Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10

Roc. The door's already open, the Key in it.

Mount. What were those past by?

Roc. Some scout of Soldiers, I think.

Mount. It may well be so, for I saw their horses:
They saw not us I hope.

Abd. No, no, we were close,
Beside they were far off.

Mount. What time of night is't?

Abd. Much about twelve I think.

Roc. Let me go in first
For by the leaving open of the door here
There may be some body in the Church: give me the Lanthorne.

Abd. You'll love me now I hope.

Mount. Make that good to me
Your promise is engaged for.

Abd. Why she is there
Ready prepar'd, and much about this time
Life will look up again.

Roc. Come in all's sure,
Not a foot stirring, nor a tongue.

Mount. Heaven bless me,
I never enter'd with such unholy thoughts
This place before.

Abd. Ye are a fearful fool,
If men have appetites allow'd 'em,
And warm desires, are there not ends too for 'em?

Mount. Whether shall we carry her?

Roc. Why, to the bark, Sir,
I have provided one already waits us;
The wind stands wondrous fair too for our passage.

A[b]d. And there when ye have enjoy'd her, for ye have that liberty
Let me alone to send her to feed fishes:
I'll no more sighs for her.

Mount. Where is the monument?
Thou art sure she will awake about this time?

Abd. Most sure, if she be not knockt oth'head: give me the Lanthorn,
Here 'tis, how is this, the stone off?

Roc. I, and nothing
Within the monument, that's worse; no body
I am sure of that, nor sign of any here,
But an empty Coffin.

Mount. No Lady?

Roc. No, nor Lord Sir,
This Pye has been cut up before.

Abd. Either the Devil
Must do these tricks—

Mount. Or thou, damn'd one, worse;
Thou black swoln pitchy cloud, of all my afflictions:
Thou night hag, gotten when the bright Moon suffer'd:
Thou hell it self confin'd in flesh: what trick now?
Tell me, and tell me quickly what thy mischief
Has done with her, and to what end, and whether
Thou hast remov'd her body, or by this holy place
This Sword shall cut thee into thousand pieces,
A thousand thousand, strow thee ore the Temple
A sacrifice to thy black sire, the Devil.

Ro[c]. Tell him, you see he's angry.

Abd. Let him burst,
Neither his sword, nor anger do I shake at,
Nor will yield to feed his poor suspitions,
His idle jealousies, and mad dogs heats
One thought against my self: ye have done a brave deed;
A manly, and a valiant piece of Service:
When ye have kill'd me, reckon't amongst your Battels;
I am sorry ye are so poor, so weak a Gentleman,
Able to stand no fortune: I dispose of her?
My mischief make her away? a likely project,
I must play booty against my self, if any thing cross ye,
I am the devil, and the devils heir,
All plagues, all mischiefs.

Mount. Will ye leave and do yet?

Ab. I have done too much,
Far, far too much, for such a thankless fellow,
If I be devil, you created me;
I never knew those arts, nor bloody practises
(—— o'your cunning heart, that mine of mischief)
Before your flatteries won 'em into me.
Here did I leave her, leave her with that certainty
About this hour to wake again.

Mount. Where is she?
This is the last demand.

Ab. Did I now know it,
And were I sure, this were my latest minute,
I would not tell thee: strike, and then I'll curse thee:

Roc. I see a light, stand close, and leave your angers.
We all miscarry else.

Enter Gomera, Page with Torch.

Ab. I am now careless.

Mount. Peace, prethee peace, sweet, peace, all friends.

Abd. Stand close then.

Gom. Wait there Boy, with the light, till I call to thee:
In darkness was my soul and sences clouded
When my fair Jewel fell, the night of jealousie,
In all her blackness drawn about my judgment:
No light was let into me, to distinguish
Betwixt my suddain anger and her honor,
A blind sad Pilgrimage shall be my pennance,
No comfort of the day will I look up at:
Far darker than my jealous Ignorance
Each place of my aboad shall be my prayers
No ceremonious lights shall set off more:
Bright Armes, and all that carry lustre, life,
Society, and solace, I forsake ye.
And were it not once more to see her beauties,
(For in her bed of death, she must be sweet still,)
And on her cold sad lips seal my repentance;
Thou child of heaven, fair light I could not miss thee.

