watchman for the state and one that 's known Sir to be rightly affected Aub. Baud of the state No lesse than of thy masters lusts I now See nothing can redeem thee doest thou mention Affection or a heart that ne're hadst any Know'st not to love or hate but by the state As thy prince does`t before thee that dost never Weare thy owne face but putt'st on his and gather'stâ— Baits for his â—ares liv'st wholly at his beck And e're thou dar'st utter a thought 's thine owne Must expect his crep'st forth and wad'st into him As if thou wert to passe a foord there proving Yet if thy tongue may stop on safely or no Then bring'st his vertue asleep and stayst the wheele Both of his reason and judgement that they move noâ— Whit'st over all his vices and at last Dost draw a cloud of words before his eyes Till hee can neither see thee nor himselfe Wretch I dare give him honest counsailes I And love him while I tell him truth old Aubrey Dares goe the straightest way which still`s the shortest Walke on the thornes thou scatter'st Parasite And tread 'em into nothing and if thou Then lett'st a look fall of the least dislike I le rip thy crown up with my sword at height And pluck thy skin over thy face in sight Of him thou flatter'st unto thee I speak it Slave against whom all lawes should now conspire And every creature that hath sense be armd As 'gainst the common enimy of mankind That sleepst within thy masters eare and whisp'erst T is better for him to be feard than lovd Bidst him trust no mans freindship spare no blood That may secure him t is no cruelty That hath a spatious end for soverainty Break all the lawes of kind if it succeed An honest noble and prayse-worthy deed While hee that takes thy poysons in shall feele Their virulent workings in a poynt of time When no repentance can bring ayd but all His spirits shall melt with what his conscience burnd And dying in flatterers armes shall fall unmournd There 's matter for you now Lat. My lord this makes not for loving of my master Aub. Loving no. They hate ill Princes most that make them so Enter Rollo Hamand Allan Guard Rol. I le heare no more Ham. Alas t is for my brorher I beseech your highnesse Rol How a brother had not I one my selfe did title Move mee when it was fit that hee should dye away All. Brother loose no word more leave my good cause T`upbraid the tyrant I `me glad â—`me falne Now in those times that willd some great example T' assure men wee can die for honesty Rol. Sir you are brave pray that you hold your neck As bravely forth anon unto your headsman All. Would hee would strike as bravely and thou by Rollo t' would make thee quake to see mee die Aub. What 's his offence Ham. For giving Gisbert buriall who was sometimes his master All. Yes lord Aubery My gratitude and humanity are my crimes Rol. Why beare you him not hence Aub. My lord stay souldiers I doe beseech your highnesse doe not loose Such men for so slight causes This is one Has still been faithfull to you a tryde soule In all your fathers battailes I have seene him Bestride a friend against a score of foes And looke he looks as hee would kill his hundred For you sir were you in some danger All. Till hee killd his brother his chancellor then his Master to which he can adde nought to equall Nero But killing of his mother Aub. Peace brave foole Thou valiant asse here is his brother too sir A captaine of your guard hath servd you long With the most noble witnesse of his truth Markd in his face and every part about him That turnes not from an enemy But view him Oh doe not grieve him sir if you doe meane That hee shall hold his place it is not safe To tempt such spirits and let them weare their swords You 'le make your guards your terrours by these Acts And throw more hearts of from you then you hold And I must tell you sir with my old freedome And my old faith to boot you have not livd so But that your state will need such men such hands Of which here 's one shall in an houre of tryall Doe you more certaine service with a stroak Than the whole bundle of your flatterers With all the unsavory unction of their tonguesâ— Rol. Peace talker Aub One that loves you yet my lord And would not see you pull on your owne ruinesâ— Mercy becomes a Prince and guards him best Awe and affrights are never tyes of Love And when men begin to feare the Prince they hate him Rol. Am I the Prince or you Aub. My Lord I hope I have not utterd ought should urge that question Rol. Then practise your obedience see him dead Aub. My Lord Rol. I le heare no more Aub. I 'me sorry then there 's no small despaire sir of their safety whose eares are blockt up against truth come Captain Ham. I thank you sir. Aub. For what for seeing thy brother dye a man and honest Live thou so Captaine I will I assure thee Although I die for 't too come Exeunt all but Rollo Lator Rol. Now Latorche what doe you think Lat. That Aubreys speech and manners sound somewhat of the boldest Rol. T is his custome Lat. It may be so and yet be worth a feare Rol. If we thought so it should be worth his life and quickly too Lat. I dare not sir be author Of what I would be t is so dangerous But with your highnesse favour and your licence Rol. He talks