wel in places store of my might doo expresse Venus Cupid my sonne whē time shall serue the thou shalt doo this déed Then warning I to thee wil giue but sée thou shoot with speed Lord. Lord Lady waiting maid Lady déer to King a kin foorthwith let vs procéed To trace abrode the beauty féelds as erst we had decréed The blowing buds whose sauery sents our sence wil much The swéet smel of musk white rose to plese the appetite The chirpig birds whose plesant tunes therin shall hear record delight That our great ioy we shall it finde in féeld to walke a brode On Lute and Cittern there to play a heauenly hermony Our eares shall heare hart to content our sports to beautie Lady Vnto your woords moste comely Lord my self submit doo I To trace with you in féeld so green I meane not to deny Maid heer trace vp down playing And I your waiting maid at hand with diligence wil be For to fulfil with hart and hand when you shall commaund me King. Enter king Lord knight Come on my Lord and knight abrode our mirth let vs imploy Since he is dead this hart of mine in corps I féel it ioy Should brother mine haue reigned King when I had yéelded breth A thousand brothers I rather had to put them all to death But oh beholde where I doo sée a Lord and Lady fair For beauty she moste worthy is to sit in Princes chaire Venus Shoot forth my sōne now is the time the thou must woūd his hart Cupid Content you Mother I wil doo my parte Shoot there and go out Venus and Cupid King. Of trueth my Lord in eye of mine all Ladyes she dooth excel Can none reporte what dame she is and to my grace it tel Lord. Redouted Prince pleaseth your grace to you shée is a kin Cosin Iarmin nigh of birth by mothers side come in knight And that her waiting maiden is attending her vpon He is a Lord of Princes Court and wil be there anon They sport them selues in pleasant féeld to former vsed vse King. My Lord knight of trueth I speake my hart it cannot chuse But with my Lady I must speake and so expresse my minde My Lord and Ladyes walking there if you wil fauour finde Present your selues vnto my grace by my side come stand first Lord. We wil fulfil moste mightie king as your grace doth cōmaūd King. Lady déer intelligence my grace hath got of late You issued out of mothers stock and kin vnto my state According to rule of birth you are Cosin iarmin mine Yet doo I wish that farther of this kinred I could finde For Cupid he that eyelesse boy my hart hath so inflamed With beauty you me to content the like cannot be named For since I entred in this place and on you fixt mine eyes Moste burning fits about my hart in ample wise did rise The heat of thē such force dooth yéeld my corps they scorch alas And burnes the same with wasting heat as Titan dooth the grasse And sith this heat is kindled so and fresh in hart of me There is no way but of the same the quencher you must be My meaning is that beauty yours my hart with looue dooth woūd To giue me looue minde to content my hart hath you out found And you are shée must be my wife els shall I end my dayes Consent to this and be my Quéen to were the crown with praise Lady If it please your grace O mightie king you shall not this request It is a thing that natures course dooth vtterly detest And high it would the God displease of all that is the wurst To graunt your grace to marry so it is not I that durst Yet humble thanks I render now vnto you mightie King That you vouchsafe to great estate so gladly would me bring Were it not it were offence I would it not deny But such great honor to atchiue my hart I would apply Therfore O king with humble hart in this I pardon craue Mine answere is in this request your minde ye may not haue King. May I not nay then I wil by all the Gods I vow And I wil mary thée as wife this is mine answere now Who dare say nay what I pretēd who dare the same withstand Shall lose his hed and haue reporte as traitor through my lād There is no nay I wil you haue and you my Quéen shal be Lady Then mightie King I craue your grace to hear the words of me Your councel take of Lordings wit the lawes aright peruse If I with safe may graunt this déed I wil it not refuse King. No no what I haue said to you I meane to haue it so For counsel theirs I meane not I in this respect to go But to my Pallaice let vs go the mariage to prepare For to auoid my wil in this I can it not forbeare Lady O God forgiue me if I doo amisse The king by compultion inforseth me this Maid Vnto the Gods for your estate I wil not cease to pray That you may be a happy Quéen and sée moste ioyful day King. Come on my Lords with gladsome harts let vs reioice with glée Your Musick showe to ioy this déed at the request of me Bothe For to obey your graces woords our honours doo agrée Exeūt Ambidexter Enter Ambidexter O the Passion of me mary as ye say yonder is a royal court There is triumphing and sport vpon sporte Such loyall Lords with such Lordly exercise Frequenting such pastime as they can deuise Running at tilt Iusting with running at the King Masking and mumming with eche kinde of thing Such dauncing such singing with musicall hermony Beleeue me I was lothe to absent their company But wil you beleue Iesu what haste they made til they were maried Not for a Miliō of poūds one day longer they would haue taried Oh there was a banquet royall and superexelent Thousands and thousands at that banquit was spent I muse of nothing but how they can be maried so soon I care not if I be maried before to morow at noone If mariage be a thing that so may be had How say you maid to mary me wil ye be glad Out of dout I beléeue it is some excellent treasure Els to the same belongs abundant pleasure Yet with mine eares I haue heard some say That euer I was maried now cursed be the day Those be they that with curse wiues be matched That husband for hankes meat of thē is vp snatched Hed broke with a bedstaf face all to be scratched Knaue slaue and villain a coild cote now and than Whē the wife hath giuē it she wil say alas good man. Such were better vnmaried my maisters I trowe Then all their life after to be matched with a shrowe Preparation Enter Preparation With spéed I am sent all things to prepare My message to doo as the king did declare His grace dooth meane a banquit to make Meaning
