Gni. I do confess the truth, and must admire
That women can command rare man’s desire. 60
Isa. Cease admiration, sit to Cupid’s feast,
The preparation to Paphian dalliance;
Harmonious music, breathe thy silver airs
To stir up appetite to Venus’ banquet,
That breath of pleasure that entrances souls,
Making that instant happiness a heaven,
In the true taste of love’s deliciousness.
Gni. Thy words are able to stir cold desire
Into his flesh that lies entomb’d in ice,
Having lost the feeling use of warmth in blood; 70
Then how much more in me, whose youthful veins,
Like a proud river, overflow their bounds?
Pleasure’s ambrosia, or love’s nourisher,
I long for privacy; come, let us in;
’Tis custom, and not reason, makes love sin.
Isa. I’ll lead the way to Venus’ paradise,
Where thou shalt taste that fruit that made man wise.
[Exit Isabella.
Gni. Sing notes of pleasure to elate our blood:
Why should heaven frown on joys that do us good?
I come, Isabella, keeper of love’s treasure, 80
To force thy blood to lust, and ravish pleasure.
[Exit.
After some short song, enter Isabella and Gniaca again, she hanging about his neck lasciviously.
Gni. Still I am thy captive, yet thy thoughts are free;
To be love’s bondman is true liberty.
I have swum in seas of pleasure without ground,
Ventrous desire past depth itself hath drown’d.
Such skill has beauty’s art in a true lover,
That dead desire to life it can recover.
Thus beauty our desire can soon advance,
Then straight again kill it with dalliance.
Divinest women, your enchanting breaths 90
Give lovers many lives and many deaths!
Isa. May thy desire to me for ever last,
Not die but surfeit on my delicates;
And as I tie this jewel about thy neck,
So may I tie thy constant love to mine,
Never to seek weaking variety,
That greedy curse of man and woman’s hell,
Where nought but shame and loath’d diseases dwell.