THE QUEENES EXCHANGE A COMEDY Acted with generall applause at the BLACK-FRIERS BY His MAJESTIES Servants WRITTEN BY MR RICHARD BROME Regia res amor est LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Hand in Pauls Church-yard 1657 The Stationer to the Readers Gentlemen and Ladies THis short account I thought fit to give you of this Poem that it came to my hands among other things of this nature written and left by Mr. Rich. Broome a person whose excellency in Comical wit has been sufficiently proved and needs not my partial and weak commendation There are published already of his Playes the Northern Lass the Antipodes the Sparagus-garden the Merry Beggers the Lancashire Witches besides the 5. Playes lately published in a Volume The good acceptance of all which encourages me to publish this being no way inferior to the rest but when 't was written or where acted I know not Your kinde entertainment of this will enable me to make known to the World divers more of the same Authors works of this kind which have not yet seen light for my ayme is prodesse delectare by delighting thee to profit my self H. B. Farewel The Queens Exchange The Persons in the Play OSriick King of Northumbria Theodrick his Favourite and Embassador Ethelswick his Substitute Theodwald Eaufride Alfride Edelbert Lords of his Council A Physition Jeffrey the Kings fool 4. Clowns BErtha Queen of West Saxons Segebert Alberto two banished Lords Anthynus Offa Segeberts Sons Mildred Segeberts daughter Osriicks Queen Arnold an old servant of Offa Kelrick Elkwine Elfride three sycophant Lords Hermit and his Servant Keeper of Prison Edith Mildreds Nurse A Carpenter A Mason A Smith three Thieves Scene England Prolouge to the Queens Exchange THe writer of this Play who ever uses To usher with his modesty the Muses Unto the Stage He that scarce ever durst Of Poets rank himself above the worst Though most that he has writ has past the rest And found good approbation of the best He as he never knew to bow he saies As little fears the fortune of his Playes He yields their right to us and we submit All that they are in learning or in wit To your fair censure All is then but thus As you approve they are good or bad to us And all by way of favour we can crave Is that you not destroy where you may save The QUEENES Exchange ACT. I. SCEN. I. Enter Celerick Elkwin Segebert Bertha and Attendants Hoboyes Bart. SInce it has pleasd the highest Power to place me His substitute in Regal Soveraignty Over this Kingdom by the generall vote Of you my loyall Lords and loving Subjects Though grounded on my right of due Succession Being immediate heir and only child Of your late much deplored King my Father I am in a most reverend duty bound Unto that Power above me and a wel Befitting care towards you my faithfull people To rule and govern so at least so neere As by all possibility I may That I may shun Heavens anger and your grief Which that I may at our last consultation The better to passe through my weighty charge I gave you to consider of the Proposition Is made to me by the Northumbrian King Of marriage not only to enable me In my government but therby to strengthen This Kingdom in succeeding times by a line Of lawfull Successors I gave you all My strong most unanswerable reasons To which you seemd contented all but one Who with the rest by this I hope is satisfied 'T is you Lord Segebert you it is I mean Does it appear to you yet reasonable That I be matcht to the Northumbrian King I have with patience waited a whole moneth For you to rectifie your scrupulous judgement Whereby it might comply with these no way Inferiour to your self but are your Peers As well in their known wisdom as my favour Seg. Thus low unto your sacred Majesty I here devote my self and thus I meet With equal love th' embraces of these Lords I le joyn grow one body and one voice With them in all may adde unto your Honour And your dear Kingdoms good But pardon me My soverain Queen and I beseech you my Lords To weigh with your known wisdom the great danger This match may bring unto the Crown and Country T is true the King Osriick as wel in person As in his dignity may be thought fit To be endow'd with all you seem to yeild him But what becomes of all the wholsome Laws Customs and all the nerves of Government Your no less prudent than Majestick Father With power policy enricht this Land with And made the Saxons happy and your self A Queen of so great eminence Must all With so much Majestie and matchlesse beauty Be now subjected to a strangers foot And trod into disorder All your wealth Your state your laws your subjects and the hope Of flourishing future fortunes which your Father By his continual care and teadious study Gave as a Legacy unto this Kingdom Must all be altered or quite subverted And all by a wilful gift unto a stranger Bart. Peace stop his