A man of lower place; but if your fortune
Should throw you from this height, I bade you trust
I would forsake you, and would bend to him
That won your Throne; I love with my ambition,
Not with mine eyes; but if I ever yet
Toucht any other, Leprosie light here
Upon my face, which for your Royalty I would not stain.
_King_. Why thou dissemblest, and it is in me to punish thee.
_Evad_. Why, it is in me then not to love you, which will
More afflict your body, than your punishment can mine.
_King_. But thou hast let _Amintor_ lie with thee.
_Evad_. I ha'not.
_King_. Impudence! he saies himself so.
_Evad_. He lyes.
_King_. He does not.
_Evad_. By this light he does, strangely and basely, and
I'le prove it so; I did not shun him for a night,
But told him I would never close with him.
_King_. Speak lower, 'tis false.
_Evad_. I'm no man to answer with a blow;
Or if I were, you are the King; but urge me not, 'tis
most true.
_King_. Do not I know the uncontrouled thoughts
That youth brings with him, when his bloud is high
With expectation and desires of that
He long hath waited for? is not his spirit,
Though he be temperate, of a valiant strain,
As this our age hath known? what could he do,
If such a sudden speech had met his blood,
But ruine thee for ever? if he had not kill'd thee,
He could not bear it thus; he is as we,
Or any other wrong'd man.
_Evad_. It is dissembling.
_King_. Take him; farewel; henceforth I am thy foe;
And what disgraces I can blot thee, look for.
_Evad_. Stay Sir; _Amintor_, you shall hear, _Amintor_.
_Amint_. What my Love?
_Evad_. _Amintor_, thou hast an ingenious look,
And shouldst be vertuous; it amazeth me,
That thou canst make such base malicious lyes.
_Amint_. What my dear Wife?
_Evad_. Dear Wife! I do despise thee;
Why, nothing can be baser, than to sow
Dissention amongst Lovers.
_Amint_. Lovers! who?
_Evad_. The King and me.
_Amint_. O Heaven!
_Evad_. Who should live long, and love without distaste,
Were it not for such pickthanks as thy self!
Did you lie with me? swear now, and be punisht in hell
For this.
_Amint_. The faithless Sin I made
To fair _Aspatia_, is not yet reveng'd,
It follows me; I will not lose a word
To this wild Woman; but to you my King,
The anguish of my soul thrusts out this truth,
Y'are a Tyrant; and not so much to wrong
An honest man thus, as to take a pride
In talking with him of it.
_Evad_. Now Sir, see how loud this fellow lyed.
_Amint_. You that can know to wrong, should know how
Men must right themselves: what punishment is due
From me to him that shall abuse my bed!
It is not death; nor can that satisfie,
Unless I send your lives through all the Land,
To shew how nobly I have freed my self.
_King_. Draw not thy Sword, thou knowest I cannot fear
A subjects hand; but thou shalt feel the weight of this
If thou dost rage.
_Amint_. The weight of that?
If you have any worth, for Heavens sake think
I fear not Swords; for as you are meer man,
I dare as easily kill you for this deed,
As you dare think to do it; but there is
Divinity about you, that strikes dead
My rising passions, as you are my King,
I fall before you, and present my Sword
To cut mine own flesh, if it be your will.
Alas! I am nothing but a multitude
Of walking griefs; yet should I murther you,
I might before the world take the excuse
Of madness: for compare my injuries,
And they will well appear too sad a weight
For reason to endure; but fall I first
Amongst my sorrows, ere my treacherous hand
Touch holy things: but why? I know not what
I have to say; why did you choose out me
To make thus wretched? there were thousand fools
Easie to work on, and of state enough within the Island.
_Evad_. I would not have a fool, it were no credit for me.
_Amint_. Worse and worse!
Thou that dar'st talk unto thy Husband thus,
Profess thy self a Whore; and more than so,
Resolve to be so still; it is my fate
To bear and bow beneath a thousand griefs,
To keep that little credit with the World.
But there were wise ones too, you might have ta'ne
another.
_King_. No; for I believe thee honest, as thou wert valiant.
_Amint_. All the happiness
Bestow'd upon me, turns into disgrace;
Gods take your honesty again, for I
Am loaden with it; good my Lord the King, be private
in it.
