to the King why should I grow ingag'd Above my power since this my Lords you know The lesse we runne in debt the lesse we owe Give me my thoughts and score you on I pray I wish no more than I have meanes to pay Chest. Shall we my Lord his actions censure freely King And sentence them Aud. A Persian History I read of late how the great Sophy once Flying a noble Falcon at the Herne In comes by chance an Eagle sousing by Which when the Hawke espyes leaves her first game And boldly venters on the King of Birds Long tug'd they in the Ayre till at the length The Falcon better breath'd seiz'd on the Eagle And struck it dead The Barons prais'd the Bird And for her courage she was peerelesse held The Emperor after some deliberate thoughts Made him no lesse he caus'd a Crowne of gold To be new fram'd and fitted to her head In honour of her courage Then the Bird With great applause was to the market-place In tri triumph borne where when her utmost worth Had beene proclaim'd the common Executioner First by the Kings command tooke off her Crowne And after with a sword strooke off her head As one no better than a noble Traytor Vnto the King of Birds Chest. This use we make From this your ancient Persian History That you a noble and a courteous Peere Prais'd for your hospitall vertues and high bounty Shall be first crown'd with Lawrell to your worth But since you durst against your Soveraigne Oppose your selfe you by your pride misled Shall as a noble Traytor loose your head King That Sentence we confirme and it shall stand Irrevocable by our streight command Mar. I am glad my Liege I have a life yet left In which to shew my bounty even in that I will be liberall and spend it for you Take it 't is the last jewell that I have In liew of which oh grant me but a grave King A Laurell wreath a scaffold and a blocke Our selfe will see the Execution done Onely thy life is ours thy goods are free Mar. My Lord you are the life of courtesie And you are kinde unto me above measure To give away what might enrich your selfe Since they are mine I will bestow them thus The best of those that were so late but yours My jewells I by will restore you backe You shall receive them separate from the rest To you the Kings sonne and by marriage mine On you I will bestow my Armory Stables of Horse and weapons for the warres I know you love a Souldier to the Princesse And my two Daughters I give equall portions From my revenue but if my faire wife Proove and produce a Male-child him I make My universall Heire but if a Female Her Dower is with the rest proportionable The next I give it is my Soule to Heaven Where my Creator reignes my words thus end Body to Earth my Soule to Heaven ascend Enter the Queene Katherine the Princesse and the other Lady Princesse Stay Queene Hold Kath. Executioner forbeare Queen Heare me a Daughter for a Father plead Princesse Oh Father heare me for my Husbands life Doubly ally'd I am his Neece and Wife Kath. Oh Father heare me for a Father crave Queene Than sentence him oh let me perish rather I pleade for him that 's both my sonne and Father Kath. Oh make your mercy to this prisoner free Queene Father to us Princesse And Husband unto me King Hence with these womanish clamours Prince Vnto these Let me my Liege presume to adde another Behold him kneele that is your sonne and brother Kath. Your Sister and your Daughter great King heare Princesse Your Mother and your Daughter Queene Or like deare Your Queene and Sister Princesse Speake what hath he done Prince Who ever saw a father on a sonne Give sentence or my Royall Lord which rather Addes to your guilt a sonne condemne the father Chest. My Liege command them hence they but disturbe The Traytor in his death King A Traytor 's he That dares so tearme him Chester we meane thee Our best of subjects with our height of grace We wedde thee to us in this strict imbrace Thy vertues bounties envy'd courtesies Thy courage and thy constancy in death Thy love and Loyalty to the end continued More than their clamorous importunities Prevaile with us then as our best and greatest Not to exceed but equall thee in love To end betweene us this Heroick strife Accept what we most precious hold thy Life Mar. Which as your gift I 'le keepe till Heaven Nature Confine it hence and alwayes it expose Vnto your love and service I never lov'd it Bnt since 't was yours and by your gift now mine King I observe in thee The substance of all perfect Loyalty In you save flattery envy hate and pride Nothing or ought to goodnesse that 's ally'd Resigne those places that belong to him Better than so borne noble be unborne Till you your hearts can fashion to your faces We here suspend you from your stiles and places Prince A royall doome King Once more from us receive Thy beauteous Bride as we will hand our Queene The Prince already is possest of his Nay Bonvile as your Bridals were together So follow in your ranke and by the stile Of a Lord Baron you are now no lesse If you dare take our word Our Funerals thus Wee 'le turne to feasting and our blood to wines Of