University of Virginia Library

SCENE. 1.

Enter Lepida in her night attire with a Booke and a lighted Taper.
Lep.
My servants all are fast 'tis dead of night,
And yet my restlesse senses want their rest;
This was no wont to be, tis wondrous strange
I feare (nor is't unlike) my daughter, my
Most ambitious, irreverent daughter,
Dead to good counsell, now in great Cæsars
Absence, most apt for ill; takes her full flight
To the loose life of all licentiousnesse,
Now at this instant wrongs him, and that the
Gods, whose eyes see blackest deeds, doe see and
Abhorre; and therefore caus'd me thus to wake
From dead resembling sleepe, to pray
T'oppose her ill with good, heaven I obay.

A Bell rings as far off, three Roman dames knocke within.
1.
Open the doore, O noble Lepida
Open the doore.

Lep.
What ill includes this noyse.

2.
Open the doore. O save us from the gripes
Knock againe.
Of Rape and Ruine.

Lep.
That was a womans voyce most certaine 'twas,
I will no longer stay you.

Opens the doore.
3.
O save us from the Rape, death doggs us
At the heeles.

1.
Our parents and husbands slaine
In their beds this night, have payd lifes forfeit
For our escape.

2.
For whom there is no hope
If shelter'd not under your wings of safetie.

3.
She is your daughter that commands this ill.

Lep.
Woe is me wretch, accursed be the time
That brought her forth; O may it ever be,
For ever bard the ranke of blessed houres.

Bell rings as neere at hand.
1.
Harke, harke, they come, that fatall bell rings their,
Approach; turne us to Ayre some whirlewind, er'e
We perish through spotted whoredome.

Enter Sauf. the two Ruffans, and Baud.
Sauf.
O are you here.

Ba.
And have we found you out.
O you abominable pictures of
Peevish vertue, ye thread bare thin cheek't chastitie,
Ye Puppets.

Lep.
I am amaz'd, if from my daughter sent,
Tell me ye frightfull villaines her demand.

Sauf.
Them there, whose paltery puling honestie,
Merits no favour but a world of mischiefe,
They must live at Court.

Ba.
There to live, and brave.

Hem.
To shine in pearle, and gold flow in treasure.

St.
Fed with delicious Cates, to swim in pleasure breath.

Ba.
Tost on the downy beds of dalliance.

Lep.
Peace hell bred hagge, stop thy unhallow'd throat.

Sauf.
Dispatch, resolve to goe or die.

Lep.
Then die,
Arme you brave Roman Dames, Terrestriall stars,
Arm'd with faire fortitude resolve to die,
That when y'are gone. I may looke up and see
Your chast thought starres in the Celestiall spheares
Is it not better die then live at court?
Rackt, torne and tost on proud dishonours wheele,
There to be whoor'd, your excellence defil'd,
Rather be free, be free rare spirits for
Succeeding times to wonder at; spurne, spurne
In contempt of death, at deaths base strife,
To die for vertue is a glorious life.

All.
O blest encouragement.

1.
All are so willing, ther's not one of us
Wu'd wish to live, so fairest mind farewell,
Behold we linke in love, thus arm'd to die,
Strike slaves, mount soules, fly to eternitie.

kild.
Lep.
Mischievous Monsters, O what have you don.

Ba.
Take this, this, and this for me, ye Puppets
Of purity.

Baud stabs at them with her knife, and in her going off, is shut in by Lepida.
Lep.
Wu'd you be gone!
Nay you damb'd hell-hagge I'le preserve you safe
Manutius Folio wake, wake from drowsie sleepe.
Exit Lepida.

Ba.
How's this, lockt in, what the great divell
Will become of me.

Lepida within.
Lep.
Murder murder, what ho, Manutius awake.

Ba.
How she bawles, vengeance stop your throat.

Enter Lepida with her two Servants.
Lep.
O see where murder'd chastitie lies slaine,
Vnder my tragicke roofe this fatall night.

Ser.
Sad dismall accident.

Lep.
Here take this Baud.
She hath a large hand in this impious act
Take, hang her by the heeles then let my dogs,
Compell'd through hunger teare, eate her alive,
I must to Court there prosecute the rest.

