The Dramatic Works of Massinger and Ford

And paved with thousands of those Christians' eyes
Whom I have tortured; and they stare upon me.
What was this apparition? sure it had

A shape angelical. Mine eyes, though dazzled,
And daunted at first sight, tell me, it wore

A pair of glorious wings; yes, they were wings;
And hence he flew :- -'tis vanish'd! Jupiter,
For all my sacrifices done to him,

Never once gave me smile.-How can stone
smile?

Or wooden image laugh? [Music.] Ha! I re-
member,

Such music gave a welcome to mine ear,
When the fair youth came to me :-'tis in the air,
Or from some better place; a Power divine,
Through my dark ignorance, on my soul does shine,
And makes me see a conscience all stain'd o'er,
Nay, drown'd, and damn'd for ever in Christian
Harp. [within.] Ha, ha, ha!
[gore.

Theoph. Again!-What dainty relish on my

Theoph. Avaunt!

Harp. I will not; cast thou down

That basket with the things in't, and fetch up
What thou hast swallow'd, and then take a drink,
Which I shall give thee, and I'm gone.
Theoph. My fruit!

Does this offend thee? see!

Harp. Spit it to the earth,

[Eats again.

And tread upon it, or I'll piecemeal tear thee.
Theoph. Art thou with this affrighted! see,
here's more. [Pulls out a handful of flowers.
Harp. Fling them away, I'll take thee else, and
In a contorted chain of isicles,
[hang thee
In the frigid zone: down with them!
Theoph. At the bottom

One thing I found not yet. See!

[Holds up a cross of flowers.

Harp. Oh! I am tortured.
Theoph. Can this do't! hence, thou fiend in-
fernal, hence!

Harp. Clasp Jupiter's image, and away with
that.

Theoph. At thee I'll fling that Jupiter; for, methinks,

I serve a better master: he now checks me

Enter DIOCLESIAN, MAXIMINUS, the Kings of Epire, Pon-
tus and Macedon, meeting ARTEMIA; Attendants.
Artem. Glory and conquest still attend upon
Triumphant Cæsar!

Diocle. Let thy wish, fair daughter,

Be equally divided; and hereafter
Learn thou to know and reverence Maximinus,
Whose power, with mine united, makes one Cæsar.
Max. But that I fear 'twould be held flattery,
The bonds consider'd in which we stand tied,
As love and empire, I should say, till now
I ne'er had seen a lady I thought worthy
To be my mistress.

Artem. Sir, you shew yourself
Both courtier and soldier; but take heed,
Take heed, my lord, though my dull-pointed beauty,
Stain'd by a harsh refusal in my servant,
Cannot dart forth such beams as may inflame you,
You may encounter such a powerful one,
That with a pleasing heat will thaw your heart,
Though bound in ribs of ice. Love still is Love;
His bow and arrows are the same: Great Julius,
That to his successors left the name of Cæsar,
Whom war could never tame, that with dry eyes

For murdering my two daughters, put on by Beheld the large plains of Pharsalia cover'd

thee.

By thy damn'd rhetoric did I hunt the life
Of Dorothea, the holy virgin-martyr.
She is not angry with the axe, nor me,

But sends these presents to me; and I'll travel

With the dead carcasses of senators,
And citizens of Rome; when the world knew
No other lord but him, struck deep in years too,
(And men gray-hair'd forget the lusts of youth,)
After all this, meeting fair Cleopatra,

With outstretch'd arms, and study to forget
That Antoninus ever was: thy fate

Reserved thee for this better choice; embrace it.
Max. This happy match brings new nerves to
To our continued league.
[give strength

Diocle. Hymen himself

Will bless this marriage, which we'll solemnize
In the presence of these kings.

K. of Pontus. Who rest most happy,
To be eyewitnesses of a match that brings
Peace to the empire.

Diocle. We much thank your loves:
But where's Sapritius, our governor,

And our most zealous provost, good Theophilus ?
If ever prince were blest in a true servant,
Or could the gods be debtors to a man,
Both they and we stand far engaged to cherish
His piety and service.

Artem. Sir, the governor

Brooks sadly his son's loss, although he turn'd
Apostata in death; but bold Theophilus,
Who for the same cause, in my presence seal'd
His holy anger on his daughters' hearts;
Having with tortures first tried to convert her,
Dragg'd the bewitching Christian to the scaffold,
And saw her lose her head.

Diocle. He is all worthy:

And from his own mouth I would gladly hear
The manner how she suffer'd.

Artem. 'Twill be deliver'd

With such contempt and scorn, (I know his nature,) That rather 'twill beget your highness' laughter, Than the least pity.

Diocle. To that end I would hear it.

