beautifull that pleaseth not Cariclea Calasir. No more you make me angrie thus to doubt My skill by which she is entrap'd in love And longs to see you Theag. What is that you say Doth faire Cariclea wish to see me father Why doe you then detaine me here and not Conduct me to her Theagines offers to run forth Calasiris catcheth him by the cloake and holds him fast Calas. Nay sir stay a while Though you are very nimble of your feet You must not thinke this matter must be handled As if it were a prize for every man That list to get it take my counsell first Know you not that her father Caricles Is the chiefe man in Delphos that the lawes Give present death to such as steale a maid Without their friends consent be wise my sonne Theag. The matter were not great although I dy'd After I had enjoyed Cariclea Death for her sake is life but Calasiris If you thinke good let us demand her of Old Caricles her father for my wife I doe suppose my blood is high ynough To be commixt with his Calas. We shall not speed Not that he thinkes you any way unworthy But 'cause she 's promis'd to his sisters sonne By him in marriage Theag. O ye gods above It cannot be nor shall it by your leaves Theagenes and none but he shall wed Cariclea who ere presumes to touch My goddesse but my selfe shall sure repent it This hand is not benum'd nor this sword blunt But it can take revenge Calas. It shall not need Theagines be patient be but rul'd By me and we will bring all things to passe According to your wish now leave me here Alone to project on your good be carefull You be not seene oft-times to talke with me But when you come come private and alone To shun suspition Theag. Farewell reverend Father Exit Theagenes Enter Caricles So efficacious is your wisdome sir So forceable our friendship as it hath wrought That effect I wish'd upon my daughter Cariclea is in love and quite subdu'd By strong affection who before was stubborne Unto so sweet a yoake Calas. I knew my charmes Were of sufficient force to doe the feate But can you tell aswell what man she loves As that she is in love Caric. No by Apollo Would Alcamenes were the man she lov'd My sisters sonne I have indeavour'd it All that I can to make her fancy him Calas. T is best you bring him to her and so try The aime of her affection mutuall sight Of lovers kindleth sparkes which else would die Rak'd up in ashes of forgetfulnesse Caric. I le take your counsell Calas. And returne with newes How you have sped Caric. I le give you a relation Exit Caricles Calas. I must convey them hence this taske is laid Upon me by the gods but where I know not The Oracle is mysticall and darke I cannot well interpret what it meanes We must begin our voyage by sea it seemes As may be gathered by the Oracle Where it is said and sayling surging streames Shall come at length to countries scorch'd with Phoebus burning beames If I could by any meanes get the Fascia now which was laid out with Cariclea wherein Caricles said he heard all the maide estate was notified I should be instructed more particularly what I ought to doe and whether the Ladies of destiny would send us Enter Caricles Now brother what successe Caric. Oh wofull newes My daughter seemes distracted such a strange Infirmity doth seise her when I brought My nephew Alcamenes to her fight Freshly apparel'd as if Gorgons head Appear'd or some more fearefull thing she cri'd With a loud voice and turn'd her countenance From him and me withall she put her hand Unto her throat threatning to kill her selfe And bound it with an oth if we departed Not suddenlie the chamber which we did In Lesse time then she spake it least she should Put that in execution which she said Now Calasiris once againe I come Most humbly to beseech you that you will not Suffer the maid to perish nor her father Be frustrate of his purpose Calasiris Caricles T is true your daughter is distract in mind For she is moved wich the multitude Which I have burthen'd her of purpose with They are not of the least but such as should Force her to doe what she abhorred most Aswell by nature as decree of minde But I suppose some god doth take in hand To hinder this designe and strive to crosse My ministers therefore t is requisite And time you shew me that same Fascia You said was found with faire Cariclea Amongst her costlie iewells for I feare Least that it be enchaunted stuffe and wrought With such things as doe now exasperate Her minde by reason that some enemie Assoone as she was borne had this ordain'd To keepe her from all love and thought of marriage That she might die and leaue behind noe issue Caric. T is probable it may be so indeed Come goe with me and I will shew you