Pan. gives John the Chair Of my selfe Pandulph Legate for the Pope Observing the due payments specified Receive your Crown and Kingdoms and with them We here pronounce your absolute readmission Into the Church and from his holnesse We re-invest you with all Powers Prerogatives Freedomes Communities and in the strength of effecacy That constantly adhears to lawfull Princes And an obedient Son unto the Church Long life to John of England VVales and Ireland The lawfull King Florish Leis I am mad Fitz. So so now we must suffer The Kingdoms ancient Liberties Land lives And all to run the course that he shall steere Good heaven that I were dead what do I here weeps O Bru. But I 'le not asse-like bear my Countries wrongs Mine own at home and like a Court Camelion Give thanks unto mine injurer hear me King John K. You shall hear us sir first we have been clouded Six years but like the Sun in his Meridian We now again are glorious thus in briefe Leister we require strong pledge for your loyalty Bruce call your mad Son home from Hartford Your Wife and Sonne shall better speed at Guilford For Richmond in our re-assumed power We will proclaime him Traytor and Fitzwater Either give up Matilda for your faith or heare What we shall sentence Leis We must stand then What thunder you shall throw perform with us We kisse your royall hands O. Bru. If not we stand Rocks in our resoluton K. D' ee heare them now sir Fitz. Nay nay let him hear me too then Lord Legate Pandulph thus 't is And thus you may informe his holinesse In a field cal'd running-Mead ' twixt Staines and VVinsor After some bloody noses on both sides I tell truth I there the King and Barrons Met for discussion of conceiv'd wrongs And indeed not misconceiv'd our Houses Honours Our Fathers freedomes the Lands ancient Liberties Unjustly to encrease some private Cofers Felt daily Demunition there to Covenants drawn Bearing the name and sence of Magna Charta Which many hundred years may be seen hereafter King John subscrib'd we swore him fealty K. Which fealty they deny'd till our assoylment Of our six years Interdiction forcing us therefore To seal unlawfull liberties Leis Upon our honours They were but what Antiquity prov'd lawful Ox. Oh but my Lord Fitz. Tut tut Lord me no Lords He broak we powted I tell plain truth I Yet fell into no relapse of hostility But wot ye what he casts a covetous eye Upon my Daughter passionately pursues her There had been other pledges but our oathes else For heaven knows thtm he had and amongst the rest Matilda must be my pledge for well he deem'd They yielding their• shame would brand my denyall But catch craft when we put truth to triall Kings should have shining souls and white desires Enflam'd with zeale not parch'd by Paphian fires So shines the soul in which vertue doth shrowd Is a serene skie bespotted with no cloud But a Copper conscience whil'st the head wears Gold Is but a plain down-right untruth well told Come come I cannot fawn K. But in the passion Of a Dog sir you can snarl have you talk all your words Fitz. I have told truth I. K. Then we will fall to deeds Oxford command a Guard and presently Take them to 'th Tower we can now talk and do Away with them and muzzel those fierce Mastiffes That durst leap at the face of Majestie And strike their killing fangs into honours heart Are they not gone we shall be passionate In your delay O. Bru. Come Leister let us wear Our sufferings like Garland Leis Tempest nor death Could never ou• do Leister who dares dye Laughing at times poyson'd integrity Fitz Now by my troth 't was very nobly spoken Shall I turne tale no no no le ts go But how things will be carried ha are these teares Body of me they are Shall I go like a sheep With this pair of Lyons ha ha ha I do laugh now John and I 'le tell thee why Th' art yet in thy green May twenty seven summers Set in our Kalends but when forty Winters more Shall roun'd thy forehead with a field of snow And when thy comely veins shall cease to flow When those majestick eyes shall float in rhumes When giant Nature her own selfe consumes When thy swift Pulses shall but slowly pant When thou art all a Volum of my want That like a tale-sp•nt fire thou shalt s•nck Then John upon this lesson thou wilt think• He dyes a happy old man whose sweet youth Was a continued sacrifice to truth I must weep now indeed Ki. Away with