shewne Rather on enemies breasts then on thy owne Sceui: But sacred and inviolate be thy will And let it lead and I teach vs This sword I could more willingly haue thrust Through Neroes breast That fortune deni'd me It now shall through Sceuinus Enter Tigellinus solus What multitudes of villaines are here gotten In a conspiracy which Hydra like Still in the cutting off increaseth more The more we take the more are still appeach And euery man brings in new company I wonder what we shall doe with them all The prisons cannot hold more then they haue The Iayles are full the holes with Gallants stincke Strawe and gold lace together liue I thinke 'T were best euen shut the gates o th' Citie vp And make it all one Iayle for this I am sure There 's not an honest man within the walles And though the guilty doth exceed the free Yet through a base and fatall cowardise They all assist in taking one another And by their owne hands are to prison led There 's no condition nor degree of men But here are met Men of the sword and gowne Plebeans Senators and women too Ladies that might haue slaine him with their Eye Would vse their hands Philosophers And Polititians Polititians Their plot was laid too short Poets would now Not onely write but be the arguments Of Tragedies The Emperour 's much pleas'd But some haue named Seneca and I Will haue Petroneus one promise of pardon Or feare of torture will accusers find exit Enter Nimphidius Lucan Sceuinus with a guard Nimph: Though Pisoes suddennesse and guilty hand Preuented hath the death he should haue had Yet you abide it must Luca: O may the earth lye lightly on his Course Sprinckle his ashes with your flowers and teares The loue and dainties of Mankind is gone Sceui: What onely now we can we 'le follow thee That way thou lead'st and waite on thee in death Which we had done had not these hindred vs Nimph: Nay other ends your grieuous crimes awaite Ends which the law and your deserts exact Sceui: What haue we deserued Nimph: That punishment that traitors vnto Princes And enemies to the State they liue in merit Sceuin: If by the State this gouernment you meane I iustly am an enemy vnto it That 's but to Nero you and Tigellinus That glorious world that euen beguiles the wise Being lookt into includes but three or foure Corrupted men which were they all remou'd 'T would for the common State much better be Nimph: Why what can you i th' gouerment mislike Vnlesse it grieue you that the world 's in peace Or that our armes conquer without blood Hath not his power with forraine visitations And strangers honour more acknowldg'd bin Then any was afore him Hath not hee Dispos'd of frontier kingdomes with successe Giuen away Crownes whom he set vp preuailing The riuall seat of the Arsacidae That thought their brightnesse equall vnto ours Is 't crown'd by him by him doth raigne If we haue any warre it 's beyond Rheme And Euphrates and such whose different chances Haue rather seru'd for pleasure and discourse Then troubled vs At home the Citie hath Increast in wealth with building bin adorn'd The arts haue flourisht and the Muses sung And that his Iustice and well tempred raigne Hath the best Iudges pleas'd the powers diuine Their blessings and so long prosperitie Of th' Empire vnder him enough declare Sceui: You freed the State from warres abroad but 't was To spoile at home more safely and diuert The Parthian enmitie on vs and yet The glory rather and the spoyles of warre Haue wanting bin the losse and charge we haue Your peace is full of cruelty and wrong Lawes taught to speake to present purposes Wealth and faire houses dangerous faults become Much blood i th' Citie and no common deaths But Gentlemen and Consulary houses On Caesars owne house looke hath that bin free Hath he not shed the blood he calls diuine Hath not that neerenes which should loue beget Alwayes on him bin cause of hate and feare Vertue and power suspected and kept downe They whose great ancestors this Empire made Distrusted in the gouernment thereof A happy state where Decius is a traytor Narcissus true nor onely wast vnsafe T' offend the Prince his freed men worse were feard whose wrongs with such insulting pride were heard That euen the faultie it made innocent If we complain'd that was it selfe a crime I though it were to Caesars benefit Our writings pry'd into falce guiltines Thinking each taxing pointed out it selfe Our priuate whisperings listned after nay Our thoughts were forced out of vs and punisht And had it bin in you to haue taken away Our vnderstanding as you did our speech You would haue made vs thought this honest too Nimph: Can malice narrow eyes See anything yet more it can traduce Sceui: His long continued taxes I forbeare In which he chiefely showed him to be Prince His robbing Alters sale of Holy things The Antique Goblets of adored rust And sacred gifts of Kings and people sold Nor was the spoile more odious then the vse They were