 | The Excellent Comedy, called The Old Law |  |
1
Act. I.
Scen. I.
Enter Simonides, and two Lawyers.Sim.
Is the Law firm Sir?
1. Law.
The Law, what more firm Sir,
More powerfull, forcible, or more permanent?
Sim.
By my troth Sir,
I partly doe beleeve it; conceive Sir
You have indirectly answered my question.
I did not doubt the fundamentall grounds
Of Law in generall, for the most solid,
But this particular Law that me concerns
Now at the present, if that be firm and strong,
And powerfull, and forcible, and permanent.
I am a yong man that has an old father.
2 Law.
Nothing more strong Sir,
It is Secundum statutum Principu
Confirmatum cum voce senatum,
Et voce republicæ, nay consummatum
Et exemplificatum, is it not in force
When divers have already tasted it
And payd their lives for penalty?
Sim.
Tis true,
My father must be next, this day compleats
Full fourscore years upon him.
2. Law.
Hees heer then
Sub pœna statuti, hence I can tell him
Truer then all the Physitians in the world,
He cannot live out to morrow; this is
The most certain Climactericall year,
2
What age is your mother Sir?
Sim.
Faith neer her dayes to,
Wants some two of threescore.
1. Law.
So, sheel drop away
One of these dayes to; heers a good age now
For those that have old parents, and rich inheritance.
Sim.
And Sir tis profitable for others too:
Are there not fellows that lie bed-rid in their offices
That yonger men would walk lustily in:
Churchmen, that even the second infancy
Hath silenc'd, yet hath spun out their lives so long
That many pregnant and ingenious spirits
Have languishd in their hop'd reversions,
And died upon the thought, and by your leave Sir,
Have you not places fild up in the Law
By some grave Senators, that you imagin
Have held them long enough, and such spirits as you,
Were they remov'd, would leap into their dignities?
1. Law.
Dic qui bus in terris & eris mihi magnus Apollo.
Sim.
But tell me faith your fair opinion:
Ist not a sound and necessary Law
This (by the Duke) enacted?
1. Law.
Never did Greece
(Our ancient star of brave Philosophers)
Mongst all her Nomothera and Lawgivers,
Not when she flourished in her seven fold sages,
(Whose living memory can never die)
Produce a Law more grave and necessary.
Sim.
I'me of that mind to.
2. Law
I will maintain Sir,
Draco's Oligarchy, that the gouernment
Of Community reduced into few
Fram'd a fair state; Solons Crecopedi
That cut off poor mens debts to their rich creditors
Was good and charitable (but not full allowd.)
His Sisaithie did reform that error,
His honourable Senate of Areopagitæ,
Liturgus was more loose, and gave too free
3
As that a yong woman in her husbands weaknes
Might choose her able friend to propogate;
That so the Commonwealth might be supplide,
With hope of lusty spirits, Plato did erre,
And so did Aristotle, allowing
Lewd and luxurious limits to their Lawes;
But now our Epire, our Epires Evander,
Our noble and wise Prince has hit the Law
That all our predecessive students
Have mist unto their shame.
Enter Cleanthes.
Sim.
Forbear the praise Sir.
Tis in it selfe most pleasing, Cleanthes
Oh lad heers a spring for yong plants to flourish,
The old trees must down kept the sun from us,
We shall rise now boy.
Clean.
Whether Sir I pray?
To the bleak air of storms, among those trees,
Which we had shelter from.
Sim.
Yes from our growth,
Our sap and livelyhood and from our fruit,
What tis not Jubilee with thee yet, I think,
Thou lookst so sad ont, how old's thy father?
Clean.
Jubilee, no indeed, tis a bad year with me.
Sim.
Prithee how old's thy father, then I can tell thee?
Clean.
I know not how to answer you Simonides,
Hees is too old being now expos'd
Unto the rigor of a cruell Edict,
And yet not old enough by many years,
Cause I'de not see him goe an howr before me.
Sim.
These very passions I speak to my father,
Come, come, heers none but friends heer, we may speak
Our insides freely, these are Lawyers man,
And shalbe Counsellors shortly.
Cle.
They shalbe now Sir,
And shall have large fees if thei'le undertake
To help a good cause (for it wants assistance)
Bad ones (I know) they can insist upon.
1. Law.
Oh Sir, we must undertake of both parts,
4
Cle.
