the soule of Cleopatra all divine could ingender so much choller and rancor against a King who never fail'd in his respects justly due to her worth and honor For Alexandra I doe not at all marvell if she rais'd this tempest against me her fierce and high spirit hath still tempted my patience labouring by all sinister waies to avile and disparage my government and to take away perforce a crown with a more puissant hand then those of her fore-fathers hath set upon my head What reason could she pretend Since by the favour of the Romans I doe peaceably stand in a Kingdome which was cast upon me with the consent even of my adversaries I never sought for it my ambition was so regular modest if I had I had been guilty of a crime so horrible that could not come within the thoughts of a mankind-wolfe There is no man would play the villaine meerly for pleasure the Idea of vengeance which is represented to the fancie carries as it were a torch before the offence for to reveale it to the world To what purpose had it beene to attempt the life of Aristobulus Was it to establish my estate That was secure enough already Your favour most noble PRINCE hath conferr'd on me more then all casualities whatsoever shall be able to conquer or ravish from me But I have ever put back the royall house from all promotions How put it back What in calling the disjoynted and scattered kindred within my bosome as much as lay in my power Every man knowes how that Hyrcanus chiefe of the royall family being detained prisoner among the Parthians I stretcht my nerves bent my veines and engaged all my credit to set him at liberty and make him returne to Court where he lives now in contented peace partaking of all the rights and priviledges of Majestie without molesting his head with any care of Civil affairs 'T is well knowne I have shar'd with him my Crowne and my bed with his daughter Mariamne making her Queene of Nations and the spouse of a King I gave the Pontificate to her brother Aristobulus of meere free-will being no way constrained thereunto as being absolute in the managing of my estate and if I have adjourn'd it for a time it was because the age of the child did not tread equall paces with my desires for in effect they have seene him Pontiffie at eighteene yeares of age which was no ordinary favour Alexandra his Mother which caused all this stirre and turmoile ever had full liberty in my Court except the Licence to undoe her selfe which she so oft and eagerly desir'd For what reason had she to thrust her selfe into a Coffin and be carried by night as a dead body to steale away out of my Court and after she had revil'd me in my house now to goe and disparage me abroad among strangers If shee had desire to make a journey to Egypt had she spoke the word it would have sufficed but she pleas'd to surmise false dangers in true safety and to put those into hazard of their lives that made her to live in all security When I had discover'd this imposture I have not let out one harsh distastfull word against her making her to enjoy with case the spectacle of my patience and judging that every foolish offender is sufficiently punished by his owne conscience A short time after followed the lamentable death of the young PRINCE which drew from me bitter teares of compassion for I lov'd him dearly and I am sorry his Mother alter'd the sweetnesse of his good nature and caus'd so much trouble to his younger yeares He died not with me but at his Mothers house and by an accident which no man could prevent died sporting in the water an element that we cannot trust unto where thousands have perished without any treachery died with some pages of the Court with whom he did usually take his pastime 'T was his owne motion that brought him to the water The alacrity of his youth made him play with danger it selfe which none could disswade him from and his dismall fate drowned him It were too hard and unreasonable a taske impos'd upon me if Alexandra would have me be accountable for the youthfulnesse of her son as though I had been his Governour or for the infidelity and inconstancy of the elements as if I were Lord over them This pernicious head delivered this speech with such grace and plausibility that hee tooke off the edge of their spleene Such power hath Rhetorick even in the tongue of a miscreant Loe he is past all danger being as yet but got abord as they say walking in the Court of Anthony with all freedome expecting his sentence of justification In the meane while as he was courteous liberal on occasions by vertue of his donatives hee wonne the hearts of the chiefest men in the Court and made all the accusations to be but the pettishnesse and spleen of a woman misinform'd inform'd M. Anthony himselfe told Cleopatra that she did ill to intermedie so much in forreigne Kingdomes and if that he should offend by her incitement shee might stirre up enemies to the hazard of his estate that Herod was a King and it was not fit to use him as a subject nay it was his happinesse to have him rather