sir Wife O my dear Husband Thorn Why how now Mistriss Wife O Mr. Thornton I never see you but I think of a good husband Rand. I marry Sister that 's a pretty cast Thorn Your pardon I beseech you gentle Mistriss Your Factor and my self have summ'd your state and find it cl•erly all your debts discharg'd in compleat value fifteen thousand pound Rand. Ha ha Sister a good Dowry to get a new husband trust me Wife No no I le nere marry again I le e'en follow Mr. Thorntons rule you see he lives a Batchellor Rand. Sir Methinks t were good you took a wife and so leave your own to your own posterity Thorn In all I le take my Mistress counsel Pray resolve me Had I a mind to marry which in your judgement were the sitter a Maid or Widow Wife Truly I think a Widow sir you may imagine I may speak somewhat inmine own Flattery but alas 't is a state I shall not change 'T is for your good I speak in love no hate A Widow sir will best secure your state Thorn You counsel well Mistriss and I le think on 't Wife The sooner the better too I can assure you you 'l find much comfort in 't you may elect some young green thing out of a Mayden choyce that may be fury and froward she may please your eye a little and other parts about you but vex your heart and be a gulph to swallow your estate If you 'l deal wisely as I hope you will take me a Widow that knows how and what to do that has been season'd in a husbands usage and one that will obey as you shall honor He that will quietly lay down his head Let him contract a Widow to his bed And still I say take me a Widow sir Rand. Why you say honestly Sister Do you understand her sir she bids you take her a Widow Wife You are merry Brother Thorn Nay you said so Mistriss speak 't agen then for by my Faith wer 't not for two things Mistriss I 'd come a wooing to you Rand. Two things Why three things shall not hinder it What are they Thorn My first fear is the marriage of so much wealth as ours compounded would choak all content and with the superflux change all to cares Rand. You take good course for that already sir your charitable works so well begun will help to disperse the o're-plus freely Thorn You have removed that well the other is that the remembrance of my poor estate which is so publickly proclaimed to all men might make my wealthy Mistriss here disdain me Wife Nay that 's your glory sir and cannot be accounted as your shame Rand. Why La sir she has helpt that her self now Thorn Yfaith say then Mistriss I am a bad Wooer 't is my beginning shall it be a match Wife I cannot so forget my late lost husband Rand. Why this repairs your losses Sister you lost a good one and find his equal with a wealthy purchase Thor Put me in hope that I may once injoy you Wife I will not marry sir these seven years trust me Rand. How this seven years Sister fie upon 't we may be all dead and rotten six years before it come come speak in compass sister Wife Truely Brother under half a year I won't here on 't Rand. I marry sir that was well bated Speak agen Sister and let it be a fortnight Wife A fortnight no no not this month beleeve me Ran. Away away a months too long hark you sister wee 'l clap it up privately to night and the Town shall not know on 't till a moneth hence Wife To night O fie upon'• an you love me Brother let it not be till to morrow morning I beseech you for the speech of people Ran. Afraid of wind tush let it vanish Sister I say he shall marry thee to night Thor Let it be so and here 's an earnest Mistris Kiss Wife Alas I kiss coldly in a morning Gown sir Thor Tush it shall off wee 'l marry then to bed Wooing is idle better to be sped Wife Use your own will sir Ran. Why so 't is as it sho'd be now imbrace him sister And live in love and wealth 'bove all admir'd Here 's seven years quickly in an hour expir'd Exeunt ACT. 4. Enter King of Scots Alured Malcome Edmond and Captains Drums and Colours K. Thus far tryumphantly with good success my Princely friends we have together march'd and from the North parts quite disperst the Danes alone the City York holds firm again whose buildings we will level with the earth unless they suddenly yeeld up the City give your advice most Princely Alured on your fair quarrel all our Fates depend Alu. Your Highness has been fruitful in your love bringing