University of Virginia Library

ACTUS, 2.

SCENA, 1.

The Scene, a Garden.
Aurindo.
Fie on these men, let never woman trust
them more, for my sake, for they all are false,
as is this Prince, this most perfidious Prince,
and all glory in deceiving them, as he,
false as he is, glories in deceiving me.
What a lost thing am I?
without a name and being;
neither what I was, nor what I am,
Cyrena nor Aurindo: my very thoughts
are lost too ith' Labyrinth of my self
with thinking on it.—Here by this fountain side
I'le lay me down and try whe'r I can sleep.
“if wearied slaves whose bodies are opprest
“with heavy burthens, would be glad to rest;
“much more wod lovers, whose minds bear about
“a heavier weight within, then they without.

Scena, 2.

A Song, after which the Dutchess appears above in her Window, and spies Aurindo sleeping.
Duch.
There there he sleeps, and there do's take
his rest, for whom I restlesly do wake;
Such was Narcissus, onely this more wise,
not to behold himself in mirrour of
that liquid Christal Fountain, shuts his eyes.
Sleep, sleep fair youth, for so, I do not see
those murdering eyes, that kil me with their sight
yet wake, wake too, for whilst you sleep you take
from me the delight I have in seeing them,
and your repose is my tormenting; but that
which most of all torments me, is the strife
betwixt desire and shame to let him know
my love, like struggling twins tearing the womb
that bears them:
nor do I know yet whether's the greater pain,
either to lose my love, or lose my shame,—
I must finde out some way to secure both.
Aurindo, Aurindo.

Aur.
Ha! who calls?

Duc.
'Tis I.

Au.
The Dutchess! your pleasure Madam?

Duc.
Look
in that same Fountain, see if thou canst finde
the portrait there of one I dearly love.

Au.
I see nothing Madam.

Du.
Thou canst not be so blinde;
or as thou resemblest Cupid the god of Love
in all things else, thou art ambitious
perhaps to resemble him in blindness too;
look look well, I see it hither to.

Au.
I see nothing but my self.

Duc.
And is that nothing Fool?
I must come down my self I see,
or thou wilt never finde it.

Au.
Now
I know what portrait 'tis she means, but 'tis
not fit she know it, to save her shame;
from which if you but take away restraint
of modesty once, all other restraints are vain:
is there no end? no mean
of thy persecution love? but I must be
thus persecuted both actively and passively,
thy Quiver and Arrows both?

Scena, 3.

The Dutchess Aurindo below.
Duc.
Now have you found it yet?

Au.
No Madam, yet I have sought and sought.

D.
Well, you may cease your search, no matter for
the portrait, now the original is so nigh.

Au.
Where is't? I see't not.

Du.
No! run presently
to my apartment, fetch my mirrour here,
and I'le convince thee to thy face thou dost.

Au.
How crafty and cunning she's,
to conceal her love, and to declare it too?

Duc.
Yet you may stay too, I'le be that glass
this once,
Look in mine eyes, and thou shalt finde it there;
look in my face, see if I do not blush.

Au.
Madam I see no other blushes there,
but such as Aurora, such as the blushing Rose,
or Beauty's self wo'd wear.

Du.
'Tis very good,
I am glad you are so courtly yet.—
Ay me! what can be secret in a Lover,
when their own blushes,
their own loves discover?
learn learn Aurindo, if yet thou dost not know,
when ever thou hear'st one sighing so,
or seest them blush, 'tis onely for Love.

Au.
What's that?
nothing but
affected ignorance can secure me.

Aside.
Duc.
Nay, if thou knowst not, thou canst not imagine
how delicious a thing it is to love,
and be belov'd; nor yet how great a pain
it is to love, and not be lov'd again.

Au.
I know it alas! but too too well unto
my grief. How she goes driving me
Aside.
farther and farther still into the toyles
will inextricably intangle us both, and how
to avoid it I do not know.

Scena, 4.

The Duke enters and starts back seeing them together.
Duk.
Ha!

Au.
Madam my Lord the Duke.

Duc.
He here!

