 | The Combat of Love and Friendship |  |
ACT. 5.
SCEN. 1.
Theocles. Artemone. Hyperia.Art.
I would you had still kept the cause unknown
Of this your fatal Combat, sure I am,
'Thas bred a Mutiny within my soul,
Scatter'd Seditious wars through all my thoughts.
O Brother! you have made me break a faith
Firm as the Rock of Diamonds, and as precious.
I must confesse continual waves of Fear
And Jealousie much dash't it, and endeavour'd
At least to overwhelm that which they could not
Shake from its firmer station; yet it stood
Unmov'd, though not discover'd. O Lysander!
What will thy Innocence conceive, when Thou
Shalt find my heart thus alter'd, and my Faith,
(My Faith once given to Thee) plight to another,
To Philonax thy Enemy, and owe all this
Unto thy Friend, my Brother? yet I know
His softer Disposition cannot choose
But pardon, and still love you, call you still
His hearty, constant, loving—Traiterous Friend,
Closing with Theocles, she drawes out his poniard, offering to stab him, but is hinder'd by Hyperia.
And thus embrace you.
Hyp.
Hold Madam, what's your meaning?
The.
Hyperia, thou didst but ill to hinder
The wholsome wound, I have much blood still left me
Might well be spar'd, much bad corrupted blood
Which hath infected, more then fill'd my veins,
That blood which prompted my unwilling thoughts
To value my desires above my Faith;
Would it were all exhausted, save so much
As might preserve a Blush for my past Folly.
You need not wound my heart, for that already
Bleeds a Repentance in a showr of Teares,
Which like so many purpled Magistrates
Passe Sentence on my Guilty thoughts.
Art.
Oh Sir,
Y'ave quite o'recome my rage by this unfeigned,
This powerful Repentance, your hearty teares
Have quite extinguish'd all my Flames of Anger:
I now begin agen to be your Sister,
Yet I could wish your thoughts had bin unspoken,
I would this had not hapned.
(weeps.)
The.
Think not my Speech,
When first I did accuse your true Lysander,
Utter'd the least Intention of my Thoughts:
My words did then as much belie my knowledge
As his unmoved Loyaltie. Alas,
My own love tempted me to betray his.
Art.
That agen blowes my zealous rage. I would
He had bin false indeed, (pardon Lysander)
Would he had broke his promise: but that he
Should then preserve so true, so strict a faith,
When credulous I upon a bare report,
Nay not so much but one Mans single word
Should cancel all my vowes: And yet it was
My Brothers word, the friendly, vertuous Theocles.
For heavens sake take your poniard, and prevent
All outrage that my passion may suggest.
The.
Nay do your pleasure, here I stand that would
Most willingly now fall a Sacrifice
To your offended goodnesse. Surely when
This cottage of my soul shall fall to earth
Crumbling to dust, your Fury will like that
Be blown away; when you shall find me ashes,
And think me made so by your Flames of Anger,
You will forgive me, nay will you not? pray speak.
Art.
Sorrow thou comest too thick upon me, and
My opprest Soul sinks under the vast burden.—
SCEN. 2.
To them Lysander.—O brother hide me from that Deity
That is so much offended; I dare now
Not look on any thing that is not false
And like my self. And yet for ought I know,
There's unexpected mercy. I have heard
That Noble power does as oft appear
In lenity as just Revenge. O Sir,
If your breast harbour pity for that wretch
That could find none for you, here you may use it:
And this in all my misery shall be
The seasoning comfort that I shall supply
The object where you may imploy a vertue.
Lys.
Fairest, those knees were never meant to bow
But to the Gods that made e'm.
Art.
Sir, let this Excuse
My former stiffnesse: I have broke my vowes,
And given away my Faith, as if you first
By a recanting falshood had provok't it;
But heaven knowes you are true, and I as black
As sin can make me: yet methinks mistake
Might somewhat mollifie the Censure of
My giddy passion. No, it was enough
That I could think ought true that might impair
Your vertuous Constancy.
Lys.
I pray correct
Your erring thoughts, for I was false indeed,
And hither came for pardon.
Art.
O the vastnesse
Of faithful love! undo me not I pray
By that Immensity of Favours, which
'Twill be impossible e're to deserve.
That love should force a Man t'accuse himself!
And lest I might well think I had done basely
Sooner suspect the sprightly fire should
Forget its natural wings, leave to mount upward,
And creep upon the sordid earth, then once
Your pure and elevated Thoughts could flag,
Or that your Faith could know so low an ebbe
As to think foulely. O Sir, I am anothers,
And cannot now bestow my self upon you,
Nor dis-ingage my self from all that load
Of kindnesse you have heap'd upon me, but thus— (offers to stab.
