Kings and rulers -- Drama; Political plays; Tragicomedy
Accursed man,
Thou bought'st thy reason at too dear a rate,
For thou hast all thy actions bounded in
With curious rules, when every beast is free:
What is there that acknowledges a kindred
But wretched man? Who ever saw the Bull
Fearfully leave the Heifer that he lik'd
Because they had one Dam?
_Pan_.
Sir, I disturb you and my self too;
'Twere better I were gone.
_Arb_.
I will not be so foolish as I was,
Stay, we will love just as becomes our births,
No otherwise: Brothers and Sisters may
Walk hand in hand together; so will we,
Come nearer: is there any hurt in this?
_Pan_.
I hope not.
_Arb_.
Faith there is none at all:
And tell me truly now, is there not one
You love above me?
_Pan_.
No by Heaven.
_Arb_.
Why yet you sent unto _Tigranes_, Sister.
_Pan_.
True, but for another: for the truth--
_Arb_.
No more,
I'le credit thee, thou canst not lie,
Thou art all truth.
_Pan_.
But is there nothing else,
That we may do, but only walk? methinks
Brothers and Sisters lawfully may kiss.
_Arb_.
And so they may _Panthea_, so will we,
And kiss again too; we were too scrupulous,
And foolish, but we will be so no more.
_Pan_.
If you have any mercy, let me go
To prison, to my death, to any thing:
I feel a sin growing upon my blood,
Worse than all these, hotter than yours.
_Arb_.
That is impossible, what shou'd we do?
_Pan_.
Flie Sir, for Heavens sake.
_Arb_.
So we must away,
Sin grows upon us more by this delay.
[_Exeunt several wayes_.
_Actus Quintus_.
_Enter_ Mardonius _And_ Lygones.
_Mar_.
Sir, the King has seen your Commission, and believes it, and
freely by this warrant gives you power to visit Prince Tigranes,
your Noble Master.
_Lygr_.
I thank his Grace and kiss his hand.
_Mar_.
But is the main of all your business ended in this?
_Lyg_.
I have another, but a worse, I am asham'd, it is a business.
_Mar_.
You serve a worthy person, and a stranger I am sure you are; you
may imploy me if you please without your purse, such Offices
should ever be their own rewards.
_Lyg_.
I am bound to your Nobleness.
_Mar_.
I may have need of you, and then this courtesie,
If it be any, is not ill bestowed;
But may I civilly desire the rest?
I shall not be a hurter if no helper.
_Lyg_.
Sir you shall know I have lost a foolish Daughter,
And with her all my patience, pilfer'd away
By a mean Captain of your Kings.
_Mar_.
Stay there Sir:
If he have reacht the Noble worth of Captain,
He may well claim a worthy Gentlewoman,
Though she were yours, and Noble.
_Lyg_.
I grant all that too: but this wretched fellow
Reaches no further than the empty name
That serves to feed him; were he valiant,
Or had but in him any noble nature
That might hereafter promise him a good man,
My cares were so much lighter, and my grave
A span yet from me.
_Mar_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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