THE Fatal Contract, A French TRAGEDY. As it was Acted with great Applause by her Majesty's SERVANTS.  
Written by William Hemings, Master of Arts of Oxon.  
Printed by the Original Copy.  
Printed at London for J. M. in the Year, 1653.   

To the Right Honourable, James Compton Earl of Northampton, and Lord Compton, etc. and to Isabel his virtuous Countess.  
My Lord,  
This Poem was composed by a worthy Gentleman at hours of his recess from happier employments. In his life he was above the Sphere of common Writers, and though at death he left greater Monuments of his worth and ability, yet this piece had justly gained an esteem with men of excellent judgement; and having suffered very much by private Transcripts, where it passed through many hands as a Curiosity of Wit and Language, it is now emergent from darkness, and appears in a public dress, having shaken off some dust and imperfections that too usually waits upon multiplied Copies.  
My Lord, If we had not confidence that the, merit of this Poem would excuse the boldness of this Dedication, we would not have attempted so great a flight as to your name. We humbly beseech your Honour to peruse it when you will descend to a recreation of this nature: And let not our Names that attend it, by our lowness and want of Ornament, be thought a stain to what we have presented; for though our sails are not filled with so much happy air and breath of the World, yet our small and plain Vessels are fraught with as true faith & humility to serve you, as that which carries more fire and noise to proclaim their devotions: And in the assurance that your mercy will vouchsafe us your protection, we cast ourselves at your feet,  
My Lord, The humblest of those that pray for your 
 Honour's happiness. 

A. T.  
A. P.     

The Persons of the Play.  

CHilderick, an old King of France.  
Clotair, the Young King.  
Clovis, the Monsieur.  
Landrey, Favourite to the Queen, and raised by her favour to be Duke of France, and Mayor of the Palace.  
Brissac, an old Peer of France.  
Brissac, his Son.  
Lords for Attendants.  
Lamot, two banished Lords.  
Dumain, two banished Lords.  
Martell, Noble men of France, and friends of the banished Lords.  
Bourbon, Noble men of France, and friends of the banished Lords.  
Lanove, Noble men of France, and friends of the banished Lords.  
Crotilda, by the name of Castrato, as an Eunuch.  
Fredigond, the Queen.  
Aphelia, Old Brissac's Daughter.  
Isabel, a Lady that waited on Aphelia.  
Three Ladies for Attendance.  
A Cardinal for state, when Aphelia is to be beheaded.  
Six Young men to bear the Hearse.  
Six of the Guard.  
A Headsman.  
Musicians.  
A Page to Brissac. Jun.  
A Lackey.    

The Fatal Contract, A TRAGEDY.  


Actus Primus, Scena prima.  Enter Lamot and Dumain like Soldiers. Dum. 
WE are not safe Lamot; this bawdy peace  
Begets a war within me; our swords worn  
For Ornament, not use; the Drum & Trumpet  
Sing drunken Carols, and the Canon speaks  
Health, not confusion; Helmets turned to Cups;  
Our bruised Arms administer discourse  
For Tables and for Taverns, where the Soldier  
Oft finds a pity, not relief: I'll tell thee,  
we're walking images, the signs of men,  
And bear about us nothing but the form  
Of man that's manly.  Lam. 
we're cold indeed.  Dum 
Yes, and th'ungrateful time  
As coldly doth rewards us, all our actions,  
Attempts of valour, looked into with eyes  
Filled with contempt, when ye Gods ye know  
It is our gifts they see yet: oh I am mad!  
The very bread that lends them life to scorn us,  
Our blood has paid for, yet demand a bit,  
Or ask of this old satin bellied sir,  
Or Madam toothless with her velvet sconce,  
And you shall hear their rotten lungs pronounce  
The Whip and Whipstock.  Lam. 
Prithee contain thyself.  Dum. 
Thou knowest I can;  
With what an equal temper did I breath  
Under the frozen climate of the North,  
Where in mine arms (the sheets of war) I slept,  
My bed being feathered with the down of heaven?  
I have lain down a man and rise a snowball.  
There these have been my pastimes, which i've born  
As willingly as I received them nobly.  
The Queen's black envy which doth still remain,  
And peeps through every limb she bears about her,  
Fated to ruin us, does not swell my Gall,  
No nor this willing beggary I wear  
To cloud me from her malice; by the Gods  
This bastard-betting peace unspirits me,  
A greater corrasive to my active soul,  
Than all past ills what ever.  Lam. 
As you are valiant be wise too, this is no time  
To vent your passions like a woman in,  
Your sword, not tongue, should speak.  Dum. 
You are an expert Tutor, and I thank you;  
Our wrongs would add a spirit to the dead,  
And make them sight our quarrels;— but look here  Enter Landrey, and two or three insinuating Lords, busy in conference, and three or four Petitioners. 
The minion of our Queen, oh what a train  
The painted Peacock bears! death, were I Jove  
But only for this Giant.  Peti. 
Good your honour, our wives and Children,  
Good your honour hear us.  Lan. 
Where are our slaves? keep off these dregs of men,  
The scum and outcast of the world; bring round my charict  
To the postern Gate; these bell-mouthed Rascals  
Split mine cares with noise, make haste before  
Lest my great Mistress wait my coming.  Exit. Peti. 
Good your honour.  Exeunt. 1 Peti. 
The devil take your worship; we must follow.  Dum. 
These are the fruits of base upstarts and flatterers.  
Tell me Lamot, can this same Merchpane man  
Think, or commit a sin though ne'er so horrid,  
But it is candied o'er, and from his vice  
Excessive praise and plaudites arise?  
Were I the King, but he is wilful blind,  
And by the horns she rocks him fast asleep,  
Before the wanton and hot-blooded Queen  
Should have the licence but to be suspected  
With such a Knight of Gingerbread as this,  
A gilded flesh-fly, I would lock her up,  
Yea chain the evil Angel in a Box,  
And house her like a silkworm.  Lam. 
Pardon me sir, the good old King's unable.  Dum. 
And therefore must admit an upstart Page,  
Now raised to honours by her lawless lust,  
Mayor of the Palace, and the Duke of France,  
The next stepped is the Crown; now by my life  
'Twere good the King would execute them both.  Lam. 
Alas he dares not, for the no chaste Queen,  
Is as her birth, as great in faction,  
Followed and sainted by the multitude,  
Whose judgement she hath linked unto her Purse,  
And rather bought a love than found it:  
She has a working spirit, an active brain,  
Apt to conceive, and wary in her wiles;  
Besides, her Sons, the pillows of the State,  
Support her like an Atlas, where she sits,  
And like the heavens commands our fates beneath her;  
She is the greater light, the King a star  
That only glares but through her influence.  A flourish within, Dum. 
Hark, the thunder of the world, now out of tune,  
This peace corrupting all things makes them speak,  
What means this most adulterate noise?  Lam. 
Why, are you ignorant?  
This is a night of jubilee, and the King  
Solemnly feasts for his wars happle success,  
Besides his Sons and he are knit again;  
We shall have Masks and Revelling to night.  Dum. 
Now the great Gods confound this pickthanck noise,  
The Drum's and Trumpets are turned flatterers,  
And Mars himself a Bawd to grace their riot,  
O I am mad, this grates my very Gall.  Lam. 
What man, bear up;  
Although I wish all civil discord hence,  
Yet I do hope a time wherein we Soldiers,  
Shall like a moving wall of living steel,  
Defend this City that offends us now.  Dum. 
My thoughts keep not your road, I think  
The devilish spirit of the haughty Queen,  
Will find employment for us yet, her brain  
Is very active in exploits that breed  
The Soldier's harvest, war and dissension.  Enter the Eunuch with bags of Gold, gives to each of them one, and after a little pause departs. Lam. 
What vision's this? 'tis Gold right and fair,  
Sure I dream not.  Dum. 
I cannot tell, but he that takes this from me,  
Shall soon perceive I do not sleep nor slumber.  Lam. 
It was the Eunuch.  Dum. 
That needs no deciding.  Lam. 
What speaks the Paper left behind?  
If it be Chorus to this dumb show, read it Dumain.  
The Letter.  
As you are Soldiers truly valiant, I honour you, as poor, I pity you; therefore have sent you that will render you as complete Courtiers, as undaunted Soldiers: we know your present fortunes shame your parentage, which was not only great in itself, but fortunate in so fair an offspring: Dumain, Lamot, let it suffice we know ye; for our eye is every where: whilst I remember your worths, I shall forget your parents injuries; fear nothing, for your hitherto concealment, I'll get your pardons, and whilst I breath, breathe your kind Mistress: if you dare trust me, appear at Court to night so adorned, as shall become your honours, our friends.  
Fredigond.  Lamot. 
The Queen?  Dum. 
We are betrayed Lamot, what shall we do?  Lam. 
we'll take the gracious proffer of the Queen,  
she's princely vowed our friend; besides what ill  
Can we expect from her, who might have sent  
Her murdering ministers and slain us here,  
If she intended foul play? but she's noble.  Dum. 
Noble, grant her so, yet—  Lam. 
What yet?  Dum. 
Her murdered Brother's memory.—  Lam. 
When he fell, we were too young for traitors.  Dum. 
But not for torments, had we been apprehended;  
For in the high displeasure of the Queen,  
All our posterity was doomed; some felt the wheel,  
Some wracked, some hanged, others impaled on stakes,  
With divers strange and horrid forms of death,  
That you'd have thought, and fitly thought it too,  
That all the torments which the Poets feign  
The damned spirits exercise in Hell,  
Had here been put in execution;  
And had not we been then in Witenburge,  
Beyond the fury of her mortal spleen,  
We had added to the number of the dead;  
Then think you still we shall not?  Lam. 
Now by my life its murder to suspect her,  
Our lives are all that we can lose, our fame,  
Not time nor Art can murder, so we'll venture.  Exeunt omnes.  

SCENA II.  Enter Fredigond the Queen, and the Eunuch. Qu. 
What conference did they maintain with thee?  Eu. 
None farther than the language of their eyes,  
They looked on me as if they meant me thanks,  
Which their amazement robbed me off.  Qu. 
Spoke they not then at all?  Eu. 
No not a word,  
They seemed to me as if they knew no language.  Qu. 
You know them not?  Eu. 
No dearest Lady, for th'appeared to me  
Like to the silent postures in the Arras,  
Only the form of men with stranger faces.  Qu. 
Take 'em then, they are our enemies,  
Whom I have angled with that golden bait;  
Their parents waded in my Brother's blood,  
For which I'll be revenged of all their kin,  
Can they increase as oft as I would kill,  
I'd ever kill that they might still increase:  Draw the curtain and show the picture. 
This picture drawn by an Italian  
(Which still I keep to whet mine anger)  
Does represent the murder of my brother,  
For ravishing this beauteous piece of ill;  
A bloody and a terrible mistake,  
To murder Clodimir for Clotarrs' fact,  
For which behold how Fredigond's revenged,  
This old Dumain and father to this maid,  
With all his kindred, sociates and allies,  
(These brace of wicked ones, and that ravished whore,  
The fair and fatal cause of these events  
Only excepted) are here, here ini this picture:  
Is't not a brave sight, how doth the object like thee?  
How prettily that baby hangs by th'heels,  
Sprawling his Arms about his mother's womb,  
As if again he sought for shelter there?  
Here's one bereft of hands, and this of tongue,  
Finger thy Lute Maria, sing out Isabel:  Scopticè 
Hark, hark Castrato, the music of the Spheres,  
O ravishing touch, hark how the others voice  
Echoes the Lute, is't not a divine softness?  
Ha' ah ha', I do expect they now should rail extremely;  
I prithee scold at me good Isabel,  
A little of the woman; no Maria;  
Within the clothed circle of mine eyes,  
Anchor thy fingers, alas, thy nails are pared,  
Nor has poor Isabel a tongue to scold with,  
And here's the Granddam with her glares out;  
Saddle her nose with spectacles, or else  
she'll miss her way to the infernal pit.  
Tow hoary Gray-berds in this angle lies,  
Will find their way to Hell without their eyes,  
Villains that killed my Brother; how does this like thee?  
To execute men in picture, is't not rare?  Stabs the picture Eu. 
Were but Chrotilda here, and these two youngsters,  
It were a pastime for the Gods to gaze on.  
Oh were I but a man as others are,  
As kind and openhanded nature made me,  
With Organs apt and fit for woman's service.  Qu. 
What if thou wert?  Eu. 
What if I were great Queen?  
I'd search the Deserts, Mountains, Valleys, Plains,  
Till I had met Chrotilda, whom by force  
I'd make to mingle with these footie limbs,  
Till I had got on her one like to me,  
Whom I would nourish for the Dumain line;  
That time to come might story to the world,  
They had the Devil to their Grandfather.  Qu. 
I find thee Eunuch apt for my employments,  
Therefore I will unclasp my soul to thee,  
I've always found thee trusty, and I love thee.  Eu. 
With thanks I ever must acknowledge it,  
And lay my life at my great Mistress feet,  Knelt. 
To spend it when she pleases.  Qu. 
We need it not  
As yet Castrato, but we may hereafter.  
See, their's the platform of great Childricks' death;  
And they which must be thought his murderers,  
Our Enemies, and now new Courtiers,  
Whom hitherto I have reserved for policy;  
First, that they take away the guilt from us;  
Next, being apprehended, studying deaths,  
The heads of all our Engineers shall sit  
T'invent unheard of torments for the slaves;  
I long to see them here, here in this frame,  
Greeting their kindred's bones.  Eu. 
You are the Goddess of invention.  Qu. 
Then I'll commend thee to my elder Son,  
Where thou shalt wind into his secret thoughts;  
As for the younger Boy let me alone;  
And when we have them on the hip, they shall  
Fellow their Fathers unto Hells-black-Hall  Eu. 
Still better.  Qu. 
Will not this be brave? ha', how lik'st thou this?  
Now by this light I'm taken strangely with thee,  
Come kiss me, kiss me sirrah, tremble not.  (Queen kisses him.) 
Fie, what a January lip thou hast,  
A pair of Iscicles, sure thou hast bought  
A pair of cast lips of the chaste Diana's,  
Thy blood's mere snow-broth, kiss me again:  (again) 
Now see if you can find these gallants forth,  
And bring them to our presence.  Exit Eunuch. 
O sir you're welcome,  Enter Landrey. 
Your visits have been freer, but I grow old,  
And you command the beauties of the time.  Lan. 
What means my noble Mistress? think you the blood  
Runs so degenerate within these veins,  
To stoop to an inferior embrace,  
When I enjoy the best.  Qu. 
We are betrayed:  
I'll tell thee a good jest Landrey, pray mark;  
This morning dressing my head my husband came,  
And with his switch (for he was then to hunt)  
A gentle stroke he gave me on the back;  
My fancy busied then to make me fine,  
Supposing it was you that sported so,  
(Not dreaming that the dotard was so near)  
Cried, well my Landrey, in story we still find,  
The best Knights strike before and not behind:  
The King who always understood too fast,  
Quits suddenly my Chambers, what he intends  
I cannot guests, unless it be our deaths,  
Which if he speedily perform not, then  
Know he shall never, for this night concludes him.  
His Sons I weigh like him, they have rebelled,  
And taken spirit of late t'oppose my will,  
And contradict my pleasures in thy love,  
For which it is not safe that they should live;  
The Kingdom's Heir shall be a boy of thine,  
And Kings and Queens shall follow in thy Line.  Eu. 
Madam, here are the Gentlemen.  Enter Dumain & Lamot very brave, the Eunuck. Qu. 
You're welcome to the Court, and us, brave spirits you're welcome.  
Take a Queen's word you're welcome.  Ambo. 
Your highness is as full of grace as mercy.  Qu. 
Rise and follow us, we'll be your Guardian and Protectres.  Lan. 
What are these?  Aside Qu. 
Sheep for my shambles, whom I have fatted up  
Only for slaughter; things are on foot decreed,  
Shall make some smile to night, and others bleed.  Exeunt omnes  

