No 't is too late Prince I 'le make bold with yours Pha. I have some private Reasons to my self Make me unmannerly and say you cannot Nay press not forward Gentlemen he must come Through my life that comes here K. Sir be resolv'd I must and will come Enter Pha. I will not be dishonour'd He that enters enters upon his Death Sir 't is a sign you make no Stranger of me To bring these Renegadoes to my Chamber As these unseason'd Hours K. Why do you Chafe your self so You are nor wrong'd not shall be Only I 'le search your Lodging for some cause To our self known Enter I say Pha. I say no. Meg. above Meg. Let 'em enter Prince Let 'em enter I am up and ready I know their business 'T is the poor breaking of a Ladies Honour They hunt so hotly after let 'em enjoy it You have your business Gentlemen I lay here O my Lord the King this is not noble in you To make publick the Weakness of a Woman K. Come down Meg. I dare my Lord your Whootings and your Clamors Your private Whispers and your broad Fleerings Can no more vex my Soul than this base Carriage But I have Vengeance yet in store for some Shall in the most Contempt you can have of me Be joy and nourishment K. Will you come down Meg. Yes to laugh at your worst but I shall wring you If my Skill fail me not K. Sir I must dearly chide you for this Looseness You have wrong'd a worthy Lady but no more Conduct him to his Lodging and to Bed Cle. Get him another Wench and you bring him to Bed indeed Dion 'T is strange a Man cannot ride a Stage Or two to breathe himself without a Warrant If this Geer hold that Lodgings be search'd thus Pray Heaven we may lie with our Wives in safety That they be not by some trick of State mistaken Enter Megra K. Now Lady of Honour where 's your Honour now No man can fit your Pallat but the Prince Thou most ill shrowded rottenness Had you none to pull on with your Courtesies But he that must be mine and wrong my Daughter By all the Gods all these and all the Pages And all the Court shall hoot thee through the Court Fling rotten Oranges make ribald Rimes And fear thy Name with Candles upon Walls Do ye laugh Lady Venus Meg. Faith Sir you must pardon me I cannot chuse but laugh to see you merry If you do this O King nay if you dare do it By all those Gods you swore by and as many More of my own I will have Fellows and such Fellows in it as shall make noble Mirth The Princess your dear Daughter shall stand by me On Walls and sung in Ballads any thing Urge me no more I know her and her haunts Her layes leaps out-layes and will discover all Nay will dishonour her I know the Boy She keeps a handsome Boy About Eighteen know what she does with him where and when Come Sir you put me to a Woman's Madness The glory of a fury and if I do not Do it to the height K. What Boy is this she raves at Meg. Alas good minded Prince you know not these things I am loth to reveal 'em Keep this Fault As you would keep your Health from the hot Air Of the corrupted People or by Heaven I will not fall alone what I have known Shall be as publick as a Print all Tongues Shall speak it as they do the Languge they Are born in as free and commonly I 'll set it Like a prodigious Star for all to gaze at And so high and glowing that other Kingdoms far and Forreign Shall read it there nay travail with it till they find No Tongue to make it more nor no more People And then behold the fall of your fair Princess K. Has she a Boy Cler. So please your Grace I have seen a Boy wait On her a fair Boy K. Go get you to your Quarter For this time I 'll study to forget you Meg. Do you study to forget me and I 'll study To forget you Ex. K. Meg. Guard Cler. Why here 's a male spirit for Hercules if ever there be nine Worthies of Women this Wench shall ride a stride and be their Captain Dion Sure she has a Garrison of Devils in her Tongue she uttered such Balls of Wild-fire She has so netled the King that all the Doctors in the Country will scarce cure him That Boy was a strange found out Antidote to cure her Infections that Boy that Princess's Boy that brave chaste vertuous Lady's Boy and a fair Boy a well-spoken Boy All these considered can make nothing else but there I leave you Gentlemen Thra. Nay we 'll go wander with you Exeunt ACT. III. SCENE I. Enter