University of Virginia Library

ACT. 5.

SCENE. 1.

Enter Emperour, Narcissus, Pallas, Calistus.
Emp.
Are we not Cæsar?
Is not Romes Empire servile unto us?
You mad me with your newes.

Nar.
Mad a Dog, a
Cat, a Rat, y'are to tame, want spirit
To be mad, I am mad, mad to the depth
Of madnesse; O I could teare my haire, to
See you thus, thus senselesse of your wrongs, but
Doe, doe; be the grand Cuckold of this universe,
Let Cajus Silius raigne Romes Emp'rour.

Pal.
Lov'd of the people.

Cal.
Honour'd of the Senate

Nar.
Hurrid in triumph through the streets of Rome:

Pal.
In Cæsars Chariot glistring like the Sunne,

Cal.
While Cæsar, unlike Cæsar calmely suffers.

Nar.
Out of his Empire finely to be work't,
Finely, betwixt the two hot Palmes of lust.

Pal.
Abus'd (fotsooth) for feare of Prodigies.

Nar.
That, that, O infinite shame in stately
Majestie, to make your selfe a never
Dying scoffe for ages yet unknowne
To point at you, for the most famous Cuckold.

Cal.
The renowned Cuckold.

Pal.
The high and mightie Cuckold.

Nar.
Cuckold by five and twentie, all in the
Short space of a day and night, O insatiate
Bawdy villany.

Emp.
Damnation seize her,
I will heare no more; misery of miseries,
Impatience crampes my vitall veines, that swell
With fiery boyling rage, O I am a lumpe
Of true vexation, tortur'd with torments
Worse then those in hell, in hell, very hell;
This body sure is not substantiall, no
I am all ayre, pierc'd through and through with stormes,
Incessant stormes, that strike a terrour to
My panting soule, misery of mariage,
Horn'd, and abus'd by every vassaile Groome
Vessells of baseness, they shall buy it deare
The high Sea of their daring pride must downe
All topsie turvie to confusion turne:
I will uncharme and never more be fool'd
Slave to those wonder darting eyes that strike
Amazement through the world, those bewitching
Lampes her eyes, fed with the oyle of whorish
Fortitude, (that like the Centaure's blood)
Rivets the poyson of hell furies rage
Into my blood and braine, those false false eyes,
Shall never more intice, because that I
Will never see them more, they shall put out
Their glory for a grave, there forgot,
Scorn'd, and contemn'd of Cæsar, lye and rot.

Nar.
Now are you Cæsar.

Pal.
What you ought you are.

Cal.
The high and mightie Roman Emperour.

Emp.
But am I so indeede (for I'me amaz'd
At my dull follies past) is't not too late
To call backe errours darknesse, O tell me
Narcissus, is not Silius Emperour.
Vsurpes he not that name past reach to quell.

Nar.
Conferre on me that absolute command,
Which Geta Captaine of your guard now holds
Over your souldiers here at Hostia,
And er'e the next Sun set his circular course
The daring pride of all the faction,
Cesar shall sit in senate, and their doome.

Emp.
Sweetest revenge, honour'd Narcissus draw
Out the souldiers at thy free dispose
Here's thy command Geta we doe mistrust
Gives him a Ring.
Thee onely trust, accelerate revenge,
That I may ebbe the high swolne tide of wrongs,
Which beyond limmits teares my restlesse braine,
Knits and then teares with infinite unrests
If there be Hell, the divell and damnation
'Tis mans delight in woman, insatiate
Woman; that will doe with the divell, O
'Tis a fearefull thing to be a Cuckold,
Rowl'd up in wrinkles of foole patience,
We heare they have a Masque, but rather, then
Any of the lustfull route, make their escape
Fire me the Palace, burne 'em in that Masque,
It will be brave to see 'em dance in fire,
Skip letch'rous Antickes in a boyling flame,
That thus with raging passion, boyling, flames
My most distracted braine; tortures no lesse,
Then if on Caucasus we were expos'd,
A never dying prey to the Eagles beake.
Such is the misery of marriage, where
The besotted husband most affects, there
To be most abus'd, Cuckold, Cuckold, Cuckold, O.

