TIMEUS

I am sorry I have offended against your mirth, it not my intent, I came to bring you news. 'Tis as you shall esteem on't, Sir, Theres a Stranger Prince arrived. Yes Sir, his visits forced by a storm as he pretends. Found dead upon the Shore? Were they drowned? 'Tis strange, were there but two? That's stranger yet, reward the men, and command them make no further search, nor speak of it, let it die with you too, do ye hear? Exit. Coarcinus. The villains have robbed at their return, and God their Death's that way, I near could spare them worse, the State stands in greater needs of theirs, than of the sword of Justice. Rodia? Is your Lady to be spoke with? Save you sweet sister. Sure Eudora, Venus and the Graces had their hands to day about you, you look fairer than your self, and move in the Sphere of love and beauty. Cupid has taken his stand up in your eyes, and shoots at all that come before him; pray Venus he miss me. These are the sweet looks that captivate the Prince in a free country, and this the dress that must inchant him, would? Had better kill his father, and then gaze upon the spe ctacle, than look upon her with the eyes of love. But I have prevailed so far that he shall be free from the Danger both of love and seeing, shee'l not be there; nor must you make up his entertainment. You may, we would not feed the Prince here with Hope's to get a wife, this was the storm that drove him in, nor must you only for this time forbear his presence, but while he stays; he is unworthy of you. I do not, I know thee strong, the honour of a King dome may lean with safety on thee, but he will linger here too long, besot the State with feastings, and in this ease give safety to treacherous undertakings, he must be used ill, ther's rea son for't. Theres greater thoughts in hand than curious rules of Ceremony, if he send any present to you, return it back with scorn. Then take um and laugh at him. He'll wear those gifts for favours. Not from you, rewards the State will give him, you hear my father's will, you must not see him while he stays. Farewell. There's a little business calls me. Only the welcome of the Stranger. Because you see a calm enwrap all round About ye, you conceive 'twillbe As lasting as 'tis pleasing. Tempests, sir, May contradict you even while you think so, Evils are silent now, not done away, They couch and lyein wait. Sedition walks With claws bowed in, and a close mouth, which only She keeps for opportunity of prey. Your ruin yet appears not and you think Because it lurks, you are safe, He that will be truly secure must found A peace on the destruction of all things That can impeach it: enemies reconciled Are Like wild beasts brought up to hand, they have More advantage given them to be cruel. Pray Heaven no other flames break out But such as mirth show forth, when treason laughs Upon your sports you call it piety, Cause it looks smoothly on your strength when't runs Out in and idle pomp, suffering your vigor To wast it self in triumph, and diminish In a continued jollity, that so, Sir, Ruin may be quiet, and you perish Without disturbance, nor are all things yet So free from our suspicion as you make they, You do suppose that all close eyes must sleep, When they are never more watchful, than when thus They counterfeit neglect. Severely prying Into the depth of things, by seeming not T'observe the face and outside; Treason does Walk in a whisper yet, their hate is busy And makes no noise; think not that it is their fear, But their advice and council makes it silent. Do you expect a Proclamation, or A Herald from Sedition? 'tis too late To say you were deceived, when that the Trumpet Shall summon to your ruin, you do slumber, Girded you, before the fire hath gained your Cabin, And do not trust your preservation to A Miracle, or a chance; you have and heir, Yet he is none of yours, he that begotten me Did perish long ago. I was the child Of Vigor, not of Luxury. I must tell you, Sir, A few flattering Lords gild over the defects And ruins of your State, they make you call A Lethargy, Security; and that a Kingdom Which, Like to children's houses on the sand, Reared up in sport and toying, will become A Prey unto the wave that first approaches, They can perhaps judge well of meats and wines, Good Table Statesmen, Soldiers at a banquet, Strong, to overcome a Goblet, or a Charger: But Kingdoms safeties are not owed unto The Palate, and the Stomach; if that these Were State affairs, your Council were most found, And every breast a Synod; if that Music could now Raise Walls and Cities as of old, Your Realm would be