SCENA III.  Enter Clovis at one door, Aphelia and a Page at the other with a Torch. Clo. 
My best Mistress,  
What Angel brought you hither? for I know  
Millions attend your goodness.  Aph. 
My Lord?  Clo. 
Why do you cast such stranger eyes upon me?  
You were not wont to clothe your brows with scorn,  
Nor dart such deadly looks; can my mistress  
Be angry with her servant? my offence,  
If slowness in my visits, I'll hereafter  
Grow to your threshold; why weep you now?  
Trust me divinest fair thine eyes seed pearl,  
Bracelets for Gods to wear about their arms.  Aph. 
I am too fond, and yet he swears he loves me,  
I have believed him too, for I have found  
A Godlike nature in him, and a truth  
Hitherto constant.  Clo. 
Sweetest fair the cause?  Aph. 
If this should be dissembled, not your heart,  
And having won my souls affection,  
Should on a judgement more retired to state,  
Smile at your perjuries, and leave me in love,  
What ill-bred tales the world would make of me.  Clo. 
That jealousy I'll strangle; take this Ring,  
As I that Diamond dazzled by thine eyes,  
Whose beauty sickened 'cause eclipsed by thine;  
Be these the mutual pledges of our love,  
Our Marriage before our Marriage,  
And cursed be he that separates our love,  
Though France be one, or what is greater Jove.  
Are your fears over now?  Alp. 
My Lord, I dare no ill, and therefore doubt none.  Enter King, Queen, Clotaire, Landrey, Dumain, Lamot, Eunuch, Lords, Ladies, Guard. King. 
Approach our person nearer, for methinks  
You've honest faces, if your hearts keep touch  
T'your outward semblance, you're a pair  
Nothing but death shall force from me.  Qu. 
Good, good, this Physic works.  aside. Eu. 
Madam, is't done?  Qu. 
I my black Genius, such a fatal dram  
I have administered, will wing his soul  
With expedition to the other world,  
His part essential like a wearied Ghost  
This night forsakes her Inn, when sled and gone,  
Who knows where it shall lodge: mark his looks,  
Seest thou not death throned in his hollow eye,  
Great tyrant over Nature?  Eu. 
With looks inquisite I have beheld him.  
But see no alteration.  Qu. 
Thou art a fool, and want'st the optic nerves  
To pry into my Arts; where I lay trains,  
Death comes before the grief, the sulphurous match  
Destroys the powder with a motion slow  
To what I work with; as Antumn aged leaf,  
In youth the prime and glory of the Grove,  
Not to be grasped with hand, falls with a puff,  
And what we could not touch but now, we tread on,  
So Childrick—  King. 
Lend me thine arm Dumain, I now not what,  
But on the sudden—  Dumain & Lamot about the King. Qu. 
How the Nats' play and buzz about the fire.  
Must consume them.  Eu. 
'Tis rare, observant Cocks comes.  Clota. 
What Star's unshe'rd and walks upon the Earth,  
Making our night a noon? methinks her sight  
Does cure blindness, and lend darkness light,  
Castrato—  Clotair pulls the Eunuch aside. Eu. 
No more, we are observed, my Lord.  Clot. 
What Ladies that?  Eu. 
That French India with a mine upon her back,  
With whom your Brother holds discourse?  Clot. 
The same.  Eu. 
The chaste and beautiful Aphelia.  Clot. 
Indeed she's wondrous fair, nature hath much  
Befriended her, art sure she's honest?  Eu. 
Snow's not purer;  
No vestal Virgin at the Altar bears  
A soul so incorrupt, so void of flame  
That's loosely active.  Clot. 
Castrato, be as ourselves, get but that Lady for me;  
Thou understand'st me.  Eu. 
She dotes upon your Brother, by which means  
I'll think upon some plot.  Clot. 
The Masque ended we will talk further on't.  King. 
Defer our pastimes till another night,  
I am not well at case.  Duma. 
Lights, lights for his Majesty.  Clot. & Clovis. 
How is it with your grace our Royal Father?  Eu. Dumain, Lamot 
Your feet are in the snare,  
Fredigond hunts, and when she hunts beware.  The Eunuch talks with Aphelia aside. Lam. 
What says the slave?  Dum. 
No matter what, mind we his Majesty.  King. 
There is an Aetna in me,  
The air I draw returns illuminate,  
Philosophy thy Element of fire's here.  Qu. 
His Grace grows worse and worse, support him  
Gently friends; O my dear Husband, O my gentle Lord.  Eneunt omnes. Aphe. 
I credit your report, & will obey,  Manent Eunuch and Aphelia. 
His mind is honourable like his parentage;  
His single name has armed me, pray lead on.  Exe. Alp. & Eu. Enter Lamot. Enter Clotaire. Lam. 
O woe, wo, wo.  Clot. 
Horror and death.  Clo. 
O dismal fatal hour.  Enter Clovis, Fredigond, the Queen Landry, Dumain, Guard Attendants. Qu. 
with Childrick end  
The World.  Dum. 
Have patience gentle Queen.  Qu. 
Stand from me,  
Preach patience to the Sea when the rude winds  
Swell her ambitious billowes'bove the clouds,  
And if thou tutor'st them to peace and silence,  
I'll be as calm as they.  Clot. 
The treason here, and not the Traitor,  
Quite confounds me.  Qu. 
Doubt ye the Traitors?  
I've brougth a pair of Vipers to the Court,  
Warmed and relieved them with a sting to kill us;  
Who could be Authors of this dead but they?  
His new bosom friends have slain him,  
Lay hands upon the villains.  Dun. 
We are betrayed Lamot, basely beset with snares.  Lam. 
Justice fight thou my cause with thine own sword.  Qu. 
O villains, would ye let them scape?  
Two men to pass the strength of all our guard?  
This mads me.  Clot. 
Make after them and bring them back.  
Or by my Father's soul ye sleep your last.  
Aphelia, oh Aphelia, she'll not from my mind,  
I may command her now.  
Come Mother, Brother, Friend's, come let us go,  
King ne'er received a Crown so full of woe.  Exe. omnes.   


Actus Secundus Scena Prima.  Enter Old Brissac and the Page. Page. 
I Left her midst th'amazed multitude,  
Where doubtless frighted with the sudden horror  
Of the unlooked for murder of the Kings,  
She has with other beauties of the Court,  
Retired herself until the morning star.  O. Bris. 
'Tis very likely so, yet d'ye hear—  
I know not what to say, I'll not to bed,  
My thoughts are full of tempests, dismal think;  
Where is my Son, why went he not to Court?  Page. 
Your Son sir Charles, sir, is not yet in bed,  
But why he went not to the Court I know not.  O. Bris. 
Perhaps she's safe, then why returns she not?  
Why sends she not glad messages of health?  
No, no, she's lost, and I undone forever.  
Go to your bed, I will not trouble you,  
Go take your rest, yet pray be up betimes,  Offers to go. 
Yet stay and watch with me, she may come home,  
She may come home, it's good to wait for her;  
Yet now I've thought on't get you hence to bed,  
And yet not so, run, run unto the Court,  
O Villain how he moves; yet why so fast,  Offer to run. 
Let me deliberate, that were to give  
The Courtier's notice I have lost my Daughter,  
Whom they will then suspect, and call her fame  
Into an ill construction; no no no:  Enter Charles Brissac & Clovis the Prince guised 
O sir you're welcome, where is your sister?  
I must have her sirrah, and I will; where is  
She Charles, where is she?  Cham 
My noble Father.  O. Bris. 
Tut tut tut, noble me nobles, nor Father me  
No Fathers, where is your sister sirrah?  Cham 
My sister?  O. Bris. 
Your sister; this cunning shall not carry it;  
Where is she? speak.  Cham 
Within fir, is she not? otherwise this Gentleman  
Has lost his labour, he's come to visit her.  O. Bris. 
Heyday, heyday, heyday, heyday, to visit her?  
Plots, plots, mere fetches to delude me: to visit her?  
What at the dead of night, when the whole world  
Is sunk in slumber, and our lusty youth  
As quiet as the Grave? to visit her?  
O most ridiculous, to visit her?  
Pray Gentleman consider, does your sister keep  
Times so preposterous for visiting?  
Makes she day of night, or has been bred  
As lose as Lais, to love night Court?  
Do not distract me; to visit her?  Cham 
Pray sir collect yourself; this Gentleman  
Even at that horrid point where the King fell—  O. Bris. 
I there's more mischief too; God for his mercy.  
What a world is this!  Cham 
Saw a Ring drop from off my sisters singes,  
And at his best advantage took it up,  
Which he had then delivered, but that fright  
Which renders men forgetful made him so,  
But knowing where she lived, (so he protests)  
He could not sleep until it were delivered.  O. Bris. 
Pray let me see the Ring; yes it was hers.  
And she would say she'd never part with it  
But when she meant to wed; if you've married her,  
Or have her promise riveted to yours,  
Tell me but where she is I'll be content,  
For I in losing her have lost my joy.  Cham 
Is she not then within?  O. Bris. 
Yes too much; oh no  
The house contains her not, she is not here,  
Nor is for aught I know at all.  Clov. 
O my prophetic soul, then 'tis no idle fear.  O. Bris. 
How the Monsiure? what makes he here?  Clov. 
There's something whispers me, go not to bed,  
Go not to bed till thou hast found her out,  
Beest thou my Genius or what power else  
(Suggesting lawful things) I will obey thee.  
Still it cries, sleep not to night; had I ta'en Opium,  
The drowsy Poppy, cold Mandragora,  
Or all the sleepy syrups of the world,  
With such a powerful spell thou workest upon me,  
That should I take an everlasting sleep  
thou'dst wake my scattered bones, and make them rise  
To watch the horror of this fatal night;  
Sleep ever waking envy and mistrust,  
Yes things which never knew what slumber meant;  
Ghosts keep your beds, ye Sentinels of night,  
Goblins and Spectres do not walk your round;  
A general Lethargy seize on this hour,  
Whilst I alone the Watchman of the night  
Will wake in spite of fate, Argus Thine eyes  
To find Aphelia and her miseries.  Exit. O. Bris. 
Pretty in good sadness, wondrous pretty;  
Is he in earnest?  Cham 
Sure he dissembles not, I little thought [When I did  
Let him in, what person graced [Our Threshold.  O. Bris. 
Ah sirrah, what a Girl is this to be out of th'way,  
He is in love that's certain; let me remember,  
When I was first a lover as he is,  
I'd just such wild vagaries in my brain,  
Such midnight madness; this puling baggage  
May lose herself for ever, and her fortunes,  
For this hours absence; go, begun,  
Fellow his royal person, comfort him,  
Tell him my daughter will again be found;  
And so good Angels grant we meet with her.  Exe. omnes.  

