Chapter XCIV: Act I: Scene I.3312

_Enter_ CLEON, STRATO, LYSIPPUS, _and_ DIPHILUS.

_Cle._ The rest are making ready, sir.

_Lys._ So let them; there’s time enough.

_Diph._ You are the brother to the King, my lord;
We ’ll take your word.

_Lys._ Strato, thou hast some skill in poetry; 5
What think’st thou of the masque? Will it be well?

_Stra._ As well as masques can be.

_Lys._ As masques can be!

_Stra._ Yes; they must commend their king, and speak in praise
Of the assembly, bless the bride and bridegroom
In person of some god; they ’re tied to rules 10
Of flattery.

_Cle._ See, good my lord, who is return’d!

_Enter_ MELANTIUS.

_Lys._ Noble Melantius, the land by me
Welcomes thy virtues home to Rhodes;
Thou that with blood abroad buyest our peace!
The breath of kings is like the breath of gods; 15
My brother wisht thee here, and thou art here.
He will be too kind, and weary thee
With often welcomes; but the time doth give thee
A welcome above his or all the world’s.

_Mel._ My lord, my thanks; but these scratcht limbs of mine 20
Have spoke my love and truth unto my friends,
More than my tongue e’er could. My mind’s the same
It ever was to you: where I find worth,
I love the keeper till he let it go,
And then I follow it.

_Diph._ Hail, worthy brother! 25
He that rejoices not at your return
In safety is mine enemy for ever.

_Mel._ I thank thee, Diphilus. But thou art faulty:
I sent for thee to exercise thine arms
With me at Patria; thou cam’st not, Diphilus;
’T was ill.

_Diph._ My noble brother, my excuse 31
Is my king’s strict command, which you, my lord,
Can witness with me.

_Lys._ ’T is most true, Melantius;
He might not come till the solemnities
Of this great match were past.

_Diph._ Have you heard of it? 35

_Mel._ Yes, and have given cause to those that here
Envy my deeds abroad to call me gamesome:
I have no other business here at Rhodes.

_Lys._ We have a masque to-night, and you must tread
A soldier’s measure. 40

_Mel._ These soft and silken wars are not for me:
The music must be shrill and all confus’d
That stirs my blood; and then I dance with arms.
But is Amintor wed?

_Diph._ This day.

_Mel._ All joys upon him! for he is my friend.
Wonder not that I call a man so young my friend: 46
His worth is great; valiant he is and temperate;
And one that never thinks his life his own,
If his friend need it. When he was a boy,
As oft as I return’d (as, without boast, 50
I brought home conquest), he would gaze upon me
And view me round, to find in what one limb
The virtue lay to do these things he heard;
Then would he wish to see my sword, and feel
The quickness of the edge, and in his hand 55
Weigh it. He oft would make me smile at this.
His youth did promise much, and his ripe years
Will see it all perform’d.
_Enter_ ASPATIA, _passing by_.
Hail, maid and wife!
Thou fair Aspatia, may the holy knot
That thou hast tied to-day last till the hand 60
Of age undo ’t! May’st thou bring a race
Unto Amintor, that may fill the world
Successively with soldiers!

_Asp._ My hard fortunes
Deserve not scorn, for I was never proud
When they were good. _Exit._

_Mel._ How’s this?

_Lys._ You are mistaken, sir; 65
She is not married.

_Mel._ You said Amintor was.

_Diph._ ’Tis true; but——

_Mel._ Pardon me; I did receive
Letters at Patria from my Amintor,
That he should marry her.

_Diph._ And so it stood
In all opinion long; but your arrival 70
Made me imagine you had heard the change.

_Mel._ Who hath he taken then?

_Lys._ A lady, sir,
That bears the light about[3313] her, and strikes dead
With flashes of her eye; the fair Evadne,
Your virtuous sister.

_Mel._ Peace of heart betwixt them! 75
But this is strange.

_Lys._ The King, my brother, did it
To honour you; and these solemnities
Are at his charge.

_Mel._ ’T is royal, like himself. But I am sad
My speech bears so unfortunate a sound 80
To beautiful Aspatia. There is rage
Hid in her father’s breast, Calianax,
Bent long against me; and he should not think,
If I could call it back, that I would take
So base revenges, as to scorn the state 85
Of his neglected daughter. Holds he still
His greatness with the King?

