 | Cinthia's revenge : Or Maenanders extasie |  |
Act. 5.
Scœn. 1.
Gracchvs, Favorina, Gladiator.
Madam, all chaste desires be laudable,
But if you tempt a mischiefe mercilesse,
Such certaine truths be doubtfull to auoide;
And I prefer the publicke safety still
(Which wants you as a chiefe and mouing wheele)
Before my simple damage, though the curse,
Railings, and wrath of my contemptuous Lord
Fall fast vpon me, like so many shaftes
Shot from heau'ns fabricke by offended Ioue:
Come therefore death, destruction, stabs or steele,
Come out-rage, madnesse, fierce amazing oathes,
Terror, and tortures come, what can betide,
You shall, vnknowne, by our aduice escape
Least long exspectance doe incurre the rape.
Fav.
I much commend your zealous charity,
Yet I beleeeue Amilcar cannot wrong
The harmelesse meaning of our innocence:
Suppose I doe exspect vpon the rage
And lustfull fury of that impious man,
Yet I presume the Gods will gouerne lust
And giue such valour to a vertuous maide
As shee may well in-counter Canibals.
Why should Amilcar seeme to conquer mee?
Or why assault my noble chastity?
Secûred hope, and heauen can witnesse too
I haue no biting bosome-snake which gnawes
With greedy vulture-teeth and stinging iawes
Vpon the pretious comfort of my soule;
No second In-mate ready to controule
Our quiet actions; no loud fearefull sinne
To stab mee in the midst of honest mirth
To make mee start and rob mee of content
No, no (good Gracchus) I am innocent,
And therefore not excluded from the helpe
Of heauens tuition; know I dare affront
Amilcar in the fury of his flames,
Raile at the stubborne youth, and make him melt
Eeu'n like a leaden statue, or indeed
Like some obdurate image caru'd of Ice,
Which through one blast of lightning doe despaire
And from tall statues vanish into aire:
I feele within mee such true noble signes
Of earnest courage, as no female thought
Can (except pure and pious) well compare:
I am not valiant, like a drunken whore,
Ramping by vertue of abused wine;
Nor is my resolution desperate,
I am not fearelesse, to see feare abound
But innocence is resolutions ground.
Gra.
Will you neglect my counsell to escape?
Will your deluded loue to innocence
Not reckon meanes ordain'd for innocence?
Protection doth imply our vigilance,
Else vertue is reputed arrogance;
Honest and simple hearts alone deserue
That in extremitie pure holinesse
Should make meanes thriue, not without good meanes, blesse.
(Madam) I sweare they lacke humanity
Who will teach men to tempt their destiny;
Beleeue it (Fauorina) I should feare
The doubtfull mercy of a hungry Beare:
They who desire to feele the Lyons paw
May liue in compasse of the Lyons Caue;
I know good meanes, neglected, make a slaue.
Fa.
(Gracchus) I once againe commend your zeale
Thanke, and admit your loue, which labours well
To win the heigth of our capacity:
Suppose Amilcar doe continue still,
Like a wilde Satyre, most libidinous;
Admit hee shall extend so farre as rape
And by the ruine of our modest grace
Erect a shamefull Priapus in place?
Tell mee (good Gracchus) what rich victory
Can the foole boast of? what egregious act
Can hee ascribe to conquest of our sex?
Wee are alas like wals vn-fortified,
Or like a Castle made of March-pane wals
Easely subdu'd, without fierce rauishment.
Women were made to make rash men repent.
Shame to my fortunes, I did seeke reuenge
And sure the Gods will turne reuenge on mee;
Lucilla's death, the Kings Catastrophe
Might haue bene both auoided, if reuenge
And malice had not bene so force-able
To banish pitty from our spightfull brest,
The want of which procur'd a funerall chest
To keepe the cinders of a sleeping paire;
Which losse, no time can proue, no age repaire:
Lucilla's death had my malicious doome
As Epitaph to dead Mænanders Tombe;
The plaintiffs lye which prou'd Lucilla's death
Did like-wise rob Mænander of his breath.
Gra.
(Madam) you are deluded; I can giue
A testimoniall that both doe liue.
Fa.
Mænander liue? and doth Lucilla liue?
Speake it againe, proclaime the newes aloud
Let heauen and earth be witnesse to thy tale:
Speake it againe (good Gracchus) giue the Gods
Notice againe of my certificate
Which makes mee in a glorious estate:
Dance my deiected soule, sing merrily
Leape all my organs, I am innocent,
Gracchus will witnesse, I am innocent,
My riuall yong Lucilla, no (good heau'n)
Gracchus will witnesse I am innocent:
Lucilla liues, my best Menander liues,
Speake it againe (good Gracchus.)
Gr.
both do liue.
Fa.
Beare witnesse now; hearke heauen, he said they liue
Take speciall notice of his name and words
For hee is prompt enough to iustify
Our depositions, neither will hee lye:
No, hee's an honest, very honest man
Is called Gracchus so inscribe his name;
And set his certaine testimoniall
Vpon record: Lucilla doth suruiue
And my Mænander hee is yet aliue:
So saith good Gracchus, so inscribe the same.
Ioy hath no passage through my rauish'd soule:
I did before put on a painted face
Forging false colour to my innocence
But now indeed am truely innocent:
Thou Gracchus be my iudge, and heau'n be iudge
I am not now defil'd with bloudy thoughts
And fearefull agues; thou be like-wise iudge
That false Amilcar is a menstruous ragge,
A youth ranke-rotten, before mellow-ripe:
Flye-blowne already as a carkasse hot
Which hath no shelter from the dog-day Sunne:
Beyond all vertues cunning to reclaime:
Goodnesse and reformation bee to him
Monsters in nature; and detested more,
Then of a Hermite is the common-whore.
