Cynthia's Revenge

CINTHIAS REVENGE : OR MAENANDERS EXTASIE .

Actus 1. Scoena 1. CINTHIA . THe chiefest point of Kings felicity , Some subiects do esteeme Authority . Wee are aboue , the Potentates of earth Be vnacquainted with high bloud and birth . We do transcend supremacy of Kings , Account them ( as they are ) most mortall things . Subiect to putrifaction , to disease , To folly ; which no phisicke may appease . Yet they do magnifie themselues alone , Their haughty stomackes doe acknowledge none Aboue ; who may such dignity surmount : Of power supreme as fables they account . My God-head may with priuiledge complaint Of Sparta ; whose proud factious Kings refraine By wicked councell , from due sacrifice At my religious Altar : they suffice To render duty in Olimpickes once , And rob me of ant--ique oblations : Which wee ascribe vnto the base repute They do conceiue of our Diuinity , My Temples honour and supremacy . To Matrons ( Bauds and Widowes ) they translate To seruice of weake women dedicate My whole praedominance ; they do exempt Mans homage , and beleeue my power of change Extends no further then the female sex . This new-conceited error I l'e refute , I l'e manifest how farre compulsiue change Doth ouersway proud man ; I l'e execute The rigor of my vengeance : dreadfull awe Gods do obtaine by a correctiue law . And thus will I restore that holinesse , Which they extinguish through bold sawcinesse : Mortals contemne the Makers Diety , Vntill his wrath scourge their impiety .

Act. 1. Scoen. 2. MENANDER , HIPPONAX , EVPHORBVS , LELIO , PHEVDIPPE , HYARCHVS , PERILLVS , a Hearse . Nature acquainted well with indigence , Defining ( in it selfe ) our impotence , Liable to corruption generall , Shewes , nothing doth endure that 's naturall : Sterne death no pitty takes on hallowed age , Vpon the sucking babe , whose harmelesse twine , Tenderly hangs about the nurses necke , Neuer did old mens holy teares obtaine , Neuer did death from Innocents refraine . The slaue who smothers in obscurity His hated life ; who neuer did account Of rising Sunne , eclipse , and prodigies , More then of customes and impertinence ; Neuer accounted seasons , months , and yeares , Autumnall haruest , Spring-tide happinesse , Further then meanes to nourish misery , Who neuer lent the busie world a smile , But breathes out melancholy aire , and groanes . This man ( alike with Epicures and Kings , Who often striue with a departing soule ) Expects vpon the leisure of his fate , So Kings and Cripples be incorporate ; Their ashes often mixt , when they repose Two petty vrnes , their bodies oft inclose . Death , how impartiall be thy wounds ? how free From all exceptions ? My beloued fire , Lusty and full of Spirit fiue dayes since , Here humbled lyes , once royall prop of Greece . EV. Laments are idle , neither can recall Your fathers soule backe from Elizium . MEN. But griefe informes the world hee once did liue Worthy , and well respected , like a Prince , Whom people pray for , and whose happy raigne True subiects craue to be perpetuall . HYP. But sorrow in excesse ( dread souereigne ) Begets a weake distraction of the braine . Breeds a contempt of mundane diligence , Neglects profession , violates the law Of solace , and abhorres congruity , Giues carelesse raignes to sicke security , Turnes nature to a liuing lethargy . MEN. True Hypponax , and therefore temperance Limits with reason our compulsiue woe : For men of pure discretion ( you may finde ) Beare all extremes with a most aequall minde . Repeat Perillus ( the last signe of loue ) A poem to expresse the Obsequie , With teares concluding his Catastrophe . PER. Feare to offend his farre divulged name , Which ( who may mention without righteous fame ) Being euer busied in effecting lawes , Commended still with popular applause , Retaining orders of Antiquity , Forbids me to repeate his Elegie : Each clamorous eccho and all forrest-noise Ingendred by the Sylvan Dryades , Be henceforth silent ; neuer may such tunes Affoord free mirth to Poets phantasie ; Who , may surcease to sing their sacred layes , Viewing the vnaccustom'd change of time : Till future ages do reviue the losse Of our deiected worthy in his sonne , Whose true externall image doth retaine , The liuing lustre of our wonted king , May whose deere genius dwell thy gifts among , And vs prouoke to leaue his funerall song . MAENAN. Enough ; and in that finall word , Enough , Our lamentations faile : remoue the hearse , His body sleepes : who may the soule reverse ? ( My Councell ) stay , assist me ; and because From the succession of new Kings , new lawes Take their originall , I do intend Enormities of custome to amend , Matters ( though in themselues erronious ) Amended , may proue meritorious , Had but impartiall Fate fiue longer weekes , Allotted to my safe progenitor . He , by aduise of your sage grauity , Had finished ( ere this ) what you begun , Which ( through default ) I must remember done . The people of our continent , each sexe Both masculine and female , do adore A Goddesse , whose essentiall part is change , ( Proper to widowes , virgins wilde , and wiues ) Antiquity doth call her CINTHIA ; The honour , sacrifice and Hecatombes , Spent in the solemne , superficiall awe Of her accounted-sanctimonious law , Are ( without aequall number ) infinite . We , knowing her supremacy extends No further then weake women , will abridge That annuall expence , and will confine Such customare deuotion to the sect Of Priest-hoods foeminine ; their simple sexe Shall by iniunction worship CINTHIA , To whom indeed they be subordinate . So , this decree of priuiledge exempts Men from oblations : Let an Officer Informe the people thus . OMN. We all subscribe . MAEN. Your dutifull acceptance ( noble friends ) Of this propounded pollicy , doth vrge My secret nature to disclose the loue Which was inflam'd when iuniority Of yeares and iudgement ( my associates ) Gaue me aduice , which a more grounded age Doth entertaine , with equall permanence : With selfe-same feruor and integrity Of true entire affection , as before . HYP. What Spartan Lady will oppose the King ? EVPH. What Spartan Lady doth Maenander loue ? MAEN. Nay friends allow the marriage of your King , A matter lawfull first in generall And thence refute the scruple so precise , Which boulsters vp a life Monasticall . OMN. That scruple wee as errour do account . MEN. Then I l'e aduertise in especiall , You sapient hearers of that beauteous dame , Who , vnredeem'd Maenander , captiuate Doth hold in fetters , though a free-borne King , The daughter of Hyarchus doe I loue . HY. My daughter ? vnexpected happinesse ! Giue me then leaue , sweet rauishment , to see Her glad espousall celebrated once , By which , but some coniecture may arise , To see the royall issue of her wombe ; And I l'e go lodge in my forefathers tombe . MAEN. Do all agree with this old or'e-ioyd man ? HIP. EVP. True subiects will commend Maenanders choyce . MEN. Nothing doth more prevent a Princes fate , Then wise directing Councellors of State .

Act. 1. Scoen. 3. MALINDO , HIRVDO . Grosse indignation ! manifest repulse ! Am I neglected ? O disdainfull Prince ! May wee obserue thy peeuish altitude , Like a contemptiue groome or Sycophant , Without your glaunce and poore espyall ? Iudge , O iudge my quarrell some ingenious man , Witnesse my righteous challenge of his pride ; Resolue me some indifferent arbiter , How to digest this ignomious pill . My loue and duty both reiected thus ? My dignity esteem'd so little worth ? My salutations frustrate ? Some poore doult , Who payes a curtesie and supple cringe For euery dram of aire hee suckes in , Cannot be vs'd with lesse humanity . Wee , bending , stoop'd before his Maiesty , Hee , with a crabbed countenance , cleane auers'd , Goes on like some dull statue ; neuer stoopes , Nor smiles , but with a frowning arrogance , Iust like a moulded picture , like the frame Of a supported Image , doth moue on , As by some artificiall new deuice , Puppets are seene to make a solemne daunce . He now attended with a barball size Of sober Statesmen , doth reiect my loue , As if I were not in full aequipage Of his owne yeares : nay almost of degree , Excepting his high place of Soueraigne . O pride of Princes ! ô how forceable Be scornfull frownes from an offended King ? This argues guilt , and makes me culpable , Without a conscious crime ; without pretence Of any thing committed : In defence I therefore well may pleade pure ignorance . What new suggestion should exasperate The Kings displeasure ? doubtlesse , he of late , And his bigge title , was more affable , More gent and curteous : but the crowne perhap Is heauy , and requires the cunning helpe Of those gray dotards ( who indeed possesse Our most deluded Monarch ) to support A thing so massy , and immence ; proceed , Soone may my wrathfull curses ouertake The proudest veine of their aduanced soules : May the vaste concaue of Olympus cracke And giue a signall to our Gods decree Of dissolution ready to approach , Of earth and heauen their latest period , When I repent my curse , or do abstaine From an effectuall meanes , which may procure Destruction , though delai'd ; yet deadly sure . Am I not noble ? bred of aequall stemme With Sparta's chiefe and best Magnificoes ? My Auncestors ( remou'd but nine degrees ) Knew neuer man below the bloud of Kings Worth aemulation , as a riuall fit For them , admitting mighty Emperours , None as aboue , but as competitors : From those heroicke monuments of Greece , From those Hyrudo you can testifie , Our selfe deriues a lineall descent : And by the law of Heralds dignity , A supported by antiquity ) I am enrould amid the chiefest ranke Of Dukes , which gouerne this Peninsula : Yet shall I trauerse so obsequiously , Within the glaunce of his huge altitude , Like some deiected melancholy Asse , Which feeds on thistles . HY. Death ! you are abusde , Were I the man appointed to sustaine , So vndeseru'd a signall of disgrace , The proudest King in Europe should perceiue , I 'de not digest an iniury so base . You being the subiect of such high abuse , You should with faction terrifie the King , Amaze the Court , and make your opposites Tremble againe like babes , who shaking stand , Doubtfull of mercy from the Tutors hand . Were I the man whom dignity of place Entitled to such vaste prerogatiue As you enioy , no scandall , no disgrace , Should touch my honour without full reuenge : The King himselfe should not escape my spleene , ( Vpon so iust a quarrell ) I 'de affront His ample greatnesse : nay expostulate On equall tearmes , why without open cause He should reiect my seruice with a frowne , I 'de taxe him of vngouern'd appetite , Selfe-humour , peeuish ignorance of state , And charge him to amend infirmities : If like a tyrant hee but durst reply , Rating the licence of audacity , Then would I menace torture ; I would teare , The big voluminous Title he doth weare Pin'd on his backe by parasites and knaues , Who though they want , yet can bestow much grace , Kings when they leaue to be vpright , are base . MAL. Make me acknowledge this thy loue sincere , Bring thy magnanimous courage into act ; O be my agent , reconcile the doubts Which do possesse my intellectuall sence . The Statesmen are my sole Antigonists , They do seduce and steale away the King . Keepe his heroicke bounty for themselues ; They doe detaine his nature punctually , Make him ( deluded ) parsimonious , Erect who pleases their magnificence , Who them displease , the king must frowne vpon : They do entombe the silly wretch aliue , Make him as dead , to eminent designes , Which they approue not ; then reuiue his will , To aduenture such , as none approue but they . In briefe , they leade him like a Lyons whelpe , Tame , and yet fierce ; if so the keeper please , To wurry with aduantage : then beware , Those who offended haue the keepers will ; By which , the tame-taught Lyon's gouern'd still . HY. Beleeu 't my Lord , a home-bred naturalist , Whose resolution neuer was confirm'd By art , example , or experience ; Who neuer knew a faith historicall , ( That low step to a warrant rationall ) His anger would be ready for attempt ; Nay finish all with very good successe , Whilst you revolue a tedious aduice , Of which , too long delay doth spoile the prize . MAL. But sir , the high opponents , who traduce My honour , and good name , be numerous , Men of no dung-hill breeding ( not aduanc'd By some especiall Madame of the Court , For a concealement of her secresie , In case , where witnesse , bawdy hand , or seale , To broken Titles be restoratiue ) But matchlesse in their eminence of birth , Not sprung from petty page , or foot-boyes race , ( Onely remou'd , to fill vp vacant place , And rob iudiciall statesmen of deserts , To whom by Nations law , all fame reverts ) No , my assailants be both rich and wise , ( Two qualities scarce analogicall , Yet my oppugnant enemies haue both ) Rich , wise , and nobly borne ; nay fauourites , Men of an aequall iudgement with my selfe , Ingenious they be ( though Flatterers ) Who with calumnious faction doe depraue My potent fortunes , making birth a slaue . My foes be great , therefore I am dismaid , And to incounter great ones am afraid . HY. What huge Antaus may of conquest brag , Who ouercomes a Pigmey ? or insults Ouer a simple wretch condemn'd to chaines ? May loues owne Eagle stoope at stinking flyes ? And suffer Owles to penetrate the skies ? Well did that mighty Indian dog deserue , Whom neither Bucke , mad Bull , nor threatning Boare , Could from the kennell make to rise , before A stout couragious Lyon , king of strength , Irefull enough , with vengeance in his iawes , Prepar'd for single combat ; boldly then Like a resolued Champion forth he flew , And the Maiesticke Lyon fiercely slew . Giue me a man , whom neither multitude , Nor meanes to worke reuenge , can terrifie ; Who , though incompass'd with corriuall foes , Immur'd with aduerse competitors , Left eu'n amidst the circumuenting Iawes , Of greedy hounds , and hunters policy ; Can , like a whirle-winde , in despight of those , Who with vnaequall faction dare oppose , Fly through the thickest , make their big-swolne mawes , Leuell with stinking lakes , and ditches deepe , Like a Colossus though they stood before . Who may esteeme it an inglorious act , Rather who thinkes the valour not deuine , Which through a banded troope of enemies , Doth , like some bolt of thunder flye apace , And force withstanding obiects to giue place ? Men of your size being vrg'd with insolence . Of peeuish statists aemulating pride , ( A humor most vnnecessary ill ) Should , like the murdering Chain-shot , driue downe-hill Castles and rockes , although impregnable , Make mountaines stoope before you , rend vp Okes , Buffet large Atlas with incessant strokes , ( Though the supporter of Olympus frame ) Till heau'n and earth begge rescue for the same . Yet shallow great-men , they must wise-men seeme , For noble births doe liue by peoples breath ; Nor may the priuiledge of birth redeeme Our aestimation , subiect still to death ; Bee theerfore wise ( wisedome who dares condeme ? ) If not by nature , then by stratagem . MA. Thou' art yong ( Hirudo ) resolute and wise , A plyant apprehension soone will rise ; Remember now thy naturall good parts , Thinke if they serue to reconcile the doubt Of my ensuing mischiefe ; prethee thinke , If thou darst venture boldly to remoue My foes from bounty of Maenanders loue : Which , till the blinded King doe abrogate , Each foole may from my fortunes derogate . Combine thy powers , and ingenious parts To salue the wound of my disgrace , which smarts . And be my creature ; meditate withall Our now-declining ioyes to re-install : And be my creature ; satisfie the King By some corrupted meanes , or anything : And bee my creature ; may some new deuise , Purchas'd by Magicke Art , and hellish prise , Wholly avert the puny Kings beliefe From our opponents tales , which doe in chiefe Poyson my merits ; ô abolish those , And bee my creature , or indeed deere slaue I will bee thine ; doe but imploy some care To best aduantage of thy agent-skill ; Remember then , thou art my creature still . HY. Know then I loue thee Duke , and must preferre Thy fortunes , though I doe confiscate all , Whom Gods will not releiue , inuention shall .

Act. 1. Scoen. 4. LVCILLA , HYRVDO , LESBIA . The King my brother ? No , my brother clowne , Malitious coxcombe , peeuish Spartan-foole ; Death brided ? ô my torments ! LES. Madam know , He is contract already . LV. To a whore ? The strumpet Favorina ? HY. Hearke iust heauen ! She railes vpon a virgin , whose pure soule Might giue example of true chastity To her owne spotted , leprous infamy . LES. Now old Hyarchus laughes . LV. Her father : yes : A rotten Magistrate , who may thanke warme clothes , Caudels and physicke for each rising Sunne , Which he poore man is made partaker of , His daughter must be married to the King : So , I , degraded must acknowledge one Aboue vs in our female properties , Be boundlesse my exclaimes , and terrible ; ( Curses ) assemble your offensiue rage , And helpe a womans fury to disgorge The poyson of her stomacke , in the face Of a most spightfull brother , whose designe Is vnto me a purge so laxatiue , As my vnable body will be spent With bitter execrations ; ô I feele The storme of vengeance wrestle in my bloud , Tempting my soule to bee more great then good . O may the horror of some fatall knife , Finish the blessings of my brothers wife . May she liue loath'd , or neuer may she liue , Till heauens vnto my happinesse shall giue A freedom , to insult and tyrannize , Vpon that impious whore , that Cockatrize . O may new mischiefe tread vpon the heeles Of terrour , to affront the ioy she feeles . Let some infernall Negromanticke charme , Change their expected happinesse to harme . Let many clouds salute their nuptiall morne , With ominous affrights in way of scorne . The height of mischife makes my sorrow sound , As Opo-balsum doth a bleeding wound . HY. O the rude licence of a womans rage , Who her malignant discords can presage ? So , let her vanish , and her gall vnmaske , Till wee accomplish our appointed taske .

Act. 1. Scoen. 5. HYRVDO , MENANDER , FAVORINA , HYARCHVS , PHEVDIPPE , MALINDO , EVPHORBVS , HIPPONAX , LICTOR . My sorry conscience doth recoyle ( old men ) Worthy Malindo did inforce my vow To proue delinquent , rather then oppose My dreaded soueraignes life ( an impious act , Vrg'd by the cunning of more impious age . ) O then submit , with poenitentiall teares Confesse , your age offends the King through feares , Omn. Magistr. Our age offend the King ? we vrge this act ? HY. Of murther : yes , you loue Monopolies . Om. Mag. Subtill distraction ! . LIC. Silence . ME. Hipponax . Hyarchus we disclaime your subtilties . FAVO. My father so reiected ? MEN. Queene forbeare , Malindo is our faithfull favourite . MA. In thy protection let our kingdome liue . MEN. Welcome braue Duke ; be euer mine , belou'd ; Accounted in the chiefest scarlet ranke Of vnderstanding Iudices ; we thanke Your noble and magnanimous resolue , Your charitable vndertaking ; be aduanc'd And euer in my bosome : you are loyall . MAL. Daigne mighty Monarch but experience , ME. Your loue already hath in ample sort , Giu'n testimoniall enough : be grac'd And euer happy in our high account : Another subiect Officer I haue , Pheudippe cal'd ; on whom the graces smile : A man so absolute in my approofe , That Nature hath reseru'd small dignity Which he enioyes not . Welcome friend approch , Forsake the Citie , euer dwell in Court ; Nay neerer , in my bosome : we obserue Your manifest indeuour , diligence , And all industrious faculties that lodge Themselues in thee with a true correspondence , Wee note your proiects , and esteeme them highly . PHE. I seruile groome put forth small industry , Excepting what I owe in subiects duty . MEN. My father , in the latest sillable Of his weake vt'trance , did inculcate often , Thy vnrewarded loyalty : be bigge In honour , and out-shine the radiant glosse Of bearded polititians : kneele before vs . And in vprising swell with a new name : No more Pheudippe , but all-potent Duke Of wide Illirium ; ( noble friend ) arise , We diue into the bottome of thy soule , Which doth ingender a sweet sympathy . Liue long and happy in a Monarchs loue : Malindo , you prouide some Theater , Some regall shew , wherewith we mutually May solace and disport our heauinesse . Hyrudo liue : May treason euer finde The biting tortures of a troubled minde . You magistrates imagine it a curse , And punishment beyond all punishment . ( If you attainted are with any guilt Of so enorme designes ) thinke it a curse To sucke vp the salubrious aire , and liue , Fame will infect you , though I pardon giue : OMN. So prosper we as we are innocent .

Act. 1. Scoen. 6. MALINDO , HYRVDO . Good slaue I thanke thee , thou hast reconcil'd The Kings distastfull and ambiguous frowne , I must enroule thee in the Catalogue Of my professed fauorites : contemne The seruile clog of stooping curtesie : Enioy what euer in the bounds of freedome . Be idle , and securely friuolous , Wanton or any thing that appertaines Vnto a noble personage of worth . Or if thou wishest a contented life , Free from the cauils incident to worth , Bee onely idle , euer gazing out Of publique windowes , and obserue the pride Of such a man , faire mounted on his cloth And gelding dapple gray , accounting all His footmen , till the coltish bayard stumble . Bee whom thou pleasest , whom thou dost suppose A blessed man is , absolutely rich . HY. All this demands a furtherance , my Lord . MA. Yes , and that furtherance will I bestow : But the most noble haue their enemies , Their opposites , antigonists ; nay some Of ragged base repute do still suruiue , Who ( notwithstanding ) dare maligne the state Of vs , though splendor to the Common-weale . These vomit forth each scandall , each contempt , Malice and gall together : poyson choke them ; I feele their aspicke venome here involu'd , They wound worse then a raging Basyliske . How bitter is the taste of contumele ! Some patience I intreate thee ( heau'n ) bestow Vpon our scandalized name : Reproch , That common aduersary of vs all , Who are in a good way to purchase fame , Doth dog vs to our latest winding-sheet , Euen to the wombe of our great grand-mother , That neuer satisfied wombe of earth . Blame not my zealous anger , I am hot , And carried with true valour , to the pitch Of an exclaime so requisite : ô slaues , And prodigies of nature , that will taint Pure sanctity ; nay , eu'n the Gods aboue , And their incomprehended holinesse ; Their sacred essence , with like blasphemy ; If but enrag'd awhile , as they do mine . HY. Who ? or what man is he that dares do thus ? S'death I will not endure the sight of him . MA. How ? speake that againe , doe you remember well ? HY. S'death I will not endure the sight of him . MA. No ? why thou vngratefull man ; must I aduance , Must I search out a lodging for thy soule , And make roome for thy friendship in our bosome ? Canst euer hope to bee incorporate With my owne essence ? the same man almost , And not endure the presence , nay the sight Of our malitious foe ? recall your thought : Each timorous fellow , that abhorres the name Of absolute reuenge , could say no more : What ? runne away from our contemned foe ? HY. I l'e not endure the presence ; nay the sight Of such a slaue , yet neuer turne my heeles : No , I 'de embowell the base rogue at first , Contriue a quicke dispatch : the villaines heart Would I expose vpon a mountaines top , Or offer it vpon my faulchions point , Fresh bleeding to some wrathfull Deity , Of vnappeas'd reuenge , in sacrifice : I 'de mixe my vrine with his reeking blood , And pisse vpon the carkasse in despight , Disseuer ioynts and flesh , till all were done , Then toast his marrow in the melting Sunne : I 'de not endure the sight of him aliue . MA. Couragious resolution ! I commend Such vehemence in valor : this doth vrge And animate my purpose to be quicke , Royall , and open-breasted to a man Of such full vndertaking euery way . Let vs imploy this youthfull vehemence Betimes : a quicke bloud cals for action . Imagine this the pauement where my foe Hath fixt ( vpon the quarrell ) his firme foot ; For know that such a villaine doth suruiue , Whom I will scourge in thee my fauorite , Briefly you must disgrace and murder him Whose name is hitherto conceal'd ; but you ( After instruction for the stratagem ) Shall know the varlet , whom you must imagine ( Meerely for apprehension ) is your selfe . I like a ruffiane ( which remember well , You must hereafter practise ) though for instance I will now vndertake it , vnawares I fetch away your not misdoubting heeles From of the trampled earth , eu'n thus : then sweare Some oath of high importance , that the aire Shall neuer be infected with a slaue , Who breathes out poysoned blasphemy on earth . Sweare then that neither shining light of day No interchanged seasons shall affoord One minute more of blessing , that himselfe Shall not enioy one article of breath Beside , to aske forgiuenesse of the world : Sweare that no planet , no supernall starre , No Hercules , no Gigantæan arme Shall rescue villaines from appointed harme : Then spit him through the center of his heart , Eu'n thus , Hirudo . HY. But you iest I m'e sure . S'death I am slaine ; forbeare , ingratitude ! I perish without expectation : O. MA. May my suspected agents perish euer .

