A street near the harbor
Enter Alsemero.
ALSEMERO
’Twas in the temple where I first beheld her,
And now again the same; what omen yet
Follows of that? None but imaginary.
Why should my hopes or fate be timorous?
The place is holy, so is my intent:
I love her beauties to the holy purpose,
And that methinks admits comparison
With man’s first creation, the place blest,
And is his right home back, if he achieve it.
The church hath first begun our interview
And that’s the place must join us into one,
So there’s beginning and perfection too.
Enter Jasperino.
JASPERINO
O sir, are you here? Come, the wind’s fair with you;
Y’are like to have a swift and pleasant passage.
ALSEMERO
Sure y’are deceived, friend; ’tis contrary
In my best judgment.
JASPERINO
What, for Malta?
If you could buy a gale amongst the witches,
They could not serve you such a lucky pennyworth
As comes a’ God’s name.
ALSEMERO
Even now I observ’d
The temple’s vane to turn full in my face;
I know ’tis against me.
JASPERINO
Against you?
Then you know not where you are.
ALSEMERO
Not well indeed.
JASPERINO
Are you not well, sir?
ALSEMERO
Yes, Jasperino,
Unless there be some hidden malady
Within me that I understand not.
JASPERINO
And that
I begin to doubt, sir; I never knew
Your inclinations to travels at a pause
With any cause to hinder it till now.
Ashore you were wont to call your servants up,
And help to trap your horses for the speed.
At sea I have seen you weigh the anchor with ‘em,
Hoist sails for fear to lose the foremost breath,
Be in continual prayers for fair winds;
And have you chang’d your orisons?
ALSEMERO
No, friend,
I keep the same church, same devotion.
JASPERINO
Lover I’m sure y’are none: the stoic
Was found in you long ago; your mother
Nor best friends, who have set snares of beauty,
Ay, and choice ones too, could never trap you that way.
What might be the cause?
ALSEMERO
Lord, how violent
Thou art: I was but meditating of
Somewhat I heard within the temple.
JASPERINO
Is this violence? ’Tis but idleness
Compar’d with your haste yesterday.
ALSEMERO
I’m all this while a-going, man.
Enter [Two] Servants [to Alsemero].
JASPERINO
Backwards, I think, sir. Look, your servants.
FIRST SERVANT
The seamen call; shall we board your trunks?
ALSEMERO
No, not today.
JASPERINO
’Tis the critical day,
It seems, and the sign in Aquarius.
SECOND SERVANT
We must not to sea today; this smoke will bring forth fire.
ALSEMERO
Keep all on shore; I do not know the end,
Which needs I must do, of an affair in hand
Ere I can go to sea.
FIRST SERVANT
Well, your pleasure.
SECOND SERVANT
[Aside to First Servant] Let him e’en take his leisure too; we are safer on land.
Exeunt [Alsemero’s] Servants. Enter Beatrice, Diaphanta, and Servants. [Alsemero bows to Beatrice and kisses her.]
JASPERINO
[Aside] How now! The laws of the Medes are chang’d sure: salute a woman! He kisses too: wonderful! Where learnt he this? And does it perfectly too; in my conscience he ne’er rehears’d it before. Nay, go on, this will be stranger and better news at Valencia than if he had ransom’d half Greece from the Turk!
BEATRICE
You are a scholar, sir.
ALSEMERO
A weak one, lady.
BEATRICE
Which of the sciences is this love you speak of?
ALSEMERO
From your tongue I take it to be music.
BEATRICE
You are skillful in’t, can sing at first sight.
ALSEMERO
And I have show’d you all my skill at once.
I want more words to express me further
And must be forc’d to repetition:
I love you dearly.
BEATRICE
Be better advis’d, sir:
Our eyes are sentinels unto our judgments,
And should give certain judgment what they see;
But they are rash sometimes, and tell us wonders
Of common things, which when our judgments find,
They can then check the eyes, and call them blind.
ALSEMERO
But I am further, lady; yesterday
Was mine eyes’ employment, and hither now
They brought my judgment, where are both agreed.
