 | The Maides Revenge |  |
Actus. I.
Scæna I.
Enter Sebestiano and Antonio.Seb.
The noble curtesies I have received
At Lisbone worthy friend, so much engage me
That I must dye endebted to your worth,
Vnlesse you mean to accept what I've studied.
Although but partly to discharge the summe
Due to your honour'd love.
Ant.
How now Sebastiano will you forfeit
The name of friend, then I did hope our love
Had outgrowne complement.
Seb.
I speake my thoughts,
My tongue and heart are relatives, I thinke
I have deserved no base opinion from you;
I wish not onely to perpetuate
Our friendship, but to exchange that common name
Of friend, for
Ant.
What? take heede, do not prophane;
Wouldst thou be more then friend? it is a name,
Vertue can onely answer to, couldst thou
Vnite into one, all goodnesse whatsoe're
The circle narrow bounded to containe
This swelling treasure; every good admits
Degrees, but this being so good it cannot:
For he's no friend is not superlative.
Indulgent parents, brethren, kindred, tied
By the naturall flow of blood; alliances,
And what you can imagine, is to light,
To weigh with name of friend: they execute
At best, but what a nature prompts e'm to,
Are often lesse then friends, when they remaine
Our kinsmen still, but friend is never lost.
Seb.
Nay then Antonio you mistake, I meane not
To leave of friend, which with another title
Would not be lost, come then Ile tell you Sir,
I would be friend and brother, thus our friendship
Shall like a diamond set in gold not loose
His sparkling, but shew fairer; I have a paire
Of sisters, which I would commend, but that
I might seeme partiall, their birth and fortunes
Deserving noble love; if thou beest free
From other faire ingagement, I would be proud
To speake them worthy, come shalt go and see them:
I would not beg them sutors, fame hath spred
Through Portugall their persons, and drawne to Avero
Many affectionate gallants.
Ant.
Catalina and Berinthia.
Seb.
The same.
Ant.
Report speakes loud their beauties, and no lesse
Vertue in either, well, I see you strive
To leave no merrit where you meane to honour,
I cannot otherwise escape the censure
Of one ingratefull, but by waiting on you
Home to Avero
Seb.
You shall honour me,
And glad my noble Father, to whom you are
No stranger, your owne worth before, hath beene
Ant.
Ha?
I have not so much choise Sebastiano,
But if one Sister of Antonios,
May have a commendation to your thoughts,
I will not spend much Art in praysing her,
Her vertue speake it selfe, I shall be happy,
And be confirmd your brother, though I misse
Acceptance at Avero.
Seb.
Still you out doe me, I could never wish
My service better plac'd, at opertunity
Ile visit you at Eluas, i'th meane time
Lets hast to Avero, where with you Ile bring
My double welcome, and not faile to second
Any designe.
Ant.
You shall teach me a lesson
Against we meete at Eluas Castle sir.
Exeunt.
Enter Gaspar de Uilarezo, and a Servant.
Uil.
What gallants sirra are they newly entred?
Ser.
Count de Monte Nigro my Lord, and Don Valasco,
Vil.
Give your observance then, I know their businesse;
Catalina and Berinthia are the starrs
Direct them hither, Gaspars house shall give
Respect to all, but they are two such Iewels,
I must dispose maturely, I should else
Returne ingratitude upon the heavens
For leaving me such pledges, nor am I,
Like other fathers carried with the streame
Of love toth youngest, as they were in birth
They had my tendernesse, Catalina then
Is eldest in my care, Berinthia
Her childs part too, both faire and vertuous;
But daughters are held losses to a family,
Sonnes onely to maintaine honour and stemme
Alive in their posterity, and I now thinke on't,
My sonne Sebastiano hath beene slow
In his returne from Lisbone, oh that boy
Renewes my age with hope, and hath returnd
With noble quality, well belov'd byth best
Oth Dons in Spaine and Portugall, whose loves
Do often stretch his absence to such length
As this hath beene.
Enter Count de monte Nigro, and Catalina.
But heres my eldest daughter
With her amorous Count, Ile not be seene,
Exit.
Cata.
You have beene absent long my noble Count,
Beshrew me but I dreamt on you last night.
Count.
