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
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
signes Of that true valour your spirit seemes to beare For 't is not courage when the darts of chance Are throwne against our State to turne our backs And basely runne to death as if the hand Of Heaven and Nature had lent nothing else To oppose against mishap but losse of life Which is to flie and not to conquer it For know it were true valours part my Lord That when the hand of chance had crush'd our States Ruin'd all that our fairest hopes had built And thrown 't in heaps of desolation Then by those ruines for our thoughts to climbe Vp till they dar'd blinde fortune to the face And urg'd her anger to increase those heaps That we might rise with them and make her know Wee were above and all her power below Why this my Lord would prove us men indeed But when affliction thunders o'r our Roofe To hide our heads and runne into our graves Shewes us no men but makes us fortunes slaves Lucil. Antonio thou wouldst turne Philosopher To doe thy friend a kindnesse but 't is not wordes Our businesse askes we must have action now Thou seest my fathers anger for this freeing Althea from her death swels like a tide Halfe flowne that labours 'gainst an adverse winde And does command us leave the Court awhile And passe for Greece as if our travaile could Be Bawd unto the chastity of faith That 's vow'd to vertue when my long weary'd minde Already 's toyling in a pilgrimage Vp to the shrine of Natures rich perfections Therefore Antonio thou must take the shape Of all save misery that I containe And for I know my fathers jealousie Will entertaine all rumours that are left Where ere my name passe thou must bee Lucilio And so my name travaile alone with thee It will suffice for fame doth sometimes gull The best intelligence Then shape thy course Farthest from Athens to those parts of Greece Where I am least knowne Anton. Pardon me my Lord If I consent not for should your safety call To leap the Tyrrhene Cliffs into the maine Stand in the face of a fir'd Canon Or hale a sleeping Lyon from the way Where you must passe my love would force me runne Against the edge of danger for your life But this is onely a pretended shew To win our absence that none may interrupt Your torrent of impatience that posts Like melted Snow from off the Apenine Downe to destruction Luci. Thou art curious still With our intentions and mistak'st me much Beleev 't Antonio if I might have dyed When the vast flood of spleene was at the full And thought to overflow whole worlds of love When Envy stood a tip-toe to catch hold And pull downe innocence to trample on 't And sweet Revenge was at her on to speake From my bruis'd bones then death had been a heaven But now my head 's turn'd brasse speakes times past And harden'd is against the worst of ils Though every frowne my angry mother gives Should come like hammers 'gainst my forehead Anton. May I beleev 't my Lord Lucil. By Heaven I will And so resolve yet for thy farther trust I will bee open to thee my meaning is To put off name and habit for a while Till I have found Althea and knit that knot Which hell it selfe shall never violate And therefore carry rumour still with thee That it may have no leasure to descry What I embrace Farewell Antonio And prethee let this evening bee the last Of thy delay Heaven will be my friend And send content or give my woes an end Exit Lucilio Anton. Soft I le not leave you to goe seek that end your name shall travaile but I le not carry it Though you have vow'd not to procure your death you are in love manet Enter Alastor and Assassino quarrelling Alast. D'sfoote Sir your speeches be peremptory Assas. Why Sir I said it and I say it agen that the Dukes Sonne was a foole and a mad-man to venture his life for ere a womans love in Italy Alast. I yeeld Sir 't was a mad part to venture a painful death for a woman when a woman will venture nothing but she 'll have pleasure at one end of it for the life of a man yet the Dukes Sonne was not a madman for it Assas. I say he was Alast. I say you lie Assassino gives him a blow D'foote Sir you will not strike me Assass. Yes and whip thee with Birch i' the Nose Exit stalking Anton. Bravely perform'd Alastor 't is politiquely done bee noble and doe not strike Alast. Why sir this is not mine owne sword Anton. And therefore thou hadst no authority to use it Come I have other businesse for thee that shall gaine thee gold Alast. I thanke you sir for indeed I had a suit to you before Anton. It is the better trade of the two by halfe I know thou canst begg valiantly but to the businesse Thou knowst my Lord Lucilio goes away in disgrace 'twixt banishment and travaile he is not well and therefore would stay behinde a