your patience too farre and give The Duke a cause to blame your too much favour Exeunt The Page puls Damasippus back to speake with him Dam. My little least of any thing thou parcell of man what 's the newes with thee Page Newes from the Fortunate Ilands Master Damasippus The very Elizium of your delight and delicious Nectar of pleasure Mistris Ambrosia Frailware commands halfe her selfe to your learned conceipts and the rest to the heate of your inferiour Moralities Dam. O the odoriferous flowre of Florence How does shee Page In able strength and strong appetite and earnestly entreates this evening your presence at Supper her Husband will bee forc'd by Oath businesse to be absent and therefore you must feed her with the fruits of your company and you shall bee fed with the strength of confirming meates that edifie Dam. Thy reward shall overtake thee I will first accompany this Lady to her death and prepare and strengthen her according to moralitie and then I will be ready to give all moral comfort to the sweet desires of our deare Paramour Exit Page I le meet your moral comfort with such a Physicall counter-buffe that I le spoile your tilting for that night i'faith Exit Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Antonio Lucilio following and by him Damasippus at going to the Rocke the executioner Frailware and others with Holbeards Damasippus ANd as I told you sweet Lady make your reconcilement with the world that you bee not hindred from your death if you owe any thing you must forgive and forget it that you may dye according to moralitie Lucil. I thanke your labour Master Damasippus I hope my peace with heaven and earth 's confirm'd And you shall need trouble your selfe no farther But you Antonio whose deserving trust Must be a witnesse of the latest gaspe Our fainting soule shall draw tell to the world How undivided was the tender love Betwixt Althea and Lucilio's life And let me vow 't into thy full beliefe That the soft Ayre faun'd with the cooling breath Of a milde Sommers Evening from the West Was not lesse murderous than Althea's wish Nay weepe not man we cannot weepe our selves We doe intreat this death to end our woes Not to encrease them Farewell Antonio And if in after times you heare our friends Sigh for our haplesse death bid them desist We did but quench the thirst envy had chas'd us into Come honest friend Discharge your Office for sorrow 'gins to fit Heavy upon our heart that faine would rest The Executioner with one more leads him up to the Rocke where he begins to binde his hands first asking him forgivenesse Execut. Madam forgive me your death Lucil. Which here I doe As freely as I wish my weari'd Ghost May finde a fearelesse passage through the strange And uncouth shades that leades our soules to Rest Enter the Lady Iulia running with her haire dishevell'd Iulia Where shall I runne to meet that which beheld Kils with a deadlyer wound then doe the eyes Or coldest poyson of a Basiliske She sees them on the Rock Althea stay and let thy wretched Parent Take the last farewell of her dying childe Shee runnes up to them Ah why did Nature make my unhappy wombe Fruitfull by thee and yet reserve mine age To out-live the extremities of griefe and see Thy dismall end by an untimely death Was I reserv'd for this Or were the crimes Of our black guilt so horrid in the eyes Of Heaven that nothing but the fatall scourge Of severe justice in the woefull'st forme Could expiate our sinne How were I blest If the first instant that imparted life To thy scarce featur'd selfe joy to my wombe Had beene the last in which we both had breath'd Lucil. Madam doe not afflict your selfe nor let your cares Live from our death Althea cannot dye But with her innocence does buy a life That shall extend her worth beyond the reach Of Time and Envy Therefore as you respect Your daughters peacefull happinesse take truce With sorrow but till we be dead and Heaven That still protects the innocent will show How just it is in plaguing those that strive By treacherous plots to oppresse innocent lives Iulia Canst thou perswade the Ocean in a storme To leave her swelling Or a Bullet shot To stop its passage No Althea no! The lightest Arrow is not more powerfull sent Vnto his Mark than we are throwne to death Therefore farewell I le haste to meet thee there Where no injustice nor oppressing tyrannie Shall sever our embraces and let this kisse Seale up that vow upon thy dying lips She offers to kisse Lucilio and putting by his Scarfe he is knowne What 's here has sorrow so transform'd thy shape Or dull'd the wonted vigour of my sight That it sees nothing right proportioned Lucil. Madam conceale me for Althea's love Who lives but banish'd onely for a while And let me die that