THE THRACIAN WONDER A COMICAL HISTORY As it hath been several times Acted with great Applause Written by JOHN VVEBSTER and VVILLIAM ROWLEY Placere Cupio LONDON Printed by Tho. Johnson and are to be sold by Francis Kirkman at his Shop at the Sign of John Fletchers Head over against the Angel-Inn on the Back-side of St. Clements without Temple-Bar 1661 The Stationer to the Reader Gentlemen IT is now the second time of my appearing in Print in this nature I should not have troubled you but that I believe you will be as well pleased as my self I am sure that when I applied my self to buying and reading of Books I was very well satisfied when I could purchase a new Play I have promised you three this Tearm A Cure for a Cuckold was the first this the second and the third viz. Gamer Gurtons Needle is ready for you I have several others that I intend for you suddenly I shall not as some others of my profession have done promise more then I will perform in a year or two or it may be never but I will assure you that I shall never leave printing so long as you shall continue buying I have several Manuscripts of this nature written by worthy Authors and I account it much pity they should now lye dormant and buried in oblivion since ingenuity is so likely to be encouraged by reason of the happy Restauration of our Liberties We have had the private Stage for some years clouded and under a tyrannical command though the publick Stage of England has produc'd many monstrous villains some of which have deservedly made their exit I believe future Ages will not credit the transactions of our late Times to be other than a Play or a Romance I am sure in most Romantick Plays there hath been more probability then in our true though sad Stories Gentlemen I will not further trouble you at this time onely I shall tell you that if you please to repair to my Shop I shall furnish you with all the Plays that were ever yet printed I have 700 several Plays and most of them several times over and I intend to increase my Store as I sell And I hope you will by your frequent buying encourage Your Servant Francis Kirkman Dramatis Personae PHeander King of Thrace Father to Ariadne King of Scicillia Father to Radagon Alcade King of Affrica Father to Lillia Guida Sophos Brother to Pheander Radagon Son to the King of Scicillia and Husband to Ariadne Eusanius Son to Radagon and Ariadne Leonardo a Thracian Lord Two Thracian Lords Two Scicillian Lords Two Affrican Lords Antimon an old shepherd father to Serena the Clown Titterus a merry shepherd Pallemon a shepherd in love with Serena The Clown son to Antimon Two Shepherds Two Shepherdesses A Fisher-man A Priest Pithia a Goddess Ariadne Daughter to Pheander and Wife to Radagon Lillia Guida Daughter to Alcade Serena a Shepherdess Daughter to Antimon Chorus and Time THE THRACIAN VVONDER ACT. 1. SCENE 1. Enter Pheander King of Thrace with his Sword drawn two Noble-men holding him Ariadne flying before him with a Childe in her arms 1 Lord GOod my Liege 2 Lord Dear Soveraign Phean. Why do you keep the Sword of Justice back From cutting off so foul a blasted branch 2 Lord Oh let your milder sence censure this Fate And cast her not away in hate of spleen 1 Lord Consider Sir she is your onely Childe your Kingdoms Heir your Countries future Hope and she may live Phe. To be a Strumpet sir Do not vex my soul with extollation of a thing so vile Is 't possible a Lady of her Birth should stain her Royal Race with beastly lust and mix the blood of Kings with a base issue Was it for this you were so long mew'd up within your private Chamber Was it for this we gave so strict a charge to have your tedious Sickness lookt unto But our examples shal be such on thee as all the world shal take a warning by What man or devil in the shape of man was he that durst presume for to pollute thee Either confess him or by all our gods I le plague thy body with continual tortures that being done I will devise a death that time to come shall never pattern it Enter Radagon with his Sword drawn Rad. There 's not the smallest torture while I live That shall afflict or touch her tender body Phe. What Traitor-slave dares interrupt the passage of our will Cut him in pieces Ariad. Oh hold your hands for mercy let him live And twenty pieces within my bosom give Phe. Death Now 't is probable He lay my life this Groom is Father to the Strumpets Brat Enter a Guard A Guard there seize him make the Slave confess And if he will not kill him instantly Rad. Villains unhand me I le reveal the truth I will not die in base obscurity Pheander know I am not what I seem an abject Groom but Royal as thy self My name is Radagon son to thy Enemy Cicillia's King this thirteen moneths I have continued here in hope for to obtain what now I have my Ariadnes love 'T is I am Father to this Princely Boy and I le maintain 't even