withall it beare Orestes too now mother neuer feare Argos makes me to laugh which made thee weep The Troians in the graue now sweetly sleep Their sorrow hath the end now these begin To ouerflow themselues with mutuall sin And after all Orestes we may see Hath lost his reason mans sole propertie SCEN. IV. Enter Orestes furens Orest. BY heauen you shall not nay I am decreed Doe teare teare me yes I haue deseru'd it Cass. O braue O braue hee 's mad as well as I I 'me glad my madnes hath got companie Orest. Mother why mother will you kill my father Then I 'll kill you tush I haue don 't already Much patience will grow fury in time Follow you me you beast you damn'd Aegysteus I 'll hew thee piece by piece looke of my mother Cass. I am she or one loues thee well Orest. Out you witch you witch Cas. Murderer murderer Orest. Dost whisper with the diuells to torment mee O how they lash me with their snaky whips Why Megaera Megaera wilt not hold thy hand Are you there too Erynnis hay all hell My Grandsire Atreus he stands fighting there But hee 'll ha' th' better on 't keep Cerberus keepe Keepe the fates fast or all hell breakes loose Mother I see you O you are a whore Did I kill you witch dost thou lash dost thou Cas. Why this is fine my very looks doe whip him Orest. Could I but get the stone from Sysiphus I 'de dash thy braines out O are you there I faith Spics Stro. and Elect. dead A bed so close with you adulterer I 'll stab your lustfull soules with your owne kniues Stabs them with Electra's knife Cas. O clap clap O rare beyond expectation Hold good heart do not burst with laughter Orest. Will you not wake sleepe sleepe then your last Looke how they fly i' th ayre Cass, I see them see them Orest. Why Ioue dost meane to let them into heauen O th' art come downe and gon to hell Pluto see Pluto hee 's afraid of them O spare my sides my sides my sides the blood O now you touch my ribs Cas. Hay how he skips O excellent whips himselfe O sweet Catastrophy do's none see 't but I Clap clap againe would all Priams sons And daughters were here now to helpe me laugh Orest. Lash on lash on Canidia arth thou there Why grandsire would it were to doe againe Nay Aeacus I feare no whipping posts currentes Exeunt Laugh'st thou thou witch I 'll follow thee to hell SCEN. V. Enter Pylad. alone Pyl. THus seeking others I haue lost my selfe My friend and father banisht and whilst I Wander to seeke them for to ease their woe I heare more griefe proclam'd against my friend That none must succor none must giue him foode And yet I 'll seeke him and should all the lawes That Tyranny should thinke vpon restraine I 'de draw my blood forth for let him drinke But O what 's here O I haue found too sonne Spies Stroph dead One which I sought my Fathers wearied soule In sighes hath now expired out it selfe Now O ye Sisters your great taske is done You ne're vntwinde what you haue once begun Thus obuious to our Fates t'our selues vnkind We haste to seeke that which too soone we finde Alas why doe our souls too greedy burn To hasten thither whence we ne're return We run to 't of our selues though death were slow Should he come tardy we too soone should goe For the first day that giues vs our first breath Doth make vs a day nearer vnto death All this huge world which now on earth so striue To morrow this time may not be aliue Great Troy is downe since Agamemnon fell Since my deare Father which but now was well O art thou come deare friend for thee I sought Enter Orest. Her 's some foode yet in spight of all the lawes Orest. Wilt bid me to dinner Pluto ha with what Giue me no snakes I I goe I goe Vp to Cythaerus top I hate thy meate Pyl. Heauens hee 's distracted now doth fury right When thus against her selfe her selfe doth fight 'T is I man here 't is Pylades not Pluto Orest. Ha Pylades I they haue banisht him But grandsire looke too 't I 'll teare out your maw Pylades Pylades I come Pylad. Why I am hee looke friend dost not know me Orest. Yes yes thou wert with me when I kild my mother And see the Furies now would whip thee too Alecto looke looke here 's Alecto too O Clytemnestra hay how the lion skips And Taurus he would tosse me on his hornes Looke on the Ramme see the Beare roares at me And Charon he would fling me into Styx Pylad. He feares the heauenly signes nay then now time Hath brought true punishment on euery crime Orest. Dash out the puppets braines the little boy The bastard my mothers bastard so blood spin My mother kild my Father kild the King But she got little by 't looke on her brest It bleeds it bleeds so so Aegystheus so Pylad. O what a strange distemper stirs his braine Thou gentle Somnus in whom care doth rest Kinde father of cold death and son of peace Which comes to Kings and poore men all alike Binde his disturbed braine tye vp his sense Let him but liue to die now t is not long Before we both shall