she may freely live Iulia My Lord Lucilio doe you mocke my woes O where 's Althea have you murder'd her And come to upbraid the miseries we feele Is 't not enough that I must lose that stay On which my aged widdowhood rely'd But you must jest at anguish Is not our blood Enough to satisfie the thirst of Treason But you must swallow more I le not conceale Your murdering plotts but lay these Actions ope To the wide worlds eyes and leave the rest In hope that Heaven who doth your treacheries view As you have dealt so they may deale with you Shee throwes off his Scarfe Exit Iulia Lucilio offers to throw himselfe off the Rocke Serv. What meanes my Lord Lucil. To dye as I am doom'd Therefore let me goe Serv. Antonio lend your help To save the Prince whom you have brought to death Anto. My heart force him to live or by the Seat Of Iustice you shall die as many deaths As you have Arteries Lucil. Then we must live to see those griefes alive Which death would end and life will but revive Anto. Poste to the Duke before and let him know The strangenesse of the accident Exit Servant Frailware and Page Lucil. Antonio know that I ever held thy faith till now True to thy friend and thought thou wouldst assist His miserie which thou hadst richly done If I had dyed Anto. O honour'd Lord be these Your harmelesse attempts that you conceal'd With such a nice reserv'dnesse from your friend Come good my Lord let us repaire to Court That now stands wondring at this strange report Exeunt Enter Page and Frailware Page My Head 's in labour with a jest Master Constable and I have a warrant to your authoritie to see me well deliver'd on 't Frail. I can drinke Sack and talke bawdy for a need if it come within the compasse of my Office Page Why there be two ingredients then to the composition of a Midwife and if you 'll be rul'd in the Action wee shall laugh and lie downe and have an excellent banquet at the
Serv. Nay nothing but tells us onely that if wee will thrive by service we must be either close Panders palpable flatterers or cozening Villaines Alast. A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poët I warrant him Exeunt Enter the Duke at one doore with Antonio Page and other Attendants At the other doore Lucilio in Altheas apparell his face covered with a Scarfe brought in by a Pursivant at Armes Frailware and others with Holbeards as a Prisoner to the Barre Damasippus Attend. Give back there and let the prisoner stand forth Duke How did wee thinke that when the stormes of warre Were with our danger care and cost expell'd From out these confines and the warmth of peace Turn'd like a Spring to shine within your bounds We should have sate secure Or after all Those toiles that spent our strength dry'd up our blood Hasten'd the hand of time to seize our haires Before his date and onely in pursuit Of your lov'd people safty and content Our owne now fainting wearinesse of age Should taste that freedome which our labours bought In plenteous fulnesse for the poorest swaine And we have clos'd the Evening of our age Within a fearlesse slumber But how weake Are all the hopes that wretched Princes faine When in the calme of peace while wee suppose Our perils banish'd and our selves ingirt With such impenetrable love as we Embrace our people with then stand our lives Expos'd to thickest dangers which conceal'd Doe strike the deeper and are warded lesse Such is the miserie that followes State That when we want abroad we finde at home Foes to besiege our lives The discontent Of some aggrieved spirits that thinke we stand 'Twixt their desires and them and which is worse The idle passions of unbridl'd youth Rather than misse those hopes enflamed lust Has fir'd within their thoughts will overturne Whole States and climbe up to their aymed ends By our heap'd slaughters Yet I least had thought Such Tragick Acts had knowne a womans breast Nor if I could Althea would your life Strong to retort suspition once permit Our least mistrust to staine your vertuous name And had we not by heavens appointment found Vnder your hand and seale the firmest proofes Of tempting our owne blood to paricide Suspitions strongest proofes had ne'r induc'd Our never lightly credulous beliefe To harbour your dislike But should we now Neglect our safety and our Countries good When all the Providence of Fate conspires To bring those treacherous practises to light Which Heaven abhorres wee should contemne the Heavens Abuse that forme of justice we sustaine And stand as guilty of those wastefull ruines Our cruell mildnesse gives your actions scope To call upon your Countrey and our selves We therefore by the Lawes denounce you guilty Of Treason 'gainst our person and the State Lucil. Were it for life my Lord I stood to speake