Ha ha, did you so, I tickle her in her sleep I perceive;
Sweete Lady I did but like the valiant beast,
Give a little ground, to returne with a greater
Force of love, now by my fathers sword
And gauntlet thart a pretious peece of vertue,
But prethee what didst dreame of me last night?
Cata.
Nay twas an idle dreame, not worth the repitition.
Count.
Thou dreamst I warrant thee, that I was fighting
For thee up to the knees in blood, why I dare doo't,
Such dreames are common with Count de monte
Nigro, my sleepes are nothing else but rehearsals of
Battels, and wounds, and ambuscadoes, Donzell Delphebo
Was a Mountebanke of vallour, Rosiobeere a puffe;
My dreames deserve to be ith Chronicles.
Cata.
Why, now my dreame is out.
Count.
What?
Cata.
I dreamt that you were fighting.
Count.
So.
Cata.
And that in single combate, for my sake
You slew a giant, and you no sooner had
Rescued my honour, but there crept a pigmee
Out of the earth, and kild you.
Count.
Very likely, the valliantst man must dye.
Cata.
What by a pigmee?
Count.
I, thats another giant, I remember Hercules
Had a conflict with'em, oh my Dona
Catalina I well would I were so happy once to
Maintaine some honourable duell for thy sake, I shall
Nere be well, till I have kild some body; fight, tis true
Would quarell with me, but I finde my spirit prompt
If occasion would but winke at me, why not? wherefore has
Nature given me these brawny armes, this manly bulke,
And these Collossian supporters nothing but to sling
The sledge, or pitch the bare, and play with
Axletrees; if thou lovest me, do but command me
Some worthy service; pox a dangers I weigh 'em no
More than fleabitings, would some body did hate that
Face, now I wish it with all my heart.
Cata.
Would you have any body hate me?
Count.
Yes, Ide hate 'em, Ide but thrust my hand into their
Mouth downe to the bottome of their bellies, plucke
Out their lungs and shake their insides outward.
Enter Berinthia and Valasco.
Ber.
Noble Sir, you neede not heape more protestations,
I do beleeve you love me.
Val.
Doe you beleeve I love, and not accept it?
Ber.
Yes I accept it too, but apprehend me
As men doe guifts, whose acceptation does not
Binde to performe what every giver craves;
Without a staine to virgin modesty
I can accept your love, but pardon me,
It is beyond my power to grant your suite.
Val.
Oh you too much subject a naturall guift,
And make your selfe beholding for your owne:
The Sunne hath not more right to his owne beames,
With which he gildes the day, nor the Sea lord
Of his owne waves.
Ber.
Alasse, what ist to owne a passion
Without power to direct it, for I move,
Not by a motion I can call my owne,
But by a higher rapture, in obedience
To a father, and I have yet no freedome
To place affection, so you but endeere me
Without a merit.
Cata.
Heres my sister.
And Don Valasco, how now, are thy arrowes feathred
Val.
Well enough for roving.
Count.
Roving I thought so.
Val.
But I hope faire.
Count.
Shoote home then; Valasco I have
Presented my mistris with a paper of verses, see she
Is reading of 'em.
Val.
Didst make 'em thy selfe.
Cou.
My money did, what an idle question is that? as tho we
That are great men, are not furnished with stipendary
Muses, I am sure for my owne part I can buy 'em
Cheaper than I can make 'em a great deale, would
You have learning have no reward, she laughs
At 'em, I am glad of that.
Ber.
They savour of a true Poeticke fury.
Count.
Do you smell nothing, something hath some savour.
Cata.
But this liue my thinks hath more feete than the rest.
Cou.
It shold run the better for that Lady, I did it a purpose.
Cata.
But heres another lame.
Count.
That was my conceit, my owne invention, lame
Halting verses, theres the greatest Art, besides I
Thereby give you to understand, that I am valiant,
Dare cut of legs and armes at all times and make 'em
Goe halting home that are my enemies, I am
An Iambographier, now it is out.
Cata.
For honours sake what's that?
Count.
One of the sourest versifiers that ever crept out of
Pernassus when I set on't, I can make any body hang himselfe
With pure Iambicks, I can fetch blood with Ascelpiads
Sting, with Phalonciums whip, with Saphicks
Bastinado, with hexameter and pentameter, and
Yet I have a trimeter left for thee my Dona Catalina.
Ber.
