University of Virginia Library

Alexander, Metron, Ceballinus, Craterus, Perdiccas, Ephestion.
Alexander.
Come, Metron say, of whom hast thou receiued
Th'intelligence of this conspiracy,
Contriu'd against our person, as thou sayst,
By Dymnus and some other of the Campe?
Is't not some vaine report borne without cause,
That enuy or imagination drawes
From priuate ends, to breed a publike feare,
T'amuze the world with things that neuer were?

Met.
Here, may it please your Highnesse is the man,
One Ceballinus, that brought me the newes.

Ceb.
O, Alexander! I haue sau'd thy life;
I am the man that haue reueal'd their plot.

Alex.
And how cam'st thou to be inform'd thereof?

Ceb.
By mine owne brother, one Nichomacus,
Whom Dymnus, chiefe of the conspiratours,
Acquainted with the whole of their intents.

Alex.
How long since is it, this was told to thee?

Ceb.
About some three dayes, my souereigne Lord.

Alex.
What, three dayes since! and hast thou so long kept
The thing conceal'd from vs, being of that weight?
Guard, Take and lay him presently in hold.

Ceb.
O, may it please your Grace, I did not keep
The thing conceal'd one houre, but presently
Ran to acquaint Philotas there withall,
Supposing him a man, so neere in place,
Would best respect a case that toucht so neere;
And on him haue I waited these two dayes,
Expecting t'haue beene brought vnto your Grace;
And seeing him weigh it light, pretending that
Your Graces leasure seru'd not fit to heare,
I to the Master of your armoury
Addrest my selfe forthwith, to Metron here
Who, without making any more delay,
Prest in vnto your Grace being in your bath,
Locking me vp the while in th'armoury:
And all what I could shew reuealed hath.

Alex.
If this be so then, fellow, I confesse,
Thy loyall care of vs was more than theirs,
Who had more reason theirs should haue bin more.
Cause Dymnus to be presently brought forth.
And call Philotas streight, who, now I see,
Hath not deceiu'd me, in deceiuing me.
Who would haue thought one, whom I held so neere,
Would from my safety haue beene so farre off,
When most it should and ought import his care,
And wherein his allegeance might make proofe
Of those effects my fauours had deseru'd.
And ought t'haue claim'd more duty at his hands
Than any of the rest? But thus w'are seru'd,
When priuate grace out of proportion stands,
And that we call vp men from of below,
From th'element of baser property.
And set them where they may behold and know
The way of might, and worke of maiesty;
VVhere see'ng those rayes, which being sent far off,
Reflect a heate of wonder and respect,
To faile neere hand, and not to shew that proofe,
(The obiect only working that effect)
Thinke (seeing themselues, though by our fauour, set
VVithin the selfe same orbe of rule with vs)
Their light would shine alone, if ours were set;
And so presume t'obscure or shadow vs.
But he shall know, although his neerenesse hath
Not felt our heat, that we can burne him too;
And grace that shines, can kindle vnto wrath;
And Alexander and the King are two.
But here they bring vs Dymnus, in whose face
I see is guilt, despaire, horror, and death.

Guar.
Yea, death indeed, for ere he could b'attach'd
He stabb'd himselfe so deadly to the heart,
As tis impossible that he should liue.

Alex.
Say Dymnus, what haue I deserud of thee,
That thou shouldst thinke worthier to be thy King,
Philotas, than our selfe? hold, hold, he sinks;
Guard keepe him vp, get him to answer vs.

Guar.
He hath spoke his last, h'wil neuer answer more.

Alex.
Sorry I am for that, for now hath death
Shut vs cleane out from knowing him within,
And lockt vp in his brest all the others hearts,
But yet this deed argues the truth in grosse,
Though we be barr'd it in particular.
Philotas, are you come? Looke here, this man,
This Ceballinus should haue suffred death,
Could it but haue beene prou'd he had conceal'd
Th'intended treason from vs these two dayes;
Wherewith (he sayes) he streight acquainted thee.
Thinke, the more neere thou art about our selfe,
The greater is the shame of thine offence:
And which had beene lesse foule in him than thee.

Phil.
Renowmed Prince, for that my heart is cleere,
Amazement cannot ouer cast my face,
And I must boldly with th'assured cheere
Of my vnguilty conscience tell your Grace,
That this offence (thus hapning) was not made
By any the least thought of ill in me;
And that the keeping of it vnbewrai'd,
Was, that I held the rumour vaine to be,
Considering some, who were accus'd, were knowne
Your ancient and most loyall seruitours,
And such, as rather would let out their owne
Heart blood, I know, than once indanger yours.
And for me then, vpon no certaine note,
But on the brabble of two wanton youthes,
T'haue tolde an idle tale, that would haue wrought
In you distrust, and wrong to others truths,
And to no end, but only to haue made
My selfe a scorne, and odious vnto all.
(For which I rather tooke the bait was layd,
Than els for any treachery at all.)
I must confesse, I thought the safest way
To smoother it a while, to th'end I might,
If such a thing could be, some proofes bewray,
That might yeeld probability of right;
Protesting that mine owne vnspotted thought
A like beloefe of others truth did breed,
Iudging no impious wretch could haue bin wrought
T'imagine such a detestable deed.
And therefore, O dread Souereigne, do not way
Philotas faith by this his ouersight,
But by his actions past, and only lay
Error t'his charge, not malice nor despight.

Alex.
Well, loe, thou hast a fauourable Iudge,
When, though thou hast nor pow'r to cleere thy blame,
Yet hath he pow'r to pardon thee the same;
Which take not as thy right, but as his grace,
Since here the person alters not the case.
And here, Philotas, I forgiue the offence,
And to confirme the same, loe here's my hand.

Phi.
O sacred hand, the witnesse of my life!
By thee I hold my fafety as secure
As is my conscience free from treachery,

Alex.
Well, go t'your charge, and looke to our affaires,
For we to morrow purpose to remoue.

Exit.
Alex.
In troth I know not what to iudge herein,
Me thinkes that man seemes surely cleere in this,
How euer otherwise his hopes haue beene
Transported by his vnaduisednesse:
It cannot be, a guilty conscience should
Put on so sure a brow; or els by art
His lookes stand newtrall, seeming not to hold
Respondency of int'rest with his heart.
Sure, for my part, he hath dissolu'd the knot
Of my suspition, with so cleere a hand,
As that I thinke in this (what euer plot
Of mischiefe it may be) he hath no hand.

Crat.

Perd.
And for my part, my liege, I hold this minde,
That sure, he would not haue so much supprest
The notice of a treason in that kinde,
Vnlesse he were a party with the rest.
Can it be thought that great Parmenios sonne,
The generall commander of the horse,
The minion of the campe, the only one
Of secret counsell, and of free recourse,
Should not in three dayes space haue found the King
At leasure t'heare three words of that import;
Whil'st he himselfe in idle lauishing
Did thousands spend t'aduance his owne report?

Crat.
And if he gaue no credit to the youth,
Why did he two dayes space delay him then?
As if he had beleeu'd it for a truth,
To hinder his addresse to other men.
If he had held it but a vaine conceit,
I pray why had he not dismist him streight?
Men in their priuate dangers may be stout,
But in th'occasions and the feares of Kings
We ought not to be credulous, but doubt
The intimation of the vainest things.

Alex.