for his friend then his foe While matters were a canvasing in Anthony's Court the Mother and sister of Herod fail'd not to observe with all diligent circumspection the actions of the Queene Mariamne and of her Mother Alexandra His Vncle Joseph was Keeper of the Prison and did often visit Mariamne sometimes for businesse and sometimes for complement This man began to be sindged like a butterfly with beames shot from the eyes of this incomparable beauty and did beare a great deal of affection towards her and though hee saw himselfe farre enough from all manner of pretensions yet notwithstanding he took a delight that hee had plac'd his love on so high an object This passion turn'd his braines and made him foolish and talkative being already clowne enough by ill education which made him talke wonderfull ridiculous and foolish For one day when there was a speech made of the affection that Herod beare to his wife Mariamne Alexandra her Mother jeer'd at it very ironically according to her fashion Ioseph who would have the Queene still to entertaine a good liking of her husband his Master whether hee was mad or drunke spake with a loud voice Madam let your Mother Alexandra speak her pleasure but to shew you an evident testimony of the love the King your husband beares you he gave me a charge in case he were put to death himself to kill you also for that he could not be without your company in the other world At this speech the poor Ladies grew pale and wan with feare Alas the Tyrant quoth Alexandra in her heart what will hee doe being alive since that in his death he causeth those to
die that survive him In the mean while there went a rumour very briefe in Ierusalem the dreames of credulous men that Herod was dead that M. Anthony had sent him to execution being convicted of the death of Aristobulus Whether this bruite was divulged abroad by some of Herod's enemies or whether himselfe made it be spread secretly for to prove the countenance and inclinations of men Wise Marianme seem'd to give it no credit Alexandra grew impatient and shrudded like a bird on the perch beseeching Ioseph with all supplications possible to take them out of the pallace and to lead them to the Court of Guard of the Roman legions committing them into the protection of Colonel Iulius that they might thence passe with safe conduct to M Anthony for shee greatly desir'd that this PRINCE might see her daughter perswading her selfe that as soone as hee should have a view of her hee should be captivated with her eies and would shew all possible favour These intentions being naughty had no good successe at all and all the pursuits of Alexandra serv'd for nothing but to vent her passion Herod at length returnes victoriously with authentique testimonies of his justification notwithstanding all the endeavours of Cleopatra God reserving this Paracide for a Cain's life which concluded with a wretched and fearefull death His mother and sister fail'd not to present him forthwith at his arrivall with a modell of their mystery and to acquaint him with the intention that Alexandra had to put her selfe under the power of the Romans Salome who envy'd Mariamne beyond measure dipping her serpentine tongue in the gall of calumnie accused her of secret familiarity with Ioseph Wherefore Herod who was extreamly jealous thought instantly to cure it and taking Mariamne apart askt her whence proceeded that amitie which shee had contracted with Ioseph The most Chast Queen whose patience was never vanquisht shew'd by her eies by the posture of her countenance and speeches that shee was so stung with this black slander that her perfidious husband did easily perceive how farre she was from such thoughts and in truth being asham'd of himselfe for proposing such Questions unto her he crav'd pardon shedding hot tears and thanking her for proving so faithfull to his bed and making a thousand protestations of immortal affection The good Lady somewhat displeas'd to see so much hypocrisie told him covertly that indeed hee bare reall love to his wife who would needs have her company in the other world Herod presently apprehended at halfe a word what shee meant and entred into such distemper and violent passioÌ„ that he seemed to be distracted tearing his beard hair and crying Ioseph had betray'd him and that now hee must needs say hee had too much intelligence with Mariamne otherwise no man could be so simple and sottish as to reveale so important a secret Hereupon he commands Ioseph to be kill'd outright for a sacrifice to his returne not permitting him to come in his sight nor would he hearken to one word of excuse It did want but a litle that he did not theÌ„ fel down more sacrifices to his wide insatiate cruelty and did not put Mariamne too to death but the assured proofe of her innocence and the impatient heate of his love suspended the blow that hee might make his anger like nimble lightning fly further off which hee discharged on Alexandra whom hee did confine for a â—â—me keeping her asunder from Queene