University of Virginia Library

Act. 2.

Scena. 1.

Enter Iupiter.
A loue principium, sunt & Iouis omnia plena.
Now Iupiter shall rule Pandoraes thoughts,
And fill her with Ambition and Disdaine:
I will inforce my influence to the worst,
Least other Planets blame my regiment.

Enter Pandora and Gunophilus.
Pando.
Though rancor now be rooted from my hart,
I feele it burdened in an other sort:
By day I thinke of nothing but of rule,
By night my dreames are all of Empery.
Mine eares delight to heare of Soueraingtie,
My tongue desires to speake of princely sway,
My eye would euery obiect were a crowne.

Iup.
Danae was fayre, and Læda pleasd me well,
Louely Calisco set my hart on fyre:
And in mine eye Europa was a gemme,
But in the beauty of this Paragon,
Dame Nature far hath gone beyond her selfe,
And in this one are all my loues conteind.
And come what can come, Iupiter shall prooue,
If fayre Pandora will accept his loue:
But first I must discusse this heauenly clowde:
That hydes me from the sight of mortall eyes.
Behold Pandora where thy louer sits,
High Ioue himselfe, who rauisht with thy blaze,
Receiues more influence then he powers on thee,
And humbly sues for succour at thy hands.

Pand.
VVhy what art thou? more then Vtopian swaines?

Iup.
The king of Gods, one of immortall race,
And he that with a beck controules the heauens.

Pand.
VVhy then Pandora dooth exceed the heauens,
VVho neither feares nor loueth Iupiter.

Iup.
Thy beauty will excuse what ere thou say,
And in thy lookes thy words are priuiledgd.
But if Pandora did conceiue those gifts.
That Ioue can giue, she would esteeme his loue,
For I can make thee Empresse of the world,
And seate thee in the glorious firmament.

Pand.
The words of Empresse and of firmament,
More please mine eares then Jupiter mine eyes:
Yet if thy loue be lyke to thy protest:
Giue me thy golden scepter in my hand.
But not as purchase of my precious loue,
For that is more then heauen it selfe is worthe.

Iup.
There, hold the scepter of Eternall Ioue,
But let not Maiestie encrease thy pride.

Pand.
VVhat lack I now but an imperiall throne,
And Ariadnæs star-lyght Diadem.

Enter Iuno.
Iuno.
False periurd Iupiter and full of guile,
Are these the fruites of thy new gouernment?
Is Iunoes beauty and thy wedlock vowe,
And all my kindnesse troden vnder foote?
VVast not enough to fancie such a trull,
But thou must yeeld thy scepter to her hand?
I thought that Ganimede had wened thy hart,
From lawlesse lust of any womans loue:
But well I see that euery time thou strayest,
Thy lust but lookes for strumpet stars belowe.

Pand.
VVhy know, Pandora scornes both Ioue and thee,
And there she layes his scepter on the ground.

Iuno.
This shall with me to our Celestiall court,
VVhere gods (fond Iupiter) shall see thy shame:
And laugh at Loue for tainting Maiestie,
And when you please, you will repaire to vs,
But as for thee, thou shamelesse counterfet:
Thy pride shall quickly loose her painted plumes,
And feele the heauy weight of Junoes wrath.

Exit Iuno.
Pand.
Let Iuno fret, and mooue the powers of heauen,
Yet in her selfe Pandora stands secure:
Am I not Natures darling and hir pride?
Hath she not spent her treasure all on me?

Iup.
Yet be thou wise (I counsell thee for loue)
And feare displeasure at a goddesse hand.

Pand.
I tell thee Iupiter, Pandoras worth
Is farre exceeding all your goddesses:
And since in her thou dost obscure my prayse,
Here (to be short) I do abiure thy loue.

Iup.
I may not blame thee for my beames are cause,
Of all this insolence and proud disdaine:
But to preuent a second raging storme,
If iealious Iuno should by chaunce returne,
Here ends my loue: Pandora now farewell.

