University of Virginia Library

ACTUS, 4.

SCENA, 1.

The Prince, Aurindo; several wayes.
Prince.
Aurindo welcome, I have awaited thee
just as the trembling prisoner at the bar
suspended 'twixt hope and fear, awaits his doom,
and what is't ha? dost bring me life or death?

Au.
Life, life, assure your self my Lord,
or else I shud not live to tell it you;
had rather dye my self a hundred times
then bring you death.

Pri.
Thanks gentle Aurindo.
I know thou lovest me.

Au.
You know nothing yet
compar'd to what I hope you'l know e're long.

Prin.
Well hast' been there?

Au.
I have my Lord.

Pri.
And how didst finde her, ha?

Au.
Beyond expectation kinde,
she hearkened to me, and that
is half consent, and th'other half y'are to
expect e're long:
well I say nothing but
there are those in Missena here,
who love you, dearly love you;
I can tell you that my Lord,
though I am sworn yet not to tell their names.

Pr.
Come prithy tell me.

Au.
Let it suffice 'tis one
you'd least imagine, one you'l shortly know,
and I hope be happy in her knowledge too.

Pr.
Enough, enough, I know then it is she,
for there's none else in nature can make me
happy, but Erminia. O my dear Aurindo
how thou obligest me, with thy joyful news!

Au.
Happy conjuncture!
Embraces him.
blest moment! that it wod alwayes last,
or that the heart did but go now with th'hands
that thus embrace me.

(Aside.
Pr.
Never was Prince more happy in a Page,
then I in thee.

Au.
I hope your Highness e're long
will finde it so indeed.

Pr.
More, more I prithy, more of Erminia.

Au.
See here comes company.

Pri.
Lets
withdraw then to my apartment, and there
I'le take th'Ambrosick food into mine ear.

Scena, 2.

Cleora, Olinda.
Cleo.
Tell me Olinda, wert thou ever in love.

Olin.
Yes faith a little once for fashion sake,
as much as came to jeast,
and methought 'twas pretty sport;
but never in earnest I,
to make me whine and cry,
leave my meat, break my sleep,
and be melancholly and mad as my Lady is.

Cle.
Thou wert the wiser;
for love indeed is but a sort of madness:
and as you have several sorts of mad folks, so
you have of Lovers; some sad, some merry, some
milde and gentle, some raving and furious agen;
and for these, the Pazzarello was well invented,
whither shortly my Lady must be sent I think;
for she's mad, outragious mad against Aurindo,
and has accus'd him to the Duke,
for offering to ravish us.

Ol.
I wod he had faith.

Cle.
And see she comes,
and the Duke with her.

Scena, 3.

The Duke, Duchess, Leontius, Anthenor, &c.
Duc.
Beseech you my Lord,
banish him the Court.

Duke.
Well we shall think upon't.

Duke.
It is a shame to suffer him here,
is not content to deboish himself,
but seeks to deboish the Prince too.

Duk.
Well, well.

Duc.
Nay what's more, h'as not
onely attempted the honour of my women here,
but even attempts the honour of Erminia too.

Duk.
Ha! do's he so? nay then we will not onely
banish him the Court, but City and Country too;
let it be strait proclaim'd.

Ant.
D'ye mark how that
heats him, he was cold before?

Leo.
I do.

Duc.
I will not tell you how insolent he was
to tempt even me my self, not to expose
his life to danger, and my honour too;
that he shud dare to do it, and hope to live.

Leo.
His life thirsted after too, nay then I see
nothing's more insatiate
then women in their love, or in their hate.

Duk.
Though for's insolency I confess
he deserves to dy, yet in regard of's tender years
so thou my dearest beest content,
I am content to spare his life.

Duc.
Our sex is soft and gentle,
as it becomes us to be merciful;
but think my Lord whe'r't becomes you or no,
and't may'nt appear in you, too great neglect
both of my honour and your own.