with the utmost hazard of my life Phe. Thy life base Letcher that is the smallest satisfaction that thou canst render for thy foul Transgression And wer 't not 'gainst the Law of Arms and Nature these hands should sacrifice your guilty souls and with your bloods wash the foul stain from off our Royal House As for the Brat his brains shall be dasht out no base remembrance shall be left of him I le have my will effected instantly 1 Lord Dear Soveraign let Pity plead this Case and Natural Love reclaim your high displeasure The Babe is guiltless of the Fact committed and She is all the children that you have then for your Countries cause and Kingdoms good be pleased to take her to your grace agen 2 Lord Besides my Liege 't is known that Radagon Is by his Noble Birth a worthy Lord Princely descended of a Royal Stock Although not Heir apparent to a Crown Then since their hearts have sympathiz'd in one Confirm with love this happy Union Phe This hand shall be his Priest that dares agen presume to speak for her What worse disgrace did ever King sustain than I by this luxurious couple have But you shall see our Clemency is such that we will mildlier sentence their vilde Fact than they themselves can look for or deserve Take them asunder and attend our Doom Rad. Before you speak vouchsafe to hear me Sir It is not for my self I bend my knee Nor will I crave the least forgiveness But for your Daughter Do but set her free And let me feel the worst of Tyranny Ariad. The like Submission do I make for him Phe. Stop her mouth we never more intend to hear her speak I would not have a Token of Remembrance that ever I did bear the
Name of Father For you lascivious Sir on pain of death we charge you leave our Kingdom instantly two days we limit you for your departure which time expired 't is death to tread upon our Thracian Bounds But Huswife as for you You with your Brat wee 'l send afloat the Main There to be left never to Land again And that your Copes-mate may be sure to loose The chief content of his desired Bliss You shall be guarded from our Kingdoms Confines And put to Sea with several Windes and Tides That ye may never more enjoy each other She in a small Boat without Man or Oar Shall to the mercy of the Waves be left He in a Pinnace without Sayl or Pilate Shall be dragg'd forth some five leagues from the shore And there be drencht in the vast Ocean You hear your Doom which shall for ever stand irrevocable Make no reply Go strumpet get thee hence No sin so vile as Disobedience Exit Phe. the rest stay Ariad. A heavy bitter Sentence when for Love we must be banisht from our Native right Had his high Rage but suffered me to speak I could have my Chastity as clear as is the unspotted Lamb of Innocence 1 Lord Alas good Lady Now on my faith I do believe as much I le back return unto his Majesty and urge him to recal his heavy Doom Ariad. Oh no I would not for the world believe me sir Endanger you in such an Embassy Let him persist the Heavens hath ever sent A Tower of strength to guard the innocent Oh Radagon we two shall never meet Until we tread upon the higher Frame Farewel Dear Love Poor Babe thy wretched Birth Makes us to part eternally on earth Exit Ariad. Guard Rad. My life my soul all my falicity Is in a trice divided from my sight No matter now what ere become of me All earthly joys are lost in loosing thee Exeunt Enter Titterus and Pallemon Tit. Come I must know your cause of Discontent Pal. I know it is your love to urge thus far and 't is my love thus to conceal it from you should I relate my cause of Sorrow to you and you seeking my remedy should wound your self think what a Corsive it would prove to me And yet I wonder you conceive it not if you consider truly your own state you 'l finde our cause of grief to be alike Tit. You have found a pretty way to silence me but 't will not serve indeed it will not sir because I know you do dissemble with me The strongest Allegation that ye have is that you sorrow for a Fathers death and that I know is feigned for since that time my self have heard you in your Roundelays more frolick far than any of the Swains and in your pastimes on the Holidays strive to surpass the activest of us all therefore that cannot serve you for Excuse And for your flocks I 'm sure they thrive as well as any shepherds do upon the plain that makes me wonder and importunate to know the cause that might procure this sadness Pal. Since nothing but the Truth will satisfie Take 't in a word brother I am in Love Tit. Ha ha what 's that Pal. A god which many thousands do adore Tit. A Fable that fond fools gives credit too I that have bin a Shepherd all my life and ne're train'd up to School as thou hast bin would scorn to be deluded by a Fiction a thing that 's nothing but inconstancy Didst never hear the Invective that I made Pal. No nor desire it now Tit. Yes prithee