might of loue As neuer shal the dread of carren death That hath enuide our ioyes inuade my brest For if it may be found a fault in me That euermore haue lou'd your Maiestie Likewise to honor and to loue your child If loue vnto you both may be a fault That vnto her my loue exceedes compare Then this hath been my fault for which I ioy That in the greatest lust of all my life I shall submitte for her sake to endure The pangues of death Oh mighty Lord of loue Strengthen thy vassall boldlie to receaue Large wounds into this body for her sake Then vse my life or death my Lord and king For your reliefe to ease your grieued soule For whether I liue or els that I must die To end your paines I am content to beare Knowing by death I shall bewray the trueth Of that sound heart which liuing was her owne And dide aliue for her that liued mine Tan. Thine Palurin what liues my daughter thine Traitor thou wrongst me for she liueth mine Rather I wish ten thousand sundrie deaths Then I to liue and see my daughter thine Thine that is dearer then my life to me Thine whom I hope to see an Empresse Thine whom I cannot pardon from my sight Thine vnto whom we haue bequeath'd our crown Iulio we wil that thou informe from vs Renuchio the Capten of our Gard That we commaund this traitor be conueyd Into the dungeon vnderneath our Tower There let him rest vntil he be resolu'd What further we intend which to vnderstand We will Renuchio repaire to vs Iul. O that I might your Maiestie entreate With clemencie to beutifie your seate Toward this Prince distrest by his desires Too many all too strong to captiuate Tan. This is the soundest safetie for a king To cut them off that vex or hinder him Iul. This haue I found the safetie of a king To spare the Subiects that do honor him Tan. Haue we been honourd by this leachers lust Iul. No but by this deuout submission Tan. Our fortune saies we must do what we may Iul This is praise-worth not to do what you may Tan. And may the Subiect countermaund the king Iul. No but intreat him Tan. What he shal decree Iul. What wisdom shall discern Iul. Nay what our word Shal best determine We wil not replie Thou knowest our mind our heart cannot be easd But with the slaughter of this Palurin The king hasteth into his Pallace Guis. O thou great God who from thy hiest throne Hast stooped down and felt the force of loue Bend gentle eares vnto the wofull mone Of me poore wretch to graunt that I require Help to perswade the same great God that he So farre remit his might and slack his fire From my deare Ladies kindled heart that she May heare my death without her hurt Her face wherein there is as cleere a light As in the rising moone let not her cheekes As red as is the partie-coloured rose Be paled with the newes hereof and so I yeeld my selfe my sillie soul and all To him for her for whom my death shall shew I liu'd and as I liu'd I dide her thrall Graunt this thou Thunderer this shal suffice My breath to vanish in the liquid skies Guizard is led to prison Chorus primus Who doth not know the fruits of Paris loue Nor vnderstand the end of Helens ioy He may behold the fatall ouerthrow Of Priams house and of the towne of Troy His death at last and her eternal shame For whom so many a noble knight was slaine So many a Duke so many a Prince of fame Bereft his life and left there in the plaine Medeas armed hand Elizas sword Wretched Leander drenched in the floud Phillis so long that waited for her Lord All these too dearly bought their loues with bloud Cho. 2. But he in vertue that his Lady serues Newils but what vnto her Honor longs He neuer from the rule of reason swarues He feeleth not the pangs ne raging throngs Of blind Cupid he liues not in despaire As done his seruants neither spends his daies In ioy and care vaine hope and throbbing feare But seekes alway what may his soueraine please In honor he that thus serues reapes the fruite Of his sweet seruice and no ielous dread Nor base suspect of ought to let his sute Which causeth oft the louers hart to bleed Doth fret his mind or burneth in his brest He wayleth not by day nor wakes by night When euery other liuing thing doth rest Nor findes his life or death within her sight Cho. 3. Remember thou in vertue serue therfore Thy chast Lady beware thou do not loue As whilom Venus did the faire Adonne But as Diana lou'd the Amazons sonne Through whose request the gods to him alone Restorde new life the twine that was vndone Was by the sisters twisted vp againe The loue of vertue in thy Ladies lookes The loue of vertue in her learned talke This loue yeelds matter for eternall bookes This loue intiseth him abroad to walke There to inuent and write new rondelaies Of learned conceit her fancies to allure To vaine delights such humors he allaies And sings of vertue and her garments pure Cho. 4. Desire not of thy Soueraigne the thing Whereof shame may ensue by any meane Nor wish thou ought that may dishonor bring So whilom did the learned Tuscan serue His faire Lady and glory was their end Such are the praises Louers done deserue Whose seruice doth to vertue and honor tend Finis Actus 4. Composuit Ch. Hat Actus 5. Scaena 1. Renuchio commeth out of the Pallace Renu. OH cruel fate oh miserable chaunce Oh dire aspect of hateful destinies Oh wo may not be told suffic'd it not That I should see and with these eyes behold So foule so bloody and so base a deede But more to aggrauate the heauie cares Of my perplexed mind must onelie I Must I alone be made the messenger That must deliuer to her Princelie eares Such dismall newes as when I shal disclose I know it cannot but abridge her daies As when the thunderer and three forked fire Rent through the cloudes by Ioues almighty power Breakes vp the bosom of our mother earth And burnes her heart before the heat be felt In this distresse whom should I most bewaile My woe that must be made the messenger Of these vnworthie and vnwelcome newes Or shall I mone thy death O noble Earle Or shal I still lament the heauie hap That yet O Queene attends thy funeral Cho. 1. What mones be these Renuchio is this Salerne I see Doth here king Tancred hold the awful crown Is this the place where ciuill people be Or do the sauage Scythians here abound Cho. 2. What mean these questiōs whether tend thes words Resolue vs maidens release our fears What euer newes thou bring'st discouer them Deteine vs not in this suspicious dread The thought whereof is greater then the woe Renu. O whither may I cast
