I grant thou art his elder by which law Thou' rt born his subject not his equal Clovis Know Clotair's thy King and subjects hands Without the deep and dangerous traytors name May not advance against their sovereignes head Clota Neither shall his without Correction Upon him slaves Qu. Hold I command ye hold Oh Clotair thou art of a valiant soul And wilt thou basely thus beset thy Brother Fear argues spirits most degenerate And that thou fear'st th' advantage argues it O set not on thy slaves if he must die Let thy sacrifice not butcher him Clota That argument sounds harsh does Clotair fear Clo. Sacrifice me it is not in his power Eu. Exquisite Philter how it operates Qu. We hope so Clovis yet thy brother King Is as an earthly God his will his law His power uncircumscrib'd unlimited Whose Majesty can look a subject dead Clo. How look me dead I do not fear his frowns Qu. I grant th 'as great a Basiliske as he As thou art meerly man but as thy King Divinity doth prop him he stands firm That builds on that foundation yet I know Thy sword 's as sharp as his and where it lights Imprints as much of fate thine arm 's as strong Thy spirit as daring and thy will as prompt To any action that may write man Man Clot. He is your darling you do wel to praise him When I have slain him write his Epitaph Clo. My Epitaph this Pen of steel shall first Write on thy heart thine end Eu. Stil still better The venom'd poyson of a womans tongue Is more sublim'd than Mercurie they fight again Char. Hold hold O dearest Maddam your maternal breath Bears a Mandamus in it and like heaven Will lay this tempest Eu. As the wind the Sea Which makes it rage the lowder Clot. Where 's our guard That lets a tray tor pull me by the berd Upon him slaves The Guard fall on him and he falls Qu. O they have slain my Son Bloody villain thy hands have made these holes Hell take thee for 't Clot. Mother rise and depart For I am bent on mischief Qu. Do thy worst Thou murderous minded Prince this blood is mine For in some sort I bleed out Paricide Eu. How cunningly she spits her poyson forth I know her soul is light she 's glad he 's dead And joyes in the opportuntie to curse the killer For which she gaines the name of pious mother Here 's pretty woman-villany and dissimulation Aphe If they have slain him wherefore do I live O my swoln heart Clot. Remove the Corps withall Convey this Syren from our wandring eyes And howse her in a Dungeon let no light Peep through a cranney on her mask the day Put the all-searching eyes of Phaebus out Lest accidentally he gazing here Here fix eternally and so we may Despair of night as once we did of day Bear her to prison reason not the cause A Kings prerogative's above his lawes Aphe Be mercifull and lead to earth away Since he is gone it is to die to stay Exeunt some with the King others leading Aphelia and bearing away the Corps Manent Eunuch Queen Landrey Qu. Now we begin to flourish this black night Is onely lighted by our stars which smile Upon these actions and rejoyce to see Thee our sole favorite so neer a Crown But tell me Landrey how did I play the mother Did not I seem a Niobe in passion A deluge of salt tear Land Most true you wept Qu. As a good Actor in a play would do Whose fancy works as if he waking dreamt Too strongly on the Object that it copes with Shaping realities from mockeries And so the Queen did weep By this good night I think I could become the Stage as well As any she that sels her breath in publique Come shall we Act Landrey Land Act Lady what Qu. Nothing that 's new old Playes you know are best Eunuch is our bed ready Eu. Great Queen it is Qu. Come then my joy to bed where we will Act The truth which others doubt and in that sport We 'l laugh at death which triumphs in the Court. Exeunt Qu. Lan. Eu. Go sleep your last I 'l straight unto the King And he shall take them in the very act And then to cover my discoverie I 'l set on fire the Queens Bed-chamber That so I may disturb them more secure And yet the plot not mine I 'l tell the King Unlesse he present help his mother burns About it then this is a happie night The more it works their woe more 's my delight Exit Actus Tertius Scena Prima Enter King Clotair and the Eunuch Eu. LOok how it fiames I fear some treachrie the bedchamb on fire Beat at her Chamber door cry it aloud And let your voice be thunder to this lightning Cry fire fire fire the Court is all a hot-house fire fire Clot. Great Queen royall mother open your door Lest you do sleep for ever mother awake The God of sleep lies heavie on her eyes Force up the door fire fire fire Eu. It 's fortifi'd ' gainst strength you must call louder Clot. Mother Queen Mother awake awake Your sleep was never more like death than now Lady Great Princess fire fire fire Enter Queen above in night attire Landrey Qu. What saucie Groom Beats our offendless doores thus daringly H 'had better rows'd a sleeping Lyoness Than thus t' have broke our slumbers what art thou Clot. Look The fire will give you light 't is I your Son Flie from your Chamber else you are but dead Your Court is all a Bonsire Qu. Let it burn I have lost my credit everlastingly I will not move afoot aside Clot. You must be forced then Exit Eunuch busie to quench the fire Land Ladie Where is your wit now in necessitie Whe shall be taken and you sham'd for ever Bethink bethink your self what shall we do aside Qu. I have 't it shall be so there put on that And as the door flies open meet him full Appearing in his Brothers warlike form Thou wilt amaze and so passe by him safely Do not appear to me I did not wound thee aloud this Seek out the beds of those that caus'd thy death And howl to them thy pittious complaints O do not look on me be gone be gone Clot. Whom d' ee hold discourse with with the air Bethink your self this is no time to dallie Qu O my Son such horrid apparitions full of dread Have I beheld have quite unwitted me Thy brothers Ghost young Clovis Ghost in armes Has thrice appear'd to me this dismall night You heard me speak too 't Clot. True I heard you speak But what of that Qu. Calls for Aphelia To bear him company i'th'other world Or else hee 'l nightly haunt us in our sleep Enter Landrey as in the Princes Armour Clot. O see it comes Qu. Fear it not Son Clot. What art thou that usurp'st this dead of night In metal like the age
