University of Virginia Library

SCÆNA SECVNDA

[An Apartment in the Palace.]
ANDRVCHO.
Andru.
The King hath sent for Arioldus, and
I feare hee will preuent mee; hee is noble,
And will not suffer such a Monstrous Crime
To passe vnpunisht. But I'le hinder him.
I shalbe lost elce; 'tis my Right. I'le borrow
The shelter of this hanging.

Hee hides himself.
[Enter] KING, SERVANT.
King.
Will hee come?

Ser.
Hee told mee so, Sir.

King.
When hee enters, see
Wee find no interruption.

Ser.
[aside.]
What should this meane?
Exit SERVANT.

King.
I haue done ill thus to abuse a stranger,
Too late I find it. But are Princes wills
Bounded to Rules? Yett wo'd it were vndon!
But 'tis not to be helpt now.
[Enter] ARIOLDVS.
Arioldus,
I sent to speake wi' yee.

Ariol.
And I am come.

King.
Are you so short wi' mee?

Ariol.
Breifnes is best.

King.
This was not wont to bee. There is more difference
Betwixt the Parties.

Ariol.
A swords length or soe.
But to the Purpose; I wo'd know the matter.

King.
What's this, Arioldus? Am I to be forc't?

Ariol.
I am no Rauisher!

King.
I can be taunted,
And beare it toe. O what a Coward's Guilt?

Ariol.
I'me sorry, Sir, to vse such words. My Dutie,
(When it was firme and not Corrupted thus)
Bad mee fall downe before yee, and with Reuerence,
As to the Demy-gods; but your strange actions
Haue like a Cloud o'respread it, sullied all
That beares that Name. I co'd mourne drops of Blood
For what you haue no sence of!

King.
Yes, I haue.
I haue consider'd all, waigh'd euery Circumstance,
And find it but a scape, a heat of youth,
A rash and vncollected Accident;
But that which greiues mee most, is the impression
That it will strike in thee. I know, I haue
Done thee an Iniury; pardon it, Arioldus,
I'me very sorry for't.

Ariol.
You co'd not vex mee
With a worse torment; all the wayes of Death,
All at a tyme, could not haue Rackt mee more.
(Aside.)
I was so hott at first to raise his anger,
Hoping it wo'd take fire, that in those flames
Hee might haue turn'd to ashes. Now I must
Deny my King a Pardon, that hath power
To take my life; or I must yeild to him,
And haue the Marke of Coward, and the staine
Of poore Eurinia printed in my face.
What Medium is there?

King.
I doe find your trouble,
And know your Noblenes; I'le help you out wo't,
And to that purpose I did send for yee:
I doe acknowledge I haue done an iniurie,
And doe propose two things for satisfaction.

Ariol.
There is none to be giuen for this offence;
Can you recall the Tyme past? and from Age
Borrow a Minute? or will Nature bee
Brought to her prime and Natiue Puritie
While such Corruptions haue predominance?
Thinke first by adding one drop to the Sea,
You doe restore the flouds that are drain'd thence.
No, no, it is impossible.

King.
Yett heare mee;
You had a temper once.

Ariol.
But it is lost
Where I shall neuer find it more; I am
Just like a weather beaten Vessell, tost
From Rock to rock, from Scilla to Charibdis:
My Course is desperate; no saile I make
In this sad storme can keepe mee vp from sinking.

King.
Yett heare what I will say. I haue a sister
Of such vnualued Beauty, that the Price
Of Kingdomes onely can make purchase of;
And shee loues you, Arioldus.

Ariol.
Mee!

King.
And Dearely:
I gott it out of her by chance. This Jewell
Shall hang about thy Necke, and clap thy Cheeks,
Fixe her transparent Eyes in thyne, vntill
Your wandring Soules find an Elizium;
There Reuell all your Sences, till Loues Night
(Death) doth deuide you. Is not this sufficient
For one poore fault?

Ariol.
Although my greifs distract mee
I am not so much absent from my Reason
But that I apprehend the height of Honor
You wo'd conferr vpon mee. But in this,
You add vnto my Miseries; your kindnes,
I doe not wish nor looke for; 'tis like daggers
To my perplexed Hart. Shoot thunder at mee,
That I may answere yee in the same Mettaile;
I can not meet your Loue now.

King.
This exchange
Is not so farr from Reason.

