University of Virginia Library

Scene II

Scene changes.
Enter Fiducio & Florimel meeting: She appears disorder'd.
Fiducio.
What mean these downcast looks? & outward signs
Of newly waken'd sorrow?—speak I pray You!

Florimel.
The Duke—

Fiducio.
Why, what of him, he's sure thy friend?

Florimel.
Yes, such a Friend, Fiducio! as would rob
Me of thy friendship, & mine own dear honor.

Fiducio.
It cannot be.

Florimel.
It is—he hath assail'd it.

Fiducio.
Speak again.

Florimel.
In verity, he hath assail'd mine honor.

Fiducio.
Say, in what form?

Florimel.
By off'ring Me his love.

Fiducio.
In manner doubtless?

Florimel.
Yes—no doubt remains.

Fiducio.
Then Confidence, & Honor, flee to shades;
And shun for ever the high courts of Princes.
House ye with cottage Swains who know not guile;
And dwell content with their simplicity.

Florimel.
To move thee more—he challenged our friendship:
And call'd thee mine, e'en in the very sense
He wisht me to be his—And couch'd in terms
Of no ambiguous note, suspicion hinted
His Duchess look'd on thee with tender eye.
And pleaded for his truant Disposition,
The policy of Princes, & Alliance.

Fiducio.
Didst Thou not spurn him from Thee?

Florimel.
In such sort
As fitted my firm Virtue, & his State;
As yet both undebas'd—& him besought,
To recollect his station, & himself.

Fiducio.
Thus ever doth revolting Duty shroud
Itself in vain pretext: & others faults
Urge in defence of its Delinquencies:
And under colour of another's fault,
It varnishes its own.—O! had I been
Within the breath of his audacious offer,
By heav'ns! the sacred Reverence I bear
To his high name & Office, had not stop'd
This hand to do thee right, & Myself justice.

Florimel.
This ardor well becomes thee—But, my friend!
Safe in my virtue, be assur'd my sense
Of wrongs like these, tho' felt with indignation,
Will not allow me to demean Myself
Below what now I am—& what I shall be.

Fiducio.
What thou now art, I know—what thou shalt be,
Lives only in the undisclosed womb
Of teeming Time: And heav'n alone can tell
What thou shalt be—& cast thy future lot.

Florimel.
But may not heav'n in special grace, disclose
Its future dealings?

Fiducio.
I say not but it may.
Yet special grace like this must bear its seal,
And come in such unquestionable form,
That hesitating Doubt shall close the lip.

Florimel.

Fiducio.
'Tis strange.

Florimel.
Nor stranger than 'tis true—She further said;
If thou by trial shalt approve thyself,
And thy beloved Lord return from Toil,
(As in firm faith I trust he will) & give
Proof of his prowess & exalted Virtue;
Your hands shall link in holiest union:
And from that union mighty Princes rise
To bless the People over whom they reign:
And in their People's blessing find their own;
The sov'reign bliss of Kings.

Fiducio.
The Omen I receive—& bless the Power
That hath reveal'd this comfort to thy Soul.
Forward I look—& with auspicious joy,
Anticipate thy happiness—& feel,
E'en at this present moment, future bliss.—
But say!—revealed not the Pow'r her name?

Florimel.
She did—& said She was the Fairy Queen.

Fiducio.

Exeunt.