sing our funerall song Or. Ha must I sinke can I not keepe a loft Fals a sleepe What is the streame so strong why then I 'll diue And come to hell the sooner Pylad. So gentle sleepe Thou gather'st vp his wandring braines againe This is but halfe dead yet halfe dead he lies But t is not long before he wholly dies Musique within Harke they play musike O these sounds do harme Enticing woe with their melodious charme These please not men in woe these time doe keepe But miseries best falling is to weepe Or stops are nought but sobs our hearts we bring Whereon we prickt the soulefa which we sing A song within together with the musicke Weepe weepe you Argonauts Bewaile the day That first to fatall Troy You tooke your way Weepe Greece weepe Greece Two Kings are dead Argos thou Argos now a graue Where Kings are buried No heire no heire is left But one that 's mad See Argos hast not thou Cause to be sad Sleepe sleepe wild braine Rest rocke thy sence Liue if thou canst To grieue for thy offence Weepe weepe you Argonauts c. Pyl. Peace Musique peace our plaints haue louder cries A heart that 's sad can neuer harmonize Griefe cannot keepe his time all time 's too long Sighs are best sembriefes to his dolefull Song My ditties mournefull though thou sweetly play Thus doe we all euen blow our liues away But doest thou wake Orestes is rest fled Orest. wakes Sleep ne're dwells long in a molested head Orest. Harke harke the Furies entertaine my mother Orpheus would fetch Euridice from Hell See he lookes back wouldst venter so thou foole I
is it burnes I see I am awake doe not delude me night Now stand on tiptoes Atlas lift heauen higher I may haue ayre inough to breath my woes O let me yet recall thy posting soule If Charon haue not hurried thee too fast If yet thou hast not drunk on lethes poole Come backe and tell mee who it is this night Hath don this deed farre blacker then the night Ha! art thou fled past call why thou wert old Me thinkes thou shouldst not haste so fast away Was it for this thou swe'rst so oft in Armes Was it for this that the froth swelling foame When thy ships top toucht Heauen and deepe plac'd hell That thou must yet escape curl'd Neptune's waues To be a Palinurus in thy shoare There drowne thy aged locks in crimson goare O if one sparke yet of thy Princely Soule Remaine within this trunke now let it shine And light my ignorant eyes to reade the names Of these night vultures whose deuouring bills Haue made a Titius of thy royall corps Who did not feare great Agamemnons sleepe Arme arme your selues all you all potent Gods You which we terme Iust ministers of Heauen Shoote forked lightning from the marble poale Let the all-seeing eye of heauen shoote flames Which may parch vp the marrow from their bones Should they lye coucht i' th brest a' th Thunderer Or be entrencht with guards of Furies Heauen earth nor hell should keepe them from my sword Dost thou sleepe Ioue O couldst thou snore so fast And let thy great vicegerent thus be torne Some of th' immortall powers haue had fathers And know what 't is to haue them murdered thus But I turne woman now O I raue out My passions doe griefe poure out thy selfe That thou mayst make roome in my empty heart To fill it with reuenge SCEN. VI. Enter Clytem Aegyst in night-robes Clyt. HOw now what ayles our sonne how now Orestes Orest. O some are come now to helpe me greiue See see mother see your husband and my Father The King of Greece great shepheard of his Land See see him here She faines her selfe to swown Aeg. catcheth her falling Cly. O helpe now good heauen to keepe my sexe Let me dissemble Aegyst. Help my Lords the Queen Clyt. O why let you not my soule that whilst he liu'd Was linkt to his and would too now haue fled With wing'd desire to haue beene with him What doe I liue for Agamemnon slaine My Lord my King my Husband wake my Lord What bloody Troian followed thee from thence To kill thee here could he not one night Haue let me rested in thy sweet embraces Must he for surenesse make so many holes For thy sweet soule to flye to be a God O let my teares be balme to these thy wounds Let my lips kisse and warme thy gelid lips Let my haire wipe these clots of blood away From thy age-honor'd side O dry your teares Ioyne knees and prayers with mee awake ye Gods And send our vows since we can send no wounds They both kneel Come son we women still know how to curse Let him that did it be an Adulterer Aegyst. Faith she begins well sure she knows the man Clytem. Let him be conscious he hath done a deed Deserues reuenge whether it fall or no Let him for euer beare in minde this night And who 't was helpt him in this bloody act Aegyst. Yes hee 'll remember how you curse him now Orest. If euer he haue children let them be Murdered before his face that he may know How nature bindes a father and a sonne Aegyst. Now hands I thanke you now my