 | The Tragedy of Messallina, The Roman Emperesse |  |
ACT. 4.
SCENE. 1.
Enter Empresse, Silius, Virgilianus, Calphurnianus. Valens, Proculus, Menester and Saufellus with attendants.Sil.
Your Excellence that too, too gloriously
Resembles your rare Sex; succeeding times
Shall to the end of time, gaze and admire,
Wonder at your high prudence, which to the
Combination of our Nuptialls, hath charm'd
Dull Casar to a free consent, behold;
Shewes the confirmation of the marriage.
There you whose loves doe ever bind me yours
May view my fortunes like a valley rise
Above those hills that will admit no clouds,
Ther's a full grant wherein you may discerne
My glories in this admirable lemme.
Val.
'Tis a fit bound unto your boundlesse glory.
Men.
Not Ninus,
Was e're more dull, more easily entrap
Then Romes rediculous Em'prour Claudius.
Vir.
Rediculous indeede here 'tis comfirm'd.
Emp.
Reade it Virgilianus.
Vir.
The mariage of our Emp'resse with Cajus
Silius we fairely like; and to that end,
Reade.
With our imperiall signet willingly
Have seal'd this assurance, granting a Dower
Out of our Treasurie to be exhaust,
And of our royall pleasure to be given
With her our onely happinesse on earth.
By whose perswasions we are confident
The sayd Nuptialls, to be but colourably,
Onely of purpose t'avert the danger
Of certaine prodigies, aym'd at our losse
Of life and Empire.
Calp.
This credulitie in Cæsar, was by
Her highnesse excellently mannag'd.
Sauf.
Sure
Ioves high love to his lov'd Gænymed
Descends in triumph on the Noble Silius.
Val.
Else, how should the meanes to his high ayme,
Free from the plots of blood thus fairely greet
Without least flaw in safetie.
Pro.
True, true, nor
Can it enter in my thoughts to thinke,
What obstacle should barre his excellence
From writing Emp'rour.
Men.
None, not the least let;
The people that are the Nerves of Empire
All for the vertues of your noble Syre,
Dearely affect you; boldly rely on't
At publication of this copious grant
They'l adde all majestie to your high fame.
Sauf.
Their love to you and feare of prodigies
Pretended for to dimme dull Cæsars glory
Will worke constraint.
Val.
Refresh to memory
The Acts of blood that raign'd in Scylla's dayes.
Busie their braines, and put them still in minde
That the blacke thoughts of Cataline survive
For this prodigious Age to perpetrate.
Calp.
Besides the Auspices, 'mong whom this grant
Was sign'd, they by the Entrailes of their beasts
Firmely affirme (past contradiction)
Your raigne to be most safe and popular.
Vir.
Which with the rest are piercing motives, that
Of necessitie (as food and rayment
To the bodies health) will force the people
Constant; they in their love and feare must make
Your more then royall spirit most endear'd
That state best rules, rules to be lov'd and fear'd
Sil.
Noble Romans, deare country men and friends
These solid certainties you here pronounce
In my behalfe, (which argues your firme friendship,
The vengefull Gods must in their justice grant.
Make me the Minister of Fate, dig up
The dignities of Cæsars Race, and in
The stead, plant monumentall ruine, make
The name wretched draw dishonour'd breath,
All the dire torments Furies can invent,
Were all too little for my Fathers losse,
That memorable lad, he that hath stood
The fiery fervour of so many fights,
Came bravely off, and sav'd this Empire.
Gave unto Cæsar Rome and servile senate
Gave all their strength and being, and for all
(Growne too too great examples for the times,)
Plots were devis'd in recompence to kill,
And that their machivillian darkenesse, he
No sooner sented, but in open senate
Expos'd his life a sacrifice to valour.
And for that fact, upon the blood and name,
That caus'd so brave and famous an example
For all free spirits, Ile be reveng'd after
No common sort.
Val.
Brave Silius go on, and
Prosper, and command me ever
And all.
Sil.
The thankes 'mong Princes of ignoble braine
That shines like rotten wood, serves pettie use,
The mind of Silius much much more then scornes,
The grave Virgil digs during the
Life of Silius shall ne'r speake but with the
Voice of Consull; he, Calphurnianus
Vectius Valens, Proculus, Menester,
And Saufellus Trogus, to all renowne
Command and wealth of Provinces shall flow,
T'expresse the gratitude of Silius, and
Though last nam'd, yet your bright excellence (the
Which for gratitude ever remembred)
Best in esteeme and first; not unlike, to
That rare Iem reserved last to view for
Worth and glory, to you all the delight
This world of man affords I freely give.
Emp.
Thy temper melts me my magnanimous Mate.
