 | The Heire |  |
Actus quartus.
Enter Francisco reading a letter.Fran.
My dearest Luce, were thy old Sire as iust
As thou art truely constant, our firme loue
Had neuer met these oppositions,
All my designes as yet, all practises
That I haue vs'd, I see are frustrated,
For as my faire intelligencer writes,
He will before the next court day prouide
Some carelesse person, that in spite of lawes
Shall marry her to Shallow, this being done,
He meanes to hold the Courts seuerity
In by a golden bit, and so he may,
Alas it is too true, I must preuent it,
And that in time, before it grow too farre;
But how, there lies the point of difficulty:
But what strange sight is this that greetes mine eyes,
Alphonso my old Captaine, sure tis he.
Enter Alphonso.
Al.
Thus once againe from twenty yeares exile,
Tost by the stormes of fortune too and fro,
Has gratious heauen giuen me leaue to tread
My natiue earth of Sicily, and draw
That aire that fed me in my infancy.
Fr.
Tis he, most noble Captaine, oh what power
Has bene so gratious as to blesse mine eyes
Once more with sight of my most honored master.
Al.
Kind youth the teares of ioy that I haue spent
To greet my natiue country haue quite robd
Mine eyes of moysture, and haue left me none
To answer thy affection, but tell me,
Tell me how thou hast liu'd in Syracuse
These fiue yeeres here, since that vnluckly storme
Diuided vs at Sea.
Fr.
Faith poorely Sir,
Vnknowne of any haue I shifted out,
But I haue heard you say that I was borne
In Syracuse, tell me what stocke I come of,
What parentage, how meane so ere they be,
They cannot well be poorer then my selfe,
Speake, do you know them Sir?
Al.
Yes very well,
And I am glad the fates haue brought me home,
For thy deare sake, that I may now disclose
Thy honorable birth.
Fr.
Honorable?
Al.
Yes noble youth, thou art the second sonne
Toold Lord Euphues, a man more worthy
And truly noble neuer drew this ayre;
Thy name's Lysandro, this discouery
Will be as welcome to your friends as you.
Fr.
You do amaze me Sir.
Al.
Ile tell you all,
It was my fortune, twenty a yeare ago,
Vpon the Tyrrhene shore, whose sea diuides
This Ile from Italy, to keepe a fort
Vnder your noble father, where your selfe
Then but a child, was left to my tuition,
When sodainly the rude assailing force
Of strong Italian Pirats so preuaild,
As to surprisall of the fort and vs.
Your name and noble birth I then conceald,
Fearing some outrage from the enmity
Of those fell Pyrates, and since from your selfe
I purposely haue kept the knowlenge of it.
As loath to grieue your present misery
With knowledge of what fortunes you had lost,
That this is true, you straight shall see th'effect,
Ile goe acquaint your father with the tokens,
And make his oreioyde heart leape to embrace
Thee his new found and long forgotten sonne:
Fr.
Worthy Captaine, your presence was alwayes
Welcome to me, but this vnlookt for newes, I
Cannot suddenly disgest.
Well Ile go to him presently.
exit Alphonso.
Fr.
Now my deare Luce, I shall finde meanes to quite
Thy loue, that couldst descend so low as I
When i was nothing, and with such affection,
This was my suit still to the powers aboue,
To make me worthy of thy constant loue.
But ile about the proiect I intended.
Exit Francisco.
Enter Virro and Polimetes.
Pol.
Why now my Lord you are neerer to her loue then
euer you were yet, your riuall by this accident shall be remoued
out of the way, for before the scorneful girle would
neuer fancy any man else.
Uir.
I conceiue you Sir.
Pol.
I labourd it for your sake as much as for my
Owne, to remoue your riuall and my enemy, you
Haue your loue, and I haue my reuenge.
Vir.
I shall liue my Lord to giue you thankes, but
aside.
T'will be after a strange manner, if Irus has
Dispatched what he was hired too, then my kind
Lord I shall be a little too cunning for you.
Pol.
My Lord you are gracious with the King.
Uir.
I thanke his Maiesty, I haue his eare before another
man.
Pol.
Then see no pardon be granted, you may stop any
thing; I know Euphues will be soliciting for his sonne.
Vir.
I warrant you my Lord no pardon passes whilst I
am there, ile bee a barre betwixt him and the King, but
hearke the King approaches.
Enter the King with attendants.
Ambo.
Health to your Maiesty.
King.