_King_. Thou may'st live _Amintor_,
Free as thy King, if thou wilt wink at this,
And be a means that we may meet in secret.
_Amint_. A Baud! hold my breast, a bitter curse
Seize me, if I forget not all respects
That are Religious, on another word
Sounded like that, and through a Sea of sins
Will wade to my revenge, though I should call
Pains here, and after life upon my soul.
_King_. Well I am resolute you lay not with her,
And so leave you.
[_Exit King_.
_Evad_. You must be prating, and see what follows.
_Amint_. Prethee vex me not.
Leave me, I am afraid some sudden start
Will pull a murther on me.
_Evad_. I am gone; I love my life well.
[_Exit Evadne_.
_Amint_. I hate mine as much.
This 'tis to break a troth; I should be glad
If all this tide of grief would make me mad.
[_Exit_.
_Enter Melantius_.
_Mel_. I'le know the cause of all _Amintors_ griefs,
Or friendship shall be idle.
[_Enter Calianax_.
_Cal_. O _Melantius_, my Daughter will die.
_Mel_. Trust me, I am sorry; would thou hadst ta'ne her room.
_Cal_. Thou art a slave, a cut-throat slave, a bloody treacherous
slave.
_Melan_. Take heed old man, thou wilt be heard to rave,
And lose thine Offices.
_Cal_. I am valiant grown
At all these years, and thou art but a slave.
_Mel_. Leave, some company will come, and I respect
Thy years, not thee so much, that I could wish
To laugh at thee alone.
_Cal_. I'le spoil your mirth, I mean to fight with thee;
There lie my Cloak, this was my Fathers Sword,
And he durst fight; are you prepar'd?
_Mel_. Why? wilt thou doat thy self out of thy life?
Hence get thee to bed, have careful looking to, and eat
warm things, and trouble not me: my head is full of
thoughts more weighty than thy life or death can be.
_Cal_. You have a name in War, when you stand safe
Amongst a multitude; but I will try
What you dare do unto a weak old man
In single fight; you'l ground I fear: Come draw.
_Mel_. I will not draw, unless thou pul'st thy death
Upon thee with a stroke; there's no one blow
That thou canst give, hath strength enough to kill me.
Tempt me not so far then; the power of earth
Shall not redeem thee.
_Cal_. I must let him alone,
He's stout and able; and to say the truth,
However I may set a face, and talk,
I am not valiant: when I was a youth,
I kept my credit with a testie trick I had,
Amongst cowards, but durst never fight.
_Mel_. I will not promise to preserve your life if you do stay.
_Cal_. I would give half my Land that I durst fight with
that proud man a little: if I had men to hold, I would
beat him, till he ask me mercy.
_Mel_. Sir, will you be gone?
_Cal_. I dare not stay, but I will go home, and beat my
servants all over for this.
[_Exit Calianax_.
_Mel_. This old fellow haunts me,
But the distracted carriage of mine _Amintor_
Takes deeply on me, I will find the cause;
I fear his Conscience cries, he wrong'd _Aspatia_.
_Enter Amintor_.
_Amint_. Mens eyes are not so subtil to perceive
My inward misery; I bear my grief
Hid from the World; how art thou wretched then?
For ought I know, all Husbands are like me;
And every one I talk with of his Wife,
Is but a well dissembler of his woes
As I am; would I knew it, for the rareness afflicts me
now.
_Mel_. _Amintor_, We have not enjoy'd our friendship of late,
for we were wont to charge our souls in talk.
_Amint_. _Melantius_, I can tell thee a good jest of _Strato_ and
a Lady the last day.
_Mel_. How wast?
_Amint_. Why such an odd one.
_Mel_. I have long'd to speak with you, not of an idle jest
that's forc'd, but of matter you are bound to utter
to me.
_Amint_. What is that my friend?
_Mel_. I have observ'd, your words fall from your tongue
Wildly; and all your carriage,
Like one that strove to shew his merry mood,
When he were ill dispos'd: you were not wont
To put such scorn into your speech, or wear
Upon your face ridiculous jollity:
Some sadness sits here, which your cunning would
Cover o're with smiles, and 'twill not be. What is it?
_Amint_. A sadness here! what cause
Can fate provide for me, to make me so?