mark it I le tell thee my opinion now of Love Love is a Law a Discord of such force That 'twixt our Sense and Reason makes divorce Love 's a Desire that to obtain betime We loose an Age of Years pluckt from our prime Love is a thing to which we soon consent As soon refuse but sooner far repent Then what must women be that are the cause Enter old Antimon Clown That Love hath life that Lovers feel such laws They 're like the Windes upon Lapanthaes shore That still are changing Oh then love no more A womans Love is like that Syrian Flow'r That buds and spreads and withers in an hour Pal. See Orpheus you have drawn Listners Tit. What dost make beasts of 'em Ant. Come son let 's make haste to fold up our flocks I fear we shall have a foul Evening Clown I think so too Father for there 's a strong winde risen in the back door S'nails yonder 's Mr. Titterus the merry Shepherd and the old fool my father would pass by wee 'l have a Fit of Mirth before we part Tit. Hoyse a Gods-name cannot the Puppy see Clown Hardly sir for he has been troubled with sore eyes this nine days Tit. Muscod come hither what shall I give thee to put my brother Pallemon from his dumps Clown I do not know what you 'l give me but promise what you will I 'm sure to be paid if I meddle with him he 's the strangest humor'd man now of late that e're I met withal he was ready to lay his Hook o're my pate t'other morning for giving him the time of the day But upon one condition I le venter a knock this once Tit. What 's your condition Clown Marry that you would give me a delicate Song to court my Wench withal but it must be a good one for women are grown so musical now adays they care not a pin for a Song unless it be well prickt Tit. Oh I have one a purpose hark shalt hear it Seren. Nothing shall serve but what I have prefixt Pal. I le pluck the Moon from forth the Starry Throne And place thee there to light the lower Orb And if stern Pluto offer to embrace thee I le pitch him head-long into Phlegeton Stren. Phebus defend me Oh I fear he 's mad Pal. Or if thou 'lt live and be the Shepherds Queen I le fetch Senessa frown the Doun of Swans to be thy handmaid the Phrygian Boy that Jove so doted on shall be thy Page and serve thee on his knee Thou shalt be guarded round with Jolly Swains such-as was Luno's Love on Latma's hill Thy Musick shall surpass the Argo's tamer If this content thee not I le dive into the bottom of the Deep and fetch thee Bracelets of the Orient Pearl the Treasure of the Sea shall all be thine Ser. He 's stark mad some power withhold him here Until I finde some place to shelter me Exit Pal. Art thou gone in haste I le not forsake thee Runn'st thou ne're so fast I le o'retake thee Or the Dales or the Downs through the green Meadows From the fields through the towns to the dim shadows All along the Plain to the low Fountains Up and down agen from the high Mountains Eccho then shall agen tell her I follow And the Floods to the Woods carry my holla holla ce la ho ho hu Exit A dumb-show Thunder
your words which I unhappy wretch must undergo were every Lamb increast unto a Flock and every Flock to thousands multiplied I must not love you Ant. You must not Ariad. And worse I must for ever hate you if you name but Love agen I must ingrateful be for all the courtesies you have bestowed Love or the thought of it to me is like the Tallon of a soaring Hawk striking a silly Dove it murthers me Ant. So you are sensible of your own grief but no other pity I am wounded too but you feel it not Ariad. Where are you wounded sir Ant. Even at the heart I 'm wounded for thy Love Ariad. If I could see it bleed I should believ 't Ant. You would I thank you heartily for that Ariad. Sure sir I think you would not fear a wound cold and decaying nature has made you strike-free you have no blood to die with y' are now buried in your skins Sear-cloth and would you warm that monumental Robe at Loves fire in your grave Ant. Scorn'd and abused 't is long of Menalchus go with that hand preserved thee from the wrack of the devouring Billows that ravenous and merciless assembly of salt Drops that charitable hand that long hath been the tender Foster-father to thy wants with that hand now I turn thee off turn thou thy face no more to any house of mine I le burn them all e're they shall cover thee Thou wert my joy but this thy scornful spight Has made me hate where I took most delight Ariad. My sweet Eusanius It is his Loss makes me unfortunate that weighty grief Followed by mercies yet wert thou the chief Where e're thou art Fate in spight send me hither Tho in the arms of Death we meet together Ent. Titterus Sings I loved a Lass alas my folly was full of her coy disdaining I courted her thus what shall I sweet Dolly do for thy dear Loves obtaining At length I did dally so long with my Dolly that Dolly for all her faining Had