Count Virro, and Lord Polimetes welcome,
You haue beene strangers at the Court of late;
But I can well excuse you Count, you are about a wife,
A yong one and a faire one too they say,
When is the day, I meane to be your guest,
You shall not steale a marriage.
Uir.
I thanke your Maiesty, but the marriage that
I intended is stolen to my hand, and by another.
King.
Stolne, how man.
Vir.
My promised wife
Is lately stolne away by Philocles,
Lord Euphues sonne against her fathers will,
Who followed vm and apprehended them,
The Law may right vs Sir, if it may haue course.
King.
No reason but the law should haue his course.
Enter Euphues.
Euph.
Pardon dread Soueraigne, pardon for my sonne.
King.
Your sonne, Lord Euphues, what is his offence.
Euph.
No hainous one my Leige, no plot of treason
Against your royall person or your state,
These aged cheekes would blush to beg a pardon
For such a foule offence, no crying murder
Hath steyned his innocent hands, his fault was loue,
Loue my deare Leige, vnfortunately he tooke
The Daughter and Heire of Lord Polimetes,
Who followes him and seekes exstremity.
Pol.
I seeke but Law, I am abus'd my Leige,
Iustice is all I beg, my Daughters stolne,
Staffe of my age, let the law doe me right,
Vir.
To his iust prayers doe I bend my knee
My promised wife is stolne, and by the sonne
Of that iniurious Lord, iustice I craue.
Euph.
Be like those powers aboue, whose place on earth
You represent, shew mercy gracious King,
For they are mercifull.
Pol.
Mercy is but the Kings prerogatiue,
Tis Iustice is his office, doing that
He can wrong no man, no man can complaine,
But mercy shewed oft takes way reliefe
From the wronged partie that the Law would giue him:
Eup.
The Law is blind and speakes in generall termes,
The liuing law can moderate her rigour,
And thats the King.
Pol.
The King I hope in this will not do so,
Eup.
Tis malice makes thee speake,
Hard hearted Lord, hadst thou no other way
To wreake thy cankred and long fostred hate
Vpon my head but thus, thus bloudily
By my sonnes suffering, and for such a fault
As thou shouldst loue him rather, is thy daughter
Disparaged by his loue, is his blood base,
Or are his fortunes sunke, this law was made
For such like cautions, to restraine the base
From wronging noble persons by attempts
Of such a kind, but where equality
Meetes in the match, the fault is pardonable.
Leu.
Mercy my Soueraigne, mercy gratious King.
Pol.
Minion who sent for you, twere more modesty
For you to be at home.
King.
Let her alone, speake Lady,
I charge you no man interupt her.
Enter Leucothoe
Leu.
If euer pitty toucht that princely brest,
If euer Virgins teares had power to moue,
Or if you euer lou'd and felt the pangs
That other louers doe, pitty great King,
Pitty and pardon two vnhappy Louers.
King.
Your life is not in question.
Leu.
Yes royall Sir
If Law condemne my Philocles, he and I
Haue but one heart, and can haue but one fate.
Eu.
Excellent vertue thou hadst not this from thy father.
King.
Ther's Musicke in her voice, and in her face
More then a mortall beauty: Oh my heart,
I shall be lost in passion if I heare her,
Ile heere no more, conuey her from my presence,
Quickly I say.
Eu.
This is strange.
I told you what he would doe, I knew
He would not here of a pardon, and I against it,
He respects me.
Pol.
No doubt he does my Lord.
I like this passage well.
King.
But stay,
Stay Lady, let me heare you, beshrew my heart
My minde was running of another matter.
Vir.
Where the diuell hath his minde bin all this while,
Perhaps he heard none of vs neither,
We may eene tell our tales againe.
Pol.
No sure he heard vs, but tis very strange.
King.
Tis such a tempting poison I draw in,
I cannot stay my draught, rise vp Lady.
Leu.
Neuer vntill your graces pardon raise me,
Ther's pitty in your eye, oh shew it Sir,
Say Pardon gracious King, tis but a word
And short, but welcome as the breath of life.
King.
Ile further here the manner of this fact,
Auoid the presence all, all but the Lady,
And come not till I send.
Pol.
I like not this.
Uir.
Nor I here is mad dancing.
Eu.
Heauen blesse thy sute, thou mirror of thy sex,
And best example of true constant loue,
That in the Sea of thy transcendent vertues
Drown'st all thy fathers malice, and redeem'st
More in my thoughts then all thy kin can lose.
exeunt.
King.
Now Lady what would you doe to saue the life
Of him you loue so deerely.
Leu.
I cannot thinke that thought I would not doe,
Lay it in my power, and beyond my power
I would attempt.
