The Costlie Whore A Comicall Historie, Acted by the companie of the Revels |
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| 5. | Actus Quintus. |
 | The Costlie Whore |  |
Actus Quintus.
Enter Duke, Hatto, and Alfred.Duke.
Bring forth the prisoners, wher's my beauteous Dutches,
That she may see the ruine of her foes,
She that upbraided her with slanderous wordes,
She that in scorne of due obedience,
Hath matcht the honour of the Saxons blood,
Vnto a beggar, let them be brought foorth,
I will not rise from this tribunall seate,
Till I have seene their bodies from their heads.
Alfred.
Here comes the Dutches with proud Fredericks hearse.
Enter Valentia, Montano, Vandermas with others, bearing the hearse with Fredericke on, couered with a blacke robe.
Duke.
So set it downe, why have you honored it
With such a sable coverture? a traytor
Deserves no cloth of sorrow, set it downe,
And let our other off-spring be brought foorth,
My beauteous lovely and admired love,
Come sit by us in an imperiall chayre.
Valen.
My gracious Lord, I hope your excellence
Will not be so forgetfull of your honour,
Prove so unnaturall to your loving daughter,
As to bereave her of her life,
Because she hath wedded basely gainst your will,
Though Fredericke dyed deservedly, yet she
May by her loves death cleare her indignitie.
Duke.
She and her love we have sentenced to die,
Not for her marriage onely, tho that deede,
Crownes the contempt with a deserved death,
But chiefly for she raild against thy worth,
Vpbraided thee with tearmes so monstrous base,
That nought but death can cleare the great disgrace,
How often shall I charge they be brought foorth?
Were my heart guiltie of a crime so vilde,
I'de rend it forth, then much more kill my childe.
Ual.
O that this love may last, 'tis sprung so hie,
Like flowers at full growth, that grow to die.
Enter Iulia with a vaile over her head, Otho with another, with Officers.
Duk.
What means these sable vailes upon their faces,
Val.
In signe they sorrow for your high displeasure,
For since the houre they were imprisoned,
They have liv'd like strangers, hood-winkt, together,
You may atchieve great fame victorious Lord,
To save the liues of two such innocents.
Duke.
Tis pretty in thee my soule lov'd Dutchesse,
To make this Princely motion for thy foes,
Let it suffice, the' are traitors to the state,
Confederators with those that sought my life,
A kinne to Fredericke that presumptuous boy,
That durst beare armes against his naturall father.
Are they more deare then he? off with their vailes.
Mon.
O yet be mercifull unto your daughter.
You make me mad, headsman, dispatch I say.
They are doom'd to die, and this the latest day.
Otho.
Then let him strike, who ever traitors be,
Otho puls of his vaile.
I am sure no treason lives in her or me.
Duke.
How now, whats here? Otho and Iulia.
Am I deluded, where is Euphrata,
And that audacious traitor Constantine?
Otho.
Why fled.
Duke.
To whom?
Otho.
To safetie, here was none,
I can resolve you of the circumstance,
Betwixt the noble Constantine and I,
Noble I call him, for his vertuous minde,
There was a league of love so strongly made
That time wants houres, and occasion cause,
To violate the contract of our hearts,
Yet on my part the breach did first appeare,
He brought me to behold his beauteous love,
The faire Euphrata, her Angel sight,
Begate in me the fire of private love,
I that before did like her for my friend,
Now to deceive him, sought her for my selfe,
But my deuice was knowne unto my friend,
And worthilie he banisht me his sight.
Duke.
Whats this to their destruction, seeke them forth.
Otho.
They are far enough for suffering such a death,
I well considering my unfriendly part,
Bethought me how to reconcile my selfe,
Vnto my hearts endeared Constantine,
And seeing him carried to the prison, we
Followed, and found meanes for their libertie.
Duk.
Are they escapt then?
Otho.
Both in our disguise,
And we stand here to act their tragedies,
I they have done amisse, on us
Impose the Law.
Iulia.
O let our suites prevaile,
Otho.
I for my friend.
Duke.
This friendly part doth make
My heart to bleede within me, and my mind
Much perplext, that I haue beene so unkind.
What second funerall march is that I heare?
Enter Rainaldo, and Alberto like schollers, grieving before the Beare, others following them with the bodies of Euphrata, and Constantine covered with blacke.
Alberto.
Health to this presence, though the newes,
Impairing health I bring unto this presence,
The bodies of the drowned Constantine,
And the faire Euphrata, behold them both.
Duke.
Of drowned Constantine and Euphrata,
Declare the manner, and with killing words;
Temper thy words, that it may wound my life.
Albert.
Passing the Rhine bordering upon the tower,
From whence it seemes they lately had escapt,
By an unskilfull Guide their gundelet
Encountred with an other, and the shocke
Drown'd both the vessayles, and their haplesse liues:
Their bodies hardly were recover'd,
But knowne we brought them to your excellence,
As to a father that should mourne for them.
