meanes to vndeceiue their mindes But to bring in the witnesse of my bloud To testifie the faith and loue that bindes My equall shame to fall with whom I stood Defects I grant I had but this was worst That being the first to fall I dy'd not first Though I perhaps could lighten mine own side With some excuse of my constrained case Drawn down with powre but that were to deuide My shame to stand alone in my disgrace To cleere me so would shew m'affections naught And make th' excuse more hainous then the fault Since if I should our errours disunite I should confound afflictions onely rest That from stearn death euen steales a sad delight To die with friends or with the like distrest And since we tooke of either such firme hold In th'ouerwhelming seas of fortune cast What powre should be of powre to reunfold The armes of our affections lockt so fast For grapling in the ocean of our pride We sunke each others greatnesse both together And both made shipwracke of our fame beside Both wrought a like destruction vnto either And therefore I am bound to sacrifice To death and thee the life that doth reproue me Our like distresse I feele doth simpathize And euen affliction makes me truly loue thee Which Antony I must confesse my fault I neuer did sincerely vntill now Now I protest I do now am I taught In death to loue in life that knew not how For whilst my glory in her greatnesse stood And that I saw my state and knew my beautie Saw how the world admir'd me how they woo'd I then thought all men must loue me of dutie And I loue none for my lasciuious Court Fertile in euer fresh and new-choise pleasure Affoorded me of so bountifull disport That I to stay on loue had neuer leasure My vagabond desires no limits found For lust is endlesse pleasure hath no bound Thou comming from the strictnes of thy City And neuer this loose pomp of monarchs learnest Inu'rd to wars in womens wiles vnwitty Whilst others faynd thou fell'st to loue in earnest Not knowing how we like them best that houer And make least reckning of a doting louer And yet thou cam'st but in my beauties waine When new appearing wrinkles of declining Wrought with the hand of yeers seem'd to detain My graces light as now but dimly shining Euen in the confines of mine age when I Failing of what I was and was but thus When such as we do deeme in iealousie That men loue for themselues and not for vs Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely O Antony that best deseru'st it better This Autumne of my beauty bought so dearely For which in more then death I stand thy debter Which I will pay thee with so true a mind Casting vp all these deepe accoumpts of mine That both our soules and all the world shall find All recknings cleer'd betwixt my loue and thine But to the end I may preuent proud Caesar Who doth so eagerly my life importune I must preuaile me of this little leasure Seeming to sute my mind vnto my fortune Thereby with more conuenience to prouide For what my death and honor best shall fit An yeelding base content must wary hide My last dissigne till I accomplish it That hereby yet the world shall see that I Although vnwise to liue had wit to die Exit CHORVS Behold what furies still Torment their tortur'd brest Who by their doing ill Haue wrought the worlds vnrest Which when being most distrest Yet more to vex their sp'rite The hidious face of sinne In formes they must detest Stands euer in their sight Their conscience still within Th' eternall larum is That euer-barking dog that calles vpon their misse No meanes at all to hide Man from himselfe can finde No way to start aside Out from the hell of minde But in himselfe confin'd He still sees sinne before And winged-footed paine That swiftly comes behind The which is euer-more The sure and certaine gaine Impietie doth get And wanton loose respect that dooth it selfe forget And Cleopatra now Well sees the dangerous way She tooke and car'd not how Which led her to decay And likewise makes vs pay For her disordred lust The int'rest of our blood Or liue a seruile pray Vnder a hand vniust As others shall thinke good This hath her riot wunne And thus she hath her state herselfe and vs vndunne Now euery mouth can tell What close was muttered How that she did not well To take the course she did For now is nothing hid Of what feare did restraine No secrete closelie done But now is vttered The text is made most plaine That flattry glos'd vpon The bed of sinne reueal'd And all the luxurie that shame would haue conceal'd The scene is broken downe And all vncou'red lyes The purple actors knowne Scarce man whom men despise The complots of the wise Proue imperfections smoake And all what wonder gaue To pleasure-gazing eyes Lyes scattred dasht all broke Thus much beguiled haue Poore vnconsiderate wights These moment arie pleasures fugitiue delights ACTVS SECVNDVS CAESAR PROCVLEIVS KIngdoms I see we winne we conquere Climates Yet cannot vanquish hearts nor force obedience Affections kept in close-concealed limits Stand farre without the reach of sworde or violence Who forc'd do pay vs dutie pay not loue Free is the heart the temple of the minde The Sanctuarie sacred from aboue Where nature keeps the keies that loose bind No mortall hand force open can that doore So close shut vp and lockt to all mankind I see mens bodies onely ours no more The rest anothers right that rules the minde Behold my forces vanquisht haue this Land Subdu'd that strong Competitor of mine All Egypt yeelds to my all-conqu'ring hand And all their treasure and themselues resigne Onely this Queene that hath lost all this all To whom is nothing left except a minde Cannot into a thought of yeelding fall To be dispos'd as chance hath her assign'd But Proculei what hope doth she now giue Will shee be brought to condiscend to liue Proc. My Lord what time being sent frō you to try To win her forth aliue if that I might From out the Monument where wofully She liues inclos'd in most aficted plight No way I found no means how to surprize her But through a grate at th' entry of the place Standing to treat llabour'd to aduise her To come to Caesar and to sue for grace She said she crau'd not life but leaue to die Yet for her children pray'd they might inherite That Caesar would vouchsafe in clemencie To pittie them though she deseru'd no merite So leauing her for then and since of late With Gallus sent to trie another time The whilst he entertaines her at the grate I found the meanes vp to the Tombe to clime Where in descending in the closest wise And silent manner as I could contriue Her woman me descri'd and out she cries Poore Cleopatra thou art tane aliue With that
consent that thou So neere in bloud shalt be so great in might Then take him Rodon go my sonne fare-well But stay ther 's something else that I would say Yet nothing now but ô God speed thee well Least saying more that more may make thee stay Yet let me speake It may be t is the last That euer I shall speake to thee my Sonne Doe Mothers vse to part in such post-haste What must I end when I haue scarce begun Ah no deere hart t is no such slender twine Where-with the knot is tide twixt thee and me That bloud within thy vaines came out of mine Parting from thee I part from part of me And therefore I must speake Yet what O sonne Here more she would when more she could not say Sorrow rebounding backe whence it begun Fild vp the passage and quite stopt the way When sweet Caesario with a princely spirite Though comfortles himself did comfort giue With mildest words perswading her to beare it And as for him she should not need to grieue And I with protestations of my part Swore by that faith which sworn I did deceiue That I would vse all care all wit and arte To see him safe And so we tooke our leaue Scarce had we trauail'd to our iourneies end When Caesar hauing knowledge of our way His Agents after vs with speed doth send To labour me Caesario to betray Who with rewards and promises so large Assail'd me then that I grew soone content And backe to Rhodes did reconuay my charge Pretending that Octauius for him sent To make him King of Egypt presently And thither come seeing himselfe betray'd And in the hands of death through trechery Wailing his state thus to himselfe he said Lo here brought back by subtile train to death Betraide by Tutors faith or traytors rather My fault my bloud and mine offence my birth For being sonne of such a mighty Father From India whither sent by mothers care To be reseru'd from Egypts common wracke To Rhodes so long the armes of tyrants are I am by Caesars subtile reach brought backe Here to be made th' oblation for his feares Who doubts the poore reuenge these hands may doe him Respecting neither blood nor youth nor yeeres Or how small safety can my death be to him And is this all the good of beeing borne great Then wretched greatnesse proud rich misery Pompous distresse glittering calamity Is it for this th' ambitious Fathers swear To purchase bloud death for thē and theirs Is this the issue that their glories get To leaue a sure destruction to their heyros O how much better had it beene for me From low descent deriu'd of humble birth T' haue eat the sweet-sowre bread of pouertie And drunke of Nilus streams in Nilus earth Vnder the cou'ring of some quiet Cottage Free from the wrath of heauen secure in mind Vntoucht when sad euents of princes dotage Confounds what euer mighty it doth find And not t' haue stood in their way whose condition Is to haue all made cleere and all thing plaine Betweene them and the marke of their ambition That nothing let the ful sight of their raigne Where nothing stands that stands not in submission Where greatnesse must all in it selfe containe Kings will be alone Competitors must downe Neere death he stands that stands too neere a Crowne Such is my case for Caesar will haue all My bloud must seale