Act 1 — Scene I.[3312]

Cle. The rest are making ready, sir. Lys. So let them; there’s time enough. Diph. You are the brother to the King, my lord; We ’ll take your word. Lys. Strato, thou hast some skill in poetry;5 What think’st thou of the masque? Will it be well? Stra. As well as masques can be. Lys. As masques can be! Stra. Yes; they must commend their king, and speak in praise Of the assembly, bless the bride and bridegroom In person of some god; they ’re tied to rules10 Of flattery. Cle. See, good my lord, who is return’d!

Lys. Noble Melantius, the land by me Welcomes thy virtues home to Rhodes; Thou that with blood abroad buyest our peace! The breath of kings is like the breath of gods;15 My brother wisht thee here, and thou art here. He will be too kind, and weary thee With often welcomes; but the time doth give thee A welcome above his or all the world’s. Mel. My lord, my thanks; but these scratcht limbs of mine20 Have spoke my love and truth unto my friends, More than my tongue e’er could. My mind’s the same It ever was to you: where I find worth, I love the keeper till he let it go, And then I follow it. Diph. Hail, worthy brother!25 He that rejoices not at your return In safety is mine enemy for ever. Mel. I thank thee, Diphilus. But thou art faulty: I sent for thee to exercise thine arms With me at Patria; thou cam’st not, Diphilus; ’T was ill. Diph. My noble brother, my excuse31 Is my king’s strict command, which you, my lord, Can witness with me. Lys. ’T is most true, Melantius; He might not come till the solemnities Of this great match were past. Diph. Have you heard of it?35 Mel. Yes, and have given cause to those that here Envy my deeds abroad to call me gamesome: I have no other business here at Rhodes. Lys. We have a masque to-night, and you must tread A soldier’s measure.40 Mel. These soft and silken wars are not for me: The music must be shrill and all confus’d That stirs my blood; and then I dance with arms. But is Amintor wed? Diph. This day. Mel. All joys upon him! for he is my friend. Wonder not that I call a man so young my friend:46 His worth is great; valiant he is and temperate; And one that never thinks his life his own, If his friend need it. When he was a boy, As oft as I return’d (as, without boast,50 I brought home conquest), he would gaze upon me And view me round, to find in what one limb The virtue lay to do these things he heard; Then would he wish to see my sword, and feel The quickness of the edge, and in his hand55 Weigh it. He oft would make me smile at this. His youth did promise much, and his ripe years Will see it all perform’d. Enter Aspatia, passing by. Hail, maid and wife! Thou fair Aspatia, may the holy knot That thou hast tied to-day last till the hand60 Of age undo ’t! May’st thou bring a race Unto Amintor, that may fill the world Successively with soldiers! Asp. My hard fortunes Deserve not scorn, for I was never proud When they were good. Exit. Mel. How’s this? Lys. You are mistaken, sir;65 She is not married. Mel. You said Amintor was. Diph. ’Tis true; but—— Mel. Pardon me; I did receive Letters at Patria from my Amintor, That he should marry her. Diph. And so it stood In all opinion long; but your arrival70 Made me imagine you had heard the change. Mel. Who hath he taken then? Lys. A lady, sir, That bears the light about[3313] her, and strikes dead With flashes of her eye; the fair Evadne, Your virtuous sister. Mel. Peace of heart betwixt them!75 But this is strange. Lys. The King, my brother, did it To honour you; and these solemnities Are at his charge. Mel. ’T is royal, like himself. But I am sad My speech bears so unfortunate a sound80 To beautiful Aspatia. There is rage Hid in her father’s breast, Calianax, Bent long against me; and he should not think, If I could call it back, that I would take So base revenges, as to scorn the state85 Of his neglected daughter. Holds he still His greatness with the King? Lys. Yes. But this lady Walks discontented, with her watery eyes Bent on the earth. The unfrequented woods Are her delight; where, when she sees a bank Stuck full of flowers, she with a sigh will tell91 Her servants what a pretty place it were To bury lovers in; and make her maids Pluck ’em, and strow her over like a corse. She carries with her an infectious grief,95 That strikes all her beholders: she will sing The mournful’st things that ever ear hath heard, And sigh, and sing again; and when the rest Of our young ladies, in their wanton blood, Tell mirthful tales in course,[3314] that fill the room With laughter, she will, with so sad a look,101 Bring forth a story of the silent death Of some forsaken virgin, which her grief Will put in such a phrase that, ere she end, She’ll send them weeping one by one away.105 Mel. She has a brother under my command,[3315] Like her; a face as womanish as hers; But with a spirit that hath much outgrown The number of his years.

Cle. My lord the bridegroom! Mel. I might run fiercely, not more hastily, Upon my foe. I love thee well, Amintor;111 My mouth is much too narrow for my heart; I joy to look upon those eyes of thine; Thou art my friend, but my disordered speech Cuts off my love. Amin. Thou art Melantius;115 All love is spoke in that. A sacrifice, To thank the gods Melantius is return’d In safety! Victory sits on his sword, As she was wont. May she build there and dwell; And may thy armour be, as it hath been,120 Only thy valour and thine innocence! What endless treasures would our enemies give, That I might hold thee still thus! Mel. I am poor In words: but credit me, young man, thy mother124 Could do no more but weep for joy to see thee After long absence. All the wounds I have Fetcht not so much away, nor all the cries Of widowed mothers. But this is peace, And that was war. Amin. Pardon, thou holy god Of marriage-bed, and frown not, I am forc’d, In answer of such noble tears as those,131 To weep upon my wedding-day! Mel. I fear thou art grown too fickle; for I hear A lady mourns for thee, men say, to death, Forsaken of thee, on what terms[3316] I know not. Amin. She had my promise; but the King forbad it,136 And made me make this worthy change, thy sister, Accompanied with graces [far][3317] above[3318] her, With whom I long to lose my lusty youth And grow old in her arms. Mel. Be prosperous!140

Mess. My lord, the masquers rage for you. Lys. Cleon, Strato, Diphilus! We are gone. Amin. We’ll all attend you.— Exeunt Lysippus, Cleon, Strato, Diphilus [and Messenger]. We shall trouble you With our solemnities. Mel. Not so, Amintor; But if you laugh at my rude carriage145 In peace, I’ll do as much for you in war. When you come thither. Yet I have a mistress To bring to your delights; rough though I am, I have a mistress, and she has a heart149 She says; but, trust me, it is stone, no better; There is no place that I can challenge in ’t. But you stand still, and here my way lies. Exeunt [severally].