Rom. Shall I still then [65]
Speake truth, and be ill vnderstood?
Cha. You are not.
I am conscious, I haue wrong’d you, and allow me
Only a morall man to looke on you,
Whom foolishly I haue abus’d and iniur’d,
Must of necessity be more terrible to me, [70]
Than any death the Iudges can pronounce
From the tribunall which I am to plead at.
Rom. Passion transports you.
Cha. For what I haue done
To my false Lady, or Nouall, I can
Giue some apparent cause: but touching you, [75]
In my defence, childlike, I can say nothing,
But I am sorry for’t, a poore satisfaction:
And yet mistake me not: for it is more
Then I will speake, to haue my pardon sign’d
For all I stand accus’d of.
Rom. You much weaken [80]
The strength of your good cause. Should you but thinke
A man for doing well could entertaine
A pardon, were it offred, you haue giuen
To blinde and slow-pac’d iustice, wings, and eyes
To see and ouertake impieties, [85]
Which from a cold proceeding had receiu’d
Indulgence or protection.
Cha. Thinke you so?
Rom. Vpon my soule nor should the blood you chalenge
And took to cure your honour, breed more scruple
In your soft conscience, then if your sword [90]
Had bin sheath’d in a Tygre, or she Beare,
That in their bowels would haue made your tombe
To iniure innocence is more then murther:
But when inhumane lusts transforme vs, then
Like beasts we are to suffer, not like men [95]
To be lamented. Nor did Charalois euer
Performe an act so worthy the applause
Of a full theater of perfect men,
As he hath done in this: the glory got
By ouerthrowing outward enemies, [100]
Since strength and fortune are maine sharers in it,
We cannot but by pieces call our owne:
But when we conquer our intestine foes,
Our passions breed within vs, and of those
The most rebellious tyrant powerfull loue, [105]
Our reason suffering vs to like no longer
Then the faire obiect being good deserues it,
That’s a true victory, which, were great men
Ambitious to atchieue, by your example
Setting no price vpon the breach of fayth, [110]
But losse of life, ’twould fright adultery
Out of their families, and make lust appeare
As lothsome to vs in the first consent,
As when ’tis wayted on by punishment.
Cha. You haue confirm’d me. Who would loue a woman [115]
That might inioy in such a man, a friend?
You haue made me know the iustice of my cause,
And mark’t me out the way, how to defend it.
Rom. Continue to that resolution constant,
And you shall, in contempt of their worst malice, [120]
Come off with honour. Heere they come.
Cha. I am ready.