 | The Fatal Contract, A French Tragedy |  |
Actus Tertius
Scena Prima.
Enter King Clotair, and the Eunuch.Eu.
Look how it flames, I fear some treachrie,
(the bedchamb, on fire
Beat at her Chamber door, cry it aloud,
And let your voice be thunder to this lightning;
Clot.
Great Queen, royall mother, open your door
Lest you do sleep for ever; mother awake.
The God of sleep lies heavie on her eyes;
Force up the door; fire, fire, fire.
Eu.
It's fortifi'd 'gainst strength, you must call louder.
Clot.
Mother, Queen, Mother, awake awake,
Your sleep was never more like death than now;
Lady, Great Princess; fire, fire, fire.
Enter Queen above in night attire, Landrey.
Qu.
What saucie Groom
Beats our offendless doores thus daringly?
H'had better rows'd a sleeping Lyoness
Than thus t'have broke our slumbers; what art thou?
Clot.
Look,
The fire will give you light, 'tis I your Son,
Flie from your Chamber else you are but dead,
Your Court is all a Bonfire.
Qu.
Let it burn, I have lost my credit everlastingly,
I will not move afoot.
(aside.
Clot.
You must be forced then.
(Exit Eunuch busie to quench the fire.
Land.
Ladie,
Where is your wit now in necessitie?
We shall be taken, and you sham'd for ever.
Bethink, bethink your self, what shall we do.
(aside.
Qu.
I have't, it shall be so; there, put on that,
And as the door flies open meet him full
Appearing in his Brothers warlike form,
Thou wilt amaze and so passe by him safely.
Do not appear to me, I did not wound thee,
(aloud this.
Seek out the beds of those that caus'd thy death,
And howl to them thy pittious complaints;
O do not look on me, be gone, be gone.
Clot.
Whom d'ee hold discourse with, with the air?
Bethink your self, this is no time to dallie.
Qu
O my Son, such horrid apparitions full of dread
Have I beheld, have quite unwitted me;
Has thrice appear'd to me this dismall night,
You heard me speak too't.
Clot.
True, I heard you speak,
But what of that?
Qu.
Calls for Aphelia
To bear him company i'th'other world,
Or else hee'l nightly haunt us in our sleep.
Enter Landrey, as in the Princes Armour.
Clot.
O see, it comes!
Qu.
Fear it not, Son.
Clot.
What art thou that usurp'st this dead of night,
In metal like the age? why art thou sent
To cast a horror on me? If thy soul
Walks unreveng'd, and the grim Ferriman
Deny thy passage, i'l perform thy rights.
(the Ghost points to his wounds.
O do not wound me with such piteous signs,
Lest I dissolve to air, and like thy self
Affright fool mortals: If that thou desir'st
Aphelia's death t'appease thy troubled soul,
Make some consenting sign, and so depart.
Thy sight afflicts my soul.
(Enter Queen.
Qu.
How fares our Son?
(He bends and so goes off; then at the other door enter Eunuch.
Clot.
It was my brothers spirit; nothing but Aphelia?
Qu.
She must die, you see it's requisite.
Clot.
Would he had askt my life first.
Qu.
Why should you be so fond upon a woman?
Clot.
Woman's the least part of her, shee's all Goddesse.
Qu.
'Twas your offer;
Remember there's no jesting with the Gods.
Eu.
What might this mean? ha, where are my brains?
Clot.
I had forgot my self, your pardon Mother;
Bear her from me this Jewel, I esteem
Equall with life; it was my brothers picture;
And with it, this, that she prepare to die;
Pray her to take it; and in death, but kisse
Although for his whose form it represents,
And I shall take it for the greatest grace
That she can give, or I ought to desire.
Tell her, and if you can be mov'd to sorrow
Express it in you tears, it is not I
Pronounce this fatall sentence 'gainst her life
Which needs must ruine mine, but the hid will
And providence of heaven, 'gainst which to rage
It were as impious as not obey.
My brothers funerall is her dying day.
Tell her, though reason and my will do jarr,
My soul speaks peace, although my sentence war.
Say I love, and pray her to forgive me.
(Exit Queen.
