Francis Beaumont

“ Erota
I will have Cassilane's.
Antinous
Cunning and cruel Lady, runs the stream
Of your affections this way? have you not
Conquest enough by treading on my grave?
Unless you send me thither in a shrowd
Steept in my fathers bloud? as you are woman,
As the protests of love you vow'd were honest;
Be gentler to my Father.
Erota
Cassilane,
Thou hast a heart of flint: let my intreaties,
My tears, the Sacrifice of griefs unfeigned,
Melt it: yet be a Father to thy son,
Unmask thy long besotted judgement, see
A low obedience kneeling at the feet
Of nature, I beseech you. ”

“ Honour'd Sir.
Cassilanes
No honour'd Sirs--
Fool your young Idol with such pompous Attributes.
Say briefly, what contains it?
Decius
'Tis a lowly
Petition for your favour.
Cassilanes
Rash young man,
But that thou art under my own roof, and know'st
I dare not any way infringe the Laws
Of Hospitality, thou should'st repent
Thy bold and rude intrusion. But presume not
Again to shew thy Letter, for thy life;
Decius, not for thy life.
Arcanes
Nay then, (my Lord)
I can with-hold no longer; you are too rough,
And wrestle against nature with a violence
More than becomes a Father ”

“ Antinous
You are a great Lady.
Erota
Then shew your self a Servant and a Subject.
Antinous
I am your vassal.
Mochingo
You are a Coward; I that dare not fight,
Scorn to be vassail to any Prince in Europe:
Great is my heart with pride, which I'le encrease
When they are gone, with practise on my Vassals.
Attendants
The noble Cassilane is come to see you Madam.
Decius
There's comfort in those words, Antinous:
For here's the place, and persons that have power,
To reconcile you to his love again.
Antinous
That were a fortunate meeting.
Enter Cassilane, and Arcanes. ”

“ Gonzalo
What, (sweet Lady?)
Erota
Methinks we should lay by this form of stateliness;
Loves Courtship is familiar, and for instance,
See what a change it hath begot in me,
I could talk humbly now, as Lovers use.
Gonzalo
And I, and I, we meet in one self-centre
Of blest Consent.
Erota
I hope my weakness, Sir,
Shall not deserve neglect; but if it prove so
I am not the first Lady has been ruin'd
By being too credulous; you will smart for't one day.
Gonzalo
Angel-like Lady, let me be held a Villain,
If I love not sincerely. ”

“ And yield my self up loves, or your own Martyr.
Erota
So you shall please us.
Philander
O you cannot be
So heavenly, and so absolute in all things,
And yet retain such cruel tyranny.
Erota
I can, I do, I will.
Gonzalo
She is in her
Moods, and her Tenses: I'le Grammer with you,
And make a trial how I can decline you:
By your leave (great Lady.)
Erota
What are you?
Gonzalo
A man, a good man, that's a wealthy;
A Proper man, and a proud man too; one
That understands himself, and knows, unless
It be your self, no woman on the Universe deserves him. ”

“ What's this to love, and to the Lady? he's old,
Wrathful, perverse, self-will'd, and full of anger,
Which are his faults; but let them not be thine;
He thrusts you from his love, she pulls thee on;
He doubts your Vertues, she doth double them;
O either use thine own eyes, or take mine,
And with them my heart, then thou wilt love her,
Nay, dote upon her more than on thy duty,
And men will praise thee equally for it,
Neglecting her, condemn thee as a man
Unworthy such a fortune: O Antinous,
'Tis not the friendship that I bear to thee,
But her command, that makes me utter this ”

“ Erota
Antinous wait upon us.
Antinous
I shall Madam.
Gonzalo
Nay but Ladie, Ladie.
Erota
Sir, you are rude: and if you be the Master
Of such means as you do talk of, you should
Learn good manners.
Gonzalo
O Lady, you can find a fault in me,
But not perceive it in your self: you must, shall hear me:
I love you for your pride, 'tis the best vertue
In you.
Erota
I could hang this fellow now: by whom
Are you supported, that you dare do this?
Have you not example here in a Prince
Transcending you in all things, yet bears himself
As doth become a man had seen my beautie? ”

