 | The Coronation |  |
Actus Tertius.
Enter Polidora, and a Servant.Pol.
Oh where shall Virgins looke for faith hereafter?
If he prove false, after so many vowes?
And yet if I consider, he was tempted
Above the strength of a young Lover, two
Such glorious courting his acceptance, were
Able to make disloyalty no sinne,
At least not seeme a fault, a Lady first,
Whose very lookes would thaw a man more frozen
Then the Alps, quicken a soule more dead then Winter.
Adde to her beauty and perfection,
That she's a Queene, and brings with her a Kingdome
Able to make a great mind forfeit heaven.
What could the frailety of Arcadius
Suggest to unspirit him so much, as not
To fly to her embraces, you were present
When she declar'd her selfe.
Ser.
Yes Madam.
Pol.
Tell me,
Did not he make a pause, when the faire Queene
A full temptation stood him?
Ser.
Very little
My judgement could distinguish, she did no sooner
Propound, but he accepted.
Pol.
That was ill,
He might with honour stand one or two minutes,
Me thinkes it should have startled him a little,
To have rememberd me, I have deserv'd
At least a cold thought, well pray give it him.
Ser.
I shall.
Pol.
When?
Ser.
Instantly.
Pol.
Not so,
But take a time when his joy swels him most,
When his delights are high and ravishing,
When you perceive his soule dance in his eyes,
With all her pride, and sends a thousand Cupids
To call him to the tasting of her lippe;
Then give him this, and tell him while I live,
Ile pray for him.
Ser.
I shall.
Exeunt.
Enter Cassander and Lisimachus.
Cas.
There is no way but death.
Lisi.
That's blacke and horrid,
Consider sir it was her sinne, not his;
I cannot accuse him, what man could carry
A heart so frozen, not to melt at such
A glorious flame? who could not fly to such
A happinesse?
Cas.
Have you ambition
To be a tame foole? see so vast an injury
And not revenge it? make me not suspect
Thy Mother for this sufferance, my Sonne.
Lisi.
Pray heare me sir.
Cas.
Heare a patient gull,
A property, thou hast no blood of mine,
If this affront provoke thee not, how canst
Be charitable to thy selfe, and let him live
To glory in thy shame? Nor is he innocent;
He had before crept slily into her bosome
And practised thy dishonour.
Lisi.
You begin to stirre me sir.
Cas.
How else could she be guilty
Of such contempt of thee? and in the eye
Of all the Kingdome, they conspir'd this staine,
When they had cunning meetings, shall thy love
And blooming hopes be scattered thus, and Lisimachus
Stand idle gazer?
Lisi.
What sir will his death
Advantage us, if she be false to me?
So irreligious, and to touch her person—
Pause we may be observed.
Lisa.
'Tis the Protector
And his sonne.
Phi.
Alas poore Gentleman, I pitty
His neglect, but am not sorry for his Father.
Phi.
Tis a strange turne,
Phi.
The whirligigs of women.
Lisa.
Your graces servant.
Cas.
I am yours Gentlemen,
And should be happy to deserve your loves.
Phi.
Now he can flatter.
Lisa.
In't sir, to inlarge your sufferings, J have
A heart doth wish
The Queene had knowne better to reward
Your love and merit.
Lisa.
If you would expresse
Your love to me; pray doe not mention it,
I must obey my fate.
Phi.
She will be marryed
To tother Gentleman for certaine then?
Cas.
I hope youle wish em joy.
Phi.
Indeed I will sir.
Lisa.
Your graces servant.
Exit.
Cas.
We are growne
Ridiculous, the pastime of the Court:
Here comes another.
Enter Seleneus.
Sel.
Wheres your sonne my Lord?
Cas.
Like a neglected servant of his Mistresse.
Sel.
I would aske him a question.
Cas.
What?
Sel.
Whether the Queene
As tis reported, lov'd him, he can tell
Whether she promist what they talke of, marriage,
Cas.
I can resolve you that sir.
Sel.
She did promise?
Cas.
Yes.
Sel.
Then shees a woman, and your sonne;
Cas.
What?
Sel.
Not worthy his blood, and expectation,
If he be calme.
Theres no opposing destiny.
Sel.
I would cut the throate.
Cas.
