 | The Coronation |  |
Actus Secundus.
Enter Arcadius, and Polidora.Pol.
Indeed you shall not goe.
Arc.
Whether?
Pol.
To travell,
I know you see me, but to take your leave,
But I must never yeeld to such an absence.
Arc.
I prethee leave thy feares, I am commanded
To th'contrary, I wo not leave thee now.
Pol.
Commanded? by whom?
Arc.
The Queene.
Pol.
I am very glad, for trust me, I could thinke
Of thy departure with no comfort, thou
Art all the joy I have, halfe of my soule;
But I must thanke the Queene now for thy company,
I prethee what could make thee so desirous
To be abroad?
Arc.
Onely to get an appetite
To thee Polidora.
Pol.
Then you must provoke it.
Arc.
Nay, prethee doe not so mistake thy servant.
Pol.
Perhaps you surfeit with my love.
Arc.
Thy love?
Pol.
Although I have no beauty to compare
With the best faces, I have a heart above
All competition.
Arc.
Thou art jealous now,
Come, let me take the kisse I gave thee last,
I am so confident of thee, no lippe
Has ravisht it from thine; I prethee come
To Court.
Pol.
For what?
Arc.
There is the throne for beauty.
Pol.
Tis safer dwelling here.
Arc,
Theres none will hurt,
Or dare but thinke an ill to Polidora,
The greatest will be proud to honour thee.
Thy luster wants the admiration here:
Into the gazer.
Pol.
You can flatter too.
Arc.
No praise of thee can be thought so, thy vertue
Will deserve all, I must confesse, we Courtiers
Doe oftentimes commend to shew our art,
There is necessity sometimes to say,
This Madam breaths Arabian Gummes,
Amber and Cassia; though while we are praysing,
We wish we had no nostriles to take in
The offensive steame of her corrupted lungs.
Nay, some will sweare they love their Mistresse,
Would hazard lives and fortunes, to preserve
One of her haires brighter then Berinices;
Or young Apollos, and yet after this,
A favour from another toy would tempt him
To laugh, while the Officious hangman whips
Her head off.
Pol.
Fine men.
Arc.
I am none of these,
Nay, there are women Polidora too
That can doe pretty well at flatteries;
Make men beleeve they dote, will languish for em,
Can kisse a Iewell out of one, and dally
A carcanet of Diamonds from another,
Weepe into th'bosome of a third, and make
Him drop as many pearles; they count it nothing
To talke a reasonable heire within ten dayes
Out of his whole estate, and make him mad
He has no more wealth to consume.
Pol.
Youle teach me
To thinke I may be flattered in your promises,
Since you live where this art is most profest.
Arc.
I dare not be so wicked Polidora,
The Infant errors of the Court I may
Be guilty off, but never to abuse
So rare a goodnesse, nor indeed did ever
Converse with any of those shames of Court,
To practise for base ends; be confident
Carry the figure of my Polidora,
It is not in the power of time or distance
To cancell it, by all thats blest I love thee:
Love thee above all women, dare invoke
A curse when I forsake thee.
Pol.
Let it be some
Gentle one.
Arc.
Teach me an oath I prethee,
One strong enough to binde, if thou dost finde
Any suspition of my faith, or else
Direct me in some horrid imprecation
When I forsake thee, for the love of other
Woman, may heaven reward my apostacy
To blast my greatest happinesse on earth,
And make all joyes abortive.
Pol.
Revoke these hasty syllables, they carry
To great a penalty for breach of Love
To me, I am not worth thy suffering,
You doe not know what beauty may invite
Your change, what happinesse may tempt your eye
And heart together.
Arc.
Should all the graces of your sex conspire
In one, and she should court me, with a dower
Able to buy a Kingdome when I give
My heart from Polidora.
Pol.
I suspect not,
And to requite thy constancy I sweare.
Arc.
Twere sinne to let thee waste thy breath
I have assurance of thy noble thoughts.
Enter a servant.
Ser.
My Lord, your Vncle hath beene every where
Ith Court inquiring for you, his lookes speake
Some earnest cause.
Arc.
I am more acquainted with
Thy vertue then to imagine thou wilt not
Excuse me now, one kisse dismisses him
Whose heart shall waite on Polidora, prethee
Let me not wish for thy returne too often,
Enter Nestorius, and a servant.
Nes.
I met Arcadius in strange haste, he told me
He had beene with thee.
Pol.
Some affaire too soone
Ravish'd him hence, his Vncle sent for him
You came now from Court: how lookes the Queene
This golden morning?
Nes.
Like a bride, her soule
Is all on mirth, her eyes have quickning fires,
Able to strike a spring into the earth
In Winter.
Pol.
