Is it so take heed Dion Sir take you heed how 't is you dare the Powers That must be just King Alas what are we Kings Why do you Gods place us above the rest To be serv'd flatter'd and ador'd till we Believe we hold within our Hands your Thunder And when we come to try the Power we have There 's not a Leaf shakes at our threatnings I have fin'd it 's true yet wou'd not thus be punisht Dion He Articles with the Gods wou'd some body wou'd draw Bonds for the performance of Covenants between them Enter Pharamond Galatea and Megra King What is she found Phar. No we have ta'ne her Horse He Gallopt empty by You Galatea Rod with her into the Wood Why left you her Gal. She did Command me King Command you Gal. ' Twou'd ill become my Fortunes and my Birth To disobey the Daughter of my King King You are all cunning to obey us for our hurt But I will have her Phar. If I have her not By this Hand there shall be no more Sicily Dion What will he carry it to Spain in his Pocket King I see the Injuries I have done must be reveng'd Dion Sir This is not the way to find her out King Run all disperse your selves The Man that finds her or if she's kill'd the Traytor I 'll make him Great Phar. Come let us seek King Each Man a several way Here I my self Dion Come Gentlemen we here Exeunt severally SCENE Changes Enter Arethusa Areth. Where am I now Feet find me out a way Without the Counsel of my troubled Head I 'll follow you around these wander'd Woods O'er Mountains thoro ' Brambles Pits and Floods A heavyness near Death sits on my Brow And I must sleep Kind Heav'n I hope my Hour Lyes down Of peace draws on a dulness shuts my Eyes And I am giddy Oh that I cou'd take So sound a sleep that I might never wake Enter Bellario Bell. Yonder 's my Lady Heav'n knows I want nothing Because I do not wish to live Yet I Will try her Charity oh hear You that have plenty from that tlowing store But see the lively Red is gone to guard her Heart I fear fhe saints Madam look up She breaths not Open once more those Rosy twins and send My Lord your last farewell But see she stirs How is it Madam speak comfort Kneeling to help her Areth. 'T is not gently done To put me in a miserable Life And hold me there I prethee let me go I shall do best without thee Enter Philaster Phil. I was to blame to be so much in rage I 'll tell her coolly when and where I heard This killing Truth I will be temperate In speaking and as just in hearing Ha! Scorpions and Basilisks Bell. My Lord help help the Princess Areth. I am well Forbear and leave me Phil. Some good God look down And shrink my Veins up what before my Face Poyson of Asps between your Lips Diseases Be your best Issues Nature make a Curse And throw it on you Areth. Dear Philaster leave To be inrag'd and hear me Phil. I have done Not the calm'd Sea when Aeolus locks up His windy Brood is less disturbed than I. Nay Arethusa I 'll be calmer still Yes when my wrongs have laid me in my Grave Say am I raging now If I were Mad I should desire to live No feel my Pulse and try if you have known A Man in a more equal Tune to die Bell. Alas my Lord. Your Pulse beats Mad-man's time So does your Tongue Phil. I blame not thee Bellario Thou'hast done but that Which Gods would have transform'd themselves to do But haste thou young perdition take thy Face For ever from my sight Fly from my Rage Far as the wander'd World can bear thy shame Or yond fair Lamp of blushing Heav'n can light thee For we are two Earth cannot hold at once Bell. For ever from your sight For ever That Dire Voice of Fate But if I must be gone Permit my too dear Lord these bending knees To leave one parting dying Prayer behind me Kind Heav'ns if in your everlasting Treasury You have a Hoard of some uncommon Blessings Show'r 'em on that dear Brow and Oh uncloud His shaded Peace and his benighted Reason Till the fair Truth of that all beauteous Innocence Shine round his Soul with thousand thousand Charms Yes thou too happy Prince didst thou but know The Price of that fair Gem the Wealth thou' rt Lord of How would thy twining Arms grasp her dear knees And thy fond Lips kiss the blest Earth she treads on For by my wrongs below and hopes above Earth does not hold a Chaster So farewell Exit Areth. Thou faithful Herauld of my Fame farewell But dear Philaster if thy listning Patience Has lent a gentle Ear to the poor Boy Am I forbid to speak No my dear Lord With these wet Eyes and these uplifted Hands With the same Vows and the same Heav'n my witness Permit me to repeat the same true Oracle Earth does not hold a Chaster Phil. Feeble Flatterer Why these poor Arts How vainly dost thou labour To wash thy Ethiop shame Run from a Court A Father and a Crown thou vile dishonour To Woods and shades to meet your darling Boy Yet Earth not holds a