 | The Maid of Honovr |  |
Scene. II.
Lowd Musicke.Astutio. Gonzaga. Roderigo. Iacomo. Pierio. Roberto. Bertoldo. Aurelia. Bishop. with Attendants.
Rober.
Had our division beene greater, Madam,
Your clemency, the wrong being done to you
In pardon of it, like the rod of concord
Must make a perfect union, once more
With a brotherly affection we receive you
Into our favour. Let it be your study
Hereafter to deserve this blessing, farre
Beyond your merit.
Bertol.
As the Princesse grace
To me is without limit, my endeavours
With all obsequiousnesse to serve her pleasures
Shall know no bounds, nor will I being made
Her husband, forget the duty that
I owe her as a servant.
Aurel.
I expect not
But faire equality, since I well know
If that superiority be due
'Tis not to me, When you are made my consort
All the prerogatives of my high birth cancell'd
I'll practise the obedience of a wife,
And freely pay it. Queenes themselves, if they
Make choice of their inferiors, onely aiming
To feed their sensuall appetites, and to raigne
Over their husbands, in some kinde commit
In my intent of such a crime.
Gonza.
This done,
As it is promis'd, Madam, may well stand for
A president to great women: but when once
The griping hunger of desire is cloyd,
(And the poore foole advanc'd, brought on his knee
Most of your Eagle breed, I'll not say all
(Ever excepting you) challenge againe,
What in hot blood they parted from.
Aurel.
You are ever.
An enemy of our sex, but you I hope Sir
Have better thoughts.
Ber.
I dare not entertaine
An ill one of your goodnesse.
Rob.
To my power
I will enable him to prevent all danger
Envy can raise against your choice. One wordmore
Touching the Articles.
Enter Ful. Cam. Syl. Ador.
Fulgen.
In you alone
Lie all my hopes, you can or kill or save me,
But pitty in you, will become you better,
(Though I confesse in justice 'tis deni'd me)
Then too much rigor.
Cam.
I will make your peace
As far as it lyes in me, but must first
Labour to right my selfe.
Aurel.
Or adde or alter
VVhat you thinke fit. In him I have my all,
Heaven make me thankfull for him.
Rob.
On to the Temple
Cam.
Stay royall Sir, and as you are a King
Erect one here, in doing justice to
An injur'd mayd.
Aurel.
How's this?
Ber.
O I am blasted!
Rob.
I have given som proofe, sweet Lady, of my promptnes
To doe you right, you need not therefore doubt me,
And rest assur'd, that this great worke dispatch'd,
You shall have audience and satisfaction
Cam.
To doe mee justice
Exacts your present care, and can admit
Of no delay. If e'r my cause be heard
In favour of your brother, you goe on Sir,
Your scepter cannot right mee. Hee's the man,
The guilty man, whom I accuse, and you
Stand bound in duty, as you are Supreame,
To be impartiall. Since you are a Iudge,
As a Delinquent, looke on him, and not
As on a brother; justice painted blinde
Inferres, her Ministers are oblig'd to heare
The cause and truth, the Iudge determine of it,
And not sway'd, or by favour, or affection,
By a false glosse, or wrested comment alter
The true intent, and letter of the law.
Ro.
Nor will I Madam,
Aurel.
You seeme troubl'd, Sir,
Gonz.
His colour changes too.
Cam.
The alteration
Growes from his guilt. The goodnesse of my cause
Begets such confidence in mee, that I bring
No hir'd tongue to plead for mee, that with gay
Rhetoricall flourishes may palliate
That, which stripp'd naked, will appeare deform'd.
I stand here, mine owne advocate; and my truth
Deliver'd in the plainest language, will
Make good it selfe, nor will I, if the King
Give suffrage to it, but admit of you,
My greatest enemy, and this stranger Prince,
To sit assistants with him.
Aurel.
I ne'r wrong'd you.
Cam.
In your knowledge of the injury, I believe it,
Nor will you in your justice, when you are
Acquainted with my interest in this man
Which I lay claime to.
Roberto.
Let us take our seats,
What is your title to him?
By this contract
Seal'd solemnely before a reveren'd man,
I challenge him for my husband.
Sylli.
Ha. was I
Sent for the Frier, for this? O Sylli! Sylli!
Some cordiall, or I faint.
Rober.
This writing is
Authenticall.
Aurel.
But done in heat of blood,
(Charm'd by her flatteries, as no doubt he was)
To be dispens'd with.
Ferd.
Adde this, if you please,
The distance and disparity betweene
Their births and fortunes.
