King Here on this humble ground lies he That once was King of this vast Monarchy Alas What are we Kings what 's Majesty But like a flattring glass that shews forth pride And with one stripe of all destroying death Is past to nothing lookes that face now Like to a brow that did command a Kingdome Thus pale and bloodless was this the head That wore the golden wreath thus groveld all with earth Take up the body and let it have a second buriall And layd within the sepulchers of Kings Our self will take our way And make a progress to establish Laws That this our Land Iustice may rule so even Our life may be acceptable to heaven Eâ—euâ—â— Enter Chorus The body being intomb'd King Edmund takes A progress through the Realm to establish Laws Himself in Iudgment Sits to hear mens cause Five years he spent mean time what cares befell Unto his Love the Nun of Holy-well And her affection'd Father now behold What 's done in shew I shall in words unfould A dumb shew Enter Thorny with Cittizens giving them large summes of money shewing them the money desires them to see his building goe forward takes his leave with a deaths head in his hand goes into the tombe Second dumbe shew Enter one way Edmund Wiltshire Bishop Lutius at the other Woodford and the Child he kneeles delivers to the King a Letter and a Ring he reads the Letter and smiles blesses the Child and gives it to Wiltshire the King and Bishop departes to see Anne Chorus Old Thorny thus o're grown with misery Who never more would see his vertuous Child But in a plot of ground a mile from London Builds up a tombe where night and day he lives His goods are sold and to the poor he gives Large sommes of money and takes a solemâ— oath Of those his friends and worthy Cittizens Fast by his tombe to build a famous Abbey And with three hundred work men dayly plied To have it finisht ere old Thorny died This done the King returned back to London And faithfull Woodford watching a fit time Presents him with a Letter and a Ring His long forsaken love had sent to him Which read the King wiâ—h much astonishmenâ— Remembers her and doth with teares express How much he blames his much forgetfulness Vowing to see her presents to him his Son Being grown to years of some dâ—scretion Which the King gladly takes and smiles on him What now shall follow with your gratious favour We humbly beg attention to the end And if we fail to please we 'le strive to mend Exit Ent. Old Thorny in his tombe Oh brightsome day thus low poor Thorny bows To strive with briny teares thy gladsome light Whose hopes have shut him up in darksome night Here in this tombe sequestred from the world Will Thorny spend his life and with my nayls To dig my grave and in this glass to see And view the end of all mortality Court-pomp and Citty pride look look on this And teach your souls the way to happiness â—oor flesh and blood is this the face of man After the worlds sad separation Must all return to this oh London London Thy flattery and guile Has bin the cause that I my self exil'd By Servants sorrow and Daughters sin I will behold thy populous streets no more Nor breath in thee nor surfet in thy store Here in my grave I 'le live and learn to dye That after death my Soul to Heav'n may fly Enter Lobster 'T is a fine world when a man must call a man Out of his grave to eat vittles They talke of watching of a dead corse I am Sure I have watcht a quick one this Month and brought him meat so long That I am almost starv'd my self I have brought him a clean shirt I would he would shift himself I found a lowse about him as big as The top of my thumb I thought as much He 's talking with that same casts head still Sure 't is a Lawyers head he Findes so much talke wiâ—h it it is not abel to Answer a wise word I am so hungry My guts are allmost clung together Mr pray will you leave your prating To that Memento mori and go to break-feast Thorn No set it down I have no mind of meat Till we have thankfull bin we should not eat Lobst Will you say grace and if you 'le wash your hands I 'le fetch some water Thor. Oh vanity of fooles hast thou thus long Bin my carefull contemplation And learn'st thou nothing yet look on this heaâ— This careless skull had flesh and blood And all like this must meet deformity What swearer sees this moth does not tremble Oh man how vain art thou that speakest thâ— labours For one bewitching minute of this world And after all thy joys to hell be hurld Lobst I would I were at the heaven of my vittals I 'de talke of hell afterward Thorn Hast thou no abstinence for pious workâ— Lobst There 's a piece of pye I would faine be at it Will you eat that and leave talking to that Testâ— de morte Thorn Go call my friends that over see my work Bid them come speak with me and then I 'le eat Lobst I will Sir but I 'le take away the provant Least they oversee that you see over Ent. 2 Cittizens My Master would speak with you 1 Citt. All haile to you Sir Thor. All are alike to me storm hayl or snow I take them thankfully You two were sworn overseers and performers of my will Tell me how goes the Abbey forward 2 Citt. 