University of Virginia Library

ACTVS PRIMA.

A Curtaine drawne, Earle Lassingbergh is discouered (like a Painter) painting Lucilia, who sits working on a piece of Cushion worke.
Lassinberge.
Welcome bright Morne, that with thy golden rayes,
Reueal'st the variant colours of the world,
Looke here and see if thou canst finde disper'st
The glorious parts of faire Lucilia:
Take them & ioyne them in the heauenly Spheares,
And fixe them there as an eternall light,
For Louers to adore and wonder at:
And this (long since) the high Gods would haue done,
But that they could not bring it back againe,
When they had lost so great diuinitie.

Lu.
You paint your flattering words Lassinbergh,
Making a curious pensill of your tongue,
And that faire artificiall hand of yours,
Were fitter to haue painted heauens faire storie,
Then here to worke on Antickes and on me:
Thus for my sake, you (of a noble Earle)
Are glad to be a mercinary Painter.

Lass.
A Painter faire Lucia? why the world
With all her beautie was by painting made.
Looke on the heauens colour'd with golden starres,
The firmamentall ground of it, all blew.
Looke on the ayre, where with a hundred changes
The watry Rain-bow doth imbrace the earth.
Looke on the sommer fields adorn'd with flowers,
How much is natures painting honour'd there?
Looke in the Mynes, and on the Easterne shore,
Where all our Mettalls and deare Iems are drawne:
Thogh faire themselues, made better by their foiles.
Looke on that litle world, the twofold man,
Whose fairer parcell is the weaker still:
And see what azure vaines in stream-like forme
Diuide the Rosie beautie of the skin.
I speake not of the sundry shapes of beasts,
The seuerall colours of the Elements:
Whose mixture shapes the worlds varietie,
In making all things by their colours knowne.
And to conclude, Nature her selfe diuine,
In all things she hath made, is a meere Painter.
She kisses her hand.
Now by this kisse, th'admirer of thy skill,
Thou art well worthie th'onor thou hast giuen
(With so sweet words) to thy eye-rauishing Art,
Of which my beauties can deserue no part.

Lass.
Form these base Anticks where my hād hath spearst
Thy seuerall parts: if I vniting all,
Had figur'd there, the true Lucilia,
Then might'st thou iustly wonder at mine Art,
And deuout people would from farre repaire,
Like Pilgrims, with their dutuous sacrifice,
Adorning thee as Regent of their loues;
Here, in the Center of this Mary-gold,
Like a bright Diamond I enchast thine eye.
Here, vnderneath this little Rosie bush
Thy crimson cheekes peers forth more faire then it.
Here, Cupid (hanging downe his wings) doth sit,
Comparing Cherries to thy Ruby lippes:
Here is thy browe, thy haire, thy neck, thy hand,
Of purpose all in seuerall shrowds disper'st:
Least rauisht, I should dote on mine owne worke,
Or Enuy-burning eyes should malice it.

Luc.
No more my Lord: see here comes Haunce our man.

Enter Haunce.
Haunce.

We haue the finest Painter here at boord
wages, that euer made Flowerdelice, and the best
bed-fellow too: for I may lie all night tryumphing
from corner to corner, while he goes to see the Fayries:
but I for my part, see nothing; but here a strange
noyse sometimes. Well, I am glad we are haunted so
with Fairies: For I cannot set a cleane pump down,
but I find a dollar in it in the morning. See, my Mistresse
Lucilia, shee's neuer from him: I pray God he
paints no pictures with her: But I hope my fellowe
hireling will not be so sawcie. But we haue such a
wench a comming for you (Lordings) with her woers:
A, the finest wench: wink, wink, deare people,
and you be wise: and shut; O shut your weeping
eyes.

Enter Cornelia sola, looking vpon the picture of Alberdure in a little Iewell, and singing. Enter the Doctor and the Merchant following, and hearkning to her.
The Song.
What thing is loue? for sure I am it is a thing,
It is a prick, it is a thing, it is a prettie, prettie thing.
It is a fire, it is a coale, whose flame creeps in at euery hoale.
And as my wits do best deuise,
Loues dwelling is in Ladies eies.

Haunce.
O rare wench!

Cor.
Faire Prince, thy picture is not here imprest,
With such perfection as within my brest.

Mar.
Soft maister Doctor.

Doct.

Cornelia, by garr dis paltry marshan be too
bolde, is too sawcie by garr: Foole, holde off hand
foole, Let de Doctor speake.

Han.
Now my braue wooers, how they striue for a Iewes Trump.

Doct.
Madam me loue you: me desire to marry you,
Me pray you not to say no.

Cor.
Maister Doctor, I think you do not loue me:
I am sure you shall not marry me,
And (in good sadnes) I must needs say no.

Mar.
What say you to this maister Doctor?
Mistresse let me speake.

