University of Virginia Library

Actus Primus.

Scæna Prima.

Enter Hymen with a Torch burning: a Boy, in a white Robe before, singing, and strewing Flowers; after Hymen, a Nymph, encompass'd in her Tresses, bearing a wheaten Garland. Then Theseus between two other Nymphs, with wheaten Chaplets on their heads. Then Hippolita the Bride lead by Theseus, and another holding a Garland over her head (her Tresses likewise hanging.) After her Emilia holding up her Train.
The SONG.
Musick.
Strew Flowers.
Enter three Queens in Black, with vails stain'd, with Imperial Crowns. The first Queen falls down at the foot of Theseus; The second fals down at the foot of Hippolita. The third before Emilia.
1 Qu.
For pities sake, and true gentilities,
Hear and respect me.

2 Qu.
For your Mothers sake.
And as you wish your womb may thrive with fair ones,
Hear and respect me,

3 Qu.
Now for the love of him whom Jove hath mark'd
The honor of your Bed, and for the sake
Of clear Virginity, be Advocate
For us, and our distresses: This good deed
Shall raze you out o'th' Book of Trespasses
All you are set down there.

Thes.
Sad Lady rise.

Hip.
Stand up.

Emil.
No knees to me.
What Woman I may steed that is distrest,
Does bind me to her.

Thes.
What's your request? Deliver you for all?

1 Qu.
We are three Queens, whose Sovereigns fell before
The wrath of cruel Creon, who endur'd
The Beaks of Ravens, Tallents of the Kites,
And pecks of Crows in the foul field of Thebs.
He will not suffer us to burn their bones,
To urne their ashes, nor to take th'offence
Of mortal loathsomness from the blest eye
Of holy Phæbus, but insects the winds
With stench of our slain Lords. Oh pity Duke,
Thou purger of the earth, draw thy fear'd Sword
That does good turns to th'world; give us the Bones
Of our dead Kings, that we may Chappel them;
And of thy boundless goodness take some note
That for our crowned heads we have no roof;
Save this which is the Lions and the Bears,
And vault to every thing.

Thes.
Pray you kneel not,
I was transported with your Speech, and suffer'd
Your knees to wrong themselves; I have heard the fortunes
Of your dead Lords, which gives me such lamenting
As wakes my vengeance, and revenge for 'em:
King Capaneus, was your Lord the day
That he should marry you, at such a season,
As now it is with me, I met your Groom;
By Mars's Altar you were that time fair;
Not Juno's Mantle fairer than your Tresses,
Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreath
Was then not thrash'd, nor blasted; Fortune at you
Dimpled her Cheek with smiles: Hercules our kinsman
(Then weaker than your eyes) laid by his Club,
He tumbled down upon his Nenuan hide
And swore his sinews thaw'd: Oh grief, and time,
Fearful consumers, you will all devour.

1 Qu.
Oh I hope some God,
Some God hath put his mercy in your manhood
Whereto he'll infuse power, and press you forth
Our undertaker.

Thes.
Oh no knees, none Widow,
Unto the Helmeted-Belona use them,
And pray for me your Soldier.
Troubl'd I am.

Turns away.
2 Qu.
Honoured Hippolita
Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slain
The Sith-tusk'd-Bore; that with thy Arm as strong
As it is white, was't near to make the male
To thy Sex captive; but that this thy Lord
Born to uphold Creation, in that honor
First nature stil'd it in, shrunk thee into
The bound thou wast o'er-flowing; at once subduing
Thy force, and thy affection: Soldieress
That equally canst poize sternness with pity,
Whom now I know hast much much more power on him
Than ever he had on thee, who ow'st his strength,
And his Love too, who is a Servant for
The Tenor of the Speech. Dear Glass of Ladies.
Bid him that we whom flaming war doth scorch,
Under the shadow of his Sword, may cool us:
Require him he advance it o'er our heads;
Speak't in a womans key: like such a woman
As any of us three; weep e'r you fail; lend us a knee;
But touch the ground for us no longer time
Than a Doves motion, when the head's pluckt off:
Tell him if he i'th' blood-ciz'd field, lay swoln
Shewing the Sun his Teeth, grinning at the Moon
What you would do.

Hip.
Poor Lady say no more:
I had as leif trace this good action with you
As that whereto I'm going, and never yet
Went I so willing, way. My Lord is taken
Heart deep with your distress: Let him consider;
I'll speak anon.

3 Qu.
Oh my petition was,
Kneel to Emilia
Set down in Ice, which by hot grief uncandied
Melts into drops, so sorrow wanting form
Is prest with deeper matter.

