 | Regulus |  |
SCENE Carthage.
Enter Asdrubal, Senators, and Attendants.
Asd.
Most noble Senators, will you be pleas'd
To tell my honorable Lords, the Senate,
I'll only give some necessary orders
About their Service, then attend their Pleasures.
Sen.
We shall, my Lord.
(Ex. Senators.
Asd.
I see the Senates craft;
I'm only us'd like Physic for a need;
With loathing forc'd upon 'em, and the wish'd
Effect once wrought, I shall be flung away.
For Commonwealths cannot bear glorious men,
By the confessions of the Priest and Gisgon
I am in danger, but I'll try to quash 'em.
I order'd the confessing Gentlemen
[To his Attend.
Should be brought to me.
1.
They are come, my Lord.
Enter Hiarbas, Gisgon, Batto, guarded.
Asd.
How the Rogues look and tremble, for my sport?
(aside.
I'll let their terrors worry 'em a while.
Gisg.
What will he do with us?
Hiar.
I do not know.
I'm under dreadful consternation.
Gisg.
How? are y' afraid of death, now it is come?
I've heard you crow over death on your own Dunghil.
Bat.
Oh! no profaneness in affliction, pray.
Gis.
Oh! now the wind sits there, y'ave a sore Throat;
At other times your swallow's large enough.
Asd.
The Rascals wrangle; and how pale they look?
The Priest there, has a face just like a Goose,
White every where, except about his Bill.
His Nose is faithful to the dye, Wine gave it.
Well, now my grave, my cheating face goes on.
(aside.
Oh! Gentlemen! I love and honor you.
Come to my arms.
Hiar.
What's this? come to his arms?
(aside.
Gis.
Has he not got an engine there to slash us?
(aside.
Asd.
You lov'd the Commonwealth above my life,
Or your own credit; you are honest men.
You play'd the part of Spies, oh, you did well.
To tell you truth, it was a part I play'd.
I was a Spy on you.
Gisg.
Indeed, my Lord?
Asd.
Indeed. But you had one great quality
Most fit for Spies, of which I had no share.
You scorn those scorns which always are the vales
Of that unlucky Office. I confess,
I was kept under by the fear of shame,
And partly by some tenderness for you:
I love you Gentlemen.
Gisg.
Your humble Servant.
Hiar.
Your Excellencies very humble Servant.
Gisg.
A noble Gentleman!
Bat.
A gallant Man!
Asd.
Besides I found no great necessity
To do you harm; when I had power enough
To hinder you from doing the State harm.
But that I never meant to wrong the State,
I swear before the Gods. Do not I know,
It is impossible to be King here?
Speak your minds Gentlemen, you never thought
I was so foolish as to be in earnest;
And stake my life at a sure losing game?
Hiar.
We knew not what to think of your Highness,
We acted as our Consciences directed.
Asd.
Oh! You did very well, y' are honest men.
Bat.
Asd.
Th'ast done me right, so must these Gentlemen,
Or they will bring great guilt upon themselves:
For Gentlemen, had you thought me in earnest,
You'd have inform'd, when first you knew my guilt.
Instead o'that, you never let it go
Till you cou'd purchase your own lives by it:
For, Sirs, can you deny the fear of death
Had not a mighty hand in this great work?
Gisg.
It had a little finger in't indeed.
Asd.
Well Gentlemen, y'ave serv'd the Senate well.
Now he that is an entire honest Man
Does right to all Men; clear my innocence,
Then both the Senate and myself must love you,
For having serv'd us both most honestly.
And let me tell you, it is in my power
To raise or ruine you; which I shall do.
According as I find you good or bad.
Hiar.
We had best stick to him, he's a great man
aside to Gis.
Gis.
Ay, and a very devillish cunning Man.
(aside.
Bat.
Ay, and an honest man for ought I know,
He never said a word to me of being King.
(aside.
Hiar.
This Fellows evidence too will mischief us.
—We'll serve your Highness.
Asd.
You are honest men.
Come we will to the Senate, they are sate.
(Ex.
