To be deliver'd by your mighty hand Goe and protest there San. I thanke your favour Madam Exit Sanmar Clea. It is not so much worth sir come wee le follow Flor. But stay Cleantha Prethee what begot That squeamish looke that scornefull wry o th' mouth When Oniate parted Clean. Why Thou hadst So strange a fellow in thy Companie His Garbe was so uncourtly I grew sicke Flor. He is a Gentleman and adde to that Makes good the Title Clean. Haply he may so And haply he 's enamor'd on thy beautie Flo. On mine Cleantha Clean. Yes deere Floriana Yet neither danger to thy chastitie Nor blemish to thy fame Custome approves it But I owe little to my memory If ere I saw him 'mong the greater Ladies Sure he 's some suburbe Courtier Flori. He 's Noble And hath a soule A thing is questiond much In most of the gay youths whom you converse with Clean. But how disorderly his haire did hang Flor. Yet 't was his owne Clean. How ill turn'd up his beard And for his cloathes Florian. Though not fresh every morning Yet in the fashion Clean. Yes i th' sober fashion Which Courtiers weare who hope to be imploy'd And aime at businesse But he 's not gentile Not discomposed enough to Court a Ladie Flor. His thoughts are much more serious Clean. Guard me Fortune I would not have the Court take notice that I walked one houre with that state Aphorisme Each Autumne to renew my youth Let us Discourse with Lords whose heads and legges move more Than doe their tongues and to as good a sense Who snatching from my hand a Glove can sigh And print a kisse and then returne it backe Who on my buske even with a pin can write The Anagrame of my Name Present it humbly Fall backe and smile Flor. Cleantha I perceive There is small hope of thy conversion Thou art resolv'd to live in this heresie Clean. Yes since t is the Religion of our Sex Sweete Floriana I will not yet suffer For unregarded truth Court persecution Enter Ossuna and Oniate with divers Souldiers But what are they appeare there Flor. Wee 'le away Exeunt Floria and Cleantha Ossuna This is the place for enterview You who'ar Deputed for this service from the Lord Florentio use such caution as befits Your charge How ere your Generalls persons safe The Lord Decastro having past his word Oniate Yet t is my wonder that Florentio A Souldier so exact practis'd in all The mysteries of warre and peace should trust Himself where th' enemies faith must best secure him Ossun. The great Decastro sir whom our late King Deputed regent at his death and whom The Kingdome judgeth fit to marry with His onely heire the present Queene though she Disdaine his love and our desires hath proved To time and fortune that he feares no danger But what may wound his honour How can then Florentio though he now set downe before Our Citie with so vast an Army choose A place for enterview by Art and Nature So fortified as where Decastro's faith Makes it impregnable Oniate Distrust my Lord Is the best Counceler to great designes Our confidence betrayes us But betweene These two are other seeds of Jealousie Such as would almost force Religion breake Her tying vowes authorize perjurie And make the scrupulous Casuist say that faith Is the fooles vertue They both love the Queene Decastro building on his high deserts And vote of Arragon Florentio on The favour he gain'd from her Majestie When here he lived imploy'd by his great Master King of Castile Ossuna Such politicke respects May warrant the bad statesman to darke actions But both these Generalls by a Noble warre Resolve to try their fate Oniate But here my Lord Enter Sanmartino Is a full period to all serious thought This Lord is so impertinent yet still Vpon the whisper Ossuna He 's a mischiefe Sir No Court is safe from Oniate What fine trickes he showes Each morning on his gennet but to gaine A female Vision from some halfe-open'd window And if a Lady smile by accident Or but in scorne of him yet he kinde soule Interprets it as Prophesie to some Neere favour to ensue at night Ossuna I wonder What makes him thought a Wit Oniate A copper wit Which fooles let passe for currant So false coine Such very Alchimie that who vents him For ought but parcell asse may be in danger Looke on him and in little there see drawne The picture of the youth is so admired Of the spruce Sirs whom Ladies and their women Call the fine Gentlemen Ossuna What are those papers With such a sober brow he lookes upon Oniate Nor platforme nor intelligence but a Prologue He comes to whisper to one of the Maids i th' Privie chamber after supper Ossuna I praise the courage of his folly yet Whom feare cannot make wiser San, My good Lord Brave Oniate Saw you not the Generall Onia. He 's upon entrance here And how my Lord I saw your Lordship turning over papers What 's the discovery San. It may import Decastro's knowledge Never better language Or neater wit A paper of such verses Writ by th' exactest hand Ossuna In time of businesse As serious as our safety to intrude The dreames of madmen San. My Judicious Lord It with the favour of your Lordship may Concerne the Generall Such high rapture In admiration of the Queene whom he Pretends to Love How will her Majestie Smile on his sute when in the heate of businesse He not neglects this amorous way to woe her Enter Decastro Decast. No man presume t' advance a foot My Lord Ossuna I desire your eare San. My Lord I have a peece here of such elegant wit Decast. Your pardon good my Lord we le finde an houre Lesse serious to advise upon your papers And then at large we 'le whisper San. As you please My Lord you le pardon the errour of my dutie Exit Sanmar Ossun. The Queene my Lord gave free accesse to what I spoke o th' publicke but when I began To mention love Decast. How did she frowne Or with What murdering scorne heard she Decastro named Love of thy laberinth of Art what path Left I untroden Humbly I have labor'd To win her favour and when that prevail'd not The Kingdome in my quarrell vowed to emptie The veines of their great body Ossuna Sir her heart Is mightier than misfortune Though her youth Soft as some consecrated virgin waxe Seeme easie for impression Yet her vertue Hard as a rocke of Diamond breakes all The battery of the waves Decastro Unkind and cruell Ossu. She charg'd me tell you that a faith lesse Moore Who had gain'd honour onely by the ruine Of what we hold religious sooner she Would welcome to her bed than who t' his Queene And Love had beene a Rebell Decast. How A rebell The peoples suffrage which inaugurats Princes Hath warranted my actions Ossun. But she answeres The suttle Arts of faction not free vote Commanded
perish in the Lord Decastro's cause Th' are ready now to lay rude hands upon The Garrisons of Castile Your Majestie Should hinder mischiefe if you suddenly Returne and by your presence stop their furie Decast. Pray Oniate take this signet tell The Magistrats her Majestie and I Are now accorded with a due regard To th' publique safetie Take some of my armie To give authoritie to what you say Assure them all is well Exit Oniate Ascanio What meanes this wonder Floren. This speakes him Noble even to our envie Queen My Lord in this you have oblig'd us Pray Informe us of your thoughts that we may studdie To make this parley happie Decast. Mighty Lady I finde my love hath not beene drest so smooth To tempt your liking and I must confesse My passion like the spleene of witches hath Begot whirlewinds and thunder Would I might Have found a softer way t' have wrought my ends For by your beauty the most sacred oath A Lover can sweare by that was the marke The sole faire marke I aim'd at For if pride Had overswayd my love I could have stood o th' levell with that Prince so much your people Were vowed to my devotion Queen On my Lord You fairely speake your vertues Decast. And but view The vastnesse and good order of my Campe Your best townes sworne to runne my fortune and You le say 't was love did begge this enterview Ascanio My Lord your language cannot fright us from The Queenes defence Decast. Great sir she needes it not Downe on your knees my fellow Souldiers and With me bow to your Soveraigne sweare with me Never to lift your Arme 'gainst her command Thus as your subject As your Lover thus Thus to the earth I fall and with my lippes Seale my obedience kisseth the ground Queene Pray rise up my Lord Would I could merit thus much favour but Decast. Pardon I interupt you But you cannot Finde love to answere mine nor will I force it Be happie in your choise and wheresoere You sixe shine ever glorious From this houre I le never more distube you Queen Now beshrew me Me thinkes I feele compassion Good my Lord Write in that blancke all your demands and by The honour of a Princesse I le deny Nothing you shall insert He lookes on it and returnes it Decast. There t is agen The paper innocent as when you gave it Queen My Lord you have writ nothing Decast. And t is nothing Now I have mist your selfe I can demand Fortune contract thy treasure from all Nations And guild it ore with honour and with beautie Yet hast thou not the power to force one wish Now I have lost this Lady Ascanio A great spirit Decast. One humble prayer I have which must not be Denied And t is your Majestie will give Me leave neere more to see you Queen O my Lord Decast. My vowes irrevocable I shall secure Your Kingdome best by absence and my eye Will never brooke so rich a treasure made The purchase of another To a Cave Some undiscover'd Cave to which no path Doth leade the wandring Lover I have vowed The remnant of my dayes Enter Ossuna Floren. A strange conversion And 't will behoove my fate to follow him Decast. My Lord Ossuna here and I have sworne Our lives to solitude which wee le observe Religiously And since I cannot prove Possessor