Prethee what course takes she to do this Vitry One that cannot faile she and vertuous traine With her Iewells and all that was worthy the carrying The last night left the court and as 't is more Then sayd for 't is confirm'd by such as met her She 's fled vnto your brother Theod. How Vitry Nay storme not For if that wicked tonge of hers hath not Forgot its pace and Thierry be a Prince Of such a fiery temper as report Has giuen him out for you shall haue cause to vse Such poore men as my selfe and thanke vs too For comming to you and without petitions Pray heauen reward the good old woman for 't Mart. I foresaw this Theod. I heare a tempest comming That sings mine and my kingdomes ruine hast And cause a troope of horse to fetch her backe Yet stay why should I vse meanes to bring in A plague that of her selfe hath left me Muster Our souldiers vp we 'ele stand vpon our gard For we shall be attempted yet forbeare The inequality of our powers will yeeld me Nothing but losse in their defeature something Must be done and done suddainely saue your labor In this I 'le vse no counsell but mine owne That course though dangerous is best Command Our daughter be in readinesse to attend vs Martell your company and honest Vitry Thou wilt along with me Vitry Yes any where To be worse then I am here is past my feare Exeunt Act. 2. Scoe. 1. Enter Thierry Brunhalt Bawdber Lecure c. Thier. You are here in a sanctuary and that viper Who since he hath forgot to be a sonne I much disdaine to thinke of as a brother Had better in despight of all the gods To haue razed their Temples and spurn'd downe their altars Then in his impious abuse of you To haue called on my iust anger Brun. Princely sonne And in this worthy of a neere name I haue in the relation of my wrongs Bene modest and no word my tonge deliuered T' expresse my insupportable iniuries But gaue my hart a wound nor has my griefe Being from what I suffer but that he Degenerate as he is should be the actor Of my extreames and force me to deuide The fires of brotherly affection Which should make but one flame Thier. That part of his As it deserues shall burne no more if or The teares of Orphans widdows or all such As dare acknowledge him to be their Lord Ioyned to your wrongs with his hart blood haue powre To put it out and you and these your seruants Who in our fauours shall finde cause to know In that they left not you how deere we hold them Shall giue Theodoret to vnderstand His ignorance of the prizelesse Iewell which He did possesse in you mother in you Of which I am more proud to bee the doner Then if the absolute rule of all the world Were offer'd to this hand once more you are well-come Which with all ceremonie due to greatnesse I would make knowne but that our iust reuenge Admitts not of delay your hand Lord Generall Enter Protaldie wish souldiers Brun. Your fauour and his merrit I may say Haue made him such but I am iealious how Your subiects will receiue it Thier. How my subiects What do you make of me Oh heauen my subiects How base should I esteeme the name of Prince If that poore dust were any thing before The whirlewind of my absolute command Let them be happy and rest so contented They pay the tribute of their harts and knees To such a Prince that not alone h 'as power To keepe his owne but to increase it that Although he hath a body may adde to The fam'd night labour of strong Hercules Yet is the maister of a continence That so can temper it that I forebeare Their daughters and their wiues whose hands though strong As yet haue neuer drawne by vniust meane Their proper wealth into my treasury But I grow glorious and let them beware That in their least repining at my pleasures They change not a mild Prince for if prouok'd I dare and will be so into a Tyrant Brun. You see there 's hope that we shall rule againe And your falne fortunes rise Bawdb. I hope your Highnesse Is pleas'd that I shall still hold my place with you For I haue bene so long vs'd to prouide you Fresh bits of flesh since mine grew stale that surely If cashir'd now I shall proue a bad Cator In the Fishmarket of cold chastity Lecure For me I am your owne nor since I first Knew what it was to serue you haue remembred I had a soule but such a one whose essence Depended wholy on your Highnesse pleasure And therefore Madam Brun. Rest assur'd you are Such instruments we must not lose Lecure. Bawdb. Our seruice Thier. You haue view'd them then what 's your opinion of em In this dull time of peace we haue prepar'd em Apt for the war Ha Prota. Sir they haue limbes That promise strength sufficient and rich armors The souldiers best lou'd wealth more it appeares They haue beene drill'd nay very prettily drill'd For many of them can discharge their muskets Without the danger of throwing off their heads Or being offensiue to the standers