SIR WALTER

My best of life! I embrace Millions of bliss in thee, but let not our Joy make us unmannerly, bestow One welcome on my friend. And are we met? Noblest friend. Alas my poor Bellamia, I have made No purchase but of wounds, since my departure. I have paid some debts of war, but cannot promise To cancel one, that threatens me at home; What we have more then to supply our wants, Consumes on the Drum head, I was ambitious To see thee, and this gentleman returning With expectation to levy men Gave me the opportunity, but I dare Promise my self no dwelling here, scarce own My face before a sunbeam, I must walk I'th dark to all the world but thee, Bellamia: But trust me, when my body is called hence By misery of my fate, it takes not all The soul it brought, much stays to wait on thee: I know it would afflict thee more, to see me A prisoner, chained to heavy debts, and shame. You have indeed. It cannot, cannot be, alas Bellamia, How flattering imagination would cozen us, I am beyond sea still, in my cold Tent, Where, though my sleeps be broken with the noise Of war, I now securely dream of thee, And of my coming home, and talking to thee, That thou art rich in land again and Jewels, Shadows, mere shadows: I am weary of This dream, some charitable cannon wake me. I know not what I fear, dee think it's true then? I will have reason for this faith, pray tell me, How came you by this wealth, certainly I left No sums to purchase these, more my injustice To thee, whose plentiful estate I ruined. That died, and gave thee A swelling legacy, and thou hast made This use on't to release thy desperate land, Buy thee a Carkanet, and this proud blaze Of other Jewels. Living? A Gentleman? forbear I am not well. Tha'st undone me, Do not, do not name him, I know, and feel too much. My heart Is very busy, yet you may tell me His name, to whose strange bounty I am so obliged. In Love— Would? the wanton Lord Fitzavarice. Thou most undone of women, did my absence So forfeit me, or ebb of wealth corrupt Thy giddy soul, thou couldst imagine, I Would thank thy lust to piece up my wild ruins? Transform me gentle Heaven, For if I be a man, and hold the knowledge Of this dishonour, I shall do and act Equal to this, and murder this false woman. Have I thought life not tedious for thy sake, And in my poverty summed up wealth enough But in my Hope's to see thee, were my winter's Not cold, when I but thought I had Bellamia, Were all the toils, and troubles of my spring, Not valued for this harvest? curse upon Thy Salary, were it a price to buy All Kingdoms, that the Sun ever shed a beam on, Earned from thy bodies infamy, I'de choose To live i'th galley first, and chained to'th oar, Give up my breath through torture. I'll to prison, And welcome all the stings, that want of liberty, Disease, and famine, can let fallen upon me, And call thee yet more killing then all they, Till my hard Creditors forgive me in pity, And curse thee into all I have suffered, Wives shall accuse thy perjury, whose act Is able to make all the truth suspected, And Virgins frighted at thy name, resolve Never to marry, while the raze of men Curse thee, for whom they never shall spring again. But I let passion fool me, and my tameness May prompt thee to more sin, I'll be revenged; But first on him, that grafted shame upon me: It shall be thy first punishment, to see Him bleeding, where is he? come what fine conveyances To keep your Goat close, till time play the baud, And secure all your ruttings? I must find him, Appear then stain to honour, Lordly devil: Where art? Fitzavarice? Fitzavarice! Whose reeking squire are you sir, would my Lords? Show me strait where this Fox does Earth himself, Or I'll— A Bed, expecting her, where? Show me villain quickly. It's not he, Uncle you must Excuse my compliment, he shall not fly me. And trust the language of your tears? they're false, Your gamester shall weep blood: here we untwist Our hearts, set up o'th trade, the youth will join. Thou mayest be still Bellamia, but not mine. I have obeyed your counsel: you will carry this? And yet you must acknowledge The wrong is greater then to be contained Within this narrow leaf, and till I have Revenged, it swells each minute to a volume. Shalt not for all the World Do thy self prejudice in his favour, i'll Disengage thee again. Shall I believe it's day, when I behold The Sun disperse his beams about the World? Do I know cold, or heat, or when I thirst? Shall I be confident we talk together? My cause will ask the same degree of faith, As built on equal certainty. It's the same. You are still the eligant time wit, I am happy To witness both your brain, and body flourish. Ther's not much won, or lost. Sir you are inquisitive, as if You would turn Gallobelgicus, I am On some affairs now, that importune their Dispatch, my stay being short I must attend them. We have But the relation. There was and execution. Enough to keep the Eagle In a good diet. I beseech you pardon me, We shall hereafter meet, and would more freedom To enlarge our selves, & when you have my particulars, I will be bold to inquire in the Exchange Your news at home. If you'll give me The liberty of a subject, and allow me The Kings high way, I shall have less suspicion, You wonot pay my debts. Is the mischief fallen? Thine? Hear me, what's your demand? let me not go To prison. Would? then I am betrayed, that Lord's a villain, That I could reach his heart; release my body But for two hours, my soul be forfeited For ever, if I render not my self Your honest Prisoner. Black Jew, base Lord, damed villain. 