Luc. To me a sleepe And to my harmelesse Lodowick in my armes Mat. On on that deed is writ among the acts of guilt A brothers sword a brothers life blood spilt Sax. Proceed what 's next kild he not Austria Ler. He did Luc. O villaine did he kill my Father And make my brother kill my husband too Sax. Goe forward Lor. After all those hated murders He taught the foolish prince in the disguise Of a French Doctor to prepare a poyson Which was the death of Princely Ferdinand Next plot hee purpos'd your graces death And had opposd my strength of my teares You had bin murder'd as you lay a sleepe Sax. Let 's heare no more seeke out the hated wretch And with due torture let his life be forc'd From his despised body Rod. Doe I pray Sax. All the Land will helpe And each man be a iustice in this act Mar. Well I that neuer knew reuenges power Haue entertaind her newly in my brest Determine what 's to doe Luc. Euen what you will would I were with my Lodowick a sleepe In the Elizian fieldes where no feares dwell For earth appeares as vile to me as hell Lor. Let me be Prologue to your scene of wrath And as the Romane Cateline resolu'd His doubtfull followers by exhausting blood From the liue body so draw mine cast mine Vpon the troubled and offended earth Offer blood fit for an infernall sacrifice Wine is not powr'd but on celestiall offrings Therefore I aduise you As you hope to thriue in your reuenge smite me That haue bin pander to this iniury Mar. Thou merit'st death indeede Mat. Stay iudge him not let me a little plead in his excuse And this one sentence serues a man compel'd To euill acts cannot be iustly held A wilfull malefactor the law still Lookes vpon the deede ne're on the will Besides although I grant the matter small And very safe to rayse a multitude That by their power might ceaze the murderer Yet two especiall reasons crosse that course First many hauing notice of our plot One babling tongue may vtter out intent And Hoffman being warn'd is surely arm'd Hauing the fort and treasure in his powre And be his cause more then notorious ill He may with gold maintaine it at his will Scape vs for no doubt hee 's full of sleights Besides Reuenge should haue proportion By slye deceit he acted euery wronge And by deceit I would haue him intrapt Then the reuenge were fit iust and square And t' would more vex him that is all compos'd Of craft and subtilty to be outstript In his owne fashion then a hundred deaths Therefore by my aduice pardon Lorrique Vpon condition that he lay some plot To intercept the other Om. We are agreede Lor. Your mercy doth all bounds of hope exceed And if you will repose that trust in me By all the protestations truth can make Before the Sun haue run his mid-dayes course I will to morrow yeeld him to your handes Sax. Shew vs the meanes Lor. The meanes is in the Dutchesse pollicy If she can smooth the murder but a while Mar. I le turn deceit to ouerthrow his fraud Lor. Then with faire words his flatteries entertayne And when he doth importune you for loue Desire him first to shew you the first place Where he beheld Prince Charles after the wracke Say you haue earnestly entreated me But I haue lead you in a labyrinth Of noe effect he full of heate and lust Glad of occasion will no doubt alone Conduct you to this fatall horrid caue Thi king by force or fayre meanes to attaine His false hearts longing and your honors stayne But being in the height of his base pride The Duke the Hermet Lodowick and my selfe Will change his pleasures into wretched And redeemelesse misery Sax. The plot is good Madam are you agreed Mar. To any thing how euer desperate Luc. I but by your leaue Lady and Lords all what if This knaue that has bin play the knaue still And tell tales out of schoole how then Lor. I know not what to sweare by but noe soule Longs for the sight of endlesse happinesse With more desire then mine thirsts for his death By all the gods that shall giue ill men life I am resolu'd chiefe agent in his end Mat. We credit thee ioyne hands and ring him round Kneele on his head lay our right hands and sweare Vengeance against Hoffman Om. Vengeance vengeance fall On him or suddaine death vpon vs all Sax Come part we to the caue You to the Court Iustice dig murthers graue Exit