AURIA

Done bravely, Enter Aure lio. And Like the choice of glory to know mine, One of earth's best I have forgone,—see, see, Yet in another I am rich; a friend, A perfect one, Aurelio. Hear me further. By that sacred thing Last issued from the Temple where it dwelled, I mean our friendship, I am sunk so low In my estate, that bids me live in Genoa But six months longer, I survive the remnant Of all my store. In my Country, friend Where I have sided my superior friend Swayed opposition, friend, friend here to fallen Subject to scorn, or rarely found compassion, W re more than man that hath a soul could bear, A soul not stooped to servitude. He who cannot merit Preferment by employments, let him bore His throat unto the Turkish cruelty, Or die or live a slave without redemption. Show me the man that lives, and so my face Dares speak, scarce think, such tyranny against Spinellas constancy, except Aurelio He is my friend. I find it hath. She's my wife. Sir, said ye? Necessity must arm my confidence, Which if I live to triumph over friend, And ere come back in plenty, I pronounce Aurelio heir of what I can bequeathe. Some fit deduction for a worthy widow, Allowed with caution, she be Like to prove so. Believe it, Without replies Aurelio: keep this note, A warrant for receiving from Two hundred Ducats; as you find occasion Dispose them in my absence to Spinella. I would not trust her uncle he good man, Is at and ebb himself, another hundred I left with her, a fourth I carry with me, Am I not poor, Aurelio, now? exchange Of more debates between us, would undo My resolution: Walk a little prithee, Friends we are, and will embrace: but let's not speak Another word. Your favours with these honours, speak your bounties And though the low deserts of my success Appear in your constructions fair and goodly, Yet I attribute to a noble cause, Not my abilities, the thanks endue to them, The Duke of Florence hath too highly prized My duty in my service, by example, Rather to cherish and encourage virtue, In spirits of Actium, then to crown the issue Of feeble undertakings. while my life Can stand in use I shall no longer rate it In valve then it stirs to pay that debt, I owe my country for my birth and Fortune's. O still the state Engageth me her creature with the burden Unequal for my weakness, to you gentlemen I will prove friendly honest, of all mindful. Load upon load let not my want of modesty Trespass against good manners, I must study Retirement to compose this weighty business And moderately digest so large a plenty. For fear it swell unto a surfeit. At your pleasure, Good time of day, and peace, Oh S: health to your Lordship. Count of Savona, Genoa's Admiral, Lord governor of Corsica, enrolled A Worthy of my country, sought and sued to Praised, courted, flattered; sure this bulk of mine, Tails in the size a timpany of greatness Puffs up too monstrously my narrow chest, How surely dost thou malice, these extremes, Uncomfortable man? when I was needy, Cast naked on the flats of barren pity, Abated to and ebb so low, that boys A Cockhorse frisked about me, without plunge You could chat gravely then, in formal tones, Reason most paradoxically; now Contempt and wilful grudge at my uprising becalms your learned noise. Canst mutter mischief, I observed your dulness While the whole ging crowd to me hark my triumphs Are echoed under every roof, the air Is streightend with the found, there is not room Enough to brace them in, but not a thought Does pierce into the grief that cabins hear, Here through a creek a little inlet crawls, A flake no bigger than a sisters thread, Which sets the region of my heart a fire. I had a kingdom once, but am depos worser From all that royalty of blessed content, by a confederacle betwixt love and frailty. At home? That home Aurelio speaks of, I have lost, And which is worse, when I have rolled about, Toiled Like a Pilgrim, round this globe of earth, Wearied with care, and overworn with age, Lodged in the grave, I am not yet at home, There rots but half of me, the other partly Sleeps, heaven knows where, would she and I my wife, I mean, but what alas talk I of wife, The woman, would we had together fed On any outcast parings, course and mouldy, Not lived divided thus, I could have begged For both, for't had been pity she should ever Have felt so much extremity. Revenge! for what? (uncharitable friend) On whom? lets speak a little pray