a woman for offending but with one when t' is a light offence in Husbands to commit with many Leut. So it seemes to me Why how now Sebastian making loue to that Gentlewoman How many mistresses ha' you i'faith Seba. In faith none For I think none of 'em are faithfull but otherwise as many as cleane Shirts The loue of a woman is like a Mushrom it growes in one night and will serue somwhat pleasingly next morning to breakfast but afterwards waxes fulsome and vnwholesome Cata. Nay by Saint Winifred a woman's loue lasts as long as Winter fruit Seba. T' is true Till new come in By my experience no longer Enter Frisco running Frisco Some bodie 's doing has vndone vs and we are like pay dearely for 't Sebast. Pay deane for what Frisco Wil 't not be a chargeable reckoning thinke you when heere are halfe a dozen fellowes comming to call vs to accompt with eu'rie man a seuerall bill in his hand that wee are not able to discharge Knocke at the doore Cata. Passion o' me What bouncing 's that Madame withdraw your selfe Leuid. Sebastian if you loue me saue my honour Exeunt Seba. What violence is this What seeke you Zownes you shall not passe Enter Belforest and the Watch Belfo. Pursue the Strumpet Villaine giue mee way or I will make my passage through thy bloud Seba. My bloud will make it slipperie my Lord T' were better you would take another way You may hap fall else They fight Both slaine Sebastian falles first Seba. I ha 't ifaith Dies While Belforest is staggering enter Leuidulcia Leuid. O God! my Husband my Sebastian Husband Neither can spake yet both report my shame Is this the sauing of my Honour when their bloud runnes out in riuers and my lust the fountaine whence it flowes Deare Husband let not thy departed spirit be displeas'd if with adulterate lips I kisse thy cheeke Heere I behold the hatefulnesse of lust which brings me kneeling to embrace him dead whose body liuing I did loathe to touch Now I can weepe But what can teares doe good when I weepe onely water they weepe bloud But could I make an Ocean with my teares that on the floud this broken vessell of my body laden heauie with light lust might suffer shipwrack and so drowne my shame then weeping were to purpose but alas The Sea wants water enough to wash away the foulenesse of my name O in their wounds I feele my honour wounded to the death Shall I out-liue my Honour Must my life be made the worlds example Since it must then thus in detestation of my deede to make th' eexample moue more forceably to vertue thus I feale it with a death as full of horrour as my life of sinne Stabs herselfe Enter the Watch with Cataplasma Frisco Snuffe and Soquette Watch. Hold Madame Lord what a strange night is this Snuffe May not Snuffe be suffer'd to goe out of himselfe Watch. Nor you nor any All must goe with vs O with what vertue lust should be withstood Since t' is a fire quench'd seldome without bloud Exeunt Actus quinti Scena prima Musicke A Clozet discouer'd A Seruant sleeping with lights and money before him Enter D'amville D'amville VVHat sleep'st thou Seru. No my Lord Nor sleepe nor wake But in a slumber troublesome to both D'am. Whence comes this gold Seru. T' is part of the Reuenew Due to your Lordship since your brothers death D'am. To bed Leaue me my gold Seru. And me my rest Two things wherewith one man is seldome blest Exit D'am. Cease that harsh musicke W' are not pleas'd with it He bundles the gold Heere sounds a musicke whose melodious touch Like Angels voices rauishes the sence Behold thou ignorant Astronomer Whose wandring speculation seekes among The planets for mens fortunes with amazement Behold thine errour and be planet strucke These are the Starres whose operations make The fortunes and the destinies of men Yond' lesser eyes of Heau'n like Subiects rais'd Into their loftie houses when their Prince Rides vnderneath th' ambition of their loues Are mounted onely to behold the face Of your more rich imperious eminence With vnpreuented sight Vnmaske faire Queene Vnpurses the gold Vouchsafe their expectations may enioy The gracious fauour they admitt to see These are the Starres the Ministers of Fate And Mans high wisedome the superiour power To which their forces are subordinate Sleepes Enter the Ghoast of Montferrers Mont. D'amville With all thy wisedome th' art a foole Not like those fooles that we terme innocents But a most wretched miserable foole Which instantly to the confusion of Thy proiects with despaire thou shalt behold Exit Ghoast D'amville starts vp D'am. What foolish dreame dares interrupt my rest To my confusion How can that be Since My purposes haue hitherto beene borne With prosp'rous Iudgement to secure successe Which nothing liues to dispossesse me off But apprehended Charlemont And him This braine has made the happy instrument To free Suspition to annihilate All interest and title of his owne To seale vp my assurance and confirme My absolute possession by the law Thus while the simple honest worshipper Of a phantastique prouidence groanes vnder The burthen of neglected miserie My reall wisedome has rais'd vp a State That shall eternize my posteritie Enter Servants with the body of Sebastian What 's that Seru. The body of your younger Sonne slaine by the Lord Belforest D'am. Slaine you lie Sebastian Speake Sebastian H 'as lost his hearing A Phisitian presently Goe call a Surgeon Rousa. Ooh Within D'am. What groane was that How does my elder Sonne the sound came from his chamber Serua. He went sicke to bed my Lord Rousa. Ooh Within D'am. The cries of Mandrakes neuer touch'd the eare with more sad horrour then that voice does mine Enter a Seraunt running Serua. Neuer you will see your Sonne aliue D'am. Nature forbid I e'er should see him dead A Bed drawne forth with Rousard Withdraw the Curtaines O how does my Sonne Serua. Me thinkes he 's ready to giue vp the ghoast D'am. Destruction take thee and thy fatall tongue Death where 's the Doctor Art not thou the fact of that prodigious apparition sear'd vpon me in my dreame Serua. The Doctor 's come my Lord Enter Doctor D'am. Doctor Behold two Patients in whose care thy skill may purchase an eternall fame If thou hast any reading in Hipocrates Galen or Auicen if hearbs or drugges or mineralles haue any power to saue Now let thy practise and their soueraigne vse raise thee to wealth and honour Doctor If any roote of life remaines within 'em capable of Phisicke feare 'em not my Lord Rusa. Ooh D'am. His gasping sighes are like the falling noise of some great building when the ground-worke breakes On these two pillars stood the stately frame and architecture of my loftie house An Earthquake shakes 'em The foundation shrinkes Deere Nature in whose honour I haue rais'd a worke of glory to posteritie O burie not the pride of
