maiden modesty I wish Good fortune to that Philocles my minde Presages vertue in his eaglets eies S'foot he lookes like a sparrow hauke or a wanton fire A flash of lightning or a glimpse of day His eie steales to my heart and lets it see More then it would peace blab no secresie He must haue blowes Flo. Sound cornets Princes respect your guards Heere they fight and Philocles ouerthrowes Alphonso and Epyre ouerthrowes Cypres Phi. I craue the Queenes conditions or this blow Sends this afflicted soule to heauen or hell Speake madame will you yeeld or shall he die Epy. Neither bould Prince if thou but touch a haire The kings breath shall redeeme it madame your loue Is safe in angels guarding let no feare Shake hands with doubtfulnesse you are as safe As in a tower of Diamonds Phi. O t' is but glasse And cannot beare this axes massinesse Duke thy braue words that second thy braue deedes Fils me with emulation onely we two Stand equall victors then if thou hast that tie And bond of well knit valure which vnites Vertue and same together let vs restore Our captiues vnto freedome and we two In single combate trie out the mastery Where whoso falles each other shall subscribe To euery clause in each condition Epy. Thou art the index of mine ample thought And I am pleas'd with thine election Speake madame if euer I deserued grace Grace me with your consent Qu. T' is all my will Thy noble hand erect and perfit me Phi. What saies his maiesty My starres are writ in heauen nor death nor fate Are slaues to feare to hope or human state Cyp. I neither feare thy fortune nor my ruine But hold them all beyond all prophesie Thou hast my free consent and on thy power Lies my liues date or my deaths hower Epy. Then rise and liue with safety Phi. Alphonso here my hand Thy fortune lends thy peace no infamy And now thou glorious issue of Ioues braine That burnt the Telamonian Rauisher Looke from thy spheare and if my heart containe An impure thought of lust send thy monsters forth And make me more then earthly miserable Here the cornets sound they fight and Philocles ouercomes the Duke the Queene defends Phi. Yeld recant or dye Epy. Thine axe hath not the power to wound my thought And yeelds a word my tongue could neuer sound I say th' art worthy valiant for my death Let the Queene speake it t is an easie breath Qu. Not for the worlds large circuite hold gentle Prince Thus I doe pay his ransome lowe as the ground I tender mine vnspotted virgin loue To thy great willes commandement let not my care My woman tyrannie or too strict guard In bloudy purchase take away those sweetes Till now haue gouernd your amazd desires For trust me king I will redeeme my blame With as much loue as Philocles hath fame Cy. Thus comes a calme vnto a Sea-wract soule Ease to the pained foode vnto the staru'd As you to me my best creation Trust me my Queene my loues large chronicle Thou neuer shalt ore read because each day It shall beget new matter of amaze And liue to doe thee grace eternally Next whom my Philocles my bounteous friend Author of life and soueraigne of my loue My heart shall be thy throne thy breast the shrine Where I will sit to study gratefulnes To you and you my Lords my best of thoughts Whose loues haue shewd a dutious carefulnes To all free thankes and graces this vnity Of loue and kingdomes is a glorious sight Mount vp the royal Champion musicke cornets sound Let shouts and cries make heauen and earth rebound Exeunt Epy. How like the sunnes great bastard ore the world Rides this man mounted engine this proud prince And with his breath sindges our continents Sit fast proud Phaeton for by heauen I le kicke And plunge thee in the sea if thou 'lt needes ride Thou shouldst haue made thy seat vpon a slaue And not vpon mine honours firmament Thou hast not heard the God of wisedomes tale Nor can thine youth curbe greatnes till my hate Confound thy life with villaine policy I am resolu'd since vertue hath disdaind To cloath me in her riches henceforth to proue A villaine fatall blacke and ominous Thy vertue is the ground of my dislike And my disgrace the edge of enuies sword Which like a rasor shall vnplumbe thy crest And rob thee of thy natiue excellence When great thoughts giue their homage to disgrace Thers 's no respect of deedes time thoughts or place Act. 2. Sce. 1. Musicke Enter Prat Lollia Colloquintida and President Prat. COme wife me thought our partie stood stifly to it Pres. Indeed they were stiffe whilest they stood but when they were downe they were like men of a low world a man might haue wound their worst anger about his finger Lol. Goe to sirra you must haue your fooles bolt in euery bodies quiuer Pre. Indeed mistresse if my master should breake his arrow with foule shooting or so I would bee glad if mine might supply the whole Prat. I find you kinde sir. Pre. True sir according to my kinde and to pleasure my kinde Mistresse Prat. Go to sirra I will not haue your kindnes to intermeddle with her kinde she is meate for your master Pre. And your man sir may licke your foule trencher Col. I but not eate of his mutton Pre. Yet I may deep my bread in the woole Mistresse Colloquintida Prat. Goe to sirra you will bee obscene and then I shall knocke you but to the combate me thought our side were the more proper men Lol. True and therefore thoy had the worse fortune but see heere is the Lord Florio Enter Florio Flo. Master Orator it is the King and Queenes maiesties pleasure that you presently repaire vnto the Court touching the drawing out of certaine Articles for the benefite of both the kingdomes Prat. My Lord I will instantly attend their maiesties Flo. Doe for they expect you seriously Exit Florio Prat. Wife you can haue my seruice no longer Sirra President attend you vpon your mistresse home and wife I would haue you to hold your iourney directly homeward and not to imitate princes in their progresse step not out of your way to visit a new gossip to see a new garden-house to smell the perfumes of Court ierkins or to handle other tooles then may fit for your modestie I would not haue you to step into the Suburbs and acquaint your selfe either with monsters or motions but holding your way directly homeward shew your selfe still to bee a rare houswife Lol. I'faith I'faith your blacke out-side will haue a yellowe lining Prat. Content thee wife it is but my loue that giues thee good counsaile But here comes one of my clients Enter Drap a country Gentleman Drap Sir master Orator I am bold to trouble you about my suit Prat. Si Mr. country gentleman I am now for present busines of the kings Dra. You may the
