University of Virginia Library

Scena secunda.

Enter the Persian magistrates as judges with Arsace, then enters Caricles with Aura bound, they sit.
1 Magist.
Is this faire maid the prisoner?

Arsa.
Faire without, but foule within.

2 Magist.
Tis pitty vice should beare
A semblance of faire vertue, or be mask'd
Under so sweet a vaile,
Sure by her lookes

3 Magist.
I should not judge her guiltie.

Arsa.
That's a rule
Deceives us, for the choicest fruites of all
Ofttimes have rotten cores, and underneath
The fairest flowers lurke most the foulest snakes.
That cannot hold,
Bring forth the prisoners;
You are accus'd for poysoning Cibile,
How doe you answer this?

Caric.
Who's my accuser?

Arsa.
My selfe, and these my servants, who were present
When the old woman dy'd, and heard her name
Thee, and that other guilty of her death;
Canst thou deny the fact?

Caric.
Ile answer thee
Proud dame, if my Theagines live yet,
I say, I am not guilty of this murther,
But if by thy most damnable attempts
His purer soule hath left the earthly prison
Of his faire body, I declare my selfe
Guilty of this and whatsoever else
Thy malice can invent, I was the woman
That poison'd then thy nurse, who train'd thee up
To all those goodly vertues of thy mind;
I doe desire to suffer, kill me straight
That I may meet my lover, who so stoutly
Resisted thy foule lust, and lewd enticements,
Choosing to die rather then condescend.

Arsa.
Base queane, how durst thou take unto thy selfe
Such liberty of speech? judicious sirs,
And magistrates of Persia, understand
That this she saith is false touching my honour;
I take the gods to witnesse that when first
This woman and her friend came to the Palace,
I entertain'd them as became the state
Of greater persons, and so long continued
My favours to them till by open proofe
I found they came as spies to Memphis sent
From King Hydaspes army, then indeed
I did begin to draw backe my affection,
Many more things inciting me to doe it
Which I forbeare to speake of, but in briefe
Although I lov'd this maid so as to make her
My bosom-friend, and my most deare companion,
She hath repaid me as you see, and poison'd
My trusty woman, is't not to be doubted
Her purpose stretch'd yet further, even to me?

Caric.
I doe confesse yet once againe, I poison'd
Thy nurse, and would have done so much to thee
Had I not beene prevented.

Aura.
O Cariclea,
Unhappy maid, why dost thou wrongfully
Accuse thy selfe, and draw on death upon thee?
Heare me right grave and most impartiall Judges,
There is no fault in her, I onely, I
Gave Cibile the poison by mistake,
Which was prepared for this vertuous mayd
By that old beldame, this is true, or else
Ye gods hurle downe your thunder on my head.

2 Magi.
But how came this mistake? make it more plaine.

Aura.
Old Cibile my mistris did prepare
This cup for faire Cariclea, I was forc'd
To have a hand in't too; when I should give
The poison'd cup unto Cariclea,
And Cibile the other, I know not
Whither being troubled with so strange a deed
Or hastily cal'd on by Cibile,
I chang'd the cups, and poison'd the old woman.

Arsa.
This is a forg'd devise, believe it not,
This woman is a traitor, and conspires
With them in all their plots, as privie to them.

3.
If she that cals herselfe Cariclea,
Be guiltlesse of this businesse, what should make her
To cast herselfe into the jawes of death
By her so free confession of the fact?

Aura.
Sir I believe she's weary of her life,
And being in desperation e're to see
Much lesse t'enjoy her husband, without whom
Life seemes a burthen, hastens on her death.

1.
Madame you must produce some witnesses,
Or we shall cleere the prisoners.

Arsa.
Here are five
Will be depos'd they heard Cibile charge
These two here with her death.

2.
What say you friends.
Dare you sweare this?

All 5.
We dare and will, by Isis,
And all the gods tis so.

3.
Then we must passe
Sentence according to the law, which most
Depends on witnesses, your doome is death,
Carry these two forthwith unto the fire,

Caric.
O sunne, and earth, and all you blessed creatures
That are above or underneath this round
Terrestriall ball, you that doe take revenge
On such as worke impiety, beare witnesse
I die an innocent, and willingly
Submit my selfe to death, for to avoyd
Th'intollerable griefes that burthen me;
Vouchsafe to take me gently to your hands,
And speedily inflict your punishments
Upon this whore Arsace, who hath plotted
This mischiefe to no other end and purpose
But to take from me my Theagines.

Exeunt.