Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/115

] All that is man about you into council:

Where is the princess, sir?

Ther. Why, what of her?

Zir. The king must have her.

Ther. How?

Zir. The king must have her, sir.

Ther. Though fear of worse makes ill still relish better,

And this look handsome in our friendship, Ziriff,

Yet so severe a preparation

There needed not. Come, come, what is't? [Ziriff leads him to the door, and shows him a guard A guard!

Thersames, thou art lost,

Betray'd by faithless and ungrateful man,

Out of a happiness. [He steps between the door and him, and draws The very thought of that

Will lend my anger so much noble justice,

That, wert thou master of as much fresh life as

Thou'st been of villainy, it should not serve,

Nor stock thee out to glory or repent

The least of it!

Zir. Put up, put up! such unbecoming anger

I have not seen you wear before. What, draw

Upon your friend!

Do you believe me right now?

Ther. I scarce believe mine eyes! Zorannes?

Zir. The same; but how preserv'd, or why thus long

Disguis'd, to you a freer hour must speak.

That y'are betray'd, is certain; but by whom,

Unless the priest himself, I cannot guess,

More than the marriage though he knows not of.

If you now send her on this early summons,

Before the sparks are grown into a flame,

You do redeem th' offence, or make it less;

And, on my life, yet his intents are fair;

And he will but besiege, not force affection:

So you gain time. If you refuse, there's but

One way; you know his power and passion.

Ther. Into how strange a labyrinth am I

Now fall'n! what shall I do, Zorannes?

Zir. Do, sir, as seamen that have lost their light

And way: strike sail, and lie quiet a while.

Your forces in the province are not yet