all dangers which might make us thralls For Cyrus had proclaim'd a great reward To him whose steps first trod the conquer'd walls And this companion seeing without stay One in his sight that craggie passage clime Straight on his foot-steps followed all the way And many a thousand hasted after him Then all that durst resist were quickly kill'd The rest who fled no where secure could be For every street was with confusion fill'd There was no corner from some mischiefe free O what a piteous clamour did arise Of ravish'd virgins and of widow'd wives Who pierc'd the heavens with lamentable cryes And having lost all comfort loath'd their lives Whil'st those proud Victors would themselves have stain'd With all the wrongs that Pride or power could use They by a charge from Cyrus were restrain'd And durst no more their captives thus abuse Chor. No doubt but high mishaps did then abound Whil'st with disdaine the Conqu'rours bosome boyld As some the sword disgrace did some confound Not onely houses Temples too were spoyld What misery more great can be devis'd Then is a Cities when by force surpris'd But whil'st that stately Towne was thus distress'd What did become of our unhappy King Nunt. Then when the Enemy had his state possest And that confusion seaz'd on every thing He scarcely first could trust his troubled sight The Fortune past transported had him so Yet having eyes who can deny the light He saw himselfe inferiour to his foe And apprehending there whil'st left alone How that his judgement long had beene betray'd As metamorphos'd in a marble stone His ravish'd thoughts in admiration stray'd But such a weight of woes not us'd to beare He first was griev'd then rag'd and last despair'd Till through excessive feare quite freed from feare He for his safetie then no further car'd And never wishd he so to have long life But death farre further was affected now Still feeking danger in the bounds of strife So he were sure to dye he car'd not how Whilst furies thus were fostred in his brest Him suddenly a Souldier chanc'd to meet As insolent as any of the rest Who drunk with bloud ran raging through the street And wanting but an object to his ire He sought to him and he to him againe I know not which of them did most desire The one to slay the other to be slaine But whil'st so base a hand towring aloft Did to so great a Monarch threaten death His eldest Sonne who as you have heard oft Was barr'd from making benefit of breath I cannot tell you well nor in what forme If that the destinies had so ordain'd Or if of passions an impetuous storme Did raze the strings that had his tongue restrain'd But when he saw his Syre in danger stand He with those words a mighty shout did give Thou furious Stranger stay hold hold thy hand Kill not King Croesus let my Father live The other hearing this his hand retyr'd And call'd his Kings commandement to minde High were those aymes to which his thoughts aspir'd Whom for great fortunes this rare chance design'd Now when that Croesus who for death long long'd Was quite undone by being thus preserv'd As both by life and death then doubly wrong'd Whil'st but by fates for further harme reserv'd He with sad sighs those accents did accord Now let the heavens do all the ill they can Which would not unto me the grace afford That I might perish like a private man Ah must I live to sigh that I was borne Charactring shame in a dejected face Ah must I live to my perpetuall scorne The abject object pointed for disgrace Yet this unto his soule more sorrow bred He scorne pretending state as King array'd Was with great shouts ridiculously led Backe to the Tent whereas their Emp'rour stay'd Then that he might his misery conceive Those robes so rich were all exchang'd with chains And prisons strictnesse bragg'd him with the grave So soone as death could make a choice of paines They caus'd in haste a pile of wood to make And in the mid'st where all men might him spie Caus'd binde the captive King unto a stake With fourteene others of the Lydians by There as if offerings fit to purge the state Foes sought with flames their ruine to procure Though Iove prepostrous piety doth hate No sacrifice is sweet which is not pure Now whil'st the fire was kindling round about As to some pow'rfull God who pray'd or vow'd With eyes bent up and with his hands stretch'd out O! Solon Solon Croesus cry'd aloud Some hearing him to utter such a voice Who said that Cyrus curious was to know When dying now what deity was his choice Did him request his last intent to show His exclamation was said he on one With whom he wish'd their frailty so to see That all who ever trusted in a Throne Had but conferr'd a space as well as he Then there he told what Solon had him showne Whil'st at his Court which flourish'd then arriv'd How worldly blisse might quickly be o're-throwne And not accomplish'd was while as one liv'd Whil'st forth salt flouds attending troupes did powre He shew how much the wise-man did disdaine Those who presum'd of wealth or worldly pow'r By which none could a perfect blisse obtaine This speech did Cyrus move to ponder much The great uncertainty of worldly things As thinking that himselfe might once be such Since thrall'd to Fortunes throne like other Kings Then such a patterne standing him before Whom envy once then pitie did attend He to our King did liberty restore And with his life did Solons fame extend Yet him the fire still threatned to devoure Which rising high could hardly be controll'd But O devotion then appear'd thy pow'r Which to subdue the heavens makes worldlings bold To quench the flames whil'st divers toild in vaine Iove mov'd by prayer as Croesus did require The azure Cisterns open'd did remaine And clouds fell downe in flouds to quench the fire Then whil'st the Souldiers did the Citie sack To save the same as to his Countrey kinde The hopelesse Croesus thus to Cyrus spake With words which pitie melted from his minde Great Prince to whom all Nations now succumbe And do thy yoke so willingly embrace That it some comfort gives to be o're-come By one whose glory graces our disgrace Since now I am constrain'd your thrall to be I must conforme my selfe unto my fate And cannot hold my peace whereas I see That which may wrong the greatnesse of your state Your state is spoil'd by not suspected pow'rs If this rich Citie thus do rest ore-throwne Which now no more is mine but is made yours And therefore Sir have pittie of your owne Yea though the losse of such a populous Towne Both rich and yours your minde could nothing move Yet thinke of this which may import your Crowne A peece of policy which time will prove The haughty Persians borne with stubborne mindes Who but for poverty first followed you
floud of teares be-dew'd his feet Then said by death expecting to be free Let us entombe great Darius like a King Then when we first his funerall honour see Death must to us a great contentment bring This oft they urg'd though he attested there That Darius was not dead as they suppos'd But liv'd with hope his ruines to repaire And in the pow'r of other Realmes repos'd Then did he urge what comfort and reliefe They might attend depending on your Grace Thus having toil'd to mitigate their griefe It seem'd they long'd to see my Soveraignes face Alex. I pitie still and not insult o're such Though once mine Enemies who are humbled so And lest weake feare oppresse their mindes too much To comfort them straight to their Tent I 'le go Exeunt Chorus OF all the passions which possesse the soule None so disturbes vaine Mortals mindes As vaine Ambition which so blindes The light of them that nothing can controll Nor curb their thoughts who will aspire This raging vehement desire Of Soveraignty no satisfaction findes But in the breasts of men doth ever roule The restlesse stone of Sisyph to torment them And as his heart who stole the heavenly fire The Vulture gnaws so doth that monster rent them Had they the world the world would not content them This race of Ixion to embrace the clouds Contemne the state wherein they stand And save themselves would all command As one desire is quench'd another buds When they have travell'd all their time Heapt bloud on bloud and crime on crime There is an higher power that guides their hand More happie he whom a poore Cottage shrouds Against the tempest of the threatning heaven He stands in feare of none none envies him His heart is upright and his ways are even Where others states are still twixt six and seven That damned wretch up with Ambition blowne Then whil'st be turnes the wheele about Throwne high and low within without In striving for the top is tumbling downe Those who delight in climbing high Oft by a precipice do dye So do the Starres skie-climbing worldlings slout But this disease is fatall to a Crowne Kings who have most would most augment their bounds And if they be not all they cannot be Which to their damage commonly redounds The weight of too great states themselves confounds The mighty toyling to enlarge their state Themselves exceedingly deceive In hazarding the thing they have For a felicity which they conceive Though their Dominions they encrease Yet their desires grow never lesse For though they conquer much yet more they crave Which fatall Fortune doth attend the great And all the outward pompe that they assume Doth but with shows disguise the Minds distresse And who to conquer all the earth presume A little earth shall them at last consume And if it fortune that they dye in peace A wonder wondrous rarely seene Who conquer first heavens finde a meane To raze their Empire and oft-times their race Who comming to the Crowne with rest And having all in peace possest Do straight forget what bloudy broyles have beene Ere first their Fathers could attaine that place As Seas do flow and ebbe States rise and fall And Princes when their actions prosper best For feare their greatnesse should oppresse the small As of some hated envied are of all We know what end the mighty Cyrus made Whom whil'st he striv'd to conquer still A woman justly griev'd did kill And in a bloudy vessell roll'd his head Then said whil'st many wondring stood Since thou didst famish for such food Now quench thy thirst of bloud with blond at will Some who succeeded him since he was dead Have raign'd a space with pompe and yet with paine Whose glory now can do to us no good And what so long they labour'd to obtaine All in an instant must be lost againe Loe Darius once so magnified by fame By one whom he contemn'd o're-come For all his bravery now made dombe With down-cast eyes must signifie his shame Who puft up with ostentive pride Thinke Fortune bound to serve their side Can never scape to be the prey of some Such spend their prosp'rous dayes as in a dreame And as it were in Fortunes bosome sleeping Then in a dull security abide And of their doubtfull state neglect the keeping Whil'st fearfull ruine comes upon them creeping Thus the vicissitude of worldly things Doth oft to us it selfe detect When heavenly pow'rs exalt deject Confirme confound erect and ruine Kings So Alexander mighty now To whom the vanquish'd world doth bow With all submission homage and respect Doth flie a borrow'd flight with Fortunes wings Nor enters he his dangerous course to ponder Yet if once Fortune bend her cloudy brow All those who at his sudden successe wonder May gaze as much to see himselfe brought under Act. 3. Scene 1. Sisigambis Statira Regina Statira virgo O Dismall day detested be thy light And would the Gods but Gods neglect our case The world were wrapt in a Cymmerian Night That no proud eye might gaze on our disgrace Why did the Heavens reserve my feeble age To make my burden more when strength grows lesse Could nothing but my harmes their wrath asswage Thus offred up on th' Altar of distresse Ah! have I spent my youth in pompe and pleasure And had my spring-time grac'd with pleasant flowres That th' Autumne which should reape the Sommers treasure Might be distempred with such stormy showres And did smooth calmes and Sunne-shines for a space Make all my voyage through the world a sport That I should fall when neere to end my race And toss'd with stormes even perish at my port Yet for all this were I expos'd alone The wretched object of Ioves thund'ring armes I should not thinke I had just cause to mone When I but wail'd mine owne not others harmes Ah me on those whom more then life I love The state-disturbing blasts of Fortune fall Yet each of them some severall losse doth move But I in anguish beare a part with all I suffred when I saw Oxatres slaine My loving Sonne and most entirely lov'd I dy'd in Darius when he try'd in vaine What Fates would do yet still their hatred prov'd The heavens to plague me more yet make me breath O rigour rare what tortures rack my breast Who feele the sowre but not the sweet of death Still cours'd not kill'd lest that should breed me rest Yet Iove if this may dis-enflame thine ire Let all thy lightning light upon my head To be consum'd with a celestiall fire Some comfort were since that I must be dead Sta. Reg. Leave mother those complaints as fit for me Who still must grieve my friends and grace my foes Whose fortune is so wretched still to be That all the world may wonder at my woes Loe that deare Lord and treasure of my thought Whose presence I my Paradise esteem'd To such a precipice is headlong brought That he from ruine cannot be redeem'd Ah! on
pitchie vapours cled Had must'red mysts and march'd out of the West Dayes beauties darkning shadowie horrours spread The Sentinels were set and all at rest When loe a terrour did distract the host Whose bands to murmure were dispers'd in parts With sounds resembling ships in stormes neare lost Whil'st each to other cause of feare imparts Those who their King appointed were to guard From what was due by fraud or feare did stray And to his danger having no regard His Fortunes Minions fled with heraway The desolation then growne wondrous great With some few Eunuchs Darius left alone No strength remaining nor no signe of state He thus them spake who for his fall did mone Go part in peace ere further harme be had Lest that my ruine likewise you surprise They hearing those sad words as men gone mad Went howling through the host with dolorous cryes So that all those who heard what plaints they made Thought that they had their Soveraignes death bewail'd And forcing trust some forg'd reports were spread That he had kill'd himselfe all hope quite fail'd The Persians griev'd whil'st these things did occurre Did first encourage all their Countrey bands To help their Prince but yet they durst not stirre For feare of falling in the Bactrians hands Even in the time when this confusion was The Traitors to deferre the fact no more Did to their Soveraignes Tent with Squadrons passe And took and bound him whom they serv'd before Who in a golden Coach once proudly rode Was throwne in one for common carriage us'd And who of late was honour'd like a God Two of his owne as if their slave abus'd Those royall hands to beare a Scepter borne Were basely bound and which the more him griev'd Thus misery can hardly scape from scorne With bands of gold which burden'd not reliev'd When Alexander great with courage spy'd Our Armies flie he who in hope them chac'd To follow us with diligence did ride Base seem'd the Conquest which no danger grac'd But when at last at length by some inform'd How he was made a captive to his owne At this indignity he highly storm'd As if by it his hopes had beene o're-throwne Out of his host he did select a few Who were best hors'd and fit for such a fight With whom his foes he did so fast pursue That e're they could suspect he came in sight The Traitors vex'd when spying him appeare Came to the Cart whereas the King did stay And call'd to horse in haste since foes were neare Lest that they else might finde him for a prey He look'd aloft and cry'd aloud I see That Nemesis is frowning from above Should I with Traitors as a captive be And flie from him who but brave warres doth move Then those in whom impiety abounds Throw'd Darts at him vile beasts to be abhorr'd And hurt the horses with an hundred wounds Then men more trusty dying for their Lord As false in hearts so feeble with their hands When Guilt and Danger doubled had despaires The Traitors first then all their trait'rous bands Fled from a number lesse by halfe then theirs But to the bounds of Deaths pale kingdome brought The King retyr'd where least by people spy'd More wounded with ingratitude then ought Did leave the world whose folly he had tri'd The last divorce which lasts was scarcely made Twixt soule and body whil'st the eyes grew dim When Alexander came and found him dead Who labour'd had so long to ruine him And whil'st his teares a generall mourning mov'd That stately vesture which himselfe array'd Much fear'd for valour more for vertue lov'd With his owne hand on Darius corps he layd Then wailing long as for a brother lost To have his funerals furnish'd like a Kings He bids you use his wealth and spare no cost For you shall want no necessary things He hath his body hither sent by me And sunerall rites solemnely bent to do He thinks that they may best accomplish'd be Whil'st who him bred doth see him buried too Cho. Behold how griese hath her of sense bereft Whil'st breath for passage strugling is with grones No will nor pow'r to live just griefe hath left Since what she value vanish'd is at once Sis Ah! shall I see no let me first be blinde That body breathlesse which I brought to light Where would my soule a force sufficient finde That could encounter with so sad a sight O flinty heart what hinders thee to breake Since crush'd with cares a stranger to repose Why part'st thou not poore soule that whil'st I speake In opening of my lips mine eyes may close This heritage of death this wither'd stocke Is but a place appointed for despaires A torture to it selfe a stumbling block Whose aged furrows fertile are in cares Once for good Fortunes now for bad design'd To state betray'd drawne forth from calme repose To have beene happie most afflicts my minde Who rais'd to fall got much the more to lose Ah me malitious fates have done me wrong Who first come to the world should first depart And ah why should the old o're-live the yong This Nature wrongs by a prepost'rous art Ah! why should Death so indiscreet be found To spare a caitive and to spoyle a Prince My halfe-dead body bending to the ground Through griefe is grown ripe for the grave long since Chorus WHat makes vaine worldlings so to swell with pride Who come of th' earth and soone to th' earth returne So hellish furies with their fire-brands burne Proud and ambitious men that they divide Them from themselves and so turmoyle their mindes That all their time they study still How to content a boundlesse will Which never yet a full contentment findes Who so this flame within his bosome smothers He many fancies doth contrive And even forgets himselfe alive To be remembred after death by others Thus while he is his paines are never ended That whil'st he is not he may be commended What can this help the happinesse of Kings So to subdue their Neighbours as they do And make strange Nations tributaries too The greater state the greater trouble brings Their pompes and triumphs stand them in no stead Their Arches Tombes Pyramides high And statues are but vanity They dye and yet would live in what is dead And while they live we see their glorious actions Oft wrested to the worst and all their life Is but a stage of endlesse toyle and strife Of tumults uproares mutinies and factions They rise with feare and lye with danger downe Huge are the cares which wait upon a Crowne And as Ambition Princes under-mynes So doth it those who under them rule all We see in how short time they rise and fall How oft their light ecclips'd but dimmely shines They long time labour by all meanes to move Their Prince to value much their parts And when advanc'd by subtle arts O what a danger is' t to be above For straight expos'd to hatred and despight With all their skill they
SELEUCUS his greatest Captaines CASSANDER his greatest Captaines THE ALEXANDRAEAN TRAGEDIE Act 1. The Ghost of ALEXANDER the Great BAck from th' umbragious caves still rob'd of rest Must I returne where Phoebus guilds the fields A Ghost not worthy to be Pluto's Guest Since one to whom the world no buriall yeelds O what a great disgrace is this to me Whose Trophees Fame in many a kingdom keeps That I contemn'd cannot transported be A passenger for the Sulphurean deeps Dare churlish Charon though not us'd to bow The raging torrent of my wrath gain-stand Must I succumbe amidst hels dungeons now Though all the world accustom'd to command But it may be that this hath wrought me harme What bloud-lesse Ghosts do stray on Stygian banks Whose falls made famous by my fatall arme Gave terrour oft to many martiall ranks Yet for a prey expos'd to ravenous beasts Could never have the honour of a Tombe But though for such rude guests too pretious feasts Were basely buried in a brutish wombe Thus as it seemes the horrour of such deeds With like indignity attends my sprite What stormy breast this thirst of vengeance breeds To plague for that which valour did acquite Ah! might Alcmena's sonne as sonne of Iove Once force the driery forts of endlesse night To match sterne Dis in the Tartarian grove And draw forth foaming Cerberus to light Then leading Theseus through the dungeons darke A second rape aym'd for their ravish'd Queene Durst he hels terrour force the fatall Barke By squadrons pale an envi'd victor seene And in my rage may I not tosse this Round Till roaring Earth-quakes all the world affright Heaven stain'd hell clear'd earth torne all to confound Enlightning darknesse or else darkning light What though I from terrestriall Regions swerve Whom in this state it may be some mistake May not the voyce of Alexander serve To make th' earth tremble and the depths to shake Or straight return'd shall I my fortune trust And th' Earth dispeople slaughtring scatt'red hosts Then Pluto plague all charg'd with bloud and dust When men are kill'd to be a King of Ghosts O how I burst to thinke how some above Who for their glory did my steps attend My off-springs title proudly do disprove And to my Chaire by violence ascend Ingratitude doth grieve a generous sprite VVould God therefore that with a body stor'd I might returne these Traitors to acquite My back with Armes my hand charg'd with a sword As when I entred in a populous Towne To warre alone with thousands in my wrath Whil'st prizing honour dearer then my Crowne Each of my blows gave wounds each wound gave death Then thundring vengeance on rebellious bands I would make them redeeme my grace with grones Where now my Ghost empall'd with horror stands Lesse grac'd then those whom I commanded once And yet the glory by those Captaines had Whom first my Ensignes did acquaint with fame Doth make my soule whil'st hating them more sad Then all the suffrings that the hells can claime O now I see what all my Minions blindes To grace my funerals that they take no paine My state betraying me distracts their mindes Who have forgot all love save love to raigne But Ptolomie doth yet by time intend To Alexandria to transport me once Not mov'd by love no for another end In hope my Fortune will attend my bones And must I then so great a trouble have To whom the Earth did all belong before For some few foots of Earth to be a grave VVhich meane men get and great men get no more Though many thousand at my signe did bow Is this the end of all my Conquests then To be thus barr'd that little circuit now A benefit even common unto men But of those kingdomes which were thrall to me Lest that a little part my body bound Th' earth arch'd with heaven my fatall bed should be Still unconfin'd and even when dead yet crown'd O blinde ambition great mindes viprous brood The scourge of mankinde and the foe to rest Thou guilty art of many millions bloud And whil'st I raign'd didst raigne within my brest This to my soule but small contentment brings That I some Cities rear'd and others raz'd And made Kings captives captives to be Kings Then whil'st the wond'ring world did stand amaz'd All that doth now but torture after death Which rais'd my Fame on pillars more then rare O costly conquest of a little breath Whose flattring sounds both go and come with th' aire Can I be he who thought it a disgrace To be but weigh'd with other mortals even Who would be held of an immortall race The off-spring of great Iove the heire of heaven By many meanes I all mens mindes did move For Altars as a God with off'rings stor'd Till of his glory Iove did jealous prove All kings should reverenc'd be but not ador'd Ah! whil'st transported with a prosp'rous state I toil'd to raise my Throne above the Starres The thund'rer straight who still doth pride abate Did wound my fame with most infamous warres Made I not grave Calistenes to smart Who did disdaine a mortall to adore What knowne unknowing bent by foolish art Though but a man to be imagin'd more All fear'd the danger of my roaring wrath Like Lyons when asleep which none durst wake My fury was the Messenger of death Which when enflam'd made flaming squadrons quake Ambition did so farre my thoughts engage That I could not abide my Fathers praise But though my friend kill'd Clitus in a rage Who Philips Fami durst in my presence raise Thus though that I mine Enemies did abate I made my greatest friends become my foes Who did my insolence as barbarous hate And for the like afraid wail'd others woes Those tyrannies which thousands chanc'd to see As inhumane a multitude admir'd And my familiars strangers growne with me As from a Tyrant for distrust retyr'd Yea there were many too who did conspire By base ambushments to have snar'd my life Of all my labours loe this was the hire Those must have store of toils who toile for stâ—â—â—e And I remember that amid'st my joyes Even whil'st the chase of Armies was my sport There wanted not a number of annoyes To counter-poise my pleasures in some sort Of those on th' earth most happy that remaine As ag'd Experience constantly records The pleasures farre exceeded are by paine Life greater griefe then comfort still affords What griefe no rather rage did feaze my soule Whil'st bigge with hopes a battell bent to prove That sudden sicknesse did my course controull Which cold when kinde embracing flouds did move From the Physician then though deem'd for ill I took his potion gave him scandalous lines Then whil'st he red did drinke yet ey'd him still And by accusing looks sought guilty signes Not that suspitious feares could make me sad This was the ground whence did proceed my paine Lest death my victory prevented had For I was sure still where I fought to gaine
particular thing Which by your selfe I long to heare disclos'd Lysim When wise Calistenes for no request With superstitious customes could comport But with franke words all flattery did detest He was abus'd and in a barbarous sort So plaguing him no doubt the King did ill Yet to prosperity we must impute Those fatall faults which follow fortune still As of great mindes a kinde of bastard fruit We should in Kings as loth their state to touch Speake sparingly of vice praise vertue much But I whose soule that wise man dearely lov'd Whilst his perfections spying thus injur'd To tender passions by compassion mov'd Would his reliefe have willingly procur'd But when my credit fail'd all hope quite past That I could purchase grace in any sort I desp'rate physiâ—ke did afford at last That if his life was ill it might be short The King â—nrag'd that I had thus presum'd To limit his revenge by giving death That by a Lyon I should be consum'd Did throw my doome out of the depths of wrath But when with rowling eyes the Lyon roar'd He by my strength as strengthlesse was o're-thrown Which to the King whose did then remord My constancy and courage both made knowne So that incontinent I was set free By this rare proofe esteem'd amongst the strong And with a minde from inward rancour free As he his wrath so I forgot the wrong For whilst alone he through a Forrest rang'd A prey expos'd yet did no danger dreame Some at that time had former wrongs reveng'd If but for mischiefe bent to gaine a names Yet that which others did attempt in vaine And tyrâ—d by travell of a surfet dy'd I did performe and brought him backe againe As swiftly running as his horse could ride And of that deed my sprite rests well appaid For since that time my Soveraigne held me deare Which afterwards he to the world bewraid Whilst by this meanes his favour did appeare VVhen unawares my brow he chanc'd to wound To stay my bloud which striv'd to dye his Launce He with his Diadem my Temples crown'd A happy signe though comming but by chance And O! who knowes but once before I dye Some good event may second the presage Seleu. What hinders us but we should fortune try And for a Crowne our travels straight engage Those bended mindes which ayme at Greatnesse still Growne popular of purpose to be prais'd Doe winde themselves every mans good will And would seeme humble that they may be rais'd What counterfeited friends seale trustlesse bands VVhilst in the generall cause that wit pretends Though never joining hearts all joyne their hands And worke one way yet worke for divers ends Yea those whose mindes move in the sphere of State Have purchas'd pow'rs as purpos'd for the fields VVith jealous mindes their rivals to abate VVhilst equals all none to another yields Yet with suspended thoughts they doubtfull stand And their designes to venture doe forbeare Least all the rest joyn'd by a generall band Doe him o're-throw who first gives cause of feare But he may speed who for a Crowne doth thirst And free from feare with courage doth advance Some to be second doubting to be first Will make their course depend upon his chance And by a battell if that one prevail There will rich hopes at easie rates be sold Whil'st those seek help whose Fortune then doth faile As first by hope last by despaire made bold All this to me great cause of feare affords Lest that we two protract the time too long And wounded be before we draw our swords All at such times must do or suffer wrong Lysi No chance of late hath brought me so to bow But I have throwne some thoughts at those high hopes Yet in my minde that man do most allow Who doth with judgement moder are fancies scopes Those Provinces which are to us assign'd As calme in minde we manage must a space Till all attempt that which they have design'd By enterchanging damage and disgrace Then living but like those whose force is small From which the world no great thing can expect We shall professe a favour to them all As who nought else save publicke peace affect Yet then our thoughts shall not have leave to sleep But subtle plots must circumspectly frame Those whom we feare at variance still to keep So alwayes strengthning us and weakening them If wrongs provoke or when occasion claimes Like cunning wrestlers at th'Olympick games Who exercise themselves to be more strong And when themselves have thus prepar'd the way Whil'st that their pompe doth beare a lower sayle For at the last their force must much decay Since all must alwayes lose though one prevaile Then prompt to tempt that which we now contrive By ruining the remnant that remaines We may possesse the state for which they strive Thus they the toils and we shall get the gaines Exeunt Chorus O Happy was that guiltlesse age When aâ— Astraea liv'd below And that Bellona's barbarous rage Did not all order quire o'rethrow Then whil'st all did themselves content With that thing which they did possesse And gloried in a little rent As wanting meanes to make excesse Those could no kinde of want bemone For craving nought they had all things And since none sought the regall Throne Whil'st none were Subjects all were Kings O! to true blisse their course was set Who got to live not liv'd to get Then innocency naked liv'd And had no need nor thought of Armes Whil'st spightfull sprits no meanes contriv'd To plague the simple sort with harmes Then snaring laws did not extend The bounds of Reason as they do Strife oft begun where it should end One doubt but clear'd to foster two By conscience then all order stood By which darke things were soone discern'd Whil'st all behov'd there to be good Where as no evill was to be learn'd And how could any then prove naught Whil'st by example vertue taught Then mortals mindes all strong and pure Free from corruption lasted long By innocency kept secure When none did know how to do wrong Then sting'd with no suspitious thought Men mischiefe did from none expect For what in them could not be wrought In others they would not suspect And though none did sterne laws impart That might to vertue men compell Each one by habite in his heart Had grav'd a law of doing well And all did wickednesse forbeare Of their free-will and not for feare The first who spoyl'd the publike rest And did disturbe this quiet state Was Avarice the greatest pest Which doth of darknesse fill the seat A Monster very hard to daunt Leane as dry'd up with inward care Though full of wealth for feare of want Still at the borders of despayre Scarce taking food for Natures ease Nor for the cold sufficient clothing She whom her owne could never please Thinks all have much and she hath nothing This daughter of sterne Pluto still Her fathers dungeon strives to fill That Monster-tamer most renown'd