leade the way he hath of griefe no sense Whose conscience doth not know of his offence Act. 5. Scene 1. Musique Enter at one dore Epyre at another Mariana Epyre. HOw now mad sister your deare loue is condemn'd A sweete adulterer Ma. How condemd before their tryall Epy. No they were condemnd by Act of Parliament Ma. I doe not hold thee brother for a man For it is reasonlesse to mock calamity If he die innocent thrice happy soule If guilty weepe that man should so transgresse Nature of reason thus much doth importune Man should partake in griefe with mans misfortune Epy. For him if ere mine eies weep may they drop out And leaue my body blinder then my sense Pittie my foe the ruine of my house My valours scandall and mine honours poison No let him fall for bloud must still quench lust Law hath condemd him then his death is iust Ma. Spit out that monster enuy it corrupts you And mildly heare me answere for my loue What did he gainst you was not honourable Which you gainst him would not haue gladly done Will you hate him for acting your owne thoughts Can it be ill in him yet good in you Let reason waigh this difference then you le find His honor poizes downe his infamy Epy. Canst thou loue him that brought thee to thy death Ma. No like a God he made me with his breath Epy. Did he not win thy loue and then reiect thee Ma. His honor not his loue doth now neglect me Epy. Fond maid thy foolish dotage doth mistake him Ma. Hell shall haue mercie ere I will forsake him Epy. Farewell then sister friend to my greatest foe Reuenge strikes home being ended with one blow Exit Epy. Ma. Preuention thou best midwife to misfortune Vnfold this vgly monsters treachery And let his birth be ominous strooke dead Ere it haue being in this open world Loues commands nature brother pardon me Thine enuy di◅s by my loues liberty Inuention hart of wit possesse my braine For treason is to treason her owne bane And you bright heauens now aid me in my plots That truth may shine through falshoods leporous spots My life I le hazard to redeeme my loue Firme constancy like rocks can neuer moue Be bold then maiden hart in his defence He saued thy life thy life 's his recompence My wit and hopes haue furnisht me with all The helpes of art to bring forth treasons fall Now to the meanes some say that gold hath power To enter without force a gatelesse tower And I le try that which if it take fast hold I le neuer blame them more that doate on gold Hoe whose within there Enter Gailer Ga. Who calles what would you haue I thought you were a womā you were so hasty O Madam is it you I cry you mercie Ma. My griefe speakes loud sir and my swift desire Ore rules my tongue makes it keepe time with thought I long to see a prisoner in this ill built house Ga. What prisoner Madam Ma. The worthy Prince the famous Philocles Ga. Madame I dare not without especiall warrant Ma. I haue my brothers strong commission hold there is gold Ga. This golden calfe is an excellent Idoll and sewe of my profession but serues it this dumb god giues tongue to all men wit to all mē honour to any man but honesty to no man and therefore as for honesty I meane not to deale with so deare a commodity but leaue it to my better Madam those staires direct you to his lodging Ma. I thanke you sir. Exit Mariana Ga. This is a worthy Lady to giue thus much for the bare sight of a man in affliction if he were at liberty it were nothing but being as it is it is most bountifull but it may be it is for the past houres of former recreations well let it be what it shall be I am sure it was not that I should hold this disputation but see here she comes againe Enter Philocles in Marianaes attire and Mariana in his Phi. Madame my soule cannot consent to leaue Your life in this great hazard nor can death Carie such vgly shape as doth the thought That you are left in this extremity Indeede I will not leaue you Ma. Will you grow mad what shall your nobler spirit Which is the schoole of wisdome grow so fond As to reuolt from all our happines Our plots you know and how to manage cares Whose true euents haue true proportions Then deare Lord rest resolu'd the Gailer ouer heares Liue you with safetie most worthy maid farewell Phi. Farewell faire Prince thanks M Iayler and a kind commend Gai. As much vnto your Ladiship So now I le lock my dores Exit Mar. Phi. and Gatler Enter Cypres Meshant Florio and attendants Cy. Is our commission as wee gaue in charge Deliuered ore to the Corigidors Me. It is and with such strictnes and aduice For speedy execution of the same That by this time I know they are in the way Vnto their execution for the hower Of death doth runne vpon his latest minutes Cy. T is well for till their shamelesse liues haue end There can no comfort creepe into my thoughts Or ought saue mifchief keepe me company Why was I borne to this malignity And lownesse of base fortune yet my place Aboue the leuell of the vulgars sight O it is but to let me know thus much That those which ly within the richest graues Were at the best but fortunes glorious slaues But see here comes my shame Enter Corigidors Queene and Philocles bound and a guard of halberts with the executioner Que. My dearest Lord. Cy. Passe and respect me not lasciuious woman Thy teares are of the speares of Crocodils See how I stop mine eares against thy plaints And glue mine vnderstandings from thy charmes Nay call on him thou hast offended most Mercy from me were worse then cruelty Qu. My dearest dreade my best best soueraigne Whom I haue nere offended but with zeale And constant loue loyall and honorable Vouchsafe me though a Queene a subiects right And let me know for what offence I perish Cyp. For thine adulterat and monstrous lust Shamefull and grosse and most vnsufferable Qu. Who doth accuse vs Cyp. Our selfe and our owne soule that haue beheld Your vile and most lasciuious passages Ma. O that my tongue would not betray my knowledge Then would I amaze them all with mine assertions Madame challenge the law Qu. My gratious Lord since no desert in me Can merit your beliefe nor that your eie Can rightly iudge my pure complexion Yet as your handmaid let me beg the right Due vnto wretches from our countries lawes Cyp. The tenure of the law you do demand Qu. That in the case of slander where the proofe Proceedes as much from enuy as from truth We are allow'd our champions to defend Our innocence with a well ordered sword Cyp. I lookt for this obiection and allow it Nor am I vnprouided for your best And
