 | The Birth of Merlin : or, The Childe hath found his Father |  |
Act. 4.
Scene. 1.
Enter Clown, Merlin, and a little antick Spirit.Mer.
How now Uncle, why do you search your pockets so? do
you miss any thing?
Clown.
Ha, Cousin Merlin, I
hope your beard does not overgrow your honesty, I pray remember
you are made up of sisters thread, I am your mothers brother,
whosoever was your father.
Merlin.
Why, wherein can you
task my duty, Uncle?
Clown.
Your self, or your page it
must be, I have kept no other company, since your mother bound
your head to my Protectorship, I do feel a fault of one side, either
it was that Sparrowhawk, or a Cast of Merlins, for I finde a Covy
Merlin.
Why, do you
want any money Uncle? sirrah, had you any from him?
Clown.
Deny it not, for my pockets are witness against you.
Spirit.
Yes I had, to teach you better wit to look to it.
Clown.
Pray use your fingers better, and my wit may serve as
it is sir.
Merlin.
Well, restore it.
Spirit.
There it is.
Clown.
I, there's some honesty in this, 'twas a token from your
invisible Father Cousin, which I would not have to go invisibly
from me agen.
Mer.
Well, you are sure you have it now
Uncle?
Clown.
Yes, and mean to keep it now, from your pages
filching fingers too.
Spirit.
If you have it so sure, pray
show it me agen.
Clown.
Yes, my little juggler, I dare show it,
ha, cleanly conveyance agen, ye have no invisible fingers have ye?
'Tis gone certainly.
Spirit.
Why sir, I toucht you not.
Mer.
Why look you Uncle, I have it now, how ill do you look
to it? here keep it safer.
Clown
Ha, ha, this is fine yfaith, I
must keep some other company if you have these slights of hand.
Merlin.
Come, come, Uncle, 'tis all my Art which shall not offend
you sir, onely I give you a taste of it, to show you sport.
Clown.
Oh, but 'tis ill jesting with a mans pocket tho'—but I am
glad to see you cunning Cousin, for now will I warrant thee a living
till thou diest. You have heard the news in Wales here?
Mer.
Uncle, let me prevent your care and counsel, 'twill give you
better knowledge of my cunning, you would prefer me now in
hope of gain, to Vortiger King of the Welch Brittains, to whom are
all the Artists summon'd now, that seeks the secrets of futurity, the
Bards, the Druids, Wizards, Conjurers, not an Aura per with his
Whisling spells, no Capuomanster with his musty fumes,
To calculate the strange and fear'd event
Of his prodigious Castle now in building, where all the labors of
the painful day, are ruin'd still i'th'night, and to this place you
would have me go.
Clown.
Well, if thy mother were not my
sister, I would say she was a witch that begot this; but this is thy
father, not thy mother wit, thou hast taken my tale into thy mouth,
and spake my thoughts before me; therefore away, shuffle thy self
amongst the Conjurers, and be a made man before thou comest to
age.
Mer.
Nay, but stay Uncle, you overslip my dangers;
King, that this his Castle can never stand, till the foundation's laid
with Mortar temper'd with the fatal blood of such a childe, whose
father was no mortal.
Clown.
What's this to thee? If the devil
were thy father, was not thy mother born at Carmarden? Diggon
for that then, and then it must be a childes blood, and who will
take thee for a childe with such a beard of thy face? Is there not
diggon for that too Cousin?
Merlin.
I must not go, lend me
your ear a while, I'le give you reasons to the contrary.
Enter two Gentlemen.
1 Gentle.
Sure this is an endless piece of work the King has sent
us about!
2 Gentle.
Kings may do it, man, the like has been
done to finde out the Unicorn.
1 Gentle.
Which will be sooner
found I think, then this fien'd begotten childe we seek for.
2 Gentle.
Pox of those Conjurers that would speak of such a
one, and yet all their cunning could not tell us where to finde him.