Leo.
Then I see no Tigress, nor Lioness,
nor Aspick trod on, is more fell and cruel,
then cruel women.

Duk.
Content thy self dearest with
his banishment, we would not kill, where we
might safely spare.

Duc.
Mistaken clemency!
misplaced goodness! “who spare the guilty are
“cruel to th'innocent; best tarry till h'ave
left nothing in the Court inviolate,
even to the Royal bed; nay till his lust
like a violent spreading torrent overflows
and involves Erminia' honour too,
gaining her the dishonourable repute
of a foul Strumpet, and base Prostitute.

Ant.
That's a killing blow put home,
guard thee well Aurindo, or th'art but dead.

Duk.
Oh, how I love
this zeal of justice in you,
and you, for it?
you have prevail'd
it is resolv'd he dye:
let him be apprehended strait.

Le.
This must be prevented.

Exit hastily.
Duke.
Now my dearest art thou satisfied?
If thou beest,
appease thy anger, serenate thy minde,
and in thy cabinet expect thine own desires
and wishes alwayes to attend thee.—
Leads her to the door.
Now to the rest of our affairs,
where's that shipwrackt souldier lately return'd
from Attica, call him to us strait, we'l take
the scruple of marriage out of Erminia's breast,
that w'are resolv'd come what will of the rest.

Scena, 4.

Leontius, Aurindo.
Leo.
Fly, fly Madam,
all the Court is up in search of you,
and busie danger threatens and surrounds you
on every side, just like the hunted Dear
when th'hounds are uncoupled, & the hunt is up:
for heavens Love haste,
I've told you what you stand accused of.

Au.
And if I wod compound
with danger, I easily cod clear my innocence,
but I'le keep that now for my last reserve;
mean time I'le to Erminia's, and shelter there,
to whom can I better owe my life then her;
to whom I hope shortly to owe all
my joy of living?

Leo.
Quickly, quickly then,
and as secretly as you can.

Scena, 5.

Clinias, Cleobulo.
Cle.
Well Clinias, and how d'ye like the Moor
our fellow servant?

Cli.
Why, as thou wodst
a rusty jade, wod not stir a foot for thee;
and when thou spur'st him, and puts him to't,
capers, rears an end, throws thee,
and breaks thy neck.
Uds so, we were deceiv'd in him;
we thought to put all the work of the house on him,
and we may do't our selves for ought I see,
and thank you too. You may command a poast
as well as him, and he's so sturdy too,
a poast will stir assoon as he.

Cle.
He does not understand you perhaps.

Cli.
I know not, but I'm sure
I understand him but too well:
I gave him a broom to day, and pointed him
where he should sweep,
(this now was plain enough one would imagin)
and what did he, but 'stead of sweeping, lay
me over the pate with it, and so he serv'd me
with a fire shovel another time;
he'l carry no coals I can tell you.

Cle.
Will he not?
But I'le make him, and h'ad as good eat them too
as refuse to do what I command him; such
as he like Nettles, handle them gently, and
they sting you; but you shall see how I'le handle him,
like a good Water Spaniel
I'le make him obey my beck,
& fetch & carry when I'd have him, & make him
do tricks like an Ape e're I have done with him;
& see here he comes, like your baboons & drills,
he wo'nt speak, because he will not work:
but 't shall not serve his turn.—mark.

Scena, 6.

Cleander, Clinias, Cleobulo, Amynter to them.
Cli.
D'ye mark?
ther's all I can get of him;
you may command,
He points Cleander one way, & he points him the other.
and do it your self for him.

Cleo.
But I'le make him do it, if he will not.—
How now Sirra?—
O Clinias Clinias,
help me:
Takes him by the shoulder, and Clean. takes him by the throat.
plague on him he gript me worse
then a Hawk do's his Quarry, and I'd as lief
fall into a Lions claws as his.

Cli.
What think you now?
like a good Water Spaniel he obeys your beck,
and do's tricks like an Ape for you, 'tis only you
know how to handle him now.—

Cle.
The Devil shall
Enter Amynter.
handle him for me if he be such an one.