while unknowne onely thou must goe before and put on his name that the world may take notice of his passage and hold rumour busie till hee comes privately and overtakes thee But come to my lodging where I le dispose of farther particulars and furnish thee with apparell and crownes for thy journey Alast. I attend you sir exeunt A Table set forth covered with a cloth Enter Mistris Frailware Mistris Frail. Why Debora I say why Debora Debor. Anon forsooth within Mistris Frail. Come bring away the Napkins quickly and make ready here these heavy Ars'd wenches are so slow and doe you heare bid one of the Boyes fetch me a Pinte of Oligant Buls Blood and a quart of Canary and look that the white Broth with Eringoes and Marrow be not over-boyl'd I know M. Damasippus loves it well Enter Damasippus Damas. Ioy and peace of minde be to my deare Pupill let mee give thee a morall kisse Mistris Frai. In pure moralitie M. Damasippus you are most heartily welcome Would this wench would come away that wee had Supper once Damas. That word hath eterniz'd thee my sweet Ambrosia and thy name is written in Elizium among Ioves paramours Wherefore let the beloved of Iove feast and banquet according to moralitie Enter Debora with Supper Mistris Frail. You are so full of learned sayings still I have studyed too a great while would I could reade once Dam. Soule of the world thou shalt bee illuminated without reading for I will infuse knowledge into thee and thou shalt bee repleate Mistris Fra. Can you doe so M. Damasippus Dam. I can my Summum bonum and thou shalt have the Mandragoras for thy fecundity and I will free thee from the vicious note of sterility Mistris Fra. O the blessings of these Philosophers Come sweet M. Damasippus sit and le ts sup quickly Dam. Content Enter Debora running Debor. O Mistris my Master and Mistris Abigail are comming up
the window Althea lookes out Alth. Whos 's that Lucil. Lucilio Alth. O my deare Lord Lucil. How fares my Althea Alth. As one that lives but in the armes of death And like a frost-kill'd worme is halfe reviv'd By your faire presence whose desired sight Makes a warme blood post through my trembling veins To tell my heart this newes that ere I die I once shall speake to you But I must chide your Grace my Lord that would so staine your love With foulest spots of blood Lucil. Blood to their soules that thought it for by The ne'r appaled heart of innocence The new-borne babes first smiles were ne'r more chaste Then was my breast frō thoughts of murder O Althea What will a woman loath that 's all possest With wrath and has the killing voyce of Iustice Tun'd to pronounce her mercilesse revenge The sword by her steel'd conscience edg'd to slaughter And undefended lives to worke upon Alth. It was your seale and hand that did perswade Me to the murder but my selfe return'd Disswasive arguments to beate you from 't Lucil. It was my seale which by my mothers charge 'T is thought the Page stole out without suspect As I conceive of mischiefe all the rest Was meerly counterfeit But bee advis'd And I will choake the hungry throat of Treason That gapes for blood with such a working pill As it shall loath to swallow and vomit up Their bloody plots in sick repentance Alth. No my dearest Lord let me in contentment die Since you are innocent and in my Tombe Bury your danger that have thus long sate A heavy burden to your happinesse Lucil. Long maist thou live untill the gods Althea Shall summon thee from hence to make a starre And grant Commission to the winged Post Of heaven to steale away thy soule in sleepe That Divine mould was not ordain'd to suffer A painfull shipwrack in thy lifes departure Alth. 'T will sweeten much the bitterst throes of death When I shall thinke my labouring soule does worke For my Lucilio's rest then let my guiltlesse Ghost Securely passe up to the fields of peace For I am weary and would gladly die Lucil. Vrge it no more the very sound of death Wish'd to thy innocence comes like a clappe Of armed thunder to mine eares and thou Shalt live though I should search the utmost tortures Tyrannie did ere invent to find a death Might ransome thee and therefore if thy love Does yet respect Lucîlios constancy Resolve and second mee Dispute no more But make some meanes to let me downe a line That I may fasten this disguise unto it She lets downe a line to which he fastens the disguise There draw it up and put it on with speed Suspitions eye dogs every step I tread She drawes up the bagge and while she is cloathing How strong is sad affliction on my State When I must steale a death and thinke me blest if none Doe interrupt my passage to destruction Oh that the paths of Fate so strange and invious Should lead us into life and through a Maze Of chances bring us to such unpassable