Malef, sen. Live I once more

[often,

To see these hands and arms free! these, that
In the most dreadful horror of a fight,
Have been as seamarks to teach such as were
Seconds in my attempts, to steer between
The rocks of too much daring, and pale fear,
To reach the port of victory! when my sword,
Advanced thus, to my enemies appear'd
A hairy comet, threatening death and ruin
To such as durst behold it! These the legs,
That, when our ships were grappled, carried me
With such swift motion from deck to deck,
As they that saw it, with amazement cried,
He does not run, but flies!

Mont. He still retains
The greatness of his spirit.

Malef, sen. Now crampt with irons,

Hunger, and cold, they hardly do support me-
But I forget myself. O, my good lords,
That sit there as my judges, to determine

The life, and death of Malefort, where are now Those shouts, those cheerful looks, those loud applauses,

With which, when I return'd loaden with spoil,
You entertain'd your admiral? all's forgotten:
And I stand here to give account of that
Of which I am as free and innocent

As he that never saw the eyes of him,
For whom I stand suspected.

Beauf, sen. Monsieur Malefort,

Let not your passion so far transport you,
As to believe from any private malice,

Or envy to your person, you are question'd:
Nor do the suppositions want weight,

That do invite us to a strong assurance,
Your son-

Malef. sen. My shame!

Beauf. sen. Pray you, hear with patience,

Beget a treacherous issue? was't in me, With as much ease to fashion up his mind, As, in his generation, to form

The organs to his body? Must it follow, Because that he is impious, I am false?

I would not boast my actions, yet 'tis lawful
To upbraid my benefits to unthankful men.
Who sunk the Turkish gallies in the streights
But Malefort? Who rescued the French mer-
chants,

When they were boarded, and stow'd under hatches
By the pirates of Argiers, when every minute
They did expect to be chain'd to the oar,
But your now doubted admiral? then you fill'd
The air with shouts of joy, and did proclaim,
When hope had left them, and grim-look'd despair
Hover'd with sail-stretch'd wings over their heads,
To me, as to the Neptune of the sea,
They owed the restitution of their goods,
Their lives, their liberties. O, can it then
Be probable, my lords, that he that never
Became the master of a pirate's ship,
But at the mainyard hung the captain up,
And caused the rest to be thrown over-board;
Should, after all these proofs of deadly hate,
So oft express'd against them, entertain
A thought of quarter with them; but much less
(To the perpetual ruin of my glories)
To join with them to lift a wicked arm
Against my mother-country, this Marseilles,
Which, with my prodigal expense of blood,
I have so oft protected!

Beauf. sen. What you have done

Is granted and applauded; but yet know
This glorious relation of your actions

Must not so blind our judgments, as to suffer
This most unnatural crime you stand accused of,
To pass unquestion'd.

Cham. No; you must produce

Reasons of more validity and weight,

To plead in your defence, or we shall hardly
Conclude you innocent.

Mont. The large volume of

Your former worthy deeds, with your experience, Both what and when to do, but makes against you. Lan. For had your care and courage been the

same

As heretofore, the dangers we are plunged in
Had been with ease prevented.

Malef. sen. What have I

Omitted, in the power of flesh and blood,
Even in the birth to strangle the designs of
This hell-bred wolf, my son? alas! my lords,
I am no god, nor like him could foresee
His cruel thoughts, and cursed purposes:
Nor would the sun at my command forbear
To make his progress to the other world,
Affording to us one continued light.

Nor could my breath disperse those foggy mists,
Cover'd with which, and darkness of the night,
Their navy undiscern'd, without resistance,
Beset our harbour: make not that my fault,
Which you in justice must ascribe to fortune.-
But if that nor my former acts, nor what
I have deliver'd, can prevail with you,
To make good my integrity and truth;
Rip up this bosom, and pluck out the heart
That hath been ever loyal.

Beauf. sen. How! a trumpet?
Enquire the cause.

[A trumpet within.

[Exit MONTREVILLE,

He does salute you fairly, and desires
It may be understood no public hate
Hath brought him to Marseilles; nor seeks he
The ruin of his country, but aims only
To wreak a private wrong and if from you
He may have leave and liberty to decide it,
In single combat, he'll give up good pledges,
If he fall in the trial of his right,

We shall weigh anchor, and no more molest
This town with hostile arms.

