you cry for something So he claps my head betweene his legges and pulles off my shooe I hauing shifted no sockes in a sea night the Gentleman cryed foh and said my feete were base and cowardly feete they stuncke for feare Then hee knock'd my shooe about my pate and I cryed O once more In the meane time comes a shag hair'd dogge by and rubbes against his shinnes The Gentleman tooke the dog in shagge-haire to be some Watch-man in a rugge gowne and swore hee would hang mee vp at the next doore with my lanthorne in my hand that passengers might see their way as they went without rubbing against Gentlemens shinnes So for want of a Cord hee tooke his owne garters off and as he was going to make a nooze I watch'd my time and ranne away And as I ranne indeede I bid him hang himselfe in his owne gatters So hee in choler pursued mee hither as you see Bel. Why this sauours of distraction Leu. Of meere distraction Fres. How soeuer it sauours I am sure it smels like a lye Bel Thou maist goe forth at the backe doore honest fellow the way is priuate and safe Fres. So it had neede for your fore-doore here is both common and dangerous Exit Belforest Leu. Good night honest Fresco Fres. Good night Madame if you get mee kissing o'Ladies againe Exit Fresco Leu. This fals out handsomely But yet the matter does not well succeed Till I haue brought it to the very deede Exit Enter Charlemont in Armes a Musquetier and a Serieant Charl. Serieant what houre o' the night is 't Ser. About one Charl. I would you would relieue me for I am So heauie that I shall ha' much adoe To stand out my perdu Thunder and Lightning Ser. I le e'en but walke The round sir and then presently returne Soul For God's sake Serieant relieue me aboue fiue houres together in so foule a stormy night as this Ser. Why t' is a musique Souldier Heauen and earth are now in consort when the Thunder and the Canon play one to another Exit Serieant Charl. I know not why I should be thus inclin'd to sleepe I feele my disposition press'd with a necessitie of heauines Souldier if thou hast any better eyes I prithee wake mee when the Serieant comes Soul Sir t' is so darke and stormy that I shall scarce eyther see or heare him e'er he comes vpon mee Charl. I cannot force my selfe to wake Sleepes Enter the ghost of Montferrers Mont. Returne to France for thy old Father 's dead And thou by murther disinherited Attend with patience the successe of things But leaue reuenge vnto the King of kings Exit Charlemont arts and wakes Charl. O my affrighted soule what fearefull dreame Was this that wak'd mee Dreames are but the rais'd Impressions of premeditated things By serious apprehension left vpon Our mindes or else th' imaginary shapes Of obiects proper to th' complexion or The dispositions of our bodyes These Can neyther of them be the cause why I Should dreame thus for my mind has not been mou'd With any one conception of a thought To such a purpose nor my nature wont To trouble me with phantasies of terror It must be something that my Genius would Informe me of Now gratious heauen forbid O! let my Spirit be depriu'd of all Fore-sight and knowledge ere it vnderstand That vision acted or diuine that act To come Why should I thinke so Left I not My worthy Father i' the kind regard Of a most louing Vncle Souldier sawst No apparition of a man Soul You dreame Sir I saw nothing Charl. Tush These idle dreames Are fabulous Our boyling phantasies Like troubled waters falsifie the shapes Of things retain'd in them and make 'em seeme Confounded when they are distinguish'd So My actions daily conuersant with warre The argument of bloud and death had left Perhaps th' imaginary presence of Some bloudy accident vpon my minde Which mix'd confusedly with other thoughts Whereof th' remembrance of my Father might Be one presented all together seeme Incorporate as if his body were The owner of that bloud the subiect of That death when hee 's at Paris and that bloud Shed here It may be thus I would not leaue The warre for reputatio'ns sake vpon An idle apprehension a vaine dreame Enter the Ghost Soul Stand Stand I say No Why then haue at thee Sir if you will not stand I le make you fall Nor stand nor fall Nay then the Diuel's damme has broke her husbands head for sure it is a Spirit I shot it through and yet it will not fall Exit The Ghost approaches Charlemont