Whose throate?
Sel.
The destinies, that's all your pardon sir,
I am Seleucus still, a poore shaddow
Oth' world, a walking picture, it concernes
Not me, I am forgotten by my starres.
Cas.
The Queene with more discretion might ha chosen
Thee.
Sel.
Whom?
Cas.
Thee Seleucus.
Sel.
Me? I cannot dance, and friske with due activity,
My body is lead, I have too much phleame, what should
I doe with a Kingdome? no Arcadius
Becomes the cushion, and can please, yet setting
Aside the tricke that Ladies of blood looke at,
Another man might make a shift to weare
Rich cloathes, sit in the chaire of state, and nod,
Dare venture on discourse, that does not trench
On complement, and thinke the study of armes
And arts, more commendable in a Gentleman
Than any galliard.
Cas.
Arcadius,
And you were reconcil'd.
Sel.
We? yes, oh yes,
But tis not manners now to say we are friends,
At our equality there had beene reason,
But now, subjection is the word.
Cas.
They are not
Yet marryed.
Sel.
Ile make no oath upont,
My Lord Lisimachus,
A word. youle not be angry if I love you,
May not a batchellor be made a cuckold?
Lis.
How sir?
Cas.
Lisimachus, this Gentleman
Is worth our embrace, hees spiritted,
And may be usefull.
Sel.
Harke you, can you tell
To rise at Court, practise to caper, farewell
The noble science, that makes worke for cutlers,
It will be out of fashion to weare swords,
Masques, and devices welcome, I salute you,
Is it not pitty any division
Should be heard out of Musicke? Oh twill be
An excellent age of crotchets; and of Canters.
Buy Captaines that like fooles will spend your blood
Out of your Country, you will be of lesse
Vse then your feathers, if you returne unman'd
You shall be beaten soone to a new march,
When you shall thinke it a discretion
To sell your glorious buffes to buy fine pumps,
And pantables, this is I hope no treason.
Enter Arcadius leading the Queene, Charia, Eubulus, Lisander, Philocles, Polidora, servant.
Cas.
Wot stay Lisimachus?
Lisi.
Yes sir,
And shew a patience above her injury.
Arc.
This honour is too much, Madam assume
Your place, and let Arcadius waite still:
Tis happinesse enough to be your servant.
Cas.
Now he dissembles.
Que.
Sir you must sit.
Arc.
I am obedient.
Que.
This is not musicke
Sprightly enough, it feeds the soule with melancholy.
How sayes Arcadius?
Arc.
Give me leave to thinke
There is no harmony but in your voyce,
And not an accent of your heavenly tongue,
But strikes me into rapture, I incline
To thinke the tale of Orpheus no fable,
Tis possible he might inchant the Rockes,
And charme the Forrest, soften hell, hell it selfe
With his commanding Lute, it is no miracle
To what you worke, whose very breath conveyes
Day winds gather perfumes, proudly glide away,
To disperse sweetnesse round about the world.
Sel.
Fine stuffe.
Que.
You cannot flatter.
Arc.
Not if I should say
Nature had plac'd you here the creatures wonder,
And her owne spring, from which all excellence
On earths deriv'd, and copyed forth, and when
The character of faire, and good in others
Is quite worne out, and lost, looking on you
It is supplide, and you alone made mortall
To feed and keepe alive all beauty.
Sel.
Ha, ha, can you indure it Gentlemen?
Lisa.
What doe you meane?
Sel.
Nay aske him what he meanes, mine is a downe
Right laugh.
Que.
Well sir proceed.
Arc.
At such bright eies the stars do light themselves,
At such a forehead Swans renew their white,
From such a lip the morning gathers blushes.
Sel.
The morning is more modest then thy prayses,
What a thing does he make her?
Arc.
And when you fly to heaven & leave this world
No longer maintenance of goodnesse from you,
Then Poetry shall lose all use with us,
And be no more, since nothing in your absence
Is left, that can be worthy of a Verse.
Sel.
Ha, ha.
Que.
Whose that?
Sel.
Twas I Madam.
Arc.
Seleucus?
Cas.
Ha?
Sel.
Yes sir, 'twas I that laugh'd.
Arc.
At what?
Sel.
At nothing.
Lisa.