That I do loue you, I dare not say, least I should offend
you: That I would marry you, I had rather you
should conceiue, then I should vtter: And I do liue

or die vpon your Monasible, I, or no.

Doct.

By gar if you will see de Marshan hang himselfe
say no: A good shesse by garr.

Han.
A filthy French iest, as I am a dutch gentleman.

Mar.
Mistresse, Ile bring you from Arabia,
Turckie, and India, where the Sunne doth rise,
Miraculous Iemmes, rare stuffes of pretious worke,
To beautifie you more then all the paintings
Of women with their coullour fading cheekes.

Doct.
You bring stuffe for her? you bring pudding.
Me vit one, two, tree pence more den de price,
Buy it from dee and her too by garr:
By garr dow sella' dy fader for two pence more:
Madam me gieue you restoratife,
Me giue you tings (but toush you) make you faire:
Me gieue you tings, make you strong:
Me make you liue six, seauen, tree hundra yeere:
You no point so Marshan.

Marshan run frō you, two, tree, foure yere together,
who shal kisse you dan? who shal embrace you dan?

Who shall toush your fine hand? ô shall, ô sweete,
By garr.

Mar.
Indeed M. Doctor your cōmodities are rare,
A guard of Vrinals in the morning;
A plaguie fellow at midnight;

A fustie Potticarie, euer at hand with his fustian
drugges, attending your pispot worship.

Doct.

By garr skuruy marshan, me beat dee starck
dead, and make dee liue againe for sau'a de law.

Han.

A plaguie marshan by gar, make the doctor angre.

Doct.

Now madam, by my trot you be very faire.

Cor.

You mock me M. Doct. I know the contrary.

Doct.

Know? what you know? you no see your
selfe, by garr me see you; me speake vatt me see;

You no point speake so.

Han.
Peace Doctor I vise you,
Do not court in my maisters hearing, you were best.

Enter Flores.
Flo.
Where are these wooers heere? poore sillie men,
Highly deceiu'd to gape for marriage heere:
Onely for gaine, I haue another reache,
More high then their base spirits can aspire:
Yet must I vse this Doctors secret aide,
That hath alreadie promist me a drug,
Whose vertue shall effect my whole desires.

Doct.

O Mounsieur Flores, mee be your worships
seruant: Mee lay my hand vnder your Lordships
foote by my trot.

Flor.
O maister Doctor, you are welcome to vs,
And you Albertus, it doth please me much,
To see you vowed riualls thus agree.

Doct.
Agree? by my trot sheele not haue him.

Ma.
You finde not that in your vrins M. Doctor.

Doct.
Mounsieur Flores come hedder pray.

Flor.
What sayes maister Doctor,
Haue you remembred me?

Doct.

I by garr: heere be de powdra, you giue de
halfe at once.

Flor.

But are you sure it will worke the effect?

Doct.

Me be sure? by garr she no sooner drinke
but shee hang your neck about; she stroake your
beard; she nippe your sheeke, she busse your lippe
by garr.

Flor.

What wilt thou eate me Doctor?

Doct.

By garr, mee must shew you de vertue by
plaine demonstration.

Flor.

Well, tell me, is it best in wine or no?

Doct.

By garr de Marshan, de Marshan, I tinck
he kisse my sweete mistresse.

Flor.

Nay pray thee Doctor speake; is't best in
wine or no?

Doct.
O good Lort in vyne, vat else I pray you?
You giue de vench to looue vatra?
Be garre me be ashame of you.

Flo.
Well; thankes gentle Doctor:
And now (my friends)
I looke to day for strangers of great state,
And must craue libertie to prouide for them:
Painter goe, leaue your worke, and you Lucilia,
Keepe you (I charge you) in your chamber close.
Exeunt. Cass. and Lucilia.
Haunce, see that all things be in order set;
Both for our Musicke and our large Carowse:
That (after our best countrie fashion)
I may giue entertainment to the Prince.

Han.
One of your Haultboyes (sir) is out of tune.

Flo.
Out of tune villaine? which way?

Han.
Drunke (sir) ant please you.

Flo.
Ist night with him alreadie?
Well get other Musicke.

Han.
So we had need in truth sir.
Exit Hans.

Doct.

Me no trouble you by my fait, me take my
leaue, see de vnmannerlie Marshan, staie by garre.

Mar.
Sir, with your leaue,
Exit.
Ile choose some other time,
When I may lesse offend you with my staie.

Exit.
Flo.
Albertus, welcome: and now Cornelia,
Are we alone? looke first; I, all is safe.
Daughter, I charge thee now, euen by that loue
In which we haue been partiall towards thee,
(Aboue thy sister, blest with bewties guifts,)
Receiue this vertuous powder at my hands,
And (hauing mixt it in a bowle of Wine)
Giue it vnto the Prince in his carowse.
I meane no villanie heerein to him,
But loue to thee, wrought by that charmed cup.
We are (by birth) more noble then our fortunes,
Why should we then, shun any meanes we can,
To raise vs to our auncient states againe?
Thou art my eldest care, thou best deseru'st
To haue thy imperfections helpt by loue.

