ORGILUS

Reason? good Sir I can yield many. All this I acknowledge, It's not that Sir. Thus I obey : After so many quarrels, as Fury, and R ge had in blood, and Wit With now Our present King Your eager swords, and Sealed a peace: Friends you prosest your selves, which to conf me, A resolution for a lasting league Betw to your Families was entertained, By joining in a bound, Me, and the fair Penthea, only daughter To Thrasus. Much, much (deer sir) A freedom of converse, and interchange Of holy, and chased love, so sixth our souls In a firm grouth of union, that no Time Can eat pledge: we had enjoyed The sweets our vows expected, had not cruelty Prevented all those triumphs we prepared for, By Thrasus his untimely death. From this time splouted up that poisonous stalk Of Aco it , whose ripened fruit hath ravished All health, all comfort of a happy life: For Ithocles her brother, proud of youth, And prouder in his power, nourished loosely The memory of former discontents. To glory in re enge, by partly, Partly by threat , a woo S at once, and forces His virtuous sister to admit a marriage With Basanes, a Nobleman, in honour And riches, I confess beyond my Fortune's. Now it follows, P uthe wedded to this torture By and insulting brother, being secretly Compelled to yield her virgin freedom up To him, who ver can us rp her hear Before contracted mine, is now so To a most barbarous thr ldome misery, Affliction, that he sauo not humanity Whose sorrow melts not into more then pity, In hearing but her name. Bassanes The man that call her wife; considers truly What Heaven of perfections he is Lord oh , By thinking fair Penth his: This thought Begets a kind of Monster-love, which Love Is nurse unto a fear so strong, and servile, As brands all dotage with a Jealousy. All eyes who gaze upon that shrine of beauty, He does resolve, do homage to the miracle; Some one, he is assured, may now or then (If opportunity but sort) prevail: So much out of a self-unworthiness His fears transport him, not that he finds cause In her obedience, but his own distrust. My griefs are violent For knowing how the Maid was heretofore Courted by me, his jealousy's grow wild That I should steal again into her favours, And undermine her virtues: which the gods Know I nor dare, nor dream of: hence, from hence I undertake a voluntary exile. First, by my absence to take off the ears Of Jealous Bassanes, but chiefly (Sir) To free Penthea from a hell on earth: Lastly, to loose the memory of something, Her presence makes to live in me afresh. Often. 1 line A brother's kiss Thy health, and thy welldoing, then my life. Before we partly, in presence of our father, I must prefer a lu to to ' . That you will promise To pass never to any man, how ever worthy, Your faith, till with our Father's leave I give a free consent. Your pardon; Euphrania's oath must yield me satisfaction. Dear Euphrania Mistake me not; far, far it's from my thought, As far from any wish of mine, to hinder Preferment to and honourable bed, Or fitting Fortune: thou art young, and handsome; And 'twere injustice; more, a tyranny Not to advance thy merit. Trust me Sister, It shall be my first care to see thee matched As may become thy choice, and our contents: I have your oath. Souls sunk in sorrows, never are without they; They change fresh airs, but bear their griefs about they. Give me leave (Grave Tecnicus ) without foredooming destiny, Under thy roof to ease my silent griefs, By applying to my hidden wounds, the balm Of thy Oraculous Lectures: if my fortune Run such a crooked byway, as to wrest My steps to ruin, yet thy learned precepts Shall call me back, and set my footing's straight: I will not court the world. But I (most learned Artist) am not so much At ods with Nature, that I grutch the thrift Of any true deserver: nor does malice Of present Hope's, so check them with despair, As that I yield to thought of more affliction Then what is incident to frailty: wherefore Impute not this retired course of living Some little time, to any other cause Then what I justly render: the information Of and unsettled mind, as the effect Must clearly witness. I to contemplations: In these delightful walks — thus metamorphized, I may without suspicion Harken after Penthe S usage, and Euphranias faith: Love! thou art full of mystery: the Deities Themselves are not secure, in searching out The secrets of those flames, which hidden wast A breast, made tributary to the Laws Of beauty; Physic yet hath never found A remedy, to cure a Lovers wound. Would? who are those that cross the private walk