Pray you say,
How doe you allow of this strange Edict?
1. Law.
Secundum Justitiam, by my faith Sir,
The happiest Edict that ever was in Epire.
Cle.
What, to kill innocents Sir, it cannot be,
It is no rule in justice there to punish.
1. Law.
Oh Sir,
You understand a conscience, but not law.
Cle.
Why sir, is there so main a difference?
1. Law.
You'l never be good Lawyer if you understand not that.
Cle.
I think then tis the best to be a bad one.
1. Law.
Why sir, the very letter and the sense both
Doe both orethrow you in this statute,
Which that speaks, that every man living to
Fourscore years, and women to threescore, shall then
Be cut off as fruitless to the Republike,
And Law shall finish what nature lingerd at.
Cle.
And this suit shall soon be dispatcht in Law.
1. Law.
It is so plain it can have no Demur,
The Church Booke overthrows it.
Cle.
And so it does
The Church Book overthrowes it if you read it well.
1. Law.
Still you runne from the Law into error:
You say it takes the lives of Innocents,
I say no, and so sayes common reason:
What man lives to fourescore and women to three
That can die innocent?
Cle.
A fine lawfull evasion:
Good sir rehearse the full statute to me.
Sim.
Fie thats too tedious, you have already
The full sum in the breef relation.
Cle.
Sir, mongst many words may be found contradictions,
And these men dare sue and wrangle with a Statute,
If they can pick a quarrell with some error:
2. Law.
Listen sir, ile gather it as breefe as I can for you,
Anno Primo Evandri, bee it (for the care and good of the Common
wealth for divers necessary reasons that wee shall urge) thus
peremptorily enacted,
5
A faire pretence if the reasons foule it not.
2. Law.
That all men living in our Dominions of Epire in
their decayd nature, to the age of foure score, or women to the age
of three score, shall on the same day bee instantly put to death, by
those meanes and instruments that a former Proclamation had (to
this purpose) through our said territories dispersed.
Cle.
There was no women in this Senate certain.
1. Law.
That these men being past their bearing Armes, to aide
and defend their Countrey, past their manhood and livelihood, to
propogate any further issue to their posterity, and as well past their
councells (which overgrown gravity is now run into dotage) to
assist their Countrey, to whom in common reason, nothing
should be so wearisome as their owne lives, as it may be supposed
is tedious to their successive heires, whose times are spent in the
good of their Countrey, yet wanting the meanes to maintaine it;
and are like to grow old before their inheritance (borne to them)
come to their necessary use, for the which are the women, for that
they never were defence to their Countrey, never by Counsell admitted
to the assist of government of their Countrey, onely necessary
to the propagation of posterity, and now at the age of threescore
to be past that good, and all their goodnesse: it is thought fit
then a quarter abated from the more worthy member to be put to
death as is before recited: provided that for the just and impartiall
execution of this our Statute the example shall first begin in and about
our Court, which our selfe will see carefully performed, and
not for a full Month following extend any further into our Dominions:
Dated the sixt of the second month at our Pallace Royall
in Epire.
Cle.
A fine edict, and very fairely guilded
And is there no scruple in all these words,
To demurr the Law upon occasion?
Sim.
Pox tis an unnecessary inquisition,
Prithee set him not about it.
2. Law.
Troth none sir,
It is so evident and plain a case
There is no succor for the Defendant.
Cle.
Possible, can nothing help in a good case?
1. Law.
Faith sir I doe think there may be a hole
Which would protract delay if not remedie.
6
Why theres some comfort in that good sir? speake it,
1. Law.
Nay you must pardon me for that sir.
Sim.
Prithee doe not,
It may ope a wound to many Sonns and Heires
That may die after it.
Cle.
Come sir, I know how to make you speake, will this doot?
1. Law.
I will afford you my opinion sir.
Cle.
Pray you repeat the literall words expresly
The time of Death.
Sim.
Tis an unnecessary question, prithee let it alone.
2. Law.
Heare his opinion, twill be fruitlesse sir.
That man at the age of four score, and women at threescore
Shall the same day be put to death.
1. Law.
Thus I helpe the man to twenty one yeares more,
Cle.
That were a faire addition.
1. Law.
Mark it, sir wee say man is not at age
Till he be one and twenty before his infancy
And adolescensie, nor by that addition,
Fourscore he cannot be till a hundred and one.
