 | The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Aragon |  |
Act. 1.
After you haue sounded thrise, let Venus be let downe from the top of the Stage, and when she is downe, say.Poets are scarce when Goddesses themselues
Are forst to leaue their high and stately seates
Placed on top of high Olympus Mount,
To seeke them out, to pen their Champions praise.
The time hath bene when Homers sugred Muse,
Did make each Eccho to repeate his verse,
That euery coward that durst crack a speare,
And Tilt and Turney for his Ladies sake,
Was painted out in colours of such price
As might become the proudest Potentate.
But now a dayes so yrksome Idels slights,
And cursed charmes haue witch'd each students mind,
That death it is to any of them all,
If that their hands to penning you do call:
Oh Uirgil, Virgil, wert thou now aliue,
Whose painfull pen in stout Augustus dayes,
Did daigne to let the base and silly flea
To scape away without thy praise of her.
I do not doubt but long or ere this time,
Alphonsus fame vnto the heauen's should clime:
Alphonsus fame that man of Ioue his seed,
Sprung from the loines of the immortall Gods,
May claime a pottion in the fierie Pole,
As well as any one what ere he be.
But setting by Alphonsus power diuine,
What man aliue or now amongst the ghoasts
Could counteruaile his courage and his strength?
But thou art dead, yea Virgil thou art gon:
And all his acts drownd in obliuion.
And all his acts drownd in obliuion?
No Uenus no, though Poets proue vnkind,
And loth to stand in penning of his deeds,
Yet rather then they shall be cleane forgot,
I which was wont to sollow Cupids games
Will put in vre Mineruaes sacred Art,
And this my hand which vsed for to pen
The praise of loue, and Cupids peerles power,
Will now begin to treat of bloudie Mars,
Of doughtie deeds and valiant victories.
Enter Melpomine, Clio, Errato, with their sisters, playing all vp-vpon sundrie Instruments, Calliope onely excepted, who comming last, hangeth downe the head, and plaies not of her Instrument.
But see whereas the stately Muses come,
Whose harmony doth very far surpasse
The heauenly musick of Appolloes pipe.
But what meanes this Melpomine her selfe
With all her sisters sound their Instruments,
Onely excepted faire Calliope?
Who comming last & hanging downe her head,
Doth plainly shewe by outward actions
What secret sorrow doth torment her heart.
Stands aside.
Calliope thou which so oft didst crake,
How that such clients clustred to thy Court
By thick and threefold, as not any any one
Of all thy sisters might compare with thee:
Where be thy schollers now become I troe?
Where are they vanisht in such suddain sort,
That while as we do play vpon our strings,
You stand still lazing, and haue nought to do?
Clio.
Melpomine make you a why of that?
I know full oft you haue Authors red,
The higher tree the sooner is his fall,
And they which first do flourish and beare sway,
Vpon the sudden vanish cleane away.
Cal.
Mocke on apace, my backe is broad enough
To beare your flouts as many as they be.
That yeare is rare, that nere feeles winters stormes:
That tree is fertile which nere wanteth frute.
And that same Muse hath heaped well in store:
Which neuer wanteth clients at her doore.
But yet my sisters, when the surgent seas
Haue ebde their fill, their waues do rise againe
And fill their bankes vp to the very brimmes:
And when my pipe hath easd her selfe a while,
Such store of suters shall my seate frequent,
That you shall see my schollers be not spent.
Errato.
Spent (quoth you) sister, then we were too blame
If we should say your schollers all were spent:
But pray now tell me when your painfull pen will rest enough?
Mel.
When husbandmen sheere hogs.
Ven.
Melpomine, Errato and the rest,
From thickest shrubs dame Venus did espie
The mortall hatred which you ioyntly beare
Vnto your sister high Calliope.
What do you thinke if that the tree do bend,
And since her pipe a litle while doth rest,
It neuer shall be able for to sound?
Yes Muses yes, if that she will vouchsafe
To entertaine Dame Venus in her schoole,
And further me with her instructions,
She shall haue schollers which wil daine to be
In any other Muses companie.
Calliope.
Most sacred Venus do you doubt of that?
Calliope would thinke her three times blest,
For to receiue a Goddes in her schoole,
Especially so high an one as you,
Which rules the earth, and guides the heauens too.
Ven.
Then sound your pipes, and let vs bend our steps
Vnto the top of high Pernassus hill,
And there togither do our best deuoyr
For to describe Alphonsus warlike fame:
And in the maner of a Comedie,
Set downe his noble valour presently.
Calli.
As Venus wils, so bids Calliope.
Melpo.
And as you bid your sisters do agree.
Exeunt.
Enter Clarinus the Father, and Alphonsus his sonne.
Carinus.
My noble sonne, since first I did recount
The noble acts your predecessors did
In Aragon, against their warlike foes,
I neuer yet could see thee ioy at all,
But hanging downe thy head as malcontent:
Thy youthfull dayes in mourning haue bene spent.
Tell me Alphonsus what might be the cause
That makes thee thus to pine away with care?
Hath old Carinus done thee any offence
In reckning vp these stories vnto thee?
Vnles your Fathers fatall day you seeke.