these desires Lucr. She craues the right that nature chalengeth Tan. Tell her the king commaundeth otherwise Lucr. The kings cōmandment alwais should be iust Tan. What ere it be the kings commaund is iust Lucr. Iust to commaund but iustlie must he charge Tanc. He chargeth iustlie that commands as king Lucr. The kings command concerns the body best Tan. The king commands obedience of the minde Luc. That is exempted by the law of kinde Tan. That law of kind to children doth belong Luc, In due obedience to their open wrong Tan. I then as king and father will commaund Luc. No more then may with right of reason stand Tan. Thou knowest our minde resolue her depart Returne the chase we haue beene chac'd enough Tancred returneth into his pallace leaueth the hunt Luc. He cannot heare anger hath stopt his eares And ouer-loue his iudgement hath decaide Ah my poore Neece I shrewdly feare thy cause Thy iust complaint shall neuer be relieu'd Gismunda commeth alone out of her chamber Scaena 3. Gis. BY this I hope my aunt hath mou'd the king And knows his mind makes return to me To end at once all this perplexitie Lo where she stands Oh how my trembling heart In doubtfull thoughts panteth within my brest For in her message doth relie my smart Or the sweet quiet of my troubled minde Luc. Neece on the point you lately willed me To treat of with the king in your behalfe I brake euen now with him so farre till he In sodain rage of griefe ere I scarce had My tale out tolde praid me to stint my suite As that from which his minde abhorred most And well I see his fansie to refute Is but displeasure gainde and labor lost So firmely fixed stands his kingly will That til his body shal be laid in graue He will not part from the desired sight Of your presence which silder he should haue If he had once allied you againe In marriage to any prince or peere This is his finall resolution Gis. A resolution that resolues my bloud Into the Ice-sie drops of Lethes flood Luc. Therefore my counsel is you shall not sturre Nor further wade in such a case as this But since his will is grounded on your loue And that it lies in you to saue or spill His old fore-wasted age you ought t' eschew The thing that greeues so much his crazed heart And in the state you stand content your selfe And let this thought appease your troubled mind That in your hands relies your fathers death Or blisfull life and since without your sight He cannot liue nor can his thoughts indure Your hope of marriage you must then relent And ouer-rule these fond affections Least it be said you wrought your fathers end Gis. Deare Aunt I haue with patient eares indurde The hearing of my fathers hard behest And since I see that neither I my selfe Nor your request can so preuaile with him Nor anie sage aduice perswade his mind To grant me my desire In willing wise I must submit me vnto his command And frame my heart to serue his maiestie And as I may to driue awaie the thoughts That diuersly distract my passions Which as I can I le labour to subdue But sore I feare I shall but toile in vaine Wherein good Ant I must desire your paine Luc. What lies in me by comfort or aduice I shall discharge with all humilitie Gismund and Lucre depart into Gismunds chamber Chorus primus Who markes our former times and present yeres What we are now and lookes what we haue bin He cannot but lament with bitter teares The great decay and change of all women For as the world wore on and waxed olde So vertue quaild and vice began to grow So that that age that whilome was of golde Is worse than brasse more vile than yron now The times were such that if we ought beleeue Of elder daies women examples were Of rare vertues Lucre disdaind to liue Longer then chast and boldly without feare Tooke sharpe reuenge on her inforced heart With her owne hands for that it not withstood The wanton will but yeelded to the force Of proud Tarquin who bought hir fame with blood Chor. 2. Queene Artemissa thought an hepe of stones Although they were the wonder of that age A worthlesse graue wherein to rest the bones Of her deare Lord but with bold courage She dranke his heart and made her louely breast His tombe and failed not of wifely faith Of promist loue and of her bound behest Vntill she ended had her daies by death Vlysses wife such was her stedfastnesse Abode his slow returne whole twentie yeeres And spent her youthfull daies in pensiuenes Bathing her widdowes bed with brinish teares Chor. 3 The stout daughter of Cato Brutus wife Portia When she had heard his death did not desire◠Longer to liue and lacking vse of knife A most strange thing ended her life by fire And eat whot burning coales O worthy dame O vertues worthy of eternall praise The floud of Lethe cannot wash out thy fame To others great reproach shame and dispraise Chor. 4 Rare are those vertues now in womens mind Where shall we seeke such iewels passing strange Scarse can you now among a thousand finde One woman stedfast all delight in change Marke but this princesse that lamented here Of late so sore her noble husbands death And thought to liue alone without a pheare Behold how soone she changed hath that breath I thinke those Ladies that haue liu'd to fore A mirror and a glasse to women kinde By those their vertues they did set such store That vnto vs they none bequeath'd behinde Els in so many yeeres we might haue seene As vertuous as euer they haue beene Chor. 1 Yet let not vs maydens condemne our kinde Because our vertues are not all so rare For we may freshly yet record in minde There liues a virgin one without compare Who of all graces hath her heauenly share In whose renowme and for whose happie daies Let vs record this Paean of her praise Cantant Finis Actus 2. Per Hen No. Actus 3. Scaena 1. Cupid SO now they feel what lordly loue can d that proudly practise to deface his nam Invaine they wrastle with so fierce a foe of little sparkes arise a blazing flame By small occasions loue can kindle heate and wast the Oken brest to cinder dust Gismund I haue entised to forget her widdowes weedes and burne in raging lust T was I enforst her father to denie her second marriage to any peere T was I allur'd her once againe to trie the sower sweetes that Louers buy too deere The Countie Palurin a man right wise a man of exquisite perfections I haue like wounded with her pearsing eyes and burnt her heart with his reflections These two shall ioy in tasting of my sweete to make them proue more feelingly the greefe That bitter brings for when their ioyes shall fleete their dole shal be increast without releefe Thus
