 | The Knight of Malta |  |
Scœna Tertia.
Enter (above) Oriana, Zanchia, two Gentlewomen, (beneath) Valetta, Mountferrat, Astorius, Castorot, Gomera, Miranda, Attendants of Knights, &c.Mount.
Are you there Lady?
Ori.
Thou art a naughty man,
Heaven mend thee.
Ual.
Our great meeting princely brothers,
Ye holy souldiers of the Christian Crosse,
Is to relieve our Captaine Norandine,
Now fighting for Valetta, with the Turke,
A vallant Gentleman, a noble Dane
As ere the Country bred, endangerd now
By fresh supply of head-bound Infidels.
Much means, much blood this warlike Dane hath spent
To advance our flag, above their horned moones,
And oft hath brought in profitable conquest:
We must not see him perish in our view:
How far off fight they?
Mir.
Sir, within a League.
Ual.
'Tis well: our next occasion of conventing
Are these too gentlemen, standing in your sight.
(Ye noble props of Malta) royally
Descended are they both, valiant as war,
Miranda, and Gomera, full ten years
They have serv'd this Island, perfected exploits
Matchles, and infinite, they are honest, wise,
Not empty of one ornament of man:
Most eminent agents were they in that slaughter
That great marvelous slaughter of the Turks,
Before St. Elme, where five and twenty thousand
Fell, for five thousand of our Christians:
These ripe considerations moving us
(Having had your allowance on their worthies)
Here we would call 'em to our Brotherhood;
If any therefore can their manners tax,
Their faith, their chastity, any part of life,
Let 'em speak now.
Ast.
None do's.
All.
None can, great Master.
Val.
The dignity then dignifie, by them
Is their reward: tender Miranda first
(Because he is to succour Norandine)
Our sacred Robe of Knight-hood, our white Crosse,
74
The sword, the spurrs.
Mir.
Grave, and most honord Master,
With humble duty, and my soules best thanks
To you, and all this famous Conventicle,
Let me, with modesty refuse acceptance
Of this high order: I (alas) am yet
Unworthy, and uncapable of such honour,
That merit, which with favour you enlarge
Is far, far short, of this propos'd reward.
Who take upon him such a charge as this,
Must come with pure thoughts, and a gatherd minde
That time, nor all occasions ever may
After disperse, or staine; did this title here
Of Knighthood, aske no other ornaments
Then other countries glittring show, poor pride,
A gingling spur, a feather, a white hand,
A frizled hayre, powder'd, perfumes, and lust,
Drinking sweet wines, surfeits, and ignorance,
Rashly, and easily should I venture on't,
But this requires an other kind of man.
Mount.
A staid, and mature judgement; speake on sir.
Mir.
May it please you then to allow me some small time
To rectifie my selfe, for that high seate,
Or give my reasons to the contrary.
Ith meane space, to dismisse me to the aid
Of Norandine: my Ships ride in the bay
Ready to disembogue, tackel'd, and mand
Even to my wishes.
Mount.
His request
Is faire, and honest.
Val.
At your pleasure go.
Mir.
I humbly take my leave of all: of you
My noble friend Mountferrat; gratious Mistris,
Oh that auspitious smile doth arme your souldier,
Who fights for those eyes, and this sacred Crosse,
Can neither meete sad accident, nor losse.
Exit
Ori.
The mighty Master of that Livory,
Conduct thee safely to these eyes againe.
Mount.
Blowes the wind that way?
Val.
Equally belov'd,
Equally meriting, Gomera, you
Without excuse receive that dignity:
Which our provinciall chapter hath decreed you.
Gom.
Great Master of Jerusalems Hospitall,
From whence to Rhodes this blest Fraternity
Was driven, but now among the Maltois stands,
Long may it flourish, whilest Gomera serves it,
But dares not enter farther.
All.
This is strange.
Ual.
What do ye object?
Gom.
Nothing against it, but my self (faire Knights)
I may not wear this Roabe.
Val.
Expresse your reasons;
Doth any hid sin goare your conscience?
Ast.
Are you unsteadfast in Religion?
Cast.
Or do ye intend to forsake Malta now,
And visit your own Country, fruitfull Spaine.
Gom.
Never good sir.
Ual.
Then explicate your thoughts.
Gom.
This then: I should be perjurd to receive it,
Once in Malita, your next City here,
When I was younger, read I the decrees
Touching this point, being ambitious then
To approach it once, none but a Gentleman
Can be admitted.
Ual.
Thats no obstacle
In you.
Gom.
I should be sorry, that were it
No married man.
Mount.
You never felt that yoake.
Gom.
None, that hath bin contracted.
Cast.
Were you ever?
Gom.
Nor married, nor contracted, none that ever
Hath vowd his love to any woman kinde,
Or findes that secret fire within his thoughts:
Here I am cast, this Article my heart
Objects against the title of my fame,
I am in love; laugh not: though time hath set
Some wrinkles in this face, and these curld locks
Will shortly die into an other hew,
Yet, yet I am in love: (yfaith you smile)
What age, what sex, or what profession
Divine, or humane, from the man that cries
For armes in the high way, to him that sings
At the high Altar, and doth sacrifice,
Can truly say he knowes not what is Love?
Ual.
Tis honestly profest; with whom Gomera?
Name the Lady, that with all advantage
We may advance your suit.
Gom.
But will you sir?
Ual.
Now by our holy rock were it our sister:
Spaniard, I hold thee worthy, freely name her.
Gom.
Be master of your word: it is she sir,
The matchlesse Oriana.
Ual.
Come down Lady,
You have made her blush, let her consent, I wil
Make good my oath.
Mount.
Is't so? stay: I do love
So tenderly Gomera, your bright flame,
As not to suffer your perdition.
Gom.
What meanes Mountferrat?
