no sin To answer for but calling me husband Plangus Iberia shall be thine But He goes to stab himself Rin. stayes him With the curses of the angry gods and a kinde Injur'd dying father Rin. Heav'n bless you Sir what a despair is this Because you hate a hangman you will be Your executioner your self Beleeve me That which presents so great danger to you I look upon with joy There is no subject That loves you or the Prince but must be glad To see the zeal Iberians bear to a true vertue When bending under an unjust oppression No doubt their love had been as great to you Had you been in like danger Besides my Lord You are not sure 't is with the Prince's consent The Souldiers do this My life for yours You will be safe let the worst come Let us go meet your fears They begin to rise when at the instant SCAENA 9. Andromana enters undrest and in a fright An. Happy am I my Lord She weeps This sudden fright hath rescued me from being made The subject of some villains lust who With his sword drawn just now was forcing me To lewd imbraces if you command to search the Court He cannot be far hence for he ran that way Rin. O impudence Plangus stirs behinde the hangings Rinatus draws and runs at him That durst attempt a sin darkness and woods Have too many eyes for in the open Court I shall be with you the Devil hath Armor on Eph. Drag him to torture They fetch him out My son why have I liv'd to see this Away with him to death the air will grow infectious Why stay you SCAENA 10 Enter Zopiro Inophilus with Souldiers Soul Unhand the Prince or else by heav'n he treads Into his grave that moves a foot to touch him Ino. Madam though Plangus noble self was blinde And could not see the deep black darkness of your Hellish actions his friends had eyes about them Was this your love this your repentance This your advice your counsel I must confess had I And these his noble friends here been rul•d by him E're this he 'd been a sacrifice to your revenge and you Why stand you mute Sir vvant you a tongue to justifie Your innocence our svvords and vve maintain And novv my Liedge vve turn to you Whom vve have serv'd as truly As ever subjects did any Prince alive And vvhilst you 're worthy vve vvill do so still But vvee 'l be no mans slaves alive Much less be his that is another's vvhile this base Witch For so she is constrains you to do actions Children vvould blush at and vvise men laugh at Which vvill after leave you both to repentance and despair This beggar vvhom to ther day you took up as some lost thing Gave your honour to and in that our safety That knew less to be good then Devils do and hath Ills lodg'd in her that would make a hell beyond that The Furies dwell in Banish her hence Send her to some place where murders rapines Or sins yet unheard of do inhabit And where she can do us no mischief Do you betake your self To your former vertue and restore the Prince To those affections you once had for him We then perhaps may live to see Iberia happy Eph Why am I forc't thus to declare his shame Which at the bound strikes me and is made my own You know not how well Plangus can dissemble He is an hypocrite I need not tell you more Those three syllables comprehend all ill My Queen just now scap't from his base attempt Wherein he would have forc't her to have damn'd Herself and him and dishonour'd me What mean't that Armour on and why so guarded Where was a danger threat'ned him Or doth he think his conscience could not Sting him through it I wish that he might live my Lords but as nature That as he is my son bids me preserve him So honour which pleads to the King stronger Then nature can tells me for that very reason I can less pardon him then something born A stranger to my blood But I deserve To dye as well as he if he be grown A burden to the earth I am so too That gave the Monster being Wherefore let me be dravvn to execution too For fathers are guilty of their childrens ills Ino. Would Plangus then have forc'•Andromana Yes so would Daphne have ravish't Phoebus I 'le undertake Goats are less salt then she But for his Armor can any man that breathes One common air with her not need an Armour Brass walls cannot be security enough Why speak you not Sir are you dumb too Pl. It is for them to speak are sure to be beleev'd And not for him that is condemn'd as guilty Words can excuse slight faults If mine are esteem'd such that all my actions A speaking duty of one and twenty years Speak not enough to clear me silence shall I have no more to say therefore But to bid you do your duty to the King And ask him pardon for the intemperate zeal Heav'n knows I wish't it not nor would I buy My safety at one of my father's angry thoughts Much less his fears For those I fall by Obey my father and if ye love me