 | The Maid of Honovr |  |
Scene. IV.
A Flourish.Pierio. Roderigo. Iacomo. Gonzaga. Aurelia. Ferdinand. Astutio. Attendants.
Aurelia.
A seat here for the Duke. It is our glory
To overcom with courtesies, not rigor;
To Lordly Roman, who held it the height
Of humane happinesse, to have kings and Queenes
To wait by his triumphant chariot wheeles
In his insulting pride, depriv'd himselfe
Of drawing neare the nature of the gods,
Best known for such, in being mercifull,
And with the freedome of a friend to tell you,
To seeke by force, what courtship could not win,
was not harsh, and never taught in loves milde schoole.
Wise Poets faine that Venus coach is draw'n
By doues, and sparrowes, not by beares, and tygres.
Ferd.
I spare the application.
In my fortune,
Heav'ns justice hath confirm'd it, yet great Lady,
Since my offence grew from excesse of love,
And not to be resisted, having paid too,
With the losse of liberty, the forfeyture
Of my presumption, in your clemency
It may finde pardon
Aurel.
You shall have just cause
To say it hath. The charge of the long siege
Defraid, and the losse my subjects have sustain'd
Made good, since so farre I must deale with caution,
You have your liberty
Ferd.
I could not hope for gentler conditions.
Aurel.
My Lord Gonzaga.
Since my comming to Siena, I haue heard much
Of your prisoner; brave Bertoldo.
Gonza.
Such an one, Madam, I had.
Astut.
And have still, Sir, I hope.
Gonz.
Your hopes deceive you. He is ransom'd, Madame,
Astut.
By whom, I pray you, Sir.
Gonzag.
You had best enquire
Of your intelligencer. I am no informer.
Astut.
I like not this.
Aurel.
He is, as 'tis reported,
A goodly gentleman, and of noble parts,
A brother of your order.
Gonzaga.
Hee was, Madam,
Till he against his oath wrong'd you, a princesse,
Which his religion bound him from.
Aurel.
Great mindes
Quarrells that are unjust, yet without malice,
And such a faire construction I make of him.
I would see that brave enemy;
Gonzaga.
My duty
Commands me to seeke for him.
Aur.
Pray you doe:
And bring him to our presence.
Exit Gonzaga.
Astut.
I must blast
His entertainment; may it please your excellency.
He is a man debauch'd, and for his riots
Cast off by the King my Master, and that, I hope, is
A crime sufficient.
Ferd.
To you his subjects,
That like as your king likes
Enter Gonzaga, Bertoldo, richly habited: Adorni.
Aurel.
But not to us;
We must waigh with our owne scale. This is he, sure!
How soone mine eye had found him! what a port
He beares! how well his bravery becomes him!
A prisoner! nay, a princly sutor rather!
But I am too sudden.
Gon.
Madame, 'twas his suite,
Vnsent for, to present his service to you,
Ere his departure.
Aurel.
With what Majesty
He beares himselfe!
Astut.
The divell I thinke supplies him,
Ransom'd, and thus rich too!
Aurel.
You ill deserve
Ferdinand kneeling, kisses her hand.
The favour of our hand; we are not well,
Give us more ayre.
She descends suddenly.
Gonz.
What sudden qualme is this?
Aurel.
That lifted yours against mee.
Bertol.
Thus once more,
I sue for pardon
Aur.
Sure his lips are poyson'd,
And through these veines, force passage to my heart
Aside.
Bertol.
I wait, Madam,
To know what your commands are; my designes
Exact me in another place.
Aurel.
Before
You have our licence to depart; if manners,
Civility of manners cannot teach you
T'attend our leasure, I must tell you, Sir,
That you are still our prisoner, nor had you
Commission to free him.
Gonz.
How's this, Madam?
Aurel.
You were my substitute, and wanted power
Without my warrant to dispose of him.
I will pay backe his ransome ten times over,
Rather then quit my interest.
Bertol.
This is
Against the law of armes.
Aur.
But not of love:
Aside.
Why, hath your entertainment, Sir, beene such
In your restraint, that with the wings of feare
You would flie from it?
Bertol.
I know no man, Madame,
Enamour'd of his setters, or delighting
In cold or hunger, or that would in reason
Preferre straw in a dungeon, before
A downe bed in a Palace.
Aurel.
How, come neerer;
Was his usage such?
Gonz.
Yes, and it had beene worse,
Had I foreseene this.
Aur.
O thou mis-shap'd monster!
In thee it is confirm'd, that such as have
No share in natures bounties, know no pitty
To such as have 'em. Looke on him with my eyes,
And answer then, whether this were a man,
Whose cheekes of lovely fulnesse should be made
A prey to meagre famine? or these eyes
To be dimm'd with tedious watching? or these lips,
These rudie lips, of whose fresh colour, cherries
And roses were but coppies, should grow pale
For want of Nectar? or these legges that beare
A burthen of more worth, then is supported
By Atlas wearied shoulders, should be cramp'd
With the weight of yron? O I could dwell ever
On this description!
Bertoldo.
Is this in dirision
Or pitty of me?
Aurel.