Lorrique and Martha Luc. Nay I le come my wits are mine agen Now faith growes firme to punish faithlesse men Exeunt Enter Hoffman and all the traine that attended the Dutchesse first Hoff. Not to be found hell which way is she gon Lord Her Highnes charg'd vs to call you her son The mistery we know not but we know You are not Princely Otho of Luningberg Hoff. Noe matter what I am tell me the way she went With that Lorrique speake or by heauen Hell shall receiue you all Enter Martha and Lorrique Lord Be not in rag'd she comes And with her comes trusty Lorrique Hoff. Madam I fear'd you and my heart was sicke With doubt some ouer-desperate accident Had drawne you to the melancholy pathes That lye within the verge of this rough scarre Mar. Your doubt was but an Embrio I indeed Desir'd Lorrique to bring me to the place Where you beheld the shipwracke of my son And he hath led me vp and downe the wood But neuer brought me to the fatall beach Hoff. It were not fit you should see the sad place That still seemes dismall since the Princes death Lord Dead is our soueraigne Lord the Prince dead Mar. Inquire no more of that I will anon Resolue you of his fate this time for beare Esteeme this gentleman your Lord and Prince Lor. Wee hold him soe sith you command vs so Hoff. Will you goe forward Madam Mar. Willingly soe you will promise mee to walke to morrow And see the Earth that gently did receiue My sons wrack't body from the churlish fome Hoff. I le wayt vpon your Grace set forward there Trickes and deuices longings well 't is good I le swim to my desires through seas of blood Exeunt Lor. Fox you 'l be taken hunter you are falne Into the pit you dig'd I laught to see How I out-strip the Prince of villany Hoffman for me told such a smoothing tale That had not this strange accident befalne In finding of the caue I had bin held More deere then euer in the Dutchesse eyes But now shee 'l hold me hard what ere she say Yet is her word past that shee 'l pardon me And I haue wealth hoor'd vp which I le beare To some strange place rich men liue any where Enter Hoffman Hoff. What are you gadding sir what mooues your flight Coyne not excuses in your crouching come What cause haue you to flie and seeke strange hoords For your
noble resolution Fer. Worthy Prince Rodorigo when tempestuous woe Abates her violent storme I shall haue time To chide you for vnkindenes that haue liu'd In solitary life with vs so long Beleue me Saxon Prince you did vs wrong Rod. Would I might neuer liue in noe worse state For contemplation is the path to heauen My new conversing in the world is prou'd Lucklesse and full of sorrow fare-ye-well My heauens alone all company seemes hell Exit Fer. My nephew call for wine my soule is dry I am sad at sight of soe much misery Enter Ierom and Stilt with cup towell and wine Sarl. Is the Dukes taster there Ier. I am at hand with my office Sarl. Fill for the Duke good cozen tast it first Ier. I haue no minde to it Stilt for all my antidote Stilt. I warrant you Master let Prince Otho drinke next Ier. Heere cozen will you begin to my father Sarl. I thanke you kindly I 'le not be so bold It is your office fill vnto my Lord Ier. Well god be with it it 's gon downe and now I le send the medicine after Father pray drinke to my cozen for hee is soe mannerly that hee 'l not drinke before you Stilt. Pray yee doe my Lord for Prince Otho is best worthy of all this company to drinke of that cup which and he doe I hope he shall nere drinke more Fer, Good for tune after all this sorrow Saxony Sax. O worthy Ferdinand fortune and I are parted she has playd the minion with mee turn'd all her fauours in to frownes and in scorne rob'd mee of all my hopes and in one houre o're turnd mee from the top of her proud wheele Fer. Build not on fortune shee 's a fickle dame And those that trust vnto her spheare are fooles Fill for his Excellence Ier. Here cozen for your Excellence pray drinke you to the Duke of Saxony Sarl. Not I kind cozen I list not to drinke Ier. Gods Lady I thinke Stilt wee are all vndone for I feele a iumbling worse and worse Stilt. O giue the Duke some of the medicine Fer. What medicine talk'st thou of what ayles my son Ier. O lord father and yee meane to be a liues man take some of this