our Court the secret way whereof Is to our daughter Gismunds chamber laide There is also another mouth hereof Without our wall which now is ouergrowen But you may finde it out for yet it lies Directly South a furlong from our place It may be knowen hard by an auncient stoope Where grew an Oke in elder daies decaide There wil we that you watch there shall you see A villain traitor mount out of a vaut Bring him to vs it is th' Earle Palurin What is his fault neither shal you enquire Nor list we to disclose these cursed eyes Haue seene the flame this heart hath felt the fire That cannot els be quencht but with his bloud This must be done this will we haue you do Iul. Both this and els what euer you thinke good Iulio departeth into the Pallace Renugio bringeth Gismund out of her chamber to whom Tancred saith Scaena 3. REnugio depart leaue vs alone Exit Renugio Gismund if either I could cast aside All care of thee or if thou wouldst haue had Some care of me it would not now betide That either thorow thy fault my ioy should fade Or by thy folly I should beare the paine Thou hast procur'd but now t is neither I Can shun the griefe whom thou hast more thē slain Nor maist thou heale or ease the grieuous wound Which thou hast geuen me That vnstained life Wherein I ioy'd and thought it thy delight Why hast thou lost it Can it be restor'd Where is thy widdowhood there is thy shame Gismund it is no mans nor mens report That haue by likely proofes enformd me thus Thou knowest how hardly I could be induc'd To vex my selfe and be displeasde with thee With flying tales of flattering Sicophants No no there was in vs such setled trust Of thy chaste life and vncorrupted minde That if these eyes had not beheld thy shame Invaine ten thousand censures could haue tolde That thou didst once vnprincelike make agree With that vile traitor Countie Palurin Without regard had to thy selfe or me Vnshamefastly to staine thy state and mine But I vnhappiest haue beheld the same And seeing it yet feeleth exceding griefe That slaies my heart with horror of that thought Which griefe commandes me to obey my rage And Iustice vrgeth some extreame reuenge To wreake the wrongs that haue been offred vs But Nature that hath lockt within thy brest Two liues the same inclineth me to spare Thy bloud and so to keep mine owne vnspilt This is that ouerweening-loue I beare To thee vnduetifull and vndeserued But for that traitor he shal surelie die For neither right nor nature doth intreat For him that wilfully without all awe Of gods or men or of our deadly hate Incurde the iust displeasure of his king And to be briefe I am content to know What for thy selfe thou canst obiect to vs Why thou shouldst not together with him die So to asswage the griefes that ouerthrow Thy fathers heart Gis. O king and father humbly geue her leaue To plead for grace that stands in your disgrace Not that she recks this life for I confesse I haue deseru'd when so it pleaseth you To die the death Mine honor and my name As you suppose distained with reproach And wel contented shall I meet the stroke That must disseuer this detested head Frō these lewd limmes But this I wish were known That now I liue not for my selfe alone For when I saw that neither my request Nor the intreatie of my carefull Aunt Could winne your Highnes pleasure to our will Then Loue heate of the heart life of the soule Fed by desire increasing by restraint Would not endure controlment any more But violently enforst my feebled heart For who am I alas still to resist Such endlesse conflicts To relent and yeelde Therewith I chose him for my Lord and pheare Guiszard mine Earle that holds my loue full deare Then if it be so setled in your mind He shall not liue because he dar'd to loue Your daughter Thus I geue your Grace to know Within his heart there is inclosde my life Therfore O father if that name may be Sweet to your eares and that we may preuaile By name of father that you fauour vs But otherwise if now we cannot finde That which our falsed hope did promise vs Why then proceed and rid our trembling hearts Of these suspitions since neither in this case His good deserts in seruice to your Grace Which alwaies haue bin iust nor in desires May mittigate the cruel rage of griefe That straines your heart but that mine Earl must die Then all in vaine you aske what I can say Why I should liue sufficeth for my part To say I wil not liue and so resolue Tan. Dar'st thou so desperat decree thy death Gis A dreadles heart delites in such decrees Tan. Thy kind abhorreth such vnkindly thoughts Gis. Vnkindly thoughts they are to them that liue In kindly loue Tan. As I doe vnto thee Gis. To take his life who is my loue to me Tan. Haue I then lost thy loue Gis. If he shal lose His life that is my loue Tan. Thy loue Be gone Returne vnto thy chamber Gis. I wil goe Gismund departeth to her chamber Iulio with his gard bringeth in the County Pal. prisoner Scaena 4. Iu. IF it please your highnes hither haue we broght This captiue Earl as you commanded vs Whō as we wer fortold euen there we found Where by your maiesty we were inioin'd To watch for him What more your highnes willes This heart and hand shal execute your hest Tan. Iulio we thank your paines Ah Palurin Haue we deserued in such traiterous sort Thou shouldst abuse our kingly courtesies Which we too long in fauor haue bestowed Vpon thy false-dissembling hart with vs What grief thou therewithal hast throwen on vs What shame vpon a house what dire distresse Our soul endures cannot be vttered And durst thou villen dare to vndermine Our daughters chamber durst thy shameles face Be bolde to kisse her th' rest we wil conceale Sufficeth that thou knowest I too wel know All thy proceedings in thy priuat shames Herin what hast thou wonne thine own content With the displeasure of thy Lord and king The thought whereof if thou hadst had in mind The least remorce of loue and loyaltie Might haue restraind thee from so foule a fact But Palurin what may I deem of thee Whom neither feare of gods nor loue of him Whose Princely fauor hath been thine vpreare Could quench the fewel of thy lewd desires Wherfore content thee that we are resolu'd And therfore laid to snare thee with this bayt That thy iust death with thine effused blood Shal coole the heate and choler of our mood Guiz. My Lord the King neither do I mislike Your sentence nor do your smoking sighes Reacht from the entrals of your boiling heart Disturbe the quiet of my calmed thoughts For this I feele and by experience proue Such is the force and endlesse