Au.
Never was poor
condemned wretch awaiting every hour
his execution, more glad of his reprieve,
then I am now of mine.

Duc.
That he shud come when I'd half past the shame,
which now is wholly to begin again?—
He looks as he were jealous too, to see
us here together.

Duke.
I like not this privacy,
but the liberty of reprehension's lost,
when we our selves are guilty once, of that
we'd reprehend in others.

Duc.
My Lord I know not
whether I shu'd more wonder or rejoyce,
to see you return'd so soon; you said you went
a hunting, and what sudden accident
has made you leave the Chase so soon?

Duke.
Nothing, nothing,
(Enter Prince
onely I cod finde no Game.

Prince.
'Tis true, and I'm
glad you were frustrated as well as I.

(Aside.
(Enter Anthenor and Leontius.
Duc.
I must dissemble
O my dearest delight of my delight,
joy of my joy, how do I love your sight?
how jealous? how fearful I am of every thing?
the ground's too hard (me thinks)
you tread upon, the air not soft enough
you breathe; and as oft as any one
looks on you, methinks they usurp a right
and priviledge belongs to me alone,—
I mean thee Aurindo.

looking towards him.
Duke.
This is dissembling,
and I must dissemble too;
Aside.
and I my dearest when th'art absent dye,
to think what happiness, what felicity
they enjoy, enjoy thy presence; and what delight
th'are depriv'd of, are depriv'd of thy sight.

(Enter Cleora and Olinda.
Pr.
He means Erminia I'm sure.

Leo.
Hei day! here's brave courtship now;
where shall you finde a married couple, and
married so long too, so kind and complemental?
this in a Gallant to his Mistris, wod
shew handsomly now; but in a husband to
his wife, looks as ridiculously as
to complement with ones self.

Ant.
I, but there's more
in it then so; 'tis all dissembling,
rank dissembling, not onely pieces it out
with the Fox's tail, but is all Fox, and stinks;
you may see it plain, for dissimulation
whilst 'tis solicitous to do enough,
most commonly over do's; and through its care
to conceal its self, but discovers it self the more.

Pr.
Pray who was this Duchess
before he married her?

Ant.
Why, a Lady he married in second nuptials
onely for her beauty, the frailer part of woman.
and that which men are soonest cloy'd with,
which yet she cunningly seasons so,
she keeps him alwayes in fresh appetite;
and there's nothing but my dearest,
and my dearest with them.

Leo.
See, see, how the Ladies flock
about the Page?

Ant.
I, this yong and handsom is a bait
catches women as fast as nux vomica do's crows,
and intoxicates them much alike too.
The modester sort of them,
use men as they do Lions,
play with them when they are young,
but grown old once, th'are afeard of them:
and if the Page be modest too,
let him look to himself,
for they'l try what mettle he's made of.

Leo.
Marry, heaven defend!
(Aside.
for they'l soon finde him a counterfeit

Cleo.
Fye, fye, you must learn more boldness,
this modesty's vertue ith' Countrey,
but vice ith' Court;
come to our Chambers
we'l read you a Lecture of it,
'tis here, one of the Liberal Sciences.

Ant.
A my conscience he's a Maid still,
you may see by's blushing.

Scena, 5.

Amynter, Duke, Dutchess, Prince, &c.
Duk.
Amynter! welcom, welcom brave Soldier,
'twas rumour'd Cleander was return'd; and now
I see 'twas but half false, since you t'one half,
of him are here, and where's your other half?

Am.
Great Sir yet he's not come,
but will be shortly here; mean time by these
he kisses your Highness hands, with full
information oth' state of your affairs.

Duke.
W'are glad to hear from him, and shud
be much more glad to see him.

Prin.
I'm sure you would not,
nor I neither.

(Aside.
Duke.
And how does our valiant General

Am.
As he do's alwayes Sir in time of war,
sowing you battles, and reaping you victories,
which now the war's past,
and glorious harvest done,
he's binding up in sheaves to bring you home.

Duk.
Let's see what he writes.

(The Duke reads.
Duc.
Amynter y'ar welcome home.