Duke.
Vnto a tyrant, doe not call me father,
For I haue beene no father to their liues:
The barbarous Canniball that never knew
The naturall touch of humane beauty
Would haue beene farre more mercifull then I:
Oh tyrannie the overthrow of Crownes,
Kingdomes, subversion, and the deaths of Kings.
Loe here a piteous obiect so compleate,
With thy intestine and destroying fruite,
That it will strike thee dead, oh Euphrata.
Till now, in you I see my misery
My sonne, my daughter, vertuous Constantine.
Hat.
What meanes this griefe my Lord, these are the traytors,
That you in iustice sentenced to dye.
Alfred.
A trecherous sonne, and a rebellious daughter.
Valen.
Those that did seeke to take away your life.
Mon.
Bereaue you of your Crownes prerogatiue.
Duke.
Hence from my sight, blood thirsty Counsellors,
They never sought my life, but you haue sought it,
Vertuous Alberto, and Rinaldo:
Had I given eare to them and to my sonne,
My ioyes had flourished that now are done.
Valen.
Yet for my sake, allay this discontent.
Duke.
Tis for thy sake, thou vilde notorious woman,
That I haue past the limits of a man,
The bonds of nature.
Twas thy bewitching eye, thy Syrens voice,
That throwes me upon millions of disgrace,
Ile haue thee tortur'd on the Racke;
Plucke out those basiliske enchaunting eyes,
Teare thee to death, with Pincers burning hot,
Except thou giue me the departed liues
Of my deare children.
Valen.
What am I a Goddesse,
That I should fetch their flying soules from heaven,
And breath them once more in their clay cold bodies?
Duke.
Thou art a witch, a damn'd sorceresse;
No goddesse but the goddesse of blacke hell,
And all those devils thy followers:
What makes thou on the earth to murder men?
Will not my sonnes and daughters timelesse liues,
Taken away in prime of their fresh youth
Serue to suffice thee?
Valen.
O you are mad my Lord:
Duke.
How can I choose,
And such a foule Erynnis gase on me,
And my slaine Sonne and Daughters fire brands,
Lying so neere me, to torment my soule,
Extremitie of all extremities.
Take pitty on the wandring sense of mine,
Or it will breake the prison of my soule:
And like to wild fire, fly about the world,
Till they haue no abiding in the world:
I faint, I dye, my sorrowes are so great,
Oh mortalitie renounce thy seate.
He fals down.
Valen.
The Duke I feare is slaine with extreame griefe:
I that had power to kill him, will assay hence forth,
My utmost industry to saue his life.
Looke up my Lord, 'tis not Valentias voice,
That Courtezan, that hath betray'd thy honour:
Murder'd thy children, and almost slaine thee:
I am thy sonne, I am Prince Fredericke;
If thou hast any liking of that name,
Looke on my face, I come to comfort thee.
Duke.
The name of Fredericke is like Hermes wande,
Able to charme and uncharme sorrowfull men,
Who nam'd Fredericke?
Valen.
I pronounc't his name,
That haue the power to giue thee thy lost Sonne:
Had I like vertue to restore the other:
Behold my Lord, behold thy headlesse Sonne
Blest with a head, the late deceased living,
As yet not fully waken'd from the sleepe:
My drowsie potion kindled in his braine,
But much about this houre the power should cease,
And see he wakes.
Duke.
O happinesse 'tis hee.
Valen.
Imbrace him then, but ne're more imbrace me.
Fred.
Where am I, in what dungeon, where's my graue?
Was I not dead, or dreamt I, I was dead,
This am I sure that I was prisoned.
Duke.
Thou art deceiv'd my Sonne, but this deceit
Her discretion reedified thy life,
But she hath prou'd her selfe a gracious wife.
Fred.
She tempt me to lust, wast in my grave?
Ualen.
'Twas but to try thy faith unto thy father,
Let it suffice, his hand was at thy death,
But twas my mercie that proclaim'd thy breath.
Fred.
To heaven and you I render worthy thankes.
Duke.
O liv'd my Euphrata and Constantine,
How gladly would I all my griefe resigne.
Albert.
On that condition: and with this besides,
That you are pleas'd to pardon us and them,
We doe referre our persons to your mercie.
Duke.
My daughter, my deare sonne in law,
Vertuous Alberto, then my friend,
My ioyes are at the highest, make this plaine,
How these sav'd drownd, as Fredericke has bin slaine.
Albert.
Presuming on the example of these friends,
And know we are all actors in this plot,
Boldly presented your presence with this minde,
If pardoning them, your grace would pardon us,
If otherwise, this was the ioy of either,
That death's lesse painefull, when friends die together.
Duke.
We doe receive you all into our fauour,
And my faire Dutchesse, my unkind divorce,
Shall be confounded with a second marriage,
I here receive thee once more as my wife.
Val.
You have your children, I have paid that debt,
You have divorc'd me, therefore I am free,
And henceforth I will be at libertie.