by By sweating too much backwards nay I find They know the right and left hand file and may With some impulsion no doubt be brought To passe the A B C of war and come Vnto the Horne-booke Thier. Well that care is yours And see that you effect it Prota. I am slow To promise much but if within ten dayes By precepts and examples not drawne from Worme eaten presidents of the Roman wars But from mine owne I make them not transcend All that e're yet bore armes let it be sayd Protaldye bragges which would be vnto me As hatefull as to be esteemde a coward For Sir few Captaines know the way to win him And make the souldiers valiant You shall seeme Lie with them in their trenches talke and drinke And be together drunke and what seemes stranger We 'ele sometimes wench together which once practisde And with some other care and hidden acts They being all made mine I 'le breathe into them Such fearelesse resolution and such feruor That though I brought them to beseege a fort Whose walls were steeple high and cannon proofe Not to be vndermind they should fly vp Like swallowes and the parapet once wonne For proofe of their obedience if I willed them They should leape downe againe and what is more By some directions they should haue from me Not breake their neckes Thi. This is aboue beleefe Brun. Sir on my knowledge though hee hath spoke much He 's able to do more Lecure She meanes on her Brun. And howsoeuer in his thankefulnesse For some few fauors done him by my selfe He left Austrachia not Theoderet Though hee was chiefely aimde at could haue layd With all his Dukedomes power that shame vpon him VVhich in his barbarous malice to my honor He
swore with threats to effect Their. I cannot but Beleeue you Madam thou art one degree Growne neerer to my hart and I am proud To haue in thee so glorious a plant Transported hither in thy conduct we Go on assurde of conquest our remoue Shall be with the next sunne Euter Theoderet Memberge Martell Deuitry Lecure Amazement leaue me 't is hee Bawdh. VVe are againe vndone Prot. Our guilt hath no assurance nor defence Bawdh. If now your euer ready wit faile to protect vs VVe shall be all discouerde Brun. Be not so In your amazement and your foolish feares I am prepared for 't Theod. How Not one poore welcome In answere of so long a iorney made Only to see your brother Thier. I haue stood Silent thus long and am yet vnresolude VVhether to entertaine thee on my sword As fits a parricide of a mothers honor Or whether being a Prince I yet stand bound Though thou art here condemnde to giue thee hearing Before I execute VVhat foolish hope Nay pray you forbeare or desperate madnesse rather Vnlesse thou comest assurde I stand in debt As far to all impiety as thy selfe Has made thee bring thy necke vnto the axe Since looking only here it cannot but Draw fresh blood from thy searde vp conscience To make thee sensible of that horror which They euer beare about them that like Nero Like sayd I thou are worse since thou darest striue In her defame to murther thine aliue Theod. That she that long since had the boldnes to Be a bad woman though I wish some other Should so report her could not want the cunning Since they go hand in hand to lay faire colours On her blacke crimes I was resolude before Nor make I doubt but that shee hath impoysonde Your good opinion of me and so far Incensde your rage against me that too late I come to plead my innocence Brun. To excuse thy impious scandalls rather Prot. Rather forc'd with feare to be compelde to come Thierry Forbeare Theod. This moues not mee and yet had I not beene Transported on my owne integrity I neither am so odious to my subiects Nor yet so barren of defence but that By force I could haue iustified my guilt Had I bene faulty but since innocence Is to it selfe an hundred thousand gardes And that there is no sonne but though he owe That name to an ill mother but stands bound Rather to take away with his owne danger From the number of her faults then for his owne Security to adde vnto them This This hath made me to preuent th' expence Of bloud on both sides the iniuries the rapes Pages that euer waite vpon the war The accompt of all which since you are the cause Beleeue it would haue bene required from you Rather I say to offer vp my daughter Who liuing only could reuenge my death With my hart blood a sacrifice to your anger Then that you shold draw on your head more curses Then yet you haue deserued Thier. I do begin To feele an alteration in my nature And in his full sailde confidence a showre Of gentle raine that falling on the fire Of my hot rage hath quenched it ha I would Once more speake roughly to him and I will Yet there is something whispers to me that I haue sayd too much How is my heart deuided Betweene the duty of a sonne and loue Due to a brother yet I am swayed heere