suffering nobles on 't And one by one employ them to the block But when they once grow formidable to Their Clownes and Coblers ware then guard themselves If you durst tell him this Latorch the service Would not discredit the good name you hold With men besides the profit to your maister And to the publique Lator. I conceive not Sir Their ayery feares and why should I object 'em Vnto his fancy wound what is yet sound Your Counsells colour not with reason of state Where all that 's necessary still is just The actions of the Prince while they succeed Should be made good and glorifide not question'd Men doe but shew their ill affections That Aub. What speake out Lator. Doe murmure gainst their maisters Aub. Is this to mee Lator, It is to whosoever Mislikes o' the Dukes courses Aub. I is 't so At your state ward sir Lator. I am sworne to heare Nothing may prejudice the Prince Aub. Why doe you Or have you ha Lator. I cannot tell mens hearts Shew in their words sometimes Aub. I ever thought thee Knave o' th chamber art thou the spy too Lator. A watchman for the State and one that 's known Sir to be rightly affected Aub. Baude of the State No lesse then of thy maisters lusts I now See nothing can redeeme thee dar'st thou mention Affection or a heart that ne're hadst any Know'st not to love or hate but by the scale As thy Prince does 't before thee that dost never Weare thine own face but putst on his and gatherst Baites for his eares liv'st wholy at his beck And ere thou durst utter a thought thine owne Must expect his creep'st forth and wad'st into him As if thou wert to passe a ford there proving Yet if thy tongue may step on safely or no Then bringst his virtue a sleepe and staist the wheele Both of his reason and Iudgement that they move not Whit'st over all his vices and at last Dost draw a cloud of words before his eyes Till neither he can see thee nor himselfe Wretch I dare give him honest Counsells I And love him whil'st I tell him truth old Aubrey Dares goe the straightest way which still 's the shortest Walke on the thornes thou scaterst Parasite And tread 'em unto nothing and if thou Then letst a looke fall of the least dislike I le rip thy Crowne up with my sword at height And pluck thy skinne over thy face in sight Of him thou flattrest unto thee I speake it Slave against whom all lawes should now conspire And e'ry creature that hath sence be arm'd As 'gainst the common enimy of mankind That sleep'st within thy maisters eare and whisper'st 'T is better for him to be fear'd then lov'd Bid'st him trust no mans friendship spare no bloud That may secure him T is no cruelty That hath a spatious end for soveraignety Break all the lawes of kind if it succeed An honest noble and praiseworthy deed While he that takes thy poysons in shall feele Their virulent workings in a point of time When no repentance can bring aide but all His spirits shall melt with what his conscience burn'd And dying in a flatterers armes shall fall unmourn'd There 's matter for you now Lator. My Lord this makes not For loving of my maister Aub. Loving no They hate ill Princes most that make 'em so Enter Rollo Hamond Allan Guard Roll. I le heare no more Ham. Alas t is for my brother I beseech your highnesse Roll. How a brother Had not I one my selfe did title move mee When it was fit that he should dye away Allan Brother loose no word more leave my good cause To upbraid the Tyrant I me glad I am falne Now in those times that will'd some great example T' assure men we can dye for honesty Roll. Sir you are brave pray that you hold your neck As bravely forth anon unto the headsman Allan Would he would strike as bravely and thou by Rollo 't would make thee quake to see me dye Aub. What 's his offence Ham. For giving Gisbert buriall Who was sometimes his Maister Allan Yes Lord Aubrey My gratitude and humanity are my Crimes Roll. Why beare you him not hence Aub. My Lord stay souldiers I doe beseech your highnesse doe not loose Such men for so sleight clauses this is one Hath still been faithfull to you a try'd soule In all your fathers battailes I have seen him Bestride a friend against a score of foes And look he looks as he would kill his hundred For you Sir were you in danger Allan Till he kills his Brother his Chancellour then his amster To which he can adde nought to equall Nero But killing of his mother Aub. Peace brave foole Thou valiant Asse here 's his brother too Sir A Captaine of your Guard hath serv'd you long With the most noble