University of Virginia Library

ACT. IV.

SCENE 1.

Enter Monobius a great noise and busling within, One swears and curses aloud above all the rest.
Mon.
VVhose that within that rends mine
Ears with oathes?

Lap.
Whose that without doth ask? 'twas I did swear,
Enter Lapardas.
And I do hope I did it with a grace.

Mon.
Can words so foul come from so fair a face.

Lap.
Oathes are the badges of magnanimity.

Mon.
But he's Most valiant that least useth oathes.

Lap.
Valour it self expires such expressions.

Mon.
As nature is purg'd out in excrements,
Some sins with pleasure do delight the sense,
Others with profit do invite the soul,
Neither of these in swearing we can see

Lap.
'Tis my pleasure to swear.

Mon.
Svvearing svvallows the hook without a bait.

Lap.
To speak the truth, Sir, I vvas overtaken,
The Rascals did much provoke my patience.

Mon.
VVill you strike heaven, because earth did vex you?

Lap.
My tongue was bad, but yet my heart is good,

Mon.
But by the tongue the heart is understood.

Lap.
They'r Oaths of course.

Mon.
Course oaths they are indeed,

Mon.
A solemn oath I carefully observe.

Mon.
That's solemn which appeals to the highest judge.

Lap.
The tyrant custome makes me to persist,

Mar.
The Usurpers Custom, and you must resist it,

Lap.
So long prescription doth create a right,

Mar.
Not against him who is the Prince,

Lap.
For every Oath I bestow to the poor,
Some money, and so re-buy my innocence.

Mon.
Such bargains would break you, though Indias master,
Beside Heavens wounds you cannot cure with gold.

Lap.
My debts I pay toth'poor, heavens heirs at large:

Mar.
Alas they can't discharge you from your sins.

Lap.
Tel me what pennance I must then endure;

Mon.
I take no pleasure in anothers pain.

Lap.
What you injoyn that I intend to do.

Mon.
Then for the future strive to mend your fault;

Lap.
Habits depart slowly, which are slowly acquired.

Mon.
It is half done, when desired seriously,
Unswear your tongue by degrees.—

Lap.
You will give leave, I may presume to send
A curious Limner to you.

Mon.
For what end?

Lap.
Your lively picture he shall make for me,
His Art shall strive to overtake nature;
The frame shall be richly imbost with Gold.

Mon.
Alas, It never will deserve the cost.
Adorn'd with all the Art the gilder can,

Mon.
The picture will be more worth then the man.

Lap.
Ile hang it by my bed, where your grave sight,
M'unruly tongue will woo or fright from oaths.

Mon.
Set but your Maker once before your eyes,
Remember him I pray, and forget me.

Exit.
Lap.
I wonder Ducas breaks his promise, now
'Tis past eleven, but here he is.

SCEN. 2.

Enter Ducas.
Duc.
We are in a sad condition.

Lap.
'Tis as good,
As we deserve, who did carve for our selves
This dainty bit, which we must eat or starve,
Fearing we should by others be undone,
We very wisely have undone our selves.
Panergus now does all, we're made but stales.

Duc.
Curs'd be the day Andronicus came hither.

Lap.
Sure 'twas a night, whilst we securely slept,
Fools Lullabies, and now too late awake.

Duc.
We did too much adore Andronicus,
As if two'd pose the Heavens, as things did stand,
To cure our wounds, save only by his power:

Lap.
'It is the common peoples fault, or fate,
'Men to o're love, or else to hate to hell.
Too greedily we did devour our hopes,
Cordials may choak, if poured in too fast.

Duc.
I had far rather die of the disease,
Then of the remedy:
'Diseases do their kinde, if they do kill,
'And ill that is expected is lesse ill;
But to be kill'd by Physick.—

Lap.
Andronicus,
Did hitch himself by inches up the Throne,
We did not see him grow, but felt him groan.
First, He was chosen but joynt Emperour,
'Twas then Alexius and Andronicus,
(So ran all Patents) then they were transpos'd,
It was Andronicus and Alexius,
They took their place according to their age,
The master first, then the Page followed.

