University of Virginia Library

Actus quartus.

Sleep at one door, Watch at the other.
Watch.
Why how now Sleep, what dost thou mean to stretch?
Open thine eyes, 'tis I, my name is Watch.

Sleep.
Prethee disturb me not, thou knowst I am
As far from hurt, as truth is free from blame.

Watch.
I think so too, prethee hold up thy eyes,
I'le tell thee of a thousand rarities.

Sleep.
Good Watch depart, keep company with those
Whose evil actions make all men their foes;
Fly to forlorn hopes, seek out the Cell
Of vigilant Revenge, or go and dwell
With Husbands jealousies, or Rebels fears;
Oh! For a nap of sixteen hundred years.

Watch.
Thou shalt not sleep a minute by this light,
The Prince of darkness and the Queen of Night,
Intend to revel, betwixt twelve and one,
This night they keep their Coronation,
And you must needs be there.

Sleep.
Didst ever see
Sleep at a Masque, or tricks of jollity?
I shall spoil all; what spirits can I raise?
Sleep goes to Sermons oftner then to Playes.

Watch.
The Queen will have it so.

Sleep.
So let it be.
I hope she'l send her Coach to carry me,
For if I walk, I shall be out of breath;
Who will be there?

Watch.
Your elder brother Death,
And his great opposite the Queen of Life.

Sleep.
Where ever they meet there must needs be strife,
And I abhor contention, I'le not go,
I must seek out a place where pleasures flow,
Where plenty strews the room with wine and dyet,
Where cares are banished by the Queen of quiet,
Where health and wealth, prosperity and ease,
Are in contention onely how to please;
Where Amity is thought the best defence,
And Conscience hath no crime, or else no sence,
Where war and Law, and Faction are unknown,
Where Lovers sing, and Organs play alone,
Where all things are presented to the eyes,
Beyond what man can wish for, or devise.

Watch.
Where will you find all this?

Sleep.
Far from your knowing,
Where I keep Court these joyes are ever flowing;
The showers of April, and Apollo's beams,
Shall not produce such plenty as my Dreams;
Nor can the liquid lips of the South wind,
Send such sweet succour as in Sleep we find;
The Lover (though his Lady prove extream)
Spight of her pride, enjoyes her in a Dream.
The Beggar when by Sleep stow'd under hatches,
May tell more pieces then his coat hath patches;
The Turkey-Captive in a slumber laid,
Is safe at home, and all his Ransome paid:
The hungry Lazar, in a Dream, is able
To sit in plenty at a Princes table.

Watch.
How long shall they this Paradise partake?

Sleep.
For everlasting, if they never wake.

Watch.
If this be all your drowzy power can do,
Beggers and slaves are onely fit for you;
Give me the watchful eye, the active hand,
The copious Intellect that can command
Misterious designs, and all that are
Conservative in Peace, and us'd in War.

Sleep.
Prethee be quiet, what a noyse you keep,

Watch.
I'le tell thee what I am.

Sleep.
Do, and I'le sleep.

Watch.
I am the prop of prayer, life of devotion,
By my assistance men command the Ocean,
I guide all Ships that every billow bears.

Sleep.
Pillow bears?

Sleeps and nods.
Watch.
I teach them in a storm to work out fears,
Without my ayd the Spaniards, Turks, nor Russians,
Could sayl against the foaming repercussions.

Sleep.

Cushions, I can sleep without Cushions, if you
would but leave your bawling.

Sleeps and nods agen.
Watch.
I make the Student wake, I watch the Centry,
That doth expect each minute the foes entry:
I keep the Camp in war, the Court in peace,
By me the Plowman sows and reaps increase;
No cunning consultation could be held
Without my help, in City or in Field;
If I do not assist, nothing can be
Secure, that tends to Power or Policy;
Where I am wanting all things must miscarry,
That are Divine, Moral, or Military;
I watch with them that laugh, and them that weep,
Indeed what is that I do not?

Sleep.
Sleep.

Watch.
'Tis true, that's thy dominion; where wert thou,
When fruitful Albians Alabaster brow,
In the warm blood of Civil War was dyed?

Sleep.
I was amongst them too on the Kings side.

Watch.
Your faculty and theirs did well agree.

Sleep.
Yes faith, I took a nap, and that took mee.

Watch.
Sleep is the sluggards joy, the Drunkards dyet,
The Freemans fetters.

Sleep.
'Tis the Plowmans quiet.

Wat.
The Souldiers ruine.

Slee.
But the poor mans wealth.

Wat.
The Magistrates disease.

Sleep.
The sick mans health.

Wat.
The dull mans bed-fellow.

Sleep.
The Lovers balm.

Wat.
The Statesmans Lethargy.

Sleep.
The Seamans calm.
Whilst watching either suits with him that grieves,
Or else with Ranters, Rebels, Whores and Thieves.

Watch.
A very comely Character, but come,
Lift up your eye-lids, or I'le beat a Drum
About your ears.

Sleep.
What would you have me do?

Watch.
Attend the Festivals.

Sleep.
Come then let's go;
But I shall ne'r hold out.

Watch.
We two must lead
The King and Queen, when they their measures tread.

Sleep.
A match, a match, that Dance must needs be taking,
Which is perform'd between sleeping and waking.

Exeunt.
SONG.
Chor.
Chor.
Chor.

The Scene is drawn, and there appears upon a black Throne the King of Darkness, the Queen of Night, beneath them Life and Death, and on the lowest seat Watch and Sleep.
Queen.
Great Prince of Darkness welcome to my Court.

King.
We thank you Princess for this Royal sport,
Which is so innocent, the eye of day,
Could she look on us, need not turn away;
All the transactions of this short nights story,
The Sun might see in his Meridian Glory.
Where's Watch?

Watch.
At hand my Liege.

King.
Go still the Ocean,
And bid the Spheres make Musick to our motion.

They come into a figure and Dance, in the middle of the Dance the Bell-man rings his Bell within, he sings, they stand.
SONG.

The Scene drawn there appears in their proper order a Constable and five Watchmen, he with his staff, and each of them with their Bills and Lanthorns, they descend and dance with the King and Queen, Life and Death, Sleep and Watch; towards the end of the Dance, Sleep hangs upon each of them by turns, and they drop down severally, which being done, the King and Queen mount the Scene; presently after a noyse within of stop thief, and crying murther.
King.
What noyse is that.

Watc.
An outcry in the City.

Sle.
Go seek out Watch, I told ye I would fit ye,
Ex. watch.
I have given them their dose, how the fools snort,
If they should sleep till noon 'twould be rare sport;
But here comes Watch, there ly your wise Projectors.

Ki.
How now what news?

Wat.
A nest of whors & Hectors.

Ki.
Uncharm the watch.

Wat.
Ho Sirs, what guard d'e keep

Const.
Murther abroad, & all the watch asleep?

A cry within of Murther.
All.
Come before the Constable, knock 'um
down; take away their weapons.

Exit Const. and watch.
Watch.
The morning star appears.

Ki.
Come let's to bed.

Queen.
We vanish when Aurora's curtain's spread.

Exeunt.