 | The Tragedie of Alaham |  |
PROLOGVS.
The speach of a Ghost, one of the old Kings of Ormus.
Thov Monster horrible! vnder whose vgly doome,
Downe in Eternities perpetuall night,
Mans temporall sinnes beare torments infinite:
For change of desolation, must I come
To tempt the earth, and to prophane the light;
From mournefull silence, where paine dares not rore
With libertie; to multiplie it more,
Nor from the lothsome puddle Acheron,
Made foule with common sinnes, whose filthie dampes
Feed Lethes sinke, forgetting all but mone:
Nor from that fowle infernall shaddowed Lampe,
Which lighteth Sisiphus to rowle his stone:
These be but bodies plagues, the skirts of hell;
I come from whence deathes seate doth death excell.
A place there is vpon no centre placed,
Deepe vnder depthes, as farre as is the skie
Aboue the earth; darke, infinitely spaced:
Pluto the King, the Kingdome, miserie.
The Chrystall may Gods glorious seate resemble;
Horror it selfe these horrors but dissemble.
Downe in Eternities perpetuall night,
Mans temporall sinnes beare torments infinite:
For change of desolation, must I come
To tempt the earth, and to prophane the light;
From mournefull silence, where paine dares not rore
With libertie; to multiplie it more,
Nor from the lothsome puddle Acheron,
Made foule with common sinnes, whose filthie dampes
Feed Lethes sinke, forgetting all but mone:
2
Which lighteth Sisiphus to rowle his stone:
These be but bodies plagues, the skirts of hell;
I come from whence deathes seate doth death excell.
A place there is vpon no centre placed,
Deepe vnder depthes, as farre as is the skie
Aboue the earth; darke, infinitely spaced:
Pluto the King, the Kingdome, miserie.
The Chrystall may Gods glorious seate resemble;
Horror it selfe these horrors but dissemble.
Priuation would raigne there, by God not made;
But creature of vncreated sinne,
Whose being is all beings to inuade,
To haue no ending though it did beginne:
And so of past, things present, and to come,
To giue depriuing, not tormenting doome,
But horror, in the vnderstanding mixt;
And memorie, by Eternities seale wrought;
Vnto the bodies of the euill fixt,
And into reason by our passion brought,
Here rackt, torne, and exil'd from vnitie;
Though come from nothing, must for euer be.
But creature of vncreated sinne,
Whose being is all beings to inuade,
To haue no ending though it did beginne:
And so of past, things present, and to come,
To giue depriuing, not tormenting doome,
But horror, in the vnderstanding mixt;
And memorie, by Eternities seale wrought;
Vnto the bodies of the euill fixt,
And into reason by our passion brought,
Here rackt, torne, and exil'd from vnitie;
Though come from nothing, must for euer be.
The sinnes that enter here are capitall:
Atheisme, where creatures their Creator lose;
Vnthankfull Pride, nature, and graces fall;
Mate of Mankinde, in Man vnnaturall;
Hypocrites, which bodies leaue, and shadowes chose.
The persons, either Kings by fortune blest,
Or men by nature made Kings of the rest.
Here Tyrants that corrupt authoritie,
Councell'd out of the feares of wickednesse,
Cunning in mischiefe, prowd in crueltie,
Are furies made, to plague the weaker ghosts,
Whose soules, entising pleasure only lost.
The weaker Kings, whose more vnconstant vice
Their States vnto their humors made a prey;
For suffering more then Kings to Tyrannise,
Are damn'd; though here to be, yet not to stay:
For backe they goe, to tempt with euery sinne,
As easiest it the world may enter in.
Atheisme, where creatures their Creator lose;
Vnthankfull Pride, nature, and graces fall;
Mate of Mankinde, in Man vnnaturall;
Hypocrites, which bodies leaue, and shadowes chose.
The persons, either Kings by fortune blest,
Or men by nature made Kings of the rest.
Here Tyrants that corrupt authoritie,
Councell'd out of the feares of wickednesse,
Cunning in mischiefe, prowd in crueltie,
Are furies made, to plague the weaker ghosts,
Whose soules, entising pleasure only lost.
The weaker Kings, whose more vnconstant vice
Their States vnto their humors made a prey;
For suffering more then Kings to Tyrannise,
Are damn'd; though here to be, yet not to stay:
For backe they goe, to tempt with euery sinne,
3
My selfe sometimes was such; Ormus my state.
