• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

And shall enioy the moitie of his land,

Ile grace her marriage with an vnckles gift,

And this is it: in case the match goe forward,

The tribute which you pay shalbe releast;

And, if by Balthazar she haue a sonne,

He shall enioy the kingdome after vs.

EMBAS.

Ile make the motion to my soueraigne liege,

And worke it if my counsaile may preuaile.

KING.

Doe so, my lord; and, if he giue consent,

I hope his presence heere will honour vs

In celebration of the nuptiall day,—

And let himselfe determine of the time.

EM.

Wilt please your Grace command me ought besid?

KING.

Commend me to the king; and so, farewell!

But wheres Prince Balthazar, to take his leaue?

EM.

That is perfourmd alreadie, my good lord.

KING.

Amongst the rest of what you haue in charge,

The princes raunsome must not be forgot:

Thats none of mine, but his that tooke him prisoner,—

And well his forwardnes deserues reward:

It was Horatio, our knight-marshalls sonne.

EM.

Betweene vs theres a price already pitcht,

And shall be send with all conuenient speed.

KING.

Then once againe farewell, my lord!

EM.

Farwell, my lord of Castile, and the rest!

Exit.

KING.

Now, brother, you must make some little paines

To winne faire Bel-imperia from her will;

Young virgins must be ruled by their freends.

The prince is amiable, and loues her well;

If she neglect him and forgoe his loue,

She both will wrong her owne estate and ours.

Therefore, whiles I doe entertaine the prince

With greatest pleasure that our court affoords,

Endeauor you to winne your daughters thought.

If she giue back, all this will come to naught.

Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE 4.

[HORATIO's garden.]

Enter HORATIO, BEL-IMPERIA, and PEDRINGANO.

HOR.

Now that the night begins with sable wings

To ouer-cloud the brightnes of the sunne,

And that in darkenes pleasures may be done,

Come, Bel-imperia, let vs to the bower,

And there is safetie passe a pleasant hower.

BEL.

I follow thee, my loue, and will not backe,

Although my fainting hart controles my soule.

HOR.

Why, make you doubt of Pedringanos faith?

BEL.

No; he is as trustie as my second selfe.

Goe, Pedringano, watch without the gate,

And let vs known if any make approach.

PED.

[aside] In-steed of watching, Ile deserue more golde

By fetching Don Lorenzo to this match.

Exit PED[RINGANO].

HOR.

What means my loue?

BEL.

I know not what, my-selfe;

And yet my hart foretels me some some mischaunce.

HOR.

Sweet, say not so; faire Fortune is our freend,

And heauens haue shut vp day to pleasure vs.

The starres, thou seest, holde back their twinckling shine

And Luna hides her-selfe to pleasure vs.

BEL.

Thou hast preuailed! Ile conquer my misdoubt,

And in thy loue and councell drowne my feare.

I feare no more; loue now is all my thoughts!

Why sit we not? for pleasure asketh ease.

HOR.

The more thou sitst within these leauy bowers,

The more will Flora decke it with her flowers.

BEL.

I; but, if Flora spye Horatio heere,

Her iealous eye will think I sit too neere.

HOR.

Harke, madame, how the birds record by night,

For ioy that Bel-imperia sits in sight!

BEL.

No; Cupid counterfeits the nightingale,

To frame sweet musick to Horatios tale.

HOR.

If Cupid sing, then Venus is not farre,—

I, thou art Venus, or some fairer starre!

BEL.

If I be Venus, thou must needs be Mars;

And where Mars raigneth, there must needs be warres.

HOR.

Then thus begin our wars: put forth thy hand,

That it may combat with my ruder hand.

BEL.

Set forth thy foot to try the push of mine.

HOR.

But, first, my lookes shall combat against thee.

BEL.

Then ward thy-selfe! I dart this kiss as thee.

HOR.

Thus I [return] the dart thou threwest at me!

BEL.

Nay then, to gaine the glory of the field,

My twining armes shall yoake and make thee yeeld.

HOR.

Nay then, my armes are large and strong withall:

Thus elmes by vines are compast till they fall.

BEL.

O, let me goe, for in my troubled eyes

Now maist thou read that