• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Put out Love’s Flame, he therefore has not Eyes,

Or is in Judgment blind. You wrong your Beauties,

Venus will frown if you disprize her Gifts,

That have a Face would make a frozen Hermit

Leap from his Cell, and burn his Beads to kiss it;

Eyes, that are nothing but continual Births

Of new Desires in Those that view their Beams.

You cannot have a Cause to doubt.

Leon. Why, Julio?

When you that dare not chuse without your Father,

And, where you love, you dare not vouch it; must not,

Though you have Eyes, see with ’em; — can I, think you,

Somewhat, perhaps, infected with your Suit,

Sit down content to say, You would, but dare not?

Jul. Urge not Suspicions of what cannot be;

You deal unkindly; mis-becomingly,

I’m loth to say: For All that waits on you,

Is graced, and graces. — No Impediment

Shall bar my Wishes, but such grave Delays

As Reason presses Patience with; which blunt not,

But rather whet our Loves. Be patient, Sweet.

Leon. Patient! What else? My Flames are in the Flint.

Haply, to lose a Husband I may weep;

Never, to get One: When I cry for Bondage,

Let Freedom quit me.

Jul.From what a Spirit comes This?

I now perceive too plain, you care not for me.

Duke, I obey thy Summons, be its Tenour

Whate’er it will: If War, I come thy Souldier:

Or if to waste my silken Hours at Court,

The Slave of Fashion, I with willing Soul

Embrace the lazy Banishment for Life;

Since Leonora has pronounc’d my Doom.

Leon. What do you mean? Why talk you of the Duke?

Wherefore of War, or Court, or Banishment?

Jul. How this new Note is grown of me, I know not;

But the Duke writes for Me. Coming to move

My Father in our Bus’ness, I did find him

Reading this Letter; whose Contents require

My instant Service, and Repair to Court.

Leon. Now I perceive the Birth of these Delays;

Why Leonora was not worth your Suit.

Repair to Court? Ay, there you shall, perhaps,

(Rather, past Doubt;) behold some choicer Beauty,

Rich in her Charms, train’d to the Arts of Soothing,

Shall prompt you to a Spirit of Hardiness,

To say, So please you, Father, I have chosen

This Mistress for my own. —

Jul. Still you mistake me:

Ever your Servant I profess my self;

And will not blot me with a Change, for all

That Sea and Land inherit.

Leon. But when go you?

Jul. To morrow, Love; so runs the Duke’s Command;

Stinting our Farewell-kisses, cutting off

The Forms of Parting, and the Interchange

Of thousand precious Vows, with Haste too rude.

Lovers have Things of Moment to debate,

More than a Prince, or dreaming Statesman, know:

Such Ceremonies wait on Cupid’s Throne.

Why heav’d that Sigh?

Leon. O Julio, let me whisper

What, but for Parting, I should blush to tell thee:

My Heart beats thick with Fears, lest the gay Scene,

The Splendors of a Court, should from thy Breast

Banish my Image, kill my Int’rest in thee,

And I be left, the Scoff of Maids, to drop

A Widow’s Tear for thy departed Faith.

Jul. O let Assurance, strong as Words can bind,

Tell thy pleas’d Soul, I will be wond’rous faithful;

True, as the Sun is to his Race of Light,

As Shade to Darkness, as Desire to Beauty:

And when I swerve, let Wretchedness o’ertake me,

Great as e’er Falsehood met, or Change can merit.

Leon. Enough; I’m satisfied: and will remain

Yours, with a firm and untir’d Constancy.

Make not your Absence long: Old Men are wav’ring;

And sway’d by Int’rest more than Promise giv’n.

Should some fresh Offer start, when you’re away,

I may be prest to Something, which must put

My Faith, or my Obedience, to the Rack.

Jul. Fear not, but I with swiftest Wing of Time

Will labour my Return. And in my Absence,

My noble Friend, and now our honour’d Guest,

The Lord Henriquez, will in my behalf

Hang at your Father’s Ear, and with kind Hints,

Pour’d from a friendly Tongue, secure my Claim;

And play the Lover for thy absent Julio.

Leon. Is there no Instance of a Friend turn’d false?

Take Heed of That: No Love by Proxy, Julio.

My Father—;

Enters Don Bernard.

D. Bern. What, Julio, in publick? This Wooeing is