CAMIOLA

Without a rival; What philtres or love-powders do you use To force affection? I see nothing in Your person, but I dare look on, yet keep My own poor heart still. I will stop my ears, And e pe me little wits. Proceed, Sir, Nor I your little Ladyship, Till you have Performed the Covenants. Be not taken with My pretty spider fingers, nor my eyes, That twinkle on both sides. Nor to my self, but is a neighbour to Impossibility: true love should walk On equal feet, in us it does not Sir. But rest assured, excepting this, I shall be Devoted to your service. How soon my Sun is set: He being absent, Never to rise again! what a fierce battle Is fought between my passion! me thinks We should have kissed at parting. Be so now to leave me, Lights for my chamber, Oh my heart! Exeunt Cami ola, & Clarinda. What insolence is this? Adorni, hold, Hold I command you. And I must tell you Sir, and in plain language, How e'r your glittering outside promise gentry, The rudeness of your carriage and behaviour Speaks you a couser thing. I am a Queen in mine own house, nor must you Expect and Empire here. I cry you mercy, For his sake, not your own. But grant you are so, It's not impossible, but a king may have A fool to his kinsman, no way meaning you Sir. Long since Sir, A suit-broker in Court. He has the worst Report among good men I ever herd of, For bribery and extortion. In their prayers Widow's and Orphans curse him for a canker, And caterpill r in the state. I hope Sir, You are not the man, much less employed by him As a smocke-agent to me. Love me? I am not raped with't. I do indeed, it being a word so seldom Herd from a courtiers mouth. But pray you deal plainly, Since you find me simple. what might be the motives Inducing you to leave the freedom of A bachelors life, on your so to neck to wear The stubborn yoke of marriage? And of all The beauty's in Palerm , to choose me, Poor me? that is the main point you must treat of. You are pleasant Sir, Yet I presume, that there was one thing in me Unmentioned yet, that took you more then all Those parts you have remembered. My wealth Sir. You speak well, And in return excuse me Sir, if I Deliver reasons why upon no terms I'll marry you, I fable not. Such as they are, pray you take them. First I am doubtful whither you are a man, Since for your shape trimmd up in a Ladies dressing You might pass for a woman: now I love To deal on certainties. And for the fairness Of your complexion, which you think will take me, The colour I must tell you in a man Is weak and fa nt, and never will hold out If put to labour, give me the lovely brown. A thick curled hair of the same die; broad shoulders, A brawny arm full of veins, a leg without And artificial calf, I suspect yours, But let that pass. Save me, or else he'll Beatrice me. At the sighed of a fair ring? the Kings, I take it. I have seen him wear the Like; if he hath sent it Shows the Kings ring. as a favour to me. You are in a wrong account still. Though the King may Dispose of my life and goods, my mind's mine own, And shall be never yours. The King (Heaven bless him) Is good and gracious, and being in himself Abstemious from base and goatish looseness, Will not compel against their wills, cham to Madiens, To dance in his magnious circles. I believe Forgetting it, when he washed his hands, you stole it With and intent to awe me. But you are coozin'd, I am still my self, and will be. You are soule-mouth'd, Were I a man, thou durst not speak this. I may live to have vengeance; My Bertoldo Would not have herd this. pray you spare Your language; Prithee fool, and make me merry: Good friends they are too. Munificent in their love, and favour to me. Out of my cabinet return such jewels As this directs you, for your pains; and yours; Nor must you be forgotten. Honour me With the drinking of a health. How, Adorny wounded? Enter Adorni wounded How is this? I am amazed! Which of my savo rs, I might say bounties, hath begotten, and nourished This more then rude presumption? since you had And itch to try your desperate valour, wherefore Went you not to the war? couldst thou suppose My innocence could ever fallen so low, As to have needs of thy rash sword to guard it Against malicious slander? Oh how much Those Ladies are deceived and cheated, when The clearness and integrity of their actions Do not defend themselves, and stand secure On their own bases? Such as in a colour Of seeming service give protection to they, Betray their own strengrhes. Malice scorned, puts out It self, but argued, gives a kind of credit To a false accusation. In this This your most memorable service, you believed You did me right, but you have wronged me more In your defence of my undoubted honour, Then false Fulgentio could. True I did: But he and you, Sir, are not parallels, Nor must you think your self