MARIANA

Now by my maiden modesty I wish Good fortune to that Philocles, my mind Presages virtue, in his eaglets eyes. 'Sfoot he looks Like a sparrow hawk, or a wanton fire A flash of lightning, or a glimpse of day, His eye steals to my heart, and lets it see More then it would, peace, blab no secrecy, He must have blows. I; so now farewell. That your self can tell, You asked me one word, which I gave, said I, A word of least use in a virgins breath, Urge not my patience then with found reply. As I am a virgin so do I. My self, no Lady better. No by my chastity. Nay isle keep mine oath, Men shall abandon pride and jealousy Ere isle be bound to their captivity, They shall live continent, and leave to range, But men Like to the moon, each month must change. Yet we must seek that nought their sighed displeases, And mix our wedlock sweets with loathed diseases: When we consume our selves and our best beauty, All our reward is why, was but our duty. But for the most partly bade: Therefore isle have none at all but die a perfect maid. A Surgeon here for this love-wounded man. How deep's your vlcerd orifice, I pray you tell? T'is strange and look so well; Yet Ladies eyes have power to murder men, And with one smile to make them whole again. Achilles lance to a hair, but do you love me prince? Would I could love you. As yet I cannot, therefore let me go. Let your request fit virgin modesty, And you obey your vow, I am content To give your thoughts contented happiness, Now Cupid help thee, is thy grief for this, Keep thy strong vow, & freely take a kiss. Thou shalt not kill thy self, nor fight with monsters, Nor bring the great Turks beard to show thy zeal: Thy life thou shalt not hazard for my love, Nor will I tie thee to and endless task, But even with ease, and gentle rangled knots, Thou shalt untwind thy clew of Misery's, Then Philocles knit silence to my words, And mark thy doom: for thus my stricter will Loads grief upon thy vainer levity. Hence for the space and compass of one year Thou shalt abjure the liberty of speech, Thou shalt not speak for fully twelve months space, For friend nor foe, for danger nor for death; But live Like air, with silent emptiness. Break thou this vow, i'll hold thee for a villain: And all the world shall know thy perjury. Why so, now shall I not be troubled with vain chat Or idle prate of idle wantonness: For love I cannot, therefore 'tis in vain, Would all my suitors tongues I thus could rain, Then should I live free from feigned sighs and groans, With Oh take pity, 'tis your servant moans, And such harsh stuff, that frets me to the heart: And sonnets made of Cupid's burning dart. Of Venus lip, and Juno's majesty. Then were I freed from fools and foolery. In May the cuckoe sings, then sheel'e come hither, Her voice and yours will rarely tune together. Not all so soon deer brother, what if a woma ̄ now Should turn Aesculapius and restore This dumb Hypolitus? nay do not look strange, I dare avow and undertake the cure. Faith of the out side of them brother, yet a woma ̄ S tongue Whose burden still is superfluity, May lend a man and ages compliment. My Lord, you know not how Apollo loves me, I have been thought as fair as Oenon was, And dare be bold to claim this miracle. Brother content your self, words but augment our strife, I will perform or else my pawn's my life. Vouchsafe me privacy: now Venus be my speed, Speak gentle Philocles, thine oaths bound I untie And give thy vows a free enfranchisement, Thy well kept league hath showed thy strength of truth, And does confirm me in my vertuousnesse: Thy martyrdom and sufferance is too long, And I restore it to new liberty. Then speak my Philocles, speak gentle Prince To her whose love respects and honours thee. No hope is left, deer Philocles regard my Misery's. Untie that wilful let which holds in speech, And make me happy through thy noble pity. I see the face of mine ill shaped contempt, Where Like with Like hath quit most injury: Then speak my Lord, utter one Angel breath To give me joy, and save me from strange death. What not a word, hath this small silence brought And utter detestation to thy speech? Wilt thou nor hear, nor speak, nor pity me, The gentle Gods move thee to more remorse. Oh Philocles I am no courts disgrace, No cities Prostitution, countries shame, Nor one shall bring Troys fire unto thy house, Turn not away hard hearted Mirmidon, See, on my knees I'll follow thee in court, And make the world condemn thy cruelty: Yet if my tears may mollify thy heart, Receive them as the floods of strangest rides, Turn not thy face from her that dotes on thee, Love now hath made me subject to thy will, And pale disdain hath taken revenge on me. Behold my nerves I'll wear upon this earth, And fill this roof with lamentations. What dost thou smile, hath fury so much sway As even to banish poor civility? Then be thy self, and break thine itching spleen: For I disdain thy ransoms victory, Life thou art weary brought, welcome my death, Sweet because wished for, good because my choice: Yet when I am dead, this of me shall be said, A cruel Prince murdered a loving maid. And after ages to unborn shall tell, Thy hate, my love, thy envy and my hell. Nay do not speak I charge thee, go let nothing move thee, Death is my glory, since thou wilt not love me. As lightly burdened with the weight of crimes, As spotesse infants, or poor harmless lambs, Thus I ascend my heaven, this first step lower, Mounts to this next, this, thus and thus hath brought My bodies frame unto its highest throne; Here does her office end, and hence my soul With golden wings of thought shall mount the sky, And reap a palace of pure sanctity. Farewell my soueragine, madame within your thoughts Make me a tomb, and love my memory. Brother farewell, nay do not mourn my death, It is not I that die to spot our house, Or make you live in after obloquy. Then weep no more, but take my last adieu, My virtues not my faults