all What in the Fascia is contain'd and written I understand it not character Is Aethiopian and the letters are Not common but such as the princes use Of Aegypt in their holie businesses Calas. I understand the Aethiopian tongue Which unto thee I must interpret wrong Exeunt Finis Actus tertii Actus quarti Scena prima Enter Calasiris Theagines and Cariclea Calas. Come let 's away my children let 's away Why do we linger here the gods commands Must be obeyd all things are ready for Our secret flight a ship for Memphis bound Waites us without the wind comes gently from Th' adjoyning shore and stayes to swell the sailes With pride till you imbarke see here the Fascia Which by a slie devise from Caricles I have obtain'd nothing doth hinder us To meet this long wish'd opportunity If you have got your jewels deerest jewell From your supposed father Caric. Calasiris I have them all but how gat you I pray The Fascia from old Caricles for when He had receiv'd me from Sysimethres Who brought me up he brought me here to Greece I know not how and tooke the Fascia from me Which in a chest he did preserve and keepe Calas. How I came by it you shall know hereafter But can you tell me what it doth containe Caric. How should I as being never told by any Besides although I oftentimes had seene it I could not understand the character Pray sir interpret what it doth containe Cala. It doth declare your parents and your Countrey And all your fortunes thus I read it to you Verbatim as it stands give your attentions The Fascia Persina Queene of the Aethiopians to her daughter onely in sorrow by what name soever she shall be called doth write in haste this lamentation contayned herein as her last gift My daughter the sunne being authour of our stocke is witnesse that for no mis-deed I have cast thee forth and concealed thee from thy father Hydaspes sight
As if they faine would have their soules to meet And at their mouths salute Arsa. O strange discovery If this be true hence may proceed the cause Of my repulse and his unkind deniall Sift out this businesse further and observe Their lookes their gestures give an eare unto Their privatest discourse for this concernes My businesse mainely if Cariclea prove A barre to my desires we must remove her Goe presently and know the young mans mind If he will yield yet but if he refuse Let Euphrates the Eunuch punish him With yrons to pull downe his lofty heart So farre I 'm gone pursuing my desire Hell shall not make me now backe to retire Exeunt Actus quarti Scena sexta Enter two Iudges then Aristippus and Cnemon Arist. Although I doe not doubt most learned Judges That your grave judgements would acquit my sonne Without more proofes then by the sequele of This businesse doth appeare yet to the end To make his innocence the more perspicuous Which hath so long striv'd to breake through this cloud Of falshood and deceit I here have brought you Thisbes confession and her hand subscrib'd For confirmation of it please you see What it containes the Iudges read it 1 Iudg. When did she write this Arist. Presently upon Her poisonous draught her conscience prompting her Unto so good an action 2 Iudg. Was 't voluntarily done without constraint Arist. Yes for what force hath power to worke upon The setled resolution of a person Whom death is ready for to seise upon It came free from her the confession was Her owne invention and the hand her owne 1 Iudg. But will you sweare to this Aristip. I will and safely By all the gods t is true else let me be Strucke with their thunder for my perjury 2 Iudg. It is ynough we doe acquit your sonne Long may he live the comfort of your age So now dismisse the people it is done Arist. Thus innocence shines cleerer then the sun Exeunt Actus quarti Scena septima Enter Arsace and Cibile Ars. Now will he bend or breake yeeld or endure More punishment how doe his fetters please him How doth he beare his stripes Cib. With patience And manly fortitude beyond beliefe Takes glory in his sufferings and becomes More unrelenting now then heretofore Ars. What a strange nature hath this savage man Will nothing worke upon it cannot love Perswade him nor the force of punishment Compell him to humanity some Tigresse Or she Wolfe in the forest was his nurse Is there no hope he will relent in time Cib. Our labour 's lost in the attempting it He hath Cariclea still before his eyes Lodgeth her in his heart his mouth express'd it I heard him to exclaime thus deare Cariclea My love my life my heart thy onely name Makes me despise my torments and in thee I 'm comforted what ever fall to me Whereby I 'm confident she is his wife Or secret mistris wherefore if you please Le ts