Francis Beaumont

“ Enter Rossillia, Clarinda, Juletta, Hippolita, &c.
Amin. See the furies,
In their full trym of cruelty.
Ros. 'Tis the last
Duty that I can pay to my dead Lord,
Set out the Altar, I my self will be
The Priest, and boldly do those horrid Rites
You shake to think on, lead these Captains nearer,
For they shall have the honor to fall first
To my Sebastian's ashes: and now wretches,
As I am taught already, that you are,
And lately by your free confession,
French Pirats, and the sons of those I hate,
Even equal with the devil ”

“ But 'tis not all I lost, for when they bound me,
They took a Diamond hung at my shirt string,
Which fear of life made me forget to hide;
It being the sparkling witness of a Contract,
'Twixt a great Lawyers daughter and my self.
Wit. I told you what he was; What does the Diamond
Concern my Cozen, Sir?
Lady. No more did the Money,
But he shall answer all now.
Wit. There's your conscience,
It shewes from whence you sprung.
Lady. Sprung? I had leapt a Thief,
Had I leapt some of your alliance.
Wit. Slave!
Lady. You prevent me still.
O.K. 'Slid, Son, Are you mad? ”

“ We have no vessel that may transport us;
Nor hath nature given us wings to flie.
Alb. Better try all hazards,
Than perish here remediless; I feel
New vigor in me, and a spirit that dares
More than a man, to serve my fair Aminta;
These Arms shall be my oars, with which I'll swim;
And my zeal to save thy innocent self,
Like wings, shall bear me up above the brackish waves.
Amint. Will ye then leave me?
Alb. Till now I ne'er was wretched.
My best Aminta, I swear by goodness
'Tis nor hope, nor fear, of my self that invites me
To this extream; 'tis to supply thy wants ”

“ And all the gods for our imaginations
Can work into a man, were more than virtues,
Ambition down to hell, where thou wert foster'd,
Thou hast poison'd the best soul, the purest, whitest,
And meerest innocent'st it self that ever
Mens greedy hopes gave life to.
Leon. This is still stranger: lay this treason
Open to my correction.
Bac. Oh what a combat duty and affection
Breeds in my blood!
Leon. If thou conceal'st him, may,
Beside my death, the curses of the Countrey,
Troubles of conscience, and a wretched end,
Bring thee unto a poor forgotten grave. ”

“ Enter Sir Ruinous Gentry, Witty-pate, and Priscian.
Witty. Pox, there's nothing puts me besides my wits, but this fourth,
This last illiterate share, there's no conscience in't.
Ruin. Sir, it has ever been so, where I have practis'd, and must be.
Still where I am, nor has it been undeserv'd at the years
End, and shuffle the Almanack together, vacations and
Term-times, one with another, though I say't, my wife is a
Woman of a good spirit, then it is no lay-share. ”

“ He that faints now, shame take him, put thy self
Upon thy present guard.
Arc. You are not mad?
Pal. Or I will make th'advantage of this hour
Mine own, and what to come shall threaten me,
I fear less then my fortune: Know weak Cosen
I love Emilia, and in that I'll bury
Thee, and all crosses else.
Arc. Then come, what can come
Thou shalt know Palamon, I dare as well
Die, as discourse, or sleep: Only this fears me,
The law will have the honor of our ends,
Have at thy life.
Pal. Look to thine own well Arcite. ”

“ And make him to the scorn of his hoarse throat
Abuse young lays of Love; what godlike power
Hast thou not power upon? To Phœbus thou
Add'st flames, hotter than his the heavenly fires
Did scorch his mortal Son, thine him; the huntress
All moist and cold, some say, began to throw
Her Bow away, and sigh: take to thy grace
Me thy vow'd Soldier, who do bear thy yoak
As 'twere a wreath of Roses, yet is heavier
Than Lead it self, stings more than Nettles;
I have never been foul-mouth'd against thy Law,
Ne'er reveal'd secret, for I knew none ”

“ Guard. My Neece? she the rival of my abuse?
My flesh and blood wrong me? I'll Aunt her for't;
Enter Mirabel.
Oh opportunity, thou blessest me
Now Gentlewoman are you parted so soon?
Where's your friend I pray? your Cuningam?
Mir. What say you Aunt?
Guard. Come, come, your Cuningame?
I am not blind with age yet, nor deaf.
Mir. Dumb I am sure you are not, what ail you Aunt?
Are you not well?
Guard. No, nor sick, nor mad, nor in my wits, nor sleeping, nor waking, nor nothing, nor any thing; I know not what I am, nor what I am not. ”

“ This Gentleman may pleasure me yet agen;
I am so haunted with this broad-brim'd hat,
Of the last progress block, with the young hat-band,
Made for a sucking Devil of two years old,
I know not where to turn my self.
Mir. Sir?
Cun. More torture?
Mir. 'Tis rumor'd that you love me.
Cun. A my troth Gentlewoman,
Rumor's as false a knave as ever pist then,
Pray tell him so from me; I cannot fain
With a sweet Gentlewoman, I must deal down right. ”

