University of Virginia Library

Act. II.

Scena. I.

Enter two Lords, Philip his brother, Mendoza, Eleazar with him, the King Crown'd, Queen mother, Alvero, Zarack, Baltazar, and attendants.
Mend.
Why stares this Divell thus, as if pale death
Had made his eyes the dreadfull messengers
To carry black destruction to the world.
Was hee not banisht Spain?

Phil.
Your sacred mouth, pronounc'd the sentence of his banishment:
Then spurn the villain forth.

Eleaz.
Who spurns the Moor, were better set his foot upon the Devill,
Do; spurn me? and this confounding arm of wrath
Shal like a thunderbolt breaking the clouds
Divide his body from his soul. Stand back.
Spurn Eleazar?

Rode.
Shall wee bear his pride.

Alve.
Why not, he underwent much Injurie.

Mendo.
What injury have we perform'd proud Lord?

Eleaz.
Proud Cardinall; my unjust banishment.

Mendo.
'Twas wee that did it; and our words are laws.

King.
'Twas wee repeal'd him, and our words are laws.

Zara., Baltaz.
If not these are.

All the Moors draw.
Phil.
How! threatned and out-dar'd?

King.
Shal we give arm to hostile violence?
Sheath your swords, sheath them, it's wee command.

Eleaz.
Grant Eleaz. justice my dread Leige.

Mendo.
Eleazar hath had justice from our hands,
And he stands banish'd from the Court of Spain,

King.
Have you done justice? why Lord Cardinall,
From whom do you derive authority,
To banish him the Court without our leave

Mendo.
From this, the Staffe of our Protectorship;
From this, which the last will of your dear Father
Committed to our trust: from this high place
Which lifts Mendoza's spirits beyond the pitch
Of ordinary honour, and from this.

King.
Which too much over-weening Insolence
takes the staff from Mendoza and gives it to Eleaz.
Hath quite ta'ne from you, Eleazar up,
And from us sway this Staffe of Regency.

All.
How's this?

Phil.
Dare sons presume to break their fathers will?

King.
Dare Subjects counter-check their Soveraigns will?
'Tis done, and who gainsaies it is a Traitor.

Phil.
I do Fernando, yet I am no Traitor.

Mendo.
Fernando I am wrong'd by Peters Chair,
Mendoza vows revenge. I'le lay aside
My Cardinals hat, and in a wall of steel
The glorious livery of a souldier; fight for my late lost honour

King.
Cardinall.

Mend.
King, thou shalt be no King for wronging me.
The Pope shall send his bulls through all thy Realm,
And pul obedience from thy Subjects hearts,
To put on armour of the Mother Church,
Curses shal fal like lightnings on your heads:
Bell, book and candle, holy water, praiers,
Shal all chim vengeance to the of Court Spain
Till they have power to conjure down that feind;
That damned Moor, that Devil, that Lucifer,
That dares aspire the staffe, the Card'nall swaid.

Eleaz.
Ha ha ha, I laugh yet, that the Cardinall's vext.

Phil.
Laughts thou base slave, the wrinckles of that scorn
Thine own heart blood shall fill; Brother farewell,
Since you disprove the will our father left,
For base lust of a loathed Concubine.

Eleaz.
Ha, Concubine; who does Prince Philip mean?

Phil.
Thy wife, thy daughter, base aspiring Lords,
Who to buy honour, are content to sell,
Your names to infamy, your souls to hell:
And stamp you now? do, do, for you shal see,
I go for vengeance, and she'l com with me.

Eliaz.
Stay, for she's here already, see proud boy.

They both draw.
Q. Mo.
Hold, stay this fury, if you long for blood,
Murder me first. Dear son you are a King:
Then stay the violent tempest of their wrath.

King.
Shall Kings be overswaid in their desires?

Roderi.
Shall Subjects be opress'd by tyranny?

Q. Mother.
No State shall suffer wrong, then hear mee speak,
Mendo, you have sworn you love the Queen,
Then by that love I charge you leave these arms:
Eliaz, for those favours I have given you,
Embrace the Cardinall, and be friends with him.

