I come EPILOGVS Iul. LO here the sweets of grisly-pale despaire These are the blossoms of this cursed tree Such are the fruits of too much loue and care Orewhelmed in the sence of miserie With violent hands he that his life doth end His damned soul to endles night doth wend Now resteth it that I discharge mine oath To see th' unhappy louers and the king Layd in one tombe I would be very loath You should wayt here to see this mournful thing For I am sure and do ye all to wit Through griefe wherin the Lords of Salerne be These funerals are not prepared yet Nor do they think on that solemnitie As for the fury ye must vnderstand Now she hath seen the 'ffect of her desire She is departed and hath left our land Graunting this end vnto her hellish ire Now humbly pray we that our English dames May neuer lead their loues into mistrust But that their honors may auoid the shames That follow such as liue in wanton lust We know they beare them on their vertues bold With blisfull chastitie so wel content That when their liues and loues abroad are told All men admire their vertuous gouernment Worthie to liue where Furie neuer came Worthie to liue where loue doth alwaies see Worthie to liue in golden trump of Fame Worthie to liue and honoured stil to be Thus end our sorrowes with the setting Sun Now draw the curtens for our Scaene is done FINIS R. W. Tom Like to Amphitrio to Alcmena Hercules Alexand. Myrrha Alexander Hect Introduction in Actum Secundum BEfore the second Act the 〈◊〉 heard a sweete noice of stil pipes which sounding Lucrece entred attended ended by a mayden of honor with a couered goddard of gold and drawing the curtens shee offreth vnto Gismunda to tast thereof which when she had done the maid returned and Lucrece rayseth vp Gismund from her bed and then it followeth vt in Act. 2. Scen. 1. Introductio in Actum tertium Before this Acte the Hobaies sounded a lofty Almain and Cupid Vshereth after him Guizard and Gismund hand in hand Iulio and Lucrece Renuchio and another maiden of honor The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genes a cane into Guiszards hand and they are all ledde forrth again by Cupid Et sequitur Introductio in Actum 4. Before this Act there was heard a consort of sweet musick which playing Tancred commeth forth draweth Gismunds curtens and lies down vpon her bed then from vnder the stage ascendeth Guisz he helpeth vp Gismund they amarously embrace depart The king ariseth enraged then mas heard seen a storm of thunder lightning in which the furies rise vp Et sequitur Introductio in Actum quintum Before this Act was a dead march plaid during which entred on the stage Renuchio capten of the Guard attended vpon by the guard they tooke vp Guisz from vnder the stage then after Guiszard had kindly taken leaue of them all a strangling cord was fastened about his neck he haled foorth by them Renuchio bewayleth it then entring in bringeth foorth a standing cup of gold with a bloudy hart reeking whot in it and then saith vt sequitur Faulses escaped In the preface to the 〈◊〉 maids line 3. geamls read gleams before act 1. l. x. with read with sce. ii. l. xxiiii for fear that r. feare of that sce. i. act i. l. xlvii for by him r. by thine sce. i. act iii. l. xxv. for distaind r. distrained sce. ii. l. vii. for liuely breath r. liberty sce. ii. acte iiii. for but nay r. but may sce. iii. act iiii. for widowhood r. widows bed sce. ii. for whilom a r. whilom there was a. act iiii. l. xxiii hurt reade let not
departed Afterward bewailing his mishap be commanded the Earle to be attached imprisoned strangled vnbowelled and his heart in a cup of golde to be presented to his daughter she thankefully receiueth the present filling the cuppe wherein the heart was with her teares with a vonimcus potion by her distilled for that purpose shee dranke to her Earle Which her father hearing of came too late to comfort his dying daughter who for her last request besought him that her louer and her selfe might in one tombe be together buried for a perpetuall memorie of their faithfull loues which request he graunted adding to the buriall himselfe slaine with his owne hands to his owne reproch and the terror of all other hard hearted fathers Actus 1. Scaena 1. Cupid commeth out of the heauens in a cradle of flowers drawing forth vpon the stage in a blew twiste of silke from his left hand Vaine hope Brittle ioy And with a carnation twist of silke from his right hand Faire resemblance Late Repentance Cupid There rest my chariot on the mountaine tops I that in shape appeare vnto your sight A naked boy not cloathde but with my wings Am that great God of Loue who with his might Ruleth the wast wide world and liuing things This left hand beares vaine hope short ioyfull state With faire Resemblance louers to allure This right hand holds Repentance all too late Warre fire bloud and paines without recure On sweete Ambrosia is not my foode Nectar is not my drinke as to the rest Of all the Gods I drinke the louers bloud And feed vpon the heart within his breast Well hath my power in heauen and earth bin tride And deepest hell my pearcing force hath knowen The marble seas my wonders haue descride Which elder age throghout the world hath blowen To me the king of Gods and men doth yeeld As witnes can the Greekish maide whom I Made like a cow go lowing through the field Least