them Exit Pan. Unto King John the favour of his holinesse With peace and happinesse Exit K. Which we return With all filiall obedience look up Oxford The day breaks and the Sun hath chaste the night Out of our Hemispheare Enter a Gentleman Ox. Your news sir Gen. Letters from the Queen sir K. Was the Earl Richmond there with any powers E're your departure K reads Gen. No may it please your Majestie we heard not of him But all on your part went fair and fortunate K. Oh Oxford now they have her flie back like lightning Tell him this day wee 'l meet them all at Barnet Exit Gent. Ox But her Father and her friends imprisonment May obdurate her hea•t they dare not sure On the great perill of a curse to fall Into a Relapse now you are absolute Faith 〈◊〉 trie smooth paths to your ends to release them I hold the winningst way to captivate Their duties and Matilda to your wishes K. Good do not kill me •oy before our going Instantly thou shalt flie with the Lords release We pine in our delayes oh Cupid swiftly Fly into Paphoes and from thy Mothers shrine Catch but a nimble wanton flame and cast it Into the busie Kingdome of my heart That it may teach my tongue the art of victory And every year unto thy well-spent Quiver I 'le add a shaft and call it Cupids love Dart Come Oxford I tread methinks on aire Untill I read that Volum of sweet grace The well writ story of Matild•'s face Ox. She yeelds at last my life on 't sir Exit Actus 3. Scoena 1. En•er Brand reading of a Letter WIll Brand these are to certifie That Fortune Mistresses of Changes with my unluckie stars hathrendred m• a prisoner to my most mortall Enemy young Bruce Bra. That mad Tamberlaine Let. My entreaty is none of the noblest but direct against my blood my desires and my deservings Bra. Oh that I had a leg of that young Bruce but minc'd and butter'd Let. I am credibly possest his Majestie hath into your custody comm•ited his Mother and her young Sonne George whereby you have occasion cast into your hand to parallel their sufferings with my fortunes not that I would have you banish humanity Bra. He need never have writ that Bawds and Serjeants have sav'd me the labour Let. Nor give to
Bru. What art thou Shewes himselfe Bra. One that will take your honoorable Purse And yet passe quit at the Common Law Y. Bru. Wert thou the expert Master of this peece Bra. You being kinsman to my Lord and Master Who ever hated this blood I dare tell you I practi•'d first a businesse late at Winsor Upon a Mother and her Sonne Y. Bru. Hold heart old Bruces Lady And the brat her Sonne Wer 't thou the happy instrument To cut these Houses down didst thou do that Bra. It would deserve well priz'd another Purse sir Y. Bru. Gold must not part us didst do 't Gives him more Gold Bra. Both that and this by this stand sir Y. Bru. Sonne of the Devill have I sound thee Bra. Sure he knows me Y. Bru. Fool dost thou draw a sword What a loud lye thou dost give heaven to think A sword can shield the guilty look here villaine Upon my horrid point where death in tempest And whirle-winds stares upon thee thou murderer Of my Mother Brother and my Kinswoman Bra. S'root here was a Purse with a bob at the end on t Pray take your Purse againe Y. Bru. Toad I will take thy heart first Bra. I deny nothing then Resolution crowns my craft for those at Winsor Let me free the King I •ami••'d them because Your Mother was too coy you may guess the rest For this it was King Johns in junction And I have done it daintily by this light Y. Bru. By darknesse and •er Angels Thy near kinsmen Thou shalt not live five minutes for 't They fight Bran• falls young Bruce keeps him down Bra. O sir what mean ye Y. Bru. To aske thee for a Mother a sweet Brother A chaste kinswoman oh that thou couldst be Ten daies a dying Slave I 'le stick thy Trunck So thick with wounds it shall appear a Book Full of red Letters Characters of thy cruelty stabs him Bra. This is no bleeding moneth fir Y. Bru. Thou lyest look yonder There lyes mine Almanack a celestiall body Points to Matilda's Course Stabs Whose revolution period pale aspect All tell me'tis high time that thou shouldst bleed Bra. Oh Y. Bru. Thy veines are all corruption Toads belch not fouler And should thy Trunck be thrown upon a dunghill As it deserves no better buriall The sent would poyson swine the very dogs Would with howlings fly as from a