Delphi Complete Works of John Ford (Illustrated) (eBook)

Actus Secundus

SCENA PRIMA

[Enter Gonzalo, and Gaspero]

Gaspero:
Now to what you have heard; as no man can
Better than I, give you her Character;
For I have been both nurs’d, and train’d up to
Her petulant humours, and been glad to bear them,
Her Brother, my late Master, did no less:
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.
Every one looks on her, dyes in despair,
And would be glad to do it actually,
To have the next age tell how worthily,
And what good cause he had to perish so:
Here beauty is superlative, she knows it,
And knowing it, thinks no man can deserve,
But ought to perish, and to dye for her:
Many great Princes for her love have languish’d,
And given themselves a willing sacrifice,
Proud to have ended so: And now there is
A Prince so madded in his own passions,
That he forgets the Royaltie he was born to,
And deems it happiness to be her slave.

Gonzalo:
You talk as if you meant to winde me in,
And make me of the number.

Gaspero:
Sir, mistake me not, the service that I owe ye
Shall plead for me: I tell you what she is,
What she expects, and what she will effect,
252]  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.

Gaspero:
I must leave you then,
But my best wishes shall remain with you.

           [Exit.

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;
Put all your brave Heroes into one,
Your Kings and Emperours, and let him come
In person of a man, and I should scorn him:
Must, and will scorn him.
The god of love himself hath lost his eyes,
His Bow and Torch extinguish’d, and the Poets
That made him first a god, have lost their fire
253]  Since I appear’d, and from my eyes must steal it.
This I dare speak; and let me see the man,
Now I have spoke it, that doth, dare deny;
Nay, not believe it.

Mochingo:
He is mad that does not.

Erota:
Have not all the nations of the Earth heard of me?
Most come to see me, and seeing me, return’d
Full of my praises? teaching their Chroniclers
To make their Stories perfect? for where the name,
Merely the word of fair Erota stands,
It is a lasting History to time,
Begetting admiration in the men,
And in my own Sex envie: which glorie’s lost,
When I shall stick my beautie in a cloud,
And clearly shine through it.

Gonzalo:
This woman’s in the altitudes, and he must be
A good Astrologer shall know her Zodiack.

Philander:
For any man to think
Himself an able purchaser of you,
But in the bargain there must be declar’d
Infinite bounty: otherwise I vow,
By all that’s excellent and gracious in you,
I would untenant every hope lodg’d in me,
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.
Nay, Lady, I must tell you too withal,
I may make doubt of that, unless you paint
254]  With better judgement next day than on this;
For (plain I must be with you) ’tis a dull Fucus.

Erota:
Knows any one here what this fellow is?

Attendants:
He is of Venice (Madam) a great Magnifico,
And gracious with the Senate.

Erota:
Let him keep then among them; what makes he here?
Here’s state enough where I am: here’s a do —
You, tell him, if he have ought with us, let him
Look lower, and give it in Petition.

Mochingo:
Mighty Magnifico, my Mistris bid me tell you,
If you have ought with her, you must look lower,
And yield it in Petition.

Gonzalo:
Here is for thee a Ducket.

Mochingo:
You say well Sir, take your own course.

Gonzalo:
I will not grace you
(Lady) so much as take you by the hand;
But when I shall vouchsafe to touch your lip,
It shall be through your Court a holy-day
Proclaimed for so high favour.

Erota:
This is some
Great mans Jester: Sirrah, begon, here is
No place to fool in.

Gonzalo:
Where are the fools you talk of?
I do keep two.

Erota:
No question of it: for
In your self you do maintain an hundred.

Gonzalo:
And besides them I keep a noble train,
Statists, and men of aclion: my purse is large and deep,
Beyond the reach of riot to draw drie:
Fortune did vie with Nature, to bestow
(When I was born) her bountie equally:
’Tis not amiss you turn your eyes from me;
For should you stand and gaze me in the face,
You perish would, like Semele by Jove:
In Venice at this instant there do lye
No less than threescore Ladies in their graves,
And in their Beds five hundred for my love.

Mochingo:
You lie more than they; yet it becomes him bravel[y];
Would I could walk and talk so! I’le endeavour it.

Erota:
Sir, do you know me?
255]

Gonzalo:
Yes, you were sister to the late Prince of Candy,
Aunt to this young one: and I in Venice,
Am born a Lord; equall to you in fortunes,
In shape; I’le say no more, but view.

Mochingo:
There needs no more be said, were I a woman —
O he does rarely: in shape; I’le say no more,
But view: who could say more, who better?
Man is no man, nor woman woman is,
Unless they have a pride like one of these.
How poor the Prince of Cyprus shews to him!
How poor another Lady unto her!
Carriage and State makes us seem demi-gods,
Humility, like beasts, worms of the Earth.

[Enter Antinous, and Decius.]

Antinous:
Royal Lady, I kiss your hand.

Erota:
Sir, I know you not.

Annophel:
O my noble Brother, welcom from the wars.

Antinous:
Dear Sister.

Annophel:
Where is my Father, that you come without him?
We have news of your success: he has his health I hope?

Antinous:
Yes Sister, he has his health, but is not well.

Annophel:
How not well? what Riddles do yo[u] utter?

Antinous:
I’le tell you more in private.

Gonzalo:
Noble Sir,
I cannot be unmindfull of your merit,
Since I last heard it: you are a hopefull youth,
And (indeed) the Soul of Candy.
I must speak my thoughts.

Annophel:
The Prince of Cyprus Brother, good...