from a pleasing sleepe I love thee still in death and after death Consol. But I 'le die first so so my heart strings breake Falles downe dead by Amandus Amand. Helpe helpe my Fathers fallen in a swound Colon He 's dead sweet Prince and pass'd recovery Amand. I 'le soone be with him for I must not loose His lov'd society have you reveng'd My death upon Alecto and the rest Gent. T is done deare Sir see where the viliaines ly Amand. Thankes dearest friends one thing before I dy I shall request you if my failing breath Will give me leave to utter it t is this Tell faire Phaenicia my beloved Princesse The story of my death tell how I love her And grieve to leave her comfortlesse alone I cannot fully speake my mind unto you For death stops up the passage of my speach Adieu deare friends adieu Phaenicia I dye thy servant sweet Phaenicia dies Colon. Farewell brave Prince we thy unworthy subjects Can but lament thy losse and curse the fates For their unjust decrees O could they not Have spar'd the chiefe of Princes to give lustre Vnto the world could not they see his beauty And vertue shining in their glorious Orbes His youth faire blooming cruell destinies Come now your shoulders honour with his Coarse Sweeter then all the perfumes of the Realme Some to bring Consolarios body off We 'll see this fatall Land Arabia shall Provide them both a royall Funerall Exeunt Phaenicia Saba her maid Phaeni. Do I yet breath and live when he that was The comfort of my life lies dead and breathlesse Can I behold another Sunne but that Which shin'd from his maiestick countenance Eclipsed now by death procur'd by treason O heavens grant freedome to my troubled spirit To breake this prison of mortality And so get loose with wings of swift desire To meete my lover in the Elizian fields O how I languish here harke blessed spirit Of my departed friend for I believe Thou dost refine this aire harke to my woes Do not condemne Phaenicia that she staies So long behind thee for thou know'st her soule Desires to take her flight into thy bosome Nor shall she meete a stop I am resolv'd Amandus have a little patience yet And then I come t is but a minute longer Vntill I do contrive an easie way For life to sally forth my trusty maid My faithfull Saba now assist thy Mistresse In this kind office that I shall command Wherein thy love shall more appeare then ever I loath this life thou see'st goe fetch my Doctor I must take his advise thou wilt be secret I am assur'd I have so often had Experience of thy faith wilt thou dispatch And bring him to me with all expedition Saba What you command my duty wils me do Without dispute I 'le instantly returne And bring the Doctor Exit Saba Phaeni. Do so trusty servant And thy reward shall follow I must worke This Doctor to my will by faire intreaties And if that faile by large rewards and gifts I 'le leave no way untri'd nor unattempted Vntill I do prevaile Enter Doctor with Saba Phaeni. My worthy Friend And hitherto preserver of my health I have a businesse now wherein I shall Make triall of your utmost love and trust In which you must not faile me Doctor Gracious Princesse My life shall be imploy'd in any service You shall have need to use it Phaeni. These are words Of ceremonious complement you shall not Adventure so for me t is but a trifle I would imploy you in Doct. What i st I do beseech Your Grace to tell me and t is done with speed Phaen. But I must have you sweare to execute The thing intended and be secret too Else I shall thinke you never were my friend Doct. T is some great matter that you bind me thus But Ladies wils must not be disobey'd Since t is your pleasure that I take my oath I here protest before the gods above To do the utmost of my power therein Phae. Well then you know my love you know my losse You know the vertues of that noble Prince Whose death exhausts teares from forth mine eies And drops of bloud from my poore wounded heart I am resolv'd to die and now no longer To carry such a heavy load about me Of griefe and sorrow which doth overweigh By much the weaknesse of a womans nature Kind friend you must be the instrument to send me Vnto the Prince Amandus whose sweet spirit Shall come with mine and hover o're your house Vntill the whistling aire sound both our thankes Come do this friendly office you are ti'd Vnto it by your oath you must not start Or fall back from your former resolution Doctor You do but try me Madame if I will Prove such a