got such a mountain above her valley that Dolly came home complaining Ariad. Oh misery misery which way should I turn from thee Tit. Ha there 's a foolish Lover upon my life a female heigho ifaith Alas poor heart why dost thou sit dejected pretty soul he is a hard hearted stubborn Clown I warrant him what e're he is but I hold him the wiser man for 't though will he not do filthy churl as he is poor heart would I had a heart could pity thee Ariad. What e're you are sir my miseries have not deserved your scorn I do beseech you leave me with my sorrows for I desire no other company Tit. Ha a good face ifaith a special good face fine Babies in her eyes those lips speak now methinks and say Come kiss me How now Titterus the singing Satyre against all women the Madrigal-maker against good faces Beauties Despiser are you in contemplation now I must not turn my tale sure from Shepherds Roundelays to Epithilamiums and Sonnets and Io's and Heighos this were odd if I should and yet by my troth I think I must for ought I can perceive that thievish god Cupid that useth to steal hearts affections and sighs out of mens bosoms is now crept into mine and spite of my proud heart makes me confess that Love 's a lovely Lad his bringing up is Beauty Who loves him not is mad for I must pay him duty now I 'm sad Hayl to those sweet eyes that shine celestial wonder From thence do flames arise burns my poor heart asunder now it fryes Ariad. Sir you are rustick and no generous spirit to make Calamity your merry Theam Beseech you leave me Tit. Cupid sets a Crown upon those lovely Tresses Oh spoil not with a frown what he so sweetly dresses I le sit down Ariad. You 'l force me then to rise and flie your folly Yet why should you have power to banish me From this free spreading Air that I may claim For mine as well as yours but 't is no matter Take this place to ye where e're you force me go I shall keep still my sad Companion Wo Tit. Nay then have at you in Prose if Meter be no Meter for you you must not leave me thus And as even till this hour I hated women and therefore must needs be the honester man I will not stay you for any ill by my hook and troth la And now do not I know what to say to her neither but you have a good Face white Neck a dainty Cheek soft Hand and I love you if my Nurse had ever taught me better language I could afford it you Ariad. That very word will feather my slow feet and make me flie from you I hate all love and am in love with nought but hate and scorn sorrows and griefs I am exposed to them turned from a Charity that fed me once to naked poverty thrust into the mouth of Fortunes battery to stand all malice that she can shoot at mortal Tit. What heart could be so cruel hand so ungentle Ariad. Old Antimon's till this hour courteous Now most unkinde and spiteful Tit. Why then has Love and Hate mistaken their Quivers to day He that was courteous to women is now turn'd unkinde and I that ever halted am struck most pitifully in love with 'em Here take all the store I have to defend thee from common necessities to feed and lodge I will be thus bountiful though I never have better of thee while I live and I am sorry I am no better furnisht if thou remainest in these fields I le lend thee enough to stock thee with a Flock and give thee day enough for payment too He that should have said I would a bin thus bountiful to day morning I would have said by this time he had bin a witch Fare thee well I have some strange meditations that I desire to be alone my self now some of 'em must out agen howsoever Whither shall I go to escape away from folly For now there 's love I know or else 't is melancholly heigh heigho Yonder lies the Snow but my heart cannot melt it Love shoots from his how and my poor heart hath felt it heigh heigho Exeunt severally Finis Actus secundus ACT. 3. SCENE 1. Enter Pheander with the two Lords from the Oracle Phe. WHat news from Delphos what says the Oracle Wherefore is Thrace thus pesterred with these plagues 1 Th. Lord My Liege we have performed your dread Command yet not command so much as our desire did make our tedious travels to seem short until we heard Apollo's ireful Doom but then Phe. What then nay quick go on I say we long to hear the Oracles Decree 1 Th. Lord Having pronounc't the gods were all displeased With woeful Thrace she said our sorrows spring Was caused by the Transgressions of our King Who 'gainst the Law of Equity and Right Had from his sight abandon'd Chastity But for the time when Plagues and Woes
