IRUS

Pego. Her Majesty is well come, Heavens preserve, And send her highness and immortal rain. I hope your majesty will pardon me, I Conscience make me utter what I think, Of that hie love affairs betwixt him and you. But Madam this must be the likli st mean To seek him out, and have him at your will Let his true picture through your land be sent. Opposing great rewards to him that finds him, And threaten death to them that succour him, So I'll assure your grace shall meet with him ear long. I thank your highness for thus raising me, But in this barrenness I am most renowned. For wisdom and the sighed of heavenly things, Shines not so clear as eathlye vanities. See Earth and Heaven where her Cleanthes is I am Cleanthes and blind Irum too, And more then these, as you shall soon perceive, Yet but a shepherds son at Memphis born, And I will tell you how I God that name, My Father was a fortune teller and from him I learned his art, And knowing to grow great, was to grow rich, Such money as I God by palmistry, I put to use and by that means became To take the shape of Leon. by which name, I am well known a wealthy Usurer, And more then this I am two noble men, Count Hermes is another of my names, And Duke Cleanthes whom the Queen so loves, For till the time that I may claim the crown, I mean to spend my time in sports of love, Which in the sequel you shall plainly see, And Joy I hope in this my policy. These are the nymphs of Alexandria. So called because there beauty's are so rare. With two of them at once am I in love Deeply and Equally the third of them, My silly brother here as affects, Whom I have made the Burgomaister of this rich town, With the great wealth, I have bestowed on him, All three are maids kept p ssing warily, Yet lately being at their athers house as I was Leon the rich usurer I fell in love with them, and there my brother too, This fitly chanceth that they have liberty, To visit me alone: now will I tell their Fortune's so, As may make way to both their loves at once, The one as I am Leon the rich usurer, The other as I am the mad brain Count, And do the best too, for my brother's love, Oh those are three servants that attend on them, Let them alone, let them talk a while. Welcome beauteous Nymphs. Hom r was blind yet could he best di cerne, The shapes of every thing and so may I, It is the better so it does become. But that I may disclose to you your Fortune's Tell me first Pego their true faces forms. I know and see it better then thy self, The blaze whereof does turn me to a fire. Burning mine Entrails with a strong desire. I wonder at the glory it presents, To my souls health that sees upon your head, Acorronet, and at your gracious feet, Nobles and princes in their highest state, Which state shall crown your fortune ear you die, And ear the heart of Heaven, the glorious sun, Shall quench his rosiat fires within the west. You shall a husband have noble and rich. When you come home ascend your Father's tower If you see a man come walking by, And looking up to you, descend, And Issue, for you shall have leave, And if he woe, you choose him from the world, Though he seem humorous and want and eye, Wearing a velvet patch upon the same, Choose him your husband, and be bl st in him, What face hath this Nymph Peg . And well compared for she commands all hearts, Equal in beauty with that other Nymph, And equally she burns my heart with love, So might I well, admiring yours no less. Then when the light crowned monarch of the hea- Shall quench his fire within the Ocean's breast (we S Rise you and to your father's garden High, There in and arbour do a banquet S , And if there come a man that of him self, Sits down and by S you welcome to your feast, Accept him for he is the richest man, That Alexandria or Egypt hath, And soon possessing him with all his wealth, In little time you shall be of him, Making your second choice amongst mighty kings. But is it ro and, and hath it near a blemish, A mouth to wide a look too impudent. Round faces and thin skinde are hapieest still. And unto you fair Nymph. Shall fortune be exceeding gracious too, When the next morning therefore you shall rise, Put in your bosom rosemary time and rue. And presently stand at your father's door, He that shall come offering kindness there, And crave for favour those same wholesome herbs, bestow them on him, and if meeting him, He keep the nuptial Rosemary and time, And tread the bitter rue beneath his feet, Choose him your husband a worser be blessed in him. farewell most beauteous Nymph's your loves to me. Shall over then gold or any treasure be, Now to my wardrobe for my velvet gown, now does the sport begin, Come gird this Pistol closely to my side, By which I make men fear my humour still, And have slain two or three as it my When I have done it most advisedly (mood To rid them as they were my heavy foes, Now am I known