 | The Atheist's Tragedie :or The honest Man's Revenge |  |
Actus quinti
Scena prima.
Musicke. A Clozet discouer'd. A Seruant sleeping with lights and money before him.Enter D'amville.
D'amville.
VVhat sleep'st thou?
Seru.
No my Lord. Nor sleepe; nor wake.
But in a slumber troublesome to both.
D'am.
Whence comes this gold?
Seru.
T'is part of the Reuenew,
Due to your Lordship since your brothers death.
To bed. Leaue me my gold.
Seru.
And me my rest.
Two things wherewith one man is seldome blest.
—Exit.
D'am.
Cease that harsh musicke. W'are not pleas'd with it.
He handles the gold.
Heere sounds a musicke whose melodious touch,
Like Angels voices rauishes the sence.
Behold thou ignorant Astronomer,
Whose wandring speculation seekes among
The planets for mens fortunes! with amazement,
Behold thine errour and be planet strucke.
These are the Starres whose operations make
The fortunes and the destinies of men.
Yond' lesser eyes of Heau'n, (like Subiects rais'd
Into their loftie houses, when their Prince
Rides vnderneath th'ambition of their loues)
Are mounted onely to behold the face,
Of your more rich imperious eminence,
With vnpreuented sight. Vnmaske faire Queene;
Vnpurses the gold.
Vouchsafe their expectations may enioy,
The gracious fauour they admite to see,
These are the Starres the Ministers of Fate;
And Mans high wisedome the superiour power,
To which their forces are subordinate.
—Sleepes.
Enter the Ghoast of Montferrers.
Mont.
D'amville! With all thy wisedome th'art a foole.
Not like those fooles that we terme innocents;
But a most wretched miserable foole,
Which instantly; to the confusion of
Thy proiects with despaire thou shalt behold.
—Exit Ghoast.
D'amville starts vp.
D'am.
What foolish dreame dares interrupt my rest?
To my confusion? How can that be? Since
My purposes haue hitherto beene borne
With prosp'rous Iudgement to secure successe.
Which nothing liues to dispossesse me off,
This braine has made the happy instrument
To free Suspition, to annihilate
All interest and title of his owne,
To seale vp my assurance, and confirme
My absolute possession by the law.
Thus while the simple honest worshipper
Of a phantastique prouidence; groanes vnder
The burthen of neglected miserie;
My reall wisedome has rais'd vp a State
That shall eternize my posteritie.
Enter Seruants with the body of Sebastian.
What's that?
Seru.
The body of your younger Sonne slaine by the Lord
Belforest.
D'am.
Slaine? you lie!—Sebastian. Speake, Sebastian!
H'as lost his hearing. A Phisitian presently. Goe call a
Surgeon.
Rousa.
Ooh.
—Within.
D'am.
What groane was that? How does my elder Sonne?
the sound came from his chamber.
Serua.
He went sicke to bed my Lord.
Rousa.
Ooh.
—Within.
D'am.
The cries of Mandrakes neuer touch'd the eare, with
more sad horrour then that voice does mine.
Enter a Seruant running.
Serua.
Neuer you will see your Sonne aliue.—
D'am.
Nature forbid I e'er should see him dead.
A Bed drawne forth with Rousard.
Withdraw the Curtaines. O how does my Sonne?
Serua.
Me thinkes, he's ready to giue vp the ghoast.
D'am.
Destruction take thee and thy fatall tongue. Death,
where's the Doctor?—Art not thou the face of that prodigious
apparition star'd vpon me in my dreame?
Serua.
The Doctor's come my Lord.
—Enter Doctor.
D'am.
Doctor! Behold two Patients, in whose cure thy
in Hipocrates, Galen, or Auicen; if hearbs, or drugges, or mineralles
haue any power to saue; Now let thy practise and their
soueraigne vse, raise thee to wealth and honour.
Doctor.
If any roote of life remaines within 'em capable of
Phisicke; feare 'em not, my Lord.
Rusa.
Ooh.
D'am.
