 | The Tragedy of Alphonsus Emperour of Germany |  |
ACT. V.
Alarum and Retreat.Enter Richard and Collen with Drums and Souldiers.
Richard.
What means your Excellence to sound retreat?
This is the day of doom unto our Friends;
Before Sun set, my Sister, and my Nephew,
Vnless we rescue them, must lose their lives;
The cause admits no dalliance nor delay.
He that so tyrant-like hath slain his own,
Will take no pittie on a strangers blood.
Collen.
At my entreaty e're we strike the battail,
Let's summon out our enemies to a parle.
Words spoken in time, have vertue, power, and price,
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When dynt of Sword perhaps will aggravate.
Rich.
Then sound a Parly to fulfill your mind,
Although I know no good can follow it.
A Parley.
Enter Alphonso, Empress, Saxon, Edward prisoner, Tryer, Brandenburg, Alexander and Souldiers.
Alphon.
Why how now Emperour that should have been,
Are these the English Generals bravado's?
Make you assault so hotly at the first,
And in the self same moment sound retreat?
To let you know, that neither War nor words,
Have power for to divert their fatall doom,
Thus are we both resolv'd; if we tryumph,
And by the right and justice of our cause
Obtain the victorie, as I doubt it not,
Then both of you shall bear them Company,
And e're Sun set we will perform our oaths,
With just effusion of their guilty bloods;
If you be Conquerours, and we overcome,
Carry not that conceit to rescue them,
My self will be the Executioner,
And with these Ponyards frustrate all your hopes,
Making you tryumph in a bloodie Field.
Saxon.
To put you out of doubt that we intend it,
Please it your Majesty to take your Seate,
And make a demonstration of your meaning.
Alphon.
First on my right hand bind the English Whore,
That venemous Serpent nurst within my breast
To suck the vitall bloud out of my veins,
My Empress must have some preheminence,
Especially at such a bloodie Banquet,
Her State, and love to me deserves no less.
Saxon.
That to Prince Edward I may shew my love,
And do the latest honour to his State,
These hands of mine that never chained any,
Shall fasten him in fetters to the Chair.
Now Princes are you ready for the battail?
Collen.
Now att thou right the picture of thy self,
Seated in height of all thy Tyrannie;
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Alphon.
To make the certaintie of their deaths more plain
And Cancel all your hopes to save their lives,
While Saxon leads the troups into the Field,
Thus will I vex their souls, with sight of death,
Loudly exclaming in their half dead ears;
That if we win they shall have companie,
Viz.
The English Emperour,
And you my Lord Archbishop of Collen,
If we be vanquisht, then they must expect
Speedy dispatch from these two Daggers points.
Collen.
What canst thou tyrant then expect but death?
Alphon.
Tush hear me out, that hand which shed their blood,
Can do the like to rid me out of bonds.
Rich.
But that's a damned resolution.
Alphon.
So must this desperate disease be cur'd.
Rich.
O Saxon I'le yield my self and all my power,
To save my Nephew, though my Sister dye.
Sax.
Thy Brothers Kingdom shall not save his life.
Edward.
Uncle, you see these savage minded men
Will have no other ransome but my blood,
England hath Heirs, though I be never King,
And hearts and hands to scourge this tyrannie,
And so farewel.
Emp.
A thousand times farewel,
Sweet Brother Richard and brave Prince of Collen.
Sax.
What Richard, hath this object pierc'd thy heart?
By this imagine how it went with me,
When yesterday I slew my Children.
Rich.
O Saxon I entreat thee on my Knees.
Sax.
Thou shalt obtain like mercy with thy kneeling,
As lately I obtaind at Edward's hands.
Rich.
Pitty the tears I powr before thy feet.
Sax.
Pitty those tears? why I shed bloudie tears.
Rich.
I'le do the like to save Prince Edwards life.
Sax.
Then like a Warrior spill it in the Field,
My griefull anger cannot be appeaz'd,
By sacrifice of any but himself,
Thou hast dishonour'd me, and thou shalt dye;
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That thousands more may bear thee company.
