 | The Amorous Fantasme |  |
SCENA QUARTA.
Climene, Iacinta, Carlos, Fabritio.Climene comming out of her house.
Climene.
It is Fabritios voice this which I heare,
I cannot come forth in a fitter time.
Carlos.
I willinglie waite on you, your desires
Are mine, you need not doubt them—
to Fabritio.
Fabritio.
Let us enter.
Carlos.
How this successe favoureth my flame!
—aside
Fabritio stopped by Climeme.
Fabritio.
But who doth stop me? Heaven! it is a Woman.
It seemes she Would speak with me Carlos stay.
Carlos.
I waite you heere.
16
How comes it she withdrawes
When I advaunce?
Carlos.
Withour doubt she hath something
To speak to you in private.
Fabritio.
In the hope
Wherein I am that I am he you seek,
Be not offended that I dare t'approach:
I've courage and civilitie ynough
T'esteeme me fortunare if I could serve you:
T'engage me, Madame, to the offer which
I make to use my utmost cares and paines
T'accomplish your desires, it is sufficient
That Heaven hath given you the advantage to be
Of that faire Sex unto which all owe homadge:
If I may notwithstanding without giving you
The least offence be honoured to knowe
Your name, you will encrease my Zeale in giving me
So faire a satisfaction.
Climene.
Take it then,
My deare Fabritio, and know Climene.
Fabritio.
Climene, my faire Mistresse, what occasion
Could bring thee heere at such an hower as this?
Thou doublest my feare and perturbation;
The more thy voice assureth me; the more
Vncertaine am I: and so farre am I
From comming forth of errour, that I enter
Into new Labyrinths, and doubts, I was
More happie when I knew thee lesse; oh what
Designe hast thou, I cannot comprehend it?
17
Climene.
Leave me to speake, then, I will tell it thee.
I will not say what joy and happie rapture
Seised me when I understood the newes,
That by a joynt accord our friends and parents
At last had yeilded to our marriage;
My love, which thou shouldst not forget, exemps me
To discourse this unto thee, and enjoynes me
To a relation much more important,
And much lesse pleasing,
Fabritio.
How? what thing is there
In nature that can trouble our repose,
Since as our hearts, our parents are agreed?
Climene.
Tis of a longer date then from to day
That Love useth to mingle with his sweets
Much bitternes, those whom he flattereth
At first, are seldome happie, his deceit
Is equall to his blindnes, and like Fortune,
H'is constant onelie in inconstancie:
This is a truth, which thou shalt but to sensibly
Conceive: one day which was the fatallest
Of all my life, wherein my father burthened
With age and sicknes had the sorrie honour
To be by the Duke of Ferrara vissitted:
This Prince knew me in this extremity,
And thought to see some charmes upon my pale
And blubbered face, myne eyes unluckily
Wept unto his, and from the sources of
My teares his flame took birth,
Fabritio.
Oh Climene,
I feare—
18
That feare offends me; my heart wholie
Was thine, I gave it thee, and the Dukes passion
Stir'd up in me nothing but my aversion:
Though I conceal'd this fire, thou hast no cause
To complaine at it, for before twas knowne,
I hop'd to quench it, and I scarce should yet
Reveile it to thee, if thy interest
Oblig'd me not to speak: on the report
Which was spread of our marriage, the passion
Of the Duke was converted into rage;
He came unto me in his first transport,
Sware to me solemnelie that my choice was
The sentence of thy death, that Love opposing
My punishment, he thought to doe more in
Destroying what I lov'd; and to the end
He might with the more rigour punish me,
He would even to the bottome of thy heart
Goe for to seek me: Lastly knowing well
That his desire is to assault my life
In threatening thine, conducted here by love,
And more by feare, I come to conjure thee
T'avoid his furie; fly hence, whatsoever
Care for me keeps thee back heere, and to save
My life, preserve thine.
Fabritio.
This discourse is cruel
As much as it appeareth sweet: should you
Advice me to absent me from your person?
Sure I should little know what tis to love,
T'obey you in this point: Come, come, say all,
Confesse your love is chang'd, that my remaines
Of hope must vanish, and that the Dukes flame
Hath dazled you, I see well that mine heere
Is troublesom, that you abandon Love
To follow Fortune, and that poore Fabritio
With all his fetters pleaseth your faire eyes
19
This signall rigour; you deprive me of
A happines whereof I was not worthy,
And in receaving of a Scepter offered
Vnto your beauties, you obtaine much lesse
Then you deserve. Raigne, nothing is dishonourable,
To gaine a diademne; and as I love you
More then my selfe, I shal esteem my death
A faire designe, if entering into
A tombe, I leave you in a throne.
Climene.
Fabritio,
Canst thou love me, and speak thus? reallie
Thou detract'st from my glorie in this thought
That I can be unfaithfull, bannish it,
It is thy enemie and mine, suspition
Between us two should be a hideous monster;
Canst thou be ignorant with any justice,
That I love lesse a scepter then Fabritio,
And find more joy in being captive with thee
To raigne over thy heart, then ore the universe?
Fabritio.
It is ynough, Climene, my devout
And amourous soule, which ever must adore thee
Although thou should'st abuse it, would believe thee:
And though a lye, carries a swarthy face,
In issuing from thy mouth it would have charmes;
But how comes it to passe that when thy sweetnes
For my sake flyes a crowne, thou dost ordaine me
To depart, and to leave thee? how to leave thee.
And in a Rivalls power to! no, this remedie
Is worse then the disease. Suffer my presence,
Or suffer my despaire, what matter is it
20
Climene.
When two inevitable dangers meet
To invade us at once, tis wisedome still
To think of the most pressing, here thy ruine
Is certaine, being absent, thou canst live;
Consider this, that to what punishment
Soer our love exposeth thee, thou canst not
Suffer but I must suffer too, nor dye,
But I must cease to live, for know absuredlie
My dayes shall finish with thy destiny;
When we are dead, the grave shall be a wittnes
Of our reunion? where I see thee not
No object pleaseth me; if thou art yet
Incredulous of words and protestations,
At least believe my teares.
Fabritio.
Oh open not
Those pretious sluces, keep that treasure in;
Encrease not my affliction with thy griefe:
Not all the blood which tunneth in my veines
Is worth the least drop of these liquid pearles,
The evills wherewith my life is thretened
Are too well payed with a single teare.
Climene.
Oh leave those vaine discourses, and depart.
Fabritio.
Well, well, Climene, I must then obey.
Climene.
I have as much cause heere to be afflicted,
As satisfied, I feare more thy departure
Then wish it, and I give my faith unto thee,
That thou shouldst not depart, if I could keep thee
And expose but my selfe. Let's separate;
But what! this fatall image robbeth me
Already of my strength, spare me, I pray thee,
In parting hence the danger heere to dye
21
Exit Climene.
Fabritio.
Climene flyes me;
O lamentable destinie!
| The Amorous Fantasme | |