Chaster Areth. Meet the Boy An Accident meer chance Phil. Chance Areth. Chance blind Chance By what directing Curse he found me here My persecuting Stars canonly tell 'T is true I left a Court a Crown and Kingdom All worthless Trifles when I lost thy Heart My sighs and tears for thee led me this Wanderer And am I thus rewarded Phil. Fye no more They who dare act a Sin so black as thine Can talk as fair as thou The Soul of Treason Ne'er wants the Face of Innocence Areth. Treason Good Gods is truth so hard to be believ'd Phil. Truth Areth. By yond Azure Roof and all the bless'd Inhabitants above My Soul 's all spotless truth Phil. Oh Arethusa 'T is easie to call Heav'n they talk it loudest Who think it least Yes thou too fair Delusion The Syren Sings not Death though she acts Death And even the blackest Cloven-footed Fiend Retains his Voice of Angels No smooth falshood Can aery breath and empty sounds restore The Peace that I have lost Areth. Then my poor Heart Thou hast nothing now to do but break and die Phil. No Madam That 's my part the shaft of Death Is only levell'd here And if to all My Mass of wrongs thou hast one Grain of pity Here Arethusa take this glittering Mercy Presenting his Sword to her And guide it to my Heart Areth. Kill thee Phil. Yes Kill me It will be wondrous kind and when I set My resting Foot beneath yond Roof of Glory For that dear generous Blow an act so kind I 'll Tune thee my first Song in Choires of Angels Areth. But oh Philaster Dost thou know what Death is Phil. A Minutes pain to cure an
live I will Nay weep not gentle Boy 'T is more than time Thou didst attend the Princess Bel. I am gone But since I am to part with you my Lord And none knows whether I live shall to do More Service for you take this little Prayer Heaven bless your Loves your Fights all your Designs May sick Men if they have your wish be well And Heaven hate those you curse tho' I be one Exit Phi. The Love of Boys to their dear Lords is strange I have read Wonders of it Yet this Boy For my sake if a Man may judge by looks And speech would out-do story I may see A Day to pay him for his Loyalty Exit Phi. Enter Pharamond Pha. Why should these Ladies stay so long They must come this way I know the Princess employs 'em not for the reverend Mother sent me word they would be all for the Garden If they should all prove honest now I were in a fair taking Enter Galatea crossing the Stage in haste Pha. So here 's one bolted Now for a fair Chace Aside Whither so fast fair Lady What running Races to catch Hearts Gal. Catch Hearts Catch Woodcocks Pha. How Madam Are poor Lovers Gal. O' th' two the more brainless Animals Pha. Nay Madam speak not so contemptibly Of your poor Captives nor that noble Passion Love It is the daily Work of your Creation Those Eyes can't look abroad without inspiring A Thousand Sighs and melting Souls No Madam Those lovely Eyes with all their Heaven of Charms Must have one starry Spark of Mercy shine too Yes you can love a little Gal. I love Yes Sir most passionately I love a Mornings Ramble an Evening's Play gay Mirth and flowing Joys soft Hours sweet sleeps and golden Dreams to crown 'em provided I have neither Fops Fools nor Fiddles to wake me out of ' em Pha. Nay Madam if Fops and Fools are only excluded then Wit and Sense belike those happier Favourites may hope a kinder Treatment Gal. Nay Sir I cant tell that neither For Wit and Sense are such Strangers to this part of the World that I declare I am that young Traveller as never went far enough to meet with either of ' em Pha. Nay my fair Critick now you are too severe But Madam not to lose th' important Minute But come a little seriously To the great business Love and Beauty 's born for Should a bold pushing Lover pitch before you What with a fair Challenge and a fair Field is there no hopes of drawing you to a fair Battel too Gal. Faith Sir none at all For to answer you in your own Martial Dialect there 's Policy in Love as well as War And wise Ladies act like prudent Generals we love as they fight never engage but upon Advantage Pha. Nay then there 's no way left but down-right Canonading Gal. Nay troth Sir that will do but little service neither For to tell you the Truth what between a little natural Pride feminine Honour and some other Virgin Ramparts about me my Out-works are so very strong that all your Canonading will do but feeble Execution Pha. This is a crafty Wench I like her Wit well She 's a Danae and must be courted in a Shower of Gold Madam look here all these and more Gal. What have you there my Lord Gold Now as I live 't is fair Gold you would have Silver for it to Play with the Pages you could not have taken me in a worse time But if you have present use my Lord I 'll send my Man with Silver and keep your Gold