the old mansion neere The Palace yard till six of clocke at night But then I must remove the Fidlers doe So often waken me with their mutton'd Gridyrons And good-morrowes I cannot sleepe for them I 'll send thee word where I shall fix Friskin And you 'll remember Sir my bill Ramp Do'st thinke I 'll faile I prithee bring thy weights Along with thee we shall else wrangle about light gold Friskin Y' are welcome Sir to towne Ramp Away lest we be vex'd againe with new Solicitors for the old cause Exeunt omnes Enter Galeotto Gandolpho Morello Galeotto Is Amaranta sent for by the Prince Morello She is but for what use I could not learne My brother whom your former bounties have Preferr'd and late made Captaine of the Fort Is come Sir to bewaile your miseries And proffer all his service to make knowne Your losse cannot disswade his gratitude Gandol My Lord from low deservings you have rais'd Me to the best command this place affords A souldiers hope but if my life can pay Your bountie I will keepe it for that use Galeotto Your natures are so thankfull Gentlemen For little benefits that I am taught If ever I can reach my former power T' oblige more friends though with a greater charge Morello My Lord your wisdome hath the skill to cure A disease stronger then your fortune feeles Galeotto Greatnesse hath still a little taint i' th blood And often 't is corrupted neere the heart But these are not diseases held till by The Monarch spide who our ambition feeds Till 't surfets with his love nor doe wee strive To cure or take it from our selves but from His eyes and then our medicine wee apply Like th' weapon-salve not to our selves but him Who was the sword that made the wound and this State-medicine is compos'd of flattering industry And such false cures as like to false alarmes Fright men to feare danger when none is neere Still vex'd and busie to no reall use As drones that keepe most noyse about the hive And then devour the politique Court Flies What foolish Bees bring on their weary thighes Morel These Lectures my Gandolpho shew a braine That will preserve him spight of power my Lord My broher is your owne and wee will share The hazard of your fortune Galeotto The Captaine hath a valiant soule and I Perhaps may use him in a close designe That i' th successe will richly pay his love Gandolph When y' are most confident of me you can't Expect so much as I 'll performe Galeotto Enough Morello Sir shall undertake For my beliefe to all you dare Make promise of if you will please to bring Me to the Ports where short the allowance of My time will force mee take a sad farewell I 'll breathe my love and businesse to you both Exeunt Enter Altophil Arthiopa Altoph Gladnesse possesse my Mistresse thoughts I 'm told The Count Rangone from the Prince is now Alighted at my gates good newes I hope For though we live as in a covent here Thou as my Nunne to morrow may proclaime This house a Court and you my cheerfull Bride Arthiop The frownes of heav'n is to the vertuous like Those thicke darke clouds poore wand'ring Sea-men spie Which oft fore-tell their happinesse and shew The long expected land is neere Enter Rangone Amaranta her face vail'd Rangone Felicity and everlasting fame Betide the noble Generall thus I Am bid salute you from our mighty Prince Altophil I am the creaure of his power and will Rangone I with this gentle greeting must present The richest treasure nature in her last Declining stocke of beauty could afford The world behold it and admire Unvailes Amaranta who weepes Her eyes dissolving thus in teares should teach Thy heart to melt for know thou cruell Lord She long hath chastly sickned for thy love Altophil Alas unluckie maid how can thy griefes Expect comfort from him that knowes not to Redresse his owne Amaranta Yet Sir I hope 't is in Your power t' excuse th' unwilling error of My modesty I surely am the first Sad Lady ever was constrain'd to seeke Her Lover and then woo him too but 't is The Prince hath forc'd mee here to nourish my Affection with your reall sight that else Had been conceal'd and with your shadow fed Arthiopa Poore Amaranta I must needs lament The malice of thy fortune though My pity shewes unkindnesse to my selfe Rangone Sir my Commission 's to aske if you Can love and celebrate this Ladie for Your wife and our kinde Prince besides the forfeited Possessions of her fathers wealth will to her dowrie adde honours and lands untill You share his royaltie Altophil Too soone this am'rous Riddle is resolv'd He Loves Arthiopa and would Enforce mee wed this Ladie to assure More easie way for 's owne desires Arthiopa O Altophil were I not well Instructed in thy loyaltie how soone Her beautie and these soothing hopes would throw Me cold into the armes of death Altophil Sir you must carry to the Prince what I Was never wont to send a harsh deniall of His suite and give me leave to say 't is troublesome And too severe Amaranta How am I lately hardened with the use Of sorrowes that I