SCEN. II.  Enter Aphelia and the Eunuch with a wax Taper. Aph. 
Into what Labyrinth do you lead me sir?  
What by perplexed ways? I should much fear  
Had you not used his name, which is to me  
A strength 'gainst terror, and himself so good,  
Occasion cannot vary, nor the night,  
Youth, nor his wild desire, otherwise  
A silent sorrow from mine eyes would steal  
And tell sad stories for me.  Eu. 
You are too tender of your honour Lady,  
Too full of aguish trembling, the noble Prince  
Is, as December, frosty in desire,  
Save what is lawful, he not owns that heat,  
Which were you snow would thaw a tear from you.  Aph. 
This is the place appointed, pray heavens all things go well.  Eu. 
I will go call him, please you rest yourself;  
Here lies a book will bear you company  
Till I return, which will be presently.  
Hither I'll send the King, not that I mean  Aphelia reads in the book. 
To give him leave to cool his burning lust,  
For Clovis shall prevent him in the fact;  
And thus I shall endear myself to both:  
Clovis enraged perhaps will kill the King,  
Or by the King will perish, if both fall,  
Or either, both ways make for me;  
The Queen as rootedly does hate her sons,  
As I her Ladyship, to see this fray  
She must be brought by me, she'll steel them on  
To one another's damage, for her sake  
I'll say I set on foot this hopeful brawl.  
Whilst she will hug and kiss me for the same;  
Thus on all sides the Eunuch will play foul,  
And as his face is black he'll have his soul,  Alph. 
How witty sorrow has found out discourse  
Fitting a midnight season! here I see  
One bathed in Virgin's tears, whose purity  
Might blanche a Blackmore, turn nature's stream  Enter Clotair. 
Back on its self; words pure and of that strain  
Might move the Parcaes to bepittiful.  Clot. 
Methinks I stand like Tarquin in the night,  
When he defiled the chastity of Rome,  
Doubtful of what to do, and like a Thief  she still reads on. 
I take each noise to be an Officer.  
She has a ravishing feature, and her mind  
Is of a purer temper than her body:  
Her virtues more than beauty ravished me,  
And I commit even with her piety  
A kind of incest with Religion;  
Though I do know it is a deed of death  
Condemned to torments in the other world,  
Such tempting sweetness dwells in every limb,  
That I must venture my essential parts  
For the fruition of a moment's lust,  Exit with a resolve not to do it. 
A pleasure dearly bought.  Aphe. 
Alack poor maid,  
Poor ravished Philomela, thy lot was ill  
To meet that violence in a Brother, which  
I in a stranger doubt not; vet methinks  
I am too confident, for I feel my heart  
Burdened with something ominous; these men  
Are things of subtle nature, and their oaths  
Unconstant like themselves. Clovis may prove unkind,  
Alack why not? say he should offer foul,  
The evil counsel of a secret place,  
And night his friend, might over-tempt his will;  
I dare not stand the hazard; guide me light  
To some untrodden place, where poor I may  
Wear out the night with sighs till it be day.  Ent. Clota. Clot. 
I am resolved, I will be bold and resolute.  
Hail beauteous Damsel.  Aphe. 
Ha', what man art thou  
That hast thy countenance clouded with thy cloak,  
And hidest thy face from darkness and the night?  
If thy intents deserve a Mustler too,  
Withdraw and act them not. What art thou, speak?  
And wherefore cam'st thou hither?  Clot. 
I came to find one beautiful as thou,  
And am a man willing to please a woman.  Aphe. 
I understand you not.  Clot. 
But I must you, yea and the right way too,  
Or my strength shall fail me.  Aphe. 
Help, help, help.  Clot. 
Peace, none of your loud music Lady,  
If you raise a note, or beat the air with clamour,  
You see your death.  Draws his Dagger. Aphe. 
What violence is this? inhuman sir,  knelt. 
Why do you threaten war, fright my soft peace  
With most ungentle steel? what have I done  
Dangerous, or am like to do? why do you wrack me thus?  
Mine arms are guilty of no crimes, do not torment'um:  
Mine heart and they have been heaved up together  
For mankind that was holy, if in that act  
They have not prayed for you, mend and be good,  
The fault is none of theirs.  Clot. 
Come, do not seem  
More holy than you are, I know your heart.  Aphe. 
Let your Dagger too; noble sir, strike home,  
And sacrifice a soul to chastity,  
As pure as is itself, or innocence.  Clot. 
This is not the way,— know you me beauty?  Aph. 
The Majesty of France!  discovers himself. Clot. 
Be not afraid.  Aphe. 
I dare not fear, it's treason to suspect  
My King can harbour thoughts that tend to ill,  
I know you're godlike good, and have but tried  
How far weak women durst be virtuous.  Clot. 
Cunning simplicity, thou art deceived,  
Thy wit as well as beauty wounds me, and thy tongue  
In pleading for thee pleads against thyself;  
It is thy virtue moves me, and thy good  
Tempts me to acts of evil; wert thou bad,  
Or lose in thy desires, I could stand,  
And only gaze, not surfeit on thy beauty;  
But as thou art, there's witchcraft in thy face,  
I must enjoy thee, or not thou thy life.  Enter Clovis & Charles. Aphe 
You are my King, and may command my life,  
My will to sin you cannot; you may force  
Unhallowed deeds upon me, spot my fame,  
And make my body suffer, not my mind;  
When you have done this unreligious deed,  
Conquered a poor weak maid, a trembling maid,  
What trophy or what triumph will it bring  
More than a living scorn upon your name?  
The ashes in your Urn shall suffer for't,  
Virgins will sow their curses on your Grave,  
Time blot your Kingly parentage, and call  
Your birth in question; do not think  
This deed will lie concealed, the faults Kings do  
Shine like the fiery Beacons on a hill  
For all to see, and seeing tremble at:  
It's not a single ill which you commit;  
What in the subject is a petty fault,  
Monsters your actions, and's a foul offence;  
You give your subject's licence to offend,  
When you do teach them how.  Clot. 
I will endure no longer, come along,  
Or by the curious spinstrie of thy head,  
Which natures cunnin'st finger twisted out,  
I'll drag thee to my couch; tempt not my fury.  Clov. 
Hold, hold my heart— can I endure this—  
Unhand me Charles and render me myself,  
Lest I forget myself on thee.  Char. 
Great sir;  
Remember 'tis your brother, and the King.  Clov. 
O that I could forget it, and shake off  
Duty at once and Consanguinity,  Enter Eunuch. 
That like a whirlwind I might rush upon him,  
And bear him to destruction. Monster of men,  
Thou King of darkness down unto thy Hell,  
I have a Spell will lay thy honesty,  
And this abused goodness: Is't not enough  
That thou hast wronged Crotilda, ravished a Maid,  
A Virgin of that purity of life  
Might saint her here on earth; but thou wilt add  
Unto the first a second violence the Gods must not forgive:  
Don't arm your face,  
Nor wear acount'nance of horror, I can't fear  
Bearing a bosom innocent and pure:  
Is't even so, then guard thyself Oh King,  
For I am swift as thought that executes.  Char. 
Hold, hold, my Lord forbear.  Eu. 
Beat down their swords, what do the Princes mean?  
Ring out the alarm Bell, call up the Court,  Ring the Bell. 
The Princes here will murder one another.  
For shame for shame forbear.  Enter the Queen, the Guard, and Attendants, Landrey at the other door. Qu. 
What means this sudden outcry? oh my Sons,  
Hold, hold; part 'em good Gentlemen.  Clot. 
Braved by a subjects hand?  Queen 
Though nature by precedency of birth  
Made thee his King, it therefore follows not  
His Murderer: wherein is our Clotair  
Greater than Clovis? the self same blood  
That spirits thee, makes him as valiant,  
The difference lies in Anno Domini.  Eu. 
Most acurat mischief, most rare Crocodile!  Qu. 
I grant thou art his elder, by which law  
Thou'rt born his subject, not his equal Clovis:  
Know Clotair's thy King, and subjects hands  
Without the deep and dangerous traitor's name,  
May not advance against their sovereigns head.  Clota. 
Neither shall his without Correction  
Upon him slaves.  Qu. 
Hold, I command ye hold:  
Oh Clotair thou art of a valiant soul,  
And wilt thou basely thus beset thy Brother?  
Fear argues spirits most degenerate,  
And that thou fearest, th'advantage argues it;  
O set not on thy slaves, if he must die,  
Let thy sacrifice not butcher him.  Clota. 
That argument sounds harsh, does Clotair fear?  Clo. 
Sacrifice me? it is not in his power.  Eu. 
Exquisite Philter, how it operates!  Qu. 
We hope so Clovis; yet thy brother King  
Is as an earthly God, his will his law,  
His power uncircumscribed, unlimited,  
Whose Majesty can look a subject dead.  Clo. 
How? look me dead? I do not fear his frowns.  Qu. 
I grant th'as great a Basilisk as he,  
As thou art merely man; but as thy King  
Divinity doth prop him, he stands firm  
That builds on that foundation; yet I know  
Thy sword's as sharp as his, and where it lights  
Imprints as much of fate; thine arm's as strong,  
Thy spirit as daring, and thy will as prompt  
To any action that may write man, Man.  Clot. 
He is your darling, you do well to praise him;  
When I have slain him write his Epitaph.  Clo. 
My Epitaph? this Pen of steel shall first  
Write on thy heart thine end.  Eu. 
Still, still better.  
The venomed poison of a woman's tongue  
Is more sublimed than Mercury.  they fight again. Char. 
Hold, hold.  
O dearest Madam, your maternal breath  
Bears a Mandamus in it, and like heaven  
Will lay this tempest.  Eu. 
As the wind the Sea,  
Which makes it rage's the louder,  Clot. 
Where's our guard  
That lets a trey tor pull me by the beard?  
Upon him slaves.  The Guard fall on him and he falls. Qu. 
O they have slain my Son;  
Bloody villain, thy hands have made these holes,  
Hell take thee for't.  Clot. 
Mother, rise and departed,  
For I am bend on mischief.  Qu. 
Do thy worst  
Thou murderous minded Prince, this blood is mine,  
For in some sort I bleed; out Parricide.  Eu. 
How cunningly she spits her poison forth!  
I know her soul is light, she's glad he's dead,  
And joys in the opportuntie to curse the killer,  
For which she gains the name of pious mother;  
Here's pretty woman-villany and dissimulation.  Aphe. 
If they have slain him, wherefore do I live?  
O my swollen heart.  Clot. 
Remove the Corpse, withal  
Convey this Siren from our wand'ring eyes,  
And house her in a Dungeon; let no light  
Peep through a cranney on her; mask the day,  
Put the all-searching eyes of Phoebus out;  
Lest accidentally he gazing here,  
Here fix eternally, and so we may  
Despair of night as once we did of day:  
Bear her to prison; reason not the cause,  
A King's prerogative's above his laws.  Aphe. 
Be merciful and lead to earth, away,  
Since he is gone it is to die to stay.  Exeunt some with the King, others leading Aphelia, and bearing away the Corpse. Manent Eunuch, Queen, Landrey. Qu. 
Now we begin to flourish, this black night  
Is only lighted by our stars, which smile  
Upon these actions, and rejoice to see  
Thee our sole favourite so near a Crown.  
But tell me Landrey, how did I play the mother;  
Did not I seem a Niobe in passion,  
A deluge of salt tear?  Land. 
Most true, you wept.  Qu. 
As a good Actor in a play would do,  
Whose fancy works (as if he waking dreamt)  
Too strongly on the Object that it copes with,  
Shaping realities from mockeries;  
And so the Queen did weep: By this good night  
I think I could become the Stage as well  
As any she that sells her breath in public;  
Come shall we Act Landrey?  Land. 
Act Lady, what?  Qu. 
Nothing that's new, old Plays you know are best:  
Eunuch is our bed ready?  Eu. 
Great Queen it is.  Qu. 
Come then my joy to bed, where we will Act  
The truth which others doubt, and in that sport  
We'll laugh at death which triumphs in the Court.  Exeunt, Qu. & Lan. Eu. 
Go sleep your last; I'll strait unto the King,  
And he shall take them in the very act;  
And then to cover my discovery  
I'll set on fire the Queen's Bedchamber,  
That so I may disturb them more secure,  
And yet the plot not mine, I'll tell the King  
Unless he present help, his mother burns:  
About it then, this is a happy night,  
The more it works their woe more's my delight.  Exit.   


