 | The Two Noble Ladies |  |
Act. 3.
Sce. 1.
Enter Iustina, Clitophon following her.Iustina.
Good my Lord leaue mee.
Clitophon.
Can you so cruelly
Cast of a faithfull servant?
Iustina.
No princely sir,
'tis I would bee cast of; for I am false.
My beauty has bewitch'd your noble heart,
weakend your valour, and most treacherously
betray'd Chaldæa's glorie Babilon
to Egypts rage.
Clitophon.
O fairest of thy sex,
blame not thy beauty, but thy cruelty,
say but thou lou'st mee, and that very sound
(like the rare harpe that rays'd the Theban walls)
shall reerect, and fortifie my courage;
rescue the cittie, and drive backe the foe.
Iustina.
Alas, say I should loue, and let you know it;
you must not weare that iewell though you ow it.
Clitophon.
If you can loue, what lets mee in my choyce?
your fathers crosse will, and your subiects voyce.
Clitophon.
Though all resist, if thou consent I care not;
Iustina.
And except they consent, my lord, I dare not.
you see your Venus [will not] fauours not your loue,
turne to your Mars, hee courts you to the feild.
Clitophon.
where should he fight that cannot make you yeild?[,]
you hate our gods and mocke them; for thy sake
I will renounce the gods of Babilon,
proffesse thy faith, and become Christian.
Iustina.
[But then] your father will renounce, and hate you, then.
Clitophon.
Thy loue is better then a fathers blessing.
Enter a Lord of Babilon with his sword drawn.
Lord.
My gracious Lord, the Califfe calls for you.
Clitophon.
ffor what? to rob mee of my happinesse.
Lord.
O princely sir; the citty wants your presence.
The enimie's as strong in powr as pride,
And our deffensive army's like a body
vnspirited, while your-selfe, Soule of our courage,
are wanting to vs.
Clitophon.
If you would haue my aide
ply my deafe father in my loues behalfe;
for till he graunt [it, Ile be deaf as hee] this lady for my wife
I will not stirre, [though] but here will end my life.
Lord.
Your message will displease: but I shall doe it.
Enter [Armidan] Miranda.
Miranda.
Where is prince Clitophon?
Lord.
There ['s] is his statue. [it]
It has a mouing forme, but is in art
a thing im̄oveable.
Exit Lord.
Miranda.
O noble prince,
arme and to horse with speed, the foe prevayles;
The body of your Syrian armie totters:
The quivering pikes quake not so much with force
of charging, as the souldiers harts with feare [of]
of being ouer chargd with enimies.
What should I doe mongst cowards?
Miranda.
O sweet prince, you'r the good Genius of Babilon
without you it is lost.
Clitophon.
Why I haue here
a fairer citty then poore Babilon
to guard from danger, [of death threatening eies,] [here an empire stands]
and should I leaue this to my fathers frowne
the beautious building would be soon thrown downe.
Shout within
Iustina.
I feare all's lost, harcke how th'Egyptians shout.
Clitophon.
Cheere mee within, Ile charge the foe without.
Enter The Califfe with Attendants and Souldiers.
Iustina.
O mee your father, sir the Califfe comes.
with killing eies he lookes mee through.
Clitophon.
Bee still:
My loue is stronger then [th] his wrathfull will.
Califfe.
O Clitophon, o my bewitched sonne;
art thou quite lost to honour? has that face
the pow'r to charme the tempest of thy spirit
thy aged father toyling in the warre,
his crowne, and thy inheritance at stake,
thy frends distress'd, thy countrey forraged,
the Souldan charging vs eu'n to our [gates] walls?
and wilt thou in an idle dreame of loue
sleep out the hazard of thy royalties,
and forfet to dishonour'd infamie
the glorious crown of thy youths victorie?
Clitophon.
Yeild to my suite, and you shall see your sonne
againe like the renouned Clitophon.
Ile flie like dreadfull lightning in the face
of the bould Souldan, and with my strokes
at once amaze and conquer.
Doe it then:
But doe it quickly then. talke not of loue;
that idle sicknesse will consume thy strength,
and make thee farre vnable to performe
the braue attempt thou hast so bouldly promis'd.
Cast of that spell of witchcraft that hath loos'd
thy warlike nerues. Minion I say be gonne,
and [vp]on thy life come no more neare our sonne.
Clitophon.
Stay my Iustina.
Califfe.
If she stay, she dies.
Clitophon.