iealous Iuno should the scape espie The doubled night the Sunnes restrained course His secret stealths the slander to eschew In shape transformd we list not to discourse All that and more we forced him to do The warlike Mars hath not subdude our might We feard him not his furie nor disdaine That can the Gods record before whose sight He laie fast wrapt in Vulcans subtill chaine He that on earth yet hath not felt our power Let him behold the fall and cruell spoile Of thee faire Troy of Asia the flower So foule defast and leueld with the soile Who forst Leander with his naked brest So many nights to cut the frothie waues But Heroes loue that lay inclosde in Sest The stoutest hearts to me shall yeeld them slaues Who could haue matcht the huge Alcides strength Great Macedon what force might haue subdude Wise Scipio who ouercame at length But we that are with greater force endude Who could haue conquered the golden fleece But Iason aided by Medeas art Who durst haue stolne faire Helen out of Greece But I with loue that boldned Paris heart What bond of nature what restraint auailes Against our power I vouch to witnes truth The Myrhe tree that with shamefast teares bewailes Her fathers loue still weepeth yet for ruth But now this world not seeing in these daies Such present proofes of our al-daring power Disdaines our name and seeketh sundrie waies To scorne and scoffe and shame vs euerie houre A brat a bastard and an idle boy A rod a staffe a whip to beate him out And to be sicke of loue a childish toy These are mine honors now the world about My name disgrast to raise againe therefore And in this age mine ancient renowme By mightie acts intending to restore Downe to the earth in wrath now am I come And in this place such wonders shall ye heare As these your stubborne and disdainfull hearts In melting teares and humble yeelding feare Shall soone relent by sight of others smarts This princely pallace will I enter in And there inflame the faire Gismunda so Inraging all her secret vaines within Through firie loue that she shall feele much wo Too late repentance thou shalt bend my bow Vaine hope take out my pale dead heauie shaft Thou faire Resemblance formost forth shalt go With Brittle joy my selfe will not be least But after me comes death and deadly paine Thus shall ye march till we returne againe Meane while sit still and here I shall you shew Such wonders that at last with one accord Ye shall relent and saie that now ye know Loue rules the world Loue is a mightie Lord Exit Cupid with his traine entereth into King Tancreds Pallace Gismunda in Purple commeth out of her Chamber attended by foure maides that are the Chorus Scaena 2. Gismund O Vaine vnsteadfast state of mortall things Who trusts this world leans to a brittle stay Such fickle fruit his flattering bloome forth brings Ere it be ripe it falleth to decay The ioy and blisse that late I did possesse In weale at will with one I loued best Is turned now into so deepe distresse As teacheth me to know the worlds vnrest For neither wit nor princely stomackes serue Against his force that slaies without respect The noble and the wretch ne doth reserue So much as one for worthines elect Ah me deare Lord what well of teares may serue To feed the streames of my foredulled eies To weepe thy death as thy death doth deserue And waile thy want in full sufficing wise Ye lampes of heauen and all ye heauenly powers Wherein did he procure your high disdaine He neuer sought with vast huge mounting towers To reach aloft and ouer-view your raigne Or what offence of mine was it vnwares That thus your furie should on me be throwen To plague a woman with such endles cares I feare that enuie hath the heauens this showen The Sunne his glorious vertues did disdaine Mars at his manhood mightily repind Yea all the Gods no longer could sustaine Each one to be excelled in his kind For he my Lord surpast them euerie one Such was his honor all the world throughout But now my loue oh whither art thou gone I know thy ghost doth houer here about Expecting me thy heart to follow thee And I deare loue would faine dissolue this strife But staie a while I may perhaps foresee Some meanes to be disburdend of this life And to discharge the dutie of a wife Which is not onely in this life to loue But after death her fancie not remoue Meane while accept of these our daily rites Which with my maidens I shall do to thee Which is in songs to cheere our dying spirits With hymnes of praises of thy memorie Cantant Qua mihi cantio nondum occurrit The Song ended Tancred the King commeth out of his pallace with his guard Scaena 3. Tancred Faire daughter I haue sought thee out with griefe To ease the sorrowes of thy vexed heart How long wilt thou torment
