DUKE

Through the general love our subjects bear to We find my Lord your loyalty to us: (you, Which relisheth more sweeter to our ears, In their Applauses told, then by your own. And Gentlemen I thank you every one; You have took much pains t'see a growing Prince, Not seasoned yet with Time to your desires: But crowned with your loves in the Diadem, I steadily shall hold the Sceptre out, While lustice shall stand by me, and direct it. I hope you will not look that I shall reign In my first year, as your last Duke my Father In his last: but give my Youth some liberty To play the wanton Prince, though not the wild one. I have I know possessed all you that know it, With that Conceit, when I gave command, Upon the first sighed of a pair of Lasses, That have Looks Like the place where they were bred, Cheerful and innocent to be brought to me, That I may see their pleasing eyes again; For me thought on the sudden they were fair ones. I prithee keep it, I have no needs of it, Donnot confine me, though I be your guest: I know it may breed laughter, perhaps sorrow Unto some graven ones, but I shall deceive them; I will see them, and have parley with them: There's no hurt meam if you mean not any, Nor shall this wrong your House; therefore produce the ̄ . Can there be any lose of Royalty, To bid these welcome? If here be any Rudeness, Let me be tasked with it, that Like such Rudeness? If Blood or Beauty ever made a Lady, Why are not these so? I profess that man A Traitor, does not think it: yet they are still Themselves, and so am I. Are you not Sisters? What was your Father? What yours? If thou hadst been my Sister, And thou Daughter unto some bordering Prince, As Florence, Padua, Verona, or some farther place. What Prince would not have sought and sued to you? But go and make the Habitation Where you were born, and dwell, a Paradise, And let all Courts be wild and desolate. I let ye kneel thus long, to hear again That most harmonious voice, And ere thou risest, Ask something of me, fit for thee to crave, And me to give, And thou art Mistress of it. Pish, that is needless, for thou'st not offended; Or if thou hadst, it were a poor one, that, For I do giu`t to Thieves and Murderers: Ask me a Gift, that Time may talk of it, Being my first Bounty, which I would confer Bravely and worthily, and thou art born for't. Hadst thou Birth equal unto Wit and Beauty, Thou Wertenberg a Wife for any Prince in Europe, And I my self would take thee to my Bed: But rise, and think, consider what thou askest; Yet thou art wise enough, I needs not teach thee. Your business? It's some Addition; but would he still had lived To have kept it still, he was so true a friend.— Hast thou Thought yet? There is. What's he? Is he thy Father? Hadst not thou been her Father, thou hadst been so, To have uttered such a thought. Rise up Earl of— Thou hast thy Princes word for't. Not any one beside my self beholds The Beauty of this Face, where two Suns move, Kindling new Fires to the God of Love. The Title of a Queen much better would Become thee, then a Beggar. Why didst not ask To be what Nature did intend thee for, And I would consummate, had not Fortune set thee So many steps below me in thy Birth? I did and do entreat thee. With all liberty. Famine and Wars plague my Dominions, And strike at my own Person, but I love thee, Infinitely love thee, love thee beyond the Word, Beyond all Actium that expresses it. To call thee Fair, Sweet, Loving, and my Wife, Are but poor Attributes: Thou art my Soul, The better Partly, that governs my best Thoughts, And bids me think on Heaven, and view thee. Thy Freeness and thy Wit, for such as do Respect a Dower, are sufficient. What are Towns, Countries, that may be destroyed By Sword or Fire, comparable to thee, That bearest about thee in one Limb the Beauty Of twenty thousand Cities, and their Wealth? Thou art all the World to me, for I can live And fit down by thee with content of mind, Without Ambition how to conquer father, And think I have enough; And so shall All, All of you here, that will be counted Subjects, And wish the quiet of your Sovereign: For him that does not, let him leave me now, And I will curse him back again a Traitor; And she herself shall curse him, and so damn him. What Princes of the East, or of the World, When they shall see thy Picture, and me by thee, Circling thee thus, and thy Arms so with mine, The Duke em braceth Dori