Gentlemen Shed not one tear for Plangus For I am timely taken from those plagues This womans crying sins must bring Upon Iberia and make you wish That you had dy'd as soon and innocent as I. An. That I was nothing I confess that what I am I owe to Ephorbas nay that the greatness I am now in tells me it is too high To be secure my fears bear witness I wish my life would excuse Plangus his At least my blood wash off the blackness of his guilt Heav'n knows it should not be one minute Ere he should be restord to his former vertues But since it cannot be I 'le in and weep Not for my self but him Exit Ino. Millions of plagues go with thee Sir you shall along with us we will not Trust you or to the King or her Exeunt ACT. V. SCAENA 1. Liba•er Solus Lib. WHat Politician was there ever yet Who swimming through a sea of plots treasons Sunk not at last i th' very havens mouth And shall I do so too No my thoughts prompt me I shall be told in story as the first That stood secure upon the dreadful ruines He had thrown down beneath him Yet I am nigh The precipice I strive to shun with so much care I have betray'd Plangus tis true and still Have found a growing fortune but so long As jealousie binds up Ephorbas thoughts From searching deeper deeper T is not well That Plangus lives at all though he be disgrac't H' has friends enow about the King and they will finde A time to pacifie him which will be my undoing He must not therefore live Andromana Is of that minde too but how to compass it Or when perhaps I have what will become of me Nothing more
Andromana OR THE MERCHANT'S WIFE THE SCAENE IBERIA By J. S. LONDON Printed for Iohn Bellinger and are to be sold at his shop in Cliffords-Inn-lane in Fleetstreet 1660. Names of the Actors EPhorbas King of Iberia Plangus his Son Eubulus Three Lords and Counsellors to the King Anamedes Three Lords and Counsellors to the King Rinatus Three Lords and Counsellors to the King Inophilus Son to Rinatus and friend to the Prince Zopiro Captains Nicetes Captains Aramnes Captains Artesio an informing Courtier Andromana a Merchant's wife Libacer her servant Messenger Captains and Souldiers THE TRAGEDY OF ANDROMANA Or The fatal and deserved End of Disloyalty and Ambition Actus I. Scaena I. Enter Nicetes Aramnes Nic. I Have observed it too but the cause is As unknown to me as actions done in Countries Not found out yet Ara. Some Wench my life to a brasse Farthing Nic. As like as may be We Souldiers are all given that way especially When our blood boils high and pulses beat Alarums to Cupid's Battels We 'r apter To sally on a young flaming Girl Then on an Enemy that braves it before our Trenches Ara. I ask it not to know his privacies For if his freedom doth not acquaint me with them Let them be secret still yet I could wish An opportunity to tell him a little circumspection Would be handsom and set a gloss upon all Times might be chosen of less publick notice It looks so poorly in a Prince to be thus careless Of his own affairs men do so talk on 't Here comes Inophilus if any body knows It must be he Enter Inophilus Ino. Your servant Captains saw you the Prince to day Nic. Not we we hop't to hear of him from you Ino. 'T is strange a man adorn'd with so much Wisdom should on the sudden fall off from the Care of his own fame I am his Friend and so I know are you but to speak plainly to you He 's grown my wonder now as much as other mens I that have found a sweetness in his company Beyond what ever Lovers dream of in a Mistris That as he spoke methought have smelt the air perfum'd nor could have wish't a joy greater then living with him next those of Heav'n and those prefer'd the more because I knew Plangus would be there I say even I of late am grown out of love with any thing that 's Mortal since I have found Plangus so far beneath I will not say my expectations but the assurances all good men had of future gallantry Hee 's melancholly now and hath thrown off the spirit which so well became him and all that sweetness which bewitcht men's hearts is grown so rugged so incompos'd to all commerce men fear hee 'l shortly quarrel with himself Nay more he doth not answer the fondness of his Father's love with half that Joy he us'd to do Ara. 