Alas! they were beneath your royal pity;
But yet they lived, thou proud man, to confound

thee.

Behold thy fate; this steel!

[Draws a dagger.

Ith. Strike home! A courage As keen as thy revenge shall give it welcome; But prithee faint not; if the wound close up, Tent1 it with double force, and search it deeply. Thou look'st that I should whine, and beg compas

sion,

As loath to leave the vainness of my glories ;
A statelier resolution arms my confidence,
To cozen thee of honour; neither could I,
With equal trial of unequal fortune,
By hazard of a duel; 't were a bravery
Too mighty for a slave intending murder.
On to the execution, and inherit
A conflict with thy horrors.

Org. By Apollo,

Thou talk'st a goodly language! for requital
I will report thee to thy mistress richly;
And take this peace along: some few short minutes
Determin'd, my resolves shall quickly follow
Thy wrathful ghost; then, if we tug for mastery,
Penthea's sacred eyes shall lend new courage.
Give me thy hand-be healthful in thy parting
From lost mortality! thus, thus I free it. [Stabs him.
Ith. Yet, yet, I scorn to shrink.

Org. Keep up thy spirit:

I will be gentle even in blood; to linger
Pain, which I strive to cure, were to be cruel.

[Stabs him again.

Ith. Nimble in vengeance, I forgive thee! Follow Safety with best success; oh, may it prosper!Penthea, by thy side thy brother bleeds;

The earnest of his wrongs to thy forced faith.
Thoughts of ambition, or delicious banquet
With beauty, youth, and love, together perish
In my last breath, which on the sacred altar
Of a long-look'd-for peace-now-moves-to hea-

ven.

[Dies.

Org. Farewell, fair spring of manhood! henceforth welcome

Best expectation of a noble sufferance.

I'll lock the bodies safe, till what must follow

Shall be approved.-Sweet twins, shine stars for

ever!

In vain they build their hopes, whose life is shame; No monument lasts but a happy name.

[Locks the door, and exit.

ACT V. SCENE I.

A Room in BASSANES'S House.

Enter BASSANES.

Bass. Athens-to Athens I have sent, the nursery Of Greece for learning, and the fount of know

ledge;

For here, in Sparta, there's not left among us One wise man to direct; we are all turn'd madcaps. 'T is said Apollo is the god of herbs,

Then certainly he knows the virtue of them: 1 To Delphos I have sent too; if there can be A help for nature, we are sure yet.

With all my heart, let me go from thee quietly;
I will not aught to do with thee, of all men.

The doubles of a hare, or, in a morning,

Salutes from a splay-footed witch,-to drop
Three drops of blood at th' nose just, and no

more,

Croaking of ravens, or the screech of owls,
Are not so boding mischief, as thy crossing
My private meditations: shun me, prithee;
And if I cannot love thee heartily,
I'll love thee as well as I can.

Org. Noble Bassanes,

Mistake me not.

Bass. Phew! then we shall be troubled. Thou wert ordain'd my plague-heaven make me

thankful;

And give me patience, too, heaven, I beseech thee!
Org. Accept a league of amity; for henceforth,

I vow, by my best genius, in a syllable,
Never to speak vexation; I will study
Service and friendship, with a zealous sorrow
For my past incivility towards you.

Bass. Hey-dey, good words, good words! I must

believe 'em,

So hard a language; your misdoubt is causeless:
For instance, if you promise to put on
A constancy of patience, such a patience
As chronicle or history ne'er mention'd,
As follows not example, but shall stand
A wonder, and a theme for imitation,
The first, the index pointing to a second,1
I will acquaint you with an unmatch'd secret,
Whose knowledge to your griefs shall set a period.
Bass. Thou canst not, Orgilus: 't is in the power
Of the gods only; yet, for satisfaction,
Because I note an earnest in thine utterance,

Unforced, and naturally free, be resolute,1
The virgin-bays shall not withstand the lightning
With a more careless danger, than my constancy

The full of thy relation; could it move
Distraction in a senseless marble statue,
It should find me a rock: I do expect now
Some truth of unheard moment.

Org. To your patience

You must add privacy, as strong in silence
As mysteries lock'd up in Jove's own bosom.
Bass. A scull hid in the earth a treble age
Shall sooner prate.

Org. Lastly, to such direction
As the severity of a glorious action
Deserves to lead your wisdom and your judgment,
You ought to yield obedience.

Bass. With assurance Of will and thankfulness.

Org. With manly courage, Please then to follow me. Bass. Where'er, I fear not.

SCENE II.

A State Room in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

A Flourish.-Enter EUPHRANEA, led by GRONEAS and HEMOPHIL; PROPHILUS, led by CHRISTALLA and PHILEMA; NEARCHUS supporting CALANTHA; CROTOLON and AMELUS.

Cal. We miss our servant Ithocles, and Orgilus; On whom attend they?

Crot. My son, gracious princess,

Whisper'd some new device, to which these revels
Should be but usher; wherein I conceive
Lord Ithocles and he himself are actors.

Cal. A fair excuse for absence: as for Bassanes,

Delights to him are troublesome; Armostes
Is with the king?

Crot. He is.

Cal. On to the dance!

Cousın, hand you the bride; the bridegroom must be Intrusted to my courtship. Be not jealous, Euphranea; I shall scarcely prove a temptress.Fall to our dance.

THE REVELS.

Music. NEARCHUS dances with EUPHRANEA, PROPHI

1

LUS with CALANTHA, CHRISTALLA with HEMOPHIL, PHILEMA with GRONEAS.

They DANCE the first change; during which ARMOSTES

enters.

Arm. [whispers CAL.] The king your father 's dead.

Cal. To the other change.

Arm. Is 't possible?

They DANCE the second change.

Enter BASSANES.

Bass. [whispers CAL.] Oh madam!

Penthea, poor Penthea's starv'd.
Cal. Beshrew thee!-

Lead to the next.

Bass. Amazement dulls my senses.

They DANCE the third change.

Enter ORGILUS.

Org. [whispers CAL.] Brave Ithocles is murder'd,

murder'd cruelly.

Cal. How dull this music sounds! Strike up more

sprightly;

Our footings are not active like our heart,
Which treads the nimbler measure.

Org. I am thunderstruck!