King.
You would be thankefull then
To me if I should grant his pardon.
Leu.
If euer I were thankefull to the gods
For all that I call mine, my health and being,
I value more then those, without which
These blessings were but wearisome.
King.
Those that are thankefull study to requite
A courtesie, would you doe so? would you requite
This fauour?
Leu.
I cannot Sir,
For all the seruice I can doe your Grace
Is but my duty, you are my Soueraigne,
And all my deedes to you are debts not merits,
But to those powers aboue that can requite,
That from their vastlesse treasures hope rewards,
More out of grace then merrit on vs mortals,
To those ile euer pray that they would giue you
More blessings then I haue skill to aske.
King.
Nay but Leucothoe, this lies in thy power to requite,
thy loue will make requitall, wilt thou loue me?
Leu.
I euer did my Lord.
I was instructed from my infancy,
To loue and honour you my Soueraigne.
King.
But in a neerer bond of loue.
Leu.
There is no neerer nor no truer loue
Then that a loyall subiect beares a Prince.
King.
Still thou wilt not conceiue me, I must deale plain
With you, wilt thou lye with me, and I will seale his
Pardon presently; nay more, ile heape vpon you
Both all fauours, all honours that a Prince can giue.
Leu.
Oh me vnhappy, in what a sad dilemma stands my choise.
Either to lose the man my soule most loues,
Or saue him by a deed of such dishonour
As he will euer loath me for, and hate
To draw that breath that was so basely kept.
Name any thing but that to saue his life,
I know you doe but tempt my frailty Sir,
I know your royall thoughts could neuer stoope
To such a foule dishonourable act.
King.
Bethinke your selfe, there is no way but that,
But vpon those conditions.
Leu.
Oh I am miserable.
King.
Thou art not if not wilfull, yeeld Leucothoe,
It shall be secret, Philocles for his life
Shall thanke thy loue, but neuer know the price
Thou paidst for it; be wise thou heardst me sweare,
I cannot now shew mercy, thou maist saue him,
And if he dye, tis thou that art the Tyrant.
Leu.
I should be so if I should saue him thus,
Nay I should be a Traytor to your grace,
Betray your soule to such a foe as lust,
But since your oath is past, deare Philocles
Ile shew to thee an honest cruelty,
And rather follow thee in spotlesse death,
Then buy with sinning a dishonoured life.
King.
Yet pitty me Leucothoe, cure the wound
Thine eyes hath made, pitty a begging King,
Vncharme the charmes of thy bewitching face,
Or thou wilt leaue me dead: will nothing moue thee,
Thou art a Witch, a Traytor, thou hast sought
By vnresisted spels thy soueraignes life:
Who are about vs there, call in the Lords againe,
Lord Polimetes, take your daughter to you,
Keepe her at home.
Pol.
I will my Leige, Rosio see her there I wonder what is done.
King.
Euphues I haue tane a solemne oath
Neuer to grant a pardon to thy sonne.
Euph.
O say not so my Leige, your grace I know
Has mercy for a greater fault then this.
King.
My oath is past and cannot be recalled.
Pol.
This is beyond our wishes.
Vir.
What made him sweare this I wonder.
Euph.
A heauy oath to me and most vnlooked for,
Your iustice Sir has set the period
Vnto a loyall house, a Family
That haue bin props of the Sicylian crowne,
Gainst the hot French, and Neopolitan
Haue seru'd for you and your great Ancestors,
Their children now can neuer more doe so,
Farewell my Soueraigne, whilest I in teares
Spend the sad remnant of my childlesse age,
Ile pray for your long life and happy raigne,
And may your Grace and your Posterity
At neede finde hands as good and hearts as true
As ours haue euer beene.
King.
Farewell good old man.
Eup.
For you my Lord, your cruelty has deseru'd
A curse from me, but I can vtter none,
Your Daughters goodnesse has weigh'd down your malice
Heauen prosper her.
Poly.
Amen.
King.
He is an honest man and truely noble,
Oh my rash oath, my lust, that was the cause,
Would any price would buy it in againe.
Vi.
Your Maiesty is iust.
Pol.
Tis a happy Land
Where the King squares his actions by the law.
King.
Away, you are base and bloudy,
That feedes your malice with pretence of iustice,
Tis such as you make Princes tirranous,
And hated of their subiects, but looke too't,
Looke your owne heads stands fast, for if the law
Doe finde a hole in your coates, beg no mercy.
Vir.
Pardon vs my Lord, we were wrong'd.