Am. kisses the Duchess hand, then the Prin.
Pr.
And take my welcom too.

Duc.
Tyrannous honour!
cruel greatness! as if we were great
onely to be miserable, and put on state,
but to put off our selves; they may converse
freely with Aurindo now, without all fear
of this mans talk, and that mans jealousie,
no honour lost:
whilst I with all my greatness
dare to do that the least I wish the most.—
Cleora, Olinda, come hither, you were courting
Aurindo there, I saw it well enough:
go too, I must, have you more modest, d'ye see.

Cleo.
She's jealous,
(Aside.
and forbids us Aurindo's company, as severe
Mrs. forbid their maids eating those dainties
they reserve for their own tooth and pallat.

Duc.
And how d'ye finde him, ha!

Cli.
A little bashful Madam,
and nothing so bold as Pages are at Court.

Duc.
You'l soon make him bold enough,
if he frequent your company;
he has
some secret out-let I fear for his affection,
makes him no fuller of it, that usually overflows
in those of his age; for curiosity
Cleora observe his haunts, and let me know,
d'ye hear?

Cle.
I shall Madam.

Duc.
I as much suspect
the Dukes over kindness as his want of it;
nor is't so strange in nature, that so
different effects shud from the same causes grow.

Duke.
Cleander like a valiant Souldier here
recounting his noble actions, writes modestly of
himself, and shuns boast the Cowards valour.

Am.
h'as learnt that lesson (sir) i'th school of war,
no language better becomes a souldiers mouth,
then silence of their own praises,
who when they once
are their own trumpets, have never that of fames
to sound them forth; and when from their high
and glorious
atchievements once they fall so low as boast,
the glory of all their actions is lost.

Duke.
And have you visited Erminia yet?

Am.
My duty first perform'd unto your Highness,
next is to visit her.

Duke.
Y'ave Letters and
commends from Cleander to her?

Am.
I have my Lord,
and amongst the rest am to commend unto her
more freedom & courtship, Cleander dos not like
her sad and sullen retirement and solitude.

Duk.
He's wise in't, it shews him not jealous,
which men would else suspect; besides it more
secures him of her: for women commonly
most long for that th'are most debar'd of, and
take the restrain away, their longing ceases.
Go, remember me to her, and tell her we
shall shortly visit her.

Am.
I shall my Lord,—
that's it the train was laid for.

Exit.
Duke.
Still eyeing the boy?
of such light sparks as those
your fires are kindled, unextinguishably
inflame the marriage bed with jealousie.
Hark you Anthenor, do you observe our Duchess,
not that we suspect her, but onely to
preserve her from suspect; y'are wise I know,
and understand.

Ant.
So I've got an office now;
sure his Highness takes me to have more wit
or less honesty then I have, that he
imployes me in spyery,
but I must stretch both a little now,
to serve him.

Duke.
Come my dearest,
thus by short intervals we rise from feasts,
onely to return with greater appetite,
let me glut mine eyes with pleasure once agen,
and in full draughts take down the sight of thee.
whilst I can never accord satiety
and fruition together.

Exeunt omnes. manent.

Scena. 6.

Anthenor, Leontius, Cleora after.
Leo.
Again at his complements?

Ant.
I and again at his dissembling,
mean time th'are either of them as jealous
as neighbouring States, and jealousie of all
vices in old mens is the greatest;
for 'tis not onely jealousie, but envy too.—
And what difference ifaith betwixt a Bawd
and Spy now?

Leo.
Why th'are i'th contrary extreams,
t'one hinders love matters, t'other furthers them;
besides a, Spy is a State Bawd, and a Bawd
a woman spy.

Ant.
Nay, if that be all,
Enter Cleora.
I shall love my employments the better for it,
& go about it with more chearfulness & alacrity;
but see Cleora, she tarries for somewhat: and
as women alwayes imagine there's some ill
in all men say, so we to be quit with them
alwayes imagine ther's some ill in all they do.—
I'le to her,—sweet Cleora if there be any thing
wherein I may serve you, you know.—

Cleo.
What do I know?
that y'are more troublesome and importune,
then Flyes and Wasps in summer:
and for your service
y'd best set up a Bill, or go to the office of
Address, to tell what a serviceable man you are,
and amongst your other good qualities be sure
you put in your short neck like a roasted Pig,
your smirking and fleering, as much as to say,
Who'l laugh at me?
and your stubble beard for kissing
costs us more Pomatum.—I'de as lief
kiss thorow a hair sive.