villaine sure you cannot meane Sincerely what you speake or if you did This is a thing unlawfull there was nothing You could command me but this only thing That I would not performe but pardon me I must dispence with oath and all things else To leave this deed undone Phaen. And perjur'd prove Vnto the gods and false unto thy Mistresse O cruell man seest thou the paine I suffer And wil't not lend thy hand to ease my torment Are all my favours out of thy remembrance Could they not bind thee to this courtesie Take pitty on mee yet and here is gold Enough to purchase thee a Lordship faire What say'st thou to me Doct. I am doubtfull whether To grant or to deny but yet you have not Declar'd your mind at full what must I doe Phaen. Devise an easie way for me to die Not in a common ordinary roade Which many use by cutting of a vaine Or such like to get passage to their blisse I saw the Phoenix burning in her flames The other day and was inamour'd off So sweet a death I faine would die so too Your art can helpe me in the imitation Doct. T is true I can compose variety Of gummes of drugges and spices mixt together And make a perfume not unlike unto The Phaenix Funerall fire whereby you may Be sweetly smother'd lying in your bed As she is in her nest but I would rather You would desist from this your resolvtion And make a tryall of my love and service In any other thing Phaen. It is more easie To stopp the current of a swelling river Or to remove a mountaine from his place Then to divert my minde from this whereupon It doth so firmly fixe therefore kinde Sir Send me forthwith by this my maide for now The time fits right this excellent receit Doctor Your will shall be obey'd mine shall give place Come maiden will you goe Exit Doctor and Maide Phaen. Dispatch her to me With all the hast you can in the meane time I 'le rest me on my bed and never rise Vntill I see Amandus with mine eyes She lyes downe This short or rather this longe time I have To breath the aire of woe for
challenge instantly I build upon your ayd you will not faile me In time of my extremity Alecto The flouds Shall faile to pay their tribute to the sea Before I breake with noble Perseus Perseus I 'm confident of thee my dearest friend Adue untill we meet our worke to end Exit Perseus Alecto This now begins to work as I would wish The shallow witted Persian thinkes my aymes Doe beare a wing with his and my ambition Is bounded by his love I fish'd to take His good opinion with mine angle wit Not to advance his ends but worke mine owne Alas poore Prince he thinks I am his friend And on that plat-forme grounds his resolution He is deceiv'd I 'm friend unto my selfe And enemy to him as to Amandus I hate them both as being both my rivals Rivals unto my love and to my kingdome Neither must live neither survive the other I 'le let them sight till one of them be kill'd The Persian shall in vaine expect reliefe Although distress'd the conquerour shall dye By me and my associates these remov'd The way unto my Crowne lyes smooth and easie The Princesse sure will breake her heart for griefe The King I 'le poyson then Alecto raigne King of Arabia crowned by thy braine Exit Amandus solus Amand. A furious challenge and it speakes the man All in a fire that sent it but extreames Are seldome permanent I doubt 't will prove But like a sudden flash that 's soone burnt out This is the time and place but how comes it The Persian is so tardy this proud paper Stuft full with ostentation made me thinke He would not be the last man in the field What is his courage cold or doth he now Begin to take advis'd deliberation Vpon the matter that he stayes so long I should not thinke so neither for a Prince Cannot so much forget his reputation No sure he 'l come some businesse of import I doe beleeve detaines him I 'le attend His leisure here with patience if my thoughts Would but descend a little from their height I would consider too what should beget This fierce challenge but he comes I must Prepare to entertaine him Perseus Here before me This honour I could hardly spare you Sir You came before the houre appointed else I could not be prevented Amand. Punctually I did observe the time but to what purpose Are we come hither to discourse and talke And nothing else I doe expect some doings Some wonders too by you performed upon me If I may credit this your salutation Is the fume vanish'd Perseus Thou shalt finde it burne Afresh to fierce flames it was