Am.
How now, what's here to do?

Cli.
Nothing, nothing my Lord.

Am.
You have been vexing the Moor I see by him.

Cleo.
No indeed forsooth,
h'as rather been vexing us.

Am.
Go too, leave him, & about your business,
or your Lady knows of it.
(Exeunt Clin. & Cle.
Now friend, how goes affairs?

Clea.
Oh worse and worse!

Am.
I hope you have discover'd
no other haunts?

Clea.
No no,
and of the Dukes I am secured too;
but the Prince's, the Prince's still depends,
and that boy, that villain boy!—Oh friend!
the chafed sea baited by all the winds,
till it be all a tempest and a foam,
was never in more trouble and agitation,
then is my breast;
and that may return to its former calm again,
but never I unto my former rest.

Am.
What will you do then?

Clea.
Nay if I knew that,
my minde wod be at ease,—but this is your
fault now, put me off the resolution
of killing them, who now am just like one
has so long differ'd cure of a desperate ill,
till the danger grows greater,
and cure more desperate.

Scena, 7.

Erminia, Aurindo, Cleander, Amynter.
Er.
Fear not Aurindo, here you are more safe,
then in your innocence, for that I see
may be violated, but my cabinet shall never be
I hope; there you may securely rest your self,
till the danger's o're; and whilst you rest you there,
all my business shall be to think,
how to remedy your Love as well as fear.

Aur.
Blessings, such as Saints, in their extasies
do wish, and pray for, (Madam) reward you
for your excellent goodness.

Er.
“Good deeds besides themselves
need no reward.—I will not trust my woman,
but for your more security
will lock you up my self.

Aur.
You are my Angel-guardian, & as I fear
no danger so long as I am here,
so I hope all good from your protection.

Clea.
So there's provision
of lust now stor'd up for night;
but I may chance mar their banquet.—

Scena, 8.

The Duke, Dimagoras, Erminia, Cleander, Amynter.
Duk.
There, there she is, do as I've commanded you,
and expect our favour and reward:
I must not be seen in it.

Exit.
Er.
Who's this, do's any know?

Dim.
Pardon Madam my bold intrusion,
I'm a souldier lately return'd from Attica;
have had the honour long to serve ith' wars
under Cleander, our noble General.

Er.
Do you know him Amynter?

Am.
I have often seen him ith' Army Madam.

Er.
Then y'are welcome Sir,
you can tell me news of my Lord perhaps.

Dim.
Alas Madam 'twill be but
unwelcome news that I can tell you.—

Er.
O my divining soul! what is't?

Dim.
I cod wish I had a tongue
in thousand infoldments of sugred speech
cod wrap up my bitter news;—
or whilst I wounded you with grief of it,
with oily words cod cure the wounds I made;
or rather indeed I had no tongue at all
to tell you Cleander's dead.

Er.
Dead!

Dim.
Drown'd in his return from Attica.

Clea.
How's this? this is pretty!

Er.
Cleander drown'd!
my Lord and husband drown'd!
tell me, Oh tell me quickly how! and let
thy fatal tongue finish the deadly work
it has begun, and kill me quite.

Dim.
The treacherous windes
with flattering gales intic't him first from shore
into the midst of the vaste Egean Sea,
e're they declar'd their treacherous intents
of drowning him; when first in soft whispers,
then loud murmurs, they conspir'd to raise
a furious storm:
the abyss, the seas and skies, all mixt in one
dismal Chaos, and horrid confusion,
surrounded with all these horrours,
the fear of death, far worse then death it self;
onely Cleander fearlesly did stand,
beholding death with the same countenance
at sea, he was wont to behold it on the land;
till long struggling against the storm in vain,
at last loudly invoking Erminia's name,
he and the Bark perisht together:
wod I had done so too,
rather then to have been preserv'd alone,
whilst all else perisht, to bring this news I do.