imployd on spent on shame and lust Which still haue bin so endlesse in their change And made vs know a diuers seruitude But that he hath bin suffered so long And prospered as you say for that to thee O Heauen I turne my selfe and cry No God Hath care of vs yet haue we our reuenge As much as Earth may be reueng'd on Heauen Their diuine honour Nero shall vsurpe And prayers and feasts and adoration haue As well as Iupiter Nimph: Away blaspheming tongue Be euer silent for thy bitternesse Exeunt Enter Nero Poppaea Tigellinus Flauius Neophilus Epaphroditus and a yong man Nero What could cause thee Forgetfull of my benefits and thy oath To seeke my life Flaui Nero I hated thee Nor was there any of thy souldiers More faithfull while thou faith deseru'dst then I Together did I leaue to be a subiect And thou a Prince Caesar was now become A player on the Stage a Waggoner A burner of our houses and of vs A Paracide of Wife and Mother Tigel: Villaine dost know where of whom thou speakst Nero Haue you but one death for him let it bee A feeling one Tigellinus bee 't Thy charge and let me see thee witty in 't Tigell: Come sirrah Wee le see how stoutly you 'le stretch out your necke Flaui: Wold thou durst strike as stoutly Ex. Tig. Flau Nero And what 's hee there Epaph: One that in whispering oreheard What pitie 't was my Lord that Piso died Nero And why wa st pitie sirrah Piso died Yong My Lord 't was pitie he deseru'd to die Poppae: How much this youth my Otho doth resemble Otho my first my best loue who is now Vnder pretext of gouerning exyl'd To Lucitania honourably banisht Nero Well if you be so passionate I le make you spend your pitie on your Prince And good men not on
their minde Seeke alwayes recompence in that same kind The wrong was done them Loue was mine offence In that reuenge in that seeke recompence Popp. Further to answere will still cause replyes And those as ill doe please me as your selfe If you 'le an answere take that 's breefe and true I hate my selfe If I be lou'd of you exit Popp Petro. What gone but she will come againe sure no It passeth cleane my cunning all my rules For Womens wantonnesse there is no rule To take her in the itching of her Lust A propper young-man putting forth himselfe Why Fate There 's Fate and hidden prouidence In cod piece matters Anto: O vnhappie Man What comfort haue I now Petronius Pet. Counsell your selfe I le teach no more but learne Ant. This comfort yet He shall not so escape Who causeth my disgrace Nimphidius Whom had I here Well For my true-hearts loue I see she hates me And shall I loue one That hates me and bestowes what I deserue Vpon my riuall no Farewell Poppea Farewell Poppea and farewell all Loue Yet thus much shall it still preuaile in me That I will hate Nimphidius for thee Pet. Farewell to her to my Euanthe welcome Who now will to my burning kisses stoope Now with an easie cruelty deny That which she rather then the asker would Haue forced from her then begins her selfe Their loues that list vpon great Ladies set I still will loue the Wench that I can get Exeunt Enter Nero Tigellinus Epaphroditus and Neophilus Nero Tigellinus said the villaine Proculus I was throwne downe in running Tigel: My Lord he said that you were crown'd for that You could not doe Nero For that I could not doe Why Elis saw me do et and doe 't with wonder Of all the Iudges and the lookers on And yet to see A villane could not doe 't Who did it better I warrant you he said I from the Chariot fell against my will Tigil: He said my Lord you were throwne out of it All crusht and maim'd and almost bruis'd to death Nero Malicious Rogue when I fell willingly To show of purpose with what little hurt Might a good rider beare a forced fall How sayest thou Tigillinus I am sure Thou hast in driuing as much skill as he Tigil: My Lord you greater cunning shew'd in falling Then had you sate Nero I know I did or bruised in my fall Hurt I protest I felt no griefe in it Goe Tigillinus fetch the villaines head This makes me see his heart in other things Fetch me his head he nere shall speake againe ex Tigil What doe we Princes differ from the durt And basenesse of the common Multitude If to the scorne of each malicious tongue We subiect are For that I had no skill Not he that his farre famed daughter set A prise to victorie and had bin crown'd With thirteene Sutors deaths till he at length By fate of Gods and seruants treason fell Shoulder pack't Pelops glorying in his spoyles Could with more skill his coupled horses guide Euen as a Barke that through the moouing Flood Her linnen wings and the forc't ayre doe beare The Byllowes fome she smoothly cutts them through So past my burning Axeltree along The people follow with their eyes and voyce And now the wind doth see it selfe outrun And the Clouds wonder to be left behind Whilst the void ayre is fild with shoutes and noyse And Neroes name doth beate the brasen Skie Jubiter cruying loath doth