University of Virginia Library

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.