our Court the secret way whereof Is to our daughter Gismunds chamber laide There is also another mouth hereof Without our wall which now is ouergrowen But you may finde it out for yet it lies Directly South a furlong from our place It may be knowen hard by an auncient stoope Where grew an Oke in elder daies decaide There wil we that you watch there shall you see A villain traitor mount out of a vaut Bring him to vs it is th' Earle Palurin What is his fault neither shal you enquire Nor list we to disclose these cursed eyes Haue seene the flame this heart hath felt the fire That cannot els be quencht but with his bloud This must be done this will we haue you do Iul. Both this and els what euer you thinke good Iulio departeth into the Pallace Renugio bringeth Gismund out of her chamber to whom Tancred saith Scaena 3. REnugio depart leaue vs alone Exit Renugio Gismund if either I could cast aside All care of thee or if thou wouldst haue had Some care of me it would not now betide That either thorow thy fault my ioy should fade Or by thy folly I should beare the paine Thou hast procur'd but now t is neither I Can shun the griefe whom thou hast more thē slain Nor maist thou heale or ease the grieuous wound Which thou hast geuen me That vnstained life Wherein I ioy'd and thought it thy delight Why hast thou lost it Can it be restor'd Where is thy widdowhood there is thy shame Gismund it is no mans nor mens report That haue by likely proofes enformd me thus Thou knowest how hardly I could be induc'd To vex my selfe and be displeasde with thee With flying tales of flattering Sicophants No no there was in vs such setled trust Of thy chaste life and vncorrupted minde That if these eyes had not beheld thy shame Invaine ten thousand censures could haue tolde That thou didst once vnprincelike make agree With that vile traitor Countie Palurin Without regard had to thy selfe or me Vnshamefastly to staine thy state and mine But I vnhappiest haue beheld the same And seeing it yet feeleth exceding griefe That slaies my heart with horror of that thought Which griefe commandes me to obey my rage And Iustice vrgeth some extreame reuenge To wreake the wrongs that haue been offred vs But Nature that hath lockt within thy brest Two liues the same inclineth me to spare Thy bloud and so to keep mine owne vnspilt This is that ouerweening-loue I beare To thee vnduetifull and vndeserued But for that traitor he shal surelie die For neither right nor nature doth intreat For him that wilfully without all awe Of gods or men or of our deadly hate Incurde the iust displeasure of his king And to be briefe I am content to know What for thy selfe thou canst obiect to vs Why thou shouldst not together with him die So to asswage the griefes that ouerthrow Thy fathers heart Gis. O king and father humbly geue her leaue To plead for grace that stands in your disgrace Not that she recks this life for I confesse I haue deseru'd when so it pleaseth you To die the death Mine honor and my name As you suppose distained with reproach And wel contented shall I meet the stroke That must disseuer this detested head Frō these lewd limmes But this I wish were known That now I liue not for my selfe alone For when I saw that neither my request Nor the intreatie of my carefull Aunt Could winne your Highnes pleasure to our will Then Loue heate of the heart life of the soule Fed by desire increasing by restraint Would not endure controlment any more But violently enforst my feebled heart For who am I alas still to resist Such endlesse conflicts To relent and yeelde Therewith I chose him for my Lord and pheare Guiszard mine Earle that holds my loue full deare Then if it be so setled in your mind He shall not liue because he dar'd to loue Your daughter Thus I geue your Grace to know Within his heart there is inclosde my life Therfore O father if that name may be Sweet to your eares and that we may preuaile By name of father that you fauour vs But otherwise if now we cannot finde That which our falsed hope did promise vs Why then proceed and rid our trembling hearts Of these suspitions since neither in this case His good deserts in seruice to your Grace Which alwaies haue bin iust nor in desires May mittigate the cruel rage of griefe That straines your heart but that mine Earl must die Then all in vaine you aske what I can say Why I should liue sufficeth for my part To say I wil not liue and so resolue Tan. Dar'st thou so desperat decree thy death Gis A dreadles heart delites in such decrees Tan. Thy kind abhorreth such vnkindly thoughts Gis. Vnkindly thoughts they are to them that liue In kindly loue Tan. As I doe vnto thee Gis. To take his life who is my loue to me Tan. Haue I then lost thy loue Gis. If he shal lose His life that is my loue Tan. Thy loue Be gone Returne vnto thy chamber Gis. I wil goe Gismund departeth to her chamber Iulio with his gard bringeth in the County Pal. prisoner Scaena 4. Iu. IF it please your highnes hither haue we broght This captiue Earl as you commanded vs Whō as we wer fortold euen there we found Where by your maiesty we were inioin'd To watch for him What more your highnes willes This heart and hand shal execute your hest Tan. Iulio we thank your paines Ah Palurin Haue we deserued in such traiterous sort Thou shouldst abuse our kingly courtesies Which we too long in fauor haue bestowed Vpon thy false-dissembling hart with vs What grief thou therewithal hast throwen on vs What shame vpon a house what dire distresse Our soul endures cannot be vttered And durst thou villen dare to vndermine Our daughters chamber durst thy shameles face Be bolde to kisse her th' rest we wil conceale Sufficeth that thou knowest I too wel know All thy proceedings in thy priuat shames Herin what hast thou wonne thine own content With the displeasure of thy Lord and king The thought whereof if thou hadst had in mind The least remorce of loue and loyaltie Might haue restraind thee from so foule a fact But Palurin what may I deem of thee Whom neither feare of gods nor loue of him Whose Princely fauor hath been thine vpreare Could quench the fewel of thy lewd desires Wherfore content thee that we are resolu'd And therfore laid to snare thee with this bayt That thy iust death with thine effused blood Shal coole the heate and choler of our mood Guiz. My Lord the King neither do I mislike Your sentence nor do your smoking sighes Reacht from the entrals of your boiling heart Disturbe the quiet of my calmed thoughts For this I feele and by experience proue Such is the force and endlesse
