CLEONARDA

It is hight Mariana; we'll rest our selves a while, And when the day grows cooler have another course. It was the bushes saved him. I hate to have a tutor in my sport. I will find and kill my Game my self; What satisfaction is't to me if by another's skill I purchase any thing? He shall have leave to name me one; But if I do not think him worthy of me, I'll break that Kingly custom, of marrying For the good of the State; since it makes Princes More miserable then Beggars; for Beggars marry Only those they love. It's true Mariana, how many careful Parents That love their children dearly, thinking To make them happy by marrying of them richly, Make them miserable, both here and in the other world. With all my heart Mariana, It will refresh us well against the Evening: I am resolved to kill a Decree to night, Without the Keepers help. Exeunt. Be not afraid, See if the breath have quite forsaken that body. How's this! Is it Lysander then, whom I have longed so much to see? I saw him not since he came home from travail, And much it grieves me that I see him thus, This is the second time that I have seen him: Besmeared in blood! This it no fit time for questions Mariana, Let's help him to the Lodge, before his lose of blood Overcome his spirits. Why Sir? Who is that? It cannot be. Alas my Cozen! Sir, you have and unlucky hand indeed; For you have this day murdered two: Justice will at your hands require his blood. What shall I do, if I help to preserve him That killed my Kinsman, it is unnatural in me, And I beside may loose my Brother's good opinion; And should I be the cause that Mariana's brother perish, I shall loose her for ever; either shee'l die for grief, Or else shee'l hate me. I'll do as I did first intend, My conscience tells me it is the nobler course; Beside, there is something, I know not what it is, Bids me preserve Lysander, the great desire I had To see him, bred from the general commendations which The world bestows upon him, imported something. Come Sir, be of good comfort, neither your wounds Nor the cold hand of Justice, if it be Within my power to help it, shall rob Your loving Sister of you, she is by me So well beloved. It is but hard by. You are her Brother, and cannot trouble me, We'll lay the body behind yond bush, until we Send for it. Exeunt. Can you not find the Dukes body Say you Gerard? It is strange, what can become of it, Gerard, Upon your life keep secret what you know, And see that none come near the Lodge. I will send you all provision necessary, Pretending that Mariana is sick. She hath no cause, no wounds of his are mortal; Or if they were, I have applied such sovereign remedies That they shall cure they: but who shall be my Surgeon? Love, I must fly to thee I fear for remedy, I pray thee go back, and see that all things be well, And in the morning bring me word how she hath Slept to night. How careful am I Of his wounds? me thinks I would not Have him die for all the world: fie Cleonarda, Taken at the first sighed with outward beauty, Nor being assured first of the inward worth! I wrong my self, and him: It was The inward bravery of his mind, which all The Kingdom does admire, that turned my heart, Which until now hath been Like adamant To Kings, to melting Ice to him, and not his Outward beauty, that never could have found A passage to my heart, but that the way Was chalked out to it by his Fame: but stay, Whither do my vain imaginations carry me? Though Lysander could in worth equal the Gods, Yet it were not fit for me to love him as a husband; He is my Brother's Subject, shall he be my Master? No. To my old sports again: to morrow I will be up by break of day, And Reason (as I chase the Stag) Shall chase these thoughts away. Exit. How hath your brother slept to night? Lysander, how does your wounds? Is your pain lessend? Let not that trouble you; it is to me You owe the debt, and I will find some way To pay my self, that shall not make you poorer. Tell me Lysander, and tell me truly, Have you a Master? What was it, speak; I long, yet fear to know it. Which of you loved she best? But did not half so well deserve to beloved By her as you, since he did go about To force love, or at the least to take from her The loved, that which she most delighted in, her servant. What a strange alteration do I feel now! When I touch you, a certain coldness seizes On my heart, and all my blood flies to my face: Sure I do love you; I never yet knew what it was For to dissemble; if I love I say so, And if I hate, I keep it not concealed, I will not give a thought that is base A harbour in any breast; what needs I then Conceal my heart? the praise Lysander Which was bestowed upon thee had bred in me A great desire to be my own assurance, Whither thou Wertenberg the master of so many Excellencies, as fame bestowed upon thee. And now that I do find they