 | The Ladies Priviledge |  |
Actus Secundus.
Enter Bonivet, Lactantio, and Adorni.Bon.
Thanks good Adorni, we are much endeer'd
To your relation; this rich corsick wine
Erected our dull spirits, and you shall
Command our service in as high and jocund
A Nature.
Ador.
Sir, although I am
One that affects not the nice phrase of Court,
Having bin nurs'd in warre, yet I can frame
My selfe to imitation of what honour
Shall there, or any where appeare to be
Worthy my laughter.
Bon.
You have explain'd your knowledge, we who breath
Onely the aire of Genoa, and ne're tasted
Forraigne behaviour, covet nothing more
Than certaine knowledge of it, as 'tis proper to
Complexions intellectuall to delight
In novelties; your Spaniard as you say,
Is of a staid, serious, and haughty garbe:
His hand away in kindnesse; is of dyet
Sparing, will pick his teeth as formally
After an Orenge, or a clove of Garlicke,
which is his ordinary morsell, as he'd fed
On Partridges or Pheasant.
Ador.
'Tis his grace
After his dinner Sir, and to confirme
Their most officious gravity, a Castilian
Was for some crime in Paris to be whipt
In triumph through the streetes, and being admonished
To be more swift of foote, so avoyd
The dreadfull lash the sooner, in scorne answer'd,
He rather would be flead alive, than breake
A Title of his gravity.
La.
Much good
Doe it his patient shoulders: but Adorni,
What thinke you of the French?
Ador.
Very ayry people, who participate
More fire than earth; yet generally good,
And nobly disposition'd, something inclining
Ent. Corim
To over-weening fancy—This Lady
Tells my remembrance of a Comick scene,
I once saw in their Theatre.
Bon.
Adde it to
Your former courtesies, and expresse it.
Ador.
Your entreaty
Is a command, if this grave Lady please,
To act the Lady I must court.
Cor.
Why doe you thinke
I cannot play the woman? I have plaid a womans part
About twenty, twenty yeares agoe in a Court Masque,
And tho I say't as well as some o' them, & have bin courted too,
But it is truth, I have a foolish quality as many more women are
guilty of besides my selfe, I alwayes love them best, which
slight me most, and scorne those that doe court mee: look you
Signior, if't be a lovers part you are to act:
More gracious in your Mistris eyes.
Ador.
Stand faire Lady.
Cor.
Tis your part to stand faire sir: doubt not my carriage—
O most rare man: sincerely, I shall love the French
The better while I live for this.
Ador Acts furiously.
Nay pray sir; gentlemen entreat the man
To pacifie his wrath, tell him Ile love him,
Rather than see him rage thus.
Bon.
He would have just reason to be mad indeed then, but now
The Mood is alter'd.
Ador. acts ut antea.
Cor.
Excellently ravishing: this is of force
To make the hardest hearted Lady love him:
Can I intreat him but to teach my Cosen
Some of his French, he will for ever be engallanted—
Enter Eurione, and Frangipan.
Bon.
Beautious Cosen,
Y'ave mist the quaintest sport; honest Adorni
You would endeare this Lady to you, would you
Please to react it.
Ador.
Nay, if you make me common once, farewell;
I am not for your company.
Cor.
Pray sir a word or two; here is a gentleman,
Nay Nephew, though I say't a toward young man,
Vouchsafe him your acquaintance.
Ador.
Will he fight, is he souldier?
Cor.
No truely sir, nor shall hee bee:
I would be loath to have my onely Cosen
Heated about the heart with lead; he's dull
Enough already: Frangipan come hither,
This gentleman will for my sake teach thee French.
Ador.
For your sake reverent Madam I shall do't:
Sir please you walke, we will conferre on rudiments.
Cor.
Come with him Coz: Sir, and you have occasion
To use me in a pleasure, stands within
The ability of my performance, pray command,
Ador.
Come Signiors, will you walke?
Ex.
Eur.
Cosen Bonivet,
I should be glad, after some minutes, to
Enjoy your Company.
Bon.
I shall attend your Ladyship,
Eur.
Corimba what answer from Vitelli? do I live?
Or in the killing rigour of his scorne
Must I dye wretched.
Cor.
Sincerely Madam,
You are too timorous of your owne deserts,
Or else you durst not doubt, that he, or any
You being so neat your selfe, and drest as neatly
As any Lady in the Court, should hazzard
The reputation of his wit, by slighting
Such an accomplish'd beauty.
Eur.
You talke,
And play the cunning flatterer, to excuse
Your negligence; but know affections fire
Once kindled by desire, and blowne by thought
Into a heat, expires a thousand sighes,
Which as loves smoak, like incense flyes to heaven,
While the light fire with nimble wings doe foare
To its owne spheare, true lovers hearts who cherish
The flame, till they to ashes burne, and perish.
Cor.