soule grows glad Had not he greiu'd thus I had lost reuenge Clyt. But come my sonne now let vs talke of graues Of Epitaphs and tombs and 's soule being fled Draw the curtaine and carrie him away Let 's lap his Trunke vp in a sheet of lead Exeunt Clyt. Aegyst manet Orest. Orest. Me thinks I see a Tragedy at hand To which this night hath as a Prologue bin I 'll make a prayer now worthy Atreus grandchilde Let the foule Adder sting me as I walke The poysonous toad belch her blacke venom forth In my despised face let it be thought I neuer had a father but some monster Bred by a slimy exhalation If my reuenge fly not with ample wing Till then rest soule hate told may lose his sting ACT. II. SCEN. I. Enter Cassandrasola as a mad Prophetesse Cass. O Ye dead Troians leape within your graues O mother that thou hadst liu'd this night Now thou 'ldst be glad to haue lost so many sons The Grecians are reueng'd vpon themselues I thanke thee soule that thou keptst here till now To let me see Greece ouercome it selfe I liue I liue I 'm here I liue to see 't I doe not dreame on 't no I saw the blood Run from his side whole Catarackts all Greece Apollo how am I bound now for this That I doe onely see this happinesse Hecuba Priame young Astianax Looke Hecuba Greece now doth act your woes Laugh Hecuba for now Electra weeps And Tyndarus he knows not what to doe Come little Cuz come my Astianax Orestes is in a worse case then thou Still I had others for to weepe with me But none are left to laugh now but my selfe What should he feare at home A conquerer feare T is don 't is done leaue fighting Hector leaue The Grecians meane to fight against themselues From Tyndarus the first brand tooke fire Which burnt downe Troy and now an other here Kindles from him to set a fire Greece Graia iuuenca venit quae se patremque virumque Perdidit Io laetor Graia iuuenca venit Hellen thy sister Hellen nay shee 's thine Who could haue thought that Hector being slaine Old Priame made a sacrifice to death Troy turn'd to cindars poore Andromacha Dragg'd by her haire to death Astianax Sent out o' th world before he well came in Ha ha who could haue thought after all this Cassandra should haue euer laught againe One houre of laughter following many yeeres Of discontent doth helpe to sweeten teares Exit ACT. II. SCEN. II. Enter Aegystheus Clytem Aegyst. FAire morning to my Queene nay more my loue How likes my sweet her change of bedfellow Clyt. Looke as a hollow leafelesse failing oake To whom for that he hath bin her weight too long The earth denies to lend him moysture so His sap failes and he stands on a green Mongst sprouting Elms that they may seem more fresh Whilst hee 's but held a monument of yeeres Such one seem'd Agamemnon a drie tree Thou like a sprouting elme whom I embrace Like twining Iuy with these now-blest armes Blest whilst this treasure in them they holdlockt Aegyst. O who 'ld not doe a murder for a woman Heauen had but two things for the Gods reseru'd Fire and women when with Giant thought Promotheus had tane one Ioue in his rage Threw him the to'ther bad him keepe 'em both O th' are rare
your Image stampt vpon the face This we must talke of now not what griefs past But of the ioy to come Aegyst. My Queen not well Now good Electra looke vnto your mother Clyt. riseth from the table Lucina be propitious to the birth Why will not now a young Aegystheus be As gratefull as an old Orestes was Thou times good lengthener age posterity Spread thy selfe still vpon Aegistheus line Helpe me to treasure vp antiquity And from Thyestes loyns let spring an heire Shall euer sit in great Thyestes chaire Exeunt SCEN. IV. Enter Pylades Orestes with his arme full of a dead mans bones and a Scull Pylad. Neare to this shady groue where neuer light Appeares but when 't is forced with som charm Canidia dwells in such a dusky place That the night goblins feare to come too neare it Here let vs knocke Orest. Nay Pylady see here O giue me leaue to descant on these bones This was my Fathers scull but who can know Whether it were some subiects scull or no Where be these Princely eyes commanding face The braue Maiesticke looke the Kingly grace Wher 's the imperious frowne the Godlike smile The gracefull tongue that spoke a souldiers stile Ha ha worms eate them could no princely looke No line of eloquence writ in this booke Command nor yet perswade the worms away Rebellious worms could a King beare no sway Iniurious worms what could no flesh serue But Kings for you By heauen you all shall sterue Had I but known 't what must my father make A feast for you O ye deuouring creatures Pyla. Now some Archilocus to helpe him make Vengefull Iambiques that would make these worms To burst themselues Passion must please It selfe by words griefe told it selfe doth ease Orest. You cowardly bones would you be thus vncloth'd By little crawling wormes by Ioue