take it at my hands Bestow a richer gift to which compar'd These are but drosse and rubbish Caric. Ha ha ha Sysim. Why laugh you Sir Caric. Is 't not a matter which Deserveth laughter when you promise things Of such a prise and yet assure me more You cannot meane uprightly Sysim. Trust me but sweare That you will use this gift as I shall teach you And I 'll performe my promise of the other Nebul. Accept it Sir if you be wise 't is not good nor religious to refuse any mans courtesie Caric. You tempt me shrewdly Sir Sysim. Let me prevaile And bind me still your servant Caric. You have won me To what you would Sysim. Then take an oath and sweare To follow my directions so confirme it Caric. By great Apollo then whose Minister I was at Delphos I shall not digresse From what you shall instruct me touching this Sysim. It is sufficient and I build upon Your faith your trust and your religion Here fellow take this bag and keepe it for Your honoured Master Nebul. But more honoured bag Would I might keepe thee for my selfe I then Should make an Idoll of thee aside Caric. What 's your pleasure That I should doe in lieu of this reward Sysim. I cannot now acquaint you for some reasons Best knowne unto my selfe give me your hand To meet me without faile tomorow morning At Isis Temple thence I shall conduct you Unto my lodging and in secret tell The summe of my request Carie. I shall not faile you Sysim. Adieu untill we meet Exit Sysimethres Caric. Apollo keepe thee In his safe custodie I marvell much Whence this unlook'd for kindnesse should proceed I 'll see the issue on 't what e'r betide me It may be that the gods have pre-ordain'd I shall once more be happy and in lieu Of all my passed sorrowes reape the fruit Of long expected comfort sure my mind Is much illuminated with the thought Of some good fortune and refresh'd as if The spirit of Pitho were infus'd into me By heavenly inspiration I 'll obey My Genius for oftentimes the gods by signes Will have that mortalls understand their mindes Exit Actus primi Scena secunda Enter Demeneta and young Cnemon her sonne in Law Demen. MY pretty boy how dost thou where hast thou beene so long absent from my imbraces come hither let mee solace my selfe a little with thee let mee kisse thee my sweet heart my heire my owne life Cnem: Had ever any one a kinder stepmother aside Mother you make too much of mee I am not able to deserve your love in so high a straine my duty cannot countervaile it Demen. How prettily hee speakes I cannot chuse but kisse thee for it Cnem. What a close and hot kisse was that I like not this behaviour would I were delivered hence please you give mee leave to goe about my exercises Dem. What exercises Cnem. My bookes and studies at the Schoole I shall be shent else by my Tutor Dem. Come thou shalt not leave me Cnem. Will you have me prove a truant then Dem. No but a student in a better art hast thou ever read Ovid de arte amandi or Ovids amorous Epistles Cnem. Never Dem. O I would have thee study that booke above all other there are very good rules and worth the observation truly if thou errest in any thing therein written I will be thy Mistresse to instruct thee follow my rudiments good sonne Cnem. But I have heard 't is a ribaldrous booke and corrupteth youth to all wantonnesse Dem. That is but a fantasie a mere untruth it was made by the Poet for youthfull recreation and pastime none but Stoicall old men will invey against them who envie that in others which they cannot enjoy in themselves Cnem. I understand not your Philosophie Dem. Would thou didst and wert well entred in my booke and science but where is thy father and my husband Aristippus Enter Aristippus O my deare husband where have you lingred so long you are too blame indeed to leave me so solitary I must chide you for it truly had you tarried never so little longer I should have died for sorrow Arist. My sweet wife Demeneta I have a jewell of thee thy extreme love to me is confirmed in thy affection to my sonne Cnemon vertuous woman Demen. I love him I must confesse as well as if he were mine owne sonne or better Arist. I know thou dost my love never was a man happier in his choice I thinke Demen. Cnemon sit on my lap pretty boy Cnem. No I know my duty better Demen. I will have it so the very picture of his father Cnem. Pray mother excuse