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
stile him prest among Our Souldiers as they were returning back After a small repulse Encouraged them Though it was much superfluous and got honour Perhaps not so deservingly But 't was well Oniate Your Souldier speakes his glory even with wonder Velasco The ignorant are prone to it But sir I thinke in our whole armie there fought none But who had equall spirit Fortune may Bestow successe according to her dotage I answere not for that San. This is pure Castile But what is his birth Country qualitie And whether is he bound Velasco I seldome trouble My language with vaine questions Some report It not imports who are the Authors that His Country's Sicily his name Ascanio Or else some sound like that that he 's a Lord But what 's an Island Lord and that he came Into our continent to learne men and manners And well he might for the All-seeing sunne Beholds no Nation fiercer in attempt More stay'd in councell Oniate He 's of a brave presence I never saw more Majestie in youth Nor never such bold courage in a face So fashion'd to delight San. The Queene commends him Almost with wonder Velosco Did the Queene regard A man unknowne Oniate His mirits spoke his worth And well might challenge a particular eye San. But his as if in that dumbe Oratory He hoped to talke all th' history of love Still sixt upon her Velasco Your most humble servant Exit Velasco Oniate This is abrupt San. What most pollitique flea Is got into his Donships eare Oniate Now must The Junto sit till midnight till they racke Some strange designe from this intelligence Enter Cleantha and offers to goe out San. Nay on my honour Madam Clean. Good my Lord San. Benight us not so soone The short liv'd day That gives the Russian in the winter hope Of heate yet failes him not so suddenly Forsakes the firmament Stay fairest Madam That we may looke on you and live Clean. My Lord I feare you two were serious San. Never I Upon my Conscience Madam Oniate No I le sweare Nor none of the whole forme of you at Court Unlesse the stratagem be for a Mistresse A fashion or some cheating match at Tennice Clean. But happily that Gentleman had businesse His face betrayes my judgement if he be Not much in project San. You mistake him Madam Though he talke positive and bustle 'mong The Sober Lords pretend to Embassies And state designes all day He 's one of us At night Hee 'le play hee 'le drink you guesse the rest Hee 'le quarrell too then underhand compound Why for a need hee 'le jeere and speake profane Court and then laugh at her he courted Madam Forgive him his pretence to gravitie And he 's an absolute Cavalier Clean. My Lord He owes you for this faire certificate Yet I feare your character 's beyond his merit Oniate Madam dissemble not so great a vertue Nor to obey the tyrannie of custome Become the Courts faire hypocrite I know This vanitie for fashion sake you weare And all those gayeties you seeme t' admire Are but your laughter Clean. Sir your charitie Abuseth you extreamely Oniate Come you cannot Disguise that wisedome which doth glory in The beautious mansion it inhabits Madam This soule of mine how course so ere t is cloath'd Tooke th' honor to admire you soone as first You shin'd at Court Nor had a timorous silence So long denied me to professe my service But that I fear'd I might be lost i th' crowde Of your admirers Clean. Nor can I perceive Any strong hope now to the contrary Oniate Nor I But give me licence t' undeceive The world that so mistakes you This young Lord Flatters his folly that indeed you are Sicke of that humor you but counterfeite Beleeves y' are fraile and easie since if not His courtship were without designe Cleant. My Lord What meanes the Gentleman He hopes to talke me Into a vertue I neere practis'd yet And much suspect I never shall San. Pray Madam Pardon his ignorance t is want of breeding Onia. Pardon your mirth faire Madam and brush off This honor'd dust that soyles your company This thing whom Nature carelessely obtruded Upon the world to teach that pride and folly Makes titular greatnesse th' envie but of fooles The wise mans pitty Sanmar. Sir your words are rude Oniate Sure no my Lord Perhaps in times of yore They might be conster'd so when superstition Worship'd each Lord an idoll Now we finde By sad experience that you are meere men If vice debauch you not to beasts San. The place Is privileg'd sir Oniat. I