 | The Passionate Lover, Second Part |  |
Act. 2.
Scæn. 1.
Enter Austela, Clorinda.Au.
Come sir, you must not be so sad:
Sure there is some strange sympathie betwixt
Prince Clarimant and you.
Clo.
No sympathie at all, if he have any cause
Of grief; mine's meerly natural.
Au.
I find you dissemble with me:
Your griefs have such resemblance, that knowing his
Is Love, I am assured yours is the same.
Clo.
Love! I honour all the sex, yet never knew
That passion for a woman.
Au.
I must confess that you have in your self
So much of beauty, that looking in your glass,
It is not like you should be taken with anothers form:
But yet take heed, the Gods may punish pride.
Clo.
To be such, is a punishment so great,
The Gods can add no more.
Au.
The interest you have in the King, hath made me
Study your content: I find my sister loves you;
And what her blushes will not let her speak,
I must.
Clo.
If she herself should tell me so, it were fit for me
To think she said it to make sport, knowing
My own unworthiness.
105
How slow soever you are of belief,
I must make known a Ladies passion to you
Every way your equal.
Clo.
I have not seen that person, sure.
Au.
What do you think of me?
Clo.
You! as of the soul of all perfection,
And only worthy him you do enjoy.
Au.
I must not think my beauty worth esteem:
For, gaining him, there is a conquest, which obtain'd,
Deserves a triumph. That blush shews you conceive me.
Clo.
Madam, it is impossible I should understand
A speech so disagreeing to that character
I had received.
Au.
It will be unjust to value me the less
For my esteem of you.
Clo:
Of me!
Enter Agenor.
Au.
Know, gentle Youth, not all the tyes of duty
Have power to bar me the expressions of love,
That grows from such perfections as the world
Never knew: Hide not that lovely face,
Which even the King beholding, must excuse me.
Age.
Thou lyest, false woman.
Clo.
O Agenor! I never wisht thee half so miserable.
Au.
Why do you turn away? What, weep! Is my love
Such an injury? Or if some word have past my lips,
That mov'd this passion, my lips shall satisfie
By taking off these tears.
Age.
I can endure no more:
Just heavens, how my inconstancie is punisht!
Exit.
106
Clear up those Suns, and let them gently shine upon me,
Or I am lost for ever! Not moved with all my Courtship,
Continue thus unkind, insensible of a Queens love,
And I shall think you are no man.
Clor.
The weakness of my passion hath discover'd me:
Madam, such an excess of happiness
To be thus favour'd by you, produc'd this passion;
Tears are as well the effect of joy as sorrow.
Au.
A woman, I am confident! Now I can read it
In her face, sir. I accept of your excuse,
But then you must forgo this sadness.
Clo.
Madam, all other thoughts but the consideration
Of your favour, are henceforth banisht.
Au.
I yet am something doubtful of your professions,
You may confirm me.
Clo.
As how?
Au.
Sure you have a Mistress, some in the Court
That you do love.
Clo.
None, trust me.
Au.
Then you do love the King so much, that you hate me
For my inconstancie, you may forgive it, I know he will;
He thinks it is no vice, rather a vertue,
To have choice of Mistresses.—Why do you sigh?
This touches; nay, now you break your promise.
Clo.
Madam, I am not well.
Au.
Will you rest your self upon my bed?
I'll call the King, then you will be well,
It is he must cure you, Lady.
107
Lady! O my heart—
[Swoons]
Au.
What have I done? ho, some Cordial quickly!
Help—
Enter two Women.
Madam, he recovers.
Au.
Lay him upon my bed, gently for heavens sake!
Exit woman and Clor:
In this discovery I my end obtain,
But make provision for my future pain.
Such fruit our jealousie produces still:
Better not know, then know the worst of ill.
Exit:
Enter Clindor and a Gentleman.
Clind.
Pray you sir, shall I make bold to ask a question?
Gent.
A dozen, if you please.
Clind.
You are courteous. Why was the King sent for by the
Queen in such haste?
Gent.
I must not tell you that.
Clind.
Perhaps you cannot.
Gent.
I cannot, sir, be ignorant.
Clind.
O, wondrous easie; perhaps the King knew not
The cause himself.
Gent.
It may be so; Kings know not all things.
Clind.
You do, it seems.
Gent.
Seem, sir!
Clind.
Nay, be not angry; you promis'd largely.
Gent.
I promis'd nothing.
Clind.
'Tis true; and nothing I expect. So fare you well.
Gent.
Remember, sir, I only gave you leave to ask.
Clind.
'Tis true, I cry you mercy:
Then I may ask one question more.
108
You may ask any thing.
Clind.
Do you not think I had ill luck
To find a man so overwise for my Informer.
Gent.
Troth sir—
Clind.
You need not answer, I am already
Satisfied.
Gent.