'T is now about a Week I have observ'd this alteration it shakes him like an Ague once in two dayes but holds him longer then a fit o th' Gout They whisper about the Court as if the King had chid him for it and now at length found his thaunts Ino. A poor discovery Who might not find 'em out that would be so uncivil I was about to follow him but thought it an ignoble way beneath the Name of Friendship and so desisted About four dayes ago meeting him i th' long Gallery I ask't him how he did taking me by the hand he wrung it and after a sigh or two told me Not very well But he had business and so we parted I saw him not agen in twenty hours after and then I askt him where he had been so long He told me as if he was ashamed to deny me such a poor request I must not know and when I told him his often absence was observ'd Is it saith he I cannot help it but it shall no more be so and at the last he stole away Since when I saw him not Nic. O this wicked Peace Inophilus Is there no hopes of Warre To lye at home to see our Armours rust We could keep the Prince sober and merry too If he would but exchange his Court for a Camp Ino. The King is old and dotes upon his Son Is loth to venter him to danger Yet at this time there is occasion The Argives have refus'd to pay their tribute and are for certain preparing for Invasion Some say they have got into Iberia already Ara Nay then there 's hopes If we could but find the Prince with a buff Coat again I should be once more merry Exeunt SCAEN. II. Enter Ephorbas the King Rinatus Eubulus Anamedes three LORDS Eph. See the Embassadors entertain'd With such an evenness as should be us'd to men We neither fear nor love let neither Too much obsequiousness teach them insolency Nor any ill usage brand us with incivility Stay you Rinatus he sighs Exeunt Eub. Anam Open thy bosom and receive torrents of sorrow That lie like rocks of lead upon my soul Honest Rinatus experience bids me trust thee With a mighty secret Thou canst not choose But know my son of late is much retired I do not like that youth should be thus melancholy Let them enjoy themselves for age will come Whose impotency will deny all pleasures I do believe he loves me Hah Rin. Yes doubtless better then sickmen health Or those who are pen'd up in darkness Love the Sun Eph. I speak not as if I thought he did not For thou know'st I humour him afford him Liberty enough I never chide him nor express The least dislike of any action Am not I a gentle father Me thinks were I a son again to such a father I should not think he liv'd too long Shouldst thou Rinatus Rin. No more doth he upon my soul One command of yours would make him venter upon Lightning nay almost make him act a sin A thing he fears to name Eph. I do believe thee But yet me thinks should he be grown so impious There might be found excuses A Crown is a temptation especially so near one 'T is not with Princes as with other Sons and I am old too Hath not my hand the palsie Doth a Crown become gray hairs To be a King might make some men forswear all conscience But I know Plangus hath far nobler thoughts And yet an Empire might excuse a Parricide Rin Sir sure you are a stranger to your son For give me leave to say your fears are vain So great a virtue as the Princes Cannot anticipate his hopes by any sin Honour and duty have been acquainted with him now too long To be divorct Some Sycophants there are Such creatures still will haunt the Court I know Love not the Prince because he loves not them Sir shut your ears to them they will betray you to your ruine Jealousy 's a disease should be below a King As that which seizeth on the basest spirits Oh shut it from your soul One may read in
the Fates are Our safety must be bought at such a price That we must lose what is as dear to us Almost as it T is Plangus death or mine Must secure the others life nay startle not If I am grown as wearisome to you As to him your calling is in vain my Lords Nor shall I labour longer to preserve A life denied me by the gods and you But if there 's any here who hath a son Brought to these years with so much care and love As mine hath been think what a grief it is To lose him and shed one tear with me But for that son to plume kimself with feathers Pluckt from his fathers wings would melt ones eye-balls Yet Plangus who hath vizarded his ends With vertue finding it useless now hath thrown It from him and openly attempts my crown and life When mischiefs wheel once runs how fast it speeds Headlong to put in act the blackest deeds Were my crown his had he my life to give Though he would let me I would scorn to live Eub. Sir we are cal•'d upon a great affair And if 't be true the speed of our resolves Shall be as great as it Your Majesty hath reign'd so happily and long We will not think a time beyond it And such so great your vertue still hath been Strangers have been enamoured and admired it Our enemies that could have wisht it less Have yet sate down with envy not attempted Ought against you knowing I 'me codfident By such injustice the gods would be their foes Me thinks t is therefore much less likely That Plangus who hath hitherto been found A miracle of filial piety And one that we may say was born the heir To all your vertues all your goodness As well as Kingdom who counts it