the window Althea lookes out Alth. Whos 's that Lucil. Lucilio Alth. O my deare Lord Lucil. How fares my Althea Alth. As one that lives but in the armes of death And like a frost-kill'd worme is halfe reviv'd By your faire presence whose desired sight Makes a warme blood post through my trembling veins To tell my heart this newes that ere I die I once shall speake to you But I must chide your Grace my Lord that would so staine your love With foulest spots of blood Lucil. Blood to their soules that thought it for by The ne'r appaled heart of innocence The new-borne babes first smiles were ne'r more chaste Then was my breast frō thoughts of murder O Althea What will a woman loath that 's all possest With wrath and has the killing voyce of Iustice Tun'd to pronounce her mercilesse revenge The sword by her steel'd conscience edg'd to slaughter And undefended lives to worke upon Alth. It was your seale and hand that did perswade Me to the murder but my selfe return'd Disswasive arguments to beate you from 't Lucil. It was my seale which by my mothers charge 'T is thought the Page stole out without suspect As I conceive of mischiefe all the rest Was meerly counterfeit But bee advis'd And I will choake the hungry throat of Treason That gapes for blood with such a working pill As it shall loath to swallow and vomit up Their bloody plots in sick repentance Alth. No my dearest Lord let me in contentment die Since you are innocent and in my Tombe Bury your danger that have thus long sate A heavy burden to your happinesse Lucil. Long maist thou live untill the gods Althea Shall summon thee from hence to make a starre And grant Commission to the winged Post Of heaven to steale away thy soule in sleepe That Divine mould was not ordain'd to suffer A painfull shipwrack in thy lifes departure Alth. 'T will sweeten much the bitterst throes of death When I shall thinke my labouring soule does worke For my Lucilio's rest then let my guiltlesse Ghost Securely passe up to the fields of peace For I am weary and would gladly die Lucil. Vrge it no more the very sound of death Wish'd to thy innocence comes like a clappe Of armed thunder to mine eares and thou Shalt live though I should search the utmost tortures Tyrannie did ere invent to find a death Might ransome thee and therefore if thy love Does yet respect Lucîlios constancy Resolve and second mee Dispute no more But make some meanes to let me downe a line That I may fasten this disguise unto it She lets downe a line to which he fastens the disguise There draw it up and put it on with speed Suspitions eye dogs every step I tread She drawes up the bagge and while she is cloathing How strong is sad affliction on my State When I must steale a death and thinke me blest if none Doe interrupt my passage to destruction Oh that the paths of Fate so strange and invious Should lead us into life and through a Maze Of chances bring us to such unpassable periods That we must leape the bankes and give our breath To shunne the ills that doe incounter us Come have you yet dispatch'd Alth. I have my Lord but what of this Lucil. Then once more lend your line Having againe let downe the Line she drawes up a Ladder of Cords Fasten those Hookes to your window and come downe Shee fastens the Hookes above he below And then coming downe he receives her A more troublesome descent then from the Rock But your fall gentler So Now flie Althea And live as happy as my unhappy love Had made thee miserable time may bee More friendly to thee and beget some meanes That thou maist one day sit amidst thy friends Nay doe not weep Althea thou shalt see This will worke both our freedomes and if I die My silent Ghost shall in the pleasingst formes At mid-noon dayes come oft to visit thee Farewell They kisse and he offers to goe up Alth. What meanes your Grace Lucil. To out-runne trechery and winne a Goale That shall enrich my name make envy swell And drowne her selfe in overflowing Gall Alth. I le meet the ugliest shapes that ever Death Appear'd to Nature in before I le leave Your Grace expos'd to danger for my life Lucil. No more for I have vow'd what I intend And if thou dost withstand it to make this houre The last of breathing to mee therefore be gone I le lie at Stake my selfe that you may steere No interrupted course and since the law Gives Virgins leave to pleade and die conceal'd I with this Scarfe here will bee your Attorney Hasten your flight least mischiefe finde you slow Wee shall both fare the better At the Parks end By a Fount that riseth from the Chaulky Banke Camilla stayes with your Viaticum Shee 'll be thy partner in thy banishment Once more farewell and if I die for ever Alth. And if you die I shall not long out-live you He goes up into the window In what a sad dilemma stands my soule In this divulsion betweene love and danger Yet blesse mine eyes once more with sight of you Lucil. Farewell Althea Alth. Dearest Lord farewell Lucil. Againe farewell Althea all the favours Of Guardian Angels and mild'st influences Propitious Heaven retaines waite on thy sufferings Exeunt Enter Alastor and another Servant setting the Barre and laying Cushions Alast. Come dispatch the Duke 's at hand Serv. I wonder he sits himselfe in judgement to day Alast. The matter in question is great Serv. Many thinke the poore Gentlewoman is innocent Alast. They be fooles to say so Serv. Why is 't a folly to speake what they thinke Alast. I as very a folly as to be vertuous indeed Do'st imagin t will gaine any thing but hate Serv. Yet many dare pawne their lives that shee is guiltlesse Alast. None but such as were predestin'd never to bee great they bee tender conscienc'd dunces they never learn'd Esops Fables Serv. Why for that Alast. Do'st not remember the tale of the Lion that banish'd all horn'd beasts from Court Serv. That was a madd Lion i'faith Alast. That then the Foxe went away as banish'd too because if the Lion should say his prickt eares were Hornes what then Serv. But she was thought ever vertuous and modest Alast. Shee would not have beene guilty so soone else shall a swaggering wench that will take Tobacco eight and forty times in foure and twenty houres talke bawdy as familiar as an Oyster wife retaine seven servants with good backes and a weake husband to keep Doggs from doore have no priviledge above suspected vertue Serv. Faith I remember when I went to Schoole my Master vs'd to tell us a Verse or two out of a Poet hic damnatus inani Iudicio I ha' forgot the Poëts name but I remembred the Verse by another where he instructs creatures of our faculty Alast. Why what does he teach us