Ariol.
No To sell
The Honor of a Virgin (which by oth
I was to keepe inuolate) at a Rate;
Sett price vpon your Lust, and purchase Shame,
With the sad fall of Vertue; guild my Vices,
And make 'em higher for ye world to gaze at,
While the foundation shalbee built vpon
The Ruines of all Goodnes! Noe! I loath
The painted out side of a Rotten Soule.
How happy had I bene, if I had rested
In the Calme Shade of a retired life,
Which your hott importunity did rob mee of.
My mind held strange Predictions then, and are not
Those Engins now in Motion? O soft Quiet!
Thou blessed bosome of Content, how farr
Are guilty States from reaching thee?

King.
You may
Find all agen by this; be sett so hye,
That the sharpe tougnes of Mallice dare not reach yee.
I wo'd faine buy thy Peace.

Ariol.
Nothing can purchase it.
Mischeife is broken loose, and like the winds,
From the crackt Bowells of the Earth doth rage;
There is no shelter from the Tempest of it.
The Empire of the World cannot redeeme
The peace of my vext soule.

King.
Since this distasts thee,
I will propound another.

Ariol.
'Tis in vaine.
You cannot find a Second; if my Hart
In theise feirce tumults could haue wisht a Rest,
It had bene there; your Sister hath a Breast
Soe full of Sweetnes! But you may aswell
Collect the falling Dropps the gray-eye'd Morning
Payes to the Flowers, and string 'em all like Pearles
T'adorne mee like a gaudy Miserie,
Till I desolue with 'em; or from the Sun
Snatch the high Power of Generation,
Till a New Nature doth possesse vs all,
And I forgett my Suffrings: Theise you may
Doe sooner then repaire my Iniuries
By any satisfaction.

King.
Thou wert euer
Louing to mee, and though this 'base distemper
Which lately rul'd my Blood may iustly blemish,
And lay a Brand vpon a noble Nature,
Yett I'le be kind to thee, and thou shalt find it;
For I will meet thy wishes.

Ariol.
Had this onely
Concern'd my selfe, were there no other motiue,
No Duty should haue bene more firme, no Loue
More full of Zeale; you could not think to doe
That ill, I should but onely pray against,
Not rashly censure; now I, giant like,
Must warr 'gainst Heauen—

King.
Well, then, you haue
Refus'd one of my offers: heare the other.
The marriage of my Sister is not valued—

Ariol.
As any Satisfaction, I had rather
Grapple with Death.

King.
The other is—I'le fight wi' yee.

Ariol.
How!

King.
Fight wi' yee. Therfore draw! You know I may
Lay treason to your charge, for I do find yee
Loaden with bad intents, and so make Justice
Quitt mee of all this feare; but I doe loath it,
Where I doe loue, and faine wo'd gaine a freind.
Thou shalt not fight in danger neither; heere,
Heere is thy Pardon if thou kil'st mee; take it!
[Holds out a paper.]
And now choose which you will, my Sister or mee.
Quickly, resolue! What! Mute! Heere I am ready.

Ariol.
Some Planet strike mee! Shall I lift my hand
Against such Noblenes? I am to seeke now.
Oh Arioldus, thou art plung'd into
A gulfe of Doubts where ther's no ground of Rest!
This Goodnes ouercomes mee; I am conquer'd:
Wo'd I had neuer liu'd to see this day!
Where shall I hide my selfe? Shroud mee some darknes!
The light of all my Reason is extinguisht;
I must kill him that wo'd preserue my life,
Or liue, to see a Virgin that I loue
Ignobly iniur'd.

King.
Are you in a study?
Faith, take my Sister yett.

Ariol.
This World I waigh not,
Nor all the Pleasures in it; th'are like Bubles:
Soone heere, soone gon! You take mee most—

King.
Come on then!

Ariol.
Your goodnes, Royall Sir, I wo'd be thankefull,
For this great Benefitt, but cannot, if
I murder him that is the Author of it.
Heere, take my Sword, and life, I humbly begg it;
Ridd mee of all my Sorrowes, for I am
The worst compacted, and vnhappy Masse
That euer had a Beeing.

[Falls on his knees.]
King.
Come, come, Rise!
Putt vp thy Sword agen, wee will renewe
A firmer Freindship; it doth trouble mee,
That I should call thyne Anger vp, to straine
A noble Nature from its owne true beeing:
Wee'le liue like twins in loue—

Ariol.
Where tends my thoughts?
How they doe struggle in mee! Lett 'em either
Be stronge enough to leaue mee without sence
Of what I suffer, or Resolue on something!
It must! I take the last, Sir.

King.
And I grant it.

Ariol.
Just as my Sword was sheathing, there appear'd
Vnto my trouble[d] fancy, a Poore Virgin,
With haires disheuel'd, crying out for Vengeance;
Her teares giues Growth to an new anger in mee,
And I haue quite forgott all other pitty.
Now, Arme mee, Justice!

