University of Virginia Library

Actus tertius

Scœna prima.

Pheroras: Salome.
Phero.
Vrge me no more Graphina to forsake,
Not twelue howers since I married her for loue:
And doe you thinke a sisters power cane mak
A resolute decree, so soone remoue?

Salome.
Poore minds they are that honour not affects.

Phero.
Who hunts for honour, happines neglects.

Salom.
You might haue bene both of felicitie,
And honour too in equall measure seasde.

Phero:
It is not you can tell so well as I,
What tis can make me happie, or displeasde.

Salome.
To match for neither beautie, nor respects
One meane of birth, but yet of meaner minde,
A woman full of naturall defects,
I wonder what your eye in her could finde.

Phero:
Mine eye found louelines, mine eare found wit,
To please the one, and to enchant the other:
Grace on her eye, mirth on her tongue doth sit,
In lookes a child, in wisedomes house a mother.

Salom:
But say you thought her faire, as none thinks else,
Knowes not Pheroras, beautie is a blast:
Much like this flower which to day excels,
But longer then a day it will not last.

Phero:
Her wit exceeds her beautie,

Salo:
Wit may show
The way to ill, as well as good you know.

Phero:
But wisedome is the porter of her head,
And bares all wicked words from issuing thence.

Sal.
But of a porter, better were you sped,
If she against their entrance made defence.

Phero.
But wherefore comes the sacred Ananell,
That hitherward his hastie steppes doth bond?
Great, sacrificer y'are arriued well,
Ill newes from holy mouth I not attend.

Scœna 2.

Pheroras. Salome. Ananell.
Ananell.
My lippes, my sonne, with peacefull tidings blest,
Shall vtter Honey to your listning eare:
A word of death comes not from Priestly brest,
I speake of life: in life there is no feare.
And for the newes I did the Heauens salute,
And fill'd the Temple with my thankfull voice:
For though that mourning may not me pollute,
At pleasing accidents I may reioyce.

Pheror.
Is Herod then reuiu'd from certaine death?

Sall.
What? can your news restore my brothers breath?

Ana.
Both so, and so, the King is safe and sound,
And did such grace in royall Cæsar meet:
That he with larger stile then euer crownd,
Within this houre Ierusalem will greet.
I did but come to tell you, and must backe
To make preparatiues for sacrifice:
I knew his death, your hearts like mine did racke,
Though to conceale it, prou'd you wise.

Salom.
How can my ioy sufficiently appeare?

Phero.
A heauier tale did neuer pierce mine eare.

Salo.
Now Salome of happinesse may boast.

Pheror.
But now Pheroras, is in danger most.

Salom.
I shall enioy the comfort of my life.

Pheror.
And I shall loose it, loosing of my wife.

Salom.
Ioy heart, for Constant shall be slaine.

Phero.
Grieue soule, Graphina shall from me be tane.

Salom.
Smile cheekes, the faire Silleus shall be mine.

Phero.
Weepe eyes, for I must with a child combine.

Salom.
Well brother, cease your mones, on one condition
Ile vndertake to winne the Kings consent:
Graphina still shall be in your tuition,
And her with you be nere the lesse content.

Phero.
What's the condition? let me quickly know,
That I as quickly your command may act:
Were it see what Hearbs in Ophir grow,
Or that the lofty Tyrus might be sackt.

Salom.
Tis no so hard a taske: It is no more,
But tell the King that Consta: hid
The sonnes of Baba, done to death before:
And tis no more then Consta. did.
And tell him more that he for Herods sake,
Not able to endure his brothers foe:
Did with a bill our separation make,
Though loth from Consta: else to goe.

Phero.
Beleeue this tale for told, Ile goe from hence,
In Herods eare the Hebrew to deface:
And I that neuer studied eloquence,
Doe meane with eloquence this tale to grace.

Exit.
Salom.
This will be Constabarus quicke dispatch,
Which from my mouth would lesser credit finde:
Yet shall he not decease without a match,
For Mariam shall not linger long behinde.
First Iealousie, if that made not, feare
Shalbe my minister to worke her end:
A common error moues not Herods care,
Which doth so firmly to his Mariam bend.
She shall be charged with so horrid crime,
As Herods feare shall turne his loue to hate:
Ile make some sweare that she desires to clime,
And seekes to poyson him for his estate,
I scorne that she should liue my birth t'vpbraid,
To call me base and hungry Edomite:
With patient show her choller I betrayd,
And watcht the time to be reueng'd by slite.
Now tongue of mine with scandall load her name,
Turne hers to fountaines, Herods eyes to flame:
Yet first I will begin Pheroras suite,
That he my earnest businesse may effect:
And I of Mariam will keepe me mute,
Till first some other doth her name derect.
Who's there, Silleus man? How fares your Lord?
That your aspects doe beare the badge of sorrow?