dread Lanove the news En. Lanove the Monsiure Lamot others Monsi Brissac Dumain Martel and you the rest Think not I come a Traytor to your Camp I cannot gild my speech with eloquence If this will serve you sir I am a friend Bris The Monsiur's welcome and his worth will grace The dignity of this dayes work in hand Monsi My almost Brother once suffice I thank you And fairly greet this brave assembly Whose souls do look for stirring opposites When your resistance I fear will be slender But were they centupul'd I 'l fight your cause Kings arm their subjects when they break their laws Omnes Long live the Monsiure Monsi Lead on away Exeunt omnes SCEN. II. Enter the Eunuch Whilst the waits play sosily and solemn'y drawes the Canopie where the Queen sits at one end bound with Landrey at the other both as a sleep Eu. Here sits our Beldam dieted for Venerie And by her her Landrey not sur feited Her Ladyship 's allou'd a mouldie crust He stinking water to peece out his life Between them both they banquet like one slave Condemn'd perpetually to the Burdello They think I know not that they thus are us'd When it is ouely I that use them thus How wickedly they look oh I could laugh To hear them rail at others misery He curses her and she sooth curses him And both each other damn for their offences Learn ye that pamper up your flesh for lust The Eunuch in his wickedness is just Play louder they sleep too long Qu. A mischief take thee keeper hardned dog Whom no distress can melt or mollifie The cruell King doth not deny us sleep Although the Nursers of it food and ease Eu. Peace peace ye villains cease that ruder noise That breaks your softer slumbers gentle Queen I am not guilty of these harsh-voic'd words Your wilder sence hurls at me you mistake I am your Eunuch one that weeps for you Qu. Oh Castrato wast not those tears in vain Come hither and I 'l catch those falling drops Which prodigally over-flow their banks There 's Nectar in thine eye oh let me drink it These aged Cesterns are grown drie and yeeld Not one relenting drop to ease my thirst Castrato pitty me my veins are parcht And this same flesh which walls about my soul Chops with excessive heat a little water Castrato but a little though it hath been The birth of Toads or what the leapers bath'd in O shew thy love but in a little water What can a Queen ask lesse or subject grant her Eu Though I be tortur'd for it yet I 'l do it Ex Ennuch Qu. It hath quencht half my thirst to find some pitty Land I cannot bite mine arm their tyrannie Denyes me what 's mine own to feed upon One mouthfull would suffice I cannot get it Poor unfed sides that passe along the street I now am sensible of what ye want Did I e'r think to die for want of food Whose Table was the world from whence I cull'd The rarities of nature to delight me And more to feed my lust than Appetite One bit of bread though it were gray with age Hoary and crusted with a second bark Whose loathed outside would not court a Dog Arm'd with the edge of appetite would seem A rare rich banquet to my emptie gorge Oh I am worn to nothing with this want Such emptiness ha's hunger made of me That you may draw me on another man Some bread some bread Enter Eunuch with Wine and Meat he congees with great reverence and ceremony to the Queen Qu. Oh thou art welcome Quick dear Eunuch quick what needs this delay A way with form and ceremonious duty Respect in this is too respectless Eu. O give me leave I will begin a heald It 's very good exceeding pleasant Wine Qu. Dost thou deride my sufferance Eu. No no not I. Qu. Give me the drink then i 'm all flame and fire Eu. Say you so say you so then you must pardon me I love your safety and it 's dangerous To drink while you are hot pray cool and tarry In the mean while I will begin to you How tart and pleasing this is to the Palate A sweeter Pheasant Christendom affords not Land I thank thee Eunuch prethee give it me Eu. You 'l let me tast it for you will you not Are you so sharply set fie this sauce is naught Land Prethee make hast hunger digest's no tasters Eu. Come sir I must feed you oh oh not so fast Be not so hasty here still you are too hasty he puts it to his mouth puls it away again Gentle sir it will digest the better Land More more oh it is excellent Eu. Madam here 's for you now Qu May heaven reward thee for 't oh it 's rare Eu. How do you like your banquet great Landrey Land Beyond compare Eu. And you your drink Qu. The Gods tast not the like Eu. Ha ha ha y'have both eat and drunk abominable poyson Qu. Ha! Land How Eu 'T is true I tell your Oracle There 's not an hours life between ye both The poyson's sure I did prepare it for ye And have my self taken an Antidote What say'now to th' other bout with Landrey I can procure a second meeting for you Indeed I can think you not whoredome sweet Now you are a dying is not you soul at ease The murther of your Husband but a toy A flea-biting alack you feel it not Qu. Inhumane slave treacherous Rascal Eu. Good words Lady whore good words what are you loose Landrey gets loose Miraculous famine ha's your empty guts Perswaded you to valour will it scratch or bite I 'm sure't has no weapon Monsiure disarm it shews a keen knife which he pulls out of his sleeve staggers with faintness Lan. He did so Rascal yet your curious search Ne'r pri'd into this sheath do you see this With mine own hands it had let forth mine own life Had the proud Monsiure trusted us to any Thy self excepted whom I now perceive The onely Author of our misery The Eunuch tript up his heels in scuffle and sits on him You 'r very nimble Hell-hound Eu. O Lord sir you know the cause I 'm lighter by a stone or two than you Yet I am weight enough to keep you down Stir and thou dy'st now sir what say you to me How did you like your old Queen was she gamesome Did she apply her self like an apt whore Unto your loose imbraces Land Dog let me rest Eu. Good my Lord pardon me Under your Graces favour be it spoken You are our cushion and I 'l sit on you I am not very heavie and I sir joults upon him I do not altogether weigh a man Qu. Villanous Traytor O let him rise and wreck thy spite on me Eu. You cog now you 'd rather I should kill Qu. O spare him spare him Eunuch save my servant And I 'l forgive thee all thy sinnes against me There 's not an