the best that Scotland can afford in honorable Armes to right our wrong let 's forward then and dare 'em to the Gates our horses hoofs shall furrow up their Land and sow the fields with blood instead of corn 1 Cap. Spoke like the Brother of dead Etheldred summon 'em to the Wals. Drums beat a parly Enter Above Harrold and Souldiers Har. The meaning of this Parly King Danes yee see all hope of Conquest has forsaken you quite Two thousand of your stoutest Souldiers are faln already by our conquering swords if ye will yeeld affirm it if not death shall in his meagre fury through your Host revel and catch your Jubile Then tell us do you resolve to fight it out or fly Mal. Or stay and have your throats cut in the fight Edm. Or leap the wals and break your necks before us Mal. Resolve so quickly and save us a labor Har. Yes with immediate speed set opo the gates And like a torrent on their heads wee 'l fall The Field and Air shall be their burial King If there we fall our fame out-lasts times date On to the field blest with propitious fate Exeunt Alarm Excursions Enter King Alured Malcome Edmond Captains K. All earthly honors are thine own fair Prince and Heaven fights in thy cause the Cities taken Alu. The Danes are all expuls'd and fled for safety Edm. The Danes are fled from danger not from shame That still pursues 'em wheresoere they fly And on their Tombs shall live eternally Mal. Let 's seek the Love-sick King Canutus forth And in one Battel try his valors worth Alu. That 's our intent most noble Malcome but we must war securely all their strength will now be band•ed to oppose our coming and therefore whilst you here refresh your Army Duke Edmond and my self will try our friends and in these North parts gather up new Forces to aid us 'gainst all Danish stratagems King We like it well assist us gracious Fate To seat a true Prince in his Royal State Exeunt Enter Thornton Wife Randolf the Partners Workmen and George with the table of the writing in golden Letters and Grims Speech Part. Y 'ave stoln a wealthy
THE Love-sick KING An English Tragical History WITH The Life and Death of Cartesmunda the fair Nun of Winchester Written by Anth. Brewer Gent. LONDON Printed for Rob. Pollard at the Ben Ionson-head behind the Exchange and Iohn Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-Alley 1655. Persons of the Play Etheldred King of England slain Alured his Brother after disguised under the name of Eldred and at last King Canutus King of Denmark the Love-sick King The King of Scotland Edmond Duke of Thetford Edulf and Edell Lords 1 Captain 2. Captain Osbert the Rebel Duke of Mertia Erkinwald and Harrold Lords of Denmark Osrick Hoffman Huldrick Danes Walcolme a Scot The Abbot of Winchester Goodgift a Merchant of Newcastle Randal a Coal-Merchant brother to Goodgifts wife George Factor to Goodgift Thornton the Pedlar Grim the Collier Servant to Randal A Black-smith A Gold-smith A Workman 〈◊〉 Elgina Sister to Canutus King of Denmark Cartesm•nda the fair Nun of Winchester Wife to Goodgift after his widow The Scene England The Love Sick KING ACT. 1. SCEN. 1. Enter King Etheldred Alured his Brother Edmond Duke of Thetford Edulf Edell Earl of Hampshire with their Swords drawn and some Souldiers wounded before them Alarms continuing afar off King O Stay and hear me speak my noble Friends my Subjects and my Souldiers hear your King in nine set Battels •gainst the conquering Danes hath Ethelred with various fortunes fought to rescue you and England from the spoyls of War and Tyranny Recall your spirits this City Winchester is all our strength And if you cease to fight the Foe comes on With bloody rage and sad confusion Cap. 1. The breach is made the Danes rush ore the Walls and like the pent up Ocean 'bove his banks falls from his height with roaring violence and drowns us all in blood Alu. despair not quite We yet may beat 'em back arm arm to fight Edm. The Danes are in the streets slaughter begins and execution is their Souldiers words O will you lay your throats beneath their swords or doth your danger make you desperate your houses will be preys to fire and theft King Your Wives and Daughters slaves to Danish lust Alur Your Children in their Mothers arms struck dead Edm. The names of English torn from memory Oh let your