If she depart or die, in either kinde
wrong'd Clitophon will keep her company.
and till your highnesse ratifie my vow
to her; to heau'n another vow I make:
neuer shall saving steele couer these limbs,
nor this right hand draw a deffensive sword
for Babilon. but in a wofull fould
my colours shall be wrap'd, and nere display'd
in Syrian feilds; my countreys care[s] shall die.
But if your kind[ly ioynes] consent will ioyne our hands;
againe I [s] vow, Ile straight into the feild
nor ere enioy the harvest of my loue
(which I thus toyle to compasse) till this hand
from Egypts rage haue freed our Syrian land.
Califfe.
She is a hated Christian, that's the cause
she cannot by thy wife.
Clitophon.
her loue to mee
[may] in time may draw her to adore our gods.
Califfe.
(asside ... )
Time is too precious to be spent in talke:
I must sooth vp his passions, and at least ( ... aside)
consent in shew. well then My Clitophon
take thy Iustina, whom I now accept
to be my daughter, let her louing hand
(in token that she's now become thy bride)
gird thy good sword vnto thy warlike side.
Clitophō.
[Now wilt thou] Thancks royall sir for this vnmatched guift.
[Iustina.]
[O may this good sword girt by a louing hand]
[proue fortunate in fight: while my weake prayers]
Iustina.
Bee fortunate, braue prince, and with this sword,
defend thy countrey, and confound thy foes.
Clitophon.
Thanckes my deare
he that is thus blest has no cause to feare.
Califfe.
Now wilt thou to the feild?
Clitophon.
with winged speed.
[now bends] my knee is bent with ioy; farewell great sir.
This Iewell of my life I now dare leaue
to your safe keeping. now you'l vse her kindly.
Califfe.
Doubt not my sonne, her vsage shall be fit
for her desert.
Clitophon.
I kisse your royall hand,
and thy rose lips Iustina; so farewell.
Come[s] Gallants now to feild, [and see][when I am there and try our fortunes]
[and see the Souldan][sure the strong breath of Egypt garlicke and onions]
how he bestirres him. shall the strong breath of Egypt
Garlicke and Onions stincke vs to retreat?
no our strong blows shall beat their foule breath backe
into their lungs and choake em, while they [die] flie
orecome with sweetnesse of our victorie.
Exeunt. Clitoph. Miranda, and Sould.
Califfe.
Such victorie shine on you, while I stay
to prevent ills that threat another way.
Iustina.
The Califfs brows shew[s] rugged still, his words
are [liker] doubtfull too: o my poore trembling hart
dreads some ensuing ill.
Califfe.
Now pretty peat,
base Christian, witch of princes; you expect
high honours as the wife of Clitophon.
Iustina.
Christian I am, but neither base nor witch.
Califfe.
That name of Christian [is thy doome of death.][doomes thee, hatefull bitch]
how durst thou fawne on our imperiall heir?
Iustina.
haue you forgot your promise to your heir
so lately made? is this your loue[,]? my safety?
Califfe.
Thou shalt be safe if [seas] waues will let thee sincke.
Iustina.
Is then a princes word so slight to trust!
If for my Christian faith, I needs must drowne,
send mee to sea with speed; I shall survive,
or els at heauens hauen soone arrive.
Califfe.
Are you so stout? Souldiers in Euphrates
cast me this minion, drowne her in the streame.
There let her beauty, and her christian learning
enchaunt the sea gods. they no more shall charme
the prince of Babilon. away with her.
Iustina.
Is there no advocate? no intercession?
are all about mee ministers of death?
Califfe.
The pow'r thou serv'st preserve thee, if it can.
Iustina.
Tyrant I thancke thee, thou dost kindely pray
And I will pray for thy renowned sonne:
heau'n make a christian of kinde Clitophon.
Califfe.
Shall she torment mee thus? dragge her away.
Drag her in.
Now trie the pow'r thou serv'st if it can calme
Euphrates rugged waues. so, now I trust
with her I drowne the passions of my sonne,
and free him from Christian contagion.
prevaile not, we with policie assay
to turne the wanton tide another way.
Now to the feild, to see what deeds are done
By Armidan and our vndaunted sonne.
Exeunt.
Sce. 2.
Enter Bloud and Caro.Bloud.
Come my faire Caro, thou shalt bee my Hero, and Ile bee
thy Leander.
Caro.
Ile crosse the story, then my dearest Bloud, [and where]
and where Leander swoom̄ the Hellespont
to come to Hero, I will swim a sea
to meet with thee.
Bloud.
Why thou art fflesh, and I am Bloud, we cannot be divorced
without death to both: for flesh and bloud can not beare it.