I scarce would give the breath that I must spend To save that life But since your Grace does know A womans prejudice has doom'd our death For my names life I le speake and not for mine If infamy might die when we doe die I would be silent for know my gracious Lord I scorne to beg a life but come all arm'd In such a compleate innocence as dares Meet angry injustice in the jawes of death And without trembling stand his violence But that these Acts of blood these horrid crimes Of paricide of lust and hellish sinne Which will out-live our Tombes and make our names Come hatefull to posterities Records Should have a birth within a Virgins breast That never yet was conscious of a wish 'Gainst your desired safety I must take leave To tell your Grace that it was meerly feign'd By the bloody hand of Envy to cut off That sacred band of love the Heavens have knit 'Twixt your sonnes heart and my chaste innocence Nor doe I taxe your justice for my death But doe impute it most to his fond love That by protests of vertue and desire Drew my beleeving soule to his affects For when my feares urg'd these ensuing ils His uncontain'd affection breaking forth In signes of extreme passion so consum'd My powers that had my thoughts beene cold as Snow His zeale pour'd out in such inflaming vowes Would melt them Duke We must check your impudence That swels beyond the bounds we did expect Your modesty should have observ'd you wrong Our sonne and in our sonne our selves know you This hand and seale Lucil. I doe my honour'd Lord Yet were that Hand and Seale never found guilty Of conceiv'd wrong 'gainst or your Sonne or you Duke 'T will speake it selfe call it to witnesse then One reades the Letter MY Lord the attempt is dangerous and foule therefore desist not to enjoy the sweets our present Nuptials would being could I endure your hand stain'd with such an Action More when wee meet feare not but Heaven and Fate will second vertue Be still your selfe and I will rest Yours more than mine ALTHEA Duke Had you a priviledge to shrowd the blush Your conscious guilt casts 'gainst the eyes of Heaven As from our sight you doe conceale the Die That writes your Acts in shame upon your Cheekes You might deny these proofes and sweare them fain'd But that all-seeing power that notes the wild And secretst passages of mans conceit Detesting those foule crimes of lust and blood Reveales your Acts Stand therefore and from the Seate Of Iustice heare your doom since your ambitious hopes Soar'd up and by our Blood did meane to climbe Into that Seat which Nature and our right Had given to us be therfore from the Rock Throwne with your hopes that your example teach How low they fall that climbe above their reach And you Antonio we charge to see The execution speedily perform'd Exit cumsuis Manent Lucilio Antonio Page Damasippus Lucil. As sweet as cooling dew comes to the brest Of scorched Autumne so Deaths slumber fals On oppress'd innocence And good Antonio Since 't is your charge to see us dead let mee Entreat this favour that my body be Speedily interr'd and pray you tell the Duke That I request his Grace not grieve too much Hereafter for what I willingly now sought And he against his will made me to finde Then that I may have a litttle space in private To bid the world farewell and this is all A dying Virgin begs and for your friend Lucilio's sake you must not now deny it Anto. Wonder of womē could my attemps but yeeld Halfe what my heart conceives these limbs should die As many severall deaths as they containe Conduits of life to make your innocence live For your Lucilios sake whose woes will swell Poore Lord like to a winde-driven Ocean When he shall heare you dead and beare him downe To some disastrous end Lucil. You are deceiv'd Deare friend Lucilio's woes end with my life Nor will a thought of griefe a teare or sigh Trouble his peacefull sleeps when I am dead But I shall straine
soone for I am wondrous ill Alth. Poore wench these newes have wounded thee Cam. Not to dissemble no but from the Wine I tasted of the Bottle went a cold Through every veine that settling at my heart Shuts up the passages of life and fils The Organs of my powers with such a frost As kils the spirits that should harbour it Alth. Does Hell conspire with envy then to persecute Our misery and sent some fiend to take That shape that ne'r till now did shrow'd so foule a sin Cam. My soule growes faint and weary of her house And Death claimes right in all my Vitall parts Help me Althea help me Mistris Or bury me at least and close mine eyes Death is the best Camilla dies Alth. Of all lifes miseries She rubs her to get life Dead starke dead It is not much I aske the Angry heavens Lend but my wits to die I crave no more Or if you have a