Exit.
Pand.
And art thou clouded vp? fare as thou list,
Pandoraes hart shall neuer stoope to Ioue:
Gunophilus, base vassaile as thou art,
How haps when Iuno was in presence here,
Thou didst not honor me with kneele and crowche,
And lay thy hands vnder my precious foote?
He poures downe a number of curtesies.
To make her know the height of my desart.
Base pesaunt, humbly watch my stately lookes,
And yeeld applause to euery word I speake:
Or from my seruice Ile discarde thee quite.

Gunophilus on his kness.
Guno.
Fayre and dread Soueraigne, Lady of the world,
Euen then when iealous Iuno was in place:
As I beheld the glory of thy face,
My feeble eyes admiring maiestie,
Did sinke into my hart such holly feare,
That very feare amazing euery sence,
VVithheld my tongue from saying what I would:
And freezd my ioynts from bowing when they should.

Pand.
I now Gunophilus thou pleasest me,
These words and cursies prooue thee dutifull.

Enter Stesias, Learchus, Melos, and Iphicles.
Stesi.
Now Stesias speake.

Learch.
Learchus, plead for loue.

Iphi.
Now Cyprian Queene, guider of louing thoughts,
Helpe Iphicles.

Melos.
Melos must speed, or dye.

Gunoph.
VVhether now my maisters in such post hast?
Her excellence is not at leisure now.

Stesias.
O sweet Gunophilus further our attempts.

Iph.
And we shall make thee riche with our rewards.

Guno.
Stay heere vntill I know her further pleasure:
Stesias & his felows humbly craue accesse to your excellēce.

Pand.
I now thou fittest my humor: Let them come.

Guno.
Come on maisters.

Stesias.
Tel on my deare, when comes that happy houre,
VVhereon thy loue shall guerden my desire.

Learch.
How long shall sorows winter pinche my hart?
And luke warme hopes be child with freezing feare,
Before my suite obteyne thy sweete consent?

Iphi.
How long shall death, incroching by delayes,
Abridge the course of my decaying life:
Before Pandora loue poore Iphicles?

Melos.
How long shall cares cut off my flowring prime,
Before the haruest of my loue be in?

Stesias.
O speake sweete loue.

Iphi.
Some gentle words sweet loue.

Learch.
O let thy tongue first salue Learchus wound,
That first was made with those immortall eyes

Melos.
The only promise of thy future loue,
VVill drowne the secret heapes of my dispayre,
In endlesse Ocean of expected ioyes.

Pand.
Although my brest, yet neuer harbored loue,
Yet should my bountie free your seruitude:
If loue might well consort our Maiestie,
And not debase our matchlesse dignitie.

Stesi.
Sweet hony words, but sawst with bitter gawle.

Iphi.
They drawe me on, and yet they put me back.

Learch.
They hold me vp, and yet they let me fall.

Melos.
They giue me life, and yet they let me dye.

Ste.
But as thou wilt, so giue me sweet or sowre:
For in thy pleasure must be my content.

Iphi.
VVhether thou drawe me on, or put me back,
I must admyre thy beauties wildernesse.

Lear.
And as thou wilt, so let me stand or fall:
Loue hath decreed thy word must gouerne me.

Melos.
And as thou wilt, so let me liue or dye,
In life or death I must obey thy wyll.

Pand.
I please my selfe in your humility,
Yet will I make some triall of your faith,
Before I stoope to fauour your complaints:
For wot ye well Pandora knowes her worth,
He that will purchase things of greatest prize,
Must conquer by his deeds, and not by words:
Go then all foure, and slay the sauadge Boare,
VVhich roauing vp and downe with ceaselesse rage,
Destroyes the fruit of our Vtopian fields,
And he that first presents me with his head,
Shall weare my gloue in fauour of the deed.

Melos.
VVe go Pandora.

Lear.
Nay we runne.

Ste.
VVe flye.

Pan.
Thus must Pandora exercise these swaines,
Commaunding them to daungerous exploits:
And were they kings my beautie should commaund,
Sirra Gunophilus beare vp my traine.

