 | Cinthia's revenge : Or Maenanders extasie |  |
Act. 3.
Scœn. 1.
Phevdippe, Laelio Dvx Militvm, Milites.Lae.
Most opportunely did you præ-acquaint
My place with a designe so requisite.
Phe.
Captaine, you haue well easd my anxious feare
But bounty shall remunerate thy care:
The title Vize-roy (Captaine) doth attend
To counteruaile thy meritorious act:
The famine doth already tyranize.
Lae.
VVhat policy procures the famishment?
Phe.
All insurrection do I disappoint,
Subdue resistance, mollify the fierce
And peeuish ouer-looking multitude
By a substraction of their vsuall foode
VVhich will discourage appetite to warre:
But vnexpected liberality,
And satis-faction of their empty mawes
VVith rich aboundance after penury,
It will enchaine the base to loyalty.
Lae.
A proiect most ir-reprehensible.
Phe.
The chiefest on-set doth belong to you:
Doe you conceiue a full aduertisement
How your conceite doth apprehend mee sir.
Lae.
To supper you'le inuite the honest King—
Phe.
Honest?
Lae.
I; simple, indiscreet, bloud-raw,
Of small experience to beguile, suspect,
Frowne, laugh, kill, flatter with a tyrant's face;
A King too-open-breasted for this age;
And so the world doth honest men account
By way of high reproach.
Phe.
Smooth Orator,
Ingeniously well worded is thy speech:
May not the sequele perish, now proceed.
Lae.
To supper you'le inuite this honest King;
Hee (not mis-doubting home-bred violence)
With a select strong millitary troupe
I, and the Guard together, will inuade
Murther (a-midst the cups and Magistrates)
Him; who shall surfet of each fatall wound;
Shall rather dye then see Pheudippe crown'd.
Phe.
Captaine, thy apprehension is acute
Thus bounty will oblige men resolute:
With-draw, your seuerall reward is future;
A pregnant Pupill thriues without his Tutor.
Scœn. 2.
Menander, Phevdippe, Hyarchvs, Hipponax, Evphorbvs.Hy.
The popular inuectiue doth exclaime
Vpon Pheudippe; sweare with open voyce
Hee bred this famine.
Phe.
Am I then betraid?
Will my sage Steward turne delinquent? ha?
Men.
Can my Pheudippe proue disloyall? no,
Doth hee intend subuersion of my state?
Ev.
Wee may consult of war-like discipline
Amidst our heigth of solace; (though secure)
Although at league with euery Potentate
So may wee well aduise your Maiesty
To haue a watchfull ouer-looking spy
Vpon your haughty Duke; (though innocent;
Though in himselfe obsequiously bent)
Learning aduanc'd may proue iudicious;
But (if mis-ledde) extremely vitious.
Me.
Tell mee my proper Genius may proue false,
My bloud become a traitor to my life;
The issue of my loines degenerate;
Say; this right hand conspires against my head;
Tell mee; the Gods whom I adore, neglect
Religion, doe forbid all sacrifice;
And I beleeue you: but the villaines lye,
Who dare imagine my Pheudippe false.
In-faith I am affraid you do abuse
My honest friends integrity, too much;
Pheudippe false? my bosome-counsellour?
The earth will shake at such a prodigy:
Some Phaeton shall mount the Chariot
Of our vp-rising Phœbus, and enflame
The world againe; each widdow shall conceiue
Without mans aide fiue dragons at a birth,
All threatning this impossible euent,
Ere I do entertaine a sillable
Of your sug-gestion: though the Gods descend
Though they admonish my credulity
(In speciall) to beware of whom wee speake
And call him traitor; ô I should reply
Within the bounds (I feare) of blasphemy.
See how hee walks perplex'd with agony;
My anger shall im-proue his patience.
Pheudippe.
Phe.
Doth my dread Soueraigne call?
Men.
What doth my demi-selfe Pheudippe doe?
Phe.
Beshrew my melancholique dumps I doe;
Which preter-mit Mænanders Maiesty
Without obeysance; whilst I walke secure
Me.
His aro-mâticke breath perfumes the aire:
The spicy fields where gossa-moure doth grow
Haue not one vapour halfe so redolent:
I must for fashion chide him fatherly.
