Arb. I knew that was your business: You shall have
Your king again; and have him so again,
As never
king was had.—Go, one of you,
And bid Bacurius bring Tigranes hither;
And bring the lady with him, that
Panthea,
The queen Panthea, sent me word this morning
Was brave Tigranes’ mistress.
[Exeunt two Gentlemen.
Lyg. ’Tis Spaconia.
Arb. Ay, ay, Spaconia.
Lyg. She is my daughter.
Arb. She is so. I could now tell anything
I never heard. Your king shall go so home,
As never man went.
Mar. Shall he go on’s head?
Arb. He shall have chariots easier than air,
That I will have invented; and ne’er think
He shall pay any
ransom! And thyself,
That art the messenger, shall ride before him
On a horse cut out of an entire diamond,
That
shall be made to go with golden wheels,
I know not how yet.
Lyg. Why, I shall be made
For ever! They belied this king with us,
And said he was unkind.
Arb. And then thy daughter;
She shall have some strange thing; we’ll have the kingdom
Sold utterly and
put into a toy,
Which she shall wear about her carelessly,
Somewhere or other.—See, the virtuous queen!—
Enter PANTHEA and I Gentleman.
Kneel here before you.
[Kneels.
Pan. Why kneel you to me,
That am your vassal?
Arb. Grant me one request.
Pan. Alas! what can I grant you? what I can I will.
Arb. That you will please to marry me,
If I can prove it lawful.
Pan. Is that all?
More willingly than I would draw this air.
Arb. I’ll kiss this hand in earnest.
2 Gent. Sir, Tigranes
Is coming; though he made it strange, at first,
To see the princess any more.
Enter TIGRANES and SPACONIA.
Arb. The queen,
Thou mean’st.—Oh, my Tigranes, pardon me!
Tread on my neck: I freely offer it;
And, if
thou be’st so given, take revenge,
For I have injured thee.
Tigr. No; I forgive,
And rejoice more that you have found repentance,
Than I my liberty.
Arb. May’st thou be happy
In thy fair choice, for thou art temperate!
You owe no ransom to the state!
Know, that
I have a thousand joys to tell you of,
Which yet I dare not utter, till I pay
My thanks to Heaven
for ’em. Will you go
With me, and help me? pray you, do.