not firme that rise by steps of blood exit Enter the Duke and Duchesse Duke Vrge me no more the white unspotted hand Of never trecherous justice shall not blush By our imbrewing it in bleeding innocence Nor shall posteritie in after times Seeking examples of black tyranny Finde our names registred in the Catalogue Of those whose deeds have given wide infamy Life to attend their memory and brand it With shame more durable than brasse or marble Duch. Yet good my Lord respect your falling State Let not that watchfull eye that never slept In carefull pursuit of your peoples good As now regardlesse of your houses Honor Be dazell'd with imaginary feare Of meere suppos'd injustice Shall foule mouth'd rumor Besprinkle our whole race with Iulia's blood And follow it into posteritie As a live witnesse of your loose neglect Methinkes those politick rules of government Which you have study'd should at last informe Your scrupulous conscience making it to know What oft doth seeme injustice is not so Duke Can there be more than shedding guiltlesse blood Duch. They highly offend that let their Countries good Duke They let no good that never did deny it Duch. 'T is guilt to live when as their deaths may buy it Duke But 't is not good that 's bought at such a rate Duch. No price is great that makes Kings fortunate Duke They be not fortunate that rise by vice Duch. Who stayes till Vertue lifts will never rise And therefore dearest Lord by those chaste vowes Which first I brought unto your nuptiall bed By that attractive beautie which mine eyes Once gave your youthfull thoughts to feed upon Preuent this mischiefe let the strumpet die Whose basenesse staines your ever princely blood By sitting sole Commandresse in the thoughts Of our degenerate sonne the onely hope Iust heaven and nature now has left your Throne Let not that god of fooles soft Conscience then That seldome findes a name 'mongst perfect Statesmen Sway your experienc'd wisedome but provide Your honour live when all your selfe have dy'd Duke Death to mine eyes I must see thee kneele Thy words have charm'd my soule benumm'd my thoughts Against the stinging touch of sharpe remorse I will resolve her death nor shall she live That stands 'twixt full content and thy desires But how shall swift wing'd fame my deare Adrasta Be held from loud proclaming our disgrace Policie will 's some seeming cause be had To make that good which justice knowes for bad Duch. Leave that to me I have procur'd from her A letter whose points but chang'd transferre the sense This in the publike Sessions being read And shee acknowledging the hand and seale Will be a most sufficient testimony Of traiterous attempts against your State And person which the grosse multitude Will never scanne but confidently hold Her condemnation just Duke Wee 'll then give order For her attachment and imprisonment Meane while your selfe may with perswasive words Prepare Lucilio's minde to meet her death So 's justice wrong'd and innocence must die aside When they withstand a womans tyrannie exeunt Actus 2. Scena 1. Enter Mistris Frailware and Mistris Abigail Mistris Frail. I Le ensure you 't is true Mistris Abigail my Husband was call'd from my side at midnight by the Dukes Pursivant at Armes commanded to bring his weapon ready with him because they would reprehend my Ladie Iulia's daughter in her bed nay I am serv'd so many times in the yeare and if it were not for a little honour wee have by being the Constables wife of the Parish or leave to build a new Pue in the Lecture house or meeting at the Quest-house sometimes wee had better never bee in authoritie than have so many hewings and cryings such pasportings that the whole yeare while our Husbands be Magistrates we be very widdowes for any feeling we have of thē and if we had not their company in the day sometimes we should eene forget wee were maried 't is too true Mistris Abigail but you have a happy turne Mistris Abig. Indeed Mistris Frailware our Husbands should not be troubled with common businesse and Master Damasippus does meditate and practise his Principles by my side till nine a Clock many times But I pray what did you heare was the cause of my Lady Iulia's daughters contamination Mistris Frail. O why shee was in love with my young Lord Lucilio and would have God blesse us stabb'd the Duke with a panado and then be marry'd where the Dutches would or no Mistris Abig. Now Iove forsend it How desperate be these princock Gentlewomen when they be in love they 'll venture upon any weapons I marvell themselves be not afraid of stabbing I warrant you shee 'll to the Rock for it Mistris Frail. I cannot tell that but a Friend I have in the Court was here before breake of day and told me all Mistris Abig. Lord Mistris Frailware have you any friends in the Court Mistris Frail. I these seven years Mistris Abigail have I had friends there and acquaintance too I thanke my beautie three yeares before I was marri'd I le tell you Mistris Abigail these Courtiers be the finest sweetest smelling