Friend, friend, you are ambitous of rule,
Report exclaimes vpon your dignity;
All attribute the times calamity
Of dearth, to you the Authour; who ingrosse
Heapes of prouision without reall cause;
I must not winke at fraudulent abuse
Done to my Subiects; rather abuse mee:
Thou mightst enioy full many blessed yeares,
Liue in an æquall happinesse with mee,
Rather then thus neglect my sincere loue,
And loose the hope of our munificence
Do not (I pray) deserue that infamy
VVith which our scandalizing age condemnes
Thy whole endeuours; ô redeeme the losse
Of Loyalty; a thing so pretious.
Reiect those machinations infinite
VVith which the people charge thee; I conceale
The horrour of a rage so violent
As some censorious Critticks haue adiug'd
To dwell within thy bosome: prethee thinke
Whether I do deserue thy impious hand
To thrust me from a lineall descent
Or (being downe) deserue thy helping hand,
To rescue and vphold my primacy.
Phe.
Some better Angell be auspicious
Vnto my naked answere; (mighty King)
Your deepe discretion may with ease collect;
(Though I were dumb and did through silence purge
This weighty accusation) that per-force
To publicke censure all authority
Is often subiect: so ir-regular
Be sudden apprehensions; as vpright
The Prudent fam'd for ignominious
Mad Authors, of sicke innovation;
(Though not resolued how this language meanes:)
I do in ample, and with open tearmes
Confesse the crime suppos'd, not culpable,
Though burthen'd with ambition) I confesse
A dutious loue vnto the Common-weale,
Hath bred my damage; Ouer-diligence
May summon actiue zeale to a defence,
Which doth appeare in my ill-tun'd event,
As you perceiue, or call me insolent.
The famous Art of Mathe-maticke Rules,
(Wherein my ignorance will never boast
A singularity of knowledge, or conceit)
Did by infallible demonstrations
Fore-signifie this famine: ô resolue
Whether then by the law of Nations
I be accomptable vnto the Gods
For this pretended accusation;
Seeing to the safety of our Common-weale,
A prouidence coniecturall hath vrg'd,
My whole indevour? If vnto the Gods
I am excus'd; what impudence will dare
With false-hood to accuse my innocence?
For those designes which Gods allow, ne're can
Be in themselues offensiue vnto man.
Know therefore (vpon hopefull præ-science)
I did ingage a new dexterity,
To counteruaile the famishment fore-knowne,
I did ingrosse provision, did expend
Twelue-months revenew to accomplish corne:
Ill be my paines acquited, worse my loue;
Which, labours in the common cause may proue.
Thus imputations are too vsuall,
And bad constructions are authenticall.
Some Kings, (to manifest prædominance)
Honour aboue de-merit, offices,
Popular Cities, and in-franchis'd Townes;
Nay whole dominions, Dukedomes they'le bestow,
And raise a simple Mushrom to the height
Of any monarch's due magnificence;
Till by excesse of labour, sweate of braines,
Hee hath enrich'd his beggerly estate;
Then (like a full-ripe Orenge; or indeed,
Like a deceitfull spunge, whose empty pores
The owner doth replenish) hee must looke
To feele a sudden crush, a nip will squease
Him; who pretends hee may be rich and please:
If then my Title (ô iuditious King)
My now desertlesse wealth, or eminence,
Which (by especiall fauour I enioy,
Which freely were bestow'd long since) if these
Shall be accounted error and offence,
Or be imputed to my sawcinesse,
I doe submit, and will my crime confesse;
If your vn-reprehended sapience
Thinke it a pollicy expedient,
Il'e runne to exile, dye in banishment,
Liue like a scritch-owle in some secret caue,
Turne errant caitife, and so dye a slaue:
If you suppose it bee availe-able
Or to diminish, or annihilate
To dis-anull, or to abbreviate
My large allowance; if you doe account
The base degrading of a loyall peere
Will giue aduantage and security
To your successiue regiment; (may which
Continue to the worlds æternity:)
If thus you doe imagine (dreaded Liege)
Loe, I will prostrate fall, and aske a boone,
Begge that the heads-mans Axe may ouer-take,
May with a bloody sentence, mee salute,
Would I the messenger of death re-greet;
Till then, most lowly kisse your graces feet:
Me.
