excesse Let no cost be forgot It makes men wonder though they honour not Musicke to fix the wandring spirits race And sweeten Enuies thoughts in vnity That sorrow and deuotion may haue place Remorse and pittie flow and multiply Lights of all kindes the light of day shut out For darknesse so enammeld is deuout Exit Priest Vnhappy state of Priesthood here below Who haue to doe with curious Atheisme With sinne in flesh and in the Church with schisme Our office is an holy mystery To teach Kings God and euery Subiect King How one obedience doth another bring But what boots truth to flesh or lawes to might Beleefe a wonder is Obedience woe And shall we Priests that vnder Princes liue Striue in our selues with vice abroad with might And like the hands which winnow rich mens gaine Grow poore in all but only woe and paine No No The eyes of Priests looke euer low To finde the key of power that is aboue When that is found all faults beneath we know But Maiesty hides faults as well as loue And though these rites of Princely funerall By lawes diuine should not prophaned be With lesse than with descents of Maiesty Yet Caine more Princely by thy Princes grace Shall be thy tombe than euer Princes was CHORVS TERTIVS A Dialogue of Good and Euill Spirits THe Good What is your scope vaine Ghosts would you o'rebuild the skie Were not mens Many tongues and minds their Babel-destinie Your beings discords are and what can they create But disproportion which is still the fairest marke of fate The Ill. Are you afrayd poore Soules Else why doe you descend To question or conferre with vs to whom you are no friends Who feare their owne Estates doe commonly first speake As they againe put goodnesse on who find their party weake We doe but what we did which is increase our might And as on earth so in the ayre cry downe your borrowed light The Good What can you winne of vs that must be as we were Whereas you exiles out of heauen can hope for nothing there The Ill. We that were as you are know well what you can be Where you that neuer were like vs what can you in vs see The Good That you haue first destroyed your selues and are ordain'd To scourge curse and corrupt that earth which you boast to haue gain'd The Ill. Why did not you defend that which was once your owne Betweene vs two the odds of worth by odds of power is knowne Besides Mappe clearly out your infinite extent Euen in the infancy of time when much was innocent Could this world then yeeld ought to enuie or desire Where pride of courage made men fall and basenesse rais'd them higher Where they that would be great to be so must be least And where to beare and suffer wrong was vertues natiue crest Mans skinne was then his silke the worlds wild fruit his food His wisdome poore simplicity his Trophies inward good No Maiesty for power nor glories for mans worth Nor any end but as the plants to bring each other forth Temples and vessells fit for outward sacrifice As they came in so go they out with that which you count Vice The Priesthood few and poore No Throne but open ayre For that which you call good allowes of nothing that is faire No Pyramis rais'd vp aboue the force of Thunder Nor Babel-walles by Greatnesse built for Littlenesse a wonder No Conquest testifying wit with courage mixt As wheeles whereon the world must runne and neuer can be fixt No Arts or Characters to read the great God in Nor stories of acts done for these all entred with the sinne A lasy calme wherein each foole a pilot is The glory of the skilfull shines where men may go amisse Till we came in there was no triall of your might And since we were in men your selues presume of little right Then cease to blast the earth with your abstracted dreames And striue no more to carry men against affections streames Nay rather tempt and proue if long life make them wise That must to haue their beauties seene put out all fleshly eyes Or when they be no more Eternall then to be Neglect the ioy and glorious vse of times felicity Cast out these thinne-weau'd lines and catch some little flyes The greater spirits which are ours feele not these nimble eyes In Alaham for instance plead your power or right Entise him from a mortall Crowne with your Crowne infinite Proue if he will forbeare vnnaturall Parricide To see who in the sea of humors shall the Scepter guide Trie if proud Hala will forget the death of Caine And reconcil'd in dutie with her owne Lord liue and raigne Moue Celica that spirit reputed for your owne To see if she to saue her life would haue her fame vnknowne Worke Zophi that poore soule though blinde to leaue his breath We only make things cheape or deare as Lords of life and death Lastly perswade the King to liue and saue his Crowne And all the world shall see we rayse and wee pull Princes downe So that your beings here are but a tincture cast Like crests vpon the Egypt Pharos to disguise not last Besides take from the world that which you reckon Sinne And she must be as at the first for euer to beginne A glorious spacious wombe fram'd to containe but one Since he that in it will be yours is sure to be alone Keepe therefore where you are descend not but ascend For vnderneath the Sun be sure