their wants And breathing forth my soule before thy féete My curses still shall haunt thy hatefull head And being dead my ghost shall thée pursue Enter Rasni King of Assiria attended on by his sooth-sayers and Kings Rasni How now what meane these outcries in our Court Where nought should sound but harmonies of heauen What maketh Radagon so passionate Samia Iustice O King iustice against my sonne Rasni Thy sonne what sonne Samia This cursed Radagon Rada Dread Monarch this is but a lunacie Which griefe and want hath brought the woman to What doth this passion hold you euerie Moone Samia Oh polliticke in sinne and wickednesse Too impudent for to delude thy Prince Oh Rasni this same wombe first brought him foorth This is his father worne with care and age This is his brother poore vnhaphie lad And I his mother though contemn'd by him With tedious toyle we got our litle good And brought him vp to schoole with mickle charge Lord how we ioy'd to sée his towardnesse And to our selues we oft in silence said This youth when we are old may succour vs. But now preferd and lifted vp by thée UUe quite destroyed by cursed vsurie He scorneth me his father and this childe Clesi. He plaies the Serpent right describ'd in Aesopes tale That sought the Fosters death that lately gaue him life Alcon Nay and please your Maiesti-ship for proofe he was my childe search the parish booke the Clarke wil sweare it his godfathers and godmothers can witnesse it it cost me fortie pence in ale and cakes on the wiues at his christning Hence proud King thou shalt neuer more haue my blessing He takes him apart Rasni Say sooth in secret Radagon Is this thy father Rada Mightie King he is I blushing tell it to your Maiestie Ras. Thy dost thou then contemne him his friends Rada Because he is a base and abiect swaine My mother and her brat both beggarly Unméete to be allied vnto a King Should I that looke on Rasnes countenance And march amidst his royall equipage Embase my selfe to speake to such as they T were impious so to impaire the loue That mightie Rasni beares to Radagon I would your grace would quit them from your sight That dare presume to looke on Ioues compare Rasni I like thy pride I praise thy pollicie Such should they be that wait vpon my Court. Let me alone to answere Radagon Uillaines seditious traitors as you be That scandalize the honour of a King Depart my Court you stales of impudence Unlesse you would be parted from your limmes So base for to intitle father-hood To Rasnes friend to Rasnes fauourite Rada Hence begging scold hence caitiue clogd with yeares On paine of death reuisit not the Court. UUas I conceiu'd by such a scuruie trull Or brought to light by such a lump of dirt Go Lossell trot it to the cart and spade Thou art vnméete to looke vpon a King Much lesse to be the father of a King Alcon You may sée wife what a goodly péece of worke you haue made haue I tought you Arsmetry as additiori multiplicarum the rule of thrée and all for the begetting of a boy and to be banished for my labour O pittifull hearing Come Clesiphon follow me Clesi. Brother beware I oft haue heard it told That sonnes who do their fathers scorne shall beg when they be old Exet Alcon Clesiphon Radagon Hence bastard boy for feare you taste the whip Samia Oh all you heauens and you eternall powers That sway the sword of iustice in your hands If mothers curses for her sonnes contempt May fill the ballance of your furie full Powre downe the tempest of your direfull plagues Upon the head of cursed Radagon Vpon this praier she departeth and a flame of fire appeareth from beneath and Radagon is swallowed So you are iust now triumph Samia Exet Samia Rasni What exorcising charme or hatefull hag Hath rauished the pride of my delight What tortuous planets or maleuolent Conspiring power repining destenie Hath made the concaue of the earth vnclose And shut in ruptures louely Radagon If I be Lord-commander of the cloudes King of the earth and Soueraigne of the seas What daring Saturne from his fierie denne Doth dart these furious flames amidst my Court I am not chiefe there is more great then I What greater then Th'assirian Satrapos It may not be and yet I feare there is That hath bereft me of my Radagon Soothsaier Monarch and Potentate of all our Prouinces Muse not so much vpon this accident Which is indeed nothing miraculous The hill of Scicely dread Soueraigne Sometime on sodaine doth euacuate Whole flakes of