Why Ladybird, are you so passionate, the gentleman
Is a kind gentleman, has all that may
Set forth a man; for when I told him how
Like a hurt Deare you wounded were with love,
Life how he leapt for joy, as if the selfe
Same arrow which struck you, had glanc'd on him,
And as a token of his love, hee sent you
A bleeding heart in a Cornelion, which
Beshrew me, most unfortunately I lost.
Enter Chrisea.
Chri.
Cornuba see
If Generall Doria be within—Eurione
Ex. Cor.
I must demand a question that concernes
The safety of your fame.
Eur.
I rest
Secure in mine owne innocence, and no malice
Can forge an accusation which can blemish
My meanest thought with scandall.
Chri.
I beleeve, but know Eurione I am enform'd
You doe affect Vitelli, and conjure you
By the deare memory of our mother, tell me
If the report be certaine.
Eur.
Should I deny't,
My love would muster thousand blushes up
To invade my guilty Cheeks, I must confesse
I love him so, as modesty and truth
Afford me warrant.
Chri.
Tis ill done, and childishly so easily to impart
The treasure of your liberty, to keeping
Of a neglected stranger.
Eur.
His owne worth
Deserves as noble knowledge here, as many
Who borrow titular glory from the dust
Of their forgotten Ancestours.
Chri.
You defend him
Like a brave Championesse, as if you meant
T'ingage your dearest pawne of life and honour
In his protection.
Eur.
Say I did, the even'st,
Though most strict justice would allow as lawfull
My honourable purpose.
Chri.
Fie, you are lead on too wildly by your fancy sister,
It ill befits the greatnesse of your blood
To seeke to mixe its pure streame with a poore
Regardlesse River.
Eur.
He appeares to me
Broad in his owne dimensions as the sea.
Cleare as a brooke, whose Christall lips salute
Onely the freshest medowes: such a Creature
An Angell cloath'd in humane shape, he might
From his derive a patterne.
Chri.
But suppose my fancy
Should over-sway my judgement, to affect
Vitelli; sure your manners would allow me,
By willing resignation of your choyce,
The priviledge of my birth-right.
Eur.
Would you urge
A claime so justly mine, because you view'd
The light two yeares before me: no Chrisea.
Love's an unlimited passion, that admits
No Ceremonious difference: this prerogative
Should Queenes endevour, their unvalued Dowries
Are not of worth to purchase: and tho here
As it befits me, I observe the distance
Due to your birth; yet in loves sacred Court,
My place is high as yours, and there we may
Walke hand in hand together.
Chri.
Doe not flatter
Your fancy with this vaine conceite: Vitelli
Must be no more yours; Know I have enjoyn'd
The Generall Doria to engage his friend,
To imbrace my proffer'd love to him.
Eur.
You strive,
Because you thinke my young and timerous flame
Unapt t'incounter brave Vitellis heat;
As cunning Nurses doe with froward Babes,
Fright them into an appetite: but say
All this were reall, thinke you Doria would
So easily be perswaded to renownce
His proper interest, and inthrall his friend
To an unwilling slavery?
Chri.
By truth he has impawn'd his honour to endeavor
What I have utter'd, gentle Girle consider
Loves unresisted violence, and beleeve
I would not have a rivall to usurpe
A corner in the Kingdome of that heart
Consider ont.
Exit.
Eur.
Consider ont, why this is such an act,
Done by a cruell sister, as shall taint
That holy name with such a blacke reproach
That should a thousand pious Virgins weepe,
Rivers of teares, their most immaculate drops
Would not wash white her scandall haplesse girle,
That in loves tempests wert but lately tost;
And now recoverd in a calme art lost,—
Enter Lactantis
Lact.
Madam the Duke intreats your instant company.
Eur.
I shall attend his pleasure, good Lactantio.
If you can meet my Cosen Bonivet,
Desire him visite me.
Exit.
Enter Doria.
Dor.
Noble Lactantio,
Y'are happily encounterd, I expected
My friend Vitelli here, this is his houre,
I wonder he is tardie.
Lact.
Your Lordship prevents the time with speed, or else Vitelli
Has some impediment by businesse, sir.
Enter Uitelli.
Y'are opportunely welcome to deliver
Your owne excuse, I was about to stretch
My invention for you.
Uit.
Noble friend, your enemy had you ingagd your faith
To any personall meeting could expect you,
But at the minute, reason may dispense
Twixt us with such a nicety.
Lact.
Now your friends
Arriv'd, I must beg licence to depart,
I have some vrgent businesse.
Dor.
Good Lactantio your time's your owne.
Lact.
I kisse your Lordships hand.
Exit.
Vit.
Friend now wee're alone, I safely may
Speake my conjecture, I have read your lookes,
And in their pensive Characters finde secret,
Strange signes of sadnesse.
Dor.