_Lys._ Yes. But this lady
Walks discontented, with her watery eyes
Bent on the earth. The unfrequented woods
Are her delight; where, when she sees a bank
Stuck full of flowers, she with a sigh will tell 91
Her servants what a pretty place it were
To bury lovers in; and make her maids
Pluck ’em, and strow her over like a corse.
She carries with her an infectious grief, 95
That strikes all her beholders: she will sing
The mournful’st things that ever ear hath heard,
And sigh, and sing again; and when the rest
Of our young ladies, in their wanton blood,
Tell mirthful tales in course,[3314] that fill the room
With laughter, she will, with so sad a look, 101
Bring forth a story of the silent death
Of some forsaken virgin, which her grief
Will put in such a phrase that, ere she end,
She’ll send them weeping one by one away. 105

_Mel._ She has a brother under my command,[3315]
Like her; a face as womanish as hers;
But with a spirit that hath much outgrown
The number of his years.

_Enter_ AMINTOR.

_Cle._ My lord the bridegroom!

_Mel._ I might run fiercely, not more hastily,
Upon my foe. I love thee well, Amintor; 111
My mouth is much too narrow for my heart;
I joy to look upon those eyes of thine;
Thou art my friend, but my disordered speech
Cuts off my love.

_Amin._ Thou art Melantius; 115
All love is spoke in that. A sacrifice,
To thank the gods Melantius is return’d
In safety! Victory sits on his sword,
As she was wont. May she build there and dwell;
And may thy armour be, as it hath been, 120
Only thy valour and thine innocence!
What endless treasures would our enemies give,
That I might hold thee still thus!

_Mel._ I am poor
In words: but credit me, young man, thy mother 124
Could do no more but weep for joy to see thee
After long absence. All the wounds I have
Fetcht not so much away, nor all the cries
Of widowed mothers. But this is peace,
And that was war.

_Amin._ Pardon, thou holy god
Of marriage-bed, and frown not, I am forc’d,
In answer of such noble tears as those, 131
To weep upon my wedding-day!

_Mel._ I fear thou art grown too fickle; for I hear
A lady mourns for thee, men say, to death,
Forsaken of thee, on what terms[3316] I know not.

_Amin._ She had my promise; but the King forbad it, 136
And made me make this worthy change, thy sister,
Accompanied with graces [far][3317] above[3318] her,
With whom I long to lose my lusty youth
And grow old in her arms.

_Mel._ Be prosperous! 140

_Enter_ Messenger.

_Mess._ My lord, the masquers rage for you.

_Lys._ Cleon, Strato, Diphilus! We are gone.

_Amin._ We’ll all attend you.—
_Exeunt_ LYSIPPUS, CLEON, STRATO, DIPHILUS [_and_ Messenger].
We shall trouble you
With our solemnities.

_Mel._ Not so, Amintor;
But if you laugh at my rude carriage 145
In peace, I’ll do as much for you in war.
When you come thither. Yet I have a mistress
To bring to your delights; rough though I am,
I have a mistress, and she has a heart 149
She says; but, trust me, it is stone, no better;
There is no place that I can challenge in ’t.
But you stand still, and here my way lies. _Exeunt_ [_severally_].

[SCENE II.][3319]

_Enter_ CALIANAX _with_ DIAGORAS.

_Cal._ Diagoras, look to the doors better, for shame! You let in
all the world, and anon the King will rail at me. Why, very well
said.[3320] By Jove, the King will have the show i’ th’ court!

_Diag._ Why do you swear so, my lord? You know he’ll have it here. 6

_Cal._ By this light, if he be wise, he will not.

_Diag._ And if he will not be wise, you are forsworn.

_Cal._ One may wear his heart out with swearing, and get thanks on no
side. I’ll be gone, (11) look to ’t who will.

_Diag._ My lord, I shall never keep them out. Pray, stay; your looks
will terrify them.

_Cal._ My looks terrify them, you coxcombly (15) ass, you! I’ll be
judged by all the company whether thou hast not a worse face than I.

_Diag._ I mean, because they know you and your office.

_Cal._ Office! I would I could put it off! I (20) am sure I sweat
quite through my office. I might have made room at my daughter’s
wedding; they ha’ near kill’d her among them; and now I must do
service for him that hath forsaken her. Serve that will! _Exit._ 25

_Diag._ He’s so humorous[3321] since his daughter
was forsaken! (_Knock within._) Hark, hark!
there, there! so, so! codes, codes![3322] What now?

_Mel._ (_within._) Open the door.

_Diag._ Who’s there? 30

_Mel._ [_within._] Melantius.