I see you know not me,
You are a shallow fellow.
Clind.
And you so deep a puddle,
No plummet can find the bottom;
You have no ground, sir: So fare you well,
My cautious Monsieur.
Exeunt:
Enter Agenor and Clorinda.
Age.
O dear Clorinda! how powerfully thy beauties
Now present themselves, and every minute gather strength
By these thy sufferings! What cause hast thou and I
To curse my base inconstancie?
Clo.
How sir! are you so ingrate to heaven,
That for your sake favour'd that vice so far,
To give it the reward of vertue, happiness?
And that so great in your Austela,
That all men else are poor compared.
Enter Austela.
Age.
My Austela!
Au:
It is well I am denied then:
Age.
Did she not court you as a man?
The heart she took from me, though you could not
Receive, your sex denying Entertain,
Is yet so tainted in the tender of it,
That I for ever must repent the change
I made: O Clorinda! would this hand
When it was join'd in hers, had rotted off.
109
Do you believe to cure inconstancie
And breach of faith, by new inconstancie?
I see it was a vice dwelt in your blood.
Age.
It is no inconstancie, to cast an eye back
On your vertue, too late instructed
By present misery.
Clo.
It is enough; this does express how miserable
You might have been: But know your happiness is perfect.
The Queen prompted by jealousie, the fruit of
Ardent love, suspected me a woman,
And your former Mistress, and took this way of courting me
To be assured.
Age.
Your vertue bids you make this fair construction.
[Ent. Austel.]
Clo.
She comes! her sight begets new trouble;
Would I had chang'd this habit for my winding-sheet.
Au.
Sir, I am glad to find my chamber can afford you
So good company.
Clo.
Absence at any rate! I must be gone:
Your Majesties pardon.
Exit.
Au.
It seems you have cured him.
Age:
You made him sick; had I not reason?
It is fit I remedy your errors.
Au.
You have so many of your own,
It will take your time up.
Age.
But there's one especially that troubles me.
Au.
You would change a wife, would you not?
Age.
Do your thoughts prompt you to that question?
Au.
It is time when you deny me.
Age.
There was a time I might.
Au.
Had your hand rotted off, the present trouble
Had been saved: You are an unconstant man;
Which granted, both are miserable.
110
Both are no less in being jealous,
Which you must grant you are.
Au.
Having such cause, love could not be without it.
Age.
But having certainty that vertue is gone,
Love ceasing ends that trouble.
Au.
The object of our guilt, shall be our Judge.
Age:
I doe not understand your riddle: who do you mean?
Au.
One, that to me cannot be partiall: your Mistress.
Age.
Your servant.
Au.
Yes, Clorinda.
Age.
But doe you think that you stand clear in honor.
Au.
You cannot hope it sure; but there's the more
For me to pardon: Come, all your passages of love
Are plain; yours, and your brother Clarimants.
Perswade Clorinda that I think her still a man,
Lest modesty make her forsake the Court,
And both use means to make her love your brother.
These little quarrels, where the hearts are good,
The body of our Love keeps firm, like letting blood.
Enter Clindor, and 1.
1.
Come. thou shalt lend me ten Crowns;
As I am an honest man, Ile pay thee.
Clind.
Gain that opinion with me first:
You see the Money's ready.
1.
Why, thou hast known me long,
Did I ever deceive thee.
Clind.
No, for I ever took thee for a Shark:
A Fellow too, that would abuse me
In my poverty, in words.
1:
It was but in Merriment; I swear I ever
Loved thee truly.
111
Yes, and I will requite it; I know that mony
Would but dull your Wit, spoil Industry:
I finde it by my self, that care keeps close
My Purse.
1.
Refuse a Comrade a little Coyn:
'Tis poor.
Clind.
But yet the custome of the Rich, and things
Must be proportion'd to our Fortune.
1.
'Tis well Fortune and you are friends;
That makes you proud.
Clind.
I have a sense of her great benefits, I were a Fool else.
1.
Well! I may live to repay this scorn.
Clind.
Yes, sooner then the Money you would borrow;
Which makes me ask no Bond.
1.
Come, prethee supply me, and leave fooling.
Clind.
Spare your own pains, Sir, you have done enough.
1:
As I am clad, I am not fit for any honest company.
Clind.
Nor cloath'd in Scarlet trust me.
1.
You are a base Fellow: the Tide may turn.
Clind.
O admirable fruit of poverty! Valour infus'd I vow:
Yet remember, Friend, quarrels are dangerous.
1.
Tell me of danger—
Clind.
I cry you mercy, Sir; I had forgot you were poor.
Nay, if you be outragious, I must leave you.
1.
We shall meet agen.
Exit.
Clind.
Yes, no doubt on't; how calm and temperate
Will Money make one: a man might almost pull me
By the Nose, yet I not angry; such admirable satisfactions
112
[Enter Selina]
This Youth I have seen oft, had a strange
Mind to talk to him; yet still the brat avoids me.