king Gis. The king the tyrant king Cho. 3. Your father Gis. Yea the murthrer of my loue Ch. 4. His force Gis. the dead fear not the force of mē Ch. 1. His care griefe Gis. That neither car'd for me Nor greeued at the murther of my loue My mind is setled you with these vain words Withhold me but too long from my desire Depart ye to my chamber Cho. We wil hast To tel the king hereof Chorus depart into the Pallace Gis. I will preuent Both you and him Lo here this harty draught The last that in this world I meane to tast Dreadlesse of death mine Earle I drink to thee So now worke on now doth my soul begin To hate this light wherein there is no loue No loue of parents to their children No loue of Princes to their Subiects true No loue of Ladies to their dearest loues Now passe I to the pleasant land of loue Where heauenly loue immortall flourisheth The Gods abhorre the company of men Hel is on earth yea hel it selfe is heauen Compar'd with earth I cal to witnes Heauen said I no but hel record I call And thou sterne Goddesse of reuenging wrongs Witnesse with me I die for his pure loue That liued mine Shee lieth down and couereth her face with her haire Tancred in hast commeth out of his pallace with Iulio Scaena 3 Tan WHere is my daughter Iul Behold here wofull king Tan Aime break hart thou fly foorth my soul What doth my daughter Gis take it so What hast thou done oh let me see thine eyes Oh let me dresse vp those vntrimmed locks Looke vp sweet child look vp mine only ioy T is I thy father that beseecheth thee Reare vp thy body straine thy dying voice To speake to him sweet Gismund speake to me Gis. Who staies my soul who thus disquiets me Tan. T is I thy father ah behold my teares Like pearled deaw that trickle down my cheekes To wash my siluer haires Gis. Oh father king Forbeare your teares your plaint wil not auaile Tan. Oh my sweetheart hast thou receau'd thy life From me and wilt thou to requite the same Yeeld me my death yea death and greater greefe To see thee die for him that did defame Thine honor thus my kingdome and thy name Gis. Yea therfore father gaue ye life to me That I should die and now my date is done As for your kingdome and mine own renowne Which you affirme dishonoured to be That fault impute it where it is for he That slew mine Earle and sent his heart to me His hands haue brought this shame and griefe on vs But father yet if anie sparke remaine Of your deare loue if euer yet I could So much deserue or at your hands desire Grant that I may obtaine this last request Tans. Saie louely child saie on what ere it be Thy father grants it willingly to thee Cis. My life I craue not for it is not now In you to giue nor in my selfe to saue Nor craue I mercie for mine Earle and me Who hath bin slaine with too much crueltie With patience I must awhile abide Within this life which now will not be long But this is my request Father I praie That since it pleased so your maiestie I should inioy my loue aliue no more Yet neretheles let vs not parted be Whom cruell death could neuer separate But as we liude and dide together here So let our bodies be together tombde Let him with me and I with him be laid Within one shrine where euer you appoint This if you grant me as I trust you will Although I liue not to requite this grace Th' immortall Gods due recompence shall giue To you for this and so vaine world farewel My speech is painefull and mine eie-sight failes Tanc. My daughter dies see how the bitter pangs Of tyrannous death torments her princely heart She lookes on me at me she shakes her head For me she grones by me my daughter dies I I the author of this Tragedie On me on me yee heauens know downe your 〈◊〉 Now dies my daughter princely with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh faire in life thrice fairer in thy death Deare to thy father in thy life thou wert But in thy death dearest vnto his heart I kisse thy paled cheekes and close thine eies This duetie once I promist to my selfe Thou shouldst performe to me but ah false hope Now ruthful wretched king what resteth thee Wilt thou now liue wasted with miserie Wilt thou now liue that with these eies didst see Thy daughter dead wilt thou now liue to see Her funerals that of thy life was stay Wilt thou now liue that wast her liues decay Shal not this hand reach to this heart the stroke Mine armes are not so weake nor are my limmes So feebled with mine age nor is my heart So daunted with the dread of cowardice But I can wreake due vengeance on that head That wrought the means these louers now be dead Iulio come neare and lay thine own right hand Vpon my thigh now take thine oath of me Iul. I sweare to thee my liege Lord to discharge What euer thou enioynest Iulio Tan. First then I charge thee that my daughter haue Her last request thou shalt within one tombe Interre her Earle and her and thereupon Engraue some Royall Epitaph of love That done I swear thee thou shalt take my corps Which thou shalt find by that time done to death And lay my bodie by my daughters side Sweare this sweare this I say Iul. I sweare But will the king do so vnkingly now Tan. A kingly deed the king resolues to doe Iul. To kil himselfe Tan. To send his soule to ease Iul Doth Ioue command it Tan. Our stars cōpell it Iul. The wiseman ouerrules his stars Tan. So we Iul Vndaunted should the minds of kings indure Tan. So shal it in this resolution Iulio forbeare and as thou louest the king When thou shalt see him weltring in his gore Stretching his limmes and gasping in his grones Then Iulio set to thy helping hand Redouble stroke on stroke and driue the stab Down deeper to his heart to rid his soule Now stand aside stir not a foote least thou Make vp the fourth to fill this Tragedie These eyes that first beheld my daughters shame These eyes that longed for the ruthful sight Of her Earles heart these eyes that now haue seene His death her woe and her auenging teene Vpon these eyes we must be first auenged Vnworthy lamps of this accursed lump Out of your dwellings so it fits vs thus In bloud and blindnes to goe seeke the path That leadeth down to euerlasting night Why frighst thou dastard be thou desperate One mischiefe brings another on his neck As mighty billowes tumble in the seas Now daughter seest thou not how I amerce My wrath that thus bereft thee of thy loue Vpon my head now fathers learn by me Be wise be warnde to vse more tenderly The iewels of your ioyes Daughter
