 | The Fair Maid of The West. Or, A Girle worth gold. The second part |  |
Actus tertius.
Scena prima.
Enter Mullisheg.Mull.
Through satiate with the pleasures of this night,
The morning calls me from the sweet embraces
Tot.
The English stranger
Is stoln from forth mine arms. I am at full revenged:
Were I again to match, Ide marry one
Of this brave nation, if a Gentleman,
Before the greatest Monarch of the world,
They are such sweet and loving bedfellows.
Now to my chamber, darknesse guid my way,
Lest what none yet suspect, the night betray.
Let all like me wrong'd in their nuptiall bed,
Not aim at th'heart, but rather strike at th'head.
Mul.
Venetian Ladies, nor the Persian Girles,
The French, the Spanish, nor the Turkish Dames,
Ethiope nor Greece can kisse with half that art
These English can, nor entertain their friends
With 'tenth part of that ample willingnesse
Within their arms.
Alcad.
Your highnesse cal'd?
Mul.
To tell thee that none shall pertake but thou.
Oh, I have had the sweetest nights content
That ever king enjoy'd.
Alcad.
With the fair English bride.
Mull.
Nor envy if I raise the Captain for't,
For he shall mount.
Alcad.
And he deserves it: but to me you owe
Part of that honour, I had a hand in't too,
Although perhaps you thought me ignorant
In what is past.
Mul.
Hadst thou no more
Then half a finger in this nights content,
It shall not be forgot, but thou as he
Shalt be rais'd one step higher.
Alc.
Observing what had past, I spide the bridegroom.
As still mine eies were fixt on him, up and late,
Then by a trick, a pretty sleight, a fine fetch of mine own,
I past him forth the gates, and gave command,
Neither for reward nor intreaties, till day broke.
Mull.
Your aim in that?
Alc.
For fear lest he by some suspitious jealousie
Should have disturb'd your rest.
Mull.
Thy providence
Shall not die unrewarded: shift him hence,
And with his will too, this makes thee
Of our counsell.
Alcad.
'Tis an honour
My wisedome haih long aim'd at, and I hope
Now shall receive his merit.
Enter a Negro.
Negr.
Pardon great king that I thus rudely presse
Into your private bed-chamber.
Mull.
Speak, thy news.
Negr.
The English Captain, with the lovely Bride,
With her Lieutenant hath secretly this night,
With your highnesse signet and the word past the Court-gates,
past all the watches, and got aboard their Negro, and
I was sent to know your highnesse pleasure.
Mull.
Ha, this night? Alcade, seek, search,
I left her sleeping in our royall bed.
Alcad.
I shall my lord, I half suspect.
Mull.
But was not Spencer with them?
Negr.
Onely they three: and we, by vertue of your
highnesse signet, past them the court-gates without
trouble.
Enter Alcad.
Mull.
We are amazed:
Alcade, whom find'st thou there?
Alcad.
Nothing, my lord, but empty sheets,
A bed new tost; but neither English Lady, nor
any Lady else.
Mul.
We stand astonish't,
Not knowing what to answer.
Mess.
Pardon great king if I relate the news
That will offend you highly.
Mull.
That the English Captain, Lady, and Lieutenant
are escapt.
Mess.
But that's not all.
Mull.
Can there be worse behinde?
Mess.
Yes, if the losse of your dear subjects lives
Be worse then their escape: Spencer, without
The signet or the word, being left behinde.
Mull.
You cal'd the porter up
And let him after.
Alcad.
Pardon great King.
Mull.
Was this your trick, your sleight, your stratagem?
As we are king of Fesse, thy life shall pay
The forfet, thine own tongue shall sentence thee.
But to the rest.
Mess.
Then past he to the bridge,
Where stood armed men, in number fourty:
Maugre all their strength, with his good sword
He would have made through all:
And in this fierce conflict, six, to the maze
Of all the rest, were slain: nor would he yeeld,
Till suddenly we rais'd a loud alarm,
At which the Captain of the watch came down,
And so there surpriz'd him.
Mul.
Is he prisoner then?
Mess.
In custody of the great Bashaw Ioffer,
With whom we left him.
Mull.
Command our Bashaw
To bring him clog'd in irons. These English Pirates
Have rob'd us of much treasure: and for that
His traiterous life shall answer. But for thee, traitor,
That had'st a hand in his escape,
Thou shalt be sure to pay for't.
Alcad.
Alas, my lord,
Mull.
