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Scena prima.
Enter Mathias in armour, Sophia in a riding sute, Corisca, Hilario with other seruants.Mathias.
Since we must part Sophia, to passe further.
Is not alone impertinent but dangerous.
We are not distant from the Turkesh campe
Aboue fiue leagues, and who knowes but some partie
Of his Timariots that scoure the countrey
May fall vpon vs, be now as thy name
Truely interpreted hath euer spoke thee,
Wise, and discreete, and to thy vnderstanding
Marrie thy constant pacience.
Sophia.
Yow put me Sir,
To the vtmost triall of it.
Mathias,
Nay noe melting,
Since the necessity that now seperates vs,
We haue long since disputed, and the reasons
Forcing me to it, too oft wash'd in teares,
I grant that you in birth were farre aboue mee,
And great men my superiours riualls for you,
But mutuall consent of heart, as hands
Ioynde by true loue hath made vs one, and equall;
Nor is it in me meere desire of fame,
For a braue souldier that puts on my armour,
Such aerie tumours take not me you know
How narrow our demeanes are, and whats more
Hauing as yet no charge of children on vs
We hardly can subsist.
Sophia.
In you alone sir
I haue all abundance.
Mathias.
For my minds content
In your owne language I could answere you
You haue beene an obedient wise, a right one,
And to my power, though short of your desert
I haue beene euer an indulgent husband.
we haue long inioyd the sweets of loue, and though
Not to satisfie, or lothing, yet
We must not liue such dotardes on our pleasures
As still to hugge them to the certaine losse
Of profit, and preferment, competent meanes
Maintaines aquiet bed, want breeds dissention
Euen in good women.
Sophia.
Haue you found in me sir
Any distast, or signe of discontent
For want of whats superfiuous?
Mathias,
No Sophia.
Nor shalt thou euer haue cause to repent
Thy constant course in goodnes if heauen blesse
My honest vndertakings: 'tis for thee
That I turne souldier, and put forth deerest
Vpon this sea of action as a factor
To trade for rich materialls to adorne
Thy noble parts, and show'em in full lustre.
I blush that other ladies lesse in beauty
And outward forme, but in the harmonie
Of the soules rauishing musicke the same age
Not to be nam'd with thee, should so out shine thee
In iewels, and variety of wardrobes,
Compar'd are of no value) wanting these
Passe vnregarded.
Sophia.
If I am so rich or
In your opinion, why should you borrow
Additions for me?
Mathias.
Why? I should be censur'd
Of ignorance possessing such a Iewell
Aboue all price, if I forbeare to giue it
The best of ornaments. Therefore Sophia
In few words know my pleasure and obey me,
As you haue euer done to your discretion,
I leaue the gouernment of my family
And our poore fortunes, and from these command
Obedienoe to you as to my selfe,
To the vtmost of what's mine liue plentifully,
And ere the remnant of our store be spent,
With my good sword I hope I shall reape for you
A haruest in such full abundance, as
Shall make a merry winter.
Sophia.
Since you are not
To be diuerted Sir from what you purpose
All arguments to stay you heere are vselesse.
Goe when you please Sir, Eyes I charge you waste not
One drop of sorrow, looke you hoord all vp
Till in my widdowed bed I call vpon you,
But then be sure you faile not. You blest Angels
Guardians of humanelife, I at this instant
Forbeare t'inuoke you, at our parting 'twere
To personate deuotion. My soule
Shall goe along with you, and when you are
Circl'd with death and horrour seeke and finde you:
And then I will not leaue a Saint vnsu'd to
For your protection. To tell you what
I will doe in your absence, would shew poorely,
My actions shall speake me, 'twere to doubt you
You cannot liue obscure nor shall one post
By night, or day passe vnexamined by me.
If I dwell long vpon your lips, consider
After this feast the griping fast that followes
And it will be excusable, pray turne from mee.
All that I can is spoken.
Exit Sophia.
Mathias.
Follow your mistersse.
Forbeare your wishes for me, let mee finde'em,
At my returne in your prompt will to serue her.
Hilario.
For my part sir I will grow leane with study
To make her merry.
Corisca.
Though you are my Lord,
Yet being her gentlewoman, by my place
I may take my leaue, your hand or if you please
To haue me fight so high, ile not be coy
But stande a tiptoe for't;
Mathias.
