 | The Jewes Tragedy, or, Their Fatal and Final Overthrow by Vespatian and Titus his Son |  |
Scæn. II.
Enter Lord Jehochanan, and Lord Skimeon.Skim.
Is the News certain that Agrippa's fled?
Iehoc.
Most certain, and to Cæsar for relief.
Skim.
Tush! let the venom burst, I dare the worst of fates extremity,
Death entertain'd with fear more terrifies
The frighted soul, then doth the fatal blow:
Let Pidgeon-liver'd slaves be tormented thus;
I'le meet it smiling, with as bold aspect
As e're I met the braving enemy.
Iehoc.
How full of hidden Ambiguities
Grow these distracted times!
The factious Commons giddy censure stand
So strange and doubtful, that 'twere policy indeed
To sound 'um to the bottom.
Skim.
To be a crouching, crawling, fawning Cur,
To lick the lazy hands of prating Priests,
With protestations of integrity
Devoted whole to them:
With true compuction of unfeigned grief
Submissively to crave their gracious pardon:
To paw the ragged multitude with praise
Of their ingenuous care and fervent love
For preservation of the Common-wealth;
To promise fair rewards to froward fools
Perhaps, with durtie feet to mire with fawnings,
And then be beaten with the shameful staffe
Of foul Reproach:
To do all this were to be born a fool,
To live a slave, and dye a coward.
Death! I will stand between the counterbuffs
Of these devouring storms in spight of Hell;
Nor Priest, nor Pesant shall inforce me stoop
An inch to either: as I have liv'd, I'le fall,
Or freed from both, or rent up root and all.
7
Or banishment or death we must expect.
Hast thou not seen the ragged multitude,
Whose stupid brains are stuft with nothing else
But their mechanick skill, whose highest strain
Of Cunning is to get some musty meat
To feed the hungry maw, or ragged clothes
To cover nakednesse, proclaim us bloody tyrants?
These are they
Whose strange distractions guided by the voice
Of two or three, proclaim a traytors death:
Now save him strait, and now nor save, nor kill,
Nor yet release him; such their frantick will.
Skim.
The doting Priests believe 'um too:
Death and the Devil! woo'd it not vex one's very soul
To be arraign'd by these?
In what a hodge podge of confusion
Lives Iewry now? Must the rough sword of War
Be guided by the rusty hand of Peace?
To strike but when, & where, and whom she please?
Must we, whose noble actions have deserv'd
Our place of Government, by countermand
Of babling Priests be taught our lessons how,
And when, and where, and what, and why to do?
Have our unspotted fame traduc't by men
Of vulgar note, by painted Butterflyes
That buz the common rumours of the time
And know not why? Death! I could burst with rage;
Iehoc.
And I with laughter, to behold the State
And kingdom rul'd by a Mecanick pate.
Enter Lord Eleazer mufled.
Skim.
See where's the prologue to the bloody Scœne,
Iehoc.
Lord Eleazer mufled!
Eleaz.
Good morrow to you both.
Skim.
The like retor'd from both to Eleazer.
My Lord, this outward guise of face and gesture
May seem to speak some inward discontent.
Elea.
Nay more then seems my friends, for seems are show,
But mine is substance: would it were not so.
Iehoc.
We will be sharers then my Eleazer.
Eleaz.
Nay must, Iehochanan, and deep ones too,
So deep, I fear, your patience will not bear it.
Skim.
It must be deeper than destruction then.
8
Eleaz.
You are betray'd:
There's strict inquirie made to apprehend ye:
The City Gates are barr'd, and strait commands
On pain of death, that no man dare to stand
In opposition.
Skim.
We did expect no less.
Elea.
Occasions of importance call me hence;
Nor woo'd I be discovered in your company:
What the event will be I know not yet;
But fear your lives are aim'd at.
A fitter time shall give a fairer scope
To my discourse and counsel, So fare ye well.
Exit Elea.
Iehoc.
Our love and thanks go with thee.
Skim.
How think'st thou now, Iehochanan?
Have I not trac't the Blood-hounds at the heels?
Stand'st thou amaz'd? why, didst not thou expect
The fatal blow?
Ieho.