Nay bribes,
And I shall finde it so: bear him to guard.
What dissolute strumpet did that traitrous Captain
Send to our sheets; but all our injuries,
Vpon that English prisoner wee'll revenge,
As we in state and fortune hope to rise,
A never heard of death that traitour dies.
Enter Captain, Besse, Ruffman, Clem.
Besse.
No news from Forset yet that waits for Spencer,
The long boat's not return'd?
Goodl.
Not yet?
Besse.
Clem. to the main top Clem, and give us notice
if thou seest any (like them) make from the shore; the day
is broke already.
Clem.
With all my heart, so you will give me warning
before the Gunner shoots, lest I tumble down again, and
put my neck a second time in danger.
Besse.
Prethee be gon, let's have no jesting now.
Clem.
Then Ile to the main top in earnest.
Goodl.
How fares it with you Besse?
Besse.
Like a hartlesse creature, a body without motion.
How can I chose when I am come to sea,
And left my heart ashore? What, no news yet?
Goodl.
None.
Bess.
I prethee Ruffman step into my Cabin, and bring
me here my houre glasse.
Ruff.
That I shall.
Goodl.
To what end would you use it?
Bess.
Shall I tell thee Captain,
I would know how long I have to live:
That glasse once turn'd, the sandy houre quite run,
I know my Spencer's dead, and my life's donne.
Enter Ruffman with the glasse.
Ruff.
Your glasse.
Gramercy good Lieutenant:
'Tis better then a gaudy looking glasse,
To deck our faces in; that shews our pride,
But this our ends those glasses seek to hide.
Have you been all at prayers?
Both.
We have.
Besse.
I thank you
Gentlemen, never more need: and you would say
As I do, did you but know how near our ends some are.
Dost thou not think, Captain, my Spencer's slain?
Goodl.
Yet hope the best.
Besse.
This is the hower he promist: Captain, look,
For I have not the heart, and truely tell me
How farre 'tis spent
Some fifteen minutes.
Besse.
Alas, no more; I prethee tak't away,
Even just so many haue I left to pray,
And then to break my heart strings: None that loves me
Speake one word to me of him, or any thing:
If in your secret cabbins you'l bestow
Of him and me some tears and hearty prayers,
We, if we live shall thank you. Good Gentlemen
Ingage me so far to you.
Enter Clem.
Clem.
News, news, news.
Besse.
Ha, good or bad.
Clem.
Excellent, most excellent, nay, super excellent,
Forset and all his companions are rowing hither like mad
men; and there is one that sits i'th stern and does not
row at all, and that is, let me see who is it? I am sure 'tis
he, noble Spencer.
Besse.
Spencer?
Heart, let me keep thee; thou wast up to heaven
Half way in rapture. Art thou sure?
Clem.
I think you'l make a man swear his heart out.
Besse.
Teach me but how
How shall I beare me, Captain, that my joy
Do not transcend my soul out of this earth,
Into the aire with passionate extasie:
Enter Spencer.
Goodl.
Now farewell Barbarie, king Mullisheg,
We have sea room, and winde at will, not ten
Of thy best Gallies arm'd with Moors,
Can fetch us back.
Ruff.
For England Gentlemen.
Bess.
Oh, wher's the Gunner:
See all the ordnance be straight discharged
For joy my Spencer lives; let's mist our selves
In a thick cloud of smoak, and speak our joyes
Vnto the highest heavens in fire, and thunder.
Ruff.
To make the Queen vex and torment her self.
Besse.
To make the King tear his contorted locks,
Curl'd like the knots of furies: Oh this musick
Doth please me better then th'effeminate strings,
Tun'd to their wilde Moriskoes: dance my soul,
And caper in my bosome, joyfull heart,
That I have here my Spencer.
Goodl.
Come, waigh Anchor,
Hoist sail, we have a fair and gentle gale
To beare us to our countrey.
Spenc.
Captain, stay.
Besse.
I did not heare my Spencer speak till now,
Nor would my sudden joy give me that judgement
To spie that sadnesse in thee I now see;
Good, what's the cause, canst thou conceal't from me?
What, from thy Besse? Whence came that sigh?
You will not tell me; no, do not:
I am not worthy to partake your thoughts.
Do you repent you that you see us safe
Imbar'kt for England to enjoy me there:
Let me but know her, and for your sweet sake
Ile serve her too: come, I will know the cause.
Spenc.
Know all in one:
Now I have seen you, I must leave you Besse.
Besse.