Then Lisimachus can have
No frost in's blood, that lives so neere her beames.
Nes.
His politicke Father, the Protector smiles too,
Resolve to see the Cerimony of the Queene
Twill be a day of state,
Pol.
I am not well.
Nes.
How not well? retire then, I must returne
My attendance is expected, Polidora,
Be carefull of thy health.
Pol.
It will concerne me.
Exit.
Enter Arcadius, and Macarius.
Arc.
You amaze me sir.
Mac.
Deare Nephew, if thou respect thy safety,
My honour, or my age, remove thy selfe,
Thy lifes in danger.
Arc.
Mine? who's my enemy?
Mac.
Take horse, and instantly forsake the City,
Or else within some unsuspected dwelling,
Obscure thy selfe, stay not to know the reason.
Arc.
Sir, I beseech your pardon, which ith number
Of my offences unto any, should
Provoke this dishonorable flight?
Mac.
I would when I petition'd for thy stay,
I had pleaded for thy banishment, thou knowst not
What threatens thee:
Arc.
I would desire to know it,
I am in no conspiracy of treason,
Have ravisht no mans Mistresse, not so much
As given the lye to any what should meane
Your strange and violent feares, I will not stirre
Vntill you make me sensible I have lost
My innocence.
I must not live to see
Thy body full of wounds, it were lesse sinne
To rippe thy Fathers marble, and fetch from
The reverend vault his ashes, and disperse them
By some rude windes where none should ever find
The sacred dust, it was his legacy,
The breath he mingled with his prayers to Heaven
I should preserve Arcadius, whose fate
He prophesied in death, would need protection,
Thou wot disturbe his ghost, and call it to
Affright my dreames, if thou refuse to obey me.
Arc.
You more inflame me to inquire the cause
Of your distraction, and youle arme me better
Then any coward flight by acquainting me
Whose malice aimes to kill me, good sir tell me,
Mac.
Then prayers and teares assist me.
Arc.
Sir.
Mac.
Arcadius,
Thou art a rash young man, witnesse the spirit
Of him that trusted me so much, I bleed,
Till I prevent this mischiefe.
Exit.
Enter Philocles, Lisander.
Arc.
Ha, keepe off.
Phi.
What meane you sir?
Lisa.
We are your friends.
Arc.
I know your faces, but
Am not secure, I would not be betray'd.
Lisa.
You wrong our hearts, who truely honour you.
Arc.
They say I must be kild.
Phi.
By whom?
Arc.
I know not, nor wod I part with life so tamely.
Phi.
We dare ingage ours in your quarrell, hide
Your sword, it may beget suspition,
It's enough to question you.
Arc.
I am confident,
Pray pardon me, come I despise all danger:
Yet a deare friend of mine, my Vncle told me
He would not see my body full of wounds.
Lisa.
Your Vncle! this is strange.
Arc.
Yes, my honest Vncle,
So dire a fate.
Phi.
There is some strange mistake in't.
Enter Antigonus.
Ant.
Arcadius, the Queene would speake with you,
You must make haste.
Arc.
Though to my death, I fly
Vpon her summons, I give up my breath
Then willingly, if she command it from me.
Phi.
This does a little trouble me.
Lisa.
I know not
What to imagine, something is the ground
Of this perplexity, but I hope there is not
Any such danger as he apprehends.
Enter Queene, Lisimachus, Macarius, Eubulus, Seleucus, Arcadius, Ladies and attendants, Gent.
Que.
We have already granted to Seleucus
And they shall try their valour if Arcadius
Have spirit in him to accept the challenge,
Our royall word is past.
Phi.
This is strange.
Eub.
Madam my sonne knew not what he asked,
And you were cruell to consent so soone.
Mac.
Wherein have I offended, to be rob'd
At once of all the wealth I have, Arcadius
Is part of me.
Eub.
Seleucus life and mine
Are twisted on one thread, both stand or fall
Together, hath the service for my Country
Deserved but this reward, to be sent weeping
To my eternall home? Wast not enough
When I was young, to lose my blood in warres,
But the poore remnant that is scarcely warme
And faintly creeping through my withered veines
Must be let out to make you sport.
Mac.
How can
We that shall this morne see the sacred oyle
Fall on your virgin tresses, hope for any
You sacrifice the blood of them that pray for you.
Arcadius I prethee speake thy selfe,
It is for thee I plead.
Eub.
Seleucus, kneele
And say thou haste repented thy rash suite;
If ere I see thee fight, I be thus wounded,
How will the least drop forc'd from thy veines,
Afflict my heart.
Mac.
Why, that's good;
Arcadius speake to her; heare him Madam.
Arc.
