John Suckling

“ Throw it with negligence10
'Mongst the records of thy weak female conquests;
Laugh at the kind words and mystical contrivement;
If such a time shall come,
Know I am sighing then thy absence, Iphigene,
And weeping o'er the false but pleasing image.15
Enter Almerin
⁠Alm. Francelia, Francelia,
Rise, rise, and save thyself! the enemy
That does not know thy worth, may else destroy it. ”

“ Thou cam'st too hastily upon me, put'st
So close the colours to mine eye, I could
Not see. It is impossible.
⁠Dor. ⁠Impossible?
If 'twere impossible, it should be otherwise;5
What can you imagine there of constancy,
Where 'tis so much their nature to love change,
That, when they say but what they are, they excuse
Themselves for what they do? ”

“ Enter Almerin, Morat
⁠Alm. Pish! Thou liest, thou liest.55
I know he plays with womankind, not loves it.
Thou art impertinent.
⁠Mor. 'Tis the camp-talk, my lord, though.
⁠Alm. The camp's an ass; let me hear no more on't. ”

“ It is then handsom'st, when the king comes to75
Reduce, not ruin.
⁠Bren. Who puts but on the face of punishing,
And only gently cuts, but prunes rebellion:
He makes that flourish which he would destroy.
Who would not be a rebel, when the hopes80
Are vast, the fears but small?
⁠Mel. ⁠Why, I would not,
Nor you, my lord, nor you, nor any here.
Fear keeps low spirits only in; the brave
Do get above it when they do resolve.
Such punishments, in infancy of war,85
Make men more desperate, not the more yielding. ”

“ Of Trock and Menseck, Brennoralt, are thine.
⁠Bren. A princely gift! But, sir, it comes too late.130
Like sunbeams on the blasted blossoms, do
Your favours fall: you should have given me this,
When't might have rais'd me in men's thoughts, and made
Me equal to Francelia's love. I have
No end, since she is not.135
Back to my private life I will return.
'Cattle, though weary, can trudge homewards after.'
⁠King. This melancholy time must cure. Come, take
The bodies up, and lead the prisoners on. ”

“ Not more I shall not love it.
⁠Fran. 'Tis still one step not to despair, my lord.20
[Exeunt Iphigene, Francelia, and Servants ⁠Mor. Dost think he will fight?
⁠Sol. ⁠Troth, it may be not.
Nature, in those fine pieces, does as painters;
Hangs out a pleasant excellence that takes
The eye, which is indeed
But a coarse canvas in the naked truth,25
Or some slight stuff.
⁠Mor. I have a great mind to taste him.
⁠Sol. ⁠Fie! a prisoner?
⁠Mor. By this hand, if I thought
He courted my coronel's mistress in earnest!
Re-enter Iphigene, a Waiting-woman coming after her
⁠Wom. [to Iph.] ”

“ I wait him in the gallery.
⁠Iph. [whispers] . May I not kiss your hand this night?
⁠Fran. The world is full of jealous eyes, my lord;
And, were they all lock'd up, you are a spy,45
Once enter'd in my chamber at strange hours.
⁠Iph. The virtue of Francelia is too safe
To need those little arts of preservation.
Thus to divide ourselves, is to distrust ourselves.
A cherubin despatches not on earth50
Th' affairs of heaven with greater innocence
Than I will visit; 'tis but to take a leave—
I beg.
⁠Fran. When you are going, my lord. ”

“ Enter Brennoralt, Captains, Stratheman, Doran
⁠Bren. No more but ten from every company;
For many hands are thieves,
And rob the glory, while they take their share.
How goes the night?
⁠Str. Half spent, my lord:5
We shall have straight the moon's weaker light.
⁠Bren. 'Tis time, then. Call in the officers. ”

“ Enter Villanor, Grainevert, Marinel, and Stratheman
⁠Gra. Villanor! welcome, welcome, whence camest thou?
⁠Vil. Look,
I wear the king's highway still on my boots.
⁠Gra. A pretty riding phrase—and how, and how?
Ladies cheap?5
⁠Vil. Faith, reasonable; those toys were never dear,
Thou know'st: a little time and industry
They'll cost, but, in good faith, not much: some few
There are, that set themselves at mighty rates. ”

“ Alas, that 'tis so soon to understand!65
⁠Iph. Must not you marry Almerin?
⁠Fran. They tell me 'tis design'd.
⁠Iph. If he have you, I am for ever lost.
⁠Fran. Lost!
The heavens forbid they should design so ill;70
Or, when they shall, that I should be the cause!
⁠Iph. [aside] . Ha!
Her eyes are strangely kind: she prompts me excellently.
Stars, be propitious: and I am safe!—
A way I not expected.75
⁠Fran. [aside] . His passion labours for vent.
⁠Iph. Is there a hope you will not give yourself
To Almerin?
⁠Fran. My lord, this air is common:
The walks within are pleasanter. ”

