KING

Count Virro, and Lord Polimetes welcome, You have been strangers at the Court of late; But I can well excuse you Count, you are about a wife, A young one and a fair one too they say, Get me young soldiers Count, but speak When is the day, I mean to be your guest, You shall not steal a martiage. Stolen, how man. No reason but the law should have his course. Your son, Lord Euphues, what is his offence. Let her alone, speak Lady, I charge you no man interupt her. Enter Leucothoe Your life is not in question. Ther's Music in her voice, and in her face More then a mortal beauty O my heart, I shall be lost in passion if I hear her, I'll here no more, convey her from my presence, Quickly I say. But stay, Stay Lady, let me hear you, beshrew my heart My mind was running of another matter. 'Tis such a tempting poison I draw in, I cannot stay my draught, rise up Lady. I'll further here the manner of this fact, Avoid the presence all, all but the Lady, And come not till I send. Now Lady what would you do to save the life Of him you love so dearly. You would be thankful then To me if I should grant his pardon. Those that are thankful study to requite A courtesy, would you do so? would you requite This favour Nay but Leucothoe, this lies in thy power to re quite, thy love will make requital, wilt thou love me? But in a nearer bound of love. Still thou wilt not conceive me I must deal plain With you, wilt thou lie with me, and I will seal his Pardon presently; nay more, isle heap upon you Both all favours, all honours that a Prince can give. Bethink your self, there is no way but that, I swear by Heaven never to pardon him But upon those conditions. Thou art not if not wilful, yield Leucothoe, It shall be secret, Philocles for his life Shall thank thy love, but never know the price Thou paidst for it; be wise thou heardst me swear, I cannot now show mercy, thou mayest save him, And if he die, 'tis thou that art the Tyrant. Yet pity me Leucothoe, cure the wound Thine eyes hath made, pity a begging King, Uncharm the charms of thy bewitching face, Or thou wilt leave me dead: will nothing move thee, Thou art a Witch, a Traitor, thou hast sought By unresisted spells thy sovereigns life: Who are about us there, call in the Lords again, Lord Pol tes, take your daughter to you, Keep her at home. Euphues I have taken a solemn oath Never to grant a pardon to thy S nne. My oath is passed and cannot be recalled. Farewell good old man. He is and honest man and truly noble, O my rash oath, my lust, that was the cause, Would any price would buy it in again. Away, you are base and bloody, That feeds your malice with pretence of justice, 'Tis such as you make Princes tirranous, And hated of their subjects, but look too't, Look your own heads stands fast for if the law Do find a hold in your coats, beg no mercy. Well leave me alone. Is there no means to save him no way, To g a dispensation for and oath, that I know except the Court of Room Will grant one, thats well thought on, I will not spare for gold, and that will do it, Nicanor. What book is that Thou hadst from Paris about the price of sins. He is a subtle Lawyer, and may find Some point, that in the Laws obscurity ee hid from us, some point may do us good, I have seen some of his profession Out of case as plain, as clear as day To our weak judgements, and no doubt at first Meant Like our thoughts by those that made the Law, Pick out such hard inextricable doubts, That they have spun a suit of seven year long, And lead their hood wink Clients in a wood, A most irremoveable Labyrinth, Till they have quite consumed um, this they can do In other cases, why not as well in this. I have seen others could extend the Law Upon the wrack, or cut it short again To their own private profits, as that thief Cruel Procrustes served his hapless guests, To fi them to his bed; Well I shall see, I would Nicanor were returned again, I would feign ease my conscience of that oath, That rash and inconsiderate oath I took, But see, here they are coming. Enter Matho. Matho, welcome. I sent for thee about a business I would entreat thy help in. 'Tis to decide a case that troubles me. Then thus it is, Lord Euphues son, Young Philocles, has lately stolen away The Daughter and Heir of Lord Polimetes, Who is his enemy, he following him hard Has apprehended him, and brings him to his trial To morrow morning: thou hast herd this news. And what will be the issue by the Law. But can there be no means thought upon To save him by the Law. Surely there may, speak man, I'll give thee Double Fees. Nay now thou art too honest, thou shouldst do As other Lawyers do, first take my money, And then tell me thou canst do me good. Yes if it to cut a poor men throat you could, For some rich gripping Landlord you could grinned The face of his poor Tenant, stretch the Law To serve his turn, and guided by his Angels, Speak Oracles more then the tongues of men, Then you could find exceptions, reservations, Stand at a word, a silible, a letter, Or coin some scruples out of your own brains, But in a cause so full of equity So charitable as this, you can find nothing, I shall for ever hate all your profession. Then I am miserable, rise Matho rise, I do not discommend thy honesty, But blame my own hard fate, ay Philocles I would redeem thy life at any price, But the Stars cross it, cruel fate condemns thee. Nicanor, I would find some privy place Where I might stand unseen, unknown of any, To hear the arraignment of young Philocles. Well I'll go up, And Like a jealous husband here and see That that will strike me dead, am I a King And cannot pardon such a small offence, I cannot doo't, nor am I Caesar now, Lust would uncrowned me, and my rash taken oath H S of a Kings prerogative, Come come Nicanor, help me to ascend, And ee that fault that I want power to mend. Ascendant Stay, And take my joy with you. These jars are well closed up, now Philocles, What my rash oath deni'de me, this blessed how e And happy accident has brought to pass, The saving of thy life. Thanks good Philocles, But where's the man whose happy presence brought All this unlooked for sport: where is Eugenio ? Welcome to Welcome Eugenio, prithee ask some boon That may requite the good that thou hast done. What is it? speak, it shall be granted thee. Then here all strife ends, I'll be your guest my self to day, and help To solemnize this double marriage. Then lead away, the happy knot you tie, Concludes in love two houses enmity. Is there a price for any sin set down. Thats well, go fetch the book presently. exit Nic. Sure there is perjury Among the rest, and I shall know what rate It bears before I have committed it. How now hast brought it. Read, I would know the price of perjury, Read till you come at perjury. My heart shakes with horror To hear the names of such detested sins, Can these be bought for any price of money, Or do these Merchant's but deceive the world With their false Wares no more of that foul book, I will know what I came to know, I would not for the world redeem my oath By such a c urse as this, no more Nicanor Unless thou find a price for Atheism. Well this is not the way, I have thought of another that may prove, And both discharge my oath and save his life, Nicanor run presently, call Matho hither, Matho the Lawyer, command him to make hast, I long to be resolved.