Fer. Why this is deadly poyson vnprepar'd Ier. True but it was prepar'd for you and mee by an excellent fellow a french Doctor Stilt. I he is one that had great care of you For Villaine what was he drinke not Saxony I doubt I am by treason poyson'd Sarl. Heauen keepe that fortune from my dread Lord Enter Lorrique hastily Ler. Treason ye Princes treason to the liues Of Ferdinand the Duke of Prussia My Princely master Otho of Luningberg Sarl. Who should intend vs treason Lor. This fond Prince Ier. Neuer to you Father but to my cozen Charles indeede I meant to poyson him but I haue pepperd my selfe Sarl. I neuer gaue thee cause Stilt. That 's nothing to the purpose but my Lord tooke occasion by the councell of a French Doctor Sarl. Physitians for the Duke my uncle faints Stilt. Surgeons for the Prince my master falls Fer. Call no Phisitians for I feel 't too late The subtill poyson mingled with my blood Nums all the passages and nimble death Fleetes on his purple currents to my heart Ier. Father I am dying too oh now I departe Be good to Stilt my man he was accessary to all this Stils. I truely was I sir therefore I hope you 'le be good to me I helpt to mingle the poyson as the French Doctor and my master charged me Fer. What 's that French Doctor Sarl. What 's become of him Stilt. Wee left him in the court in my masters chamber Ier. I sir woe worth him farewell Stilt farewell fathers I aske you pardon with repentant eyes Fall stars O Stilt for thus thy master dyes mortiur Fer. Take hence that maytor for the foole his man Stilt. I pray prouide for me sit Fer. Let him be tortur'd then vpon a wheele broke like a traytor and a murderer Stilt O lord sir I meant you noe hurt but to Prince Charles Sarl. Away disturbe vs not with idle talke Stilt. Prouide quoth and you call this prouiding pray let mee prouide for my selfe alas my poore father hee 'le creepe vppon crutches into his graue when he heares his proper'st Stilt is cut off by the stumpes Fer. Hence with that fellow Stilt. Pray not soe hasty you would scarce bee soe forward and you were going as I am to the gallowes Exeunt guard with Stilt Sarl. How cheares my royall vncle Fer. Like a ship that hauing long contended with The waues is at last with one proud billow Smit into the ruthlesse swallow of the sea For thee alas I perceiue this plot was layde But heauen had greater mercy-on shy youth And one my people that shall finde true rest Being with a Prince so wise and vertuous blest Farewell most noble Iohn of Saxony Beare thy vnmatched griefe with a minde bent Against the force of all temptations By my example Princely brother see How vaine our liues and all our glories bee Sax. God for thy mercy treason vpon treason How now yong Otho what art thou poyson'd too Sarl. Would God I were but my sad starrs reserue This simple building for extreamer ruine Oh that French doctor Lor. I that worst of hell Noe torment shall content vs in his death Sax. Nay soft and faire let him be taken first How now sad brother are you come to see This Tragicke end of worthy Ferdinand Enter Rodorigo Rod. I heard of it too soone and come too late Sax Well brother leaue the Duke and waite on mee Mathias and the heartgreiu'd Lucibell Shall goe with vs to Wittenberg and shun That fatall land fild with destruction Rod. But Lucibella like a chased hinde Flys through the thickets and neglects the bryers After her runs your Princely son Mathias As much disturbd though not so much distract Vowing to follow her and if he can Defend her from dispairing actions Sax. And we will follow them Prince Otho adue Care goes with vs yet we leaue griefe with you Interre your vncle punish traytours crimes Looke to your persons these are dangerous times Exit Saxony and Roderigo Sarl. Lords take this body beare it to the court And all the way sound a sad heauy march Which you may truly keepe then peeple treade A mournesfull march indeed Goe on afore I le stay a while and weepe My tributary teares paid on the ground Where my true ioy your Prince my vncle fell I le follow to driue from you all distresse And comfort you though I be comfortles Art not thou plumpt with laughter my Lorrique Exeunt with the body A marck Lor. All this excellent but worthy Lord There is an accident this instant chanc'st Able to ouerthrow in one poore howre Aswell your hopes as these assurances Sarl. What 's that Lorrique what can fortune doe That may diuert my straine of pollicy Lor.