as the proverbe saith cast our last anckor And seeke some meanes to rid her of her life For when he knows she 's dead t is very likely He 'll change his minde when hope of love is gone Arsace Thy counsell pleaseth me and I 'le command This stoppe to be removed presentlie Cibile How will you doe it without course of Law Or orderlie proceeding who will doe In this pointe your commandment for although All things are subject to you yet the laws Are free and will not let you kill without The judgment of the Persian magistrates Besides we should be carefull how we did Accuse the maid least we should not be able To proue what we doe lay unto her charge Ars. How then shall we contrive it Cib. Daintily By a more sure and farre more safe a way By a strong subtle cuppe of deadlie poison The plot is layd alreadie and the potion Prepar'd I stay but onely for the patient T' administer it Ars. Is any gone to call her Cib. Yes Aura madame Ars. Well I 'le leave you then Strong physick 's best for stubborn natur'd men Exit Arsace Enter Cariclea with Aura weeping and servants Cib. Why doe you weep sweet heart 't will mar your beauty Your brother shall not long be kept in prison Be not so foolish to consume and pine Away for sorrow know Theagines This night shall be releas'd and come unto thee Therefore be merry 't was his foolish fault And disobedience to my mistris service Made him to be committed nicety Is naught in yong folkes but all is forgotten Partly at my request and liberty Granted unto him this was the occasion I sent for you that you might be partaker Of this glad newes therefore rouse up your selfe And now at length eate something Aura lay The table I have made some meate I hope Will comfort your weake stomacke sure you are Too blame to fast so long Caric. But is this true That you have told me you so often have Deceiv'd me with untruths as I scarce dare To credit any thing you say unto me Cib. By all the gods t is true which if it be not Let me be poison'd at this table heere And be a sad example more this day Your busines all shall be dispatch'd so that You shall not need to take more care heereafter If by refrayning from your meate you doe not Destroy your health and die pray eate a little Caric. On confidence that this is true I will they sit downe and eate Cib. Aura give me some wine Cariclea health Remember good Theagines Aura mistaks and gives the poison'd cupp to Cibile she drinks but powres halfe of it on the ground when she tasted what it was looking cruellie upon Aura the poison suddenlie workes and she begins to fall Cariclea supportes her Cib. I will not have thy helpe false wretch I will not th' ast poison'd me beare witnesse all heere present That see me die I lay my death on none But her and this queane Aura so informe Arsace that she may revenge my death she dies Caric. See heere the iustice of the heavens displaid To mortall view in this strange accident This cup this poisonous cup was meant to me By wicked Cibile but yet it fell By some mistake to her owne lot to drinke it Arsaces servants binde Cariclea and Aura What doe you meane to binde me a weake maid I 'le goe without constraint where you will lead me If 't be before Arsace though I die I care not so Theagenes be by Exeunt Actus quinti Scena prima Enter Hydaspes and Sysimethres with attendance Hydasp. Thus farre have we march'd by the bankes of Nile And conquer'd Philae and the Smaragd mines Thus farre hath fortune favourd our attempts And sterne Bellona set our conquering feet Deepe in the bosome of th' Egyptian Land Are we not now reveng'd Sysimethres For thy uncivill barbarous entertainement When we imploy'd thee our Embassadour To Oroondates Deputy of Egypt How thinke you doe they not
wilt crop and wast the seed This. In time I may at night expect me sister Ars. I le waite you home This. If this my plot doe hit Nere was the like devis'd by womans wit Exeunt Enter Demeneta and Thisbe againe with a candle Thisbe Come mistris let me make you unreadie instantlie all that I promised you is done I will goe fetch young Cnemon unto you who is making merrie here by and returne suddenlie lye downe take your pleasure and say nothing Exit Thisbe Enter Thisbe followed by Aristippus This. Bind the adulterer fast master With that she ran to the doore and made it give so great a crash as she could crying out in this manner O wonderfull thing the villaine is fled take heed sir that you be not againe deceived Arist. Peace be of good cheere I have this wicked and mischievous woman which I most desired O thou much hated of the gods I have thee And all thy shame about thee come thou shalt With me unto the City to receive What punishment the