And must aske of you how t is possible You can affect me that haue learned to hate Where you should pay all loue Theod. Which ioynde with duty Vpon my knees I should be proud to tender Had she not vs'd her selfe so many swords To cut those bonds that tide me to it Thier. Fie no more of that Theod. Alas it is a theame I take no pleasure to discourse of would It could assoone be buried to the world As it should die to me nay more I wish Next to my part of heauen that shee would spend The last part of her life so here that all Indifferent Iudges might condemne me for A most malicious slanderer nay texde it Vpon my forehead if you hate me mother Put me to such a shame pray you do beleeue it There is no glory that may fall vpon me Can equall the delight I should receiue In that disgrace prouided the repeale Of your long banishde vertues and good name Vsher'd me to it Thier. See she shewes her selfe An easie mother which her teares confirme Theod. T is a good signe the comfortablest raine I euer saw Thier. Embrace why this is well May neuer more but loue in you and duty On your part rise betweene you Bawdh. Do you heare Lord Generall Does not your new stampde honor on the suddaine Begin to grow sicke Prota. Yes I finde it fit That putting off my armor I should thinke of Some honest hospitall to retire to Bawdh. Sure although I am a bawd yet being a Lord They cannot whip me for 't what 's your opinion Lecure The beadle will resolue you for I cannot There is something that more neere concernes myselfe That calls vpon me Mart. Note but yonder scarabes That liude vpon the dunge of her base pleasures How from the feare that she may yet proue honest Hang downe their wicked heads Vitry What is that to me Though they and all the polecats of the Court Were trustde together I perceiue not how It can aduantage me a cardekue To helpe to keepe me honest A horne Enter a Post Thier. How from whence Post These letters will resolue your grace Thier. What speake they Reades How all things meete to make me this day happy See mother brother to your reconcilement Another blessing almost equall to it Is comming towards me my contracted wife Ordella daughter of wise Dataricke The King of Aragon is on our confines Then to arriue at such a time when you Are happily heere to honor with your presence Our long deferde but much wished nuptiall Falls out aboue expression heauen be pleasde That I may vse these blessing powrde on me With moderation Brun. Hell and furies ayde me That I may haue power to auert the plagues That preste vpon me Thier. Two dayes iourny sayest thou We will set forth to meete her in the meane time See all things be prepárde to entertaine her Nay let me haud your companies there 's a Forrest In the midway shall yeeld vs hunting sport To ease our trauaile I le not haue a brow But shall we are mirth vpon it therefore cleere them We 'ele wash away all sorrow in glad feasts And the war we meane to men we 'ele make on beasts Exeum omnes praeter Brun. Bawdber Portaldy Lecure Brun. Oh that I had the Magicke to transform you Into the shape of such that your owne hounds Might teare you peece-meale are you so stupid No word of comfort Haue I fed you mothers From my excesse of moysture with such cost And can you yeeld no other retribution But to
he should kill The first he met being female from the Temple And then he should haue children the mistake Is now to perfect Lady Ordella Still 't is I Sir For may this worke be done by common women Durst any but my selfe that knew the blessing And felt the benefit assume this dying In any other t'ad bin lost and nothing A curse and not a blessing I was figur'd And shall a little fondnesse barre my purchase Mart. Where should he then seeke children Ordella Where they are In wombes ordainde for issues in those beauties That blesse a marriage bed and makes it proceede With kisses that conceiue and fruitefull pleasures Mine like a graue buries those loyall hopes And to a graue it couets Mart. You are too good Too excellent too honest robbe not vs And those that shall hereafter seeke example Of such inestimable worthies in woman Your Lord of such obedience all of honor In coueting a cruelty is not yours A will short of your wisedome make not error A tombestone of your vertues whose faire life Deserues a constellation your Lord dare not He cannot ought not must not run this hazard He makes a separation nature shakes at The gods deny and euerlasting iustice Shrinkes backe and sheathes her sword at Ordella All 's but talke Sir I find to what I am reseru'd and needefull And though my Lords compassion makes me poore And leaues me in my best vse yet a strength Aboue mine owne or his dull fondnesse finds mee The gods haue giuen it to me drawes a knife Mart. Selfe destruction Now all good angells blesse thee o sweete Lady You are