Pol.
And sought redresse but by a lawfull course.
King.
Well leaue me alone.
Vir.
Farewell my Leige, now let him chafe alone.
Pol.
Now we haue our ends.
exeunt.
King.
Is there no meanes to saue him no way,
To get a dispensation for an oath,
None that I know except the Court of Rome
Will grant one, thats well thought on,
I will not spare for gold, and that will doe it,
Nicanor.
Nica.
Sir.
King.
What booke is that
Nic.
Tis cald the Texes of the Apostolicall Chancery.
Kin.
Is there a price for any sinne set downe.
Nic.
A my Sir, how heinous ere it be,
Or of what nature, for such a summe of money
As is set downe there, it shall be remitted
Kin.
Thats well, go fetch the book presently.
exit Nic.
Nic.
I will my Lord.
Kin.
Sure there is periury
Among the rest, and I shall know what rate
It beares before I haue committed it.
How now hast brought it.
Nic.
Yes Sir.
Kin.
Reade, I would know the price of periury,
Nic.
I shall find it quickly, heres an Index.
he reads
Imp. For murder of all kinds of a Clergy man, of a lay man,
offacher, mother, Sonne, brother, sister, wife.
Kin.
Reade till you come at periury.
Nic.
Item, for impoysoning, enchantments, witchcraft,
Sacriledge, simony, and their kind and
Branches. Item, prolapsu carnis, fornication
Adultery, incest without any exception or
Distinction; for sodomy, Brutality, or any of
That kind.
Kin.
My heart shakes with horror
To heare the names of such detested sinnes,
Can these be bought for any price of money,
Or do these merchants but deceiue the world
With their false Wares: no more of that foule booke,
I will know what I came to know,
I would not for the world redeeme my oath
By such a course as this, no more Nicanor
Vnlesse thou finde a price for Atheisme.
Nic.
Heres none for that my Lord, his Holinesse
Can pardon that in no man but himselfe.
Kin.
Well this is not the way,
I haue thought of another that may proue,
And both discharge my oath and saue his life,
Nicanor run presently, call Matho hither,
Matho the Lawyer, command him to make hast,
Nic.
I runne Sir.
King.
He is a subtill Lawyer, and may find
Some point, that in the Lawes obscurity
Lies hid from vs, some point may doe vs good,
I haue seene some of his profession
Out of case as plaine, as cleere as day
To our weake iudgements, and no doubt at first
Meant like our thoughts by those that made the Law,
Picke out such hard inextricable doubts,
That they haue spun a suit of seuen yeere long,
And leade their hoodwinke Clients in a wood,
A most irremoueable Labyrinth,
Till they haue quite consum'd vm, this they can doe
In other cases, why not as well in this.
I haue seene others could extend the Law
Vpon the wrack, or cut it short againe
To their owne priuate profits, as that thiefe
Cruell Procrustes seru'd his haplesse guests,
To fit them to his bed; Well I shall see,
I would Nicanor were returned againe,
I would faine ease my conscience of that oath,
That rash and inconsiderate oath I tooke,
But see, heere they are comming.
Enter Matho.
Ma.
Health to my Soueraigne.
King.
Matho, welcome.
I sent for thee about a businesse
I would intreate thy helpe in.
Ma.
Your Highnesse may command my seruice
In that, or any thing lies in my power.
King.
Tis to decide a case that troubles me.
Ma.
If it lye within the compasse of my knowledge,
I will resolue your Highnesse presently.
King.
Then thus it is, Lord Euphues sonne,
Yong Philocles, has lately stolne away
The Daughter and Heire of Lord Polimetes,
Who is his enemy, he following him hard
Has apprehended him, and brings him to his tryall
Ma.
I haue my Liege, and euery circumstance
That can be thought on in the businesse.
King.
And what will be the issue by the Law.
Ma.
He must dye for it, the case is plaine,
Vnlesse your grace will grant his pardon.
King.
But can there be no meanes thought vpon
To saue him by the Law.
Matho.
None my Lord.
King.
Surely there may, speake man, Ile giue thee
Double Fees.
Ma.
It cannot be my Leige, the Statutes is plaine.
King.
Nay now thou art too honest, thou shouldst do
As other Lawyers doe, first take my mony,
And then tell me thou canst doe me good.
Ma.
I dare not vndertake it, could it be done,
Ide goe as farre as any man would doe.
King.
