set thy foote within Alphonsus land What art thou come to view thy wretched kings Whose traiterous heads bedeckt my tents so well Or else thou hearing that on top thereof There is a place left vacant art thou come To haue thy head possesse the highest seate If it be so lie downe and this my sword Shall presently that honor thee affoord If not pack hence or by the heauens I vow Both thou and thine shall verie soone perceiue That he that seekes to moue my patience Must yeeld his life to thee for recompence Amu. Why proud Alphonsus thinkst thou Amurack Whose mightie force doth terrefie the Gods Can ere be found to turne his heeles and flie Away for feare from such a boy as thou No no although that Mars this mickle while Hath fortified thy weake and feeble arme And Fortune oft hath viewd with friendly face Thy armies marching victors from the field Yet at the presence of high Amuracke Fortune shall change and Mars that God of might Shall succour me and leaue Alphonsus quight Alphon. Pagan I say thou greatly art deceiu'd I clap vp Fortune in a cage of gold To make her turne her wheele as I thinke best And as for Mars whom you do say will change He moping sits behind the kitchin doore Prest at commaund of euery Skullians mouth Who dares not stir nor once to moue a whit For feare Alphonsus then should stomack it Amu. Blasphemous dog I wonder that the earth Doth cease from renting vnderneath thy feete What froward fortune hapned on your side I hope your king in safetie doth abide Cro. I noble madam Amurack doth liue And long I hope he shall enioy his life But yet I feare vnles more succour come We shall both loose our king and soueraigne Fau. How so king Crocon dost thou speak in iest To proue if Fausta would lament his death Or else hath any thing hapt him amis Speake quickly Crocon what the cause might be That thou dost vtter forth these words to me Cro. Then worthie Fausta know that Amuracke Our mightie king and your approued spowse Prickt with desire of euerlasting fame As he was pressing in the thickest rankes Of Aragonians was with much adoo At length tooke prisoner by Alphonsus hands So that vnles you succour soone do bring You loose your spowse and we shall want our king Iphi. Oh haples hap oh dire and cruell fate What iniurie hath Amuracke my sire Done to the Gods which now I know are wrath Although vniustly and without a cause For well I wot not any other king Which now doth liue or since the world begun Did sway a scepter had a greater care To please the Gods then mightie Amuracke And for to quite our fathers great good will Seeke they thus basely all his fame to spill Fau. Iphigina leaue off these wofull tunes It is not words can cure and ease this wound But warlike swords not teares but sturdie speares High Amuracke is prisoner to our foes What then thinke you that our Amazones Ioynd with the forces of the Turkish troupe Are not sufficient for to set him free Yes daughter yes I meane not for to sleepe Vntill he is free or we him company keepe March on my mates Exeunt omnes Strike vp alarum flie Alphonsus follow Iphigina and say Iphi. How now Alphonsus you which neuer yet Could meete your equall in the feates of armes How haps it now that in such sudden sort You flie the presence of a sillie maide What haue you found mine arme of such a force As that you thinke your bodie ouerweake For to withstand the furie of my blowes Or do you else disdaine to fight with me For staining of your high nobilitie Alp. No daintie dame I wold not haue thee think That euer thou or any other wight Shall liue to see Alphonsus flie the field From any king or Keisar who some ere First will I die in thickest of my fo Before I will disbase mine honour so Nor do I scorne thou goddes for to staine My prowes with thee although it be a shame For knights to combat with the female sect But loue sweete mouse hath so benumbd my wit That though I would I must refraine from it Iphi. I thought as much when first I came to wars Your noble acts were fitter to be writ Within the Tables of dame Venus sun Then in God Mars his warlike registers When as your Lords are hacking helm es abroad And make their speares to shiuer in the aire Your mind is busied in fond Cupids toyes Come on I faith I le teach you for to know We came to fight and not to loue I trow Alph. Nay virgin stay and if thou wilt vouchsafe To entertaine Alphonsus simple sute Thou shalt ere long be Monarch of the world All christned kings with all your Pagan dogs Shall bend their knees vnto Iphigina The Indian soyle shal be thine at command Where euery step thou settest on the ground Shall be receiued on the golden mines Rich Pactolus that riuer of account Which doth descend from top of Tiuole mount Shall be thine owne and all the world beside If you will graunt to be Alphonsus bride Iphi. Alphonsus bride nay villain do not thinke That fame or riches can so rule my thoughts As for to make me loue and fancie him Whom I do hate and in such sort despise As if my death could bring to passe his baine I would not long from Plutoes port remaine Alph. Nay then proud pecock since thou art so stout As that intreatie will not moue thy minde For to consent to be my wedded spowse Thou shalt in spite of Gods and Fortune too Serue high Alphonsus as a concubine Iphi. I le rather die then euer that shall hap Alphon. And thou shalt die vnles it come to pas Alphonsus and Iphigina fight Iphigina flie follow Alphonsus Strike vp alarum Enter Alphonsus with his rapier Albinius Laelius Miles with their souldiers Amurack Fausta Iphigina Crocon and Faustus all bounde with their hands behind them Amuracke looke angerly on Fausta Enter Medea and say Med. Nay Amurack this is no time to iarre Although thy wife did in her franticke moode Vse speeches which might better haue bene sparde Yet do thou not iudge the same time to be A season to requite that iniurie More fitteth thee with all the wit thou hast To call to mind which way thou maist release Thy selfe thy wife and faire Iphigina Forth of the power of stout Alphonsus hands For well I wot since first you breathed breath You neuer were so nie the snares of death Now Amurack your high and kingly seate Your royall scepter and your stately Crowne Your mightie Countrey and your men at armes Be conquered all and can no succour bring Put then no trust in these same paltrie toyes But call to mind that thou a prisoner art Clapt vp in chaines whose life and deaths depends Vpon the hands of thy most mortall foe Then take thou heed that what some ere