Er.
Ay me! then I have liv'd too long.

(sownds
Am.
Help, help.

Clea.
Ha, ha, ha,
leave her, and she'l soon leave her swooning, no
woman e're swounded when she was alone.

Exit.
Am.
Why Madam, Madam, what mean you?
to dye for a false report: Cleander lives,
upon my life he do's.

Er.
I, in the other world,
whither I'le soon follow him.

Am.
Nay in this;
and if I shew you him not here
alive before next sun, let my life and honour
or whatsoever else I hold most dear
pay for my abusing you.

Dim.
Wod I had had no tongue
rather then t'have bin author of this false report

Er.
Do'nt you delude my grief now,
and flatter me into hope?

Am.
As I hope for life my self,
I tell you true.
and this souldier shall confess as much.—
I had some glimmering of the Duke, and suspect
his hand in this.—Hark ye Dimagoras,
(for so as I remember you are call'd)
I know this news is false, and straitwayes cod
disprove it if I wod; I know too you
were hir'd to't by the Duke, confess the truth,
do like those better witches, who undo
the harms th'ave done;
you see her life's in danger,
which you by timely discovery may save,
and gain far more reward for't, then you have.

Dim.
But shud the Duke know it.—

Am.
Which he shall never do.

Dim,
Besides mine honour.—

Am.
The very thought of that
should prompt you to it.

Dim.
Then with your pardon Madam,
I confess Cleander lives,
& I was hir'd by the Duke to report him dead,
I know not for what intent.

Er.
Neither becomes it you to examine it,
onely know it becomes a Souldier
to do nothing dishonourably,
and nothing can be more, then basely lye;
but you have well repented, and there's for
your confession of the truth,
so honour ever guide you.

Dim.
As it shall
to speak all honour of you.

Exit.
Al.
Oh me! my Lord, my Lord,
Enter Althea.
what shall I do? what shall I do?

Am.
Why, prithy hold thy peace,
and leave thy howling and caterwawling, thou
cryest only for fashion sake now I know, & wod
thou hadst but a glass to see how ill it becomes thee.

Alt.
Wod you shud well know,
I can cry as well as e're a woman in Missena,
so I can.

Am.
Thou must hold thy water
well beforehand then,
but prithy do'nt change thy crying into scolding now.

Alt.
Scold, who scolds?
I scorn it so I do.

Am.
Wilt thou hold thy peace then?

Alt.
Why may'nt one speak I pray?

Am.
Again?
twenty Pies and Jayes taken in lime-twigs,
keep not such a noise and chattering,
as one woman when she sets upon it once.

Er.
The Duke put such tricks on me!
I'm glad I know it yet.

Am.
And see he's here Madam.

Er.
I am prepar'd for him.

Scena, 9.

The Duke, Erminia, Amynter, Althea, &c.
Duk.
So now this punctillio of marriage ta'ne
away,
I hope to finde her
no more so scrupulous.—
(Aside.
Understanding of your misfortune Madam,
and the general misfortne of us all,
I'm come to comfort you for Cleanders loss,
and to assure you, you shall finde in me
all you have lost in him; I'le be
in place of husband to you.—

Am.
I believe you would.

(Aside.
Duke.
Cease mourning then,
and reckon your loss among
those remediless misfortunes can never be
remedy'd with mourning.

Er.
Your Highness highly honours me;
but comfort (my Lord) 's a work of time:
first we must grieve, e're we be comforted;
there are certain decencies of widdow-hood,
which for widdows to neglect,
is to neglect their fame:
many a showre of tears must fall first, and
many a gust of sighs blow over, e're it
clear up again.
In fine, comfort's the physick
of grief and sorrow, and no feaverish body in
Crisis of their Feaver takes physick: that once over,
all the comfort becomes or me to take,
or you to give, I willingly shall admit;
mean time I leave you, and humbly beseech
your Highness to leave me to my grief.

