stout Achilles didst bring forth a very Mars in warre And Captaine good unto the Greekes thy glory scales the skies To thee did thy red-headed wife cause Pirrhus rough to rise The Trojans utter overthrow but stay to Greekish host Be thou good Pirrhus unto us a favourable ghost Who here in grave intombed liest in Phoebus sacred ground Bow downe thy care to th' holy hymnes that we to thee do sound And this our City suffer not in any feare to be Of thee and Thetis is our song Thetis all haile to thee The song ended enters Theagines Captaine of the Thessalians very richly apparelled followed by many gallants who guarding him as he went at last encompassed him round about the maides overcome with the beauty of Theagines could not moderate their passions but began to cast flowers and fruit upon him with that enters Cariclea most sumptuously adorned according to the manner her haire was neither all bound up nor all loose but the most part thereof that grew behind hanged over her shoulders that which grew from the crowne of her head downe to her forehead being of a yellow colour was crowned with a garland of young Laurell in her left hand shee bare a guilded Bow and a Quiver of arrowes hanged on her right shoulder and in her other hand she bare a taper burning after the young men had gone three times about Neoptolemus scpulture in their bravery the women cryed out pittiously the men made a strange noise with that Theagines speakes to Caricles Theag. Most sacred Priest of this high Deity We make request unto you to begin This sacrifice to Neoptolemus Caric. The sacrifice indeed belongs to me But you sir as the Captaine of this charge And sacred message ought to take the taper Of her there who of all those ceremonies Is presedent and burne the alter of This is the order and our Countrey fashion Theagnes takes the taper with a great deale of reverence from the hand of Cariclea and sets fire to the Alter but first he was in a maze at the exceeding beauty of Cariclea and she as much taken with his then they both smiled a little and blush'd and then became pale againe in conclusion he falls in love with her and she with him Theag. So burnes my heart as doth this Alter here The taper that did set my heart a fire Was faire Caricleas beauty aside Cariclea How my soule Could sacrifice to faire Theagines aside Caricles Great god of Delphos in whose sacred temple We celebrate these funerall obsequies Of great Achilles sonne vouchsafe to send A happy ômen which may crowne this worke Of our devotion offered at thy Altar The Oracle speakes touching Theagines and Cariclea Ye men of Delphos sing of her and her rare beauties praise Who now in grace begins to grow but fame shall and her daies Who leaving these my temples here and sailing surging streames Shall come at length to contries scorch'd with Phoebus burning beames Where they as recompences due that vertues rare doe gaine In time to come ere it be long White miters shall obtaine After this answer of the god Apollo the pompe is broken up and Exeunt Actus secundi Scena octava Enter the iudges and people of Athens then Aristippus And Demeneta with Cnemon bound 2 Iudg. Cnemon stand forth who doth accuse him here Aristippus steps forth and strewing ashes on his head sâ—ith Aristip I brought not up my sonne ye men of Athens To see him come unto this end but rather To be a staffe to stay my age upon As soone as he was borne his education VVas good and civill when he did attaine To riper yeeres I set him to our schooles And Academies there to study arts And Mathematicke sciences besides According to the lawes of this our City Made him free denison yet notwithstanding He hath not onely cast behind his backe These favours of my love but diversely Both injur'd me and beaten this good woman Who by our lawes is now my second wife And not content herewith one night he came Unto us with a drawne sword in his hand When we in bed suspected no such thing In mind to kill us both and was no farther From being a paracide but that by chance His sword by sudden feare fell out his hand Which ' Demeneta my good wife tooke up Therefore I flee to you most learned Judges And though I might by law of this our Senate Slay him with my owne hands yet I appeale Unto your justice and commit my cause To your grave censures counting it more sit To punish this my sonne by publike lawe Then private bloodshed With that Aristippus weepes Demeneta faining teares also Demen. Cnemon i 'me sorry for thee pretty boy In an ill hower wert thou brought to the world Unhappy creature Cnem. Grave and learned senate Vouchsafe to heare me speake 2 Iudg. We will not heare thee But answer to this question we propound Came you unto your father with a sword Drawne in your hand or no Cnem. I not deny But I came with a drawne sword in my hand But I will tell you how please you to heare me 3 Iudg. He hath confess'd ynough he ought not speake more for himselfe 1 Iudg. Let us proceed to sentence 2 Iudg. I judge him worthy to be ston'd to death 3 Iudg. I to be hang'd 4 Iudg. This is my sentence fathers â—hat he be cast headlong into the dungeon Cnem. O cruell stepmother and most unkind â—or thy curs'd sake am I so ill intreated â—gainst all equity and justice too â—hou kil'st me contrary to course of Law 1. Iudg. Your sentence is too hard and too severe â—et him not die but be for ever banish'd 2 Iudg. Let him be ston'd 3. Iudg. Nay hang'd 4. Iudg. nay cast into â—he dungeon 1. Iudg. since we differ conscript fathers â—n our opinions I doe thinke it fit â— be referr'd unto the peoples voyces 2. Iudg. I doe assent unto it 3 Iudg. So do I. 4. Iudg. And I. 1. Iudg. Then people give your voices shall young Cnemon â—ie or be banish'd The people banish'd banish'd banish'd 1. Iudg. Then Cnemon this must be thy punishment â—erpetuall exile from thy native land â—ever to be revok'd which if infring'd â—y thy presumption then expect to have â—o mercie from the senate but a grave â—eake up the Court Exeunt Actus secundi Scena nona Enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. Saw you my onely joy and the sole honour â—f Delphos faire Cariclea my daughter Calas This was not sir the first time that I saw her â—s often as the people made resort Unto the temple I was present with her And more we have done sacrifice together And when she doubted any point depending On divine matters or on humane learning She would have me instruct her in the truth Caric. How did you like her at the sacrifice Did she set forth that brave sight any thing Calasiris You aske me a strang question Caricles As