Act. 1. Scoen. 7. MALINDO , MESSENGER , PERILLVS . There sleepe ( vnthought of ) in a vaulted tombe : Thus great men must be iealous of their fame , Preuent all blemish in a noble name . Now King and kingdome both are almost mine , Lights be obscured when the greater shine . The King reputes me loyall and submisse , ( Transparent coulour to deceiue a Prince ) ( But hell beare record ) I am bent to ruine , To purchase kingdomes , or impeach my state , Who neuer ventur'd , neuer knew his fate . In Epires rule now liues my noble friend , Thither will we addresse our false complaint , Pretending I am hated here at Court , Threatned to death , not likely to escape , Withall insinuate our appointed ioy , Which fiue dayes hence the King doth celebrate . Informe I may , that then both Prince and Peeres , Will bee assembled in the Theater : And being so , how safely hee may send A manadg'd Army to destroy them all . ( Dissembling still the meanes to rescue mee When I am safe aduaunc'd ) but meaning most To further my aduancement : for which cause I fram'd this little motiue : Hoe within , Fly to the confines of Epirots rule , Deliuer vnto Cassius my friend , The Gouernour , this caution heere inclos'd , Vrge him vpon allegeance euer due , From one friend to another , to make haste . Speake this , and speake no more , neither to any Open the passage dores of vtterance , But to my friend , my deere , my best beloued , MES. Imagine me a blocke , a Niobe , Conceiue my mouth to be deuoid of tongue , Till with content I do accomplish all . MA. Bee secret as calme silence , or the night . My care must follow to frame Theaters , Warning the Megalenses , our Comaedians To act some pithy and applauded Scoene , Wherewith to shadow my pretensiue zeale . But well-incountred ( Poet ) pray approach . And let vs parley of an Enterlude . PER. Patron of Poets , much esteemed Duke , Leauing the Muses , and my pleasant cares Regarding yours more then my owne affaires , Poore Poet I l'e attend your conference , Command mee euer , most ingenious Lord . MA. Command Perillus ? no , intreate thee rather , Each high-borne Title must aduance the worth Of holy rapture : pray informe the Actors Of some true Morall , of some Tragedy Or else some subiect more ridiculous , Which may with new deuis'd conceits stir vp The dull and solemne audience . PER. Beleeue I l'e stretch the scantnesse of my Mother-wit , Rather then faile for to accomplish it . The God of Kings protect thee : so adiew . MAL. Attempts of great men speake in siluer tones , Thus gilded tombes ore-shadow dead mens bones .

Act. 1. Scoen. 8. CASSIVS , SOVLDIER , MESSENGER . SOV. A speedy foot-poast heere attends your honor . CAS. His message ? SOV. Out of Greece , and more precisely From Sparta . CAS. Then admit the messenger . Now friend , your businesse ? MES. Open sir the Casket . Somewhat 's within contain'd , that will instruct you . CAS. Arme if thou lou'st me noble CASSIVS , And helpe thy brother with a royall rescue , I am in prison , prethee make great haste , Or I am dead : 'gainst Ianus-festiuall , Addresse thy courage to assault our King , Both King and Statesmen kill , for fit occasion Will bee afforded , while they sleep : secure Busied with ioy , and iesting Cordials . Arme if thou lou'st me noble Cassius ? Yes , arme I will , and in despight of spight Rescue thy valor from the blackest night , Which enuy , or malignant wrath can yeeld , To darken thy resplendant fortitude . Carry the letter ( friend ) from whence you brought it , Let nothing hinder quicke deliuery : Nothing excels a wise dexterity .

Act. 1. Scoen. 9. PERILLVS , 2 MEGALENSES , MESSENGER . You ( Titio ) shall act Mandragona , But you ( Eulalio ) stout Bellephoron , Each hath his part appointed , as in playes , And this our actiue Scoene , so in the world All haue their parts allotted to begin At seasons knowne after natiuity , But our evasion out of misery , What cunning Sophist may denominate ? As for the Prologue in my sportiue Scoene , There needs no Actor it to amplifie ; The festiuall approches , let vs giue Direction to your fellowes : MESSENGER LOOSETH THE LETTER . Looke Eulalio , Vnloose that Paper , or peruse the Title : No superscription ? rend the seale , and reade . TI. Arme if thou lou'st mee noble Cassius , And helpe Malindo with a royall rescue , I am in prison , prethee make great haste , Or I am dead : at Ianus Festiuall . &c. Words of amazement , and exceeding strange . PER. I smell a treason hypocriticall . TI. A iust construction ; correspondent sure , To this intent . PE. And therefore Titio , You ( much disguis'd ) may safe anihilate Both his , and our proceedings : Let 's be wise , I l'e pen a part shall dash the enterprise .

Act. 1. Scoen. 10. MENANDER , PHEVDIPPE , MALINDO , AMILCAR , LELIO , HIPPONAX , HYARCHVS , EVPHORBVS , FAVORINA , LESBIA , TITIO , Milites . Ioue , or what-else supernall Deity , The Gods and Goddesses who gouerne Kings , Who arbitrate the schisme of month and yeares , Whose sacred essence heauen and earth adore , To whom the greatest potentates below , Do sacrifice their Greekish Hecatombes , These are accustom'd to dispence with ioy , And in remembrance of their holy acts , ( As now ) we often solemnize the day , Recorded long from all antiquity , And ciuill ioy perhibite without feare ; Mirth may refresh not disanull my care . Pheudippe ( friend ) sit heere ; all do agree , That each mans place should answere dignity . So , call for this appointed melody . TI. A quiet calme foretels tempestious winde , And faire-plum'd swans sing sweetest when they dye . Gesture doth oft conceale a traytors minde , And many golden dreames do proue a lye , Sent and inspir'd by heauens high thundring Ioue , I bid you arme , desist from iollity , Those who pretend , shew colourable , loue , What ere avoids the test , is flattery Gliding a farre from out the Thracian soile , I could espy Malindo's friend in armes , Swiftly addressing his battalions , Heere to entrap and fully ruinate You ancient Magistrates , thee matchlesse King . MAL. Soueraigne the fellow is lunaticke , Remoue the mad man sirs ; away with him . TI. Not mad Malindo , thou a traytor art , Take witnesse from that paper , his owne part , ME. Lalio , Lord Generall , giue speedy battell . LE. Arme souldiers , arme , cry conquest and approach . ME. Make ready forces to repell the foe . MAL. Arise from foggy Lerua some foule smoake . Each liuing creature without mercy choake . Be euer clouded Phoebus , may thy light , Turne in a moment to aeternall night : Returne obliuion , or the antique age ; Forgotten Chaos , and the pilgrimage Of vndefiled mans first innocence , That I all torment may escape on earth , And be accounted guiltlesse ( as at birth ) O for inchantments , for a potent charme , A magicke spell that may con-iure the clouds , To couer mee with darknesse at noone-day ! For such a charme would I expose the wealth Of Tagus , or the Ocean ( were it mine ) Helpe , ô assist mee some infernall aid , Now be propitious ( Hell ) I am betraid . Fortune , ô strumpet ! I l'e aduance the darke And fearefull habitation of the dead , I l'e worship witches , and extoll the praise Of Pluto , I l'e preferre impiety , Canonize all before thy Deity . The bloud of Nessus neuer did inforce A Hercules to halfe such vehemence . ME. Was 't you Malindo , that through mischiefes baite Compos'd this ensigne of a hollow heart ? Alas I lou'd thee well , why didst deuise Such fatall Scoenes , fashion'd of bloud and death ? The paper mourn'd when thou thy mind hadst writ , Yes , mourn'd in blacke meerely to thinke on it : But you persist in deepe obdurasie . I mourne my selfe , yet am deuoid of pitty , Because thy error is ambitious pride . MAL. The man whom fate hath from aeternity , From since the words beginning , hath enrol'd Amidst mis-fortunes mournefull Catalogue , Whose downfall frowning planets haue conspir'd , Who neuer was the bounded fauorite Of way-ward rumor ; whom aduersity Hath wholly seiz'd , whom heauens appointed awe Prepares as fatall obiect of disdaine To leuell her inuenom'd aime against . O let him euer dwell in mothers wombe , Or let that Infants cradle be his tombe . ME. Conduct him Souldiers to the Carnifex , Euphorbus , you attend the finall gaspe , Then giue to Cassius the decouped scull . MAL. Ambition leades vs to the fountaines brinke , But then affoord's destruction 'stead of drinke .

Act. 1. Scoen. 11. LELIO , SOVLDIERS , AMILCAR , LVCILLA , SACERDOS . &c. ME. We reade large conquest in our Captaines face , Stand forth some sober nuntius , relate The maner of this notable de-signe , AMIL. Brontes , nor did Pyragmon euer shake The Anuile of that Iron-munger God Vulcan , with blowes so vnsupportable , In hammering the thunderbolts of Ioue , As did the courage of our Generall ( By animating souldiers to attempt ) Shatter the weake array of Cassius . He faint ( for faintnesse euer doth attend On such designes ) being faint before the time Of on-set , he withdrew so speedily , As , that retinue of his rebell-slaues , Beg'd noble mercy of the Conquerour . But wee , like some fierce Gyant giu'n to spoyle , Enrag'd with a remembrance of their act , Their too contemptuous vp-rore ; did reply , With anger vnappeas'd in bloody phrase , That no compassion should redeeme their liues From famine of our faulchions : for indeed , Rebellion must be scourg'd vntill it bleed . Then flew the common Souldier with such speed , To enterprise in rigor the new spoyle , As neuer did a hungry Woolfe insult ▪ With more vnsatisfied reuenge , then they . Grim Slaughter in a Chariot of dead sculs , Rode vp and downe triumphing , till darke night Shooke off the fetlocke from her sleepy iades , And gaue way for retrait ; each man before Troad in contempt vpon the scattred foe , Vntill my fortune , rather then exploit , Slue the once owner of this ▪ vn-ioyn'd scull , Then euery man gaue backe , with blood being full . ME. Magnanimous Amilcar , I account Thy courage beyond apprehension ; swell , Swell my Phendippe with aboundant ioy , Reioyce in thy coragious sonne , like mee , Who vaunt the rather , euen because thy sonne Doth so be haue himselfe , thou being my friend , Whom I esteeme aboue all earthly good . Stand forth Pheudippe , honour doth attend To cast a gracious smile vpon thee , friend ; And thee Amilcar , let vs magnifie . Malindo sleepes ( Amilcar ) I aduance Thee through the ruine of his dignity , Possesse both place and goods . Ami. Without desert As hitherto ; but I will endeuour . ME. We haue a sister , where is she ? Lucilla ? Let some attendant vrge her company : Bring hither likewise an appointed Priest , ( Be not amaz'd my sober Magistrates ) Pheudippe , you shall be espous'd to her : Her I l'e bestow , and without preiudice On thee alone , my noble Bed-fellow . PHEV. Pardon ( deere Liege ) least worthy I of all To be a Monarchs kinsman , lesse , to be calld The brother of a Greekish King , your selfe . ME. Do not refuse , for ( noble friend ) my loue Onely admits thee as a friend and brother , And for a witnesse that I make this league Of loue and friendship ; let 's embrace each other . PHE. Euer obeisance to your Maiesty . ME. My sister doth approch , let groomes make way For beauty able to obscure the day . Sister , behold thy husband ; friend , thy wife , Marriage doth breed , but sooner banish strife . You ( Priest ) the Hymeneall rites may offer : Acceptance is experienc'd by proffer . SACE. Let Hymen triumph , and vnite your soules . ME. Now liue in peace , and brother aske a boone : Aske what you list , for grant I will what-euer , Which henceforth may commemorate the time Of an espousall so remarkeable . PHE. Your deuine Maiesty accumulates Honour , aboue the trite capacity Of all contemptuous age ; that auncestors ( Before thy hallowed birth-day ) did approue : ( Great King ) I haue a kinsman , though obscure , Yet wealthy , whom ( because obscure ) I begge A small part of your high magnificence , But to enroule amid the Catalogue Of those you least remember : Kings be wise , Their bounty will prouoke a slaue to rise . ME. To deifie the worth of whom wee loue , Aduancement I l'e impouerish , compell Honour to hugge thy kinsman , till a warmth Quicken his humble bloud without controule . Enuy , ( the scourge of Kings ) be henceforth dumbe , Thus will I treason euermore entombe . And thus exault our loue beyond all merit , Birth may do much , loue makes the low inherit . Finis Actus primi .

Act. 2. Scoen. 1. PHIVDIPPE . A Midst my slumber , circumvolu'd with doubt , In this thicke midnight darkenesse , now all sence Securely lyes inchain'd ; now potent dreames , With vnresisted awe , rule the dead lumpe Of mans poore fabricke ; now all humane flesh , Kings , and the sterne-brow'd Tyrants doe submit Their maiesty to Sleepes Imperiall feet . Now , not long since I dream'd , and could with ease , Vtter the subiect , how a mishapen hag , His haire full horrid blacke , huge were his eyes , Bigge , like a bowle encompassed with bone , Thrice did the Impe appeare , did vanish thrice , Three massy Crownes , of worth inaestimate , ( Had they enioy'd a worth substantiall : ) Thrice did hee shew , and thrice againe withdraw The hallowed obiects , then a pace proclaime Quod libet , licet , and away departs . I then awak't , strooke with extreme amazement , And nimbly leaping from a secûre couch , Came to expell this ominous affright . Reading , or whatsoeuer can auaile The vigor of temptation , to withstand , Wee should perhibite ( though against our will . ) Heer 's an aspiring Poet , whose proud touch , May eleuate some braine aboue the flight Of nimble apprehension ; I l'e vnclaspe Thy sacred volume , Lucan : I l'e content My rouing fancy with full argument . He writes of witherd sculs , of mutiny , Ominous apparitions of the dead , Of Caesar , Pompei , and Imperiall state , Of combats forreigne , of domesticke broyles , Of dire inuasion , of ambitious warre , ( What-euer makes vs noble ) fortitude , Of expert vndertaking , of euent : O hee 's a fellow able to inflame The frosty stomacke of a staru'ing youth , Who wholly feeds on rheumish winter-plums . An Author of commanding Altitude , And such a man giue me ; a man of worth , Who makes the reader rub his paled brow , Makes idle nature melt away in fume , Giues breath and courage to out-puffe the Cannon : Such Authors you may feele at fingers end , They gallop in your bloud , prouoke each veine , To giue them passage without violence , Bella per aemathios plusquam ciuilia campos Insque datum scelert canimus populumque potentem : Nec quenquam nunc ferre potest , Caesar-ve priorem Pompeius-ve parem : quis iustùs induit arma Scire nefas : magno se iudice quisque tuetur . Ah Pompei , Pompei , if thy hallowed acts , Once more might flourish , I would aemulate Those bold incounters ; ô most happy men , Whom Fate enroules to bee victorious : They conquer , spoyle , subuert , and aedifie Turne Dukes , nay Kings to common Parasites , And make the proudest flatter to winne life : Yet Kings are mighty : yes and aequall too ; ( Though weake , although base cowards by the law Of naturall indowment ) yet the name Doth yeeld them aequall ; nay aboue the fame Which often doth enrich a conquerour . What may we hence collect ? a principle , A maxime of no vulgar consequence : Subiects are base , and to acknowledge one Superiour , doth note seruility : O what a most perpetuall slaue is man , If not the chiefest in praedominance ? Let obscûre polititians be content As chiefe in Parish ; or some petty Towne , I 'de make Dominions tremble with a frowne : Make euery subiect , high and low obserue The heauy danger of our discontent , Or make a precious forfeit of each life . Woe to that King where subiects be inflam'd With greater zeale of eminence then hee : There must inuasion triumph , timelesse death , Rapes , murther , all iniquity of age : By gulfes ; by rockes , eu'n by the lawes of hell . Wee swim who would obtaine the gates of heauen . O what a large deuinity 's involu'd About the awfull phrase of Emperour . The name , the name of King , how it awakes Our caitife blood , quickens our faculty ! Ambition be my iudge , if I were sicke , Wounded with pistols , out of hope to liue , Forsaken by all Art and physicke law , Lay speechlesse in my chamber , lost my sence Of man or voyce making no difference Yet through the magicke of this powerfull sound , You are a King , ( if hallowed in my eare ) I should againe recouer , should recoyle Skip forty fadome from the couch , and sing , Dance without shame , though naked , without noise Trample amid the pauement , touch my roofe , Run giddy with glad passion , rub my veines , Like one reuiu'd anew , esteeme all base Vnder bloud-royall , be a ranke mad man , Till ioy and rapture both were cleane digested . How readily mans temper is traduc'd ? How forceable temptation doth oppose The supernaturall act of doing well ? Wee are like windemils on ambitious mounts , Open to euery tempest , which will turne Our sailes without resistance : like the waues Wurried from shores to rocks ; from rocks to shelfe ; Man is not man till he deny himselfe . Yet on our state 's impos'd a slauish curse , To see things good , though we conniue at worse .

Act. 2. Scoen. 2. PHEVDIPPE , LVCILLA . LVC. Ah husband , husband , what excessiue care Inuaded me with violence ? shot farre Into my shaking bosome , when I saw Your sudden absence ? heauy sleepe alas No sooner left mine eye-lids , gaue me leaue To aske , how does the comfort of my soule ? How does my silent loue ? my deere Pheudippe ? But with familiar lip , and flexile arme , I seiz'd vpon the pillow 'stead of thee . Thinke how intruding iealously began To blurre whateuer I could wisedome call , Within me , or without me ; which alas , All know's extreamely dwarffish in out sexe . PH. Iealous the first night wife ? Lv. O then or neuer An honest , louing wife is iealous euer . Iealous at home , least husbands ouer-vex A painfull heart with meditation , Of matters which concerne his family . Iealous when husbands bee enforc'd to trauell ; Danger exceeds the obiects they do meet , Whether by sea , or in the publicke street . I ( peeuish foole ) perceiuing you were gone , Thus in my choler did expostulate : Doth hee for some dislike abhorre my sheets ? Neglect what others loue ? the maiden sweets Of mutuall embracement ? may mens taste Loose their accustom'd relish , and refuse The mellow ioyes of ripe virginity ? Will hee contemne the sportiue dalliance That married couples may engrosse with leaue ? Will he this mid-night shew himselfe no man ? The first night of our meeting bee disgrac'd ? Or will hee by disaster end all strife ? Perish ? and so preuent a formall taxe That may impeach his manhood ? Thus , euen thus Poore foolish I did thus praevaricate ; Thus ( for indeed wee women struggle much Vntill deliuer'd of opinion ) thus Did louing zeale praeiudicate amisse . You are offended ( loue ) I doe suspect See how his colour 's chang'd , astonishment ! Prethee what pensiue thoughts oppresse thy soule ? I reade the humor of a malecontent Written betweene your eye-browes ; recollect The common sparkes of scatter'd Maiesty . Speake gentle sir . PHE. Women , women , women . LV. What of women ? PHE. Most women loue to talke , To scatter tales , and yet sweare silence too , To breed sedition , to deceiue all those Who in simplicity are confident , Of honest meaning : ô they doe insult With a tyrannicke boldnesse ouer one Who through bewitch'd opinion , doth impart The substance of included secresie . O they wil dare the soule of such a man , Make him so subiect to their base command , As if they had his heart-strings in their hand . LV. Raile at our sexe ? why husband , though perhap Such women do suruiue , what will you hence Conclude within their guilt , my innocence ? PHE. ' Cry mercy wise , ' good faith I did imagine Their wicked conuersation , generall , ( All in good time be otherwise : ) But wise , The painters of our age be culpable Of high abuse committed ; they portraict . Each mentall vice in habit of a whore , A Hagge , a Witch , or Woman , at the least . LV. Vertue ( although the others opposite ) Is painted with the like habiliment , Therefore conclude , if tender woman-hood Take any full impression of deceit , Vertue , or vice , of either strong beleefe . Or colourable incredulity ; To change her minde will aske another age . You may conuert beliefe , you may reuoke Errors of wise-men , by a deepe dispute , But women setled , nothing will confute . For painters do imply this consequent By embleme ; that our sexe is permanent . PHEV. Are you so philosophicall I'faith ? Well dost thou argue , for they sexe and selfe . Shee hath a ripe conceit , and I approue Her subtill apprehension , out of loue . I relish her deepe iudgement ; for indeed , My railing labour'd onely to obtaine Of wits reply the due experience , That in our wisedome of credulity . We may impart a proud conspirasie . women shoot faire sometimes , though seldome true Like whetstones they giue edge to trickes a anew . Braue Catiline for this cause did account Yong Orestilla worthy to partake Of his attempt ( though farre aboue the braine Of woman to accomplish ) hee approu'd The talkatiue Sempronia : Thus will I Induce my wife through cunning circumstance , To giue directions for a raw conceit : Though man is rather bless'd , who may with-hold His closet counsell from a womans eare ; Yet am I of such spungy clay compact , As till I am dis-burthen'd of my care , Nothing yeelds comfort : ô I must vnclaspe A volume , which may preiudice my life ; Happy 's the man who dares beleeue his wife . LV. What magicke may this motion ocular Of lips , without all vtterance portend ? PHE. For men to pause at a poore stile of Dukes , Most frequent Lords , and yet more common knights Proclaimes them base and triuiall ; if meanes Of more aduantage may be thought vpon : Thy father was a King Lucilla . LV. Iust . PHE. And shall the Chronicles of age report Lucilla was no Queene ? Were I a woman — LV. The Madam Fauorina doth vsurpe My due respect . PHE. Shall Fauorina liue ? Shall she out-shine the beauty whom I loue ? Nature , nay Gods deny a double Moone , They both are ominous ; they do import A prodigie of vprores and of death . LV. O man assist our weakenesse , wee 'le enforce The potent succour of religious fate ; Con-iure by solemne othe , deepe secresy So crowne the vigor of conspiracy . PHE. Now spoke dame resolution : I adore Such credible ingagement ; and embrace Faction aboue all true faelicity . I can discouer yet a childish vice Within my nature , named cowardise : I feele a fearefull and familiar stamp That shewes I am a coward : I recoyle In thought of high atchieuements ; I dissolue With repetition of a sound so braue As conquest , and impartiall victory ; Yet would subdue Dominions ; would enthrall The vast Horizon of our vniuerse : But I abhorre the sound of enemies ; Of proud resistance : Ambiguities ( With cowards ) are begotten of each tale Of each phantasticke rumour ; idle care : A new suggestion will beget new feare . If notwithstanding women will bee stout Women ( the badge of clamorous affrights ) This would encourage slaues to victory , And shall encourage mee ; my wife is valiant , No creature liuing must ( Lucilla ) dare When twise two Moones haue made a change in Greece ; Dare to accost thy super-eminence Nor with like priuiledge ( as now ) affront My then sublim'd authority : be iudge Thou happy time , when that more haughty phrase Long liue , shall be pronounc'd , with {non-Roman} twise Wee 'le then disclaime acquaintance ; liue re-cluse ; Then if wee are dispos'd to imitate Some liuely gesture of disdainefull grace , And peepe into the publicke aire awhile , The thronging Citty will be crowded vp In a poore handfull , to ex-patiate With rowling eies our vnaccustom'd face . LV. I am inflam'd already : O ambition Be but auspicious ; mount my nymble breath And win the Gods good liking to command Of earth and heauen a hopefull furtherance : Swell heart , and with it swell my brauest bloud , Sug-gest new motiues deere necessity , Resolue now for a lucky plot betimes . PHE. Nay first resolue of some associates : Three to a banquet , foure beget a braule Sayes our instructiue adage ; but i'faith Fiue to a bloudy banquet makes all square : A banquet ( wife ) a banquet , shall enthrone Our happy wishes and our hopefull ioy : The King shall dye . LV. Yes , and the new Queene perish . PHE. The Captaine of his Guard will I corrupt With forceable engagement , and faire shewes : ( Chiefe architects in a designe so rare , Sole agents for the great men of our age ) Him if I do seduce ; the Souldiers apt For innouation will obey betimes : My sonne Amilcar ( by iniunction bound ) Must then remoue thy opposite , the Queene : My faithfull steward , sage Manesio Hee ( by commandement ) shall engrosse the corne Which haruest hath afforded ; and procure The famishment of those who may resist By insurrection our new seated blisse . New barnes I le build , erect new granaries , Which ( open to their wants , ) may well remoue Cripled allegeance , and procure much loue . LV. The banquet shall obey my prouidence . PHE. Wee who worke iointly , may ingeminate An others losse makes many fortunate .

