admittance Exeunt all but the King King Were Friendship half so diligent as Love's impationt Melynet had e're this crown'd my desires with some assurance of success or left me to the force of my Dispair for hopes and fears are the Gonvulsions of the mind Fantastick Fortune that madest me both at once a King and Captive fettering my heart when thou didst Crown my head By Acts like these 't is Love does make us know He in his Slaves does no distinction show When by a Sov'raigns right I Millions sway That makes me most a Womans Power obey I that my Neighb'ring Kingdoms keep in fear Can nothing bring to daunt this passion here Points to his heart It braves my Courage and my Honour too Oh Conquering Love what is 't thou canst not do Thou tumblest mighty Empires to the ground Nothing beyond thy Circulation's found Enter Melynet Mel. Welcome my dearest Friend beyond all wishes but Marcelia's Love I dare not ask thee yet I fain would know What I shall hear too soon or else too slow Mel. Sure Sir my Looks does not a Sentence wear To give your wishes reason to dispair My Face would ill interpret then the joy I have and bring you if it hopes destroy King Does my fair Mistris then my Love allow Tell me Melynet tell me quickly how I am impatient thou did'st never know What Passion was thy answer comes so slow Will she for me her lov'd Lotharicus quit Mel. Love is a Child she 'l rule it with her wit I find Sir nothing so powerful in her heart to give your Majesties hopes discouragement Something has lately hap'ned by which Lotharicus has lost some ground in her affection and that which makes me almost confident Sir of your success is she seems much more to doubt the truth I tell her of your Love then disapprove it and where that is strongly urg'd the Present never is unwelcome King 'T is true but their desires of taking in of heart proceeds not always from their Inclinations it is the general humor of that Sex to glory in the number of their Sacrifices yet hardly will allow in their whole lives to pay the interest of one Offering back Mel. Were they as cautious in their gifts of Love as you conclude them Sir their Sex had ne're bin tax'd of so much Levity King My fears are only now she will not change and if she does I then shall fear as much she 'll change again How can he happy be whose unkind Fate Gives in his grearest joy a doubting State Mel. Never give way Sir to thoughts so injurious to your quiet her Reason will soon shake off her Feverish Reliques of Affection to Lotharicus they will perhaps some little time make a weak opposition but the Antidote I have given her of your Majesties inclinations will infallibly expel that poyson King I 'l go and visit her presently Melynet that from my own experimented hopes as well as thine I may secure my heart Mel. Sir if I may without offense perswade your Maesty defer it till the solemnity of your Birth-day's past I then will bring her to the Court and there the particular honor that your Majesty may do her by a publick Address giving by that the Lawrel to her beauty from the other fair ones will infinitely conduce unto the conquest There is no surer way than baiting of their pride to catch their hearts King I will expect that seeming Age of time How I shall pass it none but those can tell That heav'n has seen and yet must stay in hell Exeunt The End of the Second Act. Act III. Scene I. Enter Lucidore Luc. I must go look my longing Lords and whet up their desires of seeing my Mistress with a day or two's expectation longer the sight will come too cheap else and lessen their obligations if I afford it at their first request Enter Valasco Almeric Peregrine Val. Oh my Lord you are well met we were coming to you for performance of your promise we could hold out no longer you have raised our hopes to such a height of expectation Alm. I' faith the fancy of her beauty does so hant our imaginations we cannot sleep nor eat quietly for conceiting of her what I dare swear shall never prove Luc. Well conceit her what you please you are not like to see her this two long days and so farewel Per. Nay we 'l go with thee and hant thy ghost till thou let'st us see the desired apparition Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Lotharicus at one door and Melinet at another Loth. I do not think but we were both of us upon one design going in pursuit of one another Mel. You have reason to believe my Lord I carry a passion in my heart sufficiently impatient till I know my doom which you ere this had found the effect of but that Marcelia has kept me some hours her Prisoner to make me promise to carry her to Court Loth. I then perceive I am discarded from that service and were you any but the person that you are I should grow jealous of you Mel. To divert you from that humor pray satisfie my wishes how do you find Arcasia's inclinations I durst not come my self and stand the Sentence Loth. I cannot give you hopes as you deserve her resolution seems at present to be fix'd still to be Mistress of her own freedom She says the service of no man living shall prevail to buy her out I hope time may change her humor Womens first resolutions seldome stand good in Law against their second thoughts This for your satisfaction you have no Rival that 's more fortunate Mel. If I must not possess her heart I 'le pleasure take at least to think no other does And hope while 't is to an Election free Fortune at last may kindly give it me Exeunt Scene 3. Enter Marcelia Marc. How shall I force my self to shew disdain Since still in spight of me he here will raign Love will not quit this place to rage or scorn Points to her heart But keeps his Int'rest as the Eldest born Reason and Honor whither are ye gone That I this Childish Passion find so strong Will you be slaves to Love resign the Field So many Odds and yet so poorly yield But 't is not much our weak Sex should submit Since Man's couragious Soul can't Master it Enter Page Page My Lord Lotharicus is come Madam Exit Page Marc. Well Enter Lotharicus at a distance He comes Grief now retire act here thy Tragick part Points to her heart But do not make my eyes betray my heart Loth. I 'm come Marcelia Goes to imbrace her Marc. Whither pray so fast Puts him back They often fall that make too much of hast Loth. Has my forc'd absence made you angry grow Marc. You do mistake your coming makes me so Loth. Ha! what 's this I hear I know it cannot be Thou art not chang'd thus to thy self nor me This coldness comes not
do it this seven years I am sure I have business for every particular day and if I appoint ten or twenty years hence and am call'd to take my place of Honor in the other world before then you 'l say I am not a man of my word a Knave a Cheat a Rascal or some such thing Therefore it shall be a Duel in the other world Grac. O brave my Lord that will do rarely But who shall be your Seconds Mor. Hold thy prating I 'le nominate my self who shall be both our Seconds He shall have Alexander the Great and the Maid of Orleance and I 'le have Sampson and William the Conquerour Grac. I my Lord do so stand to your hold for you may lend Sampson if you list one of your Jaw-bones and then he shall fight with Alexander the Great Luc. If you will fight or dare fight fight now for your Mistris we 'll find another quarrel to exercise your courage in th' other world Mor. I tell you I will not fight a stroak till the time appointed so I may have some cowardly dog-trick or other put upon me I 'le have all that ever liv'd from the Creation to that day stand by when I Duel to see that there is fair play And so no more of that I 'm in great hast and must leave your angry Honors Luc. Hold hold Mor. I 'le neither hold nor stay I am going to the Cutlers to bespeak weapons against the time appointed and d' ye hear be sure you meet me there Exeunt Scene 8. Enter Melyent reading a Letter Mel. Lotharicus dead thou hast bravely done And justly the reward of Death hast won Which thou shalt have but e're thou com'st at it Thou must another Tragedy commit My Fortune now is almost made secure There is but one blow more it can endure Euryalus thou must not live to be An interposing Cloud ' twixt that and me For e're my greatness shall be so withstood I 'le make my passage through a Sea of Blood My Soul is with too towring hopes possest To be by thoughts of Conscience now supprest Nor shall Euryalus prolong the date VVhich I have given for his dying Fate Exit Scene 9. Enter Euryalus in disguize and Desha Eur. Pray go tell your Lady here is a Gentleman has business of importance with her and desires to tell it her in private Desh I shall acquaint her Sir Exit Desha Eur. All things are in this Kingdome as plentiful and prosperous as if that none but Saints inhabited it But surely Sin 's infection is grown high VVhen Monarchs once their Souls with Murders Dye For they are Suns on which the Subjects gaze To gather rules for mannaging their ways How strictly then are they to Virtue ty'd VVho by Example are a Nations Guide Enter Marcelia puts her back Marc. Oh my dear Brother dear Euryalus how He Eur. Thou' rt grown unworthy of such kindnesh now It is not love has brought me back but hate Marc. Oh Heaven what have I done to make you say 't Eur. What have you not could base and barb'rous be Murder Lotharicus dishonour me Marc. I kill Lotharicus Heaven knows that I False as he is to save his life would die For worlds I would not live that grief to know Eur. What Devil helps thee to dissemble so Has that black Favorite of Hell's design Taught thee this virtue with the rest to joyn Was 't not enough you did his life betray To serve your pride made that be took away But with your curs'd malicious blasting breath Strive in his Fame to give him second death Or did your Soul such sharp reprovements give To your false heart that fear'd to let him live Could bubling Greatness thy ambition swell To such a height to send