further punishment Reserv'd be milde and hurle it quickly on mee With its full weight Poore wench I have no tooles To breake the earth nor meanes to burie thee Thou hast not kill'd a Mother nor a Prince Nor beene the ruine of thy Family Is 't such a guilt to beare me company That thou must dye and want what Homicides And Malefactors finde a grave Here take This Scarfe Lucilio was wont to weare it Tell him thou hast it for thy Shrowd and I Am gone to meet him and have onely begg'd A truce with fatall mischiefe whilst I hie That where hee dyed there I may likewise die Poore soule farewell exit Enter Damon and Arminio two Shepherds Laurinda a Shepherdesse with greene Strewings Dam. Come hands to worke it is the Festivall Of our Silvanus we must round entrench The place fittest for dancing Laur. And strew the bankes On which the Summer Lord and Lady sit To see the sports with these rich spoyls of May Arm. Our Shepherds will be frolicke then and lose No Ceremony of their ancient mirth Dam. I like 'hem well the curious precisenesse And all-pretended gravities of those That sought these ancient harmlesse sports to banish Have thrust away much ancient honesty Armin. I doe beleeve you 't is the exercise Of such only to seeme and to be thought What they are not holy They keep the feast Of our great Pan with more than needfull strictnesse And take upon 'hem to bee great oath-haters When all is but dissembling and their Devotions Like Witches charmes disguis'd with seeming good To beare out wickednesse Dam. Then they have reason for they that live by showes must paint faire Lau. Alas what 's here a Shepherdesse asleep Dam. Sweet benefit of our life to whom a Turfe gives a more secure sleep than a Palace doth a Monarch Laur. But this is death not sleep Arm. Why then shee 's absolutely blest Nature has given her an acquitance from the reckonings of fortune and miserie Laur. We must in charity bury her Dam. To your Tooles then we can doe no lesse though it bee scarce in fashion now to be charitable They digg the Grave Laur. Fashion is a Traviller and Shepheards cannot follow it Arm. I Laurinda it travels into all Nations the world o'r Laur. And therefore should goe round Dam. And therefore does goe round blindfold like a Mill-Horse who thinkes he goes forward yet keeps his course circular But now Laurinda what further Ceremony can you devise for this Funerall poore haplesse Coarse Laur. To mourne for we know not whom and when peradventure death was the beginning of her happinesse were to abuse our selves and be sorry she could be no longer miserable Shee strewes on her I le strow my flowers on her Virgin Hearse And rob another Meddow for the sports The place affords no other Ceremony Arm. Yes wee must have a Countrey Song for her farewell from the earth and welcome to the earth Laur. I le doe my best though it bee unseasonable to sing at burials Dam. Poore Wench even in the flower of her age although I knew thee not yet for thy memory I le change with thee He takes the Scarfe from her face and covers it with a cloth Your hand Arminio They take her up and bury her SONG Laur Die die ah die Wee all must die 'T is Fates decree Then aske not why When we were fram'd the Fates consultedly Did make this law That all things borne should die Yet Nature strove And did denie We should be slaves To Destinie At which they heape Such miserie That Natures selfe Did wish to die And thankt their goodnesse that they would foresee To end our cares with such a milde Decree Farewell and sleep for ever Enter Antonio disguised Ant. 'T is too late I have miss'd him and all my labour 's lost Speed you shepheards and your worke Armin. Sir you are welcome but our sad worke is sped already and so are they for whom we worke Ant. Why is it sad then if both be sure of speeding Arm. Because Sir the best speed our labour can have is the sad end of their life for whom we worke We have buried the dead Anton. 'T is well that Charity is not runne the Countrey then But whom have you buried Armin. One doubtlesse as unfortunate as unknowne a stranger sure in these parts and as shee seem'd a maid further particulars we know not but pittying shee should want a buriall as we came by and saw her dead we gave her that which earth denies to no misfortune a poore grave Dam. And tooke from off her face this Scarfe bless'd with the last kisse her dying lips could give Anton. O my apprehensive soule He catches the Scarfe Dam. What meane you Sir doe you know it Anton. I too too well Poore Lord that wont'st to weare this Relique which is now left for an Index To turne thee to thy woes Good Shepheard Grant me thus much and bestow it on me Dam. Faith Sir since I perceive you long for it you shall prevaile and if shee were of