THE Fatal Contract A French TRAGEDY As it was Acted vvith great Applause by her Majesties SERVANTS Written by William Hemings Master of Arts of Oxon. Printed by the Original Copy Printed at London for J. M. in the Year 1653. To the Right Honourable James Compton Earl of Northampton and Lord Compton c. and to Isabella his vertuous Countesse My Lord This Poem was composed by a worthy Gentleman at hours of his recess from happier employments In his life he was above the Sphere of common Writers and though at death he left greater Monuments of his worth and abilitie yet this piece had justly gain'd an esteem with men of excellent judgement and having suffered very much by private Transcripts where it past through many hands as a Curiosity of Wit and Language it is now emergent from darkness and appears in a publike dress having shaken off some dust and imperfections that too usually waits upon multipli'd Copies My Lord If we had not confidence that the merit of this Poem would excuse the boldnesse of this Dedication we would not have attempted so great a flight as to your name We humbly beseech your Honour to peruse it when you will descend to a recreation of this nature And let not our Names that attend it by our lowness and want of Ornament be thought a stain to what we have presented for though our sails are not filled with so much happy air and breath of the World yet our small and plain Vessels are fraught with as true faith humility to serve you as that which carries more fire and noise to proclaim their devotions And in the assurance that your mercy will vouchsafe us your protection we cast our selves at your feet My Lord The humblest of those that pray for your Honours happinesse A. T. A. P. The Persons of the Play CHilderick an old King of France Clotair the Young King Clovis the Monsieur Landrey Favorite to the Queen and raised by her favour to be Duke of France and Maior of the Palace Brissac an old Peer of France Brissac his Sonne Lords for Attendants Lamot two banished Lords Dumain two banished Lords Martell Noble men of France and friends of the banished Lords Bourbon Noble men of France and friends of the banished Lords Lanove Noble men of France and friends of the banished Lords Crotilda by the name of Castrato as an Eunuch Fredigond the Queen Aphelia Old Brissac's Daughter Isabella a Lady that waited on Aphelia Three Ladies for Attendance A Cardinall for state when Aphelia is to be beheaded Six Young men to bear the Herse Six of the Guard A Headsman Musicians A Page to Brissac Jun. A Lackey The Fatall Contract A TRAGEDY Actus Primus Scena prima Enter Lamot and Dumaine like Souldiers Dum. WE are not safe Lamot this bawdie peace Begets a war within me our swords worn For Ornament not use the Drum Trumpet Sing drunken Carrols and the Canon speaks Health not confusion Helmets turn'd to Cups Our bruised Armes administer discourse For Tables and for Taverns where the Souldier Oft finds a pitty not reliefe I 'l tell thee Wee 'r walking images the signes of men And bear about us nothing but the forme Of man that 's manly Lam. Wee 'r cold indeed Dum Yes and th' ungratefull time As coldly doth rewards us all our actions Attempts of valour look'd into with eyes Fil'd with contempt when ye Gods ye know It is our gifts they see yet oh I am mad The very bread that lends them life to scorn us Our blood ha's paid for yet demand a bit Or ask of this old satten belli'd sir Or Madam toothless with her velvet sconce And you shall hear their rotten lungs pronounce The Whip and Whip-stock Lam. Prethee containe thy selfe Dum. Thou knowest I can With what an equall temper did I breath Under the frozen climate of the North Where in mine armes the sheets of war I slept My bed being feather'd with the down of heaven I have lain down a man and rise a snow-ball There these have been my pastimes which i 've born As willingly as I received them nobly The Queenes black envy which doth still remaine And peeps through every limb she bears about her Fated to ruine us does not swell my Gall No nor this willing beggery I weare To cloud me from her malice by the Gods This bastard-betting peace unspirits me A greater corrasive to my active soul Than all past ills what ever Lam. As you are valiant be wise too this is no time To vent your passions like a woman in Your sword not tongue should speak Dum. You are an expert Tutor and I thank you Our wrongs would add a spirit to the dead And make them sight our quarrels but look here Enter Landrey and two or three insinuating Lords busie in conference and three or foure Petitioners The minion of our Queen oh what a traine The painted Peacock bears death were I Jove But onely for this Giant Peti Good your honor our wives and Children Good your honour hear us Lan. Where are our slaves keep off these dregs of men The scum and out-cast of the world bring round my charict To the postern Gate these bell-mouth'd Rascals Split mine cares with noise make hast before Lest my great Mistress wait my comming Exit Peti Good your honour Exeunt 1 Peti The devill take your worship we must follow Dum. These are the fruits of base upstarts and flatterers Tell me Lamot can this same Merchpane man Think or commit a sin though ne'r so horrid But it is candied o'r and from his vice Excessive praise and plaudites arise Were I the King but he is wilful blind And by the hornes she rocks him fast asleep Before the wanton and hot-blooded Queene Should have the licence but to be suspected With such a Knight of Ginger-bread as this A gilded flesh-flie I would lock her up Yea chain the evill Angel in a Box And house her like a silk-worme Lam. Pardon me sir the good old King 's unable Dum. And therefore must admit an upstart Page Now rais'd to honours by her lawless lust Maior of the Palace and the Duke of France The next stept is the Crown now by my life 'T were good the King would execute them both Lam. Alas he dares not for the no chast Queene Is as her birth as great in faction Followed and sainted by the multitude Whose judgement she hath linck'd unto her Purse And rather bought a love than found it She ha's a working spirit an active braine Apt to conceive and wary in her wiles Besides her Sons the pillowes of the State Support her like an Atlas where she sits And like the heavens commands our fates beneath her She is the greater light the King a star That onely glares but through her influence A florish within Dum. Hark the thunder of the world now out of tune This peace corrupting all things makes them speak What means this most adulterate