enlarg'd unto their rage They with so straight a course cannot comport What was mis-fortune knowne unto them all Their malice as some great neglect did cite All things must helpe th' unhappy men to fall Thus forth they spu'd the poyson of their spite For hating his franke forme and naked words By that occasion whetting their desires They in his body boldly sheath'd their swords A deed which even barbarity admires Those trait'rous troups may spot the purest bands If for a fact so vile they be excus'd This will set swords all our souldiers hands Against us and not for us to be us'd Ant. I wish that Souldiers never could be brought To prove so mut'nous as they oft have beene And that they durst not violate in ought Those who by them as sacred should be seene Nor like I Captaines who like blustring windes Would o're their troupes insult as tyrants still Not weighing merits nor respecting mindes As carried head-long with a blinded will Pride by presumption bred when at a height Encount'ring with contempt both match in ire And 'twixt them bring base cruelty to light The loath-some off-spring of a hated Syre Such of Perdiccas was the monstrous pride The vice from which that vice more vile proceeds That it strange wayes for his advancement try'd And did burst forth in most prodigious deeds At first by Meleagers death when stain'd He show'd what tyrants harbour'd in his heart To whom faith given nor yet the Church he gain'd Though sacred both no safety could impart The Cappadocians when all else was try'd Choos'd rather then his insolence to beare By massâ—â—ring themselves to scape from pride Pride spight and horrour death breeds onely feare Yet what against his foes he did performe From martiall mindes might plead for some excuse Since irritated thoughts which wrong'd doe storme In mindes offended fury doe infuse But yet why sought he in a servile sort To play the tyrant braving his best friends Who with disdainefull formes could not comport More then an enemies yoke a friends offends And when of late by Ptolomie constrain'd He brought his bands with disadvantage backe How by the same his governement was stayn'd The world can witnesse by his Armies wracke But hate made judge each errour seemes a crime Whilst present ils doe aggravate things gone His Souldiers mov'd by fortune and the Time Did by his death venge all their wrongs in one Eum. As nought smels well to a distemper'd taste So to conceits pre-occupy'd before Even good seemes bad in them whom they detest Men must mislike where they can like no more To you who loath'd Perdiccas and his state What ever came of him could not seeme good And I not wonder though your soule did hate One who had right and pow'r to take your bloud For fled from him to whom you once belong'd His Trumpet still breath'd terrour in your eare Then all men hate those whom they once have wrong'd And by no meanes can love them whom they feare Ant. That which you speake of hate in love I spy Love cannot finde an imperfection forth But doth excuse extenuate or deny Faults where it likes with shadowes of no worth I left Perdiccas but did him no wrong Who first to take my life all meanes did prove I told Antipater how he so long Had been abus'd by a pretended love For as I frankely love whilst lov'd againe If the ingrate ingrately me acquite Straight kindling fury with a just disdaine I by love past proportion then my spite And yet Eumenes I commend thy minde Who to defend thy friend hast prov'd so free And since in love so constantly inclin'd A friendship firme I would contract with thee Then where that now thy state hath been brought low Since spoil'd of him in whom thou did'st repose Whilst ayded by our power thou great maist grow And raise thy hopes of kingdomes to dispose Eum. I 'le be your friend whilst friend to right you rest For without vertue friendship is but vaine Which cannot lodge in a polluted brest Whos 's impious thoughts do sacred things prophane While as the oath is kept which once was sworne To Alexanders selfe and to his race Still shall this sword for your defence be borne But in my heart they hold the highest place And doe not thus as o're one vanquish'd vaunt Nor thinke me thrall'd though once by chance o'rethrowne The world must perish ere advent'rers want Who tosse all States to stablish once their owne Whil'st bravely taking or yet giving place How ever feare objecting danger comes Misfortune bondage torment death disgrace And all things else a minde resolv'd o're-comes Act. 4. Scene 2. Cassander Lysimachus ANd must we buy our pompe at such a rate Who beare th' authority or whom it beares O O! how thorny are the wayes of State With open dangers pav'd and secret feares Each of our steps is waited with some snare Whil'st from our selves we all repose repell And in fraile Barks press'd by tempestuous care Do seek a haven whose heaven is but a hell Lysim Whil'st Eolus and Neptune joyn'd in all With winds and waves beat th' earth and brag the skies The tumbling Mountains do not rise and fall Though each of them another doth surprise As do th' aspiring pow'rs which are with doubt Toss'd through the waving world on stormy Thrones And are as in a Circle hurl'd about Ascending and descending both at once Loe some whose hopes would at their birth have seem'd By Fortunes strictnesse with contempt confin'd Have from the vulgar yoke themselves redeem'd To do farre more then such durst have design'd And they who once might life to thousands give When some great period revolutions brings Brought downe even low cannot have leave to live Made lesse then Subjects who were more then Kings Cass What once they scarce could dreame some thus procur Whose pow'r though nought at first last Scepters swayes And some whose states seem'd once to be secure Throwne from their Fortunes height lose glorious Bayes My Father loe to gaine that soveraigne place Through many dangers boldly march'd of late And then the greatest greater for a space Did manage all the Macedonian State But I his Sonne who as some would suppose Might keep whith ease that which he got with paine Can by no meanes my rest-lesse thoughts repose such raging Tyrants o're my fancies raigne Lysim And yet I thinke you have an easie part To whom his State your Father did resigne For it may make you smile which made him smart Some presse the grape and others drinke the wine Cass I le not beleeve that ever any ill Was bred for me within my Fathers brest Since children must suppose their Parents will Though seeming bad still purpos'd for the best And yet my Fathers Ghost must pardon me Though when from us he minded to remove I thinke the tenor of his last Decree Show'd lack of judgement or at least of love For what base course had ever beene begun
great And did such monstrous cruelties commit In plaguing Philip and his Queene of late Loe now brought low to taste the like estate Must take such entertainment as she gave And yet good reason that it should be so Such measure as we give we must receive Whil'st on a Throne she proudly earst did sit And with disdainefull eyes look'd on her foe As onely vanquish'd by her pow'r and wit She did not weigh what doth proceed from fate O O! th'Immortals which command above Of every state in hand the Rudder have And as they like can make us stay or go The griefe of others should us greatly move As those who sometime may like Fortune prove But as experience with rare proofes hath showne To look on others we have Linx his eyes Whil'st we would have their imperfections knowne Yet like blinde Moles can never marke our owne Such clouds of selfe-regard do dimme our sight Why should we be puff'd up when foes do fall Since what to day doth on another light The same to morrow may our state surprise Those that on this inconstant constant Ball Do live environ'd with th' all-circling skies Have many meanes whereby to be o're-throwne And why should dying worldlings swolne with wrath So tyrannize o're an afflicted wight Since miseries are common unto all Let none be proud who draw a doubtfull breath Good hap attends but few unto their death Act. 5. Scene 1. Aristotle Phocion LOg have I us'd that light which cleares my minde On Natures labours curiously to look And of all creatures finding out the kinde Have read strange wonders in the worlds great book I mark her course by contraries maintain'd Whose harmony doth most subsist by strife And of all creatures in the same contain'd How various is the mystery of life But as all things are subject unto change Which partners are of th' elementall pow'rs So roll'd about with revolutions strange The state of man rests constant scarce for houres Loe what doth fame more frequently report Then sudden risings and more sudden falls I thinke the world is but a Tenis-court Where Fortune doth play States tosse men for Balls Pho. And never any age show'd more then this The wavering state of soule-ennobled wights Who soare too high to catch an aiery blisse Whil'st lowest falls attend the highest flights That matchlesse Monarch who was borne it seem'd To shew how high mortality attaines Hath not from death th'adored flesh redeem'd But paine hath made an end of all his paines And those brave bands which furnish'd Fame with breath Whil'st all the world their valorous deeds did spie Rest now confounded since their Soveraignes death Like Polyphemus having lost his eye And they are like that teeth-ingendred brood Which took their life out of a Monster dead Whil'st each of them would drinke the others bloud Since that great Dragons death who was their head Ar. So change all things which subject are to sight Disorder order breeds and order it Next light comes darknesse and next darknesse light This never-changing change transcends our wit Thus health and sicknesse poverty and state Dishonour honour life and death with doubt Still inter-changing what a true deceit All link'd together slide by turnes about To worldly states the heavens a height appoint Where when they once arrive they must descend And all perfections have a fatall point At which Excellency it selfe must end But as all those who walke on th' earth are cross'd With alterations happ'ning oft and strange The greatest States with greatest stormes are toss'd And sought of many must make many a change Nor speake I this by speculation mov'd As gathering credit out of ancient scroules No I have liv'd at Court and oft have prov'd Nothing below more vex'd then great mens Soules The Tyrant honours thralls while as they mone Their plaints to vulgar eares loath to impart They all the weight of woes must beare alone Where others of their griefe lend friends apart Their verie rising o're us to the height Which seemes their best is worst for being Lords They never know the truth that comes to light When franke society speakes naked words Whilst sadnesse oft seemes Majestie Time tels How deare they buy their pompe with losse of rest Some but three furies faine in all the hels There are three thousand in one great mans brest Phoc. I thinke all Monarchies are like the Moone Which now eclips'd now under cloud now cleare Growes by degrees and is when full undone Yet Aeson-like renew'd doth re-appeare For loe they first but small beginne to shine And when they once their Spherick forme obtaine Doe coldly languish and till chang'd decline Yet falne in other realmes doe rise againe Assyria once made many nations bow Then next all power was in the Persians hand And Macedonians last grown Monarchs now Amongst themselves divided cannot stand Ar. A secret fate alternatly all things Doth in this circle circularly leade Still generation from corruption springs That some may live of force some must be dead Each Element anothers strength devours Th' aire to the fire succumbes the fire to raine The waters strive to drowne the Earth with showres Which it by vapours vomits out againe Thus wâ—th a Gordian knot together bound All things are made un-made and made againe Whilst ruine founds perfection doth confound Free from some change no State can long remaine But what in th' earth more dangerously stands Then Soveraignty though râ—ted at such worth Which like the stormy Gods tumultuous bands Doth flie from th' East to West from South to North Phoc. A long experience now makes this not strange That mighty States whose reines one only leades Be oft distracted and constrain'd to change As too great bodies for so little heads Since every common-wealth where all mens wits Doe joyne in one to breed the publike ease Hath many fevers and pestiferous fits Which physick oft oft poison must appease For ah the multitude more rash then wise A Hydra-headed beast which humor blindes Doth passionately praise or else despise As some prepost'rous fancies move their minds From vice and vertue oft like danger flowes Whilst th' one breeds envie and the other hate As jealousie or emulation growes Those oft are crush'd who doe support a state Ar. Whilst some their betters others equals scorne The popular authority decayes And when it dies the Monarchie is borne Whose violence disorders fury staies The raines of state it with most ease doth swaie Of power as joyn'd in one the strongest kind Still whilst it humbly high doth bold a way Twixt tyrannie and too remisse a minde But though States rul'd by one may flourish long Whilst one can well command and all obey Whilst guerdon goodnesse vengeance followes wrong That vertue cherish'd vice is made decay Yet if nought else Time doth great States orecome And all are bounded by some fatall houre What mis-adventures many wayes may come To dissipate the most united pow'r O! huge mishaps a Monarchie may marre
When prosp'rous Times doe forc'd by fates expire To further which oft strangers must make warre And mut'nous subjects som-time may conspire As jealous feare when brav'd by danger moves All princes would suppresse aspâ—rers still And then a subjects course most dangerous proves When either feare or hope transports his will But though that first to rise last to descend Great States are guided by a secret fate Yet still the cause which doth forgoe their end Springs from contempt or is enforc'd by hate The first in kings the lack of courage breeds Encouraging Ambition to rebell The othâ—r doth attend tyrannicke deeds That violence may violence deeds Phoc. Yet never did so many Monarchs fall By forraine battells nor by civill broiles As by themselves who seeming free were thrall Whilst smooth-toogu'd Minions gloried of their spoils Those who have raign'd by choice by birth or worth Or did encroach on Crownes by chance or crime Oft suffer vices to burst freely forth Which vertues colours guilded till that time Men clearely show what harbours in their brest Whilst Envies object free from any feare That which is eminent is marked best And highest fortunes hardest are to beare Low States to censure Criticks doe despise Whilst oft grosse faults for vertues fame esteemes The stupid patient and the fearefull wise Will constancie and softnesse goodnesse seemes But on the Stage of State when one must stand A publike Actor plac'd in all mens sight And swaying pow'r with an imperious hand Doth hold the ballance both of wrong and right Then he for every action that is his The censure of a thousand tongues must have Not onely damn'd for doing things amisse But for not doing all that all men crave That Prince but undermines the Soveraigne seate Who cares not who be weak so he be strong More studious for himselfe then for the state Or if for it that he may hold it long For were Iove him for all mens good ordaines He thinkes both them and theirs made him to please As if a charge of weight a place of paines Were but a bed of rest a Heaven of ease The worlds great weight with Atlas shoulders beate Is not so weighty all to weigh one downe As that which on his head a king doth weare No burdens charge more heavie then a crowne Th'aegean waves Time may more soone appease Then restlesse thoughts whose course for state prepares Can they have rest who toile for all mens ease The purple ever must be lin'd with cares Ar. Good kings are like the fire which flaming bright Doth waste it selfe to serve anothers turne And soveraignty is like fires glancing light Which if but view'd delights if touch'd doth burne I like for warmenesse to stand Vulcan by But not to burne amid'st the Lemnian flame In Cedars shadowes men more safely lie Then on their tops the roaring deities game All th' eie-attracting pompe and glorious showes Do merit scorne though they amazement breed The world them pittie more then Envie owes Who to seeme happy wretched are indeed What alterations strange attend a Throne As if the spheare of fortune were a crowne The great still toss'd like Sysiphus his stone When rais'd most high rest ready to fall downe Of this what greater proofe can fame afford Then mighty Philips memorable fall Who daunted had the Grecians by the sword Though till that time by strangers not made thrall He he then whilst he solemniz'd with state His daughters marriage suddenly was lost It seem'd when Heaven that Monarchs daies would date That Hymens torch gave light to Pluto's post When strong regards had grav'd within my heart The miseries that proper were to Court I thought them happie who retir'd apart Could never know such things but by report I might have liv'd with Alexander still To vertuous men whose favours were not scarce Yet rather choos'd though having both at will To serve with Pallas then command with Mars And whilst he toil'd of others Lord to be I of my selfe did labour to be Lord Yet made as great a conquest too as he My pen shall be as famous as his Sword Phoc. And had I willingly engag'd my rest The way to trace which to vaine glory tends I might have liv'd respected with the best A speciall one of Alexanders friends Though I of him did never merit ought He entertain'd my friendship till his death And when he once our Citties o'rethrow sought At my request did pacifie his wrath Then once to me a masse of gold he sent And offred too a stately Asian Towne Which I refus'd more pleas'd with my poore rent Then he with all the treasures of a Crowne I told that such a summe but serv'd to make Him a corrupter me corrupted thought And foule for him to give for me to take Is us'd sham'd both unus'd did serve for nought But all those baites I never daign'd to touch Least I who all my life had liv'd so free Might be possess'd too much possessing much If taking Riches it had taken me No I would rather learne to live with lesse Then for superfluous furniture to strive Who seekes out substance but to nurse excesse To use it lives not it that he may live My fortune doth afford sufficient meanes That may preserve all natures pow'rs in force And he who on a golden Scepter leanes Can not have more but may well use it worse Then since aboundance but abuses brings Why seeke men more then how to be well eas'd And ah why toile they for so many things Since with a little nature can be pleas'd Ar. Loe how the Heavens whose love to man exceeds Have made his body strong his minde divine And have made th' earth to furnish all his needs Least curbing Cares might make his thoughts decline So that he hath a meanes to raise his flight If wing'd with vertue and may mounting hie By time approach to the celestiall light And deifie himselfe before he die Yet doth he straight forgoe that glorious way To toile for things which th' earth not forc'd affords The which his wants first fram'd were to defray By by himselfe are of his life made Lords O! how unworthie of the worth of man Are many labours which delight him most Since that corruption boldly first beganne To make men nurse vile vice at vertues cost And now what hath great Alexander gain'd By endlesse travell and excessive cares Of whom loe now they onely say he raign'd But death vnto himselfe worse to his heires And for the guiltlesse blood which he hath spill'd His conquests partners loe doe now beginne To die even by the swords by which they kill'd And all his off-spring expiates his sinne Phoc. Strange revolutions sway all worldly things The wheele of fortune still must slipperie prove And chiefely then when charg'd it is with kings Whose states as weighty quickly make it move Yet Alexander I must say was blest Who still a victor from distresse estrang'd The worlds chiefe Monarch when his state
some some something to entreate Not onely did the Gods by divers signes Give Caesar warning of his threatned harmes But did of foes disturbe the rash designes And to their troubled thoughts gave strange alarmes A Senator who by some words we find To the conspirators though none of theirs Had showne himselfe familiar with their minde Then chanc'd to deale with Caesar in affaires That sight their soules did with confusion fill For thinking that he told their purpos'd deeds They straight themselves or Caesar thought to kill A guiltie conscience no accuser needs But marking that he us'd when taking leave A suters gesture when affording thankes They of their course did greater hopes conceave And rang'd them seven according to their rankes Then Caesar march'd forth to the fatall place Neere Pompeys Theater where the Senate was Where when he had remain'd a litle space All the confederats flock'd about Calph. Alas Nun. First for the forme Metellus Cimber crav'd To have his Brother from exile restor'd Yet with the rest a rude repulse receiv'd Whilst it they all too earnestly implor'd Bold Cimber who in strife with him did stand Did strive to cover with his Gowne his head Then was the first blow given by Casca's hand Which on his necke a litle wound but made And Caesar starting whilst the stroke he spi'd By strength from further striking Casca stai'd Whilst both the two burst out at once and cry'd He Traitour Casca and he Brother aide Then all the rest against him did arise Like desp'rat men whose furie force affords That Caesar on no side could set his eyes But every looke encountred with some Swords Yet as a lyon when by nets surpriz'd Stands strugling still so long as he hath strength So Caesar as he had their pow'r despis'd Did with great rage resist till at the length He thus cri'd out when spying Brutus come And thou my Sonne then griefe did back rebound Nought but unkindnesse Caesar could o'recome That of all things doth give the deepest wound Cho. Ah! when unkindnesse is where love was thought A tender passion breakes the strongest heart For of all those who give offence in ought Men others hate but for unkinde men smart Nun. Ah! taking then no more delight in light As who disdainfullie the world disclaim'd Or if from Brutus blow to hold his sight As of so great ingratitude asham'd He with his Gowne when cover'd first o're all As one who neither sought nor wish'd reliefe Not wronging majestie in state did fall No sigh consenting to betray his griefe Yet if by chance or force I cannot tell Even at the place where Pompey's statue stood As if to crave him pardon Caesar fell That in revenge it might exhaust his blood But when his corpes abandon'd quite by breath Did fortunes frailties monument remaine That all might have like int'rest in his death And by the same looke for like praise or paine Then Cassius Brutus and the rest began With that great Emperours blood to die their hands What beast in th' earth more cruell is then man When o're his reason passion once commands Cal. Whilst brutish Brutus and proud Cassius thus Romes greatest Captaine under trust deceiv'd Where was Antonius since a friend to us That he not lost himselfe or Caesar sav'd Nun. The whole conspiratours remain'd in doubt Had he and Caesar joyn'd to be undone And so caus'd one to talke with him without Who fain'd a conference till the fact was done Then knowing well in such tumultuous broiles That the first danger alwayes is the worst He fled in hast disguis'd with borrow'd spoiles For rage and for disdaine even like to burst Cal. The Senatours which were assembled there When they beheld that great man brought to end What was their part to what inclin'd their care I fear affliction could not finde a friend Nun. Of those who in the Senate-house did sit So sad an object sorrie to behold Or fearing what bould hands might more commit Each to his house a severall way did hold This act with horrour did confound their sight And unawares their judgement did surprise When any hastie harmes un-lookt-for light The resolution hath not time to rise That man on whom the world did once rely By all long reverenc'd and ador'd by some None to attend him had but two and I. Cho. To what an ebbe may fortunes flowing come Why should men following on the smoake of priâ—e Leave certaine case to seeke a dream'd delight Which when they have by many dangers tri'd They neither can with safety keepe nor quite The people who by force subdu'd remaine May pitty those by whom opprest they rest They but one Tyrant have whereas there raigne A Thousand Tyrants in one Tyrants brest VVhat though great Caesar once commanded Kings VVhose onely name whole Nations did appall Yet now let no man trust in worldly things A little earth holds him who held it all Cal. Ah! had he but beleev'd my faithfull cares His State to stablish who have alwayes striv'd Then scaping this conspiracie of theirs He honour'd still and I had happy liv'd Did I not spend of supplications store That he within his house this day would waste As I by dreames advertis'd was before VVhich shew'd what was to come and now is past VVhil'st the Sooth-sayers sacrific'd did finde A beast without a heart their Altars staine By that presage my soule might have divin'd That I without my heart would soone remaine But all those terrours could no terrour give To that great minde whose thoughts too high still aym'd He by his fortune confident did live As if the heavens for him had all things fram'd Yet though he ended have his fatall race To bragge for this let not his Murtherers strive For O! I hope to see within short space Him dead ador'd and them abhorrâ—d alive Though now his name the multitude respects Since murdering one who him had helâ— so deare VVhil'st inward thoughts each outward thing reflects Some monstrous shape to Brutus must appeare Iust Nemesis must plague proud Cassius soone And make him kill himselfe from hopes estrang'd Once all the wrongs by foes to Caesar done May by themselves be on themselves reveng'd Cho. Some Soveraigne of the earth would fortune prove As if confus'dly Gods did men advance Nought comes to men below but from above By providence not by a staggering chance Though to the cause that last forgoes the end Some attribute the course of every thing That cause on other causes doth depend Which chain'd 'twixt heaven and earth due ends forth bring Of those decrees the heavens for us appoint Who ever them approves or doth disprove No mortall man can disappoint a point But as they please here moves or doth remove We when once come the worlds vaine pompe to try Led by the fates to end our journey haste For when first borne we straight begin to dye Life 's first day is a step unto the last And is there ought more swift
then dayes and yeares Which weare away this breath of ours so soone Whil'st Lachesis to no request gives eares But spinnes the threeds of life till they be done Yet foolish worldlings following that which flies As if they had assurance of their breath To fraile preferrement fondly strive to rise Which but a burden weighs them downe to death Nun. There 's none of us but must remember still How that the Gods by many a wondrous signe Did shew it seem'd how that against their will The destinies would Caesars dayes confine A monstrous starre amidst the heaven hath beene Still since they first against him did conspire The solitary birds at noone were seene And men to walke environ'd all with fire What wonder though the heavens at such a time Do brave the earth with apparitions strange Then whil'st intending such a monstrous crime Unnaturall men make Natures course to change Cho. Though all such things seeme wonderfull to some They may by Reason comprehended be For what beyond what usuall is doth come The Ignorant with wondring eyes do see Those bastard Starres not heritours of th' ayre Are first conceiv'd below then borne above And when fore-knowing things sprits take most care And by illusion superstition move Yet this no doubt a great regard should breed When Nature hath brought forth a monstrous birth In secret Characters where men may reade The wrath of heaven and wickednesse of th' earth The Naturallists and th' Astrologians skill May oft encountring manifest like care Since th' one looks back the other forward still One may tell what the other why things are Nun. Shall sorrow through the waves of woes to saile Have still your teares for Seas your sighs for winds To miserie what do base plaints availe A course more high becomes heroicke mindes None are o're-come save onely those who yeeld From froward Fortune though some blows be borne Let Vertue serve Adversity for shield No greater griefe to griefe then th' enemies scorne This makes your foes but laugh to see you weep At least these teares but for your selfe bestow And not for that great sprit whose spoyls heavens keep For he no doubt rests deified ere now Cal. I onely waile my life and not his death Who now amongst th'immortals doth repose And shall so long as I have bloud or breath To furnish forth the elements of woes I care not who rejoyce so I lament Who do to darknesse dedicate my dayes And since the light of my delight is spent Shall have in horrour all Apollo's rayes I will retyre my selfe to waile alone As trustie Turtles mourning for their Mates And my misfortune alwayes bent to mone Will spurne at pleasures as empoyson'd baits No second guest shall presse great Caesars bed Warm'd by the flames to which he first gave life I thinke there may be greater honour had When Caesars widow then anothers wife This had afforded comfort for my harmes If I ere chanc'd abandon'd thus to be Had had a little Caesar in mine armes The living picture of his Syre to me Yet doth that Idoll which my thoughts adore With me of late most strictly match'd remaine For where my armes him sometimes held before Now in my heart I shall him still retaine That though I may no pretious things impart Thy deitie may by me be honour'd oft Still offring up my thoughts upon my heart My sacred flame shall alwayes mount aloft Exeunt Chorus WHat fools are those who do repose their trust On what this masse of misery affords And bragging but of th' excrements of dust Of life-lesse Treasures labour to be Lords Which like the Sirens songs or Circes charmes With shadows of delight hide certaine harmes Ah! whil'st they sport on pleasures yâ—ie grounds Oft poyson'd by Prosperitie with Pride A sudden storme their floting joyes confounds Whose course is ordred by the eye-lesse guide Who so inconstantly her selfe doth beare Th' unhappie men may hope the happy feare The fortunate who bathe in flouds of joyes To perish oft amidst their pleasures chance And mirthlesse wretches wallowing in annoye Oft by adversitie themselves advance Whâ—l'st Fortune bent to mock vaine worldlings cares Doth change despaires in hopes hopes in despaires That gallant Grecian whose great wit so soone Whom others could not number did o're-come Had he not beene undone had beene undone And if not banish'd had not had a home To him feare courage gave what wondrous change And many doubts are solution strange He who told one who then was Fortunes childe As if with horrour to congeale his bloud That Caius Marius farie from Rome exil'd Wretch'd on the ruines of great Carthage stood Though long both plagu'd by griefe and by disgrace The Consul-ship regain'd and dy'd in peace And that great Pompey all the worlds delight Whom of his Theater then th' applauses pleas'd Whil'st praise-transported eyes endeer'd his sight Who by youths toyles should have his age then eas'd He by one blow of Fortune lost farre more Then many battels gayned had before Such sudden changes so disturbe the soule That still the judgement ballanc'd is by doubt But on a Round what wonder though things roule And since within a Circle turne about Whil'st heaven on earth strange alterations brings To scorne our confidence in worldly things And chanc'd there ever accidents more strange Then in these stormy bounds where we remaine One did a sheep-hooke to a Scepter change The nurceling of a Wolfe o're men did raigne A little Village grew a mighty Towne Which whil'st it had no King held many a Crowne Then by how many sundry sorts of men Hath this great State beene rul'd though now by none Which first obey'd but one then two then ten Then by degrees return'd to two and one Of which three States their ruine did abide Two by Two's lusts and one by Two mens pride What revolutions huge have hapned thus By secret fates all violently led Though seeming but by accident to us Yet in the depths of heavenly breasts first bred As arguments demonstrative to prove That weaknesse dwels below and pow'r above Loe prosprous Caesar charged for a space Both with strange Nations and his Countreys spoyls Even when he seem'd by warre to purchase peace And roses of sweet rest from thornes of toils Then whil'st his minde and fortune swell'd most high Hath beene constrain'd the last distresse to trie What warnings large were in a time so short Of that darke course which by his death now shines It speechlesse wonders plainly did report It men reveal'd by words and gods by signes Yet by the chaynes of destinies whil'st bound He saw the sword but could not scape the wound What curtaine o're our knowledge errour brings Now drawn now open'd by the heavenly host Which makes us sometime sharpe to see small things And yet quite blinde when as we should see most That curious braines may rest amaz'd at it Whose ignorance makes them presume of wit Then let us live since all things change below When rais'd most high â—s those who once may fall And hold when by disasters brought more low The minde still free what ever else be thrall Those Lords of Fortune sweeten every State Who can command themselves though not their fate FINIS
many Countries was sent for by Croesus King of Lydia as famous for his wealth as the other was for his wisedome And not so much for any desire the King had to profit by the experience of so profound a Philosopher as to have the report of his as he thought it happinesse approved by the testimonie of so renowmed a witnesse But Solon alwayes like himselfe entring the regall Palace and seeing the same very gloriously apparrelled but very incommodiously furnished with Courtiers more curious to have their bodies deckt with a womanishly affected forme of rayment and some superficiall complements of pretended curtesies then to have their mindes enriched with the true treasure of inestimable vertue he had the same altogether in disdaine Therefore after some conference had with Croesus concerning the felicitie of man his opinion not seconding the Kings expectation he was returned with contempt as one of no understanding But yet comforted by Aesop Author of the witty fables who for the time was resident at Courts and in credit with the King Immediately after the departure of Solon Croesus having two Sounes whereof the eldest was dumbe and the other a brave youth dreamed that the yongest dyed by the wound of a Dart wherewith being marvellously troubled he married him to a Gentlewoman named Caelia and for farther disappointing the suspected though inevitable destinie he discharged the using of all such weapons as he had dreamed of Yet who could cut away the occasion of the heavens from accomplishing that which they had design'd The spiritfull youth ing long restrain'd from the fields was invited by some Country-men to the chace of a wilde Bore yet could very hardly impetrate leave of his loving suspicious Father Now in the meane time there arrived at Sardis a youth named Adrastus Sonne to the King of Phrygia one no lesse infortunate then valorous he having lost his Mistrisse by a great disaster and having kill'd his brother by a farre greater came to Croesus by whom he was courteously entertained and by the instancy of the King and the instigation of others against his own will who feared the frowardnesse of his infectious fortune he got the custodie of Atis so was the Prince called whom in time of the sport thinking to kill the Bore by a monstrous mishap he killed After which disastrous accident standing above the dead corps after the inquiry of the truth being pardoned by Croesus he punished himselfe by a violent death There after Croesus sorrowing exceedingly this exceeding misfortune he was comforted by Sandanis who laboured to disswade him from his unnecessary journey against the Persians yet he reposing on superstitious and wrong interpreting responses of deceiving Oracles went against Cyrus who having defeated his forces in the field and taken himselfe in the Citie tyed him to a stake to be burned where by the exclayming divers times on the name of Solon moving the Conquerour to compassion he was set at libertie and lamenting the death of his Sonne and the losse of his kingdome gives a ground for this present Tragedie The persons names who speake CROESUS King of Lydia ATIS his sonne COELIA wife to ATIS ADRASTUS SANDANIS a Counsellour SOLON AESOPE CYRUS King of Persia HARPAGUS Lievetenant to CYRUS CHORUS of some Country-men CHORUS of all the Lydians The Scene in Sardis THE TRAGEDY OF CROESVS Act 1. Solon Loe how the stormy world doth worldlings tosse Twixt sandy pleasures and a rocky will Whil'st them that Court it most it most doth crosse To vice indulgent vertues stepdame still This masse of thoughts this animated slime This dying substance and this living shadow The sport of Fortune and the prey of Time Soon rais'd soon raz'd as flowers are in a meadow He toyles to get such is his foolish nature A constant good in this inconstant ill Unreasonable reasonable creature That makes his reason subject to his will VVhilst on the height of contemplation plac'd I weigh fond earthlings earnest idle strife All though they all have divers parts imbrac'd Would act a comicke Scene of tragicke life The minde which alwaies at some new things aymes To get for what it longs no travell spares And lothing what it hath of better dreames Which when enjoy'd doth procreate but cares Yet to a Soveraign blisse which they surmise By divers meanes all pregnant wits aspire But with strange shapes the same so much disguise That it we scarce can know much lesse acquire Some place their happinesse unhappy beasts Whose mindes are drunke with momentary joyes In gorgeous garments and in dainty feast To pamper breath-toss'd-flesh with pleasures toyes Some more austere no such delights allow But reyne their passions with advis'd respects And by no fortune mov'd to brag nor bow Would make the world enamour'd of their sects Some bathing still in vertues purest springs Doe draw Ideas of a heavenly brood And search the secrets of mysterious things As most undoubted heires of that high good Thus with a dream'd delight and certaine paine All seek by severall wayes a perfect blisses And let none wonder though they toyle in vaine Who cannot well discerne what thing it is What happinesse can be imagin'd here On painted grounds though we our hopes repose Who dearely first doe gaine what we hold deare Then what we once must lose still feare to lose Thinke though ' mongst thousands scarcely one of all Can at this point of happinesse arrive One fortune have whilst so to fortune thrall To get the thing for which a world doth strive What though he swimme in Oceans of delights Have none above him and his equals rare Eares joying pleasant sounds eyes stately sights His treasures infinite his buildings faire Yet fortunes course which cannot be contrould Must mount some meane men up throw down the great And still in motion circularly rould From what it is must alter every state Though of his wealth the greedy man doth boast Whil'st treasures vaine his drossie wits bewitch What hath he gain'd but what another lost And once his losse may make another rich But ah all lose who seeke to profit thus To found their trust on trustlesse grounds whil'st made We may be rob'd from them they rob'd from us Griev'd for their losse as when first purchas'd glad Those are but fooles who hope true rest to finde In this fraile world where for a while we range Which doth like Seas expos'd to every winde Ebbe flow storme calme still moving still in change Each wave we see doth drive the first away And still it whitest fomes where rockes are neare While as one growes another doth decay The greatest danger oft doth least appeare Their seeming blisse who trust in frothy showes Whose course with moments fickle fortune dates As to a height so to confusion growes A secret fate doth manage mighty states But I scorne fortune and was ever free From that dead wealth depending to her power My treasure still I beare about with me Which neither time nor tyrants can