most choice taste prest from the purest Grape Our noble Martiall kinsman and our friend In our two vertues after times shall sing A Loyall Subject and a Royall King The Epilogue to the Reader THat this Play 's old 't is true but now if any Should for that cause despise it we have many Reasons both just and pregnant to maintaine Antiquity and those too not al vaine We know and not long since there was a time Strong lines were not lookt after but if rime O then 't was excellent who but beleeves But Doublets with stuft bellies and bigge sleeves And those Trunke-hose which now the age doth scorn Were all in fashion and with frequence worne And what 's now out of date who is 't can tell But it may come in fashion and sute well With rigour therefore judge not but with reason Since what you read was fitted to that season FINIS
brother of a Serjeant a rich corne-master of a plentifull yeere or a troublesome Attourney to heare of suits put to compremize Sir I must challenge you you are my kinsman My Grandsir was the first that rais'd the name Of Bonvile to this height but Lord to see That you are growne a Lord and know not me Bonv. Cousin I know you you have bin an unthrift And lavisht what you had had I so done I might have ebb'd like you where I now flow Cap. Yet I can purchase that which all the wealth you have will never winne you Bon. And what 's that I pray Cap. Wit is the word strange to you wit Bon. Whither wilt thou Cap. True Wit will to many ere it come to you Bon. Feed you upon your purchase I 'le keepe mine Cap. Have you the wit to doo 't Cap. I have wit to buy And you to sell which is the greater gaine Cousin I 'le keepe my wealth keep you your brain Cap. The wealth of Mydas choak thee ere th' art old And even the bread thou feed'st on change to gold My Lord you heare how I pray for my Kinred I have a little more charity for my friend with you I have some businesse Aud. I am in haste now Cap. I pray you stay Audl. Not now indeed Cap. Pardon for here 's no way Before you heare me Aud. Prithee be briefe Cap. Your daughter lives I hope Aud. What 's that to thee Cap. Somewhat 't will proove ey and concerning me Before I laid my fortunes on these warres And was in hope to thrive by your consent Nay by your motion our united hearts Were made more firme by contract well you know We were betroth'd Aud. Sir I remember 't not Cap. I doe and thus proceed I was in hope to have rais'd my fortunes high And with them to have pull'd her by degrees Vnto that eminence at which I aime I venter'd for it but instead of wealth I purchast nought but wounds Honour I had And the repute of valour but my Lord These simply of themselves are naked Titles Respectlesse without price and bombast wealth And to the purblind world shew seeming bad Behold in me their shapes they thus goe clad Aud. You said you would be briefe Cap. All that I had I spent upon my Soldiers we tooke no spoile The warres have grated on me ev'n to this That you now see Now my last refuge is To raise my selfe by her Aud. And spend her meanes As thou hast done thine owne vile unthrift no I know no Contract Cap. I have one to shew Aud. No matter think'st thou that I 'le vent my bagges To suite in Sattin him that Jets in ragges Exit Cap. The world 's all of one heart this blaze I can All love the money none esteemes the man These be our friends at Court and fine ones too Are they not pray where be our followers Cock Here noble Captaine Cap. You see how our friends grace us what hopes we have to preferre you Corp. I see sufficient Captaine I will discharge my selfe I meane to seeke else-where for preferment Cap. All leave me if you please but him that stayes If e're I mount I 'le with my fortunes raise Match Captaine I desire your passe I meane to march along with my Corporall Cap. Wilt thou goe too Cock I leave you who I for a little diversity for a wet storme no Sir though your out-sides fall away I 'le cleave as close to you as your linings Cap. Gramercy yet away without reply Corp. Futre for thy base service Cap. Away sfoot how am I falne out of my humour and yet this strangenesse of my nearest friends and alliance deserves a little cotemplating is 't possible that even Lords that have the best educating whose eares are frequent to the most fluent discourse that live in the very braine of the Land the Court that these should be gull'd with shadows and not be able to distinguish a man when they see him thou knowest me yet these doe not Cock Why may not a poore man have as good eyes as another their eares indeed may be larger than mine but I can see as far without spectacles as the best Lord in the land Cap. These superficiall Lords that thinke every thing to be as it appeares they never question a mans wit his discretion his language his inward vertues but as hee seemes he passes Cock I warrant if I should looke like an Asse They would take mee for one too Cap. The next I try is my betroth'd if she acknowledge this hand that hath received hers this heart this face and knowes the person from the garment I shall say