Maiestie Goodnesse gets not so soone a great Estate Mischiefe's foule way to Soueraignity This secret haste is sure all is imbound What shall I do Hold on the course I meant Why not The death of Mahomet will still content Thy will is done and Mahomet is slaine Alaham. My minde misgaue it selfe my thoughts did feare Yet knew I they of nothing guilty were By fate or malice is the Bassha slaine Caine. By fate I thinke for Iustice fatall is As Gods bequest to them that doe amisse Alaham. By suddaine death by thunder lightning fire Or by what other anger of the skie I pray thee shew how Mahomet did die Caine. By these hands that owe seruice to the State And by his blood haue made it fortunate Alaham. What execration did he dying vse Against this violence of broken faith Which wounds good soules more than the bodies death Caine. In falling downe these only words he spake Helpe people helpe My death your bondage brings Behold these wounds receiue I for your sake Reward of them that friend you vnder Kings Vile Caine that like the Axe do'st goe about To cut thy selfe an helue to weare thee out Alaham. Most wicked act Could neither faith nor law Reuerence of State remorse of doing ill The paines of iustice nor the hopes withdraw Thy raging hand And do'st thou thinke the world can suffer this That thou should'st glory to haue done amisse Caine. Is thy desire growne wanton in her ioy Or do'st thou seeme to say thy wishes nay More kindly in the end with them to play Alaham. By fires of hell which burne and haue no light By those foule spirits which ill men only see I sweare thy death shall Mahomets requite Caine. Vnto the world although I guilty be I did thy will let me be cleare to thee Alaham. In vaine I should command his death by sleights That placed am vpon the fathers seat Where power can easlier doe things than intreat Caine. The State of Kings is large yet lacks in this That easie each thing but not lawfull is Besides you then a second brother were Nor knew I when this plot we did deuise You should see clearer by your fathers eyes Alaham. Rumor complaints and scornfull thoughts of power Are wayes of priuate hearts that from below Misiudge those higher powers they doe not know But now borne vp into a Princes Throne Beneath I see that world of discontent Where error teacheth vse of punishment Away with him Entreatie is in vaine Thy death to him is due whom thou hast slaine Caine. Ah fearefull friendships with superior powers Whose two parts they themselues and their Estates Diuide or ioyne like nets and be the snare Where loue and feare to power entrapped are Alaham aduow thy deed To constant wickednesse men honour beare Where truth it selfe hath iniurie by feare Alaham. I say Let him be slaine His fault is this That Mahomet most trayterously he slew Caine. Stay Sir I say that he still liuing is And my confession of my selfe vntrue Alaham. Traytor vnto thy selfe and false to me What riddles of contempt and wickednesse Are these which of thy selfe confessed be If Mahomet be dead then shalt thou die For murther of thy friend deserues no lesse If Mahomet do liue yet shalt thou die For if no murther scorne thou do'st confesse Away with him Actus tertius Scena tertia Hala Alaham HAla. What tumult 's this my Lord Alah. The play of Chance Which without mischiefe nothing can aduance Hala. Yet good Sir tell me what this tumult is Alaham. The fall of him whose heart hath done amisse Hala. His name and crime sweet Lord I long to know Alaham. Report of mischiefe doth infect the heart And wisdome bids they should in silence goe For nature feeleth euery bodies smart Hala. Women belike are still in infancy That must not feare or prouocation see The glasse of horror is not fact but feare Opinion is a Tyrant euery where Alaham. If I shall tell you what you long to know What boots it If you thinke it is not so Hala. What leades your reason leades my reason too That all your words conceiue in kindnesse doe Alaham. The man that was and is not now is he That neuer was the man he seem'd to be Caine What need more to shew with him are dead His fault and our goodwills to him mislead Hala. What heare I now O false and weake estate Of good beleefe Wherin shall peace be found Since Gods be not and mankinde made to hate Caine dead Euen Caine whom now we loued best In instants both growne wicked and opprest Caine slaine by you Hath Caine deserued this O God! Like strange his crime and killing is Perchance not dead my