It is granted speake you shall haue iustice Cha. I then here accuse Most equall Iudge the prisoner your faire Daughter For whom I owed so much to you your daughter So worthy in her owne parts and that worth Set forth by yours to whose so rare perfections Truth witnesse with me in the place of seruice I almost pay'd Idolatrous sacrifice To be a false advltresse Roch. With whom Cha. With this Nouall here dead Roch Be wel aduis'd And ere you say adultresse againe Her fame depending on it be most sure That she is one Cha. I tooke them in the act I know no proofe beyond it Roch. O my heart Cha. A Iudge should feele no passions Roch. Yet remember He is a man and cannot put off nature What answere makes the prisoner Beau. I confesse The fact I am charg'd with and yeeld my selfe Most miserably guilty Roch. Heauen take mercy Vpon your soule them it must leaue your body Now free mine eyes I dare vnmou'd looke on her And fortifie my sentence with strong reasons Since that the politique law prouides that seruants To whose care we commit our goods shall die If they abuse our trust what can you looke for To whose charge this most hopefull Lord gaue vp All hee receiu'd from his braue Ancestors Or he could leaue to his posterity His Honour wicked woman in whose safety All this lifes ioyes and comforts were locked vp With thy lust a theefe hath now stolne from him And therefore Cha. Stay iust Iudge may not what 's lost By her owne fault for I am charitable And charge her not with many be forgotten In her faire life hereafter Roch. Neuer Sir The wrong that 's done to the chaste married bed Repentant teares can neuer expiate And be assured to pardon such a sinne Is an offence as great as to commit it Cha. I may not then forgiue her Roch. Nor she hope it Nor can shee wish to liue no sunne shall rise But ere it set shall shew her vgly lust In a new shape and euery on more horrid Nay euen those prayers which with such humble feruor She seemes to send vp yonder are beate backe And all suites which her penitence can proffer As soone as made are with contempt throwne Off all the courts of mercy He kils her Cha. Let her die then Better prepar'd I am Sure I could not take her Nor she accuse her father as a Iudge Partiall against her Beau. I approue his sentence And kisse the executioner my lust Is now run from me in that blood in which It was begot and nourished Roch. Is she dead then Cha. Yes sir this is her heart blood is it not I thinke it be Roch. And you haue kild her Cha. True and did it by your doome Roch. But I pronounc'd it As a Iudge onely and friend to iustice And zealous in defence of your wrong'd honour Broke all the tyes of nature and cast off The loue and soft affection of a father I in your cause put on a Scarlet robe Of red died cruelty but in returne You haue aduanc'd for me no flag of mercy I look'd on you as a wrong'd husband but You clos'd your eyes against me as a father O Beaumelle my daughter Cha. This is madnesse Roch. Keep from me could not one good thought rise vp To tell you that she was my ages comfort Begot by a weake man and borne a woman And could not therefore but partake of frailety Or wherefore did not thankfulnesse step forth To vrge my many merits which I may Obiect vnto you since you proue vngratefull Flinty-hearted Charaloys Cha. Nature does preuaile aboue your vertue Roch. No it giues me eyes To pierce the heart of designe against me I finde it now it was may state was aym'd at A nobler match was sought for and the houres I liu'd grew teadious to you my compassion Towards you hath rendred me most miserable And foolish charity vndone my selfe But ther 's a Heauen aboue from whose iust wreake No mists of policy can hide offendors Enter Nouall se with Officers Nou. se Force ope the doors O monster caniball Lay hold on him my sonne my sonne O Rochfort 'T was you gaue liberty to this bloody wolfe To worry all our comforts But this is No time to quarrell now giue your assistance For the reuenge Roch. Call it a fitter name Iustice for innocent blood Cha. Though all conspire Against that life which I am weary of A little longer yet I le striue to keepe it To shew in spite of malice and their lawes His plea must speed that hath an honest cause Exeunt Actus quintus Scaena prima Enter Liladam Taylor Officers Lila. VVHy 't is both most vnconscionable and vntimely T' arrest a gallant for his cloaths before He has worne them out besides you sayd you ask'd My name in my Lords bond but for me onely And now you 'l lay me vp for 't Do not thinke The taking measure of a customer By a brace of varlets though I rather wait Neuer so patiently will proue a fashion Which any Courtier or Innes of court man Would follow willingly Tayl. There I beleeue you But sir I must haue present moneys or Assurance to secure me when I shall Or I will see to your comming forth Lila. Plague on 't You haue