 
Soliman. How long shall Soliman spend his time, And waste his days in fruitless obsequies? Perhaps my grief and long-continual moan Adds but a trouble to my brothers' ghost[s], Which, but for me, would now have took their rest: Then, farewell sorrow; and now, revenge, draw near. In controversy touching the isle of Rhodes, My brothers died; on Rhodes I'll be reveng'd: Now tell me, Brusor, what's the news at Rhodes? Hath the young Prince of Cyprus married Cornelia, daughter to the governor? Brusor. He hath, my lord, with the greatest pomp, That e'er I saw at such a festival. Soliman. What, greater than at our coronation? Brusor. Inferior to that only. Soliman. At tilt who won the honour of the day? Brusor. A worthy knight of Rhodes, a matchless man, His name Erastus, not twenty years of age, Not tall, but well-proportion'd in his limbs: I never saw, except your excellence, A man whose presence more delighted me; And, had he worshipp'd Mahomet for Christ, He might have borne me thoroughout all the world, So well I lov'd and honoured the man. Soliman. These praises, Brusor, touch me to the heart, And make me wish that I had been at Rhodes Under the habit of some errant knight, Both to have seen and tried his valour. Brusor. You should have seen him foil and overthrow All the knights that there encountered him. Soliman. Whate'er he be, ev'n for his virtue's sake, I wish that fortune of our holy wars Would yield him prisoner unto Soliman, That for retaining one so virtuous We may ourselves be fam'd for virtues. But let him pass; and, Brusor, tell me now, How did the Christians use our knights? Brusor. As if that we and they had been one sect. Soliman. What think'st thou of their valour and demeanour? Brusor. Brave men at arms, and friendly out of arms; Courteous in peace, in battle dangerous; Kind to their foes, and liberal to their friends; And, all in all, their deeds heroical. Soliman. Then tell me, Brusor, how is Rhodes fenced? For either Rhodes shall be brave Soliman's, Or cost me more brave soldiers Than all that isle will bear. Brusor. Their fleet is weak; Their horse, I deem them fifty thousand strong; Their footmen more, well exercised in war; And, as it seems, they want no needful victual. Soliman. However Rhodes be fenc'd by sea or land, It either shall be mine, or bury me.
What is he that thus boldly enters in? His habit argues him a Christian. Erastus. Ay, worthy lord, a forlorn Christian. Soliman. Tell me, man, what madness brought thee hither? Erastus. Thy virtuous fame and mine own misery. Soliman. What misery? speak; for though you Christians Account our Turkish race but barbarous, And justice to defend the innocent, And pity to such as are in poverty, And liberal hands to such as merit bounty. Brusor. My gracious sov'reign, as this knight Seems by grief tied to silence, So his deserts bind me to speak for him: This is Erastus, the Rhodian worthy, The flow'r of chivalry and courtesy. Soliman. Is this the man that thou hast so described? Stand up, fair knight, that what my heart desires, Mine eyes may view with pleasure and delight. This face of thine should harbour no deceit. Erastus, I'll not yet urge to know the cause That brought thee hither, lest With the discourse thou shouldst afflict thyself, And cross the fulness of my joyful passion. But that we are assured, Heav'n's brought thee hither for our benefit, Know thou that Rhodes, nor all that Rhodes contains, Shall win thee from the side of Soliman, If we but find thee well-inclin'd to us. Erastus. If any ignoble or dishonourable thoughts Should dare attempt or but creep near my heart, Honour should force disdain to root it out! As air-bred eagles, That any of their brood but close their sight When they should gaze against the glorious sun, They straightway seize upon him with their