Exit.
Nar.
After Calistus, t'appease his fury.
Exit Calistus.
My Lord, I'le post to Rome, the people groane
Beneath the Emp'rsse weight; tis mischievous
The bloody massacre of those Roman dames
Murder'd for hate to lust, affords plentie
Of friends, to force the Citie gates open
To our free entrance.

Pal.
In signe whereof,
From the high top, the temple of god Mars
Let a bright burning Torch i'th' dead of night
Waft our approach.

Nar.
Like Synons unto Troy;
Talke trifles time.

Pal.
Farewell my noble Lord.
Exit. Pal.

Nar.
Till next we meete farewell, it is decreed
I'th height of pride murder and lust must bleed.
Exit Nar.

Enter Lepida and Vibidea, meeting each other.
Lep.
Now good Vibidia, thou vertuous Matron
Of Romes Vestall maides, say, are they all safe,
Can they endure the vault, that wretched shift
This wretched Age inforces.

Vib.
Best, best Lady,
Thou Angell mother, of a Fiend-like child,
All earthly similies are too too base
To expresse thy admirable vertues,
By you Romes Vestall Virgins all are safe,
Onely by you preserv'd and kept from rape
From being hurrid in sad silence, unto
The gate Colina, there in a deepe pit
To be put into, there buried alive,
From that dire death which was at first ordain'd
For unchaste vestalls; by thee chaste vestalls
Live all preserv'd, to them their darkesome vault
Is farre more glorious then the courts of Kings,
For which upon my knees in blessed time,
Wonder of women let me kisse thy feete.

Kneeles.
Lep.
What meanes Vibidia?

Vib.
To reverence your steps,
The earth, the very ground whereon you tread,
For that's made holy by your sacred steps.

Lep.
Not unto me Vibidia but to heaven,
To that lets kneele, to that omnipotence
Which made this earth, lets both with holy zeale
Both kneele.
Salute our mother earth in ardent love,
Kisse the earth.
To heavens great Master.

A Noyse within of Follow follow, follow.
Vib.
Now the good Gods preserve us.

Lep.
Fly to the vault, I feare we are betrayd.

Exeunt.
Enter Saufellus, Hem and Stitch with Lights.
Sauf.
Search, search about,
My Genius whisper'd in mine eares last night
The vestalls lodg'd, within this mad Mawdes house
Shee dies for't, while the chaste puppets we will
Drag to court, there ravish and there kill,
'Twill prove an excellent closing to the Masque.

Hem.
How if we finde them not (my Lord)

Sauf.
Finde or finde not, for that I'me sure th'are here
Wee'l fire the house and flame it into Ayre.

Hem.
The ground shakes, I sinke,
Thunder and lightning, Earth gapes and swallowes the three murders by degrees.
Zownes Hems hem'd to the earth
I cannot stirre.

St.
Nor I I sinke, Stitch sinkes
Had we our names for this, a vengeance of
All false Stitches, they have stitcht me, O horror.

Sauf.
How's this.