Skimeon, I did; nor do I fear to know
What I have heard; the Message unto me
Is but a tale twice told, whose second part
Was told by him, the first by mine own heart.
Vnto a soul whose unprepared mind
Dreams not of danger when afflictions come;
How terrible the yleok! the sudden chance
O're whelms the frame of Nature with distraction.
But to a man whose resolution stands
Vnmov'd 'twixt floods of danger and despair,
Whose sturdy stomack beats the Billows off
With Arms of constancy, when every thought
Proves traitor to the brest that gave it life;
To him no mischief fate can strive to do,
But boldly is embrac't, and scorn'd at too.
And such am I.
Skim.
I do embrace thee, and with equal courage
Stand arm'd for all events.
[Enter Officers, & apprehend them.]
Officer.
By the High Priests sacred power and strict command
We apprehend ye both as traytors to the State of Iewry.
Ieho.
We do obey. Know'st thou where L: Æleazer is?
[They deliver their weapons.]
Offic.
We met him even now hard by the Synagogue.
Skim.
Befriend us with a Messehger that may
Intreat him come and speak with us; we shall
Reward you for your pains.
9
It shall be done my Lord.
Exeunt:
Enter Eleazer.
The City up in Arms, Agrippa fled,
The Roman Legate slain, and Rulers banish't;
Our sacred Father in the Royal throne,
And we his Son next in succession;
What can we wish for more? but soft,
This day our Jewish Captains are arraign'd:
Now Eleazer is the nick of time,
That thy aspiring thoughts may bravely mount
To Jewrie Scepter.
How my distemper'd doubts disturb my brain,
Puzzle my will, excrutiate my soul,
Distract my judgement—! O thou sacred thirst
Of swelling honor! with what powerful aw
Thou rul'st our erring actions!
Be wary Eleazer, and foresee
What chiefly may oppose or further thee.
If these Commanders dye, where's then thy hope
Of their united Power? No, that must not be,
Their lives are precious, and preserv'd by mine assistance,
Tyes them fast in strength and secresie.
It shall be so.
Enter Mess.
By this time our Father's preparing to the Judgement—:
I must away to meet with him.
Mess.
My honor'd Lord, the Lord Iehochanan, with due respect unto
your Lordship desires you come and speak with him.
Elea.
Tell him, we will be with him instantly.
'Tis as I could wish it, to be sent for too!
If I can bring them off, I make them sure mine own.
I will go visit them.
Exit.
Enter Mechanicks.
1.
The zay the Captains shall be rain'd to day.
2.
J neighbor Oliver! but how do they rain um? can ye tell?
1.
Marry Neighbor I will tell ye; and for your better destruction, and more
plain and pernicieus understanding in the matter, I will deride my speech into
fixten several Sects.
2.
Mercy upon us! hold Neighbor, hold; by no means, I pray; the derision
will be too long of all conscience, and I shall never remember what contains to
the Discourse: Let it be but two-fold Neighbor, and I shall reprehend it much
better.
10
Very good Neighbor Timothy, it shall; and I will so handle the matter,
that the whole Discourse shall be derided between you and I.
2.
I marry, that will do passing well.
1.
Hum-'um, mark neighbor, and medigate upon the matter.
2.
I warraEt yee Neighbor.
1.
Why look ye Sir,
You are the Benefastor, and I am the Iudge:
Now Sir your Benefactor is invited to appear before your Iudge,
And to answer to such objections as he shall be justly excused for.
Now sir am I to hear and excuse you of the crime,
And to examine and commend your defence;
And you to accuse your self of all that it alledged against you.
2.
Peace Bully, peace; here comes the Iudges.
1.
Mas! here they come indeed! by and by come your Benefactors I warrant yee.
Enter the High Priest, and Eleazer his Son talking in secret with him: Gorian Priest, and Joseph his Son, with Attendants: the High Priest ascends the Chair, the other three sit below.
H. Priest.
Bring forth the Prisoners.
A Bar set, and the Prisoners brought in.
Iechochanan and Skimeon, we do accuse
ye both of treason against the state of
Iewry.
Besides, we have been true inform'd, and that not by the mouth
of one, but many, that those imperious dignities which we out of
our pious love conferr'd upon you, you have most foul abu'sd,
by which our sacred Laws are violate, and we (though innocent)
yet stand deprav'd.