th' assurance of his state Yet ah weake state that blood assure him shall Whose wrongfull shedding Gods men do hate Iniustice neuer scapes vnpunisht still Though men reuenge not yet the heauens wil. And thou Augustus that with bloodie hand Cutt'st off succession from anothers race Maist find the heauens thy vowes so to withstand That others may depriue thine in like case When thou maist see thy proud contentious bed Yeelding thee none of thine that may inherite Subuert thy blood place others in their sted To pay this thy iniustice her due merite If it be true as who can that denie Which sacred Priests of Memphis doe fore-say Some of the of-spring yet of Antonis Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway And then Augustus what is it thou gainest By poore Antillus blood or this of mine Nothing but this thy victorie thou slainest And pull'st the wrath of heauen on thee and thine In vaine doth man contend against the starr's For that he seekes to make his wisdom marr's Yet in the mean-time we whom Fates reserue The bloodie sacrifices of ambition We feele the smart what euer they deserue And woindure the present times condition The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus Doth onely satisfie it selfe not vs. Yet t is a pleasing comfort that doth ease Affliction in so great extremitie To thinke their like destruction shall appease Our ghosts who did procure our miserie But dead we are vncertaine what shall bee And liuing we are sure to feele the wrong Our certaine ruine we our selues do see They ioy the while and we know not how long But yet Caesario thou must die content For men will mone and God reuenge th' innocent Thus he cōplain'd thus thou hear'st my shame Sel. But how hath Caesar now rewarded thee Rod. As he hath thee And I expect the same As fell to Theodor to fall to mee For he one of my coate hauing betraid The young Antillus sonne of Anthonie And at his death from off his necke conuaid A iewell which being askt he did denie Caesar occasion tooke to hang him straight Such instruments with Princes liue not long Although they need such actors of deceit Yet still our sight seemes to vpbraid their wrong And therefore we must needes this daunger runne And in the net of our owne guile be caught We must not liue to brag what we haue done For what is done must not appeare their fault But here comes Cleopatra wofull Queene And our shame will not that we should be seene Exeunt Cleopatra WHat hath my face yet powre to win a Louer Can this torne remnant serue to grace me so That it can Caesars secrete plots discouer What he intends with me and mine to do Why then poore Beautie thou hast done thy last And best good seruice thou could'st do vnto mee For now the time of death reueal'd thou hast Which in my life didst serue but to vndoe mee Heere Dolabella far forsooth in loue Writes how that Caesar meanes forthwith to send Both me and mine th' ayre of Rome to proue There his Triumphant Chariot to attend I thanke the man both for his loue and letter The one comes fit to warne me thus before But for th' other I must die his debter For Cleopatra now can loue no more But hauing leaue I must go take my leaue And last farewell of my dead Anthonie Whose deerly honour'd tombe must here receiue This sacrifice the last before I die O sacred euer-memorable stone That hast without my teares within my flame Receiue th' oblation of
againe Till staid with new-made hils of bodies slaine 110 There lo that new-appearing glorious starre Wonder of Armes the terror of the field Young Henrie laboring where the stoutest are And euen the stoutest forces backe to yeild There is that hand boldned to bloud and warre That must the sword in woundrous actions weild But better hadst thou learnd with others bloud A lesse expence to vs to thee more good 111 Hadst thou not there lent present speedy ayd To thy indaungerde father nerely tyrde Whom fierce incountring Dowglas ouerlaid That day had there his troublous life expirde Heroycall Couragious Blunt araid In habite like as was the king attirde And deemd for him excusd that fate with his For he had what his Lord did hardly misse 112 For thought a king he would not now disgrace The person then supposd but prince like shewes Glorious effects of worth that fit his place And fighting dyes and dying ouerthrowes Another of that forward name and race In that hotte worke his valiant life bestowes Who bare the standard of the king that day Whose colours ouerthrowne did much dismaie 113 And deare it cost and ô much bloud is shed To purchase thee this loosing victory O trauayld king yet hast thou conquered A doubtfull day a mightie enemy But ô what woundes what famous worthlyes dead That makes the winner looke with sorrowing eye Magnanimous Stafford lost that much had wrought And valiant Shorly who great glory gote 114 Such wracke of others bloud thou didst behold O furious Hotspur ere thou lost thine owne Which now once lost that heate in thine waxt cold And soone became thy Armie ouerthrowne And ô that this great spirit this courage bold Had in some good cause bene rightly showne So had not we thus violently then Haue termd that rage which valor should haue ben 115 But now the king retires him to his peace A peace much like a feeble sickemans sleepe Wherein his waking paines do neuer cease Though seeming rest his closed eyes doth keepe For ô no peace could euer so release His intricate turmoiles and sorrowes deepe But that his cares kept waking all his life Continue on till death conclude the strife 116 Whos 's harald sicknes being sent before With full commission to denounce his end And paine and griefe enforcing more and more Besiegd the hold that could not long defend And so consum'd all that imboldning store Of hote gaine-striuing bloud that did contend Wearing the wall so thin that now the mind Might well looke thorow and his frailty find 117 When lo as if the vapours vanisht were Which heate of boyling bloud health did breed To cloude the sence that nothing might appeare Vnto the thought that which it was indeed The lightned soule began to see more cleere How much it was abusd notes with heed The plaine discouered falsehood open laid Of ill perswading flesh that so betraid 118 And lying on his last afflicted bed Where death conscience both before him stand Th' one holding out a booke wherein he red In bloudie lines the deedes of his owne hand The other shewes a glasse which figured An ougly forme of fowle corrupted sand Both bringing horror in the hyest degree With what he was and what he straight should bee 119 Which seeing all confusd trembling with feare He lay a while as ouerthrowne in sprite At last commaunds some that attending were To fetch the crowne and set it in his sight On which with fixed eye and heauy cheere Casting a looke O God saith he what right I had to thee my soule doth now conceiue Thee which with bloud I gote with horror leaue 120 Wert thou the cause my climing care was such To passe those boundes nature and law ordaind Is this that good which promised so much And seemd so glorious ere it was attaind Wherein was neuer ioye but gaue a touch To checke my soule to thinke how thou wert gaind And now how do I leaue thee vnto mine Which it is dread to keepe death to resigne 121 With this the soule rapt wholy with the thought Of such distresse did so attentiue weigh Her present horror whilst as if forgote The dull consumed body senceles lay And now as breathles quite quite dead is thought When lo his sonne comes in and takes awaie The fatall crowne from thence and out he goes As if vnwilling longer time to lose 122 And whilst that sad confused soule doth cast Those great accounts of terror and distresse Vppon this counsell it doth light at last How she might make the charge of horror lesse And finding no way to acquit that 's past But onely this to vse some quicke redresse Of acted wrong with giuing vp againe The crowne to whom it seem'd to appertaine 123 Which found lightned with some small ioy shee hyes Rouses her seruaunts that dead sleeping lay The members of hir house to exercise One feeble dutie more during her stay And opening those darke windowes he espies The crowne for which he lookt was borne awaie And all-agrieu'd with the vnkind offence He causd him bring it backe that tooke it thence 124 To whom excusing his presumteous deed By the supposing him departed quite He said ô Sonne what needes thee make such speed Vnto that care where feare exceeds thy right And where his sinne whom thou shalt now succeed Shall still vpbraid thy ' inheritance of might And if thou canst liue and liue great from wo Without this carefull trauaile let it go 125 Nay father since your fortune did attaine So hye a stand I meane not to descend Replyes the Prince as if what you did gaine I were of spirit vnable to defend Time will appease them well that now complaine And ratefie our interest in the end What wrong hath not continuance quite outworne Yeares makes that right which neuer was so borne 126 If so God worke his pleasure said the king And ô do thou contend with all thy might Such euidence of vertuous deeds to bring That well may proue our wrong to be our right And let the goodnes of the managing Race out the blot of foule attayning quite That discontent may all aduauntage misse To wish it otherwise then now it is 127 And since my death my purpose doth preuent Touching this sacred warre I tooke in hand An action wherewithall my soule had ment T' appease my God and reconcile my land To thee is left to finish my intent Who to be safe must neuer idly stand But some great actions entertaine thou still To hold their mindes who else will practise ill 128 Thou hast not that aduantage by my raigne To riot it as they whom long descent Hath purchasd loue by custome but with payne Thou must contend to buy the worlds content What their birth gaue them thou hast yet to gaine By thine owne vertues and good gouernment And that vnles thy worth confirme the thing Thou canst not be the father to a king 129 Nor art thou
