EUARCHUS

'Tis well Cleander, It will behove you then to be reserved, And lock this secret up: for it's no jesting With Kings that may command our lives and Fortune's: You now perceive her whom we call the Princess, To be your sister, and the love you bear her, Must be a brother's friendship, not a lovers Passionate heat; but yet she must not know, That I her father am, and you her brother: And trust me son, had I not seen despair Of life in you, which this love brought you too, I should not have revealed, what now you know. Now you're at peace, I hope. You are too far inquisitive; yet because I have engaged you in a secret of As great importance, this I will not hide. The King, I told you, when his wife grew near The time of her delivery, sent to know Of our great Oracle, whither the child should be Female, or Male, and what should be their fortune. It only was imparted unto me, And this it is which I have never shown To any but the Queen: here take and read it. If ere thy issue male thou live to see, The child thou thinkest is thine, thine shall not be, His life shall be obscure: twice shall thy hate Doom him to death. Yet shall he escape that Fate: And thou shalt live to see that not long after, Thy only son shall wed thy only daughter. This Oracle is full of mystery. It is; and yet the King would needs interpret That should it prove a manchild, it a Bastard: And being loath that one not of his blood (As he conceived by this) should be his heir, Told me in private, that if it were Male, He would not have it live, yet fearing most To publish his dishonour, and his wives, He charged me not reveal it unto any, But take the child, and see it made away, And make the world believe it was still born. No, for indeed I durst not For any thing, become a murderer. I went unto the Queen, Showed her the state she was in, and besought her To be as careful of me, as I was Of her, and we would work a better end Then she expected, so we both agreed; That if the Child she then did labour with, Proved to be Male, I should with care conceal The birth of it, and put a female child Instead of it, which I was to look out. It fortuned that your Mother then was ready To be delivered of your sister, and Time and good fortune did conspire to save The Kings child, and to make my daughter Princess. The Queen protesting to me, that it was The Kings own Child, conjured me to preserve it, Which as mine own I could not; for already Many took notice that my child was female: And therefore I was feign to publish her As dead, and buried and empty coffin. I road forth with the child a full nights journey, With purpose to deliver it to some Plain honest man, that would be careful of it, And not inquisitive to know whose child It was, but give it breeding as his own: When being frighted with the noise of Arms Of some outlawed thieves, that did infest The place, I made all haste I could to escape they, Considering my charge; for that I knew If I were taken, though they spared my life, The charge I had, must needs betray me to The King, and then I could not hope for mercy: I laid it down there covered closely over, A circle about his neck, wherein was writ, In characters known only to my self, And to the King; in which I used to cloth Secret dispatches, when I writ to him From foreign States, and within the Circle I graved the Kings less Seal, which then I kept. Some Gold beside, and Jewels there I left, That whosoever should find him, might with that Defray the charge of his education; However, next day I purposed to return With speed, and carry it to some abided. She did not, Till my return next day: then when I told her, The child was thence removed where I had left him, It's probable. With such impatience, That being weak before, she shortly died. I durst not, For fear of being discovered; on your life Take heed how you reveal this. Then let us watch my daughter, for I fear The flight she made was for some other end, Then for retirement which she does pretend. You shall do well: Come, let us to the King. And what have you discovered? I have herd his relation: but I wonder How for a whole months time, she should abide Within our confines, when so great a search, Through all our Countries, and loud proclamations Were made for her recovery. I will not force her to't: some little time Perhaps may make discovery of that secret: But unto thee my faithful Counsellor. (As unto one my heart hath still been open) I will discover what my purpose is, In sending for these shepherd's to my Court. No Eubulus, But for a greater end; I fear my daughter, And therefore I have sent for her to see These sports, with purpose to observe her looks, For I suspect she loves some shepherd there. I, thou still Dost plead for her, but yet am I her King As well as father, private men respect Their profits, and their private interests Of kindred, but the actions of a King, To honour, and renown must be directed: Cleander enters. Consider that, and then thou wilt forget her. Cleander, welcome, how does Calligone? Is she not glad to come unto our presence? Why dost not answer? art thou frighted man? Why what's the matter, speak, and speak it freely What, not dead, I hope? Would! How now Eubulus, Are my presages true? shall I then sleep With this disgrace, and let my neighbour Princes Mock at my humble Fortune's, when they hear The daughter of Euarchus matched her self With a base shepherd? Go Eubulus quickly, Here take my signet, let this be your warrant To put them both to death. I, both. Why do you question me? Have I not said they both shall die: dispatch. Let me not see thee, till they both be dead. Exit. No time? who bid thee hasten to the ruin Of thy poor father, and thy family? The messages which come to do us hurt, Are speedy: but the good come slowly on, I am amazed; pray Jove thou be'st not mad. Sure thou wilt come unto thy self anon, Prithee bethink thee. This is strange. But what is true? If she do live, I think She will; but yet you know we were commanded To cut that life off. Jupiter forbid. Would! what's that? Prithee digest thy troubled thoughts, and tell me What Prince is this thou meanest? Thou dreamest, it cannot be. Would! Who's this? It's it, it is the same: Archigenes Son of Euarchus and Eudora: This is my character, and this my seal. Rise Calligone: The Gods are just I see, that favouring My innocence, have brought this match about. But say Cleander, what Fate guided thee To this discovery? It's strange, thou shouldst be present at a murder. What did you then? This day for ever let it holy be, And you whom love has brought through deep despair, Unto the haven of your happiness, Enjoy each other freely. Of you brave shepherd, (But now my Prince) I shall inquire anon Where, and with whom you lived. Go call him in, Enter Montanus, Mirtillus. over welcome both, you may applaud your fortune hat brought you such a Shepherd: stay all here, While I go to the King. This day will add over years unto his life, when he shall say, oh day shone brighter on Arcadia. Exit. Although I wonder, yet I do believe thee, y faithful Councillor. Read it, Eubulus, nce more; and then call in my son and daughter. Calligone is not my child, proceed. It's true, that twice I did command his death, irst thinking him a bastard, then a shepherd, or his offence; the Gods are just: Go on. This was a riddle ever till this day, Their marriage has made it plain. Eubulus, Call in Archigenes, and call thy daughter The fair Calligone, that I may pour My blessings on them: And I long to see Those characters, thou writest about his neck, That I may call him mine. Archigenes come nearer, for thou art A stranger yet, although thou be my son: The Character is plain, it is the same Eubulus writ to me: you heavenly powers Give me a heart that may be large enough Express my joy for these, and thanks to you. Rise both, you have my blessing. But who are these? Eubulus, this is he, Montanus, is't not? Some other time we'll hear them. Let him be well rewarded. Let them be feasted all, And study something new to celebrate These Nuptials, which I will have proclaimed Throughout my kingdom: and Eubulus, see That every thing be fitted for their honour. Come let us to the Temple, that we may With holy sacrifice appease the Gods, Whose great decrees, though we did strive to hinder, Yet are they now fulfilled. It is in vain, T'oppose the Fates, whose laws do all constrain. Exeunt ALl leave the room. Eubulus, I'm resolved To hold and easier hand over my daughter Then I was wont: Therefore I sent Cleander To bring her to my presence, though she have Wronged her great birth and breeding by her follies, Yet I consider that she is my daughter, And this restraint cannot but harden her In her found resolutions: have you sought By all the means you can to sift the cause Of her departure?