A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 5

ACT III., SCENE 1.

CUPID. So now they feel what lordly Love can do, That proudly practise to deface his name; In vain they wrastle with so fierce a foe; Of little sparks arise a blazing flame.

"By small occasions love can kindle heat, And waste the oaken breast to cinder dust."

Gismund I have enticed to forget Her widow's weeds, and burn in raging l.u.s.t: 'Twas I enforc'd her father to deny Her second marriage to any peer; 'Twas I allur'd her once again to try The sour sweets that lovers buy too dear.

The County Palurin, a man right wise, A man of exquisite perfections, I have like wounded with her piercing eyes, And burnt her heart with his reflections.

These two shall joy in tasting of my sweet, To make them prove more feelingly the grief That bitter brings: for when their joys shall fleet, Their dole shall be increas'd without relief.

Thus Love shall make worldlings to know his might; Thus Love shall force great princes to obey; Thus Love shall daunt each proud, rebelling spirit; Thus Love shall wreak his wrath on their decay.

Their ghosts shall give black h.e.l.l to understand, How great and wonderful a G.o.d is Love: And this shall learn the ladies of this land With patient minds his mighty power to prove.

From whence I did descend, now will I mount To Jove and all the G.o.ds in their delights: In throne of triumph there will I recount, How I by sharp revenge on mortal wights Have taught the earth, and learned h.e.l.lish sprites To yield with fear their stubborn hearts to Love, Lest their disdain his plagues and vengeance prove.

[CUPID _remounteth into the heavens_.

ACT III., SCENE 2.

LUCRECE _cometh out of_ GISMUNDA'S _chamber solitary_.

LUCRECE. Pity, that moveth every gentle heart To rue their griefs, that be distress'd in pain, Enforceth me to wail my niece's smart, Whose tender breast no long time may sustain The restless toil, that her unquiet mind Hath caus'd her feeble body to endure; But why it is (alack!) I must not find, Nor know the man, by whom I might procure Her remedy, as I of duty ought, As to the law of kinship doth belong.

With careful heart the secret means I sought, Though small effect is of my travail sprung: Full often as I durst I have a.s.say'd With humble words the princess to require To name the man which she hath so denay'd,[62]

That it abash'd me further to desire, Or ask from whence those cloudy thoughts proceed, Whose stony force, that smoky sighs forth send, Is lively witness how that careful dread And hot desire within her do contend: Yet she denies what she confess'd of yore, And then conjoin'd me to conceal the same; She loved once, she saith, but never more, Nor ever will her fancy thereto frame.

Though daily I observed in my breast What sharp conflicts disquiet her so sore, That heavy sleep cannot procure her rest, But fearful dreams present her evermore Most hideous sights her quiet to molest; That starting oft therewith, she doth awake, To muse upon those fancies which torment Her thoughtful heart with horror, that doth make Her cold chill sweat break forth incontinent From her weak limbs. And while the quiet night Gives others rest, she, turning to and fro, Doth wish for day: but when the day brings light, She keeps her bed, there to record her woe.

As soon as when she riseth, flowing tears Stream down her cheeks, immixed with deadly groans, Whereby her inward sorrow so appears, That as salt tears the cruel cause bemoans.

In case she be constrained to abide In prease[63] of company, she scarcely may Her trembling voice restrain it be not spy'd, From careful plaints her sorrows to bewray.

By which restraint the force doth so increase, When time and place give liberty to plain, That as small streams from running never cease, Till they return into the seas again; So her laments, we fear, will not amend, Before they bring her princely life to end.

To others' talk when as she should attend, Her heaped cares her senses so oppress, That what they speak, or whereto their words tend, She knows not, as her answers do express.

Her chief delight is still to be alone, Her pensive thoughts within themselves debate: But whereupon this restless life is grown, Since I know not, nor how the same t'abate; I can no more but wish it as I may, That he which knows it, would the same allay, For which the Muses with my song shall pray.

ACT III., SCENE 3.

_After the song, which was by report very sweetly repeated by the Chorus_, LUCRECE _departeth into_ GISMUNDA'S _chamber, and_ GUISCARD _cometh out of the palace with_ JULIO _and_ RENUCHIO, _gentlemen, to whom he turneth, and saith_:

GUISCARD. Leave me, my friends; this solitary walk Enticeth me to break your company.

Leave me, my friends, I can endure no talk.

Let me entreat this common courtesy. [_The gentlemen depart_.

What grievous pain they 'dure, which neither may Forget their loves, ne yet enjoy their love, I know by proof, and daily make a.s.say.

Though Love hath brought my lady's heart to love, My faithful love with like love to requite; This doth not quench, but rather cause to flame The creeping fire which, spreading in my breast With raging heat, grants me no time of rest.

If they bewail their cruel destiny, Which spend their love, where they no love can find, Well may I plain, since fortune haleth[64] me To this torment of far more grievous kind; Wherein I feel as much extremity, As may be felt in body or in mind.

For by that sight, which should recure my pain, My sorrows are redoubled all in vain.

Now I perceive that only I alone Am her belov'd, her looks a.s.sure me so: The thought thereof provokes me to bemoan Her heavy plight that grieveth at my woe.

This intercourse of our affections-- I her to serve, she thus to honour me-- Bewrays the truth of our elections, Delighting in this mutual sympathy.