Lord how was he slaine Alaham. By sword Hala. Wounds let forth spirits yet liue againe Alaham. Nay dead he is These eyes did see his breath Beare all his spirits into the world of death Hala. Necessity that from infernall night Fatally linked art vnto the skies Beare thee we cannot yet we beare thee must Now hopes appeare euen now my heart resolues Reuenge and silence is the way to it Did he confesse his fault What spake he last Alaham. Ah Mahomet whose hopes were on me plac'd Hala. Hasty beleefe my Lord hath hasty deeds And with their wounds oft truth and wisdome bleeds Alaham. When wickednesse is ripe a minute showes What chance the dice of Innocency throwes Hala. Pardon me Lord Good thoughts doe liue aboue In highest region of vnfeined loue Doubt and reuenge Nature hath plac'd below Meaning the space should make the passage slow Alaham. God meaning we should rule and you obey Gaue men cleare sight and women good affection In vs not in your selues lies your election Hala. My Lord 'T is true Our frayle and weake Estate Doth labor in excesse A womans heart Still in the feuer is of loue or hate Hardly the loue which I did be are to Caine Could thinke he err'd much lesse approue him slaine But now his falls approu'd by heauenly doome Our losse in him foretells our gaine to come Then Sir Take care his death be not in vaine Your sillie Sire is blinde if he were dead This reeling State by you might stand againe True ioy is onely hope put out of seare And honour hideth error euery where A forme the world expects in worldly things Caine was a man a Bassha and our friend Sepulture as a man honor to his estate Teares doe become a guilty friendships end Excesse of honour done to them that die Makes liuing men see our humanity Besides thought-feeding rumor forth will goe And occupie vnquiet peoples spirits While in this pile for Caine you may bestow Their blinded weaknesse which with-hold your right People doe power not persons apprehend Strength showes like truth Mankinde loues policie Defended Kings but not reuenged be Alaham. Enuy will rise and both wayes fall on vs Either as hauing slaine an innocent Or highly err'd by burying treason thus In penall
ALAHAM THE SPEAKERS NAMES The old King Alahams second Son Caine Bassha Priest Nuntius Zophi the eldest Sonne Hala Alahams wife Mahomet Bassha Caelica the old Kings daughter Nutrix PROLOGVS The speach of a Ghost one of the old Kings of Ormus HOV Monster horrible vnder whose vgly doome Downe in Eternities perpetuall night Mans temporall sinnes beare torments infinite For change of desolation must I come To tempt the earth and to prophane the light From mournefull silence where paine dares not rore With libertie to multiplie it more Nor from the lothsome puddle Acheron Made foule with common sinnes whose filthie dampes Feed Lethes sinke forgetting all but mone Nor from that fowle infernall shaddowed Lampe Which lighteth Sisiphus to rowle his stone These be but bodies plagues the skirts of hell I come from whence deathes seate doth death excell A place there is vpon no centre placed Deepe vnder depthes as farre as is the skie Aboue the earth darke infinitely spaced Pluto the King the Kingdome miserie The Chrystall may Gods glorious seate resemble Horror it selfe these horrors but dissemble Priuation would raigne there by God not made But creature of vncreated sinne Whose being is all beings to inuade To haue no ending though it did beginne And so of past things present and to come To giue depriuing not tormenting doome But horror in the vnderstanding mixt And memorie by Eternities seale wrought Vnto the bodies of the euill fixt And into reason by our passion brought Here rackt torne and exil'd from vnitie Though come from nothing must for euer be The sinnes that enter here are capitall Atheisme where creatures their Creator lose Vnthankfull Pride nature and graces fall Mate of Mankinde in Man vnnaturall Hypocrites which bodies leaue and shadowes chose The persons either Kings by fortune blest Or men by nature made Kings of the rest Here Tyrants that corrupt authoritie Councell'd out of the feares of wickednesse Cunning in mischiefe prowd in crueltie Are furies made to plague the weaker ghosts Whose soules entising pleasure only lost The weaker Kings whose more vnconstant vice Their States vnto their humors made a prey For suffering more then Kings to Tyrannise Are damn'd though here to be yet not to stay For backe they goe to tempt with euery sinne As