EVADNE

Yes. O I am miserable. I have offended, noble Sir forgive me. Do not ask me Sir, Mine own remembrance is a misery Too mighty for me. What shall I do? I dare not tell. Will you forgive me then? Is there no more here? The King. Too long, too late I find it. Would I were half as blameless. First to my graven. No I feel Too many sad confusions here to let in Any lose flame hereafter. All the gods forbid it. 'Tis too fearful. Good Sir. Here I swear it, And all you spirits of abused Ladies, Help me in this performance. Would I could say so to my black disgrace, Gods where have I been all this time; how friended, That I should loose my self thus desperately, And none for pit j show me how I wandered. There is not in the compass of the light A more unhappy creature, sure I am monstrous, For I have done those follies those mad mischiefs Would dare a woman. Oh my loaded soul, Be not so cruel to me, choke not up Enter Amintor. The way to my repentance. Oh my Lord. My much abused Lord. Kneel. I do not kneel to live, I dare not hope it, The wrongs I did are greater, look upon me Though I appear with all my faults. My whole life is so leprous it infects All my repentance, I would buy your pardon Though at the highest set, even with my life, That sleight contrition, that; no sacrifice For what I have committed. My Lord, Give me your griefs, you are and innocent, A soul as white as heaven, let not my sins Perish your noble youth, I do not fallen here To shadow by dissembling with my tears As all say women can, or to make less What my hight will hath done, which heaven and you Knows to be tougher then the hand of time Shall cut from men remembrance, no I do not, I do appear the same, the same Evadne, Dressed in the shames I lived in, the same monster. But these are names of honour to what I am, I do present my self the foulest creature, Most poisonous, dangerous, and despised of men Lerna ere bred or Nilus, I am hell, Till you my deer Lord shoot your light into me, The beams of your forgiveness, I am soul sick, And wither with the fear of one condemned, Till I have God your pardon. I have done nothing good to get belief, My life hath been so faithless, all the Creatures Made for heavens honours have their ends, and good ones All but the cosening Crocodiles false women. They reign here Like those plagues, those killing soars Men pray against, and when they die; Like tales Ill told, and vnbeleiu'd they pass away, And go to dust forgotten: But my Lord Those short days I shall number to my rest, (As many must not see me,) shall though too late, Though in my evening, yet perceive a will Since I can do no good because a woman, Reach constantly at something that is near it, I will redeem one minute of my age, Or Like another Niobe isle weep Till I am water. All the deer joys here, and above hereafter Crown thy fair soul, thus I take leave my Lord, And never shall you see the foul Evadne Till she have tried all honoured means that may Set her in rest, and wash her slains away. Exeunt. Give me the key then, and Sir let none be near. 'Tis the Kings pleasure. You talk, you talk. Saving your imagination, pray good night Sir. The night grows horrible, and all about me Like my black purpose, Oh the conscience K. a bed. Of a lost virtue, whither wilt thou pull me? To what things dismal, as the depth of hell, Wilt thou provoke me? Let no woman dare From this hour be disloyal, if her heart Be flesh; if she have blood and can fear, 'tis a madness Above that desperate men that left his peace, And went to sea to fight, 'tis so many sins, And age cannot repent they, and so great, The gods want mercy for, yet I must through they, I have begun a slaughter on my honour, And I must end it there, a sleeps, o God, Why give you peace to this untemperate beast, That has so far transgressed you? I must kill him, And I will doo't bravely: the mere joy Confirms me that I merit, yet I must not Thus tamely do it as he sleeps, that were To rake him to another world, my vengeance Shall seize him waking, and then ay before him The number of his wrongs and punishments. I'll shape his sins Like furies till I waken His evil Angel, his sick conscience, And then I strike him dead. King by your leave, Ties his arms to the bed. I dare not trust your strength, your Grace and I M st grapple upon even terms no more. So, if he rail me not from my resolution, As I believe I shall not, I shall fit him. My Lord the King, my Lord, a sleeps As if he meant to wake no more, my Lord, Is he not dead already? Sir, my Lord. Oh you sleep soundly Sir. I am come at length Sir, but how welcome? Stay Sir, stay, You are too hight, and I have brought you physic, To temper your high veins. I know you have a surfeited foul body, And you must bleed. I you shall bleed, lie still, and if the devil Your lust will give you leave, repent, this steel Comes to redeem the honour that you stole King, my fair name, which nothing but thy death Can answer to