 | The Prisoners |  |
Scena Prima.
Enter Cecilla, and Philon, Lissemella in a boyes habit.Cic.
Vrge not his condition, I must not so mistrust
The Iustice of those powers I bow to,
As to feare they would leave me to such a scorne,
A common slave; No Philon, if there were not chance
In his condition their tongues would have doubled
Vnder such a load as love; a slaves heart would
Have had too many hungry wants upon it
To have found leisure to have beg'd love.
Phil.
This under favour is no argument
And though I feare a want in their blood yet
I beleeve they have wit enough and their craft
Perhaps tooke hold of some pitty which you shew'd 'um;
For (as a friend) Madam your mercies were
Even to weakenesse; And but that I feare
This will move: And as my faith and dutie
Aside, he kneeles.
Thus low bowes, so my honour bids me
Defend you, especially when you have
So dangerous an enemy as your passion
To engage my faith against: Looke but upon
Your habit, and examine the nature
Of this act, and you shall finde you walke
Blinded, to your honours ruine, have you not throwne
Off your Sex; and the honour of a Queene
And now appeard cloath'd in blushes, and disguis'd
With faults, but this were nothing if my feares
Were false, which tells me this habite is lyn'd
With as faulty resolutions, nor can you
Condemne those that know you not, if the conclude
You have with your sex throwne off your modestie.
Cecil.
I'me lost for ever.
She lies downe.
Phil.
No Madam if you stay you are safer, for
This attempt, and have found your errour,
I confesse to this journey I carry nothing
But obedience, had you fled to meete
A plighted faith, through darkest hazards
I would have waited on you, but when you flye
To follow one you know not, a slave too
Perhaps flies from you: Nay, grant him a Prince,
Can your honours be safe when you pursue?
Oh Madam! when you were your selfe and from
Your reason collected truth, and upon that rocke
Would in arguments give law to love: I have heard
Your powerfull reasons conclude,
That a Queene is safer that is pursued
By a slave, if he keepe the path of love;
Then the greatest monarch of the earth could be,
Should she pursue a God; And upon
Reward the ambition of the wretch.
Cicil.
Oh Philon Thou art cruelly faithfull
And unsensible of my sufferings, thoud'st drinke
Ambition:
Why say he have but that Gyant fault
Yet 'tis a glorious sinne, and without it
Not one 'mongst all the Synods of the gods
Had fil'd his seate: And twas their feare that made
It sinne: In loves religion, tis meritorious
Still to aspire a Mistresse, and that love
That gives, but will not take no lawes, has cal'd it
Gentlenesse, not savage nature, for a servant
To leape even at the heart of his Mistresse:
But thus much I'le satisfie thy faith
By the honour of my mother ashes
He woo'd first, and in such words
As my resolution onely could deny;
And for his nature, how stout, how gentle,
How full of honour? judge thou, that wert witnesse
Of his acts.
Phil.
Madam, I see you are resolv'd, and then
I know you will not want an Argument;
Now I know not whether 'twere a blessing
Or no, their protection brought since you
Beleeve they love.
Cecil.
If thou turne away, I'le blush,
He lookes away.
And tell thee why I beleeve our loves;
His friendship could not divide him from me
Thou saw'st it made his vertues faultie passions
Searching with blushing wounds an enemy
In his friends breast. Oh my Cosen, when
I thinke on this; I call to minde
How for my freedome, he stood as if
Hee'd beene immortall, and intending onely to
Which when he will defend none save the Thunderer
Or a friend can hit. Oh Philon, Philon!
When I consider these miracles, why should I be
So wicked, as to conclude him lesse then a God
That acts 'um? And now take thou a secret
From me, for I will satisfie thee
Even with a faultie act, which may looke
Like vanity; turne thy face and heare me:
I know my Cozen is full of honour, And
I know with all that honour he loves me.
This confession I would have dyed e're
It should have beene forc't from me; but to conclude thee
For it makes thee a partie here, and thy love
As unfit to give counsell as mine uncapable
To take it: And now I conjure thee
Follow and Obey mee, that will Obey my Fate.
Nor shall the winds that begin in stormes,
Storme.
To pleade against me prevaile: I'me resolv'd
And this night I'le to Sea, and in her greatest depth
Dive to finde that rich pearle, which the wise value
Not the lesse, for having a rugged shell.
Phil.
Oh Madam, to be borne your kinsman was
One blessing, but to finde to have a friends place
In your thoughts two; And that you know I love,
And I not tell it, is a joy beyond
All but what your love brings, forgive me and
Henceforth I'le obey, not counsell. Your Galley
Shall instantly be ready: Thus I have gain'd
All my ends in love by having no unworthy one's
Vpon her.
Exit.
Cic.
O Love doe thou prosper my intent
And a Virgin shall thy Priest become
And these great truthes in all thy Temple, seene
Larger than Ioves; and when thou thy darts lets flye
Immortalitie is no guard, but oft they have
Through his lightning shot and stroke the thunderer
Thy religion's easie, thy law light
For thy tables hold but one act, one Commandment,
Obey, we cannot misse the way, let none
Then say, this youthfull God on cruell is
Or blind, sure from disobedience growes
All the strayes, crosses, dangers that we finde.
| The Prisoners | |