Rich.
Nephew and Sister now farewell for ever.
Ed.
Heaven and the Right prevail, and let me die;
Uncle farewell.
Emp.
Brother farewell untill wee meet in Heaven.
Exeunt. Manent Alphon. Edw. Emp. Alex.
Alphon.
Here's farewell Brother, Nephew, Vncle, Aunt,
As if in thousand years you should not meet;
Good Nephew, and good Aunt content your selves,
The Sword of Saxon and these Daggers-points,
Before the Evening-Star doth shew it self,
Will take sufficient order for your meeting.
But Alexander, my trustie Alexander,
Run to the Watch-Tow'r as I pointed thee,
And by thy life I charge thee look unto it
Thou be the first to bring me certain word
I we be Conquerors, or Conquered.
Alex.
With carefull speed I will perform this charge.
Exit.
Alphon.
Now have I leasure yet to talk with you.
Fair Isabell, the Palsgrave's Paramour,
Wherein was he a better man than I?
Or wherfore should thy love to him, effect
Such deadly hate unto thy Emperour?
Yet welfare wenches that can love Good fellows,
And not mix Murder with Adulterie.
Emp.
Great Emperor, I dare not call you Husband,
Your Conscience knows my hearts unguiltiness.
Alpho.
Didst thou not poison, or consent to poison us?
Emp.
Should any but your Highness tell me so,
I should forget my patience at my death,
And call him Villain, Liar, Murderer.
Alphon.
She that doth so miscall me at her end,
Edward I prethee speak thy Conscience,
Thinkst thou not that in her prosperitie
Sh'hath vext my Soul with bitter Words and Deeds?
O Prince of England I do count thee wise
That thou wilt not be cumber'd with a wife,
When thou hadst stoln her daintie rose Corance,
And pluck'd the flow'r of her virginitie.
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Tyrant of Spain thou liest in thy throat.
Alpho.
Good words, thou seest thy life is in our hands.
Edw.
I see thou art become a common Hangman,
An Office farre nore fitting to thy mind
Than princelie to the Imperiall dignitie.
Alphon.
I do not exercise on common persons,
Your Highness is a Prince, and she an Empress,
I therefore count not of a dignitie.
Hark Edward how they labour all in vain,
With loss of many a valiant Soldiers life,
To rescue them whom Heaven and we have doom'd;
Dost thou not tremble when thou think'st upon't?
Edw.
Let guiltie minds tremble at sight of Death,
My heart is of the nature of the Palm,
Not to be broken, till the highest Bud
Be bent and ti'd unto the lowest Root;
I rather wonder that thy Tyrants heart
Can give consent that those thy Butcherous hands
Should offer violence to thy Flesh and Blood.
See how her guiltless innocence doth plead
In silent Oratorie of her chastest tears.
Alphon.
Those tears proceed from Fury and curst heart.
I know the stomach of your English Dames.
Emp.
No Emperour, these tears proceed from grief.
Alphon.
Grief that thou canst not be reveng'd of Vs.
Emp.
Grief that your Highness is so ill advis'd,
To offer violence to my Nephew Edward;
Since then there must be sacrifice of Blood,
Let my heart-blood save both your bloods unspilt,
For of his death, thy Heart must pay the guilt.
Edw.
No Aunt, I will not buy my life so dear:
Therefore Alphonso if thou beest a man
Shed manly blood. and let me end this strife.
Alphon.
Here's straining curt'sie at a bitter Feast.
Content thee Empress for thou art my Wife,
Thou shalt obtain thy Boon and die the death,
And for it were unprince by to deny
So slight request unto so great a Lord,
Edward shall bear thee company in Death.
A Retrent.
But hark the heat of battail hath an end;
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Enter Alexander.
And see where Alexander sweating comes;
Speak man, what newes, speak, shall I die or live?
Shall I stab sure, or els prolong their lives
To grievous Torments? speak, am I Conquerour?
