University of Virginia Library

Scena 1.

Demagoras
, Philarchus.
Vrge this no more, 'tis troublesome.

Philar.
My Lord, though I affect you
Almost with that Religion I do our Gods, yet
The constant motion of my will does fixe
On noble Argalus, and I confesse
His gracious merit challenges a wife,
Faire as Parthenia, did she staine the East,
When the bright morne hangs day upon her cheeks
In chaines of liquid pearle.

Demagoras.
I must confesse,
I have not studied the nice rules of love,
Nor can with flattering eloquence adore
A Ladies ayery shadow, court her smiles
With adoration, or with supple knees
Cringe like an humorous dancer, when the ayre
Play's with her hayre, or fret to see the Sun
Be over sawcy with her cheeks or lips:
I speake this to my glory; the big War
Has been my mistris, where intented fields
When I have seen a moving grove of Pikes
Advanc'd as if the splendor of their heads
Meant to obscure the Sun-beams, gore the clouds
Till they wept bloud, and heard the fiery horse
Neighing destruction to an host of men,
From their hot nostrils: there I did command
With ample Fortune; and to be repuls'd
In an effeminate Skirmish, wounds my soule
Worse than a quiver of sharp Parthian shafts
Could prejudice my body.

Philar.
I could wish
Both for your present peace, and to secure
Your future quiet, you had still confin'd
Your disposition to that war-fare; this
Is far more dangerous: He that means to win
Loves bloodlesse battails, must be strong in teares,
Marshall his Army in a Field of Sighes,
Have for his Ensigne beauty in his looks,
Under which colours ought to march kind smiles
As a blest Souldiers in the van. Smooth vowes,
And amorous oathes will batter Ladies hearts,
Sooner than slings or iron rams demolish
Resisting Citadels.

Demag.
Canst thou conceit,
That I Demagoras, to whose very name
Laconian Matrons have with early haste,
Payd tributary vowes, her choysest mayds
Have left Pans Orgies to present soft Hymns
To th'honour of my merit, can decline
So much my great soule, as with forc'd intreats
To beg Parthenias mercy; let tame fooles
Such as have hearts scarce fit to furnish Doves,
Or spleenlosse Lambs with courage, intercede
For female favours by submissive prayers;
My resolution grounded on the worth
Of my desert, shall with her mothers power
Inforce Parthenia, were she cold as ayre
In its most subtle motion, to become
In her affection fervent as the day,
That she was borne in, was to gawdy light,
Or ruine her best comforts,

Enter Chrisaclea.
Chrisa.
I am faine to be
Your most industrious advocate: my Daughter
Thinks she offends in each familiar looke
Bestowd on manhood, but I hope that Time
And Counsell may convert her to become
Loves proselyte,

Demag.
Shee's that already Madam,
Or Argalus durst not without consent,
And patronage from her, rivall my love;
But if the boy oppose me in a thought,
Borrow a smile, or pay an amorous glance
As tribute to her eyes, were he defenc'd,
With some light bogge, that dances to the winds
Loud whistling Musick, I would dart a frowne
Should ravish his mortality into Ayre,
For the presumption.

Chrisa.
'Tis my Lord,
This rough demeanor (though it speake you man)
Declares a spirit full of fire, which does fright
Parthenia's softnesse: Virgins loves are wone
(Like Heavens compassion) by submissive prayers.
'Tis not the brave relation of a fight,
Can move the milde brest of a tender mayd
To ought but terrour; she will start at sight
Of scars though bought with honor, bleed in teares,
When wounds are mention'd; for Lord Argalus
His affable and courtly carriage cals
Respective blushes into the bashfull cheeks
Of every Virgin, that my daughters bound
By a due Justice, to esteeme his worth,
With more than common curtesie, yet my will
Seconded by a Mothers kind intreats,
Shall work upon her duty to accept
You'l as her servant.

Demag.
Servant, Lady;
What mortall foole ambitious to out-vie
The Gods in honour, dare presume to hope
That glorious title from me? have I stood
(When armies timorous of a generall death,
Quaking with Panick horror, have invok'd
Divine assistance) fearlesse, and not deem'd
Heavens power deserving a religious prayer,
After so many Trophees as may clayme
Each its particular star, to be esteem'd
A servant to a woman.

Philar.
Nay, my good Lord.

Demag.
Persuade the girle
T'attire like Juno in a dresse of clouds
Her beauteous head; put off her human Earth
For Immortality, and atchieve a seat
Due to the Queen of Heaven, that with regard
The humble Senate of the petty Gods,
And Goddesses may tremblingly adore
The sparkling Majesty, yet were my will
Not satisfied by voluntary gift
Of her affection, my great soule would scorne it,
Worse than the proffered service of a Slave.

Enter Parthenia.
Chry.
See my Daughter,
My Lord, loose not this opportunity,
You shall have place, and leasure, for my presence
Shall be no detriment to your purpose.

Exit.
Demag.
Now Lady,
Are you in haste, or do you slight a presence
May challenge your observance? I am come,
Confident of my merit, to informe you
You ought to yeeld me the most strict regard
Your love can offer.

Parth.
Sir, I am not
(Though I affect not selfe conceited boast)
So ignorant of my worth, but I deserve
From him who will enjoy me, a respect
More faire and Courtlike.

Demag.
The blunt phrase of war
Is my accustom'd language, yet I can
Tell you yo'ar hansome, and direct your looks
With a becomming posture; I must speake
In the Heroick Dialect, as I use
To court Bellona, when my high desires
Ayme at a glorious victory.