Both houses then consenting, ’tis agreed,
Only there wants the confirmation
By the hand royal; that’s your part, lady.
BEATRICE
Oh, there’s one above me, sir. [Aside] For five days past
To be recall’d! Sure, mine eyes were mistaken;
This was the man was meant me. That he should come
So near his time, and miss it!
JASPERINO
[Aside] We might have come by the carriers from Valencia, I see, and sav’d all our sea-provision: we are at farthest sure. Methinks I should do something too; I meant to be a venturer in this voyage. Yonder’s another vessel: I’ll board her; if she be lawful prize, down goes her topsail!
Enter Deflores.
DEFLORES
Lady, your father —
BEATRICE
Is in health, I hope.
DEFLORES
Your eye shall instantly instruct you, lady.
He’s coming hitherward.
BEATRICE
What needed then
Your duteous preface? I had rather
He had come unexpected; you must stall
A good presence with unnecessary blabbing:
And how welcome for your part you are,
I’m sure you know.
DEFLORES
[Aside] [Will’t] never mend, this scorn,
One side nor other? Must I be enjoin’d
To follow still whilst she flies from me? Well,
Fates do your worst, I’ll please myself with sight
Of her, at all opportunities,
If but to spite her anger. I know she had
Rather see me dead than living, and yet
She knows no cause for’t but a peevish will.
ALSEMERO
You seem’d displeas’d, lady, on the sudden.
BEATRICE
Your pardon, sir, ’tis my infirmity,
Nor can I other reason render you
Than his or hers, [of] some particular thing
They must abandon as a deadly poison,
Which to a thousand other tastes were wholesome;
Such to mine eyes is that same fellow there,
The same that report speaks of the basilisk.
ALSEMERO
This is a frequent frailty in our nature;
There’s scarce a man amongst a thousand sound
But hath his imperfection: one distastes
The scent of roses, which to infinites
Most pleasing is and odoriferous.
One oil, the enemy of poison,
Another wine, the cheerer of the heart,
And lively refresher of the countenance.
Indeed this fault, if so it be, is general:
There’s scarce a thing but is both lov’d and loath’d;
Myself, I must confess, have the same frailty.
BEATRICE
And what may be your poison, sir? I am bold with you.
ALSEMERO
What might be your desire perhaps, a cherry.
BEATRICE
I am no enemy to any creature
My memory has but yon gentleman.
ALSEMERO
He does ill to tempt your sight, if he knew it.
BEATRICE
He cannot be ignorant of that, sir;
I have not spar’d to tell him so, and I want
To help myself, since he’s a gentleman
In good respect with my father and follows him.
ALSEMERO
He’s out of his place then now.
JASPERINO
I am a mad wag, wench.
DIAPHANTA
So methinks; but for your comfort I can tell you we have a doctor in the city that undertakes the cure of such.
JASPERINO
Tush, I know what physic is best for the state of mine own body.
DIAPHANTA
’Tis scarce a well-govern’d state, I believe.
JASPERINO
I could show thee such a thing with an [ingredient] that we two would compound together, and if it did not tame the maddest blood i’ th’ town for two hours after, I’ll ne’er profess physic again.
DIAPHANTA
A little poppy, sir, were good to cause you sleep.
JASPERINO
Poppy! I’ll give thee a pop i’ th’ lips for that first, and begin there. [He kisses her.] Poppy is one simple indeed, and cuckoo, what you call’t, another: I’ll discover no more now; another time I’ll show thee all.
Enter Vermandero and Servants.
BEATRICE
My father, sir.
VERMANDERO
Oh, Joanna, I came to meet thee.
Your devotion’s ended?
BEATRICE
For this time, sir.
[Aside] I shall change my saint, I fear me: I find
A giddy turning in me. — Sir, this while
I am beholding to this gentleman
Who left his own way to keep me company,
And in discourse I find him much desirous
To see your castle: he hath deserv’d it, sir,
If ye please to grant it.
VERMANDERO
With all my heart, sir.
