 | The right excellent and famous Historye, of Promos and Cassandra ... the fyrste parte |  |
Scena. 3.
Promos with the Shriefe and their Officers.Pro.
Tis strange to thinke, what swarms of vnthrifts liue,
Within this towne, by rapine spoyle and theft:
That were it not, that Iustice ofte them greeue,
The iust mans goods, by Ruflers should be reft.
At this our Syse, are thirty iudgde to dye,
Whose falles I see, their fellowes smally feare:
So that the way, is by seuerity,
Such wicked weedes, euen by the rootes to teare:
Wherefore Shriefe, execute with speedy pace,
The dampned wightes, to cutte of hope of Grace.
Shriefe.
It shalbe done.
Cassandra to hir selfe,
Cas.
O cruell words they make my hart to bleede,
Now, now, I must, this dome seeke to reuoke,
Least grace come short, when starued is the steede:
She kneeling speakes to Promos.
Now, now, I must, this dome seeke to reuoke,
Least grace come short, when starued is the steede:
Most mighty Lord, & worthy Iudge, thy iudgemēt sharpe abate,
Uaile thou thine eares, to heare the plaint, that wretched I relate,
Behold the wofull Syster here, of poore Andrugio,
Whom though that lawe awardeth death, yet mercy do him show:
Way his yong yeares, the force of loue, which forced his amis,
Way, way, that Mariage, works amends, for what committed is,
He hath defilde no nuptial bed, nor forced rape hath mou'd,
He fel through loue, who neuer ment, but wiue ye wight he lou'd.
And wātons sure, to keepe in awe, these statutes first were made,
Or none but lustfull leachers, should, with rygrous law be payd.
And yet to adde intent thereto, is farre from my pretence,
I sue with teares, to wyn him grace, that sorrows his offence.
Wherefore herein, renowned Lorde, Iustice with pitie payse:
Which two in equal ballance waide, to heauē your fame will raise.
Uaile thou thine eares, to heare the plaint, that wretched I relate,
Behold the wofull Syster here, of poore Andrugio,
Whom though that lawe awardeth death, yet mercy do him show:
Way his yong yeares, the force of loue, which forced his amis,
Way, way, that Mariage, works amends, for what committed is,
He hath defilde no nuptial bed, nor forced rape hath mou'd,
He fel through loue, who neuer ment, but wiue ye wight he lou'd.
And wātons sure, to keepe in awe, these statutes first were made,
Or none but lustfull leachers, should, with rygrous law be payd.
And yet to adde intent thereto, is farre from my pretence,
I sue with teares, to wyn him grace, that sorrows his offence.
Which two in equal ballance waide, to heauē your fame will raise.
Pro.
Cassandra, leaue of thy bootlesse sute, by law he hath bene tride,
Lawe founde his faulte, Lawe iudgde him death:
Cas.
Yet this maye be replide,
That law a mischiefe oft permits, to keepe due forme of lawe,
That lawe small faultes, with greatest doomes, to keepe men styl in awe:
Yet Kings, or such as execute, regall authoritie:
If mends be made, may ouer rule, the force of lawe with mercie.
Here is no wylful murder wrought, which axeth blood againe,
Andrugios faulte may valued be, Mariage wipes out his stayne.
Pro.
Faire Dame, I see ye naturall zeale, thou bearest to Andrugio,
And for thy sake (not his desart) this fauour wyll I showe:
I wyll repriue him yet a whyle, and on the matter pawse,
To morrowe you shall lycence haue, a fresh to pleade his cause:
Shriefe execute my chardge, but staye Andrugio,
Untill that you in this behalfe, more of my pleasure knowe.
Shri.
I wyll performe your wyll:
Cas.
O most worthy Magistrate, my selfe thy thrall I finde,
Euen for this lytle lightning hope, which at thy handes I finde.
Euen for this lytle lightning hope, which at thy handes I finde.
Now wyl I go and comfort him, which hangs twixt death & life.
Exit.
Pro.
Happie is the man, that inioyes the loue of such a wife,
I do protest, hir modest wordes, hath wrought in me a maze.
Though she be faire, she is not deackt, with garish shewes for gaze,
Hir bewtie lures, hir lookes cut off, fond sutes with chast disdain.
O God I feele a sodaine change, that doth my freedome chayne.
What didst thou say? fie Promos fie: of hir auoide the thought,
And so I will, my other cares wyll cure what loue hath wrought,
Come awaye.
Exeunt.
| The right excellent and famous Historye, of Promos and Cassandra ... the fyrste parte | |