The dumbe Knight A historicall Comedy acted sundry times by the children of his Maiesties Reuels LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Iohn Bache and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Palace neere to the Royall Exchange 1608. To the vnderstanding Reader RVMOR that Hydra headed Monster with more tongues then eyes by help of his intelligencer enuy hath made strange misconstructions on this dumbe Knight which then could not answere for himselfe but now this publication doth vnty his tongue to answer the obiections of all sharp critticall censures which heretofore haue vndeseruedly past vpon him And for my part I protest the wrongs I haue receiued by some whose worths I will not traduce with a milde neglect I haue laught at their follies for I thinke my selfe happy because I haue beene enuyde since the best now in grace haue beene subiect to some slanderous tongues that want worth themselues and thinke it great praise to them to detract praise from other that deserue it yet hauing a partner in the wrong whose worth hath beene often approued I count the wrong but halfe a wrong because hee knowes best how to answer for himselfe But I now in his absence make this Apologie both for him and me Thus leauing you and the booke together I euer rest yours Lewes Machin Act. 1. Sce. 1. Musicke Enter the King of Cypres Phylocles Florio and attendants in armes Cypr. INnough these loud sounds deafes my passions How long shall loue make me a slaue to hope And mixe my calme desires with tyranny O Phylocles t' is heresie I hold Thought and affection cannot be controld Phy. Yet mai 't be bent and suppled with extreames Sith few dare see the end of violence What makes the skilfull Leech to vse the fire Or warre her engines or states policie But to recouer things most desperate Reuolt is recreant when pursuit is braue Neuer to faint doth purchase what we craue Cyp. True my Phylocles yet my recreant soule Slaued to her beauty would renounce all warre And yeeld her right to loue did not thy spirit Mixt with my longing fortifie these armes But I am now resolud and this sad houre Shall giue an end to my disemprature Summon a parley Enter a loft the Queene of Sicille the Duke of Epire Alphouso and attendants Queene What saies our tyrant sutor our disease in loue That makes our thoughts a slaue vnto his sword What saies my Lord Cyp. Madame attend me this is my latest summons The many sunnes my sorrowes haue beheld And my sad nights of longings all through hope T' enioy the ioy of earth your owne deare selfe Are growne so infinite in length and waight That like to wearied Atlas I inforce These warres as Hercules to beare my loade Briefly I must enioy you or else loose The breath of life which to preuent behold My sword must be my Cupid and with feathered steele Force pity from your breast your Cities walles Chidden with my Canons haue set ope a path And boldly bids me enter all your men of warre Feebled with famine and a weary siege Take danger from mine actions onely your selfe Strong in your will oppose euen destiny And like the giants warre offend the heauens Which to preuent do but discend and giue Peace to my loue-suit and as orecome thereby I 'le yeeld my selfe your prisoner and be drawne A thrall in your triumphant victory If otherwise behold these fatall swords Shall neuer be sheath'd till we be conquerours And not respecting innocence nor sexe The cries of infants nor the prayers of age All things shall perish till within my armes I fould your selfe my thrall and conquerour Qu. Thou maiest be maister of my bodies Tombe But for my soule and minde they are as free As their creation and with Angels wings Can soare beyond thy reach trust me king of Cypres Those coales the Roman Portia did deuour Are not burnt out nor haue th' Egiptian wormes Yet lost their stings steele holds his temper still And these are ransomes from captiuity But art thou noble hast thou one royall thought Cyp. Approue me by your question Qu. Then briefly thus To shun the great effusion of their bloods Who feele no touch in mine affections Dare you to single combate two to two Referre your right in loue Cyp. Who are your combatants we loue equality Qu. This is the first the Epyre duke a man Sprung from the line of famous Scanderbag The next Alphonso sprung from noble bloud Who laden with rich lusitanian prize Hath rod through Syracusa twice in pompe Cyp. Their likings to the motion Ep. They are like wrath Neuer vnarmd to beat weake iniury Alp. Nay more we are the sonnes of destiny Vertu 's our guide our ayme is dignity Phy. S'foot king shalt not forsake them this I see Loue fight and death are rul'd by destiny Cyp. My spirit speakes thy motion Madame although aduantage might euade And giue my loue more hope yet my bent will Bowd to your pleasure doth imbrace your lawe We do accept the combate and our selfe Will with that Duke try fortunes this my friend The more part of my selfe me deerest Philocles One of an Angels temper shall with that that Lord Trie best and worst the place the time the sword Epy. They are your rights we claime as challengers Cyp. And we would lose that vantage but since fame Makes vertue dulat we embrace our rights The place before these walles the houre next sunne The pollax and the hand axe for the fight Qu. It is enough My hostage is my person and my loue Cyp. And mine my hope my faith and royalty Epy. They are of poysse sufficient and one light Shall at one instant giue vs day and night Exeunt Queene Mariano Alphonso Cyp. Shee 's gone my Philocles and as she goes euen so The sunne forsakes the heauens to kisse the sea Day in her beauty leaues vs and methinkes Her absence doth exile all happines Tell me my Philocles nay pray thee tell me true Euen from that loue Which to vs both should bend one sympathy Discharge an open breast dost thou not thinke She is the mirror of her beauteous sexe Vnparalleld and vncompanioned Phi. Enuy will say shee 's rare then truth must vow She is beyond compare sith in her lookes Each motion hath a speaking maiesty She is herselfe compared with her selfe For but her selfe she hath no companion But when I thinke of beauty wit and grace The elements of actiue delicacy Those all eie-pleasing harmonies of sight Which do inchant mens fancies and stir vp The life bloud of dull earth O then methinkes Faire Mariana hath an equall place And if not outshine it shewes more beautifull Cyp. More then my Queene Phi. More in the glosse of beauty lesse in worth Of wisedome and great thoughts the one I finde was made for wonder th' other for admire Cyp. Thine equall praises makes my facnies rich And I am pleas'd with thy comparisons Things of like