hold The sway of flying time nor him returne When he is past all things vnto his might Must bend and yeeld vnto the Iron teeth Of eating time this in the shedy night When I record how soone my youth withdrawes It selfe away how swift my pleasaunt spring Runnes out his race this this Aunt is the cause When I aduise me sadlie on this thing That makes my heart in pensiue dumps dismaid For if I should my springing yeares neglect And suffer youth fruitles to fade away Whereto liue I or whereto was I borne Wherefore hath nature deckt me with her grace Why haue I tasted the delights of loue And felt the sweets of Hymeneus bed But to say sooth deare Aunt it is not I Sole and alone can thus content to spend My chearefull yeares my father will not still Prolong my mournings which haue grieued him And pleased me too long Then this I craue To be resolued of his princelie minde For stoode it with the pleasure of his will To marrie me my fortune is not such So hard that I so long should still persist Makelesse alone in wofull widowhood And shall I tell mine Aunt come hether then Geue me that hand by thine owne right hand I charge thy heart my councels to conceale Late haue I seene and seeing tooke delight And with delight I will not say I loue A Prince an Earle a Countie in the Court But loue and duetie force me to refraine And driue away these fond affections Submitting them vnto my fathers hest But this good Aunt this is my chiefest paine Because I stand at such vncertaine stay For if my kinglie father would decree His finall doome that I must leade my life Such as I doe I would content me then To frame my fancies to his princely heast And as I might endure the greefe thereof But now his silence doubleth all my doubts Whilest my suspitious thoughts twixt hope feare Distract me into sundrie passions Therefore good Aunt this labour must be yours To vnderstand my fathers will herein For wel I know your wisdome knowes the meanes So shall you both allay my stormie thoughts And bring to quiet my vnquiet mind Luc. Sufficeth this good Neece that you haue said For I perceiue what sundrie passions Striue in your brest which oftentimes ere this Your countenance confused did bewray The ground whereof since I perceiue to grow On iust respect of this your sole estate And skilfull care of fleeting youths decay Your wise foresight such sorrowing to eschew I much commend and promise as I may To breake this matter and impart your mind Vnto your father and to worke it so As both your honor shal not be impeacht Nor he vnsatisfied of your desire Be you no farther greeued but returne Into your chamber I shall take this charge And you shall shortlie truely vnderstand What I haue wrought and what the king affirmes I leaue you to the fortune of my starres Gis. departeth into her chamber Luc. abiding on the stage Luc. The heauens I hope will favour your request My Neece shall not impute the cause to be In my default her will should want effect But in the king is all my doubt least he My suite for her new mariage should reiect Yet shall I proue him and I heard it said He meanes this euening in the parke to hunt Here will I wait attending his approach Tancred commeth out of his Pallace with Guiszard the Countie Palurine Iulio the Lord Chamber laine Renuchio captaine of his Guard allready to hunt Scaena 2. Tancred VNcouple all our hounds Lords to the chase Faire sister Lucre what 's the newes with you Luc. Sir as I alwaies haue imployd my power And faithfull seruice such as lay in me In my best wise to honour you and yours So now my bounden dutie moueth me Your maiestie most humblie to intreat With patient eares to vnderstand the state Of my pore neece your daughter Tanc. what of her Is she not well Inioyes she not her health Say sister ease me of this iealous feare Lucr. She liues my Lord hath her outward helth But all the danger of her sicknes lies In the disquiet of her princelie mind Tan. Resolue me what afflicts my daughter so Lucr. Since when the Princes hath intoumb'd her Lord Her late disseased husband of renowne Brother I see and verie well perceiue She hath not clos'de together in his graue All sparkes of nature kindnes nor of loue But as she liues so liuing may she feele Such passions as our tender hearts oppresse Subiect vnto th impressions of desire Forwell I wot my neece was neuer wrought Of steele nor carued from the stonie rocke Such stearne hardnes we ought not to expect In her whose princelie heart and springing yeares Yet flowring in the chiefest heat of youth Is lead of force to feed on such conceits As easilie befalles that age which asketh ruth Of them whome nature bindeth by foresight Of their graue yeares and carefull loue to reach The things that are aboue their feeble force And for that cause dread Lord although Tanc. Sister