top there should one spreading branch grow up and flourish Aegyst Now thou art thy self yes yes my love there shall one spring from us shall be a lofty Pine let this be cropt murder must murder guard guilt add to guilt after one drop whole streams of blood be spilt walks away Scen. 3. Enter Pylades Orestes Electra Strophius Pyl. Dear friend what mean you to o'rwhelm your self in such a sea of grief Orest Father deare Agamemnon Pyl. Nay cease this tempest thou hast lost a father why 't is but change my father shall be thine I 'll be thy brother nay I 'll be thy selfe weep when thou weep'st and where thou go'st I 'll goe and bring thee on thy pilgrimage of woe Elect. Brother look up have not I lost a father yes yes and would a river of fresh teares turne Lethes stream and bring him from the wharf with a North gale of windy blowing sighs I would expire my soul become all teares Stro. Come you have lost a father I a brother the Queen a Husband all the Land a King yet all this but a man therefore must dye Our woes may all be in one balance poys'd His book of life the Fates had over-read and turn'd the leafe where his last period stood Now an immortal wreath circles his brow and makes him King in heaven who was before at most a God on earth Hence difference springs Kings are earths Gods and Gods are heavenly Kings Orest Let us joyne words then now and Swan-like sing the doleful dirge to a departed King Thou friend didst of this misery divine therefore the burthen of the song is mine words Orators for woe which plead the cause when griefe 's the judge and sighs are all the laws each one a sob for Diapason beares our tunes shall drown the musick of the spheares O what Hirudo with unsatiate thirst could draw the blood from out those Princely veines from whence flow'd comfort to so many souls Spies his mother goes to her Mother when wept you last here take a scarf dry your eyes now by you need none what shine of comfort hath dry'd up your teares Clyt. Our son 's too sawcie with his mother Queen Why Sir shall you tell us a time to weep Orest Us good Who is' t makes the plurality 'T was wont to be my father does he live Clyt. Sir curb this lavish speech or I 'll forget you are my son and make you but a subject Aegyst Good Cousin add not disobedience unto your mothers griefs Orest My mother no she is not here no she hath hid her self in some odd nooke or angle unperceiv'd she might not see this impious stygian world Cly. Aegystus canst thou still suffer thy dull sword i' th sheath Take the rank head from this o'r-growing weed Stro. Remember Clytemnestra he 's your son Clyt. He is so and I 'll learn him to be so Had I a brazen bull it should be heat hotter then for the Tyrant Disobedient More harsh then Adders hisses is thy voyce Sir you shall dye but with a living death he still shall live but live to know he dies who strait threats death knows not to Tyranize Exeunt Aegystheus Clytemnestra Stro. What temper 's grown on the distracted Queen Hath grief conceiv'd for her late husbands death brought her so far she hath forgot her self Orest No Uncle no by I do suspect O my prophetick soul divines much ill Well I will flie But hear this stratagem it shall be rumor'd i' th eare of the Court I was found dead I 'll put a new shape on and live alone to heare how things go here Pyl. Nay not alone Orestes whilst I live shouldst make thy bed upon the rigid Alps or frozen Caucasus wrapt in sheets of snow I 'd freeze unto thy side we will tell tales of Trojan warriers and deposed Kings Tell of strange shipwrack of old Priams fall how mad Andromacha did teare her hayre when the wild horses tore brave Hectors limbs Wee 'l think they all do come and weep with us grief loves companions and it helpeth woe when it heares every one groane forth his Oh! it easeth much and our plaints fall more sweet when a whole consort in one tune do meet The half-dead ship-man which hath shipwrack borne seeing many drown'd it makes him lesse to mourn It made Deucalion care the lesse to die when he had all the world in company Thus we will sit and our teares turnes shall keep thou for thy father I for thee will weep If actors on the Stage having no cause but for to win an hearers hands applause can let fall teares wee 'l think we Actors be and only do but play griefs Tragedie Orest O but deare friend should we but act a part the play being ended passion left the heart and we should share of joy but my whole age must never move from off this woful Stage But we must take our leave Uncle farwel remember what I spake and Sister you must tarry here my thoughts shall busied be to finde the man that let my father blood Can I but finde Aegystheus did consent to spill one drop O I would pierce his heart with venom'd daggers and so butcher him that all Apollos skill in physicke hearbs nor Aesculapius th' Epidaurian God should keepe his soule out of Enio's hand Come my deare friend to all the rest farewell If heaven relate it not I 'll know 't from hell Exeunt Pylades Orestes Scena 4. Enter Aegysteus Clytemnestra Mysander Strophius Electra another way Aegyst What is Orestes fled sure there 's some plot if you deare Queen but search Electra well you 'll finde she knowes whither her brothers gone Clyt. If in her heart there be but lodg'd a thought unknown to mee this hand shall rip her brest and search her inparts but I 'll finde it out Mysander call Electra Aegist O were that moat tane from our comforts beams no cloud e'r then could overshade our joyes his life must be cut off without delay mischiefe by mischiefe findes the safest way But here 's Electra Cly. Why how now Minion what a blubbering still Huswife pray where 's your brother wher 's my sonne Elect. Mother pray where 's my father wher 's your husband Enter Stropheus and speaks Haile to my my gracious Queene here 's one at doore brings you a message hee will not relate to any but your selfe he saies t is sad Clyt. Why the more dismal the more welcome ' t is But as for you Elect. Good mother do your worst no plague can ever make me more accurst nothing is worse then death that I 'll not flie Clyt. Yes life is worse to those that faine would die But where 's the messenger Scena 5. Enter Nuncius What whirlwinde rising from the womb of earth doth raise huge Pelion unto Ossa's top that both being heapt I stand upon them both and with an hundred Stentor-drowning voice relate unto the world the saddest tale that ever burdned