mouth Unreaverend old man How darst thou thus oppose thy Soveraignes will So well approvd by all thy fellow Peers Of which the meanest equals thee in judgement Seg. Do you approve their judgments Madam which Are grounded on your will I may not do 't Only I pray that you may understand But not unto your loss the difference Betwixt smooth flattery and honest judgements Bert. Do you hear this my Lords Celr My Lord Segebert Though you except against this King He may hereafter thank you in your kind Seg. Mean time I thank you for your prophesie Col. You cannot but allow succession is The life of Kingdoms if so you cannot But wish the Queen which Heaven grant speedily An happy husband Bert. I thank you good my Lord Elk. And if an husband why not him she affects Can it befit a Subject to controle The affection of his Princesse Heaven forbid Seg This is ear taking Musick Elk. Or suppose You might controle it whom in your great wisdom Would you allot the Queen Seg. I see your aym And know when I have said all that I dare What censure I must undergoe And thus I le meet it boldly you are sycophants all And doe provide but for your selves though all The Kingdom perish for 't May the justice That follows flattery overtake you for 't Seg. Take hence the mad man Colr. We are sorry for you Elk. And wish the troublesome spirit were out of you That so distracts your reason Elf. We have known you Speak and answer to the purpose Seg. Your question to no purpose Sir was this Whom my great wisdom would allot the Queen You are not worth my answer But my Soveraigne I do implore your gracious attention To these few words Celr. Lesse sense Elf. No matter Elk. Silence Speak your few words the Queen can give you hearing Seg. I wish
be my first journey But after you shall still hear from me where e're I wander Anth. Not I Sir by your favour Seg. Why I pray Anth. I must be nearer you I kneel for 't Sir And humbly pray I may not be denied To wait on you in Exile Take me with you Off. Do you not find him Seg. This is but your stoutness Though you seem humble unto me against Your brother because I leave the rule to him Anth. Far be it from my thoughts dear Sir consider He has had that rule already divers years Ere since my mother die and been your darling Heaven knows without my grudge while you were pleas'd Off. Heaven knows his thoughts the while alack a day Anth. I never envied him though I have found You have severely over look'd my Actions When you have smil'd on his though but the same I have been still content while I have found my duty firm Seg. You shall along Anth. You have new begotten me Off. Sir Seg. Peace I know thy fear my dearest Boy Off. Does not your blood begin to chil within you Great heirs are overhasty Sir And think their Fathers live too long Pray Sir Take heed of him Though he should act the Parricide abroad our laws acquit him Seg. I 'l give my self to Heaven quit thou thy fear I am not worth a life I 'l take him hence That thou mayst be secure from bloody spite I fear him not mischief has spent her selfe And left her sting within me for a charme That quit me from the fear of further harm Go get thee home my blessing and farewell Off. Pray Sir excuse me I cannot speak for laughing aside Seg. And farwel Countrey shed not a tear for me I go to be dissolv'd in tears for thee ACT. II. SCEN. I. Enter Ofriick the King Theodrick Theodwald Eaufrid Alfrid Elelbert 2. Lords OSr. Let your dispatches instantly be sent Through all the Kingdom to incite the people As many as are mine or would be thought so To expresse with me their joy for the enjoying Of the so long desired happinesse In this our beautious and magnificent Queen 1. Lor. See that through all the Cities Towns and Villages With solemn Feasts and publique sign of joy They celebrate a day for these glad Tydings 2. Lor. Post every way that the third day from this The general joy may sound and shine through all The Kingdom Attend. That 's with Bells and Bonefires 1. 2. Lor. Goe Ex. Attendants Kin. And now my Lords I must require your care To set down a fit order for our journey Unto this Queen to perfect my worlds blisse I would not fail in the least Article Of state or decency in this Affair Provide so that we may in all appear Worthy th' Atchievement of our fair ambition And let our followers be chosen such Whose inward worth no lesse then outward shew May make us glorious in this expedition Do speedily and effectually good my Lords The time hasts on 1. 