devoure That Lady of events though still she rave Scarce can her course to mocke my minde advance For if not trusted first none can deceive And I attend no certainty from chance Then I have learn'd to moderate my minde Still with contentment crowning my desires My garments course my food such as I finde He hath enough who to no more aspires VVhat satisfaction doth o're-flow my soule The world all weigh'd while high accounts I cast And in my memories unblotted scroule Doe match the present time with others past Those worldly mindes whose weaknesse wealth doth cloake Though others happy I them wretched thinke For whil'st that passions base all reason choake The bodies slaves their soules surcharg'd doe sinke Yet loath I not the world as loath'd by it Like those who when disdain'd pretend disdaine No no I had as Athens must admit What riches birth or reputation gaine And if that I would vaunt of mine own deeds Faire Citie where mine eyes first suck't the light I challenge might what most thy glory breeds For fame or power as due to me of right When Salamina had our yoke remov'd Witâ— follies garments wisedome to disguise What none durst else attempt I boldly mov'd And seem'd a foole to make the people wise Then having thus by policy prevail'd My Countries squadrons leading to the field Whil'st both by strength and stratagems assail'd I forc'd that I le though wall'd with waves to yeeld But when renown'd by that advent'rous deed And turn'd victorious charg'd with strangers spoiles No perfect blisse below worse did succeed The peace that was abroad bred civill broyles What with more violence doth fury leade Then mut'nous commons when they want a head The meaner sort could not their mindes conforme Those things to doe which great men did command And whil'st distracted with a dangerous storme All joyn'd to place the Rudder in my hand I re-united that divided state And with good successe manag'd matters well Which further kindled had been quench'd too late That Hydra-headed tumult did so swell VVhen I my worth by those two works had prov'd And trod the path of power as Prince a space The peoples Minion by the Nobles lov'd None could be great save such as I would grace Thus carried with the force of fortunes streame I absolutely acted what I would For the democracy was but a name The Cities raines my hand in trust did hold I might a tyrant still have rul'd in state But my cleare minde could no such clouds conceive But gladly left what others urge of late If I may rule my selfe no more I crave Yet some whose thoughts but for fraile glory car'd Said that my sprite could not aspire to raigne And that my errour could not be repair'd Since so to erre meanes come not oft againe My soule in this a more contentment findes Then if a Diadem adorn'd my brow I chayn'd th' affections of undaunted mindes Though barbarous earst which did to order bow Yet hardly could rich Citizens advise To keep the statutes which my lawes contain'd Whil'st what one prais'd another did despise Some lov'd some loath'd ev'n as they thought they gain'd At last at least in shew all rest content Ev'n those who hate me most lend their applause A worthy minde needs never to repent The suffering crosses for an honest cause Whil'st travelling now with a contented minde The memory of this my fancy feeds Though to great states their periods are assign'd Time cannot make a prey of Vertues deeds Where seven-mouth'd Nile from a concealed source Inunding ov'r the fields no bankes can binde I saw their wonders heard their wise discourse Rare sights enrich'd mine eyes rare lights my minde And if it were but this yet this delights Behold how Craesus here the Lydian King To be his guest me earnestly invites The which to some would great contentment bring But I bemoane that world-bewitched man Who makes his gold his god the earth his heaven And I will try by all the meanes I can To make his judgement with his fortune eaven Chorus VVHat can mans wandring thoughts confine Or satisfie his fancies all For whil'st he wonders doth designe Even great things then doe seeme but small What terrour can his sprite appall Whil'st taking more then it can hold He to himselfe contentment doth assigne His minde which monsters breeds Imagination feeds And with high thoughts quite headlongs rold Whil'st seeking here a perfect ease to finde Would but melt mountains and embrace the winde What wonder though the soule of man A sparke of heaven that shines below Doth labour by all meanes it can Like to it selfe it selfe to show The heavenly essence heaven would know But from this masse where bound till free With paine both spend lifes little span The better part would be above And th' earth from th' earth cannot remove How can two contraries agree Thus as the best part or the worst doth move Man of much worth or of no worth doth prove O! from what fountaine doe proceed These humours of so many kindes Each braine doth divers fancies breed As many men as many mindes And in the world a man scarce findes Another of his humour right Nor are there two so like indeed If we remarke their severall graces And lineaments of both their faces That can abide the proofe of sight If th' outward formes then differ as they doe Of force th' affections must be different too Ah! passons spoile our better part The soule is vext with their dissentions We make a God of our owne heart And worship all our vaine inventions This braine-bred mist of apprehensions The minde doth with confusion fill Whil'st reason in exile doth smart And few are free from this infection For all are slaves to some affection Which doth oppresse the judgement still Those partiall tyrants not directed right Even of the clearest mindes eclipse the light A thousand times O happy he Who doth his passions so subdue That he may with cleare reasons eye Their imperfections fountaines view That so he may himselfe renew Who to his thoughts prescribing lawes Might set his soule from bondage free And never from bright reason swerve But making passions it to serve Would weigh each thing as there were cause O greater were that Monarch of the minde Then if he might command from Thule to Inde Act 2. Scene 1. Croesus Aesope Solon WHat Prince hath been so favour'd by the fates As could like me of full contentment boast Lov'd of mine own and fear'd of forrain states My foes have faln my friends were never crost For having that which thousands seek at will My happinesse in all things hath been such Heavens favorite and fortunes Minion still I know not what to wish I have so much Mine eyes no way did ever grieve my heart With any object that their sight did draw My name applauded is in every part My word an Oracle my will a law What brest can well confine this floud of joyes Whose swelling
current doth o'reflow my minde VVhich never dream'd that which the soule annoyes But did in all a satisfaction finde I scorne vaine shadowes of conceited feares As one whose state is built on marble grounds In all my horoscope no cloud appeares My blisse abounds my pleasures passe all bounds Aesope That Grecian Sir is at the Court arriv'd VVhole wisedome fame through all the world records Croe. And to extoll my state have you not striv'd VVhil'st bent to sooth his eares with courteous words Aesope In all the parts where he hath chanc'd to be In forrain bounds or where he first saw light He never did such stately wonders see As since this Court enriched hath his sight VVhen regall shewes had ravish'd first his eye As mountains nurslings little simple swaines VVho us'd with infant flouds them never spy Sport portative like Serpents through the Plaines When one of them first comes to view the vailes And wanton water-Nymphs there wondring sees The rarenesse of the sight so much prevailes That rillets rivers seeme the rivers Seas So all the guards that garnisht Solons way Did to his minde a great amazement bring The gallants golden statues made him stay Each Groome a Prince each Esquire seem'd a King And now he comes to gaine your long'd-for sight Whom in his minde no doubt he doth adore He gaz'd on those who held of you their light Sunne of this soile he must admire you more Now he o're all will spread your praises forth A famous witnesse of your glorious raigne The record of one wise man is more worth Then what a world of others would maintaine Solon Great Prince doe not the loving zeale reject VVhich a meane man yet a good minde affords And who perchance doth more your good affect Then those who paint their love with fairer words Croe. Thy love sage Grecian gratefull is to us Whom fame long since acquainted with thy worth So that we long long'd for thy presence thus To spy the Spring which sent such treasures forth Would God that many such would here resort Whose vertues beames would shine in every brest VVhose count'nance grave would grace so great a Court And like a Lampe give light unto the rest Solon Spare courteous King that undeserved praise I am but one who doe the world despise And would my thoughts to some perfection raise A wisedome-lover willing to be wise Yet all that I have learn'd huge toyles now past By long experience and in famous Schooles Is but to know my ignorance at last Who think themselves most wise are greatest fooles Croe. This is the nature of a noble minde It rather would be good then be so thought As if it had no ayme but fame to finde Such as the shadow not the substance sought Yet forc'd to give that which thou wilt not take The world what thou hold'st down doth raise more high That which thy face thus shunnes shines on thy back Praise followes them who what they merit flye And how I thinke on th' earth no creature lives Who better can instruct what I would learne Then thou to whom franke Nature largely gives A minde to see a judgement to discerne Solon To satisfie your suit my dutious care Shall it or then my ignorance disâ—lose Croe. Loe you have seene my pomp my treasures rare And all the strength on which my thoughts repose Solon Those be but dreams of blisse which fortune brings To breake by bending foolish mortalls mindes I saw but sencelesse heapes of melting things A waving wealth expos'd to many windes This but the body serving to decore As foolish owners it it th' owners spends Where mindes more circumspect seek better store Of wealth from danger free that never ends Croe. I wot not what you meane whil'st thus in love With fain'd Ideas of imagin'd blisse By fancies drawn such portraits doe but move Sicke braines to dreame that which indeed they misse But more I have then their conceits can show Whose rich conjectures breed but poore effects And I beseech you did you ever know A man more blest then I in all respects Solon I Tellus knew a man whom Athens lov'd Who to doe good at no occasion fail'd And in my judgement hath most happy prov'd Since while he liv'd belov'd whil'st dead bewail'd And last that he might reape all fruits of blisse His Countries beaten bands neere put to flight By him encourag'd scorn'd to be submisse Who dy'd victorious in two Armies sight More glorious now then when he was alive As he in heaven on earth his happy rest To trace his steps who led by Vertue strive Heires of his worth and honour'd by the best Croe. Since this first place a private person gaines Whose fortunes treasure in short time was told Now next in ranke who registred remaines Whose happinesse you most accomplish'd hold Solon Of Cleobis and Bitons vertuous way The prosp'rous course doth to my thoughts approch Their mother wanting on a solemne day The horses which were us'd to draw her Coach Them to supply the place love kindely rais'd Who drew her to that place of publike mirth Whil'st both of them abundantly were prais'd They for their piety she for her birth This charitable worke when brought to end Both dy'd whil'st offering incenie to the Gods Who favour'd so to draw them did intend From further danger of afflictions rods O happy mother who with true delight Of labours past such pleasant fruits enjoy'd And happy children who did thus acquite The mothers paine and dyed whil'st well imploy'd Ah ah our lives are fraile doe what we can And like the brittle glasse breake whil'st they glance Then oft the heavens to curbe the pride of man Doe inter-sowre our sweets with some sad chance Croe. Is there no place appointed then for me Or is my state so abject in thine eyes That thou do'st thinke me blest in no degree As one whose best in fortunes ballance lyes Or think'st thou me of judgement too remisse A wretch expos'd to want to scorne or paines The bastard childe of fortune barr'd from blisse VVhom heavens doe hate and all the world disdaines Are those poore creatures then to be compar'd With one who may consume such in his wrath Who as I please doe punish or reward Whose words nay ev'n whose lookes give life or death Solon Let not your judgement thus from reason shrinke To glose on that which simply comes from me They who doe freely speake no treason thinke One cannot both your friend and flatterer be To us who Grecians are the Gods doe grant A moderate measure of an humble wit So that our Country yet did never want Some whom the world for wise men did admit And yet amongst us all the greatest number Whil'st living looke not for a perfect rest Though Fortunes minions in her bosome slumber And seeme to some whom this world blindes most blest Yet ov'r all mortall states change so prevailes We alterations daily doe attend And hold this for a
ground that never failes None can be throughly blest before the end I may compare our state to table-playes Whil'st Iudges that are blinde give onely light Their many doubt the earnest minde dismayes Which must have happy throwes then use them right So all our dayes in doubt what things may chance Time posts away our breath seems it to chace And when th' occasion comes us to advance It of a thousand one can scarce embrace When by a generous indignation mov'd Two fight with danger for a doubtfull praise Whil'st valour blindely but by chance is prov'd That ones disgrace anothers fame must raise O! what a foole his judgement will commit To grace the one with a not gain'd applause Where fortune is but to give sentence yet Whil'st bloudy agents plead a doubtfull cause This world a field is whereas each man fights And arm'd with reason resolutely goes To warre till death close up the bodies lights Both with externall and internall foes And how can he the Victors title gaine Who yet is busied with a doubtfull fight Or he be happy who doth still remaine In fortunes danger for a small delight The wind-wing'd course of man away fast weares Course that consists of houres houres of a day Day that gives place to night night full of feares Thus every thing doth change all things decay Those who doe stand in peace may fall in strife And have their fame by infamy supprest The evening crownes the day the death the life Many are fortunate but few are blest Croe. I see this Grecians sprite but base appeares Which cannot comprehend heroicke things The world of him more then he merits heares At least he knowes not what belongs to Kings Yet fame his name so gloriously array'd That long I long'd to have him in my house But all my expectations are betray'd I thinke a Mountaine hath brought forth a Mouse Act 2. Scene 2. Solon Aesope THis King hath put his trust in trustlesse toyes Whil'st courting onely temporary things And like a hooded Hawk gorg'd with vaine joye At randon flyes born forth on follys wings O how this makes my griefe exceeding great To see ones care who lives for dead things such Whil'st shew-transported mindes admire his state Which I not envy no but pitty much Thus wormes of th' earth whil'st low-plac'd thoughts prevaile Love melting things whose shew the body fits Where soule 's of clearer sight doe never faile To value most the treasure of good wits Those worldly things doe in this world decay Or at the least we leave them with our breath Where to eternity this leades the way So differ they as farre as life and death Aesope And yet what wonder though he wander thus Whom still by successe treacherous fortune blindes Though this indeed seem somewhat strange to us Who have with learning purifi'd our mindes Was he not borne heire of a mighty state And us'd with fortunes smiles not fear'd for frownes Doth measure all things by his owne conceit A great defect which fatall is to Crownes Then from his youth still trusting in a Throne With all that pride could crave or wealth could give Vs'd with entreaties and contrould by none He would the tongue of liberty deprive Though to his sight I dare not thus appeare Whose partiall judgement farre from reason parts I grieve to see your entertainment here So farre inferiour to your owne deserts That matchlesse wisedome which the world admires And ravish't with delight amazed heares Since not in consort with his vaine desires Did seeme impleasant to distemper'd eares Eares which can entry give to no discourse Save that which enters fraughted with his praise He can love none but them that love his course And thinkes all fooles who use no flattering phrase This with the great ones doth the gods displease Though spreading all her heavenly treasures forth They if not in their livery them to please Doe vertue vilifie as of no worth Solon I care not Aesope how the King conceiv'd Those my franke words which I must alwaies use I came not here till he my comming crav'd And now when come will not my name abuse Should I his poys'nous Sycophants resemble Whose silken words their Soveraigne doe o'rethrow I for his Diadem would not dissemble What hearts doe thinke the tongues were made to show And what if I his humour to content The worlds opinion lost by gaining ones He can but give me gifts which may be spent But nought can cleere my fame if darkned once That so he might my reputation raise If I sooth'd him it would procure my shame Whil'st those who vitious are our vertues praise This in effect is but a secret blame Though as a simple man he me despise Yet better simply good then doubly ill I not my worth by others praises prize Nor by opinions doc direct my will That praise contents me more which one imparts Of judgement sound though of a meane degree Then praise from Princes voyd of princely parts Who have more wealth but not more wit then he Aesope Who come to Court must with Kings faults comport Solon Who come to Court should truth to Kings report Aesope A wise man at their imperfections winkes Solon An honest man will tell them what he thinkes Aesope So should you lose your selfe and them not save Solon But for their folly I no blame would have Aesope By this you should their indignation finde Solon Yet have the warrant of a worthy minde Aesope It would be long ere you were thus preferr'd Solon Then it should be the King not I that err'd Aesope They guerdon as they love they love by guesse Solon Yet when I merit well I care the lesse Aesope It 's good to be still by the Prince approv'd Solon It 's better to be upright though not lov'd Aesope But by this meane all hope of honour failes Solon Yet honesty in end ever prevailes Aesope I thinke they should excell for vertue rare All men in wit who unto men give lawes Kings of their kingdomes as the centers are To which each weighty thing by nature drawes For as the mighty rivers little streames And all the liquid pow'rs which rise or fall Doe seeke in sundry parts by severall seames The Oceans bosome that receives them all It as a Steward of the tumid deeps Doth send them backe by many secret veynes And as the earth hath need of moisture keeps These humid treasures to refresh the Plaines Thus are Kings brests the depths where daily flow Cleare streames of knowledge with rare treasures charg'd So that continually their wisedomes grow By many helpes which others want enlarg'd For those who have intelligence ov'r all Doe commonly communicate to Kings All th' accidents of weight that chance to fall Which great advantage Greatnesse to them brings They jealously dispos'd comment on mindes And these who Arts or Natures gifts enhaunce Whose value no where else a Merchant findes Doe come to Kings as who may them advance No doubt
oft times sinke downe in a Sea of shame It may be fear'd our King at last Whil'st he for nothing is afraid Be by prosperity betray'd For growing thus in greatnesse still And having worldly things at will He thinks though time should all things waste Yet his estate shall ever last The wonder of this peopled round And in his own conceit hath said No course of heaven his state can cast Nor make his fortune to be ill But if the gods a way have lay'd That he must come to be uncrown'd What sudden feares his minde may fill And in an instant utterly confound The state which stands upon so slippery ground When such a Monarchs minde is bent To follow most the most unwise Who can their folly well disguise With sugred speeches poisnous baits The secret canker of great States From which at first few disassent The which at last all do repent Then whil'st they must to ruine go When Kings begin thus to despise Of honest men the good intent Who to assure their Soveraignes seats Would faine in time some help devise And would cut off all cause of woe Yet cannot second their conceits These dreadfull Comets commonly fore-go A Kings destruction when miscarried so Act. 3. Scene 1. Croesus Adrastus WHat fancies strange with terrour strike my soule The tortur'd captive of distrustfull feares Huge cares suggesting harme my joyes controul Whose minde some comming crosse charactred beares And credulous suspition too too wise To fortifie my feares doth meanes invent Whil'st sudden trouble doth my sprite surprise A presage sad which boasts some bad event I thinke the soule since an immortall brood Hath by inheritance an heavenly power Which some fore-knowledge gives of ill and good But not the meanes to scape a fatall houre Though with this mortall vaile when made halfe blinde Not well fore-seeing what each time forth brings Yet it communicates unto the minde In cloudy dreames true though mysterious things Imagination wonderfull in force The judgement oft foiles with confusion so That then they prove things presupposed worse Ere time distress'd man multiplies his woe For as the shadow seemes more monstrous still Then doth the substance whence the shape it takes So the conjecture of a threatned ill More then it selfe some to be troubled makes This alteration too seemes more then strange Which suddenly so moved hath my minde I see more then I thought all states may change When heaven pursues th' earth no defence can finde My soule all pleasure is already loathing This hath indeed so deep impression left A dreame a fancy froth a shadow nothing Hath all my mirth even in a moment reft Adrast Whence mighty Soveraigne can this change proceed Which doth obscure the rayes of Princely grace Those who are school'd in woe may clearly reade A mighty passion written in your face And if a stranger may presume so farre What friend is false or who are fear'd as foes For I imagine in what state you are A secret sympathie imparting woes Two strings in divers Lutes set in accord Some say th' one onely touch'd both give a sound Even so souls tun'd to griefe the like afford Whose airie motions mutually do wound Croe. No doubt it must disburden much the minde A Secretary in distresse to have Who by his owne anothers griefe can finde Where glad mindes scorne what they cannot conceive And I Adrastus would the cause declare With which I so torment my soule in vaine But yet I blush to tell my foolish care The fond illusion of a drowsie braine Adrast As bodies temper'd are or souls inclin'd All dreames by â—ight th' imagination makes Or else th' impression thoughts worke in the minde By which when wakening one most travell takes Croe. By sleepe arrested as o're-come by death In Natures bosome I imbrac'd true rest And in that Masse where nothing mov'd but breath Lifes faculâ—ies sleep for a time supprest Then whil'st the sprite most pow'râ—ull did remaine Since least distress'd by this terrestriall part Adrast Souls at such times their strength so strongly straine That oft their burdens as astonish'd start Croe. To rarifie the aire from vapours pow'rs When first Aurora rose from Tithons bed Ere Phoebus blushing stole from Thetis bowres This apprehension in my braine was bred I onely have two sonnes and th' one you see The signe of Natures indignation beares And from his birth-day dumbe is dead to me Since he can give no comfort to mine eares The other Atis all my lifes delight In whom the treasures of my soule are kept I thought vaine be my thought in the twi-light I know not whether yet I wak't or slep't Whil'st he was sporting void of worldly cares And not in danger which could threaten death A pointed toole of iron fell unawares And from his body banish did his breath Whil'st the pale carkase did upbraid mine eyes The horrour of the sight my sense re-call'd Which when I thinke of yet my courage dyes Such an exceeding feare my sprite appall'd This touch'd my state so much it hath me mov'd To match my Sonne in marriage at this time With vertuous Coelia whom he dearely lov'd That both might reape the pleasure of their prime And if the heavens his o're throw have decreed By destiny which cannot be revok'd So may we have behinde some of his seed Ere in his blossome all our hopes be choak'd Thus ere his soule lodge in the lightlesse shade Some of his off-spring may content my minde I cannot hold him altogether dead Who leaves his Image in some one behinde And though we do what ever seemes the best To disappoint those but surmiz'd annoyes Yet for all this my minde hath never rest Some secret terrour doth disturbe my joyes Adrast Ah Sir if such a dreamed ill as this Hath plung'd your soule even in the depths of griefe Unhappie I who waile a thing that is Whil'st hope though rack'd dare promise no reliefe Though all those dreadfull fancies took effect Which heavy chance th' almighty Iove with-hold None can compare them no in no respect With those mis-fortunes which my state enfold For though your Sonne dye by anothers hand You shall but waile his death and not your crime The heavens of me my brothers bloud demand His fate my fault mourne must I all my time Croe. In what strange forme could this disaster fall From which there flow salt flouds of just distresse Tell on at length the fatall cause of all A greater griefe makes one forget the lesse Adrast My sorrows ground I smother'd still till now As too offensive food for dainty cares But since of such discourse you do allow I le tell a tale that may move stones to teares Of Phrygian Princes my great Father come Had in my growing age a tender care That all my education might become One whom he might for mighty hopes prepare As yet foure lustres scarcely had begun To grace my witness'd sex with blooming cheeks When I fond youth that
the Gods Their providence as partiall would condemne Who in such sorte doe exercise their rods He thus now kill'd with life to let me goe May breed reproch to all the pow'rs divine But ah they knew no death could grieve me soe As that which through his heart was aim'd at mine Now all the world those deities may despise Which strike the guiltlesse and the guilty spare Cease haplesse man to plague thy selfe thus wise I pardon thee and pittie thy despaire Adrast. O rigorous judgement O outragious fate Must I suruive the funeralls of my fame All things which I behold vpbraide my state Too many monuments of one mans shame All and none more then I my deeds detest Yet some waile want of friends and I of fâ—es To purge the world of such a dangerons pest Which still contagious must taint hearts with woes To wound this brest where all hells hosts do raigne Seiz'd with just feare none dare a hand forth stretch Else this base charge as odious doe disdaine To deale with Death in favour of a wretch Or must I yet till more detested stand And fill the world with horrour of my name What further mischiefe can require my hand Must it ingrave on others graves my shame Or would some bastard thought lifes cause debate Which in the blasted field of comfort gleanes No no in spite of Heaven I 'le force my fate One when resolv'd to die cannot want meanes Proud Tyrant Death and must thou make it strange To wrap my wearied soule in further strife Vnlesse my courage with my fortune change Though nothing else I can command my life But this ay me all hope of helpe devowres What gaines my soule by death in those sad times If potent still in all her wonted pow'rs Shee must remember of my odious crimes What though un-bodied she the world forsake Yet from her knowledge cannot be divorc'd This will but vexe her at the shadowie lake Till even to grone the God of Ghosts be forc'd But welcome death and would the Gods I had Lesse famous or more fortunately liv'd Then knowne if good and kept obscure if bad Of comfort quite I had not beene depriv'd Ah! have I liv'd unnaturall I to be My brothers murtherer who me dearely lov'd Ah! have I liv'd with my owne hands to kill A gallant Prince committed to my charge And doe I gaze on the dead bodie still And in his fathers sight my shame enlarge Ah! have I liv'd whilst men my deeds doe scan To be the obiect of contempt and hate Of all abhorr'd as a most monstrous man Since thought a Traitouror farre worse ingrate Yet with my blood I 'le wash away this staine Which griefe to you to me disgrace hath brought Would God my name from mindes â—ight â—aâ—'d remaine To make my life as an unacted thought Brave Atis now I come to pleade for grace Although thou frown'st on my affrighted Ghost And to revenge thy wrong this wound embrace Thus thus I toile to gaine the Stygian coast Cho. Loe how he wounds himselfe despising paine With leaden lights weake legs and head declin'd The bodie beates the ground as in disdaine That of her members one hath prov'd unkind The fainting hand falles trembling from the Sword With his selfe slaughtering blow for shame grown red Which straight the blood pursues with vengeance stor'd To drowne the same with the same floods it shed Who of those parties can the combat show Where both but one one both strooke and sustain'd Or who triumphs for this most strange o'rethrow Where as the victor lost the vanquish'd gain'd Croe Curs'd eyes what suddaine change hath drown'd your lights And made your mirthfull objects mournefull now Ye that were still inur'd to stately sights Since seated under an imperiall brow Ah! clouded now with vapours drawn from cares Are low throwne down amid'st a hell of griefe And have no prospect but my soules despaires Of all the furies which afflict me chiefe O dead Adrastus I absolve thy Ghost Whose hand I see some destiny did charme Thou hated by the heavens wast to thy cost A casuall actour not intending harme No doubt some angry God hath laid this snare And whilst thy purpose was the Boare to kill Did intercept thy shaft amidst the Aire And threw it at my Sonne against thy will Ah! Sonne must I be witnesse of thy death Who view thee thus by violence to bleede And yet want one on whom to poure my wrath To take just vengeance for so vile a deede This wretch whose guiltlesse minde hath clear'd his hand Loe for his errour griev'd unforc'd doth fall And not as one who did in danger stand For still he liv'd till I forgave him all Thus have I but the heavens on whom I may Blast forth the tempest of a troubled minde And in my soules distresse I grieve to say That greater favour I deserv'd to finde Act 4. Scene 1. Sandanis Croesus WHy spend you Sir with sighes that Princely breath Whence Soveraignty authority should take O weake revenge for one when wrong'd by death To yeeld him homage prostrated in blacke That Tyrant pale so hatefull unto us Whose fatall shaft so great a griefe hath bred Where he triumphs should you reare trophees thus And weare his livery as his captive led No though he might this outward blisse o'rethrow And you save you of all things else might spoile Yet whilst of one who yeelds no signe you show You are victorious and he gets the foile Those floods of sorrow which would drown your soule In brests more base might better be excus'd Since wanting sprite their passions to controule As from their birth still to subjection us'd But you in whom high thoughts by nature grow To this decay how is your vertue come I blush to see my Soveraigne brought so low And Majestie by misery o'recome Nor doe I thus to make you stupid strive As one unnaturall wanting sense to smart No none a Prince of kindnesse can deprive The honour'd badge of an Heroicke heart That pow'r supreme by which great States doe stand Affections order should but not undoe And I could wish you might your selfe command Which though you may not well yet seeme to doe Croe. I will not here rehearse enlarging woes On what just reasons now my griefe I ground But still will entertaine my comforts foes Whilst many a thousand thoughts my soule doe wound What pensive pensill ever limm'd aright The sad conceipts of soule-consuming griefe Ah! words are weake to shew the swelling height Of th' inward anguish desperate of reliefe Though many monarchs jealously despise The rising Sunne that their declining staines And hate the Heyre who by their fall must rise As griev'd to heare of death or others raignes My love to Atis otherwise appear'd Whome whilst for him I did my cares engage I as a Father lov'd as king not fear'd The comfort not th' encombrance of mine age And had he me as reason would surviv'd Who glanc'd and
