 | The Faithful Friends |  |
sc. iv.
Y. Tul.This is the Lodging called Elizium
Ruf.
Tis yr lodging Madame, here the Kinge
prayes you may sleepe with comforte
87
Sir I'me bounde
to his respect, and yr most noble trouble
Ruf.
Auoyde the Chamber and put out yr Torche
Y. Tul.
Is this the Deuills [OMITTED] I am gone
but not so farr as mischeife wishes mee
I must attend your nightspells; Arras thou
shalt hide my body, but light myne vnderstanding
Tulls puts out ye Torc«h» and stepps behinde ye Arras
Phy.
Sir I beseech yow lett my women stay
they must this night attend mee
Ruf
O not these
these to attend yor person, madam knowe
the greatest Dames of Roome and Itayly
these to attend yor person, madam knowe
the greatest Dames of Roome and Itayly
nay the Altezas and theire Souereyn[s]
must this night do you seruice, as for these
they must spare theire duties
must this night do you seruice, as for these
they must spare theire duties
Phy
Good my Lord
Let myne owne Creatures serue mee, others will
in this worke supererrogate; and I
shall thinke theire dilligence a mockerie
Ruf.
Nothing so
you shall finde Vertue in theire services
come Ladies you must Vanishe;
Phy.
I do not like this Courtshipp, ha, the Dore
lockt vp and bolted, in the name of truthe
what differs this from strong imprisonment./
Vertue thou art my mistris, and I sitt
vnder thy shade so safelie, that me thinkes
dishonor dare not touch mee; yet (alas)
Mans an vntamed Creature and dare breake:
through any fence of Goodnes; [helpe me then] [ye Kinge.]
88
Ente ye King
[King]
[They will beleiue it; neuer didst thou aske]
[what pietie denide thee;]
Phy.
Now I see Im'e ruind
in the name of Wonder Sr what make you [heare] here
King
To tell thee truth, not wonders, for no eye
Sees thee but stands amazed, and would tourne
his christall humor into Attomees
euer to play about thee
Phy.
Sacred Sir
o let mee vnderstand you; yet sr houlde
let me not vnderstand yow; let mee be [dull]
dull as the earthe, more ignorant then fooles
rather then know you are dishonorable
King
Let not suspition scarre you, or respecte
of that wc h is but nothing, make you runne
from th'height of all great fortunes, playnely sweete
I loue you, dearely loue you; loue you so
as no speech can expresse it, and haue by arte
and such discretion shapt opportunitie
that malice cannot tuch you in yr honor, come you must be kinde
Phy.
Great sr keepe farther distance, you speake poyson;
Tull.
Ha—theres some hope in her goodnes
King.
Do not with coynes cast that fortune of
you would with torments purchase, be to mee
the sweetenes wc h I long for; and to all
thy thoughts, thy wishes and thyne actions
no power shall put a girdle, thou shalt be
greater then greatnes thinkes on; swaye more hartes,
you would with torments purchase, be to mee
the sweetenes wc h I long for; and to all
thy thoughts, thy wishes and thyne actions
no power shall put a girdle, thou shalt be
greater then greatnes thinkes on; swaye more hartes,
haue more eyes hanging on thee, and comaund
more glorious tytles and more souerainety
then's spoke of Egypte or Assiria
more glorious tytles and more souerainety
89
Tull
Nowe do I see
the Deuills a cunning booke theefe and hath robde
[and has] the honest Schooles of ther best Rethoryke, to tempt poore Virgins weaknes
King
Popea when she mett her Emperor
clad in the Wealth of many Monarchyes
nor rich Paulina that out braued the Sunne
and made him darke with sparkling Iewellrye
compard with thee shalbee as poore and dull
as wasted drosse or baser excraments
onely lett mee inioy thee
Tull.
hould nowe or neuer/
Phy
I tooke you Sr to be the onely thinge
the Earth could call her good one, and no doubt
you are no lesse, onely now seeke to proue
howe an ill thing would scarr mee; pray sr thinke
these foule engredyants cannot alter mee
trust mee I prize poore Vertue with a ragg
better then vyce with both the Indies:
Tull
This is some Comfort, if it haue constancye
King.
Be not afoole for Custome, knowe my worth
and who I am that do solicite yow,
thinke of the Crownes hang ore you, Crownes of Ioy,
honor and reputation, if they faile
thinke of the Swordes I carry, swords of shame,
contempt, disgrace, slaunder, and infamye,
and thinke with theis howe I can torture yow
nay whipp you to obedience, and by heauen
Ile spare naught to afflict yow.
Tullius stepps out
Tull.
Yes you will
Vertue I knowe must be no Instrument
King.
Howe's this? surpry'zd? o me tis Tullius
Tul.