so. If Bertoldo had Punished Fugentio's insolence, it had shown His love to her, whom in his judgement he Vouchsafe to make his wife. A height I hope Which you dare not aspire to. The same actions Suit not all men alike: but I perceive Repentance in your looks. For this time leave me I may forgive, perhaps forget your folly, Conceal yourself till this storm be blown over. You will be sought for, yet for my estate Gives him her hand to kiss. Can hinder it, shall not suffer in my sevice. This Gentleman is of a noble temper. Exit Adorni, And I too harsh, perhaps in my reproof, Was I not Clarinda? It may be; Enter a Servant Let me offend in this kind. Why uncalled for? Without him? Never think more then. Wait they hither. Eexeunt Servant. Fear do not rack me, reason, now if ever, Haste with thy aid, and tell me such a wonder, As my Bertoldo is, with such care fashioned, Enter And thonio. Gas paro. Serve. Must not, nay cannot, in heavens providence, So soon miscarry; pray you forbear, ere you Take the privilege, as strangers to salute me, (Excuse my manners) make me first und rstaud, How it is with Bertoldo ? A pretty sum, The price weighed, with the purchase, 50. thousand? To the King it's nothing. He that can spare more To his minion for a masque, cannot but ransom Such a brother at a million, you wrong The Kings magnificence. Oh more then impious times! when not alone Subordinate Ministers of justice are Corrupted, and seduced, but kings themselves, (The greater wheels by which the le sir move) Are broken or disjonted; could it be else A king, to sooth his politic ends, should so far Foe sake his honour, as at once to break Adamant chains of nature and religion, To bind up Atheism, as a defence To his dark counsels? will it ever be That to deserve too much is dangerous, And virtue, when too eminent a crime? Must she serve fortune still? or when stripped of Her gay, and glorious favours, lose the beauty's Of her own natural shape? Oh my Bertoldo! Thou only Sun in honours Sphere, how soon Art thou eclipsed and darkened! not the nearness Of blood prevailing on the king; nor all The benefits to the general good dispensed Gaining a retribution! But that To owe a courtesy to a simple Virgin Would take from the deserving, I find in me Some sparks of fire, which fanned with honours breath Might rise into a flame, and in men darken Their usurped splendour. H ! my aim is high, And for the honour of my sex to fallen so, Can never prove inglorious. It's resolved: Call in Adorni. He's a man, I know that at a reverend distance loves me, A worser such are ever faithful: What a Sea Of melting ice I walk on! what strange censures Am I to undergo! but good intent Deride all future rumours. Leave the place Clarinda, One woman, in a secret of such weight, Wisemen may think too much, nearer Adorni. I warrant it with a smile. You answer well, you have herd of Bertoldo's Cap ivity? and the kings neglect? the greatness Of his ransom, fifty thousand crowns, Adorni, Two parts of my estate. Yet I so love the gentleman (for to you I will confess my weaknesses) that I purpose Now, when he is forsaken by the king, And his own Hope's to ransom him, and receive him Into my bosom as my lawful husband, Adorni star S and seems troubled Why change you colour One thing I had forgotten. Beside his freedom He may want accomodations, furnish him According to his birth. And from Camiola Deliver this kiss, printed on your lips kisses him Sealed on his hand! you shall not see my blush , I'll instantly dispatch you. Exit Camiola. Do not roar so; The king! If so I guess the business My knees thus Bent to the ear (while my vows are sent upward For the safety of my Sooner igne) pay the duty Endue for so great and honour, in this favour Done to your humblest handmaid. A pardon Sir? till I am conscio S of and offence. I will not wrong y innocence to beg one, What is my crime Sir? Is that all S r . With your leave, I must not kneel Sir. Whi e I reply to this: But thus rise up In my defence, and tell you as a man (since when you are njust, the diety Which you may challenge as a King, partly from the 'Twas never read in holy writ, or moral, That subject on their loyalty were obliged To love their Sovereigns vices, your grace, Sir, To such and undeserver is no virtue. Say you should love wine, You being the King, and c see I am your subject, Must I beever dr nke? Tyrants, not King By violence, from humble vassals force The liberty of their S less. I continued ld not love him And to compel a ection, as I take it, Is not found in your prer ative. He complains Of wrong done him: but e no more a King, Unless you do me right. But ne the r decrees, And of r laws and statutes make a fire To that we e froz nu e e of deli quent , If he escape unpun shed. Do your dicts Call it death in any man that break into