watchman for the state and one that 's known Sir to be rightly affected Aub. Baud of the state No lesse than of thy masters lusts I now See nothing can redeem thee doest thou mention Affection or a heart that ne're hadst any Know'st not to love or hate but by the state As thy prince does`t before thee that dost never Weare thy owne face but putt'st on his and gather'stâ— Baits for his â—ares liv'st wholly at his beck And e're thou dar'st utter a thought 's thine owne Must expect his crep'st forth and wad'st into him As if thou wert to passe a foord there proving Yet if thy tongue may stop on safely or no Then bring'st his vertue asleep and stayst the wheele Both of his reason and judgement that they move noâ— Whit'st over all his vices and at last Dost draw a cloud of words before his eyes Till hee can neither see thee nor himselfe Wretch I dare give him honest counsailes I And love him while I tell him truth old Aubrey Dares goe the straightest way which still`s the shortest Walke on the thornes thou scatter'st Parasite And tread 'em into nothing and if thou Then lett'st a look fall of the least dislike I le rip thy crown up with my sword at height And pluck thy skin over thy face in sight Of him thou flatter'st unto thee I speak it Slave against whom all lawes should now conspire And every creature that hath sense be armd As 'gainst the common enimy of mankind That sleepst within thy masters eare and whisp'erst T is better for him to be feard than lovd Bidst him trust no mans freindship spare no blood That may secure him t is no cruelty That hath a spatious end for soverainty Break all the lawes of kind if it succeed An honest noble and prayse-worthy deed While hee that takes thy poysons in shall feele Their virulent workings in a poynt of time When no repentance can bring ayd but all His spirits shall melt with what his conscience burnd And dying in flatterers armes shall fall unmournd There 's matter for you now Lat. My lord this makes not for loving of my master Aub. Loving no. They hate ill Princes most that make them so Enter Rollo Hamand Allan Guard Rol. I le heare no more Ham. Alas t is for my brorher I beseech your highnesse Rol How a brother had not I one my selfe did title Move mee when it was fit that hee should dye away All. Brother loose no word more leave my good cause T`upbraid the tyrant I `me glad â—`me falne Now in those times that willd some great example T' assure men wee can die for honesty Rol. Sir you are brave pray that you hold your neck As bravely forth anon unto your headsman All. Would hee would strike as bravely and thou by Rollo t' would make thee quake to see mee die Aub. What 's his offence Ham. For giving Gisbert buriall who was sometimes his master All. Yes lord Aubery My gratitude and humanity are my crimes Rol. Why beare you him not hence Aub. My lord stay souldiers I doe beseech your highnesse doe not loose Such men for so slight causes This is one Has still been faithfull to you a tryde soule In all your fathers battailes I have seene him Bestride a friend against a score of foes And looke he looks as hee would kill his hundred For you sir were you in some danger All. Till hee killd his brother his chancellor then his Master to which he can adde nought to equall Nero But killing of his mother Aub. Peace brave foole Thou valiant asse here is his brother too sir A captaine of your guard hath servd you long With the most noble witnesse of his truth Markd in his face and every part about him That turnes not from an enemy But view him Oh doe not grieve him sir if you doe meane That hee shall hold his place it is not safe To tempt such spirits and let them weare their swords You 'le make your guards your terrours by these Acts And throw more hearts of from you then you hold And I must tell you sir with my old freedome And my old faith to boot you have not livd so But that your state will need such men such hands Of which here 's one shall in an houre of tryall Doe you more certaine service with a stroak Than the whole bundle of your flatterers With all the unsavory unction of their tonguesâ— Rol. Peace talker Aub One that loves you yet my lord And would not see you pull on your owne ruinesâ— Mercy becomes a Prince and guards him best Awe and affrights are never tyes of Love And when men begin to feare the Prince they hate him Rol. Am I the Prince or you Aub. My Lord I hope I have not utterd ought should urge that question Rol. Then practise your obedience see him dead Aub. My Lord Rol. I le heare no more Aub. I 'me sorry then there 's no small despaire sir of their safety whose eares are blockt up against truth come Captain Ham. I thank you sir. Aub. For what for seeing thy brother dye a man and honest Live thou so Captaine I will I assure thee Although I die for 't too come Exeunt all but Rollo Lator Rol. Now Latorche what doe you think