nature liue in best consent Beauty with subiects maiesty with Kings Then let those two Ideaes liuely moue Spirit beyond all spirit in our breasts That in the end of our great victory we may attaine both loue and maiesty Phy. Although my first creation and my birth My thoughts and other tempers of my soules Tooke all their noble beings from the sword And made me onely for the vse of warres Yet in this combate something methinkes apeares Greater then greatest glory and doth raise My minde beyond her selfe S'foot methinkes Casars Pharsalia Nor Scipios Carthage nor Emilias acts Were worthy chaires of triumph they ore mens Poore mangled bodies and fire-wasted climes Made their triumphant passage but we two Must conquer thoughts and loue more then the gods can doe Cyp. True and therein Consists the glorious garland of our praise But we neglect th' affaires of preparation Florio be it your charge To see th' erection of the squared lists Fit ground for either army and what else Belongs vnto such royall eminence Flo. How neere will your maiesties hand the lists extend Vnto the Cities walles Cyp. So as the dullest eie May see the heedfulst passage in the fight Flo. What square or circuite Cyp. Threescore pace each way Flo. Your maiesty shal haue your will perform'd Phy. Do and you do vs grace and now thou sunne That art the eye of heauen whose pure sight Shall be our guide and Ioues great Chronicler Looke from thy spheare No guilt of pride of mallice or of blood Puts on our armour onely pure naked loue Tutors our hopes and doth our actions moue Cyp. Enough my Philocles thine orizons are heard Come le ts away Exeunt Enter Lollia the wife of Prat the Orator Lol. Now fy vpon 't who would be an Orators wife and not a Gentlewoman if she could chuse a Lady is the most sweet lasciuious life conieyes and kisses the tire O the tire made castell vpon castell iewell vpon iewell knot vpon knot crownes garlands gardins and what not the hood the rebato the french fall the loose bodyed gowne the pinne in the haire now clawing the pate then picking the teeth and euery day change when we poore soules must come and goe for euery mans pleasure and what 's a Lady more then another body we haue legges and hands and rouling eies hanging lips sleeke browes cherrie cheekes and other things as Ladies haue but the fashion carries it away Enter Mistresse Collaquintida Col. Why how now Mistresse Prat i' the old disease still will it neuer be better cannot a woman finde one kind man amongst twentie O the daies that I haue seene when the lawe of a womans wit could haue put her husbands purse to execution Lol. O Mistresse Collaquintida mine is euen the vnnaturallest man to his wife Col. Faith for the most part all schollers are so for they take so vpon thē to know al things that indeed they know nothing besides they are with study and ease growne so vnweldy that a woman shall neare want a sore stomacke that 's troubled with them Lol. And yet they must haue the gouernment of all Col. True and great reason they haue for it but a wise man will put it in a womans hand what shee 'le saue what he spends Lol. You haue a pretty ruffe how deep is it Col. Nay this is but shallow marry I haue a ruffe is a quarter deep measured by the yeard Lol. Indeed by the yeard Col. By the standard I assure you you haue a pretty set too how big is the steele you set with Lol. As big as a reasonable sufficient pitty of my life I haue forgot my selfe if my husband should rise from his study and misse me wee should haue such a coile Co. A coyle why what coyle if he were my husband and did but thwart mee I would ring him so many alarums sound him so many brasse trumpets beate him so many drums to his confusion and thunder him such a peale of great shot that I would turne his brain in the panne and make him madde with an eternall silence Lo. O mistresse Coloquintida but my husbands anger is the worst fauouredst without all conscience of any mans in all Sicilie he is euen as peeuish as a sick munkie and as waspish as an ill pleasd bride the second morning Co. Let your wrath be reciprocall and pay him at his owne weapon but to the purpose for which I came the party you wote of commends him to you in this diamond hee that met the party you know and said the parties partie was a party of a partly pretty vnderstanding Lo. O the Lord Alphonso Co. The very same beleeue it he loues you and sweares he so loues you that if you doe not credit him you are worse then an infidell Lo. Indeede mistresse Coloquintida he hath the right garbe for apparell the true touch with the tongue in the kisse and he dances well but falles heauily but my husband woman my husband if we could put out his cattes eies there were something to be said but they are euer peeping prying that they are able to pierce through a milstone besides I may say to you he is a little iealous too and see where hee comes wee shall haue a coyle now Enter Prate the Orator Co. Begin you to pout first for that 's a womans preuention Pra. What Lollia I say where are you my house lookes you my men lack you I seeke you and a whole quest of inquiry cannot finde you fy fy fy fy Idlenes is the whip of thrift a good huswife should euer be occupied Lo. Indeede I haue much ioy to bee occupied in any bodies company Prate Why what 's the matter Lo. Why Orators wiues shortly will bee knowne like images on water staires euer in one wetherbeaten suite as if none wore hoodes but Monkes and Ladies nor feathers but fore-horses and waiting gentlewomen nor chaines but prisoners and Lords officers nor perriwigs but players and hotte braines but the weakest must to the walles still Prate Go to you shall haue what you will Lo. Nay nay 't was my hard fortune to be your wife time was I might haue done otherwise but it matters not you esteeme me as you doe your selfe and thinke all things costly enough that couers shame and that a paire of silken foresleeues to a satten brestplate is a garment good enough for a capitoll but is master Wrangle master Tangle or master Trobleare of that opinion in faith sir no. Ther 's neuer a gallant in our state That goes more rich in gaudy brauery And yet I hope for quality of speech Audacious words or quirkes or quidities You are not held their much inferiour Fy fy I am asham'd to see your basenesse Co. Indeede master Prate she telles you truly I wonder that you being a proper man and an Orator will not go braue according to the custome of the country Prate Go to neighbour he that wil rise to the top of a
