SCENE I.

Enter ARCHIDAMUS, TIMAGORAS, LEOSTHENES, with gorgets, and PISANDER.

Arch. So, so, 'tis well: How do I look?
Pis. Most sprightfully.

Arch. I shrink not in the shoulders; though
I'm old

I'm tough; steel to the back: I have not wasted My stock of strength in feather beds. Here's an arm too;

There's stuff in't, and I hope will use a sword
As well as any beardless boy of you all.
Timag. I'm glad to see you, sir, so well pre-
pared

To endure the travail of the war.
Arch. Go to, sirrah!

I shall endure, when some of you keep your cabins,

For all your flaunting feathers. Nay, Leosthenes, You're welcome too, all friends and fellows now. Leost. Your servant, sir.

Arch. Pish! leave these compliments, They stink in a soldier's mouth; I could be merry, (For, now my gown's off, farewel gravity), And must be bold to put a question to you, Without offence, I hope.

Leost. Sir, what you please.

Arch. And you will answer truly?
Timag. On our words, sir.

Arch. Go to, then! I presume you will confess
That you are two notorious whoremasters.
Nay, spare your blushing, I've been wild myself.
Leost. Say we grant this,

(For if we should deny it you'll not believe us) What will you infer upon it?

Arch. What you'll groan for,

I fear, when you come to the test. Old stories

tell us,

There's a month called October, which brings in Cold weather; there are trenches too, 'tis rumoured,

In which to stand all night to the knees in water, In gallants breeds the toothach; there's a sport too,

Named, lying perdue, do you mark me? ('tis a

Arch. 'Tis my wish too.

I shall melt too, and that were ominous.
We must part. Nay, no tears, my best Cleora;
Millions of blessings on thee! All that's mine
I give up to thy charge; and, sirrah, look
You with that care and reverence observe her,
As you would pay to me. A kiss, farewell, girl!
Diph. Peace wait upon you, fair one!

[Exeunt Arch. Diph. and Pis. Timag. Twere impertinence

To wish you to be careful of your honour,
That ever keep in pay a guard about you
Of faithful virtues. Farewell: friend, I leave you
To wipe our kisses off; I know that lovers
Part with more circumstance and ceremony;
Which I give way to.
[Exit Timag.

Leost. 'Tis a noble favour,

For which I ever owe you. We're alone:
But how I should begin, or in what language
Speak the unwilling word of parting from you,
I'm yet to learn.

Cleora. And still continue ignorant;
For I must be most cruel to myself,
If I should teach you.

Leost. Yet it must be spoken,

Or you will chide my slackness: You have fired

me

With the heat of noble action to deserve you;
And the least spark of honour that took life
From your sweet breath, still fanned by it and
cherished,

Must mount up in a glorious flame, or I
Am much unworthy.

Cleora. May it yet burn here,
And, as a sea-mark, serve to guide true lovers
(Tossed on the ocean of luxurious wishes)
Safe from the rocks of lust, into the harbour
Of pure affection, rising up an example
Which after-times shall witness to our glory,
First took from us beginning!

Leost. 'Tis a happiness

To be beloved (with me you're at the height,
And can advance no farther), I must send you
To court the goddess of stern war, who, if
She see you with my eyes, will ne'er return you,
But grow enamoured of you.

Leost. Sweet, take comfort!

And what I offer you, you must vouchsafe me, Or I am wretched: All the dangers that

I can encounter in the war are trifles;

My enemies abroad to be contemned;

(Such is the cruelty of my fate) and leave you,
Unguarded, to the violent assaults
Of loose temptations; when.the memory
Of my so many years of love and service,
Is lost in other objects; you are courted
By such as keep a catalogue of their conquests
Won upon credulous virgins; when nor father
Is here to awe you, brother to advise you,
Nor
your poor servant by, to keep such off,
By lust instructed how to undermine

Excess of love can work such miracles.
Upon this ivory forehead are intrenched
Ten thousand rivals, and these suns command
Supplies from all the world, on pain to forfeit
Their comfortable beams; these ruby lips,
A rich exchequer to assure their pay;
This hand, Sibylla's golden bough to guard them
Through hell and horror to the Elysian springs;
Which who'll not venture for? and, should I name
Such as the virtues of your mind invite,
Their numbers would be infinite.
Cleora. Can you think

I may be tempted?