for you Pha. Lady Lady Gall. She 's coming Sir behind will take white Money Yet for all this I 'll watch ye Exit Gal. behind the Hangings Pha. If there be but two such more in this Kingdom and near the Court we may ev'n hang up our Harps ten such Champhier Constitutions as this would call the Golden Age again in question Enter Megra Here 's another Many fair Mornings Lady Meg. As many Mornings bring as many Days Fair sweet and hopeful to your Grace Pha. She gives good Words yet sure this Wench is free If your more serious Business do not call you let me hold Quarter with you we 'll talk an Hour Out quickly Meg. What would your grace talk of Pha. Of some such pretty Subject as your self I 'll go no farther than your Eye or Lip There 's Theme enough for one Man for an Age. Meg. Sir they stand right and my Lips are yet even Smooth young enough ripe enough and red enough Or my Glass wrongs me Pha. O they are two twin Cherrries died in Blushes Which those fair Suns above with their bright Beams Reflect upon and ripen Sweetest Beauty Bow down those Branches that the longing taste Of the faint looker on may meet those Blessings And taste and live Meg. O delicate sweet Prince She that has Snow enough about her Heart To take the wanton Spring of ten such Lines off May be a Nun without Probation Pha. But we lose time dear Madam Can you love Meg. Love you my Lord How would you have me love you Pha. I 'le teach you in a short Sentence ' cause I will not load your Memory This is all love me and lye with me Meg. Was it lye with you that you said 'T is impossible Pha. Not to a willing Mind that will endeavour if I do not teach you to do it as easily in one Night as you 'll go to Bed I 'll lose my royal Blood for 't Meg. Why Prince you have a Lady of your own that yet wants teaching Pha. I 'll sooner teach a Mare the old measures than teach her any thing belonging to the Function she 's afraid to lie with her self if she have but any masculine Imaginations about her I know when we are married I must ravish her Meg. By my Honour that 's a foul Fault indeed Pha. And for any other I see excepting your dear self dearest Lady Meg. Has your Grace seen the Court-Star Galatea Pha. Out upon her she 's as cold of her Favour as an Apoplex she sail'd by but now Meg. And how do you hold her Wit Sir Pha. I hold her Wit The Strength of all the Guard cannot hold it if they were tied to it But speak sweet Lady shall I be freely welcome Meg. Whither Pha. To your Bed if you mistrust my Faith you do me the unnoblest Wrong Meg. I dare not Prince I dare not Pha. Make your own Conditions my Purse shall seal ' em Come I know you are bashful speak in my Ear will you be mine Keep this and with it me at Night I 'll visit you Meg. My Lord my Chamber 's most unsafe but when 't is Night I 'll find some means to slip into your Lodging till when Pha. Till when this and my heart go with thee Ex. several ways Enter Galatea from behind the Hangings Gal. Oh thou pernicious Petticoat Prince are these your Vertues Well if I
Age of woe Areth. Is Death the only cure No healing Balm For thy sick mind but the cold sleep of Death Phil. Oh Never never No thou fair destroyer Beyond the Grave there 's Peace on this side none Areth. But will there be no Slanders No Jealousies in th' other World no ill there Phil. None Areth. Then thus to that blest World I 'll lead the way Falls on his Sword Phil. Horror and Furies What has thy rash Hand done Areth. Sought Peace and found it The unkind World and thy unkinder Jealousie Had barr'd all Joys on Earth and therefore what Life has not I have woo'd kind Death to give me But Oh my unkind unbelieving Lord Shall I be Innocent now Phil. Innocent Thou fairest whiteness dearest Angel Martyr More Heav'n than all Heav'n holds Areth. Then I am happy But does my kind Lord weep Now you 're too good Oh my Philaster one rich Pearl from those Dear Eyes o'er-pays the worthless Life that buys it My Veins are all too poor for such a Purchase Phil. But Oh this crimson Stream Dear all Divine Cou'd nothing but thy Death convert an Infidel Areth. Call it not Death when it brings back thy Heart For Oh what vaster Charms 'tis to dye lov'd Then to live hated But I care no more Cherish my Memory when I am Dust And I shall sleep all Blest Faints away as if she dyed Phil. And I wake damn'd She 's gone She 's gone Yes thou Barbarian Brute The fairest Truth that monster Man e're wrong'd Has mounted Heav'n to leave eternal Hells The just Reward of an ungrateful Infidel Thou dear Remains Of the most faithful Love if from these cold Cold Lips such Guilt as mine dare steal a kiss 'T is my last Crime and I shall Sin no more Kneels to kiss her Enter Bellario Bell. 