Pro. With pardon, lady, not a syllable
Of mine implies so rude a sense; the drift-

Enter ORGILUS, disguised as before.

[To Org.] Do thy best

To make this lady merry for an hour.

Org. Your will shall be a law, sir.

Pen.

[Exit PROPHILUS.

Prithee, leave me ; 15

I have some private thoughts I would account with; Use thou thine own.

Speak on, fair nymph; our souls

Org.
Can dance as well to music of the spheres

As any's who have feasted with the gods.

Pen. Your school-terms are too troublesome.

Org.

Refines mortality from dross of earth

What Heaven

21

But such as uncompounded beauty hallows

With glorified perfection?

Pen.

In a less wild proportion.

Org.

Set thy wits

Time can never

On the white table of unguilty faith

Write counterfeit dishonour; turn those eyes,

The arrows of pure love, upon that fire,

25

Five

Which once rose to a flame, perfumed with vows
As sweetly scented as the incense smoking
On Vesta's altars,

the holiest odours, virgin's tears,

30

sprinkled, like dews, to feed them

And to increase their fervour.

*

Pen.

Be not frantic,

35

Org. All pleasures are but mere imagination,
Feeding the hungry appetite with steam
And sight of banquet, whilst the body pines,
Not relishing the real taste of food :
Such is the leanness of a heart divided
From intercourse of troth-contracted loves;
No horror should deface that precious figure
Sealed with the lively stamp of equal souls.

40

Pen. Away! some Fury hath bewitched thy tongue:
The breath of ignorance, that flies from thence,
Ripens a knowledge in me of afflictions

Above all sufferance.-Thing of talk, begone!
Begone, without reply!

Org.

Be just, Penthea,

In thy commands; when thou send'st forth a doom
Of banishment, know first on whom it lights.
Thus I take off the shroud, in which my cares
Are folded up from view of common eyes.

45

50

[Throws off his Scholar's dress.

What is thy sentence next?

Pen.

Rash man! thou lay'st

A blemish on mine honour, with the hazard
Of thy too-desperate life: yet I profess,
By all the laws of ceremonious wedlock,
I have not given admittance to one thought
Of female change since cruelty enforced
Divorce betwixt my body and my heart.
Why would you fall from goodness thus?
Org.

Examine me, how I could live to say

55

O, rather

I have been much, much wronged. 'Tis for thy sake
I put on this imposture dear Penthea,

If thy soft bosom be not turned to marble,
Thou'lt pity our calamities; my interest
Confirms me thou art mine still.

Pen.

With both of mine I clasp it thus, thus kiss it,

61

Lend your hand;

65

Thus kneel before ye.

[PENTHEA kneels.

Org.

You instruct my duty.

[ORGILUS kneels.

Pen. We may stand up. [They rise.] Have you

aught else to urge

Of new demand? as for the old, forget it;

'Tis buried in an everlasting silence,

And shall be, shall be ever : what more would ye? 70

Org. I would possess my wife; the equity Of very reason bids me.

Pen.

Is that all?

Org. Why, 'tis the all of me, myself.

Pen.

Remove

Your steps some distance from me :-at this space
A few words I dare change; but first put on
Your borrowed shape.

Org.

75

You are obeyed; 'tis done.
[He resumes his disguise.

Pen. How, Orgilus, by promise I was thine
The heavens do witness; they can witness too
A rape done on my truth: how I do love thee
Yet, Orgilus, and yet, must best appear
In tendering thy freedom; for I find

80

The constant preservation of thy merit,
By thy not daring to attempt my fame.
With injury of any loose conceit,

85

Which might give deeper wound to discontents.
Continue this fair race: then, though I cannot
Add to thy comfort, yet I shall more often
Remember from what fortune I am fall'n,
And pity mine own ruin.-Live, live happy,-
Happy in thy next choice, that thou mayst people 90
This barren age with virtues in thy issue!
And O, when thou art married, think on me
With mercy, not contempt! I hope thy wife,
Hearing my story, will not scorn my fall.—
Now let us part.

Org.

Part! yet advise thee better: 95

Penthea is the wife to Orgilus,

And ever shall be.

Pen.

Org. How!

Pen.

Never shall nor will.

Hear me; in a word I'll tell thee why.

The virgin-dowry which my birth bestowed
Is ravished by another; my true love
Abhors to think that Orgilus deserved
No better favours than a second bed.
Org. I must not take this reason.
Pen.

100

To confirm it ;

Should I outlive my bondage, let me meet
Another worse than this and less desired,
If, of all men alive, thou shouldst but touch
My lip or hand again!

Org.

Penthea, now

105

I tell ye, you grow wanton in my sufferance :
Come, sweet, thou'rt mine.

Pen.

Uncivil sir, forbear!

IIO

Or I can turn affection into vengeance;

Your reputation, if you value any,

Lies bleeding at my feet. Unworthy man,
If ever henceforth thou appear in language,
Message, or letter, to betray my frailty,
I'll call thy former protestations lust,

And curse my stars for forfeit of my judgment.
Go thou, fit only for disguise, and walks,
To hide thy shame this once I spare thy life.
I laugh at my own confidence; my sorrows
By thee are made inferior to my fortunes.
If ever thou didst harbour worthy love,
Dare not to answer. My good genius guide me,
That I may never see thee more !-Go from me!

Org. I'll tear my vcil of politic French off,
And stand up like a man resolved to do:
Action, not words, shall show me.-O Penthea!

115

I 20

125

[Exit.

Pen. He sighed my name, sure, as he parted from

me:

I fear I was too rough. Alas, poor gentleman!
He looked not like the ruins of his youth,
But like the ruins of those ruins. Honour,

130

How much we fight with weakness to preserve thee !

Bass.

[Walks aside.

Enter BASSANES and GRAUSIS.

Fie on thee! damn thee, rotten maggot, damn thee!