impregnable. Sir, I am sorry, 'twas my love, my love That so did dictate to me, my desire That your sports might follow one another, And succeed so just that they may seem to Bring the season on, and not the season, Them, that thus they might continue ever, But 'twas that they might continue, and not Fallen by treason. But Sir, I will no more, I shall hereafter think't more piety Hand in hand to fallen in perils with you, Then my self to bring them. But not incurable. I know which way To handle them: there must be some sudden Remedy applied, that will work strongly; This night I'll send it. Be absent all ye Lazy medicines that the Law does bring, You are more treacherous than the villain You examine, and where there was none, give Time for to act mischief: the summons are The traitors watchword, and drive him to take That opportunity, which otherwise His fears would have let slip; my self will be The accuser and the Judge; when public Means are dangerous, each Prince hath the Courts Of Justice in his breast. What fiend is this that causes such antipathy within me? the midnight ghost take not shapes so horrid. I have not slept since first he crossed me. What does he mutter to himself? Coracinus, Argestes ? Kill that Dog. Kill that Dog. cowardly They assault Pall. and have the worst on't. Time. draws, and they make him retire. Villains, it were a mercy to leave You to the worrying. exeunt. He was a Devil, the power of hell was in his arm, Night threw her shades about him to defend him: he could not have escaped unless he had vanishd. Is he oretaken yet. Let there be search made, and give command that when he appears again, he that first meets him without more delay do kill him. Promise a reward for him that brings his head. Well. And may be again, if I look not warily, would your Lordship's sword were sheathed. No doubt he is. Injuries are deserving to and intruding guest. Let me go, nothing shall privilege him to talk thus. Does he help your Lordship with ships, that thus you plead his cause? shall I be tutord by a Traitor? He's escaped unknown. Yes he was so. Pray Sir, let me speak to you, there is a wonder dis covered to me by his relation, and under this Monster he hath spoke of a greater does lie hid, one that you would rather have in Chains, then all the list of Traitors I have nam, Sir commit the uncasing him to me, and suffer me to free A ratus, let it suffice I am and eye upon him, and the rest, and will suddenly by their destruction, destroy their Plot. My Lord, with the persuasion of your innocence, I have procured your freedom of my father, and do desire in requital of this kindness (if it be such) to let me see the face of this my enemy once more: if your acquaintance as appears by your words, be not too late to know his abode, My Lord, I shall receive him otherwise then you expect, the relation you have made of him, and what my self was wit ness on, hath turned my hate into admiration, and if I can move his Love, as I have done his anger: I shall be happy in his valour. It's no strange thing that the vallor of enemies have made them friends, and that wonder have been the first seal of Love. I do consider how much him, and that on such occasion, he could not have done least, at first sighed I called him dog, and without more circumstance come manded for to kill him. Though nothing is more just then a Noble Love, yet nothing ought to be more secret, None are to be admitted to the rights Of it, but the God, and the two parties, Sir, you are not acquainted with the laws, Of a deviner love, that may imagine The progress of it a tedious Pilgrimage, And that they languish which do live in hope The means is more delightful then the end, Then is the bloom and spring of joy when it Is green: as it grows riper, the blossom Falls and turns to profit, the perfection Is the first decay of love, there is a Marriage of the Soul, precedes the other In time, and excellence, and is performed By a Hymen of a more extracted Deity, whose Torch is purer then the Element of Fire, these are laws unknown To your unfashioned Cupid, who perhaps May wound a breast among those ruder Souls, Who think they ought to exchange heart for heart, And love only in requital, but here A nobleness must tip the Shaft as well As goodness, or else it peirces but to pity. S r , though there are troubles in your affairs Let none be in your countenance: your eyes Should Like those blessed twin fires upon the Ship Display a vigorous flame. A light of joy, And comfort round about, that they which toil In the rage and fury of this tempest May from thence foresee a calm, and