 | The Deseruing Fauorite |  |
Actus primus
Scœna prima.
Enter Mariana and Lysander.Mariana.
Come, prethee tell me brother, why ar't sad.
Lys.
From thee my dearest Sister
I haue not hid my neerest touching secrets:
Thou know'st how truly I did loue,
And how at last I gain'd my deare Clarinda.
Mari.
I doe; and wish that I could tell you such a secret
of mine owne; for of all men liuing, I thinke you most happy.
Lys.
Most miserable of men.
Mari.
How can that be! Tis not Clarinda yours?
In which (were I a man) I should beleeue
More happinesse consisted, then for to be a Monarch.
Lys.
Clarinda yet is mine.
Mari.
Nothing can take her from you but the graue,
I hope she is not sicke.
Nothing can take her from me deare Mariana,
But I must giue her.
Mar.
Why, loue you any one so wel to giue away your heart
I know shee's dearer to you?
Lys.
She's so much deerer to me then my heart,
That I must kill my heart if I doe giue her.
Mari.
Be plaine sweet brother.
Lys.
The Duke who is too neere a kin in loue
And bloud to our dread Soueraigne to be deny'd,
Dyes for Clarinda.
Mar.
Why, thinke you shee'l proue false?
Lys.
Shee false! Oh no:
It is I must play the traytor to my selfe
Vertue doth vndermine my happinesse,
And blowes it vp. I must release my interest
In Clarinda, that she may marry this loue-sicke Duke,
And saue his Life.
Mari.
Why who compels it?
Lys.
Gratitude compels it;
For to the Duke I owe my life and fortunes,
My fortunes when my wicked Vncle would haue
Wrested from me by false witnesse that state
Which I am now possest of; which the Duke finding,
He imploy'd his power, and so I had my right:
My life I then receiued: when I was rescued
By his valour from the dreadfull bore,
Which I (too young) thrust on by honor, venterd to assayle,
Yet all these obligations touch me not so neere,
As doth the danger of the Count Utrante,
(Clarinda's Father) who hath beene long a prisoner,
For the same cause for which my Father fled.
Mari.
He is now at liberty.
Lys.
It is true he hath his liberty, and greater honors
Are propos'd if he can win his Daughter
To marry with the Duke, then he hath lost:
But on the other side, if she denye.
Her Fathers head is in danger, the King
So passionately doth loue the Duke.
Mari.
How came you by this miserable knowledge.
Lys.
Sister, you know I often visited
The Count Utrante in the prison, besides
The wish'd occasions which I euer tooke
To waite vpon his Daughter thither;
This he so gratefully accepted,
That now that he hath liberty,
He still sends for me, where I chanc'd to be last night,
And as a friend heard when he did propound it to Clarinda.
Mari.
Then he doth no way suspect there's loue betwixt you;
But tell me Brother how poore Clarinda
Did receiue her Fathers deadly proposition.
Lys.
Her Father not belieuing that she would deny
So great a blessing, came with ioy to tell her,
That which once told, forc'd teares from her faire eyes,
At which, he being amazed, desired to know
The cause, why she receiu'd his and her happinesse
With so much sorrow: she answer'd him with broken sighes,
Offering to teare her haire; which when I would not,
Giue her leaue to doe, she curst her beauty,
As the cause of all this mischiefe: at last
Considering who it was that spoke,
A Father, that deseru'd an answere:
Her iudgement shut her passions in a lesse roome;
For hauing calm'd the tempest of her greefes,
She mildly answer'd that she was happy
In his liberty, though now she saw
It was but giuen him to procure her bondage;
For such she did account all ties of marriage
Made by the parents without the childs consent,
Though nere so rich or hononrable.
Mari.
And hauing said so, did she not cast her watry eyes
Vpon you, and in this sad, yet pleasing language,
Lys.
It is true, shee did so; there is no tongue
That can expresse the hearts of those that loue
Like their owne eyes: but Sister, it will be late
Before you reach the Forrest, the Princesse too
May wonder at your stay.
Mari.
Brother it's true; but I so seldome see you,
That I'le not goe, vnlesse you promise to come and see me.
Lys.
You know the strict command,
That none but those appointed should come neere the Lodge.
Mari.
That is but your excuse;
I haue told you how often the Princesse
Earnestly hath desir'd to see you; yet you would neuer goe.
Lys.
Sister, I feare these sad occasions will hinder me;
But I will write.
Mari.
Will you not come sixe miles to see a Sister
That so dearely loues you?
Lys.
Sister, I know you loue, nor will I be a debter;
You are both my Friend and Sister.
Exeunt.
Flourish. Enter King, Utrante, and Attendants.
