 | Microcosmus |  |
For the last Act.
Malus Genius as discontented.Mal. G.
It must not be; his glory is my shame.
Mischiefe attempted if it want successe,
Is the contrivers punishment. As darts
Shot at resisting walls, in their returne
May light on him that did direct them. Malice
Suggests a new attempt. Ile practise all
That hell can teach me, but Ile work his fall.
To the Malus Gen. Sensuality, the five Senses in torne and beggerliks habits.
Who's here?
Sens.
Into what misery hath riot
Brought my decayed state? Whilst I had the meanes
To purchase pleasures, all delights were sold me.
Those gone, necessity and lust then made me
A mercenary prostitute, and since
By the gradation of a wanton life,
I'm fall'n to this. Want and a loathsome sicknesse
Make me reflect; nor can I but accuse my self
At Conscience barre, but not with penitence;
That's still in opposition with my will,
Now custome hath confirm'd me in all ill.
Exeunt.
Mal. G.
T'accuse Physander, thither will I goe,
And if all fayle try what despaire can doe.
To the Mal. Gen. Physander, Bellanima in their first habits with Bookes in their hands, Bonus Genius, the foure Complexions.
Hee's here.
Phys.
I shall not need your diligence.
Your trecherie (although forgiven) hath made me
Watchfull upon ye. I have gotten now
Retire. I do embrace thy fellowship
Prudence, thou vertue of the mind, by which
We do consult of all that's good or evill
Conducing to felicity. Direct
My thoughts and actions by the rule of reason.
Teach me contempt of all inferiour vanities.
Pride in a marble portall guilded ore;
Assyrian carpets; chayres of ivory;
The luxurie of a stupendious house;
Garments perfum'd; gemmes valew'd not for use
But needlesse ornament; a sumptuous table,
And all the baytes of sense. A vulgar eye
Sees not the danger which beneath them lye.
Bella.
Shee's a majestick ruler, and commands
Even with the terrour of her awfull brow.
As in a throng sedition being rays'd,
Th'ignoble multitude inflam'd with madnesse,
Firebrands and stones fly; fury shews them weapons:
'Till spying some grave man honour'd for wisdome,
They straight are silent, and erect their cares,
Whilst he with his sage counsayle doth asswage
Their minds disorder, and appease their rage.
So Prudence, when rebellious appetites
Have rays'd temptations, with their batteryes
Assaulting reason, she doth interpose,
And keep it safe. Th'attemps of sense are weake,
If their vaine forces wisdome deigne to breake.
Phys.
Temperance, to thee I owe my after life;
Thou that command'st o're pleasures, hating some,
When thou dispens'st with others; still directing
All to a sound meane: under thy low roofe
Ile eate and sleepe, whilst grave Philosophy
Instructs my soule in Iustice. What is she?
Bella.
A habit of the mind by which just things
Perfect their working. Man's the best of creatures
Enjoying Law and Iustice; but the worst
By feare of Law, and by Religion;
Distributes due to all.
Phys.
That is reward
To vertue, and to vice it's punishment.
The thought of it hath horrour in't. I fell
From height of goodnesse in forsaking thee,
And must be punisht. Why is it delayd?
Inflict is straight; protraction makes it greater.
Bella.
Physander is forgiv'n. Reflect not back
On thy past errours, but with sorrowes eyes,
That may be guides to the prevention
Of after ills.
Phys.
Distract me not with comforts.
If justice hath no other instrument.
I must and will be just unto my selfe.
When I have felt a torment that doth equall
Th'offence for which I suffer it, 'twill confirme me,
Bellanima is satisfi'd.
Bella.
She is,
And can expect no greater. Think on Fortitude.
Be not dejected by a feare that's grounded
On such a weake foundation. Tis not th'appetite
Of things that carry horrour makes men valiant;
But patient bearing of afflictions
That are necessited.
Phys.
Can Fortitude
Be without Iustice? Iustice without Fortitude
Is perfect in it self. When I am just,
Valour is usefull.
Bella.
It begins to worke;
Ile prosecute the rest. What he intends
For good, shall be inverted to my ends.
Exit.
Phys.
Disswade me not Bellanima, I cannot
Think the dimensions of thy goodnesse such,
That it may be extended to remit
So great an ill without it's satisfaction.
When I have suffer'd punishment; I dare not
Owe all unto thy gentlenesse.
Bella.
Resist
This black temptation: thy ill Genius whisper'd it.
Phys.
'Tis taught me here; iustice instructs me in't.