heare my praise Then there greene bowes and Crownes of Oliue wre'aths The Conquerors praise they giue me as my due And yet this Rogue sayth no we haue no skill Enter a seruant to them Seruant My Lord the Stage and all the furnitures Nero I haue no skill to driue a Chariot Had he but robde me broke my treasurie The red-Sea 's mine mine are the Indian stones The Worlds mine owne then cannot I be robde But spightfully to vndermine my fame To take away my arte he would my life As well no doubt could he tould how Enter Tegillinus with Proculus head Neoph: My Lord Tegillinus is backe come with Proculus head strikes him Nero O cry thee mercie good Neophitus Giue him fiue hundred sesterces for amends Hast brought him Tegillinus Tegil: Here 's his head my Lord Nero His tongue had bin enough Tegil: I did as you commanded me my Lord Nero Thou toldst not me though he had such a Nose Now are you quiet and haue quieted me This t is to be commander of the World Let them extoll weake pittie that doe neede it Let meane men cry to haue Law and Iustice done And tell their griefes to Heauen that heares them not Kings must vpon the Peoples headlesse courses Walke to securitie and ease of minde Why what haue we to doe with th' ayrie names That old age and Philosophers found out Of Iustice and ne're certaine Equitie The Gods reuenge themselues and so will we Where right is scand Authoritie 'is orethrowne We haue a high prerogatiue aboue it Slaues may doe what is lust we what we please The people will repine and thinke it ill But they must beare and prayse too what we will Enter Cornutus to them Neoph: My Lord Cornutus whom you sent for 's come Nero Welcome good Cornutus Are all thigs ready for the Stage As I gaue charge Corn: They onely stay your comming Nero Cornutus I must act to day Orestus Cornu You haue done that alreadie and too truely aside Nero And when our Sceane is done I meane besides To read some compositions of mine owne Which for the great opinion I my selfe And Rome In generall of thy Iudgement hath Before I publish them I le shew them thee Cornu My Lord my disabilities Nero I know thy modestie I le onely shew thee now my works beginning Goe see Epaphroditus Musick made ready I will sing to day Exit Epa. Cornutus I pray thee come neere And let me heare thy Iudgement in my paynes I would haue thee more familiar good Cornutus Nero doth prise desert and more esteemes Them that in knowledge second him then power Marke with what style and state my worke begins Cornu Might not my Interuption offend What 's your workes name my Lord what write you of Nero I meane to write the deeds of all the Romans Cornu Of all the Romans a huge argument Nero I haue not yet bethought me of a Title You Enthrall Powers which the wide Fortunes doome he reades Of Empyre crown'd seauen Mountaine-seated Rome Full blowne Inspire me with Machlaean rage That J may bellow out Romes Prentisage As when the Menades doe fill their Drums And crooked hornes with Mimalonean humme And Ennion doe Ingeminate a round Which reparable Ecchoe doth resound How doest thou like our Muses paines Cornutus Cornu The verses haue more in them then I see Your worke my Lord I doubt will be too long Nero Too long Tigel: Too long Cornu I If you write the deedes of all the Romans
Swans Let me of thee and of thy beauties glory And endlesse tell but neuer wearying story Exeunt Enter Nero Ephaproditus Neophilus Nero Come Sirs I faith how did you like my acting What wa st not as you lookt for Epaph: Yes my Lord and much beyond Nero Did I not doe it to the life Epaph: The very doing neuer was so liuely As now this counterfeyting Nero And when I came Toth ' point of Agrippa Clitemnestras death Did it not mooue the feeling auditory Epaph: They had beene stones whom that could not haue mon'd Nero Did not my voyce hold out well to the end And seru'd me afterwards afresh to sing with Neoph: We know Apollo cannot match your voyce Epaph: By Ioue I thinke you are the God himselfe Come from aboue to shew your hidden arts And fill vs men with wonder of your skill Nero Nay faith speake truely doe not flatter me I know you need not flattery 's but where Desert is meane Epaph: I sweare by thee O Caesar Then whom no power of Heauen I honour more No mortall voice can passe or equall thine Nero They tell of Orpheus when he tooke his Lute And moou'd the noble Iuory with his touch Hebrus stood still Pangea bow'd his head Ossa then first shooke off his snowe and came To listen to the moouings of his song The gentle Popler tooke the Oake along And call'd the Pyne downe from his Mountaine seate The Virgine Bay although the Arts she hates o th' Delphick God was with his voice ore come He his twice-lost Euridice bewailes And Proserpines vaine gifts and makes the shores And hollow caues of forrests now vntreed Beare his griefe company and all things teacheth His lost loues name Then water ayre and ground Euridice Euridice resound These