valors in one chance be buil'd Or quite extirpe a Nation from the World King See on my knees I pray you for your selves O 't is for Englands safety not my own makes me a Subject to my Subjects thus pitty your King your Country and your selves that now are falling let your valors rise and in this last resist your enemies Alu. Now by my Princely birth my royal Brother His sight amazes more than all the Danes rise rise and speak no more put them away the stones will sooner yeeld you aid than they 2. Capt. Rip up our Brests and see our loyal hearts to fight and die for you in this just cause But death hath seized us all our bloods are wasted and through our many wounds our souls exhausted 1. Capt. And since we can no more O let your swords take swift revenge and save the Danes a labor In killing us you ease our present woes Alarm and cryes within Ent Edel Fly royal Princes save your lives by flight the day looks clouded there 's no hope of safety The traiterous Osbert Duke of Mertia makes Head against you and with all his Troops enters the City gates guards in the Danes tryumphs in slaughter thorough every street The aged Father of St. Swithins Abby that with his holy Cross between his hands mounted the Walls to cause the Souldiers on to fight for Freedom and Religion Seeing this Treason hath retir'd himself and on the holy Altar heaves his hands awaiting death the chast religious Mayds with Cartesmunda their fair Governess Flock to the Temple as their last defence Hoping that place may shield their innocence King Come Princely Alured my noble Brother le ts seek to stop their pressing through the City if we must die Alur 'T is but our Fate Which even till death close by thy side I le wait Exeunt Alarm Enter Osbert Erkinwald Harold and the Danes crying Kill kill the wounded Souldiers rise and fight to them the King Alured and the English who are driven out and the King slain Edm. Seek for your safety Sir the King is dead Alur See noble Edmond what the Danes have done a King by Heaven created for a Crown now onely made fit for a golden Urne betrayd to death and slaughter pittiless Edm. Curse on the Traitors heart that wrought this Treason rebellious Osbert that betrayest thy Country Alur Leave his reward to Heaven that will avenge it and brave Duke Edmond sith the times are such le ts take disguise with speed and seek for safety If Heaven be pleas'd brave Lord we yet may live if not what Heaven has given I le freely give Hie thee to Thetford raise thy friends in Norfolk If I escape with life I le post to Scotland Donald the King is of a noble spirit and will not slack I know to send his aide against this common Foe to both our Kingdoms There shalt thou meet me tho our journeys far Wee 'l once again renue this dreadful war Edm. Spoke like the hope of England Royal Prince shake hands in this red City and then part for in thy quarrell I will live and dye Alu. First bear hence this cold clay of Majesty our hapless Brother and revenge his death Edm. That and what else may but express thy Worth and Title to the Crown I le still pursue or may black infamy my baseness tell Alu. My soul shall quit thy love Brave Prince farewell Exeunt severally Alarm Enter Canutus K. of Denmark Elgina his Sister Erkinwald Osbert Harold Osrick Souldiers Osb. The Cities wone my Lord the King is slain and great Canutus with his Royal Troops may rake possession of this conquer'd Town Canu Thy love brave Osbert duke of Mertia revolting from the English to our part has overturn'd the City Winchester drown'd in the blood of Kingly Etheldred and all his Hoast Hie thee Duke Erkinwald conduct our beauteous Sister to our Tent You shall go back Elgina strongly guarded till with our swords we clear all passages that may oppose our peaceful enterance Stand on you Hill and hear the English crys While Trumpets sound the Da•ish Victories Conduct her Elkinwald Erk. I shall great Prince Elgi The Gods protect my noble Brothers safety and crown thy brows with wreathes of victory Canu Duke Harold take our Guards and march before ransack the Temple and each private house Who bears the name of English strike him dead This day the Kingdom 's wholly conquered Osb. Long may it so remain to great Canutus an hundred thirty years the English Kings have paid just Tribute to the conquering Danes which now re-conquered with assured hopes to hold possession of the State and Crown see here the slaughtered
