signes Of that true valour your spirit seemes to beare For 't is not courage when the darts of chance Are throwne against our State to turne our backs And basely runne to death as if the hand Of Heaven and Nature had lent nothing else To oppose against mishap but losse of life Which is to flie and not to conquer it For know it were true valours part my Lord That when the hand of chance had crush'd our States Ruin'd all that our fairest hopes had built And thrown 't in heaps of desolation Then by those ruines for our thoughts to climbe Vp till they dar'd blinde fortune to the face And urg'd her anger to increase those heaps That we might rise with them and make her know Wee were above and all her power below Why this my Lord would prove us men indeed But when affliction thunders o'r our Roofe To hide our heads and runne into our graves Shewes us no men but makes us fortunes slaves Lucil. Antonio thou wouldst turne Philosopher To doe thy friend a kindnesse but 't is not wordes Our businesse askes we must have action now Thou seest my fathers anger for this freeing Althea from her death swels like a tide Halfe flowne that labours 'gainst an adverse winde And does command us leave the Court awhile And passe for Greece as if our travaile could Be Bawd unto the chastity of faith That 's vow'd to vertue when my long weary'd minde Already 's toyling in a pilgrimage Vp to the shrine of Natures rich perfections Therefore Antonio thou must take the shape Of all save misery that I containe And for I know my fathers jealousie Will entertaine all rumours that are left Where ere my name passe thou must bee Lucilio And so my name travaile alone with thee It will suffice for fame doth sometimes gull The best intelligence Then shape thy course Farthest from Athens to those parts of Greece Where I am least knowne Anton. Pardon me my Lord If I consent not for should your safety call To leap the Tyrrhene Cliffs into the maine Stand in the face of a fir'd Canon Or hale a sleeping Lyon from the way Where you must passe my love would force me runne Against the edge of danger for your life But this is onely a pretended shew To win our absence that none may interrupt Your torrent of impatience that posts Like melted Snow from off the Apenine Downe to destruction Luci. Thou art curious still With our intentions and mistak'st me much Beleev 't Antonio if I might have dyed When the vast flood of spleene was at the full And thought to overflow whole worlds of love When Envy stood a tip-toe to catch hold And pull downe innocence to trample on 't And sweet Revenge was at her on to speake From my bruis'd bones then death had been a heaven But now my head 's turn'd brasse speakes times past And harden'd is against the worst of ils Though every frowne my angry mother gives Should come like hammers 'gainst my forehead Anton. May I beleev 't my Lord Lucil. By Heaven I will And so resolve yet for thy farther trust I will bee open to thee my meaning is To put off name and habit for a while Till I have found Althea and knit that knot Which hell it selfe shall never violate And therefore carry rumour still with thee That it may have no leasure to descry What I embrace Farewell Antonio And prethee let this evening bee the last Of thy delay Heaven will be my friend And send content or give my woes an end Exit Lucilio Anton. Soft I le not leave you to goe seek that end your name shall travaile but I le not carry it Though you have vow'd not to procure your death you are in love manet Enter Alastor and Assassino quarrelling Alast. D'sfoote Sir your speeches be peremptory Assas. Why Sir I said it and I say it agen that the Dukes Sonne was a foole and a mad-man to venture his life for ere a womans love in Italy Alast. I yeeld Sir 't was a mad part to venture a painful death for a woman when a woman will venture nothing but she 'll have pleasure at one end of it for the life of a man yet the Dukes Sonne was not a madman for it Assas. I say he was Alast. I say you lie Assassino gives him a blow D'foote Sir you will not strike me Assass. Yes and whip thee with Birch i' the Nose Exit stalking Anton. Bravely perform'd Alastor 't is politiquely done bee noble and doe not strike Alast. Why sir this is not mine owne sword Anton. And therefore thou hadst no authority to use it Come I have other businesse for thee that shall gaine thee gold Alast. I thanke you sir for indeed I had a suit to you before Anton. It is the better trade of the two by halfe I know thou canst begg valiantly but to the businesse Thou knowst my Lord Lucilio goes away in disgrace 'twixt banishment and travaile he is not well and therefore would stay behinde a while unknowne onely thou must goe before and put on his name that the world may take notice of his passage and hold rumour busie till hee comes privately and overtakes thee But come to my lodging where I le dispose of farther particulars and furnish thee with apparell and crownes for thy journey Alast. I attend you sir exeunt A Table set forth covered with a cloth Enter Mistris Frailware Mistris Frail. Why Debora I say why Debora Debor. Anon forsooth within Mistris Frail. Come bring away the Napkins quickly and make ready here these heavy Ars'd wenches are so slow and doe you heare bid one of the Boyes fetch me a Pinte of Oligant Buls Blood and a quart of Canary and look that the white Broth with Eringoes and Marrow be not over-boyl'd I know M. Damasippus loves it well Enter Damasippus Damas. Ioy and peace of minde be to my deare Pupill let mee give thee a morall kisse Mistris Frai. In pure moralitie M. Damasippus you are most heartily welcome Would this wench would come away that wee had Supper once Damas. That word hath eterniz'd thee my sweet Ambrosia and thy name is written in Elizium among Ioves paramours Wherefore let the beloved of Iove feast and banquet according to moralitie Enter Debora with Supper Mistris Frail. You are so full of learned sayings still I have studyed too a great while would I could reade once Dam. Soule of the world thou shalt bee illuminated without reading for I will infuse knowledge into thee and thou shalt bee repleate Mistris Fra. Can you doe so M. Damasippus Dam. I can my Summum bonum and thou shalt have the Mandragoras for thy fecundity and I will free thee from the vicious note of sterility Mistris Fra. O the blessings of these Philosophers Come sweet M. Damasippus sit and le ts sup quickly Dam. Content Enter Debora running Debor. O Mistris my Master and Mistris Abigail are comming up