Woman there is more vertue in thee than Man Cock There 's no question of that for they say they will hold out better But Sir if we be no better habited I make a question how we shall get in at the Court-gate for I 'le assure you your fashion is not in request at the Court Cap. My vertue is not to be imitated I 'le hold my purpose though I be kept backe and venter lashing in the Porters Lodge Come follow me I will goe see my Mistresse Though guirt with all the Ladies of the court Though ragged Vertue oft may be kept out No grate so strongly kept above the Center But Asses with gold laden free may enter Actus Secundus Scena Secunda Enter the Prince the Princesse the Martiall and the Lady Mary Audley Prince Lord Martiall we are much in debt to you For by your favour we obtain'd the prize In the last Tourney we acknowledge it Mar. I could not love my Soveraigne Gracious Prince Without extent of duty to the sonne Princesse 'T was nobly ply'd on both sides both had honour Yet brother to be modest in your praise You had the best Prince You please to grace me Sister Martiall I heare you are a widdower late How long is 't since your beauteous Countesse dy'd Mar. My Lord you make me now unsoldier-like For get the name of Martiall to become A passionate husband her remembrance drawes Teares from mine eyes shee dy'd some three Moneths since Good Lady shee 's now gone Princesse A kinde Husband I 'le warrant him if e're I chance to bride Heaven grant I finde no worse Prince Have you no children by her Mar. Two sweet Girles Now all my hopes and solace of this earth Whom next the zeale I owe unto my King I prise above the world Prince Why noble Sir Are they not brought up to be train'd at Court To attend our Sister Mar. They are young and tender And e're I teach them fashion I would gladly Traine them in vertue and to arme their youth Against the smooth and amorous baits of Court Princesse As kind a Father as a Husband now If e're I chance to wedde such Heaven grant me Prince Why Heaven may heare your prayer here 's one I warrant that dreames not on a Husband Princesse Yet e're long Shee may
that may become her were she child Vnto your greatest Peere had he had more More had he sent these worthlesse as they be He humbly craves you would receive by me King His bounty hath no limit but my Queene Her bright aspect so much perswades with me It charmes me more than his humility Arise in grace and sweet forget your wrong Queen My joyes unspeakable can finde no tongue To expresse my true hearts meaning King Beauteous Maide You are our Sister and that royall Title From all disgrace your freedome shall proclaime Kath. I finde your Grace the same my noble Father Hath still reported you royall in all By whom the vertuous rise th th' ignoble fall Prince I have not seene a Lady more compleate Her modesty and beauty both are matchlesse King Am I a King and must be exceeded still Or shall a subject say that we can owe His bounty we will equall and exceed We have power to better what in him 's but well Your free opinions Lords is not this Lady The fairer of the twaine how durst our subject Then dally with us in that high designe Chest. With pardon of the Queene shee 's paralell'd By her faire Sister Clin. Were my censure free I durst say better'd Prince Were it put to me I should avow she not the Queene alone Excells in grace but all that I have seene King Dost love her Prince As my honour or my life King Her whom thou so much praisest take to wise Prince You blesse my youth Kate And strive to eternize me Queen Nor in this joy have I the meanest part Now doth your Grace your inward love expresse To me and mine King I never meant thee lesse Thy Sister and thy daughter freely imbrace That next thee hath our Kingdomes second place How say you Lords have we requited well Our subjects bounty are we in his debt Aud. Your Highnesse is in courtesie invincible Bonv. And bountifull beyond comparison Chest. This must not hold prevention out of hand For if the Martiall rise we stand not long Clin. Our wits must then to worke Chest. They must of force This is not that to which our fortunes trust King Let then our subject know his King hath power To vanquish him in all degrees of honour And he must now confesse him selfe excell'd With what can Heaven or Earth his want supply To equall this our latest courtesie We have the day we rise and he must fall As one subdu'd Serv. His Highnesse knows not all One speciall gift he hath reserv'd in store May happily make your Grace contend no more King No sir thinke you your Master will yet yeeld And leave to us the honour of the day I wish him here but this last sight to see To make him us acknowledge Serv. On my knee One boone I have to begge King Speake let me know Thy utmost suite Serv. My noble Master stayes Not farre from Court and durst he be so ambitious As but to appeare before you and present you With a rich gift exceeding all have past The onely perfect token of his zeale He would himselfe perpetually hold vanquish't In all degrees of love and courtesie King