Arise my faithfull honourer, arise:
Good honest soule, thy language would enforce
The Cannibals to turne compassionate:
I will trans-mit thee into Scythia,
To Pontus, to the fierce vn-tamed Getes,
Till with a fluent phrase, thou doe compell
Their savage superstition to submit,
And mee acknowledge, as their lawfull King:
Thus thou like Orpheus couldst (I'me sure) enthrall
The rude Arabian, or the rugged Gaule,
And captivate their longing audience
With an æternity of eloquence.
Thus couldst thou re-inlarge my soueraigne awe,
Thus multiply each prouince, thus augment
The bounds of our dominion, or de-duce
Appointed troopes of Colony; with voyce:
But (my alone beloued) never thinke
I will exchange thy noble company
For temporall possession: though the Gods
Would all resigne Olympus, and elect
Mee as co-heire in-dubitate to Ioue,
Vpon Proviso to forsake this friend,
I rather would refuse deuinity,
Liue like a drudge in darke obscurity,
Then leaue so loyall, so compleat a friend:
And yet this man deserues a watchfull eye;
Speake you censorious ranke of Magistrates,
Doth hee deserue suspition? who replyes?
Evph.
Reports and rumour did deserue aduise.
Me.
Who guided by report so farre doth blame
Another, as to argue his ill-name,
Insisting much on some particular,
Detects himselfe, an Asse auricular.
Phev.
This vn-expected fume to pacifie
A Summer banquet, and I shall intreate
You the Patricians to accept my loue,
Rather then bounty; whom I will invite
And feast with my beloued Liege to night.
Me.
With temptiue cups wee'le wash away conceit,
And so renew each health in sober height.
Scœn. 3.
Phevdippe.May then my cauterised soule forsake
The rules of nature? sanctimonious law?
Religion? or distinct humanity?
The common sparke of times morality?
Must lethargy now seize vpon my soule?
Shall my infectious humor so controule
Iudgement? so much preferre fantasticke ioy?
Giue licence to dis-loyall trechery?
Atheisme? Rebellion? blacke deformity?
O most vn-gouern'd appetite of man!
Wee may fore see what few escape, e're can.
Resolue me, Sophist, or Philosopher,
Some cunning morall disputant resolue,
If (as the people do maintaine) Gods liue,
Gods, who reuenge our close iniquity.
And search the re-cluse corners of each soule;
Why doe the Gods forbeare to punish me?
Who am as wicked as a man may be:
Why doth Olympus, or the Gods who dwell
Within that fabricke suffer smoaky hell,
Horror, impostume, prodigies, and death,
Vengeance, delay; to stop a villaines breath?
Can such a sublunary slaue as I
Out-liue two minutes longer? Thus protract
A peace-able successe, without heauens cracke?
Whilst I am waking? do the Angels keepe
No watch for Kings? then Iupiter awake,
And giue the world some notice that you take
Especiall care on Princes: ô mee thinkes
Morpheus the God of sleepe, who daily winkes,
Should leaue his drunken catalogue of dreames,
And start with repetition of extreames,
Wherewith I am infected; seas should burne,
Beares, woolues, and Lyons peace-able should turne
Into their antique affability,
And argue men of much impiety.
Now should thy thunder (loue) assaile the the fort
Of my ambitious hope, by way of sport,
Blast me with lightning, brand me full of spots;
Who haue intrench'd a garrison of plots
Against my second maker, 'gainst my King,
So credulous, so clement, so sincere,
So flexible, and gratious to me,
As I without him neuer had my name;
Hee hath endeer'd my dangerous attempt,
Is both indulgent of each true surmise,
And zealous of each tale that may arise,
Or to detect, or to oppugne my pride,
My most perfidious dealing; doth deride
All true suggestion of his Councellors,
VVho would exasperate his amity,
VVhilst I inchant his eares with flattery,
VVith meere dissimulation (Physicke Art)
My gilded dagger stabs him to the heart.
Can my streperous passion eccho forth
A sound so dismall ir-religious,
VVithout some sudden earth-quake omenous?
VVithout a clap of thunder to be-numme
My trembling ioynts, and make my language dumb?
Then Il'e inferre the masly frame of earth,
Man vniuersall, peasant, patriarch,
Be gouern'd by the Gods, no more then sheepe,
Or Il'e depose, the Gods be all a-sleepe:
Scruple in actions doth augment the vice,
Which courage hath surnamed Cowardice.
Soone may a states-man savour of the Foole,
Who leaues his torrent for a standing-poole;
Who doth neglect his high præ-eminence
For safety of a quiet conscience.