against your selfe That he has vow'd your death doth intend A sharp revenge to all your family And but I know Lucilio yet does live Beleeve me Madam I should hate the fact And be the first should feed my thirsty eyes With their best blood that spilt least part of his Iul. Alas Antonio what would you have me doe When I beheld my daughter murdred thus 'Twixt love and hate and I no meanes of help To take revenge or comfort to my griefe Anto. Well Madam let 's not stand to expostulate The cause the act was foule and but the hand Of Heaven turn'd it from him 'gainst whō you meant it Hatefull and worthy of the deep'st revenge Your way is now to shun the furious wrath The Duke 's enflamed with and for a while Lie close in some disguise till the lost Prince Make his returne who doubtlesse will ere long Give notice to my selfe where he remaines And for your farther assurance Lady I le take Some strange attire with you and we will both Be present at the Execution Where you shall heare perhaps the latest words The murderer will speake against your selfe And in the presence of the Duke avouch Your guiltinesse Iul. Thankes good Antonio There the gift is free When 't is bestow'd on deepest miserie Exeunt Enter Althea in her Shepherdesses apparell over her owne which she putting off layes aside Alth. Lie there thou gentle weed that hast prolong'd A weary life thou whose dissembling shape Has help'd me reach the place which drew that life As an attractive Load-stone to it's end Some friendly Passinger will for this reward Bestow perhaps a buriall on my Coarse And be my death as freely exempt from sight As is my griefe that never innocent eyes May bee infected with those fumes of guilt My latest gaspe breathes forth reserv'd till now To bee unfortunate in all save this That I shall sacrifice my dearest blood Vpon that Altar where Lucilio dyed And let one aire receive our joyned spirits And sacrifices to Faiths Deitie She goes up the Rocke quickly and standing ready And witnesse now you zealous thoughts of love Witnesse the vowes my affection held so deare Enter Lucilio in his owne habit and walkes a turne My soule comes unconstrain'd to you deare Lord And parts as freely from a gladsome heart As ere it wish'd to enjoy the lively sight Of your desired presence She spies him as below Awake my fancy doe mine eyes conspire To aggravate my griefe or does the strong Imagination of my losse present the shape Of his dead person to my troubled sense Lucil. What strange confused passions 'gin to raise A stormy combate 'twixt my minde and death Though safely now arriv'd within the Port Where for exchange of breath I shall regaine The long desired presence of her soule That hovers in expectation of my comming Alth. Methinkes I sleep that thus illusive showes Doe mock my apprehension or is 't decreed That even in death I must indure affliction And die in height of woe How like his pace His gesture shape and countenance true constant spirit That wouldst not be unlesse thou mightst be true Did not my greedy sight distract my thoughts To feed upon thy shadow and make me forget My businesse next in hand I should have flowne To be a shadow and have walk'd with dead Lucilio As hearing somewhere the voyce of his name Lucil. Lucilio was it my fond conceit or else my selfe Standing betwixt the bounds of life and death Her ghost that lookes each minute for my approach Thinkes my stay long and cals upon my name I come Althea swift as breake the windes From out the Eolian Caves give mee but space To take my flight from off that He lookes up to the Rocke and seeing her stand a while amaz'd Bright Angell Goddesse whatsoe'r thou art That hast assum'd that shape to adorne thy state And give a better lustre to thy Deity Doe not delude my woes nor make my death More miserable then my selfe have done Alth, It does invite me speak and with his silent looks Seemes to intreat a word yet my faint heart Throbbing with feare denies to second speech Lucil. Be what thou wilt I know no spirit of night Durst to attempt that forme that ne'r was made But to invest a soule more faire and pure Then are the Spheres Ghost Angel Goddesse Nimph Speake daine a word to tell me what thou art That thus appearst in such a glorious shape To intercept my death Art thou an Angel That thus wouldst shew the world what they have lost By seeing her heavenly forme Or art thou else Some spirit of Diviner excellence That hast put on that shadow thine owne nature To beautifie Or does Althea's ghost Come thus to meet and chide my slothfulnesse Or has thy worth chaste Nymph deserv'd to scape The hand of death and made thy perfect selfe All soule immortall and an unmixt spirit That those rich vertues which great nature heapt In thy creation might by envious death Ne'r be dissolv'd nor the cold senslesse earth Embrace and taint thy pure delicious beauty For which the Starres grew envious to the world What ere thou art if thou hast sense of griefe But correspondent to the shape thou bear'st Add not more torment to the depth of woe That does accompany my death and urge No more the sight and memory of her Whom I have wrong'd envy has left me nought But life to yeeld in satisfaction Which here I come to tender as thy due Or if thou doubtst the payment and didst come To take a view how willingly I dyed Then be my witnesse that the chased Stagge Flies not more swiftly to the cooling streames Then I to death He runnes up to the Rocke where both meeting shew passions of feare Alth. Stay Lucil. Speake Alth. O stay deare love Lucil. Speake speake thou heavenly spirit And tell me since thy selfe art made Divine What makes thee come in confines of the wretched And mixe thy selfe with us whose earthly loades Detaine us yet in life and misery Alth. Why I doe live Lucil. I know thou dost thou wert not fram'd to die Nor at thy birth when Heaven and Nature joyn'd To give thee those rich Dowries thou enjoy'st Did they intend to make such excellence Mortall and subject to the stroke of death But where deficient Nature could extend Her force no farther to preserve thy life Heaven would supply the want and turne thy state To immortality yet why shouldst thou When I have seene thy Funerals perform'd Come to afflict me and augment my griefe Alth. Sweet love if you doe live as feare and hope 'Twixt adverse passions make me doubtfull yet Know that I live as when we parted last Nor ere was yet interr'd Lucil. No no the earth grew feeling of her losse And grieving to be robb'd of such a jemme Refus'd to shut that treasure in her wombe Where foule corruption must have tainted it Or did my fortunes yet beyond