in this weak condition to repute our selves above the stroak of Lady Chance a caution must divine it ever fixt that whilst her checks equally fall out community should ease their bitterness I could afresh now shed those Princely tears to think such suddain ruine should attend Heroick spirits glittering in bright arms But if the Graecian when he heard the dreams disputed subtilly by Philosophers to prove innumerable extant worlds was struck with pensiveness and wept to think he had not yet obtain'd one for himself what terror can affright a Christians thoughts who knows there is a world at liberty to breath in when this glass of life is broke our Foes with circling fury are intrencht Pelions of Earth and darkness shall orelade them whilst we shall mount and these our spirits light shall be yet ponderous to depress them lower Nay my Enthusiastick soul divines That some weak hand shall from the blazing Zone snatch Lightning which shall strike the snarling Cur with horror and amazement to the Earth which Hell cannot oppose Turk Tyrannize stand yet at length to fall my sacrifice Super Olympick vigor will no doubt squeez all thy supercilious rancor out Exeunt in a March Scena 3. Actus 5. The Heavens seem on fire Comets and blazing Stars appear Amurath speaks Am. Who set the world on fire How now ye Heavens grow you so proud that you must needs put on curl'd locks and cloth your selves in Periwigs of fire Mahomet say not but I invoke thee now command the puny-Christians demi-God put out those flashing sparks those Ignes fatui or I 'le unseat him or with my Looks so shake the staggring props of his weak seated Throne that he shall finde he shall have more to do to quell one Amurath than the whole Gyant brood of those same Sons of Earth than ten Lycaons Do the poor snaks so love their misery that they would see it by these threatning lights Dare ye blaze still I 'le toss up Buckets full of Christians blood to quench you by those hairs drag you beneath the Center there put out all your presaging flames in Phlegeton Can you outbrave me with your pidling Lights Yawn earth with Casements as wide as hell it self Vault opens Burn heaven as ardent as the Lemnian flames wake pale Tisiphon spend all thy snakes Be Eacus and Minos as severe as if the Goale delivery of us all were the next Sessions I le pull Radamant by his flaming furres from out his Iron Chaire Whilst he is in his fury arise four Fiends framed like Turkish Kings but black his supposed Predecessors daunce about him to a kind of hideous noyse sing this Song following 1. Fiend Horror dismal cryes and yells Of these thy Grandsires thee fore-tels Furies sent of thee to learn Crimes which they could nere discern All. Furies sent c. 2. Fiend O Amurath thy Father 's come To warn thee of a suddain doome Which in Cassanoe's fields attends To bring thee to thy hellish friends All. Which in Cassanoes c. 3. Fiend Megaera and Ennio both do stand Trembling lest when thou art damn'd Chief of Furies thou shouldst be And they their snakes resigne to thee All. Chief of Furies c. 4. Fiend Terror we a while will leave thee Till Cocytus Lake receive thee Cerberus will quake for feare Where he a new Turks fate shall heare All. Cerberus will c. Amu. Now who the divel sent my Grandsires hither Had Pluto no task else to set them too He should have bound them to Ixions wheel or bid them roule the stone of Sysiphus Beshrew me but their singing did not please me Have they not been so drunk with Lethe yet as to forget me They can portend no ill for should the fates be twining my last thread yet none durst come from hell to tell me so Shall I be scar'd with a Night-walking Ghost or what my working fancy shall present Why I can look more terrible then night and command darknesse in the unwilling day Make Hecate start and draw back her head to wrap it in a swarthy vaile of clouds Drop sheets of Sulphure you prodigious skyes Cyclops run all thy Bullets into Aetna then vomit them at once should Christians couch to the bottomlesse abysse of Styx or hide themselves under Avernaes shade this arm should fetch them out Day must perform what I intend wrath raines a bloody storm And now 'gins rise the Sun which yet not knows the misery it shall see on Amuraths Foes Lords Leaders Captaines Enter Schahin and others Scha. Your Highnesse up so soon Amu. He small rest takes that dreames on nought but bloody broyles and death Schah. Your Grace seems much distempered Beds of sweat bedew your brows with never-wonted paleness Am. Why see you not The heavens are turn'd Court Ladies and put on other Hair besides their own canst guess learn'd Schahin what these flames portend Schah. My Lord such things as these we men must see and wonder at and yet not search the reason perchance unwholsom fogs exhailed by th' Sun are set a blazing by his too neer heat but 't is not lawful that a mortal eye should dare to penetrate Heavens secrecy Am. Doth it not