Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Euph._ My Prophesie is come, prove my hopes true
_Agenor_ shall have right, and you no wrong,
Time now will pluck her daughter from her Cave:
Let's hence to prevent rumour; my dear Brother,
Nature's divided streams the highest shelf
Will over-run at last, and flow to it self. [_Exeunt._
_Actus Quintus. Scæna Prima._
_Enter_ Crates, Euphanes, Neanthes, Sosicles, _Eraton_.
_Euph._ I Have won the Lady to it, and that good
Which is intended to her, your faith only
And secresie must make perfect; Think not Sir,
I speak as doubting it, for I dare hazard My soul upon the tryal.
_Cra._ You may safely,
But are _Agenor_, and _Leonidas_ ready
To rush upon him in the Act, and seize him
In the height of his security?
_Euph._ At all parts as you could wish them.
_Cra._ Where's the Lady?
_Euph._ There
Where you appointed her to stay.
_Cra._ 'Tis wisely order'd.
_Euph._ Last, when you have him sure, compel him this way,
For as by accident here I'll bring the Queen
To meet you, 'twill strike greater terror to him,
To be tane unprovided of excuse,
And make more for our purposes. [_Exit._
_Cra._ Come _Neanthes_, our Fames and all are at the stake.
_Nea._ 'Tis fit that since relying on your skill, we venture
So much upon one game, you play with cunning.
_Enter_ Theanor.
Or we shall rise such losers as--
_Sos._ The Prince.
_Cra._ The plot is laid Sir, howsoe'r I seem'd
A little scrupulous, upon better judgement
I have effected it.
_The._ 'Tis the last service
Of this foul kind I will employ you in.
_Cra._ We hope so Sir.
_The._ And I will so reward it--
_Nea._ You are bound to that; in every Family
That does write lustful, your fine Bawd gains more
(For like your Broker, he takes fees on both sides)
Than all the Officers of the house.
_Sos._ For us then
To be a great mans Panders, and live poor,
That were a double fault.
_Cra._ Come, you lose time Sir,
We will be with you instantly: the deed done,
We have a Mask that you expect not.
_The._ Thou art ever careful: for _Joves Mercury_
I would not change thee. [_Exit._
_Era._ There's an honour for you.
_Nea._ To be compar'd with the celestial Pimp,
_Joves_ smock-sworn Squire, Don _Hermes_.
_Cra._ I'll deserve it,
And Gentlemen be assur'd, though what we do now
Will to the Prince _Theanor_ look like Treason
And base disloyalty, yet the end shall prove,
When he's first taught to know himself, then you,
In what he judg'd us false, we were most true. [_Exeunt._
_Scæna Secunda._
_Enter_ Euphanes, Agenor, Leonidas, Conon.
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