light impression her selfe D'am. The praise is hers but the comparison your owne Giues him the Ring Lan. You shall forgiue me that Sir D'am. I will not doe so much at your request as forgiue you it I will onely giue you it Sir By You will make mee sweare Lan. O! by no meanes Prophane not your lippes with the foulnesse of that sinne I will rather take it To saue your oath you shall lose your Ring Verily my Lord my praise came short of her worth Shee exceedes a Iewell This is but onely for ornament Shee both for ornament and vse D'am. Yet vnprofitably kept without vse Shee deserues a worthy Husband Sir I haue often wish'd a match betweene my elder Sonne and her The marriage would ioyne the houses of Belforest and Damville into a noble alliance Lan. And the vnitie of Families is a worke of loue and charitie D'am. And that worke an imployment well becomming the goodnesse of your disposition Lan. If your Lordship please to impose it vpon mee I will carry it without any second end the surest way to satisfie your wish D'am. Most ioyfully accepted Rousard Here are Letters to my Lord Belforest touching my desire to that purpose Enter Rousard sickely Rousard I send you a suitor to Castabella To this Gentlemans discretion I commit the managing of your suite His good successe shall be most thankefull to your trust Follow his instructions he will be your leader Lan. In plainnesse and truth Rous. My leader does your Lordship thinke mee too weake to giue the on-set my selfe Lan. I will onely assist your proceedings Rous. To say true so I thinke you had neede for a sicke man can hardly get a womans good will without help Lan. Charlemont thy gratuitie and my promises were both but words and both like words shall vanish into ayre For thy poore empty hand I must be mute This giues mee feeling of a better suite Exeunt Languebeau and Rousard D'am. Borachio didst precisely note this man Bor. His owne profession would report him pure D'am. And seemes to know if any benefit Arises of religion after death Yet but compare 's profession with his life They so directly contradict themselues As if the end of his instructions were But to diuert the world from sinne that hee More easily might ingrosse it to himselfe By that I am confirm'd an Atheist Well! Charlemont is gone And here thou seest His absence the foundation of my plot Bor. Hee is the man whom Castabella loues D'am. That was the reason I propounded him Employment fix'd vpon a forraine place To draw his inclination out o' th' way Bor. T' has left the passage of our practise free D'am This Castabella is a wealthy heire And by her marriage with my elder Sonne My house is honour'd and my state increas'd This worke alone deserues my industry But if it prosper thou shalt see my braine Make this but an induction to a point So full of profitable policie That it would make the soule of honestie Ambitious to turne villaine Bor. I bespeake Employment in 't I 'le be an instrument To grace performance with dexteritie D'am. Thou shalt No man shall rob thee of the honour Goe presently and buy a crimson Scarfe Like Charlemonts Prepare thee a disguise i' th' habite of a Souldiour hurt and lame And then be ready at the wedding feast Where thou shalt haue imployment in a worke Will please thy disposition Bor. As I vow'd Your instrument shall make your proiect proud D'am. This marriage will bring wealth If that succeede I will increase it though my Brother bleed Exeunt Enter Castabella auoiding the importunitie of Rousard Casta. Nay good Sir in troth if you knew how little it pleases mee you would forbeare it Rous. I will not leaue thee till th' ast entertain'd mee for thy seruant Casta. My seruant You are sicke you say You would taxe mee of indiscretion to entertaine one that is not able to doe me seruice Rous. The seruice of a Gentlewoman consists most in chamber worke and sicke men are fittest for the chamber I pr'ithee giue me a fauour Casta. Mee thinkes you haue a very sweet fauour of you owne Rous. I lacke but your blacke eye Casta. If you goe to buffets among the Boyes they 'l giue you one Rous. Nay if you grow bitter I le dispraise your blacke eye The gray eie'd Morning makes the fairest day Casta. Now that you dissemble not I could be willing to giue you a fauour What fauour would you haue Rous. Any toy any light thing Casta. Fie Will you be so vnciuill to aske a light thing at a Gentlewomans hand Rous. Wilt giue mee a bracelet o' thy haire then Casta. Doe you want haire Sir Rous. No faith I le want no haire so long as I can haue it for mony Casta. What would you doe with my haire then Rous. Weare it for thy sake sweet hart Casta. Doe you thinke I loue to haue my haire worne off Rous. Come you are so witty now and so sensible Kisses her Casta. Tush I would I wanted one o' my sences now Rous. Bitter againe What 's that Smelling Casta No no no Why now y' are satisfied I hope I haue giuen you a fauour Rous. What fauour a kisse I prithee giue mee another Casta. Shew mee that I gaue you then Rous. How should I shew it Casta. You are vnworthie of a fauour if you will not bestow the keeping of it one minute Rous. Well in plaine termes doest loue mee That 's the purpose of my comming Casta. Loue you Yes Very well Rous. Giue mee thy hand