we certaine see And not attaine to that which you devise Croe. I grant indeed this very few shall know Though I professe but to relieve my friend My thoughts conceive as successe best may show And not without great cause a greater end You see how fortune nought but change affects Some are reproach'd that others may be prais'd And every age brings forth some strange effects Some men must fall that others may be rais'd I doubt not you have heard who was the first For warring with the world whom fame revives Who had of soveraignty so great a thirst That it could not be quench'd with thousands lives Even he who first obtain'd the name of Iove And rests reputed for his glorious acts The most imperious of the pow'rs above Who vowes and offerings of the world exacts He all his time in state did terrour breath Borne to acquaint the world with warre and dearth Whil'st fertile still in misery and death Two fatall furies that afflict the earth Yet since his course the worlds first plague was past When his proud race had many ages raign'd That Empire too did perish at the last And what it lost by martiall Medes was gain'd This was the cause of that great kingdomes fall A Prince who could not judge of Princely parts With losse of Scepter honour life and all To buy base joyes sold all his Subjects hearts To that disastred Monarchies decay Th' aspiring Persians purpose to succeed But I intend their lofty course to stay And that in time ere that it throughly speed The Persians once the Lydians force must prove And O! who knowes but that it is ordain'd At the tribunall of the States above That I should raigne where famous Ninus raign'd This all the hoste of heaven oft-times foretels To this the Gods of Greece my minde have mov'd And he that in Arabia's desart dwels By his response this enterprise approv'd San. Thus still in love with what we minde to doe What we affect we fairest still conceive This feeds our humour whil'st selfe-flatterers loe To shew our wit we would our selves deceive Vaine hopes so maske all doubts you cannot spy What secret danger this designe doth beare But whil'st well view'd with an indifferent eye There want not grounds where fore-sight may find feare You unadvis'dly purpose to pursue A barbarous people opposite to peace Who but by robbery to their greatnesse grew And would for each light cause the warres embrace No dainty silkes dipt in Assyrian dye Doe decke their bodies to abase their mindes Skinnes reft from beasts them cloath who danger ply Not mov'd by flattering Sunnes nor bragging windes They simply feed and are not griev'd each day With stomackes clody decocting divers meates They fare not as they would but as they may Of judgement sound not carried with conceits Those ancient customes which they strictly hold Make all things easie that they feele no paine This cooles the summers heate kils winters cold This makes the Rivers dry the Mountaines plaine They whose ambition poverty did bound Of Lydia's dainties if they once doe taste Will have in hatred straight their barren ground And all our treasures insolently waste To governe such although that we prevaile You shall but buy vexation with your bloud And doe your selfe and yours if fortune faile From Soveraignty by time secur'd seclude Yea though this rash desire your judgement blindes I for my part must praise the Gods for you Who have not yet inspir'd the Persians mindes To waste with warre all Lydia long ere now Croe. Those flames which burn my brest must once burst out Your counsell for more quiet mindes I leave And be you still thought wise so I prove stout I 'le conquer more or lose the thing I have Coelia AH am I forc'd out of afflictions store For my mindes ease a few sad words to straine But yet unlode it now to lode it more I empty but mine eyes to fill againe My soule must sound even as my passions strike Whil'st sighes and teares would faine afford reliefe My brest and eyes are both accurst alike The Cabinet of care the Springs of griefe O cruell heaven fierce starre unhappy fate Too foule injustice of celestiall pow'rs Whose high disdaine to me with partiall hate The comfort of the world poore world devoures Curst be the day in which I first was borne When lying tongues affirm'd I came to light A monstroues blasphemy a mighty scorne Since where darke sorrow breeds an endlesse night Would God I then had chanc'd this life to leave The tombe straight taking what the wombe did give Then alwayes buried changing but the grave I had not liv'd to dye but dy'd to live What profited to me my Parents joyes VVho with such pompe did solemnize my birth Since stiâ—l my soule must flote amidst annoyes So to defray one dramme of tasted mirth And it did onely serve to make me know The height of horrour threatning to succeed I was but rais'd up high to be brought low That short liv'd joyes might endlesse anguish breed Whil'st nothing did for my confusion lacke All my best deeds did but betray my State My vertues too were guilty of my wracke And warr'd against me banded with my fate For whil'st my Virgin-yeares with praise I past Which did ah that it did too much import My modest eye told that my minde was chast Which gain'd the warrant of the worlds report And all should have a great respect to fame No greater dowry then a spotlesse name Faire beauties God desse thou can'st beare record My offring never made thine Altar rich Lascivious fancies highly I abhorr'd Whose free-borne thoughts no folly could bewitch Till happily ah so it seem'd to some O but unhappily the end hath prov'd All this and more to Atis eares did come Who straight did like and after liking lov'd He to our eares his purpose did impart Not lip-sicke-lover-like with words farre sought Whose tongue was but an agent for his heart Yet could not tell the tenth part that it thougth And lest his travels should have seem'd to tend My honours fame by fancies to betray He brought his wishes to a lawfull end And in effect affection did bewray There Iuno president of wedlockes vow And Hymen with his odoriferous cote With sacred customes did our love allow Whil'st th' ominous Owles no crosses did devote The blessing that this marriage did procure It was too great to have continued long A thing too vehement cannot endure Our joyes farre past the reach of any tongue We ever did full satisfaction finde Yet with satiety were never cloyd But seem'd two bodies manag'd by one minde Such was the happinesse that I enjoy'd He lov'd me dearely I obey'd his will Proud of my selfe because that I was his A harmony remain'd betwixt us still Who each in th' other plac'd their soules chiefe blisse This mov'd th'immortals to a high disdaine That thus two worldlings who of death were heires Should in a Paradise of
torment Now in his age unwisely stout To fight with Cyrus but no doubt The heavens are griev'd thus to heare told Long ere the time their darke intent Let such of Tantalus the state behold Who dare the secrets of great Iove unfold Act 5. Scene 1. Cyrus Harpagus LEt us triumph o're them though proud of late Whose glory now doth with their greatnesse faile Since with their fortune forfeiting their state No warre 's approv'd unlesse that it prevaile The world that whil'st we fought did doubtfull stand As for the one ordain'd to be a prey Saw how the heavens plac'd lightning in my hand Those thund'ring downe who would not us obey Goe pay our vowes ere enterprising more The Gods detest a minde that is ingrate And who delight their Deities to adore Are alwaies bent to stablish their estate Cause burden Altars smoke each sacred place With Bullockes Incense Odours of all kindes But none can give the Gods still great in grace A sacrifice more sweet than thankefull mindes Harp Though all who partners are of th' earth and ayre Still whil'st tapestred with this azure pale If for nought else yet for those gifts least rare To serve th' all-pow'rfull pow'rs should never faile Yet there are some whom successe hath design'd Whose names are written in respected scroules WHom benefits not ordinary binde To love them more then life yea then their soules Of those that you are one your deeds declare Of whom amid'st innumerable broiles Even from your cradle they have had a care And led you safe through many dangerous toiles Though of the troubles of your youth I see You have not heard the wonderfull discourse I them remember who did chance to be An actor in your Tragicke-Comicke course Cyrus The accidents which in our nonage chance A ripened age not to remembrance brings Like fabulous dreames which darkenesse doth advance That are by day disdain'd as frivolous things For our conceptions are not then so strong That they can leave impressions long behinde Yet mixe deare friend old griefes new joyes among And call afflicted infancy to minde Harp Who would not wonder at thy wondrous fate Whom even or borne destruction did attend Whil'st ere thou could'st offend pursu'd by hate Even then to end what now shall never end Your mother first her fathers minde did sting Whil'st once he dream'd which yet his soule confounds That of a tree which from her wombe did spring Th' umbragious branches darkened Asias bounds Then to the Magies straight he gave in charge To try what this strange vision did presage VVho having studied their darke Art at large Gave this response with a propheticke rage That once his daughter should a sonne bring forth Who should by valour gaining great renowne Make vanquish'd Asia witnesse of his worth But from his grand-father first reave the Crowne This to Astyages a terrour bred Who vainely bent to scorne the heavens decree His daughter out of policy would wed To some weake stranger of no great degree And to Cambyses who of her made choice He for his Country then contemn'd gave eare Whom by your birth the Princesse did rejoyce And gave her father further cause of feare Thus tyranny their brood whose courage failes Doth force the Parents in despaire to fall To fight a dastard proud when it prevailes But yet as fear'd of all doth still feare all And tyrants no security can finde For every shadow frights a guilty minde This Monarch then who could not dreame of harmes Whose guards did glance all still with steele array'd Then whil'st he liv'd secure from forraigne Armes A babe scarce borne and his did make afraid And whil'st Lucina the last helpe did make As if some ugly monster had beene borne A Minotaure a Centaure or a Snake The peoples terrour and the Mothers scorne The Grand-childes birth which justly should impart To grand-fathers the greatest cause of joyes Did long ere wounded making him to smart Involve him in a maze of sad annoyes And to prevent what did him fondly fright By giving cause of a deserved hate He sought by robbing you the new-found light To make your birth and buriall of one date Soone after this he sent for me in haste Whom at that time and not in vaine he lov'd And told the summe of all things that were past By which his marble-minde seem'd nothing mov'd Yet in the same as he would let me know Though pitty none some horrour did remaine Whil'st damn'd in substance to seeme cleere in show Your bloud his heart but not his hand should staine Thus having lull'd asleepe their judgement still The wicked would extenuate their crimes Not knowing those who but allow of ill As actors guilty differ but in times With his vile fault he would have burden'd me Whom straight he charg'd an Innocent to slay I promis'd to performe his rash decree Well weighing whom not what I should obey When I had parted from his Highnesse face And carried you then swadled with me too Whil'st horrour did congeale my bloud a space I stood perplex'd not knowing what to doe And as to purge my part even shedding teares By troupes of passions griefe my soule assail'd Thus when distress'd for easing others feares Th' intended death of you your murd'rers wail'd For him I sent a servant of mine owne VVho for the time was heards-man to the King To whom I made all my Commission knowne But as enjoyn'd to him shew'd every thing Delivering you with an unwilling breath WHom of pure gold a glistring robe array'd I threatned him with many a cruell death If that your death were any way delay'd Straight then to execute the Tyrants doome He from my sight did all astonish'd goe Too great a charge for such a simple Groome The shew of Majestie amaz'd him so What man not wondring can by deeds behold The providence of all-commanding Iove Whose brazen edicts cannot be contrould Firme are the Statutes of the States above That mortall whom a Deities favour shields No worldly force is able to confound He may securely walke through dangers fields Times and occasions are to serve him bound For loe before the heards-man was come home His wife had chanc'd a breath-lesse childe to beare Who wondred so to see her husband come While by his conscience crush'd he quak'd for feare And straight she curious grew to know the forme How he a babe so beautifull obtain'd Who her of all did suddenly informe And to what cruelty he was constrain'd She quickly then th' occasion to embrace No doubt inspir'd by some celestiall pow'r Pray'd that her infant might supply your place Yet where no beasts his body might devoâ—re So shall we have saith she a double gaine Since our owne childe shall get a stately tombe And we a Princely brood which may remaine Still nurst with us as th' issue of my wombe The husband lik't so well his wives designe That he perform'd all what she did require And when I had directed one of mine
action would not bedelay'd Least time make him to doubt and us to feare Exeant Chorus TIme through Ioves judgement just Huge alterations brings Those are but fooles who trust In transitory things Whose tailes be are mortall stings Which in the end will wound And let none thinke it strange Though all things earthly change In this inferiour round What is from ruine free The Elements which be At variance as we see Each th' other doth confound The Earth and Ayre make warre The fire and water are Still wrestling at debate All those through cold and heat Through drought and moisture jaâ—re What wonder though men change and fade Who of those changing Elements are made How dare vaine worldlings vannt Of fortunes goods not lasting Evils which our wits enchant Expos'd to losse and wasting Loe we to death are hasting Whil'st we those things discusse All things from their beginning Still to an end are running Heaven hath ordain'd it thus We heare how it doth thunder We see th' earth burst asunder And yet we never ponder What this imports to us These fearefull signs 〈◊〉 prove That th' angry pow'râ— above Are mov'd to indignation Against this wretched nation Which they no longer love What are we but a passe of breath Who live assur'd of nothing but of death Who was so happy yet As never had some crosse Though on a Throne he sit And is not ut'd with losse Yet fortune once will tosse Him when that least he would If one had all at once Hydaspes precious stones And yellow Tagus gold The Orientall treasure And every earthly pleasure Even in the greatest measure It should not smake him bold For while he lives secure His state is most unsure When it doth least appeare Some heavy plague drawes neare Destruction to procure Worlds glory is but like a flowre Which both is bloom'd and blasted in an houre In what we most repose We finde our comfort light The thing we soonest lose That 's pretious in our sight For honour riches might Our lives in pawne we lay Yet all like flying shadowes Or flowers enamelling meadowes Doe vanish and decay Long time we toile to finde Those Idols the minde Which had we cannot binde To bide with us one day Then why should we presume On treasures that consume Difficult to obtaine Difficult to retaine A dreame a breath a fume Which vexe them most that them possesse Who starve with store and famish with excesse Act 4. Scene 1. Darius Tiriotes AH must I poyson now my Princes eares With newes the worst that ever burden'd fame Had I as many tongues as I have teares All would not serve my sorrowes to proclaime Dar. Great signes of griefe I in thy face discerne And spare not to report this heavie crosse To one I feare whom it doth most concerne Is' t death disgrace destruction treason losse Tell on the summe of horrour at the first With no ambiguous words my paine prolong A wretch for comfort craves to know the worst And I have learn'd to be unhappy long What least I speake and yet suspect too much Art thou the Trumpet to proclaime my scorne Which must wound me but ah no torment such As this to her who that disgrace hath borne Tir. She was not wrong'd as you have wrong conceiv'd The Gods from harme did study to preserve her She from your foe such favour hath receiv'd As from her Subjects who were bound to serve her But what a volly doth my voyce prepare Of woes to charge your cares woes full of dread Would God ere I my message can declare That I may dye in saying she is dead And was it not enough poore wretch alas That I beheld her dye and would have dy'd But that I must arm'd with sad tidings passe To wound all them who heare what I have spy'd See how he stands mov'd with those words of mine As if by griefe arrested unto death Dar. Yet doth the Sunne on my affliction shine And cleare the ayre though tainted by my breath And can I live and looke them in the face Who have my o'rethrow shamefull o'rethrow seene And how I vanquish'd vanquish'd with disgrace Did lose at once my Kingdome and my Queene Heaven bruise me all to powder with thy thunder That I no more may in the world remaine The object of thy wrath and fortunes wonder Spoil'd of all hope yet kept for greater paine Ah art thou dead and doe I live behinde thee Thy faulty husband think'st thou so to flye If it be thin then know I where to finde thee This onely grieves me that too late I dye O Alexander what such hainous ill Have I done thee that thou requit'st me thus Whom of thy friends or kindred did I kill This cruelty comes undeserv'd of us Though justly thou intended had this warre Mars from his rage made women alwaies free This tyranny shall all thy Trophees marre And still to thy reproch reported be Tir. Thus of that Prince you without cause esteem I know her death him grievously displeas'd A woodrous thing which few or none would deeme He wail'd it long and could not be appeas'd Even as my Soveraigne now then did he smart And when he came to calme your mothers griefe As acting not his owne but even your part He seem'd to need and not to give reliefe Dar. If any sparkes of that respect remaine Which much with thee should duely weigh'd import I pray thee Tiriotes now be plaine Or else strange torments shall the truth extort I loath to let this question scape my mouth Which both I blush to crave and long to know And can it be that this transported youth Not urg'd to have that which I onely owe Could this fierce Prince even in his flaming age Have such a beauty purchas'd by his toiles And yet not seeke forc'd by affections rage Her honours ruine and my pleasures spoiles Speake frankely now and tell what fatall shelfe Hath crush'd my treasures Barke and me defac'd The feare of ill is worse then ill it selfe They twise doe dye who dye and dye disgrac'd Tir. Let not those love-bred feares abuse your thought By all the world no fable I contrive If partially I speake or lye in ought Earth open wide and swallow me alive He whom your grace so wrongfully suspects Hath not in any sort your Queene abus'd But as his sister still in all respects As chastly and as honourably us'd When angry Iove subverted had our state And view'd our thundred troupes disordered flight Light fortune then who flattered us of late Did make our state a mirrour of her might For having found a Crowne foil'd on the ground Dar. O endlesse shame which never can be cur'd Tir. We straight imagin'd that some cruell wound Had kill'd our Lord and wail'd it as assur'd Dar. Would God I then had dy'd as I desir'd To have prevented those ensuing barmes Whil'st ere my hohour and my hap expir'd A Crowne my head a Queene enrich'd my armes Tir.
But Alexander having heard our cryes Sent one to learne the cause that mov'd our woe Who finding whence our errour did arise Gave full assurance that it was not so Then he himselfe did to our Tent resort And with the mildest words he could conceive Your Mother Wife and Children did exhort Such terrours vaine since but surmiz'd to leave And he protested that they should expect No harme of him their courage to appall Then all things did with great regard direct That no man might endammage them at all Thus when they were against all dangers arm'd I thinke for feare for who would not have fear'd Lest such rare graces might his minde have charm'd He never more before her face appear'd Else generous vertue jealous of each thing Which tempting reason senses might allure What rare restraint in a victorious King He fled what fault or scandall could procure He doth his fame above all things preferre And will not be where it may blemish finde Nor give his eyes commodity to erre Lest thoughts impure might strive to staine his minde He whil'st that she was sicke did loath delight And gravely griey'd all pompe and pleasure left Dar. O hatefull heaven that with such hellish spight The worlds chiefe treasure Natures glory reft Tir. When he beheld deaths triumph in that face Which had triumph'd o're such a Monarchs heart With witness'd woe even passionate a space The lookers on did much commend his part And when some time his dolour had o're-come Her funerall rites solemnly to decore He us'd such honour as might well become The Persian pompe in prosp'rous times before Dar. O pow'r supreame that of great states disposest And ratifi'st thy will with fearefull thunder Who as thou pleasest placest and deposest Vncertaine worldlings now above now under I pray thy Deitie in my soules distresse If that th' inhabitants of heaven can heare The plaints of them who this low point possesse Or that th' immortals can give mortals care This favour last I onely doe require Establish first the Scepter in my hand But if through my desert or thy desire The race of Cyrus must no more command Since angry heaven so high a hate contracts That I must needs my Diadem forgoe Let him succeed who proves in all his acts So milde a Victor and so just a foe Act 4. Scene 2. Darius Artabazus Nabarzanes Patron Bessus IF joyn'd by fates with men of dastard mindes Who to a noble death base life preferr'd I should not waste my words amongst the windes But labour would that time might be deferr'd Though still resolv'd your course confirmes me much Whom no disaster could divorce from me What man can doubt whom heavens doe backe by such When bragg'd with bondage fighting to be free My courage swels to see you marching forth Whose force and faith which all the world doth sing Oft clear'd by proofe though fortune envy worth Might serve to make farre more to keepe a King He gives our rebels Townes not mov'd by love Each Prince though using them all traitours hates But that their course to take this might you move His turne once serv'd so forfeiting your states Ye to my fortune have not had regard As of my peace so partners of my warres Which though that I might not Iove would reward And all the world extoll you to the starres How long shall I a vagabond remaine And flye a stranger who my right would reave Since by one battell we may re-obtaine All that we lost or lose all that we have Like some vile traitors whom I will arraigne To hold me up shall I goe cast me downe Must Darius onely by entreaty raigne No none hath pow'r to give or take my Crowne I shall not my authority survive Nor will I proffer a submissive breath My hand shall hold a Scepter while I live My hand shall beare a Diadem till death If those franke thoughts which doe possesse my soule Such flames of courage kindled have in you A Macedonian shall not us controule Nor with disdainefull smiles brag whil'st we bow My state may testifie fraile fortunes change May she not him o're-whelme as well as mee At least our hands beare death if not revenge Brave mindes when no more rests may still dye free Now call your valorous ancestors to minde Whom from the Grecians tribute still requir'd And of whose deeds rare monuments we finde Whose merits make their memories admir'd Shall of your deeds posterity be dumbe Which doth your fathers names though dead adore I am resolv'd my triumph or my tombe A Laurell or a Cypresse shall decore Art What doubtfull silence thus your thoughts detaines We need advise with nought but with our swords He who the Persians wonted worth retaines Will answer now with deeds and not with words Let us accompany our King in Armes Through bloudy squadrons to this fatall strife No profit can be had without some harmes By slaughter onely we must looke for life And when our host as I hope doth prevaile Our Country shall have peace we praise of right And if our fortune not our courage faile We dye with honour in our Soveraignes sight Let us if vanquish'd scorne base breath to buy A noble death may greater glory give Doe to o're-come and yet not feare to dye 'T is needfull that we fight not that we live Nar. My words will first your Majestie displease Yet duty makes me speake where silence spilles The best Physitian cures a sharpe disease With some sowre potion that corruption killes And skilfull Pilots when they feare a storme To save the ship will cast out pretious things You in some sort may imitate their forme For else a tempest totall ruine brings Since bent against the Gods how can we speed To all our actions fortune is oppos'd We must of force some other way proceed So have the heavens of our affaires dispos'd Give Sir the state at least your titles place On some more happy man not in effect But with your shadow cloath him for a space Till he your Realmes from ruine may protect This storme once calm'd that now disturbes your state And Asia free from any forraigne hoste He shall with haste resigne the Soveraigne seat These Kingdoms gain'd againe which you have lost All Bactria yet abides at your command The Indians loe would dye to doe you good Yea many thousand thousands armed stand Bent for your State to offer up their bloud What should we rush like beasts to needlesse strife Be well prepar'd and then your fortune try Brave mindes should death despise not loathing life For feare of danger cowards crave to dye But vertue first all hopes accounts doth cast And of each meane to helpe maturely thinkes Then when all else is done death is the last The which to meet true courage never shrinkes Now for the time let Bactria be our seate To Bessus for the forme your Crowne resigne Who when he once hath re-advanc'd your state Shâ—ll with your foes o'rethrow
But when that I extended had my state From learned Athens to the barbarous Iâ—des Still my tumultuous troups my pride did hate As monstrous mutinies unmask'd their mindes I so my name more wonderfull to make Of Hercules and Bacchus past the bounds And whil'st that Memnons Sunne-burnt bands did quâ—ke Did write my worth in many a Monarchs wounds Kings were my Subjects and my servants Kings Yet my contentment further did require For I imagin'd still more mighty things And to a greater greatnesse did aspire The spatious carriere of the speedy Sunne All quickly thrall'd like lightning I o're-ran Yet wept and wish'd more worlds t' have been wonne As this had wanted roome to ease one man No wonder I was thought a God by some Since all my aymes though high as heaven prevail'd And what man save my selfe did still o're-come Of all my fancies never project fail'd This made me thought immortaliz'd to be Which in all mindes amazement yet contracts I led blinde Fortune and she courted me As glad to grace the greatnesse of my acts Yet I have found it a more easie thing To conquer all whereon the Sunne ere shin'd Then mine owne selfe and of my passions King To calme the tumults of a stormy minde What comfort justly could my soule receive Of all my Conquests past if that even then Whil'st I triumph'd to wrath and wine a slave I scap'd not scandall more then other men Ah! seazing without right on every state I but my selte too great a Monarch made Since all men gap'd to get the golden bait Which by my death seem'd easie to be had Whil'st from humanity too much divorc'd My deeds all hearts with feare and horrour fill'd I who by foes could never have beene forc'd By friends did fall yet not over-com'd but kill'd But now I see the troublous time draws neare When they shall keep my obsequies with blond No wonder too though such a warriours beere At last doth swimme amidst a scarlet floud For as my life did breed huge broils o're all My death must be the cause of monstrous cumbers And it doth best become a strong mans fall To be renown'd by ruining of numbers The Snake-tress'd Sisters now shall never need Their fatall fire-brands loathsome Pluto's pests Nor inspirations strange whose rage doth breed A thirst of murther in transported brests Ambitions flames may from my ashes shine To burne my Minions mindes with high desires Each of their sprits that hath a spark of mine To ruine all the world may furnish fires The Beauties of the Earth shall all look red Whil'st my Lievtenants through that pride of theirs With Armes unkinde huge streames of bloud do shed By murthering of my heires to be my heires Is this that Greatnesse which I did designe By being eminent to be o're-throwne To ruine first my selfe then root out mine As conquering others but to lose mine owne O happie I more happie farre my race If pleas'd with that which was our ancient rent I manag'd had th' Aemaethian pow'r in peace Which was made lawfull by a long discent Then farre sequestred from Bellona's rage I had the true delights of Nature tri'd And ag'd with honour honour'd in my age Had left my Sonne secure before I dy'd And he inheriting a quiet state Which then because lesse great had beene more sure Had free from envy not beene harm'd by hate Which of most States the ruine doth procure But since they will en-earth my earthly part Which now no badge of majestie retaines To roaring Phlegeton I must depart Farre from the lightsome bounds of th'aiery plainâ—â— And must I there who did the world surmount Arrested by the Monarch of the Ghosts To Rhadamanthus render an account Of all the deeds done by my ravenous hosts There whil'st with Minos Aeacus sits downe A rigorous Iudge in hels most horrid Court With me who passe his Nephew in renowne Though of his race he no way will comport O what pale Ghosts are here together brought Which were of bodies spoil'd by my Decree And first Parmenio without whom I nought But who did many great things without me At the tribunall of Tartarian pow'rs He aggravates ingratitude too great And whil'st the raging Tyrant foaming lowres All whom I wrong'd for vengeance do entreat Yet guilty thoughts torment me most of all No sprit can be by plaguing furies pin'd Though charg'd without with snakes within with gall As by the stings of a remording minde If it be true that drowsie Lethes streames In darke oblivion drowne all things at last There let me bury farre from Phoebus beames The loath'd remembrance of my labours past Exit Chorus VVHat strange adventures now Distract distressed mindes With such most monstrous formes When silence doth allow The peace that Nature findes And that tumultuous windes Do not disturbe with stormes An universall rest When Morpheus hath represt Th' impetuous waves of cares And with a soft sleepe bindes Those Tyrants of the brest Which would spread forth most dangerous snares To sink affliction in despaires Huge horrours then arise The Elements to marre With most disastrous signes Arm'd Squadrons in the skies With lances throwne from farre Do make a monstrous warre Whil'st furie nought confines The Dragons vomit fire And make the Starres retire Cut of their Orbes for feare To satisfie their ire Which heavens high buildings not forbear But seem the Crystall Towres to teare Amidst the ayre fierce blasts Doe boast with blustring sounds To crush this mighty frame Which whilst the tempest lasts Doth rent the stately rounds To signifie what wounds To all her off-springs shame Shall burst th' earths veynes with bloud And this all-circling floud As it the heavens would drowne Doth passe the bounding bounds And all the scalie brood Reare roaring Neptunes foamie Crowne Whilst th' earth for feare seems to sinke downe Those whom it hid with horrour Their ashy lodgings leave To re-enjoy the light Or else some Panicke terrour Our judgement doth bereave Whilst first we misconceive And so prejudge the sight Or in the bodies stead The genius of the dead Turnes backe from Styx againe Which Dis will not receive Till it a time engendring dread Plague whilst it doth on th' earth remaine All else with feare it selfe with paine These fearefull signes fore-show All nations to appall What plagues are to succeed Since death hath layd him low Who first had made us thrall We heard that straight his fall Our liberty would breed But this proves no reliefe For many O what griefe The place of one supply And we must suffer all Thus was our comfort briefe O! rarely doe usurpers dye But others will their fortune try Act 2. Scene 1. Perdiccas Meleager Ptolomie Antigonus Eumenes WHat eye not big with teares can view this host Which hath in one ah as the end doth prove A King a Captaine and a brother lost Crown'd follow'd try'd by right for worth in love I thinke amongst us all there is not one Whom divers