bode a Conquest Schah. Yes ' gainst the Christians for unto them it bends sinister looks and frowns upon their Army more than ours Amur. So so come on ere Phosphorus appear let 's too 't and so prevent that sluggard Sol. If we want Light we 'll from our Whinyards strike fire enough to scorch the Universe Mine Armour there Some go for his Armour Now Mahomet I implore thy promist Aid for this auspicious day toss me aloft and make me ride on Clouds If my Horse fail me those fire breathing jades which the boy Phaëthon knew not how to guide will I pluck out from out the flaming Team and hurle my self against those condense Spheares on which I 'le sit and stay their turning Orbs the whole vertigious Circle shall stand still but to behold me Mine Armour ho They bring his Armour So help on here now like Alcides do I girt my self with well knit sinewes able to stagger Earth and threaten Nature with a second Chaos If one impetuous broyl remain to come in future ages set on foote this houre How well this weight of steele bents my strength Me thinks the Gods stand quivering and doe feare when I am arm'd another Phlegeâ—'s neare Chiron shall see his Piadus at my feet And I le climbe up to heaven and pull it downe and kick the weighty burden of the world from off the Babies shoulders that supports it for I am safer Buckled ' gainst my foe then sturdy Jason who by th' inchanted charmes Medea gave encountred Unicornes Queld Lyons struggl'd with fire-belching Buls obtain'd a glorious prize a Fleece A Fleece dipt deepe in tincture of the Christ'ans bloud shall be my spoyle nay should they hide their heads in their Gods bosome here 's a sword shall reach them Come
they shall know no place is free from wrath when boyling bloud is stirr'd in Amurath Exeunt An alarme excursions fight within Enter at one doore a Christian at another a Turke fight both kild so a new charge the Turkes kill most Enter Lazarus Schahin kils him Enter Eurenoses Cobelitz they fight Cobelitz faints falls for dead A showt within a token of Victory on the Turkes side a Retrait sounded Scena 4. Actus 5. Enter above Amurath Bajazet Nobles to see the spoyle Schah. Here mighty Prince take view of Victory and see the field too narrow for thy spoyles Erynnus hides her head as if afraid to see a slaughter she durst never hope for Earth hath the Carkasses and denies them Graves and lets them ly and rot and fat her wombe scorning to be unto the slaves a Tombe Am. Where are become those ominous Comets now What are those pissing Candles quite extinct leave their disacterous snuffes no stench behind them 't is something yet that their God seeth their slaughter lending sulphurious Meteors to behold the blest destruction of these Parasites I knew the Elements would first untye the Nerves of th' Universe then let me dye Here Cobelitz riseth as awakt amazed leaning on his Sword stumbling ore the dead bodies lookes towards Amurath Euren. See King heres 's one worme yet that dare confesse he breaths and lives which once this hand crusht downe Amur. Ha ha by Mahomet and we are weary now Some Mercy shall lay Victory asleepe It will a Lawreat prove to this great strife ' mongst all these murdred to give one his life so we 'll descend He goeth from aloft Cob. From what a dismall grave am I awak'd entomb'd within a Golgatha of men Have all these Soules prevented me in blesse and left me in a dreame of happinesse But soft me thoughts he sayd he would descend Then Heavens one minutes breath that 's all I aske and then I shall performe my lifes true taske Amurath descends on the Stage Cobelitz staggers towards him Amur. Poore slave wouldst live Here Cobelitz is come to him seeming to kneele stabs him with a pocket Dagger Cob. Yes Turke to see thee dye Howle howle grim Tartar yel thou grisly Wolfe force forth the bloud from out thy gaping Wound Dii tibi non mortem quae cunctis poena paratur Sed sensum post fata tuae dent impie morti Amur. My spirit makes me not to feele thy weapon Hold you crackt Organs of my shattered life I 'm not toucht yet can I not mocke my death and thinke 't is but a dreame tells me I 'm hurt Dar'st thou then leave me bloud Canst be so bold as to forsake these veynes to flow on Earth And must I like th' unhappy Roman dye by a slaves hand Cob. Tyrant 't is knowne He 's Lord of others lives that scornes his owne Am. I that could scarce ere sleepe can I ere die And will none feare my life when I am dead Tortures and torments for the murderer Cob. Ha ha ha Leaning on his sword I thanke thee great omnipotent that I shall here laugh out the lag end of my life Am. Villaine thy laugh wounds worse then did thy Dagger Are you Lethargick Lords in cruelty Cob. Nay heare me Turke now will I prompt their rage Locke me up in the Bull of Phalaris cut off these eye-lids bid me then out-gaze the parching Sunbeames flea this tender skin set nests of Hornets on my rawest flesh let the Siconian Clouds drop brimstone on me powre boyling Lemnos on my greenest wounds put on my shoulder Nessus poyson'd shirt bind all these bloudy faces to my face Racke me Procrastes like The Lord that holds up Amurath offers to touch his wounds Amur. Hell oh I cannot brooke your smallest touch Cob. Ha Ha! each groane is Balsome to my wounds I am perfect well Bajazet offers to kill Gobelitz a Nobleman holds his hand Schah. Rascall dar'st deride us Cob. Yea and while your witty furies shall invent for me some never heard of punishment I see a guard of Saints ready to take me hence Take then free flight my new rewarded soule and seate thee on the winged Seraphims hast to the Empyreum where thy welcome shall be an Haleluia anthem'd forth By the Chorus of the Angell-Hierarchy