University of Virginia Library

Scena 2a

Natolion. Calidor. Cleander. Dorimant 2 Lords. Captain. Diocles. 4 Cittizens Beotto.
Nat.
I hope your Majesty is satisfyd
With these My cleare intents; And now my Lords
I see your Admiration feeds on mee
As on some Wonder. I confesse my Actions
To the Dimm sighted Uulgar may Exhibite
A front of Treason; but to your cleare Wisdomes
(When well inform'd) I hope they will produce
Noe such Deformed issue. I present here
Crowns him
This token from the Gods, vnto this Crowne.
But how can this be and the Queene aliue?
Whither must shee be bandy'd? what Depose her?
I know you are of such approued Loyalty,
And carrie soe much of yor noble ffathers
About you, that you will not see the Heyre
Of your King want a Crowne while you haue hands;
This Zeale is noble in you. But whose Heart
Beares not a share of those Woes wc h the Plannet
Of the Late Queens Raigne showrd upon the Land?
I would Wee were not Conscious to what Depth
Her Womanish Will, and Leuity, was Like
To plung us all, and Drowne us in our Loyalty.
And Did I not remember that shee was
The Daughter of—my master—O my Lords
Her follyes are to be conceiu'd, not utter'd.
But when I thinke how neare shee was to incest
With this her Princely Brother, my head growes
A tweluemonth Elder. Doe you start to heare
Your King should be the Brother of your Queene?
My Lords, yet doe your old Natolion this Right
To thinke I neuer pluck't away my Sonne
From the Queen's heart nor wisht her from her Thron«*»
T'obtrude a mock-Prince. Tis Lycomedon,
This is the Braue Lycomedon, the true Diamond
That I would putt upon ye Kingdom's ffinger.
Take Wonder to your Soules, till it Consume
This Petty reasoning, yt would rayse new Doubts
If you were Capable of them. Let your Voyces
Carry his Name to Heauen to make a Starre of.
Fy on this Silence—but I craue your Pardon,
For tis noe Maruaile if your Ioy be too bigg
For an Expression. Most heroique Sr
Take yourselfe to you, for you now are fenc't
With walls of Loyalty, and euery Stone
A champion for you.

Henceforward his name is Chang'd
Lycom.
Can you tell
Mee of a Land where Sorrow growes like Weeds,
And I may gather Teares as Morning Dew
And I will thanke you; tell mee of a Land
Where Widowes, Orphans, and forsaken men
Doe Want a King, and I will Chaleng it,
As Heyre Aparant. Tell mee of a Land
Where Tigers, Beares, and Panthers onely Dwell;
And I will there be King; Theyr Saluage Notes
I will reforme and teach 'em how to Weepe,
But Let mee walke a Lazar through the World,
And Begg my Bread, ere with a Kingdome's gaine,
I pro«cure't» here Brother of a Whore. O Gentlemen,
Giue mee not such Alliance. ffirst a Queene
And then my Wife, and now my sister, in all,
A Cunning Ruine to mee.

Nat.
Wee'l take Order
That shee shall proue noe Blemish to yor Crowne.

Lyc.
Yet it is strang that I should be your King,
Is it not Gentleman?

Nat.
Y'are noe Lesse, Sr.
And soe much I dare Speake you. Countrimen
I know you are in Labour with my Words,
But here's the Midwife. your most honourd Skarres
(That cannot Sleepe to Others) Will awake
Your noble Memories that when this Ile
Lay Bared in the Bosom of her sonnes,
And Ciuil Strife, the Bold Sardinian
(That alwayes watch't Aduantage) Landed here
An Army ffull as terible to the State
As our Owne Black Dissentions. On what Heapes
Ruine was mounted then in euery Place,
Where Death Came Galloping on the Back of Horrour,
The Uery Earth will tell you. Nothing heard.
But Lamentations; Althings out of joynt.
Parents forsooke theyr Children; they their Parents,
And this most noble Prince, then but an Infant,
Was by his nurses, and his folke abandon'd,
That House, wherein hee was, all Sack't and Burn't,
And with it our best Hopes, wc h struck soe Deepe
Into those hearts yt were before Diuided
As that it Madded 'em into a Union;
What follow'd? but that with full-gorg'd Reuenge
You did Expulse the fforraigners, and grew ffriends,
To mourne for your owne ffollyes—But you know this.
Now Looke upon the Mercy of the Godds!
For by a Soldyer of noe meane Esteeme
(In Spight and Enuy to the state & us)
This Prince was Carryed to Sardinia;
Where Let his Mat i e now Relate to you
How hee that Bred him Charg'd him on his Death-bed
To Carry noble Thoughts, and Seeke out Honour
For that hee was of noble Birth, and Nation
But would not tell him how nor where. This stucke
Soe neare his heart that hee forsooke Sardinia,
And pitch't his noble Resolution straight
To Lead his ffortunes to the Court of Spayne;
But by the Way was by a Pyrat taken
And Cast upon this shore.

Dor.
And there I found him.