to be the mad brain Count, Whose humours twice, five summer's I have held, And said at first I came from stately Room, Calling my self Count Hermes and assuming The humour of a wild and frantic man, Careless of what I say or what I do, And so such faults as I of purpose do, Is buried in my humour and this gown I wear, In rain or snow or in the hottest summer, And never go nor ride without a gown, which humour does not fit my frenzy well, But hides my persons form from being known, When I Cleanthes am to be descried, I then was in the hearing of them both. But hard no penny tendered, only proposed By Lord Antistenes, if he would bring him in, His mortgage and take assurance for another thousand Some three months to come or there abouts, Which Leon most uncourteously refused, My Lord was angry and I hard no more, And thus must I crave pardon of your grace. Why Pego. Of that your highness may be well assure, Then I am bound madam to tell you this, That you your self did seek Cl nthes love, And to aspire it, made away his Duchess, Which he well knowing and affecting her, Dear as his life denied to satisfy, That kindness offered betwixt our self and him. Therefore did ou in rage inform the Duke, He sought our love, and so he him. Cleanthes is about this City off, With whom the r majesty shall meet ere long: And speak with him, if you will us such means, As you may use for his discovery. O who disturbs me in my holy prayers, O that the king were by that he might here, What thundering there is at my farther door, O how the good of Egypt is disturbed in my devotion. So can I beateuous Nymph's, and make all eyes, Sparkle with love fire from your excellence. O sir you are very well suited. Now M. Burgomaister. I pray you remember to seize on all Aleantisthenes his goods His lands and cattles to my proper use, As I am Leon the rich usurer. The sun is down and all is forfeited. And withal sir I pray you forget not your love, To morrow morning at her father's door. What face hath this Nymph Pego. O I thank you I am much beholding to you, I saw her in the tower and now she is come down, Luck to this patch and to this velvet gown. How now shall I be troubled with this rude spani ard now, How now sirrah what are you, How now sir I'll try the proof of your guts with my Pistol if you be so saucy sir. O sir you are but bonaventure not right spanish I perceive but do you hear sir are you in love. woman's conc uitie, sblood whats that, Why then thus it shall be, weel woo her both and him she likes best shall led her home thorough streets holding her by both her hands, with his face towards her, the other shall follow with his back towards her biting of his thumbs, how sayest thou by this. Well to it lets hear thee. Well sir go forward. And I say and other men stone may be as good as a Philosophers at all times. Well sir go on. Well I'll teach you fear not you, what signior ot bite your thumbs, Well thou shalt not do it, lend me thy thumbs I'll bite them for thee King by your leave, and yet I need not ask leave, Because I am sent for if not I'll begone again. without leave, say am I sent for yea or no, I know the matter and I come from that old miser Leon, who is suddenly fallen sick of a knaves evil, Which of you are troubled with that disease masters. Then thus I say my Lord, Antistenes came, To the stone of the blind fool Irus, That day when four thousand pounds were to be paid, Where he made proffer of so much money if Leon would re turn the mortgage of his lands, and take assurance for another thousand to be paid I trow some three months to come or there about, which Leon Like and old churl as he was most uncourteously refused: my Lord Antistenes as he might very well departed in a rage but if it had been to me I would have pistoled him I faith. Swoons that n I say you are deceived my Lord, For I was by now by my honour and by all the gods. Why I stood close to you and seen of all, and if You think I am too mad a fellow to witness such a weighty piece of work the holy beggar shall perform as much, For he was by at our whole conference. I say he was and he shall say he was. I'll fetch him from his cave in spite of all his Gods and Iron do es, or beat him bli de when as I do catch him next, farewell my Lords you have done with me, I'll send the beggar presently for I am now riding to Corrucus. No traitor neither but a true friend to you, for had Ibene otherwise I should have dis losed the secret talk thou hadst with Cleanthes in the arbour, the night before he was ba nished, whilst I stood close and hard all. O your a cunning wench and am not I mad slave to have such virtue as S resic in me and none never looked or any such thing at my hands, and heres a branch forsooth of your little son turned to a Mandracke tree, by Hella the sor ceresse. Go to 'tis good counsel, take the grace of God be before your eyes, and follow it to it wench corragio, I know I have got thee with child of a desire, and thou longest but for a knife to let it out, hold there 'tis serve God and be thank full, now you knaves will you let me come out trow. Hark you be even knaves still, and if you be poor long your foolish knaves, and so I'll leave you. Hear you Usurers wife stay, a plague on you stay, whither go you so fa , why did I ever hurt any of your sex yet. Why no my Lord, why the devil do you tu tail when you should not, when you should you will not be half so hasty, a n must love you, woe you, spend upon you and the worser ll of one of you is worthy to kiss the he of my riding gown here. 