Yet when I feele the lashes of their snakes
Hells judges doe employ; when vultures gnaw
My growing liver, and the restlesse wheele
Hurryes my rackt limbes, (for these torments are
Lesse then my fault deserves,) Ile laugh at all,
And with a scorn provoke the executioners
'Till they are tir'd; and whilst they take in breath,
Contrive some yet unhear'd of. Fortitude
Shall teach me to beare all, (their end being justice)
With more delight, then when I did enjoy
Pleasures with Sensualitie.
Bon. G.
Ile try him.
Hells malice sometimes doth pretend that good
Which Heaven instructs, to make distinguishable
Their severall acts. But like a ball that bounds
According to the force with which 'twas throwne:
So in afflictions violence he that's wise,
The more hee's cast down will the higher rise.
Exit.
Bella.
Presume not yet Physander: thou art weake.
Feare, so Pusillanimous, is better
Then daring confidence.
Phys.
I will encounter
With a whole hoast of deaths, though each were arm'd
In all th'artillery that ever conquer'd
Mortality; meete thunder if but warn'd
That it is comming, and be fixt unmov'd
T'embrace the subtile fire, though one step
Might guard me in a grove of Magick Bayes
Wall'd with Hienas skinnes. The apprehension
Of horrour shall not fright me, though presented
In the most hideous shape conceit can paynt.
What apparition's this? or are ye Furies
Sent to torment me? Speake, and satisfie
My growing feares, which like an earthquake, when
Pent ayre dilates it self with violence
Doe shake my trembling heart.
1. Fur.
We are the daughters
Of night and Acheron; our number three,
Answering those three affects that beare then headlong
Into all wickednesse. These knotted snakes
Shall sting thy bosome, and infect thy blood
With burning rage, untill it hurrie thee
Vnto some desperate act, and on thy self
Thou be thine own revenger.
Bella.
Now Physander,
Where is this boasted valour? Feare's exprest
Even in thy silence. Terrour of an ill
Is sometimes greater in the expectation,
Then th'ill it self: yet where true fortitude
Guard's the mind with resolves, 'tis lessen'd by it,
When it increaseth bouldnesse. Chance may cleare
Many of punishment, but none of feare.
Thou art not well instructed: go with me,
Ile teach thee how to shun them.
Exeunt.
2. Fur.
Hath he scap't us?
And left my vipers hissing for their prey,
Which should have been his heart? Then they must feed
Vpon mine own.
To them Malus Genius.
Mal. G.
Now my copartners
In this black fellowship, is it successefull?
3. Fur.
No; reason guards him; frustrates our designe.
And we must back to be our own tormentors.
Exeunt Fu.
Ma. G.
Will nothing prosper! Lend me Erinnis adders,
That from their poyson my infected envie
May swell untill it breake, venting a sea
Of mischiefe to o'rewhelme him. One birth more
Ile in content of heaven that guards his bride
Eate mine owne heart, and ne're be satisfi'd.
To the Mal. Gen. Feare.
The Iudge is entring.
Feare.
Make way there for my Lord Conscience: he
is up on comming, and I was afrayd the cushions had not
been handsomely layd for his ease. Long causes many
times require a nap. How I tremble to think of a long
sitting before dinner; it makes feare have but a cold stomack.
Blesse me! who's this? one of the divells she lawyers?
Her case must needs have a black boxe.
Mal. G.
I come t'accuse Physander. Why dost quake so?
Feare.
You never knew feare without an ague.
Ma. G.
Feare often cur's it.
Feare.
In the countrey where wise physitians practise.
Ma. G.
Is the court ready to sit?
Feare.
Instantly. But pray' how long have you beene
a sollicitrix?
Ma. G.
Never before.
Feare.
I fear'd as much, when you aske an officer so
many idle questions without some feeling.
Ma. G.
What officer art?
Feare.
No worse than the mouth of the court, that recieves
all in with, O yes.
You see the power of that word;
They are here. Stand by there.
Hope.
Hope must be still an advocate.
Consc.
'Tis well.
Despaire's a subtile pleader, and employ'd
Onely by hell.
Desp.
Be wing'd, and fetch him hither:
Let me alone; Ile have a plea shall shake
His courage.
Exit Mal. Gen.
Feare call a court.
Feare.
O yes, ô yes, ô yes: All wicked mortalls that
have any businesse in the court of Conscience, let them
come and accuse themselves, if they have so little wit,
and they shall be judg'd by the proverb.
Con.