favours doe not justly binde To please that Heroes Ghost though from us gone With all the off'rings of a thankefull minde Ah had the fates beene subject to my will So great a losse should not have crost our life But we had kept great Alexander still And he those kingdomes which procure this strife Yet heavens decrees can never be recall'd And thoughts of harme past helpe breed double paine Though once to griefe a space by passions thrall'd The living must embrace the world againe As one whose intrest in that Prince was chiefe A sorrow singular my soule affects But I will not defraud the generall griefe To waile a-part particular respects Though all the ayre still Ecchoâ—s plaintive sounds Of widow'd hopes now wedded to despaires Yet time must cicatrize our inward wounds And to the publike good draw private cares Let us give physicke to the sickned state Which at this present in great danger stands VVhilst grudging Subjests that our greatnesse hate By bloud would venge their violated lands Those who by force are thrall'd to be made free Precipitate themselves in dangers still And this of Nature seemes a rule to be What Realme not scornes to serve a strangers will From forc'd obedience nought but hate proceeds The more we have subduâ—d the more our foes A soveraigne head this States huge body needs That might make us securely to repose And who more meet to have that great mans place Of those whose states he tooke who gain'd the hearts Then one descended from that Regall race Whose birth both worth and right to raigne imparts If heavens enrich Roxane with a Sonne That long'd-for birth a lawfull Soveraigne brings And â—ill that course of doubtfull hopes be runne Let some be nam'd who manage may all things Anti. The Macedonians swolne with wrath would scorne That to their King a stranger should succeed Can men obey a Babe a Babe not borne What fancies strange would this confusion breed This could not well become our grave fore-sight A doubtfull birth so long t'â—â—tend in vaine Which may abortive be and brought to light Through natures errour made not apt to raigne But if affection carry us so farre That of that race we must be rul'd by some Though neither train'd by time in peace nor warre As those who must indeed by kinde o're-come Then have we Hercules the eldest sonne To our great Prince by faire Barâ—ines borne Who fourteene yeares of age hath now begun His Princely birth by vertue to adorne Ptol. To thinke of this it makes my soule asham'd That we should serve a base Barbarians brood What should we beare the yoke that have fram'd To buy disgrace have we bestow'd our bloud Our ancestors whose glory we obscur'd Would get some vantage of their off-spring thus That peoples bondage they would have procur'd And have we warr'd to make them Lords o're us Ah bury this as a most odious thing Which may bring danger and must breed our scorne Though in effect descended from our King They come of Captives are 〈◊〉 basely borne O! brave Leonides I like thy strife Who with so few perform'd so glorious things And death preferrâ—d before th' infamous life Which bondage still from a Barbarian brings Those loath to take a stranger for their Lord Did with their bloud renowne a forraigne field And shall we honour them whom they abhorr'd And even though victors to the vanquish'd yeeld To what did tend that eminent attempt Which makes the Persians yet abase their brow But to our countries scorne in a contempt To take by force that which we offer now Was this the scope of all our conquests then Of abject Captives to be made the prey No let us still command like valorous men And rule our Empire by some other way May we not use this policy a space Till Time afford or we a course devise Least dangerous discord doe disturbe our peace Still when we would of serious things adviâ—e With Majestie let us assembled be A sacred Senate with a chayre of state That of the Soveraigne pow'r all signes may see Then whilst we compasse that respected seate There those who were in credit with the King Whose merits in mens mindes have reverence bred Shall weigh'd by judgement ballance every thing How kingdomes should be rul'd how armies led And what the greatest part hath once approv'd To that the rest will willingly incline By such a harmony the Army mov'd Will execute what ever we designe This concord would prove happy for us all Which each mans state free from all danger renders And by this meanes our Macedonie shall In place of one have many Alexanders Eum. Though silence I confesse becomes me best Who am a stranger and the lesse beleev'd Yet of your toyles since I a partner rest I must unfold my minde a minde much griev'd And thinke you that a Babe repaires our losse How can good wits so grosly be beguil'd This in all Countries hath been thought a crosse Woe to that soile whose Soveraigne is a childe Nor would these great men as is thought agree They be too many bodies for one minde Ah pardon Ptolomie it cannot be This union would disjoyne us all I finde Thus would the Army from good order swerve If many might forgive all would offend As thinking well though they did death deserve No man so bad but some will him befriend And when so many Kings were in one Court One Court would then have many humours too Which fostring factions for each light report Would make them jarre as neighbouring Princes doe No let this strange designe be quite supprest Whilst equall all all would unequall be So that their mindes by jealousie possest From pale suspition never could be free But ah what needs contention at this time To cloud a matter that was made so cleare And doe you now account it not a crime To damne his will who once was held so deare When that great Monarch march'd to match with death Whilst all his Captaines were assembled there And did demand whilst he dispos'd of breath Whom he himselfe adopted for his heire Then that none might such doubtfull questions breed As loving valour more then his owne race He that a brave man brave men might succeed Said let the worthiest have the worthiest place Nor did he speake this in a secret part With double words which might more doubt have mov'd As breathing thoughts in each ambitious heart To have his worth in Vulcans fornace prov'd For whil'st ye hedg'd the fatall bed about With an unpartiall care distracted long Then he amongst you all did chuse one out Who for so great a charge did seeme most strong He to Perdiccas did present the Ring That us'd to seale the secrets of the State By which it seem'd that he design'd him King And so would seaze him of the regall seat Thus made this worthy man a worthy choice That further strife might not the state deforme And all the world now justly may
rejoyce That who rais'd many did prevent this storme For if he had not thus declar'd his will Yee Mars his Minions should have liv'd at jarres Whil'st emulation amongst equals still Had made sterne Trumpets thunder civill warres What huge disorders threatned to burst forth If that our Soveraigne had no Prince design'd Who oft hath beene a witnesse of our worth And can weigh vertue in a vertuous minde I see consenting signes applaud my speech Rise doe Perdiccas that which they decree Whil'st modesty doth Majesty impeach Though thou crav'st not this Crowne this Crowne craves thee Meleag. I wonder not though thus Perdiccas shrinke To take this place still brag'd with new alarmes The Sunne must make nights ugly bird to winke This Scepter weighs too much for so weake armes The Gods will never grant nor men agree That such a one should tyrannize o're us Though vulgar mindes might yeeld his thralls to be His betters scorne to bow so basely thus He would have us Roxanes birth t' attend Which though it come to passe as some expect He can exchange or cause be brought to end As bent to like all meanes when one effect Thus would he temporize to our great scorne Till time might helpe to further his designes No Kings Perdiccas likes but babes unborne He labours well in undiscovered Mynes I need not now insist to tell at large What brave men are amid'st this martiall band Who better doe deserve so great a charge Both for their skill and courage to command Yet are the best not worthy to succeed That man admir'd who never can be match'd The thought of whom must make our mindes to bleed Whose adversaries this advantage watchâ—d But if that great man did consent so soone That our obedience should be thus abus'd Of all that ever yet he would have done I thinke this onely ought to be refus'd That valorous band whose worth the world oft prov'd Then whil'st their glory shinâ—d through silver shields By all that Monarchs deeds when no way movâ—d As conquer'd would have left the conquer'd fields And when despising such a Princes throne To whom his ancestors their Scepter brought What reverence would they beare to such a one Who all this time was as their equall thought To those who o're their equals raise their state Advancement envy breeds and envy hate If such with all would rest familiar still This in contempt the Soveraigne title brings And if they second not their Subjects will Men cannot beare with them as with borne Kings Our lofty bands some lofty minde must tame Whose Princely birth doth procreate regard Whose Country may confound each slandrous clayme As one with whom none else can be compar'd Loe Alexanders brother Philips sonne Who alwayes was a partner of our paine Can there be any else below the Sunne O're Macedonians who deserves to raigne And I must wonder what so strange offence Hath forfeited his title maymâ—d his right That any now with a disguis'd pretence Dare wrong him thus even in his peoples sight Ptol. None needs to wonder much though we neglect One whose election might procure our shame His mothers basenesse justice mâ—ght object Whom bastardy secludes from such a claime But yet had Nature purg'd the spot she made We with his birth the better might comport If like his Syre fierce squadrons fit to leade His parts were such as might the State import He falsifies his race of wit so weake That all his inward wants are soone perceivâ—d All of his judgement in derision speake By which great things can hardly be conceiv'd And though his body might from paines be spar'd Whose constitution is not very strong But with infirmities so farre impair'd That it alive cannot continue long Yet since in State he never hath beene school'd His ignorance would racke him still with feares Whilst he who rul'd still needing to be rul'd Spoke but wâ—th others tongues heard with their eares A K ng inconstant great conâ—usion makes Whâ—m â—ll mistrust and most amid'st a Campe Whilst soft like waxe he each impression takes A lâ—â—tle labour changing still the stampe Ah shoulâ— our lives depend upon his breath Who of himselfe cannot discerne a crime But for each rash report damnes men to death Then yeelds a fruitlesse pitty out of time Thus whilst some alwaies must his judgement sway Which still doth harbour in anothers head Of Sycophants this Prince may be the prey Who where they list him as quite blinde will leade And since but base that they may be the best Such still will toyle that we may be o'rethrowne And to the credu ous King may meanes suggest To taint our fame lest it obscure their owne What griefe were this to us whilst such as those Might make their vantage of th' all-pow'rfull breath And that our actions ballanc'd by our foes Were guerdon'd with disdaine or else with death Me. Since private hopes your judgements doe bewitch I 'le leave this counsell where no good can please Come follow me all those who would be rich Few have regard poore souldiers to your ease Perd. That shall prove best which first I went about Though some would wrest my words from what I thought Loe Meleagers spite doth now burst out Like flaming fires which burne themselves to nought Thus naughty mindes which never dreame but ill Doe construe all things to a crooked sense What I propos'd reposing on your will He would interpret for a great offence And thus puff d up this parting hence of his To many former faults hath added one By his seditious words incens'd ere this The souldiers are to sacke the treasure gone Ant. With one consent then let us all conclude That Alexanders race when borne must raigne So shall we stablish still that sacred bloud Which rais'd our state and may it best maintaine And let us now before we part appoint Who shall command till that the babe be borne And circumspectly ponder every point That successe so our Councell may adorne Eum. I heare a tumult rais'd amongst the Tents And Arideus is proclaimed King To which the multitude soone chang'd consents As bent for all whose course a change may bring The foot-men are to indignation mov'd In this assembly that they want a seat Where our proceedings they might have approv'd As knowing all that did concerne the state They soone forget their Prince exspecting spoiles That dare revolt from what we all advis'd Thus too much liberty breeds many broiles And makes the giver still to be despis'd The want of discipline all things confounds Their deeds want order and their pride all bounds Perd. And dare they then against that fortresse rise Where Alexanders Ensignes are displaid Or violate the walles where as he lyes May not his shadow make them all afraid What how comes this and dare they then presume To bragge their Captaines and abuse their Armes Armes armes just wrath these Rebels must consume Our count'nance will them curbe sound sound th' alarmes
The great Alcides Thebes glory Who for twelve severall labours crown'd Was famous made by many a story As one who all his time had toyl'd To purge the world of such like pests Who robbers rob'd and spoylers spoyld Still humbling hauty Tyrants crests He by this Monster once o're-throwne Did passe in Spaine o're lands and flouds And there took more then was his owne What right had he to Gerions goods Thus Avarice the world deceives And makes the greatest Conquerours slaves Ah! when to plague the world with griefe This poore-rich Monster once was borne Then weaknesse could finde no reliefe And subtiltie did conscience scorne Yet some who labour'd to recall That blisse which guilded the first age Did punishment prepare for all Who did their thoughts to vice engage And yet the more they laws did bring That to be good might men constraine The more they sought to do the thing From which the laws did them restraine So that by custome altred quite The world in ill doth most delight Exeunt Act. 3 Scene 1. Perdiccas Eumenes NOw Fortune smyles upon my rising State And seemes to promise more then I require Loe by degrees my glory doth grow great And by their death who did my death conspire Proud Meleager who disdain'd to bow And my advancement alwayes did mislike Hath with his bloud seal'd my assurance now To fright all those who would attempt the like Eum. Yet of his fall the forme my minde appalls Even at Ioves Altar and without regard We were too rash to violate those walls Which the most impious could not but have spar'd Lascivious Ajax by Minerva's spight Earst for prophaning such a sacred place On the Capharian Rocks did lose the light And all hiâ— Navie too for ones disgrace We should not irritate celestiall powr's And all beginnings are considered most Such horrour breeds this odious act of ours That we I feare opinions pow'r have lost Per. Let others seek to keep such points as those I am not scrupulous for I protest Ov'r all and by all meanes I 'le kill my foes And then thereafter argue of the rest They wrong the Gods who think their Church should be A refuge free for Malefactors still For with their justice this cannot agree Who guard ill doers guilty are of ill Was he not stain'd with many a monstrous crime And Salamander-like amidst the fire Contentiously dispos'd did spend his time And never pleas'd did still some change required Eum. One hum'rous head that doth in brawls delight May poyson thousands with the gall of spight Per. As still seditiously affecting strife He but abus'd the credit of his King And sent some of his slaves to take my life Such bitter envy did his stomack sting Eum. I saw how that advanc'd before our band You first did check then chase the them in the end And did with courage resolutely stand Our Soveraignes corps though dead bent to defend Per. He but a dastard is who basely yeelds And in no conflict hath his Fortune try'd We â—f in time not ventring to the fields Like beasts all sacrific'd had poorely dy'd But when without we masters did remaine Lest Babylon had straight beene barr'd from food I those proud squadrons quickly did constraine Even as we pleas'd a Treaty to conclude Grac'd whil'st my foe as in some kinde compar'd A chiefe in charge he many mindes did sway But found inferiour when a friend declar'd My credit did increase and his decay Eum. Yet in this course all who observe do see That of the multitude the minde prevail'd He whom they did elect our Prince must be And our designe hath altogether fail'd But how comes this that every Captaine gets A certaine Realme committed to his charge And with an Army bravely forward sets Their bounds allow'd to guard or to enlarge Per. I by my means have every great man crown'd That from my greatnesse great things might proceed Yet by that meanes to make my pow'r renown'd The Alexandra an Tragedy The doing lik't me better then the deed I this division chiefly did procure To hâ—ve those great-men from the Court remov'd Where they might be imploy'd yet I secure Their favour purchas'd or at least thus prov'd For him who hath them to such honour brought They must be bound to hold in high account And their advancement for this end I sought That by their meanes I with more ease might mount Eum. O! but your fancies may be much deceiv'd There is no bond can binde unthankfull mindes I feare the favour that they thus receiv'd Hath showne them wayes to sayle by other windes So long of late as they had need of you To seeme your friends they courting kindnesse sought But since their greatnesse is well grounded now They will disdaine what derogates in ought To those all great men friends most frankly prove Whom for their pleasure freely they affect And loathing bands cannot be forc'd to love As brav'd by worth when merits urge respect Few mark from whence they rose when once aloft None can endure that they should owe their state Desarts grow odious when upbraided oft And are deprav'd not guerdon'd when too great Yea in my judgement you have greatly err'd Them to exalt whose state you would surprise Their common custome is who are preferr'd That they may stand not to let others rise Per. To ruine loftie mindes when least afraid Whil'st carelesse carriage jealous censures sift By spyes abroad to foes at Court betray'd Then by preferrement what more subtle drift Their hearts with hate are parted all by pride One is already to confusion gone I long to learne how Leonatus dy'd Not that I minde his funerals to bemone Eum. That Prince magnanimous whom all admire As was his custome clemently proclaim'd That banish'd Grecians might to Greece retyre Save onely such whom murder had defam'd But who them banish'd griev'd for their returne Did feare what just revenge might have design'd As knowing well whil'st wrongs make wrath to burne How misery doth irritate a minde The indignation which they had conceiv'd Did breed rebellion bursting out with rage The which our King deep in his minde ingrav'd By Athens spoyles did purpose to asswage But since that death afforded them releefe Growne bold to prosecute their proud attempt Th' Athenians and th' Aetolians were the chiefe Who brought Antipater first in contempt And by their powâ—r constrain'd to quite the field He in a little Towne enclos'd at last Was once reduc'd in danger neere to yeeld And staine the glory of his actions past But yet by accident as oft it falls It better is to happy be then wise An unsuspected shaft throwne from the walls Their foes chiefe Captaine happened to surprise Then did Antipater his courage reare Which had almost his stagg'ring hopes betray'd Yet still in doubt and not quite free from feare He Leonatus did intreat for aide And he who seem'd his friendship to affect To further him desirous did appeare But if he had
prevail'd some do suspect Antipater had bought his succours deare Yet by the end his purpose bent to show How ever in effect he seem'd a friend But when th' Athenians did his coming know They him to fight did all directly tend And though their thoughts in depths of doubts did fleete They when alone to match him thought it best And whil'st they march'd th'adventrous troups to meet Did hardly welcome the unwelcome Guest When both the Armies were to battel1 brought And shew with what bright flames their breasts were stor'd Brave Leonatus like a Lyon fought So to prove worthy of his wonted Lord But whil'st he bravely did his charge acquite Yet lost himselfe who others came to save And by their Captains fall discourag'd quite His scatt'red troups great damage did receive When old Antipater was surely told Of their mishap who came for his reliefe He not one signe of sorrow did unfold A little gaine doth mitigate much griefe Well did he know that though his foes prevail'â— Yet this great fight enfeebled had their host And then he took to him which much avail'd Those beaten bands who had their Captaine lost Yet that in which he did most comfort finde Was his delivery from a secret foe Who did with jealousie torment his minde Though outwardly not seeming to be so Per. Thus we who earst below one ensigne warr'd Slept in one Tent and all one Fortune prov'd And with a friendship then that never jarr'd Like Pilades and mad Orestes lov'd Since that we want a Lord and all are Lords We loe renounce all kinde of kindnesse now And secret rancour budding in discords Do others harmes procure at least allow Such is the sacred famine of a Crowne That it to satisfie before we faile What in our way doth stand all must go down And bands of bloud or friendship not availe These glory-ravish'd souls that would be great No meanes omit although they be unjust None beares with patience partners in the state What jealous lover can his Rivals trust Eum. Well I perceive Antipater doth tend With all his pow'r to gaine that sacred prey Whose meanes of late enlarg'd to reach his end Through every danger may enforce a way And Alexander sometimes spake at large Then whil'st Antipater with Agis striv'd That he without the limits of his charge More like a King then a Lieutenant liv'd Antigonus and Ptolomie in Armes Are joyn'd in one our ruine bent to breed I feare that friendship procreate our harmes Unlesse their spight prevented be with speed Per. I 'le lodge you how Eumenes in my brest And let you see the ground of my intent Since that we both alike must toyle or rest As those whose courses must have one event Since at his death I by our dying Lord Was in his place appointed to succeed And that my Fortune doth a meanes afford How I may compasse that which he decreed To leave that place I cannot well agree As if I wanted courage to command I 'le take that which the fates do force on me For if without a Throne I cannot stand And those who would performe difficult things Must not regard what way so they prevaile Oft fraud then force greater furtherance brings The Foxe must help if that the Lyon faile So old Antipater to have betray'd His daughter I in marriage did require That so the time might but have beene delay'd Till that I had accomplish'd my desire For wi h the shadow of pretended love And hop'd affinity which seem'd design'd I from his bounds some bands aym'd to remove By raising me that he might have declin'd But who can snare a minde all ey'd with fears He quickly did mistrust the purpos'd wrong And from my Messengers straight barr'd his eares As did Vlysses from the Syrens song Eum. Yet this if rightly weigh'd might much import If that you match your selfe with such a Mate Whose beauty pleasure birth might bring support And both concurre in one to blesse your state If you to make your high attempts more sure By Hymens meanes with some your selfe allie Thus of some Prince you may the pow'r procure On whom for help you boldly may relye What griefe were this if you have hap to gaine That faire Idea which your fancies frame If after you none of your owne remayne To keep your Conquests and revive your name Kings live most sâ—fe who of their owne have heires Whos 's sacred persons none dare seek to wound Since though they dye yet there rest some of theirs Who are to venge their death by Nature bound Per. All shall be try'd which may enlarge my might I minde to match my selfe with such a one Who if she have my pow'r to prove her right May be thought worthy of her Fathers Throne I with Olympias have devis'd a thing Which may secure her state and make mine strong And if accomplish'd prove a prosp'rous spring From whence may flow great acts ere it be long By Cleopatra may a meanes be catch'd Which to a glorious end our course may bring She whom at first her Father Philip match'd With Alexander of Epirus King Who having heard great Alexanders fame In emulation of that Monarchs praise Went with his troups th' Etrurians bent to tame Which enterprise did but abridge his dayes In marriage with that widow'd Queene combinde If that her Mother thus her course assist Whil'st I performe that which I have in minde Who dare presume my purpose to resist For whil'st this friendship doth my name renowne It may my thoughts from further feare seclude Since having thus a title to the Crowne As one engrafted in the royall bloud Eum. I feare that this your purpose to prevent A number now take armes all in one forme As those whose feares conjecture your intent And by the lowring clouds fore-know a storme Already many do together runne Who for our ruine wonderfully thirst Per. Where do you think that we should then begin And exercise hostility at first Eum. Though we our selves in strangers Thrones enstall And having Asia to subjection brought Make Nibus Indus and Euphrates thrall Yet all those victories would serve for nought Whil'st Macedonie doth continue free A fertile field to bring brave Armies forth Which till first forc'd can now not subject be And ere they love a King must prove his worth Then unto those who seek a Prince in Armes His chiefest Realme the greatest vantage gives Where warres held out are alwayes with his harmes Since that his foe still at his charges lives And warres protracted with a peoples losse Do from their Soveraigne alienate their love They lose their hearts whom Fortune once doth crosse And foil'd at home can no where else remove Who Macedonie hath still the best Which of our state the stately Mistrisse is As which with courage conquer'd all the rest And but depends on Mars as onely his If you were Lord of that undaunted soyle And by Olympias countenanc'd but a time Straight front Antipater all
would recoyle And bent t' undo him we would finde a crime To you who are a Macedonian borne If match'd with Cleopatra great in pow'rs The Macedonians gladly would be sworne And if commanding them then all were yours Per. Yet this opinion partly I disprove Which would not as you thinke our troubles end For if we do from hence our force remove And to th' Aemathian bounds directly tend There must at first a doubtfull warre be prov'd With those brave bands whose valour is well known Of whom Craterus dearly is belov'd Antipater is borne and bred their owne And though indeed as kindly to those parts My friendship may affected be by some Yet those who start in time by many arts May under-myne their mindes before we come Then whil'st we trouble Macedony most And leave those Realmes unarm'd which now are ours Straight Ptolomie when strengthned is his host May like a tempest swallow Asia's pow'rs I for the time most willingly would take The course which seemes to make our state most sure A foe is dangerous when behinde ones backe Who whil'st not look'd for may our harme procure My purpose is though yet to none made knowne That Egypt first shall burden'd be with warre For if that Ptolomie were once o'rethrowne Then that from Greece all hope of help would barre Eum. Hold still with you those of the sacred bloud Whom to protect you alwayes must pretend The count'nance of the great may do much good Whom still though weake all glory to attend Exeunt Act. 3. Scene 2. Olympias Roxane LEt sorrow prove a tyrant to my soule Whose rage with reason now no measure keeps What of my teares the torrent can controull Since flowing from afflictions deepest deeps How can my breast but burst whil'st sobs rebound Since onâ—e the seat of joyes now not the same May not huge horrours presse me to the ground In thinking what I was and what I am I was a great mans wife a gâ—eaters mother Even she to whom the heavens their best did give Yet I even I more plagu'd then any other In dungeons now of desolation live My sonne who was the glory of his time Staine of times past and light of tâ—mes to come O fraile mortality O slipper â—yme Though having all o're-com'd death did o're-come And I dejected wretch whole dying eyes By Natures custome bound he should have clos'd Was not to shut his starres with th'yvory skies Which curtain'd once where Majesty repos'd But ah his falling in a forraine part Hath if ought can enlarge enlarg'd my griefe Or else on him I melted had my heart And spent my selfe to purchase his reliefe Yet though I was not present at his death He shall not be defrauded of my teares But for his funerall fires my flaming breath Shall smoak and to his Ghost a tribute beares Rox. Ah! to what corner rolls my watrie sight Where it not findes some matter to bemone O foolish eyes why lose ye not your light Since your delight is lost your object gone Once of all Queenes I might the fortune scorne To whom just love that great man did engage Whose match in worth the world hath never borne Nor never shall enrich another age When those perfections do transport my minde Which admiration doth disclose too late I curse the fates that did his judgement binde To make me partner of so high a state And I repent that to his sight I past Though highly grac'd once on a festuall day A feast which many a time must make me fast And with flow woe that flying mirth defray Then if my fortune had not blinded me But ah whose judgement had it not bereav'd Whil'st that great Monarch daign'd to like of me Of my high flight I had the fall conceiv'd Of Asia's Prince whose state did then decline He both the wife and daughters had at will Whose beauties lustre might have darkned mine Yet free from snares restrain'd his fancies still And when my father chose out from the rest Those Virgins all whom Fame affirm'd for rare Though having view'd them all he lov'd me best Then thought most fortunate if not most faire And whâ—n this match his Nobles all dismai'd That he himselfe with captives had alli'd That act he then as love had dited said Took from the vanquish'd shame from victors pride Yet me as Empresse all did entertaine Though his inferiour farre in all respects Till I from him by death divorc'd remaine Whom with his Sonne now all the world neglects Olymp. Although this will but aggravate my woe From whom the fates all comfort now seclude Yet I do tender his remembrance so That of my Sonne to heare it doth me good And daughter now to double my distresse Make me at length acquainted with his death That sorrow may each part of me possesse Sad news mine eares teares eyes and sighs my breath Rox. Though griefe to me scarce liberty affords To presse forth passions which oppresse my minde Yet would affection wrestle out some words To speake of him who all my thoughts confin'd When he had conquer'd all that could resist A Monarchie not equall with his minde Still in his haughty course he did insist And search'd the Ocean other worlds to finde But when from it his Navy was redeem'd He stood in doubt where Trophees next to reare The world though large for him too little seem'd His minde could more conceive then Nature beaâ—e Last ah this Emp'rour purpos'd was in th' end At Babylon his glories hight to show Where all the world his coming did attends As Iove above who onely raign'd below When he drew neare that then thrise Monarchs seat The Astrologians by their skill fore-told What danger huge was threatned to his state The which else-where might better be contrould But he who was not capable of feare And could not muse of misadventures then Would triumph there and the worlds Scepter beare Back'd with moe Kings then other Kings with men There as a God transporting mortals sights Which mirth with mourning I must still record He spent or lost a time in all delights Which Fortune could when flatt'ring most afford Till Thessalus for mischiefe but reserv'd Once to his house invited him to dine Where false Cassander at the Table serv'd And as he us'd with water mixt his wine Olymp. Alas alas and so it prov'd in th' end But who could feare a benefited friend Rox. There were all creatures valued for their worth As wholsome daiâ—ty sumptuous stately rare Which forc'd by Phoebus th'Easterne Realmes bring forth To live by Sea by Land or in the ayre Then when that Reason drunk with pleasure slept Which all the senses with abundance stor'd And whil'st save Musicke nothing measure kept With Ceres Bacchus onely was ador'd Even when the King beginning was to drinke As strangely mov'd he thund'red forth a grone And from the Table suddenly did shrinke His wonted vigour at an instant gone Whil'st he was softly to a Chamber led That death a
doth no lesse Rox. Loe now of late delivered of a sonne I to those Captaines scarce dare make it knowne His kingdomes all to part who have begunne And might by killing him make them their owne Ah! Madame this doth move me most to pause Who of those great men the ambition feare Lest by pretending but a publike cause They seeke themselves the Diadem to beare Thus they of my yong babe fraud masking wrath Would but be Tutors first and Traitors then Farre from obedience duty love or faith No things more deare then Diadems to men Olym. As those whose courage cannot be disâ—aâ—â— Let us now strive what way a force to finde And whilst that pitty doth procure for ayde The peoples passions tune unto our minde If that their love not vanish'd with his life Of Alexander in a high degree I thinke the Sonne the Mother and the Wife By Macedonians still must reverenc'd be And this doth with disdaine my soule consume That Arideus amongst other wrongs And proud Euridice his wife presume To take the honour which to us belongs O! they shall finde my fortune not so chang'd But I am able yet to curbe their pride What what Olympias must be reveng'd And save her selfe no Queene she can abide Exeunt Chorus Loe how all good decayes And ills doe now abound In this sky-compass'd round There is no kinde of trust For man-kinde whilst it strayes In pleasure-paved wayes With flouds of vice is drown'd And doth farre from refuge In endlesse shadowes lodge Yet strives to rise no more No doubt as most unjust The world once perish must And worse now to restore Then it was of before When at the last deluge Men by Deucalion once Were made againe of stones And well this wicked race Bewrayes a stony kinde Which beares a stubborne minde Still hardned â—nto sinne Loe now in every place All vertuous motions cease And sacred faith we finde Farre from the earth is fled Whose flight huge mischiefe bred And filles the world with warres Whilst impious brests begin To let base Treason in Which common concord marres Whilst all men live at jarres And nets of fraud doe spreade The simple to surprise Too witty but not wise Yet those who in deceit Their confidence repose A thing more deare doe lose Then can by guile be gain'd Which when repented late May ruine once their state Whilst purer sprites disclose With what their breasts are stor'd For though they would remord They get not trust againe But having honour stain'd And covenants prophan'd Are held in high disdaine And doe in end remaine Of all the world abhorrâ—d Not trusty when they should Not trusted when they would But ah our Nobles now Loe like Lysander still So that they get their will Regard not by what way And with a shamelesse brow Doe of the end allow Even though the meanes were ill Which all the world may see Disgraceth their degree Who changing every houre Doe all base slights assay What can brave mindes dismay Whose worth is like a Tower Against all fortunes pow'r Still from all fraud whilst free These keepe their course unknowne Whom it would shame if showne Who not from worth digresse To slights which feare imparts Doe shew heroicke hearts The which would rather farre An open hate professe Then basely it suppresse No glory comes from fearefull Arts But those who doe us leade As for dissembling made Even though that they intend Amongst themselves to warre Seeme in no sort to jarre But friendship doe pretend Not like their Lord now dead Who trusting to his worth Still what he meant spake forth The great men not for nought Doe seeke the peoples love Their deeds that to approve They may their mindes allure But Perdiccas is thought Too slowly to have sought Their doubtfull mindes to move As one who still conceits He may command the fates His pride so great is growne That none can it endure Yet stands his state unsure Since odious to his owne He must be once o're-throwne Whose humour each man hates Pride doth her followers all Leade head-longs to a fall Act 4. Scene 1. Antigonus Eumenes THough stormy discord and tumultuous wars Doe fire the mindes of men with flames or rage That hauing haughty thoughts as heaven hath Starres Their indignation nothing can asswage Yet loe amongst the Souldiers waving bowres The Heraulds cryes doe calme the Trumpets sounds And peace dare inter-pose unarmed pow'rs To limit for a time Bellona's bounds And whilst of fury they suspend th' effects The seeming-friended foes together treat And every one shewes what his soule affects Of peace a shadow th' essence must be great Thus men magnanimous amidst the field Dare of their en'mies to the promise trust And loathing what disloyaltie doth yeeld Not violate their vowes nor prove unjust Though love be past yet truth should still remaine I vertuous parts even in my foes applaud A gallant minde doth greater glory gaine To dye with honour then to live by fraud And why Eumenes as mistrusting me Or standing on your reputation long Did you disdaine to seeke as all men see A greater then your selfe and one more strong Eum. Though we come not to plead our birth-right here Let him tor warriours so should take their place In whom best signes of Noblenesse appeare Be grac'd as first who doth adorne a race Most Noble he who still by vertue strives To leave his name in mindes of men engrav'd And to his off-spring greater glory gives Then from his ancestors he hath receiv'd Earst we by birth in warre not marshal'd stood As at the Table upon Ivory beds A Souldiers worth consists not in his blond But in their bloud which as his foes he sheds What ever others of my linage try I am Eumenes and will not accord That there can be a greater man then I While as I have a heart a hand a sword Anti. Loe when prosperity too much prevailes Above the judgement thus of vulgar mindes As little Barges burden'd with great Sayles They move in state all swolne with fortunes windes And as adversity the sprite refines From th'abject drosse of pride and passions base That in affliction vertue clearest shines And makes one all the wayes of wit to trace So doth good successe make the judgement dye Then whilst the fortunate their ease doe take And lull'd asleep in pleasures meadowes lye As for the Slaughter fat and ripe to shake Yet this the nature is of gallant men To rest as in no state too much involv'd When prosp'ring warie and most humble then If cross'd couragious when imbark'd resolv'd What though your first attempts renowned are By which you in two fields victorious stood And did o're-throw two thunder-bolts of warre Who lost their lives amid'st a crimson flood Yet is that course of victory contrould And you have try'd what force your force exceeds Then faded Lawrels should not make you bold As still reposing on your by-past deeds For by the same to indignation