'T is allmost finisht Sir Thorn When it is finisht I 'le have it dedicated Unto the Monks of St Benedict's Order And since I have no child to keep my fame â—e call it Thorny-Abbey by my name 1 Cit. We shall perform your charge good Sir for pitty At least remember your most wretched daughter Thorn You tear my heart when you but mention her Were every penny that is mine a pound And the least part of it given for her dowry Would raise her to the Title of a Queen She never should possess it Her soul sin Hath brought myne age with sorrow to the grave 2 Citt. Poor soul she spends her hours in a reclusive life With holy Nunnes and lives a votarist in Holy-well That comfort Sir should somewhat ease your grief Thorn It does it does and draws down tears to hear it Give her a constant heart oh powerfull heavenl Still to perseveâ—e in that pious end And as a signe that I forgive so she continues firme Bear her this blessed token sent from me A Fathers gift and charge her carefully To look upon this head and there select Reasons to answer all the Arguments Of flesh and blood there she shall see The perfect way to find eternity And so for ever may your soules be blest Whilst from the world and you I thus take rest Exit Lob. Are they gone then Lobster lay abouâ— thee
golden Characters And there are mine recorded then 't is no snare Nor incest can it be thou art my wife An. Before I yielded up my virgins name You sware no less Oh heavens doe not you think The aire is troubled for our privat sin This thunder tells me we have angred heaven Edm. Sweet-heart It is the years due order and the aire Through heat and sulphur sends the thunder cracks Thou wilt be mist at home I prithee haste unto thy father's house An. Opprest with shame Edm. In troth I shall be angry with thee sweet If thou continue in these fond delirements Can there be shame in matrimoniall rites Thou art my wife and here I fealt with these Kisses her An. Had you sealed no otherwise with me I could have born the impression willingly And call'd again for more security Edm Thou shalt ere long imbrace me lawfully The Priest shall joyn our hands with our true hearts My business calls me hence I must be gone But leave my heart for ever sweet with thee An. As good as nought how ere both sin and shame I bear for thy sweet sake my lost good name My fathers anger all is for thy sake If thou proof false and that for grief I die 'T is for thy sake and shall doe 't willingly Exit Edm. Farwell thou soul of vertue Ent. Thorney and VVoodford Now Master Thorney Thor. Health to you Sir I have according to your good appointment Caused all the Commons that are opprest with wrong For to repair to the Earle of Coventry's Castle Whereat your Princely Brother keeps his Court To shew their grievances and gainst whom they complain Edm. You have bin carefull Master Thorney And in it shews the duty of a Subject For 't is a perilous time Thor. I I my Lord a mostrous stormy time For since my birth I never heard the like This many a day we have not seen the Sun But still continuall thunder frights the earth What this portends he that 's the cause Best knows Ent. A Post. Edm. True Mr Thorney and 't is not fit for us to question his intents Thy news why doest thou look so pale Post. Oh my Liege I come to sing to you a schritch ou'ls note That will afright your hearing your Brother Sir Edm. What of him Post. He is Edm. Dead Post. How apt you are To pluck the mishap't embrion of mischance Ere it be fully moulded from the womb He 's dead my Leige and murdered Edm. Murthered how Post. In his bed my Liege by whom is yet unknown Edm. Then this the cause is that the heavens so scould And rend the clouds with fearfull thunder cracks I 'le find the murtherer though I search the center And from the earth pluck the abhorrid caitiffes Let all the passages be strongly garded For till the mutherous villains be brought to light We still shall live in this perpetuall night Exit Ent Sibert and Emma Sib Oh conscience thou art a mortall wound to murtherers No balme can give thee ease oh this dred thunder Will never cease his loud amasing terrour Till this most fearfull murther be reveald Em. Art thou a man and keepst such cowardly apprehension A sound of thunder why me thinks this houre I see ten thousand like thy self that stand Applying all unto their proper sins The bribed Lawyer having ta'ne his fee With ambodexter feeling cunningly Hearing this voice sayes from his conscience sting The heavens are angry at his dubble dealing The griping Usurer that hath ta'ne the forfeit Of some