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[scæna tertia.]

[flaminivs. Philoxenus.]
flaminivs:
what wee haue sayd the Consulls will make good
and the glad senate ratefie.

Philoxenus:
they haue soe
obligde mee for this favor, that there is not
a service of that difficultie from wch
I woulde decline. in this rest confident
I am your owne, and sure.

flaminivs:
you shall doe sr
a noble office in it. and however
wee thancke you for the courtesie, the profit
& certaine honors, the worldes terror Rome
in thanckefulnesse cannot but shower vpon you,
are whoelye yours. how happie I esteeme
my selfe in this imployment to meete with
a wise, and provident statesman.

Philoxenus:
my good lord.

flaminivs:
I flatter not in speakinge truth. you are soe
& in this prompt alacritie confirme it
since a wise forecast in the managing
worldlye affaires is the trewe wisdome, rashnesse
the schoolemistrisse of idiots. you well knowe
charitie begins at home, and that wee are
neerest vnto our selves. fooles builde vpon
imaginarie hopes, but wisemen ever
on reall certainties. a tender conscience
like a gloweworme showes a seeminge fire in darkenesse,
but set neere to the glorious light of honor
it is invisible. as you are a statseman,
and a master in that art, you must remoue
all rubbs (thowgh[g] with a little wronge, sometimes)
that may put by the bias of your counsailes,
from the faire marke they aime at.

Philoxenus:
you are read well
in worldlye passages.

flaminivs:
I barter with you
such trifles as I haue. but yf you pleasde
you could instruct mee, that Philosophie,
and policie in states are not such strangers
as men ore curious and precise would haue em.
but to the poynt. with speede get mee accesse
to the kinge your pupil, and tis well for hym
that Hee hath such a tutor. rich Bithinia
was never soe indebted to a patriot,
& vigilant watchman for her peace, and safetie
as to your selfe.

Philoxenus:
without boast[e]e I may whisper
I haue donne somethinge that way.

flaminivs:
all, in all.
fame fillinge her lowde trompe with truth proclaimes it.
but when it shall bee vnderstood you are
the principall meanes, by wch a dangerous serpent
warmde in your soveraignes bosome, is deliverd,
to haue his stinge, and venemous teeth pulld out
and the ruine in a willinge grant avoyded,
wch in detayninge hym falls on the kingedome
not Prusias alone, but his sau'd people
will rayse your providence altars

Philoxenus:
let mee intreate
your pacyence some few minutes, Ile bringe the kinge
in person to you.

flaminivs:
doe, and this effected
thincke of the ringe you are priveledgde to weare
when a Roman gentleman, and after that
of provinces, and purple. I must smile now
exit Philoxenus.
in my consideration, with what glibnesse
my flatteries oyld with hopes of future greatenesse
are swallow'd by this dull pate. but it is not
worth 'thobservation. most of our seeminge statsemen
are cought in the same [nooze] nooze. retur'nd soe soone
[Enter Prusias, &] [Philoxenus.]
& the kinge with hym? but his angrie forhead
furrow'd with frownes noe matter I am for hym.

Prusias:
from the people of Rome? soe quicke! hath hee brought with hym
letters of credence, and authoritie,
to treate with vs?

Philoxenus:
I read em.

Prusias:
what can hee
propounde, wch I must feare to heare? I woulde
continewe in faire tearmes with that warlike nation,
ever provided I wronge not my selfe
in the least poynt of honor.

Philoxenus:
to the full
Hee will instructe your maiestie.

flaminivs:
soe may
fælicitie as a page attende your person
as you embrace the freindly counsaile sent you
from the Roman senate.