What, hath thy hast bereft thee of thy speech?
Hast thou not breath to speak one sillable?
O speak, thy dalliance kills me, wonn or lost?
Amaz'd lets fall the Daggers.
Alex.
Lost.
Alphon.
Ah me my Senses fail! my sight is gon.
Alex.
Will not your Grace dispatch the Strumpet Queen?
Shall she then live, and we be doom'd to death?
Is your Heart faint, or is your Hand too weak?
Shall servill fear break your so sacred Oaths?
Me thinks an Emperour should hold his word;
Give me the Weapons I will soon dispatch them,
My Fathers yelling Ghost cries for revenge,
His Blood within my Veins boyls for revenge;
O give me leave Cesar to take revenge.
Alphon.
Vpon condition that thou wilt protest
To take revenge upon the Murtherers,
Without respect of dignity or State,
Afflicted, speedy, pittiless Revenge,
I will commit this Dagger to thy trust,
And give thee leave to execute thy Will.
Alex.
What need I here reiterate the Deeds
Which deadly sorrow made me perpetrate?
How neer did I entrap Prince Richard's life?
How sure set I the Knife to Mentz his heart?
How cunninglie was Palsgrave doom'd to death?
How subtilly was Bohem poisoned?
How slily did I satisfie my lust
Commixing dulcet Love with deadly Hate,
When Princesse Hedwick lost her Maidenhead,
Sweetly embracing me for Englands Heir?
Edw.
O execrable deeds!
Emp.
O salvage mind!
Alex.
Edward, I give thee leave to hear of this,
But will forbid the blabbing of your tongue.
Now gratious Lord and sacred Emperour,
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Which fearles pregnancie hath wrought in me,
You do me wrong to doubt that I will dive
Into their hearts that have not spar'd their betters,
Be therefore suddain lest we die our selves.
I know the Conquerour hasts to rescue them.
Alphon.
Thy Reasons are effectuall, take this Dagger;
Yet pawse a while.
Emp.
Sweet Nephew now farewell.
Alphon.
They are most dear to me whom thou must kill.
Edward.
Hark Aunt he now begins to pittie you.
Alex.
But they consented to my Fathers death.
Alphon.
More then consented, they did execute.
Emp.
I will not make his Majestie a Lyar,
I kill'd thy Father, therefore let me die,
But save the life of this unguilty Prince.
Edward.
I kill'd thy Father, therefore let me die,
But save the life of this unguiltie Empress.
Alphon.
Hark thou to me, and think their words as wind.
I kill'd thy Father, therfore let me die,
And save the lives of these two guiltless Princes.
Art thou amaz'd to hear what I have said?
There, take the weapon, now revenge at full
Thy Fathers death, and those my dire deceits
That made thee murtherer of so many Souls.
Alex.
O Emperour, how cunningly wouldst thou entrap
My simple youth to credit Fictions?
Thou kill my Father, no, no Emperour,
Cæsar did love Lorentzo all to dearly:
Seeing thy Forces now are vanquished,
Frustrate thy hopes, thy Highness like to fall
Into the cruel and revengefull hands
Of merciless incensed Enemies,
Like Caius Cassius wearie of thy life,
Now wouldst thou make thy Page an instrument
By suddain stroak to rid thee of thy bonds.
Alphon.
Hast thou forgotten how that very night
Thy Father dy'd, I took the Master-Key,
And with a lighted Torch walk'd through the Court.
Alex.
I must remember that, for to my death.
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Which on that dismall Night or Day I did.
Alphon.
Thou wast no sooner in thy restfull Bed,
But I disturb'd thy Father of his rest,
And to be short, not that I hated him,
But for he knew my deepest Secrets,
With cunning Poison I did end his life:
Art thou his Son? express it with a Stabb,
And make account if I had prospered,
Thy date was out, thou wast already doom'd,
Thou knewst too much of me to live with me.
Alex.
What wonders do I hear great Emperour?