readers R. W. wisheth increase of all health worship learning with the immortall glorie of the graces adorning the same YE may perceiue right Worshipful in perusing the former Epistle sent to mee how sore I am beset with the importunities of my friends to publish this Pamphlet Truly I am and haue bin if there be in me anie soundnes of iudgement of this opinion that whatsoeuer is committed to the presse is commended to eternitie and it shall stand a liuely witnes with our conscience to our comfort or confusion in the reckning of that great daie Aduisedly therefore was that Prouerbe vsed of our elder Philosophers Manum a Tabula with-hold thy hand from the paper and thy papers from the print or light of the world for a lewd word escaped is irreuocable but a bad or base discourse published in print is intollerable Hereupon I haue indured some conflicts between reason and iudgement whether it were conuenient for the common wealth with the indecorum of my calling as some thinke it that the memorie of Tancreds Tragedie should be againe by my meanes reuiued which the oftner I read ouer and the more I considered theron the sooner I was won to consent therunto calling to mind that neither the thrice reuerend lerned father M. Beza was ashamed in his yonger yeres to send abroad in his owne name his Tragedy of Abraham nor that rare Scot the scholer of our age Buchanan his most pathetical Ieptha Indeed I must willingly confesse this worke simple and not worth comparison to any of theirs for the writers of them were graue men of this young heads In them is shewn the perfection of their studies in this the imperfection of their wits Neuertheles herein they al agree commending vertue detesting vice and liuely deciphering their ouerthrow that suppresse not their vnruely affections These things noted herin how simple so euer the verse be I hope the matter wil be acceptable to the wise Wherefore I am now bold to present Gismund to your sights and vnto yours only for therfore haue I coniured her by the loue that hath bin these 24. yeres betwixt vs that she waxe not so proude of her fresh painting to stragle in her plumes abroad but to contein her selfe within the walles of your house so am I sure she shal be safe frō the Tragedian Tyrants of our time who are not ashamed to affirme that ther can no amarous poeme sauour of any sharpnes of wit vnlesse it be seasoned with scurrilous words But leauing them to their lewdnes I hope you all discreet readers wil thankfully receiue my pains the fruites of my first haruest the rather perceiuing that my purpose in this Tragedie tendeth onely to the exaltation of vertue suppression of vice with pleasure to profit and help al men but to offend or hurt no man As for such as ha◠neither the grace nor the good gift to doe well themselues nor the common honestie to speak wel of others I must as I may heare and bear their baitings with patience Yours deuoted in his ability R. Wilmot A Preface to the Queenes Maidens OF HONOR FLowers of prime pearles couched all in gold Light of our daies that glads the fainting hearts Of them that shall your shining gleams behold Salue of each sore recure of inward smarts In whom Vertue and Beautie striueth so As neither yeelds behold here for your gaine Gismonds vnluckie loue her fault her wo And death at last her cruell Father slaine Through his mishap and though you do not see Yet reade and rew their wofull Tragedie So Ioue as your high vertues done deserue Grant you such pheeres as may your vertues serue With like vertues and blisfull Venus send Vnto your happie loues an happie end Another to the same GIsmond that whilome liu'de her fathers ioy And died his death now dead doth as she may By vs praie you to pittie her annoy And to requite the same doth humbly pray Heauens to forefend your loues from like decay The faithfull Earle doth also make request Wishing those worthie knights whom ye imbrace The constant truth that lodged in his breast His hartie loue not his vnhappie case Befall to such a triumph in your grace The King praies pardon of his cruell hest And for amends desires it may suffice That by his bloud he warneth all the rest Of fond fathers that they in kinder wise Intreat the Iewels where their comfort lies We as their messengers beseech ye al On their behalfes to pittie all their smarts And for our selues although the worth be small We praie ye to accept our humble hearts Auoud to serue with praier and with praise Your Honors all vnworthie other waies The Tragedie of Tancred and Gismund Argumentum Tragediae TAncred the Prince of Salerne ouerloues His onely daughter wonder of that age Gismund who loues the Countie Palurin Guishard who quites her likings with his loue A Letter in a cane describes the meanes Of their two meetings in a secret caue Vnconstant fortune leadeth forth the king To this vnhappie sight wherewith in rage The gentle Earle he doometh to his death And greets his daughter with her louers hart Gismunda fils the goblet with her teares And drinkes a poison which she had distild Whereof she dies whose deadly countenance So grieues her Father that he slew himselfe An other of the same more at large in prose TANCRED king of Naples and Prince of Salerne gaue his only daughter Gismund whom he most dearely loued in mariage to a foraine Prince after whose death she returned home to her Father who hauing felt great griefe of hir absence whilst her husband liued immesurably esteeming her determined neuer to suffer any second mariage to bereaue him of hir She on the other side waxing wearie of that her fathers purpose bent hir mind to the secret loue of the County Palurin to whom he being likewise inflamed with loue of her by a Letter subtilly inclosed in a clouen cane she gaue to vnderstand a conuenient waie for their desired meetings through an old ruinous vaut whose mouth opened directly vnder her chamber floore Into this vaut when she was one day descended for the conuaiance of hir louer hir father in the meane season whose only ioy was in his daughter came to hir chamber and not finding her there supposing her to haue bin walked abroad for hir disport he threw him downe on hir bed and couered his head with a curtain minding to abide and rest there till hir returne She nothing suspecting this hir fathers vnseasonable comming brought vp hir louer out of the cane into hir chamber where hir father espied their secret loue and hee not espied of them was vpon this sight striken with meruailous griefe but either for that the sodaine despight had amazed him taken from him all vse of speech or for that he resolued himself to a more cōueniēt reuenge he then spake nothing but noted their returne into the vant and secretly
