TRIVULCI

My noble warrior, Peace now looks lovely on us, since we enjoy The author of't in safety: rise my Doriam, Let me embrace those youthful limbs which cloth War in loves livery: thy honoured father, When he returned laden with Turkish spoils, As trophies of his valour from the slaughter Of Holy Bassa at Lepanto, where The Christian name was hazarded, arrived not More welcome to the State; believe me youth, Hadst thou a mother living, to be proud Of thy Nativity, unless she wept For joy to see thee, could no way express A more affectionate gladness: Chrisea, Eurione welcome him home, who cannot Receive and equal grace to the just valve Of his deservings. Gentle warrior, Thy father's spirit swells thy soul, I read it In thy submissive loyalty; lets in, 'Tis just that those who caused the wars to cease, Should have the early fruits of their own peace, I'm sorry that You for whose head the gratitude of the state Decreed triumphant bays should be enforced To stand here a delinquent, but the law Must as a straight and uncorrupted stream Enjoy its usual freedom, my Lords, We are not met here to arraign a prisoner, Whose gilded does speak his sentence, but a person Not only most unblemished in his fame, But one to whom our country owes its life: Who with his dearest blood has balmed the wounds Which mischiefs giant-off-springs, raising war, Cut in the bosom of the commonwealth. Yet this brave youth, This patron of our liberty, all his honours, His blood and titles, his defensive bays (That would have guarded his victorious front From blasts of lightning) laid aside, is come To tender satisfaction to the laws, He has offended, and since judgement is The immediate act of Justice, it must pass To save impartial censure on his life, As on the wretchedest malefactors; for His former merits cannot take away His present fault; for who ere is guilty Undoes the privilege of his desert and blood; For if great men offending pass unpunished, The common people who do use to sin, By their example fearless, will run on Into licentious wickedness. Yet my good Lords, I speak not this, that my particular vengeance, Because slew he my kinsman, has the least Aim at his life, which I would strive to cherish As my own health, or as the Cities peace, For Magistrates ought to behold their crimes, Not the committers, as the Poets feign Of wise Tyresia's, to want eyes, and only Have seeing understanding, for a judge Is guilty of the fault he does not punish, And if rewards and triumphs do adorn Deserts 'tis just that shame and punishments Should wait on vices, and how much more worthy The person is that acts them, so far sharper Should be the penalty inflicted on him. In brief We must Decline his merit, and forget Our gratitude, and since his hand is dipped In civil blood, his life must expiate what His arm unfortunately committed. Speak freely. But the law Does disallow it as unjust, and that Must be your judge, and not that idle breath Which you abusively term honour. Sir I should refute With circumstance your wrong opinion, but in brief, Religious conscience, utterly disclaims And act so barbarous to take men life, Is to destroy Heavens Image, and if those Are held as Traitors, and the law inflicts Severest tortures on them, who deface The stamps of Princes in their coin, can they appear, As guiltless whose rude hands disgrace The great Creators Image, and commit Treason against awful nature; O my Lord Collect your serious temper, and put off The over weening fantasies of youth, Consider what a vain deluding breath Is reputation, if compared with life. Think that and idle, or detracting word May by a fair submission (which our laws Of honour do require it will enforce) Be washed away, but the read gilded of blood Sticks as a black infection to the soul, That Like and Ethiop cannot be washed white, Think upon this, and know I must with grief pronounce your fatal sentence.— Gentle maid Your piety does prompt you to and act That shall engage your country to erect A statue to your memory, though I could not Dispense with justice, yet since there's a means Without the laws infringement, to preserve him, I do rejoice as much as if my son Had scaped apparent danger: go on and prosper In your design. This is madness not courage Doriam. Do it with speedy diligence. Hold, hold the Lady— My Lord, Your pardon's sealed as soon as by the Priest You are conjoined in marriage: I'll not leave you Till't be solemnized, Hymen light thy Pine, Death's tapers fade at the clear flame of thine. IS the Priest prepared For his Hymn after Nuptials, and the virgins Ready to gratulate the Bride, and Bridegroom With the appointed dance? You have our hearty thanks, and we shall study To give you fair requital; come my Lord Erect your drowsy spirits, let your soul, Dance airy measures in your jocund breast; This is a day on which each Bridegroom ought To wear no earth about him; air and fire Are Hymen's proper elements, your mirth Ought to infuse into your frolic guests, And humour apt for reveling and sport: Your disposition is more dull, than if You were to be chief mout'ner at a Coarse: For shame shake off this sadness. Cousin you're welcome, know this virtuous Lady Who has redeemed the General. Why Chrisea, Whence springs this passionate fury? This is such A cunning la byrin of, Sorrow, that no clew Can led them out of. Gentle Cousin, Your good intents encountered bade success, But I and mire, since you must needs have notice Of his disaster, that the law would pass Upon his life, you did not to prevent All other virgin intercessors haste To pay the early tribute of your love. How Chrisea? I understand you not. Lives? Lactantio did not you inform us That he was dead, and you had caused his body To be prepared for funeral? which occasioned The Generals sudden trial, because our custom Does not permit the corpses to be entombed, Before the murderer have his sentence, sir you shall know What 'tis to mock the state thus. Do not delude Your favour with vain Hope's, the law cannot Dispense with the strict Cannon, 'tis impossible You should be separated. Your wishes are fulfilled, Cousin Bonivet welcome to life Again; you and the General must be friends. You two agree that: Cozens I rejoice To see this happy perjod of your loves. Let's back unto the Temple, that the Priest May by his sacred power unite your hearts. Led to the Temple. Will you then pull your ruin on; that seeks Thus easily to fly from you; Justice calls On me to give your sentence—new interruptions It is the voice of music, and presages And Omen as harmonious as its notes, Approach fair troops of Virgins, here's subject, Fit for your maiden pity. Are you come? approach, Behold this Executioner, and this Priest, This is to wed you to destruction, that To this rich Mine of purity: your choice May accept either: if you fix on this, Beside your own redemption, you enjoy A Lady, who may claim as many hearts As she has virtuous thoughts; but lean to that, Your Spring returns unpitied, to the rude Arms of perpetual winter, that will freeze you To a never melting icicle, be sudden, And wise in your election. 'Tis and act the State will thank you for; unveil your self, That we may know to whom we owe our gratitude, A most excelling beauty, such and eye Would tempt religious coldness to a flame, Thaw Ages chilly frost, at such a cheek The Spring might take a pattern to create, A most accomplished freshness; in her looks, Are modest signs of innocence, such as Saints Wear in their liveliest counterfeits: Doriam, here A Lady begs you, whom if you refuse, The times would black you with the hateful title Of your own wilful murder; take her to you And live a fortunate husband. Cite in the prisoner.