Act. 2. Scoen. 3. THE GHOST OF MALINDO . Pheudippe false ? and shall the king exclaime ? Wrest vengeance from the rage of Cinthia ? Distraction talk'd of in the lower Dis ? O I am rauish'd with extremity Of hellish laughter , of loud harmony : Balme to my torture , musicke to my soule ! How sweete this clamorous eccho : all reuenge ; Crackes in the iawes of repercussiue aire : Awake thou damned troupe of high-borne youth Angels of darkenesse my deere friends awake , Howle forth some ditty , that vast hell may ring With charmes all potent ; earth a-sleepe to bring . Wee who be barr'd from happinesse by fate ; Who be confin'de within the fiery gulfe , The kingdome of perdition ; who exempt From full enioying of supernall good , Wee do but laugh when our colleagues are damn'd . Wee triumph in their multitude , we daunce Our dismall rounds ; our changes double ouer Whilst pur-blind owles with night-rauens do consort , And still together sing though Caesars daunce : I a meere caitife in the prime of youth . Nourish'd an itching appetite to rule The sudden rigor of which new disease Crept in my deerest bloud ; vntill at length As maggots doe engender by the warmth Of violent reflection ; so attempt Was all encourag'd by desire , both which Creating base ambition ; bred my fall : Thus do praedominant affects consume All hope ; and turne the substance into fume : Yet seeing our fate is vn-auoide-able What may we answer sauing welcome fate ? For , happinesse wee exiles neuer knew , Nor any ioy doth holinesse affoord To vs the out-casts of Elizium , But onely this : to yawne aloud below With lofty shouts ; when foes may ranged be Amongst our hellish troupes for company : Thus though my obscure shadow much compeld Payes due alleageance to King Plato's Court Yet by the fatall wisedome being inform'd Of dire euents , of Cinthia's reuenge , Reuenge though future ; yet in equity Hereafter to be cast vpon the Prince Manander ( he my downefall did approue Doom'd execution , him do I abhorre ) Will triumph in his mad Catastrophe : And do awake to haunt his company : My shadowed spirit walkes invisible Can worke it selfe into a Tennis-ball , Shoote through the Center , search into the Sea ; Slide through the Cauernes , penetrate stone-wals : Watch by the pillow of a sleeping man Without all notice taken , without noyse ; Hath liberty to play the Incubus ; Haunt whom I please with apparitions , By priuiledge assum'd from Pluto's fordge : Thus do I haunt Pheudippe ; I suggest Visions of aire , of nocturnall fume , Forceable to buzze falshoood in his braine : Falshood in whom the King so deere accounts Will breed a rigor in the Kings exclaimes ; Till hee impeach ador'd deuinity , His anger will expostulate the cause Of change so suddaine , of a breach , in loue So manifest ; improper , then Distrust Will answere chang's deriu'd from Cinthia His passion will approue the pedigree And after ful-stuff'd oathes crowne blasphemy : Then bloudy iaw'd reuenge will trot apace Vpon his winged curtall ; to attache Maenander of high-treason : O my Ghost Shall quaffe downe , Lethe ; tumble in the Wash The raine-bow couloured waues of Acheron : I , like some Sea-fish , frolicke with faire shine , Will toffe about the billowes of our floud ; Then through the flames ( in lieu of triumph ) scudd ; Till then , implore some wrinkled witch , some hag , Which may prouoke Maenanders patience : To torment braue companions yeeld much ease In sicknesse our associates helpe disease .

Act. 2. Scoen. 4. THE GHOST OF MALINDO , AND THE GHOST OF CASSIVS . MAL. What shadow voide of substance hither comes ? What incorporeall essence doth approach ? What vapors painted like my selfe with fume ? ( Who steale existence from vnited fogge ) What substance insubstantiall ? what Ghost Walks in the clouded element of aire ? Aread thou dumbe associate of darke And theeuish midnights ; now aread thy name . CAS. Recitall serues to tortuose , yet know I am the ghost of slaughterd Cassio , Slaine for the zeale I nourish'd to a friend ; Vnfaithfull vsage wrought my timelesse end . MAL. My true borne Cassius ? well incountred ; see The soule and image of thy zealous friend . CAS. What eccho bred of impudence , what aire , Eiaculates the name without a blush ? Avaunt , ô vanish ( thou vild caitife ) run , Least with a repetition of old tort , I make thee vanish by the full report . Stay thou abortiue image , who assum'st The title of a traytor , whom I lou'd , Stay thou ignoble wretch , I will informe How falshood hath deluded innocence . Tremble , ô tremble ( earth ) when I repeate The blacke disaster of my fatall end . Tremble ; for know , this ignominious man , Whose wicked mischiefe did enthrall my dayes , Hee was produc'd from out the loynes of earth ; Yes ( damned polititian ) thy proud aime Thought by inuasion to surprise thy prince , Vnder praetext of high abuses done , Of wrongfull censure , of imprisonment . Thus did your oyled speech insinuate , Thus moue a simple meaning friend , my selfe To traine forth Souldiers ; ô impiety ! Pretending rescue still to vndertake Rescue of thee , whose finger did not ache . Seated in triumph , sole competitor , With Princes of high courage , thou didst rule : Enuy , the common traytor to estate Stood farre inough from thee : imprisonment , No way impeach'd thy lustre : yet as windes Crouded within the re-cluse cauernes , swell , That dreadfull earth-quake is ingendred thence , So did thy turbulent faction ouer-boyle The brim of due obedience ; poore I ( Incited to rebellion by faire glosse , Which colourable smoothnesse had put on ) Perish'd in battell , through thy peevish traine , Imprisonment prou'd false , and rescue vaine . MAL. I vanish where thy Ghost shall neuer see My shadowed substance of impiety . CAS. Runne thou remorslesse Image to the wombe Of hell , thy heauy mansion : let all sexe Beleeue that man to lethargy condemn'd , Who takes a polititian for his friend .

Act. 2. Scoen. 5. GRACCHVS EVNVCHVS . Gape greedy Lerna , thou most impious gulfe , Stretch thy vnhallowed gums , belch poyson forth ; Send some infectious plague into my blood , Into my blood and bosome , send a curse More biting then the breath of Scorpions : Be boundlesse my swolne outrage ; ô blaspheme That irreligious deity of chance ; My good estate 's consum'd with idle game : What-euer this inconstant age tearmes Wealth , What-euer I did call Peculiar , My owne poore substance , stil'd with proper name : What with much trauaile , and extorting meanes , I scrap'd ( laborious to enrich my 'state ) All , in fiue houres , hath foolish game destroy'd : Large expectation doth impoverish The wisest polititian : wee are cousen'd With our opinionate lucke ; delusiue hope : Amongst all creatures ( vpon aequall tearmes ) Man is most foolish , most improvident ; Confirm'd in a beliefe , that happinesse Will make an euerlasting harmony When mischiefe lurkes within our elbow-roome . I feele the sharpe disease of beggery Beginne eeu'n with a thred-bare impudence , To seize vpon our nothing-valued life . All that is Courtier in me , who contemn'd To' acknowledge one aboue me ( but my maker ) To sue for friendship ; cogge for patronage , Who was enfranchis'd by the Kings decree , Had no reuenues but a morning bribe , ( Which now of late are pretious things , all men Haue so inclin'd themselues to subtilty , As they conceiue a Courtiers gullery ) But I was well prouided for , before A fowle disaster of such consequence , As peeuish gamesters lucke oppress'd my soule . All that is Courtier in me , now compeld Must vanish into smooth-tongu'd flattery . With oyled gums , and with a supple arme , I must salute my patron ( though a foole ) Insinuate how many blessed yeares Hee will enioy , to blesse my indigence : Tell him how plumpe , how lusty , latter time And my yong mistresse make him , though his face More full of wrinckles then a practis'd witch With pittifull hoofe-shoulders do consort : So , like a fawning Spaniell must I wagge At every costiue wind-fall of a crumme ; Bid fare-well to my Courtiership , and liue , Like an arch-foole , a Sycophant : flye hence These childish terrors to my pained soule , The chiefest Courtiers will my kinsmen bee , My fellowes in profession , my colleagues , Nay aemulate my worth , if I excell , In the most ample trade of glosing well . O Gracchus ! Gracchus ! but a free-borne-life Rather alludes vnto foelicity , If our estate hath no dependant cause , If wee possesse without anothers claime , Reuenues ( cleere from tenancy at will ) Regardlesse of obseruance ; doe despise Payment of homage to a foot-cloth-sir , And may reuile the best of Tradesmans coate , If he insult ( sans praeiudiciall feare Of a compulsiue debt , or Officers , Who follow satisfaction : ) for indeed Revenues I account , although possess'd , Yet if infected with a name of Debt , Nothing as mine which answeres to the name ; Possessions be what others cannot claime . If without scruple therefore we can boast , In so compleat a fashion as before I did inculcate ; then Rusticity , To Gods and Monarchs may well answere free . Thus doth improuidence of hare-braine mates , Buy little wisedome at excessiue rates : 'T is indeed better to bee wise at last , Then gallop head-long till our hopes bee past . Though latter wisedome doe import withall An insufficience in points naturall .

Act. 2. Scoen. 6. AMILCAR , MANTESIO , GRACCHVS . What melancholique caitife yonder walkes ? MAN. Gracchus ( my Lord ) the gallant Eunuch . AMI. So , What malecontented humor doth oppresse The image of vnspotted honesty , With him so frequent ? I adore and loue The ciuill carriage that I do obserue In his Imployment : if a Courtier hath ( Courtiers of common out-side-silkes ) if they Haue deere acquaintance with dame Honesty ( Famish'd in exile to the frozen pole ) Gracchus I dare avow may paralell The best of their acquaintance : ( Gracchus ) hoe ? GRA. My gracious Lord ? AMI. What perill imminent , Doth so oppose thy noble splendor ? which ( without meere base descention to col-logue ) I must informe thee is refulgent . GRA. ô , My good and gracious Lord ; but pouerty , Is able to oppresse maturity Of diligence , of iudgement , of designes , Each liberall Art and Science doth submit Their ends and occupations to obtaine The true terrestriall Saint , the sacred glosse , Of all-effecting riches ; euery man Will hazard his damnation to adore A thing so blessed , so licentious : The weake-brain'd gallant in extremity , Will change Religion , will aequivocate With mentall reseruation , racke the ioynts Of his benummed conscience , will provoke A lethargy of sharpe distinction : will out-puffe The Cardinall foure winds , when they oppose Each other all at once ( and procreate A whirle-winde ) these will hee out-puffe alone , With some insuffe'rable oath , which farre exceeds The three dimensions , dares proclaime himselfe A periur'd villaine , to appropriate Six-pence , vpon triuiall mistake . Arts-maisters will transgresse the rule of Art ; Nay our precisest schoole-men will forsake The principles which they haue authoris'd , In cases that concerne selfe-avarice , And greedy lucre : knowledge is inforc'd To follow by constraint , abuse of time , Wit mis-imploy'd gapes at improper ends : Strong men are impotent without rich friends . AMI. What cloudy passion , wrapt in ample phrase May such a railing vehemence portend ? What meanes thy sharpe invectiue ? what 's involu'd ? MAN. Hee doth ( my Lord ) inveigh at poverty , And shewes how force-able a Saint Wealth is , How potent the command of money is , The dreadfull awe of dame Pecunia . GRA. And whilst I do re-volue the misery Which happens by constraint of beggery , Then I remember what my plague must bee . AMIL. Vn-shell thy riddle : most miraculous ! GRA. Your gaming foole is most ridiculous : O Fortune , Fortune hath infring'd the web Which I with painfull diligence did weaue , Whereto the pillar of my state was pinn'd : Some little store I had ( not looking higher ) A houshold smoake out-warmes my neighbours fire . AMI. Haue you lost all ? GR. Some fifty hundred crownes . AMI. O the vncertaine lot of idle game ! I long haue knowne thee . GR. And haue known me honest . AMI. Honest is now a metamorphis'd name : He that can sweare , blaspheme , be riotous , Roare till the mid-night eccho , or beginne ' Some vn-appeased fray , who dares commence A drunken skirmish in a bawdy-house , Fight for his hackney whore , and hazard all , In honour of his damn'd associates : Dares combate with a publicke officer , Be ( out of gun-shot ) most irregular , Drunke in good earnest , beate fiue Constables , Couzen a flocke of geese compendiously : Yet after all put a smooth visage on , Seeme sober , be indulgent of his fame , Though a most practis'd knaue , remembring still , To make the mid-nights all participate Of such enormous acts : ô hee s the man Reputed sociable in our age : ò hee Is reckon'd for the honest gentleman : Who playes the spend-thrift , the voluptuous foole , Exceeds the Turke in sensualty , Is a true mid-night Epicure , can hide His leud impostures from discouery , Hee shall be most vn-touch'd with obloquy ; Hee ( amongst youthful bloods ) shall win the wreath Purchase the name of Loyall honest friend ; But ( as our adage sayes ) obserue his end . But ( Gracchus ) I am rather confident Then scrupulous of thy square honesty , Gracchus , I loue thee , therefore will bestow An annuall pension of sixe hundred pounds , And must withall imploy thee . GRA. In a taske That may require my soule then I beseech thee ; May stretch sincerity with tenters : ô Impose an ample burthen ; ô some taske That will suruey the depth of loue indeed : Favour beyond mans merit , doth exact A most vn-quenched seruor ; not his vow , But sinewes actiue , and a sweating brow . My life lyes prostrate to praedominance , Of your commanding voyce : I will bestow My reeking blood in recompence of loue Ready , without all first or second cause : I wish some Doctor in extremity Of vn-knowne sicknesse , which may seize vpon Your most respectiue honour ; would prescribe The marrow of a man , medicinall ; You should not be indebted to the bones Of a forsaken caitife , new condemn'd , Whose pocky pith might be infectiue : No , My supple fingers should vnloose a ioynt From off this flexile carkasse . I would bruise A luculent and lushious mari-bone , ( The best I can stile proper ) to appease The sharpe divulsions of such new disease . AMI. Gracchus , who giues not credence to a zeale Of thy profession , wee account him base : Be chiefe among my chiefest followers , They shall receiue directions from thy selfe . Withdraw , and punish those enormities Which my famêlicke roofe is tainted with ; And which abusiue ages do afforde A zeale sincere the Gods cannot reproue And we ere-long will manifest out loues Let vs inculcate now my fathers charge , Remember what with vehemence was vrgd , Nay was enioyned you Mantofio By our most watchfull father . MAN. I exspect Vpon deliuery of his closet keyes . AMIL. Take them , and prosper ; pray be vigilant ; Reuolue I pray on how large consequence , The bare euent and sequell of our hopes Ioyntly consist ; who iointly haue embark'd The doubtfull hazard of our deerest liues Vpon a small miscarriage : onely fiue Participate of our designes ; my selfe , But first my father , then my step-dame next You ( Steward ) and the Captaine of the Guard Whose happy full consent is scarce obtain'd : Wee seuerally haue instructions learn't Of each particular function ; haue agreed How each conspirator shall be employed . Time cals for speedy action ; the square plot Doth now transcend a shapelesse Embrio And will expect vpon deliuery : You haue engag'd a wise dexterity , And trauaile ; to procure the famishment , To puruey , to collect aestiuall corne , Which Haruest will enrich the Rusticks with : My taske intends surprisall of the Queene : Be carefull , take the keyes , expend the wealthe Which long hath bene vp-hoorded : traitors all Like cunning Statuaries , must auoide Blemish and eye-sores ; you conceiue me sir : Successiue businesse needs no roweld spur : Treason like some insculpture spacious On a smooth touch-stone will demand men wise A diligent perusall , most precise ; With an elaborate artificer Who may direct ; for 't is infallible That errors in a beauteous frame ( though small And at another time though veniall ) Yet if committed in a curious peece Where blemish might ( by sufferance ) ensue The totall is condemn'd and caru'd a new : Be white , or blacke ; not ( party-coulour'd ) gray ; So follow your commission , poast away . Now my contentious braine re-uolue the taxe Impos'd ( vpon thy blessing ) to surprise , And spoyle the ruddy blossome of our age ; Faire Fauourina that Angel-like dame A Equall for beauty , for vnmatched fame ; With Saint-like Venus ( by Appelles drawne ) This Queenes espousals haue I vndertooke To dis-vniite , by a most impious act Of murther ; but alas I am enthral'd With true libidinous feruor ; am enforc'd By lustfull hot inuasions to decline ; Which punctually tempt me to a-uoide The colourable death of whom I loue , Our sweete Cycnaean Goddesse ; the faire Queene ; Whose body I 'le enioy with priuiledge , ( I will enioy with hazard of my death ) Whilst euery man imagine shee is dead . Gracchus the Eunuch did I entertaine Commodiously fore-casting an exploit Where-with to muffle vp the serpent-eyes Of probable suspicion : Like the Fuller Who cannot liue by cloth must liue by colour . But see , obserue the beautifull approach Of my commanding obiect : blesse mee fate .

Act. 2. Scoen. 7. AMILCAR , FAVORINA , ANCILLAE . FAV. What makes Amilcar so obesequious ? Damsels depart . AMIL. Yes , rather , so , then maids . FAV. Amilcar . AMI. Madam . FA. Thy graue countenance Truss'd vp in such a formall cognisance , With front compos'd ; so perpendicular Directing steady aime at open gaze , Your longing silence doth detect ; as if The businesse should concerne my audience : In-faith , in-faith , you are dis-consolate . AMI. Yes , but my meaning is emaculate Like the forgotten primitiue attempts , When all things were accounted innocence . O might the wrath-full arrogance of some ( Who by a peeuish-tutor'd vehemence , Conspire in habite of corriuallship Against one pious beauty ) be so farre From preiudiciall meaning as my selfe The age and Kingdome both might liue secure : Madam , I can discose a prodigee That appertaines to you . FV. Deliuer it . AMI. Haue you then female fortitude enough , A most resolued courage , to conceiue , To apprehend a passion that will wound Nay penetrate , the fabricke of the soule ? Shoote through the center of thy trembling bloud ? Infuse fiue shaking palsies mutuall Before I finish the first period ? FA. Giue then a quicke release ; I am resolu'd : Tormênt mee not with idle circumstance , Begin this tale of prodigy . AMI. Heark hea'un ; How carelesse shee accounts of accident , Griefe , and this woman be familiar I thinke , and well acquainted . FAV. When begins The prodigie you spake of ? AMIL. 'T will amaze The organs of attention Madam : yet Seeing you enforce and couet misery , You shall no longer be with-held : then thus : But I beseech thee Queene remember well These admonitions that exemplefy The horror of my following discourse . Imagine whilst you doe ingurgitate My poyson'd soppes the beauty of your sence Of your ingenious parts ( all donatiues Of Natures bounty , and the Gods aboue ) Imagine they 'le be chang'd with violence With vnresisted lunacy ; so long , Vntill each spirit leaue her function : Till with a surfet you sur-sease to liue Neglecting mundane solace ; be trans-form'd Into a liuelesse image , all thy veines And vitall arteries being stop'd with feare : Thus much remember Queene I do prae-mise . FA. Amplifications yet ? begin , begin : AMI. With all remember , you ( right noble Queene ) Who may attend my tale , are but a woman . FA. And whether will your prolixê Lord-ship amble ? To the worlds end I thinke in preamble : That ( after all ) you may anew begin . AMI. No ( my compendious Lady ) heere 's an end : Obstinate silence is the safest whip To punish a peruerse disciple with . FA. Are you enraged iolly sir i' faith ? O be appeasd , leaue ambiguities ; Finish thy tale ( man . ) AMI. Worthy Madam no , Your supple phrase shall not againe recouer One vowell of narration . FAV. O abrupt ! Yes ( my blunt youth ) if torment may vnbind Your costiue silence , know , I will recouer The whole narration ; if deuulsiue rackes Haue not forsooke the Kingdome ; if the King Will hearken to my spatious complaint ; Or yeeld with exoration of his Queene . AMIL. Your spatious ? ô then Arithmeticke Hath taught you to augment and multiply : ( Deere Madam ) speake within the bounds of truth . FA. ( Cheape Lord ) thy impudence shall smart for this . AMI. O bitter ! FA. Thy dumbe silence be inforc'd To witnesse , nay reiterate the depth Of your concealement . AMI. O pernicious . FA. You shall rehearse , nay shall expound , this tale Of prodigies . AMI. Without your wide complaint Without all torment to enforce the same I will expound them straight ; and therefore thus : Ladies by birth of late are satisfied With natures gifts , nor seeke they to resist Impediments of age , or stinking breaths , But well are guided by the heauens decree Respecting beauty lesse then the command , Of Gods aboue ; be not these prodigies ? They honour husbands , hallow chastity Reiect all midnight offers , liue within : Abhorre the name of lustfull visitants , Take little relish in a home-bred foole ; And lesse delight in Physicke , or the knaues Who practise that purloyning office well . Be not these prodigies deere Madame ? speake ; When Ladies do bestow their idle time In scrutination of deuinity Not seeking to beguile the abused Art Of painting ; or to wish fiue Iubiles Might be allotted to their tumbling tricks And coltish vntam'd pleasure ; which they vse To practise without intermission : speake : Be not these prodigies deere Madame ? speake When Ladies , and light-women be estrang'd From Para-kitos , Munkies , island-curres Coaches , and Coach-mares , masking nouelties ; From waspish aemulation , to exceed Some eleuated Madame in her gowne ; Some luy-bush attire ; to engrosse The knowledge of a fucus , dentrifice , Vnguentum , plaister ( for in-faith sometimes Diuerse scab'd sheepe do perish for defect Of these restoratiues ) ô then resolue When Madames do estrange their facultie From inquisition , from delight in these ; Will not the mouldred ashes that haue slept So many thousand yeares , againe reuiue ? Will not the crazy ioints of earth dissolue ? And rotten fathers be resuscitate ? The finall extirpation of each dame Both light and sober may this tale portend Be not these prodigies deere Madame ? speake . FA. Wisedome doth vrge me to entreate him faire Least hee indeed dissemble , or conceale Businesse of high importance , that may touch My most perticular aduantage : ( sir So-well-accomplish'd , meritorious count . ) I must importune your dexterity , To re-collect the now-forgotten tale Of prodigies indeed ; withall confesse My peeuish error . AMI. This doth mollify , Nor may redemption of abuse , though late ; Although abruptly offer'd , derogate From the large sequele ; either thy beleefe Or my vnfeigned meaning ( noble Queene ) But Madam you shall seriously admit A most impugned caution , ere I speake ; And shall obserue the same inuiolate , Without base mentall reseruation . FA. Wee will engage our female Maiesty Thy strictest of iniunctions to prefer Aboue all temporary baits , which may Allure smooth falshood to infringe the same : Sweare by this image of Paladium , ( Reckon'd amongst our Sacramentall oathes ) Neither by subtle tokens nor by voyce By second causes , by secure complaint , Vpon malitious , or well meaning termes , To manifest , diuulge , communicate , Nor any way disclose the future plot Whereof you shall anon participate By processe of relation . FA. I do sweare And will submit my life to thy aduise . AMIL. With priuiledge , then Madam , I le expresse The wicked meaning of your enemies : Lucilla my proud step-dame , doth abhorre , Sole repetition of thy harmlesse name : Shee doth repose her chiefest confidence In my audacious act , who am oblig'd Vpon surprise to kill thee . FA. Subtle whore ? So yong , and yet so full of impudence ? So full of indignation , causelesse wrath ? Enuy how feeble are thy foming iawes ? With vndefined rancor they attempt , But seldome are obnoxious to any , Who haue acquaintance with integrity ; For enuy ( vpon spight ) assailes the henge Of our successe : but wrong enflames reuenge : And therefore did high Ioues omnipotence , Enuy ; vnto the female sex impart : Woman 's a witch by Malice , man by Art . How , how ( Amilcar ) may wee recompence The new disease of her indignity Which would entice , and so corrupt thy youth By fraudulent commotions . AMI. I le instruct How opportunely , Madam , you may meete With her abusiue malice ; and exempt Your selfe from the suspicion of reuenge . And yet reuenge will be conspicuous : For all complaints and publicke remedy The primitiue iniunction doth deny ; You therefore shall admit my new deuise , When Summer makes each field , each medow faire ; When pleasant spring-tide musicke is in tune , You may retire into this thicket-grove Loosely attended , with one maid , no more : Whilst , like a common souldier in disguise I suddenly rush forth , and do surprise You not misdoubting , whom I will conuey Into my lodging neere the Citty wals After all inquisition cease : till then , Wee may re-past in some poore Country Towne . FA. The manner I allow ; speake for euent . AMI. ( All men amaz'd with such a sudden chance ) I will subborne a simple ideot ( Being first oblig'd by bounty ) to confesse That hee through wicked instigation Of my most infamous step-dame , did attempt , Nay finish the supposed murther ; then That meere compunction did enforce the tale ; To mittigate , his wound of conscience . FA. So hee may hazard life being innocent . AMI. No , hee may craftily insert a boone Which will auoide the danger of his life . Hee shall beseech his death may be defer'd Till my vnlawfull mother by the Law Tast execution , or hee will professe Obstinate silence ; so conceale the place Of your pretended buriall ; the King Nor any man aliue may this deny ; But I 'le instruct him when hee doth espy Occasion ; this to manifest aloud The Queene doth liue , though I were tempted oft By that malitious woman , now depriu'd Of naturall bad parts , by righteous death , ( Meaning my mother who shall then be dead ) To slay whom I preseru'd , this hopefull Queens . FA. The plot prouokes me to esteeme reuenge Aboue all earthly blessing ; and embrace The subtle vertue of a painted face . AMI. Subtle indeed , for my pretence implyes Nothing but foggy mist to blind her eyes ; When faire temptation 's weake ; surprisall must Giue satisfaction to my flaming lust . Finis Actus secundi .