thee Post to Hell Marc. I have no guilt I hope can bring me there But in my Grave you 'l throw me by dispair For nothing's left to make me wish to stay If my Lotharicus be took away Where he in ashes is I 'd rather be Then here possess the whole worlds Monarchy Thy deadliest stroak thou now hast given Fate Marcelia's strength cannot support the weight In life I nothing now but horrors see Since earth is rob'd Lotharicus of thee All it possess'd of great and brave now lies Gluttonous Death thy malice Sacrifice Since thou his Noble life refus'd to spare No longer this unhappy one forbear I court thy cold imbraces to this breast For till my soul 's with his I ne're shall rest And sure it can't be long before it be Since grief and love both strive to set it free Eur. What 's this I see certain I 'm in a dream Falshood cannot pretend such high extream Marcelia what to judge I do not know Since for his death you so much passion show Marc. Judge what you will my Innocence you 'l prove By that which quickly will your doubts remove Eur. Then 't is that dev'lish Melynet has laid That plot which both his Love and Life betraid Treacherous Serpent Monster of Mankind How could thy Noble Blood such tincture find Or thy false Soul permit thee to divide Two hearts which thou did'st find so strongly ty'd For he did for thy change such trouble show As nothing but the highest flame could know His daily wishes were he might expire Because he had out-liv'd Marcelia's fire Points to her head Marc. Add add no more least reason quit this place And after that then this be left by Grace Her heart I am a Mortal and no more can show Of power in my passons overthrow Eur. To raise thy miseries I do not design But I would have thee th' top of Honor climb Refuse the King then do thy Honor right To shew that greatness dazles not thy sight For his consent was given to the fact And marrying him thou wilt his guilt contract Marc. I 'le sooner be to a dead body joyn'd Then ever in his guilty Arms confin'd No no Euryalus his Crown can't take That Love away his Virtues could not shake From one revenge I gave him my consent And from this second I 'le his hopes prevent Eur. Dear dear Marcelia my most Noble part Thou mak'st me jealous of thy generous heart Lotharicus will surely in his Grave Rejoyce to see thou art so true and brave For Melynet wh ' has rais'd him self so great By strangling Virtue in it's proper Seat I 'le trust this Arm to find me out the way The price of Murder in his heart to pay The King is by that awful name secute Subjects are bound what they do to endure Heav'n reserves it self the punishing them They are not here to give account to men Who strikes at them Divinity gives a blow Whos 's Vice-Roys Monarchs all are here below Exeunt The End of the Fourth Act. Act V. Scene I. Enter Moriphanus and Graculus Mor. A very likely matter indeed that she should refuse to marry me because I would not fight for her No no
find a cruel Judg I fear they must by heightning thy guilt help to abate their own I 'l go to the Court my self and hear his sentence and share his sufferings if my interest cannot take him off I 'l try my power first then show my resolution Eur. Thou mak'st a generous and brave Resolve we both will go together I 'l there discover my self and help to justifie my Friend and if there be occasion against his guilty adversary It will be time to go Marcelia Marc. My dear Lotharicus thou now shalt find When most distrest Marcelia is most kind Exeunt Scene 8. Enter King Melynet and all the Lords Guards and Attendants King talks to Melinet King I am sorry having ever had so great an esteem of Lotharicus he should give me cause to condemn him for his Rashness but Reason is destroy'd in the wisest men when passion does command Bring in Lotharicus Enter Lotharicus with a Guard at one door and Euryalus and Marcelia at another King What makes me happy in thy presence now Marcelia Marc. Though 't is not fit Sir Women hither come Yet I most humbly beg to hear his doom King Nothing 's unfit Marcelia does desire Or of her King or Servant can require Loth. There stands my torture greater than I can aside Receive from the command or power of man She comes to feast her pride onely to see How much my Passion still does fetter me Inhumane Woman lost to all that sense Which thy soft Sex to suff'rers do dispense King What was the cause Lotharicus that arm'd your malice against the life of Melynet Loth. My injurius Sir King In your opinion Were every man a fitting and allow'd of Judg in 's own cause we need not then have Ministers of Justice Loth. I question not the prudence of consider'd and allow'd of Laws Sir though now I sought not their assistance But Sir in my own defence I humbly do present your Majesty this Paper which renders me incapable their benefit and made me strive by my own hand to take what I can never expect to have by any other means King How have you forfeited your right in that kind more than your other fellow-subjects Loth. You 'l in that Paper find Sir The King reads and changes countenance grows into fury turns to Melynet King Traytor what hast thou done is this thy hand is it I know it is wherewith th' hast set the feal of my dishonor charge me with the consent of Murther and mountain up my promises their recompence Here Read it publickly my brow wears not a guilt so dark to keep it in obscurity although I ow that intended kindness to brave Lotharicus's Loyalty Peregrine reads Per. Du-Prette be sure and speedy in the death of Lotharicus the King is impatient till he hears it he will double thy rewards I promised King There 's enough Turns to Melynet How durst thou assume the injuring thy Soveraign so Though I Marcelia lov'd I never did design to buy her favors at the price of all my Honors By noble ways I bid thee seek to gain me her affection but not by guilt and treacherous baseness Villain The share thy veins has in her blood gives thee thy life but never after this day see thy incensed Monarch's face again But how came you by this Letter Lotharicus Loth. Sir one Philampras which was hir'd amongst others by Du-prette Melynet's man to assasin me understanding by Du-prette's Discourse that he had moneys in his Portmantue watch'd his opportunity to take it aways and finding this Letter there thought he should make more advantage by that from my Reward that his promis'd recompence for my Murther so left the money to prevent Duprette's sudden missing of his Paper and coming with my man to discover it found me as they then supposed kill'd but after on my Recovery deliver'd it into my hands King Oh! how seriously ought Princes first to weigh the lives and souls of men before they draw them to their bosoms for Favorites that are vitious are the Cankers of Kings Courts and eat in their Soveraigns bosoms Mel. Sir King Hold say no more thy breath 's infectious grown And on my Fame has Killing poyson thrown Guard take him away Mel. Vain joys of mortal Life you fly so fast Man hardly knows you are before y' are past Yet we on you do our affections lay As if we here eternally should stay Honor thou now dost give my soul a view Of what I left when first I banish'd you O Virtue how have I bin led astray From thy fair paths into this Lab'rinth way I thought my Fortune on a Rock did stand But Guilts foundation still proves foolish sand When man by Crimes does plots for greatness lay Heav'n justly frowns and takes his hopes away But though my Life bears characters of shame My Death shall leave behind a better Fame They that won't fall must not on danger stand We carry not our Fates in our own hand Exit King Though Love Lotharicus did make me be Thy Rival I was ne'er thy Enemy At lest to take thy life by ways obscure My soul such abject thoughts scorn to endure To witness it I this for thee will do Marcelia freely shall chuse me or you Loth. Marcelia Sir cannot disputethe choice Against my self your Goodness has my voice And she long since has learn'd to be so wise To leave Lotharicus for such a prize Pardon me Sir that I am sad that she Found not such motives for her love in me Mar. I never more desir'd than what in you I did enjoy when I believ'd you true But when by Melynet I was inform'd I and my love was for Arcasia scorn'd I then such Reason had to entertain So great a Monarch and so high a Flame That all I for his Passion since did do Can no condemning censure find for you Honor and Virtue still have bin my guid My Life has strictly to their Rules bin ty'd Loth. Since Melynet made me so false appear You need not more your actions for to clear But still as they justly more splendid grow My heart does more despairing sorrow know King Which of us two Madam shall happy be Mar. Heav'n leaves me not to an Election free Both so deserve Sir that If I should chuse I 'd be unjust to him I did refuse Oh Gods what punishment do you design Marcelia that neither must be mine Love will not let me my Lotharicus leave Nor Honor won't permit I him receive The King whispers to Peregrine Exit Pereg. King To shew that I will still be here within points to his brest What I am by my birth my passions King My Empire there by Reasons power maintain As well as to my Crown new Crowns to gain I out of Honor will this Justice do Against my Love Marcelia give to you Thou art already of her Heart possest And with her Person now I 'l make thee blest Loth. Sir King No more oppose thy bliss with gen'rous strife May you be happy in each others life My heart to my Calinda I 'l restore Whose due it was by faith and love before Marcelia and Lotharicus kneel Loth. May Fortune showr such Blessings on your head That over all the World your power be spread That every Monarch that enjoys a Throne May that possession from your bounty own Eur. Now take the Blessing which I Sir do give When you are call'd from hence to Heav'n to live And may my Friend prove joys so high refin'd he embraces