I bare the name; yet did my Basshas raigne:
Trusts to few windowes are vnfortunate;
For Subiects growing full is Princes wane.
Loe; all misdeeds procure their owne misfate;
For by my trusted Basshas was I slaine:
Now sent to teare downe my posteritie,
That haue their sinnes inheritance from me.
I bare the name; yet did my Basshas raigne:
Trusts to few windowes are vnfortunate;
For Subiects growing full is Princes wane.
Loe; all misdeeds procure their owne misfate;
For by my trusted Basshas was I slaine:
Now sent to teare downe my posteritie,
That haue their sinnes inheritance from me.
My first charge is, the ruine of mine owne,
Hell keeping knowledge still of earthlinesse,
None coming there but spirits ouergrowne,
And more embodied into wickednesse:
The bodie by the spirit liuing euer;
The spirit in the body ioying euer;
In heauen perchance no such affections be;
Those Angell-soules in flesh imprisoned,
Like strangers liuing in Mortalitie,
Still more, and more, themselues enspirited,
Refining Nature to Eternity;
By being maids in earths adulterous bed:
And idly forget all here below,
Where we our parents, but to plague them, know.
Hell keeping knowledge still of earthlinesse,
None coming there but spirits ouergrowne,
And more embodied into wickednesse:
The bodie by the spirit liuing euer;
The spirit in the body ioying euer;
In heauen perchance no such affections be;
Those Angell-soules in flesh imprisoned,
Like strangers liuing in Mortalitie,
Still more, and more, themselues enspirited,
Refining Nature to Eternity;
By being maids in earths adulterous bed:
And idly forget all here below,
Where we our parents, but to plague them, know.
My next charge is, from this darke Regiment
With wiles to scourge this age effeminate;
Not open force, or humors violent:
Time fashions mindes, mindes manners, manners fate.
Here rage giues place, wit must rule ill intent.
Proud honor being an ill for this State
Too strong; sleight, must misleade the innocent;
Craft, the corrupt. For though none dare be iust,
Yet coward ill, with care, grow wicked must.
With wiles to scourge this age effeminate;
Not open force, or humors violent:
Time fashions mindes, mindes manners, manners fate.
Here rage giues place, wit must rule ill intent.
Proud honor being an ill for this State
Too strong; sleight, must misleade the innocent;
Craft, the corrupt. For though none dare be iust,
Yet coward ill, with care, grow wicked must.
This present King, weake both in good, and ill;
Louing his trust, and trusting but his ghesse,
Shall perish in his owne faiths wantonnesse;
Betray'd by Alaham, whom he know'th ill,
Yet to beware lackes actiue constantnesse,
A destinie of well-beleeuing wit,
That hath not strength of iudgement ioyn'd with it.
Louing his trust, and trusting but his ghesse,
Shall perish in his owne faiths wantonnesse;
Betray'd by Alaham, whom he know'th ill,
Yet to beware lackes actiue constantnesse,
A destinie of well-beleeuing wit,
That hath not strength of iudgement ioyn'd with it.
4
Alaham his sonne; fond of the fathers Throne,
Desire his idoll; libertie his might,
As ouerborne with error infinite,
Shall finde that fate all secret faults can hit:
For he, that for himselfe would ruine all,
Shall perish in his craft vnnaturall.
Desire his idoll; libertie his might,
As ouerborne with error infinite,
Shall finde that fate all secret faults can hit:
For he, that for himselfe would ruine all,
Shall perish in his craft vnnaturall.
Hala his wife; diuerse, and strong in lust,
Liberall out of selfe-loue, of error proud;
When shamelesse craft, and rage haue seru'd her turne,
In prides vain glorious martyrdome shall burne.
Liberall out of selfe-loue, of error proud;
When shamelesse craft, and rage haue seru'd her turne,
In prides vain glorious martyrdome shall burne.
Zophi the eldest Sonne; whose reason is
With frailty drown'd, and sillinesse confus'd;
Borne but to liue, and yet denied this,
(So well knowes power what spirits may be abus'd)
Becomes the prey of factious craftie wit,
Which stirres that ruine vp, which ruines it.
With frailty drown'd, and sillinesse confus'd;
Borne but to liue, and yet denied this,
(So well knowes power what spirits may be abus'd)
Becomes the prey of factious craftie wit,
Which stirres that ruine vp, which ruines it.