1 Gentle.
In Wales they say assuredly he lives, come let's enquire
further.
Mer.
Uncle, your perswasions must not prevail with
me, I know mine enemies better then you do.
Clown.
I say
th'art a bastard then if thou disobey thine Uncle, was not Joan Go-too't
thy mother, my sister? if the devil were thy father, what kin
art thou to any man alive, but Bailys and Brokers? and they are
but brothers in Law to thee neither.
1 Gentle.
How's this, I
think we shall speed here.
2 Gentle.
I, and unlook't for too, go
ne're and listen to them.
Clown.
Hast thou a beard to hide it,
wil't thou show thy self a childe, wil't thou have more hair then
wit? Wil't thou deny thy mother, because no body knows thy
father? Or shall thine Uncle be an ass?
1 Gentle.
Bless ye
friend, pray what call you this small Gentlemans name?
Clown.
Small, sir, a small man may be a greater Gentleman, his father
may be of an ancient house, for ought we know sir.
2 Gentle.
Why? do you not know his father?
Clown.
No, nor
you neither I think, unless the devil be in ye.
1 Gentle.
What is his
name sir?
Clown.
His name is my Cousin sir, his education is my
sisters son, but his maners are his own.
Merlin.
Why ask ye Gentlemen?
my name is Merlin.
Clown.
Yes, and a Goshawk was
his father, for ought we know, for I am sure his mother was a Windsucker.
2 Gentle.
He has a mother then?
Clown.
As sure
1 Gentle.
But his father you leave doubtful.
Clown.
Well Sir, as wise men as you, doubt whether he
had a father or no?
1 Gentle.
Sure this is he we seek for.
2 Gent.
I think no less: and sir, we let you know the King hath
sent for you.
Clown.
The more childe he, and he had bin rul'd
by me, he should have gone before he was sent for.
1 Gent.
May we not see his mother?
Clown.
Yes, and feel
her too if you anger her, a devilish thing I can tell ye she has been,
Ile go fetch her to ye.
Exit.
2 Gent.
Sir, it were fit you did resolve for speed, you must unto
the King.
Mer.
My Service sir, shall need no strict command,
it shall obey most peaceably, but needless 'tis to fetch what
is brought home, my journey may be staid, the King is coming hither
with the same quest you bore before him, hark, this drum will
tell ye.
Within Drums beat a low March.
1 Gent.
This is some cunning indeed sir.
Florish. Enter Vortiger reading a letter, Proximus, with Drum and Soldiers, &c.
Vorti.
Still in our eye your message Proximus, we keep to spur our
speed: Ostorius, and Octa, we shall salute with succor against Prince
Uter and Aurelius, whom now we hear incamps at Winchester, there's
nothing interrupts our way so much, as doth the erection of this fatal
Castle, that spite of all our Art and daily labor, the night still
ruines.
Prox.
As erst I did affirm, still I maintain, the fien'd
begotten childe must be found out, whose blood gives strength to
the foundation, it cannot stand else.
Enter Clown, and Joan, Merlin.
Vorti.
Ha! I'st so? then Proximus by this intelligence he should
be found: speak, is this he you tell of?
Clown.
Yes Sir, and
I his Uncle, and she his mother.
Vorti.
And who is his father?
Clown.
Why, she his mother can best tell you that, and yet I
think the childe be wise enough, for he has found his father.
Vort.
Woman, is this thy son?
Joan.
It is, my Lord.
Vor.
What was his father? Or where lives he?
Merl.
Mother speak freely and unastonisht,
That which you dar'd to act, dread not to name.
Joan.
In which I shall betray my sin and shame,
But since it must be so, then know great King, all that my self yet
glass the Altar was, my face the Idol, such was my peevish love unto
my self, that I did hate all other, such disdain was in my scornful
eye, that I suppos'd no mortal creature worthy to enjoy me,
thus with the Peacock I beheld my train, but never saw the blackness
of my feet, oft have I chid the winds for breathing on me, and
curst the Sun, fearing to blast my beauty, in midst of this most leaprous
disease, a seeming fair yong man appear'd unto me, in all
things suiting my aspiring pride, and with him brought along a
conquering power, to which my frailty yielded, from whose embraces
this issue came, what more he is, I know not.
