That most abounds in worldlie things And soares too hie with Fortunes wings Which carrie vp aspiring mindes For to be beaten with all windes The course of such being rightlie scand Whilst men can not themselues command Transported with a pow'rles name Oft vnexpected ruine brings W' haue seene examples in this land How worldlie blisse the senses blindes And on a reed vnsurely hings He that presumes vpon the same Hid poyson in his pleasure findes And sailing rashlie with the windes of fame Doth oft times sinke into a sea of shame It 's to be fear'd our King at last Whilst he for nothing is affraid Be by prosperitie betraid For growing thus in greatnes still And hauing worldlie things at will He thinks though Time should all things wast Yet his estate shall euer last The wonder of th' inferiour round And in his owne conceit hath said No course of heau'n his state can cast Nor make his successe to be ill If Fortune once those thoughts t' obbraid Will haue our King to be vn-cround She may that mind with horrour fill And in an instant vtterly confound The state that stands vpon so slipprie ground When such a Monarchs mind is bent To follow most the most vnwise Who can their follie disaguise With sugred speaches poysonous baites The secret canker of great states From which at first few disassent The which at last all do repent While as repenting lust must go When Kings begin for to despise Of honest men the good intent Who to assure their Soueraignes seates Would faine in time some help deuise And would cut off all cause of wo Yet can not second their conceats These dreadfull Comets commonly forgo The Kings destruction that 's miscarried so Act. III. Scen. I. CROESVS ADRASTVS Croes WHat vncoth fancies do affright my soule And haue captiu'd it to a thousand feares Strange cares suggesting griefe my ioyes controule My mind some comming euill charactred beares And credulous suspition too too wise To fortifie my feares doth meanes inuent Whilst suddaine terrors do my sprite surprise An ominous presage of some bad euent I thinke the soule come of immortall brood As being partner of a diuine powre Hath a fore-knowledge both of euill and good Although she can not flie a fatall houre Though with this mortall vaile being made halfe blinde She can not soare outright with her owne wings Yet she communicates vnto the mind In cloudie dreames and misteries strange things Th' imagination wonderfull in force Of foiles the iudgement with confusion so That presupposing all things to be worse Then they fall foorth we double our owne wo. For as the shadow seemes more monstrous still Then doth the substance whence it hath the being So th' apprehension of approaching ill Seemes greater then it selfe whilst feares are lying This alteration too seemes more then strange Which at an instant hath ore-whelm'd my sences I see more then I thought all states may change Against the heauen th' earth can find no defences My soule her wonted pleasure else is loathing This hath indeede so deepe impression left A dreame a fantasie a shadow nothing Hath all my mirth euen in a moment reft Adras Whence mightie Soueraigne can this change proceede That doth obscure the rayes of princely grace Those that are schoold in wo may cleerely reede A mightie passion written in your face And if a stranger may presume so farre I would the copie of your passions borrow I else coniecture in what state you are Taught by a secret sympathie in sorrow Two strings in diuers Lutes set in accord Although th' one be but toucht together sound Euen so soules tun'd to griefe the like afford And other with a mutuall motion wound Croes No doubt but it disburdens much the mind A Secretarie in distresse to haue Who by his owne anothers griefe can finde Where glad minds scorne what they can not conceaue And I Adrastus would the cause declare With which I so torment my selfe in vaine O but I blush t' vnfold my foolish care It 's but th' illusion of a drowsie braine Adras According to the bodies constitution The soule by night with fancies is afflicted Or by these thoughts continuall reuolution To which by day the mind is most addicted Craes Now whilst the Sunne did peepe through Thetis bower And on the beauties of Aurora gaz'd Out of my body spoild of mouing power All faculties of life dull sleepe had raz'd While as the sprite more powerfull then euer Since least impeached with this earthlie part The veritie from lies could best disseuer Hid mysteries vnclouding to the hart I only haue two sonnes and th' one you see The signe of Natures indignation beares And from his birth day domme is dead to me Since he can powre no pleasure in my eares The other Atis all my life's delight In whom the treasures of my soule are kept I thought vaine be my thought in the twie-light I wot not whether yet I walkt or slept Whilst he was sporting voyd of worldlie cares Not in a lists belonging to his merites A pointed toole of iron fell vnawares And pearc'd his temples and expeld his spirites Whilst the pale carcase seem'd t' vpbraid mine eyes The horrour of the sight my sense recald Which when I thinke of yet my comfort dyes Such an exceeding feare my sprit appald This hath me mou'd it touch'd my state so neerelie To match my sonne in mariage at this time With beauteous Caelia whom he lou'd most deerelie That both might reape the pleasure of their prime And if the heauens his o'rethrow haue decreed By destinie that can not be reuoked So shall we haue behind some of his seed Ere in his blossome all our hopes be choaked Thus ere his soule lodge in the lightlesse shade T' haue of his race t will mitigate my mind I can not hold him altogether dead That leaues his Image in some one behind And for the time we do all that seemes best For to preuent those but surmiz'd annoyes Yet for all this my mind hath neuer rest Some secret terror still disturbs my ioyes Adras Ah Sir if but th' imagind euill of this Hath plung'd your soule in such a gulfe of griefe Vnhappie I who waile a thing that is And haue not meanes to hope for no reliefe If all these dreadfull fancies tooke effect Which heauie chance th' almightie Ioue withhold It could not be compar'd in no respect With those misfortunes that my state enfold For when your sonne fell by anothers hand You should but waile his death and not your crime The heauens of me my brothers blood demand His fate my fault mourne must I all my time Croes In what strange forme could this disaster fall That is th' occasion of so great distresse Tell on at length th' originall of all To heare of greater griefe t' will make mine lesse Adras I haue conceald my sorrowes still till now As too offensiue foode for daintie eares Yet since of such a subiect you allow
of your course A dangerous ambush by ambition planted There may come raging riuers from this source To drowne your state whilst fancies are vndanted I know these new-borne monsters of your mind Haue arm'd your rauish'd thoughts with faire conceates Yet may these wonders that you haue diuin'd Proue traiterous proiects painted for deceates And pardon Sir it is not good to be Too rashlie stout nor curiouslie wise Lest that you from that which is certaine flee And not attaine to that which you deuise Croes I grant indeed which very few shall know Though I designe but to relieue my friend My thoughts are aym'd this vnto you I le show And not without great cause t' a greater end You see how Fortune nought but change affects Some are reproach'd that others may be praisd And euery age brings forth some strange effects Some must be ruin'd others must be raisd I doubt not you haue heard who was the first Whom fame for warring with the world reuiues Who had of soueraigntie so great a thirst That it could not be quenchd with thousands liues T' was he who first obtain'd the name of Ioue Who was reputed for his glorious acts The most imperious of the powers aboue That vowes and offrings of the world exacts He all his time could nought but terrour breathe To make the world acquaint with warre and dearth The chiefest sergeants deputed by death That made th' Assirians soueraignes of the earth Yet since his course the worlds first plague was past His successours who many ages raign'd Made shipwrack of their Empire at the last And by the Medes were thral'd scorn'd and disdain'd This was the cause of that great kingdomes fall A King who could not iudge of kinglie treasures With losse of scepter honour life and all Did buy his base delights and seruile pleasures To that disastred Monarchies decay Th' aspiring Persians purpose to succeede But I intend to crosse them by the way And quaile their courage ere that they can speede The Persians once the Lidians force must proue And O who knowes but that it is ordain'd At the Tribunall of the States aboue That I should raigne where famous Ninus raign'd This all the host of heauen ofttimes foretells To this the gods of Greece my mind haue mou'd And he that in th' Arabian desart dwells By his response this enterprise approu'd San. Thus still in loue with what we mind to do What we affect we fairest still conceaue This feedes our humour whilst we labour to Seeme full of wit our selues for to deceaue You flatter so yourselfe you can not spye What secret danger this designe doth beare But whilst I looke with an indifferent eye On your intentions I find cause of feare You vnaduisdlie purpose to pursue A barbarous people that are foes to peace Who but by rapine to their greatnes grew And would for each light cause the warres imbrace No daintie silks of the Assirian dye Do deck their bodies to abase their mindes But cloath'd with wild beasts skinnes they do defye The force of Phoebus rayes and Eols windes They simplie feede and are not grieu'd each day With stomacks cloyd decocting diuers meates They fare not as they would but as they may Of iudgement sound not carried with conceates These vncorrupted customes that they hold Make all things easie that they feele no paine This cooles the Sommers heate kils Winters cold This makes the Riuers dry the Mountaines plaine Those whose ambition pouertie did bound Of the delights of Lidia if they taste Will haue in hatred straight their barren ground And insolentlie all our treasures waste To gouerne such although that you preuaile You shall but buy vexation with your blood And do your selfe and yours if fortune faile From a possessed Soueraigntie seclude Yea though this rash desire your iudgement leades I for my part must praise the gods for you The haue not put into the Persians heads To warre against the Lidians long ere now Croes These flames that burne my brest must once burst out Your counsaile for more quiet minds I leaue And be you still thought wise so I proue stout I le conquer more or lose the thing I haue Caelia YEt am I forc'd out of afflictions store To ease my mind a few sad words to straine And but vnlode it now to lode it more I emptie but mine eyes to fill againe My soule must sound euen as my passions strike Which now are tun'd to nothing but mischiefe My breast and eyes are both accurst alike The cabinet of care the cells of griefe O cruell heauen fierce starre vnhappie fate Too foule iniustice of the diuine powres Whose high disdaine t'wards me with partiall hate The comfort of the world sad world deuoures Curst be the day in which I first was borne When lying toungs affirm'd I come to light A monstrous blasphemie a mightie scorne Since t' was to darkenes and a ioy-set night O happie if I then had chanc'd to smother That the first houre had been the last to me Then from one graue t' haue gone vnto another I should haue dide to liue not liu'd to die What profited to me my parents ioyes That with such pomp did solemnize my birth When I must be the mirrour of annoyes And all my dayes taste but one dramme of mirth Which seru'd for nothing but to make me know The height of horrour that was to succeed I was but raisd vp high to be brought low That short-liu'd ioyes might endless anguish breed That nothing might for my confusion lack All my best actions but betray'd my state My vertues too were guiltie of my wrack And warr'd against me banded with my fate For whilst my Virgin-yeares with praise I past Which did ah that it did too much import My modest eye told that my mind was chast This gain'd the warrant of the worlds report And Maides must haue a great respect to fame No greater dowrie then an vnstain'd name Faire beauties Goddesse thou canst beare record My offring neuer made thine altar rich All such lasciuious fancies I abhord My free-borne thoughts no follie could bewitch Till happilie ah so it seem'd to some Ah but vnhappelie th' euent hath prou'd All this and more to Atis eares did come Who straightway likt and after liking lou'd Then to our eares his purpose did impart Not lip-sick-louer-like with words farre sought His toong was but the agent of his hart Yet could not tell the tenth part of his thought And lest his trauells should haue seem'd to tend To breach my honour worke my fames decay He brought his wishes to a lawfull end And by th' effect th' affection did bewray Their Iuno president of wedlockes vowe And Hymen with his saffron-colour'd cote Our loue with sacred customes did allow Whilst th' ominous Owles no crosses did denote The blessing that this marriage did procure It was too great to haue continu'd long A thing that 's vehement can not indure Our ioyes farre past th'