mid-night •end And every Raven that should 〈◊〉 upon 't Would seek forsaken Deserts and there die Full of infection Stabs Bra. Oh that last has finish't me And where I go I know not a bloody Cloud Hath hid heaven from me like a purple shrowd Dyes Y. Bru. Feast thou the Crows This body I 'le convey to Winsor where my Mother And my sweet murther'd Brother wee 'l expose As spurs of righteous vengeance to all eyes Conscience and Blood are strong incessant cryes Exit Enter King and Lords below old Bruce Leister Oxford and Fitzwater above Charge K. You Sonnes of death and disobedience Why is the King kept out Ol. Bru. You shall know sir Is' t not enough the whole Lands Liberties Lye yet a gasping by your head strong passions Wounded by your neglect but through blood D'•e chase your vast desires my Wife and Sonne sir K. A game as we are Prince in our Royall word The villaine past our precept Ol. Bru. As you past heavens In your bloody masquing night at Baynards Castle When all the floores and the white walls wore bloody Deep crimson blushes to behold a Prince In blood pursue his passions K. Bar'd out and brav'd You bate and chafe a Lyon bring old Fitzwater Thou Bruce and grumbling Leister either speedily Give up the Castle and upon your knees Fall to the mercy you have scorn'd or here Before a paire of minutes passe the sword Of incens'd justice shall even in your eyes Leave this old Rebell headlesse Fitz. Now by the blood I lost in holy Palestine with Richard Oh that right reall Souldier King John I sweare That foul-word Rebel ha•unrivited The ba•s of reason and made me very angry Is it to take truths part to be a Rebel To ease my groaning Country is that Rebellion To preserve the unstain'd honour of a Maid And that maid my daughter to preserve your glory That you stand not branded in our Chronicles By the black name of Wedlock-breaker is this Good heaven is this Rebellion Come come the Axe Oh that wrong'd soul to death so falsely given Ent. Mowbra• Flies sweetly singing her own truth to heaven Mow. Stand on your guard-sir Young Bruce with twenty thousand Strong able men from Cambridge and Essex With a speedy march and with as dreadful threatnings Comes thundering towards Winsor all his Ensigns Crimson and black which in their want•n wavings Cry to the frighted Country as he marches Nothing but blood and d•ath Ol. Bru. Oh noble Sonne of a murpered M•ther Leis Honourable young man K. Draw up our forces like a pair of angry winds That have got a hollow Cloud with child of tempests Wee 'l make the valleyes tremble Enter Chester Ches Resist now sir Or the whole Kingdome trembles •ewis the Dolphines By th' politique working of ingenius Richmond Who was sent for him with six hundred sayle And fourscore Flat-boats is let in at Dover Subduing as they march and the Towns willingly Givin••hem way they have reach'd Rochester And if a speedy swift prevention meet not They will for London certainly Leis Now John thy Crown sits quivering Ches These here so resolute Mow. Youug Bruce so potent Ox• And which strikes deepe a factious forraigne foot Upon our earth 't is a dangerous triplcity So that our Forces were they three times trebl'd Distracted with a division thus trianguler Cannot promise safety K. Take it not Time for now The goodliest Oak in the whole wood must bow Fitz. Oh that was very well said sir nor shall ye bow But unto heaven and vertue for Kings have boasted To be her servants oh in this tempest sir Give her the helme good brother Bruce the King Has faithfully acquitted him of the bloods Of your Wife and Sonne Leister the King now looks Upon his passions with a displeased eye Trust to our faiths sir give the Land her Liberties And do but look upon my poor Matilda K. Oh oh Fitz. With Kingly chaste eyes and a holy soul My brother shall command his Sonne to obedience Leister and he shall give ye up the Castle We will call Richmond with his powers from Lewis We will be all one soule againe and force The skipping French to put to Sea again And you shall stand a King then absolute Good brother Leister sir upon my knee I urge your goodnesse now shall we still stand And chaine our freedomes to a forraign hand When we shun seen Rocks then we safely sayle Good good King John let the old man prevaile K. Oh Chester run to Dunmow and if Brand yet Have kept his hand whi•e bid that Brand forbear For