Vorti.
Some Incubus, or Spirit of the night begot him then, for
sure no mortal did it.
Mer.
No matter who my Lord, leave further
quest, since 'tis as hurtful as unnecessary more to enquire: Go
to the cause my Lord, why you have sought me thus?
Vorti.
I doubt not but thou knowst, yet to be plain, I sought
thee for thy blood.
Mer.
By whose direction?
Prox.
By mine, my Art infalable instructed me, upon thy blood
must the foundation rise of the Kings building, it cannot stand else.
Mer.
Hast thou such leisure to enquire my Fate, and let thine
own hang careless over thee? Knowst thou what pendelous mischief
roofs thy head, how fatal, and how sudden?
Prox.
Pish, bearded abortive, thou foretel my danger! my Lord,
he trifles to delay his own.
Mer.
No, I yield my self: and here
before the King, make good thine Augury, as I shall mine, if thy
fate fall not, thou hast spoke all truth, and let my blood satisfie
the Kings desires: if thou thy self wilt write thine Epitaph, dispatch
it quickly, there's not a minutes time 'twixt thee and thy
death.
A stone falls and kills Proximus.
Prox.
Ha, ha, ha.
Mer.
I, so, thou mayest die laughing.
Vorti.
Ha! This is above admiration, look, is he dead?
Clown.
Yes sir, here's brains to make morter on, if you'l use
them: Cousin Merlin, there's no more of this stone fruit ready to
fall, is there? I pray give your Uncle a little fair warning.
Mer.
Remove that shape of death, and now my Lord for clear
satisfaction of your doubts, Merlin will show the fatal cause that
keeps your fatal Castle down, and hinders your proceedings: Stand
there, and by an apparition see the labor and end of all your destiny.
Clown.
Is your father
coming Cousin?
Mer.
Nay, you must be gone.
Joan.
Come, you'l offend him brother.
Clown.
I would fain
see my Brother i'law, if you were married I might lawfully call him
so.
Merlin strikes his wand.
Thunder and Lightning, two Dragons appear, a White and a Red, they fight a while and pause.
Vor.
What means this stay?
Mer.
Be not amaz'd my Lord, for on the victory
Of loss or gain, as these two Champions ends
Your fate, your life, and kingdom all depends,
therefore observe it well.
Vor.
I shall, heaven be auspicious to us.
Thunder: The two Dragons fight agen, and the White Dragon drives off the Red.
Vor.
The conquest is on the white Dragons part, now Merlin
faithfully expound the meaning.
Mer.
Your Grace must then
not be offended with me.
Vor.
It is the weakest part I found
in thee, to doubt of me so slightly, shall I blame my prophet that
foretells me of my dangers? thy cunning I approve most excellent.
Mer.
Then know my Lord, there is a dampish Cave, the nightly
habitation of these Dragons, vaulted beneath where you would
build your Castle, whose enmity and nightly combats there, maintain
a constant ruine of your labors: To make it more plain, the
Dragons then your self betoken, and the Saxon King, the vanquisht
Red, is sir, your dreadful Emblem.
Vort.
Oh my fate!
Mer.
Nay, you must hear with patience Royal sir, you slew the
lawful King Constantius, 'twas a red deed, your Crown his blood
did cement, the English Saxon first brought in by you, for aid against
Constantius brethren, is the white horror who now knit together,
have driven and shut you up in these wilde mountains, and
though they now seek to unite with friendship, it is to wound your
bosom, not embrace it, and with an utter extirpation to rout the
Brittains out, and plant the English. Seek for your safety Sir, and
spend no time to build the airy Castles, for Prince Uter armed with
vengeance for his brothers blood is hard upon you, if you mistrust
me, and to my words craves witness sir, then know here comes a
messenger to tell you so.