In your charity
Beleeve me innocent. Now you are my prisoner
You shall have fairer quarter, you will shame
The place where you have beene, should you now leave it
Before you are recover'd. I'll conduct you
To more convenient lodgings, and it shall be
My care to cherish you. Repine who dare;
It is our will. You'll follow mee?
Bertoldo.
To the centre,
Such a Sybilla guiding me.
Exeunt Aurelia, Bertoldo.
Gonz.
Who speakes first?
Ferd.
We stand, as we had seen Medusas head!
All amaz'd.
Pierio.
I know not what to thinke, I am so amaz'd!
Roder.
Amaz'd! I am thunderstrooke!
Iacom.
Wee are inchaunted,
And this is some illusion.
Adorn.
Heav'n forbid!
In darke despaire, it shewes a beame of hope.
Containe thy joy, Adorni.
Astut.
Such a Princesse,
And of so long experienc'd reservednesse
Breake forth, and on the sudden, into flashes
Of more then doubted loosenesse.
Gonz.
They come againe,
Smiling, as I live: His arme circling her wast:
I shall runne mad: Some fury hath possess'd her.
A prayer or two, and crosse my selfe, and then
Though the divell fart fire, have at him.
Aurel.
Let not, Sir,
The violence of my passions nourish in you
An ill opinion; or grant my carriage
Out of the rode, and garbe of private women,
'Tis still done with decorum. As I am
A Princesse, what I doe, is aboue censure,
And to be imitated.
Bertoldo.
Gracious Madam,
Vouchsafe a little pawse, for I am so rapt
Beyond my selfe, that 'till I have collected
My scatter'd faculties, I cannot tender
My resolution.
Aurel.
Consider of it,
I will not be long from you,
Bertoldo walking by musing.
Gonzaga.
Pray I cannot!
This cursed object strangles my devotion!
I must speake, or I burst. Pray you faire Lady,
If you can in courtesie, direct mee to
The chaste Aurelia.
Aurel.
Are you blinde? who are wee?
Gonza.
Another kind of thing. Her blood was govern'd
By her discretion, and not rul'd her reason:
The reverence and Majesty of Iuno
Shinde in her lookes, and comming to the campe,
Appear'd a second Pallas. I can see
No such divinities in you. If I
Without offence may speake my thoughts, you are,
As it were, a wanton Helen.
Aurelia.
Good, ere long
You shall know mee better.
Gonz.
Why, if you are Aurelia,
How shall I dispose of the Souldier?
Astut.
May it please you
To hasten my dispatch?
Prefer your suites
Vnto Bertoldo, we will give him hearing,
And you'll finde him your best advocate.
Exit Aurelia
Astut.
This is rare!
Gonz.
What are we come to?
Roder.
Grown up in a moment
A favorite!
Ferdi.
He does take state already.
Ber.
No, no, it cannot be, yet but Camiola,
There is no stop betweene me and a crowne,
Then my ingratitude! a sinne in which
All sinnes are comprehended! Aide me vertue,
Or I am lost.
Gonz.
May it please your excellence
Second me, Sir.
Ber.
Then my so horrid oathes,
And hell-deepe imprecations made against it.
Astu.
The king your brother will thank you for th'advācment
Of his affaires
Bertol.
And yet who can hold out
Against such batteries, as her power and greatnesse
Raise up against my weake defences!
Gonz.
Sir,
Enter Aurelia.
Doe you dreame waking, Slight, shee's here againe.
Ber.
Walkes she on woollen feete!
Aureli.
You dwell too long
In your deliberation, and come
With a criples pace to that which you should fly to
Ber.
It is confess'd, yet why should I to winne
From you, that hazzard all to my poore nothing,
By false play send you off a looser from me?
I am already too too much ingag'd
To the king my brothers anger; and who knowes
But that his doubts, and politick feares, should you
Make me his equall, may draw war upon
Your territories, were that breach made up
To touch but with due reverence.
Aureli.
That hinderance
Is easily remov'd. I owe the king
For a royall visit, which I straight will pay him,
And having first reconcil'd you to his favour,
A dispensation shall meete with us,
Ber.
I am wholly yours.
Aure.
On this booke seale it.
Gon.
What hand and lip too, then the bargaine's sure,
You have no imployment for me?
Aurel.
Yes Gonzaga,
Provide a royall ship.
Gonz.
A ship? Saint Iohn,
Whither are we bound now?
Aurel.
You shall know hereafter,
My lord your pardon, for my too much trenching
upon your patience.
Ador.
Camiola.
Whispers to Bertoldo
Aurel.
How doe you
Ber.
Indisposed, but I attend you.
Exeunt
Adorn.
The heavie curse that waites on perjurie,
And foule ingratitude, pursue thee ever.
Yet why from me this? In this breach of faith
My loyalty findes reward! what poysons him
Proves Mithridate to me! I have perform'd
All she commanded punctually, and now
In the cleare mirrour of my truth, she may
Behold his falsehood. O that I had wings
To beare me to Palermo! This once knowne,
Must change her love into a just disdaine,
And worke her to compassion of my paine.
Exit
| The Maid of Honovr | |