witnesse of his truth Mark'd in his face and ev'ry part about him That turnes not from an enemie but view him And doe not grieve him Sir if you doe meane That he shall hold his place it is not safe To tempt such spirits and let 'em weare their swords You make your Guards your terrours by these Acts And throw more hearts off from you then you hold And I must tell you Sir with my old freedome And my old faith to boot you have not liv'd so But that your state will need such men such hands Of which here 's one shall in an houre of triall Doe you more certaine service with a stroke Then the whole bundle of your Flatterers With all th' unsavorie unction of their tongues Rollo Peace talker Aub. One that loves you yet my Lord And would not see you pull on your own ruines Mercy becomes a Prince and guards him best A weand affrights they are no ties of love And when men 'gin to feare the Prince they hate him Rollo Am I the Prince or you Aub. My Lord I hope I have not utter'd ought should urge that question Rollo Then practise your obedience see him dead Aub. My Lord Rollo I le heare no word more Aub. I am sorry then There is no small dispaire Sir of their safety Whose eares are blocked up against the truth Come Captaine Ham. I doe thank you Sir Aub. For what For seeing thy brother dye a man and honest Live thou so Captaine I will so I assure thee Although I die for 't too Come Exeunt omnes praeter Rollo Latorch Rollo Now Latorch What doe you think Lat. That Aubries speech and manners Sound somewhat of the boldest Rollo T is his custome Lat. It may be so and yet be worth a feare Rollo If we thought so it should be worth his life And quickly too Lat. I dare not Sir be author Of what I would he is so dangerous But with your highnesse favour and your license Rollo He talkes 't is true and he is licens'd leave him We now are Duke alone Latorch secur'd Nothing left standing to obscure our prospect We look right
perceive your brothers sweetnesse Otto O mother that your tendernesse had eyes Discerning eyes what would this man appeare then The tale of Synon when he took upon him To ruine Troy with what a cloud of cunning He hid his heart nothing appearing outwards But came like innocence and dropping pitty Sighes that would sinke a Navy and had tales Able to take the eares of Saints beliefe too and what did all these blew the fire to Ilion My brother has put on oh I could tell yee But for the reverence I beare to nature Things that would make your honest bloud move backward Soph. Yee dare tell me Otto Yes in your private closet Where I will presently attend you rise I am a litle troubled but t will off Soph. Is this the joy I lookt for Otto All will mend Be not disturb'd deere mother I le not faile you Exit Sophia Otto Baldw. I doe not like this Aub. That 's still in our powers But how to make it so that we may like it Bald. Beyond us ever Latorch me thought was busie That fellow if not lookt to narrowly will doe a suddain mischiefe Aub. Hell look to him For if there may be a divell above all yet That rogue will make him Keep your selfe up this night And so will I for much I feare a danger Bald. I will and in my watches use my praiers Exeunt ACTUS 3. SCENA 1. A Stoole set out Enter Sophia Otto Matilda Edith Otto 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 suspicious As if beneath those vailes he did convey Intents and practises of hate and treason Soph. It breeds indeed my wonder Otto Which makes mine Since t is so safe and broad a beaten way Beneath the name of friendship to betray Soph. Though in remote and further off affection These falshoods are so common yet in him They cannot so force nature Otto The more neere the bonds of truth binde The more oft they sever Being better cloakes to falshood ever Soph. It cannot be that fruits the tree so blasting Can grow in nature take heed gentle sonne Lest some suborn'd suggester of these treasons Beleev'd in him by you provok'd the rather His tender envies to such fowle attempts Or that your too much love to rule alone Bred not of him this jealous passion There is not any ill we might not beare Were not our good held at a price too deere Otto So apt is treachery to be excus'd That innocence is still aloud abus'd The fate of vertue ev'n her friends perverts To plead for vice oftimes against their hearts Heavens blessing is her curse which she must beare That she may never love Soph. 