lawes allot to such As live unchast and wrong their husbands bed Which is no lesse then death Aristippus dragges her along but she pulling herselfe out of the old mans hands fell suddenlie of purpose into a pit made in the stage and so ended her life Aristip. See Thisbe is she dead This. Oh yes her necke Is broaken sir Aristip. Then hath thy punishment Prevented what the law should have inflicted I le to the people and declare this matter And with my friends consult what meanes to use For to call home my sonne from banishment Whose truth and innocence doth open lie By this unheard of strange discovery Exeunt Actus tertii Scena sexta Enter Cariclea she lieth downe upon the bed indispos'd her kinsfolks weeping about her then enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. My child my daughter deare tell me thy father The cause of thy disease have a good heart This wise man Calasiris is requested By me to finde some remedy to cure thee And he can well performe it as a man Of heavenly knowledge and a sacred priest My most endeered friend you shall doe well To suffer him to exercise his art And holy spels for your recovery For I perceive thou art ore-look'd my child Caric. Sir t is my duty to obey your will In all things you command me Calas. Then depart Deare Caricles and all the rest avoyd The roome we must be private here together Fetch me a little Laurell and a stoole Having three feet some fire and frankincense And let no man disturbe us till I call It shall be done forthwith heavens crowne your worke Exeunt all but Cariclea and Calasiris Calasiris begins to burne frankincense to mumble with his lips to lay lawrell upon her from top to toe to gape make strange gestures while Cariclea wagged her head oft and smiled Caric. Father you are deceived in my griefe You cannot ghesse at it for all your art Calas. Nay daughter say not so but cheere your selfe For what doth vex you is a malady Common and easie to be cur'd by me Thou wert o're-look'd not onely at the pompe Of Pirrhus funerall rites but at the race In armour too when you were overseer And gave the prize unto the conquerour Theagenes was he that overlook'd you Whose want on eye was alwaies fixt upon Your splendant beauty object of his sight Caric. Whether he daign'd to looke on me or no Apollo have him in his custody But whence is he and what 's his pedegree Calas. He 's a Thessalian borne and as you hear'd Descended from Achilles who although He have bewitch'd you with an envious eye He suffers more than you by the reflex Of your Sun-burning eyes upon his heart Caric. Why do you wrongfully accuse the man Of witchcraft who hath done no harme at all There 's no such matter t is some other sicknesse Calas. Then tell me daughter and conceale it not If you desire to find a remedy I am no stranger to you but your friend and old acquaintance of your loving father I am of your profession too a priest I 'le keepe your counsell and be bound by oath To helpe you what I can all griefes are cur'd In the beginning but if left alone At length they grow incurable declare Your minde at full Caric. I love Theagines Calasiris I knew so much before he loves you too I 'le be your faithfull friend and true assistant Enter Caricles with Acestinus a skilfull physitian Caric. Deere friend what have you done what newes have You to tell me that is good Calasir. All shall be well Cariclea shall be heal'd to morrow morne Of her infirmitie I now will leave you To prosecute my busines for her health Caric. Adiew deere friend the gods reward thy paine Heere Acestinus lies the sicklie patient Exit Calasiris You are well read in physicke feele her pulse And give your wise opinion Acestin. fairest maid Where doth your paine lie most She turn'd her face from him and repeated with a loud voice this verse of Homer Achilles is the bravest man of all the Greekish rout Acest. Her state of heart I finde Priest Caricles My labour is in vaine no physicke can Restore her to her health Caric. The gods forbid Why say you so must my deare daughter die Without all hope of her recovery Acest. Peace make not such adoe but here me speake Our art sir doth extend no further then He drawes Caricles aside To cure distempered bodies if the mind Diseased be without the bodies sicknesse We have no helpe for that the maids disease Lies in the mind her bodie 's in good state No humours doe abound there no headach No fever burnes her all is free within Caric. What then should be the cause of these her fits Utter what you perceive doth trouble her I doe beseech you skilfull Acestinus Acestin. T is love doth trouble her which who knowes not Is an affection and griefe of the heart Doe you