All senior Sophists, and each puisne else
Account him wise, who's wisest for himselfe.
Yet for conceited disputation sake,
A long discourse of Honesty Il'e make,
Of times corruption will I saterize,
And with each cunning nature temporize.
Thus doth a serpent, which will satisfie
His common thirst, and Summer heat allay,
After hee is approach'd vnto the banke
Of pleasant Nilus, without much delay,
Instinct doth teach him to dis-gorge the bagge
Of poyson, kept in his pernitious iaw,
Till hee hath tasted the resulting waue;
Then readily lickes vp the viscous gall
Which hee by nature did e-vacuate,
And so remaines his body temperate,
His poyson (though suspended) virulent.
So when wee craftie fellowes (for attempt)
By sudden motiues do remember wayes
Which men more honest, name Legitimate,
Or by conuerse, if wee shall tempted be,
To shew the bent of our affections, wee
Doe like the thirsty snake, renounce our Saint,
(Accounted sinne) which re-assume wee will;
So re-assumption makes the Serpent still:
If my designes incurre discouery,
I then admit, the King is mercifull,
And hee a milke-sop is, (wee may resolue)
Noble attempts beget experience,
Re-publiques purchase mundane pollicy
Through obseruation; my successe will bring
Plenty of knowledge: errors difficult
Daily in-gender rationall discusse,
Which by events doe sweepe away the sinke
Or muddy oppilation of our sence,
Originall of knowledge is offence:
I therefore thus imbarqu'd for enterprise,
May win a double stake, learne wit, and rise.
Scœn. 4.
Lvcilla, Phevdippe, Mantesio.
This frolicke euening, full of silent aire,
Speakes a successe to thy, atchieuements, faire:
Both time an opportunity's, benigne;
The Sunne at his departure, seemes to smile,
My banquet is prepar'd, which must beguile:
No apparitions, no refulgent starre,
No threatning Comet can our act oppose,
No new trans-figur'd meteor disclose
Our most herôicke humor, and annoy
The glad conception of all future ioy.
Phev.
Nay, if a plot so well-contriu'd, so square,
So formall, so iudicious, should proue
Ill-featur'd, and abortiue, I'de forsweare
All crafty dealing; never would I moue,
Compassion with repentance; to obtaine
Most absolute forgiuenesse, though the King
Do then release my criminall attempt,
I'de not en-deere his donatiue, except
With resolution to escape the law,
And wreake more ample vengeance on my selfe,
With my owne proper hands, through violence.
So rich in expectation, so oblig'd,
May now mis-carry, and repugnant proue;
Il'e sure prevent the heads-man, hang my selfe
VVith expedition, hire a mounte-banke,
Some noted empr'icke, to anatomize
My polititian corpes, dissect my scull.
Boyle tongue and heart together in my blood,
Effuse them into broth made of my braines,
In which, my vnctuous kidney-lease dissolu'd
VVith my more lushious marrow, may compose
A poultice, which will speedily contriue
The downe-fall of erected favorites,
Enflame desire-then disanull the ends
VVhich that affection gapes for: I resolue
Thus to bequeath my members, to the sect
Of those, who narrow inquisition make
After each mysticke vertue, physicall;
If our attempts proue not effectuall.
Lv.
Then præ-suppose your proiect well do thriue,
VVhat recompence may Lælio expect,
Chiefe captaine of the guard; whose instant blow
Giues an advantage so peculiar?
Phe.
That my officious Captaine of his guard
The cunning woolfe hath taught me to reward.
Lv.
Resolue the manner, be emphaticall.
Ph.
The famish'd woolfe (whom hunger oft endues
VVith belly-courage to be valiant)
If by aduenture his extremity
Meets with a beast of more validity,
Though lesse tyrannicke rapine then himselfe,
Hee (practis'd in such skill pernitious)
Eates clay, to make his body ponderous;
Striuing by art to æquall natures strength,
Till hee depresse, and over-come at length.
By which instinct, his booty once obtain'd,
An easie vomit naturall doth purge
Which (after conquest) hee thinkes little worth:
Eeu'n thus the Captaine Il'e re-munerate,
And with contempt, Il'e re-capitulate
His humble seruice; so casheere the hope
Of due re-quitall, with a good excuse,
We entertaine those agents but forvse.