with reason, You found Spinella in Adurnies house, 'Tis Like of gave her welcome very likely, Her sister and another with her, so Invited, nobly done; but he with her Privately chamberd, he deserves no wife Of worthy quality, who dares not trust Her virtue in the proofs of any danger. Marry, it was a slovenly presumption, And punishable by a sharp rebuke. I tell you sir, I in my younger growth, Have by the stealth of privacy enjoyed A Ladies closet, where to have profaned That shrine of chastity and innocence, With one unhallowed word, would have exiled The freedom of such favour into scorn. Had any he alive then ventured there, With foul construction, I had stamped the justice Of my unguilty truth upon his heart. Oh fie, fie. How ill some argue in their sour reproof, Against a party liable to law: For had that Lord offended with that creature, Her presence would have doubled every strength Of man in him, and justified the forfeit Of noble shame, else it enough in both With a smile only to correct your rudeness. Not uncivilly, though violently, friend. That rests for answer In you, now I come t'ee, we have exchanged bosoms, Aurelio, from our years of childhood, Let me acknowledge with what pride I own A man so faithful, honest, fast, my friend: He whom if I speak fully, never failed by teaching trust to me, to learn of mine, I wished my self thine equal; if l aimed A wrong, it in and envy of thy goodness, So dearly witness with me my integrity, I laid thee up to heart, that from my love, My wife was but distinguished in her sex, Give back that holy signature of friendship, Canceled defaced, plucked off, or I shall urge, Accounts scored on the tally of my vengeance, Without all former compliments. By all my sorrows, The mention is too course. Pish, your faith Was never in suspicion; but consider, Neither the Lord nor Lady, nor the bawd, Which shuffled them together, opportunity Have fastened stain on my unquestioned name, My friends rash indiscretion was the bellows Which blue the coal now kindled to a flame, Will light his slander to all wandering eyes. Some men in giddy zeal ore-doe that office They catch at, of whose number is Aurelio: For I am certain, certain it had been Impossible, had you stood wisely silent, but my Spinella, trembling on her knee, Would have accused her breach of truth, have bg'd A speedy execution on her trespass, Then with a justice lawful as the magistrates, Might I have drawn my sword against Adurni, Which now is sheathed and rusted in the scabbard; Good thanks to yonr cheap providence, once more I make demand—my wife—you—si . Honour and duty Stand my compurgators, never did passion Purpose ungentle usage of my sword, Against Aurelio, let me rather want My hands, nay friend, a heart then ever suffer Such dotage enter here, if I must lose Spinella, let me not proceed to misery, by losing my Aurelio, we through madness, Frame strange conceits, in our discoursing brains, And prate of things as we pretend they were, Join help to mine (good man) and let us listen After this straying soul, and till we find her, bear our discomfort quietly. Thats spoke cheerfully. Why theres a friend now,—Auria and Aurelio At odds oh't cannot be, must not, and shanot— Enter Castanna. But look Castannas here,—welcome fair figure Of a choice Jewel, locked up in a cabinet, More precious then the public view should sully. None does sweet sister. Is't not friend, and excellent maid? Stayed she not Within the house then? Strange! no where to be found out Shalt thou? worthy maid, Thast brought to my sick heart a cordial—friend Good news—most sweet Castanna. You're welcome, be assured you are, for proof, Retrieve the boldness (as you please to term it) Of visit to commands, if this men presence Be not of use, dismiss him. I observe No party here amongst us, who can challenge A motion of such honour. Hid now (most likely) I'th darkness of your speech. Would? wrong? to whom? Take advice, (Young Lord) before thy tongue betray a secret Concealed yet from the world; hear and consider In all my flight of vanity and giddiness, When scarce the wings of my excess were fledged, When a distemperature of youthful heat, Might have excused disorder and ambition, Even then, and so from thence till now the down Of softness is exchanged for plumes of age Confirmed and hardened, never durft I pitch On any howsoever likely rest, Where the presumption might be consterd