Into the shadowing grove, in amorous foldings? My Sister; o my Sister? it's Euphrania With Prophilus, supported too; I would It were and Apparition; Prophilus Is Ithocles his friend: It strangely pusles me: Again? help me my book; this Scholars habit Must stand my privilege my mind is busy, Mine eyes, and ears are open. walk by reading. Worser sire's? That's better. So was mine To my Penthea: chastely honourable. But a brother More cruel then the graven. Hold out Euphranc . She is forsworn else. Yes, yes, a had sure. Very likely. There is no faith in woman — Passion? o be contained: my very heart strings Are on the Tenters. I am discovered — Say it: is it possible With a smooth tongue, a leering countenance, Flattery, or force of reason (— I come t'ee Sir) To turn, or to appease the raging Sea? Answer to that, — your Art? what Art to catch And hold fast in a net the Suns small Atomes? No, no; they'll out, they'll out; you may as easily Outrun a Cloud, driven by a Northern blast, As fiddle faddle so. Peace, or speak sense. But will you hear a little Lion are so teatchy, You keep no rule in argume to; Philosophy Works not upon impossibilities, But natural conclusions. — Mew? — absurd; The metaphysics are but speculations Of the celestial bodies, or such accidents As not mixed perfectly, in the Air engendered, Appear to us unnatural; that's all. Prove it; — yet with a reverence to your gravity, I'll balk illiterate saw inesse, submitting My sole opinion to the touch of writers. Would would would. These Apish boys, when they but taste the Grammates, And principals of Theory, imagine They can oppose their teachers Confidence Leads many into errors. I am (gay creature) With pardon of your Deities, a mushroom On whom the Due of heaven drops now and then: The Sun shines on me too, I than e his beams, Sometime I feel their warmth; and eat, and sleep. Yes forsooth, He is my master surely, yond door Opens upon his Study. Aplotes (S mptuous master) a poor wretch. Books ( Venus ) books. Jove make me thankful, thankful, I beseech thee Propitious Jove, I will prove sure and trusty You will not fail me books. I have a pretty memory, It must prove my best friend. — I will not miss One minute of the hours appointed. No, no money: Money to Scholars is a spirit invisible, We dare not finger it; or books, or nothing. I warrant thou, I warrant thou. Put out thy Torches Hymen, or their light Shall meet a darkness of eternal night. Inspire me Mercury with swift deceits; Ingenious Fate has leapt into mine arms, Beyond the compass of my brain. — Mortality Creeps on the dung of earth, and cannot reach The riddles, which are purposed by the gods. Great Arts best write themselves in their own stories, They die too basely, who outlive their glories. Exit. Your will shall be a law, Sir. Speak on, fair nymph, our souls Can dance as well to music of the Spheres As any's who have feasted with the gods. What heaven Refines mortality from dross of earth, But such as uncompounded beauty hallows With glorified perfection. Time can never On the white table of unguilty faith Write counterfeit dishonour; turn those eyes (The arrows of pure love) upon that fire Which once rose to a flame, perfumed with vows As sweetly scented as the L cense smoking Like The holiest A tars, Virgin tears On Vesta's odours) sprinkled dews to feed they, And to increase their fervour. All pleasures are but mere imagination, Feeding the hungry appetite with steam, And sighed of banquet, while the body pines, Not relishing the real taste of food, Such is the le nnesse of a heart divided From intercourse of troth-contracted lones; No horror should deface that precious figure Sealed with the lively stamp of equal souls. Be joust, Penthea, In thy commands: when thou sendest forth a doom Of banishment, know first on whom it lights; Thus I take off the shroud, in which my cares Are folded up from view of common eyes; What is thy sentence next? Oh rather Examine me how I could live to say I have been much, much wronged; it's for thy sake I put on this Imposture; deer Penthea, If thy soft bosom be not turned to marble, Thou'lt pity our calamities; my Interest Confirms me thou art mine still. You instruct my duty. I would possess my wife, the equity Of very reason bids me. Why it's the all of me my self. You are obeyed, it's done Partly! yet advise thee better: Penthea is the wife to Orgilus, And ever shall be. How! I must not take this reason. Penthea, now I tell thou you grow wanton in my sufferance; Come sweet, th'art mine. I'll tear my veil of politic French off, And stand