Act 2 — [Scene I.][3335]

Dula. Madam, shall we undress you for this fight? The wars are nak’d that you must make tonight. Evad. You are very merry, Dula. Dula. I should be Far merrier, madam, if it were with me As it is with you. Evad. How ’s that? Dula. That I might go5 To bed with him wi’ th’ credit that you do. Evad. Why, how now, wench? Dula. Come, ladies, will you help? Evad. I am soon undone. Dula. And as soon done: Good store of clothes will trouble you at both. Evad. Art thou drunk, Dula? Dula. Why, here ’s none but we.10 Evad. Thou think ’st belike there is no modesty When we’re alone. Dula. Ay, by my troth, you hit my thoughts aright. Evad. You prick me, lady. 1 Lady. ’T is against my will. Dula. Anon you must endure more and lie still;15 You ’re best to practise. Evad. Sure, this wench is mad. Dula. No, faith, this is a trick that I have had Since I was fourteen. Evad. ’T is high time to leave it. Dula. Nay, now I ’ll keep it till the trick leave me. A dozen wanton words put in your head20 Will make you livelier in your husband’s bed. Evad. Nay, faith, then take it.[3336] Dula. Take it, madam! Where? We all, I hope, will take it that are here. Evad. Nay, then I ’ll give you o’er. Dula. So will I make The ablest man in Rhodes, or his heart ache.25 Evad. Wilt take my place to-night? Dula. I ’ll hold your cards Against any two I know. Evad. What wilt thou do? Dula. Madam, we ’ll do ’t, and make ’em leave play too. Evad. Aspatia, take her part. Dula. I will refuse it: She will pluck down a side;[3337] she does not use it.30 Evad. Why, do, I prithee. Dula. You will find the play Quickly, because your head lies well that way. Evad. I thank thee, Dula. Would thou couldst instil Some of thy mirth into Aspatia! Nothing but sad thoughts in her breast do dwell:35 Methinks, a mean betwixt you would do well. Dula. She is in love: hang me, if I were so, But I could run[3338] my country. I love too To do those things that people in love do. Asp. It were a timeless[3339] smile should prove my cheek.40 It were a fitter hour for me to laugh, When at the altar the religious priest Were pacifying the offended powers With sacrifice, than now. This should have been My rite;[3340] and all your hands have been employ’d45 In giving me a spotless offering To young Amintor’s bed, as we are now For you. Pardon, Evadne: would my worth Were great as yours, or that the King, or he, Or both, thought so! Perhaps he found me worthless:50 But till he did so, in these ears of mine, These credulous ears, he pour’d the sweetest words That art or love could frame. If he were false, Pardon it, Heaven! and, if I did want Virtue, you safely may forgive that too;55 For I have lost none that I had from you. Evad. Nay, leave this sad talk, madam. Asp. Would I could! Then I should leave the cause. Evad. See, if you have not spoil’d all Dula’s mirth! Asp. Thou think ’st thy heart hard; but, if thou be’st caught,60 Remember me; thou shalt perceive a fire Shot suddenly into thee. Dula. That ’s not so good; Let ’em shoot anything but fire, I fear ’em not. Asp. Well, wench, thou may’st be taken. Evad. Ladies, good-night; I ’ll do the rest myself.65 Dula. Nay, let your lord do some. Asp. [singing.] Lay a garland on my hearse Of the dismal yew— Evad. That ’s one of your sad songs, madam. Asp. Believe me, ’t is a very pretty one. 70 Evad. How is it, madam? Asp. [singing.] Lay a garland on my hearse Of the dismal yew; Maidens, willow-branches bear; Say I died true. 75 My love was false, but I was firm From my hour of birth: Upon my buried body lie Lightly, gentle earth! Evad. Fie on ’t, madam! The words are so strange, they 80 Are able to make one dream of hobgoblins.— “I could never have the power”—sing that, Dula. Dula. [singing.] I could never have the power To love one above an hour, But my heart would prompt mine eye 85 On some other man to fly. Venus, fix mine eyes fast, Or, if not, give me all that I shall see at last! Evad. So, leave me now. Dula. Nay, we must see you laid. 90 Asp. Madam, good night. May all the marriage-joys That longing maids imagine in their beds Prove so unto you! May no discontent Grow ’twixt your love and you! but, if there do, Inquire of me, and I will guide your moan; 95 Teach you an artificial[3341] way to grieve, To keep your sorrow waking. Love your lord No worse than I; but, if you love so well, Alas, you may displease him! so did I. This is the last time you shall look on me.— 100 Ladies, farewell. As soon as I am dead, Come all and watch one night about my hearse; Bring each a mournful story and a tear, To offer at it when I go to earth; With flattering ivy clasp my coffin round; 105 Write on my brow my fortune; let my bier Be borne by virgins, that shall sing by course[3342] The truth of maids and perjuries of men. Evad. Alas, I pity thee. All. Madam, good night. Exit Evadne. 1 Lady. Come, we ’ll let in the bridegroom. Dula. Where’s my lord? 110 1 Lady. Here, take this light.