King Iohn AND MATILDA A TRAGEDY As it was Acted with great Applause by her Majesties Servants at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane Written by ROBERT DAVENPORT Gent. LONDON Printed for Andrew Pennycuicke in the Year 1655. The Names of the Persons in the Play And of the Actors that first Acted it on the Stage and often before their Majesties King John M. Bowyer Fitzwater M. Perkins Whose action gave Grace to the Play Old Lord Bruce M. Turner Young Bruce M. Sumner Chester M. Iackson Oxford M. Goat Leister M. Young Hubert M. Clarke Pandolph M. Allen Brand M. Shirelock who performed excellently well Other Lords and Gentlemen Attendants on the King Queen Isabel Matilda Ladies of honour Lady Abbesse To the knowing Reader A Good Reader helps to make a Book a bad injuries it The Author of this had no mind to be a man in Print nor tooke he any care for a Sculpture to illustrate the Frontis-piece by crowning himselfe with Laurel Neither did he write his owne Encomiums and to prejudicate the simple say his friends forc'd them upon him they may help to sell the Book not better the Matter And since this Tragedy is come to tell its own tale and to speak for it self he wil he glad to know it able to ca•ry its own commendation And being an Infant newly deliver'd to the world from the wombe of the Press he hopes the knowing Reader will rather Crown it by his Candor then kill it in the Cradle R. D. To the Right Honourable Mountague Berty Earle of Lindsey Lord Willougbby to Eresby c. YOu are no stranger to things of this nature and therefore the Dedication will not startle you such there are my Lord whose soules are confin'd to their Chinck and these looke squint-ey'd upon a Dedication because they feare there is a Spirit in 't will separate them But my Lord your Noblenesse to learning and wit raiseth your estimate to so high an accompt among knowing men thi• from thence I have derived this boldnesse which I hope is pardonable not onely for that your justice calls upon me for a duty I long since owed your Honour but also in regard the Thing presented is no sleight Piece but such my Lord at I presume will accord with your judgement and likeing It past the Stage with generall Applause my selfe being the last that that Acted Matilda in it and since through the absurdity of times it hath laine obscured My Lord though it doth not appeare in it 's ancient and full glory yet it comes drest first with an humble regard to your Honour and then a confidence of it's naked worth but both it and my selfe are willingly subjected unto your Honours sentence which I hope will not be too heavy especially upon My Lord Your Honours Honourer Andrew Pennycuicke King Iohn AND Matilda Actus 1. Scoena 1. Enter King Queen and Oxford King THey will not come Ox. They will not King They had been better What was their answer Ox. Thus said Fitzwater father of the faction That was Generall for the Barrons against your Majestie Tell John Ki. John Ox. That was his Epithite Alledging how you stood at Rome put from Your Kingly office Tell John quoth he and frown'd That here at Baynards Castle we intend A settled stay for private reformations Of conceiv'd injuries which by the peace The King made with us were not throughly search'd But like green wounds clos'd with too swift a salve Upon your private ends are with more danger Doubts and distracted difficulties again Broke forth but having drawn them to a head They would send them to you to be ratified And then give their attendance King This is brave Who was there else Ox. Richmond imperious Leister and old Bruce The second in this revolt who sent the same return K. A•nest of Rebels to try the truth of these fine florishes You with Lord Mowbray post unto Guilford And being there pretending a visite unto Bruces Lady Wind into observation of the Castle so from her The engine upon which these factions move Discover the intent of their disignes Queen Sure sir the Lady is noble but your Majesties Injunction shall be obey'd Exit Enter Chester K. This not onely advantages Our meeting with Fitzwaters Daughter O how the thought startles my blood But likewise furthers our resolv'd proceedings Chester the news Chest Conceal your selfe sir I have trapt her with a snare K. Agen then I shall see he• Exit Enter Matilda Ma. You told me Chester That the Queen did earnestly request