Am I not lov'd through all this Isle? the King
Rains greatness on me: have I not received
A Lady to my bed, that in her eye
Keeps mounting fire, and on her tender cheeks
Inevitable colour, in her heart
A prison for all vertue? are not you,
Which is above all joyes, my constant friend?
What sadness can I have? no, I am light,
And feel the courses of my blood more warm
And stirring than they were; faith marry too,
And you will feel so unexprest a joy
In chast embraces, that you will indeed appear another.
_Mel_. You may shape, _Amintor_,
Causes to cozen the whole world withal,
And your self too; but 'tis not like a friend,
To hide your soul from me; 'tis not your nature
To be thus idle; I have seen you stand
As you were blasted; midst of all your mirth,
Call thrice aloud, and then start, feigning joy
So coldly: World! what do I here? a friend
Is nothing, Heaven! I would ha' told that man
My secret sins; I'le search an unknown Land,
And there plant friendship, all is withered here;
Come with a complement, I would have fought,
Or told my friend he ly'd, ere sooth'd him so;
Out of my bosom.
_Amint_. But there is nothing.
_Mel_. Worse and worse; farewel;
From this time have acquaintance, but no friend.
_Amint_. _Melantius_, stay, you shall know what that is.
_Mel_. See how you play'd with friendship; be advis'd
How you give cause unto your self to say, You ha'lost
a friend.
_Amint_. Forgive what I have done;
For I am so ore-gone with injuries
Unheard of, that I lose consideration
Of what I ought to do--oh--oh.
_Mel_. Do not weep; what is't?
May I once but know the man
Hath turn'd my friend thus?
_Amint_. I had spoke at first, but that.
_Mel_. But what?
_Amint_. I held it most unfit
For you to know; faith do not know it yet.
_Mel_. Thou seest my love, that will keep company
With thee in tears; hide nothing then from me;
For when I know the cause of thy distemper,
With mine own armour I'le adorn my self,
My resolution, and cut through thy foes,
Unto thy quiet, till I place thy heart
As peaceable as spotless innocence. What is it?
_Amint_. Why, 'tis this--it is too big
To get out, let my tears make way a while.
_Mel_. Punish me strangely heaven, if he escape
Of life or fame, that brought this youth to this.
_Amint_. Your Sister.
_Mel_. Well said.
_Amint_. You'l wish't unknown, when you have heard it.
_Mel_. No.
_Amint_. Is much to blame,
And to the King has given her honour up,
And lives in Whoredom with him.
_Mel_. How, this!
Thou art run mad with injury indeed,
Thou couldst not utter this else; speak again,
For I forgive it freely; tell thy griefs.
_Amint_. She's wanton; I am loth to say a Whore,
Though it be true.
_Mel_. Speak yet again, before mine anger grow
Up beyond throwing down; what are thy griefs?
_Amint_. By all our friendship, these.
_Mel_. What? am I tame?
After mine actions, shall the name of friend
Blot all our family, and strike the brand
Of Whore upon my Sister unreveng'd?
My shaking flesh be thou a Witness for me,
With what unwillingness I go to scourge
This Rayler, whom my folly hath call'd Friend;
I will not take thee basely; thy sword
Hangs near thy hand, draw it, that I may whip
Thy rashness to repentance; draw thy sword.
_Amint_. Not on thee, did thine anger swell as high
As the wild surges; thou shouldst do me ease
Here, and Eternally, if thy noble hand
Would cut me from my sorrows.
_Mel_. This is base and fearful! they that use to utter lyes,
Provide not blows, but words to qualifie
The men they wrong'd; thou hast a guilty cause.
_Amint_. Thou pleasest me; for so much more like this,
Will raise my anger up above my griefs,
Which is a passion easier to be born,
And I shall then be happy.
_Mel_. Take then more to raise thine anger. 'Tis meer
Cowardize makes thee not draw; and I will leave thee
dead
However; but if thou art so much prest
With guilt and fear, as not to dare to fight,
I'le make thy memory loath'd, and fix a scandal
Upon thy name for ever.
_Amint_. Then I draw,
As justly as our Magistrates their Swords,
To cut offenders off; I knew before
'Twould grate your ears; but it was base in you
To urge a weighty secret from your friend,
And then rage at it; I shall be at ease
If I be kill'd; and if you fall by me,
I shall not long out-live you.
_Mel_. Stay a while.