thy death Pursue thee farther and bereaving first Thy innocent life in some forsaken wood Leave thee unburyed and thy restlesse ghost Comes now to seeke a Sepulcher of me Alth. Great Lord recall your selfe and give me leave To speake what will resolve this doubtfull maze In which your senses wander and can finde No passage out Since I last left your Grace Travelling in that disguise I lost indeed Camilla poore Companion of my cares But hearing that your selfe in shape of me Was by your Fathers doome throwne off this Rock Knowing my sufferance guilty of your death I came to end my life where you had dyed And expiate the murder with my blood Where 't was committed on your guiltlesse self Reserv'd by Heavens mild hand to this blest houre Wherein our innocent loves might once more meet In spight of envie Lucil. Lives my Althea then Then live Althea still But speake no more Lest the vast Tyde of joy o'rwhelme my soule And kill as quick as griefe Or my sad heart Vnable to sustaine this burden of wonder Sinke and yeeld vanquish'd I have much to aske But let it rest yet tell me how thou far'dst In this long banishment stay who comes yonder Now the wind 's turn'd and fortunes lavish hand Powres downe content beyond expectation Enter Duke and Duchesse with Officers bringing Assassino to execution after them the L. Iulia and Antonio both disguised Duke Come thou inhumane murderer of my sonne Traytor unto thy Countries state and safety And now before the stroke of Iustice seize Thy hatefull life resolve the wondring world Why the slight motives of a womans words Should winne thee to so foule and horrid crimes Assas. What I have said your selfe are witnesse to Nor needs it be renew'd nor can I adde One word or syllable to make it more Duke Then let the Execution proceed That wee may doe this latest Exequie To his wrong'd ghost which is to see his blood Reveng'd with blood of those that murdred him As we have vow'd to doe and not to leave These weeds of sorrow till we have consum'd The race and name of them that did conspire In this abhorred Action And would it might Suffice the injuries we did his life Thus to revenge his too untimely death And from that height He sees them on the Rocke and stands amaz'd Am I awake or dreame I Is it my fancy Breeds this delusive show in my weak braine Or doe their soules come to condemne our guilt More cōscious of their death then whō we have brought To die for it See doe thy dazled eyes Perceive that object which my selfe beholds Or is 't some shadow that abuses mee And none but mee Duch. My sonne my Lord my sonne More knowne by 's ghost then if his living forme Had met mine eyes ô speake to him my Lord Duke If thou beest such as is thy semblance By all that duty that thy life did owe Vnto a Parent by the Bands once due Of Love and Nature that unites the soules Of children and their carefull nourishers I doe adjure thee tell why in this midd'st Of day you come thus to renew our griefe What has there wanted to your Funerals When we have wept us dry and spent our teares More thicke than winter showers upon your Hearse Done all the Rites and Exequies were due To your interring And have vow'd revenge To all that did conspire in that foule Act Of thy too guiltlesse murder Lucil. Know that wee are return'd From out those Seats of Blisse where we were plac'd By your unjust proceedings to make knowne That what you did was 'gainst the will of Fate For see what you deny'd upon the earth The power of Heaven does grant and has confirm'd Our long-borne loves with an Eternall peace Where our two soules in sweetest union knit Enjoy their Nuptials out of Envies reach Yet know there are some punishments reserv'd For the vile Treasons practis'd in pursuite Of our unmerited wrongs and that their sinne Is mark'd for plagues that seeke by force to breake The League that Love and Faith doe joyntly knit Duke Then let 'hem fall wee are prepar'd for woes Though shot as thick as Haile from out the Clouds Our guilt is greater than those punishments Or all our future plagues can expiate The Duke and Duchesse both kneele Yet on our bended knees thus low to earth As we did both conspire in that foule plott We here entreat your pardons and withall Wish the offended Heavens would bee appeas'd With Vowes and Orisons and would your ghosts Forget those injuries wee did your loves And rest in peace with us and with the world Lucil. Father we will but should we live againe You would not yet relent and yeeld our loves The sufferance you see the Heavens have done Duke By Heavens I would nor should the potent'st hand Of earth resist your present Nuptials Lucil. Then wee 'll be ghosts no more but ever sue For your mild sufferance of our happinesse Come downe both kneele Duke Wonder and amazement do not oppresse me Duch. O we are blest beyond desert Alth. Yet is my joy but small amidst your many Since you have burnt my innocent Mother And razd our Family Iul. No my deare daughter see I safely live Ne'r blest till now and now o'r-joyd with blisse Lucil. Then joyes would be compleate had I not lost By thy vile murderous hand so deare a friend Anton. Your friend still lives and never felt his life Sweet till this instant when I may behold These joyes combin'd Duke Why then there nothing wants But celebration of your Nuptials Which we will doe with greater signes of joy Then we had griefe in your supposed Funeralls But whose death is this murderer guilty of Ant. Onely Alastors a fellow as wicked as himself Duke We give him then his life but banish him From our Dominions and for this strange event We will expect a farther leisure To heare the whole discovery of the chance And leave the rest to mirth that shall command In all our Feasts and whom wee 'll Crowne as King To be chiefe Lord in all our Banquetting Exeunt omnes Omnia vincit amor nos cedamus amori * Ambubaiarum Collegii Alumni The Epilogue IVdging Spectators all for this wee know That either you are such or should be so Now to your censures lowly as his minde Our Authour all submits and hopes to finde In such a faire assembly no such eyes As scoute at Theaters and come like flies To taint the innocent'st labours with their tongues Raising their richest gaines from others wrongs If such an envious Canker hap to lurke Here and hath onely sate to taxe the worke With curious scanning let that envy know He scornes his censure onely and can show 'Gainst all such labour'd hisses Perseus Shield In such a fearlesse Pen as ne'r shall yeeld 'Till his cold merits doe his worth bewray Or make himselfe a mewing Statua Nor is he of those self-admiring Apes That thinke none's features faire whose birth escapes Their labouring braines hee heares and sees and knowes And yeelds all reverence to the worth of those VVhom solid Art extols and unto such Hee humbly vailes his Scene that for the touch Of unaffecting censures hither came Hee sought your mirth more than a Poets name FINIS