'Tis no matter what it is, talk not to me, what the worser ll did I mean to call thee back again, Go to stay I say, 'tis against my will that I use you so kindly I can tell you. I but I cannot choose, there you lie now, 'tis love for so that that Intails me to you, for I it had not been for love, I had not been here now, for the Gods do know I hold thee dearer then the Poungranet of mine eye, and thats better by three pence then the apple of mine eye. Nay 'tis no matter I am not the first ass that hath born Cupid's treasury. Why then be you to at with ass, and bear me for I have some treasure ut me will you love me. I am not the first hath desired you Nor are you the fairest I have seen, Nor the fittest to be beloved. Do and you dare but sirrah and thou wilt not love, I pray thee be proud As much as in mine own rising I faith, but do not you think it strange that I do love you, for before I did love you, Cupid pin knight me a spanish leather Jerkin with shooting at me, and made it so ull of holes that I was fain to leave it of, and this lose have I had for your sake. Nay that shall not serve your turn, for I have had a greater lose then that, I lost my left eye or your sake. I but I'll tell you how as I was hunting in the park, I saw Cupid shooting a cockhye into your face, and gazing of ter his arrow it fell into mine eye. I but I find this no fiction, and you shall make me amends with love or by this patch of mine eye, and the patch thou wotest where I will swear to all the City I have lain with thee Then do you me right and let me lie with you, I have made the botle nosd knave your husband so drunk that he is not able to stand go get you home I'll follow you. Go to make no more questions but say I shall be welcome or by mine honour I'll do as I say, otherwise be as see cret as death. O I thank you heartily, o excellent or never trust me. What art thou so nigh. I think so indeed, for thine eye is grey, but thou didst lie with him by that same token he gave thee a carknet, and thou toldst me that thy mother sent it thee, thou didst promise to banquet him when I was next abroad, thou didst say he could not be so old as he made himself to be, thou worser dst say it pity of his nose, for he would have be a fine man else, and that God did well to make him a rich man, for a was a good man too, and these tokens I think are suffi cient, or these a told me with his own mouth. Would would would, I have S nt her in a pelting changed fe, But I'll follow her and make her mad with anger. I'll fly no more then does a settled rock, No more then mountains or the steadfast powles, But come sweet love if thou wilt come with me, We two will live amongst the shadowy groves, And we will fit Like shepherdess on a hill, And with our heavenly voices tice the trees, To echo sweetly to our tunes. Fls will I angle in the running brooks, Seasoning our toils with kiss, on the banks, Sometime I'll dive into the murmerrng springs, And fetch thee stones to hang about thy neck, Which by thy splendour will be turned to pearl, Say fair Aspasia wilt thou walk with me. Nay if thou wilt not choose you peevish girl Thou canst not say but thou Wertenberg offered fair, But here m st end Count strange disguise, My velvet gown my Pistol and this patch, No more must hide me in the counts attire, Now will I turn my gown to Usurers Coats, And thus appear unto the world no more, arewell Aspasia. Give me thy hand wear lovers both, shall we have her both Sblood no base woman but bite your thumbs quickly. Do you hear sir, put your thumbs in your mouth with out any more ado, by the heavens I'll shoot thee through the mouth. Let me come in you knaves, how dare you keep meout, it my gown to a mantle of rug, I had not put you all to the Pistol. Why then thus it shall be weel strike up a drum, set up a tent, call people together, put crowns a piece lets ri S e or her. Die thou vile wretch and live Aspatia, now I hard thy father With words that still do tingle in mine , him heir to Alexandria, 'Tis time or me to stir when such young boys, Shall have their weak necks over poisd with crowns Which must become resolved champions, That for a crowns exchange will sell their souls, He kills him . What dost thou come