invention Qu. Then I 'l commend thee to my elder Son Where thou shalt wind into his secret thoughts As for the younger Boy let me alone And when we have them on the hip they shall Follow their Fathers unto Hells-black-Hall Eu. Still better Qu. Will not this be brave ha how lik'st thou this Now by this light I 'm taken strangely with thee Come kiss me kiss me sirra tremble not Queene kisses him Fie what a January lip thou hast A paire of Iscicles sure thou hast bought A paire of cast lips of the chast Diana's Thy blood 's meere snow-broth kiss me again again Now see if you can find these gallants forth And bring them to our presence Exit Eunuch O sir y' are welcome Enter Landrey Your visits have been freer but I grow old And you command the beauties of the time Lan. What means my noble Mistress think you the blood Runnes so degenerate within these veins To stoop to an inferiour imbrace When I injoy the best Qu. We are betraid I 'l tell thee a good jest Landrey pray marke This morning dressing my head my husband came And with his switch for he was then to hunt A gentle stroke he gave me on the back My fancy busied then to make me fine Supposing it was you that sported so Not dreaming that the dotard was so neere Cri'd well my Landrey in story we still find The best Knights strike before and not behind The King who alwaies understood too fast Quits suddenly my Chambers what he intends I cannot guess unless it be our deaths Which if he speedily perform not then Know he shall never for this night concludes him His Sons I weigh like him they have rebell'd And taken spirit of late t' oppose my will And contradict my pleasures in thy love For which it is not safe that they should live The Kingdoms Heir shall be a boy of thine And Kings and Queens shall follow in thy Line Eu. Madam here are the Gentlemen Enter Dumaine Lamot very brave the Eunuck Qu. Y' are welcome to the Court and us brave spirits y' are welcome Take a Queenes word y' are welcome Ambo Your highnesse is as full of grace as mercy Qu. Rise and follow us wee 'l be your Guardian and Protectres Lan. What are these Aside Qu. Sheep for my shambles whom I have fatted up Onely for slaughter things are on foot decreed Shall make some smile to night and others bleed Exeunt omnes SCENA III. Enter Clovis at one door Aphelia and a Page at the other with a Torch Clo. My best Mistress What Angel brought you hither for I know Millions attend your goodness Aph. My Lord Clo. Why do you cast such stranger eyes upon me You were not wont to cloth your browes with scorn Nor dart such deadly looks can my mistress Be angry with her servant my offence If slowness in my visits I 'l hereafter Grow to your threshold why weep you now Trust me divinest fair thine eyes seed pearl Bracelets for Gods to wear about their armes Aph. I am too fond and yet he swears he loves me I have believ'd him too for I have found A Godlike nature in him and a truth Hitherto constant Clo. Sweetest fair the cause Aph. If this should be dissembled not your heart And having won my souls affection Should on a judgement more retir'd to state Smile at your perjuries and leave me in love What ill-bred tales the world would make of me Clo. That jealousie I 'l strangle take this Ring As I that Diamond dazel'd by thine eyes Whose beauty sickned ' cause ecclips'd by thine Be these the mutual pledges of our love Our Marriage before our Marriage And curs'd be he that separates our love Though France be one or what is greater Jove Are your fears over now Alp. My Lord I dare no ill and therefore doubt none Enter King Queen Clotaire Landrey Dumain Lamot Eunuch Lords Ladyes Guard King Approach our person nearer for methinks Y'have honest faces if your hearts keep touch T' your outward semblance y' are a pair Nothing but death shall force from me Qu. Good good this Physick works aside Eu. Madam is' t done Qu. I my black Genius such a fatal dram I have administred will wing his soul With expedition to the other world His part essential like a wearied Ghost This night forsakes her Inn when sled and gone Who knows where it shall lodge mark his looks See'st thou not death thron'd in his hollow eye Great tyrant over Nature Eu. With looks inquisite I have beheld him But see no alteration Qu. Thou art a fool and wantst the optique nerves To pry into my Arts where I lay trains Death comes before the grief the sulphurous match Destroyes the powder with a motion slow To what I work with as Antumn aged leaf In youth the prime and glory of the Grove Not to be graspt with hand falls with a puff And what we could not touch but now we tread on So Childrick King Lend me thine arm Dumain I now not what But on the sudden Dumain Lamot about the King Qu. How the Nats play and buz about the fire Must consume them Eu. 'T is rare observant Cocks comes Clota What Star's unshe'rd and walks upon the Earth Making our night a noon methinks her sight Does cure blindnesse and lend darknesse light Castrato Clotair pulls the Eunuch aside Eu. No more we are observ'd my Lord. Clot. What Ladyes that Eu. That French India with a mine upon her back With whom your Brother holds discourse Clot. The same Eu. The chast and beautifull Aphelia Clot. Indeed shee 's wondrous fair nature hath much Befriended her art sure shee 's honest Eu. Snow's not purer No vestal Virgin at the Aultar bears A soul so incorrupt so void of flame That 's loosly active Clot. Castrato be as our self get but that Lady for me Thou understand'st me Eu. Shee dotes upon your Brother by which means I 'l think upon some plot Clot. The Masque ended wee will talk further on 't King Defer our pastimes till another night I am not well at case Duma Lights lights for his Majesty Clot. Clovis How is it with your grace our Royal Father Eu. Dumain Lamot Your feet are in the snare Fredigond hunts and when she hunts beware The Eunuch talks with Aphelia aside Lam. What sayes the slave Dum. No matter what mind we his Majesty King There is an Aetna in me The air I draw returnes illuminate Philosophy thy Element of fire 's here Qu. His Grace grows worse and worse support him Gently friends O my dear Husband O my gentle Lord. Eneunt omnes Aphe I credit your report will obey Manent Eunuch and Aphelia His mind is honourable like his parentage His single name has arm'd me pray lead on Exe. Alp. Eu. Enter Lamot Enter Clotaire Lam. O woe woe woe Clot. Horror and death Clo. O dismall fatal hour Enter Clovis Fredigond the Queen Landry