Not that I do stedfastlie believe
That thou didst murder my beloved Father;
But in meer pittie of thy vanquish'd state
I undertake this execution:
Yet, for I fear the sparkling Majestie.
Which issues from thy most Imperial, eyes
May strike relenting Passion to my heart,
And after wound receiv'd from fainting hand,
Thou fall halfe dead among thine Enemies,
I crave thy Highness leave to bind thee first.
Alphon.
Then bind me quickly, use me as thou please
Emp.
O Villain, wilt thou kill thy Sovereign?
Alex.
Your Highness sees that I am forc'd unto it.
Alphon.
Fair Empress, I shame to ask thee pardon,
Whom I have wrong'd so many thousand waies.
Emp.
Dread Lord and Husband, leave these desperat thoughts,
Doubt not the Princes may be reconcil'd.
Alex.
'T may be the Princes will be reconcil'd,
But what is that to me? all Potentates on Earth
Can never reconcile my grieved Soul.
Thou slew'st my Father, thou didst make this hand
Mad with Revenge to murther Innocents,
Now hear, how in the height of all thy pride
The rightfull Gods hove powr'd their justfull wrath
Upon thy Tyrants head, Devill as thou art.
And sav'd by miracle these Princes lives;
For know, thy side hath got the Victory;
Saxon triumphs over his dearest friends;
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And every thing hath sorted to thy wish;
Only hath Heaven put it in my mind
(for he alone directed then my thoughts
Although my meaning was most mischievous)
To tell thee thou hadst lost, in certain hope
That suddainly thou wouldst have slain them both,
For if the Princes came to talk about it,
I greatly feard their lives might be prolong'd.
Art thou not mad to think on this deceit?
Ile make thee madder, with tormenting thee.
I tell thee Arch-Thief, Villain, Murtherer,
Thy Forces have obtaind the Victory,
Victory leads thy Foes in captive bands;
This Victory hath crown'd thee Emperour,
Only my self have vanquisht Victory,
And triumph in the Victors overthrow.
Alphon.
O Alexander spare thy Princes life.
Alex.
Even now thou didst entreat the contrary.
Alphon.
Think what I am that begg my life of thee.
Alex.
Think what he was whom thou hast doom'd to death.
But least the Princes do surprize us here
Before I have perform'd my strange revenge,
I will be suddain in the execution.
Alphon.
I wlll accept any condition.
Alex.
Then in the presence of the Emperess,
The captive Prince of England, and my self,
Forswear the joyes of Heaven, the sight of God,
Thy Souls salvation, and thy Saviour Christ,
Damning thy Soul to endless pains of Hell.
Do this or die upon my Rapiers point.
Emp.
Sweet Lord and Husband, spit in's face.
Die like a man, and live not like a Devill.
Alex.
What? wilt thou save thy life, and damn thy Soul?
Alph.
O hold thy hand, Alphonsus doth renounce.
Edward.
Aunt stop your years, hear not this Blasphemy.
Empr.
Sweet Husband think that Christ did dy for thee.
Alphon.
Alphonsus doth renounce the joyes of Heaven,
The sight of Angells and his Saviours blood,
And gives his Soul unto the Devills power.
Alex.
Thus will I make delivery of the Deed,
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Edward.
O damned Miscreant, what hast thou done?
Alex.
When I have leasure I will answer thee:
Mean while I'le take my heels and save my self.
If I be ever call'd in question,
I hope your Majesties will save my life,
You have so happily preserved yours;
Did I not think it, both of you should die.
Exit Alex.
Enter Saxon, Branden, Tryer, (Richard and Collen as prisoners) and Soldiers.
Saxon.
Bring forth these daring Champions to the Block,
Comfort your selves you shall have company.
Great Emperor where is his Majestie?
What bloody spectacle do I behold?
Emp.
Revenge, revenge, O Saxon, Brandenburg,
My Lord is slain, Cæsar is doom'd to death.
Edward.
Princes make haste, follow the murtherer.
Saxon.
Is Cæsar slain?