Vices, like Maggots, creepe on him so thicke,
As who destroies the one, hee must not sticke
To follow the sub-version of them both:
Of lewd Amilcar and his lustfull growth.
Gra.
Who can escape the lime-twigs which are set
By loose affections to ensnare himselfe?
Man doth about him carry watchfull foes
For all without him, though by troups they come
Cannot offend, who is in peace at home:
Amilcar (Madam) is now riding post
Vpon exact imployments; his returne
Is doubtfull, therefore to auoid delay,
The loue and duty of my zeale obey.
A friend in whom I claime full interest
Doth giue attendance to accompany
Your Grace, till I can trusse a fardell vp
And follow.
Fa.
What's thy friend?
Gr.
A Fencer.
Gla.
I am ingag'd vpon fidelity
And must preserue you from hostility,
Eeu'n to the latest of a mortall life,
I will defend thee widdow, maide, or wife.
Fa.
My new redemption is a doubtfull taske,
You both doe promise more then I will aske:
And though my squint-ei'd fortune looke ascaunce
Yet heau'n will succour my deliuerance:
Which being once purchas'd, proud Amilcars lust
Shall vanish into Salamanders dust.
Gra.
Put on the wings of speed; flie fast away
I follow (Madam) before peeping day.
Scœn. 2.
Gracchvs, Amilcar, Servi.
Successe attend her, till I soone dispatch
And speedily escape Amilcars rage:
Saddle my horse, and fetch my Caskets, hoe,
Seruants make ready I must ride to Athens.
All men desirous to preuent quicke fate
Scorne (aboue all things) to procrastinate:
Watch there without, like busy centinels
And of my Lords returne, see some fore-tels.—
Ser.
Hee is return'd already; doth approach,
Gra.
Yes, to the diuell; death! is hee return'd?
I am vndone, I am vndone; (good genius)
Helpe mee; (good Angels) be auspicious,
Or I shall perish past recouery:
Senge mee some lightning, though in-visible;
O burne my bleeding heart; consume, consume!
Flye from my nosthrils an infectious fume!
Stop all my organs, ô commisserate
The bad mis-fortune of a poore estate:
Hee comes, hee comes—
Am.
(Gracchus my deere) how dost?
What answere makes my Goddesse? doth shee melt?
Doth she recant and aske my pardon? speake.
Gra.
No: I am troubled with a falling rhume.
Ami.
Fetch forth Pigmalions Image, I will doate,
And so become Cupids Idolater:
Stay Gracchus, wee will both accompany
Her sacred passage to the publicke aire:
What shaking palsie doth detaine thy steps?
Where is the Queene? speake (trembling coward) speake.
Gra.
She ouer-came mee with incessant teares;
To those I yeelded, ô forgiue my feares.
Am.
Yeelded? (base caitife) be our hopes all dead?
My labour, lyes, delusion, studied care,
All turn'd to smoake through yeelding of a drudge?
All our ingagements, my beneuolence,
My proiects, aimes, and large gratuities,
All come to this? the center of my thoughts,
My double trickes, and cunny-catching slights,
All come to this? the rich fælicity
Whereon my faith was grounded, come to this?
Come gastly horror to consummate all,
Adde ruine like-wise to my wit-lesse fall.
O my loud curse! delusion was my baite
And I am now deluded; learning failes;
No new inuented stratageme auailes;
And vertue I am not accquainted with.
You hope the Queene (sir) will aduance you high,
And hope so still, but (very, very knaue)
I will dis-ioint your eleuated hopes;
And make you (sir) an Alcibiades:
The Queene departed?
Gra.
Pitty did preuaile,
For shee did weepe, nor did of passion faile:
Her eyes (good Lady!) did with weeping smart,
Which made mee giue her licence to depart.
Ami.
I am vndone (you fragment) I'me vndone,
I am detected, whither shall I runne?
The haruest of my long laborious toyle,
Now I haue swom through death and swallow'd fire,
Giu'n doubtfull fury a most braue repulse
Put backe suspence, and all approaching feares
Almost concluded things impossible;
Made smooth my way, and tilted in the face
Of frowning mischiefe ready to take place;
Now, now is all sub-verted; I am lost
In a large Wood, a winding laborinth:
I am excluded from all natiue power,
Am like the rubbish of a ruin'd Tower;
I am abus'd, I am to death betrai'd,
By thee a doctor villaine; not afrai'd
To sweare mee homage, and vn-lace my heart:
The blessings of your body, breath, and soule
Be so engag'd, as their existence knowes
Not one redeemer among all the Gods,
(Fabulous things to you) except my selfe;
Thus did you sweare, and swore I gaue thee life,
Nay did bestow a whole creations worke
Vpon thee offal-caitiffe, who ador'd
Impression of my foote-steps that was all
Exspecting hourely on the happy time
When I should dare command what you durst doe,
When with aduantage, I would but pronounce
O Gracchus giue mee of thy bloud an ounce:
And yet your actions bee malicious:
Teach mee, some diuell, to torment the rogue,
Else take the righteous rigor of his fault
Into the depth of hels extremity;
Rescue, ô rescue this offending wretch
(Some powers aboue) from my most fatall-wrath,
For to afflict thee as the crime deserues
Would loose a double part in Paradice:
Yet must I punish thee (thou Spiders-gall)—
Ser.
The toade and spider cannot chuse but brawle.