meane to waste king Exeunt they three My Lord before my grace go call Otian this Iudges Sonne And he shall heare and also sée what his father hath doon The Father he shall suffer death the Sonne his roume succéed And if that he no better prooue so likewise shall he spéed Praxaspes As your grace hath coÌ„maundment giuen I meane for to fulfil King. step aside fetch him Accursed Judge couldst thou consent to doo this cursed il According vnto thy dentaund thou shalt for this thy gilt Receiue thy death before mine eyes thy blood it shal be spilt Praxaspes Beholde O King Sisamnes Sonne before you dooth appéere king Otian this is my minde therfore to me come néer Thy father heer for IudgmeÌ„t wrong procured hath his death And thou his sonne shalt him succéed wheÌ„ he hath lost his breth And if that thou doost once offend as thou séest thy father haue In likewise thou shalt suffer death no mercy shall thée saue Otian O mightie King vouchsafe your grace my father to remit Forgiue his fault his pardon I doo aske of your as yet Alas although my father hath your Princely hart offended Amends for misse he wil now make â–ª faults shal be amended In sted of his requested life pleaseth your grace take mine This offer I as tender Childe so duty dooth me binde king Doo not intreat my grace no more for he shall dye the death Where is the Execution man him to bercaue of breath Execution Enter Execution At hand and if it like your grace my duty to dispatch In hope that I when déed is doon a good rewarde shall catch King. Dispatch w swoord this Iudges life extinguish fear and cares So doon draw thou his cursed skin strait ouer bothe his eares I wil sée the office doon and that before mine eyes Execution To doo the thing my king commaunds I giue the enterprise Sisamnes Otian my sonne the king to death by law hath me condemned And you in roume and office mine his graces wil hath placed Vse Iustice therfore in this case and yéeld vnto no wrong Lest thou doo purchase the like death or euer it be long Otian O father déer these words to hear that you must dye by force Bedewes my chéeks w stilled teares the King hath no remorce the gréeudê° gréefê strained sighes my hart doth breke in twain And I deplore moste woful childe that I should sée you slain O false and fickle frowning Danie that turneth as the winde Is this the ioy in fathers age thou me assignest to finde O dole ful day vnhappy houre that loouing childe should sée His Father déer before his face thus put to death should bée Yet Father giue me blessing thine and let me once imbrace Thy comely corps in foulded armes kisse thy ancient face Sisamnes O childe thou makes mine eyes to run as riuers doo by streme My leaue I take of thee my Sonne beware of this my beame king Dispatch euen now thou man of death no longer séeme to stay Execution Come M. Sisamnes came on your way my office I must pay Forgiue therfore my déed Sisamnes I doo forgiue it thée my fréend dispatch therfore with spéed smite him in the neck with a swoord to signify his death Praxaspes Beholde O king how he dooth bléed béeing of life bereft King. In this wise he shall not yet be left Pul his skin ouer his eares to make his death more vile A wretch he was a cruel théef my commons to begile Flea him with a false skin Otian What childe is he of natures mould could bide the same to sée His Father fleaed in this wise Oh how it gréeueth me King. Otian thou séest thy father dead and thou art in his roume if thou béest proud as be hath béen euen therto shalt thou come Otian O King to me this is a glasse with gréef in it I view Example that vnto your grace I doo not prooue vntrue Praxaspes Otian conuay your Father hence to Tomb where be shall lye Otian And if it please your Lordship if shall be doon by and by Good Execution man for néed help me with him away Execution I will fulfil as you to me did say They take him away King. My Lord now that my grace hath séen that finisht is this déed To question mine giue tentiue eare answere make w speed Haue not I doon a gratious déed to redresse my commons wo Praxaspes Yea truely if it please your grace ye haue indéed doon so But now O King in fréendly wise I councel you in this Certain vices for to leaue that in you placed is The vise of drunkennes Oh king which dooth you sore infect With other great abuses which I wish you to detect King. Peace my Lord what néedeth this of this I wil not hear To Pallaice now I wil return and there to make good chéer God Baccus he bestowes his giftê we haue good store of wine And also that the Ladyes be both passing braue and fine But stay I sée a Lord now come and eke a valiant knight What newes my Lord to sée you héer my hart it dooth delight ¶ Enter Lord and Knight to meet the King. Lord. Nonewes O king but of duty come to wait vpon your grace King. I thank you my Lord loouing knight I pray ye with me trace My Lords and Knight I pray ye tel I wil not be offended Am I worthy of any crime once to be reprehended Praxaspes The Persians much praise your grace but one thing discoÌ„meÌ„d In that to Wine subiect you be wherin you doo offend Sith that the might of wines effect dooth oft subdue your brain My councel is to please their harts from it you would refrain Lord. No no my Lord it is not so for this of Prince they tel For vertuous proof and Princely facts Cirus he dooth excel By that his grace by conquest great the Egiptians did coÌ„uince Of him reporte abrode dooth passe tobe a worthy Prince knight In persoÌ„ of Cresus I answer make we may not his grace compare in whole respect for to be like Cirus the kings father In so much your grace hath yet no childe as Cirus left behinde Euen you I meane Cambises king in whome I fauour finde King Cresus said wel in saying so but Praxaspes tel me why That to my mouth in such a sort thou should auouch a lye Of drunkennes me thus to charge but thou with spéed shalt sée Whether that I a sober King or els a drunkard bée I knowe thou haste a blisful babe wherin thou doost delight Me to reuenge of these thy woords I wil go wreke this spight When I the moste haue tasted wine my Bowe it shal be bent At hart of him euen then to shoot is now my whole intent And if that I his hart can hit the King no drunkard is It hart of his I doo not kil I yéeld to thée in this Therfore Praxaspes fetch to me thy yungest sonne
