The Floating Island :: :: University of Virginia Library

Duel forbidden to the Valiant?

Am.
(aside)
Some other cause, it seemes, moves these already.

Mal.
Be sure, Irato, by Prudentius law
Personal Valour now is nothing worth.
Hope with his Pen, Sr. Timerous with his knife,
Or Desperato's man with single Halter
May passe in equal ranke with you, or me,
Or Captain Audax.

Au.
Not with me, I tro.

Mal.
Yes, if this Law should stand.

Am.
Not so however.

Mal.
Not if?

Au.
If to a generous Passion?

Am.
I see these sparkes are glowing. Noble Sparkes,
Let Amorous adde fire. Love burnes with Hate.
Thy Hand Malevolo, and 'gainst the King.

Ir.
Why what's your grief?

Am.
My Daughters Banishment.

Mal.
Great cause: yet none need press a single grief:
We finde our selves all pinch'd of liberty:
We walk in chaines, call'd Justice, Temperance,
Such rusty curbs; and none can further start
Then the strict keeper will allow us length.

Ir.
Tis so; we're us'd like Dogs, or ring'd like Beares;
Whither Prudentius leades us we must follow:
But if we take a loose, or swell and roar,
We must be whip'd for't; Sirs, Prudentius whips us.

Am.
Can this be brook'd by them that draw the Sword?

Ir.
And amongst them, by one that will exact
Life for a word, pay death for crabbed lookes?

Au.
And amongst them, by one that scales the wall,
That swims in Armour, flies against the mouth
Of thundring Ordinance? must also He,
Must He be ordered by a sit still thus?

Mal.
So he hath been. For my part, if I broach
Some biting Libel, venemous word or Book
Against some prosprous Object which I hate,
My Eares, are questioned. Locks which I have scorn'd
Must hide my Eare stumps.

Ir.
And me thinkes I spy some want upon your Nose.

Mal.
Is your spleene up?
Rage for your selfe. You also may remember
Brave Lord Irato when you hardly kept
Your Neck. Some fellow Peers, for as few blowes,
Have lost it quite.

Ir.
My Veynes will burst.

Mal.
And Captaines
Not to be numbred; All as bold and stout
As Audax here, for undertaking reskues,
And following them too far in open streetes,
Have been casheered of Lberty and Life.

Au.
But shall not be again. Ile hang the Law.

Mal.
Then as for you, Sr. Amorous, you may talk
Not onely of your Daughters Banishment,
But of your Sisters whip'd, your carted Aunts,
And Mulcts upon your selfe.

Am.
The truth to tell,
My hard restraint is worst of all. I live
(If it be life) confin'd to mine own Bed:
Prudentius bridles up my mouth from kissing,
Yea and from speech, and calls that stinting manners.
I cannot cast a faire inviting look,
But he pulls back the Nerve. I scarce dare think,
Or sigh beyond my stint. One Sigh a day
Is all that I must spend for her that keepes
And may command my breath. Prudentius
Locks up my winde like Æolus; 'tis calm'd,
And may not issue forth to bear a whisper.

Ir.
Mend your Comparison. Prudentius
Like Æolus? No, Æolus sometimes
Permitts a Tempest: does Prudentius so?

Au.
The Passions cannot stretch beyond his line,

But they are censured, Perturbations call'd,
Breakers of Peace; if calm'd, they nothing are:
We lose both Name and Nature by restraint.

Ir.
For what's a Lord I ask you but his Anger?

Mal.
Or what's a great man but oppression?

Au.
A Captain but his Cutting?

Am.
And a Knight
What but his Pleasure? O this frost of Reason
Hath numd my Joynts, I that with sprightly vigour
Dancing to please my Mistress, could have rose
To fetch her from the Moon (had she been there)
Or as she stood salute her, now have lost
Those active legs, and not by doing service
To any Creature but Prudentius.
I live a Hermite in the Court; to me
It seemes a Colledg or a Nunnery.

Ir.
To me a Prison.

Au.
A meer Schoole to me.

Mal.
To me an Inquisition: worse: a Hell.
Where Objects still we meet, and may not reach.
You Amorous like Tantalus behold
Two red white Apples in a well made face,
Which you as soon may touch as reach the Sun;
Which doth but scorch the gazer.

Am.
Ile to Hell:
Tis lesse to sterve for Apples then for Cheekes.

Mal.
You being stir'd Irato thirst for blood,
And thirst you may, but not be satisfied:
You must take blowes and beare'em; your Reward
(O poor!) is to orecome by suffering;
As now I kick you; stand: you must not rage,
For this is Patience; now I pull your Nose;
You must not fume, least you impatient prove.

Ir.
Let me kill thee, or serve Prudentius still.

Mal.
you must keep Peace. I speak but as a Friend;
And onely tell what you have told your selfe.
You Audax, like Ixion, though you dare
To set on Heaven, must wheele about your selfe
When Reason bids you.

Au.
Audax will run on
Though thunder meet him.

Mal.
Yes; but I my selfe
Like Titius vainly feed the Vultur Hate
With mine own heart, and wreck it not on others,
Those Favourits which I hate. Shall this be ever?

Ir.
How long shall I like to a painted George
Advance my idle Sword? What must I strike
Like Iack o'th clock-house, never but in season?

Mal.
How long shall I like a grim Statue stand,
Look hatred and use none? Prudentius
Hath he Medusa's head?

Am.
Hey ho, how long!

Au.
How long shall I like a fell Mastiff held,
Yelp for the glorious danger that I love!
Water it selfe if bounded in too streight,
Will foame and swell and breake thick bonds of Rock.
I wish we Passions were as strong as water.