fire and spues out from below The smoakie brands that Vulueus bellowes driue Whether by windes inclosed in the earth Or fracture of the earth by riuers force Such chances as was this are often séene Whole Cities suncke whole Countries drowned quite Then muse not at the losse of Radagon But frolicke with the dalliance of your loue Let cloathes of purple set with studdes of gold Embellished with all the pride of earth Be spred for Aluida to sit vpon Then thou like Mars courting the quéene of loue Maist driue away this melancholy fit Rasni The proofe is good and philosophicall And more thy counsaile plausible and swéete Come Lords though Rasni wants his Radagon Earth will repaie him many Radagons And Aluida with pleasant lookes reuiue The heart that droupes for want of Radagon Exeunt Oseas When disobedience raigneth in the childe And Princes eares by flattery be beguilde When lawes do passe by fauour not by truth When falshood swarmeth both in old and youth When gold is made a god to wrong the poore And charitie exilde from rich mens doore When men by wit do labour to disproue The plagues for sinne sent downe by God aboue Where great mens eares are stop to good aduice And apt to heare those tales that feed their vice Woe to the land for from the East shall rise A lambe of peace the scourge of vanities The iudge of truth the patron of the iust Who soone will laie presumption in the dust And giue the humble poore their hearts desire And doome the worldlings to eternall fire Repent all you that heare for feare of plagues O London this and more doth swarme in thee Repent repent for why the Lord doth see With trembling pray and mend what is amisse The swoord of iustice drawne alreadie is Enter the Clowne and the Smiths wife Clowne UUhy but heare you mistresse you know a womans eies are like a paire of pattens fit to saue shooleather in sommer and to kéepe away the cold in winter so you may like your husband with the one eye because you are married and me with the other because I am your man Alasse alasse think mistresse what a thing loue is why it is like to an ostry fagot that once set on fire is as hardly quenched as the bird Crocodill driuen out of her neast Wife Thy Adam cannot a
smiling puritie of heauen When mildest wind is loath to blend the peace Meane-while thy balme shall from thy breath arise And while these closures of thy lampes be shut My soule may haue his peace from fancies warre This is my Morane and I her Cephalus Wake not too soone swéete Nimph my loue is wonne Catnies why staie your straines why tempt you me Enter the Priest of the sunne vvith the miters on their heads carrying fire in their hands Priest All haile vnto Th'assirian deitie Ras. Priests why presume you to disturbe my peace Priest Rasni the destinies disturbe thy peace Behold amidst the addittes of our Gods Our mightie Gods the patrons of our warre The ghost of dead men howling walke about Crying Ve Ve wo to this Citie woe The statutes of our Gods are throwne downe And streames of blood our altars do distaine Aluida Ah-lasse my Lord what tidings do I hear Shall I be slaine She starteth Rasni Who tempteth Aluida Go breake me vp the brazen doores of dreames And binde me cursed Morpheus in a chaine And fetter all the fancies of the night Because they do disturbe my Aluida A hand from out a cloud threatneth a burning sword K. Cili Behold dread Prince a burning sword from heauen Which by a threatning armeis brandished Rasni What am I threatned then amidst my throane Sages you Magi speake what meaneth this Sages These are but clammy exhalations Or retro grade coniunctions of the starres Or oppositions of the greater lights Or radiatrous finding matter fit That in the starrie Spheare kindled be Matters betokening dangers to thy foes But peace and honour to my Lord the King Rasni Then frolicke Uiceroies Kings potentates Driue all vaine fancies from your féeble mindes Priests go and pray whilst I prepare my feast Where Aluida and I in pearle and gold Will quaffe vnto our Nobles richest wine In spight of fortune fate or destinie Exeunt Oseas Woe to the traines of womens foolish lust In wedlocke rights that yeeld but litle trust That vow to one yet common be to all Take warning wantons pride will haue a fall Woe to the land where warnings profit nought Who say that nature Gods decrees hath wrought VVho build one fate and leaue the corner stone The God of Gods sweete Christ the onely one