Mr. Thornton my house is quiet my wife silent I have carried home your leaden iron return me my silver back agen and my wife and I shall pray for you when you are dead and rotten Thor Well sir withall my heart I received four pound Look you sir there 't is all your full sum to a penny Smith Sweet Mr. Thornton shall I not give you four pots for all this kindness pray sir 't is fit I should lose something Thor No no I 'm satisfied Grim. Do you hear ancient Iron-•ist the old Smith of Newcastle I can tell you one thing if the Almanack or Erra-pater be true you le hang your self ere to morrow morning Smith How hang my self Thor Nay prethee Grim thou wilt discover all anon Grim. No I warrant you sir I do it but to work a little profit Do you hear Smith what shall I give you for the ashes and rubbish that came off of that old Iron that you refused now Smith How the ashes marry I mean to sweep 'em out of my shop when I come home yfaith for fear they infect the rest What wilt thou do with 'em Grim. That 's all one Let me have all the ashes and the peeces you broke off that Bar you brought to Mr. Thornton and I le give thee five shillings Smith Five shillings I le not be said to gull you Mr. Grim but an you le give me a groat ready money th' are yours Grim. A bargain There 's your groat Smith The ashes and all the peeces of iron are yours sir Grim. Bear witness Mr. Thornton come I le go fetch 'em presently y'•d best make haste your dismal day 's to morrow you know what I told you and unless you rid your self of 'em quickly you will hang your self that 's certain Exeunt Manet Thornton Thorn Ha! Have my hopes ore-tane me think on 't Thornton and thank Heaven fo•'•t here at Newcastle first In low estate did Thornton enter in With hope a half-penny and a Lambs-skin And now my large Accounts of wealth scarce told I keep possession of six Tun of gold The blessings strange and I must now resolve To tie my vows to my auspicious fate Lest the world curse and Heaven call me ingra•e To make of this my gold a houshold God Were meer Idolatry no'• shall fly abroad Newcastle to thy good large sums of love My promise oweth which I le pay and prove To grace thy fame I le beautifie thy ground And build a wall that shall imbrace thee round Exit Musick Enter Cartesmunda and discovereth Canutus asleep Attendants Osrick Car. That Musick is too loud tread softly sirs How sweetly in his sleep Can••us looks I le not envy thee Iuno keep thy Iove here lies the soul of Cartesmunda's love Now by this kiss Canutus I do love thee thou needst not dream it fie fie sluggard fie beshrew the God of dreams what did he fright thee Or art thou fighting of some battel now wherein thou seest me taken prisoner and startst with fear of that There 's nothing else that could afright thee though it came like thunder for thou wert made for Armes and for these Arms and yet thy sword Canutus did not win me I saw these eies when I refus'd to love thee begin to lose their splendor and in tears drown their neglected brightness I have seen this face half dead when I have frown'd upon 't and with my smiles life has return'd agen go go you wanton by this kiss I le beat you Can. How now Sweet-heart Car. Art thou awake my Love then I am well Can. Well Cartesmunda sleep and I will watch as careful as the tender Pellican stands by her tender young give me a kiss potent as Bacchus to raise appetite and le•'s go sleep together if I get a Boy upon thy youth he shall be King and half the world shall be his Dower Knocks within Whos 's that knocks so rudely for his death hath not the slave describ'd the noyse Enter Hofman Hof Osr. It is Duke Harold sir intreats access Can. He does not chuse his time well Let him in Enter Harold Osr. The King is angry sir Har. Angry sayst thou holy Saints defend us ' has foes enough to vent his spleen upon and not to shrowd himself thus from his friends Most mighty Prince Can. Rise Harold •e co'd chide you But go on Har. Pardon my speech my Lord it is my duty and I must needs make bold to tell your Highness y 're no Souldier but a Love-sick Prince And while you dally out your daies in love the English all are raising