 | Humour out of breath |  |
ACTVS QVINTVS.
Enter Octavio, Francisco, Hippolito Flamineo &c.My daughter fled? and with Hortensio,
It beares no formall shape of likelyhood,
To seize so base a pray; let priuy searche
Look through the citties bosome till they find her:
For gone she is not.
Fr.
Has not Anthonies sonne
Sent them by some base practise to their death?
Oct.
His breasts too full of honor; trusty Iulio?
Enter Iulio.
What waighty businesse drawes thee from thy charge?
Iul.
Came not the cause afore me? the proud Mantuans
Basely reuolt, deposde me from the seate
And chayre of Regentship, sending in quest
Of proude Anthonio their late-banisht Duke,
Him if they find or Aspero his sonne
Enter Assist.
Theile reinstall him in the regiment.
Oct.
Him let them seeke in the vast shades of death,
as for his sonne.
Ass.
Hee's sure ynough my Lord; he was a mad knaue when
he came in, but J thinke, I haue made a tame foole of him by this
time: for a has neither had bread nor water these foure and forty
houres.
Oct.
More villain thou.
Ass.
My Lord, Hortensio was the villain, he left such command
with mee, hee's the wheele that turnes about, and I a Country
Iack must strike when I am commanded.
Oct.
Although my foe, hee's honorably tempred,
Yet armd against my life goe call him forth,
Guard in my safety with a ring of steele,
And marke how proudly heele demeane reuenge.
Enter Assistance and Hortensio bareheaded with his Crowd.
Ass.
Goblins, spirits, furies, faeryes, the prison is haunted.
Oct.
With a knaue is't not?
Ass.
Yes, and an olde foole my Lord, in the likenesse of Hortensio.
Villain where's Aspero.
Ass.
I know not my Lord: I let him in and my Lady to laugh at
him, and it seemes, he consented to treason, and let him out in his
apparrell.
Hor.
They consented togither to cousen me, for taking delight
(as my betters may doe) in a foolish pastime called Blindmans
buffe, they stole away my gowne, escapt the prison, and left mee
in fooles paradice, where, what song I haue playd, my Violl can
witnesse, they made me a little better then a bawd my Lord.
Fr.
In act:
Hort.
Not meerly in act: sed cogitatione, & id satis est vt inquit
Suetonius.
Oct.
Js hee escapt: and Florimell with him?
Hortensio thy head shall answer it.
Hort.
I pray let my tongue be my heads Atturney, and pleade
my excuse.
Oct.
Vrge no excuse, away with him to prison.
Ass.
It shall be done my Lord.
Oct.
Nay you sir too, shall taste of the same sauce,
away with both.
Flamineo.
Come my sonnes,
Lets leauy present armes gaynst Mantua.
Being scarce come home we must abroad againe,
The Common good's a carefull Princes payne.
Exeunt.
Enter Anthonio, Lucida, Hermia and Lords.
Anth.
You that in all my banisht pilgrimage,
Would neuer alienate your naturall loues,
But in desire to see me reinstalld,
Haue thrust out proude Octauioes substitute,
And seated me in antient dignity,
I am yours, and ready at your best dispose.
Lord
Your owne, my liege, we like inferiour lights
Take life from your reflection, for like stars
Vnto the sunne, are Counsellours to Kings:
Contend to make his glory more diuine.
And such are we to great Anthonio.
Anth.
The veynes and arteries of Anthonio
Through which the bloud of greatnesse flows in vs.
Our life, and cause efficient of our state,
And these our prety partners in exile.
Lord.
We ha yet performd but the least part of duetie,
Your reinstalment: it rests, that with our bloud,
VVe keepe out innouasiue violence.
Ant.
You new-create me, and breath second life
Into my dying bosome, knew my sonne
Of this vnlookt for Fortune, but ill Fate
Has playd the Traytor, and giuen vp his life
To coward treason.
A shout within.
Enter Aspero and Florimell with their Pages.
Asp.
Vdsfoot what offence haue I committed against the state,
that these yron-handed Plebeians so applaud me for?
Flo.
Tis a signe they loue you.
Asp.
