University of Virginia Library

Act IV.

Scene I.

Enter Brennoralt.
Bren.
Why so, 'tis well, Fortune I thanke thee still,
I dare not call thee villaine neither.
'Twas plotted from the first,
That's certaine,—it looks that way?
Hum—caught in a trap?
Here's something yet to trust to—
(To his sword.
This was the entry, these the staires:
But whether afterwards?
He that is sure to perish on the land,
May quit the nicetie of Card and Compasse:
And safe, to his discretion, put to Sea:
He shall have my hand to't.

Exit.
Enter Raguelin, Orilla, (the waiting-woman.
Ra.
Looke:
By this light 'tis day.

Oril.
Not by this, by t'other 'tis indeed.

Ra.
Thou art such another peece of temptation.
My Lord raves by this time,
A hundred to one the Centinells
Will discover us too,
Then I doe pray for night-watch.

Oril.
Fie upon thee,
Thou art as fearfull as a young colt;
Boglest at every thing, foole.
As if Lovers had considered houres: I'le peep in—

(she peeps
Ra.
I am as weary of this wench,
As if I were married to her:
She hangs upon me like an Ape upon a horse—
She's as common too, as a Barbers glasse—
Conscienc't too like a Dy-dapper.

Orilla.
—there's no body within:
My Lady sleeps this houre at least.

Ra.
Good, the Divel's even with me—
Not be an honest man neither—
Enter Bren. & a guard.
What course now?

S.
Nay Sir, we shall order you now.

Bren.
Dogges.—

Enter Fresolin.
Fres.
What tumult's this—ha! Brennoralt! 'tis he
In spite of his disguise: what makes he here?
Hee's lost for ever if he be discover'd;
How now companions, why doe you use my friend thus?

S.
Your friend my Lord? if he be your friend
H'as us'd us as ill:
H'has plaid the Divell amongst us.
Six of our men are Surgeons worke this moneth;
We found him climbing the walls.

2 S.
He had no word neither,
Nor any language but a blow.

Fres.
You will be doing these wilde things (my Lord)
Good faith y' are too blame, if y' had desir'd
To view the walls, or Trenches, 't was but
Speaking; we are not nice:
I would my selfe have waited on you:
Th'are the new out-workes you would see perchance.
Boy, bring me blacke Tempest round about.
And the gray Barbary; a Trumpet come along too;
My Lord, wee'l take the neerer way,
And privater, here through the Sally-Port.

Bre.
What a Divell is this? sure I dreame—

Exeunt.
S.
Now, you are so officious.

(Manet Sold.
2 S.
Death! could I guesse he was a friend?

S.
'Twas ever to be thought,
How should he come there else?

2 S.
Friend or no friend, he might have left us
Something to pay the Surgeon with:
Grant me that, or Ile beat you to't.—

Exeunt.
Enter Fresolin, and Brennoralt.
Fres.
Brennoralt—start not:
I pay thee backe a life I owe thee;
And blesse my Starres, they gave me power to do't;
The debt lay heavy on me.
A horse waits you there—a Trumpet too,
(Which you may keep, least he should prate)
No Ceremony, 'tis dangerous.

Bren.
Thou hast astonish't me:
Thy youth hath triumph'd in one single act,
O're all the age can boast; and I will stay
To tell thee so, were they now firing all
Their Cannons on me; farewell gallant Fresolin:
And may reward, great as thy vertue, crowne thee.

Exeunt diverse wayes.
Enter Iphigene, Francelia.
Fran.
A peace will come,
And then you must be gone;
And whither when you once are got upon the wing,
You will not stoop to what shall rise,
Before ye flye to some lure
With more temptation garnisht, is a sad question.

Iph.
Can you have doubts, and I not my feares?
By this—the readiest and the sweetest oath, I sweare
I cannot so secure my selfe of you,
But in my absence I shall be in paine.
I have cast up what it will be to stand
The Governors anger; and which is more hard,
The love of Almerin.
I hold thee now but by thy owne free grant,
A slight securitie, alas it may fall out,
Giving thy selfe, not knowing thine owne worth,
Or want of mine, thou mayst, like Kings deceiv'd,
Resume the gift on better knowledge backe.

