University of Virginia Library

Scene 4.

Orgula, Mundolo.
Or.
To night, Mundolo, saist thou?

M.
Madam, this Night Fidelius must depart.

Or.
What is the Reason of his sudden hast?

Mu.
Unless a letter lately sent my Lord
Ambigamor, my Observation
Can suggest no other.

Or.
Must the malignance of my stars at once
Precipitate my Hopes, their rigour yet
Had taught me sufferance, if the change had
But flatter'd me to a suspence of Doubt,
Though it ne're reacht to farther certainty.

Mu.
Be not so mov'd. A fertile industry
Makes easie paths through ev'ry difficulty:
Mine, as in Duty bound, presents it self
To th'undertaking.

Or.
Endeavours happy that pretend to be,
Must work on Subjects have capacity.

Mu.
Madam, this falls within that quality,
Though your fears lend it other appearance.
Were my life free (though far too mean a pledge
For your displeasure) it most willingly
Should ballance the Event.

Or.
What can be done on such an Exigent?

Mu.
His journey may protracted be.

Or.
Those purposes do many hazards run
Are grounded but on Possibilitie.
Where is the means?

Mu.
To that,
Occasion is the fairest Minister,
Leave to my vigilance the Charge.

Or.
Thy subtlety I know still equall is
To thy Fidelity. And neither shall
Return from my Imployment empty.

Mu.
Your honors bounty is my providence.

Or.
How fleeting are th'impressions of my minde:
Were this successful my distracted thoughts
Would in themselves a new division finde.
This innate passion of Supremacy,
Which the Soul holdeth from the Excellency
Of her own Nature; scarce will intermit
To her self
To the Repugnance of anothers force.
Were but the Motions of Ambition trac'd,
Each President would shew; ev'n wantonness,
(When her Rites were in question) lost the use
Of sense: yet were these flames springs of delight,
If but one object could them both unite

Mu.
Madam, your thoughts seem overcast again
With trouble: Appease them in assurance
Of my trust.

Or.
Mundelo, thy faith hath ever been,
Without reserve, the closet of my brest.
To limmit it with a Restriction now,
Were to offend thy Intrest, and betray
My own: know then Mundolo, I do finde
A contradiction in my own desire,
And cannot reconcile the difference:
One part we have concluded on; th'other
Remains without in Expectation
Of my last Resolution.

Mu.
Do's your Honour mean my Lord Protector.

Or.
I do; He with new violence pursues
His Pretences to a sudden Issue.

Mu.
What obstacle
In this can move you to deliberate?

Or.
Is it not apparently repugnant
To my Love; to yeeld my self unto
Another End?

Mu.
To this your fairest way, If I might be
Your guide: This youth is of condition mean,
And can not meet your wish, without reproach,
Which shrouded with anothers title might
Be done: custome makes it warrantable.
Wealth moves the world, yet is Loves Minister:
First we contract with this, then joyn with that.
Husbands are us'd, as Properties in Scenes,
To keep the inward motions undiscover'd.

Or.
We 'gainst our Reason easily conclude
When oversway'd by sense: Admit this were
To her self
As you would figure it. It must distaste
A Virgin to yeeld up the passion
Of her first Embraces, from him she loves
Deservedly, to Age and Impotence.

Mu.
Nor that, nor this, if you relie on me;
That Brain is shallow, which is onely led
By common consequence, wisdom creates
New means, where none to sense was visible;
And fashions subjects were irregular
Directly to her Purposes.

Or.
Such is the force of wisdome, I must grant;
But not as plac'd in our Humanity.

Mu.
Distrust is onely our Infirmity:
Our faculties oft fail us in their use,
Wanting assurance to support their strength:
Yet to confirm your thoughts, I will disclose
The manner: My Father was an Artist,
Madam, honoured in his time, though since,
The ignorance of every mounting Jack,
Hath made the Function infamous. Of his
I have a Lodanum, so rarely mixt,
One scruple giv'n in any liquid thing,
Holds with so dull a vapour ev'ry sense,
No force can wake them from its violence,
Till the course of the Operation pass.
This but infus'd upon your wedding night
Into his Cup you seemingly do yeeld,
The more agreeing Object I will bring
Unto your Bed.

Or.
How bold are servile mindes,
To her self.
Upon the least discov'ry of our ills,
To tempt us unto greater—I obey:
—Intermission.
Love and Ambition must work any way.
Mundolo, to warrant thy endeavours,
The Law allows me power of thy life;
To gratifie them, if successfull, I
Will raise thy Bondage 'bove thy Liberty.

Mu.
I finde it so already, Madam,

Or.
It shall have larger proofs; I'th' interim,
Give the direction to your own advice.

Mu.
Your honour then should suddenly conclude
Your Marriage with Sinevero: which done,
The rest lies in my execution.

Or.
Follow thy course; be to thy self thy Fate,
Procure me Love; or to thy self my Hate.
Ex. Orgula

Mu.
The true Reward of forward Servitude,
I have too farr proceeded to look back:
My safety now must be the nighest end.

Ambigamor, Fidelius, Ent.
Mu.
Hah! so nigh!
withdraws behind the hanging Amb.
I must lye close for new discovery.

Amb.
This to thy Master give with diligence;
Tell him the time and place inscribed shall
gives Fi. two letters.
Present me to his succour: to which add
My Love. Farewell honest Fidelius.

Amb. embraces Fi.
Fi.
Your Honours humble Servant.

Ex. Amb. Fi. severall wayes.
Mu.
Sir, my Lord Ambigamor.
Mundolo discovers himself, and runs hastily after Fi. re-ex. Fi.
Hath somewhat farther to impart to you.

Fi.
Which way went he?

Mu.
This way Sir,
points to a contrary way.
So, I'le follow, and close him in his cage,
seems to lock a door on him.
If there he struggle, vain shall be his Rage.
Ex. Mun.