To make me seeme not worthy of his place That he preferr'd a Stranger to his Sonne As bent to cloud the glory of his race Thus since in such a sort he did neglect The Sonne who should his name from death exempt As dis-regarded for some great defect All other men may have me in contempt But ere his age attain'd the fatall date He saw my brows with lawrell boughs array'd And spy'd my skill in warre and wit in state Which grew as much as his had then decay'd Nor can my courage so be brought to bow But Polypercon shall by proofe finde soone That in my Fathers will I Will allow Not what he did but what he should have done And since by him high dignities were wonne I minde to prosecute what he began For though I would so great a Fathers Sonne Can not securely live a private man Loe Polypercon by our pow'r repell'd From Macedonie hath retyr'd dismay'd And for the feare of us hath beene compell'd To rest beholding for anothers aid Let him not think that shadows though of Kings Can match my pow'r with these his borrow'd bands A doubtfull flight all fram'd with others wings Will never beare him from Cassanders hands And though Olympias count'nanc'd once his cause As from Epirus come to ruine me Now of her owne misfortune she must pause Since brought of late unto a low degree Lysim And yet Olympias once did prosper well When first she touch'd the Macedonian bounds Whil'st Polypercon proudly did repell all those who durst resist with words or wounds Though Philip and Euridice his Queene To give them battell bent in time arriv'd The Macedonians when they had her seene As their owne Queene to do her honour striv'd And haplesse Philip whil'st constrain'd to yeeld There for a Kings did take a captives state And with his mate though flying from the field Was follow'd by their force and by her fate Then â—id her husband and her selfe give place Whose brows of late a Diademe had borne But then throwne downe in depths of black disgrace Were made of pride the prey the butt of scorne Cass Those were the means which did them first entrap But have you heard how after they were thrall To plague the world with horrour and mishap The proud Olympias tyrraniz'd o're all Lys Some doubtfull rumors did frequent each 〈◊〉 Such as rash Fame confus'dly durst unfold But yet by favour hid or else for feare The truth of all it may be was not told Cass When thus the Tygresse happ'ned to surprise Those wretched souls as ravish'd in a dreame Her heart at first seem'd scarce to trust her eyes She surfetted her sight so with their shame But when she saw by reason of her pow'r That she might safely let her rage burst out She them about caus'd build a lightlesse Tower Press'd by whose walls they scarce could turne about And in that dungeon as entomb'd they stood With high disgrace t' appease more high disdaines Farre from all comfort whil'st a little food Their life prolong'd but to prolong their paines But for misfortune pity last doth pleade As envy doth prosperity oppose The Macedonians then indifferent made On murmur'd rumours doubtfully did glose The peoples grudge Olympias did perceive And of just fury fearing the effect She straight resolv'd lifes remnant to bereave From weakened pow'rs which did no lesse expect And when some Thracians basely bent for bloud As she had charg'd with mercenary spight Had murdred Philip and his Queene imbru'd With these red streames that drown'd her lifes delight She sent to her whose soule in griefe did sinke As messengers of death to bragge her brest A sword a cord and an empoyson'd drink A Tyrants presents yet a wretches best Those seene the Queene unmov'd this speech did make As one who had imbrac'd some great reliefe Fit gifts for her to give for me to take Since she exceeds in hate and I in griefe And tell the Tyrant that I gladly dye That once the angry gods to venge my death May thunder forth that judgement which I spie With bloud must choak that bloudy womans breath Last looking on her Lord who there lay slaine Once partner of his joy then of his woe Whil'st that his Roses did her Lillies staine She kiss'd his wounds as taking leave to goe Lest Time her Resolution had betray'd Her snowie necke not us'd with such a chaine Her girdle grasp'd then dy'd no way dismai'd And if she sigh'd she sigh'd but for disdaine Lysi This barbarous act my breast with griefe dotâ— sâ—ing Can spight so much transport the meekest kinde And yet on th' earth there 's no more cruell thing Then malice raging in a womans minde Cass But yet this sacrifice could not asswage The boyling thoughts of her unbounded will For entring thus she rioted in rage As dogges that once get bloud would alwayes kill Each light occasion kindling still her wrath The Soveraignty she shamefully abus'd And put my brother Nicanor to death Though for no crime condemn'd no not accus'd To some when dead an hate by her was borne Whose cruelty no floud of bloud confin'd Of Iolas the Tombe prophanely torne She robbing th' earth with ashes stain'd the winde To be Cassanders friend was such a crime As none could scape who ever favour'd me Thus huge disorders did abound a time Where laws not valued are all things are free When having heard of this outragious pride Which made my native soyle contemn'd to be I those indignities could not abide Whose shame and danger did ayme most at me So that at last mov'd by my Countries care As much as by particular respects I with great speed an Army did prepare To punish or prevent the like effects But when I was to Macedony come To fortifie a Towne she did designe Which I enclos'd and quickly did o're-come Whil'st famine forc'd the Fortresse to resigne Then to necessity weake pride gave place Her lofty courage was constrain'd to bow So that she rests depending on our grace To be dispos'd as it shall please us now Lysim This chance the world to wonder may invite Loe there a Queene who had though now distress'd The rarest Fortune and the greatest sprite That ever any of her sex possess'd The widow'd Empresse who first bragg'd the Indes Or proud Thomiris though both prais'd have beene Or th' Amazons all borne with martiall mindes Have never beene more stout then was this Queene Her lifes first progresse did but prove too sweet Whom once the world with treasures striv'd to blesse But now sad soule foil'd under Fortunes â—eet Her misery no creature can expresse Cass Those were but Fortunes gifts which made her great Whil'st treacherous shows by shallow wits were prais'd Her imperfections did but staine the State Where her not hers but others merits rais'd When first that Dame with famous Philip match'd Her cunning carriage was not free from blame But though she then with Argos eyes was watch'd As was suppos'd soone forfeited
her Fame At least shame-fear'd he did her first disdaine And of that sexe the precious fame is such Their tender honour any breath may staine If tainted foule if but suspect'd too much Yet this at last did his destruction breed For which her spightfull thoughts had labour'd long She by Pausanias privy to his deed Had spurr'd him to performe th' intended wrong And by such meanes long sought that to her will Her husbands murder might enlarge the raynes Whil'st back'd by power she boldly did the ill Of which too late the troubled Realme complaines Though loath'd of all long suffred for her Sonne She play'd the Tyrant safely as she pleas'd But by the course that I have now begun I hope those whom she plagu'd shall be appeas'd Lysim Yet of Olympias though cast downe by you The fight her Sonne and Husband will revive And so may make the Macedonians now For her reliefe strange courses to contrive Of those whose greatnesse doth regard extort The miseries entender every minde And still th' affections of the vulgar sort Are head-long led too cruell or too kinde Cass O! but I can precipitate her fall Even by the meanes which might support her most For pity shall barre pity whil'st they all Waile for their friends who through her pride were lost Lysim As those to whom all other things are free Must have their life and raigne both of one date So private men who passe their owne degree Can hardly turne to take their former state Your Fortune thus is trusted to the fates None can retyre who enters in such things All those who dare attempt against great States Must dye as Traitors or else live as Kings And though you would but some disorders stay You deale with those who borne not to be thrall As torrents beare away what stops their way And must of force if not undone do all Such though set free will storme when they are gone Who scorne to take the thing that they should give All those must dye who dare but touch a Throne Who may endanger Kings they must not live Cass Since in this course I onely once can erre I shall be sure ere she her selfe with-draw Lysim And yet what surety can you have of her Can laws binde them who are above the law Who can a concord make betwixt the two Whereas the one must hate the other feare Cass O but I minde to use the matter so That both from hence shall further strife forbeare Lysim What can her freedome and your peace procure Cass Death both can make her free and me secure Lysim And would you do such ill to shed her bloud Cass Yea ill to others so it do me good Lysim The Macedonians will abhorre this wrong Cass And yet obey me if I be most strong Lys But who shall have the Realme amidst those broils Cass Who ever winnes the field doth owe the spoils Lysim So to possesse the Realme you have no right Cass But I have more so long as I have might Lysim This State doth to it selfe an heire afford Cass All kingdomes rights are pleaded by the Sword Lysim The people all will grudge against your state Cass But dâ—re not stirre whil'st feare exceeds their hate Lysim And in their hearts they will detest you too Cass Think what they will who have no pow'r to doe Lysim What tâ—ough Olympias in a little space May lose her pow'r together with her breath Yet there remaines another of her race Who is by Nature bound to venge her death Cass The raging streames of a tempestuous flood Which drowns the old not yeelds the yong reliefe What foole who of his foes victorious stood Would spoyle an Army and yet spare the chiefe No since I must my selfe with murder staine I le by the roots raze all the Royall race So that no pow'r shall spring from thence againe That may my selfe or yet my plants displace The strength hath left great Alexanders arme Whose mothers fatall threed is now neere spunne And I have meanes to keep my selfe from harme Both of Roxane and her tender Sonne But since this course may much our states advance By which a ground for great attempts is layd I mâ—â—t entreat you now what ever chance To lend us your applause though not your ayd Lysim I 'le be your friend yet wish you would refraine From doing this but ere you be undone Since by your guiltnesse I thus may gaine I le suffer that which I would not have done Exeunt Olympias alone CAn I be she whom all the world admir'd As the most happie Queene that raign'd below Whom all the Planets have to plague conspir'd Of fickle Fortunes course the pow'r to show No no not I for what could me controull Or force me thus t' attend anothers will Since I despise this prison of my soule Where it disdaines t' abide in bondage still Ah! whil'st vaine pompe transported fancies fed The jealous gods my state to grudge did tempt My state which Envy once and Reverence bred Though now it breed but pity and contempt Olympias once high as Olympus stood The wife Philip Alexanders Mother Who match'd Alcides and Achilles bloud To breed a man more worth then both together Am I the woman whose majesticke state Seem'd once so happy to deceiv'd conceits I I am she and never yet more great Then at this present even in spight of fates A double bondage long did burden me I to my selfe my selfe to Fortune thrall But now captivity hath set me free Who could not rise till first I had a fall A sprit whil'st it prosperity benummes Scarce like the selfe can to the world appeare But then when vertue every crosse o're-comes True Greatnesse shines most bright in Glories spheare Our treasure now I see consists no more Without our selves in th'eye-betraying shows But in the breasts inestimable store Which neither Time entombes nor Pow'r o're-throws O never were my thoughts enlarg'd till now To mark my selfe and quintessence my minde For long a prey to pride I know not how A mist of fancies made my judgement blinde As those who dreame sweet dreames whil'st wak't at last Do finde their errour when their eyes finde light Free from the slumb'ring of my Fortune past I now arise to judge of all things right That cloud of pomp whose smoak me shadow'd once Loe now remov'd unmasks my life too late And now I see that Scepters Crownes and Thrones Are burd'nous badges of a dangerous state O happie woman of true pleasure sure Who in the Countrey lead'st a guiltlesse life From Fortunes reach retyr'd obscure secure Though not a Queene yet a contented wife Thy Mate more deare to thee then is the light Thongh low in state loves in a high degree And with his presence still to blesse thy sight Doth scorne great Courts whil'st he lives courting thee And as thou wound'st him not with hid disgrace He with no jealous thought doth rack thy brest Thus
was best Did did in time before his fortune chang'd And for his favour which I oft did try Whom earnestly he labour'd to advance It grieves me that himselfe so soone did die And that his off-spring hath so hard a chance His Successors have set all Greece on fire Of which I feare to perish by some sparke For Polypercon doth my death conspire And who can scape when made a great mans marke Yet for my Countries cause I 'le give my blood Whilst safely prais'd all follow vertue can But when by danger bragg'd then to doe good O! that is worthie of a worthie man Nor doe I tender so this puffe of breath But I can yeeld that Nature it expell A minde that is resolv'd triumphes o're death He hath liv'd long enough who hath liv'd well Exeunt Act 5. Scene 2. Cassander Lysimachus Ptolomie Seleucus NO doubt great Heroes whom the Heavens have lov'd What ever count'nance duty doth pretend Your minds are glad since those by me remov'd Who might have made you end have made an end Loath not the meanes if pleas'd with the effect For though by this I have a realme obtain'd It yeelds you more whose course none can suspect I onely guilty am ye all have gain'd Yet to pursue my life they first began For my defence this refuge last I prov'd What then himselfe can be more neere to man When bragg'd by danger who would not be mov'd And if Olympias had not di'd in time By offring up her blood to worke my peace Then mine had beene the harme and hers the crime I but prevented her a little space And if her off-spring had surviv'd her death Whose rising could not but procure our fall Yee now who nought but soveraignty doe breath Had breath'd obedience or not breath'd at all Lysim You from a dangerous yaoke have us releev'd Which I suspect we should have tri'd too soone And why then should we labour to seeme griev'd At that thing done which we wish not unâ—one No no since all for soveraignty do strive And have once tasted what it is to raigne Each one of vs would rather die then live To beare a subjects servile yoke againe And though perchance with Alexander Sonne If heire to him in worth as of his state We might have most respected places wonne As speciall pillars of the Princes seate Though greater then the rest as of before It would have vex'd us lesse then one to fall The fall from first to second grieves one more Then from the second to the last of all Our envi'd glory had destruction brought And would have made us odious to remaine It dangerous is for subiects to be thought Such as desire or yet deserve to raigne When any Tempest threatned had his Throne He would have sought for surety at our cost When Iealousie mindes worme hath seaz'd on one The greatest vertues are suspected most Yea though we could to quite our state consent Us from suspition nought but death could purge Still greatnesse must turmoile or then torment If borne a burthen if layd downe a scourge Ptol. But when we have within our bosome weigh'd The ruine of all Alexanders race Whom without blushing we might have obey'd By right succeeding in our Soveraignes place How can our soules but highly be asham'd If one below them farre emboldned thus Doth seeke by wrong that which by right they claim'd And by their o'retâ—row would insult o're us Nor neede I more as in suspense remaine To maske my meaning with ambiguous wordes No no our words may as his deeds be plaine Which fame and that not whiâ—â—ring now records Ye heare how that Antigonus of lâ—te Whose thoughts wing'd with good succes soare too high Doth strive above the rest to raise his State And by all meanes doth fortune frankely ply Since to his hands Eumenes was betrai'd Loe quite transported by praepost'rous pride As if in nought adebted to our ayde To yeeld our due he cannot now abide Lysim Thus time let truth of all things doth proclame Man is a crafty Creature had to know Who can a face for every fortune frame No trust in mortalls no nor faith below As our particulars doe sometime move We what we wish for most seeme to mislike And oft of others doe the course disprove Whilst we want only meanes to doe the like Then whilst Perdiccas did attempt before To make the rest who were his equalls thrall Who then Antigonus detested more The foolish pride of one that would have all But since Perdiccas and his faction fell Whom he as Traitours of the State pursu'd He in his place succeeding to rebell Hath what he seem'd to end againe renew'd And yet I may times have mus'd of this How from the world he did Enmenes send Sel. How but by Treason as his custome is False at the first and cruell in the end Lysim I know that after many doubtfull fights He hath o'rethrowne Eumenes at the last But by what Stratagems or treach'rous slights I would be glad to heare how all hath past Sel. Antigonus was at the first afrai'd To match Eumenes by plaine force in fight And therefore all that feare affords assai'd For valour franke still using warie slight Amongst Eumenes troupes their mindes to prove He scattred letters with allurements stor'd By promis'd treasures and protested love Some to corrupt who might betray their Lord But he still wise his Troupes in time advis'd To cleare their vertue by their enemies vice And gave them thankes who would not be entis'd To sell their faith at such a bloodie price Then said that he himselfe those scroules procur'd That when they spy'd such practises againe They still might thinke them by this meanes allur'd Their Captaines triall not their Enemies traine Thus by the course which should have him entrap'd His adversarie did deluded stay Whilst both the from that present danger scap'd And to prevent the like prepar'd a way Then when he saw this policy had fail'd And that there had some doubtfull â—â—â—licts past Antigenus who had at one prevail'd As having had some vantage at the last Did with Eumenes straight procure to speake And as t 'one vanquish'd offred him good-will But he whose minde could not be brought to breake Would onely talke as to his equall still For when a band betweene them made did beare He to Antigonus should helpe impart That forme reform'd he first of all would sweare With Alexanders off-spring to take part Thus where they his submission did attend Imperiously conditions he impos'd So that thereafter to procure his end The other by all meanes his minde dispos'd And shortly of his bands a vaine debate For his confusion fit occasion brought Still as by concord small things doe grow great By discord great things are reduc'd to nought While-as Eumenes fortunately liv'd The Agâ—raspides to him gave place Till that for state two of their Captaines striv'd And his authoritie would not embrace Such as that spite of theirs to
As at the image of their antient Kings Or then some Goddesse all the Souldiers gaz'd But ah some forced by the tyrant striv'd To spoile unnaturall Natures fairest frame And twixth th' Alabaster Balles they driv'd Th' unwilling swords that straight grew red for shame Then she in worth who did all else excell Would neither word nor teare nor sigh forth send But spread her garments o're her whilst she fell As of her honour jealous to the end Cho. O strange barbarity most monstrous deed Could men a woman Subjects kill their Queene And could her fortune past no pitty breed Who ever gave the wound that not her seene The ugly Author of those odious evils Of punishment afraid must still be sad His brest a hell his thoughts all turn'd to divels Through horrour of himselfe must make him mad Nun. And yet the plague of these detested times Doth by more mischiefe aggravate our grones Cho. No end in sinne crimes are maintain'd by crimes Who fall in depths must touch the bottome once The path of honour hath but narrow bounds On which who step attentive must remaine Since rais'd so high above the vulgar grounds That who thence fall can never rise againe Nun. Thus now Cassander since he cannot winne True reputation but lives tainted still Imbark'd in mischiefe sailes the depths of sinne So if not lov'd as good yet fear'd as ill Though by his meanes his ruthlesse eyes have seene Fates as it were from fortunes bosome take His King by poyson by the sword his Queene Even yet himselfe more guilty still to make He prosp'ring in impiety grew proud And murdred both his Masters Sonne and Wife Thus he who all the world by birth-right ow'd Could have no part of it no not his life Yet could Roxanaes death not ease his minde Nor her yong sonne too soone made Platoes guesâ— But to undoe all Alexanders kinde That to revenge the rest there might none rest By treason he as all his deeds are done Cau's Hercules his brothers steppes to trace Who was great Alexanders bastard sonne And th' onely remnant of that great mans race Loe thus Cassander enemy to all good Whose soule so much for Macedonie longs Hath to the Scepter swim'd through Seas of bloud Yet O weake right since builded but on wrongs Cho. O how ambition doth abuse the great Who with enough not pleas'd still strive for more Loe how our Soveraigne seem'd to raise his state Yet made it but to fall whilst starv'd with store And since his Trophees rear'd in severall fields Both him and his have to confusion brought Then what is all the good that greatnesse yeelds Which makes it selfe seeme much to be made nought Thus though the mountaines make a mighty show They are but barren heapes borne up aloft Where Plains are pleasant still though they lye low And are most fertile too though trod on oft Greatnesse is like a cloud in thy'ayrie bounds Which some base vapours have congeal'd above It brawles with Vulcan thundring forth huge sounds Yet melts and falles there whence it first did move Phil. Since that worlds conqu'ror then whilst farre from feare By too much power press'd so soone was dead Why doe his Captaines strive who now should beare The Diadem that crush'd so strong a head O! when my minde is ravish'd through the starres To search the secret secrets of the fates What treasons murthers mutinies and warres Are threatning to o'rethrow usurped seates That false Cassander who betraid his Lord And spoil'd the princely race in mischiefe chiefe A traitour both of heaven and earth abhorr'd Shall live but with disgrace and dye with griefe His sonnes in wickednesse himselfe t' exceed Shall make the woman dye whom ade them live Then both when drunke with bloud to death shall bleed And none of theirs their funerals shall survive When rash ambition should be cool'd by age Lysimachus shall by Seleucus dye Nor shall Seleucus long enjoy the Stage But by like violence shall breathlesse lye And subtile Ptâ—lâ—mies degener'd race Long onely famous for infamous things Shall end and to the pride of foes give place Whilst a lascivious Queene confusion brings Amigonâ—â— shall be in battell kill'd His Sonne a captive perish with disgrace And after that it Greece with bloud hath fill'd In th' end destruction doth attend that race The last in pow'r though of their line not bred A niggard and a dastard beaten downe Shall through a strangers towne a Captive led Of Macedonie bound the old renowne Chorus VVHat damned furies thus tosse mortals mindes With such a violent desire to raigne That neither honour friendship duty bloud Nor yet no band so sacred is as bindes Ambitious thoughts which would a kingdome gaine But all is buried in blacke Lethes floud That may the course of Soveraignty restraine Which from the brest doth all respects repell And like a torrent cannot be gaine-stood Yea many would a Scepter to obtaine In spite of all the world and loves owne wrath March through the lowest dungerons of the hels And from a Diademe would breath with pow'r Though all deaths engines brag'd them every houre Yet though such restlesse mindes attaine in th' end The height to which their haughty hearts aspir'd They never can embrace that dreamed blisse Which their deluded thoughts did apprehend Though by the multitude they be admir'd That still to pow'r doth shew it selfe submisse Yet by the soule still further is requir'd Which should seale up th' accomplishment of joy Thus partiall judgements blindely â—yme amisse At things which stand without our reach retir'd Which whilst not ours as treasures we define But not the same whilst we the same enjoy Some things a farre doe like the Glow-worme shine Which look't too neere have of that light no signe No charge on th' earth more weighty to discharge Then that which of a kingdome doth dispose O! those who manage must the reynes of state Till their pale Ghost imbarke in Charons Barge They never need t' attend a true repose How hard is it to please each wans conceit When gaining one they must another lose Thus hardly Kings themselves can evenly beare Whom if severe as cruell subjects hate Contempt dare to the milde it selfe oppose Who spare in time as niggards are despis'd Men from too franke a minde exactions feare Though in all shapes as Proteus us'd disguis'd Kings by some scandall alwaies are surpris'd Yet one might well with every thing comport Which on opinion onely doth depend If further danger follow'd not by deeds But every Monarch Loe in many a sort Death laid in ambush alwaies doth attend Of some by mut'nous swords the life forth bleeds By unsuspected poyson others end Which whilst they alwaies labour to prevent A thousand deaths within their breasts life breeds Loe this is all for which the great contend Who whilst their pride themselves and others spoiles With their dominions doe their cares augment And O vaine man who toylâ—st to double toyles Though
Pluto in th' umbragious Caves There since he will be first made first in hell What with that Tyrant I will straight be even And send his soule to the Tartarian grove Though Iove will not be jealous of his heaven Yet Iuno must be jealous of her Iove And though none in the heavens would do him ill I 'le raise up some in th' earth to haste his death Yea thoâ—â—â— both heaven and earth neglect my will Hâ—ll 〈◊〉 me Ministers of wrath I 'le croâ—◠〈◊〉 and the smoaking lakes To borrow â—â—encâ—â—â—y brothers damned bands The furies arm'd with fire-barands and with Snakes Shall plant their hell where Rome so stately stands Whil'st Furies furious by my fury made Do spare the dead to have the living pin'd O! with what joy will I that Army leade Nought then revenge more calmes a wronged minde I must make this a memorable age By this high vengeance which I have conceiv'd But what though thousands dye t' appease my rage ' So Caesar perish let no soule be sav'd Exeunt Chorus VVE should be loath to grieve the gods Who hold us in a ballance still And as they will May weigh us up or downe Those who by folly foster pride And do deride The terrour of the Thunderers rods In seas of sinne their soules do drowne And others them abhorre as most unjust Who want Religion do deserve no trust How dare fraile flesh presume to rise Whil'st it deserves heavens wrath to prove On th' earth to move Lest that it opening straight Give death and buriall both at once How dare such ones Look up unto the skies For feare to feele the Thunderers weight All th' Elements their Makers will attend As prompt to plague as men are to offend All must be plagu'd who God displease Then whil'st he Bacchus rites did scorne Was Pentheus torne The Delians high disdaine Made Niobe though turn'd a stone With teares still mone And Pallas to appease Arachne weaves loath'd webbes in vaine Heaven hath prepar'd ere ever they begin A fall for pride a punishment for sinne Loe Iuno yet doth still retaine That indignation once conceiv'd For wrong receiv'd From Paris as we finde And for his cause bent to disgrace The Trojan race Doth hold a high disdaine Long layd up in a loftie minde We should abstaine from irritating those Whose thoughts if wrong'd not till reveng'd repose Thus thus for Paris fond desire Who of his pleasures had no part For them must smart Such be the fruits of lust Can heavenly breasts so long time lodge A secret grudge Like Mortals thrall to yre Till justice sometime seemes unjust Of all the furies which afflict the soule Lust and revenge are hardest to controullâ— The Gods give them but rarely rest Who do against their will contend And plagues do spend That fortunate in nought Their sprits quite parted from repose May still expose The stormy troubled brest A prey to each tyrannicke thought All selfe-accusing soules no rest can finde What greater torment then a trouble minde Let us adore th' immortall powers On whose decree of all that ends The state depends That farre from barbarous broiles We of our life this little space May spend in peace Free from afflictions showres Or at the least from guilty toyles Let us of rest the treasure strive to gaine Whithout the which nought can be had but paine Act. 2. Scene 1. Iulius Caesar Marcus Antonius NOw have my hopes attain'd the long'd for heaven In spight of partiall Envies poysnous blasts My Fortune with my courage hath prov'd even No Monument of miscontentment lasts Those who corrival'd me by me o're-throwne Did by their falls give feathers to my flight I in some corner rather live unknowne Then shine in glory and not shine most bright What common is to two rests no more rare In all the world no Phoenix is save one That of my deeds none challenge might a share Would God that I had acted all alone And yet at last I need to mourne no more For envy of the Macedonians praise Since I have equall'd all that went before My deeds in number do exceed my dayes Some earst whose deeds rest registred by Fame Did from their Conquests glorious titles bring But Greatnesse to be great must have my name To be a Caesar is above a King Ant. Those warre-like Nations which did Nations spoile Are by thy Legions to our laws made thrall What can brave mindes not do by time and toyle True magnanimity triumphs o're all Caes Th'out-ragious Gauls who in most monstrous swarmes Went wasting Asia thundering downe all things And Macedony quaking at their Armes Did insolently make and un-make Kings Those Gauls who having the worlds Conquerours foil'd As if the world might not have match'd them then Would sacrilegiously have Delphos spoil'd And warr'd against the Gods contemning men Yea those whose Ancestors our City burn'd The onely people whom the Romanes fear'd By me Romes nursling match'd and o're-match'd mourn'd So what they first eclips'd againe they clear'd Then as to Subjects having given degrees The Gauls no more presuming of their might I wounding Neptunes bosome with wing'd trees Did with the world-divided Britains fight The Germans from their birth inur'd to warre Whose martiall mindes still haughtie thoughts have bred Whil'st neither men nor walls my course could barre Mask'd with my banners saw their Rhene runne red The Easterne Realmes when conqu'ring now of late My comming and o're-comming was but one With little paine ear'st Pompey was call'd great Who fought soft bands whose glorious dayes were gone But what though thousands set ones praises forth For fields which shadows and not swords obtain'd The rate too easie vilifies the worth Save by great paines no glory can be gain'd From dangers past my comfort now proceeds Since all who durst gaine-stand I did o're-come And in few words to comprehend my deeds Rome conquer'd all the world and Caesar Rome Ant. Loe those who striv'd your vertue to suppresse As whose great actions made them jealous still Whil'st labouring but too much to make you lesse Have made you to grow great against your will Great Pompeys pompe is past his glory gone And rigorous Cato by himselfe lyes kill'd Then dastard Cicero more youâ— honours none Thus all your foes are with confusion fill'd The Senatours who could not be asswag'd Long to your prejudice their pow'r abus'd Till at their great ingratitude enrag'd I swore our swords would grant what they refus'd When having scap'd endanger'd and despis'd Brave Curio and I did to your Camp resort In old bare gownes like some base slaves disguis'd All sigh'd to see us wrong'd in such a sort Caes The highest in the heaven who knows all hearts Do know my thoughts as pure as are their Starres And that constrain'd I came from forraine parts To seeme uncivill in the civill warres I mov'd that warre which all the world bemoanes Whil'st urg'd by force to free my selfe from feares Still when my hand gave wounds
