 | The Maid of Honovr |  |
Scene. III.
Camiola: divers servants with presents: Sylli, Clarinda.Sylli.
VVhat are all these?
Clar.
Sevants with serverall presents,
And rich ones too.
1. Serv.
With her best wishes, Madam,
Of many such daies to you, the Lady Petula
Presents you with this fanne.
2. Serv.
This Diamond
From your Aunt Honoria.
3. Serv.
This piece of plate
From your Vncle, old Vincentio, with your armes
Graven upon it.
Cam.
Good friends they are too.
Munificent in their love, and favour to me.
Out of my cabinet returne such jewells
As this directs you, for your paines; and yours;
Nor must you be forgotten. Honour mee
With the drinking of a health.
1. Serv.
Gold on my life!
She scornes to give base silver.
3. Serv.
VVould she had beene
Borne every moneth in the yeere!
1. Serv.
Moneth? every day.
2. Serv.
Shew such another maid.
3.
All happinesse wait you.
Exeunt Sylli, Clarinda, Servants.
Sylli.
I'll see your will done.
Cam.
How, Adorny wounded?
Enter Adorni wounded.
Ador.
A scratch got in your service, else not worth
Your observation; I bring not Madame
In honour of your birth-day, anticque plate,
Or pearle, for which the savage Indian dives
Into the bottome of the Sea; nor Diamonds
Hewne from steepe rockes with danger: Such as give
To those that have what they themselves want, aime at
A glad returne with profit: yet despise not
My offering at the altar of your favour;
Nor let the lownesse of the giver lessen
The height of whats presented. Since it is
A pretious jewell, almost forfeyted,
And dimn'd with clouds of infamy redeem'd
And in in its naturall splendor, with addition,
Restor'd to the true owner.
Cam.
How is this?
Ador.
Not to hold you in suspence, I bring you, Madame,
Your wounded reputation cur'd, the sting
Of virulent malice, festring your faire name,
Pluck'd out and trode on. That proud man, that was
Deny'd the honour of your bed, yet durst
With his untrue reports, strumpet your fame,
Compell'd by mee, hath given himselfe the lye,
And in his owne blood wrote it, you may read
Fulgentio subscrib'd.
Cam.
I am amaz'd!
Adorn.
It does deserve it, Madam. Common service
Is fit for hindes, and the reward proportion'd
As a follower of your fathers fortunes, or
One that subsists on yours, you frowne! my service
Merits not this aspect.
Cam.
Which of my favours,
I might say bounties, hath begot, and nourish'd
This more then rude presumption? since you had
An itch to try your desperate valour, wherefore
Went you not to the warre? couldst thou suppose
My innocence could ever fall so low,
As to have need of thy rash sword to guard it
Against malicious slander? O how much
Those Ladies are deceiv'd and cheated, when
The clearnesse and integrity of their actions
Doe not defend themselves, and stand secure
On their owne bases? Such as in a colour
Of seeming service give protection to 'em,
Betray their owne strengthes. Malice scorn'd, puts out
It selfe, but argu'd, gives a kinde of credit
To a false accusation. In this
This your most memorable service, you beleev'd
You did me right, but you have wrong'd mee more
In your defence of my undoubted honour,
Then false Fulgentio could.
Adorn.
I am sorry, What
Was so well intended, is so ill receiv'd,
Yet under your correction you wish'd
Ente Clarinda
Bertoldo had beene present.
Cam.
True I did:
But he and you, Sir, are not parallells,
Nor must you thinke your selfe so.
Adorn.
I am what
You'll please to have mee.
Cam.
If Bertoldo had
Punish'd Fugentio's insolence, it had showne
His love to her, whom in his judgement hee
Which you dare not aspire to. The same actions
Sure not all men alike: but I perceive
Repentance in your lookes. For this time leave me
I may forgive, perhaps forget your folly,
Conceale your selfe till this storme be blowne over.
You will be sought for, yet for my estate
Gives him her hand to kisse.
Can hinder it, shall not suffer in my service.
Ador.
This is something yet, tho I mist the mark I shot at.
Exit Adorni
Cam.
This Gentleman is of a noble temper.
And I too harsh, perhaps in my reproofe,
Was I not Clarinda?
Clarind.
I am not to censure
Your actions Madame: but there are a thousand
Ladies, and of good fame, in such a cause.
Would be proud of such a servant.
Cam.
It may be;
Enter a Servant.
Let me offend in this kinde. Why uncall'd for?
Serv.
The Signiors, Madame, Gasparo and Anthonio,
(Selected friends of the renowned Bertoldo)
Put a shore this morning.
Cam.
Without him?
Serv.
I thinke so.
Cam.
Never thinke more then.
Serv.
They have beene at Court.
Kiss'd the Kings hand; and there first duties done
To him, appeare ambitions to tender
To you their second service.
Cam.
Waite 'em hither.
Eexeunt Servant.
Feare doe not racke me, reason, now if ever,
Haste with thy ayds, and tell me such a wonder,
As my Bertoldo is, with such care fashion'd,
Enter Anthonio. Gasparo. Serv.
Must not, nay cannot, in hev'ns providence,
So soone miscarry; pray you forbeare, ere you
Take the priviledge, as strangers to salute mee,
(Excuse my manners) make me first understand,
Ber.
The relation
Will not I feare deserve your thankes.
Antho.
I wish
Some other should informe you.
Cami,
Is she dead?