Leost. You were never proved.

For me, I have conversed with you no farther Than would become a brother. I ne'er tuned Loose notes to your chaste ears; or brought rich presents

For my artillery, to batter down

The fortress of your honour; nor endeavoured
To make your blood run high at solemn feasts,
With viands that provoke (the speeding philtres):
I worked no bawds to tempt you; never practised
The cunning and corrupting arts they study,
That wander in the wild maze of desire;
Honest simplicity and truth were all
The agents I employed; and when I came
To see you, it was with that reverence
As I beheld the altars of the gods;

And Love, that came along with me, was taught
To leave his arrows, and his torch behind,
Quenched in my fear to give offence.

Cleora. And 'twas

senses,

At once assaulted, shall conspire against you, And play the traitors to your soul, your virtue: How can you stand? 'Faith, though you fall, and I The judge, before whom you then stood accused, I should acquit you.

Cleora. Will you then confirm

That love and jealousy, though of different na

tures,

Must of necessity be twins; the younger
Created only to defeat the elder,

And spoil him of his birthright? 'tis not well.
But being to part, I will not chide, I will not;
Nor with one syllable or tear, express
How deeply I am wounded with the arrows
Of your distrust: But when that you shall hear
At your return how I have borne myself,
And what an austere penance I take on me,
To satisfy your doubts: When, like a vestal,
I shew you, to your shame, the fire still burning,
Committed to my charge by true affection,
The people joining with you in the wonder:
When, by the glorious splendor of my sufferings,
The prying eyes of jealousy are struck blind,
The monster, too, that feeds on fears, even starved
For want of seeming matter to accuse me,
Expect, Leosthenes, a sharp reproof
From my just anger.

Leost. What will you do?
Cleora. Obey me,

Or from this minute you're a stranger to me;
And do it without reply.-All-seeing sun,
Thou witness of my innocence, thus I close
Mine eyes against thy comfortable light,
'Till the return of this distrustful man.

[He binds her eyes.
Now bind them sure ;-nay, do it: if uncompelled
I loose this knot, until the hands that made it
Be pleased to untie it, may consuming plagues
Fall heavy on me! Pray you, guide me to your

lips.

This kiss, when you come back, shall be a virgin,
To bid you welcome.-Nay, I have not done yet:
I will continue dumb; and, you once gone,
No accent shall come from me: Now to my
chamber;

My tomb, if you miscarry: There I'll spend
My hours in silent mourning, and thus much
Shall be reported of me to my glory,

And you confess it, whether I live or die,
My chastity triumphs o'er your jealousy. [Erennt,

3

SCENE II.

Should the strong serve the weak, the fair deformed ones?

a Table.

And yet defy the whip, if you are men,
Or dare believe you've souls.

Our lords are no gods?

Grac. They are devils to us, I am sure.
Pis. But subject to

Cold, hunger, and diseases.

Grac. In abundance:

Your lord, that feels no ach in his chine at twenty, Forfeits his privilege; how should their chirurgeons build else,

Or ride on their foot-clothes?

Pis. Equal Nature fashioned us

All in one mould: The bear serves not the bear, Nor the wolf the wolf; 'twas odds of strength in tyrants,

That plucked the first link from the golden chain, With which that thing of things bound in the world.

Why then, since we are taught, by their examples, To love our liberty, if not command,

To ignorant fools? All's but the outward gloss
And politic form that does distinguish us.
Cimbrio, thou art a strong man; if, in place
Of carrying burthens, thou hadst been trained up
In martial discipline, thou might'st have proved
A general, fit to lead and fight for Sicily,
As fortunate as Timoleon.
Cim. A little fighting
Will serve a general's turn.

Pis. Thou, Gracculo,

In Syracusa, I've no skill.-Here's another, Observe but what a cozening look he has; (Hold up thy head, man) if for drawing gallants Into mortgages for commodities, cheating heirs With your new counterfeit gold thread, and gummed velvets,

He does not transcend all that went before him, Call in his patent. Pass the rest; they'll all make Sufficient Beccos, and with their brow-antlers,

Bear up the cap of maintenance.

Pis. Is't not pity, then,

Men of such eminent virtues should be slaves? Cim. Our fortune!