Leave me? Oh, fatall.
Spenc.
Speak, my Besse, it is thy Spencer tells thee.
Besse.
That he will leave me: if the same tongue
That wounded me, gives me no present cure,
It will again intrance me.
Spenc.
Arm your self,
It must be spoke again, for I must leave you.
My honour, faith, and countrey are ingag'd,
The reputation of a Christian's pawn'd;
And all that weare that sacred livery,
Shall in my breach be scandal'd. Moors will say,
We boast of faith, none does good works but they.
Besse.
I am nor sleep nor waking, but my senses
All in a confus'd slumber.
Goodl.
Sir, resolve us;
You wrap us in a Labyrinth of doubts,
From which I pray unloose us.
Spenc.
I shall;
I made my way through slaughter; but at length
The watch came down and took me prisoner
Vnto a noble Bashaw: for my valour,
It pleas'd him to admire me: but when sorrow
To disappoint my Besse, strok me in passion,
He urg'd me freely to relate my griefs,
Which took in him such deep impression,
That on my word and promise to return
By such an hower, he left himself in hostage,
To give me my desires.
Goodl.
'Twas nobly done.
But what's the lives of twenty thousand Moors,
To one that is a Christian?
We have liberty, and free way to our countrey,
Shall not we take th'advantage that the heavens
Have lent us: but now, as if we scorn'd
Their gracious bounty, give up our selves
To voluntary bondage.
Bess.
Prize you my love no better, then to rate it
Beneath the friendship of a barbarous Moor?
Can you, to save him, leave me to my death? Is this
The just reward of all my travells?
Spenc.
I prize my honour, and a Christians faith,
Above what earth can yeeld: shall Fesse report,
Vnto our countreys shame, and to the scandall
Of our religion, that a barbarous Moor
Can exceed us in noblenesse? no, Ile die
A hundred thousand deaths first.
Besse.
Oh, my fate, was ever maid thus crost,
That have so oft been brought to see my blisse,
And never taste it? to meet my Spencer living after death,
To joyn with him in marriage, not enjoy him?
To have him here free from the barbarous Moors,
And now to lose him? being so oft rais'd
Vnto the height of all felicity
To make my ruine greater. If you needs
Will hazzard your own person, make me partner
In this thy present danger; take me with thee.
Spenc.
Not for the world, no living soul shall bleed
One drop for me.
Besse.
Canst thou be so unkinde? then false man know,
That thou hast taught me harshnesse. I without
Thee came to Momarah, and to my countrey back,
I will return without thee: I am here
In mine own vessell, mine own train about me:
And since thou wilt forsake me, to embrace
The Queen of Moors: though coyning strange excuse.
E'ne at thy pleasure be it, my waie's into my countrey,
Farewell, Ile not shed one tear more.
My partings death,
But honour wakens me, the hower draws nigh,
And if I fail one minut, he must die.
The long boat now. Farewell Besse.
Exit.
Besse.
Why, farewell
Spencer, I alwaies lov'd thee but too well,
Captain, thine eare,
This I have vow'd, and this you all shall swear.
Exeunt.
Enter Mullisheg, Queen, Ioffer, Headsman.
Mull.
Produce your prisoner, Bashaw.
Ioff.
Mighty King,
Had you beheld his prowesse, and withall,
But seen his passions, you would then like me,
Have pittied his diasters.
Mull.
We know no pitty for an injury
Of that high nature, more then our revenge,
We have vow'd his death, and he shall therefore die.
Go, bring him forth.
Ioff.
Spare me, my lord; but some few howers, I shall.
Mull.
The least delay is death.
Ioff.
Then know, my lord, he was my prisoner.
Mull.
How, was? and is not?
Ioff.
By promise.
Mull.
Not in gyves.
Ioff.
Hee's gyv'd to me by faith, but else at liberty.
Mull.
I pray unriddle us, and teach us that
Which we desire to know, where is the English prisoner?
Ioff.
I presum'd, my lord,
Such noble valour could not be log'd alone,
Without some other vertues, faith and honour,
Therefore I gave him freedome to his ship,
Onely upon his promise to return;
Now if there be such noblenesse in a Christian,
Which being a Moor, I have exprest to him,
He will not see me perish.
Foolish Bashaw
To jeast away thy head: you are all conspiratours
Against our person: and you all shall die.