“ The fair-ey'd Maids, shall weep our banishments,
And in their Songs, curse ever-blinded fortune
Till she for shame see what a wrong she has done
To youth and nature; This is all our world;
We shall know nothing here, but one another,
Hear nothing, but the clock that tels our woes.
The Vine shall grow, but we shall never see it:
Summer shall come, and with her all delights;
But dead-cold winter must inhabit here still.
Pal. 'Tis too true Arcite. ”

“ Ism. Are you so simple, to make so much of this?
Do you not know,
That all her wicked Mother labours for, is but to raise
Her to your right, and leave her this Dukedom?
Ura. I, but ne'r Sir be afred;
For though she take th' ungain'st weas she can,
I'll ne'er ha't fro' you.
Leu. I should hate my self Ismenus;
If I should think of her simplicity,
Ought but extreamly well.
Ism. Nay, as you will.
Ura. And though she be my Mother,
If she take any caurse to do you wrong,
If I can see't, youst quickly hear on't Sir:
And so I'll take my leave. ”

“ The gods are mightie Arcite, if thy heart,
Thy worthie, manly heart be yet unbroken:
Give me thy last words, I'm Palamon,
One that yet loves thee dying.
Arc. Take Emilia
And with her, all the worlds joy: Reach thy hand,
Farewell: I have told my last hour; I was false,
Yet never treacherous: Forgive me Cosen:
One kiss from fair Emilia: 'Tis done:
Take her: I die.
[Pg 376]
Pal. Thy brave soul seek Elizium.
Emil. I'll close thine eyes, Prince; Blessed souls be with thee
Thou art a right good man, and while I live,
This day I give to tears.
Pal. And I to honor. ”

“ Pal. That tho [u] durst Arcite.
Arc. My Coz, my Coz, you have been well advertis'd
How much I dare, y'ave seen me use my Sword
Against th' advice of fear: sure of another
You would not hear me doubted, but your silence
Should break out, though i'th' Sanctuary.
Pal. Sir,
I have seen you move in such a place, which well
Might justifie your manhood, you were call'd
A good knight and a bold; But the whole week's not fair
If any day it rayn: Their valiant temper
Men loose when they encline to trecherie,
And then they fight like coupel'd Beeres, would fly
Were they not ty'd. ”

“ To your title, to be call'd slave, rascal?
Nay curst to your face, fool'd, scorn'd, beaten down
With a womans peevish hate, yet I should stand
And suffer you to be lost, cast away?
I would have seen you buried quick first,
Your spurs of Knighthood to have wanted rowels,
And to be kickt from your heels; slave, rascall?
Hear this Tongue?
[Pg 129]
Mir. My dearest Love, sweet Knight, my Lord, my Husband.
Cun. So, this is not slave, and rascall then.
Mir. What shall your eye command, but shall be done,
In all the duties of a loyal Wife?
Cun. Good, good, are not curses fitter for you? ”

“ Not of thy loss, for it was never thine,
And it is gain to miss it; wert thou so dull?
Nay, yet thou'rt stupid and uncapable,
Why, thou wert but the bait to fish with, not
The prey, the stale to catch another Bird with.
Guard. Indeed he call'd me Bird.
Neece. Yet thou perceiv'st not,
It is your Neece he loves, wouldst thou be made
A stalking Jade? 'tis she examine it,
I'll hurry all awry, and tread my path
Over unbeaten grounds, go level to the mark,
Not by circular bouts, rare things are pleasing,
And rare's but seldom in the simple sence,
But has her Emphasis with eminence. ”

“ Fellow are so near, 'Tis not yet known which is the eviler Angel.
Leu. Nay, then I see 'tis spite: Come hither friend.
Hast thou not heard the cause yet that incens'd my Mother
to my death, for I protest I feel none in my self?
Tim. Her Will Sir, and Ambition, as I think,
Are the provokers of it, as in Women,
Those two are ever powerful to destruction,
Beside a hate of your still growing virtues,
She being only wicked. ”

“ Enter Albert, Aminta.
Alb.
Alas dear soul ye faint.
Amint. You speak the language
Which I should use to you, heaven knows, my weakness
Is not for what I suffer in my self,
But to imagine what you endure, and to what fate
Your cruel Stars reserve ye.
Alb. Do not add to my afflictions
By your tender pitties; sure we have chang'd Sexes;
You bear calamity with a fortitude
Would become a man; I like a weak girl, suffer. ”

“ The Duke's fair Neece, though guarded with her greatness
Resist this gallant charge, but laying by
Desparity of fortune from the object,
Yielded her self thy prisoner.
Bap. Pray you chuse some other theme.
Mari. Can there be one more pleasing?
Bap. That triumph drew on me a greater torture,
And 'tis in the remembrance little less
Than ever Captive suffer'd.
Mari. How? to gain the favour of so great a Lady? ”