Edward.
Follow the Murtherer.
Emp.
Why stand you gasing on an other thus?
Follow the Murtherer.
Saxon.
What Murtherer?
Edward.
The villain Alexander hath slain his Lord,
Make after him with speed, so shall you hear
Such villanie as you have never heard.
Brand.
My Lord of Tryer, we both with our light Horse
Will scoure the Coasts and quickly bring him in.
Saxon.
That can your Excellence alone perform,
Stay you my Lord, and guard the Prisoners,
While I, alas, unhappiest Prince alive,
Over his Trunk consume my self in Tears.
Hath Alexander done this damned deed?
That cannot be why should he slay his Lord?
O cruel Fate, O miserable me!
Me thinks I now present Mark Antony,
Folding dead Julius Cæsar in mine arms.
No, no, I rather will present Achilles,
And on Patroclus Tomb do sacrifise.
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But I perform more direfull bloody Rites
Than Thetis Son for Menctiades.
Edward.
Leave mourning for thy Foes, pitty thy Friends.
Sax.
Friends have I none, and that which grieves my Soul,
Is want of Foes to work my wreak upon;
But were you Traitors 4, four hundred thousand,
Then might I satisfie my self with Blood.
Enter Brandenb. Alexand. and Soldiers.
Saxon.
See Alexander where Cæsar lieth slain,
The guilt whereof the Traitors cast on thee;
Speak, canst thou tell who slew thy Soveraign?
Alexan.
Why who but I? how should I curse my self
If any but my self had done this deed?
This happy hand, blest be my hand therefore,
Reveng'd my Fathers death upon his Soul:
And Saxon thou hast cause to curse and bann
That he is dead, before thou didst inflict
Torments on him that so hath torn thy heart.
Saxon.
What Mysteries are these?
Bran.
Princes, can you inform us of the Truth?
Edward.
The Deed's so heinous that my faltering tongue
Abhorres the utterance. Yet I must tell it.
Alex.
Your Highness shall not need to take the pains,
What you abhorr to tell, I joy to tell,
Therefore be silent and give audience.
You mighty men, and Rulers of the Earth,
Prepare your Ears to hear of Stratagems
Whose dire effects have gaul'd your princely hearts,
Confounded your conceits, muffled your eyes:
First to begin this villanous Fiend of Hell
Murther'd my Father, sleeping in his Chair,
The reason why, because he only knew
All Plotts, and complots of his villanie;
His death was made the Basis and the Ground
Of every mischief that hath troubled you.
Saxon.
If thou, thy Father and thy Progenie
Were hang'd and burnt, and broken on the Wheel,
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Alex.
And if you will not hear the Reason chuse.
I tell thee I have slain an Emperour,
And thereby think my self as good a man
As thou, or any man in Christendom;
Thou shalt entreat me ere I tell thee more.
Brand.
Proceed.
Alex.
Not I.
Saxon.
I prethe now proceed.
Alex.
Since you intreat me then, I will proceed.
This murtherous Devill having slain my Father,
Buz'd cunningly into my credulous ears,
That by a General Councell of the States,
And as it were by Act of Parlement,
The seven Electors had set down his death,
And made the Empress Executioner,
Transferring all the guilt from him to you.
This I believ'd, and first did set upon
The life of Princely Richard, by the Boors,
But how my purpose faild in that, his Grace best knows,
Next, by a double intricate deceit,
Midst all his Mirth was Bohem poysoned,
And good old Mentz to save Alphonso's life,
(Who at that instant was in perfect health)
Twixt jest and earnest was made a Sacrifice;
As for the Palatine, your Graces knew
His Highness and the Queens unguiltines;
But now my Lord of Saxon hark to me,
Father of Saxon should I rather call you,
Twas I that made your Grace a Grandfather:
Prince Edward plow'd the ground, I sow'd the Seed,
Poor Hedewick bore the most unhappy fruit,
Created in a most unluckie hour,
To a most violent and untimely death.
Sax.
