AMADINE.
Yet give him leave to speak for my sake.
BREMO.
Speak on, but be not over-long.
MUCEDORUS.
In time of yore, when men like brutish beasts
Did lead their lives in loathsome cells and woods,
And wholly gave themselves to witless will,
A rude unruly rout, then man to man
Became a present prey, then might prevailed,
The weakest went to wall.
Right was unknown, for wrong was all in all.
As men thus lived in this great outrage,
Behold, one Orpheus came, as poets tell,
And them from rudeness unto reason brought,
Who led by reason, soon forsook the woods;
Instead of caves, they built them castles strong;
Cities and towns were founded by them then.
Glad were they, that they found such ease,
And in the end they grew to perfect amity.
Weighing their former wickedness,
They term’d the time wherein they lived then
A golden age, a goodly golden age.
Now, Bremo, for so I hear thee called,
If men which lived tofore, as thou dost now,
Wild in the woods, addicted all to spoil,
Returned were by worthy Orpheus’ means,
Let me, like Orpheus, cause thee to return
From murder, bloodshed, and like cruelty.
What, should we fight before we have a cause?
No, let us live and love together faithfully.
I’ll fight for thee—
BREMO.
Or fight for me, or die: or fight or else thou diest!
AMADINE.
Hold, Bremo, hold!
BREMO.
Away, I say, thou troublest me.
AMADINE.
You promised me to make me your queen.
BREMO.
I did, I mean no less.
AMADINE.
You promised that I should have my will.
BREMO.
I did, I mean no less.