Enter THEOPHILUS, SAPRITIUS, and MACRINUS.

Artem. He comes; with him the governor. Diocle. O, Sapritius,

I am to chide you for your tenderness;
But yet remembering that you are a father,
I will forget it. Good Theophilus,
I'll speak with you anon.-Nearer, your ear.
[To SAPRITIUS.
Theoph. [aside to MACRINUS.] By Antoninus'
soul, I do conjure you,

And though not for religion, for his friendship,
Without demanding what's the cause that moves
Receive my signet :-By the power of this, [me,
Go to my prisons, and release all Christians,
That are in fetters there by my command.
Mac. But what shall follow ?
Theoph. Haste then to the port;
You there shall find two tall ships ready rigg'd,
In which embark the poor distressed souls,
And bear them from the reach of tyranny.
Enquire not whither you are bound: the Deity
That they adore will give you prosperous winds,
And make your voyage such, and largely pay for

Your hazard, and your travail. Leave me here;
There is a scene that I must act alone:
Haste, good Macrinus; and the great God guide
you!

Mac. I'll undertake't; there's something prompts me to it;

'Tis to save innocent blood, a saint-like act : And to be merciful has never been

By moral men themselves esteem'd a sin. [Exit. Diocle. You know your charge?

Sap. And will with care observe it.

Diocle. For I profess he is not Cæsar's friend, That sheds a tear for any torture that

A Christian suffers. Welcome, my best servant,
My careful, zealous provost! thou hast toil'd
To satisfy my will, though in extremes :

[ling.

I love thee for't; thou art firm rock, no change-
Prithee deliver, and for my sake do it,
Without excess of bitterness or scoffs,
Before my brother and these kings, how took
The Christian her death?

Theoph. And such a presence,

Though every private head in this large room
Were circled round with an imperial crown,
Her story will deserve, it is so full

Of excellence and wonder.

Diocle. Ha! how is this?

Theoph. O mark it, therefore, and with that attention,

As you would hear an embassy from heaven
By a wing'd legate; for the truth deliver'd,
Both how, and what, this blessed virgin suffer'd,
And Dorothea but hereafter named,
You will rise up with reverence, and no more,
As things unworthy of your thoughts, remember
What the canonized Spartan ladies were,
Which lying Greece so boasts of. Your own ma-

trons, Your Roman dames, whose figures you yet keep As holy relics, in her history

Will find a second urn: Gracchus' Cornelia,
Paulina, that in death desired to follow

Her husband Seneca, nor Brutus' Portia,
That swallow'd burning coals to overtake him,
Though all their several worths were given to one,
With this is to be mention'd.

Max. Is he mad?

Diocle. Why, they did die, Theophilus, and boldly;

This did no more.

Theoph. They, out of desperation,

Or for vain glory of an after-name,

Parted with life: this had not mutinous sons,

As the rash Gracchi were; nor was this saint
A doating mother, as Cornelia was.
This lost no husband, in whose overthrow
Her wealth and honour sunk; no fear of want
Did make her being tedious; but, aiming
At an immortal crown, and in His cause
Who only can bestow it; who sent down
Legions of ministering angels to bear up
Her spotless soul to heaven, who entertain'd it
With choice celestial music, equal to
The motion of the spheres; she, uncompell'd,
Changed this life for a better. My lord Sapritius,
You were present at her death: did you e'er hear
Such ravishing sounds?

Sap. Yet you said then 'twas witchcraft,
And devilish illusions.

Theoph. I then heard it

With sinful ears, and belch'd out blasphemous words

Against his Deity, which then I knew not,
Nor did believe in him.

Diocle. Why, dost thou now?

Or dar'st thou, in our hearing-
Theoph. Were my voice

As loud as is His thunder, to be heard
Through all the world, all potentates on earth
Ready to burst with rage, should they but hear it;
Though hell, to aid their malice, lent her furies,
Yet I would speak, and speak again, and boldly,
I am a Christian, and the Powers you worship,
But dreams of fools and madmen.

Mar. Lay hands on him.

Diocle. Thou twice a child! for doating age so makes thee,

Thou couldst not else, thy pilgrimage of life
Being almost past through, in this last moment
Destroy whate'er thou hast done good or great-
Thy youth did promise much; and, grown a man,
Thou mad'st it good, and, with increase of years,
Thy actions still better'd: as the sun,

Thou did'st rise gloriously, kept'st a constant

course

In all thy journey; and now, in the evening, When thou should'st pass with honour to thy rest, Wilt thou fall like a meteor?

Sap. Yet confess

That thou art mad, and that thy tongue and heart Had no agreement.

Max. Do; no way is left, else,

To save thy life, Theophilus.

