PHAENICIA

Madam you do reviv our dying spirits With words of comfort, happy time that made us Enjoy your conversation, blessed occasion That brought the noble Prince unto our aid Whom heavens defend from danger and return Home safe conqueror crowned with victory. You are not Like another time to jeer me For early rising. I must impute that to your cruel nature, (Pardon me Sir) and to no other cause, Else what should make the Princess so contemned? Is beauty wanting? no, the envious't wretch That breathes this air, must be enforced to say, Her portion's large that way, the curious't eye Can see no blemish in her beanteous face. Is youth decayed then? no, 'twere sin to think it, For flowers and Roses spring up in her cheeks, Half white, half read, most purely intermixed. Is virtue banished? Oh me thinks my tongue Profaned is for asking such a question So much improbable! will you allege She is not great enough in birth or fortune? That will not stand in w, for it'll be proved She is the greatest Princess of the world; If beauty, youth, virtue, and high descent Accompany her greatness: what is more To be required in a princely Bride? Would I were she He loves with such devotion, but alas I do despair my fortune. I have done. Far be it from my thoughts to make a breach Of love and loyalty between two hearts, United in themselves; but since I have Made this discovery, I beseech to know, (Pardon a woman's curiosity) The Mistress of your thoughts, I must not be The second time denied. Come, you must Unfold this worser rke Aenigma, I do long To bea e your story to the end; but if You be so modest, let me see the picture, And le disp nc the trouble of your speech. Noble Prince, My tongue can now not found the negative, Although I feign would, for my heart commands That instrument of speech who in this thing Is all affirmative; I never could Dissemble what I thought, and therefore tell you I'm yours, if you be mine, so firm united Unto your love as death shall not di love The gordian knot is tied between us two: But Sir we do forget our selves to stay So long together here, suspicious eyes Will overlook our actions, and I fear Alectos malice and his jealousy, See where he passes by, we are discovered, Come let's away, next meeting shall conclude, If fates do say amen, loves interlude. Unless it be Amandus I shall be The most unhappiest Princess of the earth — aside. Please you my royal Father to acquaint me, Who is the party meant? The Persian Prince, He loves and serves you with a strong devotion, Yea does even jdolize you in his heart His saint and goddess; he hath seed unto me My liking might procure you to his wife, And I have granted what he did demand; I know your virtue's such and your obedience As not to stand against our will and pleasure, Especially when it presents you nothing But what is for your honour and high fortune. Please you to hear me, this you do propose Is most unlawful, and my conscience tells me It were a sin to think off: for you know The Prince of Persia is betrothed to The beautiful L cinda, and shall I Be guilty of the breach of faith between them? Far be it from me; I believe he is Inconstant in his love, and apt to change From one unto another, his large titles Shall never win me to his wavering humour, I rather would content me with a match Inferior far so I might marry virtue, In him indeed I cannot, for not only F me but experience manifests his vices. Sir, you have learned a pretty art indeed, To understand the languages of birds, And tell their meanings: I have read of some Could well interpret that way, but believe not: You use it row in a poetic sense, And so I take it, I should make another Construction of their singing that they chide me, And say I am not modest to adventure Alone without my Maids into the garden. The wronged Philomela most of all Urges her grief, and bids me take example Of her too much credulity of man: I was to blame to come so weakly guarded I must confess, nor would I change a word With any other man beside your self Alone in such and hour, so much I trust Your virtue noble Prince, and worthy though ght . But I must have you swear to execute The thing intended, and be secret too, Else I shall think you never were my friend. And perjured prove Unto the gods, and false unto thy Mistress Oh cruel man! seest thou the pain I suffer And wil't not lend thy hand to ase my torment? Are all my favours out of thy remembrance? Could they not bind thee to this courtesy? Take pity on me yet, and here is gold Enough to purchase thee a Lordship fair, What sayest thou to