A lamentable tragedy mixed ful of pleasant mirth conteyning the life of CAMBISES king of PERCIA from the beginning of his kingdome vnto his death his one good deed of execution after that many wicked deeds and tirannous murders committed by and through him and last of all his odious death by Gods Iustice appointed Doon in such order as foloweth By Thomas Preston ⧠The diuision of the partes Councel For one man. Huf. Praxaspes Murder Lob the 3. Lord. Lord. For one man. Ruf Commons cry CoÌ„moÌ„s coÌ„plaint Lord smirdis Venus Knight For one man. Snuf Small habilitie Proof Execution Attendance second Lord Cambises For one man. Epilogus Prologue For one man. Sisamnes Diligence Crueltie Hob. PreparatioÌ„ the 1. Lord. Ambidexter For one man. Triall Meretrix For one man. Shame Otian Mother Lady Queene Yung childe For one man Cupid ⧠The Prologue Entreth AGathon he whose counsail wise to princes wele exteÌ„ded by good aduice vnto a Prince iij. things he hath coÌ„mended First is that he hath gouernment and ruleth ouer men Secondly to rule with lawes eke Iustice saith he then Thirdly that he must wel conceiue he may not alwaies reign Lo thus the rule vnto a Prince Agathon squared plaine Tully the wise whose sapience in volumes great dooth tel Who in wisdome in that time did many men excel A Prince saith he is of him self a plain and speaking law The law a Schoole maister deuine this by his rule I draw The sage and witty Seneca his woords therto did frame The honest exercise of Kings men wil insue the same But contrary wise if that a King abuse his kingly seat His ignomy and bitter shame in fine shal be more great ¶ In Percia there reignd a king who Cirus hight by name Who did deserue as I doo read the lasting blast of Fame But he when sisters three had wrought to shere his vitall thred As heire due to take the crown Cambices did procéed He in his youth was trained vp by trace of vertues lore Yet béeing king did clene forget his perfect race before Then cleuing more vnto his wil such vice did immitate As one of Icarus his kinde for warning then did hate Thinking that none could him dismay ne none his fact could sée Yet at the last a fall he took like Icarus to bée Els as the fish which oft had take the pleasant bait from hook In safe did spring pearce the stremes wheÌ„ fisher fast did looke To hoist vp from the watry waues vnto the dryed land Then scaept at last by suttle baight come to the fishers hand Ene so this king Cambices héer when he had wrought his wil Taking delight the Innocent his giltlesse blood to spil Then mightie Ioue would not permit to procé offence But what measure the king did meat the same did Ioue coÌ„mence To bring to end with shame his race two yéeres he did not reign His crueltie we wil dilate and make the matter plain Crauing that this may suffise now your patience to win I take my way beholde I see the players comming in FINIS A Commedy of First enter Cambises the King Knight and Councellor Cambises MY Counsaile graue sapient with lords of legal train Attentiue eares towards bend mark what shal be sain So you likewise my valiaÌ„t knight whose maÌ„ly acts doth fly By brute of fame the sounding trump dooth perse the azure sky My sapient woords I say perpend and so your skil delate You knowe that Mors vanquished hath Cirus that king of state And I by due inheritance possesse that Princely crown Ruling by swoord of mightie force in place of great renown You knowe and often haue heard tel my fathers worthy facts A manly Marsis hart he bare appéering by his acts And what shall I to ground let fall my fathers golden praise No no I meane for to attempt this fame more large to raise In that that I his sonne succéed his kingly seat as due Extend your councel vnto me in that I aske of you I am the king of Persia a large and fertil soil The Egiptians against vs repunge as verlets slaue and vile Therfore I meane with Marsis hart with warres theÌ„ to frequent Them to subdue as captiues mine this is my harts intent So shall I win honors delight and praise of me shall go My Councel speak and Lordings eke is it not best doo so Councel Oh pusant king your blifful woordê deserues abundant praise That you in this doo go about your fathers same to raise Oh blifful day that king so yung such profit should conceiue His fathers praise his to win from those that would deceiue Sure my true and souerain king I fall before you prest Answere to giue as duty mine in that your grace request If that your hart adicted be the Egiptians to conuince Through Marsis and the coÌ„quest wun then déed of happy prince Shall pearce the skyes vnto the throne of the supernall seat And merit there a iust rewarde of Iupiter the great But then your grace must not turn back from this pretenced wil For to procéed in vertuous life imploy indeuour stil Extinguish vice and in that cup to drink haue no delight To martiall feats and kingly sporte fix all your whole delight King. My Councel graue a thousand thanks with hart I doo you render That you my case so prosperouse intierly doo tender I wil not swarue froÌ„ those your steps wherto you wold me trauÌ„ But now my Lord valiaÌ„t knight with woordê giue answer plain Are you content with me to go the Marsis games to try Lord Yea péerlesse Prince to aid your grace my self wil liue and dye Knight And I for my habilitie for feare wil not turn back But as the ship against the rocks sustain and bide the wrack King. Oh willing harts a thousand thanks I render vnto you Strik vp your drummes with courage great we wil march foorth euen now Councel Permit O king few woords to héer my duty serues no lesse Therfore giue leaue to councel thine his minde for to expresse King. Speake on my Councel what it be you shall haue sauour mine Councel Then wil I speake vnto your grace as duty dooth me binde Your grace dooth meane for to attempt of war the manly art Your grace therin may bap receiue with others for your parte The dent of death in those affaires all persons are alike The hart couragious often times his detryment dooth séek It s best therfore for to permit a Ruler of your land To sit and iudge with equitie when things of right are scand King. My grace dooth yéeld to this your talk tobe thus now it shall My Knight therfore prepare your self Sisamnes for to call A Iudge he is of prudent skil euen he shall beare the sway In absence mine when from the land I doo departe my way knight Your Knight befor your grace eueÌ„ héer him self hath redy prest With willing hart for to fulfil as your
