VITELLI

The Duke Had sure intelligence, that the whole Fleet Anchored last night without the Bay: and now For confirmation of it, the thick breath Of his saluting Cannon hangs in Clouds Over the Citadel, and the glad noise Of the applauding people, gratulate His entrance to the River. He has returned as large Assurance of his worth, as when his force Backed with successive fortune which attends His mighty resolution, overthrew The power of Venice in a fight; which changed The Sea into a flame, and took me in't His fortunate Captive. You speak the scope Of my intention, a perfect friend Includes both honour, Country, Family, And all that's deer and holy: such a friend As is my Doriam, to whose spacious merit Succession shall pay volumes, who was man Ere in the smooth field of his face, rough age Displayed his hairy Ensign; who has pulled Bright honours wreathe from her triumphant front In battles when the trembling Sea being calm Did crowd and thrust its waves into a storm To partly the dreadful fury. Yet must subscribe To his Naval triumphs: though the Land Has seen him Conqueror, when the bodies flain Buried the ground they died on, which did shake To view it self entombed by them, for whom It was ordained a Sepulchre, the Drums Were to his ears delightful as the Lute: Pikes moving then in Forest, seemed as groves Of lofty Cedars stirred by sportive winds, And when wars Choristers, the whistling Fife, And surly Trumpet sung and army dirge, That fatal music wraps his sprightful sense, Like jovial Hymns at Nuptials. My Lord, You come instruct us Courtship, as y'ave taught Your foes to fear your valour: you appear As if this were your Nuptial day, on which You were to wed bright triumph; but you can As well Court peace in silks, as raging war In burnished steel, and touch the ravishing strings With as much cunning industry as if Mars could Like Orpheus strike the trembling Harp Signior Adorni welcome home, I hope Y'ave made a richer prize, then when my ship Struck to your mercy. Friend now wee're alone, I safely may Speak my conjecture, I have read your looks, And in their pensive Characters find secret, Strange signs of sadness. Try me by any attempt, whose danger does surpass The common path of daring, beet to snatch, A firy boult when it from heaven comes wrapped In sheets of lightning to afford true proof Of my affection, and with eager haste, Such as inspires a husband to enjoy His spouses virgin purity, isle run To the achievement. Whom my Lord? No persuasion Can make me think this serious, good my Lord, Do not you love Chrisea? These are arts to pusle my conceits, my Lord I'm no such puny in the Craft of love, That I want brain to find this drift, which is As obvious to me as your eyes: now you Are home returned victorious, big with praise, Laden with titles that fit heavier on you Then your steel Corslet in hight fight coniemne, Affinity with me, to whom y'ave herd the fair Eurione has resigned her heart, And by this circumvention should I court At your entreats her sister might pretend A righteous cause, for and unjust revolt, For were it otherwise,, your temper could not Brook your Chriseas change without a start Into a sudden fury. Nay then my Lord, since you are serious, freely I resume The privilege of my liberty; this body I do confess your captive, and has suffered and honourable thraldom, but my mind Remains unbounded as the air or fire, Are from their spheres, Eurione has won By the subduing valour of her looks, That in a field of fancy, not of blood, And ere another shall usurp her right, In the defence isle die her willing martyr. Sir your sword cannot excite a trembling in my blood, The glistering splend our cherishes my sighed, Like polished Crystal, henceforth name of friend Be no more known betwixt us then a dream. Thus I expire it, I may now regain My honour forfeited in the General cause By this particular Combat. Noble soul, his grief Works more compunction in me, than his sword Did sudden anger; could I grant what you Request, no brand-marked slave should fulfil Sooner his Master's most severe command, Than I would yours; but this abrogates all laws Of friendships duty: ify'ave vowed this act, You may as safely disannul the Oath, As should you in some desperate fury swear To be your father's murderer. Your eyes are moving advocates, they speak Such and overflowing Language, that my love Then in its own cause a most partial Judge, Allows my mercy freedom to pronounce Sentence on your side: you have prevailed, I'll serve Chrisea, as her pleasure shall Dispose my will and fortune. Your Genius guard you; thus I apply Balm to his wounds, while I do bleeding die. Madam, my friend The General, does by me tender his best and truest service to you, he has sent me Prompt, to fulfil the nicest point of duty Your pleasure casts upon me. I could wish The sweetness of your virtue would vouchsafe To lay a reclamation of your love: Had you but seen with what ambitious haste, With what extreme persuasions he endeavoured The satisfaction of your will, you could not. Fancy a change from one so worthy. Me Madam; No equal eye can parallel my poor Regardless merit, with the glorious worth Which does as far transcend mine in desert, As't does in eminence of fortune. To include, (All strength of humane zeal) as Doriam does adore Your excellent beauty, with a heat Holy as souls in deonest fancy Their sainted fellows. The vow I made, my friend secures it, think not Madam That both my parents with persuasive prayers, Could have enforced me violate my faith To fair Eurione, but