Heere comes my faithfull steward; speake what newes?
Man.
The Captaine with his military troope,
I haue appoynted to their ambush; they
Expect vpon my signall (gratious Duke)
The Kings vaunt-curriers doe each testifie
His glad approach; giue eare to Maiesty.
Scœn. 5.
Phevdippe, Menander Lvcilla, Hipponax, Evphorbvs, Hyarchvs, Lelio, Milites, Lesbia.
The most of subiects welcome, to my Liege,
Accept our weake indeavour, I beseech;
Sit (gratious King) the Cates containe our loue.
Me.
Wee doe accept, and will deserue (my deere)
This thy extended free munificence:
This plentifull provision I may call,
(With licence of our Ethickes) Liberall.
Phe.
No (my most mindfull & more sapient Prince)
I am your vassaile, drudge, obsequious,
Not bountifull; for 'tis impossible
That a dependant caitife who doth owe
His whole indeavour, and essentiall part,
His poore existence, spirits animall,
His function, his each power vegetall,
To a supreame efficient, should obtaine
(After a free expence, to gratulate
His all-respectiue patron, God, or Saint)
Of Bountifull, or Liberall, because
Duty and loue exact such obsequies
For lawfull Kings, instead of sacrifice.
Me.
What meanes thy mad irruption Lælio?
Ph.
The ambush, the ambush; strike fellow, strike.
Lae.
Strike this ignoble traytor, Cockatrice,
The subtill vermin base Pheudippe, strike,
Strike fellowes, strike, as doth your Generall,
Who hath withstood temptation actuall.
Hip.
If deere temptation, if inticement smile,
Happy is hee who can himselfe beguile.
Me.
Amazement be my death; deere captaine hold.
Lae.
Hold from the rescue of my royall King?
No: Wee were tempted to thy causelesse death.
Me.
Permit the traytor to enioy some breath.
Ph.
My wounds are many, I degenerate,
Liu'd villain-like, and dye a reprobate.
Lv.
My husband, my deere husband is betraid,
Anothers death makes guilty men afraid.
Me.
Infamous change of dignity! deere friend,
Loyall repentance might againe restore,
(Couldst thou reviue) thy simple innocence.
Captaine, you haue abus'd our Maiesty,
And thy audacious act will wee revenge.
Lae.
Revenge a traytors ignominious death?
Me.
Traytor? thou lyest, admit his actiue bloud,
His nimble braine, acute sincerity,
Conceiu'd some sober meanes to ratifie,
Or to confirme opinionate beliefe,
With tryall of our vn-attempted loue;
May this deserue a stab? what insolence
May tearme this loyall proiect an offence?
Il'e over-vexe with artificiall fire,
Thee (slaue) who didst Pheudippe's death conspire.
Lae,
May tretchery be then accounted zeale?
To his perswasiue lines I do appeale.
Fowle matter of sedition: I avouch
The guard to witnesse, I implore the Gods
In their omnipotence, to testifie
The zeale of my affection; to resolue
Whether this kingdome had not suffred woe,
Thy Maiesty beene trampled vnder foote,
Thy sinewes crack'd, thy bones vn-buried,
Sparta beene batter'd with intestine warre,
If through dis-loyall humor, through neglect
Of homage, we had hearken'd to the false,
But honey-mouth of this rebellious man.
Me.
Insolent sir, suppose my friend were false,
(Which I can scarce imagine) or suppose
Confident faith made him erronious:
Will you abridge the tryall of our law?
Prevent my absolution? I appeale
Vnto the blessed Theater of Saints,
Let holinesse, or let humanity,
Your zeale, how much defectiue, testifie:
For though the three dimensions did concurre
In his offence, yet I had mercy left.
Pheudippe, simple man, thy false designes
Ne're knew a height in mischiefe so extreame,
A bredth, or depth in folly so profound,
So villanous, but our compassion knew
A meanes to mitigate thy error; See
My Concubine comes fraught with sober newes;
Beginne, resolue, and so ex-aggerate
Our heauy losse, wee will intoxicate
Our soule with im-bibition of more change:
Begin, depose an accident so strange,
As repetition of two syllables
May strike vs with a sudden lethargy,
And so conclude a Kings Catastrophe.
Les.
The queene—
Me.
There make thy period; wee know
Mischiefe (like mighty waues) ne're comes alone.
