Francis Beaumont

“ Or let plagues fall on me, if I destroy thee not.
Bell. Heaven knows I never did: and when I lie
To save my life, may I live long and loath'd.
Hew me asunder, and whilst I can think
I'le love those pieces you have cut away,
Better than those that grow: and kiss these limbs,
Because you made 'em so.
Phi. Fearest thou not death?
Can boys contemn that?
Bell. Oh, what boy is he Can be content to live to be a man That sees the best of men thus passionate, thus without reason?
Phi. Oh, but thou dost not know what 'tis to die.
Bell. Yes, I do know my Lord;
'Tis less than to be born ”

“ Di. Sir, take you heed; how you dare the powers
That must be just.
King. Alas! what are we Kings?
Why do you gods place us above the rest;
To be serv'd, flatter'd, and ador'd till we
Believe we hold within our hands your Thunder,
And when we come to try the power we have,
There's not a leaf shakes at our threatnings.
I have sin'd 'tis true, and here stand to be punish'd;
Yet would not thus be punish'd; let me chuse
My way, and lay it on.
Di. He Articles with the gods; would some body would draw bonds, for the performance of Covenants betwixt them.
Enter Pha. Galatea, and Megra. ”

“ Thou Traytor, that darest confine thy King to things
Possible and honest; shew her me,
Or let me perish, if I cover not all Cicily with bloud.
Di. Indeed I cannot, unless you tell me where she is.
King. You have betray'd me, y'have, let me lose
The Jewel of my life, go; bring her me,
And set her before me; 'tis the King
Will have it so, whose breath can still the winds,
Uncloud the Sun, charm down the swelling Sea,
And stop the Flouds of Heaven; speak, can it not?
Di. No.
King. No, cannot the breath of Kings do this?
Di. No; nor smell sweet it self, if once the Lungs Be but corrupted. ”

“ Enter Megra.
Here's another; if she be of the same last, the Devil
shall pluck her on. Many fair mornings, Lady.
Meg. As many mornings bring as many dayes,
Fair, sweet, and hopeful to your Grace.
Pha. She gives good words yet; Sure this wench is free.
If your more serious business do not call you,
Let me hold quarter with you, we'll take an hour
Out quickly.
Meg. What would your Grace talk of?
Pha. Of some such pretty subject as your self.
I'le go no further than your eye, or lip,
There's theme enough for one man for an age. ”

“ We'll waken all the gods, and conjure up
The rods of vengeance, the abused people,
Who like to raging torrents shall swell high,
And so begirt the dens of these Male-dragons,
That through the strongest safety, they shall beg
For mercy at your swords point.
Phi. Friends, no more,
Our years may he corrupted: 'Tis an age
We dare not trust our wills to: do you love me?
Thra. Do we love Heaven and honour?
Phi. My Lord Dion, you had
A vertuous Gentlewoman call'd you Father ”

“ Your Robin-hoods scarlets and Johns, tie your affections
In darkness to your shops; no, dainty Duckers,
Up with your three pil'd spirits, your wrought valours.
And let your un-cut Coller make the King feel
The measure of your mightiness Philaster.
Cry my Rose nobles, cry.
All. Philaster, Philaster.
Cap. How do you like this my Lord Prince, these are mad boys, I tell you, these are things that will not strike their top-sayles to a Foist. And let a man of war, an Argosie hull and cry Cockles.
Pha. Why you rude slave, do you know what you do? ”

“ Are. 'Tis not gently done,
To put me in a miserable life,
And hold me there; I pray thee let me go,
I shall do best without thee; I am well.
Enter Philaster.
Phil. I am to blame to be so much in rage,
I'le tell her coolely, when and where I heard
This killing truth. I will be temperate
In speaking, and as just in hearing.
Oh monstrous! Tempt me not ye gods, good gods
Tempt not a frail man, what's he, that has a heart
But he must ease it here? ”

“ Bell. Or let me perish loath'd. Come my good Lord, Creep in amongst those bushes: who does know But that the gods may save your (much lov'd) breath?
Phi. Then I shall die for grief, if not for this, That I have wounded thee: what wilt thou do?
Bell. Shift for my self well: peace, I hear 'em come.
Within. Follow, follow, follow; that way they went.
Bell. With my own wounds I'le bloudy my own sword. I need not counterfeit to fall; Heaven knows, That I can stand no longer.
Enter Pha. Dion, Cle. and Thra.
Pha. To this place we have tract him by his bloud. ”

