melancholy Which some define is weaknesse in a Lord And in a Lady pride or fullennesse But in a wise man 't is flatt foolery Lucil. Prethee forbeare Antonio let me in silence Vent out the cares that overwhelme my soule Thou know'st how deep an angry mothers spleene Wounds the soft love that I am forc'd to beare To my Altheas vertues How can I chuse But weep away my youth when I remember The dreadfull oppositions which my soule Hath formerly sustain'd for her the cares That have out-runne my yeares and like to corsives Have eate into my flesh there seiz'd upon All faculties of life and spred their venome Through every veine and sinew of my heart Anto. 'T is your owne fault that thus will spend your selfe In such extreames of passion that encrease The number of your griefes above your spirit Faith 't is unmanly done call you this love Lucil. Antonio thou mistak'st the name of love In thy Lucilio if thou conceiv'st it dull And sprightlesse melancholy whose corroding humour Feeds on the faint dejection of a minde That dares not meet an apprehensive thought Of least misfortune but it basely yeelds I have held up thou knowest against all plots A womans wit could manage or invent Or cause the Duke my father countenance To blow out the chaste flame of my affection Have laid my brest open to envy's spight And suffer'd even to banishment it selfe If I may tearm 't a banishment from her Who is all things to me divine Althea Life Countrey fortune all that this world cals happy Anto. Strange Symptomes of affection Lucilio Say Antonio Was it not Banishment that even when Iove Had licens'd us in heav'n and meant to send Himen to earth in white and Priestly robes To joyne our hands as Cupid had our hearts Then to be taken hoodwinkt from my hopes And sent in haste from Court just in the harvest Of my desires to combate with the Arts The aire and clime of Athens whil'st the Sunne Trebled his course to the Coelestiall Ramme Anto. Yet know my Lord that your indulgent Parents Out of their Princely care intended it But as a course of Physick to recover Your love-sick thoughts hoping that Time Absence Ioyn'd with the precepts of Philosophy Might purge you to a remissnesse of affection And by degrees conquer this mouldy passion Lucil. All which supposed remedies deare friend Set the disease a working much lesse cure it True love Antonio is immutable A divine Charter of affection Confirm'd in heav'n and can by no prescript Of Art or Nature ever be restrain'd Nullis amor est medicabilis herbis Nec prosunt Artes Anto. Yet since in vaine you strive To bandy with a mother me thinkes Love Tir'd in the depth of woe should call your Reason To a new choise fitting your Birth and Fortunes Lucil. Call woes to woes I am resolv'd to trie The worst of spleene and since her vertuous thoughts Have daign'd to meet affection that on wings Of true borne faith hath rais'd it selfe to claspe With her deserts the most austerest tempest Envy can showre upon our innocent loves Shall ne'r dis-joyne us Anto I have done my Lord Lucil. Then prethee Antonio let me in peace retire I feele some strange events lie at my heart My thoughts cannot presage I feare my friend I have but dream'd as yet but now mine eyes Must wake to meet true solid miseries Exit Lucilio Anto. To see how strong love is and the command It has o'r humane hearts Poore Lord I know Thy true-borne griefes are firme and that chast faith Never conceiv'd to wave with floating likenesse Makes thee thus sinke into the depth of sorrow Page Nay good Signior follow him put him out of the humour or else he will turne madman shortly Anto. Why sir Page Because he that 's first a Scholler next in love the yeare after is either an arrant foole or a starke madman Anto. How came your knavery by such experience Page As fooles doe by newes some body told me so and I beleeve it But in good earnest I had forgot to tell my Lord of the message he sent me in Anto. Whither in the name of Mercury was that Page To see how the Lady Donna Fiozza did Anto. Oh! how does her beauteous Ladiship Page Sick terrible sick Anto. Physick defend prethee of what disease Page Yesterday her Monkey had a fall off the side table and ever since she has had a strange fit of an ague Anto. How does her Lord Page Faith not well neither and therefore he begins to be most sparingly vertuous Anto. The pox he does Page On my fidelitie you are the foule mouth'dst gallant that ever wore Cloves in 's Gummes you say an Italian Count has the pox Anto. Your neater word good Galateo Page By this light you Courtiers bee the dullest creatures living you learne nothing but flattery and begging You must know sir in a Nobleman 't is abusive no in him the Sarpigo in a Knight the Grincomes in a Gentleman the Neopolitan scabb and in a Servingman or Artificer the plaine Pox Iust as your saying goes that Noblemen bee never drunke but take a surfeit Schollers be ill at ease and poore men onely they are drunke yet all 's but one disease There 's an old rime for you adieu Signior I must to my Lord Anto. Farewell hedge-pike Exeunt Enter Althea and Alastor Alth. Did my Lord so farre impart the businesse to your selfe Alast. He did and does intend to use my help alone in effecting of his project She gives him a letter and money Alth. I prethee returne him this answer and bee silent Alast. Sweet villany thou art the thrivingst trade under heaven Exit Alth. Warme blood assist me how has wonder seiz'd The frozen passages that slowly guide My shivering spirits up to the seat of life Murder the Duke now innocence forbid And let our selves be as out loves unstain'd Tyrannous affection can thy transforming power Enforce our passions thus beyond our selves Rob us of nature and the sense of man Seize all our actions force us to forget That we are children and with loves finger blot Cleane from our thoughts the pietie we owe To them that gave us life Carry us headlong To such a gulfe of sinne where we must drowne Our selves our honour and that secure content A guiltlesse conscience brings to innocence Ah deare Lucilio how are thy vertues dimm'd In my best thoughts that like a Christall mirrour Still held the shapes of thy deserving actions Vnspottedly resembl'd what spirit of night Has mixt it selfe with those untainted vowes Thy never yet ambitious soule pour'd forth To attend our loves Some Angel deare Lucilio Descend into thy fancy to perswade thee By all the bands Love Duty Nature Heaven Can bring to binde thee in a tender feare Of roughly breathing on the softest ayre That toucheth but his safetie to desist From this unnaturall act of paricide Fatall experience speakes and makes it good They stand