prouided for my enterance in That comming forth you talke of concernes me What shall I doe you haue done me a disgrace In the arrest but more in giuing cause To all the street to thinke I cannot stand Without these two supporters for my armes Pray you let them loose me for their satisfaction I will not run away Tayl. For theirs you will not But for your owne you would looke to them fellows Lila. Why doe you call them fellows doe not wrong Your reputation so as you are meerely A Taylor faythfull apt to beleeue in Gallants You are a companion at a ten crowne supper For cloth of bodkin and may with one Larke Eate vp three manchets and no man obserue you Or call your trade in question for 't But when You study your debt-booke and hold correspondence With officers of the hanger and leaue swordmen The learned conclude the Taylor and Sergeant In the expression of a knaue are these To be Synonima Looke therefore to it And let vs part in peace I would be loth You should vndoe your selfe Tayl. To let you goe Enter old Nouall and Pontalier Were the next way But see heere 's your old Lord Let him but giue his word I shall be paide And you are free Lila. S'lid I will put him to 't I can be but denied or what say you His Lordship owing me three times your debt If you arrest him at my suite and let me Goe run before to see the action entred 'T would be a witty iest Tayl. I must haue ernest I cannot pay my debts so Pont. Can your Lordship Imagine while I liue and weare a sword Your sonnes death shall be
THE FATALL DOVVRY A TRAGEDY As it hath beene often Acted at the Priuate House in Blackefryers by his Maiesties Seruants Written by P. M. and N. F. LONDON Printed by IOHN NORTON for FRANCIS CONSTABLE and are to be sold at his shop at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1632 Charalois Romont Charmi Nouall Sen. Liladam Du Croy Rochfort Baumont Pontalier Malotin Beaumelle Florimel Bellapert Aymer Nouall Iun. Aduocates Creditors 3. Officers Priest Taylor Barber Perfumer First Song FIe cease to wonder Though you heare Orpheus with his Iuory Lute Moue Trees and Rockes Charme Buls Beares and men more sauage to be mute Weake foolish singer here is one Would haue transform'd thy selfe to stone Second Song A Dialogue betweene Nouall and Beaumelle Man SEt Phoebus set a fayrer sunne doth rise From the bright Radience of my Mrs. eyes then euer thou begat'st I dare not looke each haire a golden line Each word a hooke The more I striue the more still I am tooke Wom. Fayre seruant come the day these eyes doe lend To warme thy blood thou doest so vainely spend Come strangled breath Man What noate so sweet as this That calles the spirits to a further blisse Wom. Yet this out-sauours wine and this Perfume Man Let 's die I languish I consume Cittizens Song of the Courtier COurtier if thou needs wilt wiue From this lesson learne to thriue If thou match a Lady that passes thee in birth and state Let her curious garments be Twice aboue thine owne degree This will draw great eyes vpon her Get her seruants and thee honour Courtiers Song of the Citizen POore Citizen if thou wilt be A happy husband learne of me To set thy wife first in thy shop A faire wife a kinde wife a sweet wife sets a poore man vp What though thy shelues be ne're so bare A woman still is currant ware Each man will cheapen foe and friend But whilst thou art at tother end What ere thou seest or what dost heare Foole no eye to nor an eare And after supper for her sake When thou hast fed snort though thou wake What though the Gallants call thee mome Yet with thy lanthorne light her home Then looke into the towne and tell If no such Tradesmen there doe dwell The Fatall Dowry A Tragedy Act. primus Scaena prima Enter Charaloyes with a paper Romont Charmi Charmi. SIR I may moue the Court to serue your will But therein shall both wrong you and my selfe Rom. Why thinke you so sir Charmi. 'Cause I am familiar With what will be their answere they will say T is against law and argue me of Ignorance For offering them the motion Rom. You know not Sir How in this cause they may dispence with Law And therefore frame not you their answere for them But doe your parts Charmi. I loue the cause so well As I could runne the hazard of a checke for 't Rom. From whom Charmi. Some of the bench that watch to giue it More then to doe the office that they sit for But giue me sir my fee Rom. Now you are Noble Charmi. I shall deserue this better yet in giuing My Lord some counsell if he please to heare it Then I shall doe with pleading Rom. What may it be sir Charmi. That it would please his Lordship as the Presidents And Counsaylors of Court come by to stand Heere and but shew your selfe and to some one Or two make his request there is a minute When a mans presence speakes in his owne cause More then the tongues of twenty aduocates Rom. I haue vrg'd that Enter Rochfort Du