no braue State is your friend The Good What haue you wonne by this but that curst vnder Sinne You make and marre throw downe and raise as euer to beginne Like Meteors in the ayre you blaze but to burne out And change your shapes like Phantom'd clouds to leaue weake eyes in doubt Not truth but truth-like grounds is that you worke vpon Varying in all but this that you can neuer long be one Then play here with your art false miracles deuise Deceiue and be deceiued still be foolish and seeme wise In peace erect your Thrones your delicacie spread The flowers of time corrupt soone spring and are as quickly dead Let warre which tempest-like all with it selfe o're-throwes Make of this diuerse world a stage for blood-enammeld showes Successiuely both these yet this fate follow will That all their glories be no more than change from ill to ill So as with peace or warre if you adorne one realme In both through other Climes againe you runne with barren streame Rest no where therefore but still wander as you doe And restlesse be they as you are that shall receiue you too Giue Alaham more scope to multiply his error With parents blood adorne his Throne more guilt still adds more terreur Let Hala's wicked heart for all ill births a wombe By violence of passion make for many vices roome Let ill example in to staine the Christian Nation The same excesse destroyes at last which first gaue reputation Conspire
in Hala sometimes breed remorse At least a doubt that euill hath no force Thou makest Caine in vndertaking slow Who must to serue thy turne like goodnesse show Those Scenes still tedious are those Acts too long Where thy vnresolute Images be strong For while you feare your true tormentor Shame I swallow all at once with honors name Then glory not since where thy links excell There we inlarge not but contract our hell Corrupt reason Peace you base Subalterns and striue no more That but the Carriers be of my rich store Perchance you thinke me th' obiect of you all And so no Furie but the Furies thrall Where I giue forme and stuffe to make you worse And so become your Lord and not your Nurse I breake the banks of dutie honor faith And subiect am to no power but to death Charge me I grant Delayes grow out of wit And are not all your false webs wrought by it To time I haue respect to person place I crosse my selfe to giue my owne acts grace I am Base to you all and so the chiefe Equall with truth where I finde good beleefe I beare the weight of feare the rage of lust With selfe-loue enuy malice left in trust I calme Mans windy pride distempered rage Giuing to each a shape for euery age Wrong I attire in purple robes of might That State may helpe it to be infinite And who is fitter here to rule you all Than I that giue you being by my fall Know therfore all you shadow-louing Spirits Who haue no being but in mans demerits That infinite desires and finite power At once can neuer all mankinde deuoure Though men be all ours and all we but one The vice yet cannot build or stand alone Be it mans weaknesse that doth interrupt Or some power else that cannot be corrupt Or be there what there may be else aboue Which may and will maintaine her owne by loue Yet haue we scope enough to marre this State And to the euer being what is late As men in your names image vglinesse To checke beloued childrens wantonnesse When they would haue them doe things or for beare And call you when they know you are not there So I enammell your deformity Making all your excesses like to me And that you may beleeue this to be true We are not like For what am I but you Euill Spirits Reason You marre our Mart by coueting Not to be equall with vs but our King For though you now like Romane Augurs be Who but your staffe haue no true mysterie Yet doe you striue to rule adde or diminish And idly so protract what we could finish Else how could Alaham or Hala stay So long from making to our ends a way Lusts open face this Age will easily beare And hope here currant is to all but feare Wrong needs no veile where times doe tyrannize And what but lacke of heart is then vnwise Age hath descri'd those toyes to be but name Which in the worlds youth did beare reall fame Iustice Religion Honour Humblenesse Shaddowes which not well mixt make beauty lesse They helpe to smother not inlarge our fire By putting painted maskes on mans desire And giue time to vnactiue Theorie Which rage it selfe would not doe were it free So that we Circe-like change men to beasts Which beasts turne men againe Too base a crest For vs that would quite banish doing well And so at once change heauen and earth to hell In which course who doth well obserue each part Shall finde mankinde to haue so strange a heart As being all ill yet no one ill serues To worke him to that mischiefe he deserues Feare hope desire loue courage being mixt So nicely in him as none can be fixt Which is our glorie as for euery state To haue a Tempter fitted and a fate A feare in Great men still to lose their might And in the meane ambition infinite Truth in the witty held but as a notion Honor the Old mans God the Youths promotion All which opposing powers yet doe agree To worke corruption in humanity Then