has combated the pangs of death To give her children life stood all her time Like to a carefull Centinell for their youth And spent the nights in pensive watchfulnesse Forcing soft nature to forbeare her rest To plott their good must all be frustrated And by a childs proud will see all things crost Their Parents hopes and their owne fortunes lost How hath our love to thee our wishes toyl'd To build thy passage to a higher spheare And by some noble match to raise thy House And must thy base attempts looke downeward still Mongrell our blood and set a lasting scarre Vpon our progeny by fixing thus Thy stubborne passions on base Iulia's childe Luci. Madam not to yeeld what Nature makes us owe Were to bee made lesse reas'nable than beasts And nothing's more against a generous minde And freeborne spirit than foule Ingratitude Yet must your Grace remember that we take Nor all from Parents the hand of heaven and Fate Does by the last infusion of the soule Give the rich forme and by a secret tract And unavoyded path leads us to what Seemes good to it and though our mindes be free In this impulse wee love by Destinie I must confesse I love nor was the flame Of my affection when it kindled first Like to a paper fire that with a blaze Of lust begins and ends at once and leaves Nought but black infamie behinde nor can The least dishonour staine our Dukedomes title From her whose Blood stands firme by long descents Even in the heart of unbought noblenesse Whose Reputation 's sound Revenues faire Beauty able to inrich a Dukedome and deserts To be an Empresse Were then our fortunes rais'd By those high steps to which I should aspire To joyne with greatnesse I must joyne with vice For they are oft observ'd to joyne their hands And he not stoops that stayes where Vertue stands Duch. Has Athens taught you bee an Oratour Degenerous boy I le coole your vertuous flame And make thee rue the basenesse of thy choise Exit Lucil. How deepe a conflict doe my thoughts indure 'Twixt Love and Dutie Wert not a mothers tongue That wrong'd thy worth Althea I would have torne it From out th' injurious throat in thy revenge And held it to their eyes to let them see How it had wrong'd it selfe by wronging thee Exit Enter Mistris Frailware and the Page Mistris Frail. By my troth I am glad to see thee well my little Gallow-clapper how hast thou done this many a day ha Page Faith prettily well Mistris Fraileware as a man of my profession might I had all the chiefe trades in the City to help mee doe well Mistris Frail. What trades were they thou wert too young for any occupation yet Page Not above three yeares at most but I earn'd something with working and wayting on my Lord as Tankard-bearers Labourers and Servingmen doe I stole and cozen'd as Taylors Shopkeepers and Cutpurses doe I let out my Lords books and tooke money for the use of 'hem as the later ends of gouty Merchants doe and yet for all this I was forc'd as many of you Citizens are to goe many times to bed with a hungry conscience Mistris Frail. You 'll never leave your crackery but tell mee prethee sirrha is Athens a fine Towne What be these College like didst thou goe to schoole there Page O an excellent place for a woman that will use trading You shall have the Schollers lie at your sweet Frailes night and day they bee forc'd to sweeten their disputations with Grocers reasons and custome could not but make your husband one of the head men of the City presently Mistris Frail. Now by my troth I thinke it were a very good place for a stale shopkeepers wife of the City to set up in o' my conscience a woman of our occupation might thrive there Page I and she were down never so low the schollers would doe it and how does Master Damasippios the lecturing Stoick When was he here Mistris Frail. Dost remember him let me see o' my honesty I never saw him since his last morall Lecture against the sinnes of the flesh yes heaven forgive me to sweare now I remember me the same day my husband went a duck-hunting and then he came hither and brought mee many good things wilt thou goe to him againe sometimes for mee I le give thee some figges and Tobacco Page Yours to command I le smoake in your businesse then i'faith Mistris Frail. Prethee come to me when my husband is out of the shoppe exit Page Adieu the two desiring sinnes of the City Avarice and Lechery if I doe not meet with your morall venery would I might goe lowsie and have but three pence to play with this moneth Exit Page Enter Duchesse and Alastor Duch. Come good Alastor be but secret now And I shall live indear'd unto thy faith The matter much imports us and in case That my rewards should dye with me the State Will one day thanke thee for 't I have his seale His hand and stile exactly counterfeit Then heare thy charge Thou must this evening haste Covertly to the Lady Iulia's house But canst bee secret Alast. As your owne thoughts Madam I can stick as close to any peece of villany As a Punk to a Farmers sonne new gentiliz'd And when besides so many good angels tempt They are enough to make a woman keepe counsell Duch. Well then make meanes to speake there with Althea Tell her thou com'st from Lord Lucilio Who in important businesse has imployed thee I know shee 'll take thy message privately Deliver her this letter seeme that Lucilio Has none but thee on whom he can relie In this so dangerous an enterprise Shee upon this will- bee more free and open To the designe then marke her good Alastor Observe each word and gesture that shee uses If thou canst wring a looke that may discover But a consenting thought it will suffice For when offending lives withstand our will Wee must seeme good though we determine ill exit Alast. Here 's a villanous pitfall to stifle a poore wench in who can bee a beggar now that 's not afraid to bee damn'd well I can no more tell how to thrive without doing villany than greatnesse can without doing injury Pretty peece of man's flesh I my heart will leap when I see thee come off the Rock like a Mag-Pie and I shall wish for thy sake that nature had made women a litle lighter all of feathers that they might have taken hurt by no manner of falling but pitty is a thing clean out of fashion and the high way to irreparable Beggary I le none of it exit Enter Lucilio Antonio Page Anto. Nay good my Lord yeeld not your self so much To these unseason'd Passions that doe sit Like midnight on your thoughts me thinks the ayre Of Athens should have purg'd these humours quite In troth my Lord the world will condemne you Lucil. Of what Antonio Anto. Why of
well hee has beene ill at ease ever since t'other night Mistris Fra. Ah sweet man he does so labour and labour to fill us with moralitie that hee 's ee'n tyr'd out in the Citie amongst us Enter Master Frailware and his man with Holboards Master Frail. Fie upon 't how heavy this authoritie sits upon us ever since midnight in the Dukes businesse but it stands us upō it 't is for the credit of the City we must doe more than one bare Office or wee cannot bee good subjects Here take in my weapon Exit man Mistris Frail. I'faith 't is a fine time o'day to come home at Gods my precious doe you thinke to leave me so still from twelve a Clock till I rise I must he alone dreaming and dreaming sometimes that you are dead sometimes that I am with childe and a lust for a thing that I cannot have sometimes again that you have falne downe the Stayres and broke your back and such fearfull dreames that I cannot rest an houre because I can doe nothing but dreame Master Frail. O good wife we be for this yeare Magistrates Officers of place men of imployment the upholders of the Citie the eyes of the Common-wealth and therefore when matters of State call wee must come with wisedome and with severity answer our Vocation Mistris Frail. Focation me no Vocation for as true as I am marry'd if you put me in such frights by going away and leaving mee in the darke I le get me a bedfellow shall stick closer to mee so I will cannot you have a Deputy as well as an Alderman I hope you are in authority too Mistris Abig. O patience deare Mistris Frailware patience with your Spouse my husband told me that patience was one of the ten morall vertues Mistris Frail. I Mistris Abigail if a woman had such a husband as you have that