not see her eyes swolne in her head Rouling one every side her visage pale Her halfe distraction how she uttereth What ere comes in her minde and sleepes but little In briefe I doe perceive that she hath lost The moisture of her body and indeed Just amplitude thereof my counsell is You finde her out a man and that with speed Exit Acestinus Caric. A man heavens grant she be enclin'd that way Then Calasiris hath plaid well his part How fares my daughter now what sicknesse hast thou Shall I send for more Doctors yet Caric. T is needlesse Send none to me but Calasiris onely He hath the art to ease me and none else Caric. I le send him to thee sleepe Cariclea Untill he come if Alcamenes love Possesse her heart thanks to the gods above Exeunt Actus tertii Scena septima Enter at one doore Theagines at another Calasiris Theag. My worthy friend most opportunely met Calasi. What beautifull Theagines Theag. How can he Be
repent the wrongs And disrespect they gave thee contrary Unto the lawes of Nations doe they not Wish that they had surrender'd to our Crowne Those lands we justly challeng'd for our owne Sysim. I thinke they doe and curse their arrogance That hath brought home the warres unto their dores It cannot choose but vex their very soules To see so fruitfull and so faire a soyle Their native Country over-runne and spoyl'd By the incursions of a hostile army Hydasp. T is fit they suffer for their usurpation But where lurkes Oroondates since his flight In our last battaile no newes yet of him Sysim. Fame gives it out he is within this towne Of Syene with the remnant of his army Hydasp. Will not the Towne yet come to composition Will it hold out yet longer notwithstanding Our water-workes to drowne them Sysim. Royall sir As soone as we had cut the banks of Nile And let the river in upon the towne Th' inhabitants began to see and feele Their misery for suddenly the water Encompassed faire Syene round about That it became an Iland and by sinking Into the earth below the walls foundation The weight above began to shake as if It would have fallen downe in every place Then suddenly arose a piteous cry Amongst the people of the towne imploring The gods assistance and the Deputy It seemes by this extreamity constrained First caused letters tyed to a stone As messengers to be shot to our campe Out of a sling and archers from their bowes Sent their swift winged arrows to speak for them But both fell short and perish'd in the water At last when we by signes perceiv'd their mindes As holding up their hands in token of Submission and sometimes behinde their backes In token they were ready to receive Bandes so they might finde mercie we sent out Some bootes to talke with them who brought us word They would surrender to your royall hands The towne of Syene if you would be pleas'd To grant some poore conditions Hydasp. What are they Sysim. First Oroondates makes request that he And all his souldiers without interruption May march forth as best suiteth their profession With all their martiall habiliments And armes about them next to be convoy'd to Elyphantina with your royall guard Else he would rather die then live to be Condemned as a traitor to his king For yielding up the City and betraying The armie and besides be put to death With rackes and tortures Hydasp. What a foole is he To make his owne conditions or to argue Of such a matter doth he not conceive He is not in his owne power but in ours To live or die why what a madnes is it For conquered men to argue of conditions But t is not noble to destroy a number For one mans folly goe Sysimethres Take heere our seale and signe their articles For pitty workes upon a noble spirit Exit Sysimethres Hydasp. If I could entertaine ambitious sparkes Within my royall breast or never enter Into examination with my selfe Of right or wrong as many politicians And proud usurpers doe not what should let me From adding this large kingdome to my owne Stretching my Empire to the mouth of Nile But iustice sets downe limits to my thoughts Boundes my ambition in so that I dare not Advance one foote beyond it sacred goddesse Divine Astrea though all kings rebell And pay no reverence to thy deitie Hydaspes shall adore thee and his might shall never be more potent then his right Exit Actus quinti Scena secunda Enter the Persian magistrates as judges with Arsace then enters Caricles with Aura bound they sit 1 Magist. Is this faire maid the prisoner Arsa. Faire without but foule within 2 Magist. T is pitty vice should beare A semblance of faire vertue or be mask'd Under so sweet a vaile Sure by her lookes 3 Magist. I should not judge her guiltie Arsa. That 's a rule Deceives us for the