what danger may ensue what priviledge you loose in Thrace if we be dispossest the time of Truce expired and he 's returned to take possession For without his son our Crown and Kingdom both are forfeited into his hands which yet we may prevent if you 'l agree to joyn your Force with ours and back expulse him We 'l not onely grant your Queen her liberty but we 'l enlarge your former Priviledge give you choice of State Honor and Dignity make you Lords and Knights and in remembrance of the Shepherds Wars adde a new Festival which at your charge shall yearly be performed Consider on 't Rad. Happy Position thanks great Justicer Occasion puts revenge into my hand To think that I should be so fortunate To be Commander of a Band of men To war against my father blest Event Phe. What 's your reply Clown Good General consent I have a foolish desire to be a Lord Phe. And what shall I be Clown You shall be a Lord too and if you 'l be quiet There are a great many mad Lords Phe. What answer do you give Rad. Were it in me To give an answer you should soon prevail But 't is a General voice for my own part My service and my self I offer to you Eus. And so do I Tit. And I Omnes So do we all Phe. A King that 's thus held up can never fall Draw all your force within the Castle Walls 'T is large and spacious and will well contain 'um This night we 'l feast to morrow shall be seen Your loves to us Rad. Ours to the shepherds Queen Exeunt omnes Finis Actus quartii ACT. 5. SCENE 1. Drum and Colours Enter Scicillia Lords and Soldiers Scicil. IS all our Army in a readiness prepared for battel if occasion serve 2 Lord They are my Lord Scicil. This day our truce takes end the king returned And we expect our Sons delivery 1 Lord Pray heaven it be so happy but I fear A worse intent for all the way he comes The Commons rise shepherds and silly Swains That never were inur'd to carry swords Take Arms and follow him Scicil. What 's that to us Did he not make a vow ne're to return Until he found my Son may be he comes For to invest us King and offer sacrifice Unto the Gods and so conclude this weary Pilgrimage 1 Lord You speak my Liege as you your self would do But he that dar'd to banish 'em Think you he fears to violate an oath 'T is ill to trust a reconciled foe Be still in readiness you do not know How soon he may assault us Scicil. Thou speakest but well 't is good to doubt the worst We may in our belief be too secure As King's forbidden to condemn the just So Kings for safety must not blame mistrust Enter 2 Lord Why is this haste To bid you haste to Arms The foe comes on the Centinels fall off The Scouts are posting up and down the Plain To fetch in all the straglers Thraces King Has break his vow and seeks by force of Arms For to expulse you 1 Lord Will ye yet give credit To a Tyrants oath Scicil. By you bright Sphere I vow and if there be A greater punishment for perjury Raigning on earth then is the conscience sting I will inflict it on this perjured man You spirits resolute 'gainst fear and death You that have hither to maintained your being In equal power like Rivals to the Gods Now show your Valor let us not debate Our wrongs like women for the wrath of Kings Is like an angry Cloud swoln big with fire Soft charge that speaks revenge in thunder hark they charge Beat a defiance See the signal 's given Who dies in this just cause shall live in heaven Allarum The shepherds give the first assault and beat off some of the Scicillian Lords Enter Eusanius driving over Scicilla Enter Radagon Rad. The fury of this Boy will overthrow All my Designs twice since the Fight begun In spight of my best Art he has unhors'd My Royal Father and the last Career Drew blood from his shrunk veins yet the good old man Like to an aged Oak that long hath stood Endangers all that seeks to cut him down He does not bear that fearful Policy That many use to fight in base disguise But has a White Flag carried before him Which does signifie the justice of his Cause is innocence Or as a mark as if a man should say I am the Butt you aim at shoot at me The greatest Conquest I have won this day Hath been the preservation of his Life With hazard of mine own In my pursuit Thinking to place him in his Court of Guard I followed him so far that I was forced To make retire for to recover breath Enter Eusanius with Scicillia prisoner Eus. Why do you sound a Retreat the Day is ours See here 's their King I knew him by his Ensign Which I seized in spight of all opposed Here General to your hands I do commit him Carry Thraces King this as a ransom for the Shepherds Queen Soft Allarum Hark the fight renews one hour more makes a full Conquest and I le ne're give o're till it be finisht Exit Rad. But that no fame or credit can be got to conquer Age I 'd scorn for to present anothers prisoner Scicil. Aged as I am had I a sword I 'd scorn as much to be subdued by thee Rad. That shall be tried Here take your Arms agen Scicil. Art thou in earnest then Come on ifaith How now What means this wilt thou not fight with me Rad. Yes sir that I will with you I le fight But never fight against you See the man That thrice this day preserved you from your foe And the last time I bore you off from