 | The Bond-Man |  |
SCÆNA II.
Timoleon, Archidamus, Diphilus, Leosthenes, Timagoras, others.Timeleon.
Thus farre we are return'd victorious, crown'd
With Wreathes triumphant, (famine, blood, and dearth,
Banisht your peacefull confines,) and bring home
Securitie, and peace. 'Tis therefore fit
That such as boldly stood the shocke of warre,
And with the deere expence of sweat and blood
Haue purchas'd Honour, should with pleasure reape
The haruest of their toyle; and wee stand bound
Out of the first file of the best deseruers,
(Though all must be consider'd to their merits)
To thinke of you Leosthenes, that stand,
And worthily, most deere in our esteeme,
For your heroique valour.
Archidamus.
When I looke on
(The labour of so many men, and ages)
This well-built Citie, not long since design'd
To spoyle and rapine; by the fauour of
The gods, and you their ministers preseru'd;
I cannot in my height of ioy, but offer
These teares for a glad sacrifice.
Sleepe the Citizens?
Or are they ouerwhelm'd with the excesse
Of comfort, that flowes to them?
Leosthenes.
Wee receaue
A silent entertainment.
Timagoras.
I long since
Expected, that the virgins, and the Matrons,
The old men striuing with their age, the Priests
Carrying the Images of their gods before 'em
Should haue met vs with Procession: Ha! the gates
Are shut against vs!
Archid.
And vpon the Walls
Enter aboue, Pisander, Poliphron, Cimbrio, Gracculo, & the rest.
Arm'd men seeme to defie vs!
Diphilus.
I should know
These faces; they are our slaues.
Timagoras.
The misterie, Rascalls?
Open the ports, and play not with an anger,
That will consume you.
Timoleon.
This is aboue wonder.
Archid.
Our Bond-men stand against vs!
Gracculo.
Some such things
We were in mans remembrance; the slaues are turn'd
Lords of the Towne, or so; nay, be not angry:
Perhaps on good tearmes, giuing security,
You will be quiet men, we may allow you
Some lodgings in our Garrets, or out-houses;
Your great lookes cannot carry it.
Cymbrio.
The truth is,
We haue beene bold with your wiues, toy'd with your daughters.
Leosthenes.
O my prophetique soule!
Gracculo.
Rifled your Chests,
Beene busie with your Wardrobes.
Timagoras.
Can we indure this?
Leosthenes.
O my Cleora!
Gracculo.
A Caudle, for the Gentleman,
Hee'll die a'the pip else.
Timagoras.
Scorn'd too! are you turn'd stone?
Hold parley with our Bond-men? force our entrance,
Timoleon.
Hold: you weare mens shapes
And if like men you haue reason, shew a cause
That leads you to this desperate course, which must end
In your destruction?
Gracculo.
That, as please the Fates,
But we vouchsafe; speake Captaine.
Timagoras.
Hell, and Furies!
Archid.
Bay'd by our owne curres?
Cimbrio.
Take heed, you be not wurried.
Poliphron.
We are sharpe set.
Cymbrio.
And sodaine.
Pisander.
Briefly thus then,
Since I must speake for all; your tyranny
Drew vs from our obedience. Happy those times,
When Lords were styl'd fathers of Families,
And not imperious Masters; when they numbred
Their seruants almost equall with their Sonnes,
Or one degree beneath them; when their labours
Were cherish'd, and rewarded, and a period
Set to their suffrings; when they did not presse
Their duties, or their wills beyond the power
And strength of their performance; all things order'd
With such decorum, as wise Law-makers,
From each well-gouern'd priuate house deriu'd
The perfect modell of a Common-wealth;
Humanity then lodg'd in the hearts of men,
And thankfull Masters carefully prouided
For Creatures wanting reason. The noble horse
That in his fiery youth from his wide nostrells,
Neigh'd courage to his Rider, and brake through
Groues of opposed Pikes, bearing his Lord
Safe to triumphant victory, old or wounded,
Was set at libertie, and freed from seruice.
