University of Virginia Library

Actus primus.

Scœna prima.

Mariam
sola.
How oft haue I with publike voyce runne on?
To censure Romes last Hero for deceit:
Because he wept when Pompeu life was gone,
Yet when he liu'd, hee thought his Name too great.
But now I doe recant, and Roman Lord
Excuse too rash a judgement in a woman:
My Sexe pleads pardon, pardon then afford,
Mistaking is with vs, but too too common.
Now doe I finde by selfe Experience taught,
One Object yeelds both griefe and ioy:
You wept indeed, when on his worth you thought,
But ioyd that slaughter did your Foe destroy.
So at his death your Eyes true droppes did raine,
Whom dead, you did not wish aliue againe.
When Herod liu'd, that now is done to death,
Oft haue I wisht that I from him were free:
Oft haue I wisht that he might lose his breath,
Oft haue I wisht his Carkas dead to see.
Then Rage and Scorne had put my loue to flight,
That Loue which once on him was firmely set:
Hate hid his true affection from my sight,
And kept my heart from paying him his debt.
And blame me not, for Herods Iealousie
Had power euen constancie it selfe to change:
For hee by barring me from libertie,
To shunne my ranging, taught me first to range.
But yet too chast a Scholler was my hart,
To learne to loue another then my Lord:
To leaue his Loue, my lessons former part,
I quickly learn'd, the other I abhord.
But now his death to memorie doth call,
The tender loue, that he to Mariam bare:
And mine to him, this makes those riuers fall,
Which by an other thought vnmoistned are.
For Aristobolus the lowlyest youth
That euer did in Angels shape appeare:
The cruell Herod was not mou'd to ruth,
Then why grieues Mariam Herods death to heare?
Why ioy I not the tongue no more shall speake,
That yeelded forth my brothers latest dome:
Both youth and beautie might thy furie breake,
And both in him did ill befit a Tombe.
And worthy Grandsire ill did he requite,
His high Assent alone by thee procur'd,
Except he murdred thee to free the spright
Which still he thought on earth too long immur'd.
How happie was it that Sohemus maide
Was mou'd to pittie my distrest estate?
Might Herods life a trustie seruant finde,
My death to his had bene vnseparate.
These thoughts haue power, his death to make me beare,
Nay more, to wish the newes may firmely hold:
Yet cannot this repulse some falling teare,
That will against my will some griefe vnfold.
And more I owe him for his loue to me,
The deepest loue that euer yet was seene:
Yet had I rather much a milke-maide bee,
Then be the Monarke of Iudeas Queene.
It was for nought but loue, he wisht his end
Might to my death, but the vaunt-currier proue:
But I had rather still be foe then friend,
To him that saues for hate, and kills for loue.
Hard-hearted Mariam, at thy discontent,
What flouds of teares haue drencht his manly face?
How canst thou then so faintly now lament,
Thy truest louers death, a deaths disgrace:
I now mine eyes you do begin to right
The wrongs of your admirer! And my Lord,
Long since you should haue put your smiles to flight,
Ill doth a widowed eye with ioy accord.
Why now me thinkes the loue I bare him then,
When virgin freedome left me vnrestraind:
Doth to my heart begin to creepe agen,
My passion now is far from being faind.
But teares flie backe, and hide you in your bankes,
You must not be to Alexandra seene:
For if my mone be spide, but little thankes
Shall Mariam haue, from that incensed Queene.

Scœna Secunda.

