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
to range But men like to the moone each month must change Yet we must seeke that naught their sight displeases And mixe our wedlock sweetes with loathd diseases When we consume our selues and our best beauty All our reward is why t' was but our duty Phi. Iudge not so hard of all for some offendors For you are subiect to the selfe same crimes Of men and women alwaies haue bene had Some good of each Ma. But for the most part bad Therefore I le haue none at all but die a perfit maide Phi. That humour like a flower soone will fade Once did mine owne thoughts sing to that delight Till loue and you reformd my barbarousnesse Therefore deere Lady pitty my wounded heart Ma. A Surgeon here for this loue-wounded man How deep 's your vlcerd orifice I pray you tell Phi. Quite thorow my heart Ma. T' is strange and looke so well Yet Ladies eies haue power to murder men And with one smile to make them whole agen Achilles launce to a haire but doe you loue me prince Phi. Deerer then my soule Ma. Would I could loue you Phi. Madame so you may Ma. As yet I cannot therefore let me goe Phi. O do not leaue me grant me but one request And here I vow by that diuinest power The salt-seas glorious issue whose bright spheare Rules my sick heart and knowes my chast intent That if you please t' impose on me that taske Which neither men nor monster can atchieue Which euen Angels haue a dread to touch Deedes which outstretch all possibility S'foot more then can be thought and I 'le effect Or else I 'le perish in th' accomplishment Ma. Let your request fit virgin modesty And you obey your vow I am content To giue your thoughts contented happinesse Phi. T' is but a kisse I aske a minutes ioy Ma. Now Cupid help thee is thy griefe for this Keep thy strong vow freely take a kisse He kisses her Phi. I haue obtaind my heauen and in this touch I feele the breath of all delitiousnesse Then freely giue the sentence of my worke Muster vp all the engins of your wit Teach Iuno rules beyond malitiousnesse What eare it be I 'le die but I 'le performe it Ma. Thou shalt not kil thy selfe nor fight with monsters Nor bring the great Turkes berd to shew thy zeale Thy life thou shalt not hazard for my loue Nor will I tie thee to an endlesse taske But euen with ease and gentle rangled knots Thou shalt vntwind thy clew of miseries Phi. Let it haue passage madame giue me my doome Ma. Then Philocles knit silence to my words And marke thy doome for thus my strickter will Loads griefe vpon thy vainer leuity Hence for the space and compasse of one yeare Thou shalt abiure the liberty of speech Thou shalt not speake for fully twelue months space For friend nor foe for danger nor for death But liue like aire with silent emptinesse Breake thou this vow I 'le hold thee for a villaine And all the world shall know thy periury Phi. Be heauen and earth a witnesse of my vow And mine eternall silence I am dumbe Ma. Why so now shal I not be troubled with vaine chat Or idle prate of idle wantonnesse For loue I cannot therefore t is in vaine Would all my sutors tongues I thus could raine Then should I liue free from faind sighes and groanes With O take pitty t is your seruant moanes And such harsh stuffe that frets me to the heart And sonnets made of Cupids burning dart Of Venus lip and Iunoes maiestie Then were I freed from fooles and foolerie In May the cuckoe sings then sheel 'e come hither Her voice and yours will rarely tune together Exit Mariana Enter Florio Flo. Prince Philocles the king would speake with you Speakes louder louder Prince Philocles the king would speake with you Prince Philocles the king would speake with you Philocles strikes Florio and fels him Flo. The pox rot off your fingers for this blow It is coronation day thorow all my scull There 's such a fatall ringing in my braine Has woone the selt has laid fiue fingers on But t was a knauish part of him to play so Heare me you Gods for this my open wrong Make short his fingers as you haue his tongue Exit Flo. Enter Meshant alone Me. T is not mans fortune enuy or neglect Which makes him miserable but t is meane fate Euen sole predestination a firme gift Fixt to his birth before the world was made For were it otherwise then within our liues We should finde some distractions errours change And other toies of much vncertaintie But my mishaps are fixt so to my blood They haue no sire but my creation The Queene out of suspition that my loue First set an edge vpon the Kings desires And made him wooe her with a victors sword Casts me from fauour seazes all my lands And turnes my naked fortunes to the cold The King made proud with purchase of his wish Neglects my sufferance for him and ore lookes The low-tide of my fortunes lest my woes Should speake my wrongs to his ingratitude The whil'st those lords whose supple hams haue bow'd