t is true he is licenc'd leave him We now are Duke alone Latorche securd Nothing left standing to obscure our prospect We look right forth beside and round about us And see it ours with pleasure only one Wish'd joy there wants to make us to possesse it And that is Edith Edith shee that got me In bloud and teares in such an opposite minute As had I not once set all the flames And shaft of Love shot in me his whole armory I should have thought him as farre off as death Lat. My Lord expect a while your happinesse Is neerer than you think it yet her griefes Are greene and fresh your vigilant Latorche Hath not been idle I have leave already To visite her and send to herâ— Rol. My life Lat. And if I find not out as speedie wayes And proper instruments to work and bring her To your fruition that she be not watch'd Tame to your Highnesse wish say you have no servant Is capable of such a trust about you Or worthy to be secretary of your pleasure Rol. Oh my Latorche what shall I render thee For all thy travailes care and love Lat. Sir one suit which I will ever importune till you grant meâ— Rol. About your Mathematitians Lat. Yes to have The Scheme of your nativity judg'd by them I
ever Latorche me thought was buâ—ie That fellow if not lookt to narrowly will doe a suddaine mischiefe Aub. Hell looke to him For if there may be a devill above all yet that rogue will make him keepe you up this night And so will I for much I feare a danger Bald. I will and in my watches use my prayers Exeunt Act. 3. Scaene I. Enter Sophia Otto Matillda Edith Ot. You wonder Madam that for all the shewes My brother Rollo makes of hearty love And free possession of the Dukedome twixt us I notwithstanding should stand still suspiscious As if beneath those veyles he did convey Intents and practises of hate and treason Sop. It breeds indeed my wonder Ot. Which makes mine Since it is so safe and broad a beaten way Beneath the name of friendship to betray Sop. Though in remote and further of affections These falsehoods are so common yet in him They cannot so force nature Ot. The more neere The bands of truth bind the more oft they sever Beâ—ng better cloakes to cover falshood over Sop. It cannot be that fruites the tree so blasting Can grow in nature take heede gentle sonne Least some subbornd suggester of these treasons Beleiv'd in him by you provok'd the rather His tender envies to such foule atempts Or that your too much love to rule alone Breed not in him this Iealous pasâ—ion Thâ—re is not any ill we might not beare Were not our good held at a price too deare Ot. So apt is treachery to be excused That innocence is still aloud abused The fate of vertue even her friends perverts To plead for vice oft times against their hearts Heavens blessing is her curse which she must beare That she may never love Sop. Alas my sonne nor fate nor heaven it selfe Can or would wrest my whole care of your good To any least securenesse in your ill What I urge issues from my curious feare Least you should make your meanes to scape your snare Doubt of sincerenesse is the onely meane Not to insence it but corrupt it cleane Ot. I rest as farre from wrong of sincerenesse As he flyes from the practice trust me Madam I know by their confessions he subborn'd What I should eate drinke touch or onely have scented This evening feast was poysoned but I feare This open violence more that treacherous oddes Which he in his insaâ—iate thirst of rule Is like to excute Sop. Beleeve it Sonneâ— If still his stomacke be so foule to feede On such grosse objects and that thirst to rule The state alone be yet unquench'd in him Poysons and such close treasons aske more time Than can suffice his fiery spirits hast And were there in him such desire to hide So false a practise there would likewise rest Conscience and feare in him'of open force And therefore close nor open you need feare Mat. Good Madam stand not so inclin'd to trust What proves his tendrest thoughts to doubt it just Who knowes not the unbounded flood and sea In which my brother Rolloes appetites Alter and rage with every puffe and breath His swelling blood exhales and therefore heare What gives my temperate broâ—her cause to use His readiest circumspection and consult For remedy against all his wicked purposes If he arme arme if he strew mines of treason Meete him with countermines it is justice stâ—ll For goodnesse sake t' encounter ill with ill Sop. Avert from us such jnstice equall heaven And all such cause of justice Ot. Past all doubt For all the sacred priviledge of night This is no time for us to sleepe or rest in Who knowes not all things holy are prevented With ends of all impietie all but Lust gaine ambition Enter Rollo armed and Latorche Rol. Perish all the world Ere I but loose one foote of possible Empire Be slights and colour us'd by slaves and wretches I am exempt by birth from both these curbes And since above them in all justice since I sit above in power where power is given Is all the right suppos'd of earth and heaven Lat. Prove both sir see the traytor Ot. He comes armed see Mother now your câ—nfidence Sop. What rage affects this monster Roll. Give me way or perish Sop. Make thy way