will goe and so massacre him I 'll teach him how to murder an old man A King my Father and so dastardly To kill him in his bed Pyl. Alas Orestes Griefe doth distract thee who i st thou wilt kill Orest. Why he or she or they that kill'd my father Pyl. I who are they Orest. Nay I know not yet But I will know Pyl. Stay thy vengefull thoughts And since thus long we haue estrang'd our selues From friends and parents le ts thinke why it is And why we had it noysed in the Court We both were dead the cause was thy reuenge That if by any secret priuate meanes We might but learne who 't was that drench'd their swords In thy deare fathers blood wee then would rouze Blacke Nemesis in flames from out her caue And shee should be the vmpire in this cause Mans soule is like a boystrous working sea Swelling in billowes for disdaine of wrongs And tumbling vp and downe from day to day Growes greater still in indignation Turnes male content in pleaselesse melancholly Spending her humours in dull passion still Locking her senses in vnclosed gins Till by reuenge shee sets at liberty Orest. O now my thirsty soule expects full draughts Of Ate's boyling cup O how t wo'ld ease My heart to see a channell of his blood Streaming from hence to hell that killd my father Pyl. I but deare friend thou must not let rage loose And like a furious Lyon from whose denne The forrester hath stolne away his young Hee missing it strait runnes with open iawes On all he meets and neuer hurting him That did the wrong wise men must mix reuenge With reason which by prouidence will prompt And tell vs where 's the marke whereat we ayme Till then in Cinders wee 'll rake vp our griefe Fire thus kept still liues but opened dies From smallest sparks great flames may one day rise Orest. True friend but O who euer will reueale This hideous act what power shall wee inuoke Pyl. Yes harken friend I haue bethought a meanes Not distant farre from this place where we liue There stands a caue hard by a hollow oake In a low valley where no Sun appeares No musique euer was there heard to sound But the harsh voyce of croking ominous rauens And sad Nyctimine the bird of night There 's now a shed vnder whose ancient roofe There sometimes stood an Altar for the Gods But now slow creeping time with windy blasts Hath beaten downe that stately Temples walls Defac't his rich built windows and vntil'd His battlemented roofe and made it now A habitation nor for God nor men Yet an old woman who doth seem to striue With the vast building for antiquity In whose rough face time now hath made such holes As in those vncouth stones she there hath made Her selfe a cell wherein to spend her age Her name 's Canidia great in Magique spells At whose dire voyce the gods themselues would quake To heare her charme the second time pronounc't One that can know the secrets of Heauen And in the ayre hath flying ministers To bring her news from earth from sea from hell Which when thick night hath compas't in the world Then doth she goe to dead mens graues and tombs And sucks the poysonous marrow from their bones Then makes her charme which she nere spent in vaine Nor doth she comes as suppliant to the Gods But making Erebus and Heauen to quake She sends a spell drowning infernall thunder By which all secrets that were euer don In faire white parchment writ in lines of blood Lockt in the inmost roome of hell it selfe Is brought vnto her and by her we may Haue leaue to looke in Pluto's register And read the names of those most loathed Furies Which rent thy Fathers soule from out his truncke But she must see thy Fathers dead bones first Them we must bring her for by them she works This if thou dar'st assay I 'll goe along Orest. If I dare assay yes yes deare friend Were it to burst my Fathers sepulchre And wake his Manes shew them Radamanth Their iterated sight will burne my soule With such a sparkling flame of dire reuenge As Nessus shirt did burn great Hercules If that the scrowle which did containe their names Were in a lake of flaming brimstone drencht I 'd take it out or fetch 't from Pluto's armes But come If earth haue such a creature as can tell T will saue a iourney for this once from hell SCEN. III Enter Aegyst Clytem Tynd. Msiander Strophius Electra cum caet with a crown Aegyst ascends the throne Miander crownes him Clytem great with child Mys. ALL yeares of happy dayes all houres of Ioy So circle in thy state as doth this crown Wreath and combine thy princely temples in All speak Ioue still protect Aegystheus Aegyst. Thanks to my Fathers subiects Now Argos swell vp to the brim with ioy And streams of gladnes flow on Tyndarus Now made our Father see old King see here 's My Queene doth meane to make thee a grandfather See how thy royall blood shall propagate Whose Kingly drops like heauen distilling dew Shall adde fresh life vnto thy withered roote Tyn. Yes but Aegystheus there were armes before Grew on this tree but the Fates enuious axe Hath cut them off before th 'ad time to sproute Clyt. O Sir the Fates needs must haue leaue to make Wayes for themselues to mannage what they doe Had Agamemnon and Orestes liu'd They could not then haue blest me with