my attendance You said she was here i' th Garden But it seems you were mis-inform'd Ches Excellent innocence how art thou trapt I must attend the King please you walk Madam But towards the Grove I was told the Queen and Ladies Retyred there for shade Mat. I shall Ches And I must vanish Exit Chest Ent. King Mat. Oh heaven the King K. Thy friend Mat. False Chester K. Fair Matilda Mistresse of youth and beauty sweet as a spring And comely as the holy shining Priest Deckt in his glorious sacerdotall vestment Yet heare the passions of a love sick Prince And crown thy too too cruell heart with pitty Mat. Yet let fall your too too passionate plea•ings And crown your royall heart with excellent reason K. Hear me Mat. The Queen will heare you K. Speak but a word that Mat. What K. That may sound like something That may but busie my strong labouring heart With hope that thou wilt grant and every morning I will walk forth and watch the early Lark And at her sweetest note I will protest Matilda spake a word was like that note Mat. Oh how you tempt remember pray your vows To my betroth'd Earl Robert Huntington Did you not wish just as the poyson toucht His manly heart i• ever you again Laid battery to the fair fort of my unvanquish'd Vertue your death might be like his untimely And be poyson'd Oh take heed sir Saints stand upon heavens silver battlements When Kings make vows and lay their Listening ears to Princes Protestations K. So did Matilda swear to live and die a maid At which fair Nature like a Snail shrunck back As loath to hear from one so fair so foul A wound my vow was vain made without Recollection of my reason and yours Oh madnesse Maids have sure forsworne such vowes For Huntington he like a heap of summers Dust into his Grave is swept and bad vows Still are better broke then kept Mat. Alas great sir your Queen you cannot make me What is it then instructs your tongue Oh sir In things not right Lust is but loves well languag'd hypocrite K. Words shall convert to deeds then I am the King Mat. Doe but touch me And as I graspe steel in my trembling hand Offers violence she drawes a knife So sure the King shall see Matilda fall A sacrifice to vertue K. Cruell Maid Crueller then the Kid that eanes her young On the rough bosome of a ragged flint
Go get thee to the woods for thou art wild As flame or winter where so e're thou walk'st May wild winds chide thee and the reeling Trees Like a confus'd fall of many waters Rail on thy rudeness may the birds that build Among the wanton branches stead of teaching Notes to their young sing something like thy niceness And lastly may the Brooks when thou shalt lie And cast a pair of cruell busie eyes Upon their subtill slydings may the water The troubled image of my passions war With the stones the matter of thy heart that thou maist learn Thy hardnesse and my sufferings to discern And so whilst I if it be possible study to forget you May beasts and bird• and brooks and trees and wind Hear me and call Matilda too unkind Exit Mat. I le unto Baynards Castle to my father Oh she had a violent need of Castles where a King Layes such violent seige but Oh truth Thou art whilst tenant in a noble brest A crown of Christall in an Ivory chest Exit Enter King and Chester K. Shall I be dazled with effeminate darings Ches With a womans ward a knife too K. Here I left her Ch. But here she is not now sir K. Oh Chester run run as thou lov'st my peace Feather thy feet with lovers wishes let but my desires Dwel in thy eyes thou 'lt find her were she compast With a Cimerian mist Ch. I will do my best sir Exit K. Thy best do every thing do any thing Do all things that may find her whether Love Leads thy dark Labyrinth cannot Kings be free From thy impetuous buffets I have de••'d A heardned heart obdurate to thy shafts And some times am so when in the very minute Calling to mind Matilda's tears like drops Continued upon marble they pierce through And I am soft again Hast found her Ent. Chester Ch. No sir she is by this in Baynards Castle Where her Father and the Lords K. Command our Barge wee 'l after her like lightning We must have pledges Chester for their faiths if they refuse Thunder shall meet with thunder and each eye Shall see strange Comets in this troubled skie Exeunt Enter Fitzwater old Bruise young Bruise Richmond and Leister as in Baynards Castle Fitz. My