 | The Two Noble Ladies |  |
Act. 2.
Sce. 1.
Enter Souldan, Lysander, Colactus, Cyprian, 2. Eunuchs, and other attendants.Souldan.
Miranda fled!
Colactus.
In mans disguise, about the dead of night.
Souldan.
how knewst that, and knewst not how to stay her?
Colactus.
These Eunuchs that attended on her person
report the news.
Souldan.
Caytives, improvident,
dull, sluggish, false, dissembling, traytorous,
where is Miranda?
1. Eunuch.
ffled great Emperour.
whither? how? when? doe y'put on staring lookes
to cloke a studdyed answer?
2. Eunuch.
About that houre
when all things are charm'd silent with dead sleep
the princesse left the camp and posted hence.
Souldan.
How knew yee this?
2. Eunuch.
At night when bed time came,
wee weare dismis'd, only Lycarion
her eunuch moste in grace might tend on her:
But in the morne, we found Lycarion slayne
in her apparell; she not to be found.
By which wee guesse she made him change attire
in seeming mirth, and then to stop his mouth
for blabbing, slew him, and so stole away.
Souldan.
She flies by night, you seeke her in the morning.
She slyly leaues her tent, you sleep secure.
Thus haue yee sould my solace by your sloath.
Away with them, and first cut out their tongues
the harsh relaters of this hated tale.
Next plucke their drouzie eies out that durst sleep
while shee was waking. then hew them in peeces
and set vp their dismembred limbs on poles
in eu'ry quarter of the camp. Away.
Both Eunuchs.
O mercy, mercie, mighty emperour.
Souldan.
Shall they haue time to liue, to see, and speake?
The Guard hurrys them away.
Colactus.
Your lenity, dread Lord, your matchlesse mildenesse
[makes them for] flatters them into these neglects of duty.
Souldan.
'Tis true my owne Colactus, I am slow
in punishing, which makes offence secure:
but my revenge shall quicken, and the flame
swifter then lightning shall flie ore the world
to finde this false Miranda, whyle the name [of daughter]
of daughter's buried in our deep displeasure.
Her beauty, and our high esteeme of it
makes her grow proud and carelesse of his loue
come downe and court her, she would slight his suite,
only because such greatenesse doates vpon her.
But by his thunder I'l confound her for't.
send out to euery region nere adioyning
swift scouts, and subtle spies to finde her out.
meane time to giue the furnace of our wrath
some vent, our selfe will lead our mighty hoste
with irefull terror to proud Babilon.
The Califfe at the [news] sight of vs shall quake,
and women suffer for Miranda's sake.
Colactus.
Gratious and iust, so handle your offenders,
and they will feare to crosse or iniure you.
[Lysander].
(asside to Cyprian.)
O Syren, o lust-daubing flatterie.
[Cyprian].
(asside to Lysander.)
Such fauning is best food for [flatt] tyranny.
Souldan.
All ground wheron in flight her foot hath trod
shall bee made [bee made] barren by ore flowing bloud;
ffor with her flight, flies all our loue and mercie.
Deep learned Cyprian, valiant Lysander.
some new vnheard of death t'inflict on her
that thus afflicteth vs.
Cyprian.
Dread soveraigne,
Wise men must calme and not encourage wrath.
Souldan.
She merrits death.
Lysander.
She did but saue her honour.
Souldan.
If thou wilt saue thy head, deffend her not.
Lysander.
Then I will pray the heau'ns to deffend her.
Souldan.
Dares any wish prosperitie to one
that to our will dares shew rebellion?
Lysander.
I am a souldier sworn to mayntayn right.
Souldan.
Hee lies that calls that right that likes not vs.
Colactus.
Shall subiects limit righteousnesse in Kings?
My Lord Lysander, you haue mou'd his highnesse.
Bee wise and humor him; see in his brow
a storme is threaten'd.
Lysander.
Shelter your selfe good Sir.
Trueth seeks no corners, Ile keep in the playne;
honesty needs no cloke to scape the rayne.
Cyprian.
(asside to Lysander.)
Resolue so still [good] Lysander, I will backe
thy righteous courage.
Colactus.
(asside to the Souldan.)
I doubt dread sir Lysander has a hand [in]
in faire Miranda's scape: for she was once
promis'd him by your highnesse, and you see
hee dares contest with you in her behalfe.
Souldan.
(asside to Colactus.)
Thou prompst me right Colactus, sure he was
her counsell, and contriver of her flight,
and (weare he soundly sifted) can reveale
[w]her[e] gests, and place of residence. [L]
Colactus.
(asside.)
