Act 4 — ACT IV. SCENE I.
Reading edition
Field between the two Houses.
Enter severally Black Knight’s Pawn, and Black Bishop’s Pawn in his gallant habit.[721]
B. Kt.'s Pawn. It’s he, my confessor; he might have pass’d me
Seven year together, had I not by chance
Advanc’d mine eye upon that letter’d hat-band,
The Jesuitical symbol to be known by,
374Worn by the brave collegians with[722] consent:
’Tis a strange habit for a holy father,
A president of poverty especially;
But we, the sons and daughters of obedience,
Dare not once think awry, but must confess ourselves
As humbly to the father of that feather,[723]
Long spur, and poniard, as to the alb and altar,
And happy we’re so highly[724] grac’d to attain to’t.
[Aside.
Holy and reverend!
B. B. Pawn. How, hast found me out?
B. Kt.'s Pawn. O sir, put on the sparkling’st trim[725] of glory,
Perfection will shine foremost; and I knew you
By the catholical[726] mark you wear about you,
The mark above your forehead.
B. B. Pawn. Are you grown
So ambitious in your observance? well, your business?
I have my game to follow.
B. Kt.'s Pawn. I have a worm
Follows me so, that I can follow no game:
The most faint-hearted pawn, if he could see his play,
Might snap me up at pleasure. I desire, sir,
To be absolv’d: my conscience being at ease,
I could then with more courage ply my game.
B. B. Pawn. ’Twas a base fact.
B. Kt.'s Pawn. ’Twas to a schismatic pawn, sir.
B. B. Pawn. What’s that to the nobility of revenge?
375Suffices[727] I have neither will nor power
To give you absolution for that violence.
Make your petition to the Penance-chamber:
If the tax-register relieve you in’t
By the Black Bishop’s clemency, you have wrought out
A singular piece of favour with your money;
That’s all your refuge now.
B. Kt.'s Pawn. The sting shoots deeper. [Exit.
Enter White Queen’s Pawn and Black Queen’s Pawn.
B. B. Pawn. Yonder’s my game, which, like a politic chess-master,
I must not seem to see.
W. Q. Pawn. O my heart! ’tis he.[728]
B. Q. Pawn. That ’tis.
W. Q. Pawn. The very self-same that the magical mirror
Presented lately to me.
B. Q. Pawn. And how like
A most regardless[729] stranger he walks by,
Merely[730] ignorant of his fate! you are not minded,
The principall’st part of him. What strange mysteries
Inscrutable love works by!
W. Q. Pawn. The time, you see,
Is not yet come.
B. Q. Pawn. But ’tis in our power now[731]
To bring time nearer—knowledge is a mastery—
And make it observe us, and not we it.
376W. Q. Pawn. I would force nothing from its proper virtue;
Let time have his full course. I had rather die
The modest death of undiscover’d love
Than have heaven’s least and lowest servant suffer,
Or in his motion receive check, for me.
How is my soul’s growth alter’d! that single life,
The fittest garment that peace ever made for’t,
Is grown too strait, too stubborn on the sudden.
B. Q. Pawn. He comes this way again.
W. Q. Pawn. O, there’s a traitor
Leapt from my heart into my cheek already,
That will betray all to his powerful eye,
If it but glance upon me!
B. Q. Pawn. By my verity,
Look, he’s past by again, drown’d in neglect,
Without the prosperous hint of so much happiness
To look upon his fortune! How close fate
Seals up the eye of human understanding,
Till, like the sun’s flower, time and love unclose[732] it!
'Twere pity he should dwell in ignorance longer.
W. Q. Pawn. What will you do?
B. Q. Pawn. Yes, die a bashful death, do,
And let the remedy pass by unus’d still:
You’re chang’d enough already, if you’d look into’t.—
Absolute sir, with your most noble pardon
For this my rude intrusion, I am bold
To bring the knowledge of a secret nearer
By many days, sir, than it would arrive
In its own proper revelation with you.
Pray, turn and fix: do you know yond noble goodness?
B. B. Pawn. ’Tis the first minute mine eye blest me with her,
377And clearly shews how much my knowledge wanted,
Not knowing her till now.