Lat. That Aubreys speech and manners sound somewhat of the boldest Rol. T is his custome Lat. It may be so and yet be worth a feare Rol. If we thought so it should be worth his life and quickly too Lat. I dare not sir be author Of what I would be t is so dangerous But with your highnesse favour and your licence Rol. He talks t is true he is licenc'd leave him We now are Duke alone Latorche securd Nothing left standing to obscure our prospect We look right forth beside and round about us And see it ours with pleasure only one Wish'd joy there wants to make us to possesse it And that is Edith Edith shee that got me In bloud and teares in such an opposite minute As had I not once set all the flames And shaft of Love shot in me his whole armory I should have thought him as farre off as death Lat. My Lord expect a while your happinesse Is neerer than you think it yet her griefes Are greene and fresh your vigilant Latorche Hath not been idle I have leave already To visite her and send to herâ— Rol. My life Lat. And if I find not out as speedie wayes And proper instruments to work and bring her To your fruition that she be not watch'd Tame to your Highnesse wish say you have no servant Is capable of such a trust about you Or worthy to be secretary of your pleasure Rol. Oh my Latorche what shall I render thee For all thy travailes care and love Lat. Sir one suit which I will ever importune till you grant meâ— Rol. About your Mathematitians Lat. Yes to have The Scheme of your nativity judg'd by them I
ever Latorche me thought was buâ—ie That fellow if not lookt to narrowly will doe a suddaine mischiefe Aub. Hell looke to him For if there may be a devill above all yet that rogue will make him keepe you up this night And so will I for much I feare a danger Bald. I will and in my watches use my prayers Exeunt Act. 3. Scaene I. Enter Sophia Otto Matillda Edith Ot. You wonder Madam that for all the shewes My brother Rollo makes of hearty love And free possession of the Dukedome twixt us I notwithstanding should stand still suspiscious As if beneath those veyles he did convey Intents and practises of hate and treason Sop. It breeds indeed my wonder Ot. Which makes mine Since it is so safe and broad a beaten way Beneath the name of friendship to betray Sop. Though in remote and further of affections These falsehoods are so common yet in him They cannot so force nature Ot. The more neere The bands of truth bind the more oft they sever Beâ—ng better cloakes to cover falshood over Sop. It cannot be that fruites the tree so blasting Can grow in nature take heede gentle sonne Least some subbornd suggester of these treasons Beleiv'd in him by you provok'd the rather His tender envies to such foule atempts Or that your too much love to rule alone Breed not in him this Iealous pasâ—ion Thâ—re is not any ill we might not beare Were not our good held at a price too deare Ot. So apt is treachery to be excused That innocence is still aloud abused The fate of vertue even her friends perverts To plead for vice oft times against their hearts Heavens blessing is her curse which she must beare That she may never love Sop. Alas my sonne nor fate nor heaven it selfe Can or would wrest my whole care of your good To any least securenesse in your ill What I urge issues from my curious feare Least you should make your meanes to scape your snare Doubt of sincerenesse is the onely meane Not to insence it but corrupt it cleane Ot. I rest as farre from wrong of sincerenesse As he flyes from the practice trust me Madam I know by their confessions he subborn'd What I should eate drinke touch or onely have scented This evening feast was poysoned but I feare This open violence more that treacherous oddes Which he in his insaâ—iate thirst of rule Is like to excute Sop. Beleeve it Sonneâ— If still his stomacke be so foule to feede On such grosse objects and that thirst to rule The state alone be yet unquench'd in him Poysons and such close treasons aske more time Than can suffice his fiery spirits hast And were there in him such desire to hide So false a practise there would likewise rest Conscience and feare in him'of open force And therefore close nor open you need feare Mat. Good Madam stand not so inclin'd to trust What proves his tendrest thoughts to doubt it just Who knowes not the unbounded flood and sea In which my brother Rolloes appetites Alter and rage with every puffe and breath His swelling blood exhales and therefore heare What gives my temperate broâ—her cause to use His readiest circumspection and consult For remedy against all his wicked purposes If he arme arme if he strew mines of treason Meete him with countermines it is justice stâ—ll For goodnesse sake t' encounter ill with ill Sop. Avert from us such jnstice equall heaven And all such cause of justice Ot. Past all doubt For all the sacred