I neuer thought My Fathers bones could e're haue beene such cowards O you vngratefull wormes how haue you vs'd him See their ingratitude O ambitious creatures How they still domineere or'e a Kings carcasse Pyla. How could they thinke Orestes when thou cam'st to the crown That thou shouldst beare that these should eate thy father Orest. True Pylades should not I rend their maws Deuise some new tortures O most horrible treason That worms should come vnto a great Kings face And eate his eyes why I would vndertake But at one stampe to kill a thousand of 'em And I will kill these Stamps upon them Goe you Kings-eating creatures I will marre All your digestion Pylad. Alas where be his wits He stands declaming against senselesse worms And turnes more senslesse then the worms themselues Wher 's now the oracle you should consult The great Magician now the Centaurs thought Shall be example to all future yeers And now transcend Proserpina's inuention Ha hast thou found them out ha were they worms Orest O prethe laugh not at me me call her call her Pyl. knocks Whilst I stand gathering vp my Fathers bones His deare disiected bones O I remember here Ran the strong sinews twixt his knitting ioynts Here to this bone was ioyn'd his Princely arme Here stood the hand that bare this warlike shield And on this little ioynt was place't the head That Atlas-like bare vp the weight of Greece Here here betwixt these hollow yawning iaws Stood once a tongue which with one little word Could haue commanded thousand souls to death Good hands indure this your weighty taske And good eyes striue not to make moyst his bones With weeping teares What sin 's our Procustes euer could Haue hackt a King into such things as these Alas her 's euery part now so deform'd I know not which was his yet all was his Sound infernall Musique SCEN. V. Enter Canidia like an Enchauntresse Orest. PRotect vs O ye Ministers of Heauen Stand neare me my good Genius my soule hath lost His humane function at this hellish sight Can. Who is 't disturbs our caue what messenger Hath Pluto sent that would know ought from vs What are you speake Canidia cannot stay Pylad. Prompt vs some Ghost Great feare of earth and gouernesse of nature In whose deepe closet of that sacred heart Are written the characters of future Fate And what is done or what must be thou knowst Whose words make burning Acheron grow cold And Ioue leaue thundring when he heares thy name To thee we come O turne thy secret booke And looke whose names thou there shalt see inscrib'd For murderers reade or'e all the catalogue Vntill thou findest there engrauen those Which kild the King of Greece great Agamemnon Orest. Yes he that did owe these bones which worms haue eate It is not now one of the meaner sort That craues this boone but 't is the heire of Greece Heire onely now but to my Fathers graue I not command but my astonisht soule Entreats to know If in thy booke it be not yet put downe Command the Gods to vnlocke the gates of Heauen And fetch forth death command him to relate Who 't was put Agamemnon in his hands This is our businesse this great prophetesse Made vs approach to thy most hallowed cell Can. Ho ho ho I tell thee fond young Prince A lesser power thou mightst haue implor'd Which might haue vrg'd th' vnwilling fiends to this Our dire enchantments carry such a force That when the stars and influence of heauen Haue suckt the liuely bloud from out mens veyns I at my pleasure bring it backe againe I knew each houre in the Troian fight What Grecian or what Phrygian should die And fierce Achilles had no sooner pierc't Great Hectors side but fate did send me word Earth Sea deepe Chaos all the stony hills Will ope themselues to shew me prodigies Night will vnmaske her brow to let me see What blacke conceptions teeme within her wombe Orest. O then relate great Mistresse of thy Art The things we craue Can. What time of night is 't Pyl. Vpon the stroke of twelue Can. Straite when a cloudy Euen clappeth the Ayre And all light 's drench't in misty Acheron When the blacke palpherys of the full cheekt moone Haue got behinde this part a' th Hemispheare And darke Aldebor and is mounted high Into the fable Cassiopeias chaire And night ful mounted in her seat of iet Sits wrapt within a cabinet of clouds When serpents leaue to hisse no dragons yell No birds doe sing no harsh tun'd toads doe croake The Armenian Tyger and the rauenous woolfe Shall yeeld vp all their tyranny to sleepe And then none walke but hells disturbed spirits Children of night such as belong to me I 'll shew thee thy desire giue me these bones Orest. Here take them Mother vse them gently They were a Kings bones once O not so hard Can. Why senslesse boy dost thinke that I respect A Kings dead bones more then an other mans O they smell rankly I this sent doth please Smels to them But I must now to worke why Sagana Pylad. Looke here thou King of