List to my charge. Conscience the judge of actions
Is neither power, nor habit, but an act;
To wit an application of that knowledge
That shewes the difference. Its Synteresis,
Or purer part, is th'instigation
Of will to good and honest things, and seates
The mind in a rich throne of endlesse quiet;
When being clog'd with guilt of many ills,
Those leaden waight expresse it as it mounts,
And sink it into horrour. Conscience stain'd
Is like a fretting ulcer, that corrod's
The part it hath infected, and though cur'd
It leaves a scarre. So heale a wounded Conscience:
Repentance stayes as the vestigium,
Or marke imprest, by which the past disease
Is found to have been. There's no punishment
Like that, to beare the witnesse in ones brest
Of perpetrated evills, when the mind
Beat's it with silent stripes; guilty of blame.
But being unstain'd it laughs at lying fame.
Feare.
Silence in the court, and hearken to the charge:
it may indoctrinate ye for Iustices, if there be not too
much of Conscience in it.
Consc.
Hope is in opposition with despaire;
And like a zealous advocate i'th' cause
Of his afflicted clyent, labours still
To overthrow the fallacies and quirkes
Despayre is nimble in; whil'st feare with trembling
Expects the trialls issue. By these three
Mens acts inform'd of, scann'd and canvas'd be,
At length by Conscience censur'd, thy are sent
To have reward, or suffer punishment.
Feare.
Hem. Now enter that woman.
What are you?
Sens.
A desperate piece of neglected mortality, that
have been a Lady of pleasure, and kept an open house
where Lords tooke me up at high rates, 'till my bare
commons would no longer serve their high feeding.
Feare.
And the Geese that gras'd on it would alwayes
be ever roasted.
Sens.
I thence fell to inferiour customers, and doated
most on the junior actors, to the danger of cracking
many a voyce. Night-walking then supply'd me, whil'st
I had any thing to pleasure a constable, or relieve the
mortified watch with a snatch and away. But now I am
not worth the reversion of an almes-basket: and those
which heretofore would hire me to sinne, doe now deny
me the benefit of a Spittle. I have not strength to
climbe and hang my selfe; and having been so light all
my life time 'tis impossible I should be drown'd.
Hope.
Hope yet with griefe, and mend.
Sensu.
My mending must be miraculous. Were it in
art to repayre this rotten carcase, and in my stock of
credit with the broker enough to case it, I might hope
for as golden dayes and coaching agen. But now welcome
a cart or a Shrove-tuesdayes tragedy. Despaire
tells me there is a fire in hell, and why should I, that have
converst with heates all my life time, feare it!
Feare.
Stand by there. What are you?
Seeing.
My Ladyes ape, that imitated all her fashions;
falling as she did, and running the same course of folly:
the difference onely, that what was hers first was mine
in reversion; except her gentleman usher. Hell I feare
not, for I have prevented leading apes. Besides the whips
of furies are not halfe so terrible as a blew coate, and the
shreeks of tormented ghosts nothing to the noyse of
hemphammers.
Consc.
Proceed quickly with the rest.
Feare.
I would excuse my selfe; but I despaire of being
heard, now my Lady's decayd and housekeeping
broke up. I feare nothing so much as to be torne in
Smell.
That punishment must I share. For I was an
honest huntsman, and provided buriall for many a scavingers
horse in my dogs bellies; but finding it troublesome
and unsavoury, tooke an easier course, and converted
the remaines of dinner and supper that should have fed
the poore, into my dogs breakfast. For which I expect
to be pursu'd by the common hunt, till I come to hell; and
there the quest will be so hot, I shall not possibly scape it.
Feare.
Thou seem'st to have been a good fellow:
shall I speake a word in thy behalfe?
Tast.
No: Fear's an ill orator; hee'l be out. I have been
the most notorious theef, that ever rob'd by privilege of
his office. I have converted more butter into kitchin-stuffe,
then would have victualled a flemish garrison. I
have cheated butchers; gone on their scores, and payd
them with hornes: helping to undo my Lady with the
greatnesse of mine own credit. I have coney-catcht many
a poulterers wife, and she hath pluckt my feathers:
what I got by the back I spent on the belly. But now
short commons serve, licking my fingers and the halfe-cold
drippingpan. Since my Ladyes decay I am degraded
from a cooke, and I feare the divell himself will entertaine
me but for one of his black guard; and he shall
be sure to have his roast burnt.
Desp.
Stand by. You shall be sentenc'd presently.
Touch.