priviledge of night This is no time for us to sleepe or rest in Who knowes not all things holy are prevented With ends of all impietie all but Lust gaine ambition Enter Rollo armed and Latorche Rol. Perish all the world Ere I but loose one foote of possible Empire Be slights and colour us'd by slaves and wretches I am exempt by birth from both these curbes And since above them in all justice since I sit above in power where power is given Is all the right suppos'd of earth and heaven Lat. Prove both sir see the traytor Ot. He comes armed see Mother now your câ—nfidence Sop. What rage affects this monster Roll. Give me way or perish Sop. Make thy way viper if thou thus affect it Ot. This is a treason like thee Roll. Let her goe Sop. Embrace me weare me as thy shield my sonne And through my breast let his rude weapon runne To thy lives innoscence Ot. Play not two parts Treacher and coward both but yeeld a sword And let thy arming thee be oddes enough Against my naked bosome Roll. Loose his hold Mat. Forbeare base murtherer Roll. Forsake our mother Sop. Mother dost thou name me and put'st off nature thus Roll. Forsake her traytour Or by the spouse of nature through hers This leads unto thy heart Ot. Hold. Sop. Hold me still Ot. For twenty hearts and lives I will not hazard One drop of blood in yours Sop. Oh thou art lost then Ot. Protect my innocence heaven Sop. Call out murther Mat. Be murthered all but save him Ed. Murther murtherâ— Roll. Cannot I reach you yet Ot. No fiend Roll. Latorche rescue I 'me downe Lat. Vp then your sword cooles sir Ply it i' th' flame and worke your ends out Roll. Ha have at you there sir. Enter Aubrey Aub. Author of prodigies what sightes are these Ot. Oh give me a weapon Aubrey Sop. Oh part 'em part 'em Aub. For heavens sake no more Ot. No more resist his fury no rage can Adde to his mischiefe done Dyes Sop. Take spirit my Otto Heaven will not see thee dye thus Mat. He is dead and nothing lives but death of every goodnesse Sop. Oh he hath slaine his brother curse him heaven Roll. Curse and be cursed it is the fruite of cursingâ— Latorche take off here bring too of that blood To colour ore my shirt then rayse the Court And give it out how he atempted us In our bed naked shall the name of brother Forbid us to inlarge our state and powers Or place affects of blood above our reason That tells us all things good against another Are good in the same line against a brother Exit Enter Gisbert Balldwin Gis. What affaires informe these out-cries Aub. See and grieve Giâ— Prince Otto slaine I Ball. Oh execrable slaughter I What hand hath author'd it Aub. Your Schollers Baldwin Bald. Vnjustly urg'd Lord Aubrey as if I For being his Schoolemaster must owne this doctrine You are his Counsellours did you advise him To this foule parracide Gis. If rule affect this licence who would live To worse than dye in force of his obedience Bald. Heavens cold and lingring spirit to punish sinne And humane blood so fiery to commit it One so outgoes the other it will never Be turn'd to fit obedience Aub. Burst it then With his full swing given where it brookes no bound Complaints of it are vaine and all that rests To be our refuge since our powers are strengthlesse Is to
fall upon him May heaven never heare his prayers I beseech you Oh sir these few teares beseech you these chast hands wooe you Thâ—â— never yet were heav'd but to things holy Things like your selfe you are a God above us Be as a God then full of saving mercy Mercy oh mercy for his sake mercy That when your stout heart weapes shall give you pitty Here I must grow Ral. By heaven I le strike thee woman Ed. Most willingly let all thy anger seeke me All the most studyed torments so this good man This old man and this innocent escape thee Rol. Carry him away I say Ed. Now blessing on thee oh sweet pitty I see it in thy eyes I charge you souldiers Even by the Princes power release my father The Prince is mercifull why doe you hold him He is old why doe you hurt him speake oh speake sir Speake as you are a man a mans life hangs sir A friends life and a foster life upon you T is but a word but mercy quickly spoke sir Oh speake Prince speake Rol. Will no man here obey me Have I no rule yet as I live he dies That does not execute my will and suddenly Bal. All that thou canst doe takes but one short houre from me Rol. Hew off her hands Ham. Lady hold off Ed. No hew'm Hew off my innocent hands as he commands you Exit Guard Count Bald. They 'le hang the faster on for deaths convulsion Thou seede of rockes will nothing move thee then Are all my teares lost all my righteous prayers Drown'd in thy drunken wrath I stand thus then Thus boldly bloody Tyrant And to thy face in heavens high name defie thee And may sweet mercy when thy soule sighes for it When under thy blacke mischiâ—â—es thy flesh trembles When neither strength