University of Virginia Library

SCENA 4.

Eubulus
, Cleander: to them Thyrsis, Sylvia.
What, are they dead? Is the Kings will obey'd?

Cle.
No Sir, they live, and Hymen in his bands
Has ty'd them both; the happiest knot that ere
Knit two such equall hearts, and loves together:
Oh I am ravish'd with the newes, my joy
Is greater now, then if sh'had beene the daughter
Unto our King, and I had married her.

Eu.
I am amaz'd; pray Jove thou beest not mad.

Cle.
Somewhat exalted, Sir, beyond my my selfe,
But yet not mad: Goe, Sir, unto the King,
Tell him, Cleander lives to make him happy.

Eu.
Sure thou wilt come unto thy selfe anon,
Prethee bethinke thee.

Cle.
Yes Sir, I doe thinke,
And know that I have newes to make him live,
And you an age yet longer.

Eu.
This is strange.

Cle.
Tis true.

Eu.
But what is true?

Cle.
Tis true, my Sister
Shall be a Queene.

Eu.
If she doe live, I thinke
She will; but yet you know we were commanded
To cut that life off.

Cle.
But your hastie sonne,
That came so speedy with a fatall message,
Was not so forward now; they both doe live,
And both are married.

Eu.
Jupiter forbid.

Cle.
The Fates command it, 'tis their proper worke:
The Shepheard is a Prince, your Prince, and mine,
And married to my Sister,

Eu.
Ha! what's that?
Prithee digest thy troubled thoughts, and tell me
What Prince is this thou mean'st?

Cle.
Archigenes.

Eu.
Thou dream'st, it cannot be.

Cle.
No, then come forth
You royall paire, and testifie your selves.

Enter Thyrsis and Sylvia.
Syl.
Father, your blessing.

Eu.
Ha?

Cle.
Nay, I've told all.
She knowes she is your daughter: looke Sir here;
Here we must place our reverence.

Eu.
Who's this?

Cle.
Not yet? then looke upon this Circle, that
You know for certaine, though you know not him.

Eu.
'Tis it, it is the same: Archigenes
Sonne of Euarchus and Eudora:
This is my character, and this my seale.

Thy.
Sir, I have heard that by your piety,
My infant life was sav'd: now by the goodnesse
Deriv'd from you, unto your sonne, I have
Not onely found my life, but my content,
The summe of all my hopes, this Lady here,
Without whose love my life had bin a torment.

Syl.
And I the happiest maide that ever was
Conducted by the power of simple love,
Have found in place of him I thought a shepheard,
A Princely lover.

Eu.
Rise Calligone:
The Gods are just I see, that favoring
My innocence, have brought this match about.
But say Cleander, what Fate guided thee
To this discovery?

Cle.
Sir, should I tell you,
How many waies I cast to save my sister
After the fatall message which I brought,
I should be tedious, and keepe you from
What you do long to heare: In short I soone
Resolv'd to make away this royall shepheard.
And knowing that in this affaire, to keepe it
Secret, dispatch was needefull, I commanded
A servant, of whose faith and courage I
Was well assur'd, to kill him in my presence.

Eu.
'Tis strange, thou should'st be present at a murder.

Cle.
'Twas a necessity was laid upon me,
Because I would be sure to see him dead,
I bad him choose his death, when manfully
He said, he car'd not how, so he might die.
I knew to strangle him, was the readiest way,
Which death himselfe was ready to embrace:
This his so noble resolution,
Did startle me from mine; my servants hands
Trembled for feare,
Presaging what a sinne they were to act:
He bad him be assur'd he would not start,
And often call'd him to dispatch him quickly.

Syl.
What man could have a heart for such a deed,
And see his face.

Cle.
The Prince, before he came
To put the fatall twist about his necke,
Besought me, as I ever hop't for peace,
I should preserve the Princesse: this I promis'd,
And whatsoever else he would desire:
He answered, nothing now, but hasty death,
Then stripping off his doublet, I espide
With a quick eye this golden Circle here,
When hastily I bid my servant hold,
And let him goe. He ask't me why I staid,
I told him that about his necke was Sacred,
He would have rent it off, but I forbad it.

Eu.
What did you then?

Cle.
Sir, I did well remember
What I had heard of th'Oracle and you,
Which with the computation of his yeares,
I found agreeing to make up a truth
Which you before assur'd me; then I ask't him,
Whether he would be married to the Princesse
Before he died; he thought that I had mockt him,
And said, I practis'd Tyrannie upon him:
Then went I to my sister, and desir'd
The same of her; in fine, I saw them both
Joyne hands and hearts together, but the Prince
Thought this a dreame of life, which certaine death
Would wake him from, untill I did assure him
Of his great State, and that his love, whom now
He thought to be the Princesse, was my Sister.
All which I did referre unto your knowledge.