The name of friend is more than family,
Or all the world besides; I was a fool.
Thou searching humane nature, that didst wake
To do me wrong, thou art inquisitive,
And thrusts me upon questions that will take
My sleep away; would I had died ere known
This sad dishonour; pardon me my friend;
If thou wilt strike, here is a faithful heart,
Pierce it, for I will never heave my hand
To thine; behold the power thou hast in me!
I do believe my Sister is a Whore,
A Leprous one, put up thy sword young man.
_Amint_. How should I bear it then, she being so?
I fear my friend that you will lose me shortly;
And I shall do a foul action my self
Through these disgraces.
_Mel_. Better half the Land
Were buried quick together; no, _Amintor_,
Thou shalt have ease: O this Adulterous King
That drew her to't! where got he the spirit
To wrong me so?
_Amint_. What is it then to me,
If it be wrong to you!
_Mel_. Why, not so much: the credit of our house
Is thrown away;
But from his Iron Den I'le waken death,
And hurle him on this King; my honesty
Shall steel my sword, and on its horrid point
I'le wear my cause, that shall amaze the eyes
Of this proud man, and be too glittering
For him to look on.
_Amint_. I have quite undone my fame.
_Mel_. Dry up thy watry eyes,
And cast a manly look upon my face;
For nothing is so wild as I thy friend
Till I have freed thee; still this swelling breast;
I go thus from thee, and will never cease
My vengeance, till I find my heart at peace.
_Amint_. It must not be so; stay, mine eyes would tell
How loth I am to this; but love and tears
Leave me a while, for I have hazarded
All this world calls happy; thou hast wrought
A secret from me under name of Friend,
Which Art could ne're have found, nor torture wrung
From out my bosom; give it me agen,
For I will find it, wheresoe're it lies
Hid in the mortal'st part; invent a way to give it back.
_Mel_. Why, would you have it back?
I will to death pursue him with revenge.
_Amint_. Therefore I call it back from thee; for I know
Thy blood so high, that thou wilt stir in this, and
shame me
To posterity: take to thy Weapon.
_Mel_. Hear thy friend, that bears more years than thou.
_Amint_. I will not hear: but draw, or I----
_Mel_. _Amintor_.
_Amint_. Draw then, for I am full as resolute
As fame and honour can inforce me be;
I cannot linger, draw.
_Mel_. I do--but is not
My share of credit equal with thine if I do stir?
_Amint_. No; for it will be cal'd
Honour in thee to spill thy Sisters blood,
If she her birth abuse, and on the King
A brave revenge: but on me that have walkt
With patience in it, it will fix the name
Of fearful Cuckold--O that word! be quick.
_Mel_. Then joyn with me.
_Amint_. I dare not do a sin, or else I would: be speedy.
_Mel_. Then dare not fight with me, for that's a sin.
His grief distracts him; call thy thoughts agen,
And to thy self pronounce the name of friend,
And see what that will work; I will not fight.
_Amint_. You must.
_Mel_. I will be kill'd first, though my passions
Offred the like to you; 'tis not this earth
Shall buy my reason to it; think a while,
For you are (I must weep when I speak that)
Almost besides your self.
_Amint_. Oh my soft temper!
So many sweet words from thy Sisters mouth,
I am afraid would make me take her
To embrace, and pardon her. I am mad indeed,
And know not what I do; yet have a care
Of me in what thou doest.
_Mel_. Why thinks my friend I will forget his honour, or to save
The bravery of our house, will lose his fame,
And fear to touch the Throne of Majesty?
_Amint_. A curse will follow that, but rather live
And suffer with me.
_Mel_. I will do what worth shall bid me, and no more.
_Amint_. Faith I am sick, and desperately I hope,
Yet leaning thus, I feel a kind of ease.
_Mel_. Come take agen your mirth about you.
_Amint_. I shall never do't.
_Mel_. I warrant you, look up, wee'l walk together,
Put thine arm here, all shall be well agen.
_Amint_. Thy Love, O wretched, I thy Love, _Melantius_;
why, I have nothing else.
_Mel_. Be merry then.
[_Exeunt. Enter Melantius agen_.
_Mel_. This worthy young man may do violence
Upon himself, but I have cherisht him
To my best power, and sent him smiling from me
To counterfeit again; Sword hold thine edge,
My heart will never fail me: _Diphilus_,
Thou com'st as sent.
