The Project Gutenberg eBook of Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (6 of 10):, by Francis Beaumont; John Fletcher.

Ron. You are too gentle, Sir. [Flourish Cornets.

Fer. You are too careless:
The creatures I have made, no way regard me:
Why should I give you names, titles of honor,
Rob families to fill your private houses.
For your advancement, draw all curses on me,
Wake tedious winter nights, to make them happy
That for me break no slumber?

Ron. What we can,
We dare do.

Fer. Why is your Soverigns life then
(In which you live, and in whose fall your honors,
Your wealth, your pomp, your pride, and all must suffer)
No better guarded? Oh my cruel Stars,
That mark me out a King, raising me on
This pinnacle of greatness, only to be
The nearer blasting!

Vil. What think you now Castruccio?
Is not this a merry life?

Cast. Still thou art couzen'd;
It is a glorious royal discontentment;
How bravely it becomes him!

Fer. To be made
The common Butt, for every slave to shoot at;
No peace, no rest I take, but their alarms
Beat at my heart: why do I live, or seek then,
To add a day more to these glorious troubles?
Or to what end when all I can arrive at,
Is but the summing up of fears and sorrows?
What power has my command, when from my bosom
Ascanio, my most dear, and lov'd Ascanio,
Was snatch'd, spite of my Will, spite of my Succor,
And by mine own proud slave, retein'd most miserable?
And still that villain lives to nip my pleasures,
It being not within my power to reach him.

Ro[n]. Time may restore all this; and would you hear
Whose counsel never fail'd you.

Fer. Tell me no more,
I faint beneath the burthen of my cares;
And yield my self most wretched.

Ron. On my knees
I beg it, mighty Sir, vouchsafe me hearing.

Fer. Speak, speak, and I thus low, such is my fortune,
Will hear what thou canst say.

Vil. Look but on this,
Has not a man that has but means to keep
A Hawk, a Greyhound, and a Hunting Nag,
More pleasure than this King?

Cast. A dull fool still,
Make me a King, and let me scratch with care,
And see who'll have the better; give me rule
Command, obedience, pleasure of a King,
And let the Devil roar; The greatest corrosive
A King can have, is of more precious tickling,
And handled to the height, more dear delight,
Than other mens whole lives, let 'em be safe too.

Vil. Think of the mutinous people.

Cast. Hang the people,
Give me the pleasure, let me do all, awe all,
Enjoy their Wives and States at my discretion,
And peg 'em when I please, let the slaves mumble.

Vil. But say they should be vex'd, and rise against thee?

Cast. Let 'em rise, let 'em rise: give me the bridle here,
And see if they can crack my girths: ah Villio,
Under the Sun there's nothing so voluptuous
As riding of this Monster, till he founder.

Fer. Who's that so loud?

Cast. I am dumb: is not this rare?
Kings looks make Pythagoreans; is not this
A happiness Villio?

Vil. Yes, to put to silence
A fawning sycophant.

Fer. Thou speak'st truth in all,
And mercy is a vice, when there needs rigor,
Which I, with all severity, will practice;
And since, as subjects they pay not obedience,
They shall be forc'd as slaves: I will remove
Their means to hurt, and with the means, my fears;
Goe you the fatal executioners
Of my commands, and in our name proclaim,
That from this hour I do forbid all meetings,
All private conferences in the City:
To feast a neighbor shall be death: to talk,
As they meet in the streets, to hold discourse,
By writing, nay by signs; see this perform'd,
And I will call your cruelty, to those
That dare repine at this, to me true service.

1 Gard. This makes for us.

2 Gard. I, now we have employments,
If we grow not rich, 'twere fit we should be beggars.

Fer. Ronvere. [Exit Guard.

Ron. My Lord.

Cast. Thou enemy to Majesty?
What think'st thou of a kingdom?

Vil. As of a man
That hath power to do ill.

Cast. Or a thing rather
That does divide an Empire with the gods;
Observe but with how little breath he shakes
A populous City, which would stand unmov'd
Against a whirlwind.

Vil. Then you make him more
Than him that rules the winds.

Cast. For me I do profess it,
Were I offer'd to be any thing on earth
I would be mighty Ferrant.

Fer. Who names me?
Deliver thy thoughts slave, thy thoughts, and truly
Or be no more.

Cast. They rather will deserve
Your favour than your fury; I admire,
(As who does not, that is a loyal subject?)
Your wisdom, power, your perfect happiness,
The most blest of mankind.