Serv. Nay nothing but tells us onely that if wee will thrive by service we must be either close Panders palpable flatterers or cozening Villaines Alast. A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poët I warrant him Exeunt Enter the Duke at one doore with Antonio Page and other Attendants At the other doore Lucilio in Altheas apparell his face covered with a Scarfe brought in by a Pursivant at Armes Frailware and others with Holbeards as a Prisoner to the Barre Damasippus Attend. Give back there and let the prisoner stand forth Duke How did wee thinke that when the stormes of warre Were with our danger care and cost expell'd From out these confines and the warmth of peace Turn'd like a Spring to shine within your bounds We should have sate secure Or after all Those toiles that spent our strength dry'd up our blood Hasten'd the hand of time to seize our haires Before his date and onely in pursuit Of your lov'd people safty and content Our owne now fainting wearinesse of age Should taste that freedome which our labours bought In plenteous fulnesse for the poorest swaine And we have clos'd the Evening of our age Within a fearlesse slumber But how weake Are all the hopes that wretched Princes faine When in the calme of peace while wee suppose Our perils banish'd and our selves ingirt With such impenetrable love as we Embrace our people with then stand our lives Expos'd to thickest dangers which conceal'd Doe strike the deeper and are warded lesse Such is the miserie that followes State That when we want abroad we finde at home Foes to besiege our lives The discontent Of some aggrieved spirits that thinke we stand 'Twixt their desires and them and which is worse The idle passions of unbridl'd youth Rather than misse those hopes enflamed lust Has fir'd within their thoughts will overturne Whole States and climbe up to their aymed ends By our heap'd slaughters Yet I least had thought Such Tragick Acts had knowne a womans breast Nor if I could Althea would your life Strong to retort suspition once permit Our least mistrust to staine your vertuous name And had we not by heavens appointment found Vnder your hand and seale the firmest proofes Of tempting our owne blood to paricide Suspitions strongest proofes had ne'r induc'd Our never lightly credulous beliefe To harbour your dislike But should we now Neglect our safety and our Countries good When all the Providence of Fate conspires To bring those treacherous practises to light Which Heaven abhorres wee should contemne the Heavens Abuse that forme of justice we sustaine And stand as guilty of those wastefull ruines Our cruell mildnesse gives your actions scope To call upon your Countrey and our selves We therefore by the Lawes denounce you guilty Of Treason 'gainst our person and the State Lucil. Were it for life my Lord I stood to speake I scarce would give the breath that I must spend To save that life But since your Grace does know A womans prejudice has doom'd our death For my names life I le speake and not for mine If infamy might die when we doe die I would be silent for know my gracious Lord I scorne to beg a life but come all arm'd In such a compleate innocence as dares Meet angry injustice in the jawes of death And without trembling stand his violence But that these Acts of blood these horrid crimes Of paricide of lust and hellish sinne Which will out-live our Tombes and make our names Come hatefull to posterities Records Should have a birth within a Virgins breast That never yet was conscious of a wish 'Gainst your desired safety I must take leave To tell your Grace that it was meerly feign'd By the bloody hand of Envy to cut off That sacred band of love the Heavens have knit 'Twixt your sonnes heart and my chaste innocence Nor doe I taxe your justice for my death But doe impute it most to his fond love That by protests of vertue and desire Drew my beleeving soule to his affects For when my feares urg'd these ensuing ils His uncontain'd affection breaking forth In signes of extreme passion so consum'd My powers that had my thoughts beene cold as Snow His zeale pour'd out in such inflaming vowes Would melt them Duke We must check your impudence That swels beyond the bounds we did expect Your modesty should have observ'd you wrong Our sonne and in our sonne our selves know you This hand and seale Lucil. I doe my honour'd Lord Yet were that Hand and Seale never found guilty Of conceiv'd wrong 'gainst or your Sonne or you Duke 'T will speake it selfe call it to witnesse then One reades the Letter MY Lord the attempt is dangerous and foule therefore desist not to enjoy the sweets our present Nuptials would being could I endure your hand stain'd with such an Action More when wee meet feare not but Heaven and Fate will second vertue Be still your selfe and I will rest Yours more than mine ALTHEA Duke Had you a priviledge to shrowd the blush Your conscious guilt casts 'gainst the eyes of Heaven As from our sight you doe conceale the Die That writes your Acts in shame upon your Cheekes You might deny these proofes and sweare them fain'd But that all-seeing power that notes the wild And