You see, though with some feare, I dare enquire it.
Gasp.
Dead! Would that were the worst, a debt were pay'd then,
Kings in their birth owe nature.
Cami.
Is there ought
More terrible then death?
Antho.
Yes to a spirit
Like his. Cruell imprisonment, and that
Without the hope of freedome.
Cami.
You abuse me,
The royall King cannot in love to vertue,
(Though all springs of affection were dri'd up)
But pay his ransome.
Gasp.
When you know what 'tis
You will thinke otherwise; No lesse will do it
Then fifty thousand crownes.
Cam.
A prettie sum,
The price waigh'd, with the purchase, 50. thousand?
To the King 'tis nothing. He that can spare more
To his minion for a masque, cannot but ransome
Such a brother at a million, you wrong
The Kings magnificence.
Antho.
In your opinion,
But 'tis most certaine. He does not alone
In himselfe refuse to pay it, but forbids
All other men.
Cam.
Are you sure of this?
Gasp.
You may reade
The edict to that purpose, publish'd by him,
That will resolve you.
Cami.
Possible! pray you stand off,
My heart will breake; yet I will not curse him,
He is my king. The newes you have delivered,
Makes me wearie of your company, wee'll salute
When we meete next. I'll bring you to the dore,
Nay pray you no more complements.
Gasp.
One thing more
And that's substantiall. Let your Adorni.
Looke to himselfe.
Antho.
The king is much incens'd
Against him for Fulgentio.
Camio.
As I am
For your slownesse to depart
Both.
Farewell swoet Lady.
Exeunt Gaspa. Antho.
Cam.
O more then impious times! when not alone
Subordinate Ministers of justice are
Corrupted, and seduc'd, but kings themselves,
(The greater wheeles by which the lesser move)
Are broken or disjonted; could it be else
A king, to sooth his politique ends, should so far
Forsake his honor, as at once to breake
Th'Adamant chaines of nature and religion,
To binde up Atheisme, as a defence
To his darke counsailes? will it ever be
That to deserve too much is dangerous,
And vertue, when too eminent a crime?
Must she serve fortune still? or when stripp'd of
Her gay, and glorious favours, loose the beauties
Of her owne naturall shape? O my Bertoldo!
Thou onely Sun in honors Spheare, how soone
Art thou eclipsed and darkened! not the nearnesse
Of blood prevailing on the king; nor all
The benefits to the generall good dispens'd
Gayning a retribution! But that
To owe a courtesie to a simple Virgin
Would take from the deserving, I finde in me
Might rise into a flame, and in men darken
Their usurp'd splendor. Ha! my aime is high,
And for the honor of my sex to fall so,
Can never prove inglorious. 'Tis resolv'd:
Call in Adorni.
Clar.
I am happy in
Such imployment, Madam.
Exit Clarin.
Cam.
Hee's a man,
I know that at a reverend distance loves me,
And such are ever faithfull: What a Sea
Of melting ice I walke on! what strange censures
Am I to undergoe! but good intents
Deride all future rumors.
Ador.
I obey
Exit Clarin. & Adorn.
Your summons, Madam.
Cam.
Leave the place Clarinda,
One woman, in a secret of such waight,
Wisemen may thinke too much, nearer Adorni.
I warrant it with a smile.
Adorn.
I cannot aske
Safer protection, what's your will?
Cami.
To doubt
Your ready desire to serve me, or prepare you
With the repetition of former merits,
Would in my diffidence wrong you. But I will
And without circumstance, in the trust that I
Impose upon you, free you from suspition.
Adorn.
I foster none of you.
Cami.
I know you do not.
You are Adorni by the love you owe me.
Adorn.
The surest conjuration.
Cami.
Take me with you,
Love borne of duty, but advance noe further,
You are Sir as I sayd to do me service,
To undertake a taske, in which your faith,
That's good, must be ingag'd, nor must you studie
In the execution, but what may make
For the ends I aime at.
Adorn.
They admit no rivalls.
Cam.
You answer well, you have heard of Bertoldo's
Captivity? and the kings neglect? the greatnesse
Of his ransome, fiftie thousand crownes, Adorni,
Two parts of my estate.
Ador.
To what tends this?
Cam.
Yet I so love the gentleman (for to you
I will confesse my weaknesses) that I purpose
Now, when he is forsaken by the king,
And his owne hopes to ransome him, and receive him
Into my bosome as my lawfull husband,
Adorni starts and seems troubl'd
Why change you colour
Ador.
'Tis in wonder of
Your vertue, Madam.
Cami.
You must therefore to
Si na for mee, and pay to Gonzaga
This ransome for his liberty, you shall
Have bills of exchange along with you. Let him sweare
A solemne contract to me, for you must be
My principall witnesse, if he should. But why
Do I entertaine these jealousies? you will do this?
Adorn.
Faithfully, Madam. But not live long after
aside
Cam.
One thing I had forgot. Besides his freedome
He may want accomodations, furnish him
According to his birth. And from Camiola
Deliver this kisse, printed on your lips
kisses him
Seal'd on his hand! you shall not see my blushes,
I'll instantly dispatch you.
Exit Camiola.
Adorni.
I am halfe
Hang'd out of the way already, was there ever
Poore lover so imploy'd against himselfe
To make way for his rivall? I must doe it,
Recompence beyond hope, or imagination
Let it fall on mee in the other world,
As a reward, for in this I dare not hope it.
Exit
| The Maid of Honovr | |