(all of the race of Ptolomie the great,
and by my mother I descended am
from Tomiris the [valiant] conquering Queen of Scythia.)
If Caro match with Bloud, she matches into honour,
and shall in Egypts court be dignified,
and through great Memphis in a chariot ride.
Caro.
Now by my frayltie (loue) I sweare, no life likes mee but
the courtiers, it is so full of ease and pleasure; which the
flesh desires aboue all things. your churlish souldier when
hee woes mee, me thincks his very lookes scarre me
all ouer, and fright me out of loues delight.
Enter Sinew and
Cantharides
and see
where such a fellow comes. [lets not looke at him]
lets not looke at him.
Sinew.
[Sinew.]
Honey, and roses, Mr
s. Caro.
Cantharides claws Caro.
Bloud.
Wormwood, and assafætida, Mr. Sinew. she cannot intend to heare you[OMITTED]
Caro.
Stay; what would you with mee sir?
Bloud.
Haue you a flout ready for him? too him iffaith, and Ile second yo«u[OMITTED]»
Sinew.
(asside to h[OMITTED])
You know I loue you, loue you faithfully.
(asside ... )
My fancie alters strangely on a suddain.
( ... asside.)
Sir, I confesse I haue much wrong'd your faithfull loue.
ffie courtier, you smell so sweet of muske, that my head akes
with it: such sweets are nought for the mother, and that's a
disease I am subiect to. There was one flout, will you
second it?
Bloud.
(asside to her.)
Life of mee; but you must explayne your selfe, hee'l thincke
you flout mee els.
Caro.
Why that I will. Noble Sinew, I could plucke out my too too
credulous eies, that persuaded me to preferre a courtier
before a souldier. why now you stand together, the grossnesse
of my error is apparant. you haue a manly forme, this
when the leaues of his bravery is of, is but a crooked crab stocke.
a thing that had had no being but for the mercie of a credulous
mercer, and an vnpay'd taylor, who weare the good beares
that lick'd him into fashion.
Bloud.
How's this, how's this?
Sinew.
Will you yet loue mee then?
Take here my hand, while on this booke I vow
No man aliue shall haue my loue but thou.
Kisse.
Sinew.
welcome sweet Caro. Sinew shall giue both sense and motion
to all thy delight, while in my marshiall armes I thus immure
thee, and boldly bid defiance to him that dares offer to take thee from mee.
Enter Barebones stands beholding Caro.
Bloud.
But Mr
s. Caro, is this seeming change of yours reall and substantiall
or is it but in mirth?
Caro.
If you can make mirth of it, you are the wiser: but I assure you
this action of myne is reall and substantiall. A courtier is but
banqueting stuffe to wanton withall when the belly is full. a Souldier
is good strong lasting diet, a woman may feed hartyly on't and
neuer surfet.
Bloud.
To [match without][refuse] bloud [in marriage] is to match out of gentry. will you marry
so basely?
Caro.
O sir, Bloud without fat makes leane puddings: and gentry
without money is not halfe so good as rich yomandrie.
[Bloud.], Sinew.
Hee that stands looking on his meate, and will not eate it while it is
warme, deserv's to haue his trencher shifted, and to be content
with a cold bit, or els fast and welcome.
Bloud.
Well I'le be reveng'd: and Souldier though I haue no skill in
boystrous busslyng; know that I being a courtier can finde a
tricke to stop a souldiers pay, and keep him bare enough. then
when the warres are done, you may either steale and be hang'd,
or beg, and be whipt for a rogue. And as for you wethercocke,
I shall—
Sinew.
Sirrah, I haue with contempt borne the battery of your tongue
against mee, but if you shoot out [but] one sillable in disgrace
of my loue, Ile play the surgeon, and with this lancet let out
your wilde bloud.
Caro.
Nay, let him alone my loue; I minde him not.
Barebones.
O delicate Caro! O dull pated Barebones! what an asse was
I to help another to such a daynty morsell, and let my selfe fast
that haue as good a stomach as hee. has not Barebones as
much need of fflesh, as any Sinew in the world? Yes, and I will
Sinew.
Bloud, me thinckes you looke as you weare enflam'd.
They whisper.
get you a cooling iulep. Come Caro, let vs to the temple, and there
consum̄ate our ioys.
Cantharides claws her.
Caro.
With thee I will goe any whither.
ha! stay a little.
fixes her eie on Barebones.
Barebones.
O that a poore scholler might haue had leaue to read Tully's
loue in such a faire printe. I should then haue lou'd my booke
better then my meate.