Beauf. sen. Speak to the man,

If in this presence he appear to you,
To whom you bring this challenge.

Capt. 'Tis to you.

Beauf. sen. His father!

Montr. Can it be?

Beauf. jun. Strange and prodigious !

Malef. sen. Thou seest I stand unmoved: were thy voice thunder,

It should not shake me; say, what would the viper?
Capt. The reverence a father's name may chal-
And duty of a son no more remember'd,
He does defy thee to the death.

Malef. sen. Go on.

[lenge,

Capt. And with his sword will prove it on thy Thou art a murderer, an atheist; [head,

And that all attributes of men turn'd furies,
Cannot express thee: this he will make good,
If thou dar'st give him meeting.

Malef. sen. Dare I live!

Dare I, when mountains of my sins o'erwhelm me,

At my last gasp ask for mercy! How I bless

Thy coming, captain; never man to me
Arrived so opportunely; and thy message,
However it may seem to threaten death,
Does yield to me a second life in curing
My wounded honour. Stand I yet suspected
As a confederate with this enemy,
Whom of all men, against all ties of nature,
He marks out for destruction! you are just,
Immortal Powers, and in this merciful;

And it takes from my sorrow, and my shame
For being the father to so bad a son,

In that you are pleased to offer up the monster
To my correction. Blush and repent,
As you are bound, my honourable lords,
Your ill opinions of me. Not great Brutus,
The father of the Roman liberty,

With more assured constancy beheld

His traitor sons, for labouring to call home
The banish'd Tarquins, scourged with rods to death,
Than I will shew, when I take back the life
This prodigy of mankind received from me.
Beauf. sen. We are sorry, monsieur Malefort,
for our error,

And are much taken with your resolution;
But the disparity of years and strength,
Between you and your son, duly consider'd,
We would not so expose you.

Malef. sen. Then you kill me,
Under pretence to save me.

O my lords, As you love honour, and a wrong'd man's fame, Deny me not this fair and noble means To make me right again to all the world. Should any other but myself be chosen To punish this apostata with death, You rob a wretched father of a justice That to all after times will be recorded.

I wish his strength were centuple, his skill equal
To my experience, that in his fall

He may not shame my victory! I feel
The powers and spirits of twenty strong men in me.
Were he with wild fire circled, I undaunted
Would make way to him.-As you do affect, sir,
My daughter Theocrine; as you are
My true and ancient friend; as thou art valiant;
And as all love a soldier, second me

[They all sue to the Governor. In this my just petition. In your looks I see a grant, my lord.

Beauf. sen. You shall o'erbear me;
And since you are so confident in your cause,
Prepare you for the combat.

Malef. sen. With more joy

Than yet I ever tasted: by the next sun,

The disobedient rebel shall hear from me,

And so return in safety. [To the Captain.] My

ACT

II.

SCENE I.-An open space without the City.

Enter three Sea Captains.

2 Capt. He did accept the challenge, then? 1 Capt. Nay more,

Was overjoy'd in't; and, as it had been
A fair invitement to a solemn feast,

And not a combat to conclude with death,

He cheerfully embraced it.

3 Capt. Are the articles

Sign'd to on both parts?

1 Capt. At the father's suit,

With much unwillingness the governor
Consented to them.

2 Capt. You are inward with

Our admiral; Could you yet never learn
What the nature of the quarrel is, that renders
The son more than incensed, implacable,
Against the father?

1 Capt. Never; yet I have,

As far as manners would give warrant to it, With my best curiousness of care observed him.

I have sat with him in his cabin a day together,

Yet not a syllable exchanged between us.

Sigh he did often, as if inward grief
And melancholy at that instant would
Choke up his vital spirits, and now and then
A tear or two, as in derision of

The toughness of his rugged temper, would
Full on his hollow cheeks, which but once felt,
A sudden flash of fury did dry up;
And laying then his hand upon his sword,

He would murmur, but yet so as I oft heard him,
We shall meet, cruel father, yes, we shall;
When I'll exact, for every womanish drop

Of sorrow from these eyes, a strict accompt

Of nach more from the heart.