Prusias:
with my thanckes to you
their instrument, yf the advice bee such
as by this preparation you woulde haue mee
conceaue it is, I shall (and 'twill become mee)
receaue it as a favour.

flaminivs:
know then Rome
in her pious care, that you may still increase
the happinesse you liue in; and your subiectes
vnder the shadowe of their owne vines eate
the fruite they yeeld 'em; their soft musicall feasts
continewinge, as they doe yet, vnaffrighted
with the harsh noyse of war, intreates as low
as her knowne power and maiestie can descende
you woulde returne with due æqualitie
a willingenes to preserue what shee hath conquer'd
from change, and innovation.

Prusias:
I attempt not
to trouble her nor ever will

flaminivs:
fix there
or yf for your owne good you will moue farther
make Rome your thanckefull debtor by surrendringe
into her handes the false impostor that
seekes to disturbe her quiet.

Prusias:
this I loo'kd for
& that I shoulde finde mortall poyson wrapde vp
in your candied pills. must I because you say soe
beleeue that this most miserable kinge is
a false affronter? whoe with arguments
vnanswerable & meere miraculous proofes
confirmes hym selfe the trewe Antiochus.
or is it not sufficient that you Romans
in your vnsatisfied ambition haue
seasd with an vniust gripe on halfe the worlde,
wch you call conquest, yf that I consent not
to haue my innocence soylde with that pollution,
you are willingelye smeard ore with.

flaminivs:
pray you heare mee.

Prusias:
I will bee first heard. shall I for your endes
infringe my princelye word? or breake the lawes
of hospitalitie? defeate my selfe
of the certaine honor to restore a kinge
vnto his owne? and what you Romans haue
extorted, and keepe from hym? far bee it from mee
I will not buy your amitie at such losse.
soe it bee to all after times remembred
I held it not sufficient to liue
as one borne only for my selfe, and I
desire noe other monument.

flaminivs
I grant
it is a spetious thinge to leaue behinde vs
a faire report, thowgh in the other world
wee haue noe feelinge of it, & to lende
a desperate, thowgh fruitlesse ayde, to such
as fate not to bee alterd hath markd out
examples of callamitie, may appeare
a glorious ornament, but heer's a man
the oracle of your kingedome that can tell you
when there's noe probabilitie it may be
effected 'tis meere madnesse to attempt it.

Philoxenus:
a trewe position

flaminivs:
your inclination
is honorable but your power deficient
to put your purposes into act.

Prusias:
my power?

flaminivs:
is not to bee disputed yf waighd truelye
with the pettie kinges your neighbours but when ballancd
with the globes, and scepters of my mistris Rome
will but I spare comparisons. but you builde on
your strength to iustefie the fact. alas
it is a feeble reede, & leaninge on it
will wounde your hande much sooner then support you.
you keepe in pay tis true some peace traynd troopes
wch awe your neighbours but consyder when
our egles shall display their sayle stretchde winges
hoveringe ore our legions, what defence
can you expecte from yours?

Philoxenus:
vrge that poynt home.

flaminivs:

Philoxenus:
deere sr

flaminivs:
and you your selfe
captiude, and after that chainde by the necke,
your matchlesse queene, your children, officers freindes
waitinge as scornes of fortune to gieue lustre
to the victors trivmph.

Philoxenus:
I am in a fever
to thincke vppon 't.

flaminivs:
as a freinde I haue deliverd
and more then my com̄ission warrants mee
[and more then my] this caution to you. but now peace, or war,
yf the first, I entertaine it, yf the later
Ile instantlye defie you.

Philoxenus:
pray you say peace sr.

Prusias:
on what conditions?

flaminivs:
the deliverie
of this seductor, & his complices
on noe tearmes els, & suddainelye

Prusias:
how can I
dispense with my faith gieven.

Philoxenus:
Ile yeelde you reasons.

Prusias:
let it bee peace then oh. pray you call in
the wretched man. in the meane time Ile consyder
how to excuse my selfe.

exit Philoxenus
flaminivs:
while I in silence
trivmphe in my successe, and meditate
on the reward that crownes it. a stronge armie
coulde haue donne noe more, then I alone, and with
a little breath haue effected.

