University of Virginia Library

Scena prima

Enter the King and Rufinus
King
Away iniurious man
Tyssiphone must learne to Immitate
those balefull tortures thou hast put mee too
with thy protraction, a willing Suter
might well ere this haue tempted wooed and wonne
and seene the longing fruite of hott desire
with blusshes call him father, while thou art fumling
Impatience brookes no stay, by heauen but that

Ruf.
Come spare yr threats, or I shall spare my seruice
if I had knowne, yr madnes had preferd
a suddaine fall before deliberate comfort,
I could haue fitted you,

King.
Bringst thou comfort then

Ru:
Yes, were yr eares prepared to entertaine it

Kin.
pardon a Louers passion deare Rufinus
is beautious Philadelph«i»a then content
to make her heauen for so is euery place,
where shee celestiall Starr shall daigne to shine
in our yett duskish Court, wc h if she doe
Memnons miraculous Pallace Sett by ours
shall seeme a Cottage or some Courser building
why stands my Mercury mute, speake will my loue
be pleas'd these circling Armes shall be her spheare
while our loude Kisses make the Musique harsh
the Intellegencers on the Wingd Sphears
sound so diuinely

Ruf.
Sr you are too hasty
yr eger appetite must wayte a while
on Ceremony, twould not fit the state
of such a high borne Lady to discend
or come at first beck

King.
Wheres yr comfort then

Ruf
Sbloud giue mee leaue or starue, ile keepe it still

King
Come, come, my rage is ore prethee proceede
how did shee stand thy parly, with what lookes
or patience, entertaine thy Embassie,

Ru:

King.
What time must wee expect

Ru:
But ten short daies,

Kin.
But ten short daies dost say, the seige of Troy
was shorter far, tho«o» it were ten twelue moones
[the Limping fier God neare was halfe so hott
vppon the Gorgon armd mineruas loue
as I am vpon hers] before that time
if Tullius do surviue he may returne.
then where were all my hopes noe Iu'e a plott
to giue slowe tyme newe Winges should loues bright flame
liue ten daies here vnquencht
twould turne mee into ashes, harke tis thus
too morrowes Sun by Tymes alternate course
lights the first day that gaue lif to these eyes
which as propitious wee will celebrate
and make an Edict, that what Lord or Lady
any of noble bloud within ten miles
that shall abstaine from Court shall be condembd
as guilty of contemning Maiestie,

Ru:
What availes this

King:
fye art thou shallowe yett
amongst the rest my Angell will appeare
a White Albanian amongst Ethiops sett
she being a stranger and vnskild at Court
her doubtfull steps may easilie be diuerted
some Demis way into some priuate place, where only loue & I
will waite on her, how likest it man,

Ruf:
Tis rare
A more invincible and cuning nett
then for Gradanus, the black Cuckold made

King
Lett it be stright diuuld'ge, till yt wisht hower
the tyme with mirth and musick weele beguile
Exit King

Ruf.
Is thy besotted sences soe soone fooled then
Childish Martius, to thinke the Cuckolding
of him my soule abhors can end my anger
Tis like that Philadelph«i»a may beled
from Vestaes Temple vnto Venus Bower
and Tullius browes may sprout, but what of this
great Kings haue had the like, nay there be those
aboue the Christall skye armed on there foreheads,
no my swift revenge
shall snatch his thred of life from lingring fate
and teare it into Automs, thats the end
my fierie rage must point att,
the Kings all sett on lust, murders a sinn
too high for his lowe spiritt:
heere I haue framed a letter that discouers
his hott desire, Armanus trechery
and Philadelph«i»as Weakenes, this hid furie
Ile send him as a freind, wc h when he reads
iust then begins his ruine, he is bold
and full of furie, then in his fell rage
heele either leaue the Campe wt h his liues hazard
or plott some shallowe Treason gain'st the Kinge
of power and [force] force enough to take of his
Pedester, come as wisht for, take this Letter
En: Ped:
post to the Campe, giue it the Generall,
or some that neere attends him, be not slowe
I know thy trust, my only care shalle
to study recompence, so nowe tis donne
Exit. Ped.
the God of wrath sitts on my bended Browe
triumphantly attir'd in Tirian Scarlett
Im'e ouer rackt, with expectation
of the euent, this plott will traine him too,
if this should faile, I haue an other snare
the Diuell cannot shun, [a desperate man
that climbes a Tower, whose topp the winde nere tutcht
must charie be lifting his resolute foote
or headlong downe he comes,] fate and I
so cuningly haue formdthis Tragedy
the curioust [looker on] til't be done
knowes not wc h way, t'will end nor how begun.
Exit Ruf