these gifts Still when the heauens and Fates doe worke their will They intend good though sometimes there come ill Tynd. O but pray Ioue the Fates now were not forc't But deeds like words no man can e're recall Bee 't good or ill once don we must beare all Aegyst. Come Father sit we downe and make a feast They set to the feast To glad our hearts Heauen still doth for the best Stroph. O let my latter age not liue to see Aegisteus weare great Argus diademe Elect. Feare not good vncle there wil be a time To pull him downe although he yet doth climbe Tynd. Who euer trusted much on fortunes gifts On wife on state on health on friends on lands May looke on Agamemnons comming home Fortune me thinks ne're shew'd her power more How quickly could she turn her Fatall sword Vpon his brest that thought himselfe past harme She that had vs'd death like an angry dogge Holding him vp when that he should haue bit When al the game was past and 's fury laid The King being past all danger safe at home Then he slip's coller neuer vntill then And fortune she stood hissing of him on Till he had torne the good Kings soule away Aegyst. Nay but good Father let passe elegies Clyt. seems to weep You draw fresh tears now from your daughters eies Who shed enough before at 's funerall Let 's talke who are to liue not who are dead And thinke what progeny shall spring from vs May beare
your Image stampt vpon the face This we must talke of now not what griefs past But of the ioy to come Aegyst. My Queen not well Now good Electra looke vnto your mother Clyt. riseth from the table Lucina be propitious to the birth Why will not now a young Aegystheus be As gratefull as an old Orestes was Thou times good lengthener age posterity Spread thy selfe still vpon Aegistheus line Helpe me to treasure vp antiquity And from Thyestes loyns let spring an heire Shall euer sit in great Thyestes chaire Exeunt SCEN. IV. Enter Pylades Orestes with his arme full of a dead mans bones and a Scull Pylad. Neare to this shady groue where neuer light Appeares but when 't is forced with som charm Canidia dwells in such a dusky place That the night goblins feare to come too neare it Here let vs knocke Orest. Nay Pylady see here O giue me leaue to descant on these bones This was my Fathers scull but who can know Whether it were some subiects scull or no Where be these Princely eyes commanding face The braue Maiesticke looke the Kingly grace Wher 's the imperious frowne the Godlike smile The gracefull tongue that spoke a souldiers stile Ha ha worms eate them could no princely looke No line of eloquence writ in this booke Command nor yet perswade the worms away Rebellious worms could a King beare no sway Iniurious worms what could no flesh serue But Kings for you By heauen you all shall sterue Had I but known 't what must my father make A feast for you O ye deuouring creatures Pyla. Now some Archilocus to helpe him make Vengefull Iambiques that would make these worms To burst themselues Passion must please It selfe by words griefe told it selfe doth ease Orest. You cowardly bones would you be thus vncloth'd By little crawling wormes by Ioue I neuer thought My Fathers bones could e're haue beene such cowards O you vngratefull wormes how haue you vs'd him See their ingratitude O ambitious creatures How they still domineere or'e a Kings carcasse Pyla. How could they thinke Orestes when thou cam'st to the crown That thou shouldst beare that these should eate thy father Orest. True Pylades should not I rend their maws Deuise some new tortures O most horrible treason That worms should come vnto a great Kings face And eate his eyes why I would vndertake But at one stampe to kill a thousand of 'em And I will kill these Stamps upon them Goe you Kings-eating creatures I will marre All your digestion Pylad. Alas where be his wits He stands declaming against senselesse worms And turnes more senslesse then the worms themselues Wher 's now the oracle you should consult The great Magician now the Centaurs thought Shall be example to all future yeers And now transcend Proserpina's inuention Ha hast thou found them out ha were they worms Orest O prethe laugh not at me me call her call her Pyl. knocks Whilst I stand gathering vp my Fathers bones His deare disiected bones O I remember here Ran the strong sinews twixt his knitting ioynts Here to this bone was ioyn'd his Princely arme Here stood the hand that bare this warlike shield And on this little ioynt was place't the head That Atlas-like bare vp the weight of Greece Here here betwixt these hollow yawning iaws Stood once a tongue which with one little word Could haue commanded thousand souls to death Good hands indure this your weighty taske And good eyes striue not to make moyst his bones With weeping teares What sin 's our Procustes euer could Haue hackt a King into such things as these Alas her 's euery part now so deform'd I know not which was his yet all was his Sound infernall Musique SCEN. V. Enter Canidia like an Enchauntresse Orest. PRotect vs O ye Ministers of Heauen Stand neare me my good Genius my soule hath lost His humane function at this hellish sight Can. Who is 't disturbs our