Actus Tertius, Scena Prima.  Enter King Clotair, and the Eunuch. Eu. 
LOok how it fiames, I fear some treachery,  the bedchamb, on fire 
Beat at her Chamber door, cry it aloud,  
And let your voice be thunder to this lightning;  
Cry, fire, fire, fire, the Court is all a hothouse, fire, fire.  Clot. 
Great Queen, royal mother, open your door  
Lest you do sleep for ever; mother awake.  
The God of sleep lies heavy on her eyes;  
Force up the door; fire, fire, fire.  Eu. 
It's fortified 'gainst strength, you must call louder.  Clot. 
Mother, Queen, Mother, awake awake,  
Your sleep was never more like death than now;  
Lady, Great Princess; fire, fire, fire.  Enter Queen above in night attire, Landrey. Qu. 
What saucy Groom  
Beats our offendless doors thus daringly?  
H'had better roused a sleeping Lioness  
Than thus t'have broke our slumbers; what art thou?  Clot. 
Look,  
The fire will give you light, 'tis I your Son,  
Fly from your Chamber else you are but dead,  
Your Court is all a Bonsire.  Qu. 
Let it burn, I have lost my credit everlastingly,  
I will not move afoot.  aside. Clot. 
You must be forced then.  Exit Eunuch busy to quench the fire. Land. 
Lady,  
Where is your wit now in necessity?  
When shall be taken, and you shamed for ever.  
Bethink, bethink yourself, what shall we do.  aside. Qu. 
I have't, it shall be so; there, put on that,  
And as the door flies open meet him full  
Appearing in his Brother's warlike form,  
Thou wilt amaze and so pass by him safely.  
Do not appear to me, I did not wound thee,  aloud this. 
Seek out the beds of those that caused thy death,  
And howl to them thy piteous complaints;  
O do not look on me, be gone, be gone.  Clot. 
Whom d'ye hold discourse with, with the air?  
Bethink yourself, this is no time to dally.  Queen 
O my Son, such horrid apparitions full of dread  
Have I beheld, have quite unwitted me;  
Thy brother's Ghost, young Clovis Ghost in arms  
Has thrice appeared to me this dismal night,  
You heard me speak too't.  Clot. 
True, I heard you speak,  
But what of that?  Qu. 
Calls for Aphelia  
To bear him company i'th'other world,  
Or else he'll nightly haunt us in our sleep.  Enter Landrey, as in the Prince's Armour. Clot. 
O see, it comes!  Qu. 
Fear it not, Son.  Clot. 
What art thou that usurpest this dead of night,  
In metal like the age? why art thou sent  
To cast a horror on me? If thy soul  
Walks unrevenged, and the grim Ferryman  
Deny thy passage, I'll perform thy rights.  the Ghost points to his wounds. 
O do not wound me with such piteous signs,  
Lest I dissolve to air, and like thyself  
Affright fool mortals: If that thou desir'st  
Aphelia's death t'appease thy troubled soul,  
Make some consenting sign, and so departed.  
Thy sight afflicts my soul.  Enter Queen. Qu. 
How fares our Son?  He bends and so goes off; then at the other door enter Eunuch. Clos. 
It was my brother's spirit; nothing but Aphelia?  Qu. 
She must die, you see it's requisite.  Clot. 
Would he had asked my life first.  Qu. 
Why should you be so fond upon a woman?  Clot. 
Woman's the least part of her, she's all Goddess.  Qu. 
'Twas your offer;  
Remember there's no jesting with the Gods.  Eu. 
What might this mean? ha', where are my brains?  Clot. 
I had forgot myself, your pardon Mother;  
Bear her from me this Jewel, I esteem  
Equal with life; it was my brother's picture;  
And with it, this, that she prepare to die;  
Pray her to take it; and in death, but kiss  
This sad remembrance for the senders sake,  
Although for his whose form it represents,  
And I shall take it for the greatest grace  
That she can give, or I ought to desire.  
Tell her, and if you can be moved to sorrow  
Express it in you tears, it is not I  
Pronounce this fatal sentence 'gainst her life  
Which needs must ruin mine, but the hid will  
And providence of heaven, 'gainst which to rage's  
It were as impious as not obey.  
My brother's funeral is her dying day.  
Tell her, though reason and my will do jar,  
My soul'speaks peace, although my sentence war.  
Say I love, and pray her to forgive me.  Exit Queen. 
Go, all attend my Mother; my estate  
Delights not in Court Ceremony; stay,  
Castrato stay,  Eut. all but the Eunuch & Clota. 
And with thy Counsel cure thy dying Prince;  
Thou art my bosom, Eunuch, and to thee  
I dare unclasp my soul; what's to be done?  
This is a damned spirit I have seen,  
And comes to work my ruin.  Eu. 
What spirit?  Clot. 
My Brother's spirit in Arms, I swear it came forth here  
Out of my Mother's Chamber as I knocked.  Eu. 
Was it in Armour said you?  Clot. 
Yes, in that Armour he was used to wear  
When we have run at Tilt, till our cloven Spaeres  
Have with their splinters scared the Element.  Eu. 
That Armour as I well remember, I did leave  
In the Queen's Bedchamber as yesterday,  
After the Trlumphs and the Tournaments,  
Having unbraced the Prince; 'tis even so,  
Ha', ha', ha'.  Clot. 
Why this ridiculous passion?  
My state requires thy tears, and not thy mirth.  Eu. 
The Devil came from your Mother's Chamber sir',  
She has a circle that can raise a Spirit;  
A Mars in armour too, she is a Venus,  
And through your licence Landrey is no Eunuch.  Clot. 
What killing sense thou utter'st?  
There's something in it I would understand,  
And yet I dare not; Landrey? How knowst thou this?  Eu. 
Since I have gone so far, I'll tell you;  
I looked in at th'key-hole, and I saw  
Him in your Mother's arms upon the bed,  
As sportingly as e'er I saw your Father.  Clot. 
Thou liest, take that; suspicion double sees,  striketh. him, & offers to go out. 
Jealous informers no'r meet better fees.  Eu. 
King, thou hadst better far have struck thy Father,  
Digged up his bones and played at logats with them.  
Strooken?  the King returns calmly. Clot. 
I know not,  
My Mother always had a seanted fame;  
His thoughts too have been mine; I was to blame,  
Prithee forgive me; my passions but like lightning,  
Flash and away, dead e'er we say it is;  
I am not always angry, let that assure:  
My Mother may befalse, she is a woman.  gives him his Purse. 
Prithee deliver, come I will believe thee  
Even to the utmost syllable.  Eu. 
Then, she is false.  Clot. 
And didst thou see him mount my Mother bed?  Eu. 
Else pull these out.  Clot. 
Thou hast shot poison through me;  
False with Landrey, her sometime Page?  Eu. 
Even with the same.  Clot. 
But wherefore would they have Aphelia die?  
There lies the mystery.  Eu. 
They fear you will accept her as the Queen,  
Of whom you may beget a hopeful issue  
And frustrate their intents, who but expect  
Your hoped-for death, and perhaps plotted too,  
That so they might become, what now you cross,  
Lawfully man and wife, and govern in your seat.  Clot. 
This carries show of truth, or is't a lie  
Well sahdowed by the slave? I cannot tell:  
My mother certainly is not so bad,  
It is a sin to think it; hence and avoid my sight  
Thou sour of debate, thy seeds are strowed  
On sterile groun; and therefore ill bestowed.  Exit. Eu. 
Is't even so, work and about my brain,  
I'm lost for ever if not close again.  Exit.  

SCEN. II.  Enter Dumain, martels, Bourbon, Lanove. Lano. 
Are all your Troops well furnished 'gainst resistance?  
Are your men bold and daring, resolute  
To run your hazard, indifferent rich, not poor,  
That only fight for bread? such oft betray  
The sinews of a well knit plot for gain,  
When these as well fight to defend as win.  Dum. 
Noble Lanove,  
Mine know, nor fear no death, souls of that fire,  
They'll catch the bullet flying, scale a wall  
Battled with Enemy, stand breaches, laugh  
The thunder of a Canon, call it music  
Fitter a Lady's Chamber than the field;  
When o'er their heads the Element is seeled,  
Darkened with Darts, they'll fight under the shade,  
And ask no other roofs to hid their heads in;  
They fear not Jove, and had the Giants been  
But half so spirited, they had disthroned him:  
Kill, till they're killed with killing, and oftener die  
Wearied than wounded, being more oppressed  
With giving wounds than taking; when they fall,  
They fall not vaquished, but by fate betrayed;  
Such are the men I lead.  Mart. 
They're Soldiers fit to sack a Kingdom then,  
And share the spoil between them.  Bourb. 
Were it come to that sport once.  Dum. 
Bourbon, it must, or some of us must fall.  Mart. 
Where shall we first attempt?  Dum. 
The Citadel.  Lanove. 
I say no, it's dangerous.  Dum. 
It is the safest course.  Mart. 
Believe it not, it's full of hazard.  Dum. 
So is the general enterprise in hand.  Lano. 
But this of certain ruin.  Mart. 
Give me a reason, why you would invade  
The Palace first, and I am satisfied?  Dum. 
Then understand, Lamot lives still at Court.  
Disguised like a formal Surgeon,  
To whom the Prince being delivered  
To be embalmed and bowelled, finding life  
Yet in his Corpse, which way he's very skilful,  
H'as balsomed all his wounds and cured him.  Lano. 
And what of all this!  Dum. 
Have temperance, and hear the rest:  
For this the Prince h'as promised him the place,  
The grand Commander of the Citadel,  
Whose aid can stead us infinitely.  Lano. 
Is it certain?  Dum. 
I did but even now receive this Letter,  shows the Letter. 
Which constantly affirms it from himself;  
He says it is not known in Court yet, that the Prince lives,  
For divers reasons best known to themselves;  
And herein doth require our secrecy,  
Therefore dear friends be wary to divulge it.  
Besides he says here,  
That the great Monseiur's supposed funeral  
This day's solemnised with greatest pomp;  
And how Aphelia dies a sacrifice  
That hour he is buried on his Hearse:  
What if we made attempt to save the Virgin?  Lano. 
It may not be, better she fall alone,  
Than all of us together. And now best friends  
Let us behave us bravely, it's no base act  
We undertake, but our whole Country's freedom  
From slavery and bondage; men of worth stand bare  
To pages and gilt Butterflies? besides the Queen  
Will grave us all rather than want sport  
In spilling human blood; come, let's withdraw,  
And lay the platform of this mighty work;  
My soul sits smiling in me, I divine  
Though now it lows, I shall see Sun will shine.  Exeunt. Enter Clovis and Lamot both disguised. Clo. 
Strephon, for so thou namest thyself, thou'st made  
Thy Prince thy subject by thy timely cure;  
This is the hour I must be buried living;  
And this the hour the fair Aphelia  
Dies on my Hearse t'appease my wand'ring Ghost;  
Say Strephon, is it so?  Lam. 
Nay this the very minute: hark, I hear them Coming.  sad solemn music. Clov. 
Stand close here, we'll observe the Mourners.  Enter six of the Guard, their Halberds reversed, than a Cardinal, Landrey, Old Brissac; then the Hearse born by six young men, than King, Queen, Eunuch holding up her train, two or three Ladies, these in morning: at the other door, a Headsman, two Nuns in white singing, Aphelia with a Garland on her head, led by two little boys in white; after these, more Virgins adorned liked the rest; both Troops pass by each other; the song ended, the Hearse is set down between both companies, Aphelia mourning as one end, and the King at the other, who after a little pause speaks. 