death I that man am now your Champion do not question why But rest assur'd for you I le live and die Exeunt Allarum and the Shepherds within crying flie flie c. Enter Eusanius and all the Shepherds Eus. What Coward 's that began this fearful cry Is not the day likely to be our own Have I not taken their King Prisoner seized his white Flag and by our Generals hand sent him unto Pheander Tit. But he 's revolted and has set him free And we have ne're a General to lead us Eus. Oh Villain Traitor Coward were he my father I should call him so flie from his Colours Courage fellow Swains let us not blot the Honor we have won Want of a General I le supply that place rather than loose so fair a Victory Pall. No I le be General Clown I I and so you shall and I le be Commander over you We should be led like Wilde-geese then ifaith Wilde-geese nay Woodcocks rather for your Wilde-geese keep their Wings their Front their Rear and have a Leader too Tit. I I you are the man Eus. Follow then come Exeunt A great Allarum Enter Radagon Rad. Sound a Retreat it is
Case against them Tit. Then first to you whom I have wrong'd so much And next to all that 's here Sings Forgive me oh forgive me my cruel disdain Never poor Lover endured such pain As I will in my skill your praises to tell And never sing other till death rings my Knell Therefore no man hate a woman for now you may prove It lyes in their powers to restore Life and Love Therefore no man hate a woman for now you may prove It lyes in their power to restore Life and Love Exeunt A great Allarum and Excursions then enter Eusanius and Shepherds with Alcade Sophos and White moor prisoners Eus. The honor of thy overthrow brave Moor is due to great Pheander King of Thrace but thy Crowns ransom does belong to me Alcad. Take Life and all it is not worth the keeping Without Addition of a Victory To be a Peasants prisoner Cursed Fate Why should a King be so unfortunate Sophos Unhappy chance Came I to Thrace for this to loose both Life and Honor in the Land that gave me Life and by a Brother too Black destiny Eus. Some poste unto Pheander and glad his ears with this our Victory Enter 1 Th. Lord Why come ye on so slowly renew the fight our King is taken prisoner by that slave that by his falling off lost the last Battel Eus. Pheander taken Alcade That 's some comfort yet I hope Scicillia will not ransom him till he consent unto our Liberty Soph. And if he should he were unworthy to be term'd a King Eus Why then let 's summon 'em unto a Parley First offer to exchange our Prisoners A Parley And then begin the bloody Fight agen 1 Lord Summon a Parley then Enter Scicillia Lords with Pheander prisoner Look here Scicillia since by chance of war our Thracian King is taken prisoner to ransom him we will deliver back into your hands the great Alcade Sophos and this White moor Phe. Three prisoners for one detain 'em still I le not be ransom'd at so dear a rate Alcade And if thou shouldst I scorn it should be so For look what Ransom Scicillia sets down I le pay it trebly o're to ransom us Scicil. We 'l take no Ransom but will set you free by force of Arms Eus. Bear back the prisoners and renew the Fight Rad. Stay darest thou that seemest so forward hand to hand in single opposition end this Strife Eus. Oh were these Kings but pleased it should be so How soon would we decide this difference Scicil. What says Alcade if he be so content I le gladly put my Right upon his sword Phe. The like will I upon my Champion whose unmatcht valor has been well approved Alcade I like his fair Aspect and give consent Mayest thou prove happy in this Enterprize Rad. I le loose my life or gain your liberty Eus. The like will I or set Pheander free Exeunt Phe. Then till the Champions be in readiness let the Conditions be concluded on Pallatio draw the Articles for us Cicil. And you for us if we be overcome Pheander is to have his liberty and we depart this land resigning back all interest due by his permission and never seek revenge for our lost Son this as we are Royal we 'l consent unto Alcad. If Thrace be overcome he shall surrender all his dignity into our hands which Sophos shall enjoy which our fair daughter paying Cicilly a yearly tribute and your Soldiers pay since their abode in Thrace shall be discharged from our Exchecquer Phe. This I le add besides because by us Cicillia lost a for who ever shall enjoy the Crown of Thrace shall once a year clad in his pilgrims weeds offer sacrifice unto the Gods and lay his Crown down at Cicillias feet Soph. And Sophos vows to offer up his life A ransom for this beautuous Affrican If we be vanquisht by our enemy Scicil. There 's Scicillias hand Phe. And mine Alcad. There Alcade Lil. And mine Sop. And Sophos joyned in one 1 Thr. Lord A happy end crown this Contention Pal. Beseech your Graces since this difference is to be ended by a