Nat.
Mee thought, when first I cast my Ey upon him,
His ffathers Genius Sate upon his Brow,
And poynted At mee, while I grew all ore
A Sudden Conflict, But in short I found
A Tyme to aske him of his Life & fortune,
Hee told mee as y' haue heard; if then at first
I were a Conflict, I was now a Tempest;
My mind was a true Augure, and I made
A Certaine Triall, «f**» by a state Wile,
I made him show his Bosom, where you know,
And all the World hath heard An Armed Hand
Was fixt, by nature on that Prince, who is
Noe Other then this Image of his ffather.
Veiw your Owne Doubt, and make your misbeleife
Blush. Is it soe? Then here I draw a Sword
Which shall not sleepe untill the Proudest Knee
Kneeles
Be in its right Place.

All.
Long may Hee raigne, A King.

1 Lor.
My Lord, wee are Conuinct. And All I hope
Returne theyr Thankes with mee, unto ye Gods
And you for all our Happinesse. Great Sr
Although Wee seem'd to stick in wonder's Throate,
Yet now the Core is up, And wee will Serue you;
Nor let us suffer as Traytor s to ye Queene,
For shee is none, (you Liuing) And beleiue Sr,
(What ere her ffaults be,) were I not perswaded
You were the Lawfull Heire I'd Loose this Hand,
Ere draw it from her Throne.

Lyc.
I thanke you All.

All.
Heauen protect your Majesty.

They All Doe Homage.
2 Lord.
Captaine

Beotto Busles, as ready to Make his Claime, and wt h much adoe is pulld Back by Dioc. & ye Captaine.
Cap.
My Lord!

2 Lo.
This Coronation must not then be huddle'd.
2 Lo: whispers aside with the Capt:
Howere they carrie't now. your Lord Phocillus
(If hee were here) would Bluster

Cap.
Tis somewhat strang.

Dioc.

Beotto! you sneaking Rog«ue.» The Horoscopes
are not Come.—Fore goe, Couz, if the Rogue
clayme the Crowne now, wee shall be both hang'd.
Tis noe playing w
t h new Princes «Titles».

Beot.

I must Speake now or neuer

Di.

Plague on you, Sneake out—Doe long to dye
oth Hempe?

Beotto offers to goe & ye two Cittizens stay him.
1 Citt.

you traytour to his Ma
t i e stay

Dio.

you s
r, Speake Softly; for its Treason if the King heare you

The Cittizens Speake uery Low.
2 Citt.

Hee is a Trayto
r: Hee sayd hee would besett the Kings & my Lord Natolion's Chamber

Dio.

May wee not Entreate for him?

2 Citt.

Noe S
r, This Discouery may be worth ye Kings Custom to us.

Dio.

Right Rogues! What shall Wee doe Cous? This
ffoole haz told em something that may come to Choakes.
You had best to be heard of putting your Head too neare
the King, you Cuckoldes «**» goe your Wayes Beotto—
I'l teach you (S
r. What Lack you) to slander the Kings officers.

Exit Beotto
2 Citt.

Why what is hee?

Dio.
Sr «the» Kings Whaiter, whom you Cannot Answere
They might haue Spoild all, Cous; I'l plot noe more,
I hold my neck ont.

Lycomedon stand upon the Throne.
Lycom.
You are Content I shall Raigne ouer you?

All.
Tis all our Happinesse.

Lyc.
Then by that Honour
Which is as Deare to Princes, as theyr Crownes
Your Lawes shall be my Rule. The Stiffe shall find
I am an Oke; The Meeke a Lawrell Bough
Kisses the Crowne
To keepe the Thunder from 'em. I espouse
Virtue vnto this Wreath of Cares you giue mee;
Nor will I Let my Sword of justice see
For to Distinguish Persons. If Sterne Warre
Bellow mee forth, be sure I will or Dy
Or Conquer with you. But my Lords, Conceiue
I will not Rule to Halues. And therefore, you
My Lord Natolion (Though you are the Atlas
That tooke mee up, and sett mee in this Heauen)
I must take Order that you be secur'd,
ffor when my sister Ruld, you were the King.
My Lord I feele that with Emperiall Power
Suspition of a King too's crept into mee,
And former Merits must not weigh with it;
For though you now are firme, yet for some Grudge
You that haue Made mee [haue] may unmake mee too.

Nat.
You will not Recompence my Seruice thus?

Lycom.
Is it not fitt it should be soe my Lord?
I doe Appeale to your Owne Politique Principles.
Conuay him to the Castle where hee may
Be nobly us'd, and with all due obseruance,
But sure from starting

Nat.
Not a Uoyce From Heauen
Could Come more Welcome to mee. 'Tis my Ioy
To See the King worke in you. Gentlemen,
Be Loyall to this braue this Royall yong Man
The Hope of Kingdomes, Enuy of our Neighbours.
For mee, I could not doe much good to you
In Councell, and will noe hurt in my Prayers.

Clean.
Rare Example.

Lyco.

Gentlemen, I haue Layd the Touch-stone soe
happily to your Loues, that I shall not need to feare yo
r Loyaltyes. Be what you haue Begun And I shall not-
fayle to be what you would desyre, a just Prince. I
returne my Thankes to the Citty. And for this Tyme
dismisse you.

All.

Heauen blesse your Majesty!