'T was too unkind thou pityless Bellario To leave thy poor Lords Heart thus wrackt thus tortur'd And all for a rash Vow No I 'll return and fall at his dear Feet Own my true Sex and cure his wounded Peace Phil. Sweets Divine Sweets But if in Death so fragrant Oh what eternal Roses had those dear Lips bloom'd had the fair Tree but lived to bear 'em But does her Murtherer live This fatal point All reeking with the Blood of Sacred Innocence Dares Guilt and Treason live No thou crown'd Saint Look down and see this just pursuing Vengeance Goes to fall on his Sword Bellario beats it away Bell. Heav'n guard my Noble Lord Good Gods my Royal Mistriss Murder'd Phil. Murder'd Bellario by this curst hand Murder'd Bell. Oh what has your transported frenzy done The fairest Virtue and the tenderest Love That e'er blest Man how has thy Rage rewarded Phil. Yes how indeed Bellario Bell. Cruel Prince When shall I sound in thy alarmed Ears The story of her Wrongs which this curst Tongue Now comes to speak too late Phil. No more no more Call not my torturing Shame to my remembrance For I have been false to a pair of the most trusty ones That ever the Earth bore For which my Soul Must sink as low in Hell as that fair Saint Sits high in Heav'n But give me back that Instrument of Death That I may rip this bloody Tygers heart out A sacrifice to that dear Martyr'd Innocence Enter Thraselin Cleremont and Woodmen Trasil What do we see Phil. A sight would blast a Cannibal Oh Gentlemen If you have hearts that can weep Blood now look down And melt 'em there Cleremon Good Gods the Princess Murder'd Phil. My Arm prevented Yes the Gods are just By my own hand like an old Roman Fall Had been a Fate to Glorious No Arethusa now I 'll do thee nobler Justice Jayls and Dungeons A Headsman and an Ax Scaffolds and Pinnacles Recorded shame and ever branding Infamy Come Sirs make short your weeping Ceremonies For you have more important Work to do Take up that load of Honour and perform This cruel Duty to your King Bear that Too killing Object to a mourning Father And with her this vile Brand of black Damnation Then for her last just Rites the opening Veins Of her curst Murderer erect a Scaffold High as the Clouds and sound a Trump so loud If possible the Summon'd World may call Invite 'em to a Feast and Gorge 'em all Exeunt Philaster and Amendants carrying off the Princess Bell. Sola Why was I born for the accursed Cause Of all this heap of Ruines Poor Philaster Thine's but the Hand and Sword 't is I am the Murderer For Oh with one kind word one gentle Breath How had I stopt this hideous Scene of Death But 't is too late the golden Minute 's fled Undone Philaster thy too dear lov'd Head How have I wrapt in everlasting Woe But is the bitter Draught all thine Oh no! The Druggs the Gall and Poyson fill'd by me I mixt it and must drink more deep than thee Exit The End of the Fourth ACT. ACT V. Enter Dion Trasilin Cleremont Thra. THe Princess dead And by Philaster's hand Nay and what 's worse to yield himself a Prisoner To run into the Jaws of yawning Death His offer'd Throat so tame a Sacrifice Cler. Ay Gentlemen given up into the Hands Of the enraged King whose threatning Arm of Vengeance Hangs o'er his Head like a prodigious Meteor And now too late what Power what help can save him Alas what hopes Thra. Hopes Truly none at all Nay were there hopes has not himself destroy'd ' em Is there that Sword wou'd strike for his deliverance That himself has not chain'd the hand should draw it Has not his own accusing Tongue so blacken'd him Painted her Murder with a face so monstrous As lulls his sleeping Friends into a Lethargy Till scarce their Pity wakes to mourn him lost A Womans Death A Deed of that dishonour Dion Dishonour Hold my Masters you 're a little Too hot and run too fast He has kill'd a Woman True and the story sounds at the first hearing A Deed below a Man much more a Prince Well but what Woman has he kill'd How kill'd her Ay there 's the Point my Friends No doubt he took her Seiz'd the fair Brute with all her bestial shame In the foul Deed with her lascivious Boy And with the falling weight of Sacred Justice Roll'd like a Bolt of Royal Thunder down And crush'd th' engendring Basilisk Thra. Fy my Lord How can you load her Name with so much Infamy When his own free Confession has proclaim'd her All Innocence all Saint Dion All Rage all Frenzy The common Lunacy of doating Fools Honour and Vengeance struck the noble blow And whining Love denies it To be short He wrongs himself and Us and all Mankind And 't is high time to undeceive the World Now Gentlemen if I 've spoke Reason Cler. Reason By this fair Light you breath the voice of Oracles Which every honest heart must hear and reverence Dion Say are we Men then Thra. All that Hands and Hearts Resolv'd
