BEL-IMPERIA

Signior Horatio, this is the place and hour, Wherein I must entreat thee to relate, The circumstance of Done Andreas death: Who living was my garlands sweetest flower, And in his death hath buried my delights. Would thou hadst slain him that so slew my love. But then was Done Andreas carcase lost? I know the scarf, would he had kept it still, For had he lived he would have kept it still, And worn it for his Bel-imperias sake: For it my favour at his last depart. But now wear thou it both for him and me, For after him thou hast deserved it best, But for thy kindness in his life and death, Be sure while Bel-imperias life endures, She will be Done Horatios thankful friend. I, go Horatio, leave me here alone, For solitude best fits my cheereles mood: Yet what avails to wail Andreas death, From whence Horatio proves my second love Had he not loved Andria as he did, He could not fit in Bel-imperias thoughts. But how can love find harbour in my breast, Till I revenge the death of my beloved. Yes, second love shall further my revenge. I'll love Horatio my Andreas friend, The more to spite the Prince that wrought his end: And where Done Balthazar that slew my love, Himself now pleads for favour at my hands, He shall in rigour of my joust disdain, Reap long repentance for his murderous deed: For what wast else but murderous cowardice, So many to oppress one valiant knight, Without respect of honour in the fight? And here he comes that murdered my delight. That for a while I wish no company. That argues that he lives in liberty. Your prison then belike is your conceit. Then with conceit enlarge your self again Pay that you borrowed and recover it. A hartles man and live? A miracle. What boots complaint, when the no remedy? Alas my Lord these are hut words of course. And but devise to driven me from this place. Thanks good Horatio, take it for thy pains. My heart (sweet friend) is Like a ship at sea, She wishes port, where riding all at ease, She mad repair what stormy times have worn: And leaning on the shore may sing with joy, That pleasure follows pain, and bliss annoy. Possession of thy love is only port, Wherein my heart with fears and Hope's long tossed, Each hour does wish and long to make resort, There to repair the joys that it hath lost: And sitting safe to sing in Cupid's choir, That sweetest bliss is crown of loves desire. Why stands Horatio speecheles all this while? But whereon dost thou chiefly meditate? On pleasures passed, and dangers to ensue. What dangers, and what pleasures dost thou mean Let dangers go, thy war shall be with me, But such a warring, as breaks no bound of peace. Speak thou fair words, isle cross them with fair words, Send thou sweet looks, isle meet them with sweet looks Write loving lines, isle answer loving lines, Give me a kiss, isle countercheck thy kiss, Be this our warring peace, or peaceful war. I follow thee my love, and will not back, Although my fainting heart controls my soul. No he is as trusty as my second self. Go Pedringano watch without the gate, And let us know if any make approach. I know not what my self: And yet my heart foretells me some mischance. Thou hast preuailde, isle conquer my misdoubt, And in thy love and council drown my fear: I fear no more, love now is all my thoughts, Why fit we nat, for pleasure asks ease? I but if Flora spy Horatio here, Her jealous eye will think I fit too near. No Cupid counterfeits the Nightingale, To frame sweet music to Horatios tale. If I be Venus thou must needs be Mars, And where Mars reigneth there must needs be war. Set forth thy foot to try the push of mine. Then ward thy self, I dart this kiss at thee. Nay then to gain the glory of the field, My twining arms shall yoke and make thee yield. Oh let me go, for in my troubled eyes, Now mayest thou read that life in passion die. Whose there Pedringano? we are betrayed. Oh save his life and let me die for him, Oh save him brother, save him Balthazar: I loved Horatio but he loved not me. Murder, murder, help Hieronimo help. For want of ink receive this bloody writ, Me hath my hapless brother hid from thee, Revenge thy self on Balthazar and him, For these were they that murdered thy Son. Hieronimo, revenge Horatios death, And better fare then Bel-imperia does. What means this outrage that is offered me? Why am I thus sequestered from the Court? No notice, shall I not know the cause, Of this my secret and suspicious ils? Accursed