University of Virginia Library

Scena Quarta.

Garamont, Montalto.
Gar.
Nay, seeke not to disswade me, you as soone
May with your fingers bend the aged oake,
Coole Autumn with your breath, or therewithall
Enforce the winde back to its hollow cave,
As change in me my resolution.

Mon.
But yet a little patience: doe you heare
How she takes on? how she doeth tear her hayre,
Wring hands, denye her selfe all nourishment?
Save what as drinke she in her teares receives.
Thinke you if she were guilty, or had not
As dearely loved Bellamour as he
Doted on her, she could dissemble thus?

Gar.
Bugge-beares to cozzen boyes withall; to me
All this you say makes her appeare more blacke,
More fowly guilty; is there any thing
Can bite like to the sting of conscience?
And 'tis my comfort in my friend's behalfe,
My dead, my too much injur'd friend's behalfe,
To see her so tormented.

Enter to them King, Arnaldo, Argales, Philocres, with Attendants.
King.
He was to blame, not for that he aspir'd
So high as dare to love my Florabell,
But for that
He did conceale his love, had he made me
Acquainted with it, I should or have had
Disswaded him, and strove t'appease his flame
With wholesome lenitives, or else have given
Her freely to him, for a Gentleman
So bred and so well parted as was he
Is a fit match for any woman.

Phil.
Sir,
The Gods are just and shape their punishments
As men demerit; so have they now quencht
Proud Bellamour's too high aspiring flame.

Arg.
Prince, you may thanke the Gods 'tis as it is,
He'd pluck a feather else with you e'faith,
Should he but heare this.

Arn.
What meanes Garamont
To struggle so with Lord Montalto?

Gar.
Most mighty Sir, since what I have to say
Must like a pointed dagger pierce your heart,
And yet I needes must say it, 'would 'twere said,
And I were straightway in my Coffin layd.

King.
What mighty burden travells he withall?
Out with it, Garamont, you had not wont
To be so moov'd with trifles; I'm prepar'd
Be't what it will to give you patient hearing.

Gar.
And you had neede of patience, Sir, to heare it,
Were't not my friend, my best friend Bellamour
That bids me on, bids me go boldly on,
To see his injur'd love, his death reveng'd,
I'd sooner bite my tongue out than relate
So dismall tydings, Sir, as this will prove,
But the name, friend, annulls other respects,
How many or how great so'ere they be,
Therefore, Sir, take it thus, fayre Florabell
Hath murdered Bellamour.

King.
The man sure raves.
How could she murder him who drown'd himselfe?

Gar.
I'le tell you how Sir; 'tis not now unknowe'n
That Bellamour lov'd Florabell, and I
Though perhaps you not know so much, doe know
She seem'd to meete his love with equall fire,
But her's was counterfeit, celestiall his.
Last night unluckily he light on me,
And as I guesse feareing some Treachery,
Will'd me to tarry in a certaine place
Till he should call; I fearing some mishap
Broke his Command and stole up neerer to him,
Where many minutes had not past, e're we
Might see the Princesse Florabell
Appeare on the Balcony, and throw downe
A silken ladder, by the which straightway
A muffled man climb'd up, and in our sights
Did kisse, embrace, enjoy your Florabell.

King.
Be well advis'd e're you for truth affirme
A businesse of this nature; justly poyse
The consequences which thereon depend;
And suffer not your sorrow so transport you
For your friend's losse, as you may thereby runne
Hazzard of life your selfe; you know the Law;
Recant your rash assertion and in grace
I'le attribute it to transcendent passion.

Gar.
Most mighty Sir, I am not ignorant
Of what weight this my accusation is,
Nor have I rashly run upon't, before
Due consideration had in every point.
I first have thought upon the griefe immense
It must cause in your Majesty, and then
Upon the hatred I shall draw from all
Good men and women on my selfe, nor can
I blame them for it. I should doe the like
To any one were in my case. I know
Your daughter's reputation, held for such
As had not these eyes seene, and these eares heard
What yesternight I did both heare and see,
And did not as effect thereof ensue
My dearest friend's untimely end, I should
Have beene the first would have return'd the lye
Downe the appearing slaunderer's throate. I know
The Law likewise; which doomes to death what mayde
Soe're she be, that is accus'd t'have lost
Her honour, forfeited her name
By knowledge of a man, before 'twixt him
And her the hymenean rights have past:
Unlesse some one will undertake her quarrell
And with his sword in hand e're three dayes passe
Maintayne th'accused virgin's honour 'gainst
Th'accuser, which if he doe overcome
The virgin's set at liberty, and he
That did accuse her justly undergoes
What punishment the law would inflict on her;
But if the undertaker loose the day
Whereby 'tis judg'd th'accuser was i'th'right
The virgin suffers: All this I know,
And Sir, beleeve me, and you Gentlemen,
Whose angry lookes with patience I sustayne,
I'm no less griev'd than you; no lesse incenst
Than you, or any of you 'gainst my selfe,
But should I not performe this latest duty
To my dead friend, I'm 'fraid his ghost would finde
No resting place, whilst I, who know the Cause
Of his disaster seeke not to appease
His wounded soule with coveted revenge.
'Tis therefore Sir (your pardon humbly begg'd
As your's Lords all for this my sad assertion)
That heere I offer to maintaine 'gainst all
The world that Florabella's false,
And for the prostitution she hath made
Of her fayre body to the fowler touch
Of man, is by the Lawes ordayn'd to death.