were able to put patience into a woman she might easily be content and have mortall vertues enough too Master Frail. Nay prethee Duck be quiet when the Sessions are past wee shall have more leisure meane while le ts in and drinke this fury over in a cup of Canary Come Mistris Abigail Exeunt Enter Lucilio with a bagge as if apparell were in it Antonio Lucil. Let it suffice Antonio that thy friend Entreats thy silence nor let thy curious love Question our farther projects leave to enquire Till time and rumour shall disclose the Plot Of my intentions whose unexpected end Shall stand beyond preventions murdering sight And turne the edge of spleene upon it selfe Thus much I will impart unto thy faith What fits thee not to know leave to desire Anto. My Lord impute it not to curiousnesse That I have urg'd your patience to unfold What you intend for by the hallowed name Of zealous friendship which my heart retaines Engrav'd by your deserts 't is only love That makes me thus seeme jealous of your good However would your Grace but try my faith By making it a partner in your ils Till having pass'd these stormes and beene approv'd Inviolably firme it may deserve The name of friend to which't has long aspir'd Lucil. Nay now thou complement'st and dost afflict The tender love thy faith hath bred in me I tell thee friend I must not trust the ayre 'Twixt thee and mee the nights concealing shades Shall never hear 't disclos'd not that I feare Thy friendly silence but the barren plot Of my invention will admit but me Into the doubtfull scene I must alone Finish the Act my hopelesse love began O my Antonio could my sorrowes poure Into thy breast but halfe what I conceive What could the spleene of potent envy adde To the vast heapes of mischiefe that doe lie Vpon my groveling fortunes now cast downe Beneath the base of miserie and griefe When I must stand like to a senselesse marble Frozen into a stone with strong respect Of filiall duty and see Althea dye Throwne downe by my ambitious love that aym'd At her transcendent vertues This wounds my heart And puts a fire to the cold melancholy That hath so long possess'd my chillied spirits And bids them seeke revenge that when fraud thinks To seize upon the neck of innocence The repercussive flame that will result From their abhorred deeds shall singe their wings And make them fall as low as were their actions Where they shall lye and view the ugly shapes Of all those mischiefes that attend oppression But now conceale me friend and be no more Inquisitive of the particulars Report will soone divulge the scope of all If absence cause inquiry after mee Let fall some speeches that I am withdrawne To a retired privatenesse awhile Vntill Althea's Tragedy be o'r Not able to affront my ruin'd hopes Nor stand Spectator at her guiltlesse death So fare thee well and if we never meete Remember that I liv'd and dy'd thy friend Anto. Doe not torment my soule but let me share Those passages of danger that oppose Their hideous jawes against your innocent hopes For at no greater rate man sels his breath Then with a friend to buy a faithfull death Luci. Thy words Antonio cannot adde an Atome To the full love that 's harbour'd in my breast Of thy true reall worth then be content And leave me for 't is impossible that more Than my unhappy selfe can bee contain'd Or have an Action within the narrow limits Of my designes Anto. Then thus I take my leave With as much feeling paine as if my foule Were by some violence shot from out my bowels Farewell my Lord my vowes and wishes guard you From awkward Fate whil'st I 'twixt hope and feare Attend the issue of these strange attempts Exit Antonio Lucil. So now Lucillo arme thy selfe for death That from thy blood she may regaine a life And freedome whom thy weake affection sold To undeserved slaughter and black infamy Immoved powers we must not aske you why And yet methinkes I could expostulate The reason of this mixture in the frame Of all our Vniverse why every perfect good Is girt with such a multitude of ils Not the most sacred and puissant Throne Of divine Iustice whose Majestick forme Beares a resemblance of that Power Supreme That equals Kings and Slaves by giving each Deserved vengeance for their actions Can stand secure but all the brood of hell Bribes Respects Envy and what e'r perverts The strictest line of vertuous equity Will presse up to the Iudgement Seat and there Transforme the beauteous picture of the Godhead Into the hatefull shapes of tyrannie Of blood and murder But I forget my self And like en angry woman chide the Heavens When I should doe Fortune and stealth assist My just adventures and a friendly sleepe Seise all the eyes and eares that would pursue Our harmlesse Stratagems This is the window If my directions faile not that does imprison her Whom Vertue Nature and the mild aspect Of all the Constellations sweat to make A free-borne Empresse He throwes a stone up to
the window Althea lookes out Alth. Whos 's that Lucil. Lucilio Alth. O my deare Lord Lucil. How fares my Althea Alth. As one that lives but in the armes of death And like a frost-kill'd worme is halfe reviv'd By your faire presence whose desired sight Makes a warme blood post through my trembling veins To tell my heart this newes that ere I die I once shall speake to you But I must chide your Grace my Lord that would so staine your love With foulest spots of blood Lucil. Blood to their soules that thought it for by The ne'r appaled heart of innocence The new-borne babes first smiles were ne'r more chaste Then was my breast frō thoughts of murder O Althea What will a woman loath that 's all possest With wrath and has the killing voyce of Iustice Tun'd to pronounce her mercilesse revenge The sword by her steel'd conscience edg'd to slaughter And undefended lives to worke upon Alth. It was your seale and hand that did perswade Me to the murder but my selfe return'd Disswasive arguments to beate you from 't Lucil. It was my seale which by my mothers charge 'T is thought the Page stole out without suspect As I conceive of mischiefe all the rest Was meerly counterfeit But bee advis'd And I will choake the hungry throat of Treason That gapes for blood with such a working pill As it shall loath to swallow and vomit up Their bloody plots in sick repentance Alth. No my dearest Lord let me in contentment die Since you are innocent and in my Tombe Bury your danger that have thus long sate A heavy burden to your happinesse Lucil. Long maist thou live untill the gods Althea Shall summon thee from hence to make a starre And grant Commission to the winged Post Of heaven to steale away thy soule in sleepe That Divine mould was not ordain'd to suffer A painfull shipwrack in thy lifes departure Alth. 