Why? canst thou think a stranger so remote,
Both in countrey and religion, being imbark't
At sea, and under sail, free from our bands
In the arms of his fair bride,
His Captain and his saylors all aboard,
Sea room and winde at will, and will return
To expose all these to voluntary dangers,
For a bare verball promise?
Ioff.
If he comes nor,
Be this mine honour, King, that though I bleed,
A Moor a Christian thus far did exceed.
Mull.
The hower is past,
The Christian hath broke faith.
Off with his head.
Enter Spencer.
Spenc.
Yet come at last.
Mull.
Ist possible?
Can England so farre distant harbour such noble vertues?
Ioff.
I beshrow you, Sir,
You come unto your death, and you have tane
Much honour from me, and ingrost it all
To your own fame; 'twould have lived longer by me,
Then any monument can last, to have lost
My life for such a noble stranger,
Whose vertue even in this last act appears,
I wish this blood, which now are friendly tears.
You are come unto your death.
Spenc.
Why, 'twas my purpose;
And by that death, to make my honour shine.
Great Mullisheg, cherish this noble Moor,
Whom all thy confines cannot parallell
For vertue and true noblenesse. Ere my ship
Should with such black dishonour beare me safe
I would have bent my ordnance gainst her keel,
And sunk her in the harbour.
Mull.
Thou hast slain
Six of our subjects.
Ioff.
Oh, had you seen
But with what eminent valour.
Mull.
Nought that's ill
Can be well done: then Bashaw, speake no more,
His life is meerly forfeit, and he shall pay it.
Spenc.
I am proud, Fesse, that I now owe thee nothing,
But have in me ability to pay.
If it be forfeit, take it, lay all on me,
Ile pay the debt, then set the Bashaw free.
Mull.
Besides, misprising all our gracious favours,
To violate our laws, infringe our peace,
Disturbe our watch by night, and now perhaps
Having rob'd us of much treasure, stoln to sea.
Spenc.
In that thou art not royall, Mullisheg.
Of all thy gold and jewels lately given us,
Ther's not a doit imbark't,
For finding thee dishonourably unkinde,
Scorning thy gold, we left it all behinde.
Tot.
If private men be lords of such brave spirits,
How royall should their Princes be!
Mull.
Englishman,
Ther's but one way for thee to save thy life,
From eminent death.
Spenc.
Well, propose it.
Mull.
Instantly
Send to thy Negro, and surrender up
Thy Captain and thy fair Bride; otherwise,
By all the holy rights of our great Prophet,
Thou shalt not live an hower.
Spenc.
Alas, good King,
I pitty and despise thy tyranny:
What canst thou do then? Call'st thou that revenge,
To ease me of a thousand turbulent griefs,
And throw my soul in glory for my honour.
Why, thou striv'st to make me happy but for her;
Wert thou the King of all the kings on earth.
Couldst thou lay all their scepters, roabs, and crowns,
Here at my feet, and hadst power to install me
Emperour of th'universall Emperie,
Rather then yeeld my basest ship-boy up,
To become thy slave; much lesse betray my Bride
To thee and to thy bruitish lust, know king
Of Fesse, I'de die a hundred thousand deaths first.
Mull.
Ile try your patience: Off with his head.
Enter Besse, Goodlack, Ruffman.
Besse.
Her's more worke, stay.
Spenc.
What make you here?
You wrong me above injury.
Besse.
If you loue blood,
That river spare, and for him take a flood,
Be but so gracious as save him alone,
And great King see I bring thee three for one:
Spare him, thou shalt have more,
The lives of all my train, what saiest thou to't?
And with their lives my ship and all to boot.
Spenc.
I could be angry with you above measure,
In your four deaths I die, that had before
Tasted but one.
Mull.
Captain, art thou there? how e're these fare,
Thou shalt be sure to pay for't.
Goodl.
'Tis my least care,
What's done is mine, I here confes't,
Then seize my life in ransome of the rest.
Tot.
Lieutenant, you are a base villane,
What groom betrai'd you to our sheets?
Ruff.
Please keep your tongue, I did you no dishonour.
Whom did you bring to our free embraces?
Ruff.
'Twas the King, conceal what's past.
Tot.
How e're my minde, then yet my bodie's chast.
Ruff.
Make use on't.
Spenc.
Dismisse, great King, these to their ship again,
My life is solely forfeit, take but that,
I shall report thee mercifull.
Besse.
It were no justice, King, to forfeit his,
And to spare mine, I am as deep as he,
Since what my Spencer did was all for me.
Goodl.
