University of Virginia Library

Scæn. 4.

Enter Chilax at one dore, Lycinius, and Balbus at another.
Lyc.
How now?

Chi.
Shee's come,

Bal.
Then Ile to'th Emperor.—
Exit Balbus.

Chi.
Doe; Is the Musick placed well?

Lyc.
Excellent.

Chil.
Lycinius, you and Proclus receive her,
In the great Chamber at her, entrance,
Let me alone; and doe you heare Lycinius,
Pray let the Ladies ply her further off,
And with much more discretion: one word more,

Lyc.
Well;

Chil.
Are the Iewells, and those ropes of Pearle,
Layd in the way she passes?

Lyc.
Take no care man—
Exeunt Lyc.

—Enter Emperor, Balbus and Proclus.
Emp.
What is she come?

Chil.
She is Sir; but t'wer best;
Your Grace were seen last to her,

Emp.
So I mean;
Keep the Court emptie Proculus,

Pro.
Tis done Sir.

Emp.
Be not too sudaine to hir.

Chil.
Good your Grace,
Retire and man your selfe; let us alone,
We are no children this way: doe you heare Sir?
Tis necessary that her waiting women
Be cut off in the Lobby, by some Ladies,
The'd break the businesse else.

Emp.
Tis true, they shall.

Chil.
Remember your place Proculus,

Pro.
I warrant ye.—

Exeunt Emperor, Balbus and Pro.
Enter Lucina, Claudia, and Marcellina.
Chi.
She enters: who are waytors there? the Emperor
Calls for his Horse to ayre himselfe.

Luci.
I am glad,
I come so happily to take him absent,
This takes away a little feare; I know him,
Now I begin to feare agen: Oh honour,
If ever thou hadst temple in weak woman.
And sacrifice of modesty burnt to thee,
Hold me fast now, and help me;

Chil.
Noble Madam,
Ye are welcome to the Court, most nobly welcome,
Ye are a stranger Lady,

Luc.
I desire so;

Chil.
A wondrous stranger here,
Nothing so strange:
And therefore need a guide I think.

Luc.
I doe Sir,
And that a good one too.

Chil.
My service Lady.
Shall be your guard in this place; But pray ye tell me,
Are ye resolv'd a Courtier?

Luc.
No I hope Sir;

Clau.
You are Sir.

Chil.
Yes my faire one,

Clau.
So it seemes,
You are so ready to bestow your selfe,
Pray what might cost those Breeches?

Chil.
Would you weare 'em,
Madam ye have a witty woman.

Mar.
Two Sir,
Or else yee underbuy us.

Luc.
Leave your talking:
But is my Lord here, I beseech ye Sir?

Chil.
He is sweet Lady, and must take this kindly,
Exceeding kindly of ye, wondrous kindly
Ye come so farre to visit him: Ile guide ye,

Luc.
Whether?

Chil.
Why to your Lord,

Luc.
Is it so hard Sir,
To find him in this place without a Guide?
For I would willingly not trouble you.

Chil.
It will be so for you that are a stranger;
Nor can it be a trouble to doe service
To such a worthy beauty, and besides—

Mar.
I see he will goe with us.

Clau.
Let him amble.

Chil.
It fits not that a Lady of your reckoning,
Should passe without attendants.

Luc.
I have two Sir.

Chil.
I mean without a man; You'l see the Emperor?

Luc.
Alas I am not fit Sir,

Chil.
You are well enough.
Hee'l take it wondrous kindly: Harke,

Luc.
ye flatter,
Good Sir, no more of that.

Chil.
Well, I but tell ye;

Luc.
Will ye goe forward, since I must be mand,
Pray take your place.

Claud.
Cannot ye man us too Sir?

Chil.
Give me but time.

Mar.
And you'l try all things:

Chil.
No?
Hmake ye no such promise,

Claud.
If ye doe Sir;
Take heed ye stand to't.

Chil.
Wondrous merry Ladies.

—Enter Lycinius, and Proculus, Balbus.
Luc.
The wenches are dispos'd, pray keep your way Sir.

Exit
Lyc.
She is comming up the staires; Now the Musick;
And as that stirs her, let's set on: perfumes there.

Pro.
Discover all the Iewells:

Lyc.
Peace,

Musicke.
SONGS.

SECOND.

Enter Chilax, Lucina, Claudia, and Marcellina.
Luc.
Pray Heaven my Lord be here, for now I feare it.
Well Ring, if thou bee'st counterfeit, or stolne,
As by this preparation I suspect it,
Thou hast betraid thy Mistris: pray Sir forward,
I would faine see my Lord.

Chil.
But tell me Madam,
How doe ye like the Song?

Luc.
I like the ayre well,
But for the words, they are lascivious,
And over-light for Ladies.

Chil.
All ours love 'em.

Luc.
Tis like enough, for yours are loving Ladies

Lyc.
Madam, ye are welcome to the Court. Who waits?
Attendants for this Lady;

Luc.
Ye mistake Sir;
I bring no triumph with me,

Lyc.
But much honour.

Pro.
Why this was nobly done; and like a neighbour,
So freely of your selfe to be a visitant,
The Emperour shall give ye thanks for this.

Luc.
O no Sir;
Ther's nothing to deserve 'em,

Pro.
Yes, your presence;

Luc.
Good Gentlemen be patient, and believe
I come to see my husband, on command too,
I were no Courtier else.

Lyc.
That's all one Lady,
Now ye are here, y'are welcome, and the Emperor
Who loves ye, but too well:

Luc.
No more of that Sir.
I came not to be Catechizd,

Pro.
Ah Sirah;
And have we got you here, faith Noble Lady,
Wee'l keep you one month Courtier.

