 
Piston. Faith, master, methinks you are unwise That you wear not the high sugarloaf hat Erastus. Peace, fool! a sable weed fits discontent: Away, be gone. Piston. I'll go provide your supper: A shoulder of mutton and never a salad. [Exit Piston. Erastus. I must confess that Soliman is kind Past all compare, and more than my desert: But what helps gay garments, when the mind's oppress'd? What pleaseth the eye, when the sense is alter'd? My heart is overwhelm'd with thousand woes, And melancholy leads my soul in triumph; No marvel, then, if I have little mind Of rich embroidery or costly ornaments: Of honour's titles, or of wealth, or gain: Of music, viands, or of dainty dames. No, no; my hope full long ago was lost, And Rhodes itself is lost, or else destroy'd: If not destroy'd, yet bound and captivate; If captivate, then forc'd from holy faith; If forc'd from faith, for ever miserable: For what is misery but want of God? And God is lost, if faith be overthrown.
Soliman. Why, how now, Erastus, always in thy dumps? Still in black habit, fitting funeral? Cannot my love persuade thee from this mood, Nor all my fair entreats and blandishments? Wert thou my friend, thy mind would jump with mine; Perhaps thou doubt'st my friendship's constancy; Then dost thou wrong the measure of my love, Which hath no measure, and shall never end. Come, Erastus, sit thee down by me, And I'll impart to thee our Brusor's news; News to our honour and to thy content: The governor is slain, that sought thy death. Erastus. A worthy man, though not Erastus' friend. Soliman. The Prince of Cyprus, too, is likewise slain. Erastus. Fair blossom, likely to have prov'd good fruit. Soliman. Rhodes is taken, and all the men are slain, Except some few that turn to Mahomet. Erastus. Ay, there it is: now all my friends are slain, And fair Perseda murder'd or deflowr'd: Ah, gracious Soliman! now show thy love In not denying thy poor suppliant; Suffer me not to stay here in thy presence, But by myself lament me once for all: Here if I stay, I must suppress my tears, And tears suppress'd will but increase my sorrow. Soliman. Go, then, go spend thy mournings all at once, That in thy presence Soliman may joy; For hitherto have I reap'd little pleasure. [Exit Erastus. Well, well, Erastus, Rhodes may bless thy birth: For his sake only will I spare them more, From spoil, pillage, and oppression, Than Alexander spared warlike Thebes For Pindarus; or than Augustus Spared rich Alexandria for Arias' sake.
Brusor. My gracious lord, rejoice in happiness: All Rhodes is yok'd, and stoops to Soliman. Soliman. First, thanks to heav'n; and next, to Brusor's valour, Which I'll not guerdon with large promises; But straight reward thee with a bounteous largess. But what two Christian virgins have we here? Brusor. Part of the spoil of Rhodes, which were preserved To be presented to your mightiness. Soliman. This present pleaseth more than all the rest; And, were their garments turn'd from black to white, I should have deem'd them Juno's goodly swans, Or Venus' milkwhite doves: so mild they are, And so adorn'd with beauty's miracle. Here, Brusor, this kind turtle shall be thine; Take her, and use her at thy pleasure: But this kind turtle is for Soliman, That her captivity may turn to bliss. Fair looks, resembling Phoebus' radiant beams; Smooth forehead, like the table of high Jove; Small pencill'd eyebrows, like two glorious rainbows; Quick lamplike eyes, like heav'n's two brightest orbs; Lips of pure coral, breathing ambrosy; Cheeks, where the rose and lily are in combat; Neck, whiter than the snowy Apenines, Breasts, like two overflowing fountains, 'Twixt which a vale leads to th' Elysian shades, Where under covert lies the fount of pleasure, Which thoughts may guess, but tongue must not profane; A sweeter creature nature never made: Now, fair virgin, let me hear thee speak. Perseda. What can my tongue utter but grief and death? Soliman. The sound is honey, but the sense is gall: Then, sweeting, bless me with a cheerful look. Perseda. How can mine eyes dart forth a pleasant look, When they are stopp'd with floods of flowing tears? Soliman. If tongue with grief, and eyes with tears be fill'd, Say, virgin, how doeth thy heart admit The pure affection of great Soliman? Perseda. My thoughts are like pillars of adamant, Too hard to take a new impression. Soliman. Nay, then, I see, my stooping makes her proud; She is my vassal, and I will command. To thwart the will and pleasure of a king? Why, thy life is done, if I but say the word. Perseda. Why, that's the period that my heart desires. Soliman. And die thou shalt, unless thou change thy mind. Perseda. Nay, then, Perseda grows resolute: Soliman's thoughts and mine resemble Lines parallel, Soliman. Then kneel thee down, And at my hands receive the stroke of death, Doom'd to thyself by thine own wilfulness. Perseda. Strike, strike; thy words pierce deeper than thy blows. Soliman. Brusor, hide her; for her looks withhold me. [Then Brusor hides her with a lawn. O Brusor, thou hast not hid her lips; For there sits Venus with Cupid on her knee, And all the graces smiling round about her, So craving pardon, that I cannot strike. Brusor. Her face is cover'd over quite, my lord. Soliman. Why, so: O Brusor, seest thou not Her milkwhite neck, that alabaster tower? 'Twill break the edge of my keen scimitar, And pieces, flying back, will wound myself. Brusor. Now she is all covered, my lord. Soliman. Why now at last she dies. Perseda. O Christ, receive my soul! Soliman. Hark, Brusor; she calls on Christ: I will not send her to him. Her words are music; The selfsame music that in ancient days Brought Alexander from war to banqueting. And made him fall from skirmishing to kissing. No, my dear love would not let me kill thee, Though majesty would turn desire to wrath: There lies my sword, humbled at thy feet; And I myself, that govern many kings, Entreat a pardon for my rash misdeed. Perseda. Now Soliman wrongs his imperial state; But if thou love me, and have hope to win, Grant me one boon that I shall crave of thee. Soliman. Whate'er it be, Perseda, I grant it thee. Perseda. Then let me live a Christian virgin still, Unless my state shall alter by my will. Soliman. My word is past, and I recall my passions: What should he do with crowns and empery, That cannot govern private, fond affections? Yet give me leave in honest sort to court thee, To ease, though not to cure, my malady! Come, sit thee down upon my right-hand here; This seat I keep void for another friend.— Go, Janissaries, call in your governor; So shall I joy between two captive friends, And yet myself be captive to them both, If friendship's yoke were not at liberty:— See where he comes, my other best-beloved.