on This time is ours What need we haste Since till time ends our raigne is sure to last Actus tertius Scena prima ALAHAM alone ALaham. I march aboue the wits and hearts of men Chance at my feet and power in my hand Now King indeed Obedience doth become Men that can strength by wisdome ouercome It honour was euen worthy more than Crownes To passe the Basshas in aduenturing They were possest I dispossest of all But liberty to liue or dye a thrall Truth was in vaine no peecing vp with might For me I saw I had too good a cause Counsell is slow each minute infinite When resolution to her ripenesse drawes I saw corruption was the way to rise And with that shot I pierc'd their tyrannies Their guard I did corrupt Base seruile spirits I knew lackt wit to see or heart to beare Temptation For desire is infinite In them that wanting honour cannot feare Triall is made The King I doe possesse My right is more why should my hope be lesse And am I King And doe my foes still liue Can wounded Greatnesse slumber in a Throne Or that be glory which I feele alone No No Let rigour speake which all men heare Life is the worke of Nature death of Kings Ruine it is that reputation brings My Guard is strong their first imployment is The murther of those men my father trusts Not all for that were cruelty not wit Some simple being some indifferent sp'rits Their ends and honours being but delights Others ambitious rash and violent No inward strength of nature or of grace Of present power the noblest instruments Transforme and vse wit vertue doth exceed For it is all or none as men haue need Only my care is how the Plot should proue Which for the Basshas now in ambush lies My wife hath art and rage which iointly moue Her head-strong spirits vnto cruelties But if her craft serue not to plucke them downe The sword wants not pretences for the Crowne My friends and Mates You vpon whom I lay My life and honour with this State in trust Be resolute For scruple doth betray Since all great works haue great examples must Take Assem Zeraphus and Velladoune Blood asketh blood with rauine they did spoyle The people first and now betray the Crowne Reuenge your parents Countrey-men and kin Blood here is iust true honor and no sinne The cancred Calchas scourge of Tyrannies Great master of deceipt Artisan of spoyle The spie of faults and spring of subsidies Naked deliuer him into the Sea To plague those faults it cannot wash away The rest to bonds who though they want no spite Their frailty yet for innocence shall stand All else exile Obey in euery thing They happy are that serue a rising King Actus tertius Scena secunda Caine Alaham CAine Plac'd in a Throne Guarded Ador'd and Crownd What meanes this change These signes of
Dutie others Natures Lawes Should I haue lost a Crowne for such applause No No Each State peculiar wisdomes hath The way of Princes is to hide their mindes For else each slaue will suddenly descrie Our inward passions which they trafficke by Remisnesse did in me no sooner moue And only by a pawse it selfe expresse But straightway they diuin'd remorse or loue And instantly drew arguments from both As if distraction to resolue were loth But like a Sultan mixing power with art When I made good my will and only said Sirs doe your charge This intermittent passion Is but the print of naturall affection The seat of Iustice is aboue compassion Straight as if Furies breath had fild these bladders With cruell hearts their charge they vndertooke And euer after made my will their booke Who gouerne men if they will stay aboue Must see and scorne the downfalls of selfe-loue Nay marke againe what glory Order yeelds Where euery spirit is fitted to his roome Did not distresse these weake Ghosts well become At which fine playes of Chance and intercession Did I relent Or had I any sense But in the glories of Omnipotence These Scepter-mysteries Kings must obserue Or not be Kings Are priuate vertues such Want great Estates no other strengths but those Which make them for good words good fortune lose As Dogges their kennels these their graues did frame 'T was crafty power that gaue such lawes to fame Away they went rich in selfe-pitties smoke No hope of praise but by their forme of death Nor of reuenge but in the Peoples breath While I ascending roame to looke about And in the strength of confidence and power Behold the vnprosperities of doubt But harke What mournfull harmonie is this In dole my Triumphs are What sounds are these Change is thy nature both to grieue and please Confused Echo's whither doe you flye Or whence proceed From grudge or from applause Except my will craues Mankinde any lawes Solemnity inferres the worke is ended Yet heare I noyse that showes vnquiet motion As from their ashes some new worke intended Now shall we know Behold I see one come Whose looks bring woe and horrour from that Tombe Actus quintus Scena secunda Nuntius Alaham NVntius Distract confus'd are all my inward spirits Griefe would complaine yet dares not speake for feare Horrour the place of wonder disinherits Caines next of kinne so willingly to die For pompe and honor to his funerall The flesh to couet that which flesh doth fly This wonder went