preserve with you. Lastly, to you that are my last of hope, Nay do not hide your eyes, I love them still: To partly friends now is greatest charity. Oh be thy days as fruitful in delights, As Eden in choice flowers, thine honours such As all the world may strive to imitate. Be master of thy wishes: only this, When the sad nurse to still the wrangling babe, Shall sing the careful story of my death, Give me a sighs, from thy hearts purest breath: And so farewell. With all my heart, thou art but laws poor hand, Thus to my death I bow, and yet arise, Angels protect my spirits in the skies. You are not charitable unto my moans, Thus to afflict me with a double punishment: One death for one poor fault might well suffice, They are most wretched who twice lives and die. Which to wash off; lo here I yield my self And humble sacrifice to love and thee: All my best Hope's, my Fortune's and my love, My faith, my service, and my loyalty, Shall as thy slaves attend on thy commands, And make me famous in my suffrages. I am well pleased, and with a doubtful foe, You have good reason thus to capitulate, Then hang your colours forth, exte ̄ worser your thought Muster your strongest powers, of strictest wit, And when your reasons best artilleries bent Love not my love, if it be not excellent. Come honest Lord, 'tis you must stand to me, The Queen in mine does challenge interest, And I must fly for shelter to my friends. Oh no my Lord, not till the weather change. I if the music would not altar it. Madame isle stand, that a fair woman must be proud or else a fool. A woman fair is Like a full blown rose, A woman fair is Like the finest gold. Nay good Lord leave a little, She that is fair is wise, and ought to know it, For to that end did nature first bestow it. Now of this knowledge if we be not proud, We wrong the author, and we are allowed To rank with senseless beasts, sith careless we For want of pride detract our dignity. Now knowing it, we know truth in the same, Not to be proud of truth asks follies name. This lesson still is read in beauty's school, She that is fair and humble is a fool: For neither know she how to hold her good, Or to keep safe the treasure of her blood. But I hope my lord all grounds are not fruitful. And isle defend them against all men, as at single tongue. Brother, indeed you shall attend the Queen, Another time will serve those state dispatches. Now isle stand to it, that to be a states man or a lawyer, is to be of the most thankless occupation that ever was derived from human invention. Because they bestow all the laborious toil of the mind un till they be forty, that they may live imprisoned in a study chamber till they be fourscore, only this world's Mammon, which is great name and riches, Like a string between a galley slaves legs, is the on lie ease of their fetters. How, condemd before their trial? I do not hold thee brother for a man, For it is reasonless to mock calamity, If he die innocent, thrice happy soul; If guilty, weep, that man should so transgress: Nature of reason thus much does importune, Man should partake in grief with men misfortune. Spit out that monster envy, it corrupts you, And mildly hear me answer for my love, What did he gainst you was not honourable, Which you gainst him would not have gladly done? Will you hate him for acting your own thoughts? Can it be ill in him yet good in you? Let reason weigh this difference then yowl find His honour poizes down his infamy. No Like a God he made me with his breath. His honour not his love does now neglect me. Hell shall have mercy ere I will forsake him. Prevention thou best midwife to misfortune, Unfold this ugly monsters treachery, And let his birth be ominous struck dead, Ere it have being in this open world: Loves commands nature, brother pardon me, Thine envy di S by my loves liberty. Invention (heart of wit) possess my brain, For treason is to treason her own bane. And you bright heavens, now aid me in my plots, That truth may shine through falsehoods leprous spots. My life I'll hazard to redeem my love, Firm constancy Like rocks can never move. Be bold then maiden heart in his defence He saved thy life, thy life's his recompense. My wit and Hope's have furnished me with all The helps of art, to bring forth treasons fallen. Now to the means: some say that gold hath power, To enter without force a gateless tower; And I'll try that, which if it take fast hold, I'll never blame them more that dote on gold. Hoe, whose within there? My grief speaks loud sir, and my swift desire Over rules my tongue, makes it keep time with thought, I long to see a prisoner in this ill built house. The worthy Prince, the famous Philocles. I have my brother's strong commission, hold there is gold. I thank you sir. Will you grow mad? what shall your nobler spirit Which is the school of wisdom grow so found, As to revolt from all our happiness? Our plots you know, and how to manage cares, Whose true events have true proportions. Then deer Lord rest resolved, the Gailer over hears: Live you with safety, most worthy maid farewell. Oh that my tongue would not betray my knowledge Then would I amaze them all with mine assertions: Madame, challenge the law. In which commission, (madame) let it be enrolled He is my brother and my best of blood. Nay madame by your leave, Pride gives a luster to a woman's fair, Things that are highest prized, are ever deer. Why is the Diamond the Saphyrs king, But for esteem and rareness? both which spring From the stones pride, which is so chased and hard, Nothing can pierce it, it self is it selves guard, Now what is pride? self love, our own esteem, A strength to make us of our selves well deem: From whence this maxim I collect amongst other, Who hates her self can never love another. And to conclude, men appetite grows dull To what it may have, empty hope is full, To all our sex on earth, maid, widow, wife and bride, They happy live, when they live with chased pride.