Yes if twere to cut a poore mans throat you could,
For some rich griping Land-lord you could grin'd
The face of his poore Tenant, stretch the Law
To serue his turne, and guided by his Angels,
Speake Oracles more then the tongues of men,
Then you could find exceptions, reseruations,
Stand at a word, a silible, a letter,
Or coine some scruples out of your owne braines,
But in a cause so full of equity
So charitable as this, you can find nothing,
I shall for euer hate all your profession.
Ma.
I do beseech your Highnesse to excuse me,
I cannot doe more then your lawes will let me,
Nor falsifie my knowledge nor my conscience.
King.
Then I am miserable, rise Matho rise,
I do not discommend thy honesty,
But blame my owne hard fate, ay Philocles
I would redeeme thy life at any price,
But the Starres crosse it, cruell fate condemnes thee.
Exeunt.
Con.
Come fellow watchmen, for now you are my
fellowes,
Watch.
It pleases you to call vs so master Constable.
Con.
I do it to encourage you in your office, it is a tricke
that we commanders haue, your great Captains call your
souldiers fellow souldiers to encourage them.
2. Watch.
Indeed and so they do, I heard master Curate
reading a story booke tother day to that purpose.
Con.
Well I must shew now what you haue to do, for
I my selfe, before I came to this prefermity, was as simple
as one of you, and for your better destruction, I will deride
my speech into two parts. First, what is a watchman. Secondly,
what is the office of a watchman. For the first, fany
man aske me what is a watchman, I may answer him, he is
a man as others are, nay a tradesman, as a Vintner, a Tayler,
or the like, for they haue long bils.
3. Wat.
He tels vs true neighbour, we haue bils indeed.
Con.
For the second, what is his office; I answer, he may
by vertue of his office reprehend any person, or persons,
that walke the streets too late at a seasonable houre.
4. Wat.
may we indeed master Constable.
Con.
Nay, if you meet any of those rogues at seasonable
houres, you may by vertue of your office commit him to
prison, and then aske him whither he was going.
1. Watch.
Why thats as much as my Lord Maior does.
Con.
True, my Lord Maior can doe no more then you
in that point.
2. Wat.
But master constable what if hee
should resist vs.
Con.
Why if he do resist, you may knocke him downe,
and then bid him stand, and come afore the Constable. So
now I thinke you are sufficiently enstructed concerning
your office take your stands, you shall heare rogues walking
at these seasonable houres, I warrant you, stand close.
Purpose, now doe I take as much care to be apprehended,
As others doe to scape the watch, I must speake
To be ouerheard, and plainly too, or els these dolts
Will neuer conceiue mee.
Con.
Harke who goes by?
Eu.
Oh my conscience, my conscience, the teror of a
Guilty conscience.
Con.
How, conscience talkes hee of,
He's an honest man, I warant him, let him passe
2. Wa.
I I, let him passe, good night honest gentleman.
Eu.
These are wise officers, I must bee plainer yet.
That gold, that cursed gold, that made me poison him
Made me poison Eugenio.
Con.
How made me poison him, he's a knaue I warrant him.
3. Wa.
M. Constable has found him already,
Con.
I warant you a knaue cannot passe me, go reprehend
him, Ile take his excommunication my selfe.
1. Wa.
Come afore the constable
2. Wa.
Come afore the
Constable.
Con.
Sirrah, sirrah, you would haue scap'd
Would you, no sirrah you shall know the Kings
Officers haue eyes to heare such roagues as you,
Come sirrah, confesse who it was you poison'd, he
Lookes like a notable roague.
1. Wa.
I dooe not like
His lookes.
2. Wa.
nor I.
Con.
You would deny it
Would you sirra, we shall sift you,
Eu.
Alas maister
Con.
I cannot now deny what I haue said
You ouer heard me, I poisoned Eugenio sonne to
Lord Polimetes.
4. Wa.
Oh rascall.
2. Wa.
my
Young Landlord.
Con.
Let him alone, the law
Shall punish him, but sirra where did you poison
Him.
Eu.
About adayes iourney hence, as he was
Comming hom from Athens I met him, and
Poisoned him.
Con.
But sirrah who set you a worke
Confesse, I shall finde out the whole nest of these
Rogues, speake.
Eu.
Count Virro hired me to do it.
Con.
Oh lying Rascall.
1. Wat.
Nay he that will steal:
will lye.
2. Wat.
Ile beleeue nothing he sayes.
Be lye a man of worship.
4. Wat.
A noble man
Con.
Away with him, Ile heare no more, remit him to
Prison; Sirrah, you shall heare of these things
To morrow, where you would be loath to heare vm.
Come lets goe.
exeunt.
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