abus'd this is a way to shame you And with you al that knowes you al that loues you To ruine all you build would you be famous Is that your end Ordella I would be what I should be Mart. Liue and confirme the gods then liue and be loaden With more then oliues beare or fruitefull Autum This way you kill your merit kill your cause And him you would raise life to where or how Got you these bloody thonghts what diuell durst Looke on that Angell face and tempt do you know What 't is to die thus how you strike the stars And all good things aboue do you feele What followes a selfe blood whither you venter And to what punishment excellent Lady Be not thus cozen'd do not foole your selfe The priest was neuer his owne sacrifice But he that thought his hell here Ordella I am counsell'd Mart. And I am glad on 't lie I know you dare not Ordella I neuer haue done yet Mart. Pray take my comfort Was this a soule to lose two more such women Would saue their sex see she repents and prayes O heare her heare her if there be a faith Able to reach your mercies she hath sent it Ordella Now good Martell confirme me Mart. I will Lady And euery houre aduise you for I doubt Whether this plot be heauens or hells your mother And I will find it if it be in mankind To search the center of it in the meane time I 'le giue you out for dead and by your selfe And shew the instrument so shall I find A ioy that will betray her Ordella Do what 's finest And I will follow you Mart. Then euer liue Both able to in grosse all loue and giue Exeunt Enter Brunhalt Protaldye Brun. I am in labour To be deliuerde of that burthenous proiect T haue so long gone with ha here 's the mid-wife Or life or death Enter Lecure Lecure If in the supposition Of her death in whose life you die you aske me I thinke you are safe Brun. Is she dead Lecure I haue vsde All meanes to make her so I saw him waiting At the Temple doore and vsde such art within That only she of all her sexe was first Giuen vp vnto his fury Brun. Which if loue Or feare made him forbeare to execute The vengeance he determinde his fond pitty Shall draw it on himselfe for were there left Not any man but he to serue my pleasures Or from me to receiue commands which are The ioyes for which I loue life he should be Remoude and I alone left to be Queene O're any part of goodnesse that 's left in me Lecure If you are so resolude I haue prouided A meanes to ship him hence looke vpon this But touch it sparingly for this once vsde Say but to drie a teare will keepe the eyelidde From closing vntill death performe that office Brun. Giue 't me I may haue vse of 't and on you I 'le make the first experiment if one sigh Or heauy looke beget the least suspition Childish compassion can thaw the ice Of your so long congealde and flinty hardnesse Slight go on constant or I shall Prot. Best Lady We haue no faculties which are not yours Lecure Nor will be anything without you Brun. Be so And we will stand or fall together for Since we haue gone so far that death must stay The iourney which we wish should neuer end And innocent or guilty we must die When we do so let 's know the reason why Enter Thierry and Courtiers Lecure The King Thier. We 'le be alone Prot: I would I had A conuoy too to bring me safe off For rage although it be allaide with sorrow Appeares so dreadfull in him that I shake To looke vpon it Brun. Coward I will meete it And know from whence t 'as birth sonne kingly Thierry Thier. Is cheating growne so common among men And thriues so well heere that the gods endeauour To practice it aboue Brun. Your mother Thier. Ha! or are they only carefull to reuenge Not to reward or when for your offences We study satisfaction must the cure Be worse then the disease Brun. Will you not heare me Thier. To lose th' ability to performe those duties For which I entertainde the name of husband Askde more then common sorrow but t' impose For the redresse of that defect a torture In marking her to death for whom alone I felt that weaknesse as a want requires More then the making the head bald or falling Thus flat vpon the earth or cursing that way Or praying this oh such a sceane of griefe And so set downe the world the stage to act on May challenge a Tragedian better practisde Then I am to expresse it for my cause Of passion is so strong and my performance So weake that though the part be good I feare Th' ill acting of it will defraude it of The poore reward it may deserue mens pitty Brun. I haue giuen you way thus long a King and what Is more my sonne and yet a slaue to that Which only triumphs ouer cowards sorrow For shame looke vp Thier. I' st you looke downe on me And if that you are capable to receiue it Let that returne to you that haue brought forth One markde out only for it what are these Come they vpon your priueledge to tread on The tombe of my