Exit.
Ser.
Remove those bodies I'le take charge of this,
O thou insufferable Bitch Whore, Bawd,
Have you beene actor in this blooddy Scene?
You shall be gnawne with dogges for't, totter'd
And peecemeale torne, you shall you rotten
Stinking tunne of decay'd Letchery you shall.
Yet, I will set thee free, grease me now finely,
Finely ith' Fist, you know the Art, mony
Will corrupt, 'tis beggery to be honest.

Ba.
Hold ther's my purse, the better part is gold
Performe thy promise, I'le advance thy state
At Court promote thee.

Ser.
To weare brave cloathes.

Ba.
Rich, wondrous rich.

Ser.
And shall I have a wench.

Ba.
A very daintie device, a Springer,
One that shall make thy constitution curvet
And winde about thee like a Skeine of Silke
Titckle, tickle, tickle thee my brave bully:

Ser.
Sayst thou so, my old motions procurer,
Goe thy wayes—stay—O wonderfull whats that
There betwixt thy teeth, gape.

He gags her.
Ba.
Au, au, au.

Ser.
We must be honest here, nay you shall goe
Not to be tickle, tickle, tickl'd, but
To be totter'd with your heeles aloft
To be totter, totter, totter'd my brave Bawd,
To be totter'd.

Exeunt.
Enter Messalina.
Mess.
Menester, Valens, Proculus, not all
No, not a world of favorites can yeeld
To us that free delight in dalliance which
Silius gives, he must not live at Forum,
Though it be neare at hand 'tis too farre off
Calphurnia.

Enter Calphurnia.
Calph.
Your highnesse pleasure.

Mess.
Cause Cajus, Silius to be sent for straight,
And let Harmonious Musicks ravishing Ayres,
Breath our delight.

Calph.
To your accomplisht wish.
Exit. Cal.

Mess.
Circle me round you Furies of the night,
Dart all your fiery lust-stung Arrowes here.
Musicke.
Here, here, let Circe and the Syrens charmes,
Poure their inchantments; Monarch of flames,
Fill with aluring poyson these mine eyes
That I may with the mistie soules of men,
And send them tumbling to th'Acharusian Fen:
'Twere an all pleasing object unto thee,
Thou great Arck-Ruler of the lowe Abysse,
Like to Cadmæan Semele I wu'd burne
Rather then want this my implor'd desire,
And be consum'd in thunder, smoake, and fire;
Let petty Queenes dull appetite dread feare,
I'le be my selfe sole pleasures Queene in all.
Ha, whats this? cease that Musicke there,
A suddaine strange and drousie heavinesse
Enchants my tender eyes to close their lights.

Dormit.
Enter three Furies with the Arrowes of Pride, Lust, and Murder.
1.
From those blew flames burning dimme,
Where black soules in sulphure swimme.
Darke infernall Den below,
Lakes of horrour, paine and woe.

2.
From dread Thunder smoaking fire,
We come, we flye at thy desire.

3.
To fire thy mind, lewdly inclind.

1.
To deeds unjust, murder and lust.

2.
Dreaming see, at thee, at thee.

3.
Furies dart sinnes potent night.

1.
Sable shafts of endlesse night.

Eight Furies dance an Anticke and depart.
Messalina awakes.
Mess.
Furies enough, I'me fully satisfide,
A Plurisie of lust runnes through my veines
I could graspe with any.

Enter Silius
Sil.
Me above all.

Mess.
O the unsounded sea of my delight
In thee my Silius, tis miraculous,
Ineffable, never to be exprest
By learnings deepest Art.

Sil.
Glory of Queenes,
Cease to enchant with words that can so charme.

Mess.
And Scarfe about thy neck, my Ivory Arme
Practise upon thy lips the Energie
Of sweet alurements, shoot into thine eyes
Amorous glances stirring dalliance,
Embracements, passions, such as shall beget
Perpetuall appetite, that all the gods
May in beholding emulate our joy,
Enveloped with pleasures sweetest sweets,
Ambrosiack kisses thus.

