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A16527 The monarchicke tragedies Crœsus, Darius, The Alexandræan, Iulius Cæsar. Newly enlarged by William Alexander, Gentleman of the Princes priuie chamber. Stirling, William Alexander, Earl of, 1567 or 8-1640.; Stirling, William Alexander, Earl of, 1567 or 8-1640. Tragedie of Darius. 1607 (1607) STC 344; ESTC S100090 193,973 398

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enough t' applaud our deede And sooth vs vp in all that we haue done Na. To haue the time and manner then praefixt Command the Bactrians all themselues to arme And to attend till we aduertise next Prompt for all perils at the first alarme Then through the Campe a rumour we will spread That hopelesse Darius hath dispairdlie gone With violence to dwell amongst the dead And seeme therefore excessiuelie to mone The Persians we with promises must feede So to disarme him of his natiue pow'rs Then we will apprehend himselfe with speede For while that he is free nothing is ours That we may seeme to vse him with respect As to the state of such a Prince pertaines We will not this last ornament neglect He shall be bound but bound with golden chaines To Alexander after we will send And offer Darius in his hands t' appease him Then craue his fauour that he will defend Vs as his friends who haue done all to please him If his good-will we cannot thus procure And he vs with extremitie pursue With Darius death we will our states assure Then raise fresh forces and the warres renue Bos Let vs henceforth for nothing be dismaide But striue our selues courageouslie to beare This dangerous action would not be delai'd Least time worke his assurance and our feare Exeunt CHORVS TYme through Ioues iudgement iust Huge alterations brings Those are but fooles that trust In transitory things Whose tailes beare mortall stings Which in the end will wound And let none thinke it strange Though all things earthly change In this inferiour rounde What is from ruine free The elements which be At variance as we see Eache other doe confound The earth and aire make warre The fire and water are Still wrestling at debate All those through colde and heate Through drouth and moisture iar No wonder though men change and fade Who of those changing elements are made How dare vaine worldlings vaunt Of fortunes goods not lasting Euils that our wittes enchaunt Expos'd to losse and wasting Loe we to death are hasting Whilst we these things discusse All things from their beginning Vnto an end are running Heauen hath ordain'd it thus We heare how heauen doth thunder We see th' earth burst asunder And yet we neuer ponder VVhat this imports to vs. Those fearfull signes doe proue That th' angrie pow'rs aboue Are mou'd to indignation Against this wretched nation VVhich they no longer loue What are we but a puffe of breath Who liue assur'd of nothing but of death VVho was so happie yet As neuer had some crosse Though on a Throne he sit And is not vs'd with losse Yet fortune once will tosse Him when that least he would If one had all at ones Hydaspes pretious stones And yellow Tagus golde All th' Orient all treasure And euery earthly pleasure Euen in the greatest measure It should not make him bold For while he liues secure His state is most vnsure VVhen it doth least appeere Some heauie plague drawes neere Destruction to procure We may compare th' earths glory to a flowre That flourisheth and fadeth in an houre In what we most repose We finde our comfort light The thing we soonest lose That 's precious in our sight For honour riches might Our liues im paund we lay Yet all like flying shadowes Or flowers enambling medowes Euanish and decay Long time we toile to finde Those idols of the minde Which got we cannot binde T' abide with vs one day Then why should we presume On treasures that consume Difficile to obtaine Difficile to retaine A dreame a breath a fume Which vexe them most who them possesse Who starue with store and famish with excesse ACTVS QVARTVS Scen. I. DARIVS TIRIOTES Tir. AH must I poyson now my Princes eares with the worst newes that euer burthē'd fame Had I as many tongues as I haue teares All would not serue my sorrowes to proclame Dar. Great signes of greefe I in thy face discerne Spare not for to report this heauie crosse To one I feare whome it doth most concerne I st death disgrace distruction treason losse Tell on the summe of honour at the first With no ambiguous words my paine prolong 'T is comfort to a wretch to know the worst And I haue learn'd to be vnhappy long What least I speake and yet suspect too much I st some ludibrious message of my skorne Which must wound me but ah no torment such As this to them who that disgrace haue borne Tir. She was not wrong'd as you haue misconceiu'd The Gods haue had a care for to preserue her Such fauour of the victour she receiu'd As of her subiects that were bound to serue her But what a vollie doth my voice prepare Of woes to charge your eares woes full of dread Would God ere I the somme thereof declare That I might die in saying she is dead Curst caitiue was it not enough allas That I beheld her die and would haue died But that