The Spanish Tragedie Part 6

[ACT II. SCENE 2.]

[The Duke's Castle]

Enter HORATIO and BEL-IMPERIA.

HOR. Now, madame, since by fauour of your love Our hidden smoke is turnd to open flame, And that with lookes and words we feed our thought,-- Two chiefe contents where more cannot be had,-- Thus in the midst of loues faire blandeshments Why shew you signe of inward languishments?

PEDRINGANO sheweth all to the PRINCE and LORENZO, placing them in secret.

BEL. My hart, sweet freend, is like a ship at sea: She wisheth port, where, riding all at ease, She may repaire what stormie times haue worne, And, leaning on the sh.o.r.e, may sing with ioy That pleasure followes paine, and blisse annoy.

Possession of thy loue is th' onely port Wherein my hart, with feares and hopes long tost, Each howre doth wish and long to make resort, There to repaire the ioyes that it hath lost, And, sitting safe, to sing in Cupids quire That sweetest blisse is crowne of loues desire.

BALTHAZAR, aboue.

BAL. O sleepe, mine eyes; see not my loue prophande!

Be deafe, my ears; heare not my discontent!

Dye, hart; another ioyes what thou deseruest!

LOR. Watch still, mine eyes, to see this loue disioyned!

Heare still, mine eares, to heare them both lament!

Liue, hart, to ioy at fond Horatios fall!

BEL. Why stands Horatio speecheles all this while?

HOR. The lesse I speak, the more I meditate.

BEL. But whereon doost thou cheifely meditate?

HOR. On dangers past and pleasures to ensue.

BAL. On pleasures past and dangers to ensue!

BEL. What dangers and what pleasures doost thou mean?

HOR. Dangers of warre and pleasures of our loue.

LOR. Dangers of death, but pleasures none at all!

BEL. Let dangers goe; thy warre shall be with me, But such a [warre] as breakes no bond of peace.

Speake thou faire words, Ile crosse them with faire words; Send thou sweet looks, Ile meet them with sweet looks; Write louing lines, Ile answere louing lines; Giue me a kisse, Ile counterchecke thy kisse: Be this our warring peace, or peacefull warre.

HOR. But, gratious madame, then appoint the field Where triall of this warre shall first be made.

BAL. Ambitious villaine, how his boldenes growes!

BEL. Then be thy fathers pleasant bower in the field,-- Where first we vowd a mutuall amitie.

The court were dangerous; that place is safe.

Our howre shalbe when Vesper ginnes to rise, That summons home distresfull trauellers.

There none shall heare vs but the harmeles birds: Happelie the gentle nightingale Shall carroll vs a-sleepe ere we be ware, And, singing wit the p.r.i.c.kle at her breast, Tell our delight and mirthfull dalliance.

Till then, each houre will seeme a yeere and more.

HOR. But, honie-sweet and honorable loue, Returne we now into your fathers sight; Dangerous suspition waits on our delight.

LOR. I, danger mixt with iealous despite Shall send thy soule into eternalle night!

Exeunt.

[ACT II. SCENE 3.]

[The Spanish court.]

Enter the KING OF SPAINE, PORTINGALE EMBa.s.sADOUR, DON CIPRIAN, &c.

KING. Brother of Castille, to the princes loue What saies your daughter Bel-imperia?

CIP. Although she coy it, as becomes her kinde, And yet dissemble that she loues the prince, I doubt not, I, but she will stoope in time; And, were she froward,--which she will not be,-- Yet heerin shall she follow my aduice, Which is to loue him or forgoe my loue.

KING. Then, lord emba.s.sadour of Portingale, Aduise thy king to make this marriage vp For strengthening of our late-confirmed league; I know no better meanes to make vs freends.

Her dowry shall be large and liberall; Besides that she is daughter and halfe heire Vnto our brother heere, Don Ciprian, And shall enioy the moitie of his land, Ile grace her marriage with an vnckles gift, And this is it: in case the match goe forward, The tribute which you pay shalbe releast; And, if by Balthazar she haue a sonne, He shall enioy the kingdome after vs.

EMBAS. Ile make the motion to my soueraigne liege, And worke it if my counsaile may preuaile.

KING. Doe so, my lord; and, if he giue consent, I hope his presence heere will honour vs In celebration of the nuptiall day,-- And let himselfe determine of the time.

EM. Wilt please your Grace command me ought besid?

KING. Commend me to the king; and so, farewell!

But wheres Prince Balthazar, to take his leaue?

EM. That is perfourmd alreadie, my good lord.

KING. Amongst the rest of what you haue in charge, The princes raunsome must not be forgot: Thats none of mine, but his that tooke him prisoner,-- And well his forwardnes deserues reward: It was Horatio, our knight-marshalls sonne.

EM. Betweene vs theres a price already pitcht, And shall be send with all conuenient speed.

KING. Then once againe farewell, my lord!

EM. Farwell, my lord of Castile, and the rest!

Exit.

KING. Now, brother, you must make some little paines To winne faire Bel-imperia from her will; Young virgins must be ruled by their freends.

The prince is amiable, and loues her well; If she neglect him and forgoe his loue, She both will wrong her owne estate and ours.