periods That we must leape the bankes and give our breath To shunne the ills that doe incounter us Come have you yet dispatch'd Alth. I have my Lord but what of this Lucil. Then once more lend your line Having againe let downe the Line she drawes up a Ladder of Cords Fasten those Hookes to your window and come downe Shee fastens the Hookes above he below And then coming downe he receives her A more troublesome descent then from the Rock But your fall gentler So Now flie Althea And live as happy as my unhappy love Had made thee miserable time may bee More friendly to thee and beget some meanes That thou maist one day sit amidst thy friends Nay doe not weep Althea thou shalt see This will worke both our freedomes and if I die My silent Ghost shall in the pleasingst formes At mid-noon dayes come oft to visit thee Farewell They kisse and he offers to goe up Alth. What meanes your Grace Lucil. To out-runne trechery and winne a Goale That shall enrich my name make envy swell And drowne her selfe in overflowing Gall Alth. I le meet the ugliest shapes that ever Death Appear'd to Nature in before I le leave Your Grace expos'd to danger for my life Lucil. No more for I have vow'd what I intend And if thou dost withstand it to make this houre The last of breathing to mee therefore be gone I le lie at Stake my selfe that you may steere No interrupted course and since the law Gives Virgins leave to pleade and die conceal'd I with this Scarfe here will bee your Attorney Hasten your flight least mischiefe finde you slow Wee shall both fare the better At the Parks end By a Fount that riseth from the Chaulky Banke Camilla stayes with your Viaticum Shee 'll be thy partner in thy banishment Once more farewell and if I die for ever Alth. And if you die I shall not long out-live you He goes up into the window In what a sad dilemma stands my soule In this divulsion betweene love and danger Yet blesse mine eyes once more with sight of you Lucil. Farewell Althea Alth. Dearest Lord farewell Lucil. Againe farewell Althea all the favours Of Guardian Angels and mild'st influences Propitious Heaven retaines waite on thy sufferings Exeunt Enter Alastor and another Servant setting the Barre and laying Cushions Alast. Come dispatch the Duke 's at hand Serv. I wonder he sits himselfe in judgement to day Alast. The matter in question is great Serv. Many thinke the poore Gentlewoman is innocent Alast. They be fooles to say so Serv. Why is 't a folly to speake what they thinke Alast. I as very a folly as to be vertuous indeed Do'st imagin t will gaine any thing but hate Serv. Yet many dare pawne their lives that shee is guiltlesse Alast. None but such as were predestin'd never to bee great they bee tender conscienc'd dunces they never learn'd Esops Fables Serv. Why for that Alast. Do'st not remember the tale of the Lion that banish'd all horn'd beasts from Court Serv. That was a madd Lion i'faith Alast. That then the Foxe went away as banish'd too because if the Lion should say his prickt eares were Hornes what then Serv. But she was thought ever vertuous and modest Alast. Shee would not have beene guilty so soone else shall a swaggering wench that will take Tobacco eight and forty times in foure and twenty houres talke bawdy as familiar as an Oyster wife retaine seven servants with good backes and a weake husband to keep Doggs from doore have no priviledge above suspected vertue Serv. Faith I remember when I went to Schoole my Master vs'd to tell us a Verse or two out of a Poet hic damnatus inani Iudicio I ha' forgot the Poëts name but I remembred the Verse by another where he instructs creatures of our faculty Alast. Why what does he teach us
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
delivery Frail. Gi' me thy warrant then and I le serve it as greedily as a beggarly Vndersherife does an Action of slander But what is 't what is 't boy Page Faith sir the common danger that haunts men of your place fils Theaters and gives many of your Landlesse Gallants their gilt Spurres and their feathers Frail. Vnshale it unshale it Page Why Sir in sober City Italian that man of little wit lesse learning and no honesty M. Damasippus the Stoick meanes this Evening with pure moralitie to Frail. What sir Page Cuckold you sir Frail Body o'mee that embleme of hypocrisie hee lookes as cold and mortifi'd as a Capon of a weekes killing Page Hang him Lobster hee 's as hot as a Cocksparrow and as irreligious as as a Low-Countrey Lombard Hee 's good for nothing but that which men keepe old Stallions for he would have done rarely well after Deucalions flood or five hundred of 'hem now for the new plantation But i'faith I would bee reveng'd on him Frail. Reveng'd I 'll give up my shop to be reveng'd on him turne Summer to plague him