_Diag._ I hope your lordship brings no troop with you; for, if you
do, I must return them. [_Opens the door._]

_Enter_ MELANTIUS _and a_ Lady.

_Mel._ None but this lady, sir.

_Diag._ The ladies are all plac’d above, save (35) those that come in
the King’s troop; the best of Rhodes sit there, and there ’s room.

_Mel._ I thank you, sir.—When I have seen you placed, madam, I must
attend the King; but, the masque done, I’ll wait on you again. 40

_Diag._ [_opening another door._] Stand back there!—Room for my Lord
Melantius! (_Exeunt_ MELANTIUS _and_ Lady, _other door_.)—Pray, bear
back—this is no place for such youth and their trulls[3323]—let the
doors shut again.—No!—do your heads itch? I’ll scratch them for 46
you. [_Shuts the door._]—So, now thrust and hang. [_Knocking
within._]—Again! who is ’t now?—I cannot blame my Lord Calianax for
going away; would he were here! He would run (50) raging among them,
and break a dozen wiser heads than his own in the twinkling of an
eye.—What’s the news now?

[_Voice_] _within_. I pray you, can you help me to the speech of the
master-cook? 55

_Diag._ If I open the door, I’ll cook some of your calves-heads.
Peace, rogues! [_Knocking within._]—Again! who is ’t?

_Mel._ (_within._) Melantius.

_Re-enter_ CALIANAX.

_Cal._ Let him not in. 60

_Diag._ O, my lord, I must. [_Opening the door._]—Make room there
for my lord. Is your lady plac’d?

_Re-enter_ MELANTIUS.

_Mel._ Yes, sir.
I thank you.—My Lord Calianax, well met. 65
Your causeless hate to me I hope is buried.

_Cal._ Yes, I do service for your sister here,
That brings my own poor child to timeless death.
She loves your friend Amintor; such another
False-hearted lord as you.

_Mel._ You do me wrong, 70
A most unmanly one, and I am slow
In taking vengeance: but be well advis’d.

_Cal._ It may be so.—Who plac’d the lady there
So near the presence of the King?

_Mel._ I did.

_Cal._ My lord, she must not sit there.

_Mel._ Why? 75

_Cal._ The place is kept for women of more worth.

_Mel._ More worth than she! It misbecomes your age
And place to be thus womanish: forbear!
What you have spoke, I am content to think
The palsy shook your tongue to.

_Cal._ Why, ’t is well, 80
If I stand here to place men’s wenches.

_Mel._ I
Shall quite forget this place, thy age, my safety,
And, through all, cut that poor sickly week
Thou hast to live away from thee.

_Cal._ Nay. I know you can fight for your whore. 85

_Mel._ Bate me the King, and, be he flesh and blood,
He lies that says it! Thy mother at fifteen
Was black and sinful to her.

_Diag._ Good my lord—

_Mel._ Some god pluck threescore years from that fond[3324] man, 89
That I may kill him, and not stain mine honour!
It is the curse of soldiers, that in peace
They shall be brav’d by such ignoble men
As, if the land were troubled, would with tears
And knees beg succour from ’em. Would that blood,
That sea of blood, that I have lost in fight, 95
Were running in thy veins, that it might make thee
Apt to say less, or able to maintain,
Should’st thou say more! This Rhodes, I see, is nought
But a place privileg’d to do men wrong.

_Cal._ Ay, you may say your pleasure.

_Enter_ AMINTOR.

_Amin._ What vile injury 100
Has stirr’d my worthy friend, who is as slow
To fight with words as he is quick of hand?

_Mel._ That heap of age, which I should reverence
If it were temperate, but testy years
Are most contemptible.

_Amin._ Good sir, forbear. 105

_Cal._ There is just such another as yourself.

_Amin._ He will wrong you, or me, or any man,
And talk as if he had no life to lose,
Since this our match. The King is coming in;
I would not for more wealth than I enjoy 110
He should perceive you raging. He did hear
You were at difference now, which hast’ned him.
_Hautboys play within._

_Cal._ Make room there!

_Enter_ KING, EVADNE, ASPATIA, Lords, _and_ Ladies.

_King._ Melantius, thou art welcome, and my love
Is with thee still; but this is not a place 115
To brabble[3325] in.—Calianax, join hands.

_Cal._ He shall not have mine hand.

_King._ This is no time
To force you to ’t. I do love you both:—
Calianax, you look well to your office;—
And you, Melantius, are welcome home. 120
Begin the masque.