I was a spruce observer of formality; wore
good cloathes at the second hand, and payd for them
quarterly. Together with my Ladyes my fortune tell,
and of her gentleman usher I became her applesquire,
to hold the doore, and keepe centinell at taverns. I can
play the Bravo where my affronting is upon sure advantage:
otherwise I can be kick't with as much patience, as
a hungry fidler, when he expects the reversion of a gallants
oysters. I may yet be serviceable to the Succubi in
hell, but other preferment I despaire of.
Consc.
Custome in ills that doe affect the sense
Makes reason uselesse, when it should direct
In any evill, 'tis their greatest curse,
Advise doth seldome mend, but makes them worse.
To them Malus Genius, Physander, Bellanima, Bonus Genius.
Mal. G.
He's come. Now use your utmost skill in plea,
For feare our cause miscarry.
Consc.
Who is this?
Desp.
Her's his accuser that prefers th'indictment.
Consc.
Let it be read.
Feare.
Stand out Physander.
Desp.
Thou art indicted by the name of Physander
Lord of Microcosmus, for that being wedded to the faire
and chast Bellanima, daughter and heire of immortall
Love, thou hast unjustly forsaken her, and been guilty of
incontinence with a common whore, Sensuality.
Phys.
'Tis not deny'd, nor needs it other witnesse;
I beare it in my Conscience. Yet reverend judge,
Sorrow for ills past doth restore frayle man
To his first innocence. What mine hath beene,
My earth bed wet with nightly teares can witnesse,
And sighes, have made the trembling ayre retire,
Vnwilling to be lodg'd in a sad brest
Already fill'd with zeale. If a perseverance
Sprung from a constant resolution,
And joynd unto this sorrow may prevayle
To th'expiation of my former guilt,
I hope forgivenesse.
Desp.
But despaire me thinks
Should fright that hope with apprehension
Of what eternall justice will inflict:
And feare of deserv'd punishment should make thee
Tremble with horrour.
Hope.
'Tis not so false orator,
Necessity may be a powerfull strengthening
Of humane frailtie: and as it acut's
Sloth often into Diligence, Despaire
Th'offended godhead to the Altar flies;
Nor shames to beg his pardon with drown'd eyes.
Let thy resolves be firme.
Phys.
As fates decrees
Enroll'd in steele. Nor will I be secure
In any confidence of mine own strength:
For such security is oft the mother
Of negligence, and that th'occasion
Of unremedied ruine. From instructions
Found here, we will consult our after-safetyes.
And in all courses of my following life,
I will be guyded by my heavenly wife.
Consc.
Ile then pronounce ye happy. Man's a ship
Laden with riches. Tempests rage, and hell
Sends pirates out to rob him; heavens eye guards him;
His soule's the pilot, who through various seas
Of time and fortune brings him to the port
Of endlesse quiet. Now dismisse the court.
Exeunt.
Mal. G.
My malice burst me. I have toyl'd in vaine:
And mine own torment is my onely gaine.
Exit.
Sens.
Ile with thee to that place where horrors fright
The guilty conscience with eternall night.
Exit.
Bon. G.
Now freely passe unto the blest abodes,
Where those heroes that do merit it
In life, are crown'd with glory, and enjoy
Pleasures beyond all comprehension.
Bella.
All lets are now remov'd; hells malice falls
Beneath our conquest, and Loves palace gates
Ope' to receive our tryumph.
Here the last Scene is discover'd, being a glorious throne: at the top whereof Love sits betwixt Iustice, Temperance, Prudence and Fortitude, holding two crownes of starres: at the foote upon certaine degrees sit divers gloriously habited and alike as Elysij incolæ; who whil'st Love and the Vertues lead Physander and Bellanima to the throne, place themselves in a figure for the dance.
To these abodes, where spicie ayre
Breaths perfumes, and every sense
Doth find his objects excellence.
Where's no heate, nor cold extreme;
No winters ice, nor summers scorching beame.
Where's no sun, yet never night.
Day alwayes springing from eternall light.
Chorus.
All mortall sufferings layd asideHere in endlesse blisse abide.
Welcome to Love my now lov'd heyre,
Elysium's thine; ascend my chayre.
For following Sensuality
I thought to disinherit thee.
But being new reform'd in life,
And reunited to thy wife,
Mine onely daughter, fate allow's
That Love with stars should crown your brows.
Ioyne ye that were his guides to this:
Thus I inthrone ye both. Now kisse,
Whil'st you in active measures move,
Led on to endlesse joyes by Love.
The daunce ended, they returne to their first order, whil'st Love speakes the Epilogue: which done, he is receiv'd into the Scene, and it closeth.
| Microcosmus | |