Fer. Didst thou but feel
The weighty sorrows that sit on a Crown,
Though thou shouldst find one in the streets Castruccio.
Thou wouldst not think it worth the taking up;
But since thou art enamour'd of my fortune,
Thou shalt e'r long taste of it.

Cast. But one day,
And then let me expire.

Fer. Goe to my Wardrobe,
And of the richest things I wear, cull out,
What thou thinkst fit: do you attend him sirrah?

Vil. I warrant you I shall be at his elbow,
The fool will never leave him. [Exit Cast., Villio.

Cast. Made for ever. [A shout within.

Fer. What shout is that, draw up our Guards.

Ron. Those rather
Speak joy than danger.
Bring her to my house,
I would not have her seen here.

Fer. My Ascanio!
The most desir'd of all men, let me die
In these embraces; how wert thou redeem'd?

Asc. Sir, this is my preserver.

Fer. At more leisure,
I will enquire the manner, and the means,
I cannot spare so much time now from my
More strickt embraces: Virolet, welcome too,
This service weighs down your intended Treason;
You long have been mine enemy, learn now
To be my friend and loyal, I ask no more,
And live as free as Ferrant; let him have
The forty thousand crowns I gladly promis'd,
For my Ascanio's freedom, and deliver
His Father, and his wife to him in safety,
Something hath passed which I am sorry for,
But 'twill not now be help'd; come my Ascanio,
And reap the harvest of my winter travels. [Flourish Cornets.
My best Ascanio, my lov'd Ascanio.

Vir. My Lord, all former passages forgot, [Exit Fer., Ascanio.
I am become a suitor.

Ron. To me Virolet?

Vir. To you, yet will not beg the courtesie,
But largely pay you for it.

Ron. To the purpose.

Vir. The forty thousand crowns the King hath given me,
I will bestow on you, if by your means
I may have liberty for a divorce
Between me and my wife.

Ron. Your Juliana?
That for you hath indur'd so much, so nobly?

Vir. The more my sorrow; but it must be so.

Ron. I will not hinder it: without a bribe,
For mine own ends, I would have further'd this.
I will use all my power.

Vir. 'Tis all I aske:
Oh my curs'd fate, that ever man should hate
Himself for being belov'd, or be compell'd
To cast away a Jewel, Kings would buy,
Though with the loss of Crown and Monarchy! [Exeunt.

Sesse. How do I look?

Mast. You are so strangely alter'd.
We scarce can know you, so young again, and utterly
From that you were, figure, or any favour;
Your friends cannot discern you.

Sesse. I have none,
None but my fair revenge, and let that know me!
You are finely alter'd too.

Boats. To please your humour,
But we may pass without disguise, our living
Was never in their element.

Gun. This Jew sure,
That alter'd you, is a mad knave.

Ses. Oh! a most excellent fellow.

Gun. How he has mew'd your head, has rub'd the snow off,
And run your beard into a peak of twenty.

Boats. Stopt all the crannies in your face.

Mast. Most rarely.

Boats. And now you look as plump, your eies as sparkling,
As if you were to leap into a Ladies saddle.
Has he not set your nose awry?

Ses. The better.

Boats. I think it be the better, but 'tis awry sure;
North and by East, I, there's the point it stands in;
Now halfe a point to the Southward.

Ses. I could laugh,
But that my business requires no mirth now;
Thou art a merry fellow.

Boats. I would the Jew Sir,
Could steer my head right, for I have such a swimming in't,
Ever since I went to Sea first.

Mast. Take Wine and purge it.

Boats. I have had a thousand pils of Sack, a thousand;
A thousand pottle Pills.

Gun. Take more.

Boats. Good Doctor,
Your patient is easily perswaded.

Mast. The next fair open weather
Methinks this Jew
If he were truly known to founder'd Courtiers,
And decay'd Ladies that have lost their fleeces
On every bush, he might pick a pretty living.

Boats. The best of all our gallants, should be glad of him;
For if you mark their marches, they are tender,
Soft, soft, and tender; then but observe their bodies,
And you shall find 'em cemented by a Surgeon,
Or some Physitian for a year or two,
And then to th' tub again, for a new pickle.
This Jew might live a Gentile here.

Ses. What are these?
Stand close and mark?

Boats. These are no men, th' are motions.

Ses. What sad and ruthful faces!