_Mel._ Sister, I joy to see you and your choice;
You lookt with my eyes when you took that man.
Be happy in him! _Recorders_[3326] [_play_].

_Evad._ O, my dearest brother,
Your presence is more joyful than this day 125
Can be unto me.

THE MASQUE

NIGHT _rises in mists_.

_Night._ Our reign is come; for in the raging[3327] sea
The sun is drown’d, and with him fell the Day.
Bright Cynthia, hear my voice! I am the Night,
For whom thou bear’st about thy borrowed light.
Appear! no longer thy pale visage shroud, 5
But strike thy silver horns quite through a cloud,
And send a beam upon my swarthy face,
By which I may discover all the place
And persons, and how many longing eyes
Are come to wait on our solemnities. 10
_Enter_ CYNTHIA.
How dull and black am I! I could not find
This beauty[3328] without thee, I am so blind:
Methinks they show like to those eastern streaks,
That warn us hence before the morning breaks.
Back, my pale servant! for these eyes know how 15
To shoot far more and quicker rays than thou.

_Cynth._ Great queen, they be a troop for whom alone
One of my clearest moons I have put on;
A troop, that looks as if thyself and I
Had pluckt our reins in and our whips laid by, 20
To gaze upon these mortals, that appear
Brighter than we.

_Night._ Then let us keep ’em here,
And never more our chariots drive away,
But hold our places and outshine the Day.

_Cynth._ Great queen of shadows, you are pleas’d to speak 25
Of more than may be done. We may not break
The gods’ decrees; but, when our time is come,
Must drive away, and give the Day our room.
Yet, while our reign lasts, let us stretch our power
To give our servants one contented hour, 30
With such unwonted solemn grace and state,
As may forever after force them hate
Our brother’s glorious beams, and wish the Night
Crown’d with a thousand stars and our cold light:
For almost all the world their service bend 35
To Phoebus, and in vain my light I lend,
Gaz’d on unto my setting from my rise
Almost of none but of unquiet eyes.

_Night._ Then shine at full, fair queen, and by thy power
Produce a birth, to crown this happy hour, 40
Of nymphs and shepherds; let their songs discover,
Easy and sweet, who is a happy lover;
Or, if thou woo[3329] ’t, then call thine own Endymion
From the sweet flow’ry bed he lies upon,
On Latmus’ top, thy pale beams drawn away, 45
And of his long night let him make a day.

_Cynth._ Thou dream’st, dark queen; that fair boy was not mine.
Nor went I down to kiss him. Ease and wine
Have bred these bold tales: poets, when they rage,
Turn gods to men, and make an hour an age, 50
But I will give a greater state and glory,
And raise to time a nobler memory
Of what these lovers are.—Rise, rise, I say,
Thou power of deeps, thy surges laid away,
Neptune, great king of waters, and by me, 55
Be proud to be commanded!

NEPTUNE _rises_.

_Nept._ Cynthia, see
Thy word hath fetcht me hither: let me know
Why I ascend.

_Cynth._ Doth this majestic show
Give thee no knowledge yet?

_Nept._ Yes, now I see
Something intended, Cynthia, worthy thee. 60
Go on; I’ll be a helper.

_Cynth._ Hie thee, then,
And charge the Wind fly from his rocky den,
Let loose his subjects; only Boreas,
Too foul for our intentions as he was,
Still keep him fast chain’d: we must have none here 65
But vernal blasts and gentle winds appear,
Such as blow flowers, and through the glad boughs sing
Many soft welcomes to the lusty spring;
These are our music. Next, thy wat’ry race
Bring on in couples (we are pleas’d to grace 70
This noble night), each in their richest things
Your own deeps or the broken vessel brings.
Be prodigal, and I shall be as kind
And shine at full upon you.

_Nept._ Oh, the Wind!
Commanding Aeolus!

_Enter_ AEOLUS _out of a Rock._

_Aeol._ Great Neptune!

_Nept._ He. 75

_Aeol._ What is thy will?

_Nept._ We do command thee free
Favonius and thy milder winds, to wait
Upon our Cynthia; but tie Boreas strait,
He’s too rebellious.

_Aeol._ I shall do it. [_Exit_ AEOLUS.]

_Nept._ Do.

_Aeol._ [_within._] Great master of the flood and all below, 80
Thy full command has taken.—Oh, the Main!
Neptune!

_Nept._ Here.

[_Re-enter_ AEOLUS, _followed by_ FAVONIUS _and other Winds_.]

