University of Virginia Library

Act. 4.

Scœna. 1.

Enter Alexandra, and her Euenuch.
Q. Alex.
But is it certaine Pheroas is so sicke,
As Rumor doth giue out?

Eue.
Madam, he is;
Nor hath he euer since his Banishment
Cast vp his heauy count'nance.

Q. Alex.
Tis most strange;
But iudgement still pursues him; yet Ile call
And visit his affliction; for although
His words accus'd my Marriam; tis his sinne
Not person, that I enuy.

Eue.
Madam, here comes his Lady.

Q. Alex.
O, you are wel encounter'd; I am sad
Ent. Adda.
That sadnesse thus afflicts you.

Ad.
I'm bound vnto your goodnesse.

Q. Alex.
How fares your noble Husband?

Ad.
Desperately ill;
His sicknesse Madam rageth like a Plague,
Once hotted neuer cured; tis his minde
That doth afflict his body; and that warre
Quickly brings on destruction.

Q. Alex.
Whence should proceed these Passions?

Ad.
All I can gather is his Banishment,
Which, drawing something to his Conscience,
Makes euery thing more mortall.

Q. Alex.
Aduice and sufferance is a ready cure
For these distempered passions; and might I
But see him, I would boldly tender them.

Ad.
Your Highnesse may; for now he's comming forth
To change the ayre, not his affliction.

Enter Pheroas sicke in a Chayre.
Phe.
Leaue me, O leaue me to my selfe, that I may thinke
Vpon the tedious houres I'ue yet to liue.
O, what a Iourney hath that man to Heauen,
Whose Conscience is opprest with iniury;
Sinne, like so many Pullies hanging by,
To draw the Soule still downward: Herod; O Herod.

Q. Alex.
Ha, what's this? sure I must sound him deeper:
How fare you Sir?

Phe.
O Madam, Madam; I am full of miseries.

Q. Alex.
Discourse with Patience; she will comfort you.

Phe.
Patience? there is a worme hath bitten Patience off;
And, being entred, sucks my vitalls vp.
Herod, loath'd Herod: O credulous Pheroas!

Q. Alex.
Why doe you call on Herod?

Phe.
Nothing now:
Was't not a strange thing, that he kild his Wife?

Q. Alex.
Who doe you meane, Marriam?
Indeed t'was easily done; but soundly sworne to.

Phe.
O, I feele a dagger.

Q. Alex.
Let not her name offend you; she deseru'd
A death more horrid, and her end was iust:
O Pheroas, I hated her for that Act
More then the Scriech-Owle day; and would my selfe
Haue beene her Executioner; had not Law
Stept in twixt me and anger.

Phe.
O Madam, y'are deceiu'd; meerely deceiu'd:
I haue a Conscience tels me otherwise.
O my sinnes leaue, torment me not within,
Nor raise this strange rebellion: harke, they cry
Iudgement vpon a wretch; that wretch am I.

Q. Alex.
This sauors of distraction.

Phe.
A Hall, a hall; let all the deadly sinnes
Come in and here accuse me: Ile confesse,
Truth must no longer be obscur'd: why so;
All things are now prepar'd; the Iudge is set,
And wrangling Pleaders buzzing in his eares,
Makes Babel no confusion.

Q. Alex.
Whom doe you see Sir?

Phe.
Feare and a guilty Conscience; nay, what's more,
See where proud Herod and pale Enuy sits;
Poore Marriam standing at the Barre of death,
And her Accuser I, falsly opposing her.

Ad.
Let not your passion worke thus.

Q. Alex.
Giue him leaue; Passion abates by venting.

Eue.
This is strange meditation.

Phe.
I doe confesse before the Mercy-seate
Of Men and Angels, I slew Marriam;
'Twas I accus'd her falsly, I subornd,
Strucke her toth' heart with Slander; but her foes
Shall follow after when the Hubbub comes
And ouertakes me downward, downe below,
In Hell amongst the damned.

Q. Alex.
Gentle Sir,
Name them which thus seduc'd you.

Phe.
Pardon mee,
I dare not, nor I may not; you may guesse,
Their Characters are easie; for my selfe,
Let mine owne shame sleepe with me; I confesse,
Marriam was chast as faire, all good, all vertuous.

Q. Alex.
But yet, shee's dead.

Phe.
So are my Ioyes and comforts: O, till now
I had cleane lost my selfe; and as a man
Left in a Wildernesse, findes out no path
To carry him to safety; so was I
Distract, till this was vtter'd.