done not to goe nor send after her yet poore Lord hee is kill'd dead too now and has met her Hearse here So those two soules that ne'r were borne to have A Nuptiall Bed have found a Nuptiall Grave Beauty and Vertue strove Who should adorne her most Till faith conspir'd with love And all their labours crost Lucil. Antonio kill'd Althea buried Then thou hast liv'd Lucilio to behold The height of mischiefe and the worst of chance And thou maist dare thy angry Starres to inflict What ere they can effect that 's worse than this Murderd thy friends ruin'd their ancient names Hatefull to thy Parents lothsome to thy selfe O 't is high time to die and I doe wrong Althea's constancy to breath an houre After I know she has prevented me Methinkes I heare love chide my backwardnesse And tell me how unworthy I am growne To have two friends so firmely vertuous Constant and loyall and outlive them both Yea be their Murderer and stand alive Spectator at their funerall as I would bid The rest weep on whil'st I give ayme to teares And marke who grieves most deep at my foule actions Lucilio stands aside Enter at one doore the Coarse of the Dukes supposed Sonne borne by Mourners and following it the Duke and Duchesse with others in mourning robes At the other doore the Hearse for Althea with the Scarfe which Antonio brought from the Shepherds laid a crosse it and borne by foure maides in blacke with their haire disheveld and Garlands of dead Mirtle or other leaves on their heads her Mother with some Mourners following Torches before both and meeting they stay Duke So then let Fortune make a period here Since we are met just in the midst of woe And stand upon the Center of mishap Whence we may see the full circumference Of all that Sphere that bounds the power of Fate Come Madam we will mixe our teares a while Dropping them joyntly on the Marble Tombes Of our dead Issue till the stones receive Large Characters of griefe carv'd by the drops That ceaselesse flow from our too late laments Iul. Great Lord if woes with woes may be compar'd Or to the measure of our cause of griefe Wee might in sad contention drop our teares Shower for your drop Pound for your dramme of woe My brest and eyes would yeeld which now are growne A boundlesse harbour for the depth of care For though wee meet in this that both have lost The dearest treasures of desired life Yet hath your Grace a partner in distresse A comfort to the residue of your yeares And therefore hope that Heaven may yet restore This ruine of your House Besides you have The body of your sonne on whose dead Coarse You may bestow your teares and honour him With fitting place and Royall exequies When Heaven hath shut those comforts from my heart Left me a widow to sustaine the waight Of all this burden and no partner else To bring mine aged haires unto the grave But still repining griefe and am deny'd The ashes of my childe on whose cold Hearse Mine eyes might pay those tributary teares Which her misfortune and my woes exact And onely can embrace an empty shrine Yet my good Lord I oft forget my cares To grieve at yours and wish Althea's death Might have suffic'd the anger of the Fates Without Lucilio's blood whose guiltlesse fall Hath strook a sadnesse through th' appalled lookes Of all your subjects made them stand amaz'd And wonder there should live upon the earth Envy enough to blast such gracefull hopes Duke Let me be open Madam to your love 'T is but the doome of Iustice I sustaine I know I wrong'd your daughters innocence And onely know it now for plagues make knowne That oft for sinne which once we thought was none Iul. No my good Lord shee was not innocent In that she bounded not her loosest thoughts Within our element but would admit The dangerous fires of ambitious love Into her Virgin brest that 's safelyest knit Where all proportion justly equals it Duch. Wrong not her worth good Madam the power of death Is weake to staine her name and we were blest If such perfection joyn'd unto our Blood Had with our sonne succeeded in the Throne Of this unhappy and dejected State Beleeve me Madam I did ever love Althea's Vertues and was inly glad When by that Stratagem my son had freed Her innocence as I protest I thought And wish'd her scape as safe from that injustice As could my heart desire Iul. Alas good Madam I have felt your Grace Still loving to my daughters poore deserts And nothing did increase my sorrowes more Then that I wanted meanes how to requite Your Graces love Duke Come we forget our selves in Ceremonies And waste the time whose every instant yeelds Scarce space enough for that large taske of griefe Sorrow exacts each instant from our hearts Good Madam wee will consecrate one Tombe To both their Memories and since in life Their hearts were so united by Loves hand In death their Graves shall joyne so will ourselves Bequeath the remnant of our dayes from hence You to sad cares and we to penitence Exeunt the Torch-Bearers and both Coarses joyning the Duke Duchesse L. Iulia c. following Lucil. You to sad cares and wee to poenitence Why then you 'll feed upon the bitter fruits Of your ambition and by experience finde Vertue not Honour is heaven unto the minde Deare Father I conceive your griefe as true As is my love and feele methinkes a sting That spurs me onward to prevent the plagues My losse will bring upon your hoary age And makes me thinke I heare the frequent voyce Of potent Nature whisper to mine eare The duty that I owe and bids me meet Those mischiefes quickly by discovering mee But the perswasion 's weake when I must owe More then a duty or all Natures selfe To the chaste merits of Althea's love Who was the first I murdred then the name Of holy frendship which my request abus'd In lov'd Antonio whom I murdred next My debt 's above a life which though I give My ghost must be a slave to pay the rest And their deserts stand yet unsatisfy'd But ô yee Spirits of truth whose constant faiths Merit perhaps to heare these last laments My dying soule powres forth be pleas'd to take The poore oblation of a loathsome life Which I as gladly vow unto your loves As misery would turne it selfe to blisse And since I was a murderer to your worths I le chuse that death that murderers doe passe And thou hadst liv'd Antonio if thy love Had not before with-held me from the fall And saving onely me hath murdred all exit Enter Antonio and Lady Iulia Anton. Madam My love to you and to that vertuous Lord Could doe no lesse I doe assure your Ladiship The murderer has confess'd in hope of life The circumstances meanes and opportunity Which you so fitly urg'd and hath incens'd The Duke so violently