King.
Come, Sir.

They fight.
Andru.
[rushing in.]
Hold!

King.
Bold Slaue!
To interrupt vs thus!

Andru.
Wo'd you be kil'd?
Theise are fine tricks indeed! You are my King,
And 'tis a Subiects Duty to preserue yee.
Putt vp your swords, for shame! I'le cry out Treason
And raise the Court elce. Are you weary of liuing?

King.
Y'are growne too saucy, Sirra.

Ariol.
[aside to Andru.]
Aribert—

King.
Wee were but pra[c]tizing at foiles; this Groome
Must interpose his Will. Cousin, wee'le meet
Some other tyme; the Wager still shall stand
Vpon the first hitt.

Ariol.
I'e attend your Maiestie.

Exit KING.
Andru.
A pritty iugling!

Ariol.
What?

Andru.
To putt it of soe.

Ariol.
Wee were in ieast.

Andru.
You cannot cousen mee,
That saw, and heard what past.

Ariol.
Then, Aribert,
'Twas fondly done. If you had sought out iniurie,
Where it first grewe (in Mallice) and had prest it,
Till all the Venombe had benum'd my sences
It co'd not haue bene worse. You haue vndone mee.

Andru.
How, Arioldus? Lett a better temper
Reduce your wandring Spirit; I haue preseru'd yee
From Death, or Murder, or Both; bethinke your selfe,
'Twas a freinds part.

Ariol.
A freinds! Spight a' such freindship,
To thrust mee from the way, from the smooth path,
That led vnto the quiet of my hart.
You may aswell call it a Charitie,
To rob a thirstie Soule of that deare Moisture,
His paines, and hott desires, hath brought him toe,
As Tantalize mee thus.

Andru.
And all this sturr
Is for a Captiue!

Ariol.
'Tis for one, whose Breast
Hath more of goodnes in it, then dull man
Can apprehend. Wee search but to the outside,
And on that glaring Comet cast our Wonder,
Not minding what base viscuous slimy Matter
It is compos'd of. But this Soule—

Andru.
To venture
The Murder of a King for such a one,
Was a strange hazard though.

Ariol.
Shee lou'd mee, Aribert.

Andru.
Soe doth the King.

Ariol.
You search too deepe into mee,
Amd rake fresh Embers vp.

Andru.
Leaue of this fury
And bee your selfe; remember what it is
To kill a King! A King, Arioldus! That
Will pale the stoutest Courage. I haue Cause,
If that restrain'd mee not, and more then you.

Ariol.
'Tis falce, I'le proue it soe.

Drawes.
Andru.
You will not! Hold!

Ariol.
I'le do't or dye in't. I haue heard the King
Pitty your Banishment, and his full meaning
Is to recall you shortly; can you waigh
Soe small a suffring in an equall Ballance
With this poore Captiues? Ther's not the least teare
Falls from her Eyes but it is worth a life.

Andru.
You know I haue mett danger in the worst
Shape it putts on; be well aduis'd! Your Passions
Are too predominant. This Captiues iniuries
I haue as much cause to reuenge as you.

Ariol.
This is a Madnes.

Andru.
'Tis not! Shee's my daughter.

Ariol.
Your daughter!

Andru.
Yes. Sheath your vnruly Sword,
And turne it not against a freind.

Ariol.
O Aribert!
I haue of late bene beaten to this wildnes.

Andru.
I had no sooner cast my Eyes vpon her
But to my greife I knew her. Then shee told mee
That after my sad Banishment, the King
Renew'd his old suit, but her loue to you
Made her neglect him; so shee did giue out
That shee was dead, to further her disguise;
Her taking Captiue, all; to much, to much,
Wer't not my King. But I haue spent my time
In fooling well, and I am paid for't.

Ariol.
Come,
Wee will compare our Sorrowes, and if they
Be able to be bourne, wee'le beare 'em brauely;
If not, the waight must fall vpon his head
Whose Lust produc't 'em.

Andru.
Heauen forbid!

Ariol.
If you
Had not restrain'd mee, t'had bene done ere this.

Andru.
I wo'd not for the World; 'tis sacred Blood,
Pretious as teares of Dying Saints; wee must
Preseure 't, and leaue our Justice to the Gods.

Ariol.
Farewell, I'le take my course.

Andru.
Hee loues you too—
Remember his faire Offers—

Ariol.
Vexe mee not.

Exit.
Andru.
I'le follow him, and worke vpon his Goodnes.

Exit.