glory As much to be an honest man as a great Prince I say for him whom as he is your son And as we hitherto have found him full Of worth and honour we cannot but behold As him in whom the spreading hopes of all Iberia grow and promise to themselves A still green happiness that ne're shall knovv What Autumne or a naked Winter means For him that hath scarce yet put off Those cloaths which still wear the badges Of the great danger he was in not for Himself my Liedge but you and us for had He wish't the ruine of his father and his Country The Argives would have done that for him And he not have been call'd in question But when we must remember with what wings He flew to meet the Torrent both against The counsel of his friends and his own hopes How love to you and us spurr'd him on forward To those impossibilities which nothing But love and valour durst have attempted Why then methinks 't is strange yea very strange Thus in a moment t'have flung all nature off And all Religion and that Sir against you Whom we all know and think with fear But our fading hopes spring fresh from Plangus Must shortly pay your tribute to the grave Not that we doubt your Majesty hath cause To apprehend a danger only 't is wish't Those who inform'd you were examin'd strictly And Plangus sent for to answer for himself Slanders like Mists still vanish at the sight Of Innocents who bring their lyes to light Eph. If an Oration could have made him clear No doubt my fears are vain and we shall lye Still sleeping in security as great And lasting as Plangus and his Complices Can wish upon us nor wake till we are bound In the securest chains death's fetters That I am old is true and Plangus knows it He would have catch't a Cannon bullet sooner else Between his naked hands then have provok'• My fury but age hath froze me To an icy numness yet shall he know My veines have fire as well as his and when Incen•• my eyes shoot as much poyson too What you alledge about his battel 'gainst the Argive As an excuse it is a proof against him Though theeves rob others yet they •ight themselves For those that rob when strangers set on them And all unite against a common enemy Had Plangus private interests not held Him to us no doubt had left us naked Of all defence but an intestine fury To see the Argives bear away the fruits Of all his labours all his treasons Shot him into despair and made him play A game was almost lost rather then give all over Besides that action hath endear'd him to the people Gain'd him the Souldiers hearts with so great ease The danger 's nothing in respect o th' rise He takes from thence to climb up to his ends And for the vertue that hath gull'd us all I 'de blush to speak it that a son of mine Should ever be so base to seek a cloak For what he doth but that I have disclaim'd All my relations to him and would adopt A Cannibal sooner for son then he The evidence we have is what we wish were less Then might I hug my Plangus and he me But since the Fates and his own ills deny That entercourse what can remain But that we should proceed to sentence Speedy as themselves and stop the ill which may Strike when 't is night or while t is call'd to day He knows his guilt too well and hath deny'd To come that so he might be justify'd Once disobey'd as father the next thing Will be Rebellion to me as his King SCAENA 8. Enter to them Liba•er Rin. As sure as death This is one of the Rogues that hath his Roguery to act And comes in like something that brought news In the latter end of a play Now shall we have Some strange discovery How the Rogue stares Lib. No sooner had we shut the gates my Liedge Then an uncertain rumour spred among the people That Plangus was in danger When if your ever saw a Hive of Bees How if you stir but one the whole swarm moves And testifie their anger so strait whole crowds Of people the greatest half not knowing what they came for swarmed to the gates and with confused cryes hindred themselves from being understoood till some having divers times cryed Plangus some their Prince all with one note made up a common voice and so continued till some Captains with one or two selected Troops made up to them and having promised them they would secure the Prince desired them to withdraw And when they came so nigh as to be heard they did in earnest what the other had attempted with so much noise and failed in •or they told the Porter in plain Souldiers language they would either see Plangus safe or force the gates upon him He in this exigent hath sent to know your pleasure Eph. How say you now my Lords Where is the innocence the love to you and us For my part I will meet the danger Tame expectation is beneath a King Only let me intreat you to see my Queen safe 'T is pity she should smart who hath