Stay my pretty knave, shall I borrow a word or two?
Sel.
On good security you will ask no more.
Clind.
Why is your Mistress staying for you in the Lobby?
Sel.
If she were, what would you give to supply my room?
Clind.
I do believe what ever it were, she would repay the sum.
Sel:
O fie! you look not like an Amorist; that face would fright her.
Clind.
A martial one: Adonis was not alwayes favourite,
Mars had his turn.
Sel.
Were you that Deity? your reign is out.
Clind.
But I can prove a Jupiter, and court your Mistress in a shower
Of gold; and that, I take it, in all times is powerful
More then your face.
Sel.
Descend, descend, and shew yourself a simple Mortal,
Else I shall leave you.
Clind.
Tell me first what Country you are of;
My mind gives me I have seen that face.
Sel.
You have a foolish mind that does abuse you,
So fare you well.
Clind.
And so have you a foolish tongue that does betray you;
A certain coy disdainful look too, that stiles you woman.
Sel.
How sir! you shall find me masculine; take that.
[Strikes him]
Clind.
This cannot hide you; confess your sex and name,
113
And then you know what follows.
Sel.
Sir, you in this restraint preserve my modesty,
It was my desire that you should know me:
I dare not say you are the cause of this disguise,
Yet you may think your pleasure.
Clind.
Now by this light have I mind to beat thee
As a man, for all the scorns thou hast put upon me:
For as a woman I am sure thou wilt abuse me,
Especially if thou pretend'st to love me.
Sel.
Your scorn's so just, that I must suffer it:
[Seems to weep]
Clind.
How! let's see; no moisture! spare, spare your
Linen, good Selina.
Sel.
Oh whither shall I flie to hide my shame!
Clind.
Ev'n to your mask and petticoat: Carry your bum
A little out, you will need no Fardingale a while.
Sel.
Alas sir you mistake, I have no other burden
But my sorrows; from those you only can deliver me.
Clind.
Bar marriage, and I will be your midwife: Where lie you?
Sel.
As you have honour in you, do not discover me,
Hereafter you shall know.
Exit Clindor.
Enter Clorinda (with a paper) and Olinda.
Clo.
Madam, having received such testimonies
Of your favor, I could not leave the Court
Even in civility, till I had kist your fair hand.
Olind.
What sad things do you utter! It is not possible,
You do but fright me sure.
Clo.
Necessity enforces; for I shall leave behind
That which I value far above my self.
114
Does the King and Queen know what you do intend?
Clo.
They must not.
Olin.
Your resolution is full of cruelty;
That though you do oblige me by imparting it,
Yet I must fail your trust, and give them notice.
Clo.
For your own sake you must not: this paper,
I being gone, will let you know a secret
That concerns your happiness, and by my stay
You will be miserable.
Olin.
Alas, that is impossible:
To have your company, includes all joys.
Clo.
Since you esteem it so, if I live I will return.
Olin.
How soon?
Clo.
In a short time; but if you read this paper
Yet this two days, when I come back you have my curse.
Weep not dear Lady, yield me the honor
Of your hand.
[Enter Prince]
Ol.
O me most wretched! you shall not go,
I die if you thus leave me.
Clo.
Alas I must.
Pr.
Madam, I cannot chuse but wonder
To see you court a Boy thus.
Ol.
My wonder is greater at your arrogance
And ignorance, to tutor me, and slight a person
Then your self more worthy.
Pr.
What's this?
Clo.
From him I may receive that death I seek:
Defend your self.
Ol.
Ah me! help, help! oh help Prince Clarimant,
The gentle Youth is hurt.
Enter Clarimant.
Clar.
Hurt!
O heavens, grant me a little space.
Clar. fights with the Prince, beats him off, returns wounded, and kneels to Clorinda.
115
Why this to me?
Clar.
To ask your pardon, that he lives
That drew that precious blood.
Clo.
I grieve your hurt, yet thank you not for interposing.
Enter Agenor and Attendants.
My Brother wounded! speak, by whom? A Surgeon, quick.
Sel.
The Prince of Aquitain.
Age.
Make after, seise him:
Dear Clarimant, how is it with you?
Clar.
Well; happy to die for such a cause.
Au.
You Gods extend your pity: O dear Clorinda!
Pour some balm into his wounds.
Age.
One word from you may clear his fainting spirits.
Clo.
Heaven knows I wish his life more then mine own.
Age.
We must do more then wish.
Clar.
Although my reason tels me that I owe my thanks
To your despair, yet the sound comforts me:
O there bestow your cure! my cure lies there.
Au.
Thou soul of Lovers, in thee dwels such truth,
Well may thy merit save our faithless Youth.
Exeunt.
| The Passionate Lover, Second Part | |