ROLLO

You shall know whom I am. Thy Prince give way,—were we alone, I'de force thee, In thy best blood, to write thy self my subject, And glad I would receive it. Yes, nor shall tame patience hold me A minute longer, only half my self; My birth gave me this Dukedom, and my sword Shall change it to the common grave of all That tread upon her bosom, ere I partly with A piece of earth, or title that is mine. You are troublesome, To Baldwi This is no time for arguments, my Title Needs not your school-defences, but my sword, With which the Gordian of your Sophistry Being cut, shall show the Imposture. For your laws, To Jesu bert. It is in me to change them when I please, I being above them; Gisbert would you have me protect them Let them now stretch their extremest rigour, And seize upon that traitor; and your tongue Make him appear first dangerous, then odious; And after, under the pretence of safety, For the sick State, the Lands and Peoples quiet, Cut off his head: and I'll give up my sword, And fight with them at a more certain weapon To kill, and with authority. Then you conclude him Innocent? They have none That dare move me in this; hence, I defy you, Be of his party, bring it to your laws, And thou thy double heart, thou popular fool, Your moral rules of Justice and her balance; I stand on mine own guard. He oh fers his sword at Otto. the fa ion joy ning, Aubrey between severs to e brother's. Thou shalt not live to be so happy. These are your bucklers boy. Hear this, and talk again? I'll break through all But I will reach thy heart. Mother, I'll leave you; And sir, be thankful for the time you live, Till we meeet next (which shall be soon and sudden) To her persuasion for you. And rather than posterity shall have cause To say I ruined all, divide the dukedom, I will accept the moiety. Such, and so good, loud fame for ever speak you. Otto is Rollo now, and Rollo, Otto, Or as they have one mind, rather one name: From this atonement let our lives begin, Be all the rest forgotten. It does, and must do till I find ease. Pry thee be patient. Are we not friends again by each oath ratified, Our tongues the Heralds to our hearts? Our worthier friends. Latorch, he is my brother. Would. Conscience Latorch, what's that? I know no conscience, nor I fear no shadows. It shall not, nor it must not; I am satisfied, And once more am my self again: My mother's tears and womanish cold prayers, Farewell, I have forgotten you; if there be conscience, Let it not come betwixt a crown and me, Which is my hope of bliss, and I believe it: Otto, our friendship thus I blow to air, A bubble for a boy to play withal; And all the vows my weakness made, Like this, Like this poor heartless rush, I rend in pieces: My father's last petition's dead as he is, And all the promises I closed his eyes with, In the same grave I bury. Otto, thou showest my winding sheet before me, Which ere I put it on, Like heavens blessed fire In my descent I'll make it blush in blood; A Crown, A Crown, O sacred Rule, now fire me; Nor shall the pity of thy youth, false brother, Although a thousand Virgins kneel before me, And every drooping eye a court of mercy, The same blood with me, nor the reverence Endue to my mother's blessed womb that bred us, Redeem thee from my doubts: thou art a wolf here, Fed with my fears, and I must cut thee from me: A Crown, A Crown; O sacred Rule, now fire me: No safety else. How my Latorch? Canst thou do it neatly? Go, and prosper. You are sad, my noble brother. Pray you eat. Something is here you have loved; taste of this dish It will prepare your stomach. Or that. You put us out of heart man, come, these baked meats Were ever your best diet. Give him a cup of wine, then, pledge the health, drink it to me, I'll give it to my mother. And will you keep it in this general freedom; A little health preferred before our friendship. Excuse your self sir, Come 'tis your fear, and not your favour brother, And you have done me a most worthy kindness My Royal mother, and you noble Lords; Here, for it now concerns me to speak boldly; What faith can be expected from his vows, From his dissembling smiles, what fruit of friendship From all his dull embraces, what blessed issue, When he shall brand me here for base suspicion, He takes me for a poisoner. For a foul knave, a villain, and so fears me. If he please so. Nay my good brother knowns I am too patient. Let him alone sweet mother, and my Lords To make you understand how much I honour This sacred peace, and next my innocence And to avoid all further difference Discourse may draw on to a way of danger I quit my place, and take my leave for this night, Wishing a general joy may dwell among you. I dare not break you, Latorche. Perish all the world Ere I but lose one foot of possible Empire, Be slights and colour used by slaves and wretches I am exempt by birth from both these curbs, And since above them in all justice, since I fit above in power, where power is given, Is all the right supposed of earth and heaven. Haste Latorche And raise the City as the Court is raised Proclaiming the abhorred conspiracy In plot against my life. This addition only admitted, that when I endeavour To quit me of this slaughter you presume not To cross me with a syllable for your souls; Murmur, nor think against it, but weigh well, It will not help your ill, but help to more, And