Greece fond Menelaus Thou which didst bring so many goodly shapes Taks vp the scull Into such things as these and all for Helen Which when the worms bred of her dainty flesh Shall haue knaw'd off her tender rubie lips And left her gumlesse looke vpon her then And thou wouldst euen disgorge thy selfe to see Such putride vermin to lye kissing her Orest. This head had once a royall diademe Now knock it beate it and 't will ne're cry treason Can. Why Sagana Orest. There was a player once vpon a stage Who striuing to present a dreery passion Brought out the vrne of his late buried sonne It might the more affect him and draw teares But I as if I had no passion left Not acting of a part but really In a true cause hauing my Fathers bones His hollow scull yet crawling full of worms I cannot weepe no not a teare will com Can. Why Sagana Veia Erictho know you not your time SCEN. VI. Enter Sagana Veia Erictho 3. witches Sag. VVHat would you Beldame Can. Hath not triform'd Hecate put on Her Styx-died mantle is 't not now fit time To worke our charmes in Veia We here are ready 'gainst thy sacred charme Can. You two sit by and beare in minde this charge Who e're you see who euer I present Let your tongues be percullist in your iaws Stir not nor speake not till the charme be done Pyl. Feare not it shall be chain'd with silence Can. Night and Diana sacred Queene Which euer hast spectator beene Vnto our balefull hideous rights Ne're acted but in darkest nights Now in this fatall hers-bred houre Shew to my rites thy greatest power Erictho when my torch shall twinkle Auernall water thou shalt sprinckle About the roome now let vs kneele Our heauy burthen Hell shall feele Le ts all coyn words now we may see Who 't was did worke this prodigie Omnes Pluto great Pluto we command Thou send vnto vs out of hand The shapes of those that kild the King Great Agamemnon Infernall Musique Enter in a dumbe shew Aegystheus and Clytem with their bloody daggers looke vpon the bed goe to it and stab and then make a shew of gladnes and depart Or. O 't is aboue my bearing were I linkt here with chains I would like Cerberus draw Alcides backe Stay stay by heauens reuenge shall make you Nay I will follow you should they take 〈…〉 Where Aetna vomits fire I would in My mother Clytemnestra Aegystheus was it they Nay I will o'rtake them Can. O sonne remember what I told you sonne Many a rockie hill and stony mount Many a sea and vast Charybdis gulfe Stands betwixt them and thee though they seeme neere Ore O piety O most prodigious nature What creatures hast thou made to liue on earth How hast thou cloath'd blacke darknesse with a scarfe Of vnstain'd purity and put a godly face Vpon portentuous diuells Oh how my mother wept How Clitemnestra how that Hiena wept No more my mother I abiure the name She did not bring me forth I know she did not But I 'll o'rtake 'em shew mee Canidia where Which way they went where haue they hid themselues Should they mount vp to the chariot of the Sunne And in his Carre fly to the Antipodes Or in the farthest nooke of yonder spheare Get vp and place themselues betwixt Taurus hornes The fire-breathing bull nor Lerna's Hydra Were there no entrance but ten Lyons iawes I 'd runne through all and make my way my selfe I 'd fix them to the Axell tree of heauen Where their infectious Carcasses shauld hang A bait for flying spirits in the Ayre Canidia I thanke thee for thy paines Still may thy sacred Act reueale such deeds Still keepe the gates of Orcus yawning ope Make the darke powers ready at command Pyl. But let vs haste deare friend this vast worlds roome Allowes vs none but thy dead fathers Tombe Here 's naught but ayres of death no bed but stones Our pillow 's a dead scull companions bones Thi 's all our comfort if wee needs must die We haue a graue prepar'd wherein to lie Orest. Now pale Tisiphone O for thy Snakes O that renonw'ned spirit that more then man Whom all the Troian host could not o'rwhelme Murdred but what braue warrier wore a crown By guilding a dire sword in his deare blood Hector nor Priam no nor Mars himselfe Onely his wife was his Bellona now O miserable valour to scape foes And come for to be murdred of his friends O shamefull conquest O most coward Fate That a weake woman was competitor In Agamemnons death had it beene any yet It should haue beene a Goddesse at the least And yet she 's but a Queene a mortall woman Were she a Goddesse I would make he mortall Dull coward that I am and worse then all After so many wrongs yet vnreueng'd Their Palace now should fire o'r their heads And the huge beams dash out their guilty brains The roofe should fall on me so 't fell on them Begin reuenge and now performe an act May giue a theame to all posterity Euer to talke of fraught so full of horrour Aegystheus and my mother may with their's Yet none was euer greater yes my