Hee fearefully auoids it Char. O pardon me my doubtfull heart was slow To credit that which I did feare to know Exeunt Actus tertii Scena prima Enter the Funerall of Montferrers D'amville SEt downe the Body Pay earth what shee lent But shee shall beare a liuing monument To let succeeding ages truely know That shee is satisfied what hee did owe Both principall and vse because his worth Was better at his death then at his birth A dead march Enter the Funerall of Charlemont as a Souldier D'am. And with his Body place that memorie Of noble Charlemont his worthie Sonne And giue their Graues the rites that doe belong To Souldiers They were Souldiers both The Father Held open warre with Sinne the Sonne with bloud This in a warre more gallant that more good The first volley D'am. There place their Armes and here their Epitaphes And may these Lines suruiue the last of graues The Epitaph of Montferrers HEre lye the Ashes of that earth and fire whose heat and fruit ded feede and warme the poore And they as if they would in sighes expire and into teares dissolue his death deplore Hee did that good freelie for goodnesse sake unforc'd for gen'rousnesse he held so deare That hee fear'd none but him that did him make and yet he seru'd him more for loue then feare So 's life prouided that though he did dye A death yet dyed not sodainely The Epitaph of Charlement HIs Body lies interr'd within this would Who dyed a young man yet departed old And in all strength of youth that Man can haue Was ready still to drop into his graue For ag'd in vertue with a youthfull eye He welcom'd it being still prepar'd to dye And liuing so though young depriu'd of breath He did not suffer an vntimely death But we may say of his braue bless'd decease He dyed in warre and yet hee dyed in peace The second volley D'am. O might that fire reuiue the ashes of This Phenix yet the wonder would not be So great as he was good and wondred at For that His liues example was so true A practique of Religion's Theorie That her Diuinitie seem'd rather the Description then th' instruction of his life And of his goodnesse was his vertuous Sonne A worthy imitatour So that on These two Herculean pillars where their armes Are plac'd there may be writ Non
leaue I prithee goe into the Buttry Thou sha't finde some o' my men there if they bid thee not welcome they are very Loggerheads Fres. If your Logger heads will not your Hoggesheads shall Madame if I get into the Buttry Exit D'am. That fellowes disposition to mirth should be our present example Let 's be graue and meditate when our affaires require our seriousnes T' is out of season to be heauily disposed Len. We should be all wound vp into the key of Mirth D'am. The Musicke there Bel. Where 's my Lord Montferrers Tell him here 's a roome attends him Enter Montferrers Mont. Heauen giue your marriage that I am depriu'd of ioy D'am. My Lord Belforest Castabella's health D'amville drinkes Set ope the Sellar dores and let this health goe freely round the house Another to your Sonne my Lord To noble Charlemont Hee is a Souldier Let the Instruments of warie congratulate his memorie Drums and Trumpets Enter a Seruant Ser. My Lord here 's one i' th' habite of a Souldier saies hee is newly return'd from Ostend and has some businesse of import to speake D'am. Ostend let him come in My soule fore-tels hee brings the newes will make our Musicke full My brothers ioy would doe 't and here comes hee will raise it Enter Borachio disguised Mont. O my spirit it does disswade my tongue to question him as if it knew his answere would displease D'am. Souldier what newes wee heard a rumour of a blow you gaue the enemie Bor T' is very true my Lord Bel. Canst thou relate it Bor. Yes D'am. I Prithee doe Bor. The enemie defeated of a faire Aduantage by a flattring stratagem Plants all th' Artillerie against the Towne Whose thunder and lightning made our bulwarkes shake And threatned in that terrible report The storme wherewith they meant to second it Th' assault was generall But for the place That promis'd most aduantage to be forc'd The pride of all their Army was drawne forth And equally diuided into Front And Rere They march'd And comming to a stand Ready to passe our Channell at an ebbe W'aduis'd it for our safest course to draw Our sluices vp and mak 't vnpassable Our Gouernour oppos'd and suffered 