LUCINDA

Would I might be his ail and his surgeon, his wounds bleed— Sir you'll lose your prisoners Unless some care be taken for their wounds, Their death can do no service, first I'll dres Your hurts and then for pities sake apply A plaster unto their . This salve will cure it. Come let the dress you Sir. I'll not be denied, Your friends I care for too—sure Laedas swan's Were black compared to this more whiter ski e, No silk so soft—aside Now I have done with you. As I have been your Surgeon be mine too, Would he did know my wound—all aside. Now Sir you must receive too from my hand, This plaster and your cure. I will Sir—this suits well with my desire—aside Fair Sir may I request to know your state, Your name and country, whence you come and where Your journey lay when this captivity Befe l you on your ? That matters not at all, I gather by his words he is some Knight Of sad Damascus, or some kinsman of Th'unfortunate Amandus. Uncivil groom dost thou think to enjoy me? I'll rather prostitute my body to The lust of a deformed Incubus, Or ugly Satire, then retain one thought Of thy lewd loathed embrace I perceive my error, And therefore must a little temporize To prevent outrage.— astde. Sir, you moved your lust, But not your love and wooed me in a phrase That fitter were to be applied unto, A common whore or strumpet, then a Lady, Much less a Princess, this I must confess Inflamed my anger, and enforced me to Forget my self a little. I did indeed. But a bore month, That is not long you know. I must stay here a little. I'll wait on you soon; heavens in what narrow straights Wretched Lucinda have thy fates confined thee? In what amazed labyr nth of love Am I enclosed, and cannot find a clue To guide me forth, no light, no all port? I love my fellow prisoner, but hate The thief Rapinus, how I shall enjoy The one, and handsomely avoid the other. A woman's wit alas cannot contrive: How soon I have forgotten the Persian Prince? How soon my self? my eye but glanced on The beauty oh this stranger, but his look, His high commanding look, which darted forth Majestic sparks, captived my yielding heart: He is though shadowed, that are famed Amandus, Damascus Prince, I read the characters Of majesty deep stamped in his brow; I'll vent my thoughts unto him, and this cave Shall help me to his love, or to my grave. But if I should commit through extreme passion such a folly, should I not be wondered at, and hated amongst women for giving and ill example to the world? Aye me Saram, I fear I am not so happy, my stars oretell not so prosperous and Omen: though I have by signs and dumb shows, by sighs and amorous glances told him my affection, yet seems he not to understand that language, but as insensible of my pain, suffers me to languish in my torment. Speak thy mind freely, thou shalt give me no offence at all. Such is the commanding power of love thou eest, which is able to do more impossible matters then these; I mean sincerely; Neither have I reason to repent the chance. How foolishly thou talkest, dost thou not know that comparisons are odious, especially in love matters? counsel me better what to do, or keep thy thoughts in thine own bosom. Then what if I sent thee to him with a letter stuffed full of affection, would not that be a pretty way to cover my blushes, and yet discover my love? sure it would, what thinkest thou Saram? It shall be so then, get me pen, ink, and paper presently, but soft, he comes to save me that labour, I am armed with boldness for the encounter, assist me, Cupid, I beseech thee. Most courteous Sir, if through my means you have Enjoyed the benefit of any thing, I thank my fate that made me and instrument Of doing so much good: you shall oblige me To tell me, since I cannot tell my self What thing Lucinda did, that could produce So strong and obligation. Now you can help me by and easy way Without your hurt, for know I am your Patient, But am ashamed to lay to you open my wound: Imagine in what nature it's by these My tears, my blushes, my abrupted fighes, My broken speeches, my dejected eyes, My strange unwonted passion: more, I am Your prisoner too by the commanding power Of all subduing love, now it's in you To cure me, it's in you to give me life And liberty at once: Oh be not cruel Fair Prince, but help a poor distressed Lady, Who craves but love, and in that vit your best Construction: take it not in the worst sense, Nor think me ought immodest, though I have Opened my soar which was procu by Your most majestic carriage. Sure you cannot, Although you would, conceal your self from me, Whose love discerning eyes have found you out To be admired Amandus, and surveyed Each lineament a partly, with such regard As Painters use in limming of a piece, You're drawn within my heart, from head to foot. Do not suppose your pleading poverty, Or ought you can allege, to wrong your self, Hath power to turn the stream of my affection Another way then now it holds its course, Or to repel my argument of love: No, no, the plea is stronger, though you were Po er then Irvi (I invoke as witness e Of this my vow the power that made me yours) Yet would I rather be conjoined to you In nuptial ba ds, then be the w dded wife Of any other Prince, although he were Richer then Craesus, and heaven knows I could Content me better in this prison here, (So you could love me, and I might enjoy you) Then in the Persian Palace, if I lie, Let Cupid shoot you with a lea en dart, And with disdain kill poor Lucinda's heart. But you have enriched it With your fair presence Sir. Unkind Amandus, More cruel far then proud Narcissus was Unto the constant Nymph that loved him so, More salvage hearted then the boy Adonis, That scorned the love of Venus, these were never Half so beloved as you, yet will you leave me To die in your disdain, and put me over To him I cannot love? unkind Amandus! Oh let . Go with you Sir, and if you cannot love me In nature of your wife, yet I beseech you Respect me as your handmaid, who's still ready To wait on your command. Where you go There do I bend my journey. Then be assured the victory is yours, For all things prosper under his conduct. My father's servant. And trusty subject, see I his affa S To foreign Princes, I am glad to see