University of Virginia Library

Scæna Tertia.

Enter Borasco with Arabella prisoner.
Ar.
Good my Lord, for the respect to honour,
Prove courteous to a poor distressed Lady,
And now your prisoner—

Bor.
My prisoner—Not, by this hand, so much,
As I am yours.

(kisses her hand.
Ar.
I should belye my passion, Sir, if I,
Next to the publike destiny of my Country,
Did not resent my own calamity;
But yet your undeserved clemency
Does moderate my misfortunes—

Bor.
How! undeserved—when even Cannibals,
Tam'd by the aspect of your radiant eye,
Would quit their barb'rous, superstitious rites,
And offer, what their gods usurp, to you.

Ar.
Sir, I owe much, I must confess, to nature,
But your applause inflames the bill more high,
'Tis now our common fate to be imprison'd,
But not so common to be thus respected.

Bor.
Lady, what the Lord Barbaro hath ordain'd
I hold it alwayes justice—but because
Your face does speak you one, whom all should honour,
That e're have known what love is, I regrate
This your confinement; the causes of which
Are only known to his excellency,
(Enter Iaylor.
Time will discover all—but here he comes
Who must be your guardian—Sirrah—

Jayl.
Your pleasure, my Lord?

Bor.
By order from the Senate, you'r commanded
To take this Lady in your custody—
See you respect her, Sirrah,—let her not
Be us'd, as other ordinary prisoners.
Mark what I say, you varlet—serve her well.

Jayl.

I shall, forsooth, my Lord, she shall be as well us'd as
any Lady can be in prison.

Bor.
Madam, I'le visit you sometimes, and see
You treated, like an honourable Lady.
This Fellow shall have special care of you,
Command him at all times; and for my service,
Pray spare it not—farewell—she is my prisoner,
(aside.
I shall have fit time yet t'impart my flames.

Exit.
Jayl.

Now, forsooth, Madam, will you be pleased to walk—
I'le conduct you to as neat, a wel-swipp'd, wel-trimm'd Room,
as you can have in many parts of Florence: My Lord Borasco
is a very obliging Gentleman, and I'le assure you, he loves to be
courteous; I will have a care of you for his sake; my Wife, and
I (I must have you acquaint with her, Madam) for she is one of the
loving'st, dutifull, old Sluts, that you have known—

Ar.

Come then, let's go—

Jayl.

—My Wife and I, I say, Madam, shall serve you to a
hair, for she loves to be courteous, as well as my self,

Ar.
Where are my Countrymen lodg'd? I rather
Be with them, as elsewhere—

Jayl.
A Pisan, Madam?

Ar.
No—a Siennois.
There are many Siennois Nobles in my custody.

Ar.
The Lord Marciano: since 'tis my misfortune
To be his Fellow-prisoner.

Jayl.

Madam, you shall see him, for I love to be courteous,
especially to strangers, Madam.

Exeunt.