“ Sir, you did take me up when I was nothing;
And only yet am something, by being yours;
You trusted me unknown; and that which you are apt
To conster a simple innocence in me,
Perhaps, might have been craft; the cunning of a boy
Hardened in lies and theft; yet ventur'd you,
To part my miseries and me: for which,
I never can expect to serve a Lady
That bears more honour in her breast than you. ”

“ Now the vengeance of all the gods confound them; how they swarm together! what a hum they raise; Devils choak your wilde throats; If a man had need to use their valours, he must pay a Brokage for it, and then bring 'em on, they will fight like sheep. 'Tis Philaster, none but Philaster must allay this heat: They will not hear me speak, but fling dirt at me, and call me Tyrant. ”

“ Enter King, Pharamond, Arethusa, Galatea, Megra,
Dion, Cleremont, Thrasilin, and Attendants.
K. What, are the Hounds before, and all the woodmen?
Our horses ready, and our bows bent?
Di. All Sir.
King. Y'are cloudy Sir, come we have forgotten
Your venial trespass, let not that sit heavy
Upon your spirit; none dare utter it.
Di. He looks like an old surfeited Stallion after his leaping,
dull as a Dormouse: see how he sinks; the wench has shot
him between wind and water, and I hope sprung a leak.
Thra. He needs no teaching, he strikes sure enough ”

“ Enter Pharamond.
Pha. Why should these Ladies stay so long? They must come this way; I know the Queen imployes 'em not, for the Reverend Mother sent me word they would all be for the Garden. If they should all prove honest now, I were in a fair taking; I was never so long without sport in my life, and in my conscience 'tis not my fault: Oh, for our Country Ladies! Here's one boulted, I'le hound at her.
Enter Galatea. ”

“ Phi. The love of boyes unto their Lords is strange,
I have read wonders of it; yet this boy
For my sake, (if a man may judge by looks,
And speech) would out-do story. I may see
A day to pay him for his loyalty. ”

“ Every man in this age, has not a soul of Crystal for all men to read their actions through: mens hearts and faces are so far asunder, that they hold no intelligence. Do but view yon stranger well, and you shall see a Feaver through all his bravery, and feel him shake like a true Tenant; if he give not back his Crown again, upon the report of an Elder Gun, I have no augury. ”

“ Which is the great delight of wickedness;
You are abus'd, and so is she, and I.
Di. How you my Lord?
Phi. Why all the world's abus'd In an unjust report.
Di. Oh noble Sir your vertues Cannot look into the subtil thoughts of woman. In short my Lord, I took them: I my self.
Phi. Now all the Devils thou didst flie from my rage, Would thou hadst ta'ne devils ingendring plagues: When thou didst take them, hide thee from my eyes, Would thou hadst taken Thunder on thy breast, When thou didst take them, or been strucken dumb For ever: that this foul deed might have slept in silence. ”

“ Then 'tis no time to dally with thee;
I will take thy life, for I do hate thee; I could curse
thee now.
Bell. If you do hate you could not curse me worse;
The gods have not a punishment in store
Greater for me, than is your hate. ”

“ In lust without control; Wilt thou Bellario?
I prethee kill me; thou art poor, and maist
Nourish ambitious thoughts, when I am dead:
This way were freer; Am I raging now?
If I were mad I should desire to live;
Sirs, feel my pulse; whether have you known
A man in a more equal tune to die?
Bel. Alas my Lord, your pulse keeps madmans time,
So does your tongue.
Phi. You will not kill me then?
Are. Kill you?
Bell. Not for a world.
Phi. I blame not thee, Bellario; thou hast done but that, which gods Would have transform'd themselves to do; be gone, Leave me without reply ”

“ But the King (of late) made a hazard of both the Kingdoms, of Cicilie and his own, with offering but to imprison Philaster. At which the City was in arms, not to be charm'd down by any State-order or Proclamation, till they saw Philaster ride through the streets pleas'd, and without a guard; at which they threw their Hats, and their arms from them; some to make bonefires, some to drink, all for his deliverance. Which (wise men say) is the cause, the King labours to bring in the power of a Foreign Nation to aw his own with. ”

“ This is a crafty wench, I like her wit well, 'twill be rare to stir up a leaden appetite, she's a Danae, and must be courted in a showr of gold. Madam, look here, all these and more, than—
Gal. What have you there, my Lord? Gold? Now, as I live tis fair gold; you would have silver for it to play with the Pages; you could not have taken me in a worse time; But if you have present use my Lord, I'le send my man with silver and keep your gold for you. ”