choicest fruites of all Ofttimes have rotten cores and underneath The fairest Howers lurke most the foulest snakes That cannot hold Bring forth the prisoners You are accus'd for poysoning Cibile How doe you answer this Caric. Who 's my accuser Arsa. My selfe and these my servants who were present When the old woman dy'd and heard her name Thee and that other guilty of her death Canst thou deny the fact Caric. I le answer thee Proud dame if my Theagines live yet I say I am not guilty of this murther But if by thy most damnable attempts His purer soule hath left the earthly prison Of his faire body I declare my selfe Guilty of this and whatsoever else Thy malice can invent I was the woman That poison'd then thy nurse who train'd thee up To all those goodly vertues of thy mind I doe desire to suffer kill me straight That I may meet my lover who so stoutly Resisted thy foule lust and lewd enticements Choosing to die rather then condescend Arsa. Base queane how durst thou take unto thy selfe Such liberty of speech judicious sirs And magistrates of Persia understand That this she saith is false touching my honour I take the gods to witnesse that when first This woman and her friend came to the Palace I entertain'd them as became the state Of greater persons and so long continued My favours to them till by open proofe I found they came as spies to Memphis sent From King Hydaspes army then indeed I did begin to draw backe my affection Many more things inciting me to doe it Which I forbeare to speake of but in briefe Although I lov'd this maid so as to make her My bosom-friend and my most deare companion She hath repaid me as you see and poison'd My trusty woman is 't not to be doubted Her purpose stretch'd yet further even to me Caric. I doe confesse yet once againe I poison'd Thy nurse and would have done so much to thee Had I not beene prevented Aura O Cariclea Unhappy maid why dost thou wrongfully Accuse thy selfe and draw on death upon thee Heare me right grave and most impartiall Judges There is no fault in her I onely I Gave Cibile the poison by mistake Which was prepared for this vertuous mayd By that old beldame this is true or else Ye gods hurle downe your thunder on my head 2 Magi. But how came this mistake make it more plaine Aura Old Cibile my mistris did prepare This cup for faire Cariclea I was forc'd To have a hand in 't too when I should give The poison'd cup unto Cariclea And Cibile the other I know not Whither being troubled with so strange a deed Or hastily cal'd on by Cibile I chang'd the cups and poison'd the old woman Arsa. This is a forg'd devise believe it not This woman is a traitor and conspires With them in all their plots as privie to them 3. If she that cals herselfe Cariclea Be guiltlesse of this businesse what should make her To cast herselfe into the jawes of death By her so free
confession of the fact Aura Sir I believe she 's weary of her life And being in desperation e're to see Much lesse t' enjoy her husband without whom Life seemes a burthen hastens on her death 1. Madame you must produce some witnesses Or we shall cleere the prisoners Arsa. Here are five Will be depos'd they heard Cibile charge These two here with her death 2. What say you friends Dare you sweare this All 5. We dare and will by Isis And all the gods t is so 3. Then we must passe Sentence according to the law which most Depends on witnesses your doome is death Carry these two forthwith unto the fire Caric. O sunne and earth and all you blessed creatures That are above or underneath this round Terrestriall ball you that doe take revenge On such as worke impiety beare witnesse I die an innocent and willingly Submit my selfe to death for to avoyd Th' intollerable griefes that burthen me Vouchsafe to take me gently to your hands And speedily inflict your punishments Upon this whore Arsace who hath plotted This mischiefe to no other end and purpose But to take from me my Theagines Exeunt Actus quinti Scena tertia Enter Caricles solus Nebulo listning Caric. Cariclea rap'd O gods how can it be Where is your justice then where our reward For serving at your altars when you suffer Your sacred temples to be rob'd and spoyld Of its chiefe jewell and my life Cariclea O sacriledge unheard of can you sleepe And winke at this or is your anger to me Implacable and therefore to torment My heart the more you seeme not to regard it Was 't not ynough O cruell powers to kill My daughter at her Nuptiall and my wife For griefe thereof but to augment my sorrow Beyond the bounds of reason give consent Unto Caricleas rape who was my joy My onely comfort heart yea life and all Well I will once more put on pilgrimes weedes