great Estate this voice of conscience Now a little wakens him the Theef The Tyrant and the Adulterer all tremble Now and what is it but Palsy-conscience That appropriates unto it self Things that we never knew Sib. But this is all my own Did not the instant deed call up the thunder Did not I vow to heaven I ne're would see Nor Sun nor Moon untill the King were dead To which I fear the heavens have added further That those clear lights the world shall never see Till this black deed of hell revealed be Em. This is your conscience still awake for shame From this same drousie Lethargie of minde Seek for thy safety Sibert and assure it The Lords are gone to London follow them And dive into the owse of all their actions The generall voice cries Edmund King of England And being inthron'd the Royall Policy Will mount him with a strict and nearer quest To finde the author of his Brothers murder Sib. That starts my heart hence coward conscience If any conscience shall but wrinkled sit And bend a doubtfull censure upon Sibert I will again dip these my hands in blood Of the most daring opposite I see 't is fear That man accuses resolves acquite all guilt All must to earth where then can blood be spilt Em. Why now thou speakest Sib. I 'le put it all in action stay thou here Gather our friends and Tenents to a head Then with them fortifie our strongest Castles 't is fit For him that injures others to secure him self Exit Ent. Thorny VVoodford and Anne VVood. Good Sir have patience Thorn Away she 's big big with child Out of my doors thou strumpet VVood. Dear uncle Thor. Cover my shame with some deformity turn me to a beast That is not capable of what joys are past Or griefs to come blast all my faculties Hide my white head in everlasting darkness Let me forget that ere I had a child And ne're remember that she turn'd a strumpet O heaven defend me Let me curse the whore VVood. Good Sir forbear my charity is such That I must hinder you Thor. You doe me wrong to hinder my devotion An. Oh! dear Sir forbear to invocate you will offend And make your vertue sin to call for curses Have charity with your self if not with me Impose me to the Laws severity Hurt not your self with this impatience I 'le stoop to all with mildest sufferance Tho. So so 't is done and 't is recorded now And I have done ill with a mentall vow Better then windy words my soul 's a witness Never to let a â—â—nediction fall Upon the strumpets head never to know Or own thee for my child never to give A penny of my substance to thy succour Never to look on thee this I affirme Ever to follow thee with extremest hate Still to persue thee with extremest rigour The Law provided has for such offenders Nay thou shalt stand example to all children How they invoke a Fathers aged wrath VVood. Good Sir qualifie this rage tell us who the offender was Thor. Who should offend with an adulterous whore But some loose varlet or luxurious knave That would have company along to hell And she must needs goe with him but I 'le begin Your everlasting torments and fetch such whips Shall make your sweet sin smart no waight of fate Can be so ponderous as love turn'd to hate Exit VVood. Cosen you see how your Father is inrag'd
knows whose hands were bathed in the blood Wilt. You see the cruell terrors of these times Oh! gratious Prince and that which doth exceed The strength of all amazement since the death Of our late murdered Lord and Soveraign The Sun and Moon was never seen to shine Edm. The eye of heaven is banish't from the earth And gone to wander in eternall night And ransake some Cemerian seated cave To finde the Murderers that with horror sitts Starting at every apparition And never will illuminate the world Till it hath brought him to transparent view And to him speaks this thunder Sib. No 't is to me but I 'le not answer Though the boults should flie and strike me to the center Edm. How horridly it cracks A generall desolation sure is come And heavens glorious eye I think is banish't hence eternally Sib. Take courage Sir a Royall thought Stoops not to Fortunes blindness great thoughts are ever Fixt to the publik good and not kept down by passions Oh! the blood Wilt. Let 's invocate the powers above For to reveal the horrid Murderers Sib. Hot vengeance light on him that so perswades him Edm. Swear as you hope for heaven your carefull studies Shall be to siâ—t this execrable deed And bring to light this damned Murtherer Sib. Zoundes I must kill him too and prevent his purpose VVilt We vow the same with force and diligence Edm. As for my self I will outwatch the night Wast these life-seeing tapers of mine eyes Till they drop forth the sockets of my skull But I will finde the execrable Slave Why standst thou silent Sibert Sib. Alas my Lord I am hid in sorrow That in my house this mischief happened And yet dear