my goodnesse That rak't it up in ashes lest it should Consume thee and thou die in ignorance Before thou knew'st th' occasion now I 'le tell thee Lucindas wrongs and mine call on my sword To doe the office of revenge upon Thy treacherous head thou didst dissolve the knot Was ty'd between us two and alienatest Her heart from me thou robst her of her honour And strumpettedst her fame and not contented With this abuse thou dost proceed yet further To doe me mischiefe with false filed tongue To wrest the faire Phaenicia from my love These are gresse injuries and such as cannot Be undergone with patience yet if thou Wilt urge thy suit no further to this Lady But give up all thy right in her to me I will forget thy former injuries And count thee for my friend Amandus Coward villaine Art thou my rivall in Phaenicias love And doe I suffer thee to breathe a minute To utter these bold words these defamations These lyes and slanders know Phaenicia hates Thy sight as a pernitious Basiliske Here farther reade my minde they draw and fight Perseus receives a hurt Perseus Thou seest my breath Failes if thou art a Prince and nobly minded Thou wilt a little intermit the fight Amand. Breath then a little longer though I might justly deny it since we are not tyed To any such conditions in a duell But wherefore doe you cast your sight about I doubt some treachery come I 'le delay The time no longer there have at thee Prince they fight againe Guard well thy life it is endangered Perseus This may endanger thine if it hap right Perseus fals I faint and dye hell light upon Alecto And all the furies rend his soule in pieces False perjur'd villaine dyes Amand. I doe smell a plot Layd for my life his words betoken something Enter Alecto and his associates Alecto How 's this the noble Prince of Persia slaine And his bold murtherer triumphing o're His slaughtered body come my noble friend Shall not dye unreveng'd they fall all upon him he defends himself and kils two Amand. If there be any Princely or royall bloud within thy veynes Distaine it not or shame by such a fact To fight at such foule disadvantage with A wounded wearied man yet in this state Though faint with losse of bloud dismisse these men And I will try my fortune out with thee And if I fall I 'le say th' art noble too Alecto No if thou liv'st my fortunes then must dye I ayme man for the kingdome and to gaine The love of faire Phaenicia thou art a barre That hinders both therefore must be remov'd This plot I did contrive not with intent To worke thy end alone but Perseus too Now it is finish'd make an easie passage For life to issue forth me deare associates There 's one gap more a floud-gate large enough they all thrust at him he fals Amand. Most impious wretch think'st thou the gods above Will favour thy so damnable attempt Think'st thou to scape the justice of the heavens And to hood-wink the gods no though thou hast Proceeded thus farre in thy villanies Though thou hast slaine me by thy base treachery My minde foretels thou shalt be soone cut off And all thy hopes destroyd Consolario Colonell Gentleman Mountaneers Consol. Where is my Prince Where is he torment to my wounded heart Weltring in his owne bloud Colon. How heavens defend What impious hand hath done so foule an act Speake Noble Prince speake quickly Amand. Worthy friends You 're fitly come here to revenge my death There stands the villaine and his treacherous crue Who did procure it Gent. We will sacrifice Their lives with speed to pacifie your spirit But that 's a poore requitall for our losse Villaines our swords must send you hence to hell Goe and the furies give you entertainment they kill Alecto and all his friends Consol. Deare Sir how doe you speake to Consolario Speake to your tutor ope these lovely eyes And look with pity on the aged face Of him that dyes for sorrow of your wounds Deare sonne speake comfort to thy fathers heart For so you bid me stile you to my death I faint yet let one word come from you month To tell me that you heare my grievous moane And I shall die in peace Amand. Deare Consolario Thy cries have wak'd me