King.
My Lord Vtrante, can you not then
Perswade your Daughter to receiue a Blessing,
Which euen the greatest Ladies in this Kingdome
Would desire on their knees:
Enter Duke and Followers.
Is this a Man to be neglected? Though he were not
A Kinsman to your King: besides, my Lord,
Remember you may draw vpon your selfe
Our high displeasure by her refusall.
Duke.
Great Sir, let not your loue and care of me
Bar faire Clarinda the freedome of her choyce,
By threatning punishments vnto her Father,
If she choose not me: for, should she, offended,
Which she might iustly be, if I should seeme
To force Loue from her, it were not within your power;
To make me satisfaction for the wrong.
King.
Yes, I could make you satisfaction,
Though shee were offended; by forcing her
Into your armes, to whom the wrong was done.
Duke.
Her Person Sir you might, but not her Minde;
Which is indeed the obiect of my Loue,
That's free from your subiection: for it's free
From Loue, a greater power by farre.
Utran.
My Lord, I thinke shee's free from reason too,
For did that gouerne her, she could not thus neglect
Her happinesse: or rather she may yet suspect, your Lordship
Doth not meane what you professe; and from that feare
Seemes coy, till she be more assured.
Duke.
I cannot pluck my heart out of my brest
To shew her (I wish I could) yet liue to doe her seruice:
There she might see her worth truely ingrauen
In lasting Characters, not to be razed out
By the hand of Time; nor (which is more) her scorne.
King.
Cozen, if you will be rul'd by me,
I'le make her leape with ioy into your armes.
Duke.
Sir, so that it be by no way of violence,
I will obey you.
King.
In act I'le vse no way of violence;
Yet I must threaten it.
Duke.
Sir, if you threaten her, you ruine me;
Her Sun-bright Eyes, by faithfull seruice,
May in time shine gently on me, and warme
My frozen hopes. But on the contrary,
Shee knowing thar I'm the cause of these your threatnings,
Will from her iust vext soule throw curses on me.
I would not see thee heauen of her faire face,
Clouded with any raised by my power, to be a Monarch.
King.
You know my loue, and you presume vpon it,
Take your owne way of loue, deliner vp your selfe
Vnto her mercy; that I would make at yours,
Tell her you loue her more then euer man did woman;
To proue which true, pray her that shee'l command you
Taskes more dangerous, then did the enuious Iuno
To great Hercules: all which you will performe
With much more ease; since you by her command
Shall vndertake 'em whose vertue hath the power
To arme you 'gainst a world of dangers: doe,
Make her proud with praises, and then see
How she will torture you.
Duke.
Sir, she may torture me, and iustly too,
For my presumption: since I haue dared
To tell so much perfections that I loue,
Not being first made worthy by my suffering
For her.
Vtran.
My Lord, if you'l be pleas'd to grace my house
This day she either shall require your sufferings,
Or I will deny her for a child of mine.
Duke.
My Lord, most willing, I would see faire Clarinda,
But not vpon such conditions; nothing
But gentle intreaties must be vs'd: for tho the King
Were pleas'd to say that my humility
Would make her proud; I would not haue a subiect?
Say, not you that are her Father, that she can
Doe an act or thinke a thought that tends not
To perfection.
King.
Come my Lords, we will goe hunt a Stag to day,
And leaue my Cozen to his amorous thoughts.
Exe. K. Atten.
Duke.
I thanke your Maiestie for this dayes licence:
My Lord Vtrante, shall I then see Clarinda,
And will you lend your best assistance
To make me Master of a happinesse, the world may enuy.
Utran.
My Lord, you make an Idol of a peeuish Girle,
Who hath indeed no worth but what you please
To giue her in your opinion.
Duke.
I must not heare you thus blaspheme.
Diana chastitie, or Uenus beautie,
As say she wanted worth, for euery seueral excellence
That shin'd in them, and made them
By mens admirations Goddesses,
Flow mixt in her: indeed shee hath
Too much of Dians Ice about her heart,
And none of Uenus heate: but come my Lord,
I lose my selfe in her vast praises, and so
Deferre the ioy of seeing what I so commend.
Exe.
Enter Iacomo and Lysander at seuerall dores.
Lys.
Good morrow honest Iacomo, is my young Ladie readie?
Iaco.
She is my Lord.
Lys.
And where's her Father?
Iaco.
He was this morning early sent for by the King.
Lys.
Tell your Ladie I would speake with her.
Iaco.
My Lord I will.
Exit.
Lys.