secretst passages of mans conceit Detesting those foule crimes of lust and blood Reveales your Acts Stand therefore and from the Seate Of Iustice heare your doom since your ambitious hopes Soar'd up and by our Blood did meane to climbe Into that Seat which Nature and our right Had given to us be therfore from the Rock Throwne with your hopes that your example teach How low they fall that climbe above their reach And you Antonio we charge to see The execution speedily perform'd Exit cumsuis Manent Lucilio Antonio Page Damasippus Lucil. As sweet as cooling dew comes to the brest Of scorched Autumne so Deaths slumber fals On oppress'd innocence And good Antonio Since 't is your charge to see us dead let mee Entreat this favour that my body be Speedily interr'd and pray you tell the Duke That I request his Grace not grieve too much Hereafter for what I willingly now sought And he against his will made me to finde Then that I may have a litttle space in private To bid the world farewell and this is all A dying Virgin begs and for your friend Lucilio's sake you must not now deny it Anto. Wonder of womē could my attemps but yeeld Halfe what my heart conceives these limbs should die As many severall deaths as they containe Conduits of life to make your innocence live For your Lucilios sake whose woes will swell Poore Lord like to a winde-driven Ocean When he shall heare you dead and beare him downe To some disastrous end Lucil. You are deceiv'd Deare friend Lucilio's woes end with my life Nor will a thought of griefe a teare or sigh Trouble his peacefull sleeps when I am dead But I shall straine
your patience too farre and give The Duke a cause to blame your too much favour Exeunt The Page puls Damasippus back to speake with him Dam. My little least of any thing thou parcell of man what 's the newes with thee Page Newes from the Fortunate Ilands Master Damasippus The very Elizium of your delight and delicious Nectar of pleasure Mistris Ambrosia Frailware commands halfe her selfe to your learned conceipts and the rest to the heate of your inferiour Moralities Dam. O the odoriferous flowre of Florence How does shee Page In able strength and strong appetite and earnestly entreates this evening your presence at Supper her Husband will bee forc'd by Oath businesse to be absent and therefore you must feed her with the fruits of your company and you shall bee fed with the strength of confirming meates that edifie Dam. Thy reward shall overtake thee I will first accompany this Lady to her death and prepare and strengthen her according to moralitie and then I will be ready to give all moral comfort to the sweet desires of our deare Paramour Exit Page I le meet your moral comfort with such a Physicall counter-buffe that I le spoile your tilting for that night i'faith Exit Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Antonio Lucilio following and by him Damasippus at going to the Rocke the executioner Frailware and others with Holbeards Damasippus ANd as I told you sweet Lady make your reconcilement with the world that you bee not hindred from your death if you owe any thing you must forgive and forget it that you may dye according to moralitie Lucil. I thanke your labour Master Damasippus I hope my peace with heaven and earth 's confirm'd And you shall need trouble your selfe no farther But you Antonio whose deserving trust Must be a witnesse of the latest gaspe Our fainting soule shall draw tell to the world How undivided was the tender love Betwixt Althea and Lucilio's life And let me vow 't into thy full beliefe That the soft Ayre faun'd with the cooling breath Of a milde Sommers Evening from the West Was not lesse murderous than Althea's wish Nay weepe not man we cannot weepe our selves We doe intreat this death to end our woes Not to encrease them Farewell Antonio And if in after times you heare our friends Sigh for our haplesse death bid them desist We did but quench the thirst envy had chas'd us into Come honest friend Discharge your Office for sorrow 'gins to fit Heavy upon our heart that faine would rest The Executioner with one more leads him up to the Rocke where he begins to binde his hands first asking him forgivenesse Execut. Madam forgive me your death Lucil. Which here I doe As freely as I wish my weari'd Ghost May finde a fearelesse passage through the strange And uncouth shades that leades our soules to Rest Enter the Lady Iulia running with her haire dishevell'd Iulia Where shall I runne to meet that which beheld Kils with a deadlyer wound then doe the eyes Or coldest poyson of a Basiliske She sees them on the Rock Althea stay and let thy wretched Parent Take the last farewell of her dying childe Shee runnes up to them Ah why did Nature make my unhappy wombe Fruitfull by thee and yet reserve mine age To out-live the extremities of griefe and see Thy dismall end by an untimely death Was I reserv'd for this Or were the crimes Of our black guilt so horrid in the eyes Of Heaven that nothing but the fatall scourge Of severe justice in the woefull'st forme Could expiate our sinne How were I blest If the first instant that imparted life To thy scarce featur'd selfe joy to my wombe Had beene the last in which we both had breath'd Lucil. Madam doe not afflict your selfe nor let your cares Live from our death Althea cannot dye But with her innocence does buy a life That shall extend her worth beyond the reach Of Time and Envy Therefore as you respect Your daughters peacefull happinesse take truce With sorrow but till we be dead and Heaven That still protects the innocent will show How just it is in plaguing those that strive By treacherous plots to oppresse innocent lives Iulia Canst thou perswade the Ocean in a storme To leave her swelling Or a Bullet shot To stop its passage No Althea no! The lightest Arrow is not more powerfull sent Vnto his Mark than we are