PRINCE

This way the voice was, let us leave the Chase. Here's beauty mixed with tears, that poverty Was never bred in Cottage: I'll farther question Their state and fortune. What are you gentle Creatures? Nay answer not in tears. If you by casual lose, or by the hand Of Fortune have been crushed beneath these sorrows, He demands your grief That hath as much will as ability To succour you, and for your own fair sake; Nay beauteous Damsel, you need not question that. Arise sweet, pray your name? Fair Laure to , you shall be henceforth ours, O Mounsieur! I never saw where I could love Till now. Well Mounsieur, well; when ever I match, pray Heaven, We love so well: but love and toil hath made us Even somewhat thirsty, would we had some Wine. What hast thou there? Thou never couldst come to us in better time, Reach it us Mounsieur. Yes sweet with thee in any thing: you know We are a Prince, and you shall be our taster. Sirrah, conduct those Ladies to the Lodge, And tell the Keeper we have stored for him, A better fortune; you shall hear further from us, You usher them. O gentle Friend, Why was I born high? but to raise their Hope's That are dejected: so much for my bounty. It is with no intent To make the Maid my wife, because I know Her Fortune's cannot equal mine. Still thou mistakest, mine Is honourable love, and built on virtue; Nor would I for the Emperors Diadem, Corrupt her whom I love. Come Mounsieur, night steals on, not many years Shall pass me, but I purpose to revisit This my new Mistress, my auspicious fate To thee my happy love I consecrate. Now my fair Friend. Look Mounsieur, Can she be less then Noble? nay deserves she Thus habited, to be termed less then Royal, What thinkest thou Mounsieur? Right courteous Lady, Our bounty is too sparing for your worth, Yet such as it's accept it. I prithee Mounsieur, A little comp ement with that old Lady, While I confer with her. And have you never a love then? Pray acquaint me with him, And for thy sake I'll give him state and Honours, And make him great in Florence. Is he of birth? How now my Lauretta? I prithee sweet where lives he? Honour me so much As let me know him. Must? then I will. Is he of presence sweet? Honour me so much then, as let me know him. Thee, love I will In all things: wherefore study you? Harm? there's none can come from thee Lauretta, Thou art all goodness, nay confess it sweet. Mounsieur what are those? Whence are these Lords? Their business Royal Sir? Unto my bed my Lord? I am not so afraid of spirits Sir, But I can lie alone without a bedfellow. Marry my Lord? But is she fair? I figh Lauretta, cause I cannot choose. I'll tell thee Love, strange news: I must be married. Why do you weep? You blamed me now for sighs king: Why do you melt in tears? Sweet what's the cause? And as I told thee Sweet; I must be married, My Father and the State will have it so; And I came instantly to tell the news To thee Lauretta; As to one, from whom I nothing can conceal. Must you? But when's the day? The tenth of the next month. But do you love him? How happy are you above me fair friend, That must enjoy where you affect? When I Am tide to others fancies: It was your promise That I should know him further. It's Julia, The Duke of Millaines daughter: Why change your Face? Look to her safety, not for the Crown Of Florence I would have her perish. O Friend, that I should change my Royalty To weakness now: I do think this lodge A Palace, and this Beauteous Maidenhead Of greater worth then Julia. Thy news. Whence? The Milan Princess is betrothed; deflowered, Not worthy of your love, believe this true Upon a Prince his word; when you, shall bed her, And find her flawd in her Virginity, You shall have cause to think upon his love From whom you had this caution; But do it with that Princely management, Her honour be not slandered: He that loves, Admires, and honours you: Where's he that brought this Letter? Post after; bring him back, Could he not set his hand to it— How now, the news? Thou hast lost me quite. Mounsieur read there, What will confound thee: O if she be unchaste! Could they find none but me to work upon. If she be Chaste, How shall I wrong her, to question her fair Virtues? But if she be not right? I wrong my Honour, Which after marriage, how shall I recall? Yes: O how am I perplexed! Come, I'll to Court, I'll not be swayed: Were she a Potent Queen, Where counsel fails me, I'll once trust to spleen. Pardon Lords, I have stayed you long, your blessing royal Father. My custom is, ever to rise before A woman's hour: Now hear me speak my Lords, I'm married to a Lady, whose chaste honour, Reports and false Suggestions, did enforce me To call in public question; but that we leave Unto our last nights rest. Last night. In your Bed. Being broad awake. 'Twas well put off: It's strange she's so forgetful: I prithee Stroza Where are they? Where? Why study you? Where man? See which of the Train is wanting. Give this Gentleman A 100. crowns: This will much grace our banquet. We are he. Excuse me Sir, I know him not: But if I much mistake not, We are late indebted to you for a present. It's false, I never embraced save with one, And her, I found to be most truly chased. Yes. We are pleased. Tell me Stroza, Was Julia chaste? Did her Father know it? At hand my Lord: Mounsieur conduct them hither? This the Maid, To whom I am so bound? But by your favour Sir, This must be our own charge. You crown me with your wishes, Royal father; My Mistress first, and next my bedfellow, And now my Bride most welcome. Excellent Sir, Embrace the Milan Duke, whilst I change hand With Princely Parma; Julia, once my Wife? Back to your husband I return you chased: Mounsieur, be still