A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05

English drama

Perseda, for my sake, wear this crown.--
    Now is she fairer than she was before;
    This title so augments her beauty, as the fire
    That lay, with honour's hand rak'd up in ashes,
    Revives again to flames: the force is such.
    Remove the cause, then the effect will die;
    They must depart, or I shall not be quiet.                 [_Aside._
    Erastus and Perseda, marvel not,
    That all in haste I wish you to depart;
    There is an urgent cause, but privy to myself:
    Command my shipping for to waft you over.

                                ERASTUS.

    My gracious lord, when Erastus doth forget
    This favour, then let him live abandoned and forlorn.

                                PERSEDA.

    Nor will Perseda slack ev'n in her prayers;
    But still solicit God for Soliman,
    Whose mind hath prov'd so good and gracious.

                                                              [_Exeunt._

                                SOLIMAN.

    Farewell, Erastus: Perseda, farewell too!
    Methinks, I should not part with two such friends,
    The one so renowned for arms and courtesy,
    The other so adorned with grace and modesty:
    Yet of the two Perseda moves me most,
    Ay, and so moves me, that I now repent,
    That e'er I gave away my heart's desire;
    What was it but abuse of fortune's gift?
    And therefore fortune now will be reveng'd;
    What was it but abuse of love's command?
    And therefore mighty love will be reveng'd.
    Heav'ns, love, and fortune, all three have decreed,
    That I shall love her still, and lack her still:
    Like ever-thirsting, wretched Tantalus.
    Foolish Soliman, why did I strive
    To do him kindness, and undo myself?
    Well-govern'd friends do first regard themselves.

                                BRUSOR.

    Ay, now occasion serves to stumble him,
    That thrust his sickle in my harvest-corn.--               [_Aside._
    Pleaseth your majesty to hear Brusor speak?

                                SOLIMAN.

    To one past cure good counsel comes too late--
    Yet say thy mind.

                                BRUSOR.

    With secret letters woo her, and with gifts.

                                SOLIMAN.

    My lines and gifts will but return my shame.

                                LUCINA.

    Hear me, my lord; let me go over to Rhodes,
    That I may plead in your affection's cause:
    One woman may do much to win another.

                                SOLIMAN.

    Indeed, Lucina, were her husband from her,
    She happily might be won by thy persuades;
    But whilst he lives, there is no hope in her.

                                BRUSOR.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

General

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05

English drama

Perseda, for my sake, wear this crown.--
    Now is she fairer than she was before;
    This title so augments her beauty, as the fire
    That lay, with honour's hand rak'd up in ashes,
    Revives again to flames: the force is such.
    Remove the cause, then the effect will die;
    They must depart, or I shall not be quiet.                 [_Aside._
    Erastus and Perseda, marvel not,
    That all in haste I wish you to depart;
    There is an urgent cause, but privy to myself:
    Command my shipping for to waft you over.

                                ERASTUS.

    My gracious lord, when Erastus doth forget
    This favour, then let him live abandoned and forlorn.

                                PERSEDA.

    Nor will Perseda slack ev'n in her prayers;
    But still solicit God for Soliman,
    Whose mind hath prov'd so good and gracious.

                                                              [_Exeunt._

                                SOLIMAN.

    Farewell, Erastus: Perseda, farewell too!
    Methinks, I should not part with two such friends,
    The one so renowned for arms and courtesy,
    The other so adorned with grace and modesty:
    Yet of the two Perseda moves me most,
    Ay, and so moves me, that I now repent,
    That e'er I gave away my heart's desire;
    What was it but abuse of fortune's gift?
    And therefore fortune now will be reveng'd;
    What was it but abuse of love's command?
    And therefore mighty love will be reveng'd.
    Heav'ns, love, and fortune, all three have decreed,
    That I shall love her still, and lack her still:
    Like ever-thirsting, wretched Tantalus.
    Foolish Soliman, why did I strive
    To do him kindness, and undo myself?
    Well-govern'd friends do first regard themselves.

                                BRUSOR.

    Ay, now occasion serves to stumble him,
    That thrust his sickle in my harvest-corn.--               [_Aside._
    Pleaseth your majesty to hear Brusor speak?

                                SOLIMAN.

    To one past cure good counsel comes too late--
    Yet say thy mind.

                                BRUSOR.

    With secret letters woo her, and with gifts.

                                SOLIMAN.

    My lines and gifts will but return my shame.

                                LUCINA.

    Hear me, my lord; let me go over to Rhodes,
    That I may plead in your affection's cause:
    One woman may do much to win another.

                                SOLIMAN.

    Indeed, Lucina, were her husband from her,
    She happily might be won by thy persuades;
    But whilst he lives, there is no hope in her.

                                BRUSOR.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05

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