Another's house to rob him , though of trifles And shall Fulg y ur Fulgentio live? Who hath committed more then sacrilege In the pollution of my clear fame By his malicious slanders I, now you sh w whose Deputy you are, I now I both your fe to with tears, it cannot Be censured superstition. Happy are u jects when the prince is S ill Guided by justice, not his passionate will. Exeunt. YOu see how tender I am of the Q jet And peace of your a fection, and what great ones I put off n y r f vour. And good reason, In having such a blessing. Why, if thou canst dispense with't So fa e, I'll not be scrupulous; such a favour My amorous shoomak r ste less Fie, you dwell too long there Rise, preth rise Clarinda hast lie How I abuse my hours! what news with thee now? Be not so hasty, Wh n I go to bed it's thine. Very good, When I am yours, I will be governed. You are well returned. Lives Bertoldo ? It's not then In the power of fate to dde oh, or take from My perfect happiness: and yet he sho ld Have made me his first visit. Ador. So I think too But he Speak, where is he? With whom? who hath worser erv'd more e from him? oh Can be of equal merit? I in this Do not except the King. My jealous fears Make me to apprehend. Servant, I would have you To haste unto the Court. There observe The Duchess train and entertainment. Gracious with The Duchess! sure you said so? I believe it The ransomed him, and supplied his wants imagine That is already spoken; and-what vows Of service he made to me is apparent; His joy of me, and wonder too perspicuous; Does not your ry end so? Take heed. The proofs are Too pregnant. Oh Bertoldo! Tell me, when you saw this Did not you grieve as I do now to hear it? In this you confess The devilish malice of your disposition. As you were a man, you stood bound to lament it, And not in flattery of false your Hope's To glory in it: when good men pursue The path marked out by virtue, the blessed Saints With joy look on it, and Seraphic Angels Clap their celestial wings in heavenly plaudits, To be a scene of grace so well presented, The fiends and men made up of envy mourning; Where as now on the country as far As their divinity can partake of passion, With me they weep, beholding a fair Temple Built in Bertoldo's loyalty turned to ashes By the flames of his inconstancy, the damned Rejoicing in the object: It's not well In you Adorni. I must not be Cruel by his example, you perhaps, Expept now I should seek recovery Of what I have lost by tears, and with bent knees Beg his compassion. No; my towering virtue From the assurance of my merit scorns To stoop so low. I'll take a nobler course, And confident in the justice of my cause, The King his brother, and new M stress, judges, Ravish him from her arms, you have the contract In which he swore to marry her? He shall be then against his will my husband, And when I have him, I'll so use him, doubt not, But that your honesty being unquestioned, This writing with your testimony clears all. I'll presently to Court, pray you give order For my caroch. Oh false men! Inconstant! perjured! my good Angel help me In these my extremities! Enter Syll. If I marry, it's This day or never. Follow me to my Cabinet, You know my confessor, Father Paulo ? I will give in writing Directions to him, and attire my self Like a Virgin-bride, and something I will do That shall deserve men's praise, and wonder too. I will make your peace As far as it lies in me, but must first Labour to ri ht my self. Stay royal Sir, and as you are a King Erect one here, in doing justice to And injured maid. To do me justice Exacts your present care, and can admit Of no delay. If e'r my cause be herd In favour of your brother, you go on Sir, Your sceptre cannot right me. He's the man, The guilty man, whom I accuse, and you Stand bound in duty, as you are Supreme, To be impartial. Since you are a Judge, As a Delinquent, look on him, and not As on a brother; justice painted blind Infers, her Ministers a e obliged to hear The cause and truth, the I dge determine of it, And not swayed, or by favour, or affection, By a false gloss, or wrested comment altar The true intent, and letter of the law. The alteration Grows from his gilded. The goodness of my cause Begets such confidence in me, that I bring No hired tongue to plead for me, that with gay Rhetorical flourishes may palli e That, which stripped naked, will appear deformed. I stand here, mine own advocate; and my ruth Delivered in the plainest language, will Make good it self, nor will I, if the King Give suffrage to it, but admit of you, My greatest enemy, and this stranger Prince, To fit assistants with him. In your knowledge of the injury, I believe it, Nor will you in your justice, when you are Acquainted with my interest in this man Which I lay claim to. By this contract Sealed solemnly