University of Virginia Library

Actvs 5.

Scena 1.

Enter Bluso the Magician, and Gald.
Gald.
Now, Bluso, thus farre haue wee by thy Arte,
Euen to their priuate lodgings, fearelesse past
Inuisible to any mortall eye.
But, Bluso, tell me, are we yet arriued
At our expected Hauen?

Bluso.
This is her Chamber: here will we stand vnseene,
And yet see all that passe.
Tis almost dead of night: and now begins
Sleepe, with her heauy rod to charme the eyes
Of humane dulnesse. Here stand we yet awhile,
And in this silent time obserue the loue,
The Romane Generals sonne beares to your wife,
Who long hath borne the siege of his hote lust:
And now behold, like bloudy Tarquin comes,
Enter Marcus Gallicus, with a candle in his hand, and his sword drawne.
Being non-suted, to satisfie the heate
Of his insatiate and immoderate bloud,
That boyling runs through his adulterous veynes.
A little while giue way vnto his practise,
And when we see a time, preuent his purpose.

Mar.
Night, that doth basely keepe the dore of sinne,
And hide grosse murthers and adulteries,
With all the mortall sinnes the world commits,
From the cleare eye-sight of the morning Sunne:
Thou, that ne're changest colour for a sinne,
Worse then Apostasie, stand Centinel this houre,
And with thy Negroes face vayle my intent,
Put out thy golden candles with thy fogs,
And let originall darkenesse, that is fled
With Chaos to the Center, gard my steps.
How husht is all things! and the world appeares
Like to a Churchyard full of dead.
Deaths picture, Sleepe, looks, as if passing bels
Went for each vitall spirit, and appeares,
As if our soules had tooke their generall flight,
And cheated Nature of her motion.
Then on, vnto thy practise: none can descry
Thy blacke intent, but night and her blacke eye.
He goes to her bed vpon the Stage, and lookes vpon her.
Behold the locall residence of loue,
Euen in the Rosie tincture of her cheeke.
I am all fire, and must needs be quencht,
Or the whole house of nature will be burnt.
Fayre Uoada, awake: tis I, awake.

He awakes her.
Uoad.
Am I adreamd? Or, doe I wake indeed?
I am betrayd. Fond Lord, what make you here
At this vnseasonable time of night?
Is't not inough that you importune
Each houre in the day? but in the night,
When euery creature nods his sleepy head,
You seeke the shipwracke of my spotlesse honour?
For shame forbeare, and cleare a Romans name,
From the suspition of so foule a sinne.
Perhaps youle say, that you are flesh and bloud.
Oh my good Lord, were you but onely so:
It were no sinne, but naturall instinct:
And then that noble name that we call man,
Should vndistinguisht passe, euen like a beast.
But man was made diuine, with such a face,
As might behold the beauty of the starres,
And all the glorious workemanship of heauen.
Beasts onely are the subiects of bare sense:
But man hath reason and intelligence.
Beasts soules die with them: but mans soule's diuine:
And therefore needs must answere for eche crime.

Marcus.
Thy speeches are like oyle vnto a flame.
I must enioy thee. If thou wilt yeeld to me,
Ile be thy friend for euer: but if denide,
By force I will attempt, what by fayre meanes
I cannot compasse. Besides, thou art my captiue,
And standst a suter for thy liberty.

Voada.
I, for my body: but my soule is free.

Gald.
I can no longer heare these arguments.
Come, Bluso, helpe me to conuey her hence.

They tumble Marcus ouer the bed, and take her away.
Mar.
What Fury hath depriued me of my ioy,
And crost my bloud, euen in the heat of lust?
What, is she gone? Oh all you sacred powers,
Remit this sinne, vnacted, but by thought:
And by those heauenly patrones of chaste minds,
Vertue, like to my soule, shall wholy be
Diffused through euery member. Thus powers aboue
Doe, with vnknowne means, scourge vnlawfull loue.

Exit.
Enter Cartamanda with her Secretary.
Carta.
Already I haue posted to the Generall,
To tell him, Caradoc is in our hands,
And bid him make haste: for this, ere the day,
A womans wit shall serue for to betray.
And see, he comes. Welcome, thrice-honoured Lord.
Enter Generall with his Army.
Warily, Souldiours; there his Chamber is,
And he not yet abed. Beset him round.
What wars haue mist, a woman shall confound.