2. Lor. Our duty shall prevent it King Methinks the silent Picture seems to say 'T is fit I should anticipate a day Ex. Lords Rather then lose one minute from that light Whose very shadow is so Angel bright Emb. But when your Highness shall behold nay more Shall touch nay more and nearer shall embrace Nay more and nearer yet enfold and handle Nay more and nearest of all enjoy The lively that 's too little heavenly substance Of this poor imaginary which is as short As far inferiour to the life As a weak star-light to the mid day Sun King O do not ravish me with expectation This is a way to make each hour untill I shall enjoy my blisse a tedious night Each night a death Yet can I not desire To shift the Argument off our discourse Did she appear so fair so lovely Emb. Sir Suppose you see a glorious Firmament Bedek'd with heavenly Stars so shines her Court With Ladies might be thought of matchlesse beauty Striking meer humane sight with admiration Imagine now you see break through a Vail Amidst those Stars though heavenly lesser beauties The bright Cynthia in her full of Lustre So this no lesse to be compared Queen Shines above beauty to an humane eye That is not mix'd with powerful Maiesty You may behold her your Divinity My King may comprehend what can befit Me only to confesse I do admire King O thou art mine In such a Queen And such a Servant nev'r was King so bless'd But are there in her Court although inferiour To her more Excellent such special Beauties And in my Theodricks apprehension You have made choice of one then Emb. I have seen One so agreeable to my affection Above all the rest I cannot but confesse I strove to be her Servant King Doubtlesse then She was a fair one Theodrick never fear She is thine own my self will be thy Spokesman If she be worthy of thee Emb. For fair Vertue With all the graces which adorn the mind In best opinion she 's unparallel'd By any Subject Lady I must ever Allow Supremacy unto the Queen And for her Person it appears in all Most answerable to her face Of which here is Th' exactest Copy that I could get drawn And without flattery by the Queens own Lymner King Pray let me see 't Indeed it is a sweet one Did he that drew this of the Queen draw that Emb With the same hand King But not with the same colours Trust me they 're much unlike He wrongs the Queen And merits her displeasure even to death T' advance a Servants beauty 'bove her own Emb. What sayes your Majesty King Keep off a little You stand just in my light And so he does Twixt me and the prime beauty of the world But I 'l be even with him and cause my Picturer To set this Crown upon this head and then Fie what a fancie 's this He will perceive me But now I note this Forehead and this Brow This Eye this Lip lets fall the other Emb. You have let fall the Queen Sir takes it up King I cry her mercy What a shame it is That I should fall in his discovery Are Courts so fraught with fraud and flattery And can a King that governs such professors No whit dissemble to obscure his passions I must and thus begin to practice it Theodrick didst thou note my contemplation Over these Pictures Emb. I could but perceive Your Highnesse viewing them well And I have learn'd To make no search into my Soveraigns thoughts King Thou art ever modest Thus it was Theodrick Protest it rap't me bove the pitch of Mortals First to consider what an absolute beauty This Queen has in herself but then to gather The circumstances many such as this As thou affirmst inferiour lights to her That shine about her rendring her more glorious Lights her above affection to an height That claims her adoration Then marvel not That now when this but in Effigy Was but plac'd
your Highnesse would command your women That know their qualities to take up your Beagles Their Petulances sort not with this place Nor the more serious matter of my speech Bert. Speak I can hear you though Forbear him Lords Seg. The King your Father and my ne'r to be Forgotten Master please you to remember Although his memory be lost with these Who nere had grace to know him rightly gave me Before his death strictly this charge and in Your presence too charging your selfe withal To give it due obedience That you should Before all mens advice take mine for marriage And that especially I should take care 'Gainst Innovation That the laws he left Establisht with such care for good o th' Kingdome Might be maintaind by whomsoere you matchd with I know and you if you knew any thing Might know the difference twixt the Northumbrian lawes And ours And sooner will their King pervert Your Priviledges and your Government Then reduce his to yours pure common sense Even you me thinks my Lords may foretell that Bert. You have said enough Seg. I doe beseech your Highnesse But for this little more Bert. I le hear no more Celr. Pray heare his little more although you send him Out of your hearing then for evermore Seg. Your Father added this to his command That rather then by marriage you should bring Your Subjects to such thraldome and that if No Prince whose lawes coher'd with yours did seek you As some there are and neerer then th' Northumbrian That he would have you from some noble Stock To take a Subject in your own Dominion Bert. Traytor