Fran.
If I so eas'ly change, I was not worth your love,
And by the losse you'l gaine.

Iph.
But when y'are irrecoverably gone,
'Twill be slight comfort to perswade my selfe
You had a fault, when all that fault must be
But want of love to me; and that agen
Finde in my much defect, so much excuse,
That it will have no worse name
Then discretion, if inconcern'd doe
Cast it up—I must have more assurance.

Franc.
You have too much already:
And sure my Lord you wonder, while I blush,
At such a growth in young affections.

Iphi.
Why should I wonder (Madam.)
Love that from two breasts sucks,
Must of a child quickly become a Giant.
Dunces in love stay at the Alphabet,
Th'inspir'd know all before;—
Enter waiting woman.
And doe begin still higher.

Woman.
Madam;
Almerin, returned, has sent to kisse
Your hands. I told him you were busie.

Franc.
Must I my Lord be busy?
I may be civill though not kind.
Tell him I wait him in the Gallery.

Iphi.
May I not kisse your hand this night?

(Whisper)
Franc.
The world is full of jealous eyes my Lord:
And were they all lockt up; you are a spye
Once entred in my chamber at strange houres.

Iphi.
The vertue of Francelia is too safe,
To need those little arts of preservation.
Thus to divide our selves, is to distrust our selves.
A Cherubin dispatches not on earth
Th'affaires of heaven with greater innocence,
Then I will visit; 'tis but to take a leave,
I begg.

Franc.
When you are going my Lord—

Exeunt.
Enter Almerin, Morat.
Almer.
Pish. Thou liest, thou liest.
I know he playes with woman kind, not loves it.
Thou art impertinent—

Mor.
'Tis the campe talke my Lord though.

Al.
The camp's an asse, let me hear no more on't

Exeunt (Talking.)
Enter Granivert. Villanor. Marinel.
Grani.
And shall we have peace?
I am no sooner sober, but the State is so too:
If't be thy will, a truce for a month only.
I long to refresh my eyes; by this hand
They have been so tyr'd with looking upon faces
Of this country.

Villa.
And shall the Donazella
To whom we wish so well-a
Look Babies agen in our eyes-a?

Grant.
Ah—a sprightly girle above fifteen
That melts when a man but takes her by the hand!
Eyes full, and quick; with breath
Sweet as double violets,
And wholesome as dying leaves of Strawberries.
Thick silken eye-browes, high upon the fore-head;
And cheeks mingled with pale streaks of red,
Such as the blushing morning never wore.—

Villa.
Oh my chops; my chops;

Grani.
With narrow mouth, small teeth,
And lips swelling, as if she pouted—

Villa.
Hold, hold, hold;

Grani.
Haire curling, and cover'd, like buds of Marioram,
Part tyed in negligence
Part loosely flowing—

Marin.
Tyrant! tyrant! tyrant!

Grani.
In pinck colour taffata petticoate,
Lac't smock-sleeves dangling;
This vision stolne from her own bed
And rustling in ones chamber—

Villa.
Oh good Granivert, good Granivert.

Grani.
With a waxe candle in her hand,
Looking as if she had lost her way;
At twelve at night.

Marm.
Oh any hower, any hower.

Grani.
Now I thinke on't, by this hand
Ile marry, and be long liv'd.

Villa.
Long liv'd? how?

Grain.
Oh, he that has a Wife, eats with an appetite,
'Has a very good stomacke to't first:
This living at large is very destructive,
Variety is like rare sawces; provokes too far,
And draws on surfets, more then th'other.

Enter Doran.
Dor.
So; is this a time to foole in?

G.
What's the matter?

Dor.
Draw out your choise men, and away to
Your Coronell immediately. There's worke
Towards my boyes, there's worke.

Grain,
Art in earnest?

Dor.
By this light.

Grain.

Exeunt.
Enter Almerin, Francelia, as talking earnestly.
Alm.
Madam, that shewes the greatnes of my passion.

Fran.
The imperfection rather: Jealousie's
No better signe of love (my Lord) then feavers are
Of Life; they shew there is a Being, though
Impair'd, and perishing: and that, affection
But sicke and in disorder. I like't not.
Your servant.—

Exit.
Al.
So short and sowre? the change is visible.

Enter Iphigene.
Iph.
Deare Almerin welcome, y' have been absent long.