life is tedious To those that take no pleasure but in death Shall be imploy'd wholy in meditation How sweetly I shall passe unto my friend And come unto him as in sacrifice Mine altar smoaking incense and perfume Doctor and Maide againe Doct. Madame I 'm come my selfe to doe the deed Doubting the maide should faile in my directions Phaen. Most welcome sacred priest for that 's the title Your office now requires because you are To sacrifice me to Amandus shrine A spotlesse Virgin nay delay no time But presently about it light the fire Whilst I attend the sweet asending flame Here in my bed with longing expectation To wrap my body round dispatch I pray Saba T' is kindled Madam and a cloud of fume Shroudes you from sight Phâ—â—. I smell a heavenly vapour Assaulting my weake breath now Prince I come Beloved Prince thy deare Phaenicia comes Be ready to receive her for her spirit Ascends up in this smoaky sacrifice Saba She 's dead Sir for the sweetnesse of the fume Hath smothered her sences Doct. 'T was her pleasure She would not be disswaded from her purpose I must be gone here is no safe abiding Saba I dare not stay here neither though her letter Be a sufficient warrant for our lives I 'le leave it on the bed because the King May finde it if he chance to enter in Exeunt Doctor and Saba Enter the King with attendance King How sweet my daughter sleeps and how her breath Perfumes the chamber o're like Arabs gummes I 'le wake my darling with a fathers kisse She sleeps too long how 's this her lips are cold Her cheeks are pale aye me I feare she 's sicke I cannot feele her pulse nor yet perceive The passage of her breath O heavens she 's dead A Doctor there with speed my daughter deare Speake to thy aged father O shee 's gone Doctor Lucinda Emb. Cobon Gentleman What say you master Doctor is there hope To call backe life againe Doct. My gracious Soveraigne 'T is too farre fled to be revok't the art Of could doe nothing in 't Nor all the power of physicke nor the force Of medicine can helpe King O then I am The wretchedst man alive why was I borne To see this wofull houre but what is this My daughters will and testament It may be 'T will give me satisfaction of her death 'T is her owne hand and seale these the contents My royall father please you understand Despaire and sorrow for Amandus death Whom heavens ordaind the owner of my heart Made me loath life and seeke this way to dye In perfume like the Phaenix none is guilty Vnto my death but I my selfe deare Sir I humbly crave you would be pleasd to lay My ashes in Amandus urne with his That so my spirit may rest in quietnesse King Thy will shall be perform'd lye there gray hayres And aged head think now no more to weare A regall Crowne nor feeble hands to weild A scepter thinke of nothing but a grave I 'm comming daughter and I will surprise thee Before thou art aware beloved corps Help bring it hence unto our bed chamber That I may breake my heart whilst I embrace The body 'tween my armes Exit King and the body of Phaenicia Embas. What tragicke Scenes This fatall land presents come Madame let us Return to Egypt to the King your father And make relation of these sad disasters That have befaln in this our pilgrimage Lucind. Let it be so since things have falne out thus When I come to my native Land my thoughts Shall shunne all pleasures banish all delights And live Dianas Votary I will Till death shut up the remnant of my dayes What course sirs will you take Colon. Faire Princesse we Intend to travell backe unto Damascus Where we first breath'd there to surrender up Our breath againe unto the Land that gave it The Tartars swords we hope will cut it off Lucinda Nay rather goe with us live in pleasure At the Egyptian Court for I 'le assure you High honours and preferments for the favours You shew'd me once in my captivity And for his sake whom yet in death I love But I shall not participate in joy Gent. Alas deare Madame we abhorre delights As much as you since our delight is gone We thanke your noble courtesie but cannot Accept it for despaire and sorrow doth Possesse our very soules come let us goe And leave this Land so much repleat with woe Exeunt omnes The Epilogue A Novelty is hapned since the Play Was ended and it came to passe this way A scrowle was found within the spicy bed Of that rare Phaenix faire Phaenicïa dead Seal'd up and superscrib'd thus to all such Whom mine and Prince Amandus fate doth touch With any sorrow these were the contents We thanke you all for your kinde audience Come and be welcome still and let your friends Who have not seene as yet our tragicke end Come here and weepe with you untill together You make up this a full press'd theater Then it shall please our ghosts to thinke the age Pitties our wrongs presented on the Stage FINIS * Cupid