University of Virginia Library

Scena Prima.

Enter Ferdinand and Cornelius.
Fer.

What, is the Duke marryed?

Cor.

Questionlesse, by this time; they were at To haue
and to hold when I left 'hem. Looke you, here come the
Feathers, the inseparable Coxcombs of the Court.

Enter Callowe and Ranof.
Ran.
By the life-bloud which danceth on her Lip,
She is all Paradice, Diuine, Angelicall,
The Duchesse me thinkes lookes like a Dowdie to her.

Cor.
O for an Informer—Capitall Treason.

Cal.
If my Taylor had not bin a Knaue—

Fer.
He had bin an honest man.

Cal.
But—

Fer.

O there's a stop, I thought the brazen Image wud
ha'spoke.

Enter Bernard, Landoff, Dorilus.
Ber.
Asmody, you were best stay behind,
There's no place for Spirits i'th'Court.

Land.
O Sir, all your braue Spirits keepe at Court,
And I know my distance.

Ber.
If you donnot, here be those will teach you.
What comfort man? there is no fitter place
To attend their comming out, then here,
Here you may haue full sight, and perhaps speech.

Doril.
Nay I wil haue speech with her, & tell her roundly
How she ha's play'd the Murdresse with a man
That would haue dy'd most willingly for her.

Ber.
What, in the passionate vaine againe?

Doril.
No, but somewhat vehement.

Enter the Duke, Duchesse, a Bishop, Lord Raymond.
Duke.
The Diademe that crown'd my Head, brought
Cares along with Dignitie: But thou my Sweet
Hast crown'd my Heart with Ioyes perpetuall;
Loue, that did lead thee to the Church a Maid,
Hath brought thee backe againe a perfect Wife,
And made thee fit to be as thou do'st promise,
Mother of many Princes.

Dorilus kneeles as the Duchesse passeth by, she beckens one to bring him to her.
Cor.
Pray Heauen the Duke be in his right sences,
He talkes all Raptures, studied Poetrie.

Fer.

As euery outragious Louer does. If I were wearie
of my life, I haue an Adagie wud hang me instantly.

Cor.

What's that?

The Duchesse & Doril. talk priuatly.
Fer.

Why the old one, Hot loue's soone cold.

Cor.

To requite you, That breath were better kept, to
coole your Porredge.

Fer.
You say very right, Sir.

Ber.
This is the Face that wud not let me rest,
But visit me in Dreames: Looke this way still,
And burne me with thy comfortable Beames.

Dor.
I must confesse, I euer had a wild,
Wanton, and vntam'd Tongue, but still the Heart
Of such a Matron as my Mother was:
I did and doe still loue thee, and I protest
Purpos'd to haue married thee, but that I thinke
Thy selfe wud not haue wisht me to haue lost
A Fortune such as this—Little did I imagine,
When I did ieast those words, to haue bin a Duchesse.

Doril.
I donnot come to taske you to your word,
But to behold the Riches I haue lost,
That must confesse my selfe vnworthy of you.
Hither I came resolu'd, to let you know
That I durst looke vpon you, and could lose you
Without sigh or teare: but hauing seene you,
You haue afresh kindled the fire againe,
And I must die a Martyr in your loue.

Dor.
What shall we doe Iulia? Do'st thou see
The sad and downe-cast countenance of thy Brother?
I loue him for his owne sake, and for thine,
And wud not haue him perish; which I feare.

Iul.

Troth Madame I doubt him too: but if the worst
come to the worst, 'tis but a foolish Louer cast away.

Dor.

There are some flattering wayes yet to restore
him, if we could light on 'hem. Alas good Dorilus.

I neuer yet had other Testimonie
Of your strong loue, then that which all you Men
Vnto your Ends can faine better then Women,
Sighs and sad words, mingled with some Teares.

Doril.
If those had not bin witnesses sufficient,
Why did you not enioyne me to a Taske,
Harder then euer Crueltie did yet?
You should ha' said; I dare thee Dorilus
To die: or doe but say so yet,
That I may be assured you can loue
Dorilus dead, whom liuing you despis'd,
And I will at your feet yeeld my lat'st breath.

Dor.
I prythee thinke me not a Murderesse,
To take delight in bloud: no, my deare Dorilus,
Liue, and liue long, that I may loue thee so.
Yet if thy loue be, as thou do'st professe,
No danger, trauaile, nothing that Art can doe,
Obtain'd with much losse, greater difficultie,
Will be left vnattempted: therefore, to try
What strength it holds in thee, and make it gain'd,
Better esteem'd of, being hardly got,
I shall enioyne thee to a strange Designe.

Doril.
Let it be dangerous, and 'tis the better,
And I shall easilier accomplish it.