Am.
—I must (you creeping cur) and would refuse
Rather to be a God, then to forgiue
A thing so capitall; and thou escape;
But an arch-diuell would I euer bee
A fiend of horrour beneath all degree,
Eate flames and brimstone to beget mee fierce
That with astonish'd fury I might pierce
And split each sinew; scare thy plumpest vaine,
So racke thy feeling with perpetuall paine.
Gra.
O feele compassion, for I do repent.
Ami.
Repent? compassion? I would rather whip
My weakned carcasse with a Scorpions taile;
Dwell in a nest of Adders, make them sting
Till patience could endure; then wash my wounds
With burning pitch and lamp-oile, bath in leade,
Or make a poultice of some swelling toad,
Rather then take one cruell thought from 'load.
Gra.
Your meanace and commotion do torment
Aboue all suffering; ô I will repent
Sixe thousand times a day; deuoure my flesh,
Feede vpon frogs, or quaffe downe aconite,
Kisse and embrace, a fearefull Succubus,
If you but leaue to terrifie mee thus.
Am.
No (theeuish tumbler) leaue thy cheating tricks
And sweare allegeance to some puny Lord,
Make those beleeue that lacke intelligence,
Though on thy bosome thou wouldst therefore crawle.
And, like a Serpent, liue vpon the dust:
Though by continuall creeping thou didst weare
Thy breast and belly, (so become submisse
In a most new degree) didst licke pathes cleane
Where I should walke, and scrape away the filth:
Imploy each seruile sinew to my ends,
Yet you and I must neuer more be friends.
Fall flat vpon thy face (thou paracide)
Fall downe as ready (captiue) to abide
Our indignation, which in child-birth lies,
Big with a thousand swelling lunacies:
Expecting all to be deliuered out,
And by vexation of thy falling strength,
To be an orbe in bredth, an age in length:
Fall (thou condemned Shismaticke) and charme
The killing rage of my aduanced arme;
For I shall proue so desperately mad
And full of rigor, in my sharpe reuenge;
As to reuoule the terrour of my doome
Phansy doth tremble, but my rage makes roome:
(False wretch) I must forget humanity,
And fall acquainted with some forrest Woolfe;
Hee, and such bloudy Tutors shall instruct
The shamelesse Art of sauage cruelty,
To kill thee, and become exorbitant;
I will anatomise thy limbs aliue;
Will mince small gobbets of thy quaking flesh
And feed my Haukes, while life continues fresh
Within the bloudy morsell; make the sluce
To quauer when they swallow downe the iuice:
The Turke shall teach mee to extend some plague
Of most vn-suffering nature: till the day,
And thy blaspheming breath doe both decay.
But ô quicke sorrow seize mee) what auailes
This villaines torture to my liuing woe?
Into a Rat, a Hedge-hog, Lowse, or Toade,
Some base and obscure animall) must feele
Torments more tedious then tongues may expresse,
AEquall to which is doubtfull heauinesse:
Nay, our attempts and high abuses done
Be of such horrid shape, such ample straine;
As to absolue them would require a Saint
With speciall pardon from almighty Ioue:
Yes, though I should obtaine that idle wish
Of transmigration; yet the shamefull troupe
Of sinnes which weare my scarlet liuery
Would follow fast, and (as Acteons dogs)
Teare mee to peeces, not remembring, once,
That I was maister of the family:
If, to become a new conformitant,
Imply'd a veniall act; each vertuous thought
Should be my fellow: 'tis the fault of all,
Wee doe despaire to stand, because we fall.
One maxime I retaine by priuiledge;
Such secrets, they doe seldome thriue, nor can,
Where we depend vpon the breath of man:
O had my drudge, my Vassaile bene but true,
And faithfull to the fore-cast of my hopes,
I had bene braue confederate of Kings,
Nay, might haue cal'd some Kings my feodars.
(O deuill) hadst thou bene to my desires
A sudden knaue and dutifull enough:
But for a time hadst thou continued so
Vntill some limitation did expire
With such obseruance as ranke deuils vse
Vpon the pretious morgage of a soule
I had bene ready to depart with all;
With pleasures, titles, all things, to enrich
Thy budding fortunes; all did I reserue
Till death determin'd my approaching fate,
Onely to thee, then all, was consecrate,
Your hopes and life (poore slaue) be pawn'd to mee
Whom no sworne-diuels Broker shall exceed
In scuruy vsage, though my heart-strings bleed.
Gra.
If no true mercy then may mittigate
Thy dull and stupid deafenesse. I do dare
The vt-most of your franticke violence,
Cast all thy Adder-stings vpon my heart;
Be thy conceited cramps more exquisite
Then is a terrible tormenting Bull;
Breake forth (Hyæna) get some peeuish dwarfe
To hacke mee downe at leasure; till I stand
Like a Colossus, like a Cedar tall
And yet immoueable with smarting wounds:
Stab me now (tyrant) or inflict full paine
Vpon each noble ioint and glorious veine,
Vertue shall keepe mee with a sacred charme
Against the strength of a stipendious arme:
The challenge of my cause being heard at large
All (to thy damage) would my griefes discharge:
Mocke babes and children (sir) with rods in pisse,
I did approue no true defence like this,
That I haue done vprightly; knit your brow,
Swell with a crabbed face conformable,
Let your offended garbidge fry in steakes,
Truth will auerre, and honest dealing speakes
That I haue done vprightly; be asham'd
Of thy vniust reuenge, and murther nam'd.
Ami.
Dare you then buzze (you beetle) and aduance
Your voice to contradict superiours?