head against you the Ga•risons that kept Northumberland are chas'd as far as York two thousand Danes died in that bloody slaughter And now again those warlike Princes all their Forces joyn and seek you forth Can. Fetch me some wine wee 'l drink to all their deaths that dare disturb us Cartesmunda thou shalt sweetly pledge me come faster slave Dance Thus in this wine wee 'l wash away all care My pleasures and my conquest all are here Come pledge me sweet Har. The Duke of Thetfords Forces raised in Norfolk have quite expuls'd the Danes the English Nobles bound to your State by conquest and by oath forsake Allegiance and with sound of Drums proclaim Prince Alured the English King Can. Ho ha ha Cart. Why laughs my Love Can. To see thee pledge me such a hearty draught Har. You see my Lord hee 's careless and neither minds us nor his persons safety Osr. Most Royal sir what order for your forces Can. Let 's have some musick strait Come Cartesmunda wee•l dance out half this day and that being done we will retire our selves and sleep agen Why when yee slaves do your souls sleep within you here 's good musick Dance Har. So was the warlike Drum and Trumpet once great Hardiknute the glory of the Danes Thy Son plays now the King Enter a Captain Capt. Hail mighty King Can. Thunder to thee Foot can we not be private Capt. Alas my Leige my news is of importance Can. So is my pleasure slave avoid our presence thou and the rest that come to fill our ears with tumults and with bloody Massacres frighting m• heavenly Love for whose sweet sake let men fall thicker than the checker'd leaves the stern winds rend and ravish from the tree• when yellow Autum turns them into gold Flourish Be gone come Cartesmunda let 's retire We will not stir were all the world on fire Osr. Is this the end of all our former conquests to be re-conquer'd now with wine and women Har. I this is she that bears so high a stroak we dare not shake our heads for fear we loose 'em if she but dreams a dream that not del•ghts her next morning there are some are sure to bleed for 't whose lot so ere it be Osr. Wo'd it were mine my Lords so she co'd dream and it would come to pass the Devil might fetch her Har. This twelve
and gain thy Freedom Love and Honor Ha! That kiss bold slave past thy Commission Death and the Devil she kisseth him too O fond Erkinwald be blind and do not see them thy office was to speak but not for thy self Alu. Natures Divinity is in thy looks and he an Atheist sees thee and not loves Should Erkinwald now see it I wo'd love thee tho for each kiss I had a several torture ten deaths for thy injoying were my Bliss Elg. So high I pr•ze thee by this Virgins kiss Erk. Yet you make shift to reach him with your lips Degenerate Princess I suspect thy birth Yet well mayst thou be Sister to thy Brother For Great Canutus blood runs low as t•ine and Love-sick doa•eth on an English Nun. Alu. Then you resolve to •ly Elg. Heaven knows I do Erk. Here 's one will stop your Journey Thunder part ye slave Elg. Ha O me unfortunate Alu Tush fear not Madam See here I stand my Lord Erk. A perjur'd Villain Alu. That tongue lies that speaks it Hea• me I courted for thee with my best of speech and shew'd my faith as firm as Adamant till fate that rules all love ore-rul'd her so that she became a Suiter for my love And on my worthless self her smiles hath thrown My tongue was yours but my consent mine ow• Erk. I le have that heart she loves hold eyes from weeping Elg. But I shall hate that heart if in thy keeping Sheath up thy sword and hear me Elkinwald what shall I give thee to renounce my love Erk. As much as thou would'st give t' attain Elizium sho'd not avert my love from these fair eyes Ioves thunder or eternal miseries shall never so transform me Elg. Yet I cannot love thee Erk. But I le remove the cause of that Villain thou hast seen our slaves dye when their Lords have laugh'd Come run on my weapon this is Princely favor For greater tortures do attend on thee But wee 'l be merciful in Tyranny Elg. See on the Earth thy Sovereigns Sister kneels to beg thy pitty Erk. There 's nothing but thy love can purchase it Elg. Yet have mercy the fault in love was thine thou didst betray me when thou let'st me see him and Villain thou if thou but touch his life the Great