[_Enter Diphilus_.
_Diph_. Yonder has been such laughing.
_Mel_. Betwixt whom?
_Diph_. Why, our Sister and the King,
I thought their spleens would break,
They laught us all out of the room.
_Mel_. They must weep, _Diphilus_.
_Diph_. Must they?
_Mel_. They must: thou art my Brother, and if I did believe
Thou hadst a base thought, I would rip it out,
Lie where it durst.
_Diph_. You should not, I would first mangle my self and find it.
_Mel_. That was spoke according to our strain; come
Joyn thy hands to mine,
And swear a firmness to what project I shall lay
before thee.
_Diph_. You do wrong us both;
People hereafter shall not say there past
A bond more than our loves, to tie our lives
And deaths together.
_Mel_. It is as nobly said as I would wish;
Anon I'le tell you wonders; we are wrong'd.
_Diph_. But I will tell you now, wee'l right our selves.
_Mel_. Stay not, prepare the armour in my house;
And what friends you can draw unto our side,
Not knowing of the cause, make ready too;
Haste _Diphilus_, the time requires it, haste.
[_Exit Diphilus_.
I hope my cause is just, I know my blood
Tells me it is, and I will credit it:
To take revenge, and lose my self withal,
Were idle; and to scape impossible,
Without I had the fort, which misery
Remaining in the hands of my old enemy
_Calianax_, but I must have it, see
[_Enter Calianax_.
Where he comes shaking by me: good my Lord,
Forget your spleen to me, I never wrong'd you,
But would have peace with every man.
_Cal_. 'Tis well;
If I durst fight, your tongue would lie at quiet.
_Mel_. Y'are touchie without all cause.
_Cal_. Do, mock me.
_Mel_. By mine honour I speak truth.
_Cal_. Honour? where is't?
_Mel_. See what starts you make into your hatred to my
love and freedom to you.--
I come with resolution to obtain a suit of you.
_Cal_. A suit of me! 'tis very like it should be granted, Sir.
_Mel_. Nay, go not hence;
'Tis this; you have the keeping of the Fort,
And I would wish you by the love you ought
To bear unto me, to deliver it into my hands.
_Cal_. I am in hope that thou art mad, to talk to me thus.
_Mel_. But there is a reason to move you to it. I would
kill the King that wrong'd you and your daughter.
_Cal_. Out Traytor!
_Mel_. Nay but stay; I cannot scape, the deed once done,
Without I have this fort.
_Cal_. And should I help thee? now thy treacherous mind
betrays it self.
_Mel_. Come, delay me not;
Give me a sudden answer, or already
Thy last is spoke; refuse not offered love,
When it comes clad in secrets.
_Cal_. If I say I will not, he will kill me, I do see't writ
In his looks; and should I say I will, he'l run
and tell the
King: I do not shun your friendship
dear _Melantius_,
But this cause is weighty, give me but an hour
to think.
_Mel_. Take it--I know this goes unto the King,
But I am arm'd.
[_Ex. Melant_.
_Cal_. Me thinks I feel my self
But twenty now agen; this fighting fool
Wants Policy; I shall revenge my Girl,
And make her red again; I pray, my legs
Will last that pace that I will carry them,
I shall want breath before I find the King.
_Actus Quartus_.
_Enter_ Melantius, Evadne, _and a_ Lady.
_Mel_. Save you.
_Evad_. Save you sweet Brother.
_Mel_. In my blunt eye methinks you look _Evadne_.
_Evad_. Come, you would make me blush.
_Mel_. I would _Evadne_, I shall displease my ends else.
_Evad_. You shall if you command me; I am bashful;
Come Sir, how do I look?
_Mel_. I would not have your women hear me
Break into commendation of you, 'tis not seemly.
_Evad_. Go wait me in the Gallery--now speak.
_Mel_. I'le lock the door first.
[_Exeunt Ladies_.
_Evad_. Why?
_Mel_. I will not have your guilded things that dance in
visitation with their Millan skins choke up my business.
_Evad_. You are strangely dispos'd Sir.
_Mel_. Good Madam, not to make you merry.
_Evad_. No, if you praise me, 'twill make me sad.
_Mel_. Such a sad commendation I have for you.