'em To charge vs home e'en to the Rampiers foot But when their front was forcing vp our breach At push o'pike then did his pollicie Let goe the sluices and trip'd vp the heeles Of the whole bodie of their troupe that stood Within the violent current of the streame Their front beleaguer'd twixt the water and The Towne seeing the floud was growne too deepe To promise them a safe retreate expos'd The force of all their spirits like the last Expiring gaspe of a strong harted man Vpon the hazard of one charge but were Oppress'd and fell The rest that could not swimme Were onely drown'd but those that thought to scape By swimming were by murtherers that flankerd The leuell of the floud both drow'nd and slaine D'am. Now by my soule Souldier a braue seruice Mont. O what became of my deare Charlemont Bor. Walking next day vpon the fatall shore Among the slaughter'd bodies of their men Which the full-stomack'd Sea had cast vpon The sands it was m' vnhappy chance to light Vpon a face whose fauour when it liu'd My astonish'd minde inform'd me I had seene Hee lay in 's Armour as if that had beene His Coffine and the weeping Sea like one Whose milder temper doth lament the death Of him whom in his rage he slew runnes vp The Shoare embraces him kisses his cheeke Goes backe againe and forces vp the Sandes To burie him and eu'rie time it parts Sheds teares vpon him till at last as if It could no longer endure to see the man Whom it had slaine yet loath to leaue him with A kinde of vnresolu'd vnwilling pace Winding her waues one in another like A man that foldes his armes or wrings his hands For griefe ebb'd from the body and descends As if it would sinke downe into the earth And hide it selfe for shame of such a deede D'am. And Souldier who was this Mont. O Charlemont Bor. Your feare hath told you that whereof my griefe Was loath to be the messenger Casta. O God Exit Castabella D'am. Charlemont drown'd Why how could that be since it was the aduerse partie that receiued the ouerthrow Bor. His forward spirit press'd into the front And being engag'd within the enemie When they retreated through the rising streame I' the violent confusion of the throng Was ouerborne and perish'd in the floud And here 's the sad remembrance of his life The Scarfe Which for his sake I will for euer weare Mont. Torment me not with witnesses of that Which I desire not to beleeue yet must D'am. Thou art a Scrichowle and dost come i'night To be the cursed messenger of death Away Depart my house or by my soule You 'l finde me a more fatall enemie Then euer was Ostend Be gone Dispatch Bor. Sir t' was my loue D'am. Your loue to vexe my heart with that I hate Harke doe you heare you knaue O th' art a most delicate sweete eloquent villaine Bor. Was 't not well counterfaited D'am. Rarely Be gone I will not here reply Bor. Why then farewell I will not trouble you Exit D'am. So The foundation 's laid Now by degrees The worke will rise and soone be perfected O this vncertaine state of mortall man Bel. What then it is th' ineuitable fate Of all things vnderneath the Moone D'am. T' is true Brother for healths sake ouercome your griefe Mont. I cannot sir I am vncapable Of comfort My turne will be next I feele My selfe not well D'am. You yeeld too much to griefe Lang. All men are mortall The houre of death is vncertaine Age makes sicknesse the more dangerous And griefe is subiect to distraction You know not how soone you may be depriu'd of the benefit of sense In my vnderstanding therefore you shall doe well if you be sicke to set your state in present order Make your Will D'am. I haue my wish Lights for my Borther Mont. I le withdraw a while And craue the honest counsell of this man Bel. With all my heart I pray attend him sir Exeunt Montferrers and Snuffe This next roome please your Lordship D'am. Where you will Exeunt Belforest and D'amville Leuid. My Daughter 's gone Come Sonne Mistresse Cataplasma come wee 'l vp into her chamber I 'de faine see how she entertaines the expectation of her husbands bedfellowship Rou. 'Faith howsoeuer shee entertaines it I shall hardly please her therefore let her rest Levid. Nay please her hardly and you please her best Exeunt Enter 3. Seruants dranke drawing in Fresco 1 Ser. Boy fill some drinke Boy Fresco Enough good Sir not a drop more by this light 2. Not by this light Why then put out the candles and wee 'l drinke i' the darke and t'wut old Boy Fres. No no no no no 3. Why then take thy liquour A health Fresco