Some winged Dragon; is shee so? or dead?
Les.
Privately walking in the forrest-groue
A ruffaine seiz'd her, slue thy hopefull Queene,
Truss'd vp the carkasse on a speedy nagge,
Which by instruction (as my iudgement giues)
Flew fast away, like Pegasus: poore I
(Never-enough contented with a chance
Of so secure amazement) stupid wretch,
I looking stood immoue-able with feare,
Whilst hee vpon his palfrey cut the aire;
Whilst ev'ry mountaine eccho'd with laments,
The hollow rockes, and ev'ry bush repents
Their weake vn-able powers to resist
And stop the caitifes passage: ô desist
From a pursuit of such high consequence
Not a small minute longer; captaine flye,
A bold careere may stop loues destiny.
Lae.
Wee'le flye with expedition; follow friends.
Me.
Discharge a bullet in my naked breast;
Be charitable some auspicious arme.
Hyar.
My daughter, ô my daughter, shee is dead.
Me.
Faire Favorina's dead, thy loue, my Queene,
My deere Pheudippe's dead our ioyes bee gone
Evp
Mirror of change! the plagues of Cinthia
Are manifest, revenge is palpable,
O that assembly (sir) who by command
Of your in-iunction did restraine the vow
Which masculines a-like with females owe
To Cinthia, great Goddesse of the aire,
Was without question all-erronious.
Hip.
Your edict which pronounc'd her deity,
Sole-potent ouer fœminine degrees,
Which did confine her awe cœlestiall:
To that vnable sexe, seemes triviall:
These accidents do cancell your designe,
They dis-allow your obstinate decree,
O now reforme delusion: terror speakes,
Cinthia is Goddesse over humane sexe.
Me.
Cinthia's a female wether-cocke, a whore,
Doth shee afflict our happinesse? resolue
Speake (friends) deliuer what you thinke.
Hip.
Abstaine
(Distressed King) from blasphemy; beware
Iudgements more strict may follow; these but scare.
Me.
O could I compasse with a sudden leap,
The verge of bigge Olympus, or assault
With Swallowes-wings, the orbe of Cinthia!
O my revenge, my sweet reuenge, more bold
Then bloody-iaw'd Bucyris, then the Boate
Which slue dame Venus-ioy, should wrathfull vexe
Her opposite excelse deuinity.
With rage would I blaspheame, though angry Ioue
Makes ready thunder to præcipitate
My daring voyce: I will ingeminate
With deepe derision, her distastfull name,
Enforcing others to abuse the same.
Doost thou not heare mee Cinthia? dissolue
The melancholly clouds which maske thy brow,
And let compunction mollifie thee (witch)
Forth from thy cloudy pallace (Luna) peepe
And with incessant soft contrition, weepe:
Reduce the antique deluge with thy teares,
Turne thy reioycing into pale-fac'd feares.
Cinthia, remember my abuse, and blush,
Blush thou immodest harlot, be asham'd
To looke vpon the shadow'd vniverse.
Catch mee some whirle-wind with a sweeping blast,
And carry mee aloft, Il'e vexe the Moone
For shee (vngratious Goddesse) doth afflict
Vs, and our dignity: shee did suggest
Rebell-temptations to my beauteous friend,
Whose innocence I euer shall commend.
Hip.
Manifest proofe (Mænander) doth detect
Compos'd of pregnant infidelity:
To mischiefe his endeauour's daily bent,
I ever thought hee was male-volent:
Of crimes detected (blame vs if thou wilt)
Despairing apprehensions, argue guilt:
Hee did alike despaire: which proceeds
From the confusion of abortiue deeds:
I do enforce, that Cinthia hath done well,
Shee giues good warning to prevent a hell:
These weaker med'cines do but search the wound,
Least rotten members perish; to confound
An vlcerous limbe'is worse then scarifie;
But rather then loose all: what remedy?
To Cinthia's, revenge ô this apply:
Me.
Touching her name Il'e proue a renegate,
My sudden scourge what soule can tollerate?
Scœn. 6.
Cinthia.Error of man which over-tops the sky,
And with quicke waftage doth for vengeance fly;
Cal's downe Gods iudgement (mischiefe to amend)
Nay, often doth enforce the Gods descend:
Horror, more vgly then the iawes of hell,
Horror, that apprehension doth excell,
Startles my God-head to imagine how
I further may avenge the Spartans vow:
Shall wee (great empresse of Imperious night,
Heavens wonder, and wide Corinths blessed Saint)
Thus be, ô thus compel'd, presumptuous King,
To spit our vn-appeas'd flames in thy face?