The Count Utrante is happie in this honest seruant:
Let me before I doe perswade Clarinda, consider well;
Surely that houre in which I see her led to the Temple,
And there made fast with Hymeneall rights vnto another,
Will be my vtmost limit, and death is terrible;
Not where there is so glorious a reward propos'd,
As is her happinesse: shee shall be happie,
And in her happinesse consisteth mine,
Haue I not often sworne I lou'd her better
Then my selfe? and this is onely left to make it good.
Enter Clarinda and Iacomo.
Clar.
Good morrow noble Brother, for by that title
I am proud to call you, being deny'd a neerer.
Lys.
It is a title that I am blest in,
Nor can there be a neerer betwixt vs two,
Our soules may embrace, but not our bodies.
Clar.
Let vs goe walke into the Garden, and there
Wee may freely speake, and thinke vpon some remedy
Against this disaster.
Exeunt Lys. & Clar.
What a dull Slaue was I; had not I last night ouerheard
their louing parley, I neuer once should haue suspected
that they had beene in loue: shee alwaies seem'd an enemie to
loue, yet hath been long most desperate in loue with this young
Lord, which quite will spoyle my hopes at Court; yet when I
better thinke, it will be for my aduantage, as I may handle it
and further my reuenge; for I will insinuate my selfe into the
Dukes good opinion, by making a discouery of their loues: and
then aduise him that there is no way to gaine Clarinda's heart,
till first Lysander be remou'd by some employment; for out of
sight with women out of minde; or if hee impatient of delayes;
I will aduise him to vse some bloudy meanes; which if he want
an Instrument to do, I will effect it my selfe, pretending that it is
out of loue to him when it is indeed the satisfaction of mine
owne reuenge; and when the Duke is once a partner of my villany,
I will be richly paid for what I do, or else for all his greatnesse
I will affright him.
Giue money to a Knaue;
Yet if hee bee a witty one like mee,
Hee'l make that Lord his Slaue.
Exit.
Enter Clarinda and Lysander.
Clar.
Come, let vs sit downe, for I am tyr'd
With walking; and then I will tell you
How I am resolu'd to free vs from this torment.
Lys.
I feare there is no remedy, but we must part.
Clar.
Yes, if you will giue consent to what
I shall propound.
Lys.
First let me heare it.
Clar.
My Father, though he haue his liberty,
Is not yet restor'd to his Lands: when next
The Duke doth visit me, which I beleeue will
Be to day; Ile seeme as if I did mistrust his loue
To be but fain'd; he then will striue by some strong
Testimony, to proue hee truly loues:
To his Lands, which he being once possest of,
Will not be hard for me, the world knowing
How well he loues me, to get some coine and Iewels
In my power, sufficient to maintaine vs
In some other Country, where we like shepheards
Or some Country folkes may passe our time with ioy:
And that we may without distrust effect this,
I to the Duke will promise, that when a moneth
Is expir'd, if he will come and lead me to the Church,
I'le not refuse to goe, doe you approue
Of this Lysander?
Lys.
No, deare Clarinda,
Though most men hold deceit in loue for lawfull,
Lysander doth not; Ere you for me shall spot
Your yet pure selfe with such a staine, as to be
A deceiuer, this sword shall pierce my heart:
The debt I owe you is too great already,
And till I cleere some part, I shall vnto my selfe
Appeare a most vngratefull man, When first I saw you,
The height of all my aymes was onely to haue leaue
To loue you, so excellent I then esteem'd you:
But you in time, out of your bounty,
Not for my desert; for no desert can reach
Your height of merit, gaue loue for loue,
For which I owe my life sau'd by that mercy
From despaire, and lent me for to serue you.
Clar.
You are too thankfull, and attribute that
To my bounty, which was the wages of your true
And faithfull seruice.
Lys.
Were this granted, yet how euer I shall be able
To free my selfe from that great burden of debt
Which your intended flight for my sake
Will lay vpon me, as yet I cannot see;
For did at all value your owne happinesse,
You could not thus flie the meanes
Clar.
Lysander, to what tends this great acknowlegement?
I vnderstand you not, what is your meaning?
Lys.
My meaning, deare Clarinda, is to make you happie,
And I coniure you by your affection,
And all that's deare to you, to lay by
That little portion of wilfulnesse
Which being a woman you are forc'd to haue,
And heare me with your best attention,
And with the same affection, as if I were
Your Brother, which if the heauens had pleas'd
To make me, I had beene most happy,
With your best reason looke vpon your present fortune;
Looke first vpon the man from whence you had your being,
And see in reason what pitty it will challenge from you;
A noble ancient Gentleman, depriu'd of Lands
And honors, by iniustice, that as a stranger
Might exact your pitty; but as a Child,
It being within your power, it forceth your consent.