vnto her selfe retaines And only Suffolke is aduanced hyre He is the man rewarded for his paines He that did her insteed most chiefly stand And more aduanc'd her then he did the land 94 Which when they saw who better did expect Then they beganne their error to descry And well perceiue that only the defect Was in their iudgements passion-drawne awry Found formall rigour fitter to direct Then pride and insolent inconstancie Better seuerity that 's right and iust Then impotent affections led with lust 95 And there upon in sorrow thus complaine O what great inconuenience do they feele Where as such imbecility doth raigne As so neglectes the care of common weale Where euer one or other doth obtaine So high a grace thus absolute to deale The whilst th'aggreieued subiect suffers still The pride of some predominating will 96 And euer one remou'd a worse succeedes So that the best that we can hope is warre Tumults and stirres that this disliking breedes The sword must mend what insolence doth marre For what rebellions and what bloudy deedes Haue euer followed where such courses are What oft remoues what death of counsailers What murder what exile of officers 97 Witnes the Spencers Gaueston and Vere The mighty minions of our feeblest kings Who euer subiects to their subiects were And only the procurers of these things When worthy Monarches that hold honor deare Maister themselues and theirs which euer brings That vniuersall reuerence and respect For who waighes him that doth himselfe neglect 98 And yet our case is like to be farre worse Hauing a king though not so bent to ill Yet so neglecting good that giuing force By giuing leaue doth all good order kill Suffring a violent woman take her course To manage all according to her will Which how she doth begin her deeds expresse And what will be the end our selues may gesse 99 Thus well they deem'd what after followed When now the shamefull losse of Fraunce much Which vnto Suffolke is attributed As who in all mens sight most hatefull liues grieues He with the enemy consedered Betraies the state and secret knowledge giues Of all our strength that all which we did hold By his corruption is or lost or sold. 100 And as he deales abroad so likewise here He robs at home the treasurie no lesse Here where he all authorities doth beare And makes a Monopoly of offices He is inricht h 'is raisd and placed neere And only he giues counsaile to oppresse Thus men obiect whilst many vp in armes Offer to be reuenged of these harmes 101 The Queene perceiuing in what case shee stood To loose her minion or ingage her state After with long contention in her bloud Loue and ambition did the cause debate Shee yeeldes to pride and rather thought it good To sacrifice her loue vnto their hate Then to aduenture else the losse of all Which by maintaining him was like to fall 102 Yet seeking at the first to temporize She tries if that some short imprisonment would calme their heat when that would not suffize Then to exile him shee must needes consent Hoping that time would salue it in such wise As yet at length they might become content And shee againe might haue him home at last When the first fury of this rage was past 103 But as he to his iudged exile went Hard on the shore he comes incountered By some that so far off his honor sent As put his backe-returne quite out of dread For there he had his rightfull punishment Though wrongly done and there he lost his head Part of his bloud hath Neptune part the sand As who had mischiefe wrought by sea and land 104 Whos 's death when swift-wingd fame at full conuaid Vnto the trauaild Queen misdoubting nought Despight and sorrow such affliction laid Vpon her soule as wondrous passions wrought O God saith she and art thou thus betraid And haue my fauours thy destruction brought Is this their gaine whom highnes fauoureth Who chiefe preferd stand as preferd to death 105 O fatall grace without which men complaine And with it perish what preuailes that we Thus beare the title of a soueraigne And suffred not to be that which we be O must our subiects limit and constraine Our sauors where as they themselues decree Must we our loue at their appointment place Do we commaund and they direct our grace 106 O will they then our powre and will deuide And haue we might but must not vse our might Poore maiestie that other men must guide Whose discontent can neuer looke aright For euermore we see those that abide Gracious in ours are odious in their sight Who would all-maistring maiesty defeat Of her best grace that is to make men great 107 Decre Suffolke ô I saw thy wofull cheere When thou perceiu'dst no helpe but to depart I saw that looke wherein did plaine appeare The lamentable message of thy heart That seemd to say O Queene and canst thou beare My ruine so the cause whereof thou art Canst thou indure to see them worke their will And not defend me from the hand of ill 108 Haue I for thee aduentured so much Made ship wracke of my honor faith and fame And doth my seruice giue no deeper touch To thy hard heart better to feele the same Or dost thou feare or is thy weakenes such As not of force to keepe me from this shame Or else now hauing seru'd thy turne of me Art well-content my ouerthrow to see 109 As if my sight did read vnto thy minde The lecture of that shame thou wouldst forget And therefore peraduenture glad to finde So fit occasion dost it forward set Or else thy selfe from dangerous toile t'vnwinde Downe on my necke dost all the burthen let Since kings must haue some hated worse then they On whom they may the waight of enuy lay 114 No Suffolke none of this my soule is cleere Without the thought of such impiety Yet must I needes confesse that too much feare Made me defend thee lesse couragiously Seeing more Princes euer ruind were By their immoderate fauoring priuately Then by seueritie in generall For best h 'is lik't that is alike to all 111 Thus in her passion lo shee vttered When as far greater tumults now burst out Which close and cunningly were practised By such as sought great hopes to bring about For vp in armes in Kent were gathered A mighty insolent rebellious rout Vnder a daungerous head who to deter The state the more himselfe nam'd Mortimer 112 The Duke of Yorke that did not idle stand But seekes to worke on all aduantages Had likewise in this course a secret hand And hartned on their chiefe accomplices To try how that the people of the land Would if occasion seru'd b' in readines To aide that line if one should come indeed To moue his right and in due course proceed 113 Knowing himselfe to be the onely one That must attempt the thing if any should And therefore lets the
thy absence and this wrong Might draw my bloud to forfeit vnto shame Nor need I frustrate my delights so long That haue such meanes to carrie so the same Since that the face of greatnesse is so strong As it dissolues suspect and beares out blame Hauing all secret helps that long thereto That seldome wants there ought but will to do 13 Which yet to do ere lust this heart shall frame Earth swallow me aliue hel rap me hence Shall I because despisd contemne my shame And ad disgrace to others impudence What can my powre but giue more powre to fame Greatnesse must make it great incontinence Chambers are false the bed and all wil tell No doore keepes in their shame that do not well 14 Hath greatnesse ought peculiar else alone But to stand faire and bright aboue the base What doth deuide the cottage from the throne If vice shall laie both leuell with disgrace For if vncleannesse make them but all one What priuiledge hath honor by his place What though our sinnes go braue and better clad They are as those in rags as base as bad 15 I know not how but wrongfullie I know Hath vndiscerning custome plac'd our kind Vnder desart and set vs farre below The reputation to our sexe assign'd Charging our wrong reputed weakenes how VVe are vnconstant fickle false vnkinde And thogh our life with thousand proofs shewes no Yet since strength saies it weaknes must be so 16 Vnequall partage to b'allow'd no share Of power to do of lifes best benefite But stand as if we interdicted were Of vertue action libertie and might Must you haue all and not vouchsafe to spare Our weaknes any intrest of delight Is there no portion left for vs at all But sufferance sorrow ignorance and thrall 17 Thrice happie you in whom it is no fault To know to speake to do and to be wife VVhose words haue credit and whose deeds though naugh Must yet be made to seeme far otherwise You can be onely heard whilst we are taught To hold our peace and not to exercise The powers of our best parts because your parts Haue with our fredome robb'd vs of our hearts 18 We in this prison of our selues confin'd Must here shut vp with our own passions liue Turn'd in vpon vs and denied to find The vent of outward means that might relieue That they alone must take vp all our mind And no roome left vs but to thinke and grieue Yet oft our narrowed thoughts look more direct Then your loose wisdoms borne with wild neglect 19 For should we to as God forbid we should Carrie no better hand on our desires Then your strength doth what int'rest could Our wronged patience paie you for your hires What mixture of strange generations would Succeed the fortunes of vncertaine Sires What foule confusion in your blood and race To your immortall shame and our disgrace 20 What are there bars for vs no bounds for you Must leuitie stand sure though firmnes fall And are you priuiledg'd to be vntrue And we no grant to be dispens'd withall Must we inuiolable keepe your due Both to your loue and to your falshood thrall Whilst you haue stretch'd your lust vnto