wrong, The word is hateful, and the sense wants pardon: For as I durst not wrong the meanest, so He who but only aimed-at-games by any boldness, A wrong to me, should find I must not bear it, The one is as unmanly as the other. Now without interruption. Peace, peace, man, I am silent. Noise observe him. On sir and do not stop. What followed? Who can you think I am? did you expect So great a tameness as you find, Adurni, That you cast loud defiance? say— Sure Italians hardly Admit dispute in questions of this nature, The trick is new. Why look you Friend, I told you this before You would not be persuaded,—let me think. Thats the way It smooths all rubs. Foh I am thinking You may talk forward, if it take 'tis clear And then and then, and so and so. Fine ones, I take you To be a man of credit—else, Yet you must not partly from me sir. Be not loud convey them Into the gallery— Aurelio, friend Adurni Lord, we three will fit in counsel And piece a hearty league, or scuffle shrewdly. Malfato. Cousin, would mine arms In their embraces might at once deliver Affectionately what interest your merit Holds in my estimation, I may chide The coyness of this intercourse betwixt us, Which a retired privacle on your partly Hath pleased to show; if ought of my endeavours Can purchase kind opinion, I shall honour The means and practice. Castanna, virtuous maid, But who's that other, such a face mine eyes Have been acquainted with, the fight resembles Something which is not quite lost to remembrance; Why do's the Lady kneel? to whom? pray rise; I shall forget civility of manners, Imagining you tender, a false tribute, Or him to whom you tender counterfeit. Cry you mercy Gentleman, Belike you come to tutor a good carriage, Are expert in the neck ont, we shall study Instructions quiently, wife you said, agreed. Keep fair, and stand the trial. Said ye Lady, No kindred, sister, husband, friend. High and peremptory, The confidence is masculine. So resolute, I shall touch nearer home, behold these hairs, (Great Misters of a spirit) yet they are not By winter of old age quite hid in snow, Some messengers of time I must acknowledge Amongst them took up lodging, when we first Exchanged our faiths in wedlock, I was proud, I did prevail with one whose youth and beauty Deserved a choice more suitable in both. Advancement to a fortune could not court, Ambition either on my side, or hers: Love drove the bargain, and the truth of love Confirmed it, I conceived, but disproportion In years, amongst the married, is a reason For change of pleasures, whereto I reply Our union was not forced, 'twas by consent; So then the breach in such a case appears Unpardonable; say your thoughts. Baited by confederacy, I must have right. Spinella, regent of my affections, thou hast conquered, I find thy virtues as I left them, perfect, Pure, and unflawed, for instance let me claim Castannas promise. Yours, to whose faith I am a guardian, not by imposition, But by you chosen, look ye, I have fitted A husband for you, noble and deserving, No shrinking back, Adurni I present her A wife of worth. Castanna do—Speak dearest, It rectifies all crooks, vain surmises, I prithee speak. Make no scruple (Castanna) of the choice, 'tis firm and real, Why else have I so long with tameness nourished Report of wrongs, but that I fixed on issue Of my desires, Italians use not dalliance But execution; herein I degenerated From custom of our nation: for the virtues Of my Spinella rooted in my soul, Yet common form of matrimonial compliments, Short lived, as are their pleasures, yet in sooth, My dearest, I might blame your causeless absence, To whom my love and nature were no strangers, But being in your kinsmans house, I honour His hospitable friendship, and must thank it. Now lasting truce on all hands. Matter? Fear nothing. Let wonder hence forth cease, For I am partner with Benatzis couns ls; And in them was director, I have seen The man do service in the wars late passed, Worthy and ample mention; but of that At large hereafter, repetitions now Of good or bade, would straighten time presented For other use. How likes Spinella this? our holy day Deserves the Calendar. We'll remedy the penury of Fortune, They shall with us to Corsica, our cousin Must not despair of means, since 'tis believed Futelli can deserve a place of trust. Piero, yes, But what of these two pretty ones? Unfit to lose him, Command does limit us short