I must arm'd with sad tydings pas To wound all them that heare what I haue spied See how he fares shot with these words of mine As one become the pray of greefe and death Dar. Yet doth the Sunne on my affliction shine And sees the aire infected with my breath And can I liue and looke them in the face That haue my ignominious o're-throw seene And how I vanquish'd vanquish'd with disgrace Engag'd at once my kingdome and my Queene Heauen bruse me all to powder with thy thunder That I no more may in the world remaine The obiect of thy wrath and Fortunes wonder Spoil'd of all hope yet kept for greater paine Ah! art thou dead and doe I lieu behinde thee Thy faultie husband thinkst thou so to flie If it be thus then I know where to finde thee This onely greeues me that too late I die O Alexander what such hainous ill Haue I done thee that thou requit'st me thus Whom of thy friendes or kindred did I kill This crueltie comes vndeseru'd of vs. Think that thou hadst iust causes to make warre Yet vpon women should thy wrath be wroken This Tirrannie shall all thy Triumphe marre And euer shall to thy reproach be spoken Tir. Sir without cause you guiltie him esteeme I know her death did grieuouslie displease him A wondrous thing which few or none would deeme He tooke it so that nothing could appease him Euen as my Soueraigne now so then he smarted And when he came to ease your mothers griefe As if that his owne mother had departed He seem'd to need not for to giue reliefe Dar. If any sparkes of that respect remaine Which should with reason mooue thy minde to ruth I pray the Tiriotes now be plaine Or els strange torments shall exact the truth I loth to let this question scape my mouth Which both I blush to craue and long to know I st possible so insolent a youth Did neuer tempt the treasure which I owe Could this imperious Prince in flowre
one We by their meanes anothers loue obtaine But crueltie with which none can comport Makes th' author hated when the deede is gone Oft euen by those whom it did most support As that which alienates men from kinde And as humanitie the minde inchants So sauage soules that from the same resraine More fierce than fiercest beasts are lou'd of none With barbarous beasts one with lesse danger hants Than with the man whose mind all mercie wants Yet though the mind of man as strong and rude Be ranish'd whiles with violent desire And must if sir'd with rage be quench with blood How can this tender sex whose glorie stoode In hauing hearts iuclinde to pittie still Delight it selfe by any barbarous deede For Nature seemes in this t' haue vsde her skill In making womens mindes though weake entire That weakenesse might loue and deuotion breede To which their thoughts if pure might best aspire As aptest for th' impression of all good But from the best to worst all things do weare Since cruelties from feeble mindes proceed In breasts where courage failes spite shame and feare Make enuie hate and rigour rule to beare Our Queene Olimpias that was once so great And did such monstrous cruelties commit In plaging Philip and his Ladie of late Lo now being brought to taste the like estate Must take such entertainment as she gaue And it 's good reason that it should be so Such measure as we giue we must receiue Whilst on a throne she did superblie sit And with disdainefull eyes look'd on her foe As but being vanquish'd by her powre and wit Not mindefull of th' ineuitable fate O th' Imortalls that command aboue Of euery state in hand the rudder haue And as they lie can make vs stay or goe The griefe of others should vs greatly mooue As those that sometime may like fortune prooue But as experience with rare proofes hath showne Do looke on others we haue Linx his eyes Whilst we would haue their imperfections knowne Yet like blinde Moles can neuer marke our owne Such clouds of selfe-regarde doe dim our sight Why should we be puffde vp by a'cnemies fall Since what the day doth on another light The same the morrow may our state surprise Those that on this inconstant constant ball Do liue enuiron'd with th' all-circkling skies Haue many meanes whereby to be ore-throwne And why should dying wordlings swolne with wroth So tyrranize ouer an afflicted wight Since miseries are common vnto all Let none be prowd that drawes a doubtfull breath Good hap attends but few still till their death ACT. V. SCENE I. Aristotle Phocion LOng haue I now invr'd th' eyes of my minde On natures labors curiously to looke And of all creatures finding foorth the kinde Strange wonders read in th' vniuersall booke I marke the world hy contraries maintainde Whose harmonie doth most subsist by strife Whilst of all things within the same containde The death of one still giues another life But as all things are subiect vnto change That partners are of th' elementall powres So rould about with reuolutions strange The state of man rests constant but few howres For what doth fame more frequently report Then of our sodaine rising and our falls I thinke the world is but a tennis-court Where men are tossde by fortune as her balls Phoc. And neuer any age shewde more than this The wauering state of soule-ennobled