University of Virginia Library

Scena Prima.

Enter Falorus solus.
Fal.
A potion he hath took, and is orecome
By the deceitful working of't, and lies
As if he had no interest in this life.
Lucora I have sent for, that we may
See how she'l take it, for by her carriage now
We shall perceive if there be any hope.
Enter Cleanthe.
What will the Lady deign her presence here?

Cle.
She will my Lord.

Falo.
Tis well.

Cle.
And is at hand of entring.

Falo.
Prithee Anclethe, bid them bring out my friend.
Exit Cleanthe.
Though once Carionil did not believe
My protestations to him to relinquish
All title to Lucora, yet I meant it:
Were she a Lady farre more excellent,
And richer in the ornaments of Nature;
Did she exceed the fairest of her Sex
More then fine-featur'd Mars the ugliest Satyre;
Were her tongue Musick, and her words enchanting,
And her conditions gentle like a Goddess.
I'de rather carry Ætna in my breast,
Then be disloyal to my friend, farre rather.
Enter Cleanthe, and Servants putting forth a Bed, with Carionil upon it.
Thou art most dutiful, Anclethe;
O Art! Natures most curious imitaciesse,
How like a body late depriv'd of life
Does he lie sleeping without motion!

Enter Lucora, and Nentis.
Cle.
My Lord, the Lady Lucora,

Fal.
Draw back:
But stay you here Anclethe.
Exeunt Servi.
I thank you Lady for this favour to us;
Were Carionil alive he would require it.
He would unto the utmost.

Luc.
My Lord,
I'me sorry that a gentleman reputed ever
Most wise, and voyced by a general fame
To be complete and perfect in all goodness,
(The which Carionil was) should thus destroy
The great opinion all the world had of him:
His depriving himself of his own life
For that foolish affection he bare me,
(I having often told him that he spent
His service barrenly, and that it would
Yield him no fruit) was such a weakness in him,
That his lives honour his deathes shame hath ruin'd,
Hither I came at his dying request,
Which (his Boy told me) was to have me see
What my obdurateness hath urg'd him to;
For so he term'd it: his desire is satisfi'd:
Were he alive agen I could not love him.
Sir, I should love him less for the poor weakness
This act accuses him of, I should, believe me;
And so my Lord I take my leave.

Nent.
Had I been his Mistris he had liv'd.— Aside.


Fal.
Stay Lady,
Shew more respect, for truly he deserv'd it.

Clean.
But kiss his lips, if you will do no more.

Luc.
The Boy and all.

Clean.
Speaks reason.

—Aside
Luc.
His will I have accomplish'd. Farewell Sir.

Exeunt Luco. and Nent.
Fal.
Hath she a heart? or if she have, what mettal or stone is it of?
Dost thou not think (Anclethe) that man happy
Who's free from all the molestations
That are concomitants to affection,
And to the grievous bondage of a woman?

Cle.
My Lord contingently.

Fal.
Thy timeless inexperience doth deceive thee:
Believe me boy, there does not live a woman
Who more then complementally is my Mistris.

Cle.
Sir, you do not fear to love one of them?

Fal.
Yes: and the Gods keep me still in that fear:
Sure such another as Lucora put out Cupids eyes.
O women, women!

Cle.
Truly my Lord I do believe all Ladies
Are not cruel; indeed I do.

Fal.
Thou art too young to be suspected; otherwise
I should think that some subtile false one had
Beguil'd thy youth. Nature has work'd the Potion out.

Cle.
My Lord recovers strength.

Car.
How ist?

Fal.
How does my friend?

Car.
Repeat my destiny.

Fal.
Receive it with as calm a quietness
As I deliver it: your ear!

—Privately.
Cle.
Vouchsafe him patience, O ye Gods.

Car.
When huge-wav'd Rivers from the earths high banks
Precipitate themselves into the Ocean,
Will stilness follow? Can you think then, can you,
I may be quiet? was Iove so, when the great
Brood of the Earth, the Giants did assay
Olympus conquest? Can I then a poor
Dejected man be calm, when all the misery
The world can send it pours on me fully?
Æolus, run thy ventrous sword again
Into the Rocks, and give an Issue to
The winds, that they may with their irefull blasts
Remove the world from off it's stedfast hinge.
Or blow the Pole-Stars out, and so let fall
This Globe we breath on. Or (by whirlwinds force)
Both Sexes collect together, and carry them
In't places opposite; The one into
The Arctick, the other the Southern Regions,
And let them of themselves propagate the like:
So womens Tyrannies can do no ill,
And men perform what one another will.

Fal.
This savours frantickly.

Cle.
Deprive him not of reason, but exalt
Him to himself, O heavens! Ah me!

Car.
Tis true. The sea is alwaies full of water,
(The Lands do relieve it) and yet has no cause
For lamentation, but wofull man
Hath but a few, indeed a very few
Salt tears to mollifie the burthenous draught
Of misery which his malignant Stars
Compell him to endure.
What? his Mistris venome obstinacy? not possible,
Tis unsufferable, above our frail carriage.

Fal.
The word friend, waies all titles of honour down,
And therefore not by them, but that I beseech you
Not to neglect your self. I've lately known
The time when death almost inevitable
Could not unfix your thoughts. This cause is weaker.

Car.
How!

Fal.
Believe me friend.

Car.
Believe you! I would believe thee friend,
Didst thou affirm absurdest contraries:
That the Sun was extinguished, and the bright
Moon was blown out, and all the Stars were faln,
And nature (yet harmonious) disordered
Into another Chaos, I would believe you:
For rather then you should pronounce a falshood,
Things that are not would be.

Fal.
Alas! you are distempered;
I grieve to see you so for so poor a cause.

Car.
It is a weighty one, and if the brave
Fam'd off-spring of Alcmena had endur'd it,
He had enlarg'd his labours to thirteen,
And been another wonder to the world.
But (noblest friend) you know the History,
How he the knotty club did lay aside,
Put off the rough Nemæan skin, and don'd
Maidens apparrel, for the love he bore
To ruin'd Picus daughter, young Iole.

Fal.
But he nere offer'd violence to himself.

Cle.
He did not Sir, be counsel'd by your friend,
Do my good Lord.

Car.
He had not cause, she did return him love;
And (except in this case) I would suffer
Beyond expression from another hand,
Without a thought to use my own. But you
May say I'me passionate: tis right, I am so
I know't, and you cannot expect less from me
Were I as free from love as you have known me.
You should not taxe me with that fault, although
Unstable fortune made an Irus of me:
But you may call this boasting.

Fal.
Far be it from me, tis a perfect truth.

Cle.
Ah, Alas!

Car.
Leave sighing boy prethee.

Fal.
Come,
You shall be temperate again (my friend)
And have fair likelyhood to obtain your Lady.

Car.
Impossible!

Fal.
I've form'd the plot already, you must be, draw near.

Car.

How a Negro, an Ethiopian! t'is frivolous.
She is too obdurate, most obstinate.

Fal.

Hath she not refused the bravest and handsomest
gentlemen of this kingdome?

You cannot deny it. Be therefore counselled,
She that cannot love a man of a better complexion,
On one of them may settle her affection.

Car.

I have some hope again, you shall stay with my
friend, refuse it not I prethee.

For many conveniences it is necessary; I every day
shall see thee, and shortly will take thee agen.

Cle.
My Lord, I beseech you.

Car.
Nay, my Anclethe let me not use words,
As thou dost love me deny me not.

Cle.
Sir, I am charm'd, and will obey you.

Fal.
Come, lets walk, and I'le instruct you fully.

Exeunt Omnes.