EAMBIA

Well: I'll feel his pulse. Sir knight I hear, you are inquest your daughter here to find. In weed disguised because behaps you fear, least being known contrary to your mind. Your seerch might grow too long, yet may it be, your state descried you may find help of me. How hap your child did leave you so alone? was there no help but she must needs be gone? Me thinks these words in such high state bewray more egar mind then gift of great conceate, A Princess peer a Duke should seek to stay, and not gainst fume with wit to work debate. Are you so far misled for want of skill, as you know not that love will have his will? He knows no peer: all states stoop to his check, he spares no prince no more then mean estate, But makes each one obey him at a beck: He takes great scorn to hear tell of a mate, But where he finds such match as he does Like, without gainsay he bends his bow to strike. Because you are a Prince of high degree, in Country where you dwell, you hold it light That Love should should wound your only heir I see, but were you of far more puissant might, And she of price as peerless as may be, love hath subdu'de far braver Dams then she. As who should say, Love never hits aright, but beetle Like bereaved of sighed does run, Not weighing worth, nor marking where to light, But love oft times by endue desert is won, And most pressed on in Dams of highest prize, wherefore judge right, for love oft times is wise. Perhaps your daughters Love sprang from desert, perhaps the persons worth procured her choice, Perhaps he was so tied he could not start from her, commanding him by virtues voice: And would you seem at such link to repine, which virtue did with her own fingers twine? Therefore make your account this grief you feel, proceeds from offence gainst such a power, And never hope to win your better weal, till that his wrath appeared, he leave to lower. Love is a Lord, who loathes, him him he shames, not sparing Lords, not sparing princely Dams. And chiefly where with virtue he does link, for virtues sake, where love does Like to light. There can no force enforce his force to shrink, he trusts so much to his confederates might. Wherefore your daughters love for virtues sake, work what you could, no overthrow would take. Alas good Sir, know you not at these years, that Love does always fight on equal ground, And where he minds match, he makes them peers: if minds agree the ground of states is found. A Princely heart in meaner man may dwell, where, if a Princess Like, she does but well. For when the ear is fed with worths report, when eye beholds what ravisheth the sighed, The heart straight to desire yields up the fort: where if again Like liking hap to light, When virtues join and Like with Like is knit, what match is made more excellent then it? This match should you maintain where love crept in. not of himself but guess-ways led by hand, For virtue was the first that did begin, against whose force whilst you thought to withstand, In single terms as not allowing love, the compound strength of virtue you do prove. You blame not him for mounting up so High, she bears the blame for bending down so low, Whom fortune bids look up, too blame were he, if he should quail, and worthy overthrow. And she too blame, of near so high degree, not casting Love where virtues does agree. Alas whats birth though born so much in eye, the only mean to blind who so is born, Who looking big with countenance on hie, with vain conceits holds virtues gifts in scorn, Unhappy he that brags in that behalf, where virtue lacks he proves himself a calf. If match were made by only mean of man, you had been first, as whom the cause concerned, But what the Gods first move do what you can, they will pass on though parents be not warned, It is but vain to say love shall not win, unless at your consent he first begin. Nay was not that unkindly done of you, unknown to her, to send her love away, To work you both such woe as you feel now, you for her sake, she for her Love to stray: In kind a Sire, unkind to such a child, whose only fault hath child and Sire exiled. Where nature does but warm love sets on fire, and greater force of lesser is obeyed, For love by choice does draw more deep desire, the love of kind, by kind love's over wayde, Which master Like gives not time to relent, but on he will or make the man repent. How could your Tigrish heart by sundering them, which lived in heaven before you sought their hell, Defeat the hold where Cupid held his claim? but in these terms no longer for to dwell: What if your child were offered to your face, should she, or should she not obtain your grace? And if her Love for whom her toil hath been, should come with her resolved to be her own, Should not this angry mood of yours void clean? answer me that, for that thing being known, Perhaps I would in partly procure your ease, so that their match your mind might not displease. I am the Fairy Queen. Well Sir, I do perceive you are content, to take your child into your grace again, In hope whereof she shall straight be present, to please her father's sighed, to stay his pain: For other things discourse you when you meet, all will be well since you are won from heat. I dare my self for her partly undertake, that on her side resistance will be small, To what request her father here shall make, the cause once known, and circumstance withal; To compass your good will is her desire, wherefore demand the thing that you require. I see affection armed and loath to yield, whom length of time and strength of love support, I see whereon persuasions right does built, which hath me thinks possessed the stronger fort: If love had sighed and reason could be hold, or fiery flame could be subdu'de with cold. But Lady, give me leave whose friendship tried, does bid you bend your ear to that I say, The truth whereof cannot be well denied, though flaming love in heat seem to say nay: Immortal states as you know mine to be, from passion blind affects are quite and free. If you may so consent to Parents mind, (wherewith is joined the wealth of countries soil) As love cannot accuse you for unkind, ne yet complain himself to have the foil: Considering he whereon your Love is bent, may have your love though you herein relent. If you forsake, not forced by greater cause, love then of some unkindness might you blame. But weight of greater worth forbidding pause if you withstand, you blemish much your name. It were no love that stood so in your sighed: but might be termed mere madness out of right. Return again with parent whence you came, regard the state which birth hath brought you to, Relent to love that will augment your fame, and yet this knight cannot, if you so do, Condemn you much although you him forsake, sith of two gods the greater you do take. Your Father's reason springs from such a ground, as cannot well by reason be deny'de: If he for you so fit a match have found, as for your birth no fitter may be spied, What have you then against him to withstand, since nought but good can come from parents hand. Set all aside, and only this observe, to seek you out, your knight he took no pain, Yours was the toil, you did from country swerve, you trauail'de still, in rest he did remain: So that of you if love crave further aid, you answer may, he hath his wages paid. But though you may thus check his love you'll say, how shall I choke the love which flames in me, That, do my best, so keeps me at the bay, as ties me fast when lose I feign would be: So that I find, the goal must there be won, where fancy fights, and love the broil begun? Your countenance seems to yield, debar all doubt, let meaner love to greater quickly yield, Your good it is these reasons go about, let common care give private will the field, Why stand you still as one in sudden trance, give place to that your honour may advance. If it seem good to you as't does to me, to him where as he is, we will repair, For at his hand this must be wrought I see, if he himself will yield to countries care: Come Sir, and you Madam, let us retire, we have to deal with him whom you desire. You hear Sir Knight the parents joust request, you see the force whereon his reasons stand, Affections stays what wisdom thinks for best, the matter rests all only in your hand. By nature you are farther to foresee, you are therefore to strike the stroke, not she. Well now the force whereto your fate made way is well expired, you have the heavens to friend, Who though they saw you run so long astray, yet have they given your care a joyful end. Think on and thank, it is a special grace, first so to stray, then so to end your raze. Your peace is wrought Madam, retire with me, to place where I do dwell from whence you may To Country make repair when time shall be. till when my Lord if you with me will stay, What things shall needs for that your home retire, I will supply your want to your desire. And you sir knight whose honest yielding made the good consent which passed to help this ill. You may remain as I before have said, where I do dwell with hearty great good will. And ever have the Fairy Queen to friend, for virtues sake which I in you do find. T'is true my L. your daughter is in place. perform your speech and let her find some grace. A noble speech confirming what was said, that virtues worth was causer of your love, For sure my Lord it cannot be denaide, but that this mind a stony heart might move, Which to his praise does yield to Countries good, the thing which to possess so near he stood.