well hee has beene ill at ease ever since t'other night Mistris Fra. Ah sweet man he does so labour and labour to fill us with moralitie that hee 's ee'n tyr'd out in the Citie amongst us Enter Master Frailware and his man with Holboards Master Frail. Fie upon 't how heavy this authoritie sits upon us ever since midnight in the Dukes businesse but it stands us upō it 't is for the credit of the City we must doe more than one bare Office or wee cannot bee good subjects Here take in my weapon Exit man Mistris Frail. I'faith 't is a fine time o'day to come home at Gods my precious doe you thinke to leave me so still from twelve a Clock till I rise I must he alone dreaming and dreaming sometimes that you are dead sometimes that I am with childe and a lust for a thing that I cannot have sometimes again that you have falne downe the Stayres and broke your back and such fearfull dreames that I cannot rest an houre because I can doe nothing but dreame Master Frail. O good wife we be for this yeare Magistrates Officers of place men of imployment the upholders of the Citie the eyes of the Common-wealth and therefore when matters of State call wee must come with wisedome and with severity answer our Vocation Mistris Frail. Focation me no Vocation for as true as I am marry'd if you put me in such frights by going away and leaving mee in the darke I le get me a bedfellow shall stick closer to mee so I will cannot you have a Deputy as well as an Alderman I hope you are in authority too Mistris Abig. O patience deare Mistris Frailware patience with your Spouse my husband told me that patience was one of the ten morall vertues Mistris Frail. I Mistris Abigail if a woman had such a husband as you have that were able to put patience into a woman she might easily be content and have mortall vertues enough too Master Frail. Nay prethee Duck be quiet when the Sessions are past wee shall have more leisure meane while le ts in and drinke this fury over in a cup of Canary Come Mistris Abigail Exeunt Enter Lucilio with a bagge as if apparell were in it Antonio Lucil. Let it suffice Antonio that thy friend Entreats thy silence nor let thy curious love Question our farther projects leave to enquire Till time and rumour shall disclose the Plot Of my intentions whose unexpected end Shall stand beyond preventions murdering sight And turne the edge of spleene upon it selfe Thus much I will impart unto thy faith What fits thee not to know leave to desire Anto. My Lord impute it not to curiousnesse That I have urg'd your patience to unfold What you intend for by the hallowed name Of zealous friendship which my heart retaines Engrav'd by your deserts 't is only love That makes me thus seeme jealous of your good However would your Grace but try my faith By making it a partner in your ils Till having pass'd these stormes and beene approv'd Inviolably firme it may deserve The name of friend to which't has long aspir'd Lucil. Nay now thou complement'st and dost afflict The tender love thy faith hath bred in me I tell thee friend I must not trust the ayre 'Twixt thee and mee the nights concealing shades Shall never hear 't disclos'd not that I feare Thy friendly silence but the barren plot Of my invention will admit but me Into the doubtfull scene I must alone Finish the Act my hopelesse love began O my Antonio could my sorrowes poure Into thy breast but halfe what I conceive What could the spleene of potent envy adde To the vast heapes of mischiefe that doe lie Vpon my groveling fortunes now cast downe Beneath the base of miserie and griefe When I must stand like to a senselesse marble Frozen into a stone with strong respect Of filiall duty and see Althea dye Throwne downe by my ambitious love that aym'd At her transcendent vertues This wounds my heart And puts a fire to the cold melancholy That hath so long possess'd my chillied spirits And bids them seeke revenge that when fraud thinks To seize upon the neck of innocence The repercussive flame that will result From their abhorred deeds shall singe their wings And make them fall as low as were their actions Where they shall lye and view the ugly shapes Of all those mischiefes that attend oppression But now conceale me friend and be no more Inquisitive of the particulars Report will soone divulge the scope of all If absence cause inquiry after mee Let fall some speeches that I am withdrawne To a retired privatenesse awhile Vntill Althea's Tragedy be o'r Not able to affront my ruin'd hopes Nor stand Spectator at her guiltlesse death So fare thee well and if we never meete Remember that I liv'd and dy'd thy friend Anto. Doe not torment my soule but let me share Those passages of danger that oppose Their hideous jawes against your innocent hopes For at no greater rate man sels his breath Then with a friend to buy a faithfull death Luci. Thy words Antonio cannot adde an Atome To the full love that 's harbour'd in my breast Of thy true reall worth then be content And leave me for 't is impossible that more Than my unhappy selfe can bee contain'd Or have an Action within the narrow limits Of my designes Anto. Then thus I take my leave With as much feeling paine as if my foule Were by some violence shot from out my bowels Farewell my Lord my vowes and wishes guard you From awkward Fate whil'st I 'twixt hope and feare Attend the issue of these strange attempts Exit Antonio Lucil. So now Lucillo arme thy selfe for death That from thy blood she may regaine a life And freedome whom thy weake affection sold To undeserved slaughter and black infamy Immoved powers we must not aske you why And yet methinkes I could expostulate The reason of this mixture in the frame Of all our Vniverse why every perfect good Is girt with such a multitude of ils Not the most sacred and puissant Throne Of divine Iustice whose Majestick forme Beares a resemblance of that Power Supreme That equals Kings and Slaves by giving each Deserved vengeance for their actions Can stand secure but all the brood of hell Bribes Respects Envy and what e'r perverts The strictest line of vertuous equity Will presse up to the Iudgement Seat and there Transforme the beauteous picture of the Godhead Into the hatefull shapes of tyrannie Of blood and murder But I forget my self And like en angry woman chide the Heavens When I should doe Fortune and stealth assist My just adventures and a friendly sleepe Seise all the eyes and eares that would pursue Our harmlesse Stratagems This is the window If my directions faile not that does imprison her Whom Vertue Nature and the mild aspect Of all the Constellations sweat to make A free-borne Empresse He throwes a stone up to