Alphon.
Although deare father I haue often vowde
Nere to vnfold the secrets of my heart
To any man or woman, who some ere
Dwels vnderneath the circle of the skie:
Yet do your words so coniure me deare sire,
That needs I must fulfil that you require.
Then so it is, amongst the famous tales
Which you rehearst done by our sires in warre,
When as you came vnto your fathers daies,
With sobbing notes, with sighs & blubbring teares,
And much ado, at length you thus began.
Next to Alphonsus should my father come,
For to possesse the Diadem by right
Of Aragon, but that the wicked wretch
His yonger brother, with aspiring mind,
By secret treason robd him of his life,
And me his sonne, of that which was my due.
These words my sire, did so torment my mind,
As had I bene with Ixion in hell,
The rauening bird could neuer plague me worse:
For euer since my mind hath troubled bene
Which way I might reuenge this traiterous fact,
And that recouer which is ours by right.
Cari.
Ah my Alphonsus neuer thinke on that,
In vaine it is to striue against the streame,
The Crowne is lost, and now in bucksters hands,
And all our hope is cast into the dust:
Bridle these thoughts, and learne the same of me,
A quiet life doth passe an Emperie.
Alphon.
Yet noble father, ere Carinus brood
Shall brooke his foe for to vsurpe his seate,
Heele die the death with honour in the field,
And so his life and sorrowes briefly end.
As I should faile in this my iust attempt:
This sword deare father should the Author be,
To make an end of this my Tragedie.
Therefore sweet sire, remaine you here a while,
And let me walke my Fortune for to trie:
I do not doubt but ere the time be long,
Ile quite his cost, or else my selfe will die.
Cari.
My noble sonne, since that thy mind is such
For to reuenge thy fathers foule abuse,
As that my words may not a whit preuaile
To stay thy iourney, go with happie fate,
And soone returne vnto thy fathers Cell,
With such a traine as Iulius Cæsar came
To noble Rome, when as he had atchiu'd
The mightie Monarch of the triple world,
Meane time Carinus in this sillie groue
Will spend his daies with praiers and horizons,
To mightie Ioue, to further thine intent:
Farewell deare sonne Alphonsus, fare you well.
Exit.
Alphon.
And is he gone? then hie Alphonsus hie,
To trie thy fortune where thy fates do call:
A noble mind disdaines to hide his head,
And let his foes triumph in his ouerthrow.
Enter Albinius. Alphonsus make as though thou goest out, Albinius say.
Albi.
What loytring follow haue we spied here?
Presume not villaine further for to go,
Vnles you do at length the same repent.
Alphonsus comes towards Albinius.
Alphon.
Villain saist thou, nay vilain in thy throat:
What knowst thou skipinck whom thou vilain calst?
Albi.
A common vassall I do villaine call.
That shalt thou soone approoue perswade thy self,
Or else ile die, or thou shalt die for me.
Albi.
What do I dreame, or do my dazeling eies
Deceiue me? Ist Alphonsus that I see?
Doth now Medea vse her wonted charmes
For to delude Albinius fantasie?
Or doth black Pluto king of darke Auerne,
Seeke to flout me with his counterfait?
His bodie like to Alphonsus framed is:
His face resembles much Alphonsus hewe:
His noble mind declares him for no les.
Tis he indeed, wo worth Albinius,
Whose babling tong hath causde his owne annoy.
Why doth not Ioue send from the glittring skies
His Thunderbolts to chastice this offence?
Why doth dame Terra cease with greedie iawes
To swallow vp Albinius presently?
What shall I flie and hide my trayterous head,
From stout Alphonsus whom I so misusde?
Or shall I yeeld. Tush yeelding is in vaine:
Nor can I flie, but he will follow me.
Then cast thy selfe downe at his graces feete,
Confesse thy fault, and readie make thy brest,
To entertaine thy well deserued death.
Albinius kneeles downe.
Alph.
What newes my friend? why are you so blanke
That earst before did vaunt it to the skies?
Albi.
Pardon deare Lord, Albinius pardon craues
For this offence, which by the heauens I vowe,
Vnwittingly I did vnto your grace.
For had I knowne Alphonsus had bene here,
Ere that my tongue had spoke so trayterously,
This hand should make my very soule to die.
Alphon.
Rise vp my friend, thy pardon soon is got:
But prithie tell me what the cause might be;
That in such sort thou erst vpbraidest me?
Albinius rises vp.
Most mightie Prince, since first your fathers sire
Did yeeld his ghost vnto the sisters three,
And olde Carinus forced was to flie,
His natiue soyle, and royall Diadem,
I for because I seemed to complaine
Against their treason, shortly was forewarnd,
Nere more to haunt the bounds of Aragon,
On paine of death, then like a man forlorne
I sought about to find some resting place,
And at the length did happe vpon this shore
Where she wing forth my cruell banishment,
By King Belinus I am succoured.
But now my Lord to answere your demaund,
It happens so, that the vsurping King
Of Aragon, makes warre vpon this land,
For certaine tribute which he claymeth heere,
Wherefore Belinus sent me round about
His Countrey for to gather vp men.