better remember me Pra. Hey day I shall mixe your businesse with the kings Dra. No but you may let his maiestie know my necessity Pra. Sir sir you must not confine me to your seasons I tell you I will collect mine owne leasures Enter Veloups a Citizen Ve. Master Orator is it your pleasure I attend you about my dispatches Pra. Sir it is my pleasure you dispatch your selfe from mine incumbrance I tell you I am for instant businesse of the Kings Ve. Sir I haue borne mine attendance long Pra. Beare it till your bones ake I tell you I cannot beare it now I am for new busines Dra. Ve. Yet the old would be dispatcht it was first paid for Prat. If you be gentlemen do not make me mad Dra. Ve. Sir our suits are of great waight Prat. If you be Christians do not make me an Atheist I shall prophane if you vex me thus Enter the Lord Mechant What more vexation my Lord my Lord saue your breath for your broth I am not now at leasure to attend you Me. A word good Mr. Orator Prat. Not a word I beseech your Lordship I am for the Kings businesse you must attend me at my chamber Exit Prat. Me. Dra. Ve. And euery where else wee will not leaue you Exeunt Pre. Now methinkes my master is like a horse-leech and these sutors so many sicke of the gout that come to haue him suck their bloud O t' is a mad world Lol. Goe to sirra you will neuer leaue your crabtree similies but pity of me who haue we heare Enter Alphonso O t' is the Lord Alphonso Alph. Mistresse God saue nay your lip I am a stranger how doth Mistresse Colloquintida O you are an excellent seasoner of city stomackes Col. Faith my Lord I haue done my best to make somebody relish your sweet meates but harke you my Lord I haue strucke the stroak I haue done the deed there wants nothing but time place and her consent Alp. Call you that nothing Col. A trifle a trifle vpon her vpon her my Lord she may seeme a little rough at the first but if you stand stifly to her shee 'le fall a word with you Mr. President They whisper Alp. Mistresse Prat I am a souldier and can better act my loue then speake it my suit you know by your neighbour my loue you shall proue by my merit to both which my tokens haue bin petty witnesses and my body shal seale deliuer vpon thee such a braue confirmatiō that not all the Orators in Sicill shall bee able to cancell the deede Lol. Truely my Lord methinkes you being witty should bee honest Alph. Nay wench if I were a foole ther 's no question but I would be honest But to the purpose say wench shall I enioy shall I possesse Lol. To enioy my loue is not to possesse my body Alp. Tut wench they be words of one signification and cannot be separated Lol. Nay then I should wrong my husband Alp. S'foot thou shouldest but do for him as he does for the whole world why an Orator were a needle name if it were not to defend wrong then wench do as he doth write by a president Lol. O my Lord I haue a husband A man whose waking ielousie suruiues And like a Lion sleepes with open eies That not a minute of mine houres are free From the intelligence of his secret spies I am a very toward Danae Thorow whose roofe suspition will not let Gold showers haue passage nor can I deceiue His Argus eies with any policy And yet I sweare I loue you Al. Death of affection if thou lou'st me as thou saiest thou dost Thou canst inuent some meanes for our delight The rather sith it euer hath beene said That walles of brasse withstand not willing mindes And women when th' are prone make loue admir'd For quaint indeuours come instruct thy wit And finde some scale to our hie hight of blisse Lol. Then breefly thus my Lord. To morrow doth the Senate sit to iudge Causes both criminall and of the stave Where of necessity my husbands place Must be fild by himselfe because his tongue Must guild his clients causes Now if you please All that selfe houre when he is turmoil'd About those serious trifles to vouchsafe To visit me his absence and my care Shall giue vs libertie of more delight You know my meaning and I am asham'd My loue should thus betray my modesty But make the vse according to your fancy Alp. What houre assures his absence Lol. Eight is the latest time Alp. This kisse leaue my faith with thee farewell Th' ast giuen me double glory from thy breath Nothing shall lose me time but certaine death Exit Alp. Pre. Truely Mistresse Collaquintida you are an excellent peece of sweet gall Lol. Well sir will you lead the way homeward Pre. To your bed chamber mistresse or your priuie lodging Exeunt Enter Philocles alone Phi. Night clad in blacke mournes for the losse of day And hides the siluer spangles of the aire That not a sparke is left to light the world Whil'st quiet sleep the nourisher of life Takes full possession on mortality All creatures take their rest in soft repose Saue malecontents and we accursed louers Whose thoughts perturbed makes vs passions slaue And robs vs of the iuice of happinesse Deere Mariana shapt in an Angels mould Thou thral'st my senses and inflam'st my blood Loue power by wisedome cannot bee withstood But see the morning starre breakes from the East To tell the world her great eie is awak't To take his iourney to the westerne vales And now the court begins to rise with him Here passes ouer the stage a Physitian a Gentleman Vsher and a waiting maide There goes the Physitian the waiting maid And a fine straight leg'd Gentleman Vsher The preface to a kirtill all puffe past One that writes sonnets in his Ladies praise And hides her crimes with flattering poesie Enter Marian. But peace amazement see the day of life Natures best worke the worlds chiefe paragon Madame one word Ma. I so now farewell Phi. You do mistake me Ma. That your selfe can tell You ask't me one word which I gaue said I A word of least vse in a virgins breath Vrge not my patience then with fond reply Phi. Deere Lady lend an eare vnto my voice Sith each were made for others happines My tong 's not oild with courtly flatterings Nor can I paint my passions to the life But by that power which shapt this heauenly forme I am your bond-slaue forc'd by loues command Then let soft pitty with such beauty dwell Madame I loue you Ma. As I am a virgin so do I. Phi. But Madame whom Ma. My selfe no Lady better Phi. But will you loue me Ma. No by my chastity Phi. I hope you do but iest Ma. Nay I le keep mine oath Men shall abandon pride and iealousie Ere I le be bound to their captiuity They shall liue continent and leaue