PHILASTER OR Love lies a bleeding A TRAGI-COMEDY As it is now acted at His MAJESTY's Theatre Royal. Revis'd and the Two last Acts new Written Multa renascentur quae jam cecidere cadentque Quae nunc sunt in honore Hor. de Art Poet. LONDON Printed for R. Bentley at the Post-House in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1695. TO His GRACE THE Duke of Schonberg and Lemster MY LORD FOR this Publick Address to Your Grace I have no other Plea than that of a Refugee The Muses in all Nations and Ages and long Custom is little less than a claim of Right have still been sheltered under the Sanctuary of HONOUR nor are Distance Height or Greatness a Bar to those Intruders Besides as WAR and WIT the Mars and the Minerva were both the Offspring of JOVE they have some flattering dawn of Hopes from Your Grace's condescending Goodness that the same Hand that wields the rougher Thunder may possibly not disdain a Reception to the gentler Muses And indeed where should they boldlier intrude than where they are the profoundest Homagers That Renown that like Your Grace's is the fairest Theam to inspire them must consequently be the strongest Charm to attract them The Dedications of Poetry are but a part of her Devotion and as Devotion under the present establish'd English Liberty may make her Orizons at what Shrine she pleases I hope Your Grace will generously vouchsafe to pardon so bold a bending Knee before You. And indeed where can all Knees more justly bend than to the Heir of that Illustrious FATHER that quitted all the Jewels of his own Native Ducal-Coronet one of the proudâ—st Wreaths of France together with a Patrimony that might dazle common Eyes though not so glittering in his own as to shade his least Jem in Heaven for thrice that shining Earth A Father that resigned even a proud Mareschal's Staff for little less than a Pilgrim ' s. Nay I may say threw over board his whole Load of this lower World to lighten his Transport for a Higher A Father to whose and his whole Families Deathless Memory and Honour our whole Nation owes more than a Humane even a Divine Veneration as lighting Your Glories from an Altar-Coal those Altars to which You have sacrificed no less than Your ALL left Honours Inheritance Hopes Titles Dignities all behind You to wander those voluntary naked Exiles to some remoter more Hospitable Colony with nothing but a Hand and a Heart a Soul and a Sword to plant You there 'T was thus the embracing BRITANIA flew with open Arms to the Reception of those Princely more than welcome Guests to her Bosom She look'd upon You as no less than the flying Gallick Astraea that had brought over the whole remaining Justice and Humanity of Your Native France and left her only Oppression Barbarity and Rapine the whole surviving growth of her Tyranick Soyle But whilst our ever honoured SCHONBERG is not only England 's but her great CAESAR ' s Darling too His Royal Favours so confer'd are not His Grace but Gratitude He stands so highly indebted to the Great SCHONBERGS those fairest Fleur de Lis's planted into its own English Roses a FATHER and a BROTHER both sleeping in the fatal Bed of Honour those lovely Lillies died Crimson in His Cause that all his most studied Smiles to the Great REMAINS of that Heroick Root are but a faint Acknowledgement of Arrears so Infinite But still my Lord as much Encouragement as Your Grace's highest Character and Worth and my own Ambition can give me for Ambition even in the humblest Veins is the natural warmth of the Soile and this little World of humane kind is but a barren Glebe without it Nevertheless I durst not have ventur'd to have laid this Trifle at your Grace ' s Feet had not the fairer Merit of the richer Stock I have grafted upon the two famous Poets of the last Age Beaumont and Fletcher the original Parents of Philaster a little animated this Presumption of subscribing my self MY LORD YOUR GRACE's Most Humble and Most Devoted Servant E. SETTLE THE PROLOGUE Spoken by Mr. Horden TO write a Play is pure Poetick Rage For you 're so hard to please in this Nice Age Who less than mad wou'd Scribble for the Stage Poets of their new Plays so vainly fond Mistake the Bristol for the Diamond But when Reviv'd Philaster does appear We come secure bring Sterling Merit here A stanch Old Orient with true Lustre drest Wit that has stood the Hammer bore the Test No Poet shall by this Day 's Doom be kill'd We safely fight behind great Fletcher's Shield That good old Play Philafter ne're can fail But we Young Actors how shall we prevail Philaster and Bellario let me tell ye For those Bold Parts we have no Hart no Nelly Those Darlings of the Stage that charm'd you there Our feebler Strength must of their Heights despair We 're tender Buds till you the Lords o' th' Soil Warm us to Life by your Auspicious Smile The Elder