ARISTIPPUS

Conceivest thou so, that does proceed from love, But I am old, and thou a sprightly lass. If it be so, then sure the youthful heat Of thy fair body hath infused life Into my withered veins, more powerful then Medea's charms, when she stirred up fresh blood In the decayed body of old Aeson. My son, have pity on thy father's age, Spaire his white hairs, take not away his life That gave thee thine, and brought thee up with care, We do confess we wronged thee, yet the fault Was not so great that it should merit death; Assuage thy fury, and put up thy sword, Imbrue not in thy father's blood thy hands. You told me so indeed, but I believed not; Now I do find it true, which to prevent I'll raise my house and bind him fast, to morrow I'll carry him before the people to Be judged for his offence; let nature go In parents, when sons prove unnatural so. Exeunt. I brought not up my son you men of Athens To see him come unto this end, but rather To be a staff to stay my age upon; As soon as he was born his education Was good and civil, when he did attain To riper years, I set him to our schools And Academies there to study arts, And Mathematic sciences, beside, According to the laws of this our City, Made him free denison, yet notwithstanding He hath not only cast behind his back These favours of my love, but diversely Both injured me, and beaten this good woman, Who by our laws is now my second wife; And not content herewith, one night he came Unto us with a drawn sword in his hand (When we in bed suspected no such thing) In mind to kill us both, and was no farther From being a parricide but that by chance His sword by sudden fear fell out his hand, Which Demeneta my good wife took up: Therefore I flee to you most learned Judges, And though I might by law of this our Senate Slay him with my own hands, yet I appeal Unto your justice, and commit my cause To your grave censures, counting it more fit To punish this my son by public law Then private bloodshed. How have I played the fool and robbed my self In hasty passion of my only son; Repentance when it comes too late does argue And inconsiderate judgement; Oh my Cnemon Would thou hadst killed me ere I banished thee, For death is better sure then banishment; Near shall I see my boy, well for this fault I will do penance, penance on my self; Athens adieu and all the City pleasures Forsake me quite; my solitary manor Far in the country where no people comes Shall be my habitation day and night Where I will eat my heart out. Exit Aristippus. If thou canst do this, I'll make thee free, and pardon all thy faults, For I suppose I should revive again So I revenged were on my enemy; I had such a suspicion in my head That she was false, but kept it to my self, Because I wanted clear proofs to convince her, But what must I do Thisbe, tell me wench? See Thisbe, is she dead? Then hath thy punishment Prevented what the law should have inflicted; I'll to the people and declare this matter, And with my friends consult what means to use For to call home my son from banishment, Whose truth and innocence does open lie By this unheard of strange discovery. Exeunt. I will, and safely. By all the gods 'tis true, else let me be Struck with their thunder for my perjury. My sweet wife Demeneta, I have a jewel of thee, thy extreme love to me is confirmed in thy affection to my son Cnemon, virtuous woman. I know thou dost my love; never was a man happier in his choice, I think. I know your virtue, and therefore will dispute with you a little upon this subject, and ask you this question: how could you, a young woman, affect me and old man? My girl, how thou dost revive my decayed spirits to hear thee talk thus! I will strain hard for this, but I will answer thy expectation. Indeed young men are very inconstant in their love, and changing from one unto another, whereas and old man perseveres to the end in his devotions. My dearest love, though loath, I am enforced To leave you for some hours, the state of Athens Sent for me, to repair unto the Senate At ten a clock about affairs of weight, It's now about the time; farewell my sweetest. Come prithee, leave this off, and be assured I will not stay two hours. I'll not fail you sweet.— Exit Aristippus. How fares my sweet heart, that she keeps her bed? The gods forbid, that found does strike me dead; What ails my dearest wife? tell me the cause Of this your sudden sickness. Come, come, you must not Conceal your grief, but lay it open unto me, I do beseech my love. Oh villain, I will scourge him even to death; Thisbe, go call him hither. Exit Thisbe, O cleanly dissembler, Thou wouldst indeed know thy own fault from me. Base wretch, Thy innocence; would she belie thee thinkest thou, That loved thee better than her self? away, Get out of my sighed, I will not hear thee speak. Exit Cnemon. My dearest Demeneta, cheer your self, Strive to forget the pain. That's thy virtue, But banish him thy thoughts as I will do, Hence forth as most unworthy of our love; Come sweet, you shall remove from hence into A fitter room, I'll send a Doctor to you. Exit Aristippus. Peace be of good cheer, I have this wicked and miss chievous woman which I most desired. Oh thou much hated of the gods, I have thee And all thy shame about thee, come thou shalt With me unto the City, to receive What punishment the laws allot to such As live unchaste, and wrong their husbands bed, Which is no less then death. Hold, hold thy hand, drink not the poison down Thou desperate woman. Thisbe yet Make thy confession, and subscribe thy hand, That innocent Cnemon die not. Son 'tis enough to clear thee of all things Can be objected; i'll forthwith declare This matter to the people, and produce Thisbes confession, strengthened with her han , Come with me Cnemon. Although I do not doubt most learned Judges, That your grave judgements would acquit my son Without more proofs then by the sequel of This business does appear, yet to the end To make his innocence the more perspicuous Which hath so long strived to break through this cloud Of falsehood and deceit, I here have brought you Thisbes confession, and her hand subscribed For confirmation of it, please you see What it contains. the Judges read it. Presently upon Her poisonous draught, her conscience prompting her Unto so good and Actium. Yes, for what force hath power to work upon The settled resolution of a person Whom death is ready for to seize upon? I came free from her, the confession was Her own invention, and the hand her own. Thus innocence shines clearer then the sun. Exeunt.