Sim.
Oh poore evasion!
Hees fourescore yeares old sir,
1. Law.
That helps more sir
He begins to be old at fifty, so at fourscore,
Hees but thirty yeares old, so believe it sir,
He may be twenty yeares in declination
And so long may a man linger and live bit
Sim.
The worst hope of safety that ere I heard,
Give him his fee againe, tis not worth two deneers.
1. Law.
Theres no Law for restitution of fees sir.
Enter Creon & Antigona.
Cle.
No no sir, I meant it lost when twas given.
Sim.
No more good sir
Heere are eares unnecessary for your doctrine.
1. Law.
I have spoke out my fee and I have done sir.
Sim.
Oh my deare father!
Creon.
Tush meet me not in exclaimes
I understand the worst and hope no better:
A fine Law, if this hold, white heads will be cheape
And many watchmens places will be vacant
Forty of em I know my seniors,
7
Has watchd em a good turne fort, and tane em
Napping now, the fewer Hospitalls will serve to,
Many may be usd for stewes and brothells
And those people will never trouble em to fourescore.
Anti.
Can you play and sport with sorrow sir?
Creon.
Sorrow, for what Antigona? for my life,
My sorrowes I have kept it so long well
With bringing it up unto so ill an end:
I might have gently lost it in my Cradle,
Before my Nerves and Ligaments grew strong
To binde it faster to me.
Sim.
For mine owne sake
I should have beene sorry for that.
Creon.
In my youth
I was a Souldier, no Coward in my age,
I never turnd my back upon my foe,
I have felt natures winters sicknesses,
Yet ever kept a lively sap in me
To greet the cheerefull spring of health agen:
Dangers on Horseback, on Foot, by Water,
I have scapd to this day, and yet this day
Without all help of casuall accidents
Is onely deadly to me, cause it numbers
Fourscore yeares to me, wheres the fault now?
I cannot blame Time, Nature, nor my Stars
Nor ought but Tyranny, even Kings themselves
Have some times tasted an even fate with me,
He that has beene a Souldier all his dayes
And stood in personall opposition, gainst Darts and Arrowes, the
Extreames of heat,
And pinching cold, has treacherously at home
In his secured quiet by a villaines hand
Am basely lost in my starrs ignorance
And so must I die by a Tyrants sword.
1. Law.
Oh say, not so sir, it is by the Law!
Cre.
And whats that sir but the sword of Tyranny
When it is brandish'd against innocent lives?
I'me now upon my death bed sir, and tis fit
8
And shew the faith I die in, I doe beleeve
Tis tyranny that takes my life.
Sim.
Would it were gone
By one means or other, what a long day
Will this be ere night?
Cre.
Simonides.
Sim.
Heer sit—weeping.
Cre.
Wherfore dost thou weep?
Clean.
Cause you make no more haste to your end.
Sim.
How can you question nature so unjustly?
I had a grandfather, and then had not you
True filiall tears for him?
Clean.
Hypocrite,
A disease of drought dry up all pity from him
That can dissemble pity with wet eyes
Cre.
Be good unto your mother Simonides,
She must be now your care.
Anti.
To what end sir?
The bell of this sharp edict towls for me
As it rings out for you, Ile be as ready
With one hours stay to goe along with you.
Cre.
Thou must not woman, there are years behind
Before thou canst set forward in this voyage,
And nature sure will now, be kind to all:
She has a quarrell int, a cruell Law
Seeks to prevent her, sheel therfore fight int
And draw out life even to her longest thred
Thou art scarce fifty five.
Anti.
So many morrowes,
Those five remaining yeares ile turne to daies
To houres or minutes for thy company,
Tis fit that you and I being man and wife
Should walke together arme in arme.
Sim.
I hope they'l goe together, I would they would i faith,
Then would her thirds be sav'd to, the day goes away sir.
Cre.
Why wouldst thou have me gone Simonides?
Sim.
O my hart, would you have me gone before you sir?
You give mee such a deadly wound.
9
fine rascall.
Sym.
Blemish my duty so with such a question,
Sir I would hast me to the Duke for mercie,
He thats above the Law may mitigate
The rigor of the Law how a good meaning
May be corrupted by misconstruction?
Cre.
Thou corrupt'st mine, I did not thinke thou meanest so.
Clean.