Lysander,
now shall I [power] fling the scornes you cast on me
in your owne face.
Souldan.
Lysander you stand by,
and witnesse our displeasure at the flight
wch way she's gone.
Lysander.
[I hope your Maiestie] Great Sir, would I did know[,]:
not to reveale it, but to visit her[:].
It is my burden that she made so light
of my true faith, as not to trust me with
a plot so noble, and so much concerning [her]
her owne [sweet] safety.
Souldan.
abusive impudence!
while hee denys the art of treacherie
he yeilds him selfe a traytor in desire.
Lay hands on him: [weare] by heau'n Ile haue his head.
Cyprian.
By heau'n and hell you shall not.
The guard stands fixed, their eys rowling from the King[OMITTED] to Cyprian, and so too & fro[OMITTED] beats them.
Souldan.
yee dull slaues.
why doe you stand amaz'd? must I awake you?
Cyprian.
They cannot stirre, you weare best bid Colactus.
Souldan.
what are you iuggling? though thy traytrous [arte] skill
in hellish charmes haue thus benumb'd our guard,
yet wee'r aboue thy spells, and ere hee fall
with our owne hands [you] wee[ll] will dissolue your charme
He stands fixed in a posture of running at him with his sword.
Cyprian.
Ha ha ha ha.
Now Souldan, if thy picture should be drawne
It would expresse fierce Aiax in his fury
fighting with his owne shaddow.
Colactus.
help yee gods.
Lysander.
What is braue fflattery turn'd a coward now?
Cyprian.
[Now] Shew me one master peece of [policie] flatterie
[to fflatter] now to divert my charme that's falling on thee.
Colactus.
O, mercy Cyprian.
Kneeles with a fearfull countenance and so is fixed.
Cyprian.
Yes: now claw the Souldan,
tell him how gloriously these lookes become him.
Lysander.
ffaith princely to this fooles face. hast no plot[,]?
No tricke of witty mischief to set free
thy charmed body? is it possible
that such a noddle should be made an asse!
ha ha ha ha.
Cyprian.
well [mighty] Souldan, on condition you no more
ayme at our liues, I first will set you free.
your mouing faculty receives her vse
in eu'ry part, while thus we craue your pardon
Both Kneele.
beseeching you no more to wrong your selfe
by iniuring your servants.
Souldan.
Hum. Alas.
beg you of vs? wee must learne to intreat
pardon and fauour from you, that can force
the operations of our faculties
[to against their] into vnnaturall obstructions.
we dare not but forgiue you. let this man
be what he was, and wee'l learne to be pleas'd.
Cyprian.
Enioy your wish in him, and all the rest.
Souldan.
O my Colactus, art thy selfe againe?
Colactus.
I thincke I am.
Souldan.
Thou arte. how weare we lost
to all but our owne sense, [wee] I could both heare
[Colactus.]
nor speake a sound.
Colactus.
'Twas so with mee great sir.
Guard.
And so with vs we could not moue at all
but see, and heare, and felt your angrie blows,
which we [still] now groane for.
Souldan.
Ile see to your safetys.
[Valiant] Noble Lysander, and good Cyprian,
we dare not say we banish you our presence;
but we intreat you leaue vs, and the camp;
but be not out of call when we shall need you,
and yet returne not till we send for you.
Cyprian.
With all our harts wee goe.
Lysander.
And leaue be hinde
false flatterie to feed a bloody minde.
Exeunt Cyprian and Lysander.
Souldan.
Wee brooke not our superiors; nor will yeild
them way to take our adversarys part.
let them be closely watch'd they doe not start
further then we can reach them at our need.
Come they are gone Colactus; recollect
thy selfe againe.
Colactus.
O my dread soueraigne.
Lysander for Miranda's loue hates vs,
And Cyprian for Lysanders sake opposes
hell and his arte against vs.
Souldan.
'Tis most true.
But wee'l revenge it on Miranda's head.
Advance our ensignes, March to Babilon:
and be't proclaim'd that who ere findes Miranda
disguise, and mangle her enticing face,
seare vp her tempting breasts, teare wide her mouth,
and slit her nose, that thus defac'd, my hate
neither by loue nor pitty may abate.
fflourish: Exeunt.
Sce. 2.
Enter Barebones with a satchell of meate, and a bottle of Wine.Barebones.
Thancks my good starres, and these kinde warres that haue
so sweetly captiv'd vs to the Souldan. Before in Antioch I eate
not a good meale in a month; now I victuall it here in the
campe to the full. [Thancks to my] If I had known I should haue fared so
well, I would haue saved them the labour of taking mee,
and haue yeilded my selfe into their hands.