nourish Hope's of safety. Thus you wrong your Kingdom Destroying it your self cause others would. The people groan just as you groan, their Pulses Have the same motion, and their hearts do beat Both hope or fear, according as yours does Either dilate or else contract it else. All omen comes from you, your Passion is not, A single sadness, it's your Subject's too. When you confess a fear, who dares bebold? They do account it a disloyallty to have a Thought that shall run cross to yours. Your mirth were now discretion, and a face Cheerful as at a Feast, were policy, T'wouldbe one kind of succour. Rise, you have no less quickened me, that was as nigh my end as you your selves were, but now I live, and again can think of life and vengeance to our enemies, which presently weel put in practice, and seeing that our spirits are redoubled, our losses shall no longer fright us. Fortune, glory, Victory, all are fled Unto their several habitations, And have left Dishonour, Losses, Danger In their Stead, not so much praise to all our Dead Story, as that we lost one man to Save a Kingdom, not bleed a drop for the Whole bodies safety. No answer yet returned? One Look out again. Exit Cap. Polyander, I remember I herd thee once say, when I condemned thee for thy smiles, that if I had a cause thou wouldst frown, why lookest thou sadly then? our Fortune's ought rather to stir our anger than our grief. Let us seat our selves before he enters, that he may see on what strength we do demand, every man put on a face of mirth, now we are at a Banquet that will refresh us after all our toil. Who's this? do any of you know him? Sir, you're welcome, but we invite you only to look on, these cates are not easy of digestion; the gods give not life more certain than this gives death, do you think you can endure the sighed? would Aratus himself were here, that once he might be satisfied with a spectacle of blood. You look pale on us already, sure they have a plot upon you, and sent you hither to see your death, had they none to send us to behold our resolutions but such a trifle. If thou art that man thou would seem to be, and equally with me dost honour a dead father, yet (setting by these helpers) let us singly try our hatred; the grant of this will please above all our demands, I had rather see thee dead, or by this means not see thee live, then again be Master of the Fortune's I have lost, I am unfit for life. I shall but curse the givers of it. Why should I be a stranger to these virtues, more than this man? I was not born for less things than he, certain lie when nature made this frame, she intended it for the noblest actions. If you will go on, I can hear you still. Oh Sir, you have undermined my pride, and removed me from that advantage ground I stood on, to my own low height. These your last words comes near unto me, and makes me with reverence believe all that you have spoken; before your virtues only sturd my hate and envy, this deed first taught me to admire, and cannot doubt there is a want of any nobleness, when you have shown such passionate care in preserving a distressed Virgin, whom I durst not think of, least I should think too, of her dishonour. Give me not scorn and honour in the same breath, you have made me leave my self, hate me not now I am nothing. Here let me alone be happy, without a covetous wish of what I have lost. Oh Eudora! wonder not at my excessive passion, misery lays stronger bonds of love then nature, and they are more one whom the same misfortune joined together, then whom the same womb gave life. Not see him willingly at this time. When that my actions or mine age shall make me worthy of your ease and pleasures, I shall be a thankful sharer, but till then, your troubles will become me better than your sports, and cares will fit more lovely on my brow than roses. Sir, those that are a bout you seek to drown your virtues. I name none here my Lord. I must confess Sir, I had rather see you bloody than thus wet, nor are my wishes impious: Poliander ? How basely that smile becomes thee: I had Rather thou hadst answered me with a blow, Than such a look: I thought to have asked thee Something, but I see thou art unworthy Of a brave demand. Thy skill lies only In the curiosity of a meal. To say at the first touch a that tongue, this is A Chian, this a Falernian wine. Straight by the colour of the flesh to know Whither the fowl were cram worser, or whither fed: Prithee Polyander how sat the wind When this Boar was slain? were not these apples Pulled the Moon increasing? Degenerate, I have seen thee put thy face into a frown, And