viper if thou thus affect it Ot. This is a treason like thee Roll. Let her goe Sop. Embrace me weare me as thy shield my sonne And through my breast let his rude weapon runne To thy lives innoscence Ot. Play not two parts Treacher and coward both but yeeld a sword And let thy arming thee be oddes enough Against my naked bosome Roll. Loose his hold Mat. Forbeare base murtherer Roll. Forsake our mother Sop. Mother dost thou name me and put'st off nature thus Roll. Forsake her traytour Or by the spouse of nature through hers This leads unto thy heart Ot. Hold. Sop. Hold me still Ot. For twenty hearts and lives I will not hazard One drop of blood in yours Sop. Oh thou art lost then Ot. Protect my innocence heaven Sop. Call out murther Mat. Be murthered all but save him Ed. Murther murtherâ— Roll. Cannot I reach you yet Ot. No fiend Roll. Latorche rescue I 'me downe Lat. Vp then your sword cooles sir Ply it i' th' flame and worke your ends out Roll. Ha have at you there sir. Enter Aubrey Aub. Author of prodigies what sightes are these Ot. Oh give me a weapon Aubrey Sop. Oh part 'em part 'em Aub. For heavens sake no more Ot. No more resist his fury no rage can Adde to his mischiefe done Dyes Sop. Take spirit my Otto Heaven will not see thee dye thus Mat. He is dead and nothing lives but death of every goodnesse Sop. Oh he hath slaine his brother curse him heaven Roll. Curse and be cursed it is the fruite of cursingâ— Latorche take off here bring too of that blood To colour ore my shirt then rayse the Court And give it out how he atempted us In our bed naked shall the name of brother Forbid us to inlarge our state and powers Or place affects of blood above our reason That tells us all things good against another Are good in the same line against a brother Exit Enter Gisbert Balldwin Gis. What affaires informe these out-cries Aub. See and grieve Giâ— Prince Otto slaine I Ball. Oh execrable slaughter I What hand hath author'd it Aub. Your Schollers Baldwin Bald. Vnjustly urg'd Lord Aubrey as if I For being his Schoolemaster must owne this doctrine You are his Counsellours did you advise him To this foule parracide Gis. If rule affect this licence who would live To worse than dye in force of his obedience Bald. Heavens cold and lingring spirit to punish sinne And humane blood so fiery to commit it One so outgoes the other it will never Be turn'd to fit obedience Aub. Burst it then With his full swing given where it brookes no bound Complaints of it are vaine and all that rests To be our refuge since our powers are strengthlesse Is to
nature Gis. Nor can my counsells work on them that will â—o Vouchsafe me hearing Aub. Doe these answers sort Or with your place or persons or your yeeres Can Giâ—bert being the pillar of the Lawes See them trod under foot or forc'd to serve The Princes unjust ends and with a frowne Be silenc'd from exclaiming on th' abuse Or Baldwin only weep the desp'rate madnesse Of his seduced pupills see their minds Which with good artes he labour'd to build up Examples of succeeding Times o'returnd By undermining parasites no one precept Leading to any Arte or great or good But is forc'd from their memory in whose roome Black councells are receiv'd and their retirements And secret conference producing only Dev'lish designes a man would shame to father But I talk when I should doe and chide others For that I now offend in See 't confirm'd Now doe or never speak more Gis. We are yours Enter Rollo Latorch Trevile Grandpree Otto Verdon and Duprete Rol. You shall know whom I am Ot. I doe my equall Rol. Thy Princeâ— give way were we alone I 'de force thee In thy best blood to write thy selfe my subject And glad I would receive it Aub. Sir Gis. Deare Lord. Ot. Thy subject Rol. Yes nor shall tame patience hold me A minute longer only halfe my selfe My birth gave me this Dukedome and my sword Shall change it to the common grave of all That tread upon her bosome ere I part with A peece of earth or title that is mine Ot. It needs not and I would scorne to receive Though offerd what I want not therefore know From me though not deliver'd in great words Eyes red with rage poore pride and threatned action Our father at his death then when no accent Wer 't thou a son could fall from him in vaine Made us Coheiresâ— our part of Land and Honours Of equall waight and to see this confirm'd The oaths of these are yet upon record Who though they should forsake me and call downe The plagues of perjury on their sinfull heads I would not leave my selfe Tre. Nor will we see the Will of the dead Duke infring'd Lat. Nor I the elder rob'd of what 's his right Grand Nor you Let me take place I say I will not see 't My sword is sharpest Aub. Peace you tinder-boxes That only carry matter to make a flame Which will consume you Rol. You are troublesome To Baldwiâ— â— This is no time for arguments my Title Needs not your schoole-defences but my sword With which the Gordian of your Sophistry Being cut shall shew th' Imposture For your laws To Gisbert It is in me to change them when I please I being above them Gisbert would you have me protect themâ— Let them now stretch their extreamest rigour And seize upon that