Mariam. Alexandra.
Alex:
What meanes these teares? my Mariam doth mistake,
The newes we heard did tell the Tyrants end:
What weepst thou for thy brothers murthers sake,
Will euer wight a teare for Herod spend?
My curse pursue his breathles trunke and spirit,
Base Edomite the damned Esaus heire:
Must he ere Iacobs child the crowne inherit?
Must he vile wretch be set in Dauids chaire?
No Dauids soule within the bosome plac'te,
Of our forefather Abram was asham'd:
To see his seat with such a toade disgrac'te,
That seat that hath by Iudas race bene fain'd.
Thou fatall enemie to royall blood,
Did not the murther of my boy suffice,
To stop thy cruell mouth that gaping stood?
But must thou dim the milde Hereanus eyes?
My gratious father, whose too readie hand
Did lift this Idumean from the dust:
And he vngratefull catiffe did withstand,
The man that did in him most friendly trust.
What kingdomes right could cruell Herod claime,
Was he not Esaus Issue, heyre of hell?
Then what succession can he haue but shame?
Did not his Ancestor his birth-right sell?
O yes, he doth from Edonis name deriue,
His cruell nature which with blood is fed:
That made him me of Sire and sonne depriue,
He euer thirsts for blood, and blood is red.
Weepst thou because his loue to thee was bent?
And readst thou loue in crimson caracters?
Slew he thy friends to worke thy hearts content?
No: hate may Iustly call that action hers.
He gaue the sacred Priesthood for thy sake,
To Aristobolus. Yet doomde him dead:
Before his backe the Ephod warme could make,
And ere the Myter setled on his head.
Oh had he giuen my boy no lesse then right,
The double oyle should to his forehead bring:
A double honour, shining doubly bright,
His birth annoynted him both Priest and King.
And say my father, and my sonne he slewe,
To royalize by right your Prince borne breath:
Was loue the cause, can Mariam deeme it true,
That Mariam gaue commandment for her death?
I know by fits, he shewd some signes of loue,
And yet not loue, but raging lunacie:
And this his hate to thee may iustly proue,
That sure he hates Hercanus familie.
Who knowes if he vnconstant wauering Lord,
His loue to Doris had renew'd againe?
And that he might his bed to her afford,
Perchance he wisht that Mariam might be slaine.

Nun:
Doris, Alas her time of loue was past,
Those coales were rakte in embers long agoe:
If Mariams loue and she was now disgrast,
Nor did I glorie in her ouerthrowe.
He not a whit his first borne sonne esteem'd,
Because as well as his he was not mine:
My children onely for his owne he deem'd,
These boyes that did descend from royall line.
These did he stile his heyres to Dauids throne,
My Alexander if he liue, shall sit
In the Maiesticke seat of Salomon,
To will it so, did Herod thinke it fit.

Alex.
Why? who can claime from Alexanders brood
That Gold adorned Lyon-guarded Chaire?
Was Alexander not of Dauids blood?
And was not Mariam Alexanders heire?
What more then right could Herod then bestow,
And who will thinke except for more then right,
He did not raise them, for they were not low,
But borne to weare the Crowne in his despight:
Then send those teares away that are not sent
To thee by reason, but by passions power:
Thine eyes to cheere, thy cheekes to smiles be bent,
And entertaine with ioy this happy houre.
Felicitie, if when shee comes, she findes
A mourning habite, and a cheerlesse looke,
Will thinke she is not welcome to thy minde,
And so perchance her lodging will not brooke.
Oh keepe her whilest thou hast her, if she goe
She will not easily returne againe:
Full many a yeere haue I indur'd in woe,
Yet still haue sude her presence to obtaine:
And did not I to her as presents send
A Table, that best Art did beautifie
Of two, to whom Heauen did best feature lend,
To woe her loue by winning Anthony:
For when a Princes fauour we doe craue,
We first their Mynions loues do seeke to winne:
So I, that sought Felicitie to haue,
Did with her Mynion Anthony beginne,
With double slight I sought to captiuate
The warlike louer, but I did not right:
For if my gift had borne but halfe the rate,
The Roman had beene ouer-taken quite.
But now he fared like a hungry guest,
That to some plenteous festiuall is gone,
Now this, now that, hee deems to eate were best,
Such choice doth make him let them all alone.
The boyes large forehead first did fayrest seeme
Then glaunst his eye vpon my Mariams cheeke:
And that without comparison did deeme,
VVhat was in eyther but he most did leeke.
And thus distracted, eythers beauties might
VVithin the others excellence was drown'd:
Too much delight did bare him from delight,
For eithers loue, the others did confound.
VVhere if thy portraiture had onely gone,
His life from Herod, Anthony had taken:
He would haue loued thee, and thee alone,
And left the browne Egyptian cleane forsaken.
And Cleopatra then to seeke had bene,
So firme a louer of her wayned face:
Then great Anthonius fall we had not seene,
By her that fled to haue him holde the chase.
Then Mariam in a Romans Chariot set,
In place of Cleopatra might haue showne:
A mart of Beauties in her visage met,
And part in this, that they were all her owne.