reason for my loue Casta. Loue me my Lord I doe beleeue it for I am the wife of him you loue D'am. T' is true By my perswasion thou wert forc'd to marrie one vnable to performe the office of a Husband I was author of the wrong My conscience suffers vnder 't and I would disburthen it by satisfaction Casta. How D'am. I will supply that pleasure to thee which he cannot Casta. Are y'a diuell or a man D'am. A man and such a man as can returne thy entertainment with as prodigall a body as the couetous desire of woman euer was delighted with So that besides the full performance of thy empty Husbands dutie thou shalt haue the ioy of children to continue the succession of thy bloud For the appetite that steales her pleasure drawes the forces of the body to an vnited strength and puts 'em altogether into action neuer failes of procreation All the purposes of Man aime but at one of these two ends pleasure or profit And in this one sweet coniunction of our loues they both will meete Would it not grieue thee that a Stranger to thy bloud should lay the first foundation of his house vpon the ruines of thy family Casta. Now Heau'n defend me May my memorie be vtterly extinguish'd and the heire of him that was my Fathers enemie raise his eternall monument vpon our ruines ere the greatest pleasure or the greatest profit euer tempt me to continue it by incest D'am. Incest Tush These distances affinitie obserues are articles of bondage cast vpon our freedomes by our owne subiections Nature allowes a gen'rall libertie of generation to all creatures else Shall Man to whose command and vse all creatures were made subiect be lesse free then they Casta. O God! is thy vnlimited and infinite omnipotence lesse free because thou doest no ill or if you argue meerely out of Nature doe you not degenerate from that and are you not vnworthie the prerogatiue of Natures Maister-piece when basely you prescribe your selfe authoritie and law from their examples whom you should command I could confute you but the horrour of the argument confounds my vnderstanding Sir I know you doe but try me in your Sonnes behalfe suspecting that my strength and youth of bloud cannot containe themselues with impotence Beleeue me Sir I neuer wrong'd him If it be your lust O quench it on their prostituted flesh whose trade of sinne can please desire with more delight and lesse offence The poyson of your breath euaporated from so foule a soule infects the ayre more then the dampes that rise from bodies but halfe rotten in their graues D'am. Kisse me I warrant thee my breath is sweet These dead mens bones lie heere of purpose to inuite vs to supply the number of the liuing Come we 'l get young bones and doe 't I will enioy thee No Nay then inuoke your great suppos'd protectour I will doe 't Casta. Suppos'd protectour Are y'an Athiest Then I know my prayers and teares are spent in vaine O patient Heau'n Why doest thou not expresse thy wrath in thunderbolts to teare the frame of man in pieces How can earth endure the burthen of this wickednesse without an earthquake Or the angry face of Heau'n be not enflam'd with lighning D'am. Coniure vp the Diuell and his Dam Crie to the graues the dead can heare thee inuocate their helpe Casta. O would this graue might open and my body were bound to the dead carkasse of a man for euer e're it entertaine the lust of this detested villaine D'am. Tereas-like thus I will force my passage to Charl. The Diuell Charlemont rises in the disguise and frights D'amville away Now Lady with the hand of Charlemont I thus redeeme you from the arme of lust My Castabella Casta. My deare Charlemont Charl. For all my wrongs I thanke thee gracious Heau'n th' ast made me satisfaction to reserue me for this blessed purpose Now sweet Death I 'le bid thee welcome Come I 'le guard thee home and then I 'le cast my selfe into the armes of apprehension that the law may make this worthie worke the crowne of all my actions being the best and last Casta. The last The law Now Heau'n forbid what ha' you done Charl. Why I haue kill'd a man not murder'd him my Castabella He would ha' murder'd me Casta. Then Charlemont the hand of Heau'n directed thy defence That wicked Athiest I suspect his