For whilst there stands a world can Caesar fall Though thousand thousands were coniurd in one I and my fortune might confound them all Cal. No none of those my minde doth miscontent That vndisguisde still like themselues remaine Vnlookt for harmes are hardest to preuent There is no guard against concealde disdaine But in whom further can your trust repose Whom danger now ouer all by all attends Where priuate men but onely feare their foes Oft kings haue greatest cause to feare their frends For since being trusted fittest to betray Those vnto whom ones fauour force affords May for his life the worst ambushments lay Whilst falsest hearts are hid with fairest words And some report though priuately yet plaine That Dolabella and Antonius now By your destruction do pretend t' obtaine That which you keepe by making all men bow Caesar No corpulent sanguinians make me feare That with more paine their beards than th' enimies strike And doe themselues like th' epicurians beare To Bacchus Mars and Venus borne alike Their hearts do alwayes in their mouthes remaine As streams whose murmuring shews the course not deep Then still they loue to sport though grosse and plaine And neuer dreame of ought but when they sleep But those high sprites that hold their bodies downe Whose visage leane their restlesse thoughts records Whilst they their cares depth in their bosoms drowne Their silence feares me more than th 'others words Thus Cassius now and Brutus seeme to hold Some great thing in their mind whose fire whiles smoks What Brutus would he vehemently would Thinke what they like I like not their pale lookes Yet with their worth this cannot well agree In whom of vertue th' image seeme to shine Can those that haue receiu'd their liues from me Prooue so ingrate againe as to take mine Dare Cassius me pursue new hopes to haue At th' Helespont that fortune feard to trie And like a dastard did his Gallies leaue In all saue corage though more strong than I Shall I suspect that Brutus seekes my blood Whose safetie still I tendred with such care Who when the heauens from mortalls me seclude Is only worthy to be Caesars heire Cal. The corners of the heart are hard to know Though of those two the world the best doth deeme Yet do not trust too much th' externall show For men may differ much from what they seeme None oft more fierce than those that look most mild Impietie sometime appeares deuout And that the world the more may be beguilde Whiles Vice can clothe it selfe with Vertues cote Though that they haue long since laid hatred downe By benefits bestow'd you might attend There 's no respect can counterpoise a crowne Ambition hath no bounds nor greed no end Through vindicatiue hate and emulous pride Since some your person some your place pursue All threatned dangers to preuent prouide Being wise in time lest out of time you rue Caes No armor is that can hold treason out Cal. T' affright your foes with bands be backt about Caes So dastard tyrants striue themselues to beare Cal. It better is to giue than to take feare Caes No stronger guard than is the peoples loue Calp. But nought in th' earth dooth more inconstant proue Caes Guardes shewing feare t' inuade me men might tempt Cal. Guardes would put them from hope you from contempt Caes My breast from terror hath bin alwayes cleare Cal. When one feares least oft daunger lurkes most neare Caes It 's better once to die than still feare death Cal. But worst of all to fall by th' enemies wrath Caes I le not dis-taste my present pleasures so By apprehending what may chaunce to come This world affords but too much time for woe Whilst crosses come contentment to orecome By ioyes in time we must imbrace reliefe That when they end we in some measure may By their remembrance mitigate the griefe Which still attends all those on th' earth that stay I thinke the Senate is assembled now And for my comming doth beginne to gaze I le goe condignely once t' adorne my brow And feast mine eares by drinking in due praise Cal. Stay stay deere Lord retire thy steps againe And spare one day to prorogate whole yeares Let not this ominous day beginne thy raigne That fatall and vnfortunate appeares An Astrologian through the world renownde Thy horoscopes iust calculation layes And doth affirme as he by signes hath found That th' Ides of March doe boast to bound thy dayes Walke not this days where harmes may be receiu'd Since by no great necessity being forede For though his iudgement may be farre deceiu'd In things that touch thy life suspect the worst Caes Whilst I reform'd the Calender by fits That long disordred th' order of the yeare I waded through the depths of all their wits That of the starres the mysteries make cleare Those pregnant sprites that walke betwixt the poles And lodge at all the zodiackes seuerall signes Do reade strange wonders wrapt in th' azure scroules Of which our deedes are wordes our liues are lines By speculation of superior powres Some Natures secrets curious are to know As how celestiall bodies rule ouer ours And what their influence effects below Yea they sometime may strange coniectures make Of those whose parts they by their birth doe proue Since naturally all inclination take From Planets then predominant aboue And yet no certaintie can so be had Some vertuously against their starres haue striu'd As Socrates that grew though borne but bad The most accomplisht man that euer liu'd But of the houre ordain'd to close our lights No earth-clogd soule can to the knowledge come For O the destinies farre from our sights In clowds of darknes haue inuolu'd our doome And some but onely guesse at great mens falles By bearded comets and prodigious starres Whose sight-distracting shapes the world appalles As still denouncing terrour death or warres The time vncertaine is of certaine death And that fantastike man farre past his bounds He is too bold that with ambiguous breath Not speaks of things to come whose deeps none sounds Cal. But this all day did my repose extort And from my breast of cares a tribute clam'd Now vilipend not that which I le report Though but a dreame and by a woman dreamd I thought alas the thought yet wounds my breast Then whilst we both as those whom Morpheus weds Lay softly buried with a pleasant rest I in thy bosome thou within the beds Then from my soule strange terrours did withdrawe Th' exspected peace by apprehended harmes For I imagin'd no no doubt I saw And did imbrace thee bloodie in mine armes Thus whilst my soule by sorrowes was surchargde Of which huge weight it yet some burden beares I big with griefe two elements enlargde Th' aire with my sighes the water with my teares Caesar That which I heard with thy report accords Whilst thou all seemd dissolu'd in griefe at once A heauy murmuring made with mangled words Was interrupted
I le tell a tale that may moue stones to teares My Father of the Phrigian Princes come Had in my growing age a tender care That all my education might become One whom he might for mightie hopes prepare As yet foure lusters scarcely had begun For to discerne my sex with downie cheekes When I into that Labirinth was runne Whence back in vaine the straying entrer sheekes I lou'd O fatall loue vnlouely fate The vertuouslie faire yet fairest Dame That euer was enshrin'd in soules conceat Or gaue a dittie to the sounds of fame Straight were my fancies to her beauties tyed None can paint passions but in feeling mindes I burnd freezd hopd dispaird and liud and dyed My actions chang'd as oft as th' Autumnes windes Yet after many doubtfull hopes and feares That I attaind the height of my desires She had subscrib'd a truce vnto my teares And temperd with encountring flames my fires For as she was the most affected Saint Whose image was erected in my thought She had compassion too of my complaint And to acquit my firme affection sought Thus whilst I triumphd in mine owne conceat As one whose loue his Ladie did preferre I was corriuald O vnhappie fate By one who lou'd but was not lou'd by her He looking as I look'd saw what I saw Saw Natures wonder and the worlds delight And as a blind god blind guide did him draw Still like a lizard liu'd but by her sight Then strait he striues the Iewell for to wonne Whose vnstaind worth he rates aboue his breath He hates the light that comes not from my Sunne And thinks to liue without her worse then death And this affection fauour'd was by Fortune Which seem'd to ratifie his high rear'd hopes The Nymph her parents dayly did importune For to confine his flying fancies scopes Now iudge if that my miseries were rife Who threatned thus with eminent mishap Was like to lose a deerer thing then life Whilst others striu'd my treasure to entrap The man that sought my ioyes to vndermine I could not wish for this t' haue him ouerthrowne Nor blame the sprite that sympathiz'd with mine I enuied not his hap but wail'd mine owne Now in my breast a battell did begin Which forc'd my soule with inward wounds to bleede Some fancies fear'd to what his loue might winne And possibilitie for to come speede Then others call'd her constancie to mind Which would not yeeld although she were inuaded Yet forc'd to feare the frailtie of her kind A woman that hath eares may be perswaded Thus toss'd with doubts into a deepe of wo Which with suspition had my ioyes supplanted I blam'd the thoughts that durst accuse her so As vertues patterne had one vertue wanted As I concluded so it come to passe Th' affliction seru'd for fuell to affection For she who th' ornament of women was Would neuer wrong her worth with a defection When in my absence they had oft assay'd To haue me from her memorie remou'd The Sunne burn's hottest when his beames are stay'd The more that they would let the more she lou'd And finding that delay no ende affords And that faire generals are th' abusers Arte She did repell him with disdainfull words To raze all thought of her out of his harte Loue is a ioy that vpon paine depends A drop of sweet drown'd in a sea of sowres What Follie doth begin oft Furie ends They hate for euer that haue lou'd for howres When all his arguments prou'd of no force Strait with disdaine his soule in secret bur'nd And what he thought was euill to make farre worse He vnto furour all his fauour turn'd As he extreamely lou'd farre more he hated And musde of many meanes how to annoy her Which was the best a long time he debated To see her dead or to see me enioy her What saith he when he first had musde a space So hard it is to quench a great affection Shall I disfigure that angelike face And make the world ecclypsde of all perfection Shall she by me be to confusion brought To whom I vowes and prayers did impart To whom I sacrific'd my secret thought And on her beauties altar burn'd my hart Or shall I see her in anothers powre And in his bosome lie t' vpbraid my losse Whilst both with scornefull smiles then death more sowre To poynt me out for sport report my crosse That sight which sometime did me sweetly charme Should it become a cause of griefe to me No none that liue's shall glorie in my harme Since she will not be mine she shall not be Th' unlouing Louer hauing vow'd her death Did with a cup of poison drowne my ioyes The fairest body from the sweetest breath Was parted thus O Ocean of annoyes That Monster Fame whose many mouthes and eares Must know but not conceale a rare thing long And prodigall of ill most chiefly beares The worst newes first inform'd me of this wrong For neighbouring neere the most vnhappy part That had been spoild of such a beeauteous guest No sooner had death seazde on the chaste hart Then sorrow on my eares to rob my rest How the sadde newes first sounded in my soule I will not wearie you with long laments Rage did the outward signes of griefe controule When great windes blow the fire the smoke worst vents Whilst generous disdaine disguisde my griefe As one transported with a mighty rage I ranne vnto the Theater of mischiefe A tragicke Actor for a bloody stage For I was come no sooner to the place Whereas I thought the Murtherer to haue found But I re'ncountred O vnhappie case Too deare a friend to catch an enemies wound Ah passions dim'd mine eyes wrath led my hand I was no more my selfe sorrow had kild me The first t' was night that did before me stand I fiercely did pursue as Furor willd me And as it chanc'd ere one could speake a word I filld his bosome with a luke warme flood And in his kind breast drown'd the cruell sword That in anothers body dranke my blood When as a Torch had partly robde the night Prowd of supposde reuenge ah bitter gaine I saw I knew blacke knowledge cruell sight T' was mine owne brother that my selfe had slaine O bitter losse that nothing can repaire My soule at once with all woes armie wounded Griefe rage spite shame amazement and despaire Gauld tossd burnd dashd astonishd and confounded The thought of my offence torments me most Yet am I whiles by my Loues verdict cleansde And whiles my brothers violated ghost By dreadfull dreames doth boast to be reuengde Croes Now whilst this great disaster did occurre What came of him who was the cause of all Adra. He hauing heard this lamentable sturre Whom selfe-accusing thoughts did guiltie call Srait strucken with a wonderful remorse I wot not whether feare or pitie mou'd him If not t' ore-liue her death or dreading worse He killd himselfe his conscience so disproou'd him Croes I grant the manner of so rare