easiest it the world may enter in My selfe sometimes was such Ormus my state I bare the name yet did my Basshas raigne Trusts to few windowes are vnfortunate For Subiects growing full is Princes wane Loe all misdeeds procure their owne misfate For by my trusted Basshas was I slaine Now sent to teare downe my posteritie That haue their sinnes inheritance from me My first charge is the ruine of mine owne Hell keeping knowledge still of earthlinesse None coming there but spirits ouergrowne And more embodied into wickednesse The bodie by the spirit liuing euer The spirit in the body ioying neuer In heauen perchance no such affections be Those Angell-soules in flesh imprisoned Like strangers liuing in Mortalitie Still more and more themselues enspirited Refining Nature to Eternity By being maids in earths adulterous bed And idly forget all here below Where we our parents but to plague them know My next charge is from this darke Regiment With wiles to scourge this age effeminate Not open force or humors violent Time fashions mindes mindes manners manners fate Here rage giues place wit must rule ill intent Proud honor being an ill for this State Too strong sleight must misleade the innocent Craft the corrupt For though none dare be iust Yet coward ill with care grow wicked must This present King weake both in good and ill Louing his trust and trusting but his ghesse Shall perish in his owne faiths wantonnesse Betray'd by Alaham whom he know'th ill Yet to beware lackes actiue constantnesse A destinie of well-beleeuing wit That hath not strength of iudgement ioyn'd with it Alaham his sonne fond of the fathers Throne Desire his idoll libertie his might As ouerborne with error infinite Shall finde that fate all secret faults can hit For he that for himselfe would ruine all Shall perish in his craft vnnaturall Hala his wife diuerse and strong in lust Liberall out of selfe-loue of error proud When shamelesse craft and rage haue seru'd her turne In prides vainglorious martyrdome shall burne Zophi the eldest Sonne whose reason is With frailty drown'd and sillinesse confus'd Borne but to liue and yet denied this So well knowes power what spirits may be abus'd Becomes the prey of factious craftie wit Which stirres that ruine vp which ruines it Caine Bassha like the clouds who liue in ayre Th' orbe of natures constant inconstancie Now fame now shame shall in his fortune beare His vice and vertue still in infancy Change for his wisdome and chance for his ends Harm'd by his hopes and ruin'd by his friends Mahomet with honor faine would change the tide Of times corrupt here stopping violence There contermining craft and pleading right But reason sworne in generall to sense Makes honor bondage iustice an offence Till liberty that faire deceiuing light Turnes mischiefe to an humor popular Where good men catch'd in nets of dutie are Caelica because in flesh no seedes are sowne Of heauenly grace but they must bring vp weedes Death in her fathers murther she affects Seduc'd by glory whose excesse still feedes It selfe vpon the barren steepes of mone For humane wit wants power to diuide Wherby affections into error slide Heli the priest who teaching from without Corrupted faith bound vnder lawes of might Not feeling God yet blowing him about In euery shape and likenesse but the right Seeking the world finds change there ioyn'd with chance To ruine those whom error would advance Now marke your charge Each fury worke his part In senselesse webs of mischiefe ouerthwart You are not now to worke on priuate thoughts One instant is your time to alter all Corruption vniuersall must be wrought Impossible to you is naturall Plots and effects together must be brought Mischiefe and shame at once must spring and fall Vse more than power of man to bring forth that Which it is meant all men shall wonder at Craft Go thou forth worke honor into lust Malice Sow in selfe-loue vnworthinesse Feare Make it safe for no man to be iust Wrong Be thou clothed in powers comelinesse Wit Play with faith take glory in mistrust Let duty and Religion goe by ghesse Furies Stirre you vp warre which follow must When all things are corrupt with doublenesse From vice to vice let error multiply With vncouth sinnes murthers adulteries Incorporate all kindes of iniquity Translate the State to forraigne Tyrannies Keepe downe the best and let the worst haue power That warre and hell may all at once deuoure Actus I. Scena I. ALAHAM HELI. ALaham. Thou coward soule Why standst thou doubting now Why to and fro The dice of chance are cast Counsells of law of shame of loue are past Thinke what the worst haue done what they enioy That