that my hand wrought thus far to my will, With l check at nothing till his circle fill. False traitress die then with him. Do, and take that along with you —so nimble, Resign my sword, and dare not for thy soul To offer what thou insolently threatnest; One word, proclaiming cross to what Latorch Hath in Commission and intends to publish. This sounds well, live and be gracious with us. Wonder invades me do you two think much, That he thus wisely, and with need consents To what I author for your Countries good? You being my Tutor, you my Chancellor. Sir, first know you In praise of your pure Oratory that raise you. That when the people, who I know by this Are raised out of their rests, and hastening hithe To witness what is done here, are arrived With Latorch, that you extemp r Shall fashion and Oration to acquit And justify this forced fact of mine; Or for the proud refusal loose your head. I do not wish you sir, to excuse me, But to accuse my brother, as the cause Of his own slaughter by attempting mine. Away with him, hence, hail him straight to executio He perishes with him that speaks for him vard do thy office on him, on your lives-pain. Let it wing it, Ne threatens me; Villains to re him piece, meal . Dispatch him Captain, And bring me instant word he I dispatched. And how his re ike takes it. Captain, beside remember this in chief; That being executed you deny To all his friends the rits of funeral, And cast his carcase out to dogs and oules. Upon your life not fail. Sir now prepare your self against the people, Make here their entry to discharge the Oration, He hath denied my will. Is death ridiculous with you? Works misery of age this, or thy judgement Yowl make no Oration then? I'll answer you anon. Honest Latorch. Good speed; wast with a sword? And axe, it vildly done, I would have had My own fine Headsman done it with a sword: Go, take this dotard here, and take his head Off with a sword. Even he. Away with this found woman. Away with him. Take her from me. Carry him away, I say. Will no man here obey me? Have I no rule yet? as I live he die That does not execute my will, and suddenly. Hew off her hands. Save him I say, run, save him, save her father Fly and redeem his head. O fair sweet anger. And my heart there; go bury him. Give him fair rites of funeral, decent honour . Concluded Like and Oracle, o how great A grace of heaven is a wise zen? For heaven 'tis makes them wise, as it makes me just, As it preserves me, as I now survive By his strong hand to keep you all alive; Your wives, your children, goods and lands kept yours, That had been else preys to his tyrannous power, That would have preyed on me, in bed a saulted me In sacred time of peace; my mother here, My sister, this just Lord, and all had felt The curtain gulf of this conspiracy, Of which my Tutor and my Chancellor, Two of the gravest and most counted honest In all my Dukedom) were the monstrous head ; O trust no honest men for their sakes ever My politic Citizens, but those that breathe The names of Cutthroats, usurers and Tyrants; O those believe , for the oule mouthed world Can give no better terms to imple goodness: Even m it dares blaspheme, and thinks me tyrannou For saving my own life, sought by my brother: Yet those that sought his life before by poison (Though my own servants, hoping to please me) I'll led to death fort, which your eyes shall see. Well, now my dearest Subject's; or much rather My nerves, my spirits, or my vital blood; Turn to your needful rest, and settled peace, Fix in this root of steel, from whence it sprung In heavens great help and blessing: but ere sleep Bind in his sweet oblivion your dull senses, The name and verme of heavens King; advance For yours, in hiefe for my deliverance. Thanks my good people: mother and kind sister, And you my noble kinsmen, things born thus, Shall make you all command what ever I Enjoy in this my absolute Empery, Take in the body of my princely brother; For whose death, since his fate no other way, Would give my eldest birth his supreme right; We'll mourn the cruel influence it bears, And wash his sepulcher with kindly tears. I'll hear no more. Sir, you are brave; pray that you hold your neck As bravely forth anon unto your headsman. Why bear you him not hence? Peace, talker. Am I the Prince, or you? Then practice your obedience, see him dead. I'll hear no more. Now Latorche, what do you think? 'Tis his custom. If we thought so, it should be worth his life, and quick lie too. He talks, 'tis true; he is licenced: leave him, We now are Duke alone, Latorche, secured; Nothing left standing to obscure our prospect, We look right forth, beside, and round about us, And see it ours with pleasure: only one Wished joy there wants, to make us to possess it, And that is Edith, Edith, she that God me In blood and tears, in such and opposite minute, As had I not once set all the flames And shaft of Love shot in me (his whole armoury) I should have thought him as far off as death. My life. O my Latorche, what shall I render thee For all thy travails, care and love? About your Mathematicians? All thy petitions still are care of us, Ask for thy self. Well, rise true honest man, and go then, We'll study our selves a means how to reward thee. You shall. Dost thou believe this? You are in your sphere, Latorch : and rather Than I'll contend w'yee for