University of Virginia Library

scæna prima.

flaminivs. & Calistus:
flaminivs:
A man that stiles hym selfe Antiochus say you?

Calistus:
not aloud stilde soe but as such receaud
and honor'd by the Asians.

flaminivs:
two impostors
for their pretension to that fatall name
alreadie haue pay'd deere nor shall this third
escape vnpunnish'd.

Calistus:
'twill exact your wisdome
with an Herculean arme (the cause requires it)
to strangle this new monster in the birth.
for on my life hee hath deliverd to
the credulous multitude such reasons why
they showlde beleeue Hee is the trewe Antiochus
that with their gratulations for his safetie,
& wishes for his restitution many
offer the hazarde of their liues, and fortunes
to doe hym service.

flaminivs:
poore seduced fooles.
However 'tis a buisnesse of such waight
I must not sleepe in't. is hee now in Carthage?

Calistus:
noe sr remou'd to a Grange some two miles of
and there the malecontents, and such whose wants,
with forfeyted credits make em wish a change
of the Roman governement in troopes flocke to hym.

flaminivs:
with one puffe thus I will disperse, and scatter
this heape of dust. heere take my ringe. by this
intreate my freinde Amilcar to procure
a mandate from the Carthaginian senate
for the apprehension of this impostor
& with all possible speede. how ere I knowe
exit Calistus.
the Rumor of Antiochus death vncertaine
it much imports the safetie of great Rome
to haue it soe beleeude.

[enter Demetrivs.]
Demetrivs:

flaminivs:
such are welcome.
gieue them admittance. in this various play
of state, and policie, theres noe propertie
[Enter][Demetrius][Calistus] [Chrysalus. Geta] [Syrus.]
but may bee vsefull—. now freindes what designe[s]
carries you to mee?

Geta:
my most Honor'd lord

Syrus:
may it please your mightinesse.

flaminivs:
let one speake for all
I cannot brooke this discorde.

Chrysalus:
as our duties
com̄andes vs noble Roman, havinge discover'd
a dreadfull danger with the nimble winges
of speede approchinge to the state of Rome
wee houlde it fit you shoulde haue the first [honor] notice
that you may haue the honor to prevent it.

flaminivs:
I thancke you. but instruct mee what forme weares
the danger that you speake of.

Chrysalus:
it appeares
in the shape of [Dom [King] Sebastian] [Antiochus]

flaminivs:
how! is hee
rose from the dead?

Chrysalus:
alas hee never died sr
Hee at this instant liues the more the pittie
Hee showlde surviue to the disturbance of
Romes close, and politicque counsailes, in the gettinge
possession of his kingedome wch hee woulde
recover, simple as hee is, the playne
and downe right way of iustice.

flaminivs:
very likelye.
but how are you assur'd this is Antiochus
and not a counterfaite? answer that?

Chrysalus:
I serude hym
in the Achaian war. where his armie routed
& the warlike Romans hot in their execution
to shun their furye Hee and his mignions were
havinge cast of their glorious armor, [we] forcd
to hide them selues as dead with feare and horror
amonge the slawghterd carkases. I lay by them
and rose with them at midnight. then retiringe
[Table ready: & .6. chaires to sett out/]
vnto their shippes wee sayled to Corinth, thence
to India, where hee spent many yeares
with their gymnosophists. there I wayted on hym,
and came thence with hym. but at length tyr'd out
with an vnrewarded service, and affrighted
in my imagination with the dangers,
or rather certaine ruines in pursuinge
his more then desperate fortunes wee forsooke hym.

flaminivs:
a wise, and politicque fellow. gieue mee thy hande.
thow art sure of this?

Chrysalus:
as of my life.

flaminivs:
and this is
knowne only to you three?

Chrysalus:

flaminivs:
the better. but informe mee,
and as you woulde oblige mee to you, truelye
where did you leaue hym?

Syrus:
for the payment of
our longe, and tædious travaile wee made bolde
to rifle hym.

flaminivs:
good.

Geta:
& soe disablinge hym
of meanes to claime his right, wee hope despaire
hath made hym hange hymselfe.

flaminivs:
it had bene safer
yf you had donne it for hym. but as 'tis
you are honest men. you haue reveald this secret
to noe man but my selfe.

Chrysalus:
nor ever will.

flaminivs:
I will take order that you never shall.
(aside
and since you haue bene trew vnto the state
Ile keepe you soe. I am evn now consyderinge
how to advance you.

Chrysalus:
what a pleasant smile
his honor throwes vpon vs.

Geta:
wee are made.

flaminivs:
and now 'tis founde out. that noe danger may
come neere you, showlde the robberie bee discover'd
wch the Carthaginian lawes you knowe call death
my howse shall bee your sanctuarie.

Syrus:
there's a favour.

flaminivs:
and that our entertainment come not short
of your deservinges I com̄it you to
my secretaries care. see that they want not
amonge their other delicates.

Chrysalus:
marke that.

flaminivs
a sublimated pill of mercurie
for sugar to their wine.

[Demet:] [Calistus]:
I vnderstande you.

flaminivs:
attende theis honest men as yf they were
made Roman cittizens.—and bee sure at night
I may see 'em well lodg'd—dead in the vault I meane
their golde is thy rewarde.

[Demet:] [Calistus]:
beleeue it donne sr.

flaminivs:
and when 'tis knowne how I haue recompencd
(thowgh you were trecherous to your owne kinge)
the service donne to Rome I hope that others
will followe your example. enter freindes.
Ile soe provide, that when you next come forth
you shall not feare who sees you

Chrysalus:
was there ever
soe sweete a temperd Roman?

exevnt.
flaminivs:

exit