The Mad Lover Part 26

_Mem._ And you shall have it, even my dearest love, My first, my n.o.blest love, take her again, Sir, She is yours, your honesty has over-run me, She loves ye, lose her not: excellent Princess, Injoy thy wish, and now get Generals.

_Pol._ As ye love heaven, love him, she is only yours, Sir.

_Mem._ As ye love heaven, love him, she is only yours, Sir; My Lord, the King.

_Pol._ He will undoe himself Sir, And must without her perish; who shall fight then?

Who shall protect your Kingdom?

_Mem._ Give me hearing, And after that, belief, were she my soul (As I do love her equal) all my victories, And all the living names I have gain'd by war, And loving him that good, that vertuous good man, That only worthy of the name of Brother, I would resign all freely, 'tis all love To me, all marriage rites, the joy or issues To know him fruitfull, that has been so faithfull.

_King._ This is the n.o.blest difference; take your choice Sister.

_Calis._ I see they are so brave, and n.o.ble both, I know not which to look on.

_Pol._ Chuse discreetly, And vertue guide ye, there all the world in one man Stands at the mark.

_Mem._ There all mans honestie, The sweetness of all youth--

_Cal._ O G.o.d's!

_Mem._ My Armour, By all the G.o.d's she's yours; my Arms, I say, And I beseech your Grace, give me imployment, That shall be now my Mistress, there my Courtship.

_King._ Ye shall have any thing.

_Mem._ Vertuous Lady, Remember me, your Servant now; Young man, You cannot over-reach me in your goodness; O love! how sweet thou look'st now! and how gentle!

I should have slubber'd thee, and stain'd thy beauty; Your hand, your hand Sir!

_King._ Take her, and Heaven bless her.

_Mem._ So.

_Pol._ 'Tis your will Sir, nothing of my merit; And as your royal gift, I take this blessing.

_Cal._ And I from heaven this gentleman: thanks G.o.ddess.

_Mem._ So ye are pleas'd now Lady?

_Calis._ Now or never.

_Mem._ My cold stiffe carka.s.s would have frozen ye, Wars, wars.

_King._ Ye shall have wars.

_Mem._ My next brave battel I dedicate to your bright honour, Sister, Give me a favour, that the world may know I am your Souldier.

_Calis._ This, and all fair Fortunes.

_Mem._ And he that bears this from me, must strike boldly.

[Cleanthe _kneeling_.

_Calis._ I do forgive thee: be honest; no more wench.

_King._ Come now to Revels, this blest day shall prove The happy crown of n.o.ble Faith and Love. [_Exeunt._

Prologue.

_To please all's impossible, and to despair_ _Ruins our selves, and damps the Writers care:_ _Would we knew what to doe, or say, or when_ _To find the mindes here equal with the men:_ _But we must venture; now to Sea we goe,_ _Faire fortune with us, give us room, and blow;_ _Remember ye're all venturers; and in this Play_ _How many twelve-peaces ye have 'stow'd this day:_ _Remember for return of your delight,_ _We launch, and plough through storms of fear, and spight:_ _Give us your fore-winds fairly, fill our wings,_ _And steer us right, and as the Saylor sings,_ _Loaden with Wealth, on wanton seas, so we_ _Shall make our home-bound-voyage chearfully;_ _And you our n.o.ble Merchants, for your treasure_ _Share equally the fraught, we run for pleasure._

Epilogue.

_Here lyes the doubt now, let our Playes be good,_ _Our own care sailing equall in this Flood;_ _Our preparations new, new our Attire,_ _Yet here we are becalmed still, still i' th' mire,_ _Here we stick fast; Is there no way to clear_ _This pa.s.sage of your judgement, and our fear,_ _No mitigation of that law? Brave friends,_ _Consider we are yours, made for your ends,_ _And every thing preserves it self, each will_ _If not perverse, and crooked, utter still_ _The best of that it ventures in: have care_ _Ev'n for your pleasures sake, of what we are,_ _And do not ruine all, You may frown still,_ _But 'tis the n.o.bler way, to check the will._

APPENDIX.

_In the following references to the text the lines are numbered from the top of the page, including t.i.tles, acts, stage directions, &c., but not, of course, the headline or mere 'rules.' Where, as in the lists of Persons Represented, there are double columns, the right-hand column is numbered after the left._

It has not been thought necessary to record the correction of every turned letter nor the subst.i.tution of marks of interrogation for marks of exclamation and _vice versa_. Full-stops have been silently inserted at the ends of speeches and each fresh speaker has been given the dignity of a fresh line: in the double-columned folio the speeches are frequently run on. Only misprints of interest in the Quartos and the First Folio are recorded.