your acquaintance keepe it as a monument of her untimely death So fare you well Sir Exeunt Shepheards Anton. Too timelesse death that kill'd two hearts in one And now Lucilio where ere thou liv'st Here we may joyntly finish both our labours Since here lies bury'd all thy hopes and feares Too vertuous maid Althea could the earth Yeeld thee no better place to enshrine thee in Yet can its basenesse never dimme thy name That shall be sung into posterity By a whole race of Virgins and thy Fame Shall be a Tombe more durable to thee Then Brasse or Marble So farewell Althea I le straight returne this newes to thy sad mother That shee may give with some solemnities Thy unhappy death its latest exequies exit Enter Lucilio disguised like a Countrey man Lucil. Slave to affliction that must still pursue The shadowes of my hopes clasping the windes To feed the hunger of my discontent And set aloft by greatnesse stand expos'd To every
done not to goe nor send after her yet poore Lord hee is kill'd dead too now and has met her Hearse here So those two soules that ne'r were borne to have A Nuptiall Bed have found a Nuptiall Grave Beauty and Vertue strove Who should adorne her most Till faith conspir'd with love And all their labours crost Lucil. Antonio kill'd Althea buried Then thou hast liv'd Lucilio to behold The height of mischiefe and the worst of chance And thou maist dare thy angry Starres to inflict What ere they can effect that 's worse than this Murderd thy friends ruin'd their ancient names Hatefull to thy Parents lothsome to thy selfe O 't is high time to die and I doe wrong Althea's constancy to breath an houre After I know she has prevented me Methinkes I heare love chide my backwardnesse And tell me how unworthy I am growne To have two friends so firmely vertuous Constant and loyall and outlive them both Yea be their Murderer and stand alive Spectator at their funerall as I would bid The rest weep on whil'st I give ayme to teares And marke who grieves most deep at my foule actions Lucilio stands aside Enter at one doore the Coarse of the Dukes supposed Sonne borne by Mourners and following it the Duke and Duchesse with others in mourning robes At the other doore the Hearse for Althea with the Scarfe which Antonio brought from the Shepherds laid a crosse it and borne by foure maides in blacke with their haire disheveld and Garlands of dead Mirtle or other leaves on their heads her Mother with some Mourners following Torches before both and meeting they stay Duke So then let Fortune make a period here Since we are met just in the midst of woe And stand upon the Center of mishap Whence we may see the full circumference Of all that Sphere that bounds the power of Fate Come Madam we will mixe our teares a while Dropping them joyntly on the Marble Tombes Of our dead Issue till the stones receive Large Characters of griefe carv'd by the drops That ceaselesse flow from our too late laments Iul. Great Lord if woes with woes may be compar'd Or to the measure of our cause of griefe Wee might in sad contention drop our teares Shower for your drop Pound for your dramme of woe My brest and eyes would yeeld which now are growne A boundlesse harbour for the depth of care For though wee meet in this that both have lost The dearest treasures of desired life Yet hath your Grace a partner in distresse A comfort to the residue of your yeares And therefore hope that Heaven may yet restore This ruine of your House Besides you have The body of your sonne on whose dead Coarse You may bestow your teares and honour him With fitting place and Royall exequies When Heaven hath shut those comforts from my heart Left me a widow to sustaine the waight Of all this burden and no partner else To bring mine aged haires unto the grave But still repining griefe and am deny'd The ashes of my childe on whose cold Hearse Mine eyes might pay those tributary teares Which her misfortune and my woes exact And onely can embrace an empty shrine Yet my good Lord I oft forget my cares To grieve at yours and wish Althea's death Might have suffic'd the anger of the Fates Without Lucilio's blood whose guiltlesse fall Hath strook a sadnesse through th' appalled lookes Of all your subjects made them stand amaz'd And wonder there should live upon the earth Envy enough to blast such gracefull hopes Duke Let me be open Madam to your love 'T is but the doome of Iustice I sustaine I know I wrong'd your daughters innocence And onely know it now for plagues make knowne That oft for sinne which once we thought was none Iul. No my good Lord shee was not innocent In that she bounded not her loosest thoughts Within our element but would admit The dangerous fires of ambitious love Into her Virgin brest that 's safelyest knit Where