plot Charl. My life he seekes I would he had it since he has depriu'd mee of those blessings that should make mee loue it Come I 'le giue it him Casta. You sha'not I will first expose my selfe to certaine danger then for my defence destroy the man that sau'd mee from destruction Charl. Thou canst not satisfie me better then to be the instrument of my release from miserie Casta. Then worke it by escape Leaue mee to this protection that still guards the innocent Or I will be a partner in your destinie Charl. My soule is heauie Come lie downe to rest These are the pillowes whereon men sleepe best They lie downe with either of them a Death's head for a pillow Enter Snuffe seeking Soquette Snu. Soquette Soquette Soquette O art thou there He mistakes the body of Borachio for Soquette Verily thou lyest in a fine premiditate readinesse for the purpose Come kisse me sweet Soquette Now puritie defend me from the sinne of Sodom This is a creature of the masculine gender Verily the Man is blasted Yea cold and stiffe Murder murder murder Exit Enter D'amville distractedly starts at the sight of a Death's head D'am. Why doest thou stare vpon me Thou art not the scull of him I murder'd What hast thou to doe to vexe my conscience Sure thou wert the head of a most dogged Vsurer th' art so vncharitable And that Bawde the skie there she could shut the windowes and the dores of this great chamber of the world and draw the curtaines of the clouds betweene those lights and me about this bed of earth when that same Stumpet Murder my selfe committed sin together Then she could leaue vs in the darke till the close deed was done But now that I begin to feele the loathsome horrour of my sinne and like a Leacher emptied of his lust desire to burie my face vnder my eye-browes and would steale from my shame vnseene she meetes me i' th face with all her light corrupted eyes to challenge payment o' mee O beholde Yonder 's the Ghoast of olde Montferrers in a long white sheete climbing yond loftie mountaine to complaine to Heau'n of me Montferrers pox o' fearefulnesse T' is nothing but a faire white cloude Why was I borne a coward He lies that sayes so Yet the count'nance of a bloudlesse worme might ha' the courage now to turne my bloud to water The trembling motion of an Aspen leafe would make me like the shadow of that leafe he shaking vnder 't I could now commit a murder were it but to drinke the fresh warme bloud of
that great action vnder the fall and ruine of it selfe Doctor My Lord These bodies are depriu'd of all the radicall abilitie of Nature The heat of life is vtterly extinguish'd Nothing remaines within the power of man that can restore them D'am. Take this gold extract the Spirit of it and inspire new life into their bodies Docto. Nothing can my Lord D'am. You ha'not yet examin'd the true state and constitution of their bodies Sure you ha'not I 'le reserue their waters till the morning Questionlesse their vrines will informe you better Docto. Ha ha ha D'am. Do'st laugh thou villaine must my wisedome that has beene the obiect of mens admiration now become the subiect of thy laughter Rous. Ooh Dies All Hee 's dead D'am. O there expires the date of my posteritie Can Nature be so simple or malicious to destroy the reputation of her proper memorie Shee cannot Sure there is some power aboue her that controules her force Doctor A power aboue Nature Doubt you that my Lord Consider but whence Man receiues his body and his forme Not from corruption like some wormes and Flies but onely from the generation of a man For Nature neuer did bring forth a man without a Man Nor could the first Man being but the passiue Subiect not the actiue Mouer be the maker of himselfe So of necessitie there must be a Superiour power to Nature D'am. Now to my selfe I am ridiculous Nature thou art a Traytour to my soule Thou hast abus'd my trust I will complaine to a superiour Court to right my wrong I 'le proue thee a forger of false assurances In yond' Starre chamber thou shalt answere it Withdraw the bodies O the sence of death begins to trouble my distracted soule Exeunt Enter Iudges and Officers 1. Iudg. Bring forth the malefactors to the Barre Enter Cataplasma Soquette and Frisco Are you the Gentlewoman in whose house The murders were committed Catap. Yes my Lord 1. Iud. That worthie attribute of Gentrie which Your