University of Virginia Library

SCENA TERTIA.

Climene
alone.
Stanzas.
Thou which they say canst with facilitie
Act what includes impossibilitie,
Blind Guide, false Child which canst have no pretence
At all unto the state of innocence,
Tyrant of hearts, Love, wich hast boasted still
That Death submitts unto thy power and will.
Make her to know that she muades thy right
In robbing my Fabritio of the light
And cause him to returne againe, or give
Me passeport the Shades where he doth live.
The sweetest objects that now strike mine eyes,
Encrease the number of my miseries,
The Suune tells me Fabritio's but a shade,
The Lillies at his losse look black and fade,
Those Rose, Queen of the flowers, seemes to be
Stain'd with my Lovers blood, and neepes with me.
Deare Lover, thou sad object of my cries,
Whose image still dwells in my heart and eyes,
Reproach me not that I live yet to mourne,
After thy ashes sleep in their cold vrne,
Death without doubt ere now had joyned me
To thy sad shadovv, if I could agree

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That thou shouldst dye within my heart, oh no
I cannot leave th'y adored Image goe.
Thy cruell Rivall when he murthered thee
In his conceit, mistook, and murthered me:
His furie was deceiv'd, not satisfied,
In cutting of thy dayes, Climene dyed,
The Duke betrayd his vowes, for I expire
In thy cold ashes, Thou liv'st in my fire.

Climene.
What's that I say, Thou livest in my fire,
Thy living Image is carv'd in my soule;
But those immortall characters, alas!
Which flatter me, are dead Fabritios.
Vnjust and rigourous fate, was't reasonable,
That death should sease him so neere marriage?
But why dispute I in such great misfortunes?
I'le suffer my sad sighes, forbid my teares,
And to enuenome my affliction,
I'le cease complaint, nourish my sorrow, and
By prudent cares for feare to weaken it,
I'le strengthen it within, Ile signalize
My griefes by silence better then by speech.
When one hath lost all who complaines, receaves
A kinde of comfort, therefore I'le forbeare;
Yes, my deare Lover: to deplore thy death
In stronger termes then plaints and exclamations
But what! I heare a fearfull noyse beneath me?
a noise under the Stage.
It seemeth that to joyne me to Fabritio
A sudden thnnder doth prepare it selfe
To come forth from the center of the earth:
The noyse redoubleth, and renued stroaks
Makes me believe that underneath my feet
They dig graves, I perceive the flowers to fall
The plants to be unrooted, the most setled
And firmest oakes to tremble; it is time

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To fly hence, but I cannot, feare forbids me;
Heaven! the disorder growes, and the earth cleaves
Fabritio comes forth thence, my strengh failes here,
And I am almost dead with feare and weaknes.