of stranger qualities Me. Words are no heauy burthen Epy No had I no other waight But we are all downe prest with other poise As for your suit it is refer'd to Prat And he must giue you faire dispatch with fauour VVhich if he sleight for enuy or for bribe Repaire to me and I will not forget To giue you ease and chide his negligence Meane space I pray you leaue me for we all Are troubled now with greatest miracles Me. Your grace doth do me comfort and I will Study with seruice to deserue your fauours And so I take my leaue Exit Mershant Enter 2 Doctors Epy. Your owne content◅ts follow you Now gentlemen what newes within can this dumbe wonder speake Haue you cut off those lets that tied his speech And made your fame to sound thorow Sicille 1 Doct. All hopefull meanes that man or art can finde Haue we made triall of but t is in vaine For still my Lord the cur'e 's invincible 2 Doct. Those Organs nature gaue to moue the tongue He fully doth possesse as well as we Which makes vs thinke his suddaine apoplexe Is either will vow or a miracle Epy. I should thinke strangly had wee strange things on earth But wonders now are most familiar But here comes his maiestie now we shall see If this dumbe beast can speake before the king Cornets and enter Cypres Queene Philoclas Mariana and attendants Cyp. My best of friends my deerest Philocles Thy griefes run in my spirit make me sad And duls my sense with thine affliction My soule with thine doth sympathize in woe And passion gouerns him that should rule all What say our Doctors is there no hope of help 1 Doct. No hope my Lord the cure is desperate Cyp. Then I am king of greife for in his words Found I more musicke then in quires of Angels It was as siluer as the chime of spheares The breath of Lutes or ioues deliciousnesse Next to my Queene he is my ioy on earth Nor shall the world containe that happy good Which with my teares I will not wooe for him My Lord of Epyre let it be straight proclaim'd Thorow all the cities in our kingdomes verdge That who so will avow to cure this prince And bring his worke to wisht effectualnesse Shall haue ten thousand crownes and our best loue But if he faile in his great enterprise His daring is the losse of present life Since no man hitherto could doe him good The next shall help him or else loose his bloud Epy. Your Maiesty shall haue your will performd Ma. Not all so soone deare brother what if a womā now Should turne Aesculapius and restore This dumbe Hypolitus nay do not looke strange I dare auow and vndertake the cure Epy. You sister are you in your wits Ma. Faith of the out side of them brother yet a womās tongue Whose burthen still is superfluity May lend a man an ages complement Cy. Madam I would not haue you with the barke Play your selfe into day net this great cure I feare is farre beyond your Physicks helpe Ma. My Lord you know not how Apollo loues me I haue beene thought as faire as Oenon was And dare be bold to claime this miracle Cy. Mariana attend glory ruine compasse thee about This hand shall raise thee to a golden throne And grace thee with all stiles of dignity This cast thee downe Lower then liues misfortune and orewhelme Thy beauties with thy graue performe be great Faile and be worse then worst calamitie Que. Stay gentle friend my loue doth bid thee stay Attempt not and be safe from misery Epy. Sister you shall not graspe with mischiefe thus My bloud doth challenge interest in your ill And I coniure you from this desperatnes Ma. Brother content your selfe words but augment our strife I will performe or else my pawn 's my life Cy. Proceed faire virgin Ma. Vouchsafe me priuacy now Venus be my speed Speake gentle Philocles thine oaths bond I vntie And giue thy vowes a free infranchisment Thy well kept league hath show'd thy strength of truth And doth confirme me in my vertuousnesse Thy martyrdome and sufferance is too long And I restore it to new liberty Then speake my Philocles speak gentle Prince To her whose loue respects and honors thee Cy. How now what vertue from thy charmes Ma. No hope is left deare Philocles regard my miseries Vntie that wilfull let which holds in speech And make me happy through thy noble pity I see the face of mine ill shapt contempt Where like with like hath quit most iniury Then speake my Lord vtter one Angell breath To giue me ioy and saue me from strange death What not a word hath this small silence brought An vtter detestation to thy speech Wilt thou nor heare nor speak nor pity me The gentle Gods moue thee to more remorse Cy. What wilt not be Fond maid thou hast drawne affliction on thy head And thrald thy selfe to worst calamity Till morrow sunne thy incantations vse But then effectlesse all hopes desperate Wert thou my bosome loue thou diest the death Best ease for madnesse is the losse of breath Exeunt all but Phi. and Ma. Ma. O Philocles I am no courts disgrace No cities Prostitution countries shame Nor one shall bring Troys fire vnto thy house Turne not away hard harted Mirmidon See on my knees I le follow thee in court And make the world condemne thy cruelty Yet if my teares may mollifie thy heart Receiue them as the floods of strangest rides Turne not thy face from her that doates on thee Loue now hath made me subiect to thy will And pale disdaine hath tane reuenge on me Behold my nerues I le weare vpon this earth And fill this roofe with lamentations What dost thou smile hath fury so much sway As euen to banish poore ciuilitie Then be thy selfe and breake thine itching spleene For I disdaine thy ransomes victorie Life thou art weary brought welcome my death Sweet because wisht for good because my choice Yet when I am dead this of me shall be said A cruell Prince murdered a louing maid And after ages to th' unborne shall tell Thy hate my loue thy enuie and my hell Nay do not speak I charge thee go let nothing moue thee Death is my glory since thou wilt not loue me Exeunt Act. 3. Scena 1. Musique Enter the Duke of Epyre and Alphonso Epy. GRiefe which controles the motions of our thoughts Raines in my bloud and makes me passions slaue My sisters miserie torments my soule And breaks my gall when I but thinke of her She was bewicht with spelles to her misfortune Or else borne haplesse vnder a lowring starre And t is her fate to be thus miserable O Philocles hadst thou no other scale To mount thy heauen but by our miseries Must all the noble fame of our great house Waste downe her royall pillars to make steps For thee to climbe to glory well I see Thou plots our