me? Devise and easy way for me to die, Not in a common ordinary road, Which many use by cutting of a vain Or such Like, to get passage to their bliss; I saw the Phaeni burning in her flames The other day, and was enamoured off So sweet a death, I feign would die so too Your art can help me in the imitation. It is more easy To stop the current of a swelling river, Or to remove a mountain from his place, Then to divert my mind from this, whereupon It does so firmly fix, therefore kind Sir Send me forthwith by this my maid (for now The time fits right) this excellent receipt. Dispatch her to me With all the hast you can, in the mean time I'll rest me on my bed, and never rise Until I see Amandus with mine eyes This short, or rather this long time I have To breath the air of woe (for life is tedious To those that take no pleasure but in death) Shall be employed wholly in meditation, How sweetly I shall pass unto my friend, And come unto him as in sacrifice, Mine altar smoking incense and perfume. Doctor and Maid again. Most welcome, sacred priest, for that's the title Your office now requires, because you are To sacrifice me to Amandus shrine A spotless Virgin; nay delay no time, But presently about it, light the fire While I attend the sweet asending flame Here in my bed with longing expectation To wrap my body round, dispatch I pray. Do I yet breath and live when he that was The comfort of my life lies dead and breathless? Can I behold another Sun but that Which shined from his majestic countenance, Eclipsed now by death, procured by treason: Oh heavens grant freedom to my troubled spirit To break this prison of mortality, And so get lose with wings of swift desire To meet my lover in the Elysian fields. Oh how I languish here! hark blessed spirit Of my departed friend (for I believe Thou dost refine this air) hark to my woes; Do not condemn Phaevicia that she stays So long behind thee, for thou knowest her soul Desires to take her flight into thy bosom, Nor shall she meet a stop (I am resolved) Amandus have a little patience yet, And then I come, 'tis but a minute longer Until I do contrive and easy way For life to sally forth: my trusty maid My faithful Saba, now assist thy Mistress In this kind office that I shall command, Wherein thy love shall more appear then ever: I loath this life thou seest, go fetch my Doctor I must take his advice; thou wilt be secret, I am ssur'd, I have so often had Exp rience of thy faith; wilt thou dispatch, And bring him to me with all expedition? Do so trusty servant And thy reward shall follow; I must work This Doctor to my will by fair entreaties, And if that fail, by large rewards and gifts, I'll leave no way u to i'ld, nor unam empted, Until I do prevail.— My worthy Friend And hitherto preserver of my health, I have a business now wherein I shall Make trial of your utmost love and trust, In which you must not fail me. These are words Of ceremonious compliment, you shall not Adventure so for me, 'tis but a trifle I would employ you in. Well then, you know my love, you know my lose You know the virtues of that noble Prince Whose death exhausts tears from forth mine eyes And drops of blood from my poor wounded heart; I am resolved to die and now no longer To carry such a heavy load about me Of grief and sorrow, which does overweigh By much the weakness of a woman's nature; Kind friend you must be the instrument to send me Unto the Prince Amandus, whose sweet spirit Shall come with mine, and hover over your house, Until the whistling air found both our thanks: Come do this friendly office, you are tied Unto it by your oath, you must not start, Or fallen back from your former resolution. Sir I now leave you, For fear I should be missed, and so f ll der The censure of black to nges, which take delight To spot the reputation of a maid; I should be loath to give the world occasion Even of the least suspicion, yet I must Dispense with my return a little longer To do one friendly office in behalf Of a distressed Princess, you may guess The scope of my intent in these few words. Fair Prince, it was some fall e suggesting dream Abused your sleep, and wronged your expectation. You find not what was promised, though your wit Would feign excuse the leaving of your bed So soon for nothing: do you use to stir So early in a morning? I smell a heavenly vapour Assaulting my weak breath, now Prince I come, Beloved Prince thy deer Phaenicia comes, Be ready to rec ive her, for her spirit Ascends up in this smoky sacrifice. Did you command me hither to repair Unto your presence Sir? You grace me Sir.