Duc.
When I saw this, I read Alexius doom:

Lap.
And in my private thoughts proclaim'd him dead,
'Twas cunningly contrived and subtilly acted,
Badness will blush at once to be stark naught.
Men climb too't by Degrees.

Duc.
Let Princes stop treason before 'tis broacht,
Nor let them think by granting of requests,
Thereby to quiet mens ambitious minds,
Such condescending to their wills,
Widens their wishes, prompts their new desires,
And teacheth their demands to mount still higher,
Begging like sturdy men, by high-way side,
VVith full intent to take it, if denide.

Lap.
Let us now play an happy after game,

Duc.
That is the worst of Plots, and best of shifts.

Lap.
Paleologus for certain is escaped,
Hath got the Ships, and seized on the Port;
He is expected with an Army of Persians,
Isachius now appeareth for himself,
VVith him wee'l live and dy, h'ath but one fault,
He is a softly too vvell natur'd man.

Duc.
That circle of your vvords describes him weak

Lap.
No, in himself, he is able enough,—
But I'm afraid ill men may inveigle him,
So mild a dove can never prove an eagle.
Enter Cleobulus.
Here comes Cleobulus. Hovv doth the plot please you?

SCENE 3.

To them enter Cleobulus.
Cl.
The plot pleases me well, onely I wonder,
Isachius would make use o'th'Persians.
Our countrey men alone i'de have imployed.

Duc.
Why would not you have Persians brought in.

Cle.
Because they'r Persians,

Lap.
Is their name a sin.

Cle.
No but their nation will cause our smart,

Lap.
It is a nation full of bravery,
They honour acts, which the rude Turks contemn,
And are preservers of nobility.

Cle.
Their own, perchance, all other they destroy.

Duc.
They love us well.

Cle.
Because our Ancestors
Deprived theirs, of the worlds Monarchy.

Lap.
That antiquated quarrel's quite forgot,
They love us now because we hate the Turks.

Cle.
The cunning Ivy thus doth love the Oake,
Imbrace and rob and soak i'ts moysture out,
“I love not forraign aid if not supprest.
“He may turn Landlord who is now our guest.

Duc.
Their power wee'l bound, with politique restrictions.

Cle.
First we let in the sea, then raise a bank.

Duc.
There shall be but some few of them imploy'd,

Cle.
Their help then will not be considerable.
And may be wholly spar'd

Duc.
By few, I mean.
No more then we can wield and manage well.

Cle.
Under pretence of few, swarms will croud in.

Lap.
They shall command no Ports or place of strength

Cle.
If they have strength they will command our Ports.

Lap.
Weel keep them in continuall action,
So either they will wast away in war,
Or else when peace depart.

Cle.
Or else they'l stay, and share with us;

Lap.
Nay, when their work is done,
Wee'l pay their wages, and so pack them hence.

Cle.
What if they have a mind to pay themselves?

Duc.
They'r bound from it, by solemn Articles.

Cle.
Power keeps no promise, cancels all conditions,
I know all Persia well it stretcheth out,
To th'Caspian sea, all Winter in the North.
Whence with an ample compass bending South;
A long the Arabick gulf 'tis parcht with heat.

Lap.
'Tis wonderful that
The torrid and the frozen Zone should meet,
No temperate clime to keep them two asunder.

Cle.
I tell you truth, and think they'l ne'r forsake,
Our shady groves and smiling meadows and,
Return to frownings in heath, and bald-pate hills,
They which did freely slice our fattest bief,
Won't stoop their stomack to their hungry rise.
And having learn't with us to swill in wine,
They'l ne're confine their throats to water springs,
I know not what you witty men may think.
But twill ne'r sink unto my blockish brains,
That they'l return, but if they do retire,
I'le wonder at them.

Exeunt omnes.

SCENE 4.

Enter Andronicus, and Panergus.
An.
You give a good account of all your business,
Maria Cæsarissa and her husband
Shall ne're allarum me with frightful dreams,
Out of my sleep more, How didst thou dispatch them,

Pan.
By poyson Sir, an unsuspected way.

An.
It picks mens souls from them by slight of hand.
And steals their lives, yet never bids them stand.

