AMANDA

It's strange, Your reverend Ladyship hath so much moisture; Sure you preserved your tears, and wasted none When you were young, to th'end you might express Your self now tender-hearted: What sweet Courtier But would esteem those tears and make them bracelets Their toughness will endure the stringing. The Grave is that best fits them. And before the Duchess Lay open all. O Melissa I love thy brother, and my virgin flame Grows every hour more violent. You mock me With echoing back my words. All my Hope's are lost, In that the Duchess favours him so much; My jealousies can point no other end out, Then their uniting in that fellowship My wishes covet. Here's the Duchess, Madam let me prevent the abusing of your faith: my honour suffers In nothing but a counterfeit of that, With which I mocked her curiosity, That else refused all satisfaction; And in't betrayed herself to the discovery Of such and inclination, as to think on't Renews the blushes which you say my cheeks So late have lost. I dare expose my eslfe To the trial of her jury. I know not brother, would you'd ask a Doctor, A skilful one that hath proved more men mortal, Then a corrupted Vintage, or French Duels: If such a learned men inspection can Tell the disease which many think I have, But am not sensible thereof my self. Sure it does deserve No better answer. How do I appear To every curious eye that undertakes The reading of my inside? sure that Lady Hath made you jealous. I thought some such fine thing Had mocked your credulous weakness. Blush to think You own so low a soul as to suspect Her whom your love calls sister; though detraction Spoke with a hund read tongues, and muttered circumstance To make it probable, Of gilded! Should you present all tortures tyranny Did ever invent: I have no fears can make me Belie mine innocence, though it might free me From all their suffering. This circumvention Is of so strange and intricate a nature, I know not how to free my self, but by Mine own just testimony. Brother know Your best prepared devotions are not purer Then my worst thoughts; their ends being always noble When I have had desires. Suppose I should confess to whom mine are directed; He's one that you dare not suspect, much less Accuse of such a sin that is so far from His virtuous inclination. Brother You seem to hedge me in with studied cunning. But I can give my self a liberty By naming him you'd know. I do affect Your friend Lord Spurio. Done what? your jealousy is weak, and grounded Upon too nice a fear; and only propped With her slight information. And you interpret it. Hug your error, And cherish it until it sting your bosom: Your threats shall not enforce another answer Though the place had no privilege. Will you sir (To Bonardo. Cherish my duty with a faith? What that bade woman hath accused me of, Is false as any fabulous Deity Bono. and Fi delio whisper. Ascribed to wicked mortal. Would thou Wertenberg Without that noysefull instrument of speech; Or all thy hearers deaf. But that her virtues Carry their perfect lustre, I should almost Suspect the Duchess, for corferring favour Upon so vile a woman. Exit. Is your belief good brother Yet rectified? What's the meaning? two such friends To be divided! Let our tears divert To Spurio. Your rash and violent purpose: trust me sir, Unless a noble cause hath fired your spirits— Then I understand it; And challenge it my privilege to order Your reconciliation. Brother, know Your error hath dishonoured you so much, That till you have called back to your opinion My fame and inocence, I must not own you. To raise a scandal of high consequence From such and empty and perverse suspicion And not to clear it with the satisfaction Both of protests and testimony, argues A soul less noble than the generous blood Of our brave Ancestors successively Inherited; producing actions, The subject of large stories. Let Melissae Witness the intent; a humorous counterfeit, To mock Cardendte curiosity Into and apt discovery of her self And wicked inclinations; that we knowing them Our care might shun her courses. Your noble anger Hath such a fair excuse, that I must thank you. Your error only was your fault, and that My pity pardons freely. Let my blushes speak A maids consent, and in them you may read My thoughts direction that made you their object; Mixing themselves with fears, Hope's, jealousies; And all that's incident to earnest love, May it be crowned with such a fair event, It'll make your handmaid happy. As you would cherish duty Or other virtues in me, clear the missed That hangs before your reason; you shall see The whiteness of my innocence: confirm it With your beliefs (for truth is only valued As it's received) I shall meet his embraces With all my Virgin sweets, Like evening air Without a cloud; when it but only blusheth To kiss the Sun at parting. Most unhappy Kneeling by Spurio. Amanda, in the lose of all thy wishes; We'll not be long divided, if my griefs Meet not too stubborn and perverse resistance From the soft heart I gave to thee. And oh that, Of great antiquity; the Cavaliers Used it before the battle of Lepanto. Madam I gladly would give satisfaction Unto your graces curiosity, So that it might not prejudice fair truth: To say I'm sick, were a dissimulation: If well, you'll not believe it. Hold Good Lady Simile; Or Like your Monkey When he wants Spiders; the poor beast looks scurvily, And not unlike your Ladyship. If a distemper, Or a disease that's crept into my blood Renders me now less beautiful, then lately The flatteries of some esteemed me; must it Conclude my mind is sick? Why does your reverence Think I am mad? She hath given me and occasion. To Melissa privately. Might I presume You would be secret. It's almost At my tongues end: but shame— Perhaps it's something cannot be expressed In modest Language. She Interprets right Melissa. And you'll reveal them. How have I fooled my self into a misery, Prevention cannot free me from? committing A secret of such consequence to one Will make my shame the pastime of the Court By her discovery. You'll aid me then Cardente In the concealment? And old coal Raked up in counterfeited sanctity: Thou credulous piece of wickedness, didst think If any wanton forwardness had led me To such a sin as looseness, I would suffer The knowledge of't pass from me? and especially To one suspected for a wicked agent In those base practises, but now discovered. Unto what good Lady?