O loathsome Villain, O detested deeds,
O guiltless Prince, O me most miserable.
Brand.
But tell us who reveal'd to thee at last
This shamefull guilt, and our unguiltiness?
Alex.
Why that's the wonder Lords, and thus it was.
When like a tyrant he had tane his seat,
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Upon the highest Watch-Tow'r of the Fort,
It was my office to behold alofft
The Warres event, and having seen the end,
I saw how Victory with equal wings
Hang hovering 'twixt the Battails here and there,
Till at the last, the English Lyons fled,
And Saxon's side obtain'd the Victory;
Which seen, I posted from the turrets top,
More furiously than ere Laocoon ran,
When Trojan hands drew in Troy's overthrow,
But yet as fatally as he or any.
The tyrant seeing me, star'd in my face,
And suddainly demanded whats the newes,
I, as the Fates would have it, hoping that he
Even in a twinkling would have slain 'em both,
For so he swore before the Fight began,
Cri'd bitterly that he had lost the day,
The sound whereof did kill his dastard heart,
And made the Villain desperatly confess
The murther of my Father, praying me,
With dire revenge, to ridd him of his life;
Short tale to make, I bound him cunningly,
Told him of the deceit, triumphing over him,
And lastly with my Rapier slew him dead.
Sax.
O Heavens! justly have you tane revenge.
But thou, thou murtherous adulterous slave,
What Bull of Phalaris, what strange device,
Shall we invent to take away thy life?
Alex.
If Edward and the Empress, whom I sav'd,
Will not requite it now, and save my life,
Then let me die, contentedly I die,
Having at last reveng'd my Fathers death.
Sax.
Villain, not all the world shall save thy life.
Edw.
Hadst thou not been Author of my Hedewicks death,
I would have certainly sav'd thee from death;
But if my Sentence now may take effect,
I would adjudge the Villain to be hang'd
As here the Jewes are hang'd in Germany.
Sax.
Young Prince it shall be so; go dragg the Slave
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There let the Judas, on a Jewish Gallowes,
Hang by the heels between two English Mastives,
There feed on Doggs, let Doggs there feed on thee,
And by all means prolong his miserie.
Alex.
O might thy self and all these English Currs,
Instead of Mastive-Doggs hang by my side,
How sweetly would I tugg upon your Flesh.
Exit Alex.
Sax.
Away with him, suffer him not to speak.
And now my lords, Collen, Tryer, and Barndenburg,
Whose Hearts are bruz'd to think upon these woes,
Though no man hath such reason as my self,
We of the seven Electors that remain,
After so many bloody Massacres,
Kneeling upon our Knees, humbly intreat
Your Excellence to be our Emperour.
The Royalties of the Coronation
Shall be, at Aix, shortly solemnized.
Cullen.
Brave Princely Richard now refuse it not,
Though the Election be made in Tears,
Joy shall attend thy Coronation.
Richard.
It stands not with mine Honour to deny it,
Yet by mine Honour, fain I would refuse it.
Edward.
Uncle, the weight of all these Miseries
Maketh my heart as heavy as your own,
But an Imperial Crown would lighten it,
Let this one reason make you take the Crown.
Richard.
What's that sweet nephew?
Edward.
Sweet Uncle, this it is,
Was never Englishman yet Emperour,
Therefore to honour England and your self,
Let private sorrow yield to publike Fame,
That once an Englishman bare Cæsar's name.
Richard.
Nephew, thou hast prevail'd; Princes stand up,
We humbly do accept your sacred offer.
Cullen.
Then sound the Trumpets, and cry Vivat Cæsar.
All.
Vivat Cæsar.
Cullen.
Richardus Dei gratia Romanorum Imperator, semper
Augustus, Comes Cornubiæ.
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Sweet Sister now let Cæsar comfort you,
And all the rest that yet are comfortless;
Let them expect from English Cæsar's hands
Peace, and abundance of all earthly Joy.
FINIS
| The Tragedy of Alphonsus Emperour of Germany | |