His gasping sighes are like the falling noise of some
great building when the ground-worke breakes. On these two
pillars stood the stately frame, and architecture of my loftie
house. An Earthquake shakes 'em. The foundation shrinkes.
Deare Nature! in whose honour I haue rais'd a worke of glory
to posteritie; O burie not the pride of that great action, vnder
the fall and ruine of it selfe.
Doctor.
My Lord. These bodies are depriu'd of all the radicall
abilitie of Nature. The heat of life is vtterly extinguish'd.
Nothing remaines within the power of man that can restore
them.
D'am.
Take this gold; extract the Spirit of it, and inspire
new life into their bodies.
Docto.
Nothing can my Lord.
D'am.
You ha'not yet examin'd the true state and constitution
of their bodies. Sure, you ha'not. I'le reserue their waters
till the morning. Questionlesse, their vrines will informe
you better.
Docto.
Ha, ha, ha.
D'am.
Do'st laugh thou villaine? must my wisedome that
has beene the obiect of mens admiration, now become the subiect
of thy laughter?
Rous.
Ooh.
—Dies.
All.
Hee's dead.
D'am.
O there expires the date of my posteritie! Can Nature
be so simple or malicious to destroy the reputation of her
proper memorie? Shee cannot. Sure there is some power aboue
her that controules her force.
Doctor.
A power aboue Nature? Doubt you that my Lord?
Consider but whence Man receiues his body and his forme.
from the generation of a man. For Nature neuer did bring
forth a man without a Man; Nor could the first Man being
but the passiue Subiect not the actiue Mouer, be the maker of
himselfe; So of necessitie there must be a Superiour power to
Nature.
D'am.
Now to my selfe I am ridiculous. Nature thou art a
Traytour to my soule. Thou hast abus'd my trust. I will
complaine to a superiour Court, to right my wrong I'le proue
thee a forger of false assurances. In yond' Starre chamber thou
shalt answere it. Withdraw the bodies. O the sence of death
begins to trouble my distracted soule.
—Exeunt.
Enter Iudges and Officers.
1. Iudg.
Bring forth the malefactors to the Barre.
Enter Cataplasma, Soquette and Frisco.
Are you the Gentlewoman in whose house
The murders were committed?
Catap.
Yes my Lord.
1. Iud.
That worthie attribute of Gentrie, which
Your habite drawes from ignorant respect;
Your name deserues not: nor your selfe the name
Of woman. Since you are the poyson that
Infects the honour of all womanhood.
Catap.
My Lord; I am a Gentlewoman: yet I must confesse
my pouertie compels my life to a condition lower then
my birth or breeding.
2. Iudg.
Tush we know your birth.
1. Iudg.
But vnder colour to professe the Sale
Of Tyres and toyes for Gentlewomens pride;
You draw a frequentation of mens wiues
To your licentious house; and there abuse
Their Husbands.—
Frisco.
Good my Lord her rent is great. The good Gentlewoman
has no other thing to liue by but her lodgings: So,
she's forc'd to let her fore-roomes out to others, and her selfe
contented to lie backwards.
2. Iudg.
So.
Heere is no euidence accuses you,
For accessaries to the murder; yet
Since from the Spring of lust which you preseru'd;
And nourish'd, ranne th'effusion of that bloud:
Your punishment shall come as neare to death,
As life can beare it. Law cannot inflict
Too much seueritie vpon the cause
Of such abhor'd effects.
2. Iudg.
Receiue your sentence.
Your goods (since they were gotten by that meanes,
Which brings diseases;) shall be turn'd to th'vse
Of Hospitalles. You carted through the Streetes;
According to the common shame of Strumpets,
Your bodies whip'd till with the losse of bloud,
You faint vnder the hand of punishment.
Then that the necessarie force of want,
May not prouoke you to your former life;
You shall be set to painefull labour; whose
Penurious gaines shall onely giue you foode
To hold vp Nature; mortifie your flesh;
And make you fit for a repentant end.
All.
O good my Lord!
1. Iud.
No more; away with 'em.
