Marina gets

All praises, which are paid as debts,

And not as given. This so darks

In Philoten all graceful marks,

That Cleon's wife, with envy rare,

A present murderer does prepare

For good Marina, that her daughter

Might stand peerless by this slaughter.

The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,

Lychorida, our nurse, is dead,

And cursed Dionyza hath

The pregnant instrument of wrath

Prest for this blow. The unborn event

I do commend to your content;

Only I carried winged time

Post [on] the lame feet of my rhyme,

Which never could I so convey,

Unless your thoughts went on my way.

Dionyza does appear,

With Leonine, a murtherer.

 

Exit.

 

 

[Scene I]

Enter Dionyza with Leonine.

 

DION.

Thy oath remember, thou hast sworn to do't.

'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known.

Thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon

To yield thee so much profit. Let not conscience,

Which is but cold in flaming, thy [lone] bosom

Inflame too nicely, nor let pity, which

Even women have cast off, melt thee, but be

A soldier to thy purpose.

LEON.

I will do't, but yet she is a goodly creature.

DION.

The fitter then the gods should have her.

Here she comes weeping for her only mistress' death.

Thou art resolv'd?

LEON.

I am resolv'd.

 

Enter Marina with a basket of flowers.

 

MAR.

No; I will rob Tellus of her weed

To strow thy green with flowers. The yellows, blues,

The purple violets, and marigolds,

Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave

While summer days doth last. Ay me! poor maid,

Born in a tempest when my mother died,

This world to me is a lasting storm,

Whirring me from my friends.

DION.

How now, Marina, why do you keep alone?

How chance my daughter is not with you? Do not

Consume your blood with sorrowing; have you

A nurse of me. Lord, how your favor's chang'd

With this unprofitable woe! Come

Give me your flowers, ere the sea mar it.

Walk with Leonine, the air is quick there,

And it pierces and sharpens the stomach. Come,

Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.

MAR.

No, I pray you,

I'll not bereave you of your servant.

DION.

Come, come,

I love the King your father, and yourself,

With more than foreign heart. We every day

Expect him here: when he shall come and find

Our paragon to all reports thus blasted,

He will repent the breadth of his great voyage,

Blame both my lord and me, that we have taken

No care to your best courses. Go, I pray you,

Walk, and be cheerful once again, reserve

That excellent complexion, which did steal

The eyes of young and old. Care not for me,

I can go home alone.

MAR.

Well, I will go,

But yet I have no desire to it.

DION.

Come, come, I know 'tis good for you.

Walk half an hour, Leonine, at the least.

Remember what I have said.

LEON.

I warrant you, madam.

DION.

I'll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while.

Pray walk softly, do not heat your blood.

What, I must have care of you.

MAR.

My thanks, sweet madam.

 

[Exit Dionyza.]

 

Is this wind westerly that blows?

LEON.

South-west.

MAR.

When I was born, the wind was north.

LEON.

Was't so?

MAR.

My father, as nurse says, did never fear,

But cried »Good seamen!« to the sailors, galling

His kingly hands haling ropes,

And clasping to the mast, endur'd a sea

That almost burst the deck.

LEON.

When was this?

MAR.

When I was born.

Never was waves nor wind more violent,

And from the ladder-tackle washes off

A canvas-climber. »Ha!« says one, »wolt out?«

And with a dropping industry they skip

From [stem] to stern. The boatswain whistles, and

The master calls, and trebles their confusion.

LEON.

Come say your prayers.

MAR.

What mean you?

LEON.

If you require a little space for prayer,

I grant it. Pray, but be not tedious, for

The gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn

To do my work with haste.

MAR.

Why will you kill me?

LEON.

To satisfy my lady.

MAR.

Why would she have me kill'd now?

As I can remember, by my troth,

I never did her hurt in all my life.

I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn

To any living creature. Believe me law,

I never kill'd a mouse, nor hurt a fly;

I trod upon a worm against my will,

But I wept for't. How have I offended,

Wherein my death might yield her any profit,

Or my life imply her any danger?

LEON.

My commission

Is not to reason of the deed, but do't.

MAR.

You will not do't for all the world, I hope.

You are well-favored, and your looks foreshow

You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately

When you caught hurt in parting two that fought;

Good sooth, it show'd well in you. Do so now.

Your lady seeks my life, come you between,

And save poor me, the weaker.

LEON.

I am sworn,

And will dispatch.

 

Enter Pirates.

 

1. PIRATE.

Hold, villain!

 

[Leonine runs away.]

 

2. PIRATE.

A prize, a prize!

3. PIRATE. Half-part, mates, half-part. Come, let's have her aboard suddenly.

 

Exit [Marina dragged out by the Pirates].

 

Enter Leonine.

 

LEON.

These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes,

And they have seiz'd Marina.