nor youth nor friends nor gold Can stay one houre when thy most wretched conscience Wak'd from her dreame of death like fire shall melt thee When all thy mothers teares thy brothers wounds Thy peoples feares and curses and my losse My aged fathers losse shall stand before thee Rol. Save him I say runne save him save her father Flie and redeeme his head Exit Latorch Ed. May then that pitty That comfort thou expect'st from heaven that mercy Be lock't up from thee fly thee howling find thee Despaire oh my sweete father stormes of terrors Blood till thou burst againe Rol. Oh faire sweet anger Enter Latorch and Hamond with a 〈◊〉 Lat. I am two late sir t was dispatch'd beforeâ— And his head is heare Rol. And my heart there goe bury him Give him faire rites of funerall decent honourâ— Ed. Wilt thou not take me monster heighest heaven Give him a punishment fit for his mischiefe Lat. I feare thy prayer is heard and he rewardedâ— Lady have patience t was unhappy speed Blame not the Duke t was not his fault but fates He sent you know to stay it and commanded In care of you the heavie object hence Soone as it came have better thoughts of him Enter Citizens Cit. 1. Where 's this young Traytor Lat. Noble citizensâ— here Any here the wounds he gave your soveraigne Lord. Cit. 1. This Prince of force must be Belov'd of heaven whom heaven hath thus preserv'd Cit. 2. And if he be belov'd of heaven you know He must be just and all his actions so Rol. Concluded like an Oracle oh how great A grace of heaven is a wise â—â—â—â—zen For heaven t is makes them wise as 't makes me just As it preserves me as I now survive By his strong hand to keepe you all alive Your wives your children goods and lands kept yours That had beene else preyes to his tyranous power That would have prey'd on me in bed aâ—saulted me In sacred time of peace my mother here My sister this just Lord and all had felt The curtian gulph of this conspiracie Of which my Tutor and my Chancellour Two of the gravest and most counted honest In all my Dukedome were the monstrous headâ— Oh trust no honest men for their sakes ever My politique Citizens but those that breathe The names of Cut-throats usurers an Tyrants Oh those beleeve 〈◊〉 for the â—oule mouth'd world Can give no better termes to â—imple goodnesse Even mâ— it dares blaspheme and thinkes me tyrannouâ— For saving my owne life sought by my brother Yet those that sought his life before by poyson Though my owne servants hoping to please me I le lead to death for t which your eyes shall see Cit. 1. Why what a Prince is here Cit. 2. How just Cit. 3. How gentle Rol. Well now my dearest subjects or much rather My nerves my spirits or my vitall blood Turne to your needfull rest and setled peace Fixe in this roote of steele from whence it sprung In heavens great helpe and blessing but ere sleepe Bind in his sweet oblivion your dull senses The name and verme of heavens King advance For yours in â—hiefe for my deliverance Cit. Heaven and his King save our most pious soveraigne Exit Citizens Rol. Thankes my good people mother and kind sister And you my noble kinsmen thinges borne thus Shall make you all command what ever I Enjoy in this my absolute Empery Take in the body of my princely brother For whose death since his fate no other way Would give my eldest birth his supreme right We 'le mourne the cruell influence it beares And wash his sepulcher with kindly teares Aub. If this game end thus heavens will rule the seâ— What we have yeelded to we could not let Exit â—â—nes Praetâ—r Latorch and Edith Lat. Good Lady rise and raise your spirits withall More high than they are humbled you have cause As much as ever honour'd happiest Lady And when your eares are freer to take in Your most amendfull and unmatched fortunes I le make you drowne a hundred helpelesse deathes In sea of one life powr'd into your bosome With which shall flow into your armes the riâ—hes The pleasures honours and the ruleâ— oâ— Pâ—inâ—â—â— Which though death stop your eaâ—es me thinks should ope'm Assay to forget death Ed. Oh slaughter'd father Lat. Taste of what cannot be redress'd and blesse The fate that yet you curse so sinâ—e for that You spake so movingly and your sweet eyes With so much grace fill'd that you set on fire The Dukes affection whom you now may rule As he rules all his Dukedome is 't not sweet Does it not shine away your sorrowes cloudsâ— Sweet Lady take wiâ—e heart and heare and tell meâ— Ed. I heare no word you speake Lat. Prepare to heare then And be not barr'd up from your selfe nor adde To your ill fortune with your farre worse judgementâ— Make me your servant to attend with all joyes Your sad estate till they both blesse and speake it See how they 'le bow to you make me waite command mâ— To watch out every minute for the stay Your modest sorrow fancies raise your graces And doe my hopes the