 | The Prisoners |  |
Actus Quartus
Scena Prima.
Enter Gallippus with Lucanthe tyed to his backe and the knot in his mouth.The fire of lust and warmth which that heate lent,
Gave me strength to resist this coldnesse of the water
And to my appetite and longings the power
That sav'd me: If I can call backe her life
Ile sacrifice this lambe: To my backe
I made Zenon binde her, that shee might not
Have her will ere I had mine, which was
To dye, the knot in my teeth I held, that when
I could keepe her no longer she might slip,
For my love 'tis vow'd to the living not the dead;
And when I cannot what I woo'le, I woo'le
What I can; to yonder fire which guided mee to this safetie
I beare my load; when she begins to live
I'le seeme to dye: And so i'le handle this chance
And in oylie words clothe this service,
Faintly pleading pardon for my past faults
As if I had onely life enough to tell her
The obligation she owes, then if I finde
Her melt I'le by degrees I'le let her charitie prevaile
And slowly seeme to recover. But if she
Rejoyce in my fall, and my prayers faile,
By all the Gods her's shall not prevaile.
Exit.
Scena Secunda.
Enter the King, Eucratia Hiparchus and Pausanes all above.King.
The storme begins to cease
And this our miraculous deliverance
Calls for a hearty and speedy sacrifice,
Oh Sir looke they swim still!
Euc.
In Charitie as a sacrifice for our deliverance
If it be possible save 'um, the youth
That strikes the water with unskilfull oares
O save, save th'innocent.
Pau.
Be at peace if it be in man
Ile save him.
Hip.
What doe you meane?
Pau.
To leape in.
Hip.
Tis desperate.
Pau.
Tis honest, nay tis honorable, and when
Can a young man die better, or hope to have
His end waited on with braver mourners,
Thou seest I have hunted from danger to danger
All my life but to finde a name, or one
To owne me, and cannot compasse it,
Therefore to choose I'de leape into this danger
From this glorious end I may in story,
Therefore leave to counsell and leape in with me
And let us through this as a thousand other
Dangers to gather labour, then if I faint
Hiparcus will be by, or if Hiparcus faint
Am not I there? farewell, if thou wilt not follow.
He leapes it.
Hip.
Hee's gone, Pausanes! friend steere thy course
To yonder fire, there I'le meete; And
King.
Yee Gods! what strange breed of men are these!
Scena Tertia.
Enter Gallippus with Lucanthe in his armes.He carries her to the fire.
Gall.
So here I'le rest my burthen, she begins
To recover her strength and reason workes apace,
She cal'd for helpe but nam'd no body
But at large, gentle souldier helpe.
Luc.
Oh Save me, save me, gentle youth I'me betraid!
Gall.
Agen.
Luc.
Hah! where am I? what place is this?
Gall.
Now Gallippus hide thy snares cunningly
And then thou maist catch this bird.
Gallippus lies downe by her, and counterfeits himselfe dead.
Luc.
Hah wet! Good heaven! now my feares
Returne with my reason I remember
The danger I was in by a storme at Sea
Hah! whats this? a man laid by my side?
Sleepes he, or is he dead? good heaven protect me
How came I here? who's this Gallippus? hee's so wicked,
Me thinkes his ashes should be dangerous,
He groanes.
Harke he groanes.
Enter Hiparcus.
Hip.
Yonders the fire to which my friend will steere
His desperate course. Hah! what doe I see?
Gall.
Who's that nam'd Gallippus, Zenon?
Gallippus stirres and when he sees Hiparcus rises.
Luc.
Alive!
Gall.
Hiparcus! nay then my fate pursues me hard.
Hip.
Art alive! yee Gods take this in sacrifice
He kneeles and kisses her hand.
Till I offer you.
Luc.
'Tis he, 'tis the youth that sav'd me! Oh Sir
Protect me from this ravisher.
Hip.
If thou scap'st me now I'me strangely curst;
They fight.
Doe you stare?
Gall.
Shee's lost, I bleed apace.
Hip.
I'me wounded.
They are both wounded.
Gall.
Nay it has a mouth would it had this tongue in it.
Hip.
You can fall when y'are not dead, if thou jests now
Take that earnest.
Gallippus falls.
Gall.
Hold, I'me unfit for such a sudden, And it—
Luc.
Oh Sir, spare him a little time, to throw off
That load that sinkes him.
Hip.
Oh Madam, to what a danger my mistake
Of service brought you, are you not at warre
With all our Sex, for the treacheries of this villaine?
Hiparchus as he speakes faints.
Luc.
How doe you Sir? he faints.
Hip.
I bleed a pace, And I feare my wounds
Are deeper then I apprehended, I feele a darkenesse
Now begin to close mine eyes, Oh Madam, Madam.
He falls.
Luc.
He faints!
To a wretched maide, whom yee have pursued
with chaines of fate. Oh that I had dyed
E're I had seene my blisse, unfortunate Lucanthe
To see my love thus in cradle bloody,
As if 'twas borne onely, to let thee know
A cause of griefe.
Enter Iudge.
Iudg.
This way I heard some cry for helpe, and 'twas
Mingled with the noyse of Swords.
What here a man wet and wounded? Good heaven!
Last night thou little expected'st such a land fate
More misery! whence are they? a woman too?
Tis some murder sure I'le take a sword
Those that could so destroy their youth
Won'not spare my age.
Luc.
What art thou father, that pittiest our sad fates
Come hither and I'le teach thee how to mourne.