Lys.
Hold Lady, hear me out, and you will find
I'm not the man for whom you ought to die.
Know to my shame I speak it, I was false,
Nay truly false. My faith was counterfeit,
But not the breach of it: and that you may
Know so much to your self, hither I come
First t'implore a pardon, then desire
That you would render back my vowes unto me,
Forget that e're you lov'd me, or I you.
And if the least Desert of mine remain
In your fair breast, that still might prompt Affection,
Tear it away; for I have blasted all
My former merits by this Act of basenesse.
Art.
How I embrace that falshood! O it joyes me
(As now my fortune stands) more then all Faith,
All love could ever. And I would fain know
The happy reason that first mov'd you to it.
Lys.
Madam, when first I had the licence from you
To court Panareta, I was all your own,
Yet somewhat doubtful through the Jealous fears,
Chiefly through that old hate your friends bore to me,
To which being added that fair Carriage, which
Panareta alwaies studied, quite o'recame
My dallying thoughts, and turn'd them at length
To a true dotage. O she would often sit
And breathe a clowd of sighes, tell me how much
I should abuse a credulous virgin, if
I did but personate that love I made.
Her Ghost (for sure she could not well out-live it)
Would fright my soul from this my body to her:
O she would cast such powerful glances on me,
Such charming Spirits danc'd in the bright rayes
Of every view; They did draw up my soul,
And chain'd it fast to hers. Thus the fond Lark
Playing about the glittering snare does tempt
The Nets, and dares its prison, till at length
He finds his Liberty betrai'd, and all
That pomp of brightnesse, but a glorious bayt.
The.
Methinks in all the story y'have forget
The principal main businesse, my Obligement,
The Cause of all these Troubles; yet I hope
You did it not in that neglected way
As to forget it strait: why tell you not
How you may thank your Friend for these Disasters?
How faithlesse Theocles wrought all this woe?
And to Reward you, studied to betray you.
Lys.
O Friend! the rough behaviour I last used
Hath wip'd off all your score; you now stand bound
To me for nothing: nay you shall oblige me
If you will sign my pardon, for which merit
I hope I shall e're some few minutes passe,
Make and pronounce you happy in your love.
The.
Your goodnesse still o'recomes us, and your Favours
Flow in so high a strain they seem to scorn
All competition of Desert or Thanks.
SCEN. 3.
To them Melesippus. Diarchus. Philonax. Panareta. Ethusa.Mel.
Come Lovers to the Temple, you were best
Make all the Speed you can when once agreed:
There are so many tricks in love, I should
The Ceremonies were all quite perform'd.
Diar.
And therefore we think fit my Lord, if you
Can in your Judgment count it so, to passe
All Ceremonious pomp.
Phi.
I'm yours,
And onely do demand my Love here would
Make but a Repetition of the vowes
Which formerly have past between us two.
'Tis but to satisfie this Lady here,
Who otherwise requires my love.
Art.
Nay sure
They are all registred in heaven ere this,
And onely want that approbation which
The Church must soon allow.
Phi.
And therefore Madam,
I here disclaim all right and title to you,
Panareta, come, you see I have perform'd
Your strict Injunction; I have woo'd her so,
That you can witnesse now she disclaimes
All other interest.
Art.
Now blesse me heaven!
Shall I for ever be deluded?
Phi.
Oh!
It cuts my very heartstrings thus t'abuse
So fair a goodnesse: were I well quit here,
I could recant and claim her love again.
Mel.
Sir, are you mad?
Dia.
What mean you Lady?
Pan.
Sir, I shall study to deserve this favour,
(to Phil.)
But cannot now bestow my self upon you,
And therefore Madam here I deliver
What lawfully ought to be yours.
(gives Philo. to Arte.)
Lys.
What strange
Mysterious clouds are these? Fair Mistresse let us
(to Pan.)
Not wander on in darknesse still, I pray
What means this mad confusion?
Pan.
Philonax,
I must confesse you first did wooe my love.
Unto this noble Gentleman; yet still
Finding him backward, in respect he had
Before exprest some love to Artemone,
I know no other means to dis-ingage him,
But this by sending you to court his Mistresse,
Which you were willing then to undertake,
To please me in a Revenge I feigned,
And finding to my wish such vowes between you
Not fit to be revok'd, I much congratulate
Your happy suite. And now Lysander, being
You have here had experience how free
You are from all this Lady can claym from you,
I thus perform my promise unto Theocles,
(gives him Ethu.)
And therefore challenge yours.
Lys.