throwne to death Therefore farewell I le haste to meet thee there Where no injustice nor oppressing tyrannie Shall sever our embraces and let this kisse Seale up that vow upon thy dying lips She offers to kisse Lucilio and putting by his Scarfe he is knowne What 's here has sorrow so transform'd thy shape Or dull'd the wonted vigour of my sight That it sees nothing right proportioned Lucil. Madam conceale me for Althea's love Who lives but banish'd onely for a while And let me die that she may freely live Iulia My Lord Lucilio doe you mocke my woes O where 's Althea have you murder'd her And come to upbraid the miseries we feele Is 't not enough that I must lose that stay On which my aged widdowhood rely'd But you must jest at anguish Is not our blood Enough to satisfie the thirst of Treason But you must swallow more I le not conceale Your murdering plotts but lay these Actions ope To the wide worlds eyes and leave the rest In hope that Heaven who doth your treacheries view As you have dealt so they may deale with you Shee throwes off his Scarfe Exit Iulia Lucilio offers to throw himselfe off the Rocke Serv. What meanes my Lord Lucil. To dye as I am doom'd Therefore let me goe Serv. Antonio lend your help To save the Prince whom you have brought to death Anto. My heart force him to live or by the Seat Of Iustice you shall die as many deaths As you have Arteries Lucil. Then we must live to see those griefes alive Which death would end and life will but revive Anto. Poste to the Duke before and let him know The strangenesse of the accident Exit Servant Frailware and Page Lucil. Antonio know that I ever held thy faith till now True to thy friend and thought thou wouldst assist His miserie which thou hadst richly done If I had dyed Anto. O honour'd Lord be these Your harmelesse attempts that you conceal'd With such a nice reserv'dnesse from your friend Come good my Lord let us repaire to Court That now stands wondring at this strange report Exeunt Enter Page and Frailware Page My Head 's in labour with a jest Master Constable and I have a warrant to your authoritie to see me well deliver'd on 't Frail. I can drinke Sack and talke bawdy for a need if it come within the compasse of my Office Page Why there be two ingredients then to the composition of a Midwife and if you 'll be rul'd in the Action wee shall laugh and lie downe and have an excellent banquet at the
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
thy death Pursue thee farther and bereaving first Thy innocent life in some forsaken wood Leave thee unburyed and thy restlesse ghost Comes now to seeke a Sepulcher of me Alth. Great Lord recall your selfe and give me leave To speake what will resolve this doubtfull maze In which your senses wander and can finde No passage out Since I last left your Grace Travelling in that disguise I lost indeed Camilla poore Companion of my cares But hearing that your selfe in shape of me Was by your Fathers doome throwne off this Rock Knowing my sufferance guilty of your death I came to end my life where you had dyed And expiate the murder with my blood Where 't was committed on your guiltlesse self Reserv'd by Heavens mild hand to this blest houre Wherein our innocent loves might once more meet In spight of envie Lucil. Lives my Althea then Then live Althea still But speake no more Lest the vast Tyde of joy o'rwhelme my soule And kill as quick as griefe Or my sad heart Vnable to sustaine this burden of wonder Sinke and yeeld vanquish'd I have much to aske But let it rest yet tell me how thou far'dst In this long banishment stay who comes yonder Now the wind 's turn'd and fortunes lavish hand Powres downe content beyond expectation Enter Duke and Duchesse with Officers bringing Assassino to execution after them the L. Iulia and Antonio both disguised Duke Come thou inhumane murderer of my sonne Traytor unto thy Countries state and safety And now before the stroke of Iustice seize Thy hatefull life resolve the wondring world Why the slight motives of a womans words Should winne thee to so foule and horrid crimes Assas. What I have said your selfe are witnesse to Nor needs it be renew'd nor can I adde One word or syllable to make it more Duke Then let the Execution proceed That wee may doe this latest Exequie To his wrong'd ghost which is to see his blood Reveng'd with blood of those that murdred him As we have vow'd to doe and not to leave These weeds of sorrow till we have consum'd The race and name of them that did conspire In this abhorred Action And would it might Suffice the injuries we did his life Thus to revenge his too untimely death And from that height He sees them on the Rocke and stands amaz'd Am I awake or dreame I Is it my fancy Breeds this delusive show in my weak braine Or doe their soules come to condemne our guilt More cōscious of their death then whō we have brought To die for it See doe thy dazled eyes Perceive that object which my selfe beholds Or is 't some shadow that abuses mee And none but mee Duch. My sonne my Lord my sonne More knowne by 's ghost then if his living forme Had met mine eyes ô speake to him my Lord Duke If thou beest such as is thy semblance By all that duty that thy life did owe Vnto a Parent by the Bands once due Of Love and Nature that unites the soules Of children and their carefull nourishers I doe adjure thee tell why in this midd'st Of day you come thus to renew our griefe What has there wanted to your Funerals When we have wept us dry and spent our teares More thicke than winter showers upon your Hearse Done all the Rites and Exequies were due To your interring And have vow'd revenge To all that did conspire in that foule Act Of thy too guiltlesse murder Lucil. Know that wee are return'd From out those Seats of Blisse where we were plac'd By your unjust proceedings to make knowne That what you did was 'gainst the