—Exeunt.
Enter Languebeau Snuffe.
2. Iudg.
Now Monsieur Snuffe! A man of your profession,
found in a place of such impietie?
Snuffe.
I grant you. The place is full of impuritie. So much
the more neede of instruction and reformation. The purpose
that caried me thither, was with the Spirit of conuersion to purifie
their vncleanenesse; and I hope your Lordship will say,
the law cannot take hold o' me for that.
1. Iudg.
No Sir; it cannot: but yet giue me leaue
To tell you, that I hold your warie answere,
Rather premeditated for excuse;
Then spoken out of a religious purpose.
Snuffe.
I am no Scholler my Lord. To speake the sincere
truth, I am Snuffe the Tallow-Chandler.
2. Iudg.
How comes your habite to be alter'd thus?
Snuffe.
My Lord Belforest taking a delight in the cleanenesse
of my conuersation; withdrew mee from that vncleane
life, and put me in a garment fit for his societie and my present
profession.
1. Iudg.
His Lordship did but paint a rotten post;
Or couer foulenesse fairely. Monsieur Snuffe!
Backe to your candle-making. You may giue
The world more light with that, then either with
Instruction or th'example of your life.
Snuffe.
Thus the Snuffe is put out.
—Exit Snuffe.
Enter D'amville distractedly with the hearses of his two Sonnes borne after him.
D'am.
Iudgement; Iudgement.
2. Iud.
Iudgement my Lord? in what?
D'am.
Your Iudgements must resolue me in a case. Bring
in the bodies. Nay; I will ha't tried. This is the case my Lord.
My prouidence, eu'n in a moment; by the onely hurt of one,
or two, or three, at most: and those put quickly out o' paine
too, marke mee; I had wisely rais'd a competent estate to my
posteritie. And is there not more wisedome and more charity
in that; then for your Lordship, or your Father, or your Grandsire,
to prolong the torment, and the rack of rent from age to
age, vpon your poore penurious Tenants? yet (perhaps) without
a pennie profit to your heire. Is't not more wise? more charitable?
Speake.
1. Iud.
He is distracted.
D'am.
How? distracted? Then you ha'no Iudgement. I can
giue you sence and solide reason for the very least distinguishable
syllable I speake. Since my thrift was more iudicious then
your Grandsires; why, I would faine know why your Lordship
liues to make a second generation from your Father, and the
in a moment. Not a Brat left to succeede me.—I would faine
know that.
2. Iudg.
Griefe for his children's death distempers him.
1. Iudg.
My Lord; we will resolue you of your question.
In the meane time vouchsafe your place with vs.
D'am.
I am contented, so you will resolue me.
—Ascends.
Enter Charlemont and Castabella.
2. Iudg.
Now Monsieur Charlemont. You are accus'd
Of hauing murder'd one Borachio, that
Was seruant to my Lord D'amville. How can
You cleare your selfe? guiltie? or not guiltie?
Charl.
Guilty of killing him; but not of murder.
My Lords; I haue no purpose to desire
Remission for my selfe.
—D'amville descends to Charl.
D'am.
Vnciuill Boy! Thou want'st humanitie to smile at
griefe. Why doest thou cast a chearefull eye vpon the obiect
of my sorrow? my dead Sonnes?
1. Iudg.
O good my Lord! Let Charitie forbeare
To vexe the spirit of a dying Man.
A chearefull eye vpon the face of Death;
Is the true count'nance of a noble minde.
For honour's sake (my Lord) molest it not.
D'am.
Y'are all vnciuill. O! is't not enough that hee vniustly
hath conspir'd with Fate, to cut off my posteritie for him
to be the heire to my possessions; but he must pursue me with
his presence; and in the ostentation of his ioy, laugh in my
face, and glory in my griefe?
Charl.
D'amville! to shew thee with what light respect,
I value Death and thy insulting pride;
Thus like a warlike Nauie on the Sea,
Bound for the conquest of some wealthie land,
Pass'd through the stormie troubles of this life,
And now arriu'd vpon the armed coast;
In expectation of the victorie,
Whose honour lies beyond this exigent;
Through mortall danger with an actiue spirit,
Leapes vp the Scaffold.