upon her with medicines worser st thou think she is soar. To see a whole battle would would would what a jest is that, thou sh lt see a wh le battle come forth presently of me sa sa sa. Come spaniard to your penance bite your thumbs. Why so o that we had a noise of musicians to play to this antic as we go, come on sweet lady give me your to Church and be married straight, bear with , I'll be slow enough another time I warrant you, come questo, questo, spaniola questo. How now Queen what art thou doing, passioning over the picture of Cleant I am sure for I know thou love him, Be patient my wench and I'll tell that the very words, o my Cleanthes, love me, pity me, hate me not for love, and it is not lust hath made me thus importunate, for then there are men enough beside Cl es, go to tell me were not these your words, & I Like no traitor to you but a true j friend now by this pistol which is Gods angel I never uttered them till now Tut tut remember it and be wise thou wouldst have Cleanthes, come again wouldst thou not, Then he was a knane that told me so, what dost thou tell me that. Why thou wilt be to perfect if I should use thee much for use makes perfitnesse. Why may not I lie with her aswell as thou layest with her husband. Come on sweet lady give me your hands if you are mine, I am yours, if you take me now at the worst I am the more beholding to you, if I be not good enough, I'll and what would you more. The King, come come 'tis you rule the King now would any wise woman in the world be so hungerstarued for a m n and not use the means to have him, thinkest thou Clean these will come again to have his head chopped of so soon as he comes, but had you plucked up this branch wherein the King thy husbands life consists and burned it in the fire, his old beard would have stunckefort in the graven ere this, and then thou shouldst have seen whither Cleanthes would have come unto thee or no . By Gods blood I will not pardon you therefore bite your thumbs. Now am I Leon The rich usurer and here according To the kings command and mine own promise. I have brought my sword and fix it by the statue, She set up, by this am I known to be Cleanthes, Whose sudden sighed I now will take upon me, And cause the nobles to pursue my shadow, As for my subs nce they shall never find, Till I my self, do bring my self to light. Cleanthes, Cleanthes, stop Cleanthes, see Cleanthes, Pursue Cleanthes, follow Cleanthes. I why should I else have thus cried out on him, I saw him even now here did he fix his sword And not for dastard fear or cowardice, For know all Egypt inges of his renown. But fearing for his noble service done, To be rewarded with ingratitude, he fled From hence fearing to be pursued, But do not blush and fly and old men sighed. From young men rather that can swift pur sue, And then it is some credit to out go them, Yet though my years would have me old I am not, But have the gentle Jerk of youth in me, As fresh as he that hath a maidens chin. Thus can I bend the stiffnes of my limbs, Thus can I turn and leap and hoist my gate, Thus can I lift my love as light as air, Now say my Samathis am I old or the g. Fit am I then for matchless Samathis. And will be bold to fit. For bachelors Must not be shamefast when they meet with maids, Sweet love now let me entreat you fit, And welcome you to your own banquet here, Welcome as gold into my treasury, And now will I drink unto my love. Withthe same mind that drinking fi st began to one another. I'll tell my love the first kind cause of it. And why 'tis used as kindness still amongst us, If it be usdam right 'tis to this end, When I do say I drink this love to you, I mean I drink this to your proper good, As if I said what health this wine does work in me, Shall be employed for you at your command & to your proper use And this was first thentent of drinking to you. Thanks gentle Samathis, but delicious lo e, Hath been the fig I eat before this wine, Which kills the taste of these delicious cates, Will you bestow that banquet love on me, Love decks the countenance, speriteth the eye, And tunes the soul in sweetest harmony, Love then sweet Samathis. Then triumph Leon icher in thy love. Then all the heaps of treasure I possess, Never was happy Leon rich before, Nor ever was I covetous till now, That I see gold so fined in thy hair. Soon will I talk with them and follow thee, So now is my desire accomplished. Now was there ever man so fortunate. To have his love so sorted to his wish, The joys of many I one enjoy. Now do I mean to woe them crossly The one as I am Leon the rich usurer. (both, The other as I am the mad brain Count. Which if it take effect, and rightly prove, 'Twill be a sport for any emperor's love. Sir against your witness and his noble word, I plead mine own and one as good as his, That then was present at our whole conference. Count Hermes good my Lord a man