Q. Alex.
You haue divulg'd a Mystery, whose truth
Shall sprinkle blood through all Ierusalem.
O me, poore innocent Marriam, let thy soule
Looke downe on my reuengement; for thy sake,
I will forget all Greatnesse; faith I will.
Sir, I doe wish you may dye happy now;
Your free confession is a Sacrifice.

Phe.
Madam, I thanke you; and belieu't for truth,
The hurly burly which but late I had
Is now appeas'd; Truth's a braue Secretary.
I could not rest before; yet now I feele
A calmenesse ouerspread me; and my minde,
Like a decayed Temple new adorn'd,
Shewes, as it nere was sullied.

Q. Alex.
Y'are happy Sir.

Phe.
Madam, I am; for, with this peace of minde,
I finde my breath decaying; yet before
I take this long last Iourney, one thing more
I must disclose; then, all is perfitted.
Wife, reach me the Violl standing in my Study,
Of which I was so carefull, and did binde
Your selfe by Oath to looke to: goe, away;
Exit Adda.
Tis a new birth that Villany would bring forth.

Eue.
More mischiefes yet in hatching?

Q. Alex.
These actions leade you on to happinesse;
And for the penitent man, remission stands
Ready to fold him in her Christall armes:
Yet noble Pheroas, make me so much blest,
To know vvho plotted Marriam's Tragœdy

Phe.
Name it no more; ope not my wound afresh;
Least, in th'incision, I should bleed to death:
I haue too much vpon me; adde to Fire,
Not Oyle, but Water; Seas will not raise his care,
Whose ship lies landed on the hill Despaire.

Ad.
Sir, here's the Violl.

Enter Adda.
Phe.
Here's a little Compasse; but a mighty sound:
And in this little Thimble, lies strange Villany.
Madam, 'twas once prepared for the King;
And he from me deseru'd it; not from him
That bought it to destroy him: but Ile shew
Mercy to my Tormenters.

Q. Alex.
And those deeds
Argue a pious Nature.

Phe.
If they doe;
Then thus I will expresse them: Wife, by all
The ties that I can challenge, or intreate
By oath, by faith, by loue and loyall duty,
I binde thee keepe this glasse till I be dead;
But, once departed, spill it on the ground,
Where nere treads liuing Creature; and (though vrg'd)
Deny thou euer sawst it; yea, though death
Be threatned to confesse it: this perform'd,
My peace is made with all things.

Ad.
By all the Bonds of loue and faith I will.

Phe.
Then Herod doe thy worst; I am beyond
The reach of all thine enuy; peace dwels heere;
And quiet Slumber sits vpon mine eyes:
I haue no Racks nor Batteries now within,
As earst I had when I was troubled:
My nummed feete which late so leaden were,
I could not stand nor walke; haue now such warmth,
That I can trauell vnto Paradise;
And, with spread armes, incircle mercy to me:
I that accus'd the Queene, accuse my selfe,
And on her Altar lay my bleeding heart;
Where I haue found such mercy in my truth,
That Marriams selfe hath got me happy pardon:
For which deare Sweet I thanke thee: now I come,
My life hath runne it's Circle, and's come round;
Mount Soule to Heauen; sinke sins vnto the ground.

Dies.
Ad.
O, he is gone, his life is withered:
What shall become of me? I'm lost for euer.
My Lord, my Husband; O, my Pheroas;
Lift vp those eyes, they are too soone obscur'd
From her, that as her life did tender thee.

Q. Alex.
Haue patience; tis a fruitlesse Dialogue,
Since to the dead you speake; withdraw him hence,
His Conscience is vnburthened, he secure
On his long Iourney wander'd; and beleeu't,
The causers of his woe shall follow him;
By all that's good they shall; second me Fate,
And let reuenge once murder cruel hate.

Exit Alex. & Ad.
Eu.
No, Ile preuent you, Salumith shall know,
All your designes, and how your actions goe.
Exit Eunuch.

Enter Herod Niraleus, Animis, Hillus, and Attendants.
Her.
Where is Niraleus? what, haue you tane suruey
Of all the holy Building? May't be said,
Herod in it hath out-gone Salomon?

Nir.
Dread Sir, it may: nay and so farre out-gone,
As Sunshine petty Starre-light.

Her.
Come discourse
The manner of the Building.