the world. I am not she, nor bear I in this breast So much cold spirit to be called a woman, I am a Tiger, I am any thing That knows not pity, stir not, if thou dost, I'll take thee unprepared, thy fears upon thee, That make thy sins look double, and so S and thee (By my revenge I will) to look those torments Prepared for such black souls. No I am not, I am as foul as thou art, and can number As many such hels here: I was once fair Once I was lovely, not a blowing rose More chastely sweet, till thou, thou, thou foul canker, (Stir not) didst poison me, I was a world of virtue, Till your cursed Court and you (hell bless you for' ) With your temptatio S on temptations Made me give up mine honour, for which (King) I am come to kill thee. I am. Peace and hear me. Stir nothing but your tongue, and that for mercy, To those above us, by whose lights I vow, Those blessed fires, that shot to see our sin, If thy hight soul had substance with thy blood, I would kill that too, which being passed my steel, My tongue shall reach: Thou art a shameless villain, A thing out of the overcharge of nature, Sent Like a thick cloud to disperse a plague Upon weak catching women, such a tyrant, That for his lust would fell away his subjects, I all his heaven hereafter. Thou art my shame, lie still, theres none about you Within your cries, all promises of safety Are but deluding dreams, thus, thus thou foul man, Thus I begin my vengeance. I do not mean Sir To partly so fairly with you, we must change More of these love-tricks yet. Thou, thou monster. Stabs him. Thou keptest me brave at Court, and hoard me, King, Then married me to a young noble Gentleman, And hoard me still. Hell take me then, this for my Lord Amintor, This for my noble brother, and this stroke For the most wronged of women. Kills him. Die all our faults together, I forgive thee. Exeunt. Amintor I am loaded with events That fly to make thee happy, I have joys That in a moment can call back thy wrongs And settle thee in thy free state again, It is Evadne still that follows thee But not her mischiefs. Noble Amint r put off thy amaze, Let thine eyes lose, and speak, am I not fair, Looks not Evad: beatious with these rites now Were those hours half so lovely in thine eyes When our hands met before the holy man, I was too foul within, to look fair then Since I knew ill I was not free till now. In this consists thy happiness and mine, Joy to Amintor for the King is dead. 'Tis done, and since I could not find away To meet thy love so clear, as through his life I cannot now repent it. Forgive me then and take me to thy bed, We may not partly. 'Tis you that I would stay, not it. If it must be I shall not fear to meet it, Take me home. For heavens sake look more calm, Thine eyes are crueler, then thou canst make thy sword. Receive me then. Amintor thou shalt love me now again, Go I am calm, farewell, And peace for ever. Evadne whom thou hatst will die for thee. Kills herself. Thy hand was welcome but it came too late, O I am lost the heavy sleep makes hast. Oh my dearest brother, Your presence is more joyful then this day, You are merry Dula. Howes that Why how now wench. I am soon undone. Art thou drunk Dula. Thou thinkest belike there is no modesty When we'are alone. You prick me Madame. Sure this wench is mad. 'Tis time to leave it. Nay faith then take it. Nay then isle give you over. Wilt lie in my place to night. What wilt thou do. Aspatia take her partly. Do I prithee. I thank thee Dula, would thou coulst instill Some of thy mirth into Aspatia, Nothing but sad thoughts in her breast do dwell, Me thinks a mean betwixt you would do well. Nay leave this sad talk Madame. Lo if you have not spoiled all Dulas mirth. Ladies good night, I'll do the rest my self. Alas I pity thee. Exit Evadne. No? I am not well. Good my Lord I cannot sleep. I'll not go to bed. I will not for the world. Why? I have sworn I will not. I? Yes, sworn Amintor, and will swear again. If you will wish to hear me. If I should name him the matter were not great. The coyness of a bride. Do you Like it so. What look will Like you best. That I may show you one less pleasing to you, That I may show you one less pleasing to you. So perhaps I am indeed. Now I shall try thy truth, if thou dost love me. Thou waighst not any thing compared to me, Life, hono r, joys eternal, all delights The world can yield, are light as air To a true lover when his Lady frowns, And bids him do this, wilt thou kill this man, Swear my Amintor, and isle kiss the sun Of thy lips. I wood thou wouldst, Why, it is thou that wrongest me, I hate thee, Thou shouldst have killed thy self. Know it, and doo't. Neither of these, what think you I am mad, Because I speak the truth. You talk as if you thought I would hereafter. You hear right, I sooner would find out the beds of Snakes, And with my youthful blood warm their cold flesh, Letting them curl themselves about my limbs, then sleep one night with thee; this