all proportion justly equals it Duch. Wrong not her worth good Madam the power of death Is weake to staine her name and we were blest If such perfection joyn'd unto our Blood Had with our sonne succeeded in the Throne Of this unhappy and dejected State Beleeve me Madam I did ever love Althea's Vertues and was inly glad When by that Stratagem my son had freed Her innocence as I protest I thought And wish'd her scape as safe from that injustice As could my heart desire Iul. Alas good Madam I have felt your Grace Still loving to my daughters poore deserts And nothing did increase my sorrowes more Then that I wanted meanes how to requite Your Graces love Duke Come we forget our selves in Ceremonies And waste the time whose every instant yeelds Scarce space enough for that large taske of griefe Sorrow exacts each instant from our hearts Good Madam wee will consecrate one Tombe To both their Memories and since in life Their hearts were so united by Loves hand In death their Graves shall joyne so will ourselves Bequeath the remnant of our dayes from hence You to sad cares and we to penitence Exeunt the Torch-Bearers and both Coarses joyning the Duke Duchesse L. Iulia c. following Lucil. You to sad cares and wee to poenitence Why then you 'll feed upon the bitter fruits Of your ambition and by experience finde Vertue not Honour is heaven unto the minde Deare Father I conceive your griefe as true As is my love and feele methinkes a sting That spurs me onward to prevent the plagues My losse will bring upon your hoary age And makes me thinke I heare the frequent voyce Of potent Nature whisper to mine eare The duty that I owe and bids me meet Those mischiefes quickly by discovering mee But the perswasion 's weake when I must owe More then a duty or all Natures selfe To the chaste merits of Althea's love Who was the first I murdred then the name Of holy frendship which my request abus'd In lov'd Antonio whom I murdred next My debt 's above a life which though I give My ghost must be a slave to pay the rest And their deserts stand yet unsatisfy'd But ô yee Spirits of truth whose constant faiths Merit perhaps to heare these last laments My dying soule powres forth be pleas'd to take The poore oblation of a loathsome life Which I as gladly vow unto your loves As misery would turne it selfe to blisse And since I was a murderer to your worths I le chuse that death that murderers doe passe And thou hadst liv'd Antonio if thy love Had not before with-held me from the fall And saving onely me hath murdred all exit Enter Antonio and Lady Iulia Anton. Madam My love to you and to that vertuous Lord Could doe no lesse I doe assure your Ladiship The murderer has confess'd in hope of life The circumstances meanes and opportunity Which you so fitly urg'd and hath incens'd The Duke so violently
seven shillings or a frowne to forsweare himselfe and draw my Pedigree as deep as Romulus Captaine as the wind serves either on the Litto or at my Lodging exit Capt. Wee will attend your Grace Nav. 'T is strange that such a personage should thus obscurely travell Capt. Tush Navarchus our common-wealth is among fishes and our pollicie with the windes and therefore no marvell if Courtiers tricks savour not on our palats Navar. Yet fearing disgrace above damnation and loving a popular esteeme more then heaven methinkes obscuritie should fright 'hem Capt. Faith no for you shall have a Courtier of the first Velvet head when the tide runnes low and in a place unknowne will familiarly turne you to his old trade accoutre his palfrey most neatly and thanke obscurity for drowning the unfit honour hee had lately slipt on and off Navar. 'T is a disease indeed they have to feele no touch of future honour nor taste any thing more than what lies before 'hem Capt. Tut they be wise in that for their conception being precipitate and their births rash they knew their glories birth would bee like the flies I have seene by a River in Aegypt that begin to live in the morning are at full age by noone and die before Sunne set and therefore their honour feeds like mothes upon apparell and objects meerly present flashes flashes Navar. But such an imputation cannot staine his honor whose graine taken in the die of a Dukes blood stands immaculate spight of all fortunes Capt. 