Dula. You ’ll find her in the dark. 1 Lady. Your lady ’s scarce a-bed yet; you must help her. Asp. Go, and be happy in your lady’s love. May all the wrongs that you have done to me Be utterly forgotten in my death!115 I ’ll trouble you no more; yet I will take A parting kiss, and will not be denied. [Kisses Amintor.] You ’ll come, my lord, and see the virgins weep When I am laid in earth, though you yourself Can know no pity. Thus I wind myself120 Into this willow-garland, and am prouder That I was once your love, though now refus’d, Than to have had another true to me. So with my prayers I leave you, and must try Some yet unpractis’d way to grieve and die. 125 Exit. Dula. Come, ladies, will you go? All. Good night, my lord. Amin. Much happiness unto you all! Exeunt [Dula and] Ladies. I did that lady wrong. Methinks, I feel A grief shoot suddenly through all my veins; Mine eyes rain: this is strange at such a time.130 It was the King first mov’d me to ’t; but he Has not my will in keeping. Why do I Perplex myself thus? Something whispers me, Go not to bed. My guilt is not so great As mine own conscience, too sensible,135 Would make me think; I only brake a promise, And ’t was the King that forc’d me. Timorous flesh, Why shak’st thou so? Away, my idle fears! Re-enter Evadne. Yonder she is, the lustre of whose eye Can blot away the sad remembrance140 Of all these things.—Oh, my Evadne, spare That tender body; let it not take cold! The vapours of the night will not fall here. To bed, my love: Hymen will punish us For being slack performers of his rites.145 Cam’st thou to call me? Evad. No. Amin. Come, come, my love, And let us lose ourselves to one another. Why art thou up so long? Evad. I am not well. Amin. To bed then; let me wind thee in these arms Till I have banisht sickness. Evad. Good my lord,150 I cannot sleep. Amin. Evadne, we will watch; I mean no sleeping. Evad. I ’ll not go to bed. Amin. I prithee, do. Evad. I will not for the world. Amin. Why, my dear love? Evad. Why! I have sworn I will not. Amin. Sworn! Evad. Ay. Amin. How? Sworn, Evadne!155 Evad. Yes, sworn, Amintor; and will swear again, If you will wish to hear me. Amin. To whom have you sworn this? Evad. If I should name him, the matter were not great. Amin. Come, this is but the coyness of a bride.160 Evad. The coyness of the bride! Amin. How prettily That frown becomes thee! Evad. Do you like it so? Amin. Thou canst not dress thy face in such a look But I shall like it. Evad. What look likes[3343] you best? Amin. Why do you ask?165 Evad. That I may show you one less pleasing to you. Amin. How ’s that? Evad. That I may show you one less pleasing to you. Amin. I prithee, put thy jests in milder looks; It shows as thou wert angry. Evad. So perhaps170 I am indeed. Amin. Why, who has done thee wrong? Name me the man, and by thyself I swear, Thy yet unconquered self, I will revenge thee! Evad. Now I shall try thy truth. If thou dost love me, Thou weigh’st not anything compar’d with me:175 Life, honour, joys eternal, all delights This world can yield, or hopeful people feign, Or in the life to come, are light as air To a true lover when his lady frowns, And bids him, “Do this.” Wilt thou kill this man?180 Swear, my Amintor, and I ’ll kiss the sin Off from thy lips. Amin. I wo’ not swear, sweet love. Till I do know the cause. Evad. I would thou wouldst. Why, it is thou that wrong’st me; I hate thee; Thou should’st have kill’d thyself.185 Amin. If I should know that, I should quickly kill The man you hated. Evad. Know it, then, and do ’t. Amin. Oh, no! what look soe’er thou shalt put on To try my faith, I shall not think thee false; I cannot find one blemish in thy face,190 Where falsehood should abide. Leave, and to bed. If you have sworn to any of the virgins That were your old companions, to preserve Your maidenhead a night, it may be done Without this means. Evad. A maidenhead, Amintor,195 At my years! Amin. Sure she raves; this cannot be Her natural temper.