Heroes of the other Stage Were Striplings once of our young Beardless Age And to Perfection did not leap but climb Merit 's the Product of long Growth and Time Who push for Fame by fair Degrees must strike A General in the Field has trail'd a Pike Grant us this first our Tryal-Year alone Eexpect Performance when our Wings are grown Let our Pen-feather'd Strength this Favour borrow Only to Creep to day and Soar to morrow Actors Names King Mr. Simpson Philaster Mr. Powel Pharamond Mr. Cibbars Dion Mr. Powel sen Cleremont Mr. Lee. Thraselin Mr. Horden Arethusa Mrs. Knight Galatea Mrs. Cibbars Megra Mrs. Kent Bellario Mrs. Rogers Woodmen Rabble Guards Attendants c. Scene Sicily PHILASTER ACT I. SCENE I. Enter Dion Cleremont and Tharselin Cler. HERE 's no Lords nor Ladies Dion Credit me Gentlemen I wonder at it They receiv'd strict Charge from the King to attend here Besides it was boldly publish'd that no Officer should forbid any Gentleman that desir'd to Attend and Hear Cler. Can you guess the Cause Dion Sir 't is plain about the Spanish Prince that 's come to marry our Kingdom 's Heir and be our Soveraign Thra. Many that will seem to know much say She looks not on him like a Maid in Love Dion Faith Sir the Multitude that seldom know any thing but their own Opinions speak that they would have But the Prince before his own Approach receiv'd so many confident Messages from the State that I think she 's resolv'd to be rul'd Cler. Sir it is thought with her he shall enjoy both these Kingdoms of Sicily and Calabria Dion Sir it is without Controversie so meant But 't will be a troublesome Labour for him to possess both these Kingdoms with Honour and with Safety Whilst our brave General the Prince of Arragon The Conquerour of one of those fair Crowns Is living and living too so virtuously The common Darling of the Peoples Love His glorious Services so well remember'd
of this brave Fellow Meg. A pretty talking Fellow hot at hand but eye yon Stranger is he not a fine compleat Gentleman O these Strangers I do affect them strangely as I live I could love all the Nation over and over for his sake Gal. Comfort your poor Head-piece Lady 't is a weak one Exeunt Ladies Dion See how his Fancy labours has he not Spoke home and bravely what a dangerous Train Did he give fire to How he shook the King Made his Soul melt within him and his Blood Run into Whay it stood upon his Brow Like a cold Winter Dew Phi. Gentlemen You have no suit to me I am no Minion Cle. How do you worthy Sir Phi. Well very well And so well that if the King please I find I may live many Years Di. The King must please Whilst we know what you are and who you are Your Wrongs and Injuries Shrink not worthy Sir But add the Merit of your Glories to you In whose fair Name we 'll waken all the Gods To arm for your Protection Phi. Friends no more Our Ears may be corrupted Do you love me Thra. Do we love Heav'n and Honour Phi. My Lord Dion you had A vertuous Gentlewoman call'd you Father Is she yet alive Dion Most honour'd Sir she is But for the Penance of an idle Dream Has undertook a tedious Pilgrimage Enter Galatea Phi. Is it to me or any of these Gentlemen you come Gal. To you my Lord The Princess would intreat Your present Company Phi. The Princess send for me You are mistaken Gal. If you be call'd Philaster 't is to you Ex. Gal. Phi. Kiss her fair Hand and say I will attend her Dion Do you know what you do Phi. Yes go to see a Woman Cler. But do you weigh the danger you are in Phi. Danger in a sweet Face By Jupiter I must not fear a Woman Thra. But are you sure it was the Princess sent It may be some soul Train to catch your Life Phi. I do not think it Gentlemen She 's Noble Hear Eye may shoot me Dead or those true red And white Fiends in her Face may steal my Soul out There 's all the Danger in 't but be what may Her single name has arm'd me Exit Phi. Dion Go on And be as truly Happy as th' art Fearless Exeunt Enter Arethusa and Galatea Are. Comes he not Gal. Madam Are. Will Philaster come Gal. Dear Madam you were wont To credit me at first Are. But didst thou tell me so I am forgetful and my Womans Strength Is so o'recharg'd with Dangers like to grow About my Marriage that these Under-things Dare not abide in such a troubled Sea How lookt he when he told thee he would come Gal. Why well Are. And not a little fearful Gal. Fear Madam sure he knows not what it is Are. You all are of his Faction the whole Court Is bold in Praise of him whilst I May live neglected and do noble things As Fools in Strife throw Gold into the Sea Drowned in the doing But I know he fears Gal. Fear Madam methought his looks had more Of Love than Fear Are. Of Love To whom To you Did you deliver those plain Words I sent With such a winning Gesture and quick Look That you