me this is no fit place for me Demen. There is not a prettier or wittier boy in Athens but 't is no wonder that old men beget alwaies the finest children 't is most commonly seene Arist. I know your vertue and therefore will dispute with you a little upon this subject and aske you this question how could you a young woman affect me an old man Demen. How could I not Sir your wisdome stayednesse and understanding were such motives to my affection as I would not change my old man for the youthfull'st cavalere of all Greece I hope for all your age to have a hopefull off-spring from you such another as Cnemon you can doe it i'faith old Aristippus Arist. My girle how thou dost revive my decayed spirits to heare thee talke thus I will straine hard for this but I will answer thy expectation Demen. Thankes sweet husband let me hang upon your necke pretty gravity how well it becomes him who could chuse but love such a man intirely pox upon smooth faces and young lusty gallants there 's more trouble with them a bed when a gentlewoman would sleep and take her rest they are alwaies disturbing of her when by a man of some yeeres and experience we may lie as quiet as we will would all women were of my opinion we should cut the combes then of these lustie gamesters Arist. Indeed young men are very inconstant in their love and changing from one unto another whereas an old man perseveres to the end in his devotions Dem. True true my love your words are oracles Were I now as I seeme how should I wrong Youth beautie nature and rebell against them aside Arist. My dearest love though loth I am inforc'd To leave you for some houres the state of Athens Sent for me to repaire unto the Senate At ten a clocke about affaires of weight 'T is now about the time farewell my sweetest Dem. You shall not goe come come you doe not love me Else could you not be so unkind my deare To kill your loving wife with your departure I doubt I shall not live till your returne Arist. Come prethee leave this off and be assur'd I will not stay two houres Dem. On that assurance I doe dismisse you but if you exceed The time you 're like to find me turn'd a
due to her praise I saw him busie in the ceremonies Dem. Is this the day by Iove I knew it not Else had I beene spectator of the sight Chiefly to see my Cnemon in his office Could I be angry with him I should chide him For not acquainting me This. He did it neatly I would not for my maiden-head have miss'd So rare a sight not for ten maiden-heads Dem. Are all the rites and ceremonies done I faine would see yet the conclusion This. Mistresse t is to late see Cnemon there return'd in all his robes Enter Cnemon in his robes crowned Demeneta runnes to him and takes him in her armes Dem. My young Hippolitus and my deare Theseus Welcome O welcome to me Cnem. Heavens defend me From this lewd Phaedra aside Mother what d ee meane To burne me thus with kisses Dem. Burthen thee With blisses too I can my pretty boy If thou wilt love thy mother Cnem. In what nature Require you that if as it ought to be That children love their Parents I agree Dem. As Venus with Anchises sported once In Ida grove so let mee sport with thee Dost understand me now Cnem. You are too bold Too impudent Dem. Nay prethee doe not frowne This night I must enjoy thee and thou me Thy fathers absence doth invite us to it I will maintaine thee like a Princes sonne Glittering in gold and our sweet furtive sports Keepe from the sunne and knowledge of the gods No one shall know it Cnem. Hence incestuous woman Think'st thou to make me wrong my fathers bed And to commit an act so foule as incest Tempt me no more by heaven by earth and all Th' immortall gods I 'le die a thousand deaths Ere thinke a thought on 't much lesse yeeld unto it Your damned wit nor quaint inticing words Shall not prevaile my hate exceeds my love Exit Cnemon in a rage Demen. Am I despised thus and my hot love Requited with disdaine as cold as ice By such a youngling he shall know the difference Betweene a womans favours and her frownes And curse too late his foolish modesty Goe Thisbe to the Castle tell my husband I am not well intreat him to come to me With all the speed he can This. I shall sweet Mistresse Exit Thisbe Demeneta a lies down upon the bed faining her selfe sicke Dem. What raging fires still burne me how I