Pan.
I brib'd her Gallen (all phisitians hold,
There's no such cordials for themselves as gold)
And quickly he did purge out both their lives,

An.
How did Asotus bear himself at's death?

Pan.
First he did swagger, swear, look big and bluster,
And musterd up whole legions of curses.
As if hee'd make the Ax turn edge therewith,
But when he saw there was no remedy,
His soul not stooping by degrees fell flat.
From Lyon he did instantly turn Calf,
First dead with fear, and then di'd by the Ax.

An.
What is become of Paleologus,

Pan.
For th'time he shifted, but shall not escape.

An.
Which way shall I thy diligence requite,
Panergus dear Panergus.
[He imbraceth him in his arms.
Favour me to bestow on thee this favour,
What honour office, pension, place preferment,
By sea, or land, in the robe long or short
Thy honesty I'm certaine will discharge
All Offices alike, come ask at full,
Crave it and have it whatsoe're is mine.
Thy merrit not my bounty makes it thine.

Pan.
I nothing can deserve, nor do desire.

An.
Ask some reward of me I command thee.

Pan.
My pains are rewarded if but accepted,
Onely I am ambitious of one smile
Cast on me from your sacred countenance.

An.
By empty smiles I know that none can live,
Ask me some wealth, fie fie, thou dost not know,
That modestie's a courtiers greatest foe.

Pan.
I ever lov'd to advance my friends good,
Scarce bettered my self except by chance.

An.
No chance but one can ever make thee better,
Aside.
Because you for your self will make no choise,
What I choose for you, you Ile swear shall take.

Pan.
Welcome what e're comes from your Highness hands,

An.
Alas it doth not lye within my power,
To lift thy heavy soul up to the sky.
Yet Ile bestow my highest boone upon thee,
And mount thy body nearest to the Moon,
No common gibbet shall your greatness have.
Such as would serve some petty pilfering thief,
Loosing his life to relieve his wants.
Of sweetest Fir they shall be built, and new,
The cross beam painted (pitty 'tis not gilt)
No sturdy hemp shall gall thy tender neck,
Onely a silken twist, soft, fine and small.

Pan.
I hope Sir, my disservice ne're was such.

(He falls on his knees.
An.
No but your service Sir, hath been too much,
Your great deserts do daily upbraid me.

Pan.
Such syllables this mouth did never utter.

An.
That treason which your heart doth freely think,
Your nose and eyes declare.—
Your forehead frowns a flat rebellion,
Your hands your Feet speak this, Andronicus
Doth ow his Crown, his life, himself to me.

Pan.
No 'tis I ow my life unto your Highness,

An.
Then you shall pay it now, Ile take my due.

Pan.
I never have resisted your command,

And.
Nor shall you now withstand my pleasure,
That hand of thine did spill two Princes bloud.

Pan.
I did it but to please your Highness will,

And.
When Princes do injoyn what is not fit,
Ill you must suffer, but not ill commit,
Besides I bid you slay, you poyson'd them,

Pan.
The things the same.

And.
But each particular
Of this our pleasure, we will have observ'd,
I charge you to revive them both again.

Pan.
That's past my power, but if I could I would.

And.
Would you revive our deadly enemies?

Pan.
'Tis vain to answer where power doth oppose.

And.
I sent you, And will take you off betimes,
Least what you have done for us, you do on us.
Come necessary evil in a State.
Enter Spiculator
Make this mans Pass to Pluto with all speed,
Hell will afford him room enough I hope,
Earth yeields too small a scope for his active brain,
And truly I do pity Pluto now,
He will out Devil him, and usurp his place.

Andronicus whispers to Spiculator, & exit.
Spic.
Trust each Artificer in his owne Art,
Hang me if I perform not my own part.

SCEN. 5.

Enter Panergus, and Spiculator.
Pan.
Pray use me kindly, we should be a kin,
My mother was the daughter of a Hangman
Better extracted by my Fathers side,
He was a Projector.

Spic.
Who your grandfather?