Exit.
The Generall drawes the Curtaines, and finds Caradoc a reading.
Ostorius.
Now Caradoc, thy life is in our hands:
Behold, thou art in girt with a whole hoste.
And couldst thou borrow force of beasts and men,
Thou couldst by no means scape.

Cara.
What! Souldiours in euery corner set?
The Romane Generall. I am betrayde.
Inhospitable woman, this with your sexe began:
The Serpent taught you to betray poore man.
When God, like Angels, man created first,
God man him blest, but woman most accurst.
And since that time, the chiefest good in women,
Is to beguile most men, and true to few men.
Yet Romanes, know, that Caradoc here stands,
In bold defiance, were you like the sands.

Ostor.
Assault him then.

They fight, and Caradoc beates and ouerthrowes many of them.
Ostor.
Hold, noble Welshman.
Thou seest it is impossible to scape,
Hadst thou the strength of mighty Hercules.
If thou wilt yeeld; I vow by all the gods
That doe protect Cesar and mighty Rome,
By all the honours that the Romane power
Haue won, since Romulus did build their walls,
Because thou art a man vnparaleld,
Of honourable courage, Ile ingage
My life for thine to Cesar for thy freedome.
Cesar himselfe admires thy fortitude,
And will with honour welcome thee at Rome.
He is a King, whom basenesse neuer toucht,
And scorns to plucke a Lyon by the beard,
Being a carkase. Speake, will you trust our oath?

Caradoc flings downe his Armes.
Cara.
I take thy word, great Generall.
And thinke not, for any feare of death,
I prostitute my life to Cesars hands:
But for I know, Cesar is like a King,
And cannot brooke a base mechanicke thought:
But for to see those famous towres of Rome,
This golden Lion shall inlarge me soone.

Ostor.
Then, Manlius Ualens, you shall beare him thither;
And for your gard, take the nineth Legion,
Surnamed, The valiant: and by the way,
At London stayes his daughter, wife and brother:
Let them to Cesar beare him company.
Exit Caradoc.
Farewell, braue Prince. Now Romanes once againe,
Seing the Welshmens glory is eclipst,
Let vs prouide to meet Lord Morgan,
And Lord Constantine,
Uenusius, and the rest that gather head,
And seate Prince Codigune in what's his right,
That now haue gathered strong and fresh supply.
This battell shall adde honour to our name,
And with triumphant Lawrell crowne our fame.

Exeunt.

Scena 3.

Enter Uenusius, Constantine, and Lord Morgan, with Souldiours in Armes.
Uenu.
Thus, noble Lords, Venusius armed comes,
In loue to Wales, and that much wronged Prince,
Who now at Yorke, liues priuate from his foes,
From whence we now will call him, and awake
His ancient courage, that long time hath slept,
Vpon the downy pillowes of repose.
Good Angels, guide vs: this our latest strife
Shall set a period to our death or life.

Const.
Me thinks, right noble Lord, yet I presage
The horror of this battell we intend,
Will cost a masse of bloud; nor doe I stand
Firmely resolu'd: and the least sparke of valour
Turnes to a Flame of Magnanimity.
Oh, were my brother Caradoc but here,
Our minds were made inuincible, all our thoughts
Were fixt on warlike Musicke, or any thing
Beyond a common venter. And see, in time
Our princely brother, and our sister comes.
Enter Gald, Bluso, and Voada.
Welcome, deare brother, how escapte you danger,
And purchast such a happy liberty?

Gald.
All that I haue, I freely doe ascribe
Vnto this learned man, whose secret Arte,
Beyond the strayne of deepe Philosophy,
Or any naturall science vnder heauen,
Possest me of this Iewell of my soule,
And through the Romane hoste inuisible,
Conuayde vs both safe, as you see we are.

Morgan.

Harke you me, you remember our Cousin Caradoc
and Morgan, do you not? Giue me your hands. Be Cad,
I shall loue the Teuill, til breath's in her pody, for this tricke.
Be Cad, he hath done more good then any Iustice of Peace
this seuen yeres, for all her stocks and whipping posts. Harke
you me now.