her so flowring age O had my daughter I bare unto you liv'd she would have beene Almost as old as she I doe beseech you Spare her and let her serve me at my table For I am prompted strangely by my Genius Unto commiseration Hydas So am I Beyond imagination but you know The Law requires the first fruits of the warre Should be the gods oblation to the Sunne Therefore we 'll offer him she to the Moone The gods must be obey'd the lawes fulfil'd They all offer to rise Cariclea fals at the feet of Sysimethres Caric. Wise grave and learned sir be pleas'd to stay A little longer for I have a cause Of consequence to plead before the King And Queene Persina which concernes them too Aswell as me this matter doth require A speedy judgment and I heare that you Give sentence on such noble personager Therefore judge you this plea of life and death And know it is not just to offer me Unto the gods Sysim Vouchsafe to heare most gracious Soveraigne This strange appeale and what this maid requireth Hydasp What judgement may this be or what have I To doe with her by what meanes should I come Into her danger Sysim Pleâ—se you to attend She will declare it Hydas But take heed that this You doe be no true judgment but plaine wrong If I that am a King must stand to plead My cause with any prisoner whatsoever Sysim Justice and equity ner'e lookes into The person but the cause and he speeds best That brings best reasons Hydasp But the Law permits You onely to determine controversies Betweene the King and subjects not with strangers Sysim Wise and discreet men doe not measure things By the appearance but by equity Hydasp Well let her speake since good Sysimethres Will have it so but it is manifest She will say nothing to the purpose but Some forg'd devise to shun the stroke of death Caric. O Sunne thou founder of my ancestroâ— High pedegree and all ye other gods Ye noble men that here are met together Assist me in this place and be a witnesse That what I say is true and by firme proofes It shall appeare doe you command O King Strangers or your owne subjects to be offer'd Hydasp Strangers Caric. Then it is fit and necessary You seeke out such I am no stranger borne But of this countrey and your subject too Hydasp Thou liest Caric. You seeme to wonder at small thinge But there are greater undiscover'd yet I am not onely of this Country borne But of the royall blood Hydasp This woman's mad Away I 'le heare no more such lunacie Hydaspes turnes from her in anger Caric. My royall father I beseech you know Your onelie daughter and despise her not Hydasp Sysimethres and grave Gymnosophists How long shall she abuse my patience This mayd 's distracted and the feare of death Makes her speake any thing how false soever How bould and impudent I know I had Sometimes a daughter but she dy'd assoone As she was borne this is a false impostor Wherefore away with her and let 's delay The sacrifice no longer Caric. none shall dare To take me hence unlesse the judges please So to command for you are not to judge In your owne cause although a King but must Be subject to the law aswell as others Which priviledgeth you perchance to kill Strangers but neither this law nor the law Of nature doth allow you to destroy Your naturall children for the gods to day Shall by a strange discoverie make you know I am your daughter though you now disclaime me All controversies in the law depend One these two pointes especiallie that is Firme proofe by writings and sure confirmation By witnesses both which I can produce To prove I am your child my witnesse shall not Be common neither but the judge himselfe And heer 's a writing shall declare both mine And your estate She gives the Fascia to the Queene she knowes it and is amazed Hydasp What meaneth this Persina that thy blood Thus comes and goes and that thy countenance Weares such an alteration is there ought Contayned in this writing troubleth thee Pers O King my Lord and husband I have nothing To say unto it but take heed and read it Your selfe the same shall teach you well and truelie Hydaspes reads it to the end then gives it to Sysimet and the rest Hydasp Persina doe you owne this character As your owne hand and know the birth to be Legitimate and true Pers By Sunne and Moone I sweare it Hydasp Although you tould me that my daughter dy'd I yet believe she was exposed forth As heere is mention'd but who was the man That tooke her up and carryed her to Aegypt How shall I know that he was taken with her Of this is she or whether the exposed Be dead or no besides whether some man When he hap'd to finde this might his good luck Abuse and make her play this famed pars Mocking the great desire we have of issue By the suborâ—ing of some changelinge and Colouring the truth with this devised Fascia All these doubts must be cleer'd ere I believe Sysim I can resolve you in the first for I Was he that tooke her up and carried her With me to Aegypt when you sent me thither Embassadour you know we may not lye Who are Gymnosophists I know this Fascia Written with Aethiopias royall letters Therefore you need not doubt that it is forg'd Besides t is signed with Persinas hand But there are other tokens that I gave To him that did receive you at my hands Can you produce them Caric. Yes loe heere they are She showes Sisimet and the queene her jewels Hydasp What are they doe you know them Pers Yes with wonder Caric. These jewells were my mothers but this ringe Was yours I thinke you know the Pantarbe well Hydasp I doe and all the rest but whether you Câ—me by them as my daughter that I know not You might have got them by some other meanes For to omit all other needles questions Your colour 's strange and the like never seene In Aethiopia Sysim She was also white That I brought up and with this virgins age Doth correspond the terme of yeeres when she Was forth exposed being seuenteene yeeres So old seemes this faire mayd Hydasp Sysimethres In my opinion you have show'd your selfe An advocate in this cause not a judge Beware least while you strive to cleere this doubt I may suspect Persina hath beene false For how i st possible that such a thing Sould be in nature we two being black To have an issue white this is against All humane sence and reason naturall Sysim The Fascia tells you how this came to passe Persina in the act of generation Contemplatively eying the faire picture Of beautifull Andromeda and firing A strong imagination thereupon Conceived in her wombe the very figure Of Perseus Mistris when she was bound fast Unto the rocke and he redeem'd her
