A prison is as gaysome: we'll no islands;
Marry, out upon 'em! whom shall we see there?
Sea-gulls, and porpoises, and water-rats,
And crabs, and mews, and dog-fish; goodly gear
For a young lady's dealing, or an old one's!
On no terms islands; I'll be stewed first.
Bass. [Aside to GRAUSIS]

Grausis,

You are a juggling bawd.—This sadness, sweetest, Becomes not youthful blood.-[Aside to GRAUSIS] I'll have you pounded.—

For my sake put on a more cheerful mirth ;

Thou'lt mar thy cheeks, and make me old in griefs.-
Aside to GRAUSIS] Damnable bitch-fox!

Grau.

I am thick of hearing,

Still, when the wind blows southerly.-What think ye,
If your fresh lady breed young bones, my lord!
Would not a chopping boy d'ye good at heart?
But, as you said—

Bass. [Aside to GRAUSIS] I'll spit thee on a stake,
Or chop thee into collops!

Grau.

Sure, sure the wind blows south still.

Pen.

Pray, speak louder.

Thou prat'st madly.

Bass. 'Tis very hot; I sweat extremely.

In drifts; the one enter, the other stand without, sir:

And now I vanish.

1 Coaches.

[Exit,

Enter PROPHILUS, HEMOPHIL, GRONEAS, CHRISTALLA,

Pro.

and PHILEMA.

Noble Bassanes!

Bass. Most welcome, Prophilus; ladies, gentlemen, To all my heart is open; you all honour me,[Aside] A tympany swells in my head already,Honour me bountifully.-[Aside] How they flutter, Wagtails and jays together!

Pro.

From your brother

By virtue of your love to him, I require

Your instant presence, fairest.

Pen.

He is well, sir?

Pro. The gods preserve him ever! Yet, dear beauty,

I find some alteration in him lately,

Since his return to Sparta.-My good lord,

I pray, use no delay.

Bass.

We had not needed

An invitation, if his sister's health

Had not fall'n into question.-Haste, Penthea,

Slack not a minute.--Lead the way, good Prophilus ;

I'll follow step by step.

Pro.

Your arm, fair madam.

[Exeunt all but BASSANES and GRAUSIS.

Bass. One word with your old bawdship: th' hadst

been better

Railed at the sins 1 thou worshipp'st than have thwarted My will: I'll use thee cursedly

Grau.

You are beside yourself. A politician

You dote,

In jealousy? no, you're too gross, too vulgar.
Pish, teach not me my trade; I know my cue:
My crossing you sinks me into her trust,

By which I shall know all; my trade's a sure one.
Bass. Forgive me, Grausis, 'twas consideration
I relished not; but have a care now.

1 Altered by Gifford to "saints."

Grau.

I am no new-come-to't.

Bass.

Fear not,

Thy life's upon it,

And so is mine. My agonies are infinite.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The Palace. ITHOCLES' Apartment.

Enter ITHOCLES.

Ith. Ambition! 'tis of vipers' breed: it gnaws
A passage through the womb that gave it motion.
· Ambition, like a seelèd1 dove, mounts upward,
Higher and higher still, to perch on clouds,
But tumbles headlong down with heavier ruin.
So squibs and crackers fly into the air,
Then, only breaking with a noise, they vanish
In stench and smoke. Morality, applied
To timely practice, keeps the soul in tune,
At whose sweet music all our actions dance :
But this is formed of books and school-tradition;
It physics not the sickness of a mind

Broken with griefs: strong fevers are not eased
With counsel, but with best receipts and means;
Means, speedy means and certain; that's the cure.

Enter ARMOSTES and CROTOLON.

Arm. You stick, Lord Crotolon, upon a point
Too nice and too unnecessary; Prophilus
Is every way desertful. I am confident
Your wisdom is too ripe to need instruction
From your son's tutelage.

Crot.

Yet not so ripe,

My Lord Armostes, that it dare to dote

Upon the painted meat of smooth persuasion,
Which tempts me to a breach of faith.

1 Blinded by sewing up the eye-lids,

2? Bait.

Not yet

son's consent

Ith.

Resolved, my lord? Why, if your

Be so available, we'll write to Athens

For his repair to Sparta: the king's hand

Will join with our desires; he has been moved to't.
Arm. Yes, and the king himself impórtuned Crotolon
For a dispatch.

Crot.

Kings may command; their wills

Are laws not to be questioned.

Ith.

By this marriage

You knit an union so devout, so hearty,
Between your loves to me and mine to yours,
As if mine own blood had an interest in it;
For Prophilus is mine, and I am his.

Crot. My lord, my lord!

Ith.

What, good sir? speak your thought. Crot. Had this sincerity been real once, My Orgilus had not been now unwived, Nor your lost sister buried in a bride-bed: Your uncle here, Armostes, knows this truth; For had your father Thrasus lived,--but peace Dwell in his grave! I've done.

Arm.

You're bold and bitter.

Ith. [Aside]. He presses home the injury; it smarts.

No reprehensions, uncle; I deserve 'em,

Yet, gentle sir, consider what the heat

Of an unsteady youth, a giddy brain,
Green indiscretion, flattery of greatness,
Rawness of judgment, wilfulness in folly,
Thoughts vagrant as the wind and as uncertain,
Might lead a boy in years to :-'twas a fault,
A capital fault; for then I could not dive
Into the secrets of commanding love;
Since when experience, by the extremes in others,
Hath forced me collect—and, trust me, Crotolon,
I will redeem those wrongs with any service
Your satisfaction can require for current.

Arm. The acknowledgment is satisfaction:

What would you more?

Crot.

I'm conquered if Euphranea

Herself admit the motion, let it be so ;

I doubt not my son's liking.

Ith.

Use my fortunes,

Life, power, sword, and heart,—all are your own.

Arm. The princess, with your sister.

Enter CALANTHA, PENTHEA, EUPHRANEA, Christalla, PHILEMA, GRAUSIS, BASSANES, and PROPHILUS.

Cal.

I present ye

A stranger here in court, my lord; for did not

Desire of seeing you draw her abroad,

We had not been made happy in her company.

Ith. You are a gracious princess.-Sister, wedlock Holds too severe a passion in your nature,

Which can engross all duty to your husband,

Without attendance on so dear a mistress.—

[To BASSANES] 'Tis not my brother's pleasure, I presume, T'immure her in a chamber.

Bass.

'Tis her will;

She governs her own hours. Noble Ithocles,

We thank the gods for your success and welfare:
Our lady has of late been indisposed,

Else we had waited on you with the first.

Ith. How does Penthea now?

Pen.

You best know, brother,

From whom my health and comforts are derived.

Bass. [Aside.] I like the answer well; 'tis sad and

modest.

There may be tricks yet, tricks.-Have an eye, Grausis! Cal. Now, Crotolon, the suit we joined in must not Fall by too long demur.