Pan.
I know vvhom to call Grandfather:
For Grandfather I'ad either none or all,

Spic.
So much of your Original Now for your end,
Your Pedigree is good, but wants this vvreath.
Takes the halter in his hand, and shews it.
Come thou Panpharmacon of all diseases,
Purges are base, vvorse vomits, blisters painful,
Blood-letting cruel, glisters are immodest,
This Feavers quenches, and moist Dropsies dreines,
Cures Plurisies, not opening of a Vein,
Stays the Vertigo, helps the the Strangury,
Opens the Urine, only stops the breath.

Pan.
Can you thus jeer at one consign'd to death

Spic.
I learnt it from some Sages in our State,
A hangman may well imitate a judge,
Some vvhen they do begin to give sentence;
First break a jest, and then the Offenders neck,
But to be serious, would you have a Confessor?

Pan.
With all my heart.

Spic.
I'le send for th'Patriarch,

Pan.
Nay, spare your pains, for his unholiness;
Hath more need to confess to me,
His Conscience is so wide, 'tis none at all.

Spic.
Improve the little time you have to spend,
Not to blame others, but to mend your self.

Pan.
'Tis gravely spoken, Oh, novv for Monobius.

Spic.
What he who late crept from his Cell?

Pan.
The same,

Spic.
VVhose looks do carry Lent.

Pan.
The self same man.

Spic.
Mistake not.

Pan.
I am sure;

Spic.
Then be assur'd,
He shall not come to be your Confessor,
You would not one, shall not have the other.
Wee'l teach them not to chuse, who are to crave,

[He puts the Rope about his neck, Andron. enters.
And.
Hold Hangman thou hast acted well thy part,
By all those Saints, whom truly I adore,
All that I did before was but in jest.
I did but try thee whether thou wert able?
To be miserable with minde undaunted,
I now commend thy carriage all this time,
Thy courage makes thy miseries to smile.

Pan.
O happy eares! Oh voice more then Divine.

And.
Thou hast not bow'd thy soul beneath thy self,
Speak freely didst thou think I was in earnest?

Pan.
I thought so when I seriously beheld,
Your power unbounded, but when I reflected
Upon your goodness, then I hop'd you jested.

And.
Our power revives you now out of the grave.

Pan.
I humbly live to meditate upon,
Your mercy and my resurrection:

And.
His soul's exalted now sufficiently,
Ile stoop him in the Zenith of his joy,
He shall again dance back into the rope,
No torture to the rack 'twixt fear and hope.
Hangman to your work,
Deaths sentence shall proceed, for all this now;
Was interpos'd as a Parenthesis.

Pan.
Remember Sir, the oath you lately took,
By all the saints whom truely you adore,

An.
Deep oath indeed as if that I should swear,
By all the love which I do bear to thee.

Pan.
May causeless jealousies possess thy mind,
Seeking for that thou wouldest be loath to find;
Ten thousand furies in thy conscience yell,
Till that we both together meet in—

(He strangles him.
Spi.
Ile spoil your rime,
And may all Traytors have this just reward.

An.
Preserve the Halter I have a further drift,

Spi.
Sir, It is done, these times will teach us thrift.

SCENE 6.

Manet Adronicus.
An.
He knew too much, but now hee'l tell no tales,
Mens teeth grow in their graves but not their tongues,
Lest I who kill'd the Serpent now should chance,
Hereafter to be poyson'd by his Eggs.
My next care is how to dispatch his breed,
No mindful heirs shall here succeed;
I love to bestow favours by leasure.
And tickle men by dropping kindness slowly,
But my revenge I in one instant spend.
That minute which begins it, ends it too.
Half doing undoes many, 'tis a sin,
Not to be soundly sinful, if we once begin
Ile make sure work on't, They strike in vain,
That strike so that the stricken way complain.
(A huge shout within.
But heark Alexius my Rivals slain,
That shout's the watchword; now I am secur'd,
But yet I have rather chang'd then eas'd my cares,
As long as that Isachius is alive.
Lapardas Crato, Ducas, joyn with him,
And Paleologus with his Persians.
In the fag end crawls in Cleobulus;
A medly plot patcht up of all ingredients,
Unsuiting souls of different dispositions.
Divers are their intents, their ends their aimes.
But for to be my foes, their all made friends,
Yet cannot joynt so close but through their rifts,
I plainly did perceive their drifts long since,
Fools learn from me hereafter to contrive.
Your plots more private projects like to wounds,
If they take air corrupt, with golden keyes.
Your Cabbinet Councell easly i'le unlock,
Your secret whisperings hollow in mine ears.
I will prevent your plot, He most espies,
Who for a time is pleas'd to shut his eyes.