your will As if your strength were licenc'd to do ill 21 O if you be more strong then be more iust Cleere this suspition make not the world to doubt Whether in strong or weake be better trust Iffrailtie or else valour be more stout And if we haue shut in our harts from lust Let not your bad example let them out Thinke that there is like feeling in our bloud If you will haue vs good be you then good 22 Is it that loue doth take no true delight In what it hath but still in what it would Which drawes you on to do vs this vnright Whilst feare in vs of loosing what we hold Keepes vs in still to you that set vs light So that what you vnties doth vs infold Then loue t is thou that dost confound vs so To make our truth the occasion of our wo. 23 Distressed woman kind that either must For louing loose your loues or get neglect Whilst wantons are more car'd for then the iust And falshood cheerisht faith without respect Better she fares in whom is lesser trust And more is lou'd that is in more suspect VVhich pardon me shewes no great strength of mind To be most theirs that vse you most vnkind 24 Yet wel it fits for that sinne euer must Be tortur'd with the racke of his own frame For he that holds no faith shall find no trust But sowing wrong is sure to reape the same How can he looke to haue his measure iust That fils deceipt and reckons not of shame And being not pleas'd with what he hath in lot Shall euer pine for that which he hath not 25 Yet if thou couldst not loue thou mightst haue seem'd Though to haue seem'd had like wise beene vniust Yet so much are leane shewes of vs esteem'd That oft they feed though not suffice our trust Because our nature grieueth to be deem'd To be so wrong'd although we be and must And it 's some ease yet to be kindly vs'd In outward shew though secretly abus'd 26 But wo to her that both in shew despis'd And in effect disgrac'd and left forlorne For whom no comforts are to be deuis'd Nor no new hopes can euermore be borne O Antony could it not haue suffiz'd That I was thine but must be made her skorne That enuies all our bloud and doth deuide Thee from thy selfe onely to serue her pride 27 What fault haue I committed that should make So great dislike of me and of my loue Or doth thy fault but an occasion take For to dislike what most doth it reproue Because the conscience gladlie would mistake Her own misdeedes which she would faine remoue And they that are vnwilling to amend Will take offence because they will offend 28 Or hauing run beyond all pardon quite They flie and ioine with sin as wholy his Making it now their side their part their right And to turne backe would shew t' haue done amisse For now they thinke not to be opposite To what obraides their fault were wickednesse So much doth follie thrust them into blame That euen to leaue of shame they count it shame 29 Which do not thou deere Lord for I do not Pursue thy fault but sue for thy returne Backe to thy selfe whom thou hast both forgot With me poore me that doth not spight but mourne And if thou couldst as well amend thy blot As I forgiue these plaints had beene forborne And thou shouldst be the same vnto my hart VVhich once thou were not that which nowe thou art 30 Though deepe doth sit the hard recouering smart Of that last wound which God grant be the last And more doth touch that tender feeling part Of my sad soule then all th'vnkindnes past And Antony I appeale to thine own hart If th' hart
which once was thine thou yet still hast To iudge if euer woman that did liue Had iuster cause then wretched I to grieue 31 For comming vnto Athens as I did Wearie and weake with toile and all distrest After I had with sorrow compassed A hard consent to grant me that request And how my trauaile was considered And all my care and cost thy selfe knowes best That wouldst not moue one foot from Iust for me That had left all was deere to come to thee 32 For first what great a do had I to win My ' offended brother Caesars backward will And praid and wept and cride to staie the sinne Of ciuill rancorrising twixt you still For in what case shall wretched I be in Set betwixt both to share with both your ill My bloud said I with either of you goes Who euer win I shall be sure to lose 33 For what shame should such mighty persons get For two weake womens cause to disagree Nay what shall I that shall be deem'd to set Th'inkindled fire seeming inflam'd for mee O if I be the motiue of this heate Let these vnguiltie hands the quenchers bee And let me trudge to mediate an accord The Agent twixt my brother and my Lord. 34 With praiers vowes and tears with vrging hard Iwrung from him a slender grant at last And with the rich prouisions I prepard For thy intended Parthian war made haste Weighing not how my poore weake body far'd But all the tedious difficulties past And came to Athens whence I Niger sent To shew thee of my comming and intent 35 Where of when he had made relation I was commanded to approch no neare Then sent I backe to know what should be done With th' horse and men and monie I had there Where at perhaps when some remorse begun To touch thy soule to thinke yet what we were Th'Inchantres straight steps twixt thy hart thee And intercepts all thoughts that came of mee 36 She armes her teares the ingins of deceit And all her batterie to oppose my loue And bring thy comming grace to a retraite The powre of all her subtiltie to proue Now pale and faint she languishes and straight Seemes in a sound vnable more to moue Whilst her instructed followers plie thine eares With forged passions mixt with fained teares 37 Hard-harted lord say they how canst thou see This mightie Queene a creature so diuine Lie thus distrest and languishing for thee And onely wretched but for beeing thine Whilst base Octauia must intitled bee Thy wife and she esteem'd thy concubine Aduance thy heart raise it vnto his right And let a scepter baser passions quit 38 Thus they assaile thy natures weakest side And worke vpon th' aduantage of thy mind Knowing where iudgment stood least fortified And how t' incounter follie in her kinde But yet the while O what dost thou abide Who in thy selfe such wrastling thoughts dost finde In what confused case is thy soule in Rackt betwixt pitie sorrow shame and sin 39 I cannot tell but sure I dare beleeue My trauails needs must some cōpassion moue For no such locke to bloud could nature giue To shut out pitie though it shut out loue Conscience must leaue a little way to grieue To let in horror comming to reproue The guilt of thy offence that caus'd the same For deepest woūds the hand of our owne shame 40 Neuer haue vniust pleasures beene compleet In ioyes intire but still feare kept the dore And held back something from that ful of sweet To intersowre vnsure delights the more For neuer did all circumstances meete With those desires which were cōceiu'd before Something must still be left to check our sinne And giue a touch of what should not haue bin 41 Wretched mankinde wherefore hath nature made The lawfull vndelightfull th'vniust shame As if our pleasure onelie were forbade But to giue fire to lust t'ad greater flame Or else but as ordained more to lade Our heart with passions to confound the fāme Which though it be yet ad not worse to ill Do as the best men do bound thine owne will 42 Redeeme thy selfe and now at length make peace With thy deuided hart opprest with toile Breake vp this war this brest dissention cease Thy passions to thy passions reconcile I do not only seeke my good t' increase But thine owne ease and liberty the while Thee in the circuite of thy selfe confine And be thine owne and then thou wilt be mine 43 I know my pitied loue doth aggrauate Enuy and wrath for these wrongs offered And that my suffrings adde with my estate Coales in thy bosome hatred on thy head Yet is not that my fault but my hard fate Who rather wish to haue beene vnpitied Of all but thee then that my loue should be Hurtfull to him that is so deere to me 44 Cannot the busie world let me alone To beare alone the burthen of my griefe But they must intermeddle with my mone And seeke t' offend me with vnsought reliese Whilst my afflictions labour'd to moue none But only thee must pitie play the thiefe To steale so many harts to hurt my hart And moue apart against my deerest part 45 Yet all this shall not preiudice my Lord If yet he will but make returne at last His sight shall raze out of the sad record Of my inrowled griefe all that is past And I will not so much as once affoord Place for a thought to thinke I was disgrac'st And pity shall bring backe againe with me Th' offended harts that haue forsaken thee 46 And therfore come deer lord least longer stay Do arme against thee all the powers of spight And thou be made at last the wofull pray Of full inkindled wrath and ruin'd quite But what presaging thought of bloud doth stay My trembling hand and doth my soule affright What horror do I see prepar'd t' attend Th' euent of this what end vnlesse thou end 47 With what strange formes and shadowes ominous Did my last sleepe my grieu'd soule intertaine I dreamt yet ô dreames are but friuolous And yet I le tell it and God grant it vaine Me thought a mighty Hippopotamus From Nilus floting thrusts into the maine Vpon whose backe a wanton Mermaide fate As if she ruld his course and steerd his fate 48 With whom t' incounter forth another makes Alike in kind of strength and powre as good At whose ingrappling Neptunes mantle takes A purple colour dyde with streames of bloud Whereat this looker on amaz'd forsakes Her Champion there who yet the better stood But se'ing her gone straight after her he hies As if his hart and strength Iaie in her eyes 49 On followes wrath vpon disgrace and feare Where of th' euent forsooke me with the night But my wak'd cares gaue me these shadowes were Drawne but from darknes to instruct the light These secret figures natures message beare Of cōming woes were they desciphered right But if as clouds of sleepe thou shalt them take