Perseda. My sweet and best-beloved! Erastus. My sweet and best-beloved! Perseda. For thee, my dear Erastus, have I liv'd. Erastus. And I for thee, or else I had not liv'd. Soliman. What words in affection do I see? Erastus. Ah, pardon me, great Soliman; for this is she For whom I mourn'd more than for all Rhodes, And from whose absence I derived my sorrow. Perseda. And pardon me, my lord; for this is he For whom I thwarted Soliman's entreats, And for whose exile I lamented thus. Erastus. Ev'n from my childhood have I tender'd thee; Witness the heavens of my unfeigned love. Soliman. By this one accident I well perceive, That heav'ns and heav'nly powers do manage love. I love them both, I know not which the better: They love each other best. What then should follow, But that I conquer both by my deserts, And join their hands, whose hearts are knit already?— Erastus and Perseda, come you hither, And both give me your hands.— Erastus, none but thou couldst win Perseda: Perseda, none but thou couldst win Erastus— From great Soliman; so well I love you both. And now, to turn late promises to good effect, Be thou, Erastus, governor of Rhodes: By this thou shalt dismiss my garrison. Brusor. Must he reap that, for which I took the toil? Come envy, then, and sit in friendship's seat; How can I love him that enjoys my right? [Aside. Soliman. Give me a crown to crown the bride withal.— [Then he crowns Perseda. Perseda, for my sake, wear this crown.— Now is she fairer than she was before; This title so augments her beauty, as the fire That lay, with honour's hand rak'd up in ashes, Revives again to flames: the force is such. Remove the cause, then the effect will die; They must depart, or I shall not be quiet. [Aside. Erastus and Perseda, marvel not, That all in haste I wish you to depart; There is an urgent cause, but privy to myself: Command my shipping for to waft you over.
My gracious lord, when Erastus doth forget This favour, then let him live abandoned and forlorn. Perseda. Nor will Perseda slack ev'n in her prayers; But still solicit God for Soliman, Whose mind hath prov'd so good and gracious. [Exeunt. Soliman. Farewell, Erastus: Perseda, farewell too! Methinks, I should not part with two such friends, The one so renowned for arms and courtesy, The other so adorned with grace and modesty: Yet of the two Perseda moves me most, Ay, and so moves me, that I now repent, That e'er I gave away my heart's desire; What was it but abuse of fortune's gift? And therefore fortune now will be reveng'd; What was it but abuse of love's command? And therefore mighty love will be reveng'd. Heav'ns, love, and fortune, all three have decreed, That I shall love her still, and lack her still: Like ever-thirsting, wretched Tantalus. Foolish Soliman, why did I strive To do him kindness, and undo myself? Well-govern'd friends do first regard themselves. Brusor. Ay, now occasion serves to stumble him, That thrust his sickle in my harvest-corn.— [Aside. Pleaseth your majesty to hear Brusor speak? Soliman. To one past cure good counsel comes too late— Yet say thy mind. Brusor. With secret letters woo her, and with gifts. Soliman. My lines and gifts will but return my shame. Lucina. Hear me, my lord; let me go over to Rhodes, That I may plead in your affection's cause: One woman may do much to win another. Soliman. Indeed, Lucina, were her husband from her, She happily might be won by thy persuades; But whilst he lives, there is no hope in her. Brusor. Why lives he then to grieve great Soliman? This only remains, that you consider, In two extremes the least is to be chosen. If so your life depend upon her love, And that her love depends upon his life, Is it not better that Erastus die Ten thousand deaths, than Soliman should perish?
