CASTABELLA

My worthy Servant! you mistake intent Of kissing. Was not meant to separate A pair of Lovers; but to be the seal Of Love; importing by the joining of Our mutual and incorporated breathes, That we should breath but one contracted life. Or stay at home, or let me go with you. Oh the sad trouble of my fearful soul! My faithful servant! did you never hear, That when a certain great man went to th'warre, The lovely face of heaven was masqued with sorrow, The sighing winds did move the breast of earth, The heavy clouds hung down their mourning heads, And wept sad showers the day that he went hence, As if that day presaged some ill success, That fatally should kill his happiness; And so it came to pass. Me thinks my eyes (Sweet Heaven forbid) are Like those weeping clouds, And as their showers presaged so do my tears, Some sad event will follow my sad fears. May all my fears hurt me no more then this. Nay good Sir; in troth if you knew how little it plea ses me, you would forbear it. My servant? You are sick you say. You would tax me of indiscretion to entertain one that is not able to do me service. Me thinks you have a very sweet favour of you own. If you go to buffets among the Boys, they'll give you one. Now that you dissemble not, I could be willing to give you a favour. What favour would you have? Fie. Will you be so uncivil to ask a light thing at a Gentlewoman's hand? Do you want hair Sir? What would you do with my hair then? Do you think I love to have my hair worn off? Tush. I would I wanted one o'my senses now. Show me that I gave you then. You are unworthy of a favour if you will not bestow the keeping of it one minute. Love you? Yes Very well. Nay, you mistake me. If I love you very well, I must not love you now. For now your are not very well, you're sick. I speak't as t'is now in fashion, in earnest. But I shall not be in quiet for you I perceive, till I have given you a favour. Do you love me? Then with all my heart, I'll give you a Jewel to hang in your ear,—Hark ye—I can never love you. Please it your Lordship, my mother attends I'th' Gallery, and desires your conference. This means I used to bring me to your ear. Time cuts off circumstance; I must be brief. To your integrity did Charlemont Commit the contract of his love and mine. Which now so strong a hand seeks to divide: That if your graven advise assist me not, I shall be forced to violate my faith. Good sir; I know your heart cannot profane The holiness you make profession of; With such a vicious purpose, as to break The vow, your own consent did help to make. Oh do not wrong him. T'is a generous mind That led his disposition to the war: For gentle love and noble courage are So near allied; that one begets another: Or, Love is Sister, and Courage is the Brother. Could I affect him better then before, His Soldiers heart would make me love him more. Unnatural. Believe me Mother; I do love a man. My husband? Oh! I am betrayed.— Dear friend of Charlemont! your purity Professes a divine contempt o'th'world; Oh be not bribed by that you so neglect, In being the world's hated instrument, To bring a joust neglect upon your self!— Dear Father! let me but examine my Affection.—Sir, your prudent judgement can Persuade your son that t'is improvident To marry one whose disposition, he Did never observe.—Good sir, I may be of A nature so unpleasing to your mind; Perhaps you'll curse the fatal hour wherein You rashly married me. Now Charlemont! Oh my presaging tears! This sad event hath followed my sad fears. Oh God. Oh Love! thou chased affection of the Soul, Without adulterate mixture of the blood; That virtue which to goodness adds good: The min on of heavens heart. Heaven! is't my fate For loving that thou lovest to get thy hate? Or was my Charlemont thy chosen Love? And therefore hast received him to thy self? Then I confess thy anger's not unjust. I was thy rival Yet to be divorced From love, has been a punishment enough. (Sweet heaven) without being married unto hate, Hadst thou been pleased: Oh double misery! Yet since thy pleasure hath inflicted it, I not my heart, my duty shall submit. What sweetness speak you of? The sweetness of the night consists in rest. Oh might that weakness ever be in force; I never would desire to sue divorce! I will attend you, Sir. Oh thou that knowest me justly Charl monts. Though in the forced possession of another; Since from thine own free spirit we receive it, That our aff ctions cannot be compelled, Though' our actions may; be not displeased, if on The altar of his Tomb, I sacrifice My tears. They are the jewels of my love Dissolved to grief: and fallen upon His blasted Spring; as April dew, upon A sweet young blossom shaked before the time. Oh heaven defend me. I feel a substance, warm, and soft, and moist, Subject to the capacity of sense. The presence of the person we affect, (Being hopeless to enjoy him) makes our grief More passionate