habite drawes from ignorant respect Your name deserues not nor your selfe the name Of woman Since you are the poyson that Infects the honour of all womanhood Catap. My Lord I am a Gentlewoman yet I must confesse my pouertie compels my life to a condition lower then my birth or breeding 2. Iudg. Tush we know your birth 1. Iudg. But vnder colour to professe the Sale Of Tyres and toyes for Gentlewomens pride You draw a frequentation of mens wiues To your licentious house and there abuse Their Husbands Frisco Good my Lord her rent is great The good Gentlewoman has no other thing to liue by but her lodgings So she 's forc'd to let her fore-roomes out to others and her selfe contented to lie backwards 2. Iudg. So 1. Iudg. Heere is no euidence accuses you For accessaries to the murder yet Since from the Spring of lust which you preseru'd And nourish'd ranne th' effusion of that bloud Your punishment shall come as neare to death As life can beare it Law cannot inflict Too much seueritie vpon the cause Of such abhor'd effects 2. Iudg. Receiue your sentence Your goods since they were gotten by that meanes Which brings diseases shall be turn'd to th' vse Of Hospitalles You carted through the Streetes According to the common shame of Strumpets Your bodies whip'd till with the losse of bloud You faint vnder the hand of punishment Then that the necessarie force of want May not prouoke you to your former life You shall be set to painefull labour whose Penurious gaines shall onely giue you foode To hold vp Nature mortifie your flesh And make you fit for a repentant end All O good my Lord 1. Iud. No more away with 'em Exeunt Enter Languebeau Snuffe 2. Iudg. Now Monsieur Snuffe A man of your profession found in a place of such impietie Snuffe I grant you The place is full of impuritie So much the more neede of instruction and reformation The purpose that caried me thither was with the Spirit of conuersion to purifie their vncleanenesse and I hope your Lordship will say the law cannot take hold o' me for that 1. Iudg. No Sir it cannot but yet giue me leaue To tell you that I hold your warie answere Rather premeditated for excuse Then spoken out of a religious purpose Where tooke you your degrees of Schollership Snuffe I am no Scholler my Lord To speake the sincere truth I am Snuffe the Tallow-Chandler 2. Iudg. How comes your habite to be alter'd thus Snuff My Lord Belforest taking a delight in the cleanenesse of my conuersation withdrew mee from that vncleane life and put me in a garment fit for his societie and my present profession 1. Iudg. His Lordship did but paint a rotten post Or couer foulenesse fairely Monsieur Snuffe Backe to your candle-making You may giue The world more light with that then either with Instruction or th' example of your life Snuffe Thus the Snuffe is put out Exit Snuffe Enter D'amville distractedly with the hearses of his two Sonnes borne after him D'am. Iudgement Iudgement 2. Iud. Iudgement my Lord in what D'am. Your Iudgements must resolue me in a case Bring in the bodies Nay I will ha 't tried This is the case my Lord My prouidence eu'n in a moment by the onely hurt of one or two or three at most and those put quickly out o' paine too marke mee I had wisely rais'd a competent estate to my posteritie And is there not more wisedome and more charity in that then for your Lordship or your Father or your Grandsire to prolong the torment and the rack of rent from age to age vpon your poore penurious Tenants yet perhaps without a pennie profit to your heire Is 't not more wiser more charitable Speake 1. Iud. He is distracted D'am. How distracted Then you ha' no Iudgement I can giue you sence and solide reason for the very least distinguishable syllable I speake Since my thrift was more iudicious then your Grandsires why I would faine know why your Lordship liues to make a second generation from your Father and the your Father and the whole frie of my posteritie extinguish'd in a moment Not a Brat left to succeede me I would faine know that 2. Iudg. Griefe for his children's death distempers him 1. Iudg. My Lord we will resolue you of your question In the meane time vouchsafe your place with vs D'am. I am contented so you will resolue me Ascends Enter Charlemont and Castabella 2. Iudg. Now Monsieur Charlemont You are accus'd Of hauing murder'd one Borachio that Was seruant to my Lord D'amville How can You cleare your selfe guiltie or not guiltie Charl. Guilty of killing him but not of murder My Lords I haue no purpose to desire Remission for my selfe D'amville descends to Charl D'am. Vnciuill Boy Thou want'st humanitie to smile at griefe Why doest thou cast a chearefull eye vpon the obiect of my sorrow my dead Sonnes 1. Iudg. O good my Lord Let Charitie forbeare To vexe the