with Citations Page And then out-bribe him that hee shall finde no mercy i' th Bumme-Court Frail. Or else I will be sterne in my authoritie set him in the Stocks and set the Stocks at mine owne doore Page Or else I would hire some Iew to make him factious And then get him banish'd to Amsterdam to saw Brazill Frail. Or hire a Witch to take away his Instrument of lust and then he 'll hang himselfe in his owne girdle Page Or get some body to promise him some Bookes and a new Gowne to deny the plurality of the gods then informe against him and goe drunke to see him burnt Frail. Else I le get him Carted and lye with his wife the while Page I and send him word of it when he is i' th Cart Frail. Some dreadfull vengeance or other my offended Authority shall take on him I protest I never mistrusted it Page Alas no I knew you were a true Cuckold innocent Frail. A Cuckold innocent what 's that Page One of the eight Tribes into which your liverie is divided Nay nay nay sober Master Constable be not dejected let not your head sinke before it has ful lading for look you I 'll shew you the dignitie of your estate your Cuckoldhood sir is more worshipfull than the best of all the foure and twenty Companies Because in some ages you have had some of the best of all those Companies Fellowes of the Liverie Secondly you have had all states and rankes belonging to it Sylla Domitian and Claudius great Emperours of the world never car'd to be free of the Goldsmiths or Merchant-Taylors Hall yet they were huge Cuckolds Thirdly you have your wit in chusing approv'd which must of necessitie show you to have beene wise men and therefore most commonly you are in Offices Fourthly you have sometimes better men to be your followers than your selfe for they be glad to follow and come after where you have beene before Fiftly you have others to worke for the propagation of your name while you be idle and reape the fruits of their labours And lastly it makes your way to heaven Master Constable infallible for if you die quickly you die an innocent But let me be your Pilot and if I doe not learne you a course to pay this Puffin this all Priapus this Goate rampant in 's owne kinde let my wit bee for ever crack't Frail. If thou couldst doe it in some bitter manner Page Trust me not else for looke you Sir if it were a Courtier of a good perfume and rich Garter or a Gallant of the new fashion with fresh insides nay an 't were a barren Alderman that would visit his Wench secretly and were in the way to authority why 't were something tolerable But to be horn'd by a Sir that 's no Knight one that will lie as fast as an Alminack-maker a thred-bare-grogran-worsted-lack-Latin 't is insufferable Frail. O 't is I know 't is Page Your onely revenging remedie then is prevention in the same kinde which you shall most dexterously atchieve me duce id esh si ego dux fuero little Master Constable Frai. How sweet boy how Page Doe you but invite Mistris Abigail to Supper this evening who knowes nothing of her husbands being there and leave the rest to my providence Frail. I le doe it Boy i'faith I will I will indeed Boy Page About it then I le meet you at your comming backe and give directions for the rest Exeunt Enter the Duchesse disguised and Mycale a Witch Mical. Your Grace hath beene exceeding patient To undergoe these paines and come to us Duch. Good Micale I was unfortunate I had not knowne thy skill and us'd it sooner For since Heavens power denies me just revenge And meanes to worke my will I le search the depth Of hels dark'st Angels but I will dissolve That firme link'd band of love and to that end Shrowded in this disguise I came to thee That thou maist let some nimble spirit slip From out the powerfull Circle after her And with thy spels pursue her unto death Mical. Madam It shall be speedily perform'd Please you a while retire into this roome And waite the ceremonious houre while wee Prepare us for the sacrifice and provide Those powerfull ingredients which we use In the confection of our charmes Duch. I will Exit Duchesse Song Mic Sarvia Sar Mother Mic Take thy flight While the Moone affords thee light While the Dog-Starre shines downright On the powerfull Aconite And the Hearbes appeare in sight Sar Away and wash your body white In the spring and clense you quite For I le soone the Shepheard fright And bring home to mend the right A female Lamb as black as night Mic Haste then quicke returne thee home Doe not tho forget the stone In the Toade nor Serpents bone Nor the Mandrake though he groane Pull him up he is our owne Sar I le steale besides let me alone The great blacke Cat from jumping Jone And make the Nurse and Mother moane When their fatlings throat is showne Mic Haste then quicke returne thee home Enter Lucilio and Antonio