If you call backe this honour you have done me
I shall repent I live, doe not perswade me
Seleucus thou art a noble enemy,
And I will love thy soule though I dispaire
Our bodies friendly conversation:
I would we were to tugge upon some cliffe,
Or like two prodigies ith ayre, our conflict
Might generally be gaz'd at, and our blood
Appease our grandsires ashes.
Mac.
I am undone.
Sel.
Madam, my father sayes I have offended,
If so, I begge your pardon, but beseech you
For your owne glory call not backe your word.
Eub.
They are both mad.
Que.
No more, we have resolv'd,
And since their courage is so nobly flamed,
This morning weele behold the Champions
Within the list, be not affraid, their strife
Will stretch so farre as death, so soone as we
Are Crown'd prepare your selves, Seleucus.
kisses her hand.
Sel.
I have receiv'd another life in this high favour,
And may lose what nature gave me.
Que.
Arcadius to encourage thy young vallour,
We give thee our Fathers sword.
Command it from our Armory; Lisimachus,
To our Coronation.
Exeunt.
Sel.
Ile forfeit
Exit.
Arc.
I am circled with confusions Ile doe somewhat
My braines and friends assist me.
Exit.
Phi.
But doe you thinke theyle fight indeed?
Lisa.
Perhaps
Her Majesty will see about or two.
And yet tis wondrous strange, such spectacles
Are rare ith' Court, and they were to skirmish naked
Before her, then there might be some excuse.
There is some gimcrackes in't, the Queene is wise
Above her yeares.
Phi.
Macarius is perplext.
Enter Eubulus.
Lisa.
I cannot blame him, but my Lord Eubulus
Returnes, they are both troubled, las good men,
But our duties are expected, we forget.
Exit Phil, Lis.
Eub.
I must resolve, and yet things are not ripe,
My braines upon the torture.
Mac.
This may quit
The hazard of his person, whose least drop
Of blood is worth more then our families.
My Lord Eubulus, I have thought a way
To stay the young mens desperate proceedings,
It is our cause they fight, let us beseech
The Queene, to grant us two the priviledge
Of duell, rather then expose their lives
To eithers fury; it were pitty they
Should runne upon so blacke a destiny,
We are both old, and may be spar'd, a paire
Of fruitlesse trees, mossie and withered trunckes,
That fill up too much roome.
Eub.
Most willingly,
And I will praise her charity to allow it;
I have not yet forgot to use a sword,
Lets lose no time, by this act, she will licence
Our soules to leave our bodies but a day,
Perhaps an houre the sooner; they may live
To doe her better service, and be friends
When we are dead, and yet I have no hope
Mac.
If she deny us—
Eub.
What?
Mac.
I wod doe somewhat—
Eub.
There's something oth' suddaine strucke upon
My imagination, that may secure us.
Mac.
Name it, if no dishonour waite upon't
To preserve them, Ile accept any danger.
Eub.
There is no other way, and yet my heart
Would be excus'd but tis to save his life.
Mac.
Speake it Eubulus.
Eub.
In your eare I shall,
It shanot make a noyse if you refuse it.
Mac.
Hum? though it stirre my blood, Ile meet Arcadius,
If this preserve thee not, I must unseale
Another mystery.
Exit.
Enter Queene, Lisimachus, Cassander, Charilla, Lisander, Philocles, Antigonus.
Que.
We owe to all your loves and will deserve
At least by our indeavours that none may
This day repent their prayers, my Lord Protector.
Cas.
Madam I have no
Such title now, and am blest to lose
That name so happily, I was but trusted
With a glorious burden.
Que.
You have prov'd
Your selfe our faithfull counsellor, and must still
Protect our growing state, a Kingdomes Scepter
Weighs downe a womans arme, this crowne sits heavy
Vpon my brow already, and we know
There's something more then mettle in this wreath,
Of shining glory, but your faith, and counsell,
That are familiar with mysteries,
And depths of state, have power to make us fit
For such a bearing, in which both you shall
Doe loyall service, and reward your duties.
Cas.
Heaven preserve your Highnesse.
Que.
But yet my Lords and Gentlemen let none
I shall grow carelesse, and impose on you
The managing of this great Province, no,
We will be active too, and as we are
In dignity above your persons, so,
The greatest portion of the difficulties
We call to us, you in your severall places
Releeving us with your experience,
Observing in your best directions
All modesty, and distance, for although
We are but young, no action shall forfeit
Our royall priviledge, or encourage any
Too unreverent boldnesse, as it will become
Our honour to consult, ere we determine
Of the most necessary things of state,
So we are sensible of a checke,
But in a brow, that saucily controules
Our action, presuming on our yeares
As few, or frailty of our sex, that head
Is not secure that dares our power or justice.
Phi.
She has a brave spirit, looke how the Protector
Growes pale already.