time for revels, We must be thrifty in them, none I trust, Repines at these delights, they are free and harmless, After distress at sea, the dangers over, Safety and welcomes better taste a shore. Nay nay Castanna, you may hear our counsels. A while, you are desigad your sisters husband, Give me thy hand Spinella, you did promise, To send me from you with more cheerful looks, Without a grudge or tear, deed love you did. Many thy virtues are such friends, they cannot fail thee, Faith, purity of thoughts and such a meekness, As would force scandal to a blush. TO is truth Castanna. I thank thee, My worthy wife! before we kiss, receive This caution from thine Auria, first Castanna Let us bid farewell. the steps Young Ladies tread left to their own discretion, How ever wisely printed are observed And construed as the lookers on presume, Point out thy ways then in such even pather, As thine own jealousy's from others tongues May not intrude a gilded, though undeserved. Admit of visits as of Physic forced Not to procure health, but for safe prevention Against a growing sickness in thy use Of time and of discourse be found so thirsty, As no remembrance may impeach thy rest, Appear not in a fashion that can prompt The gazers eye, or holla to report; Some widowed neglect of hand, some valve In recreations be both wise, and free, Live still at home, home to thy self however Enriched with noble company, remember A woman's virtue in her lifetime, writes The Epitaph all covet on their tombs, In short I know thou never wilt forget Whose wife thou art, nor how upon thy lips, Thy husband at his parting stald this kiss. No more. So the wrongs I should have ventured on against thy fate Must have denied all pardon, not to hold Dispute with reputations, why before This present instant I concealed the stealth Of my adventures from the Counsels, know My wants do drive me hence. He is a noble Gentleman; withal Happy in his endeavours: the general voice Sounds him for courtesy, behaviour, language, And every fair demeanour, and example: Titles of honour add not to his worth, Who is himself and honour to his titles. You range too wildly now, Are too much inconsiderate. Come fight for thy wife at home my Auria —yes We can fight my Spinella, when thine honour Relies upon a Champion—now. My Lord, I shall not live to thrive in any Actium, Deserving memory when I forget Adurnis love and tavour. Gentlemen, My business urging on a present hast, E forceth short reply. So leave the wintered people of the North, The minutes of their summer, when the Sun Departing leaves them in Cold robes of Ice, Enter Trelca tio, Spinella, & Castanna. As I leave Genoa,—now appears the object Of my apprentic'd heart, thou bringest Spinella A welcome in a farewell, souls and bodies Are severed for a time, a span of time; To join again without all separation, In a confirmed unity for ever. Such will our next embraces be for life; And then to take the wrack of our divisions, Will sweeten the remembrance of passed dangers, Will fallen love in perpetuity, Will force our sl epes to steal upon our stories These days must come, and shall without a cloud Or ight of fear, or envy: to your charge, (Trelcatio our good uncle) and the comfort Of my Spinella's sister, fair Castanna, I do intrust this treasure. A Melancholy grounded, and resolved, Received into a habit, argues love, Or deep impression of strong discontents, In cases of these raritles a friend Upon whose faith, and confidence, we may Vent with security, our grief becomes Oft times the best Physician, for admit We find no remedy, we cannot miss Advice in stead of comfort, and believe It is and ease, Malfato, to disburthen Our souls of secret clogs, where they may find A rest in pity, though not in redress. Perhaps you measure what I say, the common nature Of and officious curiosity Or that other private ends Sift your retirements— How fares the Lord Adurni? Be wise Malfato. Let me tell you then, You are too bitter, talk you know not what, Make all men equals, and confound all course Of order, and of Nature: this is madness. We will consider the meaning of this mystery. Gentle Castanna, thou art a branch of goodness, Grown on the self same stock with my Spinella. But why my deer, hast thou locked up thy speech in so much silent sadness, o at parting! Belike one private whisper must be sighd, Uncle the best of peace enrich your family, I take my leave.