University of Virginia Library

Scæna prima.

Sanazarro above.
Sanazar.
Tis prov'd in me, the curse of humane frailty
(Adding to our afflictions) makes us know
What's good, and yet our violent passions force us
To follow what is ill. Reason assur'd me
It was not safe to shave a Lyons skinne,
And that to trifle with a Soveraigne, was
To play with lightning: yet imperious beauty
Treading upon the neck of understanding,
Compell'd me to put off my naturall shape
Of loyall duty, to disguise my selfe
In the adulterate, and cobweb masque
Of disobedient trecherie. Where is now
My borrowed Greatnesse? or the promis'd lives
Of following Courtiers ecchoing my will?
In a moment vanish'd? Power that stands not on
Its proper base, which is peculiar onely
To absolute Princes, falls, or rises, with
Their frowne, or favour. The great Duke my Master
(Who almost chang'd me to his other selfe)
No sooner takes his beames of comfort from me,
But I as one unknowne, or unregarded,
Unpittied suffer! who makes intercession
To his mercy for me now? who does remember
The service I have done him? not a man;
And such as spake no language, but my Lord,
The favorite of Tuskanies grand Duke
Looks backwards.
Deride my madnesse. Ha! What noise of horses?
A goodly troope! This back-part of my prison
Allowes me liberty to see and know them.
Contarino! Yes, 'tis he, and Lodovico;
And the Dutchesse Fiorinda; Urbins heire,
A Princesse I have slighted; yet I weare
Her favours. And to teach me what I am,
She whom I scorn'd can onely meditate for me.
This way she makes, yet speake to her I dare not,
And how to make suit to her, is a taske
Of as much difficulty; yes; thou blessed pledge
Takes off the ring, & a pane of glasse.
Of her affection ayde me. This supplies
The want of penne and ink, and this of paper.
It must be so, and I in my Petition
Concise and pithie.

Enter Contarino leading in Fiorinda, Alphonso, Lodovico, Hieronimo, Calaminta.
Fiorinda.
'Tis a goodly pile this.

Hieroni.
But better by the owner.

Alphonso.
But most rich
In the great States it covers.

Fiorinda.
The Dukes pleasure
Commands us hither.

Contari.
Which was laid on us
To attend you to it.

Lodovico.
Signior Charomonte,
To see your Excellence his guest, will think
Himselfe most happy.

Fior.
Tye my shooe. What's that?
The pane thrown down.
A pane throwne from the window no winde stirring?

Calam.
And at your feet too falne, there's somthing writ on't,

Con.
Some Courtier belike would have it known
He wore a Diamond.

Calaminta.
Ha; it is directed
To the Princesse Fiorinda.

Fiorinda.
The inscription.
The subscription.
Ent. Coz. & Carolo.

Cozimo.
What we purpose
Shall know no change, and therefore move me not,
We were made as properties, and what we shall
Determine of 'em, cannot be call'd rigour,
But noble justice. When they prov'd disloyall,
They were cruell to themselves. The Prince that pardons
The first affront offer'd to majestie,
Invites a second, rend'ring that power
Subjects should tremble at, contemptible.
Ingratitude is a monster, Carolo,
To be strangl'd in the birth, not to be cherish'd.
Madame, you are happily met with.

Fiorinda.
Sir, I am
An humble Suitor to you; and the rather
Am confident of a grant, in that your Grace
When I made choyce to be at your devotion,
Vow'd to denie me nothing.

Cozimo.
To this minute
We have confirm'd it, what's your boone?

Fiorinda.
It is Sir,
That you in being gracious to your servant,
The ne're sufficiently prais'd Sanazarro,
(That now under your heavy displeasure suffers)
Would be good unto your selfe. His services
So many, and so great (your storme of fury
Calm'd by your better judgment) must inform you,
Some little slip (for sure it is no more)
From his loyall duty, with your justice cannot
Make foule his faire deservings. Great Sir, therefore
Looke backward on his former worth; and turning
Your eye from his offence (what 'tis I know not)
And I am confident, you will receive him
Once more into your favour.

Cozimo.
You say well,
You are ignorant in the nature of his fault,
Which when you understand (as we'll instruct you)
Your pitty will appeare a charity
(It being conferr'd on an unthankfull man)
To be repented. He's a traytor Madame
To you, to us, to gratitude, and in that
All crimes are comprehended.

Fiorinda.
If his offence
Aym'd at me onely, what so e're it is
'Tis freely pardon'd.