Act. 3. Scoen. 1. PHEVDIPPE , LAELIO DVX MILITVM , MILITES . LAE. Most opportunely did you prae-acquaint My place with a designe so requisite . PHE. Captaine , you haue well easd my anxious feare But bounty shall remunerate thy care : The title Vize-roy ( Captaine ) doth attend To counteruaile thy meritorious act : The famine doth already tyranize . LAE. What policy procures the famishment ? PHE. All insurrection do I disappoint , Subdue resistance , mollify the fierce And peeuish ouer-looking multitude By a substraction of their vsuall foode Which will discourage appetite to warre : But vnexpected liberality , And satis-faction of their empty mawes With rich aboundance after penury , It will enchaine the base to loyalty . LAE. A proiect most ir-reprehensible . PHE. The chiefest on-set doth belong to you : Doe you conceiue a full aduertisement For each proceeding ? punctually relate How your conceite doth apprehend mee sir . LAE. To supper you 'le inuite the honest King — PHE. Honest ? LAE. I ; simple , indiscreet , bloud-raw , Of small experience to beguile , suspect , Frowne , laugh , kill , flatter with a tyrant's face ; A King too-open-breasted for this age ; And so the world doth honest men account By way of high reproach . PHE. Smooth Orator , Ingeniously well worded is thy speech : May not the sequele perish , now proceed . LAE. To supper you 'le inuite this honest King ; Hee ( not mis-doubting home-bred violence ) With a select strong millitary troupe I , and the Guard together , will inuade Murther ( a-midst the cups and Magistrates ) Him ; who shall surfet of each fatall wound ; Shall rather dye then see Pheudippe crown'd . PHE. Captaine , thy apprehension is acute Thus bounty will oblige men resolute : With-draw , your seuerall reward is future ; A pregnant Pupill thriues without his Tutor .

Act. 3. Scoen. 2. MENANDER , PHEVDIPPE , HYARCHVS , HIPPONAX , EVPHORIUS . HY. The popular inuectiue doth exclaime Vpon Pheudippe ; sweare with open voyce Hee bred this famine . PHE. Am I then betraid ? Will my sage Steward turne delinquent ? ha ? MEN. Can my Pheudippe proue disloyall ? no , Doth hee intend subuersion of my state ? EV. Wee may consult of war-like discipline Amidst our heigth of solace ; ( though secure ) Although at league with euery Potentate Who sits enthron'd vpon the spacious Orbe . So may wee well aduise your Maiesty To haue a watchfull ouer-looking spy Vpon your haughty Duke ; ( though innocent ; Though in himsefe obsequiously bent ) Learning aduanc'd may proue iudicious ; But ( if mis-ledde ) extremely vitious . ME. Tell mee my proper Genius may proue false , My bloud become a traitor to my life ; The issue of my loines degenerate ; Say ; this right hand conspires against my head ; Tell mee ; the Gods whom I adore , neglect Religion , doe forbid all sacrifice ; And I beleeue you : but the villaines lye , Who dare imagine my Pheudippe false . In-faith I am affraid you do abuse My honest friends integrity , too much ; Pheudippe false ? my bosome-counsellour ? The earth will shake at such a prodigy : Some Phaeton shall mount the Chariot Of our vp-rising Phoebus , and enflame The world againe ; each widdow shall conceiue Without mans aide fiue dragons at a birth , All threatning this impossible euent , Ere I do entertaine a sillable Of your sug-gestion : though the Gods descend Though they admonish my credulity ( In speciall ) to beware of whom wee speake And call him traitor ; ô I should reply Within the bounds ( I feare ) of blasphemy . See how hee walks perplex'd with agony ; My anger shall im-proue his patience . Pheudippe . PHE. Doth my dread Soueraigne call ? MEN. What doth my demi-selfe Pheudippe doe ? PHE. Beshrew my melancholique dumps I doe ; Which preter-mit Menanders Maiesty Without obeysance ; whilst I walke secure In a blind corner thus extrauagant . ME. His aro-maticke breath perfumes the aire : The spicy fields where gossa-moure doth grow Haue not one vapour halfe so redolent : I must for fashion chide him fatherly . Friend , friend , you are ambitous of rule , Report exclaimes vpon your dignity ; All attribute the times calamity Of dearth , to you the Authour ; who ingrosse Heapes of prouision without reall cause ; I must not winke at fraudulent abuse Done to my Subiects ; rather abuse mee : Thou mightst enioy full many blessed yeares , Liue in an aequall happinesse with mee , Rather then thus neglect my sincere loue , And loose the hope of our munificence ▪ Do not ( I pray ) deserue that infamy With which our scandalizing age condemnes Thy whole endeuours ; ô redeeme the losse Of Loyalty ; a thing so pretious . Reiect those machinations infinite With which the people charge thee ; I conceale The horrour of a rage so violent As some censorious Critticks haue adiug'd To dwell within thy bosome : prethee thinke Whether I do deserue thy impious hand To thrust me from a lineall descent Or ( being downe ) deserue thy helping hand , To rescue and vphold my primacy . PHE. Some better Angell be auspicious Vnto my naked answere ; ( mighty King ) Your deepe discretion may with ease collect ; ( Though I were dumb and did through silence purge This weighty accusation ) that per-force To publicke censure all authority Is often subiect : so ir-regular Be sudden apprehensions ; as vpright And politicke proceedings are condemn'd ; The Prudent fam'd for ignominious Mad Authors , of sicke innovation ; ( Though not resolued how this language meanes : ) I do in ample , and with open tearmes Confesse the crime suppos'd , not culpable , Though burthen'd with ambition ) I confesse A dutious loue vnto the Common-weale , Hath bred my damage ; Ouer-diligence May summon actiue zeale to a defence , Which doth appeare in my ill-tun'd event , As you perceiue , or call me insolent . The famous Art of Mathe-maticke Rules , ( Wherein my ignorance will never boast A singularity of knowledge , or conceit ) Did by infallible demonstrations Fore-signifie this famine : ô resolue Whether then by the law of Nations I be accomptable vnto the Gods For this pretended accusation ; Seeing to the safety of our Common-weale , A prouidence coniecturall hath vrg'd , My whole indevour ? If vnto the Gods I am excus'd ; what impudence will dare With false-hood to accuse my innocence ? For those designes which Gods allow , ne're can Be in themselues offensiue vnto man . Know therefore ( vpon hopefull prae-science ) I did ingage a new dexterity , To counteruaile the famishment fore-knowne , I did ingrosse provision , did expend Twelue-months revenew to accomplish corne : Ill be my paines acquited , worse my loue ; Which , labours in the common cause may proue . Thus imputations are too vsuall , And bad constructions are authenticall . Some Kings , ( to manifest praedominance ) Accumulate on subiects , heavy wealth , Honour aboue de-merit , offices , Popular Cities , and in-franchis'd Townes ; Nay whole dominions , Dukedomes they 'le bestow , And raise a simple Mushrom to the height Of any monarch's due magnificence ; Till by excesse of labour , sweate of braines , Hee hath enrich'd his beggerly estate ; Then ( like a full-ripe Orenge ; or indeed , Like a deceitfull spunge , whose empty pores The owner doth replenish ) hee must looke To feele a sudden crush , a nip will squease Him ; who pretends hee may be rich and please : If then my Title ( ô iuditious King ) My now desertlesse wealth , or eminence , Which ( by especiall fauour I enioy , Which freely were bestow'd long since ) , if these Shall be accounted error and offence , Or be imputed to my sawcinesse , I doe submit , and will my crime confesse ; If your vn-reprehended sapience Thinke it a pollicy expedient , I l'e runne to exile , dye in banishment , Liue like a scritch-owle in some secret caue , Turne errant caitife , and so dye a slaue : If you suppose it bee availe-able Or to diminish , or annihilate To dis-anull , or to abbreviate My large allowance ; if you doe account The base degrading of a loyall peere Will giue aduantage and security To your successiue regiment ; ( may which Continue to the worlds aeternity : ) If thus you doe imagine ( dreaded Liege ) Loe , I will prostrate fall , and aske a boone , Begge that the heads-mans Axe may ouer-take , May with a bloody sentence , mee salute , With willing voyce , and a more willing arme , Would I the messenger of death re-greet ; Till then , most lowly kisse your graces feet : ME. Arise my faithfull honourer , arise : Good honest soule , thy language would enforce The Cannibals to turne compassionate : I will trans-mit thee into Scythia , To Pontus , to the fierce vn-tamed Getes , Till with a fluent phrase , thou doe compell Their savage superstition to submit , And mee acknowledge , as their lawfull King : Thus thou like Orpheus couldst ( I 'me sure ) enthrall The rude Arabian , or the rugged Gaule , And captivate their longing audience With an aeternity of eloquence . Thus couldst thou re-inlarge my soueraigne awe , Thus multiply each prouince , thus augment The bounds of our dominion , or de-duce Appointed troopes of Colony ; with voyce : But ( my alone beloued ) never thinke I will exchange thy noble company For temporall possession : though the Gods Would all resigne Olympus , and elect Mee as co-heire in-dubitate to Ioue , Vpon Proviso to forsake this friend , I rather would refuse deuinity , Liue like a drudge in darke obscurity , Then leaue so loyall , so compleat a friend : And yet this man deserues a watchfull eye ; Speake you censorious ranke of Magistrates , Doth hee deserue suspition ? who replyes ? EVPH. Reports and rumour did deserue aduise . ME. Who guided by report so farre doth blame Another , as to argue his ill-name , Insisting much on some particular , Detects himselfe , an Asse auricular . PHEV. This vn-expected fume to pacifie Let your good grace vouchsafe to dignifie A Summer banquet , and I shall intreate You the Patricians to accept my loue . Rather then bounty ; whom I will invite And feast with my beloued Liege to night . Mr With temptiue cups wee 'le wash away conceit , And so renew each health in sober height .

Act. 3. Scoen. 3. PHEVDIPPE . May then my cauterised soule forsake The rules of nature ? sanctimonious law ? Religion ' or distinct humanity ? The common sparke of times morality ? Must lethargy now seize vpon my soule ? Shall my infectious humor so controule Iudgement ? so much preferre fantasticke ioy ? Giue licence to dis-loyall trechery ? Atheisme ' Rebellion ? blacke deformity ? O most vn-gouern'd appetite of man ! Wee may fore see what few escape , e're can . Resolue me , Sophist , or Philosopher , Some cunning morall disputant resolue , If ( as the people do maintaine ) Gods liue , Gods , who reuenge our close iniquity , And search the re-cluse corners of each soule ; Why doe the Gods forbeare to punish me ? Who am as wicked as a man may be : Why doth Olympus , or the Gods who dwell Within that fabricke suffer smoaky hell , Horror , impostume prodigies , and death , Vengeance , delay ; to stop a villaines breath ? Can such a sublunary slaue as I Out-liue two minutes longer ? Thus protract A peace-able successe , without heauens cracke ? Can omenous portents be now asleepe , Whilst I am waking ? do the Angels keepe No watch for Kings ? then Iupiter awake , And giue the world some notice that you take Especiall care of Princes : ô mee thinkes Morpheus the God of sleepe , who daily winkes , Should leaue his drunken catalogue of dreames , And start with repetition of extreames , Wherewith I am infected ; seas should burne , Beares , woolues , and Lyons peace-able should turne Into their antique affability , And argue men of much impiety . Now should thy thunder ( Ioue ) assaile the the fort Of my ambitious hope , by way of sport , Blast me with lightning , brand me full of spots ; Who haue intrench'd a garrison of plots Against my second maker , 'gainst my King . So credulous , so element , so sincere , So flexible , and gratious to me , As I without him neuer had my name ; Hee hath endeer'd my dangerous attempt , Is both indulgent of each true surmise , And zealous of each tale that may arise , Or to detect , or to oppugne my pride , My most perfidious dealing ; doth deride All true suggestion of his Councellors , Who would exasperate his amity , Whilst I inchant his eares with flattery , With meere dissimulation ( Physicke Art ) My gilded dagger stabs him to the heart . Can my obstreperous passion eccho forth A sound so dismall ir-religious , Without some sudden earth-quake omenous ? Without a clap of thunder to be-numme My trembling ioynts , and make my language dumb ? Then I l'e inferre the masty frame of earth , Man vniuersall ; peasant , patriarch , Grocers and great men , Kings and Copper-smiths , Be gouern'd by the Gods , no more then sheepe , Or I l'e depose , the Gods be all a-sleepe : Scruple in actions doth augment the vice , Which courage hath surnamed Cowardice . Soone may a states-man savour of the Foole , Who leaues his torrent for a standing-poole ; Who doth neglect his high prae-eminence For safety of a quiet conscience . All senior Sophists , and each puisne elfe Account him wise , who 's wisest for himselfe . Yet for conceited disputation sake , A long discourse of Honesty I l'e make , Of times corruption will I saterize , And with each cunning nature temporize . Thus doth a serpent , which will satisfie His common thirst , and Summer heat allay , After hee is approach'd vnto the banke Of pleasant Nilus , without much delay , Instinct doth teach him to dis-gorge the bagge Of poyson , kept in his pernitious iaw , Till hee hath tasted the resulting waue ; Then readily lickes vp the viscous gall Which hee by nature did e-vacuate , And so remaines his body temperate , His poyson ( though suspended ) virulent . So when wee craftie fellowes ( for attempt ) By sudden motiues do remember wayes Which men more honest , name Legitimate , Or by conuerse , if wee shall tempted be , To shew the best of our affections , wee Doe like the thirsty snake , renounce our Saint , ( Accounted sinne ) which re-assume wee will ; So re-assumption makes the Serpent still ; If my designes incurre discouery , I then admit , the King is mercifull , And hee a milke-sop is , ( wee may resolue ) Can feare , if Kings bee ready to absolue : Noble attempts beget experience , Re-publiques purchase mundane pollicy Through obseruation ; my successe will bring Plenty of knowledge : errors difficult Daily in-gender rationall discusse , Which by events doe sweepe away the sinke Or muddy oppilation of our sence , Originall of knowledge is offence : I therefore thus imbarqu'd for enterprise , May win a double stake , learne wit , and rise .

Act. 3. Scoen. 4. LVCILLA , PHEVDIPPE , MANTESIO . This frolicke euening , full of silent aire , Speakes a successe to thy atchieuements , faire : Both time an opportunity 's , benigne ; The Sunne at his departure , seemes to smile , My banquet is prepar'd , which must beguile : No apparitions , no refulgent starre , No threatning Comet can our act oppose , No new trans-figur'd meteor disclose Our most herôicke humor , and annoy The glad conception of all future ioy . PHEV. Nay , if a plot so well-contriu'd , so square , So formall , so iudicious , should proue Ill-featur'd , and abortiue , I 'de forsweare All crafty dealing ; never would I moue , Compassion with repentance ; to obtaine Most absolute forgiuenesse , though the King Do then release my criminall attempt , I 'de not en-deere his donatiue , except With resolution to escape the law , And wreake more ample vengeance on my selfe , With my owne proper hands , through violence . If a designe so mature , so conceal'd , So rich in expectation , so oblig'd , May now mis-carry , and repugnant proue ; I l'e sure prevent the heads-man , hang my selfe With expedition , hire a mounte-banke , Some noted empr'icke , to anatomize My polititian corpes , dissect my scull , Boyle tongue and heart together in my blood , Effuse them into broth made of my braines , In which , my vnctuous kidney-leafe dissolu'd With my more lushious marrow , may compose A poultice , which will speedily contriue The downe-fall of erected favorites , Enflame desire then — disanull the ends Which that affection gapes for : I resolue Thus to bequeath my members , to the sect Of those , who narrow inquisition make After each mysticke vertue , physicall ; If our attempts proue not effectuall . LV. Then prae-suppose your proiect well do thriue , What recompence may Lælio expect , Chiefe captaine of the guard ; whose instant blow Giues an advantage so peculiar ? PHE. That my officious Captaine of his guard The cunning woolfe hath taught me to reward LV. Resolue the manner , be emphaticall . PH. The famish'd woolfe ( whom hunger oft endues With belly courage to be valiant ) If by aduenture his extremity Meets with a beast of more validity . Though lesse tyrannicke rapine then himselfe , Hee ( practis'd in such skill pernitious ) Eates clay , to make his body ponderous ; Standing by for to aequall natures strength , Till hee depresse , and over-come at length . By which instinct , his booty once obtain'd , An easie vomit naturall doth purge His lumpish maw of that despised earth ; Which ( after conquest ) hee thinkes little worth : Eeu'n thus the Captaine I l'e re-munerate , And with contempt , I l'e re-capitulate His humble seruice ; so casheere the hope Of due re-quitall , with a good excuse , We entertaine those agents but for vse . Heere comes my faithfull steward ; speake what newes ? MAN. The Captaine with his military troope , I haue appoynted to their ambush ; they Expect vpon my signall ( gratious Duke ) The Kings vaunt-curriers doe each testifie His glad approach ; giue eare to Maiesty .

Act. 3. Scoen. 5. PHEVDIPPE , MENANDER LVCILLA , HIPPONAX , EVPHORBVS , HYARCHVS , LELIO , MILITES , LESBIA . The most of subiects welcome , to my Liege , Accept our weake indeavour , I beseech ; Sit ( gratious King ) the Cates containe our loue . ME. Wee doe accept , and will deserue ( my decre ) This thy extended free munificence : This plentifull provision I may call , ( With licence of our Ethickes ) Liberall . PHE No ( my most mindfull & more sapient Prince ) I am your vassaile , drudge , obsequious , Not bountifull ; for 't is impossible That a dependant caitife who doth owe His whole indeavour , and essentiall part , His poore existence , spirits animall , His function , his each power vegetall , To a supreame efficient , should obtaine ( After a free expence , to gratulate His all-respectiue patron , God , or Saint ) One shred or title of Munificent , Of Bountifull , or Liberall , because Duty and loue exact such obsequies For lawfull Kings , in stead of sacrifice . ME What meanes thy mad irruption Laelio ? PH. The ambush , the ambush ; strike fellow , strike . LAE. Strike this ignoble traytor , Cockatrice , The subtill vermin base Pheudippe , strike , Strike fellowes , strike , as doth your Generall , Who hath withstood temptation actuall . HIP. If deere temptation , if inticement smile , Happy is hee who can himselfe beguile . ME. Amazement be my death ; deere captaine hold : LAE. Hold from the rescue of my royall King ? No : Wee were tempted to thy causelesse death . ME. Permit the the traytor to enioy some breath . PH. My wounds are many , I degenerate , Liu'd villain-like , and dye a reprobate . LV. My husband , my deere husband is betraid , Anothers death makes guilty men afraid . ME. Infamous change of dignity ! deere friend , Loyall repentance might againe restore , ( Couldst thou reviue ) thy simple innocence . Captaine , you haue abus'd our Maiesty , And thy audacious act will wee revenge . LAE. Revenge a traytors ignominious death ? ME. Traytor ? thou lyest , admit his actiue bloud , His nimble braine , acute sincerity , Conceiu'd some sober meanes to ratifie , Or to confirme opinionate beliefe , With tryall of our vn-attempted loue ; May this deserue a stab ? what insolence May tearme this loyall proiect an offence ? I l'e over-vexe with artificiall fire , Thee ( slaue ) who didst Pheudippe's death conspire . LAE, May tretchery be then accounted zeale ? To his perswasiue lines I do appeale . Read them , they doe containe Apostasie , Fowle matter of sedition : I avouch The guard to witnesse , I implore the Gods In their omnipotence , to testifie The zeale of my affection ; to resolue Whether this kingdome had not suffred woe , Thy Maiesty beene trampled vnder foote , Thy sinewes crack'd , thy bones vn-buried , Sparta beene batter'd with intestine warre , If through dis-loyall humor , through neglect Of homage , we had hearken'd to the false , But honey-mouth of this rebellious man . ME. Insolent sir , suppose my friend were false , ( Which I can scarce imagine ) or suppose Confident faith made him erronious : Will you abridge the tryall of our law ? Prevent my absolution ? I appeale Vnto the blessed Theater of Saints , Let holinesse , or let humanity , Your zeale , how much defectiue , testifie : For though the three dimensions did concurre In his offence , yet I had mercy left . Pheudippe , simple man , thy false designes Ne're knew a height in mischiefe so extreame , A bredth , or depth in folly so profound , So villanous , but our compassion knew A meanes to mitigate thy error ; See My Concubine comes fraught with sober newes ; Beginne , resolue , and so ex-aggerate Our heauy losse , wee will intoxicate Our soule with im-bibition of more change : Begin , depose an accident so strange , As repetition of two syllables May strike vs with a sudden lethargy , And so conclude a Kings Catastrophe . LES. The queene — ME. There make thy period ; wee know Mischiefe ( like mighty waues ) ne're comes alone . The Queene 's deliuered of a hideous sonne Some winged Dragon ; is shee so ? or dead ? LES. Privately walking in the forrest-groue A ruffiane seiz'd her , slue thy hopefull Queene , Truss'd vp the carkasse on a speedy nagge , Which by instruction ( as my iudgement giues ) Flew fast away , like Pegasus : poore I ( Never-enough contented with a chance Of so secure amazement ) stupid wretch , I looking stood immoue-able with feare , Whilst hee vpon his palfrey cut the aire ; Whilst ev'ry mountaine eccho'd with laments , The hollow rockes , and ev'ry bush repents Their weake vn-able powers to resist And stop the caitifes passage : ô desist From a pursuit of such high consequence Not a small minute longer ; captaine flye , A bold careere may stop loues destiny . LAE. Wee 'le flye with expedition ; follow friends . ME. Discharge a bullet in my naked breast ; Be charitable some auspicious arme . HYAR. My daughter , ô my daughter , shee is dead . ME. Faire Favorina 's dead , thy loue , my Queene , My deere Pheudippe's dead our ioyes bee gone EVP Mirror of change ! the plagues of Cinthia Are manifest , revenge is palpable , O that assembly ( sir ) who by command Of your in-iunction did restraine the vow Which masculines alike with females owe To Cinthia , great Goddesse of the aire , Was without question all-erronious , HIP. Your edict which pronounc'd her deity , Sole-potent ouer foeminine degrees , Which did confine her awe coelestiall : To that vnable sexe , seemes triviall : These accidents do cancell your designe , They dis-allow your obstinate decree , They doe advance forgotten Maiesty : O now reforme delusion : terror speakes , Cinthia is Goddesse over humane sexe . ME. Cinthia's a female wether-cocke , a whore , Doth shee afflict our happinesse ? resolue Speake ( friends ) deliuer what you thinke . HIP. Abstaine ( Distressed King ) from blasphemy ; beware Iudgements more strict may follow ; these but scare . ME. O could I compasse with a sudden leap , The verge of bigge Olympus , or assault With Swallowes-wings , the orbe of Cinthia ! O my revenge , my sweet reuenge , more bold Then bloody-iaw'd Bucyris , then the Boare Which slue dame Venus ioy , should wrathfull vexe Her opposite excelse deuinity . With rage would I blaspheame , though angry Ioue Makes ready thunder to praecipitate My daring voyce : I will ingeminate With deepe derision , her distastfull name , Enforcing others to abuse the same . Doost thou not heare mee Cinthia ? dissolue The melancholly clouds which maske thy brow , And let compunction mollifie thee ( witch ) Forth from thy cloudy pallace ( Luna ) peepe And with incessant soft contrition , weepe : Reduce the antique deluge with thy teares , Turne thy reioycing into pale-fac'd feares . Cinthia , remember my abuse , and blush , Blush thou immodest harlot , be asham'd To looke vpon the shadow'd vniverse . Catch mee some whirle-wind with a sweeping blast , And carry mee aloft , I l'e vexe the Moone For shee ( vngratious Goddesse ) doth afflict Vs , and our dignity : shee did suggest Rebell-temptations to my beauteous friend , Whose innocence I euer shall commend . HIP. Manifest proofe ( Menander ) doth detect His viperous-reproachfull perfidy , Compos'd of pregnant infidelity : To mischiefe his endeauour's daily bent , I ever thought hee was male-volent : Of crimes detected ( blame vs if thou wilt ) Despairing apprehensions , argue guilt : Hee did alike despaire : which proceeds From the confusion of abortiue deeds : I do enforce , that Cinthia hath done well , Shee giues good warning to prevent a hell : These weaker med'cines do but search the wound , Least rotten members perish ; to confound An vlcerous limbe , is worse then scarifie ; But rather then loose all : what remedy ? To Cinthia's , revenge ó this apply : ME. Touching her name I l'e proue a renegate , My sudden scourge what soule can tollerate ?