If such escapes ô London raigne in thee Repent for why each sin shall punisht bee Repent amend repent the houre is nie Defer not time who knowes when he shall die Enters one clad in diuels attire alone Longer liues a merry man then a sad and because I meane to make my selfe pleasant this night I haue put my selfe into this attire to make a Clowne afraid that passeth this way for of late there haue appeared many strange apparitions to the great fear and terror of the Citizens Oh here my yoong maister comes Enters Adam and his mistresse Adam Feare not mistresse I le bring you safe home if my maister frowne then will I stampe and stare and if all be not well then why then to morrow morne put out mine eyes cleane with fortie pound VVife Oh but Adam I am afraid to walke so late because of the spirits that appeare in the Citie Adam What are you afraid of spirits armde as I am with Ale and Nutmegs turne me loose to all the diuels in hell VVife Alasse Adam Adam the diuell the diuell Adam The diuell mistresse flie you for your safegard let me alone the diuell and I will deale well inough if he haue any honestie at all in him I le either win him with a smooth tale or else with a toste and a cup of Ale The Diuell sings here Diuell Oh oh oh oh faine would I bée If that my kingdome fulfilled I might sée Oh oh oh oh Clowne Surely this is a merry diuell and I beléeue he is one of Lucifers Minstrels hath a swéete voice now surely surely he may sing to a paire of Tongs and a Bag-pipe Diuell Oh thou art he that I séeke for Clowne Spritus santus away from me satan I haue nothing to do with thée Diuell Oh villaine thou art mine Clowne Nominus patrus I blesse me from thée and I coniure thée to tell me who thou art Diuell I am the spirit of the dead man that was slaine in thy company when we were drunke togither at the Ale Clown By my troth sir I cry you mercy your face is so changed that I had quite forgotten you well maister diuell we haue tost ouer many a pot of Ale togither Diuell And therefore must thou go with me to hell Clowne I haue a pollicie to shift him for I know he comes out of a hote place and I know my selfe the Smith and the diuel hath a drie tooth in his head therefore will I leaue him a sléepe and runne my way Diuell Come art thou readie Clowne Faith sir my old friend and now goodman diuell you know you and I haue bene tossing many a good cup of Ale your nose is growne verie rich what say you will you take a pot of Ale now at my hands hell is like a Smiths forge full of water and yet euer a thrust Diuell No Ale villaine spirits cannot drinke come get vp on my backe that I may carrie thée Clowne You know I am a Smith sir let me looke whether you be well shod or no for if you want a shoe a remoue or the clinching of a naile I am at your command Diuell Thou hast neuer a shoe fit for me Clowne Why sir we shooe horned beasts as well as you Oh good Lord let me sit downe and laugh hath neuer a clouen foote a diuell quoth he I le vse spritus santus nor nominus patrus no more to him I warrant you I le do more good vpon him with my cudgell now will I sit me downe and become Iustice of peace to the diuell Diuell Come art thou readie Clowne I am readie And with this cudgell I will coniure thée Diuell Oh hold thy hand thou kilst me thou kilst me Clowne Then may I count my selfe I thinke a tall man that am able to kill a diuell Now who dare deale with me in the parish or what wench in Niniuie will not loue me when they say there goes he that beate the diuell Enters Thrasibulus Thrasi. Loathed is the life that now inforc'd I leade But since necessitie will haue it so Necessitie it doth command thē Gods Through euerie coast and corner now I prie To pilfer what I can to buy me meate Here haue I got a cloake not ouer old Which will affoord some litle sustenance Now will I to the broaking Usurer To make exchange of ware for readie coine Alcon Wife bid the Trumpets sound a prize a prize mark the posie I cut this from a new married wife by the helpe of a horne thombe and a knife sixe shillings foure pence Samia The better lucke ours but what haue we here cast apparell Come away man the Usurer is neare this is