Que.
But I speake to you
Are perfect in obedience, and may spare
This theame, yet 'twas no immateriall
Part of our character, since I desire
All should take notice, I have studied
The knowledge of my selfe, by which I shall
Better distinguish of your worth and persons
In your relations to us.
Lisa.
This language
Is but a threatning to some body
Que.
But we misse some, that use not to absent
Their duties from us, where's Macarius?
Cas.
Retir'd to grieve, your Majesty hath given;
Consent Arcadius should enter List
To day with young Seleucus.
Que.
We purpose.
Enter Gentleman
Phil.
A Gentleman belonging to Seleucus, that gives notice
He is prepar'd, and waites your royall pleasure,
Que.
He was composd for action, give notice
To Arcadius, and admit the challenger,
Let other Princes boast their gaudy tilting,
And mockery of battles, but our triumph
Is celebrated with true noble vallour.
Enter Selucus, Arcadius at severall doores, their pages before them bearing their Targets.
Two young men spirited enough to have
Two Kingdomes staked upon their swords, Lisimachus
Doe not they excellently become their armes,
Twere pitty but they should doe something more
Then wave their plumes.
a shout within.
What noyse is that?
Enter Macarius and Eubulus.
Mac.
The peoples joy to know us reconcild,
Is added to the Iubile of the day,
We have no more a faction but one heart,
Peace flow in every bosome.
Eub.
Throw away
These instruments of death, and like two friends
Imbrace by our example.
Que.
This unfain'd?
Mac.
By our duties to your selfe deare Madam
Command them not advance, our houses from
This minute are incorporated, happy day
Our eyes at which before revenge looke forth,
May cleare suspition, oh my Arcadius!
Eub.
We have found a neerer way to friendship Madam,
Then by exposing them to fight for us.
Que.
If this be faithfull our desires are blest,
We had no thought to waste, but reconcile
Your blood this was, and we did prophesie
This happy chance, spring into eithers bosome,
Arcadius and Seleucus, what can now
Be added to this dayes felicity;
While we are Virgin Queene.
Ca.
Ha, that string
Doth promise musicke.
Que.
I am yet my Lords
Your single joy, and when I looke upon,
What I have tooke, to manage the great care
Of this most flowrishing Kingdome, I incline
To thinke, I shall doe justice to my selfe,
If I chose one, whose strength and vertue may
Assist my undertaking, thinke you Lords,
A husband would not helpe?
Lisa.
No question Madam,
And he that you purpose to make so blest
Must needs be worthy of our humblest duty,
It is the generall vote.
Que.
We will not then
Trouble Embassadors to treat with any
Princes abroad, within our owne dominion,
Fruitefull in honour, we shall make our choyce;
And that we may not keepe you over long
Jn the imagination, from this circle, we
Have purpose to elect one, whom I shall
Salute a King and Husband.
Lisa.
Now my Lord Lisimachus.
Que,
Nor shall we in this action be accused
Of rashnesse, since the man we shall declare
Deserving our affection, hath beene earely
In our opinion, which had reason first
To guide it, and his knowne nobility
Long marryed to our thoughts, will justifie
Our faire election.
Phi.
Lisimachus blushes.
Cas.
Direct our duties Madam to pray for him.
Que.
Arcadius you see from whence we come,
Pray lead us backe, you may ascend.
she comes from the state.
Cas.
Hows this? o're reach'd?
Madam be charitable to your humblest creature.
Doe not reward the heart, that falls in duty
Beneath your feete, with making me the burden
Of the Court mirth, a mockery for Pages,
Twere treason in me but to thinke you meane thus.
Que.
Arcadius you must refuse my love,
Or shame this Kingdome.
Phi.
Is the winde in that corner?
Cas.
I shall runne mad Lisimachus.
Lisi.
Sir, containe your selfe.
Sel.
Is this to be beleev'd?
Mac.
What dreame is this?
Phi.
He kisses her, now by this day I am glad on't.
Lisa.
Marke the Protector.
Ant.
Let him fret his heart strings.
Que.
Is the day cloudy on the suddaine?
Arc.
Gentlemen
It was not my ambition, I durst never
Aspire so high in thought, but since her Majesty
Hath pleasd to call me to this honour, I
Will study to be worthy of her grace,
By whom I live.
Que.
The Church to morrow shall
Confirme our marriage, noble Lisimachus
Weele finde out other wayes to recompence
Your love to us, set forward, come Arcadius.
Mac.
It must be so, and yet let me consider,
Cas.
He insults already, policy assist me.
To breake his necke.
Lisi.
Who would trust woman?
Lost in a paire of minutes, lost, how bright
A morning rose, but now, and now tis night?
Exeunt.
| The Coronation | |