 | The Tragedie of Mariam, The Faire Queene of Iewry |  |
Scœna 4.
Silleus and Constabarus.Silleus.
Well met Indean Lord, the onely wight
Silleus wisht to see. I am to call
Const.
For what despight
I ready am to heare, and answere all.
But if directly at the cause I gesse
That breeds this challenge, you must pardon me:
And now some other ground of fight professe,
For I haue vow'd, vowes must vnbroken be.
Sill.
What may be your expectation? let me know.
Const.
Why? ought concerning Salom, my sword
Shall not be welded for a cause so low,
A blow for her my arme will scorne t'afford.
Sill.
It is for slandering her vnspotted name,
And I will make thee in thy vowes despight,
Sucke vp the breath that did my Mistris blame,
And swallow it againe to doe her right.
Const.
I prethee giue some other quarrell ground
To finde beginning, raise against my name:
Or strike me first, or let some scarlet wound
Inflame my courage, giue me words of shame,
Doe thou our Moses sacred Lawes disgrace,
Depraue our nation, doe me some despight:
I'm apt enough to fight in any case,
But yet for Salome I will not fight.
Sill.
Nor I for ought but Salome: My sword
That owes his seruice to her sacred name:
Will not an edge for other cause afford,
In other fight I am not sure of fame.
Const.
For her, I pitty thee enough already,
For her, I therefore will not mangle thee:
A woman with a heart so most vnsteady,
Will of her selfe sufficient torture bee.
I cannot enuy for so light a gaine,
Her minde with such vnconstancie doth runne:
As with a word thou didst her loue obtaine,
So with a word she will from thee be wonne.
So light as her possessions for most day
Is her affections lost, to me tis knowne:
As good goe hold the winde as make her stay,
Shee neuer loues, but till she call her owne.
That is both faire, and vilely foule at once:
Though on her out-side graces garnish her,
Her mind is fild with worse then rotten bones.
And euer readie lifted is her hand,
To aime destruction at a husbands throat:
For proofes, Iosephus and my selfe do stand,
Though once on both of vs, she seem'd to doat.
Her mouth though serpent-like it neuer hisses,
Yet like a Serpent, poysons where it kisses.
Silleus.
Well Hebrew well, thou bark'st, but wilt not bite.
Const.
I tell thee still for her I will not fight.
Sille.
Why then I call thee coward.
Const.
From my heart
I giue thee thankes. A cowards hatefull name,
Cannot to valiant mindes a blot impart,
And therefore I with ioy receiue the same.
Thou know'st I am no coward thou wert by
At the Arabian battaile th'other day:
And saw'st my sword with daring valiancy,
Amongst the faint Arabians cut my way.
The blood of foes no more could let it shine,
And twas inameled with some of rhine.
But now haue at thee, not for Salome
I fight: but to discharge a cowards stile:
Here gins the fight that shall not parted be,
Before a soule or two indure exile.
Silleus.
Thy sword hath made some windowes for my blood,
To shew a horred crimson phisnomit:
To breath for both of vs me thinkes twere good,
The day will giue vs time enough to die.
Const:
With all my hart take breath, thou shalt haue time,
And if thou list a twelue month, let vs end:
Into thy cheekes there doth a palenes clime,
Thou canst not from my sword thy selfe defend.
What needest thou for Salome to fight,
Thou hast her, and may'st keepe her, none striues for her:
I willingly to thee resigne my right,
For in my very soule I do abhorre her.
Then not for feare I do this offer make:
Thou art with losse of blood, to fight vnfit,
For here is one, and there another take.
Silleus.
I will not leaue, as long as breath remaines
Within my wounded body: spare your words,
My heart in bloods stead, courage entertaines,
Salomes loue no place for feare affords.
Const:
Oh could thy soule but prophesie like mine,
I would not wonder thou should'st long to die:
For Salome if I aright diuine
Will be then death a greater miserie.
Selles.
Then list, Ile breath no longer.
Const:
Do thy will,
I hateles fight, and charitably kill. I, I, they fight,
Pittie thy selfe Silleus, let not death
Intru'd before his time into thy hart:
Alas it is too late to feare, his breath
Is from his body now about to part.
How far'st thou braue Arabian? Silleus very well,
My legge is hurt, I can no longer fight:
It onely grieues me, that so soone I fell,
Before faire Saloms wrongs I came to right.
Const:
Thy wounds are lesse then mortall. Neuer feare,
Thou shalt a safe and quicke recouerie finde:
Come, I will thee vnto my lodging beare,
I hate thy body, but I loue thy minde.
Silleus.
Thankes a noble Iew, I see a courtious foe,
Sterne camitie to friendship can no art:
Had not my heart and tongue engagde me so,
I would from thee no foe, but friend depart.
My heart to Salome is tide so fast,
To leaue her loue for friendship, yet my skill
Shall be imploy'd to make your fauour last,
And I will honour Constabarus still.
Const:
I ope my bosome to thee, and will take
Thee in, as friend, and grieue for thy complaint:
But if we doe not expedition make,
Thy losse of blood I feare will make thee faint.
To heare a tale with eares preiudicate,
It spoiles the iudgement, and corrupts the sence:
That humane error giuen to euery state,
Is greater enemie to innocence.
It makes vs foolish, heddy, rash, vniust,
It makes vs neuer try before we trust.
It spoiles the iudgement, and corrupts the sence:
That humane error giuen to euery state,
Is greater enemie to innocence.
It makes vs foolish, heddy, rash, vniust,
It makes vs neuer try before we trust.
It will confound the meaning, change the words,
For it our sence of hearing much deceiues:
Besides no time to Iudgement it affords,
To way the circumstance our eare receiues.
The ground of accidents it neuer tries,
But makes vs take for truth ten thousand lies.
For it our sence of hearing much deceiues:
Besides no time to Iudgement it affords,
To way the circumstance our eare receiues.
The ground of accidents it neuer tries,
But makes vs take for truth ten thousand lies.
Our eares and hearts are apt to hold for good,
That we our selues doe most desire to bee:
And then we drowne obiections in the flood
Of partialitie, tis that we see
That makes false rumours long with credit past,
Though they like rumours must conclude as last.
That we our selues doe most desire to bee:
And then we drowne obiections in the flood
Of partialitie, tis that we see
That makes false rumours long with credit past,
Though they like rumours must conclude as last.
The greatest part of vs preiudicate,
With wishing Herods death do hold it true:
The being once deluded doth not bate,
The credit to a better likelihood due.
Those few that wish it not the multitude,
Doe carrie headlong, so they doubts conclude.
With wishing Herods death do hold it true:
The being once deluded doth not bate,
The credit to a better likelihood due.
Those few that wish it not the multitude,
Doe carrie headlong, so they doubts conclude.
They not obiect the weake vncertaine ground,
Whereon they built this tale of Herods end:
Whereof the Author scarcely can be found,
And all because their wishes that way bend.
They thinke not of the perill that ensu'th,
If this should proue the contrary to truth.
Whereon they built this tale of Herods end:
Whereof the Author scarcely can be found,
And all because their wishes that way bend.
They thinke not of the perill that ensu'th,
If this should proue the contrary to truth.
On this same doubt, on this so light a breath,
They pawne their liues, and fortunes. For they all
Behaue them as the newes of Herods death,
They did of most vndoubted credit call:
But if their actions now doe rightly hit,
Let them commend their fortune, not their wit.
They pawne their liues, and fortunes. For they all
Behaue them as the newes of Herods death,
They did of most vndoubted credit call:
But if their actions now doe rightly hit,
Let them commend their fortune, not their wit.
| The Tragedie of Mariam, The Faire Queene of Iewry | |