caue what messenger Hath Pluto sent that would know ought from vs What are you speake Canidia cannot stay Pylad. Prompt vs some Ghost Great feare of earth and gouernesse of nature In whose deepe closet of that sacred heart Are written the characters of future Fate And what is done or what must be thou knowst Whose words make burning Acheron grow cold And Ioue leaue thundring when he heares thy name To thee we come O turne thy secret booke And looke whose names thou there shalt see inscrib'd For murderers reade or'e all the catalogue Vntill thou findest there engrauen those Which kild the King of Greece great Agamemnon Orest. Yes he that did owe these bones which worms haue eate It is not now one of the meaner sort That craues this boone but 't is the heire of Greece Heire onely now but to my Fathers graue I not command but my astonisht soule Entreats to know If in thy booke it be not yet put downe Command the Gods to vnlocke the gates of Heauen And fetch forth death command him to relate Who 't was put Agamemnon in his hands This is our businesse this great prophetesse Made vs approach to thy most hallowed cell Can. Ho ho ho I tell thee fond young Prince A lesser power thou mightst haue implor'd Which might haue vrg'd th' vnwilling fiends to this Our dire enchantments carry such a force That when the stars and influence of heauen Haue suckt the liuely bloud from out mens veyns I at my pleasure bring it backe againe I knew each houre in the Troian fight What Grecian or what Phrygian should die And fierce Achilles had no sooner pierc't Great Hectors side but fate did send me word Earth Sea deepe Chaos all the stony hills Will ope themselues to shew me prodigies Night will vnmaske her brow to let me see What blacke conceptions teeme within her wombe Orest. O then relate great Mistresse of thy Art The things we craue Can. What time of night is 't Pyl. Vpon the stroke of twelue Can. Straite when a cloudy Euen clappeth the Ayre And all light 's drench't in misty Acheron When the blacke palpherys of the full cheekt moone Haue got behinde this part a' th Hemispheare And darke Aldebor and is mounted high Into the fable Cassiopeias chaire And night ful mounted in her seat of iet Sits wrapt within a cabinet of clouds When serpents leaue to hisse no dragons yell No birds doe sing no harsh tun'd toads doe croake The Armenian Tyger and the rauenous woolfe Shall yeeld vp all their tyranny to sleepe And then none walke but hells disturbed spirits Children of night such as belong to me I 'll shew thee thy desire giue me these bones Orest. Here take them Mother vse them gently They were a Kings bones once O not so hard Can. Why senslesse boy dost thinke that I respect A Kings dead bones more then an other mans O they smell rankly I this sent doth please Smels to them But I must now to worke why Sagana Pylad. Looke here thou King of
'de see my mother burnt before I de goe Why shouldst thou bring her she would stifle thee Stifle thee in thy bed as my mother did Pylad. Still harping on thy mother Orest. Harping no Let Orpheus harpe O I she was she was A very very Harpie Pyl. Thus madnes playes And keeps a certaine measure in his words Orest. O I suckt out my mothers dearest blood I did indeed O she plagues me for 't now O I must goe lie downe in Tytius place Ixion too he Sir would faine resigne I scorne your petty plagues I 'll haue a Worse O the vulture the wheele the vulture Pyl. See how his conscious thoughts like fiends of hell Doe arme themselues and lash his guilty soule He see 's no vulture nor no Scorpion strikes Yet doth his conscience whip his bloody heart He needs no witnesses he hath within A thousand thoughts which testifie his sin No punishment so strickt no deadly smart As priuate guilt that smiteth on the heart Orest. I did I confesse I did I kild them all Ript vp the wombe that bare me nay I did O Tantalus thy plague some meate some meate Who pulls those apples hence let them alone Nay sinke to the bottom I will follow thee Lies downe to drinke The riuer 's drie my mother hath drunke all Pyl. Alas come goe with me we will finde drinke Orest. Is Pluto's buttry ope his drinks too hot I doubt 't will scald me but I 'll taste on 't yet Th' Eumenides stand to whip me as I goe Nay I will passe you I will out-slip them all Exit currens Pyl. See in his conscience lies hels punishment Our own thoughts iudges none are innocent Exit SCEN. VI. Enter 2. Lords 1 Lord WE that haue here ben born to see this change May leaue the court and tell our children tales Of the dire fall of Inachus great house The young Prince mad the Princesse kild her selfe Old Strophius dead from griefe and murder heapt Corps vpon corps as if they ment t' inuite All hell to supper or som Iouiall night 2 Lor. Nay but my Lord this is most pittifull That the yong Prince should thus from dore to dore Beg for his foode and yet none dare to giue I saw him wandring yesterday alone Flying from euery crow or pratling Pie Crying out mother and as if there had Tormenting Furies following him with fraud And truth I thought to tell old Tyndarus To moue his ruthfull yeeres to pitty him And will you ioyne petitioner with me