_Aeol._ Boreas has broken his chain,
And, struggling with the rest, has got away.

_Nept._ Let him alone, I’ll take him up at sea;
I will not long be thence. Go once again, 85
And call out of the bottoms of the main
Blue Proteus and the rest; charge them put on
Their greatest pearls, and the most sparkling stone
The beaten[3330] rock breeds; tell this night is done
By me a solemn honour to the Moon: 90
Fly, like a full sail.

_Aeol._ I am gone. [_Exit._]

_Cynth._ Dark Night,
Strike a full silence, do a thorough right
To this great chorus, that our music may
Touch high as Heaven, and make the east break day
At midnight. _Music._ 95

[FIRST] SONG.

[_During which_ PROTEUS _and other_ Sea-deities _enter._]

Cynthia, to thy power and thee
We obey.
Joy to this great company!
And no day
Come to steal this night away, 100
Till the rites of love are ended,
And the lusty bridegroom say,
Welcome, light, of all befriended!

Pace out, you watery powers below;
Let your feet, 105
Like the galleys when they row,
Even beat.
Let your unknown measures, set
To the still winds, tell to all,
That gods are come, immortal, great, 110
To honour this great nuptial. _The Measure._

SECOND SONG.

Hold back thy hours, dark Night, till we have done;
The Day will come too soon:
Young maids will curse thee, if thou steal’st away,
And leav’st their losses open to the day: 115
Stay, stay, and hide
The blushes of the bride.

Stay, gentle Night, and with thy darkness cover
The kisses of her lover;
Stay, and confound her tears and her shrill cryings,
Her weak denials, vows, and often-dyings; 121
Stay, and hide all:
But help not, though she call.

_Nept._ Great queen of us and Heaven, hear what I bring
To make this hour a full one.[3331]

_Cynth._ Speak, sea’s king. 125

_Nept._ The tunes my Amphitrite joys to have,
When she will dance upon the rising wave,
And court me as she sails. My Tritons, play
Music to lay a storm! I’ll lead the way.
_A Measure_, NEPTUNE _leads it_.

[THIRD] SONG.

To bed, to bed! Come, Hymen, lead the bride, 130
And lay her by her husband’s side;
Bring in the virgins every one,
That grieve to lie alone,
That they may kiss while they may say a maid;
To-morrow ’t will be other kist and said. 135
Hesperus, be long a-shining,
Whilst these lovers are a-twining.

_Aeol._ [_within._] Ho, Neptune!

_Nept._ Aeolus!

[_Re-enter_ AEOLUS.]

_Aeol._ The sea goes high,
Boreas hath rais’d a storm: go and apply
Thy trident; else, I prophesy, ere day 140
Many a tall ship will be cast away.
Descend with all the gods and all their power,
To strike a calm.

_Cynth._ [We thank you for this hour:
My favour to you all.][3332] To gratulate 145
So great a service, done at my desire,
Ye shall have many floods, fuller and higher
Than you have wisht for; and no ebb shall dare
To let the Day see where your dwellings are.
Now back unto your governments in haste, 150
Lest your proud charge should swell above the waste,
And win upon the island.

_Nept._ We obey.

NEPTUNE _descends and the_ Sea-Gods. [_Exeunt_ FAVONIUS _and other_ Winds.]

_Cynth._ Hold up thy head, dead Night; see’st thou not Day?
The east begins to lighten. I must down.
And give my brother place.

_Night._ Oh, I could frown 155
To see the Day, the Day that flings his light
Upon my kingdom and contemns old Night!
Let him go on and flame! I hope to see
Another wild-fire in his axle-tree,
And all fall drencht. But I forget;—speak, queen: 160
The Day grows on; I must no more be seen.

_Cynth._ Heave up thy drowsy head and see
A greater light, a greater majesty,
Between our set[3333] and us! Whip up the team:
The Day breaks here, and yon same flashing stream[3334] 165
Shot from the south. Say, which way wilt thou go?

_Night._ I’ll vanish into mists.

_Cynth._ I into Day.
_Exeunt_ NIGHT _and_ CYNTHIA.
_Finis Masque._

_King._ Take lights there!—Ladies, get the bride to bed.—
We will not see you laid; good night, Amintor:
We ’ll ease you of that tedious ceremony. 170
Were it my case, I should think time run slow.
If thou be’st noble, youth, get me a boy,
That may defend my kingdoms from my foes.

_Amin._ All happiness to you!

_King._ Good night, Melantius. _Exeunt._