University of Virginia Library

Act IV.

Scene I.

Enter Heildebrand, Galeotto.
Heildebrand.
These ornaments shew much magnificence
And wealth, the prosperous Monarch of the East
Might here vouchsafe to sleepe, though when his bold
And superstitious fables made him thinke
The Sunne was marryed, and would send his glistring wife
To be his Concubine.

Galeotto.
These Tapers, Sir,
And these refulgent Stones, will all grow darke,
When you behold Arthiopa; who now
(That you may find my promise just) you shall
Embrace; where is shee? ha, death on this slave.
Morello told me that he left her here;
Her Lover too, fast bound to my dispose.—
Enter Amaranta.
Amaranta! what divell counsell'd thee
To this untimely visit in the night?

Amaranta.
It was a carefull Angell, Sir, that to
Prevent the dangers on your soule, hath given
Me order to dehort your rage, which so
Pursues Arthiopa.

Galeotto.
Where is shee? speake,
Where's Altophil? remov'd and hid by thee?

Heildebr.
Her beauties make his faint description more
Like envie then just praise; the nicest maid
In Lombardy, strictly compar'd, lookes like
A wither'd Lapland Nurse; my teeming wife
Shewes foule and tauny to her, as sh'ad beene
The footy off-spring of a Moore.

Galeot.
Why do'st not speake, I know she can't escape
The confines of my house, my guards are made
Too watchfull and too strong, Where is she? Speake.—

Shee kneeles.
Amaranta.
Sir, I confesse I've hid her from your wrath,
And till this great distemper of your mind is cur'd,
It were not safe she should appeare.

Heildebr.
Galeotto, Why do'st let this Lady kneele?
Such humblenesse shewes ill, the pleasure of
An am'rous beauty is her pride.

Galeot.
The posture's comely, Sir, it is my daughter.

Heildebr.
Hah! his daughter! this courtesie is new
And exquisite, I love a Parent for my Bawd!

Galeotto.
Tell mee, thou troublesome delight of holinesse;
Where thy bewitching Rivall is conceal'd,
Or I'll torment thee till thou wake thy dead
Unluckie mother with thy groanes.

Heildebr.
Galeotto, hold, do'st thou use force?

Galeot.
The Lady that I promis'd for your solace, Sir,
S'hath wickedly remov'd from hence.

Heildebr.
What Lady's that?

Galeot.
The faire Arthiopa.

Heildebr.
There is none faire but she, all beauty else
She turnes to blacke companions of the night;
My judgement is too strong, cheat not mine eares
With the false musicke of a name: Alas!
My gentle Excellence, waste not those teares,
Whose soveraigne power would better nature, where
She weakly doth reside, and falling in
The Spring, convert a Canker to a Rose.
Come, mourne no more.

Amaranta.
Sir, you are mercifull,
And by the great prerogative of your
Command, may soone procure an easier weight
Then he hath laid upon the innocent.

Heildebr.
Believe't he shall not practise violence;
To Bed sweet beauty, goe, he is reclaim'd;
Upon thy life pursue her not: thy lookes
Are grown too terrible to court her now.—

Exit Amaranta.
Galeotto.
But will you then forgoe my promise, Sir?

Heildebr.
Your first assurance was, her Love should
Present her willingly into mine armes,
And that I must expect there is no ease,
Nor pleasure in restraint.

Galeotto.
You meane Arthiopa.
I'll fetch her, Sir, if you'll but let me force
This wayward foole to tell where shee's conceal'd.

Heildebr.
This is that faire Arthiopa whom I'll enjoy.

Galeotto.
Perswade my daughter to your bed; alas, you
Are marryed, Sir.

Heildebr.
Or thy ambition else
Were happily so bold to thinke: I'll choose
Her for my wife.

Galeotto.
In troth the other way
Is but unwholesome kinde of love;
Yet may be fit enough for lost Arthiopa;
If you'll take leisure 'till I finde her out:
But to betray a daughter.

Heildebr.
You lately could betray
Your countrey, Sir, why not a daughter now?
Mocke not my rais'd desires, bring her to night;
Not forc'd by terror, or outragious strength,
But by the soothings of thy tongue wrought to
A willing, liberall consent; goe, do't,
Or thou shalt bleed.—

Exit.
Galeotto.
Peace to your majesty:
This foole in a religious pity hath
Destroy'd her selfe, i'th choycest houre of time,
When I design'd she should be wedded to
The Prince: for dull loose Heildebrand,
If th'other had but satisfi'd his lust,
In drunken bountie would surrender all
His conquest here, t'endow and make her great.
What is our humane cunning, our obscure
And vicious wisdome worth? since at this play
Of policie, that Gamester cannot winne
That hath not skill, but power to help his sinne.—

Exit.
Enter Ascoli unbound, Rangone, Gandolpho.
Rangone.
I heare the Lady, Sir, and Altophil
Are pris'ners still, and by that traytor were
But led to counterfeit delights.