am Divided in my selfe tweene love and hate two mighty passions combatting together Love would prevaile if reason might be judge But love is too unreasonably harsh Hate therefore execute thy proper function Enflame my breast with rage and high disdaine Against this brat that gave me the repulse Inspire my study in his Tragedie Enter Aristippus and Thisbe Arist. How fares my sweet heart that she keepes her bed Dem. Deare husband very sicke and in ill case Arist. The gods forbid that sound doth strike me dead What ailes my dearest wife tell me the cause Of this your sudden sicknesse Dem. Nothing Sir I know no cause at all Arist. Come come you must not Conceale your griefe but lay it ope unto me I doe beseech my love Dem. Since you are so Importunate to know it understand The goodly young man sonne unto us both To you by nature but to me by love Whom I the gods know held as deare unto me As you when he perceiv'd by certaine tokens I was with child by you which thing I kept Hid from your knowledge till I knew my selfe The certainty and waiting for your absence When I in wonted manner councell'd him To leave his whores and to avoid his cups Which things I knew he lov'd but would not tell you Lest I should run into the ill suspition Of stepmother whilest I in gentle manner Told him these things I will not speake the worst Nor in what sort he did revile us both But last of all he spurn'd me on the belly Which hath procur'd this my disease and paine Arist. O villaine I will scurge him even to death Thisbe goe call him hither Exit Thisbe Then presently enters Cnemon Aristippus falls presently a buffetting of him without speaking a word then calls his servants and scurgeth him with rods Cnem. Deare father I beseech you let me know The cause of this your anger and my stripes So cruelly laid on mee Arist. Oh cleanly dissembler Thou wouldst indeed know thy owne fault from me Hee beats him afresh Cnem. Yet now at length Sir let me understand What I have done that thus provokes your wrath The gods doe know my innocence Arist. Base wretch Thy innocence would she belie thee thinkst thou That lov'd thee better than her selfe away Get out of my sight I will not heare thee speak Exit Cnemon My dearest Demeneta cheere your selfe Strive to forget the paine Dem. I 'm in bad plight So that I doe not onely feare the life Of that I goe with but mine owne besides These accidents are dangerous to women Yet Sir it griev'd me that you tooke so sharpe A punishment of Cnemon for all this I cannot chuse but love him Arist. That 's thy vertue But banish him thy thoughts as I will doe Hence forth as most unworthy of our love Come sweet you shall remove from hence into A fitter roome I 'le send a Doctor to you Exit Aristippus Dem. You doe mistake my pulse whose veines doe swell With rage and furie and shall live in paine Untill I be reveng'd This. My Mistresse knowes How to deceive old Dotards with false shewes Exeunt Actus primi Scena quinta Enter Nebulo solus frisking for joy Nebul. WEe shall fall downe the river Nile to night and hoise saile for Greece brave newes comfortable newes my heart capers within me for joy that I shall see my countrey againe my Master is sore troubled for blacke Sysimethres his constrained flight which hath defeited their appointed meeting and conference touching Caricleas fortunes but haste our journey the sooner there 's my comfort I left him cursing the Deputy and invoking the god Apollos wrath to plague him for dismissing the Embassadour so suddenly with such deadly threatenings to depart the Kingdome Alas poore maid I pity thee that by this meanes thou shalt not be able to knowe who begot thee nor who brought thee forth but all 's one thou wilt soone learne to be begotten and to bring forth by instinct of nature and thy owne experience Catadupice adiew adiew adiew gentlemen when you see us next t will be in Delphos away away away merrylie merrily Exit Finis actus primi Actus secundi Scena prima Enter Calasiris Isis priest at Memphis Am I the goodesse Isis priest and burne In these unlawfull fires shall Rhodopis With her Venerious charmes subdue my heart And make me breake that temperance of life Which I have hitherto preserv'd unspotted What shall I doe I cannot stand the push Of these strong passions yet I am resolv'd Nere to commit the act nor so to staine My priesthood with