with spéed There is no way I tel thee plain but I wil doo this déed Praxaspes Redouted Prince spare my sweet Childe he is mine only ioy I trust your grace to Infants hart no such thing wil imploy If that his mother hear of this she is so nigh her flight In clay her corps wil soon be shrinde to passe froÌ„ worlds delight King. No more adoo go fetch me him it shal be as I say And if that I doo speak the woord how dare ye once say nay Praxaspes I wil go fetch him to your grace but so I trust it shall not be king For feare of my displeasure great go fetch him vnto me Is he gone now by the Gods I wil doo as I say My Lord therfore fil me some wine I hartely you pray For I must drink to make my brain somwhat intoxicate When that the wine is in my hed oh trimly I can prate Lord. Héere is the cup with filled wine therof to take repaste King. Giue it me to drink it of and sée no wine be waste Drink Once again in large this Cup for I must taste it stil Drink By the Gods I think of pleasant wine I cannot take my fil Now drink is in giue me my bowe and arrowes froÌ„ sir Knight At hart of Childe I meane to shoot hoping to cleue it right knight Beholde O King wher he dooth come his infant yung in hand Praxaspes O mightie King your grace behest with sorow I haue scand And brought my Childe fro mothers knée before you to appeer And she therof no whit dooth knowe that he in place is héer king Set him vp my mark to be I wil shoot at his hart Praxaspes I beséech your grace not so to doo set this pretence a parte Farewel my déer and loouing babe come kisse thy father déer A gréeuous sight to me it is to sée thée slain euen héer Is this the gain now from the King for giuing councel good Before my face with such despight to spil my sonnes hart blood O heuy day to me this is and mother in like case Yung childe O Father Father wipe your face I sée the teares run from your eye My mother is at home sowing of a band Alas déer father why doo you cry King Before me as mark now let him stand I wil shoot at him my minde to fulfil Yung childe Alas alas Father wil you me kil Good master king doo not shoot at me my mother looues me best of all king I haue dispatched him down he dooth fall Shoot As right as a line his hart I haue hit Nay thou shalt sée Praxaspes straunger newes yet My Knight with spéed his hart cut out and giue it vnto me knight It shal be doon O mightie king with all seleritie Lord. My Lord Praxaspes this had not béen but your tung must be walking To the King of correction you must néeds be talking Praxaspes No correction my Lord but councel for the best knight Héere is the hart according to your graces behest king Beholde Praxaspes thy Sonnes owne hart Oh how wel the same was hit After this wine to doo this déed I thought it very fit Estéeme thou maist right wel therby no druÌ„kard is the king That in the midst of all his cups could doo this valiant thing My Lord and knight on me attend to Pallaice we wil go And leaue him héer to take his sonne wheÌ„ we are gone him fro All. With all our harts we giue consent to wait vpon your grace Praxaspes A woful man O Lord am I to see him in this case My dayes I déem desires their end this déed wil help me heÌ„ce To haue the blossoms of my féeld destroyd by violence Mother Enter Mother Alas Alas I doo heare tel the King hath kild my Sonne If it be so wo worth the déed that euer it was doon It is euen so my Lord I see how by him he dooth wéep What ment I that from hands of him this childe I did not kéep Alas husband and Lord what did you meane to fetch this Child away Praxaspes O Lady wife I little thought for to háue séen this day Mother O blisful babe O ioy of womb harts comfort and delight For Councel giuen vnto the King is this thy iust requite O heuy day and doleful time these mourning tunes to make With blubred eyes into mine armes froÌ„ earth I wil thee take And wrap thée in mine apron white but oh my heuy hart The spightful pangs that it sustains wold make it in two to part The death of this my Sonne to sée O heuy mother now That from thy swéet and sugred ioy to sorow so shouldst bow What gréef in womb did I retain before I did thée sée Yet at the last when smart was gone what ioy wert thou to mée How tender was I of thy food for to preserue thy state How stilled I thy tender hart at times earely and late With veluet Papê I gaue thée suck with issue from my brest And daunced thée vpon my knee to bring thée vnto rest Is this the ioy of thée I reap O king of Tigers brood Oh tigers whelp hadst thou the hart to sée this childes hart blood Nature inforseth me alas in this wise to deplore To wring my haÌ„ds O wele away that I should sée this houre Thy mother yet wil kisse thy lips silk soft and pleasant white With wringing hands lamenting for to sée thee in this plight My Lording deer let vs go home our mourning to augment Praxaspes My Lady déer with heuy hart to it I doo consent Betwéen vs bothe the childe to bere vnto our lordly place ExeuÌ„t ¶ Enter Ambidexter Ambidexter In déed as ye say I haue béen absent a long space But is not my cosin Cutpurse w you in the mene time To it to it Cosin and doo your office fine How like you Sisamnes for vsing of me He plaid with bothe hands but he sped il fauouredly The King him self was godly vp trained He professed vertue but I think it was fained He playes with bothe hands good déeds and il But it was no good déed Praxaspes sonne for to kil As he for the good déed on the Iudge was commended For all his déeds els he is reprehended The moste euil disposed person that euer was All the state of his life he would not let passe Some good déeds he wil doo though they be but few The like things this tirant Cambices dooth shew No goodnes from him to none is exhibited But stil malediction abrode is distributed And yet ye shall sée in the rest of his race What infamy he wil woork against his owne grace Whist no more woords héer comes the kings brother Enter Lord Smirdis with Attendance Diligence Smirdis The Kings brother by birth am I issued from Cirus loynes A gréef to me it is to hear of this the kings repines I like not wel of those his déeds that he dooth stil frequent I wish to