Diocle. But, refuse it,

Destruction as horrid, and as sudden,

Shall fall upon thee, as if hell stood open,
And thou wert sinking thither.

Theoph. Hear me, yet;
Hear, for my service past.
Artem. What will he say?

Theoph. As ever I deserved your favour, hear

me,

And grant one boon; 'tis not for life I sue for;
Nor is it fit that I, that ne'er knew pity
To any Christian, being one myself,
Should look for any; no, I rather beg
The utmost of your cruelty. I stand
Accomptable for thousand Christians' deaths;
And, were it possible that I could die
A day for every one, then live again
To be again tormented, 'twere to me
An easy penance, and I should pass through
A gentle cleansing fire; but, that denied me,
It being beyond the strength of feeble nature,
My suit is, you would have no pity on me.

In mine own house there are a thousand engines
Of studied cruelty, which I did prepare

For miserable Christians; let me feel,

As the Sicilian did his brazen bull,

The horrid'st you can find; and I will say,
In death, that you are merciful.

Diocle. Despair not;

In this thou shalt prevail. Go fetch them hither: [Exeunt some of the Guard.

Death shall put on a thousand shapes at once, And so appear before thee; racks, and whips !Thy flesh, with burning pincers torn, shall feed The fire that heats them; and what's wanting to The torture of thy body, I'll supply

In punishing thy mind. Fetch all the Christians

That are in hold; and here, before his face, Cut them in pieces.

Theoph. 'Tis not in thy power:

It was the first good deed I ever did.

They are removed out of thy reach; howe'er,

I was determined for my sins to die,

I first took order for their liberty;

And still I dare thy worst.

Re-enter Guard with racks and other instruments of torture.

Diocle. Bind him, I say;

Make every artery and sinew crack:

The slave that makes him give the loudest shriek,
Shall have ten thousand drachmas: wretch! I'll
To curse the Power thou worship'st. [force thee
Theoph. Never, never :

No breath of mine shall e'er be spent on Him,
[They torment him.
But what shall speak His majesty or mercy.
I'm honour'd in my sufferings. Weak tormentors,
More tortures, more :-alas! you are unskilful—
For heaven's sake more; my breast is yet untorn:
Here purchase the reward that was propounded.
The irons cool,-here are arms yet, and thighs;
Spare no part of me.

The sufferance of a man.
Max. He endures beyond

Sup. No sigh nor groan,
To witness he hath feeling.
Diocle. Harder, villains!

Enter DOROTHEA in a white robe, a crown upon her head, led in by ANGELO; ANTONINUS, CALIsta, and CHRISTETA following, all in white, but less glorious; ANGELO holds out a crown to THEOPHILUS.

Theoph. Most glorious vision!Did e'er so hard a bed yield man a dream So heavenly as this? I am confirm'd, Confirm'd, you blessed spirits, and make haste To take that crown of immortality You offer to me. Death! till this blest minute, I never thought thee slow-paced; nor would I Hasten thee now, for any pain I suffer, But that thou keep'st me from a glorious wreath, Which through this stormy way I would creep to, And, humbly kneeling, with humility wear it. Oh! now I feel thee :-blessed spirits! I come; And, witness for me all these wounds and scars, I die a soldier in the Christian wars. [Dies. Sap. I have seen thousands tortured, but ne'er A constancy like this.

Harp. I am twice damn'd.

[yet

Ang. Haste to thy place appointed, cursed fiend!

[HARPAX sinks with thunder and lightning. In spite of hell, this soldier's not thy prey; 'Tis I have won, thou that hast lost the day. [Exit with Dor. &c. Diocle. I think the centre of the earth be crack'd

Yet I stand still unmoved, and will go on :
The persecution that is here begun,
Through all the world with violence shall run.
[Flourish. Exeunt.

THE UNNATURAL COMBAT.

ΤΟ

MY MUCH HONOURED FRIEND, ANTHONY SENTLEGER,

OF OAKHAM IN KENT, ESQ.