I le be Couqueror in Love Ascanio Pray stay my Lord Behold Florentio there He hath out donne you He for love of me Hath done what you for love of heaven All The interest he had in that bright Queene He hath resign'd to me Decast. He hath payd you for Your favours Floren. T is confest what 's mine is yours Ascanio Thankes my Florentio For with her my youth May be still happie and my age disdaine To know a weakenesse From her eyes I may Draw still new vitall heate and finde what fooles Have studied for th' Elixar In her Armes I may be safe 'gainst all invasion from Abroad or civill dangers nurst at home Quest Your highnesse pardon I confesse how high Your merits rise in my esteeme but must not To honour your deserts my selfe become Unworthy after story blemisht with That scorne which still defames our Sex registerd A most Inconstant woman or what 's much More infamous one who reserves her love To serve her profit and exposeth it to the Merchant that bids fairest Ascanio Madam spare that breath to cleere The ayre when poyson'd by contagion I know your setled thoughts and that my power Or title weighs not in your love Florentio I will no longer racke you though the Queene Be th' onely fire ere warm'd this heart and I Despaire ever to love agen I will Disdaine to be unjust I will not be Orecome in friendship reassume thy right Floren. Sir you undoe me In your injurie I was lesse wretched like a banckrout now Without all hope of payment I must owe Ascanio Th' ambition of my service and disguise Was to advance your fortune Madam Nor Can I attempt you farther though the conquest Would wreath my Temples with a prouder Laurell Than the addition of the world unto My Scepter Be safe in your choise and happie Queen This goodnesse growes even to a Miracle In his behalfe sir I must vow my selfe A subject and your servant Ascanio O command For I have nothing Madam but obedience My Kingdome shall be proud to share with yours In danger and I le glory to be stiled Your Souldier Floren. I am lost in wonder Sir I know not how to entertaine this blessing I feare my Joyes will be my ruine Decast. Be both happie And may time never father that blacke moment Which shall appeare to you lesse fortunate Ascanio Joyne then your hands for ever He doth live Mighty indeed w' hath power and will to give Exeunt The Song in the second Act NOt the Phoenix in his death Nor those banckes where violets grow And Arabian winds still blow Yeeld a perfume like her breath But ô Marriage makes the spell And t is poyson if I smell The twin beauties of the skies When the halfe suncke saylors hast To rend saile and cut their mast Shine not welcome as her eyes But those beames then stormes more blacke If they point at me I wracke Then for feare of such a fire Which kills worse than the long night Which benumbs the Muscovite I must from my life retire But ô no! for if her eye Warme me not I freeze and dye The Song in the fourth Act FIne young folly though you were That faire beauty I did sweare Yet you neere could reach my heart For we Courtiers learne at Schoole Onely we are sects to foole Y' are not worth the serious part When I sigh and kisse your hand Crosse my Armes and wondring stand Holding parley with your eye Then delate on my desires Sweare the sunne nere shot such fires All is but a handsome lye When I eye your curle or Lace Gentle soule you thinke your face Streight some murder doth commit And your virtue doth begin To grow scrupilous of my sinne When I talke to shew my wit Therefore Madam weare no cloud Nor to checke my love grow proud For in sooth I much doe doubt It is the powder in your haire Not your breath perfumes the ayre And your Cloathes that sets you out Yet though truth has this confest And I vow I love in Iest When I next begin to Court And protest an amorous flame You will sweare I in earnest am Bedlam this is pretty sport The Epilogue at Court VVE have nothing left us but our blushes now For your much pennance and though we allow Our feares no Comfort since you must appeare Iudges Corrupt if not to us severe Yet in your Majestie we hope to finde A mercy and that our pardon finde And how can we despaire you will forgive Them who would please when oft offenders live And if we have er'd may not the Curteous say T was not their trade and but the Authors Play The Epilogue at the Fryers VVHat shall the Author doe it madnesse were To entreat a mercy from you who are severe Sterne Iudges and a pardon never give For onely merit with you makes things live He leaves you therefore to your selves and may You gently quit or else condemne the Play As in an upright Conscience you will thinke fit Your sentence is the life and death of wit The Author yet hath one safe plea that though A Middlesex lury on his play should goe They cannot finde the murther wilfull since T was Acted by Command in his owne defence FINIS