what a begger wealth How scorn'd a nothing that proud state we doate on Time laughes us out of greatnesse and shuts up Our wide designes in a darke narrow roome Whence when the valiant Monarch shall creepe forth He will like some poore coward hide his eyes And hope to scoulke away But these are thoughts And now 't is time for Action Enter Souldier to Decastro Soul If your Lordship Will please for some few moments to retire Into your tent her Majestie in person Will give you parly here Decast. In person sir The favour beares some omen she who in The tempest of misfortune still did spread Her saile at large why doth she strike them now The winde so prosperous This is a descent Beneath her greatnesse Souldier I reach not my Lord The misteries of Princes but this message She charg'd me to returne Decast. The Acts of Princes Are govern'd often by as fraile a Passion As those are of the vulgar the same rage That stirres two footmen to a fray creates Warre betweene Kingdomes but the zealous subject Gazing a farre on th' actions of the proud Finds towres and Lyons in an emptie cloud But I le obey her leisure Watch you here Till you discover her advanc'd this way Exit Decast. Enter Ascanio Florentio Floren. Sir you created me and rais'd me up Toth ' state of Duke when I was common dust And had not fortune given me interest i th' favour of the Queene I had continued In the worst fate of man ingratitude Now I can boast I have restored you backe A love rich as the bounty you showred on me 'T is all the stocke of my poore life Ascanio Sad fate That I must wound thee to the heart to cure My Leprosie with thy blood Florentio search i th' stocke of women there 's some other beauty Floren. O no! no other Ascanio I le endow her with The wealth of all Castile Floren. Poore emptie nothing Ascan. If Soveraignetie be th' Idoll of thy soule I will devide my Kingdome thou shalt raigne As independant as my selfe Floren. Great sir Continue but your favour and my starres Cannot afford a greatnesse equalls it The treasures of th' ambitious are the scorne Of those who seriously contemplate life My fortunes high enough And now my thoughts Grow temperate not for th' Empire of the East Which yet retaines the treasures man enjoy'd Ere he grew blacke with sinne would I have wanted This blest occasion to expresse the zeale I owe my Prince Here with as free a soule I give her to your Armes as ere you threw A smile upon my service Ascanio Thankes deere friend That word must speake our loves by this great gift Thou hast redeem'd me from the torture and Possest me of the fairest Floren. O! Ascanio The fairest Nature ere made for wonder Floren. She is faire Ascanio Injoying her thy King shall live who else Were desperate beyond cure He shall be envied And every yeare as age threatens decay He shall regaine new life from her Florentio Beleev 't there 's miracle in such a beauty Floren. Surely there is Enter Queene Sanmar Oniate Cleantha Floriana And see sh' appeares How like some heavenly vision That kills with too much glorie Ascanio Stand still and wonder with me Queene Cleantha O the prodigie And how Wilt thou endure his serious face Canst thou Whom nothing tempted but wit parcell guilt And the last fashion suffer Oniate Clean. Madam I undertake him for a pennance Perhaps he was enjoyned me Queene It was love You went to shrift with then And yet how that Young wanton idlenesse should counsell you To this conversion still is more my riddle Clean. The Court is full of wonders Madam and T is hansome to doe things extravagant Queen But how in th' heate of warre your thoughts should be So apt for loves impression Clean. Love will dance As nimbly to the Trumpet Fife or Drum As to those many Violins which play So loud at Court Moreover it concern'd My safety I so streightly was beseig'd And by so strong a Caesar Queen O my Lord I am inform'd with how fierce a spirit You doe assault our Ladies Sanmar. Pray your mercie And if your Majestie will please to banish The Art of making love quite from the Court I le not be out of fashion Queen For your sake I will contrive it so And good my Lord Will you begin th' example you will see How soone the fine young Lords will follow you Your pardon sir had I but seene your highnesse I had not lost so much of language from A most expressive gratitude Ascanio Madam you pay a triviall debt with too great intrest For how contem'd a slightnesse was my life Untill imploy'd to serve you Florentio She glanced this way And Loves Artillery playd from her eye Unhappie banchrout what a Kingdome have I forfeited So often in a calme Some vessell rich in fraught and proud in saile Doth spring a sudden leake and sinckes for ever Ascanio But Madam is there hope your heart can yeeld To an exchange in love My title 's good Florentio having given up his claime Enter Decostro c. Queen But sir th' estate is still my owne nor have I neede to sell it But