 | VVomen pleas'd |  |
Scæna Prima.
Enter Duchesse, Lords, and Rodope,Duch.
Now, Rhodope, How do you finde my daughter?
Rho.
Madam, I finde her now what you would have her,
What the State wishes her; I urg'd her fault to her,
Open'd her eyes, and made her see the mischiefe
She was running with a headlong will into,
Made her stait at her folly, shake and tremble,
At the meere memory of such an ignorance,
She now contemnes his love, hates his remembrance,
Cannot endure to heare the name of Silvio;
His person spits at.
Duch.
I am glad to heare this.
Rho.
And humbly now to your will, your care, Madam,
Bends her affections, bowes her best obedience;
Syennas Duke, with new eyes now she looks on,
And with a Princely love, fit for his person,
Returnes that happinesse and joy he look't for;
The generall good of both the neighbour Dukedoms,
Not any private end, or rash affection
She aims at now: hearing the Duke ariv'd too,
(To whom she owes all honour, and all service,)
She charg'd me kneele thus at your Graces feet,
And not to rise without a generall pardon.
Duch.
She has it, and my love againe, my old love,
And with more tendernesse I meet this penitence,
Then if she ne're had started from her honour;
I thank ye Rhodope, am bound to thank ye,
And dayly to remember this great service,
This honest faithfull service; go in peace,
And by this Ring, delivered to Bartello,
Let her enjoy our favour, and her liberty,
And presently to this place, with all honour,
See her conducted.
Rho.
Your Grace has made me happy.
Exit.
Enter 1 Lord.
1 Lord.
Syennas noble Duke, craves his admittance.
Enter Duke of Syenna with Attendants.
Duch.
Go, wait upon his Grace; fair Sir, you are welcome,
Welcome to her ever admir'd your vertues:
And now, me thinks, my Court looks true nobly;
You have taken too much pains, Sir.
Syen.
Royall Lady,
To wait upon your Grace is but my service.
Duch.
Keep that Sir, for the Saint ye have vow'd it to.
Syen.
I keep a life for her: Since your Grace pleases
To jump so happily into the matter,
I come indeed to claime your royall promise,
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I come to tender her my youth, my fortune,
My everlasting love.
Enter Belvidere, Bartello, Rhodope, attendance.
Duch.
You are like to win Sir:
All is forgot, forgiven too; no sadnesse
My good Childe, you have the same heart still here,
The Duke of Syenna, Childe, pray use him nobly.
Sy.
An Angell beauty.
Bel.
Your Grace is fairely welcome,
And what in modesty a blushing maid may
Wish to a Gentleman of your great goodnesse;
But wishes are too poore a pay for Princes.
Sy.
You have made me richer then all States and Titles,
One kisse of this white hand's above all honours,
My faith deare Lady, and my fruitfull service,
My duteous zeale—
Bel.
Your Grace is a great Master,
And speake too powerfully to be resisted:
Once more you are welcome Sir, to me you are welcome,
To her that honoures ye; I could say more Sir,
But in anothers tongue 'twere better spoken,
Sy.
As wife as faire, you have made your Servant happy;
I never saw so rich a Mine of sweetnesse.
Duch.
Will your Grace please, after your painfull journy
To take some rest? Are the Dukes Lodgings ready?
Lord.
All Madam.
Duch.
Then wait upon his Grace, all, and to morrow Sir
We'l shew ye in what high esteeme we hold ye,
Till then a faire repose.
Sy.
My fairest service
Exit Duke, &c.
Duch.
You have so honour'd me, my dearest Daughter,
So truly pleas'd me in this entertainment,
I meane your loving carriage to Syenna,
That both for ever I forget all trespasses,
And to secure you next of my full favour,
Aske what you will within my power to grant ye,
Aske freely: and if I forget my promise—
Aske confidently.
Bel.
You are too royall to me,
To me that have so foolishly transgress'd you,
So like a Girle, so far forgot my vertue,
Which now appeares as base and ugly to me,
As did his Dream, that thought he was in Paradice,
Awak'd and saw the Devill; how was I wander'd?
With what eyes could I look upon that poore, that course thing,
That wretched thing call'd Silvio? that (now) despis'd thing?
And lose an object of that gracefull sweetnesse;
That god-like presence as Syenna is?
Darknesse, and cheerfull day had not such difference:
But I must ever blesse your care, your wisedome,
That led me from this labirinth of folly,
How had I sunk else? what example given?
Duch.
Prethee no more, and as thou art my best one,
Aske something that may equall such a goodnesse.
Bel.
Why did ye let him go so slightly from ye,
More like a man in triumph, then condemn'd?
Why did ye make his pennance but a question,
A riddle, every idle wit unlocks.
Duch.
'Tis not so,
Nor do not feare it so: he will not finde it,
I have given that (unlesse my selfe discover it)
Will cost his head.
Bel.
'Tis subject to construction?
Duch.
That it is too.
Bel.
It may be then absolv'd,
And then are we both scorn'd and laugh'd at, Madam;
Beside the promise you have ty'd upon it,
Which you must never keepe.
Duch.
I never meant it.
Bel.
For heaven sake let me know it, 'tis my Suit to ye,
The Boone you would have me aske; let me but see it,
That if there be a way to make't so strong,
No wit nor powerfull reason can run through it,
For my disgrace, I may beg of heaven to grant it.
Duch.
Feare not, it has been put to sharper judgements
Then ere he shall arrive at: my deare Father,
That was as fiery in his understanding,
And ready in his wit as any living,
Had it two yeares, and studied it, yet lost it:
This night ye are my Bed-fellow, there Daughter
Into your bosome ile commit this secret,
And there we'l both take counsell.
Bel.
I shall finde
Some trick I hope too strong yet for his minde.
Exeunt.
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