Enter Asdrubal, Senators, and Attendants.
Asd.
Most noble Senators, will you be pleas'd
To tell my honorable Lords, the Senate,
I'll only give some necessary orders
About their Service, then attend their Pleasures.
Sen.
We shall, my Lord.
(Ex. Senators.
Asd.
I see the Senates craft;
I'm only us'd like Physic for a need;
With loathing forc'd upon 'em, and the wish'd
Effect once wrought, I shall be flung away.
For Commonwealths cannot bear glorious men,
By the confessions of the Priest and Gisgon
I am in danger, but I'll try to quash 'em.
I order'd the confessing Gentlemen
[To his Attend.
Should be brought to me.
1.
They are come, my Lord.
Enter Hiarbas, Gisgon, Batto, guarded.
Asd.
How the Rogues look and tremble, for my sport?
(aside.
I'll let their terrors worry 'em a while.
Gisg.
What will he do with us?
54
I do not know.
I'm under dreadful consternation.
Gisg.
How? are y' afraid of death, now it is come?
I've heard you crow over death on your own Dunghil.
Bat.
Oh! no profaneness in affliction, pray.
Gis.
Oh! now the wind sits there, y'ave a sore Throat;
At other times your swallow's large enough.
Asd.
The Rascals wrangle; and how pale they look?
The Priest there, has a face just like a Goose,
White every where, except about his Bill.
His Nose is faithful to the dye, Wine gave it.
Well, now my grave, my cheating face goes on.
(aside.
Oh! Gentlemen! I love and honor you.
Come to my arms.
Hiar.
What's this? come to his arms?
(aside.
Gis.
Has he not got an engine there to slash us?
(aside.
Asd.
You lov'd the Commonwealth above my life,
Or your own credit; you are honest men.
You play'd the part of Spies, oh, you did well.
To tell you truth, it was a part I play'd.
I was a Spy on you.
Gisg.
Indeed, my Lord?
Asd.
Indeed. But you had one great quality
Most fit for Spies, of which I had no share.
You scorn those scorns which always are the vales
Of that unlucky Office. I confess,
I was kept under by the fear of shame,
And partly by some tenderness for you:
I love you Gentlemen.
Gisg.
Your humble Servant.
Hiar.
Your Excellencies very humble Servant.
Gisg.
A noble Gentleman!
Bat.
A gallant Man!
Asd.
Besides I found no great necessity
To do you harm; when I had power enough
To hinder you from doing the State harm.
But that I never meant to wrong the State,
I swear before the Gods. Do not I know,
It is impossible to be King here?
Speak your minds Gentlemen, you never thought
I was so foolish as to be in earnest;
And stake my life at a sure losing game?
Hiar.
We knew not what to think of your Highness,
We acted as our Consciences directed.
Asd.
Oh! You did very well, y' are honest men.
55
I can swear for your Highness, you never said one word to me, of
being King.
Asd.
Th'ast done me right, so must these Gentlemen,
Or they will bring great guilt upon themselves:
For Gentlemen, had you thought me in earnest,
You'd have inform'd, when first you knew my guilt.
Instead o'that, you never let it go
Till you cou'd purchase your own lives by it:
For, Sirs, can you deny the fear of death
Had not a mighty hand in this great work?
Gisg.
It had a little finger in't indeed.
Asd.
Well Gentlemen, y'ave serv'd the Senate well.
Now he that is an entire honest Man
Does right to all Men; clear my innocence,
Then both the Senate and myself must love you,
For having serv'd us both most honestly.
And let me tell you, it is in my power
To raise or ruine you; which I shall do.
According as I find you good or bad.
Hiar.
We had best stick to him, he's a great man
aside to Gis.
Gis.
Ay, and a very devillish cunning Man.
(aside.
Bat.
Ay, and an honest man for ought I know,
He never said a word to me of being King.
(aside.
Hiar.
This Fellows evidence too will mischief us.
—We'll serve your Highness.
Asd.
You are honest men.
Come we will to the Senate, they are sate.
(Ex.
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