Eu.
This day for ever let it holy be,
And you whom love has brought through deepe despaire,
Unto the haven of your happinesse,
Enjoy each other freely. Of you brave shepheard,
(But now my Prince) I shall enquire anon
Where, and with whom you liv'd.

Thy.
Sir, the shepheard,
Whom I call father, stayes without; Montanus
His name is, by whose gentle hands, (as he
Has often told me) I was rescu'd first
From cold and death, since under his kind roofe
Fosterd and bred as his.

Eu.
Goe call him in,
Enter Montanus, Mirtillus.
You're welcome both, you may applaud your fortune
That brought you such a Shepheard: stay all here,
Whilst I goe to the King. This day will adde
More yeares unto his life, when he shall say,
To day shone brighter on Arcadia.

Exit.
Mon.
We are both come to doe our duties to you.
As being sent for, and Mirtillus with me,
To celebrate your joyes: within a while
The Shepheards and the Nymphs will all be here.

Thy.
My old companions shall be welcome all,
As you are now; I never shall forget
Your courtesie, nor theirs.

Syl.
Nor I the Nymphs
Once my deare fellowes; but you Mirtillus,
Though you did scorne to love, yet could you sing
Well, if you listed of it.

Cle.
Can shepheards then
Despise that Deity which we adore?

Mi.
Madam, I reverence it in you,
The perfect'st patterne of a constant lover,
And in the honour of your Nuptialls
I have a Song, which if your Grace will heare,
'Twill entertaine the time.

Syl.
Let it be sung.

[Mi.]
Song.

Thy.
Thanks good Mirtillus, this indeed was proper
Unto your subject.

Mi.
Your thrice happy match,
Being but now come to my knowledge, made me
Contract my selfe into a straiter roome,
Then the large subject might afford.

Cle.
The King.

To these, Euarchus, Eubulus.
Eu.
Although I wonder, yet I doe beleeve thee;
My faithfull Councellor.

Eub.
Your Majesty
Has found me alwaies reall, but this truth
The Oracles accomplishment will prove,
That did foretell their match.

Eu.
Reade it, Eubulus,
Once more; and then call in my sonne and daughter.

Eub.
If ere thy Issue Male thou liv'st to see,
The childe thou thinkst is thine, thine shall not bee.

Eu.
Calligone is not my childe, proceed.

Eub.
His life shall be obscure, twice shall thy hate
Doome him to death, yet shall he scape that Fate.

Eu.
'Tis true, that twice I did command his death,
First thinking him a bastard, then a shepheard,
For his offence; the Gods are just: Goe on.

Eub.
And thou shalt live to see that not long after
Thy onely sonne shall wed thy onely daughter.

Eu.
This was a riddle ever till this day,
Their marriage has made it plaine. Eubulus,
Call in Archigenes, and call thy daughter
The faire Calligone, that I may powre
My blessings on them: And I long to see
Those characters, thou writst about his necke,
That I may call him mine.

Eub.
See where they are.

Eu.
Archigenes come neerer, for thou art
A stranger yet, although thou be my sonne:
The Character is plaine, it is the same
Eubulus writ to me: you heavenly powers
Give me a heart that may be large enough
T'expresse my joy for these, and thanks to you.

Thy.
My royall father, (for I am instructed
To call you so) If I have don amisse
In hasting to this match, I aske your pardon.

Syl.
And I for daring to aspire so high
Without your leave.

Eu.
Rise both, you have my blessing.
But who are these?

Thy.
This is the shepheard Sir,
Who tooke me up first, whom till now I call'd
Father, and he deserv'd it for his care.

Eu.
Eubulus, this is he, Montanus, ist not?

Eub.
He is deliverd to me for the shepheard,
Of whom your Majesty may if you please
Be well inform'd of all those passages,
I left untold.

Eu.
Some other time we'le heare them.
Let him be well rewarded.

Thy.
Sir, these shepheards
Are come to entertaine your Majestie,
With their devices, as their custome is,
In which sometimes, untill my fortune chang'd,
I bore apart.

Eu.
Let them be feasted all,
And studdy something new to celebrate
These Nuptials, which I will have proclaim'd
Throughout my kingdome: and Eubulus, see
That every thing be fitted for their honor.
Come let us to the Temple, that we may
With holy sacrifice appease the Gods,
Whose great decrees, though we did strive to hinder,
Yet are they now fulfill'd. It is in vaine,
T'oppose the Fates, whose lawes do all constraine.

Exeunt