Pierce with swift plumes the concave paths o th' Moone Where the black aire enlightened is with starres Stay not to wonder there at wandring Signes at bi-horn'd Gemini or Amphions Harpe at Arctos or Bootes or the Beare Which are to please wizard Astrologers Soare higher with thy pitch and then looke downe to laugh at the hard trifles of the world Perchance some oft have knowne a better life Never did one ere leav ' it more willingly Am. Feare your death Gods for I have lost my life and what I most complaine my tyranny Cob. Soule to detaine thee from thy wished rest were but an envious part arise farewell To stay thee to accuse or fate or man would shew I were unwilling yet to leave thee But deare companion hence cut through the ayre let not the grosenesse of my Earth ore-lime thy speedy wings fly without weight of crime He dyes Am. O now have I and Fortune try'd it out With all her best of favours was I crown'd and suffred her worst threats when most she frown'd Stay Soule a King a Turke commands thee stay Sure I am but an actor and must strive to personate the Tragicke ends of Kings And so to winne applause unto the Scene with fained passion thus must graspe at death O but I see pale Nemesis at hand Art thou dull fate and dost not overspread Cimmerian wings of death throughout the world What Not one Earthquake One blazing Comet T' accompany my soule t' his Funerall Is not this hour the generall period to nere returning time Last breath command a new Deacalions deluge that with me the world may swim to his Eternall Grave Cracke hindge that holds this globe and welcome death Wilt thou not stay Soule Friend not stay with Kings Sinke then and sink beneath the Thracian Mount Sinke beneath Athos be the Brackish Waves Of Acheron thy Tombe I le want a Grave So all parts feare which first my Corps shall have For in my Grave I le be the Christians foe here like a massie pyramide I le fall I le strive to sinke all the whole fabricke with me quake pluto for 't is I that come a turke tyrant and a conquerour and with this groane like thunder will I cleave the timerous earth whilst thus my last I breath He dyes Bajaz. O easie powers to give us all at first but in their losse they make us most accurst Here all the Nobles kneele to Bajazet Schah. The Taper of your Fathers life is spent We must have light still and adore a Sunne that next is rising therefore mighty Prince upon your shoulders must the pondrous load of Empire rest Bajaz. Why Lords we have a Brother who as in
Two deare friends Orestes soon to Agam. Pylades soon to Stroph. Electra Daughter to Agamemnon Aegystheus Adulterer with Clytemnestra Mysander A Favorite and Parasite Ajoung Childe of Aegystheus Nurse Two Lords Chamberlaine A Boy Attendants THE TRAGEDIE OF ORESTES Actus 1. Scena 1. Enter as from warre Agamemnon Clytemnestra Orestes Pylades Aegysteus cum caeteris Agam. NOw a faire blessing blesse my dearest earth and like a Bride adorne thy royall brow with fruits rich Garland a new married Bride Unto thy King and Husband who too long Hath left thee widdowed O me thinks I see Turnes to the spectators how all my Grecians with unsatiate lookes and greedy eyes doe bid mee welcome home Each eare that heares the clamour seemes to grieve it cannot speake and give a welcome King Come Clytemnestra let not anger make his wrinkled seat upon my loves faire brow I have too long beene absent from thy bed Chide me for that anon when arme in arme I shall relate those projects in love termes which when they first were acted made Mars feare to see each man turn'd to a God of warre Clyt. O my deare Lord absence of things wee love thus intermixt makes them the sweeter prove That your departure pierc'd my tender soule witnesse those Christall floods which in my eyes did make a sea when you should goe to sea those streames which then flow'd from the veines of greife at your returne doe overflow the banks But 't is with joy Agam. Now these eares indeed have chang'd their place they which were wont to heare no musique but the summoning of warre blowne thorow discords brazen instrument are blessed now with accents that doe fill my age-dry'd veynes with youthfull blood againe These eyes which had no other object once but Hector twixt the armes of Greece and Troy hewing downe men and making every field Flow with a sea of blood now see 's blood flow In my Orestes cheekes heaven blesse this plant Orestes kneeles sprung from the sap of this juicelesse oake Now be thy branches greene under whose shade I may be shadowed from the heat of warre Rise young Orestes Oh how it glads my soule to see my Queene and Sonne my Sonne and Queene Clyt. But come my Lord true love still hates delayes let no eares first be blessed with your breath till on my brest resting your wearied head You tell your warre where that the field 's your bed Aga. My Queen shal have her wil see how times change I that last night thought all the world a sea As if our common mother earth had now shot her selfe wholly into Neptunes armes and the strong hindges of the world had crackt letting the moone fall into th' swelling waves such watry mountaines oft did seeme to rise and quite o'rwhelme us all the winds at warre banded the sea on to the others coasts Jove thinking Neptune gan to strive for heaven sent a new sea from thence and with his thunder bad silence to the waves they uncontrold kept on their noyse and let their fury swell turning heaven earth sea clouds and all to hell Each Trojan that was saved then 'gan cry happy were they that did with Priam die It glads mee now to thinke that that night was no starre no not Orion there appear'd But this night 's turnd to day and here doth shine for