User:Sbh/Sir Clyomon and Sir Clamydes (critical edition)/Scene i

Explanatory Notes

 * waltering: weltering.


 * Clamydes: Sometimes the name is to be pronounced (as here) “Clămīděs,” at other times “Clāmĭdēs.”—Bullen.


 * joys: Q reads “ioyes”—which Dr. Brinsley Nicholson takes to be “joyess.” (“Joys” is to be pronounced as a dissyllable.—There is no difficulty with the “it” in the next line; for, as Dyce remarks “our early writers sometimes apply ‘it’ to a preceding plural substantive.”)—Bullen.


 * safety: A trisyllable here: see Walker’s Shakespeare’s Versification, &c., p. 158.—Dyce.


 * For why: (a frequently recurring expression) = because. In Q "For why" is printed as part of the following line. It is difficult to deal with such extra-metrical words.—Bullen.


 * bearing lesser brain: "Bearing lesser brain" is curious and not very intelligible. The common expression "bear a brain" meant—be attentive, be wary. Perhaps in the present passage we might read "bearing better brain" (unless the corruption lies in the word "brain").—Bullen.


 * silly: poor, weak.


 * a foreign stranger mere: one who is not wholly a stranger. So again sc. iii. l. 48.—Bullen.


 * perstand: This word (in the sense of “understand”) occurs two or three times in the present play; but I do not remember to have met it elsewhere.—Bullen.


 * needsly: necessarily.


 * coast: quarter, region.— “Marche. A region, coast, or quarter.”—Cotgrave.—Bullen.


 * For why: Because.


 * hight: called.


 * Endeavor: i.e. Exert.—Dyce.

Old Spelling
Enter Clamydes.
 * Lamy. As to the wearie wãdring wights, whom waltring waues enuirõ,
 * No greater ioy of ioyes may be, then when from out the Ocean
 * They may behold the Altitude of Billowes to abate,
 * For to obſerue the Longitude of Seas in former rate,
 * And hauing then the latitude of Sea-roome for to paſſe,
 * Their ioy is greater through the griefe, then erſt before it was.
 * So likewiſe I Clamydes, Prince of Swauia, Noble ſoyle,
 * Bringing my Barke to Denmarke here, to bide the bitter broyle:
 * And beating blowes of Billowes high, while raging ſtormes did laſt,
 * My griefes was greater then might be, but tempeſts ouerpaſt,
 * Such gentle calmes enſued hath, as makes my ioyes more
 * Through terror of the former feare, then erſt it was before.
 * So that I ſit in ſafety, as Sea-man vnder ſhrowdes
 * When he perceiues the ſtorms be paſt, through vanqiſhing of Clowdes;
 * For why, the doubtfull care that draue me off, in daunger to preuaile,
 * Is daſhed through bearing leſſer braine, and keeping vnder ſaile:
 * So that I haue through trauell long, at laſt poſſeſt the place
 * Whereas my Barke in harbour ſafe, doth pleaſures great embrace:
 * And hath ſuch licenſe limited, as heart can ſeeme to aſke,
 * To go and come, of cuſtome free, or any other taſke:
 * I meane by Iuliana ſhe, that blaze of bewties breeding,
 * And for her noble gifts of grace, all other dames exceeding;
 * Shee hath from bondage ſet me free, and freed, yet ſtill bound
 * To her, aboue all other Dames that liues vpon the ground;
 * For had not ſhe bene mercifull, my ſhip had ruſht on Rocks,
 * And ſo decayed amids the ſtormes, through force of clubbiſh knocks:
 * But when ſhe ſaw the daunger great, where ſubiect I did ſtand,
 * In bringing of my ſilly Barke full fraught from out my land,
 * She like a meeke and modeſt Dame, what ſhould I elſe ſay more?
 * Did me permit with full conſent to land vpon her ſhore:
 * Vpon true promiſe that I would, here faithfull ſtill remain,
 * And that performe which ſhe had vowed, for thoſe that ſhould obtaine
 * Her princely perſon to poſſeſſe, which thing to know I ſtay,
 * And then aduenturouſly for her, to paſſe vpon my way.
 * Loe where ſhe comes, ah peereles dame, my Iuliana deare.