Cler. Dion Thra. Cler. NAY doubtless 't is true Dion I and 't is the Gods That rais'd this Punishment to scourge the King With his own Issue Is it not a shame For us that should write Noble in the Land For us that should be Free-Men to behold A Man that is the bravery of his Age Philaster prest down by a thousand Injuries By this ungrateful King And only look And see the Scepter ready to be cast Into the Hands of that lascivious Lady That lives in Lust with a smooth Boy now to be Married to yon strange Prince who but that People Please to let him be a Prince is born a Slave In that which should be his most noble Part His Mind Thra. That Man that would not stir with you To aid Philaster let the Gods forget That such a Creature walks upon the Earth Cler. The Gentry do all wait it and the People All like a field of standing Corn that 's moved With a stiff Gale their Heads bow all before him Dion But that which we have too much Ground to fear Will hold Philaster back from joyning us In this Attempt is the fair Princess Love Which he admires and we can now confute Thra. Perhaps he 'll not believe it Dion Why Gentlemen 't is without question so Cler. I 't is past speech she lives dishonestly But how shall we if he be curious work Upon his Faith Thra. We are all satisfied within our selves Dion Since it is true and tends to his own Good I 'll make this new Report to be my Knowledge I 'll say I know it Nay I 'll swear I saw it Cler. It will be best Thra. 'T will move him Enter Philaster Dion Here he comes Good morrow to your Honour We have spent some time in seeking you Phi. My worthy Friends you that can keep your Memories To know your Friend in Miseries a good Day Attend you all Dion My ever honoured Lord We come to urge that Virtue which we know Lives in your Breast ' Forth rise and make a Head The Nobles and the Peope are all dull'd With this ungrateful King And not a Man That ever heard the Word or knew such a
live I will Nay weep not gentle Boy 'T is more than time Thou didst attend the Princess Bel. I am gone But since I am to part with you my Lord And none knows whether I live shall to do More Service for you take this little Prayer Heaven bless your Loves your Fights all your Designs May sick Men if they have your wish be well And Heaven hate those you curse tho' I be one Exit Phi. The Love of Boys to their dear Lords is strange I have read Wonders of it Yet this Boy For my sake if a Man may judge by looks And speech would out-do story I may see A Day to pay him for his Loyalty Exit Phi. Enter Pharamond Pha. Why should these Ladies stay so long They must come this way I know the Princess employs 'em not for the reverend Mother sent me word they would be all for the Garden If they should all prove honest now I were in a fair taking Enter Galatea crossing the Stage in haste Pha. So here 's one bolted Now for a fair Chace Aside Whither so fast fair Lady What running Races to catch Hearts Gal. Catch Hearts Catch Woodcocks Pha. How Madam Are poor Lovers Gal. O' th' two the more brainless Animals Pha. Nay Madam speak not so contemptibly Of your poor Captives nor that noble Passion Love It is the daily Work of your Creation Those Eyes can't look abroad without inspiring A Thousand Sighs and melting Souls No Madam Those lovely Eyes with all their Heaven of Charms Must have one starry Spark of Mercy shine too Yes you can love a little Gal. I love Yes Sir most passionately I love a Mornings Ramble an Evening's Play gay Mirth and flowing Joys soft Hours sweet sleeps and golden Dreams to crown 'em provided I have neither Fops Fools nor Fiddles to wake me out of ' em Pha. Nay Madam if Fops and Fools are only excluded then Wit and Sense belike those happier Favourites may hope a kinder Treatment Gal. Nay Sir I cant tell that neither For Wit and Sense are such Strangers to this part of the World that I declare I am that young Traveller as never went far enough to meet with either of ' em Pha. Nay my fair Critick now you are too severe But Madam not to lose th' important Minute But come a little seriously To the great business Love and Beauty 's born for Should a bold pushing Lover pitch before you What with a fair Challenge and a fair Field is there no hopes of drawing you to a