I had rather thy should hate me, it makes mee suspect my
bosome, for they loue none, but the masters of factions, treasons,
and innouasions.
Flo.
Then you doe not loue the Commons.
Asp.
Yes, as wise men doe their flattering wiues, only for show:
the popular voyce is like a crie of bauling hounds, and they get
the foote of a fantasticke and popular-affecting statesman, they
neuer leaue him, till they haue chac'd him into disgrace, & then,
like hounds, are at a losse, and with their losse, see, I haue found
my father, safety attend you.
Anth.
Welcome thou hope of Mantua and of vs,
VVe now are honors new-beginners boy,
And may we better thriue then heretofore.
Asp.
Neuer doubt it father, I haue attractiue stuffe that will draw
customers.
Anth.
VVhat Lady's that.
One that has playd the part of a Constable, brought you
home a Runaway.
Asp.
A friend of mine Father, but daughter to your Archenemy.
Anth.
Octauioes daughter?
Asp.
Yes faith, you are out with the Father, and ile see if I can
fall in with the daughter.
Flo.
And am I not a good child to leaue my fathers loue at sixe
and seauen, and hazard my honor vpon your sonnes naked promise,
and your hopefull acceptance.
Asp.
She has followed me through much danger.
Anth.
The better welcome, I loue her for't.
Asp.
Like her and you please, id'e haue no body loue her but
my selfe.
Anth.
And Lady, though your Father be our foe,
The vertuous loue betwixt our sonne and you,
May nerethelesse retaine his simpathie.
Flo.
Shall nerethelesse retaine his simpathy,
Anthonio know I am loues resolute,
Confirmd and grounded in affection:
I lou'd your sonne, not for he was a Prince,
But one no better then his present fortunes,
Ile loue him still, since first I lou'd him so,
Let Father, friends, and all the world say no.
Asp.
There's mettle Father, how can wee choose but get cocking
children, when father and mother too are both of the game.
Enter Messenger.
Mess.
To armes my Lord, Octauio comes in armes
To giue a proud assault vnto the Citty.
Asp.
Proud his assault, as proud be our resist,
Vye shot for shot, and stake downe life for life,
Our brest's as bold as theirs, our bloud as deepe,
All that wee'l loose, or this our gettings keepe.
Her.
Come brother, talke not of deuouring war,
Say messenger, comes not Octauioes sonnes?
Mess.
They do, as proudly as the morning Sunne
Her.
Then feare not father, my sister and my selfe,
Will be your champions and defend the Citty.
Flo.
Why Ladies, haue you such large interest in our brothers.
Fr.
Princesse, we haue, within there: reach our shields,
When beauty fights, the God of battaile yeelds.
Exeunt.
Enter Francisco, Hippolito, Flamineo, Iulio. Enter Anthonio, Aspero, Florimell, two Pages Lords and Messenger aboue.
Flo.
They offer parlee, let mee answer them.
Brothers, how now? who made you souldiers?
Faith een my father as he made you louers:
What? hath he chang'd your shepheards hooks to swords?
Of Amoradoes made you armed knights?
O seld-seene metamorphosis! J haue knowne
Souldiers turne louers, but for amorous louers
To re-assume their valour, tis a change,
Like winter-thunder, and a thing as strange.
Fr.
Our sister prisoner?
Hip.
Tell me Florimell,
Dost thou liue there enforc'd, or of free-will?
Flo.
Free will, brothers, mine owne freewill, all free in Mantua,
here's freewill yfaith, speake am J not a free-woman?
Pa.
As if you had seru'd for't, any man may set vp vnder hir copy
without a protection.
Fr.
J wag? are you there too?
Pa.
Yes faith my Lord, my Lady has had my attendaunce to a
hayre.
Flo.
You lie boy.
Pa.
If not mine, some bodies els: there's one has done—
Asp.
What haue I done sirra?
Pa.
Nay nothing, but what my Lady was very well content
with.
Fr.
VVhy sister, shame you not to set your loue
On one, that is our Fathers enemie.
Shame? not a whit: but come, your wenches brothers,
I make no question, I haue won my wager:
Are they as faire as I?
Hip.
Leaue that to triall.
