University of Virginia Library

Act. 3.

Scene. 1.

Enter Roxano with his disguise in his hand.
Rox.
This is the farther Lodge, the place of meeting;
The houre scarce come yet—well—I was not borne to this,

There's not a hayre to chuse betwixt me and a Pander in this
case, shift it off as well as I can: I doe envie this fellowes happinesse
now; and could cut his throate at pleasure: I could ene
gnaw feathers now to thinke of his downie felicity. I that
could never aspire above a dayrie wench, the very creame of
my fortunes; that he should bathe in Nectar, and I most unfortunate
in Buttermilke, this is good dealing now, is't?

Enter Mazeres musing.
Maz.
Ile have some other, for he must not live.

Rox.
Who's this? my Lord Mazeres discontent!
H' has beene to seeke me twice, and privately,
I wonder at the businesse; I'me no Statesman;
If I be, tis more than I know; I protest therefore
I dare not call it in question; what should he make with me?

Ile discover my selfe to him—if th'other come in the meane
time so I may be caught bravely, yet tis scarce the houre, Ile
put it to the tryall.

Maz.
Roxano in my judgement had beene fittest,
And farthest from suspect of such a deed
Because he keepes in the Castle.

Rox.
My lov'd Lord.

Maz.
Roxano!

Rox.
The same my Lord.

Maz.
I was to seeke thee twice;
Tell me Roxano, have I any power in thee? doe I move there,
Or any part of me flow in thy blood?

Rox.
As far as life my Lord.

Maz.
As far as love man, I aske no further.

Rox.
Touch me then my Lord, and try my mettle.

Maz.
First there's gold for thee,
After which follow favour, eminence,
And all those gifts which fortune calls her owne.

Rox.
Well my Lord.

Maz.
There's one Tymethes sonne to the banisht King,
Lives about Court, Zenarchus gives him grace,
That fellow is my disease, I thrive not with him,
He's like a prison chaine shooke in my eares
I take no sleepe for him, his favours mad me.
My honours and my dignities are dreames
When I behold him; That right arme can ease me,
I will not boast my bounties, but for ever
Live rich and happy: thou art wise farewell.

Exit.
Rox.
Hum, what newes is here now? thou art wise farewell,
By my troth I thinke it is a part of wisedome to take gold
When it is offer'd, many wise men will do't: that I learnt
Of my learned Councell: this is worth thinking on now.

To kill Tymethes, so strangely belov'd by a Lady, and so monstrously
detested by a Lord? here's gold to bring Tymethes, and
here's gold to kill Tymethes: I, let me see, which weighes
heaviest; by my faith I thinke the killing gold will carry't:
I shall like many a bad Lawyer, runne my Conscience upon
the greatest fee; who gives most is like to fare best, I like my

safety so much the worse in this businesse in that Lord Mazeres
is his profess'd enemie: he's the Kings bosome, hee
blowes his thoughts into him; and I had rather be torne with
whirlewindes than fall into any of their furies. Troth as far
as I can see, the wisest course is to play the knave, lay open
this Venery, betray him; but see my Lord againe.

Enter Mazeres.
Maz.
Hast thou thought of me? may I doe good upon thee?
Ile out of recreation, make thee worthy; play honours to thy hand.

Rox.
My Lord?

Maz.
Art thou resolv'd? and I will be thy Lord.

Rox.
It will appeare I am so; be proud of your revenge before I name it;
Never was man so fortunate in his hate,
Ile give you a whole Age but to thinke how.

Maz.
Thou mak'st me thirst.

Rox.
Tymethes meetes me here.

Maz.
Here? excellent, on Roxano; he meetes thee here.

Rox.
I meant at first to betray all to you sir: understand that my Lord.

Maz.
Yfaith I doe.

Rox.
Then thus my Lord—he comes.

Enter Tymethes.
Maz.
Withdraw behind the Lodge, relate it breefely.

Tym.
A delicate sweete Creature? slight, who should it be?
I must not know her name, nor see her face?
It may be some tricke to have my bones bastinadode
Well, and so sent backe againe; what say you to a blanquetting
Faith, so twere done by a Lady and her Chambermaides
I care not, for if they tosse me in the Blankets
Ile tosse them in the Sheetes, and that's one for th'other.
A man may bee led into a thousand villanies; but the fellow swore enough,
And here's blood apt enough to beleeve him.

Maz.
I both admire the deede, and my revenge.

Rox.
My Lord Ile make your way.

Maz.
Thou mak'st thy friend.

Exit.
Tym.
Art come? we meete ene jumpe upon a minute.

Rox.
I but you'le play the better jumper of the two,
I shall not jumpe so neere as you by a handfull.

Tym.
How! at a running leape?

Rox.
That is more hard;
At a running leape you may give me a handfull.

