Menanders vehement madnesse A states-man old Euphorbus doth compassionate his agony and for a second purpose counterfets an artificiall extasie whil'st conceited humor makes Manander follow like Cinthia diuersity of shapes from Poet he fals to a Player then to Aiax from thence to Mercury in whose habit assuming the most sacred essence of a substance incorporiall hee enioynes Euphorbus to make some experiment heereof by his poniard being perswaded hee was impenetrable Euphorbus easily induced by temptation as pretending to establish a new Monarch doth oppose and kill this eueryway deluded King A generall approbation doth thanke his pollicy which made a finall Catastrophe of madnesse and so reuenge is pacified To his friend the Author ONe Swallow makes no Summer most men say But who disproues that Prouerbe made this Play F. C. To his much and worthily esteemed friend the Author VVHo takes thy volume to his vertuous hand Must be intended still to vnderstand Who bluntly doth but looke vpon the same May aske what Author would conceale his name Who reads may roaue and call the passage darke Yet may as blind men sometimes hit the marke Who reads who roaues who hopes to vnderstand May take thy volume to his vertuous hand Who cannot reade but onely doth desire To vnderstand hee may at length admire B. I. To his true friend the Author I Was vnwilling to praefixe one verse Thy booke and Poem may it selfe commend My duteous zeale doth make mee yet rehearse Rimes of thy worth none as I am thy friend For Ladies may thy Poem Cannot need An Vsher to lead on or to succeed G. Rogers To his Endeered Author LOng let thy Muse her wished seate inioy Into whose breast shee fertill store doth bring Which makes thy penne the cause of her imploy By pleasing stile and Poems shee doth sing Amidst whose lines sweete Laurels vp are sprung Which doe adorne their sole effectiue stemme As flexile branches fittest to be wrung Into that forme of Poets Diademme What shall I need then to inuoke at all Or wish applause from out the vulgar crue I leaue such praise to men iudiciall They giue each worke that to it selfe is due Whose lauding palmes might ymp an Authors Pen And raise a Phoenix from a silly Wren Tho: DANET CINTHIAS REVENGE OR MAENANDERS EXTASIE Actus 1. Scoena 1. CINTHIA THe chiefest point of Kings felicity Some subiects do esteeme Authority Wee are aboue the Potentates of earth Be vnacquainted with high bloud and birth We do transcend supremacy of Kings Account them as they are most mortall things Subiect to putrifaction to disease To folly which no phisicke may appease Yet they do magnifie themselues alone Their haughty stomackes doe acknowledge none Aboue who may such dignity surmount Of power supreme as fables they account My God-head may with priuiledge complaint Of Sparta whose proud factious Kings refraine By wicked councell from due sacrifice At my religious Altar they suffice To render duty in Olimpickes once And rob me of ant--ique oblations Which wee ascribe vnto the base repute They do conceiue of our Diuinity My Temples honour and supremacy To Matrons Bauds and Widowes they translate To seruice of weake women dedicate My whole praedominance they do exempt Mans homage and beleeue my power of change Extends no further then the female sex This new-conceited error I l'e refute I l'e manifest how farre compulsiue change Doth ouersway proud man I l'e execute The rigor of my vengeance dreadfull awe Gods do obtaine by a correctiue law And thus will I restore that holinesse Which they extinguish through bold sawcinesse Mortals contemne the Makers Diety Vntill his wrath scourge their impiety Act. 1. Scoen. 2. MENANDER HIPPONAX EVPHORBVS LELIO PHEVDIPPE HYARCHVS PERILLVS a Hearse Nature acquainted well with indigence Defining in it selfe our impotence Liable to corruption generall Shewes nothing doth endure that 's naturall Sterne death no pitty takes on hallowed age Vpon the sucking babe whose harmelesse twine Tenderly hangs about the nurses necke Neuer did old mens holy teares obtaine Neuer did death from Innocents refraine The slaue who smothers in obscurity His hated life who neuer did account Of rising Sunne eclipse and prodigies More then of customes and impertinence Neuer accounted seasons months and yeares Autumnall haruest Spring-tide happinesse Further then meanes to nourish misery Who neuer lent the busie world a smile But breathes out melancholy aire and groanes This man alike with Epicures and Kings Who often striue with a departing soule Expects vpon the leisure of his fate So Kings and Cripples be incorporate Their ashes often mixt when they repose Two petty vrnes their bodies oft inclose Death how impartiall be thy wounds how free From all exceptions My beloued fire Lusty and full of Spirit fiue dayes since Here humbled lyes once royall prop of Greece EV. Laments are idle neither can recall Your fathers soule backe from Elizium MEN. But griefe informes the world hee once did liue Worthy and well respected like a Prince Whom people pray for and whose happy raigne True subiects craue to be perpetuall HYP. But sorrow in excesse dread souereigne Begets a weake distraction of the braine Breeds a contempt of mundane diligence Neglects profession violates the law Of solace and abhorres congruity Giues carelesse raignes to sicke security Turnes nature to a liuing lethargy MEN. True Hypponax and therefore temperance Limits with reason our compulsiue woe For men of pure discretion you may finde Beare all extremes with a most aequall minde Repeat Perillus the last signe of loue A poem to expresse the Obsequie With teares concluding his Catastrophe PER. Feare to offend his farre divulged name Which who may mention without righteous fame Being euer busied in effecting lawes Commended still with popular applause Retaining orders of Antiquity Forbids me to repeate his Elegie Each clamorous eccho and all forrest-noise Ingendred by the Sylvan Dryades Be henceforth silent neuer may such tunes Affoord free mirth to Poets phantasie Who may surcease to sing their sacred layes Viewing the vnaccustom'd change of time Till future ages do reviue the losse Of our deiected worthy in his sonne Whose true externall image doth retaine The liuing lustre of our wonted king May whose deere genius dwell thy gifts among And vs prouoke to leaue his funerall song MAENAN. Enough and in that finall word Enough Our lamentations faile remoue the hearse His body sleepes who may the soule reverse My Councell stay assist me and because From the succession of new Kings new lawes Take their originall I do intend Enormities of custome to amend Matters though in themselues erronious Amended may proue meritorious Had but impartiall Fate fiue longer weekes Allotted to my safe progenitor He by aduise of your sage grauity Had finished ere this what you begun Which through default I must remember done The people of our continent each sexe Both masculine and female do adore A Goddesse whose essentiall part is change Proper to widowes virgins wilde and wiues Antiquity
resolue what newes AM. All feare is fled The worst of womans feare Lucilla's dead FA. Most welcome tidings speake I pray and stuffe Your happy speech with circumstance enough AMI. Titan rous'd vp from darkenesse by the day Shrunke with amazement of the fatall morne Remembring what a mischiefe should befall For cloudy night-caps hee againe did call When my suborned vassaile gaue consent To swimme for satisfaction of our sake Through deepe damnations gulfe so through the lake Of vn-digested horror to accuse My step-dame yong Lucilla of your death Hee a dissembling caitife deepely read In ir-religious acts with doubtfull face More doubted voyce and miserable grone Salutes the foote-step of Maenanders throne Then weeping said the Worme of Conscience Strives in my bloud tortures my broken soule Haunted I am with terror whilst I liue Who to my life a period will giue A finall period for I liue too long Let villaines fortune be my fatall song With which the sorry King was some-what mou'd And after silence did exact his name Proceeding to the circumstantiall cause My rude impostor did preuent the clause And seeming to afflict his pensiue heart Backe from the royall foote-steps doth hee start Helpe ô defend mee from her hatefull frownes See where Medusa-like shee comes hee cried Clad all in torch-light like the Queene of hell Her scalpe 's en-circled with a Crowne of flames Much leane-iaw'd horror hangs about her eyes The gaping wound for greedy vengeance cryes What madnesse now affrights thee quoth our king Faire Fauourina's shadow hee replyes For throvgh entisements of Lucilla's spleene I slew the gallant Bride and Sparta's Queene Lucilla by consent was doom'd to death And my Impostor also whom I taught For lifes owne safe-guard to beseech the King That his vprighteous iudgement of grim death Might faile of execution iust so long As the condemn'd Lucilla did suruiue Thinking by this then to discouer all And say hee did preserue whom shee conspir'd to kill The King enrag'd with sorrow did re-pell This poore petition of my tortur'd slaue Who then despairing to escape from death Drew forth a dagger gaue one fatall stab Into the Kings owne bosome with which wound Hee like a lofty Turret nodding low Clapt his victorious palmes aboue his head And swore a mighty oath MENANDER'S DEAD FA Menander dead My King and Husband dead AMI. My slaue torne peece-meale did enioy his fate Lucilla burnt before the Pallace gate FA. Menander dead AMI. Yes but Pheudippe's King FA. Pheudippe King AM. Yes but MENANDER' 's DEAD FA. Opprest with sorrow I lament his death But am appeas'd by proud Lucilla's breath GRA. What is a womans loue when to reuenge And empty out the poyson of her gall Against some Lady her malignant foe Shee doth forget compassion doth refuse Friendship to neighbours duty to her Spouse Respect of parents piety to bloud Nay aboue these abhore celestiall good AMI. Now quickly Madam to disclose you liue Were dangerous and preiudiciall I doubt Therefore expect on opportunity Least you infringe the league of vnity Till I aduise liue as you doe secure Safety 's no lesse accepted of obscure And Country Pezants then of Courted Kings Place cannot change the nature of good things Finis Actus tertij Act. 4. Scoen. 