AURELIUS

Thanks noble Polidor my second self, The faithful love which I have found in thee Hath made me leave my father's princely court, The Duke of Cestus thrice renowned seat, To come to Athens thus to find thee out, Which since I have so happily attained, My fortune now I do account as great As erst did Caesar when he conquered most, But tell me noble friend where shall we lodge, For I am unacquainted in this place. With all my heart, I will requite thy love, But stay; what dams are these so bright of hew Whose eyes are brighter then the lamps of heaven, Fairer then rocks of pearl and precious stone, More lovely far then is the morning sun, When first she opens his oriental gates. Trust me my friend I must confess to thee, I took so much delight in these fair dams, As I do wish they had not gone so soon, But if thou canst, resolve me what they be, And what old man it was that went with them, For I do long to see them once again. Why, is not her father willing to the match? But he shall keep his still by my advise, And yet I needs must love his second daughter The image of honour and Nobility, In whose sweet person is comprised the some Of nature's skill and heavenly majesty. Oh might I see the centre of my soul Whose sacred beauty hath enchanted me, More fair then was the Grecian Helena For whose sweet sake so many princes died, That came with thousand ships to Tenedos, But when we come unto his father's house, Tell him I am a Merchants son of Cestus, That comes for traffic unto Athens here, And here sirrah I will change with you for once, And now be thou the Duke of Cestus son, Revel and spend as if thou Wertenberg my self, For I will court my love in this disguise. Tush fear not Valeria let me alone, But stay, here comes some other company. Valeria as erst we did devise, Take thou thy lute and go to Alfonsos house, And say that Polidor sent thee thither. I thank you sir, and if what I have God, By merchandise or travel on the seas, Satins or lawns or azure coloured silk, Or precious firy pointed stones of Indy, You shall command both them my self and all. Why Valeria, will she not learn apace? Well Valeria go to my chamber, And bear him company that came to day From Cestus, where our aged father dwells. Mistress you shall not needs to buy of me, For when I crossed the bubbling Canibey, And sailde along the Crystal Helispont, I filde my coffers of the wealthy mines, Where I did cause Millions of labouring Moors To undermine the caverns of the earth, To seek for strange and new found precious stones, And dive into the sea to gather pearl, As fair as Juno offered Priam's son, And you shall take your liberal choice of all. Her manhood then is good I do believe. I find it so right worthy gentlemen, And of what worth your friendship I esteem, I leave censure of your several thoughts, But for requital of your favours passed, Rests yet behind, which when occasion serves I vow shall be remembered to the full, And for my father's coming to this place, I do expect within this week at most. Valeria attend: I have a lovely love, As bright as is the heaven crystalline, As fair as is the milk white way of Jove, As chased as Phoebe in her summer sports, As soft and tender as the assure down, That circles Cithereas silver doves. Her do I mean to make my lovely bride, And in her bed to breath the sweet content, That I thou knowest long time have aimed at. Now Valeria it rests in thee to help To compass this, that I might gain my love, Which easily thou mayest perform at will, If that the merchant which thou toldst me of, Will as he said go to Alfonsos house, And say he is my father, and there with all Pass over certain deeds of land to me, That I thereby may gain my hearts desire, And he is promised reward of me. He is: and Polidor shortly shall be wed, And he means to tame his wife erelong. Faith he's gone unto the taming school. I: and Ferando is the Master of the school. Faith I know not: but by some odd devise Or other, but come Valeria I long to see the man, By whom we must comprise our plotted drift, That I may tell him what we have to do. Agreed, then lets go. Now Senior Phylotus, we will go Unto Alfonsos house, and be sure you say As I did tell you, concerning the man That dwells in Cestus, whose son I said I was, For you do very much resemble him, And fear not: you may be bold to speak your mind. Thanks sweet Phylotus, then stay you here, And I will go and fetch him hither straight. Ho, Senior Alfonso: a word with you. My father sir is newly come to town, And I have brought him here to speak with you, Concerning those matters that I told you of, And he can certify you of the truth. He is the Duke of Cestus thrice renowned son, Who for the love his honour bears to me: Hath thus accompanied me to this place. Sweetly resolved fair Emelia, But would Phylema say as much to me, If I should ask a question now of thee, What if the duke of Cestus only son, Which came with me unto your father's house, Should seek to git Phylemas love from me, And make thee Duchess of that stately town, Wouldst thou not then forsake me for his love? Sweet Phylema beauties mynerall, From whence the sun exhales his glorious shine, And clad the heaven in thy reflected rays, And now my liefest love, the time draws nigh, That Himen mounted in his saffron robe, Must with his torches weight upon thy train, As Helen's brother's on the horned Moon, Now Juno to thy number shall I add, The fairest bride that ever Merchant had. Pardon me father: humbly on my knees, I do entreat your grace to hear me speak. Then let my death sweet father end your grief, For I it is that thus have wrought your woes, Then be revenged on me for here I swear, That they are innocent of what I did, O had I charge to cut of Hydra's head, To make the topless Alps a champion field, To kill untamed monsters with my sword, To travel daily in the hottest sun, And watch in winter when the nights be cold, I would with gladness undertake them all, And think the pain but pleasure that I felt, So that my noble father at my return, Would but forget and pardon my offence, Not yet my Lord, I'll bring you to your ship. Faith if you will in trial of our wives, Who will come sownest at their husbands call. My wife comes soonest for a hundred pound. How now Ferando you dare not lay belike. Faith father a weighty cause about our wives Five hundred marks already we have laid, And he whose wife does show most love to him, He must enjoy the wager to himself. Upon mine honour if I lose I'll pay. I'll send for my wife first, Valeria Go bid your Mistress come to me. Now for my hundred pound. Would any lay ten hundred more with me, I know I should obtain it by her love. Trust me Ferando I am sure you have, For you I dare presume have lost it all. Now sirrah what says your mistress? I pray God your wife send you so good and and swear She may be busy yet she says she'll come. I think my wife for all she did not come, Will prove most kind for now I have no fear, For I am sure Ferandos wife, she will not come. This is a wonder: almost passed belief. Beshrew thee Phylema, thou hast Lost me a hundred pound to night. For I did lay that thou wouldst first have come. Believe me father I rejoice to see, Ferando and his wife so lovingly agree.