Phi.
You'l scarce
Conquer a Lady with this sterne discourse,
Mars did not wooe the Queen of Love in Armes,
But wrapt his batter'd limbs in Persian silks,
Or costly Tyrian Purples, speak in smiles,
To win her tempting beauty.

Demag.
I'le bring on
Well-manag'd troops of Souldiers to the fight,
Draw big battaliaes, like a moving field
Of standing Corne, blown one way by the wind
Against the frighted enemy; the Van
Shall save the Rere a labour, and by me
Marshald, shall fold bright conquest in the curles
Of their conducting Ensignes, while grim Death
Shall on the feather'd arrows with more haste,
Then on his own shafts, fly upon the foe;
While the shrill Trumpet, and each piercing Fife
Shall sing their Dirges, and the hoarse mouth'd Drums,
Wars fatall bels, with surly noyse proclayme
Their soddaine funerall: This brave resolve
Vanquish'd my steele wing'd Goddesse, and ingag'd
Peneian Daphne, who did fly the Sun,
Give up to willing ravishment, her boughes
T'invest my awfull front, and this shall prostrat
Spight of all opposition, your nice soule
To my commanding merit,

Par.
These high tearms, were apt to fright an enemy, or beget
Terror in flinty bosoms: Can you think
A timorous Virgin, can affect her feare,
Yeld the security of her peace and life,

To the protection of her horror. You must not perswade my
thoughts that you who vary so the Scene of love, can act it
perfectly.

Demag.

Slighted in this: 'tis a contempt inhumane, and
deserves my utmost scorne.

Enter Chrisaclea.
Chri.

Nay may most honor'd Lord, be not transported with
a needlesse rage, 'tis but her childish folly. Parthenia

You have done ill to entertaine a man
Of such an absolute worth, with such a meane
Exeunt Dema. and Philar.
Regardlesse value; you must alter this
Neglectfull temper, or my anger will
Surpasse my naturall love, and I shall chide
Your too affected nicenesse.

Parth.
Gracious Madam
The zealous duty which religious laws,
Teaches me owe my parents, would inflict
A heavy curse for disobedient guilt,
Upon my Innocence, should I transgresse
Th'intention of your honourable will,
In what I can obey it.

Chri.
Then in this
You are resolv'd t'usurp the priviledge
Of your discretion: and not fulfill
My will in the disposall of your love.

Parth.
Yes with that freedome that I would to Heaven
Tender my best obedience; but since love
Is by example and discourse allow'd
Reasons superior, it must be esteem'd
Above all duty.

Chri.
Yet there ought to be
Consent attayn'd from those whose power sh'ud guide
Their childrens youth and actions.

Parth.
'Tis confest,
But not except it justly sympathise
With their affection: you would have suffred
A conflict in your peace, had you been forc'd,
When your free will had yeelded up your heart,
My fathers choyse, to've had it ravish'd back,
And in despight of your resolve confer'd
Upon another.

Chri.
I was not so childish
To contradict my parents, but subscrib'd
To their discretions, as I would advise,
You would obey mine, and yeeld consent
To wed Demagoras.

Parth.
What can your Wisdome
Behold in him, (if with impartiall Eyes
You would survay his quality) that should ingage
Your inclination to inforce my love,
Besides the native fiercenesse of his looks
Apter to fright a Lady, than beget
Fancy: his courtships cloth'd in angry threats,
As if that Love were turn'd a Souldier,
And had unyok'd her teeme of spleenlesse Doves,
To have her Chariot drawn by ravenous Wolves,
Tygres, or trecherous Leopards, had put off
Her wreath of harmlesse Mirtle to invest
Her brow with Yew or Cipresse.

Chri.
This excuse
Proceeds not from his merit, but your love
To Argalus, a stranger only known
For his brisque Courtship, the Queen supports
His wavering Fortune, he depends on her,
And should she faile by death, his utmost hopes
Embrac'd a soddaine ruine.

Parth.
Argalus,
Were he more abject in his fate than your
Imagination could conceit, deserv'd
My Equalst fancy; in his youthfull looks
Sits a divinity able to inchant
Queenes to admire, nay to adore his worth,
Continued smiles make Summer on his cheeks,
At his bright Eyes does Cupid warme his wings,
When he intends to fly at Womens hearts;
Musick and rich perfumes are in his breath,
Aptly resembling aromatique winds,
That sing the Phenix Exequies.

Chris.
Can my daughter
So much decline the greatnesse of her spirit,
Hereditary to her bloud,
To affect a person meerly for his smiles,
Effeminate carriage without any proofe
Of manly valour in him.

Parth.
You mistake
His character, though he can tread in peace
An ayery measure to the warbling Lute,
Demeane his actions with that sweet deceit
Can cosen Ladies of their soules, yet when
The glorious war does summon him to th'field,
He does excell in feats of active armes
The ablest youth of Arcady; instructs
Old Souldiers Martiall discipline, that those
Who had beheld his sweetnesse in the Court,
Pusled in Faith, believed that conquering Mars
Had cloth'd his fiercenesse in a Cupids shape,
To vanquish some more beautious prize than was
The blind Gods mother.

Chri.
'Tis offensive, I'le heare no more of this.

Parth.
Thus I'me inforc'd to prove,
Dead to obedience if I live to love.

Chri.
Your nicenesse
Must not excuse the due respects we beare
The Lord Demagoras; if the shepherds be prepar'd,
They shall present their mirth to expell his melancholy.

Exeunt Chris. & Parth.