'T is true and therefore peradventure parsimony invites him to this obscuritie for I le assure you that to be miserable and not fight are growne to be two right honourable qualities Enter a Shipman Shipm. Captaine you stand talking here of a Cock and a Bull while our rich fare is gone another way Capt. Who my Lord the Prince Shipm. I your Lord the Prince Navar. Which way for profits sake Shipm. That way that many Lords doe for profits sake downwards downwards Cap. Prethee speake not in enigmas be understood Shipm. In plaine Dagger termes the Prince is slaine Navar. D'foot 't is sharp newes Capt. By whom Shipm. Why that swart Rutter that brought the message from Court delivered it in such keene termes that it went to his heart when he had done tumbled him off the Litto into the water to catch Whitings But two Merchants spying it rais'd the people and tooke him and now the Governour is gone a fishing after the Body Cap. This amazes mee done so suddenly Shipm. Death 's a quick Carver when he comes in that shape Navar. Who set him on sayes he Shipm. Some valiant Squire or other who is yet unknowne nor will the Governour urge the knowledge but sends him back to Court that the Duke may take notice of all Cap. Come le ts to the the Litto and set our helps to find the Body Both Content Exeunt Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter the Duke and a Messinger Duke BVt have you found the body Mess. Wee have my Lord With long laborious search it was three Tydes Lockt in the armes of Neptune who at length Enforc'd by maine constraint resign'd it up But all the face so mangled and deform'd That but his clothes nought could have made it known The which embalm'd we straight clos'd up in Lead And with the murderer brought it to your Grace That after his due exequies perform'd You might quench sorrow in revenge and draw His blood whose hand hath spilt best part of yours Duke Thou art deceiv'd good friend 't was not his hand But the just hand of Heaven that whips my sinnes And through my Veins powres out the innocent blood Which I had spilt before the hand that holds The equall Ballance to discerne the waight 'Twixt Princes justice and their tyrannie Measures their blessings and their plagues alike To their faire vertues or black infamies And makes the horrid acts of murderous mindes But instruments of plague to punish guilt And pay us in the coyne with which we hop'd To buy our gluttonous surfets Such is the state Of Princes priviledge that we may runne Into the depth of sinne and uncontroul'd Pull vengeance on our heads while the smooth hand Of pestilent flattery claps us on the back And gives us edge to villany till they see Misery and desolation close us round Then they flie back and gaze as on a place Stricken with furious thunder in a storme When every vulgar hand has lawes and feare Of prying authority to hold him backe And friendly enemies to upbraid him with His faults and keepe him in the bounds of mercy Onely our height bereaves us of these helps And wee are sooth'd in vices till we runne Beyond the reach of grace and stand within The shot of heaviest vengeance which seldome comes Short of our merits O my sonne my sonne I shall grow madd with griefe my frighted conscience Opens the Booke where I doe view my sinnes And feele the furies with their wounding whips Lashing my guilty soule to penitence Mess. I was unhappy To bee the messenger of this ill newes exeunt Enter Lucilio disguised as before meeting at the other doore Fioretta her haire downe strewing the way with greene hearbs and flowers Luci. Who 's this Fioretta the Lady Iulia's woman My heart what meanes her habit Fioretta sings this following to some mournfull tune Come Lovers bring your cares Bring sigh-perfumed sweets Bedew the grave with teares Where death and vertue meets Sigh for the haplesse houre That knit two hearts in one And onely gave love power To die when 't was begun Lucil. Saving your mirth faire Lady what preparation 's this Fior. a Bridall sir true love and greatnesse be divorc'd and now they bee both going to be married to misfortune Lucil. 'T was a marriage long since my selfe was at the wedding But be a little plainer tell me who it is to be maried Fior. Indeed Sir Beauty Vertue and too much faith for a woman are going to the cold armes of a sullen Churle one that consumes ere hee lets goe yet hee is better than your other husbands are he forsakes them not leaves them not in misery hee wooes them not with flatteries and poysons with unkindnesse hee never sweares and lies but continues faithfull till Doomes-day Who be you Lucil. A stranger in your City a poore Husbandman Fior. A poore Husband then thou art a poore dissembler a poore murderer O you husbands kill more than scurvie Physitians or a plaguy Summer But art a stranger Lucil. A very stranger here Fior. Why that 's all one thou canst not bee a stranger to her fame if thou hast liv'd but a moneth in the world Poor innocent Althea makes her last mariage and I am one of her Bridemaids Lucil. To whom for loves sake Fior. To her grave for love's sake an honest Husband t is better then the Dukes sonne that sent her from the City to dye in the Mountaines Ah 't was unkindly