To giue a remedy: If pity of your Fathers fortune
Cannot moue you, pitty your owne I beseech you,
Consider not of me as a tormented Louer,
That hath lost his Mistris, but as a fortunate Brother,
Fortunate in seeing of his Sister, whom he dearly loues
Married to one so worthy, whose merits
Compels fortune to waite vpon him, for such the Duke is,
Whom you must not refuse, for such a poore
Vnworthy man as I am.
Clar.
Lysander, should I grant your want of worth,
I then must giue consent to the committing
Of a Sacriledge against the Gods, in suffering you
To rob your selfe, you being the purest Temple,
That yet they euer built for to be honour'd in:
And for the Duke each worth which you expresse of him to me,
Is but a doubling of your owne,
The way to speake for him, were to appeare
Lys.
Would you but looke with an impartiall eye,
On our deseruings; you soone would find me
The lesse worthy; for euen in that, wherein
You thinke me not to be equal'd, he goes
Farre beyond me, (I meane in true affection)
For being but a priuate man as I am,
Who would not thinke him blest to loue, and be belou'd
By you that are esteem'd the wonder of this Age:
But for the Duke, within whose power it lies
To choose the most transplendent Beauty of this Kingdome,
Set off wirh Fortunes best endowments; for him, I say,
To choose out you amongst a world of Ladies,
To make the sole Commandresse of him selfe,
Deserues (if you would giue your reason leaue to rule)
The neerest place in your affection.
Clar.
Doe not thus vainly striue to alter my opinion,
Of your worth with words, which was so firmly grounded
By your reall actions; it is a fault, but I will striue
To wash it from you with my teares.
Lys.
These teares in her stagger my resolution;
For sure he must be worthiest for whom she weepes:
Clarinda, drie your eyes.
Enter Iasper.
Clar.
How now Iasper, where is my Father?
Ias.
Madame, he doth desire that you will make you ready,
To come to Supper to the Dukes to night.
Clar.
He was resolued to haue sup'd heere,
How hath he chang'd his mind!
Ias.
Madame he desires you not to fayle,
But come and bring my Lord here with you.
Clar.
Well, I will obey him.
Exeunt.
Enter two Seruants.
1.
Come, prethee be carefull, we shall gaine
More vpon my Lords good opinion,
If we please him this day, then hereafter
2.
Why prethee?
1.
Here will this day be his faire Mistris Clarinda
And her Father.
2.
I thought it was some extraordinary occasion,
He was himselfe so carefull; will there be none else?
Will not the King be here? the entertainment
Would be worthy of him.
1.
It may be braue Lysander will be here, none else;
For he is alwayes with the Count Utrante.
2.
When came he home from trauaile?
I did not see him since hee lay here in my Lords house
To be cured of the wounds the bore gaue him.
He owes my Lord for sauing of his life then,
I helpt to bring him out of the field.
1.
My Lord was happy in sauing of so braue a Gentleman.
Enter Lysander, Utrante, and Clarinda.
Lys.
Can I loue Clarinda, yet goe about
To hinder her of being Mistris of all this riches;
Each roome we passe through is a Paradise,
The Musicke like the Musicke of the Spheares,
Rauishing the hearers with content and admiration;
But that which addes vnto all the rest,
Is the Dukes true affection; I am asham'd
When I consider of my indiscretion
That would haue brought her to the counterpoynt
Of this great happinesse.
Enter Duke and Followers.
Duke.
Noble Lysander, welcome; Excellent Lady,
All the honors that my great and royall Master
Hath bestow'd vpon me, equals not this,
That you haue done, in gracing at my request
This now most glorious house, since it containes within it
The glory of the world.
Clar.
My Lord, your praises flie too hie a pitch to light on.
They must doe so, or they'l fall short
Of your great worth.
Clar.
A reasonable pitch would sooner strike
Me with beliefe.
Duke.
To giue you a firme beleefe of the respect
I beare you, is that I onely ayme at.
Clar.
My Lord, it lyeth in your choyce whether I shall
Belieue you or no; for if you will speake
Only that which in reason is likely to be true,
I am no Infidell, I shall beleeue.
Duke.
You are so farre from being an Infidel
That you are a Saint, at whose blest shrine
I offer vp my life, and Fortunes
With a truer deuotion then euer Louer did.
Clar.
I see I must allow you the Louers Phrases.
Which is to call their Mistris St. and their affection
Deuotion: but to let your Phrases passe,
And answere the meaning of your protestation,
How can I belieue that you can loue me
Better then any man did euer loue his Mistris,
There being such an inequalitie in our present fortunes,
When equalitie doth giue birth to more affection,
And those more violent, there being no respect
To be a hindrance, I meane both the equalities
Of Birth and Fortunes, in both which we farre differ,
You being the next a kin vnto the King,
And I the Daughter to a condem'd man,
Though now for your owne ends at liberty.