1. MENANDER LAELIO MILITES THe Mountaine ecchoes they shall catch his name And euery nooke re-iterate the same For I will teach the night-rauen to repeat His pensiue sound the sleepy owle shall sing And happy newes of lost Pheudippe bring Awake dumbe Ghost Pheudippe friend awake And now repaire thy old mansion-place Returne Pheudippe but a while returne And truly answere to my iust demand I will resigne a Kingdome to thy hand Hearke you mad furies of eternall night Boats-man of Stix by burning Phlegeton Secluded Angels and superiour aide I doe con-iure you to direct his soule Backe to the bosome of that slaughtered Hearse Ah Charon Charon prethee Boats-man bring His errant shadow to the place of rest And Charon I will Canonize thy name Giue thee a Queene to sleepe in thy cold armes To kindle moisture in thy rugged limbes And make thy waftage easy with her hymnes Bring but the soule of that ignoble man To aske forgiuensse and I will forgiue A foolish hope heau'n knowes for hee indeed Hee hath a haughty stomach full of rage Swolne-big with pride begot of too much loue And my familiar vsage makes him thinke The more fault 's mine hee should not now submit LAE. O sir the finall stab of mischiefes end Hath strucke him dead hee cannot now amend ME. No! 't is a language difficult to learne Though rules be frequent in our mother-tongue O that a lesson of one word not two Should aske a life to learne an age to do Yes though Pheudippes age had beene defer'd Till a consumption of the Vniuerse In hope of his amendment I beleeue Hee would haue purchas'd immortality Through vice and vitious acts LAE. Damnation claps Gaping for custome at mans new relaps ME. Right Can the earth yeeld such a faithles man As false Pheudidippe LAE. O damnation laughs And winged mischeife claps her dusky plumes If proud ambition great mens hope consumes ME. What a continuall clapping is there then For daily hope consumes the greatest men I doe appeale to dead Pheudippes shame Thou terrour to my sence a prodigy Of all remembrance neuer to be match'd With any Ghost or man except thy selfe Who through abortiue hope didst match thy selfe A man most worthy of all impious fame Who Dan Pheudippe cleaped was by name Know gallant sir I did repose my life Vpon the friend-ship of that foolish man Hee kept my soule betweene his Tyrant's armes Nay let mee adde the value of my Crowne For which some Kings would eu'n exchange their soule Hee kept both Soule and Crowne betwixt his armes Yet both lay open to excessiue harmes O if I had election to dispend My fauour vpon such a Rogue as hee But once once more I 'de locke my counsell vp And keepe my bosome secrets to my selfe LAE. Kings may indeed depriue their Senate-house Of some pretence and may let others prate Conceale affaires belonging to the State ME. If hell affoorded such a menstruous ragge I 'de re-concile the error of my sence But now may reckon vp some woe-full verse For solid passion Poets best reherse LAE. A Poets rapture Kings haue wish'd to feele Which some despise because vncapable ME. The Muses make my braine their banquet-house And thus with Lucan will wee frame our song Of dreaded horror whose in-human rage Blew dire-full tempest through the Tharsall plaine Of lawes neglected and a stubborne age Whose bloud black-deeds did their country staine Of ciuill discord and a haplesse breach In Kingdomes couenant which did sore impeach The worlds whole Confines and their Publicke-weale Wee sing and sternely treat how euery deale Standards met Standards Ensignes were a-like Bowes threatned Bowes and nimble speares the Pike Romans what madnesse may wee terme this
strife Be your owne blades let loose against your life That Nations farre remote should see and smile At your wide gaping wounds and Rome reuile And must your hot encounters carlesse boyle When Babylon should perish in the spoyle Of her victorious Trophies when the Ghost Of vnreuenged Crassius heere stood toss'd Aboue ground then must war-like humors breath Which wanting triumph want a worthy wreath O and alas what Kingdomes what renowne This bloud might haue obtain'd some temptiue Crowne Where beautious Titan sleepes and heauy night Exempts the ioyfull harbengers of light Else where the sweltring noone-day scalds with heate Else where continuall Winter takes her seate Where Scythicke Pontus pierc'd with crazy cold Lyes bed-red on a cripple corner-moul'd Ceres might conquer'd beene Araxes yoak'd Had not domesticke warre such broiles prouok'd If Rome thy battailes thou esteeme such blisse Subdue all Kings then were it not amisse To combat with thy selfe meane while breake of For multitude of foes may freely scoffe OM. Our King hath tasted iuice of Helicon ME. Tasted no foole the Muses do entraunse My deere imagination I will swim Through each sweete streame of rauish'd eloquence Of Passion Satyre Aeglogue Epigram Of Sonets Imprecations Epitaphes And by them all admonish Mighty Kings To keepe their bosome lockt for friendship stings Act. 4. Scoen. 2. MENANDER HYPPONAX LAELIO EVPHORBVS HYARCHVS Go fetch a Garland from the Muses groue For I will sit amongst the Sheep-heard Swaines Vpon some pretty tust or pleasant hill Hung in my honour with fresh hallowed baies And eccho forth an Alphabet of layes My Queene poore Queene bereft of beauties pride Shall in our fancy sit and touch our side HY. Grieue not she was my daughter gratious King ME. Gratious and King be words not knowne to mee I am no King nor will be gratious But an impartiall Poet of this age Who must inueigh at Kings and Kingly grace I must a multitude of woes rehearse And stab my audience with I-ambicke verse Raile at the peeuish humour of a slaue Whose rude examples be notorious Attend my whole narration royall Dukes Remember how I did the Forrest rule How I amongst the troupe of Elephants Foxes and Tygers Apes and Leopards Was by appointment of my fathers will Left as an heire legitimate to liue And re-establish my true parents bloud Remember and imagine I did rule Like an audacious Lyon of the lawnes Who by mis-fortune haue caught a pricke Which doth distemper his presuming paw Meetes with a heart-lesse Pilgrime doth salute His coward fancy with a peale of feares Then doth submit some ceremonies done His royall stoutnesse to the trembling man Puts forth his pained member shewes the wound Till the distracted traueller con-ceiues A remedy to succour that which grieues The Lyon thus allur'd with seeming loue Protects the Pilgrime by his noble force Doth not for-sake him fawnes vpon the wretch Whose poore compulsiue cowardise did vrge That tribut at alleageance not his loue Least life should answere what his will deny'd Thus did they liue till the most faithlesse man Grew so familiar hee was not afear'd To shake the sleeping Lyon by the beard Thus hee pretended still to be aboue So slew the Lyon for his Kingly loue And thus ô thus did my Pheudippe deale For from the dust and dunghill did I raise The needy fortunes of that naked man Without all merit saue hypocrisy Which was my thanke for all his dignity The Gods and you beare witnesse noble friends I tooke that fellow for the truest man That woman e're was bless'd with did beleeue His birth and education both Deuine Who was indeed a deuill for whose death My brainelesse fury did blaspheme the Gods O if I had election to for-sake The substance of my soules eternity If soule and body did together die If deaths corruption could corrupt the soule So make it vanish and auoide controule No speedy torment should escape no death Be vn-attempted till my life and breath Were as my soule is now inuisible O I would climbe Acro-serannian rockes Run to the top of Aetna or the Alpes And rush downe head-long like a desperate slaue Or like an Aiax greedy of reuenge I would in-counter Wolues and Vnicornes Tempting the sauage worthies to assaile My carelesse life and so in-counter mee EV. But sir the soule of man is pretious Made of immortall essence cannot die ME. So I 'me oppress'd with immortality And though my rotten Carkasse soone decay Yet must my soule account for blasphemy For Blasphemy which I in zealous loue To a false lewd impostor did augment With sharpe invectiues eeu'n to vex the Gods HIP. Your loue to that dissembler was extreme And all extremes beget extremities ME. To that dissembler to that deuil say To that Magitian true-borne Impe of hell Speake thus and let mee thanke your eloquence For had hee beene produc'd of earthly race His charmes and witch-craft could not so deceiue My narrow apprehension ô attend And I will make you weepe before I end Pheudippe like a frozen viper was Whom I delighted with a formall shew By chance tooke vp and warmth and life bestow'd Vpon this piteous creature till at length Hee crept and crawl'd into my bosome I Did suffer still through plaine simplicity The serpent to become familar My table and my Trencher gaue him food Still did I suffer still hee slept and fed Vpon my trembling bosome hee did kisse And licke my tender veines as I did his Still did I suffer though my