Act. 3. Scoen. 6. CINTHIA . Error of man which over-tops the sky , And with quicke waftage doth for vengeance fly ; Cal's downe Gods iudgement ( mischiefe to amend ) Nay , often doth enforce the Gods descend : Horror , more vgly then the iawes of hell , Horror , that apprehension doth excell , Startles my God-head to imagine how I further may avenge the Spartans vow : Shall wee ( great empresse of Imperious night , Heavens wonder , and wide Corinths blessed Saint ) Thus be , ô thus compel'd , presumptuous King , To spit our vn-appeas'd flames in thy face ? O the sharpe edge of bitter blasphemy ! How deepe incision doth attend on it ? Flesh cannot brooke one triviall abuse , And shall the Gods ( being iniured ) take truce ? No ; I l'e inflict a terror to offence , And will ( without compassion ) scourge thy sence : For like some snow-ball toss'd vpon hot coles , Thy wit shall vanish , and thy sence consume : A madnesse must ensue , but mad alike , Neuer was any ; those that see shall shake And tremble at our vengeance ; but because Thy vn-aduised rashnesse railes vpon Our monthly change , vp-braiding holinesse , With a false friends mis-carriage , I l'e impose A change vn-parralel'd , which ner'e shall cease , Till thy distracted body sleepe in peace : The most magnificent may learne of thee , Kings from a dreadfull vengeance are not free : Kings may like petty-gods , insult below , But of a deere-deepe reckoning they must know : Fame , freedome , fates , and all that may conspire To make man happy , shall not make thee man : For Fates doe rescue neither life nor fame , If Gods high iustice do inthrall the same : Nor may the strict evasion of mis-hap , Hurt who secured lye in Vertues lap . But if destruction be aboue decreed , Meanes stop in iustice , sew by meanes are freed . Fall then the horror of blaspheaming feares , Not wip'd away with poenitentiall teares ; Till by his death my vengeance be appeas'd , And wrathfull famine absolutely pleas'd .

Act. 3. Scoen. 7. AMILCAR , GRACCHVS . What you already with good cause condemne , I must ( though need not ) vrge thee to contemne With all extremity of noble hate , Vice which emboldens man to be ingrate . To proue vnthankfull if occasion speakes , The ioyfull head of free-borne bounty breakes : GR Do but imploy your bond-slaue ( mighty Lord ) If Kings command not , how can slaues accord ? The blessings of my body , breath and soule , Be so ingag'd , as their existence knowes Not one redeemer amongst all the Gods , ( Fabulous things to mee ) except your selfe : You haue replenish'd my poore empty veines , Haue lent new spirits to despairing hope Nay haue bestow'd a whole creations worke Vpon mê off all-caitife , who adore Impression of your foot-steps ; that is all : Expecting hourely on the happy time When you shall dare command what I dare do : When with advantage you will but pronounce O Gracchus , giue mee of thy bloud an ounce : An ounce ? take fifty pottles I d'e reply , Open your selfe a passage to my soule , To take a lawfull debt who dares controule ? Nor do impute this loue to lacke of wit , Or some dis-ioynted weakenesse of the braine ; For if I argue as the thing demands , Vnlesse my life , what with your honour stands ? Let mee professe , vnto the Saints and you I do desire imployment , will bee proud Of death or life , being by your selfe allow'd . AMI. Life wee allow , but never wish thy death , For wee expect vpon true diligence , And must improue the nature of thy zeale ; Eunuchs , forbidden actions do conceale ; Thou art an Eunuch , listen to my shame , Then giue aduise , and secrefie , though blame : I loue ; no , rather lust and loue the Queene , Whom ( all-supposing dead ) by stratagem And strong delusion of her silly sence , I did surprize , being blinded with pretence ; Nor did shee seeme repugnant to such ruth My Rhetoricke was clad in robes of truth : Affirming shee might thus reuenge the spleene , Of proud Lucilla ( who malign's her state ) Giuing no colour of reuengefull hate ; As to subborne a subtle wretch I vow'd Who with aboundant knowledge being endow'd Most caitife-like should counterfeit , no lesse , ( For paenitent compunction ) heauinesse ; And so diuulge hee slew the Noble Queene , There-to induc'd by poore Lucilla's spleene : Then should Lucilla liue no longer day But loose each vitall benefite for aye : Thus did the hope of vaine reuenge entice Woman to proue more valiant then wise : Whom I ( as captiue ) do retaine , till shee Shall manu-mit my selfe , ( her bond-slaue ) free . GRA. Heere in the Village doth your Goddesse liue ? AMI. Heere ; and thy selfe though sprung of humane seed As Iaylor to my Goddesse I areed . Faithfully wise wee doe account thy loue ; And managing of this designe will proue Thy elegant enforcements , touching mee , Which ( happily per-chaunce ) may set both free . O now my bloud and reason be at warre With apparition of this fatall starre : Fatall to mee , because inchanted beames Shoote from her eye-lids into loue-sicke streames : See where shee comes with excellence enough For fifty thousand of the female sexe , Beauties which blesse the owner , neighbours vex .

Act. 3. Scoen. 8. FAVOVRINA , GRACCHVS , AMILCAR . Are you my Lords attendant ? GRA. ( Madam ) no , But a poore bond-slaue , who can easily owe The hazard of a soule in sacrifice To his good Honours health , and pay the debt Without compulsion , or a double threate . AMI. Madame hee is the blessing of my fate Borne to my fortunes , and my whole estate . FA. So : then resolue what newes . AM. All feare is fled : The worst of womans feare , Lucilla's dead : FA. Most welcome tidings speake , I pray , and stuffe Your happy speech with circumstance enough . AMI. Titan rous'd vp from darkenesse by the day Shrunke with amazement of the fatall morne , ( Remembring what a mischiefe should befall ) For cloudy night-caps hee againe did call , When my suborned vassaile gaue consent To swimme ( for satisfaction of our sake ) Through deepe damnations gulfe , so , through the lake Of vn-digested horror , to accuse My step-dame , yong Lucilla , of your death : Hee , a dissembling caitife , deepely read In ir-religious acts ; with doubtfull face More doubted voyce , and miserable grone Salutes the foote-step of Maenanders throne ; Then weeping , said , the Worme of Conscience Strives in my bloud ; tortures my broken soule ; Haunted I am with terror whilst I liue Who to my life a period will giue ? A finall period : for I liue too long Let villaines fortune be my fatall song , With which the sorry King was some-what mou'd , And ( after silence ) did exact his name Proceeding to the circumstantiall cause ; My rude impostor did preuent the clause , And seeming to afflict his pensiue heart , Backe from the royall foote-steps doth hee start : Helpe , ô defend mee from her hatefull frownes , See where Medusa-like shee comes , ( hee cried ) Clad all in torch-light like the Queene of hell Her scalpe 's en-circled with a Crowne of flames : Much leane-iaw'd horror hangs about her eyes ; The gaping wound for greedy vengeance cryes . What madnesse now affrights thee , quoth our king ? Faire Fauourina's shadow hee replyes , For throvgh entisements of Lucilla's spleene I slew the gallant Bride , and Sparta's Queene : Lucilla , by consent , was doom'd to death And my Impostor also , whom I taught For lifes owne safe-guard to beseech the King , That his vprighteous iudgement of grim death Might faile of execution , iust so long As the condemn'd Lucilla did suruiue Thinking by this , then to discouer all And say hee did preserue whom shee conspir'd to kill . The King , enrag'd with sorrow , did re-pell This poore petition of my tortur'd slaue : Who then despairing to escape from death Drew forth a dagger , gaue one fatall stab Into the Kings owne bosome , with which wound Hee like a lofty Turret , nodding low , Clapt his victorious palmes aboue his head , And swore a mighty oath , MENANDER'S DEAD . FA Menander dead ? My King and Husband dead ? AMI. My slaue torne peece-meale did enioy his fate , Lucilla burnt before the Pallace gate . FA. Menander dead ? AMI. Yes , but Pheudippe's King . FA. Pheudippe King ? AM. Yes ; but MENANDER' 's DEAD . FA. Opprest with sorrow , I lament his death : But am appeas'd by proud Lucilla's breath . GRA. What is a womans loue ? when to reuenge And empty out the poyson of her gall Against some Lady her malignant foe Shee doth forget compassion , doth refuse Friendship to neighbours , duty to her Spouse , Respect of parents , piety to bloud : Nay , aboue these ; abhore celestiall good . AMI. Now quickly ( Madam ) to disclose you liue Were dangerous , and preiudiciall I doubt : Therefore expect on opportunity , Least you infringe the league of vnity ; Till I aduise , liue ( as you doe ) secure : Safety 's no lesse accepted of obscure And Country Pezants , then of Courted Kings : Place cannot change the nature of good things . Finis Actus tertij .

Act. 4. Scoen. 1. MENANDER , LAELIO , MILITES . THe Mountaine ecchoes they shall catch his name And euery nooke re-iterate the same ; For I will teach the night-rauen to repeat His pensiue sound , the sleepy owle shall sing And happy newes of lost Pheudippe bring : Awake dumbe Ghost , Pheudippe , friend awake And now repaire thy old mansion-place ; Returne Pheudippe but a while returne And truly answere to my iust demand I will resigne a Kingdome to thy hand . Hearke you mad furies of eternall night : Boats-man of Stix , by burning Phlegeton Secluded Angels , and superiour aide I doe con-iure you to direct his soule Backe to the bosome of that slaughtered Hearse Ah Charon , Charon , prethee Boats-man bring His errant shadow to the place of rest , And Charon I will Canonize thy name Giue thee a Queene to sleepe in thy cold armes , To kindle moisture in thy rugged limbes And make thy waftage easy with her hymnes : Bring but the soule of that ignoble man To aske forgiuensse , and I will forgiue . A foolish hope ! ( heau'n knowes ) for hee indeed Hee hath a haughty stomach full of rage Swolne-big with pride , begot of too much loue , And my familiar vsage makes him thinke ( The more fault 's mine ) hee should not now submit . LAE. O sir the finall stab of mischiefes end Hath strucke him dead ; hee cannot now amend . ME. No! 't is a language difficult to learne Though rules be frequent in our mother-tongue . O that a lesson of one word ; not two , Should aske a life to learne , an age to do ? Yes ; though Pheudippes age had beene defer'd Till a consumption of the Vniuerse In hope of his amendment , I beleeue Hee would haue purchas'd immortality Through vice and vitious acts . LAE. Damnation claps , Gaping for custome at mans new relaps . ME. Right : Can the earth yeeld such a faithles man As false Pheudidippe ? LAE. O damnation laughs And winged mischeife claps her dusky plumes , If proud ambition great mens hope consumes . ME. What a continuall clapping is there then ? For daily hope consumes the greatest men : I doe appeale to dead Pheudippes shame Thou terrour to my sence , a prodigy Of all remembrance neuer to be match'd With any Ghost or man except thy selfe : Who through abortiue hope didst match thy selfe : A man most worthy of all impious fame , Who Dan Pheudippe cleaped was by name . Know ( gallant sir ) I did repose my life Vpon the friend-ship of that foolish man ; Hee kept my soule betweene his Tyrant's armes Nay ( let mee adde ) the value of my Crowne , ( For which some Kings would eu'n exchange their soule ) Hee kept both Soule and Crowne betwixt his armes , Yet both lay open to excessiue harmes : O if I had election to dispend My fauour vpon such a Rogue as hee But once , once more ; I 'de locke my counsell vp And keepe my bosome secrets to my selfe . LAE. Kings may indeed depriue their Senate-house Of some pretence , and may ( let others prate ) Conceale affaires belonging to the State . ME. If hell affoorded such a menstruous ragge I 'de re-concile the error of my sence ; But , now may reckon vp some woe-full verse For solid passion Poets best reherse . LAE. A Poets rapture Kings haue wish'd to feele Which some despise because vncapable . ME. The Muses make my braine their banquet-house , And thus with Lucan will wee frame our song Of dreaded horror , whose in-human rage Blew dire-full tempest through the Tharsall plaine Of lawes neglected , and a stubborne age Whose bloud & black-deeds did their country staine Of ciuill discord , and a haplesse breach In Kingdomes couenant , which did sore impeach The worlds whole Confines , and their Publicke-weale Wee sing , and sternely treat how euery deale Standards met Standards , Ensignes were a-like , Bowes threatned Bowes , and nimble speares the Pike . ( Romans ) what madnesse may wee terme this strife ? Be your owne blades let loose , against your life ? That Nations farre remote should see and smile At your wide gaping wounds , and Rome reuile ? And must your hot encounters carlesse boyle , When Babylon should perish in the spoyle Of her victorious Trophies ? when the Ghost Of vnreuenged Crassius heere stood toss'd Aboue ground ? then must war-like humors breath Which wanting triumph , want a worthy wreath . O and alas ! what Kingdomes , what renowne This bloud might haue obtain'd ? some temptiue Crowne , Where beautious Titan sleepes , and heauy night Exempts the ioyfull harbengers of light : Else where the sweltring noone-day scalds with heate , Else where continuall Winter takes her seate : Where Scythicke Pontus pierc'd with crazy cold Lyes bed-red on a cripple corner-moul'd , Ceres might conquer'd beene , Araxes yoak'd Had not domesticke warre such broiles prouok'd . If ( Rome ) thy battailes thou esteeme such blisse Subdue all Kings , then were it not amisse To combat with thy selfe ; meane while breake of , For multitude of foes may freely scoffe . OM. Our King hath tasted iuice of Helicon . ME. Tasted ? no foole , the Muses do entraunse My deere imagination , I will swim Through each sweete streame of rauish'd eloquence Of Passion , Satyre , Aeglogue , Epigram Of Sonets , Imprecations , Epitaphes , And by them all admonish Mighty Kings To keepe their bosome lockt ; for friendship stings .

Act. 4. Scoen. 2. MENANDER , HYPPONAX , LAELIO , EVPHORBVS , HYARCHVS . Go fetch a Garland from the Muses - groue For I will sit amongst the Sheep-heard Swaines Vpon some pretty tust or pleasant hill Hung ( in my honour ) with fresh hallowed baies , And eccho forth an Alphabet of layes : My Queene , poore Queene , bereft of beauties pride Shall in our fancy sit and touch our side , HY. Grieue not , she was my daughter ( gratious King ) ME. Gratious , and King , be words not knowne to mee ; I am no King , nor will be gratious But an impartiall Poet of this age Who must inueigh at Kings and Kingly grace : I must a multitude of woes rehearse And stab my audience with I-ambicke verse : Raile at the peeuish humour of a slaue Whose rude examples be notorious . Attend my whole narration ( royall Dukes ) Remember how I did the Forrest rule , How I amongst the troupe of Elephants , Foxes , and Tygers , Apes , and Leopards , Was , by appointment of my fathers will Left as an heire legitimate , to liue And re-establish my true parents bloud : Remember and imagine I did rule Like an audacious Lyon of the lawnes , Who by mis-fortune haue caught a pricke Which doth distemper his presuming paw Meetes with a heart-lesse Pilgrime , doth salute His coward fancy with a peale of feares Then doth submit ( some ceremonies done ) His royall stoutnesse to the trembling man Puts forth his pained member , shewes the wound Till the distracted traueller con-ceiues A remedy to succour that which grieues : The Lyon thus allur'd with seeming loue Protects the Pilgrime by his noble force Doth not for-sake him , fawnes vpon the wretch Whose poore compulsiue cowardise did vrge That tribut at alleageance ( not his loue ) Least life should answere what his will deny'd : Thus did they liue till the most faithlesse man Grew so familiar hee was not afear'd To shake the sleeping Lyon by the beard : Thus hee pretended still to be aboue So slew the Lyon for his Kingly loue . And thus , ô thus ! did my Pheudippe deale : For from the dust and dunghill did I raise The needy fortunes of that naked man Without all merit , saue hypocrisy Which was my thanke for all his dignity : The Gods and you beare witnesse ( noble friends ) I tooke that fellow for the truest man That woman e're was bless'd with ; did beleeue His birth and education both Deuine , Who was indeed a deuill ; for whose death My brainelesse fury did blaspheme the Gods : O if I had election to for-sake The substance of my soules eternity , If soule and body did together die If deaths corruption could corrupt the soule , ( So make it vanish , and auoide controule , ) No speedy torment should escape , no death Be vn-attempted , till my life and breath Were as my soule is now , inuisible : O I would climbe Acro-serannian rockes , Run to the top of Aetna , or the Alpes And rush downe head-long like a desperate slaue ; Or like an Aiax , greedy of reuenge , I would in-counter Wolues , and Vnicornes , Tempting the sauage worthies to assaile My carelesse life , and so in-counter mee . EV. But sir , the soule of man is pretious , Made of immortall essence , cannot die . ME. So , I 'me oppress'd with immortality , And though my rotten Carkasse soone decay Yet must my soule account for blasphemy : For Blasphemy , which I in zealous loue To a false lewd impostor did augment With sharpe invectiues eeu'n to vex the Gods . HIP. Your loue to that dissembler was extreme And all extremes beget extremities . ME. To that dissembler , to that deuil , say ; To that Magitian , true-borne Impe of hell , Speake thus ; and let mee thanke your eloquence ; For had hee beene produc'd of earthly race His charmes and witch-craft could not so deceiue My narrow apprehension , ô attend ! And I will make you weepe before I end . Pheudippe like a frozen viper was Whom , I ( delighted with a formall shew ) By chance tooke vp , and warmth and life bestow'd Vpon this piteous creature ; till at length Hee crept and crawl'd into my bosome ; I Did suffer still , through plaine simplicity , The serpent to become familar ; My table and my Trencher gaue him food , Still did I suffer , still hee slept and fed Vpon my trembling bosome ; hee did kisse And licke my tender veines , as I did his : Still did I suffer , though my soundest friends Bad mee beware of such a subtle Guest , Giuing faire cautions to embrace the best ; Still did I suffer , and did scourge aduice , With sharpe rebukes , not valewing the price . So long I suffered , hee so long did sleepe , So long hee lick'd mee , and so long time crept , So long I lou'd him , hee so long time wept With false affection , as hee did confirme My not mis-doubting friend-ship , which was firme , But after all my loue , and all his teares , After my patience , and his creeping smiles , My long , long sufferance , and his thankefull vowes ; After all these ô God , my bosome groanes To thinke , that after all such boundlesse good Hee wish'd to sucke vpon my royall bloud . EVP. The subtle wretch , in mischiefe , did reioyce , And was corrupted by the peoples voyce . HYA. True , they corrupt , whom they still hope to please The peoples physicke , doth enflame disease . MEN. Foule vengeance choake the people , and their loue , They doe deiect whom they aduance aboue : The peoples suffrage , to a rising youth Is like their folly at a publicke Stage , Striuing to purchase a dumbe audience By multitude of clamour ; they suppose Peace is engendred by still crying peace , As if confusion did by murmure cease : So they imagine , by their open mouth , To make a Gyant , though but scarce a man : They speake him vertuous , bountifull , and wise Hoping polluted breath , might Canonize Whom they ( with durty palmes ) do seeme to raise , And bind his Temples with their stinking baies : No , they but make him dizzy , deafe , and mad , Whom they desire to make a demi-god ; Their multitudes of clamour doe beget A most vn-cured swimming of the head ; For so the rules of ringing do agree , Confusion euer spoiles a harmony . What Cox-combe now dares call Menander mad ? Doe not ( I pray ) abuse mee ( noble boyes ) Although I be a Poet ; all men know I neuer writ of Cupids whirligig , Of amorous conceites , nor daliance , And iust so long as Poets will abstaine From foolish loue and Cupids Diety . The Poets Art is counted Piety . But if the tenor of a loue-sicke Theame Stuffe rotten Volumnes then the Author 's mad , Or Moone-sicke , some iudicious booke-men , say , Though others , amid ' earnest , allow play . EVP. ( Alas good King ) what sudden ouer-throw Distracts poore weakenesse by a little woe ? ME. Who talks of woe ' did you sweete passenger ? Open thy case if it bee parallel , Let 's liue co-partners in some vgly shade Where none but melancholy night-rauens keepe There let 's complaine , but ( breath being silent ) weep . Not farre from hence , low in a humble Caue , My little cottage stands deuoide of care Finely en-compass'd with a pleasant waue Drest vp with Daisies , Cow-slips , Hyacinths And many thousand pretty , pretty things Which Nature lends me while the black-bird sings : Foure Goats I haue which browze vpon the twigs , Two did relinquish mê , for I had six , One seem'd a Lambe which was indeed a Wolfe , Him did my dog discouer , kill , and eate — EV. Wee doe discouer all thy weakenesse King To helpe is hard , to weepe an easy thing . ME. Dares then thy blistred tongue ( audacious foole ) Forget all duty and disturbe a Duke ? ( Impudent Asse ) I do degrade thy eares And thee , from all imployment ; be an Asse At large , and carry loaues , like Lucius Deserue a Cudgell and a biting spurre , Be dull and sluggish in extremities Till I bestow a Rose or any thing To make thy suddaine metamorphosis . EV. It 's made already ( King ) and I will kisse Your dainty plame , then laugh , and Poetize Cast of my robe and act old Lucius , Or Messala Coruino ; daunce I will , And after sixty Summers will I doate So , change my garment for a mimickes coate : Captiues repine at their compulsiue thrall Who then ( sweete Mistresse ) may me Captiue call ? Though conquer'd I confesse Yet voide of heauinesse : For-bearance makes my freedome At length to bee more welcome . When with compassion thou shalt pitty Mee ; or approue my harmelesse Ditty : If ransome you require Tell mee thy chiefe desire ; What is it I would not giue thee ? Make triall and beleeue mee . Ransome though you refuse Or at the least excuse Yet to the latest of a thousand liues I will reioyce in loue , triumph in giues . OM. Age is become a yong in-amorate . ME. Laugh , laugh , infernall furies leape for ioy ; Make mee a flaming Chariot , I will ride Vpon the wings of potent Lucifer , And stile , like lightning , through th' amazed Orbe . Thunder shall be my Page , and Aeolus Leade vp my Coach-horse to big Titans Hall , Where in that faire Assembly of the Gods , Glistering with golden robes Pontificall : I must a volume of large thankes recite , And a petition to dame Luna write : All , for thy sweete acquaintance Messala Whom I adore , and much will dignify Those who pertake in rauish'd lunasy . EV. So , then wee are companions ( lusty ladde . ) ME. Till daring Ioue dissolue the Vniuerse , Till the last reuolution of this Orbe . EV. Till Citizens accounted ciuill knaues , To cheating custome be no longer slaues . ME. Till sige authentickes of vn-spotted liues Leaue baudy Panderisme to their willing wiues . EV. Then , faith til Courtiers too , with satten sleeues Renownce all begging and be arrant theeues . ME. Till Taylors like-wise made of shreds and shelues Enrich the debtor to vn-doe themselues . EVP. Till the most gallant Ladies of the Court Esteeme deuotion there abused sport . ME. Then 'faith till Players , Poets , ( Ape and Asse ) Spend all they get from Iune to Michaelmas . EVP. So then for euer shall wee liue like friends , Thou must forgiue though Messala offends . HIP: What can exceed these miracles of age , Whose actions might againe reuiue the stage ? A Common councell must protect the State , Till mad Menander haue atton'd his fate : Till Cinthia her punishment release And giue Manander leaue to rule in peace .