Duke.
There's no divorce can part thee from thy Lord.
Valen.
Like to unkindnesse there is no divorce.
I will no more be won unto your bed,
But take some course to lament my life mislead.
Duk.
Canst thou live better then in sacred wedlock?
Valen.
Wedlocke to me is unpleasing, since my Lord
Hath broke the band of marriage with unkindnesse.
Duke,
Intreate her children, Fredericke, Euphrata,
Fred.
Divine Valentia, mirrour of thy sexe,
The pride of true reclaim'd incontinence,
Honour of the dishonoring, yeeld I pray,
And be mercifull, pitty my fathers smart,
Since thy last thraldome hath neare cleft his heart.
Eup.
'Twas for his children that his spleene did rise,
Anger, a torture haunting the most wise,
Valen.
O no I am a murderesse, an Erinnis,
A fury sent from Limbo, to affright
Legions of people with my horrid sight.
Hat.
What doe you meane, be won by their intreaties.
Alfred.
'Tis madnesse in you to be thus perverse.
Ual.
Who ever speaks, base wretches be you dumb,
You are the catter pillers of the state,
By your bad dealings he is unfortunate,
Thou honourable true beloved Lord,
Hearken to me, and by thy antient love,
I charge thee banish these realme-sucking slaues,
That build their pallace upon poore mens graves,
O those are they, that have wrong'd both you and me,
Made this blest land, a land of miserie.
And since by too much loving your grace, hath falne
Into a generall hatred of your subiects,
Redeeme your lost estate with better dayes,
So shall you merit never dying praise,
So shall you gaine lives quietnesse on earth,
And after death a new celestiall birth.
Duke.
Vnto thy wisedom: I referre their doomes,
My selfe my Dukedome, and my crowne,
Oh were there any thing of higher rate,
That, unto hee I'de wholly consecrate.
Val.
This kind surrender shewes you are a Prince,
Worthy to be an Angell in the world
Of immortalitie:
Which these cursed creatures never can attaine,
But that this world may know how much I hate,
This cruell base oppression of the poore:
Make restitution, and because your goods,
Are not sufficient so to satisfie;
I doe condemne your bodies to the Mynes,
Where liue like golden drudges all your liues:
In digging of the mettall you best loue:
Death is your due, but for your noble race,
This gentle sentence I impose on you,
The Duke succeeding shall behold it done.
Duke.
Who's that my loue?
Valen.
Kind Fredericke your sonne,
The interest that your grace hath given to me,
I freely doe impart.
Duke.
We doe agree to what my Dutchesse please:
Valen.
The state is thine:
Thy Vncles sentence Fredericke shall be mine.
Fred.
Beare them away, what you haue said shall stand,
Whilst I haue interest in this new given land.
Hat.
We doe receiue our iudgements with a curse.
Ualen.
Learne to pray better, or it shall be worse:
Lords see these wormes of kingdomes be destroyed:
And now to giue a period to my speech:
I doe intreate your grace, if that your loue
Be not growne cold; but that your heart desires
The true societie of a chaste wife:
Be pleas'd to undergoe a further doome,
Wee haue liv'd too lightly, we haue spent our dayes,
Which should be dedicated to our God,
In soule destroying pleasure, and our sloth
Hath drawne upon the Realme a world of playes:
Therefore hereafter let us liue together,
In some removed cell or hermitage,
Vnto the which, poore travellers mislead,
May haue direction and reliefe of wants.
Duke.
A hermetary life is better then a kingdome,
So my Ualentia beare me company.
Valen.
If my dread Lord will for my sake endure,
Shall be made napkins to dry up the teares,
That true repentance wringeth from our hearts,
Our sinnes we'l number with a thousand sighes
Fasting shall be the Steward of our Feast:
Continuall prayer in stead of costly cates,
And the Remainder of our life a schoole,
To learne new lessons for the land of heaven:
The will where power is wanting is good payment:
Grace doth reiect no thought, tho' nere so small,
So it be good, our God is kind to all:
Come my deare Lord, this is a course more kind:
No life like us that haue a heavenly mind.
Mon.
O let me be a servant in that life.
Valen.
With all my heart, a Partner let him be,
There's small ambition in humility.
Duke.
Fredericke farewell, deare Euphrata adue,
Remember us in prayer, as we will you.
Exeunt D. & D
Fred.
A happy change, would all that step awry,
Would take like course in seeking pietie.
Otho.
Two humble suites I craue of my best friend:
First pardon for my rashnesse in your loue,
Next this most loyall Virgin for my wife.
Con.
With all my heart if Iulia be pleas'd.
Iulia.
I haue no power to disobey your grant.
Con.
Then she is yours.
Fred.
Alberto.
The offices belonging to our Vncles,
We doe deriue to you for your good service,
In our late warres, and in our sisters loue.
And now set forwards, Lords let us be gone,
To solemnize two mariages in one.
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