soundest friends Bad mee beware of such a subtle Guest Giuing faire cautions to embrace the best Still did I suffer and did scourge aduice With sharpe rebukes not valewing the price So long I suffered hee so long did sleepe So long hee lick'd mee and so long time crept So long I lou'd him hee so long time wept With false affection as hee did confirme My not mis-doubting friend-ship which was firme But after all my loue and all his teares After my patience and his creeping smiles My long long sufferance and his thankefull vowes After all these ô God my bosome groanes To thinke that after all such boundlesse good Hee wish'd to sucke vpon my royall bloud EVP. The subtle wretch in mischiefe did reioyce And was corrupted by the peoples voyce HYA. True they corrupt whom they still hope to please The peoples physicke doth enflame disease MEN. Foule vengeance choake the people and their loue They doe deiect whom they aduance aboue The peoples suffrage to a rising youth Is like their folly at a publicke Stage Striuing to purchase a dumbe audience By multitude of clamour they suppose Peace is engendred by still crying peace As if confusion did by murmure cease So they imagine by their open mouth To make a Gyant though but scarce a man They speake him vertuous bountifull and wise Hoping polluted breath might Canonize Whom they with durty palmes do seeme to raise And bind his Temples with their stinking baies No they but make him dizzy deafe
where witnesse bawdy hand or seale To broken Titles be restoratiue But matchlesse in their eminence of birth Not sprung from petty page or foot-boyes race Onely remou'd to fill vp vacant place And rob iudiciall statesmen of deserts To whom by Nations law all fame reverts No my assailants be both rich and wise Two qualities scarce analogicall Yet my oppugnant enemies haue both Rich wise and nobly borne nay fauourites Men of an aequall iudgement with my selfe Ingenious they be though Flatterers Who with calumnious faction doe depraue My potent fortunes making birth a slaue My foes be great therefore I am dismaid And to incounter great ones am afraid HY. What huge Antaus may of conquest brag Who ouercomes a Pigmey or insults Ouer a simple wretch condemn'd to chaines May loues owne Eagle stoope at stinking flyes And suffer Owles to penetrate the skies Well did that mighty Indian dog deserue Whom neither Bucke mad Bull nor threatning Boare Could from the kennell make to rise before A stout couragious Lyon king of strength Irefull enough with vengeance in his iawes Prepar'd for single combat boldly then Like a resolued Champion forth he flew And the Maiesticke Lyon fiercely slew Giue me a man whom neither multitude Nor meanes to worke reuenge can terrifie Who though incompass'd with corriuall foes Immur'd with aduerse competitors Left eu'n amidst the circumuenting Iawes Of greedy hounds and hunters policy Can like a whirle-winde in despight of those Who with vnaequall faction dare oppose Fly through the thickest make their big-swolne mawes Leuell with stinking lakes and ditches deepe Like a Colossus though they stood before Who may esteeme it an inglorious act Rather who thinkes the valour not deuine Which through a banded troope of enemies Doth like some bolt of thunder flye apace And force withstanding obiects to giue place Men of your size being vrg'd with insolence Of peeuish statists aemulating pride A humor most vnnecessary ill Should like the murdering Chain-shot driue downe-hill Castles and rockes although impregnable Make mountaines stoope before you rend vp Okes Buffet large Atlas with incessant strokes Though the supporter of Olympus frame Till heau'n and earth begge rescue for the same Yet shallow great-men they must wise-men seeme For noble births doe liue by peoples breath Nor may the priuiledge of birth redeeme Our aestimation subiect still to death Bee theerfore wise wisedome who dares condeme If not by nature then by stratagem MA. Thou' art yong Hirudo resolute and wise A plyant apprehension soone will rise Remember now thy naturall good parts Thinke if they serue to reconcile the doubt Of my ensuing mischiefe prethee thinke If thou darst venture boldly to remoue My foes from bounty of Maenanders loue Which till the blinded King doe abrogate Each foole may from my fortunes derogate Combine thy powers and ingenious parts To salue the wound of my disgrace which smarts And be my creature meditate withall Our now-declining ioyes to re-install And be my creature satisfie the King By some corrupted meanes or anything And bee my creature may some new deuise Purchas'd by Magicke Art and hellish prise Wholly avert the puny Kings beliefe From our opponents tales which doe in chiefe Poyson my merits ô abolish those And bee my creature or indeed deere slaue I will bee thine doe but imploy some care To best aduantage of thy agent-skill Remember then thou art my creature still HY. Know then I loue thee Duke and must preferre Thy fortunes though I doe confiscate all Whom Gods will not releiue inuention shall Act. 1. Scoen. 4. LVCILLA HYRVDO LESBIA The King my brother No my brother clowne Malitious coxcombe peeuish Spartan-foole Death brided ô my torments LES. Madam know He is contract already LV. To a whore The strumpet Favorina HY. Hearke iust heauen She railes vpon a virgin whose pure soule Might giue example of true chastity To her owne spotted leprous infamy LES. Now old Hyarchus laughes LV. Her father yes A rotten Magistrate who may thanke warme clothes Caudels and physicke for each rising Sunne Which he poore man is made partaker of His daughter must be married to the King So I degraded must acknowledge one Aboue vs in our female properties Be boundlesse my exclaimes and terrible Curses assemble your offensiue rage And helpe a womans fury to disgorge The poyson of her stomacke in the face Of a most spightfull brother whose designe Is vnto me a purge so laxatiue As my vnable body will be spent With bitter execrations ô I feele The storme of vengeance wrestle in my bloud Tempting my soule to bee more great then good O may the horror of some fatall knife Finish the blessings of my brothers wife May she liue loath'd or neuer may she liue Till heauens vnto my happinesse shall giue A freedom to insult and tyrannize Vpon that impious whore that Cockatrize O may new mischiefe tread vpon the heeles Of terrour to affront the ioy she feeles Let some infernall Negromanticke charme Change their expected happinesse to harme Let many clouds salute their nuptiall morne With ominous affrights in way of scorne The height of mischife makes my sorrow sound As Opo-balsum doth a bleeding wound HY. O the rude licence of a womans rage Who her malignant discords can presage So let her vanish and her gall vnmaske Till wee accomplish our appointed taske Act. 1. Scoen. 5. HYRVDO MENANDER FAVORINA HYARCHVS PHEVDIPPE MALINDO EVPHORBVS HIPPONAX LICTOR My sorry conscience doth recoyle old men Worthy Malindo did inforce my vow To proue delinquent rather then oppose My dreaded soueraignes life an impious act Vrg'd by the cunning of more impious age O then submit with poenitentiall teares Confesse your age offends the King through feares Omn. Magistr. Our age offend the King we vrge this act HY. Of murther yes you loue Monopolies Om. Mag. Subtill distraction LIC. Silence ME. Hipponax Hyarchus we disclaime your subtilties FAVO. My father so reiected MEN. Queene forbeare Malindo is our faithfull favourite MA. In thy protection let our kingdome liue MEN. Welcome braue Duke be euer mine belou'd Accounted in the chiefest scarlet ranke Of vnderstanding Iudices we thanke Your noble and magnanimous resolue Your charitable vndertaking be aduanc'd And euer in my bosome you are loyall MAL. Daigne mighty Monarch but experience ME. Your loue already hath in ample sort Giu'n testimoniall enough be grac'd And euer happy in our high account Another subiect Officer I haue Pheudippe cal'd on whom the graces smile A man so absolute in my approofe That Nature hath reseru'd small dignity Which he enioyes not Welcome friend approch Forsake the Citie euer dwell in Court Nay neerer in my bosome we obserue Your manifest indeuour diligence And all industrious faculties that lodge Themselues in thee with a true correspondence Wee note your proiects and esteeme them highly PHE. I seruile groome put forth small industry Excepting what I owe in subiects duty MEN. My father in the latest sillable Of his weake vt'trance did inculcate