'T will sweeten much the bitterst throes of death When I shall thinke my labouring soule does worke For my Lucilio's rest then let my guiltlesse Ghost Securely passe up to the fields of peace For I am weary and would gladly die Lucil. Vrge it no more the very sound of death Wish'd to thy innocence comes like a clappe Of armed thunder to mine eares and thou Shalt live though I should search the utmost tortures Tyrannie did ere invent to find a death Might ransome thee and therefore if thy love Does yet respect Lucîlios constancy Resolve and second mee Dispute no more But make some meanes to let me downe a line That I may fasten this disguise unto it She lets downe a line to which he fastens the disguise There draw it up and put it on with speed Suspitions eye dogs every step I tread She drawes up the bagge and while she is cloathing How strong is sad affliction on my State When I must steale a death and thinke me blest if none Doe interrupt my passage to destruction Oh that the paths of Fate so strange and invious Should lead us into life and through a Maze Of chances bring us to such unpassable periods That we must leape the bankes and give our breath To shunne the ills that doe incounter us Come have you yet dispatch'd Alth. I have my Lord but what of this Lucil. Then once more lend your line Having againe let downe the Line she drawes up a Ladder of Cords Fasten those Hookes to your window and come downe Shee fastens the Hookes above he below And then coming downe he receives her A more troublesome descent then from the Rock But your fall gentler So Now flie Althea And live as happy as my unhappy love Had made thee miserable time may bee More friendly to thee and beget some meanes That thou maist one day sit amidst thy friends Nay doe not weep Althea thou shalt see This will worke both our freedomes and if I die My silent Ghost shall in the pleasingst formes At mid-noon dayes come oft to visit thee Farewell They kisse and he offers to goe up Alth. What meanes your Grace Lucil. To out-runne trechery and winne a Goale That shall enrich my name make envy swell And drowne her selfe in overflowing Gall Alth. I le meet the ugliest shapes that ever Death Appear'd to Nature in before I le leave Your Grace expos'd to danger for my life Lucil. No more for I have vow'd what I intend And if thou dost withstand it to make this houre The last of breathing to mee therefore be gone I le lie at Stake my selfe that you may steere No interrupted course and since the law Gives Virgins leave to pleade and die conceal'd I with this Scarfe here will bee your Attorney Hasten your flight least mischiefe finde you slow Wee shall both fare the better At the Parks end By a Fount that riseth from the Chaulky Banke Camilla stayes with your Viaticum Shee 'll be thy partner in thy banishment Once more farewell and if I die for ever Alth. And if you die I shall not long out-live you He goes up into the window In what a sad dilemma stands my soule In this divulsion betweene love and danger Yet blesse mine eyes once more with sight of you Lucil. Farewell Althea Alth. Dearest Lord farewell Lucil. Againe farewell Althea all the favours Of Guardian Angels and mild'st influences Propitious Heaven retaines waite on thy sufferings Exeunt Enter Alastor and another Servant setting the Barre and laying Cushions Alast. Come dispatch the Duke 's at hand Serv. I wonder he sits himselfe in judgement to day Alast. The matter in question is great Serv. Many thinke the poore Gentlewoman is innocent Alast. They be fooles to say so Serv. Why is 't a folly to speake what they thinke Alast. I as very a folly as to be vertuous indeed Do'st imagin t will gaine any thing but hate Serv. Yet many dare pawne their lives that shee is guiltlesse Alast. None but such as were predestin'd never to bee great they bee tender conscienc'd dunces they never learn'd Esops Fables Serv. Why for that Alast. Do'st not remember the tale of the Lion that banish'd all horn'd beasts from Court Serv. That was a madd Lion i'faith Alast. That then the Foxe went away as banish'd too because if the Lion should say his prickt eares were Hornes what then Serv. But she was thought ever vertuous and modest Alast. Shee would not have beene guilty so soone else shall a swaggering wench that will take Tobacco eight and forty times in foure and twenty houres talke bawdy as familiar as an Oyster wife retaine seven servants with good backes and a weake husband to keep Doggs from doore have no priviledge above suspected vertue Serv. Faith I remember when I went to Schoole my Master vs'd to tell us a Verse or two out of a Poet hic damnatus inani Iudicio I ha' forgot the Poëts name but I remembred the Verse by another where he instructs creatures of our faculty Alast. Why what does he teach us
Serv. Nay nothing but tells us onely that if wee will thrive by service we must be either close Panders palpable flatterers or cozening Villaines Alast. A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poët I warrant him Exeunt Enter the Duke at one doore with Antonio Page and other Attendants At the other doore Lucilio in Altheas apparell his face covered with a Scarfe brought in by a Pursivant at Armes Frailware and others with Holbeards as a Prisoner to the Barre Damasippus Attend. Give back there and let the prisoner stand forth Duke How did wee thinke that when the stormes of warre Were with our danger care and cost expell'd From out these confines and the warmth of peace Turn'd like a Spring to shine within your bounds We should have sate secure Or after all Those toiles that spent our strength dry'd up our blood Hasten'd the hand of time to seize our haires Before his date and onely in pursuit Of your lov'd people safty and content Our owne now fainting wearinesse of age Should taste that freedome which our labours bought In plenteous fulnesse for the poorest swaine And we have clos'd the Evening of our age Within a fearlesse slumber But how weake Are all the hopes that wretched Princes faine When in the calme of peace while wee suppose Our perils banish'd and our selves ingirt With such impenetrable love as we Embrace our people with then stand our lives Expos'd to thickest dangers which conceal'd Doe strike the deeper and are warded lesse Such is the miserie that followes State That when we want abroad we finde at home Foes to besiege our lives The discontent Of some aggrieved spirits that thinke we stand 'Twixt their desires and them and which is worse The idle passions of unbridl'd youth Rather than misse those hopes enflamed lust Has fir'd within their thoughts will overturne Whole States and climbe up to their aymed ends By our heap'd slaughters Yet I least had thought Such Tragick Acts had knowne a womans breast Nor if I could Althea would your life Strong to retort suspition once permit Our least mistrust to staine your vertuous name And had we not by heavens appointment found Vnder your hand and seale the firmest proofes Of tempting our owne blood to paricide Suspitions strongest proofes had ne'r induc'd Our never lightly credulous beliefe To harbour your dislike But should we now Neglect our safety and our Countries good When all the Providence of Fate conspires To bring those treacherous practises to light Which Heaven abhorres wee should contemne the Heavens Abuse that forme of justice we sustaine And stand as guilty of those wastefull ruines Our cruell mildnesse gives your actions scope To call upon your Countrey and our selves We therefore by the Lawes denounce you guilty Of Treason 'gainst our person and the State Lucil. Were it for life my Lord I stood to speake I scarce would give the breath that I must spend To save that life But since your Grace does know A womans prejudice has doom'd our death For my names life I le speake and not for mine If infamy might die when we doe die I would be silent for know my gracious Lord I scorne to beg a life but come all arm'd In such a compleate innocence as dares Meet angry injustice in the jawes of death And without trembling stand his violence But that these Acts of blood these horrid crimes Of paricide of lust and hellish sinne Which will out-live our Tombes and make