spirit of a dying Man A chearefull eye vpon the face of Death Is the true count'nance of a noble minde For honour's sake my Lord molest it not D'am. Y' are all vnciuill O! is 't not enough that hee vniustly hath conspir'd with Fate to cut off my posteritie for him to be the heire to my possessions but he must pursue me with his presence and in the ostentation of his ioy laugh in my face and glory in my griefe Charl. D'amville to shew thee with what light respect I value Death and thy insulting pride Thus like a warlike Nauie on the Sea Bound for the conquest of some wealthie land Pass'd through the stormie troubles of this life And now arriu'd vpon the armed coast In expectation of the victorie Whose honour lies beyond this exigent Through mortall danger with an actiue spirit Thus I aspire to vndergoe my death Leapes vp the Scaffold Castabella leapes after him Casta. And thus I second thy braue enterprise Be chearefull Charlemont Our liues cut off In our young prime of yeares are like greene hearbs Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends For as their vertue gather'd when th' are greene Before they wither or corrupt is best So we in vertue are the best for Death While yet we haue not liu'd to such an age That the encreasing canker of our sinnes Hath spread too farre vpon vs D'am. A Boone my Lords I begge a Boone 1. Iud. What 's that my Lord D'am. His body when t' is dead for an Anatomie 2. Iud. For what my Lord D'am. Your vnderstanding still come short o' mine I would finde out by his Anatomie What thing there is in Nature more exact Then in the constitution of my selfe Me thinks my parts and my dimentions are As many as large as well compos'd as his And yet in me the resolution wants To die with that assurance as he does The cause of that in his Anatomie I would finde out 1. Iud. Be patient and you shall D'am. I haue bethought me of a better way Nephew we must conferre Sir I am growne a wondrous Studient now o'late My wit has reach'd beyond the scope of Nature yet for all my learning I am still to seeke from whence the peace of conscience should proceede Charl. The peace of conscience rises in it selfe D'am. Whether it be thy Art or Nature I admire thee Charlemont Why thou hast taught a woman to be valiant I will begge thy life My Lords I begge my Nephewes life I 'le make thee my Phisitian Thou shalt read Philosophie to me I will finde out th' efficient cause of a contented minde But if I cannot profit in 't then t' is no more being my Phisitian but infuse a little poyson in a potion when thou giu'st me Phisick vnawares to me So I shall steale into my graue without the vnderstanding or the feare of death And that 's the end I aime at For the thought of death is a most fearefull torment is 't not 2. Iudg. Your Lordship interrupts the course of law 1. Iudg. Prepare to die Charl. My resolution 's made But ere I die before this honour'd bench With the free voice of a departing soule I heere protest this Gentlewoman cleare Of all offence the law condemnes her for Casta. I haue accus'd my selfe The law wants power To cleare me My deare Charlemont with thee I will partake of all thy punishments Charl. Vncle for all the wealthie benefits My death aduances you graunt me but this Your mediation for the guiltlesse life Of Castabella whom your conscience knowes As iustly cleare as harmelesse innocence D'am. Freely My Mediation for her life and all my int'rest in the world to boote let her but in exchange possesse me of the resolution that she dies withall The price of things is best knowne in their want Had I her courage So I value it the Indies should not buy 't out o' my hands Charl. Giue me a glasse of water D'am. Mee of wine This argument of death congeales my bloud Colde feare with apprehension of thy end Hath frozen vp the riuers of my veines A glasse of wine I must drinke vvine to vvarme mee and dissolue the obstruction or an apoplexie will