But Gracchus I am rather confident Then scrupulous of thy square honesty Gracchus I loue thee therefore will bestow An annuall pension of sixe hundred pounds And must withall imploy thee GRA. In a taske That may require my soule then I beseech thee May stretch sincerity with tenters ô Impose an ample burthen ô some taske That will suruey the depth of loue indeed Favour beyond mans merit doth exact A most vn-quenched seruor not his vow But sinewes actiue and a sweating brow My life lyes prostrate to praedominance Of your commanding voyce I will bestow My reeking blood in recompence of loue Ready without all first or second cause I wish some Doctor in extremity Of vn-knowne sicknesse which may seize vpon Your most respectiue honour would prescribe The marrow of a man medicinall You should not be indebted to the bones Of a forsaken caitife new condemn'd Whose pocky pith might be infectiue No My supple fingers should vnloose a ioynt From off this flexile carkasse I would bruise A luculent and lushious mari-bone The best I can stile proper to appease The sharpe divulsions of such new disease AMI. Gracchus who giues not credence to a zeale Of thy profession wee account him base Be chiefe among my chiefest followers They shall receiue directions from thy selfe Withdraw and punish those enormities Which my famêlicke roofe is tainted with And which abusiue ages do afforde A zeale sincere the Gods cannot reproue And we ere-long will manifest out loues Let vs inculcate now my fathers charge Remember what with vehemence was vrgd Nay was enioyned you Mantofio By our most watchfull father MAN I exspect Vpon deliuery of his closet keyes AMIL. Take them and prosper pray be vigilant Reuolue I pray on how large consequence The bare euent and sequell of our hopes Ioyntly consist who iointly haue embark'd The doubtfull hazard of our deerest liues Vpon a small miscarriage onely fiue Participate of our designes my selfe But first my father then my step-dame next You Steward and the Captaine of the Guard Whose happy full consent is scarce obtain'd Wee seuerally haue instructions learn't Of each particular function haue agreed How each conspirator shall be employed Time cals for speedy action the square plot Doth now transcend a shapelesse Embrio And will expect vpon deliuery You haue engag'd a wise dexterity And trauaile to procure the famishment To puruey to collect aestiuall corne Which Haruest will enrich the Rusticks with My taske intends surprisall of the Queene Be carefull take the keyes expend the wealthe Which long hath bene vp-hoorded traitors all Like cunning Statuaries must auoide Blemish and eye-sores you conceiue me sir Successiue businesse needs no roweld spur Treason like some insculpture spacious On a smooth touch-stone will demand men wise A diligent perusall most precise With an elaborate artificer Who may direct for 't is infallible That errors in a beauteous frame though small And at another time though veniall Yet if committed in a curious peece Where blemish might by sufferance ensue The totall is condemn'd and caru'd a new Be white or blacke not party-coulour'd gray So follow your commission poast away Now my contentious braine re-uolue the taxe Impos'd vpon thy blessing to surprise And spoyle the ruddy blossome of our age Faire Fauourina that Angel-like dame A Equall for beauty for vnmatched fame With Saint-like Venus by Appelles drawne This Queenes espousals haue I vndertooke To dis-vniite by a most impious act Of murther but alas I am enthral'd With true libidinous feruor am enforc'd By lustfull hot inuasions to decline Which punctually tempt me to a-uoide The colourable death of whom I loue Our sweete Cycnaean Goddesse the faire Queene Whose body I 'le enioy with priuiledge I will enioy with hazard of my death Whilst euery man imagine shee is dead Gracchus the Eunuch did I entertaine Commodiously fore-casting an exploit Where-with to muffle vp the serpent-eyes Of probable suspicion Like the Fuller Who cannot liue by cloth must liue by colour But see obserue the beautifull approach Of my commanding obiect blesse mee fate Act. 2. Scoen. 7. AMILCAR FAVORINA ANCILLAE FAV. What makes Amilcar so obesequious Damsels depart AMIL. Yes rather so then maids FAV. Amilcar AMI. Madam FA. Thy graue countenance Truss'd vp in such a formall cognisance With front compos'd so perpendicular Directing steady aime at open gaze Your longing silence doth detect as if The businesse should concerne my audience In-faith in-faith you are dis-consolate AMI. Yes but my meaning is emaculate Like the forgotten primitiue attempts When all things were accounted innocence O might the wrath-full arrogance of some Who by a peeuish-tutor'd vehemence Conspire in habite of corriuallship Against one pious beauty be so farre From preiudiciall meaning as my selfe The age and Kingdome both might liue secure Madam I can discose a prodigee That appertaines to you FV. Deliuer it AMI. Haue you then female fortitude enough A most resolued courage to conceiue To apprehend a passion that will wound Nay penetrate the fabricke of the soule Shoote through the center of thy trembling bloud Infuse fiue shaking palsies mutuall Before I finish the first period FA. Giue then a quicke release I am resolu'd Tormênt mee not with idle circumstance Begin this tale of prodigy AMI. Heark hea'un How carelesse shee accounts of accident Griefe and this woman be familiar I thinke and well acquainted FAV. VVhen begins The prodigie you spake of AMIL. 'T will amaze The organs of attention Madam yet Seeing you enforce and couet misery You shall no longer be with-held then thus But I beseech thee Queene remember well These admonitions that exemplefy The horror of my following discourse Imagine whilst you doe ingurgitate My poyson'd soppes the beauty of your sence Of your ingenious parts all donatiues Of Natures bounty and the Gods aboue Imagine they 'le be chang'd with violence VVith vnresisted lunacy so long Vntill each spirit leaue her function Till with a surfet you sur-sease to liue Neglecting mundane solace be trans-form'd Into a liuelesse image all thy veines And vitall arteries being stop'd with feare Thus much remember Queene I do prae-mise FA. Amplifications yet begin begin AMI. VVith all remember you right noble Queene VVho may attend my tale are but a woman FA. And whether will your prolixê Lord-ship amble To the worlds end I thinke in preamble That after all you may anew begin AMI. No my compendious Lady heere 's an end Obstinate silence is the safest whip To punish a peruerse disciple with FA. Are you enraged iolly sir i' faith O be appeasd leaue ambiguities Finish thy tale man AMI. VVorthy Madam no Your supple phrase shall not againe recouer One vowell of narration FAV. O abrupt Yes my blunt youth if torment may vnbind Your costiue silence know I will recouer The whole narration if deuulsiue rackes Haue not forsooke the Kingdome if the King Will hearken to my spatious complaint Or yeeld with exoration of his Queene AMIL. Your spatious ô then Arithmeticke
too-open-breasted for this age And so the world doth honest men account By way of high reproach PHE. Smooth Orator Ingeniously well worded is thy speech May not the sequele perish now proceed LAE. To supper you 'le inuite this honest King Hee not mis-doubting home-bred violence With a select strong millitary troupe I and the Guard together will inuade Murther a-midst the cups and Magistrates Him who shall surfet of each fatall wound Shall rather dye then see Pheudippe crown'd PHE. Captaine thy apprehension is acute Thus bounty will oblige men resolute With-draw your seuerall reward is future A pregnant Pupill thriues without his Tutor Act. 3. Scoen. 2. MENANDER PHEVDIPPE HYARCHVS HIPPONAX EVPHORIUS HY. The popular inuectiue doth exclaime Vpon Pheudippe sweare with open voyce Hee bred this famine PHE. Am I then betraid Will my sage Steward turne delinquent ha MEN. Can my Pheudippe proue disloyall no Doth hee intend subuersion of my state EV. Wee may consult of war-like discipline Amidst our heigth of solace though secure Although at league with euery Potentate Who sits enthron'd vpon the spacious Orbe So may wee well aduise your Maiesty To haue a watchfull ouer-looking spy Vpon your haughty Duke though innocent Though in himsefe obsequiously bent Learning aduanc'd may proue iudicious But if mis-ledde extremely vitious ME. Tell mee my proper Genius may proue false My bloud become a traitor to my life The issue of my loines degenerate Say this right hand conspires against my head Tell mee the Gods whom I adore neglect Religion doe forbid all sacrifice And I beleeue you but the villaines lye Who dare imagine my Pheudippe false In-faith I am affraid you do abuse My honest friends integrity too much Pheudippe false my bosome-counsellour The earth will shake at such a prodigy Some Phaeton shall mount the Chariot Of our vp-rising Phoebus and enflame The world againe each widdow shall conceiue Without mans aide fiue dragons at a birth All threatning this impossible euent Ere I do entertaine a sillable Of your sug-gestion though the Gods descend Though they admonish my credulity In speciall to beware of whom wee speake And call him traitor ô I should reply Within the bounds I feare of blasphemy See how hee walks perplex'd with agony My anger shall im-proue his patience Pheudippe PHE. Doth my dread Soueraigne call MEN. What doth my demi-selfe Pheudippe doe PHE. Beshrew my melancholique dumps I doe Which preter-mit Menanders Maiesty Without obeysance whilst I walke secure In a blind corner thus extrauagant ME. His aro-maticke breath perfumes the aire The spicy fields where gossa-moure doth grow Haue not one vapour halfe so redolent I must for fashion chide him fatherly Friend friend you are ambitous of rule Report exclaimes vpon your dignity All attribute the times calamity Of dearth to you the Authour who ingrosse Heapes of prouision without reall cause I must not winke at fraudulent abuse Done to my Subiects rather abuse mee Thou mightst enioy full many blessed yeares Liue in an aequall happinesse with mee Rather then thus neglect my sincere loue And loose the hope of our munificence Do not I pray deserue that infamy VVith which our scandalizing age condemnes Thy whole endeuours ô redeeme the losse Of Loyalty a thing so pretious Reiect those machinations infinite VVith which the people charge thee I conceale The horrour of a rage so violent As some censorious Critticks haue adiug'd To dwell within thy bosome prethee thinke Whether I do deserue thy impious hand To thrust me from a lineall descent Or being downe deserue thy helping hand To rescue and vphold my primacy PHE. Some better Angell be auspicious Vnto my naked answere mighty King Your deepe discretion may with ease collect Though I were dumb and did through silence purge This weighty accusation that per-force To publicke