Tym.
So, so, what's to be done.

Rox.
Nothing but put this hood over your head.

Tym.
How? I never went blindfold before.

Rox.
You never went otherwise sir; for all folly is blind;
Besides sir, when we see the sinne we act,
We thinke each triviall crime a bloody fact.

Tym.
Well follow'd of a Servingman.

Rox.
Servingmen alwayes follow their masters sir,

Tym.
No not in their Mistresses.

Rox.
There I leave you sir.

Tym.
I desire to be left when I come there sir.
But faith sincerely is there no tricke in this?
Prithee deale honestly with me.

Rox.
Honestly, if protestation be not honest,
I know not what to call it.

Tym.
Why, if she affect me so truely, shee might trust me with her knowledge,
I could be secret to her chiefe actions, why I love women too well.

Rox.
Sheele trust you the worse for that sir.

Tym.
Why because I love women?

Rox.
O sir, tis most common,
He that loves women, is neere true to woman.
Experience dayly proves he loveth none
With a true heart, that affects more than one.

Tym.
Your wit runnes nimbly sir, pray use your pleasure.

Rox.
Why then goodnight sir.

He puts on the hood.
Tym.
Masse the candles out.

Rox.
Oh sir the better sports taste best in th'night,
And what we doe in the darke we hate i'th'light.

Tym.
A good doer mayst thou prove, for thy experience;
Come give me thy hand, thou mayst prove an honest Lad,
But however Ile trust thee.

Rox.
Oh sir, first try me,
But we protract good houres, come follow me sir,
Why this is right your sportive Gallants prize,
Before they'le loose their sport theyle loose their eyes.

Exeu.

Scen. 2.

Enter the Queene and foure servants, she with a booke in her hand.
Que.
Oh my feare-fighting blood! are you all here.

Ser. 1.
All at your pleasure Madam.

Que.
That's my wish, and my opinion
Hath ever beene perswaded of your truthes,
And I have found you willing t'all imployments
We put into your charge.

Ser. 2.
In our faith's madam.

Ser. 3.
For we are bound in duty to your Bounty.

Que.
Will you to what I shall prescribe sweare secresie?

Ser. 4.
Try us, sweete Lady, and you shall prove our faith's.

Que.
To all things that you heare or see
I sweare you all to secrecie;
I poure my life into your brests,
There my doome or safety rests.
If you prove untrue to all
Now I rather chuse to fall
With losse of my desire, than light
Into the Tyrants wrathfull spight:
But in vaine I doubt your trust,
I never found your hearts but just.
On this booke your vowes arrive,
And as in truth in favour thrive.

Omn.
We wish no higher, so we sweare.

Que.
Like Jewels all your vowes Ile weare.
Here, take this Paper, there those secrets dwell,
Goe reade your charge, which I should blush to tell.
All's sure, I nothing doubt of safety now,
To which each servant hath combin'd his vow.
Roxano, that begins it trustily,
I cannot chuse but prayse him, he's so needfull,
There's nothing can be done about a Lady
But he is for it; honest Roxano;
Even from our head to feete he's so officious,
The time drawes on, I feele the minutes here,
No clocke so true as love that strikes in feare.

Exeunt.

Scene. 3.

Soft musicke, a Table with lights set out. Arras spread.
Enter Roxano leading Tymethes. Mazeres meetes them.
Tym.
How farre lacke I yet of my blind pilgrimage?

Maz.
Whist, Roxano!

Rox.
You are at your—In my Lord, away, Ile helpe
You to a disguise.

Maz.
Enough.

Exit.
Tym.
Me thinkes I walke in a Vault all under ground.

Rox.
And now your long lost eyes againe are found: good morrow sir.

Puls off the hood.
Tym.
By the masse the day breakes.

Rox.
Rest here my Lord and you shall finde content,
Catch your desires, stay here, they shall be sent.

Tym.
Though it be night, tis morning to that night which brought me hither,
Ha! the ground spread with Arras? what place is this?
Rich hangings? faire roome gloriously furnish'd?
Lights and their luster? riches and their splendor?
Tis no meane creatures, these dumbe tokens witnesse;
Troth I begin t'affect my Hostesse better;
I love her in her absence, though unknowne.
For courtly forme that's here observ'd and showne.

Loud musicke. Enter 2. with a Banquet; other 2. with lights; they set 'em downe and depart, making obeysance. Roxano takes one of them aside.
Rox.
Valesta? yes, the lame; tis my Ladies pleasure,
You give to me your coate, and vizarded attend without
Till she employ you—so now, this disguise
Serves for my Lord Mazeres, for he watches
But fit occasion: Letcher, now beware,
Securely sit and fearelesse quaffe and eate,
You'le finde sowre sauce still after your sweete meate.