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 Lest you should make your meanes to scape your snare Doubt of sincerenesse is the only meane Not to incense it but corrupt it cleane Otto I rest as far from wrong of all syncerenesse As he flies from the practise trust me Madam I know by their confessions he suborn'd What I should eat drink touch or only have sented This evening feast was poyson'd but I feare His open violence more than trecherous odds In his insatiate thirst of rule Is like to execute Soph. Beleeve it sonne If still his stomack be so foule to feed On such grosse objects and that thirst to rule The state alone be yet unquencht in him Poysons and such close treasons ask more time Then 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 Madame 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 Rollo's appetites Alter and rage with every puffe of breath His swelling bloud exhales and therefore heare What gives my temperate brother cause To use his circumspection and consult For remedy gainst all his wicked purposes If he arme arme if he strow mines of treason Meet him with countermines 't is justice still For goodnesse sake to encounter ill for ill Soph. Avert from us such justice equall heaven And all such cause of justice Otto Past all doubt For all the sacred priviledge of night This is no time for us to sleep or rest in Who knowes not all things holy are prevented With ends of all impiety all but Lust gaine ambition Enter Rollo arm'd and Latorch Rollo Perish all the world Ere I but loose one foot of possible Empire By sleights and colour us'd by slaves and wretches I am exempt by birth from both those curbes And sit 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 Traitour Otto He comes arm'd See mother now your confidence Soph. What rage Affects this monster Rollo Give me way or perish Soph. Make thy way Viper if thou thus affect it Otto This is a Treason like thee Rollo Let her goe Soph. Embrace me weare me as thy sheild my sonne And through my brest let his rude weapon run To thy lives innocence Otto Play not two parts Treacher and coward both but yeeld a sword And let thy arming thee be odds enough Against my naked bosome Rollo Loose his hold Mat. Forbeare base murtherer Rollo Forsake our Mother Soph. Mother do it thou name me And put off nature thus Rollo Forsake her traitour Or by the spoile of nature through hers This leads unto thy heart Otto Hold Soph. Hold me still Otto For twenty hearts and lives I will not hazard One drop of bloud in yours Soph. O thou art lost then Ot. Protect my innocence heaven Soph. Call out murder Mat. Be murdred all but save him Edith Murder murder Rollo Cannot I reach you yet Otto No fiend Rollo Latorch Rescue I am downe Lat. Vp then your sword cooles Sir Ply it i' th flame and work your ends out Rollo Ha Have at you there Sir Ent. Aub. Aub. Author of prodigies What sights are these Otto O give me a weapon Aubrey Soph. O part em part 'em Aub. For heavens sake no more Otto No more resist his fury no rage can Adde to his mischiefe done Dies Soph. Take spirit my Otto Heaven will not see thee dye thus Mat. He is dead And nothing lives but death of every goodnesse Soph. O he hath slain his brother curse him heaven Rollo Curse and be curst it is the fruit of cursing Latorch take off here bring too of that bloud To bloudy ore my shirt then raise the Court And give it out how he attempted us In
would have had Mine own fine headsman done it with a sword Goe take this dotard here and take his head Off with a sword Ham. Your Schoolemaster Roll. Even he Bald. For teaching thee no better 't is the best Of all thy damned Iustices away Captaine I le follow Edith O stay there Duke And in the midst of all thy bloud and fury Heare a Poore maids petitions heare a daughter The only daughter of a wretched father O stay your hast as you shall need this mercy Roll. Away with this fond woman Edith You must heare mee If there be any sparke of pitty in you If sweet humanity and mercy rule you I doe confesse you are a Prince your anger As great as you your execution greater Roll. Away with him Edith O Captaine by thy man-hood By her soft soule that bare thee I doe confesse sir Your doome of justice on your foes most righteous Good noble Prince looke on me Roll. Take her from me Edith A curse upon his life that hinders me May fathers blessing never fall upon him May heaven never heare his prayers I beseech you O Sir these teares beseech you these chast hands woe you That 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 O mercy sir for his sake mercy That when your