Kisse.
Sil.
Delicate Nectar.

Mess.
Redoubled thus and thus.

Kisse again double
Sil.
O I am all Flame,
A scorcht inchanted flame and I shall burne
To Cinders with delight, debar'd to quench
Fervour with fervour, violent flame with flames.

Mess.
Thou art too noble a substance to imbrace
Thy wife Syllana, be sudaine, kill her,
She must not live.

Sil.
How?

Mess.
Be not ignorant,
That singular alone we must enjoy
The freedome of thy body undebard
Least let to pleasure, by this I charme thee.

Kisse.
Sil.
O that delicious melting kisse prevailes;
Sucks dry the sweetnesse of a soule distrest,
Poysons my blood and braine, and makes me apt
To doe an outrage. I should loathe to name:
O if I er'e was gracious in your sight,
Sil. kneeles.
Desist faire beauties abstract, I implore;
Spur me not on to murders horrid act
Which I shall ever rue; let it suffise,
I'me onely yours, never Syllana's more;
Sworne a perpetuall exile from her bed,
Exit. Messalina.
Vanisht so soone, how wondrous strange seemes this.

Enter Messallina with a Pistoll.
Mess.
Death and destruction satisfie my will
Or take't in thy bosome, I'me intemperate
Briefly resolve.

Sil.
Hold, be not so respectlesse
Of him that loves you dearer then his life.
Dreadlesse of death I speake it, what is death?
A bug to scarre th'ignoble cowards minde
The valiant never, did the Fates conspire
And terrible death in the most horrid shape
It er'e put on threat, despaire, and ruine,
Yet it should ne're affright the soule of Silius;
Th'impatient sudaine cause of discontent
In your rare worth, onely torments me more
Then were I rack't upon Ixions wheele
To perpetuitie; be gracious then
To him that does repent, confesse his errour,
Seal't with this kisse.

Mess.
Did Lucius Cataline
Spare wife nor childe, for Orestillas love,
And must our high borne savours be slighted
Put off with bare perswasives.

Sil.
Oh be pleas'd.

Mess.
Let mighty Queenes, majestick emminence
In the high pitch of their ambition learne
Of as to hate corivalls in their love
Trampling the Torch of Hymenæall rites
Vnder their feete.

Sil.
The attractive force
Of those amazing eyes those glorious lights
Fixt in the Firmament of your sweet face
Shall make me undergoe the worst of ill,
Though with the forfeiture of life I hazard
A death more terrible then Alcides was.

Mess.
I love thee now, like to a burning glasse
Th'ast fier'd afresh th'affection of my minde
More violent then ever; be gone, be gone,
Hasten Syllanas death then come to Court,
There the Emperiall Diadem of Rome
Dreadlesse of Cæsar shall impale thy Front
Like Iove and Iuno in a nuptiall knot,
Wee'l knit the bands of Hymen, and out shine
The glorious Tapers of the golden Sunne,
Whirle through the stately streets of spacious Rome
Like glistring Phaeton in an Orient chaire.
That with the bare report, swift fame shall strike
Amazement through the world Monarchall state
All-gazing eyes sixt on our rich attire
Languish in dreames our stately state admire.

Sil.
Ravisht in thought panting amaz'd I stand
At your Harmonious speech Emphaticall.
Ambitious blood, like to the Bankes of Nyle
Oreflowes this Orbe of mans circumference,
And points my actions thus their way to ill
Aspiring Armes Lavolto when they kill.
Exit Sil.
Presenting his naked Poniard.
Goe the influence of whose power starres,
Mounts thy imperiall lot to set aloft
On the high Orbe of our affection,
Like the bright rising orientall Sun,
When it salutes Aurora; 'bove the choice
Of five and twentie Iove-like Ganimends,
Who charm'd, and wrapt in wanton dalliance,
Life fir'd with admiration; O pleasing,
More pleasing sweet to my insate desire,
Then was to Synon Illions loftie fire.