Mount. I know the tongue, would I were out again,
I have done him too much wrong to look upon him.

Ab. There is no shifting now, boldness, and confidence
Must carry it now away: he is but one neither,
Naked as you are, of a strength far under.

Mount. But he has a cause above me.

Ab. That's as you handle it.

Roc. Peace: he may go again, and never see us.

Gom. I feel I weep apace, but where's the flood,
The torrent of my tears, to drown my fault in?
I would I could now, like a loaden cloud,
Begotten in the moist south, drop to nothing.
Give me the Torch, Boy.

Roc. Now he must discover us.

Ab. He has already, never hide your head
Be bold and brave, if we must dye together.

Gom. Who's there? what friend to sorrow? The Tomb wide open
The Stone off too? the body gone, by ——
Look to the door Boy: keep it fast, who are ye?
What sacrilegious villains? false Mountferrat,
The woolf to honor, has thy hellish hunger,
Brought thee to tear the body out oth'tomb too?
Has thy foul mind so far wrought on thee? ha,
Are you there too? nay, then I spie a villany
I never dream'd of yet, thou sinful usher
Bred from that rottenness, th[ou] bawd to mischief,
Do you blush through all your blackness? will not that hide it?

Ab. I cannot speak.

Gom. You are well met, with your dam, Sir,
Art thou a Knight? did ever on that sword,
The Christian cause sit nobly? could that hand fight,
Guided by fame, and fortune? that heart inflame thee,
With virtuous fires of valor, to fall off,
Fall off so suddainly, and with such foulness,
As the false Angels did, from all their glory?
Thou art no Knight, honor thou never heard'st of,
Nor brave desires could ever build in that breast.
Treason, and tainted thoughts, are all the Gods
Thou worship'st, all the strength thou hadst, and fortune;
Thou didst things out of fear, and false heart, villain
Out of close traps and treacheries, they have raised thee.

Mount. Thou rav'st old man.

Gom. Before thou get'st off from me,
Hadst thou the glory of thy first fi[gh]ts on thee
Which thou hast basely lost, thy noblest fortunes,
And in their greatest lustres, I would make thee,
Before we part, confess, nay, kneel, and do it,
Nay, crying kneel, coldly, for mercy, crying:
Thou art the recreant'st Rogue, time ever nourished, stav'd,
Thou art a dog, I will make thee swear, a dog
A mangy Cur-dog; do you creep behind the Altar?
Look how it sweats, to shelter such a rascall;
First, with thy venemous tooth infect her chast life,
And then not dare to do; next, rob her rest,
Steal her dead body out oth'grave.

Mount. I have not.

Gom. Prethee come out, this is no place to quarrel in,
Valiant Mountferrat come.

Mount. I will not stir.

Gom. Thou hast thy sword about thee,
That good sword, that never faill'd thee: prethee come,
We'll have but five stroaks for it; on, on Boy,
Here's one would fain be acquainted with thee,
Would wondrous fain cleave that Calves-head of yours Sir,
Come, prethee let's dispatch, the Moon shines finely:
Prethee be kill'd by me, thou wilt be hang'd else,
But it may be, thou long'st to be hang'd.

Roc. Out with him, Sir,
You shall have my sword too: when he's dispatch'd once,
We have the world before us.

Gom. Wilt thou walk fellow,
I never knew a Rogue, hang arse-ward so,
And such a desperate knave too.

Ab. Pray go with him,
Something I'll promise too.

Mount. You would be kill'd then?
No remedy; I see.

Gom. If thou dar'st do it?

Mount. Yes, now I dare; lead out, I'll follow presently
Under the Mount I'll meet ye.

Gom. Go before me,
I'll have ye in a string too.

Mount. As I am a Gentleman,
And by this holy place I will not fail thee,
Fear not, thou shalt be kill'd, take my word for it
I will not fail.

Gom. If thou scap'st thou hast Cats luck.
The Mount?

Mount. The same: make hast, I am there before else.

Gom. Go get ye home; now if he scape I am a Coward.

Mount. Well, now I am resolv'd, and he shall find it.