deed Reuenge is lost vnlesse we doe exceed Pyl. But a bad mother friend thou shouldst not hurt The law of nature doth forbid such thoughts Orest. Nor Gods nor nature shall keepe mee in awe Why towards my mother by heauens Parliament Who is most guilty is most innocent Can. Shall I thus by some magique Art my sonne Take both their pictures in pure virgin waxe And wound the place where that the hurt should stand And so wound them Orest. Tush this is too little Can. Shall I breed them hate Orest. Too little too Can. Shall I consume their children Ore All this too little Hell and the furies shall stand all amaz'd Alecto shall come there for to behold New kinds of murthers which she knew not yet And nature learne to violate her selfe I 'll instantly to th' Court and what I doe My selfe will see done yes and act it too Thanks great Canidia this blacke night being done Reuenge now knowes her game whereat to runne Exeunt omnes ACT. IIII SCEN. I. Enter in state Aegystheus Clytemnestra Tyndarus Strophius Electra Nutrix cum nouo partu Aegyst. NEuer but when a royall off-spring comes From a Kings loynes can hee be truly King Then doth he sit firme rooted in his state Then is he truly man and then the Gods He knowes doe loue him which when Kings doe want The curse of nature doth deny them fruit And brands their bed with loath'd sterility Tynd. Aegystheus since the Gods haue bless'd you so Haue care their blessings turne not to your woe Your ioy my daughters ioy and my ioy too Haue care it be preseru'd and brought vp well And take heed sonne of Agamemnons blood Pierce not with enuy the Babes tender heart Aegyst. Tush father now not without griefe I speake All brookes
which from the Princely Ocean ranne Are quite dry'd vp onely Electra here Our deare Electra whose great weight of loue Is in our ballance equally so poys'd That shee shall euer thinke her father liues Our heart shall be so parallell with hers El. Yes great Aegystheus wer 't but our mothers will What she thinkes good of I must not thinke ill Besides your loue e'r since my fathers death As 〈…〉 ame from his departing soule And 〈◊〉 with had reuiu'd againe in you 〈…〉 prospectiu for me to see 〈…〉 oubled though the obiect 's chang'd 〈…〉 a brother if you please That I may challenge in your royall blood Here doe I tie with all affections bands My selfe vnto this Babe which is as deare Vnto my soule as were Orestes here Clyt. Daughter your heart now with obedience strung Makes a sweet musique sounding from your tongue Nurse bring the Babe giue it Electra so You daughter shall haue ouersight of it Nutr. O shall I part from 't then Clyt. No good Nurse no Electra with her care you with your paines Nutr. Now by Lucina had it gone away I should haue sit and sob'd away my heart 'T is the sweetest Babe that euer Nurse did kisse Aegyst. Looke here good father looke my nobles here Vpon this Babe scarce crept yet out of earth For you shall grow an Autumn of ripe yeeres When time hath brought it to maturity Looke on thy Grandchilde Tyndarus see 't is thine This came from thee old man see how it smiles Vpon the Grandsire as if wise nature had Taught him his kindreds names fore he came forth Tynd. I see 't Aegystheus and my ag'd blood grows warme As if my selfe were a new father made And all the blessings I can render it Shal drop like golden showers on the head Me thinks it doth recall my sliding age And makes swift time retire backe againe It doth vnfold those wrincles in my face Which griefe and yeeres had fixed as their signes Vpon my brow and now it shall be seene Althoug my hayres are gray my ioyes are greene Clyt. Long may our father his opinion hold And you our daughter let not sinister thoughts Wrong your suspicious minde though this being young It makes our Lord and me to speake our ioyes Yet our affection and our naturall loue Is not a whit to you diminished A mother can be mother vnto many And as from one roote hid within the ground Springs many flowers that lends sap to all So from a parents heart runne veines of loue Which though to many they without doe flow Yet from one heart one root they all doe grow Elect. I hope our gracious mother cannot thinke We doe suspect her loue witnesse this charge Which you haue bless'd my armes and soule withall And as your loue committed it with care My care shall still defend it with my loue Aegyst. We thanke our daughter come Lord Strophius come Griefe still sits heauy on your sighing heart Be frolike learne of vs in all the grace And pleasure our Court extends you shall haue place Stroph. I thanke my gracious Lord time hath by this Almost eate out the memory of our sonne And since the heauens let fall their dew on you And watred Argos with such springing hopes I will not seeme a stocke vncapable Of such a generall comfort but reuiue My buried thoughts and for my Souerignes sake Old Strophius will a young