have caught him Gal. Madam I mean to you Are. Of Love to me Alas thy Ignorance Lets thee not see the Crosses of our Births Nature that loves not to be questioned Why she did this or that but has her Ends And knows she does well never gave the World Two things so opposite so contrary As he and I am If a Bowl of Blood Drawn from this Arm of mine would poyson thee A Draught of his would cure thee Love to me Gal. Madam I think I hear him Are. Bring him in You Gods that would not have your Dooms withstood Whose holy Wisdoms at this time it is To make the Passions of a feeble Maid The way to your bright Justice I Obey Enter Philaster Gal. Here is my Lord Philaster Are. Oh 't is well Withdraw your self Exit Galatea Phi. Madam your Messenger Made me believe you wish'd to speak with me Are. 'T is true Philaster but the Words are such I have to say and do so ill beseem The Mouth of Woman that I wish them said And yet am loth to speak them Oh! Philaster Tho' by my own rich Veins born Heir to this Fair Cicily and by thy richer Glories Intituled to the no less Fair Calabria Yet that unsatisfied Ambition haunts me And whispers me I must enjoy thy Arragon Phi. My Arragon Are. Thine or I die by Heaven I die Philaster If I not calmly may enjoy thy Right Phi. I would do much to save that Noble Life Yet would be loth to have Posterity Find in our Stories that Philaster gave His Right to a Royal Scepter tho' a broken one To save a Ladies longing Are. Nay then hear I must and will have that and more Phi. What more Are. Or lose that little Life the Gods prepared To trouble this poor piece of Earth withal Phi. Madam what more Are. Turn then away thy Face Phi. No. Are. Do. Phi. Turn away my Face I never yet saw Enemy that lookt So dreadfully but that I thought my self As great a Basalisk as he or spake So horrible but that I thought my Tongue Bore Thunder underneath as much as his Nor Beast that I could turn from Shall I then Begin to fear sweet Sounds a Ladies Voice Whom I do love Say you would have my Life Why I will give it you for 't is of me A thing so loath'd and to your self that ask Of so poor use that I shall make no Price If you intreat I will unmov'dly hear Are. Yet for my sake a little bend thy looks Phi. I do Are. Then Know I must have that and thee Phi. And me Are. Thy Love without which all the Land Discover'd yet will serve me for no use But to be buried in Phi. Is 't possible Are. Now my Philaster if my blushing Weakness Has not made cheap the easy Heart I 've given thee I have unript my Breast Phi. Madam you are too full of noble thoughts To lay a Train for so contemn'd a Life Which you may have for asking to suspect Were base where I deserve no ill love you By all my Hopes I do above my Life But how this generous Goodness should proceed From you those lovely Eyes to smile so kind And shine so warm upon the lost Philaster By Heav'n is all amazing Are. Another Soul into my Body shot Could not have fill'd me with more Strength and Spirit Than this thy Breath But spend not hasty time In seeking how I came thus 'T is the Gods The Gods that make me so and sure our Love Will be the nobler and the better blest In that the secret Justice of Heaven Is mingled with it Thou hast been wrong'd Philaster And fated by the Powers that reward Vertue 'T is
the Wench has shot him betwixt wind and water and I hope sprung a Leak Tras Oh he 's a precious Lime-hound Turn him loose upon the pursuit of a Lady and if he lose her hang him up i' th' Slip. When my Fox-bitch Beauty grows proud I 'll borrow him King Is your Boy turn'd away Areth. You did command Sir and I obey'd you King 'T is well done hark you farther Cler. Is 't possible that fellow should repent Methinks that were not noble in him and yet he looks like a mortified Member If a worse Man had done his Fault now some Physical Justice or other wou'd presently without the help of an Almanack have open'd the Obstructions of his Liver and let him blood with a Dog-whip Dion See see how modestly yond Lady looks as if she came from Churching with her Neighbour why what a Devil can a Man see in her face but that she 's honest Tras Troth no great matter to speak of but a foolish twinkling of the Eye that spoils her Coat but he must be a cunning Herauld that finds it Dion See how they muster one another Oh there 's a rank Regiment where the Devil carries the Colours and his Dam Drum-Major Now the World and the Flesh come behind with the Carriage King To Horse to Horse we lose the Morning Gentlemen Exeunt Enter Two Wood-men 1 Wood. What have you lodg'd the Deer 2 Wood. Yes they are ready for the Bow 1 VVood. Who shoots 2 VVood. The Princess 1 VVood. No she 'll hunt 2 VVood. She 'll take a stand I say 1 VVood. Who else 2 VVood. Why the young Stranger Prince 1 VVood. He