University of Virginia Library

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.