Emil.
Pray stand up,
Your grief is written in your cheek.

3 Qu.
Oh woe,
You cannot read it there; there through my tears,
Like wrinkl'd pebbles in a Glass stream
You may behold 'em (Lady, Lady, alack)
He that will all the treasure know o'th' earth
Must know the Center too; he that will fish
For my least minnow, let him lead his line
To catch one at my heart. Oh pardon me;
Extremity that sharpens sundry wits
Makes me a fool.

Emil.
Pray you say nothing, pray you,
Who cannot feel, nor see the rain being in't,
Knows neither wet, nor dry; if that you were
The ground-piece of some Painter, I would buy you
T'instruct me 'gainst a capital grief indeed
Such heart-pierc'd demonstration; but alas
Being a natural Sister of our Sex
Your sorrow beats so ardently upon me:
That it shall make a counter-reflect 'gainst
My Brothers heart, and warm it to some pity
Though it were made of stone: pray have good comfort:

Thes.
Forward to th'Temple, leave not out a jot
O'th' sacred ceremony.

1 Qu.
Oh this celebration
Will long last, and be more costly than
Your Suppliants war: Remember that your Fame
Knowls in the ear o'th' world: what you do quickly,
Is not done rashly; your first thought is more,
Than others laboured meditance: your premeditating
More than their actions: But oh Jove, your actions,
Soon as they move, as Asprays do the fish,
Subdue before they touch: think, dear Duke think
What beds our slain Kings have.

2 Qu.
What griefs our beds
That our dear Lords have none.

3. Qu.
None sit for th'dead:
Those that with Cords, Knives, Drams precipitance,
Weary of this worlds light, have to themselves
Been deaths most horrid Agents, humane grace
Affords them dust and shadow.

1 Qu.
But our Lords
Lie blist'ring 'fore the visitating Sun,
And were good Kings, when living.

Thes.
It is true, and I will give you comfort,
To give your dead Lords graves:
The which to do must make some work with Creon.

1 Qu.
And that work presents it self to th'doing:
Now 'twill take form, the heats are gone to morrow,
Then bootless toil must recompence it self,
With its own sweat; Now he's secure,
Not dretms, we stand before your puissance
Wrinching our holy begging in our eyes
To make petition clear.

2 Qu.
Now you may take him,
Drunk with his victory.

3 Qu.
And his Army full
Of Bread, and sloth.

Thes.
Artesis that best knowest
How to draw out, fit to this enterprize,
The prim'st for this proceeding, and the number
To carry such a business, forth and levy
Our worthiest Instruments, whilst we dispatch
This grand act of our life, this daring deed
Of Fate in wedlock.

1 Qu.
Dowagers, take hands
Let us be Widows to our woes, delay
Commends us to a famishing hope.

All.
Farewell.

2 Qu.
We come unseasonably: But when could grief
Cull forth as unpanged judgement can, fit'st time
For best solicitation.

Thes.
Why good Ladies,
This is a service, whereto I am going,
Greater than any was; it more imports me
Than all the actions that I have foregone,
Or futurely can cope.

1 Qu.
The more proclaiming
Our suit shall be neglected, when her Arms,
Able to lock Jove from a Synod, shall
By warranting Moon-light corslet thee, oh when
Her twining Cherries shall their sweetness fall
Upon thy tastful Lips, what wilt thou think
Of rotten Kings, or blubber'd Queens, what care
For what thou feel'st not? what thou feel'st being able
To make Mars spurn his Drom. Oh if thou couch
But one night with her, every hour in't will
Take hostage of thee for a hundred, and
Thou shalt remember nothing more, than what
That Banquet bids thee too.

Hip.
Though much unlike
You should be so transported, as much sorry
I should be such a Suitor; yet I think
Did I not by th'abstaining of my joy
Which breeds a deeper longing, cure their surfeit
That craves a present med'cine, I should pluck
All Ladies scandal on me. Therefore Sir
As I shall here make trial of my Prayers,
Either presuming them to have some force,
Or sentencing for ay their vigor dumb,
Prorogue this business, we are going about, and hang
Your Shield afore your heart, about that neck
Which is my Fee, and which I freely lend
To do these poor Queens service.

All Queens.
Oh help now
Our Cause cries for your knee.

Emil.
If you grant not
My Sister her petition in that force,
With that Celerity, and nature which
She makes it in: from henceforth I'll not dare
To ask you anything, nor be so hardy
Ever to take a Husband.