Mariamne her daughter taking it now for certaine that it was in her forge that all the machinations conspiracies for his ruine were fram'd and fill'd Not long after Herod saw himselfe imbarkt in another businesse no lesse dangerous then the former M. Anthony who ever lent him his shoulder to support him had a long time contended against the fortune of Augustus Caesar and was quite discomfited in the battell of Actium ending his hopes and life with a sad Catastrophe This accident astonisht the Tyrant more then can be imagined seeing the prop whereon he lean'd ruin'd His affaires which hee thought were now well knit ripe againe in a night and had him for an adversary who was so forward in his designe for the Empire of the whole world His friends and foes deem'd him one of the forlorne hope He that escap't so many shipwracks doth not a whit despaire in this extremity he takes a resolution to goe and find Caesar who was then at Rhodes and to cast himselfe at his feet but before he sets out on 's journey hee commits one most barbarous and inhumane act Hyrcanus the right and lawfull King who by his gentlenesse and facility of nature first rais'd Antipater then sav'd Herod's life promoting him to the Kingdome to the prejudice of his owne blood was yet surviving in a decrepit age laden with yeares cares for he was past fourescore yeares The Tyrant fearing that he alone being left of the Royall blood should bee restored to the throne by the requests of the people who did tender his innocence seeing him now at the brinck of the grave flings him in expelling by brutish violence that soule which he was ready to surrender up to nature This was judg'd meer savage cruelty without any colour of justice wherewith this abominable monster ever us'd to palliat his actions others write the death of Hyrcanus to have beene hastned by this occasion Alexandra who could not shake off her ambitioÌ„ but with her skin seeing that Herod went on a voyage whence peradventure he was never to return boords her father Hyrcanus and shews him that the time was come wherein God would make his venerable old age to flourish anew in Royall purple The Tyrant is intangled in such nets and labyrinths that hee shall never get himself out againe Fortune knocks at Hyrcanus his dore to render him the Diadem which is due unto him by right of inheritance and taken from him by tyranny It remain'd that he would but help himselfe as much as in him lay and his good fortune would work out the rest Hyrcanus replies daughter the time is come that I should rather meditate on my grave then a Royall Throne You know what esteem I made of greatnesse being yet in an age and condition when I had all reason to entertaine them yet I have renoâ—â—ac't them with a free-will preferring my rest before all the Diadems in the world Now that I am in the Haven would you have me lanch again into the tempestuous Seas Forbeare such fond speeches good daughter I have beheld but too much miseries talk to me of a Sepulchre and not of a Scepter Alexandra replies that since he did not pretend to the life nor the fortune of the living yet notwithstanding that he ought not to neglect his own blood that he should give way to equity and he needed not to disquiet himself but onely to write a few lines to Malchus Lieutenant of Arabia and hee would supply him with mony sufficient forces as
that so outragioussly scolded at her daughter on the scaffold went shortly after the way of all flesh tasting the bitternesse of death but loosing the glory of it In the reare of this followed a pestilence which swept away many of Herod's counsellors of state and all these were but the scourges of heaven to avenge this so lamentable death but never enough lamented Mariamne from her chast bed left Herod two sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus who were very young capable to endure much more in after-times but as then incapable to understand their present miseries Herod for to take away from them the resentments of this horrid fact and to raise them both together by good education to the glory of his Scepter packs them away in good time and sends them to Rome to be train'd up in Augustus Casar's Court held at that time the Academy of Kings and the most renowned School of the world After some years expir'd he tooke a desire to make a journey into Italy for to salute Casar and by that meanes to see his sonnes whom hee found very well improv'd and ingeniously brought up and so compleat that hee would faine with the good leave of Augustus bring thē along with him back to Iudea and so he did These young Princes returning to Ierusalem with Herod did ravish all the people with admiration they were of a very comely proportion very nimble and active and well exercis'd in feats of armes well spoken affable and as much worthy of love as their Father of hatred Men beheld them as they doe the two starres of Castor and Pollux after a tempest they fill'd all with joy and seem'd already to have wonne hearts enough to winne them crownes according