can listen to My angrie doome and live Rangone Summon your wise Your kinder thoughts and make such reply As I may joy in the deliverie And soone procure a mutuall happinesse Altophil To court me to a better knowledge of my blisse Then I alreadie understand Were but a vaine attempt I am resolv'd Within the chaste embraces of these armes To live or die Amaranta My eares have forfeited their facultie Why should they still preserve their sense that could Not for a while be deafe but needs must hearken to My evill fate Rangone Sir pardon mine obedience to my Prince For I shall execute a sad command You of the Guard lay hold upon the Duke Enter the Guard and seize on Altophil Altophil Feare not Arthiopa some joy remaines I' th hopes we shall not be divided in Our sufferings Rangone Shee is my pris'ner Sir And must to Court whilst you and Amaranta stay Confin'd together in this house Altopil False Prince how cunning is thy crueltie Arthiopa Lest we had courage left t' expect an end Of all our calamities this way was found To make us yet more certaine of despaire Rangone In this Sir you perceive the intricate Though powerfull influence of love that doth Pervert most righteous natures to attempt Unjust designes his Godhead is not full knowne And 's miseries have beene but dully taught To men for I am charged to say this new Constraint is but a sad experiment To trie if you to Amaranta can Pay equall love for hers and nice Arthiopa Returne unto the Prince what 's passions now May challenge as a debt Arthiopa O my true Lord Shall wee ne'r meet agen and tell our thoughts Which still we found too like as if we two Had but one heart
bound Like a cheap slave that 's sold for lesse then buyes The conqueror the riots of one meale Not all these suffrings make me mourne so much As my short separation of your loves Yet when I saw her faith was so oblig'd And knit unto your vertues Altophil I did resigne my nuptiall hopes and gave Her loyaltie the praise and reverence due Unto a Saint Arthiopa Your usage Sir I have Confess'd was noble though unfortunate And I shall finde scarce teares enough left to lament My owne captivitie when I behold My mourning Lords and yours Altophil Would there were here Some flowrie banke shaded with Cypresse Ewe And Sycamore whose melancholie brow Hangs o're a little discontented brooke That ever murmurs as it wisely knew It travell'd to some River that must soone Convey it to the Sea where they are both In trouble with the bounds and lost Here wee Would sit comparing mighty Courts to greater Seas Where Lovers like small Rivelets are vex'd A while and then o'rewhelm'd A rurall residence Neere Woods and Meads though it be humble is The place where we may love and be secure Altophil Why then did my too valiant father and Thy selfe disquiet all the peacefull world With hunting after fame loaden and crush'd In heavie armour for the chase toyling To get us this renowne and eminence Which since hath ruin dour content O that We first had met in Shepheards homely weeds Altophil I my Arthiopa or that wee now Might so enjoy our libertie then if Ambition did inflame my thoughts to aime At victories I should not combate for a Crowne But wrestle for some Chaplet wreath'd by thee Of Daffadills and Pinks Ascoli How kindly wee Should take o' th Celestiall Governours If they would make these wishes reall truth And mee some neighb'ring Villager that came To joy and wonder at your loves to court The beauties of your Mistresse mind my Altophil Such Rivalship is noble though 't is new Enter Galeotto Gandolpho Morello Souldiers Altophil Appeare and let thy rage inflict her worst Las poore Traytor how dull thy mischiefes are How weake that canst iuvent no punishment To quit thy daughters still neglected Love But what wee 'll suffer and embrace with scorne Ascoli Performe thy malice come that wee may laugh To thinke how all posterity will urge Thy deeds in railing Proverbs to expresse Disloyaltie Arthiopa And Maids when they but heare thy name Shall crosse themselves in superstitious feare Morello These are but dang'rous crabbed complements To him that holds your lives in his command Galeot Right Sir if I could easily remove My gall from off my liver to my heart But now I take no joy in bitternesse Thus I requite their wrath unbind them straight Souldier unbind them Altophil How 's this What may the courtesie portend Galeot Waste not your wonder Sir it is no dreame Altophil His sinfull nature is converted sure Galeot Now being all made free you Altophil And faire Arthiopa have but exchang'd These fetters to be joyn'd in everlasting bonds Start not they are but Matrimoniall cords And easie to be worne though ne're unty'd Such manacles you 'll gladly enter in Arthiop My prayers have found the neerest way to heaven How quickly they were heard Those staines are all Wip'd off that so disfigur'd thee thy brow Is quite unwrinckled now and growes so smooth Thou wilt not know it in thy former glasse Ascol Galeotto