Thes.
Pray stand up.
I am intreating of my self to do
That which you kneel to have me; Pyrithous
Lead on the Bride; get you and pray the gods
For success, and return; omit not any thing
In the pretended Celebration; Queens
Follow your Soldier (as before) hence you
And at the banks of Anly meet us with
The forces you can raise, where we shall find
The moiety of a number, for a business,
More bigger look't; since that our Theme is haste
I stamp this kiss uppon thy currant Lip,
Sweet keep it as my token; set you forward
For I will see you gone.
Exeunt towards the Temple.
Farewel my beauteous Sister; Pyrithous
Keep the Feast full, bate not an hour on't.

Pyri.
Sir,
I'll follow you at heels; The Feasts solemnity
Shall want till your return.

Thes.
Cosin I charge you
Budge not from Athens; we shall be returning
E'r you can end this Feast; of which I pray you
Make no abatement; once more farewel all.

1 Qu.
Thus dost thou still make good the tongue o'th' world.

1 Qu.
And earnst a Deity equal with Mars.

3 Qu.
If not above him, for
Thou being but mortal, makest affections bend
To godlike honors; they themselves some say
Groan under such a Mast'ry.

Thes.
As we are men
Thus should we doe, being sensually subdu'd
We loose our humane Title; good cheer Ladies.
Florish.
Now turn we towards our Comforts.

Exeunt.

Scæna Secunda.

Enter Palamon, and Arcite.
Arcite.
Dear Palamon, dearer in Love than Blood
And our prime Cosin, yet unhard'ned in
The Crimes of nature; Let us leave the City
Thebs, and the temptings in't, before we further
Sully our gloss of youth,
And here to keep in abstinence we shame
As in Incontinence; for not to swim
I'th' aid o'th' current, were almost to sink,
At least to frustrate striving, and to follow
The common stream, 't would bring us to an Eddy
Where we should turn or drown; if labour through,
Our gain but life, and weakness.

Pal.
Your advice
Is cry'd up with example; what strange ruins
Since first we went to School, may we perceive
Walking in Thebs? Skars, and bare weeds
The gain o'th' Martialist, who did propound
To his bold ends, honor, and golden Ingots,
Which though he won, he had not, and now flurted
By peace, for whom he fought, who then shall offer
To Mars's so scorn'd Altar? I doe bleed
When such I meet, and wish great Juno would
Resume her antient fit of jealousie
To get the Soldier work, that peace might purge
For her repletion, and retain anew
Her charitable heart now hard, and harsher
Than strife, or war could be.

Arcite.
Are you not out?
Meet you no ruin, but the Soldier in
The crancks and turns of Thebs? you did begin
As if you met decaies of many kinds:
Perceive you none, that do arouse your pity
But th'unconsider'd Soldier?

Pal.
Yes, I pity
Decaies where-e'er I find them, but such most
That sweating in an honourable toil
Are paid with Ice to cool 'em.

Arcite.
'Tis not this
I did begin to speak of, this is virtue
Of no respect in Thebs, I spake of Thebs
How dangerous if we will keep our honors,
It is for our residing, where every evil
Hath a good colour; where ev'ry seeming good's
A certain evil, where not to be ev'n jump
As they are, here were to be strangers, and
Such things to be meer Monsters.

Pal.
'Tis in our power,
(Unless we fear that Apes can Tutor's) to
Be Masters of our manners: what need I
Affect anothers gate, which is not catching
Where there is faith, or to be fond upon
Anothers way of speech, when by mine own
I may be reasonably conceiv'd; sav'd too,
Speaking it truly; why am I bound
By any generous bond to follow him
Follows his Taylor, haply so long, until
The follow'd, make pursuit? or let me know,
Why mine own Barber is unblest, with him
My poor Chinn too, for 'tis not Cizard just
To such a Favorites glass: What Cannon is there
That does command my Rapier from my hip
To dangle't in my hand, or to goe tip toe
Before the street be foul? either I am
The fore-horse in the Team, or I am none
That draw i'th' sequent trace: these poor slight sores,
Need not a Plantain; That which tips my bosome
Almost to th'heart's,

Arcite.
Our Uncle Creon.

Pal.
He,
A most unbounded Tyrant, whose successes
Makes Heaven unfear'd, and villany assured
Beyond its power: there's nothing, almost puts
Faith in a Feavor, and deifies alone
Voluble chance, who only attributes
The faculties of other Instruments
To his own Nerves and act; Commands men service,
And what they win in't, boot and glory on;
That fears not to harm; good, dares not; Let
The bloud of mine that's sibbe to him, be suckt
From me with Leeches, let them break and fall
Off me with that corruption.

Arc.
Clear spirited Cosin
Let's leave his Court, that we may nothing share,
Of his loud infamy: for our milk,
Will relish of the pasture, and we must
Be vile, or disobedient, not his kinsmen
In blood, unless in quality.