a good Omen my embraced Queene With whom her Agamemnon still will stay till age and death shall beare him quite away Exeunt Agamemnon Clytemnestra cum caeteris Scena 2. Manet Egysteus Aegyst And that shal be ere long Tush shall be'sslow my vengefull thoughts tell mee thou now art dead Fie faint Apollo weakling infant-God why wouldst thou let lame Vulcan's hammers beat downe those brave Turrets which thou help'dst to build Venus I see thou art a woman now which here are like to take a double foyle for we that whilome revel'd in thy campe in the sweet pleasures of incestuous sheets must leave our lov'd unsatiate desires But now begin thou blacke Eumenides You hand-mayds of great Dis let such a flame of anger burne mee as doth Etnas forge on fury on our hate shall not die thus I 'll draw my poysonous arrow to the length that it may hit the mark and fly with strength Exit SCEN. 3. Enter Orestes Pylades Orest Come now my dearest friend my other self my empty soul is now fild to the top brimful with gladnesse and it must run o'r into my deare friends heart those silver haires which time hath crown'd my Fathers brow withal do shine within mine eyes and like the Sun extract all drossie vapors from my soul Like as the earth whom frost hast long benumb'd and brought an Icie drinesse on her face her veines so open at a sudden thaw that all plants fruits flowers and tender grafts kept as close prisoners in their mothers womb start out their heads and on a sudden doth the sad earth count'nance with a summer look So in this brest here in this brest deare friend whiles Annus ten times circled in the world ten clumzie winters and ten lagging springs hath with my fathers absence frozen beene all thoughts of joy which now shall make a spring in my refreshed soul Things that we daily see th' affections cloy hopes long desired bring the greatest joy Pyl. Nay but dear Cousin give not the reines too much to new received joyes lest that they run with so much speed that they out-breath themselves your Father is come home but being come should now some woful afterclap of fate which Omen Jove forbid should come to passe but take him hence again and crosse your joy each spark of gladness which you now conceive would turn a flame for grief still one extreame altering his course turns to the diverse theame Orest Tush Pylades talk not of what may be we may indeed i' th' clearest afternoone expect a storm Pyl. Yes and such stormes oft come and wet shrewd too before we get at home Orest O but I 'll be above all fatal power I that have such a Father new come home I that have such a friend such too rare gifts who gave me these gifts thought no scowling frown of angry fortune e'r should throw me down Pyl. Call them not gifts Orestes th' are but lent meere lendings friend and lendings we must pay when e'r the owner shall appoint his day Orest True Pylades but owners use to warn their debtors when they must bring in their summs but heavens tell me with favouring aspects I still must keep their lendings and possess with frolick joy all their lent happiness Pyl. Trust not the heavens too much although they smile good looks do mortal hearts too oft beguile the heavens are usurers and as oft 't is seen a full poucht churle give a most faire good e'en to his poor Creditor who trusting that hath slackt this payment on the morrow next he hath been rooted out by th' tuskey boare which gave the faire good e'en
the weak jaws of man Aegyst Why what portentous newes Amaze us not tell us what e'r it be Nun. Were my mind settled would the gellid feare that freeseth up my sense set free my speech I would unfold a tale which makes my heart throb in my intrals when I seem to see 't Clyt Relate it quickly hold 's not in suspence Nun. Upon the mount of yonder rising cliffe which th' earth hath made a bulwark for the sea whose pearelesse head is from the streams so high that whosoe'r looks down his brain will swim with a vertigo The space remov d so far the object from the eye that a tall ship seem'd a swift flying bird upon this top saw I two men making complaints to heaven one's voyce distinctly still cry'd Father King great Agamemnon whose diviner soul fled from thy corps exil'd by butchers hands his friend still sought to keepe his dying life with words of comfort that it should not rush too violently upon the hands of Fate He deafe as sea to which he made his plaints still cryed out Agamemnon I will come and find thy blessed soul where e'r it walk in what faire Temple of Elysium so e'r it be my soul shall find it out With that his friend knit him within his arms striving to hold him but when t was no boot they hand in hand thus plung'd into the maine strait they arose and striv'd me thought for life but swelling Neptune not regarding friends wrapt their embraced limbs in following waves Until at last their deare departing souls hastned to Styx and I no more could see Stro. O 't was Orestes 't was my Pylades which arm in arm did follow him to death Elect. O my Orestes O my dearest brother 'T is he 't is he that thus hath drown'd himself Aegyst Why then if Agamemnon and his son have brought their lease of life to the full end I am Thyestes son and the next heire to sit in Argos Throne of Majesty Thanks to our Alpheus sea who as 't'ad striv'd to gratifie Aegystheus rais'd his force and gathered all his waters to one place they might be deep enough to drown Orestes But come my Queen let us command a feast To get a kingdome who 'ld not think it good to swim unto it through a sea of blood Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Tyndarus Misander Tynd. Our daughter sends for us how fares she well she mournes I 'm sure for her husbands death Mis My Lord she took it sadly at the first But time hath lessen'd it Tind I grief soon ends that flows in teares they still are womens friends But how is' t rumord now in Argos though that Agamemnon died Mis Why he was old and death thought best to seize on him at home Tynd. 