[Exeunt.

Scæna Tertia.

Enter Miranda, Lucinda, Collonna.

Mir. How is it with the Lady?

Luc. Sir, as well
As it can be with one, who feeling knowes now
What is the curse the divine justice lay'd
On the first sinful woman.

Mir. Is she in travel?

Luc. Yes sir; and yet the troubles of her mind
Afflict her more, than what her body suffers,
For in the extremity of her pain, she cryes out,
Why am I here? Where is my Lord Gomera,
Then sometimes names Miranda, and then sighes,
As if to speak, what questionless she loves well,
If heard, mig[ht] do her injury.

Col. Heavens sweet mercy
Look gently on her.

Mir. Prethee tell her, my Prayers
Are present with her, and good wench provide
That she want nothing: what's thy name?

Luc. Lucinda.

Mir. Lucinda? there's a prosperous omen in it,
Be a Lucinda to her, and bring word
That she is safe delivered of her burthen,
And thy reward's thy liberty: come Collonna,
We will go see how th'Engineer has mounted
The Cannon the great Master sent, be careful
To view the works, and learn the discipline
That is us'd here: I am to leave the world
And for your service, which I have found faithful,
The charge that's mine, if I have any power
Hereafter may concern you.

Col. I still find
A noble Master in you.

Mir. 'Tis but justice,
Thou do'st deserve it in thy care, and duty. [Exeunt.

Scæna Quarta.

Enter Gomera, Mountferrat, Rocca, Abdella, with a Pistol.

Gom. Here's even ground, I'll stir no foot beyond it,
Before I have thy head.

Mount. Draw Rocca.

Gom. Coward,
Hath inward guilt, robb'd thee as well of courage
As honesty? that without odds thou dar'st not
Answer a single Enemy?

Mount. All advantage
That I can take, expect.

Roc. We know you are valiant,
Nor do we purpose to make farther trial
Of what you can do now: but to dispatch you.

Mount. And therefore fight, and pray together.

Gom. Villains,
Whose baseness, all disgraceful words made one,
Cannot express; so strong is the good cause
That seconds me, that you shall feel, with horror
To your proud hopes, what strength is in that arm,
Though old, that holds a sword made sharp by justice.

Ab. You come then here, to prate? [Fight.

Mount. Help Rocca, now,
Or I am lost for ever; how comes this?
Are villany and weakness twyns?

Roc. I am gone too.

Gom. You shall not scape me, wretches.

Ab. I must do it,
All will go wrong else. [Shoots him.

[G]om. Treacherous bloody woman,
What hast thou done?

Ab. Done a poor womans part,
And in an instant, what these men so long
Stood fooling for.

Mount. This ayd was unexpected,
I kiss thee for't.

Roc. His right arms only shot,
And that compell'd him to forsake his sword,
He's else unwounded.

Mount. Cut his throat.

Ab. Forbear.
Yet do not hope 'tis with intent to save thee.
But that thou mayst live to thy farther torment,
To see who triumphs over thee: come Mountferrat,
Here join thy foot to mine, and let our hearts
Meet with our hands, the contract that is made
And cemented with blood, as this of ours is,
Is a more holy sanction, and much surer,
Than all the superstitious ceremonies
You Christians use.

Enter Norandine.

Roc. Who's this?

Mount. Betray'd again?

Nor. By the report it made, and by the wind
The Pistol was discharg'd here.

Gom. Norandine.
As ever thou lov'st valor, or wear'st Arms
To punish baseness, shew it.

Nor. O the devil,
Gomera wounded, and my Brache black beauty
An actor in it?

Ab. If thou strik'st, I'll shoot thee.

Nor. How? fright me with your Pot-gun? what art thou?
Good heaven, the Rogue, the traytor rogue Mountferrat,
To swinge the nest of you, is a sport unlook'd for,
Hels —— consume you.

Mount. As thou art a man,
I am wounded, give me time to answer thee.

Gom. Durst thou urge this? this hand can hold a sword yet.

Nor. Well done: to see this villain, makes my hurts
Bleed fresh again, but had I not a bone whole,
In such a cause I should do thus, thus Rascals.

Enter Corporal and watch.