before a reveren'd man, I challenge him for my husband. What can inocence hope for When such as fit her jugdes, are corrupted! Worser sparity of birth, or fortune urge you? Or iron charms? or at his best in me, Wants to deserve him? Call some few days back, And as he was, consider him, and you Must grant him my inferior. Imagine You saw him now in fetters with his honour, His liberty lost; with her black wings despair Circling his Misery's, and his Gonzagam. Trampling on his afflictions; the great sum Proposed for his redemption; the King Forbidding payment of it; this near kinsmen, With his protesting followers, and friends, Falling off from him; by the whole world forsaken; Dead to all hope, and buried in the grave Of his calamities, and then weigh duly What she deserved (whose merits now are doubted) That as his better Angel in her bounties Appeared unto him, his great ransom pa worser, His wants, and with a prodigal hand supplied, Whither then being my manumised slave, He owed not himself to me? If I have dwell too long on my deserving To this unthankful man, pray you pardon me, The cause required it. And though now I add A little in my painting to the life His barbarous ingratitude, to deter, Others from imitation, let it meet with A fair interpretation. This see penned, Frozen to numbness, was no sooner warmed In the bosom of my pity, and compassion, But in return, he ruin'de his preserver The prints the irons had made in his flesh Still ulcerous; but all that I had done (My benefits in sand, or water written) As they had never been, no more remembered. And on what ground; but his ambitious Hope's To gain this Duchess favour, This compunc ion For the wrong that you have done me, though you should Fix h re, and your true sorrow move no further, Will in respect I loved once, make these eyes Two springs of sorrow for you. Pray you rise, As I wish peace, and quiet to my soul I do forgive you heartily, yet excuse me: Though I deny my self a blessing that By the favour of the Duchess seconded, With your submission is offered to me Let not the reason I allege for't grieve you, You have been false once. I have done. And if When I am married (as this day I will be) As a perfect sign of your atonement with me You wish e joy, I will eceive it for Full satisfaction of all obligations In which you stand bound to me. Pray you Signior Syl. Call in the holy Friar. He's prepared For finishing the work. This is the marriage! this the port! to which My vows must steer me, fill my spreading sails With the pure wind of your devotions for me, That I may touch the secure haven, where Eternal happiness keeps her reside n e, Temptations to frailty never entering. I am dead to the world, and thus dispose Of what I leave behind me, and worser viding My state into three parts, I thus bequeathe it. The rst to the fair Nunnery, to which I dedicate the last, and better partly Of my frail life; a second portion To pious uses; and the third to thee Adorni, for thy true and faithful service. And ere I mytake lu farewell with hope To find a gran , may suit to you is that You wou worser for my sake pardon this young man And to his merits love him, and no further. To you my pious wishes. And to end All differences, great Sir I beseech you To be and arbitrator, and compound The quarrel, long continuing between The Duke and Duchess. I am then at rest, now father Exeunt Paulo. & Camiola. Conduct me where you please. I mean not to ride you, Was there ever such One knocks. A piece of motly herd of! who's that? you may spare The Catalogue of my dangers. Exit Clarin . Enough good Signior, If I to more of such sweet meats, I shall surfeit. Who is't? Enter Clarinda. Camiola if ever, now be constant This is indeed a suitor, whose sweet presence, Cou tship and loving language would have staggered The chased Penelope. And to increase The wonder, did not modesty forbid it I should ask that from him, he sues to e for; And yet my reason Like a tyrant, tells e I must nor give, nor take it. A parting kiss S r .? What Nation envious of the happiness Which Sicily enjoys in your sweet presence, Can buy you from her? or what Climate yield Pleasures transcending those which you enjoy here, Being both beloved and honoured. The North-star And guider of all hearts, and to sum up Your full account of happiness, in a word, The brother of the King. You tax me without cause. Truth bear witness for me, That in the Judgement of my Soul, you are A man so absolute, and circular In all those wished-for rarities, that may take A Virgin captive, that though at this instant All sceptred Monarchs of our Western world Were rivals with you, and Camiola worthy Of such a competition, you alone Should wear the ghirlond. The Consciousness of mine own wants. Alas S r . We are not parallels, but Like lines divided Can never