fair Battel too Gal. Faith Sir none at all For to answer you in your own Martial Dialect there 's Policy in Love as well as War And wise Ladies act like prudent Generals we love as they fight never engage but upon Advantage Pha. Nay then there 's no way left but down-right Canonading Gal. Nay troth Sir that will do but little service neither For to tell you the Truth what between a little natural Pride feminine Honour and some other Virgin Ramparts about me my Out-works are so very strong that all your Canonading will do but feeble Execution Pha. This is a crafty Wench I like her Wit well She 's a Danae and must be courted in a Shower of Gold Madam look here all these and more Gal. What have you there my Lord Gold Now as I live 't is fair Gold you would have Silver for it to Play with the Pages you could not have taken me in a worse time But if you have present use my Lord I 'll send my Man with Silver and keep your Gold for you Pha. Lady Lady Gall. She 's coming Sir behind will take white Money Yet for all this I 'll watch ye Exit Gal. behind the Hangings Pha. If there be but two such more in this Kingdom and near the Court we may ev'n hang up our Harps ten such Champhier Constitutions as this would call the Golden Age again in question Enter Megra Here 's another Many fair Mornings Lady Meg. As many Mornings bring as many Days Fair sweet and hopeful to your Grace Pha. She gives good Words yet sure this Wench is free If your more serious Business do not call you let me hold Quarter with you we 'll talk an Hour Out quickly Meg. What would your grace talk of Pha. Of some such pretty Subject as your self I 'll go no farther than your Eye or Lip There 's Theme enough for one Man for an Age. Meg. Sir they stand right and my Lips are yet even Smooth young enough ripe enough and red enough Or my Glass wrongs me Pha. O they are two twin Cherrries died in Blushes Which those fair Suns above with their bright Beams Reflect upon and ripen Sweetest Beauty Bow down those Branches that the longing taste Of the faint looker on may meet those Blessings And taste and live Meg. O delicate sweet Prince She that has Snow enough about her Heart To take the wanton Spring of ten such Lines off May be a Nun without Probation Pha. But we lose time dear Madam Can you love Meg. Love you my Lord How would you have me love you Pha. I 'le teach you in a short Sentence ' cause I will not load your Memory This is all love me and lye with me Meg. Was it lye with you that you said 'T is impossible Pha. Not to a willing Mind that will endeavour if I do not teach you to do it as easily in one Night as you 'll go to Bed I 'll lose my royal Blood for 't Meg. Why Prince you have a Lady of your own that yet wants teaching Pha. I 'll sooner teach a Mare the old measures than teach her any thing belonging to the Function she 's afraid to lie with her self if she have but any masculine Imaginations about her I know when we are married I must ravish her Meg. By my Honour that 's a foul Fault indeed Pha. And for any other I see excepting your dear self dearest Lady Meg. Has your Grace seen the Court-Star Galatea Pha. Out upon her she 's as cold of her Favour as an Apoplex she sail'd by but now Meg. And how do you hold her Wit Sir Pha. I hold her Wit The Strength of all the Guard cannot hold it if they were tied to it But speak sweet Lady shall I be freely welcome Meg. Whither Pha. To your Bed if you mistrust my Faith you do me the unnoblest Wrong Meg. I dare not Prince I dare not Pha. Make your own Conditions my Purse shall seal ' em Come I know you are bashful speak in my Ear will you be mine Keep this and with it me at Night I 'll visit you Meg. My Lord my Chamber 's most unsafe but when 't is Night I 'll find some means to slip into your Lodging till when Pha. Till when this and my heart go with thee Ex. several ways Enter Galatea from behind the Hangings Gal. Oh thou pernicious Petticoat Prince are these your Vertues Well if I