Hem.
Hell and confusion

St.
Divells and Furies

Sinke both.
Sauf.
Horror of darknesse, what dread sight is this
What black Red-raw-eyd witch hath charm'd this ground
Sink'st thou my limbes supporter; must I yeeld,
Dost thou then faint proud flesh, mount mount my blood,
And like Enceladus out dare thy fate,
O that my wish were suited to my will
Now would I cuckold all the world, leave not
A man unhorn'd, a maid unrap't, beget
A brood of Centaure's to supply, and worke
The worlds confusion; ha more horror yet,
Thunder. Enter Angell, three murdered Dames with revenge threatning.
Why silly dames, I confesse your murders,
But to repent the fact, know that my heart.
Is like the Corsick Rock, more hard; farre more
Vnpassable then Chymera mount, whats
That in white there, what so e're it be; the
Majesty it beares, trembles my sinewes,
O how it shakes me; came Furies clad in
Flames, not all hells totturts, th'affrights & horrours
Equalls the thousand part the paines I feele
Through sight of that, that flaming Christall, sinke
Me O—earth; Pindus and Ossa cover
Me with Snow, hide me Cimerian darkenesse
Let me not see it, my Eye sight failes
Ingeniosi sumus ad falendum no smet ipsos,
Farewell Romes Emp'resse
Shot with a Tunderbolt.
To all ambitious vermine,
Puncks, Pimpes, and Panders, Whores and Bawdes farewell.
Confound the world, the worst of death is hell.

Sinkes.
Enter Sulpitius with a Guard.
Sul.
Make way there for shame; cleare the staires,
You of the guard, force all intruders backe,

1. Gua.
Backe, backe, backe there, keepe backe,

2. Gua.
For shame make hast, way for my Lords the Senate.

Sul.
Burne beards and faces, burne em in the face
That offer to presse in.

Cornets sound a Flourish, Enter Senate who placed by Sulpitius, Cornets cease, and the Antique Maske consisting of eight Bachinalians enter guirt with Vine leaves, and shap't in the middle with Tunne Vessells, each bearing a Cup in their hands, who during the first straine of Musick playd foure times over, enter by two at a time, at the Tunes end, make stand; draw wine and carouse, then dance all: The Antimasque gone off: and solemne Musicke playing: Messallina and Silius gloriously crown'd in an Arch-glitering Cloud aloft, Court each other.
Sil.
Abstract of rare perfection my Iuno,
Glorious Emp'resse all admiration.

Emp.
Excellent Silius all perfection.

Sil.
Amazing rarity, beauties treasure.

Emp.
Natures wonder, my delight my pleasure.

Sil.
Let me suck Nectar, kisse, kisse, O kisse me.

Emp.
Soule to my lips, embrace, hug, hug me.

Sil.
Leap heart.

Emp.
Mount blood.

Sil.
Thus rellish all my blisse.

Emp.
Agen the pressure of that melting kisse.

Sil.
Descend my Venus all compos'd of love.

Emp.
Lockt in thy Armes my Mars.

Sil.
Downe, downe we come
Like glistring Phæbus mounted in his Car,
When in the height of the celestiall signes
He sayles along the Circuit of the Skie.

While they descend, Valens, Proculus, and Menester with three Curtezans in the habit of Queenes with Coronets of state meete them beneath, during their silent congratulation, Narcissus enters aloft with a Torch and speakes.
Nar.
Blacke is the night; a Canopie of clouds,
Hides the bright Silver spangles of the skie,
All is secure, revenge proportion keepes
To my full wish; no thought of blood and death
Writes on the Index of blacke deeds at Court
The least suspect; mad lust and wine, revells
And pleasures, muffle their understanding.
O Lust, lust, lust, wer't thou not what thou art,
A thicke blacke cloud onely compos'd of ill
For to tempt judgement, hadst thou the rellish
Of sweet good, as thou art badly bitter,
Thee above all the Gods I would adore,
Thee, thee adore, that unresisted thus,
Snares the besotted Faction to their fall.
Loade them with Lethe still, while thus I waft
Revenge from Hostia; like the sad flames
Of Ilion burne, burne bright Torch; let thy faire view
Tune to the dance of death, the amorous
Measures of full vengeance; blaze prodigie,
When the bad bleed give me that Tragedy.

Exit.
Leaves the Torch burning.
Emp.
Musicke, distill new sweetnesse, vary thy
Nectar Notes, while Loves bright eyes, court lips to
The height of dalliance, each sacrifice a kisse,
To all th'inchantments of loves luscious blisse.

All.
O liquid life of live.

All kisse.
Sil.
Here's a full bole, a health to the height of pleasure.

Kisse.
Emp.
Brave health agen, another, and a third.