Ay, say'st thou so? why, then, it shall be so: But by what means shall poor Erastus die? Brusor. This shall be the means: I'll fetch him back again Under colour of great consequence; No sooner shall he land upon our shore, But witness shall be ready to accuse him Of treason done against your mightiness, And then he shall be doom'd by martial law. Soliman. O fine device! Brusor, get thee gone: Come thou again; but let the lady stay To win Perseda to my will: meanwhile, Will I prepare the judge and witnesses; And if this take effect, thou shalt be viceroy, And fair Lucina queen of Tripoli: Brusor, be gone; for, till thou come, I languish. [Exeunt Brusor and Lucina. And now, to ease my troubled thoughts at last, I will go sit among my learned eunuchs, And hear them play, and see my minions dance; For till that Brusor bring me my desire, I may assuage, but never quench, love's fire. [Exit.
Basilisco. Since the expugnation of the Rhodian isle, Methinks a thousand years are overpass'd, More for the lack of my Perseda's presence, Than for the loss of Rhodes, that paltry isle, My valour everywhere shall purchase friends; And where a man lives well, there is his country. Alas! the Christians are but very shallow In giving judgment of a man at arms— A man of my desert and excellence: The Turks, whom they account for barbarous, Having foreheard of Basilisco's worth, A number underprop me with their shoulders, And in procession bear me to the church, As I had been a second Mahomet. I, fearing they would adore me for a god, Wisely inform'd them that I was but man, Although in time, perhaps, I might aspire To purchase godhead, as did Hercules; I mean, by doing wonders in the world. Amidst their church they bound me to a pillar, And to make trial of my valiancy, They lopp'd a collop off my tenderest member; But think you Basilisco squich'd Ev'n as a cow for tickling in the horn! That done, they set me on a milkwhite ass, Compassing me with goodly ceremonies. That day, methought I sat in Pompey's chair, And view'd the capitol, and was Rome's greatest glory.
Piston. I would my master had left Some other to be his agent here: 'Faith, I am weary of the office already— What, signor Tremomundo, That rid a pilgrimage to beg cake-bread? Basilisco. O, take me not unprovided; let me fetch my weapon. Piston. Why, I meant nothing but a basolus manus.
No? didst thou not mean to give me the privy stab? Piston. No, by my troth, sir. Basilisco. Nay, if thou hadst, I had not fear'd thee, I; I tell thee, my skin holds out pistol-proof. Piston. Pistol-proof? I'll try if it will hold out pin-proof. [Then he pricks him with a pin. Basilisco. O, shoot no more; great god, I yield to thee. Piston. I see his skin is pistol-proof, but The girdle upward. What sudden agony was that? Basilisco. Why, saw'st thou not how Cupid, god of love, Not daring look me in the martial face, Came like a coward, stealing after me, And with his pointed dart prick'd my posteriors? Piston. Then hear my opinion concerning that point: The ladies of Rhodes, hearing that you have lost A capital part of your lady-ware, Have made their petition to Cupid To plague you above all other, As one prejudicial to their muliebrity. Now, sir, Cupid seeing you already hurt before, Thinks it a greater punishment to hurt you behind; Therefore I would wish you to have an eye to the back-door. Basilisco. 'Sooth, thou say'st, I must be fenc'd behind: I'll hang my target there. Piston. Indeed, that will serve to bear off some blows. When you run away in a fray. Basilisco. Sirrah, sirrah, what art thou, That thus encroachest upon my familiarity Without special admittance? Piston. Why, do you not know me? I am Erastus' man. Basilisco. What, art thou that petty pigmy, That challeng'd me at Rhodes, Whom I refus'd to combat for his minority? Where is Erastus? I owe him chastisement in Perseda's quarrel. Piston. Do not you know, that they are all friends, And Erastus married to Perseda, And Erastus made governor of Rhodes, And I left here to be their agent? Basilisco. Piston. The more shame for you. Basilisco. And is she link'd in liking with my foe? Piston. That's because you were out of the way. Basilisco. O wicked Turk, for to steal her hence! Piston. O wicked turncoat, that would have her stay! Basilisco. The truth is, I will be a Turk no more. Piston. And I fear thou wilt never prove good Christian. Basilisco. I will after to take revenge. Piston. And I'll stay here about my master's business. Basilisco. Farewell, Constantinople; I will to Rhodes. [Exit. Piston. Farewell, counterfeit fool! God send him good shipping: 'tis nois'd about that Brusor Is sent to fetch my master back again; I cannot be well, till I hear the rest of the news, Therefore I'll about it straight. [Exit.
Love. Now, Fortune, what hast thou done in this latter act? Fortune. I brought Perseda to the presence Of Soliman, the Turkish Emperor, And gave Lucina into Brusor's hands. Love. And first I stang them with consenting love; And made great Soliman, sweet beauty's thrall, Humble himself at fair Perseda's feet, And made him praise love and captive beauty. Again I made him to recall his passions, And give Perseda to Erastus' hands, And after make repentance of the deed. Fortune. Meantime, I fill'd Erastus' sails with wind, And brought him home unto his native land. Death. And I suborn'd Brusor with envious rage To counsel Soliman to slay his friend. Brusor is sent to fetch him back again. Mark well what follows; for the history |
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