is not feigned, Nor sounds it Like the kisses of a bride. Do you invent the form, Let there be in it all the binding words Devils and conjurers can put together, And I will take it, I have sworn before, And here by all things holy do again, Never to be acquainted with thy bed, Is your doubt over now. This rage will do no good. When I call back this oath, the pains of hell environ me. Why so perhaps they are. I fear thee not, do what thou darest to me, Every ill sounding word, or threatening look Thou shewest to me, will be revenged at full. Do not you hazard that. Alas Amintor thinkest thou I forbear To sleep with thee, because I have put on A maidens strictness, look upon these cheeks, And thou shalt find the hight and rising blood Unapt for such a vow, no, in this heart There dwells as much desire, and as much will, To put that wished act, as ever yet Was known to woman, and they have been shown Both, but it was the folly of thy youth, To think this beauty, to what land soever It shall be called, shall stoop to any second, I do enjoy the best, and in that height Have sworn to stand or die, you guess the man. You dare not strike him. Why 'tis the King. What will you do now? What did he make this match for dull Amintor. Why should you fill your self so full of heat, And haste so to my bed, I am no virgin. Alas, I must have one To father children, and to bea e the name Of husband to me, that my sin may be More honourable. I must have one To fill thy room again if thou Wertenberg dead, Else by this night I could, I pi y thee. To cover shame, I took thee never fear, That I would blaze my self. Fear not, I will do this. I am content. Down all the swellings of my troubled heart, When we walk thus intwind let all eyes see, If ever lovers better did agree. Exit. My Lord. Within. I am not ready yet. They'le mock me. Why what have I done? Push. I knew I should be mocked. If it to do again, in faith I would not marry. Fi how you talk. By my troth you're spoiled. I connote love you, you tell tales of me. Amintor, hark. Aside You do it scuru lie, will be perceived. Ill sir. As I did sir. As one that to fulfil your pleasure, I have given leave to call me wife and love. How sir. I never did swear so, you do me wrong. I swore indeed that I would never love A man of lower place, but if your fortune Should throw you from this hight, I bade you trust I would forsake you, and would bend to him That wone your throne, I love with my ambition, Not with my eyes, but if I ever yet Touched any other, Leprosy light here Upon my face, which for your rioyaltie I would not stain. Why, it is in me then, not to love you, which will More afflict your body, then your punishment can mine. I hannot. A lies. By this light he does, strangely and basely, and I'll prove it so, I did not only shun him for a night, But told him I would never close with him. I am no man to answer with a blow, Or if I were, you are the King, but urge not, 'tis most true. This is dissembling, Amintor, thou hast and ingenious look, And shouldst be virtuous, it amazes me That thou shouldst make such base malicious lies. Dear wife, I do despise thee, Why nothing can be baser then to sow Dissension amongst lovers, The King and I. Who should live long and love without distaste, Were it not for such pickthanks as thy self, Did you lie with me, swear now, and be punished in hell For this. Now sir, see how loud this fellow lies. I would not have a fool, it were no credit for me You must needs be prating, and see what follows. I am gone, I love my life well. Exit Evadne. Save you sweet brother, Come, you would make, me blush. You shall if you command me, I am bashful, Come sir, how do I look. Go wait me in the gallery, — now speak. Why? You are strangely disposed sir. No, if you praise me 'twill make me sad. Brother, the Court has made you witty, And learn to riddle. Me? Gentle brother. How is this. I understand you not. My faults sir, I would have you know I care not If they were written here, here in my forehead. This is saucy, Look you intrude no more, theres your way. What truth is that you look for? How sir? where God you this report. They and the seconds of it are base people, Believe them not, theile lie. Unhand me and learn manners, such another Forgetfulness foe fits your life. Begun, you are my brother thats your safety. If you stay here and rail thus, I shall tell you, I'll would you whipped, get you to your command, And there preach to your Centinels, And tell the ̄ what a brave man you are, I shall laugh at you. The fellows mad, sleep and speak sense. Let me consider. The gods are not of my mind, they had better Let'em lie sweet still in the earth, theile stink here. You will not murder me. Help? You are deceived, put off amazement & with patience ence mark, What I shall utter, for the Oracle Knows nothing truer 'tis not for a night Or two that I forbear your bed, but ever. A maidenhead Amintor at my years. Sir is the King abed?