were't so constant in that look, as if Thou hadst no other. Like thine, beast. But now the Commissions altered and runs in a neither sense. I will, or at least I'll tell theeso when thou perswadst me thus. Farewell. Exit Timeus. Sir, I thank you, humbly thus low I thank you, Nor will I in a compliment return It back again, till I have made you safe; I shall go to work Like a resolute, But skilful Surgeon, that dares feel and search A wound, and if he find dead flesh dares cut It off, or more corruption will not spare A limb. Exeunt omnes. I know not what to think, your disposition is as great a stranger to me as your self. Shall I be tied while I am baited? I'll send those that shall oretake you, and cut you off before your shipping yet. Coracinus hast unto the City presently, and in my father's name command them to raise all speedy Power to stop the Prince, bid them fire his ships in the Haven. Well Sir, I shall find other ways than words to and swer you. No more than you see Sir, the sword rather left it on me then drew it out. He was habited Like a Soldier, but his looks had more of Devil than of man. My Lord, I'll take no other surety but your word, ever engage me thus. Exit Timeus. Were there but two, S r , flatter not your self, had they been thousands they had yet left more behind, you account that a victory which they scorn to account a lose, and think you are safe when they are not endangered. Is Aratus, Phronimus or Eurylochus among them? These were the evils I was a Prophet of, I saw them when they were yet disguised. S r , this is no time to delay, if we believe not yet, the next news will be brought us home by the Traitors themselves, you may perceive their Strength, and ready nes in this, that they dare make such bold declarations and in the open day produce their black Plots. If we haste not to overtake them now; our greatest speed hereafter will not reach them. Now Sir, you put a new life into me, And I dare say we shall be victorious, Nay, we will, no power does stand against us, Now that is favourable which attends upon Your person, to whose protection I will leave you, And go see how the Camp fares. Shall I bear any of your commands thither? Give me a power mighty as my rage, That my revenge may reach unto the Clouds And unthrone those gods that joined hands with men To comit so black a deed: it were but Justice they should lose their diety that So would throw it off. Oh my father! did I unload thy shoulders of the Kindgome That thou might fallen under a less weight, And bereft thee of all thy jealousies, to Ruin thee with more assurance only? Where are all those flattering tongues that when There was no need would in a compliment Hourly suffer for thee? not one to die In thy defence, or by his fallen to make Thine more decent? how dismal is this place? The graves where death inhabits are not so Dreadful. I'll fly thee though I run amongst The thickest of my foes, they can present No dangers Like this loneness the cries, the Sword, the Trumpet in the battle strike not So deep amazement, what ho, Clitus Charisius, Erastus, Amanthes, Not one voice? I walk Like Aeneus among the shades. All is hell about me: I see nothing But what my Fantasy frames in horrid shapes, Oh the vain fears of guilty men! all are Unreasonable, but yours ridiculous, When you have contemned the greatest powers On earth, threatening with strength, and hatred, You tremble at a ghost, a thing less then is A man, and when the substance could not, the Shadow frights you. There is no way but this To set me above my fears, when I am Less I shall be equal to them— Let us away. I know thee now, thou needs not further de clare thy self, and th'art come passed all my wishes to satisfy my revenge. I am come to tell you, the infection. That caused this your retirement, is now Vanished, and abroad you may easily bless Us with your beauty's. It shames me to say this I can pronounce, you may do something that May command all. I ever as a servant did approach You, but now as and offender, as one That is guilty of a sin of so high A nature as this your sadness is. Can I do less then condemn my self that would Have killed the man that would have done it? yet I hope this my Actium hath not made me Appear, to throw of that honourable name As servant to you, it's a title I am most Ambitious of, and never did Engage my self a more humble one Then by my last command. Before I was A votary to your beauty, now to Your goodness, there is no earthly thing I So much reverence (if I may call that Earthy that's so divine) I bend but at Two places the Altar, and your virtues.