Clovis shall prevent him in the fact And thus I shall endear my self to both Clovis inrag'd perhaps will kill the King Or by the King will perish if both fall Or either both waies make for me The Queen as rootedly does hate her sonnes As I her Ladyship to see this fraie She must be brought by me she 'l steel them on To one anothers damage for her sake I 'l say I set on foot this hopeful brawl Whilst she will hug and kisse me for the same Thus on all sides the Eunuch will play foul And as his face is black he 'l have his soul Alph. How witty sorrow ha's found out discourse Fitting a midnight season here I see One bath'd in Virgins tears whose puritie Might blanch a Blackmore turn natures stream Enter Clotair Back on it's self words pure and of that strain Might move the Parcae to bepittiful Clot. Methinks I stand like Tarquin in the night When he defil'd the chastity of Rome Doubtful of what to do and like a Thief she still reads on I take each noise to be an Officer She ha's a ravishing feature and her mind Is of a purer temper than her body Her vertues more than beauty ravish't me And I commit even with her piety A kind of incest with Religion Though I do know it is a deed of death Condemn'd to torments in the other world Such tempting sweetnesse dwels in every limb That I must venter my essentiall parts For the fruition of a moments lust Exit with a resolve not to do it A pleasure dearly bought Aphe Alack poor maid Poor ravisht Philomel thy lot was ill To meet that violence in a Brother which I in a stranger doubt not vet methinks I am too confident for I feel my heart Burd'ned with something ominous these men Are things of subtil nature and their oaths Unconstant like themselves Clovis may prove unkind Alack why not say he should offer foul The evil counsel of a secret place And night his friend might over-tempt his will I dare not stand the hazard guide me light To some untroden place where poor I may Wear out the night with sighs till it be day Ent. Clota Clot. I am resolv'd I will be bold and resolute Hail beautious Damsell Aphe Ha what man art thou That hast thy count'nance clouded with thy cloak And hid'st thy face from darknesse and the night If thy intents deserve a Mustler too Withdraw and act them not What art thou speak And wherefore cam'st thou hither Clot. I came to find one beautiful as thou And am a man willing to please a woman Aphe I understand you not Clot. But I must you yea and the right way too Or my strength shall fail me Aphe Help help help Clot. Peace none of your loud musick Lady If you raise a note or beat the air with clamor You see your death Drawes his Dagger Aphe What violence is this inhuman sir kneels Why do you threaten war fright my soft peace With most ungentle steel what have I done Dangerous or am like to do why do you wrack me thus Mine armes are guilty of no crimes do not torment'um Mine heart and they have been heav'd up together For mankind that was holy if in that act They have not prai'd for you mend and be good The fault is none of their's Clot. Come do not seem More holy than you are I know your heart Aphe Let your Dagger too noble sir strike home And sacrifice a soul to chastitie As pure as is it self or innocence Clot. This is not the way know you me beauty Aph. The Majestie of France discovers himself Clot. Be not afraid Aphe I dare not fear it 's treason to suspect My King can harbour thoughts that tend to ill I know you 'r godlike good and have but tri'd How far weak women durst be vertuous Clot. Cunning simplicity thou art deceiv'd Thy wit as well as beauty wounds me and thy tongue In pleading for thee pleads against thy self It is thy virtue moves me and thy good Tempts me to acts of evil wert thou bad Or loose in thy desires I could stand And onely gaze not surfeit on thy beauty But as thou art there 's witchcraft in thy face I must injoy thee or not thou thy life Enter Clovis Charles Aphe You are my King and may command my life My will to sin you cannot you may force Unhallowed deeds upon me spot my fame And make my body suffer not my mind When you have done this unreligious deed Conquer'd a poor weak maid a trembling maid What trophie or what triumph will it bring More than a living scorn upon your name The ashes in your Urn shall suffer for 't Virgins will sow their curses on your Grave Time blot your Kingly parentage and call Your birth in question do not think This deed will lie conceal'd the faults Kings do Shine like the fiery Beacons on a hill For all to see and seeing tremble at It 's not a single ill which you commit What in the subject is a petty fault Monsters your actions and 's a foul offence You give your subjects licence to offend When you do teach them how Clot. I will indure no longer come along Or by the curious spinstrie of thy head Which natures cunnin'st finger twisted out I 'l drag thee to my couch tempt not my fury Clov Hold hold my heart can I indure this Unhand me Charles and render me my self Lest I forget my self on thee Char. Great sir Remember 't is your brother and the King Clov O that I could forget it and shake off Duty at once and Consanguinitie Enter Eunuch That like a whirlwind I might rush upon him And bear him to destruction Monster of men Thou King of darknesse down unto thy Hell I have a Spel wil lay thy honesty And this abused goodnesse Is' t not enough That thou hast wrong'd Crotilda ravish't a Maid A Virgin of that puritie of life Might saint her here on earth but thou wilt add Unto the first a second violence the Gods must not forgive Don't arm your face Nor wear acount'nance of horror I can't fear Bearing a bosome innocent and pure Is' t even so then guard thy self Oh King For I am swift as thought that executes Char. Hold hold my Lotd forbear Eu. Beat down their swords what do the Princes mean Ring out the larum Bell call up the Court Ring the Bell. The Princes here will murder one another For shame for shame forbear Enter the Queen the Guard and Attendants Landrey at the other door Qu. What means this sudden outcry oh my Sonnes Hold hold part 'um good Gentlemen Clot. Brav'd by a subjects hand Qu Though nature by precedencie of birth Made thee his King it therefore follows not His Murtherer wherein is our Clotair Greater than Clovis the self same blood That spirits thee makes him as valiant The difference lyes in Anno Domini Eu. Most acurat mischief most rare Crocadile Qu.