Proud slaue come neerer; hee may liue 'mong rats,
Who will be daunted with a swarme of gnats,
Much lesse with one poore mushrump; petty sir
'Pray leaue to grumble, (you mad factious curre)
Torments shall mittigate and make you tame
Paines worse then death, shal make thee deadly lame.
Gra.
Do I deserue such paines? no fiery youth
A good officious part, if you proceed,
I will vn-maske your shamefull trickes indeed.
Am.
A squib, a squib, cracke, flash, and spit apace,
Breake (my oxe-bladder) vanish into breath,
A scritch-owle bids thee sing before thy death,
Squeake our rare bag-pipe; flesh-flye buzze againe,
Seeme to insult with voyce, (thou very sound)
Take thy last leaue, bequeath short life to ground.
Gra.
Harke how the monstrous whale doth roare alowd.
Am.
Presaging tempests (Pilot) in the straights.
Gra.
No huge sea-wonder) I a sword-fish am,
Who will by vertue most vpright and plaine,
Sting thee, and thresh thee, till thou rore with paine:
Proud man, remember what thou well deseru'st,
Thinke who hath tempted royall chastity;
VVho like a cheating thiefe did steale the Queene,
VVith lying vowes, and studied shamelesse oathes,
Did play the Iuggler; left the Kings high-way,
And went about to breake inclosures: thinke
VVho did excell in mischiefe, who did striue
To worship Diuels, who did seeke by lust,
And meanes new moulded, most in-ordinate,
To make a Heauenly Saint a Sodomite,
Compell pure thoughts to worship Priapus.
Thinke who protended to defile the Queene,
And did (aboue pretence) affirme the death
Of mad Mænander, the deluded King,
And vow Lucilla's death: obserue yong sir
The sutable description to the end;
And tell vs if it bee significant:
Or if the language be too blunt; obserue;
Tell your opinion of the congruence,
And spew a whetstone vp er'e I proceed:
Thinke if I vfe (sir) an affected stile,
Thinke also of the strange absurdities,
Thinke who's the subiect of my railing theame,
It is thy wicked selfe whereof I speake
And all vprightly spoken; you'le perceiue
You want much leasure (friend) to punish mee
For mischiefes neerer hand doe threaten thee:
Except thou dost despaire and hang thy selfe.
Ami.
Impudent diuell, didst not heare the voice
Of threatning tortures; like so many toads,
Night-rauens, or scritch-owles which together sing
Thy deaths decree, as a sad funerall dirge?
Repent, repent (slaue) and consider well,
Who is now sailing to the gates of hell.
(Scruants) come apprehend this Eunuch; hoe,
Reserue him till the rigor of my doome
Demands sharpe execution; tie the wretch
With loading manacles, and crucifie
This false condemned railer fifty times,
Till with excesse of paine the Traitor dies.
Gra.
I cannot now with-stand hostility,
But follow death with such alacrity
As one resolu'd vpon religious warre,
Such deaths doe purchase a triumphal carre.
Scœn. 3.
Evphorbvs, Bvfo, Menander, Laelio, Lvcilla, Mantesio, Perillvs.
Vnfold your Ensignes, beate your silent Drums,
Exchange (I say) their sable cognisance,
Adding a limitation to the feares
Of this great Captaines death: exhaustad teares
May mittigate compunction, not despaire
A losse vnmatch'd well worthy of repaire.
Weeping should shew our zeale, not once repine
At Prouidence aboue, which is Diuine.
But (Agamemnon) now the funerall rites
Be finished; new horror, new despights
Speake with a bloody accent: Aiax roares,
And like a tempest, or the Gyants race,
Which lay encamp'd against the God-like face
Of great Olimpus, doth hee bellow forth
Bumbast exclaimes, and cals vpon desert;
Giue me (saith hee) that armour which is due,
And (as a trophey of eternall fame)
May stout Achilles, that most valiant man,
Suruiue in mee: O thou vn-thankfull Greece,
(Helmets and launces bee my Orators)
Thou art indebted to my braue designes
Past restitution; let some Souldier speake,
And call thee Bankrout; for I am abus'd:
Will you admit a rivall then saith hee
In my magnanimous aimes to conquer mee?
Will you admit Vlysses?
Lae.
They approach.
Me.
Shall eu'ry coward be competitor
With Princes of such potent fortitude,
Such high descent, such saintish pedigree
As Greece can tell I Aiax doe enioy?
For Ioue and all the Gods acknowledge mee,
My arme hath whole share in the dust of Troy.
Per.
True (Aiax) true, take double share in dust,
But for Achilles now contend we must.
Me.
Contend with me? (thou creeping snaile) with me?
Whom wrathfull Hector on his Elephant,
Mounted like Neptune on the curled waues,
Loath to incounter, did forsake the field;
Through his faire absence did the Troians yeeld.
Pe.
But (Aiax) wise men know selfe-arrogance
Is still instructed sir to amplifie.
Me.
Fie (prating coxcombe) what a senslesse foole
To enter-change the aire, and empty voice
With such a sheeps-head, a poore Ithacan?
Per.
(Aiax) Your Giant bragges lacke pollicy,
Strength wanting wisedome, argues extasie.
Me.
Giue vs our launce and helmet, I consume
Till I haue turn'd this coward into fume:
Fetch some offensiue swords, and scimitars,
Iauelings and Curtaxe, I will crush this Ape,
And as a trophey weare his captiue skinne;
(The doubtfull terror of my certaine spoile
Which may affright, and make our foes recoile.)
Per.
What high renowne or fame is to be had
By fighting with a Souldier who is mad?