brother, unkind murderer. Why bends thou thus thy mind to martyr's me? Hieronimo why writ I of thy wrongs? Or why art thou so slack in thy revenge? Andrea, Oh Andrea that thou sawest, Me for thy friend Horatio handled thus, And him for me thus causeless murdered. Well, force perforce, I must constrain my self, To patience, and apply me to the time, Till heaven as I have hoped shall set me free. Sister, no thou art no brother, but and enemy. Else wouldst thou not have used thy Sister so, First, to affright me with thy weapons drawn, And with extremes abuse my company: And then to hurry me Like whirlwinds rage, A amid a crew of thy confederates: And clap me up where none might come at me, Nor I at any to reveal my wrongs. What madding fury did possess thy wits? Or wherein is't that I offended thee? Mine honour, why Lorenzo, where in is't, That I neglect my reputation so, As you, or any needs to rescue it. And wherein was mine honour touched in that? How than? Even so my Lord, and you are witness, That this is true which he entreateth of. You (gentle brother) forged this for my sake, And you my Lord, were made his instrument: A work of worth, worthy the noting too. But whats the cause that you concealde me since? But why had I no notice of his ire? Hath not my Father then inquired for me? Brother you are become and Orator, I know not I, by what experience, Too politic for me, passed all compare, Since last I saw you, but content your self, The Prince is meditating higher things, Toloue, and fear, and both at once my Lord, In my conceit, are things of more import, Then women's wits are to be busied with. Whom? But I that fear. Bel-imperia. I brother. As those, that what they love, are loath, and fear to lose. No, Balthazar does fear as well as we. Est tre ulo met pavidum , Et vanum stolidae proditionis opus. My looks my Lord, are fitting for my love, Which new begun, can show brighter yet. But not too fast, least heat and all be done. I see my Lord my Father. Hieronimo, I will consent, conceal, And ought that may effect for thine avail, Join with thee to revenge Horat oes death. Little entreaty shall serve me Hieronomo, For I must needs be employed in your play. But say Hieronimo what then became of him That was the Bashaw? And I. You mean to try my cunning then Hieronimo. Ah my Erasto, welcome to Perseda. Ay me Erasto, see Solyman Erastoes slain. Tyrant, desist soliciting vain suits, Relentless are mine ears to thy laments, As thy butcher is pitiless and base, Which seazd on my Erasto, harmless knight. Yet by thy power thou thinkest to command, And to thy power Perseda does obey: But were she able, thus she would revenge Thy treacheries on thee ignoble Prince: And on herself she would be thus revenged IS this the love thou bearest Horatio? Is this the kindness that thou counterfeits, Are these the fruits of thine incessant tears? Hieronimo, are these thy passion? Thy protestations, and thy deep laments, That thou Wertenberg wont to weary men withal. Oh unkind Father, Oh deceitful world, With what excuses canst thou show thy self? With what dishonour, and the hate of men, From this dishonour and the hate of men: Thus to neglect the lose and life of him, Whom both my letters, and thine own belief, Assures thee to be causeless slaughtered. Hieronimo, for shame Hieronimo: Be not a History to after times, Of such in gratitude unto thy Son. Unhappy Mother's of such children then, But monstrous Father's, to forget so soon The death of those, whom they with care and cost Have tendered so, thus careless should be lost. My self a stranger in respect of thee, So loved his life, as still I wish their death's, Nor shall his death be unrevenged by me. Although I bear it out for fashions sake: For here I swear in sighed of heaven and earth, Shouldst thou neglect the love thou shouldst retain, And give it over and devise no more, My self should send their hateful souls to hell, That wrought his downfall with extremest death. Then be thy father's pleasant bower the field, Where first we vowed a mutual amity: The Court were dangerous, that place is safe: Our hour shall be when Vesper begins to rise, That summons home distresfull travellers. There none shall hear us but the harmless birds. Happily the gentle Nightingale, Shall carol us a sleep ere we be beware. And singing with that prickle at her breast, Tell our delight and mirthful dailiance. Till then each hour will seem a year and more.