Pal.
Nothing truer:
I think the ecchoes of his shames have deaf't
The ears of heav'nly Justice: widdows cries
Descend again into their throats, and have not
Due audience of the gods: Valerius

Enter Valerius.
Val.
The King calls for you; yet be leaden-footed
Till his great rage be off him. Phebus when
He broke his whipstock, and exclaim'd against
The Horses of the Sun, but whisper'd to
The loudness of his fury.

Pal.
Small winds shake him,
But what's the matter?

Val.
Theseus (who where he threats appals,) hath sent
Deadly defiance to him, and pronounces
Ruin to Thebs, who is at hand to seal
The promise of his wrath.

Arc.
Let him approach:
But that we fear the gods in him, he brings not
A jot of terror to us; yet what man
Thirds his own worth (the case is each of ours)
When that his actions dregg'd, with mind assur'd
'Tis bad he goes about.

Pal.
Leave that unreason'd.
Our services stand now for Thebs, not Creon,
Yet to be neutral to him, were dishonor;
Rebellious to oppose: therefore we must
With him stand to the mercy of our Fate,
Who hath bounded our last minute.

Arc.
So we must;
Ist sed this wars afoot? or it shall be
On fail of some condition.

Val.
'Tis in motion
The intelligence of state came in the instant
With the defier.

Pol.
Let's to the King, who, were he
A quarter carrier of that honor, which
His enemy came in, the bloud we venture
Should be as for our health, which were not spent,
Rather laid out for purchase: but alas
Our hands advanc'd before our hearts, what will
The fall o'th' stroke do damage?

Arci.
Let th'event,
That never-erring Arbitrator, tell us
When we know all our selves, and let us follow
The becking of our chance.

Exeunt.

Scena Tertia.

Enter Perithous, Hippolita, Emilia.
Pir.
No further.

Hip.
Sir farewel; repeat my wishes
To our great Lord, of whose success I dare not
Make any timerous question; yet I wish him
Excess, and overflow of power, and't might be
To dure ill-dealing fortune; speed to him,
Store never hurts good Governors.

Pir.
Though I know
His Ocean needs not my poor drops, yet they
Must yield their tribute there: My precious Maid;
Those best affections that the heavens infuse
In their best temper'd pieces, keep enthron'd
In your dear heart.

Emil.
Thanks Sir; remember me
To our all-Royal Brother, for whose speed
The great Bellona I'll solicite; and
Since in our terrene State, petitions are not
Without gifts understood: I'll offer to her
What I shall be advis'd she likes; our hearts
Are in his Army, in his Tent.

Hip.
In's bosom:
We have been Soldiers, and we cannot weep
When our Friends do'n their helms, or put to Sea,
Or tell of Babes broach'd on the Launce, or Women
That have sod their Infants in (and after eat them)
The brine, they wept at killing 'em; Then if
You stay to see of us such Spinsters, we
Should hold you here for ever,

Pir.
Peace be to you
As I pursue this war, which shall be then
Beyond further requiring.
Exit Pir.

Emil.
How his longing
Follows his friend; since his depart, his sports
Though craving seriousness, and skill, past slightly
His careless execution, where nor gain
Made him regard, or loss consider, but
Playing o'er business in his hand, another
Directing in his head, his mind, nurse equal
To these so diff'ring Twins; have you observ'd him.
Since our great Lord departed?

Hip.
With much labour:
And I did love him sor't, they two have Cabin'd
In many as dangerous, as poor a corner,
Peril and want contending, they have skift
Torrents, whose roaring tyranny and power
I'th' least of these was dreadful, and they have
Fought out together, where Death's-self was lodg'd,
Yet Fate hath brought them off their knot of love
Ti'd, weav'd, intangl'd, with so true, so long,
And with a finger of so deep a cunning
May be out-worn, never undone. I think
Theseus cannot be umpire to himself
Cleaving his conscience into twain, and doing
Each side like Justice, which he loves best.

Emil.
Doubtless
There is a best, and reason has no manners
To say it is not you, I was acquainted
Once with a time, when I enjoy'd a Play-fellow;
You were at wars, when she the grave enrich'd,
Who made too proud the Bed, took leave o'th' Moon
(Which then lookt pale at parting) when our count
Was each eleven.

Hip.
'Twas Flavia.