Which constantly affirms it from himself He saies it is not known in Court yet that the Prince lives For divers reasons best known to themselves And herein doth require our secrecie Therefore dear friends be warie to divulge it Besides he saies here That the great Monseiur's suppos'd funeral This day 's solemnized with greatest pomp And how Aphelia dies a sacrifice That hour he is buried on his Herse What if we made attempt to save the Virgin Lano It may not be better she fall alone Than all of us together And now best friends Let us behave us bravely it 's no base act We undertake but our whole Countries freedom From slaverie and bondage men of worth stand bare To pages and gilt Butterflies besides the Queen Will grave us all rather than want sport In spilling human blood come let 's withdraw And laie the plat-form of this mighty work My soul sits smiling in me I divine Though now it lows I shall see Sun will shine Exeunt Enter Clovis and Lamot both disguised Clo. Strephon for so thou nam'st thy self thou 'st made Thy Prince thy subject by thy timely cure This is the hour I must be buried living And this the hour the fair Aphelia Dyes on my Herse t' appease my wandring Ghost Say Strephon is it so Lam. Nay this the very minute hark I hear them Comming sad solemn musick Clov Stand close here wee 'l observe the Mourners Enter six of the Guard their Halberds reverst then a Cardinal Landrey Old Brissac then the Herse born by six young men then King Queen Eunuch holding up her train two or three Ladies these in morning at the other door a Headsman two Nuns in white singing Aphelia with a Garland on her head led by two little boyes in white after these more Virgins adorned liked the rest both Troops passe by each other the song ended the Herse is set down between both companies Aphelia mourning as one end and the King at the other who after a little pause speaks The Song by Nuns Come blest Virgins come and bring To this Goddess offering Offer to her kisses such As make good better by the touch Where her eyes let fall a tear Another Paradice springs there It 's prepostrons crueltie To saerifice a Deitie If a true path should be trod To her sacrifice a God Clot. Set down set down your honourable load Fitting an Atlas shoulder burden of grace And majestie immense whose weight doth load Heavens stooping Porter under which he groans More than the Spaeres and sweats thy weight not theirs Let me bedew thy Herse with pious tears Balm to wounds repenting ones look down From heaven empireall and behold me stand All flood in sorrow drown'd in mine own tears Behold this spotlesse sacrifice a Virgin As pure in thought as Vesture an Oblation To ransome Jove and Heaven had he been taken And so we yeeld her up Delivers her to the Headsman Bris O my good Lord This is conspiracie ' gainst an old mans life Have you no other way to murther me But to begin wit her are these your plots You 'r weary of my counsell and my place May better be suppli'd by greener heads Pray cut off mine do do a weak old man My absence were material since your state Requires Paricides about you Alas I may be spar'd why must she die Because she 's fair or that a Prince Once thought her so the fault is none of hers Let nature suffer for 't if it prove Art Or that with plaistred cunning she did catch Your Brothers love with an adulterate form I yeeld her up as not aly'd to me If not why should she suffer Clot. Brissac peace The King takes the sword from the Executioner Clov What pageant's this Clot. Be it no wonder Lords To see a Prince an Executioner Far be it from the dignitie of France To let a soul forth so refin'd as her's With mercinary hands Lam. Contain your self You may prevent the danger when you please Clot. Behold the conquest of thine eies Aphelia the King kneels and laies the sword at Aphelia's foot France at thy foot tread on his Royaltie Or if thy nature knows not to forgive which to believe were impious take this sword And search my heart send me a sacrifice T' appease the troubled spirit of thy love Qu. O Eunuch that shee 'd take him at his word aside Clot. I find a speaking pitty in thine eyes Which thence will drop upon thy gentle tongue And cry in peace Long live my Soveraign Aphe Long live Clotair long live my Soveraign Clot. The motions of the Sphaeres move in that tongue Turn all your sables to the Tyrian dye Your dirges into sprightful wedding airs Why looks our Court so sad is this a time To anckor your aspects unto the earth By my blest self he 's traytor to the height That do's not straight salute her as his Queen Omner Long live Aphelia Queen of France and us Lamot Do you hear this what are you planet-stroken Clovis Prince Monsiure Qu. What will Clotair do Clot. What heaven ha's pointed for him Marrie her Qu. Thy Grave thy Grave first Clotair Clot. Cardinal The Cardinal and the King whisper Qu. What evill spirit 's crept into my Son Venom'd his noble nature sickned all His wholsome faculties slain's divinitie Are these your vowes or canst thou couzen heaven Necessity of fate depends on it Your know she must to earth Clot. I but not yet Since she ha's conquer'd me that could do fate Had she joyn'd with me the aw'd destinies Spin her decrees and what she wills they act Sith then what must be must be joyn our hands Lam. Now now prevent them yet O statue Prince Thou art undone for ever The Monsiure stands amaz'd Clov Where am I Awake for ever rather let me sleep Is this a funerall O that I were a Herse And not the mock of what is pagented Clot. Amazement quite confounds me Clovis alive Lam. Yes sir by my Art he lives though his desire Was not to have it known this Chest contains Nothing but spices sweetly oderiferous Clot. Into my soul I welcome thee dear brother This second birth of thine brings me more joy Than had Aphelia brought me forth an Heir Whom now you must remember as a Sister Clo. O that in nature there was left an Art Could teach me to forget I ever lov'd This her great Masterplece O well built frame Why dost thou harbour such unhallow'd guests To house within thy bosome perjurie If that our vowes are registred in heaven Why are they broke on earth Aphelia This was a hastie match the subtill air Ha's not yet cool'd the breath with which thou swor'st Thy self into my soul and on thy cheeks The print and path-way of those tears remain That woo'd me to believe so flie me not she gives back I am no spirit tast my active pulse And you shall find it make such harmony As youth and health enjoy Eu The Queen