You were in the more error.
Sym.
The words wounded me.
Clean.
Twas pittie thou diedst not ont.
Sym.
I have beene ransaking the helps of Law
Conferring with these learned advocates,
If any scruple cause or wrested sence
Could have been found out to preserve your life,
It had beene bought though with your full estate,
Your lifes so pretious to me, but there is none.
1. Law.
Sit we have canvas'd it from top to toe,
Turnd it upside downe, threw her on her side
Nay opend and dissected all her intrayles
Yet can finde none, theres nothing to be hopd
But the Dukes mercie.
Sym.
I know the hope of that,
He did not make the Law for that purpose.
Cre.
Then to his hopelesse mercy last I goe,
I have so many presidents before me.
I must call it hopelesse Antigona,
See me deliverd up unto my deaths man
And then weell part five years hence ile looke for thee.
Sim.
I hope sheel not stay so long behind you.
Cre.
Do not bate him an houre by griefe and sorrow
Since theres a day prefixed, haste it not,
Suppose me sick Antigona, dying now
Any Disease thou wile may be my end
Or when Deaths slow to come, say Tyrants send
Exeunt.
Sim.
Cleanthes if you want money, to morrow use me,
Ile trust you while your fathers dead.
Exeunt.
Clean.
Why heres a villaine.
Able to corrupt a thousand by example,
Does the kind root bleede out his livelihood
10
Adorning them with all his glorious fruits,
Proud that his pride is seen when hees unseen,
And must not gratitude discend agen
To comfort his old limbs in fruitlesse winter
Improvident, at least partiall nature
Weak women in this kinde, who in thy last
Teeming still forgets the former, ever making
The burthen of thy last throws the dearest
Darling; oh yet in noble man reform it,
And make us better then those v get ves,
Whose soules die within em; nature as thou art old,
If love and justice be not dead in thee,
Make some the patern of thy piety,
Lest all doe turn unnaturally against thee,
And thou be blam'd for our oblivions
Enter Leonides and Hippolita.
And brutish reluctations; I heers the ground
Whereon my filiall faculties must build
An edifice of honour or of shame
To all mankind.
Hip.
You must avoid it sir:
If there be any love within your selfe,
This is far more then fare of a lost game
That another venture may restore agen;
It is your life which you should not subject
To any cruelty if you can preserve it.
Clean.
O dearest woman, thou hast now doubled
A thousand times thy nuptiall dowry to me;
Why she whose love is but deriv'd from me
Is got before me in my debted duty.
Hip.
Are you thinking such a resolution sir?
Cle.
Sweetest Hippolita what love taught thee
To be so forward in so good a cause?
Hip.
Mine own pity sir, did first instruct me
And then your love and power did both command me.
Cle.
They were all blessed angels to direct thee,
And take their counsell; how doe you fare sir?
Leon.
Never better Cleanthes, I have conceiv'd
Such a new joy within this old bosome,
11
Cle.
Joy call you it, alas tis sorrow sir,
The worst of sorrows, sorrow unto death.
Leon.
Death, whats that Cleanthes, I thought not ont?
I was in contemplation of this woman,
Tis all thy comfort son, thou hast in her
A treasure unvaluable, keep her safe;
When I die, sure twilbe a gentle death;
For I will die with wonder of her vertues,
Nothing else shall dissolve me.
Clean.
'Twere much better sir,
Could you prevent their malice.
Leon.
Ile prevent em,
And die the way I told thee, in the wonder
Of this good woman, I tell thee thers few men
Have such a child (I must thank thee for her)
That the stronger tie of wedlock should doe more
Then nature in her neerest ligaments
Of blood and propagation, I should neer
Have begot such a daughter of my own:
A daughter in law, law were above nature
Were there more such children.
Cle.
This admiration
Helps nothing to yeur safety, think of that sir.
Leon.
Had you heard her Cleanthes but labour
In the search of means to save my forfet life,
And knew the wise and sound preservations
That she found out, you would redouble all
My wonder in your love to her.
Cle.
The thought,
The very thought claims all that from me,
And shees now possest of it, but good sir,
If you have ought receiv'd from her advice,
Lets follow it, or else lets better think,
And take the surest course.
Leon.
Ile tell thee one,
She counsels me to flie my severe Country,
Turn all into treasure, and there build up
My decaying fortunes in a safer soyle,
12
Cle.