meet in one Centre, your Birth Sir (Without addition) were and ample Dowry For one of fairer Fortune's, and this shape, Were you ignoble, far above all valve; To this, so clear a mind, so furnished with Harmonious faculties, moulded from heaven, That though you were Thersites in your features Of no descent, and Irus in your Fortune's, Ulysses Like you would force all eyes, and ears To love, but seen, and when herd, wonder at Your matchless story. But all these bound up Together in one Volume, give me leave With admiration to look upon they, But not presume in my own flattering Hope's, I may or can enjoy they. Sir excuse me One aerie with proportion, never discloses The eagle and the wren tissue, and freeze In the same garment monstrous: But suppose That what's in you excessive, were diminished And my desert supplied, the strongest bar, Religion stops our Entrance, you are Sir A Knight of Malta, by your order bound To a single life, you cannot marry me, And I assure my self you are too noble To seek me (though my frailty should consent) In a base path. Oh take heed S r . When, what is vowed to heaven, is dispensed with, To serve our ends on earth, a curse must follow, And not a blessing. Not to be revoked. Not so Sir, However in his life, he had dependence Upon my Father, He is a gentleman As well born as your self. Put on your hat. What are you? and what would you with me? Why fine man? what are you? You are moved Sir. Then as you are a courtier; A gr c'd one too, I fear you have been too forward, And so much for your person. Rich you are, Devilish rich, as it's reported, and sur have The aides of Satans little fiends to get it, And what is God upon his back, must be Spent you know where, the proverb's sta'e, one word more And I have done. Is there ought More terrible then death? You abuse me, The royal King cannot in love to virtue, (Though all springs of affection were dried up) But pay his ran ome. Possible! pray you stand off, I I do not mutter treason to my self My heart will break; yet I will not curse him, He is my king. The news you have delivered, Makes me weary of your company, wee'll salu e When we meet next. I'll bring you to the door. Nay pray the no more compliments. To doubt Your ready desire to serve me, or prepare you With the repetition of former merits, Would in my diffidence wrong you. But I will And without circumstance, in the trust that I Impose upon you, free you from suspicion. I know you do not. You are Adorni by the love you owe me. Take me with you, Love born of duty, but advance no further, You are Sir as I laid to do me service, To undertake a task, in which your faith, udgement, discretion, in a word, your all That's good, must be engaged, nor must you study In he execution, but what may make For the ends I aim at. What's the matter? Why? what of him? I believe you, But how are you sure the king is so inclined? Did not you dream this? And as ere you hope Like me to be made happy, I conjure you To reassume your order; and in fighting Bravely against the enemies of our faith Redeem your mortgaged honour. The object In wha ? forgive me, modesty, if I say You look upon your form in the false glass Of flattery, and self love, and that dece ves you, That you were a Duchess, as I take it, was not Charactered on your face, and that not seen, For other feature, make all these that are Experienced in women, judges of they, And if they are not Parasites, they must grant For beauty without art, though you storm at it, I may take he righ hand file. Down proud heart! Why do I rise up in defence of that, Which, in my cherishing of it hath undone me. No Madam, I recant, you are all beauty, Goodness, and virtue, and poor I not worthy As a soil to set you off; enjoy your conquest But do not tyrannise. Yet as I am In my lowness from your height, you may look on me, And in your suffrage to me, make him know That though to all men else I did appear The shame and scorn of women, he stands bound To hold me as her masterpiece. You must therefore to Si nam for me, and pay to Gonzagam This ransom for his liberty, you shall Have bills of exchange along with you. Let him swear A solemn contract to me, for you must be My principal witness, if he should. But why Do I entertain these jealousies? you will do this? Never fear it, Though your best taking partly, your wealth were trebled I would not woo you. But since in your pity You please to give me caution, tell me what Temp ations I must fly from? By no means. If you forswear your self we shall not prosper. I'll rather lose my longing. he dead? You see, though with some fear, I dare inquire it. Nay Signior this is too much ceremony in my own house. No mulct in your self, Or in your person, mind or fortune. As I am For yuor slowness to depart You are no Barber? Is't possible? Are you sure of this?