crowne To sing the usuall hymne due to her praise I saw him busie in the ceremonies Dem. Is this the day by Iove I knew it not Else had I beene spectator of the sight Chiefly to see my Cnemon in his office Could I be angry with him I should chide him For not acquainting me This He did it neatly I would not for my maiden-head have miss'd So rare a sight not for ten maiden-heads Dem. Are all the rites and ceremonies done I faine would see yet the conclusion This Mistresse t is to late see Cnemon there return'd in all his robes Enter Cnemon in his robes crowned Demeneta runnes to him and takes him in her armes Dem. My young Hippolitus and my deare Theseus Welcome O welcome to me Cnem. Heavens defend me From this lewd Phadra aside Mother what d ee meane To burne me thus with kisses Dem. Burthen thee With blisses too I can my pretty boy If thou wilt love thy mother Cnem. In what nature Require you that if as it ought to be That children love their Parents I agree Dem. As Venus with Anchises sported once In Ida grove so let mee sport with thee Dost understand me now Cnem. You are too bold Too impudent Dem. Nay prethee doe not frowne This night I must enjoy thee and thou me Thy fathers absence doth invite us to it I will maintaine thee like a Princes sonne Glittering in gold and our sweet furtive sports Keepe from the sunne and knowledge of the gods No one shall know it Cnem. Hence incestuous woman Think'st thou to make me wrong my fathers bed And to commit an act so foule as incest Tempt me no more by heaven by earth and all Th' immortall gods I 'le die a thousand deaths Ere thinke a thought on 't much lesse yeeld unto it Your damned wit nor quaint inticing words Shall not prevaile my hate exceeds my love Exit Cnemon in a rage Demen. Am I despised thus and my hot love Requited with disdaine as cold as ice By such a youngling he shall know the difference Betweene a womans favours and her frownes And curse too late his foolish modesty Goe Thisbe to the Castle tell my husband I am not well intreat him to come to me With all the speed he can This I shall sweet Mistresse Exit Thisbe Demeneta lies down upon the bed faining her selfe sicke Dem. What raging fires still burne me how I am Divided in my selfe tweene love and hate two mighty passions combatting together Love would prevaile if reason might be judge But love is too unreasonably harsh Hate therefore execute thy proper function Enflame my breast with rage and high disdaine Against this brat that gave me the repulse Inspire my study in his Tragedie Enter Aristippus and Thisbe Arist How fares my sweet heart that she keepes her bed Dem. Deare husband very sicke and in ill case Arist The gods forbid that sound doth strike me dead What ailes my dearest wife tell me the cause Of this your sudden sicknesse Dem. Nothing Sir I know no cause at all Arist Come come you must not Conceale your griefe but lay it ope unto me I doe beseech my love Dem. Since you are so Importunate to know it understand The goodly young man sonne unto us both To you by nature but to me by love Whom I the gods know held as deare unto me As you when he perceiv'd by certaine tokens I was with child by you which thing I kept Hid from your knowledge till I knew my selfe The certainty and waiting for your absence When I in wonted manner councell'd him To leave his whores and to avoid his cups Which things I knew he lov'd but would not tell you Lest I should run into the ill suspition Of stepmother whilest I in gentle manner Told him these things I will not speake the worst Nor in what sort he did revile us both But last of all he spurn'd me on the belly Which hath procur'd this my disease and paine Arist O villaine I will scurge him even to death Thisbe goe call him hither Exit Thisbe Then presently enters Cnemon Aristippus falls presently a buffetting of him without speaking a word then calls his servants and scurgeth him with rods Cnem. Deare father I beseech you let me know The cause of this your anger and my stripes So cruelly laid on mee Arist Oh cleanly dissembler Thou wouldst indeed know thy owne fault from me Hee beats him afresh Cnem. Yet now at length Sir let me understand What I have done that thus provokes your wrath The gods doe know my innocence Arist Base wretch Thy innocence would she belie thee thinkst thou That lov'd thee better than her selfe away Get out of my sight I will not heare thee speak Exit Cnemon My dearest Demeneta cheere your selfe Strive to forget the paine Dem. I 'm in bad plight So that I doe not onely feare the life O◠that I go◠with but mine owne besides These accidents are dangerous to women Yet Sir it griev'd me that you tooke so sharpe A punishment of Cnemon for all this I cannot chuse but love him Arist That 's thy vertue But banish him thy thoughts as I will doe Hence forth as most unworthy of our love Come sweet you shall remove from hence into A fitter roome I 'le send a Doctor to you Exit Aristippus Dem. You doe mistake my pulse whose veines doe swell With rage and furie and shall live in paine Untill I be reveng'd This My Mistresse knowes How to deceive old Dotards with false shewes Exeunt Actus primi Scena quinta Enter Nebulo solus frisking for joy Nebul. WEe shall fall downe the river Nile to night and hoise saile for Greece brave newes comfortable newes my heart capers within me for joy that I shall see my countrey againe my Master is sore troubled for blacke 〈◊〉 his constrained flight which hath defeited their appointed meeting and conference touching Caricleas fortunes but haste our journey the sooner there 's my comfort I left him cursing the Deputy and invoking the god Apollos wrath to plague him for dismissing the Embassadour so suddenly with such deadly threatenings to depart the Kingdome Alas poore maid I pity thee that by this meanes thou shalt not be able to knowe who begot thee nor who brought thee forth but all 's one thou wilt soone learne to be begotten and to bring forth by instinct of nature and thy owne experience Catadupice adiew adiew adiew gentlemen when you see us next t will be in Delphos away away away merrylie merrily Exit Finis actus primi Actus secundi Scena prima Enter Calasiris Isis priest at Memphis Am I the goodesse Isis priest and burne In these unlawfull fires shall Rhodopis With her Venerious charmes subdue my heart And make me breake that temperance of life Which I have hitherto preserv'd unspotted What shall I doe I cannot stand the push Of these strong passions yet I am resolv'd Nere to commit the act nor so to