For to withstand this most iniurious foe,
Which being done, returning with the king,
Dispightfully I did so taunt your grace,
Imagining you had some souldier bene,
The which for feare had sneaked from the Campe.
Alphon.
Inough Albinius, I do know thy mind:
But may it be, that these thy happie newes,
Should be of truth, or haue you forged them?
Albi.
The gods forbid that ere Albinius tongue
Should once be found to forge a fayned tale,
Especially vnto his soueraigne Lord:
But if Alphonsus thinke that I do faine,
Stay here a while, and you shall plainely see,
My words be true, when as you do perceiue
Our royall armie march before your face,
The which ift please my Noble Lord to stay,
Ile hasten on with all the speed I may.
Make haste Albinius, if you loue my life,
But yet beware when as your Armie comes,
You do not make as though you do me know,
For I a while a souldier base will be,
Vntill I finde time more conuenient
To shew Albinius, what is mine intent.
Albi.
What ere Alphonsus fittest doth esteeme,
Albinius for his profit best will deeme.
Exit.
Alphon.
Now do I see both Gods and fortune to
Do ioyne their powers to raise Alphonsus fame:
For in this broyle I do not greatly doubt,
But that I shall my Couzens courage tame.
But see whereas Belinus Armie comes,
And he himselfe vnlesse I gesse awrie:
Who ere it be I do not passe a pinne,
Alphonsus meanes his souldier for to be.
Enter Belinus King of Naples, Albinius, Fabius, marching with their souldiers.
Beli.
Thus farre my Lords wee trained haue our Campe,
For to encounter haughtie Arragon,
Who with a mightie power of stragling mates,
Hath trayterously assayled this our land,
And burning Townes and sacking Cities faire,
Doth play the diuell where some ere he comes.
Now as we are informed by our scoutes,
He marcheth on vnto our cheefest feate,
Naples I meane, that Citie of renowme,
For to begirt it with his bands about:
And so at length, the which high Ioue forbid,
To sacke the same as earst he other did.
If which should happe, Belinus were vndone,
His countrey spoyld, and all his subiect slaine:
Wherefore your soueraigne thinketh it most meet,
And Naples succour, that distressed Towne,
By entring in, ere Aragon doth come,
With all our men, which will sufficient be,
For to withstand their cruell batterie.
Albi.
The sillie serpent found by Country swaine,
And cut in peeces by his furious blowes,
Yet if his head do scape away vntoucht,
As many write, it very stranglye goes,
To fetch an herbe, with which in litle time,
Her battered corpes againe she doth conioyne:
But if by chance the ploughmans sturdie staffe,
Do happe to hit vpon the Serpents head,
And bruse the same, though all the rest be sound,
Yet doth the sillie serpent lie for dead:
Nor can the rest of all her body serue,
To finde a salue which may her life preserue.
Euen so my Lord, if Naples once be lost,
Which is the head of all your graces land,
Easie it were, for the malicious foe,
To get the other Cities in their hand:
But if from them, that Naples Towne be free,
I do not doubt, but safe the rest shall bee.
And therefore mightie King, I thinke it best,
To succour Naples, rather then the rest.
Beli.
Tis brauely spoken, by my Crowne I sweare,
I like thy counsell and will follow it.
Point toward Alphonsus.
But harke Albinius, dost thou know the man,
That doth so closely ouer thwart vs stand?
Albi.
Not I my Lord nor neuer saw him yet.
Beli.
Then prithie goe, and aske him presently,
What countrey man he is, and why he comes
That is sent hither as a secret spie,
To heare and see in secret what we do.
Albinius and Fabius go toward Alphonsus.
Albi.
My friend, what art thou, that so like a spie,
Dost sneake about Belinus royall Campe?
Alphon.
I am a man.
Fabi.
A man? we know the same:
But prithee tell me, and set scoffing by,
What country man thou art, and why you come,
That we may soone resolue the King thereof?
Alphon.
Why say, I am a souldier.
Fabi.
Of whose band?
Alphon.
Of his that will most wages to me giue.
Fabi.
But will you be content to serue Belinus in his wars?
Alphon.
I if he will reward me as I do deserue,
And grant what ere I winne, it shall be mine incontinent.
Albi.
Beleeue me sir, your seruice costly is:
But stay a while, and I will bring you word,
What King Belinus sayes vnto the same.
Albinius go towards Alphonsus.
Beli.
What newes Albinius, who is that we see?
Albi.
It is my Lord, a souldier that you see,
Who faine would serue your grace in these your warres,
But that I feare, his seruice is too deare.
Beli.
Too deare, why so? what doth the souldier craue?
Albi.
He craues my Lord, all things that with his sword
He doth obtaine what euer that they be.
Beli.
Content my friend, if thou wilt succour me,
What ere you get, that challenge as thine owne,
Belinus giues it franckly vnto thee:
Although it be the Crowne of Aragon.
Come on therefore, and let vs hie apace,
To Naples Towne, whereas by this I know,
March on my Lord, for I will follow you,
And do not doubt but ere the time be long,
I shall obtaine the Crowne of Aragon.
Exeunt.
| The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Aragon | |