Well known though he be humorous to be ho orable, He will my gracious Lord I am well assured, And him will I send hither presently, Entreating your gr jous favour if the impediment, Of a late sickness cause me not return, For I am passing ill. I will my gracious Lord and stand To any censure passing willingly, Your highness shall set down or command, Worshipful master Burg master your officer, To see performed betwixt us. Now will I try to make my self the Count. And arrant Cuckold and a witto too. Bright Nymph I come in name of all the world, That now sustains dead winter in the spring, To have a graces from thy summer darted, Thy love sweet soul is all that I desire, To make a general summer in this heart, Where winter's double wrath hath to nisde. O but he is safe, for at my house, Booted and spurred and in his velvet gown, He took his horse and road unto Corrucus, And therefore beauteous Lady make not strange, To take a and and add un to thy Joys, Oh hap wedlock: the end of every act, Is to inc see con nt and renown, Both which my love: shall amply joy in you, No ac hath any shame within itself, But in the knowledge and ascription. Of the base world from whom shall this be kept, As in a labyrinth or a brazen tower. The virtue of each thing is in the praise, And I will rea thy praises to the skies, Out of my treasury choose the choice of gold, Till thou find some matching thy hair in brightness, But that will never, be so choose thou ever. Out of my Jewelry choose thy choice of Diamonds Till thou find some as bright some as thine eyes, But that will never be, so choose thou ever, Choose Rubies out until thou match thy lips, Pearl till thy teeth, and Ivory till thy skin, Be matched in whitnesse but that will never be. Nor never shall my treasury have end, Till on there beauty's Ladies loath to spend, But that will never be so choose thou ever. To grant me lodging in your house this night, No I warrant you, I'll have no such thought. (in any case O this is old excellent. Now who can desire better sport. This night my other wife must lie alone, And next night this wife must do the Like. Now will I woe the other as the Count Which if she grant and they do break their troth, I'll make my self a cuckold betwixt them both. My sweet Acates and Acanthes slain, Grief to my heart and sorrow to my soul, Then rouse thy self Cleanthes and revenge. Their guiltless blood on these base miscreants O let the cankered trumpet of the deep, Be rattled out and ring into their ears, The dire revenge Cleanthes will inflict, One these four Kings and all there accomplices, O do not hurt him gentle Citizens, See how they fly from him whom they pursue. I am Cleanthes, and whilst I am hear, In vain they follow for to find him out, But here comes my love Bright Psamathis, Whom I love Equally with fair Elimine, See here she comes as I appointed her. Nay do not fly me gentle Samathis, Now to your use sweet love I drink this wine, And with a merry heart that makes long life, Over the cup I'll sing for my loves sake. Health, fortune, mirth, and wine, To thee my love divine. I drink to my darling, Give me thy hand sweating. With cup full ever plied, And arts fullneuer dried. Mine own, mine own dearest sweating. O o mine own dearest sweating. What frolic love mirth makes the banquet sweet. That is aswell as I do love my self, I will not Joy my treasure but in thee, And in thy looks I'll count it every hour, And thy white arms shall be as bands to me, Wherein are mighty Lordships forfeited, And all the dams of Alexandria, For their attire shall take there light from thee, Are you content sweet love to grant me love, I and gold and Diamonds shall my sweet love have, So get you gone and p is all with him, Now shall you know what want you have of me, Now will I gather up my sums of money, And of my creditors borrow what I can, Because as Leon I'll be seen no more, This day they promised for to meet me here, And here comes some of them. My master sir your friend Calatius, Hath sent you sir your five hundredth crowns for the rich Jewel that he bought of you. I thank him heartily, this Jewel of so many thousand crowns The Queen of Egypt did bestow on me, when that I told her in poor Jrus shape where her Cleanthes was, but soft who hau we here. Druso the Italian Merchant here by me, Hath sent you sir in Diamonds and in Pearls, So much as mounts to five thousand crowns, A worser craves no more assurance but your word, Theres my bill and thank thy master he shall have more then word. Never shall he nor they see this again, Nor me neither as I am this present man, This with the rest I have will make a pretty some With this will I employ e in these wars, Now will I take on me the form and shape, Of Duke Cleanthes, but what intends this alarm Where may I seek to find Cle these out, That martial prince whom Ptolemy unkind, Hath banished from out the