the window Althea lookes out Alth. Whos 's that Lucil. Lucilio Alth. O my deare Lord Lucil. How fares my Althea Alth. As one that lives but in the armes of death And like a frost-kill'd worme is halfe reviv'd By your faire presence whose desired sight Makes a warme blood post through my trembling veins To tell my heart this newes that ere I die I once shall speake to you But I must chide your Grace my Lord that would so staine your love With foulest spots of blood Lucil. Blood to their soules that thought it for by The ne'r appaled heart of innocence The new-borne babes first smiles were ne'r more chaste Then was my breast frō thoughts of murder O Althea What will a woman loath that 's all possest With wrath and has the killing voyce of Iustice Tun'd to pronounce her mercilesse revenge The sword by her steel'd conscience edg'd to slaughter And undefended lives to worke upon Alth. It was your seale and hand that did perswade Me to the murder but my selfe return'd Disswasive arguments to beate you from 't Lucil. It was my seale which by my mothers charge 'T is thought the Page stole out without suspect As I conceive of mischiefe all the rest Was meerly counterfeit But bee advis'd And I will choake the hungry throat of Treason That gapes for blood with such a working pill As it shall loath to swallow and vomit up Their bloody plots in sick repentance Alth. No my dearest Lord let me in contentment die Since you are innocent and in my Tombe Bury your danger that have thus long sate A heavy burden to your happinesse Lucil. Long maist thou live untill the gods Althea Shall summon thee from hence to make a starre And grant Commission to the winged Post Of heaven to steale away thy soule in sleepe That Divine mould was not ordain'd to suffer A painfull shipwrack in thy lifes departure Alth. 'T will sweeten much the bitterst throes of death When I shall thinke my labouring soule does worke For my Lucilio's rest then let my guiltlesse Ghost Securely passe up to the fields of peace For I am weary and would gladly die Lucil. Vrge it no more the very sound of death Wish'd to thy innocence comes like a clappe Of armed thunder to mine eares and thou Shalt live though I should search the utmost tortures Tyrannie did ere invent to find a death Might ransome thee and therefore if thy love Does yet respect Lucîlios constancy Resolve and second mee Dispute no more But make some meanes to let me downe a line That I may fasten this disguise unto it She lets downe a line to which he fastens the disguise There draw it up and put it on with speed Suspitions eye dogs every step I tread She drawes up the bagge and while she is cloathing How strong is sad affliction on my State When I must steale a death and thinke me blest if none Doe interrupt my passage to destruction Oh that the paths of Fate so strange and invious Should lead us into life and through a Maze Of chances bring us to such unpassable periods That we must leape the bankes and give our breath To shunne the ills that doe incounter us Come have you yet dispatch'd Alth. I have my Lord but what of this Lucil. Then once more lend your line Having againe let downe the Line she drawes up a Ladder of Cords Fasten those Hookes to your window and come downe Shee fastens the Hookes above he below And then coming downe he receives her A more troublesome descent then from the Rock But your fall gentler So Now flie Althea And live as happy as my unhappy love Had made thee miserable time may bee More friendly to thee and beget some meanes That thou maist one day sit amidst thy friends Nay doe not weep Althea thou shalt see This will worke both our freedomes and if I die My silent Ghost shall in the pleasingst formes At mid-noon dayes come oft to visit thee Farewell They kisse and he offers to goe up Alth. What meanes your Grace Lucil. To out-runne trechery and winne a Goale That shall enrich my name make envy swell And drowne her selfe in overflowing Gall Alth. I le meet the ugliest shapes that ever Death Appear'd to Nature in before I le leave Your Grace expos'd to danger for my life Lucil. No more for I have vow'd what I intend And if thou dost withstand it to make this houre The last of breathing to mee therefore be gone I le lie at Stake my selfe that you may steere No interrupted course and since the law Gives Virgins leave to pleade and die conceal'd I with this Scarfe here will bee your Attorney Hasten your flight least mischiefe finde you slow Wee shall both fare the better At the Parks end By a Fount that riseth from the Chaulky Banke Camilla stayes with your Viaticum Shee 'll be thy partner in thy banishment Once more farewell and if I die for ever Alth. And if you die I shall not long out-live you He goes up into the window In what a sad dilemma stands my soule In this divulsion betweene love and danger Yet blesse mine eyes once more with sight of you Lucil. Farewell Althea Alth. Dearest Lord farewell Lucil. Againe farewell Althea all the favours Of Guardian Angels and mild'st influences Propitious Heaven retaines waite on thy sufferings Exeunt Enter Alastor and another Servant setting the Barre and laying Cushions Alast. Come dispatch the Duke 's at hand Serv. I wonder he sits himselfe in judgement to day Alast. The matter in question is great Serv. Many thinke the poore Gentlewoman is innocent Alast. They be fooles to say so Serv. Why is 't a folly to speake what they thinke Alast. I as very a folly as to be vertuous indeed Do'st imagin t will gaine any thing but hate Serv. Yet many dare pawne their lives that shee is guiltlesse Alast. None but such as were predestin'd never to bee great they bee tender conscienc'd dunces they never learn'd Esops Fables Serv. Why for that Alast. Do'st not remember the tale of the Lion that banish'd all horn'd beasts from Court Serv. That was a madd Lion i'faith Alast. That then the Foxe went away as banish'd too because if the Lion should say his prickt eares were Hornes what then Serv. But she was thought ever vertuous and modest Alast. Shee would not have beene guilty so soone else shall a swaggering wench that will take Tobacco eight and forty times in foure and twenty houres talke bawdy as familiar as an Oyster wife retaine seven servants with good backes and a weake husband to keep Doggs from doore have no priviledge above suspected vertue Serv. Faith I remember when I went to Schoole my Master vs'd to tell us a Verse or two out of a Poet hic damnatus inani Iudicio I ha' forgot the Poëts name but I remembred the Verse by another where he instructs creatures of our faculty Alast. Why what does he teach us