(Exit.

SCEN. Ult.

Enter Cleobulus, and Crato.
Cra.
O Barbarus, Barbarus, O, O, O, O, O,

Cle.
No letters in your Alphabet but O.

Cra.
Unjust, most cruel, inhumane, bruitish, devilish,

Cle.
Leave your gradations, pray speak even sense,

Cra.
Alexius is slain.

Cle.
Is that a wonder,
'Tis strange one dead in power surviv'd so long.
And now he's gone into the Elisian shade,
Who was but a meere shadow when he liv'd

Cra.
Andronicus and Alexius were like;
Cæsar and Bibulus consuls of Rome,
Whereof the One did all the other drank all.

Cle.
Either each day Alexius did rise drunk,
Or else each night he went to bed sober.
I saw no difference, alwaies he the same,
Habited sot.

Cra.
His Empress I believe;
Will not for sorrow wee'p her self to Amber.

Cle.
She hath to cause fort.
Alas she nere had leave to like, or love,
It was state-reason made the marriage,
Tw'as not their hearts but countries that were ti'de,
Greece was the Bridegroome, and France was the Bride,

Cra.
There's a brave widdow for Andronicus.

Cle.
He is to old to wife

Cra.
And so he was.
Too old to have the Empire.

Cle.
All lust in him is dead save onely his ambition.

Cra.
But do you hear of Isachius his plot.

Cle.
Tell that for news?

Cra.
Yea how it is detected.

Cle.
You jest I hope,

Cra.
As serious as a confessor at shrift;

Cle.
Why did you not tell me sooner,

Cra.
Do you,
Long for ill news? We here it now too soon,
Lapardas taken, and Isachius fled.

Cle.
No time to toy and talke, a minute now,
Well us'd may be the ransome of our lives,
Something must be resolv'd on, let us try,
Old legs, which cannot go, now learn to flye,

(Exeunt.
Chorus consisting of two companies.
1. Chor.
Come lets now open sorrows sluce,
And with our passion break the Truce,
Our souls no more intends to borrow
Joy on the credit of too morrow.
Lest that in mirth we spend one day
The next doth it in mourning pay.

2. Chor.
Long since we thought we were so low,
That lower we could never go.
Yet scarce into our woes did enter,
When we conceiv'd our selves at th'center;
Alas we fondly did mistake,
And of the brink did bottom make.

1. Chor.
All the losses we endure;
Do but make us more secure,
None lay luxury aside.
None abate their needless pride,
None a cup the more forbear:
None an oath the fewer swear.

2. Chor.
Yet you may observe of late,
How all people do debate.
Ryots, thrifty, pride, grown plain,
Gluttons fast, wantons contain.
Gamsters all now up do take,
When the Empire lies at stake.

1. Chor.
Many humbled we do see,
Oh that they would humble be.
It doth not our praise advance,
To be starv'd to temperance.
Sin to leave us doth begin,
But alas we follow sin.

2. Chor.
Were providence but pleas'd once more,
Our peace and plenty to restore.
Our lusts to charity wee'd turn.
In coldest place it hot would burn,
Astrea should have a new birth,
And there would be an Heaven on Earth.

1. Chor.
Rather the contrary we fear,
They'd wicked be that wicked were
The drunkard would be drunkard still.
And though more Old, be no less ill,
The wanton face will still be painted:
Dissembling souls will still seem sainted.

2. Chor.
Small hope they'l better be improv'd,
When the punishment's remov'd.
Who are fouler for the purge,
And more wanton for the scourge;
Senseless of the plague they feel,
Gainst fiery rod their back is steel.

Both Chor.
Tis safest to suspect the worst,
They who fear nothing fall the first.
What we desire our selves do know.
What we shall do the event must show,
Time this dispute can onely end,
Till then our verdict we suspend:

(Exeunt.