Go, all attend my Mother; my estate
Delights not in Court Ceremony; stay,
Castrato stay,
(Exe. all but the Eunuch & Clota.
And with thy Counsell cure thy dying Prince;
Thou art my bosome, Eunuch, and to thee
I dare unclasp my soul; what's to be done?
This is a damned spirit I have seen,
And comes to work my ruine.
Eu.
What spirit?
Clot.
My Brothers spirit in Arms, I swear it came forth here
Out of my Mothers Chamber as I knockt.
Eu.
Was it in Armor said you?
Clot.
Yes, in that Armor he was us'd to wear
When we have run at Tilt, till our cleft Spaeres
Have with their splinters scar'd the Element.
Eu.
That Armor as I well remember, I did leave
In the Queens Bed-chamber as yesterday,
After the Triumphs and the Tournaments,
Having unbrac'd the Prince; 'tis even so,
Ha, ha, ha.
Clot.
Why this ridiculous passion?
My state requires thy tears, and not thy mirth.
Eu.
The Devill came from your Mothers Chamber sir,
She has a circle that can raise a Spirit;
And through your licence Landrey is no Eunuch.
Clot.
What killing sense thou utter'st?
There's someting in it I would understand,
And yet I dare not; Landrey? How know'st thou this?
Eu.
Since I have gone so far, i'l tell you;
I looked in at th'Key-hole, and I saw
Him in your Mothers arms upon the bed,
As sportingly as e'r I saw your Father.
Clot.
Thou ly'st, take that; suspition double sees,
(strikes. him, & offers to go out.
Jealous informers ne'r meet better fees.
Eu.
King, thou hadst better far have strook thy Father,
Dig'd up his bones and plaid at logats with them.
Stroken?
(the King returns calmly.
Clot.
I know not,
My Mother alwaies had a scanted fame;
His thoughts too have been mine; I was to blame,
Prethee forgive me; my passions but like lightning,
Flash and away, dead e'r we say it is;
I am not alwaies angry, let that assure:
My Mother may befalse, she is a woman.
(gives him his Purse.
Prethee deliver, come I will believe thee
Even to the utmost syllable.
Eu.
Then, she is false.
Clot.
And didst thou see him mount my Mothers bed?
Eu.
Else pull these out.
Clot.
Thou hast shot poyson through me;
False with Landrey, her sometime Page?
Eu.
Even with the same.
Clot.
But wherefore would they have Aphelia die?
There lies the mystery.
Eu.
They fear you will accept her as the Queen,
Of whom you may beget a hopefull issue
And frustrate their intents, who but expect
Your hop'd-for death, and perhaps plotted too,
That so they might become, what now you crosse,
Lawfully man and wife, and govern in your seat.
Clot.
This carries shew of truth, or is't a lie
My mother certainly is not so bad,
It is a sin to think it; hence and avoid my sight
Thou sower of debate, thy seeds are strow'd
On steril ground, and therefore ill bestow'd.
(Exit.
Eu.
Is't even so, work and about my brain,
I'm lost for ever if not close again.
(Exit.
SCEN. II.
Enter Dumain, Martell, Bourbon, Lanove.Lano.
Are all your Troops well furnish'd 'gainst resistance?
Are your men bold and daring, resolute
To run your hazard, indifferent rich, not poor,
That onely fight for bread? such oft betray
The sinews of a well knit plot for gain,
When these as well fight to defend as win.
Dum.
Noble Lanove,
Mine know, nor fear no death, souls of that fire,
They'l catch the bullet flying, scale a wall
Battled with Enemy, stand breaches, laugh
The thunder of a Canon, call it musick
Fitter a Ladies Chamber than the field;
When o'r their heads the Element is seel'd,
Darkned with Darts, they'l fight under the shade,
And ask no other roofs to hide their heads in;
They fear not Jove, and had the Giants been
But half so spirited, they had disthron'd him:
Kill, till they'r kill'd with killing, and oftner die
Wearied than wounded, being more opprest
With giving wounds than taking; when they fall,
They fall not vanquish'd, but by fate betraid;
Such are the men I lead.
Mart.
They'r Souldiers fit to sack a Kingdom then,
And share the spoil between them.
Bourb.
Were it come to that sport once.
Dum.