Cor. Disarm them, and shoot any that resists.

Gom. Hold Corporal; I am Gomera.

Nor. 'Tis well yet, that once in an age you can
Remember what you watch for: I had thought
You had again been making out your parties
For sucking piggs.
'Tis well: As you will answer
The contrary with your lives, see these forth coming.

Cor. That we shall do.

Nor. You bleed apace: good Soldiers
Go help him to a Surgeon.

Roc. Dare the worst,
And suffer like your self.

Ab. From me learn courage.

Nor. Now for Miranda, this news will be to him
As welcome as 'tis unexpected: Corporal,
There's something for thy care to night; my horse there. [Exeunt.

Actus Quintus. Scæna Prima.

Enter Oriana, and Lucinda.

Ori. HOw do's my Boy?

Luc. Oh, wondrous lusty Madam,
A little Knight already: you shall live
To see him toss a Turk.

Ori. Gentle Lucinda,
Much must I thank thee for thy care, and service.

Enter Miranda, Norandine, Colonna.

And may I grow but strong to see Valetta,
My husband, and my brother, thou shalt find
I will not barely thank thee.

Mir. Look Captain, we must ride away this morning
The Auberge sits to day, and the great Master
Writes plainly, I must or deliver in
(The year expir'd) my probation weed,
Or take the Cloak: you likewise Norandine
For your full service, and your last assistance
In false Mountferrats apprehension
Are here commanded to associate me; my twin in this high honor.

Nor. I'll none on't: do they think to bind me to live chast, sober, and temperately, all days of my life? they may as soon tye an Englishman to live so; I shall be a sweet Dane, a sweet Captain, go up and down drinking small beer, and swearing 'ods neagues, no, I'll live a Squire at Arms still, and do thou so too; and thou beest wise: I have found the mystery now, why the Gentlemen wear but three bars of the cross, and the Knights the whole one.

Mir. Why Captain?

Nor. Marry Sir, to put us in remembrance, we are but three quarters cross'd in our licence, and pleasures: but the poor Knights cross'd altogether; the brothers at Arms, may yet meet with their Sisters at Arms, now and then, in brotherly love; but the poor Knights cannot get a Lady for love, nor money: 'tis not so in other Countries I wis, pray haste you, for I'll along, and see what will come on't. [Exit.

Mir. Collonna, provide strait, all necessaries
For this remove, the Lytter for the Lady,
And let Lucinda bear her company,
You shall attend on me.

Col. With all my duties. [Exit.

Mir. How fare you gracious Mistriss?

Ori. O Miranda.
You pleas'd to honor me with that fair title
When I was free, and could dispose my self;
But now, no smile, no word, no look, no touch
Can I impart to any, but as theft
From my Gomera, and who dares accept,
Is an usurper.

Mir. Leave us; I have touch'd thee,
(Thou fairer virtue, than thou'rt beautiful)
Hold but this test, so rich an ore was never

[Altar ready, tapers and booke.

Tryed by the hand of man, on the vast earth:
Sit brightest Oriana, is it sin
Still to profess I love you, still to vow
I shall do ever? heaven my witness be,
'Tis not your eye, your cheek, your tongue, no part
That superficially doth snare young men,
Which has caught me; read over in your thoughts
The story that this man hath made of you,
And think upon his merit.

Ori. Only thought
Can comprehend it.

Mir. And can you be so
Cruel, thankless, to destroy his youth
That say'd your honor, gave you double life?
Your own, and your fair Infants? that when fortune
(The blind foe to all beauty, that is good,)
Bandied you from one hazard to another,
Was even heavens Messenger, by providence
Call'd to the Temple, to receive you there,
Into these Arms, to give ease to your throwes,
As if't had thunder'd; take thy due Miranda,
For she was thine; Gomera's jealousie
Struck death unto thy heart; to him be dead,
And live to me, that gave thee second life:
Let me but now enjoy thee: Oh regard
The torturing fires of my affections.