The Song by Nuns.  
Come blessed Virgins come and bring  
To this Goddess offering,  
Offer to her kisses, such  
As make good better by the touch;  
Where her eyes let fall a tear,  
Another Paradise springs there;  
It's prepostrons' cruelty  
To saerifice a Deity;  
If a true path should be trod,  
To her sacrifice a God.   Clot. 
Set down, set down your honourable load,  
Fitting an Atlas shoulder; burden of grace  
And majesty immense, whose weight doth load  
Heavens stooping Porter, under which he groans  
More than the Spaeres, and sweats thy weight not theirs;  
Let me bedew thy Hearse with pious tears,  
Balm to wounds, repenting one's; look down  
From heaven empireall and behold me stand  
All flood in sorrow, drowned in mine own tears;  
Behold this spotless sacrifice, a Virgin  
As pure in thought as Vesture, an Oblation  
To ransom Jove and Heaven had he been taken,  
And so we yield her up.  Delivers her to the Headsman. Bris. 
O my good Lord,  
This is conspiracy 'gainst an old man's life;  
Have you no other way to murder me,  
But to begin wit her? are these your plots?  
You're weary of my counsel? and my place  
May better be supplied by greener heads?  
Pray cut off mine, do, do, a weak old man,  
My absence were material, since your state  
Requires Parricides about you,  
Alas I may be spared; why must she die?  
Because she's fair? or that a Prince  
Once thought her so? the fault is none of hers,  
Let nature suffer for't; if it prove Art,  
Or that with plastered cunning she did catch  
Your Brother's love with an adulterate form,  
I yield her up as not allied to me;  
If not, why should she suffer?  Clot. 
Brissac, peace.  The King takes the sword from the Executioner. Clov. 
What pageant's this?  Clot. 
Be it no wonder Lords  
To see a Prince an Executioner;  
Far be it from the dignity of France  
To let a soul forth so refined as here's  
With mercenary hands.  Lam. 
Contain yourself,  
You may prevent the danger when you please.  Clot. 
Behold the conquest of thine eyes Aphelia,  the King knelt, and lays the sword at Aphelia's foot. 
France at thy foot, tread on his Royalty;  
Or if thy nature knows not to forgive,  
which to believe were impious, take this sword  
And search my heart, send me a sacrifice  
T'appease the troubled spirit of thy love.  Qu. 
O Eunuch, that she'd take him at his word.  aside. Clot. 
I find a speaking pity in thine eyes,  
Which thence will drop upon thy gentle tongue,  
And cry in peace, Long live my Sovereign.  Aphe. 
Long live Clotair, long live my Sovereign.  Clot. 
The motions of the Spheres move in that tongue.  
Turn all your sables to the Tyrian die,  
Your dirges into sprightful wedding airs.  
Why looks our Court so sad? is this a time  
To anchor your aspects unto the earth?  
By my blessed self, he's traitor to the height,  
That does not strait salute her as his Queen.  Omner. 
Long live Aphelia Queen of France and us.  Lamot. 
Do you hear this? what are you planet-stroken?  
Clovis, Prince, Monsiure?  Qu. 
What will Clotair do?  Clot. 
What heaven has pointed for him, Marry her.  Qu. 
Thy Grave, thy Grave first Clotair.  Clot. 
Cardinal.  The Cardinal and the King whisper. Qu. 
What evil spirit's crept into my Son?  
Venomed his noble nature, sickened all  
His wholesome faculties, slain's divinity?  
Are these your vows? or canst thou cozen heaven?  
Necessity of fate depends on it,  
Your know she must to earth.  Clot. 
I, but not yet:  
Since she has conquered me, that could do fate,  
Had she joined with me, the awed destinies  
Spin her decrees, and what she will they act;  
Sith than what must be must be, join our hands.  Lam. 
Now, now, prevent them yet, O statue Prince  
Thou art undone for ever.  The Monsiure stands amazed. Clov. 
Where am I?  
Awake? for ever rather let me sleep.  
Is this a funeral, O that I were a Hearse,  
And not the mock of what is pagented.  Clot. 
Amazement quite confounds me, Clovis alive!  Lam. 
Yes sir, by my Art he lives, though his desire  
Was not to have it known; this Chest contains  
Nothing but spices sweetly odoriferous.  Clot. 
Into my soul I welcome thee dear brother;  
This second birth of thine brings me more joy,  
Than had Aphelia brought me forth an Heir,  
Whom now you must remember as a Sister.  Clo. 
O that in nature there was left an Art,  
Can teach me to forget I ever loved  
This her great Masterplece; O well built frame,  
Why dost thou harbour such unhallowed guests  
To house within thy bosom perjury?  
If that our vows are registered in heaven,  
Why are they broke on earth—? Aphelia,  
This was a hasty match, the subtle air  
Has not yet cooled the breath, with which thou sworest  
Thyself into my soul; and on thy cheeks,  
The print and pathway of those tears remain  
That wooed me to believe so: fly me not,  she gives back. 
I am no spirit; taste my active pulse,  
And you shall find it make such harmony.  
As youth and health enjoy.  Eu, 
The Queen she faints.  Clov. 
Is there a God left so propitious  
To rid me of my fears; still let her sleep,  
For if she wake (O King) she will appear  
Too monstrous a spectre for frail eyes  
To see and keep their senses.  Lam. 
Are you mad?  Clo. 
Nothing so happy Strephon, would I were;  
In times first progress I despair the hour,  
That brings such fortune with it; I should then  
Forget that she was ever pleasing to me;  
I should no more remember she would sit  
And sing me into dreams of Paradise;  
Never more hang about her Ivory neck  
Believing such a one Diana's war,  
Never more dote she breathes Arabia,  
Or kiss her Coral lip into a paleness.  
Streph See, she's returned, an with majestic gaze,  
In pity rather than contempt, beholds you.  Clov. 
Convey me hence some charitable man,  admiringly. 
Lest this same Creature looking like a Saint,  
Hurry my soul to Hell; she is a fiend  
Apparelled like a woman, sent on earth  
For man's destruction.  Clot. 
Rule your disordeaed tongue;  
Clovis, what's past we are content to think,  
It was our brother spoke, and not our subject.  Clov. 
I had forgot myself, yet well remember.  
Yond Gorgon has transfromed me into stone;  
And since that time my language has been harsh,  
My words too heavy for my tongue, to earthly;  
I was not born so, trust me Apbelia:  
Before I was possessed with these black thoughts,  
I could sit by thy side, and rest my head  
Upon the rising pillows of thy breast,  
Whose natural sweetness would invite mine eyes  
To sink in pleasing slumbers, wake, and kiss  
The Rose beds that afforded me such bliss;  
But thou art now a general disease  
That eatest into my Marrow, turn'st my blood,  
And makest my veins run poison, that each sense  
Groans at the alteration: am I Monsiure?  
Does Clovis talk his sorrows. and not act?  
O man bewomanized; wert thou not mine,  
How comes it thou art his?  Clot. 
You have done ill,  
And must be taught so; you Capitulate  
Not with your equal Clovis, she's thy Queen.  Clov. 
Upon my knees I do acknowledge her,  he knelt. 
Queen of my thoughts and my affections.  
O pardon me, if my ill-tutored tongue  
Has forfeited my head; if not, behold  
Before the sacred altar of thy seet,  
I lie a willing sacrifice.  Aphe. 
Arise:  
And henceforth Clovis thus instruct thy soul;  
There lies a depth in fate, which earthly eyes  
May faintly look into, but cannot fathom;  
You had my vow till death to be your wise,  
You being dead my vows were canceled,  
And I as thus you see bestowed.  Clov. 
Farewell;  
I will no more offend you: would to God  
Those cruel hands not enough barbarous,  
That made these bleeding witnesses of love,  
Had set an endless period to my life too.  Clot. 
Where there's no help it's boothless to complain;  
Clovis she's mine; let not your spirit war  
Or mutiny within you, because I say't;  
Nor let thy tongue from henceforth dare presume,  
To say she might, or ever should be thine;  
What's passed once more I pardon, 'tis our wedding day.  Clo. 
A long farewell to love, thus do I break  he breaks the King. 
Your broken pledge of faith; and with this kiss,  
The last that ever Clovis must print here:  
Unkiss the kiss that fealed it on thy lips.  
Ye powers ye are unjust, for her wild breath  
That has the sacred tie of contract broken,  
Is still the same Arabia that it was:  the King Clotain pulls him. 
Nay I have done; beware of jealousy,  
I would not have you nourish jealous thoughts;  
Though she has broke her faith to me, to you  
Against her reputation she'll be true:  
Farewell my first love lost, I'll choose to have  
No wife, till death shall wed me to my Grave.  
Come Strephon, come and teach me how to die,  
That gav'st me life so unadvisedly.  Ex. Clovis & Streph. Clot. 
Let Clovis that way go, this way will we,  
He's great with grief, we with felicity,  Exe, all with Glotair. Manent Queen and Eunuch. Qu. 
Mischief grows lean Costrato, all our plots  
Turn head upon themselves, my brains grow weak;  
And in this Globe the policie's not left  
To kill a worm unseen; I am undone,  
And all my plots discovered.  Eu. 
This is strange,  
Some comic Devil crosses our designs;  
How else should he revive, or yea prepared,  
Nay in the arms Landrey, when desire  
Had made you all a Venus, meet events  
So barren in their expectations?  Qu. 
Their lies the grief Costrate; Had the Court,  
So I had quenched these burn flames within,  
Been buried her cinders, I had cared not.  Eu. 
But yet Landreis' escape doth qualify  
The non-performance.  Qu. 
That sits smiling here,  
It set my brains upon the tentors Eunuch;  
Was't not a rare device?  Eu. 
And was not I  
As fortunate to leave that Armour there;  
But now what's to be done?  Qu. 
My dull Aethlope,  
I will instruct thy blackness; learn to know  
My reputation's sichned, and my fame  
Is looked into with narrow eyes at Court;  
Therefore it's thus decreed, I will remove,  
And sequester myself from company.  Eu. 
Good!  Qu. 
Thou knowst where Childrick keep his Concubine  
To none discovered by thyself and me,  
For which she is no more.  Eu. 
Right.  Qu. 
There will I  
And my Landrey securely spend our time,  
Revil, embrace, and what not my Eunuch:  
The Cave that leads unto the postern Gate,  
Which Childrick made, will give him entrance:  
No eel acquainted, being thus retired.  
What lust inflamed must be by lust unfired.  Eu. 
Excellent mistress, I applaud your brain.  Qu. 
I will away to night, I cannot brook  
These loathed Nuptials, they have undone  
My hopes on earth for ever, therefore my Eunuch,  
Acquaint Landrey with these designs.  Eu. 
What else?  Qu. 
If by the engine of thy stronger brain,  
Thou couldst remove—  Eu. 
Aphelia or the King,  
Monsiure, or all; it is not so my Queen?  Qu. 
Thou hast a brain which doth engender thoughts  
As regal as our own, which do beget  
A race of rare events; what pity 'tis  
Thy body should be sterile, since thy mind  
Is of so pregnant and a fruitful kind;  
Farewell, remember me.  Exit Queen. Eu. 
Remember you?  
Your Gibship shall be thought on fear it not;  
And now bethink thee Eunuch, all thy plots  
Find fruitless issues, only in the King,  
His worship walked into the other world,  
Like a tame suckling Pig that died o'th' pipp;  
The trouble is behind, my hate extends  
To the whole family, I must root them up,  
And beldame first with you: but how? but how?  
If (in her proud desire) I do prevent  
Her lust this second time, before the third  
She may repent and save her loathed soul,  
Which my revenge would damn; yet were she crossed,  
Her lust being now at full flood in her,  
And no way left to quench her burning flame,  
Her drier bones would make a bonfire,  
Fit forth Devil to warm his hands by:  
Stay, stay, Castrato; no, this must not be,  
Nor Must the high and mighty Queen Aphelia  
This night enjoy her Bridegroom, I must set  
Some mischief instantly on foot to stop it;  
If I miscarry in it story shall tell,  
I did attempt it bravely though I fell.  Enter Lamot and Clovis. Clov 
Dissuade me not, Castrato I have sought thee  
Through every angle of this spacious Court,  
I've business to impart.  Eu. 
And so have 1  Clo. 
Mine is of honourable consequence,  
And doth require thine aid.  Eu. 
So doth mine yours.  Clo. 
Aphelia is—  Eu. 
Your Brother Wife. and you  
Would fain enjoy her too: why sir you may,  
But time must work her.  Clo. 
Eunuch, thou art wide;  
Those vaneties of love are quite extinct,  
Revenge doth swell the Monsiure, and his thought  
Which burn within him must be quenched with blood;  
I have incensed the King with yellowness,  
With doubtful phrases on Aphelia's fame;  
Seest thou this Letter, 'tis a script I feigned,  show a Paper. 
For I can counterfeit Aphelia's hand;  
The King has banished Landrey from the Court,  
Because he wore the Jewel which he sent  
To his Aphelia: light suspicions,  
But this shall aggraute; find thou the King,  
Show him his Note, it doth express great love  
To Landrey from Aphelia; and withal,  
It mentioneth the Jewel as a Gift  
To gratify her servant; this to the rest  
Of poison he has sucked already in,  
Will so inflame him, that the Court shall burn  
Too hot for his Aphelia.  Eu. 
Think it done;  
But now your aid, since that your mind is bend  
On honourable ends, here's one will try you.  Clo. 
thou'dst have me join myself unto the Rebels,  
And with my person grace their cause, perhaps  
That is not now to plot.  Eu. 
I find you high,  
Worthy the name of Monsieure; yet your thoughts  
Hit not my purpose, it is such that made  
Your Brother quake to hear.  Clo. 
What is it Eunuch?  
If that if bear an honourable sound,  
Though death stood gaping wide to swallow me,  
I would not shrink nor fear.  Eu. 
Noble; hear it then,  
Your Mother's lose, and this night renders up  
Her body unto lust, if not prevented;  
I can direct you where and when, with whom.  Clo. 
My soul finds the man, is't not Landrey?  Eu. 
The same  Clov. 
I'll tear him all to pieces then,  
Whore my Mother; Eunuch lead the way,  
In what thou shalt prescribe we will obey.  Exeunt omnes.   


Actus Quartus, Scena Prima.  Enter Clotair, Solus, Clot. 
WHat vulture gripes me here, ha', what art thou?  
If thou be'st jealousy mount and be gone;  
Fly to the vulgar bosom, whose cheap thoughts  
Despair their own performance; in a Prince  
Thou show'st a nature retrograde to honour.  
Suppose she gave the Jewels, must it follow  
She therefore is disloyal? poor consequence,  
A Babble for a boy to play withal;  
I am resolved, hark, I hear her coming;  
O Juno, what a look and gate is there!  Enter Aphelia as going to bed, two or three Ladies with Light. Aphe. 
Mock me not Ladies with this Ceremony,  
For I am fit to attend on you;  
I am become a servant and a slave  
To every moodle passion of my Lord.  
All that's behind I can perform myself,  
Without this compliment.  1 Lady 
Sweet Lady,  
You must not weigh these things so deeply,  
Your Lord is of a noble spirit;  
And you shall see how calm he will return,  
Blessing your Bridal bed with fruitful issue.  Aphe. 
No, no;  
The Safforn-coated Hymen frowns upon us,  
These Tapers here wre lighted at a pile,  
As sit Attendance on the Grave, not Bed;  
Juno denies her presence at this match,  
And all the ill presaging birds of night  
Sing fatal Requiems for a Bridal Song;  
O Ladies, is not this ominous?  Clot. 
Yes my Aphelia, if that ragged fate  
Lie in a kiss, than it is ominous.  
Let me dwell here; I am ravished,  
Am I on earth? no, heaven is here,  
And all th'unimitable joys, that Poets feign,  
Are bettered in thy goodness.  Aphe. 
I hope your fears are satisfied now,  
You bear a brow so sweetly pleasant.  Clot. 
What pretty foolery is this Aphelia?  
I am not jealous, for by all that good  
I cannot think thee evil; kiss me sweet,  kisses her. 
There's no deceit lies here; again, again:  again kisses. 
Her kisses melt upon my lip, if sin  
Have so much heaven in't, I'll be a sinner;  
Prithee forgive my folly that could be wrought  
To such a senseless passion, come let's in  
And shake this off as it never been.  1 Lady. 
We must a while my Lord entreat your absence,  
We have some certain Notions to deliver,  
Some pillow counsels; I'll assure your highness  
It shall be no ways prejudicial to you.  2 Lady. 
You see she's not prepared, till that's performed  
She's ours; that done, we yield her up  
To the dark night, and mercy of your Lordship.  Clot. 
Go then unharnis your Lady for these wars,  
For we are of the Camilli, and fight naked.  Exe. Ladies & Aphe. 
Ye powers that favour Lovers, infuse apt strength  
Through every nerve and sinew of this frame;  
Make me all pleasure; and unto the bride  
Add every vein a Venus; guide me light,  
Wherein on bed lies all the world's delight.  Offers to go out and meets the Eunuch. Eu. 
Not yet in bed! O happy, happy minute,  
Until this hour I ne'er was fortunate;  
I have preserved my King, my Prince, my Patron,  
From the lose ardour of a Strumphts bed.  Clot. 
What's this?  Eu. 
Be not this second time incredulous,  
And scorn my honest heart; or grant you were,  
Dishonests as the Suburbs, I am loath  
To nominate her whore though it betrue.  Clot. 
True? ha'!  Eu. 
Leave this Lethargized passion which benumns  
Your nobler nature; turn your eyes on this;  shows a Letter. 
Whose Character is this?  Clot. 
It is Aphelia's hand, the very same  
Which I have often seen Clovis peruse  The bed thrust forth with Aphe. asleep. 
In his loves amorous pursuit.  Eu. 
Read the Contents.  Clot. 
A Letter that she loves Landrey, with thanks  
For his so frequent visits, which she repaies  
With the rich Jewel sent her by the King,  
Wishing a perpetuity of embracements.  
Ten thousand Ravens crook is this black paper.  
How came you by it.  Eu. 
I saw it drop from Landrey, but ne'er thought  
'Fore I perused it what it did contain;  
Which finding, in my duty I was bound  
To save my Prince from ruin.  Clot. 
Hold my heart,  
Oh what shall Clotair do?— it cannot be;  
Do but behold her face, and thou shalt read  
What we call virtue there, and modesty;  
Here is a look would persuade cruelty  
To sigh and shed a tear, bride Nemesis  
To knot her steely scourge with Plume of Down,  
And Jove himself to call her vice a virtue,  Eu. 
A book of Devils may have the Cover gilded;  
Treason lies Cabined in the smoothest brow;  
The Devil can assume an Angel's form;  
Your wife is fair, but fair to do you harm.  Clot. 
Oh say not so, she is the neatest cut  
As e'er was printed by the hand of heaven;  
Here is a volume of Divinity,  
Composed so rarely, that to add to this,  
Or take away from hence, were such a sin  
Repentance could not expiate; I'll not touch  
With hands unhallowrd such a purity,  
Can it change all my thoughts to peace and silence.  Eu. 
My Lord—  Clot. 
Peace slave,  
Thou that infects all peace.  Eu. 
Why are you thus distempered? let not truth  
Make you so wild a tempest; were it false,  
Or that I sought the ruin of your house,  
Your youth and honour, than it were a time  
To swell beyond all charming down, but being truth-  Clot. 
Truth! hence and avoid my sight, fly where the world  
Promiscuously combines without distinction;  
Where every man is every woman's husband,  
Or where it's thought a courtesy to have  
A fellow labourer in the marriage bed.  
These were a people that might bear with thee,  
And fit for thee to dwell with; hence away,  
And if thou lov'st thy life, acquaint thy feet  
With such by paths that we may never meet.  Exit. Eu. 
This Prince is of a nature mild and genlte,  
His mothers milk's too fluent in his eyes,  
And much I fear his resolution:  
Yet I will work him forward; she awakes  Aphelia stirs in the bed. 
I'll after him and fetch him back; if then  
She scape his hate, Hell has no power with men.  Ex. Ex. Aphe. 
Oh, oh, oh, help, help my Lord and husband;  
O my Father, my Lord and husband; help, help.  
Bless me Divinity, is it but a Dream! ha' the light  
Gone; who waits there? Isabel, Julia.  Isa. 
It was my Lady's voice, does she call for help?  Ent. Isabel with a light. 
I cannot blame her; were I in her place I should  
Do so too, the Prince looks like a bungler.  Aphe. 
Who's there? Isabel?  Isab. 
Did you call Madam?  Aphe. 
Saw'st thou nothing? where is my Lord?  Isab. 
Is he absent? I cannot blame her then to cry for help,  
I should do it myself; a Prince, a Puppet would have  
Been more manly: how do you Madam?  Aphe. 
All stands not well.  Isab. 
I believe that faithfully.  Aph. 
O Girl I've passed the dismal'st part of night,  
As ever tortured fancy with extremes.  Isab. 
If all Brides should be so tortured, I'd for swear Marriage.  Aphe. 
Methoughts I saw my Father in a Vault,  
His silver hair made crimson with his blood;  
My brother at his Hearse upon his knees,  
Taking a solemn oath for his revenge;  
Yet all this while fancy so fooled my sense,  
Methought that I was here; where on the instant,  
My Lord in preparation for my bed,  
Was by an uglyfiend ravished from hence  
And hurried to destruction; here I awaked,  
And they ready—  Clo. 
Landrey, blood doth swell  
The Monsiur's thoughts, to send thy soul to Hell.  Exeunt omnes.  