Eliaz.
And have my wife call'd strumpet to my face.

Qu. Mo.
'Twas rage made his tongue erre, do you not know
The violent love Mendoza bears the Queen:
Then speak him fair, for in that honied breath
I'le lay a bait shall train him to his death.
Come, come, I see your looks give way to peace;
Lord Cardinall begin, and for reward,
Ere this fair setting Sun behold his bride,
Be bold to challenge love, yet be deni'd

Aside.
Mendoz.
That promise makes me yeild; my gracious Lord:
Although my disgrace hath graven its memory
On every Spaniards eye, yet shall the duty
I owe your sacred Highness; and the love
My Country challengeth, make me lay by
Hostile intendments, and return again
To the fair circle of obedience.

King.
Both pardon and our favour bids you welcome,
And for some satisfaction for your wrongs,
We here create you Salamanka's Duke,
But first as a true signe all grudges dye;
Shake hands with Eleazar and be friends;
This union pleaseth us, now brother Philip,
You are included in this league of love,
So is Roderigo to forget all wrongs:
Your Castle for a while shall bid us welcom,
Eleazar shall it not? It is enough,
Lords lead the way, that whil'st you feast your selves,
Fernando may find time all means to prove,
To compasse fair Maria for our love.

Exeunt Omnes.

Scena II.

Enter Queen Mother, and Eleazar.
Eleaz.
Madam a word now, have you wit or spirit?

Qu. Mother.
Both.

Eleaz.
Set them both to a most gainfull task,
Our enemies are in my Castle-work.

Qu. Mother.
I; but the King's there too, it's dangerous pride,
To strike at those; that couch by a Lyons side.

Eleaz.
Remove them:

Qu. Mother.
How?

Eleaz.
How? a thousand ways;
By poison, or by this, but every groom
Has skill in such base traffick; no our pollicies
Must look more strange, must flie with loftier wings:
Vengeance the higher it falls, more horror brings:
But you are cold, you dare not do.

Qu. Mother.
I dare.

Eleaz.
You have a womans heart, look you this hand,
Oh! 'tis too little to strike home.

Qu. Mother.
At whom?

Eleaz.
Your son.

Qu. Mother.
Which son, the King?

Eleaz.
Angels of heaven, stand like his guard about him, how? the King
Not for so many worlds as here be stars,
Sticking upon th'imbroidred firmament.
The King? he loves my wife and should he die;
I know none els would love her, let him live.
(in heaven) good Lord Philip.

Aside
Queen Mother
He shall die.

Eleaz.
How? good good.

Qu. Mo.
By this hand.

Eleaz.
When, good good; when?

Qu. M.
This night if Eleazer give consent;

El.
Why then this night Philip shal not live,
To see you kill him. Is he not your son?
A mother be the murd'rer of a brat,
That liv'd within her; hah!

Qu. Mother
'Tis for thy sake.

Eleaz.
Puh! What excuses cannot dam'd sin make
To save it self, I know you love him wel,
But that he has an eye, an eye, an eye,
To others our two hearts seem to be lock'd
Up in a case of steel, upon our love others
Dare not look, or if they dare, they cast
Squint purblind glances; who care though all see all,
So long as none dare speak, but, Philip
Knows that the Iron ribs of our villains
Are thin: Hee laughs to see them like this hand,
With chinks, and crevises, how a villanous eye,
A stabbing desperate tongue, the boy dare speak,
A mouth, a villanous mouth, lets muzzle him.

Qu. Mo.
How?

Ele.
Thus.
Go you, and with a face well set do
In good sad colours; such as paint out
The cheek of that fool penitence, and with a tongue
Made clean and glib, Cull from their lazy swarm;
Some honest Friers, whom that damnation gold,
Can tempt to lay their souls to'th stake;
Seek such, they are rank and thick.

Qu. Mo.
What then, I know such, what's the use?

