University of Virginia Library

Scena II.

Enter Fredigond the Queene, and the Eunuch.
Qu.
What conference did they maintain with thee?

Eu.
None farther than the language of their eyes,
They look'd on me as if they ment me thanks,
Which their amazement rob'd me off.

Qu.
Spake they not then at all?

Eu.
No not a word,
They seem'd to me as if they knew no language.

Qu.
You know them not?

Eu.
No dearest Lady, for th'appear'd to me
Like to the silent postures in the Arras,
Onely the form of men with stranger faces.

Qu.
Take u'm then, they are our enemies,
Whom I have angled with that golden bait;
Their parents waded in my Brothers blood,
For which i'l be reveng'd of all their kin,
Could they increase as oft as I would kill,
I'd ever kill that they might still increase:
Draw the curtain and shew the picture.
This picture drawn by an Italian
(Which still I keep to whet mine anger)
Does represent the murder of my brother,
For ravishing this beautious piece of ill;
A bloody and a terrible mistake,
To murder Clodimir for Clotarrs fact,
For which behold how Fredigond's reveng'd,
This old Dumaine and father to this maid,
With all his kindred, sociates and alies,
(These brace of wicked ones, and that ravisht whore,
The fair and fatall cause of these events
Onely excepted) are here, here in this picture:
Is't not a brave sight, how doth the object like thee?
How prettily that babie hangs by th'heels,
Sprawling his Armes about his mothers wombe,
As if againe he sought for shelter there?
Here's one bereft of hands, and this of tongue,
Finger thy Lute Maria, sing out Isabel:
Scopticè.
Hark, hark Castrato, the musick of the Sphæres,
O ravishing touch, hark how the others voice
Ecchoes the Lute, Is't not a divine softnesse?
Ha ah ha, I do expect they now should rayle extremely;
I prethee scold at me good Isabel,
A little of the woman; no Maria;
Within the cloathed circle of mine eyes,
Anchor thy fingers, alas, thy nailes are par'd,
Nor has poor Isabel a tongue to scold with,
And here's the Granddam with her glares out;
Saddle her nose with spectacles, or else
Shee'l miss her way to the infernall pit.
Tow horie Gray-berds in this angle lyes,
Will find their way to Hell without their eyes,
Villaines that kil'd my Brother; how does this like thee?
To execute men in picture, is't not rare?

(Stabs the picture
Eu.
Were but Chrotilda here, and these two youngsters,
It were a pastime for the Gods to gaze on.
Oh were I but a man as others are,
As kind and open-handed nature made me,
With Organs apt and fit for womans service.

Qu.
What if thou wert?

Eu.
What if I were great Queene?
I'd search the Deserts, Mountaines, Vallies, Plaines,
Till I had met Chrotilda, whom by force
I'd make to mingle with these sootie limbs,
Till I had got on her one like to me,
Whom I would nourish for the Dumaine line;
That time to come might story to the world,
They had the Devil to their Grand-father.

Qu.
I find thee Eunuch apt for my imployments,
Therefore I will unclaspe my soul to thee,
I've alwaies found thee trusty, and I love thee.

Eu.
With thanks I ever must acknowledge it,
And lay my life at my great Mistress feet,
Kneels.
To spend it when she pleases.

Qu.
We need it not
As yet Castrato, but we may hereafter.
See, their's the plat-forme of great Childricks death;
And they which must be thought his murderers,
Our Enemies, and now new Courtiers,
Whom hitherto I have reserv'd for policy;
First, that they take away the guilt from us;
Next, being apprehended, studying deaths,
The heads of all our Engineers shall sit
T'invent unheard of torments for the slaves;
I long to see them here, here in this frame,
Greeting their kindreds bones.

Eu.
You are the Goddess of invention.

Qu.
Then i'l commend thee to my elder Son,
Where thou shalt wind into his secret thoughts;
As for the younger Boy let me alone;
And when we have them on the hip, they shall
Follow their Fathers unto Hells-black-Hall

Eu.
Still better.

Qu.
Will not this be brave? ha, how lik'st thou this?
Now by this light I'm taken strangely with thee,
Come kiss me, kiss me sirra, tremble not.
(Queene kisses him.)
Fie, what a January lip thou hast,
A paire of Iscicles, sure thou hast bought
A paire of cast lips of the chast Diana's,
Thy blood's meere snow-broth, kiss me again:
(again)
Now see if you can find these gallants forth,
And bring them to our presence.
Exit Eunuch.
O sir y'are welcome,
Enter Landrey.
Your visits have been freer, but I grow old,
And you command the beauties of the time.

Lan.
What means my noble Mistress? think you the blood
Runnes so degenerate within these veins,
To stoop to an inferiour imbrace,
When I injoy the best.

Qu.
We are betraid:
I'l tell thee a good jest Landrey, pray marke;
This morning dressing my head my husband came,
And with his switch (for he was then to hunt)
A gentle stroke he gave me on the back;
My fancy busied then to make me fine,
Supposing it was you that sported so,
(Not dreaming that the dotard was so neere)
Cri'd, well my Landrey, in story we still find,
The best Knights strike before and not behind:
The King who alwaies understood too fast,
Quits suddenly my Chamber; what he intends
I cannot guess, unless it be our deaths,
Which if he speedily perform not, then
Know he shall never, for this night concludes him.
His Sons I weigh like him, they have rebell'd,
And taken spirit of late t'oppose my will,
And contradict my pleasures in thy love,
For which it is not safe that they should live;
The Kingdoms Heir shall be a boy of thine,
And Kings and Queens shall follow in thy Line.

Eu.
Madam, here are the Gentlemen.

Enter Dumaine & Lamot very brave, the Eunuch.
Qu.
Y'are welcome to the Court, and us, brave spirits y'are welcome.
Take a Queenes word y'are welcome.

Ambo.
Your highnesse is as full of grace as mercy.

Qu.
Rise and follow us, wee'l be your Guardian and
Protectres.

Lan.
What are these?

(Aside
Qu.
Sheep for my shambles, whom I have fatted up
Onely for slaughter; things are on foot decreed,
Shall make some smile to night, and others bleed.

Exeunt omnes