are bould tales of which the Greekes haue store But if he could from Hell once more returne And would compare his hand and voice with mine I though himselfe were iudge he then should see How much the Latine staines the Thracian lyar I oft haue walkt by Tibers flowing bankes And heard the Swan sing her owne Epitaph When she heard me she held her peace and died Let others raise from earthly things their praise Heauen hath stood still to heare my happy ayres And ceast th' eternall Musicke of the Spheares To marke my voyce and mend their tunes by mine Neoph: O diuine voyce Epaph: Happy are they that heare it Enter Tigellinus to them Nero But here comes Tigellinus come thy bill Are there so many I see I haue enemies Epaph: Haue you put Caius in I saw him frowne Neoph: And in the midst o th' Emperors act on Gallus laught out and as I thinke in scorne Nero Vespasian too a sleepe was he so drowsie Well he shall sleepe the Iron sleepe of death And did Thrasia looke so sourely on vs Tigil: He neuer smilde my Lord nor would vouchsafe With one applause to grace your action Nero Our action needed not be grac'd by him Hee 's our old enemie and still Malignes vs T' will haue an end nay it shall haue an end Why I haue bin too pittifull too remisse My easinesse is laught at and contemn'd But I will change it Not as heretofore By singling out them one by one to death Each common man can such reuenges haue A Princes anger must lay desolate Citties Kingdomes consume Roote vp mankind O could I liue to see the generall end Behold the world enwrapt in funerall flame When as the Sunne shall lend his beames to burne What he before brought forth and water serue Not to extinguish but to guise the fire Then like the Salamander bathing me In the last Ashes of all mortall things Let me giue vp this breath Priam was happie Happie indeed he saw his Troy burnt And Illion lye on heapes Whil'st thy pure streames Diuine Scamander did run Phrygian blood And heard the pleasant cries of Troian Mothers Could I see Rome so Tigell: Your Maiestie may easily Without this trouble to your sacred mind Nero What may I easily doe kill thee or him How may I rid you all where is the Man That will all others end and last himselfe O that I had thy Thunder in my hand Thou idle Rouer I le not shoote at trees And spend in woods my vnregarded vengeance I le sheuire them downe vpon their guilty roofes And fill the streetes with bloody burials But 't is not Heauen can giue me what I seeke To you you hated kingdomes of the night You severe powers that not like those aboue Will with faire words or childrens cryes be wonne That haue a stile beyond that Heauen is proud off Deriuing not from Art a makers Name But in destruction power and terror shew To you I flye for succour you whose dwellings For torments are bely'de must giue me ease Furies lend me your fires no they are here They must be other fires materiall brands That must the burning of my heat allay I bring to you no rude vnpractiz'd hands Already doe they reeke with mothers blood Tush that 's but innocents to what now I meane Alasse what euell could those yeeres commit The world in this shall see my setled wit exeunt Enter Seneca Petronius Senec: Petroneus you were at the Theater Petron: Senica I was and saw your kingly Pupyll In Mynstrils habit stand before the Iudges Bowing those hands which the worlds Scepter hold And with great awe and reuerence beseeching Indifferent hearing and an equall doome Then Caesar doubted first to be oreborne And so he ioyn'd himselfe to th' other singers And straightly all other Lawes o th' Stage obseru'd As not though weary to sit downe not spit Not wipe his sweat off but with what he wore Meane time how would he eye his aduersaries How he would seeke t' haue all they did disgrac 't Traduce them priuily openly raile at them And them he could not conquer so he would Corrupt with money to doe worse then he This was his singing part his acting now Senec: Nay euen end here for I haue heard enough I haue a Fidler heard him let me not See him a Player nor the fearefull voyce Of Romes great Monarch now command in Iest Our Prince be Aegamemnon in a Play Petron: Why Seneca T is better in Play Be Aegamemnon then himselfe indeed How oft with danger of the field beset Or with home mutineys would he vnbee Himselfe or ouer cruell alters weeping Wish that with putting off a vizard hee Might his true inward sorrow lay aside The showes of things are better then themselues How doth it stirre this ayrye part of vs To heare our Poets tell imagin'd fights And the strange blowes that fained courage giues When I Achilles heare vpon the Stage Speake Honour and the greatnesse of his soule Me thinkes I too could on a Phrygian Speare Runne boldly and make tales for after times But when we come to act it in the deed Death mares this brauery and the vgly feares Of th' other world