I say If you esteeme or ought respect my life Her honor and the welfare of our house Forbeare and wade no further in this speech Your words are wounds I verie well perceiue The purpose of this smooth oration This I suspected when you first began This faire discourse with vs Is this the end Of all our hopes that we haue promised Vnto ourselfe by this her widdowhood Would our deare daughter would our onely ioy Would she forsake vs would she leaue vs now Before she hath closde vp our dying eies And with her teares bewaild our funerall No other solace doth her father craue But whilst the fates maintaine his dying life Her healthfull presence gladsome to his soule Which rather then he willing would for-goe His heart desires the bitter tast of death Her late marriage hath taught vs to our griefe That in the fruits of her perpetuall sight Consists the onely comfort and reliefe Of our vnweldy age for what delight What ioy what comfort haue we in this world Now growen in yeares and ouer-worne with cares Subiect vnto the sodain stroke of death Already falling like the mellowed fruite And dropping by degrees into our graue But what reuiues vs what maintaines our soule Within the prison of our withered brest But our Gismunda and her chearefull sight O daughter daughter what desert of mine Wherein haue I beene so vnkind to thee Thou shouldst desire to make my naked house Yet once againe stand desolate by thee O let such fansies vanish with their thoughts Tell her I am her father whose estate Wealth honor life and all that we possesse Whollie relies vpon her presence here Tell her I must account her all my ioy Worke as she will But yet the were vniust To haste his death that liueth by her fight Lucr. Her gentle hart abhors such ruthles thoughts Tan. Then let her not geue place to
loue shall make worldlings to know his might thus loue shall force great princes to obey Thus loue shall daunt each proud rebelling spirite thus loue shall wreake his wrath on their decay Their ghostes shall doe black hell to vnderstand how great and wonderfull a God is Loue And this shall learne the Ladies of this lande with patient mindes his mighty power to proue From whence I did descend now will I mount to Ioue and all the Gods in their delights In throne of triumph there will I recount how I by sharpe reuenge on mortall wights Haue taught the earth and learned hellish spirites to yeeld with feare their stubburn hearts to loue Least their disdain his plagues and vengeance proue Cupid remounteth into the heauens Lucrece commeth out of Gismunds Chamber solitary Scaena 2. Luc. PItie that moueth euery gentle heart To rue their griefs that be distrest in pain Inforceth me to waile my neeces smart Whose tender brest no long time may sustaine The restlesse toyle that her vnquiet mind Hath causd her feeble bodie to indure But why it is alacke I must not find Nor know the man by whome I might procure Her remedie as I of dutie ought As to the law of kindship doth belong With carefull heart the secret meanes I sought Though small effect is of my trauell sprong Full often as I durst I haue assaid With humble words the princes to require To name the man which she hath so denaid That it abasht me further to desire Or aske from whence those cloudie thoughts proceed Whose stonie force that smokie sighs forth send Is liuelie witnes how that carefull dread And hot desire within her doe contend Yet she denies what she confest of yore And then conioynd me to conceale the same She loued once she saith but neuer more Nor euer will her fancie thereto frame Though daily I obserued in my brest What sharpe conflicts disquiet her so sore That heauy sleep cannot procure her rest But fearefull dreames present her euermore Most hideous sights her quiet to molest That starting oft therwith she doth awake to muse vpon those fancies which torment Her thoughtfull heart with horror that doth make Her cold chil sweat break foorth incontinent From her weake lims and while the quiet night Geues others rest she turning to and fro Doth wish for day But when the day brings light She keepes her bed there to record her woe As soon as when she riseth flowing teares Stream down her chekes immixt with dedly grones Whereby her inward sorow so appeares That as salt teares the cruell cause bemones In case she be constrained to abide In preace of company she scarcely may Her trembling voice restraine it be not spied From careful plaints her sorrowes to bewray By which restraint the force doth so increase When time and place geue liberty to plaine That as small streames from running neuer cease Til they returne into the seas againe So her laments we feare wil not amend Before they bring her Princely life to end To others talke when as she should attend Her heaped cares her sences so oppresse That what they speak or wherto their words tende She knowes not as her answeres do expresse Her chiefe delight is stil to be alone Her pensiue thoughts within themselues debate But whereupon this restlesse life is growen Since I know not nor how the same t' abate I can no more but wish it as I may That he which knowes it would the same allay For which the Muses with my song shal pray After the song which was by report very sweetely repeated of the Chorus Lucrece departeth into Gismunds chamber and Guiszhard commeth out of the Pallace with Iulio Renuchio