vpon 't Casta. Nay you mistake mee If I loue you very well I must not loue you now For now you are not very well y' are sicke Rous. This Equiuocation is for the iest now Casta. I speak 't as t' is now in fashion in earnest But I shall not be in quiet for you I perceiue till I haue giuen you a fauour Doe you loue mee Rous. With all my hart Casta. Then with all my hart I le giue you a Iewell to hang in your eare Harke yee I can neuer loue you Exit Rous. Call you this a Iewell to hang in mine eare T' is no light fauour for I le be sworne it comes somewhat heauily to mee Well I will not leaue her for all this Mee thinkes it animates a man to stand too 't when a woman desires to be rid of him at the first sight Exit Enter Belforest and Languebeau Snuffe Bel. I entertaine the offer of this match With purpose to confirme it presently I haue already moou'd it to my daughter Her soft excuses sauour'd at the first Me thought but of a modest innocence Of bloud whose vnmoou'd streame was neuer drawne Into the current of affection But when I Replyed with more familiar arguments Thinking to make her apprehension bold Her modest blush fell to a pale dislike And shee refus'd it with such confidence As if shee had beene prompted by a loue Inclining firmely
you cry for something So he claps my head betweene his legges and pulles off my shooe I hauing shifted no sockes in a sea night the Gentleman cryed foh and said my feete were base and cowardly feete they stuncke for feare Then hee knock'd my shooe about my pate and I cryed O once more In the meane time comes a shag hair'd dogge by and rubbes against his shinnes The Gentleman tooke the dog in shagge-haire to be some Watch-man in a rugge gowne and swore hee would hang mee vp at the next doore with my lanthorne in my hand that passengers might see their way as they went without rubbing against Gentlemens shinnes So for want of a Cord hee tooke his owne garters off and as he was going to make a nooze I watch'd my time and ranne away And as I ranne indeede I bid him hang himselfe in his owne gatters So hee in choler pursued mee hither as you see Bel. Why this sauours of distraction Leu. Of meere distraction Fres. How soeuer it sauours I am sure it smels like a lye Bel Thou maist goe forth at the backe doore honest fellow the way is priuate and safe Fres. So it had neede for your fore-doore here is both common and dangerous Exit Belforest Leu. Good night honest Fresco Fres. Good night Madame if you get mee kissing o'Ladies againe Exit Fresco Leu. This fals out handsomely But yet the matter does not well succeed Till I haue brought it to the very deede Exit Enter Charlemont in Armes a Musquetier and a Serieant Charl. Serieant what houre o' the night is 't Ser. About one Charl. I would you would relieue me for I am So heauie that I shall ha' much adoe To stand out my perdu Thunder and Lightning Ser. I le e'en but walke The round sir and then presently returne Soul For God's sake Serieant relieue me aboue fiue houres together in so foule a stormy night as this Ser. Why t' is a musique Souldier Heauen and earth are now in consort when the Thunder and the Canon play one to another Exit Serieant Charl. I know not why I should be thus inclin'd to sleepe I feele my disposition press'd with a necessitie of heauines Souldier if thou hast any better eyes I prithee wake mee when the Serieant comes Soul Sir t' is so darke and stormy that I shall scarce eyther see or heare him e'er he comes vpon mee Charl. I cannot force my selfe to wake Sleepes Enter the ghost of Montferrers Mont. Returne to France for thy old Father 's dead And thou by murther disinherited Attend with patience the successe of things But leaue reuenge vnto the King of kings Exit Charlemont arts and wakes Charl. O my affrighted soule what fearefull dreame Was this that wak'd mee Dreames are but the rais'd Impressions of premeditated things By serious apprehension left vpon Our mindes or else th' imaginary shapes Of obiects proper to th' complexion or The dispositions of our bodyes These Can neyther of them be the cause why I Should dreame thus for my mind has not been mou'd With any one conception of a thought To such a purpose nor my nature wont To trouble me with phantasies of terror It must be something that my Genius would Informe me of Now gratious heauen forbid O! let my Spirit be depriu'd of all Fore-sight and knowledge ere it vnderstand That vision acted or diuine that act To come Why should I thinke so Left I not My worthy Father i' the kind regard Of a most louing Vncle Souldier sawst No apparition of a man Soul You dreame Sir I saw nothing Charl. Tush These idle dreames Are fabulous Our boyling phantasies Like troubled waters falsifie the shapes Of things retain'd in them and make 'em seeme Confounded when they are distinguish'd So My actions daily conuersant with warre The argument of bloud and death had left Perhaps th' imaginary presence of Some bloudy accident vpon my minde Which mix'd confusedly with other thoughts Whereof th' remembrance of my Father might Be one presented all together seeme Incorporate as if his body were The owner of that bloud the subiect of That death when hee 's at Paris and that bloud Shed here It may be thus I would not leaue The warre for reputatio'ns sake vpon An idle apprehension a vaine dreame Enter the Ghost Soul Stand Stand I say No Why then haue at thee Sir if you will not stand I le make you fall Nor stand nor fall Nay then the Diuel's damme has broke her husbands head for sure it is a Spirit I shot it through and yet it will not fall Exit The Ghost approaches Charlemont Hee fearefully auoids it Char. O pardon me my doubtfull heart was slow To credit that which I did feare to know Exeunt Actus tertii Scena prima Enter the Funerall of Montferrers D'amville SEt downe the Body Pay earth what shee lent But shee shall beare a liuing monument To let succeeding ages truely know That shee is satisfied what hee did owe Both principall and vse because his worth Was better