Eleaz.
This is excellent.
Hire these to write books, preach and proclaim abroad,
That your son Philip is a bastard.

Qu. Mo.
How?

Eleaz.
A bastard; do you; know a bastard? doo't;
Say conscience spake with you, and cry'd out, doo't
By this means shall you thrust him from all hopes
Of wearing Castiles diadem, and that spur
Galling his sides, he will flye out, and fling,
And grind the Cardinals heart to a new edg
Of discontent, from discontent grows treason,
And on the stalk of treason death: he's dead
By this blow, and by you; yet no blood shed.
Doo't then; by this trick, he gon!
We stand more sure in climbing high;
Care not who fall 'tis reall policie:
Are you arm'd to do this? hah!

Queen Mo.
Sweet Moor it's done.

Eleaz.
Away then, work with boldness, and with speed;
On greatest actions greatest dangers feed.
Ezit Qu. Mother.
Ha! ha, I thank thee provident creation,
That seeing in moulding me thou did'st intend,
I should prove villain, thanks to thee and nature
That skilful workman; thanks for my face,
Thanks that I have not wit to blush.
What Zarack? ho Baltazar.

Enter the two Moors.
Both.
my Lord.

Eleaz.
Nearer, so silence;
Hang both your greedy ears upon my lips,
Let them devour my speech, suck in my breath;
And in who lets it break prison, here's his death,
This night the Card'nall shall be murd'red.

Both.
Where?

Ele.
And to fill up a grave Philip dies:

Both.
Where?

Ele.
Here.

Both.
By whom?

Ele.
By thee; and slave by thee:
Have you hearts and hands to execute?

Both.
Here's both.

1 Moor.
He dies were he my father.

Ele.
Ho away?
Stay, go, go, stay, see me no more till night;
Your cheeks are black, let not your souls look white:

Both.
Till night.

Eleaz.
Till night, a word, the Mo Qu.
Is trying if she can with fire of gold,
Warpe the green consciences of two covetous Friers,
To preach abroad Philip's bastardy.

1 Moor.
His bastardy, who was his father?

Eleazar.
Who?
Search for these friers, hire them to work with you;
Their holy callings will approve the fact.
Most good and meritorious; sin shines clear,
When her black face Religions masque doth wear.
Aside.
Here comes the Queen, good; and the Friers.

Scena. III.

Enter two Friers, Crab and Cole; and Queen Mother.
Cole.
Your son a bastard, say we do,
But how then shall we deal with you?
I tell you as I said before;
His being a bastard, you are so poor
In honour and in name, that time
Can never take away the crime.

Qu. Mo.
I grant that Frier, yet rather I'le endure
The wound of infamy, to kill my name,
Then to see Spain bleeding, with civil swords
The boy is proud, ambitious, he woo's greatnesse,
He takes up Spanish hearts on trust, to pay them
When he shall finger Castiles Crown: Oh then
Were it not better my disgrace were known,
Then such a base aspirer fill the Throne.

Cole.
Ha brother Crab, what think you?

Crab.
As you dear brother Cole:

Cole.
Then wee agree,
Coles Judgment is as Crabs you see.
Lady we swear to speak and write,
What you please so all go right.

Queen. Mo.
Then as wee gave directions, spread abroad,
In Cales, Madrid, Granado, and Medyna;
And all the Royall Cities of the Realm:
Th'ambitious hopes of that proud bastard Philip,
And somtimes as you see occasion,
Tickle the ears of the Rude multitude,
With Eleazars praises; guild his virtues,
Naples recovery and his victories
Atchieved against the Tutkish Ottoman:
Will you do this for us?

Eleaz.
Say will you?

Both
I.

Eleaz.
Why start you back and stare? ha? are you afraid.

Cole.
Oh? no Sir, no, but truth to tell;
Seeing your face, we thought of hell.

Eleaz.
Hell is a dream.

Cole.
But none do dream in hell.