Capt. 'Tis wondrous strange.

3 Capt. And past my apprehension.
Capt. Yet what makes

The miracle greater, when from the maintop
A sail's descried, all thoughts that do concern
Himself laid by, no lion, pinch'd with hunger,
Rouses himself more fiercely from his den,
Than he comes on the deck; and there how wisely
He gives directions, and how stout he is
In his executions, we, to admiration,
Have been eyewitnesses: yet he never minds
The booty when 'tis made ours; but as if
The danger, in the purchase of the prey,
Delighted him much more than the reward,
His will made known, he does retire himself
This private contemplation, no joy
Express'd by him for victory.

Enter MALEFORT jun.

2 Capt. Here he comes,

But with more cheerful looks than ever yet
I saw him wear.

Malef. jun. It was long since resolved on,
Nor must I stagger now [in't.] May the cause,
That forces me to this unnatural act

Be buried in everlasting silence,

And rest in death, or my revenge

!

Tather I stand equal. Pray you, gentlemen, chantable in your censures of me,

And do not entertain a false belief
Tatam mad, for undertaking that
Wch must be, when effected, still repented.
adds to my calamity, that I have

Discourse and reason, and but too well know
I can nor live, nor end a wretched life,
But both ways I am impious. Do not, therefore,
Ascribe the perturbation of my soul

To a servile fear of death: I oft have view'd
All kinds of his inevitable darts,

Nor are they terrible. Were I condemn'd to leap
From the cloud-cover'd brows of a steep rock,
Into the deep; or, Curtius like, to fill up,
For my country's safety, and an after-name,
A bottomless abyss, or charge through fire,

It could not so much shake me, as th' encounter

On this day's single enemy.

1 Capt. If you please, sir,

You may shun it, or defer it.

Malef. jun. Not for the world:

Yet two things I entreat you; the first is,
You'll not enquire the difference between
Melf and hum, which as a father once
I bonour'd, now my deadliest enemy;
The last is, if I fall, to bear my body

[it.

Far from this place, and where you please inter I held say more, but by his sudden coming

Enter BEAUFORT junior and MONTREVILLE, leading in MALEFORT Senior; BELGARDE following, with others. Beauf. jun. Let me, sir, have the honour To be your second.

Montr. With your pardon, sir,

I must put in for that, since our tried friendship Hath lasted from our infancy.

Belg. I have served

Under your command, and you have seen me fight,

And handsomely, though I say it; and if now,
At this downright game, I may but hold your
I'll not pull down the side.
[cards,

Malef. sen. I rest much bound
To your so noble offers, and I hope

Shall find your pardon, though I now refuse them;
For which I'll yield strong reasons, but as briefly
As the time will give me leave. For me to borrow
(That am supposed the weaker) any aid
From the assistance of my second's sword,
Might write me down in the black list of those
That have nor fire nor spirit of their own;
But dare, and do, as they derive their courage
From his example, on whose help and valour
They wholly do depend. Let this suffice,
In my excuse for that. Now, if you please,
On both parts, to retire to yonder mount,
Where you, as in a Roman theatre,
May see the bloody difference determined,
Your favours meet my wishes.

Malef. jun. 'Tis approved of
By me; and I command you
And leave me to my fortune.

[To his Captains.] [Lead the way,

Beauf. jun. I would gladly Be a spectator (since I am denied To be an actor) of each blow and thrust, And punctually observe them.

Malef. jun. You shall have

All you desire; for in a word or two

I must make bold to entertain the time,

If he give suffrage to it.

Malef. sen. Yes, I will;

I'll hear thee, and then kill thee: nay, farewell.
Malef. jun. Embrace with love on both sides,
Leave deadly hate and fury.
[and with us

Malef. sen. From this place
You ne'er shall see both living.
Belg. What's past help,

Beyond prevention.

[They embrace on both sides, and take leave severally of the father and son.