Hee sits down.
well: My Master
has sent mee to con my lesson by my selfe; let me see, what
booke comes first to hand? O, this is Ovids Metamorphosis
turn'd into pasty crust with the tale of Acteon it, very good
venison, I can assure you. [And] here's a couple of our owne country[OMITTED]
authors Mr. Beefe and Mr. Mutton, these are physicke bookes they haue
excellent cordiall receits in them to [keepe] cure hunger, and keep the body
in health. and here's a dictionarie that is very helpfull in construing
the other authours. I hope I shall proue a good scholler; for
you see I ply my booke close. And now I haue construed my lectur«e»
Ile begin to pierce it to.
Drincks.
Enter Sinew, a Souldier.[OMITTED]
Sinew.
O honest [Master] Barebones. I haue sought you with swincking and swea«ting»
Barebones.
And honest Sinew thou hast found mee drincking and eating.
you souldiers are such smell feasts, youle be sure to visit a man at[OMITTED]
dinner time. well, come, sit downe, and doe as I doe. heres good flesh[OMITTED]
I but my teeth water at another gates peece of flesh, I haue
no stomach to thyne.
Barebones.
why what bit dost thou long for?
Sinew.
One that you must help mee to if any of your masters diuells [will]
mee so good a turne.
Barebones.
And 'tweare an ill turne there are divells enough to be had[,]:
marry for a good turne I doubt they will hardly be intreated,
for my master lets im out so to brokers and vsurers that they
learne nothing but such craft and cruelty that a man knows
not how to trust them. but what would you with them?
Sinew.
O Barebones; The little God of Loue has coudgell'd the great
god of warre out of mee; in which conflict I was wounded to
the hart with the loue of Mr
s. Caro: a pretty peece of flesh
she is, and vnlesse poore Sinew be infolded in that flesh, I shall
remayne in a moste miserable case.
Barebones.
why doest thou hope to conquer a castle, and canst not winne
a wench?
Sinew.
Alas man, there is one Bloud a servant to the Lord Colactus,
an ould smokie thatch'd house yet braggs of his pedegree and
progenitors five generations before Iupiter. This muskie fellow has
gotten into her affection, and foists me out of her fauour. Now
if you could get one of your Masters goblins to [winn] make Mr s. Caro
sticke to Sinnew in spite of hot Bloud: then should Sinew cling
close to Barebones till both of vs be dead and rotten.
Barebones.
I doubt not of the strength and toughnesse of your loue, being a
souldier and your name Sinew, I assure my selfe you will not
shrincke willingly. [[illeg.]]
Sinew.
Let the Sinews of frendship persuade you that I am moste
certainly your servant.
gives him money.
Barebones.
I doe feelingly beleeue your faithfullnesse: but I haue not
seen a servant pay his master wages before. Well, since
your Lord Lysander and my master Cyprian loue one another
so well; I will tempt my Master to com̄aund one of his Deuills
to tempt Mr
s. Caro to yeild her selfe to your com̄aundement.
And see where he
Enter Lysander and Cyprian conferring.
comes, and your lord with him; pat for our purpose.
Sinew.
I had rather my Lord weare away. but hap what will, I
am ouerheat and must into the water though I [die] drown for't.
Cyprian.
Now Sirrah, what's the buisnes with you?
Barebones.
I am no taylor, [and] yet I bring you a suite sir, which I hope
my Lord Lysander will help on.
Cyprian.
I wish it be worth the wearing, because it is stuffe of your commending.
[well]
Lysanders.
If it be any thing reasonable [(honest Barebones) thy] [your] Master shall not deny it thee.
Barebones.
I thancke your L.h
p. This tis.
They whisper.
Sinew.
Now venus be propitious; and yet I erre in praying to a [god]
heauenly power for help from hell. No, o Pluto remember
thou wast once in loue, and be thou pittifull. see they smile,
that puts me in some comfort yet.
Lysander.
Sinew, come hither.
Sinew.
Now! shall I haue rods or roast meat trow?
Lysander.
why are you absent from the camp sir?
Because your Lordship is not present there, [and] since you[r]
are put out of your generalls place I scorne to serve any that vsurps
your roome.
Lysander.
Y'haue got a subtle answer: but the truth is
y'are turn'd a carpet knight, are fall'n in loue,
and giv'n to Idlenesse.
Barebones.
Alas my Lord, 'tis not that he delights in idlenesse; he would
faine bee doing, but that another has got his worke out of his hand.
Cyprian.