Exit.
Tym.
The servants all in vizards? by this light
I doe admire the carriage of her love;
For I account that woman above wise
Can sinne and hide the shame from a mans eyes.
They never doe their easie sexe more wong,
Than when they venture fame upon mans tongue.
Yet I could sweare concealement in loves plot,
But happie woman that beleeves me not.
What ere is spoke or to be spoke seemes fit,
All still concludes her happinesse and wit.

Loud Musicke, Enter Roxano, Mazeres and the 4. Servants, with dishes of sweete meates, Roxano places them: each having delivered his dish makes low obeysance to Tymethes.
Rox.
This banquet from her owne hand received grace
Her selfe prepar'd it for you; as appeares
By the choyce sweetes it yeelds, able to move
A man past sence, to the delights of love,
I bid you welcome as her most priz'd guest,
First to this banquet, next to pleasures feast.

Tym.
Who ere she be we thanke her, and commend
Her care and love to entertaine a friend.

Rox.
That speakes her sexes rarenesse, for to woman,
The darkest path love treads is cleare and common;
She wishes your content may be as great
As if her presence fill'd that other seate.

Tym.
Convey my thankes to her, and fill some wine.

Maz.
My Lord?

Rox.
My Lord Mazeres caught the Office
I can't but laugh to see how well he playes
The Devill in a vizard; damnes where he crouches; little thinks the Prince
Vnder that face lurkes his lives enemie,
Yet he but keepes the fashion; great men kill
As flatterers stab, who laugh when they meane ill.

Maz.
Now could I poyson him fitly, aptly, rarely,
My vengeance speakes me happy; there it goes.

Tym.
Some wine?

Maz.
It comes my Lord.

Enter a Lady with wine.
La.
My Lady begun to you sir, and doth commend,
This to your heart, and with it her affection.

Tym.
Ile pledge her thankefully; there remove that.

Spils the wine.
Maz.
And in this my revenge must be remov'd
Where first I left it, now my abused wrath
Pursues thy ruine in this dangerous path.

Rox.
That cup hath quite dasht my Lord Mazeres.

Tym.
Returne my faith, my reverence, my respect,
And tell her this, which courteously I finde,
She hides her face, but lets me see her minde.

Rox.
I would not taste of such a Banquet to feele that which followes it,
For the love of an Empresse. Tis more dangerous to be a letcher
Than to enter upon a breach; yet how securel he munches
His thoughts are sweeter than the very meates before him:
He little dreames of his destruction;
His horrible fearefull ruine which cannot be withstood,
The end of Venery is disease or blood.

Soft Musicke. Enter the Queene masked in her night-gowne; her mayd with a shirt and a Night cap.
Tym.
I have not knowne one happier for his pleasure
Than in that state we are; tis a strange tricke,
And sweetely carried; by this light a delicate creature,
And should have a good face if all hit right;
For they that have good bodies and bad faces
Were all mismatcht, and made up in blinde places.

Rox.
The wind and tide serve sir, you have lighted upon
A Sea of pleasure; here's your sayle sir, and your top streamer,
A faire wrought shirt and a night-cap.

Tym.
I shall make a sweete voyage of this.

Rox.
I, if you knew all sir.

Tym.
Is not all knowne yet? what's to be told?

Rox.
Five hundred Crownes in the shirt sleeve in gold.

Tym.
How?

Rox.
Tis my good Ladies pleasure,
No Clouds ecclipse her bounty, she shines cleare,
Some like that pleasure best that costs most deare;
Yet I thinke your Lordship is not of that minde now;
You like that best that brings a Banquet with it, and 500. Crownes.

Tym.
I by this light doe I; and I thinke thou art of my minde.

Rox.
We jumpe somewhat neere sir.

Tym.
But what does she meane to reward me afore hand?
I may prove an Eunuch now for ought she knowes.

Rox.
Oh sir, I nere knew any of your hayre but he was absolute at the game.

Tym.
Faith we are much of a colour; but here's a Note, what sayes it?
He reads.
I'de be loath to venture so farre for the sight of any Creature under heaven.

Rox.
Nay sir I thinke you may see a thousand faces better cheap.

Tym.
Well, I will shift me instantly, and be content
With my groaping fortune.

Exit.
Rox.
Oh sir, you'le groape to purpose.

Exit.
Maz.
Ile after thee, and see the measure of my vengeance upheapt
His ruine is my charge; I have seene that
This night would make one blush through this vizard.
Like lightning in a Tempest her lust shewes,
Or drinking drunke in Thunder, horrible:
For on this Act a Thousand dangers waite,
The King will seize him in his burning fury
and seale his vengeance on his reeking brest,
Though I make Panders use of eare and eye
No office vile to damme mine Enemie.
This course is but the first, twill not rest there,
The next shall change him into fire and Ayre.

Exit.