I to the Pile to see As costly glories of the vanity In stead of these I saw the veyles of Power Practise and pompe specious hypocrisie Rent from her face euen while she did deuoure I saw those glorious stiles of Gouernment God Lawes Religion wherein Tyrants hide The wrongs they doe and all the woes we bide Wounded prophan'd destroy'd Power is vnwise That thinkes in pompe to maske her Tyrannies Looke where he stands a Monster growne within Still thirsty and yet full with Parents blood Both man and Tyrant dearly vnderstood Alaham. Hath meeke deuotion finished her worke Tell what their manner was and how they died That to the dead would thus be crucified Nuntius The fire though mercilesse yet sometimes iust Hath done his part deuoured but refin'd Perform'd thy will and yet deceiu'd thy trust Alaham. Speake plaine What threatning mysteries be these Nuntius Echos they be of murmurs which possesse The hearts of men against Powers wickednesse The first which burnt as Caine his next of kinne In blood your Brother and your Prince in State Drew wonder from mens hearts brought horror in This innocent this soule too-meeke for sinne Yet made for others to doe harme withall With his selfe-pitty teares drew teares from vs His blood compassion had his wrong stirr'd hate Deceipt is odious in a Kings Estate Repiningly he goes vnto his end Strange Visions rise strange Furies haunt the flame People crie out Echo repeats his name These words he spake euen breathing out his breath Vnhappy weaknesse neuer innocent If in a Crowne yet but an instrument People obserue this fact may make you see Excesse hath ruin'd what it selfe did build But ah the more opprest the more you yeeld The next was he whose age had reuerence His gesture something more than priuatenesse Guided by one whose stately grace did moue Compassion euen in hearts that could not loue As soone as these approched neare the flame The winde the steame or furies rays'd their vayles And in their lookes this image did appeare Each vnto other life to neither deare These words he spake Behold one that hath lost Himselfe within and so the world without A King that brings authority in doubt This is the fruit of Powers misgouernment People my fall is iust yet strange your fate That vnder worst will hope for better State Griefe roares alowd Your Sister yet remain'd Helping in death to him in whom she died Then going to her owne as if she gain'd These mild words spake with lookes to heauen bent O God! 'T is thou that suffrest here not we Wrong doth but like it selfe in working thus At thy will Lord Reuenge thy selfe not vs The fire straight vpward beares the soules in breath Visions of horror circle in the flame With shapes and figures like to that of death But lighter-tongu'd and nimbler-wing'd than fame Some to the Church some to the People fly A voyce cries out Reuenge and Liberty Princes Take heed Your glory is your care And Powers foundations Strengths not Vices are Alaham. What change is this that now I feele within Is it disease that workes this fall of spirits Or workes this fall of spirits my disease Things seeme not as they did horror appeares What sinne imbodied what strange sight is this Doth sense bring backe but what within me is Or doe I see those shapes which haunt the flame What summons vp remorse Shall Conscience rate Kings deeds to make them lesse than their Estate Ah silly ghost is 't you that swarme about Would'st thou that art not now a father be These body lawes doe with the life goe out What thoughts be these that doe my entrailes teare You wandring spirits frame in me your hell I feele my brother and my sister there Where is my wife There lacks no more but shee Let all my owne together dwell with me Actus quintus Scena tertia Hala Alaham HAla. Wife Is that name but stile of thy remorse Must I goe where thy silly parents be Thou yet but feel'st thy selfe thou shalt feele me A King And in a Throne built out of blood The ashes of your owne must giue you power Glutton Ambition now thy selfe deuoure Looke in thy Conscience that vnflattering glasse See there the wounds of Caine thy wrongs to me Death triumphs now And I doe giue it thee Caine here beginnes to liue whilst thou do'st feed Vpon the poyson that thy wife deuis'd Thy debter yet but stay I will exceed
Now warre thy selfe a King with Kings must warre We are too base for friends or enemies For lusts vse not for loue we women are All paines of death my selfe in Caine did feele And shall my rage aspire but to be iust What is but once be long in doing must Alaham. Infernall wombe receiue thy right Of old This body was thine owne before I was Obey my father brother sister me I gaue their ghosts they must giue mine to thee They call I come It was my sinne alone That gloried many wayes to tyrannize For all the doomes of ill let me suffice Hala. My Griefe doth yet but roame it selfe in sense Hala is more Rage multiplies with vse These doe but mourne I must reuenge abuse Euen through thy sense will I send in thine owne This child that by thee liu'd shall in thee die In this will Caine and I possesse thy Throne Alaham. Ah powerfull God! why do'st thou Thunders spend By chance or without