Niniuie the Citie of the world Wherein there are a hundred thousand soules And twentie thousand infants that ne wot The right hand from the left beside much cattle Oh Ionas looke into their Temples now And sée the true contrition of their King The subiects teares the sinners true remorse Then from the Lord proclaime a mercie day For he is pitifull as he is iust Exet Angelus Ionas I go my God to finish thy command Oh who can tell the wonders of my God Or talke his praises with a feruent toong He bringeth downe to hell and lifts to heauen He drawes the yoake of bondage from the iust And lookes vpon the Heathen with pitious eyes To him all praise and honour be ascribed Oh who can tell the wonders of my God He makes the infant to proclaime his truth The Asse to speake so saue the Prophets life The earth and sea to yéeld increase for man Who can describe the compasse of his power Or testifie in termes his endlesse might My rauisht spright oh whither doest thou wend Go and proclaime the mercy of my God Relieue the carefull hearted Niniuites And as thou weart the messenger of death Go bring glad tydings of recouered grace Enters Adam solus with a bottle of beere in one slop and a great peece of beefe in an other Well good-man Ionas I would you had neuer come from Iury to this Country you haue made me looke like a leane rib of roast béefe or like the picture of lent painted vpon a read-herings cob Alasse maisters we are commanded by the proclamation to fast and pray by my troth I could prettely so so away with praying but for fasting why t is so contrary to my nature that I had rather suffer a short hanging then a long fasting Marke me the words be these Thou shalt take no maner of foode for so many daies I had as léeue he should haue said thou shalt hang thy selfe for so many daies And yet in faith I néed not finde fault with the proclamation for I haue a buttry and a pantry and a kitchen about me for proofe Ecce signum this right slop is my pantry behold a manchet this place is my kitchin for loe a péece of béefe Oh let me repeat that swéet word againe For loe a péece of béef This is my buttry for sée sée my friends to my great ioy a bottle of béere Thus alasse I make shift to weare out this fasting I driue away the time but there go Searchers about to séeke if any man breakes the Kings command Oh here they be in with your victuals Adam Enters two Searchers 1. Searcher How duly the men of Niniuie kéep the proclamation how are they armde to repentance we haue searcht through the whole Citie haue not as yet found one that breaks the fast 2. Sear The signe of the more grace but staie here sits one mée-thinkes at his praiers let vs see who it is 1. Sear T is Adam the Smithes man how now Adam Adam Trouble me not thou shalt take no maner of foode but fast and pray 1. Sear How deuoutly he sits at his orysons but staie mée-thinkes I féele a smell of some meate or bread about him 2. Sear So thinkes me too you sirrha what victuals haue you about you Adam Uictuals Oh horrible blasphemie Hinder me not of my praier nor driue me not into a chollor victailes why hardst thou not the sentence thou shalt take no foode but fast and pray 2. Sear Truth so it should be but me-thinkes I smell meate about thée Adam About me my friends these words are actions in the Case about me No no hang those gluttons that cannot fast and pray 1. Sear Well for all your words we must search you Adam Search me take héed what you do my hose are my castles t is burglary if you breake ope a slop no officer must lift vp an iron hatch take héede my slops are iron 2. Sear Oh villaine sée how he hath gotten victailes bread béefe and béere where the King commanded vpon paine of death none should eate for so many daies no not the sucking infant Adam Alasse sir this is nothing but a modicum non necet vt medicus daret why sir a bit to comfort my stomacke 1. Sear Uillaine thou shalt be hangd for it Adam These are your words I shall be hangd for it but first answer me to this question how many daies haue we to fast stil 2. Sear Fiue daies Adam Fiue daies a long time then I must be hangd 1. Sear I marry must thou Adam I am your man I am for you sir for I had rather be hangd thē abide so long a fast what fiue daies come I le vntrusse is your halter and the gallowes the ladder and all such furniture in readinesse 1. Sear I warrant thée shalt want none of these Adam But heare you must I be hangd 1. Sear I marry Adam And for eating of meate then friends know ye by these presents I will eate vp all my meate and drink vp all my drink for it shall neuer be said I was hangd with an emptie stomake 1. Sear Come away knaue wilt thou stand féeding now Adam If you be so hastie hang your selfe