talents, That on the earth it may untimely die, For looking but askew at heav'n's bright eye. Soliman. Erastus, to make thee well-assured How well thy speech and presence liketh us, Ask what thou wilt, it shall be granted thee. Erastus. Then this, my gracious lord, is all I crave That, being banish'd from my native soil, I may have liberty to live a Christian. Soliman. Ay, that, or anything thou shalt desire; Thou shalt be captain of our Janissaries, And in our council shalt thou sit with us, And be great Soliman's adopted friend. Erastus. The least of these surpass my best desert, Unless true loyalty may seem desert. Soliman. Erastus, now thou hast obtained thy boon, Deny not Soliman this one request; A virtuous envy pricks me with desire To try thy valour: say, art thou content? Erastus. Ay, if my sov'reign say content, I yield. Soliman. Then give us swords and targets: And now, Erastus, think thee mine enemy, But ever after thy continual friend; And spare me not, for then thou wrong'st my honour. [Then they fight, and Erastus overcomes Soliman. Nay, nay, Erastus, throw not down thy weapons, As if thy force did fail; it is enough That thou hast conquer'd Soliman by strength: By courtesy let Soliman conquer thee. And now from arms to council sit thee down. Before thy coming I vow'd to conquer Rhodes: Say, wilt thou be our lieutenant there, And further us in manage of these wars? Erastus. My gracious sovereign, without presumption, If poor Erastus may once more entreat, Let not great Soliman's command, To whose behest I vow obedience, Enforce me sheathe my slaught'ring blade In the dear bowels of my countrymen: And, were it not that Soliman hath sworn, My tears should plead for pardon in that place. I speak not this to shrink away for fear, Or hide my head in time of dangerous storms: Against the Persians or the barbarous Moor, Erastus will be foremost in the battle. Soliman. Why favour'st thou thy countrymen so much, By whose cruelty thou art exil'd? Erastus. 'Tis not my country, but Philippo's wrath (It must be told) for Ferdinando's death, Whom I in honour's cause have reft of life. Soliman. Nor suffer this or that to trouble thee: Thou shalt not need Philippo nor his isle; Nor shalt thou war against thy countrymen: I like thy virtue in refusing it. But, that our oath may have his current course, Brusor, go levy men; Prepare a fleet t' assault and conquer Rhodes. Meantime Erastus and I will strive By mutual kindness to excel each other. Brusor, begone; and see not Soliman, Till thou hast brought Rhodes in subjection. [Exit Brusor. And now, Erastus, come and follow me, Where thou shalt see what pleasures and what sports My minions and my eunuchs can devise To drive away this melancholy mood. [Exit Soliman.
Piston. O master, see where I am. Erastus. Say, Piston, what's the news at Rhodes? Piston. Cold and comfortless for you: Will you have them all at once? Erastus. Ay. Piston. Why, the governor will hang you, and he catch you: Ferdinando is buried; your friends commend them to you; Perseda hath the chain, and is like to die for sorrow. Erastus. Ay, that's the grief, that we are parted thus: Come, follow me, and I will hear the rest; For now I must attend the emperor. [Exeunt.
Perseda. Accursed chain! unfortunate Perseda! Lucina. Accursed chain! unfortunate Lucina! My friend is gone, and I am desolate. Perseda. My friend is gone, and I am desolate:— Return him back, fair stars, or let me die. Lucina. Return him back, fair heav'ns, or let me die; For what was he but comfort of my life? Perseda. For what was he but comfort of my life? But why was I so careful of the chain? Lucina. But why was I so careless of the chain? Had I not lost it, my friend had not been slain. Perseda. Had I not ask'd it, my friend had not departed; His parting is my death.