up Like a man resolved to do Actium, not words shall show me. Oh Penthea. Exit Orgilus. It shall not, most sage Master. Learned Tecnicus, Such doubts are causeless, and to clear the truth From misconceit, the present State commands me. The Prince of Argos comes himself in person In quest of great Calantha for his Bride, Our kingdoms heir; beside, mine only sister Euphrania is disposed to Prophilus. Lastly, the King is sending letters for me To Athens, for my quick repair to Court. Please to accept these Reasons. My aspect? could Art Run through mine inmost thoughts, it should not sift And inclination there, more then what suited With justice of mine honour. The gods increase thy wisdom (reverend Oracle) And in thy precepts make me ever thrifty. Exit Org. Your Lordship may command me your poor servant. Your Highness honours me. May my duty Still rise in your opinion, sacred Princess. His will he hath But were it lawful to hold plea against The power of greatness, not the reason, haply Such under-shrubs as subjects, sometime might Borrow of Nature, Justice, to inform That licence sovereignty holds without check Over a meek obedience. I envy not his merit, but applaud it: Could with him thrift in all his best desires, And with a willingness inleague our blood With his, for purchase of full growth in friendship He never touched on any wrong that maliced The honour of our house, nor stirred our peace; Yet, with your favour, let me not forget Under whose wing he gathers warmth and comfort, Whose creature he is bound, made, and must live so. Good Sir be not severe in your construction, I am no stranger to such easy calms As fit in tender bosoms: Lordly Ithocles Hath graced my entertainment in abundance; Too humbly hath descended from that height Of arrogance and spleen which wrought the rape On grieved Penthea's purity; his scorn Of my untoward Fortune's is reclaimed Unto a Coutship, almost to a fawning: I'll kiss his foot, since you will have it so. If unwelcome, I might have found a graven there. 'Twas care, Sir, of my health, cut short my journey; For there, a general infection Threatens a desolation. Forbid it our deer Genius, I will rather Be made a Sacrifice on Thrasus monument, Or kneel to Ithocles his son in dust, Then woo a father's curse: My sisters marriage With Prophilus, is from my heart confirmed: May I live hated, may I die despised, If I omit to further it in all That can concern me. Dear Sir Most honoured — ever famous. They have it. — Sister, Thou pawn'dst to me and oath, of which engagement I never will release thee, if thou aimest At any other choice then this. Which till a greater ceremony perfect, Euphran a lend thy hand; here take her Prophilus, Live long a happy man and wife; and further, That these in presence may conclude and omen, Thus for a Bridal song I close my wishes: Comforts lasting, Loves increasing, Like soft hours never ceasing; Plenties pleasure, peace complying Without jars, or tongues envying; Hearts by holy Union wedded More then theirs by custom bedded; Fruitful issues: life so graced, Not by age to be defaced; Budding, as the year ensues, Every spring another youth : All what thought can add beside, Crown this Bridegroom and this Bride. If these Gallants Will please to grace a poor invention, By joining with me in some light devise, I'll venture on a strain, my younger days Have studied for delight Oh my good Lord, your favours flow towards A too unworthy worm; but as you please, I am what you will shape me. But my duty. Exe to omnes. Your Excellence mistakes his temper For Ithocles in fashion of his mind Is beautiful, soft, gentle, the clear mirror Of absolute perfection. No more (Illustrious Sir) it's marchless Ithocles. In point of honour Discretion knows no bounds. Amelus told me 'Twas all about a little Ring. A Ladies favour Is not to be so slighted. Griefs will have their vent. What makes He here? Dark sentences are for Apollo's Priests: I am not Oedipus. Something oddly The bookman prated; yet of talked it weeping Let craft with courtesy a while confer, Revenge proves its own executioner. Let craft with courtesy a while confer, Revenge proves its own executioner. Con it again; for what? It shall not puzzle me; It's dotage of a withered brain. — Penthea Forbade me not her presence; I may see her, And gaze my fill: why see her then I may; When if I faint to speak, I must be silent. Exit Org. I have found thee, Thou patron of more horrors then the bulk Of manhood, hooped about with ribs of Iron, Can cramb within thy breast: P nthea (Bassanes) Cursed by thy