traytour and your tongue Make him appeare first dangerous then odious And after under the pretence of safety For the sick State the Lands and Peoples quiet Cut off his head and I 'le give up my sword And fight with them at a more certain weapon To kill and with authoritie Gis. Sir I grant the Laws are usefull weapons but found ouâ— T' assure the Innocent not to oppresse Rol. Then you conclude him Innocent Gis. The Power your father gave him must not prove a Crime Aub. Nor should you so receive it Bald. To which purpose All that dare challenge any part in goodnesse Will become suppliants to you Rol. They have none That dare move me in this hence I defie you Be of his party bring it to your lawes And thou thy double heart thou popular foole Your morall rules of Justice and her ballance I stand on mine owne guard Ot. Which thy injustice Will make thy enemies by the memory Of him whose better part now suffers for thee Whose reverend ashes with an impious hand Thou throw'st out to contempt in thy repining At his so Just decree thou art unworthy Of what his last Will not thy merits gave thee That art so swolnâ— within with all those mischiefes That e're made up a Tyrant that thy brest The prison of thy purposes cannot hold them But that they break forth and in thy owâ—e words Discover what a monster they must serve That shall acknowledge thee Rol. Thou shalt not live to be so happy Aub. Nor your miseries begin in murther Duty allegeance and all respects of what you are forsake me Doe you stare on is this a Theater Or shall these kill themselves like to mad fencers To make you sport keep them asunder or By heaven I 'le charge on all Grand Keep the peace I am for you my lord and if you 'le have mee I 'le act the Constables part Aub. Live I to see this Will you doe that your enemies dare not wish And cherish in your selves those furies which Hell would cast out Doe I am readyâ— kill mee And these that would fall willing sacrifices To any power that would reâ—tore your reason And make you men againe which now you are notâ— Rol. These are your bucklers boy Ot. My hinderances And were I not confirm'd my Justice in The taking of thy life could not weigh downe The wrong in shedding the least drop of blood Of these whose goodnesse only now protects thee Thou should'st feele I in act would prove my selfe What thou in words do'st labour to appeare Rol. Heare this and talke againe I 'le break through allâ— But I will reach thy heart Ot. 'T is bettes guarded Enter Sophia Soph. Make way or I will force it who are thoseâ— My sonnes my shames turne all your swords on mee And make this wretched body but one wound So this unnaturall quarrell find a grave In the unhappy wombe that brought you forth Dare you remember that you had a mother Or look on these gray haires made so with teares For both your goods and not with age anâ— yet Stand doubtfull to obey her from mee you had Life nerves and faculties to use these weapons And dare you raise them against her to whom You owe the meanes of being what you are Ot. All peace is meant to you Soph. Why is this warre then As if your armes could be advanc'd and I Not set upon the rack your blood is mine Your dangers mine your goodnesse I should share inâ— I must be branded with those impious markes You stamp on your own foreheads and on mine If you goe on thus for my good name therefore Though all respects of honour in your selves Bee in your fury choackt throw down your swords Your duty should beswifter than my tongue And joyne your hands while they be innocent You have heate of blood and youth apt to Ambition To plead an easie pardon for what 's past But all the ills beyond this houre committed From gods or men must hope for no excuse Gis. Can you heare this unmov'd No syllable of this so pious charme but should have poweâ— To frustrate all the juggling deceits With which the divell blinds you
Ot. I begin to melt I know not how Rol. Mother I 'le leave you And sir be thankfull for the time you live Till wee meeet next which shall bee soon and sudden To her perswasion for you Soph. O yet stay And rather than part thus vouchsafe mee hearing As enemies how is my soule divided My love to both is equall as my wishes But are return'd by neither my griev'd heart Hold yer a little longer and then break I kneele to both and will speak so but this Takes from mee th' authority of a mothers power And therefore like my selfe Otto to thee And yet observe son how thy mothers teares Outstrip her forward words to make way for 'em Thou art the yonger Otto yet be now The first example of obedience to mee And grow the elder in my love Ot. The meanes to be so happy Soph. This yeeld up thy sword And let thy piety give thy mother strength To take that from thee which no enemies force Could e're dispoyle thee of why do'st thou tremble And with a fearefull eye fixt on thy brother Observ'st his ready sword as bent against thee I am thy armour and will be pierc'd through Ten thousand times before I will give way To any perill may arrive at thee And therefore feare not Ot. 