censure all authority Is often subiect so ir-regular Be sudden apprehensions as vpright And politicke proceedings are condemn'd The Prudent fam'd for ignominious Mad Authors of sicke innovation Though not resolued how this language meanes I do in ample and with open tearmes Confesse the crime suppos'd not culpable Though burthen'd with ambition I confesse A dutious loue vnto the Common-weale Hath bred my damage Ouer-diligence May summon actiue zeale to a defence Which doth appeare in my ill-tun'd event As you perceiue or call me insolent The famous Art of Mathe-maticke Rules Wherein my ignorance will never boast A singularity of knowledge or conceit Did by infallible demonstrations Fore-signifie this famine ô resolue Whether then by the law of Nations I be accomptable vnto the Gods For this pretended accusation Seeing to the safety of our Common-weale A prouidence coniecturall hath vrg'd My whole indevour If vnto the Gods I am excus'd what impudence will dare With false-hood to accuse my innocence For those designes which Gods allow ne're can Be in themselues offensiue vnto man Know therefore vpon hopefull prae-science I did ingage a new dexterity To counteruaile the famishment fore-knowne I did ingrosse provision did expend Twelue-months revenew to accomplish corne Ill be my paines acquited worse my loue Which labours in the common cause may proue Thus imputations are too vsuall And bad constructions are authenticall Some Kings to manifest praedominance Accumulate on subiects heavy wealth Honour aboue de-merit offices Popular Cities and in-franchis'd Townes Nay whole dominions Dukedomes they 'le bestow And raise a simple Mushrom to the height Of any monarch's due magnificence Till by excesse of labour sweate of braines Hee hath enrich'd his beggerly estate Then like a full-ripe Orenge or indeed Like a deceitfull spunge whose empty pores The owner doth replenish hee must looke To feele a sudden crush a nip will squease Him who pretends hee may be rich and please If then my Title ô iuditious King My now desertlesse wealth or eminence Which by especiall fauour I enioy Which freely were bestow'd long since if these Shall be accounted error and offence Or be imputed to my sawcinesse I doe submit and will my crime confesse If your vn-reprehended sapience Thinke it a pollicy expedient I l'e runne to exile dye in banishment Liue like a scritch-owle in some secret caue Turne errant caitife and so dye a slaue If you suppose it bee availe-able Or to diminish or annihilate To dis-anull or to abbreviate My large allowance if you doe account The base degrading of a loyall peere Will giue aduantage and security To your successiue regiment may which Continue to the worlds aeternity If thus you doe imagine dreaded Liege Loe I will prostrate fall and aske a boone Begge that the heads-mans Axe may ouer-take May with a bloody sentence mee salute With willing voyce and a more willing arme Would I the messenger of death re-greet Till then most lowly kisse your graces feet ME. Arise my faithfull honourer arise Good honest soule thy language would enforce The Cannibals to turne compassionate I will trans-mit thee into Scythia To Pontus to the fierce vn-tamed Getes Till with a fluent phrase
and mad Whom they desire to make a demi-god Their multitudes of clamour doe beget A most vn-cured swimming of the head For so the rules of ringing do agree Confusion euer spoiles a harmony What Cox-combe now dares call Menander mad Doe not I pray abuse mee noble boyes Although I be a Poet all men know I neuer writ of Cupids whirligig Of amorous conceites nor daliance And iust so long as Poets will abstaine From foolish loue and Cupids Diety The Poets Art is counted Piety But if the tenor of a loue-sicke Theame Stuffe rotten Volumnes then the Author 's mad Or Moone-sicke some iudicious booke-men say Though others amid earnest allow play EVP. Alas good King what sudden ouer-throw Distracts poore weakenesse by a little woe ME. Who talks of woe did you sweete passenger Open thy case if it bee parallel Let 's liue co-partners in some vgly shade Where none but melancholy night-rauens keepe There let 's complaine but breath being silent weep Not farre from hence low in a humble Caue My little cottage stands deuoide of care Finely en-compass'd with a pleasant waue Drest vp with Daisies Cow-slips Hyacinths And many thousand pretty pretty things Which Nature lends me while the black-bird sings Foure Goats I haue which browze vpon the twigs Two did relinquish mê for I had six One seem'd a Lambe which was indeed a Wolfe Him did my dog discouer kill and eate EV. Wee doe discouer all thy weakenesse King To helpe is hard to weepe an easy thing ME. Dares then thy blistred tongue audacious foole Forget all duty and disturbe a Duke Impudent Asse I do degrade thy eares And thee from all imployment be an Asse At large and carry loaues like Lucius Deserue a Cudgell and a biting spurre Be dull and sluggish in extremities Till I bestow a Rose or any thing To make thy suddaine metamorphosis EV. It 's made already King and I will kisse Your dainty plame then laugh and Poetize Cast of my robe and act old Lucius Or Messala Coruino daunce I will And after sixty Summers will I doate So change my garment for a mimickes coate Captiues repine at their compulsiue thrall Who then sweete Mistresse may me Captiue call Though conquer'd I confesse Yet voide of heauinesse For-bearance makes my freedome At length to bee more welcome When with compassion thou shalt pitty Mee or approue my harmelesse Ditty If ransome you require Tell mee thy chiefe desire What is it I would not giue thee Make triall and beleeue mee Ransome though you refuse Or at the least excuse Yet to the latest of a thousand liues I will reioyce in loue triumph in giues OM. Age is become a yong in-amorate ME. Laugh laugh infernall furies leape for ioy Make mee a flaming Chariot I will ride Vpon the wings of potent Lucifer And stile like lightning through th' amazed Orbe Thunder shall be my Page and Aeolus Leade vp my Coach-horse to big Titans Hall Where in that faire Assembly of the Gods Glistering with golden robes Pontificall I must a volume of large thankes recite And a petition to dame Luna write All for thy sweete acquaintance Messala Whom I adore and much will dignify Those who pertake in rauish'd lunasy EV. So then wee are companions lusty ladde ME. Till daring Ioue dissolue the Vniuerse Till the last reuolution of this Orbe EV. Till Citizens accounted ciuill knaues To cheating custome be no longer slaues ME. Till sige authentickes of vn-spotted liues Leaue baudy Panderisme to their willing wiues EV. Then faith til Courtiers too with satten sleeues Renownce all begging and be arrant theeues ME. Till Taylors like-wise made of shreds and shelues Enrich the debtor to vn-doe themselues EVP. Till the most gallant Ladies of the Court Esteeme deuotion there abused sport ME. Then 'faith till Players Poets Ape and Asse Spend all they get from Iune to Michaelmas EVP. So then for euer shall wee liue like friends Thou must forgiue though Messala offends HIP: What can exceed these miracles of age Whose actions might againe reuiue the stage A Common councell must protect the State Till mad Menander haue atton'd his fate Till Cinthia her punishment release And giue Manander leaue to rule in peace Act. 4. Scoen. 3. MANTESIO MENANDER EVPHORBVS LAELIO PERILLVS Whither ô whither and to what extreames Doe the most waking Gods driue guilty men MAN Who liues to know obtaines a blessed age But hee a curse who knowledge doth abuse Subtle temptation must not make men erre With iudgement though approvall may conferre Kingdomes of wealth which is impossible So gotten to continue if well paid O since I knew the folly to aduise And nourish vp the rude infirmities Of each voluptuous Epicure in state Striuing to take dependance from the smile Of an imperious fauorite weake shame Neuer till now oppress'd mee and I sweare Did not the sword of iustice now strike home I would encounter shame with fortitude But a discarded woe the common plague Of seruile age eeu'n dead with misery Hath after long for-bearance seiz'd on mee Pheudippes death was fatall to my life Because neglected by his liuing wife ME. Haue I then caught thy vn-appeased soule Tell mee come tell mee wicked wretch declare Why hast thou broken holy friend-ships vow Speake damned vermin each true accent tell For wee 'le vn-rip thy bosome spight of hell Speake thou contemptuous varlet doe not striue And shake thy limbs with vn-expressed feare For trembling slaue my hand shall catch thy haire Hold thee perforce with chaines of adamant Till thy audacious shadow quaking seeth If hands be weary I can hold by teeth MAN But ô Iudicious ME. Villaine I abhorre The hatefull sound of thy be-witching voyce Keepe in thy clamorous eccho coniurer And cease with Magicke to enchant our sence Or I will sindge thy beard off with my breath O you damn'd fawning Rascall canst thou shake And tremble after all thy infamy Thou thanklesse rotten-hearted-slaue thou snake Did I deserue suppression tell mee Foxe You temporising Courtier that 's enough Hee needs not call thee knaue nor Sycophant And ir-religious Iew that cals thee so For thou didst study these thinking to proue A learned Polititian that 's a diuell A most abortiue monster strangely made With long huge hornes a crafty Foxes head A Lyons posture and extended eares With eighty soules and hearts like little egs But with a Camels backe and Tygers legs Wanting a breast-bone like the sauage Beare So climbe hee doth and curry vp the rockes Mounting the tops of straight Pyramides But when hee tumbles like a smitten Tower Declining softly to an omenous dearth First will his head salute the shaking earth The blacke remembrance of thy fatall end Makes my assertion true thee a false-friend MA. O pacifye great King ME. Your yawning voice With a full concord of my furious palme If you produce another syllable You most notorious caitife you mad curre Thou Polititians dog did I aduance Thy ragged fortunes to degrade my selfe Make thee a
