 | The Tragedie of Bonduca |  |
Scæna Prima.
Enter Caratach upon a rock, and Hengo by him, sleeping.Car.
Thus we afflicted Britains climb for safeties,
and to avoid our dangers, seek destructions;
thus we awake to sorrows. O thou woman,
thou agent for adversities, what curses
this day belong to thy improvidence?
to Britanie by thy means, what sad millions
of widows weeping eyes? The strong mans valour
thou hast betraid to fury; the childes fortune
to fear, and want of friends: whose pieties
might wipe his mournings off, and build his sorrows
a house of rest by his blest ancestors:
the virgins thou hast rob'd of all their wishes,
blasted their blowing hopes, turn'd their songs,
their mirthful Marriage songs to Funerals,
the Land thou hast left a wildernesse of wretches.
The boy begins to stir: thy safety made,
would my soul were in heaven.
Heng.
O noble Uncle,
look out; I dream'd we were betraid.
a soft dead march within.
Car.
No harm, boy;
't is but thy emptinesse that breeds these fancies;
thou shalt have meat anon.
Heng.
A little, Uncle,
and I shall hold out bravely. What are those?
look, Uncle, look, those multitudes that march there?
they come upon us stealing by.
Car.
I see 'em;
and prethee be not fearful.
Heng.
Now ye hate me,
would I were dead.
Car.
Thou know'st I love thee dearly.
Heng.
Did I ere shrink yet, Uncle? were I a man now,
67
Enter Drusus, Regulus, and Souldiers, with Penyus Herse, Drums and Colours.
Car.
My sweet chicken,
see, they have reach'd us, and as it seems they bear
some Souldiers body, by their solemn gestures,
and sad solemnities; it well appears too
to be of eminence. Most worthy Souldiers,
let me intreat your knowledge to inform me
what noble body that is which you bear
with such a sad and ceremonious grief,
as if ye meant to woo the world and nature
to be in love with death? Most honourable
excellent Romanes, by your ancient valours,
as ye love fame, resolve me.
Sould.
'T is the body
of the great Captain Penyus, by himself
made cold and spiritlesse.
Car.
O stay, ye Romanes,
by the religion which you owe those gods
that lead ye on to Victories, by those glories
which made even pride a vertue in ye.
Dru.
Stay:
what 's thy will, Caratach?
Car.
Set down the body,
the body of the noblest of all Romanes,
as ye expect an offering at your graves
from your friends sorrows, set it down a while,
that with your griefs an enemy may mingle;
a noble enemy that loves a Souldier;
and lend a tear to vertue: even your foes,
your wild foes, as you call'd us, are yet stor'd
with fair affections, our hearts fresh, our spirits,
though sometimes stubborn, yet when vertue dies,
soft and relenting as a virgins prayers.
O set it down.
Dru.
Set down the body, souldiers.
Car.
Set down the body, souldiers.
Car.
Thou hallowed relique, thou rich diamond
cut with thine own dust; thou for whose wide fame
the world appears too narrow, mans all thoughts,
had they all tongues, too silent; thus I bow
to thy most honour'd ashes; though an enemy,
yet friend to all thy worths: sleep peaceably;
happinesse crown thy soul, and in thy earth
some Lawrel fix his seat, there grow, and flourish,
and make thy grave an everlasting triumph.
Fare well all glorious Wars, now thou art gone,
and honest Arms adieu: all noble Battels
maintain'd in thirst of honour, not of blood,
fare well for ever.
Heng.
Was this Romane, Uncle,
so good a man?
Car.
Thou never knew'st thy father.
Heng.
He di'd before I was born.
Car.
This worthy Romane
was such another piece of endlesse honour,
such a brave soul dwelt in him: their proportions
and faces were not much unlike, boy: excellent natures,
see how it works into his eyes, mine own boy.
Heng.
The multitudes of these men, and their fortunes,
could never make me fear yet: one mans goodnesse—
Car.
O now thou pleasest me: weep still, my childe,
as if thou saw'st me dead; with such a flux
or flood of sorrow: still thou pleasest me.
And worthy souldiers, pray receive these pledges,
these hatchments of our griefs, and grace us so much
to place 'em on his Hearse. Now if ye please,
bear off the noble burden; raise his pile
high as Olympus, making heaven to wonder
to see a star upon earth outshining theirs.
And ever loved, ever living be
thy honoured and most sacred memory.
Dru.
Thou hast done honestly, good Caratach,
and when thou'd lest, a thousand vertuous Romanes
shall sing thy soul to heaven. Now march on, souldiers.
Exeunt. A dead march.
Car.
Now dry thine eyes, my boy.
Heng.
Are they all gone?
I could have wept this hour yet.
Car.
Come, take cheer,
and raise thy spirit, childe: if but this day
thou canst bear out thy faintnesse, the night coming
I'll fashion our escape.
Heng.
Pray fear not me;
indeed I am very heartie.
Car.
Be so still;
his mischiefs lessen, that controls his ill.
Exeunt.
| The Tragedie of Bonduca | |