Boats. How they duck!
This senceless, silent courtesie methinks,
Shews like two Turks, saluting one another,
Upon two French Porters backs.

Ses. They are my Countrey-men,
And this, some forc'd infliction from the tyrant;
What are you, why is this? why move thus silent
As if you were wandring shadows? why so sad?
Your tongues seal'd up; are ye of several Countries?
You understand not one another?

Gun. That's an Englishman,
He looks as though he had lost his dog.

Ses. Your habits
Shew ye all Neopolitanes; and your faces
Deliver you oppressed things; speak boldly:
Do you groan and labor under this stiff yoak?

Mast. They shake their heads and weep.

Ses. Oh misery!
Give plenteous sorrow, and no tongues to shew 'em!
This is a studied cruelty.

1 Cit. Begone Sir,
It seems you are a stranger, and save your self.

2 Cit. You wonder here at us; as much we wonder
To hear you speak so openly, and boldly,
The Kings command being publisht to the contrary;
'Tis death here, above two, to talk together;
And that must be but common salutation neither,
Short, and so part.

Boats. How should a man buy mustard,
If he be forc'd to stay the making of it?

Within 1. Clear all the streets before the King.

1 Cit. Get off Sir,
And shift as we must do. [Exeunt Citizens.

Ses. I'll see his glory.

Mast. Stand fast now and like men. [Flourish Colours.

Cast. Begin the game, Sir,
And pluck me down the Row
Of houses there.
They hide the view o'th' hill; and sink those Merchants,
Their ships are foul and stink.

Mast. This is a sweet youth.

Cast. All that are taken in assemblies,
Their houses and their wives, their wealths are forfeit,
Their lives at your devotion. Villains, Knaves,
I'll make you bow and shake, I'll make you kneel Rogues.
How brave 'tis to b[e] a King!

Gun. Here's fine tumbling.

Cast. No man shall sit i'th' temple near another.

Boats. Nor lie with his own wife.

Cast. All upon pain
Of present death, forget to write.

Boats. That's excellent,
Carriers and Footposts, will be arrant rebels.

Cast. No character, or stamp, that may deliver
This mans intention, to that man i'th' Countrey.

Gun. Nay, an you cut off, after my hearty commendati[on]s.
Your friend and Oliver. No more.

Cast. No man smile,
And wear face of mirth; that fellows cunning,
And hides a double heart, he's your prize, smoke him.

Ses. What base abuse is this? Ha? 'tis her face sure,
My prisoners with her too? by heaven wild whore
Now is my time.

Mast. Do what you will.

Ses. Stay hold yet,
My Countrey shall be serv'd first, let her go,
We'll have an hour for her to make her tremble.
Now shew our selves, and bless you with your valours.

Guard. Here's a whole plump of Rogues. [Virolet and they off again.

Ses. Now for your Countrey.

Cast. Away with 'em and hang 'em; shew no mercy,
I say no mercy.

Ses. Be it so upon 'em.

Guard. Treason, treason, treason.

Boats. Cut the sla[ve]s to giggets.

Gun. Down with the Bul-beefs.

Ses. Hold, hold, I command you,——look here.

Cast. A miserable thing, I am no King Sir.

Ses. Sirrah your fools-face has preserv'd your life.
Wear no more Kings coats, you have scap'd a scouring.

Boats. I'st not the King.

Ses. No, 'tis a prating Rascal,
The puppy makes him mirth.

Cast. Yes Sir I am a puppy.

Boats. I beseech you let me hang him,
I'll do't in my Belt straight.

Cast. As you are honourable,
It is enough you may hang me.

Gun. I'll hang a squib at's tail
That shall blow both his buttocks; like a petard.

Cast. Do any thing.
But do not kill me Gentlemen. [Enter Citizen.

Boates. Let's flea him, and have him flye blown.

Cit. Away, and save your lives.
The King himself is coming on; if you stay,
You are lost for ever; let not so much nobleness
Wilfully perish.

Sess. How near?

2. Cit. He's here behind you. [Ex. Sess. Boatsw. Saylers, Citizens.

Sess. We thank you. Vanish.

Fer. Double the Guards and take in men that dare,
These slaves are frighted; where are the proud Rebels?
To what protection fled? what villain leads 'em?
Under our nose distur[b]'d our rest?

Ronver. We shall hear,
For such a search I have sent, to hunt the Traytors.

Fer. Yet better men I say, we stand too open:
How now Castruchio? how do you like our glory?