You know all Prussia take you for the son Of beautious Martha Sarl. I they suppose me to be Otho her son And son to that false Duke whom I will kill Or curse my stars Lor. His star is sunke already death and he Haue vowed an endlesse league of amity Sarl. Had I Briareus hands I 'de striue with heauen For executing wrath before the houre But wishes are in vaine hee 's gone Flourish Enter as many as may be spar'd with lights and make a lane kneeling while Martha the Dutchesse like a mourner with her traine passeth through Mar. Our son is somewhat slacke as wee conceiue By this delaying while our heart is fear'd And our eyes dim'd with expectation As are the lights of such as on the beach With many a longing yet a little proofe Stand wayting the returne of those they loue Enter Lorrique fals on 's knees Lord His Excellence no doubt hath great affaires But his familiar friend Lorrique is come Mar. kneele not Lorrique I prethee glad my harte With thy tongues true report of my son Otho Whome since his Princely Father is decea'st I am come from opprest with griefe In person to salute him for our Duke Lor. Your mother like affection and high care His Highnes doth returne with duteous thankes Desiring pardon of your excellence In that he did not first salute your grace But dismal accidents and bloody deeds Poysonings treasons soe disturbe this state Chiefly this gentle mind since the late death Of your right princely brother Ferdinand That like the carefull Captaine of a band He is compeld to bee the last in field Yet he protests by me and I for him That no soft rest shall enter his greeu'd eyes Till he behold your presence more desir'd Then the large Empire of the wide earth Onely he prayes that you would take your rest For in your soft content his heart is blest Mar. Spread me a Carpet on the humble earth My hand shall be the pillow to my head This step my bolster and this place my bed Lor. Your Highnes will take harme Mar. Nay neuer feare A heart with sorrow fild sleepes any where Will our son come to night Lor. Madam hee will Mar. See our traine lodgd and then Lorrique attend For captaine of the guard that wayt on vs Goe all away no body stay with mee Except our son come if we chaunce to call Trouble vs not god night vnto you all All with doing duty depart and she sits downe hauing a candle by her and reades Quo fugiat mortale genm nil denique tutum est Crudelis nam morsomnia falce secat Nil durum nil non mortis penetrabile telis Omnia vi demit mors vio lneta sua T is true the wise the foole the rich the poore The fayre and the deformed fall their life turnes Ayre the King and Captaine are in this alike None hath free hold of life but they are still When death heauens steward comes tennents at will I lay me downe and rest in thee my trust If I wake neuer more till all flesh rise I sleepe a happy sleepe sin in me dyes Enter Hoffman and Lorrique Hoff. Art sure she is a sleepe Lor, I cannot tell be not too hasty Hoff. She stirs not shee is fast Sleepe sweet fayre Dutchesse for thou sleep'st thy last Endymions loue muffle in cloudes thy face And all ye yellow tapers of the heauen Vayle your cleare brightnes in Cimerian mistmis Let not one light my blacke deed beautifie For with one stroake vertue and honour dyes And yet we must not kill her in this kind Weapons draw blood blood shed will plainely prooue The worthy Dutchesse worthles of this death Was murdered and the guard are witnesses None enter'd but our selues Lor. Then strangle her here is a towell fit Hoff. Good kneele and helpe compasse her necke about Alas poore Lady thou sleep'st here secure And neuer dream'st of what thou shalt endure Lor. Nay good my Lord dispatch Hoff. What ruthlesse hinde Shall I wrong nature that did ne're compose One of her sexe so perfect prethee stay Suppose we kill her thus about her necke Circles of purple blood will change the hue Of this white porphirie and the red lines Mixt with a deadly blacke will tell the world She dyed by violence then t' will be inquir'd And we held euer hatefull for the act Lor. Then