 | Love's Labyrinth |  |
Scæne 1.
Enter King Damocles with two Lords, and Lamedon.King.
Can this be true?
1 Lo.
My Liege, as truth it self.
King.
And will neither the power of a King,
Nor precepts of a father over-sway
Her fond affections; but that thus she will
Run head-long to her ruine? Let her go.
1 Lo.
Yet shot she not at rovers, but a Prince
He is, young and deserving; therefore since
Sh'has hit the mark, it will now be in vain
To give her aym, or make her shoot again.
Kin.
Was she so hasty, that she could not stay
To take our Fatherly advice with her?
No wonder if she wander in the Labyrinth
2
La.
Come brother, come, she's not the first has done
Amiss; her own affections were the surest guide
Unto her own content: she chose to please
Her self, not you, come, let this anger cease.
1 Lo.
'Tis now too late for to recal what's past,
The match is made, and that so surely fast,
'Tis past dissolving now; a Grandfather
You are alreay: From their conjunction hath
This influence proceeded, a fair boy
Hath given them earnest of succeeding joy.
Kin.
How! a boy! and shall that base brat enjoy
My crown? no, no, I'll take a course for that.
La.
Why brother, 'tis a Prince by birth, & why
Not born to Reign?
Kin.
Ay, mischief's on my head,
But I'll prevent the plot and storm, we'l send
Them far enough from troubling of our state:
Distance and danger shall they first subdue,
Before they gain our Crown; the slavish waves
Shall be their subjects: let them go and and win
The trydent of great Neptune, waters King.
I mean to set them forth.
1 Lo.
What means my Liege?
Kin.
Nay, I'm resolv'd, since that they do no more
Regard my favour, they shall feel my frowns.
O ye Cœlestial Deities! where are
Your power and wonted justice now become?
All things run head-long, and the feet forget
Their duty to their Head, and traitors turn,
Breaking the bonds of government; that now
A Princes power, or Fathers care's contemn'd,
And only recompenc'd with slight and scorn.
Lam.
But Sir, though she her duty do forget
3
Be easily reclaimed. Shall one misdeed
Forfeit all former loyalty? She us'd
To be more ready to give, than you
Could be to ask. Come, let the weight of that
O're-poize your anger, and this light offence.
Kin.
I'll hear no more, all pity now is gone,
And anger hath the castle of my breast
So strongly fortified, whole valleys of
Requests can never move: cease then your suit,
To which my ears are deaf, and tongue is mute.
1 Lo.
Heaven is not so impregnable, but that
Entreaties may both siege and conquer it:
If that your daughter hath run on the score
Of one offence, will nothing cancel it?
Kin.
My resolution's writ in Adamant.
1 Lo.
Dread Sir, and may not tears then blot it out?
Kin.
Nor all the liquid drop the sea contains
Shall quench my rage; for now I have forgot
All pitie of a father, and that wretch
Shall feel what 'tis to lose a fathers love.—
Since she will needs slight and contemn our care,
I'll have a Bark provided, without oar,
Or sail, or pilot, but the wilful wind,
And waves, true emblemes of their giddy act,
And therein with her brat, and mate imbarqu'd,
Shall seek their fortunes: And see you it done
Without delay, our Will admits no time,
T'expostulate no more than alteration.
1 Lo.
O good my Lord command my service in
Some nobler act than this and do not try
My faith in that, for which I'de rather die,
Than do't. What heir shall succeed your self
In the Arcadian Diadem, if thus you drown
4
Supply your place, when as your Sun shall set
In darkest clouds of death, must night ensue,
And seize upon our Horizon?—O let
Some pity of our drooping state prevail.
Kin.
All will not do. I'll have it done; then go
Or stay and pull my vengeance on thy head.
Will you turn traytor too, to our commands?
As you tender our favour, or your safety,
Go execute my will without delay.
1 Lo.
And must my safety prove their ruin? can
They not live, but I must die? I'll do't.
Perhaps the tyrant-waves may prove more kind
Than is their King My Liege I'l ease your mind.
Lam.
And must they, & they only prove (poor hearts)
A sacrifice to fury for their love?
I'll be companion of their fortune. We
Will leave this cursed land, which is nought else
But a dry sea of miseries, in which
We dayly float; the sea can never be
More merciless. O what a maze of woe
Do lovers tread (dire fate) that for their love,
Are recompenc'd with hatred. Farewel world,
Thou ball of fortune banded to and fro,
And never quiet; we will try what fate
Awaits us in the sea, it can't be worse
Than here we suffer by our dearest friends.
Kin.
Well brother, since you are so weary of
The world, pray take your share with them, and care
Of her: I leave her unto you, and to
The mercies of the waves, and so adieu.
Exit.
| Love's Labyrinth | |