FORTUNATUS

Thus have I passed the beating billows of the sea, By Ithacs rocks, and watery Neptune's bounds, And wafted safe, from Mars his bloody fields Where trumpets found Tantara to the fight, And here arrived for to repose my self, Upon the borders of my native soil. Now Fortunatus bend thy happy course, Unto thy father's house, to greet thy dearest friends. And if that still thy aged sire survive Thy presence will revive his drooping sprites, And cause his withered cheeks be sprented with youthful blood, Where death of late was portraid to the quick. But soft, who comes here? Well, trust him not: the Tiger hides his claws When oft he does pretend the greatest guiles. But stay: here comes Lelias Nurse. Marry, I say he's a well willer to my sister Lelia, And a secret friend to Sophos. Thats excellent. And if you do: (by this hand) I'll play the conjurer. Blush Fortunatus, at thy base conceit, To stand aloof, Like one thats in a trance, And with thine eyes behold that miscreant Imp (Whose tongue more venom then the serpen king Before thy face thus taunt thy dearest friend I, thine own father with reproachful terms, Thy Sister Lelia, she is bought and sold, And learned Sophos, thy thrice vowed friend, Is made a stale by this base cursed Crew And damned den of vagrant run agates. But here in sighed of sacred heavens I swear, By all the sorrows of the Stygian souls, By Mars his bloody blade and fair Bellona's bowers I vow, these eyes shall never behold my father's face, These feet shall never pass these desert plains: But Pilgrim Like I'll wander in these woods Until I find out Sophos secret walks, And found the depth of all their plotted drifts, Nor will I cease until these hands revenge Th'iniurious wrong thats offered to my friend, Upon the workers of this stratagem. With weary steps I trace these desert groves And search to find out Sophos secret walks, My truest vowed friend and Lelias dearest love. Soph. What voice is this sounds Lelias sacred name? He riseth. Is it some Satire that hath viewed his late, Ands grown in amoured of his gorgeous hew? No Satire Sophos; but thy ancient friend, Whose dearest blood does rest at thy command. Hath sorrow lately bleared thy watery eyes, That thou forgettest the lasting league of love, Long since was vowed betwixt thy self and me? Look on me man: I am thy friend. Sophos. Oh now I know thee, now thou namest my friend: no friend to whom I dare unload the burden of my grief, But only Fortunatus, he's my second self, Your love repaid with equal meed? And yet you languish still in love? 'tis strange: From ̄ whence proceeds your grief? unfold unto your friend A friend may yield relief. Do you alone love Lelia? Have you no rivals with you in your love? Why Nurse, I am sure that Lelia hears from Once a day at least by Churms the Lawyer, Who is his only friend. Injurious villain to betray his friend. Do, good Nurse: but in any case let no my father know that I am here, until we have effected all our purposes. Come Sophos, cheer up your selfeman, Let hope expel these melancholy dumps Mean while, lets in, Expecting how the events of this devise will fallen, Until to morrow at appointed time, When weel expect the coming of your love. What, man, I'll work it through the fire, But you shall have her. Should I but see that Ploddall offer love, This sword should pierce the peasants breast, And chase his soul from his accursed corpse By and unwonted way unto the grisly lake. But now the appointed time is near, That Churms should come with his supposed love: Then fit we down under these leavy shades They fit down. And weight the time of Lelias wished approach. Oh, peace a while: you shall see good sport a none. A man or Devil? or what so ere thou art, I'll try if blows will driven thee down to hell. Belike thou art the Devils Paritor, The basest officer that lives in Hell, For, such thy words imports thee for to be: 'Tis pity you should come so far without a fee. And because I know money goes low with Sophos, I'll pay you your fees: [ He beats him, ] take that, & that, and that: Then down to Hell, for sure thou art a Devil. Sounds, dost thou cross me? I say thou art a Devil. Then stand up and make a preachment of thy Pedigree, and how at first thou learnedest this devilish trade: up I say. But tell me: whats thy course of life, & how thou shiftest for maintenance in the world? Out upon thee Canniball, He beat them. Dost thou think thou shalt ever come to hea And if he be a devil, I am sure he's gone: But Churms the Lawyer will be here anon, And with him comes my sister Le a: 'Tis he I am sure you look for. Peace, Night-raven, peace, Ileende this con trouersie. Come Lelia, stand between them both, As equal Judge to end this strife: Say which of these shall have thee to his wife I can devise no better way then this, Now choose thy love: and greet him with A crafty knave was never so beguiled. Now Sophos Hope's have had their lucky haps, And he enjoys the presence of his love, My vow's performed, and I am full revenged Upon this Hellbred brace of cursed Imps: Now rests nought but my father's free consent To knit the knot that time can never untwist. And that, as this, I likewise will perform. No sooner shall Aurora's pearled