Act. 4. Scoen. 3. MANTESIO , MENANDER , EVPHORBVS , LAELIO , PERILLVS . Whither , ô whither , and to what extreames Doe the most waking Gods driue guilty men ? MAN. Who liues to know , obtaines a blessed age , But hee a curse , who knowledge doth abuse ; Subtle temptation must not make men erre With iudgement , though approvall may conferre Kingdomes of wealth , which is impossible ( So gotten ) to continue , if well paid . O since I knew the folly to aduise And nourish vp the rude infirmities Of each voluptuous Epicure in state Striuing to take dependance from the smile Of an imperious fauorite , weake shame Neuer till now oppress'd mee ; and I sweare Did not the sword of iustice now strike home I would encounter shame with fortitude , But a discarded woe ( the common plague Of seruile age eeu'n dead with misery ) Hath after long for-bearance seiz'd on mee : Pheudippes death was fatall to my life Because neglected by his liuing wife . ME. Haue I then caught thy vn-appeased soule ? Tell mee , come tell mee , wicked wretch declare , Why hast thou broken holy friend-ships vow ? Speake ( damned vermin ) each true accent tell For wee 'le vn-rip thy bosome spight of hell ; Speake thou contemptuous varlet , doe not striue And shake thy limbs with vn-expressed feare , For ( trembling slaue ) my hand shall catch thy haire , Hold thee perforce , with chaines of adamant , Till thy audacious shadow quaking seeth , If hands be weary I can hold by teeth . MAN. But ô Iudicious — ME. Villaine I abhorre The hatefull sound of thy be-witching voyce , Keepe in thy clamorous eccho ( coniurer ) And cease with Magicke to enchant our sence Or I will sindge thy beard off with my breath : O you damn'd fawning Rascall , canst thou shake And tremble after all thy infamy ? Thou thanklesse , rotten-hearted-slaue , thou snake Did I deserue suppression ? tell mee ( Foxe ) You temporising Courtier , that 's enough , Hee needs not call thee knaue , nor Sycophant , And ir-religious Iew , that cals thee so , For thou didst study these ; thinking to proue A learned Polititian , that 's a diuell , A most abortiue monster , strangely made With long huge hornes a crafty Foxes head A Lyons posture and extended eares With eighty soules and hearts , like little egs ; But with a Camels backe , and Tygers legs ; Wanting a breast-bone , like the sauage Beare , So climbe hee doth and curry vp the rockes , Mounting the tops of straight Pyramides But when hee tumbles , like a smitten Tower , Declining softly to an omenous dearth , First will his head salute the shaking earth . The blacke remembrance of thy fatall end Makes my assertion true , thee a false-friend : MA. O pacifye great King . — ME. — Your yawning voice With a full concord of my furious palme If you produce another syllable You most notorious caitife , you mad curre , Thou Polititians dog , did I aduance Thy ragged fortunes to degrade my selfe , Make thee a partner of my Kingdomes ioy Giue thee my Kingdomes pleasure , wealth , and wiues , When I ( made foolish ) to make thee as King Tooke the bare title and a glorious heape Of golden sorrow requisite for Kings , Keeping the best ( by priuiledge ) for thee Without a second riuall ? thus I did , Nay , did I thus and yet thou proue vnkind ? I call my faith in question to demand Such need-lesse truth , for thou didst proue vnkind , Contriuing the subuersion of my rule Which gaue a perfect essence to thy soule , Submit , submit for shame , and say forgiue : Say but forgiue and I am gratious . MAN. I am not ( sacred King ) as you suppose The tortur'd Ghost of that in-glorious man Pheudippe , sunke below the verge of hell . But old Mantesio is my seruile name , Once did I serue whom you so much did loue , The murdered honour of that haughty Duke . MEN. Thou Spirit of delusion , o affirme This doubtfull figment ; once againe deny A soule of reason to thy Soueraigne . MAN. My flesh doth witnesse for mee I doe liue . MEN. Am I then mad Mantesio ? agree You are no Ghost and make the consequence . EVPH. But brother , who 's mad now ? not Messala . ME. Deride vs then , and be ridiculous . Tell mee Mantesio , why didst talke of curse , Discarded woe , and vexing misery ? MAN. Of all I tasted in extremity . ME. Liues there that soule vpon the spacious globe , Which doth vprightly thinke it can deserue Extremity of sorrow , heapes of woe As did Pheudippe ? it 's impossible : No ( good old man ) though thy large multitude Of capitall offences do exceed , The wandring starres , I may account thee cleane , Like a religious innocent , or babe , As a bright Angell , to Pheudippe's shame . MAN. Yet am I poore , and will partake in woe : ME. Canst be distracted ? melancholicke ? mad ? Sweare by the beauty of the burning Zone ? Looke like a dead-mans scull , most scirvily ? Laugh , weepe , raile , sweare , and hang thy selfe at once ? Rend off thy pleated haire , be lunaticke ? Liue naked in a tempting wildernesse ? Call mee Don . Aiax ? liue by roots and hearbes ? Be a true male-content ? be ever sad ? Cloudy , like Christmas ? be dis-consolate ? And ( aboue all ) renounce society ? If thus thou canst obserue a dogged change , If gloomy sorrow ( made excessiue strange ) Stab thy distracted senses to the life , Wee may dispatch all sence without a knife . But who comes heere ? LAE. A Poet ( pretious sir ) ME. Thy name ? PE. Perillus . ME. O aduance thy tune , Provoke thy sharpe Melpomene to sing The story of a begger and the King . Canst command Poems vn-praemedite ? PER. I haue a little smacke of poesie , Can smell the amber-breath that rapture brings , Vpon receit of which my consort sings . ME. But I haue bedded the faire Muses nine , Slept in the bosome of Melpomene , Haue rid vpon the wings of Pegasus , Drunke downe a floud of sparkling Hyppocren , Keepe a perpetuall moisture in my head , Hating such dilatory sloth of men , From whose weake braines the rotten papers shed , Like leaues in autumne ; I account him quicke Who is by nature so ; with small intent Such ( as my selfe ) may be proficient : I could now turne conceited stage rite , And represent I will , with feeling straines , The Ghost of Crassus , or cracke all my vaines : Suppose me then the Ghost of that old man , That sorry man , my ribs trans-fix'd with steele , Or with a tempest of the Scythian darts , My wounded carkasse blacke with bloody gore , Long sleep'd in frosty stupor , to arise , With squallid rayment from the waues of bell , And vnto Pompei apparitions tell : Will you great Pompei , patron of my cause , Who didst by solemne oath , vow full revenge ? Will you , the comfort of my funerals , Tombe to my ashes , and my naked bones ? Will you , will Pompei proue delinquent ? hee , Who hath in loue to Crassus , threatned stabs , Death and destruction till deepe wounds increase , Can hee loue Crassus foe , and seeke for peace ? Bleed then my gaping and forgotten wounds Bleed eu'n afresh , or let my frozen blood , Like a congealed sirrop , now dissolue , After such cloudy seasons of the yeare , Such heauy sorrow , and such doubtfull feare : After so many dismall nights and dayes , So many tempests of the Stygian Barke , And prophesie , things fatall , true , but darke : Calamity made famous by extreames Erected in a marble monument , Shall by her often meeting vexe thy minde , Else by opposed number make thee blinde : Horror and ruine ( Pompei ) shall affront Thy shamelesse fortunes , thy fowle negligence , Cities at thy sub-uersion shall reioyce The sculs and trophies of thy captaines losse The victor shall vpon his iaueling tosse ; Where swift Euphrates , sent such worthy names To blacke oblivion , and the tumbling waues Of big-swolne Tygris , cast my carkasse dead Vpon the margent of that muddy shore , And gaue to earth what Neptune could not keepe , Hauing once cast my wounded limbes asleepe : There shall thy woe approach , and Pompei know If quicke avoidance bee not difficult , Thou then more easely mightst attone the strife Which thy proud factious Nephew hath begun , Raging amid the heart of Thessaly . Thinke but a while vpon the Roman orbe , Thinke of thy friends at home , thinke who they are , And those few friends with watchfull foes compare : Thinke yet of Aegypt , her seuen-headed gulfe , Ioyne with Aegyptian Ptolomei , and thriue , His high tuition appertaines to thee , Tender his nonage , aime at Aegypts throne , Whose King hath but the shadow of a name , Because a childish infant , lacking fame , And feare , ( the substance of a Diademe ) Nor thinke the old allegeance to their kings , Can so estrange the peoples loue to thee , But know the state of kingdomes be most milde , If , or , the King is new , or is a childe : Both do concurre to crowne thy happinesse , Set saile for Aegypt , make thy couenant there , Oppose the Parthi , and depopulate The fields , where Crassus did enioy his fate : Say , from the cinders of a slaughtered man , You tooke aduice to turne Aegyptian . PE. Most liuely acted , and like Roseius , LAE. Hee doth pronounce with volubility . MAN. For a pure copious linguist hee doth well , But for ingenious action doth excell . EVP The King for a Comaedian I'faith ; But I will striue to act aboue thee ( King ) And out of brim-stone rockes may vertue split , I am a cold , and must go digge for wit . ME. Goe digge for wit whilst I am Ioviall , And laugh and leape among my flatterers , Come daunce Lavolioes my familiar knaues , Do you commend this mirth ? OM. Most happily . PER. Mirth may expell distraction , if secûre . ME. But ô my friend , I am not as I seeme , Merry indeed , but onely seeming so ; Vn-rip my bosome , and with lines of blood Deeply ingrau'd vpon my trembling heart , You may discerne attractiue Epitaphs , The shamefull curse of a contemptuous King , A loue-knot double broken ; and by whom Friendship rewarded with extreame abuse ; False-hood , without a colour , and excuse . PE. What flinty flesh could now abstaine from teares ? ME. Do then thy stranger thoughts compassionate , And weepe at our in-humane destiny . If thy relenting heart true passion feele , Then let thy moist'ned loue some drops distill ; Weepe on ( my friend ) I cannot I controule The copious fountaine ; for a silent teare Doth apprehend the quicke ; but neuer howle : Forsake mee now , and leaue me desolate , I would revolue the lessons of my state .

Act. 4. Scoen. 4. THE GHOST OF PHEVDIPPE , MENANDER . Vp from earths lodging , and those rotten sculs , Buried in embers till the earth awake , Wrapt in my funerall-ashes , safe reseru'd , I doe arise from rude antiquity , To begge but pardon as a mid-nights almes , Feeling the horror of my fault immence , Which doth exceed in nature all offence . I come ( Maenander . ) ME. Who Menander cal's ? What hidden Diuell dares molest my muse ? PHE. Denounce thy iudgement with a milder tune , I come ( Maenander . ) ME. Death to my soule ! what comes ? Who comes ? or how do'st come ? inuisible ? PH. I come with meeknesse . ME. Why , or whence dost come ? Damnation ouertake thee , what 's thy name ? Shadow of Stygian horror ! what 's thy name ? ( Intruder ) know thy distance , keepe aloofe , Come not within sixe yards , vpon the price And perill of an vn-avoided charme : By which , and thousand other potent spels , The magicke Herball , oyntments , numbers odde , By trans-mutations , mid-nights , Iucubus , Squint-ey'd Ericthon , soule of Hecate , I doe con-iure thee , tell , and not mistake , How fares Pheudippe of the Stygian lake ? PHE. O I am hee , a spirit of despaire , Compact ( by loues decree ) of cloudy aire . I am the wretch , who was in life , a span ; But in excesse of crime , a crooked man . ME. Blesse the good stars aboue , thou guilty theefe Which doe in-close thee with a robe of clouds , Spight of protection else , and coats of steele , The tempest of my passion thou shouldst feele ; Thunder and lightning should not dare with-stand To take due vengeance from my fatall hand . PHE. My tortures be aboue thy humane gesse , The torment of my soule who may expresse ? My comforts now be multitudes of paine , Viewing a number infinite of soules , Which stuste the dampish pit with piercing howles , Restlesse they tumble , hoping to get ease , And , more they moue , out-rage doth more increase , Wee raile at our conception , curse the skye , And in the face of heau'n spit blasphemy . Wee all enioy a most impatient curse , Yet all suppose our owne paine shall the worse ; Motion doth vexe vs , sitting still doth vexe , Torment , no age escapes , no sumptuous sexe : ME. Did thy ambitious height incurre all this ? PHE. My falshood , flattery , and a Courtiers life , ( The fountaines to all sorrow ) did infect My soule with a disease vn-curable . ME. I doe indeed forgiue thee , therefore tell Compassion to the Purseuant of hell ; Say I forgiue thee , and on that dis-charge , Command the crabbed Iaylor to in-large Thy long and lowlie thraldome ; often say I doe forgiue thee ( false vngracious man ) O often-times repeat , the King forgives , Often repeat , as an exemplar thing , Thou hast obtain'd forgiuenesse of a King , For a tall grant-error , an offence Made monstrous bigge by circumstance ; contempt In a degree aboue comparison ; Yet I forgiue those capitall crimes done : If thou attainted be with some offence , Equall in nature to this high contempt , Goe then accurs'd , till I redeeme thee , goe Accounted worthy of damnations woe : But , because officers do sting like bees , Say I forgiue thee , and will pay thy fees . Few plaintifes , or appellants doe the like , Though I without a iudgement will release Errors escap'd from youth , so liue in peace . PHE. But I am past repentance ( royall sir ) And so thy pardon is like bounty giuen To beggers dead , or med'cines ill-bestow'd On separated members , like vaine life Purchas'd by seales and writings after death , And execution of a guilty theefe ; There 's no capacity for dead reliefe . Kings , clad with numerous titles , cannot giue Promethean fire , to make a dead man liue : Pardon of Kings no benefite may deale , Except it passe by a superiour seale : Surfets and rupture , to be dumbe , and blinde , Acknowledge Art ; but surfets of the minde And rupture in affections forcing ill , Know none aboue , but a free gouern'd will : Which if it proue re-misse , mans powerfull fate Carries him head-long to my damn'd estate ; The ship-wrack'd Pilot may discerne a shelfe , But euery foole vn-cheated , cheats himselfe : Aduance thy pale desires , looke fresh and big , Thinke on revenge , cleare thy contracted brow , Be sensible of wrong , and ( worthy ) know My false co-partners liue , who did conspire , And frame the bellowes of ambitious fire : Amilcar liues ( my some ) Lucilla liues ( Thy subtill sister ) old Mantesio liues : All my adhaerents , all competitors In mischiefe , most well-knowne conspirators ; Yet all suruiue in safety , traytors liue : Thinke on revenge , I doe aduise thee well ; Sleepe not vpon thy proiects , if thou want Opinion of a friend , heare mee a supplicant : Levell inuention with a speedy aime , Till thou the cunning of such knaues reclaime . ME. My sister false ? Amilcar such a knaue ? Who indeed is , but is affections slaue ? PH. And none but him , iudgements incounter can , Although aspersions touch the honest man . Remember these my motiues , morning peepes , The day no dilatory time doth giue , To eccho forth at large , thy Queene doth liue . ME. Doth Fauorina liue ? deere shadow stay , PHE. My absence is enforc'd through rising day . ME. Split then in peeces thou pernitious toade , My plagues deminish to augment thy load . My Queene sur-viue ! ioynt-cause of all my woe ! Of all my anger , blasphemy and rage ! Is shee reseru'd ? doth Fauorina liue ? Whose absence made me raile at Cinthia ? O I haue swallow'd poyson , which torments All my distracted veines with agony , A griefe continuing without all re-lease , Consumption of my paine breeds paines increase . Now for ob-noxious compounds to possesse The soule with euerlasting lethargy , Ransome of thousand Kings would I exchange , Or like a beast , humanity estrange . O for inchanted Peppei , or the iuice Of drunken Hemlocke , to lay soules asleepe , I 'de like a Serpent on our belly creepe , Licking each humble shrub , and carelesse feed Vpon the stubble of each stinking weed . Shreike ô the mid-night-mandrakes voyce aloud , So may the horror of that piercing sound , Turne soule and body both alike to ground : Pel-mel together my affections fight , Each conquer each , some scudd away by flight .

Act. 4. Scoen. 5. AMILCAR . Coynes and Lust , arch-enemies to loue , Combat apace within my youthfull bloud ; Feare to attempt my vn-experienc'd wish , Tels me with what a coy and constant face The Queene will start in motiues of my lust ; ( For I no better Title can bestow On our audacious meaning ) lust abounds , Free from all apprehension of that loue Which simple-meaning youths do still protest And vow to virgin-chastity ; but I , Who am inflam'd with ambiguity Will not imbarque a faithlesse vow so farre As evaporate promise , which infects Beyond fierce natures lust , and stabs my fame : Because rich Nature , although couetous , Loth to conferre a full satiety Of goodnesse , vpon me her suppliant , Hath yet impos'd one vertue aboue all , In promise euer to disdaine the breach , Though strict obseruance do my weale impeach : Yes , I preferre the violent attache Of maiden-head , before false promises ; For ( all can witnesse ) rape 's a thing in act , So there 's an end ; We never doe dissemble , Nor do extinguish sparkes of sanctity With fraud , with vn-supported periury , ( Ioyning ranke false-hood to concupiscence ) Protesting marriage to enioy a smacke , And so deceiue the long desirous wombe Of hop'd fruition : A hot rauisher Giues what the wombe would otherwise demand : Yet will I not enrage my lust so farre , As violence to wrong the beauteous Queene , If shee ( as women will ) proue plyable , Nor will engage on oath to assevere What I disdaine , yoak'd-marriage ; for indeed , Women be clogs which hang about the necke Of man , so heauy till it sometimes breake : A well-couch'd theame of loue shall therefore try If without promise I may mount on high : The bonds of marriage I abhorre to chuse , And rather would vpon such points refuse The noble Queene ( if to accomplish it Were possible ) then happily enioy : Seeing nature doth demand variety , Admitting which , with full saciety , Health is impeach'd , and many men made poore , Who hauing honest wiues will hugge a whoore .

Act. 4. Scoen. 6. AMILCAR , GRACCHVS . Speake , is she made of waxe ( solicitor ? ) GR. Of mil-stones ( my good Lord ) for lime & chalke Cannot expresse the full comparison : Cold Images of Ice , and frozen snow , Had beene dissolued with my summer speech Piercing vnto the quicke , but constant shee , Like to some Aegle on a Cedars top , Disdaining idle nets , will perch aboue , In spight of Cupid , and his potent loue . AMI. I burne the rather , and by rape will quench My lastfull famine , were she loues owne wench , GRA. O doe not offer head-strong violence ; Delay makes modest women more propense . AM. Death & damnations plague to boot ! how long Must I abstaine ( you smooth-tongu'd flatterer ) Till doomes-day ? doe not vrge my flaming wrath , Least you provoke a Lyon to the spoile . By Cupids Sacraments of lust and loue , I will no more delay ( thou lazy dogge ) Dost trifle ? speake forbearance , and delay ? I doe begin to be suspitious Of thy proceedings : tell vs of delay ? No , as the Faulcon doth a Phesant seize , I will both seize vpon her ( prating daw ) And trusse her vp in my Imperious claw . ( Sirrah ) remember , I did giue you meate , Clothes , coine , and such good poore commodities , When you were quite blowne vp with gamesters lucke , Ragges and fowle linnen , scabbes and sciruy lice , The quicke associates of all cheating dice , Did honestly begin to set vp house In your old single suit , pray do not make Mee a disseisor of francke-tenements , By tortious dealing with your free-holders , Who had a better Title then my selfe If you do proue vn-thankfull ; so consider . GRA. Am I vp-braided ? noble sir I thanke The bounteous almes you lent my bare estate , And I as freely doe desclaime desert , As you did freely giue them ; yet in-faith I was not lowsie ( Lord ) consider well , Though Lords be lowsie too sometimes ; if hell Heau'n , earth , and men , be not so gratious , As to conceale infirmities of state . AM. Say I am lowsie sir . GRA. Can pox forbid ? But I must giue him better language now : No ( my respected sir ) I dare not taxe Especiall favorites , of lice or poxe , 'Mongst whom you are the chiefe , but milky skin That hath faire out-sides , may be fowle within . And I againe do in despight averre , ' Voidance of lice from our natiuity . Reclaime then that aspersion ( Lord ) and know I was not lowsie , but like mid-night snow , Pure , when thy selfe ( now seeking to supplant ) Took'st me to rescue from the iawes of want : I was not lowsie ( Lord ) looke bigge and burst , I will maintaine my credit , though accurst . AMI. You were not lowsie ( knaue ) not ragged , no Nor sicke , I condiscend ; yet sirrah know The plagues of Aegypt all began to march Full-mouth vpon thee ( like devouring dogges Ready enough to rend a breathlesse Fox ) When I with noble pitty being oppress'd , Flew forth like lightning to thy rescu'd life , Which is indeed my proper donatiue . Do not reply thou true insulting toade , Squint-ey'd caitife , you pernitious rat , You gelded rascall , you most lowsie rogue : Do not reply , mad mastife , do not swell , And thinke ( because you can discouer well My trickes of youth ) to stop the feruent rage Of our vn-tam'd affections ; future age Must , and shall , witnesse my fierce violence , If thou discouer but one syllable ; Nay , if thou entertaine a peece of thought , Which by vn-masking mee doth hope revenge : Sweare , sweare ( you thick-lip'd rascal ) kindly sweare Without compulsion , or base-minded feare , To be like mid-night , as a sepulchre , Dumbe as a Turkish executioner , Nay , as a marble statue , void of signes Touching the substance of my secresie . Sweare ( slaue ) and thinke my soule a fury mad , Able to force wide rupture through the face Of threatning Horror to endamage thee ; As to demand account of periury . Do not seeme loath , expecting new delay ; For I can stab you ( capon ) to the quicke , Cut off your Eunuch-nose , then laugh and kicke Your lowsie stinking neats-iowle to the dogges . GRA. Without collusion I do strictly sweare . AM. And thinke withall , I who haue coine bestow'd , Clothes , and faire countenance , with store of meat , Can also giue sharpe sawce , which will procure Digestion to the stomacke , else ( proud sir ) You will dis-gorge the vomit in my face ; If kindnesse do recoyle , let feare take place : GRA. I am your foot-stoole , tread vpon my teeth , And so charme silence if you do mis-doubt . AMI. No , but remember if you shall bewray My darke designments , or vse cheating play In prosecution of my priuate cause , ( Hoping for payment from the Spartan lawes ) Remember that thy life , and interest Of being rich , both owe a speciall rent With homage , and knight-seruice vnto me , Remember you do hold in Capite . GRA. Cut then my seruile tongue out of my head , Slit my suspected organs , make me dumbe , Handlesse and sightlesse if you thinke me false , For I must otherwise be false indeed : Men that admonish to auoid some vice , Must not inculcate motiues more then thrice ; Pupils much tutor'd with Identity Of reprehension , proue but spur-gall Iades ; Because they thinke the vitious estate Of things habituall , doe argue fate , Which to resist , they thinke impiety , Exclude me therefore from society Of human habitants , or leaue to vex , Which is a torment to all human sexe . AMI. I leaue addition , but consider well , You are as deepe ingag'd almost as I ; Which depth , of both ingagements , reach to hell , If any ( but our selues ) the depth espy . GRA. Sir , I haue broke the Ice to Appetite , And with a studied phrase did I begin , Hoping to thaw the coldest frosty North By representing multitude of feares . AM. And did she melt ? GR. Yes melted into teares , But was a stranger to my wanton tales : Shee comes whom your hot loue so close empales .