Const.
Harke, harke, the Romanes march to vs with speed.
Now Royall Princes, thinke on our vilde disgrace,
Their Treasons, falshoods, and conspiracies;
And double resolution whet your rage.
Oh Caradoc, there's nothing wants but thee,
And now too late to buckle on thy Armes.
If in this bloudy skirmish I suruiue,
Triumphs shall crown the glorious brow of Wales.
Bastard, begot at the backe dore of nature,
Cornewall the author of these bleeding wounds,
That many a wretch shall suffer for their wrongs.
Behold, we come arm'd with a triple rage,
To scourge your base indignities with steele.
Noble Prince Gald, here in our brothers stead,
Conduct our Army foorth as Generall.
Romanes, come on, your pride must catch a fall.

Scena 4.

Enter Ostorius, Marcus Gallicus, Cessius, Codigune, Cornewall with Souldiours.
Ostor.
Now Bryttaines, though the wrongs done to this Prince,
And to our selues, deserue a sharpe reuenge;
Yet, for wee pitty the effusion
And hauocke that these cruell broyles intend,
Once more in peace we craue this Princes right,
Which your weake Army can no way detayne.
Perhaps you stand vpon the idle hopes
Of Caradoc: Know then, you are deceyued:
For hee's our prisoner, and to Rome is sent
With Manlius Ualens to the Emperour.
Then yeeld your selues, or trie the chance of warre.

Gald.
Then so we will, base Romanes.
Henceforth, in stead of honourable names,
Succeeding times shall brand your slauish thoughts,
With the blacke coales of treasons and defame.
Princes, since now you know the worst of all,
Let vengeance teach your valiant minds to mount
Aboue a common pitch, inspire your soules
With the remorselesse thoughts of bloud and death;
And this day spit defyance in the face
Of trecherous Rome, and thinke on this disgrace.

Codig.
Stay, Prince, and let me speake.

Gald.
Some Cannon shot ramme vp thy damned throat.
Peace, hell-hound, for thou singst a Rauens note.

Alarum.
They fight, and beat in the Romanes. Enter at one dore Gald, and at the other Codigune.
Gald.
Well met, thou Fiend of hell: by heauen Ile die,
Or be reuenged for all thy trechery.

Codig.
Weake Prince, first keepe a dyet for a time,
To adde fresh vigour to thy feeble limmes,
And then, perhaps, weele teach thee how to fight.

Gald.
Villayne, the heauens haue strength inough against Treason.

They fight. Gald killeth Codigune.
Enter Cornewall at one dore, and Morgan at the other.
Morg.

Cad plesse her. Cornewals, be Cad, you are as arrant
a Knaue, as any Proker in Longlanes. Harke you me, Ile fight
with her for all her treasons and coniurations.

They fight, and Morgan killeth Cornewall.
Morg.

Fare you well, Cousin Cornewall, I pray you commend
vs to Plutoes and Proserpines, and tell all the Teuils of
your affinity and acquaintance, I thanke them for our Cousin
Gald.

Enter at one dore the Romane Standard-bearer of the Eagle, and at the other dore, Constantine.
Const.
Lay downe that haggard Eagle, and submit
Thy Romane Colours to the Bryttaines hands:
Or by that mighty Mouer of the Orbe,
That scourges Romes Ambition with reuenge,
Ile plucke her haughty feathers from her backe,
And with her, bury thee in endlesse night.

Standerdb.
Know, Bryttaines, threats vnto a Romane brest,
Swell vs with greater force, like fire supprest,
If thou wilt haue her, winne her with thy Armes.

They fight, and Constantine winneth the Eagle, & waueth it about.
Const.
Thus, not in honour, but in foule disgrace,
We waue the Romane Eagle spight of foes,
Or all the puissant Army of proud Rome.

Enter Marcus Gallicus.
Marc.
Proud Welshman, redeliuer vp that Bird,
Whose siluer wings thou flutterest in the ayre;
The Veruels that she weares, belong to Rome,
And Rome shall haue, or Ile pawne my bloud.

Const.
Romane, behold, euen in disgrace of this and thee,
And all the factious rout of trecherous Rome,
Ile keepe this Eagle; winne it if thou darest.