rather do Come short, then any whit outgo thy merit, Wonder not that I, though a Princess, am in love With thee, for I have still professed to love the Richest mind, which is in thee complete, With the addition of a comely Personage. No by my life, I take delight In looking upon you. But speak you as you think Lysander. I scorn for to dissemble; for who stand I in fear of? were the King my Brother here, Sure I should not deny that I loved Lysander. Mariana, take heed how you do pursue This Subject; for if you do, I should begin To hate you, are you not ashamed to contradict Your self? How oft hath your own tongue Given him the highest attributes of worth? Nay, you have been so lavish of his praises, That I have checked you for it though I believed Them to be true, because it comes Something too near the praising of our selves, To praise a Brother, I am my self a witness Of his valour and his wit, and those are sure The main supporters to all other virtues, Blush not Lysander to hear thine own joust praises, Except it be that I do sully them in the delivery, Thou gavest too sad a witness of thy valour In overcoming him, which through this Kingdom was esteemed the bravest man. Are you certain Sir that he is dead, or Who it was that killed him? Say you so brother, he shall Not come within your power if I can help it then; But royal brother, if the Duke had killed Lysander, I know you would have pardoned him. Sir, you never had occasion given you Till now to whet the sword of Justice by your own Particular revenge, that it might cut the deeper, And being not intressed, your mercy of it self Did blunt the edge, and needed not my intercession. Lysander, shouldst thou prove false to her, Though I my self were cause of thy inconstancy; Yet I should hate thee. I see Clarinda, In each particular of the whole frame, Which thou termest worthless, and excess of beauty, Which in another Lady might breed envy; But by my life I take deligt to look on thee. Clarinda, as I am Sister to a King, I see I must partake of their misfortunes, Which is to be grossly flattered: but it may be You give me this fair language by instinct; For I have pleasing news to tell you, If that you had come to Court, I thought To have sent for you, which unto you I know appears most strange, for till this hour I never had the happiness to see you. It will appear more strange, When you shall know the cause for which I would have sent for you. I would have sent for you, To know what you would have given willingly, To one that would undertake to save Lysander's life. I mean not goods or money, But could you be content if it were A woman that could do this, To quit your interest in Lysander, And give him leave to marry her? It is nearer it then you believe, I know a Lady that hath saved his life already. He hath not yet; but when he knows Your mind I think he will. Not very handsome; but her birth is great, In both she equals me, and in affection to Lysander, you. Weep not Clarinda, I cannot hold thee Longer in suspense. I am the Lady that I mean, And therefore chase away thy fear. Stay sweet Clarinda, And for as many tears as I have made thee shed From those fair eyes, so oft I'll kiss the Crystal Fountains from whence they flowed; believe me, Dearest maid, though I do love Lysander, Yet I would not wrong thee for a world, Of which to give the more assurance, Thou shalt see, and speak with thy Lysander, For thou art only worthy of him; He is now at Gerards Lodge within the Forest, None knows of it but Gerard, and his own Sister Mariana, how I brought him thither wounded, I'll take another time to tell you: when you would See him you must go disguised: farewell Clarinda, Be confident I love you dearly. I will stay No longer lest it should breed suspicion. Exit. Lay on the Hounds where the young Dear went in, These old fat Dear make no sport at all. No matter Sir, I am the Mistress of the field this day, My Brother not being here, and I will Have it so: the sorer that the Chase is My being absent will the less be marked. Horns. Lysander, I am glad to see you thus Recovered: I glory in my cure. Lysander, I know you do but jest For should I give you leave, I know You would not go. Lysander, do not fear it, You shall this day See fair Clarinda, whose merits will arm you, Too strongly to misdoubt a change. Yes Lysander. I saw Clarinda, Whose perfections have compelled the heavens, In Justice, to give her the most deserving man alive To be her servant. Lysander, I will give you leave to praise the Duke, Because it still tends to your greater praise, Since you did overcome him both by your valour, And your other merits: for fair Clarinda Whose judgement is complete, esteem you For the worthier, Lysander never was there man So blessed as you are, in a Master, for it is As impossible to equal her in love, As in perfection; for