Mess.
Shall Messallina in her flourishing youth
Like dull and tame, Nobilitie live coopt,
Confin'd and mew'd up singular to one;
No Cæsar no t'were fooles Philosophy,
And I abjure't; there is no musick in't,
Those of our Sex the mindes of sots containe
And are of no brave spirits that deny
Pleasure, the heaven of my Idolatry.

Enter Saufellus and Lepida.
Lep.
Plagues yet unfelt light on thee mischievous
Slave, villane, dog murderer rot as thou livest.

Mess.
Mother the cause of your distemprature.

Lep.
Murder in thee, in thee thou wicked Impe
And that thy substitute by the ordain'd
Gainst the most noble mindes of chastitie,
Whose innocent blood like th'Atlantick sea
Lookes red with murder, and cries out to heaven
For justice and revenge; O hadst thou first
Then beene the Author of so foule a fact
Made thy owne passage, happy woman I.

Mess.
Beldame give or'e, or Ile disclaime all smoothnesse,
Ther's nothing done that's wisht undone by us.

Lep.
Ist even so, then too too ill farewell
Truths story shall relate to after times
My love to thee; hate to thy desp'rate crimes.

Mess.
Pish to your chamber dotard be advis'd.

Sauf.
Goe and a mischiefe dambe you, and all your Pittifull Sex.

Mess.
We doe commend thy care,
Ioy 'ith performance of our strict command,
Which shall from hence forth stile thee favorite
To us, that will command thy fortunes rise.

Sauf.
And all those fortunes, favours, life and all,
Shall like an Atlas undergoe the weight
Of your imperious will, be it toth' death
Of Parents, massacre of all my kin,
To exceede the divell, act any sinne.

Mess.
For which we thus enseame thee,

Kisses him.
Sauf.
O Dulce,
Divinest goddesse whom my soule adores,
Multiply that sweet touch of rare delight,
And from the Garden of Hesperides,
Those delicate delicious rubie lips,
Make me immortall, quench, quench the burning heat
Which like th'immoderate thirst of Tantalus,
(Scorching the medowes of my solid flesh)
Dries up the Rivers of my crimson blood,
And as the gaping tongue tide earth for raine
Opens her griefe, so in my lookes behold,
View my distresse; make me to live or die.

Mess.
Graspe me Saufellus; lets have a sprightly dance,
Swift footing apts my blood for dalliance.

Sauf.
Musicke, rich musicke there; O that my skill
Could transcend mortall.

Mess.
Tush: wee'l accept thy will.

Dance a Coranto.
Enter Lepida.
Sauf.
What divell sends her back,

Mess.
Pish minde her not.

Lep.
Nature constraines me back, what though dismai'd
Shall I desist, O then shees lost for ever,
No; I will bend with fairest faire demeane.
To save her soule I'le make my foot my head,
Mothers were Monsters else not truly bred,
Give my speech once more freedome.

Mess.
You'l force us through unmannerly exclaimes
To rest the strictnesse of our dread command

Lep.
I come not bent with wrath, but to implore
On bended knees, with penitentiall teares,
T'appease the Gods for thy full Sea of sinne,
Such is a mothers love, and such is mine;
Prove thou my like, thy soule shall never fall
Into those damned sinnes it nourisheth;
Which like a ponderous Argosey full frought,
Cuft on the mountaine top of some bigge wave,
In the descent, falls on the fearefull Rock
And splits in peeces irrecoverable,
So fatall death upon the wings of night
Whirles the blacke soule in her triumphant Car
To the Tartarian vales; where crown'd in flames,
Tumbling descend to dreadfull Orcus Cell,
That mercilesse pit of bottomlesse despaire,
To fry in those blew flames of feare for ever,
In never ending endlesse paine for ever.
If mothers teares were e're of force to move,
Let these of mine take place; strive to repent,
Thinke what a horrid thing it is to see
There is feare above us; feare still beneath us,
Feare round about, and yet no feare within us.

Mess.
I doe begin to melt.

Lep.
Heavens blessings on thee.

Sauf.
And hells curse on thee; tis high time to speak,
O be your selfe divinest faire on earth,
This idle superstitious lecturing
Proceeds of malice; what? to make you childe
And slave to her desires.

