The Two Noble Kinsmen | Page 4

and respect me.
2. QUEEN.
For your Mothers sake,?And as you wish your womb may thrive with faire ones,?Heare and respect me.
3. QUEEN
Now for the love of him whom Iove hath markd?The honour of your Bed, and for the sake?Of cleere virginity, be Advocate?For us, and our distresses. This good deede?Shall raze you out o'th Booke of Trespasses?All you are set downe there.
THESEUS.
Sad Lady, rise.
HIPPOLITA.
Stand up.
EMILIA.
No knees to me.?What woman I may steed that is distrest,?Does bind me to her.
THESEUS.
What's your request? Deliver you for all.
1. QUEEN.
We are 3. Queenes, whose Soveraignes fel before?The wrath of cruell Creon; who endured?The Beakes of Ravens, Tallents of the Kights,?And pecks of Crowes, in the fowle feilds of Thebs.?He will not suffer us to burne their bones,?To urne their ashes, nor to take th' offence?Of mortall loathsomenes from the blest eye?Of holy Phoebus, but infects the windes?With stench of our slaine Lords. O pitty, Duke:?Thou purger of the earth, draw thy feard Sword?That does good turnes to'th world; give us the Bones?Of our dead Kings, that we may Chappell them;?And of thy boundles goodnes take some note?That for our crowned heades we have no roofe,?Save this which is the Lyons, and the Beares,?And vault to every thing.
THESEUS.
Pray you, kneele not:?I was transported with your Speech, and suffer'd?Your knees to wrong themselves; I have heard the fortunes?Of your dead Lords, which gives me such lamenting?As wakes my vengeance, and revenge for'em,?King Capaneus was your Lord: the day?That he should marry you, at such a season,?As now it is with me, I met your Groome,?By Marsis Altar; you were that time faire,?Not Iunos Mantle fairer then your Tresses,?Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreathe?Was then nor threashd, nor blasted; Fortune at you?Dimpled her Cheeke with smiles: Hercules our kinesman?(Then weaker than your eies) laide by his Club,?He tumbled downe upon his Nemean hide?And swore his sinews thawd: O greife, and time,?Fearefull consumers, you will all devoure.
1. QUEEN.
O, I hope some God,?Some God hath put his mercy in your manhood?Whereto heel infuse powre, and presse you forth?Our undertaker.
THESEUS.
O no knees, none, Widdow,?Vnto the Helmeted Belona use them,?And pray for me your Souldier.?Troubled I am. [turnes away.]
2. QUEEN.
Honoured Hypolita,?Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slaine?The Sith-tuskd Bore; that with thy Arme as strong?As it is white, wast neere to make the male?To thy Sex captive, but that this thy Lord,?Borne to uphold Creation in that honour?First nature stilde it in, shrunke thee into?The bownd thou wast ore-flowing, at once subduing?Thy force, and thy affection: Soldiresse?That equally canst poize sternenes with pitty,?Whom now I know hast much more power on him?Then ever he had on thee, who ow'st his strength?And his Love too, who is a Servant for?The Tenour of thy Speech: Deere Glasse of Ladies,?Bid him that we, whom flaming war doth scortch,?Vnder the shaddow of his Sword may coole us:?Require him he advance it ore our heades;?Speak't in a womans key: like such a woman?As any of us three; weepe ere you faile;?Lend us a knee;?But touch the ground for us no longer time?Then a Doves motion, when the head's pluckt off:?Tell him if he i'th blood cizd field lay swolne,?Showing the Sun his Teeth, grinning at the Moone,?What you would doe.
HIPPOLITA.
Poore Lady, say no more:?I had as leife trace this good action with you?As that whereto I am going, and never yet?Went I so willing way. My Lord is taken?Hart deepe with your distresse: Let him consider:?Ile speake anon.
3. QUEEN.
O my petition was [kneele to Emilia.]?Set downe in yce, which by hot greefe uncandied?Melts into drops, so sorrow, wanting forme,?Is prest with deeper matter.
EMILIA.
Pray stand up,?Your greefe is written in your cheeke.
3. QUEEN.
O woe,?You cannot reade it there, there through my teares--?Like wrinckled peobles in a glassie streame?You may behold 'em. Lady, Lady, alacke,?He that will all the Treasure know o'th earth?Must know the Center too; he that will fish?For my least minnow, let him lead his line?To catch one at my heart. O pardon me:?Extremity, that sharpens sundry wits,?Makes me a Foole.
EMILIA.
Pray you say nothing, pray you:?Who cannot feele nor see the raine, being in't,?Knowes neither wet nor dry: if that you were?The ground-peece of some Painter, I would buy you?T'instruct me gainst a Capitall greefe indeed--?Such heart peirc'd demonstration; but, alas,?Being a naturall Sifter of our Sex?Your sorrow beates so ardently upon me,?That it shall make a counter reflect gainst?My Brothers heart, and warme it to some pitty,?Though it were made of stone: pray, have good comfort.
THESEUS.
Forward to'th Temple, leave not out a Iot?O'th sacred Ceremony.
1. QUEEN.
O, This Celebration?Will long last, and be more costly then?Your Suppliants war: Remember that your Fame?Knowles in the eare o'th world: what you doe quickly?Is not done rashly; your first thought is more?Then others laboured meditance: your premeditating?More then their actions: But, oh Iove! your actions,?Soone as they mooves, as Asprayes