Alm.
Not very long.

Iph.
To me it hath appeared so;
What sayes our Camp? am I not blamed there?

Alm.
They wonder—

Iph.
While we smile—
How have you found the King inclining?

Alm.
Well.
The Treaty is not broken, nor holds it.
Things are where they were;
'T has a kind of face of peace,
You my Lord may when you please returne.

Iph.
I Almerin?

Alm.
Yes my Lord, I'le give you an escape.

Iph.
'Tis least in my desires.

Alm.
Hum!

Iph.
Such prisons are beyond all liberty.

Alm.
Is't possible?

Iph.
Seemes it strange to you?

Alm.
No, not at all
What? you finde the Ladies kinde?

Iph.
Civill—

(smiles.
A.
You make love well too they say (my Lord.)

Iph.
Passe my time.

Alm.
Addresse unto Francelia?

Iph.
Visit her.

Al.
D'you know she is my Mistres, Pallatine?

Iph.
Ha?

Alm.
D'you know she is my Mistresse?

Iph.
I have been told so.

Alm.
And doe you court her then?

Iph.
Why?—
(smiles.
If I saw the enemy first,
Would you not charge?

Alm.
He doe's allow it too by Heaven:
Laughs at me too; thou filcher of a heart,
False as thy title to Francelia.
Or as thy friendship: which with this I doe—
(drawes.
Throw by—draw.

Iph.
What doe you meane?

Alm.
I see the cunning now of all thy love,
And why thou camest so tamely kinde,
Suffering surprise. Draw.

Iph.
I will not draw, kill me;
And I shall have no trouble in my death,
Knowing 'tis your pleasure:
As I shall have no pleasure in my life
Knowing it is your trouble.

Alm.
Oh poor—I lookt for this.
I knew th'wouldst find 'twas easier to doe a wrong
Then justifie it—but—

Iphi.
I will not fight—heare me:
If I love you not more, then I love her;
If I doe love her more then for your sake;
Heaven strangely punish me.

Alm.
Take heed how thou dost play with heaven.

Iphi.
By all that's just, and faire, and good,
By all that you hold deare, and men hold great;
I never had lascivious thought, or ere
Did action that might call in doubt my love
To Almerin.

Alm.
That tongue can charme me into any thing;
I doe beleev't, prethee be wiser then.
Give me no further cause of jealousie,
Hurt not mine honour more, and I am well.

Iphi.
But well—Of all
Our passions, I wonder nature made
The worst, foule jealousie, her favorite.
And if it be not so, why took she care
That every thing should give the monster Nourishment,
And left us nothing to destroy it with?

Alm.
Prethee no more, thou plead'st so cunningly
I feare I shall be made the guilty
And need thy pardon.

Iphi.
If you could read my heart you would.
I will be gone to morrow if that will satisfie. Indeed
I shall not rest untill my innocence
Be made as plain as objects to the sence.

Alm.
—Come;
You shall not goe, Ile think upon't no more.
“Distrusts ruine not friendship,
“But build it fairer then it was before—

Exeunt.
Enter Brennoralt: Captaines, Stratheman: Doran.
Bren.
No more but ten from every company;
For many hands are theeves, and rob the glory,
While they take their share. how goes the night?

Stra.
Halfe spent my Lord.
We shall have straight,
The Moones weaker light.

Bren.
'Tis time then, call in the officers.
Friends, if you were men that must be talkt
Into a courage, I had not chosen you;
Danger with its vizard, oft before this time
Y' have look'd upon, and out-fac'd it too;
We are to doe the trick agen, that's all.
Here—
(drawes his sword)
And yet we will not sweare:
For he that shrinks in such an action
Is damn'd without the help of perjury.
Doran; if from the virgin tow'r thou spiest
A flame, such as the East sends forth about
The time the day should break, goe tell the King
I hold the Castle for him; bid him come on
With all his force, and he shall find a victory
So cheap 'twill loose the value. If I fall,
The world has lost a thing it us'd not well;
And I, a thing I car'd not for; that world.

Stra.
Lead us on Coronell;
If we doe not fight like—

Bren.
No like.
Wee'l be our selves similitude
And time shall say, when it would tell
That men did well, they fought like us.