RAPINUS

All this is true, and much more we suffered, but how are these times altered since? how do we live now my friend? nothing inferior in command to the King of Arabia himself; are not all these mountains ours? these caves and forests ours? these deserts and wildernesses ours? are we not safe in these fortifications from the greatest po wers that can possibly invade? we needs not now fear the King nor his imposts, he shall now make us amends, and pay tribute of all such goods as pass this way under our ju risdiction. True, but we can give our selves when we list other attributes, taking upon us the glorious name of soul dyers, which we worthily merit in exposing our lives, to purchase wealth and honour, to so many hard and dange rous enterprises. But I marvel we have had no doings today, will there be no Market think ye? no travellers? no car riages? no Camels, no Dromedaries? no boot? it was not wont to be so, how comes this change in the name of Ma homet, what is the clock prithee Praedarius? By Fermagant this is strange, we were wont to be at our prey assoon as they at their play, how comes it we hear not from our sentinels we sent out to disco for. What news soldiers, are there any travelers stirring this morning, or Caravanes driving over the mon taines? speak quickly, we are rusty for want of acti on. Which way come they, and whither do they bend their course? Then they are rich witho to question; courage my hearts, we shall be all made by Mahomet; needs we animate them Praedarius with and Oration? 'Tis well considered, and we're glad you are So forward in the Actium; now my friends Let's fallen one bravley, thus I do dispose you; Some 50. shall lie close in ambuscado Behind the thicket that's within the valley; Discover not your selves before you hear Their Camels pass beyond you, then break forth And give a sudden onset; fifty more Shall be obscured from sighed behind the mountain That lies upon the right hand, and commanded If it stand with the liking of Praedarius By his discreet conduct; the rest with me Shall guard the passage over the bridge, and lie Along the crystal River, which so gently Glides on the left hand by the foot. There is no other passage but those three, Which thus blocked up, the prey must needs be ; Now every man unto his charge; we aim our attempts at nought But no more of this, I am glad we have it: now we will divide it equally among our selves; your share Praedarius shall be the Jewels and Plate, the Money, Mere chandize and other commodities shall be evenly distribu ted amongst our men, and for mine own par I desire no thing but the fair Lady. By Termagant thou art a villain, and shalt not live and hour for contradicting my will. Then have at thee—they fight. I am content—I know I am the properer man—aside. Methinks I am embracing her dainty body all ready, while thou Praedarius standest as and envious specta tor of my happiness. I come Lucinda, thy Rapinus comes To court thy beauty, who in spite of fate And all the opposition of the world With this right hand will guard thee, though a troop Or armed Fiends stood up, grant me but Love I'll hold thee then though rivaled by Jove. Well for this time we pardon you, yet because you shall learn next how to behave your selves better, and to make use of a booty when 'tis offered unto you, we will case you of this burden, come your bags, Sir your bags. From that captive Who killed Praeda jus and thus wounded me, And made such havoc of our men, he now Shall lie in durance for't. If it be Your pleasure to command their free enlargement, I seal unto it, for fair Lady know You carry such divinity about you As it converted hath and almost altered (I speak it to my shame) my former nature, But had I still continued as my self, I had not begged this favour, which you know I might command at pleasure. This cheers me yet That now at length, one of my offerings are Accepted by my goddess; captives kneel And reverence her deity whose breath Hath freed you from a servitude more dark Then hell it self; now this must be your prison This Cave of mine, till we determine further. Do what you will I believe they are, And you have one fair Lady too wants en king, I hope one day to search it and return Your courtesy again in a kind nature.—aside Come have you done, You dwell too long there and neglect a cure Worth all the rest, Rapinus heart is sick, And craves a plaster, wounded by your love, A patient in your care to be preferred Before a thousand captives. You plead strongly, And I cannot repugn your argument; But are all Ladies so compassionate And pitiful as you? I think they are not. Then you should hate cruelty in love. Come fit down, How long have you professed surgery? I never saw you practice it before. It's a fine art And well it does become a Ladies hand Gently to touch a wound, but I foregate To ask my prisoners what and when they were, And to what place they traveled, pray demand. In troth sweet Lady you are much to blame Thus to defer my pleasures, and delude My longing Hope's