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Come out, I say: this was not wont to be,
That spirit ne'er stood in need of provocation,
Nor shall it now. Away, Sir.
Cap. Urge me not.

1. Friend. By Manhood's reverend honor but we must.
Cap. I will not fight a stroke.

1. Friend. O blasphemy

To sacred valor.

Cap. Lead me where you list.

1. Friend. Pardon this traiterous slumber, clog'd with evils : Give Captains rather wives than such tame devils.

The Field.

Enter Captain AGER with his too Friends.

Cap. Well, your wills now.

1. Friend. Our wills? our loves, our duties

To honor'd fortitude: what wills have wo

But our desires to nobleness and merit,

Valor's advancement, and the sacred rectitude

Due to a valorous cause?

Cap. Oh, that's not mine.

2. Friend. War has his Court of Justice, that's the field, Where all cases of Manhood are determined,

And your case is no mean one.

Cap. True, then 't were virtuous;

But mine is in extremes, foul and unjust.

Well, now ye 've got me hither, ye are as far

To seek in your desire as at first minute:

For by the strength and honor of a vow.

I will not lift a finger in this quarrel.

1. Friend. How! not in this! be not so rash a sinner.
Why, Sir, do you ever hope to fight again then?
Take beed on 't, you must never look for that.
Why, the universal stock of the World's injury
Will be too poor to find a quarrel for you.
Give up your right and title to desert, Sir;
If you fail virtue here, she needs you not
All your time after; let her take this wrong,

And never presume then to serve her more:
Bid farewell to the integrity of Arms,

And let that honorable name of soldier

Fall from you like a shiver'd wreath of laurel,
By thunder struck from a desertless forehead
That wears another's right by usurpation.
Good Captain, do not wilfully cast away
At one hour all the fame your life has won.
This is your native seat. Here you should seek
Most to preserve it; or if you will doat.
So much on life, poor life, which in respect
Of life in honor is but death and darkness,
That you will prove neglectful of yourself
(Which is to me too fearful to imagine)
Yet for that virtuous Lady's cause, your Mother,
Her reputation, dear to nobleness,

As grace to penitence; whose fair memory

E'en crowns fame in your issue; for that blessedness,

Give not this ill place, but in spite of hell

And all her base fears be exactly valiant.

Cap. Oh! oh!

2. Friend. Why, well said; there's fair hope in that. Another such a one.

Cap. Came they in thousands,

'Tis all against you.

1. Friend. Then poor friendless Merit,

Heav'n be good to thee, thy Professor leaves thee.

Enter COLONEL and his two friends.

He's come; do you but draw; we'll fight it for you,
Cap. I know too much to grant that.

1. Friend. O dead manhood!

Had ever such a cause so faint a servant ?

Shame brand me if I do not suffer for him.

Col. I've heard, Sir, you 've been guilty of much boasting For your brave carliness at such a meeting,

You've lost the glory of that way this morning:

I was the first to-day.

Cap. So were you ever

In my respect, Sir.

1. Friend. O most base præludium!

Cap. I never thought on victory our mistress With greater reverence than I have your worth, Nor ever lov'd her better.

Success in you has been my absolute joy,

And when I've wish'd content I've wish'd your friendship.

Col. I come not hither, Sir, for an encomium.

I came provided

For storms and tempests, and the foulest season
That ever rage let forth, or blew in wildness

From the incensed prison of man's blood.

Cap. Tis otherwise with me: I come with mildness, Peace, constant amity, and calm forgiveness,

The weather of a Christian and a friend.

1. Friend. Give me a valiant Turk, though not worth ten-pence. Cap. Yet, Sir, the world will judge the injury mine,

Insufferably mine, mine beyond injury,

Thousands have made a less wrong reach to hell,
Aye and rejoic'd in his most endless vengeance
(A miserable triumph though a just one);
But when I call to memory our long friendship,
Methinks it cannot be too great a wrong

That then I should not pardon. Why should Man
For a poor hasty syilable or two

(And vented only in forgetful fury)

Chain all the hopes and riches of his soul
To the revenge of that? die lost for ever?

For he that makes his last peace with his Maker
In anger, anger is his peace eternally:

He must expect the same return again,

Whose venture is deceitful. Must he not, Sir?
Col. I see what I must do, fairly put up again,

For here'll be nothing done, I perceive that.

Cap. What shall be done in such a worthless business

But to be sorry and to be forgiven?

You, Sir, to bring repentance; and I pardon.

Col. I bring repentance, Sir?

Cap. If't be too much

To say, repentance; call it what you please, Sir;
Choose your own word, I know you 're sorry for it,
And that's as good.

Do

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Col. I sorry by fame's honor, I am wrong'd:

you seek for peace and draw the quarrel larger? Cap. Then 'tis I'm sorry that I thought you so. 1. Friend. A Captain! I could gnaw his title off. Cap. Nor is it any misbecoming virtue, Sir, In the best manliness, to repent a wrong:

Which made me bold with you.

1. Friend. I could cuff his head off.

2. Friend. Nay, pish.

Col. So once again take thou thy peaceful rest then ;

But as I put thee up, I must proclaim

This Captain here, both to his friends and mine,
That only came to see fair valor righted,

A base submissive Coward: so I leave him.

[To his sword.

Cap. Oh, heaven has pitied my excessive patience, And sent me a Cause: now I have a Cause:

A Coward I was never.

Col. How!

-Come you back, Sir.

Cap. You left a Coward here.

Col. Yes, Sir, with you.

Cap. 'Tis such base metal, Sir, 't will not be taken,

It must home again with you.

2. Friend. Should this be true now

1. Friend. Impossible! Coward do more than Bastard!

Col. I prithee mock me not, take heed you do not,

For if I draw once more I shall grow terrible,

And rage will force me do what will grieve honor.

Cap. Ha, ha, ha.

Col. He smiles, dare it be he? what think ye, Gentlemen ?

Your judgments; shall I not be cozen'd in him?

This cannot be the man; why he was bookish,

Made an invective lately against fighting,

A thing in truth that mov'd a little with me;
Put up a fouler contumely far

Than thousand Cowards came to, and grew

thankful.

Cap. Blessed remembrance in time of need; I'd lost my honor else.

2. Friend. Do you note his joy?

Cap. I never felt a more severe necessity:
Then came thy excellent pity. Not yet ready!
Have you such confidence in my just manhood
That you dare so long trust me, and yet tempt me
Beyond the toleration of man's virtue ?

Why, would you be more cruel than your injury?
Do you first take pride to wrong me, and then think me
Not worth your fury? do not use me so:
I shall deceive you then: Sir, either draw,
And that not slightingly, but with the care
Of your best preservation, with that watchfulness
As you'd defend yourself from circular fire,
Your sin's rage, or her Lord (this will require it)
Or you'll be too soon lost: for I've an anger,
Has gather'd mighty strength against you: mighty,
Yet you shall find it honest to the last,

Noble and fair.

Col. I'll venture it once again,

And if't be but as true as it is wondrous

I shall have that I come for. Your leave, Gentlemen.

[They fight.

1. Friend. If he should do 't indeed, and deceive us all

now

Stay, by this hand he offers; fights i'faith;

Fights: by this light, he fights, Sir.

2. Friend. So methinks, Sir.

1. Friend. An absolute Punto, ha ?

2. Friend. "Twas a Passado, Sir.

1. Friend. Why, let it pass, and 'twas: I'm sure 'twas some.

what.

What's that now?

2. Friend. That's a Punto.

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