Castabella leapes after him.
Casta.
And thus I second thy braue enterprise.
Be chearefull Charlemont. Our liues cut off,
In our young prime of yeares; are like greene hearbs,
Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends.
For as their vertue gather'd when th'are greene,
Before they wither or corrupt, is best;
So we in vertue are the best for Death,
While yet we haue not liu'd to such an age,
That the encreasing canker of our sinnes,
Hath spread too farre vpon vs.—
D'am.
A Boone, my Lords. I begge a Boone.
1. Iud.
What's that my Lord?
D'am.
His body when t'is dead for an Anatomie.
2. Iud.
For what my Lord?
D'am.
Your vnderstanding still come short o'mine.
I would finde out by his Anatomie;
What thing there is in Nature more exact,
Then in the constitution of my selfe.
Me thinks, my parts, and my dimentions, are
As many, as large, as well compos'd as his;
And yet in me the resolution wants,
To die with that assurance as he does.
The cause of that, in his Anatomie
I would finde out.—
1. Iud.
Be patient and you shall.
D'am.
I haue bethought me of a better way.—Nephew;
we must conferre.—Sir; I am growne a wondrous Studient
now o'late. My wit has reach'd beyond the scope of Nature;
yet for all my learning I am still to seeke, from whence
the peace of conscience should proceede.
Charl.
The peace of conscience rises in it selfe.
D'am.
Whether it be thy Art or Nature, I admire thee
will begge thy life.—My Lords! I begge my Nephewes
life.—I'le make thee my Phisitian. Thou shalt read Philosophie
to me. I will finde out th'efficient cause of a contented
minde. But if I cannot profit in't; then t'is no more being
my Phisitian, but infuse a little poyson in a potion when thou
giu'st me Phisick; vnawares to me. So I shall steale into my
graue without the vnderstanding or the feare of death. And
that's the end I aime at. For the thought of death is a most
fearefull torment; is't not?
2. Iudg.
Your Lordship interrupts the course of law.
1. Iudg.
Prepare to die.
Charl.
My resolution's made.
But ere I die; before this honour'd bench;
With the free voice of a departing soule,
I heere protest this Gentlewoman cleare,
Of all offence the law condemnes her for.
Casta.
I haue accus'd my selfe. The law wants power
To cleare me. My deare Charlemont; with thee
I will partake of all thy punishments.
Charl.
Vncle; for all the wealthie benefits;
My death aduances you, graunt me but this.
Your mediation for the guiltlesse life
Of Castabella; whom your conscience knowes
As iustly cleare as harmelesse innocence.
D'am.
Freely. My Mediation for her life; and all my int'rest
in the world to boote, let her but in exchange possesse me
of the resolution that she dies withall.—The price of things
is best knowne in their want. Had I her courage; so I value
it, the Indies should not buy't out o'my hands.
Charl.
Giue me a glasse of water.
D'am.
Mee, of wine.—
This argument of death congeales my bloud.
Colde feare with apprehension of thy end,
Hath frozen vp the riuers of my veines.
—A glasse of wine.
I must drinke vvine to vvarme mee, and dissolue the obstruction,
or an apoplexie will possesse mee.—Why
The very glasse lookes pale and trembles at it.
Seru.
T'is your hand my Lord.
D'am.
Canst blame mee to be fearefull; bearing still the
presence of a murderer about me?
Charl.
Is this water?
Serua.
Water Sir.
—A glasse of water.
Charl.
Come thou cleare embleme of coole temperance.
Be thou my witnesse, that I vse no art
To force my courage; nor haue neede of helpes,
To raise my Spirits like those weaker men;
Who mixe their bloud with wine, and out of that
Adulterate coniunction doe beget
A bastard valour. Natiue courage, thankes.
Thou lead'st me soberly to vndertake
This great hard worke of magnanimitie.