flower is yet to spend and strength of youth Ars That flower thou soone wilt crop and wast the seed This In time I may at night expect me sister Ars I le waite you home This If this my plot doe hit Nere was the like devis'd by womans wit Exeunt Enter Demeneta and Thisbe againe with a candle Thisbe Come mistris let me make you unreadie instantlie all that I promised you is done I will goe fetch young Cnemon unto you who is making merrie here by and returne suddenlie lye downe take your pleasure and say nothing Exit Thisbe Enter Thisbe followed by Aristippus This Bind the adulterer fast master With that she ran to the doore and made it give so great a crash as she could crying out in this manner O wonderfull thing the villaine is fled take heed sir that you be not againe deceived Arist Peace be of good cheere I have this wicked and mischievous woman which I most desired O thou much hated of the gods I have thee And all thy shame about thâ—e come thou shalt With me unto the City to receive What punishment the lawes allot to such As live unchast and wrong their husbands bed Which is no lesse then death Aâ—iâ—tâ—ppâ—s dragges her along but she pulling herselfe out of 〈…〉 mâ—â—s hands sell suddenlie of purpose into a pit made 〈◊〉 the stage and so ended her life Aristip See Thisbe is she dead This Oh yes her necke Is broaken sir Aristip Then hath thy punishment Prevented what the law should have inflicted I le to the people and declare this matter And with my friends consult what meanes to use For to call home my sonne from banishment Whose truth and innocence doth open lie By this unheard of strange discovery Exeunt Actus tertii Scena sexta Enter Cariclea she lieth downe upon the bed indispos'd her kinsfolks weeping about her then enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. My child my daughter deare tell me thy father The cause of thy disease have a good heart This wise man Calasiris is requested By me to finde some remedy to cure thee And he can well performe it as a man Of heavenly knowledge and a sacred priest My most â—ndeered friend you shall doe well To suffer him to exercise his art And holy spels for your recovery For I perceive thou art ore-look'd my child Caric. Sir t is my duty to obey your will In all things you command me Calas Then depart Deare Caricles and all the rest avoyd The roome we must be private here together Fetch me a little Laurell and a stoole Having three feet some fire and frankincense And let no man disturbe us till I call It shall be done forthwith heavens crowne your worke Exeunt all but Cariclea and Calasiris Calasiris begins to burne frankincense to mumble with his lips to lay lawrell upon her from top to toe to gape make strange gestures while Cariclea wagged her head oft and smiled Caric. Father you are deceived in my griefe You cannot ghesse at it for all your art Calas Nay daughter say not so but cheere your selfe For what doth vex you is a malady Common and easie to be cur'd by me Thou west ore-look'd not onely at the pompe Of Pirrhus funerall rites but at the race In armour too when you were overseer And gave the prize unto the conquerour Theagenes was he that overlook'd you Whose want on eye was alwaies fixt upon Your splendant beauty object of his sight Caric. Whether he daign'd to looke on me or no Apollo have him in his custody But whence is he and what 's his pedegree Calas He 's a Thessalian borne and as you hear'd Descended from Achilles who although He have bewitch'd you with an envious eye He suffers more than you by the reflex Of your Sun-burning eyes upon his heart Caric. 〈…〉 you wrongfully accuse the man Of witchcraft â—ho hath done no harme at all There 's no such matter t is some other sicknesse Calas Then tell me daughter and conceale it not If you desire to find a remedy I am no stranger to you but your friend and old acquaintance of your loving father I am of your profession too a priest I 'le keepe your counsell and be bound by oath To helpe you what I can all griefes are cur'd In the beginning but if left alone At length they grow incurable declare Your minde at full Caric. I love Theagines Calasiris I knew so much before he loves you too I 'le be your faithfull friend and true assistant Enter Caricles with Acestinus a skilfull physitian Caric. Deere friend what have you done what newes have You to tell me that is good Calasir All shall be well Caricles shall be heal'd to morrow morne Of her infirmitie I now will leave you To prosecute my busines for her health Caric. Adiew deere friend the gods reward thy paine Heere Acestinus lies the sicklie patient Exit Calasiris You are well read in physicke feele her pulse And give your wise opinion Acestin fairest maid Where doth your paine lie most She turn'd her face from him and repeated with a loud voice this verse of Homer Achilles to the bravest man of all the Greekish rout Acest Her state of heart I finde Priest Caricles My labour is in vaine no physicke can Restore her to her health Caric. The gods forbid Why say you so must my deare daughter die Without all hope of her recovery Acest Peace make not such adoe but here 〈…〉 speake Our art sir doth extend no further then He drawes Caricles aside To cure distempered bodies if the mind Diseased be without the bodies sicknesse We have no helpe for that the maids disease â—â—es in the mind her bodie 's in good state No humours doe abound there no headach No fever burnes her all is free within Caric. What then should be the cause of these her fits Utter what you perceive doth trouble her I doe beseech you skilfull Acestinus Acestin T is love doth trouble her which who knowes not Is an affection and griefe of the heart Doe you not see her eyes swolne in her head Rouling one every side her visage pale Her halfe distraction how she uttereth What ere comes in her minde and sleepes but little In briefe I doe perceive that she hath lost The moisture of her body and indeed Just amplitude thereof my counsell is You finde her out a man and that with speed Exit Acestinus Caric. A man heavens grant she be enclin'd that way Then Calasiris hath plaid well his part How fares my daughter now what sicknesse hast thou Shall I send for more Doctors yet Caric. T is needlesse Send none to me but Calasiris onely He hath the art to ease me and none else Caric. I le send him to thee sleepe Cariclea Untill he come if Alcamenes love Possesse her heart thanks to the gods above Exeunt Actus tertii Scena septima Enter at one doore Theagines at another Calasiris Theag. My worthy friend most