Yes it is Tullius, Tullius th'vnfortunate
are you a God a Kinge, nay but a man
and dare comitt this outrage, do you knowe
a good thought and dare speake thus; good Sr thinke
although I am yr Subiect and do viewe
each beame that shines about yow, [and conceiue
howe deare you are to'th Gods, to Angells, Saints,
the World, and mankynde,] though I knowe, you are
a temple, so diuine and hallowed
that but to dreame ill of you, were to plundge
[mans] my Soule into damnation; yet to yt
thinke what this woman is; my wife, sr shees my wife
my chast deare wife, a word thats pretious,
90
and dare comitt this outrage, do you knowe
a good thought and dare speake thus; good Sr thinke
although I am yr Subiect and do viewe
each beame that shines about yow, [and conceiue
howe deare you are to'th Gods, to Angells, Saints,
the World, and mankynde,] though I knowe, you are
a temple, so diuine and hallowed
that but to dreame ill of you, were to plundge
[mans] my Soule into damnation; yet to yt
thinke what this woman is; my wife, sr shees my wife
my chast deare wife, a word thats pretious,
selfe of my selfe, nay such a selfe beyonde,
that where shee falls, my fame is perished,
mine did I say? nay my posteritie
mine vtter generation; all my name
lost and vndonne to all eternitie
how this will tempt a goodman, o sir thinke
tremble and feare to thinke it.
that where shee falls, my fame is perished,
mine did I say? nay my posteritie
mine vtter generation; all my name
lost and vndonne to all eternitie
how this will tempt a goodman, o sir thinke
tremble and feare to thinke it.
King.
Be not Iealous
Tull
Not Iealous, and haue heard your blasphemye
what slaue can be so stupidd, Sr if yow
haue raysd mee for this merritt, or built vpp
my lowe foundations, with straunge pynackles
higher then others buildings, if you haue
made mee a glyttering outside, but within
store nothing but dishonor; cast mee downe
beate me to duste, myne ashes will appeare a monument
more glorious then your pallace
King.
Onn my life
91
Tull
Would I did
so I might perish for it, but my eyes
and owne ears are witnesse
King
Come no more
th'aue tould you afalse message, and yr harte
sedust by them is much too credulous
for I protest by all thats good or holy
neuer did I conceiue gainst her or thee
a thought of so much basenes, what is done
was done for speciall caution, first to stopp
there poysoned mouthes I know do envye yowe
next to convert there malice to this ground
wc h els had tucht thy person, next to trye
the temper of her goodnes, and howe farre
corruption might worke on her wc h I finde
past praise and past example, and shee is
the Iewell I renowned her and indeede
worthie the loue of noble Tullius,
twas this designe that led mee by my life
no other thought came nere mee
Tull.
Twas a Course, pious and full of Vertue
a deede, for which I euer owe a debt
of terror and affliction, fearefull Kinge
nay impudent Transgresser now thou seest
thy lustfull brest lye bare to my revenge
coynest these aparant falcehoods, but I haue
a deede, for which I euer owe a debt
of terror and affliction, fearefull Kinge
nay impudent Transgresser now thou seest
thy lustfull brest lye bare to my revenge
coynest these aparant falcehoods, but I haue
strange and vndoubted causes, Witnes this
this warrant for my murder, besides that
the Articles of peace you sent the Rebells
Sabinus and Arminius, but the cause
was written in a bloudie Character
such as I thinke had neuer president
this can speake how firme is yr affection
this warrant for my murder, besides that
the Articles of peace you sent the Rebells
Sabinus and Arminius, but the cause
was written in a bloudie Character
92
this can speake how firme is yr affection
Phy
Im'e lost in my amazement, dearest speake
what warrant for thy murder
Tull
oh my loue
tyme will not now permitt mee to relate
the cruell circumstance, thou shalt partake it
King
What slaue, or helhound has abused my truth
and forgd this slanderous writt, oh my Tullius
I cannot blame thee nowe, had thy iust rage
flowne out aboue mans temper, this would moue
a creature without gall, who should bee
this angry billowe, that thus seekes to drowne
the faire Barke I would nourishe, by dread Ioue
I will sifte out this swelling [sych] sycophant
and beat him downe so flatt so lowe so dead
make him so smooth and calme that but his shame
there shalbe nothing to remember him
Tullius by this imbracement creditt mee
Ime sound in all thoughts to thee, do not neither
beleeue nor them nor mee, but as short tyme
shall proue this lye most odyous so lett truth
shyne in my other actions, with all speede
weele call a present Councell and send poast
for proud Sabinus, who dreadles in his Articles may come
if not weele force him hither, you disguisde
shall heare our strange proceedings, thou shalt see
howe quaintely I shall trip em, Loue this sweete
shee is a thinge for heauen to envy at
and tell thy selfe thou hast all the ioyes of life
a perfect royall freinde and faithfull wife
Exit King
Tull
Would I could hope the first, the Last is sure.
and both ile seeke to perfect, Come my Loue
thou'st playde the part of goodnes, royallye
and ile striue to deserue it, yet since things
lye but at halfe discouerd, for a time
in some strange shape ile shrowde mee, free from
and both ile seeke to perfect, Come my Loue
93
and ile striue to deserue it, yet since things
lye but at halfe discouerd, for a time
in some strange shape ile shrowde mee, free from
[free from] the knowledge of the Kinge, or any
vntill these tares bee weeded, when there ripe
Ile be my selfe and shine vnlymitted/
vntill these tares bee weeded, when there ripe
Ile be my selfe and shine vnlymitted/
Phy.
Yr will is my direction, and ile moue
onely by yr comaundment, and yr loue
Exeunt
| The Faithful Friends | |