University of Virginia Library

Scena, 3.

The Duke, Erminia, Cleander, Amynter, the rest retire.
Am.
I will observe them.

stands conceal'd
Du.
why now the clouds of sadnes ar overblown
y'appear like your self the bright Erminia:
So beauty shud appear, chearful and gay,
nature's best ornament, onely the wise
know how to wear, the foolish mar ith' wearing.
And now y'ave elevated again your fair
and long dejected eyes, with hope to see
Cleander shortly here; whilst you cast
them every wayes about to look for him,
I hope a glance at least may light on me.

Er.
Your Highness is not to be look't upon
to slightly.

Clea.
Now, now it begins,

Er.
I look upon you
as my Sovereign Lord and Prince.

Duk.
That's at too great a distance, look on me
as one who admires and honours you, and
your lover rather.

Clea.
I, there 'tis.

Er.
That my Lord
were too great presumption,
and no less impudence, in one already married.

Cleo.
She cunningly
holds off to draw him on.

Duk.
Think not of that:
marriage of its self is a tye strait enough,
we need not straiten it more
with superfluous nicety;
but let's talk no more of it,—
I've somewhat to say in private t'ye, but send
that Slave away.

Er.
He's both deaf and dumb my Lord,
and's presence can be no hinderance
to what you have to say,

Duk.
But he can see though;
and 'tis not fit what we do in private shud
be seen by every one.

Er.
'Tis fit for those
have care of their fames and honors; and for me,
I will do nothing but what I car'd not, though all
the world did see.

Clea.
I like that answer well,
'tis discreet and modest.—
If I shud be deceiv'd in her,
never was man more glad
to finde his hopes true,
then I shud be to finde my fears were false.

Duk.
You talk of honor, know Princes are
the fountains of it; and there's none but what
do's flow from them, all's honourable they do,
so is my love.

Er.
“Nothing is honourable,
“that is not vertuous too;
make your love so then;
else you might as well
call Vice, Vertue; and Hell, Heaven;
as Lust, Love; and Dishonor, Honor; as you do.
Know my Lord, the acts
of marriage are such, as matrimony it self
(holy as it is) can scarcely make
honourable and lawful; but imagine how
dishonourable and unlawful they must needs be
without it then.

Clea.
What a wretch and villain I was
ever to suspect her?

Duk.
Come you think you do a high
act of justice now, to be true unto Cleander;
but alas you are deceiv'd, justice consists
in equality, and equality there's none;
you shud be true to him, that's false to you.

Er.
Shud any but your Highness tell me so,
I'd say he lyed, most basely lyed:
Cleander false?
the Gods, Truth it self
wod as soon be false as he.

Clea.
My own dear dear wife.

Duke.
Ha, ha, ha, I pitty you,
to see you so abus'd, and to disabuse you; know
Cleander has another Mistris in Attica
he warms with's embraces, whilst Erminia
in her cold bed freezes here:
why shud he tarry so long away else think you,
the wars now at an end?

Er.
And is that all
your argument? how ill you argue Sir,
as if gold by th'touchstone shud be rendred false,
or men guilty by tiral of their innocence:
absence is the onely touchstone
and trial of our loves;
in it we but repeat by heart
that lesson, which in presence we learn't before.
And as in presence of those we love
we are all eyes, so in absence we
are all thought of them; as I
am of Cleander,
and I'm sure he is of me.

Clea.
My dearest dearest wife still.

Er.
And was it for this you sent him to the wars.
to overthrow your enemies abroad,
at price thus of my overthrow at home?
he's much oblig'd t'ye sure, and now I see
'twas not to honour him, but dishonour me.

Duk.
This will not do,
I must try some other way.—
(Aside.
Come, I wod not force what I might obtain
by gentleness.

Er.
You wod not? you cannot Sir;—
talk to me of force! shud you but offer it,
I'd sooner kill my self then suffer it:
Draws her knife.
unhand me as you love my life my Lord,
as you love your own life do; do you not see
him look there as he'd kill you presently,
lest you desist.

Duke.
Ha! the villain looks
terribly indeed, and I'm afeard of him:
Gods and fiends I think conspire
to defend her from me, and hinder my pursuit,
I'm resolv'd yet to go on, spight of them.—
Farewell, your Bravo
ha's sav'd you this once, make much of him,
but I shall finde a time.—

(Exit.
Er.
Althea, where's
this woman?

(Enter Althea.
Alth.
Here Madam.

Er.
And why not here?
you must be alwayes leaving me alone;
either wait closer, or I shall provide me of those
who will.

Alth.
Pardon me Madam, when
a Lord and Lady are together, 'tis
good manners in the waiting-woman, and part
of their breeding (I take it) to leave them alone.

Er.
Is't so?
go too, y'are grown so impudent of late,
(whatsoere's the matter) y'are quite mar'd agen;
or mend it, or you and I must part,—
look to't.

(Exit.
Alt.
I, say you so?
then 'tis time to look to't indeed.

(Exit.