Cozimo.
This compassion in you
Must make the colour of his guilt more ugly:
The honors we have hourely heap'd upon him,
The titles, the rewards, to the envie of
The old Nobility, as the common people,
We now forbeare to touch at, and will onely
Insist on his grosse wrongs to you. You were pleas'd
Forgetting both your selfe and proper Greatnesse,
To favour him, nay, to court him to embrace
A happinesse, which on his knees with joy
He should have su'd for. Who repin'd not at
The grace you did him? yet in recompence
Of your large bounties, the disloyall wretch
Makes you a stale; and what he might be by you
Scorn'd, and derided, gives himselfe up wholly
To the service of another. If you can
Beare this with patience, we must say you have not
The bitternesse of spleene, or irefull passions
Familiar to women. Pause upon it,
And when you seriously have waigh'd his cariage,
Move us againe, if your reason will allow it,
His trechery knowne: and then if you continue
His advocate for him, we perhaps, because
We would denie you nothing, may awake
Our sleeping mercy. Carolo!

Carolo.
My Lord.

They whisper.
Fiorin.
To endure a rivall, that were equall to me,
Cannot but speake my poverty of spirit,
But an inferiour more; yet true love must not
Know, or degrees, or distances. Lidia may be
As farre above me in her forme, as she
Is in her birth beneath me, and what I
In Sanazarro lik'd, he loves in her.
But if I free him now, the benefit
Being done so timely, and confirming too
My strength & power, my soules best faculties being
Bent wholly to preserve him, must supply me
With all I am defective, and binde him
My creature ever. It must needes be so,
Nor will I give it o're thus.

Cozimo.
Does our Nephew
Beare his restraint so constantly, as you
Deliver it to us?

Carolo.
In my judgement Sir
He suffers more for his offence to you,
Then in his feare of what can follow it.
For he is so collected and prepar'd
To welcome that, you shall determine of him,
As if his doubts and feares were equall to him.
And sure he's not acquainted with much guilt,
That more laments the telling one untruth
Under your pardon still (for 'twas a fault Sir)
Then others that pretend to conscience, doe
Their crying secret sinnes.

Cozimo.
No more, this Glosse
Defends not the corruption of the text,
Carolo and the others whisper.
Urge it no more.

Fiorinda.
I once more must make bold Sir
To trench upon your patience. I have
Consider'd my wrongs duly. Yet that cannot
Divert my intercession for a man
Your Grace like me, once favour'd. I am still
A suppliant to you, that you would vouchsafe
The hearing his defence, and that I may
With your allowance see, and comfort him.
Then having heard all that he can alleadge
In his excuse, for being false to you,
Censure him as you please.

Cozimo.
You will o're-come,
There's no contending with you. Pray you enjoy
What you desire. And tell him, he shall have
A speedy tryall. In which we'll forbeare
To sit a Judge, because our purpose is
To rise up his accuser.

Fiorinda.
All encrease
Of happines wait on Cozimo.

Exeunt Fiorin. Calaminta.
Alphonso.
VVas it no more?

Carolo.
My Honor's pawn'd for it.

Contarino.
I'll second you.

Lodovi.
Since it is for the service and the safety
Of the hopefull Prince, fall what can fall, I'll runne
The desperate hazard.

Hieroni.
He's no friend to vertue
That does decline it.

They all kneele.
Cozimo.
Ha; what sue you for?
Shall we be ever troubl'd? doe not tempt
That anger may consume you.

Corolo.
Let it Sir,
The losse is lesse, though Innocents, we perish,
Then that your sisters sonne should fall unheard
Under your fury. Shall we feare to entreate
That grace for him, that are your faithfull servants,
VVhich you vouchsafe the Count, like us a subject?

Cozimo.
Did not we vowe, till sicknesse had forsooke
Thy daughter Lidia, and she appear'd
In her perfect health and beauty to pleade for him.
VVe were deafe to all perswasion?

Carolo.
And that hope Sir
Hath wrought a miracle. She is recover'd,
And if you please to warrant her, will bring
The penitent Prince before you.

Cozimo.
To enjoy
Such happines, what would we not dispense with?

Al. Ludo. Hie.
We all kneele for the Prince.

Contarino.
Nor can it stand
With your mercy, that are gracious to Strangers,
To be cruell to your owne.

Cozimo.
But art thou certaine
I shall behold her at the best?

Carolo.
If ever
She was hansome, as it fits not me to say so,
She is now much better'd.

Cozimo.
Rise, thou art but dead
If this prove otherwise. Lidia appeare,
And feast an appetite almost pin'd to death
With longing expectation to behold
Thy excellencies; thou as beauties Queene
Shalt censure the detractors. Let my Nephew
Be led in triumph under her command,
We'll have it so; and Sanazarro tremble
To think whom he hath slander'd; we'll retire
Our selves a little, and prepare to meete
A blessing, which imagination tells us
We are not worthy of; and then come forth
But with such reverence, as if I were
(My selfe the Priest, the sacrifice my heart)
To offer at the Altar of that goodnesse
That must or kill or save me.
Exit Cozimo.

Carolo.
Are not these
Strange gambols in the Duke?

Alphonso.
Great Princes have
Like meaner men their weaknesse.

Lodovico.
And may use it
Without controule or check.

Contarino.
'Tis fit they should,
Their priviledge were lesse else, then their Subjects.

Hier.
Let them have their humors, there's no crossing 'em.