Cast. I must confess, 'twas somewhat more than my match Sir;
This open glory agrees not with my body,
But if it were i'th' Castle, or some strength,
Where I might have my swinge.

Vil. You have been swing'd brother;
How these delights have tickled you! you itch yet?
Will you walk out again in pomp?

Cast. Good Fool.

Vil. These rogues must be rebuked, they are too sawcy,
These peremptory Knaves. Will you walk out Sir,
And take the remnant of your Coronation?
The people stay to see it.

Fer. Do not vex him,
H'as grief enough in's bones; you shall to the Citadel,
And like my self command, there use your pleasure,
But take heed to your person.

Vil. The more danger,
Still the more honor Brother.

Cast. If I reign not then,
And like a King, and thou shalt know it fool,
And thou shalt feel it fool.

Vil. Fools still are freemen,
I'll sue for a protection, till thy reign's out.

Fer. The people have abus'd the liberty
I late allow'd, I now proclaim it straighter,
No men shall walk together nor salute;
For they that do shall dye.

Ronver. You hit the right Sir;
That liberty cut off, you are free from practise.

Fer. Renew my guards.

Ronver. I shall.

Fer. And keep strict watches;
One hour of joy I ask.

Ron. You shall have many. [Exeunt Flor. Cor.

Pandulfo and Juliana, led by two of the guard, as not yet fully recovered.

1. Guard. You are now at liberty, in your own house Lady,
And here our charge takes end.

Pand. 'Tis now a Custom.
We must even wooe those men deserve worst of us,
And so we thank your labors; there's to drink,
For that, and mischief are your occupations;
And to mean well to no man, your chief'st harvests.

2. Gard. You give liberally; we hope Sir, er't be long,
To be oftner acquainted with your bounty,
And so we leave you.

Pand. Do, for I dote not on ye.

Jul. But where's my Husband? what should I do here?
Or what share have I in this joy, call'd liberty,
Without his company? Why did you flatter me,
And tell me he was return'd, his service honor'd?

1 Gard. He is so, and stands high in the Kings favor,
His friends redeemed, and his own liberty,
From which yours is deriv'd, confirm'd; his service,
To his own wish, rewarded: so fare-well Lady. [Ex. Guard.

Pand. Go persecute the good, and hunt ye hell-hounds,
Ye Leeches of the time, suck till ye burst slaves;
How does my girl?

Jul. Weak yet, but full of comfort.

Pand. Sit down, and take some rest.

Jul. My heart's whole Father;
That joys, and leaps, to hear my Virolet,
My Dear, my life, has conquer'd his afflictions.

Pand. Those rude hands, and that bloody will that did this,
That durst upon thy tender body print
These Characters of cruelty; hear me heaven.

Jul. O Sir be sparing.

Pand. I'll speak it, tho I burst;
And tho the ayr had ears, and serv'd the Tyrant,
Out it should go: O he[a]re me thou great Justice;
The miseries that wait upon their mischiefs,
Let them be numberless, and no eye pitty
Them when their souls are loaden, and in labour,
And wounded through, and through, with guilt and horror;
As mine is now with grief; let men laugh at 'em
Then, when their monstrous sins, like earth-quakes, shake 'em,
And those eyes, that forgot heaven would look upward,
The bloody 'larms, of the conscience beating,
Let mercy flye, and day strook into darkness,
Leave their blind souls, to hunt out their own horrors.

Jul. Enough, enough, we must forget dear Father;
For then we are glorious formes of heaven; and live,
When we can suffer, and as soon forgive.
But where's my Lord? methinks I have seen this house,
And have been in't before.

Pand. Thine own house jewel.

Jul. Mine, without him? or his, without my company?
I think it cannot be; it was not wont Father.

Pand. Some business with the King, (let it be good, heaven)
Reteins him sure. [Enter Boy.

Jul. It must be good and noble,
For all men that he treats with tast of virtue;
His words and actions are his own; and Honour's
Not brought, nor compell'd from him.

Pand. Here's the Boy.
He can confirm us more, how sad the child looks!
Come hither Lucio; how, and where's thy Master?

Jul. Speak gentle Boy.

Pand. Is he return'd in safety?

Jul. If not, and that thou knowst is miserable,
Our hopes and happiness declin'd for ever;
Study a sorrow excellent as thy Master,
Then if thou canst live leave us.