'T is not for my selfe But for you mother you are now ingag'd In more that lies in your unquestion'd vertue For since you have disarm'd me of defence Should I fall now though by his hand the world May say it was your practise Soph. All worlds perish Before my piety turne treasons parent Take it againe and stand upon your guard And while your brother is continue arm'd And yet this feare is needlesse for I know My Rollo though hee dares as much as man So tender of his yet untainted valour So noble that he dares doe nothing basely You doubt him he feares you I doubt and feare Both for others safety and not mine owne Know yet my sons when of necessity You must deceive or be deceiv'd 't is better To suffer treason than to act the traytor And in a war like this in which the glory Is his that 's overcome consider then What 't is for which you strive is it the dukedome Or the command of these so ready subjects Desire of wealth or whatsoever else Fires your ambition This still desp'rate madnesse To kill the people which you would be lords of With fire and sword to lay that countrey waste Whose rule you seeke for to consume the treasures Which are the sinewes of your government In cherishing the factions that destroy it Far far be this from you make it not questiond Whether you have intrest in that dukedome Whose ruine both contend for Ot. I desire but to enjoy my owne which I will keep Rol. And rather than posterity shall have cause To say I ruin'd all devide the dukedome I will accept the moytie Ot. I embrace it Soph. Devide mee first or teare mee limbe by limbe And let them finde as many severall graves As there are villages in Normandy And 't is lesse sinne than thus to weaken it To heare it mentiond doth already make mee Envie my dead lord and almost blaspheme Those powers that heard my prayer for fruitfullnesse And did not with my first birth close my wombe To mee alone my second blessing proves My first of misery for if that heaven Which gave mee Rollo there had stayd his bounty And Otto my deare Otto ne're had been Or being had not been so worth my love The streame of my affection had runne constant Iu one faire current all my hopes had been Layd up in one and fruitfull Normandy In this division had not lost her gloryes For as t is now t is a faire diamond Which being preserv'd intire exceeds all value But cut in peeces though these peeces are Set in fine gold by the best work-mans cunning Parts with all estimation So this Dukedome As 't is yet whole the neighbouring Kings may covet But cannot compasse which divided will Become the spoile of every barbarous foe That will invade it Gis. How this works in both Bal. Prince Rollos eyes have lost their fire Gis. And anger that but now wholly possessed Good Otto hath given place to pitie Aub. End not thus Madam but perfect what 's so well begun Soph. I see in both faire signes of reconcilement Make â—hem sure proofes they are so the Fates offer To your free choyce either to live Examples Of pietie or wickednesse if the later Blinds so your understanding that you cannot Pierce through her painted out-side and discover That she is all deformity within Boldly transcend all presidents of mischiefe And let the last and the worst end of tyrannies The murther of a mother but begin The staine of blood you after are to heighten But if that vertue and her sure rewards Can win you to accept her for your guide To lead you up to heaven and there fix you The fairest Starres in the bright Spheare of Honour Make me the parent of an hundred sonnes All brought into the world with joy not sorrow And every one a father to his countrey In being now made mother of your concord Rol. Such and so good loud fame for ever speake you Bal. I now they meet like Brothers The Brothers cast away their swords and embrace Gis. My hearts joy flows through my eyes Aub. May never womans tongue Hereafter be accus'd for this ones Goodnesse Ot. If we contend from this houre it shall be How to orecome in brotherly affection Rol. Otto is Rollo now and Rollo Otto Or as they have one mind rather one name From this attonement let our lives begin Be all the rest forgotten Aub. Spoke like Rollo Soph. And to the honour of this reconcilement Wee all this night will at a publick Feast With choice wines drowne our late feares and with musick Welcome our comforts Bald. Sure and certaine ones Exeunt Manent Grandpree Verdon Trevile and Duprete Gran. Did ever such a hopefull businesse end tâ—us Ver. T is fatall to us all and yet you Grandpree Have the least cause to feare Gran. Why what 's my hope Ver. The certainty that you have to be hang'dâ— You know the Chancellours promise Gran. Plague upon you Ver. What think you of a Bath and a Lords daughter To entertaine you Gran. Those desires are off Frayle thoughts all friends no Rollians now nor Ottoesâ— The sev'rall courtâ—sies of our swords and servants Deferre to after consequence let 's make use Of this nights freedome a short Parlament to us In which it will be lawfull to walk freely Nay to our drink we shall have meat too that 's No usuall businesse to the men o'th'sword Drink deep with me to night we shall to morrow Or whip or hang the merryer Tre. Lead the way then Exeunt Act II. Scene I. Enter Laâ—orch and Rollo VVHy should this trouble you Rol. It does and must doe till I find