when my friend, My honoured friend to whom I owe my life, As tenant to his, bounty did in tears, A soldiers tears whose every drop prevails. More then a captive princess, plead the lose. Of his own life, my gratitude did vanquish Passion, and forced me tear even from my soul Euriones affection. Bless me friendship, And with thy white wings overshade my heart, Or here descends a Saint will dispossess thee Of the accustomed shrine, a bark enclosed, Betwixt two encountering tides is not more tossed Then I betwixt striving passion, while a friend, I cannot be a lover. Hark she speaks too, A tempting language; such was our first mother's voice, While she was innocent, deeere Ladies would I could divide my self, for being one, I cannot on the Theater of my mind, Act both a friend and lover, that two names Of so entire affinity should occasion So manifest a dissension, in a soul That would be true, yet is enforced, though loath, To forfeit one, or to be false to both. Yet I must needs Speak in a cause so moving; Madam think How much more noble 'tis in you to save, Then to destroy; behold three bleeding hearts Imploring pity from you, mine, your sisters, And your adorer Doria's, which one word Of yours would ransom from approaching death, O be not sparing of that breath, it'll found In the just ears of heaven more sweet then prayers Offered by Cloistered virgins, of resume Your native charity, and fulfil my suit, And in requital of that sacred grant. Time shall depend Like summer on your brow, And your whole life be one continued youth. Such were the springs in Paradise, and when You pass to be a sharer in heavens bliss, Virgins and innocent lovers spotless tears, Hardened to pearl by the strong hear of finger, Shall be your monument. It's in your mercy To dash the Laws proceedings, gracious Madam, The Privilege that our Country gives your Sex, Can hope for no employment, that will raise A greater Trophy to your fame, then this To ransom him, whose constancy and truth Exceeds all boast of Stories. This is a sweetness Which I cold wish you, what has begotten This strange desertion of your faith, true love, Being once received into the soul converts Into its very essence, does become The same eternal substance, can you then Tear from the tender Cabinet of your breast Your very heart? this cruelty exceeds The depth of tyranny, but est assured, If Doriam suffer by your proud contempt, I'm freed then from my promise, and will sooner Warm and empoysoning Scorpion in my arms, Then yield my meanest thought to you who are By evident circumstance, though not by fact, My friend the Generals murdresse. Why friend, this is Such and overweening passion, as does question The soundness of your judgement, fills the world With a conceit you die; because your fears Dare not accept of life: Beside your Mistress, To whom you would so strictly keep your faith, Does so much scorn your constancy, that no Intreats could move her pity undertake This honourable employment. Friend, this is A passion too effeminate for a heart Endued with manly courage; things passed help Should be passed thought, your sadness casts a Cloud Upon the lustre of this Ladies looks, You make her dim the brightness of her eyes With unbecoming tears, if you continue This strange distraction. Since the marriage Has not arrived to consummating act, I do believe this may be done. Yes 'tis he, fate would not suffer two such Noble souls to be so disunited, gentle boy, Thy duty to thy Master will continue, Thy name in story, as the great example Of loyalty in servants. Noble friend, your enemy had you ingagd your faith To any personal meeting could expect you, But at the minute, reason may dispense Betwixt us with such a nicety. Pray nam't, and 'twere a burden would orepresse the earth, I'll be the able Atlas to sustain Heaven on my willing shoulders. The fair Chrisea, your Lordship's merry. I shall melt Into a willing pity, if the flame Of friendship did not with its effectual heat, Dry up loves moysturer deer Madam he That has commanded me this deathful task, Claims such a lawful Interest in my life, That spite of my affection, I must-yield To his resistless will: yet I will love you So far as honour gives me warrant, and Wish you the best of women, the best joys Happiness can impart to you, farewell, It's a befitting gratitude to give That life a being; by whose gift I live. Is his life Of such a trivial valve in your thouglits, That you esteem't not worthy your intreats, To sav't from killing, ruin, sacred love, Thou miracle of Mature, and delight Of all who know humanity with some Religious arrow pierce her flinty breast, Some pious shaft, on whose subduing point Pity and amorous softness gently fit, Reduce this straying Schismatic to the first Unspotted pureness of her constant faith, And we will pay a thousand clouds of sighs, As incense to thy Altars. O Madam What heart so barbarous, does not at loves smiles Put off the native fierceness, beasts with beasts, Observe his laws; the Lyons whose big breath Affrights the trembling people of the woods, Were his hoarse accents to be understood, They would appear to be affections groves. The Nightingale that on lascivious wings Flies from the poplar to the trembling Beech, And on each bough chants melancholy notes, Had hea humane utterance, would proclaim Those pensive strains, the music of his love; And can ye be less sensible of a power, That is so great, then creatures barred the use Of sacred reason, and discourse? This taxation Cannot be just from you, who did enforce The sad revolt upon him.