But Cupid cannot enter in the brest Where Mars before had tooke possession That was no time to talke of Venus games When all our fellowes were pressed in the warres Cari. Well let that passe now canst thou be content To loue Alphonsus and become his spowse Iphi. I if the high Alphonsus could vouchsafe To entertaine me as his wedded spowse Alphon. If that he could what dost thou doubt of that Iason did iet when as he had obtaind The golden fleece by wise Medeas art The Greekes reioyced when they had subdued The famous bulwarkes of most stately Troy But all their mirth was nothing in respect Of this my ioy since that I now haue got That which I long desired in my heart Ca. But what sayes Fausta to her daughters choice Fau. Fausta doth say the Gods haue bin her friends To let her liue to see Iphigina Bestowed so vnto her hearts content Alphon. Thankes mightie Empresse for your gentlenes And if Alphonsus can at any time With all his power requite this curtesie You shall perceiue how kindly he doth take Your forwardnesse in this his happie chance Cari. Albinius go call forth Amuracke Wee le see what he doth say vnto this match Exit Albinius bring forth Amuracke Most mightie Turke I with my warlike sonne Alphonsus loathing that so great a Prince As you should liue in such vnseemly sort Haue sent for you to profer life or death Life if you do consent to our demand And death if that you dare gainsay the same Your wife high Fausta with Iphigina Haue giuen consent that this my warlike sonne Should haue your daughter for his bedfellow Now resteth nought but that you do agree And so to purchase sure tranquilitie Amu. Now Amurack aduise thee what thou sayest Bethinke thee well what answere thou wilt make Thy life and death dependeth on thy words If thou denie to be Alphonsus sire Death is thy share but if that thou consent Thy life is sau'd consent nay rather die Should I consent to giue Iphigina Into the hands of such a beggers brat What Amuracke thou dost deceiue thy selfe Alphonsus is the sonne vnto a King What then the worthy of thy daughters loue She is agreed and Fausta is content Then Amuracke will not be discontent Take Iphigina by the hand giue her to Alphonsus Heere braue Alphonsus take thou at my hand Iphigina I giue her vnto thee And for her dowrie when her father die Thou shalt possesse the Turkish Emperie Take her I say and liue King Nestors yeeres So would the Turke and all his Noble Peeres Alphon. Immortall thanks I giue vnto your grace Cari. Now worthy Princes since by helpe of Ioue On either side the wedding is decreed Come let vs wend to Naples speedily For to solemnize it with mirth and glee Amu. As you do will we ioyntly do agree Exeunt omnes Enter Venus with the Muses and say Ve. Now worthy Muses with vnwilling mind Venus is forst to trudge to heauens againe For luppiter that God of peerles power Proclaimed hath a solemne festiuall In honour of dame Danaes luckles death Vnto the which in paine of his displeasure He hath inuited all the immortall Gods And Goddesses so that I must be there Vnlesse I will his high displeasure beare You see Alphonsus hath with much ado At length obtaind fayre Iphigina Of Amuracke her father for his wife Who now are going to the Temple wards For to performe dame Iunoes sacred rites Where we will leaue them till the feast be done Which in the heauens by this time is begun Meane time deare Muses wander you not farre Foorth of the path of high Pernassus hill That when I come to finish vp his life You may be readie for to succour me Adieu deare dames farwell Calltope Exit Venus Or if you can conueniently let a chaire come downe from the top of the stage and draw her vp Calli. A dieu you sacred Goddes of the skie Well louing sisters since that she is gone Come let vs haste vnto Pernassus hill As Citherea did lately will Melpom. Then make you haste her mind for to fulfill Exeunt omnes playing on their Instruments FINIS
guiltlesse childe But what of that the mother loathd in heart For to commit so vile a massacre Yea Ioue did liue and as the fates did say From heauenly seate draue Saturne cleane away What did auaile the Castle all of Steele The which Acrisius caused to be made To keepe his daughter Danae clogged in She was with childe for all her Castles force And by that child Acrisius her sire Was after slaine so did the fates require A thousand examples I could bring hereof But Marble stones needs no colouring And that which euery one doth know for truth Needs no examples to confirme the same That which the fates appoint must happen so Though heauenly Ioue and all the Gods say no Fau. Iphigina she sayth nought but truth Fates must be followed in their iust decrees And therefore setting all delayes aside Come let vs wend vnto Amazone And gather vp our forces out of hand Iphi. Since Fausta wils and fates do so