Lucil. Where be we now Antonio is not this life On the farre side of death and sinkes beyond A non existens Hadst thou not made thy friend Blest in thy faith if thou hadst yeelded way To my desires and I had cleerly leapt From the maine top of mischiefe and falne short Of these calamities Oh the grosse oversight Of our mistaking nature that is so base To buy a draught of ayre with seas of ills Or thinke we benefit a friend when wee Doe turne his houre-glasse to make life runne Though every minute hailes downe mis-fortune thick As it doth Sand into the empty receptacle Anto. Nay give me leave to tell your Grace my Lord This strong desire of death that hath possest Your will thus farre does not expresse the
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
against your selfe That he has vow'd your death doth intend A sharp revenge to all your family And but I know Lucilio yet does live Beleeve me Madam I should hate the fact And be the first should feed my thirsty eyes With their best blood that spilt least part of his Iul. Alas Antonio what would you have me doe When I beheld my daughter murdred thus 'Twixt love and hate and I no meanes of help To take revenge or comfort to my griefe Anto. Well Madam let 's not stand to expostulate The cause the act was foule and but the hand Of Heaven turn'd it from him 'gainst whō you meant it Hatefull and worthy of the deep'st revenge Your way is now to shun the furious wrath The Duke 's enflamed with and for a while Lie close in some disguise till the lost Prince Make his returne who doubtlesse will ere long Give notice to my selfe where he remaines And for your farther assurance Lady I le take Some strange attire with you and we will both Be present at the Execution Where you shall heare perhaps the latest words The murderer will speake against your selfe And in the presence of the Duke avouch Your guiltinesse Iul. Thankes good Antonio There the gift is free When 't is bestow'd on deepest miserie Exeunt Enter Althea in her Shepherdesses apparell over her owne which she putting off layes aside Alth. Lie there thou gentle weed that hast prolong'd A weary life thou whose dissembling shape Has help'd me reach the place which drew that life As an attractive Load-stone to it's end Some friendly Passinger will for this reward Bestow perhaps a buriall on my Coarse And be my death as freely exempt from sight As is my griefe that never innocent eyes May bee infected with those fumes of guilt My latest gaspe breathes forth reserv'd till now To bee unfortunate in all save this That I shall sacrifice my dearest blood Vpon that Altar where Lucilio dyed And let one aire receive our joyned spirits And sacrifices to Faiths Deitie She goes up the Rocke quickly and standing ready And witnesse now you zealous thoughts of love Witnesse the vowes my affection held so deare Enter Lucilio in his owne habit and walkes a turne My soule comes unconstrain'd to you deare Lord And parts as freely from a gladsome heart As ere it wish'd to enjoy the lively sight Of your desired presence She spies him as below Awake my fancy doe mine eyes conspire To aggravate my griefe or does the strong Imagination of my losse present the shape Of his dead person to my troubled sense Lucil. What strange confused passions 'gin to raise A stormy combate 'twixt my minde and death Though safely now arriv'd within the Port Where for exchange of breath I shall regaine The long desired presence of her soule That hovers in expectation of my comming Alth. Methinkes I sleep that thus illusive showes Doe mock my apprehension or is 't decreed That even in death I must indure affliction And die in height of woe How like his pace His gesture shape and countenance true constant spirit That wouldst not be unlesse thou mightst be true Did not my greedy sight distract my thoughts To feed upon thy shadow and make me forget My businesse next in hand I should have flowne To be a shadow and have walk'd with dead Lucilio As hearing somewhere the voyce of his name Lucil. Lucilio was it my fond conceit or else my selfe Standing betwixt the bounds of life and death Her ghost that lookes each minute for my approach Thinkes my stay long and cals upon my name I come Althea swift as breake the windes From out the Eolian Caves give mee but space To take my flight from off that He lookes up to the Rocke and seeing her stand a while amaz'd Bright Angell Goddesse whatsoe'r thou art That hast assum'd that shape to adorne thy state And give a better lustre to thy Deity Doe not delude my woes nor make my death More miserable then my selfe have done Alth, It does invite me speak and with his silent looks Seemes to intreat a word yet my faint heart Throbbing with feare denies to second speech Lucil. Be what thou wilt I know