know it is and therefore speake thus boldly If you grow hot you have your grots my Lord And in your Villa you may domineere Ore th' humble Countrie Gentleman who stands A loofe and bare Clean. My Lord leave off the combat Yea 're hard matcht And see the Lord Florentio Enter Florentio and Velasco The Queene attends his comming Sir voule finde A more convenient schoole to reade this lecture Oniate But none so beatifull to heare me Exeunt severall wayes Sanmartino Cleantha and Oniate Floren. And are you sure my Lord he durst presume To looke up at her Velasco Yes and she commends His person and his spirit Floren. T was too much T' observe his person Sure his spirit 's great And well may challenge the Queenes memorie I have not seene him yet Velasco Nor I my Lord Flor. He had a fortune gentler far than mine In envie of that service which I vowed To Arragon heaven used a strangers arme In this great action I was judged a thing Unfit for use Velasco Your glory was the greater Your courage even opposing 'gainst your fate In the attempt Floren. But yet mistaking man Esteemes the happie onely valiant And if the Queene Velasco should smile on His merits and forget that love I have With such religion payd her But these doubts Are impious and I sinne if I but listen To their disloyall whispers And behold Enter the Queene Floriana Cleanitha c. She opens like a rocke of Diamond To th' curious search of th' almost banckrout merchant So doth the Pilot finde his starre when stormes Have even sunck his barke Divinest Madam Queen Welcome my Lord But pardon me my joyes If I must interrupt you with a sigh I cannot looke upon Florentios arme But I must grieve it bled for me Flo. O spare The treasure of those teares Some captive King Whom fortune hath lockt up in iron wants One such to buy his freedome Madam all Those streames of blood which flow to warme my earth Least it congeale to death cannot compare For value with the least drop shed for you By such a quarrell made inestimable Queene The warre I see hath onely beene the field To exercise your fancie Your discourse Shewes that the Court was kept beneath your tent Yet cannot I my Lord be jealous but T is mingled with some love Floren. T is a pure love Unmixt as is the
eare And doe not forfeite Your servant to perpetuall misery For want of a short patience Queene No my Lord I have the memory of your great deedes Ingrav'd so deepe no errour can have power To raze them from a due respect You beg'd To have a pardon speake th' offenders name Ascan. Th' offenders name is Love His crime high treason A plot how to surprize and wound your heart To this conspirator I have given harbour And vow'd to begge your mercy for him Queen How Asca. And if you breake your grant I will hereafter Scorne all your Sex since the most excellent Is cruell and inconstant Queen Pray my Lord Goe recollect your reason which your passion Hath too much scatter'd Make me not have cause To hate whom I would ever strive to honour Ascanio Madam you haply scorne the vulgar earth Of which I stand compacted And because I cannot adde a splendor to my name Reflective from a royall pedegree You interdict my Language But be pleas'd To know the ashes of my ancestors If intermingled in the Tombe with Kings Could hardly be distinguisht The Starres shoote An equall influence on the open cottage Where the poore sheepheards childe is rudely nurst And on the cradle where the Prince is rockt With care and whisper Queen And what hence inferre you Ascanio That no distinction is 'tweene man and man But as his vertues adde to him a glory Or vices cloud him Queen But yet heaven hath made Subordination and degrees of men And even religion doth authorize us To rule and tells the subject t is a crime And shall meete death if he disdaine obedience Ascan. Kinde heaven made us all equall till rude strength Or wicked pollice usurp'd a power And for Religion that exhorts t' obey Onely for its owne ease Queen I must not heare Such insolence 'gainst Majestie And yet This lesse offends than love Ascanio If reason bends You not to mercie let my passion plead And not meete death from her in whose faire quarrell I could each moment bring a life to th' hazard Philosophie hath taught me that content Lives under the course thatch of Labourers With much more quiet then where the fam'd hand Of Artists to the life have richly drawne Upon the roofes the fictions of the Gods How