God that other waies his minde he could content Yung I am and next to him no mo of vs there be I would be glad a quiet Realme in this his reign to sée Attendance My Lord your good awilling hart the Gods wil recompence In that your made so pensife is for those his great offence My Lord his grace shall haue a time to pair and to amend Happy is he that can escape and not his grace offend Diligence If that wicked vice he could refrain from wasting wine forbere A moderate life he would frequent amending this his square Ambidexter My Lord and if your honor it shall please I can informe you what is best for your ease Let him alone of his déeds doo not talke Then by his side ye may quietly walke After his death you shal be King Then may you reforme eche kinde of thing In the meane time liue quietly doo not with him deale So shall it redownd much to your weale Smirdis Thou saist true my fréend that is the best I knowe not whether he looue me or doo me detest Attendance Leane from his company all that you may I faithful Attendance wil your honor obay If against your honor he take any ire His grace is as like to kindle his fire To your honors destruction as otherwise Diligence Therfore my Lord take good aduise And I Diligence your case wil so tender That to his grace your honor shal be none offender Smirdis I thank you bothe intire fréends with my honor stil remain Ambidexter Beholde where the King dooth come with his train King. Enter king 1. Lord O Lording déer and brother mine I ioy your state to sée Surmising much what is the cause you absent thus from mée Smirdis Pleaseth your grace no absence I but redy to fulfil At all assayes my Prince and king in that your grace me wil. What I can doo in true defence to you my Prince aright In redynes I alwaies am to offer foorth my might king And I the like to you again doo héer auouch the same All. For this your good agréement héer now praised be Gods name Ambidexter But hear ye noble Prince hark in you eare It is best to doo as I did declare king My Lord and brother Smirdis now this is my minde and wil That you to Court of mine return and there to tary stil Til my return within short space your honor for to gréet Smirdis At your behest so wil I doo til time again wée méet My leaue I take from you O King euen now I doo departe King. Exeūt Smirdis attendance diligence Farwel Lord and Brother mine farwel with all my hart My Lord my brother Smirdis is of youth and manly might And in his swéet and pleasant face my hart dooth take delight Lord. Yea noble Prince if that your grace before his honor dye He wil succeed a vertuous King and rule with equitie King. As you haue said my Lord he is chéef heire next my grace And if I dye to morrow next he shall succéed my place Ambidexter And if it please your grace O king I herd him say For your death vnto the God day and night he did pray He would liue so vertuously and get him such a praise That Fame by trump his due deserts his honor should vp raise He said your grace deserued had the cursing of all men That ye should neuer after him get any praise agen King. Did he speake thus of my grace in such dispightful wise Or els doost thou presume to fil my princely eares with lyes Lord I connot think it in my hart that he would report so King. How sayst thou speake the trueth was it soor no Ambidexter I think so if it please your grace but I cannot tel King. Thou plaist with bothe hands now I perceiue wel But for to put all doutes aside and to make him léese his hope He shall dye by dent of Swoord or els by choking Rope Shall he succéed when I am gone to haue more praise then I Were he Father as brother mine I swere that he shall dye To pallaice mine I wil therfore his death for to pursue Exit Ambidexter Are ye gone straight way I wil followe you How like ye now my maisters dooth not this géer cotton The prouerb olde is verified soon ripe and soon rotten He will not be quiet til his Brother be kild His delight is wholly to haue his blood spild Mary Sir I tolde him a notable lye If it were to doo again man I durst doo it I. Mary when I had doon to it I durst not stand Therby you may perceiue I vse to play with eche hand But how now Cosin Cutpursse with whome play you Take héed for his hand is groping euen now Cosin take héed if ye doo secretly grope If ye be taken Cosin ye must looke through a rope Exit Smirdis Enter Lord Smirdis alone I am wandring alone héer and there to walke The Court is so vnquiet in it I take no ioy Solitary to my self now I may talke If I could rule I wist what to say Crueltie Enter Crueltie and Murder with bloody hands My coequall partner Murder come away From me long thou maist not stay Murder Yes from thée I may stay but not thou from me Therfore I haue a prerogatiue abooue thée Crueltie But in this case we must togither abide Come come Lord Smirdis I haue spide Lay hands on him with all festination That on him we may woork our indignation Smirdis How now my freends what haue you to doo with me Murder King Cambises hath sent vs vnto thée Commaunding vs straightly with out mercy or fauour Upon thée to bestow our behauiour With Crueltie to murder you and make you away Smirdis strike him in diuers places Yet pardon me I hartely you pray Consider the King is a tirant tirannious And all his dooings be damnable and parnitious Fauour me therfore I did him neuer offend Crueltie A little bladder of Vineger prikt No fauour at all your life is at an end Euen now I strike his body to wound Beholde now his blood springs out on the ground Murder Now he is dead let vs present him to the King Crueltie Lay to your hand away him to bring Exeunt Ambidexter Enter Ambidexter O the passion of God yunder is a heuy Court Some wéeps some wailes and some make great sport Lord Smirdis by Crueltie and Murder is slain But Iesus for want of him how some doo complain If I should haue had a thousand pound I could not forbeare wéeping Now Iesus haue his blessed soule in kéeping Ah good Lord to think on him how it dooth me gréeue I can not forbeare wéeping ye may me beléeue VVeep O my hart how my pulses doo beat With sorowful lamentations I am in such a heat Ah my hart how for him it dooth sorow Nay I haue doon in faith now and God giue you good morow Ha ha wéep nay laugh