Loth. To equal the vast compass of his mind Enter Calinda and Peregrine Cal. Sir I am come my Duty to express King To me Calinda can own nothing less In publick I my heart away did take And I 'l in publick Restitution make Cal. Your Will can strangely of your Heart dispose My Will as yet o'r mine no Empire knows King Yet it may yours perswade and command mine King You should not then Marceliaes Love decline King Madam you have all Reason to express As much as you can say in scorns excess But Heav'n the greatest faults that are forgive 'T is noble when we may kill to let live Cal. Had you bin still Sir to that Maxim true I had not then bin scorn'd nor left by you When you the life did take of all my joy You show'd not the left pity to destroy But you would have I find a Womans breast With more Compassion and more Love possest King I 'd have thy Heart again thy Love renew Since mine does burn with a fresh Flame to you Calinda with my Life I would redeem What I have done to call back thy esteem Cal. Your Majesty can strangely overcome Scarce wish a Victory before 't is won That price my Heart will never let you pay Love's Gen'ral there and yields you up the day King And if I e'er again that gift abuse May Heav'n all prayers that I make refuse I much admir'd thy Excellence heretofore But now Idolater shall turn and thee adore I did not think this would have bin the close Man may design but Heav'n will still dispose Exeunt Omnes EPILOGUE NOw I am sure all look that I should say Something like asking pardon for the Play With low submission and I can't tell what Excuse her Writing Language and her Plot As crafty Poets Guilty cry their Wit To make you less severe in lashing it But faith she scorns such undermining ways Of blowing up your pity into praise Nor will she do her spirit so much wrong To beg what does not to her brow belong She says they 're fools force Fate before they be Resolv'd to meet with any Destiny But this revenge she 's sure to have on those They 'l Cowards be esteem'd that give her blows Which strangely takes her knowing that ye must Be to your Honor or your Wit unjust Mark how maliciously her snares sh 'as laid Praise or Condemn you 're equally betray'd FINIS
Dearest from thy heart It is some pretty trick of Love and Art Yet sure you do not so my passion doubt You need to take these ways to find it out Marcelia turns aside Marc. I scorn much Art but I could rage express To see he 'd fool me with a new Address Turns to him Indeed I do not and I must confess With the same truth my own is grown much less Loth. I am surpriz'd Can you unblushing say You have your Faith and Honor thrown away Come come no more you 'l make my fears too strong Marc. I care not what they are so you 'd be gone Loth. What is 't you mean Marcelia what to do Marc. No more nor less but tell you what is true I 'm chang'd Is that so great a wonder grown There are examples from both Sexes known I wish you 'd leave me now I fain would be From Conversation as from Passion free This is no Complement I must confess But without study 't is my humors dress Loth. Are you Marcelia that I did adore I may be gone grief lets me say no more Exit Marc. He 's gone and does a seeming passion show sighs Such as none hardly from a true can know It is no wonder Women ruin'd be If all can counterfeit as well as he Sits down Enter Melynet Mel. What new misfortune does your Soul oppress Marc. Lotharicus has bin here you now may guess Mel. For him still sad Fie fie you are too blame To let your Love so much your courage shame Marc. When Love and Reason has a War begun Grief can't be hid until the Vict'ries won Mel. If he were here I 'm sure he was so wise With his first flame his fecond to disguize I know he with great oaths confirm'd his Passion He did not else dissemble well in fashion Marc. He did as much as Love could make those do That found their Mistris false when they were true Mel. That sight I hope straight mov'd you to belief Marc. It did not that but it encreas'd my grief No I have done what I but ill could do I scorn'd him much to keep my word with you I hope that time will make it natural grow Till then my heart will never quiet know Mel. No more no more of these sad thoughts I am come to beg a favor of you it is to go to Court with me to night and see the Mask it will divert you much Marc. Such sights to sickned joys sorrows augment A Grave can only now give me content Mel. I must not nor I will not be deny'd Marc. I 'm by my promise to your counsels ty'd Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Moriphanus Graculus and Footmen Mor. There 's to be some doings to day at Court 't is the King Birth-day Graculus thee and I 'le go see 't Grac. I wish we could my Lord but they 'l not let us in Mor. Not let us in that 's a good one not let us in Walks up and down and looks upon himself pulls out a great deal of money Not let us in what think'st thou Graculus will not good store of these tempt Besides I am as gallant as the proudest of them and as impudent as the best And I 'le tell thee Graculus they shall not keep us out I 'le fill my Hat of these and cry Make room Courtiers Grac. That I confess my Lord will be an excellent Orator for us it is the most taking Language to speak in to all persons 't is strangely intelligible But my Lord let you and I do a frolick for once You are infinitely brave and I am in my worst Cloaths and for sport's sake let us see which shall get in firft Let me carry the full Exchequer in my pocket and do you carry an Eloquent Oration which shall be pick'd out for your purpose from some of Cicero's works Mor. Tell not me of works as long as I carry a Key shall do the work for us both Exeunt Scene 5. Enter Lotharicus Loth. How weak is man to place so much of his contentment in a Woman whose change depends on their unconstant humors not their Reason Those joys must needs be still uncertain of which they are Foundations Ha! now I think of it Melynet told me she â—â—d ingag'd him to carry her to Court Sure she does â—â—sign some Conquest there perhaps Ambition has supplanted Love Oh Jealousie thou Torturer of the heart I find thou now begin'st to seize my Soul I 'le be there too By strict observance I 'le her thoughts discover See if I 'm scorn'd in hopes of some new Lover Exit Scene 6. Enter several Lords and Ladies and take their Seats Presently after the King Lucidore Perigrine Almeric and other Attendants The King looks round and bows to all the Ladies King Look to your hearts my Lords to night Love is resolv'd I find to set them all to work He has sent so many Beauties hither I fear I shall go off my self a Prisoner Per. If you become ingag'd Sir 't is all our duties to attend your Majesty Luc. I am gone already Alm. How Lucidore what 's become of your Mistris Luc. Faith ev'n crouded up in a corner of my heart out of civility to make these Ladies room King Which is the Beauty that has charm'd thee Lucidore Luc. Your Majesty would laugh if I should tell you how that devillish little blind God has serv'd me King Prethee let me hear then Luc. Faith Sir that the Ladies might not fall out about the Conquest he has made me in Love with all with every one he has compounded their several Beauties and given it me at once in a Pill King So many Ladies taken in Love-powder at once I confess is a good large proportion Luc. All my hopes is they 'l prove like Leaden Bullets one make another pass King Well well Lucidore Cupid will find his time to make you love in earnest grow tame and melancholly Val. Sir he has a Mistris for all he talks thus madly and has ingag'd that we shall see her King He 's mad indeed then Luc. Does your Majesty think that Love will bring me into my wits King I think it can hardly put thee farther out Luc. Well if he turns once a mender of Head-pieces by my consent he shall be imploy'd first among Statesmen that sit at the Stern in Government of Nations As for my particular I 'le dispence with my own cure till he has done his work in that kind for the general good ought to be prefer'd before private interest Alm. He has found him an imployment will hold him tack till the day of Judgment without having any thing to do with private brains The King talks to Almeric Moriphanus knocks to get in Valasco looks out sees him and turns to Lucidore Val. O' my Conscience here is the supposed Lord at the door we have heard so much talk of by his incomparable dress Luc. Prethee let him in he 'll make us very merry It