Val.
That deepe carouse, makes Vectius Valens see:

Sil.
See, what dost see?

Val.
In my mindes eye me thinks,
A moving Army comming from Hostia.

Sil.
O likelyhood, an Army from Claudius.

Emp.
Senselesse Cornuto, he's to confident,
He ha's too great affiance in my love.

Pro.
His Cornucopia skull feares prodigies,

Men.
Alas, his hornes fork'd like an aged Oake,
Are growne too great, to huge to enter Rome.

Val.
O mightie hornes.

Pro.
O monstrous Majestie.

Sil.
Scoffe of glory.

Emp.
My scorne,
Come, come lets dance, Musicke proceed,
Claudius my hate shall with the next sun bleed.

The dance ended, Alarum within.
Enter Sulpitius his sword drawne.
Sulp.
Hast, hast to save your selves, we are betrayd,
The armed Troopes of Cæsar enter Rome,
Fly or their brandisht steele will guirt the Court
Past all escape.

Emp.
Deafe, deafe me O thuunder,
Betrayd, O blacke afright, fly Silius flie.

Exeunt Senate and Curtezans.
Sil.
What to out live my Fate, no, you of
The Senate fly, fly all, stand not amaz'd, my
mightie Mistris, endanger not your selfe,
Excellent Empresse, Sulpitius be your guard.
Exeunt Empr. and Sulpitius.
But why you sad copartners in my fall,
Why stand you thus plung'd in the panting depth
Of deepe amaze, collect your spirits and
Pursue your safetie.

Val.
What? fly?
And leave you here; first with this hand
I'le teare my bowells out, and sacrifice
My heart's last leave to life.

Pro.
To flye from you,
O 'twere the loathsom'st scumme coward e're lapt:

Men.
Blacke blots of infamy to endlesse fame
Wu'd write our Epitaphs, if basely flye.
Where were the noble mindes of Brutus then,
Brave Cassius, and Tytinnius hate to life,

Sil.
Our deaths shall be more glorious, far lesse ill;
Yet will we die, arm'd with a world of valour.
Not like those desperate fooles, which by their
Owne swords fall; we are too deepe in lust to
Sucke such backe damnation, that were horrid.
The soule, the all that is the best in man.
Tells of two opposites, life and death in death.
True sorrow for lifes death misselead in life,
That's perfect valour, makes men bravely die
That liv'd not so, when the selfe violent death
Is but a bastard volour.

Enter with weapons drawne. Emperour Claudius, Narcissus, Calistus, with souldiers.
Emp.
Now you luxurious traytor, Emperour
Silius; your highnesse gates at length are forc'd
To bow; wher's your top gallant strumpet, that
Strumpet, witch, hell-Cat; most insatiate whore
That ever cleav'd to the loynes of Letchers.
Tell me ye impious villens, Traytrous slaves,
That I may execute my burning hate.
And send ye swimming in her blood to hell.

Sil.
Claudius, let it suffice, she is not here,
Spit all thy venome; be it a Sea of
Poyson let it fall, here's none will shrinke; our
Bloods are all too much enobled, into
The eminent temper of true Monarches.
To dread respectlesse death.

Val.
None here but scornes
To plead with humble basenesse, low submission
For miserable mercy.

Pro.
None here complaines upon the enticements
Of your Emp'resse, that were too basely vile.

Men.
We win no glory in our deaths by that,
Our selves against ourselves give guilty,
Onely beg mercy from the Gods.

Sil.
Of you our quicke dispatch, tarte lifes exchange
For a delicious death; which if I thought
Should feede upon delay. by all thats sacred
Thus weaponlesse, we all would force
And cut our way to death through some of you.

Emp.
I fret with sufferance, upon 'em souldiers;

Souldiers wound them.
Sil.
O ravishing content.

Val.
Fulnesse of joy,
My lustfull bloud flowes from me, man's ne're blest,
Till freed by death; lockt from the worlds unrest.