Luc.
Gods defend Sir,
I never likd a trade worse,

Pro.
Harke ye:

Luc.
No Sir;

Pro.
Ye are grown the strangest Lady,

Luc.
How?

Pro.
By Heaven,
Tis true I tell ye, and you'l find it.

Luc.
I?
Ile rather find my grave, and so informe him.

Pro.
Is it not pity Gentlemen, this Lady,
(Nay Ile deale roughly with ye, yet not hurt ye)
Should live alone, and give such heavenly beauty,
Only to walls, and hangings?

Luc.
Good Sir, patience:
I am no wonder, neither come to that end,
Ye doe my Lord an injury to stay me,
Who though ye are the Princes, yet dare tell ye
He keeps no wife for your wayes.

Bal.
Well, well Lady;
How ever you are pleasd to think of us,
Ye are welcome, and ye shall be welcome;

Luc.
Shew it
In that I come for then, in leading me
Where my lov'd Lord is, not in flattery:—
Jewells shewd.
Nay ye may draw the Curtain, I have seen 'em
But none worth halfe my honesty.

Claud.
Are these Sir,
Layd here to take?

Pro.
Yes, for your Ladys Gentlewoman;

Mar.
We had been doing else,

Bal.
Meaner Iewels
Would fit your worths;

Claud.
And meaner clothes your bodies.

Luc.
The Gods shall kill me first.

Lyc.
Ther's better dying;
I'th Emperors arms goe too, but be not angry—
These are but talkes sweet Lady,

Enter Phorba, and Ardelia.
Phor.
Where is this stranger? rushes, Ladyes, rushes,
Rushes as greene as Summer for this stranger;

Pro.
Heer's Ladies come to see you.

Luc.
You are gone then?
I take it tis your Que,

Pro.
Or rather manners,
You are better fitted Madam, we but tire ye,
Therefore wee'l leave you for an houre, and bring
Your much lov'd Lord unto you—

Exeunt.
Luc.
Then Ile thanke ye,
I am betraid for certaine; well Lucina,
If thou do'st fall from vertue, may the earth
That after death should shout up gardens of thee,
Spreading thy living goodnesse into branches,
Fly from thee, and the hot Sun find thy vices.

Phor.
You are a welcom woman;

Ard.
Blesse me heaven,
How did you find the way to Court?

Luc.
I know not.
Would I had never trod it.

Phor.
Pre-thee tell me,
Good Noble Lady, and good sweet heart love us,
For we love thee extreamly; is not this place
A Paradice to live in?

Luc.
To those people
That know no other Paradice but pleasure,
That little I enjoy contents me better.

Ard.
What heard ye any Musick yet?

Luc.
Too much.

Phor.
You must not be thus froward; what, this gown
Is one o'th prettiest by my troth Ardelia,
I ever saw yet; t'was not to frowne in Lady,
Ye put this gowne on when ye came.

Ard.
How doe ye?
Alas poore wretch how cold it is!

Luc.
Content ye;
I am as well as may be, and as temperate,
If ye will let me be so: wher's my Lord?
For ther's the businesse that I came for Ladies:

Phor.
Wee'l lead ye to him, hee's i'th Gallery,

Ard.
Wee'l shew ye all the Court too.

Luc.
Shew me him,
And ye have shewd me all I come to look on,

Phor.
Come on, wee'l be your guides, and as ye goe,
We have some pretty tales to tell ye Lady,
Shall make ye merry too; ye come not here,
To be a sad Lucina.

Luc.
Would I might not.—

Exeunt.—
Enter Chilax and Balbus.
Chil.
Now the soft Musick; Balbus run—

Bal.
I flye Boy—
Exit Balbus.

Chil.
The women by this time are worming of her,—
If she can hold out them, the Emperour
Musicke.
Takes her to taske: he h'as her; hark the Musick:

Luc.
Good your Grace,
Where are my women Sir?

Emp.
They are wise, beholding
What you thinke scorne to looke on, the Courts bravery:
Would you have run away so slily Lady,
And not have seen me?

Luc.
I beseech your Majestie,
Consider what I am, and whose,

Emp.
I doe so;

Luc.
Believe me, I shall never make a Whore Sir,

Emp.
A friend ye may, and to that man that loves ye,
More then you love your vertue.

Luc.
Sacred Cesar,

Emp.
You shall not kneel to me Sweet,

Luc.
Look upon me,
And if ye be so cruell to abuse me,
Think how the Gods will take it; do's this beauty
Aflict your soule? Ile hide it from you ever,
Nay more, I will become so leprous,
That ye shall curse me from ye: My deer Lord,
H'as serv'd ye ever truly, fought your Battailes,
As if he daily longd to dye for Cesar,
Was never Traytor Sir; nor never tainted
In all the actions of his life.

Emp.
I know it.

Luc.
His fame and family have growne together,
And spred together like to sayling Cedars,
Over the Roman Diadem; ô let not,
As ye have any flesh that's humane in you,
The having of a modest wife decline him,
Let not my vertue be the wedge to break him,
I doe not think ye are lascivious,
These wanton men belye ye, you are Cesar,
Which is the Father of the Empires honour,
Ye are too neere the nature of the Gods,
To wrong the weakest of all creatures: Women.

Emp.
I dare not do it here, rise faire Lucina,
I did but try your temper, ye are honest,
And with the commendations waite on that
Ile lead ye to your Lord, and ye to him:
Wipe your faire eyes: he that endeavours ill,
May well delay, but never quench his hell.—

Exeunt.