I seeke reuenge thou preachest pietie Caine. More easie motions gentle hearts receiue His fault was great yet you may haue redresse In State and honor without such excesse Hala. Excesse the reason is and meane of loue And in the same excesse is malice ioy'd I would be safe and yet haue him destroy'd Caine. If leaue or left the fate of kindnesse be By his example what becomes of me Hala. If blinde to all but to it selfe be loue Whence doe your vowes or whence this question moue Since the true state of true affection is Wonder at others worth Faith without hire Vnwearied Paine vnrecompens'd Desire Caine. Great hearts thus giuen away in prison are Their strength their bands and good beleefe their smart Loue neuer seuers reason from the heart Nala. My shame againe then unto me impart Restore my faith and I doe render thee Those faithlesse vowes which thou hast made to me For since I see the spungie hearts of men Their hollowes gladly fill with womens loue And nothing yeeld to them vncrusht againe What nature workes 't is folly to complaine Mahomet that wretch hath done me iniurie He left my loue and he my life hath sought Caine Line at ease fame is an idle breath My body is enough 'twixt thee and death Caine. Distract I am my reason like a cloud Before a winters storme rides here and there Like reedes my thoughts are straight and crooked too With diuers breaths which diuers passions blow Against the streame of truth must loue still goe Resolv'd I am that Mahomet shall die Hala. Shame spake this word danger appeares not yet Time like a med'cine will asswage this paine And feare perchance bring backe good will againe Caine. It is not I that liue in me but you Whose will hath fashion'd all my thoughts anew Hala. Then on When thoughts vnite all care is ceas'd The heart vnfetter'd and the hope increas'd Out of his death I see occasion borne To greater power than needs to couer scorne For he the Iustice rules you rule the Warre His death diuided powers will vnite And in a broken course where dangers be Only the Crowne can put off miserie Caine. Farre be it off our hopes should be so vaine Our secret loue already tempteth God To warre him more with infidelity Would hasten vengeance and make sharpe his rod Hala. God made strict lawes for vertues exercise An idle word a wish transgresseth them Yet in a Throne remorse hath glorious eyes Alaham doth vndermine the present State When he corrupted hath the peoples faith Thou hast the sword authority makes way Her hand is next when Crownes become a prey Caine. We God and man will first trie with the death Of Mahomet If that doe passe for good Hope easily makes occasion vnderstood Hala. The end agree'd the meane is yet in doubt Caine. By sword Hala. That will be easie to descrie Danger to misse and hard to doe without Caine. By poyson then wherof though doubts may grow What one alone may doe is hard to know Hala. It often failes For instruments are base Slaues haue too slauish hearts a Basshas name Is like a superstitious hallowed place Men must be forc'd or wise that force the same Caine. By these two hands that will not faile their heart It shall be wrought If poyson misse the sword shall compasse it When chances often scape at last they hit Hala. Fortune and Loue Both Gods of humane might You like aduenture see it rightly plac'd You liue in kindnesse see it not disgrac'd Exit Caine. What I haue vow'd both God and Nature hate My heart misgiues my soule doth prophecie That euill thoughts procure an euill fate But ah my loue I gaue and it gaue me The choice is past Thoughts now must thinke to doe Not what I freely am but forc'd vnto Actus secundus Scena quarta Mahomet Caine MAhomet Who euer haue obseru'd the worke of spirits May see how easily men slide downe to ill The world hath strange examples false delights Which make our senses nets to catch our will Who then with men for euery fault falls out Must hate himselfe and all the world about Behold the man I speake of doth appeare Retire aside stand close marke what succeeds His owne destruction or else mine he breeds Caine what is it that thus your minde distracts Counsells of honour alter not the face Hearts only thinke with paine of doubtfull acts Caine. In care they liue that must for many care And such the best and greatest