the Heau'ns decree It 's to be feard those whom this Arte beguiles Do change their fate make their Fortune wheeles And loe of late what hath our King By his prepost'rous trauels gaind In searching each particular thing That Atis Horoscope containd But what the Heau'ns had once ordaind He could not by no meanes preuent And yet he labours to find out Through all the Oracles about Of future things th' vnsure euent This doth his rauing mind torment Now in his age vnwisely stout To fight with Cyrus but no doubt The Heauens are grieu'd for to heare told Long ere the time their hid intent Let Tantalus b' a terror to th' o're-bold That dare Ioues cloudy secrecies vnfold Act. V. Scen. I. CYRVS HARPAGVS Goe Let vs triumph o're these vnthron'd thralls Whose maymed greatnesse to confusion runnes Who forfeited their glorie by their falles No hand that fights is pure but that which winnes The rauisht world that fraught with doubts did stand To see the bloody end of this dayes toyle Saw how the Heau'ns placd lightning in my hand To thunder on all those that sought my foyle Now therefore let vs first deuoutly go And lose our vowes the gods detest th' ingrate And who delight t' adore their deities so Do neuer faile t' establish their estate Goe load the Altars smoke the sacred places With Bullocks Incense Odours of all kinds Though none can giue the gods that flow in graces A sweeter Sacrifice then thankefull minds Har. Though all that indenized in this Vale Walke here confinde within this fertile Round And are tapestred with this azure Pale T' adore the gods by many meanes are bound Yet there are some particularly I find Whose names are written in their dearest scrowles Whom extraordinary fauours bind Euen to prefer them to their very Soules Of which Sir you are one your deeds declare Of you amidst innumerable broyles Euen from your cradle they haue had a care And led you safe through all your greatest toyles Though of the dangers of your youth I see The thought no more with griefe your mind importunes Yet I thinke on who had the hap to be An Actor in your Tragick-Comick fortunes Cyr. The accidents that in our Nonage chance When as our yeers grow rype slide out of thought Like fabulous dreames that Darknesse doth aduance And are by Day disdaind as things of nought For our Conceptions are not then so strong As for to leaue th' impression long behind Yet mixe deare Friend old griefes new Ioyes among And call afflicted Infancy to mind Har. Who would not wonder at thy wondrous Fate Whose ruine ere thy Birth appeard conspir'd Who vnbegun seemd to expire that date Which now begun shall neuer be expir'd Your Mother first her Syre with cares did sting While as he dreamd which yet his soule confounds That from her wombe there did a Vine-tree spring Which did o're-shadow all great Asiaes bounds Then to the Magies strait he gaue in charge To trie what this strange Vision did presage Who hauing studied their darke Art at large Gaue this response with a prophetick rage That once his Daughter should bring forth a Sonne For glorious Acts exceedingly renownd By whom th' Empire of Asia should be wonne By whom his Grandfather should be vncrownd This to Astiages a terrour bredde Who labouring to anull the heau'ns decree Aduisde as best his Daughter for to wedde T' a powrelesse stranger but of base degree Then of Cambises he by chance made choyce And for his barb'rous Countries cause the rather Whom by your birth the Princesse did reioyce And further then before affright her Father Thus tyrannie by feeble sprites begun Doth force the Parents in despaire to fall A dastard to attempt prowd hauing wonne Which being feard of all doth still feare all And tyrants no securitie can find For euery shadow frights a guiltie mind This Monarch whom scarce Armies could surprise Whom gallant Guards and stately Courts delighted Who triumphd o're th' Earth threatned the Skies A Babe scarce borne come of himselfe affrighted And whilst Lucina the last helpe did make As if some vgly Monster had been borne A Minotoure a Centaure or a Snake The worlds terror and the Mothers scorne The Nephews birth that would haue seemd t' impart Vnto the Grandfather great cause of ioyes As if the naked hand had pierc'd his hart Did winde him in a maze of sad annoyes And to preuent a but suspected spight By giuing an occasion of iust hate He sought by robbing you the new-found Light To make your birth and burial of one date Soone after this he sent for me in hast Whom at that time and not in vaine he lou'd Then shewd me all the circumstances past Wherewith his marble mind seemd nothing mou'd Out of the which as he would let me know All complements of pittie were not blotted He would this superficiall fauour show Not with your blood to haue his owne hands spotted Thus hauing lulld asleepe the conscience still The wicked would extenuate their crimes Not knowing those that but allow of ill Are Actors in effect guiltie all times Yet with his fault he would haue burdend me And willd that I an Innocent should slay I promisde to performe his rash decree Well weighing whom but not wherein t' obay When I had parted from his Highnesse face And caried you then swadled with me too Through th' apprehended horror of my case I stood perplex'd and wist not what to do Necessitie tooke place I waild with teares Th' vntimely funeralls as I thought or you My soule confounded with a swarme of feares Did with sad sighes my message disallow Yet t' him I send a seruant of mine owne Who for the time was Heards-man to the King To whom I made all my commission knowne But as direct to him shew'd euery thing Deliuering you with an vnwilling breath Then with a mantle of pure gold array'd I threatned him with many a cruell death If that your death were any way delay'd Straight for to execute th' intended doome He from my sight did all astonish'd go Too great a charge for such a simple groome The shew of Maiestie amaz'd him so O what a wonder is' t for to behold Th' vnfailing prouidence of powrefull Ioue Whose brazen edicts can not be controld Firme are the statutes of the states aboue That mortall whom th'Immortalls fauour shields No worldlie force is able to confound He may securely walke through dangers fields Times and occasions are t' attend him bound For loe before the Herds-man was come home His wife of a dead burden was deliuered Who wondred so to see her Husband come That with a secret terrour faintlie shiuered She straight grew curious for to know the forme How he a Babe so beawtifull obtaind Who did her suddainly of all informe And to what crueltie he was constraind See quickly then th' occasion to imbrace No doubt inspir'd by some celestiall powre Prayd him t' expose her dead child in your
enough t' applaud our deede And sooth vs vp in all that we haue done Na. To haue the time and manner then praefixt Command the Bactrians all themselues to arme And to attend till we aduertise next Prompt for all perils at the first alarme Then through the Campe a rumour we will spread That hopelesse Darius hath dispairdlie gone With violence to dwell amongst the dead And seeme therefore excessiuelie to mone The Persians we with promises must feede So to disarme him of his natiue pow'rs Then we will apprehend himselfe with speede For while that he is free nothing is ours That we may seeme to vse him with respect As to the state of such a Prince pertaines We will not this last ornament neglect He shall be bound but bound with golden chaines To Alexander after we will send And offer Darius in his hands t' appease him Then craue his fauour that he will defend Vs as his friends who haue done all to please him If his good-will we cannot thus procure And he vs with extremitie pursue With Darius death we will our states assure Then raise fresh forces and the warres renue Bos Let vs henceforth for nothing be dismaide But striue our selues courageouslie to beare This dangerous action would not be delai'd Least time worke his assurance and our feare Exeunt CHORVS TYme through Ioues iudgement iust Huge alterations brings Those are but fooles that trust In transitory things Whose tailes beare mortall stings Which in the end will wound And let none thinke it strange Though all things earthly change In this inferiour rounde What is from ruine free The elements which be At variance as we see Eache other doe confound The earth and aire make warre The fire and water are Still wrestling at debate All those through colde and heate Through drouth and moisture iar No wonder though men change and fade Who of those changing elements are made How dare vaine worldlings vaunt Of fortunes goods not lasting Euils that our wittes enchaunt Expos'd to losse and wasting Loe we to death are hasting Whilst we these things discusse All things from their beginning Vnto an end are running Heauen hath ordain'd it thus We heare how heauen doth thunder We see th' earth burst asunder And yet we neuer ponder VVhat this imports to vs. Those fearfull signes doe proue That th' angrie pow'rs aboue Are mou'd to indignation Against this wretched nation VVhich they no longer loue What are we but a puffe of breath Who liue assur'd of nothing but of death VVho was so happie yet As neuer had some crosse Though on a Throne he sit And is not vs'd with losse Yet fortune once will tosse Him when that least he would If one had all at ones Hydaspes pretious stones And yellow Tagus golde All th' Orient all treasure And euery earthly pleasure Euen in the greatest measure It should not make him bold For while he liues secure His state is most vnsure VVhen it doth least appeere Some heauie plague drawes neere Destruction to procure We may compare th' earths glory to a flowre That flourisheth and fadeth in an houre In what we most repose We finde our comfort light The thing we soonest lose That 's precious in our sight For honour riches might Our liues im paund we lay Yet all like flying shadowes Or flowers enambling medowes Euanish and decay Long time we toile to finde Those idols of the minde Which got we cannot binde T' abide with vs one day Then why should we presume On treasures that consume Difficile to obtaine Difficile to retaine A dreame a breath a fume Which vexe them most who them possesse Who starue with store and famish with excesse ACTVS QVARTVS Scen. I. DARIVS TIRIOTES Tir. AH must I poyson now my Princes eares with the worst newes that euer burthē'd fame Had I as many tongues as I haue teares All would not serue my sorrowes to proclame Dar. Great signes of greefe I in thy face discerne Spare not for to report this heauie crosse To one I feare whome it doth most concerne I st death disgrace distruction treason losse Tell on the summe of honour at the first With no ambiguous words my paine prolong 'T is comfort to a wretch to know the worst And I haue learn'd to be vnhappy