though she know that her Perfections far transcendeth mine, yet her Excess of love did make her jealous, When as I told her I had saved your life; And how, but I to show her that I loved You only as a brother, did tell her where You were, and much I wonder that she Is not come. You shall not go to Florence to day, Yet do so, and be not sad to go; For when my Brother's passion is once over, And that he shall consider the justness Of the Dukes request, in his last Letter, I mean your pardon, he cannot sure Be any longer cruel. Yes Lysander, he did; And the last word that ere he spoke, was To that purpose, the letter I can show you, I never till this day could get it from my Brother. Worthy Lysander, Each pearl Like drop falls from thy manly eyes, May expiate a greater sin then that thou didst Commit in thy intention: I cannot choose But kiss thee for this noble sorrow. Say Mariana, Have I done ill to kiss your Brother? Lysander, Must you go to day? Sure you do not love me as a Sister, else You would not partly so soon. It is true, it were a baseness for which My judgement would condemn you as unworthy To be beloved; but yet I think my passion Would make me change that saying of loving Of the Treason; yet hating of the Traitor; For I should hate the Treason, and yet I fear me Too much love the Traitor. I do but fear it; I know your worth will never put it to the trial. Which I unwillingly do grant you, yet Pray the heavens to make your journey prosperous. Oh Mariana, would I had never seen thy brother, Or having seen him, that I might enjoy him For my Husband: but I do ill to wish another's Right; that happiness belongs to fair Clarinda's Merits only. Lysander, let me hear from you, And if you think it no way prejudicial To your faith. I pray you wear this favour For my sake. What noise is that Mariana? I will Lesander fly from his anger now, That I may have more power hereafter To do thee service; what will you do Lysander? It is no matter what becomes of me, So that you be safe from the Kings anger. A God transformed into a humane shape Could do or say no more then he hath done. It is then no time for to conceal my self. Oh cruel Brother! you have in that rash oath Mutder'd all virtue that Mansfraile nature Is capable to receive. Oh do not call a demigod a villain, Though Fortune made his valiant arm The instrument to rob you of a worthy Kinsman. Yes Brother, I do love him, With all my heart I love him, which I will Manifest more then in words, If you be cruel. Oh that you were no Brother to me, Nor my King, that I might satisfy mine Anger by a brave revenge. By loving of a murderous ingrateful villain. Oh that you were no Brother to me, Nor my King, that I might satisfy mine anger By a brave revenge; by my life, I would have shed His heart blood with my Javelin, that should Have spoke this but your self, but as it is, I'll let you see your error, you might as well Call him a murderer that being assaulted By a barbarous thief, killed him that would Have robbed him; for so Lysander did, and Whereas you call him ingrate, there you do Err, the Duke being his debtor; and so Indeed is all the world, for he hath left them Such a Story in his actions, that he that can But read and imitate them to the life, Shall in another juster age, be made a God, And worshipped for his virtues. Oh never, never; poor Clarinda, What will become of thee when thou shalt hear This killing News! Exeunt. And do's the Kings cruel resolution hold still? And wilt not thou die with him: speak Mariana. Why, wouldst thou wish to live, After the untimely death of such a Brother? The better place, assure thy self of that, they would Not else thus early call thither the best of Men. I will follow Him where ere he goes to see. Enter Giacomo. Villain, had he none else to send but thee That didst betray Lysander, hence from my sighed. Exeunt. Sir, the offence that he committed, was but against The Law, although he robbed you of a Subject; You are above the Law, and may remit it; A King should in points of life and death, Be Like the Chancery, in other cases, and help By mercy against the cruel letter of the Law, As the Chancery does by conscience. Especially when your own conscience tells you That he was forced against his will to fight. Sir, do not hinder me; For if I may not here speak with him, We will converse in death sooner then you believe; Lysander, thou art going to thy lasting home, And in thee all virtuous men must suffer, They being but branches, thou the root of all perfection: Who will be Courteous, Valiant, since these are causes Of thy death; for thou unto the world didst manifest In thy last Actium with the Duke, that thou Wertenberg Really possessed of these: but I, in summing up thy worth, Do but increase my grief; since I must partly with thee, The rich unhappy owner; for they have only served To