[Sunnydale, the Royal Library]

{enter Gileseus, Jannoyta, with Philosnyder and courtiers}

Gileseus: Now, fair Jonnolyta, our wedding day draws apace: four more days will bring the new moon and our nuptual hour, but O! how long it seems.

Jannolyta: Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; and then the moon shall behold the night of our vows.

Gileseus: Go, Philosnyder, stir up the Sunnydalian youth to merriments; awake the pert and the nimble spirit of mirth; turn melancholy forth to funerals; give them the day off of school.

{exit Philosnyder}

Jannolyta: I woo'd thee with my laptop, and won thy love by mocking your tweed; But I will wed thee in another key, with pomp, with triumph, and with reveling.

{enter Wesleus and his daughter Cormia, Lyxander, and Ozmetrius}

Wesleus: Happy be Gileseus, our renowned duke!

Gileseus: Thanks, good Wesleus: what's new with you?

Wesleus: Very pissed come I, with complaint against my child, my daughter Cormia. Come forward, Ozmetrius. My noble lord, this man hath my consent to marry her. Come forward, Lyxander: and, my gracious duke, this man hath bewitch'd the mind of my child: Thou, thou, Lyxander, thou hast woo'd her in closets, and gifted upon her tokens of love, knacks, and trifles. With cunning hast thou stolen my daughter's heart; and turned her obediance of me into stubborn harshness. And, my gracious duke, now she refuses to marry Ozmetrius. I ask that in the ancient tradition of Sunnydale she either do as I tell her or suffer the penalty of death.

Gileseus: What say you, Cormia? Keep in mind, fair maid, that it is your daughterly duty to obey your father. Besides, Ozmetrius is a worthy gentleman.

Cormia: So is Lyxander.

Gileseus: True, but as Ozmetrius is favored by your father, and therefor must be regarded as worthier.

Cormia: I would that my father look'd but with my eyes.

Gileseus: Rather your eyes must with his judgement look.

Cormia: Please pardon my bold speech, your grace, but I beseech you that I might know the worst that might happen to me if I refuse to wed Ozmetrius.

Gileseus: You will either be put to death or be required to become a nun, forswearing the society of men. And while that is praiseworthy, I doubt that you would enjoy it very much.

Cormia: But I would become a sister before I ever consented to wed Ozmetrius.

Gileseus: I will give you until my wedding four nights hence to consider your options, and on that day you must either prepare to die for disobediance to your father's will, or else wed Ozmetrius, or at the altar swear to austerity and a single life.

Ozmetrius: Relent, sweet Cormia; and Lyxander, yield thy crazed title to my certain right.

Lyxander: You have her father's love, Ozmetrius; let me have Cormia's, marry Wesleus instead.

Wesleus: Scornful Lyxander! True, he hath my favor, and what he is mine my favor shall render him; and she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Ozmetrius.

Lyxander: I am, my lord, just as wealthy as Ozmetrius. My name is as well regarded, and in every way are we equal, save that I am greater in that I am belove'd of beauteous Cormia. Why should I give up my right to her hand? Ozmetrius made love to Rosenburg's daughter, Willena, and won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, devoutly dotes upon this inconstant man.

Gileseus: I have heard this also, and had thought to speak of it with Ozmetrius, but being busy, it slipped my mind. But Ozmetrius, come, and you also, Wesleus, I would speak in private with you both. As for you, Cormia, think well upon your choices. Come, my Jannolyta.

Wesleus: With duty and desire we follow you.

{exit Gileseus, Jannolyta, Wesleus, Ozmetrius, and courtiers}

Lyxander: How now, my love! Why is your cheek so pale? For aught that ever I read, never did true love run smooth; either it was different in blood, or years, or upon the choice of friends-

Cormia: Oh, hell! To choose love by another's opinion.

Lyxander: Or, war, death, or sickness, did lay siege to it, making it momentary as a sound, swift as a shadow, short as any dream, or brief as the lighting in the collied night.

Cormia: If then true lovers have ever been cross'd, it stands as an edict in destiny: let our trial teach us patience.

Lyxander: I have a plan, sweet Cormia. I have a widowed aunt of great wealth who is childless, and her house is seven leagues from Sunnydale. She regards me as a son, there, gentle Cormia, may I marry thee, in a place where sharp Sunnydalian law cannot pursue us. If you love me, then sneak out of your house tomorrow night, and sneak to the forest we once met with Willena, and there I will wait for thee.

Cormia: My good Lyxander! I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow, 
by his best arrow with the golden head, 
by the simplicity of Venus' doves, 
by that which knitteth souls and prospers lovers, 
And by that fire which burn'd the Carthage queen, 
When the false Trojan under sail was seen, 
By all the vows that ever men have broke, 
In number more than ever women spoke, 
In that same place thou hast appointed me, 
Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. 

Lyxander: Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Willena.

{enter Willena}

Cormia: Hello, fair Willena! What are you doing here?

Willena: You call me fair? That fair again unsay. Ozmetrius loves your fair: O happy fair! O! teach me how you look, and with what art you sway the motion of Ozmetrius' heart.

Cormia: I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.

Willena: O! that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill.

Cormia: I give him curses, yet he gives me love.

Willena: O! that my prayers such affection move.

Cormia: The more I hate, the more he follows me.

Willena: The more I love, the more he hateth me.

Cormia: His folly, Willena, is no fault of mine.

Willena: None but your beauty, and would that fault were mine!

Cormia: Take comfort, he will no longer see my face. Lyxander and I will flee this place.

Lyxander: Willena, we will tell you our plan. Tomorrow night, a time that lovers' flights doth still conceal, through Sunnydale's gates have we devised to steal.

Cormia: And in the woods, were you and I would often sit and speak, shall Lyxander and I meet. And from there we shall flee, and leave Ozmetrius to thee. Farewell, Lyxander, we must starve our sight, from lover's food till morrow deep midnight.

{exit Cormia}

Lyxander: I will, my Cormia. Willena, adieu: As you on him, may Ozmetrius dote on you!

{exit Lyxander}

Willena: How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Sunnydale I am considered as fair as she! But what does it matter, Ozmetrius does not think so. And in Love's eyes, all of his faults seem to be virtues. I shall go tell him of fair Cormia's flight: and then to the forest tomorrow night he will pursue her, and for telling him such perhaps he will thank me, though his thanks shall come at a great expense. But I would do anything to have his sight thither and back again.

{exit}