Yet there’s an article between: I must know
Your country. We use not to give survey
Of our chief strengths to strangers; our citadels
Are plac’d conspicuous to outward view
On promonts’ tops, but within are secrets.
ALSEMERO
A Valencian, sir.
VERMANDERO
A Valencian?
That’s native, sir; of what name, I beseech you?
ALSEMERO
Alsemero, sir.
VERMANDERO
Alsemero? Not the son
Of John de Alsemero?
ALSEMERO
The same, sir.
VERMANDERO
My best love bids you welcome.
BEATRICE
[Aside] He was wont
To call me so, and then he speaks a most
Unfeigned truth.
VERMANDERO
Oh, sir, I knew your father.
We two were in acquaintance long ago
Before our chins were worth iulan down,
And so continued till the stamp of time
Had coin’d us into silver. Well, he’s gone;
A good soldier went with him.
ALSEMERO
You went together in that, sir.
VERMANDERO
No, by Saint Jaques, I came behind him;
Yet I have done somewhat too. An unhappy day
Swallowed him at last at Gibraltar
In fight with those rebellious Hollanders,
Was it not so?
ALSEMERO
Whose death I had reveng’d,
Or followed him in fate, had not the late league
Prevented me.
VERMANDERO
Ay, ay, ’twas time to breath.
Oh, Joanna, I should ha’ told thee news:
I saw Piracquo lately.
BEATRICE
[Aside] That’s ill news.
VERMANDERO
He’s hot preparing for this day of triumph;
Thou must be a bride within this sevennight.
ALSEMERO
[Aside] Ha!
BEATRICE
Nay, good sir, be not so violent; with speed
I cannot render satisfaction
Unto the dear companion of my soul,
Virginity, whom I thus long have liv’d with,
And part with it so rude and suddenly,
Can such friends divide never to meet again
Without a solemn farewell?
VERMANDERO
Tush, tush, there’s a toy.
ALSEMERO
[Aside] I must now part, and never meet again
With any joy on earth. — Sir, your pardon,
My affairs call on me.
VERMANDERO
How, sir? By no means;
Not chang’d so soon, I hope? You must see my castle
And her best entertainment ere we part;
I shall think myself unkindly us’d else.
Come, come, let’s on; I had good hope your stay
Had been a while with us in Alicant;
I might have bid you to my daughter’s wedding.
ALSEMERO
[Aside] He means to feast me, and poisons me beforehand. —
I should be dearly glad to be there, sir,
Did my occasions suit as I could wish.
BEATRICE
I shall be sorry if you be not there
When it is done, sir, but not so suddenly.
VERMANDERO
I tell you, sir, the gentleman’s complete,
A courtier and a gallant, enrich’d
With many fair and noble ornaments;
I would not change him for a son-in-law
For any he in Spain, the proudest he,
And we have great ones, that you know.
ALSEMERO
He’s much
Bound to you, sir.
VERMANDERO
He shall be bound to me,
As fast as this tie can hold him; I’ll want
My will else.
BEATRICE
[Aside] I shall want mine if you do it.
VERMANDERO
But come, by the way I’ll tell you more of him.
ALSEMERO
[Aside] How shall I dare to venture in his castle
When he discharges murderers at the gate?
But I must on, for back I cannot go.
BEATRICE
[Aside] Not this serpent gone yet?
VERMANDERO
Look, girl, thy glove’s fall’n;
Stay, stay, Deflores, help a little.
DEFLORES
Here, lady.
[He hands Beatrice her glove.]
BEATRICE
Mischief on your officious forwardness;
Who bade you stoop? They touch my hand no more:
There, for t’other’s sake I part with this;
Take ‘em and draw thine own skin off with ‘em.
Exeunt. [Manet Deflores.]
DEFLORES
Here’s a favour come with a mischief: now
I know she had rather wear my pelt tann’d
In a pair of dancing pumps than I should
Thrust my fingers into her sockets here.
I know she hates me, yet cannot choose but love her:
No matter, if but to vex her, I’ll haunt her still;
Though I get nothing else, I’ll have my will.
Exit.