vengeance on the plants Since it is Man not Trees that doth offend Sirs teare the roofe perfect the worke of Power I haue no being while she there doth sit Subiect in sexe but King in rage of wit Hala. Women Behold our sex I now improue Malice were vaine if Kings could it subdue This rage reuiues the dead restores my loue Alaham. Is this Ormus Or is Ormus my hell Where only Furies and not Men doe dwell The poyson works I feele my spirits faint I must beseech my Power is but complaint Yet Wit thou know'st what euery Power can doe Be Strength to me Can Mothers kill their owne Selfe-loue will spare them Why should I request Words doe inflame But ah it Hala is I must intreat Her malice keepes no fashion Though she haue all that all is but one Passion If I intreat doth sense show where to wound I owe it mine doth that giue malice Power Ah God! What shall I doe that both within and out Authority haue lost Vnused to request Yet must and will Yet euen in doing know Impossible addes but more scorne to woe Hala I doe with Nature begge for thine Harme me alone thy Husband and thy King Horror hath her degrees there is excesse In all Reuenge that may be done with lesse Hala. Beyond the rule of Law but not of Loue This child was borne this not in Loue but Law Before thy wrongs I had my passions free And in reuenge shall ought else limit me Alaham. Innocent thine owne too yong for hate or feare His death doth only execration beare Hala. In him thou art in him I plague my lust Where Sense and Law were traytors to affection Beare children only but to Caine I must Alaham. Disease or Griefe I know not which or both Languish my powers Hala some respite giue Spare him a while I haue not long to liue Hala. Hala make haste to multiply this wretch I must haue both his sense and iudgement free 'T is horror not disease that honors me All you superiour Powers which from aboue Behold this earth and earthly mischiefes rod Cast hence your eyes These works are but for two For him that suffers and for me that doe Hala then on that Alaham may enrage Enrage thou first New married now am I Remorse doth but for men in ambush lie She mistaking kills Caines childe Alaham. Earth Stand'st thou fast vnder this vglinesse And fal'st not downe to that infernall deepe Which feares perchance worse than it selfe to keepe Eyes close your liddes There is no more to doe Yet know you haue seene that before you die Which no Age will beleeue One worse than I Hala. Ah curst Mortality So soone put out And haue I lost the glory of Reuenge If Fame find greater as she goes about This blood that bloody throte should haue deuour'd Rage lack'd in this Where is the place for scorne Since woes be dead in him as soone as borne Flesh is too brittle mould for braue excesse yet let these scraps giue nourishment to Fame Since Loue and Rage this modell may expresse She findes her error But what is this Wake I or doe I dreame If chang'd with whom or into whom am I Doth Horror dazell sense or multiply What world is this Where 's Alaham where my Sonne Caine rise and tell what Furies raised be Do'st Thou remaine aliue And art Thou dead Who did this deed None answers It was I Verses here doe lengthen And am I thus misted to lose Child Husband Fame Honor Reuenge my Caine my Harmes and Fury too And cannot harme my selfe that those harmes to me doe Must I forgiue thee Hala that none else forgiue Scarce trembling doth my heart conceiue this hatefull deed Doe eyes behold this worke and neither weepe nor bleed Shall I complaine of Heauen where fooles lay selfe-despaire Or Hell shall I inuoke which ill hath euery where Shall I remaine aliue and turne my rage to woe Shall I distinguish Guilt where Chance doth ouerthrow Is Caine no more Is it no more to loue Hath Hala's hate made many hearts to bleed Vpon the ruines of her loue to feed Furie art thou so long in getting vp Aboue the mists of poore selfe-pittie Teares Shall Rage be still a prisoner vnder feares Looke here is death Return'st thou me remorse Heere my belou'd Can sighs recall him backe Here him I loath Can scorne become his wracke My selfe yet liue Must Fury burne without These were in me May Nature liue in one What 's due to death Euen Rage that growes to doubt Come Infant Here is Empire Let vs liue This worke is mine Hell thankes and enuies me And loe her Spirits before I come I see Discord Sedition Rage you Furies all Possesse againe the State where you beganne The Woman you 'T is we deceiue the Man Enter vpon this large infernall wombe Repay your selues this mould did make you all Why doe you stay Leade me the way I come Flesh is too weake it hath satietie Lust intermittent here and Furie poore Rage hath respects Desires here weary be Leaue Man this meane Let vs liue in excesse Where power is more although the ioyes be lesse This Child is none of mine I had no part Beare him I did with loathing not desire My wombe perchance did yeeld but not my heart With Alaham his father he must dwell I will goe downe and change this Ghost with hell This Tragedy called Alaham may bee printed this 23. of Iune 1632 Henry Herbert THE SPEAKERS NAMES SOLIMAN MVSTAPHA ROSTEN ACHMAT ROSSA. ZANGER CAMENA BEGLARBY NVNTIVS PRIEST