PHILASTER OR Love lies a bleeding A TRAGI-COMEDY As it is now acted at His MAJESTY's Theatre Royal. Revis'd and the Two last Acts new Written Multa renascentur quae jam cecidere cadentque Quae nunc sunt in honore Hor. de Art Poet. LONDON Printed for R. Bentley at the Post-House in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1695. TO His GRACE THE Duke of Schonberg and Lemster MY LORD FOR this Publick Address to Your Grace I have no other Plea than that of a Refugee The Muses in all Nations and Ages and long Custom is little less than a claim of Right have still been sheltered under the Sanctuary of HONOUR nor are Distance Height or Greatness a Bar to those Intruders Besides as WAR and WIT the Mars and the Minerva were both the Offspring of JOVE they have some flattering dawn of Hopes from Your Grace's condescending Goodness that the same Hand that wields the rougher Thunder may possibly not disdain a Reception to the gentler Muses And indeed where should they boldlier intrude than where they are the profoundest Homagers That Renown that like Your Grace's is the fairest Theam to inspire them must consequently be the strongest Charm to attract them The Dedications of Poetry are but a part of her Devotion and as Devotion under the present establish'd English Liberty may make her Orizons at what Shrine she pleases I hope Your Grace will generously vouchsafe to pardon so bold a bending Knee before You. And indeed where can all Knees more justly bend than to the Heir of that Illustrious FATHER that quitted all the Jewels of his own Native Ducal-Coronet one of the proudâ—st Wreaths of France together with a Patrimony that might dazle common Eyes though not so glittering in his own as to shade his least Jem in Heaven for thrice that shining Earth A Father that resigned even a proud Mareschal's Staff for little less than a Pilgrim ' s. Nay I may say threw over board his whole Load of this lower World to lighten his Transport for a Higher A Father to whose and his whole Families Deathless Memory and Honour our whole Nation owes more than a Humane even a Divine Veneration as lighting Your Glories from an Altar-Coal those Altars to which You have sacrificed no less than Your ALL left Honours Inheritance Hopes Titles Dignities all behind You to wander those voluntary naked Exiles to some remoter more Hospitable Colony with nothing but a Hand and a Heart a Soul and a Sword to plant You there 'T was thus the embracing BRITANIA flew with open Arms to the Reception of those Princely more than welcome Guests to her Bosom She look'd upon You as no less than the flying Gallick Astraea that had brought over the whole remaining Justice and Humanity of Your Native France and left her only Oppression Barbarity and Rapine the whole surviving growth of her Tyranick Soyle But whilst our ever honoured SCHONBERG is not only England 's but her great CAESAR ' s Darling too His Royal Favours so confer'd are not His Grace but Gratitude He stands so highly indebted to the Great SCHONBERGS those fairest Fleur de Lis's planted into its own English Roses a FATHER and a BROTHER both sleeping in the fatal Bed of Honour those lovely Lillies died Crimson in His Cause that all his most studied Smiles to the Great REMAINS of that Heroick Root are but a faint Acknowledgement of Arrears so Infinite But still my Lord as much Encouragement as Your Grace's highest Character and Worth and my own Ambition can give me for Ambition even in the humblest Veins is the natural warmth of the Soile and this little World of humane kind is but a barren Glebe without it Nevertheless I durst not have ventur'd to have laid this Trifle at your Grace ' s Feet had not the fairer Merit of the richer Stock I have grafted upon the two famous Poets of the last Age Beaumont and Fletcher the original Parents of Philaster a little animated this Presumption of subscribing my self MY LORD YOUR GRACE's Most Humble and Most Devoted Servant E. SETTLE THE PROLOGUE Spoken by Mr. Horden TO write a Play is pure Poetick Rage For you 're so hard to please in this Nice Age Who less than mad wou'd Scribble for the Stage Poets of their new Plays so vainly fond Mistake the Bristol for the Diamond But when Reviv'd Philaster does appear We come secure bring Sterling Merit here A stanch Old Orient with true Lustre drest Wit that has stood the Hammer bore the Test No Poet shall by this Day 's Doom be kill'd We safely fight behind great Fletcher's Shield That good old Play Philafter ne're can fail But we Young Actors how shall we prevail