gentlemen to whom he turneth and saith Scaena 3. Guis. LEaue me my frends this solitarie walke Intiseth me to breake your companie Leaue me my frends I can endure no talk Let me intreat this common curtesie The Gentlemen depart WHat greeuous pain they dure which neither may Forget their Loues ne yet enioy their loue I know by proofe and daily make assay Though Loue hath brought my Ladies hart to loue My faithfull loue with like loue to requite This doeth not quench but rather cause to flame The creeping fire which spreading in my brest With raging heat graunts me no time of rest If they bewaile their cruell destenie Which spend their loue wher they no loue can find Wel may I plaine since Fortune haleth me To this torment of far more greeuous kind Wherein I feele as much extremitie As may be felt in body or in minde For by that sight which should recure my paine My sorowes are redoubled all in vaine Now I perceiue that only I alone Am her belou'd her lookes assure me so The thought thereof prouokes me to bemone Her heauy plight that greeueth at my woe This entercourse of our affections I her to serue she thus to honor me Bewraies the trueth of our elections Delighting in this mutual sympathie Thus loue for loue intreates the Queen of loue That with her help Loues solace we may proue I see my mistres seekes as well as I To stay the strife of her perplexed mind Full faine she would our secrete companie If she the wished way therof might finde Heauens haue ye seen or hath the age of man Recorded such a myracle as this In equall loue two noble harts to frame That neuer spake one with anothers blisse I am assured that she doth assent To my reliefe that I should reape the same If she could frame the meanes of my content Keeping her selfe from danger of defame In happy houre right now I did receiue This cane from her which gift though it be small Receiuing it what ioyes I did conceiue Within my fainting spirit therewithall Who knoweth loue aright may wel conceaue By like aduentures that to them befall For needs the Louer must esteeme that well Which comes from her with whom his hart doth dwel Assuredly it is not without cause She gaue me this something she meant thereby For therewithall I might perceiue her pause Awhile as though some waightie thing did lie Vpon her heart which he conceald because The standers by should not our loues descrie This clift bewraies that it hath been disclosde Perhaps herein she hath something inclosde He breakes it O thou great thunderer who would not serue Where wit with beautie chosen haue their place Who could deuise more wisely to conserue Things from suspect O Venus for this grace That daines me all vnworthy to deserue So rare a loue in heauen I should thee place This sweet letter some ioyfull newes conteines I hope it brings recure to both our paines He reades it Mine owne as I am yours whose hear I know No lesse then mine for lingering help of woe Doth long too long Loue tendering your case And mine hath taught recure of both our pain My chamber floure doth hide a caue where was An olde vautes mouth the other in the
might of loue As neuer shal the dread of carren death That hath enuide our ioyes inuade my brest For if it may be found a fault in me That euermore haue lou'd your Maiestie Likewise to honor and to loue your child If loue vnto you both may be a fault That vnto her my loue exceedes compare Then this hath been my fault for which I ioy That in the greatest lust of all my life I shall submitte for her sake to endure The pangues of death Oh mighty Lord of loue Strengthen thy vassall boldlie to receaue Large wounds into this body for her sake Then vse my life or death my Lord and king For your reliefe to ease your grieued soule For whether I liue or els that I must die To end your paines I am content to beare Knowing by death I shall bewray the trueth Of that sound heart which liuing was her owne And dide aliue for her that liued mine Tan. Thine Palurin what liues my daughter thine Traitor thou wrongst me for she liueth mine Rather I wish ten thousand sundrie deaths Then I to liue and see my daughter thine Thine that is dearer then my life to me Thine whom I hope to see an Empresse Thine whom I cannot pardon from my sight Thine vnto whom we haue bequeath'd our crown Iulio we wil that thou informe from vs Renuchio the Capten of our Gard That we commaund this traitor be conueyd Into the dungeon vnderneath our Tower There let him rest vntil he be resolu'd What further we intend which to vnderstand We will Renuchio repaire to vs Iul. O that I might your Maiestie entreate With clemencie to beutifie your seate Toward this Prince distrest by his desires Too many all too strong to captiuate Tan. This is the soundest safetie for a king To cut them off that vex or hinder him Iul. This haue I found the safetie of a king To spare the Subiects that do honor him Tan. Haue we been honourd by this leachers lust Iul. No but by this deuout submission Tan. Our fortune saies we must do what we may Iul This is praise-worth not to do what you may Tan. And may the Subiect countermaund the king Iul. No but intreat him Tan. What he shal decree Iul. What wisdom shall discern Iul. Nay what our word Shal best determine We wil not replie Thou knowest our mind our heart cannot be easd But with the slaughter of this Palurin The king hasteth into his Pallace Guis. O