“ Because I throw myself not off a precipice?
'Tis her ruin to be otherwise.
Though we blame those that kill themselves, my lord,45
We praise not him that keeps himself alive,
And deserves nothing.
⁠Bren. ⁠And 'tis the least.
She does triumph, when she does but appear:
I have as many rivals as beholders. ”

“ For 'tis my melancholy, not I, offends.
⁠Fran. So great a melancholy would well become
Mischances, such as time could not repair.
Those of the war are but the petty cures45
Of every coming hour.
⁠Iph. [aside] . Why
Should I not tell her all? since 'tis in her
To save my life? Who knows, but she may be
Gallant so far, as to undo herself50
To make another happy?
[Aloud] Madam,
The accidents of war contribute least
To my sad thoughts (if any such I have) —
Imprisonment can never be,55
Where the place holds what we must love; and yet———
⁠Fran. My lord? ”

“ As I shall have no pleasure in my life,
Knowing 'tis your trouble.
⁠Alm. ⁠Oh, poor———I look'd for this.45
I knew th' wouldst find 'twas easier to do
A wrong than justify it. But———
⁠Iph. I will not fight. Hear me!
If I love you not more than I love her;
If I do love her more than for your sake,50
Heaven strangely punish me.
⁠Alm. ⁠Take heed how thou
Dost play with heaven!
⁠Iph. ⁠By all that's just, and fair,
And good; by all that you hold dear, and men
Hold great, I never had lascivious thought,
Or e'er did action that might call in doubt55
My love to Almerin. ”

“ Her face is like the Milky Way i' th' sky,
A meeting of gentle lights without name. ”

“ No matter who. 'Tis pity the rough hand
Of war should early courages destroy,
Before they bud, and show themselves i' th' heat50
Of action.
⁠Mar. I threw, my lord, a youth upon a bank,
Which seeking, after the retreat, I found
Dead, and a woman—the pretty daughter of
The forester, Lucilia.55
⁠Bren. See, see, Doran, a sad experiment!
Woman's the cowardli'st and coldest thing
The world brings forth: yet love, as fire works water,
Makes it boil o'er, and do things contrary
To 'ts proper nature. ”

“ Which draw'st as well as eyes, but sett'st men righter:
For who at thee begins, comes to the place
Sooner than he that sets out at the face:
Eyes are seducing lights, that the good women know,
And hang out these a nearer way to show.35
⁠Mar. Fine and pathetical! Come, Villanor. ”

“ My lord, know Almerin is as the man
I never saw.
⁠Bren. ⁠You do not marry then?75
Condemned men thus hear, and thus receive
Reprieves. One question more, and I am gone:
Is there to latitude of eternity
A hope for Brennoralt?
⁠Fran. ⁠My lord?
⁠Bren. ⁠Have I
A place at all, when you do think of men?80
⁠Fran. My lord, a high one: I must be singular,
Did I not value you. The world does set
Great rates upon you; and you have first deserv'd them.
⁠Bren. Is this all?
⁠Fran. ⁠All.
⁠Bren. ⁠O, be less kind, or kinder:
Give me more pity or more cruelty,85
Francelia! ”

“ Yet by th' unknowing multitude they're still80
Admir'd and flock'd unto.
⁠King. ⁠Is there no way
To disabuse them?
⁠Mel. ⁠All is now too late.
'The vulgar in religion are like
Unknown lands; those that first possess them have them.'
Then, sir, consider, justness of cause is nothing:85
When things are risen to the point they are,
'Tis either not examin'd or believed
Among the warlike.
The better cause the Grecians had of yore:
Yet were the gods themselves divided in't;90
And the foul ravisher found as good protection
As the much injur'd husband. ”

“ That we as eas'ly could have chang'd our sex,
As clothes. But, alas! all those innocent joys,
Like glorious mornings, are retir'd into
Dark sullen clouds, before we knew to value
What we had.
⁠Alm. [to himself] . Fame and victory are light10
Huswifes, that throw themselves into the arms,
Not of the valiant, but the fortunate.
To be ta'en thus!
⁠Iph. ⁠Almerin!
⁠Alm. ⁠Nipp'd i' th' bud
Of honour!
⁠Iph. ⁠My lord!
⁠Alm. ⁠Foil'd! and by the man
That does pretend unto Francelia!15
⁠Iph. What is't you do, my Almerin? ”

