 | A Fine Companion |  |
Scena. VI.
Aurelio, Spruse.Aur.
Come sir, now I haue found you, not the power,
And strength of fate, shall pull you from my vengeance.
And though I know thy life too meane a ransome
For the redeeming of the pricelesse losse
Of her abused honour, Yet what Nature
Enables thee to pay, Ile take in part,
And leaue the execution of the rest
Vnto Hels iustice.
Spr.
What doe you intend sir?
Aur.
Looke you: t'unfold your heart sir with this sword,
And reade the falshood that is written in it.
Come I must know the truth, and reason too,
If there be reason for a wicked act.
Spr.
You meane about Valeria?
Aur.
The same.
And sends forth many a scowling, fearfull looke,
To descry danger; if he stand confident,
And justify it to the face of terrour,
Then she is false.
Spr.
I heare she is runne mad.
Aur.
Is, and the cause of her distemperature
Is the reproach you put upon her honour.
Spr.
The wound then is too deepe, and an ill Fate
Has driven the shaft of my intended malice
Beyond the scope I aim'd at.
Aur.
Was it malice?
That word has strooke me both with joy and anger,
Both in suspence, which should weigh downe the scale
Of my deep burdned mind. What horrid basenesse
Durst so attempt to prophane innocence?
Spr.
It was my love to her.
Aur.
What is his hate,
Whose love has prov'd so ominous?
Spr.
That love
Being wrong'd, begot that hate.
Aur.
Thou hast done ill.
And like a foolish and young Exorcist,
Hast conjur'd up a spirit of that fury,
Thy art cannot allay.
Spr.
Repentance may.
I only meant to give her name a gash,
That might be heal'd againe without a scarre,
Or any spreading playster of wide rumour,
With helpe of her compurgators, but only
To vexe her.
Aur.
What's the offence that did provoke
This imputation? Did she ever wrong you?
Maligne your wit? Disgrace you before your Mistris?
Disparage your behaviour? Had she done so,
Yet this revenge were disproportionate.
Spr.
Vrge me no more, I cannot looke on her
Without such a reflection of my crime,
As must give shame a lustre; there's no man
Nay perhaps contrary: this is a deed
I must abhorre to justify.
Aur.
You have given
Almost a satisfaction.
Spr.
Twas a scandall,
Arose from my repulse, and has no witnesse
Besides your eares; if it were silenc'd there,
The world were ignorant of it; I heare
She is runne mad upon the griefe, I am sorry
Her punishment has outstript my desires.
Ile undertake, what ere you shall propose,
For the recovery of her wits, or honour.
Aur.
And Ile make use of your kind profer sir.
Spr.
I will resigne her where she most affects,
And give you all assistance to obtaine her.
Aur.
You speake honestly, I shall imploy you;
I know you have that credite with her father,
You may advise him in a thing that reason
Shall seeme to second; bring but this to passe,
You have made requitall for all injuries.
Spr.
Shew me the way, Ile do't; be you the mover,
Ile be the instrument.
Aur.
You are my Genius,
My hope, my opportunity, my Fate;
And in effecting this you cannot erre,
To make me happy, and recover her.
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