Corn.
Then father, shall we seeke sinister meanes,
Forbidden by the lawes of God and men?
Can that loue prosper which is not begun
By the direction of some heauenly fate?

Flo.
I know not; I was nere made Bishop yet:
I must prouide for mine, and still preferre
(Aboue all these) the honour of my house:
Come therfore, no words but performe my charge.

Corn.
If you wil haue it so, I must consent.

Exeunt.
Enter Alberdure, Hyanthe, Leander and Motto.
Alber.
My deere Hyanthe; my content; my life;
Let no new fancie change thee from my loue:
And for my riuall, (whom I must not wrong)
(Because he is my father and my Prince)
Giue thou him honour; but giue me thy loue.
O that my riuall bound me not in dutie
To fauour him: then could I tell Hyanthe,
That he alreadie (with importun'd suite)
Hath to the Brunswick Dutchesse vow'd himselfe,
That his desires are carelesse, and his thoughts
Too fickle and imperious for loue;
But I am silent, dutie ties my tongue.

Hya:
Why? thinks my ioy, my princely Alderbure
Hyanthes faith stands on so weake a ground?
That it will fall or bend with euerie winde?
No stormes or lingring miseries shall shake it,
Much lesse, vaine titles of commaunding loue.

Motto.

Madam dispatch him then; rid him out of
this earthlie purgatorie; for I haue such a coile with
him a nights; grunting and groaning in his sleepe;
with O Hyanthe; my deare Hyanthe; and then hee
throbs me in his armes, as if he had gotten a great iewell
by the eare.

Alber.
Away you wag: and tel me now my loue,
What is the cause Earle Cassimere (your father)
Hath beene so long importunate with me,
To visit Flores the braue Ieweller?

Hyan.
My father doth so dote on him my Lord,
That he thinkes he doth honour euery man,
Whom he acquaints with his perfections;
Therefore (in any wise) prepare your selfe,
To grace and sooth his great conceit of him:
For euerie iesture, euerie word he speakes,
Seemes to my father admirablie good.

Lean.
Indeed my Lord, his high conceipt of him,
Is more then any man aliue deserues.
He thinkes the Ieweller made all of Iewels:
Who though he be a man of gallant spirit,
Faire spoken, and well furnisht with good parts,
Yet not so peerleslie to be admir'd.

Enter Caissimere.
Cass.
Come, shall we go (my Lord) I dare assure you,
You shall beholde so excellent a man,
For his behauiour, for his sweete discourse,
His sight in Musick, and in heauenlie Arts,
Besides the cunning iudgement of his eie,
In the rare secrets of all precious Iemmes,
That you will sorrow you haue staide so long.

Alber.
Alas, whie would not then your lordships fauor,
Hasten me sooner? for I long to see him,
On your iudiciall commendation.

Cass.
Come, lets away then; go you in Hyanthe,
And if my Lord the Duke come in my absence,
See him (I pray) with honour entertain'd.

Exeunt.
Hya.
I will my Lord.

Leand.

I will accompanie your Ladiship, if you
vouchsafe it.

Hya.
Come good Leander.

Exeunt.
Enter Constantine, Katherine, Ite, Vandercleeue, with others.
Const.
Lord Vandercleuee, go Lord Ambassadour
From vs, to the renowmed Duke of Saxon,
And know his highnesse reason and intent,
Whie being (of late) with such importunate suite,
Bethroth'd to our faire sister Dowager
Of this our Dukedome; he doth now protract
The time he vrged with such speede of late,
His honourd nuptiall rites to celebrate.

Kath.
But good my Lord, temper your Ambassie
With such respectiue termes to my renowme,
That I be cleer'd of all immodest haste,
To haue our promist nuptials consumate:
For his affects (perhaps) follow the season,
Hot with the summer then, now colde with winter.
And Dames (though nere so forward in desire)
Must suffer men to blowe the nuptiall fire.

Vander.
Madam, your name (in vrging his intent)
Shall not be vsd: but your right princelie brothers,
Who knowing it may breede in vulgar braines
(That shall giue note to this protraction)
Vniust suspition of your sacred vertues,
And other reasons touching the estate
Of both their famous Dukedomes, sendeth mee
To be resolu'd of his integritie.

Const.
To that end go my honourable Lord:
Commend me and my sister to his loue,
(If you perceiue not he neglects our owne)
And bring his princelie resolution.

Kat.
Commend not me by any meanes my lord,
Vnlesse your speedie graunted audience,
And kinde entreatie make it requisite,
For honour rules my nuptiall appetite.

Exeunt.