 | Andromana : or the merchant's wife |  |
ACT. IV.
SCÆNA 1.
Ephorbas solus.Eph.
For ought I know my bed may be the next,
Men are not bad by halves, nor doth
One mischief stop a man in his carreir of sin.
There's as much reason ith'one, as the other.
Doth he affect my Kingdome 'cause I'me old?
No, that's not it; he knows I must dye shortly.
Tis not a desire of rule and glory of their bending knees,
Makes him forget his duty—
He may as well covet Andromana 'cause she's handsome,
He satisfies a lust alike in both; well let him be
My Rival in the Kingdome, 'tis but what
He was born to, and I must leave it him;
But for my wife he must excuse me,
Nay he shall—
he pawseth.
Yet now I think on't better, the grounds are slender,
And my suspicions slight; no evidence against him
But the peoples love, and that's no fault of his
Unless deserving be a crime. Who's without there?
Go call in Plangus, and bid him stay,
Enter Libacer.
For I must speak with him.
Exit King.
SCENA 2.
Manet Libacer.Lib.
Nay then all's dasht, if once it comes to parly.
I must not have them talk,
But here he is.
Enter Plangus.
SCÆNA 3.
All health and happiness attend the Prince.
Pl.
Pray tell me if you saw the King;
Be short, for I am very melancholy.
Lib.
He parted hence just now, but
With such a fury revelling in his looks,
There had been less danger in a Basillsk.
Pl.
Went he this way.
Lib.
Yes Sir,
He is going out but turns short.
Pl.
But thou dost not know what mov'd him?
Lib.
I heard some such words as these.
My Rival in the Kingdome—Theres evidence against him—
The people's love—deserving is a crime—
And somewhat else my fear made me forget.
Pl.
Who was there with him lately?
Lib.
I cannot tell, but about a quarter of an hour ago
He askt for you, and every time he nam'd you, he seem'd angry
Pl.
Named me? thou art mistaken.
Lib.
I had almost forgot Sir,
I have message to you from Andromana.
Pl.
I will not hear one syllable.
Lib.
No, so she told me, but she charg'd me speak it, or dye,
For it concerned your life, which she held dearer
Then her own.
Pl.
I value it not, but speak the mystery.
Lib.
When first her lips began to move, a blush
Oreflow'd her face, as if her heart had sent
Her tainted blood to seek a passage out
Then with a showre of tears she told me, how
Inordinate desires had made her but this morning,
Tempt you toth' acting of a sin she would not name;
She had not left one thought unchang'd.
She loves you still, but with affection
That carries honour, and converted thoughts;
And next she bad me whisper in your ear,
(For time was short) that if you loved her,
Or your self, or did intend to cherish
The peoples growing hopes, you shou'd not come
When the King sent for you.
For something had incenst him so highly
Against you, that there was mighty danger in it.
She bad me hast, for time would not permit her to say more.
I was scarce out oth' chamber, when
Your father came and askt for you,
And bad me seek you out with speed
Sir, I should be most proud to serve you.
Pl.
I thank thee friend, but prethee tell thy Mistress,
Innocence knows no fear: Tis for guilty souls
To doubt their safety. If she would have me safe,
My only way is by present appearance to clear my self,
For I beleeve my false accusers wish nothing more,
Then that I should be absent.
Lib.
The Devil's in him sure, he guesseth so right.
Aside.
She told me so Sir, and would have wisht you to it,
But that there was a way to serve you better by.
She saith Ephorbas told her a few minutes hence,
Hee'd call a councel, where they'd consult about you.
The place is hang'd so that behinde the wall Sir,
You may stand secure, and hear what passeth,
And according to what they determine, you may
Provide for your safety, only for more security
She wisheth you would arm your self—
Sir, pray resolve, she'l pacifie the King,
That you appear not presently.
Pl.
Well, I will be perswaded:
Tell her, I'me resolv'd, I will not come.
Lib.
Happiness attend you, half an hour hence,
I'le wait upon you.
Exit Lib.
Pl.
We shall reward thee.
SCÆNA 4.
Manet Plangus.Pl.
Whence should this kindness come? and on a sudden too?
A strange alteration. She who a day ago
Forgot the vows her soul was fetter'd in,
And but this morning tempted me to a sin,
I can scarce think on without fear, should on
An instant be careful for my safety,
And that from a principle of vertue too.
SCENA 5.
Enter to him Inophilus.Ino.
Who was that with you Sir just now?
Pl.
An honest fellow certainly; but one I know not.
Ino.
An honest fellow call you him.