Bourbon, it must, or some of us must fall.
Mart.
Where shall we first attempt?
The Citadel.
Lanove.
I say no, it's dangerous.
Dum.
It is the safest course.
Mart.
Believe it not, it's full of hazard.
Dum.
So is the generall enterprise in hand.
Lano.
But this of certain ruine.
Mart.
Give me a reason, why you would invade
The Palace first, and I am satisfi'd?
Dum.
Then understand, Lamot lives still at Court
Disguised like a formal Surgion,
To whom the Prince being delivered
To be embalm'd and boweld, finding life
Yet in his Corps, which way he's very skilful,
H'as balsomed all his wounds and cur'd him.
Lano.
And what of all this!
Dum.
Have temperance, and hear the rest:
For this the Prince h'as promis'd him the place,
The grand Commander of the Citadel,
Whose aid can stead us infinitely.
Lano.
Is it certain?
Dum.
I did but even now receive this Letter,
(shews the Letter.
Which constantly affirms it from himself;
He saies it is not known in Court yet, that the Prince lives,
For divers reasons best known to themselves;
And herein doth require our secrecie,
Therefore dear friends be warie to divulge it.
Besides he saies here,
That the great Monseiur's suppos'd funeral
This day's solemnized with greatest pomp;
And how Aphelia dies a sacrifice
That hour he is buried on his Herse:
What if we made attempt to save the Virgin?
Lano.
It may not be, better she fall alone,
Than all of us together. And now best friends
Let us behave us bravely, it's no base act
We undertake, but our whole Countries freedom
From slaverie and bondage; men of worth stand bare
To pages and gilt Butterflies? besides the Queen
In spilling human blood; come, let's withdraw,
And laie the plat-form of this mighty work;
My soul sits smiling in me, I divine
Though now it lowr, I shall see Sun will shine.
Exeunt.
Enter Clovis and Lamot both disguised.
Clo.
Strephon, for so thou nam'st thy self, thou'st made
Thy Prince thy subject by thy timely cure;
This is the hour I must be buried living;
And this the hour the fair Aphelia
Dyes on my Herse t'appease my wandring Ghost;
Say Strephon, is it so?
Lam.
Nay this the very minute: hark, I hear them
Comming.
(sad solemn musick.
Clov.
Stand close here, wee'l observe the Mourners.
Enter six of the Guard, their Halberds reverst, then a Cardinal, Landrey, Old Brissac; then the Herse born by six young men, then King, Queen, Eunuch holding up her train, two or three Ladies, these in mourning: at the other door, a Headsman, two Nuns in white singing, Aphelia with a Garland on her head, led by two little boyes in white; after these, more Virgins adorned like the rest; both Troops passe by each other; the song ended, the Herse is set down between both companies, Aphelia mourning as one end, and the King at the other, who after a little pause speaks.
The Song by Nuns.
Come blest Virgins come and bring
To this Goddess offering,
Offer to her kisses, such
As make good better by the touch;
Where her eyes let fall a tear,
Another Paradice springs there;
It's prepostrons crueltie
To sacrifice a Deitie;
If a true path should be trod,
To her sacrifice a God.
Set down, set down your honourable load,
Fitting an Atlas shoulder; burden of grace
And majestie immense, whose weight doth load
Heavens stooping Porter, under which he groans
More than the Sphæres, and sweats thy weight not theirs;
Let me bedew thy Herse with pious tears,
Balm to wounds, repenting ones; look down
From heaven empire all and behold me stand
All flood in sorrow, drown'd in mine own tears;
Behold this spotlesse sacrifice, a Virgin
As pure in thought as Vesture, an Oblation
To ransome Jove and Heaven had he been taken,
And so we yeeld her up.
(Delivers her to the Headsman.
Bris.
O my good Lord,
This is conspiracie 'gainst an old mans life;
Have you no other way to murther me,
But to begin with her? are these your plots?
You'r weary of my counsell? and my place
May better be suppli'd by greener heads?
Pray cut off mine, do, do, a weak old man,
My absence were material, since your state
Requires Paricides about you,
Alas I may be spar'd; why must she die?
