 | The Fatal Contract, A French Tragedy |  |
Actus Quartus
Scena Prima.
Enter Clotair, Solus,Clot.
What vulture gripes me here, ha, what art thou?
If thou beest jealousie mount and be gone;
Fly to the vulgar bosome, whose cheap thoughts
Despair their own performance; in a Prince
Thou shew'st a nature retrograde to honour.
Suppose she gave the Jewels, must it follow
She therefore is disloyal? poor consequence,
A Bable for a boy to play withall;
I am resolv'd, hark, I hear her comming;
O Juno, what a look and gate is there!
Aphe.
Mock me not Ladyes with this Ceremony,
For I am fitter to attend on you;
I am become a servant and a slave
To every moodie passion of my Lord.
All that's behind I can perform my self,
Without this complement.
1 Lady.
Sweet Lady,
You must not weigh these things so deeply,
Your Lord is of a noble spirit;
And you shall see how calm he will return,
Blessing your Bridall bed with fruitfull issue.
Aphe.
No, no;
The Safforn-coated Hymen frowns upon us,
These Tapers here were lighted at a pile,
As sit Attendants on the Grave, not Bed;
Juno denyes her presence at this match,
And all the ill presaging birds of night
Sing fatall Requiems for a Bridall Song;
O Ladyes, is not this ominous?
Clot.
Yes my Aphelia, if that ragged fate
Lie in a kiss, then it is ominous.
Let me dwell here; I am ravisht,
Am I on earth? no, heaven is here,
And all th'unimitable joyes, that Poets feign,
Are better'd in thy goodnesse.
Aphe.
I hope your fears are satisfied now,
You bear a brow so sweetly pleasant.
Clot.
What pretty foolery is this Aphelia?
I am not jealous, for by all that good
I cannot think thee evill; kiss me sweet,
(kisses her.
There's no deceit lies here; again, agen:
(again kisses.
Her kisses melt upon my lip, if sin
Have so much heaven in't, i'l be a sinner;
Prethee forgive my folly that could be wrought
To such a senselesse passion, come let's in
And shake this off as it never been.
We must a while my Lord intreat your absence,
We have some certain Notions to deliver,
Some pillow counsels; i'l assure your highness
It shall be no wayes prejudiciall to you.
2 Lady.
You see she's not prepar'd, till that's perform'd
She's ours; that done, we yeeld her up
To the dark night, and mercy of your Lordship.
Clot.
Go then unharnis your Lady for these wars,
For we are of the Camilli, and fight naked.
(Exe. Ladies & Aphe.
Ye powers that favour Lovers, infuse apt strength
Through every nerve and sinew of this frame;
Make me all pleasure; and unto the bride
Add every vein a Venus; guid me light,
Where in on bed lies all the worlds delight.
Offers to go out and meets the Eunuch.
Eu.
Not yet in bed! O happy, happy minute,
Untill this hour I ne'r was fortunate;
I have preserv'd my King, my Prince, my Patron,
From the loose ardor of a Strumphts bed.
Clot.
What's this?
Eu.
Be not this second time incredulous,
And scorn my honest heart; or grant you were,
I deal not now on doubts; your wife is false,
Dishonest as the Suburbs, I am loath
To nominate her whore though it be true.
Clot.
True? ha!
Eu.
Leave this Lethargiz'd passion which benumns
Your nobler nature; turn your eies on this;
(shews a Letter.
Whose Character is this?
Clot.
It is Aphelia's hand, the very same
Which I have often seen Clovis peruse
(The bed thrust forth with Aphe. asleep.
In his loves amorous pursute.
Eu.
Read the Contents.
Clot.
A Letter that she loves Landrey, with thanks
For his so freequent visits, which she repaies
With the rich Jewel sent her by the King,
Wishing a perpetuitie of imbracements.
Ten thousand Ravens crook in this black paper.
Eu.
I saw it drop from Landrey, but ne'r thought
'Fore I perus'd it what it did contain;
Which finding, in my duty I was bound
To save my Prince from ruine.
Clot.
Hold my heart,
Oh what shall Clotair do?—it cannot be;
Do but behold her face, and thou shalt read
What we call vertue there, and modesty;
Here is a look would perswade cruelty
To sigh and shed a tear, bribe Nemesis
To knot her steely scourge with Plume of Down,
And Jove himself to call her vice a virtue.