Exit Mer.
Messen.
My Lord! Prince Uter!
Vort.
And who else sir?
Messen.
Edol, the great General.
Vort.
The great Devil,
they are coming to meet us.
Messen.
With a full power my
Lord.
Vort.
With a full vengeance they mean to meet us,
so we are ready to their confront as full march double footing, we'l
loose no ground, nor shall their numbers fright us,
We got our Crown so, be it lost in blood.
Exeunt.
Enter Prince Uter, Edol, Cador, Edwin, Toclio, with Drum and Soldiers.
Prince.
Stay, and advice, hold drum.
Edol.
Beat slave, why do
you pause? why make a stand? where are our enemies? or do you
mean we fight amongst our selves?
Prince.
Nay, noble Edol, let
us here take counsel, it cannot hurt, it is the surest Garison to
safety.
Edol.
Fie on such slow delays! so fearful men that are to
pass over a flowing river, stand on the bank to parly of the danger,
till the tide rise and then be swallowed, is not the King in field?
Cador.
Proud Vortiger, the Trator is in field.
Edwin.
The
Murderer, and Usurper.
Edol.
Let him be the devil so I may
fight with him, for heavens love sir march on, oh my patience,
will you delay untill the Saxons come to aid his party?
A Tucket.
Prince.
There's no such fear, prithee be calm a while, hark, it
seems by this, he comes or sends to us.
Edol.
If it be for parly, I
will drown the summons, if all our drums and hoarseness choke me
me not.
Enter Captain.
Prince.
Nay, prithee hear, from whence art thou?
Cap.
From the King Vortiger.
Edol.
Traitor, there's none
such: Alarum drum, strike slave, or by mine honor I will break
thy head, and beat thy drums heads both about thine ears.
Prince.
Hold noble Edol, let's hear what Articles he can inforce.
Edol.
What articles, or what conditions can you expect to value
half your wrong, unless he kill himself by thousand tortures, and
send his carcase to appease your vengeance, for the foul murder of
Constantius, and that's not a tenth part neither.
Prince.
'Tis true,
my brothers blood is crying to me now, I do appaud thy counsel:
hence, be gone.
We'l hear no parly now but by our swords.
And those shall speak home in death killing words,
Alarum to the fight, sound, sound the Alarum.
Exeunt.
Alarum. Enter Edol driving all Vortigers Force before him, then Enter Prince Uter pursuing Vortiger.
Exit.
Vort.
Dost follow me?
Prince.
Yes, to thy death I will.
Vort.
Stay, be advis'd, I would not be the onely fall of Princes,
I slew thy brother:
Prince.
Thou didst black Traitor, and in
that vengeance I pursue thee.
Vort.
Take mercy for thy self,
and flie my sword, save thine own life as satisfaction, which here I
give thee for thy brothers death.
Prince.
Give what's thine
own: a Traitors heart and head, that's all thou art right Lord of;
the Kingdom which thou usurp'st, thou most unhappy Tyrant, is
leaving thee, the Saxons which thou broughtst to back thy usurpations,
are grown great, and where they seat themselves, do hourly
seek to blot the Records of old Brute and Brittains, from memory
of men, calling themselves Hingest-men, and Hingest-land, that no
more the Brittain name be known; all this by thee, thou base destroyer
of thy Native Countrey.
Enter Edol.
Edol.
What, stand you talking?
Fight.
Prince.
Hold Edol.
Ed.
Hold out my sword, and listen not to King or Princes word,
There's work enough abroad, this task is mine.
Alarum.
Prince.
Prosper thy Valour, as thy Vertues shine.
Exeunt.
Enter Cador and Edwin.
Cador.
Bright Victory her self fights on our part, and buckled
in a golden Beaver, rides triumphantly before us.