euer are Mah. They purchase care vnto themselues that know The weight of care and yet will it imbrace If care be grieuous why vsurpe you so Caine. I liue but to obey the Princes will Mahomet That is to cherish Prince in their ill For they must flatter good and euill too That vnder Princes all alone will doe Caine. As sweetest vapors couet to the skie So faith and dutie after Princes runne Ill nature neuer can indure a Sunne Mahomet Flatterie so like in all to dutie showes But finelier drest in diligence and care As Kings best plea'sd that most deceiued are Caine. Harsh spirit hates them that do not hate with it Miscensures all the world to seeme seuere Bindes honestie and truth to haue no wit These ill-fac'd vertues not of nature be But peeuishnesse true honors enemie Mahomet A iust seuere and vniuersall care Of people shorne by Princes fauorites To spies of Tyrannie vnpleasing is Which euer like ambitious Adamants So fast from people draw to Princes States As in the end they must draw vp their hares Caine then take heed of your selfe-seeking plot Engrossing offices aspiring all For it offends euen those it toucheth not Nor is it only this that hazards you Ill neuer goes alone if fame say true Caine. Is fame to censure vs that liue aboue And must sell iustice if we purchase loue Mahomet Fame is the peoples voyce to tell their griefe Appealing from inferiors to the chiefe If falsely you and Hala fame abuse Infamie for nothing men vnwisely chuse If fame speake truth which you would not haue knowne Grieue to deserue but not to beare your owne Caine. What doe I that the world can well reproue Mahomet Vniustly suffer or vniustly loue Caine. Suffer I doe for infamie is there Where either malice enuie is or feare Loue I confesse I doe And what is it But natures taxe layd vpon good intent For right and honor vnto excellent Mahomet Reason must iudge of loue not loue of it Else shall loue ground of euery mischiefe be For murther theft adultery and spite Are but loue of reuenge and others right Ah Caine my heart is rackt with inward griefe Iustice hath partie there and so hath loue They both haue wounds and yet they both haue life The one suppressing what the other moues I will speake plaine Hala thou do'st abuse And stayn'st the Princes line with seruile lust Wherin proud courage match'd with guiltinesse Adds wrong to wrong and
against the truth you haue an easie foe For in the world all that are hers can neuer currant goe Vnder the next good shaddow your deform'd excesse Yet shall your masked arts and hornes your clouen feet expresse Wherby your beauties be so priz'd among your owne As they will blush for yours by name or nature to be knowne Againe take all the world if it one soule content Then freely let Mankinde beleeue you are omnipotent But if your Legions here doe in their glories raue Tormented while they liue on earth and much more in the graue If to be nothing be the best that could be fall Your subtile Orbes to reall beings then must needs be thrall And so proue to the good but like those showres of raine Which while they wet the husbandman yet multiply his gaine Actus quartus Scena prima King Celica KIng Celica thou only child whom I repent Not yet to haue begot thy worke is vaine Thou run'st against my Destinies intent Feare not my fall the steepe is fayrest plaine And error safest guide vnto his end Who nothing but mischance can haue to friend We parents are but Natures nursery When our succession springs then ripe to fall Priuation vnto age is naturall Age there is also in a Princes State Which is contempt growne of misgouernment Where loue of change begetteth Princes hate For hopes must wither or grow violent If fortune binde desires to one Estate Then marke Blinde as a Man Scorn'd as a King A Fathers kindnesse loath'd and desolate Life without ioy or light what can it bring But inward horrour vnto outward hate O safety thou art then a hatefull thing When childrens death assures the fathers State No Safe I am not though my sonne were slaine My frailty would beget such sonnes againe Besides if fatall be the heauens will Repining adds more force to destinie Whose iron wheeles stay not on fleshly wit But headlong runne downe steep Necessity And as in danger we doe catch at it That comes to helpe and vnaduisedly Oft doe our friends to our misfortune knit So with the harme of those who would vs good Is Destinie impossibly withstood Celica then cease importune me no more My sonne