Silleus man.
He hath the marks of Constabarus sword,
And for a while desires your sight to borrow.

Salom.
My heauy curse the hatefull sword pursue,
My heauier curse on the more hatefull arme
That wounded my Silleus. But renew
Your tale againe. Hath he no mortall harme?

Silleus man.
No signe of danger doth in him appeare,
Nor are his wounds in place of perill seene:
Hee bides you be assured you need not feare,
He hopes to make you yet Arabias Queene.

Salom.
Commend my heart to be Silleus charge,
Tell him, my brothers suddaine comming now:
Will giue my foote no roome to walke at large,
But I will see him yet ere night I vow.

Scœna 3.

Mariam and Sohemus.
Mariam.
Sohemus , tell me what the newes may be
That makes your eyes so full, your cheeks so blew?

Sohem.
I know not how to call them. Ill for me
Tis sure they are: not so I hope for you.

Herod., Mari.
Oh, what of Herod?

Sohem.
Herod liues.
How! liues? What in some Caue or forrest hid?

Sohem.
Nay, backe return'd with honor. Cæsar giues
Him greater grace then ere Anthonius did.

Mari.
Foretell the ruine of my family,
Tell me that I shall see our Citie burnd:
Tell me I shall a death disgracefull die,
But tell me not that Herod is returnd.

Sohem.
Be not impatient Madam, be but milde,
His loue to you againe will soone be bred:

Mar.
I will not to his loue be reconcilde,
With solemne vowes I haue forsworne his Bed.

Sohem.
But you must breake those vowes.

Mar.
Ile rather breake
The heart of Mariam. Cursed is my Fate:
But speake no more to me, in vaine ye speake
To liue with him I so profoundly hate.

Sohem.
Great Queene, you must to me your pardon giue,
Sohemus cannot now your will obey:
If your command should me to silence driue,
It were not to obey, but to betray.
Reiect, and slight my speeches, mocke my faith,
Scorne my obseruance, call my counsell nought:
Though you regard not what Sohemus faith,
Yet will I euer freely speake my thought.
I feare ere long I shall faire Mariam see
In wofull state, and by her selfe vndone:
Yet for your issues sake more temp'rate bee,
The heart by affabilitie is wonne.

Mari.
And must I to my Prison turne againe?
Oh, now I see I was an hypocrite:
I did this morning for his death complaine,
And yet doe mourne, because he liues ere night.
When I his death beleeu'd, compassion wrought,
And was the stickler twixt my heart and him:
But now that Curtaine's drawne from off my thought,
Hate doth appeare againe with visage grim:
And paints the face of Herod in my heart,
In horred colours with detested looke:
Then feare would come, but scorne doth play her part,
And saith that scorne with feare can neuer brooke.
I know I could inchaine him with a smile:
And lead him captiue with a gentle word,
I scorne my looke should euer man beguile,
Or other speech, then meaning to afford.
Else Salome in vaine might spend her winde,
In vaine might Herods mother whet her tongue:
In vaine had they complotted and combinde,
For I could ouerthrow them all ere long.
Oh what a shelter is mine innocence,
To shield me from the pangs of inward griefe:
Gainst all mishaps it is my faire defence,
And to my sorrowes yeelds a large reliefe.
To be commandresse of the triple earth,
And sit in safetie from a fall secure:
To haue all nations celebrate my birth,
I would not that my spirit were impure.
Let my distressed state vnpittied bee,
Mine innocence is hope enough for mee.

Exit.
Sohem:
Poore guiltles Queene. Oh that my wish might place
A little temper now about thy heart:
Vnbridled speech is Mariams worst disgrace,
And will indanger her without desart.
I am in greater hazard. O're my head,
The fattall axe doth hang vnstedily:
My disobedience once discouered,
Will shake it downe: Sohemus so shall die.
For when the King shall find, we thought his death
Had bene as certaine as we see his life:
And markes withall I slighted so his breath,
As to preserue aliue his matchles wife.
Nay more, to giue to Alexanders hand
The regall dignitie. The soueraigne power,
How I had yeelded vp at her command,
The strength of all the citie, Dauids Tower.
What more then common death may I expect,
Since I too well do know his crueltie:
Twere death, a word of Herods to neglect,
What then to doe directly contrarie?
Yet life I quite thee with a willing spirit,
And thinke thou could'st not better be imploi'd:
I forfeit thee for her that more doth merit,
Ten such were better dead then she destroi'd.
But fare thee well chast Queene, well may I see
The darknes palpable, and riuers part:
The sunne stand still: Nay more retorted bee,
But neuer woman with so pure a heart.
Thine eyes graue maiestie keepes all in awe,
And cuts the winges of euery loose desire:
Thy brow is table to the modest lawe,
Yet though we dare not loue, we may admire.
And if I die, it shall my soule content,
My breath in Mariams seruice shall be spent.

Chorus.