Eu.
A book of Devils may have the Cover gilt;
Treason lyes Cabin'd in the smoothest brow;
The Devill can assume an Angels form;
Your wife is fair, but fair to do you harm.
Clot.
Oh say not so, she is the neatest cut
As e'r was printed by the hand of heaven;
Here is a volum of Divinity,
Compos'd so rarely, that to add to this,
Or take away from hence, were such a sin
Repentance could not expiate; i'l not touch
With hands unhallowrd such a puritie,
Could it change all my thoughts to peace and silence.
Eu.
My Lord—
Clot.
Peace slave,
Thou that infects all peace.
Eu.
Why are you thus distemper'd? let not truth
Make you so wild a tempest; were it false,
Or that I sought the ruine of your house,
Your youth and honour, then it were a time
To swell beyond all charming down, but being truth—
Clot.
Truth! hence and avoid my sight, fly where the world
Promiscuously combines without distinction;
Where every man is every womans husband,
Or where it's thought a curtesie to have
A fellow labourer in the marriage bed.
And fit for thee to dwell with; hence away,
And if thou lov'st thy life, acquaint thy feet
With such by paths that we may never meet.
Exit.
Eu.
This Prince is of a nature mild and gentle,
His mothers milk's too fluent in his eies,
And much I fear his resolution:
Yet I will work him forward; she awakes
Aphelia stirs in the bed.
I'l after him and fetch him back; if then
She scape his hate, Hell has no power with men.
Ex. Eu.
Aphe.
Oh, oh, oh, help, help my Lord and husband;
O my Father, my Lord and husband; help, help.
Bless me Divinity, is it but a Dream! ha the light
Gone; who waits there? Isabel, Julia.
Isa.
It was my Ladies voice, do's she call for help?
(Ent. Isabel with a light.
I cannot blame her; were I in her place I should
Do so too, the Prince looks like a bungler.
Aphe.
Who's there? Isabel?
Isab.
Did you call Maddam?
Aphe.
Saw'st thou nothing? where is my Lord?
Isab.
Is he absent? I cannot blame her then to cry for help,
I should do it my self; a Prince, a Puppit would have
Been more manly: how do you Maddam?
Aphe.
All stands not well.
Isab.
I believe that faithfully.
Aph.
O Girl I've past the dismal'st part of night,
As ever tortur'd fancy with extremes.
Isab.
If all Brides should be so tortur'd, i'd forswear
Marriage.
Aphe.
Methoughts I saw my Father in a Vault,
His silver hair made crimson with his blood;
My brother at his Herse upon his knees,
Taking a solemn oath for his revenge;
Yet all this while fancy so fool'd my sense,
Metought that I was here; where on the instant,
My Lord in preparation for my bed,
Was by an uglyfiend ravisht from hencc
And hurried to destruction; here I awak'd,
But what I saw was reall; heard'st thou nothing?
Isab.
I heard discourse of people in your Chamber
Some half an hour since, but they went forth,
And to my seeming full of discontent,
But know not who they were.
Aphe.
Oh it is too true;
I'l to my Fathers, my Prophetique soul
Sits like a Mine of lead within me; come
Help me to mourn my Girl, for this sad sight
Besits a funerall, not a Bridall night.
(Exeunt ambo.
Clot.
I am resolv'd Castrato, i'l be cruel,
(Ent. Clotair and the Eunuch.
Since she's defil'd; and like a Christal well
Has her spring poyson'd by the enemie,
For which it's death for the besieg'd to tast,
Such are adulterate waters; say Eunuch,
What read'st thou in our brow? speak truly man.
Eu.
A foolish grudging of the Mother still.
Clot.
A settled resolution my black Saint,
Not to be altred by the brackish tears
Which flow in pregnant eies of easie women.
Slack pietie,
And rise black vengeance from the depth of hell,
And fate me her destruction; lock up in me
The Organs of remorse, all faculties
That write me man, or mankind; create
A spirit of horror in me, apt me to look
Upon such deeds nature would tremble at,
And the discreet composure of the world
Melt and dissolve to nothing, whilst I unmov'd
Smile at the alteration; infuse such soul,
And I shall then behold all crueltie
Human invention e'r was guiltie off,
And whilst I groan under extremitie,
Stand and applaud the Executioner;
My honour calls for vengeance, and i'l do: ha,
(draws his Dagger & goes to the bed.