possesse mee Why thou vncharitable Knaue Do'st bring mee bloud to drinke The very glasse lookes pale and trembles at it Seru. T' is your hand my Lord D'am. Canst blame mee to be fearefull bearing still the presence of a murderer about me Charl. Is this water Serua. Water Sir A glasse of water Charl. Come thou cleare embleme of coole temperance Be thou my witnesse that I vse no art To force my courage nor haue neede of helpes To raise my Spirits like those weaker men Who mixe their bloud with wine and out of that Adulterate coniunction doe beget A bastard valour Natiue courage thankes Thou lead'st me soberly to vndertake This great hard worke of magnanimitie D'am Braue Charlemont at the reflexion of thy courage my cold fearefull bloud takes fire and I begin to emulate thy death Is that thy executioner My Lords you wrong the honour of so high a bloud to let him suffer by so base a hand Iudges He suffers by the forme of law my Lord D'am. I will reforme it Downe you shagge-hair'd Curre The instrument that strikes my Nephew's bloud shall be as noble as his bloud I 'le be thy executioner my selfe 1. Iud. Restraine his fury Good my Lord forbeare D'am. I 'le butcher out the passage of his soule That dares attempt to interrupt the blow 2. Iud. My Lord the office will impresse a marke Of scandall and dishonour on your name Charl. The office fits him hinder not his hand But let him crowne my resolution with An vnexampled dignitie of death Strike home Thus I submit me Readie for execution Costa. So doe I In scorne of Death thus hand in hand we die D'am. I ha' the trick on 't Nephew You shall see how eas'ly I can put you out of paine Ooh As he raises vp the Axe strikes out his owne braines Staggers off the Scaffold Execu. In lifting vp the Axe I thinke has knock'd his braines out D'am. What murderer was hee that lifted vp my hand against my head Iudge None but your selfe my Lord D'am. I thought he was a murderer that did it Iudge God forbid D'am. Forbid You lie Iudge He commanded it To tell thee that mans wisedome is a foole I came to thee for Iudgement and thou think'st thy selfe a wise man I outreach'd thy wit and made thy Iustice Murders instrument in Castabella's death and Charlemonts To crowne my Murder of Montferrers with a safe possession of his wealthie state Charl. I claime the iust aduantage of his words Iudge Descend the Scaffold and attend the rest D'am. There was the strength of naturall vnderstanding But Nature is a foole There is a power aboue her that hath ouerthrowne the pride of all my proiects and posteritie for whose suruiuing bloud I had erected a proud monument and strucke 'em dead before me For whose deathes I call'd to thee for Iudgement Thou didst want discretion for the sentence But yond' power that strucke me knew the Iudgement I deseru'd and gaue it O! the lust of Death commits a Rape vpon me as I would ha' done on Castabella Dies Iudge Strange is his death and iudgement With the hands Of Ioy and Iustice I thus set you free The power of that eternall prouidence Which ouerthrew his proiects in their pride Hath made your griefes the instruments to raise Your blessings to a greater height then euer Charl. Onely to Heau'n I attribute the worke Whose gracious motiues made me still forbeare To be mine owne Reuenger Now I see That Patience is the honest mans reuenge Iudge In stead of Charlemont that but e'en now Stood readie to be dispossess'd of all I now salute you with more titles both Of wealth and dignitie then you were borne too And you sweet Madame Lady of Belforest You haue that title by your Fathers death Casta. With all the titles due to me encrease The wealth and honour of my Charlemont Lord of Montferrers Lord D'amuille Belforest And for a cloze to make vp all the rest Embrace The Lord of Castabella Now at last Enioy the full possession of my loue As cleare and pure as my first chastitie Charl. The crowne of all my blessings I will tempt My Starres no longer nor protract my time Of marriage When those Nuptiall rites are done I will performe my kinsmens funeralles Iudg. The Drums and Trumpets Interchange the sounds Of Death and Triumph for these honour'd liues Succeeding their deserued Tragedies Charl. Thus by the worke of Heau'n the men that thought To follow our dead bodies without teares Are dead themselues and now we follow theirs Exeunt FINIS