wights That soare too high to seaze on th' ayrie blisse Whilst lowest falles attend the highest flights The matchlesse Monarch that was borne it seem'd To shew how high mortalitie attaines Hath not from death the adored flesh redeem'd But paine hath made an end of all his paines And these braue bands that furnisht fame with b●eath Whilst all the world their valorous deedes did spie Rest now confounded since their soueraignes death Like Poliphemus hauing lost his eye And they are like that teeth-ingendred brood That tooke their life out of a monster dead Whiles ech of them pursues for others blood Since the great Drag on s death that was their head Ari. So change all things that subiect are t' our sight Disorder order breeds and order it Next night comes darknes and next darknesse light This neuer changing change transcends our wit Thus pouertie and riches sickenesse health Both honour and dishonor life and death Do so depend on other that by stealth All goe and come as th' accidents of breath T'ech worldly state the heauens a height appoint Where when it once arriues it must descend And all perfections haue a fatall point At which excellencie it selfe must end But as all those that walke on th' earth are crossde With alterations happning oft and strange The greatest states with greatest stormes are tossde And sought of many must make many a change Nor speake I this by speculation now As gathring credit out of ancient scroules soules No I haue liu'd at court and I know how Ther 's nought on th' earth more vex'd then great mens soules Thral'd to the tirant honor whilst they mone Their plaints to subiects eares asham'd t' empart They must beare all the weight of woes alone Where others of their griefe lend friends a part Their rising vs aboue to such a height Which seems their best is worst whilst since being lords They neuer heare the truth that comes to light When franke societie speaks naked words Whilst sadnesse whiles seemes maiestie time tells How deere they buy their pompe with losse of rest Some faine three furies but in all the hells And ther 's three thousand in one great mans breast Phoc. I thinke all monarchies are like the Moone Which whiles eclipsd whiles vnder cloud whiles cleare Growes by degrees and is when full vndone Yet Aeson like renew'd doth re-appeare For so the first but smal begin to shine And when they once their spherick forme obtaine Do then begin to languish and decline Yet falne in other realmes doe rise againe Th' Assyrians once made many a nation bow Then next all powre was in the Persians hand And lo the Macedonians monarchs now Amongst themselues diuided cannot stand Arist A secret fate alternantly all things Doth in this circle circularly leade Still generation from corruption springs To th' end that some may liue some must be dead Each Element anothers strength deuours Th' ayre to the fire succumbes the fire to raine The water striues to drowne all th' earth with showres Which it by vapours vomites out againe Thus with a gordian knot together bound All things are made vn-made and made againe Whilst ruine founds perfection doth confound And norhing in one state doth long remaine But nought in th' earth more dangerously standes Than soueraigntie that 's rated at such worth Which like the stormie deities blustring bandes Doth flie from East to West from South to North. Ph. A long experience now makes this noght strange Though mightie states whose reines one onely leades Be whiles distracted and constrain'd to change As too
For whilst there stands a world can Caesar fall Though thousand thousands were coniurd in one I and my fortune might confound them all Cal. No none of those my minde doth miscontent That vndisguisde still like themselues remaine Vnlookt for harmes are hardest to preuent There is no guard against concealde disdaine But in whom further can your trust repose Whom danger now ouer all by all attends Where priuate men but onely feare their foes Oft kings haue greatest cause to feare their frends For since being trusted fittest to betray Those vnto whom ones fauour force affords May for his life the worst ambushments lay Whilst falsest hearts are hid with fairest words And some report though priuately yet plaine That Dolabella and Antonius now By your destruction do pretend t' obtaine That which you keepe by making all men bow Caesar No corpulent sanguinians make me feare That with more paine their beards than th' enimies strike And doe themselues like th' epicurians beare To Bacchus Mars and Venus borne alike Their hearts do alwayes in their mouthes remaine As streams whose murmuring shews the course not deep Then still they loue to sport though grosse and plaine And neuer dreame of ought but when they sleep But those high sprites that hold their bodies downe Whose visage leane their restlesse thoughts records Whilst they their cares depth in their bosoms drowne Their silence feares me more than th 'others words Thus Cassius now and Brutus seeme to hold Some great thing in their mind whose fire whiles smoks What Brutus would he vehemently would Thinke what they like I like not their pale lookes Yet with their worth this