Dies
Pro.
Man is to man a monster hearted stone,
With heaven ther's mercy, but with man ther's none.

Dies.
Men.
This Tragick end is the most welcome part
I ever grac'd with action; 'tis the best,
O Homofragilis, specta voluptates abeuntes.
Man is an Actor, and the world the Stage,
Where some do laugh, some weepe, some sing, some rage,
All in their Parts during the Scene of breath
Act follies, scourg'd by the Tragedian death.
My Sun is set in blood, fly soule and catch
“At a more glorious being, farewell breath,
“Man's never in the way to joy till death.

Dies.
Sil.
Why like a worme crawling twixt life & death
Am I thus forc'd; I must, I will not die
So like a beast, the lofty Cedar and the aged Oake,
Cuft with incessant stormes shall represent
The fall of Silius; what? wil't not do? no?
Shall my death then prevaile above my minde,
O sad condition, misery of life.
Expence of bloud faints me, and yet I stand,
Stagger in spight of death; lifes threads uncut,
What meanes this Riddle? are the Fates asleepe?
So drunke at sight of this sad spectacle,
I must awake their waking; I'me abus'd,
Where art thou, thou invisible threefe; leane
Rogue I dare thee to this combite, why slave,
Dog, coward, dastard Death, no no; why then
O kind best loving death; if valiant, if
Thou be that sole conquerour of Kings time
Speakes thee for? prethee, but for one bout,
I'le not resist, scarse able to stand; open
Breasted, take all advantage, disjoynt the
Chaine of inauspicious stars, fettering
My over wearied flesh with life, one thrust
Put home will end me.

Emp.
Sinke him Evodius.

Sil.
Thrust home and sure,
Why so; desire now followes my bloud,
Farewell world picture of painted folly,
Frame of woe; paltry life, I gladly shake thee off.

Enter Syllana running.
Syll.
Hold, hold, for pitty hold.

Sil.
It is too late.
Too late Syllana my most vertuous wife.

Syll.
O my deare husband, flint hearted Cæsar,
Was not this husband wrought by the Circean
Charmes of thy she divell; she, she hath bin,
The fatall Engine of my husbands sinne,
She from my heart hath torne away this pearle
More pretious then the world, O my deare love,
I doe beseech thee to beare up in death,
Shoot thy pale lookes through my afflicted soule,
Whose sighes and teares & prayers knit up in groanes
Ascend yon starry glove unto the Gods.
The good good Gods to pardon thee my love.

Sil.
Like a spent Taper onely for a flash,
I doe recover to embrace thee sweet:
Forgive me injur'd excellence; constant wife.
Take from my lippes (deare heart) a parting kisse
Cold as the dead mans Skull; nay weepe not sweet
There is divinity in that weeping eye,
Prayer on thy lip, and holinesse in thy heart.
The Divells cannot say I flatter thee,
Nor this abusive, scornefull, dull darke Age,
Taxe me to say it never, never can,
Not out of all the Catalogue of women,
Pick such a Phænix Saint forth as thy selfe.
In thee, bright heavens majesticke emminence,
Lives my supporting prop against all ill
To take me up to mercy.

Dies.
Syl.
Stay, O stay,
And take me with thee up to mercies seate,
For when we are there I know, we shall not
Part thus; O he is gone; the strings of life
Are crackt; I'le not outlive thee, no; thy losse
Most noble husband, wafts my soule the way
To her eternall rest, breake heart, swell griefe,
And mount me to my love; I neede not I,
The burning coales of Portia, Lucrece knife,
One kisse wilt do't, thus ends Syllana's life.

Dies.
Enter Pallas, with Virgilianus, Calphurnianus and Sulpitius Prisoners.
Pall.
Live royall Emp'rour long and happy live,
To adde to your revenge behold I bring
The approbrious Faction unto Silius.