our names Come hatefull to posterities Records Should have a birth within a Virgins breast That never yet was conscious of a wish 'Gainst your desired safety I must take leave To tell your Grace that it was meerly feign'd By the bloody hand of Envy to cut off That sacred band of love the Heavens have knit 'Twixt your sonnes heart and my chaste innocence Nor doe I taxe your justice for my death But doe impute it most to his fond love That by protests of vertue and desire Drew my beleeving soule to his affects For when my feares urg'd these ensuing ils His uncontain'd affection breaking forth In signes of extreme passion so consum'd My powers that had my thoughts beene cold as Snow His zeale pour'd out in such inflaming vowes Would melt them Duke We must check your impudence That swels beyond the bounds we did expect Your modesty should have observ'd you wrong Our sonne and in our sonne our selves know you This hand and seale Lucil. I doe my honour'd Lord Yet were that Hand and Seale never found guilty Of conceiv'd wrong 'gainst or your Sonne or you Duke 'T will speake it selfe call it to witnesse then One reades the Letter MY Lord the attempt is dangerous and foule therefore desist not to enjoy the sweets our present Nuptials would being could I endure your hand stain'd with such an Action More when wee meet feare not but Heaven and Fate will second vertue Be still your selfe and I will rest Yours more than mine ALTHEA Duke Had you a priviledge to shrowd the blush Your conscious guilt casts 'gainst the eyes of Heaven As from our sight you doe conceale the Die That writes your Acts in shame upon your Cheekes You might deny these proofes and sweare them fain'd But that all-seeing power that notes the wild And secretst passages of mans conceit Detesting those foule crimes of lust and blood Reveales your Acts Stand therefore and from the Seate Of Iustice heare your doom since your ambitious hopes Soar'd up and by our Blood did meane to climbe Into that Seat which Nature and our right Had given to us be therfore from the Rock Throwne with your hopes that your example teach How low they fall that climbe above their reach And you Antonio we charge to see The execution speedily perform'd Exit cumsuis Manent Lucilio Antonio Page Damasippus Lucil. As sweet as cooling dew comes to the brest Of scorched Autumne so Deaths slumber fals On oppress'd innocence And good Antonio Since 't is your charge to see us dead let mee Entreat this favour that my body be Speedily interr'd and pray you tell the Duke That I request his Grace not grieve too much Hereafter for what I willingly now sought And he against his will made me to finde Then that I may have a litttle space in private To bid the world farewell and this is all A dying Virgin begs and for your friend Lucilio's sake you must not now deny it Anto. Wonder of womē could my attemps but yeeld Halfe what my heart conceives these limbs should die As many severall deaths as they containe Conduits of life to make your innocence live For your Lucilios sake whose woes will swell Poore Lord like to a winde-driven Ocean When he shall heare you dead and beare him downe To some disastrous end Lucil. You are deceiv'd Deare friend Lucilio's woes end with my life Nor will a thought of griefe a teare or sigh Trouble his peacefull sleeps when I am dead But I shall straine
most mortall because most against nature and brings many of us to lead Apes in Hell To lose the sweets of youth the very Nectar of Nature and frustrate the end of our Creation can this be lesse than a mortall sinne Alth. 'T is a worke of merit and they be Saints worthy to have their names written upon the Altar of Chastity 'T is belov'd of Heaven and sometimes fortunately rewarded here Cam. As for example Alth. My selfe you meane Camill. I am no Divine spight of the time I must speake my thoughts Alth. Why then 't is I Althea Why then 't is you would any woman breathing that had her 5 senses and no red head no blew lips nor raw Nose no desperate fortunes nor crackt reputatiō but walk'd upright in the face of the world and in the Aprill of her age so devote her selfe to one that she must undergoe these miseries when by renouncing him shee may underlie so many commodities To turne Savage here and hold conference with none but hils and sheepe when she might have variety of fashions wits and breathes to Court her at home I protest I would love over a whole Play-house of Gallants first Alth, I could be angry with thee Camilla for I le first be treacherous to my owne soule ere buy content or kingdomes with perfidiousnesse Cam. God reward you for man will never Alth. Vertue is rich and rewards it selfe and if my wrongs merit Lucilios safetie Heaven redouble 'hem Enter Micale like a Shepherdesse with a Bottle and a Bagg Mic. Now Micale thou hast the sight of them And art already 'spy'd cast out the baite Alth. What is shee Sure some voluntary occasion has driven her this way Cam. 'T is some Camelion perhaps that lives upon the breath of newes and comes to intelligence us here Mic. What no salute methinkes the furious heate Should make 'hem soone inquisitive to know What I came laden with into these Mountaines Which yeeld no other juice but Christall Springs I have a Liquor here to quench their thirst Physick to purge them from their loving humours And that aspiring minde that does invest Altheas hopes within a Duchesse stile She sits downe and plucks out her Viands Cam. Faith Mistris my stomack takes this for an invitation I have a great appetite to be acquainted with the honest Shepherdesse for I am dry at heart though my teeth water Alth. Yet be not impudent invite not thy selfe Cam. Why no I shall doe as custome and fashion forces us in wooing forbeare and be coy look to be invited and pray'd when we be ready to starve I le to her dine that 's past resolving Come will you goe Alth. Not I Cam. Your reason Alth. Because I have none to goe Cam. Nor I to stay Shepherdesse proface I thinke your feast be neither gluttonous nor miserable that thus you make it in the sight of heaven Mic. 'T is the Countries priviledge faire Shepherdesse to shun both will 't please you sit and eate Cam. Your kindnesse makes mee presume yet I feare to be over bold Mic. Command and try these Hill-Inhabitants dissemble not Cam. I have a melancholy friend here by whom discontent makes scarce sociable yet perhaps company your Bottle would infuse a little spirit and make a Sunshine on her thoughts Mic. You are too blame if you left her then solenesse feeds melancholy please you we goe and sit with her Cam. That were to trouble your kindnesse Mic. Nay you mistake me then methinks Shepheards should not know these Court complements more then that does the Countries honesty They rise and goe to Althea Cam. Come rouze your selfe and meet a banquet that comes freely to you Alth. I cannot eate Mic. Why then you cannot live Alth. And therefore I cannot eate because I cannot live Mic. Yet strengthen Nature and out-live sorrow Alth. 