out on him I never loved his beyon'd-Sea-ship since he forsook the Stag once to strike a Rascal milking in a Meadow and her he kill'd i'th'Eye Who shoots else 2 VVood. The Lady Galatea 1 VVood. That 's a good Wench and she wou'd not chide us for tumbling of her Women in the Brakes she 's Liberal and by my Bow they say she 's honest and whether that be a fault I have nothing to do There 's all 2. VVood. No one more Megra 1. VVood. That 's a firker 'Ifaith Boy There 's a Wench will ride her Haunches as hard after a Kennel of Hounds as a Hunting Saddle and when she comes home get 'em Clap't and all 's well again I have known her lose her self three times in one Afternoon if the Woods have been answerable and it has been work enough for a Man to find her and he has sweat for 't She rides well and she pays well Hark let 's go Exeunt Scene changes Enter Philaster Phila. Oh that I had been nourish'd in these Woods With Milk of Goats and Acorns and not known The Right of Crowns nor the dissembling Trains Of Womens looks but dig'd my self a Cave Where I my Fire my Cattle and my Bed Might have been shut together in one Shed And then had taken me some Mountain Girl Beaten with Winds chast as the harden'd Rocks Whereon she dwells that might have strow'd my Bed With Leaves and Reeds and with the Skins of Beasts Our Neighbours and have born at her big Breasts Issue My large course Issue This had been a Life Free from Vexation sits down Enter Bellario Bell. Oh wicked Men An Innocent may walk safe among Beasts Nothing assaults me here See my griev'd Lord Sits as his Soul were searching out a way To leave his Body Pardon me that must Break thy last commandment For I must speak You that are griev'd can pity Hear my Lord Phila. Is there a Creature yet so miserable That I can pity Bell. Oh my Noble Lord View my strange Fortune and bestow on me According to your bounty and if my Service Can merit nothing so much as may serve To keep that little piece I hold of Life From Cold and Hunger Phila. Is it Thou Begone Go sell those misbecoming Cloaths thou wear'st And feed thy self with them Bell. Alas my Lord I can get nothing for 'em The silly Country People think it Treason To touch such gay Things Phil. Now by my Life this is unkindly done To vex me with thy sight Thou' rt fal'n again To thy dissembling Trade even so thou spok'st and look'st When first I took thee up Curse on the Day If thy commanded Tears can work belief On any other Credulous heart like mine Make use of thy false Arts I 'll not betray thee Now which way wilt thou take that I may shun thee For thou art Poyson to my Eyes and I Am loath to grow in Rage This way or that way Bell. Any will serve but I will chose to have That Path in chase that leads me to my Grave Exeunt several ways Scene changes Enter Dion and the VVoodmen Dion This is the strangest suddain Chance You VVoodmen 1. VVood. My Lord Dion Dion Saw you a Lady come this way on a Sable Horse studded with Stars of white 2. VVood. Was she not Young and Tall Dion Yes Rid she to the Wood or to the Plain 1 VVood. Faith my Lord we saw none Exeunt Woodmen Enter Cleremond Dion Pox o' your Question then What is she found Clere. Nor will be I think Dion Let him seek her himself she cannot stray about some necessary business but the whole Court must be in Arms When she has done we shall have Peace Clere. There 's already a Thousand Fatherless Tales amongst us Some say her Horse run away with her some a Wolf pursued her others It was a Plot to Kill her and that Arm'd-men were seen in the Wood But questionless she rode away willingly Enter King and Trasilin King Where is she Clere. Sir I cannot tell King How 's that Answer me that again Clere. Sir shall I Lye King Yes Lye and Damn rather than tell me that I say again Where is she Mutter not Sir speak you where she is Dion Sir I do not know King Speak that again so boldly and by Heav'n It is thy last Answer me Where is she Mark me all I am your King I wish to see my Daughter Shew her me I do Command you all as you are Subjects To shew her me What am I not your King If ay Then am I not to be Obey'd Dion Yes if you Command things possible and honest King Things possible and honest Hear me then Thou Traytor that dar'st confine thy King to Things possible and honest shew her me Or let me perish if I cover not All Sicily in Blood Dion Indeed I cannot unless you tell me where King You have betray'd me you have let me lose The Jewel of my Life Go bring her me And set her here before me 'T is the King Will have it so whose breath can still the Winds Uncloud the Sun charm down the swelling Sea And stop the Floods of Heav'n speak Can it not Dion No. King No can't the breath of Kings do this Dion No nor smell sweet it self if once the Lungs Be but Corrupted King