D'am.
Braue Charlemont! at the reflexion of thy courage
my cold fearefull bloud takes fire, and I begin to emulate thy
death.—Is that thy executioner? My Lords; you wrong
the honour of so high a bloud, to let him suffer by so base a hand.
Iudges.
He suffers by the forme of law my Lord.
D'am.
I will reforme it. Downe you shagge-hair'd Curre.
The instrument that strikes my Nephew's bloud, shall be as noble
as his bloud. I'le be thy executioner my selfe.
1. Iud.
Restraine his fury. Good my Lord forbeare.
D'am.
I'le butcher out the passage of his soule,
That dares attempt to interrupt the blow.
2. Iud.
My Lord, the office will impresse a marke
Of scandall and dishonour on your name.
Charl.
The office fits him; hinder not his hand.
But let him crowne my resolution, with
An vnexampled dignitie of death.
Strike home. Thus I submit me.
—Readie for execution.
Casta.
So doe I,
In scorne of Death thus hand in hand we die.
D'am.
I ha'the trick on't Nephew. You shall see how eas'ly
As he raises vp the Axe, strikes out his owne braines. Staggers off the Scaffold.
Execu.
In lifting vp the Axe
I thinke has knock'd his braines out.—
D'am.
What murderer was hee that lifted vp my hand against
my head?
Iudge.
None but your selfe my Lord.
D'am.
I thought he was a murderer that did it.
Iudge.
God forbid.
D'am.
Forbid? You lie Iudge. He commanded it. To tell
thee that mans wisedome is a foole. I came to thee for Iudgement;
and thou think'st thy selfe a wise man. I outreach'd thy
wit; and made thy Iustice Murders instrument, in Castabella's
death and Charlemonts. To crowne my Murder of Montferrers
with a safe possession of his wealthie state.—
Charl.
I claime the iust aduantage of his words.
Iudge.
Descend the Scaffold and attend the rest.
D'am.
There was the strength of naturall vnderstanding.
But Nature is a foole. There is a power aboue her that hath
ouerthrowne the pride of all my proiects and posteritie; (for
whose suruiuing bloud, I had erected a proud monument)
and strucke 'em dead before me. For whose deathes, I call'd to
thee for Iudgement. Thou didst want discretion for the sentence.
But yond' power that strucke me, knew the Iudgement
I deseru'd; and gaue it.—O! the lust of Death commits
a Rape vpon me as I would ha'done on Castabella.—
—Dies.
Iudge.
Strange is his death and iudgement. With the hands
Of Ioy and Iustice I thus set you free.
The power of that eternall prouidence,
Which ouerthrew his proiects in their pride;
Hath made your griefes the instruments to raise
Your blessings to a greater height then euer.
Charl.
Onely to Heau'n I attribute the worke.
Whose gracious motiues made me still forbeare
To be mine owne Reuenger. Now I see,
Iudge.
Instead of Charlemont that but e'en now
Stood readie to be dispossess'd of all;
I now salute you with more titles, both
Of wealth and dignitie then you were borne too.
And you (sweet Madame) Lady of Belforest
You haue that title by your Fathers death.
Casta.
With all the titles due to me; encrease
The wealth and honour of my Charlemont.
Lord of Montferrers; Lord D'amuille; Belforest.
And for a cloze to make vp all the rest;
—Embrace
The Lord of Castabella. Now at last
Enioy the full possession of my loue;
As cleare and pure as my first chastitie.
Charl.
The crowne of all my blessings!—I will tempt
My Starres no longer; nor protract my time
Of marriage. When those Nuptiall rites are done;
I will performe my kinsmens funeralles.
Iudg.
The Drums and Trumpets! Interchange the sounds
Of Death and Triumph; for these honour'd liues,
Succeeding their deserued Tragedies.
Charl.
Thus by the worke of Heau'n, the men that thought
To follow our dead bodies without teares;
Are dead themselues, and now we follow theirs.
—Exeunt.
| The Atheist's Tragedie :or The honest Man's Revenge | |