Nir.
Briefly thus,
The Temple which King Salomon set vp,
In honor of the God of Israel,
(Being by your great Mightinesse defac'd)
Is thus by you restor'd. The generall Frame,
In height, in breadth, in length, is euery way
Fully an hundred Cubits; and besides,
Twenty lies hid in the Foundation:
The matter is white Marble; euery Stone
Twelue Cubits broad, and eight ith' outward part;
So curiously contriu'd, that not a hayre
Differs in all the Building: euery Gate
Is clos'd in gold, and so enchast and set
With precious Stones; that neuer, till this day,
Saw mortall man so rich a Iewelry:
The Tops and Thresholds, Siluer; and each Barre
Studded with knobs of shining Diamonds.
Close to the holy Building, stands a Court
Of square Proportion; euery way stretcht out
Seauen hundred and twenty Cubits: all the Wall
Is made of massie Siluer, and adornd
With Pillars of white Marble; from whose base
Toth' top are forty Cubits; and thereon
Mounted such curious Walkes and Galleries,
That thence you may behold the Fishes dance
Within the Riuer Cedron: all the Floore
Is pau'd with Marble, Touch, and Iuory;
And on the golden Gate, is finely wrought
A flaming Sword; which, by Inscription,
Threats death to all dare enter.

Her.
What's within?

Nir.
Within this Court, is fram'd a curious Vine
Of perfect Gold; the Body and large Armes,
Of shining Gold, brought from Arabia:
The Sprayes and lesser Branches, are compact
Of Ophyr Gold; more red and radiant:
The Tops and Twines, whereon the Clusters hang,
Are yellow Gold; wrought in Assyria:
The Fruit it selfe is Christall; and so ioynd,
That when the Sunne looks on them, they reflect
And vary in their colours seuerall wayes,
According to their Obiects. To conclude;
Such Art, such Wealth, and Wonder in the Frame
Is ioynd and wed together; that the World
Shall neuer see it equal'd: but this Truth
Shall still hang on it as a Prophesie:
Blush Art and Nature; none below the Sunne
Shall euer doe what Herod now hath done.

Her.
Enough, th'ast giuen me satisfaction; and forthwith,
In solemne wise Ile haue it consecrate
Vnto the God of Israel: how now;
Why comes our Sister thus amazedly.

Enter Salumith, and the Eunuch.
Sal.
Sir, I beseech you, for your royall health,
And for the Kingdomes safety, you'l be pleas'd
To heare this Eunuch speake; and howsoere
Yaue vow'd no more to heare Conspiracies:
Yet Sir, in this regard him; and admit,
He may make knowne what may endanger you.

Her.
Whence is the Eunuch?

Sal.
Belonging to Alexandra.

Her.
Let him speake freely.

Eu.
It pleas'd my Lady Sir, this other day,
(Hearing how desperately strong sicknesse rag'd
Vpon Prince Pheroas) for some speciall cause
To goe and visite him; she found him pain'd,
Both in his minde and body; vttering forth
Many distracted Speeches; some against
Your Highnesse person, most against himselfe;
Saying, he had maliciously accus'd
The late Queene most vniustly: in the end,
He makes his Lady from his Study bring
A Violl fild with Poyson; saying, this
Was for the King prepared; and by those
That had least cause to hurt him: when he had
View'd it, and shew'd the venome; he bequeathes
The Violl to his Lady; giues her charge
Of safe and curious keeping, till his eyes
Were clos'd in death for euer; but, that done,
To cast it forth and spill it on the ground,
Where none that liues might know it: this scarse spoke,
His Soule forsakes his Body; but the Glasse
My Lady, and his sad Wife doth preserue,
I feare, for your destruction; Marriams Soule
Hath strong reuengement promis'd.

Her.
Tis enough;
Th'ast told me likely danger: Hillus with
Your Guard attach the Wife of Pheroas;
Then search the house; and whatsoere you finde
Like Poyson, see you bring me: Animis,
With your Guard ceaze my Mother; goe, away;
Be carefull, & be happy.

An.
Doubt vs not.

Ex. An. & Hil.
Her.
Still shall I thus be hunted, and compel'd
To turne head on mine owne blood? Is there left
Nothing to guard me but my Cruelty?
Then let my Passion conquer and keepe downe
All Mercy from appearing.

Sal.
Sir, twill be
A royall Iustice in you: who not knowes
The Lybian Lyons neuer dare approach
The walls wheron their spoiles hang; Wolues we see
Fly from the sound of those Drums, which we know
Are headed with their owne Skins: Sir, beleeu't,
Seuerity brings safety.

Her.
Tis most true,
And I will hence begin to study it.
How now, whom haue you there?

Enter Hillus with his Guard, bringing in Adda in a Chaire.
Hil.
Sir, tis the Wise of the deceased Pheroas.

Her.
By what meanes comes she thus disabled?