'T were Tytius plague to renew strength for griefe to feed on Mic. And to let sorrow keepe you fasting were to starve with Tantalus Alth. A hard choise for me the while Cam. Vertuous constancy thou art belov'd of Heaven and fortunately rewarded Alth. Peace good Eccho Mic. Come Nymph you must bee joviall these love griefes availe you nothing men perhaps laugh at 'hem Cam. Why true here 's a health and wisedome to you Alth. Both to your selfe I am not sick Mic. Pledge her faire Nymph Cam. See what a company of religious fooles wee maides bee to sigh and hang the head for ere a rough-hewne-stubble cheeke on 'hem all when a Crab-fac'd Cynick that has neither land nor hansomnesse will scoffe at affection and say hee knowes foure Wenches who if they were stampt and strain'd so that he might draw out the vertue of one the beauty of another the witty good nature of a third and the Portion of a fourth he could make a reasonable good Wife for ere a yonger brother in the land Mic. By Pan but such a wife would right well fit a Worshipfull Heire Cam. Nay that were pity faith then fooles should trouble two houses Come will you take your Liquor Alth good Spirit leave thy tempting my heart growes cold and pants as if it did presage some fatall ill stood nigh me Mic. These be the dreames of love here take a draught and waken imagination fancy is strong with you Alth. I thinke so too pray heaven it be no more Mic. Great Brimo shall our labour be frustrate I le frame a lye shall make her hang her selfe For griefe since poyson failes yet taste a little The Citie yeelds no better Cordiall to banish feares Alth. I cannot drinke were you in the City late Mic. I was and saw a heavy spectacle The Dukes sole Heire who taking the disguise Of a condemned Lady that stood tainted Of Treason was throwne downe from off the Rock And by the priviledge of Law that gives Our Virgins leave to pleade and dye conceal'd Vntill his Funerall was still unknowne Since when the Duke to satisfie the wrath His ignorance had bred by such a losse Vnto the State has burnt the guiltlesse mother Of that young Lady persecutes her Kinne Raced their ancient House and vowes the death Of her who yet is fled and none knowes where Alth. Oh She sownes Mic. Are you poyson'd with a lie What ailes you Lasse What fainting Alth. I am not well good Shepheardesse Leave us a while I thanke thee for her meate But the Sawce comes worse than poyson to my breast Mic. Then fare you well I am sorry to have bin the Messinger of that afflicts you and kils not presently aside Although I hope this lie proves to thy heart Poyson more ranke then ere was us'd by Art exit Micale Alth. O we have liv'd too long Camilla and Out-slept the houre in which wee should have dyed Plagues guilt and mischiefe have o'rtaken us Because we slack'd and would not quit the world To rest in pure white Tombs of innocence Cam. I feare some of us shall recompence our sloth too
seven shillings or a frowne to forsweare himselfe and draw my Pedigree as deep as Romulus Captaine as the wind serves either on the Litto or at my Lodging exit Capt. Wee will attend your Grace Nav. 'T is strange that such a personage should thus obscurely travell Capt. Tush Navarchus our common-wealth is among fishes and our pollicie with the windes and therefore no marvell if Courtiers tricks savour not on our palats Navar. Yet fearing disgrace above damnation and loving a popular esteeme more then heaven methinkes obscuritie should fright 'hem Capt. Faith no for you shall have a Courtier of the first Velvet head when the tide runnes low and in a place unknowne will familiarly turne you to his old trade accoutre his palfrey most neatly and thanke obscurity for drowning the unfit honour hee had lately slipt on and off Navar. 'T is a disease indeed they have to feele no touch of future honour nor taste any thing more than what lies before 'hem Capt. Tut they be wise in that for their conception being precipitate and their births rash they knew their glories birth would bee like the flies I have seene by a River in Aegypt that begin to live in the morning are at full age by noone and die before Sunne set and therefore their honour feeds like mothes upon apparell and objects meerly present flashes flashes Navar. But such an imputation cannot staine his honor whose graine taken in the die of a Dukes blood stands immaculate spight of all fortunes Capt. 'T is true and therefore peradventure parsimony invites him to this obscuritie for I le assure you that to be miserable and not fight are growne to be two right honourable qualities Enter a Shipman Shipm. Captaine you stand talking here of a Cock and a Bull while our rich fare is gone another way Capt. Who my Lord the Prince Shipm. I your Lord the Prince Navar. Which way for profits sake Shipm. That way that many Lords doe for profits sake downwards downwards Cap. Prethee speake not in enigmas be understood Shipm. In plaine Dagger termes the Prince is slaine Navar. D'foot 't is sharp newes Capt. By whom Shipm. Why that swart Rutter that brought the message from Court delivered it in such keene termes that it went to his heart when he had done tumbled him off the Litto into the water to catch Whitings But two Merchants spying it rais'd the people and tooke him and now the Governour is gone a fishing after the Body Cap. This amazes mee done so suddenly Shipm. Death 's a quick Carver when he comes in that shape Navar. Who set him on sayes he Shipm. Some valiant Squire or other who is yet unknowne nor will the Governour urge the knowledge but sends him back to Court that the Duke may take notice of all Cap. Come le ts to the the Litto and set our helps to find the Body Both Content Exeunt Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter the Duke and a Messinger Duke BVt have you found the body Mess. Wee have my Lord With long laborious search it was three Tydes Lockt in the armes of Neptune who at length Enforc'd by maine constraint resign'd it up But all the face so mangled and deform'd That but his clothes nought could have made it known The which embalm'd we straight clos'd up in Lead And with the murderer brought it to your Grace That after his due exequies perform'd You might quench sorrow in revenge and draw His blood whose hand hath spilt best part of yours Duke Thou art deceiv'd good friend 't was not his hand But the just hand of Heaven that whips my sinnes And through my Veins powres out the innocent blood Which I had spilt before the hand that holds The equall Ballance to discerne the waight 'Twixt Princes justice and their tyrannie Measures their blessings and their plagues alike To their faire vertues or black infamies And makes the horrid acts of murderous mindes But instruments of plague to punish guilt And pay us in the coyne with which we hop'd To buy our gluttonous surfets Such is the state Of Princes priviledge that we may runne Into the depth of sinne and uncontroul'd Pull vengeance on our heads while the smooth hand Of pestilent flattery claps us on the back And gives us edge to villany till they see Misery and desolation close us round Then they flie back and gaze as on a place Stricken with furious thunder in a storme When every vulgar hand has lawes and feare Of prying authority to hold him backe And friendly enemies to upbraid him with His faults and keepe him in the bounds of mercy Onely our height bereaves us of these helps And wee are sooth'd in vices till we runne Beyond the reach of grace and stand within The shot of heaviest vengeance which seldome comes Short of our merits O my sonne my sonne I shall grow madd with griefe my frighted conscience Opens the Booke where I doe view my sinnes And feele the furies with their wounding whips Lashing my guilty soule to penitence Mess. I was unhappy To bee the messenger of this ill newes exeunt Enter Lucilio disguised as before meeting at the other doore Fioretta her haire downe strewing the way with greene hearbs and flowers Luci. Who 's this Fioretta the Lady Iulia's woman My heart what meanes her habit Fioretta sings this following to some mournfull tune Come Lovers bring your cares Bring sigh-perfumed sweets Bedew the grave with teares Where death and vertue meets Sigh for the haplesse houre That knit two hearts in one And onely gave love power To die when 't was begun Lucil. Saving your mirth faire Lady what preparation 's this Fior. a Bridall sir true love and greatnesse be divorc'd and now they bee both going to be married to misfortune Lucil. 