Croye Charmi. Their Lordships here are comming I must goe get me a place you 'l finde me in Court And at your seruice Exit Charmi Rom. Now put on your Spirits Du Croy The ease that you prepare your selfe my Lord In giuing vp the place you hold in Court Will proue I feare a trouble in the State And that no slight one Roch. Pray you sir no more Rom. Now sir lose not this offerd meanes their lookes Fixt on you with a pittying earnestnesse Inuite you to demand their furtherance To your good purpose This such a dulnesse So foolish and vntimely as Du Croy You know him Roch. I doe and much lament the sudden fall Of his braue house It is young Charloyes Sonne to the Marshall from whom he inherits His fame and vertues onely Rom. Ha hey name you Du Croye His father died in prison two daies since Roch. Yes to the shame of this vngratefull State That such a Master in the art of warre So noble and so highly meriting From this forgetfull Country should for want Of meanes to satisfie his creditors The summes he tooke vp for the generall good Meet with an end so infamous Rom. Dare you euer hope for like oportunity Du Croye My good Lord Roch. My wish bring comfort to you Du Croye The time calls vs Roch. Good morrow Colonell Exeunt Roch. Du Croy Rom. This obstinate spleene You thinke becomes your sorrow and sorts wel With your blacke suits but grant me wit or iudgement And by the freedome of an honest man And a true friend to boote I sweare 't is shamefull And therefore flatter not your selfe with hope Your sable habit with the hat and cloake No though the ribons helpe haue power to worke 'em To what you would for those that had no eyes To see the great acts of your father will not From any fashion sorrow can put on Bee taught to know their duties Char. If they will not They are too old to learne and I too young To giue them counsell since if they partake The vnderstanding and the hearts of men They will preuent my words and teares if not What can perswasion though made eloquent With griefe worke vpon such as haue chang'd natures With the most sauage beast Blest blest be euer The memory of that happy age when iustice Had no gards to keepe off wrongd innocence From flying to her succours and in that Assurance of redresse where now Roment The damnd with more ease may ascend from Hell Than we ariue at her One Cerberus there Forbids the passage in our Courts a thousand As lowd and fertyle headed and the Client That wants the sops to fill their rauenous throats Must hope for no accesse why should I then Attempt impossibilities you friend being Too well acquainted with my dearth of meanes To make my entrance that way Rom. Would I were not But Sir you haue a cause a cause so iust Of such necessitie not to be deferd As would compell a mayde whose foot was neuer Set ore her fathers threshold nor within The house where she was borne euer spake word Which was not vshered with pure virgin blushes To drowne the tempest of a pleaders tongue And force corruption to giue backe the hire It tooke against her let examples moue you You see great men in birth esteeme and fortune Rather then lose a scruple of their right Fawne basely vpon such whose gownes put off They would
the small remainder of my life In liuing well and learning how to dye so Enter Romont and Charalois Rom. See sir our Aduocate Du Croy The Court intreats Your Lordship will be pleasd to name the man Which you would haue your successor and in me All promise to confirme it Roch. I embrace it As an assurance of their fauour to me And name my Lord Nouall Du Croy The Court allows it Roch. But there are suters waite heere and their causes May be of more necessity to be heard And therefore wish that mine may be defer'd And theirs haue hearing Du Croy If your Lordship please To take the place we will proceed Charm The cause We come to offer to your Lordships censure Is in it selfe so noble that it needs not Or Rhetorique in me that plead or fauour From your graue Lordships to determine of it Since to the prayse of your impartiall iustice Which guilty nay condemn'd men dare not scandall It will erect a trophy of your mercy VVith married to that Iustice Nou. Se. Speake to the cause Charm I will my Lord to say the late dead Marshall The father of this young Lord heere my Clyent Hath done his Country great and faithfull seruice Might taske me of impertinence to repeate What your graue Lordships cannot but remember He in his life become indebted to These thriftie men I will not wrong their credits By giuing them the attributes they now merit And fayling by the fortune of the warres Of meanes to free himselfe from his ingagements He was arrested and for want of bayle Imprisond at their suite and not long after VVith losse of liberty ended his life And though it be a Maxime in our Lawes All suites dye with the person these mens malice In death find matter for their