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,45
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 that50
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!55

Zir. Put up, put up! such unbecoming anger
I have not seen you wear before. What, draw
Upon your friend![Discovers himself
Do you believe me right now?

Ther. I scarce believe mine eyes! Zorannes?

Zir. The same; but how preserv'd, or why thus long60
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,65
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 but70
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.75
Your forces in the province are not yet