—Shall I call thy maids? Either thy healthful sleep hath left thee long, Or else some fever rages in thy blood. Evad. Neither, Amintor: think you I am mad,200 Because I speak the truth? Amin. [Is this the truth?][3344] Will you not lie with me to-night? Evad. To-night! You talk as if [you thought][3344] I would hereafter. Amin. Hereafter! yes, I do. Evad. You are deceiv’d. Put off amazement, and with patience mark205 What I shall utter, for the oracle Knows nothing truer. ’T is not for a night Or two that I forbear thy bed, but ever. Amin. I dream. Awake, Amintor! Evad. You hear right: I sooner will find out the beds of snakes,210 And with my youthful blood warm their cold flesh, Letting them curl themselves about my limbs, Than sleep one night with thee. This is not feign’d, Nor sounds it like the coyness of a bride. Amin. Is flesh so earthly to endure all this?215 Are these the joys of marriage? Hymen, keep This story, that will make succeeding youth Neglect thy ceremonies, from all ears; Let it not rise up, for thy shame and mine To after-ages: we will scorn thy laws,220 If thou no better bless them. Touch the heart Of her that thou hast sent me, or the world Shall know; there ’s not an altar that will smoke In praise of thee; we will adopt us sons; Then virtue shall inherit, and not blood.225 If we do lust, we’ll take the next we meet, Serving ourselves as other creatures do; And never take note of the female more, Nor of her issue.—I do rage in vain; She can but jest.—Oh, pardon me, my love!230 So dear the thoughts are that I hold of thee, That I must break forth. Satisfy my fear; It is a pain, beyond the hand of death, To be in doubt. Confirm it with an oath, If this be true. Evad. Do you invent the form;235 Let there be in it all the binding words Devils and conjurers can put together, And I will take it. I have sworn before, And here by all things holy do again, Never to be acquainted with thy bed!240 Is your doubt over now? Amin. I know too much; would I had doubted still! Was ever such a marriage-night as this! You powers above, if you did ever mean Man should be us’d thus, you have thought a way245 How he may bear himself, and save his honour: Instruct me in it; for to my dull eyes There is no mean, no moderate course to run; I must live scorn’d, or be a murderer. Is there a third? Why is this night so calm?250 Why does not Heaven speak in thunder to us, And drown her voice? Evad. This rage will do no good. Amin. Evadne, hear me. Thou hast ta’en an oath, But such a rash one, that to keep it were Worse than to swear it. Call it back to thee;255 Such vows as that never ascend to Heaven; A tear or two will wash it quite away. Have mercy on my youth, my hopeful youth, If thou be pitiful! for, without boast, This land was proud of me. What lady was there,260 That men call’d fair and virtuous in this isle, That would have shunn’d my love? It is in thee To make me hold this worth. Oh, we vain men, That trust [out][3345] all our reputation To rest upon the weak and yielding hand265 Of feeble woman! But thou art not stone; Thy flesh is soft, and in thine eyes doth dwell The spirit of love; thy heart cannot be hard. Come, lead me from the bottom of despair To all the joys thou hast; I know thou wilt;270 And make me careful lest the sudden change O’ercome my spirits. Evad. When I call back this oath, The pains of hell environ me! Amin. I sleep, and am too temperate. Come to bed! Or by those hairs, which, if thou hadst a soul275 Like to thy locks, were threads for kings to wear About their arms—— Evad. Why, so perhaps they are. Amin. I’ll drag thee to my bed, and make thy tongue Undo this wicked oath, or on thy