University of Virginia Library

Scena, 6.

The Duke, Erminia, Althea, the Prince.
Duk.
What's here? silence;
where Fame's loudest tongue
proclaims all Excellency? and solitude,
where she is, who with fames of her excellence
fills all the world? leave, leave this sadnes Madam:
I come to bring you joyful news. Cleander
your noble husband has finished the wars,
and onely attends dispatch of a few affairs,
to return and bring us peace, and you the joy
and happiness of seeing him.

Er.
Your Highness too much honours
your humblest servant, to be messenger
of this your self. Propitious heaven has heard
my prayers for the publique safety then I see,
if Cleander but return with victory.

Duke.
And I hope
You'l have some care of my private safety too,
fair cruel Mistress, and not suffer me
to perish here at home, whilst Cleander so nobly
abroad, preserves us all from perishing.

Er.
Can you remember that my Lord, and be
so unjust and ungrateful to him,
to seek to dishonour him,
who honours you so much;
and tempt me to so vilde ingratitude?

D.
Dishonor is but the blasting of publick breath
let us be private onely in what we do,
and there's no fear of that.

Er.
Whilst there is heaven
and conscience, there' no privacy for sin.

Du.
there is no greater sin then uncharitablenes
and want of love, and of that y'are highly guilty
Erminia. Think on't, and though it be
Empire to be beautiful, yet Majesty
and Beauty share Empire equally betwixt them,
and remember I'm your Prince.

Er.
I do my Lord,
and wod your Highness did but remember't too,
and the mighty obligation Princes have
to be good & vertuous; who are to give example
of goodness, and vertue unto all.
Princes are publick fountains, from whose maners
all others are deriv'd; & if they be infected once,
a general infection necessarily follows:—
and is this the example you give the Prince your
Sonne?

Duk.
Pho! he sees it not, and hears not of it.

Er.
But statues, have ears, and eyes.

Pr.
Will she discover me?

Alt.
What will become of this?
I must finde out some means to send him hence,
or he'l mar all.

Exit.
Duke.
Come, now we are alone,
I must tell you, modesty's a habit
Ladies wear in publick, & it becomes them well:
but in private they alwayes lay't aside,
& so shud you. And if you'd know the difference
'twixt the modest and immodest, 'tis onely this;
t'one puts off their modesties with their clothes,
t'other before, that's all.

Er.
I'le tell you my Lord another difference yet,
the modest stop their ears
'gainst such immodest purposes as these,
and can't endure to be where they are spoke.

Duke.
Stay, you will not leave me, I hope.

Er.
I hope you will not force me?
shud you offer it,
the very statues here (I'm sure) wod stand up
in my defence.

The statue moves.
Duke.
Ha!

Er.
And see the God of War,
in just resentment of the injury
you offer to the best of Warriors,
begins to stir in it.

Enter Althea hastily again.
Alt.
Oh, Madam, Madam!

Er.
What news!

Alt.
My Lords' return'd.

Er.
Is't possible?

Du.
How! without my privity, and unknown to me?
it cannot be.

Er.
Beseech you my Lord be gon.
Cleander loves me more then his life I know,
but his honour more then me. Imagine then
what storms and tempests the clouds of jealousie
to see you here must raise in his noble minde.

Du.
I'm so confounded I know not what to say,
nor what to do.

Exit.
Alt.
So, let him go to's Duchess
to cure his love-sick fever; she's yong & handsom
and having so good remedy at home,
what needs he seek abroad? But for the Prince,
the poor Prince, who's wholly unprovided,
in truth t'were charity to help him.

Er.
Well remember'd help,
help him away
before my Lord comes, by any means.

Alt.
There's no fear of that:
his coming was onely a story feign'd by me
to send the Duke away.

Er.
Nothing else?

Pr.
Excellent Wench,
then I may be my self again.

Er.
Hark, what noise is this!
Leaps down. A noise of fighting within.
clashing of weapons? louder and louder still?
there is some fighting. Althea shut the doors
and call up all our servants.

Exit.
Alt.
What? hoa, Clinias, Cleobulo.

Exit.
Pr.
VVhat shud this be?
the noise comes from the Garden door
where I commanded my followers to attend me,
and let none enter, but make good that passage
till my return. I'le out and see what 'tis.

Drawes, and Exit.