mans person take Aegyst. We thanke old Strophius and if honour can Keepe thee still young our Princely hand is wide And freely shall extend all graces on thee And you all our subiects which beare part Thus in our ioy and here I doe proclaime And personally from my owne mouth pronounce Sealing it with the signet of my State A generall immunity to all Murders rapes treasons thefts conueyances Which haue beene from the birth of our deare childe In all the confines of our Empire done Nor shall your licence date be quite expired Till the slow yeere seuen times runnes out his course Our selfe thus speake it vntill then all 's free Kings win their subiects by immunity Exeunt omnes Manet Strophius Electra Stroph. Electra you are happy in your charge Electr. Yes Vncle and you happy in my fauour Nur. Madam shal I stay here vntil you come comes back Electr, Yes Nurse sit downe and sing looke to the Babe I 'll onely with my Vncle change a word Nurse sings Lullaby lullaby Baby Great Argos ioy The King of Greece thou art borne to be In despight of Troy Rest euer wait vpon thy head Sleepe close thine eyes The blessed guard tend on thy bed Of Deities O how this brow will beseeme a crowne How these lockes will shine Like the raies of the Sun on the ground These lockes of thine The Nurse of heauen still send thee milk Maist thou suck a Queene Thy drinke Ioues Nectar and cloaths of silke A God mayst thou seeme Cupid sit on this Rosean cheeke On these rubie lips May thy minde like a Lambe be meeke In the vales which trips Lullaby Lullaby Baby c. Elect. You neuer heard from my brother Vncle Nor from your sonne they haue beene long away Stroph. In troth Electra I am in despaire Almost of euer seeing them againe Sure if Orestes liue and euer heare Vnto what passe Aegystheus brings his state Seated him in the throne of his mothers bed And like to leaue Argos hereditary To his posterity it cannot e'r be borne Orestes spirit will endure no scorne Elect. Vncle his long delayes make mee surmise Or he will neuer come or come with prize Hee if now come hee must not shew himselfe But liue vnknowne vnnam'd or change his name Str. His name Electra yes and 's nature too Which I doe feare me hee will hardly doe But if we hear not from them now e're long I 'll listen by some meanes about the land To heare of them meane time you to your charge Officious duty must our liues enlarge Elect. Come Nurse Exeunt SCEN. II. Enter Orestes and Pylades Orest. O here 's the Palace vnder whose kinde roofe My tender yeeres were gently fostered But now the sight on 't seemes to strike my soule When I but thinke it holds within the walls The patrons of such lust incarnate diuells Mere Pythonists that fascinate the world Pyl. Nay but Orestes thinke now of your selfe Complaine not of your wrongs but seeke to right them We might haue liu'd i' th woods still to complaine And to that purpose wee may turne againe Whet vp your former thoughts and spend not time To raue but to reuenge this odious act We know they were their shapes and no Chymera's Orest. O Pylades knew I thou art my friend Pyl. I hope you thinke it Orest. I doe I dare sweare it So I dare sweare it was Aegystheus and The dumbe witch the O what things enough To be an attribute to terme her by The Clytemnestra O wee saw her do 't Pyl. 'T was a
what flowing sea Should wash thee in the salt Meotis streame Or Tethis at full tide o'rflow thy banks Still would the spots of murder sticke on them Orest. Why Grandsire I goe not about to wash By heauen 't was all the fruit thought to win To thinke all mischiefe here could be no sinne Tynd. See see thy mother looke vpon her now On her whose eyes thou hast for euer clos'd Which eyes haue often wakned at thy cry And hush'd thee with a lullaby to sleepe See see these hands which oft with so much care Wrapt gently vp thy vnset tender limbs See see this face wont at thy signes to smile When nature gaue not leaue vnto thy tongue To vtter thy childs meaning Ore See see these bones these nasty rotten bones Which had so often lock'd his hands in hers Here stood the tongue which oft had call'd her sweet Deare Glytemnestra and then stopt his speech And told his loue in a more speaking signe Here stood those eyes which fed vpon her face And made her of thy daughter a great Queene And thee made him a dish for loathed wormes Tyn. Suppose she did there was but one yet dead And with ones death againe should be repaid Orest. No Tyndarus had I desir'd but one I should haue thought I had desired none Why me thinks I should too haue kill'd thee The number is too little yet of three Tyn. Into what land what country wilt thou fly All earths all lands all countries will flie thee The heauens will look with a more cherefull brow On Cerberus Orest. Why let heauen looke as 't will it is my crowne That I haue done an act shall make heauen frowne Tynd. O what earth