Serv. Nay nothing but tells us onely that if wee will thrive by service we must be either close Panders palpable flatterers or cozening Villaines Alast. A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poët I warrant him Exeunt Enter the Duke at one doore with Antonio Page and other Attendants At the other doore Lucilio in Altheas apparell his face covered with a Scarfe brought in by a Pursivant at Armes Frailware and others with Holbeards as a Prisoner to the Barre Damasippus Attend. Give back there and let the prisoner stand forth Duke How did wee thinke that when the stormes of warre Were with our danger care and cost expell'd From out these confines and the warmth of peace Turn'd like a Spring to shine within your bounds We should have sate secure Or after all Those toiles that spent our strength dry'd up our blood Hasten'd the hand of time to seize our haires Before his date and onely in pursuit Of your lov'd people safty and content Our owne now fainting wearinesse of age Should taste that freedome which our labours bought In plenteous fulnesse for the poorest swaine And we have clos'd the Evening of our age Within a fearlesse slumber But how weake Are all the hopes that wretched Princes faine When in the calme of peace while wee suppose Our perils banish'd and our selves ingirt With such impenetrable love as we Embrace our people with then stand our lives Expos'd to thickest dangers which conceal'd Doe strike the deeper and are warded lesse Such is the miserie that followes State That when we want abroad we finde at home Foes to besiege our lives The discontent Of some aggrieved spirits that thinke we stand 'Twixt their desires and them and which is worse The idle passions of unbridl'd youth Rather than misse those hopes enflamed lust Has fir'd within their thoughts will overturne Whole States and climbe up to their aymed ends By our heap'd slaughters Yet I least had thought Such Tragick Acts had knowne a womans breast Nor if I could Althea would your life Strong to retort suspition once permit Our least mistrust to staine your vertuous name And had we not by heavens appointment found Vnder your hand and seale the firmest proofes Of tempting our owne blood to paricide Suspitions strongest proofes had ne'r induc'd Our never lightly credulous beliefe To harbour your dislike But should we now Neglect our safety and our Countries good When all the Providence of Fate conspires To bring those treacherous practises to light Which Heaven abhorres wee should contemne the Heavens Abuse that forme of justice we sustaine And stand as guilty of those wastefull ruines Our cruell mildnesse gives your actions scope To call upon your Countrey and our selves We therefore by the Lawes denounce you guilty Of Treason 'gainst our person and the State Lucil. Were it for life my Lord I stood to speake I scarce would give the breath that I must spend To save that life But since your Grace does know A womans prejudice has doom'd our death For my names life I le speake and not for mine If infamy might die when we doe die I would be silent for know my gracious Lord I scorne to beg a life but come all arm'd In such a compleate innocence as dares Meet angry injustice in the jawes of death And without trembling stand his violence But that these Acts of blood these horrid crimes Of paricide of lust and hellish sinne Which will out-live our Tombes and make our names Come hatefull to posterities Records Should have a birth within a Virgins breast That never yet was conscious of a wish 'Gainst your desired safety I must take leave To tell your Grace that it was meerly feign'd By the bloody hand of Envy to cut off That sacred band of love the Heavens have knit 'Twixt your sonnes heart and my chaste innocence Nor doe I taxe your justice for my death But doe impute it most to his fond love That by protests of vertue and desire Drew my beleeving soule to his affects For when my feares urg'd these ensuing ils His uncontain'd affection breaking forth In signes of extreme passion so consum'd My powers that had my thoughts beene cold as Snow His zeale pour'd out in such inflaming vowes Would melt them Duke We must check your impudence That swels beyond the bounds we did expect Your modesty should have observ'd you wrong Our sonne and in our sonne our selves know you This hand and seale Lucil. I doe my honour'd Lord Yet were that Hand and Seale never found guilty Of conceiv'd wrong 'gainst or your Sonne or you Duke 'T will speake it selfe call it to witnesse then One reades the Letter MY Lord the attempt is dangerous and foule therefore desist not to enjoy the sweets our present Nuptials would being could I endure your hand stain'd with such an Action More when wee meet feare not but Heaven and Fate will second vertue Be still your selfe and I will rest Yours more than mine ALTHEA Duke Had you a priviledge to shrowd the blush Your conscious guilt casts 'gainst the eyes of Heaven As from our sight you doe conceale the Die That writes your Acts in shame upon your Cheekes You might deny these proofes and sweare them fain'd But that all-seeing power that notes the wild And secretst passages of mans conceit Detesting those foule crimes of lust and blood Reveales your Acts Stand therefore and from the Seate Of Iustice heare your doom since your ambitious hopes Soar'd up and by our Blood did meane to climbe Into that Seat which Nature and our right Had given to us be therfore from the Rock Throwne with your hopes that your example teach How low they fall that climbe above their reach And you Antonio we charge to see The execution speedily perform'd Exit cumsuis Manent Lucilio Antonio Page Damasippus Lucil. As sweet as cooling dew comes to the brest Of scorched Autumne so Deaths slumber fals On oppress'd innocence And good Antonio Since 't is your charge to see us dead let mee Entreat this favour that my body be Speedily interr'd and pray you tell the Duke That I request his Grace not grieve too much Hereafter for what I willingly now sought And he against his will made me to finde Then that I may have a litttle space in private To bid the world farewell and this is all A dying Virgin begs and for your friend Lucilio's sake you must not now deny it Anto. Wonder of womē could my attemps but yeeld Halfe what my heart conceives these limbs should die As many severall deaths as they containe Conduits of life to make your innocence live For your Lucilios sake whose woes will swell Poore Lord like to a winde-driven Ocean When he shall heare you dead and beare him downe To some disastrous end Lucil. You are deceiv'd Deare friend Lucilio's woes end with my life Nor will a thought of griefe a teare or sigh Trouble his peacefull sleeps when I am dead But I shall straine