Lep.
O impious devill.

Mess.
No more, live and be thankfull.

Exit. Mess. and Saufel.
Lep.
Ha, howes that?
Live and be thankfull; am I then contemn'd
Is all my labour in a moment lost.
Live and be thankfull; sure I doe but dreame,
It cannot be, nature against it selfe
Should so rebell; O foole, foole that I am
With vaine hope thus to play the flatterer.
Mors ærumnarum quies; mors omnibus finis.
Dissolve the glassie pearles of mine eyes,
That Niobe-like I may consume in teares,
And nevermore behold day light agen.
Pish, all this is but talke; and talke I must,
Fly from me soule and turne my earth to dust.
Must I then live to see my daughters shame.
Crack, crack poore heart; sterne death let fly thy dart,
Send my sad soule to the Elizium shades
That there it might drinke Lethe, and forget
It ever liv'd in this mortallitie.
Parcæ dispatch; when, when I say; no, no,
Falls distracted.
Then will I act Medeas murd'ring part
Vpon my staine of blood, that gods and men
May sit and laugh, and plaudite my revenge.
Ye dismall sisters of the fatall night,
Rise, rise, and dance hells roundelaies for joy,
Rhamnusia finds imployment for you all.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow.
Note with your grim aspects the courts of Kings,
See how the politicke statesman for his ends,
Sits hammering mischiefe; and how Toad-like swels
Bombaste with treasons riches; see ther's lust,
Brave Madam, lust temptations painted whore
Divinely worshipt by the bastard brood
Of knaves and fooles.
Ye dread and irefull furies i'ft not true.
Why then imploy your burning whips of steele,
Lash with eternall lashes, there, there, there,
Excellent Furies how you doe excell,
So, so, so, so, tis holy day in hell.

Syllana drawne out upon a Bed as sleeping to whom Silius with a light Torch enters.
Sil.
O what a fiery combate feeles my soule,
The Genius good and bad that waights on man,
Shakes natures frame, trembles this Microcosme,
There vertue pleads for sleeping innocence,
For love, true love, chast thoughts, and vertuous acts
Which entertain'd within a constant brest
Makes man triumphant crown'd immortall blest.
But O the pondrous plummets of blacke vice,
Suppresse those pure imaginations,
Which breake like lightning onely for a flash,
Wanting the true materiall to impell,
And to continue this false clocke of life
From its exorbitant course; such like are
Majesticke title, and the Empresse,
That unpeer'd excellence, bevvitching dalliance,
Soule of temptation sweete, so charmes all sense,
Vertue I loath, like politick states whose good
Depends on ill, worke their attempts in blood.

Syla.
O my affrighted soule art thou there sweet,
Then am I safe; t'was but a dreame I see,
A waking walking in my sleepe wherein,
Me thought I saw neare to a River side,
Two lovely Turtles sit, like morne in May,
Adorn'd with all the glories of the Spring,
Their loves to either seem'd to sympathize,
And with such sober chastitie connex,
That their two hearts (as true loves ever should,
Like fire and heate inseperate a like)
Shew'd like the splendor of a heart that liv'd
In sacred flames; in unextinguisht flames
Of chast desires, free from the tainted spot
Of petulent dalliance, till temptations snare
Appear'd Parthenope like; that with her charmes
Work't so effectuall on the Turtle Male,
He (like Troy, firebrand, falsly that forsooke
Vnpitied Oenon) not alone content,
Alone forlorne, t'abjure his lovely mate,
But back return'd his black intents to further,
And to the height of lust he added murther
The very thought seem'd daggers to my brest,
That with the feare I wakt.

Sil.
To sleepe thy last.

Presents his lomard to her.
Syl.
Light of my life how's that?

Sil.
Briefly this;
I'le be your dreames expositor thou must die;
Die by this hand, this fat all instrument
Nor must I seeme to yeeld a slave to pittie.

Sil.
Sure, sure I dreame, dreame still, if not tell, O
Tell me my better selfe, whose killing words,
Wounds crueller then death; what cause, what offence
What ill desert in me, that wrong'd you never,
The Gods me witnesse beare.