The copious fountaine for a silent teare Doth apprehend the quicke but neuer howle Forsake mee now and leaue me desolate I would revolue the lessons of my state Act. 4. Scoen. 4. THE GHOST OF PHEVDIPPE MENANDER Vp from earths lodging and those rotten sculs Buried in embers till the earth awake Wrapt in my funerall-ashes safe reseru'd I doe arise from rude antiquity To begge but pardon as a mid-nights almes Feeling the horror of my fault immence Which doth exceed in nature all offence I come Maenander ME. Who Menander cal's What hidden Diuell dares molest my muse PHE. Denounce thy iudgement with a milder tune I come Maenander ME. Death to my soule what comes Who comes or how do'st come inuisible PH. I come with meeknesse ME. Why or whence dost come Damnation ouertake thee what 's thy name Shadow of Stygian horror what 's thy name Intruder know thy distance keepe aloofe Come not within sixe yards vpon the price And perill of an vn-avoided charme By which and thousand other potent spels The magicke Herball oyntments numbers odde By trans-mutations mid-nights Iucubus Squint-ey'd Ericthon soule of Hecate I doe con-iure thee tell and not mistake How fares Pheudippe of the Stygian lake PHE. O I am hee a spirit of despaire Compact by loues decree of cloudy aire I am the wretch who was in life a span But in excesse of crime a crooked man ME. Blesse the good stars aboue thou guilty theefe Which doe in-close thee with a robe of clouds Spight of protection else and coats of steele The tempest of my passion thou shouldst feele Thunder and lightning should not dare with-stand To take due vengeance from my fatall hand PHE. My tortures be aboue thy humane gesse The torment of my soule who may expresse My comforts now be multitudes of paine Viewing a number infinite of soules Which stuste the dampish pit with piercing howles Restlesse they tumble hoping to get ease And more they moue out-rage doth more increase Wee raile at our conception curse the skye And in the face of heau'n spit blasphemy Wee all enioy a most impatient curse Yet all suppose our owne paine shall the worse Motion doth vexe vs sitting still doth vexe Torment no age escapes no sumptuous sexe ME. Did thy ambitious height incurre all this PHE. My falshood flattery and a Courtiers life The fountaines to all sorrow did infect My soule with a disease vn-curable ME. I doe indeed forgiue thee therefore tell Compassion to the Purseuant of hell Say I forgiue thee and on that dis-charge Command the crabbed Iaylor to in-large Thy long and lowlie thraldome often say I doe forgiue thee false vngracious man O often-times repeat the King forgives Often repeat as an exemplar thing Thou hast obtain'd forgiuenesse of a King For a tall grant-error an offence Made monstrous bigge by circumstance contempt In a degree aboue comparison Yet I forgiue those capitall crimes done If thou attainted be with some offence Equall in nature to this high contempt Goe then accurs'd till I redeeme thee goe Accounted worthy of damnations woe But because officers do sting like bees Say I forgiue thee and will pay thy fees Few plaintifes or appellants doe the like Though I without a iudgement will release Errors escap'd from youth so liue in peace PHE. But I am past repentance royall sir And so thy pardon is like bounty giuen To beggers dead or med'cines ill-bestow'd On separated members like vaine life Purchas'd by seales and writings after death And execution of a guilty theefe There 's no capacity for dead reliefe Kings clad with numerous titles cannot giue Promethean fire to make a dead man liue Pardon of Kings no benefite may deale Except it passe by a superiour seale Surfets and rupture to be dumbe and blinde Acknowledge Art but surfets of the minde And rupture in affections forcing ill Know none aboue but a free gouern'd will Which if it proue re-misse mans powerfull fate Carries him head-long to my damn'd estate The ship-wrack'd Pilot may discerne a shelfe But euery foole vn-cheated cheats himselfe Aduance thy pale desires looke fresh and big Thinke on revenge cleare thy contracted brow Be sensible of wrong and worthy know My false co-partners liue who did conspire And frame the bellowes of ambitious fire Amilcar liues my some Lucilla liues Thy subtill sister old Mantesio liues All my adhaerents all competitors In mischiefe most well-knowne conspirators Yet all suruiue in safety traytors liue Thinke on revenge I doe aduise thee well Sleepe not vpon thy proiects if thou want Opinion of a friend heare mee a supplicant Levell inuention with a speedy aime Till thou the cunning of such knaues reclaime ME. My sister false Amilcar such a knaue Who indeed is but is affections slaue PH. And none but him iudgements incounter can Although aspersions touch the honest man Remember these my motiues morning peepes The day no dilatory time doth giue To eccho forth at large thy Queene doth liue ME. Doth Fauorina liue deere shadow stay PHE. My absence is enforc'd through rising day ME. Split then in peeces thou pernitious toade My plagues deminish to augment thy load My Queene sur-viue ioynt-cause of all my woe Of all my anger blasphemy and rage Is shee reseru'd doth Fauorina liue Whose absence made me raile at Cinthia O I haue swallow'd poyson which torments All my distracted veines with agony A griefe continuing without all re-lease Consumption of my paine breeds paines increase Now for ob-noxious compounds to possesse The soule with euerlasting lethargy Ransome of thousand Kings would I exchange Or like a beast humanity estrange O for inchanted Peppei or the iuice Of drunken Hemlocke to lay soules asleepe I 'de like a Serpent on our belly creepe Licking each humble shrub and carelesse feed Vpon the stubble of each stinking weed Shreike ô the mid-night-mandrakes voyce aloud So may the horror of that piercing sound Turne soule and body both alike to ground Pel-mel together my affections fight Each conquer each some scudd away by flight Act. 4. Scoen. 5. AMILCAR Coynes and Lust arch-enemies to loue Combat apace within my youthfull bloud Feare to attempt my vn-experienc'd wish Tels me with what a coy and constant face The Queene will start in motiues of my lust For I no better Title can bestow On our audacious meaning lust abounds Free from all apprehension of that loue Which simple-meaning youths do still protest And vow to virgin-chastity but I Who am inflam'd with ambiguity Will not imbarque a faithlesse vow so farre As evaporate promise which infects Beyond fierce natures lust and stabs my fame Because rich Nature although couetous Loth to conferre a full satiety Of goodnesse vpon me her suppliant Hath yet impos'd one vertue aboue all In promise euer to disdaine the breach Though strict obseruance do my weale impeach Yes I preferre the violent attache Of maiden-head before false promises For all can witnesse rape 's a thing in act So there 's an end We
to in-counter those For all without him though by troups they come Cannot offend who is in peace at home Amilcar Madam is now riding post Vpon exact imployments his returne Is doubtfull therefore to auoid delay The loue and duty of my zeale obey A friend in whom I claime full interest Doth giue attendance to accompany Your Grace till I can trusse a fardell vp And follow FA. What 's thy friend GR. A Fencer GLA. I am ingag'd vpon fidelity And must preserue you from hostility Eeu'n to the latest of a mortall life I will defend thee widdow maide or wife FA. My new redemption is a doubtfull taske You both doe promise more then I will aske And though my squint-ei'd fortune looke ascaunce Yet heau'n will succour my deliuerance Which being once purchas'd proud Amilcars lust Shall vanish into Salamanders dust GRA. Put on the wings of speed flie fast away I follow Madam before peeping day Act. 5. Scoen. 2. GRACCHVS AMILCAR SERVI Successe attend her till I soone dispatch And speedily escape Amilcars rage Saddle my horse and fetch my Caskets hoe Seruants make ready I must ride to Athens All men desirous to preuent quicke fate Scorne aboue all things to procrastinate Watch there without like busy centinels And on my Lords returne see some fore-tels SER. Hee is return'd already doth approach Saith you may trauaile in his new Caroch GRA. Yes to the diuell death is hee return'd I am vndone I am vndone good genius Helpe mee good Angels be auspicious Or I shall perish past recouery Senge mee some lightning though in-visible O burne my bleeding heart consume consume Flye from my nosthrils an infectious fume Stop all my organs ô commisserate The bad mis-fortune of a poore estate Hee comes hee comes AM. Gracchus my deere how dost What answere makes my Goddesse doth shee melt Doth she recant and aske my pardon speake GRA. No I am troubled with a falling rhume AMI. Fetch forth Pigmalious Image I will doate And so become Cupids Idolater Stay Gracchus wee will both accompany Her sacred passage to the publicke aire What shaking palsie doth detaine thy steps Where is the Queene speake trembling coward speake GRA. She ouer-came mee with incessant teares To those I yeelded ô forgiue my feares AM. Yeelded base caitife be our hopes all dead My labour lyes delusion studied care All turn'd to smoake through yeelding of a drudge All our ingagements my