Because she's fair? or that a Prince
Once thought her so? the fault is none of hers,
Let nature suffer for't; if it prove Art,
Or that with plaistred cunning she did catch
Your Brothers love with an adulterate form,
I yeeld her up as not aly'd to me;
If not, why should she suffer?
Clot.
Brissac, peace.
(The King takes the sword from the Executioner.
Clov.
What pageant's this?
Clot.
Be it no wonder Lords
To see a Prince an Executioner;
Far be it from the dignitie of France
To let a soul forth so refin'd as her's
With mercinary hands.
Lam.
Contain your self,
Clot.
Behold the conquest of thine eies Aphelia,
(the King kneels, and laies the sword at Aphelia's foot.
France at thy foot, tread on his Royaltie;
Or if thy nature knows not to forgive,
which to believe were impious, take this sword
And search my heart, send me a sacrifice
T'appease the troubled spirit of thy love.
Qu.
O Eunuch, that shee'd take him at his word.
(aside.
Clot.
I find a speaking pitty in thine eyes,
Which thence will drop upon thy gentle tongue,
And cry in peace, Long live my Soveraign.
Aphe.
Long live Clotair, long live my Soveraign.
Clot.
The motions of the Sphæres move in that tongue.
Turn all your sables to the Tyrian dye,
Your dirges into sprightful wedding airs.
Why looks our Court so sad? is this a time
To anckor your aspects unto the earth?
By my blest self, he's traytor to the height,
That do's not straight salute her as his Queen.
Omnes.
Long live Aphelia Queen of France and us.
Lamot.
Do you hear this? what are you planet-stroken?
Clovis, Prince, Monsiure?
Qu.
What will Clotair do?
Clot.
What heaven ha's pointed for him, Marrie her.
Qu.
Thy Grave, thy Grave first Clotair.
Clot.
Cardinal.
(The Cardinal and the King whisper.
Qu.
What evill spirit's crept into my Son?
Venom'd his noble nature, sickned all
His wholsome faculties, slain's divinitie?
Are these your vowes? or canst thou couzen heaven?
Necessity of fate depends on it,
You know she must to earth.
Clot.
I, but not yet:
Since she ha's conquer'd me, that could do fate,
Had she joyn'd with me, the aw'd destinies
Spin her decrees, and what she wills they act;
Sith then what must be must be, joyn our hands.
Now, now, prevent them yet, O statue Prince
Thou art undone for ever.
(The Monsiure stands amaz'd.
Clov.
Where am I?
Awake? for ever rather let me sleep.
Is this a funerall? O that I were a Herse,
And not the mock of what is pagented.
Clot.
Amazement quite confounds me, Clovis alive!
Lam.
Yes sir, by my Art he lives, though his desire
Was not to have it known; this Chest contains
Nothing but spices sweetly oderiferous.
Clot.
Into my soul I welcome thee dear brother;
This second birth of thine brings me more joy,
Than had Aphelia brought me forth an Heir,
Whom now you must remember as a Sister.
Clo.
O that in nature there was left an Art,
Could teach me to forget I ever lov'd
This her great Masterpiece; O well built frame,
Why dost thou harbour such unhallow'd guests
To house within thy bosome perjurie?
If that our vowes are registred in heaven,
Why are they broke on earth—? Aphelia,
This was a hastie match, the subtill air
Ha's not yet cool'd the breath, with which thou swor'st
Thy self into my soul; and on thy cheeks,
The print and path-way of those tears remain
That woo'd me to believe so: flie me not,
(she gives back.
I am no spirit; tast my active pulse,
And you shall find it make such harmony.
As youth and health enjoy.
Eu,
The Queen she faints.
Clov.
Is there a God left so propitious
To rid me of my fears; still let her sleep,
For if she wake (O King) she will appear
Too monstrous a spectre for frail eyes
To see and keep their senses.
Lam.
Are you mad?
Clo.
Nothing so happy Strephon, would I were;
In times first progress I dispair the hour,
Forget that she was ever pleasing to me;
I should no more remember she would sit
And sing me into dreams of Paradice;
Never more hang about her Ivory neck
Believing such a one Diana's was,
Never more dote she breaths Arabia,
Or kiss her Corrall lip into a paleness.
Streph.