no spirit of night Durst to attempt that forme that ne'r was made But to invest a soule more faire and pure Then are the Spheres Ghost Angel Goddesse Nimph Speake daine a word to tell me what thou art That thus appearst in such a glorious shape To intercept my death Art thou an Angel That thus wouldst shew the world what they have lost By seeing her heavenly forme Or art thou else Some spirit of Diviner excellence That hast put on that shadow thine owne nature To beautifie Or does Althea's ghost Come thus to meet and chide my slothfulnesse Or has thy worth chaste Nymph deserv'd to scape The hand of death and made thy perfect selfe All soule immortall and an unmixt spirit That those rich vertues which great nature heapt In thy creation might by envious death Ne'r be dissolv'd nor the cold senslesse earth Embrace and taint thy pure delicious beauty For which the Starres grew envious to the world What ere thou art if thou hast sense of griefe But correspondent to the shape thou bear'st Add not more torment to the depth of woe That does accompany my death and urge No more the sight and memory of her Whom I have wrong'd envy has left me nought But life to yeeld in satisfaction Which here I come to tender as thy due Or if thou doubtst the payment and didst come To take a view how willingly I dyed Then be my witnesse that the chased Stagge Flies not more swiftly to the cooling streames Then I to death He runnes up to the Rocke where both meeting shew passions of feare Alth. Stay Lucil. Speake Alth. O stay deare love Lucil. Speake speake thou heavenly spirit And tell me since thy selfe art made Divine What makes thee come in confines of the wretched And mixe thy selfe with us whose earthly loades Detaine us yet in life and misery Alth. Why I doe live Lucil. I know thou dost thou wert not fram'd to die Nor at thy birth when Heaven and Nature joyn'd To give thee those rich Dowries thou enjoy'st Did they intend to make such excellence Mortall and subject to the stroke of death But where deficient Nature could extend Her force no farther to preserve thy life Heaven would supply the want and turne thy state To immortality yet why shouldst thou When I have seene thy Funerals perform'd Come to afflict me and augment my griefe Alth. Sweet love if you doe live as feare and hope 'Twixt adverse passions make me doubtfull yet Know that I live as when we parted last Nor ere was yet interr'd Lucil. No no the earth grew feeling of her losse And grieving to be robb'd of such a jemme Refus'd to shut that treasure in her wombe Where foule corruption must have tainted it Or did my fortunes yet beyond
thy death Pursue thee farther and bereaving first Thy innocent life in some forsaken wood Leave thee unburyed and thy restlesse ghost Comes now to seeke a Sepulcher of me Alth. Great Lord recall your selfe and give me leave To speake what will resolve this doubtfull maze In which your senses wander and can finde No passage out Since I last left your Grace Travelling in that disguise I lost indeed Camilla poore Companion of my cares But hearing that your selfe in shape of me Was by your Fathers doome throwne off this Rock Knowing my sufferance guilty of your death I came to end my life where you had dyed And expiate the murder with my blood Where 't was committed on your guiltlesse self Reserv'd by Heavens mild hand to this blest houre Wherein our innocent loves might once more meet In spight of envie Lucil. Lives my Althea then Then live Althea still But speake no more Lest the vast Tyde of joy o'rwhelme my soule And kill as quick as griefe Or my sad heart Vnable to sustaine this burden of wonder Sinke and yeeld vanquish'd I have much to aske But let it rest yet tell me how thou far'dst In this long banishment stay who comes yonder Now the wind 's turn'd and fortunes lavish hand Powres downe content beyond expectation Enter Duke and Duchesse with Officers bringing Assassino to execution after them the L. Iulia and Antonio both disguised Duke Come thou inhumane murderer of my sonne Traytor unto thy Countries state and safety And now before the stroke of Iustice seize Thy hatefull life resolve the wondring world Why the slight motives of a womans words Should winne thee to so foule and horrid crimes Assas. What I have said your selfe are witnesse to Nor needs it be renew'd nor can I adde One word or syllable to make it more Duke Then let the Execution proceed That wee may doe this latest Exequie To his wrong'd ghost which is to see his blood Reveng'd with blood of those that murdred him As we have vow'd to doe and not to leave These weeds of sorrow till we have consum'd The race and name of them that did conspire In this abhorred Action And would it might Suffice the injuries we did his life Thus to revenge his too