They fight, and are both slaine.
Enter Gald, Voada, Venusius, Morgan.
Gald.
Sound a Retreat. This day was brauely fought.
Cornewall and Codigune, vvhose infectious breath
Ingendred noysome plagues of bloud and death,
With all the Romane hoste is put to flight.
Thus by the hand of heauen, our peace is vvonne,
And all our foes sunke to confusion.

Scena 5.

Enter first the Pretorian bands armed; they stand in rowes: then enter Mauron, Guiniuer, her daughter Helena, and Caradoc bound: they passe ouer the Stage. Then enter Cesar, the Empresse, with the Senate.
Cesar.
Novv famous Rome, that lately lay obscurde
In the darke cloudes of Bryttish infamy,
Appeares victorious in her conquering Robes,
And like the Sunne, that in the midst of heauen
Reflects more glory on the teeming earth:
So fares it with triumphant Rome this day.
Bring forth these Bryttish Captiues: Let them kneele
For mercy, and submit to Cesars doome.

Enter Mauron, Guiniuer, her daughter, and Caradoc: They all bend their knees to Cesar, except Caradoc.
Cesar.
What's he that scornes to bow, when Cesar bids?

Cara.
Cesar, a man, that scornes to bow to Ioue,
Were he a man like Cesar: such a man,
That neither cares for life, nor feares to die.
I vvas not borne to kneele, but to the Gods,
Nor basely bovv vnto a lumpe of clay.
In adoration of a clod of earth.
Were Cesar Lord of all the spacious vvorld,
Euen from the Articke, to the Antarticke poles,
And but a man; in spite of death and him,
Ide keepe my legs vpright, honour should stand
Fixt as the Center, at no Kings commaund.
Thou mayest as well inforce the foming surge
Of high-swolne Neptune, with a word retire,
And leaue his flowing tide, as make me bow.
Thinks Cesar, that this petty misery
Of seruill bonds, can make true honour stoope?
No, tis inough for Sicophants and slaues,
To crouch to Tyrants, that feare their graues.
I was not borne when flattery begd land,
And eate whole Lordships vp with making legs.
Let it suffice: were Cesar thrice as great,
Ide neyther bow to Rome, him nor his seate.

Cesar.
So braue a Bryttaine hath not Cesar heard.
But soft; I am deceyued, but I behold
The golden Lyon hang about his necke,
That I deliuered to a valiant Souldiour,
That ransomlesse releast me of my bonds.
Great spirit (for thy tongue bewrayes no lesse)
If Cesar may intreat thee, kindly tell,
Where, or from whom hadst thou that golden lyon,
That hangs about thy necke?

Car.
From Cesar, or from such anotherman,
That seem'd no lesse in power then Cesar is,
Whom I tooke captiue, (and so Cesar was)
And ransomlesse sent backe vnto his Tents.
Then, if in all he like to Cesar be,
Cesar, I am deceyu'd, but thou art he.

Ce.
But he that tooke me, was a common souldier.

Car.
No, Cesar: but disguis'd I left my troupes,
Being forbidden by the Bryttish King,
To fight at all, and rusht into the hoste,
Where, from thy hands I tooke this golden Lyon.

Ces.
Thy words confirme the truth. For this braue deed,
And kind courtesie shewed to Cesar in extremes,
We freely giue you all your liberties,
And honourably will returne you home
With euerlasting peace and vnity.
And this shall Cesar speake vnto thy Fame,
The valiant Welshman merits honours name.

Flourish. Exeunt.
Enter Bardh.
Bardh.
Time cuts off our valiant Welshmans worth,
When longer Sceanes more amply night haue showne;
But that the Story's tedious to rehearse,
And we in danger of impatient cares,
Which too long repetition might beget.
Here leaue we him with Cesar full of mirth:
And now of you old Bardh intreates to tell,
In good or ill, our Story doth excell.
If ill, then goe I to my silent Tombe,
And in my shrowde sleepe in the quiet earth,
That did intend to giue a second birth.
But if it please, then Bardh shall tune his strayne,
To sing this Welshman prayses once againe,
Bells are the dead mans musicke: ere I goe,
Your Clappers sound will tell me I, or no.

Exit.