gene. To show consent in our Affections, But will consider with himself, how poor (Although he have the Indies in his reach) He is to me, and sighs himself to death? Father be merry, And my Lord be you so; For now your House is happy, and shall look More glorious then our Palaces: Although You left the Walls as naked as your Roof, Let every Room be decked with Countenances Cheerful, as at the hour I was born, When as I herd my Father was here with you, And had the glad news brought him. Wast not so? Why so then: Music, and some Wine, That I may drink a Health to her I love, Deep as my Affections. First you shall pledge me, then it shall go round, Unless it stop at any discontent, Whom out of all this number I would note. The Diadem that crowned my Head, brought Cares along with Dignity: But thou my Sweet Hast crowned my Heart with Joys perpetual, Love, that did led thee to the Church a Maid, Hath brought thee back again a perfect Wife, And made thee fit to be as thou dost promise, Mother of many Princes. For what my Duchess? Though this day alone Should be reserved only to our selves, Yet if thou please to lend thy Patience To any one that is a Suitor to thee, It shall give no dislike but rather please us. How now my Duchess? talking to thy self? What's that? Why dost thou hide it from me? It is rich unto the eye, but much more rarer: Flowers so plentiful, and at this time, It wonders me? Prithee let me see it, I never saw so many rarious Forms Knit up so curious: believe me, it's a Present Fit for the Queen of Nations, and for thee; He well deserved, that did bestow it on thee. Why, and thou dost, no matter, For trust me it's a very pretty Toy. If it would not fade. Why dost thou think so? it is Like thy self, Full of Variety, and choice Delights, And longer I behold it, the more it likes me. Why dost thou talk thus? I thought, deer Dorigene, I never should Have been a stranger to your Thoughts, till now: I pry thy speak, what is it troubles thee? Is this all? Why, but such promises may be dispensed with. Though you had sealed it with a Vow. I know not how to doubt, yet this may be A Cunning; I will try her. Let it not trouble thee, Dear Dorigene; thou shalt perform thy Vow; I'll be the Sufferer, and take the sin on me. Why so thou wrongest me worst, And wut deprive me of all the joys in this World. Thou wilt teach me by ill example, how to follow thee. Sweet, let me kiss thee, I will beg for that, Which all men else do labour to avoid; It is but one hours lose of thee, I prithee Make no more scruple of't then other Women: It is a Crime, that not one Night i'the year, But some where or other such a Fault is made, Nor looks the Wife the next day worse for it. Thou wilt consent? Why I thank thee. I have bestowed some pains to beg my self into and Order. Oh Dorigene, if thou be'st false, the Serpent parted with his Subtlety, and closed it in the Fruit he gave thy Sex. Speak it. He has. Away with her to prison, and let her father, And her brother both be turned out of the Court. Lord Raimond, be it your charge to see it done. Whose that? Go forward and give sentence. Keep your places, for let it be the Devil I will hear him; and hearing shall determine Whither he be a spirit of Truth or Lies. Excellent voice go on, for I could stand A tedious winter but to hear thee talk. Here, take my Signet, deliver it to Lord Lodwicke, command him bring the Duchess, And wait upon her hither, withal the speed And diligence his duty can perform. Come then lets leave him sickness is froward, And one while company is pleasing to it, Another while offensive, Raimond farewell, Heaven to his mercy take or restore thee. How now, what's he? How the Miracle! Yes Sir, I see you. Some body give him something. Yes we do see you. Trust me not I, he is invisible to me. I do command thee let me see the Ring. By which thou walkest invisible. What eye now looks on thee, that not contemnes The Colours of the Lily and the Rose, Which come as short of Beauty as of Sweetness? Lend me thy hand my Joy, for I will yet But borrow it, till with thy heart I take it At the Temple, and make it mine for ever; That Fame may through the world my mind discover, Less happy being a Duke, then being a Lover. By which you would infer my Duchess honest Cease on the Traitor,—Oh that those hairs, Which are the badge of truth and as I thought, The care of her should shru'de such villainies, So monstrously