I am sad indeed,
When my remembrance tells me I have only
Vit.
Try me by any attempt, whose danger does surpasse
The common path of daring, beet to snatch,
A firy boult when it from heaven comes wrap'd
In sheetes of lightning to afford true proofe
Of my affection, and with eager haste,
Such as inspires a husband to enjoy
His spouses virgine purity, ile runne
To the atchievement.
Dor.
These are but protests; such as be got by ceremony, proceed
Not from intensive zeale, yet ile experience
The truth of your affection by a triall
Of such a noble and effective weight,
Which if you bravely doe support, you'l stand
As some tall Pyramid or Columne for
Your owne memoriall to tell after-times
The power and strength of friendship.
Uit.
Pray nam't, and 'twere a burden would orepresse the earth,
Ile be the able Atlas to sustaine
Heaven on my willing shoulders.
Dor.
There is a Lady in whose each eye sits fire, & on her cheek
Victorious beauty captive to her smiles
Dances in lovely triumph, one who emblemes
The glory of mortality in each looke,
Contracts the orbe of lusture to a glance,
Brandishes beames, whose purity dispence,
Light more immaculate then the gorgeous east,
Weares when the prostrate Indian does adore
Its rising brightnesse, yet this wonder doates
On you with such inevitable fervor
That I in pitty of her sufferings come
T'intreate you love her.
Vit.
Whom my Lord?
Dor.
You cannot appeare so strangely stupid not to acknowledge
Creations miracle, when I point out
Her very figure you as well may seeme,
When the bleake North does with congealing blasts
Binde up the crisling streames in chaines of Ise,
Who had she liv'd when superstitious mists
Shaded the world, more groves of gammes had fam'd,
T'her Divinest beauty, then to all
The race of idle deities: tis Chrisea,
The faire Chrisea loves you.
Uit.
The faire Chrisea, your Lordship's merry.
Dor.
Doe you slight
What I deliver'd with that unfain'd zeale,
That penitents doe their prayers, I say, Chrisea,
A name whose every accent sweetlier sounds,
Then quires of Syrens sence bereaving notes,
Chrisea loves you infinitely above
Expressive termes; the Orators shoud strive
To paint her masculine fancy, and i'me bound
To pay this homage to her best content,
As to conjure you, by all sacred ties
Of honour, amity, and what else may serve
To inforce the indeerement with your noblest love
To gratifie her fancy.
Vit.
No perswasion
Can make me thinke this serious, good my Lord,
Doe not you love Chrisea?
Dor.
More then a babe does the kind Nurse that feedes it with her blood,
More then I doe my quiet, or the joyes
Of ought but blest eternity; Uitelli,
No other argument can more convince,
Suspition should it doubt my love: but this
That to procure her peace, I have confinde
The greatnesse of my passion, and give up
To thy dispose, a Iewell which the earth
And sea should both unlade their hidden wealth,
Should not have purchas'd from me.
Vit.
These are arts to pusle my conceits, my Lord
I'me no such punie in the Craft of love,
That I want braine to finde this drift, which is
As obvious to me as your eyes: now you
Are home return'd victorious, big with praise,
Laden with titles that sit heavier on you
Affinity with me, to whom y'ave heard
the faire Eurione has resign'd her heart,
And by this circumvention should I court
At your entreates her sister might pretend
A righteous cause, for an unjust revolt,
For were it otherwise, your temper could not
Brooke your Chriseas change without a start
Into a sudden fury.
Dor.
This language I understand not, by my honour friend,
This iteration may disperse your doubt,
I doe agen conjure you by all right
Friendship can challenge in you to affect
Chrisea nobly; shall I have your answer?
Vit.
Nay then my Lord, since you are serious, freely I resume
The priviledge of my liberty; this body
I doe confesse your captive, and t'has sufferd
an honourable thraldome, but my minde
Remaines unbounded as the ayre or sire,
Are from their spheares, Eurione has wone
By the subduing valor of her lookes,
That in a field of fancy, not of blood,
And ere another shall usurpe her right,
In the defence ile dye her willing martyr.
Dor.
I judg'd what serious value
your boasted friendship would retaine ith test,
Draw your bright weapon, know that I doe hate
Basenesse as much as cowardice: and since
You slight a Lady for whose pricelesse love
Kings might resigne their Crownes, and humbly fall
Like bare foot pilgrimes prostrate at the shrine
Of such a beauty, sure if in this sword,
Death has a residence your life shall finde it,
And not survive to boast the cruell triumph of her refusall.
Vit.
Sir your sword cannot excite a trembling in my blood,
The glistring splendour cherishes my sight,
Like polish'd Chrystall, henceforth name of friend
Be no more known betwixt us then a dreame.
My honour forfeited in the Generall cause
By this particular Combate.
Dor.