Gentlemen that be they will have some friends in the City now and then for varieties sake but they 'll pick and chuse and for mine owne part I le ensure you that before I was marry'd of a browne-wench marke what I say to speake of a browne-wench I was as sweet a creature as liv'd There was a Nobleman here in Florence I there was a Knight too that would eate but little meate except how ever it was my hap to fell figges in the Citie I le ensure you that my flesh was so tender that if a fellow with a strong breath had kiss'd me all my lips would have blister'd I wore my silke Stockins then and my Bodkins of beaten Gold I thanke my own wit and had Velvet Cloakes and Velvet Coloches come to see mee Mistris Abig. Doubtlesse you were one of the happiest living to have such blessings I would to heavens my husband or I might have an Office under these Courtiers that I might have friends at Court too Mistris Frail. I le ensure you Mistris Abigail many of 'hem be able to doe a woman a good pleasure sometimes and yet there be some againe that promise more than all their strength can performe too when they be put to it for alas Courtiers doe for so many that they cannot doe for all for mine owne part I have try'd 'hem and try'd 'hem agen and some of 'hem have stood to mee very sufficiently and friendly when I have come to see the Masking and Beare-baiting there Mistris Abig. God's my pitty is there Beare-baiting at Court doe the Ladies love Beare-baiting Mistris Frail. O abomination they 'll so shift for corners and places to be at it that their waiting gentlewomen can seldome come to the pastime And how does your good husband Master Damasippus Mistris Abig. In good deed la not
can relish nothing unlesse it be sawced with the verjuice of a tarte pen be hostile enemies to their pishes and meawings and scorne to beg or buy a reconciling their defects make them desperate and their envy cannot blast an unbeholding wit to the candor of the rest any mirth will be more pleasing than railing some harmelesse and innocent humour that may passe with allowance of the times will be welcomer to them and safer to you Prol. Sir in our Authors name I thanke you and would you but please to speake with him your selfe Gent. I will presently and disswade his intention and yet I doubt not but to give sufficient contentation to his Auditors whose patience I feare I have wrong'd by interrupting their Prologue exit Prol. I should have opened the Argument of our Play but stumbling on this stranger makes me doubtfull what wee shall have howsoever Prologue The selfe distrust that guides his bashfull pen Wills him intreat your patience and if then This slight worke please you time more purely spent Shall once more sweat to better your content Lighter defects a serious Muse amends And slight beginnings have some perfect ends THE VVOMANS SPLEENE AND LOVES CONQVEST A Tragi-Comedie Actus 1. Scena 1. Enter Antonio and Rigazzo the Page Page SIgnior Antonio pray how did you like the Maske wee had here to night for my Lord Lucilio 's ben venuto Anto. Well of a wooden one set forth by a Dancer and an Architect as the fashion is Page Alas Signior there must bee something to prolong and strengthen these devices when Poëts in favour of the ignorant are faine to leave 'hem so short winded and almost speechlesse Anto. So sir But now tell mee Rigazzo what have you learn'd all this time you have beene with your Lord at the Vniversitie Page More than I can reckon Signior and yet I have the Art of memorie to help me Anto. As what sir Page I can name you all the Alehouses and Tavernes in Athens and most part of the Bawdy-houses marry to know them all onely Night that has beene some scores of yeares acquainted with 'hem and the Devill that gathers their rents could teach me and indeed I was too young to be their scholler else I might have beene a better proficient in them too Anto. I thinke sir your time was spent in such studies Page No not all Signior I can steale as desperately as a Pursivant fiddle the Geese Ducks Hens Lambs and Calves five mile round by booke and cover the matter as smoothly as your Citizen does his perjury and your Stoick his Lecherie for I had most sober Graduates for my Tutors in all Anto. 'T was pitty your Rogueship had not proceeded Master of Art in the facultie of theeving Page It 's no matter Signior for theeves to proceed Masters of Art when so many Masters of Art doe proceed theeves and that 's the least conversion you know Signior Anto. Are you so nimble at your Logick sir Page As a hungry Scholler at a Henroost Anto. Take heed you labour not your selfe out o'breath your learning 's but short winded Page Long enough to runne with a Stoick Signior I may bee able to reade moralitie get me some night-geere and a red Nose and then I am most illustriously compleate Anto. Away the Duke Sound Cornets or Hoboyes Enter Cosmo the Duke Adrasta his Duchesse Lucilio their Sonne Lady Iulia Althea c. Duke Thus hath our cost and best invention sweat To seale your welcome from