thou great God who from thy hiest throne Hast stooped down and felt the force of loue Bend gentle eares vnto the wofull mone Of me poore wretch to graunt that I require Help to perswade the same great God that he So farre remit his might and slack his fire From my deare Ladies kindled heart that she May heare my death without her hurt Her face wherein there is as cleere a light As in the rising moone let not her cheekes As red as is the partie-coloured rose Be paled with the newes hereof and so I yeeld my selfe my sillie soul and all To him for her for whom my death shall shew I liu'd and as I liu'd I dide her thrall Graunt this thou Thunderer this shal suffice My breath to vanish in the liquid skies Guizard is led to prison Chorus primus Who doth not know the fruits of Paris loue Nor vnderstand the end of Helens ioy He may behold the fatall ouerthrow Of Priams house and of the towne of Troy His death at last and her eternal shame For whom so many a noble knight was slaine So many a Duke so many a Prince of fame Bereft his life and left there in the plaine Medeas armed hand Elizas sword Wretched Leander drenched in the floud Phillis so long that waited for her Lord All these too dearly bought their loues with bloud Cho. 2. But he in vertue that his Lady serues Newils but what vnto her Honor longs He neuer from the rule of reason swarues He feeleth not the pangs ne raging throngs Of blind Cupid he liues not in despaire As done his seruants neither spends his daies In ioy and care vaine hope and throbbing feare But seekes alway what may his soueraine please In honor he that thus serues reapes the fruite Of his sweet seruice and no ielous dread Nor base suspect of ought to let his sute Which causeth oft the louers hart to bleed Doth fret his mind or burneth in his brest He wayleth not by day nor wakes by night When euery other liuing thing doth rest Nor findes his life or death within her sight Cho. 3. Remember thou in vertue serue therfore Thy chast Lady beware thou do not loue As whilom Venus did the faire Adonne But as Diana lou'd the Amazons sonne Through whose request the gods to him alone Restorde new life the twine that was vndone Was by the sisters twisted vp againe The loue of vertue in thy Ladies lookes The loue of vertue in her learned talke This loue yeelds matter for eternall bookes This loue intiseth him abroad to walke There to inuent and write new rondelaies Of learned conceit her fancies to allure To vaine delights such humors he allaies And sings of vertue and her garments pure Cho. 4. Desire not of thy Soueraigne the thing Whereof shame may ensue by any meane Nor wish thou ought that may dishonor bring So whilom did the learned Tuscan serue His faire Lady and glory was their end Such are the praises Louers done deserue Whose seruice doth to vertue and honor tend Finis Actus 4. Composuit Ch. Hat Actus 5. Scaena 1. Renuchio commeth out of the Pallace Renu. OH cruel fate oh miserable chaunce Oh dire aspect of hateful destinies Oh wo may not be told suffic'd it not That I should see and with these eyes behold So foule so bloody and so base a deede But more to aggrauate the heauie cares Of my perplexed mind must onelie I Must I alone be made the messenger That must deliuer to her Princelie eares Such dismall newes as when I shal disclose I know it cannot but abridge her daies As when the thunderer and three forked fire Rent through the cloudes by Ioues almighty power Breakes vp the bosom of our mother earth And burnes her heart before the heat be felt In this distresse whom should I most bewaile My woe that must be made the messenger Of these vnworthie and vnwelcome newes Or shall I mone thy death O noble Earle Or shal I still lament the heauie hap That yet O Queene attends thy funeral Cho. 1. What mones be these Renuchio is this Salerne I see Doth here king Tancred hold the awful crown Is this the place where ciuill people be Or do the sauage Scythians here abound Cho. 2. What mean these questiōs whether tend thes words Resolue vs maidens release our fears What euer newes thou bring'st discouer them Deteine vs not in this suspicious dread The thought whereof is greater then the woe Renu. O whither may I cast
my lookes to heauen Black pitchy clouds from thence rain down reuenge The earth shal I behold stainde with the gore Of his heart bloud that dide most innocent Which way so ere I turn mine eyes me thinks His butchered corps stands staring in my face Cho. 3. We humbly pray thee to forbear these words So ful of terror to our mayden hearts The dread of things vnknown breedes the suspect Of greater dread vntil the worst be knowen Tel therfore what hath chaunst and whereunto This bloudy cup thou holdest in thy hand Renu. Since so is your request that I shal doe Although my mind so sorrowful a thing Repines to tell and though my voice eschewes To say what I haue seene yet since your will So fixed stands to heare for what I rue Your great desires I shall herein fulfill First by Salerne Citie amids the plaine There stands a hil whose bottom huge and round Throwen out in breadth a large space doth contain And gathering vp in height small from the grounde Stil lesse and lesse it mounts there sometime was A goodly towre vpreard that flowrde in fame While fate and fortune seru'd but time doth passe And with his sway suppresseth all the same For now the