with trifling vain delays, I suffer most extremely. Are you then Of the blood royal, well we'll mix our bloods Together, so shall mine be royal too; But wherefore did you tell me that you were But and Egyptian Lady? Why did you keep me in this ignorance So long, and now at last reveal your self? High words indeed seeming to have a kind Of reference to Majesty; but tell me What King begat you? Not such haste To partly, fair Princess, in a fit of choler; You know not yet my humour nor I yours, We must participate each others nature Before we can resolve in colder blood That's because You're told they're active in the art of vaulting, But you shall find me Madame so dexterious, As not inferior to them in that kind; Try my performance. Foolish woman Thy rage over comes thy wit, thinkest thou this way To work upon me? dost thou not perceive Thou art my prisoneer and what now thou hast Is all my gift, thy life, thy repu ation; Thy wealth and jewels? dost not see when I Please to command thee to give up those things Thou hast not power to hold them fear a minu e And yet art thou so inconsiderate? Dream not, nor feed this foolish fantasy Within your mind to think your Father can Rescue you hence, or your betrothed Lord The Persian Prince redeem you from my cave, lthough they came with grea forces far Then Xerxes or Darius; I am safer Here in this unfrequented wilderness, Thus barracadoed round with hills and mountains, Then they in all their strong fortifications, Their Forts and Castles. I confess My error too, and crave your pardon Lady, See how one gentle word hath mollifid My disposition, and clean turned the str am Of my full bent desire to be possessed By force of what I now resolved am To crave by fair entreaty in the way Of honest marriage. Why did you make, pray, such a foolish vow To stay a Maid so long? What wants now of the time? Well, I'm content, Though my desires are apt to climb the tree Just at this very instant, and to taste Your dainty maiden fruit, but love is sweeter If freely granted, then if taken by force, Therefore I'll stay the time prefixed, and not Beyond the same a minute, see you do not Longer abuse my patience, if you do, What love cannot, force shall constrain you to: Come, will you go?— Then thou shalt feel The fury of my rage, have at thee slave. Draws his sword and assaults him, Amand. defends himself with a stool, and at last closing with him, hath him at this mercy. Oh stay thy hand for fair Lucinda's sake. How commendable therefore I this course of how profitable unto us, as when w lth and rich boot is as it were every day offered to our possession, nothing is required from us but a little valour to make us Master's of in finite treasures. She shall be mine, and who dares lay claim to her beside, forfeits his life. See fair Lucinda mine, what triumphs we Bring to adorn thy conquests, see what captives Are ready here to wait upon thy triumph, See what a purple flood hath issued forth From these two gaping wounds which I received To bring these precious jewels to Lucinda, And yet she kills Rapi with disdain, Did ere your eyes see fairer? He will not tell His name it seems Very likely, But we spend too much time in this discourse. What do I mean? I have not yet given order To put out sentinels upon the hills For to discover boot; come will you walk And take the air a little? prisoners come You shall receive a dram too and no more But to prepare your stomachs against the time, I'll wean you from it. Have we not reason my Master's, to adore the deity of Fortune, for still favouring our attempts, sure we are much indebted to that goddess for her continual bles sings, and we should be very ungrateful if we did not ac knowledge it. What is this I hear Spoke by Lucinda to this caftive slave, Come grant me love, and seal with a kiss As and assurance? well I'll be revenged By all the Pagan gods; ignoble strumpet How darest thou wrong me thus, and in my Cave To court my prisoner? was't for this thou didst Deny my suit, and still from time to time Delude me with delay, that thou mightest act Thy shame, and make me pander to thy lust? Base Whore was this thy drift? for this abuse I'll presently enjoy thee, if thou yield Without constraint, I'll keep thee to my self, But if thou strive, or make the least resistance To cross my will, when I have satisfied My lust at full, I'll put the over to be Used and abused by every common soldier; Come huswife I must teach you true obedience. Offers to ravish her. Brother Praedarius, couldst thou not find in thy heart to turn Orator now, and bestow thy best Rhetoric in praise of our most noble profession. How right you jump upon my humour, for when I do reflect with judicious eyes upon the poor state and condition of our former life, and weigh it with this glorious change, I magnify my self beyond measure for entertaining such brave sparks of honour and true fortitude in my breast, which hath kindled my affections to these worthy exploits. I bele we no less, There is great we tue in it derived from you.