hate to worke on Denying him the decent Rytes of buriall VVhich the sworne enemies of the Christian faith Grant freely to their slaues may it therefore please Your Lordships so to fashion your decree That what their crueltie doth forbid your pittie May giue allowance to Nou. Se. How long haue you Sir practis'd in Court Charmi. Some twenty yeeres my Lord Nou. Se. By your grosse ignorance it should appeare Not twentie dayes Charmi. I hope I haue giuen no cause in this my Lord Nou. Se. How dare you moue the Court To the dispensing with an Act confirmd By Parliment to the terror of all banquerouts Go home and with more care peruse the Statutes Or the next motion sauoring of this boldnesse May force you to leape against your will Ouer the place you plead at Carmi. I foresaw this Rom. Why does your Lordship thinke the mouing of A cause more honest then this Court had euer The honor to determine can deserue A checke like this Nou. Se. Strange boldnes Rom. T is fit freedome Or do you conclude an aduocate cannot hold His credit with the Iudge vnlesse he study His face more then the cause for which he pleades Charmi. Forbeare Rom. Or cannot you that haue the power To qualifie the rigour of the Lawes When you are pleased take a little from The strictnesse of your sowre decrees enacted In fauor of the greedy creditors Against the orethrowne debtor Nou. Se. Sirra you that prate Thus sawcily what are you Rom. Why I le tell you Thou purple-colour'd man I am one to whom Thou owest the meanes thou hast of sitting there A corrupt Elder Charmi. Forbeare Rom. The nose thou wearst is my gift and those eyes That meete no obiect so base as their Master Had bin long since torne from that guiltie head And thou thy selfe slaue to some needy Swisse Had I not worne a sword and vs'd it better Then in thy prayers thou ere didst thy tongue Nou. Se. Shall such an Insolence passe vnpunisht Charmi. Heare mee Rom. Yet I that in my seruice done my Country Disdaine to bee put in the scale with thee Confesse my selfe vnworthy to bee valued VVith the least part nay haire of the dead Marshall Of whose so many glorious vndertakings Make choice of any one and that the meanest Performd against the subtill Fox of France The politique Lewis or the more desperate Swisse And 't wyll outwaygh all the good purpose Though put in act that euer Gowneman practizd Nou. Se. Away with him to prison Rom. If that curses Vrg'd iustly and breath'd forth so euer fell On those that did deserue them let not mine Be spent in vaine now that thou from this instant Mayest in thy feare that they will fall vpon thee Be sensible of the plagues they shall bring with them And for denying of a little earth To couer what remaynes of our great soldyer May all your wiues proue whores your factors theeues And while you liue your ryotous heires vndoe you And thou the patron of their cruelty Of all thy Lordships liue not to be owner Of so much dung as will conceale a Dog Or what is worse thy selfe in And thy yeeres To th' end thou mayst be wretched I wish many And as thou hast denied the dead a graue May misery in thy life make thee desire one Which men and all the Elements keepe from thee I haue begun well imitate exceed Roch. Good counsayle were it a prayse worthy deed Ex. Officers with Rom. Du Croye Remember what we are Chara. Thus low my duty Answeres your Lordships counsaile I will vse In the few words with which I am to trouble Your Lordships eares the temper that you wish mee Not that I feare to speake my thoughts as lowd And with a liberty beyond Romont But that I know for me that am made vp Of all that 's wretched so to haste my end Would seeme to most rather a willingnesse To quit the burthen of a hopelesse life Then scorne of death or duty to the dead I therefore bring the tribute of my prayse To your seueritie and commend the Iustice That will not for the many seruices That any man hath done the Common wealth Winke at his least of ills what though my father VVrit man before he was so and confirmd it By numbring that day no part of his life In which he did not seruice to his Country Was he to be free therefore from the Lawes And ceremonious forme in your decrees Or else because he did as much as man In those three memorable ouerthrowes A Granson Morat Nancy where his Master The warlike Charloyes with whose misfortunes I beare his name lost treasure men and life To be excus'd from payment of those summes Which his owne patrimony spent his zeale To serue his Countrey forc'd him to take vp Nou. Se. The president were ill Chara. And yet my Lord this much I know you ll grant After those great defeatures Which in their dreadfull ruines buried quick Enter officers Courage and hope in all men but himselfe He forst the proud foe in his height of conquest To yeeld vnto an honourable peace And in it saued an hundred thousand liues To end his owne that was sure