will be more divertisement to the King and Ladies then the Masque Val. But he has brought a whole Regiment of Footmen with him Luc. Keep them out but let him in prethee Enter Moriphanus and Graculus Lucidore goes to the King Luc. And please your Majesty here 's a suppos'd Lord will make you laugh He takes himself I believe for an Ambassador he comes from Yellow-land a Country adjacent to Green-land I am confident by his dress King I confess if his in-side be like his King smiles out he will not be wanting to us for sport I think you must attaque him Lucidore Moriphanus looks much upon himself and walks up towards Lucidore Luc. I see he 'll begin with me first and please your Majesty Mor. I hear there is to be dancing here to night so I was resolv'd to come and make one with the rest of my fellow Noble-men Luc. You wrong your self my Lord if you think here 's any one fit to be your fellow you are not to be match'd in ne're a Court in Christendome Mor. No Sir I came not with that intention my heart is dispos'd of and therefore you 'l loose your labour loose your labour in troth to speak in the behalf of any of these Ladies if they were in love to death with me for all that I can do for them after I have said Dye they must and dead they were is God have mercy of their Souls Luc. 'T is a hard case for you all Ladies you hear the doleful answer before you ask the question To Graculus Pray what 's your inexorable Lords name Grac. He 's of an antient Family I assure you Sir he 's ally'd to above three parts of the world his name Mor-if-an-ass which is by interpretation turning it backward If an Ass there 's more Luc. I am inform'd of your Pedigree my Lord by your man I am acquainted with abundance of your house I thank ' em they have made me very merry Mor. I believe your Lordship they 'l let none be sad of their acquaintance every one that comes into their companies or mine we look upon as one of us Enter Melynet and Marcelia at one door and Lotharicus at another privately The King looks earnestly on Marcelia King Melynet you are a happy man and will be no less envy'd whose interest could bring so great a wonder to the Court to night so daz'ling a Sun at mid-night Mel. She will be much more envy'd Sir and if she shine fo in your Sphear King Bring here that conquering Beauty Marc. I know the distance of a Subject Sir too well proudly to take what I have so little Title to by Birth or Nature King By one 't is lefs then you deserve and you already have gain'd that interest here Points to his heart you easily may make the other undisputed too Marc. Victories so much above belief excuse those that your Majesty gives them to for your divertisement from a Reply King But you have no cause Madam to plead that reason for your silence you know your power too well but you decline to own it from other Motives which in your answer possibly would speak you cruel Marc. I know none Sir shall ever keep me from the due sense of what your Majesty is and what I am and if I both remember well I hope my actions never shall offend my duty King But if time Marcelia gives me no more of happiness then that I shall be at as great a loss as now Love does require to be answer'd with something of the same Species of its own Marc. Who wants the one Sir in that measure as their condition and their obligations ought to have it never pays the other well The King talks to her softly she smiles and seems satisfied with what he says King Come fair Marcelia I wish it may prove worthy the honor of thy view The King leads her off all the rest of the Lords and Ladies follow Moriphanus catches one of the Ladies and says Mor. By your leave my Lady I am resolv'd to lay hold of you for my share She laughs He leads her out under the arm Lotharicus stays behind and grows into a rage at the Kings Courting Marcelia Loth. Hell and its Furies Oh I must be gone My Rage will for my Reason prove too strong Woman what art thou but mans tempting shame That did'st at first his soul with weakness stain And still that power keep and still betray Oh that some Plague had took you all away False Sex that neither truth nor love does know But what ambitious pride can overthrow Thou Storm of Jealousie thy sury lay Or else my duty will be cast away Oh Love how you those raging Billows rowl Which whirl-winds of dispair raise in my soul Hold hold Revenge if thou the Vict'ry gain I shall my Honor with some Murther stain It is my King that does my Rival grow That Name is Sacred Reason keep it so Cruel Marcelia since thou false would'st prove Why did you place so high your change in Love Had any other rob'd me of my rest My Sword should search my quiet in his brest Hence hence false woman thou' rt unworthy grown Still in this injur'd heart to keep thy Throne In vain Lotharicus thou hop'st relief Till death does give it by the force of grief Exit Scene 7. Enter Masquers c. The Masque ended King You are sad Marcelia you take no pleasure in these divertisements Marc. I must confess Sir my humor was ever dull unfit for mirth King If you continue it I shall become so too by Sympathy Exeunt Omnes The King leading out Marcelia Scene 8. Enter Lotharicus Loth. My heart affords my soul no rest But I will leave the Kingdom go and try Whether my Love will with her absence dye That is a cure in Infant Passions known But thine Lotharicus too strong is grown She in thy Soul her Empire will possess Not all thy Power can make her Power less Enter Melynet Mel. My Lord I 'm come as much oppress'd with trouble from my Friendship as I am sure you must be from your Love to see your self so wrong'd by an unconstant Woman Loth. Her injuries to me will prove advantages to you therefore you have no reason to share my grief no more then I can take contentment in those joys her change may bring you in the increasing favors of the King Mel. My Soul is not so mean to wish to build my rising Honor on my Friends misfortunes No Lotharicus whatsoe're you think my heart is generous enough to be content that they should ebb to nothing if that could bring Marcelia back to what she ought to be and make you happy Loth. No more dear Melynet you are too brave and I too base to doubt thee But I have receiv'd such wrongs from Love as something may excuse my questioning of Friendship Mel. It may and justly does you 're wrong'd indeed we both are injur'd for she
Potions to expel the gross humors of our inclinations not one Cordial allow'd of live or die sink or swim not one satisfaction to be had till the Voyage is ended I am not old enough yet to think of Fasting and Prayer when I have some years over my head I shall begin to do as other Grave ones have done before me leave those Vices that will no longer keep me company and think of Heaven out of necessity Per. Nay I dare swear thou wilt not endeavour to go thither till thou art a Criple both by diseases and time if Death will let thee live so long Luc. I believe thou would'st be as glad as I that thy life was Copy-hold-Land that as one were out thou mightest renew another I hate such Fools us cannot be content With pleasures which that World to this hath lent Exeunt Omnes The End of the third Act. Act IV. Scene I. The Scene chang'd to Lyons Enter Lotharicus passing one way and Euryalus another Eury. Ha! my dearest Friend Lotharicus what unexpected accident of Fortune has given me this happiness at Lyons Loth. Her most malicious one to me Eury. How Does our meeting after so long an absence prove so unwelcome Time has a changing power over all things then I see Loth. Do not injure so much that friendship I have preserv'd so faithfully and will continue to my Grave that little time my griefs will let me live Eury. I fear Marcelia's dead and dare not ask The sadness of thy look confirms it to me Loth. She is indeed and I that Death no longer can out-live Eury. Poor Sister Poor Marcelia Loth. You need not grieve my Lord she 's only dead to me Eury. Can you believe I can be so insensible of loosing in a Sister what you so much lament the loss of in a Mistris If she had perfections that rendred her worthy of your sorrow they have as just a claim to mine Loth. Oh dear Euryalus it is not the death she ows to Nature makes me sad it is her death to me and all the Vows she made me Eury. How do you tell me she 's unworthy grown so lost to Virtue Lotharicus do not strain friendship up so high by charging of my Blood with Crimes Loth. I give them not that name but I with joy would empty all my veins and let life out so that my knowledge gave my words the Lye Eury. Grown false without a Cause Loth. I say not so I will not make her Accusation more guilty then it is Eury. I understand not this mysterious Language if you have basely given her reason for to change condemn not the effect of your own Act but draw and justifie your injuring me in her Loth. She has a cause from her Ambition but my Love was never yet so Criminal to give her any You are like to have the King your Brother that will render you I suppose contented though it make your friend still miserable Eury. How the King Loth. Yes I give not this account for fear of fighting you know I dare and can defend my life though now death would become so welcome I should unwillingly resist it Eury. Ne're think a Crown can come in competition with my friendship I love my Sov'reign as a Loyal Subject will give my Life and Fortunes to preserve his Rights and him This is my duties Obligation But I had rather give Marcelia to thy Arms then see her plac'd upon his Throne nor shall she sit there and triumph over thy injur'd joys Loth. I cannot wish my generous friend that you should make your sense of my unhappiness an injury to your Fortunes Eury. I 'le sink 'em all but I 'le restore thee to thy lost contentment I 'le teach her ignorant Soul that Acts of Honor is the Noblest greatness I had rather have her live in Fame for Virtue when she 's dead then in a Title Loth. Pray force not her inclinations I had rather still be miserable then make her so from your Power Gifts of constraint though in themselves the highest blessing are burthensome Her person without her heart can be no happiness and both I know you cannot give me the possession of Eury. No more my friend How long do you intend to stay in these parts Loth. But till to morrow My thoughts are restless and I follow them Eury. How far do you intend to travel Loth. Till I arrive at my wish'd journeys end Eury. What place is that Loth. 'T is Death 't is Death my Friend till then I 'le rove about the World and give my self no constant habitation Exeunt The Scene changes Scene 2. Enter Marcelia and Desha Marc. My Brother is come to Lyons I hear I will go write him word how false Lotharicus is proved Go send the Page where I bid you Desha Yes Madam Exit Desha Marc. What strange effects of Fortune do I prove How variously she in my life doth move A Prince so brave and in his Power so great Forc'd to beg favors humbly at my feet She never for thy glory more could do Then she in that Marcelia did for you Pride could not raise nor swell my hopes more high Then she has given me Power to satisfie Nor can she bring my heart to more distress Then she has done in all my happiness Then bribes me with a Crown to be content And makes Ambition prove Loves Monument But love if true did never Power know That greater then it self could ever grow But that of Heaven when it within the Soul Does monstrous prove and Virtue would controul No no I still must love whilst I have breath Nothing can give my passion date but death But that Lotharicus mayn't pleasure take To think that his doth sleep and mine doth wake I 'le force my courage give me to thee King Though I shall be a heartless offering And on a Throne in secret mourn that Fare Destroy'd his Love and rais'd me to such State As Princes ought I then will act my part Not make my face prospective to my heart Nor give the Kings contentment cause to doubt When his confin'd my Love does wander out My griefs and passions all shall inward burn The brave their bodies makes their troubles Urn. Exit Scene changes to a Garden Scene 3. Enter Perilla and Arcasia Arcas This fine Evening methinks should fill the Garden full of company Enter Moriphanus Graculus and Boys Ha! what have we here A Knight of the Sun upon my life Per. You are mistaken he goes for an Outlandish Lord. Arc. Prethee what 's his name Per. Moriphanus Arc. Oh I know him now at least in Character he seeks to be your Servant Per. You are much deceiv'd it is to be my Master The first time of his Visit he speaks all Matrimony and left the discourse of Love for the second Interview Marriage is the Captain I will assure you of his discourse and Love the Lievtenant Arc. Nay 't is well if affection has any