Ori. Oh master them, Miranda, as I mine;
Who follows his desires, such tyrants serves
As will oppress him insupportably.
My flames, Miranda, rise as high as thine,
For I did love thee 'fore my marriage,
Yet would I now consent, or could I think
Thou wert in earnest, (which by all the souls
That have (for chastity) been sanctified
I cannot) in a moment I do know
Thou'ldst call fair temperance up to rule thy blood,
Thy eye was ever chaste, thy countenance too honest,
And all thy wooings was like Maidens talk;
Who yieldeth unto pleasures, and to lust
Is a poor captive, that in Golden Fetters
(And pretious (as he thinks) but holding gyves)
Frets out his life.

Mir. Find such another woman,
And take her for his labour, any man:

Ori. I was not worthy of thee, at my best,
Heaven knew I was not, I had had thee else;
Much less now gentle Sir; Miranda's deeds
Have been as white as Oriana's fame,
From the beginning to this point of time,
And shall we now begin to stain both thus?
Think on the legend which we two shall breed
Continuing as we are, for chastest dames
And boldest Soldiers to peruse and read,
I and read thorough, free from any act
To cause the modest cast the book away,
And the most honour'd Captain fold it up.

Mir. Fairest; let go my hand: my pulse beats thick,
And my mov'd blood, rides high in every vain,
Lord of thy self now, Soldier, and ever:
I would not for Aleppo, this frail Bark,
This bark of flesh, no better steers-man had
Than has Mountferrat's: may you kiss me, Lady?

Ori. No; though't be no essential injury,
It is a circumstance due to my Lord,
To none else: and my dearest friend, if hands
Playing together, kindle heat in you,
What may the game at Lips provoke unto?

Mir. Oh what a tongue is here! whil'st she doth teach
My heart to hate my fond unlawful love,
She talks me more in love, with love to her,
My fires she quencheth with her arguments,
But as she breathes 'em, they blow fresher fires.
Sit further: now my flame cools; Husband, Wife,
There is some holy mystery in those names
That sure the unmarried cannot understand.

Ori. Now thou art strait, and dost enamour me,
So far beyond a carnal earthly love;
My very soul doats on thee, and my spirits
Do embrace thine, my mind doth thy mind kiss,
And in this pure conjunction we enjoy
A heavenlier pleasure than if bodies met:
This, this is perfect love, the other short,
Yet languishing fruition, every Swain
And sweating Groom may clasp, but ours refin'd
Two in ten ages cannot reach unto;
Nor is our spiritual love, a barren joy,
For mark what blessed issue we'll beget,
Dearer than children to posterity,
A great example to mens continence,
And womens chastity, that is a child
More fair and comfortable, than any heir.

Mir. If all wives were but such, lust would not find
One corner to inhabit, sin would be
So strange, remission superfluous:
But one petition, I have done.

Ori. What (Sweet)?

Mir. To call me Lord, if the hard hand of death
Seize on Gomera first.

Ori. Oh, much too worthy;
How much you undervalue your own price,
To give your unbought self, for a poor woman,
That has been once sold, us'd, and lost her show?
I am a garment worn, a vessel crack'd,
A Zone unti'd, a Lilly trode upon,
A fragrant Flower cropt by another[s] hand,
My colour sully'd, and my odo[r] chang'd,
If when I was new blossom'd, I did fear
My self unworthy of Miranda's spring:
Thus over-blown, and seeded, I am rather
Fit to adorn his Chimney, than his bed.

Mir. Rise miracle: save Malta, with thy virtue,
If words could make me proud, how has she spoke,
Yet I will try her to the very block:
Hard-hearted, and uncivil Oriana,
Ingrateful payer of my Industries,
That with a soft painted hypocrisie
Cozen'st, and jeer'st my perturbation,
Expect a witty, and a fell revenge:
My comfort is, all men will think thee false,
Beside thy Husband having been thus long
(On this occasion) in my Fort, and power.

Enter Nor. Collonna, & Lucinda, with a Child.

I'll hear no more words: Captain, let's away
With all care see to her: and you Lucinda
Attend her diligently: she is a wonder.

Nor. Have you found she was well deliver'd:
What, had she a good Midwife, is all well?

Mir. You are merry Norandine.

Luc. Why weep you, Lady?

Ori. Take the poor Babe along.

Col. Madam, 'tis here.

