MARIANA.

True, my Lord, he came to see fair Blanch.

LUBECK.

No, Mariana, that is not it. His love to Blanch Was then extinct, when first he saw thy face.

'Tis thee he loves; yea, thou art only she That is maistres and commander of his thoughts.

MARIANA.

Well, well, my Lord, I like you, for such drifts Put silly Ladies often to their shifts.

Oft have I heard you say you loved me well, Yea, sworn the same, and I believed you too.

Can this be found an action of good faith Thus to dissemble where you found true love?

LUBECK.

Mariana, I not dissemble, on mine honour, Nor fails my faith to thee. But for my friend, For princely William, by whom thou shalt possess The t.i.tle of estate and Majesty, Fitting thy love, and vertues of thy mind-- For him I speak, for him do I intreat, And with thy favour fully do resign To him the claim and interest of my love.

Sweet Mariana, then, deny me not: Love William, love my friend, and honour me, Who else is clean dishonored by thy means.

MARIANA.

Borne to mishap, my self am only she On whom the Sun of Fortune never shined: But Planets ruled by retrogard aspect Foretold mine ill in my nativity.

LUBECK.

Sweet Lady, cease, let my intreaty serve To pacify the pa.s.sion of thy grief, Which, well I know, proceeds of ardent love.

MARIANA.

But Lubeck now regards not Mariana.

LUBECK.

Even as my life, so love I Mariana.

MARIANA.

Why do you post me to another then?

LUBECK.

He is my friend, and I do love the man.

MARIANA.

Then will Duke William rob me of my Love?

LUBECK.

No, as his life Mariana he doth love.

MARIANA.

Speak for your self, my Lord, let him alone.

LUBECK.

So do I, Madam, for he and I am one.

MARIANA.

Then loving you I do content you both.

LUBECK.

In loveing him, you shall content us both: Me, for I crave that favour at your hands, He, for he hopes that comfort at your hands.

MARIANA.

Leave off, my Lord, here comes the Lady Blaunch.

[Enter Blaunch to them.]

LUBECK.

Hard hap to break us of our talk so soon!

Sweet Mariana, do remember me.

[Exit Lubeck.]

MARIANA.

Thy Mariana cannot chose but remember thee.

BLAUNCH.

Mariana, well met. You are very forward in your Love?

MARIANA.

Madam, be it in secret spoken to your self, if you will but follow the complot I have invented, you will not think me so forward as your self shall prove fortunate.

BLAUNCH.

As how?

MARIANA.

Madam, as thus: It is not unknowen to you that Sir Robert of Windsor, a man that you do not little esteem, hath long importuned me of Love; but rather then I will be found false or unjust to the Marques Lubeck, I will, as did the constant lady Penelope, undertake to effect some great task.

BLAUNCH.

What of all this?

MARIANA.

The next time that Sir Robert shall come in his woonted sort to solicit me with Love, I will seem to agree and like of any thing that the Knight shall demaund, so far foorth as it be no impeachment to my chast.i.ty: And, to conclude, point some place for to meet the man, for my conveyance from the Denmark Court: which determined upon, he will appoint some certain time for our departure: whereof you having intelligence, you may soon set down a plot to wear the English Crown, and than--

BLANCH.

What then?

MARIANA.

If Sir Robert prove a King and you his Queen, how than?

BLANCH.

Were I a.s.sured of the one, as I am persuaded of the other, there were some possibility in it. But here comes the man.

MARIANA.

Madam, begone, and you shall see I will work to your desire and my content.

[Exit Blanch.]

WILLIAM CON.

Lady, this is well and happily met.