stout heart weepes shall give you pitty Here I must growe Roll. By heaven I le strike thee woman Edith Most willingly let all thy anger seize mee All the most studyed torments so this good man This old man and this innocent escape thee Roll. Carry him away I say Edith Now blessing on thee ô sweet pitty I see it in thy eyes I charge ye souldiers Even by the Princes power release my Father The Prince is mercifull why doe ye hold him The Prince forgets his fury why doe ye tug him He is old why doe ye hurt him speak O speak sir Speak 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 O speake Prince speake Roll. Will no man here obay mee Have I no rule yet as I live he dies That does not execute my will and suddenly Bald. All thou canst doe takes but one short houre frō me Roll. Hew off her hands Ham. Lady hold off Edith No hew 'em Exit Baldwin with the Guard Hew off my innocent hands as he commands you They le hang the faster on for deaths convulsion Thou seed of rocks will nothing move thee then Are all my teares lost all my righteous prayers Drown'd in thy drunken wrath I stand up thus then Thus boldly bloudy Tyrant And to thy face in heavens high name defy thee And may sweet mercy when thy soule sighs for it When under thy black mischiefes thy flesh trembles When neither strength nor youth nor friends nor gold Can stay one hower 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 Roll. Save him I say run save him save her Father Fly and redeeme his head Ezit Latorch Edith May then that pitty That comfort thou expect'st from heaven that mercy Be lockt up from thee fly thee howlings finde thee Dispaire O my sweet father stormes of terrors Bloud till thou burst againe Enter Latorch Hamond with a head Roll. O faire sweet anger Lator. I came too late Sir 't was dispatch't before His head is heere Roll. And my heart there goe bury him Give him faire rites of funerall decent honours Edith Wilt thou not take mee monster high heaven Give him a punishment fit for his mischiefe Lator. I feare thy prayer is heard and he rewarded 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 heavy object hence Soone as it came have better thoughts of him Enter the Citizens Cit. 1. Where 's this young Traitor Lator. Noble Citizens heere And heere the wounds he gave your Soveraigne Lord Cit. 1. This Prince of force must be Belov'd of Heaven that heaven hath thus preserv'd Cit. 2. And if he be lov'd of heaven you know He must be just and all his actions so Roll. Concluded like an Oracle O how great A grace of heaven is a wise Citizen For heaven 't is makes them wise as 't made mee just As it preserv'd mee as I now survive By his strong hand to keep you all alive Your wives your childrens goods and lands kept yours That had been else prey to his Tyrannous power That would have prey'd on mee in bed assaulted mee In sacred time of peace my mother heere My sister this just Lord and all had felt The Curtian Gulfe of this conspiracy Of which my Tutor and my Chancellor Two of the gravest and most counted honest In all my Dukedome were the monstrous heads O trust no honest men for their sakes ever My politique Citizens but those that beare The names of Cutthroats Vserers and Tyrants O those beleeve in for the foule mouth'd world Can give no better tearmes to simple goodnesse Even me it dares blaspheme and thinks me tyrannous For saving mine own life sought by my brother Yet those that sought his life before by poison Though mine own 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 Rollo Well now my deerest subjects or much rather My nerves my spirits or my vitall bloud Turne to your needfull rest and setled peace Fixt in this root of steele from whence it sprung In heavens great help and blessing but ere sleep Binde in his sweet oblivions your dull sences The name and vertue of heavens King advance For you in chiefe for my deliverance Cit. Heaven and his King save our most pious Soveraign Rollo Thanks my good people mother kind sister Exeunt Cit. And you my noble kinsman things borne thus Shall make yee 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 Wee 'l mourne the cruell influence it beares And wash his Sepulcher with kindly teares Aub. If this game end thus heavens will rule the seat Exeunt omnes praeter Latorch Edith What we have yeelded to we could not let Lat. Good Lady rise and raise your spirits withall More high then 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 yee drowne a hundred helplesse deaths In sea