Aspero make surrender of our sister.
Asp.
And haue her in quiet possession? what do you thinke me.
Fr.
We thinke thee a proud villain and our foe.
Flo.
By heauen, th'are villains all that thinke him so.
Hip.
Why doe you loue him.
Flo.
I should curse my selfe
if I should hate him:
Fr.
Bring the ladders forth,
Brauely assault to separate their liues.
As they are scaling the walls, the Ladies come forth.
Her.
Stand proud Francisco.
Pa.
Sand! O excellent word in a woman!
Luc.
Hold Hippolito.
Pa.
Hold! vp with that word, and tis as good as the other.
Fr.
VVhat nymphe or goddesse in my Hermiaes shape,
Stands to debar my entrance to the towne?
Pa.
Madam, I wonder they enter not.
Flo.
Why boy it seemes they dare not.
Pa.
O cowards and haue two such fayre breaches already.
Fr.
Immortall Pallas that art more diuine,
In my loues beautie that thou cloth'st thee in,
Withdrawe thy selfe, and giue our fury limits.
Her.
I will, but first Francisco take my shielde.
Luc.
And mine as challenge to a single combat,
Her.
Read the conditions and returne your answers.
Flo.
VVell done yfaith wenches, O that the olde gray-beard
my Father were here, ide haue about with him as I am honourable.
Fr.
VVhats here!
A shepheard wooing of a Countrymaide,
As she sits angling by a Riuers side,
By them an aged man making a net!
The former loue I had with Lucida,
And this hope tells me that's faire. Lucida.
Hip.
Brother, my shield the like presents to me,
But holds far more familiar reference,
Here doth the amorous shepheard kisse the Nymph;
Which she with a chast blush consents vnto:
And see, a gloomy man, clad like a pilgrim
Comes in, and seperates their sweete delights:
The Motto, Sic! I so my Father came,
and banisht me from beautious Hermia,
and this hope tells me is faire Hermia.
Fr.
The more I looke, the more me thinkes tis she.
Hip.
The more I think the more I find tis she.
Fr.
VVhat should I thinke to proue it is not she?
Flo.
Looke, thinke, find, proue, doe what you can,
These are the wenches that you courted than:
Then hony bees lay by your smarting stings,
and buz sweet loue into your Ladies eares,
Tell them of kisses, and such prety things,
These drumming dub adubs loues pleasure feares.
Fr.
O heauen, oh fortune, and most happie stars,
Do I find loue, where I expected wars?
Hip.
I that but now was all for war and death,
am made all loue, wars humour's out of breath.
Enter Octauio, Iulio, and others.
Oct.
How, my sonnes loue the daughters of my foe! it cannot
be.
Iul.
Then question them your selfe.
Oct.
VVhy how now sonnes, is this your worth in armes.
Fr.
VVhy are we not in armes father.
Hip.
Yes, and in such armes as no Coward, but woulde venture
life to march in.
Oct.
Then boies, you loue the daughters of Anthonio.
Fr.
VVe lik'd them first.
VVel keepe than liking stilt.
Oct.
And you will loue them.
Flo.
Father in faith they will.
Oct.
I, runaway? are you there? whome hac your Ladyship got
to your husband?
Flo.
One that I stumbled on at Blindman buffe, a proper man,
a man euery ynch of him: and you would say so, and you knewe
but asmuch as I—meane to know ere I haue done with him.
Oct.
Is he not sonne vnto Anthonio?
Asp.
Great Duke I am, and prostrate on my knee,
I beg a peace, which if your spleene deny,
I proudlie stand where erst I mildly kneel'd,
and cast downe bold defiance from theis walls.
Oct.
No more: your loues make my proud hart asham'd,
Your consort's sweet, and ile not be a meane
To make it iar: what my sonnes like shall stand,
By my consent, allowed and perfected;
all hate is banisht, and reuenge lies dead.
Asp.
Then stead of speares, let Hymens torches flame
VVith hallowed incence, and the God of spright,
Swell vp your vaines with amorous delight:
and so shut vp our single Comedy,
VVith Plautus phrase: Si places, plaudite.
Exeunt Omnes.
| Humour out of breath | |