SIR, That the patronage of trifles, in this kind, hath long since rendered dedications, and inscriptions obsolete, and out of fashion, I perfectly understand, and cannot but ingenuously confess, that I walking in the same path, may be truly argued by you of weakness, or wilful error: but the reasons and defences, for the tender of my service this way to you, are so just, that I cannot (in my thankfulness for so many favours received) but be ambitious to publish them. Your noble father, SIR WARHAM SENTLEGER (whose remarkable virtues must be ever remembered) being, while he lived, a master, for his pleasure, in poetry, feared not to hold converse with divers, whose necessitous fortunes made it their profession, among which, by the clemency of his judgment, I was not in the last place admitted. You (the heir of his honour and estate) inherited his good inclinations to men of my poor quality, of which I cannot give any ampler testimony, than by my free and glad profession of it to the world. Besides (and it was not the least encouragement to me) many of eminence, and the best of such, who disdained not to take notice of me, have not thought themselves disparaged, I dare not say honoured, to be celebrated the patrons of my humble studies. In the first file of which, I am confident, you shall have no cause to blush, to find your name written. I present you with this old tragedy, without prologue or epilogue, it being composed in a time (and that too, peradventure, as knowing as this) when such by-ornaments were not advanced above the fabric of the whole work. Accept it, I beseech you, as it is, and continue your favour to the author, Your servant, PHILIP MASSINGER,

Will do it, when there's something he likes better.
These courses in an old crone of threescore,
That had seven years together tired the court
With tedious petitions, and clamours,

Shall cool their feet without; this being the pickThat never fails. [lock

Montr. 'Tis true, gold can do much, But beauty more. Were I the governor, Though the admiral, your father, stood convicted Of what he's only doubted, half a dozen Of sweet close kisses from these cherry lips, With some short active conference in private, Should sign his general pardon.

Theoc. These light words, sir,

Do ill become the weight of my sad fortune;
And I much wonder you, that do profess
Yourself to be my father's bosom friend,
Can raise mirth from his misery.
Montr. You mistake me;

I share in his calamity, and only

Deliver my thoughts freely, what I should do
For such a rare petitioner: and if
You'll follow the directions I prescribe,

With my best judgment I'll mark out the way
For his enlargement.

Theoc. With all real joy

I shall put what you counsel into act,
Provided it be honest.

And durst not understand on what strong basis
This friendship's raised between this Montreville
And our lord, monsieur Malefort; but I'll teach
thee:

From thy years they have been joint purchasers
In fire and water works, and truck'd together.

Page. In fire and water works!

Ush. Commodities, boy,

Which you may know hereafter.

Page. And deal in them,

For the recovery of a straggling husband,
To pay, forsooth, the duties of one to her ;-
But for a lady of your tempting beauties,
Your youth, and ravishing features, to hope only
In such a suit as this is, to gain favour,
Without exchange of courtesy, you conceive

Enter BEAUFORT junior, and BELGARDE.
Were madness at the height. Here's brave young
Beaufort,

The meteor of Marseilles, one that holds
The governor his father's will and power

In more awe than his own! Come, come, ad

vance,

Present your bag, cramm'd with crowns of the

sun;

Do you think he cares for money? he loves plea

sure.

Burn your petition, burn it: he doats on you,
Upon my knowledge: to his cabinet, do,
And he will point you out a certain course,
Be the cause right or wrong, to have your father
Released with much facility.

Theoc. Do you hear?

Take a pander with you.

Beauf. jun. I tell thee there is neither Employment yet, nor money.

Belg. I have commanded,

[Exit.

And spent my own means in my country's service, In hope to raise a fortune.

Beauf. jun. Many have hoped so;

But hopes prove seldom certainties with soldiers. Belg. If no preferment, let me but receive

My pay that is behind, to set me up

A tavern, or a vaulting-house; while men love Or drunkenness, or lechery, they'll ne'er fail me: Shall I have that?

Beauf. jun. As our prizes are brought in; Till then you must be patient.

Belg. In the mean time,

How shall I do for clothes?

Beauf. jun. As most captains do:

Philosopher-like, carry all you have about you.

Belg. But how shall I do, to satisfy colon, monsieur ?

When the trade has given you over, as appears by There lies the doubt.

The increase of your high forehead.

Ush. Here's a crack!

I think they suck this knowledge in their milk. Page. I had an ignorant nurse else. I have My lady's garter, and can guess— [tied, sir,

Ush. Peace, infant;

Tales out of school! take heed, you will be breech'd else.

1 Wom. My lady's colour changes.

2 Wom. She falls off too.

Theoc. You are a naughty man, indeed you are;
And I will sooner perish with my father,
Than at this price redeem him.

Montr. Take your own way,
Your modest, legal way: 'tis not your veil,

Nor mourning habit, nor these creatures taught
To howl, and cry, when you begin to whimper;
Nor following my lord's coach in the dirt,
Nor that which you rely upon, a bribe,

Beauf. jun. That's easily decided;
My father's table's free for any man
That hath born arms.

Belg. And there's good store of meat?
Beauf. jun. Never fear that.

Belg. I'll seek no other ordinary then,
But be his daily guest without invitement;
And if my stomach hold, I'll feed so heartily,
As he shall pay me suddenly, to be quit of me.
Beauf. jun. 'Tis she.

Belg. And further

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