command Iphigina will neuer it withstand Exeunt omnes Act. 3. Enter Venus THus haue you seene how Amuracke himselfe Fausta his wife and euery other King Which holds their scepters at the Turke his hands Are now in armes entending to destroy And bring to nought the Prince of Aragon Charmes haue bene vsde by wise Medeas art To know before what afterward shall hap And King Belinus with high Claramount Ioynd to Alphonsus which with Princely pompe Doth rule and gouerne all the warlike Moores Are sent as Legats to god Mahomet To know his counsell in these high affaires Mahound prouokte by Amurackes discourse Which as you heard he in his dreame did vse Denies to play the Prophet any more But by the long intreatie of his Priests He prophesies in such a craftie sort As that the hearers needs must laugh for sport Yet poore Belinus with his fellow Kings Did giue such credence to that forged tale As that they lost their dearest liues thereby And Amuracke became a prisoner Vnto Alphonsus as straight shall appeare Exit Venus Let there be a brazen Head set in the middle of the place behind the Stage out of the which cast flames of fire drums rumble within Enter two Priests 1. Pr. My fellow Priests of Mahounds holy house What can you iudge of these strange miracles Which daily happen in this sacred seate Drums rumble within Harke what a rumbling ratleth in our cares Cast flames of fire forth of the brazen Head See flakes of fire proceeding from the mouth Of Mahomet that God of peereles power Nor can I tell with all the wit I haue What Mahomet by these his signes doth craue 2. Pr. Thrise ten times Phoebus with his golden beames Hath compassed the circle of the skie Thrise ten times Ceres hath her workemen hir'd And fild her barnes with frutefull crops of corne Since first in Priesthood I did lead my life Yet in this time I neuer heard before Such feareful sounds nor saw such wondrous sights Nor can I tell with all the wit I haue What Mahomet by these his signes doth craue Speake out of the brazen Head Ma. You cannot tell nor will you seeke to know Oh peruerse Priest how carelesse are you waxt As when my foes approach vnto my gates You stand still talking of I cannot tell Go packe you hence and meete the Turkish kings Which now are drawing to my Temple ward Tell them from me God Mahomet is dispos'd To prophesie no more to Amuracke Since that his tongue is waxen now so free As that it needs must chat and raile at me Kneele downe both 1. Pr. Oh Mahomet if all the solemne prayers Which from our childhood we haue offered thee Can make thee call this sentence backe againe Bring not thy Priest into this dangerous state For when the Turke doth heare of this repulse We shall be sure to die the death therefore Ma. Thou sayest truth go call the Princes in I le prophesie vnto them for this once But in such wise as they shall neither boast Nor you be hurt in any kinde of wise Enter Belinus Claramont Arcastus go both the Priests to meet him the first say 1. Pr. You Kings of Turkie Mahomet our God By sacred science hauing notice that You were sent Legats from high Amuracke Vnto this place commaunded vs his Priests That we should cause you make as mickle speed As well you might to heare for certaintie Of that shall happen to your King and ye Beli. For that intent we came into this place And sithens that the mightie Mahomet Is now at leisure for to tell the same Let vs make haste and take time while we may For mickle daunger hapneth through delay 2. Pri. Truth worthy king and therfore you your selfe With your companions kneele before this place And listen well what Mahomet doth say Kneele all downe before the brasen Head Beli. As you do will we ioyntly will obey Ma. Princes of Turkie and Embassadors Of Amuracke to mightie Mahomet I needs must muse that you which erst haue bene The readiest souldiers of the triple world Are now become so slacke in your affaires As when you should with bloudie blade in hand Be hacking he'mes in thickest of your foes You stand still loytering in the Turkish soyle What know you not how that it is decreed By all the gods and chiefly by my selfe That you with triumph should all Crowned bee Make haste Kings least when the fates do see How carlesly you do neglect their words They call a Counsell and force Mahomet Against his will some other thing to set Send Fabius backe to Amuracke againe To haste him forwards in his enterprise And march you on with all the troupes you haue To Naples ward to conquer Aragon For if you stay both you and all your men Must needs be sent downe straight to Lymbo den 2. Pri. Muse not braue kings at Mahomets discourse For marke what he forth of that mouth doth say Assure your selfe it needs must happen so Therefore make hast go mount you on your steeds And set vpon Alphonsus presently So shall you reape great honor for your paine And scape the scourge which els the Fates ordaine Rise all vp Beli. Then proud Alphonsus looke thou to thy Crowne Belinus comes in glittring armor clad All readie prest for to reuenge the wrong Which not long since you offred vnto him And since we haue God Mahound on our side The victorie must needs to vs betide Cla. Worthie Belinus set such threats away And let vs haste as fast as horse can trot To set vpon presumptuous Aragon You Fabius hast as Mahound did commaund To Amuracke with all the speed you may Fabi. With willing mind I hasten on my way Exit Fabius Beli. And thinking long till that we be in fight Belinus hastes to quaile Alphonsus might Exeunt omnes Strike vp alarum a while Enter Carinus Cari. No sooner had God Phebus brightsome beames Both Millaine land and all the parts thereof Cari. Why then I doubt not but