long What least I speake and yet suspect too much I st some ludibrious message of my skorne Which must wound me but ah no torment such As this to them who that disgrace haue borne Tir. She was not wrong'd as you haue misconceiu'd The Gods haue had a care for to preserue her Such fauour of the victour she receiu'd As of her subiects that were bound to serue her But what a vollie doth my voice prepare Of woes to charge your eares woes full of dread Would God ere I the somme thereof declare That I might die in saying she is dead Curst caitiue was it not enough allas That I beheld her die and would haue died But that I must arm'd with sad tydings pas To wound all them that heare what I haue spied See how he fares shot with these words of mine As one become the pray of greefe and death Dar. Yet doth the Sunne on my affliction shine And sees the aire infected with my breath And can I liue and looke them in the face That haue my ignominious o're-throw seene And how I vanquish'd vanquish'd with disgrace Engag'd at once my kingdome and my Queene Heauen bruse me all to powder with thy thunder That I no more may in the world remaine The obiect of thy wrath and Fortunes wonder Spoil'd of all hope yet kept for greater paine Ah! art thou dead and doe I lieu behinde thee Thy faultie husband thinkst thou so to flie If it be thus then I know where to finde thee This onely greeues me that too late I die O Alexander what such hainous ill Haue I done thee that thou requit'st me thus Whom of thy friendes or kindred did I kill This crueltie comes vndeseru'd of vs. Think that thou hadst iust causes to make warre Yet vpon women should thy wrath be wroken This Tirrannie shall all thy Triumphe marre And euer shall to thy reproach be spoken Tir. Sir without cause you guiltie him esteeme I know her death did grieuouslie displease him A wondrous thing which few or none would deeme He tooke it so that nothing could appease him Euen as my Soueraigne now so then he smarted And when he came to ease your mothers griefe As if that his owne mother had departed He seem'd to need not for to giue reliefe Dar. If any sparkes of that respect remaine Which should with reason mooue thy minde to ruth I pray the Tiriotes now be plaine Or els strange torments shall exact the truth I loth to let this question scape my mouth Which both I blush to craue and long to know I st possible so insolent a youth Did neuer tempt the treasure which I owe Could this imperious Prince in flowre
force some other way proceede So haue the heau'ns of our affaires dispos'd Deare Sir giue ou'r the gouernment and stile To some more happie man not in effect But cloth him with your shaddow for a while Till he your Realmes halfe ruin'd re-erect When he hath clam'd this tempest now so hote And setled Asia with a good successe He will your kingdomes lost with what he gote Restore appearance promises no lesse All Bactria yet abides at your command The Indians loe would die to doe you good Yea many thousand thousands armed stand Bent for your pleasure to bestow their blood What should we rush like beastes to needlesse strife Be well prepar'd and then pursue that stranger Braue mindes should death despise not lothing life Base cowards craue to die for feare of danger But vertue to haue no support ou'r past Will first on all meanes possible be thinking And when that all is proou'd death is the last To which it is ynough to goe not shrinking Now for the time let Bactria be our seat To Bessus for the forme your Crowne resigne Who when he once hath re-aduanc'd you state Shall quite all soueraigntie at the first signe Dar. Wretch trauellest thou thy soueraigne to betray Such treason darest thou to our eares impart Such treason vnder trust Stay traitour stay I le sheath my sworde euen in thy traiterous hart Art Sir you must striue to haue this passion broken Consider what they are what is the time It may be they through ignorance haue spoken In thought and not in word consists a crime Since to affront your enimie you goe You must not stirre for euery little obiect But tollerate your owne t' offend your foe For now i'ts time time to loue not lose a subiect I shall get triall vpon what pretence This ou'r-sight in aduise hath beene committed If through simplicitie not for offence He must be pardon'd and his speech remitted Dar. I wish that it were so I take no pleasure To ruine them that would my fortune cherish Na. Your grace wil grant me mercie in some measure First heare and if I faile then let me perish I call the Gods to witnesse of my cace Who can decipher euery secret thought If I intended treason toward your Grace Straight where I stand let me be turn'd to nought I counsel'd but according to my skill It was my vpright minde that made me bolde I rue my wit not answer'd to my will Yet zeale what it conceiues must needes vnfolde We should beware to speake in great affaires Where words are damn'd or ballanc'd by th' euent For if things faile the fault is still thought theirs Who gaue th' aduise though of a good intent I fall before your feete heere for refuge Then let me not be without cause reiected At least examine first before you iudge I le rather die absolu'd then liue suspected Dar. Your fond opinion first was to be feared Which seem'd indeede sinistriouslie inclind For at the first your speech to me appear'd Th' envenom'd birth of some malitious minde But since you purge you so I le not araigne you Not further call your loyalty in doubt But in the same degree of grace retaine you That you were in before these wordes brake out I thinke that Patron lookes with speaking eies As if his minde were mightily perplexed Come Patron tell what in thy bosome lies Wherewith thou seemest so wonderfullie vexed Pa. Sir I would speake in priuie If I could That which th' affection of my soule affordes It must be seal'd with silence and I would That none were present to report my words Of fifty thousand Greekes foure only rest Companions in all perils with your host Alike with you delighted and distrest As faithfull now as when you florish'd most Where you remaine we must remaine with you All kinde of fortunes haue vs ioyn'd together Appoint our tents for your Pauilion now And we will guard you if that you come thither We haue abandon'd Greece our natiue soile We haue no Bactria to be our retreat Our hope is all in you those that would spoile Vs of your person ruine all our state Would God that all your armie did their due To vse moe words th' occasion is not fit I should not vrge you if your owne were true Your custodie to strangers to commit Dar. What suddaine accident doth this dismay you That you such inconveniences forecast Pa. Sir Bessus and Narbazanes betray you This day to you or them will be the last They faine repentance onlie to dissemble Till euery thing be for the fact prepar'd Their friends in hast doe all their force assemble And once ere night minde to inuade your guarde Dar. I credite you but yet I cannot wrong My subiects so to thinke of them the worst Shall I leaue them who follow'd me so long By doing so to make my selfe accurst I will awaite on what the heau'ns will offer For who can stand when fates his fall conspire Among mine owne I willingly will suffer I liue too long if they my death desire Bes Take heede Sir to this subtile-witted Greeke The Graecian faith to all the world is knowne I am enform'd he by all meanes doth seeke To win his grace who hath your state o're-throwne And maruell not though mercenarie men Who sell themselues sell all beleeue them neuer They haue no God but gold nor house how then Can they be constant that are changing euer Although that he pre-occupie you thus And others who themselues abuse your Grace Faith shall be found inuiolate in vs When our accuser dare not show his face Dar. Who hope to haue of Alexander gaine Or honour to be false they haue no reason No man on earth doth traitours more disdaine Nor more seuearly will b' aueng'd on treason Bes Well Sir you shall see shortlie what we are I will goe see your Ensignes all displaied Dar. It 's better now since things are gone so farre Then seeme for to mistrust to be betraide Loe Artabazus I haue acted heere My part of greatnesse and my glasse is run Now Patrons speech doth euident appeare I see my end yet can it no way shun Art The Bactrians only medled haue with this Go to the Graecians campe when that is done And when your danger once divulged is The Persians all will follow after soone Dar. And what if I were gone to patrons Tent And guarded with the Greekes as you desire He hath but thousands foure that are well bent They thirty thousand that my fall conspire And doing this I should their deede excuse In giuing them a motion who haue might They may indeede my lenitie abuse But by my deede they shall pretend no right Art O deplorable Prince who can but weepe To see thee now reduc'd to this estate Dar. Retire you all and seeke your selues to keepe I heere attend the issue of my fate I knowe yee wonder all how I can stand Downe from the top of all contentment throwne And
disdain'd t' attend their Emperours will Then by his sight being at an instant bow'd Did beg for licence but to tarry stil And yet what wonder though he wanne all harts That to his sacred presence did repaire With that accomplishment of vertuous parts As large in him as in all others rare Whiles when we come to meete as each man sees In this maim'd state bent t' entertaine some life Still hauing in contempt all our decrees The souldiers are not stai'd from ciuill strife And who can call that valorous Prince to minde That any reuerence vnto vertue beares But he must be constrain'd or prooue vnkinde To offer vp a tribute of some teares Lis His death of sorrow makes my soule the prey Though many thought that I for it had long'd For if by those that he rests bound t' obey One can be wrong'd then I indeede was wrong'd Sel. Fame to mine eares by diuers tongues did bring T' a danger huge how you were once exposde But specifide not each particular thing Which by your selfe I long to heare disclosde Lysim When sage Calistines for no request With superstitious customes could comport But with franke wordes all flatterie did detest He was abusde and in a barbarous sort So plaging him no doubt the king did ill Yet to prosperitie we must impute Those fatall faults that follow Fortune still As being of all great mindes a bastard fruit We should in kings as loth their states to tuch Speake sparingly of vice praise vertue much But I whose soule that wise man deerely lou'd Whilst spying his perfections thus iniur'd To tender passions by compassion mou'd Would his reliefe haue willingly procur'd But when my credite faild all hope being past That I could purchase grace in any sort I gaue him desp'rate physicke at the last That if his life was euill it might be short The king enrag'd that I had thus presumde To limite his reuenge by sodaine death That by a Lion I should be consumde Did throw my doome out of the depths of wrath But when with rolling eyes the Lion roard He by my strength as strengthlesse was orethrowne Which to the king whose mind did then remord My courage and my constancie made knowne So that incontinent I was set free By this rare proofeesteem'd amongst the strong And with a minde from inward rancor free As he his wrath so I forgot my wrong For whilst alone he through a forrest rang'd If it had bin but so to purchase fame Some by that meanes had former wrongs reueng'd Bent like Erostratus t' acquire a name Yet that which others did attempt in vaine And tirde by trauell of a surffet dide I did performe him bringing backe againe Whilâ—t I did runne as swift as he could ride And of that deede my sprite rests well apaide For since that time my soueraigne held me deere Which afterwards he to the world bewraid Whilst in this forme his fauour did appeare When vnawares he chanc'd my brow to wound To stay my blood that striu'd to die his launce My temples with his diademe he crownd A happy signe though comming but by chaunce And O! who knowes but once before I die That the successe may second the presage Seleue. What hinders vs our fortune now to trie And for a diademe our cares t' engage Those bended mindes that ayme at greatnesse still Growne popular by th' armie to be praisde Doe winde themselues in euery mans good-will And would seeme humble that they may be raisde What counterfeited friends seale trustlesse bands Whilst in the generall cause that each pretends Though neuer ioyning hearts all ioyne their hands And worke one way yet