_Evad_. Brother, the Court hath made you witty,
And learn to riddle.
_Mel_. I praise the Court for't; has it learned you nothing?
_Evad_. Me?
_Mel_. I _Evadne_, thou art young and handsom,
A Lady of a sweet complexion,
And such a flowing carriage, that it cannot
Chuse but inflame a Kingdom.
_Evad_. Gentle Brother!
_Mel_. 'Tis yet in thy remembrance, foolish woman,
To make me gentle.
_Evad_. How is this?
_Mel_. 'Tis base,
And I could blush at these years, through all
My honour'd scars, to come to such a parly.
_Evad_. I understand you not.
_Mel_. You dare not, Fool;
They that commit thy faults, fly the remembrance.
_Evad_. My faults, Sir! I would have you know I care not
If they were written here, here in my forehead.
_Mel_. Thy body is too little for the story,
The lusts of which would fill another woman,
Though she had Twins within her.
_Evad_. This is saucy;
Look you intrude no more, there lies your way.
_Mel_. Thou art my way, and I will tread upon thee,
Till I find truth out.
_Evad_. What truth is that you look for?
_Mel_. Thy long-lost honour: would the Gods had set me
One of their loudest bolts; come tell me quickly,
Do it without enforcement, and take heed
You swell me not above my temper.
_Evad_. How Sir? where got you this report?
_Mel_. Where there was people in every place.
_Evad_. They and the seconds of it are base people;
Believe them not, they lyed.
_Mel_. Do not play with mine anger, do not Wretch,
I come to know that desperate Fool that drew thee
From thy fair life; be wise, and lay him open.
_Evad_. Unhand me, and learn manners, such another
Forgetfulness forfeits your life.
_Mel_. Quench me this mighty humour, and then tell me
Whose Whore you are, for you are one, I know it.
Let all mine honours perish but I'le find him,
Though he lie lockt up in thy blood; be sudden;
There is no facing it, and be not flattered;
The burnt air, when the _Dog_ raigns, is not fouler
Than thy contagious name, till thy repentance
(If the Gods grant thee any) purge thy sickness.
_Evad_. Be gone, you are my Brother, that's your safety.
_Mel_. I'le be a Wolf first; 'tis to be thy Brother
An infamy below the sin of a Coward:
I am as far from being part of thee,
As thou art from thy vertue: seek a kindred
Mongst sensual beasts, and make a Goat thy Brother,
A Goat is cooler; will you tell me yet?
_Evad_. If you stay here and rail thus, I shall tell you,
I'le ha' you whipt; get you to your command,
And there preach to your Sentinels,
And tell them what a brave man you are; I shall laugh
at you.
_Mel_. Y'are grown a glorious Whore; where be your
Fighters? what mortal Fool durst raise thee to this
daring,
And I alive? by my just Sword, h'ad safer
Bestride a Billow when the angry North
Plows up the Sea, or made Heavens fire his food;
Work me no higher; will you discover yet?
_Evad_. The Fellow's mad, sleep and speak sense.
_Mel_. Force my swollen heart no further; I would save
thee; your great maintainers are not here, they dare
not, would they were all, and armed, I would speak
loud; here's one should thunder to 'em: will you tell
me? thou hast no hope to scape; he that dares most,
and damns away his soul to do thee service, will
sooner fetch meat from a hungry Lion, than come to
rescue thee; thou hast death about thee: h'as
undone thine honour, poyson'd thy vertue, and of a
lovely rose, left thee a canker.
_Evad_. Let me consider.
_Mel_. Do, whose child thou wert,
Whose honour thou hast murdered, whose grave open'd,
And so pull'd on the Gods, that in their justice
They must restore him flesh again and life,
And raise his dry bones to revenge his scandal.
_Evad_. The gods are not of my mind; they had better
let 'em lie sweet still in the earth; they'l stink here.
_Mel_. Do you raise mirth out of my easiness?
Forsake me then all weaknesses of Nature,
That make men women: Speak you whore, speak truth,
Or by the dear soul of thy sleeping Father,
This sword shall be thy lover: tell, or I'le kill thee:
And when thou hast told all, thou wilt deserve it.
_Evad_. You will not murder me!
_Mel_. No, 'tis a justice, and a noble one,
To put the light out of such base offenders.
_Evad_. Help!