FIORINDA

HOw does this dressing show? Thou flatterest me. Were we less perfect, Yet being as we are and absolute Princess, We of necessity must be chased, wise, fair, By our prerogative. Yet all these fail To move where I would have them. How received Count Sanazarro the rich Scarf I sent him For his last Visit? No matter, He's blind with too much light. Have you not herd Of any private Mistress he's engaged to? Troth I know not, He's man enough, and if he has a haunt, He preys far off Like a subtle Fox. Do faithful servant, We would not be abused. Who have we here? And looks as if he were Cunning his neck-verse. He has given it you. Yes sir. I am ready. Now the ceremony Is passed, what is the substance? To my wonder: Return unto the Prince: but he prevents My answer. Calaminta take him off, And for the neat delivery of his message Give him ten Ducats, such rare parts as yours Are to be cherished. If you please, not To make that and offence in your construction, Which I receive as a large favour from you, There needs not this Apology. You are Sir the Master, And in the Country have learned to outdo All that in Court is practised. But why should we Talk at such distance? You are welcome sir. We have been more familiar, and since You will impose the Province, you should govern, Of boldness on me, give me leave to say You are too punctual. Fit sir, and discourse As we were used. Nay, no more of this. You shall overcome; no more I pray you sir. And what delights, Pray you be liberal In your relation, hath the Country life Afforded you? You speak him well. Your whole age So spent with such a Father, and a Daughter, Could not be tedious to you. I'll meet your demand, And make a plain discovery. The Dukes care For my estate and person holds the first And choicest place. Then the respect the Courtiers Pay gladly to me, not to be contemned. But that which raised in me the most delight (For I am a friend to valour) was to hear The noble actions truly reported Of the brave Count Sanazarro. I profess When it hath been, and fervently delivered. How boldly in the horror of a fight Covered with fire and smoke, and as if nature Had lent him wings, Like lightning he hath fallen Upon the Turkish Galleys, I have herd it With a kind of pleasure, which hath whispered to me This Worthy must be cherished. I glory in it. And when he did return (but still with conquest) His Armour off not young Antinous Appeared more Courtly; all the Graces that Render a men Society deer to Ladies, Like Pages waiting on him, and it does Work strangely on me. You will ask I do presume, what I may grant, and then It must not be denied. Nay, without circumstance. It's rank! He loves her; But I will fit him with a suit. I pause not As if it bred or doubt or scruple in me To do what you desire, for I'll effect it, And make use of a fair and fit occasion. Yet in return I ask a boon of you, And hope to find you, in your grant to me As I have been to you. It's near allied to yours. That you would be A Suitor to the Duke, not to expose (After so many trials of his faith) The noble Sanazarro to all dangers, As if he were a wall to stand the fury Of a perpetual battery: but now To grant him after his long labours, rest And liberty to live in Court, his Arms And his victorious sword and shield hung up For monuments. We attend you. Sir. I have found it Sir. Your gracious care to me and Orphan, frees me From all suspicion, that my jealous fears can drive into my fancy. When you think fit Sir. But in the mean time, with your Highness pardon, I am a suitor to you. That you would please To lay a strict command on Charomonte, To bring his daughter Lidia to the Court, And pray you think Sir that it's not my purpose To employ her as a servant, but to use her As a most wished companion. I assure your Grace With zeal, and vehemency, and even when With his best words he strived to set her forth (Though the rare subject made him eloquent) He would complain, all he could say came short Of her deservings. I thank your Highness, But speed in the performance of the grant Doubles the favours Sir. I come not to be thanked Sir for the speedy Performance of my promise touching Lidia, It is effected. The Duke No sooner herd me with my best of language Describe her excellencies, as you taught me, But he confirmed it. You look sad, as if You wished it were undone. Be you as careful For what I moved to you. Count Sanazarro, Now I perceive you honour me, in vouchsafing To wear so sleight a favour. You merit more In prizing so a trifle. Take this Diamond, I'll second what I have begun. For know Your valour hath so won upon me, that It's not to be resisted. I have said Sir, And leave you to interpret it. It's a goodly pile this. The Dukes pleasure Commands us hither. We will read it. He whom you pleased to favour, is cast down, Passed hope of rising, by the great Dukes frown, If by your gracious means, he cannot have A pardon. And that God, be lives your slave. Of men the most distressed, Sanazarro. Of me the most beloved, and I will save thee, Or perish with thee. Sure thy fault must be Of some prodigious shape, if that my prayers And humble intercession to the Duke Prevail not with him. Here he comes, delay Shall not make less my benefit. Sir, I am And humble Suitor to you; and the rather Am confident of a grant, in that your Grace When I made choice to be at your devotion, Vowed to deny me nothing. It is Sir, That you in being gracious to your servant, The never sufficiently praised Sanazarro, (That now under your heavy displeasure suffers) Would be good unto yourself. His services So many, and so great (your storm of fury Calmed by your better judgement) must inform you, Some little slip (for sure it is no more) From his loyal duty, with your justice cannot Make foul his fair deservings. Great Sir, therefore Look backward on his former worth; and turning Your eye from his offence (what'tis I know not) And I am confident, you will receive him Once more into your favour. If his offence Aimed at me only, what so ever it is It's freely pardoned. I once more must make bold Sir To trench upon your patience. I have Considered my wrongs duly. Yet that cannot Divert my intercession for a man Your Grace Like me, once favoured. I am still A suppliant to you, that you would vouchsafe The hearing his defence, and that I may With your allowance see, and comfort him. Then having herd all that he can allege In his excuse, for being false to you, Censure him as you please. All increase Ofhappines wait on Cozimo. All debts are discharged In this acknowledgement: yet since you please I shall impose some terms of satisfaction For that which you profess your self obliged for, They shall be gentle ones, and such as will not I hope afflict you. I will bind you to Make good your promise. First, I then enjoin you To love a Lady, that a Noble way Truly affects you, and that you would take To your protection and care the Dukedom Of Urbino, which no more is mine, but yours. And that when you have full possession of My person, as my Fortune's, you would use me Not as a Princess, but instruct me in The duties of and humble wife, for such (The privilege of my birth no more remembered) I will be to you. This consented to All injuries forgotten, on your lips I thus sign your quietus. I am happy In this assurance. What Sweet Lady's this? I understand you: Nay, blush not, by my life she is a rare one! And if I were your Judge I would not blame you, To Like and love her. But Sir you are mine now, And I presume so on your constancy, That I dare not be jealous. Your Highness promised A gracious hearing to the Count. Pray you forbear To press that farther, it's a fault we have Already herd, and pardoned. We do resign This Chair as only proper to your self. And the Count Averred as much to me. The hopeful Prince your Nephew Sir hath given her To me for such and abstract of perfection, In all that can be wished for in a virgin, As beauty, music, ravishing discourse, Quickness of apprehension, with choice manners And learning to, not usual with women; That I am much ambitious (though I shall Appear but as a foil to set her off) To be from her instructed, and supplied In what I am defective. To endure a rival, that were equal to me, Cannot but speak my poverty of spirit, But and inferior more; yet true love must not Know, or degrees, or distances. Lidia may be As far above me in her form, as she Is in her birth beneath me, and what I In Sanazarro liked, he loves in her. But if I free him now, the benefit Being done so timely, and confirming too My strength & power, my souls best faculties being Bent wholly to preserve him, must supply me With all I am defective, and bind him My creature ever. It must needs be so, Nor will I give it over thus. Tie my shoe. What's that? A panem thrown from the window no wind stirring?