If he have not Rogue writ in great letters in's face,
I have no physnomy. Pray Sir, what was his business to you?
Pl.
A message from Andromana,
Who out of love desires me not to go to my father,
Because something hath put him in a fume against me.
Ino.
Did the King send for you?
Pl.
He did so.
Ino.
But upon her intreaty you forbore to go?
Pl.
What then.
Ino.
Then you are mad Sir,
And tacitly conspire to your own ruine.
Do, take an enemies advice, and dye the object
Both of their joy and scorn.
Where are your senses Sir? or pray whence springs
This friendship of Andromana's? Alas you should not
Measure her malice by the smalness of your own.
She has injur'd you, she knows it Sir
And though at present she enjoyes her treachery,
She may soon fall beside it;
Ephorbas's not immortal, nor can she promise to her self
Were't nothing else, her safety would make her
To plot your death. I hinder you in talking,
But pray be gone, and when you see your father,
Speak boldly to him, or you are gone for ever.
Pl.
I tell thee once again Inophilus,
Since I have said I would not go, both heav'n and thee
Shall want a motive to make me stir one foot,
Were danger just there before me, running
With open jaws upon me, and had my word been giv'n
To remain here, I would be forc't from life,
Before my place.
Ino.
Here is a bravery now would make a man
For swear all Gallantry, to fool away your life thus
In a humour—I met the Court just now Sir,
As full of whispers, every man's eyes spoke strong amazement
My father's sent for with two other Lords,
Eubulus and Anamedes; and the Court Gates are lock't.
Resolve Sir, and command me something, wherein
I may have an occasion to serve you.
Pl.
Then I resolve to do as I am caution'd;
Walk, in I'le tell thee more.
SCÆNA 6.
Ephorbas, Libacer.Eph.
What was his answer then?
Lib.
Tell him, I am resolv'd I will not come. Those were
The very words Sir.
Eph.
'Twas very pretty resolute methinks.
If he be grown so stubborn already,
The next we must expect is action.
Lib.
But yet he bid me if you askt why he came not,
To finde some excuse or other.
Eph.
He could finde none himself then:
Call in the Lords, we must be sudden in our execution:
But prethee one thing more, who was there with him?
No body, but I met going to him young Inophilus.
And heard one servant tell another in great haste
Their Lord would speak with some oth' Captains of the Army.
Exit.
SCÆNA 7.
Enter to the King, Rinatus, Eubulus, Anamedes.Eph.
Sit down my Lords; we have a business with you,
Requires your hands and hearts, both speed and counsel;
Our danger's such, that I could wish't had flown
Upon us without warning, for so cross the Fates are,
Our safety must be bought at such a price,
That we must lose what is as dear to us
Almost as it. Tis Plangus death or mine
Must secure the others life; nay startle not.
If I am grown as wearisome to you
As to him, your calling is in vain, my Lords;
Nor shall I labour longer to preserve
A life denied me by the gods and you.
But if there's any here who hath a son
Brought to these years with so much care and love
As mine hath been; think what a grief it is
To lose him, and shed one tear with me.
But for that son to plume kimself with feathers
Pluckt from his fathers wings, would melt ones eye-balls.
Yet Plangus who hath vizarded his ends
With vertue, finding it useless now, hath thrown
It from him, and openly attempts my crown and life.
When mischiefs wheel once runs, how fast it speeds,
Headlong to put in act the blackest deeds!
Were my crown his, had he my life to give,
Though he would let me I would scorn to live.
Eub.
Sir, we are call'd upon a great affair,
And if't be true, the speed of our resolves
Shall be as great as it.
Your Majesty hath reign'd so happily, and long,
We will not think a time beyond it.
Strangers have been enamoured and admired it.
Our enemies that could have wisht it less,
Have yet sate down with envy, not attempted
Ought against you, knowing (I'me codfident)
By such injustice the gods would be their foes.
Me thinks tis therefore much less likely
That Plangus, who hath hitherto been found
A miracle of filial piety,
And one that we may say was born the heir
To all your vertues, all your goodness,
As well as Kingdom; who counts it glory
As much to be an honest man, as a great Prince.
I say for him, whom as he is your son,
And as we hitherto have found him full
Of worth and honour, we cannot but behold
As him, in whom the spreading hopes of all
Iberia grow, and promise to themselves
A still green happiness, that ne're shall know
What Autumne, or a naked Winter means.
For him that hath scarce yet put off
Those cloaths which still wear the badges
Of the great danger he was in, not for
Himself, my Liedge, but you and us; for had
He wish't the ruine of his father and his Country,
The Argives would have done that for him,
And he not have been call'd in question.