Decastro's here And if your Majestie will daigne your presence Unto the parley 't will advance the honour And purpose of our meeting Ascanio I 'me your servant Queen My Lord you see how neere the safetie of Our subjects toucheth us We can stoope thus Beneath our Majestie and enter parley Even with a Rebell Decast. Madam 't is in vaine To hold dispute gainst what you will condemne And it were insolence to boast my power Or speake my right now when the hearts of all men Confirme the justice of my taking Armes Cast but your eye on this vast body which The Kingdome doth unite in my defence And see how ruinous is your errour that Must leane to forraigne succors Queen T is a refuge Your practice forc't me to Decast. But would your highnesse Had lent a gentler ear the safe counsell Of him who had no crime but too much love Ascanio My Lord that word fell rudely from your tongue And I may say unmannerly T is duty You owe the Queene Decast. Right sir an humble duty Ambitious to expose my life to dangers Greater than any other soule dares fancie Ascanio Pray stay Florention this is now my cause And I proud man will tell you your great heart Doth want expansion to receive a love Worthy her scorne Decast. And I will answere you Proud Monarch of Castile what mold Soever Nature casts me in my mind Is vaster than your empire And I can Love equally with him whose name did Conquer Kingdomes as large as yours Ascanio Your Majestie Must licence here my rage to teach his folly Presumptuous folly a submisse repentance Decast. Sir here I stand prepar'd A shout within Queen What noise is that Oniate The Cities all in Mutinie and vow To
THE QUEENE OF ARRAGON A Tragi-Comedie LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes for William Cooke and are to be sold at his shop at Furnivals Inne gate in Holburne 1640 The Actors Names THe Queene of Arragon Decastro Generall of the Forces of Arragon in love with the Queene Ossuna Friend to Decastro Florentio Generall of the Forces of Castile enamor'd on the Queene Velasco a great Commander under Florentio Ascanio the King of Castile disguisd Lerma a Noble man Privie to his disguise Oniate a sober Courtier Sanmartino a halfe witted Lord Browfilldora Dwarfe to Sanmartino Floriana wife to Sanmartino Cleantha a wittie Court Lady Captaine Servants Severall Souldiers The Prologue at Court HAd not obedience ov'r rul'd the Authors feare And Iudgement too this humble peece had nere Approacht so high a Majestie not writ By the exact and subtile rules of wit Ambitious for the splendor of this night But fashion'd up in hast for his owne delight This by my Lord with as much zeale as ere Warm'd the most loyall heart is offered here To make this night your pleasure although we Who are the Actors feare t will rather be Your patience and if any mirth we may sadly suspect t will rise quite the wrong way But you have mercy sir and from your eye Bright Madam never yet did lightning flye But vitall beames of favour such as give A growth to all who can deserve to live Why should the Authour tremble then or we Distresse our hopes and such tormentors be Of our owne thoughts since in those happie times We live when mercie 's greater than the crimes The Prologue at the Fryers ERe we begin that no man may repent Two shillings and his time the Author sent The Prologue with the errors of his Play That who will may take his money and away First for the Plot it 's no way intricate By crosse deceits in love nor so high in state That we might have given out in our Play-bill This day 's the Prince writ by Nick Machivill The Language too is easie such as fell Unstudyed from his pen not like a spell Bigge with misterious words such as inchant The halfe witted and confound the ignorant Then what must needes afflict the Amorist No Virgin here in breeches casts a mist Before her Lovers eyes No Ladies tell How their blood boyles how high their veines doe swell But what is worse no bawdy mirth is here The wit of bottle Ale and double Beere To make the wife of Citizen protest And Country Iustice sweare t was a good Iest Now sirs you have the errors of his wit Like or dislike at your owne perills be 't THE QVEENE OF ARRAGON Actus Primus Scena Prima Enter Sanmartino and Cleantha Clean. MY Lord le ts change the subject Love is worne So thred-bare out of fashion and my faith So little leanes to vowes San. The rage of time Or sicknesse first must ruine that bright Fabrique Nature tooke pride to build Clean. I thanke my youth then For th' tender of your service T is the last Good turne it did me But by this my feares Instruct me when the old bald man cal'd Time Comes stealing on me and shall steale away What you call beauty my neglected face Must be inforc't to goe in quest for a new Knight Errant San. Slander not my constant faith Nor doubt the care fate hath to stoppe the Motion Of envious Time might it indanger so Supreame a beautie Clean. Sure