it, I'll believe it. Y'have wone upon me that I wish to see My fate before me now, what ere it be. Take your way, Choose your own means, and be it prosperous to us. I never studied my glass till now, It is exceeding well; now leave me; cozen, How takes your eye the object? You are still For that great Art of which you are the master; Yet, I must tell you, that to the encounters We oft attempt, armed only thus, we bring As troubled blood, fears mixed with flattering Hope's, The danger in the service to as great As when we are to charge quite through and through The body of and Army. You are Sour? I commend This temper in you, and will cherish it, They come from Room, Latorch employed you? I must not now be troubled with a thought Of any new design; good Aubrey read they, And as they shall direct you, use my power, Or to reply or execute, And Captain, bring a squadron of our guard To th'house that late was Baldwins, and there wait me. Some two hours hence. Inspire me Love, and be thy diety Or scorned or feared, as now thou favour st me. Exit Rollo. What bright star, taking beauty's form upon her, In all the happy lustre of heavens glory, Ha dropped down from the Sky to comfort me? Wonder of Nature, let it not profane thee My rude hand touch thy beauty, nor this kiss; The gentle sacrifice of love and service Be offered to the honour of thy sweetness So you please fit by me. Fair gentle maid, there is no speaking to thee, The excellency that appears upon thee Ties up my tongue: pray speak to me. Of any thing, any thing is excellent Will you take my directions? speak of love then; Speak of thy fair self Edith ; and while thou speakest, Let me, thus languishing, give up my self wen h. The way to Paradise, my gentle maid, Is hard and crooked, scarce Repentance finding, With all her holy helps, the door to enter. Give me thy hand, what dost thou feel? Thou'lt never love me If I should tell thee, yet there's no way left Ever to purchase this blessed Paradise, But swimming thither in these tears. Are they not drops of blood? Th'are for blood then For guiltless blood, and they must drop, my Edith, They must thus drop, ll I have drowned my mischiefs. I prithee look upon me, turn not from me; Alas I do confess I'm made of mischief, Begotten with all men Misery's upon me; But see my sorrows, made, and do not thou, Whose only sweetest sacrifice is softness, Whose true condition, tenderness of nature. Do not thou learn to kill with cruelty, As I have done to murder with thy eyes, (Those blessed eyes) as I have done with malice, When thou hast wounded me to death with scorn, (As I deserve it Lady) for my true love, When thou hast loaded me with earth for ever, Take heed my sorrows, and the stings I suffer; Take heed my nightly dreams of death and horror Pursue thee not: no time shall tell thy griefs then, Nor shall and hour of joy add to thy beauty's. Look not upon one as I killed thy father, As I was smeared in blood, do not thou hate me, But thus in whiteness of my washed repentance, In my hearts tears and truth of love to Edith, In my fair life hereafter. O with thine angel eyes behold and close me, Of heaven we call for mercy and obtain it; To Justice for our right on earth and have it; Of thee I beg for love, save me, and give it. How now? why dost thou stare so? What dost thou here? who sent thee? Pray? Thou canst not be so traitorous. No? Why then thou shalt kill her first, and what this blood Will cast upon thy cursed head. Fear, or the devil ha thee. I will not, I will not die so tamely. Yet will you save my life, and I'll forgive thee. And give the all all honours, all advancements, Call thee my friend. O, for my souls sake. Thou, that too; O thou hast killed me basely, basely, basely. Dies. Give me way or perish. Let her go. Lose his hold. Forsake our mother. Forsake her traitor. Or by the spouse of nature through hers, This leads unto thy heart. Cannot I reach you yet. Latorche, rescue, I'm down. Would, have at you there sir. Curse and be cursed, it is the fruit of cursing Latorche, take off here, bring too, of that blood To colour over my shirt, then raise the Court And give it out how he attempted us In our bed naked, shall the name of brother Forbid us to enlarge our state and powers? Or place affects of blood above our reason? That tells us all things good against another, Are good in the same line against a brother. Exit. You there that mourn upon the justly slain, Arise and leave it if you love your lives, And hear from me what (kept by you) may save you. Stir, and unforced stir, or stir never more: Command her, you grave Beldame, that know better My deadly resolutions, since I drew them From the infective fountain of your own, Or if you have forgotten, this fiery prompter Shall fix the fresh impression on your heart. Can it be flattery to swear those eyes Are loves eternal lamps he fires all hearts with? That tongue the smart string to his bow? those sighs The deadly shafts he sends into our souls? O, look upon me with thy spring of beauty. By heaven, my Edith, Thy mother fed on Roses when she bred thee. The sweetness of the Arabian wind still blowing Upon the treasures of perfumes and spices, In all their pride and pleasures call thee Mistress. How, a brother? had not I one my self? did title Move me when it was fit that he should die? away. By heaven I'll strike thee woman.