worke for diuerse ends Yea those whose thoughts intend t' attend the state Haue purchasde powres being purposde for the fields With iealous mindes their riualls bent t' abate Whilste â—â—lls all now none t'another yeelds Yet with suspended thoughts all doubtfull stand And their designes t' accomplish doe forbeare Lest all the rest ioyn'd by a generall band March him t' orethrow that first giues cause of feare But he may prosper best whom burning thirst Of gouernement enflames at first t' aduaunce Some to be second doubting to be first Will make their hopes depend vpon his chaunce And by a battell when that one preuailes There will â—ich hopes at a'easie rate be solde For of that faction first whose fortune failes Euen all will striue who shal be first to folde All this to me great cause of feare affordes I est that we two protract the tâ—me too long And wounded be before we draw our swords If those we not preuent that would vs wrong Lysi No chance of late hath brought me so to bow But I exspect a part of those great hopes Yet in my minde a iudgement most allow That ouer a dang'rous ditch aduis'dly leapes There are t' our charge some prouinces assign'd Whose peacefull states we manage must awhile Till all attempt that which they haue design'd Whilst from the world each th' other doth exile Then liuing but like those whose force is small From which the world no great thing can exspect We shall professe a fauour to them all And an indifferencie pretend t' affect Yet shall not then our thoughts haue leaue to sleepe But subtilties must circumspectly frame The mightie men at variance still to keepe So alwayes strengthning vs and weakning them And when th' occasion stricter dealing claimes We shall make warre with some ere it bâ—â—ong Like cunning Wrestlers at th' Olympicke games That exercise themselues to be more strong And when themselues haue thus prepar'd the way Whilst that their pomp doth beare a lower saile For at the last their force must much decay Since all must alwayes loose though one preuaile Then prompt t' atchiue that which we now contriue By ruining the remnant that remaines We may possesse the state for which they striue Thus they the toiles and we shall get the gaines Exeunt Chorus O happy was that guiltlesse age In which Astraea liu'd below And that Bellonaes barbarous rage Did not all order quite orethrow Then whilst all did themselues content With that thing which they did possesse And gloried in a little rent As wanting meanes to make excesse Those could no kinde of want bemone For crauing nought they had all things And since none sought th' emperious throne Whilst none were subiects all were kings O t' a true blisse their course was set That got to liue not liu'd to get Then Innocencie naked liu'd And had no neede nor thought of armes Whilst spightfull sprites no meanes contriu'd To plague th' vnprouident with harmes Then snaring lawes did not extend The bounds of reason as they doe Strife being begunne where it should end Clearing one doubt t' ingender two Then customes but by conscience stoode By which dark things were soone discern'd Whilst all behoou'd there to be good Whereas no euill was to be learn'd And how could any then proue naught Whilst vertue by example 's
taught Then mortall mindes all most pure Free from corruption lasted long Whilst arm'd with innocencie sure When none did know how to doe wrong Then stingd with no suspitious thought Men mischiefe did from none exspect For that which in themselues was not In othâ—rs they would not suspect And though none did sterne lawes impart That might t' vse vertue men compell Each in the table of his hart Had grau'd a law of dooing well And all did wickednesse forbeare Through a free-will and not for feare The first that spoil'd the publike rest And did disturbe this quiet state T' was Auarice the greatest pest That euer past th' infernall gate A monster very hard to daunt Leane as dry'd vp with inward care Though full of wealth for feare of want Still at the borders of dispaire Scarse taking food t' haue nature eas'd Nor for the cold sufficient clothing She with her riches neuer pleas'd Thinkes all hath much she hath nothing This daughter of sterne Pluto still Her fathers dungeon striues to fill That monster-tamer most renown'd The great Alcides Thebes glory That for twelue seuerall labours crown'd Was famous made by many a story As one that all his time had toyl'd To purge the world of such like pests That robbers rob'd and spoilers spoyl'd Still humbling hautie tyrants crests He by this monster once or'e-throwne Did passe in Spaine his strength to try And there tooke more then was his owne What right had he to Gerions ky Thus auarice the world deceiues And makes the greatest conquerors slaues Ah when t' afflict the world with griefe This poore-rich monster once was borne Then weakenesse could finde no reliefe And subtiltie did conscience scorne Yet some that labor'd to recall The blisse that guilded th' ancient age Did punishment prepare for all That did their thoughts to vice engage And yet the more they Lawes did bring That to be good might men constraine The more they sought to do the things From which the lawes did them restraine So that by custome alterd quite The world in euill doth most delight Exeunt ACT. III. SCENE I. Perdiccas Eumenes NOw fortune smyle vpon my rising state And seemes to promise more then I require Loe by degrees my glory doth grow great And by their death that did my death conspire Proud Meleager that disdain'd to bow And my aduancement alwayes did mislike Hath with his blood seald my assurance now T' astonish those that would attempt the like Eum. Yet of his fall the forme my minde appalls At th' altar of the gods without regard We were too rash to violate those walles Which the most impious persons would haue spar'd Lasciuious Aiax by Mineruaes spight Earst for prophaning such a sacred place On the Capharian rockes did loose the light And all his nauie to his great disgrace We should not irritate celestiall powers Then all beginnings are considered most And by this sacrilegious act of ours I feare that we the hearts of some haue lost Per. Let others seeke t' obserue such points as those I 'am not so scrupulous for I protest Ouer all and by all meanes I le kill my foes And then there-after dispute of the rest They wrong the Gods that think their church should bee As a refuge for male-factors still For with their iustice this can not agree Who gard th' euill-doers guiltie are of ill Was he not stain'd with many a moonstrous crime And like the Salamander in the fire Did loue to liue in trouble all his time And alterations alwayes did require Eu. One humorous head that doth in braules delight May poison thousands with the gall of spight Perd. As still seditiously affecting strife He but abus'd the credit of his king And sent some of his slaues to take my life Such bitter enuie did his stomacke sting Eum. I saw how that aduanc'd before your band You first did checke then chase them in the end And with what mightie courage you did stand Our Soueraignes corps though dead bent to defend Perd. He but a dastard is t' a foe that yieldes And in no conflict hath his fortune tryed We if by time not ventring to the fields Like beasts being sacrific'd had simply dyed But when without we maisters did remaine Lest Babilon had straight bin barr'd from foode I those rebellious squadrons did constraine Euen t' our aduantage concord to conclude Th' agreement that gaue me a great reliefe Made my competetour his marke to misse For when I came though hee before was chiefe The shadow of my greatnesse darkned his Eum. Yet in this treatie all the world may see Th' opinion of the multitude preuail'd He whom they did elect our prince must be And our designe hath altogether fail'd But how comes this that euery captaine gets A certaine realme assign'd now to his charge And with a warlike armie forward sets The limits of his gouernment t' enlarge Perd. I by my meanes haue euery great man crown'd That from my greatnesse great things might proceed Yet to make my authoritie renown'd The doing likes me better than the deed I this diuision chiefly did procure To make the court from other great men free That so my credit might remaine more sure And they by such great gifts engag'd to me For him that hath them thus to honor brought They must be bound to hold in high account And I haue not aduanc'd them thus for nought They be the meanes by which I minde to mount Eum. O but your fancies may be much deceiu'd There is no bond that binds vngratefull mindes I feare th' aduancement that they thus receiu'd Haue shewne them wayes to saile by other windes So long of late as they had need of you To seeme your constant friends they kindly sought But since their greatnesse giues them freedom now They do disdaine what may abase them ought To those all great men frankest friends do proue Whom without cause they alwayes fauour still And can not be as t' were compell'd to loue Those whose deserts do challenge their good will This would preiudge the freedome of their state That any might claime interest in their hearts No kings can hold of none their kingly seat None must vpbraid them with so great deserts And in my iudgement you haue greatly errd Them thus t' exalt whose states you would surprise Their common custome is that are preferrd That they may stand not to let others rise Perd. I le make their brests such iealous thoughts imbrace That euery one shall seeke his mate t' ore-throw And then I purpose to supply their place When by such sleights the highest are brought low This subtill course rests by experienee try'd The strongst else is to confusion gone I long to learne how Leonatus dy'd Not that I minde his funeralls to bemone Eum. That prince magnanimous whom all admire Through his accustom'd clemencie proclaim'd That banishd Graecians might to Greece retire Saue onely such whom murder had defam'd At this some Grecian great men
her sonne yet with him dide In whom she found th' affections of a sonne Olimp. If but by hearing of his dolorous end A stranger once his captiue dide for griefe Ah shall his mother on new hopes depend As such a losse might looke for some reliefe And so I will for t were a great disgrace To me the mother of th'all conquering man Like other women to giue fortune place And yeeld to miserie as many can Though griefe at first must molifie me once Else as vnnaturall I might be admirde Yet will I not still burst my brest with grones Than that of me more courage is requirde I le not degener from my generous kinde Faint-hearted hindes brought neuer Lyon forth Nor yet a mother of an abiect minde Had neuer borne a monarch of such worth And O who knowes but once the time may come That I t' auenge my selfe a meanes may haue And may against these traytors yet mooue some That with their blood may bathe their sou'raignes graue Now on Perdiccas repose my trust That with Eumenes would our wrongs redresse Their valor ventring in a cause so iust Doth by appearance promise good successe Rox. Loe now of late deliuered of a sonne I to these captaines scarce dare make it knowne That else to part his kingdomes haue begunne And might by killing him make all their owne Ay me Madam this makes me most to pause That still th' ambition of those great men feare Lest by pretending but a publike cause They seeke themselues th' authoritie to beare Ah they of my yong babe as mou'd with ruth Would but be Tutors first and traytors then Voyd of obedience dutie loue or truth No deerer things then diadems to men Olimp. As those whose courage cannot be dismaide Let vs a faction studie now to finde And whilst that pittie doth procure for aide Go tune the peoples passions now t' our minde Vnlesse their loue haue perishde with his life Of Alexander in a high degree I thinke the sonne the mother and the wife Must of the Macedonians reuerenc'd be And this doth with disdaine my soule consume That Arideus amongst other wrongs And prowde Euridice his wife presume To vsurpe those honours that but t 'vs belongs O they shall finde my fortune not so changde But I am able yet t' abate their pride What what Olimpias must be reuengde That saue her selfe a Queene disdaynes t' abide Exeunt Chorus LOe how all good decayed And euills begin t' abound In this skie-compasst round There is no kinde of trust For mankind whilst it strayes In pleasure-paued wayes With floods of vice is drown'd And doth farre from refuge In endlesse shaddowes lodge Yet striues to rise no more No doubt as most