Me.
O my forgotten fury swell apace,
And spit forth lightning in the cowards face,
Who hath no title to his bold pretence,
But a most a poore vn-tutor'd eloquence.
Ev.
Aiax—
Bv.
Be silent, Agamemnon speakes.
Ev.
Hang taming fetters on your lofty frownes,
Compell thy wrath which is prædominant,
Force wilde affections (Aiax.) I professe.
Aiax you are too violent; leaue rage,
And by appointment of my poore aduice,
You (in this great assembly) shall recount
Your noble acts; which if they do amount
Beyond Vlysses memorable deeds,
The armour of Achilles then succeeds
To thee alone, made happy through desert,
Else to Vlysses shall the armes reuert.
Me.
Then let me challenge some prerogatiue
From this forgotten place: laugh Iupiter,
And blame the stupid braines of this rude throng,
Which with vnthankfull eies can here behold
(All rescu'd vassailes of my ventrous arme)
Yet make vs dead, and vaine Vlysses warme;
Warme with the bounty which the frozen snake
Will but abuse (my Lords) and you mistake.
What man was hee tooke danger by the iawes?
Gaue an assault of battry to the ribs
Of rampant Horror? hew'd a passage out
From spoile and ruine, to reape victory?
Wrestled, and rescu'd Nauies from the fire?
And did (for safety) senge his beard with flames?
Gaue to triumphant Hector the repulse?
Quench'd a combustion æquall in extreames
To burning Phaëton, and the torrid Zone?
What man was hee? No talking verbalist;
But I, eeu'n Aiax, with but halfe a fist:
Where was my smooth-tongu'd aduersary then?
What hope had weake Vlysses to supply
A Captaines part with schoole-boyes eloquence?
No (poore Vlysses) if thou apprehend'st
My vn-resisted victories aright;
If you conceiue your disabilities,
Your inclinations naturall, and raw,
Your lame, and halting courage in exploit;
Remembring sir with whom you do contend,
With mee, with Aiax, whom no feares offend,
Then magnifie your selfe, and thinke it praise,
Aboue thy merits, to confesse, by drum,
By harpe and sacke-but, that (though ouer-come)
Thou didst yet striue with Aiax, and renounce
Each other title, which may well denounce
Thee indiscreet, and thy assumption proud;
Helpe mee (deere Wisedome) to restraine, for I
Shall be transported into agony
So full of brazen impudence and feare,
As that proud linguist, my competitor.
Aduance, aduance, your melancholy brow,
Bend your attentiue polititians eare
To that which heauen and I will asseuere,
You haue been taught to dance, and turne the heele,
To runne away betimes, and to forsake
Thy friend, nay soule, vpon extremity.
Nestor, Tydides, both can well auerre,
You lacke the rules of doctrine militant;
All rescue is accounted heresie:
Which rule (if pitty and compassion both
Were not my maximes friend) had cost your life:
I saw death's Sergeant ready to arrest
Thy pensiue soule, when tumbling downe to earth,
I threw my target on thy pallid hearse,
Draue backe thy foes, and did thy soule reuerse.
Will you (sir) walke vnto the place againe?
Goe faigne some foes approach, put feare enough,
And wounds on, for a shift, shrinke vp againe,
And like the Tortoise vnder-creepe your shell;
So sir contend I pray, and stammer well:
Be wise (you mighty Captaines) and collect
How Hector did the Troian troopes renew,
Amazing vaunt-guards with a multitude
Of heathen Gods giuing a bloody cause
Of quicke despaire to my Antagonist;
Nay to the valiant and prouinciall Dukes:
This dreadfull man, this Hector (tossing soules
Like Gnats and Ants-egges downe to Erebus)
I beate him groueling, laid his limbs asleepe;
And like a mountaine from the firmament,
Downe fell great Hector from his Elephant:
And let Vlysses share with Diomed.
Mars be my æquall iudge! what simple man
(Except in league with sottish ignorance)
Would (vpon forfeit of his patrimony,
And stocke of wisedome to debility)
Admit Vlysses my competitor
To striue in iest with Aiax? if desert
Shall in the vp-shot be prædominant,
Looke on our out-sides, on our helmets looke;
View each mans Beuer, Breast-plate, Sword and Launce,
Looke on our out-sides hoe! consider well
And pawse vpon each target; giue me leaue,
To shew the tokens of a Souldiers claime,
And to vncase a cowards infamy.
Marke but the difference betwixt our shields:
Mine (a true target) hath sustain'd whole groues
Of artificiall timber, topt with steele,
I stood like Mars among my Troian foes,
When all forsooke me but my faithfull targe,
It still continued, and did nobly keepe,
My limbs expos'd to danger of the field;
A Crocodile I thinke may couert sleepe
Within the large wounds of my open shield:
Cast (I beseech) now halfe a pur-blinde looke
Vpon that theeuish varlet; and his shield,
Obserue how smooth and faire his night-caps be,
His helmets (Lords) I meane, obserue his shield,
His Beuer trim'd twise twenty times a day;
His gauntlets, gorgets, and his gilded Armes,
All of a sweet complexion, sanguine sappe,
As to incounter some fine Ladies lappe:
Meaning to be a Champion of the smockes,
A gallant spruce young warriour indeed,
Account my phrase no ambiguity,
Vlysses sloth my words will verifie:
I laugh most freely to imagine how
Effœminate Vlysses will support
The massy fabricke of Achiles armes,
If my deseruings shall be rob'd and loose
That which I honour, and affection wooes.
Ev.
(Aiax) enough; Vlysses now begin:
Per.