they faine would have their soules to meet And at their mouths salute Arse O strange discovery If this be true hence may proceed the cause Of my repulse and his unkind deniall Si tout this businesse further and observe Their lookes their gestures give an eare unto Their privatest discourse for this concernes My businesse mainely if Cariclea prove A barre to my desires we must remove her Goe presently and know the young mans mind If he will yield yet but if he refuse Let Euphrates the Eunuch punish him With yrons to pull downe his lofty heart So farre I 'm gone pursuing my desire Hell shall not make me now backe to retire Exeunt Actus quarti Scena sexta Enter two Iudges then Aristippus and Cnemon Arist Although I doe not doubt most learned Judges That your grave judgements would acquit my sonne Without more proofes then by the sequele of This businesse doth appeare yet to the end To make his innocence the more perspicuous Which hath so long striv'd to breake through this cloud Of falshood and deceit I here have brought you Thisbes confession and her hand subscrib'd For confirmation of it please you see What it containes the Iudges read it 1 Iudg. When did she write this Arist Presently upon Her poisonous draught her conscience prompting her Unto so good an action 2 Iudg. Was 't voluntarily done without constraint Arist Yes for what force hath power to worke upon The setled resolution of a person Whom death is ready for to seise upon It came free from her the confession was Her owne invention and the hand her owne 1 Iudg. But will you sweare to this Aristip I will and safely By all the gods t is true else let me be Stâ—acâ—e with their thunder for my perjury 2 Iudg. It is ynough we doe acquit your sonne Long may he live the comfort of your age 〈◊〉 diâ—mâ—sse the people it is done Arist Thus innocence shines cleerer then the sun Exeunt Actus quarti Scena septima Enter Arsace and Cibil Ars Now will he bend or breake yeeld or endure More punishment how doe his setters please him How doth he beare his stripes Cib. With patience And manly fortitude beyond beliefe Takes glory in his sufferings and becomes More unrelenting now then heretofore Ars What a strange nature hath this savage man Will nothing worke upon it cannot love Perswade him nor the force of punishment Compell him to humanity some Tigresse Or she Wolfe in the forest was his nurse Is there no hope he will relent in time Cib. Our labour 's lost in the attempting it He hath Cariclea still before his eyes Lodgeth her in his heart his mouth express'd it I heard him to exclaime thus deare Cariclea My love my life my heart thy onely name Makes me despise my torments and in 〈◊〉 I 'm comforted what ever fall to me Whereby I 'm confident she is his wife Or secret mistris wherefore if you please Le ts as the proverbe saith cast our last anckor And seeke some meanes to â—id her of her life For when he knows she 's dead t is very likely He 'll change his minde when hope of love is gone Arsace Thy counsell pleaseth me and I 'le command This stoppe to be removed presentlie Cibile How will you doe it without course of Law Or order lie proceeding who will doe In this pointe your commandment for although All things are subject to you yet the laws Are free and will not let you kill without The judgment of the Persian magistrates Besides we should be carefull how we did Accuse the maid least we should not be able To prove what we doe lay unto her charge Ars How then shall we contrive it Cib. Daintily By a more sure and farre more safe a way By a strong subtle câ—ppe of deadlie poison The plot is layd alreadie and the potion Prepar'd I stay but onely for the patient T' administer it Ars Is any gone to call her Cib. Yes Aura madame Ars Well I 'le leave you then Strong physick 's best for stubborn natur'd men Exit Arsace Enter Cariclea with Aura weeping and servants Cib. Why doe you weep sweet heart 't will mar your beauty Your brother shall not long be kept in prison Be not so foolish to consume and pine Away for sorrow know Theagines This night shall be releas'd and come unto thee Therefore be merry 't was his foolish fault And disobedience to my mistris service Made him to be committed nicety Is naught in yong folkes but all is forgotten Partly at my request and liberty Granted unto him this was the occasion I sent for you that you might be partaker Of this glad newes therefore rouse up your selfe And now at length eate something Aura lay The table I have made some meate I hope Will comfort your weake stomacke sure you are Too blame to fast so long Caric. But is this true That you have told me you so often have Deceiv'd me with untruths as I scarce date To credit any thing you say unto me Cib. By all the gods t is true which if it be not Let me be poison'd at this table heere And be a sad example more this day Your busines all shall be dispatch'd so that You shall not need to take more care heereafter If by refrayâ—ing from your meate you doe not Destroy your health and die pray eate a little Caric. On confidence that this is true I will they sit downe and eate Cib. Aura give me some wine Cariclea health Remember good Theagines Aura mistaks and gives the poison'd cupp to Cibile she drinks but powres halfe of it on the ground when she tasted what it was looking cruellie upon Aura the poison suddenlie workes and she begins to fall Cariclea supportes her Cib. I will not have thy helpe false wretch I will not th' ast poison'd me beare witnesse all heere present That see me die I lay my death on none But her and this queane Aura so informe Arsace that she may revenge my death she dies Caric. See heere the iustice of the heavens displaid To mortall view in this strange accident This cup this poisonous cup was meant to me By wicked Cibile but yet it fell By some mistake to her owne lot to drinke it Arsaces servants binde Cariclea and Aura What doe you meane to binde me a weake maid I 'le goe without constraint where you will lead me 〈◊〉 be before Arsace though I die I care not so Theagenes be by Exeunt Actus quinti Scena prima Enter Hydaspes and Sysimethres with attendance Hydasp Thus farre have we march'd by the bankes of Nile And conquer'd Philae and the Smaragd mines Thus farre hath fortune favourd our attempts And sterne Bellona set our conquering feet Deepe in the bosome of th' Egyptian Land Are we not now reveng'd Sysimethres For thy uncivill barbarous entertainement When we imploy'd thee our Embassadour To Oroondates Deputy of Egypt How thinke you doe they not