flesh I’ll print a thousand wounds to let out life!280 Evad. I fear thee not: do what thou dar’st to me! Every ill-sounding word or threat’ning look Thou shew’st to me will be reveng’d at full. Amin. It will not sure, Evadne? Evad. Do not you hazard that. Amin. Ha’ ye your champions?285 Evad. Alas, Amintor, think’st thou I forbear To sleep with thee, because I have put on A maiden’s strictness? Look upon these cheeks, And thou shalt find the hot and rising blood Unapt for such a vow. No; in this heart290 There dwells as much desire and as much will To put that wished[3346] act in practice as ever yet Was known to woman; and they have been shown Both. But it was the folly of thy youth To think this beauty, to what land[3347] soe’er295 It shall be call’d, shall stoop to any second. I do enjoy the best, and in that height Have sworn to stand or die. You guess the man. Amin. No; let me know the man that wrongs me so, That I may cut his body into motes,300 And scatter it before the northern wind. Evad. You dare not strike him. Amin. Do not wrong me so. Yes, if his body were a poisonous plant That it were death to touch, I have a soul Will throw me on him. Evad. Why, ’tis the King. Amin. The King!305 Evad. What will you do now? Amin. ’Tis not the King! Evad. What did he make this match for, dull Amintor? Amin. Oh, thou hast nam’d a word, that wipes away All thoughts revengeful! In that sacred name, “The King,” there lies a terror. What frail man310 Dares lift his hand against it? Let the gods Speak to him when they please: till when, let us Suffer and wait. Evad. Why should you fill yourself so full of heat, And haste so to my bed? I am no virgin.315 Amin. What devil put it in thy fancy, then, To marry me? Evad. Alas, I must have one To father children, and to bear the name Of husband to me, that my sin may be More honourable! Amin. What strange thing am I!320 Evad. A miserable one; one that myself Am sorry for. Amin. Why, show it then in this: If thou hast pity, though thy love be none, Kill me; and all true lovers, that shall live In after ages crost in their desires,325 Shall bless thy memory, and call thee good, Because such mercy in thy heart was found, To rid[3348] a ling’ring wretch. Evad. I must have one To fill thy room again, if thou wert dead; Else, by this night, I would! I pity thee.330 Amin. These strange and sudden injuries have fall’n So thick upon me, that I lose all sense Of what they are. Methinks, I am not wrong’d; Nor is it aught, if from the censuring world I can but hide it. Reputation,335 Thou art a word, no more!—But thou hast shown An impudence so high, that to the world I fear thou wilt betray or shame thyself. Evad. To cover shame, I took thee; never fear That I would blaze[3349] myself. Amin. Nor let the King340 Know I conceive he wrongs me; then mine honour Will thrust me into action, though[3350] my flesh Could bear with patience. And it is some ease To me in these extremes, that I know this Before I toucht thee; else, had all the sins345 Of mankind stood betwixt me and the King, I had gone through ’em to his heart and thine. I have lost[3351] one desire: ’t is not his crown Shall buy me to thy bed, now I resolve[3352] He has dishonour’d thee. Give me thy hand:350 Be careful of thy credit, and sin close;[3353] ’T is all I wish. Upon thy chamber-floor I’ll rest to-night, that morning visitors May think we did as married people use:354 And prithee, smile upon me when they come, And seem to toy, as if thou hadst been pleased With what we did. Evad. Fear not; I will do this. Amin. Come, let us practise; and, as wantonly As ever loving[3354] bride and bridegroom met, Let’s laugh and enter here. Evad. I am content.360 Amin. Down all the swellings of my troubled heart! When we walk thus intwin’d, let all eyes see If ever lovers better did agree. Exeunt.