thy father thus Who daily dies to see thy needles teares Such bootlesse plaints that know nor meane nor end To but increase the flouds of thy lament And since the world knowes wel there was no want In thee of ought that did to him belong Yet all thou seest could not his life prolong Why thē doest thou prouoke the heauens to wrath His doome of death was dated by his starres And who is he that may withstand his fate By these complaintes small good to him thou doest Much griefe to me most hurt vnto thy selfe And vnto Nature greatest wrong of all Gis. Tell me not of the date of natures daies Then in the Aprill of her springing age No no it was my cruell destinie That spited at the pleasance of my life Tanc. My daughter knowes the proofe of natures course For as the heauens do guide the lamp of life So can they search no further forth the flame Then whilst with oyle they do maintain the same Gis. Curst be the starres and vanish may they curst Or fall from heauen that in the dire aspect Abridgde the health and welfare of my loue Tanc. Gismund my ioy set all these griefes apart The more thou art with hard mishap beset The more thy patience should procure thine ease Gis. What hope of hap may cheere my haples chance What sighs what teares may counteruail my cares What should I do but still his death bewaile That was the solace of my life and soule Now now I want the wonted guide and stay Of my desires and of my wreaklesse thoughts My Lord my loue my life my liking gone In whome was all the fulnes of my ioy To whom I gaue the first fruites of my loue Who with the comfort of his onely sight All cares and sorrowes could from me remoue But father now my ioyes forepast to tel Doe but reuiue the horrors of my hell As she that seemes in darkenes to behold The gladsome pleasures of the chearefull light Tanc. What then auailes thee fruitlesse thus to rue His absence whom the heauens cannot returne Impartiall death thy husband did subdue Yet hath he spar'd thy kingly fathers life Who during life to thee a double stay As father and as husband will remaine With doubled loue to ease thy widowes want Of him whose want is cause of thy complaint Forbeare thou therefore al these needlesse teares That nippe the blossoms of thy beauties pride Gis. Father these teares loue chalengeth of due Tan. But reason saith thou shoulds the same subdue Gis. His funerals are yet before my sight Tan. In endles mones Princes should not delight Gis. The turtle pines in losse of her true mate Tan. And so continues poore and desolate Gis. Who can forget a Iewell of such price Tanc. She that hath learnd to master her desires Let reason worke that time doth easilie frame In meanest wittes to beare the greatest illes Gis. So plenteous are the springs Of sorrowes that increase my passions As neither reason can recure my smart Nor can your care nor fatherly comfort Appease the stormie combats of my thoughts Such is the sweet remembrance of his life Then geue me leaue of pittie pittie me And as I can I shall allay these greefes Tan. These solitarie walkes thou doest frequent Yeeld fresh occasions to thy secrete mones We wil therefore thou keep vs companie Leauing thy maidens with their harmonie Wend thou with vs virgins withdraw your selues Tan. and Gis. with the Gard depart into the pallace the four maydens stay behind as Chorus to the Tragedie Chor. 1. The diuers haps which alwayes worke our care Our ioyes so farre our woes so neere at hand Haue long ere this and dayly doe declare The fickle foot on which our state doeth stand Who plants his pleasures here to gather roote And hopes his happy life wil still endure Let him behold how death with stealing foote Steps in when he shall thinke his ioyes most sure No ransome serueth to redeem our daies If prowes could preserue or worthy deedes He had yet liu'd whose twelue labours displayes His enddlesse fame and yet his honor spreades And that great king that with so small a power Bereft the mightie Persian his crowne Doeth witnesse well our life is but a flower Though it be deckt with honor and renowme Chor. 2 What growes to day in fauor of the heauen Nurst with the sun and with the showers sweete Pluckt with the hand it withereth ere euen So passe our daies euen as the riuers fleete The valiant Greekes that vnto Troya gaue The tenne yeeres siege left but their names behind And he that did so long and onelie saue His fathers walles found there at last his end Proud Rome herselfe that whilome laid her yoke On the wide world and vanquisht all with warre Yet could she not remoue the fatall stroke Of death from them that stretcht her power so farre Chor. 3 Looke what the cruell sisters once decreed The thunderer himselfe cannot remoue They are the Ladies of our destinie To worke beneath what is conspirde aboue But happie he that ends this mortall life By speedie death who is not forst to see The many cares nor feele the sundrie griefes Which we sustaine in wo and miserie Heere Fortune rules who when she list to play Whirleth her wheele and brings the high full low To morow takes what she hath giuen to daie To shew she can aduance and ouer throw Not Euripus vnquiet floud so oft Ebs in a daie and floweth too and fro As Fortunes change pluckes downe that was aloft And mingleth ioy with enterchange of wo Chor. 4 Who liues below and feeleth not the strokes Which often times on highest towers do fall Nor blustering winds wherwith the strongest okes Are rent and torne his life is surest of all For he may scorne Fortune that hath no power On him that is well pleasd with his estate He seeketh not her sweets nor feares her sower But liues contented in his quiet rate And marking how these worldly things do wade Reioyceth to himselfe and laughs to see The folly of men that in their wits haue made Fortune a goddesse placed in the skie Finis Actus 1. Exegit Rod Staf Actus 2. Scaena 1. Gismund DEare Aunt my sole companion in distresse And true copartner of my thoughtfull cares When with my selfe I way my present state Comparing it with my forepassed daies New heapes of cares afresh beginne t' assay My pensiue heart as when the glittering raies Of bright Phoebus are sodainely ore-spred With duskie clouds that dim his golden light Namely when I laid in my widowes bed Amid the silence of the quiet night With curious thought the fleeting course obserue Of gladsome youth how soone his flower decaies How time once past may neuer haue recourse No more then may the running streames reuert To climbe the hilles when they bin rowled down The hollow vales there is no curious art nor worldlie power no not the gods can