Lord being bent thereto I was by loue by feare by weakenes made An instrument to such disseignes as these For when the Lord of all the Orient bade Who but obey'd who was not glad to please And how could I withdraw my succouring hand From him that had my heart and what was mine The intrest of my faith in streightest band My loue to his most firmly did combine Caes. Loue alas no it was th' innated hatred That thou and thine hast euer born our people That made thee seeke all means to haue vs scattred To disunite our strenght and make vs feeble And therefore did that brest nurse our dissentiō With hope t' exalt thy selfe t' augment thy state To pray vppon the wracke of our contention And with the rest our foes to ioy thereat Cleo. O Caesar see how easie t is t' accuse Whom Fortune hath made faultie by their fall The wretched conquered may not refuse The titles of reproch he 's charg'd withall The conquering cause hath right wherein thou art The vanquisht still is iud'g the worser part Which part is mine because Ilost my part No lesser then the portion of a Crowne Enough for me alas what needed arte To gaine by others but to keepe mine owne But here let weaker powers note what it is To neighbour great Competitors too neere If we take part we oft do perish thus If neutrall bide both parties we must feare Alas what shall the forst partakers doe When folowing none yet must they perish to But Caesar sith thy right and cause is such Be not a heauie weight vpon calamitie Depresse not the afflicted ouer-much The chiefest glorie is the Victors lenitie Th'in heritance of mercie from him take Of whom thou hast thy fortune and thy name Great Caesar me a Queene at first did make And let not Caesar now confound the same Read here these lines which still I keep with me The witnes of his loue and fauours euer And God forbid this should be said of thee That Caesar wrong'd the fauoured of Caesar. For looke what I haue beene to Antonie Think thou the same I might haue been to thee And here I do present thee with the note Of all the treasure all the iewels rare That Egypt hath in many ages got And looke what Cleopatra hath is there Seleus Nay there 's not all set downe within that roule I know some things she hath reseru'd apart Cleo. What vile vngrateful wretch dar'st thou cōtroule Thy Queen soueraigne caitife as thou art hands Caes. Hold holde a poore reuenge can worke so feeble Cleo. Ah Caesar what a great indignitie Is this that here my vassall subiect stands T' accuse me to my Lord of trecherie If I reseru'd some certaine womens toyes Alas it was not for my selfe God knowes Poore miserable soule that little ioyes In trifling ornaments in outward showes But what I kept I kept to make my way Vnto thy Liuia and Octauias grace That thereby in compassion mooued they Might mediate thy fauour in my case Caes. Well Cleopatra feare not thou shalt finde What fauour thou desir'st or canst expect For Caesar neuer yet was found but kinde To such as yeeld and can themselues subiect And therefore giue thou comfort to thy minde Relieue thy soule thus ouer charg'd with care How well I will intreate thee thou shalt find So soone as some affaires dispatched are Til whē farewel Cl. Thanks thrise-renowned Caesar Poore Cleopatra rests thine owne for euer Dol. No maruel Caesar though our greatest spirits Haue to the powre of such a charming beautie Been brought to yeeld the honor of their merits Forgetting all respect of other dutie Then whilst the glory of her youth remain'd The wondring obiect to each wanton eye Before her full of sweet with sorrow wain'd Came to the period of this miserie If still euen in the midst of death and horror Such beautie shines thorow clouds of age sorow If euen those sweet decaies seeme to plead for her Which from affliction mouing graces borrow If in calamitie she could thus moue What could she do adorn'd with youth and loue What could she do then when as spreading wide The pompe of beautie in her glorie dight When arm'd with wonder she could vse beside Th'ingines of her loue Hope and Delight Beautie daughter of Maruaile ô see how Thou canst disgracing sorrowes sweetly grace What power thou shew'st in a distressed brow That mak'st affliction faire giu'st tears their grace What can vntressed locks can torne rent haire A weeping eye a wailing face be faire I see then artlesse feature can content And that true beautie needes no ornament Caes. What in a passion Dolabella what take heed Let others fresh examples be thy warning What mischiefes these so idle humors breed Whilst error keepes vs from a true discrening In deed I saw she labour'd to impart Her sweetest graces in her saddest cheere Presuming on the face that know the arre To moue with what aspect so eu'r it were But all in vaine she takes her ayme amisse The ground and marke her leuel much deceiues Time now hath altred all for neither is She as she was nor we as she conceiues And therfore now t were best she left such badnes Folly in youth is sinne in age t is madnes And for my part I seeke but t' entertaine In her some feeding hope to draw her forth The greatest Trophey that my trauailes gaine Is to bring home a prizall of such worth And now sith that she seemes so well content To be dispos'd by vs without more stay She with her children shall to Rome be sent Whilst I by Syria thither take my way CHORVS O Fearefull frowning Nemesrs Daughter of Iustice most seuere That art the worlds great arbitresse And Queene of causes raigning heere Whose swift-sure hand is euer neere Eternall iustice righting wrong Who neuer yet deserest long The proudes decay the weakes redresse But through thy power euery where Dost raze the great and raise the lesse The lesse made great dost ruine to To shew the earth what heauen can do Thou from darke-clos'd eternitie From thy black clowdy hidden seate The worlds disorders dost descry Which when they swel so proudly great Reuersing th' order nature set Thou giu'st thy all consounding doome Which none can know before it come Th' ineuitable destinie Which neither wit nor strength can let Fast chain'd vnto necessitie In mortall things doth order so Th' alternate course of weale or wo. O how the powres of heauen do play With trauailed mortalitis And doth their weakness still betray In their best prosperitie When being lifted up so hie They looke beyond themselues so farre That to themselues they take no care Whilst swift confusion downe doth lay Their late proude mounting vanitie Bringing their glorie to decay And with the ruine of their fall Extinguish people state and all But is it iustice that all we The innocent poore multitude For great mens faults should punisht be And to
It was the time when as she hauing got Leaue to her Deerest dead to sacrifize And now was issuing out the Monument With Odors Incense Garlands in her hand When I approcht as one from Caesar sent And did her close thy message t' vnderstand She turnes her backe and with her takes me in Reades in thy lines thy strange vnlooke for tale And reades and smiles and staies and doth begin Againe to reade then blusht and then was pale And hauing ended with a sigh resoldes Thy Letter vp and with a fixed eye Which stedfast her imagination holds She mus'd a while standing confusedly At length Ah friend saith shee tell thy good Lord How deere I hold his pittying of my case That out of his sweet nature can afford A miserable woman so much grace Tel him how much my heauy soule doth grieue Mercilesse Caesar should so deale with me Pray him that he would all the counsell giue That might diuert him from such orueltie As for my loue say Antony hath all Say that my hart is gone into the graue VVith him in whom it rests and euer shall I haue it not my selfe nor cannot haue Yet tell him he shall more command of me Then any whosoeuer hiuing can Hee that so friendly shewes himselfe to be A right kind Roman and a Gentleman Although his Nation fatall vnto me Haue had mine age a spoile my youth a pray Yet his affection must accepted be That fauours one distrest in such decay Ah he was worthy then to haue beene lou'd Of Cleopatra whiles her glory lasted Before she had declining fortune prou'd Or seen her honor wrackt her flowre blasted Now there is nothing left her but disgrace Nothing but her affliction that can moue Tell Dolabella one that 's in her case Poore soule needs rather pity now thē loue But shortly shall thy Lord heare more of me And ending so her speech no longer stai'd But hasted to the tombe of Antony And this was all she did and all she said Dol. Ah sweet distressed Lady What hard hart Could chuse but pity thee and loue thee too Thy worthines the state wherein thou art Requireth both and both I vow to doo Although ambition lets not Caesar see The wrong he doth thy maiesty and sweetnes Which makes him now exact so much of thee To adde vnto his pride to grace his greatnes He knowes thou canst no hurt procure vs now Sith all thy strength is seaz'd into our hands Nor feares he that but rather labours how He might shew Rome so great a Queene in bands That our great Ladies enuying thee so much That stain'd them al and held them in such wonder Mightioy to see thee and thy fortune such Thereby exrolling him that brought thee vnder But I will seeke to stay it what I may I am but one yet one that Caesar loues And ô if now I could doe more then pray Then should'st thou know how far affection moues But what my powre and praier may preuaile I le ioine them both to hinder thy disgrace And euen this present day I will not faile To do my best with Caesar in this case Tit. And sir euen now her selfe hath letters sent I met her messenger as I came hither With a dispatch as he to Caesar went But know not what imports