B. Q. Pawn. She’s to be lik’d then?
Pray, view advisedly: there is strong reason
That I'm so bold to urge it; you must guess
The work concerns you nearer than you think for.
B. B. Pawn. Her glory and the wonder of this secret
Put[733] a reciprocal amazement on me.
B. Q. Pawn. And ’tis not without worth: you two must be
Better acquainted.
B. B. Pawn. Is there cause, affinity,
Or any courteous help creation joys in,
To bring that forward?
B. Q. Pawn. Yes, yes, I can shew you
The nearest way to that perfection
Of a most virtuous one that joy e’er found.
Pray, mark her once again, then follow me,
And I will shew you her must be your wife, sir.
B. B. Pawn. The mystery extends, or else creation
Hath set that admirable piece before us
To choose our chaste delights by.
B. Q. Pawn. Please you follow, sir.
B. B. Pawn. What art have you to put me on an object
And cannot get me off! ’tis pain to part from’t.
[Exit with Black Queen’s Pawn.
W. Q. Pawn. If there prove no check in that magical glass now,
But my proportion come as fair and full
Into his eye as his into mine lately,
Then I'm confirm’d he is mine own for ever.
378Re-enter Black Queen’s Pawn and Black Bishop’s Pawn.
B. B. Pawn. The very self-same that the mirror blest me with,
From head to foot, the beauty and the habit!—
Kept you this place still? did you not remove, lady?
W. Q. Pawn. Not a foot further, sir.
B. B. Pawn. Is’t possible?
I would have sworn I had seen the substance yonder,
’Twas to that lustre, to that life presented.
W. Q. Pawn. Even so was yours to me, sir.
B. B. Pawn. Saw you mine?
W. Q. Pawn. Perfectly clear; no sooner my name us’d
But yours appear’d.
B. B. Pawn. Just so did yours at mine now.
B. Q. Pawn. Why stand you idle? will you let time cozen you,
Protracting time, of those delicious benefits
That fate hath mark’d[734] to you? You modest pair
Of blushing gamesters,—and you, sir, the bashfull’st,
I cannot flatter a foul fault in any,—
Can you be more than man and wife assign’d,
And by a power the most irrevocable?[735]
Others, that be adventurers in delight,
May meet with crosses, shame,[736] or separation;
You know the mind of fate, you must be coupled.
B. B. Pawn. She speaks but truth in this: I see no reason then
That we should miss the relish of this night,
But that we are both shamefac’d.
379W. Q. Pawn. How? this night, sir?
Did not I know you must be mine, and therein
Your privilege runs strong, for that loose motion
You never should be. Is it not my fortune
To match with a pure mind? then am I miserable.
The doves and all chaste-loving winged creatures
Have their pairs fit, their desires justly mated;
Is woman more unfortunate, a virgin,
The May of woman? Fate, that hath ordain’d, sir,
We should be man[737] and wife, hath not given warrant
For any act of knowledge till we are so.
B. B. Pawn. Tender-ey’d modesty, how it grieves[738] at this!
I'm as far off, for all this strange imposture,
As at first interview. Where lies our game now?
You know I cannot marry[739] by mine order.
B. Q. Pawn. I know you cannot, sir; yet you may venture
Upon a contract.
B. B. Pawn. Hah!
B. Q. Pawn. Surely you may, sir,
Without all question, so far without danger,
Or any stain to your vow; and that may take her:
Nay, do’t with speed; she’ll think you mean the better too.
B. B. Pawn. Be not so lavish of that blessed spring;
You’ve wasted that upon a cold occasion now
Would wash a sinful soul white. By our love-joys,
That motion shall ne’er light upon my tongue more
Till we’re contracted; then, I hope, you’re mine.
W. Q. Pawn. In all just duty ever.
B. Q. Pawn. Then? do you question it?
380Pish! then you’re man and wife, all but church-ceremony:
Pray, let’s see that done first; she shall do reason then.—
Now I'll enjoy the sport, and cozen you both:
My blood’s game is the wages I have work’d for.
[Aside. Exeunt.