Exit Pandora and Gunoph.
Enter Mars.
Mars.
Mars comes intreated by the Queene of heauen,
To summon Ioue from this his regiment:
Such iealious humor croweth in her braine,
That she is mad till he returne from hence.
Now Soueraigne Ioue king of immortal kings,
Thy louely Iuno long hath lookt for thee,
And till thou come thinkes euery howre a yeere.

Iup.
And Ioue will go the sooner to asswage,
Her franticke, idle, and suspitious thoughts,
For well I know Pandora troubles her,
Nor will she calme the tempest of her minde,
Til with a whirlwinde of outragious words,
She beat mine eares, and weep curst hart away.
He descends.
Yet will I go, for words are but a blast,
And sun-shine wil insue when stormes are past.

Exit with Ganimede.
Mars
in his seate.
Now bloudy Mars begins to play his part,
Ile worke such warre within Pandoraes brest,
(And somewhat more for Iunoes fayre request)
That after all her churlishnesse and pride:
She shall become a vixen Martialist.

Enter the foure Shepheards, with the Boares head.
Stesias.
Heere let vs stay till fayre Pandora come,
And then shal Stesias haue his due rewarde.

Iphi.
And why not Iphicles as well as you?

Melos.
The prize is mine, my sword cut off his head.

Lear.
But first my speare did wound him to the death.

Stesi.
He fell not downe till I had goard his side.

Lear.
Content you all, Learchus did the deed,
And I will make it good who eare sayes nay.

Melos.
Melos will dye before he lose his right.

Iphi.
Nay then tis time to snatch, the head is mine.

Stesi.
Lay downe, or I shal lay thee on the earth.

They fight.
Enter Pandora and Gunophilus.
Pand.
I, so, fayre and far off, for feare of hurt,
See how the cowards counterfet a fray:
Strike home you dastard swaines, strike home I say,
Fight you in iest? let me bestur me then,
And see if I can cudgel yee all foure.

She snatcheth the speare out of Stesias hand & layes about her.
Guno.
VVhat? is my mistresse mankinde on the sudden?

Lear.
Alas why strikes Pandora her best frends?

Pand.
My friends, base pesants,
My friends would fight like men:
Auaunt, or I shall lay you all for dead.

Exeunt, all sauing Stesias.
Stes.
See cruell fayre, how thou hast wrongd thy friend.
He sheweth his shirt all bloudy.
To spill his blood that kept it but for thee,
Thers my desart: And here is my rewarde,
Pointing first to the head on the ground: and then to his wound.
I dare not say of an ingratefull minde:
But if Pandora had been well aduisd,
This dare I say, that Stesias had been sparde.

Pan.
Begon I say, before I strike againe.

Guno.
O stay sweete mistresse and be satisfied.

Pand.
Base vassall how darst thou presume to speake?
VVilt thou incounter any deed of mine,
She beats him.
How long haue you beene made a counseller?

Exit Gunoph. running away.
Stesi.
Here strike thy fill make lauish of my life,
That in my death my loue may finde reliefe:
Launce vp my side, that when my heart leapes out,
Thou maist behold how it is scorcht with loue,
And euery way croswounded with desire,
There shalt thou read my passions deepe ingrauen,
And in the midst onely Pandoraes name.

Pand.
VVhat telst thou me of loue and fancies fire?
Fyre of debate is kindled in my hart,
And were it not that thou art all vnarmd,
Be sure I should make tryall of thy strength,
But now the death of some fierce sauadge beast:
In bloud shall end my furies tragedie,
For fight I must, or else my gall will burst.

Exit Pand.
Stesi.
Ah ruthlesse hart, harder then Adamant,
VVhose eares are deafe against affections plaints,
And eyes are blinde, when sorrow sheds her teares:
Neither contented that I liue nor dye.
But fondling as I am, why grieue I thus?
Is not Pandora mistris of my life?
Yes, yes, and euery act of hers is iust.
Her hardest words are but a gentle winde:
Her greatest wound is but a pleasing harme,
Death at her hands is but a second life.
Exit Stesi.
Mars descendeth.
Mars hath in forst Pandora gainst her kinde,
To manage armes and quarrell with her friends:
And thus I leaue her, all incenst with yre:
Let Sol coole that which I haue set on fire.

Exit.