betraying and abusing: Away with him to death. Yes a cruel and a lasting. Wilt thou beg for him whom he so hath wronged And which is more, made me the instrument? Prithee sweet no more, ask any thing but that, Let Law be of no force then in my Land, If I forgive such Traitors. Oh where is Dorilus? That innocent and excellent good man: If he be living, let him be brought to me That I may honour him, if dead lament, And wash him with my tears, fit on his Hearst And ask forgive of his gentle spirit, Least it do haunt me being his murderer. Thy knowledge in good arts is found Landoff, Nor will we be inquisitive of more. Then thou shalt think it fit to be revealed: For all thy Actions have been joust and loyal, I thank thee for the last speech, it was well, Oh that she now cud speak and clear her self. But proceed, give sentence, if she stay long, And I stand by a witness of her tears, Sheele weep her self guiltless and innocent, Therefore go on. No, she must live; and all the world must die, To me, before a hair of her shall perish. Oh I have wronged thy goodness, now I see't; who was before made blind with jealousy, The heavens take thy partly, and wunnot suffer So much of worthiness to fallen at once, Lest nothing here but wickedness abound. Away, I will hear nothing but her Angels voice, And that which spoke for her, which was no less, It held such music in it, beside Truth. Wipe from thine eyes those tears; let Messengers Be sent to find the Earl my father forth, And bring him back to the Court, there to receive Of us his dignities and favours trebled; I am new framed again. Afflictions me , And mingling with our joys, make them more sweet. How is it man? Be comforted good Raimond, me thinks I see another age of life yet shine in thee, your eye is quick and sprightly, death does not show himself in any partly. What, what shall I pardon? good Raimond speak, I gather by thy speech thou wouldst unfold, something of consequence; you must not partly thus with me, therefore good Raimond speak, borrow a little time of death, and I will pay it back out of my life: deer Raimond donnot leave me thus unsatisfied, for if you do, I'll follow you to learn it. Never, never good Raimond. What is thy purpose. Whither my joys are sensual or immortal, I cannot say but surely I do feel, And stand on such a change as if my soul, Were melted into blood, or my blood turned. To soul which lights, me up fresh Tapers, Whose instructive beams direct me to the Heart Of my deer Duchess, where chastity I find, Hath built her temple—within there. Oh noble Lady, how shall I look thy mistress i'the face, that blush at sighed of thee? prithee stand by me, and embolden me, be my Genius, prompt me what I shall say, or the Scean's spoiled; I shall be out, my tongue does falrer for joy conceived of her great goodness, for grief of her much injury. Why do you kneel to me? the slanderer Ought to ask pardon of the slandered, My own Law teaches it. Pray do you rise, Or I will never think my self forgiven. God and all good men at my greatest needs Requite me with a mock, if I mean any. Oh let me now expire, and be the happy messenger To sing this news to heaven, such and so great. We'll trouble you no longer Raimond. Desist vild ravisher. What art thou comest for justice? Perform it upon me for I am a murderer. A murderer of my friends, of virtuous men, Virtue herself did very hardly escape me. I must see Dorilus alive or dead, To view how big the wound was that I gave him, For I will have grief dig one in my breast, As deep as it is, and as mortal too. Prayers of Princes fallen on thee, dost thou live To tell me that my sword does want and edge, But when it strikes offenders, rise Dorilus: And thus unto thy Mistress I present thee, As the best Jewel that I have to give her, For a true Servant is of that esteem. Why I thank thee, and I receive him gladly. Now where's he that would have Justice? Against whom wouldst thou have Justice? Thou must not ask twice what I shall deny, Rise, it's granted you; see you have good friends, And a gracious mistress. Smirk, and our well-beloved subject, once a Painter, but now Esquire of the invisible Ring. I conjure thee to appear again. But what is become of the Ring. Landoff we thank thee, and wish if any be, All that are here, be pleased as well as we. How now, whats the cause of this? why kneel you all? Nay now my Lord I fear you sent for me to mock me.