Conclude a peace sir with your passion,
I am sory love hath beene unkind to you,
To point at me, who, till she first have knit
The sacred knot of marriage am forbid
To thinke of love.
But I cannot desist,
I am in love with every thing you say,
This your deniall as it comes from you
Bids me still love you, pardon faire Berinthia,
Valasco hath not power to rule himselfe;
Be you lesse faire, or vertuous, perhaps
I may abate my service.
Enter Vilarezo, Sebestiano, and Antonio.
Vila.
Old Gaspars house is honourd by such guests,
Now by the tombe of my progenitors,
I envied, that your fame should visit me
So oft without your person, Sebestiano
Hath beene long happy in your noble friendship,
And cannot but improve himselfe in vertues,
That lives so neere your love.
Cata.
Don Antonio de Riviero.
Seb.
The same.
Cata.
With whose noble worth
You oft have fill'd discourse, thought your selfe happy
In his choyce friendship; if his body cary
So many graces, it is heaven within,
Where his soule is.
Vila.
Sebastiano, thou hast largely recompenc'd
Thy tedious absence, you shall dishonour me,
Vnlesse you thinke your selfe as welcome here,
As at your Eluas Castle, Uilarezo
Was once as you are sprightly, and though I say it
Maintaind my fathers reputation,
And honour of our house with actions
Worthy our name and family, but now,
Time hath let fall cold snow upon my haires,
Ploughed on my browes the furrowes of his anger,
Disfurnishd me of active blood, and wrapt me
Halfe in my seare cloth, yet I have minde
That bids me honour vertue, where I see it
Bud forth and spring so hopefully.
Anto.
You speake all noblenesse, and encourage me
So to thadvantage, that at last I may
Be old like you.
Uila.
Daughters speake his welcome, Catalina.
Cata.
Sir you are most welcome.
Count.
Howes that? she sayes he is most welcome, he were
Not best love her, she never made me such a reverence
For all the kisses I have bestowed upon her since
I first opened my affection, I do not like this
Fellow, I must be faine to use doctor Sharkins cunning.
Ual.
It were not truely noble to affront him;
My blood boyles in me, it shall coole againe,
The place is venerable by her presence,
And I may be deceiv'd, Ualasco then
Keepe distance with thy feares.
Anto.
How now Antonio, where hast thou lost thy selfe?
Strucke dead with Ladies eyes? I could star-gaze
For ever thus, oh pardon love, gainst whom
I often have prophan'd, and mockd thy fires,
Thy flames now punish me, let me collect:
They are both excellent creatures, there is
A Majestie in Catalinaes eye, and every part carries ambition
Of Queene upon it, yet Berinthia
Hath something more than all this praise, though she
Command the world, this hath more power ore me;
Here I have lost my freedome, not the Queene
Of love could thus have wounded poore Antonio:
Ile speake to her; Lady I'm an Novice, yet in love.
Ber.
It may be so.
Anto.
She jests at me, yet I should be proud to be
Your servant.
Ber.
I entertaine no servants that are proud.
Val.
Divine Berinthia!
Anto.
She checks my rudenesse that so openly
I seeme to court her and in presence too
Of some that have engaged themselves perhaps
To her already.
Come let us in, my house spreads to receive you,
Which you may call your owne, Ile leade the way.
Cata.
Please you walke Sir.
Ant.
It will become me thus to waite on you.
Exeunt. manet Count and Valasco.
Count.
Does not the foole ride us both?
Ual.
What foole? both, whom?
Count.
That foole, both us, we are but horses and may
Walke one another for ought I see before the doore, when he
Is alight and entred. I do not relish that same
Novice, he were not best gull me; harke you Don
Valasco, what shals doe?
Val.
Doe, why?
Count.
This Antonio is a sutor to one of 'em.
Ual.
I feare him not.
Coun.
I do not feare him neither, I dare fight with him, and
He were ten Antonios, but the Ladies Don, the Ladies.
Ual.
Berinthia, to whom
I pay my love devotions, in my eare
Seemd not to welcome him, your Lady did.
Coant.
I but for all that he had most mind to your mistris,
And I do not see but if he pursue it,
There is a possibility to scale the fort, Ladies
Mindes may alter, by your favour, I have lesse
Cause to feare o'th two; if ht love not Catalina
My game is free, and I may have a course in
Her Parke the more easily.
Val.