Sil.
Tis for no fault sustain'd on thy behalfe,
No; tis the Empresse Doome.

Syl.
She; nay then.

Sil.
'Tis shee; that modell of creation,
Must through thy death participate alone
All that is man in me; And to that end
With sweetest concord of discording parts,
Out sings the Syrens, fiers this mansion
With haut, Ambition, Romes imperiall crowne,
And therefore I must kill; or else forgoe
All those bright shining glories, which what foole
Would be so nice.

Syl.
Is there then no hope,
No comfort, no remorse; must I depart
Where I shall never see thy face agen,
Never behold those joyes, which Hymens Rites
Were wont to crowne with true loves flames,
Is there no remedy.
Farewell vaine world, my life is such a toy,
I will not wish to live, t'abate thee joy.
Yet er'e I goe, grant this one courtesie,
'Tis the last kindnesse you shall ever give,
Place gainst my heart thy deadly pointed steele,
So, now farewell; death is for me most meet,
Strike sure and home, I doe forgive thee sweet.

Sil.
Bravely resolv'd, and I'le performe thy will
As bravely thus,
Pretending a violent stab he flings away the Poniard.
Not to be Emp'rour of the spacious earth,
Live, live Syllana free.

Syl.
Ist possible,
Twixt feare and hope strucke, through with deepe amaze
I waver doubtfull.

Sil.
Cease admiration
And be sure of this, though I must confesse
I hither came Arm'd with a full intent
To take thy life, yet Silius ne'r shall adde
To his libidinous life, a murderers name.
Of ills, 'tis ever best, the worst to shanne,
By murders murderers soules are oft undone;
I wish I were farre better then I am,
But since without my most assured ruine
It cannot be; being so faire ingag'd
Into the Empresse favour, I must on
Make use of some devise cloakt with deceit,
That farre beyond perswasion may enforce
Thy deaths beleefe.

Syl.
Kill, O kill me rather.
Be not far crueller to thy selfe then death
To put to hazard on so slight a ground
Thy life for mine; I know the Emp'resse
That if least notice of my life she heare,
Not irefull Nemesis in swift revenge
Could be more speedy.

Sil.
Pish, I will so worke
You shall not neede to feare, therefore as I,
At court with my continuance must make way
To cleare suspect; use you the matter so
Among your noble Family whereby
Argos ey'd Envie descrie me not; I
Shall securely live dreadlesse of danger.

Syl.
Though you had struck my body full of wounnds
And I survive, my fierce revenge should be
Good against ill, how to preserve your life.

Sil.
Th'art the true Emblem of a perfect wife,
For whose rare vertue, from my soule I wish
All husbands were the same, in that right way
A perfect husband truly ought to be.
Which since in me (ordain'd by powerfull Fate)
Never to be avoyded backward runnes,
Let my recursion from thy mind expell,
That Serpent foe to life; sad griefes extreame.
As grossely vaine in being remedilesse, and
Therefore shunne it, patient conjuence
Is the calme of trouble, best cure gainst care,
Gives greatnesse best content in meane estate.
Why doe I then (like Godlesse villains) tell,
The way t'heaven, yet lead the path to hell.
Mindes that will monnt into superiour state,
Climbe mischiefes Ladder; vertuous actions hate.
Yet ist not so with Silius; I doe love
Those vertues in another, though I want
The like performance; nor shall my high ayme,
Rais'd on advancements top doe me more good,
Then th'injoyning free from the act of blood.
But I protract delay, ther's danger in't;
Video meliora, proboque, deteriora Sequor.
Never was man so infinitely
Bewitcht; charm'd, and inchanted as is Caius
Silius, to leave a constant wife; farewell,
We must part.

Syl.
Must, must, O wretched word of
Mischievous command; must we part.

Sil.
We must; nay prethee weepe not sweet,

Syl.
Blessings like drops of raine shower on thy soule,
O that I might part dying in thine armes.

Sil.
Farewell.

Syl.
Farewell.

Sil.
Teares want their remedy,
There is no striving, gainst our destinie.

Exeunt.