Desire (alas) being not effectuall
To raise from Cinders dead mortality,
And make a liuing heire indubitate,
Heau'n saith, hee shall remaine ambiguous,
Till you (great Iudges) doe decide the strife,
And so restore Achilles vnto life:
Which, because doubtfull, I doe challenge grace
Of you my patrons, and this publicke place.
The bragging fellow Aiax doth deriue
A long forgotten age from Telamon,
Striuing to fetch a foolish argument
Of his renowned acts, from high discent,
If which dead picture of Kings pedigree,
Could but infuce a fortune competent,
And make that piercing wisedome of the soule
A thing intitled to inheritance,
I could produce a genealogy,
From sacred Ioue, and subtill Mercury;
But, may the best of all my stratagems,
Which to thy sole aduantage (happy Greece)
I haue inuented; may they perish all
When I assume the vertue of my sire,
As agent for my hope, and chiefe desire.
Who tempted braue Achilles to the siege
When hee (detain'd with feare of destiny)
When hee forgot to be pontificall,
And was a true virago? did refuse
Both weapons, and each little sound of warre?
I had a feeling of my countries cause,
And drew Achilles to the Troian warres;
That mighty Captaine of the Mermedons
I drew to battell, made him disobey
His mother-goddesse, to aduance the state
Of weary toile, and trouble Pergamus:
I put his armour on; gaue weapons too;
For what I gaue (great Lords) I humbly wooe.
Speake, did not I incounter Telephon?
Turne Thebes to ashes? conquer Tenedos?
Chryses and Cylla, Syron, Hector, Troy,
All do acknowledge me; my valiant arme,
My notable aduice; all attribute
The shamelesse ruine of subuerted Troy
To me; as author sole, and absolute
Of such a safety to the common-weale;
Which, notwithstanding (fathers) I renounce,
And must acknowledge you the principals
Of an atchieuement so perspicuous:
And whatsouer the vaine peoples voice,
Captaines report, and painfull Souldiers loue,
Doth by mis-guided error giue to mee,
I render backe with all humility.
To vrge my owne directions, and aduice
In Architecture of that happy horse,
That fatall fabricke (being so fresh in thought)
Were to condemne you (mindfull country-men)
Of that which wisedome loathes, Ingratitude.
To reckon vp Minerua's image, bought
With hazard of my breath, and precious limbs,
And gaue accesse vnto that sacred spell,
Might argue a most false obliuion
In your quicke wisedomes with strange impudence
In my most bold surmise. But (Mighties all)
May stupid Aiax his reproachfull termes,
(Without each scruple to your iudging eares)
Be twice retorted in his rotten teeth;
So hee may swallow downe such base Rebukes,
And make amends to me: for let him know,
My suffring shoulders could sustaine the load
Not of Achilles armour, but his lumpe
Of solid, brawny flesh, both legges and armes,
Nay the whole massy trunke truss'd vp in steele:
I (Aiax) I, that carkasse once be-stridde,
Vpon my shoulders tooke his heauy trunke
When death stood there, and in the midst of all
Carried Achilles to his funerall.
When after thousand sharpe calamities
Of warre, of winter, famine, pestilence,
Of parching dog-daies, long and tædious,
Of tempest, thunder, much mortality,
After all these, and ten yeares doubtfull siege,
When you forsooke the Campe, did so recoile,
As almost scorning a recouery;
I charm'd the top-mast, hal'd you backe to shore,
Conuerted all to conquest, which before
Did seeme aboue my dull inuentiue braine,
Giue me a meed for ten yeares toile and paine.
Om.
Succeed Vlysses, take thy rich desire.
Me.
Death to my fortunes! shall Vlysses rob
My long deseruings of so rich a claime?
I will increase the bargaine, stay a while
Take my memento.
Om.
Sir, auoid his rage.
Do'st flye from vengeance? whither can you flye?
Whither (thou shifting coward) to escape
The indignation of my doubtlesse wrath?
See how the lurking caitife there doth hide
His Cuckow-bill; what fury could abstaine?
Lvc. Man.
Angels protect vs; helpe, we both are slaine?
Lae. Pe.
Defend it (fiction.)
Me.
Helpe it forward (faith)
And giue some fee to Iustice: (gallants) know,
Mischiefe to high extreames this paire did wooe.
Am.
With false Pheudippe did conspire wee two.
Me.
Harke they confesse what wonder did reueale,
Giue your applause, and make a merry peale:
Call mee not Aiax now, but Mercury,
Who could vn-tye a Tragicke riddle thus;
Worthy to be esteem'd miraculous.
Scœn. 4.
Favorina, Gladiator
Cannot you (sir) espye the honest man
(That noble Eunuch, my deliuerer)
Good Gracchus comming yet?
Gla.
(Deere Madame) no.
Fav.
Indeed my phansie doth suggest new feare,
Seeming to tell me Gracchus is detain'd
By his Lords rage, who did (I doubt) returne
Sooner then hee exspected; which despight
If I could well coniecture to bee true,
With wings of lightning I'de againe goe backe
And bring my Eunuch from captiuity.
Gla.
Take then some officers to apprehend
The lustfull traitor.
Fa.
Such delay is long,
And my deere Eunuch may be dead alas
With tortures and extremity of paine,
Er'e such late rescue doth aduantage giue,
To qualifie his torment; hee, good man,
(Little affected with ensuing harme)
Bestow'd vpon mee a deliuerance,
Stay not my purpose; but giue charity
A gentle freedome to deliuer one
Who is my comfort; (friend) I will returne:
And (let no liuing soule participate
Of what I say, except my selfe and aire)
[aside]
I will, through colour of a pious end,
Enioy Amilcar, whom I did refuse:
For, to set free my Eunuch, will affoord
A fine prætext, though I do prostitute;
Which I did eeu'n desire, exspecting still
Vpon each little signe of violence,
(The modest shadow of a secret whore)
So will I winne what was halfe lost before.