Sil.
The Rites of Hymen, with next morrowes Sun
Shall apt my blood unto the perfect height
Of pleasure, love and emminence, lead on.
Pompey nor Cæsar, could endure a Mate,
Nor Silius Claudius in superiour state.
Exeunt omnes.
Nar.
Emp'rour of emptie braines z'heart I could curse,
His soule to th'depth of Barathrum O—
Pal.
Who but Claudius, unworthy of Empire,
Drunke with the dreggs of overlight beleefe
Would be so grossely gul'd.
Cal.
Scar'd with the Bugges
Of Babies.
Nar.
A whoores invention, a drab
Of state, a cloth of Silver slut, the tricks
Of a tempting Tissue Trull, to push his
Hornes upon the Pikes of ruine, where he
Should rot; rot; wer't not to serve our owne ends,
Maintaine that habit of perfection sure,
Which till this sudaine unexpected change
Like Paste has workt him to what mould we pleas'd.
Pal.
And must doe still, or certainly we perish.
Cal.
'Tis the prime pollicie, the heart of state,
Which if with vigilance we not pursue,
We lose, and in that losse lost for ever.
Silius growes popular, and the people
As 'tis their nature, ever covet change,
They are as easie to be fil'd with errours,
As for a lust-stung strumpet to take up
To her dishonor; therefore as Saylers,
That have for guide the South and North, sometimes
To traverse and to crosse their way, and yet
Not lose their guide; so in the deepe affaires
Of such high consequence of state (as now
The time concerties) we must for guide, detaine
We most maligne.
Pal.
Thereby indeede man rarely
Rests deceived, which for to put in speedy
Practise, and stop the marriage, you and I
My Lord (under the vaile of friendship) will
To Rome; perswade the Empr'esse Cæsar is
Himselfe; perceives that all her plots to his
Destruction tends; the losse of Empire and
Th'abuse of 'his bed, disswaded her from the
Love of Silius, which (in the refusall)
Blood and fire must quench.
Nar.
This put home
With low submission, making her beleeve
By cringes, creepings, and a Synons face,
That all our care is onely for her good,
May worke perswasion.
Cal.
But not in her.
There is no trust to such uncertaintie,
T'were deadly Stibium to our vitall blood,
Like that dire poyson thats resistative
'Gainst the most wholesome Antidotes of life.
Weake mindes of men they are fit to be fool'd,
Slighted, add scorn'd, whose dull ignorance
Knowes not that women in their height of ill,
Who barres them their delight, delight to kill.
What will Valeria, Messallina, the
Emp'resse then; hinke you she will be slow,
Whose hot Alarums in the very Act
Within the circuit of a day and night
Indur'd the test of five and twentie, came
Of vertuous Dames, thinke you she will be bar'd
Diswaded from the love of Silius, no,
We cannot therefore (knowing that credit and
Authority is farre more safely for
To be maintain'd with circumspect, then with
Rash counsell) cannot I say be too too
Wary, least by any notice taken
She take least knowledge of our discontent,
Whose rugged thoughts unseene, must be smooth'd ore
And with a pleasing vaile, appeare in shew
To like, and give full approbation
Of the approbrious marriage, so to
Secure us from suspect and perill,
Vndoubted death.
Nor.
I fully apprehend,
That so Romes Syren in the height of pride;
Silius and all the factious Complices
Through wicked wedlocks jollitie made drunke
Drunke with the dregges of blinde securitie.
Then, then my pyoning pollicies aloft
(Of which my braine deteines the Theorick)
Shall apt a Time for vengeance unwithstood
The thirst of their Ambition quenche in blood.
Till when sleepe on; sleepe on ye fooles of fate,
“Plots best encounter plots, free from suspect,
“Fly like the bolts of jove, firme in effect.
Exeunt.
Cornets, Enter Emperesse and Silius crown'd attended in state by the Auspices and their faction passing over the stage to the Temple, Lepida with her haire dishivelled wringing her hands meets them, they goe off shee speakes.
Lep.
Blest be that sacred power which restor'd
Gives me the noble patience for to see,
And suffers not mine eye-balls to drop out
At sight of this my daughters impudence,
Shame that attends this wicked Nuptiall Rites
Now in the name of goodnesse, what meanes this
Enter Valens, Proculus, Menester and Saufellus.
Whispering? what new mischiefe lies hatching
In yonder bloudy villaines busie braine?
In the discovery, counterfeit sleepe,
And madnesse be my Moske.
Sauf.
At the Bachanalian feast which now
Drawes nigh, then a rich stirring Maske will best
Expresse it selfe in greatest glory; the
Tunes for song I'le take that charge on me.
Val.