'T was a long home he got by coming home Well well Misander I like not the course the peoples murmure makes my cheeks to blush Mis My gracious Lord who trusts their idle murmur must never let the blush go from his cheek They are like flags growing on muddy banks whose weak thin heads blown with one blast of winde they all will shake and bend themselves one way Great minds must not esteem what small tongues say All things in state must ever have this end the vulgar should both suffer and commend if not for love for feare great Majesty should do those things which vulgars dare not fee. Tynd. O Sir but those that do commend for feare do in their hearts a secret hatred beare Ever learn this the truest praise indeed must from the heart and not from words proceed I feare some soul play doth Aegystheus meane then totally for to invest himself in Agamemnons seate Where 's young Orestes Mis Why my Lord he for the great grief conceiv'd being young not knowing well to rule himselfe with sway of reason ranne upon his death and threw himselfe with my lord Strophius sonne into the midst of Alpheus so was drown'd Ty. How took my daughter that Mys Why wisely too and like her selfe not being in despaire her royal wombe will bring forth many more shall be as deare as e'r Orestes was Tynd. I feare heaven cannot look with equall eyes upon so many deaths but meanes to send plague after plague for in a wretched state one ill begets another dismal Fate But go and tell my daughter I will come and help to solemnize her nuptial night Her hasty wedding and the old Kings neglect makes my conjectural soul some ill suspect Exeunt Scen. 2. Enter Orestes and Pylades Orest If ever God lent any thing to earth whereby it seem'd to sympathize with heaven it is this sacred friendship Gordian knot which Kings nor Gods nor Fortune can undoe O what Horoscopus what constellation held in our birth so great an influence which one affection in two minds unites How hath my woe been thine my fatal ill hath still been parted and one share been thine Pyl. Why dearest friend suppose my case were thine and I had lost a father wouldst not thou in the like sort participate my grief Ores Yes witnesse heaven I would Pyl. So now thou hast lost a father Orest True Pylades thou putst me well in mind I have lost a father a dear dear father a King a brave old King a noble souldier and yet he was murdered O my forgetful soul Why should not I now draw my vengeful sword and strait-way sheath it in the murderers heart Minos should never have vacation whilst any of our progeny remain'd Well I will go and so massacre him I 'll teach him how to murder an old man a King my father and so dastardly to kill him in his bed Pyl. Alas Orestes Grief doth distract thee who is' t thou wilt kill Orest Why he or she or they that kill'd my father Pyl. I who are they Orest Nay I know not yet but I will know Pyl. Stay thy vengeful thoughts and since thus long we have estrang'd our selves from friends and parents let 's think why it is and why we had it noised in the Court we both were dead the cause was thy revenge that if by any secret private meanes we might but learn who 't was that drench'd their swords in thy deare fathers blood we then would rouze black Nemesis in flames from out her cave and she should be the umpire in this cause Mans soul is like a boistrous working sea swelling in billows for disdain of wrongs and tumbling up and down from day to day grows greater still in indignation turns male-content in pleaselesse melancholy spending her humours in dull passion still locking her senses in unclosed gins till by revenge she 's set at liberty Orest O now my thirsty soul expects full draughts of Ate's boyling cup O how twoul'd ease my heart to see a channel of his blood streaming from hence to hell that kill'd my father Pyl. I but deare friend thou must not let rage loose and like a furious Lion from whose den the
forrester hath stole away his young he missing it straight runs with open jaws on all he meets and never hurting him that did the wrong Wise men must mix revenge with reason which by providence will prompt and tell us where 's the mark whereat we aym Till then in Cinders wee 'l rake up our grief fire thus kept still lives but opened dies from smallest sparks great flames may one day rise Orest True friend but O who ever will reveale this hideous act what power shall we invoke Pyl. Yes harken friend I have bethought a meanes not distant far from this place where we live there stands a cave hard by a hollow oake in a low valley where no Sun appeares no musick ever was there heard to sound but the harsh voyce of croking ominous ravens and sad Nyctimine the bird of night There 's now a shed under whose ancient roofe there sometimes stood an Altar for the Gods but now slow creeping time with windy blasts hath beaten down that stately Temples walls defac't his rich built windows and until'd his battlemented roofe and made it now a habitation not for God nor men Yet an old woman who doth seem to strive with the vast building for antiquity in whose rough face time now hath made such holes as in those uncouth stones she there hath made her self a cell wherein to spend her age Her name 's Canidia great in Magick spells at whose dire voice the gods themselves would quake to heare her charm the second time pronounc't One that can know the secrets of the heavens