Hil.
By her owne fatall mischiefe: when she saw
I did approach her Dwelling; first she barres
All Dores against my passage; then, her selfe
Mounts vp into a Turret, which orelookes
What euer stands about it; thence she calls,
And asks me what I came for; I declar'd
The pleasure of your Greatnesse; and with tearmes
Fit for her royall Calling, wisht she would
Obey what I must finish: She returnes
An answer like her fury; said she would
Nor yeeld to you, nor mine authority.
Which anger being ouer; she cry'd see,
Thus will I flye to Herod; and that spoke,
Downe from the Turret did she throw her selfe
As if a Whirle-winde tooke her: which perceiud,
I made the Soldiers catch her; yet the force
Came with such deadly violence, that some
She struck dead vnderneath her; and her selfe
Bruiz'd, as you see, and wounded: By our meanes
Hath yet so much life left, as may resolue,
VVhat we cannot discouer.

Her.
What of the Poyson?

Hil.
No where to be found.

Sal.
Twas a strange desperate hazard.

Her.
But a toy;
They which dare doe, dare suffer; desperate Soule,
Doe not play with more mischiefe; but confesse,
Where is the Poyson, which thy treacherous Lord
(Hauing for me prouided) did conuay
Vnto thy charge and keeping.

Ad.
Sir, I vow,
There nere was any giuen me; neither had
My Lord a thought so odious.

Her.
Come tis false;
Nor can you now outstrip me; to denye,
Is but to adde to sorrow; or confesse,
Or drinke of more affliction.

Sal.
Madam, doe;
It will be too apparant, trust the King;
Ile sue and begge your safety.

Nir.
Tis aduice
Worthy your best imbraces.

Her.
Quickly speake;
For I am sodaine in my Cruelty.

Ad.
What shall I speake; but, that y'are tirannous,
Thus to compell a falshood; I protest,
He neuer gaue me any; nor know I
Of any hidden Poyson.

Her.
Prepare her for the Torture: Shall my life
Lye in these rotten Caskets, and not I
Dare to consume or breake them? Wretched thing,
Ile make you speake louder then Tempests doe;
And true as Oracles; or else, beleeu't,
They racke Adda.
Ile cracke your strongest heart-strings: so, pull home;
Stretch her out like a Lutestring.

Ad.
O, as y'are a King haue mercy; hold, O hold.

Her.
Speake truth, or there's no mercy; higher yet.

Ad.
O, my weake strength cannot beare it; hold, O hold.
I will confesse and perish.

Her.
Doe it with truth there's safety, giue her ease.

Ad.
I doe confesse the Poyson; that my Lord
Bequeath'd it to my keeping; that it was
Prepar'd to kill you: but (great Sir)
Neuer by him.

Her.
Who then became the Author?

Ad.
Sir, 'twas Antipater.

Sal.
Mischiefe on mischiefe,
How came shee by that knowledge?

Her.
Antipater! how, from Antipater?

Ad.
Ere his departure vnto Rome, he came
And feasted with my Lord; declar'd his hopes;
And that betwixt him and the Crowne, did stand
Nothing but your weake life, and great Augustus fauour:
The latter got; the first he said should fall,
And vanish in a moment; to which end,
He had prepar'd that poyson; and besought
My Lord to keepe it safely; for he meant
At his returne to vse it.

Her.
Can you tell by whose meanes he attaind it?

Ad.
He bought it of the Iew Achitophel.

Her.
What did you with that Poyson?

Ad.
As my dead Lord commanded; on the grownd
I cast most part thereof; only some drops
Left in the Viols bottome, with the Glasse,
(At her most strong intreaty) I bestow'd
On the Queene Alexandra.

Her.
Take her downe;
This at the first had eas'd your misery:
Ha Sir, Antipater; all this Antipater?
O Heauen! But tis no wonder.

Nir.
Yes, that Truth
Should thus come forth by Miracle; till now
Mischiefe hath gone safe guarded: but, I hope,
Your Highnesse will make vse on't.

Her.
Doubt me not.
Enter Animis, bringing in Alexandra, Achitophel, & Disease.
Here comes my second trouble: what the Iew?
You haue preuented sending for: false Queene,
That hast disgrac'd thy Sexe with Cruelty.
What Poyson's in your keeping?

Q. Alex.
Not any Sir.

Her.
Not any: impudent?

Ad.
O Madam, tis
Too late now to excuse it; paine, O paine,
Tirannous paine hath torne all from my Bosome:
The Violl vvhich I gaue you, and the drops,
Is that his Highnesse vrges.