with both hands to play The king througe his crueltie hath made him away But hath not he wrought a moste wicked déed Because king after him he should not procéed His owne naturall brother and hauing no more To procure his death by violence sore In spight because his brother should neuer be King His hart béeing wicked consented to this thing Now he hath no more Brothers nor kinred aliue If the King vse this géer stil he cannot long thriue Hob Enter Hob and Lob. Gods hat Naibor come away its time to market to go Lob. Gods Vast Naybor zay ye zo The Clock hath striken viue ich think by laken Bum Vay vrom sléep cham not very wel waken But Naybor Hoh Naybor Hob what haue ye to zel Hob Bum troth Naybor Lob to you I I hil tel Chaue twoo Goslings and a Chine of good Porke There is no vatter betwéen this and Yorke Chaue a pot of Strawberyes and a Calues hed A zennight zince to morrow it hath béen dead Lob. Chaue a score of Egges and of Butter a pound Yesterday a nest of goodly yung Rabits I bound Chaue vorty things mo of more and of lesse My brain is not very good them to expresse But Gods Hat Naybor wotst what Hob. No not wel Naybor what 's that Lob. Bum vay Naybor maister king is a zhrode lad Zo God help me and holidam I think the vool he mad Zome zay he deale cruelly his Brother he did kil And also a goodly yung lads hart blood he did spil Hob. Vorbod of God naibor has he plaied zuch a volish déed Ambidexter Goodman Hob and goodman Lob God be your spéed As you twoo towards market doo walke Of the Kings crueltie I did hear you talke I insure you he is a King moste vile and parnitious His dooings and life are odious and vicious Lob. It were a good déed zome body would breke his hed Hob. Bum vay Naybor Lob. I chousd he were dead Ambidexter So would I Lob and Hob with all my hart Now with bothe hands wil ye sée me play my parte A ye Whorson traitorly Knaues Hob and Lob out vpon you slaues Lob. And thou calst me knaue thou art an other My name is Lob and Hob my next Naybor Ambidexter Hob and Lob a ye cuntry Patches A ye fooles ye haue made wrong matches Ye haue spoken treason against the kings grace For it I wil accuse ye before his face Then for the same ye shal be martered At the least ye shall be hangd drawn and quartered Hob. O gentleman ye shall haue two Peare pyes and tel not of me Lob. By God a vat Goose I hil giue thée I think no hurt by my Vathers soule I zweare Hob. Chaue liued wel all my life time my naybors among And now chould be lothe to come to zuch wrong To be hanged and quartered the gréef would be great Lob. A foule euil on thée Hob who bid thée on it treat Vor it was thou that first did him name Hob. Thou lyest like a varlet and thou zaist the same It was zuch a voolish Lob as thou Lob. Speake many woords and by cods nailes I vow Vpon thy pate my staffe I wil lay Ambidexter By the Masse I wil cause them to make a fray Yea Lob thou sayest true all came through him Lob. Bum vay thou Hob. a little would make me ye trim Giue thée a zawp on thy nose til thy hart ake Hob. If thou darest doo it els man cry creke I trust before thou hurt me With my staffe I hil make a Lob of thée ¶ Heer let them fight with their slaues not come neer an other by three or foure yardes the Vice set thē on as hard as he can one of their wiues come out and all to beat the Vice he run avvay ¶ Enter Marian may be good Hobs wife running in with a Broome and parte them Marian. O the body of me husband Hob what meane you to fight For the passion of God no more blowes smite Neighbours and fréends so long and now to fall out What in your age to seeme so stout If I had not parted ye one had kild another Lob. I had not cared I swere by Gods mother Marian Shake hands again at the request of me As ye haue béen fréends so fréends stil be Hob. Bum troth c ham content and zaist woord neigbor Lob Lob. I am content agréed neighbor Hob. Shake hands and laugh hartely one at an other Marian. So get you to market no longer stay And with yonder knaue let me make a fray Hob. Content wife Marian I hil doo as thou doost say But busse me ich pray thée at going away Exeūt Hob. Lob. Marian. Thou whorson knaue prickeard boy why didst thou let them fight If one had kild another héer couldst thou their deaths requite It beares a signe by this thy déed a cowardly knaue thou art Els wouldst thou draw the weapon thine like a man them to parte Ambidexter What Marian may be good are you come pratling Ye may hap get a box on the eare with your talking If they had kilde one another I had not cared a pease Heer let her swinge him in her brome she gets him down he her down thus one on the top of an other make pastime Marian. A villain my self on thée I must ease Giue me a box on the eare that wil I try Who shal be Maister thou shalt see by and by Ambidexter O no more no more I beseech you hartely Euen now I yéeld and giue you the maistery Run his way out while she is down Marian A thou knaue doost thou throw̄ me down and run thy way If he were heer again oh how I would him pay I wil after him and if I can him méet With these my nailes his face I wil gréet ¶ Enter Venus leading out her sone Cupid blinde he must haue a bowe and two shafts one hedded with golde and th' other hedded with lead Venus Come foorth my sonne vnto my woords attentiue eares resigne What I pretend sée you frequent to force this game of mine The King a kinswoman hath adornd with beautie store And I wish that Dianas gifts they twain shall kéep no more But vse my siluer sugred game their ioyes for to augment When I doo speake to wound his hart Cupid my sonne conset And shoot at him the shaft of looue that beares the hed of Golde To wound his hart in loouers wise his gréef for to vnfolde Though kin she be vnto his grace that nature me expel Against the course therof he may in my game please me wel Wherfore my sonne doo not forget foorthwith pursue the déed Cupid Mother I meane for to obay as you haue whole decréed But you must tel me mother deer when I shall arrow draw Els your request to be attaind wil not be worth a straw I am blinde and cannot see but stil doo shoot by gesse The Poets