Well, for your Masters sake your suite is graunted.
see Barebones heres a spirit that to you Enter Cantharides.
is now and shalbe only visible
he shall convert that louely peece of fflesh
into what mould you will.
Lysander.
And when that's done,
Sinew returne to mee.
Cyprian.
Come lets walke on.
Exeunt. Lysander and Cyprian.
Sinew.
Is the Spirit come allready?
Barebones.
I marry is hee; if you could see him as I can, you would take
dunghills. what's thy name my little inch of damnation?
Cantharides.
My Name is Cantharides.
Sinew.
I heare him though I see him not. what's him name says hee?
Barebones.
[what] Cantharides! ha ha ha. the fittest name for a pimp
that can bee. Cantharides is a baudy flie, of wc
h the apothecarys
make a provocative medicine, that stirrs vp lust beyond all
performance. This fly was pandar to the God Priapus, and
therfore is a very skillfull [at] caterer[g] in the flesh market.
Sinew.
[Braue] Honest Barebones I am thine foreuer. but I languish
to see this feat effected.
Barebones.
come my little fflesh-fly, thou must claw the kiddneys of
Mr
s. Caro, and make the water of her desires runne into the
shooes of Mr. Sinew, that he may no longer draw driefoot in
the quest of her.
Cantharides.
I am at your com̄aund.
Exeunt.
Sce. 3.
Enter Cyprian and Lysander.Cyprian.
ffie my Lysander quench not the pow'rfull sparcks
Nature has kindled in thy valiant brest.
false ffortune cannot lessen a full man.
Our weaker parts of Earth are only ty'd
to th'turning wheel of the worlds blindefold guide:
the minde's aboue her anger. keep thine so.
Lysander.
O Cyprian, thou now dost come to mee
as willing, but vnskillfull swim̄ers doe;
who when their frend strives allmost dead in water
beare both themselues and him vnto the bottome.
Thou'rt vnexperienc'd in the change I feele;
for by thy willing, but vntimely counsell,
in stead of comfort bring'st confusion.
Cyprian.
Thy sicke taste giues my [mede] cordialls ill report,
when they deserve best recompence.
Lysander.
pray tell mee,
Cyprian.
why the sunnes absence.
Lysander.
Miranda is the mouer of loues sphære,
my day, and cause of all my lightsome ioys.
her absence is the cause that sullen night
settles this dullnesse on my ioylesse soule.
Cyprian.
Miranda's absence is her happinesse,
her present safetie; would you wish her here
threaten'd with fathers lust and crueltie,
and wounded with the downfall of her frends?
[To meet such dangers Greife]
woe changes loue either to greife or phrensie.
who wishes sight of loue in sorrows caue;
desires the name, and not the thing to haue.
Lysander.
But I that late was [layd] dandled in the [the] lap
of princely loue, am fall'n from my advancements.
[Cyprian.
who fa] And my inferiours step into my place.
Cyprian.
Who falls from honour, gets aboue all enuie:
Thy fall to thee is but a meanes to rise;
Their rise to them may be a meanes to fall.
My flocking frends are fled, now none salute mee.
Cyprian.
Thy flatterers are fled, thy frends remaine.
Lysander.
You doe remayne indeed, my only frend.
whose patience I must prayse, allthough my selfe
receive your comforts[,] but like well limn'd pictures
of sweet content, which when beheld and past
leaue some inpression, but too weake to last.
Cyprian.
Nor blame I your somwhat impatience,
considering your heat [streng] of youthfull bloud.
high spirits haue mightie passions, while let loose;
which wisdome wills vs binde to good behauiour.
Marcke but our potent and victorious Souldan,
how his vncurbed furie drives him on
with fier and sword against great Babilon:
within him pride of conquest ioyn'd with lust
make him as captive to the foulest sinnes
as he makes others to his monarchy.
while wee thrown of from his vncertayne favours,
stand now exempt from flattering his [ires] passions;
and if wee list, in our more quiet state
may pitty him when hee proues vnfortunate.
Lysander.
But while I thincke vpon anothers fate
I stand amazed at myne owne misfortune,
that know not what I am, nor whence deriv'd,
nor how to catch times fortop in my fist,
that I may scape from hence, and seeke my loue.
Cyprian.
To know thy selfe, time, and my arte shall teach thee;
and for thy loue, doubt not, she loues thee so
as both your cares will make you meet.[;] [lets goe] but see [Thetis, from whose [gate]]
[sol][the e] highs him to his [watry couch, the earth] gate
A mist is rising, let vs home, 'tis late.
Exeunt.
| The Two Noble Ladies | |