an houre while I come to you for surely I will eate vp my meate 2. Sear Come le ts draw him away perforce Adam You say there is fiue daies yet to fast these are your words 2. Sear I sir. Adam I am for you come le ts away and yet let me be put in the Chronicles Enter Ionas Rasni Aluida kings of Cilicia others royally attended Ionas Come carefull King cast off thy mournfull wéedes Exchange thy cloudie lookes to smothed smiles Thy teares haue pierc'd the pitious throane of grace Thy sighes like Imence pleasing to the Lord Haue bene peace-offerings for thy former pride Reioyce and praise his name that gaue thée peace And you faire Nymphs ye louely Niniuites Since you haue wept and fasted for the Lord He gratiously haue tempered his reuenge Beware hencefoorth to tempt him any more Let not the nicenesse of your beautious lookes Ingraft in you a high presuming minde For those that climbe he casteth to the ground And they that humble be he lifts aloft Rasni Lowly I bend with awfull bent of eye Before the dread Iehouah God of hoste Despising all prophane deuice of man Those lustfull lures that whilome led awry My wanton eyes shall wound my heart no more And she whose youth in dalliance I abus'd Shall now at last become my wedlocke mate Faire Aluida looke not so woe begone If for thy sinne thy sorrow do excéed Blessed be thou come with a holy band Le ts knit a knot to salue our former shame Alui With blushing lookes betokening my remorse I lowly yéeld my King to thy behest So as this man of God shall thinke it good Ionas Woman amends may neuer come too late A will to practise goodnesse vertuous The God of heauen when sinners do repent Doth more reioyce then in ten thousand iust Rasni Then witnesse holie Prophet our accord Alui Plight in the presence of the Lord thy God Ionas Blest may you be like to the flouring sheaues That plaie with gentle windes in sommer tide Like Oliue branches let your children spred And as the Pines in loftie Libanon Or as the Kids that féede on Lepher plaines So be the séede and ofspring of your loines Enters the Vsurer Gentleman and Alcon Vsurer Come foorth my friends whom wittingly I wrongd Before this man of God receiue your due Before our King I meane to make my peace Ionas behold in signe of my remorse I heare restore into these poore mens hands Their goods which I vniustly haue detaind And may the heauens so pardon my misdéeds As I am penitent for my offence Thrasi And what through want from others I purloynd Behold O King I proffer fore thy throane To be restord to such as owe the same Ionas A vertuous déed pleasing to God and man Would God all Cities drowned in like shame Would take example of these Niniuites Rasni Such be the fruites of Niniuies repent And such for euer may our dealings be That he that cald vs home in height of sinne May smile to sée our hartie penitence Uiceroyes proclaime a fast vnto the Lord Let Israels God be honoured in our land Let all occasion of corruption die For who shall fault therein shall suffer death Beare witnesse God of my vnfained zeale Come holie man as thou shalt counsaile me My Court and Citie shall reformed be Exeunt Ionas Wend on in peace and prosecute this course You Ilanders on whom the milder aire Doth swéetly breath the balme of kinde increase Whose lands are fatned with the deaw of heauen And made more fruitfull then Actean plaines You whom delitious pleasures dandle soft Whose eyes are blinded with securitie Unmaske your selues cast error cleane aside O London mayden of the mistresse I le Wrapt in the foldes and swathing cloutes of shame In thée more sinnes then Niniuie containes Contempt of God dispight of reuerend age Neglect of law desire to wrong the poore Corruption whordome drunkennesse and pride Swolne are thy browes with impudence and shame O proud adulterous glorie of the West Thy neighbors burns yet doest thou feare no fire Thy Preachers crie yet doest thou stop thine eares The larum rings yet sléepest thou secure London awake for feare the Lord do frowne I set a looking Glasse before thine eyes O turne O turne with wéeping to the Lord And thinke the praiers and vertues of thy Quéene Defers the plague which otherwise would fall Repent O London least for thine offence Thy shepheard faile whom mightie God preserue That she may hide the pillar of his Church Against the stormes of Romish Antichrist The hand of mercy ouershead her head And let all faithfull subiects say Amen FINIS