she faints Clov Is there a God left so propitious To rid me of my fears still let her sleep For if she wake O King she will appear Too monstrous a spectre for frail eyes To see and keep their senses Lam. Are you mad Clo. Nothing so happy Strephon would I were In times first progress I dispair the hour That brings such fortune with it I should then Forget that she was ever pleasing to me I should no more remember she would sit And sing me into dreams of Paradice Never more hang about her Ivory neck Believing such a one Diana's war Never more dote she breaths Arabia Or kiss her Corrall lip into a paleness Streph See she 's return'd an with majestique gaze In pity rather than contempt beholds you Clov Convey me hence some charitable man admiringly Lest this same Creature looking like a Saint Hurry my soul to Hell she is a fiend Apparel'd like a woman sent on earth For man's destruction Clot. Rule your disordea'd tongue Clovis what 's past we are content to think It was our brother spoke and not our subject Clov I had forgot my self yet well remember Yon Gorgon ha's transfrom'd me into stone And since that time my language ha's been harsh My words too heavie for my tongue to earthly I was not born so trust me Apbelia Before I was possest with these black thoughts I could sit by thy side and rest my head Upon the rising pillows of thy breast Whose naturall sweetnesse would invite mine eies To sinck in pleasing slumbers wake and kisse The Rose beds that afforded me such bliss But thou art now a generall disease That eat'st into my Marrow turn'st my blood And mak'st my veines run poyson that each sense Groans at the alteration am I Monsiure Do's Clovis talk his sorrows and not act O man bewomaniz'd wert thou not mine How comes it thou art his Clot. You have done ill And must be taught so you Capitulate Not with your equall Clovis she 's thy Queen Clov Upon my knees I do acknowledge her he kneels Queen of my thoughts and my affections O pardon me if my ill-tutor'd tongue Ha's forfeited my head if not behold Before the sacred altar of thy seet I lie a willing sacrifie Aphe Arise And henceforth Clovis thus instruct thy soul There lies a depth in fate which earthly eies May faintly look into but cannot fathom You had my vow till death to be your wise You being dead my vowes were cancelled And I as thus you see bestow'd Clov Farewell I will no more offend you would to God Those cruell hands not enough barbarous That made these bleeding witnesses of love Had set an endless period to my life too Clot. Where there 's no help it 's boothless to complain Clovis she 's mine let not your spirit war Or mutiny within you because I say 't Nor let thy tongue from henceforth dare presume To say she might or ever should be thine What 's past once more I pardon 't is our wedding day Clo. A long farewel to love thus do I break he breaks the King Your broken pledge of faith and with this kiss The last that ever Clovis must print here Unkiss the kiss that feal'd it on thy lips Ye powers ye are unjust for her wild breath That ha's the sacred tie of contract broken Is still the same Arabia that it was the King Clotain pulls him Nay I have done beware of jealousie I would not have you nourish jealous thoughts Though she ha's broke her faith to me to you Against her reputation shee 'l be true Farewel my first love lost I 'l chuse to have No wife till death shall wed me to my Grave Come Strephon come and teach me how to die That gav'st me life so unadvisedly Ex. Clovis Streph. Clot. Let Clovis that way go this way will we He 's great with grief we with felicity Exe all with Glotair Manent Queen and Eunuch Qu. Mischief grows lean Costrato all our plots Turn head upon themselves my brains grow weak And in this Globe the policie's not left To kill a worm unseen I am undone And all my plots discover'd Eu. This is strange Some comick Devil crosses our designes How else should he revive or yea prepar'd Nay in the arms Landrey when desire Had made you all a Venus meet events So barren in their expectations Qu. Their lies the grief Costrate Had the Court So I had quencht these burnings flames within Been buri'd her cinders I had car'd not Eu. But yet Landreis escape doth qualifie The non-performance Qu. That sits smiling here It set my brains upon the tentors Eunuch Was 't not a rare device Eu. And was not I As fortunate to leave that Armour there But now what 's to be done Qu. My dul Aethlope I will instruct thy blacknesse learn to know My reputation 's sichned and my fame Is look'd into with narrow eyes at Court Therefore it 's thus decreed I will remove And sequester my self from company Eu. Good Qu. Thou know'st where Childrick keep his Concubine To none discover'd by thy self and me For which she is no more Eu. Right Qu. There will I And my Landrey securely spend our time Revil imbrace and what not my Eunuch The Cave that leads unto the postern Gate Which Childrick made will give him entrance No ele acquainted being thus retir'd What lust inflam'd must be by lust unfir'd Eu. Excellent mistris I applaud your brain Qu. I will away to night I cannot brook These loathed Nuptials they have undone My hopes on earth for ever therefore my Eunuch Acquaint Landrey with these designes Eu. What else Qu. If by the engine of thy stronger brain Thou couldst remove Eu. Aphelia or the King Monsiure or all it is not so my Queen Qu. Thou hast a brain which doth ingender