at his death then at his birth A dead march Enter the Funerall of Charlemont as a Souldier D'am. And with his Body place that memorie Of noble Charlemont his worthie Sonne And giue their Graues the rites that doe belong To Souldiers They were Souldiers both The Father Held open warre with Sinne the Sonne with bloud This in a warre more gallant that more good The first volley D'am. There place their Armes and here their Epitaphes And may these Lines suruiue the last of graues The Epitaph of Montferrers HEre lye the Ashes of that earth and fire whose heat and fruit ded feede and warme the poore And they as if they would in sighes expire and into teares dissolue his death deplore Hee did that good freelie for goodnesse sake unforc'd for gen'rousnesse he held so deare That hee fear'd none but him that did him make and yet he seru'd him more for loue then feare So 's life prouided that though he did dye A death yet dyed not sodainely The Epitaph of Charlement HIs Body lies interr'd within this would Who dyed a young man yet departed old And in all strength of youth that Man can haue Was ready still to drop into his graue For ag'd in vertue with a youthfull eye He welcom'd it being still prepar'd to dye And liuing so though young depriu'd of breath He did not suffer an vntimely death But we may say of his braue bless'd decease He dyed in warre and yet hee dyed in peace The second volley D'am. O might that fire reuiue the ashes of This Phenix yet the wonder would not be So great as he was good and wondred at For that His liues example was so true A practique of Religion's Theorie That her Diuinitie seem'd rather the Description then th' instruction of his life And of his goodnesse was his vertuous Sonne A worthy imitatour So that on These two Herculean pillars where their armes Are plac'd there may be writ Non
you for a Spirit and I le coniure you before I ha' done Charl. No I le turne Coniurer Diuell within this Circle in the midst of all thy force and malice I coniure thee doe thy worst D'am. Away with him Exeunt Officers with Charlemont Seba. Sir I haue got a scratch or two here for your sake I hope you 'l giue mee money to pay the Surgeon D'am. Borachio fetch me a thousand Crownes I am content to countenance the freedome of your spirit when t' is worthily imployed A Gods name giue behauiour the full scope of gen'rous libertie but let it not disperse and spend it selfe in courses of vnbounded licence Here pay for your hurts Exit D'amville Seba. I thanke you sir Gen'rous libertie that is to say freely to bestow my habilities to honest purposes Me thinkes I should not follow that instruction now if hauing the meanes to doe an honest office for an honest fellow I should neglect it Charlemont lyes in prison for a thousand Crownes And here I haue a thousand Crownes Honestie tels mee t' were well done to release Charlemont But discretion sayes I had much a doe to come by this and when this shall be gone I know not where to singer any more especially if I employ it to this vse which is like to endanger mee into my Fathers perpetuall displeasure And then I may goe hang my selfe or be forc'd to doe that will make another saue mee the labour No matter Charlemont Thou gau'st mee my life and that 's somewhat of a purer earth then gold as fine as it is T' is no courtesie I doe thee but thankefulnesse I owe thee it and I le pay it Hee sought brauely but the Officers drag'd him villanously Arrant knaues for vsing him so discourteously may the sins o' the poore people be so few that you sha'not be able to spare so much out o' your gettings as will pay for the hyre of a lame staru'd hackney to ride to an execution But goe a foote to the gallowes and be hang'd May elder brothers turne good husbands and younger brothers get good wiues that there be no neede of debt-bookes nor vse of Serieants May there be all peace but i' the warre and all charitie but i' the Diuell so that prisons may be turn'd to Hospitals though the Officers liue othe beneuolence If this curse might come to passe the world would say Blessed be he that curseth Exit Enter Charlemont in prison Charl. I graunt the Heauen Thy goodnesse doth command Our punishments but yet no further then The measure of our sinnes How should they else Be iust Or how should that good purpose of Thy Iustice take effect by bounding men Within the confines of humanitie When our afflictions doe exceede our crimes Then they doe rather teach the barb'rous world Examples that extend her cruelties Beyond their owne dimentions and instruct Our actions to be more more barbarous O my afflicted soule How torment swels Thy apprehension with prophane conceipt Against the sacred iustice of my God Our owne constructions are the authors of Our miserie We neuer measure our Conditions but with Men aboue vs in Estate So while our Spirits labour to Be higher then our fortunes th' are more base Since all those attributes which make men seeme Superiour to vs are Man's Subiects and Were made to serue him The repining Man Is of a seruile spirit to deiect The valew of himselfe below their estimation Enter Sebastian with the Keeper Seba. Here Take my sword How now my wilde Swag'rer y' are tame enough now are you not The penurie of a prison is like a soft consumption T' will humble the pride o' your mortalitie and arme your soule in compleate patience to endure the waight of affliction without feeling it What Hast no musicke in thee Th' hast trebles and bases enough Treble iniurie and base vsage But trebles and bases make poore musick without meanes Thou want'st Meanes Doest what Doest droope art deiected Charl. No Sir I haue a heart aboue the reach Of thy most violent maliciousnesse A fortitude in scorne of thy contempt Since Fate is pleas'd to haue me suffer it That can beare more then thou hast power t' inflict I was a Baron That thy Father has Depriu'd me off In stead of that I am Created King I 'ue lost a Signiorie That was confin'd within a piece of earth A Wart vpon the body of the world But