The Athenian Mules, that from the Quarrie drew
Marble, hew'd for the Temples of the gods,
The great worke ended, were dismis'd, and fed
At the publique cost; nay, faithfull dogs haue found
Appoints no end to the suffrings of his slaue;
Since pride stept in and ryot, and o'return'd
This goodly frame of Concord, teaching Masters
To glory in the abuse of such, as are
Brought vnder their cōmand; who grown vnusefull,
Are lesse esteem'd than beasts; this you haue practis'd,
Practis'd on vs with rigor; this hath forc'd vs,
To shake our heauy yokes off; and if redresse
Of these iust grieuances be not granted vs,
Wee'le right our selues, and by strong hand defend,
What we are now possess'd of.
Gracculo.
And not leaue
One house vnfir'd.
Cimbrio.
Or throat vncut of those
We haue in our power.
Poliphron.
Nor will we fall alone,
You shall buy vs dearely.
Timagoras.
O, the gods!
Vnheard of insolence!
Timoleon.
What are your demaunds?
Pisander.
A generall pardon, first, for all offences
Committed in your absence. Libertie,
To all such, as desire to make returne
Into their countries; and to those that stay,
A competence of land freely allotted
To each mans proper vse; no Lord acknowledg'd.
Lastly, with your consent, to choose them wiues
Out of your Families.
Timagoras.
Let the Citie sinke first.
Leosthenes.
And ruine sease on all, e're we subscribe
To such conditions.
Archidamus.
Carthage, though victorious,
Could not haue forc'd more from vs:
Leosthenes.
Scale the Walls,
Capitulate after.
Timoleon.
He that winnes the toppe first,
Shall weare a murall wreath.
Exeunt.
Each to his place.
Flourish, & alarmes.
Or death or victory; charge them home, & feare not.
Timol.
We wrong our selues, and we are iustly punish'd,
Enter Timoleon and Senators.
To deale with Bond-men, as if we encountred
An equall enemy.
Archidamus.
They fight like deuills:
And runne vpon our Swords, as if their breasts
Enter Leosthenes, and Timagoras.
Were proofe beyond their Armour.
Timagoras.
Make a firme stand:
The slaues not satisfied, they haue beat vs off,
Prepare to sally forth.
Timoleon.
They are wilde beasts,
And to be tam'd by pollicie; each man take
A tough whippe in his hand: such as you vs'd
To punish them with, as masters; in your lookes
carry seuerity, and awe; 'twill fright them
More then your weapons; sauage Lyons flye from
The sight of fire; and these that haue forgot
That duty, you n'ere taught them with your swords,
When vnexpected, they behold those terrors
Aduanc'd aloft, that they were made to shake at,
'Twill force them to remember what they are,
Enter Cimbrio, Gracculo, & other slaues.
And stoope to due obedience.
Archidamus.
Heere they come.
Cymbrio.
Leaue not a man aliue; a wound is but a fleabyting,
To what we suffred being slaues.
Gracculo.
O my heart!
Cimbrio what doe we see? the whippe! our Masters!
Timag.
Dare you rebell, slaues?
Senators shake their whips, and they throw away their weapons, and runne off.
Cimbrio.
Mercy, mercy; where
Shall we hide vs from their furie?
Gracculo.
Fly, they follow;
O, we shall be tormented:
Timoleon.
Enter with them,
But yet forbeare to kill them; still remember
They are part of your wealth, and being disarm'd,
There is no danger.
Archidamus.
Let vs first deliuer
Determine of their punishment.
Leosthenes.
Friend, to you
I leaue the disposition of what's mine:
I cannot thinke I am safe without your Sister,
Shee's only worth my thought; and till I see
What she has suffred, I am on the racke,
And furye's my tormentors.
Exeunt.
| The Bond-Man | |