucia,
And thousand Blessings upon all thou do'st.
Let me but kiss your hand, And I'le dismiss you.
Ah cruel father, when thou mad'st the Oath,
Thou little thought'st that thou had'st left
Exeunt.Such blessings for me out of it.
Father, and shall never suffer you to be perjur'd.
I come onely to let you know, that the Physician and the 'Pothecary will do this morning what we propos'd, be ready at hand, if there should be occasion for your presence, I dare not stay one minute. Farewel.
Now thousand Angels wait upon thee, Lucia,
And thousand Blessings upon all thou do'st.
Let me but kiss your hand, And I'le dismiss you.
Ah cruel father, when thou mad'st the Oath,
Thou little thought'st that thou had'st left
Exeunt.Such blessings for me out of it.