Eleaz.
Friers stand to her; and me; and by your sin,
I'le shoulder out Mendoza from his seat;
And of two Friers create you Cardinalls,
Oh! how would Cardinalls hats on these heads fit.

Cole.
This face would look most goodly under it:
Frier, Crab and Cole do swear,
In those circles still to appear:
In which she, or you, do charge us rise;
For you, our lives wee'l sacrifice.
Valete, Gaudete;
Sipereamus flete;
Orate pro nobis,
Oramus pro vobis.
Cole will be burnt, and Crab be prest;
Ere they prove knaves, thus are you crost and blest.
Exeunt Friers.

Eleaz.
Away; you know now Madam none shall throw
Their leaden envie in an opposite scale,
To weigh down our true golden happiness.

Queen Mo.
Yes, there is one.

Eleaz.
One, who? give mee his name and I will
Turn it to a magick spell,
To bind him here, here, who?

Queen Mo.
Your wife Maria.

Eleaz.
Hah! my Maria.

Qu. Mo.
She's th'Hellespont divides my love and me,
Shee being cut off.

Eleaz.
Stay, stay, cut off; let's think upon't, my wife?
Humh! Kill her too!

Qu. Mo.
Do's her love make thee cold?

Eleaz.
Had I a thousand wives, down go they all:
She dies, I'le cut her off: now Baltazar.

Enter Baltazar.
Baltaz.
Madam, the King intreats your company.

Qu. Mo.
His pleasure be obey'd, dear love farewell;
Remember your Maria.
Exit Qu. Mo.

Eleaz.
Here a dieu;
With this I'le guard her, whil'st it stabs at you.

Balt.
My Lord! the Friers are won to joine with us.

Eliaz.
Be prosperous about it Baltazzar.

Balt.
The watch word.

Eleaz.
Oh! the word let it be treason;
When we cry treason, break ope chamber doors:
Kill Phillip and the Cardinall; Hence

Balt.
I fly.

Exit.
Eleaz.
Murder, now ride in triumph, darknesse, horror;
Thus I invoke your aid, your Act begin;
Night is a glorious Roab, for th'ugliest sin.

Exit.

Scena IV.

Enter Cole and Crab in Trouses, the Cardinall in one of their weeds, and Philip putting on the other.
Both Friers.
Put on my Lord, and flye, or else you die.

Phil.
I will not, I will die first; Cardinall,
Prithe good Cardinal pluck off, Friers, slave,
Murder us two, he shall not by this sword.

Car.
My Lord, you will endanger both our lives.

Phil.
I care not; I'le kill some before I die:
Away, s'heart take your raggs; Moor, Devill, come.

2. Friers.
My Lord put on, or else.

Phil.
Gods foot come help:

Card.
Ambitious villain. Philip, let us fly
Into the chamber of the Mother Queen.

Phil.
Thunder, beat down the lodgings.

Card.
Else let's break into the chamber of the King:

Phillip.
Agreed,
A pox upon those lowzy gaberdines,
Agreed, I am for you Moor; stand side by side,
Come, hands off, leave your ducking, hell cannot fright,
Their spirits that do desperately fight.

Cole.
You are too rash, you are too hot,
Wild desperateness doth valour blot;
The lodging of the Kings beset,
With staring faces black as Jett,
And hearts of Iron, your deaths are vow'd
If you fly that way, therefore shrow'd,
Your body in Frier Coles gray weed,
For is't not madnesse man to bleed:
When you may scape untouch'd away,
Here's hell, here's heaven, here if you stay
You're gon, you're gon, Frier Crab and I,
Will here dance friskin whilst you flie:
Gag us, bind us, come put on
The Gags too wide, so gon, gon, gon.

Phil.
Oh! well, I'le come again, Lord Cardinall
Take you your Castle, I'le to Portugall:
I vow I'le come again, and if I do:

Card.
Nay good my Lord!

Phil.
Black Devill I'le conjure you.

Exeunt

Scena. V.