noble Lords and honourable friends Not to particularlize what need plain dealing Be apparelled in particulars to a short supper Or a poor pittance rather ye are all Heartily welcome very heartily I must tell truth still O Br. Brother we thank you Eitz I would we had my sister your wife at Guilford with us Rich. Where are the Ladies Leis Comfo•ting Matilda sad return'd from Court Y. Bru. Betraid by Chester and again escap'd Like a chaste Dove out of the fowlers Net The lustfull King Fitz. Oh John John wilt thou never Leave thy wags tricks but let it passe t is best Because indeed t is past LeÃs I wonder how he receiv'd our resolv'd answer Y B•u No matter how he 's like to have no other Now by my blood you vext my very soul That you s•nt any O. Bru. Sonne have a tamer spirit Y Bru. Yes and like horses Be held by 'th nose by frivilous respect Whilst he casts Copperis into our sores and searches Past honours patience Fitz. Nephew Nephew hear me Le ts bear a little faith he is the King And though at Rome he does stand interdicted Yet now and then takes a good start or two Towards regularity till the fit comes on him And for your neat horse simile observe me Richmond and you are young men we three old But not too old to tell truth the horse that will not Stand till and endure searching how e're in summer With warmth and pasture he may strike at flies And play the wanton in a wealthy meadow For all his summer pastime yet t is said Winter will leave him but a lean scal'd jade Come come y' ar fooles y' ar fooles Leis Well let us bear then Y Bru. •et us Oh my blood Besides our in uries in his breach of promise He made by stains and publique grievances How in the flames of his adulterate heart Pursues he my chaste Cousin by flights gets her Within his tallon and but this afternoon Had not her friendly knife enfranchis'd her Even in the face of he•ven in his own Garden He would have ravish'd her O. Bru. Bro•her we are bound in honour not to bear it Leis Let him know our griefs and if Fitz. Well well with iss and ands Mad men leave Rocks and leap into the Sands But something shall be thought on Ent. Richmond Rich• The King attended Onely with the Earle of Chester Oxford and some Other Gentlement is new landed on the Stairs Om. The King Y Bru. Shut the stairs Gate Fitz. T were better Gate and stairs Were floating through bridg we are safe my cholerick cousin As in a Sanctuary t is enough A man would think to see a great Prince thus Cause wee 'd not go to him to come to us Ent. King Oxford Chester and other Lords Indeed indeed you speak unkindly K. Behold great Lords The Cedars of the Kingdome how the King A shrub shrincks out of majestie And comes to you here 's a fine Conventicle Are ye blowing up new sires and must Fitz•waters Plain-breasted as his unaffected habite Be Generall again again be call'd The Marshall of Heavens Army and the Churches Are you Planet st uck• you cannot talke Fitz. Your pardon sir I led the Barrons but t was when they could not choose But choose a leader and then me they chose And why so think ye they all lov'd your Grace And grieve grieve very heartily I tell you To see you by some state mice so misled This state mice that nibble so upon the Lands impaired freedom That would not so play in the Lyons eare But that by tickling him themselves to advantage This troubl'd us and griev'd the body Politique And this we sought to mend I tell truth John I We are thy friends John and if ye take from friendship The liberty of modest admonition Ye leave no mark whereby to distinguish it From the fawning passion of a Dog-base flattery If I speak plain this truth be my defence A good mans comsort is his Conscience And so much for plain Robin K. Fitzwater Bruce Richmond and stubborn Leister This is the last of our admonitions Either lay by those Arms those lawlesse arms Which you have listed 'gainst your Lord the King And give such pledges as we shall accept For settling of your loyalties or here By the abused sufferings of a King And by the unkind scars with which you have Deform'd the face of England misery Shall over take you in a shape shall fright The Iron heart of faction and the King Shall come no more acquainted with compassion But call the bloodiest ends a righteous vengeance Leis I will not leave mine arms Nor break my word to you Unlesse provok'd and justly you have