Mount.
This whole auberge hath
En. Guard
(A Guard upon this Lady) wonder not,
'Tane publique notice of the Bassaes love
Of Tripoli unto her, and consented
Shee should returne this answer, as he writ
For her conversion, and betraying Malta,
She should advise him betray Tripoli,
And turning Christian, he should marry her.
All.
All this was so.
Mount.
How weakly do's this court then
Send Vessels forth to Sea, to guard the Land
Taking such speciall care to save one Bark,
Or strive to adde fam'd men unto our cloak,
When they lurke in our bosomes would subvert
This State, and us, presuming on their blood,
And partiall indulgence to their sex?
Ual.
Who can this be?
Mount.
Your Sister, great Ualetta,
Which thus I prove: demand the Bassa's Letter.
Ori.
Tis here, nor from this pocket hath bin mov'd
Nor answerd, nor perus'd by—
Mount.
Do not swear
Cast not away your faire soule, to your treason
Adde not foule perjury: is this your hand?
Ori.
Tis very like it.
Mount.
May it please the Master,
Confer these Letters, and then read her Answer,
Which I have intercepted; pardon me
Reverend Ualetta, that am made the meanes
To punish this most beauteous Treachery,
Even in your Sister, since in it I save
Malta from ruin: I am bolder in't,
Because it is so palpable, and withall
Know our great Master to this Country firme.
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As deere a sister in the publique cause.
Ual.
I am amazd; attend me.
Reades the Letter.
Let you forces by the next even be ready, my brother
feasts, then; put in at St. Michaels, the ascent at that
Port is easiest; the Keyes of the Castle, you shall receive
at my hands: that possest, you are Lord of Malta, and
may soone destroy all by fire, then which I am better, till I
embrace you,
Farewell,
Your VVife,
Oriana.
From this time let me never read againe.Gent. w.
Tis certaine her hand.
Ual.
This Letter too
So close kept by her self, could not be answered
To every period thus, but by her selfe.
Ori.
Sir, heare me.
Ual.
Peace, thou faire sweet banke of flowers,
Under whose beauty Scorpions lie, and kill;
VVert thou a kin to me, in some new name
Deerer then sister, mother, or all blood,
I would not hear thee speak: beare her to prison,
So grosse is this, it needs no formall course,
Prepare thy selfe, to morrow thou shalt die.
Ori.
I die a martyr then, and a poor maid,
Almost yfaith as inocent as borne,
Thou knowst thou art wicked, Frenchman, heaven forgive thee.
Ex.
All.
This scene is strangly turnd.
Ual.
Yet can nature be
So dead in me? I would my charge were off,
Mountferrat should perceive my sister had
A brother would not live to see her dye
Unfought for; since the statutes of our state
Allow (in case of accusations)
A Champion to defend a Ladies truth.
Peter Gomera, thou hast lost thy wife,
Death pleads a precontract.
Gom.
I have lost my Tongue,
My sence, my heart, and every faculty:
Mountferrat, go not up: with reverence
To our great master, and this consistory
(I have considered it, it cannot be)
Thou art a villaine, and a forger,
A blood-sucker of innocence, an hypocrite,
A most unworthy wearer of our Crosse;
To make which good take (if thou darst) that gage,
And armd at all points like a Gentleman
Meet me to morrow morning, where the master,
And this fraternity shall designe, where I
VVill cram this slander back into thy throat,
And with my swords point thrust it to thy heart,
The very nest where lust and slander breedes.
Pardon my passion: I will teare those spurrs
Off from thy heels, and stik'em in thy front
As a mark'd villain.
Mount.
This I lookd not for:
Ten times more villany, I return my gage,
And crave the Law of Armes.
Gom.
Tis that I crave.
All.
It cannot be denide.
Gom.
Do not I know
VVith thousand gifts, and importunacies
Thou often hast sollicited this Lady
(Contrary to thy oath of chastity)
VVho nere disclosing this thy hot reignd lust,
Yet tender to prevent a publique scandall,
That Christendom might justly have impos'd
Upon this holy institution.
Thou now hast drawn this practise 'gainst her life
To quit her charity.
Mount.
Spaniard, thou liest.
Ast.
No more Gomera, thou art granted combat,
And you Mountferrat must prepare against
To morrow morning in the vally here
Adjoyning to St. Georges Port: a Lady
In case of life 'gainst whom one witnesse comes
May have her champion.
Ual.
And who hath most right
Florish Exit
VVith, or against our sister, speed in fight.
Enter Rocca.
Mount.
Rocca, the first news of Miranda service
Let me have notice of.
Roc.
You shall: The Moore
VVaytes you without.
Mount.
Admit her, ha, ha, ha.
Oh, how my fancies run at tilt! Gomera
Loves Oriana; she, as I should ghesse,
Affects Miranda; these are two deer friends,
As firme, and full of fire, as steele and flint.
To make 'em so now, one against the other:
En. Zanthia
Stay, let me like it better, Zanthia;
First tell me this, did Don Gomera use
To give his visits to your Mistris?
Zan.
Yes, and Miranda too: but severally.
Mount.
VVhich did she most apply to?
Zan.
Faith to neither:
Yet infinitely I have heard her praise 'em both,
And in that manner, that were both one man
I thinke she was in love with't.
Mount.
Zanthia;
Another Letter you must frame for me
Instantly, in your Ladies Character,
To such a purpose as I'le tell thee strait,
Go in, and stay me: go my Tinder-box,
Crosse lines i'le crosse; so, so: my after-game
I must play better: woman, I will spread
My vengeance over Malta, for thy sake:
Spaniard, Italian, like my steele and stone,
I'le knock you thus together, were ye out
To light my dark deeds, whilst I seeme precise,
And winck to save the sparcles from mine eyes.
Exeunt
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