To the Friers making a noise, gagg'd and bound, Enter Eleazar, Zarack, Baltazar, and other Moors, all with their Swords drawn.
Eleazar.
Guard all the passages, Zarack stand there,
There Baltazar, there you, the Friers,
Where have you plac'd the Friers?

Alvero.
My Lord a noise.

Baltaz.
The Friers are gagg'd and bound.

Eleaz.
'Tis Phil. and the Cardinal, shoot; hah stay!
Unbind them; where's Mendoza, and the Prince.

Cole.
Sancta Maria who can tell:
By Peters keys they bound us well,
And having crack'd our shaven crowns,
They have escap'd you in our gowns.

Eleaz.
Escap'd; escap'd away? I am glad, it's good,
I would their arms may turn to Eagles wings,
To flye us swift as time sweet air give way,
Winds leave your two and thirty pallaces,
And meeting all in one, join all your might,
To give them speedy and a prosperous flight,
Escap'd Friers, which way?

Both.
This way.

Eleaz.
Good: Alas; what sin is't to shed innocent blood;
For look you holy men, it is the King;
The King, the King, see Friers sulphury wrath
Having once entred into Royall brests:
Mark how it burns, the Qu. Philip's mother;
Oh! most unnaturall, will have you two
Divulge abroad that hee's a bastard. Oh!
Will you doo't.

Crab.
What says my brother Frier?

Cole.
A Princes love is balm, their wrath a fire:

Crab.
'Tis true, but yer I'le publish no such thing;
What fool would lose his soul, to please a King?

Eleaz.
Keep there, good there, yet for it wounds my soul,
To see the miserablest wretch to bleed.
I counsell you (in care unto your lives)
T'obey the mother Queen, for by my life
I thinke shee has been prick'd, her conscience
Oh! it has stung her, for some fact misdon,
She would not else disgrace her selfe and son
Doo't therefore, harke, shee'l work your deaths else, hate
Bred in a woman is insatiate.
Doo't Friers.

Crab.
Brother Cole? Zeal sets me in a flame,
I'le doo't.

Cole.
And I,
His basenesse wee'l proclaim
Exeunt Friers.

Eleaz.
Do, and be damn'd; Zarack and Baltazar.
Dog them at th'hee'ls, and when their poisonous breath
Hath scattered this infection, on the hearts
Of credulous Spaniards, here reward them thus,
Slaves too much trusted do grow dangerous;
Why this shall feed,
And fat suspition, and my pollicy
I'le ring through all the Court, this loud alarum:
That they contriv'd the murder of the King,
The Qu. and me; and being undermin'd,
To scape the blowing up, they fled. Oh good!
There, there, thou there, cry treason; each one take
A severall door, your cries my musick make.

Balt.
Where's the King? treason persues him:

Enter Alvero in his shirt, his sword drawn.
Ele.
Where's the sleepy Qu. Rise, rise, and arm, against the hand of treason.

Alv.
Whence comes this sound of treason?

Enter King in his shirt, his sword drawn.
King.
Who frights our quiet slumbers,
With this heavy noise:

Enter Queen in her night attire.
Qu. Mo.
Was it a dream? or did the sound
Of monster treason call me from my rest.

King.
Who rais'd this rumour Eleaz. you?

Eleaz.
I did my Liege, and still continue it,
Both for your safety, and mine own discharge.

King.
Whence coms the ground then?

Eleaz.
from the Cardinall,
And the young Prince, who bearing in his mind
The true Idea of his late disgrace,
In putting him from the Protectorship,
And envying the advancment of the Moor,
Determined this night to murder you;
And for your Highnesse lodg'd within my Castle,
They would have laid the murder on my head.

King.
The Cardinall, and my Brother, bring them forth
Their lives shall answer this ambitious practice.

Eleaz.
Alas my Lord it is impossible,
For when they saw I had discovered them,
They train'd two harmlesse Friers to their lodgings,
Disrob'd them, gagg'd them, bound'em to two posts,
And in their habits did escape the Castle.