Edw.
Justice
is with her, who ever takes the true and rightful cause, let us not
lag behinde them.
Enter Prince.
Cador.
Here comes the Prince, how goes our fortunes Sir?
Prince.
Hopeful, and fair, brave Cador, proud Vortiger beat down
by Edols sword, was rescu'd by the following multitudes, and now
for safety's fled unto a Castle here standing on the hill: but I have
sent a cry of hounds as violent as hunger, to break his stony walls,
or if they fail,
Or burn them all with flaming violence.
Exeunt.
Blazing Star appears
Florish Tromp. Enter Prince, Uter, Edol, Cador, Edwin, Toclio with with Drum and Soldiers.
Look Edol: still this fiery exalation shoots his frightful horrors
on th'amazed world, see in the beam that 'bout his flaming ring,
a Dragons head appears, from out whose mouth two flaming flakes
of fire, stretch East and West.
Edol.
And see, from forth the
body of the Star, seven smaller blazing streams, directly point on
this affrighted kingdom.
Cador.
'Tis a dreadful Meteor.
Edwin.
And doth portend strange fears.
Prince.
This is no
Crown of Peace, this angry fire hath something more to burn then
Vortiger; if it alone were pointed at his fall, it would pull in his
blasing Piramids, and be appeas'd, for Vortiger is dead.
Edol.
These never come without their large effects.
Prince.
The will of heaven be done, our sorrows this we want,
a mistick Pithon to expound this fiery Oracle.
Cador.
Oh no my Lord, you have the best that ever Brittain bred,
and durst I prophecy of your Prophet sir, none like him shall succeed
him.
Prince.
You mean Merlin.
Cador.
True sir,
wonderous Merlin, he met us in the way, and did foretell the fortunes
of this day successful to us.
Edwin.
He's sure about the
Camp, send for him sir.
Cador.
He told the bloody Vortiger his
fate, and truely too, and if I could give faith to any Wizards skill,
it should be Merlin.
Enter Merlin and Clown.
Cador.
And see my Lord, as if to satisfie your Highness pleasure,
Merlin is come.
Prince.
See, the Comet's in his eye, disturb
him nor.
Edol.
With what a piercing judgement he beholds
it!
Mer.
Whither will Heaven and Fate translate this Kingdom?
what revolutions, rise and fall of Nations
The change of Brittains State, and death of Kings?
Ha! He's dead already, how swiftly mischief creeps!
Thy fatal end sweet Prince, even Merlin weeps.
Prince.
He does foresee some evil, his action shows it, for e're
he does expound, he weeps the story.
Edol.
There's another
weeps too. Sirrah dost thou understand what thou lamentst for?
Clown.
No sir, I am his Uncle, and weep because my Cousin
weeps, flesh and blood cannot forbear.
Prince.
Gentle Merlin,
speak thy prophetick knowledge, in explanation of this fiery horror,
from which we gather from thy mournful tears, much sorrow
Mer.
'Tis true fair Prince, but you must hear
the rest with patience.
Mer.
I vow I will, tho' it portend my
ruine.
Mer.
There's no such fear, this brought the fiery fall
of Vortiger, and yet not him alone, this day is faln a King more
good, the glory of our Land, the milde, and gentle, sweet Aurelius.
Prince.
Our brother!
Edwin.
Forefend it heaven.
Mer.
He at his Palace Royal sir at Winchester, this day is dead
and poison'd.
Cador.
By whom? Or what means Merlin?
Mer.
By the Traiterous Saxons.
Edol.
I ever fear'd as much:
that devil Ostorius, and the damn'd witch Artesia, sure has done it.
Prince.
Poison'd! oh look further gentle Merlin, behold the Star
agen, and do but finde revenge for me, though it cost thousand
lives, and mine the foremost.
Mer.
Comfort your self, the
heavens have given it fully, all the portentious ills to you is told,
now hear a happy story sir from me, to you and to your fair posterity.