Seg. To urge your Fathers Testament Celr. But did the King your ne're forgotten Master Bequeath her an affection to such blood Bert. Forbear Now he 's not worth your speaking to Celr. Now she 'l ha' me I hope What a foul beast Was I to undervalue subjects blood Bert. I have forborn you long for the old love My Father in his life conferr'd upon you And still I yield to it so much as saves Your head bold talking fellow But Sir hear Your doom Since the Kings love hath puff'd your dotage With swoln conceit for what can it be lesse That you are now my King for sure you think so I 'll try my Title with you Hence you Exile Go in perpetual banishment from this Kingdome Speak not a word for him All Insooth we meant it not Celr. But may it please your Majesty you mention'd His head erewhile Now if I might advise Bert. A way you 'l be too cruel Celr. Another hope lost Elkw. His lands and goods Madam would be thought on Bert. No he has children Elfr. I 'le take his daughter with all faults and half his lands Bert. Why are ye not gone Seg. I have not much to say Bert. Out with it then and then out with your self Seg. In the large History of your Fathers life You find but one example for this doom Of Banishment And that was of Alberte five years since For wronging me unto his Highnesse when He stood in competition with me for The Honor in the State the King then gave me Bert. And what of this Seg. But thus I stood by then and then all knowing Heaven Saw that though he for wronging me was Banish'd I was right sorry and much pleaded for him Bert. It follows now that you would have these Lords Whom you have so abus'd to plead for you Seg. Quite contrary for they are my Abusers Yet I do grieve for them but more for you To think on all your sorrows when too late You 'l wish for me to steer the State Bert. Pray if you meet that good old Lord Alberto Now in your exile send him home to us I 'l promise him your Honour in the State All Ha ha ha Bert. Go from my sight and if after three dayes Thou art seen in my Dominion I will give A thousand crowns to him that brings thy head See Proclamation sent to that effect Celr. I will and as many Informers after The Proclamation as there be crowns in 't Come we have spoken for you all that we can Elsr. The Queen 's implacable Bert. Be gone I say why dost thou stay Seg. But to applaud your Mercy and Bounty In that you post me from a world of care And give me the wide world for my share Exit Seg. Celr Elk. Your Majesty has perform'd a point of justice Mingled with clemency beyond all president Bert. Enough to give a warning to all such As dare oppose their Princes purposes Conduct in now th' Embassador of Northumbria Whilst I review his Masters brighter Figure Exit Elkw. Elf. As ardently but with more pure affection As ere did Cynthia her Endimion Ent. Emb. My Lord you have attended long but now I shall return that answer to your King That if his love be as you have pretended May well excuse your stay Tell him this story A King sent forth a General to besiege A never conquered City The siege was long And no report came back unto the King How well or ill his Expedition thriv'd Until his doubtful thoughts had given lost His hope o th' City and his Army both When he being full of this despair ariv'd o th' suddam his brave General with Victory Which made his thanks as was his conquest double You may interpret me my Lord Emb. If so I am to tell the King he has won your love Bert. A blush may be excus'd in the confession 'T is my first answer to the question Yes Emb So from the doubtful darknesse of the night The blushing morn Ushers the cheerful Sun To give new light and life unto the World I shall revive my King with these glad tydings Bert. You have said well Let us enform you better Talk aside with him Elkw. I can but think what old Segebert said Concerning Laws Customes and Priveledges And how this match will change the Government I fear how e'er the Laws may go our Customes will Be lost for he me thinks out-flatters us already Elsr. He 's the Kings Favourite and has woed so well For him that we may fear he 'l wrigle in Twixt him and us the prime man in her favour Bert. Let it be so The tenth of the next month I 'l be prepar'd to entertain his Highness First to confirm a contract then as soon As he shall please to consummate our marriage In the mean time this Figure which you say Resembles him as Painters skill affords Indeed it is a sweet one Shall be daily Kisses it My deer companion most unseparably And when I sleep it shall partake my Pillow Does he love mine as well d' ye think my Lord Emb. Just with the same devotion If I durst I would say more Bert Nay speak my Lord pray speak Emb. He do's allow 't a Table Waiters and Officers That eat the meat Bert. Indeed Elkw. O horrible Elsr. Nay We shall ne're come near him Emb. And at night He lodges