SCEN. III.  Enter Landrey, music above, and this Song. 

The Song.  
Wisdom bids ui shun the Court,  
What great ones do, fame will report;  
Here we may enjoy each other,  
And no eye our loves discover.  
I will make thee choice of poset,  
Beds of Castia mixed with Roses;  
Where we'll toy, and kiss, and vary  
Pleasures till the moor disoloses  
All our secrets, if thou's tarry.   Lan 
If I will tarry, let me whither here,  
Within these sacred walls let me expire,  
And spend the remnant of my life that's left,  
In service of the Deity lives here,  
The air's perfumed each room thorough which I walk,  
Banquet's the senses, courts the appetice  
Of every faculty that makes up man,  
To compliment it into paradise.  
If then Elysium's here; where are those shades,  
Those blessed apparitions Poets feign?  
Appear my Goddess and out sing the Poets:  Enter Queen. 
Realty of fancy that excell'st  
The faint expressions of a lazy tongue,  
Whose house is roofed with flesh; to tell thy worth,  
Tongues tipped with imortality would faint in't.  Qu. 
Excellent servant, what house do you write too?  
Poet and Actor both? why, this sudden gaze,  
Your cases are too narrow for your eyes?  
Pray spare your Optics sir for Venus' service.  Lan. 
No,  
I'll play the prodigal with my precious sight,  
And spend it all on you; to view your second  
Were such a happiness, after the which  
It were a sin to see more.  Qu. 
bless me Rahlais,  
And all ye foster fancies of the French;  
What ails the man? my Landrey Laureate.  Lin. 
It is my Queen that's Laureate, whose blessed sight  
Creates a Poet; this divine feature  
Heaven only made to make man ingenious.  Qu. 
Is this Extempare, or have you hired  
Some hackney Muse acquainted with the road  
Of vulgar exoricsms to charm cheap beauties;  
Take up, at this speed else your Muse will founder.  Land. 
Founder, and have her founders by? with patience  
Here but these poor expressions of your worth,  
Which faintly paint forth your perfections,  
And you shall bless my Muse.  Qu. 
we'll hear your jig,  
How is your Ballad titled? come pronounce.  Landrey Reads. 

From head to foot, Fredigond been  
Far excelling beauties Queen;  
Had Jason but beheld her hair,  
The golden Fleece had ne'er seemed fair;  
Those stars which mortals suppose eyes,  
Were ascendant in the skies,  
When it fell to Venus' lot  
That little Cupid was begot.  
Her tongue in which the Sphares do move,  
Organ of divinest love,  
Was by Apollo framed, that be  
From hence might learn more harmonies;  
Who neat's her teeth, and lips discloses,  
Walls of Pearl, and gates of Roses;  
Two leaved doors that lead the way  
Through her breath t' Arabia,  
To which would Cupid grant that bliss,  
I'd go a pilgrimage to kiss:  
Those bills of snow which on her breast.  
Rise swelling with their double crest,  
Mate Parnassus mountain, whence  
The Muses suck their eloquence;  
Whose parts which we will not discover  
he'll imagine that's a lover.   

Like Juno she doth go,  
Like Pallas talk and sow,  
Like Venus in her bliss,  
Each kiss a Cupid is,   

And her hands as white as snow.  
From head to foot my Mistress been  
Far excelling beauties Queen.   Qu. 
Leave these ariall Viands, taste of that  
Is here substantial; how like you the fruit?  Land. 
Let me for ever dwell upon these lips.  Qu. 
You are too greedy of these rarities,  
And must be dieted, lest surfeiting  
Your appetite should sicken and so die.  Lan. 
Die on ywr lips, O deathbed for a Jove,  
Who's buried here, his Grave's immortal love;  
Here will I dwell, and know no age nor sorrow.  Q. 
Yet Childrick knew them both.  Lan. 
A frosty Prince  
Begot on January by a Dutch man.  
And worthy of these flames he now endures.  Enter Clovis from under the Stage with his Fathers Grown and Robes on. Qu. 
What noise is this? guard me divinity.  Clov. 
What has my harshness done? she is my Mother;  
My conscience tells me I was much to blame  
Thus to delude her fancy; she returns.  Qu. 
O Childrick I confess 'twas I that killed thee,  
These hands administered the fatal draught  
That set thy soul on wing.  Clov. 
What do I hear?  Qu. 
Oh do not snatch my soul from out this world,  
Till I have bathed it in repentant tears,  
And made it fit for heaven.  Clov. 
She faints again;  he puts off his robes. 
Who waits within? come forth and lend your aid;  Enter Lamot at the Trap door. 
O welcome Strephon; use thy best of skill  
That master's nature, and doth life restore,  
Beyond the Art of Aesculapius;  
Apply thy gentlest medicines.  Enter Musicians. Lam. 
Let us withdraw;  
My life sir answer hers if she miscarry.  Clov. 
What are ye?  Musi. 
Musicianes, whose obedience  
Doth here attend the Queen.  Clov. 
Bawds, arrant-bawds;  
I'll talk with you anon; in, in.  Exeunt omnes. Enter the Guard. 1 Gua. 
Stand close, stand close, I heard a bustling within here while.  2 Gua 
Bustle, and they come this way here's that shall busy them.  Enter Landrey. 3 Gua. 
Fly upon him, he's drunk, and will betray us all.  Land. 
I am betrayed, that Monsiure seeks my life,  
All ways 'gainst m'escape are fortified;  
O cruel fortune bawd to time and fate,  
That sooth'st us up to make us ruinated:  
For now thou knowst no tears, anon no glee,  
But only constant in inconstancic.  finds the Robes. 
Ha! what is here? great Goddess pardon me,  
I have offended 'gainst thy Deity.  
This shall delude the Watch; thrice blessed hap  
That thus deliverest whom they would entrap.  2 Guard. 
I will not stand, nor I cannot stand; d'ye think  
I'm drunk, what's that?  Om. Gua. 
Bless us, Oblesse us; Diabolo, Diabolo.  2 Gua. 
The Devil, what a Devil care I, keep off Devil,  
I say keep off, I do not fear thee; are you  
Sneaking back, you cowardly Rogue, d'ye budge;  
I hate a cowardly rogue, as I hate, as I hate the  
Devil; take that.  knocks him down. Land. 
Oh, oh, oh.  2 Guar. 
Oh, oh, oh, I'll make you cry oh;  
What Devil made you in my way?  
I'll now see what money he carries about him;  
Men say the Prince of darkness is a Gentleman,  
By'rladie he has good clothes; but yet for all that  
He may have no money.  Enter Queen, Clovis, Lamot undisguised, Musicians. Qu. 
I know not were he is, or if I did,  
Before I'd yield him up to thy revenge,  
I'll die the thousand deaths.  Clov. 
Thou glorious light, that in thy natural Orb  
Didst comfortably shine upon this Kingdom;  
How is thy worth eclipsed, what a dull darkness  
Hangs round about thy fame? in all this piece,  
To every limb whereof I once owed duty,  
I know not where now to find out my mother.  Qu. 
The Devil and disobedience blinds your eyes;  Clov. 
O that I had no eyes, so you no shame;  
Murder your Husband to arrive at lust,  
And then to lay the blame on innocents'?  
Blush, blush, thou worse than woman.  Qu. 
Ha', ha', ha'.  Clov. 
Hold my heart,  
You're impudent in sin; has your proud page  
Made you thus valiant? tell me, where he is;  
For if you dally with me, know this hand  
Shall rip him from thy heart, though Cabined there.  Qu. 
How darest thou clothe thy speech in such a phrase  
To me thy natural Mother?  Clov. 
My Mother!  
Adulterate woman, shame of Royal tie,  
I blush to call thee mother; thy foul lusts  
Have taught me words of that harsh consequence  
That Stigmatize obedience, and do brand  
With mis-becoming accents silial duty:  
Deliver quickly where this lecher is;  
Here housed he must be, for he cannot scape,  
Lest wildness conquering my foster sense,  
Thrust forth my hand into an act of horror,  
And leave you breathless here.  Q. 
What French Neronian spirit have we here?  
insolent boy, wilt thou turn Parricide?  Clov. 
The justness of my cause would excuse me  
If I should execute; speak murtheress,  
Where have you mewed your Monster?  Qu. 
Here lies the Monster, oh rare Monster; two Berds,  
This is a comic Monster; a Periwick too, this is a Court Monister;  
D'ye gape, what in the Devil's name would you beg now?  Lam. 
Behold my Lord, the Woodcock's in the Gin,  
Here lies the great Landrey.  Qu. 
O horrid sin.  Clov. 
This habit might have ruined all Lamot.  
But Goblin now you are caught; what is he dead?  Lam. 
Scarce hurt my Lord; how is't? look up.  Eu. 
Where is the Queen?  Enter Eunuch. Qu. 
Here Eunuch, as thou fee'st, in misery.  Eu. 
O my heart, how came the Monsiur hither? Lamot too?  Qu. 
All that I know is that we are betrayed.  Eu. 
I'll set them packing, fear not,— my good Lord.  Clov. 
Thou art a faithful servant.  Eu 
Sir, the Rebels—  Clov. 
Give 'hem a nobler Title, by my life  
I do applaud their courage; come they on?  Eu. 
Yes, and Brissac is made their General.  Clov. 
A hopeful youth, fraught with Nobility,  
And all the graceful qualities that writ  
Man truly honourable; my injuries  
Have swelled me up to this.  Eu. 
His Father's dead.  Clov. 
Trust me i'm sorry, grief has broke his heart,  
And mine Castrato too; canst thou imagine  
Who was the Author of our Father's death?  Eu. 
Am I betrayed? then lend me impudence,  
I'm sure I cannot blush: Royal sir, whom?  Clov. 
Our Mother with Landrey, and this Lamot,  
They meant should bear the blame; this was Strephon.  Eu. 
Indeed?— would I were fairly off.  Clov. 
But what news with Aphelia and her Bridegroom?  Eu. 
As you could wish, he's lull of jealousy,  
No Frenchman e'er was more Italian;  
I've wrought him bravely on, your Physic works,  
Hither i've borough Aphelia; to morrow  
You shall hear further sport I'll warrant you;  
In the mean while, what will you do with these?  Clov. 
Castrato thus;  
Nature forbids me spill my Mother's blood,  
And Landrey is unfit for my revenge;  
For I must study torments for the slave,  
Therefore I give them up to your tuition,  
Until I shall return victorious.  Qu. 
Observed you that? there is some comfort yet.  Clov. 
Then we'll determine of them, if we fall  
Let Clotair point them out a funeral:  
Reward these with the whip, these with my purse,  
His merit is two hundred Crowns, perform it  2. Guard. 
Drink, I adore thee drink; good fellows all,  
Sometimes we rise by drink, but oftener fall.  Ex. 2 Guard. Clov. 
A moral drunkard, go away with them;  Ex. Eunuch, Musicians, Landry & Queen. 
And on your life let them not stir from hence.  
Now my revenge grows to maturity,  
we'll to Dumain (Lamot) and join with him;  
Now France thou liest a bleeding, thou shalt prove  
What 'tis to cross the Monsiur in his love.  Exeunt omnes.   