For our Queenes love and our faire daughters sake We doe not much care if we grant him that Admit him and his presence urge with speed Well may he imitate but not exceed Chest. I feare our fall if once the Martiall rise Downe downe must we Clin. Therefore devise some plot His favour to prevent Chest. Leave it to me King Lords we are proud of this our unity Double Alliance of our sonnes faire choice Since 't is applauded by your generall voyce The rather since so matchlesse is our Grace That force perforce our subject must give place Enter the Martiall with a rich Cradle borne after him by two Servants Mar. Not to contend but to expresse a duty Of zeale and homage I present your grace With a rich jewell which can onely value These royall honours to my Daughters done King Value our bounty shouldst thou sell thy selfe Even to thy skin thou couldst not rate it truely Mar. My Liege I cannot but in liew and part Though not in satisfaction I make bold To tender you this Present King What 's the project Here 's cost and art and amply both exprest I have not view'd the like Prince 'T is wondrous rare I have not seene a Modell richlier fram'd Princesse Or for the quantity better contriv'd This Lord in all his actions is still noble Exceeding all requitall King 'T is a brave out-side Mar. This that you see my Lord is nothing yet More than its worth it hath commended bin This is the case the jewell lyes within Pleaseth your Grace t' unvaile it King Yes I will But e're I open it my Lord I doubt The wealth within not equalls that without King VVhat have we here Mar. A jewell I should rate Were it mine owne above your Crowne and Scepter King A child Mar. A Prince one of your royall blood Behold him King my grand-child and thy sonne Truely descended from thy Queene and thee The Image of thy selfe King How can this be Queen My royall Liege and Husband view him well If your owne favour you can call to minde Behold it in this Infant limn'd to 'th life Hee 's yours and mine no kinred can be nearer King To this rich jewell I hold nothing equall I know thee vertuous and thy father loyall But should I doubt both yet this royall Infant Hath such affection in my heart imprest That it assures him mine my noble subject Thou hast at length o'recome me and I now Shall ever ever hold me vanquished Had'st thou sought Earth or Sea and from them both Extracted that which was most precious held Thou nothing could'st have found to equall this This the mixt Image of my Queene and me Here then shall all my emulation end O'recome by thee our subject and our friend Mar. Your vassall and your servant that have strove Onely to love you and your royall favours Not to requite for that I never can But to acknowledge and in what I may To expresse my gratitude King Thine is the conquest But shall I gee 't o're thus 't is in my head How I this lost dayes honour shall regaine A gift as great as rich I have in store With which to gratifie our subjects love And of a value unrequitable Thou hast given me a Grand-child and a sonne A royall infant and to me most deare Yet to surpasse thee in this emulous strife I give thee here a daughter and a wife Now must thou needs confesse the conquest wonne By me thy King thy Father and thy sonne Mar. Your father sonne and subject quite surpast Yeelds himselfe vanquish't and o'recome at length Princesse You have not my consent yet Mar. Madam no The king doth this his bounty to expresse Your love is to your selfe and therefore free Bestow it where you please Princesse Why then on thee He
none and therefore can I finde no rest Clin. It growes towards day Chest. That day is night to me Whil'st you Sunne shines I had this even some conference In private with the King in which I urg'd The Martialls discontent withall inferr'd That by his looke the Princesse he despis'd The King chang'd face and could we second this By any new conjecture there were hope To draw him in displeasure Clin. Watch advantage And as you finde the humour of the King Worke it unto the Martialls deepe disgrace But soft the Prince Enter the Prince and Katherine Kath. So early up how did you like your rest Prince I found my most rest in my most unrest A little sleepe serves a new married man The first night of his brydalls I have made you A Woman of a Maide Kath. You were up Both late and early Prince Why you were abroad Before the Sunne was up and the most wise Doe say 't is healthfull still betimes to rise Good day Chest. In one ten thousand Prince Lords you have not seene The King to day it was his custome ever Still to be stirring early with the Sunne But here 's his Majesty Enter Captaine and the King Audley and Bonvile King Not all your smooth and cunning Oratory Can colour so his pride but we esteeme him A flattering Traytor one that scornes our love And in disdaine sent backe our Daughters Dower Your Iudgement Lords Chest. Hath he refus'd the Princesse King No but her Dower sent back and insolently Her whom we gave he with a gift would buy A jewell shall we merchandize our Daughter As one not able to