Dor.
It is not dangerous, nor impossible,
For I haue read euen in effect the like
To haue bin obtained for a—Queene.

Doril.
Pray speake it.

Dor.
A Garland of the rarest Flowers on Earth,
The choisest to the Eye, and to the Sent,
Set with such Fruits the season of the yeere
Affoords not in this Clyme, And it must haue
The vertue of continuing euer fresh,
As long as you remaine constant in loue.
This is the Taske, which if you can obtaine,
By all the Faith in VVoman, and that Iustice
VVhich punisheth all Periurers, I vow
Thou shalt embrace all thy desires in me.

Doril.
A Garland of all Flowers?

Dor.
Of all the Earth produceth, that are choise:
If I, or any one that sees it, can
Call any Flower by a Name, not there,
You not performe your Enterprise.

Doril.
This is a Taske indeed.

Iul.
She ha's sent you a picking.

Doril.

But it is nothing, when the Prize is thought of
that it shall purchase.

Dor.
Will you vndertake it?

Dor.
I will not moue in any other labour,
It shall be both my Businesse and my Pleasures:
With my best dutie let me kisse your hands.
I shall not need to doubt, to enioy your loue
When I haue done it?

Dor.
May that Beautie which you adore in me,
Be blasted, but—

Doril.
I beleeue you: Faire farwell.

Dor.
My Lord, your pardon.

Duke.
For what my Duchesse? Though this day alone
Should be reserued onely to our selues,
Yet if thou please to lend thy Patience
To any one that is a Suitor to thee,
It shall giue no dislike, but rather please vs.

Fer.

Here's a Duke now will make all his Subiects kind
Husbands.

Cor.

If he continue as he begins, Ile giue my Wife
the Breeches; for Women will raigne, that's certaine.

Fer.

Raigne, I and thunder and lighten too, Ile warrant
thee.

Exeunt Duke with his Traine.
Land.

A prettie dumbe shew, this.

Doril.

How doe you Sir? you appeare to me more
troubled then my selfe.

Ber.

No, I am well: Pray what's the newes?

Doril.

I must goe trauaile.

Ber.

Trauaile, what to doe?

Doril.

To gather Flowers, Strawberries—

Land.

And Creame.

Ber.

VVhy how now Sirrah?

Land.

Something bold Sir, for Affinities sake.

Ber.

But pray be serious with me: by that friendship,
which for the time we haue bin acquainted, hath bin as
much as euer was made vp in so few houres; I doe coniure
you tell me, and tell me faithfully, all the whole passage.

Doril.

I was a telling you: She has enioyn'd me to
bring her a faire Garland, of all Flowers that can be
nam'd, which must continue fresh as long as I remaine
constant to her.

Ber.
This is not in the power of Man to doe.

Doril.
This is her imposition.

Ber.
Asmodie, what thinke you of this?

Land.
Why I say Sir, comfort your Friend, For ere
The Sun shal twice to th'Sea decline his golden beames,
Ile bring a Garland hither, made of all Flowers
That euery corner of the World containes,
And with that Charme too, that it shall remaine
Beautiously flourishing, while he continues
Warm'd in the strength of his Affections.

Ber.
Doe this my gentle Spirit, and thou shalt
Make him, who is thy Master, bound vnto thee,
He shall release thee, I will buy thy yeeres,
Although it cost me halfe of my Estate.

Lan.
No more, some few houres hence expect me.

Exit.
Ber.
Sir, will you take the counsell of a Friend,
And thrust these Sorrows from you? what wud you giue
To purchase such a Garland as you speake of?

Doril.
I thought you Sir of more humanitie,
And better breeding, then to mocke miserie.

Ber.
I donnot mock you, and may accuse you now
For hauing me in such suspition:
We are but young in our Acquaintances,
And that begets these doubts: will you impart
Halfe your Estate to him shud bring you this?

Doril.
All, and become in debt to pay that Man.

Ber.
What doe you iudge your Estate to be, Sir?

Doril.
Better then three hundred pound a yeere.

Ber.
Why that shal do it. Pardon me Sir, I am poore,
And such an Accident as this perhaps,
To make a Fortune, will not in all my Age
Befall againe: nor can you lose by it,
For in her fauours you shall be aduanc'd.

Doril.
Without those wise Considerations,
You instantly shall haue it made to you,
Not in words onely, but in deeds,
If you performe what you propose to me.

Ber.
Why you say wel Sir, wil you now to the Scriueners?

Doril.
Most ioyfully, and with what speed you please.

Ber.
Lead Sir, Ile follow: Is it not strange to see,
That a man shud, as hath bin often showne,
Cure others griefes, yet cannot helpe his owne.

Exeunt.