Egyptian Land, Our warlike troops are scattered and over throne, And his deer Friends Acatos and Acanthes, Lie in the field besmired in their loodes, I'll run through all these groves to find him out. Vouchsafe dre sovereign and unpartial are. To that I have to say for my , He pleads the pay nt of four thousand pound, Upon the stone before blind Irus cave, To which I answer and do swear by heaven, He spoke with me at the foresaid place, And promised payment offoure thousand pound, If I would let him have his statum es in, And take other assurance for another thousand, Some three months to come or thereabouts. Which I refusing he repaid me none, But parted in a rage and carded not for me. Marvelous well and am assured of him, A plague of all sanguine simpliciti Swounds tell not me of your warrants, let me come in I say, Because I would have thee fallen, for pride must have a fallen. As I was walking through the Serian groves I saw the desperate Count the murderer, Of good prince Do icles as I hear say, Fly through the deserts to the mimphick shades Where hell to interrupt his passage thither, Raving beneath the ground work of the earth As if ten thousand vapours burst in her, Severed her womb and swallowed quick, The miserable Count. Thus have you strove in vain against those Gods, That rescues Egypt in Cleanthes arms, Come yield your crowns and homages to me, Though Ptolemy is dead yet I survive, Elect and chosen by the pears to scourge, The vile presumption of your hated lives, Then yield as vanquished unto Egypt's king. Hold take your crowns again and keep your oath and fealties to me, So shall you live as free as here to foe e And near hereafter stoop to conquest more. What are your suits. Poor souls I most extremely pity them, But say is Leon dead, So I devised indeed that he should say, That none should never look for Leon more But these my widows here must not be left, unto the mercy of the needy world, Nor mine own Issue that they go withal, Have such base Fortune's and there fire so great, Widows in pity of your widowhood, And untimely ends of both your husbands, The slaughter of the Count your husband ma dam, Shall be remitted and your self enjoy, The utmost of the living he possessed, So will I pay your husband Leons debt, And both shall live fitting there wonted states, Kings in there mercy come most near the Gods, And can no better show it then in ruth, Of widows and of children fatherless, My self will therefore be to both your births, A careful father in there bringing up. What can you sir. Well master Burgomaister see that you restore, The goods and lands you ceased. Both of the Countess a worser rich Leons wife, Not p j of their uvido odes alone, But their rare beauty's move me to this good. O Master Burgomaster see heres your wife come to welcome you home from war . O husband hu and will you go to re, and leave me in this taking. 'Tis very well Master Burg ster. Who saw the sighed, or gave out this report, You master Burgomaister. But tell me were your husbands such bade men, That every way they did deserve such ends, Whats that Master Burgomaister. Withal my heart sir. How say you my Lords is not our Burgomaister a tall man every way, did you not mark how manfully he be haved himself in our late Battle, Then say my Lords how shall we deal with him. Are they in love o Gods would that were true My loving joy the fresh desire of kings. How now my Lords does beauty startle you How fatal are these loves now I perceive, Their Fortune's that I told as I was Irus. Will now in force I see be come to pass. Have patience gentle Lords I will provide, Other Egyptian Ladies for your to ne, So will we link in perfect league of lou So shall the victory you lost to me, Set double glory on your conquered he des. So let us go to frolic in our Court. Carousing free whole bouls of greekish win In honour of the conquest we have made, That at our banquet all the Gods may tend, Plauding our victory and this happy end. What privilege of men, With whom suspectyou he was great with all. I did indeed, but God knows knew not how. Thou art and be so still for not the world, Shall ever know the mad pranks I have played, Now stand sayre my Lords and let these Ladies view you, O is that all why see 'tis up again, now thou shalt lee I'll come to her in thy humour, sweet lady I love swee words, but sweet deeds are the noble sounds of a noble spaniard, noble by country, noble by valour, noble by birth, my very foot is nobler then the head of another man, upon my life I love, and upon my love iue live, and so sweet N ph I kiss your hand, why lo here we are both, I am in this hand, and he is in that handy dandy p ickly prandy, which hand will you have. Swoons and you had I would have made such a woe full parting betwixt your fingers and your thumb that your spanish fists should never meet again, in this world will you doit sir.