“ Gonzalo
Still I must thank you.
This is the most passionate,
Most pitifull Prince,
Who in the Caldron of affections,
Looks as he had been par-boy'ld.
Philander
If I offend with too much loving you,
It is a fault that I must still commit,
To make your mercy shine the more on me.
Erota
You are the self-same creature you condemn,
Or else you durst not follow me with hope
That I can pity you, who am so far
From granting any comfort in this kind,
That you and all men else shall perish first:
I will live free and single, till I find
Something above a man to equal me ”

“ Mochingo
Let her be vext, 'tis fit she should be so:
Give me thy hand Gonzalo, thou art in our favour,
For we do love to cherish lofty spirits,
Such as percusse the Earth, and bound
With an erected countenance to the clouds.
Gonzalo
'S-foot, what thing is this?
Mochingo
I do love fire-works, because they mount:
An Exhalation I profess to adore,
Beyond a fixed star, 'tis more illustrious,
As every thing rais'd out of smoak is so:
Their vertue is in action: what do you think of me?
Gonzalo
Troth Sir,
You are beyond my ghess, I know you not.
Mochingo
Do you know your self? ”

“ This bastard of my bloud.
Erota
'Tis justice, Fathers,
I sue for too: and though I might command it,
(If you remember Lords, whose child I was)
Yet I will humbly beg it; this old wretch
Has forfeited his life to me.
Cassilanes
Tricks, tricks;
Complots, devices, 'twixt these pair of young-ones,
To blunt the edge of your well temper'd Swords,
Wherewith you strike offenders, Lords, but I
Am not a baby to be fear'd with bug-bears,
'Tis justice I require.
Erota
And I.
Antinous
You speak too tenderly; and too much like yourself
To mean a cruelty ”

“ Of honour and of safety.
Erota
Children yet unborn
Will stop their ears when thou art nam'd.
Arcanes
The world will be too little to contain
The memorie of this detested deed;
The Furies will abhorr it.
Decius
What the sword
Could not enforce, your peevish thirst of honour
(A brave, cold, weak, imaginarie fame)
Hath brought on Candy: Candy groans, not these
That are to die.
Philander
'Tis happiness enough
For them, that they shall not survive to see
The wounds wherewith thou stab'st the land that gave
Thee life and name. ”

“ What she expects, and what she will effect,
Unless you be the miracle of men,
That come with a purpose to behold,
And goe away your self.
Gonzalo
I thank you, I will do it: But pray resolve me,
How is she stor'd with wit?
Gaspero
As with beauty,
Infinite, and more to be admired at,
Than medled with.
Gonzalo
And walks her tongue the same gate with her feet?
Gaspero
Much beyond: what e're her heart thinks, she utters:
And so boldly, so readily, as you would judge
It penn'd and studied.
Enter Erota, Philander, Annophil, Hyparcha, Mochingo, Attendants
Gonzalo
She comes. ”

“ Strong apprehensions of her beauty hath
Made her believe that she is more than woman:
And as there did not want those flatterers
'Bout the worlds Conquerour, to make him think,
And did perswade him that he was a god;
So there be those base flies, that will not stick
To buzze into her ears she is an Angel,
And that the food she feeds on is Ambrosia.
Gonzalo
She should not touch it then, 'tis Poets fare.
Gaspero
I may take leave to say, she may as well
Determine of her self to be a goddess,
With lesser flatterie than he a god:
For she does conquer more, although not farther. ”

“ Philander,
You look pale; I'll talk no more.
Philander
Pray go forward; I would be your Martyr,
To dye thus, were immortally to live.
Erota
Will you go to him then, and speak for me?
You have loved longer, but not ferventer,
Know how to speak, for you have done it like
An Orator, even for your self; then how will you for me
Whom you profess to love above your self.
Philander
The Curses of Dissemblers follow me
Unto my Grave, and if I do not so.
Erota
You may (as all men do) speak boldlier, better
In their friends cause still, than in your own ”

“ Let me alone, thou troublest me,
I will be heard.
Arcanes
You know not what you do.
Possenne
Forbear: who's he that is so rude? what's he that dares
To interrupt our counsels?
Cassilanes
One that has guarded,
Those Purple robes from Cankers worse than Moths,
One that hath kept your fleeces on your backs,
That would have been snatch'd from you: but I see
'Tis better now to be a Dog, a Spaniel
In times of Peace, then boast the bruised scars,
Purchas'd with loss of bloud in noble wars,
My Lords, I speak to you.
Porphycio
Lord Cassilane,
We know not what you mean. ”