untimely death And from that height He sees them on the Rocke and stands amaz'd Am I awake or dreame I Is it my fancy Breeds this delusive show in my weak braine Or doe their soules come to condemne our guilt More cōscious of their death then whō we have brought To die for it See doe thy dazled eyes Perceive that object which my selfe beholds Or is 't some shadow that abuses mee And none but mee Duch. My sonne my Lord my sonne More knowne by 's ghost then if his living forme Had met mine eyes ô speake to him my Lord Duke If thou beest such as is thy semblance By all that duty that thy life did owe Vnto a Parent by the Bands once due Of Love and Nature that unites the soules Of children and their carefull nourishers I doe adjure thee tell why in this midd'st Of day you come thus to renew our griefe What has there wanted to your Funerals When we have wept us dry and spent our teares More thicke than winter showers upon your Hearse Done all the Rites and Exequies were due To your interring And have vow'd revenge To all that did conspire in that foule Act Of thy too guiltlesse murder Lucil. Know that wee are return'd From out those Seats of Blisse where we were plac'd By your unjust proceedings to make knowne That what you did was 'gainst the will of Fate For see what you deny'd upon the earth The power of Heaven does grant and has confirm'd Our long-borne loves with an Eternall peace Where our two soules in sweetest union knit Enjoy their Nuptials out of Envies reach Yet know there are some punishments reserv'd For the vile Treasons practis'd in pursuite Of our unmerited wrongs and that their sinne Is mark'd for plagues that seeke by force to breake The League that Love and Faith doe joyntly knit Duke Then let 'hem fall wee are prepar'd for woes Though shot as thick as Haile from out the Clouds Our guilt is greater than those punishments Or all our future plagues can expiate The Duke and Duchesse both kneele Yet on our bended knees thus low to earth As we did both conspire in that foule plott We here entreat your pardons and withall Wish the offended Heavens would bee appeas'd With Vowes and Orisons and would your ghosts Forget those injuries wee did your loves And rest in peace with us and with the world Lucil. Father we will but should we live againe You would not yet relent and yeeld our loves The sufferance you see the Heavens have done Duke By Heavens I would nor should the potent'st hand Of earth resist your present Nuptials Lucil. Then wee 'll be ghosts no more but ever sue For your mild sufferance of our happinesse Come downe both kneele Duke Wonder and amazement do not oppresse me Duch. O we are blest beyond desert Alth. Yet is my joy but small amidst your many Since you have burnt my innocent Mother And razd our Family Iul. No my deare daughter see I safely live Ne'r blest till now and now o'r-joyd with blisse Lucil. Then joyes would be compleate had I not lost By thy vile murderous hand so deare a friend Anton. Your friend still lives and never felt his life Sweet till this instant when I may behold These joyes combin'd Duke Why then there nothing wants But celebration of your Nuptials Which we will doe with greater signes of joy Then we had griefe in your supposed Funeralls But whose death is this murderer guilty of Ant. Onely Alastors a fellow as wicked as himself Duke We give him then his life but banish him From our Dominions and for this strange event We will expect a farther leisure To heare the whole discovery of the chance And leave the rest to mirth that shall command In all our Feasts and whom wee 'll Crowne as King To be chiefe Lord in all our Banquetting Exeunt omnes Omnia vincit amor nos cedamus amori * Ambubaiarum Collegii Alumni The Epilogue IVdging Spectators all for this wee know That either you are such or should be so Now to your censures lowly as his minde Our Authour all submits and hopes to finde In such a faire assembly no such eyes As scoute at Theaters and come like flies To taint the innocent'st labours with their tongues Raising their richest gaines from others wrongs If such an envious Canker hap to lurke Here and hath onely sate to taxe the worke With curious scanning let that envy know He scornes his censure onely and can show 'Gainst all such labour'd hisses Perseus Shield In such a fearlesse Pen as ne'r shall yeeld 'Till his cold merits doe his worth bewray Or make himselfe a mewing Statua Nor is he of those self-admiring Apes That thinke none's features faire whose birth escapes Their labouring braines hee heares and sees and knowes And yeelds all reverence to the worth of those VVhom solid Art extols and unto such Hee humbly vailes his Scene that for the touch Of unaffecting censures hither came Hee sought your mirth more than a Poets name FINIS