traytors Yong The Gods forbid my Prince should pitie need Somewhat the sad remembrance did me stirre Oth fraile and weake condition of our kind Somewhat his greatnesse then whom yesterday The world but Caesar could shew nothing higher Besides some vertues and some worth he had That might excuse my pitie to an end So cruell and vnripe Poppae: I know not how this stranger moues my mind His face me thinkes is not like other mens Nor doe they speake thus Oh his words inuade My weakned senses and ouercome my heart Nero Your pitie shewes your fauour and your will Which side you are inclinde too had your power You can but pitie else should Caesar feare Your ill affection then shall punisht bee Take him to execution he shall die That the death pities of mine enemie Yong This benefit at least Sad death shall giue to free me from the power Of such a gouernment and if I die For pitying humane chance and Pisoes end There will be some too that will pitie mine Poppa: O what a dauntlesse looke what sparkling eyes Threating in suffering sure some noble blood Is hid in ragges feares argues a base spirit In him what courage and contempt of death And shall I suffer one I loue to die He shall not die hands of this man away Nero thou shalt not kill this guiltlesse man Nero He guiltlesse strumpet Spurns her and Poppaa falls She 's in loue with the smooth face of the boy Neoph. Alas my Lord you haue slaine her Epaph: Helpe she dies Nero Poppaa Poppaa speake I am not angry I did not meane to hurt thee speake sweet loue Neoph: Shee 's dead my Lord Nero Fetch her againe she shall not die I le ope the Iron gates of hell And breake the imprisond shaddowes of the deepe And force from death this farre too worthy pray Shee is not dead The crimson red that like the morning shone When from her windowes all with Roses strewde She peepeth forth forsakes not yet her cheekes Her breath that like a hony-suckle smelt twining about the prickled Eglintine Yet moues her lipes those quicke and piercing eyes That did in beautie challenge heauens eyes Yet shine as they were wont O no they doe not See how they grow obscure O see they close And cease to take or giue light to the world What starres so ere you are assur'd to grace The firmament for loe the twinkling fires Together throng and that cleare milky space Of stormes and Phiades and thunder void Prepares your roome doe not with wry aspect Looke on your Nero who in blood shall mourne Your lucklesse fate And many a breathing soule Send after you to waite vpon their Queene This shall begin the rest shall follow after And fill the streets with outcryes and with slaughter Ex. Enter Seneca with two of his friends Senec: What meanes your mourning this vngratefull sorrow Where are your precepts of Philosophie Where our prepared resolution So many yeeres fore-studied against danger To whom is Neroes cruelty vnknowne Or what remained after mothers blood But his instructers death Leaue leaue these teares Death from me nothing takes but what 's a burthen A clog to that free sparke of Heauenly fire But that in Seneca the which you lou'd Which you admir'd doth and shall still remaine Secure of death vntouched of the graue 1. Friend Wee le not belie our teares we waile not thee It is our selues and our owne losse we grieue To thee what losse in such a change can bee Vertue is paid her due by death alone To our owne losses doe we giue these teares That loose thy loue thy boundlesse knowledge loose Loose the vnpatternd sample of thy vertue Loose whatsoeu'r may praise or sorrow moue In all these losses yet of this we glory That 't is thy happinesse that makes vs sorry 2. Friend If there be any place for Ghosts of good men If as we haue bin long taught great mens soules Consume not with their bodies thou shalt see Looking from out the dwellings of the ayre True duties to thy memorie perform'd Not in the outward pompe of funerall But in remembrance of thy deeds and words The oft recalling of thy many vertues The Tombe that shall th' eternall relickes keepe Of Seneca shall be his hearers hearts Senec: Be not afraid my soule goe cheerefully To thy owne Heauen from whence it first let downe Thou loath by this imprisoning flesh putst on Now lifted vp thou rauisht shalt behold The truth of things at which we wonder here And foolishly doe wrangle on beneath And like a God shalt walke the spacious ayre And see what euen to conceit 's deni'd Great soule o th' world that through the parts defus'd Of this vast All guid'st what thou dost informe You blessed mindes that from the Pbeares you moue Looke on mens actions not with idle eyes And Gods we goe to Aaid me in this strife And combat of my flesh that ending I May still shew Seneca and my selfe die Exeunt Enter Antonius Enanthe Anto: Sure this message of the Princes So grieuous and vnlookt for will appall Petronius much Enan: Will not death any man Anto: It will but him so much the more That hauing liu'd to his pleasure shall forgoe So delicate a life I doe not maruell