You cannot Madam
More fully crown my wishes, and I hope
Content dwells smooth on every brow.
Eth.
Sir I hope you'l pardon
All roughnesse that I heretofore have used,
It was but personated; now I freely
Do speak my self and my own thoughts, when I
Do say you are the man I onely Love,
The.
I am
So quite distracted with my happinesse,
I know not well to whom I owe it, and
Therefore deferr my thanks.
Art.
Nay Sir,
I hope you do not still repent you,
Why look you so disturbed in your thoughts?
Phi.
I am studying what great merit I might do
To win your pardon Lady.
Art.
Sir you have it.
Phi.
I now
Begin to be awake my Artemone,
I find I have but dreamed all this while,
Now I can see your merit, and discern
Your real vertues much out-ballance all
That personated pride I first took on me.
Meerely to keep my self from such a blessing,
Which now I do account above the World,
Your Love; which I will study to deserve
By all the Curteous humble Carriage
That crownes a Genial bed.
Art.
O Sir, you have
Redeem'd my desperate thoughts by this discovery,
I ever lov'd you much, but yet I could not
Perswade my self to think your pride a vertue,
Which being thus shook off I do esteem you
Of more then humane worth.
To them a Servant.
Ser.
Here are some Gentlemen without desire admittance to
Madam Ethusa.
Eth.
Bid the Trifles begone, I am now too serious.
Mel.
O by no means, pray Lady let e'm enter.
Dia.
If they bring mirth they'l do well to season our past
fears.
Eth.
If they perform my Injunction, we shall have very good
sport: one of e'm is Pisistratus the quarrelling fighter by my
command turn'd Poet, and t'other my riming Gentleman Lamprias
thrust into his humour: pray interpose not, but let me have
my will.
SCEN. 4.
To them, Pisistratus with a boy before him bearing a Lawrel, Lamprias in some Knight-like attire usher'd by his Squire bearing a Sheild and Lance, Miserotos. Pisistratus takes his Lawrel and makes towards Ethusa.Eth.
VVhat have we here a prize? How now my Poet,
What's the Newes with you?
Pis.
Madam see here the power of your love,
Out of my proper sphear it makes me move.
Am melted to a Poet, and now speak mildly.
Eth.
Most mildly deliver'd, sure you have spoke a speech in a
Pageant: but where's your Sonnet? have you brought me no
papers of verses?
Pis.
In sign I versifie by your command,
Laying his bayes at her feet, offering his verses.
This to your feet I offer; these to your hand.
Eth.
Let your boy sing e'm.—
Song.
But that your swelling breasts supply,
If every Poet there might ly,
O who could choose but versify!
A quill that's snatch'd from Cupid's wing in spite
Of inbred Nature will compel to write.
Then for a Helicon I know
A purer far your lips do show,
What in your Cheeks before was snow,
Melted to Nectar there doth flow.
I can out-vy Phœbus, whiles I enjoy
A Daphne far more fair then his was coy.
(She reads.)
But that your swelling breasts supply.
That I may know these are your own making, tell me what is
Parnassus.
Mis.
She'l put him out of his way and spoyl his riming.
(Lamp. prompts.
The Poets Mountain.)
Pis.
Fair Lady to give you an answer plain,
As I have heard some say, it was the Poets mountain.
Mis.
Now he is forc'd to rime of himself, mark how he hacks
the Kings language.
Eth.
Well, and what can you say of Helicon?
Lam.
prompts,
The Muses spring.)
Pis.
By Bellona Madam, the truth to tell yee,
The Muses spring heretofore was called Heli-
—Con by the Poets.
Well Sir. (reads)
I can out-vy Phœbus, whiles I enjoy
A Daphne far more fair then his was coy.
I pray Sir what Relation had Daphne to Phœbus?
Pis.
She was—she was—what, what?
(jogging him.)
Lamp.
prompts.
(His Mistresse turn'd to Lawrel.)
Pis.
She was his Mitresse not turn'd—not turn'd—
Eth.
Yes Sir, she was turn'd, but to what?
Pis.
Now I have't) She was Phœbus Mistresse not turn'd to rue or Sorrell,
But metamorphosed into a Lawrel.
Eth.
I see this suddain riming doth somewhat perplex you;
but I find by your written verses which you have studied, That
upon mature deliberation you write very well, and are like to
make a hopeful Poet. Well, so much for you: Now my brave
Knight let's hear you rant it.
Pis.
I think I came off with credit: but she put me shrewdly
to it at last, I had no rimes provided for such answers.
Lamp.
(having stalked about, talks in his amorous tone.)