her sending thither Yet this he told how Cleopatra late Was come from sacrifice How richly clad Was seru'd to dinner in most sumptuous state With all the brauest ornaments she had How hauing dyn'd she writes and sends away Him straight to Caesar and commanded than All should depart the Tombe and none to stay But her two maides one poore Countryman Dol. Why then I know she sends t' haue audience now And means t' experience what her state can do To see if Maiesty will make him bow To what affliction could not moue him to And ô if now she could but bring a view Of that fresh beauty she in youth possest The argument where with she ouerthrew The wit of Julius Caesar and the rest Then happily Augustus might relent VVhilst powreful Loue far stronger then ambition Might worke in him a mind to be content To grant her asking in the best condition But being as she is yet doth she merite To be respected for what she hath beene The wonder of her kind of rarest spirit A glorious lady and a mighty Queene And now but by a little weakenesse falling To do that which perhaps sh'was forst to do Alas an error past is past recalling Take away weakenes and take women too But now I go to be thy aduocate Sweet Cleopatra now I le vse mine arte Thy presence will me greatly animate Thy face will teach my tongue thy loue my hart SCENA SECVNDA Nvntivs AM I ordain'd the carefull Messenger And sad newes-bringer of the strangest death VVhich selfe hand did vpon it selfe infer To free a captiue soule from seruile breath Must I the lamentable wonder shew Which all the world must grieue and meruaile at The rarest forme of death in earth below That euer pitty glory wonder gat Chor. What newes bring'st thou can Egypt yet yeelde more Of sorrow then it hath what can it adde To the already ouerflowing store Of sad affliction matter yet more sad Haue we not seene the worst of our calamity Is there behind yet something of distresse Vnseene vnknown Tel if that greater misery There be that we waile not that which is lesse Tell vs what so it be and tell at first For sorrow euer longs to heare her worst Nun. Well then the strangest thing relate I will That euer eye of mortall man hath seene I as you know euen frō my youth haue still Attended on the person of the Queene And euer in all fortunes good or ill With her as one of chiefest trust haue beene And now in these so great extreamities That euer could to maiestie befall I did my best in what I could deuise And left her not till now she left vs all Chor. What is she gone Hath Caesar forst her so Nun. Yea she is gone and hath deceiu'd him to Chor. What fled to INDIA to go find her sonne Nun. No not to INDIA but to find her sonne Chor. why then ther 's hope she may her state recouer Nun. Her state nay rather honor and her Louer Chor. Her Louer him she cannot haue againe Nun. Well him she hath with him she doth remaine Cho. Why then she 's dead I st so why speak'st not thou Nun. You gesse aright and I will tell you how When she perceiu'd al hope was cleane berest her That Caesar meant to send her straight away And saw no meanes of reconcilement left her Worke what she could she could not worke to stay She cals me to her and she thus began O thou whose trust hath euer been the same And one in all my fortunes faithfull man Alone content t' attend disgrace and shame Thou whom the fearefull ruine of my fall Neuer deterr'd
to leaue calamitie As did those others smooth state-pleasers all Who followed but my fortune and not me T is thou must do a seruice for thy Queene Wherein thy faith and skill must do their best Thy honest care and duty shall be seene Performing this more then in all the rest For al what thou hast don may die with thee Although t is pitty that such faith should die But this shall euermore remembred be A rare example to posterity And looke how long as Cleopatra shall In after ages liue in memory So long shall thy cleere fame endure withall And therefore thou must not my sute denie Nor contradict my will For what I will I am resolu'd and this t is thou must do me Go find mee out with all thy art and skill Two Aspicqs and conuay them close vnto me I haue a worke to do with them in hand Enquire not what for thou shalt soone see what If the heauens do not my disseignes withstand But do thy charge and let me shift with that Being thus coniur'd by her t' whom I 'had vow'd My true perpetuall seruice forth I went Deuising how my close attempt to shrowde So that there might no art my art preuent And so disguis'd in habite as you see Hauing found out the thing for which I went I soone return'd againe and brought with me The Aspicqs in a basket closely pent Which I had fill'd with figges and leaues vpon And comming to the guard that kept the dore What hast thou there said they and looke thereon Seeing the figgs they deem'd of nothing more But said they were the fairest they had seene Taste some said I for they are good and pleasant No no said they go beare them to thy Queene Thinking me some poore māy brought a present Well in I went where brighter then the Sunne Glittering in all her pompous rich aray Great Cleopatra sate as if sh 'had wonne Caesar and all the world beside this day Euen as she was when on thy cristall streames O Cydnos she did shew what earth could shew When Asia all amaz'd in wonder deemes Venus from heauen was come on earth below Euen as she went at first to meete her Loue So goes she now at last againe to find him But that first did her greatnes onely proue This last her loue that could not liue behind him Yet as she fate the doubt of my good speed Detracts much from the sweetnes of her looke Cheer-marrer Care did then such passions breed That made her eye bewray the care she tooke But she no sooner sees me in the place But straight her sorow-clowded brow she cleeres Lightning a smile from out a stormie face Which all her tempest-beaten sences cheeres Looke how a stray'd perplexed trauailer When chas'd by theeues euē at point of taking Descrying suddainly some towne not far Or some vnlookt-for aid to him-ward making Cheers vp his tired sp'rits thrusts forth his strēgth To meet that good that comes in so good houre Such was her ioy perceiuing now at length Her honour was t' escape so proude a powre Forth from her seat she hastes to meet the present And as one ouer-ioy'd she caught it straight And with a smiling cheere in action pleasant Looking among the figs findes the deceite And seeing there the vgly venemous beast Nothing dismaid she stayes and viewes it well At length th' extreamest of her passion ceast When she began with words her ioy to tell O rarest beast saith she that Affrick breedes How deerly welcome art thou vnto me The fairest creature that faire Nylus feedes Me thinks I see in now beholding thee What though the euer-erring worlde doth deeme That angred Nature fram'd thee but in spight Little they know what they so light esteeme That neuer learn'd the wonder of thy might Better then Death Deaths office thou dischargest That with one gentle touch can free our breath And in a pleasing sleepe our soule inlargest Making our selues not priuie to our death If Nature err'd ô then how happy error Thinking to make thee worst she made thee best Sith thou best freest vs from our liues worst terror In sweetly bringing soules to quiet rest When that inexorable Monster Death That followes Fortune flies the poore destressed Tortures our bodies ere he takes our breath And loads with paines th' already weak oppressed How oft haue I begg'd prayd intreated him To take my life and yet could neuer get him And when he comes he comes so vgly grim That who is he if he could chuse would let him Therefore come thou of wonders wonder chiefe That open canst with such an easie key The doore of life come gentle cunning thiefe That from our selues so steal'st our selues away Well did our Priests discerne something diuine Shadow'd in thee and therefore first they did Offrings and worships due to thee assigne In whom they found such mysteries were hid Comparing thy swift motion to the Sunne That mou'st without the instruments that moue And neuer waxing olde but alwayes one Doost sure thy strange diuinitie approue And therefore to the rather vnto thee In zeale I make the offring of my blood Calamitie confirming now in me A sure beliefe that pietie makes good Which happy men neglect or hold ambiguous And onely the afflicted are religious And heere I sacrifice these armes to Death That Lust late dedicated to Delights Offring vp for my last this last of breath The complement of my loues dearest rites With that she bares her arme and offer makes To touch her death yet at the touch with-drawes And seeming more to speake occasion takes Willing to die and willing to to pause Looke how a mother at her sonnes departing For some far voyage bent to get him fame Doth intertaine him with anidle parling And stil doth speake and still speakes but the same Now bids farewell and now recalls him backe Tels what was told and bids againe fare-well And yet againe recalls for still doth lacke Something that loue would faine and cannot tell Pleas'd he should go yet cannot let him go So she although she knew there was no way But this yet this she could not handle so But she must shew that life desir'd delay Faine would she entertaine the time as now And now would faine that Death would seaze vpō her Whilst I might see presented in her brow The doubtful combattry'd twixt Life and Honor. Life bringing Legions of fresh hopes with her Arm'd with the proofe of time which yeelds we say Comfort and helpe to such as do refer All vnto him and can admit delay But Honour scorning Life loe forth leades he Bright immortalitie in shining armour Thorow the rayes of whose cleere glorie shee Might see Lifes basenes how much it might harm her Besides she saw whole armies of Reproches And base Disgraces Furies fearfull sad Marching with Life and Shame that stil incroches Vpon her face in bloodie colours clad Which representments seeing worse then death She deem'd to yeeld to Life