Cam.
What can inocence hope for
When such as fit her jugdes, are corrupted!
Disparity of birth, or fortune urge you?
Or Syren charmes? or at his best in mee,
Wants to deserve him? Call some few daies backe,
And as he was, consider him, and you
Must grant him my inferiour. Imagine
You saw him now in fetters with his honour,
His liberty lost; with her blacke wings despaire
Circling his miseries, and his Gonzaga,
Trampling on his afflictions; the great summe
Propos'd for his redemption; the King
Forbidding payment of it; this neere kinsmen,
With his protesting followers, and friends,
Falling off from him; by the whole world forsaken;
Dead to all hope, and buried in the grave
Of his calamities, and then waigh duly
What she deserv'd (whose merits now are doubted)
That as his better Angell in her bounties
Appeard unto him, his great ransome pai'd,
His wants, and with a prodigall hand suppli'd,
Whether then being my manumised slave,
Hee ow'd not himselfe to mee?
Aurel.
Is this true?
In his silence 'tis acknoledg'd
Gonzag.
If you want
A witnesse to this purpose, I'll depose it:
Cam.
If I have dwelt too long on my deservings
To this unthankfull man, pray you pardon me,
The cause requir'd it. And though now I adde
A little in my painting to the life
His barbarous ingratitude, to deterre,
Others from imitation, let it meet with
A faire interpretation. This serpent,
Frozen to numnesse, was no sooner warm'd
In the bosome of my pitty, and compassion,
But in returne, he ruin'de his preserver
The prints the yrons had made in his flesh
Still ulcerous; but all that I had done
(My benefits in sand, or water written)
As they had never beene, no more remembred.
And on what ground; but his ambitious hopes
To gaine this Duchesse favour,
Aurelia.
Yes, the object,
Looke on it better (Lady) may excuse
The charge of his affection.
Camiol.
The object
In what? forgiue mee, modesty, if I say
You looke upon your forme in the false glasse
Of flattery, and selfe-love, and that deceives you,
That you were a Duchesse, as I take it, was not
Character'd on your face, and that not seene,
For other feature, make all these that are
Experienc'd in women, judges of 'em,
And if they are not Parasites, they must grant
For beauty without art, though you storme at it,
I may take the righ hand file.
Gonzaga.
Well said i'faith;
I see faire women on no termes will yeeld
Priority in beauty.
Camiol.
Downe proud heart!
Why doe I rise up in defence of that,
No Madam, I recant, you are all beauty,
Goodnesse, and vertue, and poore I not worthy
As a soyle to set you off; enioy your conquest
But doe not tyranize. Yet as I am
In my lownesse from your height, you may looke on me,
And in your suffrage to me, make him know
That though to all men else I did appeare
The shame and scorne of women, hee stands bound
To hold me as her master-piece.
Roberto.
By my life
You have show'n your selfe of such an abject temper,
So poore, and low condition'd, as I grieve for
Your neerenesse to mee.
Ferd.
I am chang'd in my
Opinion of you Lady, and professe
The vertues of your minde, an ample fortune
For an absolute Monarch.
Gonzaga.
Since you are resolv'd
To damne your selfe, in your forsaking of
Your noble order for a woman, doe it
For this. You may search through the world, and meet not
With such another Phœnix.
Aurel.
On the sudden
I feele all fires of love quench'd in the water
Of compassion, make your peace; you have
My free consent; for here I doe disclaime
All interest in you: and to further your
Desires, faire Maid, compos'd of worth and honour,
The dispensation procur'd by mee,
Freeing Bertoldo from his vow, makes way
To your embraces.
Bertol.
Oh, how have I stray'd,
And wilfully, out of the noble tract
Mark'd mee by vertue! 'Till now, I was never
Truely a prisoner; to excuse my late
Captivity, I might alleage the malice
Of fortune; you that conquer'd me confessing
But now I have surrendred up my strengths
Into the power of vice, and on my forehead
Branded with mine owne hand in capitall letters
Disloyall, and Ingratefull, though barr'd from
Humane society, and hiss'd into
Some desert nere yet haunted with the curses
Of men and women, sitting as a judge
Vpon my guilty selfe, I must confesse
It justly falls upon me, and one teare
Shed in compassion of my suffrings more.
Then I can hope for.
Cam.
This compunction
For the wrong that you have done me, though you should
Fix here, and your true sorrow move no further,
Will in respect I lov'd once, make these eies
Two springs of sorrow for you.
Ber.