Aristippus Cnem. I can scarce believe it This. To confirme my report if you please I will deliver the adulterer unto you in the very act Cnem. You shall doe me a courtesie then This. VVith all my heart not onely for your sake who have been injured by her before but for mine owne also who for that she hath me in jealousie am used of her very extreamely wherefore if thou be a man apprehend him Cnem. Else let me die in scorne and infamie I le kill them both for ne're shall it be said That Cnemon knew his fathers bed defil'd And durst not be reveng'd assist my hand Infernall furies Thisbe lead the way That I may doe the deed ere see the day Exeunt Actus Secundi Scena quinta Enter Aristippus and Demeneta Demen. 'T is late 'i th night sweet husband let 's to bed I cannot have too much of your imbraces The envious day will interrupt our sport Me thinks we married were but yesterday Aristip. Conceiv'st thou so that doth proceed from love But I am old and thou a sprightly lasse Demen. You wrong your selfe you are a lusty man For were you old the dull effects of age Would then appeare but I have had experience Of your performance Cnemon I believe Your sonne is not so active in his trade Aristip. If it be so then sure the youthfull heat Of thy faire body hath infused life Into my withered vaines more powerfull then Medeas charmes when she stir'd up fresh blood In the decayed body of old Aeson Enter Cnemon with his sword drawne followed by Thisbe a candle carried before he comes hastily to the bed Cnem. Where is the villaine the most worthy lover Of this chaste dame his father leapes out of the bed and falls on his knees before him Aristip. My sonne have pitty on thy fathers age Spaire his white haires take not away his life That gave thee thine and brought thee up with care We doe confesse we wrong'd thee yet the fault Was not so great that it should merit death Asswage thy fury and put up thy sword Imbrue not in thy fathers blood thy hands Cnemon in amaze lookes round about him for Thisby who had conveyed her selfe away and being thus astonished his sword fell out of his hand which Demeneta straightwaies tooke up Dem. Did I not tell you this before sweet heart To looke unto this princoks pride and hate Who would no doubt if time had serv'd his turne Attempt some mischiefe to destroy us both Aristip. You told me so indeed but I believ'd not Now I do finde it true which to prevent I 'le raise my house and bind him fast to morrow I 'le carry him before the people to Be judg'd for his offence let nature goe In parents when sonnes prove unnaturall so Exeunt Actus secundi Scena sexta Enter Nebulo and Nebulona Nebulo Nebulona my pretty chickin how faires thy body didst thou not thinke me lost long agoe Nebulona I gave you for dead in good faith and was in the humour once to marry another man Nebulo Why sure thou wert not thou dost but jest I know Nebulona Truely I was nor could you blame me for it if I had is it not a torture thinke you for a woman to stay seven yeeres without her husbands company Nebulo Methinkes my browes begin Acteon-like to bud already they are very knotty I pray God thou hast not graft something there I begin to suspect it shrewdly by diverse signes and tokens how comes your belly so high wife Nebulona 'T is nothing but a timpany I am sometimes troubled with Nebulo I do believe thee how long is it since you perceiv'd it to grow upon you Nebulona About two moneths since the Doctor tells me I shal be free of it very speedily Nebulo He is a foole I am a better Doctor then he thou shalt goe with it this foureteene weekes yet or thereabouts come you are a whore and have abus'd my honest bed I le have you before the Justices to be punish'd for thy offence Nebulona Spare me prethee gentle Nebulo and hearken to my counsell a little since thou art a cuckold as I doe not deny it choose whether thou wilt weare the hornes in thy forehead and so all men see them or put them into thy pocket and no man see them I leave it to thy owne discretion Nebulo Why then I am a cuckold it seemes Nebulona I cannot say against it truely and speake the truth if I should this marke of thy fortune here deepely stamped would bewray me be not so foolish now as Vulcan was to make a proclamation of thy forked order Nebulo Did Vulcan do so Nebulo Yes but