POLYDORA

Indeed you shall not go. To travel, I know you see me, but to take your leave, But I must never yield to such and absence. Commanded? by whom? I am very glad, for trust me, I could think Of thy departure with no comfort, thou Art all the joy I have, half of my soul; But I must thank the Queen now for thy company, I prithee what could make thee so desirous To be abroad? Then you must provoke it. Perhaps you surfeit with my love. Although I have no beauty to compare ̄ With the best faces, I have a heart above All competition. For what? 'Tis safer dwelling here. You can flatter too. Fine men. Yowl teach me To think I may be flattered in your promises, Since you live where this art is most professed. Let it be some Gentle one. Revoke these hasty syllables, they carry To great a penalty for breach of Love To me, I am not worth thy suffering, You do not know what beauty may invite Your change, what happiness may tempt your eye And heart together. I suspect not, And to requite thy constancy I swear. Some affair too soon Ravished him hence, his Uncle sent for him You came now from Court: how looks the Queen ̄ This golden morning? Then Lisimachus can have ̄ No frost in's blood, that lives so near her beams. I am not well. It will concern me ̄ . O where shall Virgins look for faith hereafter? If he prove false, after so many vows? And yet if I consider, he was tempted Above the strength of a young Lover, two Such glorious courting his acceptance, were Able to make disloyalty no sin, At least not seem a fault, a Lady first, Whose very looks would thaw a man more from Then the Alps, quicken a soul more dead then Winter. Add to her beauty and perfection, That she's a Queen, and brings with her a Kingdom Able to make a great mind forfeit heaven. What could the frailty of Arcadius Suggest to unspirit him so much, as not To fly to her embraces, you were present When she declared her self. Tell me, Did not he make a pause, when the fair Queen A full temptation stood him? That was ill, He might with honour stand one or two minutes, Me thinks it should have startled him a little, To have remembered me, I have deserved At least a cold thought, well pray give it him. When? Not so, But take a time when his joy swells him most, When his delights are high and ravishing, When you perceive his soul dance in his eyes, When she that must be his, hath dressed her beanty With all her pride, and sends a thousand Cupid's To call him to the tasting of her lip; Then give him this, and tell him while I live, I'll pray for him. I wait your Lordship's pleasure. Sir, the knowledge Of my honourable Lord his Father, will Instruct me to behave my self with all Respects becoming me, to such a son. As one whose soul's above it. With contempt rather of the great command Which made him prisoner, he will talk sometime So strangely to himself. Are you serious? Command my life, I owe it to your favour. You must be a King. These are no trifles, sir, all is plotted To assure your greatness, if you will be wise, And take the fair occasion that's presented. But it becomes My griefs, this habit fits a funeral, And it were sin, my Lord, not to lament A fry ndnew dead. He was Arcadius. A Gentleman that loved me dearly once, And does compel these poor, and fruitless drops, Which willingly would fallen upon his hearse, To imbalm him twice. As sure as you're living sir, and yet I did not close his eyes, but he is dead, And I shall never see the same Arcadius, He was a man so rich in all that's good, At least J thought him so, so perfect in The rules of honour, whom alone to imitate Were glory in a Prince, Nature her self Till his creation wrought imperfectly, As she had made but trial of the rest, To mould him excellent. Lives, where? And my duty, You are Demetrius King of Epire, sir. I could not easily mistake him so, To whom I gave my heart. Give me your pardon sir, Arcadius, At our last meeting without argument To move him more then his affection to me, Vowed he did love me; love me above all women, And to confirm his heart was truly mine, He wished, I tremble to remember it, When he forsook his Polidora's love, That Heaven might kill his happiness on earth: Was not this nobly said, did not this promise A truth to shame the Turtles? Give me your leave I pray, I would not say Arcad us was perjured, but the same day Forgetting all his promises, and oaths, While yet they hung upon his lips, for sooke me, Dee not remember this too, gave his faith From me, transported with the noise of greatness, And would be married to a Kingdom. It was not virtue In him, for sure he found no check, no sting In his own bosom, but gave freely all The reins to blind ambition. Shall I believe men flatteries again, Loose my sweet rest, and peace of thought again, Be drawn by you, from the straight paths of virtue Into the maze of Love. I attend her highness. Enter Sophia. How much your grace honours your humble servant I hope so too Madam. We are all his while he is pleased to honour This poor roof with his royal presence Madam. You never Madam trespassed upon me, Wrong not your goodness. Dear Madam do not mock me. Whom do you mean? He is found to himself and honour, He is my King, and though I must acknowledge He was the glory of my thoughts, and I Loved him as you did Madam, with desire To be made his, reason, and duty since, Formed me to other knowledge, and I now Look on him without any wish of more Then to be called his subject. Of what? With your pardon Madam. Love in that sense you mean, lest Polidora When he forsook Arcadius, I disclaim All ties between us, more then what a name Of King must challenge from my obedience. Let me beseech your grace, I may have leave To answer in some other cause, or person, This argument but opens a sad wound To make it bleed a fr sh, we may change this Discourse, I would elect some subject, whose Praises may more delight your care then this Can mine; let's talk of young Lisimachus. How does you grace? Mine? It will be much short of his worth, J think him A gentleman so perfect in all goodness, That if there be one in the world deserves The best of women, heaven created him, To make her happy. What mistress would desire Her servant old? he has both Spring to please Her eye, and Summer to return a harvest. He sets a beauty off more rich, And she thats fair will love him, faint complexions Betray effeminate minds, and love of change, Two beauty's in a bed, compound few men, He's not so fair to counterfeit a woman, Nor yet so black, but blushes may betray His modesty. That praises him, and well compacted frame Speaks temper, and sweet flow of elements, Vast buildings are more of for show then use, I would not have my eyes put to the travel Of many acres, ere I could examine A man from head to foot, he has no great, But he may boast, and eligant composition. Good heaven forbid. You amaze me, Can you rejoice to be deposed: Me? For your own sake preserve your self, My fears distract my reason. I'll say any thing here Lisimachus. Be witness Madam, I resign my heart It never was another's, you declare Too great a satisfaction, I hope This will destroy your jealousy, Remember now your danger. They will Admit conditions. We are all lost. I'll wait upon you. He all my blessing. Hear me sir, I loved you once for virtue, and have ̄ not A thought so much unguarded as to be won From my truth, and innocence with any Motives of state to affect you, Your bright temptation mourns while it stays here Nor can the triumph of glory, which made you Forget me, so court my opinion back, Were you no King, I should be sooner drawn Again to love you, but 'tis now too late, A low obedience shall become me best May all the joys I want Still wait on you, if time hereafter tell you That sorrow for your fault hath struck me dead, May one soft tear drop from your eye, in ty Bedew my hearse, and I shall sleep secum ely I have but one word more for goodness sake, For your own honour sir correct your passion To her you shall love next, and I forgive you.