honour her Till when I will not think a louing thought Or giue the easie temper of my minde To loue-sicke passion or delitiousnesse Onely with those which do adore the sunne I 'le giue her all respect and reuerence Ma. I am well pleas'd and with a doubtfull foe You haue good reason thus to capitulate Then hang your colours forth extēd your thought Muster your strongest powers of stricktest wit And when your reasons best artilleries bent Loue not my loue if it be not excellent Cyp. I haue not seene a warre breed better wit Or passion draw on more delightfulnesse Proceed in your contention for we boast That loue is best which is approued most But now to reuels since our tragicke sceane Is turnd to comicke mirthfull constancie In stead of mourning we will daunce and banquet And fill our emptie veines with all delights For oft we find that stormes and sorrowes proue The best forerunners of a happy loue Exeunt all but Epyre. Epy. He will but he will not loues but cannot like Will and affection in this Prince are like Two buckets which do neuer both ascend Or those star twins which shine not in one spheare O Philoceles I see thy soule growes fat And feeds vpon the glories of my same But I 'le forestall thine Epileptique fits And by my plots breed thy destruction Reuenge now rules as soueragine of my bloud And others ruines shall aduance my good VVhich once attaind to I will proue ambitious Great men like Gods are nere thought-vitious Now Philocles stand fast King guard thy crowne For by this braine you both shall tumble downe Exit Enter Veloups and Drap President sitting at his deske Ve. This is his chamber le ts enter heere 's his clarke Pre. Fondling said he since I haue hem'd thee heere VVithin the circuit of this Iuory pale Dra. I pray you sir help vs to the speech of your master Pre. I le be a parke and thou shalt be my Deere He is very busie in his study Feed where thou wilt in mountaine or on dale Stay a while he will come out anon Graze on my lips and when those mounts are drie Stray lower where the pleasant fountaines lie Go thy way thou best booke in the world Ve. I pray you sir what booke doe you read Pre. A book that neuer an Orators clarke in this kingdome but is beholden vnto it is called maides philosophie or Venus and Adonis Looke you gentlemen I haue diuers other pretty bookes Drap You are very well storde sir but I hope your master wil not stay long Pre. No he will come presently Enter Meshant Ve. VVho haue we heere another Client sure crowes flock to carkasses O t is the Lord Meshant Me. Saue you Gentlemen sir is your master at any leasure Pre. Heere sit thee downe where neuer serpent hisses And being set I le smother thee with kisses His businesses yet are many you must needes attend a while Me. VVe must attend vm euen snailes keep state VVhen with slow thrust their hornes peep forth the gate VVe must attend t is customs fault not mine To make men proud on whom great fauours shine It s somewhat gainst my nature to attend But when we must we must be patient A man may haue admittance to the king As soone as to these long roabes and as cheap Come gentlemen shall we walke Thus are the pauement stones before the doores Of these great tongue guilt Orators worne smoth With clients dauncing for them Ve. It 's strange to see how the world waits vpon them therein they are the onely men now Me. O onely they of all men in request Your physitian is the lawier for your health And moderate vnruly humours best Others are no body compard with him For all men neglect their health in regard of their profit Dra. True and that 's it makes these men grow so fat Swell with rich purchases Me. Yea with golden fees And golden titles too they can worke miracles And like creators euen of emptie nothing Erect a world of goodly liuings faire demeanes And gallant mannors heapt one on another Ve. They gaine indeed excessiuely are not like vs citizens Expos'd to hazard of the seas and trafficke Me. Why here 's a fellow now this Orator Euen Prat you would little thinke it his father was An honest proiner of our cuntry vines Yet hee 's shot to his foot-cloath Drap O hee is hee proind him well and brought him vp to learning Me. Faith reasonable learning a smattring in the Latine tongue A little Rhetoricke with wrangling sophistrie Were his preparatiues vnto his art Ve. After these preparatiues if you call them so The physicke wrought well for a few yeares practise Brought him in wondrous credit and preferments Came tumbling in O such a suddaine rise Hath fortune for her minions blame him not then Though he looke high on 't Me. Nay for his pride of weaker soules tearmd state It hurts none but himselfe Dra. Yet to my seeming it is very strange That from so base beginning men can breath Such soaring fames Me. Srange it 's not strange a whit Dunghils and marrish bogs dart store of vapours And viscous exhalations against heauen Which borrowing luster there though basly bred Seeme yet like glorious planets fairest starres To the weake eies of wondring ignorance When wise men know they are but Meteors But here comes the Orator Enter Prate Prat. What President I say come and attend me to the senate house Pre. I am ready sir if you haue Copia verborum I haue Copia rerum in a buckram bagge here Prat. Your Lordships pleasure Me. Master Orator t is not vnknowne my suit Prat. Nay your Lordship must be briefe I not attend The shallow sleight of words your suit your suit Me. The restoration of my lands and honours Prat. They are confiscat Me. My lands confiscat and my body free Prat. My Lord my Lord the Queen 's more mercifull Me. Sir you forget my place Pra. Sir you forget your faith T' was knowne vnto the Queene the state and vs Your malecontented spirit your disease in duty Your diligent purturbance of the peace Your passages occurrences and Me. Sir Prat. Sir me no sirs Do not I know you were the chiefe of those Which raisd the warres in Sicill and long since Wrought in the kings loues bloody businesse Did not you hold faire quarter and commerce VVith all the spies of Cypres fie I am asham'd Blinde impudence should make you be so bold To beare your face before authority Me. But heare me Pra. I will heare no reply go home repent pray die Come Gentlemen what 's your businesses Ve. Your confirmation to his highnesse grant touching our trade with Spaine in which if it please you to assist vs wee haue a thousand crownes which shall attend you Pra. O I haue you in my memory the suit is great And I must squeisse forth more then a thousand crownes Wel attend me to the senate