How? she gone, and I have lost mine anger too.
Eu.
But whether is she gone, to some new Groom,
Will make thee Cuckold on thy wedding nighe.
Clot
Thou hast awak'd me, i'l know where she is,
Hell, nor her darker deeds shall hide her from me.
Who waits, Lackey?
Ent. Lackey.
Lack.
My Lord.
Clot.
Where is thy Lady? where's Aphelia?
Lack.
She's even now gone forth.
Clot
Gone forth, with whom?
Lack.
There was one with her, but whether man or
Woman I am uncrrtain; but sure 'twas a man,
She would not dare to venture out so late else.
Clot.
Get to thy rest.
(Exit Lackey.
I'l take thy word Eunuch for the Kingdoms wealth.
Eu.
Oh do you begin to credit now,
Now when perhaps it is to late, this comes of patience;
Clot.
Turn patience into fury, love to hate,
My softer temper to a heart of steel;
Respect of wedlock and the sacred vow
Made 'fore the holy Altar to the Priest,
Thus I do fling ye off; revenge shall move
About our bridall bed instead of love.
Exeunt.
SCEN. II.
Enter Clovis, Lamot, and three or four of the Guard.Clo.
Upon your lives let no man passe that way.
Om. Guard.
Your Grace shall be obey'd in all.
Clo.
If he resist or offer violence, knock out his brains;
There's your reward, be carefull and begone.
Om. Guard.
God preserve the Monsiure.
(Exit Guard.
Clo.
You shall possess the Cave, my self will in
And visit these night Revellers, such sport
I will administer shall make them dance
Lavalto's in the air, here's that shall fidle to them.
Have you the habit Strephon?
Lam.
With these hands
I did disrobe the statue of your Father,
Clo.
Landrey, blood doth swell
The Monsiur's thoughts, to send thy soul to Hell.
Exeunt omnes.
Scen. III.
Enter Landrey, musick above, and this Song.The Song.
Wisdome bids us shun the Court,
What great ones do, fame will report;
Here we may enjoy each other,
And no eye our loves discover.
I will make thee choice of poses,
Beds of Cassia mixt with Roses;
Where wee'l toy, and kisse, and varie
Pleasures till the morn discloses
All our secrets, if thou't tarry.
Lan.
If I will tarry, let me wither here,
Within these sacred walls let me expire,
And spend the remnant of my life that's left,
In service of the Deitie lives here.
The air's perfum'd each room thorugh which I walk,
Banquets the senses, courts the appetite
Of every facultie that makes up man,
To complement it into paradice.
If then Elysium's here; where are those shades,
Those blessed apparitions Poets feign?
Appear my Goddess and out sing the Poets:
(Enter Queen.
Reality of fancy that excell'st
The faint expressions of a lazie tongue,
Whose house is roof'd with flesh; to tell thy worth,
Tongues tip'd with immortality would faint in't.
Qu.
Excellent servant, what house do you write too?
Poet and Actor both? why, this sudden gaze,
Your cases are too narrow for your eies?
Pray spare your Optiques sir for Venus service.
Lan.
No,
I'l play the prodigall with my precious sight,
Were such a happiness, after the which
It were a sin to see more.
Qu.
bless me Rahlais,
And all ye foster phansies of the French;
What ails the man? my Landrey Laureat.
Lan.
It is my Queen that's Laureat, whose blest sight
Creates a Poet, this divine feature
Heaven onely made to make man ingenious.
Qu.
Is this Extempore, or have you hir'd
Some hackney Muse acquainted with the road
Of vulgar exoricsms to charm cheap beauties;
Take up, at this speed else your Muse will founder.
Land.
Founder, and have her founders by? with patience
Here but these poor expressions of your worth,
Which faintly paint forth your perfections,
And you shall blesse my Muse.
Qu.
Wee'l hear your jigg,
How is your Ballad titl'd? come pronounce.
Landrey
Reads.
From head to foot, Fredigond been
Far excelling beauties Queen;
Had Jason but beheld her hair,
The golden Fleece bed ne'r seem'd fair;
Those stars which mortals suppose eyes,
Were ascendant in the skies,
When it fell to Venus lot
That little Cupid was begot.