in this place repaste for to take Wel the cloth shal be laid and all things in redynes To court to return when doon is my busines Ambidexter A proper man and also a fit For the Kings estate to prepare a banquit Preparation What Ambidexter thou art not vnknowen A wischéef on all good faces so that I curse not mine owne Now in the knaues name shake hands with me Ambidexter Wel said goodman pouchmouth your reuerence I sée I will teach ye if your manners no better be A yée slaue the king dooth me a gentleman alow Therfore I look that to me ye shall how Fight Preparation Good Maister Ambidexter pardon my behauiour For this your déeds ye are a knaue for your labour Ambidexter Why ye stale counterly vaillain nothing but Knaue Fight Preparation I am sory your maistership offended I haue Shake hands that betwéen vs agréement may bée I was ouer shot with my self I doo see Let me haue your help this furniture to prouide The King from this place wil not long abide Ambidexter set the frute on the bord Content it is the thing that I would wish I my self wil go fetch on Dish ¶ Let the Vice fet a dish of nuts and let them fall in the bringing of them in Preparation Clenly maister Ambidexter for fair on the ground they lye Ambidexter I will haue them vp again by and by Preparation To sée all in redynes I wil put you in trust There is no nay to the Court néeds I must Exit Prepartion Ambidexter Haue ye no dout but all shal be wel Mary Sir as you say this geer dooth excel All things is in a redynes when they come hether The kings grace and the Quéen bothe togither I beséech ye my maisters tel me is it not best That I be so bolde to bid a gest He is as honest a man as euer spurd Cow My Cosin cutpurse I meane I beséech ye iudge you Beléeue me Cosin if to be the Kings gest ye could be taken I trust that offer would not be forsaken But Cosin because to that office ye are not like to coÌ„e Frequent your exersises a horne on your Thumb A quick eye a sharp knife at hand a receiuer But then take héed Cosin ye be a clenly conuayour Content your self Cosin for this banquit you are vnfit When such as I at the same am not worthy to sit Enter King. My Quéen and Lords to take repast let vs attempt the same Héer is the place delay no time but to our purpose frame Queene With willing harts your whole behest we minde for to obay All And we the rest of Princes train wil doo as you doo say king Sit at the banquit Me think mine eares dooth wish the souÌ„d of musicks hermony Héer for to play before my grace in place I would them spy Ambidexter Play at the banquet They be at hand Sir with stick and fidle They can play a new daunce called hey didle didle King. By Quéen parpend what I pronounce I wil not violate But one thing which my hart makes glad I minde to explicate You knowe in Court by trained is a Lyon very yung Of on litter two whelps beside as yet not very strong I did request one whelp to see and this yung Lion fight But Lion did the whelp conuince by strength of force a might His brother welp perceiuing that the Lion was to good And he by force was like to sée the other whelp his blood With force to Lyon he did run his brother for to help A wunder great it was to sée that fréendship in a whelp So then the the whelpes betwéen them both the Lion did coÌ„uince Which thing to see before mine eyes did glad that hart of Prince ¶ At this tale tolde let the Queene vveep Queene These woords to hear makes stilling teares issue from Christal eyes king What doost thou meane my spouse to wéep for losse of any prise Queene No no O King but as you see fréendship in brothers whelp When one was like to haue repulse the other yéelded help And was this fauour showd in dogs to shame of royall king Alack I wish these eares of mine had not once heard this thing Euen so should you O mightie King to brother béen a stay And not without offence to you in such wise him to slay In all assayes it was your parte his cause to haue defended And who so euer had him misused to haue them reprehended But faithful looue was more in Dog then it was in your grace king O cursed caitiue vicious vile I hate thée in this place This banquit it is an end take all these things away Before my face thou shalt repent the woords that thou doost say O wretch moste vile didst thou the cause of brother mine so teÌ„der The losse of him should gréeue thy hart he beeing none offender It did me good his death to haue so wil it to haue thine What freendship he had at my hands the same euen that shalt finde I giue consent and make a vow that thou shalt dye the death By Cruels swoord Murder fel euen thou shalt dye the breth Ambidexter see with spéed to Crueltie ye go Cause him hether to approch Murder with him also Ambidexter I redy am for to fulfil if that it be your graces wil. king Then nought oblight my message giuen absent thy self away Ambidexter Then in this place I wil no longer stay If that I durst I would mourne your case But alas I dare not for feare of his grace king Exit Ambidexter Thou cursed Iil by all the Gods I take an othe and swete that flesh of thine these haÌ„ds of mine in péeces small could tere But thou shalt dye by dent of swoord there is no fréend ne f ee Shall finde remorce at Princes hand to saue the life of thee Queene Oh mightle King husband mine vouchsafe to héer me speke And licence giue to spouse of thine her patient minde to breke For tender looue vnto your grace my woords I did so frame For pure looue dooth hart of king me violate and blame And to your grace is this offence that I should purchase death Then cursed time that I was Quéen to shorten this my breth your grace doth know by mariage true I am your wife spouse And one to saue aÌ„others helth at troth plight made our vowes Therfore O king let loouing Quéen at thy hand finde remorse Let piâ—â—e be a meane to quench that cruel raging force And pardon plight from princes mouth yéeld grace vnto your queen That amitie with faithful zeal may euer be vs betwéen king A caitiue vile to pitie thée my hart it is not bent Ne yet to pardon your offence it is not mine intent first Lord. Our mightie prince with humbe sute of your grace this I craue That this request it may take place your fauour for to haue Let mercy yet abundantly the life of Queen preserue Sith shée in moste