cannot well agree In whom of vertue th' image seeme to shine Can those that haue receiu'd their liues from me Prooue so ingrate againe as to take mine Dare Cassius me pursue new hopes to haue At th' Helespont that fortune feard to trie And like a dastard did his Gallies leaue In all saue corage though more strong than I Shall I suspect that Brutus seekes my blood Whose safetie still I tendred with such care Who when the heauens from mortalls me seclude Is only worthy to be Caesars heire Cal. The corners of the heart are hard to know Though of those two the world the best doth deeme Yet do not trust too much th' externall show For men may differ much from what they seeme None oft more fierce than those that look most mild Impietie sometime appeares deuout And that the world the more may be beguilde Whiles Vice can clothe it selfe with Vertues cote Though that they haue long since laid hatred downe By benefits bestow'd you might attend There 's no respect can counterpoise a crowne Ambition hath no bounds nor greed no end Through vindicatiue hate and emulous pride Since some your person some your place pursue All threatned dangers to preuent prouide Being wise in time lest out of time you rue Caes No armor is that can hold treason out Cal. T' affright your foes with bands be backt about Caes So dastard tyrants striue themselues to beare Cal. It better is to giue than to take feare Caes No stronger guard than is the peoples loue Calp. But nought in th' earth dooth more inconstant proue Caes Guardes shewing feare t' inuade me men might tempt Cal. Guardes would put them from hope you from contempt Caes My breast from terror hath bin alwayes cleare Cal. When one feares least oft daunger lurkes most neare Caes It 's better once to die than still feare death Cal. But worst of all to fall by th' enemies wrath Caes I le not dis-taste my present pleasures so By apprehending what may chaunce to come This world affords but too much time for woe Whilst crosses come contentment to orecome By ioyes in time we must imbrace reliefe That when they end we in some measure may By their remembrance mitigate the griefe Which still attends all those on th' earth that stay I thinke the Senate is assembled now And for my comming doth beginne to gaze I le goe condignely once t' adorne my brow And feast mine eares by drinking in due praise Cal. Stay stay deere Lord retire thy steps againe And spare one day to prorogate whole yeares Let not this ominous day beginne thy raigne That fatall and vnfortunate appeares An Astrologian through the world renownde Thy horoscopes iust calculation layes And doth affirme as he by signes hath found That th' Ides of March doe boast to bound thy dayes Walke not this days where harmes may be receiu'd Since by no great necessity being forede For though his iudgement may be farre deceiu'd In things that touch thy life suspect the worst Caes Whilst I reform'd the Calender by fits That long disordred th' order of the yeare I waded through the depths of all their wits That of the starres the mysteries make cleare Those pregnant sprites that walke betwixt the poles And lodge at all the zodiackes seuerall signes Do reade strange wonders wrapt in th' azure scroules Of which our deedes are wordes our liues are lines By speculation of superior powres Some Natures secrets curious are to know As how celestiall bodies rule ouer ours And what their influence effects below Yea they sometime may strange coniectures make Of those whose parts they by their birth doe proue Since naturally all inclination take From Planets then predominant aboue And yet no certaintie can so be had Some vertuously against their starres haue striu'd As Socrates that grew though borne but bad The most accomplisht man that euer liu'd But of the houre ordain'd to close our lights No earth-clogd soule can to the knowledge come For O the destinies farre from our sights In clowds of darknes haue inuolu'd our doome And some but onely guesse at great mens falles By bearded comets and prodigious starres Whose sight-distracting shapes the world appalles As still denouncing terrour death or warres The time vncertaine is of certaine death And that fantastike man farre past his bounds He is too bold that with ambiguous breath Not speaks of things to come whose deeps none sounds Cal. But this all day did my repose extort And from my breast of cares a tribute clam'd Now vilipend not that which I le report Though but a dreame and by a woman dreamd I thought alas the thought yet wounds my breast Then whilst we both as those whom Morpheus weds Lay softly buried with a pleasant rest I in thy bosome thou within the beds Then from my soule strange terrours did withdrawe Th' exspected peace by apprehended harmes For I imagin'd no no doubt I saw And did imbrace thee bloodie in mine armes Thus whilst my soule by sorrowes was surchargde Of which huge weight it yet some burden beares I big with griefe two elements enlargde Th' aire with my sighes the water with my teares Caesar That which I heard with thy report accords Whilst thou all seemd dissolu'd in griefe at once A heauy murmuring made with mangled words Was interrupted