“ Nor can we there too much dispute, where, when
We err, 'tis at a kingdom's charges. Peace
And war are in themselves indifferent;
And time doth stamp them either good or bad:
But here the place is much considerable.150
'War in our own is like to too much heat
Within, it makes the body sick: when in
Another country, 'tis but exercise;
Conveys that heat abroad, and gives it health.'
To that I bend my thoughts, but leave it to155
Our greater council, which we now assemble:
Meantime, exchange of pris'ners only we
Assent unto.
⁠Lord. Nothing of truce, sir? ”

“ Enter Marinel, throwing down one he carries
⁠Mar. There!
The sun's the neatest surgeon I know, and th' honestest.
If thou recoverest, why, so: if not, the cure's paid—they
have maul'd us.
Enter Grainevert, with another upon his back
⁠Gra. A curse light on this powder! It stays valour,5
ere it's half-way on its journey. What a disadvantage
fight we upon in this age! He that did well heretofore
had the broad fair day to show it in, witnesses enough.
We must believe one another: 'tis night, when we begin. ”

“ Infect the people; 'for in such a case130
The private safety is the public trouble.'
Nor will they ever want pretext; 'since he
That will maintain it with his sword he's injur'd,
May say't at any time.'
Then, sir, as terrible as war appears,135
My vote is for't; nor shall I ever care,
How ugly my physician's face shall be,
So he can do the cure.
⁠Lord. In vent'ring physic, I think, sir, none so much
Considers the doctor's face as his own body.140
To keep on foot the war with all your wants
Is to let blood, and take strong potions
In dangerous sickness. ”

“ Shall get no other but that thou art brave.
Enter King, Stratheman, Lords, Menseck
⁠Str. To preserve some ladies, as we guess'd!90
⁠King. Still gallant, Brennoralt? thy sword not sheath'd yet?
Busy still?
⁠Bren. Revenging, sir,
The foulest murder ever blasted ears,
Committed here by Almerin and Iphigene!95
⁠Alm. [reviving] . False, false! the first-created purity
Was not more innocent than Iphigene.
⁠Bren. Lives he again?
⁠Alm. ⁠Stay, thou much-wearied guest,
Till I have thrown a truth amongst them—
We shall look black else to posterity.100
⁠King. What says he?
⁠Lord. ”

“ More, prithee, more: [alarum within] 'tis music to my melancholy.20
Enter Soldier
⁠Sol. My lord,
A cloud of dust and men the sentinels from
The east gate discover; and, as they guess, the storm
Bends this way.
⁠Bren. ⁠Let it be.
⁠Sol. ⁠My lord?
⁠Bren. ⁠Let it be.
I will not fight to-day: bid Stratheman25
Draw to the trenches. On, prithee, on! on!
⁠Dor. The king
Employs a company of formal beards,
Men who have no other proofs of their long lives
But that they are old.30
⁠Bren. Right;
And, if they are wise, 'tis for themselves, not others,
As old men ever are. ”

“ Faith,
'Tis now upon the turning of the balance;
A most equal business40
Betwixt rebellion and loyalty.
⁠Vil. What dost mean?
⁠Gra. Why! which shall be the virtue, and which the vice.
⁠Vil. How the devil can that be?
⁠Gra. O, success is a rare paint, hides all the ugliness.45
⁠Vil. Prithee, what's the quarrel?
⁠Gra. Nay, for that excuse us. Ask the children of
peace; they have the leisure to study it; we know nothing
of it: liberty, they say.
⁠Vil. 'Sfoot, let the king make an act that any man may50
be unmarried again: there's liberty for them! ”

“ Re-enter Brennoralt, Stratheman, Marinel
⁠Bren. What shout is that?
⁠Str. They have taken Almerin, my lord.
⁠Bren. Almerin? the devil thank 'em for't!
When I had hunted hard all day, and now35
At length unherded the proud deer, the curs
Have snatch'd him up.
Sound a retreat: there's nothing now behind.
Who saw Doran?
⁠Str. Shall we bring Almerin in?40
⁠Bren. No; gazing is low triumph ”

“ Hum! 'tis ever so. The motions of married people
are as of other naturals—violent gentlemen to the place,15
and calm in it.
⁠Mar. We know this too, and yet we must be fooling.
⁠Gra. Faith, women are the baggage of life: they are troublesome,
And hinder us in the great march ”

“ You, my lord, may, when you please, return.
⁠Iph. ⁠I, Almerin?
⁠Alm. Yes, my lord,
I'll give you an escape.
⁠Iph. ⁠'Tis least in my desires.
⁠Alm. Hum!
⁠Iph. Such prisons are beyond all liberty.20
⁠Alm. Is't possible?
⁠Iph. ⁠Seems it strange to you?
⁠Alm. ⁠No,
Not at all. What, you find the ladies kind?
⁠Iph. [smiles] . Civil.
⁠Alm. You make love well too, they say, my lord.
⁠Iph. Pass my time.25
⁠Alm. Address unto Francelia? ”