seven shillings or a frowne to forsweare himselfe and draw my Pedigree as deep as Romulus Captaine as the wind serves either on the Litto or at my Lodging exit Capt. Wee will attend your Grace Nav. 'T is strange that such a personage should thus obscurely travell Capt. Tush Navarchus our common-wealth is among fishes and our pollicie with the windes and therefore no marvell if Courtiers tricks savour not on our palats Navar. Yet fearing disgrace above damnation and loving a popular esteeme more then heaven methinkes obscuritie should fright 'hem Capt. Faith no for you shall have a Courtier of the first Velvet head when the tide runnes low and in a place unknowne will familiarly turne you to his old trade accoutre his palfrey most neatly and thanke obscurity for drowning the unfit honour hee had lately slipt on and off Navar. 'T is a disease indeed they have to feele no touch of future honour nor taste any thing more than what lies before 'hem Capt. Tut they be wise in that for their conception being precipitate and their births rash they knew their glories birth would bee like the flies I have seene by a River in Aegypt that begin to live in the morning are at full age by noone and die before Sunne set and therefore their honour feeds like mothes upon apparell and objects meerly present flashes flashes Navar. But such an imputation cannot staine his honor whose graine taken in the die of a Dukes blood stands immaculate spight of all fortunes Capt. 'T is true and therefore peradventure parsimony invites him to this obscuritie for I le assure you that to be miserable and not fight are growne to be two right honourable qualities Enter a Shipman Shipm. Captaine you stand talking here of a Cock and a Bull while our rich fare is gone another way Capt. Who my Lord the Prince Shipm. I your Lord the Prince Navar. Which way for profits sake Shipm. That way that many Lords doe for profits sake downwards downwards Cap. Prethee speake not in enigmas be understood Shipm. In plaine Dagger termes the Prince is slaine Navar. D'foot 't is sharp newes Capt. By whom Shipm. Why that swart Rutter that brought the message from Court delivered it in such keene termes that it went to his heart when he had done tumbled him off the Litto into the water to catch Whitings But two Merchants spying it rais'd the people and tooke him and now the Governour is gone a fishing after the Body Cap. This amazes mee done so suddenly Shipm. Death 's a quick Carver when he comes in that shape Navar. Who set him on sayes he Shipm. Some valiant Squire or other who is yet unknowne nor will the Governour urge the knowledge but sends him back to Court that the Duke may take notice of all Cap. Come le ts to the the Litto and set our helps to find the Body Both Content Exeunt Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter the Duke and a Messinger Duke BVt have you found the body Mess. Wee have my Lord With long laborious search it was three Tydes Lockt in the armes of Neptune who at length Enforc'd by maine constraint resign'd it up But all the face so mangled and deform'd That but his clothes nought could have made it known The which embalm'd we straight clos'd up in Lead And with the murderer brought it to your Grace That after his due exequies perform'd You might quench sorrow in revenge and draw His blood whose hand hath spilt best part of yours Duke Thou art deceiv'd good friend 't was not his hand But the just hand of Heaven that whips my sinnes And through my Veins powres out the innocent blood Which I had spilt before the hand that holds The equall Ballance to discerne the waight 'Twixt Princes justice and their tyrannie Measures their blessings and their plagues alike To their faire vertues or black infamies And makes the horrid acts of murderous mindes But instruments of plague to punish guilt And pay us in the coyne with which we hop'd To buy our gluttonous surfets Such is the state Of Princes priviledge that we may runne Into the depth of sinne and uncontroul'd Pull vengeance on our heads while the smooth hand Of pestilent flattery claps us on the back And gives us edge to villany till they see Misery and desolation close us round Then they flie back and gaze as on a place Stricken with furious thunder in a storme When every vulgar hand has lawes and feare Of prying authority to hold him backe And friendly enemies to upbraid him with His faults and keepe him in the bounds of mercy Onely our height bereaves us of these helps And wee are sooth'd in vices till we runne Beyond the reach of grace and stand within The shot of heaviest vengeance which seldome comes Short of our merits O my sonne my sonne I shall grow madd with griefe my frighted conscience Opens the Booke where I doe view my sinnes And feele the furies with their wounding whips Lashing my guilty soule to penitence Mess. I was unhappy To bee the messenger of this ill newes exeunt Enter Lucilio disguised as before meeting at the other doore Fioretta her haire downe strewing the way with greene hearbs and flowers Luci. Who 's this Fioretta the Lady Iulia's woman My heart what meanes her habit Fioretta sings this following to some mournfull tune Come Lovers bring your cares Bring sigh-perfumed sweets Bedew the grave with teares Where death and vertue meets Sigh for the haplesse houre That knit two hearts in one And onely gave love power To die when 't was begun Lucil. Saving your mirth faire Lady what preparation 's this Fior. a Bridall sir true love and greatnesse be divorc'd and now they bee both going to be married to misfortune Lucil. 'T was a marriage long since my selfe was at the wedding But be a little plainer tell me who it is to be maried Fior. Indeed Sir Beauty Vertue and too much faith for a woman are going to the cold armes of a sullen Churle one that consumes ere hee lets goe yet hee is better than your other husbands are he forsakes them not leaves them not in misery hee wooes them not with flatteries and poysons with unkindnesse hee never sweares and lies but continues faithfull till Doomes-day Who be you Lucil. A stranger in your City a poore Husbandman Fior. A poore Husband then thou art a poore dissembler a poore murderer O you husbands kill more than scurvie Physitians or a plaguy Summer But art a stranger Lucil. A very stranger here Fior. Why that 's all one thou canst not bee a stranger to her fame if thou hast liv'd but a moneth in the world Poor innocent Althea makes her last mariage and I am one of her Bridemaids Lucil. To whom for loves sake Fior. To her grave for love's sake an honest Husband t is better then the Dukes sonne that sent her from the City to dye in the Mountaines Ah 't was unkindly