my Lord fate hath More serious businesse or Divines make bold T' instruct us in a scisme But grant I could Induce my selfe which I despaire I shall To heare and talke that emptie nothing Love I st now in season when an Armie lyes Before our Citie gates and every houre A battery expected Deere my Lord Let 's seale our testament and prepare for heaven And as I am inform'd by them who seeme To know some part o th' way Loves not the neerest Path that leades thither San. Madam he is but A Coward Lover whom or death or hell Can fright from 's Mistris And for danger now Threatning the Citie How can I so arme My selfe as by your favour proofe against All stratagems of warre Cleant. Your Lordship then Shall walke as safe as if a Lapland witch You will not envie me the honour of The metaphor preserv'd you shot-free But Who is your Confessor Yet spare his name His function will forgive the glory of it Sure he 's ill read in Cases to allow A married Lord the freedome of this Courtship San. Can you thinke Madam that I trust my sinnes But vertues are those loves I pay your beauty Toth ' councell of a Cassock Who hath art To judge of my confession must have had At least a Privie Chamberer to his Father We of the Court commit not as the vulgar Dull ignorant sinnes Then that I 'm married Madam Is rather safety to our Love Clean. My heart How sicke am I o th' sudden Good my Lord Call your dwarfe hither San. Garaganta Boy Enter Browfilldora Clean. Preethee thy pedegree San. Madam What meane you Clean. O any thing but to divert from Love Another word of Courtship and I swound Garag. My Ancestors were Giants Madam Giants Pure Spanish who disdain'd to mingle with The blood of Goth or Moore Their mighty actions In a small letter Nature Printed on Your little Servant Clean. How so very little Gar. By the decay of Time and being forc't From fertile pastures to the barren hills Of Biskay Even in trees you may observe The wonder which transplanted to a soile Lesse happie lose in groath Is not the once Huge body of the Roman Empire now A very Pigmie Cleant. But why change you not That so Gigantick name of Brumfilldora Gar. Spight of malignant Nature I le preserve The memory of my forefathers They shall live In me contracted San. Madam le ts returne To th' love we last discourst on Clean. This my Lord Is much more serious What course thing is that Enter Oniate and Floriana Flor. I owe you sir for th' pleasure of this walke Oniate Madam it was to me the highest honour Exit Oniate Clean. Welcome ó welcome to redeeme me What Can the best wit of woman fancie we Have beene discoursing of Floria. Sure not of love Clean. Of that most ridiculous hobby horse Love That foole that fooles the world That Spaniell Love That fawnes the more t is kickt San. Will you betray me Clean. Thy Lord hath so protested Floriana Vowed such an Altar to my beutie swoare So many oathes and such prophane oathes too To be religious in performing all That 's impious toward heaven and to a Ladie Most ruinous Floria. Good Cleantha all your detraction Winnes no beleefe on my suspition Cleant. Be credulous and be abused Floriana There 's no vice so great as to thinke him vertuous Goe mount your milke-white steede fit Lanceloi Your little squire attends you there In suburbs Inchanted Castles are where Ladies waite
him wanton with some suburbe Muse And Hypocrene flow with Canary billow Th' art high in feate of Arme San. Captaine I thinke I did my part Captain Base is the wight that thinkes Let Condes small in spirit drinke harsh sherry Then quarrel with promooting knights and fine for 't Thou art in mettall mighty tough as steele As Bilboe or Toledo steele Fight on Let Acres sincke and bancke of money melt Forsake thy Ladies lappe and sleepe with us Upon the bed of honour the chill earth T is that will make thee held a potent Peere Mong men o th' Pike of buffe and bandeliere San. Thou speakest brave language Captaine Captain I le maintaine T is Arragonian Conde Garagan. Captaine Cedar Though in thy language lofty give a shrub Leave to salute thee Sure we two are neere In blood and great attempt Don Hercules VVas as I read in Chaldeon Chronicle Our common Ancestor Don Hercules Who rifled Nimph on top of Apennine Captain Small Imp avant Garagan. Stout sturdie Oke that growes So high in field of Mars ô let no tempest Shake thee from hence And now I have with labour Attain'd thy language I le thy truchman be Interpret for thee to those smaller soules Who wonder when they understand not Soules Whom Courtiers gaudie outside captives And plume of Coronell Captain I must expire Not talke to fish Seest thou that man of match Though small in stature mighty he 's in soule And rich in gifts of mind though poore in robes Reward like Phillips heire his daring arme Which fetcht thee off from danger Once againe Most doughty Don adieu Garagan. Great Don Saltpeeter I am the servant of thy famed caliver