Sinew.
I Barebones, she is faire indeed, tha[t]ncke heau'ns goodnesse; and
she is myne now, thancke thy kindenesse.
Caro.
Thyne! learning forbid it. Sir, if your wish be harty, I
willingly will be your booke: vnclaspe mee, turne me ore,
and reade mee till you are weary; then doe as schollers vse;
rest a while, and too't againe: I will be none but yours.
Barebones.
Then In speech shall com̄end you, the merry moods and tenses
shall attend you, the qui's and quæ's and quod's shall [attend you] bee at
your [service] com̄aund. And I my selfe will serve you as long as I
can stand.
Sinew.
O the Devill!
(asside.)
will she change againe?
Sinew.
But are you constant in this vnconstancie?
Caro.
Alas women haue nothing els to be constant in. My name is
Caro, that signifies flesh: now flesh you know is frayle;
somtimes it battens, and somtimes it bates; and we cannot
help it.
Sinew.
And sometimes it stincks, and sometimes its fly blowne; now
maggots eate you. But this is your treachery Barebones:
you haue her in the Devills name, and the Divell giue you
good of her.
Barebones.
O you know the bones euer beare the flesh away.
to Blood.
would you
haue her swim in blood like a halfe boyl'd leg of mutton?
to Sinew.
Or would you binde her vp with sinewy strings like a coller
of brawne while 'tis boyling?
fie, fie. Come my plump peece of flesh, let vs too ioyne
gibblets now, whyle they goe seeke their flesh at goose-faire.
Bloud.
Ha ha ha ha. this is excellent.
Exeunt. Barebones, Caro, and Cantharides.
Where is your purchase? did not you cheat me?
Sinew.
True, and am cheated againe. But Ile be reveng'd.
Bloud.
Why are you not then? a souldier, and not strike?
Sinew.
I durst not for his devill that attends him. But I will finde a time.
Bloud.
This is some revenge to mee allready. ha ha ha.
Exeunt severally.
Sce. 3.
Enter [Cyprian and] Lysander and Cyprian.Lysander.
Strong is thy loue (my frend) but counsell weake.
Cyprian.
Weake is thy iudgement that wants strength to sway
thy passions, which like ouerturned bells
can keep no tune nor time. come, let mee tell you,
It staynes the name of valour in a man
to wish for death because he would be freed
from sufferings in [t]his life. would you not scorne
him as a coward, that for smart of wounds
would runne out of the feild? I know you would.
troubles, are but the tryalls of our minde,
wch make them relish better.
Lysander.
You speake trueth.
But speaking comforts seldome lessen woes.
Cyprian.
Then see Lysander, I will cheer the now
with actuall comforts. You haue often wish'd,
and wood my skill to make thee vnderstand
thy parentage.
Lysander.
True my deare Cyprian
and nothing sounds more pleasant in myne eares
then that relation.
Cyprian.
I haue brought thee now
here to the bancke of famous Euphrates
of purpose that this solitarie place
may feast thee with such pleasures as shall blunt
[as shall blunt] the sharpest edge of thy conceived sorrow.
fix well thyne eie vpon the sedgie shore
and marke what comes from thence.
Dauntlesse Ile looke, what ere be thy attempt,
pleasures are sweet in sorrow, though but dream'[p]t.
Thunder. Enter a Spirit, Like a souldier in armour on his breast a sable sheild written on with [Golden] letters.
Cyprian.
what see'st thou now.
Lysander.
I see an armed man.
bearing before his breast a sable[r] sheild—
Fill'd full with [siluer] golden letters.
Cyprian.
[Th] In that plate
read and observe, for there is writ thy fate.
Lysander
reads.
The Souldan's father call'd Archimachus
when first the Syrian land he sought t'haue wonne;
His spies by chance surpriz'd Eugenius,
a childe of 2. yeares ould, the only sonne
of stout Archander, Antiochs king of late.
ffaire was the childe and got the Souldan's loue,
and with it life that reach'd to manly state.
The Souldan brought him vp like one aboue
com̄on nobilitie; but chang'd his name
into Lysander, who's now crownd with fame.
Recorders play. The Spirit vanishes.
It vanishes, and I can read no more.
Recorders still. Enter an Angell shaped like a patriarch vpon his breast a [[red] blew] table full of silver letters, in his right hand a red crossierstaffe, on his shoulders large [wings]
Cyprian.
whence comes this sound? this heau'nly harmonie?
what apparition's this rais'd without mee?
Angell.
Thou by whose skill [his] anothersfate was showne
shalt finde thy selfe ignorant of thine owne.