Nebu. Ha what was that a dreadfull sound me thought More pilgrimages stay but listen yet Caric. And goe in quest of thee throughout the world First to Thessalia where that thiefe was borne That stole thee hence then unto Memphis City Where Calasiris that false priest remaines Nebu. I am confirm'd in horror t is too true He 'll travell once againe but soft attend Caric. And if I finde thee not I le travell further Even to the utmost bounds of Aethiopia Where I suppose thy parents live and raigne Nebu. To Aethiopia what strange land is that I marvell oh oh now I doe remember Sysimethres was borne there as he said Nebulo discovers himselfe We shall be blacke a divels if we goe there Caric. What Nebulo my trusty friend and servant Prepare thy selfe to accompany thy master Nebu. Where sir unto the temple of Apollo Caric. Beyond the seas I meane Nebu. Beyond the seas He 's mad I thinke or hath some worse disease aside Caric. I heare you sir it seemes your growne a Poet You rime so well Nebu. I care not who doth know it Caric. Raptures still flow upon thee more and more Nebu. But this bad newes of yours doth vex me sore That you will crosse the seas the bare conceit Will keepe me seven daies without taste of meat Caric. Why that is profitable saves thy purse Nebu. But hurts my body sir and that is worse Caric. Why th' art a second Ovid all he saies Doth flow in verse Nebu. Then I shall weare the Bayes Caric. But Nebulo no more of this you are content to accompany me this journey are you not Nebu. Good sir do not urge me to it you know how willing I should be to wait upon ye did not one thing crosse it Caric. What 's that thy wife Nebu. You have hit the marke t is dangerous I can tell yee for me to goe abroad and leave her at home I had woefull experience on 't after our last peregrination Caric. What did she make thee a cuckould in thy absence Neb. I know not but she dub'd me knight of the forked order Caric. Why that honour is for terme of thy Life man thy staying at home cannot take it away nor thy going abroad adde unto it Nebu. No doe they not rise by degrees I suppose yes as in this manner from Knight to Lord from Lord to Earle from Earle to Duke of the forked order and so forward but my ambition is not to climbe so high therefore I 'le stay at home and prevent that promotion Caric. fie prevent thy honour Nebu My Nebulona will heape ynough such honours on my head If I follow your counsell but I tell you againe I am not ambitious so to be promoted yet notwithstanding so well I love you that rather then you shall goe alone I 'le once more adventure my fortune Caric. Spoken like a right honest man come let 's away then withall expedition Delphos and Greece farewell your priests hard fate Denyes him still t' enjoy a setled state Exeunt Actus quinti Scena quarta Enter Theagines Cariclea and Aura Theag. And hast thou scap'd the fire my deerest love Miraculous deliverance let me heare The manner on 't related Caric. Thus it was After we were condemned to be burnt By foule Arsaces slanderous report For poisoning Cibile a blazing fire Was made and we two cast into the same And whereas it was thought by everie one The fiercenesse of the flame would soone consume us It prov'd cleane contrarie for we stood in The middst of it untouch'd for everie side It gave us way and never sing'd our cloaths Although Arsace with a threatning voice Commanded the tormentors to lay on More wood and reed yet all prevailed not For no hurt would approach us which the whore Arsace seeing presently declar'd Before the people with an open voice That we were witches though good Calasiris Did what he could to free us from her hands We by her guard were apprehended and Brought here againe to thee my deare for which I 'm glad that we may suffer both together Theag. I have not heard a stranger miracle This doth proceed from favour of the gods And their unbounded justice Caric. It should seeme so But still to be tost on the angry seas Of rigid fortune and ne're see an end Of our sad miseries should rather argue Their hate and fierce displeasure if there be not Some secret and more hidden mystery We mortals understand not which restores us After our sufferings when all hope is fled Unto a happier state and peacefull being Theag. Oh sweet let not the sence of misery Make you offend the gods thus but be patient Caric. T was a rashly spoken and I doe repent it My deare Theagines now I remember A dreame I had last night but had forgotten Till now to tell it you this was the verse By vertue of Pantarbe let feare of fire removed be An easie thing to Persaetis though else right strange to see Theag. The gods are good to us for I likewise