now I am an Emp'rour of a world This little world of Man My passions are My Subiects and I can command them laugh Whilst thou doest tickle 'em to death with miserie Seba. T' is brauely spoken and I loue thee for 't Thou liest here for a thousand crownes Here are a thousand to redeeme thee Not for the ransome o' my life thou gau'st mee That I value not at one crowne T' is none o' my deed Thanke my Father for 't T' is his goodnesse Yet hee lookes not for thankes For he does it vnder hand out of a reseru'd disposition to doe thee good without ostentation Out o' great heart you 'l refus 't now will you Charl. No Since I must submit my selfe to Fate I neuer will neglect the offer of one benefit but entertaine them as her fauours and th' inductions to some end of better fortune As whose instrument I thanke thy courtesie Seba. Well come along Exeunt Enter D'amville and Castabella D'am Daughter you doe not well to vrge me I Ha' done no more then Iustice Charlemont Shall die and rot in prison and t' is iust Casta. O Father Mercie is an attribute As high as Iustice an essentiall part Of his vnbounded goodnesse whose diuine Impression forme and image man should beare And me thinks Man should loue to imitate His Mercie since the onely countenance Of Iustice were destruction if the sweet And louing fauour of his mercie did Not mediate betweene it and our weakenesse D'am. Forbeare You will displease me He shal rot Casta. Deare Sir Since by your greatnesse you Are nearer heau'n in place be nearer it In goodnesse Rich men should transcend the poore As clouds the earth rais'd by the comfort of The Sunne to water dry and barren grounds If neither the impression in your soule Of goodnesse nor the dutie of your place As goodnesse substitute can moue you then Let nature which in Sauages in beasts Can stirre to pittie tell you that hee is Your kinsman D'am. You expose your honestie To strange construction Why should you so vrge Release for Charlemont Come you professe More nearenesse to him then your modestie Can answere You haue tempted my suspition I tell thee hee shall starue and dye and rot Enter Charlemont and Sebastian Charl. Vncle I thanke you D'am. Much good do it you Who did release him Seba. I Exit Castabella D'am. You are a villaine Seba. Y' are my Father Exit Sebastian D'am. I must temporize Nephew had not his open freedome made My disposition knowne I would ha' borne The course and inclination of
reason for my loue Casta. Loue me my Lord I doe beleeue it for I am the wife of him you loue D'am. T' is true By my perswasion thou wert forc'd to marrie one vnable to performe the office of a Husband I was author of the wrong My conscience suffers vnder 't and I would disburthen it by satisfaction Casta. How D'am. I will supply that pleasure to thee which he cannot Casta. Are y'a diuell or a man D'am. A man and such a man as can returne thy entertainment with as prodigall a body as the couetous desire of woman euer was delighted with So that besides the full performance of thy empty Husbands dutie thou shalt haue the ioy of children to continue the succession of thy bloud For the appetite that steales her pleasure drawes the forces of the body to an vnited strength and puts 'em altogether into action neuer failes of procreation All the purposes of Man aime but at one of these two ends pleasure or profit And in this one sweet coniunction of our loues they both will meete Would it not grieue thee that a Stranger to thy bloud should lay the first foundation of his house vpon the ruines of thy family Casta. Now Heau'n defend me May my memorie be vtterly extinguish'd and the heire of him that was my Fathers enemie raise his eternall monument vpon our ruines ere the greatest pleasure or the greatest profit euer tempt me to continue it by incest D'am. Incest Tush These distances affinitie obserues are articles of bondage cast vpon our freedomes by our owne subiections Nature allowes a gen'rall libertie of generation to all creatures else Shall Man to whose command and vse all creatures were made subiect be lesse free then they Casta. O God! is thy vnlimited and infinite omnipotence lesse free because thou doest no ill or if you argue meerely out of Nature doe you not degenerate from that and are you not vnworthie the prerogatiue of Natures Maister-piece when basely you prescribe your selfe authoritie and law from their examples whom you should command I could confute you but the horrour of the argument confounds my vnderstanding Sir I know you doe but try me in your Sonnes behalfe suspecting that my strength and youth of bloud cannot containe themselues with impotence Beleeue me Sir I neuer wrong'd him If it be your lust O quench it on their prostituted flesh whose trade of sinne can please desire with more delight and lesse offence The poyson of your breath euaporated from so foule a soule infects the ayre more then the dampes that rise from bodies but halfe rotten in their graues D'am. Kisse me I warrant thee my breath is sweet These dead mens bones lie heere of purpose to inuite vs to supply the number of the liuing Come we 'l get young bones and doe 't I will enioy thee No Nay then inuoke your great suppos'd protectour I will doe 't Casta. Suppos'd protectour Are y'an Athiest Then I know my prayers and teares are spent in vaine O patient Heau'n Why doest thou not expresse thy wrath in thunderbolts to teare the frame of man in pieces How can earth endure the burthen of this wickednesse without an earthquake Or the angry face of Heau'n be not enflam'd with lighning D'am. Coniure vp the Diuell and his Dam Crie to the graues the dead can heare thee inuocate their helpe Casta. O would this graue might open and my body were bound to the dead carkasse of a man for euer e're it entertaine the lust of this detested villaine D'am. Tereas-like thus I will force my passage to Charl. The Diuell Charlemont rises in the disguise and frights D'amville away Now Lady with the hand of Charlemont I thus redeeme you from the arme of