will of Fate For see what you deny'd upon the earth The power of Heaven does grant and has confirm'd Our long-borne loves with an Eternall peace Where our two soules in sweetest union knit Enjoy their Nuptials out of Envies reach Yet know there are some punishments reserv'd For the vile Treasons practis'd in pursuite Of our unmerited wrongs and that their sinne Is mark'd for plagues that seeke by force to breake The League that Love and Faith doe joyntly knit Duke Then let 'hem fall wee are prepar'd for woes Though shot as thick as Haile from out the Clouds Our guilt is greater than those punishments Or all our future plagues can expiate The Duke and Duchesse both kneele Yet on our bended knees thus low to earth As we did both conspire in that foule plott We here entreat your pardons and withall Wish the offended Heavens would bee appeas'd With Vowes and Orisons and would your ghosts Forget those injuries wee did your loves And rest in peace with us and with the world Lucil. Father we will but should we live againe You would not yet relent and yeeld our loves The sufferance you see the Heavens have done Duke By Heavens I would nor should the potent'st hand Of earth resist your present Nuptials Lucil. Then wee 'll be ghosts no more but ever sue For your mild sufferance of our happinesse Come downe both kneele Duke Wonder and amazement do not oppresse me Duch. O we are blest beyond desert Alth. Yet is my joy but small amidst your many Since you have burnt my innocent Mother And razd our Family Iul. No my deare daughter see I safely live Ne'r blest till now and now o'r-joyd with blisse Lucil. Then joyes would be compleate had I not lost By thy vile murderous hand so deare a friend Anton. Your friend still lives and never felt his life Sweet till this instant when I may behold These joyes combin'd Duke Why then there nothing wants But celebration of your Nuptials Which we will doe with greater signes of joy Then we had griefe in your supposed Funeralls But whose death is this murderer guilty of Ant. Onely Alastors a fellow as wicked as himself Duke We give him then his life but banish him From our Dominions and for this strange event We will expect a farther leisure To heare the whole discovery of the chance And leave the rest to mirth that shall command In all our Feasts and whom wee 'll Crowne as King To be chiefe Lord in all our Banquetting Exeunt omnes Omnia vincit amor nos cedamus amori * Ambubaiarum Collegii Alumni The Epilogue IVdging Spectators all for this wee know That either you are such or should be so Now to your censures lowly as his minde Our Authour all submits and hopes to finde In such a faire assembly no such eyes As scoute at Theaters and come like flies To taint the innocent'st labours with their tongues Raising their richest gaines from others wrongs If such an envious Canker hap to lurke Here and hath onely sate to taxe the worke With curious scanning let that envy know He scornes his censure onely and can show 'Gainst all such labour'd hisses Perseus Shield In such a fearlesse Pen as ne'r shall yeeld 'Till his cold merits doe his worth bewray Or make himselfe a mewing Statua Nor is he of those self-admiring Apes That thinke none's features faire whose birth escapes Their labouring braines hee heares and sees and knowes And yeelds all reverence to the worth of those VVhom solid Art extols and unto such Hee humbly vailes his Scene that for the touch Of unaffecting censures hither came Hee sought your mirth more than a Poets name FINIS
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
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
signes Of that true valour your spirit seemes to beare For 't is not courage when the darts of chance Are throwne against our State to turne our backs And basely runne to death as if the hand Of Heaven and Nature had lent nothing else To oppose against mishap but losse of life Which is to flie and not to conquer it For know it were true valours part my Lord That when the hand of chance had crush'd our States Ruin'd all that our fairest hopes had built And thrown 't in heaps of desolation Then by those ruines for our thoughts to climbe Vp till they dar'd blinde fortune to the face And urg'd her anger to increase those heaps That we might rise with them and make her know Wee were above and all her power below Why this my Lord would prove us men indeed But when affliction thunders o'r our Roofe To hide our heads and runne into our graves Shewes us no men but makes us fortunes slaves Lucil. Antonio thou wouldst turne Philosopher To doe thy friend a kindnesse but 't is not wordes Our businesse askes we must have action now Thou seest my fathers anger for this freeing Althea from her death swels like a tide Halfe flowne that labours 'gainst an adverse winde And does command us leave the Court awhile And passe for Greece as if our travaile could Be Bawd unto the chastity of faith That 's vow'd to vertue when my long weary'd minde Already 's toyling in a pilgrimage Vp to the shrine of Natures rich perfections Therefore Antonio thou must take the shape Of all save misery that I containe And for I know my fathers jealousie Will entertaine all rumours that are left Where ere my name passe thou must bee Lucilio And so my name travaile alone with thee It will suffice for fame doth sometimes gull The best intelligence Then shape thy course Farthest from Athens to those parts of Greece Where I am least knowne Anton. Pardon me my Lord If I consent not for should your safety call To leap the Tyrrhene Cliffs into the maine Stand in the face of a fir'd Canon Or hale a sleeping Lyon from the way Where you must passe my love would force me runne Against the edge of danger for your life But this is onely a pretended shew To win our absence that none may interrupt Your torrent of impatience that posts Like melted Snow from off