Wee 'll tell the cause 't is good to ease misery 1 Lord My Lord I like your motion and will ioyne For Agamemnons sake my honor'd Master Exeunt SCEN. VII. Enter Orestes Pylades with naked rapiers Orest. MY Fury leaues me now I 'me at my last And now me thinks thou truely art a friend Now with vndaunted spirit preuent my griefe And let thy rapier drinke blood greedily As if it lou'd it cause it is thy friend Now rid me of my woe thy friendly vow Neuer did truely shew it selfe till now Pyl. Why then deare friend I thus erect this arme And will be strong to thee as thou to me Wee 'll looke vpon our deathes with better face Then others doe on life come Tyndarus see We scorne to liue when all our friends are dead Nor shall thy Fury make base famine be The executioner to my dearest friend Whilst I can kill him therefore spight of thee Wee 'll free our selues past all calamity Orest. Yes Pylades we will beguile our time And make him search through euery nooke a' th world If he in all his race can euer spie Two that like vs did liue like vs did die But we delay our death now brauely come And the last parting word shall be strike home they run at one another run again Pyl. O brauely strook deare friend yet once again Orst. Yes at one thrust two friends must not be slain O how I loue these wounds heauen dropping showers When the outragious dogge makes clouds of dust Vpon the thirsty earth come not more sweet Then the blest streames of blood thy rapier raines Hence weapon for my loynes now scorne all props But my friends armes O beare good leggs a while The weight of murder sits vpon my soule And bends my staggering ioynts vnto the earth Pyl. Haste haste I faint but O yet let my strength Be Atlas to sustaine the falling world Breath breath sweet vapours of two trusty hearts And let our breaths ascend to heauen before To make a roome hard by the frozen pole Where that our winged soules shall mount and sit More glorious then the Concubines of loue Wreath'd with a crowne of rich enamel'd starres Leauing all ages to deplore our death That friendships abstract perish with our breath Orest. Fly thou best part of man where Hecate Borne on the swarthy shoulders of the Euen Sits in a groue of oakes till gray eye'd morne Bids her to throw off nights blacke Canopie Pyl. Wil 't die before me Stay stay I come Orest. O graspe me then our names like Gemini Shall make new starres for to adorne the skie Is thy breath gone Pyl. O yes 't is almost past Then both together thus wee 'll breath our last They fall downe dead embracing each other SCEN. VIII. Enter in haste Tyndarus Lords with others Tynd. WEnt they this way my Lords you moue mee much Could I find him now I would seat him new In his right Kingdome which doth weigh downe mee 1 Lord I see my Lord Orestes and his friend Without your leaue haue made themselues an end Tynd. Then now is Argos Court like to some stage When the sad plot fills it with murdred Trunckes And none are left aliue but onely one To aske the kinde spectators plaudite All else haue bid valete to the world The man reseru'd for that is Tyndarus Who thus hath seen his childrens childrens end His Grandchild a bad sonne a most deare friend The Scene must now be ouerflow'd with grones Each man sits downe to waile his priuate mones One for the Queen doth weep one for the King All taste the bitter waters of this Spring The Nurse bewails the child that part she beares All haue their subiects to bedew with teares Each one yet haue but one but all of mee Challenge a part in griefes sad sympathy Orestes Clytemnstra I must call These all for mine thus must I weepe for all Let none belieue this deed or if they doe Let them belieue this punishment then too 'T is vile to hate a Father but such loue As breeds a hate to 'th mother worse doth proue Our life consists of ayre our state of winde All things we leaue behind vs which wee find Sauing our faults witnesse Orestes here VVho was his owne tormentor his owne feare VVho flying all yet could not fly him selfe But needs must shipwrack vpon murders shelfe And so his brest made hard with miserie He grew himselfe to be his enemy Thus griefe and gladnesse still by turnes do come But pleasure leastwhile doth possesse the roome Long nights of griefe may last but lo one day Of shining comfort slideth soone away He whom all feare on earth must feare a fate For all our powers are subordinate Three howres space thus well can represent Vices contriu'd and murders punishment A Monarchs life can in this little space Shew all the pompe that all the time doth grace His risings and his falls and in one span Of time can shew the vanity of man For none of vs can so command the powers That we may say to morrow shall be ours Now Fortunes wheele is turn'd and time doth call To solemnize this friendly funerall No force so great no so disaster wrong As can vnknit the bands which holdeth strong Vnited hearts who since they thus are dead One roome one tombe shall hold them buried And as these friends ioyn'd hands to beare their Fate So we desire you to imitate VVho since they all are dead we needs must craue Your gentle hands to bring them to their graue THE END