Jealousy's; more, by thy dotag Is left a prey to words. Play not with misery Passed cure some angry Minister of Fate hath Deposed the Empress of her soul, her r son, From its most proper Throne; but what's the miracle More new, I, I have seen it, and yet live. May thy death of love to her Damn all thy comforts to a lasting fast From every joy of life: Thou barren rock, By thee we have be split in ken of harbour. Man, dost see't? Sports are more gamesome; am I yet in merriment? Why dost not laugh Was I in earnest? Wisdom (look thou) Begins to rave: — art thou mad too, antiquity Behold a patience Lay by thy whining gr y dissimulation, Do something worth a Chronicle; show Justice Upon the Author of this mischief; dig out The Jealousy's that hatched this thraldom first With thine own poigniard: every antic r pture Can roar as thine does. Thou didst, wronged creature, in despite of malice; For it I love thee even. Pain my heart to Complain not though I wring it hard: I'll kiss it; Oh it's a fine soft palm: hark in thine care, Like whom do I look, pre he? nay, no whispering. Goodness! we had been happy: too much happiness Will make folk proud they say — but that is he; points at Ithocles. And yet he paid for't home; alas, his heart Is crept into the cabinet of the Princess; We shall have points and bridelaces. Remember When we last gathered Roses in the garden I found my wits, but truly you lost yours: That's He, and still it's He. She has tutored me: Some powerful inspiration checks my laziness: Now let me kiss your hand, grieved beauty. Peace usher her into Elizium : If this be madness, madness is and Oracle. Exit Org. This very morning Which with your Highness leave you may observe too Our sister looks (me thinks) mirthful and sprightly; As if her chaster fancy could already Expound the riddle of her gain in losing A trifle; Maids know only that they know not: Pish, prethe blush not; it's but honest change Of fashion in the garment, lose for straight, And so the modest maid is made a wife: Shrewd business, is't not sister? Rich fortuness guard to favour of a Princess, Rock thee (brave man) in ever crowned plenty; You're minion of the time , be thankful for it: Ho, here's a swinge in Destiny. — Apparent, The youth is up on tiptoe, yet may stumble. Shall I be bold my Lord? Most right, my most good Lord, my most great Lord, My gracious Princely Lord, I might add royal. Why not, pray Sir? The Sovereignty of Kingdoms in their nonage Stooped to desert, not birth: there's as much meri In clearness of affection, as in puddle Of generation: you have conquered Love Even in the loveliest; if I greatly err not, The son of Venus hath bequeathed his quiver To Ithocles his manage, by whose arrows Calantha's breast is opened. I was my self a piece of suitor once, And forward in preferment too; so forward, That speaking truth, I may without offence (Sir) Presume to whisper, that my Hope's, and (hark thou) My certainty of ma riage stood assured With as firm footing (by your leave) as any's Now at this very instant — but. — Still: why not? I now applaud her wisdom; when your kingdom Stands seated in your will secure, and settled, I dare pronounce you will be a joust Monarch: Greece must admire, and tremble. The glory Of numerous children, potency of Nobles, Bent knees, hearts paved to tread on. I am unfitting For Office, but for service. The bed? Foresend it Jove's own Jealousy, till lastly We slip down in the common earth together; And there our beds are equal, save some Monument To show this was the King, and this the Subject. List, what sad sounds are these? extremely sad ones. Hark, a voice too. A horrid stillness Succeeds this deathful air, let's know the reason: Tread softly, there is mystery in mourning. Exeunt. Good, begone. How fares the Lady? Tell us How parted she from life? Up; you are messengers of death, go from us; Here's woe enough to court without a pr mpter. Away; and hark you, till you see us next, No sillable that she is dead. —Away, Exeunt Phil. & Chri. Keep a smooth brow. — My Lord. Take that chair, I'll seat me here in this: between us sits The object of our sorrows; some few tears Wee'll partly among us; I perhaps can mix One lamentable story to prepare they. There, there, fit there, my Lord. Caught, you are caught Young master: it's thy throne of Coronation, Thou fool of greatness: see, I take this veil off; Survey a beauty withered by the flames Of and insulting Phaeton her brother. I foreknew The last act of her life, and trained thee hither To sacrifice a Tyrant to a Turtle. You dreamt of kingdoms, did