Iudg.
Is he dead thou mournest thus? let me see
His wounds; hold up's head, he breathees, bow him forward.
While I fetch a balsame, whose soveraigne power
If the vitall parts be not perish'd will
Restore his health.
Luc.
Runne, runne, Oh my joy if thou dyest, upon thy Tombe
I'le lay a Marble rough as thy fortune
And on it sit fixt a living statue,
Till with my teares I have pollish't it,
Iudg.
So poure this balsame into his wounds, and binde
It up and stay his head, while I goe finde
The Hermits sonne, he shall helpe
To beare him to our Cabbin.
King.
Bring 'um to yonder fire
And while Eucratia applies her charitie to the youth
I'le assist Pausanes.
Iudg.
Eucratia, who nam'd Eucratia?
Luc.
Why, dost thou know Eucratia?
Iud.
Know her? yes Lucanthe.
Luc.
Father?
Iud.
Tis shee.
Luc.
Oh yee Gods your hands are visible
Through all this change!
King
What are those about the fire?
Eucratia goes to the fire and knowes them
Euc.
Lucanthe and Theogenes. Oh Sir we are blest
Beyond our hopes.
Iud.
Eucratia here too! Oh remove my doubts
By what fate are we met thus strangely?
King.
Twill aske a longer time Sir then her charitie
Now can spare to tell.
Sonne.
Father they are all acquainted and yet in my conscience
They never appointed this meeting.
Herm.
Whats here? a womans breast in a doublet?
In this time the Hermit is busie about Cicillia.
Ladies some of your hands will be proper here
This habit belongs not to the sex it cloathes.
Euc.
A woman?
Herm.
Yes.
King.
Sortanes have you never seene that face?
The King gazes and calls Sortanes, they know the fate.
Sor.
Yes on my life.
King.
Tis Cicillia.
Here, oh here, who cald wretched Cicillia?
King.
Madam your charitie has found my Sister, my Friend,
All that I call deare, and see if a crosse fate
Have not attempted to match her hence,
Oh persist in your charitie, and a little dispence
With your joy, and try to save her.
Euc.
If my blood could save her, to every veine,
I would a passage give, & through that thousand streames
Pursue her safetie.
Herm.
More of strong water,
The Hermit busie to save Pausanes:
And give him leave to breathe.
Euc.
Here put on this loose robe, and hide her disguise
Gall.
Some Charitable hand convey me to Hiparcus
That from my dying lippes I may breathe in
Comfort: about my necke you'le finde
Two golden Medals which I tooke
From his and Pausanes bosome.
In which (I heard one Perseus tell
Who that day feil) was writ their names
And countries, which yet they know not.
Iudg.
Perseus! who can tell tidings of the aged Perseus?
Gall.
I, At the sacke of---he fell by my hands
When I tooke those youths prisoners
They cald him Father. Oh! I feele I'me sinking.
But whether, Oh whether? Mercy!
He dyes.
Iudg.
I'me wrapt in amazement at these things
The Iudge takes the Medalls from Gall. bosome.
These are the Medalls we hung about
Our childrens neckes, which of these two
Was cal'd Pausanes.
Euc.
This.
On thee then fall a blessing, but on thee
My sonne a thousand thousand blessings;
A weeping Father shall with penitent teares
Call downe.
Herm.
What have liv'd to see?
Iudg.
Oh Lucanthe and Eucratia see your long lost brothers.
King.
Though my part be strange, yet these wonders
Make it seeme nothing: there's such providence
I'th'chances; How fares my Cicillia?
Cic.
Oh brother can you forgive this fault?
I heard some body name Pausanes,
Where is he?
King,
Here.
Cic.
There! and not come to Cicillia? Oh! my feares.
Will end this wracke. Speake,
By all the honours of thy youth I conjure thee!
Is he dead or no?
King.
No upon my life he lives and is found a Prince.
Cic.
O my brother, will you not then—
King.
Why dost thou hide thy blushes in my bosome?
Think'st thou I can be cruell to Cicillia?
No, no, since I saw thee, I have felt thy paine
And now can love too, but dare not promise
I shall be fortunate.
Euc.
Can I adde to your joyes? If I can:
Let this Priest witnesse my vowes to the King.
Herm.
Will it please thee King to retire to my homely Cell,
Tis free from storme unlesse you bring 'um with you,
I've liv'd long there, yet never felt any
Save what my sinnes brought: some skill too
I have in Hearbes, and fortunate I thanke the gods
I have beene in my attempt in Surgery.
And hope they'le smile upon these Patients too.
And when I have my Salvatory layd by
Then I'le take up my Beads. For the Priest I see
Must compleate the joyes of these happy paires
My interest in which I'le no longer hide.
Oh speake Eucratia think'st thou the gods
Will accept an offering from aged Memnons hand?
If thou think'st they will, here I'le throw off
My disguise: And from a Father and a Priest,
Sir, receive her.
Euc.
My Father?
Iudg.
Memnon? my brother? Oh welcome!
King.
Let me interrupt your joyes, lest their excesse
Prove dangerous, and to the gods that have wrought
This blessing, let us passe to sacrifice.
Her.
Leade on Theogines, while we
These young men beare off, on each of which
A Virgin shall like their good genius vvaite.
The story how we came to be thus happy
Wee'le deferre to a fitter time:
When we have set these Prisoners free
And prov'd Loves fetters libertie.
FINIS.
| The Prisoners | |