and in the ayre hath flying ministers to bring her news from earth from sea from hell which when thick night hath compass'd in the world then doth she go to dead mens graves and tombs and sucks the poysonous marrow from their bones then makes her charm which she nere spent in vaine Nor doth she come as supplyant to the gods but making Erebus and heaven to quake she sends a spell drowning infernal thunder by which all secrets that were ever done in faire white parchment writ in lines of blood lockt in the inmost room of hell it self is brought unto her and by her we may have leave to look in Pluto's register and reade the names of those most loathed furies which rent thy Fathers soul from out his trunk But she must see thy fathers dead bones first them we must bring her for by them she works This if thou dar'st assay I 'll go along Orest If I dare assay yes yes deare friend were it to burst my fathers sepulcher and wake his Manes shew them Radamanth their iterated sight will burn my soul with such a sparkling flame of dire revenge as Nessus shirt did burn great Hercules If that the scrowle which did conteine their names were in a lake of flaming brimstone drencht I 'de take it out or fech't from Pluto's arms But come if earth hath such a creature as can tell t will save a journey for this once from hell Scena 3. Enter Aegystheus Clytemnestra Tyndarus Mysander Strophius Electra cum caet with a crown Aegystheus ascends the throne Mysander crowns him Clytemnestra great with child Mys All years of happy dayes all hours of joy so circle in thy state as doth this crown wreath and combine thy princely temples in All speak Jove still protect Aegystheus Aegyst Thanks to my fathers subjects Now Argos swell up to the brim with joy and streams of gladnesse flow on Tyndarus Now made our father see old King see here 's my Queen doth mean to make thee a grandfather see how thy royal blood shall propagate whose Kingly drops like heaven distilling dew shall add fresh life unto thy withered root Tynd. Yes but Aegystheus there were armes before grew on this tree but the Fates envious axe hath cut them off before th 'ad time to sprout Clyt. O Sir the Fates needs must have leave to make wayes for themselves to manage what they do Had Agamemnon and Orestes liv'd they could not then have blest me with these gifts Still when the heavens and Fates do work their will they intend good though sometimes there come ill Tynd. O but pray Jove the Fates now were not forc't but deeds like words no man can e'r recal be 't good or ill once done we must bear all Aegyst Come father sit we down and make a feast They set to the feast to glad our hearts Heaven still doth for the best Stro. O let my latter age not live to see Aegystheus wear great Argos diadem Elect. Feare not good uncle there will be a time to pull him down although he yet doth climbe Tynd. Who ever trusted much on fortunes gifts on wife on state on health on friends on lands may look on Agamemnons coming home Fortune me thinks ne're shew'd her power more how quickly could she turne her Fatall sword upon his brest that thought himselfe past harme she that had us'd death like an angry dogge holding him up when that he should have bit when all the game was past and 's fury laid the king being past all danger safe at home then he slip's coller never untill then and fortune she stood hissing of him on till he had torne the good kings soule away Clytemnestra seemes to weep Aegyst Nay but good father let passe elegies you draw fresh teares now from your daughters eyes who shed enough before at 's funeral let 's talk who are to live not who are dead and think what progeny shall spring from us may beare your Image stampt upon the face this we must talk of now not what griefs past but of the joy to come My Queen not well Clytemnestra riseth from the table Now good Electra look unto your mother Lucina be propitious to the birth why will not now a young Aegystheus be as grateful as an old Orestes was Thou times good lengthener age posterity spread thy self still upon Aegystheus line help me to treasure up antiquity and from Thyestes loynes let spring an heire shall ever sit in great Thyestes chaire Exeunt SCEN. 4. Enter Pylades and Orestes with his arms full of a dead mans bones and a scull Pyl. Neare to this shady grove where never light appeares but when 't is forced with some charm Canidia dwells in such a dusky place that the night goblins feare to come too neare it Here let us knock Orest Nay Pylades see here O give me leave to discant on these bones This was my Fathers scull but who can know whether it were some subjects scull or no Where be these Princely eyes commanding face the brave majestick look the Kingly grace Where 's the imperious frown the God-like smile the graceful tongue that spoke a souldiers stile Ha ha worms eate them could no Princely looke no line of eloquence writ in this booke command nor yet perswade the worms away Rebellious worms could a King beare no sway Injurious worms what could no flesh serve but Kings for you By