Iehoc.
It was, and is the custom 'mongst the Iews,
That the Delinquent, how e're guilty, yet
He fairly should enjoy the priviledge
Of his Accusers opposition.
Nor do I doubt that your obsequious care
And zealous charity can derogate
So much from nobleness, as to deny
Vs fair proceedings.
H. P.
What by our sacred power we can, we will.
Skim.
First then, we shall desire to be inform'd
Who our Accusers are, and what the ground
Of our impeachment.
Next we request the freedom of our speech,
11
And our unspotted innocency require.
H. P.
We grant thee both. Read their Accusations.
[Reads.]
1. First, you are indicted for a rebellious Muteny against the
State of Jewry.
2. Next, of a most inhumane murder executed upon the Roman Legates.
3. Thirdly, of High treason against Agrippa your lawful Soveraign.
L. Ieho.
Wee'l answer brief to all.
That we have slain the Roman Lords, 'tis true;
But with what fervent love & zeal unto your selves,
And to the State of Jewry, may appeare,
Most sacred Priest, by our submissions:
For had our loves prov'd traytor to the State.
Or to thy sacred self in this attempt,
We had by our command sufficient power
To have oppos'd both thee and that:
But our intents were fair.
'Tis not unknown with what a heavy weight
Of sad oppression wretched Jewry stood,
Basely subjected, till by us made free.
And call you this Rebellion?
But when I call to mind that mungril Prince,
That sacriligious thief; that any thing,
Saving the sacred Name of Soveraign:
That Bastard-Issue, sprung from Herod's Race,
Of low discent in bloud, obscure and base;
Not once regarded till by Cæsar's Power
A snatch't the Royal Scepter—
H. P.
No more of that.
We gave thee no Commission to revile
Nor hadst thou power to kill, nor yet to save
Those Roman Legates: What by thee was done
Without our leave was flat Rebellion.
Nor is this all we do object against ye.
Read the Petition.
[One reads.]
An humble Petition from the grieved Commons for the execution of justice upon the two seditious Captains, Jehochanan and Skimeon.
Skim.
The common bawling Curs? O heaven! must we be weigh'd
with them? with their simplicity? Death! I disclaim from their
Mechanick spleen, and this ignoble tryal.
H. P.
Read out the grievances in the Petition—
Skim.
Sir, I will hear no further.
21
Boiles your hot bloud so high with our preferment?
Wee'l quench the fire, and then the heat will swage.
We here dismisse thee of thy place of Government:
Now Sir ye are a private man, and we
Have sacred Power, and sole Authority
To save or kill. And, for we will not dive
Too deep into your warlike cruelty,
Nor lean too much to private lenity;
For thy rebellion and thy bold affront
We doom thee banishment:
We give thee three dayes liberty for thy departure:
And do command hers here on pain of death
Not to approach within our sacred walls, nor yet Iudea's confines
Skim.
I must, I do obey.
Exit.
H. P.
And for you Iehochanan, upon submission of your self to us, we
do release thee: But we charge thee, as thou lovest thy life and liberty,
thou give us not henceforward any cause of just proceedings:
So we dismisse thee.
Iehoc.
My humble thanks unto your sacred Power: Nor do I crave more
favour at your hands then I shall strive henceforward to deserve.
[Exit and exeunt Officers and Attendants.]
H. P.
Now we are private. O Ierusalem!
Is thy decrepid Age already come!
Or art thou hastned by untimely means
To end thy dayes of honor?
Is't not strange, that we
Have sacred power to touch their cruelty,
Yet dare not strike!
Iehochanan we know as deep in blood as Skimeon,
Both equal guilty; yet should both be banish't
Their equal strength, united with their will,
May much endanger us; mean while we stand
As friends with one that we may both command.
Weep Gorian, weep, or else our hearts will break,
Our eyes will tell more then our tongues can speak.
But I have done, the times are so extreme
VVe have not leisure to lament our state;
Our sudden danger summons us to sit
In counsel strait to take some speedy course
About our safety.
Go.
Heaven give a blessing to our fair proceedings.
[A table brought, and they fit.]
H. P.
How truly doth experience teach us now,
That fear once grounded in a Commonwealth,
Proves oftentimes hereditary.