But when we must remember with what wings
He flew to meet the Torrent, both against
The counsel of his friends, and his own hopes;
How love to you and us spurr'd him on forward
To those impossibilities, which nothing
But love and valour durst have attempted.
Why then methinks 'tis strange, yea very strange
Thus in a moment t'have flung all nature off,
And all Religion; and that Sir against you,
Whom we all know and think with fear
(But our fading hopes spring fresh from Plangus)
Not that we doubt your Majesty hath cause
To apprehend a danger, only 'tis wish't
Those who inform'd you were examin'd strictly,
And Plangus sent for to answer for himself.
Slanders like Mists still vanish at the sight
Of Innocents, who bring their lyes to light.
Eph.
If an Oration could have made him clear,
No doubt my fears are vain, and we shall lye
Still sleeping in security, as great
And lasting as Plangus, and his Complices
Can wish upon us, nor wake till we are bound
In the securest chains, death's fetters.
That I am old is true; and Plangus knows it,
He would have catch't a Cannon bullet sooner else,
Between his naked hands; then have provok't
My fury; but age hath froze me
To an icy numness, yet shall he know
My veines have fire as well as his, and when
Incenst, my eyes shoot as much poyson too.
What you alledge about his battel 'gainst the Argive
As an excuse, it is a proof against him,
Though theeves rob others, yet they fight themselves,
For those that rob when strangers set on them,
And all unite against a common enemy.
Had Plangus private interests not held
Him to us, no doubt had left us naked
Of all defence; but an intestine fury,
To see the Argives bear away the fruits
Of all his labours, all his treasons,
Shot him into despair, and made him play
A game was almost lost, rather then give all over.
Besides, that action hath endear'd him to the people;
Gain'd him the Souldiers hearts with so great ease,
The danger's nothing in respect oth' rise
He takes from thence to climb up to his ends.
And for the vertue that hath gull'd us all,
I'de blush to speak it, that a son of mine
For what he doth, but that I have disclaim'd
All my relations to him, and would adopt
A Cannibal sooner for son then he
The evidence we have is what we wish were less,
Then might I hug my Plangus and he me,
But since the Fates and his own ills deny
That entercourse; what can remain,
But that we should proceed to sentence
Speedy as themselves, and stop the ill, which may
Strike when 'tis night, or while tis call'd to day.
He knows his guilt too well, and hath deny'd
To come, that so he might be justify'd.
Once disobey'd as father, the next thing
Will be Rebell on to me as his King.
SCÆNA 8.
Enter to them Libacer.Rin.
As sure as death
This is one of the Rogues that hath his Roguery to act,
And comes in like something that brought news
In the latter end of a play. Now shall we have
Some strange discovery—How the Rogue stares.
Lib.
No sooner had we shut the gates, my Liedge.
Then an uncertain rumour spred among the people
That Plangus was in danger;
When if you ever saw a Hive of Bees.
How if you stir but one, the whole swarm moves,
And testifie their anger; so strait whole crowds
Of people, the greatest half not knowing what they came for,
swarmed to the gates, and with confused cryes, hindred themselves
from being understoood; till some having divers times
cryed Plangus, some their Prince, all with one note made up a
common voice, and so continued till some Captains with one
or two selected Troops made up to them, and having promised
them they would secure the Prince, desired them to withdraw.
what the other had attempted with so much noise and failed
in; for they told the Porter in plain Souldiers language, they
would either see Plangus safe, or force the gates upon him.
He in this exigent hath sent to know your pleasure.
Eph.
How say you now my Lords,
Where is the innocence, the love to you and us?
For my part I will meet the danger;
Tame expectation is beneath a King,
Only let me intreat you to see my Queen safe.
'Tis pity she should smart who hath no sin
To answer for, but calling me husband.
Plangus—Iberia shall be thine—But
He goes to stab himself, Rin. stayes him.
With the curses of the angry gods, and a kinde
Injur'd dying father.
Rin.
Heav'n bless you Sir, what a despair is this?
Because you hate a hangman, you will be
Your executioner your self. Beleeve me,
That which presents so great danger to you
I look upon with joy: There is no subject
That loves you or the Prince, but must be glad
To see the zeal Iberians bear so a true vertue,
When bending under an unjust oppression.
No doubt their love had been as great to you,
Had you been in like danger.—Besides, my Lord,
You are not sure 'tis with the Prince's consent
The Souldiers do this. My life for yours
You will be safe, let the worst come—
Let us go meet your fears.
