The Mad Lover, a Tragi-Comedy: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (3 of 10)Fletcher, John
General
The Mad Lover, a Tragi-Comedy: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (3 of 10)
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Si._ Fools and Fidlers
Make sport at my abuse too?
_Fool._ O 'tis the Nature
Of us Fools to make bold with one another,
But you are wise, brave sirs.
_Chi._ Cheer up your Princess,
Believe it Sir, the King will not be angry,
Or say he were; why, 'twas the Oracle.
The Oracle, an't like your Grace, the Oracle.
_Strem._ And who, most mighty _Siphax_?
_Siph._ With mine own whore.
_Cloe._ With whom else should ye marry, speak your conscience,
Will ye transgress the law of Arms, that ever
Rewards the Souldier with his own sins?
_Siph._ Devils.
_Cloe._ Ye had my maiden-head, my youth, my sweetness,
Is it not justice then?--
_Siph._ I see it must be,
But by this hand, I'le hang a lock upon thee.
_Cloe._ You shall not need, my honesty shall doe it.
_Siph._ If there be wars in all the world--
_Cloe._ I'le with ye,
For you know I have been a Souldier,
Come, curse on: when I need another Oracle.
_Chi._ Send for me _Siphax_, I'le fit ye with a Princess,
And so to both your honours.
_Fool._ And your graces.
_Siph._ The Devil grace ye all.
_Cloe._ God a mercy _Chilax_.
_Chi._ Shall we laugh half an hour now?
_Strem._ No the King comes,
And all the train.
_Chi._ Away then, our Act's ended. [_Exeunt._
_Enter King_, Calis, Memnon, _and_ Cleanthe, _Lords_.
_King._ You know he do's deserve ye, loves ye dearly,
You know what bloody violence had us'd { _The Hearse
Upon himself, but that his Brother crost it, { ready, Polydor,
You know the same thoughts still inhabit in him { Eumenes &
And covet to take birth: Look on him Lady, { Captains._
The wars have not so far consum'd him yet,
Cold age disabled him, or sickness sunk him
To be abhorr'd: look on his Honour Sister,
That bears no stamp of time, no wrinkles on it,
No sad demolishment, nor death can reach it:
Look with the eyes of Heaven that nightly waken,
To view the wonders of the glorious Maker,
And not the weakness: look with your vertuous eyes,
And then clad royaltie in all his conquests,
His matchless love hung with a thousand merits,
Eternal youth attending, Fame and Fortune,
Time and Oblivion vexing at his vertues,
He shall appear a miracle: look on our dangers,
Look on the publick ruin.
_Calis._ O, dear Brother.
_King._ Fie, let us not like proud and greedy waters
Gain to give off again: this is our Sea,
And you his _Cynthia_, govern him, take heed,
His flouds have been as high, and full as any,
And gloriously now is got up to the girdle,
The Kingdomes he hath purchas'd; noble Sister,
Take not your vertue from him, O take heed
We ebbe not now to nothing, take heed _Calis_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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