King.
That Cardinall, is all ambition,
And from him doth our Brother gather heart.

Que. Mo.
Th'ambition of th'one infects the other,
And in a word they both are dangerous;
But might your mothers counsell stand in force,
I would advise you send the trusty Moor
To fetch them back, before they had seduc'd
The squint ey'd multitude from true allegiance,
And drawn them to their dangerous faction.

King.
It shall be so, therefore my States best prop,
Within whose bosome I durst trust my life,
Both for my safety and thine own discharge,
Fetch back those traitors, and till your return
Our self will keep your Castle.

Eleaz.
My Leige; the tongue of true obedience
Most not gainsay his Soveraigns impose,
By heaven; I will not kiss the cheek of sleep,
Till I have fetch'd those traitors to the Court.

King.
Why; this sorts right, he gon; his beauteous wife
Shall sail into the naked arms of love.

Qu. Mo.
Why, this is as it should bee, he once gon,
His wife that keeps me from his marriage bed,
Shall by this hand of mine be muthered.

King.
This storm is well nigh past the swelling clouds,
That hang so full of treason by the wind,
In awfull Majestie are scatt'red.
Then each man to his rest; good night sweet friend,
Whil'st thou persu'st the traitors that are fled,
Fernando means to warm thy marriage bed.

Exit
Ele.
Many good nights, consume and dam your souls.
I know he means to Cuckold mee this night;
Yet do I know no means to hinder it.
Besides, who know, whether the lustful King
Having my wife and Castle at command,
Will ever make surrender back again;
But if he do not, with my falchions point
I'le lance those swelling veins in which hot lust
Does keep his Revels, and with that warm blood
Where Venus's bastard coold his sweltring spleen,
Wash the disgrace from Eleazars brows.

Scena. VI.

Enter Maria.
Maria.
Dear Eleazar;

Ele.
If they lock the gates
I'le tosse a ball of wild-fire o're the walls.

Maria.
Husband, sweet husband:

Eleaz.
Or else swim o're the moat,
And make a breach through the flinty sides
Of the rebellious walls:

Maria.
Hear me, dear heart.

Eleaz.
Or undermine the chamber where they lie,
And by the violent strength of gunpowder,
Blow up the Castle, and th'incestuous couch,
In which lust wallows; but my labouring thoughts,
Wading too deep in bottomless extreams;
Do drown themselvs in their own stratagems.

Maria.
Sweet husband! dwell not upon circumstance,
When weeping sorrow like an Advocate
Importunes you for aid; look in mine eyes
There you shall see dim grief swimming in tears,
Invocating succor. Oh succor!

Eleaz.
Succor. Zounds for what?

Maria.
To shield me from Fernando's unchast love,
Who with uncessant praiers importun'd me.

Eleaz.
To lie with you I know't.

Maria.
Then seek some means how to prevent it.

Eleaz.
'Tis possible; for to the end that his unbridled lust
Might have more free accesse unto thy bed,
This night he hath enjoined me
To fetch back Philip and the Cardinall.

Maria.
Then this ensuing night shall give an end
To all my sorrows, for before foul lust
Shall soil the fair complexion of mine honour,
This hand shall rob Maria of her life.

Eleaz.
Not so dear soul, for in extremities
Choose out the least, and ere the hand of death
Should suck this Ivorie pallace of thy life:
Imbrace my counsell, and receive this poison
Which in the instant he attempts thy love,
Then give it him: do, do,
Do poison him, he gon, thou'rt next;
Be sound in resolution; and farewell;
By one, and one, I'le ship you all to hell.
Spain I will drown thee with thine own proud blood,
Then make an ark of carcasses farewell.
Revenge and I will sail in blood to hell.

Exit.
Maria.
Poison the King, Alas my trembling hand
Would let the poison fall, and through my cheeks
Fear suted in a bloodless livery,
Would make the world acquainted with my guilt,
But thanks prevention, I have found a means
Both to preserve my Royall Soveraignes life,
And keep my self a true and Loyall wife.

Exit.