His death's my life's departing; And here my tongue doth stay with swoll'n heart's-grief. Perseda. And here my swoll'n heart's grief doth stay my tongue. Basilisco. For whom weep you? Lucina. Ah, for Ferdinando's dying. Basilisco. For whom mourn you? Perseda. Ah, for Erastus' flying. Basilisco. Why, lady, is not Basilisco here? Why, lady, doth not Basilisco live? Am not I worth both these for whom you mourn? Then take each one half of me, and cease to weep; Or if you gladly would enjoy me both, I'll serve the one by day, the other by night: And I will pay you both your sound delight. Lucina. Ah, how unpleasant is mirth to melancholy! Perseda. My heart is full; I cannot laugh at folly. [Exeunt Ladies. Basilisco. See, see, Lucina hates me like a toad, Because that, when Erastus spake my name, Her love Ferdinando died at the same: So dreadful is our name to cowardice. On the other side, Perseda takes it unkindly That, ere he went, I brought not bound unto her Erastus, that faint-hearted runaway. Alas! how could I? for his man no sooner Inform'd him that I sought him up and down. But he was gone in twinkling of an eye. But I will after my delicious love; For well I wot, though she dissemble thus, And cloak affection with her modesty, With love of me her thoughts are overgone, More than was Phillis with her Demophon. [Exit.
Philippo. Brave Prince of Cyprus, and our son-in-law, Now there is little time to stand and talk; The Turks have pass'd our gallies, and are landed: You with some men-at-arms shall take the tower; I with the rest will down into the strand: If we be beaten back, we'll come to you; And here, in spite of damned Turks, we'll gain A glorious death or famous victory. Cyprus. About it, then. [Exeunt.
Brusor. Drum, sound a parley to the citizens. [The Prince of Cyprus on the walls. Cyprus. What parley craves the Turkish at our hands? Brusor. We come with mighty Soliman's command, Monarch and mighty emperor of the world, From east to west, from south to septentrion. If you resist, expect what war affords— Mischief, murder, blood, and extremity. What, wilt thou yield, and try our clemency? Say, ay or no; for we are peremptory. Cyprus. Your lord usurps in all that he possesseth: And that great God, which we do truly worship, Shall strengthen us against your insolence. Brusor. Now, if you plead for mercy, 'tis too late. Come, fellow-soldiers, let us to the breach, That's made already on the other side. [Exeunt to the battle. Philippo and Cyprus are both slain.
Brusor. Now Rhodes is yok'd, and stoops to Soliman; There lies the governor, and there his son: now let Their souls tell sorry tidings to their ancestors, What millions of men opprest with ruin and scathe The Turkish armies did in Christendom. What say these pris'ners? will they turn Turk or no? Julio. Guelpio. And Guelpio, rather than deny his Christ. Brusor. Then stab the slaves, and send their souls to hell. [They stab Julio and Guelpio. Basilisco. I turn, I turn; O, save my life, I turn. Brusor. Forbear to hurt him: when we land in Turkey, He shall be circumcis'd, and have his rites. Basilisco. Think you I turn Turk for fear of servile death? 'Tis for Perseda, whom I love so well, That I would follow her, though she went to hell. Brusor. Now for these ladies: their life's privilege Hangs on their beauty; they shall be preserved To be presented to great Soliman, The greatest honour fortune could afford. Perseda. The most dishonour that could e'er befall. [Exeunt.
Love. Now, Fortune, what hast thou done in this latter Passage? Fortune. I plac'd Erastus in the favour Of Soliman the Turkish emperor. Love. Nay, that was Love, for I couched myself In poor Erastus' eye, and with a look, O'erspread with tears, bewitched Soliman: Beside, I sat on valiant Brusor's tongue To guide the praises of the Rhodian And lastly, Love made Basilisco's tongue To countercheck his heart by turning Turk, And save his life, in spite of Death's despite. Death. How chanc'd Could neither save Philippo nor his son, Nor Guelpio, nor Signior Julio, Nor rescue Rhodes from out the hands of Death? Fortune. Why, Brusor's victory was Fortune's gift. Death. But had I slept, his conquest had been small. Love. Wherefore stay we? there's more behind, Which proves that, though Love wink, Love's not stark blind. [Exeunt. FOOTNOTES:"Richard. "Nay, if thou be that princely eagle's bird, Show thy descent by gazing 'gainst the sun." |
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