To doe me formal reuerence now despise And sleight me in their meanest compliments O t is a torment more then hell yet knowes To be an honest flatterer or to liue A saint in Limbo which that I may preuent I le be nor best nor worst but all indifferent But here comes a noble man I must turne petitioner Enter Florio My Lord may I not see the king Flo. You may not His maiestie is now downe prest with seriousnesse As for your suit it is with Prat the Orator I heard his highnesse giue him a speciall charge For your dispatch with fauour Me. O but he doth neglect And sleights me like his weake orations And by your Lordships leaue I do not thinke His wisedome worthy of the conference Flo. Nay if you will correct the kings coyne you are not for my conference Fare you well Exit Florio Me. Why and fare you well S'foot this is more then strange That being grieu'd I may not say i 'me paind Enter Alphonso But heere comes another Mine honorable Lord May I not haue some conference with the king Alp. You may not businesse of greater waight Imports both him and vs nay pray you cease As for your suit t is with the Orator Me. Yet methinkes t were meet Alp. That you would rather trouble him then me Me. It s strange Alp. It s strange indeed to see you wrong your ease I am not now for idle conferences adiew Exit Alph. Me. Why this is court grace to men in misery And thus these taile-lesse Lions with their roare Affright the simple heard O I could now Turne rebell gainst their pride Enter Epire. But heere comes the Duke My gratious Lord vouchsafe to heare my griefes Epy. For Gods loue cease your trouble wee are all Troubled with griefes
that 's the most Lo. What is he gone Co. He is Enter Alphonso in his shirt Lo. Why then come forth poore naked Lord. Alp. What is he gone may the Diuell and his hornes both follow him Lo. He is gone but yet he hath discouered your treason Alp. How Co. Yes and in reuenge thereof hath vow'd that in this naked sort as you are you shall doe penance through the Citie for your sinne of vnchastitie Alp. I pray thee leaue thy womans phrase and speake like a man plainly plainly Lo. Then plainly thus he is gone and hath taken away your apparell Alp. Vpon what accident Lo. This when your negligence had left your cloathes vpon my bed he espied them taskt me for the owner I in excuse told him it was a suite brought by my gossip to be sold hee straight like a childe proud of a new coate presently puts it on presently is sent for to the Senat and at this present hath left you that the world may behold your naked doings Alp. I would it were washt in the bloud of a Centaure that when he puts it off his skinne might follow it but how shall I get to my chamber Lo. Truly I know not except you wil weare a smocks vpper-coate Alp. What a petticote you mad me with your mirth Lo. Then seriously thus as he hath tane your cloathes you must take his and let the world know you haue had more then fidlers fare for you haue meat money and cloth Alp. Sfoote how shall I looke in this Diuels suite sure I shall grow sick to see my shape Lo. Well extremity must then be your physick but come you shall attire your selfe in my chamber Exit Alp. Co. and Colo. Me. Are these the winding turnes of female shames Loose womans gamboles and the tricks of sinne And are we borne to beare these suffrages O hee that 's tide vnto a brothell bed Feeles his worst hell on earth and may presume There is no sicknes like his pestilence Well what the issue of this iest will proue My wit but yet conceiues and after time Shall perfit it and giue it liberty In such sort that if it true fire strike A world of Apes shall study for the like Ex. Enter the Duke of Epire alone Epy. My thoughts are troubled Ioy forsakes me quite And all my meditations are reuenge Ambition and fell murder ioyne in me And aid each other to vntwine a state And make whole millions proue vnfortunate Now must I practise court art flattery And wisely temporise with blackest deedes I le smile and stab now weepe then laugh then frowne And with sly tricks of state kill all suspition Diuels must seeme like Angels saith ambition The blackest thoughts I le study to excell Crownes and reuenge haue made men diue to hell My plot is currant and it cannot misse Whilst wisedome windes me on the clew of blisse The King shall kill the Queene that acted right I soone will turne his brightest day to night Hee s simple honest and loues downy rest Then he must fall t is policie in state To hurle them downe are blest with happy fate Thus each shall scourge himselfe with his owne rod Who is all policie auowes no God Who is within there hoe Enter Florio Flo. Did your grace call Epy. I did where is the King Flo. He is in his priuie chamber playing at chesse Epy. Go straight and tell him I must speake with him And say my businesse doth import great haste Flo. I goe my Lord. Epy. Be