'T was a marriage long since my selfe was at the wedding But be a little plainer tell me who it is to be maried Fior. Indeed Sir Beauty Vertue and too much faith for a woman are going to the cold armes of a sullen Churle one that consumes ere hee lets goe yet hee is better than your other husbands are he forsakes them not leaves them not in misery hee wooes them not with flatteries and poysons with unkindnesse hee never sweares and lies but continues faithfull till Doomes-day Who be you Lucil. A stranger in your City a poore Husbandman Fior. A poore Husband then thou art a poore dissembler a poore murderer O you husbands kill more than scurvie Physitians or a plaguy Summer But art a stranger Lucil. A very stranger here Fior. Why that 's all one thou canst not bee a stranger to her fame if thou hast liv'd but a moneth in the world Poor innocent Althea makes her last mariage and I am one of her Bridemaids Lucil. To whom for loves sake Fior. To her grave for love's sake an honest Husband t is better then the Dukes sonne that sent her from the City to dye in the Mountaines Ah 't was unkindly
done not to goe nor send after her yet poore Lord hee is kill'd dead too now and has met her Hearse here So those two soules that ne'r were borne to have A Nuptiall Bed have found a Nuptiall Grave Beauty and Vertue strove Who should adorne her most Till faith conspir'd with love And all their labours crost Lucil. Antonio kill'd Althea buried Then thou hast liv'd Lucilio to behold The height of mischiefe and the worst of chance And thou maist dare thy angry Starres to inflict What ere they can effect that 's worse than this Murderd thy friends ruin'd their ancient names Hatefull to thy Parents lothsome to thy selfe O 't is high time to die and I doe wrong Althea's constancy to breath an houre After I know she has prevented me Methinkes I heare love chide my backwardnesse And tell me how unworthy I am growne To have two friends so firmely vertuous Constant and loyall and outlive them both Yea be their Murderer and stand alive Spectator at their funerall as I would bid The rest weep on whil'st I give ayme to teares And marke who grieves most deep at my foule actions Lucilio stands aside Enter at one doore the Coarse of the Dukes supposed Sonne borne by Mourners and following it the Duke and Duchesse with others in mourning robes At the other doore the Hearse for Althea with the Scarfe which Antonio brought from the Shepherds laid a crosse it and borne by foure maides in blacke with their haire disheveld and Garlands of dead Mirtle or other leaves on their heads her Mother with some Mourners following Torches before both and meeting they stay Duke So then let Fortune make a period here Since we are met just in the midst of woe And stand upon the Center of mishap Whence we may see the full circumference Of all that Sphere that bounds the power of Fate Come Madam we will mixe our teares a while Dropping them joyntly on the Marble Tombes Of our dead Issue till the stones receive Large Characters of griefe carv'd by the drops That ceaselesse flow from our too late laments Iul. Great Lord if woes with woes may be compar'd Or to the measure of our cause of griefe Wee might in sad contention drop our teares Shower for your drop Pound for your dramme of woe My brest and eyes would yeeld which now are growne A boundlesse harbour for the depth of care For though wee meet in this that both have lost The dearest treasures of desired life Yet hath your Grace a partner in distresse A comfort to the residue of your yeares And therefore hope that Heaven may yet restore This ruine of your House Besides you have The body of your sonne on whose dead Coarse You may bestow your teares and honour him With fitting place and Royall exequies When Heaven hath shut those comforts from my heart Left me a widow to sustaine the waight Of all this burden and no partner else To bring mine aged haires unto the grave But still repining griefe and am deny'd The ashes of my childe on whose cold Hearse Mine eyes might pay those tributary teares Which her misfortune and my woes exact And onely can embrace an empty shrine Yet my good Lord I oft forget my cares To grieve at yours and wish Althea's death Might have suffic'd the anger of the Fates Without Lucilio's blood whose guiltlesse fall Hath strook a sadnesse through th' appalled lookes Of all your subjects made them stand amaz'd And wonder there should live upon the earth Envy enough to blast such gracefull hopes Duke Let me be open Madam to your love 'T is but the doome of Iustice I sustaine I know I wrong'd your daughters innocence And onely know it now for plagues make knowne That oft for sinne which once we thought was none Iul. No my good Lord shee was not innocent In that she bounded not her loosest thoughts Within our element but would admit The dangerous fires of ambitious love Into her Virgin brest that 's safelyest knit Where all proportion justly equals it Duch. Wrong not her worth good Madam the power of death Is weake to staine her name and we were blest If such perfection joyn'd unto our Blood Had with our sonne succeeded in the Throne Of this unhappy and dejected State Beleeve me Madam I did ever love Althea's Vertues and was inly glad When by that Stratagem my son had freed Her innocence as I protest I thought And wish'd her scape as safe from that injustice As could my heart desire Iul. Alas good Madam I have felt your Grace Still loving to my daughters poore deserts And nothing did increase my sorrowes more Then that I wanted meanes how to requite Your Graces love Duke Come we forget our selves in Ceremonies And waste the time whose every instant yeelds Scarce space enough for that large taske of griefe Sorrow exacts each instant from our hearts Good Madam wee will consecrate one Tombe To both their Memories and since in life Their hearts were so united by Loves hand In death their Graves shall joyne so will ourselves Bequeath the remnant of our dayes from hence You to sad cares and we to penitence Exeunt the Torch-Bearers and both Coarses joyning the Duke Duchesse L. Iulia c. following Lucil. You to sad cares and wee to poenitence Why then you 'll feed upon the bitter fruits Of your ambition and by experience finde Vertue not Honour is heaven unto the minde Deare Father I conceive your griefe as true As is my love and feele methinkes a sting That spurs me onward to prevent the plagues My losse will bring upon your hoary age And makes me thinke I heare the frequent voyce Of potent Nature whisper to mine eare The duty that I owe and bids me meet Those mischiefes quickly by discovering mee But the perswasion 's weake when I must owe More then a duty or all Natures selfe To the chaste merits of Althea's love Who was the first I murdred then the name Of holy frendship which my request abus'd In lov'd Antonio whom I murdred next My debt 's above a life which though I give My ghost must be a slave to pay the rest And their deserts stand yet unsatisfy'd But ô yee Spirits of truth whose constant faiths Merit perhaps to heare these last laments My dying soule powres forth be pleas'd to take The poore oblation of a loathsome life Which I as gladly vow unto your loves As misery would turne it selfe to blisse And since I was a murderer to your worths I le chuse that death that murderers doe passe And thou hadst liv'd Antonio if thy love Had not before with-held me from the fall And saving onely me hath murdred all exit Enter Antonio and Lady Iulia Anton. Madam My love to you and to that vertuous Lord Could doe no lesse I doe assure your Ladiship The murderer has confess'd in hope of life The circumstances meanes and opportunity Which you so fitly urg'd and hath incens'd The Duke so violently