and therefore chose To render all to Honour hart and breath And that with speede least that her in ward foes False flesh and blood ioyning with life and hope Should mutinie against her resolution And to the end she would not giue them scope She presently proceedes to th' execution And sharply blaming of her rebell powres False flesh saith she what dost thou conspire With Caesar to as thou wert none of ours To worke my shame and hinder my desire Wilt thou retaine in closure of thy vaines That enemie Base life to let my good No know there is a greater powre constraines Then can be countercheckt with fearfull blood For to the mind that 's great nothing seems great And seeing death to be the last of woes And life lasting disgrace which I shall get What do I lose that haue but life to lose This hauing said strengthned in her owne hart And vnion of herselfe sences in one Charging togither she performes that part That hath so great a part of glorie wonne And so receiues the deadly poysoning touch That touch that try'd the gold of her loue pure And hath confirm'd her honour to be such As must a wonder to all worlds endure Now not an yeelding shrinke or touch offeare Consented to bewray least sence of paine But still in one same sweete vnaltred cheere Her honor did her dying thoughts retaine Wel now this work is done saith she here ends This act of life that part the Fates assign'd What glory or disgrace heere this world lends Both haue I had and both I leaue behind And now ô Earth the Theater where I Haue acted this witnes I die vnforst Wirnes my soule parts free to Anthonie And now proude Tyrant Caesar do thy worst This said she staies and makes a suddaine pause As t were to feele wheher the poyson wrought Or rather else the working might be cause That made her stay and intertain'd her thought For in that instant I might well perceiue The drowsie humor in her falling brow And how each powre each part opprest did leaue Their former office and did sencelesse grow Looke how a new pluckt branch against the Sun Declines his fading leaues in feeble sort So her disioyned ioyntures as vndonne Let fall her weake dissolued limmes support Yet loe that face the wonder of her life Retaines in death a grace that graceth death Colour so liuely cheere so louelie rife That none would think such beauty could want breath And in that cheere th' impression of a smile Did seeme to shew she scorned Death and Caesar As glorying that she could them both beguile And telling death how much her death did please her Woonder it was to see how soone she went She went with such a will and did so haste it That sure I thinke she did her paine preuent Fore-going paine or staying not to taste it And sencelesse in her sinking downe she wryes The Diademe which on her head she wore Which Charmion poore weake feeble mayd espies And hastes to right it as it was before For Eras now was dead and Charmion too Euen at the poynt for both would imitate Their Mistresse glorie striuing like to doo But Charmion would in this exceed her mate For she would haue this honour to be last That should adorne that head that must be seene To weare a Crowne in death that life held fast That all the world might know she dyde a Queene And as she stood setting it fitly on Lo in rush Caesars Messengers in haste Thinking to haue preuented what was done But yet they came too late for all was past For there they found stretch'd on a bed of gold Dead Cleopatra and that proudly dead In all the rich attyre procure she could And dying Charmion trimming of her head And Eras at her feet dead in like case Charmion is this well done said one of them Yea well said she and her that from the race Of so great Kings descends doth best become And with that word yeelds to her faithful breath To passe th'affurance of her loue with death Chor. But how knew Caesar of her close intent Nun. By Letters which before to him she sent For when she had procur'd this meanes to die She writes and earnestly intreates she might Be buried in one Tombe with Antony Where by then Caesar gess'd all went not right And forth-with sends yet ere the message came She was dispatcht he crost in his intent Her prouidence had ordred so the same That she was sure none should her plot preuent CHORVS THen thus we haue bepeld Th' accomplishment of woes The full of ruine and The worst of worst of ills And seene all hope expeld That euer sweet repose Shall re-possesse the Land That Desolation fils And where Ambition spils With vncontrouled hand All th' issue of all those That so long rule haue held To make vs no more vs But cleane confound vs thus And canst ô Nylus thou Father of floods indure That yellow Tyber should With sandy streames rule thee Wilt thou be pleas'd to bow To him those feet so pure Whose vnknown head we hold A powre diuine to be Thou that didst euer see Thy free banks vncontrould Liue vnder thine own care Ah wilt thou beare it now And now wilt yeeld thy streams A pray to other Reames Draw backe thy waters flo To thy concealed head Rockes strangle vp thy waues Stop Cataractes thy fall And turne thy courses so That sandy Desarts dead The world of dust that craues To swallow thee vp all May drinke so much as shall Reuiue from vastie graues Aliuing green which spred Far florishing may gro On that wide face of Death Where nothing now drawes breath Fatten some people there Euen as thou vs hast done With plenties wanton store And feeble luxurie And them as vs prepare Fit for the day of mone Respected not before Leaue leuell'd Egypt drie A barren pray to lie Wasted for euer-more Of plenties yeelding none To recompence the care Of Victors greedy lust And bring forth nought but dust And so O leaue to be Sith thou art what thou art Let not our race possesse Th' inheritance of shame The fee of sin that we Haue left them for their part The yoke of whose distresse Must still vpbraidour blame Telling from whom it came Our weight of want onnesse Lies heauie on their hart Who neuer-more shall see The glory of that worth They left who brought vs forth O thou all-seeing light High President of heauen You magistrates the starres Of that eternall Court Of Prouidence and Right Are these the bounds y'haue giuen Th'vntran spassable barres That limit pride so short Is greatnesse of this sort That greatnesse greatnesse marres And wracks it selfe selfe driuen On Rocks of her own might Doth Order order so Disorders ouer-thro FINIS THE COMPLAINT OF ROSAMOND OVT from the horror of Infernall deepes My poore afflicted ghost comes heere to plain it Attended with my shame that neuer sleepes The spot
to that goodlie round Were lodgings with a Garden to the same With sweetest flowers that eu'r adorn'd the groūd And all the pleasures that delight hath found T'intertaine the sence of wanton eies Fuel of loue from whence lusts flames arise Heere I enclos'd from all the world asunder The Minotaure of shame kept for disgrace The Monster of Fortune and the worlds wonder Liu'd cloistred in so desolate case None but the King might come into the place With certaine Maides that did attend my need And he himselfe came guided by a threed O Iealousie daughter of Enuy ' and Loue Most wayward issue of a gentle sire Fostred with feares thy fathers ioyes t' improue Mirth-marring Monster borne a subtile lier Hatefull vnto thy selfe flying thine owne desire Feeding vpon suspect that doth renue thee Happie were Louers if they neuer knew thee Thou hast a thousand gates thou enterest by Condemning trembling passions to our hart Hundred eyed Argus euer-waking Spie Pale Hagge infernall Furie pleasures smart Enuious Obseruer prying in euery part Suspicious fearefull gazing still about thee O would to God the loue could be withuot thee Thou didst depriue through false suggesting feare Him of content and me of libertie The onely good that women hold so deere And turnst my freedome to captiuitie First made a prisoner ere an enemie Enioynd the ransome of my bodies shame Which though I paid could not redeeme the same What greater torment euer could haue beene Then to inforce the faire to liue retir'd For what is beauty if it be not seene Or what is 't to be seene vnlesse admir'd And though admir'd vnlesse in loue desir'd Neuer were cheeks of Roses locks of Amber Ordain'd to liue imprison'd in a Chamber Nature created beauty for the view Like as the fire for heat the Sun for light The faire do hold this priuiledge as due By ancient Charter to liue most in sight And she that is debarr'd it hath not right In vaine our friends from this do vs dehort For beauty will be where is most resort Witnes the fairest streets that Thames doth visite The wondrous concourse of the glittering Faire For what rare women deckt with beauty is it That thither couets not to make repaire The solitary Country may not stay her Heere is the center of all beauties best Excepting DELIA left t' adorne the West Heere doth the curious with iudiciall eies Contemplate beautie gloriouslie attired And herein all our chiefest glorie lies To liue where we are prais'd and most desired O how we ioie to see our selues admired Whilst niggardlie our fauours we discouer We loue to be belou'd yet scorne the Louer Yet would to God my foot had neuer mou'd From Countrie safetie from the fields of rest To know the danger to be highlie lou'd And liue in pompe to braue among the best Happie for me better had I beene blest If I vnluckilie had neuer straide But liu'd at home a happie Country Maide Whose vnaffected innocencie thinks No guilefull fraude as doth the Courtlie liuer She 's deckt with truth the Riuer where she drinks Doth serue her for her glasse her counsell giuer She loues sincerely and