Read here, [her] and learn thyne owne catastrophe.
Cyprian
reads.
Cyprian borne at Antioch, bred in arts
of deep caldean learning, by whose skill
Wonders are wrought. since in him vertuous parts
that now ere long, this learned heathen man
shall renounce Magicke, and turne Christian.
Lysander.
These are strange, and vnlikely auguries.
Cyprian.
whence art thou? or who sent thee with these news?
Angell.
I come not by the call of magicke spells;
but by that pow'r that in yond pallace dwells
am sent to tell these news. But when againe
I meet thee, thou'lt confesse thy learning vayne.
ffor such a light Ile bring shall make thee see,
thou to that houre liu'd'st in obscuritie.
Exit Angelus.
Cyprian.
Bring what thou wilt, thy presence is so full
of maiestie, that sure thou arte some god;
for I admire and tremble at thy sight.
Lysander.
Our fates are strange ones both; mȳeof things past
thyne yet to come. let me recall myne owne.
Archander King of Antioch my father!
My name Eugenius, heir vnto that Kingdom!
Thancks Cyprian for this discovery.
But how has ignorance misled my life,
in myne owne bloud! ruine my countrey, ioy
at the last groanes of my deare kindred, see
Archander my deare father, and my vnckle
the braue Lysymachus fall by a pow[']r
led by my arme and counsell.
Cyprian.
This was that
wch I call'd madnesse in you, when you first
[cam] enter'd my study in lost Antioch.
but heau'n will pardon ignorant offences.
come cheer thy minde.
Lysander.
Then let vs cast about
to revenge Antioch on th'Egyptians,
and seat mee in myne owne inheritance.
Cyprian.
In that, as in your loue, time will befrend you;
Meane while be as you weare, the Souldans servant.
Crye within. help help. [Noise within.]
Lysander.
Harck, from the woods I here a pitious crie.
Cyprian.
Let's stay, and see th'euent.
Enter 2. Souldiers dragging Iustina. bound.
1. Souldier.
Come, now w'are allmost at our iourneys end;
This is swift Euphrates, here cast her in.
Iustina.
Are yee of flint? is there no pitty lodg'd
within your bruitish breasts to spare my life?
cannot my guifts, my teares, my innocence,
your conscience, feare of heauens vengeance hold
your bloody hands? o giue these wearie feet
a little rest, a little while vouchsafe
a truce 'till I may pray
2. Souldier.
Prate not of prayer.
1. Souldier.
Come let's cast her in.
Lysander.
O help to rescue yonder Innocent.
Cyprian.
Leaue that to mee Lysander, sit you still.
2. Souldier.
Come this way, this way, heare the streame is deepest.
1. Souldier.
I am enforc'd I know not by what pow'r
To hale her this way.
Thunder. Enter 2. Tritons with silver trumpets.
2. Souldier.
what strange noise is this?
1. Souldier.
dispatch, the tide swells high.
2. Souldier.
what feind is this?
The tritons ceaz the souldiers.
what furie ceazes mee?
2. Souldier.
Alas, I'm hurried headlong to the streame.
The Tritons dragge them in sounding their trumpets.
1. Souldier.
And so am I, wee both must drowne and die.
Iustina.
What wondrous sight flatters my dying eies?
am I deliuer'd from the iaws of death?
Lysander.
Lady, you are, your ministers of death
haue met the punishment they meant for you.
Cyprian.
(asside.)
how faire her lookes! how sweet her woeful words!
Lysander.
Lady, (for by your habit so you seeme)
what countrey are you of, what birth and kinne?
Iustina.
Of Antioch, my father was a prince
by name Lysymachus, vnhappy brother
to the once great Archander Antiochs King;
till Egypts furie wrought our ruining,
Lysander.
my vnckles daughter! fortunate ill lucke
that made this meeting: I'm Archander's sonne
that in my childhood was stol'n into Egypt.
Iustina.
My ioys haue now the mastrie of my feares.
My dearest cousin, [we] at a fitter time
Ile winne your credit by moste certain tokens.
Iustina.
Although with wonder, I beleeue and ioy in't.
Lysander.
you seem a harmelesse soule; what foule offence
had you the pow'r to doe to deserve this?
Cyprian.
That wee'l intreat her by the way relate.
Come lets away, great actions are in feild,
[Archimach] The Souldan is in danger to be taken.
Lady com̄it your safety to my trust.
Iustina.
I feare not man, since heau'n doth help the iust.
Exeunt.
| The Two Noble Ladies | |