Actus Quintus.  Enter Brissac, Dumain, Bourbon, Lanove, Martel. Dum. 
FOr certain then the Princes are at odds.  Bris. 
Yes, and the ground the marriage of my sister.  Bourb. 
The Ulcerous state is ripe, and we must lance it.  Bris. 
The King doth Whore my sister; she's not his,  
But true and lawfully the Monsiur's wife.  Dum. 
Did not one Strephon wait upon the Monsiure?  Bris. 
What's his condition?  Dum. 
A Surgeon, and famous for the cure o'ch' Prince.  Bris. 
Yes, such there was; but little noised at Court.  Dum. 
That was Lamot our fast and noble friend.  Mars. 
There's some design on foot that hinders him,  
He would not else neglect us.  Within, the Monsiure, the Monsiure, ho, ho, ho. Bris. 
What noise is that Lanove, step forth and see.  Du. 
O death we are supprised, the Monsiure, suddenly  again 
Snared, let each man to his charge.  again. Bourb. 
Hark, still the noise increaseth.  Bris. 
By the sound, this is a shout of joy and not of dread;  
Lanove the news?  En. Lanove, the Monsiure, Lamot & others. Monsi. Brissac, Dumain, Martel, 
and you the rest,  
Think not I come a Traitor to your Camp;  
I cannot gild my speech with eloquence,  
If this will serve you sir, I am a friend.  Bris. 
The Monsiur's welcome, and his worth will grace  
The dignity of this days work in hand.  Monsi. 
My almost Brother once, suffice I thank you,  
And fairly greet this brave assembly,  
Whose souls do look for stirring opposites,  
When your resistance I fear will be slender;  
But were they centupuled, I'll fight your cause,  
Kings arm their subjects when they break their laws.  Omnes. 
Long live the Monsiure.  Monsi. 
Led on, away.  Exeunt omnes.  