Duke.
If it be lawfull for your deuoted seruant
To contradict you in any thing, it is
In the defence of his affection.
You know that Riuers being stopt by any impediment,
As rocks, or bridges, run the more fierce
When they are from that which did incomber them;
So might I say for my affection,
If I should acknowledge, which yet I will not,
Was for a while an Impediment to the current
Of my Loue; but alas, those considerations
Could neuer finde harbor in that heart
Where loue and admiration had already
Taken vp their lodgng; nor doe they in my opinion
Deserue to be happy, who mixe the consideration
Of the good of fortune, with their affections.
Clar.
My Lord, in this last I doe vnfainedly belieue you,
I meane in your opinion, which is, that true loue
Cannot be mixt with respects, and to shew now
How well I belieue you, I will make it my shield
Both to defend me against your worthy affection.
(I confesse if your thoughts and words agree)
And against my Fathers vniust commands;
For since you confesse, that to mixe loue with respects
Spoyles the puritie of it, and that they
Who so mixe it, deserue not to be happy;
It must needs be great iniustice in you
And my Father to desire me to loue you
Vnworthily; since I cannot loue you
Without mixing the consideration
Of the benefits my Father shall receiue
By my Marriage with your Grace, besides
The satisfaction of me owne ambition
In being a Dutchesse, may make any streame
Of affection which can proceed from me,
Vnfit to mixe with so pure a streame
As you professe yours is.
Duke.
Madame I cannot denie what you affirme,
Since you ground your argument vpon my confest
Opinion; but know deare Lady, that as you manifest
In this your cruell answere, your disdaine of me,
Which will incense my despaire; yet on the
Other side the excellence of your wit
Will increase my desire, for euen out of that
The more to loue, you conclude that you are
To neglect, and with a seeming Iustice,
Which shews that your wit can bring-ny thing
To passe, that your will shall employ it in.
Clar.
I should account my selfe happie, were I
So furnished: but my Lord, I must not looke
Vpon my selfe in the flattering glasse
Of your praises; for I hate flattery though a woman;
And as I am my selfe armd' against flatterie,
So would I haue you be; therefore I tell you
That I can neuer be yours, to arme you against
The flatterie of hope; yet I must tell you
That your deserts, if it were possible
For me to loue, might sooner doe it then any other,
But as I am a votresse to Diana, in whose Temple
I doe shortly meane to dwell, I am free
From any fire that can bee kindled
By desert in Man.
Duke.
Tho your intention in this cruell answere
May bee charitable, as intending
To allay my heat, by manifesting your boldnesse,
Yet it hath wrought deadly Effects; for it
Forceth me tell you, that I must disobey you:
For rather then I and the rest of the world
Will lose so great a blessing, there shall not
Be a Temple left standing, that is sacred
To Diana within this Kingdome, when this is done,
To make your crueltie admir'd. Ile build
An Alter to selfe-lone; it is that power you obey,
And not Diana's, on which some frend shall lay
My bleeding heart, which now in thought,
And then in act, shall be a reall Sacrifice:
Smile not, nor thinke this iest;
For by that Dian whom you seeme to worship
Being your selfe a greater Deitie,
When you doe cruelly performe what
You haue rashly said, this heart
Shall make the couenant perfect.
Clar.
I see this is no way my Lord,
This rash oath you haue made, may cost you deare.
Duke.
In that consider the greatnesse of my loue.
Clar.
The greatnesse of your folly rather,
That thinke by threatning punishments to your selfe,
To make me pitty you, when since I doe not loue you,
I am not toucht with any feeling of your greefes.
Duke.
If not for mine, yet for your Goddesse sake,
Giue ouer your ill grounded resolution.
Enter Bernardo.
Ber.
My Lord the King is newly lighted at the garden gate.
And in all hast cals for you.
Duke.
Madame the King, to whom my person is a subiect,
Commands my presence, and I must obey him:
But my heart which I haue made you Soueraigne of
Shall stay to wait on you; my returne must needs
Be speedy, since I leaue my heart at the mercy
Of you my cruell enemy.
Clar.
My Lord I shall so martyr it before I come agen.
That you will repent you.
Duke.
You cannot giue it deeper wounds
Then you haue done already, and in that
Confidence Ile leaue you.
Ber.
Madame, will it please you walke into the gallery,
There are some pictures will be worth your seeing.
Exeunt.
| The Deseruing Fauorite | |