University of Virginia Library

SCÆNA III.

Pisander, Timandra.
Pisander.
I know, I am pursu'd, nor would I flye,
Although the Ports were open, and a Conuoy
Ready to bring me off: the basenesse of
These villaines, from the pride of all my hopes,
Haue throwne me to the bottomlesse Abisse
Of horror, and despayre; had they stood firme,
I could haue bought Cleoras free consent,
With the safetie of her Fathers life, and Brothers:
And forc'd Leosthenes to quit his claime,
And kneele a Suitor for mee.

Timandra.
You must not thinke,
What might haue beene, but what must now be practic'd,
And suddenly resolue.

Pisander.
All my poore fortunes
Are at the stake, and I must runne the hazard.
Vnseene, conuey me to Cleora's Chamber,
For in her sight, if it were possible,
I would be apprehended: doe not inquire
The reason why, but helpe me.

Timandra.
Make haste, one knockes,
Exit Pisander.
Ioue turne all to the best: you are welcome Sir.

Enter Leosthenes.
Leosthenes.
Thou giu'st it in a heauy tone.

Timandra.
Alas, Sir,
Wee haue so long fed on the bread of sorrow,
Drinking the bitter water of afflictions,
Made loathsome to, by our continued feares,
Comfort's a stranger to vs.

Leosthenes.
Feare's! your suffrings,
For which I am so ouergone with griefe,
I dare not aske without compassionate teares,
The villaines name, that rob'd thee of thy honour;
For being train'd vp in chastities cold Schoole,
And taught by such a Mistresse as Cleora,
'Twere impious in me, to thinke Timandra
Fell with her owne consent.

Timandra.
How meane you, fell, Sir?
I vnderstand you not.

Leosthenes.
I would, thou didst not,
Or that I could not reade vpon thy face,
In blushing caracters, the story of
Libidinous Rape; confesse it, for you stand not
Accomptable for a sinne, against whose strength
Your o're-match'd innocence could make no resistance;
Vnder which odds, I know Cleora fell too,
Heau'ns helpe in vaine inuok'd; the amazed Sunne,
Hiding his face behinde a maske of cloudes,
Not daring, to looke on it, in her suffrings
All sorrowe's comprehended; what Timandra,
Or the Citie has indur'd, her losse consider'd,
Deserues not to be nam'd.

Timandra.
Pray you doe not bring, Sir,
In the chymeraes of your iealous feares,
New monsters to affright vs.

Leosthenes.
O Timandra.
That I had faith enough but to beleeue thee,
I should receaue it with a ioy beyond
Assurance of Elizian shades hereafter,
Or all the blessings in this life, a Mother
Could wish her children crown'd with: but I must not
Credit impossibilities, yet I striue
To finde out that, whose knowledge is a curse,
And ignorance a blessing. Come, discouer
What kinde of looke he had, that forc'd thy Lady,
(Thy rauisher, I will enquire at leasure,)
That when hereafter I behold a stranger
But neere him in aspect, I may conclude,
(Though men and Angels should proclaime him honest,)
Hee is a Hell-bred villaine.

Timandra.
You are vnworthy
To know she is preseru'd, preseru'd vntainted.
Sorrow (but ill bestow'd) hath only made
A rape vpon her comforts, in your absence.
Come forth, deare Madam.

Leads in Cleora.
Leost.
Ha!

Kneeles.
Tima.
Nay, she dserues
The bending of your heart; that to content you,
Has kept a vow, the breach of which a vestall
(Though the infringing it had call'd vpon her
A liuing funerall,) must of force haue shrunke at;
No danger could compell her, to dispence with
Her cruell Penance; though hot lust came arm'd
To seaze vpon her, when one looke, or accent
Might haue redeem'd her.

Leosthenes.
Might? O doe not show me
A beame of comfort, and straight take it from me;
The meanes, by which she was freed? Speake, O speake quickly,
Each minute of delay's, an age of Torment:
O speake, Timandra.

Timandra.
Free her from her oath,
Her selfe can best deliuer it.

Takes off the Scarfe.
Leost.
O blest office!
Neuer did Gally-slaue shake off his chaines,
Or look'd on his redemption from the Oare,
With such true feeling of delight, as now
I finde my selfe possess'd of; now I behold
True light indeed; For since these fairest starres,
(Couer'd with cloudes of your determinate will)
Denyde their influence to my optique sense,
The Splendor of the Sunne appear'd to me,
But as some little glimpse of his bright beames
Couey'd into a Dungeon; to remember
The darke inhabitants there, how much they wanted.
Open these long-shut lips, and strike mine eares
With Musicke more harmonious, then the Spheares
Yeeld in their heauenly motions; And if euer
A true submission, for a crime acknowledg'd,
May finde a gratious hearing, teach your tongue
In the first sweet, articulate sounds, it vtters
To signe my wish'd-for pardon.

Cleo.
I forgiue you.

Leost.
How greedily I receiue this? Stay, best Lady,
And let me by degrees ascend the height
Of humane happinesse; All at once deliuer'd,
The torrent of my ioyes will ouerwhelme me;
So, now a little more; And pray excuse me,
If like a wanton Epicure I desire,
The pleasant taste these cates of comfort yeild me,
should not too soone be swallow'd. Haue you not
(By your vnspotted truth, I doe coniure you
To answer truly) suffer'd in your honour;
(By force, I meane, for in your will I free you)
Since I left Syracusa?