our friend: You our kind Mother: And let succeeding Ages, thus much say: Never was Maidenhead better given away. I much suspect that Ladies Chastity. I have said. Now hear my protestations: I receive This Ladies hand on these Conditions; If you, my Lord, her father, or her self, Know her self faulty, O confess it here, Before the Ceremonies fasten on me: for if hereafter I find you once corrupted? by this right hand, My future Hope's, my Father's royalty, And all the honours endue unto our house, He have as many lives and heads for it, As he hath Manners Castles, Lives and Towers; It shall be worthy to be booked in Chronicles Of all strange tongues: And therefore beauteous Lady, As you esteem a Prince his name or honour, That youd be a Mecenas unto virtue; If in the least of these you guilty be, Pull back your hand. If chaste? she shall be dearer far to me. Then my own soul: I will respect her honour, Equal with that of my great Ancestors; All this I vow, as I am Prince and virtuous. She's mine: Set forward then. O friend, was never man blessed with a Bride So chased! I'm fierce my self, till this be known To my fair Forest friend: Let's mount away, The nights quite spent; and now begins the day. Good morrow Lady: Where's your daughter pray? Pray may we see her? You know the Princess Julia was supposed to be Adulterate— O but fair friend, she was indeed belied! And I this morning rose from her chased bed: But wherefore sweet cast you that blushing smile? But you have broke promise with me: For you told me That the same day and hour I took my Bride, You should Enjoy a Princely Husband. And are you married then? Is he oft Fortune's? What have you then, some tokens that were his? You amaze me! Yet Rings may be alike: If then your husband Be of such state and Fortune's, What dowry are you allotted. I gave no more unto my Julia. But where is the security you have For the performance of it? This is the Indenture that I gave to Julia; Prithee Lauretta, but resolve me true, How came you by this Charter? Rise, dee not weep, O I am strangely rapt Into deep strange confusion? I have bethought already how to be are me; This Charter and this Ring, fair Love, keep you; And when I send for you, you shall repair Unto the Court: This all I shall enjoin you. Come Mounsieur, now it's cast, Revenge near rules, so it be found at last. I do protest, my Lords, I bosomed with As true and chaste a Virgin, as ere lodged Within a Princes arms; All this I vow As I am Royal. Sweet, will you tell me that? With which you did receive a Ring the Duke My father gave me. Nay, look not you dejected beauteous Bride, For this is done only to honour you. Sure spare't for the Mother's sake; was sent to us: Which of the train is wanting? Stroza, where is this Charter and the Ring? A strife, that nought save combat can deside, The cause so full of doubts, and intricate. See, they are both armed, and evenly, without odds, Save what the justice of the cause can yield. Know Parma, thou hast kindled such a Flame, That all the Ocean's billows scarce can quench: Be that onr quarrels ground. Sweet if the Prologue To thy sad passion move thus: what will the Scene And tragic act it self do? Is that Gentlewoman Your Mother sweet? Pray of what Province? What fortune there? Nay, proceed beauteous Lady, How was your Father stiled? More then her Charming beauty Her passion moves me: where inhabit you? Beneath these Trees? Gentle Creature, Had you not told me that your Birth was Noble, I should have found it in your face and gesture. Mounsieur. Go wind thy Horn abroad, and call to us Some of our train: we pity these two Ladies, And we will raise their hope: Cheer you old Madam, You shall receive some bounty from a Prince. Who keeps the Lodge below? Command him to remove, and instantly We give it to these Ladies: beside, add Unto our Guest three thousand pounds a year: We'll see it furnished too with Plate and Hangings. alas pretyt Maid, your father's dead you say, We'll take you now to our own Patronage, And trust me Lady, whiel wee're Prince of Florence, You shall not want nor food, nor harborage. Why my Lauretta? By all my Hope's I have in Florence, would thou Wertenberg a Duchess, That I might court thee upon equal terms; Or that I were of low dejected Fortune's, To rank with thee in Birth: for to enjoy Thy beauty, were a greater Dowry then Florence Great Dukedom. Now sir, the news? Mounsieur, upon my life it's some Ambassador. No worthy Friend, for me thou shalt not suffer, At our best leisure hours we mean to visit you; Now give me leave to take a short farewell. What, and as Chart? Would you had, For both were ravished. That I am yours: The States; and if you please So to dispose me, hers: what ere she be, Come friend, I must impart my Love this news, Or it will rend my heart. Stay till we be resolved. Sir, so we have herd. Oh Heaven, how am I perplexed! Well, since I must, I will: Your pardon, Royal Father: Yours fair Princess: And yours great Duke: If I shall find my self truly to have erred, I shall confess your chastity much injured. O good morrow Lady, I come to tell you news! Not till I see my deeds. Your Master's name? Parma speak, and if thy speech was bent to me? Parma proceed. Will Parma fight? I here protest, we parted both, as clear, As at our first encounter. Willingly. Then Prince Parma, With your words I'll proceed. It's fit all Justice he not quite exiled, That he that weds the Mother keep the child. Sweet arise. Upon his breast ther's something writ, I'll read it. It's fit, if Justice be not quite exiled That he that weds the mother, keep the child. This Child was sent to me. Not to be gulled by the best Prince in Europe; Much less by Milan.