As this sad lady's was. Mine arms thus, and mine hair blown with the wind, Wild as that desart; and let all about me Olym. Dear madam! Asp. I have done. Sit down; and let us Upon that point fix all our eyes; that point there. Make a dull silence, till you feel a sudden sadness Give us new souls. Enter CALIANAX. Cal. The king may do this, and he may not do it: My child is wronged, disgraced. Well, how now, huswives! Enter CLEON, STRATO, and DIPHILUS. Cle. YOUR sister is not up yet. Diph. Knock at the door. Stra. We shall interrupt them. Diph. No matter. Good morrow, sister! Enter AMINTOR. What, at your ease? Is this a time to sit still? Up, you young lazy rogues, up, or I'll swinge you! Olym. Nay, good my lord. Cal. You'll lie down shortly. Get you in, and work! What, are you grown so resty you want heats? We shall have some of the court-boys beat you shortly. Ant. My lord, we do no more than we are charged. It is the lady's pleasure we be thus in grief : Cal. There's a rogue too; A young dissembling slave! Well, get you in! I'll maul that rascal; he has out-braved me twice; ACT III. Amin. Who's there? my brother! I'm no readier yet. Your sister is but now up. Enter MELANTIUS. Mel. Good day, Amintor! for, to me, the name. Amin. Dear Melantius! Mel. Why does thine eye desire so strict a view Diph. You look as you had lost your eyes to- Of that, it knows so well? There's nothing here, That is not thine. Amin. I wonder much, Melantius, To see those noble looks, that make me think Or not be base, and false, and treacherous, Mel. Stay, stay, my friend; I fear this sound will not become our loves. Amin. Oh, mistake me not: I know thee to be full of all those deeds, [Aside. Mel. But why, my friend, should I be so by nature? Amin. I've wed thy sister, who hath virtuous Enough for one whole family; and it is strange, Mel Believe me, this compliment's too cunning Diph. What should I be then, by the course of nature, They having both robbed me of so much virtue? Evad. [within.] My lord! Your brothers do attend to wish you joy. Amin. Enough, enough. Evad. They will mock me. Amin. Faith, thou shalt come in. Enter EVADNE. Mel. Good-morrow, sister! He that understands Whom you have wed, need not to wish you joy; You have enough. Take heed You be not proud.-Amintor! Amin. Ha! Mel. Thou art sad. tor, To chuse a wife for you again? Amin. No, never, sir. King. Why? like you this so ill? For this I bow my knee in thanks to you, King. I do not like this. powers, All forbear the room, but you, Amintor, Amin. He will not tell me, that he lies with her? King. You will suffer me to talk With her, Amintor, and not have a jealous pang? Amin. Sir, I dare trust my wife with whom she dares Amin. Who, I? I thank you for that. Shall To talk, and not be jealous. Diphilus, thou, and I, sing a catch? Mel. How! Amin. Prithee, let us. Mel. Nay, that's too much the other way. Evad. I cannot love you, you tell tales of me. King. How do you like Evad. As I did, sir. King. How is that? Evad. As one that, to fulfil your will and plea sure, I have given leave to call me wife and love. King. I see there is no lasting faith in sin; They, that break word with Heaven, will break again With all the world, and so dost thou with me. King. This subtle woman's ignorance Amin. Well? how can I be other, when she Will not excuse you: thou hast taken oaths, looks thus. Is there no music there? let's dance. Mel. Why, this is strange, Amintor! Yet I could wish my joy were less. [Aside. Amin. What says my love? I must obey. Enter KING and LYSIPPUS. Amin. Where? Stra. And his brother. King. Good morrow, all! Amintor, joy on joy fall thick upon thee! And, madam, you are altered since I saw you; So great, methought, they did not well become Evad. I never did swear so; you do me wrong. Evad. I swore, indeed, that I would never love King. Why, thou dissemblest, and it is in me Evad. Why, it is in me, then, Not to love you, which will more afflict your body, King. But thou hast let Amintor lie with thee. Evad. I have not. King. Impudence! he says himself so. Evad. He lies. King. He does not. King. Draw not thy sword; thou know'st I cannot fear A subject's hand; but thou shalt feel the weight Of this, if thou dost rage. Amin. The weight of that! Evad. By this light he does, strangely and If you have any worth, for heaven's sake, think basely! And I'll prove it so. I did not shun him For a night; but told him, I would never close With him. King. Speak lower; 'tis false. Evad. I am no man To answer with a blow; or, if I were, You are the king! But urge me not; it is most true. Evad. It is dissembling. King. Take him! farewell! henceforth I am thy foe; And what disgraces I can blot thee, look for. Evad. Stay, sir!-Amintor!