thoughts As regall as our own which do beget A race of rare events what pitty 't is Thy body should be sterril since thy mind Is of so pregnant and a fruitful kind Farewell remember me Exit Queen Eu. Remember you Your Gibship shall be thought on fear it not And now bethink thee Eunuch all thy plots Find fruitlesse issues onely in the King His worship walkt into the other world Like a tame suckling Pig that dy'd o' th pipp The trouble is behind my hate extends To the whole family I must root them up And beldam first with you but how but how If in her proud desire I do prevent Her lust this second time before the third She may repent and save her loathed soul Which my revenge would damn yet were she crost Her lust being now at full flood in her And no way left to quench her burning flame Her dryer bones would make a bonfire Fit forthe Devill to warm his hands by Stay stay Castrato no this must not be Nor Must the high and mighty Queen Aphelia This night enjoy her Bridegroom I must set Some mischief instantly on foot to stop it
Force ope the door seiz on his Royal person now Clotair Thou are the Monsieur 's pris'ner Tyrant say Where is Aphelia your Adulteres stands amaz'd Clot. It makes no matter where Bris O my dear Sister O my dearest life Dum. See Noble Lords Here lies that Hel-hound Eunuch villain up And tell us who ha's done these fatall deeds Eu. They 'r ne'r ali'd to thee that did these Acts Chrotilda and a woman Dum. Villain thou li'st my sister 's gone a weary pilgrimage And for this many years with grief I speak it Been travel'd none knows where Clot. What am I What strange and uncouth thing Eu. A ravisher And better to instruct thee in thy self Had not Chrotilda been incestuous Omnes Hold hold your Royal hand what will you do Clot. What else but follow her shall Clotair live A Captive to his Brother slav'd to sin Inthral's in wedlock that 's incestuous O ravisher and murtherer of his friend There 's no way left to rid me but my sword Of all these ills at once Oh wrong'd Chrotilda Dum. My sister Clot I Dumain no Eunuch she No sun-burnt vagabond of Aethiope Though entertain'd for such by Fredigond I say here lies thy ravisht sister slain By me the ravisher Dum. Hold hold my heart Eu. Lend me thy hand Clotair have I thy hand Clot. Thou most abus'd of womenkind thou hast Eu. I should have kill'd thee King and had put on A masculine spirit to perform the deed Alas how frail our resolutions are A womans weakness conquer'd my revenge I 'd spirit enough to quit my Fathers wrongs And they which should have seen me act that part Would not believe I should so soon prove haggard But there is something dwels upon thy brow Which did perfwade me to humanitie Thou injur'dst me and yet I spar'd thy life Thou injurd'st me yet I would fall by thee And like to my soft sex I fall and perish Clot. Speak for ever speak Chrotilda Chrotilda Dum. My Sister 's in mine eies this brave revenge Should have been mine and not thy act Chrotilda Away salt rhume Chrotilda laughs at thee Her spirit is more manly Aphe I must weep too Mine injuries and hers are so near kin That they must bear each other company In tears of blood and death For my griev'd heart too long with earth Would gladly seek a way to find out rest Clot. Art thou joyn'd with her too against thy self Will my Aphelia leave me pardon sweet My love is fatall and too well thou know'st The deadly proof in fair Chrotilda death Yet leave me not though I refrain thy bed And must abandon all those thoughts of love Which married couples use yet we may sit And gaze upon each other tell sad tales Of ruin'd Princes wrong'd Virginitie And when our utterance is tyr'd by speech Wee 'l sit and sigh a sad parenthesis And then proceed again then sigh again A silent Chorus to our History Our tears shall keep our sorrows ever green Still springing never ripe shall we do thus To lengthen out our grief Aphe For ever King The hand of heaven lies on me for I feel My in ward and externall injuries Wrestle with life in which condition My soul is woried by that Tyrant death I must forsake thee Clotair Clot. Stay awhile it is unkindly done to leave me thus O she is gone for ever ever gone And I stand prating here between them both The fatall cause of death unto them both Wilt thou not break proud heart I prethee break Prove not a Rebell to thy Prince like these It 's well there is some loyaltie in thee yet Thou art commanded by me the King faints Bris Gracious my Liege Clot. Charles I have injur'd thee and thee Dumain Can ye forgive me Bris Good your Grace Call back your spirits think what 's to be done Clot. I consider well and the now King The quondam Mounsieur shall not denie me this Half of the honours of the deal Landrey We do confer on thee the other half Be thine Dumain Charles shall be Duke of France Thou of the Palace Major this is our will Dum. Great King you are not yet so neer your end Forsend it heaven Bris Look up my Gracious Lord. Monsi My Royall Brother Clot. I begin to faint A darknesse like to death hangs on mine eies Lend me thine hand Brissac and thine Dumain. Good gentle souls when ye shal mention me And elder time shall rip these stories up Diffected and Anatomiz'd by you Touch sparingly this story do not read Too harsh a comment on this loathed deed Left you inforce posterity to blast My name and Memory with endlesse curses Call me an honouralbe murtherer And finish there as I do He dyes Dum. O Noble Lord Whose fame was very essence to his souls That gone the other fled choosing to die Rather then live a King in infamy Monsi A heavie spectacle of grief and woe Have beheld since our arivall here Take up the body of the King and these That for his love on either hand lie slain They shall lie buried in one Monument And take up these this was Royall Queen When virtue steer'd her thoughts but we may see When we turn foes to good to vice a friend We fall like these and like these thus we end A dead March within FINIS