hold The sway of flying time nor him returne When he is past all things vnto his might Must bend and yeeld vnto the Iron teeth Of eating time this in the shedy night When I record how soone my youth withdrawes It selfe away how swift my pleasaunt spring Runnes out his race this this Aunt is the cause When I aduise me sadlie on this thing That makes my heart in pensiue dumps dismaid For if I should my springing yeares neglect And suffer youth fruitles to fade away Whereto liue I or whereto was I borne Wherefore hath nature deckt me with her grace Why haue I tasted the delights of loue And felt the sweets of Hymeneus bed But to say sooth deare Aunt it is not I Sole and alone can thus content to spend My chearefull yeares my father will not still Prolong my mournings which haue grieued him And pleased me too long Then this I craue To be resolued of his princelie minde For stoode it with the pleasure of his will To marrie me my fortune is not such So hard that I so long should still persist Makelesse alone in wofull widowhood And shall I tell mine Aunt come hether then Geue me that hand by thine owne right hand I charge thy heart my councels to conceale Late haue I seene and seeing tooke delight And with delight I will not say I loue A Prince an Earle a Countie in the Court But loue and duetie force me to refraine And driue away these fond affections Submitting them vnto my fathers hest But this good Aunt this is my chiefest paine Because I stand at such vncertaine stay For if my kinglie father would decree His finall doome that I must leade my life Such as I doe I would content me then To frame my fancies to his princely heast And as I might endure the greefe thereof But now his silence doubleth all my doubts Whilest my suspitious thoughts twixt hope feare Distract me into sundrie passions Therefore good Aunt this labour must be yours To vnderstand my fathers will herein For wel I know your wisdome knowes the meanes So shall you both allay my stormie thoughts And bring to quiet my vnquiet mind Luc. Sufficeth this good Neece that you haue said For I perceiue what sundrie passions Striue in your brest which oftentimes ere this Your countenance confused did bewray The ground whereof since I perceiue to grow On iust respect of this your sole estate And skilfull care of fleeting youths decay Your wise foresight such sorrowing to eschew I much commend and promise as I may To breake this matter and impart your mind Vnto your father and to worke it so As both your honor shal not be impeacht Nor he vnsatisfied of your desire Be you no farther greeued but returne Into your chamber I shall take this charge And you shall shortlie truely vnderstand What I haue wrought and what the king affirmes I leaue you to the fortune of my starres Gis. departeth into her chamber Luc. abiding on the stage Luc. The heauens I hope will favour your request My Neece shall not impute the cause to be In my default her will should want effect But in the king is all my doubt least he My suite for her new mariage should reiect Yet shall I proue him and I heard it said He meanes this euening in the parke to hunt Here will I wait attending his approach Tancred commeth out of his Pallace with Guiszard the Countie Palurine Iulio the Lord Chamber laine Renuchio captaine of his Guard allready to hunt Scaena 2. Tancred VNcouple all our hounds Lords to the chase Faire sister Lucre what 's the newes with you Luc. Sir as I alwaies haue imployd my power And faithfull seruice such as lay in me In my best wise to honour you and yours So now my bounden dutie moueth me Your maiestie most humblie to intreat With patient eares to vnderstand the state Of my pore neece your daughter Tanc. what of her Is she not well Inioyes she not her health Say sister ease me of this iealous feare Lucr. She liues my Lord hath her outward helth But all the danger of her sicknes lies In the disquiet of her princelie mind Tan. Resolue me what afflicts my daughter so Lucr. Since when the Princes hath intoumb'd her Lord Her late disseased husband of renowne Brother I see and verie well perceiue She hath not clos'de together in his graue All sparkes of nature kindnes nor of loue But as she liues so liuing may she feele Such passions as our tender hearts oppresse Subiect vnto th impressions of desire Forwell I wot my neece was neuer wrought Of steele nor carued from the stonie rocke Such stearne hardnes we ought not to expect In her whose princelie heart and springing yeares Yet flowring in the chiefest heat of youth Is lead of force to feed on such conceits As easilie befalles that age which asketh ruth Of them whome nature bindeth by foresight Of their graue yeares and carefull loue to reach The things that are aboue their feeble force And for that cause dread Lord although Tanc. Sister I say If you esteeme or ought respect my life Her honor and the welfare of our house Forbeare and wade no further in this speech Your words are wounds I verie well perceiue The purpose of this smooth oration This I suspected when you first began This faire discourse with vs Is this the end Of all our hopes that we haue promised Vnto ourselfe by this her widdowhood Would our deare daughter would our onely ioy Would she forsake vs would she leaue vs now Before she hath closde vp our dying eies And with her teares bewaild our funerall No other solace doth her father craue But whilst the fates maintaine his dying life Her healthfull presence gladsome to his soule Which rather then he willing would for-goe His heart desires the bitter tast of death Her late marriage hath taught vs to our griefe That in the fruits of her perpetuall sight Consists the onely comfort and reliefe Of our vnweldy age for what delight What ioy what comfort haue we in this world Now growen in yeares and ouer-worne with cares Subiect vnto the sodain stroke of death Already falling like the mellowed fruite And dropping by degrees into our graue But what reuiues vs what maintaines our soule Within the prison of our withered brest But our Gismunda and her chearefull sight O daughter daughter what desert of mine Wherein haue I beene so vnkind to thee Thou shouldst desire to make my naked house Yet once againe stand desolate by thee O let such fansies vanish with their thoughts Tell her I am her father whose estate Wealth honor life and all that we possesse Whollie relies vpon her presence here Tell her I must account her all my ioy Worke as she will But yet the were vniust To haste his death that liueth by her fight Lucr. Her gentle hart abhors such ruthles thoughts Tan. Then let her not geue place to