Should my fate yield me the conquest, yet his death would not
Beget Chriseas quiet, but augment
Her griefe and hate against me: stay, forbeare,
I feele a palsie in my veines, and cannot
Manage this little instrument of death,
My sinewes put on infancy agen
And have no vigor in them, oh Vitelli,
I am so full of passion, I have scarce
Roome left to vent a sigh, a mine of lead
Hangs on my heart, and with its weight has crack'd
The feeble courage.
Vit.
Noble soule, his griefe
Workes more compunction in me, than his sword
Did suddaine anger; could I grant what you
Request, no brand-markt slave should fulfill
Sooner his Masters most severe command,
Than I would yours; but this abrogates all lawes
Of friendships duty: if y'ave vowd this act,
You may as safely disanull the Oath,
As should you in some desperate fury sweare
To be your fathers murtherer.
Dor.
Bid me first renounce
My allegeance to my honour, sell my faith
I owe my Native Country: my Vitelli
I feele an humour in my braine, which strives
For passage at mine eyes, wilt see me weepe?
Consider friend, denying my request
Thou dost undoe a Lady, who may claime
The priviledge of all hearts: depriv'st the world
Of such a jemme, that should old nature strive
To frame her second, it would quite exhaust
Her glorious treasury, then in her ruine:
My life and honour's forfeited, think this,
And were thy heart obdurate as a rocke
Of Adamant, this thought joyn'd with my teares
To gentle softnesse.
Vit.
Your eyes are moving advocates, they speake
Such an o're-flowing Language, that my love
Then in its owne cause a most partiall Judge,
Allowes my mercy freedome to pronounce
Sentence on your side: you have prevail'd,
Ile serve Chrisea, as her pleasure shall
Dispose my will and fortune.
Dor.
I beginne to feele my spirits quicken, and my blood
Receive its noble temper; deare Vitelli,
Thy noblenesse does prompt thee to an act
Shall write thy friendship higher in the lists
Of sacred amity, than mothers loves.
Goe to my best Chrisea, she expects
To know by thee the truth of my successe,
Tell her I am more happy in her blisse,
Than if I had enjoy'd her constant love:
So leave me love, I may perhaps transgresse
Man-hood agen, and shouldst thou see me weepe
Twice, thou wouldst judge my former flood of teares
A feigned passion.
Vit.
Your Genius guard you; thus I apply
Balme to his wounds, while I doe bleeding dye.
Ex.
Enter Bonivet.
Bon.
Noble Generall, I come to gratulate the happy choyse
Y'ave made in faire Chrisea; she's a Lady,
That though she were a stranger to my blood,
My judgement would allow as rich a vertue
As ever glorifi'd the sexe.
Dor.
'Twould be a sacrilegious errour not to admit
Your Character for truth, but in our loves
A thousand hidden causes doe produce
Alternate changes, my returne has setled
My thoughts on new resolves, and I must suite
My affections to them.
How? perhaps because
You are return'd triumphant with your bayes,
Growing upon your brow, you doe reject
The love before you su'd for, tis not noble
So to abase a Lady, whose bright fame,
Although untainted as a Christall rocke,
Must passe a popular censure, if you, who
Did with such earnestnesse pretend her match
Should on the suddaine scorne it.
Dor.
I'me not bound
To give you reasons why; but know my mind,
Which your contesting cannot alter's fixt
On what I have related.
Bon.
I must then tell you
You doe defame the opinion of that worth
The world does credit in you: this affront,
Should all her other friends sit idle gazers
On her disgrace, should stirre me to attempt
An ample satisfaction from your heart,
Though you had multitudes of greater glories
Heap'd on your head, or were defenc'd with legions
To affright me from the adventure.
Dor.
Sir, your courage is juster than your quarrell, doe you think
I weare a sword onely for ornament;
And though our yeares declare us equalls, yet
My education was i'th' trade of warre.
Tis my profession to infranchise soules
From prisons of their flesh, and would be loath
Cause you have interest in Chriseas blood,
Your passion should betray you to the fury
Of my incensed wrath.
Bon.
All discourse is tedious to me, sure the world's abus'd
With report of your valour, men who commit
Affronts they dare not answer, use excuse
In moderation of them, I expected
I should have met an adversary of you.
Of temper hot as lightning, and as bold
As Lyons vext with hunger, and I finde you
Dor.
All respect of love and pitty hence:
fight.
Beare up, my steele
Has prickt your breast; I would not have you dye
Chriseas Martyr.
Bon.
I've puld untimely ruine on mee, I'me hurt,
I feare to mortall danger: Noble Generall,
See me conducted to Lactantios house,
There I shall get a Surgeon.
Dor.
Noble young man,
Muster thy strongest spirits up: I am one
Of Fortunes pastimes; yesterday return'd,
Advanc'd to heaven by the peoples breath,
To day hurl'd downe into the abysse of death.
Ex.
| The Ladies Priviledge | |