John Fletcher - Philaster; Or, Love Lies a Bleeding

La . Here Madam.

Are . Sir, you are sad to change your service, is't not so?

Bell . Madam, I have not chang'd; I wait on you,
To do him service.

Are . Thou disclaim'st in me;
Tell me thy name.

Bell . Bellario .

Are . Thou canst sing, and play?

Bell . If grief will give me leave, Madam, I can.

Are . Alas! what kind of grief can thy years know?
Hadst thou a curst master, when thou went'st to School?
Thou art not capable of other grief;
Thy brows and cheeks are smooth as waters be,
When no [b]reath troubles them: believe me boy,
Care seeks out wrinkled brows, and hollow eyes,
And builds himself caves to abide in them.
Come Sir, tell me truly, does your Lord love me?

Bell . Love Madam? I know not what it is.

Are . Canst thou know grief, and never yet knew'st love?
Thou art deceiv'd boy; does he speak of me
As if he wish'd me well?

Bell . If it be love,
To forget all respect of his own friends,
In thinking of your face; if it be love
To sit cross arm'd and sigh away the day,
Mingled with starts, crying your name as loud
And hastily, as men i'the streets do fire:
If it be love to weep himself away,
When he but hears of any Lady dead,
Or kill'd, because it might have been your chance;
If when he goes to rest (which will not be)
'Twixt every prayer he saies, to name you once
As others drop a bead, be to be in love;
Then Madam, I dare swear he loves you.

Are . O y'are a cunning boy, and taught to lie,
For your Lords credit; but thou knowest, a lie,
That bears this sound, is welcomer to me,
Than any truth that saies he loves me not.
Lead the way Boy: Do you attend me too;
'Tis thy Lords business hasts me thus; Away.

Gal . Tis late.

Meg . 'Tis all
My eyes will do to lead me to my bed.

Gal . I fear they are so heavy, you'l scarce find
The way to your lodging with 'em to night.

Thra . The Prince.

Meg . I should choose, my Lord, a pleasing wake before it.

Cle . Yes Madam.

Meg . She's jealous, as I live; look you my Lord,
The Princess has a Hilas , an Adonis .

Pha . His form is Angel-like.

Meg . Why this is he, must, when you are wed,
Sit by your pillow, like young Apollo , with
His hand and voice, binding your thoughts in sleep;
The Princess does provide him for you, and for her self.

Pha . I find no musick in these boys.

Meg . Nor I.
They can do little, and that small they do,
They have not wit to hide.

Di . Serves he the Princess?

Thra . Yes.

Di . 'Tis a sweet boy, how brave she keeps him!

Pha . Ladies all good rest; I mean to kill a Buck
To morrow morning, ere y'ave done your dreams.

Meg . All happiness attend your Grace, Gentlemen good rest,
Come shall we to bed?

Gal . Yes, all good night.

Di . May your dreams be true to you;
What shall we do Gallants? 'Tis late, the King
Is up still, see, he comes, a Guard along
With him.

King . Look your intelligence be true.

Are . Upon my life it is: and I do hope,
Your Highness will not tye me to a man,
That in the heat of wooing throws me off,
And takes another.

Di . What should this mean?

King . If it be true, That Lady had been better have embrac'd Cureless Diseases; get you to your rest,

You shall be righted: Gentlemen draw near,
We shall imploy you: Is young Pharamond
Come to his lodging?

Di . I saw him enter there.

King . Haste some of you, and cunningly discover,
If Megra be in her lodging.

Cle . Sir,
She parted hence but now with other Ladies.

King . If she be there, we shall not need to make
A vain discovery of our suspicion.
You gods I see, that who unrighteously
Holds wealth or state from others, shall be curst,
In that, which meaner men are blest withall:
Ages to come shall know no male of him
Left to inherit, and his name shall be
Blotted from earth; If he have any child,
It shall be crossly matched: the gods themselves
Shall sow wild strife betwixt her Lord and her,
Yet, if it be your wills, forgive the sin
I have committed, let it not fall
Upon this understanding child of mine,
She has not broke your Laws; but how can I,
Look to be heard of gods, that must be just,
Praying upon the ground I hold by wrong?

King . 'Tis then no time to dally: you o'th' Guard,
Wait at the back door of the Princes lodging,
And see that none pass thence upon your lives.
Knock Gentlemen: knock loud: louder yet:
What, has their pleasure taken off their hearing?
I'le break your meditations: knock again:
Not yet? I do not think he sleeps, having this
Larum by him; once more, Pharamond , Prince.