place beneath her nostrils this small box Conteyning such a powder that hath power Being set on fire to suffocate each sence Without the sight of wound or shew of wrong Hoff. That 's excellent fetch fire or doe not stay The candle shall suffice yet that burnes dim And drops his waxen teares as if it mourn'd To be an agent in a deed so darke Lor. Will you confound your selfe by dotage speake S'wounds I le confound her and shee linger thus Hoff. Thou wer 't as good and better note my words Run vnto the top of dreadfull scarre And thence fall headlong on the vnder rocks Or set thy brest against a cannon fir'd When iron death flies thence on flaming wings Or with thy shoulders Atlas like attempt To beare the ruines of a falling tower Or swim the Ocean or run quicke to hell as dead assure thy selfe no better place Then once looke frowning on this angells face Confound her blacke confusion be my graue Whisper one such word more thou dyest base slaue Lor. I haue done I le honor her if you command Hoff. She stirs and when she wakes obserue me well Sooth vp what ere I say touching Prince Otho Mar. Prince Otho is our son come who 's there Lorrique Lor. What shall I answere her Mar. Whos 's that thou talkst with Hoff. The most indebted seruant to your Grace Of any creature vnderneath the Moone Mar. I prethee friend be briefe what is thy name I know thee not what businesse hast thou here Art thou a messenger come from our son If so acquaint vs with the newes thou bring'st Hoff. I saw your Highnes son Lorrique here knowes the last of any liuing Mar. Liuing heauen helpe I trust my son h 'as no commerce with death Hoff. Your son noe doubt is well in blessed state Mar. My heart is smitten through thy answere Lorrique where is thy gracious Lord Lor. In heauen I hope Hoff. True madam he did perish in the wracke When he came first by sea from Lubecke hauen Mar. What false impostor then hath mock't my care Abus'd my Princely brother Ferdinand Gotten his Dukedome in my dead sons name Hoff. I grant him an impostor therein false But when your Highnes heares the circumstance I know your wisedome and meeke piety Will Iudge him well deseruing in your eyes Mar. What can be sayd now I haue lost my son Or how can this base two-tongu'd hypocrite Excuse concealing of his masters death Vnhappy Martha in thy age vndone Robd of a husban'd cheated of a son Hoff. Heare me with patience for that pitties sake You shewed my captiue body
this hatefull plot Least we be circumuented Rod. True 't is to put on open armes Mat. T is now too late we are beset With souldiers we must fight and since it must be Let 's to 't valiantly Enter Dutchesse Lord with souldiers Lord Princes prepare not to resist your foes Wee are as firme as life vnto your blood The Dutchesse Martha greetes old Saxony Prince Mathias Rodorick and fayre Lucibell To me she hath discouer'd the damnd plots Of that perfidious Hoffman and hath sent These armed souldiers to attend on you Sax. We thanke her Highnes but we thinke in vaine Both you and we attend Lorrique lyes slaine By Hoffmans slye suspition best be ioyn'd To apprehend him publiquely Lord There is no need our Dutchesse hath apparrel'd Her speech in a greene liuery She salutes him faire but her heart Like his actions is attir'd In red and blew and sable ornaments Sax. But tell vs where they are Lord At hand she comes with him alone her plot is She comes in happy time for all your good Mat Cease words vse deedes Reuenge drawes nigh Sax. Come set his body like a scarcrow This bush shroud you this you Stand close true souldiers for reuenge Luc. I doe doe doe I pray you heartely doe stand close Enter Hoffman and Dutchesse Hoff. I wonder much why you aske me for Lorrique What is Lorrique to you or what to me I tell you he is damn'd enquire no more His name is hatefuller then death Mar. Heauen what alterations these Can I beleeue you loue mee as you swore When you are so inconstant to your friend Hoff. He is noe friend of mine whom you affect Pardon me Madam such a fury raignes Ouer my boyling blood that I enuy Any one on whom you cast an amorous eye Mar. What growne so louing marry heauen defend Wee shall deceiue you if you dote on vs For I haue sworne to lead a widdowes life And neuer more to be