King.
I cannot on the sudden call to minde
Any so haynous sinne by me committed, as might deserve
This height of punishment; but sure the Gods
Are just; to doubt the contrary were to
Provoke them to more dire revenge; and yet
I cannot guesse what more of horrour
Can me betide. But cease, such talke as this
Full ill becomes a Prince's mouth.
Surely they know both what my crime hath beene
Which merited this lash of theirs, and how
Yet more to humble me, if I not take
This their correction calmely: I have drunke
Deepe of their mercyes, tasted more of them
Than many others, for I ne're till now
Saw fortune pourtraited with knitted browes:
Than unaccustom'd to such frownes as this,
Pardon these teares; these obsequies perform'd
To thy dead name my Florabella, now
Let's take such speedy order as we may
For the performance of the Lawes decrees.
Arnaldo, see straight proclamation made
How that my daughter is accus'd, of what,
By whom, and what she is to undergoe
If none in three dayes space her cause maintaine
Against th'accuser, and by vanquishing
Of him, acquit her of the death, which else
She is to suffer.

Arn.
I'le forthwith see your Majestye's command
In execution put, but I had rather
Have shew'd my forwardnesse, my will to serve you
In ought by thought can be conceiv'd, than this.

Phil.
Be not too much caste downe, most mighty Sir,
I'le pawne my life the Lady's innocent
Of once committing such a thing in thought,
And Garamont's a fowle-mouth'd slanderer.

Gar.
Prince, if you please by hazzard of that life
You'll pawne, to prove me so, the question soone
Will be decided, but if (as much I doubt)
Your acting correspond not with your words
I shall make bold to say y'are a paultry Prince.

Phil.
I should be loath to put so fowle disgrace
Upon this nation, unto which I am
So vow'd a vassall, as to undertake
(Being a stranger) that, which should I doe,
Would much redound to all our nation's shame.

Arn.
How discreete
He's in his apologies, pockes upon him;
O that the fates had pleas'd have dish't in him
For food for Haddockes 'stead of Bellamour!
The King is wondrous sad, nor can I blame him,
It is an humour they which feede upon
Will hardly e're be satisfide with, it needes
No sawse for shoing horne to draw it on;
And therefore best withstand its first assaults.
Sir, pardon, if I interrupt your serious thoughts,
And take the boldnesse on me to advise
Your Majesty not suffer sadnesse seize
Too much your soule; the Gods afflict not thus
But where they love; and surely if you take
This their correction calmely as you ought
Their hand's not short'ned; they will multiply
Blessings equivalent.

King.
How different a thing it is to give
Counsell, and take it. This playster, Patience
Is no fit salve for all sores, mine alas!
Is of a more contagious sort, the part is gangren'd,
Corrosives or sword to cut it off,
Not lenitives must be apply'd; she is my childe,
Thinke but on that, my friend.

Mont.
Sir, we are all your children, you
Father unto us all, Rex pater patriæ,
Your kingdomes wellfare doth depend on your's.
Suffer not then that we your Subjects all,
Your loyall Subjects, by the bad events
Which may ensue on this your melancholly,
Prove Orphans.

King.
Though Kings pay their debt to heaven
The people seldome want a father long.

Mont.
O Sir, but many Ages may passe o're, e're we
Having lost you (which God prohibit) be
Blest with the like. But Sir, methinkes it would
Better become your Majesty to doe, than thinke;
Rowse up your spirits Sir, and let us all
Consult by what blest meanes
We may your daughter free from Calumny.
Be pleas'd goe in, and have your Counsell summon'd,
Many eyes see more than one.

King.
I thanke you for
Your wholesome Counsell, which I thus obey.

(Exeunt.