Clown.
Me thinks I see something like a peel'd Oinon,
it makes me weep agen.
Mer.
Be silent Uncle, you'l be forc't
else.
Clown.
Can you not finde in the Star, Cousin, whether I
can hold my tongue or no?
Edol.
Yes, I must cut it out.
Clown.
Phu, you speak without book sir, my Cousin Merlin
knows.
Mer.
True, I must tie it up, now speak your pleasure
Uncle.
Clown.
Hum, hum, hum, hum.
Mer.
So, so—now
observe my Lord, and there behold above yon flame-hair'd beam
that upward shoots, appears a Dragons head, out of whose mouth
two streaming lights point their flame-feather'd darts contrary
ways, yet both shall have their aims: Again behold from the ignifirent
body, seven splendant and illustrious rays are spred, all
speaking Heralds to this Brittain Isle, and thus they are expounded:
The Dragons head is the Herogliphick that figures out
your Princely self, that here must reign a King, those by-form'd
fires that from the Dragons mouth shoot East and West, emblem
two Royal babes, which shall proceed from you, a son and daughter:
her pointed constellation Northwest bending,
That Kingdoms Title to the Brittain Kings.
Clown.
Hum, hum, hum.
Mer.
But of your Son, thus Fate
and Merlin tells, all after times shall fill their Chronicles with fame
of his renown, whose warlike sword shall pass through fertile France
Romes Imperial Wreath hath crown'd his Fame with Monarch of
the West, from whose seven hills with Conquest, and contributory
Kings, he back returns to inlarge the Brittain bounds, his Heraldry
adorn'd with thirteen Crowns.
Clown.
Hum, hum, hum.
Mer.
He to the world shall add another Worthy, and as a Loadstone
for his prowess, draw a train of Marshal Lovers to his Court:
It shall be then the best of Knight-hoods honor, at Winchester to
fill his Castle Hall, and at his Royal Table sit and feast in warlike
orders, all their arms round hurl'd, as if they meant to circumscribe
the world.
[he touches the Clowns mouth with his wand
Clown.
Hum, hum, hum, oh that I could speak a little.
Mer.
I know your mind Uncle, agen be silent.
[strikes agen
Prince.
Thou speakst of wonders Merlin, prithee go on, declare
at full this Constellation.
Mer.
Those seven beams pointing
downward, sir, betoken the troubles of this Land, which then shall
meet with other Fate; War and Dissension strives to make division,
till seven Kings agree to draw this Kingdom to a Hepterchy.
Prince.
Thine art hath made such proof, that we believe thy
words authentical, be ever neer us, my Prophet, and the Guide of
all my actions.
Mer.
My service shall be faithful to your person,
and all my studies for my Countries safety.
Clown.
Hum,
hum, hum.
Mer.
Come, you are releast, sir.
Clown.
Cousin,
pray help me to my tongue agen, you do not mean I shall be dumb
still I hope?
Mer.
Why, hast thou not thy tongue?
Clown.
Ha! yes, I feel it now, I was so long dumb, I could not
well tell whether I spake or no.
Prince.
I'st thy advice we presently
pursue the bloody Saxons, that have slain my brother?
Mer.
With your best speed, my Lord, Prosperity will keep you
company.
Cador.
Take then your Title with you, Royal
Prince, 'twill adde unto our strength, Long live King Uter.
Edol.
Put the Addition to't that Heaven hath given you: The
DRAGON is your Emblem, bear it bravely, and so long live and
ever happy styl'd Uter-Pendragon, lawful King of Brittain.
Prince.
Thanks Edol, we imbrace the name and title, and in our
Sheild and Standard shall the figure of a Red Dragon still be born
before us, to fright the bloody Saxons. Oh my Aurelius, sweet rest
thy soul; let thy disturbed spirit
The Dragon's coming in his fiery wrath.
Exeunt.
| The Birth of Merlin : or, The Childe hath found his Father | |