Through many craggy cliffes of Mountains high and mighty,
have I by the robustuous nerves of these brawny armes sought
out Bellonian Encounters, to testifie th'affection I have conceiv'd
to the fairest of Fayres, Ethusa; In whose defence I here stand
up a Champion, and defie all Bradamants, all Knights of the
burning pestle; by the dreadful thunder of my tearing throat I
will astonish and confound them; by the Ætnean flashes which
my bayting inrag'd blood shall evaporate, I will wrap them in
flakes of lightning, or by the Boreasian Tempest of my most strenuous
breath shake in pieces their limbs, and sweep their scatter'd
reliques into the Sea-like Dust.
Eth.
Most prodigiously valiant. Sir, your voyce methinks is
much chang'd since last I saw you; you then spake in a mild
amorous key, but now you do so thunder-thump it, heavens!
how it pierc'd my Eares? but yet all this does not confirm me
that you are valiant, I should desire some better testimony of
your valour then this speech onely.
Lam.
Shall I then cut this Trayterous Gyants head off, and
laying it at my feet (with a Non Curo for my Motto) look like
the man that does contemn the world, and playes at Foot-ball
(Kicks and beats Pisis.)
Pis.
Hold, or I swear ere thou shalt have the higher hand,
I'le rime thee to death as they do rats in Ireland.—Not so
hard you Rascal.
(privately)
Eth.
Most killing verses I promise you. Hold, this is pretty
well, but I do not believe, but if I gave him Commission, he would
return your blowes with some advantage. (I doubt there's some
conspiracy betwixt e'm. I'le sift e'm strait) I think I must choose
Pisistratus, for I like him as well for a Poet, and better then you
for a Souldier.
Lam.
Shee'l choose him now, and then have I play'd the fool
all this while to very great purpose. I must prevent it. Lady,
and if you please to breath a vigour into my nerves by your command,
I'le beat this Coward, till he shall utterly disclaim all title
to your favours.
Pis.
(privately)
That's more then I promis'd Sirrah: take
heed you vaunt not too much.
Eth.
Nay that's unequal, you being arm'd, and he having no
offensive weapon but his tongue: He shall have another Sword,
and then the Conqueror shall not fear a Rival. What say you,
will you agree to that?
Lam.
Madam, I must confesse although I kick him here or so,
there have such bonds of Friendship knit us together heretofore,
that now they tye my hands from drawing his blood. I would
not fight with my Friend.
Eth.
How say you Sir? are your hands tyed too by the bonds
of Friendship? would not you accept the motion?
Pis.
Madam my love to you so firmly ty'd is,
That for your sake I would not fear to fight with Alcides.
Eth.
See you that Sir, hee'l venture if you dare.
Lam.
Why Pisistratus, Friend Pisistratus, prithee refuse it;
I tell thee I will by no means fight with my Friend.
Eth.
Nay Sir, you see y'ave cast your self: he hath made me
here very good verses, and then he is very valiant: I must choose
him for—
Lam.
Hold Lady, pray you forbear; suspend your choice a
Know then, he is no Poet, I made those verses, this brain is the
mint that coyn'd em.
Pis.
Which I will trample under my feet you Rascal, can you
not keep conditions? Nay seeing you have discover'd. Lady,
see here his fortitude, 'tis onely passive, he dares not advance a
Sword against a mouse. I in charity, that he might hereafter
appear in some credit, lent him my back for a while to use it as
he pleas'd, but if you did observe, he struck me very heedfully,
he durst not let his armes flee with a free swinge thus, nor went
his feet without discretion, as if they kickt in earnest.
Mis.
Hold Sir, you'l kill the Gentleman; pray Lady end the
strife.
Eth.
Then thus my Friends; neither of you can challenge any
reward from me, neither having perform'd my Injunctions: however
I will not be so severe as to detain the guerdon I alwaies
intended, and you have taken such pains for: you shall be
laugh'd at.
Mis.
Come, come, I told you at first what you might expect,
ne're stand to reply for fear of being worse abus'd.
(Ex. Pis. Lam. Mis.)
Lys.
Lady, these Trifles being gone, let us proceed to the
Consummation of your joyes. I am glad yet you us'd Theocles
better.
Eth.
Nay Sir, I can easily distinguish betwixt realities and outsides.
The.
Madam I thank your good opinion, and will study to
continue it. Come forward to the Temple.
Phi., Art.
That is our general voyce, pray Sir, lead on.
Mel.
Why this is well, I thought 'twould come about at
last.
Dia.
Now Joy unto you all: Lysander, Friends, and that
I may comply with your now smiling Fate,
At these your weddings, I divorce my hate.
| The Combat of Love and Friendship | |