Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Gab._ By the Devil?
_Lav._ Come,
And lull me with delights.
_Gab._ It works amain now.
_Lav._ Give me such kisses as the Queen of shadows
Gave to the sleeping boy she stole on _Latmus_;
Look round about in snakie wreathes close folded,
Those rosie arms about my neck, O! _Venus_.
_Gab._ Fear not, I say.
_Lav._ Thou admirable sweetness,
Distill thy blessings like those silver drops,
That falling on fair grounds, rise all in roses:
Shoot me a thousand darts from those fair eyes,
And through my heart transfix 'em all, I'll stand 'em.
Send me a thousand smiles, and presently
I'll catch 'em in mine eyes, and by Love's power
Turn 'em to _Cupids_ all, and fling 'em on thee,
How high she looks, and heavenly! More wine for me.
_Ga._ Give him more wine, and good friend be not fearful.
_Lav._ Here on my knee, thou Goddess of delights,
This lustie grape I offer to thy Beauties;
See how it leaps to view that perfect redness
That dwels upon thy lips: now, how it blushes
To be outblush'd. Oh! let me feed my fancie,
And as I hold the purple god in one hand
Dancing about the bri[m] and proudly swelling,
Deck'd in the pride of nature young, and blowing;
So let me take fair _Semele_ in the other,
And sing the loves of gods, then drink, their Nectar's
Not yet desir'd.
_Casta._ Oh!
_Lav._ Then like lustie _Tarquin_
Turn'd into flames with _Lucrece_ coy denyals,
His blood and spirit equally ambitious,
I force thee for my own.
_Casta._ O help me Justice:
Help me, my Chastitie.
_Lav._ Now I am bravely quarried. [_Perolot above._
_Per._ 'Tis my Sister.
_Gab._ No, bawdy slave, no Treacher, she is not carried.
_Per._ She's loose again, and gone. I'll keep my place still.
_Mar._ Now it works bravely: stand, he cannot hurt ye.
_Lav._ O my sweet Love, my life. [_He falls downe, and sleeps._
_Mar._ He sinks.
_Lav._ My blessing.
_Mar._ So, now he is safe a while.
_Gab._ Lock all the doors, wench,
Then for my wrongs.
_Per._ Now I'll appear to know all.
_Gab._ Be quick, quick, good _Marie_, sure and sudden.
_Per._ Stay, I must in first.
_Gab._ O' my conscience!
It is young _Perol[o]t_: Oh my stung conscience!
It is my first and noblest Love.
_Mar._ Leave wondring,
And recollect your self: the man is living,
Equally wrong'd as you, and by that Devil.
_Per._ 'Tis most true, Lady: your unhappy fortune
I grieve for as mine own, your fault forgive too,
If it be one. This is no time for kisses:
I have heard all, and known all, which mine ears
Are crack'd apieces with, and my heart perish'd.
I saw him in your chamber, saw his fury.
And am afire till I have found his heart out.
What do you mean to do? for I'll make one.
_Gab._ To make his death more horrid (for he shall dye).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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