San. These are strong lines Now friend Art thou o th' garison Soul If 't please your Lordship San. It doth not please me It is indifferent I care not what thou art Art thou extreamely poore Soul I ft please your Lordship San. No not that neither Why should I maligne So far thy fortune as to wish thee poore T were safer for my purse if thou wert rich Then all reward were base Soul I ft please your Lordship San. O no more Prologue Prethee the first Scene To th' businesse man Soul Then I must tell your Lordship I scorne that wealth makes you thus wanton and That wit which fooles you Did the royall favour Shine but on you without enlarging warmth To any other I in this torne outside Should laugh at you if insolent San. This is saucie Soul I tell thee petulant Lord I le cut thy throate Unlesse thou learne more honour San. What shall I doe Enter Floriana and Cleantha But see Cleantha Not to be made Grande VVould I she should discover me in parley VVith such course cloathes There fellow take that gold And let me see thy face no more Away Throwes backe the money Soul There t is agen I will not owe one houre Of mirth to such a bounty I can starve At easier rate than live beholding to The boast of any giver Lord I scorne Thee and that gold which first created thee Exit Sould. Flor. That Souldier seem'd to carry anger in His looke my Lord San. What should his anger move me Clean. O no my Lord The world speaks wonders of Your mighty puissance Flor. T is my joy y' are safe But why adventured you into this quarrell Cleant. The Queene will hardly thanke your valour since They of Castile profest themselves her Souldiers San. The Queene must pardon courage Men who are Of daring Spirit so they may but fight Examine not the cause Flori. She doth expect us Clean. I will attend her here For here she gives Decastro audience I must not loose This Lord yet it so neere concernes my mirth San. Madam I wonder with what confidence You after such an injury dare indanger Discourse with me Cleant. I injure you my Lord Whose favour I have courted with more Zeale Than well my Sexe can warrant Triumph not Too much upon my weakenesse cause you have Got victory ore my heart take not delight To make my griefe your sport San. Be witty still And keepe me for a Trophie of your pride I hope to see that beauty at an ebbe Where will be then your over-flow of servants You 'le then repent your pride Clean. O never never If you 'le particularize your vowes to me You who to th' title of the Courtly Lord Have added that of valiant And beshrew me She 's no good huswife of her fame that wants A daring servant Sanmar. This perhaps may worke Cleant. If she live single he preserves her name And scarce admits a whisper that the Jealous May conster points at her And if she marry He awes the husband if by chance or weaknesse She have offended San. This cannot be fiction Clean. Then if she use but civill complement To a Courtier Batchelor He streight be speakes The Licence and the Favours and calls in Some wit into his Councell for the Posie While I feele no tentation to such folly But with a married Lord San. How gentle Madam Clea. Our walkes are priviledg'd our whispers safe No feare of laying contracts to my charge Nor much of scandall And if there be cause Who is so fond a Ghamster of his life As meerely out of spleene to stake it But My Lord I now suspect you conster'd ill That language I used to your Lady when I told her of your love But I presume You were not so dull sighted as in that Not to discerne the best disguise for love San. What a suspicious asse was I How captious I nere mistrusted my owne wit before Mischiefe how dull was I Clean. Pray turne your face Away Now know when worth and valour are Led on by love to win my favour But The Queene Enter Queene Decastro Ossuna Floriana c. San. Divine Cleantha Noblest Lady Decast. Ossuna let me begge thy care Though we Bravely repulst the enemie They seeme To threaten a new assault Ossuna Command your servant Decast. Beare then a vigilant eye and by your scouts Learne if they any new attempt prepare Exit Ossuna May 't please your Majestie command these many Eares from your presence Queen Good my Lord you who Have power to guide your Queene may make our presence Or full or emptie as you please Decast. Then with Your licence Madam they may all with draw Queen Not with our licence If your usurped greatnesse Will banish all attendance from our person I must remaine alone But not a man Stirre hence with our good liking Decast. If your will Averse from sober councell would submit To safe advice Queen You have instructed it To more obedience than I guesse my birth Did ere intend But pray my Lord teach me To know my fault and I will finde amendment If not repentance for it Decast. Then great Madam I must acquaint you that the supreame Law Of Princes is the peoples safety Which You have infring'd and drawne thereby into The inward parts