would
do so? it writes them directly untravel'd.
Gal.
Why, what if they be?
Meg.
What if they be?
La.
Good Madam let her go on, what if they be? Why
if they be I will
justifie, they cannot maintain discourse with
a judicious Lady,
nor make a Leg, nor say Excuse me.
Gal.
Ha, ha, ha. La.
Do you laugh Madam?
Di.
Your desires upon you Ladies.
La.
Then you must sit beside us.
Di.
I shall sit near you then Lady.
La.
Near me perhaps: But there's a Lady indures no
stranger, and to me
you appear a very strange fellow.
Meg.
Me thinks he's not so strange, he would quickly be
acquainted. Thra.
Peace, the King.
Enter
King, Pharamond, Arethusa, and Train.
King.
To give a stronger testimony of love
Than sickly promises
(which commonly
In Princes find both
birth and burial
In one breath) we
have drawn you worthy Sir,
To make your fair
indearments to your daughter,
And worthy services
known to our subjects,
Now lov'd and wondered
at. Next, our intent,
To plant you deeply,
our immediate Heir,
Both to our Blood
and Kingdoms. For this Lady,
(The best part of
your life, as you confirm me,
And I believe) though
her few years and sex
Yet teach her nothing
but her fears and blushes,
Desires without desire,
discourse and knowledge
Only of what her self
is to her self,
Make her feel moderate
health: and when she sleeps,
In making no ill day,
knows no ill dreams.
Think not (dear Sir)
these undivided parts,
That must mould up
a Virgin, are put on
To shew her so, as
borrowed ornaments,
To speak her perfect
love to you, or add
An Artificial shadow
to her nature:
No Sir; I boldly
dare proclaim her, yet
No Woman But
woo her still, and think her modesty
A sweeter mistress
than the offer'd Language
Of any Dame, were
she a Queen whose eye
Speaks common loves
and comforts to her servants.
Last, noble son,
(for so I now must call you)
What I have done
thus publick, is not only
To add a comfort
in particular
To you or me, but
all, and to confirm
The Nobles, and the
Gentry of these Kingdoms,
By oath to your succession,
which shall be
Within this month
at most.
Thra.
This will be hardly done.
Cle.
It must be ill done, if it be done
Di.
When 'tis at best, 'twill be but half done,
Whilst so brave a
Gentleman's wrong'd and flung off.
Thra.
I fear.
Cle. Who does not?
Di.
I fear not for my self, and yet I fear too.
Well, we shall see,
we shall see: no more.
Pha.
Kissing your white hand (Mistress) I take leave,
To thank your Royal
Father. and thus far,
To be my own free
Trumpet. Understand
Great King, and these
your subjects, mine that must be,
(For so deserving
you have spoke me Sir,
And so deserving
I dare speak my self)
To what a person,
of what eminence,
Ripe expectation
of what faculties,
Manners and vertues
you would wed your Kingdoms?
You in me have your
wishes. Oh this Country,
By more than all
my hopes I hold it
Happy, in their dear
memories that have been
Kings great and good,
happy in yours, that is,
And from you (as
a Chronicle to keep
Your Noble name from
eating age) do I
Opine my self most
happy. Gentlemen,
Believe me in a word,
a Princes word,
There shall be nothing
to make up a Kingdom |
Mighty,
and flourishing, defenced, fear'd,
Equall to be commanded
and obey'd,
But through the travels
of my life I'le find it.
And tye it to this
Country And I vow
My reign shall be
so easie to the subject,
That every man shall
be his Prince himself,
And his own law (yet
I his Prince and law.)
And dearest Lady,
to your dearest self
(Dear, in the choice
of him, whose name and lustre
Must make you more
and mightier) let me say,
You are the blessed'st
living, for sweet Princess,
You shall enjoy a
man of men, to be
Your servant; you
shall make him yours, for whom
Great Queens must
die. Thra. Miraculous.
Cle.
This speech calls him Spaniard, being nothing
but
A large inventory
of his own commendations.
Enter
Philaster.
Di.
I wonder what's his price? For certainly he'll sell
himself he has so
prais'd his shape: But here comes one
more worthy those
large speeches, than the large speaker
of them? let me be
swallowed quick, if I can find, in all
the Anatomy of yon
mans vertues, one sinew sound enough
to promise for him,
he shall be Constable. By this Sun, he'll
ne're make King unless
it be for trifles, in my poor judgment.
Phi.
Right Noble Sir, as low as my obedience,
And with a heart
as Loyal as my knee,
I beg your favour.
King.
Rise, you have it Sir.
Di.
Mark but the King how pale he looks with fear.
Oh! this same whorson
Conscience, how it jades us!
King.
Speak your intents Sir.
Phi.
Shall I speak 'um freely?
Be still my royal
Soveraign. King.
As a subject
We give you freedom.
Di. Now it
heats.
Phi.
Then thus I turn
My language to you
Prince, you foreign man.
Ne're stare nor put
on wonder, for you must
Indure me, and you
shall. This earth you tread upon
(A dowry as you hope
with this fair Princess,
Whose memory I bow
to) was not left
By my dead Father
(Oh, I had a Father)
To your inheritance,
and I up and living,
Having my self about
me and my sword,
The souls of all
my name, and memories,
These arms and some
few friends, besides the gods,
To part so calmly
with it, and sit still,
And say I might have
been! I tell thee Pharamond,
When thou art King,
look I be dead and rotten,
And my name ashes;
For, hear me Pharamond,
This very ground
thou goest on, this fat earth,
My Fathers friends
made fertile with their faiths,
Before that day of
shame, shall gape and swallow
Thee and thy Nation,
like a hungry grave,
Into her hidden bowels:
Prince, it shall;
By Nemesis
it shall. Pha.
He's mad beyond cure, mad.
Di.
Here's a fellow has some fire in's veins:
The outlandish Prince
looks like a Tooth drawer.
Phi.
Sir, Prince of Poppingjayes, I'le make it well appear
To you I am not mad.
King. You
displease us.
You are too bold.
Phi. No Sir,
I am too tame,
Too much a Turtle,
a thing born without passion,
A faint shadow, that
every drunken cloud sails over,
And makes nothing.
King. I do
not fancy this,
Call our Physicians:
sure he is somewhat tainted.
Thra.
I do not think 'twill prove so.
Di.
H'as given him a general purge already, for all the
right he has, and
now he means to let him blood: Be con
stant Gentlemen;
by these hilts I'le run his hazard, although
I run my name out
of the Kingdom.
Cle.
Peace, we are one soul.
Pha.
What you have seen in me, to stir offence,
I cannot find,
unless it be this Lady
Offer'd into mine
arms, with the succession,
Which
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