Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A65360
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Appius and Virginia a tragedy / John Webster.
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Webster, John, 1580?-1625?
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1654
(1654)
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Wing W1215; ESTC R5767
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39,672
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66
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drovvns them in the Western â—…ea But 〈◊〉 â—…hese 〈◊〉 as too high for your dâ—…ll appâ—… 〈◊〉 Shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you at the Tryal to morrow 1. Serving. By 〈◊〉 â—…lp 〈◊〉 â—…e there 2. Serving. And I if I liâ—… Corb. And I if I dye for 〈◊〉 Here 's my hand I 'l meet you It is thought my old master will be there at the Bar for though all the timber of his house yet stand yet my Lord Numitorius hath sent one of his Posts to the Camp to bid him spur cut and come to the sentence Oh we have a house at home as heavy as if it were covered with lead But you will remember to be there 1. Serving. And not to fail Corb. If I chance to meet you there and that the Case go against us I will give you a quart not of Wine but of Tears for instead of a new Role I purpose to break my Fast with sops of sorrow Explicit Actus tertius Actus Quartus Scena Prima Enter Virginius like a slave Numitorius Icilius Valerius Horatio Virginia like a slave Julla Calphurina Nurse Virginius THanks to my noble friends itnow appears that you have rather lov'd me then my fortune for that 's near shipwrackt chance you see still ranges and this short dance of life is full of changes Appius how hollow that name founds how dreadful It is a question whether the proud Leacher will view us to our merit for they say his memory to vertue and good men is still carousing Lethâ—… O the Gods not with more terror do the souls in hell appear before the seat of Rhadamant then the poor Clyent yonder Numit. O Virginius Why do you wear this habit it ill fits your noble person or this reverend place Virg. That 's true old man but it well fits the case that 's now in question If with form and shew they prove her slaved all freedome I 'le forgoâ—… Icilius. Noble Virginius put out a bold and confident defence search the Imposture like a cunning Tryer false meâ—…als bear the touch but brook not fire their brittleness betrayes them let your breath discover as much shame in them as death did ever draw from Offenders Let your truth nobly supported void of fear or art welcome what ever comes with a great heart Virginius Now by the Gods I thank thee noble youth I never fear'd in a besieged Town Mines or great Engines like you Lawyers Gown Virginia O my dear Lord and father once you gave me a noble freedom do not see it lost without a forfeit take the life you gave me and sacrifice it rather to the gods then to a villains Lust. Happy the Wretch who born in bondage lives and dies a slave and sees no lustful projects bent upon her and neither knowes the life nor death of honor Icil We have neither Justice no nor violence which should reform corruption sufficient to cross their black premeditated doom Appius will seize her all the fire in hell is leapt into his bosom Virginius O you Gods extinguish it with your compassionate tears although you make a second deluge spread and swell more high then Tenerifâ—…'s high head Have not the Wars heapt snow sufficient upon this aged head but they will stil pile winter upon winter Enter Appius Oppius Clodius six Senators Lictors Appius Is he come say Now by my life I 'l quit the General Numit. Your reverence to the Judge good brother Virginius Yes Sir I have learnt my complement thus Blest mean estates who stand in fear of many and great are curst for that they fâ—…ar not any App. What is Virginius come Virg. I am here my Lord. App. Where is your daughter Numit. Here my reverend Lord. Your habit shewes you strangely Virginia O 't is fit it sutes both time and cause Pray pardon it App. Where is your Advocate Virg. I have none my Lord. Truth needs no Advocate the unjust Cause buyes up the tongues that travel with applause in these your thronged Courts I want not any and count him the most wretched that needs many Orator May it please your reverend Lordships App. What are you Sir Orat. Of counsel with my Clyent Marcus Clodius Virg. My Lord I undertake a desperate combat to cope with this most eloquent Lawyer I have no skill i' th' weapon good my Lord I mean I am not travell'd in your Lawes My suit is therefore by your special goodness they be not wrested against me App. O Virginius the gods defend they should Virg. Your humble servant shall ever pray for you Thus shall your glory be above your place or those high titles which you hold in Court for they dy blest that dy in good report Now Sir I stand you Orat. Then have at you Sir May it please your Lordships here is such a Case so full of subtilty and as it were so far benighted in an ignorant mist that though my reading be sufficient my practice more I never was intangled in the like pursenet Here is one that claimes this woman for his daughter Here 's another affirms she is his Bond-slave Now the Question with favour of the Bench I shall make plain in two words only without circumstance App. Fall to your proofs Orat. Where are our papers Clod. Here Sir Orat. Where Sir I vow y' are the most tedious Clyent Now we come to 't my Lord. Thus stands the Case the Law is clear on our sides Hold your prating That honourable Lord Virginius having been married about fifteen year and Issuless this Virgins politick mother Seeing the Land was likely to descend to Numitorius I pray Sir listen You my Lord Numitorius attend we are on your side Old Virginius imployed in forraign wars she seâ—… him 〈◊〉 she was with child observe it I beseech you and note the trick of a deceitful woman she in the mean time faiâ—… the passions of a great bâ—…llyed woman counterâ—…s their passions and their 〈◊〉 and verily all Rome held this for no â—…posterous stuff What 's to be done now here 's a rumor spread of a young Heir gods bless it and belly bumbasted with a cushion but their wants What wants there nothing but a pretty babe bought with some piece of mony where it skils not to furnish this supposed lying in Nurse I protest my Lord the fellow i' th' night cap hath not spoke one true word yet App Hold you your prating woman til you are call'd Orat. 'T is purchast Where From this mans bond-woman The mony paid What was the sum of mony Clod. A thousand Drachmas Orat. Good a thousand Drachmas App. Where is that bond-woman Clod. She 's dead my Lord. App. O dead that makes your Cause suspicious Orat. But here 's her deposition on her death bed with other testimony to confirm what we have said is true Wilt please your Lordship take pains to view these writings Here my Lord we shall not need to hold your Lordships long we 'l make short work on 't Virg.