-You shall hear.Amintor! Amin. What, my love? Evad. Amintor, thou hast an ingenuous look, And should'st be virtuous: It amazeth me, That thou canst make such base malicious lies! Amin. What, my dear wife? Evad. Dear wife! I do despise thee. Amin. Lovers! who? Evad. Who should live long, and love without distaste, Were it not for such pickthanks as thyself! Amin. The faithless sin I made And not so much to wrong an honest man thus, Evad. Now, sir, see how loud this fellow lied. Amin. You, that can know to wrong, should know how men Must right themselves: What punishment is due I fear not swords; for as you are mere man, Easy to work on, and of state enough, Evad. I would not have a fool; It were no credit for me. Amin. Worse and worse! Thou, that darest talk unto thy husband thus, King. No; for I believed thee honest, Amin. All the happiness Bestowed upon me, turns into disgrace. King. Thou may'st live, Amintor, ter curse Seize me, if I forget not all respects, King. Well, I am resolute you lie not with her; Amin. Prithee, vex me not! Leave me! I am afraid some sudden start Evad. I am gone; I love my life well. [Exit Evadne And lose thine offices. Cal. I am valiant grown, At all these years, and thou art but a slave! Met. Leave! Some company will come, and I respect Thy years, not thee, so much, that I could wish To laugh at thee alone. Cal. I'll spoil your mirth! I mean to fight with thee. There lie, my cloak! This was my father's sword, And he durst fight. Are you prepared? Mel. Why wilt thou doat thyself out of thy life? Hence, get thee to bed! have careful looking to, And eat warm things, and trouble not me: My head is full of thoughts, more weighty Than thy life or death can be. Cal. You have a name in war, where you stand safe Amongst a multitude; but I will try Mel. I will not draw, unless thou pull'st thy death Upon thee with a stroke. There's no one blow, That thou canst give, hath strength enough to kill me. Tempt me not so far then: The power of earth Shall not redeem thee. Cal. I must let him alone; He's stout and able; and, to say the truth, Cal. I would give half my land, That I durst fight with that proud man a little. I'I had men to hold him, I would beat him, Till be asked me mercy. Mel. Sir, will you be gone? Cal. I dare not stay; but I'll go home and beat My servants all over for this. [Exit Calianax. Mel. This old fellow haunts me! Bat the distracted carriage of my Amintor Takes deeply on me! I will find the cause. I fear his conscience cries, he wronged Aspatia. Enter AMINTOR. Amin. Men's eyes are not so subtle to perceive My inward misery: I bear my grief, Hid from the world. How art thou wretched, then? For aught I know, all husbands are like me; As I am. 'Would I knew it; for the rareness Mel. Amintor, we have not enjoyed our friendship of late, for we were wont to change our souls in talk. Amin. Melantius, I can tell thee a good jest of Strato and a lady the last day. Mel. How was it? Amin. Why, such an odd one! Mel. I have longed to speak with you; not of an idle jest, that's forced, but of matter you are bound to utter to me. Amin. What is that, my friend? Mel. I have observed your words Fall from your tongue wildly; and all your carriage Like one, that strove to shew his merry mood, When he were ill disposed; You were not wont To put such scorn into your speech, or wear Upon your face ridiculous jollity. Some sadness sits here, which your cunning would Cover o'er with smiles, and 'twill not be. What is it? Amin. A sadness here! what cause A prison for all virtue? Are not you, Mel. You may shape, Amintor, Amin. But there is nothing Mel. Worse and worse! farewell! From this time have acquaintance, but no friend. Amin. Melantius, stay: You shall know what it is. How you give cause unto yourself to say, Amin. Forgive what I have done; Mel. Do not weep. What is it? May I once but know the man Hath turned my friend thus ! Amin. I had spoke at first, But that Mel. But what? Amin. I held it most unfit For you to know. Faith, do not know it yet. Amin. Why, 'tis this- -It is too big Mel. Well said. Amin. You will wish it unknown, When you have heard it. Mel. No. Amin. Is much to blame, And to the king has given her honour up, And lives in whoredom with him. Mel. How is this? Thou art run mad with injury, indeed; Amin. She's wanton: I am loth to say, a whore, Though it be true. Mel. Speak yet again, before mine anger grow After mine actions, shall the name of friend Mel. This is base And fearful. They, that use to utter lies, The name of friend is more than family, A leprous one! Put up thy sword, young man. Amin. How should I bear it then, she being so? I fear, my friend, that you will lose me shortly; And I shall do a foul act on myself, Through these disgraces. Mel. Better half the land Were buried quick together. No, Amintor; Amin. What is it then to me, Mel. Why, not so much : The credit of our house is thrown away. Amin. I have quite undone my fame. |