than a Phoenix and thou talk'st of them As if they were as common as Fishes And did like them increase and multiply Mel. Well your Servant Exit Melynet Val. I wonder whether the King still intends the Marriage of Calinda there are many Wagers in the town about it Alm. O! Monarchs and Subjects are two different things And a sudden rise to eminent Honour or Fortune Commonly proves like the Turks Mutes to an old Affection strangle in quite and 't is whisper'd By the most knowing that the Kings Love has at present the cold fit of an aguish distemper on it to that Lady But well are you for my company this afternoon or not For I am design'd to go home I am promis'd the sight of A fellow that will needs be thought a Lord They say he 'l make a man dy with laughing Val. Then I 'm resolv'd not to see him to day For I have a great mind to live ill to morrow And for this afternoon I 'll throw it away Amongst the Ladies Exeunt Scene 2. Enter Calinda and Ericina Eric Let not your grief take yet such full possession Of your heart till more of time gives the assurance Of what is onely now your passions fear Cal. Alas Ericina it is that uncertainty Which makes Loves greatest Hell were I but once Assur'd I should be less concern'd But whilst I doubt I nothing can resolve Reason and scorn which then would prove my cure I am now by that unhappy motive that you urge To lessen my affections forbid their use For 't is not his new acquired greatness Can keep my heart in slavery It was His Noble Mind I lov'd And that the greatest Ebb of Fortune could ne'er have given change to Indeed I did adore his virtues and made Him Soveraign of my heart despising in My thoughts for him all those that onely could Pretend advantages in Wealth which possibly They did inherit by their Fathers crimes But if I find he is turn'd Apostate To what gave being to my Passion I shall depose him here to let him see Points to her heart His Honour lost his Crowns despis'd by me Eric If the assurance of his unconstancie Will prove so much less afflicting than the fear Force your belief to that Conclusion His actions afford enough of cause Cal. Ah! Ericina thou then dost think him chang'd Eric It ill would suit the Friendship I profess Still by dissembling my thoughts to his advantage To help to shipwrack so your quiet Urging the Uncertainty of what I must confess I do no longer doubt Cal. Nor I no longer that I 'm quite undone Aside Eric And I will tell you Cal. Oh hold Ericina Keep to thy self those thoughts which if set free With furious floods of grief would deluge me Eric Can you believe your ruine I design Whose life is dearer to me far than mine No Calinda what I have done was only but to try Whether the Cure your Reason did propose Your Courage could endure the application of Cal. How could your pity let you make experiments On my Misfortune to improve your knowledg Or what of satisfaction do you find From the assurance that my tongue had boasted Without consulting of my heart the resolution Of that indifferencie and change if he Prove false my soul can never find for him You us'd to take so great an interest in My sufferings as made their weight seem less But you unkindly now do seek to multiply my griess and they already overpress my Mind Eric My love can easily forgive the highest Injuries with which you charge my innocence For I perceive the disquiet of your thoughts dethrones Your Reason But 't is hard to be Physician Where the Disease admits such alteration As makes the Remedie uncertain Enter Page Page Madam my Lord Valasco with some Ladies Are come to wait upon you Cal. Go let them know I 'll attend them How ill does Conversation suit my mind Who can in nothing now contentment find Exeunt Scene 3. Enter Almeric and Peregrine Per. This Kingdom has known strange and wonderful Changes since my absence for who wo'd e'er ha' thought Sigismond should have come to be our Soveraign Heaven having given so many just Pretenders To th' Grown before his Right could put in claim Alm. 'T is true Peregrine but Fortunes children Are always heirs to what she pleases And all his actions both in Peace and War Have still been crown'd with such success and glory As made him justly thought one of her Darling sons And though there are many whose wants in worth And height of Envy made them strive to clip His Honours wings yet I must needs confess I think he merits what he wears Per. I doubt not your Opinion but with what A kind of temper did he at first demean Himself in his new Soveraignty Alm. With such a Moderation as shew'd he thought The weighty troubles that do attend the Crown Of a well governing Prince would far exceed The pleasure of an expected Power and Greatness Per. Yet we see those cares which Crowns create Are burthens which all the great ones of the world Do strive to carry to which when right of birth Is wanting they make usurping Power and Treasons guilt become their unresisted title And certainly what is so often purchased By th' death of Millions and the height of Crimes When lawfully acquir'd may well excuse A more than common joy exprest in such An elevated Fortune Alm. No doubt it does and 't was the general expectation and our surprize the greater finding his looks And actions shew such an unmov'd indifferencie Per. That might beget amazement for sudden satisfaction or high cares seldom or never keep within those bounds Reason or policie prescribes them But he resolv'd to shew by something far from common in Mankind Fortune was Just not blind in giving him a Sceptre But who amongst all the Court is likely to carry The name of Favorite Alm. He that possesses the greatest share is Melynet Nephew to the late Lord Euryalus that was the fair Marcelia's Father His growth in greatness was like a Mushrom so suddain which has begot much wonder in the Court Enter Lucidore Oh Lucidore Luc. Nay hold no quarreling I have been suffering Sufficiently for my breach of promise Alm. Why pr'ythee what Disaster that the knowledg may make some satisfaction For I dare swear it is some Comical accident Luc. If to lose a Mans Reason first and then all his Money be matter of Mirth it is so for that 's the true character of my condition Alm. As how Luc. Why just as I left you the other night I met with our new Favourite and straight my brain was seiz'd with a piece of policy to try if I could drink away his Understanding and keep so much of my own to play the Justice of Peace with him and sift out the Reason of his so much admir'd greatness with the King but I like other Statesmen fail'd in my
Design and made my self as uncapable of Questions as he was of Answers But that which makes me the most mad and will make thee the most merry was that I must needs be shaking of my Elbow and pay the first Tribute to his fortune and succes in Gaming Alm. Why you could do no less in complement than since you would learn him to play to teach him at your own costs and charges But now confess what did you lose Luc. Enough t' have purchas'd half his patrimony When he came to Court a thousand pound And something more Per. He plays deep for a new Gamester but he thinks With reason his Fortune 's like to have no bottom Alm. I pity thy condition for I know thy losses Would have made thee merry a month together In ways much more agreable to thy humor Luc. It would so but 't is gone and the Devil go with it The wish is no Treason I hope for he was never yet to my knowledg prohibited a Favorites company Per. If he were they would divide the soul of their usual preferment from the bodily Alm. I for give him his due he 's a sociable Fellow and infinitely esteem'd by all persons of all conditions the Clergy Statesman the Lawyer the Citizen poor and rich all strive for his Friendship his Counsel his Assistance there is such pulling and halling who shall have him that 't is well he can be here and there and every-where Luc. That 's no part of my Faith for he has often fail'd me in business of no small concernment to his service and my satisfaction and yet I am certain he has not had a more faithful Friend in all the world than I have been take one time with another Alm. That I 'l witness for thee is a truth and therefore He can't be excus'd of ingratitude if he Gives thee any reason of complaint Luc. I know not the Design but I am confident He will send me to heaven whether I will or no. Alm. If he does thou wilt be the first Saint That ever came there of the Devils making Luc. If I am as sure as thou livest he does intend that wonder well farewell