you have any businesse defer 't untill tomorrow or the afternoone I shall be proud to pleasure you Icilius. The Fox is earth't my Lord you cannot winde him yet Appius Stooles for my noble friends I pray you sit Clodius May it please your Lordship App. Why uncivill sir have I not beg'd for bearance of my best and dearest friends and must you trouble me Clodius My Lord I must be heard and will be heard were all the gods in Parliament I 'de burst their silence with my importunity but they should heare me Appius The fellow 's mad we have no leasure now to heare you sir. Clodius Hast now no leasure to heare just complaints Resigne thy place O Appius that some other may doe me Justice then Appius Wee 'l hear 't to morrow Clodius O my Lord Deny me Justice absolutely rather them feed me with delayes Icilius. Good my Lord hear him and wonder when you heare him that a case so full of vile Imposture should desire to be unfoulded Clodius I my Lord 't is true the Imposture is on their parts Appius Hold your prating away with him to prison clamorous fellow Suspect you our uprightnesse Clodius No my Lord but I have mighty Enemies my Lord will overflow my cause See here I hold my bondwoman that brags her selfe to be descended of a noble family My purse is too scant to wage Law with them I am inforâ—…'t be mine own advocate not one will pleade for me Now if your Lordship will doe me justice so if not then know high hills are safe when seas poore dales or eflow Appius Sirra I think it fit to let you know e're you proceed in this your subtle suite what penalty and danger you acrne if you be found to double Here 's a virgin famous by birth by education noble and she forsooth haply but to draw some piece of money from her worthy father must needs be challeng'd for a bondwoman Sirra take heed and well bethink your selfe I 'le make you a president to all the world If I but finde you tripping Clodius Doe it freely and view on that condition these just proofes App. Is that the Virgins nurse Nurse Heâ—… milcâ—… Nurse my Lord I had a sore hand with her for a year and a quarter I have had somewhat to doe with her since too for the poore Gentlewoman hath been so troubled with the green sicknesse Icilius. I pray thee Nurse intreat Sertorius to come and speak with me App. Here is strange circumstance view it my Lord if he should prove this it would make Virginius think he were wronged Icilius. There is a devilish cunning exprest in this black forgerie App. Icilius and Virginia pray come near compound with this base fellow You were better disburse some trifle then to undergo the question of her freedome Icilius. O my Lord she were not worth a handfull of a bride if she did need a bribe Appius Nay take your course I onely give you my opinion I aske no fee for 't Do you know this fellow Virginia Yes my Lord he 's your servant Appius Y' are i' th' right But will you truly know his character he was at first a pettie Notary a fellow that being trusted with large summes of honest Citizens to be imploy'd i' th' trade of usury this Gentleman couching his credit like a tilting staffe most cunningly it brake and at one course he ran away with thirty thousand pound returning to the City seven year after having compounded with his creditors for the third moity he buyes an office belonging to our place depends on us in which the oppression and vile injuries he hath done poore suters they have cause to rue and I to pity he hath sold his smiles for silver but his promises for gold his delayes have undone men The plague that in some foulded cloud remaines the bright Sun soone disperseth but observe when black infection in some dunghill lies there 's worke for bells and graves if it doe rise Numitor. He was an ill prop to your house my Lord. Appius T is true my Lord but we that have such servants are like to Cuccolds that have riotous wives we are the last that know it this is it makes noblemen suspected to have done ill when the oppression lies in their proud followers Clod. My Lord it was some soothing sicophant some base detracting Rascal that hath spread this falsehood in your ears App. Peace Impudence did I not yester day no longer since surprize thee in thy Study counterfeiting our hand Clod. 'T is true my Lord. App. Being subscribed unto a Letter fill'd with amorous stuff unto this Lady Clod. I have askt your pardon and gave you reason why I was so bold to use that forgery App. Did you receive it Virg. I did my Lord and I can shew your Lordship a packet of such Letters App. Now by the Gods I 'l make you rue it I beseech you Sir show them the reason mov'd you counterfeit our Letter Enter Valerius Clod. Sir I had no other colour to come to speak with her App. A goodly reason Did you until this hour acquaint the Lady with your intended suit Clod. At several times and would have drawn her by some private course to have compounded for her liberty Virg. Now by a Virgins honour and true birth 't is false my Lord I never had a dream so terrible as is this monstrous divel App. Well Sir referring my particular wrong to a particular censure I would know what is your suit Clod. My Lord a speedy tryal App. You shall obtain 't with all severity I will not give you longer time to dream upon new slights to cloak your forgery Observe you this Camelion my Lords I le make him change his colour presently Numit. My Lord although th' uprightness of our cause needs no delayes yet for the satisfaction of old Virginius let him be present when we shall crave a tryal Appius Sir it needs not Who stands for father of the Innocent if not the Judg I le save the poor old man that needless travel Virg. With your favour Sir we must intreat some respit in a business so needful of his presence App. I do protest you wrong your selves thus to importune it Well let it be to morrow I 'l not sleep till I have made this thicket a smooth plain and giv'n you your true honor back again Icil. My Lord the distance 'twixt the Camp and us cannot be measured in so short a time Let us have four dayes respit App. You are unwise rumor by that time will have fully spred the scandal which being ended in one hour will turn to air To morrow is the Tryal in the mean time let all contented thoughts attend you Clod. My Lord you deal unjustly thus to dismiss her this is that they seek for before to morrow they 'l convey her hence where my claim shall not seise her App. Cunning knave You would have bond for her appearance say Clod. I think