Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Phi._ You do mistake (cleer soul) his precontract
Doth annul yours, and you have giv'n no faith
That ties you in Religion, or humanity,
You rather sin against that greater precept,
To covet what's anothers; Sweet, you do
Believe me, who dare not urge dishonest things,
Remove that scruple therefore, and but take
Your dangers now, into your judgements skale
And weigh them with your safeties: Think but whither
Now you can goe: what you can do to live?
How near you ha' barr'd all Ports [to] your own succor,
Except this one that I here open: Love
Should you be left alone, you were a prey
To the wild lust of any, who would look
Upon this shape like a temptation
And think you want the man you personate
Would not regard this shift, which love put on
As virtue forc'd, but covet it like vice;
So should you live the slander of each Sex,
And be the child of error and of shame,
And which is worse, even _Mark-antonie_
Would be call'd just, to turn a wanderer off,
And Fame report you worthy his contempt;
Where if you make new choice, and settle here
There is no further tumult in this flood,
Each current keeps his course, and all suspitions
Shall return honors: Came you forth a Maid?
Go home a Wife? alone? and in disguise?
Go home a waited _Leocadia_:
Go home, and by the vir[t]ue of that charm
Transform all mischiefs, as you are transform'd;
Turn your offended Fathers wrath to wonder,
A[n]d all his loud grief to a silent welcome:
Unfold the Riddles you have made, what say you?
_Enter_ Sanchio _carried,_ Alphonso, _and Servants._
Now is the time; delay is but despair,
If you be chang'd, let a kiss tell me so.
_Leo._ I am: but how, I rather feel than know.
_Sanc._ Come Sir; you are welcome now to _Barcelona_,
Take off my hood.
_Phi._ Who be these? stay, let's view 'em?
_Alph._ 'Twas a long journey: are you not weary Sir?
_Sanc._ Weary? I could have rid it in mine Armour.
_Leo._ Alas!
_Phi._ What ail you dear?
_Leo._ It is my Father.
_Phi._ Your Father: which?
_Leo._ He that is carried: oh
Let us make hence.
_Phi._ For loves sake: good my heart.
_Leo._ Into some house before he see me.
_Phi._ Dear,
Be not thus frighted.
_Leo._ Oh his wrath is tempest.
_Phi._ Sweet, take your spirit to you, and stay, be't he,
He cannot know you in this habit, and me
I'm sure he less knows, for he never saw me.
_Alph._ Ha? who is that? my Son _Philippo_?
_Phi._ Sir.
_Alph._ Why, what make you here? Is this _Salamanca_?
And that your study? ha? nay stay him too,
We'll see him by his leave.
_Serv._ You must not strive Sir.
_Alph._ No, no, come near.
_Sanc._ My Daughter: _Leocadia_?
_Alph._ How Sir, your Daughter?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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