happie then might I lengthen my life With some faire Country Girle so ignorant She knew not her owne beauties Rather than Indanger death and scorne in your deniall And in your grant nothing but pompe and envie Quee. My Lord be wise and study that best content This bold presumptuous love hath cancell'd all The bonds I owed your valour henceforth hope Not for that usuall favour I shew strangers Since you have thus abused it would I might With safety have appear'd more gratefull Exit Asca. She 's gone as life from the delinquent when Justice sheathes up her sword I faine would have Conceal'd lov's treason but desire t' obtaine her Put me to th' torture till each Nerve did cracke And I confest then dy'd upon the racke Exeunt Actus Quartus Scena Prima Enter Cleantha and Floriana Floria. THy pride is such a flatterer of thy beautie That no man sighes by accident but thou Dost pitty as enamor'd Clean. Floriana Not so kind natured surely I have put The sighes of Courtiers in a scale and finde Some three score thousand may weigh downe a fether I' have tryed their teares which though of briny taste Can onely season th' hearts of fooles not women Their vowes are like their duells ever grounded Upon the idlest quarrell Floria. This experiences Perhaps instructs you to But yet your pride I feare is over easie to beleeve T is meerely to flye idlenesse that my Lord Hath troubled you with courtship If the Queene Would make a statesman she might cure a Lover Want of imployment made him dreame on beauty And yours came first t' his fancie Clean. I begin To thinke his making love but vanitie And a mistake in wit Floria. And you begin Perhaps to feare it Clean. True perhaps I doe For though we care not for the Lover yet We love the passion Though we scorne the offering We grieve to see it throwne away and envie If consecrated to another Woman Hath no revenge 'gainst th' injurie of custome Which gives man superioritie but thus To foole him to subjection Floria. Yet Cleantha I could have wisht your charitie had spared This triumph o're my Lord Clean. You see I take The next way to redeeme him This the houre And this the place Here he resolves to raise A trophe in my ruine And behold Enter Sanmartino winding up his watch The just man of his promise Not a minute He failes when sinne 's the payment Floria. I le indanger His vertue to a blush And happily Convert an Infidell Clean. This is my province Nor shall you envie me the honour of A worke of meritorious Let him walke A while and sinne with his owne fancie Then I le undertake him and if there be neede Be you prepared to assist me Floria. Thou dost build Such Forts on the opinion of thy wit Exeunt Floriana and Clean San. T is a full houre and halfe a minute over And yet she not appeares How we severe Strickt Creditors in love stand on the minute But yet the paiment never comes unwelcome Untill the gold through age grow soule and rustie We stand not on a graine or two too light Enter Dwarfe Now your discovery Dwarfe My Lord I have Made search in every Ally every Arbour Not left a bush wherein my littlenesse Could creepe without due scrutinie And yet No whispering of taffetie No dazeling Of your bright Mistresse forc't me to a wincke I saw no mortall beautie San. Sure shee 'le not Be so unworthy to delude me now Dwarfe But I had a more prosperous fate in love My Lord I met my mistresse San. You a mistresse Dwarfe A Mistresse to whose beauty I have payd My vowes most fervent vowes ere since I was Of stature fit to be an Amorist San. One of the Maides of honor to Queene Mab Dwar. Your Lordship guesses neere For she is one o th' Chamberers to her Fayrie Majestie A Ladie of most subtle wit who while She puts a handkerchiefe or gorget on Her little highnesse holds intelligence Abroad and orders payment for the Spies She raiseth factions and unites the angry She 's much upon designe San. Where found you her Dwarf Walking alone under the shadow of A Tulip and inveying 'gainst Court Arts 'Cause one of Oberons Groomes had got from her The Monopoly of transporting gnats A project she long aym'd at San. No more fooling I am growne angry with my patience Boy sing those verses were presented me This morning Dwarf I will creepe behind a bush And then for voyce vie with the Nightingale If seene I am so bashfull Sanmar. Take your way Song Without As the Song ends Enter Cleantha veil'd She breakes forth like the Morning in a Cloud