beneuolence My proiects aimes and large gratuities All come to this the center of my thoughts My double trickes and cunny-catching-slights All come to this the rich faelicity Whereon my faith was grounded come to this Come gastly horror to consummate all Adde ruine like-wise to my wit-lesse fall O my loud curse delusion was my baite And I am now deluded learning failes No new inuented stratageme auailes And vertue I am not accquainted with O you damn'd rogue 't is holliday at home You hope the Queene sir will aduance you high And hope so still but very very knaue I will dis-ioint your eleuated hopes And make you sir an Alcibiades The Queene departed GRA. Pitty did preuaile For shee did weepe nor did of passion faile Her eyes good Lady did with weeping smart Which made mee giue her licence to depart AMI. I am vndone you fragment I 'me vndone I am detected whither shall I runne The haruest of my long laborious toyle Now I haue swom through death and swallow'd fire Giu'n doubtfull fury a most braue repulse Put backe suspence and all approaching feares Almost concluded things impossible Made smooth my way and tilted in the face Of frowning mischiefe ready to take place Now now is all sub-verted I am lost In a large Wood a winding laborinth I am excluded from all natiue power Am like the rubbish of a ruin'd Tower I am abus'd I am to death betrai'd By thee a doctor villaine not afrai'd To sweare mee homage and vn-lace my heart The blessings of your body breath and soule Be so engag'd as their existence knowes Not one redeemer among all the Gods Fabulous things to you except my selfe Thus did you sweare and swore I gaue thee life Nay did bestow a whole creations worke Vpon thee offal-caitiffe who ador'd Impression of my foote-steps that was all Exspecting hourely on the happy time When I should dare command what you durst doe When with aduantage I would but pronounce O Gracchus giue mee of thy bloud an ounce Thus did you sweare you dog-day-villaine thus And yet your actions bee malicious Teach mee some diuell to torment the rogue Else take the righteous rigor of his fault Into the depth of hels extremity Rescue ô rescue this offending wretch Some powers aboue from my most fatall-wrath For to afflict thee as the crime deserues Would loose a double part in Paradice Yet must I punish thee thou Spiders-gall SER. The toade and spider cannot chuse but brawle AM. I must you creeping cur and would refuse Rather to be a God then to forgiue A thing so capitall and thou escape But an arch-diuell would I euer bee A fiend of horrour beneath all degree Eate flames and brimstone to beget mee fierce That with astonish'd fury I might pierce And split each sinew feare thy plumpest vaine So racke thy feeling with perpetuall paine GRA. O feele compassion for I do repent AMI. Repent compassion I would rather whip My weakned carcasse with a Scorpions taile Dwell in a nest of Adders make them sting Till patience could endure then wash my wounds With burning pitch and lamp-oile bath in leade Or make a poultice of some swelling toad Rather then take one cruell thought from load GRA. Your meanace and commotion do torment Aboue all suffering ô I will repent Sixe thousand times a day deuoure my flesh Feede vpon frogs or quaffe downe aconite Kisse and embrace a fearefull Succubus If you but leaue to terrifie mee thus AM. No theeuish tumbler leaue thy cheating tricks And sweare allegeance to some puny Lord Make those beleeue that lacke intelligence For I am lasht with true experience Though on thy bosome thou wouldst therefore crawle And like a Serpent liue vpon the dust Though by continuall creeping thou didst weare Thy breast and belly so become submisse In a most new degree didst licke pathes cleane Where I should walke and scrape away the filth Imploy each seruile sinew to my ends Yet you and I must neuer more be friends Fill flat vpon thy face thou paracide Fall downe as ready captiue to abide Our indignation which in child-birth lies Big with a thousand swelling lunacies Expecting all to be deliuered out And by vexation of thy falling strength To be an orbe in bredth an age in length Fall thou condemned Shismaticke and charme The killing rage of my aduanced arme For I shall proue so desperately mad And full of rigor in my sharpe reuenge As to reuolue the terrour of my doome Phansy doth tremble but my rage makes roome Falie wretch I must forget humanity And fall acquainted
in mee O thou vn-thankfull Greece Helmets and launces bee my Orators Thou art indebted to my braue designes Past restitution let some Souldier speake And call thee Bankrout for I am abus'd Will you admit a rivall then saith hee In my magnanimous aimes to conquer mee Will you admit Vlysses LAE. They approach ME. Shall eu'ry coward be competitor With Princes of such potent fortitude Such high descent such saintish pedigree As Greece can tell I Aiax doe enioy For Ioue and all the Gods acknowledge mee My arme hath whole share in the dust of Troy PER. True Aiax true take double share in dust But for Achilles now contend we must ME. Contend with me thou creeping snaile with me Whom wrathfull Hector on his Elephant Mounted like Neptune on the cursed waues Loath to incounter did forsake the field Through his faire absence did the Troians yeeld PE. But Aiax wise men know selfe-arrogance Is still instructed sir to amplifie ME. Fie prating coxcombe what a senslesse foole A stupid wretch and suffring Asse am I To enter-change the aire and empty voice With such a sheeps-head a poore Ithacan PER. Aiax Your Giant bragges lacke pollicy Strength wanting wisedome argues extasie ME. Giue vs our launce and helmet I consume Till I haue turn'd this coward into fume Fetch some offensiue swords and scimitars Iauelings and Curtaxe I will crush this Ape And as a trophey weare his captiue skinne The doubtfull terror of my certaine spoile Which may affright and make our foes recoile PER. What high renowne or fame is to be had By fighting with a Souldier who is mad ME. O my forgotten fury swell apace And spit forth lightning in the cowards face Who hath no title to his bold pretence But a most a poore vn-tutor'd eloquence EV. Aiax BV. Be silent Agamemnon speakes EV. Hang taming fetters on your lofty frownes Compell thy wrath which is praedominant Force wilde affections Aiax I professe Aiax you are too violent leaue rage And by appointment of my poore aduice You in this great assembly shall recount Your noble acts which if they do amount Beyond Vlysses memorable deeds The armour of Achilles then succeeds To thee alone made happy through desert Else to Vlysses shall the armes reuert ME. Then let me challenge some prerogatiue From this forgotten place laugh Iupiter And blame the stupid braines of this rude throng Which with vnthankfull eies can here behold The ships the sands the tattred sailes and shore All rescu'd vassailes of my ventrous arme Yet make vs dead and vaine Vlysses warme Warme with the bounty which the frozen snake Will but abuse my Lords and you mistake What man was hee tooke danger by the iawes Gaue an assault of battry to the ribs Of rampant Horror hew'd a passage out From spoile and ruine to reape victory Wrestled and rescu'd Nauies from the fire And did for safety senge his beard with flames Gaue to triumphant Hector the repulse Quench'd a combustion aequall in extreames To burning Phaëton and the torrid Zone What man was hee No talking verbalist But I eeu'n Aiax with but halfe a fist Where was my smooth-tongu'd aduersary then What hope had weake Vlysses to supply A Captaines part with schoole-boyes eloquence No poore Vlysses if thou apprehend'st My vn-resisted victories aright If you conceiue your disabilities Your inclinations naturall and raw Your lame and halting courage in exploit Remembring sir with whom you do contend With mee with Aiax whom no feares offend Then magnifie your selfe and thinke it praise Aboue thy merits to confesse by drum By harpe and sacke-but that though ouer-come Thou didst yet striue with Aiax and renounce Each other title which may well denounce Thee indiscreet and thy assumption proud Helpe mee deere Wisedome to refraine for I Shall be transported into agony By vertue of a sight so omenous So full of brazen impudence and feare As that proud linguist my competitor Aduance aduance your melancholy brow Bend your attentiue polititians eare To that which heauen and I will assecure You haue been taught to dance and turne the heele To runne away betimes and to forsake Thy friend nay soule vpon extremity Nestor Tydides both can well auerre You lacke the rules of doctrine militant All rescue is accounted heresie Which rule if pitty and compassion both Were not my maximes friend had cost your life I saw death's Sergeant ready to arrest Thy pensiue soule when tumbling downe to earth I threw my target on thy pallid hearse Draue backe thy foes and did thy soule reuerse Will you sir walke vnto the place againe Goe faigne some foes approach put feare enough And wounds on for a shift shrinke vp againe And like the Tortorse vnder-creepe your shell So sir contend I pray and stammer well Be wise you mighty Captaines and collect How Hector did the Troian troopes renew Amazing vaunt-guards with-a multitude Of heathen Gods giuing a bloody cause Of quicke despaire to my Antagonist Nay to the valiant and prouinciall Dukes This dreadfull man this Hector tossing soules Like Gnats and Ants-egges downe to Erebus I beate him groueling laid his limbs asleepe And like a mountaine from the firmament Downe fell great Hector from his Elephant Let then a wreath of Oke empale my head And let Vlysses share with Diomed Mars be my aequall iudge what simple man