vniust The world once perish must And worse now to restore Then that it was before When at the last deluge Men by Ducalion once Were made againe of stones And well this wicked race Bewrayes a stonie kinde That beares a stubborne minde Still hardned vnto sinne Lo now in euery place All vertuous motions cease And sacred faith we finde Now farre from th' earth is fled Whose flight huge euills hath bred And fills the world with warres Whilst impious breasts begin Still to let treason in Which common concord marres Whilst all men liue at iarres And nets of fraud do spred Th' vnwarie to surprise Too wittie but not wise Yet those that in deceit Their confidence repose A deerer thing do lose Then can by guile be gain'd Which being repented late Brings ruine to their state Whilst purer spirits disclose Wherewith their breasts are stord For though they would remord They get not trust againe But hauing honor stain'd And couenants prophain'd Are held in high disdaine And do in end remaine Of all the world abborr'd Not trustie when they should Not trusted when they would But ah our Nobles now Lo like Lisander still So that they get their will Regard not by what way And with a shamelesse brow Doe of th' effect allow Euen though the meanes were ill Which all the world may see Disgraces their degree That should not learne to lowre But throwe base sleights away What can braue mindes dismay Whose worth is as a towre Against all fortunes powre Still from all fraud being free These keepe their course vnknowne Whom it would shame if shewn VVho not from worth digresse T' vse sleights that feare imparts Doe shew heroicke hearts The which would rather farre An open hate professe Then secretly suppresse Honor scornes fearefull artes But those that doe vs leade As for dissembling made Euen though that they intend Amongst themselues t' haue warre Seeme in no sort to iarre But friendship do pretend Not like their Lord that 's dead That trusting to his worthy Still what hee meant spake forth The great men not for nought Do seeke the peoples loue And them their deeds t' approue Do labor still t' allure But Perdiccas it 's thought Too sparingly hath sought Our mindes towards him to moue As one that still conceits Hee may command the fates His pride so great is growne That none can it indure Yet stands his state vnsure Since odious to his owne He must b' at last ore-throwne Whose humour each man hates Pride doth her followers all Lead headlong to a fall ACT. IIII. SCENE I. Antigonus Eumenes TOugh stormie discord and tumultuous warres Doe fire the minds of men with flames of rage That hauing hautie thoughts as heauen hath starres Their indignation nothing can asswage Yet loe amongst the souldiers wauing bowres The Heraulds cryes whiles calmes the trumpets sounds And peace dare inter-pose her vnarm'd powres To limit for a time Bellonaes bounds And whilst of furie they suspend th' effects The seeming-friended foes haue conference whiles And each shewes th' other what his soule affects A shadow of the blisse that Mars exiles Thus men magnanimous amidst the field Dare to th' assurance of their enemies trust And loathing what disloyaltie doth yield Not violate their vowes nor proue vniust Though Loue be past yet Truth should still remaine I vertuous partes euen in my foes applaud A gallant mind doth greater glorie gaine To die with honor than to liue by fraude And why Eumenes as mistrusting me Else standing on your reputation long Did you disdaine to come as all men see T' a greater than yourselfe and t 'one more strong Eu. Thogh we not come to plead our birthright here Let him but warriors take not so their place In whom best signes of noblenesse appeere Be thought extracted of the noblest race Most noble he that still by vertue striues To leaue his name in minds of men engrau'd And to his of-spring greater glorie giues Than of his ancestors he hath receiu'd Erst we by birth in warre not marshalld stoode As at the table vpon Iuorie beds A souldiers worth consists not in his blood But in the blood of th' enemies that he sheds What euer others of my linage try I am Eumenes and I scorne t'
diuine And haue made th' earth to furnish all his needes Lest downe-weigh'd cares might make his thoughts decline So that he hath a meanes to raise his flight If wing'd with Vertue and may mounting hie Aspire t' approach to the celestiall light And deifie himselfe before he die Yet doth he strait forgoe that glorious way To toile for things that th' earth vnforc'd affords The which his wants first fram'd were to defray But by himselfe are of his life made Lords O how vnworthie of the worth of man Are many labors that delight him most Since that corruption boldly first began To make men nourish vice at vertues cost And now what hath great Alexander gain'd By endlesse labours and excessiue cares Of whom loe now it 's onely said he raign'd But death vnto himselfe worse to his heires Lo for the guiltlesse blood that he hath spill'd The partners of his conquests doe beginne To die by the same swords by which they kill'd And all his of-spring expiates his sinne Pho. Such is the reuolution of all things The wheele of Fortune still must slippery proue And chiefly when it burdend is with kings Whose states as weightiest most must make it moue Yet Alexander I must say was blest That ouer the worlde a victor alwaies rang'd And hauing ended all his warres in rest Did die in time before his fortune changde And for his fauour which I oft did trie Whilst earnestly he labord me t' aduaunce Whilst earnestly he labord me t' aduaunce I 'm sorie that himselfe so soone did die And that his of-spring hath so hard a chance His successours haue set all Greece on fire Of which I feare to perish by some sparke For Polipercon doth my death conspire And who can scape that 's made a great mans marker But for my countries cause I le giue my blood Whilst safely praisde all follow vertue can But when with danger threatned to doe good That 's onelie worthy of a worthy man Nor do I tender so this puffe of breath But I could be contented it t' expell A minde that is resolu'd triumphs ouer death He hath liu'd long enough that hath liu'd well ACT. V. SCINE II. Cassander Lysimachus Ptolomie Seleucus I Doubt not now great heroes but ye all What euer miscontentment ye pretend Doe rest well pleasde since those by me made thrall That might haue made you end haue made an end Loathe not the meanes if yee allow th' effect For though by this I haue a realme obtain'd It yeelds you more whose course none can suspect I 'm onely guiltie and ye all haue gain'd Yet to pursue my life they first beganne For my defence this last refuge I prou'd Nought than himselfe is neerer vnto man All men with their owne dangers are most mou'd And had not prowd Olimpias dide in time By offring vp her bloud to worke my peace Then mine had beene the harme and hers the crime I but preuented her a little space And if her of-spring had suruiu'd her death Whose rising could not but procure our fall Ye now that nought but soueraignty do breathe Had breath'd obedience or not breath'd at all Lis You from a dangerous yoke haue vs relieu'd Which I suspect we had experienc'd soone And why then should we labour to seeme grieu'd At that thing done which we wish not vndone No since that all for soueraignety doe striue And haue once tasted what it is to raigne There 's none of vs but rather die than liue T' embrace a subiects seruile state againe And though perchance with Alexanders sonne If heire both of his fathers worth and state We might haue most respected places wonne As speciall pillars of the Princes seate Yet though more great than others as before It would haue grieu'd vs lesse then one to fall The fall from first to second grieues one more Then from the second to the last of all Our old renowne to vs had ruine brought And would haue made vs odious to remaine It 's dangerous for a subiect to be thought One that desires or yet deserues to raigne When any tempest threatned had his throne He would haue sought assurance at our cost For when that iealousie hath seizd on one The greatest vertues are suspected most Yea though we could to quite our state consent Vs from suspition nought but death could purge Still greatnesse must turmoile or then torment If borne a burden if laide downe a scourge Ptol. But When we haue within bur bosome weigh'd The ruine of all Alexanders race Whom without blushing we might haue obey'd By right succeeding in our soueraignes place How can our soules but highly be asham'd That one inferiour both to them and vs Doth seeke by wrong that which by right they claim'd And by their orethrow would b' exalted thus Nor neede I more as in suspence remaine To maske my meaning with ambiguous wordes No no our words may as his deedes be plaine Which fame and without whispring now records Ye heare how that Antigonus of late Whose thoughts wing'd with ambition soare too high Doth striue aboue vs all t' aduaunce his state And on his former fortune doth relie Since to his hands Eumenes was betraide Loe quite transported by prepostrous pride As if in nought addicted now t' our aide He hath laide all regarde of vs aside Lis Thus Time the truth of all things doth proclame Man is a craftie creature hard to know That can a face for euery fortune frame No trust in mortalles nor no faith below Whiles as our owne particulars doe moue We what we wish for most seeme to mislike And oft of others doe the course disproue Whilst we want nought but meanes to doe the like Then whilst Perdiccas did attempt before To make the rest that were his equalls thrall Who than Antigonus detested more Th' ambitious minde of one that would haue all But since Perdiccas and his faction fell Whom he as traitours to the state pursude He in his place succeeding to rebell Hath what he seemde t' vndo againe renude And yet I many a time haue musde of this How from the world he did Eumenes send Sel. How But by treason as his custome is False at the first and cruell at the end Lys I know that after diuers doubtful fights He hath orethrowne Eumenes at the last But by what stratagems or treacherous slights I would be glad to heare how all hath past Sel. Antigonus was at the first afraide To match Eumenes by plaine force in fight And the refuge that feare affordes assaide For valour franke bent t' vse some wary sleight Amongst Eumenes troupes their mindes to proue He scattred letters with allurements stor'd By promisde treasures and protested loue To moue some one that might betray his Lord. But he being wise his troupes in time aduisde To cleare their vertue by their enemies vice And gaue them thankes that would not be entisde To sell their faith at such a bloodie price Then saide that th' Author
