ALL KNIGHTS.
Commend us to her. [They give their purses.]
IAILOR.
The gods requight you all,
And make her thankefull.
PALAMON.
Adiew; and let my life be now as short,
As my leave taking. [Lies on the Blocke.]
1. KNIGHT.
Leade, couragious Cosin.
2. KNIGHT.
Wee'l follow cheerefully. [A great noise within crying, 'run, save,
hold!']
[Enter in hast a Messenger.]
MESSENGER.
Hold, hold! O hold, hold, hold!
[Enter Pirithous in haste.]
PERITHOUS.
Hold! hoa! It is a cursed hast you made,
If you have done so quickly. Noble Palamon,
The gods will shew their glory in a life,
That thou art yet to leade.
PALAMON.
Can that be,
When Venus, I have said, is false? How doe things fare?
PERITHOUS.
Arise, great Sir, and give the tydings eare
That are most dearly sweet and bitter.
PALAMON.
What
Hath wakt us from our dreame?
PERITHOUS.
List then: your Cosen,
Mounted upon a Steed that Emily
Did first bestow on him, a blacke one, owing
Not a hayre worth of white--which some will say
Weakens his price, and many will not buy
His goodnesse with this note: Which superstition
Heere findes allowance--On this horse is Arcite
Trotting the stones of Athens, which the Calkins
Did rather tell then trample; for the horse
Would make his length a mile, if't pleas'd his Rider
To put pride in him: as he thus went counting
The flinty pavement, dancing, as t'wer, to'th Musicke
His owne hoofes made; (for as they say from iron
Came Musickes origen) what envious Flint,
Cold as old Saturne, and like him possest
With fire malevolent, darted a Sparke,
Or what feirce sulphur else, to this end made,
I comment not;--the hot horse, hot as fire,
Tooke Toy at this, and fell to what disorder
His power could give his will; bounds, comes on end,
Forgets schoole dooing, being therein traind,
And of kind mannadge; pig-like he whines
At the sharpe Rowell, which he freats at rather
Then any jot obaies; seekes all foule meanes
Of boystrous and rough Iadrie, to dis-seate
His Lord, that kept it bravely: when nought serv'd,
When neither Curb would cracke, girth breake nor diffring plunges
Dis-roote his Rider whence he grew, but that
He kept him tweene his legges, on his hind hoofes on end he stands,
That Arcites leggs, being higher then his head,
Seem'd with strange art to hand: His victors wreath
Even then fell off his head: and presently
Backeward the Iade comes ore, and his full poyze
Becomes the Riders loade: yet is he living,
But such a vessell tis, that floates but for
The surge that next approaches: he much desires
To have some speech with you: Loe he appeares.
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