Ma.
Not to be Emprise of aspiring Rome,
Would Mariam like to Cleopatra liue:
With purest body will I presse my Toome,
And wish no fauours Anthony could giue.

Alex.
Let vs retire vs, that we may resolue
How now to deale in this reuersed state:
Great are th'affaires that we must now reuolue,
And great affaires must not be taken late.

Scœna tertia.

Mariam. Alexandra. Salome.
Salome.
More plotting yet? Why? now you haue the thing
For which so oft you spent your supliant breath:
And Mariam hopes to haue another King,
Her eyes doe sparkle ioy for Herods death.

Alex.
If she desir'd another King to haue,
She might before she came in Herods bed
Haue had her wish. More Kings then one did craue,
For leaue to set a Crowne vpon her head.
I thinke with more then reason she laments,
That she is freed from such a sad annoy:
Who ist will weepe to part from discontent,
And if she ioy, she did not causelesse ioy.

Sal.
You durst not thus haue giuen your tongue the raine,
If noble Herod still remaind in life:
Your daughters betters farre I dare maintaine,
Might haue reioyc'd to be my brothers wife.

Mar.
My betters farre, base woman t'is vntrue,
You scarce haue euer my superiors seene:
For Mariams seruants were as good as you,
Before she came to be Iudeas Queene.

Sal.
Now stirs the tongue that is so quickly mou'd,
But more then once your collor haue I borne:
Your fumish words are sooner sayd then prou'd,
And Salomes reply is onely scorne.

Mar.
Scorne those that are for thy companions held,
Though I thy brothers face had neuer seene,
My birth; thy baser birth so farre exceld,
I had to both of you the Princesse bene.
Thou party Iew, and party Edomite,
Thou Mongrell: issu'd from reiected race,
Thy Ancestors against the Heauens did fight,
And thou like them wilt heauenly birth disgrace.

Sal.
Still twit you me with nothing but my birth,
What ods betwixt your ancestors and mine?
Both borne of Adam, both were made of Earth,
And both did come from holy Abrahams line.

Mar.
I fauour thee when nothing else I say,
VVith thy blacke acts ile not pollute my breath:
Else to thy charge I mightfull iustly lay
A shamefull life, besides a husbands death.

Sal.
Tis true indeed, I did the plots reueale,
That past betwixt your fauorites and you:
I ment not I, a traytor to conceale.
Thus Salome your Mynion Ioseph slue.

Mar.
Heauen, dost thou meane this Infamy to smother?
Let slandred Mariam ope thy closed eare:
Selfe, guilt hath euer bene suspitious mother,
And therefore I this speech with patience beare.
No, had not Salomes vnstedfast heart,
In Iosephus stead her Constaborus plast,
To free her selfe, she had not vsde the art,
To slander haplesse Mariam for vnchast.

Alex.
Come Mariam, let vs goe: it is no boote
To let the head contend against the foote.

Scœna quarta.

Salome
, Sola.
Liues Salome, to get so base a stile
As foote, to the proud Mariam Herods spirit:
In happy time for her endured exile,
For did he liue she should not misse her merit:
But he is dead: and though he were my Brother,
His death such store of Cinders cannot cast
My Coales of loue to quench: for though they smother
The flames a while, yet will they out at last.
Oh blest Arabia, in best climate plast,
I by the Fruit will censure of the Tree:
Tis not in vaine, thy happy name thou hast,
If all Arabians like Silleus bee:
Had not my Fate bene too too contrary,
When I on Constabarus first did gaze,
Silleus had beene obiect to mine eye:
Whose lookes and personage must allyes amaze.
But now ill Fated Salome, thy tongue
To Constabarus by it selfe is tide:
And now except I doe the Ebrew wrong
I cannot be the faire Arabian Bride:
What childish lets are these? Why stand I now
On honourable points? Tis long agoe
Since shame was written on my tainted brow?
And certaine tis, that shame is honours foe.
Had I vpon my reputation stood,
Had I affected an vnspotted life,
Iosephus vaines had still bene stuft with blood,
And I to him had liu'd a sober wife.
Then had I neuer cast an eye of loue,
On Constabarus now detested face,
Then had I kept my thoughts without remoue:
And blusht at motion of the least disgrace:
But shame is gone, and honour wipt away,
And Impudencie on my forehead sits:
She bids me worke my will without delay,
And for my will I will imploy my wits.
He loues, I loue; what then can be the cause,
Keepes me for being the Arabians wife?
It is the principles of Moses lawes,
For Contabarus still remaines in life,
If he to me did beare as Earnest hate,
As I to him, for him there were an ease,
A separating bill might free his fate:
From such a yoke that did so much displease.
Why should such priuiledge to man be giuen?
Or giuen to them, why bard from women then?
Are men then we in greater grace with Heauen?
Or cannot women hate as well as men?
Ile be the custome-breakers: and beginne
To shew my Sexe the way to freedomes doore,
And with an offring will I purge my sinne,
The lawe was made for none but who are poore.
If Herod had liu'd, I might to him accuse
My present Lord. But for the futures sake
Then would I tell the King he did refuse
The sonnes of Baba in his power to take.
But now I must diuorse him from my bed,
That my Silleus may possesse his roome:
Had I not begd his life he had bene dead,
I curse my tongue the hindrer of his doome,
But then my wandring heart to him was fast,
Nor did I dreame of chaunge: Silleus said,
He would be here, and see he comes at last,
Had I not nam'd him longer had he staid.