Ascoli.
My owne calamities soone vanish from
My thoughts, when I remember theirs; you see
This Captaine gives my hands their liberty;
But expect hee's now so farre restor'd,
That hee'll contrive the freedome of
My person and my minde.

Rangone.
Gandolpho, know
The counsell I have breath'd, will shortly, when
Your reason and your piety consult,
Advance your profit much, your honour more.

Ascoli.
Your error past I have forgiven; as well
Assur'd Galeotto's cunning did seduce
Your easie nature in pretence of gratitude
To doe perfidious things to th'State and mee;
But your amendment now shall have as full
Reward as if the memory were lost,
Of all your former guilt.

Rangone.
How excellent repentance shewes! it may,
Perhaps, proceed too slow, but when
'Tis reall, never comes too late.

Gandolph.
Sir, thus dejected on the earth, I begge
Your pardon, and should rise made happy, though
Not innocent, if you believe that I
Was wrought into my crime, by him that found
A subtile use of my unskilfull Love.

Ascol.
My faith is willingly confirm'd, and you
Call'd backe to all the favour you forsooke;
The Citadell continues still in your
Command, though with bold strangers new inforc'd;
And by your power a secret entrance may
Be soone devis'd for a surprize.

Rangone.
The absence of your person, Sir, which is
So much lamented now, when you appeare,
Will adde a courage equall to the joy
Our souldiers shall receive; and though dispers'd,
The towne may yeeld enough for this designe.

Gandolpho.
What valour, or long practise in the war
(Made perfect with much doubtfull enterprize)
Can doe, we shortly will atchieve: but for
A while you must rest close in durance here.

Ascoli.
My patience is so wise, it will perswade
Me to't, Rangone, come; the dangers which
These Lovers feare, are such as we would faine
Prevent, or else adventure to revenge.—

Exeunt.
Enter Heildebrand, Galeotto, Arthiopa.
Galeot.
The beames of your bright beautie could not be
So hid, but I must finde them out.

Arthiopa.
My life I now esteeme not worthy of my care,
Since you have sever'd mee from Altophil.

Galeot.
Your Lover yet is safe; but if you use
The King with cruelty, expect the like
On him.—I knew, when he beheld—
aside.
Her lustre shine, my Amaranta would
Be free; already he growes hot: This fire
Like those that Chymists keepe, must still
In secret burne, whilst gazers voyd the roome.—

Exit.
Heildebr.
Which way shall I redeeme the error of
My former wonder, that in ignorance.
Committed fond Idolatrie to one
Who in her greatest beauty may become
Thy worshipper, and not decline her owne
Prerogative; though shee excell a throng
On others that are comely too.

Altophil.
Sir, I am hither forc'd
By a perverse and trecherous Counsellor;
His tongue hath much envenom'd your chaste cares,
And would perswade you a horrid sinne;
But all my comfort is, your nature hath
Been still so rightly taught, you'll easily
Resist temptations of greater strength,

Heildebr.
Know thou art hither come, to lay thy white
Attractive hand upon my Scepter; and
Give lawes to me, to make decrees of war
And peace; fold up my Ensignes, then command,
Then straight unfold agen, untill they spread
Their bloodie streamers in a forraigne Land;
But then my pretious sweetnesse you must love.

Arthiop.
Your goodnesse, Sir, I will, but if your thoughts
Are prompted to attempt unlawfull deeds,
Sure all the righteous world must hate you then;
Nor would I be the last should frowne upon
A wicked Lover, though a King.

Heildebr.
Such cold discourse befits an hermitage,
Where age and hunger make a rev'rend
Pretence, to hate the pleasure, when (alas)
They have out-liv'd the appetite; you must
Come neerer yet.—

Arthiop.
O! thinke upon your honour, Sir, and what
Protects it, heaven.

Heildebr.
It is some pleasure to
Delay those thoughts a while, draw neere, make mee
Acquainted with your lips; why should they want
Impression that so easily swell; that are
So soft, and fit to take the seale of love?

Arthiop.
You'll fright my soule from this unfortunate
Weake Tenement, where she unwillingly
Hath dwelt of late; and now 'tis shaken so
With that strong tempest in your lookes,
She dares not longer stay.

Heildebr.
Let her come forth, and in my bosome rest.

Arthiop.
No, Sir, her second dwelling is above
The stars, where she will tell such tales of you,
If you persist, the earth shall grow too hot
For your abode, and shortly after, hell
Too cold; they'll mend, and multiply their fires
Against you come.