See, she's return'd, and with majestique gaze,
In pitty rather than contempt, beholds you.
Clov.
Convey me hence some charitable man,
(admiringly.
Lest this same Creature looking like a Saint,
Hurry my soul to Hell; she is a fiend
Apparel'd like a woman, sent on earth
For man's destruction.
Clot.
Rule your disorder'd tongue;
Clovis, what's past we are content to think,
It was our brother spoke, and not our subject.
Clov.
I had forgot my self, yet well remember,
Yon Gorgon ha's transform'd me into stone;
And since that time my language ha's been harsh,
My words too heavie for my tongue, to earthly;
I was not born so, trust me Aphelia:
Before I was possest with these black thoughts,
I could sit by thy side, and rest my head
Upon the rising pillows of thy breast,
Whose naturall sweetnesse would invite mine eies
To sinck in pleasing slumbers, wake, and kisse
The Rose beds that afforded me such bliss;
But thou art now a generall disease
That eat'st into my Marrow, turn'st my blood,
And mak'st my veines run poyson, that each sense
Groans at the alteration: am I the Monsiure?
Do's Clovis talk his sorrows, and not act?
O man bewomaniz'd; wert thou not mine,
How comes it thou art his?
Clot.
You have done ill,
And must be taught so; you Capitulate
Not with your equall Clovis, she's thy Queen.
Upon my knees I do acknowledge her,
(he kneels.
Queen of my thoughts and my affections.
O pardon me, if my ill-tutor'd tongue
Ha's forfeited my head; if not, behold
Before the sacred altar of thy feet,
I lie a willing sacrifie.
Aphe.
Arise:
And henceforth Clovis thus instruct thy soul;
There lies a depth in fate, which earthly eies
May faintly look into, but cannot fathom;
You had my vow till death to be your wife,
You being dead my vowes were cancelled,
And I as thus you see bestow'd.
Clov.
Farewell;
I will no more offend you: would to God
Those cruell hands not enough barbarous,
That made these bleeding witnesses of love,
Had set an endless period to my life too.
Clot.
Where there's no help it's bootless to complain;
Clovis she's mine; let not your spirit war
Or mutiny within you, because I say't;
Nor let thy tongue from henceforth dare presume,
To say she might, or ever should be thine;
What's past once more I pardon, 'tis our wedding day.
Clo.
A long farewel to love, thus do I break
(he breaks the Ring.
Your broken pledge of faith; and with this kiss,
The last that ever Clovis must print here:
Unkiss the kiss that seal'd it on thy lips.
Ye powers ye are unjust, for her wild breath
That ha's the sacred tie of contract broken,
Is still the same Arabia that it was:
(the King Clotair pulls him.
Nay I have done; beware of jealousie,
I would not have you nourish jealous thoughts;
Though she ha's broke her faith to me, to you
Against her reputation shee'l be true:
Farewel my first love lost, i'l chuse to have
No wife, till death shall wed me to my Grave.
Come Strephon, come and teach me how to die,
That gav'st me life so unadvisedly.
(Ex. Clovis & Streph.
Let Clovis that way go, this way will we,
He's great with grief, we with felicity.
(Exe. all with Glotair.
Manent Queen and Eunuch.
Qu.
Mischief grows lean Castrato, all our plots
Turn head upon themselves, my brains grow weak;
And in this Globe the policie's not left
To kill a worm unseen; I am undone,
And all my plots discover'd.
Eu.
This is strange,
Some comick Devil crosses our designes;
How else should he revive, or yea prepar'd,
Nay in the arms Landrey, when desire
Had made you all a Venus, meet events
So barren in their expectations?
Qu.
Their lies the grief Castrato; Had the Court,
So I had quencht these burnings flames within,
Been buri'd in her cinders, I had car'd not.
Eu.
But yet Landreis escape doth qualifie
The non-performance.
Qu.
That sits smiling here,
It set my brains upon the tentors Eunuch;
Was't not a rare device?
Eu.
And was not I
As fortunate to leave that Armour there;
But now what's to be done?
Qu.
My dul Æthiope,
I will instruct thy blacknesse; learn to know
My reputation's sickned, and my fame
Is look'd into with narrow eyes at Court;
Therefore it's thus decreed, I will remove,
And sequester my self from company.