Great King, if any faulted, then 'twas I,
I led them on, and therefore first should die.
Ruff.
I am as deep as any.
Ioff.
Oh, had my head
Excus'd all these, I had been nobly dead.
Bess.
Why pause you king? Is't by our noble vertes,
That you have lost the use of speech? or can you think
That Spencer dead, you might inherit me.
No, first with Roman Portia I'de eate fire,
Or with Lucretia character thy lust
'Twixt these two breasts. Stood I ingag'd to death.
I'd scorn for life to bend a servile knee:
But 'tis for thee, my Spencer, what was his fault?
'Twas but to saue his own, rescue his dear Bride
From adulterate sheets, and must he die for this?
Mull.
Shall lust in me have chief predominance?
And vertuous deeds, for which in Fesse
I have been long renown'd, be quite exilde?
Shall Christians have the honour
To be sole heirs of goodnesse, and we Moors,
Barbarous and bloody. Captain, resolve me,
What common Curtezan didst thou convey
Into our royall bed.
Tot.
I can excuse him, pardon me great King,
I having private notice of your plots,
Wrought him unto my purpose, and 'twas I
Mull.
These English ere in all things honourable,
Nor can we tax their waies in any thing,
Vnlesse we blame their vertues. English maid,
We give thee once more back unto thy husband,
Whom likewise freely we receive to grace:
And as amends for our pretended wrongs,
With her wee'll tender such an ample dower,
As shall renown our bounty: but we fear
We cannot recompence the injurious losse,
Of your last nights expectations.
Besse.
'Tis full amends,
Where but the least part of your grace extends.
Mull.
Captain, we prize thy vertues to thy friends,
Thy faith to us, and zeal unto our Queen.
And Bashaw, for thy noblenesse to a Gentleman
Of such approved valour and renown,
We here create thee Viceroy of Argiers,
And do esteem thee next our Queen in grace.
Y'have quench't in me all lust, by which shall grow,
Vertues which Fesse, and all the world shall know.
Spenc.
We shall report your bounties, and your royalties
Shall flie through all the parts of Christendome.
Bess.
Whilst Besse has gold, which is the meed of baies,
Shee'l make our English Poets tune thy praise.
And now my Spencer, after all our troubles,
Crosses and threatnings of the seas rough brow,
I ne're could say thou wert mine own till now.
Mull.
Call this your harbour, and your haven of joy,
For so wee'll strive to make it, noble strangers,
Those vertues you have taught us by your deeds,
We futurely will strive to imitate.
And for the wrongs done to the hop't delights
Of your lost nights divorce, double the magazine
VVith which our larges should have sweld your ship.
A golden Girl th'art cal'd,
Thy lading back shall be with pearl and gold.
Exeunt.
Enter Chorus.
Chor.
Imagine Besse and Spencer under sail:
But the intelligence of their great wealth,
Being bruited 'mongst the Merchants, comes to'th eares
Of a French Pirate, who with two ships well rig'd,
Way laies them in their voyage: long they fought,
And many slain on both sides; but the Frenchmen,
Proud of their hopefull conquest, boarding twice,
Are twice blown up, which addes courage to the English;
But to the Frenchmen fear: just as they buckeld,
Spencer and Goodlack, with two proofe Targets arm'd,
Into the French ship leap, and on the hatches,
There make a bloody slaughter: but at that instant,
The billows swel'd, the windes grew high, and loud,
And as the soul and body use to part,
With no lesse force these lovers are divided,
He wafts to her, and she makes signes to him:
He calls, and she replies:—they both grow hoarse,
With shriking out their last farewell.—now she swound:
And sinks beneath the arms of Ruffman. Spencer,
Vpon a Chest gets hold and safe arives
I'th Marquis of Farara's countrey: the like adventure
Chanc'd Goodlack, upon a Mast he pierces Italie,
Where these two Dukes were then at ods. Spencer is chosen
Farara's Champion: Mantua makes Goodlack his.
What happen'd them if you desire to know,
To cut off words, wee'll act it in dumb show.
Dumb Show.
The Dukes by them atton'd, they graced and prefer'd,
Take their next way towards Florence. What of Besse,
Ruffman, and Clem becomes, must next succeed.
The seas to them like cruell proves, and wracks
Their Negro on the coast of Florence, where
More of their fortunes we will next pursue,
In which we mean to be as brief as true.
Exit.
Explicit Actus tertius.
| The Fair Maid of The West. Or, A Girle worth gold. The second part | |