Alm. Nay we 'l all go together Exeunt Scene 4. Enter Sigismund and Melynet and a Guard at distance Attendants Mel. Sir I perceive something does discompose The quiet of your mind and would it not Appear too bold presumption in a Subject I would most humbly beg the cause Sig. Melynet your judgment makes a true interpretation and 't is only from thy Love and Interest that I can hope a change Mel. Your Majesties high bounty that rais'd me from that nothing which I was in fortune to what I am by the so envy'd glory of your favour besides the duty which I ow you as my Soveraign doubly commands my life to be a ready Sacrifice on all occasions where that offering can purchase you the least of satisfaction Sig. Thou art my Friend what name commands a greater Distance I 'l forget but what I now shall try thy kindness in Requires more thy wit and judgment use Than dangers hazard You have a Kinswoman Melinet whom I have found too fair and fear That I shall find as cruel it is Marcelia I wear Her chains yet not without attempting to have Broke them but I perceive resistance is in vain The more I strive the faster I am ty'd Nothing but Death her Fetters can divide But why standst thou so surpriz'd as if thou didst Rival me in my passion Mel. I wish I did Sir so that there were no other But what concern I shew comes from my fear'd defect Of power not will to serve your Majesties Commands Sig. I do believe thee and I know The interposing Difficulty that stands Between me and my hopes a pre-engagement Of her heart to brave Lotharicus but may not A King and Crown laid prostrate at her feet Tempt her Ambition to command her love Has she put off so much her Sexes frailty That such a Present cannot shake her constancie Mel. She has often in my hearing given him that Assurance Sir and though words are but airy Sounds till the temptation proves their substance Yet I have so much knowledge of her humor As makes me fear they shall not want that seal But all that my power can act in her perswasion Sir To move her to a sense of that high glory I will give your Majesty the assurance of in some few days Sig. Go my dear Melinet and sound her thoughts For thou wilt in her answer to me bring The happiness or ruine of thy King Exit Melinet Oh mighty Love whose power is not limited More in a Prince than Slave how dost thou force My heart to turn a Rebel to my virtue Making my passion master of my honor My Reason of no farther use than no condemn the crime I act in giving to another that heart Which I so often vow'd to my Calinda Thus in my soul I find a civil war But Love o'er Virtue has the vict'ry far For whosoe'er does see Marceliaes eyes Must break their faith and fall her sacrifice Exit Scene 5. Enter Moriphanus and Graculus Mor. Sirrah I would fain know why you should pay me less respect than Beggars do they can say My Lord and your Lordship Gra. Because I know you better to be no Gentleman aside But if I must say an' please your Lordship what shall I say to make your Lordships honorable title pass for currant if it should be questioned Mor. What shouldst thou say say I am an outlandish Lord. Well a man of ambitious thoughts had better be hang'd than keep a fellow that cannot make a lie Grac. Good my Lord pardon me I shall have one presently but my Lord you have not the mien nor breeding of a Lord I think I had best say you are a sprout of one of â—hose English Lords of Nol's new creation in the old Rebelâ—ion Mor. I' faith Graculus 't will do rarely well Grac. But my Lord since you are resolv'd upon so much â—reatness you must needs enlarge your retinue Mor. So I will Graculus and I will keep them all in several Liveries Grac. They will be taken for other mens Servants then Mor. No no thou art a fool they will be all known 〈◊〉 be my men and only wearing the several Liveries of those several Families that have match'd into my house Grac. What a most excellent fancy was this some of the chief Liveries I hope Master I cry your Lordship mercy shall be black and green orange tawny and red and black and deep blew Mor. Excellent well thou hast a rare conceit in the choise of colors but pr'ythee let my own suit be trim'd with the black and deep blew Grac. 'T is ten to one but your cowardly carkas may be trim'd with black and blew before you leave the town asi Mor. I have one thing more to tell thee of I 'l leave the taking of my
hopes Loth. You are too eminently deserving for to need such an impostor help but Melinet be confident I will speak the truth with all the earnestness a Friend can urge to promise more were to exceed my power Mel. If you could perswade her to the Gardens you would have greater opportunity and more of time Loth. I will and use all my interest Mel. Pray be secret in it Loth. You need not fear she has too many Pretenders that would becom concern'd Mel. I fear you not to any but Marcelia Loth. Well be confident she shall not know it Mel. Give me your hand and honor upon it Loth. There 't is an Oath I never broke yet and so farewell for I must go and see her your servant Mel. I would go too but I saw her but last night and she likes not my company she will needs have it that I am melancholy grown Exeunt Scene 3. Enter Graculus and a company of Beggar-boys Grac. Come Boys let me see you make your legs whilst I have it in my head how it may be done for I have bin at the Dancing-schole a purpose to learn my self that I might correct you upon knowledg Come my brave Boys the most mannerly shall have the best Livery The Boys put off their hats and make several ridiculous Congies Excellent well done I do not think ther 's a parcel of better bred Boys in Town considering their Qualities Let me see you run Boys They run Oh bravely done they are so nimble of heel they 'l quickly run out of a Foot-body into a Gentleman of the Chamber Boy Would you would let us go Sir to the Dancing-School that we might see the fashion of it I warrant you we would observe and have some of it away with us Grac. These Rogues would watch their time and be stealing take heed of that Boys at the end of that hangs a Halter Never go beyond the Rules of Cheating by that you will secure your Necks and it will put a value on your Wit it is a general quality and much approv'd He that has never made use of it has never bin truly in the Fashion Your Gentile Cheats they go to Gaming-houses your Complementing Cheats frequent Ladies Lodgings your Flattering Cheats follow Courts your Learned Cheats the Barr your Seditious Cheats the Pulpit And such Cheats as you and I may be and I thank Mercury I am Noble-mens-services or the places about Fools Prodigals or allow'd of Mad-men which is the same But you must be secret Boys keep your tongues idle and set your wits to work and in a short time we will be our Masters Equals in Fortune keep men our selves and be company for the best Enter Valasco and Perigrine Val. What 's that Fellow going to do with those Boys Per. I warrant he is some Parish Officer and is having them to some House of Correction Val. I 'le ask him Prethee Friend what dost thou intend to do with those Boys Grac. Perform one of the works of mercy on them cloath the naked put 'em into Liveries and let 'em out like Hackney-Coaches It will be no small conveniency to younger Brothers when they go a woing to make themselves Fortunes among some of the She slender-wits with full Purses who are so taken with a Feather Pages and Footmen that they had rather marry a man well attended without either brain or money then any one of more substance and less shew I hope you are no Courtiers Gentlemen Val. Why prethee Grac. For fear you should beg a Fine for my having the benefit of my brain for my Fortune or get my design prohibited but if you do ther 's thousands will curse you who according to their occasions would be glad I most heartily to know where to encrease or lessen their Retinue as their Purses would permit 'em which is most commonly a young huffing Gallants very uncertain friend Val. Do you hear this jearing Rascal Per. It was ever so your ordinary Fellows have no Breeding they 'l throw out their jests at any time let it light where it will though their Crowns be crack'd for it and though they be blunt Fellows their words many times have sharp edges Val. Well farewell Friend if we are no Courtiers one of us has bin a Souldier and they ought by their Profession to be as good at begging Grac. That 's true but they are not so successful they commonly act like themselves bluntly without consideration and are usually denied without much ceremony therefore if one of you is still a Souldier you might be heartily glad if the King could unanimate you and set you up in his Armory that when he had no Wars you might have no wants Per. Well God a-mercy Tell-troth Grac. Come Boys I 'le go case you first Exit per with Valasco Then have you to my Lord in Whimsey Scene 4. Enter Melynet and presently after a Page Page Sir here is a Letter my Lord Lotharicus sent when you were abroad Exeunt Breaks it open and reads Mel. My Lord I have perswaded your Fair Mistris to the Gardens this night where if you think fit you may take the opportunity of discovering your Passion if not I will according to my promise be your faithful Advocate and hope to place you in that esteem in her thoughts as may give you what is but Justice the Precedency of all the rest of your Rivals which is a service passionately courted by Your faithful servant Lotharicus And must be treacherously rewarded Base Fortune that offers me no other ways to come to Greatness but by the paths of Infamy But hold Honor forbear thy whispers in my Soul I 'm too far gone thou sound'st retreat too late And now for Virtues pay no more will wait I 'le not rewards in th' other world expect And present benefits for hope neglect It is Ambition's Dictates I pursue And following them I cannot stay with you Then toss my Soul no more in Tempests so Nor make my Conscience thus my Fortunes Foe Go and in Princes minds take up thy Seat I 'le not forget thee quite when once I 'm great Marcelia I am coming to throw such rage and jealousie into thy heart as shall like Lightning consume thy love for thy Lotharicus I 'le raise a Tempest that shall destroy him and give no warning by a Thunder-clap Exit Scene 5. Enter Marcelia and Desha Marc. Methinks this day has time much longer then usually they are strangely long to me at least it seems so How ha's done to thee Desha As others Madam I have no cause to make me judge this days motion slower then the rest Marc. No more have I. Desh It would not seem so tedious then in passing But Madam I much wonder My Lord Lotharicus has not bin here to day Marc. Very well apply'd but the hours took not their increase I will assure you from his absence not but that his company would have made 'em much more pleasant I confess