SCEN. II.  Enter the Eunuch, Whilst the waits play sosily, and solemn'y draws the Canopy, where the Queen sits at one end bound with Landrey at the other, both as a sleep. Eu. 
Here sits our Beldame dieted for Venery,  
And by her, her Landrey not sur feited;  
Her Ladyship's alloued a mouldy crust,  
He stinking water to piece out his life,  
Between them both they banquet like one slave,  
Condemned perpetually to the Bordello;  
They think I know not that they thus are used,  
When it is only I that use them thus.  
How wickedly they look, oh I could laugh  
To hear them rail at others misery;  
He curses her, and she soothe curses him,  
And both each other damn for their offences.  
Learn ye that pamper up your flesh for lust,  
The Eunuch in his wickedness is just. Play louder, they sleep too long.  Qu. 
A mischief take thee keeper, hardened dog,  
Whom no distress can melt or mollify;  
The cruel King doth not deny us sleep,  
Although the Nursers of it, food and ease.  Eu. 
Peace, peace, ye villains cease that ruder noise  
That breaks your softer slumbers; gentle Queen,  
I am not guilty of these harsh-voiced words  
Your wilder sense hurls at me; you mistake,  
I am your Eunuch, one that weeps for you.  Qu. 
Oh Castrato, wast not those tears in vain,  
Come hither and I'll catch those falling drops  
Which prodigally overflow their banks;  
There's Nectar in thine eye, oh let me drink it;  
These aged Cesterns are grown dry, and yield  
Not one relenting drop to ease my thirst.  
Castrato pity me, my veins are parched,  
And this same flesh which walls about my soul,  
Chaps with excessive heat; a little water  
Castrato, but a little, though it hath been  
The birth of Toads, or what the lepers bathed in;  
O show thy love but in a little water,  
What can a Queen ask less, or subject grant her?  Eu 
Though I be tortured, for it yet I'll do it.  Ex, Ennuch. Qu. 
It hath quenched half my thirst to find some pity.  Land. 
I cannot by't mine arm, their tyranny  
Denies me what's mine own to feed upon,  
One mouthful would suffice; I cannot get it,  
Poor unfed sides that pass along the street,  
I now am sensible of what ye want;  
Did I e'er think to die for want of food,  
Whose Table was the world, from whence I culled  
The rarities of nature to delight me,  
And more to feed my lust than Appetite?  
One bit of bread, though it were grey with age,  
Hoary and crusted with a second bark,  
Whose loathed outside would not court a Dog  
Armed with the edge of appetite, would seem  
A rare rich banquet to my empty gorge;  
Oh I am worn to nothing with this want,  
Such emptiness has hunger made of me  
That you may draw me on another man.  
Some bread, some bread.  Enter Eunuch with Wine and Meat, he congees with great reverence and ceremony to the Queen. Qu. 
Oh thou art welcome,  
Quick, dear Eunuch quick; what needs this delay?  
A way with form and ceremonious duty,  
Respect in this is too respectless.  Eu. 
O give me leave, I will begin a healed;  
It's very good, exceeding pleasant Wine.  Qu. 
Dost thou deride my sufferance?  Eu. 
No, no, not I  Qu. 
Give me the drink then, i'm all flame and fire.  Eu. 
Say you so, say you so? then you must pardon me,  
I love your safety, and it's dangerous  
To drink while you are hot, pray cool and tarry:  
In the mean while I will begin to you;  
How tart and pleasing this is to the Palate,  
A sweeter Pheasant Christendom affords not.  Land. 
I thank thee Eunuch prithee give it me.  Eu. 
You'll let me taste it for you, will you not?  
Are you so sharply set? fie, this sauce is naught.  Land. 
Prithee make haste, hunger digest's no tasters.  Eu. 
Come sir, I must feed you, oh, oh, not so fast,  
Be not so hasty; here, still you are too hasty;  he puts it to his mouth, & pulls it away again. 
Gentle sir it will digest the better.  Land. 
More, more, oh it is excellent.  Eu. 
Madam, here's for you now.  Queen 
May heaven reward thee for't, oh it's rare.  Eu. 
How do you like your banquet great Landrey?  Land. 
Beyond compare.  Eu. 
And you your drink?  Qu. 
The Gods taste not the like.  Eu. 
Ha', ha', ha', you've both eat and drunk abominable poison.  Qu. 
Ha!  Land. 
How!  Eu 
'Tis true, I tell your Oracle;  
There's not an hours life between ye both;  
The poison's sure, I did prepare it for ye,  
And have myself taken an Antidote:  
What say'now to th'other bout with Landrey,  
I can procure a second meeting for you,  
Indeed I can; think you not whoredom sweet  
Now you are a dying? is not you soul at ease,  
The murder of your Husband but a toy,  
A flea-biting? alack you feel it not.  Qu. 
Inhuman slave, treacherous Rascal.  Eu. 
Good words, Lady whore, good words: what are you lose?  Landrey gets lose. 
Miraculous famine, has your empty guts  
Persuaded you to valour? will it scratch or by't?  
I'm sureed has no weapon, Monsiure disarm it.  shows a keen knife which he pulls out of his sleeve, staggers with faintness. 
Lan. He did so Rascal, yet your curious search  
Ne'er pried into this sheath; do you see this:  
With mine own hands it had let forth mine own life,  
Had the proud Monsiure trusted us to any,  
Thyself excepted, whom I now perceive  
The only Author of our misery.  The Eunuch tripped up his heels in scuffle and sits on him. 
You're very nimble Hellhound.  Eu. 
O Lord sir, you know the cause,  
I'm lighter by a stone or two than you,  
Yet I am weight enough to keep you down;  
Stir and thou diest— now sir, what say you to me?  
How did you like your old Queen? was she gamesome?  
Did she apply herself like an apt whore  
Unto your lose embraces?  Land. 
Dog, let me rest.  Eu. 
Good my Lord pardon me,  
Under your Grace's favour be it spoken,  
You are our cushion, and I'll sit on you.  
I am not very heavy, and I sir?  joults upon him. 
I do not altogether weigh a man.  Qu. 
Villainous Traitor,  
O let him rise, and wreck thy spite on me.  Eu. 
You cog now, you'd rather I should kill.  Qu. 
O spare him, spare him; Eunuch save my servant,  
And I'll forgive thee all thy sins against me;  
There's not an injury thou dost to him,  
But wounds me to the soul.  Eu. 
Pray then look here,  
How easily this Skean is sheathed in him;  
An Engine of his own preparing Lady,  
And pittieed were so brave a Gentleman,  
Such a neat hopeful whoremaster as he,  
Should die by any weapon but his own.  
So perish all that love Adultery.  
There, sit you there again: once more to you,  he sets him in his Chair. 
Who if your poison do not work too fast,  
Shall see more sights like these before you die;  
But lest you should prevent us with your tongue,  
I will be bold to gag your Ladyship;  
I'll leave a peeping hole through which you shall  
See sights, shall kill thee faster than thy poison;  draws the Curtain again. 
I am prepared now for Aphelia's death.  
All things are ready, and behold the King.  
Now for my part.  Ent. Clotair melancholy. Clot. 
I am too pitiful, a watery flux,  
Which soft and tender hearted men call tears,  
Stand on mine eyes, and does express a nature  
Too like my Bearer; it is now with me  
Full tide in sorrow, my Cynthia governs strongly.  Eu. 
How fares the great Clotair?  Clot. 
What do the wise,  
Castrato, call the moisture which presumes  
To meditate betwixt my wrath and me?  Eu. 
Expressions of a weak and silly nature,  
Passion of fools and women: are you a man  
And bear so tame a soul, such a smock spirit?  
The Distaff owns more spleen, more noble anger;  
Pray let her live until the Pages writ,  
An hopping balladry verse rhyme upon you,  
Great Clotair had a wife and she was fair,  
Yea fairer than the flowery meads in May;  scoffingly. 
Oh she was fair, yet foul; most riddling sense,  
Oh it is horrid; then to conclude  
In what a high streign you did take revenge,  
How like your house and honour, hark, how she dies,  
Strangled in tears fallen from the Cuckold's eyes;  
You are her husband sir, and now must own  
Her doubtful issue, and her lawless lust;  
Although a Bull should leap her, you must father,  
And have a drove of forked Animals,  
Shall have their horns born with them to the sound,  
'Twill save their prodigal wives the reacky labour.  Clot. 
Marry a Whore? father a bastard issue?  Eu. 
I tell you truth, there's no avoiding it.  Clot. 
Come bring her forth.  Ent. Aphelia dragged by two Ruffians in her petticoat & hair. Aphe. 
Use not such violence good Gentlemen,  
I'll walk a lamb to slaughter, not repine  
At any torments you shall put me too,  
Only be modest: commend me to my Lord,  
I doubt I never shall behold him more;  
For by the calculation of your looks  
I have not long to live.  Clot. 
True Aphelia, confess & turn thy fate; give me to know  
With what foul Monster thou hast wronged thy soul,  
Seam-rent that holy weed, Virginity;  
And case me of a load that bears more weight  
Than what my youthful sins have heaped upon me.  Aphe. 
If e'er my Lord—  Clot. 
No more of that, it tends to madness;  
I'll force it from thee; bring forth the tortures there;  
I'll try if in these fiery instruments  Ent. man with pan and irons. 
There lie a tongue, which better can persuade  
Confession from thee; these red hot applied  
Unto thy breast adulterate, shall extract  
All future hope to suckle lawless issue;  
The poisonous springs which from these hills arise,  
Shall have their fountain head damned up by these.  Aphe. 
I've heard you swear, that you were poor in words,  
And knew not to express the happiness  
Which you conceived was habitable here.  
How much my Lord is altered from himself  Clot. 
'Tis thou art altered; true Aphelia,  
That whilst thy purer thoughts did awe thy will,  
I loved like an Idolater: I was possessed  
That these two twins, these Globes of flesh, contained  
All that was happy both in earth and heaven;  
In this I could descry the Milky way,  
The maiden Zone that girds the waste of heaven;  
In this the seat of Paradise, and how  
The wanton Rivulets played about the Isle  
Which puzzle yet Geography: all this I could,  
I could in thee my sometime chaste Aphelia  
Find and rejoice in; but thou art now  
An undressed wilderness wherein I walk,  
Losing myself 'mongst multitude of beasts;  
O savage actions! Come dispatch.  Aphe. 
Sir—?  Clot. 
I'I hear no more.  Aphe. 
Heaven will then;  
And though it bear an ear far distant hence,  
Both hear and pity me. O my loved Lord,  
Should but a dream work on my fancy,  
That you were thus to suffer as I am,  
It would conspire to kill me with more speed  
Than these your threatening Ministers; alas,  
I'll force a gentler nature in the steel,  
And with my rainy eyes weep out their heat;  
Which as it dies should hiss itself to scorn,  
For offering to contain but fire to hurt you;  
And will you then a bold spectator stand,  
Smiling at what I suffer? shed but one tear,  
Or counterfeit a sorrow for my sake,  
A little seeming woe, and I shall die  
Sick of your kindness, not your cruelty.  Clot. 
O my soft temper, her sweet harmonic  
Will melt me into fool; to hear these words,  
The Mother is to busy in mine eyes;  
What shall I do?  Eu. 
Make a new Hell,  
And if thou canst, create more Devils, do,  
And they will find employment all on her;  
For since the general Creation,  
Time never did produce a fouler sinner,  
Or one more beggared hell in punishing.  Clot. 
Thou hast awaked me; Whore will you confess?  
Do not enforce your death through wilfulness;  drags her by the hair. 
Speak stubborn silence, or I'll break thy heart.  Aphe. 
My Lord and Husband, oh my Lord and husband,  
Regard my misery and pity me.  Clot. 
Thou'rt cruel to thyself, I wrong thee not;  
It is not I that tear this precious Fleece,  again. 
This glorious excrement, in validity,  
Another Cholcos' better seeming Jason.  
I pull not off these curious sporting Tresses,  again. 
Fit braids to Captive King's hadst thou been honest.  
I wound thee not, confess, and live as free  
As mountain air, I will not injure thee.  Aphe. 
My gracious Prince, I dare not call you husband,  
Your actions do forbid, which writ me slave  
And not your equal; if to be your wife  
Has plucked this misery upon my head,  
Or caused in you this frenzy, put me off,  
I will endure it patiently; but if e'er—  Clot. 
The old tune this, come, come, the Irons there.  Aph. 
Oh, oh, oh, cruel my Lord, unmanly;  they bind her to the Chair, the Eu. much sears her breast. 
I will not curse yet heaven, no nor blaspheme,  
Although mine injuries would half persuade,  
Gods are not, or are deaf to innocents'.  Sould. 
Arm, arm, my Lord, the Castle's walled about  Enter a Soldier hastily with his sword drawn. 
With living Clay, three times ten thousand men,  
Approved Warrlers, souls of blood and fire,  
That only known to do, and not to suffer,  
Make head against you; believe me sir,  
A braver Troop, and spirits more resolved,  
Life never put in action: young Brissac  
Now old enough to quit his Father's death,  
Together with the ruin of his Sister,  
H'as vowed destruction to your name and ashes.  Clot. 
Let them come on, we'll dare them do their worst;  
This Castle will endure a fortnight's siege,  
Before the expiration of which time,  
My Brother with his fellow Peers of France,  
Shall whip these Rebels for their insolence.  
knowst thou aught else; why dost thou shake thy head?  2 Sould. 
Fly, fly, my Lord.  Enter another Soldier. Clot. 
Villain, it is no language for a Prince.  strikes him. 2 Sould. 
Then stand upon your guard; yet that's as bad,  
The Castle's walled about with walking steel,  
And you but tempt your death in your escape,  
If you stay here, provoke it.  
The Monsiur, like the God of war, bestrides  
A bounding Courser, who is therefore proud  
To be so backed, as knowing whom he bears:  
So Centaur-like he's anckored to his seat,  
As he had twinned with the proud steed he rides on;  
He grows unto his saddle all one piece,  
And that unto his Horse; who thus unmoved,  
Sits like a Persons on his Pegasus,  
Stable and fleet. Who at head of all his Troops,  
With words inflames 'em that did burn before,  
But now appear much brighter; their glistering arms  
Reflecting 'gainst the Sun, doth lightning mock;  
Unto which blaze, their Drums and Horses hoofs  
Do not want much of Thunder: such is the show,  
As if great Mars, angry with humane race,  
Did lead the Gods to battle 'gainst the Earth.  Eu. 
How does your Grace? how fares your Majesty?  Clot. 
The Monsiur? did he not name the Monsiur?  2 Sould. 
I did my Lord.  Clot. 
Is he joined with them too?  
Then Doomsday is at hand, I see my ruin.  
Go to the Castle walls to summon them  
To render an account of their intents.  
Ask the proud Monsiur (though I know the cause)  Looks on Aphelia. 
Why his presumptuous and ambitious feet,  
Have on the bosom of his mother earth,  
Made a broad road of treason; go, begun.  Exe. Soldiers. 
Castrato thou dost love me, i'm sure thou dost;  
I have such proofs of thy true hearted-love,  
That I must put my life into thy hands.  
Thou seest how all things stand, my wife she's false,  
Her brother seeks my life, the Monsiur's thoughts  
(Backed with the ever factious souls of France)  
Aim at the gallic Crown and dignity,  
Whilst I a catiff and neglected Prince  
Must fall by traitor's hands.  Eu. 
What mean you sir?  Clot. 
Look here's a Pistol in whose womb lies death,  
A heavy leaden sleep.  Eu. 
Would you I should  
Try the conclusion here? make her confess  
By other instruments her horrid guilt,  
In this there's too much mercy.  Clot. 
Hear me speak,  
I'll trouble her no further; let her sin  
Be punished from above, I'll wait heavens leisure.  
Here Eunuch take thou this, it was prepared  
For the adulterate Landrey; here, receive it,  
And if thou lov'st me use it upon me:  
Come shoot me through, I know I shall be slain,  
(If not by thee, yet by the enemy)  
And therefore to prevent the bitter scorn  
Of the insulting foe (which is a death  
So full of horror to the conquered,  
No Tyranny is like it) use this handful,  
The handsomest weed that nature can produce  
In the large Storehouse of her providence,  
Can show no simple like it; for this cures  
At once, the sickness of the mind and body.  
Thou shalt, I know thou wilt, I prithee take it;  
It is not murder, tenderhearted fool  
Which thou commits, rather a sacrifice,  
For which heaven will reward thee.  Eu. 
I do not know the nature of your Gods,  
Yet on your words I'll try their kindness.  Clot. 
Nobly resolyed, come shoot me quickly then.  Eu. 
I never was liker t'express myself  
Than at this minute; do not betray me tears,  aside. 
The Eunuch's nature must be harsh and cruel.  Aphe. 
O spare him Eunuch, spare him, save my Lord,  
And I'll forgive thee all thy sins 'gainst me.  Eu. 
Peace foollsh woman, 'tis thou that killest thy Lord,  
Were't not for thee he might live long and happy;  
Pray let me kiss your hand, and take my leave  
Of my best best Master.  Clot. 
Do't and be sudden then: ah what means this?  as he kisses his hand, he snatches out his sword. Eu. 
Marry sir this it means,  
That if this fail, this shall perform the deed;  
Think not but I will kill you, do not fear,  
I am the excellentest he alive at these same toys,  
Look here my coufined fool I do not bungle.  shows Landrey and the Queen. Clot. 
Are these dead then?  Eu. 
As sure as you live, pray ask them else;  
Unless this Ewes flesh too intense in heat  
Be lingering yet behind; she's scarcely dead,  
But in her dying ears I'll howl this noise;  
Look Queen, here's the top-branch of all thy Family,  
Mark but how kindly for thy sake'i'l use him.  Clot. 
Then I perceive I have been much abused,  
So has my chaster Queen; oh my cursed fate!  Eu. 
Oh, do you so, do you so.  Qu. 
Oh, oh, oh.  Queen dies. Eu. 
There broke a Strumpet's heart; hear me King,  
Thy Mother was a foul adulteress,  
A cruel butcherer of innocents';  
Witness thy brother, that thy Mother's false,  
Witness thine own eyes that beheld the fall  
And ruin of the Dumain! amily.  
Thy Mother's deep in blood, for which she's damned:  
You ravished fair Chrotilda; Clodimir  
Your valiant Uncle, brother to this Queen,  
Was for the foul fact slain; for which mistake,  
Dumain, Lamot, Maria, Isabel,  
And the abused Chrotilda, if by flight  
She had not saved her life, had fallen with them.  
I knowing this, and ever pitying  
The wrongs that they endured,  
Have found it time thus to revenge them.  Clot. 
What were their wrongs to thee?  Eu. 
I'll not Capitulate mine injuries,  hear a March softly within. 
I hear my time is short.  Clot. 
How fain would I preserve my life from death,  
Since my Aphelia's chaste; to think her false,  
(Not that I fear the foe) made me despair  
Of future comfort. Eunuch, spare my life,  
I will forgive thee, and reward thee too;  
Remember who it is that sues to thee.  Eu. 
In that remembrance I have lost myself,  
I cannot strike him, my relenting heart  
Yerns on his Princely person: take your sword,  
But on condition Clotair, thou shalt swear  
By thy descent, thy princely parentage,  
By the wronged souls of all those innocents'  
To thy lust satisfied, by Aphelia's self,  
Or any thing thy soul shall hold more dear,  
Upon receipt, to guide the fatal point.  
Directly to thy heart.  Clot. 
Why wouldst thou so?  Eu. 
Pish, I'll teach thee to be speedy in the fact;  
Remember how thy Royal Father fell;  
Behold thy Mother murdered by this hand;  
Into thy bosom cast thine inward eyes.  
And view the sorrows I have heaped on thee:  
Look on Aphelia, and let her wrongs  
Prompt thy slow hand to this most timely slaughter;  
I cannot brook delay, or do, or suffer.  Clot. 
A Heathen, and a Traitor die with thee.  Eu. 
A Christian Heathen Clotair if thou wilt,  
Made so by thee; read that and break thy heart.  Enter the Monsieur and his Comp. Mo. 
Force open the door, seize on his Royal person: now Clotair  
Thou are the Monsieur's prisoner; Tyrant say,  
Where is Aphelia your Adulteres!  stands amazed Clot. 
It makes no matter where.  Bris. 
O my dear Sister, O my dearest life.  Dum. 
See Noble Lords,  
Here lies that Hellhound Eunuch; villain up,  
And tell us who has done these fatal deeds.  Eu. 
They're ne'er allied to thee that did these Acts,  
Chrotilda and a woman.  Dum. 
Villain thou liest, my sister's gone a weary pilgrimage,  
And for this many years with grief I speak it,  
Been travelled none knows where.  Clot. 
What am I?  
What strange and uncouth thing?  Eu. 
A ravisher,  
And better to instruct thee in thyself;  
Had not Chrotilda been, incestuous.  Omnes. 
Hold, hold your Royal hand; what will you do?  Clot. 
What else but follow her; shall Clotair live  
A Captive to his Brother, slaved to sin,  
Inthral's in wedlock that's incestuous,  
O ravisher and murderer of his friend,  
There's no way left to rid me but my sword,  
Of all these ills at once, Oh wronged Chrotilda/  Dum. 
My sister  Clot, 
I Dumain, no Eunuch she;  
No sunburnt vagabond of Aethiope,  
Though entertained for such by Fredigond.  
I say here lies thy ravished sister slain  
By me the ravisher.  Dum. 
Hold, hold, my heart.  Eu. 
Lend me thy hand Clotair, have I thy hand?  Clot. 
Thou most abused of womankind, thou hast.  Eu. 
I should have killed thee King, and had put on  
A masculine spirit to perform the deed;  
Alas how frail our resolutions are!  
A woman's weakness conquered my revenge:  
I'd spirit enough to quit my Father's wrongs;  
And they which should have seen me act that part,  
Would not believe I should so soon prove haggard:  
But there is something dwells upon thy brow  
Which did perfwade me to humanity;  
Thou injur'dst me, and yet I spared thy life;  
Thou injurd'st me, yet I would fall by thee;  
And like to my soft sex, I fall and perish.  Clot. 
Speak, for ever speak: Chrotilda, Chrotilda.  Dum. 
My Sister's in mine eyes, this brave revenge  
Should have been mine, and not thy act Chrotilda;  
Away salt rheum, Chrotilda laughs at thee,  
Her spirit is more manly.  Aphe. 
I must weep too,  
Mine injuries and hers are so near kin,  
That they must bear each other company  
In tears of blood and death;  
For my grieved heart too long with earth,  
Would gladly seek a way to find out rest.  Clot. 
Art thou joined with her too against thyself?  
Will my Aphelia leave me? pardon sweet,  
My love is fatal, and too well thou knowst  
The deadly proof in fair Chrotilda death;  
Yet leave me not though I refrain thy bed,  
And must abandon all those thoughts of love  
Which married couples use; yet we may sit  
And gaze upon each other, tell sad tales  
Of ruined Princes, wronged Virginity;  
And when our utterance is tired by speech,  
we'll sit and sigh a sad parenthesis,  
And then proceed again, then sigh again  
A silent Chorus to our History;  
Our tears shall keep our sorrows ever green,  
Still springing, never ripe: shall we do thus  
To lengthen out our grief?  Aphe. 
For ever King,  
The hand of heaven lies on me; for I feel  
My in ward and external injuries  
Wrestle with life, in which condition  
My soul is woried by that Tyrant death.  
I must forsake thee Clotair  Clot. 
Stay awhile, it is unkindly done to leave me thus:  
O she is gone, for ever, ever gone;  
And I stand prating here between them both,  
The fatal cause of death unto them both.  
Wilt thou not break proud heart, I prithee break,  
Prove not a Rebel to thy Prince like these;  
It's well there is some loyalty in thee yet;  
Thou art commanded by me—  the King faints. Bris. 
Gracious my Liege.  Clot. 
Charles I have injured thee, and thee Dumain;  
Can ye forgive me?  Bris. 
Good your Grace  
Call back your spirits, think what's to be done.  Clot. 
I consider well, and the now King,  
The quondam Mounsieur shall not deny me this;  
Half of the honours of the deal Landrey  
We do confer on thee, the other half  
Be thine Dumain; Charles shall be Duke of France,  
Thou of the Palace Major: this is our will.  Dum. 
Great King, you are not yet so near your end,  
Forfend it heaven.  Bris. 
Look up my Gracious Lord.  Monsi. 
My Royal Brother?  Clot. 
I begin to faint,  
A darkness like to death hangs on mine eyes;  
Lend me thine hand Brissac, and thine Dumain.  
Good gentle souls when ye shall mention me,  
And elder time shall rip these stories up,  
Diffected and Anatomised by you;  
Touch sparingly this story, do not read  
Too harsh a comment on this loathed deed,  
Left you enforce posterity to blast  
My name and Memory with endless curses;  
Call me an honouralbe murderer,  
And finish there as I do.  He dies. Dum. 
O Noble Lord,  
Whose fame was very essence to his souls.  
That gone, the other fled, choosing to die,  
Rather than live a King in infamy.  Monsi. 
A heavy spectacle of grief and woe  
Have beheld since our arrival here;  
Take up the body of the King, and these  
That for his love on either hand lie slain,  
They shall lie buried in one Monument:  
And take up these; this was Royal Queen  
When virtue steered her thoughts; but we may see,  
When we turn foes to good, to vice a friend,  
We fall like these, and like these thus we end.  A dead March within. 
FINIS.