And sir, I apprehend it as a safest course
And may be easily accomplished;
Let us be all most expeditious
Every Country where we breath will be our own,
Or better soile; heaven is the roof of all,
And now as Epires situate by this law,
There is twixt us and heaven a dark eclipse.
Hip.
Oh then avoid it sir, these sad events
Follow those black predictions.
Leon.
I prithee peace,
I doe allow thy love Hippolita,
But most not follow it as counsell, child;
I must not shame my Country for the law:
This Country heer hath bred me, brought me up,
And shall I now refuse a grave in her?
I'me in my second infancy? and children
Nere sleep so sweetly in their nurses cradle
As in their naturall mothers.
Hip,
I but sir,
She is unnaturall, then the stepmother
Is to be preferd before her.
Leon.
Tush, she shall
Allow it me dispite of her intrailes;
Why doe you think how far from judgement tis
That I should travell forth to seek a grave
That is already digd for me at home,
Nay perhaps find it in my way to seek it?
How have I then sought a repentant sorrow?
For your dear loves how have I banishd you
From your Country ever with my base attempt
How have I beggerd you in wasting that
Which only for your sakes I bred together,
Buried my name in Epire which I built
Upon this frame to live for ever in.
What a base coward shall I be to flie
From that enemy which every minute meets me?
And thousand odds he had not long vanquishd me
Before this howr of battell, fly my death
13
Nor fainting to the man thats yet in me,
Ile meet him bravely, I cannot (this knowing) fear
That when I am gone hence I shalbe there,
Come, I have dayes of preparation left.
Cle.
Good sir, hear me:
I have a Genius that has prompted me,
And I have almost formed it into words,
Tis done, pray you observe em, I can conceale you
And yet not leave your Country.
Leon.
Tush, it cannot be
Without a certain perill ons all.
Clean.
Danger must be hazarded rather then accept
A sure destruction; you have a Lodge sir,
So far remote from way of passengers,
That seldome any mortall eye does greet with it,
And yes so sweetly situate with thickets
Built with such cunning Laborinths within,
As if the provident heavens foreseeing cruelty
Had bid you frame it to this purpose only.
Leon.
Fie, fie, tis dangerous, and treason to,
To abuse the law,
Hip.
Tis holy care sir,
Of your dear life, which is your own to keep,
But not your own to lose, either in will
Or negligence.
Cle.
Call you it treason sir,
I had been then a traitor unto you,
Had I forgot this, beseech you accept of it,
It is secure, and a duty to your selfe.
Leon.
What a coward will you make me?
Cle.
You mistake,
Tis noble courage, now you fight with death,
And yeeld not to him till you stoop under him.
Leon.
This must needs open to discovery,
And then what tortor followes?
Cle.
By what means sir?
Why theres but one body in all this counsell,
14
One soule, one body, one heart, that think all one thought,
And yet we two are not compleatly one,
But as have deriv'd my selfe from you,
Who shall betray us where there is no second?
Hip.
You must not mistrust my faith though my sex
Plead weak and frailty for me.
Leon.
Oh I dare not!
But wheres the means that must make answer for me
I cannot be lost without a full accompt,
And what must pay that reckoning?
Cle.
Oh sir, we will
Keep solemn obits for your funerall;
Weell seem to weep, and seem to joy withall
That death so gently has prevented you
The Lawes sharp rigor, and this no mortall ear
Shall participate the knowledge of.
Leon.
Ha, ha, ha,
This wilbe a sportive fine Demur,
If the Error be not found.
Cle.
Pray doubt of none
Your company and best prouision
Must be no further furnisht then by us,
And in the interim your solitude
May converse with heaven, and fairly prepare
Which was too violent and raging
Thrown headlong on you.
Leo.
Still there are some doubts
Of the discovery, yet I doe allow't.
Hip.
Will you not mention now the cost and charge
Which wilbe in your keeping?
Leon.
That wilbe somewhat
Which you might save to.
Cle.
With his will against him;
What foe is more to man then man himselfe?
Are you resolv'd sir?
Leon.
I am Cleanthes:
If by this means I doe get a reprieve
15
Arm'd in his own power to give the blow,
Ile smile upon him then, and laughing goe.
Exeunt.
Finis Actus Primi.
| The Excellent Comedy, called The Old Law | |