Except in league with sottish ignorance Would vpon forfeit of his patrimony And stocke of wisedome to debility Admit Vlysses my competitor To striue in iest with Aiax if desert Shall in the vp-shot be praedominant Looke on our out-sides on our helmets looke View each mans Beuer Breast-plate Sword and Launce Looke on our out-sides hoe consider well And pawse vpon each target giue me leaue To shew the tokens of a Souldiers claime And to vncase a cowards infamy Marke but the difference betwixt our shields Mine a true target hath sustain'd whole groues Of artificiall timber topt with steele I stood like Mars among my Troian foes When all forsooke me but my faithfull targe It still continued and did nobly keepe My limbs expos'd to danger of the field A Crocodile I thinke may couert sleepe Within the large wounds of my open shield Cast I beseech now halfe a pur-blinde looke Vpon that theeuish varlet and his shield Obserue how smooth and faire his night-caps be His helmets Lords I meane obserue his shield His Beuer trim'd twise twenty times a day His gauntlets gorgets and his gilded Armes All of a sweet complexion sanguine sappe As to incounter some fine Ladies lappe Meaning to be a Champion of the smockes A gallant spruce young warriour indeed Warre shall presse wiues for Souldiers do not bleed Account my phrase no ambiguity Vlysses sloth my words will verifie I laugh most freely to imagine how Effoeminate Vlysses will support The massy fabricke of Achiles armes If my deseruings shall be rob'd and loose That which I honour and affection wooes EV. Aiax enough Vlysses now begin PER. Desire alas being not effectuall To
birth and natiue consanguinity From hope of all succession to the chaire AMB. Lucilla dead LAE. VVith her Mantesio sleeps Each life was tributary to the rage Of our mad King but each accus'd it selfe As priuy to that arch-conspiracy So long forgotten to Pheudippe's crime HY. Conceal'd so long HIP. Who did discouer it LAE. A question doubtfull but Maenander saith An apparition did reueale the truth HIP. Shadows may walke indeed HY. Impossible I am resolu'd against all argument I am incredulous dead neuer walke LAE. Neuer the same yet the similitude HY. Who sayes againe so weel 'e averre the lye What be no things of nature I account Fables HIP. You are not Metaphysicall HY. No sir I thinke the age is giddy death Can wee from ashes raise a second life The age is drunken sure LAE. A doting age HY. The times are dizzy LAE. No man doth deny A theame so irrepugnable and true Reasons owne selfe will be our advocate In prouing what you speake for punies know The world's lame reuoluti'on hath beene long And all partake of mundane giddinesse The turning round of earth hath touch'd our braine The longer age the more absurd and vaine HIP. Age must decline life's comfort will decay Though all things perish let religion stay Act. 5. Scoene 6. AMILCAR FAVORINA GRACCHVS GLADIATOR SERVI STIPATORES I haue a thousand plagues in readinesse Strappadoes and empalements pitch and oile A Racke of Bow-strings a tormenting Bull Hogs-heads with nailes inuerted furies whips And artificiall prickes of Adders bone Which to behold in practise on my slaue Your Lady-ship is welcome and approach Most opportunely Madam after all When griefe hath fear'd your eye-sight vp you shall Then be dis-burthn'd of that chastity Which is a trouble to your conscience I Madam will remoue the deere suspence Of question whither you may prostitute And so resolue you a whore absolute Seruants come cast my drudge vpon the wheele Stand vp-right rascall stand sir do not reele Take your last leaue of standings say adiew To ease and as you leaue paine looke for new FAV. O saue my Eunuch and I will submit My whole reuenue life and chastity To your disposall AMI. President of shame Shoote hell a bon-fire of vnbounded flame And may each heau'nly star augment his light To make this woman famous may each night Change foggy darkenesse to prodigious day And by some signe a subtle whoore display To be the miracle of monstruous age Worthy of iudgements quill and natures stage Are you the vestall that religious Nun Who speake no sillable but Innocence Sacred deuotion Virgin chastity Raile at our fleshly sinnes concupisence Temptations actuall and yet embrace Nay hug hels bosome creepe into the vice Which you would seeme so liuely to abhorre Gaping at small occasion Madam know Affection is my seruant Will my slaue Passion my drudge Temptation is my page And I more easily can command them all Then may a Turke his tugging Gally-slaue Know I contemne that curteous venery Which is affoorded scot-free such nice dames Would seeme to couer when they couet flames Of puddle-water no sicke patient drinkes A pretious odour cheapely valued stinkes And that you may conceiue how I esteeme Your beauty thus will I deforme FA. O helpe GLA. Harke neighbours follow force downe locks bars Attach the Traitor AMI. Am I then betrai'd GLA. Take vp the Queene FA. My wound 's not mortall stay Release that Eunuch STI. Keepe the Traitor safe FA. Con-vey him as an Ideot or Drudge My Wrong may be accuser Clearke and Iudge Act. 5. Scoen. 7. MENANDER EVPHORBVS BVFO LAELIO Tilt in my face Euphorbus and reclaime The slight opinion of our Deity Tilt in our face I say and thence collect If I be Hermes make some steady thrust And call mee Sacred Matchlesse Mercury Beleeue it youth I will dis-ioine thy necke And shoulders if thou dost againe deny That I am Hermes Ioues Embassadour A winged and im-penetrable God Tilt therefore in my face tilt speedily Be thou con-iur'd by lawes of sanctity EVP. The fiend sir doth oppresse my feeble arme MEN. Caitife prouoke not my offensiue rage Least I depriue thee of all future age EVP. Then I must kill thee King ME. I am a God Translated by the voice of Parliament Which sits aboue this cloudy firmament I am a God Euphorbus am no King The Tawny-more and Ethiop shall bring Vnto my Altars pleasant sacrifice Fresh Opo-balsum Fawnes of paradice Roe-buckes and balme to please our Deity Stab vs thou Athiest stab vs and beleeue That I am perfect shadow am a God Thrust thy vn-willing Poniard through my ribs And thence perceiue our full Deuinity Auoide my wrath I say 't is dangerous If you refuse I am vnmercifull EV. Stand to thy fortune God my dagger comes ME. Deep enough dig then ô my smal wound smarts My breath is stopt my God-like soule departs EVP. So I now assume the intellectuall robe Of Reason and re-linquish Lunacy Which idle scare brought mee acquainted with And as I hope the vnderstanding heads Which rule this Common-wealths society Will construe this an act of Piety LAE. Where is the King I carry newes of ioy BV. Where is the King dead Fauorina liues EV. Heere lies the King who did enforce a death Vpon the perill of his Authors life If hee refus'd to execute his will AMBO Euphorbus then recouer'd EV. Yes for I Did counterfeit a couz'ning lunacy AM. Sparta behoues to' acknowledge thee her friend LAE. The sentence of Amilcar let 's attend Act. 5. Scoen. 8. HYARCHVS EVPHOREVS HIPPONAX LAELIO AMILCAR FAVORINA BVFO GRACCHVS GLADIATOR LESBIA MILITES STIPATORES OM. Long liue the Queene HIP. Draw the damn'd villaine forth And let him swallow sulphure flaming pitch Or else be roasted pittilesse aliue AMI. O giue mee oile of Mandrakes Poppey iuice Or poyson of infected Helleber HY. Flea him and make a trophey of his skin FAV. Cut off his members bind and broile the slaue HIP. Let him be quarterd AMI. To deceiue all these Were pollicy aboue the rules of Art I haue concluded to preuent the shapes Of torture death by death alone escapes OM. Saue saue the Traitor saue him GLA: Hee is dead HIP. May then the Traitor sleepe in tortures bed EVP. But may Maenanders dying soule ascend Whom for the safety of this Common-wealth I did restore to happinesse and health HIP. HY. Amazement of our age wonder of time EVP. Touch'd with a feeling of my Countries good I dipt my dagger in his royall blood By his owne chiefe desire so leaue mad care Which my suspicion did assume through feare OM. The Queene shall Crowne thee EVP. So I leaue the schoole Of madnesse to become mad fortunes foole FAV. Remoue the Carkasse of that slaught'red King EVP. Wee once obey'd him after extasy Let 's therefore follow his dead obsequy Nature stand speech-lesse for aboue thy part With man preuailes both Lunacy and Art Act. 5. Scoen. 9. CINTHIA Horror affrightments death and anger flye Flye to the bottome of hels darke Abysse That heau'n may smile vpon the clouded earth And all take notice wee are pacifi'd Grim death triumphant whose empaled brow Can terrefy the factious Kings below Who when wee were incens'd through blasphemy Sent forth reuenge to please our Deity Shall now enchaine that mischiefe mercilesse And qualify reuengefull greedinesse Discloud thy lustre my new borrowed shine Scatter thy foggy damps which doe debarre My bounteous lamp of vniuersall light Let exhalations giue my honour place All stars attendant looke earth in the face Gods cannot dwell in rage though slimy man If but en-nobled by permissiue law Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death Till hee extirpe a whole posterity Wee though immortall though aboue best braines To comprehend though sole efficients Though euery thing in essence though deuine Though Gods in which one syllable the summe Of euery thing 's inuolu'd though Gods wee are Yet in compassion wee doe still accept Those that prophane our sacred holinesse For should the anger of Omnipotence Punish man-kind so often or so long As their insatiate folly doth deserue Ioue would be weary and the Gods aboue Turne boyling wrath into aboundant loue FINIS