Heildebr.
Were you lesse faire, such coynesse would disswade.

Arthiop.
If you continue in this exercise
Of impious power, be still a King; but may
You live to know, your title given you for
A scorne, no subjects left you to obey;
More enemies to conquer what you have,
'Till be so little, and so cheape; this in
Your age, when miseries doe most perplex,
And strength is quite decay'd that should support
The waight which younger patience thinks no load.

Heildebr.
Are you so excellent at curses, Lady?

Arthiop.
But better far at blessings, Sir; if you
Subvert the furious danger of your will,
Be still a King; and may your Scepter grow
Within your hand, as heaven had given it
A root: may it bud forth, increase in boughes,
Till't spread to the Platan tree, and yeeld
A comfortable shade, where other Kings
May sit delighted, and secure from all
The stormes of war and tyrannie.

Heildebrand.
Leave me, away,
That closet make your prison untill night,
Where you shall harbour safe from him that would
Betray your Virgin-wealth, but looke not backe:
For then you share the guilt of my next crime,
You carrie in your face the fire that feeds
My flame; which, if I see, 'twill kindle soone
What I will strive to quench.—

Exeunt severall wayes.
Enter Altophil bound agen.
Altophil.
Arthiopa, Arthiopa! O that
The double concave of this dismall place
Could but reverberate her name, I would
Be mock'd, though with a sound of happinesse
Rather then quite depriv'd; the Ghosts
Of impious men walke and revisit the
Relinquish'd earth; but she is gone like things
Most excellent: the soules of Votaries
Who once departed, know this fulsome world
So much unfit to mingle with their pure
Refin'd ayre, that they will returne.
Arthiopa,—

Enter Amaranta, with a sword drawne.
Amaranta.
What voyce is that, which with
Such fatall accent doth bemone some great
Eternall losse.

Altophil.
Arthiopa is gone,
The secret Vault where thou didst leave us safe
Enclos'd was by Morello found, who with
Rude help of murthers enforc'd her from
Mine armes, and left mee bound.

Amaranta.
I fear'd some danger neer
Which made mee haste to thy redresse; once more
(My Lord) let me give freedome to your strength.—
Unbinds him.
Here, take this sword, 'tis a most pretious jewell,
And like a relique hath hung long within
Our armourie: if false Morello shall
Returne to threaten death, defend your selfe.

Altophil.
I would this bountie had been earlyer brought.

Amaranta.
My feares are so increas'd, I dare not stay
To see the end of thy uncertaine fate.
Be watchfull and conceal'd.—

Exit.
Altophil.
The unwearied courtesies
Of this soft maid, afflict my memorie:
Since my affections were so far bequeath'd
And spent, ere they became her due, that now
I cannot pay her, equall love for love,
But to anothers losse.—What noyse is that!
A second doore reveal'd? it opens too.—

He steps behind the Arras.
Enter Galeotto, Morello.
Morello.
Hee's truss'd, and pinion'd like a Pullet, Sir,
And you may spit him when you please.

Galeot.
Yes, he must die, for Amaranta loves
Him so, her wishes else will ne're be quieted,
Nor she admit the Prince, though I could win
His heart, he suffers for disdaine of her;
She shall appeare, and see it too, 'twill breed
Her up to greatnesse, whose chiefe nourishment
Is blood, when you have lock'd the doore, give her
This key, and send her hither.

Morello.
If shee suspect the cause, she will not come.

Galeot.
I say she must, and wait you close about
The King, to watch th'event of his hot enterprize.—
Exit Morello.
Duke Altophil, where is your mighty grace?

Altophil.
Who is't that makes my title his bold mirth?

Galeotto.
His fetters off! a sword too in his hand!
This argues trecherie.—

Strives to goe backe to the doore, Altophil steps betweene.
Altophil.
Nay, no retyring yet,
I have been here reserv'd your prisoner,
But your dull bounty now hath made you mine.

Galeot.
The very sword I won in duell from
The fain'd La Roch, i'th vale of Chamberis,,
If 'twere taught t'observe as Wizards doe,
This chance is so sinister, 'twould infuse
A superstitious trembling through my veines.

Altophil.
What is it makes your admiration still
Employ'd? this object of your crueltie?

Galeotto.
Who furnish'd thee with such a rich defence
For rescue of thy life?

Altophil.
Your daughter, Sir.

Galeot.
So true to him that hates her! and so false
To me! destruction on her soule.

Altophil.
Your curse will find such little entertainment where
Her vertues are, that it must soone returne
Unto your selfe; the memory of her
Would faine disswade my just revenge on thee.
Where hast thou left Arthiopa?

Galeotto.
With Heildebrand.