this restores thee to thy kinde Esteeme agen whil'st I behold their happinsse I can forgive thy stealth upon my state Galeot Convey those Lovers to their bridall chamber And let the ceremoniall rites be such As I directed them Altophil Come my Arthiopa gladnesse shall leave No roome for Virgin-blushes in thy cheeks Exeunt Morello Altophil Arthiopa Ascol Is my employment void must I not goe And helpe to celebrate this blessed houre Galeot No Sir you have a greater businesse of Your owne and may be thought as happy too If you will prove as wise in your consent As I am kind to offer it Ascoli Instruct me better what you meane Galeot You see how your most rigourous doome upon My person and my wealth enforc'd mee to Such wayes in my revenge as since have made Me apt for more ambitious hopes then those I lost This froward Duke held my alliance in Unhallowed worth Now hee is more in my Contempt for you his Master Sir I thinke Fitter to choose my daughter as a wife Ascoli There 's mystery in this discourse Galeot 'T is easie Sir when you conceive that I By marriage now remove Arthiopa From your desires Ascoli But I have made a vow Since she severely did refuse the first Most lawfull passions that I ever felt All other beauty shall appeare too late Galeotto Those are but silly vowes which Amorists In choller make when they have vainly spent A frostie night with singing Madrigalls To some coy Mistresse whil'st her windowes shut Consider this perform'd my power with Heildebrand May keepe you yet in your Dominions free Some slender yeerly tribute being paid Ascoli It is not in your will to force my Love Galeotto Sir if I should it were but justice and Divine since in my absence you conspir'd T' enforce brave Altophil to make her his That your desires might suffer no impediment When they should court Arthiopa Ascoli Thou rudely dost awake Those thoughts that faine would sleepe I 'll heare no more Galeotto Goe bind him then and leade him where he was Before restrain'd you shall have time to meditate And make your resolutions of more worth Gandolpho My Lord I 'll watch him like your Sentinell Ascoli Slave dost thou use me as fond children doe Their Birds shew me my freedome in a string And when th' ast play'd with me enough straight pull Me backe agen to languish in my Cage This insolence will make her chiefe in hell Exeunt omnes Enter Hirco Friskin Fibbia Fibbia Well this is a good King the Lawes shall have Their course it matters not who raignes as long As ev'ry one may come by their owne if Seignior Rampino pay me not I can Arrest him now Friskin Troth Mistresse Fibbia's in the right For thus to faile his day is such a thing Heaven wil never blesse him Fibbia Never 'T is impossible he should come to good That failes his day Heaven keepe my friends from failing of their day Hirco Who would have though 't'ad been so great a sin But the truth is I ne're studied Divinitie All that I reade is in the Muster-booke Friskin But as you told us Sir Is he so great Already with the new King Hirco Upon my honour hee sent him just now A sword for a present and thus to me Because I am his friend Friskin Yours Seignior is not very rich Hirco No a plaine bandall Hilt it was his great Great grandfathers but there are no such blades worne now Enter Rampino I 've told your friends here how much you are In favour now at
Court and they rejoyce Heartily beare up and make it good Sir we have reason to be glad I pray How came 't about may wee learne a little of the State devices Ramp Troth partly merit for you know I weare my cloaths as well as another man Besides I had the lucke to be most neere A kinne to him that did betray the Fort Friskin Ah Seignior if you could have betray'd it Your selfe then we had been all made Ramp Well no time lost we may have occasion To betray somewhat hereafter men that Will rise must not be tender of Their labour and good will Fibbia Seignior y' are in the right For if we labour in our Calling heaven Will helpe us to betray something or other For our good Ramp Mistresle Fibbia I owe you For much profitable counsell Fibbia I Sir and money for other things Ramp Wee 'll talke of that anon Shew mee another Of thy standing that beares her yeeres like thee It shall cost mee foure Duckets but I 'll Get thy picture and by thy side I 'll have Young Antiphones thy sonne drawne too Eating of Cherries in a green coat Friskin Seignior this was the day you promis'd me Ramp I I must talke with you d' you heare you shall Worke for the King Friskin Who I Sir alas Ramp Come it must be so his Taylor dy'd this morning Friskin I pray Seignior Hirco 'T is very true He fell madde with studying of new fashions Friskin I shall be thankfull if you 'll use your power Ramp You can i' th long vacation ev'ry yeere Travell to Paris and instruct your selfe O' th newest modell and best cut Friskin I have a brother lives there Sir he is A Shoe-maker and lately sent me post A patterne of the finest Spur-leather I was so