th' Athenean Schooles And trust me sonne your thankes are much in debt Vnto these Ladies whose too prodigall loves Have search'd for jewels thus to doe you grace Lucil. My Lord I doe acknowledge it a debt As to their loves Onely your Princely care To grace our new returne hath so surpass'd The former expectation we conceiv'd That I am forc'd now to confesse I live A desperate bankerout to your royall favours Duke Your good deserts may soone requite our love But tell us How does learning flourish now In Athens Lucil. Iust as Vertue at the Court For with the times affecting ignorance 'T has banish'd true industrious labour thence And vicious loosnesse finding none resist Has so ingros'd the most refined wits And by the terrours of her sensuall threats Bred such deluding Crocodiles in their braines That like the thirsty swift Egyptian dogges They scarcely taste of those faire seven-fold streames Into whose depth their industrie should dive And having onely got a seeming face Of superficiall knowledge 'mongst the grosse And beast-like sense-conceiving multitude They most ambitiously seeke and pursue Vulgar applause for their poore out-side skill And by such mudwall stayres doe often rise Vp to the top of abus'd dignities Duke How can deserving vertue flourish then If sacred learning be so sleightly sought Lucil. As twinn-borne sisters both doe share alike Their equall portions in the worlds esteeme For in those hallow'd places which a true And carefull liberalitie did consecrate As pure religious shrines to god like Skill Where Vertue richly invested with her best And precious ornaments might give a full And glorious lustre like a noone-tide Sunne There ugly Vice even in the basest formes Climing by steps of Art up to the height Of horror standeth in a praecipiti And thrust but one step farther with her fall Will crush her selfe and overwhelme the world Duke To grieve at this were in these senselesse times To become monstrous and to feele no griefe Were to be senselesse with the times themselves Lucilio courts Althea Aside Duch. Observe him good my Lord and let your eye Be jealous now Duke Have patience good Adrasta We strive in vaine to bandy with loves power And unresisted Charter of the gods Which time and absence ne'r could violate Alth. As is your soule aside Althea to Lucilio Lucil. O be prodigious then And in despight of custome let the world See that it 's possible a womans minde Can rest in one you must be valiant too And dare th' affrighting dangers that we meet I feare we have swelling passages to wade For we must feele amidst a world of evils A womans Spleene worse than the worst of devils Duke Now Lady Iulia let this cōfirme your welcome And yours Althea trust me I could wish The season so dispos'd since that our sonnes Happy and safe returne has made us glad That we might dedicate a longer time To harmlesse mirth but now the night growes old And we shall wrong your patience too too much Exeunt all but the Duchesse and Lucilio Duch. Must it be so Have all those lavish signes Of undeserved favours heapt on you By your too carefull father and our self Been spurres to your contempt Or could the sweets Of our affection prodigally cast Make you not relish what your duty owes Else did you thinke because they alwayes ranne In such an uncheckt current to your will That no ingratitude could make the ebbe O impious times wherein a parents care When shee
done not to goe nor send after her yet poore Lord hee is kill'd dead too now and has met her Hearse here So those two soules that ne'r were borne to have A Nuptiall Bed have found a Nuptiall Grave Beauty and Vertue strove Who should adorne her most Till faith conspir'd with love And all their labours crost Lucil. Antonio kill'd Althea buried Then thou hast liv'd Lucilio to behold The height of mischiefe and the worst of chance And thou maist dare thy angry Starres to inflict What ere they can effect that 's worse than this Murderd thy friends ruin'd their ancient names Hatefull to thy Parents lothsome to thy selfe O 't is high time to die and I doe wrong Althea's constancy to breath an houre After I know she has prevented me Methinkes I heare love chide my backwardnesse And tell me how unworthy I am growne To have two friends so firmely vertuous Constant and loyall and outlive them both Yea be their Murderer and stand alive Spectator at their funerall as I would bid The rest weep on whil'st I give ayme to teares And marke who grieves most deep at my foule actions Lucilio stands aside Enter at one doore the Coarse of the Dukes supposed Sonne borne by Mourners and following it the Duke and Duchesse with others in mourning robes At the other doore the Hearse for Althea with the Scarfe which Antonio brought from the Shepherds laid a crosse it and borne by foure maides in blacke with their haire disheveld and Garlands of dead Mirtle or other leaves on their heads her Mother with some Mourners following Torches before both and meeting they stay Duke So then let Fortune make a period here