loues so much a guilty soule That it can beare thee Ore Why Sir this is mine And this shall beare mee Am I not righ heire Tynd. Thou heire to kingdomes thou a subiect rather To helpe to make a Players Tragedie Orest. Why that will make me swell with greater pride To thinke my name shall drop in lines of blood From some great poets quils who well shall paint How brauely I reueng'd my fathers death That is the thing I wish'd and 't is my glory I shall be matter for so braue a story But where 's my Crowne 1 Lord No murderers wee 'll rather ioyne with him This old man here to take away thy life Then such an homicide shall frame vs lawes Who hath himselfe rac'd out the lawes of Nature 2 Lord Yes and wee 'll set here Argos Crowne on him Who shall enact some punishment for thee Which although none can equalize this deed Yet what our griefes can thinke all shall be done And wee 'll forget thou' rt Agamemnons sonne Ore Why thinke you vpon your worst I scorne to craue I had three liues you but my one shall haue Tyn. Then since vile wretch thou hast committed that Which while there is a world throughout the world VVill be pronounc'd for the most horrid deede That euer came into the thought of man A thing which all will talke of none allow I here disclaime that name of Grandfather And I must quite forget that in thy veynes My blood doth flow but thinke it then let out VVhen thou letst out my daughters and since you Kinde Lords commit the state vnto my yeeres Yeeres too vnfit heauens know to beare a state My mind me thinks contends for to decree Somewhat which to my selfe I dare not tell Iust conceiu'd wrath and my affection striues Hate forbids pitty pitty forbids hate And exile is but barren punishment Yet let me banish thee from out these eyes O neuer let thy sight offend me more All thy confederates and all thy friends You Pylades wich did so smoothly cloake The damnde profession hee did vndertake You Strophius Stroph. My Lord I know not ought Yet since one foot is now in Charons boat If it please you let tother too afloate Tynd. Not so but I will banish you the court And you Electra come I must forget Affection too towards you you gaue the child Which you had charge of to the murderers sword Elect. Why Grandsire I herin no wrong do finde Since all these goe I would not stay behinde Tyn. Nay but no one shall company the other Hence thou Cocytus streame of this offence Strophius Pylades Electra hence Exeunt Stroph Pyl. Elect. Orest. Why farewell Grandsire since thou bidst I flie And scorn companions for my misery Exit Orest. Tynd. Vnto this punishment this one more I adde That none shall dare to giue Orestes foode And this decree shall stand I speake with griefe And here pronounce Orestes no reliefe Hence with these corps poore child what hadst thou don Thy Nurses prayers that there might spring a rose Where e're thou trod'st could not keepe backe thy foes Some plague he hath but such a matricide Should neuer die although he euer dide SCEN. II. Enter Elect. and Stroph Elect. THus neuer lesse alone then when alone Where to ourselues we sweetly tell our woes Thou Vncle cheife companion to our griefes And sole partaker of our miseries Why doe we liue when now 't is come to passe It is scarce knowne that Agamemnon was He dies far easier who at first doth drowne Then he which long doth swim and then sinks down Stroph. Nay Neece me thinks I now doe see the Hauen Where my ag'de soule must leaue this tossed barke Made weak with yeeres and woes yet I commend Vnto my Son the heart of a true friend That 's all the will I leaue and let him know Friendship should euer be but most in woe And so I leaue thee Neece I first must die To haste a periode to this Tragedy He dies Elect. O enuious Fates could you not vse me thus Haue not I griefe inough to burst my heart Was my life's thred twisted and knit so strong That the keen edge of all these miseries Can neuer cut it off Must I beare more 'T is all my safety now not to be safe Are there so many wayes to rid ones life And can I hit on none they say that death Is euery where and yet I finde him not Tush but I seeke him not why my owne hand Might graspe him to me if I did but striue Now hand helpe ease my heart and make a way Stabs her selfe To let out griefe that hath so long dwelt here Now knife tha 'st don good seruice there lie by Heauen well decreed it nothing life can giue But euery thing can make vs not liue SCEN. III Enter Cassandra NOw Priams ghost haste haste I say to looke With chearefull eyes on the sinister booke And there to Hecuba my mother show The tragique story of thy conquered foe And let Andromacha my sister see What Agamemnons race is come to be Now Troy gratifie that most sad doome Conquered by those that thus themselus or'ecome Let Greece so florish still let Argos be Puft with the pride of their great victory Let it beare Souldiers so