Love and prove his pleasure not his torment Befriend your Sexes Honor and be not thought to whine to love and be despis'd Scorn and neglect him but give him not a reason why you are sufficiently convinc'd within you have a Cause and need not justifie the Act by a Demonstration of it that may Eclipse your Glory and augment his Pride Marc. Oh that my dear Brother Euryalus were return'd from his Travels But I have ever known you Master of so much Reason that I can hope no better assistance In this Extreme where I will act a part Your friendship counsels though it break my heart Mel. Come let 's be gone then least we are discover'd Marc. We need not See they are about to leave the Garden by the other gate Oh my Lotharicus But why do I say my Lotharicus Th' art false Lotharicus and lost to me Unless these wash away thy Perjury She weeps Mel. Can you shed tears for one that you should hate Such meanness shews you merit such a Fate Leave you have made a Conquest much more glorious the King adores you whom if you ne're can love will make you at least thus far fortunate that your perfections will with greater splendour shine in the whole worlds Opinion My advice is that you use it to your own advantage and either build your Fortune or reduce your Servant for if you fail in both your judgment will be question'd By favouring one the other may repent And all I wish is but your high content If that your seeming change can't make him burn To build your greatness all your Passions turn Command as Sov'reign him you would obey Make him your Slave that did your Love betray Marc. I cannot promise I shall e're be free But I will colours wear of Victory And my sad thoughts dress up in such disguize As shall deceive the most informing eyes Thus I an inward Martyr must become And seem to triumph when I 'm most undone Exeunt Scene 7. Enter Moriphanus and Graculus Mor. In my mind Graculus I am most compleatly modified All the rest of my Brother Gallants may keep their beds or put on their riding suits to day I shall not leave I think an eye of a Lady for one of them I shall have a fling at all their hearts I am arm'd from head to foot with such an assault of bravery Graculus some will be taken with the Graniture of my shoes others with the silk of my Suit some with my Band others with my Perriwig will be lost in Love The Widdow Perilla and all Grac. But the Devil a one with your person I aside dare swear But you have left out the wonderfull'st temptation of all your Lordships Wisdom Mor. I had forgot it it was quite out of my head Graculus if it had bin much in the mode I should have remember'd it but hang ' 't is almost out of fashion not one Gallant of a hundred makes any reckoning of it To say the truth Graculus it may well be left off now for it has bin in use ever since the creation by report Grac. 'T is very true in troth and things of much greater value have bin laid aside for antiquity sake for for ought that I can find it is all that can be alledg'd against Honesty that it is old But I hope there will be some Wardrobes made of these castaway cloaths of our Ancestors that the next Age if they like it better than ours does they may bring it into use again for they are now both asham'd to shew their faces But my Lord you have forgot to buy a Sword Mor. But I remember that it is unlawful to commit Murther that 's the reason Graculus Grac. The Reason for what Mor. For not laying out my money to no purpose on a thing I shall never use Grac. You know not what occasion may be offer'd Mor. I know the greatest that can be shall be none to me whem I 'm resolv'd I 'm resolv'd Besides I have made a solemn Oath on my own part to that never to break it and that makes it a double obligation Grac. You had as good put it to the hazard in the Natural way of breaking it if an affront require it for I doubt you 'l hardly live without Mor. I 'l warrant thee Graculus I 'l come into no such Criminaries I 'l not fight for my Religion I 'l sooneâ— leave it nor for my Estate I will sooner let it go And if it were not High-Treason against the King and hanging-Treason against my own Neck I would tell thee what I would do for the King too Grac. Never fear my Lord you know if you should come to be hang'd the sooner it is done the sooner you are out of the danger of attempting or receiving Manslaughter or wilful Murther Mor. I well tell thee for I cannot hold why Graculus neither more nor less then I will do for my Religion and my Estate that is as good as to say and the very self-same thing that I have said I will not fight No and if nothing else can serve turn against the World the Flesh and the Devil they shall even take their course with me Graculus Knock without Graculus looks out returns and says Grac. My Lord here 's all your Pages Foot-men Gentleman of the Horse Secretary Valet de Chambre Steward Butler here 's all your whole Family in view Mor. Why I did not bid thee take me any other servants but Foot-men Enter all the Boys in Liveries Grac. No more I have not my Lord but all these several Officers are to be hatch'd out of these Eggs. Mor. I am much pleas'd I 'le go to a Play first then to the Gardens come home late go to bed without a supper for fear of being sick with a full stomack Grac. But what shall the Boys and I do my Lord Mor. Do as I do I 'le have as much care of their healths as of my own Grac. So very good here 's cloathing of the naked and starving of the hungry The last is to be put for a Spiritual Work of Mercy for it has much of Air in it Mor. I cannot see my way Graculus I 'le turn the hinder part of my head of hair before Going out he stumbles Grac. Hang these Perriwig makers they have made the Bush so big the Owl can't see through it Exeunt Scene 8. Enter King and Lords Alm. The King is strangely discomposed Val. I and if I am not much mistaken it is some Female Beauty causes his high distemper Lucid. Well if this be the effects of Love I hope I shall never let my eyes sacrifice the contentment of my heart to any She alive Alm. Indeed when Women govern there farther then in Complement they strangely unhinge mens humors The King whispers Valasco Valasco goes to them again Val. It is his Majesties will that we should leave him Only if Melynet comes that happy Favorite of Fortune he is allow'd
unworthily could find no other out to make an instrument to your abuse and her design but me I must be chose out that unhappy man to carry her to Court as if she thought the trouble would not be great enough unless she made your Friend to help it forward Loth. No it was not that she did believe your power there would make her more regarded that gave you the imployment Mel. Curse on the Cause if her desires from that did find success my power there made your affections ruine What fatal minute was my unhappy interest born in But I 'le revenge my self I 'le set all the Engines in the Court to work and blast her growing hopes of ever being a Queen 'T is those that puff her up to the contempt she does express of your affections Loth. Has she then boasted to you of her neglects Mel. I and gloried in her Falshood but I hope she shall be made repent from her lost expectations Loth. I must confess that would allay part of my misery to see her unsuccessful in her ambitious wishes the news of that would be acceptable when I am gone Mel. You gone whither my Lord Loth. I do intend to leave the Kingdom with all the speed I can Mel. I cannot wish it yet I must confess 't is wisely done I must approve what I would fain prevent But I believe you 'l then find most content And may be when she knows that you are gone Her pride may grow more weak her love more strong Loth. I know not that but I must beg your pardon sor I must go and take some Order about my Journey I will not now bid you my last Adieu but when we meet again I then believe that we shall part for ever Exit Lotharicus Mel. I shall be much deceiv'd else All things happen as I could wish Fortune has plotted for me She 's a good Assistant where she is a Friend Fix her but constant stars until the end Enter Du-Prette Du-Pr. My Lord the King has sent for you Mel. I 'le go to him presently but I must give thee instructions first concerning that I intrusted last night to thy fidelity Lotharicus intends to travel speedily make it thy business to know directly when he goes and follow him I 'le furnish thee with moneys this night Do it as soon as thou canst with any safety thy reward shall wait thee Be sure and speedy and make thy Master thine for ever and one more powerful then he to pay thy services Du-Pr. I want not courage Sir and for my Conscience it reaches I 'le assure you from one Pole to the other he cannot travel out of the compass of it Exeunt Scene 9. Enter Lucidore Peregrine and Valasco Per. What ail'st thou to laugh so To Lucidore Luc. To think how impatient you are to see one of the oldest Witches in the world For to deal ingenuously with you my Mistris is neither better nor worse but even so Alm. Why