Ori. Dissembling death, why didst thou let me live
To see this change, my greatest cause to grieve? [Exeunt.

Scæna Secunda.

Enter Astorius, Castriot, Valetta, Gomera, Synnet, Knights, two Bishops, Mountferrat guarded by Corporal and Soldiers, Abdella, a Gentleman with a Cloak, sword, and Spurrs: Gomera.

Val. A tender Husband hast thou shew'd thy self
My dearest brother, and thy memory
After my life in brazen Characters;
Shall monumentally be register'd
To ages consequent, till times running hand,
Beats back the world, to undistinguished Chaos,
And on the top of that thy name shall stand
Fresh, and without decay.

Gom. Oh honor'd Sir!
If hope of this, or any bliss to come,
Could lift my load of grief off from my soul,
Or expiate the trespass 'gainst my wife,
That in one hours suspition I begat,
I might be won to be a man again,
And fare like other Husbands, sleep and eat,
Laugh, and forget my pleasing penitence;
But till old nature can make such a wife
Again, I vow ne'r to resume the order
And habits that to men are necessary,
All breath I'll spend in sighs, all sound in groans,
And know no company but my wasting moans.

Ast. This will be wilful murder on your self,
Nor like a Christian do you bear the chance
Which th' inscrutable Will of Heaven admits.

Gom. What would you have my weakness do, that
Suffer'd it self thus to be practis'd on,
By a damn'd hell-hound, and his agent dam,
The impious Midwife, to abortive births,
And cruel instrument to his decrees?
By forgery they first assail'd her life,
Heaven playing with us yet, in that, he wrought
My dearest friend, the servant to her virtue
To combat me, against his Mistriss truth.
That yet effectless, this enchanting Witch,
Bred baneful jealousie against my Lady,
My most immaculate Lady, which seiz'd on her
Almost to death: Oh yet! not yet content,
She in my hand put (to restore her life
As I imagin'd) what did execute
Their devilish malice, farther, great with child,
Was this poor innocent, that too was lost,
They doubled death upon her, not staying there,
They have done violence unto her Tomb,
Not granting rest unto her in the grave:
I wish Miranda had enjoy'd my prize;
For sure I'm punish'd for usurping her,
Oh what a Tyger is resisted Lust!
How it doth forrage all!

Mount. Part of this tale
I grant you true; but 'twas not poison given her?

Ab. I would it had, we had been far enough,
If we had been so wise, and had not now
Stood curtesing for your mercies here.

Mount. Beside,
What is become o' th' body? we know not.

Val. Peace impudence,
And dear Gomera practice patience
As I my self must, by some means at last
We shall dissolve this Riddle.

Gom. Wherefore comes
This villain in this festival array,
As if he triumph'd for his treachery?

Cast. That is by our appointment: give us leave,
You shall know why anon.

Enter Miranda, Norandine, Collona.

Val. One of the Esguard.

Esg. The Gentlemen are come.

Val. Truce then awhile,
With our sad thoughts; what are you both resolv'd?

Nor. Not I my Lord, your down-right Captain still
I'll live, and serve you, not that altogether
I want compunction of conscience,
I have enough to save me, and that's all,
Bar me from drink, and drabs, ev'n hang me too,
You must ev'n make your Captains Capons first,
I have too much flesh for this spiritual Knighthood,
And therefore do desire forbearance, Sir,
Till I am older, or more mortifi'd,
I am too sound yet.

Val. What say you Miranda?

Mir. With all pure zeal to Heaven, duty to you,
I come to undergo it.

Val. Proceed to th' ceremony.

Gom. Before you match with this bright honor'd title,
Admir'd Miranda, pardon what in thought
I ever did transgress against your virtue;
And may you find more joy with your new Bride
Than poor Gomera e'r enjoy'd with his,
But 'twas mine own crime, and I suffer for't:
Long wear your dignity, and worthily,
Whilst I obscurely in some corner vanish.

Mir. Have stronger thoughts, and better, first I crave
According to the order of the Court
I may dispose my Captives, and the Fort,
That with a clean and purified heart
The fitlier I may endue my Robe.

All. 'Tis granted.

Enter Oriana vail'd, Ladies, Lucinda, Child.