Containe your selfe Seleucus.
Eub.
Are you mad?
Have you ambition to be punishd sir?
Sel.
I need not, twas punishment
Enough to heare him make an Idoll of you, he left
Out the commendation of your patience, I was a little
Mov'd in my nature to heare his rodomontados, and
Make a monster of his Mistresse, which I pittyed first,
But seeing him proceed, I guest he brought you
Mirth with his inventions, and so made bold to laugh at it.
Que.
You are sawcy,
Weele place you where you shannot be so merry,
Take him away.
Lisa.
Submit your selfe
Arc.
Let me plead for his pardon.
Sel.
I wod not owe my life so poorely, beg thy owne
When you are King you cannot bribe your destiny.
Eub.
Good Madam heare me, I feare he is distracted,
Brave boy, thou should'st be master of a soule
Like his: thy honours more concernd.
Sel.
'Tis charity,
A way wo' mee, 'boy Madam?
Cas.
He has a daring spirit.
Exeunt Sel. Eub Cas.
Arc.
These and a thousand more affronts I must
Expect: your favours draw them all upon me;
In my first state I had no enemies,
I was secure while I did grow beneath
This expectation, humble valleyes thrive with
Their bosomes full of flowers, when the hils melt
With lightning, and rough anger of the clouds,
Let me retire.
Que.
And can Arcadius
At such a breath be moved, I had opinion
Your courage durst have stood a tempest for
Our love, can you for this incline to leave
What other Princes should in vaine have sued for?
How many Lovers are in Epire now
Would throw themselves on danger, not expect
One enemy, but empty their owne veines,
And thinke the losse of all their blood rewarded,
And shall this murmure shake you?
Arc.
Not deare Madam,
My life is such a poore despised thing,
In value your least graces, that
To lose it were to make my selfe a victory,
It is not for my selfe I feare: the envy
Of others cannot fasten wound in me
Greater, then that your goodnesse should be check'd
So daringly.
Que.
Let not those thoughts afflict thee
While we have power to correct the offences
Arcadius be mine, this shall confirme it.
Arc.
I shall forget
And lose my way to heaven, that touch had beene
Enough to have restor'd me, and infused
A spirit of a more celestiall nature,
After the tedious absence of my soule,
Oh blesse me not too much, one smile a day
Would stretch my life to mortality,
Poets that wrap divinity in tales,
Looke here, and give your coppyes forth of angels,
What blessing can remaine?
Que.
Our Marryage.
Arc.
Place then some horrors in the way
For me, not you to passe, the journeys end
Holds out such glories to me, I should thinke
Hell but a poore degree of suffering for it,
Whats that some petition, a Letter to me.
You had a Polidora, ha, thats all.
Ith' minute when my vessels new lanch'd forth,
With all my pride and silken winges about me
I strike upon a Rocke: what power can save me?
You had a Polidora; theres a name
Kil'd with griefe I can so soone forget her
Ser.
She did impose on me this service sir,
And while she lives she sayes sheele pray for you.
Aarc.
Shee lives
And honour she were dead, what fate hath plac'd me
Vpon this fearefull precipise?
Ser.
Hees troubled.
Arc.
I must resolve, my faith is violated
Already, yet poore loving Polidora
Will pray for me, she sayes, to thinke she can
Render me hated to my selfe, and every
Thought's a tormentor, let me then be just.
Que.
Arcadius.
Arc.
That voyce prevailes agen, oh Poledora,
Thou must forgive Arcadius, I dare not
Turne rebell to a Princesse, I shall love
Thy vertue, but a Kingdome has a charme
To excuse our frailty, dearest Madam.
Que.
Now set forward.
Arc.
To perfect all our joyes.
Enter Macarius, and a Bishop, Casander.
Mac.
Ile fright their glories.
Cas.
By what meanes?
Mac.
Observe.
Arc.
Our good Vncle, welcome.
Que.
My Lord Macarius we did want your person,
There's something in our joyes wherein you share.
Mac.
This you intend your highnesse wedding day.
Que.
We are going.
Mac.
Save you labour
I have brought a Priest to meet you.
Arc.
Reverend Father.
Que.
Meete us, why?
Mac.
To tell you that you must not marry.
Cas.
Didst thou heare that Lisimachus?