Moses Miriam Deborah Barak Samuel David Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah the Iewes in captivity the Apostles and many other in all ages yea and the blessed spirits in heaven also All deliverances are wrought by God Whatsoever the instrumentall meanes be he is the principall efficient and author As he is the Creator of all things so the Governour the disposer and orderer of all And all creatures in the world are his servants his instruments used by him according to his will If therefore by any right victory be ascribed not to the munition but to the Generall recovery of health not to the potion but to the Physitian good-workmanship not to the materialls or tooles but to the Artificer by much more right victory recovery all deliverances all blessings are to be ascribed to God who enableth Generalls Physitians and all others to do what they do and giveth all efficacy to the means that are any way effectuall It is therefore most just and equall that that which is done by God be ascribed to him His right it is and shall he not have his right Will subjects deale so unjustly with their King souldiers with their Generall servants with their master Fie on them therefore that either take no notice at all of such deliverances as they have or els impute them to any other then to God whether it be to themselves to other men to any secondary causes to fortune or to any thing els Three sorts of men do especially offend herein Idolaters that ascribe Gods due to Idols Flatterers that attribute it to men Ambitious persons that take it to themselves Two great evills are thus committed The Creator is robbed of his due To creatures is given more then their due He the onely true God is esteemed as no God They that are no Gods are accounted as Gods O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Be rather of the communion of Saints whose understanding being rightly informed in the extent of the divine providence wherby every good thing that is wrought is wrought they are so in their hearts affected therewith as they cannot conceale the same but make their tongues their glory in acknowledging and making known what God hath done to their soules This though it be most due to God yet he accepts it as a kindnes as an honour done to him And in testimony of his gracious acceptance of this gratefull remembrance he will afterward on other occasions be ready to deliver For he never repenteth any goodnesse shewed to such as duly acknowledge the same If we thankfully commemorate his blessings we shall excite him to conferre greater blessings upon us Behold then a ready way to give glory to God and to gaine good to our selves §. 52. Of Gods delivering from death III. GOD can deliver from the power of death He can deliver 1. In such cases as threaten death wherein men have cause to feare death as the Israelites had when Pharaoh with a mighty hoste pursued them and they had no way to fly but thorow the sea Exod. 14. 2 c. and againe when they were besieged by the Syrians 2 King 6. 24 c. 2. When death hath begun to lay hold and to ceaze upon them as a lion and a beare did upon the lambs which David kept Thus it seemeth that death had ceazed on Paul and on Hezekiah who notwithstanding were both delivered 3. When there is no possibility of avoiding death by any ordinary meanes Thus was Ionah delivered out of the sea and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego out of the hot fiery fornace God hath promised to be with his in fire and water in most desperate distresses 4. When they are in the very power of death and death actually ceazed upon them and deprived them of life Hereof we have many instances both in the old and New Testament The vision of dry bones that came together were knit with sinewes covered with flesh and skinne and had breath of life breathed into them and lived was a visible demonstration hereof But that evidence which farre surpasseth all is the generall resurrection of all at the last day Supreme and absolute is the power and soveraignty of God over all even grave and death and him that hath the power of death the Devill They are all his vassals to hold or to let go whom he will 1. Admirable is the comfort which hence ariseth to such as being well instructed in the power of God can in assurance of faith rest on him as David did who when he knew not whither on earth to flie for succour encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God For nothing can befall us without the limits of his power no danger can happen out of which he is not able to deliver us Quest. May Saints in confidence expect any deliverance that God is able to give Answ Not simply but with a willing subjection of themselves to his will as they who said Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us from thine hand O King But if not be it knowne to thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Herein then lieth the comfort which ariseth from Gods power that our God who is able to deliver us will deliver us if in his wisdome he see deliverance fit for us For thus we may safely conclude What God seeth to be good for us he will do What God will do he can do What God can and will do shall be done Therefore what God seeth to be good for us shal be done Iust cause is here given unto us of looking to God when death presents it selfe before our eyes and to say unto him We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee Cast not therefore thine eyes too much downeward Fixing eyes aright on God worketh faith §. 53. Of Passion in Saints IIII. SAints may be much affected with afflictions They may weepe as this Prophet did and cry yea with a loud and bitter cry and roare all the day long and waile and houle and expresse other symptoms and signes of much anguish and great griefe Is their strength the strength of stones Or is their flesh of brasse Flesh and bloud remaining in the best while they remaine in this world maketh them sensible of smart of paine of losse of disgrace of other crosses which lie heavy upon them and presse and pinch them sore 1. Away with the senslesse and blockish opinion of Stoicks who say that no passion beseemes a wise man The Heathen Philosophers by that light of nature which they had have sufficiently refuted that paradox To us that have the light of Gods Word which commandeth expression of passion when