Ant.
I there 'tis now,
your smooth fac't boyes carry it clearly away
from us bearded men; and 'tis with kissing as 'tis
with bowling,
they love not rough grounds for fear of rubs,
but in a smooth Alley they trundle it away,
and so I will too, for I've enough of her.

Exit with Leontius.
Cleo.
My Lady sets me to watch Aurindo now,
and though this playing the spy in love matters
be no hard task, yet 'tis a ticklish one;
and I imagine to finde as much
pleasure and delight in it as they,
who look upon the Game whilst others play.

Scena, 7.

The Prince, Aurindo, Cleora.
See where he comes and the Prince with him,
I'le stand here and stretch mine ears upon
the tenters this once to over-hear them.

Aur.
It grieves me to see him
so sad and pensive, and I'de fain comfort him,
and try whether I can do that for him,
I have more need another shud do for me.—
If't may'nt appear too great a boldness
to ask your Highness, I shud desire to know,
why y'are so sad and pensive; sure my Lord
it can be nothing but love that makes you so,
the gentle companion of every gentle breast.

Prin.
Th'art in the right boy,
and since thou hast seen
so far into me; I'le make no difficulty
to declare unto thee all the rest,
and tell thee who 'tis I love too.

Aur.
God of desire,
now grant it may be I.

(Aside.
Prt.
Thou knowest the fair
Erminia I'm sure, she who as far outshines
all other beauties, as the Sun all other lights,
'tis she I love.

Aur.
Disloyal and perfidious,
can I hear this, and not hate him for it?—
and pray my Lord did you never love before?

Pri.
Yes a little at Argos once for fashion sake,
but that now is quite forgot,
and my heart by loves fire temper'd to
a delicate softness, has of late receiv'd
another impression has quite effaced that.

Aur.
Learn, learn all ye deceived, Virgins learn
what temper false mens hearts are made of, and
how y'are deceiv'd by them.—
And do's she give ear unto your suit?

Pr.
Oh no! but is as deaf unto't,
Ulysses to the Syrens cod be no more,
against whose charms
he obstinately stopt his ear,
“and none hear worse then those who will not hear.

Aur.
Heaven then is just I see,
and punishes him for's falshood unto me.

Pr.
But methinks thou art sad and pensive too,
now I consider it better, and by thy own
rule, I shud guess thou wert in love too.—

Au.
Who I? I can assure your Highness,
if I have any love 'tis onely love of you.

Pr.
Thanks gentle Boy,
I've alwayes experienc't thee
loving and trusty; and to repay thy trust,
I'le not onely make thee confident of
my love, but advocate too to plead for it
unto Erminia.

Aur.
Cruel office; and
is't not enough to be undone, but I
must be made instrument my self
of my own undoing? and if this be the reward
of my faith and love, how wod he reward
my hate and disloyalty?

Pr.
Thou shalt to Erminia then,
Althea will introduce thee,
give her but
this jewel from me, and hark thee.—

Speaking this, removing nearer Cleora.
Cle.
All I can
o're-hear of their discourse, is,
Aurindo is going to Erminia,
and Althea's to introduce him; 'tis
enough of intelligence for once,
this goes unto the Dutchess.

(Exit.
Prin.
Go, and make me ever
happy.

(Exit.
Aur.
And my self ever unhappy by it,
what shall I do? but what a question's that?
those who deliberate have some will of their own,
but I have none; with resolution great
as is my love then, I'le go and plead for him
against my self; and though my heart disavow
all my tongue sayes, yet it shall say it, or I'le
disavow it to be mine: no matter for
the pain I suffer, who truly love do know.
“no pleasure, no contentment is above
“the delightful pain we suffer for those we love.