thou hast not brought us hither to put such a trick upon us Luc. Put her upon you As bad as she is I love her too well and have too much use for her my self to complement you so far to make you any such offer Per. We shall without any opposition in our inclinations leave you her possession Were she blind lame deaf or dumb or any thing else but Old 't were tollerable But Old do you say Luc. I as the Creation almost Per. Why certainly thou art turn'd Projector and think'st to go to heaven with a new invention by the mortified way of sinning you had e'en as good take the old Road for the Devil will way-lay you in the journey and where he sends a Post-boy for a Guide the Passengers commonly lodge at his Inns. Val. What is she Old does he say O most abominable insupportable intollerable Old Why art thou so mad in all things else and so tame in the choice of thy Mistris Old Oh Time what would women give they had you by the ears to pull you back again Per. We may let that string alone for there are some of our Sex would be bribing as deep as any of them for that benefit for many reasons First because they would have the World a little like Heaven by times going backward and forward and by that means prevented of coming to an end Secondly from a just belief that Ladies dout not of that in us which we so much despise in them they care not to marry Methusalem no more then we do the Witch of Endor Luc. And yet before any of your brains are worthy of the place of Privy-Councel Old Age must have lent you some of his Experiments as well as Nature Wit Alm. Then thou took'st thy Mistris to fit thee for a Polititian Luc. If she live so long with me till I come to be made use of in that kind I shall owe much to her power I dare swear Val. Prethee for laughter-sake let us see this Wonder-worker Luc. Well keep your distance and you shall Alm. Thou hast given us caution enough in her Character of Antiquity for that Per. I 'le be hang'd if she be either Old or Ugly she might be her own Guardian then he need not keep her under Lock and Key The Scene opens and there lies heaps of money up and down and there stands five persons about the Table with bags in their hands dress'd in Antick habit as others at the door They come out and dance and keep time with their Bags and Pockets Luc. What think you Gentlemen of her There she is and her Attendants Her servants shall give you a Dance They all laugh The Dance ended You see this is the Mistris of my heart and pleasure I purchase her by the sale of my Lands Per. And yet I 'le be hang'd if she does not run away from thee Luc. Well I am of thy mind for that But do you not all love her Confess confess Per. The truth of it is we should all lye horribly if we did deny that we all adore her and are her most humble and faithful servants for without her there is no satisfaction in this World Luc. No nor hardly a place in the other World in Hell or Heaven but what she helps to purchase You may send your Venture by her to which you please Val That 's true Lucidore but I believe thou only keep'st a Correspondence in the Lower Region Luc. I do so It was always my Fortune to keep company with such as you are all Merchants of that place I do not think yet amongst us all we have interest enough to make one Bill of Exchange so good as to pass there Per. There 's not one of a thousand that goes about to try till fifty or threescore nor so much as think of it the Seas are very rough thither and troublesome Luc. I hang 't and one shall be sure to be pleasure-sick all the way and must be still taking of bitter
away Lotharicus draws to defend himself Loth. I would willingly die but not by the hands of Villains He fights bravely kills one of the Villains they wound him in many places and he falls 3 Vill. He 's gone to Heaven or Hell and has took one of us with him for his Attendance Du-Pr. Are you sure he 's dead 3. Vill. I sure enough unless he has more lives then one Du-Pr. For fear he should not I 'le give him my last blessing 1 Vill. Hold he 's dead I 'le warrant Pulls out a Pistol you and the noise of that going off will bring in company and betray us If you are not satisfied we 'll open two or three Casements more to let his Soul pass out by but 't is unnecessary Hark I hear a noise let 's fly we shall be taken They go back to wound him again and hear a noise 3 Vill. What shall we do with our dead companion 1 Vill. Leave him he is not known here Exeunt omnes Enter Meraspas and Philampras and two other men with Torches Phil. Pray let us make all the hast we can I have bin all this Evening to find you or your Lord out Meras Had not your business bin of such high importance to my Lord as you say I would have borrow'd an hours time longer to have drank with my friends here 1 Man Another time will do as well we will go with you as far as the house and there take our leaves to morrow we 'll meet again Meras I wonder what it is a clock Phil. Between eleven and twelve 2 Man What 's that lies yonder 1 Man steps forth 1 Man Ha! a Gentleman kill'd Meras Heaven bless my Lord. Goes to him and looks O it is my Lord It is my Lord that 's murthered Oh cursed Villains that have done this and cursed I that was not with him to have hope to defend his life or lost my own in endeavouring of it What shall I do 2 Man There is no remedy now poor Gentleman Meras Pray help me take up his Body and carry it home Exeunt with Body of Lotharicus Scene changes to a Garden Scene 5. Enter Calinda and Ericina Eric Are you resolv'd still to give up your self to so much sadness Is it so great a wonder to find men false that you no better are prepar'd from reasonable expectation to meet this change and common trouble Cal. It is true Ericina our afflictions do usually receive abatement from not being single Sufferers but love admits not of allays like other ills nor is that humor in my mind so generally to be boasted of Besides Love when it first takes Possession of our hearts deprives us of our Reason and that 's the chief resisting strength by which we opposition make against all other accidents of Fortunes malice Eric I cannot think a Passion by Gods and Men so Deified can carry in it so much destructive danger for if it robs our Souls of Reason it makes us like to Beasts And certainly Heaven ne're design'd that Metamorphosis from whence we have receiv'd the highest proof of that All-conquering Passion Besides some with their Reason make their Choice and what it does approve it may subsist with or banish it if it too far intrude That Reason is very weak and sluggish that suffers and Passion to grow so strong as to supplant it Cal. I do not wish thee so much ill as 't is unhappily to Love or else I should be glad to see how you would rule your inclinations which I confess you mannage well in supposition Would mine were governed by fancy too I Player-like could raign as well as you We can unmov'd hear others sufferings tell Which if our own we should not bear it well Eric You can no trouble have but what is mine My love does make my share as great as thine Unkind Calinda what is 't you intend To punish your false Lover in your Friend Can his inconstancy make you despise That friendship which you once so much did prize If you so great injustice will allow Ne're censure him he did not break his Vow And who the self-same Errors will commit In prudence ought in others pardon it Cal. You of injustice talk whilst only I Find from you both so much you fain would die Friendship and Love to me are cruel grown I wish to Heav'n that I had neither known Were yours true you would not mine suspect Our doubt grows strongest from our own defect You on my Love a blemish fain would throw That in your change you might less guilty show Those that are wise do setting Suns forsake And with the rising ones their friendships make You know who 't is has set his heart on fire Improve your int'rest e're the flame expire Love that plays Truant once without a cause Will still an Out-law be to Honor's Laws And days whose mornings do appear most bright Are often over-cast before 't is night If she his seeming passion entertain His half-made vows will cost his eyes some rain Eric She cannot greater show'rs for Love let fall Then I shall do for friendships Funeral Calinda by my death you soon will know Whither to that I have bin true or no Then I am sure that you will grow more just And shed some tears for your unkind mistrust Cal. If that can cure thy griefs my doubts have bred I 'le make my eyes another Deluge shed Dear Ericina can y' a pardon give To an offence makes me unfit to live Eric I can forgive much more then you can do Love in that kind ne're yet a limit knew Cal. I grieve to think I should a debt contract Of which I cannot pay the Int'rest back Eric And I am sad to see your heart possest Still with that Love which gives your thoughts no rest Cal. Thy charming voice would make them calmer grow Eric I 'd sing and ne're give off if I thought so Cal. Sing then that Song my humor suits and mind I 'le sit down here if thou wilt be so kind She sits down and leans melancholly upon her arm SONG Eric 1. Oh you powerful Gods if I must be An injur'd Off'ring to Love's Deity Grant my revenge this Plague on men That Women ne're may love agen Then I 'le with joy submit unto my Fate Which by your Justice gives their Empire date 2 Depose that proud insulting Boy Who most is pleas'd when he can most destroy O! let the World no longer govern'd be By such a Blind and Childish Deity For if you Gods be in your Power severe We shall adore you not from love but fear 3 But if you 'l his Divinity maintain O're men false men confine his â—oâ—â—'ring raign And when their Hearts Love's greatest torments prove Let that not pity but our laughter move Thus scorn'd and lost to all their wishes aim Let Rage Despair and Death then end their flame 'T is very late my dear Calinda and we had best be gone Cal. It