Act. 4. Scoen. 7. AMILCAR , FAVORINA , GRACCHVS . Wonder of women , pompe and pride of earth , Whose wofull absence might make beauties dearth , Goddesse of loue-sick soules , thou glorious Nymph Who mightst attract the Angels eyes to sinne : O thou beyond Amilcars county loue , ( Because indeed a concubine for Ioue ) , Rob not the treasure of my soules delight , Which lies imprison'd in aeternall night . FA. Did you for this ( most lying impious man ) Pull me from refuge and protection safe ? Giue me aduice , in hope of due reuenge , To follow thee , forsake the Title Queene Of Sparta , to become a Queene of Lust ? For this did you sollicite ( beastly Lord ? ) And labour by this talking Eunuch-bawd , To conquer chastity through faithlesse fraud ? For this did you obtest high oathes aboue My poore conceit , to shew dissembling loue ? AMI. Let me againe obtest the waking Gods , Or ( beyond them ) your beauteous diety , ( Which to abuse , were vild impiety ) Thy glad fruition were a ransom'd soule , Or kingdomes conquest in my rich account Of glorious beauty ; giuing more content Then soule imagine , or great kingdomes may . Wee call to witnesse thy imperious hate , And do appeale to vertue of thy loue , ( If hate and loue may both together lodge ) Thy loue surmounts my value , doth infuse A sudden rapture to my longing soule , Doth change dull nature , quicken vp my braine , Put a perfume into my sordid breath , And is indeed restoratiue to death . FA. If you intend a true religious loue , Professe it sir , without offence to Ioue , And so remember blessed nuptials ; For hee enjoyes his fate and funerals , Who sometime was Maenander , and my spouse ; Your selfe did seale his death by constant vowes . Speake then , and let thy answere be direct , Or I shall thinke , religion you neglect . GRA. O shee hath giuen his fury a full stab , My sweet-mouth'd Courtier swallows downe a crab . The Eele is in a sand-bagge , some good man See how the mimicke scrues an Alphabet Of hungry faces , how the maggot crawles To feed vpon the kernell . FA. Who replyes ? GRA. Againe , againe ( for loues sake ) spur the Iade : Giue him another pill , provoke the slaue , And make him spue his heart with madnesse ; melt His larded veines with striving to extend A lowsie answere ; but the Idoll speakes . FA. What makes Amilcar dumbe with my request ? What makes thy trembling blood so pale and wanne , Most like the colour of a dying man ? AM. The sad remembrance of my foolish vow , Vexes meeke apprehension ; yeelding forth In stead of answere , ambiguities . GRA. Looke for a subtill rare-compacted lye . AMI. Madam , the vow makes mee monasticall , I haue protested a true single life , Which did ingender a Dilemma , long , But religious indeed . GRA. Ridiculous , Indeed you are a Goat libidinous . AMI. I neuer will be yoak'd , by consequence No drawing beast , no big laborious oxe , I must not marry madame . FAV. Must you then ( Because not marry , to auoyd the oxe ) Liue like a noted and eggregious Asse ? Or like a Cammell , fierce with flaming lust ? Would you seduce my weaker innocence ? Seeke to intrap my credulous conceit ? You must not marry ; would you then defile The modest thoughts of virgin-chastity ? Would you take licence from a single life , To make each maid a whore , not being a wife ? I blush to view such vild affinity , Betwixt a Goatish beard , and bearded men . AMI. But be familiar ( Madam ) and re-call I was a target once to thee condemn'd , Both by Lucilla , and Pheudippe's doome ; Remember Madam , I did turne the edge Of quicke Lucilla's wrath vpon her selfe , Tooke thy confiscate beauty from the snare Of imminent sub-version , drew thee out As from a gulfe which gaping , ready stood To swallow downe thy honor , sing thy hurt , So change thy golden dignity to durt . I did ( remember Madam ) banish hate , For I did wrestle with vp-rising fate . FAV. You did infranchise my condemned life , You did returne Lucilla's point of spleene Vpon her wicked bosome ; whence it came ; You ( sir ) did manage my neglected cause , Tooke my confiscate beauty from the snare Of imminent sub-version ; you did this ; You , you haue beene my target , you alone Drew my forgotten safety from the teeth Of tugging fangers ; you alone did this ; And did you this to amplifie abuse ? Did you reserue my innocence for this ? For this did you protect my ignorance ? You kept my carkasse from a rampant Woolfe , To feed your tame , but hungry , Lyons whelpe : You did preuent a neere captiuity , To make my thraldome be notorious ; You , from a guiltlesse danger , did redeeme My maiden thoughts , to make the danger , guilt ; Thou gau'st new being ( 'bout too faile before ) After which being , must I be thy whore ? 'Faith you haue done a deed of charity , Toke mee by rescue , from death past the chin , To rip my pregnant wombe , and flea my skin . But know ( Amilcar ) I am so resolu'd Vpon the spot-lesse loue of chastity , As I with proper violence will rend My wombe in peeces , teare my tempting face And go beyond a womans fortitude , Rather then ( like a Strumpet ) prostitute . AMI. ( Queene ) I contemne your points of chastity , Laugh at such idle trickes to colour sinne : You are a captiue in my custody , Consider well the law of time and place Be at my proper nod ; if naked lust Bribe mee to some in-iustice , doe not blame A smooth acceptance ; for the frugall age Wherein I liue , doth barke aloud for fees Which in themselues be bribes ; if to the knees , Or necke , some rascall knaue be drench'd in bloud , The scarlet can absolue a scarlet sinne And call deepe slaughter a correctiue deed . Then blame the bribes which did in-iustice feed , Blame not the man ( I pray ; ) so blame our lust Not met Amilcar , if enioy wee must . FA. Haue you decreed some rauisher's attempt ? Will you determine to be violent ? A dead pale horror doth possesse thy cheeke With repetition of the simple sound ; Thou violate a virgins chastity ? Canst thou commit an odious rape , a sinne Of such high out-rage ; yet looke pale and dead Vpon recitall of the sinne it selfe ? AMIL. Nip mee ( good Gracchus ) how ? looke pale and dead ? Fetch Aqua-fortis ( Gracchus ) stab my arme , A shaking palsie doth oppresse my heart ; How ? pale , and dead ? GRA. ( Wise woman ) I adore The quicke inuention , and if Gods agree Will in despight of false-hood set her free . FA. O what damn'd terrour to a wicked man Be guilty thoughts , considering offence ( Fitly compar'd to prodigall expence : ) Nor may the valiant'st sinnefull youth aliue With resolution so in-wal'd appeare But his high heart will be below his feare . Can you commit lewd rape ( Amilcar ? ) no : Maids , and chaste women need no more defence For hot inuasion except innocence , Earnest resistance , by but one true maide , Will make the fiercest rauisher afraid : For if a virgin violate you see Shee did in part deny , in part agree : Firme resolution of a maidens hand , Tall Gyant-letchers , cannot halfe with-stand . AMI. Take her ( good Gracchus ) to your custody Be thou my bawd , and purge Phlebotomy .

Act. 4. Scoen. 8. MENANDER , EVPHORBVS , LAELIO , PERILLVS BVFO , LVCILLA , MANTESIO . Our Scœne is Aiax ; the most valiant soule Of which tall Champion , truely doth possesse My corpulent square limbs ; then ( subiects ) call , Call mee braue Aiax that renowned Peere Aequall to Agamemnon , wee presume By our Tragoedians Art to Deify : Laelio must Act Vlysses . LAE. I agree . MEN. Mantesio and Lucilla must like mutes Expect vpon my rage all counterfeit , As did the sauage throng that Aiax slew ; Robes shall not make a metamorphosis ; Wee may suppose you whom the Scoene requires Some sauage couple fit for Aiax wrath . AM. You may command vs . ME. but braue Messala Acts Agamemnon . EV. Brother I am glad To thanke your aestimation of my parts And I will striue to please you sir , though mad . ME. Bufo , Perillus , both be Chiefe-taines too , Attentiue to decide the argument Of our contention , striuing to deserue The honour of Achilles after death . AM. Wee both be vassailes to your celsitude . ME. Each take his part and study to rehearse That none may stumble at an easy verse . BVF. Manander is a Delphicke Oracle . MEN. Be silent , leaue this big Hyperbole , And shew thy breeding modest . BVF. Sir I am A Gallant , thankes to Tailors , and good clothes , Yet keepe no crafty Page to picke a purse : Nor doe I often play the Sodomite , Will , with a liuely posture personate The Scoene of Aiax , and inioy our fate , MEN. Enough , the solemne festiuall of ioy Which doth ensue , exacts your diligence , To giue some testimoniall indeed Of true deseruings : thinke mee bountifull If any Action in my troupe excell . Fortun . I doe contemne thee ; sirs aduance And in despight of death , vse vigilance . Finis Actus quarti .

Act. 5. Scoen. I. GRACCHVS , FAVORINA , GLADIATOR . MAdam , all chaste desires be laudable , But if you tempt a mischiefe mercilesse , Such certaine truths be doubtfull to auoide ; And I prefer the publicke safety still ( Which wants you as a chiefe and mouing wheele ) Before my simple damage , though the curse , Railings , and wrath of my contemptuous Lord Fall last vpon me , like so many shaftes Shot from heau'ns fabricke by offended Ioue : Come therefore death , destruction , stabs or steele , Come out-rage , madnesse , fierce amazing oathes , Terror , and tortures come , what can betide , You shall , vnknowne , by our aduice escape Least long exspectance doe incurre the rape . FAV. I much commend your zealous charity , Yet I beleeue Amilcar cannot wrong The harmelesse meaning of our innocence : Suppose I doe exspect vpon the rage And lustfull fury of that impious man , Yet I presume the Gods will gouerne lust And giue such valour to a vertuous maide As shee may well in-counter Canibals . Why should Amilcar seeme to conquer mee ? Or why assault my noble chastity ? Secured hope , and heauen can witnesse too I haue no biting bosome-snake which gnawes With greedy vulture-teeth and stinging iawes Vpon the pretious comfort of my soule ; No second In-mate ready to controule Our quiet actions ; no loud fearefull sinne To stab mee in the midst of honest mirth And ouer-looke the musicke of my minde , To make mee start and rob mee of content No , no ( good Gracchus ) I am innocent , And therefore not excluded from the helpe Of heauens tuition ; know I dare affront Amilcar in the fury of his flames , Raile at the stubborne youth , and make him melt Eeu'n like a leaden statue , or indeed Like some obdurate image caru'd of Ice , Which through one blast of lightning doe despaire And from tall statues vanish into aire : I feele within mee such true noble signes Of earnest courage , as no female thought Can ( except pure and pious ) well compare : I am not valiant , like a drunken whore , Ramping by vertue of abused wine ; Not is my resolution desperate , I am not fearelesse , to see feare abound But innocence is resolutions ground . GRA. Will you neglect my counsell to escape ? Will your deluded loue to innocence Not reckon meanes ordain'd for innocence ? Protection doth imply our vigilance , Else vertue is reputed arrogance ; Honest and simple hearts alone deserue That in extremitie pure holinesse Should make meanes thriue , not without good meanes , blesse . ( Madam ) I sweare they lacke humanity Who will teach men to tempt their destiny ; Beleeue it ( Fauorina ) I should feare The doubtfull mercy of a hungry Beare : They who desire to feele the Lyons paw May liue in compasse of the Lyons Caue ; I know good meanes , neglected , make a slaue . FA. ( Gracchus ) I once againe commend your zeale Thanke , and admit your loue , which labours well To win the heigth of our capacity : But ( Gracchus ) tell mee now , suppose I stay , Suppose Amilcar doe continue still , Like a wilde Satyre , most libidinous ; Admit hee shall extend so farre as rape And by the ruine of our modest grace Erect a shamefull Priapus in place ? Tell mee ( good Gracchus ) what rich victory Can the foole boast of ? what egregious act Can hee ascribe to conquest of our sex ? Wee are alas like wals vn-fortified , Or like a Castle made of March-pane wals Easely subdu'd , without fierce rauishment . Women were made to make rash men repent . Shame to my fortunes , I did seeke reuenge And sure the Gods will turne reuenge on mee ; Lucilla's death , the Kings Catastrophe Might haue bene both auoided , if reuenge And malice had not bene so force-able To banish pitty from our spightfull brest , The want of which procur'd a funerall chest To keepe the cinders of a sleeping paire ; Which losse , no time can proue , no age repaire : Lucilla's death had my malicious doome As Epitaph to dead Mananders Tombe ; The plaintiffs lye which prou'd Lucilla's death Did like-wise rob Manander of his breath . GRA. ( Madam ) you are deluded ; I can giue A testimoniall that both doe liue . FA. Maenander liue ? and doth Lucilla liue ? Speake it againe , proclaime the newes aloud Let heauen and earth be witnesse to thy tale : Speake it againe ( good Gracchus ) giue the Gods Notice againe of my certificate Which makes mee in a glorious estate : Dance my deiected soule , sing merrily Leape all my organs , I am innocent , Gracchus will witnesse , I am innocent , I did not kill Maenander , not accuse My riuall yong Lucilla , no ( good heau'n ) Gracchus will witnesse I am innocent : Lucilla liues , my best MENANDER liues , Speake it againe ( good Gracchus . ) GR. both do liue . FA. Beare witnesse now ; hearke heauen , he said they liue Take speciall notice of his name and words For hee is prompt enough to iustify Our depositions , neither will hee lye : No , hee 's an honest , very honest man Is called Gracchus so inscribe his name ; And set his certaine testimoniall Vpon record : Lucilla doth suruiue And my Maenander hee is yet aliue : So saith good Gracchus , so inscribe the same . Ioy hath no passage through my rauish'd soule : I did before put on a painted face Forging false colour to my innocence But now indeed am truely innocent : Thou Gracchus be my iudge , and heau'n be iudge I am not now defil'd with bloudy thoughts And fearefull agues ; thou be like-wise iudge That false Amilcar is a menstruous ragge , A youth ranke-rotten , before mellow-ripe : Flye-blowne already as a carkasse hot Which hath no shelter from the dog-day Sunne : Beyond all vertues cunning to reclaime : Goodnesse and reformation bee to him Monsters in nature ; and detested more , Then of a Hermite is the common-whore . Vices , like Maggots , creepe on him so thicke , As who destroies the one , hee must not sticke To follow the sub-version of them both : Of lewd Amilcar and his lustfull growth . GRA. Who can escape the lime-twigs which are set By loose affections to ensnare himselfe ? Man doth about him carry watchfull foes And must be carefull to in-counter those ; For all without him , though by troups they come Cannot offend , who is in peace at home : Amilcar ( Madam ) is now riding post Vpon exact imployments ; his returne Is doubtfull , therefore to auoid delay , The loue and duty of my zeale obey . A friend in whom I claime full interest Doth giue attendance to accompany Your Grace , till I can trusse a fardell vp And follow . FA. What 's thy friend ' GR. A Fencer . GLA. I am ingag'd vpon fidelity And must preserue you from hostility , Eeu'n to the latest of a mortall life , I will defend thee widdow , maide , or wife . FA. My new redemption is a doubtfull taske , You both doe promise more then I will aske : And though my squint-ei'd fortune looke ascaunce Yet heau'n will succour my deliuerance : Which being once purchas'd , proud Amilcars lust Shall vanish into Salamanders dust . GRA. Put on the wings of speed ; flie fast away I follow ( Madam ) before peeping day .

Act. 5. Scoen. 2. GRACCHVS , AMILCAR , SERVI . Successe attend her , till I soone dispatch And speedily escape Amilcars rage : Saddle my horse , and fetch my Caskets , hoe , Seruants make ready I must ride to Athens . All men desirous to preuent quicke fate Scorne ( aboue all things ) to procrastinate : Watch there without , like busy centinels And on my Lords returne , see some fore-tels . — SER. Hee is return'd already ; doth approach , Saith you may trauaile in his new Caroch . GRA. Yes , to the diuell ; death ! is hee return'd ? I am vndone , I am vndone ; ( good genius ) Helpe mee ; ( good Angels ) be auspicious , Or I shall perish past recouery : Senge mee some lightning , though in-visible ; O burne my bleeding heart ; consume , consume ! Flye from my nosthrils an infectious fume ! Stop all my organs , ô commisserate The bad mis-fortune of a poore estate : Hee comes , hee comes — AM. ( Gracchus my deere ) how dost ? What answere makes my Goddesse ? doth shee melt ? Doth she recant and aske my pardon ? speake . GRA. No : I am troubled with a falling rhume . AMI. Fetch forth Pigmalious Image , I will doate , And so become Cupids Idolater : Stay Gracchus , wee will both accompany Her sacred passage to the publicke aire : What shaking palsie doth detaine thy steps ? Where is the Queene ? speake ( trembling coward ) speake . GRA. She ouer-came mee with incessant teares ; To those I yeelded , ô forgiue my feares . AM. Yeelded ? ( base caitife ) be our hopes all dead ? My labour , lyes , delusion , studied care , All turn'd to smoake through yeelding of a drudge ? All our ingagements , my beneuolence , My proiects , aimes , and large gratuities , All come to this ? the center of my thoughts , My double trickes , and cunny-catching-slights , All come to this ? the rich faelicity Whereon my faith was grounded , come to this ? Come gastly horror to consummate all , Adde ruine like-wise to my wit-lesse fall . O my loud curse ! delusion was my baite And I am now deluded ; learning failes ; No new inuented stratageme auailes ; And vertue I am not accquainted with . O you damn'd rogue , 't is holliday at home , You hope the Queene ( sir ) will aduance you high , And hope so still , but ( very , very knaue ) I will dis-ioint your eleuated hopes ; And make you ( sir ) an Alcibiades : The Queene departed ? GRA. Pitty did preuaile , For shee did weepe , nor did of passion faile : Her eyes ( good Lady ! ) did with weeping smart , Which made mee giue her licence to depart . AMI. I am vndone ( you fragment ) I 'me vndone , I am detected , whither shall I runne ? The haruest of my long laborious toyle , Now I haue swom through death and swallow'd fire . Giu'n doubtfull fury a most braue repulse Put backe suspence , and all approaching feares Almost concluded things impossible ; Made smooth my way , and tilted in the face Of frowning mischiefe ready to take place ; Now , now is all sub-verted ; I am lost In a large Wood , a winding laborinth : I am excluded from all natiue power , Am like the rubbish of a ruin'd Tower ; I am abus'd , I am to death betrai'd , By thee a doctor villaine ; not afrai'd To sweare mee homage , and vn-lace my heart : The blessings of your body , breath , and soule Be so engag'd , as their existence knowes Not one redeemer among all the Gods , ( Fabulous things to you ) except my selfe ; Thus did you sweare , and swore I gaue thee life , Nay did bestow a whole creations worke Vpon thee offal-caitiffe , who ador'd Impression of my foote-steps that was all Exspecting hourely on the happy time When I should dare command what you durst doe , When with aduantage , I would but pronounce O Gracchus giue mee of thy bloud an ounce : Thus did you sweare , you dog-day-villaine , thus ; And yet your actions bee malicious : Teach mee , some diuell , to torment the rogue , Else take the righteous rigor of his fault Into the depth of hels extremity ; Rescue , ô rescue this offending wretch ( Some powers aboue ) from my most fatall-wrath , For to afflict thee as the crime deserues Would loose a double part in Paradice : Yet must I punish thee ( thou Spiders-gall ) — SER. The toade and spider cannot chuse but brawle . AM. — I must ( you creeping cur ) and would refuse Rather to be a God , then to forgiue A thing so capitall ; and thou escape ; But an arch-diuell would I euer bee A fiend of horrour beneath all degree , Eate flames and brimstone to beget mee fierce That with astonish'd fury I might pierce And split each sinew ; feare thy plumpest vaine , So racke thy feeling with perpetuall paine . GRA. O feele compassion , for I do repent . AMI. Repent ? compassion ? I would rather whip My weakned carcasse with a Scorpions taile ; Dwell in a nest of Adders , make them sting Till patience could endure ; then wash my wounds With burning pitch and lamp-oile , bath in leade , Or make a poultice of some swelling toad , Rather then take one cruell thought from ' load . GRA. Your meanace and commotion do torment Aboue all suffering ; ô I will repent Sixe thousand times a day ; deuoure my flesh , Feede vpon frogs , or quaffe downe aconite , Kisse and embrace , a fearefull Succubus , If you but leaue to terrifie mee thus . AM. No ( theeuish tumbler ) leaue thy cheating tricks And sweare allegeance to some puny Lord , Make those beleeue that lacke intelligence , For I am lasht with true experience : Though on thy bosome thou wouldst therefore crawle , And , like a Serpent , liue vpon the dust : Though by continuall creeping thou didst weare Thy breast and belly , ( so become submisse In a most new degree ) didst licke pathes cleane Where I should walke , and scrape away the filth : Imploy each seruile sinew to my ends , Yet you and I must neuer more be friends . Fill flat vpon thy face ( thou paracide ) Fall downe as ready ( captiue ) to abide Our indignation , which in child-birth lies , Big with a thousand swelling lunacies : Expecting all to be deliuered out , And by vexation of thy falling strength , To be an orbe in bredth , an age in length : Fall ( thou condemned Shismaticke ) and charme The killing rage of my aduanced arme ; For I shall proue so desperately mad And full of rigor , in my sharpe reuenge ; As to reuolue the terrour of my doome Phansy doth tremble , but my rage makes roome : ( Falie wretch ) I must forget humanity , And fall acquainted with some forrest Woolfe ; Hee , and such bloudy Tutors shall instruct The shamelesse Art of sauage cruelty , To kill thee , and become exorbitant ; I will anatomize thy limbs aliue ; Will mince small gobbets of thy quaking flesh And feed my Haukes , while life continues fresh Within the bloudy morsell ; make the sluce To quauer when they swallow downe the iuice : The Turke shall teach mee to extend some plague Of most vn-suffering nature : till the day , And thy blaspheming breath doe both decay . But ô ( quicke sorrow seize mee ) what auailes This villaines torture to my liuing woe ? For I ( except I quickly be trans-form'd Into a Rat , a Hedge-hog , Lowse , or Toade , Some base and obscure animall ) must feele Torments more tedious then tongues may expresse , A Equall to which is doubtfull heauinesse : Nay . our attempts and high abuses done Be of such horrid shape , such ample straine ; As to absolue them would require a Saint With speciall pardon from almighty Ioue : Yes , though I should obtaine that idle wish Of transmigration ; yet the shamefull troupe Of sinnes which we are my scarlet liuery Would follow fast , and ( as Actions dogs ) Teare mee to peeces , not remembring , once , That I was maister of the family : If , to become a new conformitant , Imply'd a veniall act ; each vertuous thought Should be my fellow : 't is the fault of all , Wee doe despaire to stand , because we fall . One maxime I retaine by priuiledge ; Such secrets , they doe seldome thriue , nor can , Where we depend vpon the breath of man : O had my drudge , my Vassaile bene but true , And faithfull to the fore-cast of my hopes , I had bene braue confederate of Kings , Nay , might haue cal'd some Kings my feodars . ( O deuill ) hadst thou bene to my desires A sudden knaue and dutifull enough : But for a time hadst thou continued so Vntill some limitation did expire With such obseruance as ranke deuils vse Vpon the pretious morgage of a soule I had bene ready to depart with all ; With pleasures , titles , all things , to enrich Thy budding fortunes ; all did I reserue Till death determin'd my approaching fate , Onely to thee , then all , was consecrate , By due surrender ; but ( yong prodigall ) Your hopes and life ( poore slaue ) be pawn'd to mee Whom no sworne-diuels Broker shall exceed In scuruy vsage , though my heart-strings bleed . GRA. If no true mercy then may mittigate Thy dull and stupid deafenesse . I do dare The vt-most of your franticke violence , Cast all thy Adder-stings vpon my heart ; Be thy conceited cramps more exquisite Then is a terrible tormenting Bull ; Breake forth ( Hyaena ) get some peeuish dwarfe To hacke mee downe at leasure ; till I stand Like a Colossus , like a Cedar tall And yet immoueable with smarting wounds : Stab me now ( tyrant ) or inflict full paine Vpon each noble ioint and glorious veine , Vertue shall keepe mee with a sacred charme Against the strength of a stipendious arme : The challenge of my cause being heard at large All ( to thy damage ) would my griefes discharge : Mocke babes and children ( sir ) with rods in pisse , I did approue no true defence like this , That I haue done vprightly ; knit your brow , Swell with a crabbed face conformable , Let your offended garbidge fry in steakes , Truth will auerre , and honest dealing speakes That I haue done vprightly ; be asham'd Of thy vniust reuenge , and murther nam'd . AMI. Dare you then buzze ( you beetle ) and aduance Your voice to contradict superiours ? Proud slaue come neerer ; hee may liue 'mong rats , Who will be daunted with a swarme of gnats , Much lesse with one poore mushrump ; petty sir Pray leaue to grumble , ( you mad factious curre ) Torments shall mittigate and make you tame Paines worse then death , shal make thee deadly lame . GRA. Do I deserue such paines ? no fiery youth I haue done most vprightly , will discharge A good officious part , if you proceed , I will vn-maske your shamefull trickes indeed . AM. A squib , a squib , cracke , flash , and spit apace , Breake ( my oxe-bladder ) vanish into breath , A scritch-owle bids thee sing before thy death , Squeake our rare bag-pipe ; flesh-flye buzze againe , Seeme to insult with voyce , ( thou very sound ) Take thy last leaue , bequeath short life to ground . GRA. Harke how the monstrous whale doth roare alowd . AM. Presaging tempests ( Pilot ) in the straights . GRA. No huge sea-wonder ) I a sword-fish am , Who will by vertue most vpright and plaine , Sting thee , and thresh thee , till thou rore with paine : Proud man , remember what thou well deseru'st , Thinke who hath tempted royall chastity ; Who like a cheating thiefe did steale the Queene , With lying vowes , and studied shamelesse oathes , Did play the Iuggler ; left the Kings high-way , And went about to breake inclosures : thinke Who did excell in mischiefe , who did striue To worship Diuels , who did seeke by Iust , And meanes new moulded , most in-ordinate , To make a Heauenly Saint a Sodomite , Compell pure thoughts to worship Priapus . Thinke who protended to defile the Queene , And did ( aboue pretence ) affirme the death Of mad Maenander , the deluded King , And vow Lucilla's death : obserue yong sir The sutable description to the end ; And tell vs if it bee significant : Or if the language be too blunt ; obserue ; Tell your opinion of the congruence , And spew a whetstone vp er'e I proceed : Thinke if I vse ( sir ) an affected stile , Thinke also of the strange absurdities , Thinke who 's the subiect of my railing theame , And when thou dost consider heauily It is thy wicked selfe whereof I speake And all vprightly spoken ; you 'le perceiue You want much leasure ( friend ) to punish mee For mischiefes neerer hand do threaten thee : Except thou dost despaire and hang thy selfe . AMI. Impudent diuell , didst not heare the voice Of threatning tortures ; like so many toads , Night-rauens , or scritch owles which together sing Thy deaths decree , as a sad funerall dirge ? Repent , repent ( slaue ) and consider well , Who is now sailing to the gates of hell . ( Seruants ) come apprehend this Eunuch ; hoe , Reserue him till the rigor of my doome Demands sharpe execution ; tie the wretch With loading manacles , and crucifie This false condemned railer fifty times , Till with excesse of paine the Traitor dies . GRA. I cannot now with-stand hostility , But follow death with such alacrity As one resolu'd vpon religious warre , Such deaths doe purchase a triumphal carre .