In your pittie
My cruelty shewes more monstrous, yet I am not,
Though most ingratfull, grown to such a height
Of impudence, as in my wishes onely
To aske your pardon. If as now I fall
Prostrate before your feete, you will vouchsafe
To act your owne revenge, treading upon me
As a viper eating through the bowels of
Your benefits, to whom with libertie
I owe my being, 'twill take from the burthen
That now is insupportable.
Cam.
Pray you rise,
As I wish peace, and quiet to my soule
I do forgive you heartily, yet excuse me:
Though I deny my selfe a blessing that
By the favour of the Dutchesse seconded,
With your submission is offer'd to me
Let not the reason I alleage for't grieve you,
You have been false once. I have done. And if
When I am married (as this day I will be)
As a perfit signe of your attonement with me
You wish me joy, I will receive it for
In which you stand bound to me.
Ber.
I will doe it,
And what's more, in despite of sorrow, live
To see my selfe vndone, beyond all hope
To be made up againe.
Syl.
My blood begins
To come to my heart againe.
Cam.
Pray you Signior Syl.
Call in the holy Frier. Hee's prepar'd
For finishing the worke.
Syl.
I knew I was
The man. Heaven make mee thankfull
Rob.
Who is this?
Astu.
His Father was the banker of Palermo,
And this the heyre of his great wealth, his wisdome
Was not hereditarie.
Syl.
Though you know me not,
Your Majesty owes me a round Sum, I have
A feele, or two to witnesse, yet if you please
To weare my colours, and dance at my wedding.
I'll never sue you.
Rob.
And I'll grant your suite,
Syl.
Gracious Maddona, Noble, Generall,
Brave Captaines and my quondam rivalls wear 'em
Since I am confident you dare not harbour
A thought, but that way currant.
Exit
Aurel.
For my part
I cannot ghesse the issue.
Enter Syl. with
Syl.
Do your duty,
And with all speed you can, you may despatch us.
Paulo.
Thus as a principal ornament to the Church
I sease her.
All.
How.
Rob.
So young and so religious.
Pau.
She has forsooke the world.
Syl.
And Syllie too,
I shall run mad.
Syl thrust off
Rob.
Hence with the foole, proceede Sir
Looke on this maid of honor now
Truely honor'd in her vow
She payes to heaven, vaine delight
By day, or pleasure of, the night,
She no more thinkes of this faire haire
(Favours for great kings to weare)
Muw now be shorn. Her rich array
Chang'd into a homely gray.
The dainties with which she was fed
And her proud flesh pampered,
Must not be tasted, from the spring,
For wine cold water we will bring
And with fasting mortifie
The feasts of sensuality.
Her jewells, beads, and she must looke
Not in a glasse, but holy booke;
To teach her the nere erring way
To immortality. O may
She as she purposes to be
A Child new borne to piety,
Persever in in it, and good men
With Saints and Angels say Amen
Cam.
This is the marriage! this the port! to which
My vowes must steere me, fill my spreading sayles
With the pure wind of your devotions for me,
That I may touch the secure haven, where
Eternall happinesse keepes her residence,
Temptations to frailty never entring.
I am dead to the world, and thus dispose
Of what I leave behind me, and dividing
My state into three parts, I thus bequeath it.
The first to the faire Nunnery, to which
I dedicate the last, and better part
Of my fraile life; a second portion
To pious uses; and the third to thee
Adorni, for thy true and faithfull service.
And ere I mytake lust farwel with hope
To finde a gran, may suite to you is that
You would for my sake pardon this young man
Rob.
I thus confirme it.
Gives his hand to Fulgen. to Bertoldo
Cami.
And as ere you hope
Like me to be made happy, I conjure you
To reassume your order; and in fighting
Bravely against the enemies of our faith
Redeeme your morgag'd honor.
Rob.
I restore this
The white crosse.
Once more brothers in armes,
Ber.
I'll live and die so.
Cam.
To you my pious wishes. And to end
All differences, great Sir I beseech you
To be an arbitrator, and compound
The quarrell, long continuing betweene
The Duke and Dutchesse.
Rober.
I'll take it into
My special care.
Cam.
I am then at rest, now father
Exeunt Paulo. & Camiola.
Conduct me where you please.
Rob.
She well deserves
Her name, the Maid of Honor! May she stand
To all posterity, a faire example,
For noble Maides to imitate. Since to live
In wealth and pleasure is common; but to part with
Such poyson'd baites is rare, there being nothing
Vpon this Stoge of life to be commended,
Though well begun, till it be fully ended.
Exeunt.
| The Maid of Honovr | |