“ Why are you out o'your wits, pretty plump Gentlewoman,
You talk so desperately? 'tis a great happiness,
Love has made one on's wiser than another,
We should be both cast away else;
Yet I love gratitude, I must requite you,
I shall be sick else, but to give you me,
A thing you must not take, if you mean to live,
For a' my troth I hardly can my self;
No wise Physitian will prescribe me for you. ”

“ Foolish woman, to overthrow her fortunes so; I shall think the worse of a Ladies wit, while I live for't—I could almost cry for anger, if she should miscarry now; 'twould touch my conscience a little, and who knows what love and conceit may do? what would people say, as I go along? there goes he that the Lady died for love on, I am sure to hear on't i'th' streets, I shall weep before hand; foolish woman, I do grieve more for thee now, than I did love thee before; well, go thy ways, wouldst thou spare thy Husbands head, and break thine own heart? ”

“ Agen. All the Land holds in that tenor too: in womans
service? sure we shall learn to spinn.
Dor. No, that's too honest: we shall have other
Liberal Sciences taught us too soon;
Lying, and flattering, those are the studies now:
And Murther shortly I know, will be humanity, Gent.
If we live here we must be knaves, believe it.
Nisus. I cannot tell my Lord Dorialus, though my
Own nature hate it, if all determine to be knaves,
I'll try what I can do upon my self: that's certain,
I will not have my throat cut for my goodness,
The virtue will not quit the pain. ”

“ And the Gallies new rig'd and train'd up,
And at two dayes warning fit for the service.
Duke. We commend your care,
Nor will we e'er be wanting in Our counsels,
As we doubt not your action; you Baptista
Shall stay with us; that Merchant is not wise,
That ventures his whole fortunes in one bottom.
Albert. Be our Admiral, spare your thanks,
'Tis Merit in you that invites this honor,
Preserve it such; ere long you shall hear more,
Things rashly undertaken end as ill,
But great acts thrive when reason guides the will. ”

“ To so eminent a danger; which I vow
I will revenge on the whole Family:
All the calamities of my whole life,
My banishment from Genoa, my wifes loss
Compar'd to this indignity, is nothing;
Their Family shall repair't; it shall be to them
Like a plague, when the Dog-star reigns most hot:
An Italian's revenge may pause, but's ne'er forgot. ”

“ Is that we are call'd by, Lady, Oh my spirit,
Will nothing make thee humble? I am well methinks,
And can live quiet with my fate sometimes,
Until I look into the world agen,
Then I begin to rave at my Stars bitterness,
To see how many muckhils plac'd above me;
Peasants and Droyls, Caroches full of Dunghils,
Whose very birth stinks in a generous nostril,
Glistring by night like Glow-worms through the High streets
Hurried by Torch-light in the Foot-mans hands
That shew like running Fire-drakes through the City,
And I put to my shifts and wits to live,
Nay sometimes danger too ”

“ All peeces of a true man, let your prayers
Win from the Duke half his Vexation,
That he may undertake it, whose discretion
I must confess, though it be from the Father,
Yet now is stronger, and more apt to govern.
'Tis not my own desire, but all the Lands,
I know the weakeness of it.
Nisus. Madam, this noble care and love has won us
For ever to your lives, we'll to the King,
And since your Grace has put it in our mouths,
We'll win him with the cunning'st words we can.
Dorial. I was never cousen'd in a woman before. ”

“ And hurt your self.
O. K. Away, I'll hear no counsel;
Come you but once in seven year to your Uncle,
And at that time must you be brought home too?
And by a Constable?
Wit. Oh speak low, Sir,
Remember your own credit, you profess
You love a Man o'wit, begin at home, Sir,
Express it i'your self.
Lady. Nay, Master Constable,
Shew your self a wise man, 'gainst your nature too.
Ruin. Sir, no Dish-porridgment, we have brought home
As good men as ye.
O. K. Out, a North-Brittain Constable, that tongue
Will publish all, it speaks so broad already;
Are you the Gentleman. ”

“ Ces. You well awak'd me; nay recover'd me
Both to sence and full life, O most noble sir,
Though I have lost my fortune, and lost you
For a worthy Father: yet I will not lose
My former virtue, my integrity
Shall not yet forsake me; but as the wild Ivy,
Spreads and thrives better in some pittious ruin
Of tower, or defac'd Temple, than it does
Planted by a new building; so shall I
Make my adversity my instrument
To winde me up into a full content.
Alber. 'Tis worthily resolv'd; our first adventure
Is to stop the marriage ”

“ Quarrels consume us: Envy of ill men
Crave our acquaintance, I might sicken Cosin,
Where you should never know it, and so perish
Without your noble hand to close mine eyes,
Or prayers to the gods; a thousand chances
Were we from hence, would sever us.
Pal. You have made me
(I thank you Cosin Arcite) almost wanton
With my Captivity: what a misery
It is to live abroad! and every where:
'Tis like a Beast me thinks: I find the Court here,
I 'm sure a more content, and all those pleasures
That wooe the Wills of men to vanity,
I see through now ”