Thus love for love entreat's the queen of love, That with her help Love's solace we may prove.

I see my mistress seeks as well as I To stay the strife of her perplexed mind: Full fain she would our secret company, If she the wished way thereof might find.

Heavens, have ye seen, or hath the age of man Recorded such a miracle as this-- In equal love two n.o.ble hearts to frame, That never spake one with another's bliss?

I am a.s.sured that she doth a.s.sent To my relief, that I should reap the same, If she could frame the means of my content, Keeping herself from danger of defame.

In happy hour right now I did receive This cane from her; which gift though it be small, Receiving it, what joys I did conceive Within my fainting spirits therewithal!

Who knoweth love aright, may well conceive By like adventures that to them befall.

"For needs the lover must esteem that well, Which comes from her, with whom his heart doth dwell."

a.s.suredly it is not without cause She gave me this; something she meant thereby: For therewithal I might perceive her pause Awhile, as though some weighty thing did lie Upon her heart, which she concealed, because The standers-by should not our loves descry: This clift bewrays that it hath been disclos'd; Perhaps herein she hath something inclos'd: [_He breaks it_.

O thou great thunderer! who would not serve, Where wit with beauty chosen have their place?

Who could devise more wisely to conserve Things from suspect? O Venus, for this grace That deigns me, all unworthy, to deserve So rare a love, in heaven I should thee place.

This sweet letter some joyful news contains, 1 hope it brings recure to both our pains.

[_He reads it_.

_Mine own, as I am yours, whose heart, I know, No less than mine, for lingering help of woe Doth long too long: love, tendering your case And mine, hath taught recure of both our pain.

My chamber-floor doth hide a cave, where was An old vault's mouth: the other in the plain Doth rise southward, a furlong from the wall.

Descend you there. This shall suffice. And so I yield myself, mine honour, life, and all, To you. Use you the same, as there may grow Your bliss and mine, mine earl, and that the same Free may abide from danger of defame.

Farewell; and fare so well, as that your joy, Which only can, may comfort mine annoy.

Yours more than her own,_ GISMUND.

O blissful chance my sorrows to a.s.suage!

Wonder of nature, marvel of our age!

Comes this from Gismund? did she thus enfold This letter in the cane? may it be so?

It were too sweet a joy; I am deceiv'd.

Why shall I doubt, did she not give it me?

Therewith she smil'd, she joy'd, she raught[65] the cane, And with her own sweet hand she gave it me: And as we danc'd, she dallied with the cane, And sweetly whisper'd I should be her king, And with this cane, the sceptre of our rule, Command the sweets of her surprised heart.

Therewith she raught from her alluring locks This golden tress, the favour of her grace, And with her own sweet hand she gave it me: O peerless queen, my joy, my heart's decree!

And, thou fair letter, how shall I welcome thee?

Both hand and pen, wherewith thou written wert, Blest may ye be, such solace that impart!

And blessed be this cane, and he that taught Thee to descry the hidden entry thus: Not only through a dark and dreadful vault, But fire and sword, and through whatever be, Mistress of my desires, I come to thee.

[GISCARD _departeth in haste unto the palace_.

CHORUS 1. Right mighty is thy power, O cruel Love, High Jove himself cannot resist thy bow; Thou sent'st him down, e'en from the heavens above, In sundry shapes here to the earth below: Then how shall mortal men escape thy dart, The fervent flame and burning of thy fire; Since that thy might is such, and since thou art Both of the seas and land the lord and sire?

CHORUS 2. But why doth she that sprang from Jove's high head, And Phoebus's sister sheen, despise thy power, Ne fear thy bow? Why have they always led A maiden life, and kept untouch'd the flower?

Why doth Aegistus love, and to obtain His wicked will, conspire his uncle's death?

Or why doth Phaedra burn, from whom is slain Theseus' chaste son, or Helen, false of faith?

"For love a.s.saults not but the idle heart, And such as live in pleasure and delight; He turneth oft their gladsome joys to smart, Their play to plaint, their sport into despite."

CHORUS 3. 'Tis true, that Dian chaseth with her bow The flying hart, the goat, and foamy boar: By hill, by dale: in heat, in frost, in snow: She recketh not, but laboureth evermore; Love seeks not her, ne knoweth where[66] to find.

Whilst Paris kept his herd on Ida down, Cupid ne'er sought him out, for he is blind; But when he left the field to live in town, He fell into his snare, and brought that brand From Greece to Troy, which after set on fire Strong Ilium, and all the Phryges land: "Such are the fruits of love, such is his hire."[67]

CHORUS 4. Who yieldeth unto him his captive heart, Ere he resist, and holds his open breast Withouten war to take his b.l.o.o.d.y dart, Let him not think to shake off, when him list, His heavy yoke. "Resist his first a.s.sault; Weak is his bow, his quenched brand is cold; Cupid is but a child, and cannot daunt The mind that bears him, or his virtues bold."

But he gives poison so to drink in gold, And hideth under pleasant baits his hook; But ye beware, it will be hard to hold Your greedy minds, but if ye wisely look What sly snake lurks under those flowers gay.

But ye mistrust some cloudy smokes, and fear A stormy shower after so fair a day: Ye may repent, and buy your pleasure dear; For seldom-times is Cupid wont to send "Unto an idle love a joyful end."

FINIS ACTUS. _G. Al_.

ACT IV., SCENE 1.