For changes in each dance my braine shall worke.
Sauf.
What sayes Menester, he that has borne the
Prize; leapt Madam Venus in her height of pride
For gracefull action and sweet Poesie.
Val.
Now,
Does he claw like a decay'd Tradesman, when
To maintaine the wagging of his chappes
His wives Veneriall Firk-in must to Sale.
Men.
Why? did you ne're heare of a fellow, that
By the scratching of his nimble pate,
Workt your best pleasing project for a maske,
Was well rewarded for't, when such as you
For paines in song and dances laught to scorne
Poore simple sots, their payment was the horne.
Pro.
O nimble Satyricall veine.
Men.
That's slow enough and dull at this time.
What thinke you
Of a wooden Cupid brought in, in
An antick amble making it wag like
The Apish head of a French Fidler, when he
Firkes with his Fingers.
Val.
'Twill never take
Vnlesse you bring in the dapper dancer,
With his lata tat a teero tat a tant
Ta ra rat a ta too rant tat a ta teero tat a too,
Flinging away his legges, and skrewing his face
Into the fury of a thousand fooles.
Whose this? Mad-madam Lepida a sleepe.
Sauf.
Tis well; else shee'd raile faster then any
Citie Puppet.
Pro.
That's a horrid hearing.
Sauf.
O a hell, none like it, let Scorpios itch
Raigne in her middle spheare, phy how shee'l
Play the divell with Cuckold simplicitie
Her husband for want of performance, it
Passeth all admiration, and that with
No little wonder, yet demand the Act,
And then you shall have my nice o'recurious dame,
Vpon the Tiptoes of her apish pride,
Protest, with O no—I will not wrong my
Husband for earths treasure, stand upon her:
Honesty, then smile, change in a moment,
And then wantonize, mop, mew, bite lip and
Wriggle with the bumbe to put a man in minde;
Then touch, shee'l gripe, and clip with a kisse,
Melt into all the formes of Venery
Thought can devise, and ther's her honesty.
Men.
O petulant purenesse of defiled pitch,
But you forget what actors are prepar'd
In readinesse for practise gainst the Masque,
The vestall Virgins from the Temple hail'd
They shall supply that want 'tis so decreed
By th'Empresse strict command.
Lep.
O horrible.
Aside.
Sauf.
All from the age of ten, to twentie five
Must suffer Rape, and shall, stood hell in fight.
Val.
Spoake like thy selfe my metropolitan
Cut throate of chastitie.
Sauf.
'Twill be excellent,
Rare, I fat with laughter at the rich conceite,
Wee'l play at Tennis with their maidenheads,
Fiftie at a breakfast, shall not give me
Content.
Lep.
I say, vertues a Cyphar in
The hearts of great ones, and stands for nothing,
What sayes your most approved judgements, your
Single sole conceits I am sure will stand
For bawdy Comedies, and ribald jests.
Insinuate thou and so wax knavish wise,
Thou a stampt villaine, learne to temporise,
Plot thou, and set friends hourely at debate,
Cling to the surer side, the weaker hate,
Turne Bawd at midnight, Dander to a Whore
While lust in 'ith act (ye knaves) looke to the doore.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Exit.
Sauf.
Laughs thou mad mawde:
Goe with a burning mischiefe, Z'heart I could cut
Her throate, but something in her lookes there is
That shakes me, what a gen.
Enter Lepida.
Lep.
Be thou,
One that knowes how to mix with perilous Act.
Drunk with conceite, that greatnesse beares the sway,
Safely to act what villany it may.
Godge godden I'le come agen anon.
Exit.
Sauf.
But wee'l prevent you, come Lords to Court,
She shall be silenc'd or her tongue cut out.
Exeunt.
Lep.
Gon, O happy blessed blest prevention
That to mine eares unlockt the horrid sound
The blacke intention of so foule a rape,
A hundred vestall virgins to be whor'd,
First let the world dissolve and disipate;
To its first Chaos; O thou all seeing power
Prostrate on bended knees, I here implore,
Beg at thy mightie hands t'inspire my soule,
Make me the substitute and holy meanes,
The sweet prevention of so horrid a
Fact; O heaven, tis granted, thankes Majestie
Divine; worke on my minde; thought happily
Thought upon; a spacious vault I have, which
Neare adjoines unto the Vestalls Temple;
Thither this night by a back secret way
I'le draw the holy maides (none will suspect
Because all deeme me mad) there by this hand
Succour, releefe, and safetie shall attend
Your noble soules; chaste maides live long and blest,
“Free from the bondage of blacke mischiefes hands
“To vertuous Actions, heaven propitious stands.
| The Tragedy of Messallina, The Roman Emperesse | |