SCENE II.

_Pavia._

_Enter_ Count MASSINO,[243] ISABELLA, ANNA, _and_ Servants.

_Mass._ Welcome to Pavy, sweet; and may this kiss Chase melancholy from thy company; Speak, my soul's joy, how fare you after travel?

_Isa._ Like one that scapeth danger on the seas, Yet trembles with cold fears, being safe on land, With bare imagination of what's past.

_Mass._ Fear keep with cowards, air[244]-stars cannot move.

_Isa._ Fear in this kind, my lord, doth sweeten love.

_Mass._ To think fear joy, dear, I cannot conjecture.

_Isa._ Fear's sire to fervency, 10 Which makes love's sweet prove nectar; Trembling desire, fear, hope, and doubtful leisure, Distil from love the quintessence of pleasure.

_Mass._ Madam, I yield to you; fear keeps with love, My oratory is too weak against you: You have the ground of knowledge, wise experience, Which makes your argument invincible.

_Isa._ You are Time's scholar, and can flatter weakness.

_Mass._ Custom allows it, and we plainly see Princes and women maintain flattery. 20

_Isa._ Anna, go see my jewels and my trunks Be aptly placèd in their several rooms.

[_Exit_ ANNA.

_Enter_ GNIACA _Count of Gaza, with_ Attendants.

My lord, Know you this gallant? Tis a complete gentleman.

_Mass._ I do; 'tis Count Gniaca, my endeared friend.

_Gni._ Welcome to Pavy; welcome, fairest lady. Your sight, dear friend, is life's restorative; This day's the period of long-wish'd content, More welcome to me than day to the world, Night to the wearied, or gold to a miser: 30 Such joy feels friendship in society.

_Isa._ [_Aside._] A rare-shaped man: compare them both together.

_Mass._ Our loves are friendly twins, both at a birth; The joy you taste, that joy do I conceive. This day's the jubilee of my desire.

_Isa._ [_Aside._] He's fairer than he was when first I saw him. This little time makes him more excellent.

_Gui._ Relate some news. Hark you; what lady's that? Be open-breasted, so will I to thee.

[_They whisper._

_Isa._ [_Aside._] Error did blind him that paints love blind; 40 For my love plainly judges difference: Love is clear-sighted, and with eagle's eyes, Undazzled, looks upon bright sun-beam'd beauty. Nature did rob herself when she made him, Blushing to see her work excel herself; 'Tis[245] shape makes mankind femelacy. Forgive me, Count Massino,[246] 'tis my fate To love thy friend, and quit thy love with hate. I must enjoy him; let hope thy passions smother; Faith cannot cool blood; I'll clip him were 't my brother. Such is the heat of my sincere affection, 51 Hell nor earth can keep love in subjection!

_Gni._ I crave your honour's pardon; my ignorance Of what you were may gain a courteous pardon.

_Isa._ There needs no pardon where there's no offence. [_Aside._] His tongue strikes music ravishing my sense: I must be sudden, else desire confounds me.

_Mass._ What sport affords this climate for delight?

_Gni._ We'll hawk and hunt to-day; as for to-morrow, Variety shall feed variety. 60

_Isa._ Dissimulation women's armour is, Aid love, belief, and female constancy.-- O I am sick, my lord! Kind Massino,[247] help me!

_Mass._ Forfend it, Heaven! Madam, sit; how fare you? My life's best comfort, speak--O speak, sweet saint!

_Isa._ Fetch art to keep life; run, my love, I faint; My vital breath runs coldly through my veins; I see lean death, with eyes imaginary, Stand fearfully before me; here my end, A wife unconstant, yet thy loving friend! 70

_Mass._ As swift as thought fly I to wish thee aid.

[_Exit._

_Isa._ Thus innocence by craft is soon betray'd.-- My Lord Gniaca, 'tis your art must heal me; I am love-sick for your love; love, love, for loving! I blush for speaking truth; fair sir, believe me, Beneath the moon nought but your frown can grieve me.

_Gni._ Lady, by Heaven, methinks this fit is strange.

_Isa._ Count not my love light for this sudden change: By Cupid's bow I swear, and will avow, I never knew true perfect love till now. 80

_Gni._ Wrong not yourself, me, and your dearest friend; Your love is violent, and soon will end. Love is not love unless love doth persever; That love is perfect love that loves for ever.

_Isa._ Such love is mine; believe it, well-shaped youth, Though women use to lie, yet I speak truth. Give sentence for my life, or speedy death. Can you affect me?

_Gni._ I should belie my thoughts to give denial; But then to friendship I must turn disloyal. 90 I will not wrong my friend; let that suffice.

_Isa._ I'll be a miracle; for love a woman dies.

[_Offers to stab herself._

_Gni._ Hold, madam; these are soul-killing passions. I'd rather wrong my friend than you yourself.

_Isa._ Love me, or else, by Jove, death's but delay'd. My vow is fix'd in heaven; fear shall not move me; My life is death with tortures 'less you love me.

_Gni._ Give me some respite, and I will resolve you.

_Isa._ My heart denies it; My blood is violent; now or else never. 100 Love me! and like love's queen I'll fall before thee, Enticing dalliance from thee with my smiles, And steal thy heart with my delicious kisses. I'll study art in love, that in a rapture[248] Thy soul shall taste pleasure's excelling nature. Love me! Both art and nature in large recompense Shall be profuse in ravishing thy sense.

_Gni._ You have prevail'd; I am yours from all the world; Thy wit and beauty have entranced my soul; 110 I long for dalliance, my blood burns like fire. Hell's pain on earth is to delay desire!

_Isa._ I kiss thee for that breath. This day you hunt; In midst of all your sports leave you Massino;[249] Return to me, whose life rests in thy sight, Where pleasure shall make nectar our delight.

_Gni._ I condescend to what thy will implores me; He that but now neglected thee adores thee. But see, here comes my friend; fear makes him tremble.

_Enter_ MASSINO,[250] ANNA, _and_ Doctor.

_Isa._ Women are witless that cannot dissemble: 120 Now I am sick again.--Where's my Lord Massino?[250] His love and my health's vanish'd both together.

_Mass._ Wrong not thy friend, dear friend, in thy extremes; Here's a profound Hippocrates, my dear, To administer to thee the spirit of health.

_Isa._ Your sight to me, my lord, excels all physic; I am better far, my love, than when you left me; Your friend was comfortable to me at the last. 'Twas but a fit, my lord, and now 'tis past. Are all things ready, sir? 130

_Anna._ Yes, madam, the house is fit.

_Gni._ Desire in women is the life of wit.

[_Exeunt omnes._

[243] Old eds. "GUIDO." The prefix to Massino's speeches throughout the scene is "_Gui._"

[244] Quy. "our stars"?--The sense would be "Our fortunes cannot change."

[245] Here, as frequently throughout this play, the text is hopelessly corrupt.--Quy. "_His_ shape makes mankind _females' jealousy_"? On p. 137 we have the word _female_ as a substantive--"Than trust a _female_ mourning o'er her love."

[246] Old eds. "Forgiue me, Rogero."

[247] Old eds. "Rogero."

[248] Old eds. "rupture."

[249] Old eds. "Rogero."

[250] Old eds. "Rogero."