Altophil.
That fatall word calls backe my absent and
Relenting spirits to my arme, which grew
With thoughts of mercy weake, but now it hath
A strength too dangerous for thy repulse.—

They fight a while, and part.
Galeotto.
Yo'are active, Sir, your nimble joynts are bath'd
In Jessamine oyle.

Altophil.
And you are knowne a Master in
This angry Art; your Rapier miracles
Are chronicled by the hot fencing French;
But I'll adventure some small practice, Sir.—

fight agen and sever.
Galeot.
Pause, pause a while, and keepe your little breath,
Since 'tis your last, to make your friend more sport.

Altophil.
So merry? cause your divell is so learn'd,
And taught you faigne in subtile lines,
Proportion'd by a rule; still statue like,
Standing as stiffe as if your posture were
In Brasse, I'll discompose it straight.—

Fight agen, Galeotto is wounded, they sever.
Galeot.
I did not thinke your skill so excellent,
I shall drop downe without revenge, hence with
A Hatchet, like a senslesse tree, this to
Requite your kindnesse, Sir.—

Fight, Galeotto, is wounded, agen. they sever.
Altophil.
Laugh and be merry now;
You are not tickled with a straw, you see,
This is a kind of sport will make you bleed.

Galeot.
O my false fame, where art thou now, he bores
And drills me where he list, as I were dead
Already, and my breast, a boord us'd to
An Augur, not a Sword; as if hee had
Forecast how many holes would serve to make
My obscure heart transparent to the world.
The Furies greet you, Sir.—

Fight, Galeotto falls.
Altophil.
This for my much wrong'd Prince, this for Arthiopa.—
And though a glorious villaine, yet like to
A villaine fall, despis'd upon the earth;
Not pitied in thy parting Grove.

Galeot.
O! O! your wrath and I together end.—

Hee dies.
Altophil.
'Tis strange I scap'd without a wound, he was
A cunning duellist, whose tread is that?—

Enter Amaranta.
Amaranta.
Feare still makes others swift to flie from danger,
And me thus slow t'incounter it, sure I
Have stay'd too long, where are you, Sir?

Altophil.
Sweet Amaranta, hide thine eyes.

Amaranta.
Can they be weary growne of seeing you?

Altophil.
But here's another object that will make them start,
Till they untie their strings.

Amaranta.
Hah my father! mercie, how far is thy
White throne remov'd from earth, that wretched I,
Thy daily Orator, could not be heard?
My blood will turne to teares at his dire Obsequie.
O Altophil! thou cruell Lord, did I
For this with severall hazards of my life,
And filiall faith, keepe thee from death? that sword
I gave you for defence, and straight
Perverting all my courtesies, you did
Present it to my fathers breast.

Altophil.
Hee was a wicked man.

Amarant.
Were thy uncivill accusations true;
Yet for my sake thou might'st have spar'd his life:
For mee, whom though you could not love,
I ne're deserv'd to find your hatred in
Such fierce extremes.

Altophil.
There was no help, but one
Of us must fall, and I preserv'd my selfe.

Amaranta.
Upon such wise sure cautions, my
Indulgent nature scorn'd to meditate,
When I deliver'd you from murthering hands,
But made the danger hastily mine owne.

Altoph.
Those words like subtill lighting pierce, and soone
Will kill me, though they make no wound.
Here, take this sword, revenge thy fathers cause,
Revenge thy cause, whose love I have been forc'd
To pay with some neglect, kill me and be just.—

Amaranta.
Did you but call't neglect? and said that you
Were forc'd to it?

Altophil.
So forc'd, as I shall ever be, since my
First plight was seal'd; there is no ease, no end
Of that constraint.

Amaranta.
Still to lament, and never to be lov'd.—

Altophil.
I am the source of all thy griefe; make haste,
'Tis fit I die.—

Amaranta.
That sentence is my doome.—

Shee falls on the sword.
Altophil.
Hold, Amaranta, hold;
Where are our better Angells at such times
As these? Sweet virgin breathe a while.—

Amarant.
Goe, tell Arthiopa she needs not feare
Her rivall now, my Bridall bed is in
The earth.

Altophil.
O stay! there may be helpe.

Amaranta.
When you come neer my grave, if any flower
Can grow on such unluckie ground, pray water't with
A single teare, that's all I aske: mercy heaven.—

She dies.
Altophil.
For ever gone! make much of her you stars,
She is the brightest ere shall come into
Your numberlesse societie. Her last
Salute was sent unto Arthiopa,
Till shee be safe I must not follow thee;
But I will hasten, gentle maid, to weare
Immortall wings, and thy new lustre then
Will be so knowne above, that if I stray,
It can direct and light mee in the way.—

Exit.