is loued euer Her daies are peace and so she ends her breath True life that knowes not what 's to die til death So should I neuer haue beene registred In the blacke booke of the vnfortunate Nor had my name enrold with Maides misled Which bought their pleasures at so hie a rate Nor had I taught through my vnhappie fate This lesson which my self learnt with expence How most it hurts that most delights the sense Shame followes sinne disgrace is duly giuen Impietie will out neuer so closely done No walls can hide vs from the eie of heauen For shame must end what wickednes begun Forth breaks reproch when we least think theron And this is euer proper vnto Courts That nothing can be done but Fame reports Fame doth explore what lies most secret hidden Entring the closet of the Pallace dweller Abroad reuealing what is most forbidden Of truth and falshood both an equall teller T is not a guard can serue for to expell her The sword of iustice cannot cut her wings Nor stop her mouth from vtt'ring secret things And this our stealth she could not long conceale From her whom such a forfeit most concerned The wronged Queen who could so closely deale That she the whole of all our practise learned And watcht a time when least it was discerned In absence of the King to wreake her wrong With such reuenge as she desired long The Laberinth she entred by that threed That seru'd a conduct to my absent Lord Left there by chance reseru'd for such a deed Where she surpriz'd me whom she so abhord Enrag'd with madnes scarce she speakes a word But flies with eager furie to my face Offring me most vnwomanly disgrace Looke how a Tygresse that hath lost her whelpe Runs fiercely raging through the woods astray And seeing her selfe depriu'd of hope or helpe Furiously assaults what 's in her way To satisfie her wrath not for a pray So fell she on me in outragious wife As could disdaine and iealousie deuise And after all her vile reproches vs'd She forc'd me take the poison she had brought To end the life that had her so abus'd And free her feares and ease her iealous thought No crueltie her wrath would leaue vnwrought No spightfull act that to reuenge is common No beast being fiercer than a iealous woman Here take saith she thou impudent vncleane Base gracelesse strumpet take this next your hart Your loue-sick hart that ouer-charg'd hath beene With pleasures surfeite must be purg'd with arte This potion hath a power that will conuart To nought those humors that oppresse you so And Gerle I le see you take it ere I go What stand you now amaz'd retire you backe Tremble you minion come dispatch with speed There is no helpe your Champion now you lack And all these teares you shed will nothing steed Those daintie fingers needs must do the deed Take it or I will drench you els by force And trifle not least that I vse you worse Hauing this bloodie doome from hellish breath My wofull eyes on euery side I cast Rigor about me in my hand my death Presenting me the horror of my last All hope of pitie and of comfort past No means no power no forces to contend My trembling hands must giue my self my end Those hands that beauties ministers had been They must giue death that me adorn'd of late That mouth that newly gaue consent to sin Must now receiue destruction in thereat That bodie which my lust did violate Must sacrifice it selfe t' appease the wrong So short is pleasure glory lasts not long And she no sooner saw I had it taken But foorth she rushes proud with victorie And leaues m' alone of all the world forsaken Except of Death which she had left with me Death and my selfe alone togither be To whom she
issue found For sorrow shut vp words wrath kept in teares Confus'd affects each other do confound Oppress'd with griefe his passions had no bound Striuing to tell his woes words would not come For light cares speak wheÌ„ mighty griefs are dombe At length extremity breakes out a way Through which th' imprisoned voice with teares attended Wailes out a sound that sorrowes do bewray With armes a-crosse and eies to heauen bended Vaporing out sighes that to the skies ascended Sighes the poore ease calamity affoords Which serue for speech wheÌ„ sorrow wanteth words O heauens quoth he why do mine eies behold The hatefull raies of this vnhappy funne Why haue I light to see my sinnes controld With blood of mine own shame thus vildly done How can my sight endure to looke thereon Why doth nor blacke eternall darknes hide That from mine eies my hart cannot abide What saw my life wherein my soule might ioy What had my daies whom troubles stil afflicted But only this to counter poize annoy This ioy this hope which Death hath interdicted This sweet whose losse hath all distresse inflicted This that did season all my sowre of life Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Diffention in my blood iarres in my bed Distrust at boord suspecting still my life Spending the night in horror daies in dread Such life hath Tyrants and this life I led These miseries go mask'd in glittering showes Which wise men see the vulgar little knowes Thus as these passions do him ouer-whelme He drawes him neere my body to behold it And as the Vine married vnto the Elme With strict imbraces so doth he infold it And as he in his carefull armes doth hold it Viewing the face that euen death commends On sencelesse lips millions of kisses spends Pittifull moutla saith he that liuing gauest The sweetest comfort that my soule could wish O be it lawfull now that dead thou hauest This sorrowing fare-well of a dying kisse And you faire eyes containers of my blisse Motiues of loue borne to be marched neuer Entomb'd in your sweet circles sleepe for euer Ah how me thinks I see Death dallying seekes To entertaine it selfe in Loues sweet place Decaied Roses of discoloured cheekes Do yet retaine deere notes of former grace And vglie Death sits faire within her face Sweet remnants resting of vermillion red That Death it selfe doubts whether she be dead Wonder of beautie oh receiue these plaints These obsequies the last that I shall make thee For loe my soule that now alreadie faints That lou'd thee liuing dead will not forsake thee Hastens her speedie course to ouer-take thee I le meete my death and free my selfe thereby For ah what can he doe that cannot die Yet ere I die thus much my soule doth vow Reuenge shall sweeten death with ease of minde And I will cause poste ritie shall know How faire thou were aboue all women kinde And after-ages monuments shall finde Shewing thy beauties title not thy name Rose of the world that fwoetned so the fame This said though more desirous yet to say For sorrow is vnwilling to giue ouer He doth represse what griefe would else bewray Least he too much his passions should disouer And yet respect scarce bridles such a Louer So faire transported that he know not whither For Loue and Maiestied dwell ill togither Then were my funerals not long deferred But done with all the rites pompe could deuise At Godstow where my bodie was interred And richly tomb'd in honourable wise Where yet as now scarce any note descries Vnto these times the memorie of mee Marble and Brasse so little lasting bee For those walls which the credulous deuour And apt-beleeuing ignorant did found With willing zeale that neuer call'd in doubt That time their works should euer so confound Lie like confused heapes as vnder-ground And what their ignorance esteem'd so holy The wiser ages do account as follie And were it not thy fauourable lynes Re-edified the wracke of my decayes And that thy accents willingly assignes Some farther date and giue me longer dayes Few in this age had knowne my beauties praise But thus renew'd my fame redeemes some time Till other ages shall neglect thy rime Then when confusion in her course shall bring Sad desolation on the times to come When mirth-lesse Thames shal haue no Swan to sing All Musique silent and the Muses dombe And yet euen then it must be knowne to some That once they flourisht though not cherisht so And Thames had Swannes as well as euer Po. But here an end I may no longer stay thee I must returne t' attend at Stigian flood Yet ere I go this one word more I pray thee Tell DELIA now her sigh may doe me good And will her note the frailtie of our blood And if I passe vnto those happie banks TheÌ„ she must haue her praise thy pen her thanks So vanquisht she and left me to returne To prosecute the tenor of my woes Eternall matter for my Muse to mourne But ah the world hath heard too much of those My youth such errors must no more disclose I le hide the rest and grieue for what hath beene Who made me known must make me liue vnseene FINIS William the Conquerour William Rufus Henry 1. King Stephen Henry 2. Rich. t. K. Iolm Henry 3. Edwa. 1 Edward 1 Edward 3 Edward the black prince who died before his father Rich 2. 1 Froisart Pol. Virg. Hall der huer it in this sort The Duke of Anibarle sonne to the Duke of Yorke This Percy was Earle of Woster and brother to the Earle of Northumberland The Bishop of Carlile Montague Earle of Salisbury Ienico d' Artois a Gascoyn The Bishop of Castile Lex Amnestiâ—s Arundell Bishop of Canterbury The Sir Thomas Bluns This knight was Sir Pierce of Exton Dioclesian the Emperor Omen Glenden Rich. 2. The son to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland The Prince of Wales Which was Sir Walter Blunt Another Blunt which was the kings Standard bearer Sir Hugh Shorly Hen. 5. Hen. 5. At Southhaton Richard Duke of Yorke The Duke of Somersit a great enemy to the Duke of Yorke had euer enuied his prefermeÌ„t This Rainer was Duke of Aniou only inioid the title of the K. of Sicilia Which were deliuered vp to her father vpon the match His frer Duke of Gloster Articles obiected against de la Poole Duke of Suffolke Iack Cade The Dukes of Britany and Burgundio The Loâ—â—… Lisie Virtue A Sea Horse