Philaster and Bellario let me tell ye For those Bold Parts we have no Hart no Nelly Those Darlings of the Stage that charm'd you there Our feebler Strength must of their Heights despair We 're tender Buds till you the Lords o' th' Soil Warm us to Life by your Auspicious Smile The Elder Heroes of the other Stage Were Striplings once of our young Beardless Age And to Perfection did not leap but climb Merit 's the Product of long Growth and Time Who push for Fame by fair Degrees must strike A General in the Field has trail'd a Pike Grant us this first our Tryal-Year alone Eexpect Performance when our Wings are grown Let our Pen-feather'd Strength this Favour borrow Only to Creep to day and Soar to morrow Actors Names King Mr. Simpson Philaster Mr. Powel Pharamond Mr. Cibbars Dion Mr. Powel sen Cleremont Mr. Lee. Thraselin Mr. Horden Arethusa Mrs. Knight Galatea Mrs. Cibbars Megra Mrs. Kent Bellario Mrs. Rogers Woodmen Rabble Guards Attendants c. Scene Sicily PHILASTER ACT I. SCENE I. Enter Dion Cleremont and Tharselin Cler. HERE 's no Lords nor Ladies Dion Credit me Gentlemen I wonder at it They receiv'd strict Charge from the King to attend here Besides it was boldly publish'd that no Officer should forbid any Gentleman that desir'd to Attend and Hear Cler. Can you guess the Cause Dion Sir 't is plain about the Spanish Prince that 's come to marry our Kingdom 's Heir and be our Soveraign Thra. Many that will seem to know much say She looks not on him like a Maid in Love Dion Faith Sir the Multitude that seldom know any thing but their own Opinions speak that they would have But the Prince before his own Approach receiv'd so many confident Messages from the State that I think she 's resolv'd to be rul'd Cler. Sir it is thought with her he shall enjoy both these Kingdoms of Sicily and Calabria Dion Sir it is without Controversie so meant But 't will be a troublesome Labour for him to possess both these Kingdoms with Honour and with Safety Whilst our brave General the Prince of Arragon The Conquerour of one of those fair Crowns Is living and living too so virtuously The common Darling of the Peoples Love His glorious Services so well remember'd
Is it so take heed Dion Sir take you heed how 't is you dare the Powers That must be just King Alas what are we Kings Why do you Gods place us above the rest To be serv'd flatter'd and ador'd till we Believe we hold within our Hands your Thunder And when we come to try the Power we have There 's not a Leaf shakes at our threatnings I have fin'd it 's true yet wou'd not thus be punisht Dion He Articles with the Gods wou'd some body wou'd draw Bonds for the performance of Covenants between them Enter Pharamond Galatea and Megra King What is she found Phar. No we have ta'ne her Horse He Gallopt empty by You Galatea Rod with her into the Wood Why left you her Gal. She did Command me King Command you Gal. ' Twou'd ill become my Fortunes and my Birth To disobey the Daughter of my King King You are all cunning to obey us for our hurt But I will have her Phar. If I have her not By this Hand there shall be no more Sicily Dion What will he carry it to Spain in his Pocket King I see the Injuries I have done must be reveng'd Dion Sir This is not the way to find her out King Run all disperse your selves The Man that finds her or if she's kill'd the Traytor I 'll make him Great Phar. Come let us seek King Each Man a several way Here I my self Dion Come Gentlemen we here Exeunt severally SCENE Changes Enter Arethusa Areth. Where am I now Feet find me out a way Without the Counsel of my troubled Head I 'll follow you around these wander'd Woods O'er Mountains thoro ' Brambles Pits and Floods A heavyness near Death sits on my Brow And I must sleep Kind Heav'n I hope my Hour Lyes down Of peace draws on a dulness shuts my Eyes And I am giddy Oh that I cou'd take So sound a sleep that I might never wake Enter Bellario Bell. Yonder 's my Lady Heav'n knows I want nothing Because I do not wish to live Yet I Will try her Charity oh hear You that have plenty from that tlowing store But see the lively Red is gone to guard her Heart I fear fhe saints Madam look up She breaths not Open once more those Rosy twins and send My Lord your last farewell But see she stirs How is it Madam speak comfort Kneeling to help her Areth. 