O the sharpe edge of bitter blasphemy!
How deepe incision doth attend on it?
Flesh cannot brooke one triviall abuse,
No; Il'e inflict a terror to offence,
And will (without compassion) scourge thy sence:
For like some snow-ball toss'd vpon hot coles,
Thy wit shall vanish, and thy sence consume:
A madnesse must ensue, but mad alike,
Neuer was any; those that see shall shake
And tremble at our vengeance; but because
Thy vn-aduised rashnesse railes vpon
Our monthly change, vp-braiding holinesse,
With a false friends mis-carriage, Il'e impose
A change vn-parralel'd, which ner'e shall cease,
Till thy distracted body sleepe in peace:
The most magnificent may learne of thee,
Kings from a dreadfull vengeance are not free:
Kings may like petty-gods, insult below,
But of a deere-deepe reckoning they must know:
Fame, freedome, fates, and all that may conspire
To make man happy, shall not make thee man:
For Fates doe rescue neither life nor fame,
If Gods high iustice do inthrall the same:
Nor may the strict evasion of mis-hap,
Hurt who secured lye in Uertues lap.
But if destruction be aboue decreed,
Meanes stop in iustice, few by meanes are freed.
Fall then the horror of blaspheaming feares,
Not wip'd away with pœnitentiall teares;
Till by his death my vengeance be appeas'd,
And wrathfull famine absolutely pleas'd.
Scœn. 7.
Amilcar, Gracchvs.
What you already with good cause condemne,
I must (though need not) vrge thee to contemne
With all extremity of noble hate,
To proue vnthankfull if occasion speakes,
The ioyfull head of free-borne bounty breakes:
Gr
Do but imploy your bond-slaue (mighty Lord)
If Kings command not, how can slaues accord?
The blessings of my body, breath and soule,
Be so ingag'd, as their existence knowes
Not one redeemer amongst all the Gods,
(Fabulous things to mee) except your selfe:
You haue replenish'd my poore empty veines,
Haue lent new spirits to despairing hope
Nay haue bestow'd a whole creations worke
Vpon mê offall-caitife, who adore
Impression of your foot-steps; that is all:
Expecting hourely on the happy time
When you shall dare command what I dare do:
When with advantage you will but pronounce
O Gracchus, giue mee of thy bloud an ounce:
An ounce? take fifty pottles Id'e reply,
Open your selfe a passage to my soule,
To take a lawfull debt who dares controule?
Nor do impute this loue to lacke of wit,
Or some dis-ioynted weakenesse of the braine;
For if I argue as the thing demands,
Vnlesse my life, what with your honour stands?
Let mee professe, vnto the Saints and you
I do desire imployment, will bee proud
Of death or life, being by your selfe allow'd.
Ami.
Life wee allow, but never wish thy death,
For wee expect vpon true diligence,
And must improue the nature of thy zeale;
Eunuch's, forbidden actions do conceale;
Thou art an Eunuch, listen to my shame,
Then giue aduise, and secresie, though blame:
I loue; no, rather lust and loue the Queene,
Whom (all-supposing dead) by stratagem
And strong delusion of her silly sence,
Nor did shee seeme repugnant to such ruth
My Rhetoricke was clad in robes of truth:
Affirming shee might thus reuenge the spleene,
Of proud Lucilla (who malign's her state)
Giuing no colour of reuengefull hate;
As to subborne a subtle wretch I vow'd
Who with aboundant knowledge being endow'd
Most caitife-like should counterfeit, no lesse,
(For pænitent compunction) heauinesse;
And so diuulge hee slew the Noble Queene,
There-to induc'd by poore Lucilla's spleene:
Then should Lucilla liue no longer day
But loose each vitall benefite for aye:
Thus did the hope of vaine reuenge entice
Woman to proue more valiant then wise:
Whom I (as captiue) do retaine, till shee
Shall manu-mit my selfe, (her bond-slaue) free.
Gra.
Heere in the Village doth your Goddesse liue?
Ami.
Heere; and thy selfe though sprung of humane seed
As Iaylor to my Goddesse I areed.