a blest Mercury now mount thee vp my spirit And shew thy selfe a Polititian Let slaunder rule thy tongue enuy thy hart And let destruction be thy period Of what thou speakst for this my maxim is But rule no heauen and but reuenge no blisse Enter Cypres Florio and attendants Cy. Here comes the King my Lord we must be priuat Remoue your hearings from our conference Now speake my Lord speake freely as to heauen Epy. First with my knee I kisse this prostrate earth And humbly beg that which my tongue shall speake So it proceede from loue and vassallage May beare a pardon or forgetfulnes Cy. You haue it arise discharge an open breast Epy. O my dread Liege my speech will make you sad And Kings doe seldome rellish their distastes And from that sadnes such a storme will rise As will euen droune vp all credulity O that my loyall hart could couer sinne Or that my tongue inured vnto griefe Might lose his spleene ere it distemper you But loue and mine alleagance bid me speake Cy. Then speake and doe not rack me with delay Epy. Women why were you made for mans affliction The first that euer made vs taste of griefe And last of whom in torments we complaine You diuels shapt like Angels through whose deedes Our forked shames are made most visible No soule of sense would wrong bright Maiesty Nor staine their bloud with such impurity Cy. Nay good Lord leaue this Allegorick speech And giue me knowledge from a plainer phrase Epy. Then plainly thus your bed is prest with lust I know you doe not credit nay what 's more I know you hate me for my vertuousnes Your Queene behaues her like a curtezan I know you hold me for a vild imposter O foolish zeale that makes me be so fond To leaue my faith vnto black censuring O she hath sinn'd and done a double wrong To you to her and sacred chastity Cy. Duke thou art valiant and with a valiant mind Slander is worse then theft or sacrilidge Nay more then murder or the height of treason A step beyond the vtmost plagues in hell Then thou which in that nature wrongst a Queene Deseru'st a scourge beyond their punishments Vertue should kill thee now Epy. Nay doe my brest is bare vnto thy steele Kill me because I loue thee and speake true Is this the merit of a Romane faith For this haue I obseru'd pried in vnto And searcht each secret shift of vanity Nay pray you kill me faith I le patient stand Liue still a monster hold shame in your hand Cy. Speake a word more a King shal be thy death Epy. Death is a slaue to him that is resolud And my soule loathes this seruile flattery Nor will I couer such intemperate sinne But to the world make them and that transparent Vnlesse your selfe will seeke to right your selfe Cy. Thou hast awakt me and thy piercing words Haue split my sense in sunder yet what ground ha Remaines wheron to ground suspition a cuckold cuckold Epy. Your absence is the baud to her desires For their maskes dauncings gaming banquetting Strange priuate meetings and all toâ—…fes in loue As wanton speeches to stirre Appetite And all inchantments that inflame desire When you returne then all is husht and still And she demurely walkes like vertues Ghost Before your face shee s like a Puritane Behind your back a blushes curtezan Cy. O I haue drunck in poison at mine eares which makes my
the Queene Mariana and other Ladies Qu. My Lord the Duke your presence and my wish Iumpe in an euen line together come we must to cardes I haue some crownes I needs must lose to you Epy. I humbly beseech your highnesse pardon me I haue important businesse of the Kings Which doth command mine instant diligence Ma. Brother indeede you shall attend the Queene Another time will serue those state dispatches Epy. Sister content you the affaires of state Must giue their best attendance on the times And great occurrents must not lose their minutes Ma. Now I le stand to it that to be a states man or a lawier is to be of the most thanklesse occupation that euer was deriu'd from humain inuention Que. Why I pray thee wench Ma. Because they bestow all the laborious toile of the minde vntill they be forty that they may liue imprison'd in a study chamber till they be fourescore onely this worlds Mammon which is great name and riches like a string betweene a gallie slaues legs is the only ease of their fetters Que. A notable construction of a noble labor but shall we not haue your company my Lord Epy. My seruice Madam but my presence the King hath imploid onely if you please I will send Prince Philocles to your Maiestie Que. No creature better for his skill in play Is equall with our knowledge good my Lord Send him to my priuy chamber presently Exit Queene and Mariana Enter Philocles Epy. I will and send affliction after him And see where he comes My Lord your presence hath Saued me much labour and a little care I was in quest for your faire company The Queene my Lord intreats you earnestly