'T is not gently done To put me in a miserable Life And hold me there I prethee let me go I shall do best without thee Enter Philaster Phil. I was to blame to be so much in rage I 'll tell her coolly when and where I heard This killing Truth I will be temperate In speaking and as just in hearing Ha! Scorpions and Basilisks Bell. My Lord help help the Princess Areth. I am well Forbear and leave me Phil. Some good God look down And shrink my Veins up what before my Face Poyson of Asps between your Lips Diseases Be your best Issues Nature make a Curse And throw it on you Areth. Dear Philaster leave To be inrag'd and hear me Phil. I have done Not the calm'd Sea when Aeolus locks up His windy Brood is less disturbed than I. Nay Arethusa I 'll be calmer still Yes when my wrongs have laid me in my Grave Say am I raging now If I were Mad I should desire to live No feel my Pulse and try if you have known A Man in a more equal Tune to die Bell. Alas my Lord. Your Pulse beats Mad-man's time So does your Tongue Phil. I blame not thee Bellario Thou'hast done but that Which Gods would have transform'd themselves to do But haste thou young perdition take thy Face For ever from my sight Fly from my Rage Far as the wander'd World can bear thy shame Or yond fair Lamp of blushing Heav'n can light thee For we are two Earth cannot hold at once Bell. For ever from your sight For ever That Dire Voice of Fate But if I must be gone Permit my too dear Lord these bending knees To leave one parting dying Prayer behind me Kind Heav'ns if in your everlasting Treasury You have a Hoard of some uncommon Blessings Show'r 'em on that dear Brow and Oh uncloud His shaded Peace and his benighted Reason Till the fair Truth of that all beauteous Innocence Shine round his Soul with thousand thousand Charms Yes thou too happy Prince didst thou but know The Price of that fair Gem the Wealth thou' rt Lord of How would thy twining Arms grasp her dear knees And thy fond Lips kiss the blest Earth she treads on For by my wrongs below and hopes above Earth does not hold a Chaster So farewell Exit Areth. Thou faithful Herauld of my Fame farewell But dear Philaster if thy listning Patience Has lent a gentle Ear to the poor Boy Am I forbid to speak No my dear Lord With these wet Eyes and these uplifted Hands With the same Vows and the same Heav'n my witness Permit me to repeat the same true Oracle Earth does not hold a Chaster Phil. Feeble Flatterer Why these poor Arts How vainly dost thou labour To wash thy Ethiop shame Run from a Court A Father and a Crown thou vile dishonour To Woods and shades to meet your darling Boy Yet Earth not holds a Chaster Areth. Meet the Boy An Accident meer chance Phil. Chance Areth. Chance blind Chance By what directing Curse he found me here My persecuting Stars canonly tell 'T is true I left a Court a Crown and Kingdom All worthless Trifles when I lost thy Heart My sighs and tears for thee led me this Wanderer And am I thus rewarded Phil. Fye no more They who dare act a Sin so black as thine Can talk as fair as thou The Soul of Treason Ne'er wants the Face of Innocence Areth. Treason Good Gods is truth so hard to be believ'd Phil. Truth Areth. By yond Azure Roof and all the bless'd Inhabitants above My Soul 's all spotless truth Phil. Oh Arethusa 'T is easie to call Heav'n they talk it loudest Who think it least Yes thou too fair Delusion The Syren Sings not Death though she acts Death And even the blackest Cloven-footed Fiend Retains his Voice of Angels No smooth falshood Can aery breath and empty sounds restore The Peace that I have lost Areth. Then my poor Heart Thou hast nothing now to do but break and die Phil. No Madam That 's my part the shaft of Death Is only levell'd here And if to all My Mass of wrongs thou hast one Grain of pity Here Arethusa take this glittering Mercy Presenting his Sword to her And guide it to my Heart Areth. Kill thee Phil. Yes Kill me It will be wondrous kind and when I set My resting Foot beneath yond Roof of Glory For that dear generous Blow an act so kind I 'll Tune thee my first Song in Choires of Angels Areth. But oh Philaster Dost thou know what Death is Phil. A Minutes pain to cure an