'Tis but hell, one story higher. Dost think friend, The sense of all my debts could shake me thus? I knew 'twould come, and in my fears examined The mischief they present, it's not their weight Affrights me, let the vultures whet their Talons, And creditors, with hearts more stubborn, then The mettle they adore, double their malice, Had I a pile of debts upon me, more Heavy then all the World, it could, but with The pressure keep this piece of earth beneath they, My soul would be at large, and feel no burden; That which I count my torture, exceeds all That yet has been in mention. At a time, Almost the very minute, when my Hope's Were ripe to punish him, and revenge had mounted Her steely arm whose fallen had crushed the soul Of my fame's ravisher, to be snatched up By a wirle-wind thus, disarmed of all my Hope's, My hands bound up, not able to relieve My bleeding honour: this, this murders me. And that all this should be his cursed plot, That gave me my first wound. Can Lords Be cowards? dost not appear, when I am pursued By his own bloodhounds? has he not laid on me (And what may not by this example follow To sink me to a dungeon) all the debts I owe him? nay is it not clear, he practises Intelligence abroad, provoking others To lay their sums upon me, that I may Consume a Prisoner, and assure his lust More scope to revel with my adulterous Madam, My wife whose name is torment to my heart, Above all the engines meant to wound mankind O woman, that hast forfeited the glory Of thy creation, and become men ruin. Is't not mischief Enough to feel the cruelty of a prisoner, But that black fiend must presecute my eyesight Th'adopted son of Lucifer? Carry it to hell. He means of my enlargement? Take heed how you do mock me, sir. By whom? I am in a Wilderness. Was there ever such a thing in nature? I am all wonder. I begin to be a shamed, And my suspicion cowardly falls off; Yet certainly all this proceeds not from Devotion to me, it is a bounty He looks my wife should thank him for, would? I am too blame, This act hath made me understand two souls. I'll take they both to mine, and ask forgiveness. Forgive me my Bellamia, Thou appearest white again, and only I Black with my false suspicions of thy goodness, My Lord has given me a satisfaction Large as his virtue, welcome to my bosom, My best, my chased Bellamia. Thus again confirmed. All is cured again. Wast not a brave Physician, that could cure Two such distempers, when my soul, and fortune Lay gasping, to recover both? it's done, Done by thy friend, and mine, that honest Lord Hath paid all, to the scruple of a fee, What thanks shall we both pay him my Bellamia? Can he hath done this miracle, allow A place for lust within him? it's impossible. But he is coming hither, stay not thou, It will require more leisure to express Thy gratitude, return, and tell thy friends The wonder first, that when I shall present His person next, they may have spacious souls, To admire and entertain him. Religiously, and age I'll wait for him, I prithee stay, and witness with what cheerfulness I'll ask his pardon. My Lord, As you have made me object of your mercy, By such and act of bounty, as no times Have gloried in, and in that shown the clearness Of your brave soul, uncapable of stain, Still let it shine with charity, and make Me confident of pardon, for and injury I blush, and dare bleed for, to show repentance. I am my Lord. They were great, my Lord, and must enlarge my ac knowledgment, you have obliged two lives to pray for you. And happy. I will proclaim you Noble to all the World, and my preserver. Didst think it possible so fair a Sky Should be delivered of a tempest? I'll tell thee as we walk, thou must not leave us. That man is miserably compelled, that must, To save his fame, be to himself unjust. I see I am a fool, a melancholy Suspicious fool, and all my plots are nothing. Then nothing will prevail but we must fight? I am more lost then ever, let my wonder Be passed, or you will fight against a man Whose soul's a great way off. Didst hear this Captain? You are my preserver, sir, Make me not so ingrateful to advance My sword against your life, that gave me all The benefit of mine, I have assurance Enough of you, and my wives honour. For her sake my Lord, we should be friends. That rather charms me from each violence. I did but imitate my Lord your Character, I'll trust him with my sword, Which rather shall make next impression here, Then be his danger. My most honoured friend. We both wait on you. I shall not Desire you to let fallen no mention Of me, the little stay I purpose here, You may imagine, carries danger with it. Walter Peregrine is arrested. I am not so unjust my Lord to doubt your courage. Has he been gone this hour sayest? But all is well again, and must exalt Thy truer joys by finding us both live, And knit into a peace no time can violate,