 | The Floating Island |  |
Scena XI.
Enter Fancie, Fuga, Hilario, Timerous, Melancholico and Concupiscence. Soon after Desperato.Fan.
King of Affections:—
Pru:
Queen of Inventions.—
Fan.
Unlesse you think your selfe beholding to me
You are not fit to be my King. The Passions
I have so suffer'd in absurdity,
That now they beg your reign which they shook off.
Hil.
I see there is some mirth in misery.
Fan.
I kneel unto your grace to use me so,
As one that hath been Queen, and yet no Queeen,
Rather a shew then Soveraign. I walk'd
But in mock-majesty. Say it were true,
I sought it not, and what is worth a taking
If not a Kingdom?
Hil.
Down my frolick joynts,
Kneeling is now in fashion. Down, down Fuga;
Concupiscence and Melancholico
Favour your selves with kneeling.
Mel.
I kneel not
To thee, but to thy power; I kneel to thee
But not adore thee.
Conc.
Pardon.
Enter Desperato.
Desp.
—Thus attir'd
I wear my sentence. Sir, I can but offer
That power of doome which I my selfe might take.
Pru.
If you ask pardon, ask it of your Prince;
For I nor am, nor will be.
Au.
Royal Sir,
Why have you giv'n us lives, if not to take
Or to preserve them?
Am.
Hope, speak for us Hope.
Liv.
Be pleas'd thou god on earth.
Int.
I likewise joyn
In this request.
Pru.
Ile send them Epimetheus
My Brother Afterwit; and he shall rule them.
Those fooles whom Prudence cannot prerestrain,
The lash of Afterwit brings home again.
Au.
We'l die upon this place.
Mal.
And each man turn
To his own grave.
Pru.
Do, and do not burden
Me with new cares for new Rebellion.
Au.
We grone unto you?
Pru.
Why? for here are many
That would be Kings, Amorous, this gay thing,
He offers about his Crown.
Which overlookes a Kingdom, may command
No? then Malevolo to devour your flock,
T' ingrosse the Elements, and let none breath
That may resist, and onely spare a few
That may for fear do service, i'st not glorious?
Work with this Engine. No? are you grown modest?
Then Desperato, what a life it is
To have the power of hanging, or of causing
Some to prevent the gallowes in their prison.
What, hang your head so dully at a Crown.
Hil.
This is to offer Sallets unto dogs.
Pru.
Irato, anger is a Kings perfection
As roaring is the Lions. When his eye
Darts lightning, when he snaps his dagger hard
Cries hah and starts, doth he not then seem godlike,
And well deserve the name of Thunderer?
Be thou that Jove. Not you? Then Captain Audax.
You took great pains to win, now weare this Crown.
Au.
Any but yours I would.
Pru.
Could ye get Crownes
Abroad as soon as pull off one at home,
Ye should be Kings or Deputies all over.
Now there can be but one: would that be Memor.
Mem.
In all records I finde no Lawyer Crown'd.
Hil.
A Lawyer needs it not: to pen the Law,
And then interpret it as much as making.
Pru.
Fancie you must be troubled once again
With this bright loade.
Fan.
I loath'd it at the first.
Grant me the Soveraignty of changing fashions,
Promotion of new Projects, leave to weare
Such Coronets at these, I ask no more.
Pru.
When I am King, be this thy Royalty.
Poor Diadem, since here thou canst not get
A Master, lye thou there for the next commer,
Or sink into thy Oare.—None stoop to take thee?
What all refuse, I once refus'd of all
Am fit to wear.
Au.
Long live Prudentius.
(Int. & Liv. Crown him.)
Pru.
Then once more chain'd in Gold, Ile bear your burden.
Henchforth to awe your folly, be assur'd,
None of your crooked actions words or lookes
Hath scap'd my notice. They camefresh unto me
With tongues of spirits: But Ile leave the chiding
To your own Conscience. Now, thus reconcil'd,
I'le pardon your deserts, cannot reward them.
If you expect in sign of peacesome matches
You are deceiv'd. Amorous shall not wed
Morphe, without a faire probation.
And Timerous I forbid; such must not marry
As have no mettle, least they spoile their race.
But Melancolico and Concupiscence
Shall keep their state; i'th suburbs, or new-England.
Now rise. For shew of future correspondence,
Rank your selves friendly with your opposites.—
Am.
I live not by my line of life, but yours.
Mal.
Love is a willing Passion, full of sweetnesse,
But not so serviceable as loyal hate;
This loves with zeal and with comparison,
Works against all for one. to serve your State
Let others love, whilst I for you shall hate;
My selfe, if that you please; and others so,
That hate with vertue hand in hand shall go.
Pru.
Tis well, tis very well. Live as you look,
Irato beare the Sword: I'le view them all.
Thus betwixt love of good, and hate of ill,
Will slight of this; and chast desire of that,
With sadnesse to be wise, joy for good ends
Hope for true peace, despair of nothing lesse
Then meer Impossibilities, we'l walk
To Immortality upon those lines
Which a wise Princes breast nought else defines.
Exeunt Omnes.
| Prudentius | ||||||
| Fancie | Intellectus | |||||
| Memor | ||||||
| Amorous | Malevolo | |||||
| Concupiscence | Fuga | |||||
| Hilario | Melancolico | |||||
| Audax | Timerous | |||||
| Livebyhope | Irato | Desperato |
After the musick ended, the Island appearing Setled.
| The Floating Island | |