thee the heavens will look with a more chearful brow on Cerberus Orest Why let heaven look as 't will t is my crown that I have done an act shall make heave frown Tynd. O what earth loves so much a guilty soul that it can bear thee Orest Why Sir this is mine and this shall bear me Am I not right heire Tynd. Thou heir to kingdoms thou a subject rather to help to make a Players Tragedy Ore Why that will make me swell with greater pride to think my name shall drop in lines of blood from some great Poets quill who well shall paint how bravely I reveng'd my fathers death that is the thing I wish'd and 't is my glory I shall be matter for so brave a story But where 's my Crown 1. Lord. No murderer wee 'l rather joyn with him this old man here to take away thy life then such a homicide shall frame us laws who hath himself rac'd out the laws of Nature 2. Lord. Yes and wee 'l set here Argos crown on him who shall enact some pnnishment for thee which although none can equalize this deed yet what our griefs can think all shall be done and wee 'l forget thou' rt Agamemnons sonne Ore Why think you on your worst I scorn to crave I had three lives you but my one shall have Tyn. Then since vile wretch thou hast committed that which while there is a world throughout the world will be pronounc'd for the most horrid deed that ever came into the thought of man a thing which all will talk of none allow I here disclaim that name of Grand-father and I must quite forget that in thy veynes my blood doth flow but think it then let out when thou letst out my daughters And since you kind Lords commit the state unto my years years too unfit heavens know to beare a state My mind methinks contends for to decree somewhat which to my self I dare not tell Just conceiv'd wrath and my affection strives hate forbids pity pity forbids hate and exile is but barren punishtnent Yet let me banish thee from out these eyes O never let thy sight offend me more all thy confederates and all thy friends You Pylades which did so smoothly cloake the dam'nd profession he did undertake You Strophius Strop My Lord I know not ought Yet since one foot is now in Charons boat if it please you set tother too aflote Tynd. Not so but I will banish you the Court and you Electra come I must forget affection too towards you you gave the child which you had charge of to the murtherers sword Elect. Why Grandsire I herein no wrong do find since all these go I would not stay behind Tynd. Nay but no one shall company the other hence thou Cocytus stream of this offence Strophius and Pylades Electra hence Exeunt Strophius Pylades Electra Orest Why farwel Grandsire since thou bidst I flie and scorn companions for my misery Exit Orestes Tynd. Unto this punishmeht this one more I add that none shall dare to give Orestes food and this decree shall stand I speak with grief and here pronounce Orestes no relief Hence with these corps poor child what hadst thou don thy Nurses prayers that there might spring a rose where e'r thou trod'st could not keep back thy foes Some plague he hath but such a matricide should never die although he ever dy'd Scena 2. Enter Electra and Strophius Elect. Thus never lesse alone then when alone where to our selves we sweetly tell our woes Thou Uncle chief companion to our griefs and soul partaker of our miseries why do we live when now 't is come to passe it is scarce known that Agamemnon was He dies far easier who at first doth drown then he which long doth swim and then sinks down Stroph. Nay Neece me thinks I now do see the haven where my ag'd soul must leave this tossed bark made weak with years and woes yet I commend unto my son the heart of a true friend that 's all the will I leave and let him know friendship should ever be but most in woe And so I leave thee Neece I first must die to hast a period to this Tragedie He dies Elect. O envious Fates could you not use me thus have I not grief enough to burst my heart Was my life's thread twisted and knit so strong that the keen edg of all these miseries can never cut it off must I bear more 'T is all my safety now not to be safe Are there so many wayes to rid ones life and can I hit on none They say that death is every where and yet I find him not Tush but I seek him not why my own hand might grasp him to me if I did but strive Now hand help ease my heart and make a way to let out grief that hath so long dwelt here Stabs her self Now knife thou 'st done good service there lie by heaven well decreed it nothing life can give but every thing can make us not to live Scena 3. Enter Cassandra Now Priams Ghost haste haste I say to look with chearful eyes on the sinister book and there to Hecuba my mother shew the tragick story of thy conquered foe And let Andromecha my sister see what Agamemnons race is come to be Now Troy may gratifie that most sad doom conquered by those that thus themselves or'ecome let Greece so flourish still let Argos be puft with the pride of their great victory Let it bear Souldiers so withal it bear Orestes too now mother never fear Argos makes me to laugh which made thee weep the Trojans in the grave now sweetly sleep their sorrow hath the end now these begin to overflow themselves with mutual sin And after all Orestes we may see hath lost his reason mans sole propertie Scena 4. Enter Orestes furens Orest By you shall not nay I am decreed do tear tear me yes I have deserv'd it Cass O brave O brave he 's mad as well as I I 'm glad my madnesse hath got company Orest Mother why mother will you kill my father Then I 'll kill you tush I have don 't already Much patience will grow fury in time follow you me you beast you damn'd Aegystheus I 'll hew thee piece by piece look off my mother Cass I am she or one loves thee well Ore Out you witch you witch Ca. Murderer murderer Orest Dost whisper with the devils to torment me O how they lash me with their snaky whips Why Megaera Megaera wilt not hold thy hand Are you there too Erynnis hey all hell my Grandsier Atreus he stands fighting there but hee 'll ha'th better on 't keep Cerberus keep keep the gates fast or all hell breaks loose Mother I see you O you are a whore Did I kill you witch dost thou laugh dost thou Cass Why this is fine my very looks do whip him Orest. Could I but get the stone from Sysiphus I 'de dash thy brains out