Gla.
Madam, you do protract the pretious time,
Fa.
Leaue me, I will returne.
Gla.
The way's not farre;
Walke on whilst I assemble Officers.
Fa.
A needlesse caution, be content I pray
To take no care, saue what I shall command;
Be not so dutifull aboue thy hire,
Bring mee no water when I call for fire.
Gla.
A riddle: so in safeties name walke on:
Yet seeing the woman will be obstinate,
I (to auoid suspition) will goe home,
Fetch neighbours, and incompasse round the walles,
If Lords like out-lawes liue, the kingdome falles.
Scœn. 5.
Hyarchvs, Hipponax, Laelio.
When, when (ô Goddesse) will thy anger leaue
To punish nature, and afflict poore man,
Who was created to offensiue sinne?
The Souldiers awe, and common peoples rage,
Make ciuill customes be licentious;
Rapine, rude contracts, discord, enmity,
All take their essence from one extasie:
Hip.
Mænander liues, the lucklesse cause of all;
Lae.
The longer life, the losse more eminent:
Know (Lords) I am a witnesse ocular,
And may with priuiledge informe you both
Of a most new and fatall accident:
The King, Mænander, did produce a Scœne,
A Scœne of Aiax, that vnhappy play
(Pretending sport) became a Tragedy
For blood, and breath's efluxion: fiue deepe wounds
(wearing Mænanders badge) at once depriu'd
The sister Royall, next ally'd, by law
Of birth, and natiue consanguinity,
From hope of all succession to the chaire.
Amb.
Lucilla dead?
Lae.
VVith her Mantesio sleeps:
Each life was tributary to the rage
Of our mad King; but each accus'd it selfe
As priuy, to that arch-conspiracy
So long forgotten; to Pheudippe's crime.
Hy.
Conceal'd so long?
Hip.
Who did discouer it?
Lae.
A question doubtfull, but Mænander saith
An apparition did reueale the truth.
Hip.
Shadows may walke indeed.
Hy.
Impossible!
I am resolu'd against all argument;
I am incredulous; dead neuer walke.
Lae.
Neuer the same, yet the similitude.
Hy.
Who sayes againe so, weel'e averre the lye;
What be no things of nature, I account
Fables.
Hip.
You are not Metaphysicall.
Hy.
No sir: I thinke the age is giddy; death!
Can wee from ashes raise a second life?
The age is drunken sure.
Lae.
A doting age.
Hy.
The times are dizzy.
Lae.
No man doth deny
A theame so irrepugnable and true:
Reasons owne selfe will be our advocate
In prouing what you speake; for punics know
The world's lame reuoluti'on hath beene long,
And all partake of mundane giddinesse:
The turning round of earth hath touch'd our braine;
The longer age, the more absurd and vaine.
Age must decline, life's comfort will decay,
Though all things perish, let religion stay.
Scœn. 6.
Amilcar, Favorina, Gracchvs, Gladiator, Servi: Stipatores.
I haue a thousand plagues in readinesse,
Strappadoes, and empalements, pitch, and oile,
A Racke of Bow-strings, a tormenting Bull.
Hogs-heads with nailes inuerted, furies whips,
And artificiall prickes of Adders bone,
Which to behold, in practise on my slaue,
Your Lady-ship is welcome; and approach
Most opportunely (Madam:) after all
When griefe hath sear'd your eye-sight vp; you shall
Then be dis-burthn'd of that chastity
Which is a trouble to your conscience:
I (Madam) will remoue the deere suspence
Of question; whither you may prostitute,
And so resolue you a whore absolute:
(Seruants) come cast my drudge vpon the wheele;
Stand vp-right (rascall) stand sir, do not reele,
Take your last leaue of standing; say adiew
To ease; and as you leaue paine, looke for new.
Fav.
O saue my Eunuch, and I will submit
My whole reuenue, life, and chastity
To your disposall.
Ami.
President of shame!
Shoote (hell) a bon-fire of vnbounded flame,
And may each heau'nly star augment his light
To make this woman famous, may each night
Change foggy darkenesse to prodigious day,
And (by some signe) a subtle whoore display
To be the miracle of monstruous age
Worthy of iudgements quill, and natures stage.
Are you the vestall? that religious Nun,
Who speake no sillable but Innocence,
Sacred deuotion, Virgin chastity?
Temptations actuall, and yet embrace,
Nay, hug hels bosome? creepe into the vice
(Which you would seeme so liuely to abhorre)
Gaping at small occasion? (Madam) know
Affection is my seruant, Will my slaue,
Passion my drudge, Temptation is my page
And I more easily can command them all,
Then may a Turke his tugging Gally-slaue:
Know, I contemne that curteous venery
Which is affoorded scot-free; such nice dames
Would seeme to couer when they couet flames.
Of puddle-water no sicke patient drinkes;
A pretious odour, cheapely valued, stinkes.
And, that you may conceiue how I esteeme
Your beauty; thus will I deforme—
Fa.
O helpe.
Gla.
Harke (neighbours) follow, force downe locks & bars,
Attach the Traitor,
Ami.
Am I then betrai'd?
Gla.
Take vp the Queene.
Fa.
My wound's not mortall; stay
Release that Eunuch.