Emp.
More blood unto this banquet welcome, what
Virgillianus so grave a Senator
So trech'rous, serv'd you as Bawdes to sooth the
Mindes of Letchers, Calphurnianus and
Sulpitius too: off with their heads, away
With them, be suddaine, the tunne of vengeance
Now begins to stoope broacht with the blood of
These; vaine inconsiderate fooles.

Nar.
My Lord,
The Core of lust still lives, time was Rome bragg'd
Of these dead corpes for the most vertuous youths
It e're brought forth, till your leud Empresse
Poyson'd their bloods with her bewitching lust.

Emp.
Where is that wretch?

Pal.
Prisoner my Lord, safe in Lucullu's garden

Emp.
Remove these bodies, her bloods the period
To my full revenge.

Enter Vibidia
Vib.
Mercy great Emp'rour, mercy for the love
You beare unto your hopefull royall issue,
Lovely Britanicus, sweet Octavia,
And for that admiration of her sex.
Their mothers mother vertuous Lepida
She that hath sav'd a hundred virgins from
The racke of rape, for that true peircing motive
Mightie Lord; O be in your great mercy
Pleas'd; to give your Emp'resse audience.

Emp.
My Emp'resse,
She is no more my Emp'resse, her blacke life
Lost in lust, hath chang'd that name into an
Æthiops blacknesse, yet for those Infants sake
For Lepida, and for the love we beare
Your holy order we will heare her speake,
Narcissus, against to morrow let her
Have warning to appeare in Senate.

Exeunt omnes.
Nar.
I but such warning as she shall nere come there.
Manet Narcissus.
I'le give no trust to those her whorish eyes.
She will bewitch thee Cæsar, mollifie
Thy flint heart; if they e're peece agen
Off goes my head; I'le not abide the Test.
The reconcilement of a drab of state,
Tript, ith' height of pride when topt with pleasure,
O 'twere fine foole state pollicy to trust
Raise that declining tempest to her height,
But I'le be no such president, it smacks
Too much of the great dish of foole for me,
And if I doe, may thunder sinke me.

Exit.
Enter Messallina, Lepida.
Mess.
Prevented with a storme in Sunshine,
Frost in the heate of all our happinesse,
O fire and Ice, O how betweene these two
Sad smarting strange extreames I madly live
Tortur'd in mind and blood.

Lep.
To this, if rul'd by me you ne're had plung'd
But thats too late now; O strive to repent.

Mess.
Repent, redivell,
Tell not me mother of repentance,
Earths pleasures are to full of high content,
To be forgot by such a bitter Pill.
Pray give some better solace, what returne
Makes Romes grave Matron your friend Vibidia,
Can she with all her holinesse of life,
Procure our pardon; is that possible.

Lep.
Onely a day of hearing that's all, which
You must arme your selfe for 'gainst to morrow.

Mess.
O what a lightnings this to my sad heart
My heavie heart, will Cæsar heare me speake,
Nay then I am sure of reconcilement.
My quick-Ey'd sence, and Syrens tongue shall work it
Charming like Lethe make him to forget
My Crymenall life, then my rich Revenge
Like to the Plots of thundring Iupiter
Horrid Musicke.
Shall—ha, what horrid sound is this,
What dreadfull sight thus quakes me.

Lep.
O 'Tis a gailty conscience.

Two Spirits dreadfully enter and (to the Treble Violin and Lute) sing a song of despaire, during which Lepida sits weeping.
Song.
1. Spir.
Helplesse wretch despaire, despaire,