afterwards he repented it for he forg'd an artificiall net with which he caught his wife Venus and Mars a bed together in carnall copulation then called all the gods and goddesses to be spectators of his owne shame Nebul. But what said they when they saw it Nebulona They commended Mars but condemned Vulcan for being the publisher of his owne disgrace Nebul. But t was a shame for Mars to be caught so Nebulona The gods wish'd every one of them if that were a shame to be shamed in the same manner Nebulo but how did Venus take this Nebulona In scorne of the smith and in revenge of this trick hath made his head as hard as his anvile Nebulo Thou hast devis'd a pretty story in thy owne defence i' st best to follow thy counsell and say nothing or stirre this bad thing and make it stinke the more Nebulona You may do what you please but I have told you the best course Nebulo Let it be so then I have travelled well I trow and to good purpose at may returne home to father a child of which I did not beget so much as the least finger or the least toe if this be the fruits of travelling God keepe me from it hence forward and all good folkes besides come Nebulona we are friends do so no more and all is forgotten Nebulon. Not if you stay at home and warme my bed But if you leave me then have at your head Exeunt Actus secundi Scena septima Enter the sacrifice to the tombe of Pirrhus in the manner of a Hecatombe led in by the Thessalians who had each of them a white garment knit about them these were entertayned by so many virgins of Thessalia standing in a ring with their haire loose about their eares the maydes were divided into two companies those who were in the first carryed flowers and fruite the other carried in backets other fine knackes and perfumes at the sound of musicke and a song made fit and agreeable to the musicke they danced the song was made in praise of Thetis The Song O Nereus god in surging seas we praise thy daughter deare Whom Peleus at commandement of Jove did make his pheere Thou art the goddesse we adore in Sea a glimpsing starre Who stout Achilles didst bring forth a
very Mars in warre And Captaine good unto the Greekes thy glory scales the skies To thee did thy red-headed wife cause Pirrhus rough to rise The Trojans utter overthrow but stay to Greekish host Be thou good Pirrhus unto us a favourable ghost Who here in grave intombed liest in Phoebus sacred ground Bow downe thy eare to th' holy hymnes that we to thee do sound And this our City suffer not in any feare to be Of thee and Thetis is our song Thetis all haile to thee The song ended enters Theagines Captaine of the Thessalians very richly apparelled followed by many gallants who guarding him as he went at last encompassed him round about the maides overcome with the beauty of Theagines could not moderate their passions but began to cast flowers and fruit upon him with that enters Cariclea most sumptuously adorned according to the manner her haire was neither all bound up nor all loose but the most part thereof that grew behind hanged over her shoulders that which grew from the crowne of her head downe to her forehead being of a yellow colour was crowned with a garland of young Laurell in her left hand shee bare a guilded Bow and a Quiver of arrowes hanged on her right shoulder and in her other hand she bare a taper burning after the young men had gone three times about Neoptolem is sepulture in their bravery the women cryed out pittiously the men made a strange noise with that Theagines speakes to Caricles Theag. Most sacred Priest of this high Deity We make request unto you to begin This sacrifice to Neoptolemus Caric. The sacrifice indeed belongs to me But you sir as the Captaine of this charge And sacred message ought to take the taper Of her there who of all those ceremonies Is presedent and burne the alter of This is the order and our Countrey fashion Theagnes takes the taper with a great deale of reverence from the hand of Cariclea and sets fire to the Alter but first he was in a maze at the exceeding beauty of Cariclea and she as much taken with his then they both smiled a little and blush'd and then became pale againe in conclusion he fell in love with her and she with him Theag. So burnes my heart as doth this Alter here The taper that did set my heart a fire Was faire