Cleo.
I restore
This kisse, (so help me goodnesse,) which I borrow'd,
When I last saw you.

Leost.
Miracle of vertue!
One pawse more, I beseech you, I am like
A man, whose vitall spirits consum'd, and wasted
With a long and tedious Feuer, vnto whom
Too much of a strong Cordiall at once taken
Brings death, and not restores him. Yet I cannot
Brings death, and not restores him. Yet I cannot
Fixe here: but must enquire the man, to whom
I stand indebted for a benefit,
Which to requite at full, though in this hand
I grasp'd all Scepters the worlds Empire bow to,
Would leaue me a poore Bank'rout; name him, Lady;
If of a meane estate, I'le gladly part with
My vtmost fortunes to him; but if noble,
In thankfull duty studie how to serue him;
Or if of higher rancke, erect him Altars,
And (as a god) adore him.

Cleo.
If that goodnesse,
And noble temperance (the Queene of vertues)
Bridling rebellous passions (to whose sway,
Such as haue conquer'd Nations haue liu'd slaues)
Did euer wing great mindes to flye to heauen;
He that preseru'd mine honour, may hope boldly
To fill a seat among the gods, and shake of
Our fraile corruption.

Leosthenes.
Forward.

Cleo.
Or if euer,
The powers aboue did masque in humane shapes,
To teach mortality, not by cold precepts
Forgot as soone as told, but by examples,
To imitate their purenesse, and draw neere
To their Cœlestiall Natures; I belieue
Hee's more then man.

Leost.
You doe describe a wonder.

Cleo.
Which will increase, when you shall vnderstand,
He was a louer.

Leost.
Not yours, Lady?

Cleo.
Yes,
Lou'd me, Leosthenes; Nay more, so doted,
(If cleere affections scorning grosse desires
May without wrong be stil'd so) that he durst not
With an immodest syllable, or looke,
In feare it might take from me, whom he made
The obiect of his better part, discouer,
I was the Saint, he su'de too.

Leost.
A rare tempter!

Cleo.
I cannot speake it to the worth: All praise
I can bestow vpon it, will appeare
Enuious detraction. Not to racke you farther,
Yet make the miracle full; though of all men
He hated you Leosthenes, as his riuall:
So high yet he priz'd my content, that knowing
You were a man I fauour'd, he disdain'd not
Against himselfe to serue you.

Leost.
You conceale, still,
The owner of these excellencies.

Cleo.
'Tis Marullo,
My Fathers Bond-man,

Leost.
Ha, ha, ha!

Cleo.
Why doe you laugh?

Leost.
To heare the labouring mountaine of your praise
Deliuer'd of a Mouse.

Cleo.
The man deserues not
This scorne, I can assure you.

Leost.
Doe you call,
What was his dutie, merit?

Cleo.
Yes, and place it,
As high in my esteeme, as all the honours
Descended from your Auncestors, or the glory,
Which you may call your owne, got in this action;
In which I must confesse you haue done nobly,
And I could adde; As I desir'd; but that
I feare, 'twould make you proud.

Leost.
Why Lady, can you
Be wonne to giue allowance, that your slaue
Should dare to loue you?

Cleo.
The Immortall gods
Accept the meanest Altars, that are rais'd
By pure deuotions; and sometimes preferre
An ounce of Frankinsence, hony, or milke,
Before whole Hecatombes, or Sabæan Gums
Offer'd in ostentation. Are you sicke
Aside.
Of your old disease? I'le fit you.

Leost.
You seeme mou'd.

Cleo.
Zealous, I grant, in the defence of vertue.
Why, good Leosthenes, though I endur'd,
A penance for you sake, aboue example,
I haue not so farre sold my selfe, I take it,
To be at your deuotion, but I may
Cherish desert in others, where I finde it.
How would you tyranize, if you stood possess'd of
That, which is only yours in expectation?
That now prescribe such hard conditions to me?

Leost.
One kisse, and I am silenc'd.

Cleo.
I vouchsafe it;
Yet, I must tell you, 'tis a fauour, that
Marullo, when I was his, not mine owne,
Durst not presume to aske; No, when the Citie
Bow'd humbly to licentious Rapes, and lust.
And when I was of men and gods forsaken,
Deliuer'd to his power, he did not presse me
To grace him with one looke or sillable.
Or vrg'd the dispensation of an oath
Made for your satisfaction; The poore wretch
Hauing related only his owne suffrings,
And kiss'd my hand, which I could not denie him,
Defending me from others, neuer since
Solicited my fauours.

Leost.
Pray you, end,
The story does not please me.

Cleo.
Well, take heed
Of doubts, and feares; For know, Leosthenes,
A greater iniury cannot be offer'd
To innocent chastity, then vniust suspition.
I loue Marulloes faire minde, not his person,
Let that secure you. And I here command you,
If I haue any power in you, to stand
Betweene him and all punishment, and oppose
His temperance to his folly; If you faile—
No more, I will not threaten.

Exit.
Leost.
What a bridge
Of glasse I walke vpon, ouer a Riuer
Of certaine ruine: mine owne waightie feares
Cracking what should support me: And those helpes,
Which confidence lends to others, are from me
Rauish'd by doubts, and wilfull Iealousie.