Eu.
Good.
Qu.
Thou know'st where Childrick keep his Concubine
To none discover'd by thy self and me,
For which she is no more.
Eu.
Right.
Qu.
There will I
And my Landrey securely spend our time,
The Cave that leads unto the postern Gate,
Which Childrick made, will give him entrance:
No eie acquainted, being thus retir'd.
What lust inflam'd must be by lust unfir'd.
Eu.
Excellent mistris, I applaud your brain.
Qu.
I will away to night, I cannot brook
These loathed Nuptials, they have undone
My hopes on earth for ever, therefore my Eunuch,
Acquaint Landrey with these designes.
Eu.
What else?
Qu.
If by the engine of thy stronger brain,
Thou couldst remove—
Eu.
Aphelia or the King,
Monsiure, or all; it is not so my Queen?
Qu.
Thou hast a brain which doth ingender thoughts
As regall as our own, which do beget
A race of rare events; what pitty 'tis
Thy body should be sterril, since thy mind
Is of so pregnant and a fruitful kind;
Farewell, remember me.
(Exit Queen.
Eu.
Remember you?
Your Gibship shall be thought on fear it not;
And now bethink thee Eunuch, all thy plots
Find fruitlesse issues, onely in the King,
His worship walkt into the other world,
Like a tame suckling Pig that dy'd o'th pipp;
The trouble is behind, my hate extends
To the whole family, I must root them up,
And beldam first with you: but how? but how?
If (in her proud desire) I do prevent
Her lust this second time, before the third
She may repent and save her loathed soul,
Which my revenge would damn; yet were she crost,
Her lust being now at full flood in her,
And no way left to quench her burning flame,
Her dryer bones would make a bonfire,
Fit for the Devill to warm his hands by:
Nor must the high and mighty Queen Aphelia
This night enjoy her Bridegroom, I must set
Some mischief instantly on foot to stop it;
If I miscarry in it story shall tell,
I did attempt it bravely though I fell.
(Enter Lamot and Clovis.
Clov
Disswade me not, Castrato I have sought thee
Through every angle of this spatious Court,
I've businesse to impart.
Eu.
And so have I.
Clo.
Mine is of honourable consequence,
And doth require thine aid.
Eu.
So doth mine yours.
Clo.
Aphelia is—
Eu.
Your Brothers Wife and you
Would fain injoy her too: why sir you may,
But time must work her.
Clo.
Eunuch, thou art wide;
Those vaneties of love are quite extinct,
Revenge doth swell the Monsiure, and his thoughts
Which burn within him must be quencht with blood;
I have incenst the King with yellowness,
With doubtfull phrases on Aphelia's fame;
See'st thou this Letter, 'tis a script I feign'd,
(shew a Paper.
For I can counterfeit Aphelia's hand;
The King ha's banish'd Landrey from the Court,
Because he wore the Jewel which he sent
To his Aphelia: light suspitions,
But this shall aggravte; find thou the King,
Shew him this Note, it doth expresse great love
To Landrey from Aphelia; and withall,
It mentioneth the Jewel as a Gift
To gratifie her servant; this to the rest
Of poyson he ha's suck'd already in,
Will so inflame him, that the Court shall burn
Too hot for his Aphelia.
Eu.
Think it done;
But now your aid, since that your mind is bent
Clo.
Thou'dst have me joyn my self unto the Rebels,
And with my person grace their cause, perhaps
That is not now to plot.
Eu.
I find you high,
Worthy the name of Monsieure; yet your thoughts
Hit not my purpose, it is such that made
Your Brother quake to hear.
Clo.
What is it Eunuch?
If that it bear an honourable sound,
Though death stood gaping wide to swallow me,
I would not shrink nor fear.
Eu.
Noble; hear it then,
Your Mother's loose, and this night renders up
Her body unto lust, if not prevented;
I can direct you where and when, with whom.
Clo.
My soul finds the man, is't not Landrey?
Eu.
The same.
Clov.
I'l tear him all to pieces then,
Whore my Mother; Eunuch lead the way,
In what thou shalt prescribe we will obey.
Exeunt omnes.
| The Fatal Contract, A French Tragedy | |