Pis. 'Tis your folly. Daring men Command, and make their fates.--Say, at this instant,

I marked you out a way to liberty;
Possessed you of those blessings our proud lords
So long have surfeited in; and, what is sweetest,
Arm you with power, by strong hand to avenge
Your stripes, your unregarded toil, the pride,
The insolence, of such as tread upon
Your patient sufferings; fill your famished mouths
With the fat and plenty of the land; redeem you
From the dark vale of servitude, and seat you

Pol. At your pleasure.

SCENE II.

CLEORA, TIMANDRA, a chair, a shout within. Timan. They're at our gates, my heart!

us,

frights and horrors Increase each minute: No way left to save No flattering hope to comfort us, or means By miracle to redeem us from base lust And lawless rapine? are there gods, yet suffer Such innocent sweetness to be made the spoil Of brutish appetite? Or, since they decree To ruin Nature's masterpiece (of which They bave not left one pattern), must they chuse, To set their tyranny off, slaves to pollute The spring of chastity, and poison it With their most loathed embraces? And of those He that should offer up his life to guard it? Marullo, cursed Marullo, your own bondman, Purchased to serve you, and fed by your favours. [Cleora starts.

Nay, start not: it is he; he, the grand captain
Of these libidinous beasts, that have not left
One cruel act undone, that barbarous conquest
Yet ever practised in a captive city.

He, doating on your beauty, and to have fellows
In his foul sin, hath raised these mutinous slaves,
Who have begun the game by violent rapes,
Upon the wives and daughters of their lords:
And he, to quench the fire of his base lust,
By force comes to enjoy you :-Do not wring
[Cleora wrings her hands.
Your innocent hands, 'tis bootless; use the means
That may preserve you. 'Tis no crime to break
Avow when you are forced to it; shew your face,
And with the majesty of commanding beauty
Strike dead his loose affections. If that fail,
Give liberty to your tongue, and use entreaties;
There cannot be a breast of flesh and blood,
Or heart so made of flint, but must receive
Impression from your words; or eyes so stern,
But from the clear reflection of your tears,
Must melt, and bear them company: will you not
Do these good offices to yourself? Poor I, then,
Can only weep your fortune!-Here he comes.

Enter PISANDER, speaking at the door.
Pis. He that advances

A foot beyond this, comes upon my sword.
You have had your ways, disturb not mine.
Timan. Speak gently,

Her fears may kill her else.

Pis. Now Love inspire me! Still shall this canopy of envious night Obscure my suns of comfort? And those dainties, Of purest white and red, which I take in at My greedy eyes, denied my famished senses? The organs of your hearing are yet open; And you infringe no vow, though you vouchsafe To give them warrant to convey unto Your understanding parts, the story of A tortured and despairing lover, whom

Hold forth your right-hand.

[Cleora holds forth her right-hand. Pisan. So, 'tis done; and I

With my glad lips seal humbly on your foot,
My soul's thanks for the favour: I forbear
To tell you who I am, what wealth, what honours
I made exchange of, to become your servant :
And, though I knew worthy Leosthenes
(For sure he must be worthy, for whose love
You have endured so much) to be my rival;
When rage and jealousy counselled me to kill him,
(Which then I could have done with much more
ease,

Than now, in fear to grieve you, I dare speak it)
Love, seconded with duty, boldly told me,
The man I hated, fair Cleora favoured:
And that was his protection.

Timan. See, she bows
Her head, in sign of thankfulness.
Pisan. He removed,

[Cleora bows.

Or take my wishes here, (nay, fear not, madam, True love's a servant, brutish lust a tyrant,

I dare not touch those viands that ne'er taste well,
But when they're freely offered): Only thus much,
Be pleased I may speak in my own dear cause.
And think it worthy your consideration

I have loved truly (cannot say deserved;
Since duty must not take the name of merit),
That I so far prize your content, before
All blessings that my hope can fashion to me,
That willingly I entertain despair,
And for your sake embrace it. For I know,
This opportunity lost, by no endeavour
The like can be recovered. To conclude,
Forget not that I lose myself to save you.
For what can I expect but death and torture,
The war being ended? And (what is a task
Would trouble Hercules to undertake),
I do deny you to myself, to give you
A pure unspotted present to my rival.
I've said: If it distaste not, best of virgins,
Reward my temperance with some lawful favour,
Though you contemn my person.

[Cleora kneels, then pulls off her glove,
and offers her hand to Pisander.