Malef. sen. Now we are alone, sir;

And thou hast liberty to unload the burthen
Which thou groan'st under. Speak thy griefs.
Malef. jun. I shall, sir;

But in a perplex'd form and method, which
You only can interpret: Would you had not
A guilty knowledge in your bosom, of
The language which you force me to deliver,
So I were nothing! As you are my father,
I bend my knee, and, uncompell'd, profess
My life, and all that's mine, to be your gift;
And that in a son's duty I stand bound
To lay this head beneath your feet, and run
All desperate hazards for your ease and safety :
But this confest on my part, I rise up,
And not as with a father, (all respect,
Love, fear, and reverence cast off,) but as
A wicked man I thus expostulate with you.
Why have you done that which I dare not speak,

And in the action changed the humble shape
Of my obedience, to rebellious rage,

And insolent pride? and with shut eyes con-
To run my bark of honour on a shelf [strain'd me
I must not see, nor, if I saw it, shun it?

In my wrongs nature suffers, and looks backward,
And mankind trembles to see me pursue

What beasts would fly from. For when I advance
This sword, as I must do, against your head,
Piety will weep, and filial duty mourn,

To see their altars which you built up in me,
In a moment razed and ruin'd. That you could
(From my grieved soul I wish it) but produce,
To qualify, not excuse, your deed of horror,
One seeming reason, that I might fix here,
And move no further!

Malef. sen. Have I so far lost

A father's power, that I must give account
Of my actions to my son? or must I plead
As a fearful prisoner at the bar, while he
That owes his being to me sits a judge
To censure that, which only by myself
Ought to be question'd? mountains sooner fall
Beneath their valleys, and the lofty pine
Pay homage to the bramble, or what else is
Preposterous in nature, ere my tongue
In one short syllable yield satisfaction
To any doubt of thine; nay, though it were
A certainty disdaining argument !

Since, though my deeds wore hell's black livery,
To thee they should appear triumphal robes,
Set off with glorious honour, thou being bound
To see with my eyes, and to hold that reason,
That takes or birth or fashion from my will.
Malef. jun. This sword divides that slavish
Malef. sen. It cannot :
[knot.

It cannot, wretch; and if thou but remember From whom thou hadst this spirit, thou dar'st not hope it.

[thee

Who train'd thee up in arms but I? Who taught
Men were men only when they durst look down
With scorn on death and danger, and contemn'd
All opposition, till plumed Victory

Had made her constant stand upon their helmets ?
Under my shield thou hast fought as securely
As the young eaglet, cover'd with the wings
Of her fierce dam, learns how and where to prey.
All that is manly in thee, I call mine;
But what is weak and womanish, thine own.
And what I gave, since thou art proud, ungrateful,
Presuming to contend with him, to whom
Submission is due, I will take from thee.
Look, therefore, for extremities, and expect not
I will correct thee as a son, but kill thee
As a serpent swollen with poison; who surviving
A little longer, with infectious breath,
Would render all things near him, like itself,
Contagious. Nay, now my anger's up,
Ten thousand virgins kneeling at my feet,
And with one general cry howling for mercy,
Shall not redeem thee.

Malef. jun. Thou incensed Power,
Awhile forbear thy thunder! let me have
No aid in my revenge, if from the grave
My mother

Malef. sen. Thou shalt never name her more. [They fight. BEAUFORT junior, MONTREVILLE, BELGARDE, and the three Sea Captains, appear on the Mount. Beauf. jun. They are at it.

I would search, and find it: and howe'er to some
I may seem cruel thus to tyrannize

Upon this senseless flesh, I glory in it.-
That I have power to be unnatural,
Is my security; die all my fears,

And waking jealousies, which have so long
Been my tormentors! there's now no suspicion
A fact, which I alone am conscious of,
Can never be discover'd, or the cause
That call'd this duel on, I being above
Aff perturbations; nor is it in

The power of fate, again to make me wretched.
Re-enter BEAUFORT junior, MONTREVILLE, Belgarde, CAÍ
the three Sea Captains.

Beauf. jun. All honour to the conqueror! who My friend of treachery now? [dares tax

Belg. I am very glad, sir, ́

You have sped so well: but I must tell you thas

much,

To put you in mind that a low ebb must follow Your high-swoll'n tide of happiness, you have This honour at a high price.

