Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 05 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Val._ I honour ye, by all the rites of holy marriage,
And pleasures of chaste love, I wonder at ye,
You appear the vision of a Heaven unto me,
Stuck all with stars of honour shining clearly,
And all the motions of your mind Celestial;
Man is a lump of Earth, the best man spiritless,
To such a woman; all our lives and actions
But counterfeits in _Arras_ to this vertue;
Chide me again, you have so brave an anger,
And flows so nobly from you, thus deliver'd,
That I could suffer like a Child to hear ye,
Nay make my self guilty of some faults to honour ye.
_Eva._ I'le chide no more, you have rob'd me of my courage,
And with a cunning patience checkt my impudence;
Once more forgiveness? [_She kneels._
_Val._ Will this serve, _Evanthe_? [_Kisses her._
And this my love? Heavens mercy be upon us;
But did he tell no more?
_Evan._ Only this trifle: you set my woman on me, to betray me;
'Tis true, she did her best, a bad old woman,
It stir'd me, Sir.
_Val._ I cannot blame thee, Jewel.
_Evan._ And me thought when your name was sounded that way--
_Val._ He that will spare no fame, will spare no name, sweet;
Though as I am a man, I am full of weakness,
And may slip happily into some ignorance,
Yet at my years to be a bawd, and cozen
Mine own hopes with my Doctrine--
_Eva._ I believe not, nor never shall; our time is out to morrow.
_Val._ Let's be to night then full of fruitfulness,
Now we are both of one mind, let's be happy,
I am no more a wanting man, _Evanthe_,
Thy warm embraces shall dissolve that impotence,
And my cold lye shall vanish with thy kisses;
You hours of night be long, as when _Alcmena_
Lay by the lusty side of _Jupiter_;
Keep back the day, and hide his golden beams,
Where the chaste watchful morning may not find 'em;
Old doting _Tython_ hold _Aurora_ fast,
And though she blush the day-break from her cheeks,
Conceal her still; thou heavy Wain stand firm,
And stop the quicker revolutions;
Or if the day must come, to spoil our happiness,
Thou envious Sun peep not upon our pleasure,
Thou that all Lovers curse, be far off from us.
_Enter_ Castruchio _with Guard._
_Evan._ Then let's to bed, and this night in all joyes
And chaste delights--
_Cast._ Stay, I must part ye both;
It is the Kings command, who bids me tell ye,
To morrow is your last hour.
_Val._ I obey, Sir,
In Heaven we shall meet, Captain, where King _Frederick_
Dare not appear to part us.
_Cast._ Mistake me not, though I am rough in doing of my Office,
You shall find, Sir, you have a friend to honour ye.
_Val._ I thank ye, Sir.
_Evan._ Pray captain tell the King,
They that are sad on Earth, in Heaven shall sing. [_Exeunt._
_Actus Quintus. Scena Prima._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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