my age the state where things are now Require my death Who would consent to liue Where loue cannot reuenge nor truth forgiue Celica. Though feare see nothing but extremity Yet danger is no deep sea but a Ford Where they that yeeld can only drowned be In wrongs and wounds Sir you are to remisse To Thrones a passiue nature fatall is King Occasion to my sonne hath turn'd her face My inward wants all outward strengths betray And so make that impossible I may Celica. Yet liue Liue for the State King Whose ruines glasses are Wherin see errors of my selfe I must And hold my life of danger shame and care Celica. When feare propounds with losse men euer choose King Nothing is left me but my selfe to lose Celica. And is it nothing then to lose the State King Where chance is ripe there counsell comes too late Celica by all thou ow'st the Gods and me I doe coniure thee Leaue me to my chance What 's past was errors way the truth it is Wherein I wretch can only goe amisse If Nature saw no cause of suddaine ends She that but one way made to draw our breath Would not haue left so many doores to death Celica. Yet Sir if weaknesse be not such a sande As neither wrong nor counsell can manure Choose and resolue what death you will endure King This sword thy hands may offer vp my breath And plague my lifes remissenesse in my death Celica. Vnto that dutie if these hands be borne I must thinke God and Truth but names of scorne Againe this iustice were if life were lou'd Now meerly grace since death doth but forgiue A life to you which is a death to liue Paine must displease that satisfies offence King Chance hath left death no more to spoile but sense Celica. Then sword doe Iustice office thorough me I offer more than that he hates to thee King Ah! Stay thy hand My State no equall hath And much more matchlesse my strange vices be One kinde of death becomes not thee and me Kings plagues by chance or destinie should fall Headlong he perish must that ruines all Celica. No cliffe or rocke is so precipitate But downe it eyes can leade the blinde a way Without me liue or with me dye you may King Celica and wilt thou Alaham exceed His crueltie is death you torments vse He takes my Crowne you take my selfe from me A Prince of this falne Empire let me be Celica. Then be a King no Tyrant of thy selfe Be and be what you will what nature lent Is still in hers and not our gouernment King If disobedience and obedience both Still doe me hurt in what strange state am I But hold thy course It well becomes my blood To doe their parents mischiefe with their good Celica. Yet Sir harke to the poore oppressed teares The iust mens moane that suffer by your fall A Princes charge is to protect them all And shall it nothing be that I am yours The world without my heart within doth know I neuer had vnkinde vnreuerent powers If thus you yeeld to Alahams treacherie He ruines you 't is you Sir ruine me King Celica Call vp the dead awake the blinde Turne backe the time bid windes tell whence they come As vainly strength speakes to a broken minde Fly from me Celica hate all I doe Misfortunes haue in blood successions too Celica. Will you doe that which Alaham can not He hath no good you haue no ill but he This Marre-right yeelding's honors Tyranny King Haue I not done amisse Am I not ill That ruin'd haue a Kings authority And not one King alone since Princes all Feele part of those scornes wherby one doth fall Treason against me cannot treason be All lawes haue lost authority in me Celica. The lawes of power chain'd to mens humors be The good haue conscience the ill like instruments Are in the hands of wise authority Moued diuided vsed or layd downe Still with desire kept subiect to a Crowne Stirre vp all States all spirits hope and feare Wrong and reuenge are currant euery where King Put downe my sonne For that must be the way A fathers shame a Princes Tyrannie The Scepter euer shall misiudged be Celica. Let them feare rumor that doe worke amisse Blood torments death horrors of Cruelty Haue time and place Looke through these skinnes of feare Which still perswade the better side to beare And since thy sonne thus trayterously conspires Let him not prey on all thy race and thee Keepe ill example from posterity King Danger is come and must I now vnarme And let in hope to weaken resolution Passion be thou my Legacie and Will To thee I giue my life Crowne reputation My pompes to clouds and as forlorne with men My strength to women hoping this