Thi. Well, I will die, In spite of all your potions! One of you sleep; Lie down and sleep here, that I may behold What blessed rest it is my eyes are robb'd of! See, he can sleep, sleep any where, sleep now, When he that wakes for him can never slumber! Is't not a dainty case? 2 Doctor. Your grace shall feel it. Thi. Oh, never, never I ! The eyes of Heaven See but their certain motions, and then sleep; The rages of the ocean have their slumbers, And quiet silver calms; each violence Crowns in his end a peace; but my fix'd fires Shall never, never set!-Who's that? The touch of nature in you, tenderness! 'Tis all the soul of woman, all the sweetness: Forget not, I beseech you, what are children, Nor how you have groan'd for them; to what love They are born inheritors, with what care kept; And, as they rise to ripeness, still remember How they imp out your age! and when time calls you, That as an autumn flower you fall, forget not How round about your hearse they hang, like penons! Brun. Holy fool, Whose patience to prevent my wrongs has kill'd thee, Enter MARTELL, Brunhalt, De VITRY, and Preach not to me of punishments or fears, Mart. No, woman, Soldiers. With my sword's point. Brun. I wish no more of Heaven, Mart. See, she that makes you see, sir! Is it so, mother? Brun. Yes, it is so, son; And, were it yet again to do, it should be. (For yet I love that reverence, and to death Brun. It was, and by that will————— Thi. Oh, mother, do not lose your name! forget not Or what I ought to be; but what I am, In all her greatness cross'd, in pleasure blasted! tunes, Suffer'd by blasted virtue to be scatter'd : Thi. Heav'n forgive you! Mart. She tells you true; for millions of her Are now apparent: Protaldye we have taken, The bringing-in of Leonor the bastard, Mess. 'Tis like he will be so; for ere we came, Brun. He did like one of mine then! Thi. Must I still see these miseries? no night To hide me from their horrors? That Protaldye See justice fall upon! Brun. Now I could sleep too. Mart. I'll give you yet more poppy: Bring the lady, Thi. Martell, I cannot last long! See the soul (I see it perfectly) of my Ordella, The heav'nly figure of her sweetness, there! Mart. Yes, sir; and you shall know her. Sweet spirit, I am ready. She smiles on me! Mart. Go nearer, lady. Ord. I come to make you happy. She comes to crown my soul: Away, get sacri- Whilst I with holy honours Mart. She's alive, sir. Thi. In everlasting life; I know it, friend: Oh, happy, happy soul! Ord. Alas, I live, sir; A mortal woman still. Thi. Can spirits weep too? to you, And keep my line alive!--Nay, weep not, lady! Ord. Take me too! Farewell, Honour! 2 Doctor. They're gone for ever. Mart. She is no spirit, sir; pray kiss her. I am your king in sorrows. Lady, Be very gentle to him! Thi. Stay! She's warm; Omnes. We your subjects! Mart. De Vitry, for your services, be near us. Whip out these instruments of this mad mother And, by my life, the same lips! Tell me, bright- From court, and all good people; and, because She was born noble, let that title find her [Exeunt omnes, Enter DION, CLEREMONT, and THRASILINE. Cle. Here's nor lords nor ladies! Dion. Credit me, gentlemen, I wonder at it. They received strict charge from the king to attend here. Besides, it was boldly published, that no officer should forbid any gentlemen, that desire to attend and hear. Cle. Can you guess the cause? Dion. Sir, it is plain, about the Spanish prince, that's come to marry our kingdom's heir, and be our sovereign. Thra. Many, that will seem to know much, say, she looks not on him like a maid in love, Dion. Oh, sir, the multitude (that seldom know any thing but their own opinions) speak that, they would have; but the prince, before his own approach, received so many confident messages from the state, that I think she's resolved to be ruled. Cle. Sir, it is thought, with her he shall enjoy both these kingdoms of Sicily and Calabria. Dion. Sir, it is, without controversy, so meant. But 'twill be a troublesome labour for him to enjoy both these kingdoms with safety, the right heir to one of them living, and living so virtuously; especially, the people admiring the bravery of his mind, and lamenting his injuries. Cle. Who? Philaster? Dion, Yes; whose father, we all know, was by our late king of Calabria unrighteously deposed from his fruitful Sicily. Myself drew some blood in those wars, which I would give my hand to be washed from. Cle. Sir, my ignorance in state policy will not let me know, why, Philaster being heir to one of these kingdoms, the king should suffer him to walk abroad with such free liberty. Dion. Sir, it seems your nature is more constant than to enquire after state news. But the king, of late, made a hazard of both the kingdoms, of Sicily and his own, with offering but to imprison Philaster. At