my heart gave groanes No Romans bloud was shed but I shed teares But how could any elevated spright Who had for honour hazarded his blood Yeeld willingly by foes outragious spight To be defrauded of th' expected good When as a multitude of battels wonne Had made Romes Empires and my glory great And that the Gauls oft vanquish'd had begun To beare the yoke which they disdain'd of late Then glorious Pompey my proud sonne-in-law And Cato who still cross'd what I design'd From favouring me the people did with-draw And had a successour for spight assign'd Not that he should succeed in dangerous broils But even through envy as they had ordain'd That he might triumph so of all my toils And rob the glory which I dearly gain'd With such indignity who could comport When prizing honour dearer then the light No whil'st my soule rests soverainge of this fort None shall have powâ—r to rob me of my right And yet by Iove who all the world commands To use such violence I did mislike And would have oft abandon'd all my bands If that mine enemies would have done the like But yet the multitude which floting still As waves with windes are carried with conceits With nought but my disgrace would bound their will And I committed all unto the fates Yet when at Rubicon I stood perplex'd And weigh'd the horrour of my high attempt My stormy soule a thousand fancies vex'd Which resolution buried in contempt Ant. Nought in a Captaine more confounds his foes Then of a ventrous course the swift effects Since so quite crush'd ere they their thoughts dispose All good advice a care confus'd neglects Though when you march'd to Rome your pow'r was small The sudden news so thundred in each eare That as if heaven had falne upon them all If bred amazement and th' amazement feare Some secret destiny as then was seene Doth guide mens actions and their judgement bounds Those who by hosts could not have frighted beene A shadow or a rumour oft confounds All hastie dangers so surprise the minde That feare prevents the resolutions power Or else the fates make curious Reason blinde When heavens determin'd have a fatall houre Great Pompey loe who was growne ag'd in armes And had triumph'd o're all the worlds three parts Whil'st quite discourag'd by imagin'd harmes Fled Rome though without reach of th' enemies darts As to a torrent all gave place to you And whom they call'd a rebell made their Lord Your successour Domitius forc'd to bow Did trust your favour more then feare your sword When in th' Iberian bounds you did arrive There Adversaries who did vainly vaunt Had all th' advantage that the ground could give Of victuals plenty which with us were scant Yet the celerity that you had us'd Did so discourage their disordred band That as Iove in their breasts had feare infus'd They had no strength against our strokes to stand And when Romes Generall with brave legions stor'd Seem'd to possesse all that his soule requir'd Whil'st us to daunt both famine and the sword The Sea the Land and all in one conspir'd Then for your offices they did contend As those who of the victory were sure And where they might th' affaires of state attend In Rome for lodgings fondly did procure Yet memorable now that day remaines When all the world was in two Armies rang'd Whil'st Mars went raging through th' Aemathian plaines And to despaires high expectations chang'd When Pompeys partie had the battell lost As Lyons do their prey you did pursue The scattred remnant of that ruin'd host On which new heads still like a Hydra grew Though victory in Africke fatall seem'd To any Army that a Scipio led Yet you shew'd there for worth in warre esteem'd That Rome a better then a Scipio bred And all our Enemies were confounded thus Who us in number ever did surmount But Caesar and his fortune were with us Which we did more then many thousands count Caes The sweetest comfort which my conquests gave Was that I so might do to many good For every day some Romanes life I save Who in the field to fight against me stood Thus may my minde be judg'd by the event Who even when by my greatest foes assail'd To winne the battell never was more bent Then prompt to pardon when I had prevail'd Not covetous of bloud of spoyls nor harmes I even when victor did insult o're none But layd aside all hatred with my Armes A foe in fight a friend when it was gone Of clemency I like the praise more then Of force which mortals with affliction lodes Strength oft may prove the worst thing that 's in men And pity is the best thing in the Gods Sterne Cato still affecting to be free Who either death or life if given disdain'd Thy death I envy who didst envy me The glory that I saving thee had gain'd Yet I to Rents and dignities restore Even those who long my ruine had design'd And O! it doth delight my minde farre more By benefits then by constraint to binde Ant. I would have all my foes brought to their ends Caes I rather have my foes all made my friends Ant. Their bloud whom I suspect'd should quench all strife Caes So might one do who lik'd of nought but life Ant. Still life would be redeem'd from dangers forth Caes Not with a ransome then it selfe more worth Ant. Then life to man what thing more deare succeeds Caes The great contentment that true glory breeds Ant. Men by all meanes this blast of breath prolong Caes Men should strive to live well not to live long And I would spend this momentary breath To live by fame for ever after death For I aspire in spight of fates to live Ant. I feare that some too soone your death contrive Caes Who dare but lodge such thoughts within their mindes Ant. Those whom the shadow of your Greatnesse blindes Caes The best are bound to me by gifts in store Ant. But to their Countrey they are bound farre more Caes Then loath they me as th' Enemy of the state Ant. Who freedome love you as usurper hate Caes I by great battels have enlarg'd their bounds Caes By that they thinke your pow'r too muchy abounds Caes From doing wrong yet I refraine my will Ant. They feare your powe'r because it may do ill Caes The present state still miscontentment brings To factious mindes affecting matters strange Which burdens to themselves do loath all things And so they change regard not what they change In populous Townes where many do repaire Who at their meeting what they please do touch They further then their bounds extend their care The idle who do nothing must thinke much Loe Rome though wasted all with raging warres Whil'st private grudge pretended publike good Equality still rude engendring jarres Did prove too prodigall of Roman blood Though yet now at the last attaining rest Whil'st all obeying one may banish teares It if constrain'd even scorns as bad
the best This word necessity so wounds the eares The insolent with vile seditious words Who trembled whil'st they heard the Trumpets sound Stirre now their tongues as we did then our swords And what Mars spar'd make Mercury confound The people thus in time of peace agree To curbe the great men still even in that forme As in calme dayes they do disbranch the Tree Which shrowded them of late against a storme But now I look'd brave deeds appeasing spight That bursted Envy should for anguish dye Darke shadows as asham'd do vanish quite When at his height bright Phoebus cleares the skie And though their hatred deeply they disguise Yet can they not so hide enflam'd desires But that their spight rests sparkling through their eyes And boasts to burst out straight in open fires Ant. Since first great Caesar I discern'd thy worth On all thy actions I did still attend And what some whisper must speake freely forth Franke admonitions do become a friend The men who do suspect that you aspire Of government the present forme to change All in their soules your ruine do conspire And their affections farre from you estrange Since chast Lucretia by proud Tarquin stain'd Wash'd with her bloud the violated bed Whil'st by his pow'r Rome basely was constrain'd All to obey which his curst braine had bred This government which some tyrannicke call Doth sound so odious in the peoples eares That they as Tyrants vile detest them all Whose greatnesse gives them any cause of feares Caes I not affect the title of a King For love of glory or desire of gaine Nor for respect of any private thing But that the State may by my travels gaine You know Sibylla's books which never faile In many mindes have an opinion bred That o're the Parthians Rome cannot prevaile Till by a Prince her valorous Bands be led For as confusion is the fruit we finde Of those affaires which divers thoughts dispose So Soveraignty match'd with a gallant minde Breeds reverence in ones owne feare to his foes And O! it grieves me that these steps of ours Have trod so oft on many a millions necks Whil'st yet the Parthian vilipends our pow'rs And all our victories not vanquish'd checks Ah! should a Generall of the Roman race Be by Barbarians kill'd and not reveng'd And should his Ensignes signes of our disgrace Rest in the ranke of conquer'd relicts rang'd No no wretch'd Crassus now thy selfe content I le pacifie thy Ghost with Parthians spoyles My boyling fancies have beene alwayes bent To match the matchlesse daunt th' undaunted soiles Ant. With victories quite cloi'd will you not then Your safety once more then new warres respect Caes No though I have surmounted other men My fancies yet do greater things affect In emulation of my selfe at last I even with envy look on my owne deeds And bent to make the new surpasse things past Now to my minde stale praise no pleasure breeds Ant. The world hath seene thee great man for Romes good In danger oft of many a dangerous shelfe Whil'st for her glory thou engag'd thy bloud Of others carefull carelesse of thy selfe Caes Though whil'st in th'Aprill of my blooming age I from the vulgar rate redeem'd my name Some with my deeds did burden youths hot rage And an ambitious appetite of Fame Yet since the coldnesse of declining yeares Boasts to congeale the bloud which boil'd of late Whil'st loe my life the Sunne of glory cleares Who now of all the world am knowne most great I cannot covet that thing which I have I have all honour that can be requir'd And now as that which wants would onely crave To taste the pleasures of a life retyr'd But save to serve the State for nought I strive For O! neglecting th' ecchoes of renowne I could content my selfe unknowne to live A private man with a Plebeian gowne Since Anthonie thus for the state I care And all delights which Nature loves disdaine Go and in time the peoples mindes prepare That as the rest I may the title gaine Yet indirectly at the first assay To what their doubtfull mindes do most incline But as without my knowledge that they may All marke your minde and yet not thinke of mine Exeunt Act. 2. Scene 2. Cicero Decius Brutus DId I survive th' impetuous Scilla 's rage And in a torrent of destruction stood Whil'st Tyrants did make Rome a tragicke stage Through a voluptuous appetite of bloud Scap'd I confusion in a time so bad Of liberty and honour once to taste That bondage now might make my soule more sad By the remembrance of my fortunes past What though I once when first by Fame made knowne From Catilines strange treason did preserve This Towne when free from foes thrall'd by her owne Since now the world from equity doth swerve A sparke of that conspiracy I spie As yet not quench'd to have our state imbroil'd Which Rome to burne makes many flames to flie Thus one was spar'd that we might all be spoil'd O worthy Cato in whose matchlesse minde Three rarely match'd things Nature did reveale Wit Honesty and Courage which design'd A Citizen for Plato's common-weale Whil'st courteous Pompey did things as a friend Thou as a wise-man spoke and still fore-told To what all Caesars deeds would turne in th' end If that his pride were not in time controld And had we him as wisely thou advis'd Given to the Germans whom he had injur'd We had not now beene thus like slaves despisd To see Rome's glory and our owne obscur'd But yet I may disbending former cares A space comport with that proud Tyrants pow'r Age gives assurance by my hoarey haires Ere he Romes freedome death will me devour But all whose youth and sprite might have attain'd Those dignities which Caesar hath undone O! ye have lost as much as he hath gain'd Whose rising hopes must be retrench'd so soone Dec. Though if novations at the first seeme strange Yet oft experience approbation brings And if with upright thoughts we weigh this change From thence the safety of our City springs As doth a ship when toss'd by severall windes More danger runne whil'st Pylots do contest So was our City vex'd by differing mindes Who did interpret laws as pleas'd them best Whil'st for one sicknesse divers drugges are us'd Whose pow'rs repugnant in digestion jarre Th' impatient patients perish when abus'd So did we long whil'st cross'd by civill warre But now great Caesar from tempestuous windes Romes scattered ruines recollects of late A Pilot meet to calme tumultuous mindes A fit Physitian for an aguish State Cic. The State from stormes secure by drowning proves Now whil'st despaire doth doubtfull feares appease He with the life the sicknesse quite removes Thus is the Physick worse then the Disease This Common-weale as all the world did spie Was by proud spirits in civill warres involv'd Yet like black Clouds which would obscure the skie These tumid humours suddenly dissolv'd And no disgrace unto the state redounds
just himselfe more strong Then Caesar thought who for no justice car'd And since discovering what he cloak'd so long Said that the other and not he was snar'd Thus Caesar conquer'd all but Cato's minde Who to a tyrant would not owe his breath But in such sort his famous course confin'd Then Caesars life more glorious was his death Those great men thus brought to disastrous ends The author of their death make me despise Who to usurpe all pow'r while as he tends By treading good men downe doth strive to rise Now made most great by lessening all the great He proudly doth triumph in Rome o're Rome And we must seeme to like the present state Whose doubtfull breath depends upon his doome Yet had I not enlarg'd my griefes so long To you whom Caesar doth pretend to love Save that I know touch'd with the common wrong A just disdaine all generous mindes must move Dec. Had Caesar willingly resign'd his Armes And rendred Rome her liberty at last When as from fores he fear'd no further harmes But had repair'd his just displeasures past More then for all that could be done for me He should have had and Altar in my best As worthy for his vertuous deeds to be Fear'd by the bad and honour'd by the best But since though conqu'ring all the world by might He to himselfe a slave would make Rome thrall His benefits are loathsome in my sight And I am griev'd that he deserves to fall My fancies move not in so low a sphere But I disdaine that one Romes Crowne requires Yet it is best that with the time we beare And with our pow'r proportion our desires Though first dissembling so your minde to try I told what fame to Caesars praise relates Yet was I pleas'd that moe were griev'd then I All miscontented men are glad of Mates Cic. Since tyranny all liberty exiles We must our sleves no more our selves disguise Then learne to maske a mourning minde with smiles And seeme to like that which we most despise Yet all our deeds not Caesars humour please Who since mistrusting once esteemes us still When dumb disdainefull flatterers when we praise If plaine presumptuous and in all things ill Yea we whose freedome Caesar now restraines As his attenders all his steps must trace And know yet not acknowledge his disdaines But still pretend an interest in his grace Though all my thoughts detest him as a foe To honour him a thousand meanes I move Yet but to save my selfe and plague him so No hate more harmes then it that lookes like love His pride is by prepost'rous state growne such That by the better sort he is abhorr'd The gods are jealous and men envy much To see a mortall man so much ador'd Dec. Well Cicero let all meanes be entertain'd That may embarke us in his bosomes deepes Till either willingly or then constrain'd He justly quite what he unjustly keepes Exeunt Chorus THis life of ours is like a Rose Which whilst rare beauties it array Doth then enjoy the least repose When Virgin-like make blush we see Of every hand it is the prey And by each winde is blowne away Yea though from violence scap'd free Thus time triumphs and leades all thrals Yet doth it languish and decay O! whilst the courage hottest boiles And that our life seemes best to be It is with dangers compast still Whilst it each little change appalles The body force without oft foiles It th' owne distemp'rature oft spoiles And even though none it chance to kill As nature failes the body falles Of which save death nought bounds the ioyles What is this moving Towr in whith we trust A little winde clos'd in a cloud of dust And yet some sprites though being pent In this fraile prisons narrow bounds Whilst what might serve doth not content Doe alwaies bend their thoughts too high And ayme at all the peopled grounds Then whilst their brests Ambition wounds They feed as fearing straight to dye Yet build as if they still might live Whilst famish'd for fames empty sounds Of such no end the travell ends But a beginning gives whereby They may be vex'd worse then before For whilst they still new hopes contrive The hoped good more anguish sends Then the possess'd contentment lends As beasts not taste but doe devoure They swallow much and for more strive Whilst still their hope some change attends And how can such but still themselves annoy Who can acquire but know not how t' enjoy Since as a ship amidst the deepes Or as an Eagle through the ayre Of which no way th' impression keepes Most swift when seeming least to move This breath of which we take such care Doth tosse the body every where That it may hence with haste remove Life slips and sleepes alwayes away Then hence and as it came goes bare Whose steppes behinde no trace doe leave Why should heaven-banish'd soules thus love The cause and bounds of their exile As restlesse strangers where they stray And with such paine why should they reave That which they have no right to have Which with them in a little while As summers beauties must decay And can give nought except the grave Though all things doe to harme him what they can No greater enemie then himselfe to man Whilst oft environ'd with his foes Which threatned death on every side Great Caesar parted from repose As Atlas holding up the Starres Did of a world the weight abide But since a prey to foolish pride More then by all the former warres He now by it doth harm'd remaine And of his fortune doth diffide Made rich by many Nations wreake He breaking through the liquid barres In Neptunes armes his Minion forc'd Yet still pursu'd new hopes in vaine Would the ambitious looling backe Of their inferiours knowledge take They from huge cares might be divorc'd Whilst viewing few more pow'r attaine And many more then they to lacke The onely plague from men that rest doth reave Is that they weigh their wants not what they have Since thus the great themselves involve In such a labyrinth of cares Whence none to scape can well resolve But by degrees are forward led Through waves of hopes rockes of despaires Let us avoyd ambitions snares And farre from stormes by envy bred Still seeke though low a quiet rest With mindes where no proud thought repaires That in vaine shadowes doth delight Thus may our fancies still be fed With that which Nature freely gives Let us iniquity detest And hold but what we owe of right Th' eyes treasure is th' all-circling light Not that vaine pompe for which pride strives Whose glory but a poysnous pest To plague the soule delights the sight Ease comes with ease where all by paine buy paine Rest we in peace by warre let others raigne Act 3. Scene 1. Caius Cassius Marcus Brutus NOw Brutus now we need no more to doubt Nor with blinde hopes our judgement to suspend That flatt'rers credit loe is quite worne
out We must in time attempt and not attend That race of victors which did Realmes appall Ah vanquish'd by their victories at last Are by their too much liberty made thrall Since all their strength but down themselves doth cast And we who by our birth aym'd at great things Of the worlds mistresse mighty minions once Who might have labour'd to give lawes to Kings Lawes from a King must looke for now with grones For such of Caesar is the monstrous pride That though he domineers even at this houre And to his Clients kingdomes doth divide With an unlimited tyrannicke pow'r Yet of Dictator he disdaines the name And seekes a tyrants title with the place Not for his honour no but for our shame As onely bent bragge of our disgrace Marc. Brut. I thought to see that man as others are Walke re-apparrell'd with a private gowne As one who had unwillingly made warre To stand himselfe not to cast others downe So Silla though more inhumane then he Whilst having all to what his heart aspir'd The Soveraignty resign'd and set Rome free When expectations date was quite expir'd By Caesars worth we must thinke that he too Will render freedome to this captiv'd state When first the world hath view'd what he might doe His thoughts are generous as his minde is great Though insolencies oft from courage flow His dying fury sparkles but a space High thoughts which Mars inspires nought can bring low Till one have us'd the purity of peace Those who by violence to all things tend Scâ—râ—â— can themselves to quietnesse conforme Their stately carriage and franke words offend Whil'st peace cannot comport with warres rude forme I hope that Caesar setling civill broyles When worne by custome from intestine rage Will strive to mitigate his Countries toyles And all those flames which burn'd his brest asswage Ca. Cassius Thus of his course you by your owne conceiv'd As if like thoughts of both did bound the will Ah honest mindes are with least paine deceiv'd Those who themselves are good dreame not of ill To sound of some the still unsound device Their inclination must your judgement sway The square of vertue cannot measure vice Nor yet a line when straight a crooked way So Caesar rising may usurpe the State He cares not by what force nor by what sleight O! one may soone deceive men and grow great Who leaves religion honesty and right When as the Senators no more their owne Came to that Tyrant whom ambition blindes And by high honours shew'd how they had shownâ— To gratifie his greatnesse gratefull mindes He in a Chayre imperiously plac'd Not daign'd to rise nor bow in any sort As both of them had but their due embrac'd When he a haughty they a humble port But if he thus ere we be throughly thrall'd Dare so disdainefully such great men use When in a regall Throne by us enstall'd Then will he breake that which he now doth bruise Was he not first who ever yet began To violate the sacred Tribunes place And punish'd them for punishing a man Who had transgress'd the lawes in time of peace The lawes which doe of death all guilty hold Whose actions seeme to tyranny inclin'd So earnest were our Ancestors of old To quench a tyrants light before it shin'd And shall our Nephewes heires of bondage blame Vs dastard parents who their hopes deceiv'd Who saw who suff'red who surviv'd such shame Not leaving dead what we when borne receiv'd By Caesars friends to an assembly brought The Senators intend to call him King Brut. I 'le not be there Cass But what if we be sought To ayde as Pretors such a publike thing Brut. I will resist that violent decree None of Romes Crowne shall long securely boast For ere that I live thrall'd I 'le first dye free What can be kept when liberty is lost Cass O! with what joy I swallow up those words Words worthy of thy worth and of thy name But Brutus doe not feare this cause affords In danger many but few mates in fame When Anthony proud Caesars image crown'd By silent sorrow all the people told In what a depth of woes their thoughts were drown'd That bondage-bragging Comet to behold What doe those scroules throwne in thy chaire import Which what thou art to brave thy courage brings Be those the fancies of the vulgar sort No none but noble mindes dreame of great things Of other Pretors people looke for showes And distributions whose remembrance dyes Whilst bloudy Fencers fall with mutuall blowes And Africkes monsters doe amaze their eyes But from thy hands they liberty attend By birth-right due the glory of thy race And bent for thee their bloud will frankely spend So thou succeed in thy great Parents place He Rome redeeming Tarquin did o'rethrow Though from his birth obey'd and without strife A rising tyrant then bring boldly low To what extinguish'd was who would give life Brut. I weigh thy words with an afflicted heart Which for compassion of my Country bleeds And would to God that I might onely smart So that all others scap'd what mischiefe breeds Then never man himselfe from death did free With a more quiet and contented minde Then I would perish if I both could be To Caesar thankefull to my Country kinde But though that great mans grace to me enlarg'd May chalenge right in my affections store Yet must the greatest debt be first discharg'd I owe him much but to my Country more This is my brest hath great dissension bred I Caesar love but yet Romes enemy hate And as Iove lives I could be mov'd to shed My bloud for Caesar Caesars for the State I for my fathers death loath'd Pompey long Whilst just disdaine did boyle within my brest Yet when he warr'd to venge the common wrong I joyn'd with him because his cause was best A minde to raigne if Caesar now reveale I will in time precipitate his end Thus never arm'd but for the Common-weale I help'd a foe and now must hurt a friend Cas Lest of his favour thou the poyson prove From swallowing of such baites in time now spare No tyrant trust me can intirely love Nor none who for himselfe doth onely care He by this course doth cunningly intend Thy vertue slack'd to undermine thy minde Thy well-knowne courage purpos'd to disbend Thus though with silken bonds he would thee binde This of each tyrant is the common tread To wreake all those in whom most worth he findes Or whilst that terrours tosse his jealous head By subtilty to snare the greatest mindes As for the Pretor-ship when we did strive Then both were held in hope that so deceiv'd Each th 'others harmes might study to contrive Through emulation and disdaine conceiv'd Thus subtile Caesar by such sleights hath toild To sow dissension that we both might pause Of private wrongs and by such meanes imbroil'd Still courting him neglect the common cause But nought must make us th' one t'another strange Who should in time
harme more fear'd I alwayes so contentment might attaine What tombe to men more glorious can be rear'd Then mountaines made of foes whom they have slaine But how are my transported thoughts growne such That they disdaine a measure to admit Whilst bent not what to doe but to doe much On Glories Throne Ambition strives to sit No to the State me from my selfe I give Free from particulars as who expose Fame life and all for it and whilst I live So Rome may gaine I care not what I lose I 'le never rest till he for ever rest Who gives my Country such a cause of griefe And that to doe no forme I will detest Nor for my fame endanger Romes reliefe But worthy Cassius ere we further doe Let our friends mindes first well be understood Of which I hope to have assistance too Who will not venture for his Countries good Cas Now whilst my soule rests ravish'd in a trance I thinke I see great Rome her courage raise Then beat the ayre with songs th' earth with a dance And crowne thy vertues with deserved praise Act. 3. Scene 2. Marcus Brutus Portia MY dearest halfe my comfort my delight Of whom one smyle may sweeten all my sow'rs Thou in my bosome us'd to powre thy spright And where I was didst spare afflictions pow'rs When broils domesticke did disturbe thy rest Then still till finding faining some reliefe Thou with calme words disguis'd a stormy brest Ioyes frankly sharing and engrossing griefe Still tend'ring me with a respective care What might offend was by no meanes made knowne But with loves colours all things painted faire What might have made me glad was gladly showne How com'st thou then thy courage thus to lose That thou canst look so sad and in my sight Lend me deare Love a portion of thy woes A burden when divided doth grow light I see the Roses fading in thy face The Lilies languish Violets take their place Port. Thou hast deare Lord prevented my designe Which was to aske of thee what makes me pale If Phoebus had no light could Phoebe shine No with the cause of force th' effects must faile The mirrour but gives backe as it receives By just resemblance the objected forme And what impression the ingraver leaves The waxe retains still to the stamp conforme I am the mirrour which reflects thy minde As forc'd from thoughts or flowing from thine eyes I take the state in which thy state I finde Such is my colour as thy count'nance dyes Then how can I rejoyce whil'st thou art sad Whose breast of all thy crosses is the scroule I am still as thou art if griev'd or glad Thy bodies shadow th' essence of thy soule On that great Planet which divides the yeares Of fields inferiour as the fruit depends And as it vanish doth or pleas'd appeares In th' earths cold bosome life begins or ends Sunne of my soule so I subsist by thee Whose shining vertue leades me as a thrall From care-bred clouds if that thy face be free I rise in joyes but if thou faint I fall Brut. With all my course this count'nance best accords Who as you know yet never from my birth Light gestures us'd nor did delight in words Whose pleasant straines were onely tun'd to mirth My melancholy Nature feeds on cares Whil'st smothred sorrow by a habite smokes A thought-full breast when burden'd with affaires Doth make a silent mouth and speaking looks As for my palenesse it imports but good The bodies humbling doth exalt the minde Where fatnesse come from food but serves for food In fattest bodies leanest sprits we finde Ah! since I saw th' abhorr'd Thessalia's bounds All drench'd with bloud of Senatours and Kings As if my soule yet smarted in their wounds A secret sorrow often-times me stings But since thy Father braving paine with blows In the most hideous forme affronted death To him my minde a sad remembrance owes Which sorrow shall exact whil'st I have breath Yet grieve I that I gave thee cause of griefe Who thoughtst some new mishap did me dismay To such old sores one worst can give reliefe But Time in end may weare my woes away Por. Why should'st thou so from me thy thoughts conceale From thine own soule between whose breasts thou sleep'st To whom though showne thou dost them not reveale But in thy selfe more inwardly them keep'st And thou canst hardly hide thy selfe from me Who soone in thee each alteration spie I can comment on all that comes from thee True love still looks with a suspitious eye Within our bosome rests not every thought Tun'd by a sympathie of mutuall love Thou marr'st the Musicke if thou change in ought Which when distemper'd I do quickly prove Soule of my soule unfold what is amisse Some great disaster all my thoughts divine Whose curiousnesse may be excus'd in this Since it concerns thy State and therefore mine Brut. I wonder that thou dost thy frailtie show By Nature women have beene curious still And yet till now thou never crav'd to know More then I pleas'd to speak of my free will Nought save the wife a man within the walls Nor ought save him without she should embrace And it not comely is but th' one enthralls When any sexe usurpes anothers place Deare to their wonted course thy cares inure I may have matters which import the State Whose op'ning up might my disgrace procure Whose weight for femall thoughts would be too great Port. I was not Brutus match'd with thee to be A partner onely of thy boord and bed Each servile whore in those might equall me Who but for pleasure or for wealth did wed No Portia spous'd thee minding to remaine Thy Fortunes partner whether good or ill By loves strict bonds whil'st mutuall duties chaine Two breasts must hold one heart two souls one will Those whom just Hymen voluntar'ly bindes Betwixt them should communicate all things But chiefly that which most doth move the mindes Whence either pleasure or displeasure springs If thus thou seek thy sorrows to conceale Through a disdaine or a mistrust of me Then to the world what way can I reveale How great a matter I would do for thee And though our sexe too talkative be deem'd As those whose tongues import our greatest pow'rs For secrets still bad Treasurers esteem'd Of others greedy prodigall of ours Good education may reforme defects And this may leade me to a vertuous life Whil'st such rare patterns generous worth respects I Cato's daughter am and Brutus wife Yet would I not repose my trust in ought Still thinking that thy crosse was great to beare Till I my courage to a tryall brought Which suffering for thy cause can nothing feare For first to try how that I could comport With sterne afflictions sprit-enfeebling blows Ere I would seek to vex thee in this sort To whom my soule a dutious reverence owes Loe here a wound which makes me not to smart No I rejoyce that thus my strength is knowne Since thy
distresse strikes deeper in my heart Thy griefe lifes joy makes me neglect mine owne Brut. Thou must deare love that which thou sought'st receive Thy heart so high a saile in stormes still beares That thy great courage doth deserve to have Our enterprise entrusted to thine eares This magnanimitie prevailes so farre That it my resolution must controule And of my bosome doth the depths unbarre To lodge thee in the centre of my soule Thou seest in what estate the State now stands Of whose strong pillars Caesar spoyl'd the best Whil'st by his owne preventing others hands Our famous Father fell amongst the rest That proud usurper fondly doth presume To re-erect detested Tarquins throne Thus the worlds Mistresse all-commanding Rome Must entertaine no Minion now but one All those brave mindes who mark where he doth tend Swell with disdaine their Countries scorne to see And I am one of those who soone intend His death or mine procur'd to be made free Port. And without me canst thou resolve so soone To try the danger of a doubtfull strife As if despair'd and alwayes but undone Of me growne weary weary of thy life Yet since thou thus thy rash designe hast showne Leave Portia's portion venter not her part Endanger nought but that which is thine owne Go where thou lik st I will hold still thy heart But lest by holding of thy best part back The other perish't aggravate my grones Who would be so thought guilty of thy wrack Take all thy Treasure to the Seas at once Like Asia's Monarchs wife who with short haires Sad signes of bondage past still where he past To weare away or beare away thy cares I 'le follow thee and of thy fortune taste These hands which were with mine own bloud imbru'd To strike another may more strength afford At least when thou by th' enemies art pursu'd I 'le set my selfe betwixt thee and each Sword But if too great a priviledge I claime Whose actions all should be dispos'd by thee Ah! pardon Brutus and but onely blame This streame of passions that transported me Brut. Thou ask'st what thou shouldst give forgive deare Mate This ventrous course of mine which must have place Though it make Fortune Tyrant of our State Whose fickle foot-steps Vertue grieves to trace And wonder not though thus to thee I prove Since private duties now all pow'r have lost I weigh not glory profit pleasure love Nor what respect may now import me most So to the land of which I hold my life I may performe that worke which I intend Let me be call'd unkinde unto my wife Yea worst of all ingrate unto my friend As an instinct by Nature makes us know There are degrees of duty to be past Of which the first unto the Gods we owe The next t' our Countrey to our friends the last From Rome of old proud Tyrants bent to drive Did th' author of my race with ardent zeale Make those to dye whom he had made to live And spoil'd himselfe to raise the Common-weale To settle that which Caesar now o're-throws Though vertues nurserie stately whil'st it stood He with the Tyrant inter-changing blows On Glories Altar offered Fame his bloud And did that man to crosse the common foe Then damne his Sonnes to death and with dry eyes And is his speciall heire degener'd so In abject bondage that he basely lyes No his posterity his name not staines But even to tread his steps doth fast draw neare Yet of his sprit in us some spark remaines Who more then life our liberty hold deare Port. Then prosecute thy course for I protest Though with some griefe my soule the same approves This resolution doth become thy brest In honours spheare where heavenly Vertue moves And do this enterprise no more deferre What thee contents to me contentment brings I to my life thy safety do preferre But hold thy honour deare above all things It would but let the world my weaknesse see If I sought my delights not thy desires Though griefe it give and threaten death to me Go follow forth that which thy Fame requires Though Nature sexe and education breed No power in me with such a purpose even I must lend help to this intended deed If vows and pray'rs may penetrate the heaven But difficulties huge my fancie findes Nought save the successe can defray my feare Ah! Fortune alwayes frownes on worthy mindes As hating all who trust in ought save her Yet I despaire not but thou may'st prevaile And by this course to ease my present grones I this advantage have which cannot faile I le be a free-mans wife or else be nones For if all prosper not as we pretend And that the Heavens Romes bondage do decree Straight with thy liberty my life shall end Who have no comfort but what comes from tâ—â—â— My Father hath me taught what way to dye By which if hindred from encountring death Some other meanes I though more strange must try For after Brutus none shall see me breathe Brut. Thou for my cause all others earst didst leave But now forsak'st thy selfe to joyne with me Ore generous love no pow'r weake passions have Against thy minde thou dost with mine agree I le since by thee approv'd securely go And vilipend the dangers of this life Heavens make my enterprise to prosper so That I may once prove worthy such a wife But ah of all thy words those grieve me most Which bragge me with the dating of thy dayes What though I in so good a cause were lost None flies the fate which stablish'd for him stayes Do not defraud the world of thy rare worth But of thy Brutus the remembrance love From this faire prison strive not to breake forth Till first the fates have forc'd thee to remove Port. The heavens I feare have our confusion sworn Since this ill Age can with no good accord Thou and my Father ah should have beene borne When Vertue was advanc'd and Vice abhorr'd Then ere the light of Vertue was declin'd Your worth had reverenc'd beene not throwne away Where now ye both have but in darknesse shin'd As Starres by night that had beene Sunnes by day Brut. My treasure strive to pacifie thy brest Lest sorrows but sinistrously presage That which thou would'st not wish and hope the best Though Vertue now must act on Fortunes Stage Exeunt Chorus THen liberty of earthly things What more delights a generous brest Which doth receive And can conceive The matchlesse treasure that it brings It making men securely rest As all perceive Doth none deceive Whil'st from the same true courage springs But fear'd for nought doth what seemes best Then men are men when they are all their owne Not but by others badges when made knowne Yet should we not mispending houres A freedome seeke as oft it falls With an intent But to content These vaine delights and appetites of ours For then but made farre greater thralls We might repent As not still pent In stricter bounds