lust My Castabella Casta. My deare Charlemont Charl. For all my wrongs I thanke thee gracious Heau'n th' ast made me satisfaction to reserue me for this blessed purpose Now sweet Death I 'le bid thee welcome Come I 'le guard thee home and then I 'le cast my selfe into the armes of apprehension that the law may make this worthie worke the crowne of all my actions being the best and last Casta. The last The law Now Heau'n forbid what ha' you done Charl. Why I haue kill'd a man not murder'd him my Castabella He would ha' murder'd me Casta. Then Charlemont the hand of Heau'n directed thy defence That wicked Athiest I suspect his plot Charl. My life he seekes I would he had it since he has depriu'd mee of those blessings that should make mee loue it Come I 'le giue it him Casta. You sha'not I will first expose my selfe to certaine danger then for my defence destroy the man that sau'd mee from destruction Charl. Thou canst not satisfie me better then to be the instrument of my release from miserie Casta. Then worke it by escape Leaue mee to this protection that still guards the innocent Or I will be a partner in your destinie Charl. My soule is heauie Come lie downe to rest These are the pillowes whereon men sleepe best They lie downe with either of them a Death's head for a pillow Enter Snuffe seeking Soquette Snu. Soquette Soquette Soquette O art thou there He mistakes the body of Borachio for Soquette Verily thou lyest in a fine premiditate readinesse for the purpose Come kisse me sweet Soquette Now puritie defend me from the sinne of Sodom This is a creature of the masculine gender Verily the Man is blasted Yea cold and stiffe Murder murder murder Exit Enter D'amville distractedly starts at the sight of a Death's head D'am. Why doest thou stare vpon me Thou art not the scull of him I murder'd What hast thou to doe to vexe my conscience Sure thou wert the head of a most dogged Vsurer th' art so vncharitable And that Bawde the skie there she could shut the windowes and the dores of this great chamber of the world and draw the curtaines of the clouds betweene those lights and me about this bed of earth when that same Stumpet Murder my selfe committed sin together Then she could leaue vs in the darke till the close deed was done But now that I begin to feele the loathsome horrour of my sinne and like a Leacher emptied of his lust desire to burie my face vnder my eye-browes and would steale from my shame vnseene she meetes me i' th face with all her light corrupted eyes to challenge payment o' mee O beholde Yonder 's the Ghoast of olde Montferrers in a long white sheete climbing yond loftie mountaine to complaine to Heau'n of me Montferrers pox o' fearefulnesse T' is nothing but a faire white cloude Why was I borne a coward He lies that sayes so Yet the count'nance of a bloudlesse worme might ha' the courage now to turne my bloud to water The trembling motion of an Aspen leafe would make me like the shadow of that leafe he shaking vnder 't I could now commit a murder were it but to drinke the fresh warme bloud of
that great action vnder the fall and ruine of it selfe Doctor My Lord These bodies are depriu'd of all the radicall abilitie of Nature The heat of life is vtterly extinguish'd Nothing remaines within the power of man that can restore them D'am. Take this gold extract the Spirit of it and inspire new life into their bodies Docto. Nothing can my Lord D'am. You ha'not yet examin'd the true state and constitution of their bodies Sure you ha'not I 'le reserue their waters till the morning Questionlesse their vrines will informe you better Docto. Ha ha ha D'am. Do'st laugh thou villaine must my wisedome that has beene the obiect of mens admiration now become the subiect of thy laughter Rous. Ooh Dies All Hee 's dead D'am. O there expires the date of my posteritie Can Nature be so simple or malicious to destroy the reputation of her proper memorie Shee cannot Sure there is some power aboue her that controules her force Doctor A power aboue Nature Doubt you that my Lord Consider but whence Man receiues his body and his forme Not from corruption like some wormes and Flies but onely from the generation of a man For Nature neuer did bring forth a man without a Man Nor could the first Man being but the passiue Subiect not the actiue Mouer be the maker of himselfe So of necessitie there must be a Superiour power to Nature D'am. Now to my selfe I am ridiculous Nature thou art a Traytour to my soule Thou hast abus'd my trust I will complaine to a superiour Court to right my wrong I 'le proue thee a forger of false assurances In yond' Starre chamber thou shalt answere it Withdraw the bodies O the sence of death begins to trouble my distracted soule Exeunt Enter Iudges and Officers 1. Iudg. Bring forth the malefactors to the Barre Enter Cataplasma Soquette and Frisco Are you the Gentlewoman in whose house The murders were committed Catap. Yes my Lord 1. Iud. That worthie attribute of Gentrie which Your habite drawes from ignorant respect Your name deserues not nor your selfe the name Of woman Since you are the poyson that Infects the honour of all womanhood Catap. My Lord I am a Gentlewoman yet I must confesse my pouertie compels my life to a condition lower then my birth or breeding 2. Iudg. Tush we know your birth 1. Iudg. But vnder colour to professe the Sale Of Tyres and toyes for Gentlewomens pride You draw a frequentation of mens wiues To your licentious house and there abuse Their Husbands Frisco Good my Lord her rent is great The good Gentlewoman has no other thing to liue by but her lodgings So she 's forc'd to let her fore-roomes out to others and her selfe contented to lie backwards 2. Iudg. So 1. Iudg. Heere is no euidence accuses you For accessaries to the murder yet Since from the Spring of lust which you preseru'd And nourish'd ranne th' effusion of that bloud Your punishment shall come as neare to death As life can beare it Law cannot inflict Too much seueritie vpon the cause Of such abhor'd