That Seneoa and such sowre fellowes can Leaue that they neu'r tasted But when we That haue the Nectar of thy kisses felt That drinkes away the troubles of this life And but one banquet make of forty yeeres Must come to leaue this but soft here he is Enter Petroneus and a Centurion Petron: Leaue me a while Centurion to my friends Let me my farewell take and thou shalt see Neroes commandement quickly obaid in mee ex Centurion Come let vs drinke and dash the posts with wine Here throwe your flowers fill me a swelling bowle Such as Mecenas or my Lucan dranke On Virgills birth day Enan: What meanes Petroneus this vnseasonable And causelesse mirth Why comes not from the Prince This man to you a messenger of death Petro: Here faire Enanthe whose plumpe ruddy cheeke Exceeds the grape it makes this here my gyrle He drinks And thinkst thou death a matter of such harme Why he must haue this pretty dimpling chin And will pecke out those eyes that now so wound Enan: Why is it not th' extreamest of all ills Petro: It is indeed the last and end of ills The Gods before th 'would let vs tast deaths Ioyes Plac't vs i th toyle and sorrowes of this world Because we should perceiue th' amends and thanke them Death the grim knaue but leades you to the doore Where entred once all curious pleasures come To meete and welcome you A troupe of beauteous Ladies from whose eyes Loue thousand arrowes thousand graces shootes Puts forth their faire hands to you and inuites To their greene arbours and close shadowed walles Whence banisht is the roughnesse of our yeeres Onely the west wind blowes i th euer Spring And euer Sommer There
the laden bowes Offer their tempting burdens to your hand Doubtfull your eye or tast inuiting more There euery man his owne desires enioyes Faire Lucrese lies by lusty Tarquins side And wooes him now againe to rauish her Nor vs though Romane Lais will refuse To Corinth any man may goe no maske No enuious garment doth those beauties hide Which Nature made so mouing to be spide But in bright Christall which doth supply all And white transparent vailes they are attyr'd Through which the pure snowe vnderneath doth shine Can it be snowe from whence such flames arise Mingled with that faire company shall we On bankes of Violets and of Hiacinths Of loues deuising sit and gently sport And all the while melodious Musique heare And Poets songs that Musique farre exceed The old Anaicean crown'd with smyling flowers And amorous Sapho on her Lesbian Lute Beauties sweet Scarres and Cupids godhead sing Anto: What be not rauisht with thy fancies doe not Court nothing nor make loue vnto our feares Petro: I st nothing that I say Anto: But empty words Petro: Why thou requir'st some instance of the eye Wilt thou goe with me then and see that world Which either will returne thy old delights Or square thy appetite anew to theirs Anto: Nay I had rather farre beleeue thee here Others ambition such discoueries seeke Faith I am satisfied with the base delights Of common men A wench a house I haue And of my owne a garden I le not change For all your walkes and Ladies and rare fruits Petro: Your pleasures must of force resigne to these In vaine you shunne the sword in vaine the sea In vaine is Nero fear'd or flatered Hether you must and leaue your purchast houses Your new made garden and your blacke browd wife And of the trees thou hast so quaintly set Not one but the displeasant Cipresse shall Goe with thee Anton: Faith 't is true we must at length But yet Petroneus while we may awhile We would enioy them those we haue w' are sure of When that you talke of 's doubfull and to come Petro: Perhaps thou thinkst to liue yet twenty yeeres Which may vnlookt for be cut off as mine If not to endlesse time compar'd is nothing What you endure must euer endure now Nor stay not to be last at table set Each best day of our life at first doth goe To them succeeds diseased age and woe Now die your pleasures and the dayes your pray Your rimes and loues and iests will take away Therefore my sweet yet thou wilt goe with mee And not liue here to what thou wouldst not see Enan: Would y'haue me then kill my selfe and die And goe I know not to what places there Petro: What places dost thou feare The 'll fauoured lake they tell thee thou must passe And thy blacke frogs that croake about the brim Enan: O pardon Sir though death affrights a woman Whose pleasures though you timely here diuine The paines we know and see Petron: The paine is lifes death rids that paine away Come boldly there 's no danger in this foord Children passe through it If it be a paine You haue this comfort that you past it are Enan: Yet all as well as I are loath to die Petron Iudge them by deed you see them doe 't apace Enan: I but t is loathly and against their wils Petro. Yet know you not that any being dead Repented them and would haue liu'd againe They then there errors saw and foolish prayers But you are blinded in