bestow her nobly But that our poverty must force us sell her Cap. Your Highnesse much mispriseth his intent For he had no such thought King We know his pride Which his ambition can no longer shadow Chest. Your Highnesse might doe well to call in question His insolence and to arraigne him for t King Be you his Iudges Bonvile Audley you Command him straight on his Allegiance To make appearance and to answer us Before our Lords of his contempt and scorne Prince Shall we command him hither King From his bed And if convicted he shall surely pay for 't Aud. We shall my Lord Chest. Arraigne him on the suddaine e're it proved Le him not dreame upon evasive shiftes But take him unprepared Clin. Shall we command A Barre and call a Iury of his Peeres Whil'st Chester that enjoyes the place of Martiall Objects such Allegations 'gainst his life As he hath drawne out of his rude demeanor King It shall be so a Barre and instantly We will our selfe in person heare him speake And see what iust excuse he can produce For his contempt Prince My gracious Lord and Father What he hath done to you proceeds of honour Not of disdaine or scorne hee 's truely noble And if a Regall bounty be a sinne In any subject hee 's onely guilty Of that true vertue Cap. Saw your Majesty With what an humble zeale and prostrate love He did retender your faire Daughters Dower You would not his intent thus misreceive Chest. 'T is humble pride and meere hypocrisie To blinde the King 't is but ambitious zeale And a dissembling cunning to aspire Kath. My Father call'd in question for his life Oh let not me a sad spectator be Of such a dismall object Prince Nor will I But leave them to their hated cruelty King This is no place for Ladies we allow Her absence of the rest let none depart Till we have search't the cunning of his heart A Barre set out the King and Chester with Clinton and the Prince and Captaine take their seates Audley and Bonvile bring him to the Barre as out of his bed then take their seates Mar. A Barre a Iudgement seate and Iury set Yet cannot all this daunt our innocence Chest. You have disloyally sought to exceed The King your Soveraigne and his royall deeds To blemish which your fellow Peeres thus conster That strengthen'd by th' alliance of the King And better armed by the peoples love You may prove dangerous In policy of state to quench the sparkes Before they grow to flame and top your height Before your spacious branches spread too farre What to this generall motion can you say Before we taxe you with particulars Mar. With reverence to the State 'fore which I stand That you my Lord of Chester appeare shallow To thinke my actions can disgrace the Kings As if the luster of a petty Starre Should with the Moone compare Alas my deeds Conferr'd with his are like a Candles light To out-shine the mid-dayes glory Can the King The glorious mirrour of all gratitude Condemne that vertue in anothers bosome Which in his owne shines so transparantly Oh pardon me meere vertue is my end Whose pitch the King doth many times transcend Clin. To taxe you more succinctly you have first Abus'd the King in sending to the Court Your daughter lesse faire and the least belov'd Aud. And that includes contempt most barbarous Which you in that unsubject-like exprest Your former emulations we omit As things that may finde tolerable excuse And are indeed not matters capitall But to the best and greatest when the King Out of his bounty and magnificence Vouchsaft to stile thee with the name of sonne Being but a subject with contorted browes And lookes of scorne you tooke his courtesie And in contempt sent back the Princesse dower Chest. Most true a grounded proposition To question you of life Mar. My life my lords It pleases me that the King in person daines To grace my cause with his Majesticke eare You plead for me in this and speake my excuse I have but two in all He sent for one and he receiv'd them both With them a sweete and lovely Prince to boote Who ever lost I am sure the King hath wonne At once a wife a daughter and a sonne Bonv. 'T is true my Lord we all can witnesse it Mar. He that my discontent objects to me With the faire Princesse speakes uncertainly The man judicious such for fooles allowes As have their inward hearts drawne in their browes Is there in all that bench a man so honest That can in this be discontent with me I charge you all those favours I receive From his high Majesty I swallow not With greedy appetite perhaps like you When I am grac't it comes with awe and feare Lest I offend that Prince that holds me deare That for my brow Chest. But for your scornfull sending Of the faire Princesse dower backe to th' King How can you answer that Mar. Why Chester thus I am a man though subject if the meanest Lord or'e his wife why should that priviledge Be onely bard me should I wive an Empresse And take her dowerlesse should we love or hate In that my bounty equalls her estate Witnesse that Iudge above you I esteeme The Princesse dearely and yet married her But as my wife for which I am infinitely Bound