effects 2. Iudg. Receiue your sentence Your goods since they were gotten by that meanes Which brings diseases shall be turn'd to th' vse Of Hospitalles You carted through the Streetes According to the common shame of Strumpets Your bodies whip'd till with the losse of bloud You faint vnder the hand of punishment Then that the necessarie force of want May not prouoke you to your former life You shall be set to painefull labour whose Penurious gaines shall onely giue you foode To hold vp Nature mortifie your flesh And make you fit for a repentant end All O good my Lord 1. Iud. No more away with 'em Exeunt Enter Languebeau Snuffe 2. Iudg. Now Monsieur Snuffe A man of your profession found in a place of such impietie Snuffe I grant you The place is full of impuritie So much the more neede of instruction and reformation The purpose that caried me thither was with the Spirit of conuersion to purifie their vncleanenesse and I hope your Lordship will say the law cannot take hold o' me for that 1. Iudg. No Sir it cannot but yet giue me leaue To tell you that I hold your warie answere Rather premeditated for excuse Then spoken out of a religious purpose Where tooke you your degrees of Schollership Snuffe I am no Scholler my Lord To speake the sincere truth I am Snuffe the Tallow-Chandler 2. Iudg. How comes your habite to be alter'd thus Snuff My Lord Belforest taking a delight in the cleanenesse of my conuersation withdrew mee from that vncleane life and put me in a garment fit for his societie and my present profession 1. Iudg. His Lordship did but paint a rotten post Or couer foulenesse fairely Monsieur Snuffe Backe to your candle-making You may giue The world more light with that then either with Instruction or th' example of your life Snuffe Thus the Snuffe is put out Exit Snuffe Enter D'amville distractedly with the hearses of his two Sonnes borne after him D'am. Iudgement Iudgement 2. Iud. Iudgement my Lord in what D'am. Your Iudgements must resolue me in a case Bring in the bodies Nay I will ha 't tried This is the case my Lord My prouidence eu'n in a moment by the onely hurt of one or two or three at most and those put quickly out o' paine too marke mee I had wisely rais'd a competent estate to my posteritie And is there not more wisedome and more charity in that then for your Lordship or your Father or your Grandsire to prolong the torment and the rack of rent from age to age vpon your poore penurious Tenants yet perhaps without a pennie profit to your heire Is 't not more wiser more charitable Speake 1. Iud. He is distracted D'am. How distracted Then you ha' no Iudgement I can giue you sence and solide reason for the very least distinguishable syllable I speake Since my thrift was more iudicious then your Grandsires why I would faine know why your Lordship liues to make a second generation from your Father and the your Father and the whole frie of my posteritie extinguish'd in a moment Not a Brat left to succeede me I would faine know that 2. Iudg. Griefe for his children's death distempers him 1. Iudg. My Lord we will resolue you of your question In the meane time vouchsafe your place with vs D'am. I am contented so you will resolue me Ascends Enter Charlemont and Castabella 2. Iudg. Now Monsieur Charlemont You are accus'd Of hauing murder'd one Borachio that Was seruant to my Lord D'amville How can You cleare your selfe guiltie or not guiltie Charl. Guilty of killing him but not of murder My Lords I haue no purpose to desire Remission for my selfe D'amville descends to Charl D'am. Vnciuill Boy Thou want'st humanitie to smile at griefe Why doest thou cast a chearefull eye vpon the obiect of my sorrow my dead Sonnes 1. Iudg. O good my Lord Let Charitie forbeare To vexe the
spirit of a dying Man A chearefull eye vpon the face of Death Is the true count'nance of a noble minde For honour's sake my Lord molest it not D'am. Y' are all vnciuill O! is 't not enough that hee vniustly hath conspir'd with Fate to cut off my posteritie for him to be the heire to my possessions but he must pursue me with his presence and in the ostentation of his ioy laugh in my face and glory in my griefe Charl. D'amville to shew thee with what light respect I value Death and thy insulting pride Thus like a warlike Nauie on the Sea Bound for the conquest of some wealthie land Pass'd through the stormie troubles of this life And now arriu'd vpon the armed coast In expectation of the victorie Whose honour lies beyond this exigent Through mortall danger with an actiue spirit Thus I aspire to vndergoe my death Leapes vp the Scaffold Castabella leapes after him Casta. And thus I second thy braue enterprise Be chearefull Charlemont Our liues cut off In our young prime of yeares are like greene hearbs Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends For as their vertue gather'd when th' are greene Before they wither or corrupt is best So we in vertue are the best for Death While yet we haue not liu'd to such an age That the encreasing canker of our sinnes Hath spread too farre vpon vs D'am. A Boone my Lords I begge a Boone 1. Iud. What 's that my Lord D'am. His body when t' is dead for an Anatomie 2. Iud. For what my Lord D'am. Your vnderstanding still come short o' mine I would finde out by his Anatomie What thing there is in Nature more exact Then in the constitution of my selfe Me thinks my parts and my dimentions are As many as large as well compos'd as his And yet in me the resolution wants To die with that assurance as he does The cause of that in his Anatomie I would finde out 1. Iud. Be patient and you shall D'am. I haue bethought me of a better way Nephew we must conferre Sir I am growne a wondrous Studient now o'late My wit has reach'd beyond the scope of Nature yet for all my learning I am still to seeke from whence the peace of conscience should proceede Charl. The peace of conscience rises in it selfe D'am. Whether it be thy Art or Nature I admire thee Charlemont Why thou hast taught a woman to be valiant I