Scœna quinta.

Salome, Silleus.
Silleus.
VVell found faire Salome Iudæus pride,
Hath thy innated wisedome found the way
To make Silleus deeme him deified,
By gaining thee a more then precious pray?

Salo.
I haue deuisde the best I can deuise,
A more imperfect meanes was neuer found:
But what cares Salome, it doth suffice
If our indeuours with their end be crown'd.
In this our land we haue an ancient vse,
Permitted first by our law-giuers head:
Who hates his wife, though for no iust abuse,
May with a bill diuorce her from his bed.
But in this custome women are not free,
Yet I for once will wrest it, blame not thou
The ill I doe, since what I do'es for thee,
Though others blame, Silleus should allow.

Solleus.
Thinkes Salome, Silleus hath a tongue
To censure her faire actions? let my blood
Bedash my proper brow, for such a wrong,
The being yours, can make euen vices good:
Arabia ioy, prepare thy earth with greene,
Thou neuer happie were indeed till now:
Now shall thy ground be trod by beauties Queene,
Her foote is destin'd to depresse thy brow.
Thou shalt faire Salome commaund as much
As if the royall ornament were thine:
The weaknes of Arabias King is such,
The kingdome is not his so much as mine:
My mouth is our Obodas oracle,
Who thinkes not ought but what Silleus will?
And thou rare creature. Asias miracle,
Shalt be to me as it: Obodas still.

Salome.
Tis not for glory I thy loue accept,
Iudea yeelds me honours worthy store:
Had not affection in my bosome crept,
My natiue country should my life deplore.
Were not Silleus he with home I goe,
I would not change my Palastine for Rome:
Much lesse would I a glorious state to shew,
Goe far to purchase an Arabian too me.

Silleus.
Far be it from Silleus so to thinke,
I know it is thy gratitude requites
The loue that is in me, and shall not shrinke
Till death doe seuer me from earths delights.

Salom.
But whist; me thinkes the wolfe is in our talke,
Be gone Silleus, who doth here arriue?
Tis Constabarus that doth hither walke,
Ile find a quarrell, him from me to driue.

Sille.
Farewell, but were it not for thy commaund,
In his despight Silleus here would stand.

Sœna Sexta.

Salome: Constabarus.
Const:
Oh Salome, how much you wrōg your name,
Your race, your country, and your husband most?
A straungers priuate conference is shame,
I blush for you, that haue your blushing lost.
Oft haue I found, and found you to my griefe,
Consorted with this base Arabian heere:
Heauen knowes that you haue bin my comfort chiefe,
Then doe not now my greater plague appeare.
Now by the stately Carued edifice
That on Mount Sion makes so faire a show,
And by the Altar fit for sacrifice,
I loue thee more then thou thy selfe doest know.
Oft with a silent sorrow haue I heard
How ill Iudeas mouth doth censure thee:
And did I not thine honour much regard,
Thou shouldst not be exhorred thus for mee.
Didst thou but know the worth of honest fame,
How much a vertuous woman is esteem'd,
Thou wouldest like hell eschew deserued shame,
And seeke to be both chast and chastly deem'd.
Our wisest Prince did say, and true he said,
A vertuous woman crownes her husbands head.