Prince I have already spent The utmost minutes in this fatall business No place no person no suspected breast That might unto the act be aidable But I have torne it open and examin'd So that deceit it self could not deceive me But all in vain the damn'd Murderer lies unrevealed And heaven or none must find him hee 's so subtill Edm. I feare thy Loyalty come let 's to Coventry And there we will fift out murthers darkest ways Sibert let 's have your Company along Were millions given this purpose to prevent All Europe shall not hinder our intent Be ready Sibert Sib. With all my heart my Lord. Mischief confound it Edm. Set forward Lords Thou that still guards the right Bring this dark obscure murther to the light Exeunt Manet Sibert So the King 's for Coventry and I as mark't With some brand of suspicion must be the man To attend above the rest Sfoot what note Or character of guilt lies on my brow More then the rest my speech was firm I was less frighted with this loud tongu'd thundeâ— Then was the King or any of his Peeres And but my conscience nothing troubles me And that is no mans burthen but my own Which I 'le conceal though with the Kingdoms ruine Let Hell spit fire I 'le not accuse my self Although the Sun and Heaven be hid in clouds And with an everlasting darkness cover us Thunder loud Oh! I presume too much that crack has mazed me Horrour of Hell what shall I doe think Sibert and conceive What if the King should call my wife in question Or that the Murderers we hir'd to doe 't Should be surpris'd and brought unto the King Examined put to death where 's Sibert then Thrown in Hell fire never to rise again Which to prevent I 'le presently make flight And leave with them my feare and jealousie I 'le ship my self for Ireland and there Shrowd my self safe and there close up my eares From this loud peals of thunder which are sent And on my head with winged vengeance bent Exit Ent. Mr Woodford and Anne Thorny Wood. Now you are a happy mother the good Heavens Has brought your burthen to a happy issue you may Now curse the cause you shall have my instructions To direct you An. Now Heaven forbid VVood. By his delay you may see how he stands affected An. 'T is a delay without proportion VVood. Your Father threatens and persues your lives best shipwrack Vowing if you should starve not to give A penny for to comfort you An. Yet I will pray for him eternally And for my Sovereign which hath forsaken me But of his love I will expect no more Think wise or dream then of that thing Unknown unsought or never thought upon Wood. Oh! be not to your self so cruel An. Since in his loss I have lost my self and honour I now resolve in this unblemisht habit to weare out The remnant of my days in penetance Amongst the holy Nunnes of Holy well Into whose Sister-hood I am admitted And there for ever will I plant my being VVood. Oh! gentle Cuz An. I am deaf to all persuasions My best of blood I have no friend but you And in your virtue I impose my trust That with all secret care you chuse a time To give this ring to my dear Soveraign The once dear pledge of his forgotten love With it this letter in whose sad contents Is nothing but a vertuous milde intreaty That he would gratiously behold this child His hapless Son and called by his name Edmund that mongst the longer of my sighes I may have comfort to keep down my griefs VVood. And as my own I mean to tender it An. Your vertue makes my care lie easy on me Good Cosen speak what temper holds my Father VVood. Has given o're his house and all his wealth He means for to distribute to holy uses An. And yet I live and breath that am the sinfull author Of these sorrows but flows this deluge for his own Offences Or the remembrance of my hatefull shame VVood. From your disgrace An. Then to this World Adieu why doe you urge To hold me longer here a Prisoner I have out lived myne honour buried alive My old and vertuous Father for which I am below All reach of humane pitty that I know They wish to Serpents more prosperity My soul 's as black as darkness and can take no light Of other beauty till my teares have washt it I doe beseech you Cuz commend my duty To my Father and intreat his vertue To lâ—y no more affliction on his age for my offences past And last to thee my first of cares Whose innocence is spotted with my sin Oh! be thou made so blest that in thy vertues I and my faults may loose their memories Take my last kiss and with it these my teares Which to thy Royall Father thou shalt beare Now take it â—r and with it all my comforts all my prayers Love it dear Cuz though from grief it spring Yet 't is the onely Son unto a King farwell I feare we never more shall meet on earth Here my joys end you have my sorrows birth Exit VVood. Success attend you would all that stept awry Would be but subject to thy penalty Come on thou