Sti.
Keepe the Traitor safe,
Fa.
Con-vey him as an Ideot, or Drudge;
My Wrong may be accuser, Clearke, and Iudge.
Scœn. 7.
Menander, Evphorbvs, Bvfo, Laelio.
Tilt in my face (Euphorbus) and reclaime
The slight opinion of our Deity.
Tilt in our face (I say) and thence collect
If I be Hermes; make some steady thrust,
And call mee Sacred, Matchlesse, Mercury:
Beleeue it (youth) I will dis-ioine thy necke
And shoulders, if thon dost againe deny
That I am Hermes, Ioues Embassadour,
A winged, and im-penetrable God:
Tilt therefore in my face, tilt speedily;
Be thou con-iur'd by lawes of sanctity.
The fiend (sir) doth oppresse my feeble arme.
Men.
(Caitife) prouoke not my offensiue rage
Least I depriue thee of all future age.
Evp.
Then I must kill thee (King.)
Me.
I am a God;
Translated by the voice of Parliament
Which sits aboue this cloudy firmament:
I am a God Euphorbus; am no King;
The Tawny-more, and Ethiop shall bring
Vnto my Altars pleasant sacrifice,
Fresh Opo-balsum; Fawnes of paradice;
Roe-buckes and balme to please our Deity.
Stab vs (thou Athiest) stab vs, and beleeue
That I am perfect shadow, am a God;
Thrust thy vn-willing Poniard through my ribs;
And thence perceiue our full Deuinity;
Auoide my wrath (I say) 'tis dangerous,
If you refuse, I am vnmercifull.
Ev.
Stand to thy fortune (God) my dagger comes:
Me.
Deep enough dig then: ô my smal wound smarts
My breath is stopt, my God-like soule departs.
Evp.
So: I now assume the intellectuall robe
Of Reason; and re-linquish Lunacy
Which idle feare brought mee acquainted with:
And (as I hope) the vnderstanding heads,
Which rule this Common-wealths society;
Will construe this an act of Piety.
Lae.
Where is the King? I carry newes of ioy—
Bv.
Where is the King? dead Fauorina liues.
Ev.
Heere lies the King who did enforce a death
Vpon the perill of his Authors life,
If hee refus'd to execute his will.
Ambo.
Euphorbus then recouer'd?
Ev.
Yes; for I
Did counterfeit a couz'ning lunacy.
Am.
Sparta behoues to'acknowledge thee her friend.
Lae.
The sentence of Amilcar let's attend.
Scœn. 8.
Hyarchvs, Evphorbvs, Hipponax, Laelio, Amilcar, Favorina, Bvfo, Gracchvs, Gladiator, Lesbia, Milites, Stipatores.Om.
Long liue the Queene.
Hip.
Draw the damn'd villaine forth,
And let him swallow sulphure; flaming pitch,
Or else be roasted pittilesse aliue.
Ami.
O giue mee oile of Mandrakes, Poppey iuice
Or poyson of infected Hellebor.
Hy.
Flea him, and make a trophey of his skin.
Fav.
Cut off his members; bind and broile the slaue.
Hip.
Let him be quarterd.
Ami.
To deceiue all these
Were pollicy aboue the rules of Art:
I haue concluded to preuent the shapes
Of torture; death by death alone escapes.
Om.
Saue, saue the Traitor, saue him.
Gla.
Hee is dead.
Hip.
May then the Traitor sleepe in tortures bed.
Evp.
But may Mænanders dying soule ascend;
Whom for the safety of this Common-wealth,
I did restore to happinesse and health.
Hip. Hy.
Amazement of our age! wonder of time!
Evp.
Touch'd with a feeling of my Countries good
I dipt my dagger in his royall blood,
By his owne chiefe desire; so leaue mad care,
Which my suspicion did assume through feare.
Om.
The Queene shall Crowne thee.
Evp.
So I leaue the schoole
Of madnesse, to become mad fortunes foole.
Fav.
Remoue the Carkasse of that slaught'red King.
Evp.
Wee once obey'd him: after extasy
Let's therefore follow his dead obsequy.
(Nature) stand speech-lesse, for aboue thy part
With man preuailes both Lunacy and Art.
Scœn. 9.
Cinthia.Horror, affrightments, death, and anger flye,
Flye to the bottome of hels darke Abysse,
That heau'n may smile vpon the clouded earth
And all take notice wee are pacifi'd:
Grim death triumphant, whose empaled brow
Can terrefy the factious Kings below,
(Who when wee were incens'd through blasphemy
Sent forth reuenge to please our Deity)
Shall now enchaine that mischiefe mercilesse,
And qualify reuengefull greedinesse:
Discloud thy lustre (my new borrowed shine)
Scatter thy foggy damps which doe debarre
My bounteous lamp of vniuersall light:
Let exhalations giue my honour place,
All stars attendant looke earth in the face.
Gods cannot dwell in rage; though slimy man
If but en-nobled by permissiue law,
Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death
Till hee extirpe a whole posterity:
Wee though immortall, though aboue best braines
To comprehend; though sole efficients,
Though euery thing in essence, though deuine,
Though Gods; (in which one syllable, the summe
Of euery thing's inuolu'd) though Gods wee are,
Yet in compassion wee doe still accept
Those that prophane our sacred holinesse.
For; should the anger of Omnipotence
Punish man-kind so often, or so long
As their insatiate folly doth deserue,
Ioue would be weary and the Gods aboue
Turne boyling wrath into aboundant loue.
FINJS.
| Cinthia's revenge : Or Maenanders extasie | |