Lisi.
And wonder what will follow.
Que.
We must not marry.
Bish.
Madam tis a rule
First made in heaven, and I muh needs declare
You and Arcadius must tie no knot
Of man and wife.
Is my Vncle mad?
Que.
Ioy has transported him,
Or age has made him dote, Macarius
Provoke us not too much, you will presume
Above our mercy.
Mac.
Ile discharge my duty,
Could your frowne strike me dead, my Lord you know
Whose character this is.
Cas.
It is Thedosius.
Your graces Father.
Bis.
I am subscrib'd a witnesse.
Phi.
Vpon my life 'tis his.
Mac.
Feare not, Ile crosse this match.
Cas.
Ile blesse thee for't.
Arc.
Vncle dee know what you doe, or what we are
Going to finish, you will not breake the necke of my glorious
Fortune, now my footes ith' stirrups and mounting,
Throw me over the saddle, I hope youle let one
Be a King, Madam 'tis as you say,
My Vncle is something craz'd, there is a worme
In's braine, but I beseech you pardon him, he is
Not the first of your counsell, that has talk'd
Idly, dee heare my Lord Bishop, I hope
You have more religion then to joyne with him
To undoe me.
Bis.
Not I sir, but I am commanded by oath,
And conscience to speake truth.
Arc.
If your truth should doe me any harme, I shall never
Be in charity with a Croziers staffe, looke too't.
Que.
My youngest Brother,
Cas.
Worse and worse, my braines.
Exit.
Mac.
Deliver to me an Infant with this writing,
To which this reverend Father is a witnesse.
Lisa.
This he whom we so long thought dead, a childe.
Que.
But what should make my father to trust him
To your concealement? give abroad his death, and bury
An empty coffin?
Mac.
A jealousie he had
He fear'd would make no conscience to depose
His sonne, to make Lisimachus King of Epire.
Que.
He made no scruple to expose me then
To any danger?
Mac.
He secur'd you Madam
By an earely engagement of your affection
To Lisimachus, exempt this testimony,
Had he beene Arcadius, and my Nephew
I needed not obtrude him on the state,
Your Love and marriage had made him King
Without my trouble, and sav'd that ambition
There was necessity to open now
His birth, and title.
Phi.
Demetrius alive.
Arc.
What riddles are these, whom do they talk of?
Omn.
Congratulate your returne to life, and honor,
And as becomes us, with one voyce salute you
Demetrius King of Epire.
Mac.
I am no Vncle, sir, this is your sister,
I should have suffered incest to have kept you
Longer ith' darke, love, and be happy both,
My trust is now discharg'd.
Lisa.
And we rejoyce.
Arc.
But doe not mocke me Gentlemen,
May I be bold upon your words to say
I am Prince Thedosius sonne.
Mac.
The King.
Arc.
Youle justifie it?
Sister I am very glad to see you.
Sop.
I am to finde a brother, and resigne my glory,
My triumph is my shame.
Exit.
Enter Cassander.
Cas.
Thine eare Lisimachus.
Arc.
Gentlemen I owe
Vnto your loves, as large acknowledgement
As to my birth for this great honour, and
My study shall be equall to be thought
Cas.
Thou art turn'd Marble.
Lisi.
There will be the lesse charge for my monument.
Cas.
This must not be, fit fast young King.
Exit.
Lisa.
Your sister sir is gone.
Arc.
My sister should have beene my Bride, that name
Put me in minde of Polidora, ha?
Lisander, Philocles, Gentlemen,
If you will have me thinke your hearts allow me
Thedosius sonne, oh quickely snatch some wings,
Expresse it in your haste to Polidora,
Tell her what title is new dropt from Heaven
To make her rich; onely created for me,
Give her the ceremony of my Queene,
With all the state that may become our Bride
Attend her to this throne; are you not there?
Yet stay, tis too much pride to send for her,
Weele goe our selfe, no honour is enough
For Polidora, to redeeme our fault
Salute her gently from me, and upon
Your knee, present her with this Diademe,
Tis our first gift, tell her Demetrius followes
To be her guest, and give himselfe a servant
To her chaste bosome, bid her stretch her heart
To meet me, I am lost in joy and wonder.
Exeunt Omnes.
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