Her tongue in which the Sphæres do move,
Organ of divinest love,
Was by Apollo fram'd, that he
From hence might learn more harmonie;
Who neats her teeth, and lips discloses,
VValls of Pearl, and gates of Roses;
Two leaved doores that lead the way
Through her breath t'Arabia,
To which would Cupid grant that bliss,
I'd go a pilgrimage to kiss:
Those bills of snow which on her breast.
Mate Parnassus mountain, whence
The Muses suck their eloquence;
Whose parts which we will not discover
Hee'l imagine that's a lover.
Like Juno she doth go,
Like Pallas talk and sow,
Like Venus in her bliss,
Each kisse a Cupid is,
And her hands as white as snow.
From head to foot my Mistriss been
Far excelling beauties Queen.
Qu.
Leave these ariall Viands, tast of that
Is here substantiall; how like you the fruit?
Land.
Let me for ever dwell upon these lips.
Qu.
You are too greedy of these rarities,
And must be dyeted, lest surfeiting
Your appetite should sicken and so die.
Lan.
Die on yuur lips, O death-bed for a Jove
Who's buried here, his Grave's immortall love;
Here will I dwell, and know no age nor sorrow.
Q.
Yet Childrick knew them both.
Lan.
A frosty Prince
Begot on January by a Dutch man.
And worthy of thse flames he now indures.
Enter Clovis from under the Stage with his Fathers Gown and Robes on.
Qu.
What noise is this? guard me divinitie.
Clov.
What has my harshnes done? she is my Mother;
My conscience tells me I was much to blame
Thus to delude her fancy; she returns.
Qu.
O Childrick I confesse 'twas I that kill'd thee,
These hands administred the fatal draught
That set thy soul on wing.
Clov.
What do I hear?
Qu.
Oh do not snatch my soul from out this world,
Till I have bath'd it in repentant tears,
And made it fit for heaven.
She faints again;
(he puts off his robes.
Who waits within? come forth and lend your aid:
(Enter Lamot at the trap door.
O welcome Strephon; use thy best of skill
That masters nature, and doth life restore,
Beyond the Art of Æseulapius;
Apply thy gentlest med'cines.
(Enter Musicians.
Lam.
Let us withdraw;
My life sir answer hers if she miscarry.
Clov.
What are ye?
Musi.
Musicianes, whose obedience
Doth here attend the Queen.
Clov.
Bawds, arrant-bawds;
I'l talk with you anon; in, in.
(Exeunt omnes.
Enter the Guard.
1 Gua.
Stand close, stand close, I heard a busling within here while.
2 Gua
Busling, and they come this way here's that shall bussle them.
(Enter Landrey.
3 Gua.
Fly upon him, hee's drunk, and will betray us all.
Land.
I am betraid, tht Monsiure seeks my life,
All waies 'gainst m'escape are fortifi'd;
O cruel fortune bawd to time and fate,
That sooth'st us up to make us ruinate:
For now thou know'st no tears, anon no glee,
But onely constant in inconstancie.
(finds the Robes.
Ha! what is here? great Goddess pardon me,
I have offended 'gainst thy Deitie.
This shall delude the Watch; thrice blessed hap
That thus deliver'st whom they would intrap.
2 Guard.
I will not stand, nor I cannot stand; d'ee think
I'm drunk, what's that?
Om. Gua.
Blesse us, O blesse us; Diabolo, Diabolo.
2 Gua.
The Devil, what a Devil care I, keep off Devil,
I say keep off, I do not fear thee; are you
Sneaking back, you cowardly Rogue, d'ee budge;
I hate a cowardly rogue, as I hate, as I hate the
Devil; take that.
(knocks him down.
Oh, oh, oh.
2 Guar.
Oh, oh, oh, i'l make you cry oh;
What Devil made you in my way?
I'l now see what money he carries about him;
Men say the Prince of darknesse is a Gentleman,
By'rladie he ha's good clothes; but yet for all that
He may have no money.
Enter Queen, Clovis, Lamot undisguised, Musicians.
Qu.
I know not were he is, or if I did,
Before i'd yeeld him up to thy revenge,
I'l die ten thousand deaths.
Clov.