“ Phi. 'Tis false, O Heaven 'tis false: it cannot be, Can it? Speak Gentlemen, for love of truth speak; Is't possible? can women all be damn'd?
Di. Why no, my Lord.
Phi. Why then it cannot be.
Di. And she was taken with her boy.
Phi. What boy?
Di. A Page, a boy that serves her.
Phi. Oh good gods, a little boy?
Di. I, know you him my Lord?
Phi. Hell and sin know him? Sir, you are deceiv'd;
I'le reason it a little coldly with you ”

“ Care seeks out wrinkled brows, and hollow eyes,
And builds himself caves to abide in them. ”

“ I'le teach you in a short sentence, cause I will not load your memory, that is all; love me, and lie with me.
Meg. Was it lie with you that you said? 'Tis impossible.
Pha. Not to a willing mind, that will endeavour; if I do not teach you to do it as easily in one night, as you'l go to bed, I'le lose my Royal blood for't.
Meg. Why Prince, you have a Lady of your own, that yet wants teaching.
Pha. I'le sooner teach a Mare the old measures, than teach her any thing belonging to the function; she's afraid to lie with her self, if she have but any masculine imaginations about her ”

“ When my Fox-bitch Beauty grows proud, I'le borrow him.
King. Is your Boy turn'd away?
Are. You did command Sir, and I obey you.
King. 'Tis well done: Hark ye further.
Cle. Is't possible this fellow should repent? Me thinks that were not noble in him: and yet he looks like a mortified member, as if he had a sick mans Salve in's mouth. If a worse man had done this fault now, some Physical Justice or other, would presently (without the help of an Almanack) have opened the obstructions of his Liver, and let him bloud with a Dog-whip. ”

“ I can see nothing but people better horst than my self, that outride me; I can hear nothing but shouting. These Kings had need of good brains, this whooping is able to put a mean man out of his wits. There's a Courtier with his sword drawn, by this hand upon a woman, I think. ”

“ Gal. Full being! I understand you not, unless your Grace means growing to fatness; and then your only remedy (upon my knowledge, Prince) is in a morning a Cup of neat White-wine brew'd with Carduus, then fast till supper, about eight you may eat; use exercise, and keep a Sparrow-hawk, you can shoot in a Tiller; but of all, your Grace must flie Phlebotomie, fresh Pork, Conger, and clarified Whay; They are all dullers of the vital spirits.
Pha. Lady, you talk of nothing all this while.
Gal. 'Tis very true Sir, I talk of you. ”

“ That utters this, and I will scale them all,
And from the utmost top fall on his neck,
Like Thunder from a Cloud. ”

“ Is young Pharamond
Come to his lodging?
Di. I saw him enter there.
King. Haste some of you, and cunningly discover,
If Megra be in her lodging.
Cle. Sir,
She parted hence but now with other Ladies.
King. If she be there, we shall not need to make
A vain discovery of our suspicion.
You gods I see, that who unrighteously
Holds wealth or state from others, shall be curst,
In that, which meaner men are blest withall:
Ages to come shall know no male of him
Left to inherit, and his name shall be
Blotted from earth ”

“ She that hath snow enough about her heart,
To take the wanton spring of ten such lines off,
May be a Nun without probation.
Sir, you have in such neat poetry, gathered a kiss,
That if I had but five lines of that number,
Such pretty begging blanks, I should commend
Your fore-head, or your cheeks, and kiss you too.
Pha. Do it in prose; you cannot miss it Madam.
Meg. I shall, I shall.
Pha. By my life you shall not.
I'le prompt you first: Can you do it now?
Meg. Methinks 'tis easie, now I ha' don't before ”

“ No more such Bugs-words, or that soldred Crown
Shall be scratch'd with a Musket: Dear Prince Pippen,
Down with your noble bloud; or as I live,
I'le have you codled: let him lose my spirits,
Make us a round Ring with your Bills my Hectors,
And let us see what this trim man dares do.
Now Sir, have at you; here I [lie] ,
And with this swashing blow, do you swear Prince;
I could hulk your Grace, and hang you up cross-leg'd,
Like a Hare at a Poulters, and do this with this wiper.
Pha. You will not see me murder'd wicked Villains? ”

“ Manent Dion, Cleremont, Thrasiline.
Cle. The City up! this was above our wishes.
Di. I and the Marriage too; by my life, This noble Lady has deceiv'd us all, a plague upon my self; a thousand plagues, for having such unworthy thoughts of her dear honour: O I could beat my self, or do you beat me and I'le beat you, for we had all one thought.
Cle. No, no, 'twill but lose time. ”

“ Charges strong Towns, Towers, Castles, Palaces,
And layes them desolate: so shall thy head,
Thy noble head, bury the lives of thousands
That must bleed with thee like a sacrifice,
In thy red ruines.
Enter Phil. Are. and Bell, in a Robe and Garland. ”