Enter Antiochus. Queene. Philoxenus. Berecinthivs. the 3 marchants. Demetrius. attendants.
Antiochus:
goodnesse garde mee
whom doe I looke on. sr come further from hym.
hee is infectious; soe swolne with mischiefes
and strange impieties; his language to
soe full of siren sorceries, yf you heare hym
there is noe touch of morall honestie
though rampierd in your soule but will flie from you.
the mandrakes shrieks, the Aspicqs deadly tooth
the teares of crocodiles, or the Basiliskes eie
kill not soe soone nor with that violence
as Hee whoe in his cruell nature holds
antipathie with mercie.

Prusias:
I am sorrie.

Antiochus:
sorrie? for what, that you had an intent
to bee a good, and iust prince? are compassion,
and charitie growne crimes?

Prusias:
the gods can witnesse
how much I woulde doe for you. and but that
necessitie of state.

Antiochus:

Prusias:
for my
securitie, there beeinge noe meanes left els,
against my will I must deliver you

[Ent: Garde—]
Antiochus:
to whom?

Prusias:
to Romes embassador.

Antiochus:
o the furies!
exceede not hym in crueltie. remember
I am a kinge. your royall ghest. your right hande
the pawne, and pledge, that should defende mee from
my bloodie enemie. did you accuse
the Carthaginian Senate for denijnge
ayde, and protection to mee, gievinge hope
to my despairinge fortunes? or but now
rayse mee to make my fall more terrible?
did you tax them of weakenesse, and will you
soe far transcende them in a coward feare
declaimde against by your owne mouth? o sr
yf you dare not gieue mee harbor, set mee safe yet
in any desert, where this serpents hisses
may not bee heard, and to the gods Ile speake you
a prince both wise, and honorable.

Prusias:
alas, it is not in my power.

Antiochus:
as an impostor
take of my head then, at the least soe far
proue merciefull; or with any torture ease mee
of the burthen of a life, rather then yeelde mee
to this politicque state hangeman.

flaminivs:
this to mee is
a kind of ravishinge musicque.

Queene:
I haue liu'd
for many yeares sr your obedient handmayde,
nor ever in a sillable presum'd
to crosse your purposes: but now with a sorrow
(as greate almost as this poore kinges) behouldinge
your povertie of spirit (for it does
deserue noe better name) I must put of
obsequiousnesse, and silence, and take to mee
the warrant, and authoritie of [a wife] your Queene
and as such gieue you counsaile.

Prusias:
you displease mee.

Queene:
the phisicque promisinge health is ever bitter.
Heare mee. will you that are a man, nay more
a kinge of men, doe that forcd to it by feare
wch com̄on men woulde scorne? I am a woman,
a weake, and feeble woman, yet before
I woulde deliver vp my bondewoman
and haue it tolde I did it by constraynt
I would endure to haue theis hands cut of,
theis pull'd out.

Prusias:
Ile heare noe more.

Queene:
doe you then
as a kinge shoulde.

Prusias:
away with her.

they beare of the Queene
flaminivs:
my affaires
exacte a quicke despatch.

Prusias:

exevnt Prusias & Philoxenus
Antiochus:

exit Antiochus garded
Berecinthivs:
my good Lord

flaminivs:
your will deere flamen?

Berecinthivs
I perceaue you are like
to drawe a great charge vpon you. my fat bulke,
and theis my lyons will not bee kepd for a little
nor woulde wee bee chargeable. and therefore kissinge
your honor'd handes I take my leaue.

flaminivs:
by noe meanes
I haue bene busie, but I shall finde leasure
to treate with you in another place.

Berecinthivs:
I woulde not
put your lordship to the trouble.

flaminivs:
it will bee
a pleasure rather. bringe em all away.

Berecinthivs:
the comfort is. whether I drowne, or hange
I shall not bee longe about it. Ile preserue
the dignitie of my famelie.

flaminivs:
'twill become you.