Thou glorious light, that in thy naturall Orb
Didst comfortably shine upon this Kingdome;
How is thy worth ecclips'd, what a dull darkness
Hangs round about thy fame? in all this piece,
To every limb whereof I once ow'd dutie,
I know not where now to find out my mother.
Qu.
The Devil and disobedience blinds your eyes.
Clov.
O that I had no eyes, so you no shame;
Murther your Husband to arrive at lust,
And then to lay the blame on innocents?
Blush, I lush, thou worse than woman.
Qu.
Ha, ha, ha.
Clov.
Hold my heart,
You'r impudent in sin; has your proud page
Made you thus valiant? tell me, where he is;
For if you dally with me, know this hand
Shall rip him from thy heart, though Cabin'd there.
Qu.
How dar'st thou cloth thy speech in such a phrase
To me thy naturall Mother?
Clov.
My Mother!
Adulterate woman, shame of Royaltie,
I blush to call thee mother; thy foul lusts
Have taught me words of that harsh consequence
That Stigmatize obedience, and do brand
With mis-becoming accents filiall duty:
Deliver quickly where this leacher is;
Here hous'd he must be, for he cannot scape,
Lest wildness conquering my softer sense,
And leave you breathlesse here.
Q.
What French Neronian spirit have we here?
Insolent boy, wilt thou turn Paricide?
Clov.
The justness of my cause would excuse me
If I should execute; speak murtheress,
Where have you mew'd your Monster?
Qu.
Here lies the Monster, oh rare Monster; two Berds,
This is a comick Monster; a Periwick too, this is a Court Monster;
D'ee gape, what in the Devils name would you beg now?
Lam.
Behold my Lord, the Woodcock's in the Gin,
Here lies the great Landrey.
Qu.
O horrid sin.
Clov.
This habit might have ruin'd all Lamot.
But Goblin now you are caught; what is he dead?
Lam.
Scarce hurt my Lord; how is't? look up.
Eu.
Where is the Queen?
(Enter Eunuch.
Qu.
Here Eunuch, as thou fee'st, in misery.
Eu.
O my heart, how came the Monsiur hither? Lamot too?
Qu.
All that I know is that we are betraid.
Eu.
I'l set them packing, fear not,—my good Lord.
Clov.
Thou art a faithful servant.
Eu.
Sir, the Rebels—
Clov.
Give 'hem a nobler Title, by my life
I do applaud their courage; come they on?
Eu.
Yes, and Brissac is made their Generall.
Clov.
A hopeful youth, fraught with Nobility,
And all the graceful qualities that write
Man truly honourable; my injuries
Have swell'd me up to this.
Eu.
His Father's dead.
Clov.
Trust me i'm sorry, grief has broke his heart,
And mine Castrato too; canst thou imagine
Who was the Author of our Fathers death?
Eu.
Am I betraid? then lend me impudence,
I'm sure I cannot blush: Royal sir, whom?
Clov.
Our Mother with Landrey, and this Lamot,
They ment should bear the blame; this was Strephon.
Indeed?—would I were fairly off.
Clov.
But what news with Aphelia and her Bridegroom?
Eu.
As you could wish, hee's lull of jealousie,
No Frenchman e'r was more Italian;
I've wrought him bravely on, your Physick works,
Hither i've brought Aphelia; to morrow
You shall hear further sport i'l warrant you;
In the mean while, what will you do with these?
Clov.
Castrato thus;
Nature forbids me spill my Mothers blood,
And Landrey is unfit for my revenge;
For I must study torments for the slave,
Therefore I give them up to your tuition,
Until I shall return victorious.
Qu.
Observ'd you that? there is some comfort yet.
Clov.
Then wee'l determine of them, if we fall
Let Clotair point them out a funerall:
Reward these with the whip, these with my purse,
His merit is two hundred Crowns, perform it
2. Guard.
Drink, I adore thee drink; good fellows all,
Sometimes we rise by drink, but oftner fall.
(Ex. 2 Guard.
Clov.
A moral drunkard, go away with them;
(Ex. Eunuch, Musicians, Landry & Queen.
And on your life let them not stir from hence.
Now my revenge grows to maturity,
Wee'l to Dumain (Lamot) and joyn with him;
Now France thou liest a bleeding, thou shalt prove
What 'tis to cross the Monsiur in his love.
(Exeunt omnes.
| The Fatal Contract, A French Tragedy | |