Since we are met just in the midst of woe And stand upon the Center of mishap Whence we may see the full circumference Of all that Sphere that bounds the power of Fate Come Madam we will mixe our teares a while Dropping them joyntly on the Marble Tombes Of our dead Issue till the stones receive Large Characters of griefe carv'd by the drops That ceaselesse flow from our too late laments Iul. Great Lord if woes with woes may be compar'd Or to the measure of our cause of griefe Wee might in sad contention drop our teares Shower for your drop Pound for your dramme of woe My brest and eyes would yeeld which now are growne A boundlesse harbour for the depth of care For though wee meet in this that both have lost The dearest treasures of desired life Yet hath your Grace a partner in distresse A comfort to the residue of your yeares And therefore hope that Heaven may yet restore This ruine of your House Besides you have The body of your sonne on whose dead Coarse You may bestow your teares and honour him With fitting place and Royall exequies When Heaven hath shut those comforts from my heart Left me a widow to sustaine the waight Of all this burden and no partner else To bring mine aged haires unto the grave But still repining griefe and am deny'd The ashes of my childe on whose cold Hearse Mine eyes might pay those tributary teares Which her misfortune and my woes exact And onely can embrace an empty shrine Yet my good Lord I oft forget my cares To grieve at yours and wish Althea's death Might have suffic'd the anger of the Fates Without Lucilio's blood whose guiltlesse fall Hath strook a sadnesse through th' appalled lookes Of all your subjects made them stand amaz'd And wonder there should live upon the earth Envy enough to blast such gracefull hopes Duke Let me be open Madam to your love 'T is but the doome of Iustice I sustaine I know I wrong'd your daughters innocence And onely know it now for plagues make knowne That oft for sinne which once we thought was none Iul. No my good Lord shee was not innocent In that she bounded not her loosest thoughts Within our element but would admit The dangerous fires of ambitious love Into her Virgin brest that 's safelyest knit Where all proportion justly equals it Duch. Wrong not her worth good Madam the power of death Is weake to staine her name and we were blest If such perfection joyn'd unto our Blood Had with our sonne succeeded in the Throne Of this unhappy and dejected State Beleeve me Madam I did ever love Althea's Vertues and was inly glad When by that Stratagem my son had freed Her innocence as I protest I thought And wish'd her scape as safe from that injustice As could my heart desire Iul. Alas good Madam I have felt your Grace Still loving to my daughters poore deserts And nothing did increase my sorrowes more Then that I wanted meanes how to requite Your Graces love Duke Come we forget our selves in Ceremonies And waste the time whose every instant yeelds Scarce space enough for that large taske of griefe Sorrow exacts each instant from our hearts Good Madam wee will consecrate one Tombe To both their Memories and since in life Their hearts were so united by Loves hand In death their Graves shall joyne so will ourselves Bequeath the remnant of our dayes from hence You to sad cares and we to penitence Exeunt the Torch-Bearers and both Coarses joyning the Duke Duchesse L. Iulia c. following Lucil. You to sad cares and wee to poenitence Why then you 'll feed upon the bitter fruits Of your ambition and by experience finde Vertue not Honour is heaven unto the minde Deare Father I conceive your griefe as true As is my love and feele methinkes a sting That spurs me onward to prevent the plagues My losse will bring upon your hoary age And makes me thinke I heare the frequent voyce Of potent Nature whisper to mine eare The duty that I owe and bids me meet Those mischiefes quickly by discovering mee But the perswasion 's weake when I must owe More then a duty or all Natures selfe To the chaste merits of Althea's love Who was the first I murdred then the name Of holy frendship which my request abus'd In lov'd Antonio whom I murdred next My debt 's above a life which though I give My ghost must be a slave to pay the rest And their deserts stand yet unsatisfy'd But ô yee Spirits of truth whose constant faiths Merit perhaps to heare these last laments My dying soule powres forth be pleas'd to take The poore oblation of a loathsome life Which I as gladly vow unto your loves As misery would turne it selfe to blisse And since I was a murderer to your worths I le chuse that death that murderers doe passe And thou hadst liv'd Antonio if thy love Had not before with-held me from the fall And saving onely me hath murdred all exit Enter Antonio and Lady Iulia Anton. Madam My love to you and to that vertuous Lord Could doe no lesse I doe assure your Ladiship The murderer has confess'd in hope of life The circumstances meanes and opportunity Which you so fitly urg'd and hath incens'd The Duke so violently