Act. 5. Scoen. 3. EVPHOREVS , BVFO , MENANDER , LAELIO , LVCILLA , MANTESIO , PERILLVS . Vnfold your Ensignes , beate your silent Drums , Exchange ( I say ) their sable cognisance , Adding a limitation to the feares Of this great Captaines death : exhausted teares May mittigate compunction , not despaire A losse vnmatch'd well worthy of repaire . Weeping should shew our zeale , not once repine At Prouidence aboue , which is Diuine . BV. But ( Agamemnon ) now the funerall rites Be finished ; new horror , new despights Speake with a bloody accent : Aiax roares , And like a tempest , or the Gyants race , Which lay encamp'd against the God-like face Of great Olimpus , doth hee bellow forth Bumbast exclaimes , and cals vpon desert ; Giue me ( saith hee ) that armour which is due , And ( as a trophey of eternall fame ) May stout Achilles , that most valiant man , Suruiue in mee : O thou vn-thankfull Greece , ( Helmets and launces bee my Orators ) Thou art indebted to my braue designes Past restitution ; let some Souldier speake , And call thee Bankrout ; for I am abus'd : Will you admit a rivall then saith hee In my magnanimous aimes to conquer mee ? Will you admit Vlysses ? LAE. They approach . ME. Shall eu'ry coward be competitor With Princes of such potent fortitude , Such high descent , such saintish pedigree As Greece can tell I Aiax doe enioy ? For Ioue and all the Gods acknowledge mee , My arme hath whole share in the dust of Troy . PER. True ( Aiax ) true , take double share in dust , But for Achilles now contend we must . ME. Contend with me ? ( thou creeping snaile ) with me ? Whom wrathfull Hector on his Elephant , Mounted like Neptune on the cursed waues , Loath to incounter , did forsake the field ; Through his faire absence did the Troians yeeld . PE. But ( Aiax ) wise men know selfe-arrogance Is still instructed sir to amplifie . ME. Fie ( prating coxcombe ) what a senslesse foole A stupid wretch , and suffring Asse am I To enter-change the aire , and empty voice With such a sheeps-head , a poore Ithacan ? PER. ( Aiax ) Your Giant bragges lacke pollicy , Strength wanting wisedome , argues extasie . ME. Giue vs our launce and helmet , I consume Till I haue turn'd this coward into fume : Fetch some offensiue swords , and scimitars , Iauelings and Curtaxe , I will crush this Ape , And as a trophey weare his captiue skinne ; ( The doubtfull terror of my certaine spoile Which may affright , and make our foes recoile . ) PER. What high renowne or fame is to be had By fighting with a Souldier who is mad ? ME. O my forgotten fury swell apace , And spit forth lightning in the cowards face , Who hath no title to his bold pretence , But a most a poore vn-tutor'd eloquence . EV. Aiax — BV. Be silent , Agamemnon speakes , EV. Hang taming fetters on your lofty frownes , Compell thy wrath which is praedominant , Force wilde affections ( Aiax : ) I professe . Aiax you are too violent ; leaue rage , And by appointment of my poore aduice , You ( in this great assembly ) shall recount Your noble acts ; which if they do amount Beyond Vlysses memorable deeds , The armour of Achilles then succeeds To thee alone , made happy through desert , Else to Vlysses shall the armes reuert . ME. Then let me challenge some prerogatiue From this forgotten place : laugh Iupiter , And blame the stupid braines of this rude throng , Which with vnthankfull eies can here behold The ships , the sands , the tattred sailes and shore , ( All rescu'd vassailes of my ventrous arme ) Yet make vs dead , and vaine Vlysses warme ; Warme with the bounty which the frozen snake Will but abuse ( my Lords ) and you mistake . What man was hee tooke danger by the iawes ? Gaue an assault of battry to the ribs Of rampant Horror ? hew'd a passage out From spoile and ruine , to reape victory ? Wrestled , and rescu'd Nauies from the fire ? And did ( for safety ) senge his beard with flames ? Gaue to triumphant Hector the repulse ? Quench'd a combustion aequall in extreames To burning Phaëton , and the torrid Zone ? What man was hee ? No talking verbalist ; But I , eeu'n Aiax , with but halfe a fist : Where was my smooth-tongu'd aduersary then ? What hope had weake Vlysses to supply A Captaines part with schoole-boyes eloquence ? No ( poore Vlysses ) if thou apprehend'st My vn-resisted victories aright ; If you conceiue your disabilities , Your inclinations naturall , and raw , Your lame , and halting courage in exploit ; Remembring sir with whom you do contend , With mee , with Aiax , whom no feares offend , Then magnifie your selfe , and thinke it praise , Aboue thy merits , to confesse , by drum , By harpe and sacke-but , that ( though ouer-come ) Thou didst yet striue with Aiax , and renounce Each other title , which may well denounce Thee indiscreet , and thy assumption proud ; Helpe mee ( deere Wisedome ) to refraine , for I Shall be transported into agony By vertue of a sight so omenous , So full of brazen impudence and feare , As that proud linguist , my competitor . Aduance , aduance , your melancholy brow , Bend your attentiue polititians eare To that which heauen and I will assecure , You haue been taught to dance , and turne the heele , To runne away betimes , and to forsake Thy friend , nay soule , vpon extremity . Nestor , Tydides , both can well auerre , You lacke the rules of doctrine militant ; All rescue is accounted heresie : Which rule ( if pitty and compassion both Were not my maximes friend ) had cost your life . I saw death's Sergeant ready to arrest Thy pensiue soule , when tumbling downe to earth , I threw my target on thy pallid hearse , Draue backe thy foes , and did thy soule reuerse . Will you ( sir ) walke vnto the place againe ? Goe faigne some foes approach , put feare enough , And wounds on , for a shift , shrinke vp againe , And like the Tortorse vnder-creepe your shell ; So sir contend I pray , and stammer well : Be wise ( you mighty Captaines ) and collect How Hector did the Troian troopes renew , Amazing vaunt-guards with- a multitude Of heathen Gods giuing a bloody cause Of quicke despaire to my Antagonist ; Nay to the valiant and prouinciall Dukes : This dreadfull man , this Hector ( tossing soules Like Gnats and Ants-egges downe to Erebus ) I beate him groueling , laid his limbs asleepe ; And like a mountaine from the firmament , Downe fell great Hector from his Elephant : Let then a wreath of Oke empale my head , And let Vlysses share with Diomed . Mars be my aequall iudge ! what simple man ( Except in league with sottish ignorance ) Would ( vpon forfeit of his patrimony , And stocke of wisedome to debility ) Admit Vlysses my competitor To striue in iest with Aiax ? if desert Shall in the vp-shot be praedominant , Looke on our out-sides , on our helmets looke ; View each mans Beuer , Breast-plate , Sword and Launce , Looke on our out-sides hoe ! consider well And pawse vpon each target ; giue me leaue , To shew the tokens of a Souldiers claime , And to vncase a cowards infamy . Marke but the difference betwixt our shields : Mine ( a true target ) hath sustain'd whole groues Of artificiall timber , topt with steele , I stood like Mars among my Troian foes , When all forsooke me but my faithfull targe , It still continued , and did nobly keepe , My limbs expos'd to danger of the field ; A Crocodile I thinke may couert sleepe Within the large wounds of my open shield : Cast ( I beseech ) now halfe a pur-blinde looke Vpon that theeuish varlet ; and his shield , Obserue how smooth and faire his night-caps be , His helmets ( Lords ) I meane , obserue his shield , His Beuer trim'd twise twenty times a day ; His gauntlets , gorgets , and his gilded Armes , All of a sweet complexion , sanguine sappe , As to incounter some fine Ladies lappe : Meaning to be a Champion of the smockes , A gallant spruce young warriour indeed , Warre shall presse wiues ; for Souldiers do not bleed . Account my phrase no ambiguity , Vlysses sloth my words will verifie : I laugh most freely to imagine how Effoeminate Vlysses will support The massy fabricke of Achiles armes , If my deseruings shall be rob'd and loose That which I honour , and affection wooes . EV. ( Aiax ) enough ; Vlysses now begin : PER. Desire ( alas ) being not effectuall To raise from Cinders dead mortality , And make a liuing heire indubitate , Heau'n saith , hee shall remaine ambiguous , Till you ( great Iudges ) doe decide the strife , And so restore Achilles vnto life : Which , because doubtfull , I doe challenge grace Of you my patrons , and this publicke place . The bragging fellow Aiax doth deriue A long forgotten age from Telamon , Striuing to fetch a foolish argument Of his renowned acts , from high discent , If which dead picture of Kings pedigree , Could but infuce a fortune competent , And make that piercing wisedome of the soule A thing intitled to inheritance , I could produce a genealogy , From sacred Ioue , and subtill Mercury ; But , may the best of all my stratagems , Which to thy sole aduantage ( happy Greece ) I haue inuented ; may they perish all When I assume the vertue of my sire , As agent for my hope , and chiefe desire . Who tempted braue Achilles to the siege When hee ( detain'd with feare of destiny ) Was eeu'n excluded in a female robe ? When hee forgot to be pontificall , And was a true virago ? did refuse Both weapons , and each little sound of warre ? I had a feeling of my countries cause , And drew Achilles to the Troian warres ; That mighty Captaine of the Mermedons I drew to battell , made him disobey His mother-goddesse , to aduance the state Of weary toile , and trouble Pergamus : I put his armour on ; gaue weapons too ; For what I gaue ( great Lords ) I humbly wooe . Speake , did not I incounter Telephon ? Turne Thebes to ashes ? conquer Tenedos ? Chryses , and Cylla , Syron , Hector , Troy , All do acknowledge me ; my valiant arme , My notable aduice ; all attribute The shamelesse ruine of subuerted Troy To me , as author sole , and absolute Of such a safety to the common-weale ; Which , notwithstanding ( fathers ) I renounce , And must acknowledge you the principals Of an atchieuement so perspicuous : And whatsouer the vaine peoples voice , Captaines report , and painfull Souldiers loue , Doth by mis-guided error giue to mee , I render backe with all humility . To vrge my owne directions , and aduice In Architecture of that happy horse , That fatall fabricke ( being so fresh in thought ) Were to condemne you ( mindfull country-men ) Of that which wisedome loathes , Ingratitude . To reckon vp Minerua's image , bought With hazard of my breath , and precious limbs , When wedging barres flew from the Iron gates , And gaue accesse vnto that sacred spell , Might argue a most false obliuion In your quicke wisedomes with strange impudence In my most bold surmise . But ( Mighties all ) May stupid Aiax his reproachfull termes , ( Without each scruple to your iudging eares ) Be twice retorted in his rotten teeth ; So hee may swallow downe such base Rebukes , And make amends to me : for let him know , My suffring shoulders could sustaine the load Not of Achilles armour , but his lumpe Of solid , brawny flesh , both legges and armes , Nay the whole massy trunke truss'd vp in steele : I ( Aiax ) I , that carkasse once be-stridde , Vpon my shoulders tooke his heauy trunke When death stood there , and in the midst of all Carried Achilles to his funerall . When after thousand sharpe calamities Of warre , of winter , famine , pestilence , Of parching dog-daies , long and taedious , Of tempest , thunder , much mortality , After all these , and ten yeares doubtfull siege , When you forsooke the Campe , did so recoile , As almost scorning a recouery ; I charm'd the top-mast , hal'd you backe to shore , Conuerted all to conquest , which before Did seeme aboue my dull inuentiue braine , Giue me a meed for ten yeares toile and paine . OM. Succeed Vlysses , take thy rich desire . ME. Depth to my fortunes ! shall Vlysses rob My long deseruings of so rich a claime ? I will increase the bargaine , stay a while Take my memento . OM. Sir , auoid his rage . ME. Do'st flye from vengeance ? whither can you flye ? Whither ( thou shifting coward ) to escape The indignation of my doubtlesse wrath ? See how the lurking caitife there doth hide His Cuckow-bill ; what fury could abstaine ? LVC. MAN. Angels protect vs ; helpe , we both are slaine ? LAE. PE. Defend it ( fiction . ) ME. Helpe it forward ( faith ) And giue some fee to Iustice : ( gallants ) know , Mischiefe to high extreames this paire did wooe , AM. With false Pheudippe did conspire wee two . ME. Harke they confesse what wonder did reueale , Giue your applause , and make a merry peale : Call mee not Aiax now , but Mercury , Who could vn-tye a Tragicke riddle thus ; Worthy to be esteem'd miraculous .

Act. 5. Scoen. 4. FAVORINA , GLADIATOR Cannot you ( sir ) espye the honest man ( That noble Eunuch , my deliuerer ) Good Gracchus comming yet ? GLA. ( Deere Madame ) no . FAV. Indeed my phansie doth suggest new feare , Seeming to tell me Gracchus is detain'd By his Lords rage , who did ( I doubt ) returne Sooner then hee exspected ; which despight If I could well coniecture to bee true , With wings of lightning I 'de againe goe backe And bring my Eunuch from captiuity . GLA. Take then some officers to apprehend The lustfull traitor . FA. Such delay is long , And my deere Eunuch may be dead alas With tortures and extremity of paine , Er'e such late rescue doth aduantage giue , To qualifie his torment ; hee , good man , ( Little affected with ensuing harme ) Bestow'd vpon mee a deliuerance , Which is repaid ( I feare ) , with bloody stripes : Stay not my purpose ; but giue charity A gentle freedome to deliuer one Who is my comfort ; ( friend ) I will returne : And ( let no liuing soule participate Of what I say , except my selfe and aire ) aside I will , through colour of a pious end , Enioy Amilcar , whom I did refuse : For , to set free my Eunuch , will affoord A fine praetext , though I do prostitute ; Which I did eeu'n defire , exspecting still Vpon each little signe of violence , ( The modest shadow of a secret whore ) So will I winne what was halfe lost before . GLA. Madam , you do protract the pretious time , FA. Leaue me , I will returne . GLA. The way 's not farre ; Walke on whilst I assemble Officers . FA. A needlesse caution , be content I pray To take no care , saue what I shall command ; Be not so dutifull aboue thy hire , Bring mee no water when I call for fire . GLA. A riddle : so in safeties name walke on : Yet seeing the woman will be obstinate , I ( to auoid suspition ) will goe home , Fetch neighbours , and incompasse round the walles , If Lords like out-lawes liue , the kingdome falles .

Act. 5. Scoen. 5. HYARCHVS , HIPPONAX , LAELIO . When , when ( ô Goddesse ) will thy anger leaue To punish nature , and afflict poore man , Who was created to offensiue sinne ? The Souldiers awe , and common peoples rage , Make ciuill customes be licentious ; Rapine , rude contracts , discord , enmity , All take their essence from one extasie : HIP. Maenander liues , the lucklesse cause of all ; His life alone procures the kingdomes fall : LAE. The longer life , the losse more eminent : Know ( Lords ) I am a witnesse ocular , And may with priuiledge informe you both Of a most new and fatall accident : The King , Maenander , did produce a Scoene , A Scoene of Aiax , that vnhappy play ( Pretending sport ) became a Tragedy For blood , and breath's efluxion : fiue deepe wounds ( wearing Maenanders badge ) at once depriu'd The sister Royall , next ally'd , by law Of birth , and natiue consanguinity , From hope of all succession to the chaire . AMB. Lucilla dead ? LAE. With her Mantesio sleeps : Each life was tributary to the rage Of our mad King ; but each accus'd it selfe As priuy , to that arch-conspiracy So long forgotten ; to Pheudippe's crime . HY. Conceal'd so long ? HIP. Who did discouer it ? LAE. A question doubtfull ; but Maenander saith An apparition did reueale the truth . HIP. Shadows may walke indeed . HY. Impossible ! I am resolu'd against all argument ; I am incredulous ; dead neuer walke . LAE. Neuer the same , yet the similitude , HY. Who sayes againe so , wee 'le averre the lye ; What be no things of nature , I account Fables . HIP. You are not Metaphysicall . HY. No sir : I thinke the age is giddy ; death ! Can wee from ashes raise a second life ? The age is drunken sure . LAE. A doting age . HY. The times are dizzy . LAE. No man doth deny A theame so irrepugnable and true : Reasons owne selfe will be our advocate In prouing what you speake ; for punies know The world's lame reuoluti'on hath beene long , And all partake of mundane giddinesse : The turning round of earth hath touch'd our braine ; The longer age , the more absurd and vaine . HIP. Age must decline , life's comfort will decay . Though all things perish ; let religion stay .

Act. 5. Scoene . 6. AMILCAR , FAVORINA , GRACCHVS , GLADIATOR , SERVI : STIPATORES . I haue a thousand plagues in readinesse , Strappadoes , and empalements , pitch , and oile , A Racke of Bow-strings , a tormenting Bull . Hogs-heads with nailes inuerted ; furies whips , And artificiall prickes of Adders bone , Which to behold , in practise on my slaue , Your Lady-ship is welcome ; and approach Most opportunely ( Madam : ) after all When griefe hath fear'd your eye-sight vp ; you shall Then be dis-burthn'd of that chastity Which is a trouble to your conscience : I ( Madam ) will remoue the deere suspence Of question ; whither you may prostitute , And so resolue you a whore absolute : ( Seruants ) come cast my drudge vpon the wheele ; Stand vp-right ( rascall ) stand sir , do not reele , Take your last leaue of standings say adiew To ease ; and as you leaue paine , looke for new . FAV. O saue my Eunuch , and I will submit My whole reuenue , life , and chastity To your disposall . AMI. President of shame ! Shoote ( hell ) a bon-fire of vnbounded flame , And may each heau'nly star augment his light To make this woman famous ; may each night Change foggy darkenesse to prodigious day , And ( by some signe ) a subtle whoore display To be the miracle of monstruous age Worthy of iudgements quill , and natures stage . Are you the vestall ? that religious Nun , Who speake no sillable but Innocence , Sacred deuotion , Virgin chastity ? Raile at our fleshly sinnes , concupisence , Temptations actuall , and yet embrace , Nay , hug hels bosome ? creepe into the vice ( Which you would seeme so liuely to abhorre ) Gaping at small occasion ? ( Madam ) know Affection is my seruant , Will my slaue , Passion my drudge , Temptation is my page And I more easily can command them all , Then may a Turke his tugging Gally-slaue : Know , I contemne that curteous venery Which is affoorded scot-free ; such nice dames Would seeme to couer when they couet flames . Of puddle-water no sicke patient drinkes ; A pretious odour , cheapely valued , stinkes . And , that you may conceiue how I esteeme Your beauty ; thus will I deforme — FA. O helpe . GLA. Harke ( neighbours ) follow , force downe locks & bars , Attach the Traitor , AMI. Am I then betrai'd ? GLA. Take vp the Queene . FA. My wound 's not mortall ; stay Release that Eunuch . STI. Keepe the Traitor safe . FA. Con-vey him as an Ideot , or Drudge ; My Wrong may be accuser , Clearke , and Iudge .

Act. 5. Scoen. 7. MENANDER , EVPHORBVS , BVFO , LAELIO . Tilt in my face ( Euphorbus ) and reclaime The slight opinion of our Deity . Tilt in our face ( I say ) and thence collect If I be Hermes ; make some steady thrust , And call mee Sacred , Matchlesse , Mercury : Beleeue it ( youth ) I will dis-ioine thy necke And shoulders , if thou dost againe deny That I am Hermes , Ioues Embassadour , A winged , and im-penetrable God : Tilt therefore in my face , tilt speedily ; Be thou con-iur'd by lawes of sanctity . EVP. The fiend ( sir ) doth oppresse my feeble arme . MEN. ( Caitife ) prouoke not my offensiue rage Least I depriue thee of all future age . EVP. Then I must kill thee ( King . ) ME. I am a God ; Translated by the voice of Parliament Which sits aboue this cloudy firmament : I am a God Euphorbus ; am no King ; The Tawny-more , and Ethiop shall bring Vnto my Altars pleasant sacrifice , Fresh Opo-balsum ; Fawnes of paradice ; Roe-buckes and balme to please our Deity . Stab vs ( thou Athiest ) stab vs , and beleeue That I am perfect shadow , am a God ; Thrust thy vn-willing Poniard through my ribs ; And thence perceiue our full Deuinity ; Auoide my wrath ( I say ) 't is dangerous , If you refuse , I am vnmercifull . EV. Stand to thy fortune ( God ) my dagger comes : ME. Deep enough dig then : ô my smal wound smarts My breath is stopt , my God-like soule departs . EVP. So : I now assume the intellectuall robe Of Reason ; and re-linquish Lunacy Which idle scare brought mee acquainted with : And ( as I hope ) the vnderstanding heads , Which rule this Common-wealths society ; Will construe this an act of Piety . LAE. Where is the King ? I carry newes of ioy — BV. Where is the King ? dead Fauorina liues . EV. Heere lies the King who did enforce a death Vpon the perill of his Authors life , If hee refus'd to execute his will . AMBO . Euphorbus then recouer'd ? EV. Yes ; for I Did counterfeit a couz'ning lunacy . AM. Sparta behoues to' acknowledge thee her friend . LAE. The sentence of Amilcar let 's attend .

Act. 5. Scoen. 8. HYARCHVS , EVPHOREVS , HIPPONAX , LAELIO , AMILCAR , FAVORINA , BVFO , GRACCHVS , GLADIATOR , LESBIA , MILITES , STIPATORES . OM. Long liue the Queene . HIP. Draw the damn'd villaine forth , And let him swallow sulphure ; flaming pitch , Or else be roasted pittilesse aliue . AMI. O giue mee oile of Mandrakes , Poppey iuice Or poyson of infected Helleber . HY. Flea him , and make a trophey of his skin . FAV. Cut off his members ; bind and broile the slaue . HIP. Let him be quarterd . AMI. To deceiue all these Were pollicy aboue the rules of Art : I haue concluded to preuent the shapes Of torture ; death by death alone escapes . OM. Saue , saue the Traitor , saue him . GLA: Hee is dead . HIP. May then the Traitor sleepe in tortures bed . EVP. But may Maenanders dying soule ascend ; Whom for the safety of this Common-wealth , I did restore to happinesse and health . HIP. HY. Amazement of our age ! wonder of time ! EVP. Touch'd with a feeling of my Countries good I dipt my dagger in his royall blood , By his owne chiefe desire ; so leaue mad care , Which my suspicion did assume through feare . OM. The Queene shall Crowne thee . EVP. So I leaue the schoole Of madnesse , to become mad fortunes foole . FAV. Remoue the Carkasse of that slaught'red King . EVP. Wee once obey'd him : after extasy Let 's therefore follow his dead obsequy . ( Nature ) stand speech-lesse , for aboue thy part With man preuailes both Lunacy and Art .

Act. 5. Scoen. 9. CINTHIA . Horror , affrightments , death , and anger flye , Flye to the bottome of hels darke Abysse , That heau'n may smile vpon the clouded earth And all take notice wee are pacifi'd : Grim death triumphant , whose empaled brow Can terrefy the factious Kings below , ( Who when wee were incens'd through blasphemy Sent forth reuenge to please our Deity ) Shall now enchaine that mischiefe mercilesse , And qualify reuengefull greedinesse : Discloud thy lustre ( my new borrowed shine ) Scatter thy foggy damps which doe debarre My bounteous lamp of vniuersall light : Let exhalations giue my honour place , All stars attendant looke earth in the face . Gods cannot dwell in rage ; though slimy man If but en-nobled by permissiue law , Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death Till hee extirpe a whole posterity : Wee though immortall , though aboue best braines To comprehend ; though sole efficients , Though euery thing in essence , though deuine , Though Gods ; ( in which one syllable , the summe Of euery thing 's inuolu'd ) though Gods wee are , Yet in compassion wee doe still accept Those that prophane our sacred holinesse . For ; should the anger of Omnipotence Punish man-kind so often , or so long As their insatiate folly doth deserue , Ioue would be weary and the Gods aboue Turne boyling wrath into aboundant loue . FINIS .