against your selfe That he has vow'd your death doth intend A sharp revenge to all your family And but I know Lucilio yet does live Beleeve me Madam I should hate the fact And be the first should feed my thirsty eyes With their best blood that spilt least part of his Iul. Alas Antonio what would you have me doe When I beheld my daughter murdred thus 'Twixt love and hate and I no meanes of help To take revenge or comfort to my griefe Anto. Well Madam let 's not stand to expostulate The cause the act was foule and but the hand Of Heaven turn'd it from him 'gainst whō you meant it Hatefull and worthy of the deep'st revenge Your way is now to shun the furious wrath The Duke 's enflamed with and for a while Lie close in some disguise till the lost Prince Make his returne who doubtlesse will ere long Give notice to my selfe where he remaines And for your farther assurance Lady I le take Some strange attire with you and we will both Be present at the Execution Where you shall heare perhaps the latest words The murderer will speake against your selfe And in the presence of the Duke avouch Your guiltinesse Iul. Thankes good Antonio There the gift is free When 't is bestow'd on deepest miserie Exeunt Enter Althea in her Shepherdesses apparell over her owne which she putting off layes aside Alth. Lie there thou gentle weed that hast prolong'd A weary life thou whose dissembling shape Has help'd me reach the place which drew that life As an attractive Load-stone to it's end Some friendly Passinger will for this reward Bestow perhaps a buriall on my Coarse And be my death as freely exempt from sight As is my griefe that never innocent eyes May bee infected with those fumes of guilt My latest gaspe breathes forth reserv'd till now To bee unfortunate in all save this That I shall sacrifice my dearest blood Vpon that Altar where Lucilio dyed And let one aire receive our joyned spirits And sacrifices to Faiths Deitie She goes up the Rocke quickly and standing ready And witnesse now you zealous thoughts of love Witnesse the vowes my affection held so deare Enter Lucilio in his owne habit and walkes a turne My soule comes unconstrain'd to you deare Lord And parts as freely from a gladsome heart As ere it wish'd to enjoy the lively sight Of your desired presence She spies him as below Awake my fancy doe mine eyes conspire To aggravate my griefe or does the strong Imagination of my losse present the shape Of his dead person to my troubled sense Lucil. What strange confused passions 'gin to raise A stormy combate 'twixt my minde and death Though safely now arriv'd within the Port Where for exchange of breath I shall regaine The long desired presence of her soule That hovers in expectation of my comming Alth. Methinkes I sleep that thus illusive showes Doe mock my apprehension or is 't decreed That even in death I must indure affliction And die in height of woe How like his pace His gesture shape and countenance true constant spirit That wouldst not be unlesse thou mightst be true Did not my greedy sight distract my thoughts To feed upon thy shadow and make me forget My businesse next in hand I should have flowne To be a shadow and have walk'd with dead Lucilio As hearing somewhere the voyce of his name Lucil. Lucilio was it my fond conceit or else my selfe Standing betwixt the bounds of life and death Her ghost that lookes each minute for my approach Thinkes my stay long and cals upon my name I come Althea swift as breake the windes From out the Eolian Caves give mee but space To take my flight from off that He lookes up to the Rocke and seeing her stand a while amaz'd Bright Angell Goddesse whatsoe'r thou art That hast assum'd that shape to adorne thy state And give a better lustre to thy Deity Doe not delude my woes nor make my death More miserable then my selfe have done Alth, It does invite me speak and with his silent looks Seemes to intreat a word yet my faint heart Throbbing with feare denies to second speech Lucil. Be what thou wilt I know no spirit of night Durst to attempt that forme that ne'r was made But to invest a soule more faire and pure Then are the Spheres Ghost Angel Goddesse Nimph Speake daine a word to tell me what thou art That thus appearst in such a glorious shape To intercept my death Art thou an Angel That thus wouldst shew the world what they have lost By seeing her heavenly forme Or art thou else Some spirit of Diviner excellence That hast put on that shadow thine owne nature To beautifie Or does Althea's ghost Come thus to meet and chide my slothfulnesse Or has thy worth chaste Nymph deserv'd to scape The hand of death and made thy perfect selfe All soule immortall and an unmixt spirit That those rich vertues which great nature heapt In thy creation might by envious death Ne'r be dissolv'd nor the cold senslesse earth Embrace and taint thy pure delicious beauty For which the Starres grew envious to the world What ere thou art if thou hast sense of griefe But correspondent to the shape thou bear'st Add not more torment to the depth of woe That does accompany my death and urge No more the sight and memory of her Whom I have wrong'd envy has left me nought But life to yeeld in satisfaction Which here I come to tender as thy due Or if thou doubtst the payment and didst come To take a view how willingly I dyed Then be my witnesse that the chased Stagge Flies not more swiftly to the cooling streames Then I to death He runnes up to the Rocke where both meeting shew passions of feare Alth. Stay Lucil. Speake Alth. O stay deare love Lucil. Speake speake thou heavenly spirit And tell me since thy selfe art made Divine What makes thee come in confines of the wretched And mixe thy selfe with us whose earthly loades Detaine us yet in life and misery Alth. Why I doe live Lucil. I know thou dost thou wert not fram'd to die Nor at thy birth when Heaven and Nature joyn'd To give thee those rich Dowries thou enjoy'st Did they intend to make such excellence Mortall and subject to the stroke of death But where deficient Nature could extend Her force no farther to preserve thy life Heaven would supply the want and turne thy state To immortality yet why shouldst thou When I have seene thy Funerals perform'd Come to afflict me and augment my griefe Alth. Sweet love if you doe live as feare and hope 'Twixt adverse passions make me doubtfull yet Know that I live as when we parted last Nor ere was yet interr'd Lucil. No no the earth grew feeling of her losse And grieving to be robb'd of such a jemme Refus'd to shut that treasure in her wombe Where foule corruption must have tainted it Or did my fortunes yet beyond