You will attend her in her priuy chamber Phi. Vnto what end Epy. Only to waste some time at cards with her The lasie howers stick heauy on her thoughts Which she would lose with some forgetfulnesse Phi. Faith play nere relisht worse within my thoghts I know not how but loaden heauinesse Drawes me to be in loue with melancholy Epi. The fitter for you with more light sports To chace that bloud consumer from your brest Who with a honnie poison doth deuoure And kill the very life of liuelihood Phi. T is true therfore shall your counsaile tutor me Where is her Maiesty Epy. Gone to her priuie chamber where she doth expect you Phi. I will attend her presently Exit Phi. Epy. Doe and I will attend thee to thy graue Poore shallow Lord by much too vertuous Hoe whose within there Enter Florio Flo. Your graces pleasure Epy. Go tell his Maiesty that I must speake with him Flo. I go Enter aloft to cardes the Queene and Philocles Que. Come my Lord take your place here are cards and here are my crownes Phi. And here are mine at what game will your Maiesty play Qu. At mount saint Phi. A royall game and worthy of the name And meetest euen for Saincts to exercise Sure it was of a womans first inuention Qu. It is not Saint but Cent taken from hundreds Phi. True for mongst millions hardly is found one saint Qu. Indeede you may allow a double game But come list for the dealing it is my chance to deale Phi. An action most most proper to your sex Enter Cypres Cy. How now my waking dragon thou whose eies Doe neuer fall or close through Lethean sleepe What is there a Hercules that dare to touch Or enter the Hesperian Rosaries Epy. Speak softly gentle Lord behold behold The sillie birds are tangled in your snare And haue no way to scape your punishment See how her eies doe court him and his lookes pay to her loue a double interest fie fie they are toe blame Que. What are you my Lord Phi. Your highnes seruant but misfortunes slaue Que. Your game I meane Phi. Nothing in show yet somewhat in account Madam I am blanke Qu. You are a double game and I am no lesse there 's an hundred all cards made but one knaue Epy. Marke that of my life she meanes your Maiesty Cy. True I know she holds me as her varlet And that I am imperfit in her game But my reuenge shall giue me better place Beyond the hate of her foule impudence Epy. Nay good my Lord obserue they will confirme you better Qu. What 's your game now Phi. Foure Kings as I imagine Qu. Nay I haue two yet one doth me little good Phi. Indeed mine are 2 Queenes one I le throw away Epy. Doth your Maiesty marke that You are the King that she is wearie of And my sister the Queene that he will castaway Phi. Can you decard Madam Qu. Hardly but I must doe hurt Phi. But spare not any to confirme your game Epy. Would you haue more plaine proofe of their foule treason They doe not plot your highnes death alone Cy. But others which they thinke depend on me Epy. My selfe and those which doe you seruices They are bloudy minded yet for my selfe Were it not for your saftie I could wish You would remit and blot these errors out In hope that time would bring them to more vertue Cy. O then thou didst not loue me nor thy faith Tooke hold vpon my scandals fie I am mad Sham'd and disgrac't all wit-stung wisdomlesse Within there ho Enter Florio Flo. Did your maiesty call Cy. Go instantly nay doe not looke sad or pale Neither dispute with me nor with thy thoughts But as thou lou'st thy life effect my will Call all my guard ascend the Queenes priuie chamber And in my name arrest her and Prince Philocles of treason Make no delay but in thy diligence Shew how thou dost respect me arrested once Conuey them vnto straitest prison away Exit Florio For you my Lord go instantly prepare And summon all the Princes of our land Vnto an instant Parliament where we Will haue them both condemn'd imediately Without their answeres plaints or pitiousnes Since womens teares doe blunt reuenges sword I will not see nor heare thē speake one word Ex. Cy. Epy. Enter Florio and a guard aloft to the Queene and Philocles Flo. Madam and Prince Philocles in the Kings name I arrest you both of high treason Phi. He lies that saith I euer knew the word Que. I pray thee doe not affright me gentle Lord Thy words doe cary death euen in their sound Flo. Madam I am most sorrie t is my fortune But what I doe is by the Kings commission Que. Whence is that warrant grounded or what 's our treason Flo. I am his instrument but not his counsailor Que. Witnesse my teares that I am innocent Phi. Madam be patient that we doe not know Wee haue no cause to grieue at as for enuies toile Let her euen break her owne gall with desire Our innocence is our preuention Be cheerefull Madam t is but some villains sound Made onely to amaze not to confound And what must wee doe my Lord Flo. To prison are the words of my commission Phi. Then