Two Hearses ready with Palamon, and Arcite: The three Queens. Theseus, and his Lords ready.
Emil.
Yes,
You talk of Pirithous and Theseus love;
Theirs has more ground, is more maturely season'd,
More buckled with strong judgement, and their needs
The one of th'other may be said to water
Their intertangled roots of love, but I
And she (I sigh and spoke of) were things innocent,
Lov'd for we did, and like the Elements
That know not what, nor why, yet do effect
Rare issues by their operance; our souls
Did so to one another; what she lik'd,
Was then of me approv'd, what not condemn'd
No more arraignment; the flower that I would pluck
And put between my breasts, oh (then but beginning
To swell about the blossom) she would long
Till she had such another, and commit it
To the like innocent Cradle, where Phenix-like
They di'd in perfume: on my head no toy
But was her pattern, her affections (pretty
Though happily, her careless, were, I followed
For my most serious decking, I had mine ear
Stol'n some new air, or at adventure humm'd on
From musical Coynage, why, it was a Note
Whereon her spirits would sojourn (rather dwell on)
And sing it in her slumbers; This rehearsal
(Which fury innocent wots well) comes in
Like old importments-bastard, has this end;
That the true love 'tween Maid, and Maid, may be
More than in sex individual.

Hip.
Y'are out of breath
And this high speeded-pace, is but to say
That you shall never (like the Maid Flavina)
Love any that's call'd Man

Emil.
I'm sure I shall not.

Hip.
Now alack weak Sister,
I must no more believe thee in this point
(Though in't I know thou dost believe thy self)
Then I will trust a sickly appetite,
That loaths even as it longs, but sure my Sister
If I were ripe for your perswasion, you
Have said enough to shake me from the Arm
Of the all noble Theseus, for whose fortunes,
I will now in, and kneel with great assurance,
That we, more than his Pirathous, possess
The high Throne in his heart.

Ewil.
I am not against your faith,
Yet I continue mine.

Exeunt.
Cornets.

Scena Quarta.

A Battel struck within: then a Retreat: Florish. Then Enter Theseus (victor) the three Queens meet him, and fall on their faces before him.
1. Qu.
To thee no Star be dark.

2. Qu.
Both Heaven and Earth
Friend thee for ever.

3. Qu.
All the good that may
Be wish'd upon thy head, I cry Amen to't.

Thes.
Th'impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens
View us their mortal Herd, behold who erre,
And in their time chastise: goe and find out
The bones of your dead Lords, and honor them
With treble ceremony, rather than a gap
Should be in their dear rights, we would supply't.
But those we will depute, which shall invest
You in your dignities, and even each thing
Our haste does leave imperfect; So adieu
And heavens good eyes look on you, what are those?

Exeunt Queens.
Herald.
Men of great quality, as may be judg'd
By their appointment; some of Thebs have told's
They are Sisters children, Nephews to the King.

Thes.
By th'Helme of Mars, I saw them in the War,
Like to a pair of Lions, smear'd with prey,
Make lanes in troops agast. I fixt my note
Constantly on them; for they were a mark
Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me
When I enquir'd their names?

Herald.
We leave, they'r called
Arcite and Palamon,

Thes.
'Tis right, those, those
They are not dead?

Three Hearses ready.
Her.
Nor in a state of life, had they been taken
When their last hurts were given, 'twas possible
They might have been recover'd; Yet they breathe
And have the name of men.

Thes.
Then like men use 'em
The very lees of such (millions of rates)
Exceed the Wine of others, all our Surgeons
Convent in their behoof, our richest balmes
Rather than niggard waste, their lives concern us,
Much more than Thebs is worth, rather than have 'em
Freed of this plight, and in their morning state
(Sound and at liberty) I would 'em dead,
But forty thousand sold, we had rather have 'em
Prisoners to us, than death, bear 'em speedily
From our kind air, to them unkind, and minister
What man to man may do for our sake more,
Since I have known frights, fury, friends, beheasts,
Loves, provocations, zeal, a Mistriss taske,
Desire of liberty, a feavor, madness,
Hath set a mark which nature could not reach too
Without some imposition, sickness in Will
Or wrestling strength in reason, for our Love
And great Apollos mercy, all our best,
Their best skills tender. Lead into the City,
Where having bound things scatter'd, we will post.
Florish.
To Athens for our Army.

Exeunt.
Musick.

Scena Quinta.

Enter the Queens, with the Hearses of their Knights, in a Funeral Solemnity, &c.

3 Qu.
This funeral path, brings to your houshold graver
Joy seize on you again: peace, sleep with him.

2 Qu.
And this to yours.

1 Qu.
Yours this way: Heavens lend
A thousand differing ways to one sure end.

3 Qu.
This world's a City full of straying streets,
And Death's the Market-place, where each one meets.

Exeunt severally.