revive thee, and those that loved thee for them, Poor Clarinda, I from my own conceptions Could weep, to think upon the torment thou wilt feel, When as the Axe shall sever from thee loves Worthy person, thy comely head, worthy, Most worthy, in that it was the Cabinet appointed By the Gods to keep their richest Jewel in, His mind, which is indeed and Index, In which judicious men may read as in a Book, The whole contents of all their excellence. I needs not to a mind so fortified as thine is Give any Antidotes, to arm thee against death. I thought she would have outgone me; but now Mine shall be the glory: who would live in a world That's bankrupt of all virtue? Lys. kneels. Oh what a cruel office hath my brother put upon me. I cannot plead desert, Thou God of Love, because I have so short a while Been subject to thy Laws; but well thou knowest If thou oblige me to become thy subject, By giving me Lysander, that I shall More extol thy power then any Subject That thou hast: but on the contrary, If thou dost not assist me, I will return again Unto Diana, thy utter enemy, and in her service Spend the loathed remnant of my life. Thus Sir, Lysander and my self have made a solemn Contract, and with our bloods we'll seal it, Either to go thus to the Temple to be married, Or to the graven. What is it Sir, in your opinion, makes Lysander unworthy of me. But Sir, his mind's heroic, And who will compare the servant with the Master? The Body is no more unto the Mind. Who would not Marry with a Subject that is a King of Virtues, Rather then with a King that's governed By his Vices? Brother, you stand to us Instead of destiny; for you have in your power Our thread of Life. Say, will you spin us out A happy thread, that we may live to serve you, Or will you cut it short? Farewell then Cruel Brother: Lysander, let us partly To meet again for ever; I'll go first, Because my Brother shall not think of saving me When you are dead. Brother, may I perish, When I forget this benefit, or cease to pay To you my Lord, my thanks for pleading so Lysander's Cause and mine. Lysander, she hath reason, were I your Mistress, I think I should love you better then my self: But tell me Lysander, what was the quarrel, Betwixt the Duke and you. He could not choose but know that if he killed The man beloved by her she needs must hate him, If she were worthily constant; if not, Then he with danger of his life had purchased, Her too dearly; for I should still believe, If once she changed, she always would become The victor's Prize. No, it must be for your worth if I do love you, And when your prove unconstant, you are No longer worthy. Be you still constant, love your Clarinda still; For when you cease to be so, I shall hate you; Only respect me as a Sister: for when my reason Shall have leave to combat against my passion, It will convert it to a Sisterly affection. May I be miserable if ere I persuade you to it; Yet I could wish that you did love me, And with a little passion; but do not make show Of more then you do truly feel, thinking To please me; for if I find it I shall be angry, I will not hide a thought from you. When next I come, I will entreat you tell me every particular Accident through the whole Combat. With what Justice then can you pursue Lysander's life, who as the Duke himself Informs you in his Letter, sought Only to maintain what was his own; But on the other side, the Duke Like and usurper Without any title would have taken from him That which he valued far above his life His Love. There is no Law; but does allow us to defend Our selves, Lysander did no more; for who can deny He was compelled, honour compelled him, The Duke compelled him, and love (which cannot be By noble minds resisted, did above all compel him; Then all the fault Lysander did commit in my Opinion, is that he was too slow, needing Compulsion in so joust a cause, and therefore Sir If you should apprehend Lysander, though by The letter of the Law his life is forfeit; Yet remember that mercy is the greatest attribute Belonging to those powers, whose substitute you are. Why sayest thou thou couldst wish, hast thou not hands? Or dost thou want a knife? if so, yet there's many ways to die. I would have given my life to have redeemed Lysander's; where is the joy then that I should feel For his deliverance. Oh I have found the cause. That does suppress it; it's envy that Clarinda's Happier then my self: why should I envy that Which is her do, both by his vows and her Own merit. Heart, though thou burst, the world shall not See I grieve or envy Lysander and Clarinda, May you be happy in your loves, which I can never be. Lysander, thou knowest my soul embraceth thee, These are the first tears that ere fell from mine eyes, Although a woman, which I am pleased with, Since it well expresses this is the greatest grief That yet I ever felt.