Enter Iuliana with a white Sheeld.
 * Iuliana. My Clamydes, of troth, Sir Prince, to make you ſtay thus here,
 * I profer too much iniurie, thats doubtleſſe on my part;
 * But let it no occaſion giue, to breede within your hart
 * Miſtruſt that I ſhould forge or faine, with you my Loue in ought.
 * Clamy. No Lady, touching you, in me doth lodge no ſuch a thought,
 * But thankes for your great curteſie that would ſo friendly heere
 * In mids of miſerie receiue a forraine ſtraunger meere:
 * But Lady ſay, what is your will, that it I may perſtand?


 * Iulia. Sir Prince, vpon a vow who ſpowſeth me, muſt needſly take in hand
 * The flying Serpent for to ſley, which in the Forreſt is,
 * That of strange maruels beareth name; which Serpent doth not mis,
 * By dayly vſe from euery coaſt that is adyacent there,
 * To fetch a Virgin maide or wife, or elſe ſome Lady faire,
 * To feed his hungrie panch withall, if caſe he can them take,
 * His nature loe it onely is, of women ſpoyle to make:
 * Which thing no doubt, did daunt me much, and made me vow indeed,
 * Who ſhould eſpouſe me for his wife, ſhould bring to me his head:
 * Whereto my father willingly, did giue his like conſent:
 * Lo Sir Clamydes, now you know what is my whole intent:
 * And if you will, as I haue ſaid, for me this trauell take,
 * That I am yours, with heart and mind, your full account do make.


 * Cla. Ah Lady, if caſe theſe trauels ſhould ſurmount, the trauels whereby came
 * Vnto the worthies of the world, ſuch noble brute and fame,
 * Yea though the dangers ſhould ſurpaſſe ſtout Hercules his toyle,
 * Who fearing naught the dogged feend, ſterne Serbarus did foyle.
 * Take here my hand, if life and limbe the liuing Gods do lend,
 * To purchaſe thee, the deareſt drop of bloud my heart ſhall ſpend.
 * And therefore Lady, lincke with me, thy loyall heart for aye,
 * For I am thine til fates vntwine of vital life the ſtay,
 * Proteſting here if Gods aſſiſt, the Serpent for to kil.


 * Iuli. Then ſhalt thou of all women win, the heart and great good wil,
 * And me poſſeſſe for ſpowſed wife, who in election am
 * To haue the Crowne of Denmarke here, as heire vnto the ſame;
 * For why, no children hath my ſire beſides mee, but one other,
 * And he indeed is heire before, for that he is my brother.
 * And Clyomon ſo hight his name, but where he doth remaine,
 * Vnto my Parents is vnknowne, for once he did obtaine
 * Their good wills for to go abroad, a while to ſpend his daies
 * In purchaſing through actiue deeds both honor, laud, and praiſe,
 * Whereby he might deſerue to haue the order of a Knight:
 * But this omitting vnto thee, Clamydes here I plight
 * My faith and troth, if what is ſaid by me thou doſt performe.


 * Clamy. :If not, be ſure O Lady with my life, I neuer will returne.


 * Iuli. Then as thou ſeemeſt in thine attire, a Virgins Knight to be,
 * Take thou this Sheeld likewiſe of white, and bear thy name by me,
 * The white Knight of the Siluer Sheeld, to eleuate thy praiſe.


 * Clamy. O Lady as your pleaſure is, I ſhall at all aſſayes
 * Endeuour my good will to win, if Mars do ſend me might,
 * Such honour as your grace with ioy, ſhall welcome home your Knight.


 * Iuli. Then farewell my deare Clamydes, the gods direct thy way,
 * And graunt that with the Serpents head, behold thy face I may.

Exit.
 * Clamy. You ſhall not need to doubt thereof, O faithfull Dame ſo true,
 * And humbly kiſſing here thy hand, I bid thy grace adue.
 * Ah happie time and blisfull day, wherein by fate I find
 * Such friendly fauours as is foode, to feede both heart and mind:
 * To Suauia ſoyle I ſwiftly will prepare my foot-ſteps right,
 * There of my father to receiue the order of a Knight,
 * And afterwards addreſſe my ſelfe in hope of honours Crowne,
 * Both Tyger fell and Monſter fierce, by dint for to driue downe.
 * The flying Serpent ſoone ſhall feele, how boldly I dare vaunt me,
 * And if that Hydras head ſhe had, yet dread ſhould neuer daunt me.
 * If murdering Minataure, a man might count this ougly beaſt,
 * Yet for to win a Lady ſuch, I do account it leaſt.
 * Of trauels toyle to take in hand, and therefore farewell care,
 * For hope of honour ſends me forth, mongſt warlike wights to ſhare.

Exit.