plaine Doeth rise Southward a furlong from the wall Descend you there This shall suffice And so I yeeld my selfe mine honor life and all To you Vse you the same as there may grow Your blisse and mine mine Earle and that the same Free may abide from danger of defame Farewell and fare so well as that your ioy Which onely can may comfort mine annoy Yours more then his owne Gismund O blisful chance my sorowes to asswage Wonder of nature maruell of our age Comes this from Gismund did she thus infold This letter in the cane may it be so It were too sweet a ioy I am deceu'd Why shall I doubt did she not giue it me Therewith she smilde she ioyde she raught the cane And with her owne sweet hand she gaue it me And as we danst she dallied with the cane And sweetly whispered I should be her king And with this cane the scepter of our rule Command the sweets of her surprised heart Therewith she raught from her alluring lockes This golden tresse the fauour of her grace And with her owne sweet hand she gaue it me O peereles Queene my ioy my hearts decree And thou faire Letter how shall I welcome thee Both hand and pen wherewith thou written wert Blest may ye be such solace that impart And blessed be this cane and he that taught Thee to descrie the hidden entrie thus Not onely through a darke and dreadfull vaut But fire and sword and through what euer be Mistres of my desires I come to thee Guiszard departeth in hast vnto the pallace Chorus 1. Right mightie is thy power O cruell Loue High Ioue himselfe cannot resist thy bow Thou sent'st him down euen frō the heauens aboue In sundrie shapes here to the earth below Then how shall mortall men escape thy dart The feruent flame and burning of thy fire Since that thy might is such and since thou art Both of the seas and land the Lord and sire Chor. 2 But why doth he that sprung from Ioues high head And Phoebus sister shene despise thy power Ne feares thy bow why haue they alwaies led A maiden life and kept vntoucht the flowre Why doth Aegistus loue and to obteine His wicked wil conspires his vncles death Or why doth Phaedra burne for whom is slaine Theseus chast sonne or Helen false of faith For Loue assaults not but the idle heart And such as liue in pleasure and delight He turneth oft their gladsome ioyes to smart Their play to plaint their sport into despite T is true that Dian chaseth with her bow Chor. 3. The flying Hart the Goat and fomie Bore By hil by dale in heat in frost in snow She recketh not but laboureth euermore Loue seeks not her ne knoweth where her to finde Whil'st Paris kept his heard on Ida downe Cupid nere sought him out for he is blinde But when he left the field to liue in towne He fel into his snare and brought that brand From Greece to Troy which after set on fire Strong Ilium and al the Phryges land Such are the fruites of loue such is his hire Chor. 4. Who yeeldeth vnto him his captiue heart Ere he resist and holds his open breast Withouten war to take his bloudy dart Let him not thinke to shake off when him list His heauy yoke Resist his first assault Weake is his bow his quenched brand is cold Cupid is but a child and cannot daunt The minde that beares him or his vertues bold But he geues poyson so to drinke in golde And hideth vnder pleasant baites his hooke But ye beware it wil be hard to hold Your greedy minds but if ye wisely looke What slie snake lurkes vnder those flowers gay But ye mistrust some clowdie smokes and feare A stormy shower after so faire a day Ye may repent and buy your pleasure deare For seldome times is Cupid wont to send Vnto an idle loue a ioyful end Finis Actus 3. G. Al. Actus 3. Scaena 1. Before this Act Megara riseth out of hell with the other Furies Alecto and Tysyphone dauncing an hellish round which done she saith SIsters be gone bequeath the rest to me That yet belongs vnto this Tragaedie The two Furies depart down Vengeance and death from foorth the deepest hell I bring the cursed house where Gismund dwels Sent from the grislie god that holds his raigne In Tartars vglie Realm where Pelops sire Who with his own sonnes flesh whom he had slain Did feast the Gods with famin hath his hire To gape and catch at flying fruites in vaine And yeelding waters to his gasping throte Where stormie Aeoles sonne with endlesse paine Rowles vp the rock where Titius hath his lot To feede the Gripe that gnawes his growing heart Where proud Ixion wherled on the wheele Pursues himselfe where due deserued smart The damned Ghosts in burning flame do feele From thence I mount thither the winged God Nephew to Atlas that vpholds the skie Of late downe from the earth with golden rod To Stigian Firrie Salerne soules did guide And made report how Loue that lordly boy Highly disdaining his renownes decay Slipt downe from heauen haue fild with fickle ioy Gismunds heart and made her throw awaie Chastnes of life to her immortall shame Minding to shew by proofe of her foule end Some terror vnto those that scorne his name Blacke Pluto that once found Cupid his friend In winning Ceres daughter Queene of hels And Parthie moued by the grieued Ghost Of her late husband that in Tartar dwels Who praid due paines for her that thus hath lost All care of him and of her chastitie The Senate then of hell by graue aduice Of Minos Aeac and of Radamant Commands me draw this hatefull aire and rise Aboue the earth with dole and death to dant The pride and present ioyes wherewith these two Feed their disdained hartes which now to do Behold I come with instruments of death This stinging snake which is of hate and wrath I le fixe vpon her fathers heart full fast And into hers this other will I cast Whose rankling venome shall infect them so With enuious wrath and with recurelesse wo Each shall be others plague and ouerthrow Furies must aide when men surcease to know Their gods and hel sends foorth reuenging paine On those whom shame from sin cannot restraine Megaera entreth into the pallace and meeteth with Tancred comming out of Gismunds chamber with Renuchio and Iulia vpon whom she throweth her Snake Scaena 2. Tan. GOds are ye guyds of iustice and reuenge O thou great Thunderer doest thou beholde With watchful eyes the subtile scapes of men Hardned in shame sear'd vp in the desire Of their owne lustes why then dost thou withhold The blast of thy reuenge why doest thou graunt Such liuely breath such lewd occasion To execute their shamelesse villanie Thou thou art cause of al this open wrong Thou that forbear'st thy vengeance all too long If thou spare them raine then vpon my head The