spiritually violent by opposition 1 Triall is hereby made of the truth and measure of faith If they that beleeve speake what may be thought of them that speake not Will charity that beleeveth all things that hopeth all things suffer to believe and hope that â—aith is in him who hath no heart to pray no boldnesse to professe the name of God no spirit to praise him He that is altogether silent hath assuredly no faith He that speaketh faintingly and coldly hath but a fainting and cold faith This is one of those workes whereof we ought every one to say as we are taught by an Apostle I will shew thee my faith by my works 2 Be perswaded now to give this evidence of thy faith Speake man speake if thou believest Be not tongue-tied Open thy mouth wide God hath promised to fill it Speake to God secretly in thy closet Speake of him openly before men Speake to him and of him in thy family in assemblies of Saints at all times in all places Speake in the poores cause Speake in matters of charity and justice In supplication Poure out thy soule before the Lord. Set all thy desire before him In profession of his name be not ashamed note for this the Apostles inference I am not ashamed saith he Why I know whom I have believed If thou beest ashamed of Christ here he wil be ashamed of thee when he commeth in the glory of his Father In gratulation With a loud voice glorifie God Herein the tongue of that man who was a man after Gods owne heart was his glory O that Magistrates Subjects Ministers People Houshold-governours Parents Neighbours All of all sorts would do this That Magistrates who believe would boldly speake in the cause of God and man Speake boldly for maintaining truth and purity of religion speake freely in executing good justice and righteous judgement That Subjects would be bold and free in consenting to the holy covenants wholsome ordinances which their pious and good governours make That Ministers who believe would open their mouth boldly to make knowne the mystery of the Gospell and pray and give thankes zealously chearefully That people would testifie their faith by manifesting a joint consent and saying Amen Amen! That parents and housholders would command their children and houshold to keepe the way of the Lord That neighbours would admonish exhort and as just occasion by sinne is offered reprove and every way edifie one another Had men faith Gods word would be in their heart as a burning fire shut up in their bones they would be wearie wâ—â—h forbearing Their mouth would be opened their heart enlarged Much would Gods glory be advanced much good would be done to man if every one of us in our places could in truth say I beleeved therefore have I spoken Yea doubts arising against that which is meet to be uttered would be suppressed Faith would soone quell them all He therefore gave a good advice that said when inextricable doubts do trouble thee let faith be ready to make resolution and to give satisfaction §. 68. Of faiths stability in trialls I. FAith remaines firme in troubles III. No affliction can utterly suppresse faith How firme in the uttermost triall was their faith that said Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Though I walke thorow the vally of the shadow of death I will feare none evill We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed yet not in despaire c. I am perswaded that neither life c. That these instances may not bee thought to bee so extraordinary as they should not bee exemplary note the Apostles ample extension thereof We having the same spirit of faith he saith not in the singular number I as speaking of himselfe alone but in the plurall we as speaking of many and that indefinitely as excluding none We also believe and therefore speake It is noted of the ancient Christians that many cruell stroaks and much affliction long raging could not overcome their impregnable faith The true faith of all Saints is rooted in Christ Col. 2. 7. who is able to minister vertue vigor and refreshing unto it in the most blustering blasting and nipping times that can be If a tree that is planted by the waters and spreadeth out her roots by the river shall not see when heat commeth but her leafe shal be greene and shall not be carefull in the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit how much more shall they flourish who are planted in the house of the Lord and rooted in Christ who wil be in them a well of water springing to everlasting life It is said of hope the daughter of faith that it entreth within the veile which is above As hope herin is different from other anchors which are cast downward so faith from other trees which grow downwards Though they therefore that are planted in the most fertile soiles and by the best rivers may wither yet will not saith saile Admirable is the benefit of faith It sheweth it selfe in all seasons it serves for all turnes It cheeres us in prosperity it revives us in adversity It ever keepeth us in a golden meane so as we be not too much puffed up with prosperity nor too much dejected with adversitie In prosperity it moveth us to acknowledge the bounty and magnificence of the Lord. In adversitie it maketh us roule our eyes up to God and to sustaine and comfort our selves in him yea when the clouds of crosses hide the brightnesse of his favour from us it maketh us wait till those clouds be driven away Among and above other gifts and graces get faith Having gotten it keepe it In keeping it nourish it so as it may increase All these are implied under this metaphor Take the shield of faith whereof having published a large Treatise it shal be sufficient here to have pointed at them See more in The Whole Armour of God Treat 2. Part. 6. § 16. c. §. 69. Of sudden passion whereunto Saints are subject PSAL. CXVI XI I said in my sudden feare All men are lyars IIII. SAints are subject to sudden passions So much in another place acknowledgeth the Psalmist of himselfe thus I said in my haste I am cut off c. The very same word is here and there used It was a sudden and distempered passion that Moses and Aaron manifested at the water of Meribah and David at Nabals churlish answer and Ionah at Gods mercy shewed to Nineveh and Iames and Iohn at the Samaritans refusing to receive Christ and Paul and Barnabas about receiving Iohn Marke The flesh remaineth in such as have the spirit in them By virtue of the Spirits abode in them they are Saints true Saints but by reason of the mixture of