Caricleas beauty aside Cariclea How my soule Could sacrifice to faire Theagines aside Caricles Great god of Delphos in whose sacred temple We celebrate these funerall obsequies Of great Achilles sonne vouchsafe to send A happy ômen which may crowne this worke Of our devotion offered at thy Altar The Oracle speakes touching Theagines and Cariclea Ye men of Delphos sing of her and her rare beauties praise Who now in grace begins to grow but fame shall end her daies Who leaving these my temples here and sailing surging streames Shall come at length to contries scorch'd with Phoebus burning beames Where they as recompences due that vertues rare doe gaine In time to come ere it be long White miters shall obtaine After this answer of the god Apollo the pompe is broken up and Exeunt Actus secundi Scena octava Enter the iudges and people of Athens then Aristippus And Demeneta with Cnemon bound 1 Iudg. Cnemon stand forth who doth accuse him here Aristippus steps forth and strewing ashes on his head saith Aristip. I brought not up my sonne ye men of Athens To see him come unto this end but rather To be a staffe to stay my age upon As soone as he was borne his education VVas good and civill when he did attaine To riper yeeres I set him to our schooles And Academies there to study arts And Mathematicke sciences besides According to the lawes of this our City Made him free denison yet notwithstanding He hath not onely cast behind his backe These favours of my love but diversely Both injur'd me and beaten this good woman Who by our lawes is now my second wife And not content herewith one night he came Unto us with a drawne sword in his hand When we in bed suspected no such thing In mind to kill us both and was no farther From being a paracide but that by chance His sword by sudden feare fell out his hand Which Demeneta my good wife tooke up Therefore I flee to you most learned Judges And though I might by law of this our Senate Slay him with my owne hands yet I appeale Unto your justice and commit my cause To your grave censures counting it more fit To punish this my sonne by publike lawe Then private bloodshed With that Aristippus weepes Demeneta faining teares also Demen. Cnemon i 'me sorry for thee pretty boy In an ill hower wert thou brought to the world Unhappy creature Cnem. Grave and learned senate Vouchsafe to heare me speake 2 Iudg. We will not heare thee But answer to this question we propound Came you unto your father with a sword Drawne in your hand or no Cnem. I not deny But I came with a drawne sword in my hand But I will tell you how please you to heare me 3 Iudg. He hath confess'd ynough he ought not speake more for himselfe 1 Iudg. Let us proceed to sentence 2 Iudg. I judge him worthy to be ston'd to death 3 Iudg. I to be hang'd 4 Iudg. This is my sentence fathers That he be cast headlong into the dungeon Cnem. O cruell stepmother and most unkind For thy curs'd sake am I so ill intreated Against all equity and justice too Thou kil'st me contrary to course of Law 1. Iudg. Your sentence is too hard and too severe Let him not die but be for ever banish'd 2 Iudg. Let him be ston'd 3. Iudg. Nay hang'd 4. Iudg. nay cast into The dungeon 1. Iudg. since we differ conscript fathers In our opinions I doe thinke it fit It be referr'd unto the peoples voyces 2. Iudg. I doe assent unto it 3 Iudg. So do I 4. Iudg. And I 1. Iudg. Then people give your voices shall young Cnemon Die or be banish'd The people banish'd banish'd banish'd 1. Iudg. Then Cnemon this must be thy punishment Perpetuall exile from thy native land Never to be revok'd which if infring'd By thy presumption then expect to have No mercie from the senate but a grave Breake up the Court Exeunt Actus secundi Scena nona Enter Caricles and Calasiris Caric. Saw you my onely joy and the sole honour Of Delphos faire Cariclea my daughter Calas. This was not sir the first time that I saw her As often as the people made resort Unto the temple I was present with her And more we have done sacrifice together And when she doubted any point depending On divine matters or on humane learning She would have me instruct her in the truth Caric. How did you like her at the sacrifice Did she set forth that brave sight any thing Calasiris You aske me a strang question Caricles As if you doubted whether the bright moone Did