to their merit yet those that call'd to mind the usage of their Mother Mariamne could not containe their teares Pheroras Herod's brother and his sister Salome who had both of them a hand in the murther of the innocent Queene entred into such apprehensions that cannot be exprest seeing that the blood which they had spilt was one day to rule over them They began thenceforth tartly to traduce them and convey by some creatures subborn'd thereto many reports to Herod's cares which were in effect to informe how that the Princes his sonnes in regard of what had hapned touching their mother were very averse frō their Father would never beinduced to affect him againe Herod who was yet warm with the heat of his affection towards thē gave no credit to the slander for seeing them now upon the march towards ripes yeares he bethought him how to match thē honourably sueing for his son Alexander the daughter of Archilaus King of Capadocia named Glaphira which was granted him for Aristobulus he was betrothd to the daughter of Salome his cosin Germane thus cementing the breaches enmities of his house Alexander and Aristobulus did converse together very freely and spoke all that lay upō their hearts talking of the death of their mother in such a manner that they shewed that they were sensible of it Pheroras and Salome very close and malignant spies did not cease to toll them into dangerous ipeeches and all that they had spoken either through vanity or some fit of anger or through presumption of secrecy was presently reported to Herod's eares Crafty Salome yet beating sway over her new married daughter who was a simple harmlesse creature did shrife her punctually to know of her what her husband did use to talke of in the privacy of their mutuall embraces Shee forth with related all the speeches which these poor Princes had spoken in simplicity or merriment namely that Aristobulus brag'd that the Empire appertain'd to the issue of Mariamne as the linage of a true Queen as for the sonnes of Herod they were sow'd abroad and dispersed in good number for hee had some nine or ten wives so that he made most of them advocates in petty Townes and it went well with them if they had learn'd to read and write shee added moreover that Alexander spake in a bravado that he was somewhat of another mold then his Father yet notwithstanding when hee convers'd with him seeing him of a jealous humour he kept himselfe within his scabbard not daring freely to expresse himselfe for fear of casting shadowes of his ability that going to hunt and walke with Herod he us'd to contract and wind in his body that he might not seem bigger then his father If he went to draw a bowe hee did it very bungler-like of purpose to free himselfe from all envy This was a maine peece of wisdome to doe so but the trick of a very novice to talk so much though words as innocently spoken as sinisterly and captiously interpreted and above all a very simple errour to commit their secrets to a woman whose brest for the most part is as fit to guard any thing intrusted to its custody as a five to carry water When Pheroras and Salome had diligently plyed the ears of Herod with these petty informations seeing some suspition to plant take rooting in his mind and that the fathers affection towards his sonnes did waxe cold they strike in opportunely and advise him seriously to take heed of his sons that they were in labour with some great exploit and spake loudly That all those that had any hand in the shedding their mothers blood should not beare the punishment off in the other world For indeed as they were harping on that harsh string such like speeches did escape from them Herod was exceedingly astonisht at this freedome as thinking it necessary to represse their boldnesse with some counterprise What doth he to take downe the spirits of these Princes Hee goes and takes him one of his other sonnes call'd Antipater begot upon one Dorid a woman of meane ranck and who was afterward shamefully banisht the Court he hoists him in a moment to the top of the wheele not that hee purpos'd to leave him there but hee would have him serve as a Check-mate for the sons of Mariamne judging him a fit instrument for that end For indeed this Antipater was a darke sullen and malicious spirit who held much after the Father When he saw himselfe on an instant so highly mounted he resolv'd not to descend but with the losse of his skin to share of the Realm as well as the rest by some device or other Well to that end he fits the Scene and conforms himselfe to all fashions for to get into credit with Herod who from that time began to like him very well and he fail'd not under hand to put on foot afresh those accusations to get surer footing in this new preferment that had been commenced against the sonnes of Mariamne And when hee had flung the stone he drew in his arm so neatly that hee seem'd not to have any way stirr'd in it for he did alwaies bear a most respectful carriage towards Alexander and Aristobulus as towards his Masters espcially