shepherds hand to let our Queen be set at liberty to see the Champion that must fight for her Phe. Go fetch her forth And now I call to minde the Oracle that said a shepherd should restore my Crown sure one of these will prove that happy man Cicil. The Trumpet sounds agen let 's take our seats and see who shall obtain the victory Phe. Nay altogether now till the last stroke make a division Enter Ariadne brought in by shepherds Oh the shepherds Queen Alcad. A lovely Dame sit by our Daughters side Tuckets The Combatants will take encouragement from your fair eyes hark now they come Enter Radagon brought in by the Cicilsian Lords Eusanius by the shepherds with shields pictured with Neptune riding upon the Waves Clown Now Boy thrust home 't is for a Lady Pal. Courage fellow Swain 1 Lord The Champions are prepared sound to the fight Rad. I for my King Eus. I for my Countries right fight 2 Lord So recover breath Phe. What means that strange Device upon their shields 't is something sure concerns the Oracle God Neptune riding on the Waves o' th Sea I le question them to know the meaning on 't Eus. Come Sir Alcad. What meanes the King of Thrace Phe. To ask a question e're they fight agen Alcad. Then speak aloud we 'l have no whispering Phe. I prithee tell me 't is to thee I speak what hainous wrongs hast thou received from us or good from these that thou alone shouldst prove the chiefest Champion for our Enemy Rad. So please these Kings vouchsafe me audience I shall tell you Both Speak freely Rad. In brief Pheander I am nor subject unto him nor you more then the duty of a Son allowes tho this rude transmigration of my hair barres me your knowledge with the change of time yet here behold the banisht Radagon Cicil. My Son Ariad. My husband Phe. Shame and my Joy so struggle in my breast I shall dissolve to air Oh my dear childe Rad. Can it be possible that we should live so long together and not know each other Ariad. I knew Menalchus but not Radagon Rad. I Mariana not my beautuous wife But what 's become of my Eusanius had I my childe agen my Joy were full Ariad. Alas I lost him fourteen years ago keeping my flocks upon the plain of Thrace Rad. This greater tide of Joy overcomes the less and will not suffer me as yet to mourn Soph. Pray speak those Words agen where did you loose him on the Plains of Thrace Ariad. Indeed I did just fourteen years ago Soph. The time the place how habited and then Ariad. In a small coat made of a Panthers skin a Garland on his head and in his hand a hook made of a Cane Soph. The very same the time the place the habit all things just as you describe to me that childe I being banisht from my native soyl found sporting in the Plains and that 's the childe I carried with me into Affrica Alcad. Was that the childe you brought into the Court wha adverse fate had I to banish him Lil. Far worser fate had I to loose my love Eus. That childe so found so lost Brought up in Affrica and banisht thence Should be my self Lil. Eusanius I't is he Ariad. Oh my deer childe Eus. Are you my Mother This my father then Phe. Is this my Warlicke Grand-childe Alcad. What wonder 's this Phe. Now is the Oracle confirm'd at full Here is the Wonder being wrackt at sea Which Neptune from his Waves cast up agen These are the Lions that did guide the Lambs Living as Shepherds being Princes born And these the Seas whose-equal valor neither Ebbs nor Tides But makes a stand striving for Victory Their shields proclaim as much whose Figure is Neptune commanding of the rugged Waves And this the happy Shepherd from the Plain Whose sight restores me all my joys agen Scicil. Radagon thou shalt wear Scicillia's Crown Phe. Pheanders too which is too small a satisfaction for the great wrongs he hath sustained by us Rad. Do not impose more Cares upon my head Until my joys be fully finished Good Father keep your Crown and govern still And let me frolick with my beautuous Bride And for Pheanders Crown let me intreat My Uncle Sophos Partner in our Wars May if he survive be King of Thrace Phe. With all my heart and for these harmless Shepherds Whose loves have bin Co-partners in our wars once every year They shall be feasted in our Royal Palace And still this day be kept as Holiday In the remembrance of the Shepherds Queen Alcad. 'T would ask an Age of Time to explicate all our delights Eusanius take our Childe with her our Royal Crown of Affrica Thy pardon Sophos for we promis'd thee Sophos I willingly resign my interest Sir Phe. One forty days we 'l hold a Festival Within the Court of Thrace before we part When was there such a Wonder ever seen Forty years banisht and live still a QUEEN Exeunt FINIS If any Gentlemen please to repair to my House aforesaid they may be furnished with all manner of English or French Histories Romances or Poetry which are to be sold or read for reasonable Considerations