University of Virginia Library

Scœn. 3.

The Ghost of Malindo.
Pheudippe false? and shall the king exclaime?
VVrest vengeance from the rage of Cinthia?
Distraction talk'd of in the lower Dis?
O I am rauish'd with extremity
Of hellish laughter, of loud harmony:
Balme to my torture, musicke to my soule!
How sweete this clamorous eccho: all reuenge;
Crackes in the iawes of repercussiue aire:
Awake thou damned troupe of high-borne youth
Angels of darkenesse my deere friends awake,
Howle forth some ditty, that vast hell may ring
VVith charmes all potent; earth a-sleepe to bring.
VVee who be barr'd from happinesse by fate;
VVho be confin'de within the fiery gulfe,
The kingdome of perdition; who exempt
From full enioying of supernall good,
VVee do but laugh when our colleagues are damn'd
VVee triumph in their multitude, we daunce
Our dismall rounds; our changes double ouer
VVhilst pur-blind owles with night-rauens do consort,
And still together sing though Cæsars daunce:
I a meere caitife in the prime of youth.
Nourish'd an itching appetite to rule
The sudden rigor of which new disease
Crept in my deerest bloud; vntill at length
As maggots doe engender by the warmth
Of violent reflection; so attempt
VVas all encourag'd by desire, both which
Creating base ambition; bred my fall:
Thus do prædominant affects consume
All hope; and turne the substance into fume:
Yet seeing our fate is vn-auoide-able
VVhat may we answer sauing welcome fate?
For, happinesse wee exiles neuer knew,
Nor any ioy doth holinesse affoord
To vs the out-casts of Elizium,
But onely this: to yawne aloud below
VVith lofty shouts; when foes may ranged be
Amongst our hellish troupes for company:
Thus though my obscure shadow much compeld
Payes due alleageance to King Pluto's Court
Yet by the fatall wisedome being inform'd
Of dire euents, of Cinthia's reuenge,
Reuenge though future; yet in equity
Hereafter to be cast vpon the Prince
Mænander (he my downefall did approue
Doom'd execution, him do I abhorre)
VVill triumph in his mad Catastrophe:
And do awake to haunt his company:
My shadowed spirit walkes invisible
Can worke it selfe into a Tennis-ball,
Shoote through the Center, search into the Sea;
Slide through the Cauernes, penetrate stone-wals:
VVatch by the pillow of a sleeping man
VVithout all notice taken, without noyse;
Hath liberty to play the Incubus;
Haunt whom I please with apparitions,
By priuiledge assum'd from Pluto's fordge:
Thus do I haunt Pheudippe; I suggest
Visions of aire, of nocturnall fume,
Forceable to buzxe falshoood in his braine:
Falshood in whom the King so deere accounts
VVill breed a rigor in the Kings exclaimes;
Till hee impeach ador'd deuinity,
His anger will expostulate the cause
Of change so suddaine, of a breach, in loue
So manifest; improper, then Distrust
VVill answere chang's deriu'd from Cinthia:
His passion will approue the pedigree
And after ful-stuff'd oathes crowne blasphemy:
Then bloudy iaw'd reuenge will trot apace
Vpon his winged curtall; to attache
Mænander of high-treason: O my Ghost
Shall quaffe downe Lethe; tumble in the Wash
The raine-bow couloured waues of Acheron:
I, like some Sea-fish, frolicke with faire shine,
Will tosse about the billowes of our floud;
Then through the flames (in leiu of triumph) scudd;
Till then, implore some wrinkled witch, some hag,
VVhich may prouoke Mænanders patience:
To torment braue companions yeeld much ease
In sicknesse our associates helpe disease.