 | The Strange Discovery |  |
Scena quinta.
Enter Aristippus and Demeneta.Demen.
'Tis late 'ith night, sweet husband, let's to bed,
I cannot have too much of your imbraces,
The envious day will interrupt our sport,
Me thinks we married were but yesterday.
Aristip.
Conceiv'st thou so, that doth proceed from love;
But I am old, and thou a sprightly lasse.
Demen.
You wrong your selfe, you are a lusty man,
For were you old the dull effects of age
Would then appeare, but I have had experience
Of your performance, Cnemon, I believe,
Your sonne is not so active in his trade.
Aristip.
If it be so, then sure the youthfull heat
Of thy faire body hath infused life
Into my withered vaines, more powerfull then
Medeas charmes, when she stir'd up fresh blood
In the decayed body of old Æson.
Enter Cnemon with his sword drawne followed by Thisbe, a candle carried before, he comes hastily to the bed.
Cnem.
Where is the villaine, the most worthy lover
Of this chaste dame?
his father leapes out of the bed, and falls on his knees before him.
Aristip.
My sonne, have pitty on thy fathers age,
Spaire his white haires, take not away his life
That gave thee thine, and brought thee up with care,
Was not so great that it should merit death;
Asswage thy fury, and put up thy sword,
Imbrue not in thy fathers blood thy hands.
Cnemon in amaze lookes round about him for Thisby, who had conveyed her selfe away, and being thus astonished, his sword fell out of his hand, which Demeneta straightwaies tooke up.
Dem.
Did I not tell you this before, sweet heart,
To looke unto this princoks pride and hate
Who would no doubt, if time had serv'd his turne,
Attempt some mischiefe to destroy us both.
Aristip.
You told me so indeed, but I believ'd not;
Now I do finde it true, which to prevent
I'le raise my house and bind him fast, to morrow
I'le carry him before the people to
Be judg'd for his offence; let nature goe
In parents, when sonnes prove unnaturall so.
Exeunt.
| The Strange Discovery | |