the loue of life Death is but sweet to them that doe approach it To me as one that taken with Delphick rage When the diuining God his breast doth fill He sees what others cannot standing by It seemes a beauteous and a pleasant thing Where is my deaths Phisitian Phisi: Here my Lord Petro: Art ready Phisi: I my Lord Petro And I for thee Nero my end shall mocke thy tyranny Exeunt Finis Actus Quarti Actus Quintus Enter Nero Nimphidius Tigellinus Neophilus Epaporoditus and other attendants Nero ENough is wept Poppaea for thy death Enough is bled so many teares of others Wailing their losses haue wipt mine away Who in the common funerall of the world Can mourne on death Tigell: Besides your Maiestie this benefit In their diserued punishment shall reape From all attempts hereafter to be freed Conspiracy is now for euer dasht Tumult supprest rebellion out of heart In Pisoes death danger it selfe did die Nimph: Piso that thought to climbe by bowing downe By giuing a way to thriue and raising others To become great himselfe hath now by death Giuen quiet to your thoughts and feare to theirs That shall from treason their aduancement plot Those dangerous heads that his ambition leand on And they by it crept vp and from their meannesse Thought in this stirre to rise aloft are off Now peace and safetie waite vpon your throne Securitie hath wall'd your seat about There is no place for feare left Nero Why I neuer feard them Nimph: That was your fault Your Maiestie must giue vs leaue to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule Too prodigall of it selfe Nero A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened But it with nothing I at first contemn'd Their weake deuises and faint enterprise Why thought they against him to haue preuail'd Whose childhood was from Messalinas spight By Dragons that the earth gaue vp preseru'd Such guard my cradle had for fate had then Pointed me out to be what now I am Should all the Legions and the prouinces In one vnited against me conspire I could disperce them with one angry eye My brow 's an host of men Come Tigellinus Let turne this bloody banquet Piso meant vs Vnto a merry feast wee le drinke and challenge Fortune whos 's that Neophilus Enter a Roman Neoph: A Currier from beyond the Alpes my Lord Nero Newes of some German victorie belike Or Britton ouerthrow Neoph: The Letters come from France Nimp: Why smiles your Maiestie Nero So I smile I should be afraid there 's one In Armes Nimphidius Nimp: What arm'd against your Maiestie Nero Our Lieuetenant of the Prouince Iulius Vindex Tigell: Who that guiddy French-man Nimp: His Prouince is disarm'd my Lord he hath No legion not a souldier vnder him Epaph: One that by blood and rapine would repaire His state consum'd in vanities and lust Enter another Roman Tigell: He would not find out three to follow him A mess More newes my Lord Nero Is it of Vindex that thou hast to say Mess: Vindex is vp and with him France in Armes The Noble men and people throng to th' cause Money and Armour Cities doe conferre The contrey doth send in prouision Yong men bring bodies old men lead them forth Ladies doe coine their Iewels into pay The sickle now is fram'd into a sword And drawing horses are to manage
impunitie But with our fellowes part o th' guift proclaim'd Nero meets them Nero Whether goe you stay my friends 'T is Caesar calles you stay my louing friends Tigell: We were his slaues his footstooles and must crouch But now with such obseruance to his feet It is his misery that calles vs friends Nero And moues you not the misery of a Prince O stay my friends stay harken to the voyce Which once yee knew Tigell: Harke to the peoples cryes Harke to the streets that Galba Galba ring Nero The people may forsake me without blame I did them wrong to make you rich and great I tooke their houses to bestow on you Treason in them hath name of libertie Your fault hath no excuse you are my fault And the excuse of others treachery Tigell: Shall we with staying seeme his tyrannies T' vphold as if we were in loue with them We are excus'd vnlesse we stay too long As forced Ministers and apart of wrong ex preter Nero Nero O now I see the vizard from my face So louely and so fearefull is fall'n off That vizard shadow nothing Maiestie Which like a child acquainted with his feares But now men trembled at and now contemne Nero forsaken is of all the world The world of truth O fall some vengeance downe Equall vnto their falsehoods and my wrongs Might I accept the Chariot of the Sunne And like another Phaeton consume In flames of all the world a pile of Death Worthy the state and greatnesse I haue lost Or were I now but Lord of my owne fires Wherein false Rome yet once againe might smoake And perish all vnpitied of her Gods That all things in their last destruction might Performe a funerall honour to their Lord O loue dissolue with Caesar Caesars world Or you whom Nero rather should inuoake Blacke