obedient wise your graces wil dooth serue As yet your grace but while with her hath had cohabitation And sure this is no desert why to yeeld her indiguation Therfore O King her life prolong to ioy her dayes in blisse second Lord. Your grace shall win immortall fame in graunting vnto this She is a Queene whose goodly hue excelles the royall Rose For beautie bright dame nature she a large gift did dipose For comelynes who may compare of all she beares the bet This should giue cause to mooue your grace to looue her very wel Her siluer brest in those your armes to sing the songs of looue Fine quallities moste excellent to be in her you prooue A preciouse pearle of prise to Prince a Iewel passing all Therfore O king to beg remorce on bothe my knées I fall To graunt her grace to haue her life with hart I doo desire King. You villaines twain with raging force ye set my hart on fire If I consent that she shall dye how dare ye craue her life You two to aske this at my hand dooth much inlarge my strife Were it not for shame you two should dye that for her life doo sue But fauour mine from you is gone my Lords Itel you true I sent for Crueltie of late if he would come away I would commit her to his hands his cruel parte to play Euen now I see where he dooth come it dooth my hart delight ¶ Enter Crueltie and Murder Crueltie Come Murder come let vs go foorth with might Once again the Kings commaundement we must fulfil Murder I am contented to doo it with a good wil. king Murder and Crueltie for bothe of you I sent With all festination your offices to frequent Lay holde on the Quéen take her to your power And make her away with in this houre Spare for no feare I doo you ful permit So I from this place doo meane for to flit Bothe With couragious harts O King we will obey King. Then come my Lords let vs departe away Bothe the Lords With heuy harts we wil doo all your grace dooth say Crueltie Exeunt king Lords Come Lady and Quéen now are you in our haudling In faith with you we wil vse no dandling Murder With all expedition I Murder wil take place Though thou be a Quéene ye be vnder my grace Queene With patience I wil you bothe obey Crueltie No more woords but go with vs away Queene Yet before I dye some Psalme to God let me sing Bothe We be content to permit you that thing Queene Farwel you Ladyes of the Court with all your masking hew I doo forsake these brodered gardes and all the facions new The Court and all the courtly train wherin I had delight I banished am from happy sporte and all by spightful spight Yet with a ioyful hart to God a Psalme I meane to sing Forgiuing all the king of eche kinde of thing sing ExeuÌ„t Ambidexter Enter Ambidexter weping A A A. A I cannot chuse but wéep for the Quéene Nothing but mourning now at the Court there is séen Oh oh my hart my hart Oh my bum wil break Very gréef so torments me that scarce I can speake Who could but wéep for the losse of such a Lady That can not I doo I sweare by mine honesty But Lord so the Ladyes mourn crying a lack Nothing is worne now but onely black I beleeue all cloth in walling street to make gownes would not serue If I make a lye the Deuil let ye sterue All Ladyes mourne bothe yung and olde There is not one that weareth a points worth of Gold There is a sorte for feare for the King doo pray That would haue him dead by the masse I dare say What a King was he that hath vsed such tiranny He was a kin to Bishop Bonner I think verely For bothe their delights was to shed blood But neuer intended to doo any good Cambises put a Iudge to death that was a good deed But to kil the yung Childe was worse to procéed To murder his Brother and then his owne wife So help me God and holidom it is pitie of his life Heare ye I wil lay twentie thousand pound That the king him self dooth dye by some wound He hath shed so much blood that his wil be shed If it come so to passe infaith then he is sped ¶ Enter the king vvithout a gown a swoord thrust vp into his side bleeding King. Out alas what shall I doo my life is finished Wounded I am by sudain chaunce my blood is mâ—nished Gogs hart what meanes might I make my life to preserue Is there nought to be my help nor is their nought to serue Out vpon the Court and Lords that there remain To help my gréef in this my case wil none of them take pain Who but I in such a wise his deaths wound could haue got As I on horse back vp did leape my swoord from scabard shot And ran me thus into the side as you right wel may see A meruels chaunce vnfortunate that in this wise should bée I feele my self a dying now of life bereft am I And death hath caught me with his dart for want of blood I spy Thus gasping héer on ground I lye for nothing I doo care A iust rewad for my misdeeds my death dooth plain declare ¶ Heer let him quake and stir Ambidexter How now noble King pluck vp your hart What wil you dye and from vs departe Speake to me and you be aliue He cannot speake but beholde how with death he dooth striue Alas good King alas he is gone The Deuil take me if for him I make any mone I did prognosticate of his end by the Masss Like as I did say so is it come to passe I wil be gone if I should be found héer That I should kil him it would appéer For feare with â—is death they doo me charge Farewel my maisters I wil go take barge I meane to be packing now is the tide Farewel my maisters I wil no longer abide Exit Ambidexter ¶ Enter three Lords first Lord. Beholde my Lords it is euen so as he to vs did tel His grace is dead vpon the ground by dent of swoord moste fel. second Lord. As he in saddle would haue lept his sword from sheath did go Coring him vp into the side his life was ended so third Lord. His blood so fast did issue out that nought could him prolong Yet before he yéelded vp the ghost his hart was very strong first Lord. A iust rewarde for his misdeeds the God abooue hath wrought For certainly the life he led was to be counted nought second Lord. Yet a â—rincely buriall he shall haue according his estate And more of him heer at this time we haue not to dilate third Lord My Lord let vs take him vp to cary him away Bothe Content we are with one accord to doo as you doo say ExeuÌ„t All ¶ Epilogus RIght gentle Andience héere haue you perused The tragicall History of this wicked king According to our duety we haue not refused But to our best intent exprest euery thing We trust none is offended for this our dooing Our Author craues likewise if he haue squared amisse By gentle admonicion to knowe where the fault is ¶ His good wil shall not be neglected to amend the same Praying all to beare therfore with his simyte déed Vntil the time serue a â—â—tter he may frame Thus yéelding you 〈◊〉 to end we decreed That you so gentlely 〈◊〉 â—â—â—red vs to proceed In such patien◠〈◊〉 as to hear and sée We can but thank ye therfore we can doo no more ¶ As duty bindes vs for our noble Quéene let vs pray And for her honorable Councel the trueth that they may bâ— To practise Iustice and defend her grace eche day To maintain Gods woord they may not refuse To correct all those that would her grace graces lawes abuse Beseeching God ouer vs she may reign long To be guided by trueth and defended from wrong Thomas Preston Amen â‚ * ⎠* Imprinted at London by Iohn Allde