others if concealde His faults might breed me griefe but yet not shame Where lo now both through heauen earth reuealde Each standerous Theater doth his scorne proclame If heauenly soules diuinely liu'd aloft Th' inferior world would imitate them then But humaniz'd by hanting mortals oft Where men should grow like gods gods grow like men My painted Iris in her beauties pride Smiles not on Phoebus with so many hues As Ioue in diuers shapes himselfe can hide When he poore maides by Cupid spurr'd pursues He Danae in a golden showre deceiude And did a Swanne in Ledaes bosome light Then being a Bull Agenors daughter reau'd And Iö made a Cow to mocke my sight But would to god that with such wanton dames He still to sport would as with me remaine Not able then t' imbrace celestiall flames All like the drunkards mother might be slaine Then such a troupe as Rheaâ— bosome stores Would not hold him and me at endlesse iarres The heauens are pestred with my husbands whores Whose lights impure do taint the purest starres All iniuries are heauie to digest Yet th' actors greatnesse doth some griefe remoue Of whom to suffer wrong it shames one least If I were wrongde I would be wrongde by Ioue But ah this long hath tirraniz'd my breast A man a boy a shepheard yea and worse The Phrygian fire-brand the adultrous guest That first wrought wrong by fraud and then by force He he was he whose verdict mou'd me most Whilst it on Ida wrong'd my beauties right No wonder too though one all iudgement lost That had three naked goddesses in sight And yet I know were not his wandring eyes The Ciprian bribde by some lasciuious smiles My pompous birds in triumph through the skies Had borne the golde that oft her nimphes beguiles Am not I she whose greatnesse is admirde Whom Ioue for wife whom thousands court for loue Whom haughtie Ixion once t' imbrace desirde Yet with a clowde deluded did remooue What needed me a matter to submit Where my authoritie might haue auailde Whilst though I promisde wealth and Pallas wit Yet with a yong man Venus gift preuaild But how durst he t'ones pleasure thus giue place Where two contemnd their honour would repaire Is not our Sexe impatient of disgrace Of which there 's none but loues to be thought faire T' auenge my selfe no kinde of paine I sparde And made his greatest gaine his greatest losse As Venus gaue him Helen for reward I gaue him Helen for his greatest crosse Nor did he long her loue with ioy enioy Whose faithlesse flames his countrey did confound Whilst armies arm'd for her did Troy destroy And leuel'd Neptunes labours with the ground Whilst Simois seem'de to be a buriall field Whose streames as streetes were with dead bodies pau'd All Xanthus plaine as turnde t' a sea did yeeld A flood of blood from Heroes wounds receiu'd By brauing thousands once though much esteem'd By dust and blood deform'd of Hector slaine Nor like Patrocius by the sword redeem'd The bodie basely was bought backe againe Then by the same mans sonne that kild his sonne Th' old Priamus surprizde sigh'd forth his breath And being most harm'd where he for helpe had runne Whilst taking th' Altar taken was by death Though wrestling long t' auoide the heauens decree By th' enemies sword being parted from the light He that lâ—u'de Helen and was loath de by me Di'd as a sacrifice t' appease my spight Last hauing liu'd if miserie be a life T' entombe all hers that high mishaps had tride Though once being both nor mother then nor wife The fertile Hecub ' as being barren dide Thus by those meanes it would haue seem'd to some That my scornde beautie had bin highly vengde But whilst they were ore-com'd they did ore-come Since they for better states their states haue changde I in one part that people did confound But did enlarge their power in euery place Al warlike nations through the world renowned Now from the Phrygian ruines raise their race And yet two traitors that betraide the rest O heauens that treason thus should prosper whiles Of the Dardanian race did chance the best More happie then at home in their exiles Did not Antenor stealing through his foes Neere to the Euganian mountaines build a towne Of which some nurslings once shall seeke repose Amidst the waues and in the depths sit downe Their citie spousing Neptune shall arise The rarest common-wealth that euer was Whose people if as stowt as rich and wise Might boast to bring miraculous things to passe Then false Aeneas though but borne t' obey Did of a fugitiue become a King And some of his neere Tibers streames that stay Would all the world to their obedience bring Their rauenous Eagles soaring ouer all lands By violence th' imperiall prey haue wonne That bastard broode of Mars with martiall bands Haue conquerd both the mansions of the Sunne Their course by mountaines could not be controlde No Neptune could not keepe his bosome free Th' antartike heate nor yet the artike colde No limites to their legions could decree O of that cittie there could come no good Whose rising walles with more than barbarous rage The builder first bath'd with his brothers blood Which their prodigious conquests did presage That towne hath oft my soule with anguish filld Whose new-borne state oft triumpht ouer my wrath Like my olde foe that in his cradle killd The serpents that I sent to giue him death By Sabins Albans Tuscans oft assailde Euen in her infancie I tossde Romes state Yet stil Laomedons false race preuailde And angry Iuno could doe nought but hate Then when the gallant Gaules had vanquisht Rome That basely bought her libertie with golde A banisht man Camillus chauncde to come And her imballanc'd state redeemde of olde Great Hanniball our common cause pursude And made his bands within their bounds remaine With Consuls and with Praetors bloods imbrude At Thrasimene and at Cannes slaine In Romans mindes strange thoughts did feare infuse That did attend the taking of their towne But he that vanquish could not victory vse Was by their brasen destinie throwne downe O what a torrent of Barbarians once Inunding ouer the Alpes their walles did bost Whilst Teutons and the Cimbers bigge of bones Like giants marcht a more than monstrous hoste But though from vnknowne partes to ruine Rome I led those troopes that all the world admirde Yet did the tyrant Marius them orecome And I in vaine to venge olde wrongs aspirde By baser meanes I likewise sought her harmes Whilst Ianus church imported neuer peace I raisde vp abiect Spartacus in armes That neere eclipsde Romes glorie with disgrace Though I that all the world for help haue sought From Europe Affrike and from Asia thus Gaules Carthaginians and Cimbers brought Yet did the domage still redound to vs. Of heauen and earth I all the powres haue prou'd And for their wracke haue each aduantage watcht But they by forraine force could not be
th' enemies that would yeeld And them to rents and dignities restord Then when th' Aegyptians so t' obtaine reliefe Brought to his sight pale Pompeys bloodlesse head He testified with teares his inward griefe And gracde his statues after he was dead Those his proceedings might appeare t' approue That he against his will maintain'd this warre And to his countrie beares a tender loue That could comport to reine his rage so farre Cic. Those counterfeited fauors which he shew According to ones custome that aspires Were spent on many as the world might view T' insinuate himselfe in their desires But where he thus spar'd some he spoild ' whole hosts And the Barbarians all to Rome not wrought Such harme as he that of his goodnes boasts Yet her best men hath to confusion brought The great man that of no mishap could pause But still preuaild whilst warring without right Armd for the common weale in a good cause With Caesar did vnfortunately fight From Lesbos fled with his afflicted wife Three base-born grooms can fortune change so soone Stoode to consult vpon great Pompeys life And did what thousands durst not once haue done Then he whose knees had oft beene kissd by kings Most highly happy had he dide in time By one of his owne slaues with abiect things Had his last funeralls framde O monstrous crime T' entombe Romes greatest captaine all alone The Roman that arriu'd with reason said The fatall glory was too great for one And to haue part of that last honour staid The teares bestowd by Caesar on his head Forth from a guiltie minde remorce had throwne Or else he wept to see his enemy dead By any others hands than by his owne Then constant Cato that euen death did scorne The rare arch-tipe of an accomplisht man That liu'd as not t 'himselfe but t' all men borne Moou'd by his tyranny to ruine ranne He iustly whilst more iust himselfe more strong Then Caesar thought that for no Iustice carde And since discouering what he cloakd so long Said right that Caesar and not he was snarde Thus Caesar conquerd all but Catoes minde That would not by a tyrants tollerance breathe But in such sort his famous course confinde Than Caesars life more glorious was his death Those great men thus brought to disastrous ends The authour of their death make me despise That whilst t' vsurpe th' authoritie he tendes By treading downe all good men striues to rise Now made most great by lessening all the great He prowdly doth triumph in Rome ouer Rome And we must seeme t' applaud the present state Whose doubtfull breath depends vpon his doome Yet had I not enlargde my griefes so long To you whom Caesar doth pretend to loue Wer 't nor I know touch'd with the common wrong A iust disdaine all generous mindes must moue Dec. Had Caesar willingly resignd his armes And rendred Rome her libertie at last When as from foes he feard no further harmes But had repaird his iust displeasures past More then for all the loue that 's shewd to me He should haue had an Altar in my breast As worthy for his vertuous decdes to be Feard by the bad and honourd by the best But since though conq'ring all the world by might He to himselfe a slaue would make Rome thrall His benefits are loathsome in my sight And I am grieu'd that he deserues to fall My fancies moue not in so lowe a spheare But I disdaine that one ouer Rome impires Yet it is best that with the time we beare And with our powre proportion our desires Though I dissembled first your minde to trie And tolde what Fame to Caesars praise relates Yet was I pleasde that moe were grieu'd than I All mis-contented men are glad of mates Cic. Since tyrannie all libertie exiles We must our selues no more our selues disguise Then learne to maske a mourning minde with smiles And seeme t' extoll that which we most despise Yet all our deedes not Caesars humor please That since mistrusted once esteemes vs still When dumbe disdaineful flatterers when we praise If plaine presumptuous and in all things ill Yea we whose freedome Caesar now restraines As his attenders all his steppes must trace And know yet not acknowledge his disdaines But still pretend t' haue interest in his grace Though all my thoughts detest him as a foe To honour him a thousand meanes I moue Yet But to saue my selfe and plague him so No hate more harmes than it that lookes like loue His pride that through prepostrous honour swels Hath by the better sort made him abhorrd The gods are iealous and men enuious els To see a mortall man so much adord Dec. Well Cicero let all meanes be entertaind That may imbarke vs in his bosomes depths Till either willingly or then constrain'd He iustly quite what he vniustly keepes Exeunt Chorus This life of ours is like a Rose Which whilst it beauties rare array Doth then enioy the least repose When virgin-like it blush we see Then is' t euery hand the prey And by each wind is blowne away Yea though from violence scap'd free Whilst time triumphs it leads all thralles Yet doth it languish and decay O Whilst the courage hottest boiles And that our life seemes best to be It is with dangers compast still Whilst it each little change appalles The body force without whiles foiles It th' owne distemprature whiles spoiles Of which though none it chance to kill As nature failes the bodie falles Of which saue death nought bounds the toyles What is this moouing tower in which we trust A little winde closd in a cloud of dust And yet some spirits though here being pent In this fraile prisons narrow bounds With what might suffice not content Do alwayes bend their thoughts too hie And aime at all the peopled grounds Then whilst their breasts ambition wounds Though feeding as bent straight to die They build as they might alwayes liue Being famishd for fames empie sounds Of such no end the trauels ends But a beginning giues whereby They may b' imbroild worse then before For whilst they still new hopes contriue Th' exspected good more anguish sends Then the possessde contentment lends Like beasts that taste not but deuoure They swallow much and for more striue Whilst still their hope new hap attends And how can sueh but still themselues annoy That know to conquere but not how t' enioy Since as a ship amidst the depthes Or as an Eagle through the aire Of which their way no impression keepes Most swift when seeming least to moue This breath of which we take such care Doth tosse the bodie euery where That it may hence with haste remoue Life slippes and sleepes alwayes away Then whence and as it came goes bare Whose steps behinde no trace doth leaue Why should heauen-banish'd soules thus loue The cause and bounds of their exile Where they as restlesse strangers stray And with such pain why should they reaue That which they haue