Q. Alex.
I do confesse them;
Heere is the Violl and the drops: from this,
What can your malice gather?

Her.
That your intent
Was, therewith to destroy me. O, you Gods!
What's life, when This can take it? This, this drop;
This little paltry nothing.

Q. Alex.
Sir, tis false
I, neuer did intend your iniury.

Sal.
What not intend it? Blushlesse impudence!

Q. Alex.
If you be made my Iudge, I know I'm then
Worse then all feare can make me.

Her.
Y'are indeed
A mischiefe too long growing. Sirrah, Iew;
Was this your Composition?

Ach.
'Twas a worke
My Art brought forth; but neuer did my thought
Touch at your Highnes.

Her.
Who made you to prepare it?

Ach.
The Prince Antipater.

Sal.
Villaine, th'art damn'd for that discouery.

Ach.
No matter; Ile haue royall company.

Her.
And Sirrah, you had a finger in this worke too.

Dis.
No truly My Lord, I durst not dip my finger in your dish,
After great men is alwayes good manners.

Nir.
Then you knew it was prepared for the King.

Dis.
Alas, I knew my Maister had nothing too deare for his
Grace, and my Lord Antipater I know gaue a good price for it.

Her.
Was this Poyson then prepar'd for me?

Dis.

O Sir, by all likelihood; for euer your Physitian is like
your Hauke; the greater the Fowle is that he kils, the greater is
still both his reward and reputation.

Her.

Tis true, and you shall both finde it: goe, hang vp that
Peasant presently; and then cast him into Silo.

Dis.
Who me, hang vp me? that cannot be good payment.

Sal.
Why foole?

Dis.
Because I shall neuer be able to acknowledge satisfaction.

Her.
Away vvith him; and for that treacherous Iew,
Ex. Dis.
And you false-hearted Madam, both shall tast
Of that you vvould haue tendred; equally
Diuide that Bane into two cups of wine,
And giue it them to drinke off; tis decreed,
What was prepar'd for me, shall make you bleed.

Q. Alex.
Tis welcome Sir; a sodaine death, I know
Is terrible and fearfull; but indeed,
To those which doe attend it, and doe stand
Constantly gazing on it; who doe liue,
Where it scarres none but Cowards; those can meet,
And kisse it as a sweet Companion:
Tis vnto those a Bugbeare, who do thinke
Neuer on Heauen, but for necessity.
Your Tyranny hath taught me other rules;
And this guest comes long lookt for: heere's a health
To all that honor Vertue; let suffice,
Drinks the Poyson.
Death doth oretake; but it doth not surprize.

Ach.
Well Madam, I must pledge you; yet before,
Ile doe the King some seruice: I confesse,
I did compound the poyson; 'twas prepar'd
To kill your Maiesty; the Plot was laid
Both by Antipater and Salumith:
They equally subborn'd me; each bestow'd
Reward vpon mee, and encouragement:
T'was they which made me to accuse the Queene,
I must confesse vniustly; they, long since,
Haue shar'd you and the Kingdome: that tis true,
Be this last draught my witnesse; for no Slaue
Madly will carry falshood to his Graue.

Drinks the Poyson.
Sal.
But thou dost, and it will damne thee.

Her.
Say not so;
I know this smoake will kindle, and my care
Must now preuent my danger. Animis,
Exe. Ani. & Sal.
Guard you my Sister safely: Hillus, cause
Those bodies to be buried: you Niraleus,
Shall make for Rome with all speed; thence, bring backe
That false, ingratefull, proud Antipater:
Carry the matter close, but cunningly:
For that poore Soule, bid our Phisitians
With all care to respect her; for tis she
That onely can accuse our enemies.
Thus runnes the wheeles of State, now vp, now downe;
And none that liues findes safety in a Crowne.

Exeunt.
Dumbe Shew.
Enter at one Doore, Augustus triumphant with his Romans; at another Antipater: he kneeles and giues Augustus Letters; which lookt on, Augustus raises him, sets him in his Chayre, and Crownes him, sweares him on his Sword, and deliuers him Letters: then, Enter Niraleus, he giues Antipater Letters; hee shewes them to Augustus; then, imbracing, they take leaue and depart seuerally.
Iose.
Once more, I must intreat you to bestow
Much on Imagination; and to thinke,
That now our Bastard hath attain'd the top
And height of his Ambition: You haue seene
Augustus Crowne him; all his great Requests
Are summ'd and granted: therefore, now suppose
He is come home in Triumph; all his Plots
He holds as strong as Fate is, nothing feares;
(So braue his minde inchants him) how at last,
He falls to vtter ruine; sit, and see:
No man hath power to out-worke Destinie.

Exit.