University of Virginia Library

Scœna 3.

Doris and Antipater.
Dor.
Your royall buildings bow your loftie side,
And scope to her that is by right your Queene
Let your humilitie vpbraid the pride
Of those in whom no due respect is seene:
Nine times haue we with Trumpets haughtie sound,
And banishing sow'r Leauen from our taste:
Obseru'd the feast that takes the fruit from ground.
Since I faire Citie did behold thee last,
So long it is since Mariams purer cheeke
Did rob from mine the glory. And so long
Since I returnd my natiue Towne to seeke:
And with me nothing but the sence of wrong.
And thee my Boy, whose birth though great it were,
Yet haue thy after fortunes prou'd but poore:
When thou wert borne how little did I feare
Thou shouldst be thrust from forth thy Fathers doore.
Art thou not Herods right begotten Sonne?
VVas not the haples Doris, Herods wife?
Yes: ere he had the Hebrew kingdome wonne,
I was companion to his priuate life.
VVas I not faire enough to be a Queene?
Why ere thou wert to me false Monarch tide,
My lake of beauty might as well be seene,
As after I had liu'd fiue yeeres thy Bride.
Yet then thine oath came powring like the raine,
Which all affirm'd my face without compare:
And that if thou might'st Doris loue obtaine,
For all the world besides thou didst not care.
Then was I yong, and rich, and nobly borne,
And therefore worthy to be Herods mate:
Yet thou vngratefull cast me off with scorne,
When Heauens purpose raisd your meaner fate.
Oft haue I begd for vengeance for this fact,
And with deiected knees, aspiring hands
Haue prayd the highest power to inact
The fall of her that on my Trophee stands.
Reuenge I haue according to my will,
Yet where I wisht this vengeance did not light:
I wisht it should high-hearted Mariam kill.
But it against my whilome Lord did fight
With thee sweet Boy I came, and came to try
If thou before his bastards might be plac'd
In Herods royall seat and dignitie.
But Mariams infants here are onely grac'd,
And now for vs there doth no hope remaine:
Yet we will not returne till Herods end
Be more confirmd, perchance he is not slaine.
So glorious Fortunes may my Boy attend,
For if he liue, hee'll thinke it doth suffice,
That he to Doris shows such crueltie:
For as he did my wretched life dispise,
So doe I know I shall despised die.
Let him but proue as naturall to thee,
As cruell to thy miserable mother:
His crueltie shall not vpbraided bee
But in thy fortunes. I his faults will smother.

Antipat.
Each mouth within the Citie loudly cries
That Herods death is certaine: therefore wee
Had best some subtill hidden plot deuise,
That Mariams children might subuerted bee,
By poisons drinke, or else by murtherous Knife,
So we may be aduanc'd, it skils not how:
They are but Bastards, you were Herods wife,
And soule adultery blotteth Mariams brow.

Doris.
They are too strong to be by vs remou'd,
Or else reuenges foulest spotted face:
By our detested wrongs might be approu'd,
But weakenesse must to greater power giue place.
But let vs now retire to grieue alone,
For solitarines best fitteth mone.