by others pow'rs Whil'st feare licentious thoughts appalls Of all the Tyrants that the world affords Ones owne affections are the fiercest Lords As Libertines those onely live Who from the bands of vice set free Vile thoughts cancell And would excell In all that doth true glory give From which when as no Tyrants be Them to repell And to compell Their deeds against their thoughts to strive They blest are in a high degree For such of fame the scrouls can hardly fill Whose wit is bounded by anothers will Our Ancestors of old such prov'd Who Rome from Tarquines yoke redeem'd They first obtain'd And then maintain'd Their liberty so dearly lov'd They from all things which odious seem'd Though not constrain'd Themselves restrain'd And willingly all good approv'd Bent to be much yet well esteem'd And how could such but ayme at some great end Whom liberty did leade Glory attend They leading valorous legions forth Though wanting Kings triumph'd o're Kings And still aspir'd By Mars inspir'd To conquer all from South to North Then lending fame their Eagles wings They all acquir'd That was requir'd To make them rare for rarest things The world made witnesse of their worth Thus those great mindes who domineer'd o're all Did make themselves first free then others thrall But we who hold nought but their name From that to which they in times gone Did high ascend Must low descend And bound their glory with our shame Whil'st on an object Tyrants Throne We base attend And do intend Vs for our fortune still to frame Not it for us and all for one As liberty a courage doth impart So bondage doth disbend else breake the heart Yet O! who knows but Rome to grace Another Brutus may arise Who may effect What we affect And Tarquines steps make Caesar trace Though seeming dangers to despise He doth suspect What we expect Which from his breast hath banish'd peace Though fairely he his feares disguise Of Tyrants even the wrong revenge affords All feare but theirs and they feare all mens swords Act. 4. Scene 1. Decius Brutus Albinus Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius DEare Cosin Cassius did acquaint mine eares With a designe which toss'd my minde a space For when strange news a strangers breath first beares One should not straight to rash reports give place I would not then discover what I thought Lest he to trap my tongue a snare had fram'd Till first with thee I to conferre was brought Whom he for Patron of his purpose nam'd One should look well to whom his minde he leaves In dangerous times when tales by walls are told Men make themselves unnecessar'ly slaves Of those to whom their secrets they unfold Mar. Brut. As Cassius told thee griev'd for Romes distresse Which to our shame in bondage doth remaine We straight intend what ever we professe With Caesars bloud to wash away this staine Though for this end a few sufficient are To whom their vertue courage doth impart Yet were we loth to wrong thy wroth so farre As of such glory to give thee no part Since both this cause yea and thy name thee binde In this adventrous band to be compris'd There needs no Rhetoricke to raise thy minde To do the thing which thou shouldst have devis'd Dec. Brut. I thought no creature should my purpose know But he whose intrest promis'd mutuall cares Of those to whom one would his secret show No greater pledge of trust then to know theirs As when two meet whil'st mask'd though most deare friends With them as strangers no respect takes place But straight when friend-ship one of them pretends The other likewise doth un-cloud the face So as thou first I 'le now at last be bold My brest with the same birth long bigge hath gone But I to others durst it not unfold Nor yet attempt to compasse it alone But since this course at which I long did pause On such great pillars now so strongly stands Whose count'nance may give credit to a cause It hath my heart and it shall have my hands Ca. Cass To our designes propitious signes are sent So that the Gods would give us courage thus For all who ever heard of our intent Would willingly engage themselves with us Let other men discourse of vertuous rites Ours but by action onely should be showne Bare speculation is but for such sprits As want of pow'r or courage keeps unknowne In those who vertue view when crown'd with deeds Through Glories glasse whose beauties long have shin'd To be embrac'd an high desire she breeds As load-stones iron so ravishing the minde What though a number now in darknesse lyes Who are too weak for matters of such weight We who are eminent in all mens eyes Let us still hold the height of honour straight Mar. Brut. Earst that our faction might be strengthned thus I labour'd much to purchase all their pow'rs Whom hate to Caesar love to Rome or us Might make imbarke in those great hopes of ours By sicknesse then imprison'd in his bed Whil'st I Ligarius spy'd whom paines did pricke When I had said with words that anguish bred In what a time Ligarius art thou sick He answer'd straight as I had Physicke brought Or that he had imagin'd my designe If worthie of thy selfe thou would'st do ought Then Brutus I am whole and wholly thine Since he by Caesar was accus'd of late For taking Pompey's part yet at this houre He though absolv'd doth still the Tyrant hate Since once endanger'd by his lawlesse pow'r Thus of great sprits exasperating spites Heaven of our course the progresse doth direct One inspiration all our soules incites Who have advis'dly sworne for one effect Dec. Brut. So I with Cicero did conferre at length Who I perceive the present state detests And though old Age diminish'd hath his strength In him a will to free his Countrey rests Mar. Bru. That man whose love still to his countrey shin'd Would willingly the common-wealth restore Then he I know though he conceals his minde None Caesar more dislikes nor likes us more Yet to his custody I 'le not commit The secrets of our enterprise so soone Men may themselves be often-times not fit To do the things which they would wish were done He still was timorous and by age growne worse Might chance to lay our honour in the dust All Cowards must inconstant be of force With bold designes none fearfull breasts should trust Then some of ours would hold their hands still pure Who ere they be suspected for a space Amid'st the tumult may remaine secure And with the people mediate our peace But who then Tullius fitter for that turne Whose eloquence is us'd to charme their eares His banishment they in black Gownes did mourne Whom all do honour for his worth and yeares Cai. Cass Those studious wits which have through dangers gone Would still be out ere that they enter in Who muse of many things resolve of none And thinking of the end cannot begin The minde which looks
presage my fall It a sooth-sayer likewise hath divin'd The Sacrifice prodigious seemes to all So that till this disastrous day be gone All company I purpose to disuse And to the Senators will send some one To paint my absence with a faire excuse Dec. Brut. Doe not repose on superstitious signes You to suspect the people thus to bring Whilst Soveraigne-like you limit their designes Seeme not a tyrant seeking to be King How can we satisfie the worlds conceâ—t Whose tongue still in all eares your praise proclaimes Or shall we bid them leave to deale in state Till that Calphurnia first have better dreames If that this day you private would remaine The Senate to dissolve your selfe must goe And then incontinent come backe againe When you have showne to it some reverence so Caes With thy advise as pow'rfull I agree The Senatours shall have no cause to grudge A little space all part a space from me And I 'le be shortly ready to dislodge Caesar alone VVHence comes this huge and admirable change That in my brest hath uncouth thoughts infus'd Doth th' earth then earst yeeld terrors now more strange Or but my minde lesse courage then it us'd What spightfull fate against my state contends That I must now to fancied plagues give place By toes not mov'd afraid amongst my friends By warre secure endanger'd but by peace When strongest troopes to fight with me did come Then did my heart the highest hopes conceive I warr'd with many many to o're-come The greatest bâ—ttels greatest glory gave As th' enemies numbers still my courage grew Through depths of dangers oft times have I past Yet never did those boundlesse labours rue To have none greater first none equall last When bragging Gauls mov'd by their neighbours fals Had from the fields no from my fury fled And hid themselves with Armes their Armes with walles Whilst I my troupes before Alexia led Then though there swarm'd forth from the bounds about Huge hosts to compasse me enflam'd with wrath That the besiegers all besieg'd about Seem'd drawne by danger in the nets of death No way I who could with the pride comport That those Barbarians by vaine vaunts bewray'd Did re-assault th' assaulters in such sort That words by wounds wounds were by death repayd Of those within the towne to ease their toyles Till quite o're-com'd their comming was not knowne Who straight upbraided by the barb'rous spoiles Did yeeld themselves as if with them o're-throwne By liquid legions whilst with tumid boasts The Trident-bearer striv'd my spoiles to beare Though threatned thrise amid'st his humid hosts Still courage scorn'd to thinke of abject feare I us'd those Pyrats who had me deceiv'd Still as my servants thundring threatnings forth And gave them money more then they had crav'd Whose ignorance too meanely priz'd my worth Yet gathering ships I stay'd not long a shore But trac'd their steps though they not pav'd the way And taking them as I had vow'd before By nought but death their ransome would defray Then when without th' advice of others mindes Through hoary waves I past alone by night Whilst in a little Barke against great windes That even the Pilot lookâ—t not for the light The waves themselves asunder seem'd to teare That in their gravell I might chuse a grave And cry stall arches did above me reare That I a Tombe fit for my state might have Whilst dangers seem'd to merit Caesars death As Neptune rais'd his head I rais'd my heart And she wing what I was with constant breath To weake Amiclas courage did impart Was I not once amid'st large Nilus slote Whilst me to wound a wood of darts did flye Yet swim'd so carelesse of my enemies shot That in my hand I held some papers dry With open dangers thus in every place I whilst oft compass'd both by Sea and Land Did undismay'd looke horrour in the face As borne for nought but onely to command But since a world of victories have fill'd With Trophees Temples Theaters with my praise That bath'd with balme which glories bayes had still'd With friends in peace I look'd to spend my dayes The chambers musicke now afrights me more Then Trumpets sounds when marching in the field And Gowns though signes of peace worse then before The pompous splendour of a flaming shield Those thoughts of late which had disdain'd to doubt Though I alone had march'd amongst my foes Loe whilst amongst my friends well back'd about They then the eyes more danger now disclose If any chance to meet a number brings I insurrections feare from common wrath Yea if two talke a part of private things Straight I suspect that they conspire my death â—â—en sudden rumours rise from vulgar smoake â—â—ilst th' inward motions roule my restlesse eyes I at â—â—â—ch corner for an ambush looke Aâ—â—â—start astonish'd lest some tumult rise When light first lightning doth encourage toyles I still despaire to re-enjoy the night And when mine eyes th' umbragious darkenesse spoils I never looke to grace them with the light For when the light with shadowes makes a change To flatter mortals with a dreame of rest What ugly Gorgons what Chimera's strange Doe bragge the little world within my brest The time which should appease impetuous cares Doth double mine who view most when quite blinde I apprehend huge horrours and despaires Whilst th' outward objects not distract my minde Now of my conquests what delight remaines Where is the peace pursu'd by many a strife Have I but taken paine to purchase paines And sought by dangers for a dangerous life Is this the period of aspiring pow'rs In promis'd calmes to be most plagu'd by stormes Lurke poys'nous Serpents under fairest flow'rs And hellish furies under heavenly formes It will not grieve my ghost below to goe If circumvented in the warres I end As bold Marcellus by Romes greatest foe Who gave his ashes honour as a friend Or like t' Epaminondas in his death O! would the Gods I had amidst alarmes When charg'd with recent spoiles been spoil'd of breath Whilst I to Pluto might have march'd in armes Yet life to end which nought but toyles affords I 'le pay to death the tribute that it owes Straight with my bloud let some come dye their swords Whose naked brest encounter shall their blowes But ah how have the furies seaz'd my brest And poyson'd thus my sprite with desp'rate rage By horrid Serpents whilst quite barr'd from rest No kinde of comfort can my cares asswage No Atropos yet spare my threed a space That to the Stygian streames ere walking downe I may of honour have the highest place And if I fall yet fall beneath a Crowne VVhilst eares are bended to applauding shouts My thoughts divided are within my brest And my toss'd soule doth flote between two doubts Yet knowes not on what ground to build her rest The Senators they have this day design'd To shew the world how they esteeme my worth Yet doe portentuous signes perturbe my minde By
Then discord to great Townes no greater pest Whose violence no reverence can restraine Yet often-times those warie wits have err'd Who would buy wealth and ease at any cost Let honesty to profit be preferr'd And to vile peace warre when it wounds us most But seeking peace what surety can we finde Can faithlesse men give faith just feares to stay No sacred band Impiety can binde Which sweares for trust seeks trust but to betray What help'd it Caesar that we all had sworne His body still from dangers to redeeme Those who are once perjur'd hold oaths in scorne All are most franke of what they least esteeme Mar. Brut. None needs in States which are from Tyrants free Loath'd execrations to confirme his will Where willingly men would with good agree And without danger might despise all ill All odious oaths by those are onely crav'd Whose suit from Reason doth a warrant want Whil'st who deceive affraid to be deceiv'd Seek of men thrall'd what none whil'st free would grant When Caesar had prevail'd in France and Spaine His Fortune building on his Countries wracke Of liberty a shadow to retaine We gave him all that he was bent to take The Senate had reserv'd nought but a show Whose course to it by Caesar was impos'd Who lifted up by bringing others low Of Offices and Provinces dispos'd Then that our faded hopes might never spring When bent to try the Parthians wooden showre He for five yeares dispos'd of every thing Even in his absence leaving us no pow'r O how some aggravate our deed with hate Who durst his body wound or with bloud staine Though consecrated by constraint of late Yea but reputed holy yet prophaine And did forget how he a wondrous case The Tribuneship did violate with scorne Which our fore-fathers free in time of peace Advis'dly had inviolable sworne Did he not once appropriate swolne with wrath The publike treasure to his private use And to the Tribune boldly threatned death Who did resist griev'd at that great abuse Twixt Romans and a Tyrant what availes A Covenant whil'st Right rests trod on thus Who can build further when the ground once fails Could we save him who sought to ruine us Cic. So absolutely good no man remaines Whose naturall weaknesse may not him o're-come Even Vertues dye from Vice may take some staines And worthy minds may of grosse faults have some As in fine fruits or weeds fat earth abounds Even as the Labourers spend or spare their paine The greatest sprits disdaining vulgar bounds Of what they seek the highest height must gaine They that bright glory may be so enjoy'd As onely borne to be in action still Had rather be then idle ill imploy'd Great sprits must do great good or then great ill The worlds chiefe treasure which bright Rayes do arme Huge evill procur'd though onely fram'd for good Till that fond youth whom his owne wish did harme Was kill'd by fire and buried in a floud By rules of Reason whil'st he rightly liv'd When lawfully elected by the State What glorious deeds by Caesar were atchiev'd Which all the world as wonders must relate But when of right he buried all respects As blinde Ambition had bewitch'd his minde What harme ensu'd by pitifull effects We at the first he at the last did finde Whil'st like Narcissus with himselfe in love He with our bondage banqueted his sight And for a while uncertaine joyes to prove VVith all our woes would sweeten his delight How could brave men with vertuous mindes as thoâ—â— VVho of their Countries weale are jealous still But stoutly to all stormes their States expose The States destroyer resolute to kill But since our freedome flows from Caesars bloud Let us embrace that which too long we lack Peace gives to justice pow'r it to all good VVhere warre breeds wrong and wrong all kinde of wracke This Citie hath experienc'd with great paine VVhat guilty troubles rise from civill strife VVhich by her ruines registred remaine Since first the Gracchi gave contention life VVhen Scilla once and Marius mad through pride Did strive who should the most tyrannicke prove VVhat memorable miseries were try'd From Romans mindes no time can e're remove Then last by Caesar and his Sonne in law VVhat thousands Ghosts to Pluto were dispatch'd Ah! that the world those hosts divided saw Which joyn'd in one no world of worlds had match'd Yet with this wit which we have dearly bought Let us abhorre all that may breed such broils Lest when we have our selves to ruine brought In end Barbarians beare away our spoyls Cho. Rome to those great men hardly can afford A recompence according to their worth Who by a Tyrants o're-throw have restor'd The light of liberty which was put forth Yet by due praises with their merits even Let us acknowledge their illustrious mindes And to their charge let Provinces be given Still vertue grows when it preferrement findes Ant. Those barbarous Realms by whose respective will Of Caesars Conquests monuments are showne As if they held them highly honour'd still Who warr'd with Caesar though they were o'rethrown Can this disgrace by their proud mindes be borne Whil'st we dishonour whom they honour thus And shall we not whil'st as a Tyrant torne Give him a tombe who gave the world to us Must his Decrees be all reduc'd againe And those degraded whom he grac'd of late As worthy men unworthily did gaine Their roomes of reputation in the State As if a Tyrant we him damne so soone And for his murd'rers do rewards devise Then what he did must likewise be undone For which I feare a foule confusion rise Cho. Ah! brave Antonius sow not seeds of warre And if thou alwayes do'st delight in armes The haughty Parthians yet undaunted are Which may give thee great praise and us no harmes Detest in time th' abhominable broils For which no Conquerour to triumph hath com'd Whil'st this wretch'd Towne which still some party spoils Must loath the Victor and lament th'ore-com'd And shall we still contend against all good To make the yoke where we should bound abide Must still the Commons sacrifize their bloud As onely borne to serve the great mens pride Ant. Whil'st I the depths of my affection sound And reade but th' obligations which I owe I finde my selfe by oaths and duty bound All Caesars foes or then my selfe t' ore-throw But when I weigh what to the State belongs The which to plague no passion shall get place Then I with griefe digesting private wrongs Warre with my selfe to give my Countrey peace Yet whil'st my thoughts of this last purpose muse I altogether dis-assent from this That Caesars fame or body we abuse To deale with Tyrants as the custome is Lest guilty of ingratitude we seeme If guerdoning our benefactors thus Great Caesars body from disgrace redeeme And let his acts be ratifi'd by us Then for the publike-weale which makes us pause Towards those that have him kill'd t' extend regard Let them be
pardon'd for their kinsmens cause Remission given for evill is a reward Ca. Cass We stand not vex'd like Malefactors here With a dejected and remorsefull minde So in your presence supplicants t' appeare As who themselves of death do guilty finde But looking boldly with a loftie brow Through a delight of our designe conceiv'd We come to challenge gratefulnesse of you That have of us so great a good receiv'd But if you will suspend your thoughts a space Though not the givers entertaine the gift Do us reject yet liberty embrace To have you free loe that was all our drift So Rome her ancient liberties enjoy Let Brutus and let Cassius banish't live Thus banishment would breed us greater joy Then what at home a Tyrants wealth could give Though some misconstrue may this course of ours By ignorance or then by hate deceiv'd The truth depends not on opinions pow'rs But is it selfe how ever misconceiv'd Though to acknowledge us not one would daigne Our merit of it selfe is a reward Of doing good none should repent their paine Though they get no reward nor yet regard I 'le venture yet my fortune in the field With every one that Rome to bondage draws And as for me how ever others yeeld I 'le nought obey but Reason and the Laws Cic. What fools are those who further travell take For that which they even past recovery know Who can revive the dead or bring time back That can no creature who doth live below Great Pompey now for whom the world still weeps Lyes low neglected on a barbarous shore Selfe-slaughtered Scipio flotes amidst the deeps Whom it may be Sea-monsters do devoure Of Libyan Wolves grave Cate feasts the wombes Whose death of worth the world defrauded leaves Thus some that did deserve Mausolean tombes Have not a title grav'd upon their graves And yet may Caesar who procur'd their death By brave men slaine be buried with his race All civill warre quite banish'd with his breath Let him now dead and us alive have peace We should desist our thoughts on things to set Which may harme some and can give help to none Learne to forget that which we cannot get And let our cares be gone of all things gone Those who would strive all crosses to o're-come To present times must still conforme their course And making way for that which is to come Not medle with things past but by discourse Let none seek that which doth no good when found Since Caesar now is dead how ever dead Let all our griefe go with him to the ground For sorrow best becomes a lightlesse shade It were the best that joyn'd in mutuall love We physicke for this wounded State prepare Neglecting those who from the world remove All men on earth for earthly things must care Cho. O how those great men friendship can pretend By soothing others thus with painted windes And seeme to trust where treason they attend Whilst love their mouth and malice fills their mindes Those but to them poore simple soules appeare Whose count'nance doth discover what they thinke Who make their words as is their meaning cleare And from themselves can never seeme to shrinke Loe how Antonius faines to quench all jarres And whom he hates with kindenesse doth embrace But as he further'd first the former warres Some feare he still will prove a foe to peace Now where Calphurnia stayes our steppes addresse Since by this sudden chance her losse was chiefe All visite should their neighbours in distresse To give some comfort or to share in griefe Act 5. Scene 2. Calphurnia Nuntius Chorus WHen darkenesse last imprisoned had myne eyes Such monstrous visions did my heart affright That quite dejected it as stupid dies Through terrours then contracted in the night A melancholy cloud so dimmes my brest That it my mind fit for misfortune makes A lodging well dispos'd for such a Guest Where nought of sorrow but th' impression lackes And I imagine every man I see My senses so corrupted are by feares A Herauld to denounce mishaps to me Who should infuse confusion in my eares O! there he comes to violate my peace In whom the object of my thoughts I see Thy message is charactred in thy face And by thy lookes directed is to me Thy troubled eyes rest rowling for reliefe As lately frighted by some uglie sight Thy breath doth pant as if growne big with griefe And straight to bring some monstrous birth to light Nun. The man of whom the world in doubt remain'd If that his minde or fortune was more great Whose valour conquer'd clemencie retain'd All Nations Subject to the Romane State Fraud harm'd him more then force friends more then foes Ah! must this sad discourse by me be made Cal. Stay ere thou further goe defray my woes How doth my love where is my life Nun. dead Cal. dead Cho. Though apprehending horrours in her minde Now since she hath a certaintie receiv'd She by experience greater griefe doth finde Till borne the passions cannot be conceav'd When as a high disaster force affords O how that Tyrant whom affliction bears Barres th' eares from comfort and the mouth from words And when obdur'd scornes to dissolve in teares Cal. Ah! since the lights of that great light are set Why doth not darknesse spread it selfe o're all At least what further comfort can I get Whose pleasures had no period but his fall O would the Gods I always might confine Flames in my brest and floods within my eyes To entertaine so great a griefe as mine That thence there might fit furniture arise Yet I disdaine though by distresse o'rethrowne By such externall meanes to seeke reliefe The greatest sorrowes are by silence showne Whilst all the Senses are shut up with griefe But miserie doth so tyrannick grow That it of sighes and teares a tribute claimes Ah! when the cup is full it must o'reflow And fires which burne must offer up some flames Yet though what thou hast sayd my death shall be Since sunke so deeply in a melted heart Of my lives death report each point to mee For every circumstance that I may smart Nun. What fatall warnings did foregoe his end Which by his stay to frustrate some did try But he who scorn'd excuses to pretend Was by the destinies drawne forth to die Whilst by the way he chanc'd to meet with one Who had his deaths-day nam'd he to him said The Ides of March be come but yet not gone The other answer'd and still constant stayd Another brought a letter with great speed Which the conspiracie at length did touch And gave it Caesar in his hand to reade Protesting that it did import him much Yet did he lay it up where still it rests As doe the great whom blest the world reputes Who griev'd to be importun'd by requests Of simple supplicants neglect the suites Or he of it the reading did deferre Still troubled by attendants at the gate Whilst some to show their credit would conferre To flatter
still the victory the Victor foiles Thus Alexander could not be appeas'd Whilst be to raise his state did wayes prepare Which when made most diminish'd most remain'd Where with his fathers bounds had he beene pleas'd He might have left our Crowne sure to his heire Who by his conquest nought but death hath gayn'd Yet for no paines a number now doth spare To worke for that by which his wreake was wrought Which though from it they rage to be restrain'd Would if possest their pleasures but impaire Yet they by harme of others seeke the thing Which by their harme of others will be sought To him and his each of them death would bring That it might once be said he was a King We may securely sitting on the shore Whilst great men doe as toss'd on th' Ocean grâ—ne Taught by their toyles esteeme much of our rest For this doth thousands with affliction store VVhich of the world as most unhappy moane If they but chance to view some few more blest VVhere if they would but marke how many a one More wretch'd then they in misery doth live It straight would calme the most unquiet brest The Cottage oft is happier then the Throne To thinke our owne state good and others ill It could not but a great contentment give There much consists in the conceit and will To us all things are as we thinke them still FINIS THE TRAGEDY OF JVLIVS CAESAR THE ARGUMENT AT that time when the Romans travelled with an unsatiable ambition to subdue all Nationâ— by whose overthrow they could conceive any expectation either of glory or profit Caius Iulius Caesar a nâ—n of a lofty minde and given to attempt great things ascending by severall degrees to the Consulship procured a power to warre against the Gaules amongst whom after a number of admirable battels and victories by the approbation of all the world having purchased a singular reputation both for his courage and skill in Arms he being long accustomed to command was so drunke with a delight of soveraignty that disdaining the simplicity of a private life he was so farre from denuding himselfe of the authority which he had that altogether transported with a desire of more he sent to the 〈…〉 the Gaules prorogated for five yeares which suit being repugnant to the Lawes as directly tending to tyranny was by the people publikely repelled By which occasion and some others rising from an emulation between him and Pompey the great pretending a high indignation hee incontinent crossed the Alpes with such forces though few as he had in readinesse and with a great celerity came to Rome which he found abandoned by Pompey in whom the Senate had reposed their trust whom shortly after by a memorable battell in the fields of Pharsalia he discomfited and having by the overthrow of Scipio death of Cato and flight of Pompeyes sonnes as it were rooted out all the contrary faction hereturned to Rome and indirectly by the meanes of Antonius laboured to be proclaimed King which having rendred him altogether odious Caius Cassius Marcus Brutus Decius Brutus Publius Casca and divers others Noble men conspired his death and appointed a day for the same at which time notwithstanding that Caesar was disswaded from going forth by many monstrous apparitions and ominous presages yet being perswaded by Decius Brutus Albinus he went towards the fatall place where the Senate was assembled The Conspirators in like manner had many terrors amongst others Portia the wife of Marcus Brutus although shee had insinuated her selfe in her husbands secret by a notable proofe of extraordinary magnanimity yet on the day dedicated for the execution of their designe through the apprehension of his danger she fainted divers times whereof Brutus was advertised yet shrinked not but went forwards with his confederates to the appointed place where they accomplished their purpose every one of there giving Caesar a wound and me a ground whereupon to build this present Tragedy The persons names who speake IUNO CAESAR ANTONIUS CICERO DECIUS BRUTUS CAIUS CASSIUS MARCUS BRUTUS PORTIA CALPHURNIA NUNTIUS The Some in Rome THE TRAGEDY OF JVLIVS CAESAR Act I. Juno THough I a Goddesse grace the azure round Whilst birds all bright with eyes my Coach do move And am with radiant starres heavens Empresse crown'd The thunderers sister wife of mighty Iove And though I banquet in th'ethe riall bowres Where Ambrosie and Nectar serves for meate And at the meeting of th' Immortall powres And still advanc'd unto the highest seat Yet by those glorious shewes of boundlesse blisse My burden'd minde can no way be reliev'd Since immortallity affords but this That I live ever to be ever griev'd In vaine vaine mortals seeke for helpe at me With sacred odours on my Altars throwne What expectation can they have to see One venge their wrongs who cannot venge her own May Pallas then drowne thousands if she please Who metamorphos'd Diomedes mates And must my enemies alwaies live at ease As me to spight appointed by the fates Of all the dying race which lives below With such indignities none could comport As wound my brest whom Gods and men doe know To be abus'd by Iove in many a sort Though knowne to me from others if conceal'd His faults might breed me griefe but yet not shame Where loe now both through heaven and earth reveal'd Each slandrous Theater doth his scorne proclaime If divine soules divinely liv'd aloft The world below would imitate them then But humaniz'd by haunting mortals oft Where men should grow like Gods Gods grow like men My painted Iris in her beauties pride Smiles not on Phoebus with so many hewes As Iove in divers shapes himselfe can hide When he poore Maydes by Cupid spurr'd pursues He Danae a golden shower deceiv'd And did a Swanne in Ledaes bosome light Then turn'd a Bull Agenors daughter reav'd And Io made a Cow to mocke my sight But O! I wish that with such wanton Dames He still to sport would as with me remaine Not able then to touch celestiall flames All like the drunkards mother might be slaine Then such a troupe as Rheas bosome stores Would not hold him and me at endlesse jarres The heavens are pestred with my husbands whores Whose lights impure doe taint the purest starres Though wrongs when grosse are heavy to digest An Actors greatnesse doth some griefe remove Of whom to suffer wrong it shames one least If I were wrong'd ' I would be wrong'd by Iove But ah this long tormented hath my brest A Man a Boy a shepheard yea and worse The Phrygian fire-brand the adultrous guest Who first wrought wrong by fraud and then by force He he was he whose verdict mov'd me most Whilst partiall fancies judg'd of beauties right Nor was it strange though one all judgement lost Who had three naked Goddesses in sight And yet I know had not his wandring eyes The Cyprian brib'd by some lascivious smiles My pompous birds in triumph through the skyes Had borne the