It shall go up, borne on the wings of peace,
And satisfied. First will I sing thy dirge,
Then kiss thy pale lips, and then die myself,
And fill one coffin and one grave together.
[ Sings .
And, whiles I sing,
Weep, and wring
Every hand, and every head
Bind with cypress and sad yew;
Ribands black and candles blue
For him that was of men most true!
Come with heavy moaning,
And on his grave
Let him have
Sacrifice of sighs and groaning;
Let him have fair flowers enow,
White and purple, green and yellow,
For him that was of men most true!
I lift thee up, and thus I meet with death.
[ Removes the Cloth , Jasper rises out of the Coffin .
Jasp . And thus you meet the living.
Luce . Save me, Heaven!
Jasp . Nay, do not fly me, fair; I am no spirit:
Look better on me; do you know me yet?
Luce . Oh, thou dear shadow of my friend!
Jasp . Dear substance;
I swear I am no shadow; feel my hand,
It is the same it was; I am your Jasper,
Your
Jasper that’s yet living, and yet loving.
Pardon my rash attempt, my foolish proof
I put in practice of your
constancy;
For sooner should my sword have drunk my blood,
And set my soul at liberty, than drawn
The
least drop from that body: for which boldness
Doom me to anything; if death, I take it,
And willingly.
Luce . This death I’ll give you for it;
[ Kisses him .
But my own truest, truest, truest friend:
Why do you come thus to me?
Jasp . First, to see you;
Then to convey you hence.
Luce . It cannot be;
For I am locked up here, and watched at all hours,
That’tis impossible for me to scape.
Jasp . Nothing more possible. Within this coffin
Do you convey yourself: let me alone,
I have the wits of
twenty men about me;
Only I crave the shelter of your closet
A little, and then fear me not. Creep in,
That
they may presently convey you hence:
Fear nothing, dearest love; I’ll be your second;
[ Luce lies down in the Coffin, and Jasper
covers her with the cloth .
Re-enter Boy and Men.
Boy . At hand, sir.
Jasp . Convey away the coffin, and be wary.
Boy . ’Tis done already.
[ Exeunt Men with the Coffin .
| Previous chapter/page | Back | Home | Email this | Search | Discuss | Bookmark | Next chapter/page |