the Apenine Downe to destruction Luci. Thou art curious still With our intentions and mistak'st me much Beleev 't Antonio if I might have dyed When the vast flood of spleene was at the full And thought to overflow whole worlds of love When Envy stood a tip-toe to catch hold And pull downe innocence to trample on 't And sweet Revenge was at her on to speake From my bruis'd bones then death had been a heaven But now my head 's turn'd brasse speakes times past And harden'd is against the worst of ils Though every frowne my angry mother gives Should come like hammers 'gainst my forehead Anton. May I beleev 't my Lord Lucil. By Heaven I will And so resolve yet for thy farther trust I will bee open to thee my meaning is To put off name and habit for a while Till I have found Althea and knit that knot Which hell it selfe shall never violate And therefore carry rumour still with thee That it may have no leasure to descry What I embrace Farewell Antonio And prethee let this evening bee the last Of thy delay Heaven will be my friend And send content or give my woes an end Exit Lucilio Anton. Soft I le not leave you to goe seek that end your name shall travaile but I le not carry it Though you have vow'd not to procure your death you are in love manet Enter Alastor and Assassino quarrelling Alast. D'sfoote Sir your speeches be peremptory Assas. Why Sir I said it and I say it agen that the Dukes Sonne was a foole and a mad-man to venture his life for ere a womans love in Italy Alast. I yeeld Sir 't was a mad part to venture a painful death for a woman when a woman will venture nothing but she 'll have pleasure at one end of it for the life of a man yet the Dukes Sonne was not a madman for it Assas. I say he was Alast. I say you lie Assassino gives him a blow D'foote Sir you will not strike me Assass. Yes and whip thee with Birch i' the Nose Exit stalking Anton. Bravely perform'd Alastor 't is politiquely done bee noble and doe not strike Alast. Why sir this is not mine owne sword Anton. And therefore thou hadst no authority to use it Come I have other businesse for thee that shall gaine thee gold Alast. I thanke you sir for indeed I had a suit to you before Anton. It is the better trade of the two by halfe I know thou canst begg valiantly but to the businesse Thou knowst my Lord Lucilio goes away in disgrace 'twixt banishment and travaile he is not well and therefore would stay behinde a while unknowne onely thou must goe before and put on his name that the world may take notice of his passage and hold rumour busie till hee comes privately and overtakes thee But come to my lodging where I le dispose of farther particulars and furnish thee with apparell and crownes for thy journey Alast. I attend you sir exeunt A Table set forth covered with a cloth Enter Mistris Frailware Mistris Frail. Why Debora I say why Debora Debor. Anon forsooth within Mistris Frail. Come bring away the Napkins quickly and make ready here these heavy Ars'd wenches are so slow and doe you heare bid one of the Boyes fetch me a Pinte of Oligant Buls Blood and a quart of Canary and look that the white Broth with Eringoes and Marrow be not over-boyl'd I know M. Damasippus loves it well Enter Damasippus Damas. Ioy and peace of minde be to my deare Pupill let mee give thee a morall kisse Mistris Frai. In pure moralitie M. Damasippus you are most heartily welcome Would this wench would come away that wee had Supper once Damas. That word hath eterniz'd thee my sweet Ambrosia and thy name is written in Elizium among Ioves paramours Wherefore let the beloved of Iove feast and banquet according to moralitie Enter Debora with Supper Mistris Frail. You are so full of learned sayings still I have studyed too a great while would I could reade once Dam. Soule of the world thou shalt bee illuminated without reading for I will infuse knowledge into thee and thou shalt bee repleate Mistris Fra. Can you doe so M. Damasippus Dam. I can my Summum bonum and thou shalt have the Mandragoras for thy fecundity and I will free thee from the vicious note of sterility Mistris Fra. O the blessings of these Philosophers Come sweet M. Damasippus sit and le ts sup quickly Dam. Content Enter Debora running Debor. O Mistris my Master and Mistris Abigail are comming up
till freed by all degrees she becomes a Nurse of the Trade by five and forty then many times a six penny Witch and so back againe to an everlasting Devill The second Spirit riseth Duch. What is this Mic. This is a Spirit Madam that takes many times the habit of an old Gentlewoman gets into Ladies familiarities teaches the tempers of Complexion the composition of meats that strengthen and provoke luxury the use of quelque choses and Dildoes has Aretine at her fingers ends 'T was she that first invented double Locks and a sute of Keyes to every Office Shee exalted the horne of the Buttery made the Silver Bole neglect the company of the black Iack and preferr'd a Bill against eating Breakfasts and sitting up late to the prejudice of Tallow-Chandlers In fine shee sets Families together by the eares and flattering her selfe into great mens expenses becomes the bane of Hospitalitie Duch. 