Salome.
Did I for this, vpreare thy lowe estate?
Did I for this requitall begge thy life,
That thou hadst forfeited haples fate?
To be to such a thankles wretch the wife.
This hand of mine hath lifted vp thy head,
Which many a day agoe had falne full lowe,
Because the sonnes of Baba are not dead,
To me thou doest both life and fortune owe.

Const.
You haue my patience often exercisde,
Vse make my choller keepe within the bankes:
Yet boast no more, but be by me aduisde.
A benefit vpbraided, forfeits thankes:
I prethy Salome dismisse this mood,
Thou doest not know how ill it fits thy place:
My words were all intended for thy good,
To raise thine honour and to stop disgrace.

Sa.
To stop disgrace? take thou no care for mee,
Nay do thy worst, thy worst I set not by:
No shame of mine is like to light on thee,
Thy loue and admonitions I defie.
Thou shalt no hower longer call me wife,
Thy Iealousie procures my hate so deepe:
That I from thee doe meane to free my life,
By a diuorcing bill before I sleepe.

Const.
Are Hebrew women now trāsform'd to men?
Why do you not as well our battels fight,
And weare our armour? suffer this, and then
Let all the world be topsie turued quite.
Let fishes graze, beastes, swine, and birds descend,
Let fire burne downewards whilst the earth aspires:
Let Winters heat and Summers cold offend,
Let Thistels growe on Vines, and Grapes on Briers,
Set vs to Spinne or Sowe, or at the belt
Make vs Wood-hewers, Waters-bearing wights:
For sacred seruice let vs take no rest,
Vse vs as Ioshua did the Gibonites.

Salom.
Hold on your talke, till it be time to end,
For me I am resolu'd it shall be so:
Though I be first that to this course do bend,
I shall not be the last full well I know.

Const.
Why then be witnesse Heau'n, the Iudge of sinnes,
Be witnesse Spirits that eschew the darke:
Be witnesse Angels, witnesse Cherubins,
Whose semblance sits vpon the holy Arke:
Be witnesse earth, be witnesse Palestine,
Be witnesse Dauids Citie, if my heart
Did euer merit such an act of thine?
Or if the fault be mine that makes vs part,
Since mildest Moses friend vnto the Lord,
Did worke his wonders in the land of Ham,
And slew the first-borne Babes without a sword,
In signe whereof we eate the holy Lambe:
Till now that foureteene hundred yeeres are past,
Since first the Law with vs hath beene in force:
You are the first, and will I hope, be last,
That euer sought her husband to diuorce.

Salom.
I meane not to be led by president,
My will shall be to me instead of Law.

Const.
I feare me much you will too late repent,
That you haue euer liu'd so void of awe:
This is Silleus loue that makes you thus
Reuerse all order: you must next be his.
But if my thoughts aright the cause discusse,
In winning you, he gaines no lasting blisse,
I was Silleus and not long agoe
Iosephus then was Constabarus now:
When you became my friend you prou'd his foe,
As now for him you breake to me your vowd.

Sal.
If once I lou'd you, greater is your debt:
For certaine tis that you deserued it not.
And vndeserued loue we soone forget,
And therefore that to me can be no blot.
But now fare ill my once beloued Lord,
Yet neuer more belou'd then now abhord.

Const.
Yet Constabarus biddeth thee farewell.
Farewell light creature. Heauen forgiue thy sinne:
My prophecying spirit doth foretell
Thy wauering thoughts doe yet but new beginne.
Yet I haue better scap'd then Ioseph did,
But if our Herods death had bene delayd,
The valiant youths that I so long haue hid,
Had bene by her, and I for them betrayd.
Therefore in happy houre did Cæsar giue
The fatall blow to wanton Anthony.
For had he liued, our Herod then should liue,
But great Anthonius death made Herod dye.
Had he enioyed his breath, not I alone
Had beene in danger of a deadly fall:
But Mariam had the way of perill gone,
Though by the Tyrant most belou'd of all.
The sweet fac'd Mariam as free from guilt
As Heauen from spots, yet had her Lord come backe
Her purest blood had bene vniustly spilt.
And Salome it was would worke her wracke.
Though all Iudea yeeld her innocent,
She often hath bene neere to punishment.

Chorus.