will begge thy life My Lords I begge my Nephewes life I 'le make thee my Phisitian Thou shalt read Philosophie to me I will finde out th' efficient cause of a contented minde But if I cannot profit in 't then t' is no more being my Phisitian but infuse a little poyson in a potion when thou giu'st me Phisick vnawares to me So I shall steale into my graue without the vnderstanding or the feare of death And that 's the end I aime at For the thought of death is a most fearefull torment is 't not 2. Iudg. Your Lordship interrupts the course of law 1. Iudg. Prepare to die Charl. My resolution 's made But ere I die before this honour'd bench With the free voice of a departing soule I heere protest this Gentlewoman cleare Of all offence the law condemnes her for Casta. I haue accus'd my selfe The law wants power To cleare me My deare Charlemont with thee I will partake of all thy punishments Charl. Vncle for all the wealthie benefits My death aduances you graunt me but this Your mediation for the guiltlesse life Of Castabella whom your conscience knowes As iustly cleare as harmelesse innocence D'am. Freely My Mediation for her life and all my int'rest in the world to boote let her but in exchange possesse me of the resolution that she dies withall The price of things is best knowne in their want Had I her courage So I value it the Indies should not buy 't out o' my hands Charl. Giue me a glasse of water D'am. Mee of wine This argument of death congeales my bloud Colde feare with apprehension of thy end Hath frozen vp the riuers of my veines A glasse of wine I must drinke vvine to vvarme mee and dissolue the obstruction or an apoplexie will possesse mee Why thou vncharitable Knaue Do'st bring mee bloud to drinke The very glasse lookes pale and trembles at it Seru. T' is your hand my Lord D'am. Canst blame mee to be fearefull bearing still the presence of a murderer about me Charl. Is this water Serua. Water Sir A glasse of water Charl. Come thou cleare embleme of coole temperance Be thou my witnesse that I vse no art To force my courage nor haue neede of helpes To raise my Spirits like those weaker men Who mixe their bloud with wine and out of that Adulterate coniunction doe beget A bastard valour Natiue courage thankes Thou lead'st me soberly to vndertake This great hard worke of magnanimitie D'am Braue Charlemont at the reflexion of thy courage my cold fearefull bloud takes fire and I begin to emulate thy death Is that thy executioner My Lords you wrong the honour of so high a bloud to let him suffer by so base a hand Iudges He suffers by the forme of law my Lord D'am. I will reforme it Downe you shagge-hair'd Curre The instrument that strikes my Nephew's bloud shall be as noble as his bloud I 'le be thy executioner my selfe 1. Iud. Restraine his fury Good my Lord forbeare D'am. I 'le butcher out the passage of his soule That dares attempt to interrupt the blow 2. Iud. My Lord the office will impresse a marke Of scandall and dishonour on your name Charl. The office fits him hinder not his hand But let him crowne my resolution with An vnexampled dignitie of death Strike home Thus I submit me Readie for execution Costa. So doe I In scorne of Death thus hand in hand we die D'am. I ha' the trick on 't Nephew You shall see how eas'ly I can put you out of paine Ooh As he raises vp the Axe strikes out his owne braines Staggers off the Scaffold Execu. In lifting vp the Axe I thinke has knock'd his braines out D'am. What murderer was hee that lifted vp my hand against my head Iudge None but your selfe my Lord D'am. I thought he was a murderer that did it Iudge God forbid D'am. Forbid You lie Iudge He commanded it To tell thee that mans wisedome is a foole I came to thee for Iudgement and thou think'st thy selfe a wise man I outreach'd thy wit and made thy Iustice Murders instrument in Castabella's death and Charlemonts To crowne my Murder of Montferrers with a safe possession of his wealthie state Charl. I claime the iust aduantage of his words Iudge Descend the Scaffold and attend the rest D'am. There was the strength of naturall vnderstanding But Nature is a foole There is a power aboue her that hath ouerthrowne the pride of all my proiects and posteritie for whose suruiuing bloud I had erected a proud monument and strucke 'em dead before me For whose deathes I call'd to thee for Iudgement Thou didst want discretion for the sentence But yond' power that strucke me knew the Iudgement I deseru'd and gaue it O! the lust of Death commits a Rape vpon me as I would ha' done on Castabella Dies Iudge Strange is his death and iudgement With the hands Of Ioy and Iustice I thus set you free The power of that eternall prouidence Which ouerthrew his proiects in their pride Hath made your griefes the instruments to raise Your blessings to a greater height then euer Charl. Onely to Heau'n I attribute the worke Whose gracious motiues made me still forbeare To be mine owne Reuenger Now I see That Patience is the honest mans reuenge Iudge In stead of Charlemont that but e'en now Stood readie to be dispossess'd of all I now salute you with more titles both Of wealth and dignitie then you were borne too And you sweet Madame Lady of Belforest You haue that title by your Fathers death Casta. With all the titles due to me encrease The wealth and honour of my Charlemont Lord of Montferrers Lord D'amuille Belforest And for a cloze to make vp all the rest Embrace The Lord of Castabella Now at last Enioy the full possession of my loue As cleare and pure as my first chastitie Charl. The crowne of all my blessings I will tempt My Starres no longer nor protract my time Of marriage When those Nuptiall rites are done I will performe my kinsmens funeralles Iudg. The Drums and Trumpets Interchange the sounds Of Death and Triumph for these honour'd liues Succeeding their deserued Tragedies Charl. Thus by the worke of Heau'n the men that thought To follow our dead bodies without teares Are dead themselues and now we follow theirs Exeunt FINIS