Faire Em

Page 09

LUBECK. Sweet Lady, cease, let my intreaty serve To pacify the passion of thy grief, Which, well I know, proceeds of ardent love.

MARIANA. But Lubeck now regards not Mariana.

LUBECK. Even as my life, so love I Mariana.

MARIANA. Why do you post me to another then?

LUBECK. He is my friend, and I do love the man.

MARIANA. Then will Duke William rob me of my Love?

LUBECK. No, as his life Mariana he doth love.

MARIANA. Speak for your self, my Lord, let him alone.

LUBECK. So do I, Madam, for he and I am one.

MARIANA. Then loving you I do content you both.

LUBECK. In loveing him, you shall content us both: Me, for I crave that favour at your hands, He, for he hopes that comfort at your hands.

MARIANA. Leave off, my Lord, here comes the Lady Blaunch.

[Enter Blaunch to them.]

LUBECK. Hard hap to break us of our talk so soon! Sweet Mariana, do remember me.

[Exit Lubeck.]

MARIANA. Thy Mariana cannot chose but remember thee.

BLAUNCH. Mariana, well met. You are very forward in your Love?

MARIANA. Madam, be it in secret spoken to your self, if you will but follow the complot I have invented, you will not think me so forward as your self shall prove fortunate.

BLAUNCH. As how?

MARIANA. Madam, as thus: It is not unknowen to you that Sir Robert of Windsor, a man that you do not little esteem, hath long importuned me of Love; but rather then I will be found false or unjust to the Marques Lubeck, I will, as did the constant lady Penelope, undertake to effect some great task.

BLAUNCH. What of all this?

MARIANA. The next time that Sir Robert shall come in his woonted sort to solicit me with Love, I will seem to agree and like of any thing that the Knight shall demaund, so far foorth as it be no impeachment to my chastity: And, to conclude, point some place for to meet the man, for my conveyance from the Denmark Court: which determined upon, he will appoint some certain time for our departure: whereof you having intelligence, you may soon set down a plot to wear the English Crown, and than--

BLANCH. What then?

MARIANA. If Sir Robert prove a King and you his Queen, how than?

BLANCH. Were I assured of the one, as I am persuaded of the other, there were some possibility in it. But here comes the man.

MARIANA. Madam, begone, and you shall see I will work to your desire and my content.

[Exit Blanch.]

WILLIAM CON. Lady, this is well and happily met. Fortune hetherto hath beene my foe, And though I have oft sought to speak with you, Yet still I have been crot with sinister happs. I cannot, Madam, tell a loving tale Or court my Maistres with fabulous discourses, That am a souldier sworn to follow arms: But this I bluntly let you understand, I honor you with such religious Zeal As may become an honorable mind. Nor may I make my love the siege of Troy, That am a stranger in this Country. First, what I am I know you are resolved, For that my friend hath let you that to understand, The Marques Lubeck, to whom I am so bound That whilest I live I count me only his.

MARIANA. Surely you are beholding to the Marques, For he hath been an earnest spokes-man in your cause.

WILLIAM. And yields my Lady, then, at his request, To grace Duke William with her gratious love?

MARIANA. My Lord, I am a prisoner, And hard it were to get me from the Court.

WILLIAM. An easy matter to get you from the Court, If case that you will thereto give consent.

MARIANA. Put case I should, how would you use me than?

WILLIAM. Not otherwise but well and honorably. I have at Sea a ship that doth attend, Which shall forthwith conduct us into England, Where when we are, I straight will marry thee. We may not stay deliberating long, Least that suspicion, envious of our weal, Set in a foot to hinder our pretence.

MARIANA. But this I think were most convenient, To mask my face, the better to scape unknowen.

WILLIAM. A good devise: till then, Farwell, fair love.

MARIANA. But this I must intreat your grace, You would not seek by lust unlawfully To wrong my chaste determinations.

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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