'T is a familiar Spirit methinkes I could bee acquainted with her But who is this The third Spirit Mic. O this is a Devill of many shapes and indeed Madam seldome at leisure that wee can have any use of him He fawnes him into services of place and perswades men otherwise morally civil from the chaste Sheets of their beautifull and vertuous mariages becomes an Intelligencer and panders them to Milk-maids Kitchin-wenches and Oyster-wives Hee refuses no deed that heaven abhorres and Hell trembles at so his Lord sin with him He is a very chain'd slave to his Masters vices and leaves him in nothing but Actions of honour and vertue An other time hee is a concealed Druggist or Apothecary puts on the name of a great Traviller poysons at an houre and is in great request Duch. Speake to him good Micale and let him know our businesse Mic. Stay then thou Spirit of night and by the power The chiefe commander of your shades hath lent I doe adjure thee tell where lives Althea The Spirit whispers Micale behinde He tels me Madam in the Mountaines farre from hence Duch. But how shall we procure her death He whispers Micale as before Mic. By poyson gi'mee something then that kils Past Cure and speedily it is sufficient Hee gives her a Violl and exit I have a nimble Spirit at command That by an oyntment which we doe apply To parts of our mark'd bodies is at hand Who posts us through the regions of the ayre When oft wee meet at solemne festivals Or doe admit a novice to the oath Of our abstruse and powerfull discipline Leave it to us and ere to morrowes Sunne Touch but three Points of West beyond Mid-noone My selfe will see Althea dead Duch. Thanks gentle Micale for thou hast eas'd me much I le not forget thy paines nor leave thy skill Without regard for wee have much to know Mic. 'T is a curious age Madam and we are full Of businesse now so many come to know Who shall survive their Husbands or themselves And then how long whom they shall marry next What place and oportunitie must meet To raise their titles with a million more Of womens questions But the day begins To looke upon us Duch. I must hasten then Least some mis-fortune doe discover me Farewell Micale hell prosper our designe Mic. Feare it not Madam I will not sleep nor eate Till by Althea's death I joyntly free Your Sonne and House from Cupids Tyranny exeunt Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter Althea and Camilla disguis'd like Shepheardesses Althea THe day growes hot and with the climing Sunne That mounts to th' height of noone our cares doe flie Drawne on by feare and griefe to deep despaire Le ts rest under this shade until the sindging Ray a little hath withdrawne it selfe Cam. And gladly too for I am as weary of travell as I am of a Shepheards life Alth. I Camilla the desire of being publike is the disease of our Sex we thinke the Countries free breathing spaciousnesse a prison where the losse of libertie is the want of company But if there were one of us whose contents were not without her she would shun that common concurse of eyes as she does the opinion of deformity and perceive that the best perfectiō had no greater enemy than publike aspects Cam. This is forc'd now and savours not of your temper and womans seasoning to hold Paradoxes against nature and opinions opposite to our owne feelings 'Sprecious Madam if Nature fram'd us to please how can we please where 's none to be pleas'd but Beasts and Birds whose apprehension was ne'r made capable of proportion and therefore regard it not Althea And therefore condemne us of unnaturalnesse that when beauty was equally shar'd 'twixt them and us they respect it as it is whil'st wee blinded by reasonable sense conceive it the richest gift Heaven could give study it above the soule and equall to life tho it meerly touch our outsides as clothes doe Cam. Nay deare Mistris let 's talke a little now like our selves like women and tell mee whether an excellent Qualitie forc'd from operation or a rare peece of worke held from sight bee not a wrong to the Author as well as the thing O they were fowly deceiv'd that sought perfection in a Nunnery Alth. That 's the errour of our ambition that while wee take our ayme at admiration by publikenesse and common flattery we misse that repute among the wisest which our beauties not prostituted would infallibly merit because every thing though lesse perfect yet lesse common is more admired as we see in the Sunne and a Comet Cam. You are Bookish still and I le stand to it yet there 's no woman but loves them both and therefore being naturall to our Sex why should it bee tearmed unnaturalnesse in us to cherish beautie or wish the perfection of civill mens amiable societie when that ever begets love and love is ever secōded with flattery I like a Wench that 's pure mettall and spirit and the very foule of her kinde that when a Lord wantons her will forsake her home give off her father and competent meanes to the poore of the Parish stick to the City like a Prodigall to the Counter that cannot be drawne out by all the friends he has lives clearely by her wits yet reasonable honest too and all to be flatter'd Alth. Such Camilla be the disgrace of their Sex whose appetites change with varietie and taint the generall name of women with the vicious note of inconstancy Camill. That 's the folly of men to terme inconstancie vicious in us for were they not so prone to wrong us they would ne'r expect it but know that to bee too constant to them were to bee too disloyall to our selves which I hope ne'r came nigh a womans wit Alth, Yet it is the perfection of vertue to lose by the exercise Cam. By the pleasures of change I sweare this constancy is a mortall sinne and not a vertue in any of us Alth. A sinne and mortall Cam. A sinn and