thou? how to bosom The delicacies of a youngling Princess, How with this nod to grace that subtle Courtier, How with that frown to make this Noble tremble, And so forth; while Penthea's groans, and tortures, Her agonies, her Misery's, afflictions, Never touched upon your thought; as for my injuries, Alas they were beneath your royal pity, But yet they lived, thou proud man, to confound thee: Behold thy fate, this steel. By Apollo, Thou talkest a goodly language; for r quitall, I will report thee to thy mistress richly: And take this peace along; some few short minutes Determined, my resolves shall quickly follow Thy wrathful ghost; then if we tug for mastery, Pentheas sacred eyes shall lend new courage. Give me thy hand, be healthful in thy parting From lost mortality: thus, thus, I free it. kills him. Keep up thy spirit: I will be gentle even in blood; to linger Pain, which I strive to cure, were to be cruel. Farewell, fair spring of manhood; henceforth welcome Best expectation of a noble sufferance: I'll lock the bodies safe, till what must follow Shall be approved — Sweet Twins shine stars for ever. In vain they built their Hope's, whose life is shame, No monument l sts but a happy Name. Exit Orgilus. Honour Attend thy counsels ever. Noble Bassanes Mistake me not. Accept a league of amity; for henceforth I vow by my best Genius, in a sillable, Never to speak vexation; I will study Service and friendship with a zealous sorrow For my passed incivility towards thou. Use not So hard a Language; your misdoubt is causeless For instance; if you promise to put on A constancy of patience, such a patience As Chronicle, or history never mentioned, As follows not example, but shall stand A wonder, and a Theme for imitation, The first, the Index pointing to a second, I will acquaint'ee with and unmatched secret, Whose knowledge to your griefs shall set a perjod. To your patience You must add privacy, as strong in silence As mysteries looked up in Jove's own bosom. Lastly, to such direction As the severity of a glorious Actium Deserves to led your wisdom and your judgement, You ought to yield obedience. With manly courage Please then to follow me. Brave Ithocles is murdered, murdered cruelly. I am thunderstruck. That Ithocles Was murdered; rather butchered, had not bravery Of and undaunted spirit, conquering terror, Proclaimed his last Act triumph over mine. By mine; this weapon Was instrument to my revenge: the reasons Are joust and known: quit him of these, and then Never lived Gentleman of greater merit, Hope, or abiliment to steer a kingdom. All gooddesse dwell amongst ye Enjoy my sister, Prophilus ; my vengeance Aimed never at thy prejudice. One suit, joust Queen, my last; vouchsafe your clemency That by no common hand I be divided From this my humble frailty. To bleed to death. My self, no Surgeon. I am well skilled in letting blood: bind fast This arm, that so the pipes may from their conduits Convey a full stream: here's a skilful Instrument: Only I am a beggar to some charity To speed me in this Execution, By lending th'other prick to the tother arm, When this is bubbling life ou . Gramercy friendship Such courtesies are real, which flow cheerfully Without and expection of requital. Reach me a staff in this hand: if a proneness, Or custom in my nature, from my cradle, Had been inclined to fierce and eager bloodshed; A coward gilded, hid in a coward quaking, Would have betrayed fame to ignoble flight, And vagabond pursuit of dreadful safety: But look upon my steadiness, and scorn not The sickness of my fortune, which since Bassanes Was husband to Penthea, had lain bedrid: We trifle time in words: thus I show cunning In opening of a vein too full, too lively. Honourable infan y. I feel no palsies: On a pair royal do I wait in death; My Sovereign, as his Liegeman; on my Mistress, As a devoted servant; and on Ithocles, As if no brave, yet no unworthy enemy: Nor did I use and engine to entrap His life, out of a slavish fear to combat Youth, strength, or cunning, but for that I durst not Engage the goodness of a cause on fortune, By which his name might have outfaced my vengeance: Tecnicus, inspired with Phaebus fire, I call to mind thy Augury, 'twas perfect; Revenge proves its own Executioner When feeble man is bending to his mother, The dust he was first framed on, thus he totters. So falls the Standards Of my prerogative in being a creature: A missed hangs over mine eyes; the Sun's bright splendour Is clouded in and everlasting shadow: Welcome thou ice that sittest about my heart, No heat can ever thaw thee.