then if we saw him not. Yes. From maid to wife. Oh I am. No. That weakness pleases me in him I have. Sir, I beseech you hear me. Heaven knows I am unguilty of this act. Heaven knows I was. Your Uncle 'D'amville. And he that dispossessed my love of you; Hath disinherited you of possession. Both of his love and him. His soul's at rest. But here your injured patience may behold The signs of his lamented memory. Has found it. When I took him for a Ghost, I could endure the torment of my fear; More easily then I can his sorrows hear. Oh Father! Mercy is and attribute As high as Justice; and essential partly Of his unbounded goodness, whose divine Impression, form, and image man should bear. And (me thinks) Man should love to imitate His Mercy; since the only countenance Of Justice, were destruction; if the sweet And loving favour of his mercy did Not mediate between it and our weakness. Dear Sir! Since by your greatness, you Are nearer heaven in place; be nearer it In goodness. Rich men should transcend the poor, As clouds the earth; raised by the comfort of The Sun, to water dry and barren grounds. If neither the impression in your soul Of goodness; nor the duty of your place, As goodness substitute; can move you: then Let nature, which in Savages, in beasts, Can stir to pity, tell you that he is Your kinsman;— Believe me Sir; it never troubles me. I am as much respectless to enjoy Such pleasure as ignorant what it is. Your pleasure Sir. Yes my Lord. Come Jasper. No matter, Stay. My Lord! The night grows late. Your Lordship spoke of something you desired to move in private. Love me; my Lord? I do believe it, for I am the wife of him you love. How? Are y'a devil or a man? Now Heaven defend me! May my memory be ut terly extinguished; and the heir of him that was my Father's enemy, raise his eternal monument upon our ruins; ere the greatest pleasure or the greatest profit, ever tempt me to con tinue it by incest. Oh God! is thy unlimited and infinite omnipotence less free because thou dost no ill? or if you argue merely out of Nature; do you not degenerate from that; and are you not unworthy the prerogative of Nature's Masterpiece, when basely you prescribe your self authority and law from their examples whom you should command? I could confute you; but the horror of the argument confounds my understand king. —Sir, I know, you do but try me in your Sons be half; suspecting that my strength and youth of blood can not contain themselves with impotence.—Believe me (Sir) I never wronged him. If it be your lust; Oh quench it on their prostituted flesh, whose trade of sin can please desire with more delight, and less offence.—The poison of your breath; evaporated from so foul a soul; infects the air more then the damps that rise from bodies but half rotten in their graves. Supposed protector? Are y'an Atheist? Then, I know my prayers and tears are spent in vain. Oh patient Heaven! Why dost thou not express thy wrath in thunder bolts; to tear the frame of man in pieces? How can earth en dure the burden of this wickedness without and earthquake? Or the angry face of Heaven be not inflamed with ligh ning. Oh would this graven might open, and my body were bound to the dead carcase of a man for ever, ever it entertain the lust of this detested villain. My deer Charlemont! The last? The law? Now Heaven forbid! what ha'you done? Then Charlemont; the hand of Heaven directed thy defence. That wicked Atheist, I suspect his plot. You sha'not. I will first expose my self to certain danger, then for my defence destroy the man that saved me from destruction. Then work it by escape. Leave me to this prote ction that still guards the innocent; Or I will be a partner in your destiny. Sir, I confess it; and repentantly Will undergo the self same punishment, That Justice shall inflict on Charlemont. And thus I second thy brave enterprise. Be cheerful Charlemont. Our lives cut off, In our young prime of years; are Like green herbs, Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends. For as their virtue gathered when th'are green, Before they wither or corrupt, is best; So we in virtue are the best for Death, While yet we have not lived to such and age, That the increasing canker of our sins, Hath spread too far upon us.— I have accused my self. The law wants power To clear me. My deer Charlemont; with thee I will partake of all thy punishments. With all the titles endue to me; increase The wealth and honour of my Charlemont. Lord of Montferrers; Lord D'amuille; Belforest. And for a close to make up all the rest;— The Lord of Castabella. Now at last Enjoy the full possession of my love; As clear and pure as my first chastity. No, no, no. Why now you're satisfied I hope. I have given you a favour. Grief above g iefes. That which should woe relieve, Wished and obtained, gives greater cause to grieve. Oh do but hear me speak. So do I. In scorn of Death thus hand in hand we die.