“ My nod, and sometimes twenty thousand souldiers,
Am now retir'd, attended in my age
By one poor maid, follow'd by one old man.
Arcanes
Sir, you are lower in your own repute
Than you have reason for.
Cassilanes
The Roman Captains,
I mean the best, such as with their blouds
Purchas'd their Countreys peace, the Empires glorie,
Were glad at last to get them to some Farmes,
Off-from the clamours of the ingratefull great ones,
And the unsteady multitude, to live
As I do now, and 'twas their blessing too,
Let it be ours Arcanes.
Arcanes
I cannot but
Applaud your scorn of injuries. ”

“ Arcanes
My Lord, they dare not
Intend ought else but good.
Cassilanes
'Tis true, they dare not;
Arcanes welcom them: Come hither Annophel,
Stand close to me, we'l change our affability
Into a form of State: and they shall know
Our heart is still our own.
Enter Arcanes, Fernando, and Gaspero.
Arcanes
My Lord--
Cassilanes
Arcanes,
I know them both: Fernando, as you are
A man of greatness, I should under-value
The right my sword hath fought for, to observe
Low-fawning complements, but as you are
A Captive and a stranger, I can love you,
And must be kind. You are welcom. ”

“ Written within his heart: But I am heated,
And do forget this presence, and my self.
Your pardon, Lady.
Erota
You should not ask, 'less you knew how to give.
For my sake Cassilane, cast out of your thoughts
All ill conceptions of your worthy son,
That (questionless) has ignorantly offended,
Declared in his penitence.
Cassilanes
Bid me dye, Lady, for your sake I'le do it;
But that you'l say is nothing, for a man
That has out-liv'd his honour: But command me
In any thing save that, and Cassilane
Shall ever be your servant. ”

“ It is no season to be troublesome,
Else--but I have done: your Lordships are observ'd.
Gaspero
Is the demandant ready?
Arcanes
He is ready.
Gaspero
Produce him then.
Arcanes
Before this sacred presence,
I, by a general consent, am made
The Souldiers voice, and to your gracious Wisedoms,
Present as chief in Arms, his Countries Champion,
Cassilanes.
Decius
Most reverend Lords, you hear the lesser number
Of those who have been Guardians to this Country,
Approve this Champion; I, in all their names,
Who fought for Candy, here present before you
The mightiest man in Arms, Antinous. ”

“ His constant truth, hath like a noble Gentleman,
Discovered plots of treachery; contriv'd
By false Gonzalo, not intending more
The utter ruine of our house, than generally
Candies Confusion.
Decius
'Tis a generous part
Of young Fernando.
Antinous
'Tis, and I could wish
All thrift to his affections, Decius.
You find the sum on't, Madam.
Erota
Yes, I do.
Antinous
And can you now yet think a heart opprest
With such a throng of cares, can entertain
An amorous thought? Love frees all toils but one,
Calamity and it can ill agree. ”

“ That yields her self your Captive, and for her Ransome,
Will give the Jewel of her life, her heart,
Which she hath lockt from all men but thy self?
For shame (Antinous) throw this dulness off;
Art thou a man no where but in the field?
Hyparcha
He must hear Drums, and Trumpets ere he sleeps,
And at this instant dreams he's in his Armour;
These iron-hearted Souldiers are so cold,
Till they be beaten to a Womans Arms,
And then they love 'em better than their own;
No Fort can hold them out. ”

“ Had more than full three quarters kill'd: a man
Well worthy only by this hand to have dy'd,
Not by a Boys weak push: I talk too much,
But 'tis a fault of age: If to bring home
Long peace, long victorie, even to your Capitol;
If to secure your Kingdom, wives, and children,
Your lives and liberties; if to renown
Your honours through the world, to fix your names,
Like Blazing stars admir'd, and fear'd by all
That have but heard of Candy, or a Cretan,
Be to deserve the approvement of my man-hood,
Then thus much have I done: what more, examine
The annals of my life ”