2. Spir.
Foole to live, why draw'st thou Ayre.

1. Spir.
Friends all are dread,
Friends all are dead, thou hast none.

2. Spir.
Those that seem'd like Chaffe are blowne.

1. Spir.
Then die, O—die,
Die—O die.

2. Spir.
'Tis better die then live disgrac'd,
Ioyes and glories all defac'd.

1. Spir.
Thy Pride of eyes,
Thy pride of eyes,
Which world of hearts have fier'd
Gon is their glory now no more desir'd.

2. Spir.
Then die—O—die

1. Spir.
Die—O—die,
Die be free live exempt
And scorne the base worlds base contempt.

1. Spir.
Come live with us, live with us,
Live with us, with Spirits dwell,
Life is a lake of woe continuall hell.

Exeunt.
After this song (which was left out of the Play in regard there was none could sing in Parts) Enter the Ghosts of the murdered Roman Dames, Silius, Valent. Proculus, Menester, Saufellus, two Ruffaines and Bawd, they surround her with their Torches.
Mess.
Swallow me earth, gape gape and swallow
Hide me from sight of this sad spectacle,
No? why then doe state till you burst agen
'Tis true, I was your deaths chiefe Actor
Mischiefes chiefe Engine, ruine of you all
Quid faciam? ubi fugiam, hic, & illic,
Ubinam nescio, O dira Fata.
Exeunt Ghosts.
Close eyes and never open, all's vanisht now.
T'was but the perturbation of my minde
So let it passe—what agen.

Enter Narcissus and Evodius whispering.
Lep.
Tis a guard,
I feare the Emp'rour in his minde is chang'd
And this some sudaine plot to take your life.

Evod.
Within this houre my Lord.

Enter Headsman with Scaffold and a Guard.
Nar.
Let it be so,
By that time hither I will conduct th'Emp'rour
In th'interim cut her off, when she is dead
Narcissus with his owne saves many a head.

Mess.
A Headsman and a scaffold are these for me.

Evod.
For thee thou woman all compos'd of lust
Bloudy insatiate Monster of thy Sex
See here thy stage of death, be sure to die,
If thou haste respite given thee for to pray
And aske the Gods forgivenesse, thinke it
A world of favour and he suddaine, least
Vnprepar'd we force you to the blocke.

Lep.
O be not wholly lost die resolute,
If thou respect the wombe that brought thee forth,
Let thy faults ripe in Act, be blowne to Ayre.
Through faire repentance.

Mess.
How can that be?
Am not I onely Author of all ill,
Is it not I that have prepar'd the paths
To the loose life of all licentiousnesse,
Blacke murder, lust, and rapes unspeakable
Why doe I live? I that have liv'd too long,
Worthy a thousand deaths; I feare not death
But O the journey I know not whether,
Torments me more then twentie thousand deaths
But how so e're it must not be deni'd,
Fall then my earthly substance; thus low humbl'd
Let my declining height submit my head
To take an everlasting leave of life.
Shee mounts the Scaffold, submits her head to the blocke, and suddainly rising up leaps downe, Snatcheth Evodius Sword and wounds her selfe.
Hold, our bloud's to precious we will not die
So like a Calfe, nor by the hand of any
But our owne, thus and thus, O this cold steele
How it offends my flesh, I want full strength
To put it home; if thou be valiant and a souldier
Helpe to dispatch me; that was bravely done
O my mad lust whither wilt thou beare me
A dimme blacke fogge rais'd from the Lernean Fen
Obscures my sight; farewell deare, deare Mother.
Had I beene rul'd by you, I had beene happy
Now justly scourg'd for disobedience.
A Caitiffe most accurst she is no other
That scornes the vertuous counsells of a Mother;
So farewell light of eyes, ne'r to intice,
Horrour invades my blood, I am all Ice.

Dies.
Enter Emperour, Narcissus, Pallas, Calistus with attendants.
Emp.
Is she then dead.

Evod.
And that desperatly by her owne hands.

Lep.
O Cæsar grant this Corps to my dispose.

Emp.
'Tis at your free dispose convey her hence,
And now since we are free by faire revenge,
Never shall marriage yoake the minde of Cæsar
To trust the hollow faith of woman more,
And if we doe; may Heaven by treason foule
Shorten our dayes; the sequell of our raigne,
Shall to the good of Rome suppresse blacke vice.
Kingdomes are swallowing gulphes by carelesse rule,
Iustice makes Kings the Gods to immitate,
Vertue in Princes, is the Prop of state.