you, We shall have private time to talk at large Of our affairs. I'll lay the fault (if any be) on Love, Chide him not me; I was obliged to The valour of Amandus for my life And honour, when they both endangered were By fierce Rapinus, was not this a tie To make me love him? Sir you are A most unworthy Prince to tax my fame, I never thought you other, though I were Enforced to entertain your love embassage, My heart never condescended to my journey, For fame had told me what you were though rich In the external Fortune's of the world, Yet poor in the internal faculties And virtues of the mind, which do adorn A Prince more then his greatness; I disclaim All interest you can or may allege In my affection, for I scorn the man Shall ques ion my good name. Just heavens bear witness of mine innocence, And clear me of this foul aspersion which This villain casts upon me undeserved, If I have played salse, let the greatest plagues You can inflict fallen on me, let the earth Gape and devour me, let your thunderbolts Light on my head, and strike me to the centre, But if I'm guitl sse (as you know I am) Return your plagues on him that is the author Of those my wrongs, and let him justly suffer The utmost of your rage, that by his fate The world may know his scandal was but hate. Let it be so since things have alne ou thus, When I come to my native Land, my thoughts Shall shun all pleasures, banish all delights, And live Diana's Votary I will, Till death shut up the remnant of my days. What course sirs will you take? You must feel The virtue of my salve too. May be so, But yet repent not charitable works Upon the poor distressed, if gentle nature Move not your heart to this, yet let the thought That they may do good service in your wars, (Since you your self have seen the valour tried) Work that effect upon you. They are indeed, cur sex hates cruelty. That's in another nature. I learned it from a child. I could laugh To hear you talk thus; are you so impatient, You that are born to such a course of life,— (And so low fortune) as you cannot stay A month or two to wait the love and pleasure Of a Kings daughter, for the which great Princes Have sued, and served a year for. And in that I did not li , scarce use equivocation For Madam is a title that's applied To Queens sometime as unto common Ladies. To awe your boldness when I saw it grow To such a height as now; Sir keep your distance. Not to satisfy Thy proud demand, but make thee know thy self And the base wrong thou dost me, do I answer Unto thy question: understand I am The mighty Souldan's daughter and his heir Sent by my Father to be married to The Prince of Persia, when thy barbarous troop And lawless self enforced a Rape upon me, For which thou shalt repent, unless thou do Make speedy restitution of myself Unspotted in my honour. Thou lascivious man Thou bestial Goat, how darest thou tainte chased ears With thy infectious breath? know 'tis in vain Further to urge thy lust, for I'm resolved To run the hazard of a thousand death's Rather then to yield unto it. Now your style is good, And tasteth something of civility, Yet I desire some respi e to give answer Unto your suit for two considerations: First, that I may have time to make my prayers Unto the shrine of holy Mahomet, To grant a dispensation of my vow Made to the Persian Prince, to be his wife: Next that I be not perjured to my self, To lose my Virgin girdle, ere my age Hath numbered twenty springs to reinvest Our naked mother earth in robes of green Help help. Sir let him die, And ree S all from this captivity, Never a better time then now to do it. Heroic Prince now show thy pity on me, And as thou hast released me from this thief, And from the violence of loathed lust, So free me from the violence of love By taking me unto thy wedded wife: I will refuse no danger, nay no death To bear thee company, live here or travel Throughout the world, I'll Lackey it a foot With sweet Amandus; can you be so hard And cruel to me? sure when Ladies woo Hard are the shi tes love does constrain them too. Who commands Great King your army against the enemy? And be taken prisoner, valiant Prince, As in this Country with so small a force; You'ave reason sure to boast your mighty power 'Tis so redoubted by your wit and valour, Experience shows it. Never true lie, And I believe this Kingdom yields none such, They speak the owner some great personage From whom did you them Heavens what a wonder, What and Ange Like object strikes mine eyes, In masculine appearance!—aside. Were you Noble These j wells were a ransom to redeem him, And set his friends and him at liberty At least to bar hard usage. You are angry And all this while mistake me, as little Desire their liberty as you your self, But I would have them used in gentler manner Then other prisoners for these jewels sake, Which take me more then all the wealth you ere Presented me withal. Your wounds are deep Sir—dresses him. Yes, and the same of that more braver Prince Admired Amandus, I believe you have Some near relation to him. So are your names and nature's; I make no question, if they were revealed, But I have found enough. But can a woman with any modesty make love to a man? But dost thou think there is any hope of spee ding in my vit, upon notice given him of my love Sure the man Seems of so gentle nature, that he would not Be so unkind, as to repel the suit Of a poor lovesick Lady— aside. Will you grant me One boon in lieu thereof, and you shall make me A tenfold satisfaction. Sir, since you do acknowledge You owe to me your life and liberty, Your cure, and other court ies beside, I am endangered now as you were then. It's now my turn, and I am Like to suffer In all these things, unless your gentle nature And pity do relieve me. This is the least, (Although I know not well how to avoid him) Of what I suffer. Sir, it's a secret, and requires to be Spoken to you in private all alone. Should I not be unmannerly to crave Your friends retirement for a little space? Nay rather go with us, & live in pleasure At the Egyptian Court, for I'll assure you High honours and preferments for the favours You showed me once in my captivity, And for his sake, whom yet in death I love, But I shall not participate in joy.