Chaos and you fearefull shapes beneath That with a long and not vaine enuy haue Sought to destroy this worke of th' other Gods Now let your darkenesse cease the spoyles of day And the worlds first contention end your strife Enter two Romanes to him 1 Rom: Though others bound with greater benefits Haue left your changed fortunes and doe runne Whither new hopes doe call them yet come we Nero O welcome come you to aduersitie Welcome true friends why there is faith on earth Of thousand seruants friends and followers Yet two are left your countenance me thinkes Giues comfort and new hopes 2 Rom: Doe not deceiue your thoughts My Lord we bring no comfort would we could But the last duty to performe and best We euer shall a free death to perswade To cut off hopes of fearcer cruelty And scorne more cruell to a worthy soule 1 Rom: The Senate haue decreed you 're punishable After the fashion of our ancestors Which is your necke being locked in a forke You must be naked whipt and scourg'd to death Nero The Senate thus decreed they that so oft My vertues flattered haue and guifts of mine My gouernment preferr'd to ancient times And challenge Numa to compare with me Haue they so horrible an end sought out No here I beare which shall preuent such shame This hand shall yet from that deliuer me And faithfull be alone vnto his Lord Alasse how sharpe and terrible is death O must I die must now my senses close For euer die and nere returne againe Neuer more see the Sunne nor Heauen nor Earth Whither goe I what shall I be anone What horred iourney wandrest thou my soule Vnder th' earth in darke dampe duskie vaults Or shall I now to nothing be resolu'd My feares become my hopes O would I might Me thinkes I see the boyling Phlegeton And the dull poole feared of them we feare The dread and terror of the Gods themselues The furies arm'd with linkes with whippes with snakes And my owne furies farre more mad then they My mother and those troopes of slaughtred friends And now the Iudge is brought vnto the throne That will not leaue vnto authoritie Nor fauour the oppressions of the great 1 Rom: These are the idle terrors of the night Which wise men though they teach doe not beleeue To curbe our pleasures faine and aide the weake 2 Rom: Deaths wrongfull defamation which would make Vs shunne this happy hauen of our rest This end of euils as some fearefull harme 1 Rom. Shadowes and fond imaginations Which now you see on earth but children feare 2 Rom: Why should our faults feare punishment from them What doe the actions of this life concerne The tother world with which is no commerce 1 Rom: Would Heauen and Starres necessitie compell Vs to doe that which after it would punish 2 Rom: Let vs not after our liues end beleeue More then you felt before it Nero If any words haue made me confident And boldly doe for hearing others speake Boldly this night But will you by example Teach me the truth of your opinion And make me see that you beleeue your selues Will you by dying teach me to beare death With courage 1 Rom: No necessitie of death Hangs ore our heads no dangers threatens vs Nor Senates sharpe decree nor Galbaes armes 2 Rom: Is this the thankes then thou dost pay our loue Die basely as such a life deseru'd Reserue thy selfe to punishment and scorne Of Rome and of thy laughing enemies exeunt Manet Nero Nero They hate me cause I would but liue what was 't You lou'd kind friends and came to see my death Let me endure all torture and reproach That earth or Galbaes anger can inflict Yet hell and Rodamanth are more pittilesse The first Romane to him Rom: Though not deseru'd yet once againe I come To warne thee to take pitie on thy selfe The troupes by the Senate sent discend the hill And come Nero To take me and to whip me vnto death O whither shall I flye Rom: Thou hast no choice Nero O hither must I flye hard is his happe Who from death onely must by death escape Where are they yet O may I not a little Bethinke my selfe Rom: They are at hand harke thou maist heare the noise Nero O Rome farewell farewell you Theaters Where I so oft with popular applause In song and action O they come I die He fals on his sword Rom: So base an end all iust commiseration Doth take away yet what we doe now spurne The morning Sunne saw fearefull to the world Enter some of Galbaes friends Antoneus and others with Nimphidius bound Gal: You both shall die together Traitors both He to the common wealth and thou to him And worse to a good Prince what is he dead Hath feare encourag'd him and made him thus Preuent our punishment then die with him Fall thy aspyring at thy Masters feete He kils Nimph Anton: Who though he iustly perisht yet by thee Deseru'd it not nor ended there thy treason But euen thought o th' Empire thou conceiu'st Galbaes disgrace in receiuing that Which the sonne of Nimphidia could hope Rom: Thus great bad men aboue them finde a rod People depart and say there is a God Exeunt FJNJS