which the city was in arms, not to be charmed down by any state order or proclamation, till they saw Philaster ride through the streets pleased, and without a guard; at which they threw their hats, and their arms from them; some to make bonfires, 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 awe his own with. Enter GALATEA, MEGRA, and a Lady. Thra. See, the ladies. What's the first? Dion. A wise and modest gentlewoman that attends the princess. Cle. The second? Dion. She is one that may stand still discreetly enough, and ill-favour'dly dance her measure; simper when she is courted by her friend, and slight her husband. Cle. The last? Dion. Marry, I think she is one whom the state keeps for the agents of our confederate princes. She'll cog and lye with a whole army, before the league shall break: Her name is common through the kingdom, and the trophies of her dishonour advanced beyond Hercules' pillars. She loves to try the several constitutions of men's bodies; and indeed, has destroyed the worth of her own body, by making experiments upon it, for the good of the commonwealth. Cle. She is a profitable member. La. Peace, if you love me! You shall see these gentlemen stand their ground, and not court us. Gal. What if they should? Meg. What if they should? La. Nay, let her alone. What if they should? Why, if they should, I say they were never abroad. What foreigner would do so? it writes them Gal. Why, what if they be? Meg. What if they be? La. Good madam, let her go on. What if they be? Why if they be, I will justify, they cannot maintain discourse with a judicious lady, nor make a leg, nor say excuse me. Gal. Ha, ha, ha! To plant you deeply, our immediate heir, In making no ill day, knows no ill dreams. A sweeter mistress than the offered language vants. Last, noble son (for so I now must call you), Thra. This will be hardly done. So brave a gentleman's wronged, and Thra. I fear. Cle. Who does not? Dion. I fear not for myself, and yet I fear too. Well, we shall see, we shall see. No more. >Aside. Pha. Kissing your white hand, mistress, I take To thank your royal father; and thus far (For so deserving you have spoke me, sir, You in me have your wishes. Oh, this country! Dion. I wonder what's his price? For certainly He'll sell himself, he has so praised his shape.-But here comes one, more worthy those large speeches, Than the large speaker of them. Let me be swallowed quick, if I can find, By this sun, he'll never make king king. Rise; you have it, sir. Dion. Mark but the king, how pale he looks with fear! Oh! this same whorson conscience, how it jades us! King. Speak your intents, sir. Phi. Shall I speak them freely? Be still my royal sovereign.- We give you freedom. Phi. Then thus I turn My language to you, prince; you, foreign man! (A dowry, as you hope, with this fair princess) To part so calmly with it, and sit still, And say, I might have been.' I tell thee, Pha ramond, When thou art king, look I be dead and rotten, And my name ashes: For, hear me, Pharamond! This very ground, thou goest on, this fat earth, My father's friends made fertile with their faiths, Before that day of shame, shall gape and swallow Thee and thy nation, like a hungry grave, Into her hidden bowels. Prince, it shall; By Nemesis, it shall! Pha. He's mad; beyond cure, mad. Dion. Here is a fellow has some fire in his veins : The outlandish prince looks like a tooth-drawer. Phi. Sir prince of poppingjays, I'll make it well appear To you, I am not mad. Phi. No, sir, I am too tame, Too much a turtle, a thing born without passion, King. I do not fancy this. Call our physicians: Sure he is somewhat tainted. Thra. I do not think 'twill prove so. Dion. He has given him a general purge already, for all the right he has; and now he means to let him blood. Be constant, gentlemen: By these hilts, I'll run his hazard, although I run my name out of the kingdom. Cle. Peace, we are all one soul. Pha. What you have seen in me, to stir offence, I cannot find; unless it be this lady, Offered into mine arms, with the succession: Which I must keep, though it hath pleased your fury To mutiny within you; without disputing Whose branch you are. The king will leave it me; And I dare make it mine. You have your answer. And ringed among the choicest of his friends King. Sir, you wrong the prince: I gave you not this freedom to brave our best friends. You deserve our frown. Go to; be better tempered. Phi. It must be, sir, when I am nobler used. This would have been a pattern of succession, Meg. I cannot tell what you may call your But th' other is the man set in my eye. King. Philaster, tell me The injuries you aim at, in your riddles. Phi. If you had my eyes, sir, and sufferance, My griefs upon you, and my broken fortunes, My wants great, and now nought but hopes and fears, |