They begin to rise when at the instant.
SCÆNA 9.
Andromana enters undrest, and in a fright.An.
Happy am I my Lord,
She weeps.
This sudden fright hath rescued me from being made
The subject of some villains lust, who
With his sword drawn just now was forcing me
He cannot be far hence, for he ran that way.
Rin.
O impudence!
Plangus stirs behinde the hangings. Rinatus draws and runs at him.
That durst attempt a sin (darkness and woods
Have too many eyes for) in the open Court.
I shall be with you—the Devil hath
Armor on—
Eph.
Drag him to torture—
They fetch him out.
My son! why have I liv'd to see this!
Away with him to death, the air will grow infectious.
Why stay you?
SCÆNA 10.
Enter Zopiro, Inophilus, with Souldiers.Soul.
Unhand the Prince, or else by heav'n he treads
Into his grave that moves a foot to touch him.
Ino.
Madam, though Plangus noble self was blinde,
And could not see the deep black darkness of your
Hellish actions; his friends had eyes about them.
Was this your love? this your repentance?
This your advice, your counsel? I must confess had I,
And these his noble friends here, been rul'd by him,
E're this he'd been a sacrifice to your revenge and you.
Why stand you mute Sir? want you a tongue to justifie
Your innocence, our swords and we maintain.
And now, my Liedge, we turn to you,
Whom we have serv'd as truly
As ever subjects did any Prince alive,
And whilst you're worthy, we will do so still,
But wee'l be no mans slaves alive,
Much less be his that is another's, while this base Witch,
For so she is, constrains you to do actions
Children would blush at, and wise men laugh at,
Which will after leave you both to repentance and despair.
This beggar, whom tother day you took up as some lost thing,
Gave your honour to, and in that our safety,
Ills lodg'd in her, that would make a hell beyond that
The Furies dwell in. Banish her hence,
Send her to some place, where murders, rapines,
Or sins yet unheard of, do inhabit,
And where she can do us no mischief.
Do you betake your self
To your former vertue, and restore the Prince
To those affections you once had for him,
We then perhaps may live to see Iberia happy.
Eph.
Why am I forc't thus to declare his shame,
Which at the bound strikes me, and is made my own.
You know not how well Plangus can dissemble,
He is an hypocrite, I need not tell you more,
Those three syllables comprehend all ill.
My Queen just now scap't from his base attempt
Wherein he would have forc't her to have damn'd
Herself and him, and dishonour'd me.
What mean't that Armour on, and why so guarded?
Where was a danger threat'ned him?
Or doth he think his conscience could not
Sting him through it?
I wish that he might live, my Lords, but as nature
That as he is my son bids me preserve him;
So honour which pleads to the King stronger
Then nature can, tells me for that very reason,
I can less pardon him then something born
A stranger to my blood.—But I deserve
To dye as well as he; if he be grown
A burden to the earth, I am so too,
That gave the Monster being.
Wherefore let me be drawn to execution too,
For fathers are guilty of their childrens ills.
Ino.
Would Plangus then have forc't Andromana;
Yes, so would Daphne have ravish't Phœbus,
I'le undertake Goats are less salt then she—
But for his Armor—can any man that breathes
One common air with her not need an Armour?
Why speak you not Sir? are you dumb too?
Pl.
It is for them to speak are sure to be beleev'd,
And not for him that is condemn'd as guilty;
Words can excuse slight faults.
If mine are esteem'd such, that all my actions,
A speaking duty of one and twenty years
Speak not enough to clear me, silence shall.
I have no more to say therefore,
But to bid you do your duty to the King,
And ask him pardon for the intemperate zeal,
Heav'n knows I wish't it not, nor would I buy
My safety at one of my father's angry thoughts
Much less his fears,
For those I fall by.
Obey my father, and if ye love me, Gentlemen,
Shed not one tear for Plangus:
For I am timely taken from those plagues
This womans crying sins must bring
Upon Iberia, and make you wish
That you had dy'd as soon and innocent as I.
An.
That I was nothing I confess, that what I am
I owe to Ephorbas; nay, that the greatness
I am now in, tells me it is too high
To be secure, my fears bear witness.
I wish my life would excuse Plangus his,
At least my blood wash off the blackness of his guilt,
Heav'n knows it should not be one minute
Ere he should be restord to his former vertues,
But since it cannot be, I'le in and weep,
Not for my self but him.
Exit.
Ino.
Millions of plagues go with thee
Sir, you shall along with us, we will not
Trust you, or to the King, or her.
Exeunt.
| Andromana : or the merchant's wife | |