Caine Bassha (like the clouds, who liue in ayre,
Th'orbe of natures constant inconstancie)
Now fame, now shame shall in his fortune beare;
His vice, and vertue still in infancy:
Change for his wisdome; and chance for his ends;
Harm'd by his hopes, and ruin'd by his friends.
Th'orbe of natures constant inconstancie)
Now fame, now shame shall in his fortune beare;
His vice, and vertue still in infancy:
Change for his wisdome; and chance for his ends;
Harm'd by his hopes, and ruin'd by his friends.
Mahomet, with honor faine would change the tide
Of times corrupt; here stopping violence,
There contermining craft, and pleading right;
But reason sworne in generall to sense
Makes honor, bondage; iustice, an offence:
Till liberty, that faire deceiuing light,
Turnes mischiefe to an humor popular,
Where good men catch'd in nets of dutie are.
Of times corrupt; here stopping violence,
There contermining craft, and pleading right;
But reason sworne in generall to sense
Makes honor, bondage; iustice, an offence:
Till liberty, that faire deceiuing light,
Turnes mischiefe to an humor popular,
Where good men catch'd in nets of dutie are.
Cælica (because in flesh no seedes are sowne
Of heauenly grace, but they must bring vp weedes)
Death in her fathers murther she affects,
Seduc'd by glory; whose excesse still feedes
It selfe, vpon the barren steepes of mone.
For humane wit wants power to diuide,
Wherby affections into error slide.
Of heauenly grace, but they must bring vp weedes)
Death in her fathers murther she affects,
Seduc'd by glory; whose excesse still feedes
It selfe, vpon the barren steepes of mone.
For humane wit wants power to diuide,
Wherby affections into error slide.
Heli the priest; who teaching from without,
Corrupted faith, bound vnder lawes of might;
Not feeling God, yet blowing him about,
In euery shape, and likenesse, but the right;
Seeking the world; finds change there ioyn'd with chance,
To ruine those whom error would advance.
Corrupted faith, bound vnder lawes of might;
5
In euery shape, and likenesse, but the right;
Seeking the world; finds change there ioyn'd with chance,
To ruine those whom error would advance.
Now marke your charge! Each fury worke his part,
In senselesse webs of mischiefe ouerthwart.
You are not now to worke on priuate thoughts,
One instant is your time to alter all;
Corruption vniuersall must be wrought:
Impossible to you is naturall.
Plots, and effects together must be brought;
Mischiefe, and shame, at once must spring, and fall.
Vse more than power of man to bring forth that,
Which (it is meant) all men shall wonder at.
In senselesse webs of mischiefe ouerthwart.
You are not now to worke on priuate thoughts,
One instant is your time to alter all;
Corruption vniuersall must be wrought:
Impossible to you is naturall.
Plots, and effects together must be brought;
Mischiefe, and shame, at once must spring, and fall.
Vse more than power of man to bring forth that,
Which (it is meant) all men shall wonder at.
Craft! Go thou forth, worke honor into lust.
Malice! Sow in selfe-loue vnworthinesse.
Feare! Make it safe for no man to be iust.
Wrong! Be thou clothed in powers comelinesse.
Wit! Play with faith; take glory in mistrust;
Let duty, and Religion goe by ghesse.
Furies! Stirre you vp warre; which follow must,
When all things are corrupt with doublenesse.
From vice to vice let error multiply.
With vncouth sinnes, murthers, adulteries,
Incorporate all kindes of iniquity.
Translate the State to forraigne Tyrannies.
Keepe downe the best, and let the worst haue power,
That warre, and hell may all at once deuoure.
Malice! Sow in selfe-loue vnworthinesse.
Feare! Make it safe for no man to be iust.
Wrong! Be thou clothed in powers comelinesse.
Wit! Play with faith; take glory in mistrust;
Let duty, and Religion goe by ghesse.
Furies! Stirre you vp warre; which follow must,
When all things are corrupt with doublenesse.
From vice to vice let error multiply.
With vncouth sinnes, murthers, adulteries,
Incorporate all kindes of iniquity.
Translate the State to forraigne Tyrannies.
Keepe downe the best, and let the worst haue power,
That warre, and hell may all at once deuoure.
| The Tragedie of Alaham | |