Leo. Ah! Phi, Nay, do not think me less than such a cure; Philippo may succeed. My blood and house Leo. My repulse Phi. Let not that torture you which makes me happy, Nor think that conscience, fair, which is no shame; 'Twas no repulse, it was your dowry rather: For then methought a thousand graces met To make you lovely, and ten thousand stories Of constant virtue, which you then out-reach'd, In one example did proclaim you rich; Nor do I think you wretched or disgraced After this suffering, and do therefore take Advantage of your need; but rather know, You are the charge and business of those powers, Who, like best tutors, do inflict hard tasks Upon great natures, and of noblest hopes; Read trivial lessons and half-lines to slugs: They that live long, and never feel mischance, Spend more than half their age in ignorance, Leo. "Tis well you think so. Phi. You shall think so too, You shall, sweet Leocadia, and do so. Leo. Good sir, no more; you have too fair a shape To play so foul a part in, as the Tempter. Say that I could make peace with fortune; who, My contract made? Phi. Your contract? Leo. Phi. Sweet, nothing less. Leo. I have no name then. How can you be his wife, who was before Leo. Oh! though he dispense With his faith given, I cannot with mine. Phi. You do mistake, clear soul; his precontract Doth annul yours, and you have giv'n no faith That ties you, in religion, or humanity : You rather sin against that greater precept, To covet what's another's; sweet, you do, Believe me, who dare not urge dishonest things. Remove that scruple therefore, and but take Your dangers now into your judgment's scale, And weigh them with your safeties. Think but whither Now you can go; what you can do to live; How near you have barr'd all ports to your own succour, Should you be left alone, you were a prey And think you want the man you personate; Each current keeps his course, and all suspicions Go home, and, by the virtue of that charm, Transform Transform all mischiefs as you are transform'd, Unfold the riddles you have made.-What say you? If you be chang'd, let a kiss tell me so. Leo. I am: but how, I rather feel than know.98 BONDUCA. A TRAGEDY. BY JOHN Bonduca, the British Queen, taking occasion from a Defeat of the Romans to impeach their Valour, is rebuked by Caratach. BONDUCA, CARATACH, HENGO, NENNIUS, Soldiers. That with the sun measure the end of Nature, Twice 98 This is one of the most pleasing if not the most shining scenes in Fletcher. All is sweet, natural, and unforced. It is a copy which we may suppose Massinger to have profited by the studying. T Twice we have beat them, Nennius, scatter'd them, And through their big-boned Germans, on whose pikes The honour of their actions sit in triumph, Made themes for songs to shame them: and a woman, A woman beat them, Nennius; a weak woman, A woman beat these Romans. Car. So it seems. A man would shame to talk so. Bon. Cousin, do you grieve at my fortunes? If I grieve 'tis at the bearing of your fortunes; That Rome has fled before us twice, and routed. And we that have been victors, beat ourselves, Car. No, Bonduca, So what we say exceed not what we do. Ye call the Romans fearful, fleeing Romans, And Roman girls, the lees of tainted pleasures: Does this become a doer? are they such? Bon. They are no more. Car. Where is your conquest then? Why are your altars crown'd with wreaths of flowers, The beasts with gilt horns waiting for the fire? The holy Druides composing songs Of everlasting life to Victory? Why are these triumphs, lady? for a may-game? Is it no more? shut up your temples, Britons, Let's home and sleep; for such great overthrows A glow-worm's tail too full of flame. O Nennius, And how to speak to him, how to give him weight Bon. By the gods, I think Ye doat upon these Romans, Caratach. Car. Witness these wounds, I do; they were fairly given. I love an enemy, I was born a soldier ; Were the more stubborn metal, have I wrought through, And |