Duk.
Peace to your thoughts Erminia,
nor shall I ever take that peace away
by any act of mine; so recommending to you
a moderation of your grief and sorrow,
I take my leave,—this is some comfort yet.

Exit.
Er.
He's gone, and I but dally with my grief,
fancying Cleander not dead,
whilst no other difference is
'twixt death and absence, but onely this;
t'one's a short death, t'other a long absence; so he
whilst absent for the time is dead to me;
and absence for the time
zanies death, and imitates it so,
t'one can do nothing that t'other does not do.

Scena, 10.

The Prince, Cleander following him, Erminia, Amynter.
Er.
The Prince here too?
deluded by this news, he comes I know,
onely to bring me fresh molestation;
and to serve Cyrena's end, I'le let him go on
in the delusion.

Am.
Here comes Cleander too,
he knows not she knows he is alive,
and I'le leave him in his ignorance,
& so perplex him, & strew his way with thorns;
I'le make him weary of it, and glad at last, when
he can't go forwards to return back agen.

Pri.
Dearest Madam, if at such a time,
when other widdows griefs are at the heighth,
I come to perswade you, let yours fall, and take
comfort i'th' place on't: I hope you'l pardon me,
when you shall see,
I bring you a full comfort, not an empty one
of words onely, whilst in lieu
of your dead husband,
I come to offer you a living one;
and such an one, 'tmay be no boast to say,
(adde but your esteem to't) does every way
equal Cleander.—I mean my self.

Er.
This falls out happily
to my desire;—
(Aside.
my Lord, although you might justly wonder
I shud so soon be comforted, and so far forget
my first Lord, to accept a second;
whilst other widdows strictness is so great,
first days of their widowhood, they scarce admit
so much as the light it self to comfort them,
(the general comforter of all the world)
yet coming in so honourable a way
as marriage, I know not what to say;
but were I assur'd your Highness intents
were but as honourable and real.—

Pri.
The words and actions of dying men
are not more real I swear.

Er.
There are those who love you,
dearly love you (I can tell you that)
though their shames wo'nt suffer them to declare so much.

Pr.
And why so?

Er.
To hide their shames then, come but i'th'
dark to night unto my chamber.—

Pr.
Enough.

Er.
And there
after the holy vows of marriage.—

Pri.
I understand.

Er.
You shall enjoy her for your wife.—

Pr.
Oh me most happy! you overjoy me Madam.

Er.
Go then, and do not fail.

Pr.
Which if I do,
may I fail to live.

Exit.
Er.
Now for Cyrena, she
shall change habits, and vail'd appear like me:
pardon me sacred truth, if in so good a cause
I transgress a little, 'tis not to violate thy laws,
but preserve them from greater violation.

Exit.
Cle.
Why, she's married already.

Am.
Can you blame her? believing you dead,
and you letting her go on in the belief.

Cle.
No matter, let her go on her way,
I'le go mine.—

Am.
And lose your self.

Cle.
And trace her through all her wayes.

Am.
And erre in all, do'nt you see;
you are just like one, who entring a Labyrinth,
farther he goes, the farther still he strayes;
or one puzzled with tying a Gordian knot,
which he can ne're untie.

Cle.
How y'are deceiv'd!
I do but as Hunters now,
who following the Chase, minde not so much their way,
nor pains they take, as taking of the prey;
and for the Gordian knot you speak of, I
know how to cut that which I can't unty.

Am.
Had you not better
discover your self now, and do that with ease,
you can't do else, without much toyl and pain,

Cle.
Have patience a little.
there are farther mysteries yet I must reveal,
e're I reveal my self, especially
that of the boyes concealment.

Am.
Of that I'le say
nothing, 'cause I know not what to say;
but for the rest I dare engage my life,
and shud dye martyr in so good a cause;
she is all honorable, and honor & she are twins,
and so alike 'twere no mistake to say,
Erminia is honour, and honour Erminia.

Am.
Well, to night we shall know all,
mean time leaving you in your belief,
leave me in mine.

Exeunt several wayes.