Lucio. Noble Madam,
My Lord is safe return'd, safe to his friends, and fortune,
Safe to his Countrey, entertain'd with honour,
Is here within the house.

Jul. Do not mock me.

Lucio. But such a melancholly hangs on his mind,
And in his eyes inhabit such sad shadowes;
But what the cause is——

Pand. Go tell him we are here Boy,
There must be no cause now.

Jul. Hast thou forgot me?

Lucio. No noblest Lady.

Jul. Tell him I am here,
Tell him his wife is here, sound my name to him,
And thou shalt see him start; speak Juliana,
And like the Sun that labors through a tempest,
How suddainly he will disperse his sadness!

Pand. Go I command thee instantly,
And charge him on his duty.

Jul. On his love Boy:
I would fain go to him.

Pand. Away, away, you are foolish.

Jul. Bear all my service sweet Boy.

Pand. Art thou here still?

Jul. And tell him what thou wilt that shall become thee.

Pand. I'th' house, and know we are here. [Ex. Boy.

Jul. No, no, he did not;
I warrant you he did not: could you think
His love had less than wings, had he but seen me;
His strong affection any thing but fire
Consuming all weak lets and rubs before it,
Till he had met my flame, and made one body?
If ever heavens high blessings met in one man,
And there erected to their holy uses
A sacred mind fit for their services,
Built all of polisht honor, 'twas in this man:
Misdoubt him not.

Pand. I know he's truely noble;
But why this sadness, when the general cause
Requires a Jubile of joy?

Jul. I know not. [Enter Virolet and Boy.

Pand. Pray heaven you find it not.

Jul. I hope I shall not:
O here he comes, and with him all my happiness;
He stays and thinks, we may be too unmannerly;
Pray give him leave. [they stand off.

Pand. I do not like this sadness.

Vir. O hard condition of my misery!
Unheard of plagues! when to behold that woman,
That chast and virtuous woman, that preserv'd me,
That pious wife, wedded to my afflictions,
Must be more terrible than all my dangers.
O fortune, thou hast rob'd me of my making,
The noble building of a man, demolisht,
And flung me headlong, on a sin so base
Man and mankind contemn; even beasts abhor it,
A sin more dull than drink, a shame beyond it;
So foul, and far from faith; I dare not name it,
But it will cry it self out, loud ingratitude.
Your blessing Sir.

Pand. You have it in abundance;
So is our joy, to see you safe.

Vir. My Dear one!

Jul. H'as not forgot me yet: O take me to you Sir.

Vir. Must this be added to increase my misery,
That she must weep for joy, and loose that goodness?
My Juliana, even the best of women,
Of wives the perfectest, let me speak this,
And with a modesty declare thy vertues,
Chaster than Chrystal, on the Scythian Clifts
The more the proud winds Court, the more the purer.
Sweeter in thy obedience than a Sacrifice;
And in thy mind a Saint, that even yet living,
Producest miracles, and women daily,
With crooked and lame souls creep to thy goodness,
Which having toucht at, they become examples.
The fortitude of all their sex, is Fable
Compar'd to thine; and they that fill'd up glory,
And admiration, in the age behind us,
Out of their celebrated urns, are started,
To stare upon the greatness of thy spirit;
Wondring what new Martyr heaven has begot,
To fill the times with truth, and ease their stories:
Being all these, and excellent in beauty,
(For noble things dwell in the noblest buildings)
Thou hast undone thy husband, made him wretched,
A miserable man, my Juliana,
Thou hast made thy Virolet.

Jul. Now goodness keep me;
Oh! my dear Lord.

Pand. She wrong you? what's the meaning?
Weep not, but speak, I charge you on obedience;
Your Father charges you, she make you miserable?
That you your self confess.

Vir. I do, that kils me;
And far less I have spoke her than her merit.

Jul. It is some sin of weakness, or of Ignorance?
For sure my Will——

Vir. No, 'tis a sin of excellence:
Forgive me heaven, that I prophane thy blessings:
Sit still; I'll shew you all. [Exit Virolet.

Pand. What means this madness?
For sure there is no tast of right man in it;
Grieves he our liberty, our preservation?
Or has the greatness of the deed he has done,
Made him forget, for whom, and how he did it,
And looking down upon us, scorn the benefit?
Well Virolet, if thou beest proud, or treacherous.

Jul. He cannot Sir, he cannot; he will shew us,
And with that reason ground his words.

Actus Tertius. Scæna Prima.