Faithfully wise wee doe account thy loue;
And managing of this designe will proue
Thy elegant enforcements, touching mee,
Which (happily per-chaunce) may set both free.
O now my bloud and reason be at warre
With apparition of this fatall starre:
Fatall to mee, because inchanted beames
Shoote from her eye-lids into loue-sicke streames:
See where shee comes with excellence enough
For fifty thousand of the female sexe,
Beauties which blesse the owner, neighbours vex.
Scœn. 8.
Favovrina, Gracchvs, Amilcar.
Are you my Lords attendant?
Gra.
(Madam) no,
But a poore bond-slaue, who can easily owe
The hazard of a soule in sacrifice
To his good Honours health, and pay the debt
Without compulsion, or a double threate.
Ami.
Madame hee is the blessing of my fate
Borne to my fortunes, and my whole estate.
Fa.
So: then resolue what newes.
Am.
All feare is fled:
The worst of womans feare, Lucilla's dead.
Fa.
Most welcome tidings! speake, I pray, and stuffe
Your happy speech with circumstance enough.
Ami.
Titan rous'd vp from darkenesse by the day
Shrunke with amazement of the fatall morne,
(Remembring what a mischiefe should befall)
For cloudy night-caps hee againe did call,
When my suborned vassaile gaue consent
To swimme (for satisfaction of our sake)
Through deepe damnations gulfe, so, through the lake
Of vn-digested horror, to accuse
My step-dame, yong Lucilla, of your death:
Hee, a dissembling caitife, deepely read
In ir-religious acts; with doubtfull face
More doubted voyce, and miserable grone
Salutes the foote-step of Mænanders throne;
Then weeping, said, the Worme of Conscience
Striues in my bloud; tortures my broken soule;
Haunted I am with terror whilst I liue
Who to my life a period will giue?
A finall period: for I liue too long
Let villaines fortune be my fatall song,
With which the sorry King was some-what mou'd,
And (after silence) did exact his name
My rude impostor did preuent the clause,
And seeming to afflict his pensiue heart,
Backe from the royall foote-steps doth hee start:
Helpe, ô defend mee from her hatefull frownes,
See where Medusa-like shee comes, (hee cried)
Clad all in torch-light like the Queene of hell
Her scalpe's en-circled with a Crowne of flames:
Much leane-iaw'd horror hangs about her eyes;
The gaping wound for greedy vengeance cryes.
What madnesse now affrights thee, quoth our knig?
Faire Fauourina's shadow hee replyes,
For throvgh entisements of Lucilla's spleene
I slew the gallant Bride, and Sparta's Queene:
Lucilla, by consent, was doom'd to death
And my Impostor also, whom I taught
For lifes owne safe-guard to beseech the King,
That his vprighteous iudgement of grim death
Might faile of execution, iust so long
As the condemn'd Lucilla did suruiue
Thinking by this, then to discouer all
And say hee did preserue whom shee conspir'd to kil.
The King, enrag'd with sorrow, did re-pell
This poore petition of my totur'd slaue:
Who then despairing to escape from death
Drew forth a dagger, gaue one fatall stab
Into the Kings owne bosome, with which wound
Hee like a lofty Turret, nodding low,
Clapt his victorious palmes aboue his head,
And swore a mighty oath, Menander's Dead.
Fa.
Mænander dead? My King and Husband dead?
Ami.
My slaue torne peece-meale did enioy his fate,
Lucilla burnt before the Pallace gate.
Fa.
Mænander dead?
Ami.
Yes, but Pheudippe's King.
Fa.
Pheudippe King?
Am.
Yes; but Menander's Dead.
Fa.
Opprest with sorrow, I lament his death:
But am appeas'd by proud Lucilla's breath.
What is a womans loue? when to reuenge
And empty out the poyson of her gall
Against some Lady her malignant foe
Shee doth forget compassion, doth refuse
Friendship to neighbours, duty to her Spouse,
Respect of parents, piety to bloud:
Nay, aboue these; abhor celestiall good.
Ami.
Now quickly (Madam) to disclose you liue
Were dangerous, and preiudiciall I doubt:
Therefore exspect on opportunity,
Least you infringe the league of vnity;
Till I aduise, liue (as you doe) secûre:
Safety's no lesse accepted of obscure
And Country Pezants, then of Courted Kings:
Place cannot change the nature of good things.
Finis Actus tertij.
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