A good inducement this is to provoke parents to suffer this word of exhortation 2 Be ye also O Children exhorted and perswaded to yeeld your selves pliable from the time that you have any capacity to the good instruction of your parents that by your continuing to grow in grace answerably to the means which by the divine providence have been afforded you you may with the greater comfort and stronger confidence both in time of humiliation when for preventing or averting some judgement or obtaining or regaining some blessing you powre forth your soules to God or in time of gratulation for some judgement removed or some blessing bestowed you enlarge your hearts and open your mouths you may say to God I am the sonne of thine hand-maid and thou hast beene my God from my mothers wombe Take heed that being borne in Gods house and by your parent the son of his hand-maid you become not a bond slave and have the flesh a bond-woman for your mother They that serve the flesh in the lusts thereof are such What can such expect but the doome denounced against the bond woman and her sonne which was this Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not bee heire with the sonne of the free woman A wofull doome for such as are borne in Gods house to be so cast out Thereby they may know that they have nothing common with the true sonnes of God Nothing I say in regard of those spirituall priviledges which belong to Gods free-borne children So walke therefore O children that are borne in the Church so carie your selves all your daies as you may on all occasions say to the Lord I am the sonne of thine hand maid §. 103. Of childrens honour by pious parents V. IT is an honour to children to descend from pious parents This is true in relation to ancient progenitors For it was a greater honour to the Iewes in all succeeding ages that they descended from the pious Patriarchs But the nearer such parents are the more honourable it is to children Most of all honourable when their immediate parents from whose loines and out of whose wombe they proceed are pious Of such an one the Prophet here speaketh I am the sonne of thine hand-maid For questionlesse he here calleth his mother Gods hand-maid as hee called himselfe Gods servant in a spirituall respect in regard of Gods grace to her and in her Such were Salomons parents of whom for honour sake he maketh frequent mention Such was as Lois the grandmother so Eunice the mother of Timothy Nothing in truth can make any more honourable then piety Whatsoever mens outward condition bee in this world though never so meane yet if they excell in vertue they are most honourable in Gods eye What man before God more noble then Peter who was but a poore fisherman What woman more illustrious then blessed Mary who is set out to be a carpenters wife Pious persons for birth are borne of God For dignities they are Gods favourites of Gods Court the most honourable therein they are the spouse of his sonne For revenewes the exchequer of Gods treasures is alwayes open for them to have out of it his most precious jewels yea they are the true heires of this world and of the world to come 1 Such parents as desire that their children should all their daies make an honourable mention of them let them here take notice of the onely right course to have their desire accomplished Let them so walke before their children as they may have sure evidences that they are Gods servants that when children make mention of their father before the Lord they may have cause to say of him as Salomon did of his father Thy servant my father and of their mother Thy hand-maid For a child to stile himselfe the sonne of a Duke and Dutches Earle and Countesse Lord and Lady or any other like is not in truth such an honour as this Sonne of Gods servant and hand-maid By this poore meane despised parents in this world may make their children honourable and may make their owne names honourable to their children 2 Such children as would have just cause not vaine-gloriously to bragge but divinely to glory in their parents let them here know what kind of parents doe give that just cause If indeed their father be Gods servant and their mother Gods hand-maid let them not be ashamed of them because they be poore of meane condition not esteemed in this world but heartily thanke God that they are borne of such parents as may give them occasion to say I am the child of Gods servant and of Gods hand-maid It is an hard taske to perswade most children hereunto But they that know God and the dignities and immunities of his servants will without all question yeeld to the truth and equity hereof §. 104. Of the resolution and instructions of the last clause of the 16. Verse PSAL. CXVI XVI Thou hast loosed my bonds THe fourth reason which stirred up the Prophet to give publike thanks to God was the kindnesse which God had done to him That kindnesse was a gracious deliverance from a grievous distresse thus expressed Thou hast loosed my bonds The argument may bee thus framed They whose bonds thou O Lord hast loosed are bound to praise thee But Thou hast loosed my bonds Therefore I am bound to praise thee Thus these words have a relation to the principall duty promised in this Psalme They may also have an immediate reference to the other part of this verse and that as an effect following from the cause The Lord accounted him his servant and therefore loosed his bonds To make this reference the better discerned some joyne this part of the verse with the former in one entire sentence which they expresse in forme of a petition thus I beseech thee O Lord seeing I am thy servant I am thy servant the sonne of thine hand-maid loose my bonds But the mood and tense whereby this last clause is expressed admitteth not the forme of petition And the very matter whereabout he now is namely gratulation sheweth it rather to be a profession of a former then a supplication for a future deliverance Besides the inference of the 17 verse immediately on this clause doth demonstrate that he speaketh of a thing past a favour done and succour received And that mention is here made thereof as of the cause of praising God For if the question should be asked why mention is here made of loosing his bonds The 17. verse giveth a ready answer I will offer c. As if it had beene more fully expressed Because the Lord hath loosed my bonds therefore I will offer a sacrifice of praise Wherefore to take the words as our English hath truly and properly translated them thus Thou hast loosed my bonds The word translated loosed doth properly signifio to open and