walles be euened with the plaine And all the rest so fowly lies defast As but the only shade doth there remaine Of that which there was built in time forepast And yet that shewes what worthy work tofore Hath there been reard one parcel of that towre Yet stands which eating time could not deuoure A strong turret compact of stone and rock Hugie without but horrible within To passe to which by force of handy stroke A crooked straite is made that enters in And leades into this vgly loathsome place Within the which carued into the ground A deep dungeon there runnes of narrow space Dreadful and darke where neuer light is found Into this hollow caue by cruel hest Of king Tancred were diuers seruants sent To worke the horror of his furious brest Earst nourisht in his rage and now sterne bent To haue the same performde I woful man Amongst the rest was one to do the thing That to our charge so straitly did belong In sort as was commanded by the king Within which dreadful prison when we came The noble Countie Palurin that there Lay chain'd in giues fast fettered in his bolts Out of the darke dungeon we did vpreare And hal'd him thence into a brighter place That gaue vs light to worke our tyrannie But when I once beheld his manly face And saw his cheare no more appauld with feare Of present death then he whom neuer dread Did once amate my heart abhorred then To geue consent vnto so foul a deede That wretched death should reaue so worthy a man On false fortune I cride with lowd complaint That in such sort ouerwhelmes nobilitie But he whom neuer griefe ne feare could taint With smiling cheare himselfe oft willeth me To leaue to plaine his case or sorrow make For him for he was far more glad apaide Death to imbrace thus for his Ladies sake Then life or all the ioyes of life he said For losse of life quoth he greeues me no more Then losse of that which I esteemed least My Ladies griefe least she should rue therefore Is all the cause of griefe within my brest He praid therfore that we would make report To her of those his last words he would say That though he neuer could in any sort Her gentlenes requite nor neuer lay Within his power to serue her as he would Yet she possest his heart with hand and might To doe her all the honor that he could This was to him of all the ioyes that might Reuiue his heart the chiefest ioy of al That to declare the faithfull heart which he Did beare to her fortune so wel did fall That in her loue he should both liue and die After these words he staid and spake no more But ioyfully beholding vs each one His words and cheare amazed vs so sore That stil we stoode when forthwith thereupon But why slack you quoth he to do the thing For which you come make speed and stay no more Performe your masters will now tel the king He hath his life for which he long'd so sore And with those words himselfe with his own hand Fastned the bands about his neck The rest Wondring at his stout heart astonied stand To see him offer thus himselfe to death What stony brest or what hard heart of flint Would not relent to see this dreery sight So goodly a man whom death nor fortunes dint Could once disarme murdred with such despite And in such sort bereft amidst the flowers Of his fresh yeares that ruthfull was to seene For violent is death when he deuoures Yong men or virgins while their yeares be green Lo now our seruants seeing him take the bands And on his neck himselfe to make them fast Without delay set to their cruel hands And sought to worke their fierce intent with hast They stretch the bloudy bands and when the breth Began to faile his brest they slackt againe Thrise did they pull and thrise they losed him So did their hands repine against their hearts And oft times losed to his greater paine But date of death that fixed is so fast Beyond his course there may no wight extend For strangled is this noble Earle at last Bereft of life vnworthy such an end 〈◊〉 O dāned deed Ren. What deem you this to be Al the sayd newes that I haue to vnfould Is here think you end of the crueltie That I haue seen Chor. Could any heauier woe Be wrought to him then to destroy him so Ren. What think you this outrage did end so well The horror of the fact the greatest griefe The massaker the terror is to tell Cho. Alack what could be more they threw percase The dead body to be deuourd and torne Of the wild beasts Renu. Would God it had been cast a sauage praie To beasts and birds but lo that dreadfull thing Which euen the tyger would not work but to Suffice his hunger that hath the tyrant king Withouten ruth commaunded vs to doe Onely to please his wrathfull heart withal Happy had been his chance too happy alas If birdes or beasts had eaten vp his corps Yea heart and all within this cup I bring And am constrained now vnto the face Of his deare Ladie to present the same Chor. What kind of crueltie is this you name Declare foorthwith and wherunto doth tend This farther plaint Ren. After his breath was gone Forced perforce thus from his panting brest Straight they dispoiled him and not alone Contented with his death on the dead corps Which rauenous beasts forbeare to lacerate Euen vpon this our villens fresh begunne To shew new crueltie foorthwith they pearce His naked bellie and vnript it so That out the bowels gusht who can rehearse Their tyrannie wherwith my heart yet bleedes The warme entralles