slumber begging with silent showes And deep fetch'd groanes a mothers slow revenge Assas. Good Madam I am sorry for it Iul. Then to recount the wrongs the infamy Heapt on her youth when by most trecherous plots Shee was attaint of murder and became The marke for every vulgar tongue to spit Slander and treason on her faire report And last her undeserv'd imprisonment Assas. By heavens 't was a foule abuse what wer 't best to doe Iul. And now to force her flie her dearest Countrey Friends hopes contents twixt opposite love and hate To live in obscure exile poore forlorne Suspitious still of death and flying that To wade each houre deep into misery To meet another death before her and sinke Vnder the double hand of murder not Into a Tombe but a poore Mountaine grave No rites nor obsequies at her interment Buried without a teare unpitied unrespected Assas. 'Fore Heaven Madam I would revenge it Jul. My soule Assassino labours for revenge Yet I 'm a woman and can sprinkle them But with a few salt teares and curse and pray Which is a weake foundation for my revenge To climbe and over-looke them Assa. You have friends call in the enemie mutine Iul. That 's full of hazzard for a peace being sworne The enterprize may make them happier Vs still more miserable But if my griefe Were arm'd with such a hand as would o'rturne The frame of all those hopes for which they sweate And spurne that in the dust which they would raise With hatefull deeds up to the point of state That I might see them grieve and waile the losse Which now afflicts my carefull widdowhood Know what it were to lose a childe sole comfort Of their declining yeares and send their a-Ged Coarses to the grave hopelesse of issue Assas. To make away the Prince 't is that you meane Iul. Thou art within me already And mark Assassino how easie 't is Since time occasion travaile and his solenesse Thy selfe not knowne gives advantagious meanes To second thine attempt doe but resolve And Fate will straight resolve to second thee In such a righteous and just revenge Assas. Madam the enterprise is dangerous And though I have a daring spirit that bids Mee undertake the deep'st attempts of blood For your revenge and in so just a quarrell Yet must you thinke the danger I shall passe Cannot but highly merit recompence Jul. Vow't propose the summe my House my Purse My Meanes and whatsoe'r is mine is thine Be bold and faithfull I le ever hold thee deare Call thee our Houses Champion and the hand Of heaven's justice mark'd to punish sinne And plague the guilty thoughts of tyranny Ass. But Madam the report of his passage is so obscure That I can hardly learne which way hee tooke Iul. I have dogg'd the rumour of his journey and can Exactly informe thee come take directions And gold to furnish thee Assas. Then I resolv't And he shall die Iul. Now thou dost powre fresh youth Vpon my haires newly reviv'st my soule Put'st spirits to my heart dry'd up with sighes And mak'st fresh blood traverse my empty veines For the sweet'st heaven the spleenes of women finde Is full revenge to our aggrieved minde Exeunt Enter Alastor solus in rich apparell disguised for the Prince Alast. It 's strange I heare not from the Prince nor Antonio who promis'd to meet mee here where I have now stay'd three dayes in expectance and had the winde bin faire must have pass'd for Greece 'Fore Heaven it 's a gallant thing to be a Lord if but in name you shall be so applauded in every vanitie scurrill jest and impious action A Satten Thersites that stalks among the Pesants like the Stork that Iupiter sent among the frogs will so bend and bow to your little Toe fawne and protest your excellencies Si bene ructavit Sirectum minxit I would I had the faith that some have I would never be unlorded againe 'Fore Heaven I must begin to fawne and get my selfe created This service done for the Prince is a good step to it Enter a Captaine of a Ship Now Captaine the winde 's unconstant still every where save where to steed us Cap. Womanish my Lord womanish Alast. Indeed their levity has gotten them now that Simile appropriated Cap. But they shew'd other Cards before they wonne it too Alast. Nay that 's enough i'faith Cap. Yet they had more Alast. As what Cap. Why their tongues which fill houses as the bustling of Windes doe Climates they overturne Families and States as winds doe Trees Towres Ships And for your diversitie of winds you have your diversitie of women for your whirlewindes that claspe and carry a thing in the ayre till it fall dasht to peeces you have of your Females that will claspe and beare you till at your next fall you will thinke one peece will scarce hang by another For your freezing windes you have them that will breed such a frost in your bones that change of weather will make 'hem as rotten as the ground after a sudden thaw And for your blitting and burning windes you have of them too that will blast and scorch most ambidextrously Onely the difference is that there bee but sixteene points in the Card where the winde can be unprofitable to a man but a woman has for the most part the whole compasse of her Card unprofitable which containes two and thirty points at least Alast. Then the Grāmarians methinkes did ill to make Ventus of the Masculine Gender Cap. The Grāmarians my Lord were meere Schollers meere Schollers be meere fooles and meere fooles are easily deceiv'd in matter of Gendring Alast. Impossible sir they couple Genders by Booke Capt. Right my Lord so they all study Riders Dictionary and therefore become excellent Horsemen Enter Navarchus a Master of a Ship Navar. Newes from Court to your Grace a stiffe robustious Letter-Carrier makes much inquiry where he may be delivered of some matters he has beene in travaile withall Alast. Cozenage and dissimulation help me it 's impossible to scape discovering D'sfoote I must walke stately looke scornfully talke simply and be Noble at all points now But it fals out something fortunately to be in the Evening let him have entrance Enter Assassino disguised Assas. Health to your Grace Alast. As much to them that bring it how fare our friends at Court Assa. As wanting no part of welfare but your wish'd presence Alast. Have you ought to impart that concerns us Assas. I have my Lord and must have private conference with your Grace Alast. Attend us then on the Litto where I le presently meete you and take this soft Evening breath Assas. Heaven Ayre Place Time and all will fit thy death Exit Assas. Alast. By Iove methinks I begin to be my Craftes-Master and Lord it handsomely If it were as easie for a Villaine to be a Lord as a Lord to be a villaine I would write noble instantly get mee a Herald for