tearm'd married wife Hoff. I but you must Mar. Must vse not force I pray Hoff. Yeild to my loue and then with meekest words And the most humble actions I le intreat Your sacred beauty deny me I le turne fire More wild then wrath come then agree If not to marry yet in vnseene sports To quench these Lawlesse heates that burne in me Mar. What my adopted son become my louer And make a want on minion of his mother Now fie vpon you fie y' are too obsceane If like your words your thoughts appeare vncleane Hoff. By heauen I doe not ieast goe to belieue me 'T is well you laugh smile on I like this Say will you yeild Mar. At the first fie noe That were an abiect course but let vs walke Into some couert there are pretty caues Lucky to louers suites for Virgil sings That Dido being driuen by a sharpe storme Into a Lybian caue was there intic'd By siluer-tongu'd Aeneas to affect And should you serue me soe I were vndone Disgrac'd in Germany by euery Boore Who in their rymes woud iest at Marthas name Calling her mynion to her cozen son Hoff. Fayrer then Dido or loues amorous Queene I know a caue where in the bright dayes eyes Look't neuer but a skance through a small creeke Or little cranny of the fretted scarre There I haue sometimes liu'd there are fit seates To sit and chat and coll and kisse and steale Loues hidden pleasures come are you disposd To venter entrance if you be assay 'T is death to quicke desire vse no delay Mar. Vertue and modesty bids me say noe Yet trust me Hoffman tha' rt so sweet a man And so belou'd of me that I must goe Hoff. I am crown'd the King of pleasure Mar. Hatefull slaue thou goest to meete destruction in the caue Hoff. S'death who stands here What 's that Lorriques pale ghost I am amaz'd nay slaue stand of Thy weapons sure the prize is ours Mar. Come forth deere friends murder is in our powers Sax. Yeild thee base son of shame Hoff. How now what 's here am I betrayd By dotage by the falshood of a face Oh wretched foole falne by a womans hand From high reuenges spheare the blisse of soules Sax. Cut out the murtherers tongue Hoff. What doe you meane Whom haue I murder'd wherefore bind yee me Mar. They are Iustices to punish thy bare bones Looke with thy blood-shed eyes on these bare bones And tell me that which dead Lorrique confest Who i st thou villained that least who wa st Hoff. Why Otho thy sons and that 's my fathers by him Mar. O mercilesse and cruell murtherer To leaue me childlesse Luc. And mee husbandlesse Mat. Me brotherlesse oh smooth tongu'd hypocrite How thou didst draw me to my brothers death Sax. Talke noe more to him he seekes dignity Reason he should receaue his desperate hire And weare his crowne made flaming hot with fire Bring forth the burning crowne there Enter a Lord with the Crowne Hoff Doe old dog thou helpst to worry my dead Father And must thou kill me too 't is well 't is fit I that had sworne vnto my fathers soule To be reueng'd on Austria Saxony Prussia Luningberg and all there heires Had prosper'd in the downefall of some fiue Had onely three to offer to the fiends And then must fall in loue oh wretched eyes That haue betray'd my heart bee you accurst And as the melting drops run from my brows Soe fall they on the strings that guide your heart Whereby their oylye heat may cracke them first I soe boyle on thou foolish idle braine For giuing entertainement to loues thoughts A man resolu'd in blood bound by a vow For noe lesse vengeance then his fathers death Yet become amorous of his foes wife Oh sin against all conceit worthy this shame And all the tortures that the world can name Mar. Call vpon heauen base wretch thinke on thy soule Hoff. In charity and prayer To no purpose without charity Sax. We pardon thee and pray for thy soules health Hoff. Soe doe not I for yours nor pardon you You kild my father my most warlike father Thus as you deale by me you did by him But I deserue it that haue slackt reuenge Through fickle beauty and a womans fraud But Hell the hope of all dispayring men That wring the poore and eate the people vp As greedy beasts the haruest of their spring That Hell where cowards haue their seats prepar'd And barbarous asses such as haue rob'd souldiers of Reward and punish true desert with scorned death FINIS