shew All women are by nature curious still And yet till now thou neuer crau'd to know More then I pleasde t' impart of my free will Nought saue the wife a man within the walles Nor nought saue him without fits her t' embrace And it 's vnseemely though it sometime falles When any sexe vsurpes anothers place Deere their wounted course thy cares inure I may haue matters that import the state Whose opning vp might my disgrace procure Whose weight would for thy weaknesse be too great Port. I was not Brutus match'd with thee to bee A partner only of thy boorde and bed Each seruile whore in those might equall me That did her selfe to nought but pleasure wed No Portia spousde thee with a minde t' abide Thy fellow in all fortunes good or ill With chaines of mutuall loue together tyde As those that haue two breasts one heart two soules one will With sacred bands whom holy Hymen bindes They tweene them should communicate all things Yea both the bodies labors and the mindes Whence either pleasure or displeasure springs If thus thou seeke thy sorrowes to conceale Through a disdaine or a mistrust of me Then to the world what way can I reueale How great a matter I would doe for thee And though our sexe too talkatiue be deem'd As those whose tongues import our greatest powres For secrets still bad treasurers esteem'd Of others greedy prodigall of ours Good education may reforme defects And I this vantage haue t' a vertuous life Which other mindes do want and mine respects I 'm Catoes daughter and I 'm Brutus wife Yet would I not repose my trust in ought Still thinking that thy crosse was great to beare Till that my courage was t' a triall brought Which suffring for thy cause can nothing feare For first t' experience how I could comport With sterne afflictions spirit-enfeebling blowes Ere I would seeke t' assault thee in this sort To whom my soule a duteous reuerence owes Loe heere a wound which makes me not to smart Though by my selfe being made to make me knowne Since thy distresse strikes deeper in my heart Thy griefe lifes ioy makes me neglect mine owne Brut. Thou must deare loue that which thou sought receiue Thy heart so high a saile t' a tempest beares That thy great courage doth deserue to haue Our enterprise entrusted to thine eares Thy magnanimitie preuailes so farre That it my resolution must controule And of my bosome doth the depths vnbarre To lodge thee in the centre of my soule Thou seest in what a state the state now stands Of whose strong pillars Caesar spoil'd the best Whilst by his owne preuenting others handes Our famous father fell amongst the rest That insolent vsurper doth presume To re-erect detested Tarquines throne Thus the worlds mistresse all-commanding Rome Must entertaine no minion now but one Th' old blood of Mars that marks to what he tends Swells with disdaine their countryes scorne to see And I 'm one of the number that intends By his death or mine owne to be made free Port. And without me can thou resolue so soone T' assay the dangers of a doubtfull strife As if dispair'd and alwayes to b' vndone Being tyr'd of me yea tyr'd of thy life Yet since thou thus thy rash designe hath showne Leaue Portias portion venter not her part Endanger nought but that which is thine owne Go where thou lik'st I will hold still thy heart But lest by holding of thy best part backe That th' other perish t' aggrauate my grones That would be so thonght guiltie of thy wrack Take all thy treasure to the Seaes at once Like th' Asian Monarks wife that with short haires Sad signes of bondage past still where he past To weare away or beare away thy cares I le folow thee and of thy fortune taste These hands that were with my owne blood imbru'd To strike another may more strength afford At least when thou by th' enemie art pursu'de I le set my selfe betwixt thee and his sword But if too great a priuiledge I claime Whose actions all should be disposde by thee Ah pardon me deare Brutus do but blame These my excessiue sorrowes and not mee Brut. Thou ask'st what thou shouldst giue forgiue deare mate This ventrous course of mine which must haue place Though it make fortune tyrant of our state Whose fickle foot-steps vertue grieues to trace And wonder not though this towards thee I proue Since priuate passions now all powre haue left For I regard not glory profit loue Nor no respect that doth import me most So to the land of which I hold my life I may performe the worke that I intend Let me be call'd vnkind vnto my wife Yea worst of all ingrate vnto my friend But as th' instinct of nature makes vs know There are degrees of dutie to be past Of which the first we to th'immortalls owe The next t' our Countrey and t' our friends the last Prowd tyrants from his natiue bounds to driue Did th' author of my race with ardent zeale Make those to die whom he had made to liue And spoild himselfe to aduance the commonweale To raise the state which Caesar now ore-throwes That bred so many braue men whilst it stood He with the Tyrant interchanging blowes Most gloriously did offer vp his blood And did that man t' oppresse the common fo Then damne his sonnes to death and with drie eyes And is his successor degenerd so That he in abiect bondage basely lyes No his posteritie his name not staines That t' imitate his steps doth yet draw neere Yet of his spirit in vs some sparke remaines That more then life our libertie hold deare Port. Then prosecute thy course for I protest Though with some griefe my soule the same approues This resolution doth become thy breast Where in the spheare of honor vertue moues And doe this interprise no more deferre What thee contents to me contentment brings I to my life thy saftie doe preferre But hold thy honor deare aboue all things It would but let the world my weaknesse see If I sought my delights not thy desires Though it giue griefe and threaten death to me Goe follow forth that which thy fame requires Though nature sexe and education breed No power in me that 's with my purpose euen He lend assistance to th' intended deed If vowes and prayers may penetrate the heauen But difficulties huge my fancie findes Saue the successe nought can defray my feare Ah Fortune alwayes frownes on worthy mindes As hating all that trust in ought saue her Yet I dispaire not but thou may preuaile And by this course t' appease my present grones I this aduantage haue which cannot faile I le be a freemans wife or else be nones For if all prosper not as we pretend And that the heauens Romes bondage do decree Straight with thy libertie my life shall end Who haue no comfort but what comes from thee My father hath me taught what way to
die By which if I be barr'd t' encounter death Another meanes though farre more strange I le trie For after Brutus none shall see me breathe Brut. Thou for my cause abandon'd others else But now forsakst thy selfe t' adhere to me That of thy passions thus the powre repells And with thy minde discords with mine t' agree I le since by thee approou'd securely goe And vilipend the dangers of this life Heauens make my enterprise to prosper so That I prooue worthy of so worthy a wife But ah of all thy words those grieue me most That bost me with th' abridgement of thy dayes What though I in so good a cause were lost None flies th' appointed fate that for him staies Do not defraud the world of thy rare worth But of thy Brutus the remembrance loue And from so faire a prison breake not forth Till first the fates haue forcde thee to remoue Port. I feare the heauens haue our confusion sworne Since this illage can with no good accord Thou and my father ah should haue bin borne When Vertue was aduauncde and Vice abhorrd Then ere the light of vertue was declinde Your worth had reuerenâ—de bin not throwne away Where now ye both haue but in darkenes shinde As starres by night that had bin sunnes by day Brut. My treasure striue to pacisie thy breast Lest sorrowes but sinistrously presage That which thou would not wish and hope the best Though vertue now must act on Fortunes stage Exeunt Chorus THan libertie of earthly things What more delights a generous breast That doth receiue And can conceiue The matchlesse treasure that it brings It making men securely rest As all perceiue Doth none deceiue Whilst weigh'd with doubts none ballanc'd hings But feard for nought doth what seemes best Then men are men when they are all their owne Not but by others badges when made knowne Yet should we not mis-spending houres A freedome seeke as oft it falles With an intent But to content These vaine delights and appetites of ours For then but being made greater thralles We might repent Our not being pent In stricter bounds by others powres VVhilst feare licentious thoughts appalles Of all the tyrants that the world affords Ones owne affections are the fiercest Lords As Libertines those onely liue That from the bands of vice set free Vile thoughts cancell And seeke t' excell In all that doth true glorie giue From which when as no tyrants be Them to repell And to compell They deedes against their thoughts to striue They blestare in a high degree For such of same the scroules can hardly fill Whose wit is bounded by anothers will That Rome from Tarquins yoke redeemde Who first obtaind And then maintaind Their libertie so deerely lou'd They from all things that odious seemd Though not constraind Themselues restraind And willingly all good approu'd Bent to be much yet wel esteemd And how could such but aime at some great end Whom libertie did leade and glory attend They leading valorous legions foorth Though wanting kings triumph'd ouer kings And still aspird By Mars inspir'd To conquer all from South to North Then lending Fame their Eagles wings They all acquir'd That was requir'd To make them rare for rarest things The world being witnesse of their Worth Thus those great minds that domineer'd ouer all Did make themselues first free then others thrall But we that hold nought but their name From that to which they in times gone Did high ascend Must low discend And bound their glory with our shame Whilst on an abiect tyrants throne We basely attend And doe intend Vs for our fortune still to frame Not it for vs and all for one As libertie a courage doth impart So bondage doth disbend els breake the heart Yet O who knowes but Rome to grace Another Brutus may arise That may effect What we affect And Tarquins steppes make Caesar trace Though seeming dangers to dispise He doth suspect What we exspect Which from his breast hath banish'd peace Though fairely he his feares disguise Of tyrants th' iniurie reuenge affords All feare but theirs and they feare all mens swords ACT. IIII. SCENE I. Decius Brutus Albinus Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius DEare cosin Cassius did acquaint mine eares With a designe that toss'd my minde a space For when strange newes a strangers breath first beares Then should not trust t' each rash report giue place I would not then discouer what I thought Lest he t' entrap my tongue a snare had fram'd Till I with thee t' a conference first was brought Whom he for patron of his purpose namde One should beware to whom his minde he leaues In dangerous times when tales by walles are tolde Men make themselues most miserably slaues Of those to whom their secrets they vnfolde M. Bru. As Cassius tolde thee pittying Romes distresse That t' our disgrace in bondage doth remaine We straight intend what euer we professe With Caesars blood to wash away this staine Though for this end a few sufficient are To whom their vertue courage doth impart Yet were wee loath to wrong thy worth so farre As of such glorie to giue thee no part Since both this cause and that thy name thee binde In this aduentrous band to be comprisde There needes no rhetoricke to raise thy minde That t' execute which thou should haue deuisde D. Bru. I thoght no creature shuld my purpose know But he whose intrest promisde mutuall cares Of those to whom one would his secrets show No greater pledge of trust than to know theirs As when two meet being mask'd though whiles neare frends With them as strangers no respect takes place But when that friendship one of them pretends Then th' other likewise doth vncloude his face So as thou first I le now at last be bold My breast with the same birth long great hath gone Yet I t'another durst it not vnfolde Nor yet attempt to compasse it alone But since this course of which I long did pause On such great pillars now so strongly stands Whose countanaunce may giue credite t' any cause It hath my heart and it shall haue my hands C. Cass T' our enterprise propitious signes are sent So that the gods would giue vs courage thus For all that euer heard of our intent Would willingly engage themselues with vs Let other men discourse of vertuous rites Ours but by th' action only should be showne Bare speculation is but for such sprites As want of powre or courage keepes vnknowne In those that Vertue view when crown'd with deeds Whose beauties through the glasse of glory shinde Sh'a violent desire t' imbrace her breedes As th' adamant to th' yrne being to the minde What though a number now in darkenesse lies That are too weake for matters of such weight We that are eminent in all mens eies Let vs still hold the height of honour straight M. Br. Whilst that our faction might be strangthned thus I labord much to purchase all their powres Whom