O farewell gyrle.
Hilario.
A kisse well begg'd Corisca,
Corisca.
Twas my fee,
Loue how he melts! I cannot blame my ladies
Vnwillingnesse to part with such marmulade lips.
There will be scrambling for'em in the campe,
And were it not for my honesty I could wish now
I were his leager landresse I would finde
Sope of mine owne, enough to wash his linnen
Or I would straine hard for't
Hilario.
How the mammet'twitters!
Come, come my ladie staies for vs.
Corisca.
Would I had beene
Her ladiship the last night.
Hilario.
Noe more of that wench.
Exunt Hilario.
Mathias.
I am strangely troubled: yet why I should nourish
A furie heere, and with imagind foode.
Hauing no reall grounds on which to raise,
A buildings of suspition, she was euer
But foolishly inquire the knowledge of
A future sorrow, which if I find out,
My present ignorance were a cheape purchase
Though with my losse of beeing, I haue already
Dealt with a friend of mine, a generall scholler
One deepely read in natures hidden secrets,
And though with much vnwillingnesse haue wone him
To doe as much as Art can to resolue me
My fate that followes to my wish, Hee's come.
Enter Baptista.
Iulio Baptista, now I may affirme
Your promise, and performance walke together.
And therefore without circumstance to the point,
Instruct me what I am.
Baptista.
I could wish you had
Made triall of my loue some other way.
Mathias.
Nay this is from the purpose.
Baptista.
If you can,
Proportion your desire to any meane
I do pronounce you happy I haue found
By certaine rules of Art your matchlesse wife
Is to this present hower from all pollution
Free and vntainted.
Mathias.
Good.
Baptista.
In reason therefore
You should fixe heere, and make no farther serach
Of what may fall heereafter.
Mathias.
O Baptista
Tis not in me to master so my passions,
I must know farther, or you haue made good
But halfe your promise while my loue stood by,
Holding her vpright, and my presence was
A watch vpon her; her desires being met to
with equall ardor from me; what one proofe
Could she giue of her constancy being vntempted?
But when I am absent, and my comming backe
Not to be quench'd by lawfull meanes, and shee
The absolute disposer of her selfe,
Without, controule, or curbe nay more inuited
By opportunity and all strong temptations
It then she hold out.
Baptista.
As no doubt she will,
Mathias.
Those doubts must be made certainties Baptista
By your assurance, or your boasted Art
Deserues no admiration, how you trifle
And play with my affliction? I am on
The wracke till you confirme mee.
Baptista.
Sure Mathias.
I am no God, nor can I diue into
Her hidden thoughts, or know what her intents are
That is deni'd to art, and kept conceald
euen from the diuels themselues: they can but guesse
Out of long obseruation what is likely,
But positiuely to foretell that this shall be
You may conclude impossible, all I can
I will doe for you when you are distant from her
A thousand leauges as if you then were with her
You shall know truly when she is solicited,
And how far wrought on.
Mathias.
I desire no more.
Baptista.
Take then this little modell of Sophia
With more then humane skill limde to the life
Each line, and lenament of it in the drawing
Soe punctually obserued that had it motion
In so much'twere her selfe.
Mathias,
It is indeede
An admirable peece, but if it haue not
Some hidden vertue that I cannot guesse at
In what can it aduantage me?
Baptista.
Ile instruct you,
Carry it still about you and as oft
With curious eyes peruse it while it keepes
The figure it now has intire, and perfit
She is not onely innocent in fact
But vnattempted: but if once it varie
From the true forme, and what's now white, and red
Incline to yellow rest most confident
Shees with all violence courted but vnconquerd.
But if it turne all blacke 'tis an assurance
The fort by composition, or surprize
Is forc'd or with her free consent surrenderd.
Mathias.
How much you haue ingag'd me for this fauour,
The seruice of my whole life shall make good
Baptista.
We will not part so, Ile along with you
And it is needfull with the rising Sun
The armies meete yet ere the fight begun
In spite of oposition I will place you
In the head of the Hungarian Generals troope
And neere his person.
Mathias.
As my better Angel
You shall direct and guide mee.
Baptista.
As we ride
Ile tell you more.
Mathias.
In all things Ile obey you.
Exeunt.
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