Canutus shall revenge my wrongs For after him Elgina will not live Bethink thee then O yet some pitty give Alu. Do not debase your self for my poor life I dare his worst my love is constant still More resolute to die than thou to kill Erk. T is worthy praise then see behold thy death Alu. With open eyes as I wo'd view her state And like a man thus I pursue my fate They fight Elgina goes between Erkinwald kils her Elg. Hold hold O I am slain farewell dear friend the loss of thee is Tyranny in d•ath And death a dream so thou but close mine eies Chaste love is born in Heaven and never dies Erk. Amazement to my soul O my Elgina O I am most accurs• 't was this hand struck thee Alu. For which I le be revenged thus Heaven is just Kills him Erk. Base Villain thou hast slain me Alu. 'T is thy fate Farewel Oh pure unspotted Maid unhappy Princess This hand shall keep thy will and close thine eyes Let thy soul joy for here thy Murderer lies Dead at my foot and I with thee could die Were my poor Country free from misery War calls me to the field O my Elgina Autume is on thy ch•eks the Rose is wither'd and thou look'st like the Alablaster statue Upon thy lips I print this parting kiss And flying from thee leave all earthly bliss Exit Enter Harrold Osrick and Captains Har. Osrick we hear the Duke of Thatford raiseth men in Norfolk Osr. All England sure I think will mutiny if 〈◊〉 the King neglect his hopeful Conquest by doating on a womans lustful Beauty Har. Never was man in love bewitcht like him he will not suffer speech or any counsel that may dis-swade from her he bars his fight from any but the Nun and his loo•e Panders Ha! what sight is this Duke Erkinwald and the Princess murdered this sight wo•d sad even Tyranny it self draw tears from Tygers and make wonder dumb Oh Great Canutus what por•ents are thes• This heavy curse lights on thy lust and ease Thy sister and thy best of friends are slain And safety now is frighted from thy Throne Convey this spectacle of grief aside and let a guard pursue the m••derer I le hie me to the King and there relate Their deaths his lust both guided by strong fate Exeunt Banquet Enter K. Canutus Can. She is an Angel in the shape of woman chaster than Dian colder than Freezland snow and yet she burns me if I miss her now my death must be the period of my love Go let those Jewels Cates perfumes and Musick be all produc'd together in one sense Unite all raptures let 's have nothing s•ant That she may taste at once what all Queens want Musick Strike heavenly Musick with a tuneful measure And with thy raptures swell her blood and pleasure Enter Cartesmunda and Osrick The star appears welcome dear soul to make our joyes more full fit to this Banquet Great Queen of my heart and fully joy thy senses in each part Cart. My senses are intranc'd or do I dream O let me back return to hide my shame Can. O stay divinest soul hear me but speak Cart. O I have lost my sence with these Inchantments I am I know not how for all my powers are useless but mine eyes to weep Can. Make not the earth proud to receive thy tears lest being subject unto me her King I force her to restore again those pearls more rich than all the Jewels of our Crown so high I prize thy tears yet thee 'bove all Cart. I am your Servant Prisoner Vassal worse Can. Thine eyes upon my freedom laid that curse If thou bee'st mine I do command thy love Where Kings of Subjects beg let pitty move Cart. How can so great a King be weakness slave Can. In doating of those joyes I near shall have Cart. Men that lust women once no more indure 'em In health they loathe the physick that did cure 'em Can. When I neglect thy love or touch thy life may all my Battels prove unfortunate and I lose all the conquering Danes have got and end my days with shame and inward grief Cart. Your words be registred with hands divine O keep your vow great Prince for I break mine I blush to say I yeeld I 'm wholly yours a spotless Virgin now is in your power and as you mildly courted so this kiss confirms mee to you Can. And my soul to thee Never did man meet more felicitie Run Vassals run prepare all sweet delight For Cartesmunda sleeps with me to night Enter Harold England shall sleep in peace for all my force On Cartesmunda's love shall now be spent Thy Arms shall