[purchased

Malef. 'Tis, Belgarde, Above all estimation, and a little To be exalted with it cannot savour Of arrogance. That to this arm and sword Marseilles owes the freedom of her fears, Or that my loyalty, not long since eclipsed, Shines now more bright than ever, are not things To be lamented; though, indeed, they may Appear too dearly bought, my falling glories Being made up again, and cemented With a son's blood. 'Tis true, he was my son, While he was worthy; but when he shook off His duty to me, (which my fond indulgence, Upon submission, might perhaps have pardon'd.) And grew his country's enemy, I look'd on him As a stranger to my family, and a traitor Justly proscribed, and he to be rewarded That could bring in his head. I know in this That I am censured rugged, and austere, That will vouchsafe not one sad sigh or tear Upon his slaughter'd body: but I rest Well satisfied in myself, being assured that Extraordinary virtues, when they soar Too high a pitch for common sights to judge of, Losing their proper splendor, are condemn'd For most remarkable vices.

Beauf. jun. 'Tis too true, sir,

In the opinion of the multitude;

But for myself, that would be held your friend,

And hope to know you by a nearer name,
They are as they deserve, received.

Malef. My daughter

Shall thank you for the favour.

Beauf. jun. I can wish

No happiness beyond it.

1 Capt. Shall we have leave

To bear the corpse of our dead admiral,

As be enjoin'd us, from this coast?
Malef. Provided

The articles agreed on be observed,

And you depart hence with it, making oath

Never hereafter, but as friends, to touch
Upon this shore.

1 Capt. We'll faithfully perform it.

Malef. Then as you please dispose of it: 'tis an object

That I could wish removed. His sins die with him! So far he has my charity.

1. Capt. He shall have

A soldier's funeral.

SCENE II.-A Room in MALEFORT's House.

Enter THEOCRINE, Page, and Waiting-women. Theoc. Talk not of comfort; I am both ways wretched,

And so distracted with my doubts and fears,
I know not where to fix my hopes. My loss

Is certain in a father, or a brother,

Or both; such is the cruelty of my fate,

And not to be avoided.

1 Wom. You must bear it

With patience, madam.

2 Wom. And what's not in you

To be prevented, should not cause a sorrow
Which cannot help it.

Page. Fear not my brave lord,

Your noble father; fighting is to him

Familiar as eating. He can teach

Our modern duellists how to cleave a button,

And in a new way, never yet found out
By old Caranza.

1 Wom. May he be victorious, And punish disobedience in his son!

Whose death, in reason, should at no part move

you,

He being but half your brother, and the nearness Which that might challenge from you, forfeited By his impious purpose to kill him, from whom He reserved life.

I Won. A general shout

1 Won. Of joy.

[A shout within.

Loud Music. Enter MONTREVILLE, BELGARDE, BEAUFORT senior, BEAUFORT junior; MALEFORT, followed by MONTAIGNE, CHAMONT, and LANOUR.

Beauf. sen. All honours we can give you, and rewards,

Though all that's rich or precious in Marseilles
Were laid down at your feet, can hold no weight
With your deservings: let me glory in
Your action, as if it were mine own;
And have the honour, with the arms of love,
To embrace the great performer of a deed
Transcending all this country e'er could boast of.
Mont. Imagine, noble sir, in what we may
Express our thankfulness, and rest assured
It shall be freely granted.

Cham. He's an enemy

To goodness and to virtue, that dares think There's anything within our power to give, Which you in justice may not boldly challenge. Lan. And as your own; for we will ever be At your devotion.

Malef. Much honour'd sir,

And you, my noble lords, I can say only,
The greatness of your favours overwhelms me,
And like too large a sail, for the small bark
Of my poor merits, sinks me. That I stand
Upright in your opinions, is an honour
Exceeding my deserts, I having done
Nothing but what in duty I stood bound to :
And to expect a recompense were base,
Good deeds being ever in themselves rewarded.
Yet since your liberal bounties tell me that

I may, with your allowance, be a suitor,

To you, my lord, I am an humble one,

And must ask that, which known, I fear you will Censure me over bold..

en. It must be something

Beauf. sen.

Of a strange nature, if it find from me
Denial or delay.

Malef. Thus then, my lord,

Since you encourage me: You are happy in A worthy son, and all the comfort that Fortune has left me, is one daughter; now,

D