Tis true, he preferred service to Berinthia,
And what is she then to resist the vowes
Antonio if he love, dare heape upon her?
He's gracious with her father, and a friend
Deere as his bosome to Sebastiano,
And may be is directed by that brother
To aime at her, or if he make free choyce,
Berinthias beauty will draw up his soule.
Count.
And yet now I thinke on't, he was very sawcy
With my love to support her arme, which she
But love him, it were as bad for me, for tho he care
Not for her, I am sure she will never abide me after it,
By this hilts I must kill him, theres no remedy,
I cannot helpe it.
Ual.
Ile know my destiny.
Count.
And I my fate but here he comes.
Enter Antonio.
Ant.
The strangest resolution of a father
I ever heard, I was covetous
To acquaint him with my wishes, praid his leave
I might be servant to Berinthia,
But thus he briefly answered, untill
His eldest daughter were dispos'd in marriage
His youngest must not love, and therefore wisht me,
Vnlesse I could place Catalina here,
Leave off soliciting, yet I was welcome,
But fed on nothing but Berinthia,
From whose faire eyes love threw a thousand flames
Into Antonios heart, her cheeks bewraying
As many amorous blushings, which brake out
Like a forc'd lightning from a troubled cloud,
Discovering a restraint, as if within
She were at conflict, which her colour onely
Tooke liberty to speake, but soone fell backe,
And as it were checkt by silence.
Cou.
Ile stay no longer, sir a word with you, are you desperat?
Ant.
Desperate, why sir?
Count.
I aske and you be desperate, are you weary of your
Life, and you be, say but the word; some body can tell
How to dispatch you without a physitian, at a minuits warning.
Anto.
You are the noble Count de monte Nigro.
Count.
I care not a Spanish fig what you count me, I must
Call you to account sir; in briefe the Lady
Dona Catalina is my mistris, I do not meane to be baffled
While this toole has any steele in't, and I have some
Mettall in my selfe too.
The Dona Catalina? do you love her?
Enter Uila. Sebast. Cata. Ber.
She is a Lady in whom onely lives
Natures and Arts perfection, borne to shame
All former beauties, and to be the wonder
Of all succeeding, which shall fade and wither
When she is but remembred.
Count.
I can endure no more, Diablo, he is mortally in love
With Catalina.
Uala.
Tis so, he's tane with Catalinaes beautie.
Count.
Sir I am a servant of that Lady, therefore eate up
Your words, or you shall be sensible that I am Count
De monte Nigro, and she's no dish for Don Antonio.
Ant.
Sir I will do you right.
Count.
Or I will right my selfe.
Cata.
He did direct those prayses unto me
This doth confirme it.
Ber.
He cannot so soone alter,
I shall discover a passion through my eye.
Count.
Thou shewest thy selfe a noble Gentleman, the
Count is now thy friend.
Ant.
Does it become me sir, to prosecute
Where such a noble Count is interessed,
Vpon my soule I wish the Lady yours,
Here my suite fals, with tender of my service;
Would you were married, nay in bed together
My honourable Count.
Cata.
Your face is cloudy sir, as you suspected
Your presence were not welcome; had you naught
But title of a brothers friendship, it were
Enough to oblige us to you, but your worth
In Catalinaes eies, bids me proclaime you
A double acceptation.
Ant.
Oh you are bounteous Ladie.
Count.
Sir—
Ant.
Doe not feare me,
I am not worthie your opinion,
It shall be happinesse for me to kisse
Count.
The whilst I kisse her lip and be immotall.
Seb.
Antonio my father is a rocke,
In that he first resolved, and I account it part of my
Owne unhappinesse, I hope you hold me not suspected.
Ant.
I were unworthy such a friend, his care
Becomes him nobly; has not younder Count
Some hope of Catalina.
Seb.
My father thinkes that sister worthy of
More than a bare Nobility.
Ant.
Ile backe to Eluas noble sir,
This entertainement is so much above
Antonios merit, if I leave you not
I shall be out of hope to—
Vila.
Nay then you mocke me sir, you must not leave me
Without discourtesie so soone, we triflle time,
This night you are my guest, my honored Count,
My Don Valasco.
Count.
Yes my Lord, wee'le follow.
Ant.
Ha I am resolv'd, like Barge-men when they row.
Ile looke another way then that I goe.
Exeunt.
| The Maides Revenge | |