Cal. Talk on, prithee; en

It is a pretty earnest.

Pen. I have left me

But three poor jewels to bequeath. The first is
My Youth; for though I am much old in griefs,
In years I am a child.

Cal. To whom that?

Pen. To virgin-wives, such as abuse not wedlock
By freedom of desires; but covet chiefly
The pledges of chaste beds for ties of love,
Rather than ranging of their blood: and next
To married maids, such as prefer the number
Of honourable issue in their virtues
Before the flattery of delights by marriage;
May those be ever young!

Cal. A second jewel

You mean to part w.th?

Pen. 'Tis my Fame; I trust,

By scandal yet untouched: this I bequeath
To Memory, and Time's old daughter, Truth.
If ever my unhappy name find mention,
When I am fallen to dust, may it deserve
Beseeming charity without dishonour !

60

70

Cal. How handsomely thou playest with harmless sport Of mere imagination! speak the last ;

I strangely like thy Will.

Pen. This jewel, madam,

Is dearly precious to me; you must us

80

The best of your discretion to employ
This gift as I intend it.

Cal. Do not doubt me.

Pen. 'Tis long agone since first I lost my

heart :

Long have I lived without it, else for certain : 90
I should have given that too; but instead
Of it, to great Calantha, Sparta's heir,
By service bound, and by affection vowed,
I do bequeath, in holiest rites of love,
Mine only brother, Ithocles.

Cal. What said'st thou?

Pen. Impute not, heaven-blest lady, to ambition
A faith as humbly perfect, as the prayers
Of a devoted suppliant can endow it :
Look on him, princess, with an eye of pity;
How like the ghost of what he late appeared,
He moves before you !

Cal. Shall I answer here,

Or lend my ear too grossly?

Pen. First his heart

Shall fall in cinders, scorched by your disdain,
Ere he will dare, poor man, to ope an eye

On these divine looks, but with low-bent thoughts
Accusing such presumption; as for words,
He dares not utter any but of service:
Yet this lost creature loves you.-Be a princess
In sweetness as in blood; give him his doom,
Or raise him up to comfort.

100

Cal. What new change

Appears in my behaviour, that thou dar'st
Tempt my displeasure?

Pen. I must leave the world

To revel [in] Elysium, and 'tis just
To wish my brother some advantage here;
Yet by my best hopes, Ithocles is ignorant
Of this pursuit: but if you please to kill him,
Lend him one angry look, or one harsh word,
And you shall soon conclude how strong a power
Your absolute authority holds over

His life and end.

Cal. You have forgot, Penthea,

How still I have a father.

Pen. But remember

I am a sister, though to me this brother

Hath been, you know, unkind; oh, most unkind! Cal. Christalla, Philema, where are you?-Lady, Your check lies in my silence.

Enter Christalla and Philema.

Both. Madam, here.

120

129

Cal. I think you sleep, you drones: wait on Penthea
Unto her lodging.-Ithocles? wrong'd lady! [Aside.
Pen. My reckonings are made even; death or fate
Can now nor strike too soon, nor force too late.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV. SC. 1.

ACT IV

SCENE I

The Palace. Ithocles Apartment.

Enter Ithocles and Armostes.

Ith. Forbear your inquisition; curiosity

Is of too subtle and too searching nature :
In fear of love too quick; too slow credit.—
I am not what you doubt me.

Arm. Nephew, be then

As I would wish ;-all is not right.-Good Heaven
Confirm your resolutions for dependence

On worthy ends, which may advance your quiet!
Ith. I did the noble Orgilus much injury,

But grieved Penthea more; I now repent it,
Now, uncle, now; this Now is now too late.

So provident is folly in sad issue,

The afterwit, like bankrupt's debts, stands tallied,
Without all possibilities of payment.

Sure he's an honest, very honest gentleman;
A man of single meaning.

Arm. I believe it :

Yet, nephew, 'tis the tongue informs our ears;
Our eyes can never pierce into the thoughts,

For they are lodged too inward :—but I question 20
No truth in Orgilus.-The princess, sir.

Ith. The princess? ha!

Arm. With her the prince of Argos.

Enter Nearchus, leading Calantha; Amelus, Christalla, Philema.

Near. Great fair one, grace my hopes with any instance
Of livery, from the allowance of your favour;
This little spark-

Cal. A toy!

[Attempts to take a ring from her finger.

Near. Love feasts on toys,

For Cupid is a child ;-vouchsafe this bounty:
It cannot be denied.

Cal. You shall not value,

Sweet cousin, at a price, what I count cheap ;

So cheap, that let him take it, who dare stoop for't,
And give it, at next meeting, to a mistress :

She'll thank him for't, perhaps.

30

[Casts the ring before Ithocles, who takes it up.

Ame. The ring, sir, is

The princess's; I could have took it up.