dew, Overspread the mantled earth with silver drops And Phœbus bless the Orient with a blush, To chase black night to her deformed Cell, But I'll repair unto my father's house, And never cease with my enticing words, To work his will to knit this Gordian knot, Till when I'll leave you to your amorous chat, Dear friend a dieu, fair sister too farewell, Betake your selves unto some secret place: Until you hear from me how things fallen out. Then father give desert his endue, Let Nature's graces and fair virtues gifts, One sympathy and happy consort make, Betwixt Sophos and my sister Lelias love: Conjoin their hands, whose hearts have long been one, And so conclude a happy union. That cannot be: fear of pursuit must needs prolong his nuptial rights. But if you give your full consent, That Sophos may enjoy his long wished love, And have fair Lelia to his lovely bride, I'll follow Churmes what ere betide. I'll be as swift as is the light foot Roe, And overtake him ere his journeys end: And bring fair Lelia back unto my friend. Here Sophos is, as much overworn with love, As you with grief for lose of Lelia. Then march along, and lets be gone, To solemnize two marriages in one. Does Sophos love my sister Lelia? Faith not well. Content your self, and leave these passion, Now do I found the depth of all their drifts, The Devils devise and Churms his knavery, On whom this heart hath vowed to be revenged. I'll scatter them: the plots already in my head. Nurse hie thee home, commend me to my sister: Bid her this night send for Master Churms, To him she must recount her many griefs, Exclaim against her father's hard constraint, And so cunningly temporize with this cunning Cats , That he may think she loves him as her life. Bid her tell him, that if by any means He can convey her forth her father's gate, Unto a secret friend of hers; The way to whom lies by this forest e. That none but he shall have her to his bride. For her departure let her point the time To morrow night: when Vesper begins to shine, Here will I be when Lelia comes this way Accompanied with her gentleman Usher, Whose amorous thoughts do dream on nought but love; And if this Bastinado hold, I'll make him leave his wench with Sophos for a pawn: Let me alone to use him in his kind, This is the trap which for him I have laid, Thus craft by cunning once shall be betrayed, And for the Devil, I'll conjure him: Good Nurse be gone: bid her not fail, And for a token, bear to her this Ring Which well she knows, for when I saw her last It was her favour, and she gave it me. Why how now Sophos, all a mort? still languishing in love? Will not the presense of thy friend prevail? Nor hope expel these sullen fits? Cannot mirth wring, if but a forged smile, From those sad drooping looks of thine? Rely on hope, whose hap will led thee right, To her, whom thou dost call thy hearts delight; Look cheerly man: the time is near at hand, That Hymen mounted on a snow white coach, Shall tend on Sophos and his lovely bride. Wertenberg not, thy tongue condemns thy guilty soul, I could not think that on this living earth Did breath a villain so audacious. Go get thee gone, and come not in my walk. Beat him. For if thou dost, thou comest unto thy woe. Then fit we down until we hear more news: This but a prologue to our play ensues. They fit down. But see where Churms and Lelia comes along: Enter Churms and Lelia. lks as stately as the great Baboon. Sounds, he looks as though his mother were a midwife. Nay soft Sir, your mark's at the fairest. For wear her love, and seal it kiss Upon the burnished splendour bl Or it shall rip the entrails of thy peasant heart. What, are you in your sword & buckler terms I'll put you out of that humour: There Lelia sends you that by me, Beats him. And that, to recompense your loves desire: And that, as payment for your well earned hire. Go get thee gone, and boast of Lelias love. Thus Fortunatus greets his Father, And craves his blessing on his bent knee. What moves my father to these v that fits? Well, and what of that? And how then? Whtere golden gain does blear a father's eyes, That precious pearl fetched from Pernassus mount, Is counted refuse, worse then Bullen brass; Both joys and hope hang of a silly twine, That still is subject unto flitting time: That turns joy into grief, and hope to sad despair, And ends his days in wretched worldly care. Were I the richest Monarch under heaven, And had one daughter thrice as fair, As was the Grecian Menelaus wife, Ere I would match his to and untaught swain, Though one whose wealth exceeded Croesus store, His self should choose, and I applaud his choice, Of one more poor then ever Sophos was, Were his deserts but equal unto his. If I might speak without offence; You were to blame to hinder Lelias choice. As she in Nature's graces does excel: So does Minerva grace him full as well. Then rest you here till I return again, I'll go to Sophos ere I go along: And bring him here to keep you company. Perhaps he hath some skill in hidden arts, Of Planets course, or secret magic spells, To know where Lelia and that Fox lies hid, Whose craft so cunningly conveyed his hence. I it be true I hear, there is one Churms beside, Makes suit to win my sister to his bride.