13
Strikes terror to the people. O the power
Of this distracted fear! Even death it self
Appears not half so terrible: But we trifle time.
We are inform'd by sure intelligence,
That he intends within these three dayes space
Set footing in Iudea: How appointed
Yet we know not; but to be suppos'd
In all points like unto Vespatian.
O Gorion, how methinks that Name
Begets abortive twins of horrid grief
Within this brest of mine! Those streams of blood
Which by that fatal hand were lately spilt,
Bleeds fresh within my soul.
Gor.
So would they do in mine if not repeld:
To grieve our selves with what's impossible
To be represt, is to desire to be
More wretched then we are.
Io.
'Tis true; it such is Nature that it strives to know
It self in wretchedness, how truly we
Acquire the center of our misery.
H. P.
Wel, No more of this; now to our present business,
That you are zealous for your countries good
I rest assur'd: Nor do I doubt your care
And actual courage in a fair defence:
Such I have ever deem'd ye.
Nor do I fear but I shall find ye now
The same. Now your attentions, then your fair assents
To what I have to utter.
To broach a war, and not to be assur'd
Of certain means to make a fair defence,
How e're the ground be just, may justly seem
A wilful madness: Such is Iewries case.
Are not our Towers defac't! our Walls unbuilt?
Our Forces weakned, and our treasure spent?
Our countrey ruinate, our people too
Imbroile in native blood? O Gorion see,
Iudea wars with Rome, Rome with the world,
The world is conquer'd, and yet Iewry stands
In opposition: Is not this to be
Our own tormenters in self-cruelty?
Go.
We know the weakness of our State to be
Vnable to resist, yet know not how
To yeeld, or not to yeeld, or what to do:
14
Of Forreign and Domestick Enemies:
The raving multitude will not endure
To pay the Roman-tribute.
Elea.
VVhere common dangers meet with equal power,
It stands not with our Honors to expose
Our lives and fortunes to a base repulse.
H. P.
VVe will proclaim it death to him that dares
Deny the tribute Money.
Iosep.
That were to blow the fire that burns so hot already.
Such is our fate that we are forc't to sight
VVith Rome, or with our selves.
H. P.
Since so it is, we will not sheath our sword
In our own bosom; we will rather dye
By Roman sword, then native butchery.
Elea.
Bravely resolv'd; nor do I doubt to see
Iudea's ruines, loss and poverty
Made good again with loss of Roman blood.
Enter a Messenger.
Mess.
Peace to this sacred Meeting, but to Iudea bloody wars:
Vespatian with ten thousand horse, and forty thousand foot is now
arriv'd.
H. P.
Hast thee immediate to Iehocanan, bid him proclaim Vespacian
coming, command him in our Name to muster up his forces, and
to attend your further pleasure.
Mess.
I shall my Lord.
H. P.
Is't possible, already come! we must be speedy then in our designs.
Iosep.
'Twere best with speed to send Embassadors
To crave a truce for some small time whilest we
Prepare our selves in fair hostility.
Elea.
Shame blast thy tongue, shall Iewry seek
To Heathen Nation? Let their venom burst
Into the worst of malice, we will stand
In terms of equal Honor.
Go.
Thy judgement Eleazer is too rash,
Thy youthful blood boils fury in thy brests
And captivates thy reason unto passion.
Elea.
Gorian I tell thee—
Iosep.
Ioseph tells thee first,
That if thou blast my Fathers tongue with shame
As thou hast blasted mine, may Ioseph lose his Name
Of sacred Priesthood; but—
H. P.
I do command you cease, the blood of strife
Begins already to seize our sacred streets:
15
His several command, nor will my self stand free,
But bear a part in this hostility.
VVe will, even in the period of our age
Grow strong again, inflam'd with holy rage
Of our dishonor. VVithin there, bring forth the Lots.
Elea.
To me the country of the Edomites.
One brings. Lots, they draw and open them.
Iosep.
To me Galilee.
H. P.
To us Ierusalem.
Go.
To all success from Heaven, may each man be
Inspir'd with holy Zeal and Chivalry.
Exeunt omnes.
| The Jewes Tragedy, or, Their Fatal and Final Overthrow by Vespatian and Titus his Son | |