admir'd at Court Ramp Write for him straight he shall be preferr'd too If he bee kowne to trim at 's pairing-knife He cannot misse th' reversion of that place Friskin If the house of the Friskins rise none of Your worthy issue shall want a second Fibbia Seignior my money 's due since Lammas last Shall I know your mind Ramp Sweet Mistresse Fibbia you shall receive our whole Discourse I 'm studying to preferre your neighbour here At Court Now if you 'll choose any imployment In the Queens side your hopes stand faire she now Lies in at Mantua Let me see what thinke You of a Rockers place to the young Prince Fibbia Why truly Sir so I may carry my Small sonne a long I would be loth to leave him Behind in a lone house Ramp You must buy him a new Hat and d' you heare Let him abstaine from Ginger-bread 't will spoyle His growth Fibbia A little Sir on holy dayes Ramp You will be selfe-will'd Fibbia He alwayes had a care of my sonne Ramp Friskin and you may visit me to morrow And know more Friskin I 'll bring my measure with me it is long Since I wrought for your worship Ramp Doe doe farewell Hirco make haste and shift the ayre There 's nothing so contagious as the breath Of Creditors Exeunt omnes Enter Morello Altophil Arthiopa Altophil Rich hangings of the anticke Persian Loome Venetian Tapers guilt and bedding of Italian Nunnes imbroaderie purl'd and imboss'd Galeotto shewes his bountie great to decke Our Bridall chamber with such forraigne pomp But where 's the Priest that with his holy words Should make us fit to enter here Morello Rosting the Pigge he receiv'd in his last tythes Altophil Your mirth is somewhat strange does it become you Morello How little are you prais'd in th' affaires And soules of men to thinke this sumptuous bed Within and furniture could entertaine An enemie Altophil For whom was it prepar'd Morello For mighty Heildebrand the Lombards King Who when hee gave the Prince and you secure Undoubted prisoners to my Masters will He had a promise made the ensuing night He should enjoy that Lady in his armes Arthiopa Ah mee what prodigies are here Altophil Villaine take that for thy intelligence Strikes him Morel So fierce in your rewards what how seize on the Duke tie his offensive armes the Lady too Enter souldiers lay hold on him Altophil My sense is so much dull'd with often use Of my calamities that they are now Become my sport what followes Sir I doe Beseech you would proceed Morello Souldiers avoyd the roome Exeunt souldiers Know Sir the wise Galeotto to make full Witty and new his bounty to the King Ordain'd that you this Lady's Lover should Upon your knees present her to his Iust Your proud neglect of Amaranta then Is subtilly repay'd Altophil O! damn'd infernall Dog Morello I 'll leave you Sir take leisure and resolve T' accept of this imployment or to die Exit Altophil How divers are the changes of his tyrannie Erewhile he flatter'd us with pleasant shewes Of comfortable hope then suddenly Presents us with more horrid formes then death Arthiopa Death is our happiest expectation now The grave is ever quiet though 't is cold But Altophil alas when wee have slept A many thousand yeeres who is' t can tell If I againe shall know thee when I wake Exit Amaranta Amaran The chiefest blessings that are bred above Fall on you both like Summer showers that come To ripen what before was but i' th infancie Of growth First Altophil on you that are Most noble to the world though much behind To mee next on your Bride whose vetues shine So cleare that I must checke my envie and Pretend some joy to see her fortunate Altophil Can this be Amaranta's voyce is shee Perverted too and taught to mocke at our Distresse Arthiopa This ill beseemes a Maidens tendernesse Amaranta Forbid it goodnesse if you suffer ought That I should make your miseries my scorne For just heaven knowes my father with great stewes Of kindnesse and of hope lately disturb'd My Orisons with newes hee had design'd The Prince to marry me which Altopil Was but unwelcome hope since my best Love Rust die with thy disdaine then told me all These preparations were to celebrate Your Nuptialls with Arthiopa Altophil My Nuptiall Rites this was a feign'd disguise To hide his foule lascivious purpose from Thy bashfull sight Amar. My Lord though he hath wrong'd you much do not Misconstrue him as fit for all impieties Altophil Alas it is too drie A truth witnesse these bonds witnesse those griefes That hang upon Arthiopa like blacke Wet clouds upon the mornings cheeke know she Is here design'd for th' lust of Heildebrand And I by your obdurate fathers will Must be inforc'd to see and suffer it Amaranta Horror why should I tarry here And listen to such things as are not fit To be believ'd Altophil Stay Amaranta stay If thou art pitifull and hast that heaven Within thy heart that with such lively truth Is figur'd in thy face expresse it now Thou knowest the secret passages and doores Of this thy fathers house convey with thy Best skill and