bloud boile with vnquēched flames But speake who is it that dishonors me Epy. He that you prize a line before your life I know you will not credit faith you will not Cy. Nay if thou cease to speake thou hatst my life Tak'st thou delight to kill me then forbeare Sfoote I am mortall man kill me doe doe doe Epy. Your best of friends your dearest Philocles Vsurps your bed and makes you a cornute A creature vncreate in paradise And one that 's onely of a womans making Cy. I st possible can I giue faith to this Epy. Nay be but patient smooth your brow a little And you shall take them as they clip each other Euen in their height of sin then dam them both And let them stinck before they aske God pardon That your reuenge may stretch vnto their soules Cy. To be a cuckold doth exceede all griefe Epy. To haue a pleasant scoffe at Maiesty Cy. To taste the fruit forbidden from my tree Epy. But he shall loose his paradise for that Cy. The slaue will make base songs in my disgrace Epy. And wound your reputation in strange Lands Cy. This iniury sads all my ioies on earth Epy. Hornes are not shund by wisdom wealth or birth Cy. Watch their close meetings thē giue vs notice Meane space my loue shall in thy bosome rest My griefe is like my birth great great and hie Giue close intelligence till then farewell Lust is the broadest path which leades to hell Exit Cypres Ep. Hee 's gone with blacke suspition in his heart And made his soule a slaue to iealousie My plots shall driue him to his owne destruction And I gaine both reuenge and dignitie He shall no sooner put his Queene to death But I le proclaime her spotlesse innocence All men will hate him for so vile an act And mad with rage depose him from his crowne Then I will be his death his state doth giue Kings once deposd long after must not liue For like a Phoenix rare in iealousie He shall consume himselfe in scortching flames Whilest from his ashes I a Phoenix spring Many renounce their God to be a king And I le be one to kill men with a frowne None dare dispute the actions of a crowne Exit Act. 4. Scen. 1. Musicke Enter Florio and Meshant Florio THe Queene is all for reuelles her light heart Vnladen from the heauinesse of state Bestowes it selfe vpon delightfulnesse Me. She followes her creation and her sexe In my conceit it is as vile a thing To see the worthy modell of a woman Who had not beene at all but to giue life And stirring spleene to mans allacrity To sit orewhelmd with thought with darke amuze And the sad sullennesse of a grieued dislike As to behold an old man in his furres Whose well spent youth hath giuen his age full strength To be his countries best physitian To caper to his graue and with vaine gaudes Trick vp his coffin and vpon his tombe To leaue no knowledge but his leuitie Flo. T is true indeed and nature in her selfe Doth giue vs still distaste in contraries And in my thoughts it is as base to see a woman man As see a man a long roab'd feminine Me. Well we forget our selues my Lord What is the musicke ready I pray you command the guard to take their halberts in their hands the Vshers should haue seene this roome perfum'd in faith they are too negligent here comes the Queene Enter the Queene Mariana and waiting women Philocles and other Lords the King disguised like one of the guard at the one end of the stage and the Duke so likewise disguised at the other end of the Stage Qu. Loud musicke there and let the God of Harmony Rauish our senses with delightfull aires Tun'd to the musicke of the higher spheare And with that mortall signe rarely shew The ioyes in Ioues high court to feast the Gods Making that place abound in happinsse Come noble Philocles I ceaze you first Mariana there are choice of other Lords In gracing you it is the king I grace Ma. Come honest Lord t is you must stand to me The Queene in mine doth challenge interest And I must flie for shelter to my friends Me. And I le be glad to be your couerture Ma. O no my Lord not till the weather change Me. Wel when you please meane time you do me grace Qu. Nay my Lord ther 's a Lady worth the handling Sound musicke then fill earth with heauens pleasure Cyp. My Queene is out of time though she keep measure Heere they daunce the first straine Epi. Be luckie villainie Hit now the marke that mine ambition aimes at Me thinks I see that leane Italian diuell iealousie daunce In his eies possesse him spirit of rage Mufflle his vnderstanding with black thoughts Let passion gouerne reason falshood truth Obliuion hide his age hate kill his youth Epy. Thou dauncest on my heart lasciuious Queene Euen as vpon these rushes which thou treadest See how her motions winde about his eies And doth present to him her passions Now doth her moistning palme glow in his hand And courts him vnto dalliance she dies t is iust Shee 's slaue to murder that is slaue to lust Epi. Thou curse of greatnesse waking ei'd suspition Now help thy poore friends murder and ambition The first straine ends Qu. This straine contain'd a preticke change Proceed vnto the next They daunce the second Cyp. Sinne follows sin and change on change doth wait Thy change doth change my loue to cruell hate Here in this straine Mariana came to Philocles Phi. Madam methinks this change is better then the first Ma. I if the musicke would not alter it Qu. Methinks t is worse come we wil haue another strain They daunce againe Phi. I pleas'd let vs proceed Cyp. Riuals in crownes and beds of kings must bleed Can that faire house containe so foule a guest As lust or cloake inordinate and base desires Vnder so faire a couerture O yes Women can blind our sense when we se best And set faire landskips on inconstancie Making vs blind with seeing the daunce ends Your sins are blackest breach of loue and friends Epy. Now to the king blow rage till it flame hate A polititian thriues the best in state Exit Epyre and enters to the King againe Qu. Come sweet Prince Philocles Deuise some new delights to shorten time This dulnesse hath no relish in my sense It hath no pith and sloth in my conceit Is but a tipe of pride in best constructions Ma. Madame I le stand that a faire woman must bee proud or else a foole Phi. I would faine heare that I'faith Qu. Thy reason wench I pray the come disburse Ma. A woman faire is like a full blowne rose Qu. Which holds the faire no longer then it growes Ma. A woman faire is like the finest gold Phi. Which kept from vse is good though nere so old Ma. Nay good Lord leaue a little She that is