AMILCAR

Brontes, nor did Pyragmon ever shake The Anvil of that Iron-munger God V lcan, with blows so unsupportable, In hammering the thunderbolts of Jove, As did the courage of our General (By animating soldiers to attempt) Shatter the weak array of Cassius. He faint (for faintness ever does attend On such designs) being faint before the time Of onset, he withdrew so speedily, As, that retinue of his rebel-slaves, Begged noble mercy of the Conqueror. But we, Like some fierce Giant given to spoil, Enraged with a remembrance of their act, Their too contemptuous uproar; did reply, With anger unappeased in bloody phrase, That no compassion should redeem their lives From famine of our falchions: for indeed, Rebellion must be scourged until it bleed. Then flew the common Soldier with such speed, To enterprise in rigor the new spoil, As never did a hungry Wolf insult With more unsatisfied revenge, then they. Grim Slaughter in a Chariot of dead skulls, Road up and down triumphing, till dark night Shook off the fetlock from her sleepy I des, And gave way for retreat; each man before Troad in contempt upon the scattered foe, Until my fortune, rather then exploit, Slew the once owner of this unjoined scull, Then every man gave back, with blood being full. Vn-shell thy riddle: most miraculous! Take them, and prosper; pray be vigilant; Revolve I pray on how large consequence, The bore event and quell of our Hope's Jointly consist; who jointly have embarked The doubtful hazard of our dearest lives Upon a small miscarriage: only five Participate of our designs; my self, But first my father, then my stepped me next You (Steward) and the Captain of the Guard Whose happy full consent is scarce obtained: We severally have instructions learnt Of each particular function; have agreed How each conspirator shall be employed. Time calls for speedy Actium; the square plot Does now transcend a shapeless Embrio And will expect upon delivery: You have engaged a wise dexterity, And travail; to procure the famishment, To purvey, to collect aestiuall corn, Which Harvest will enrich the Rustics with: My task intends surprisal of the Queen: Be careful, take the keys, expend the weal Which long hath be vp-hoorded: traitors all Like cunning Statuaries, must avoid Blemish and eyesores; you conceive me sir: Successive business needs no roweld spur: Treason Like some insculpture spacious On a smooth Touchstone will demand men wise A diligent perusal, most precise; With and elaborate artificer Who may direct; for it's infallible That errors in a beauteous frame (though small And at another time though venial) Yet if committed in a curious piece Where blemish might (by sufferance) ensue The total is condemned and carved a new: Be white, or black; not (party-coulour'd) grey; So follow your commission, post away. Now my contentious brain revolve the tax Imposed (upon thy blessing) to surprise, And spoil the ruddy blossom of our age; Fair Favourina that Angel-like dame A Equal for beauty, for unmatched fame; With Saintlike Venus (by Appelles drawn) This Queens espousals have I undertook To dis-vniite, by a most impious act Of murder; but alas I am enthralled With true libidinous fervor; am enforced By lustful hight invasions to decline; Which punctually tempt me to avoid The colourable death of whom I love, Our sweet Cycnaean Goddess; the fair Queen; Whose body I'll enjoy with privilege, (I will enjoy with hazard of my death) While every man imagine she is dead. Gracchus the Eunuch did I entertain Commodiously forecasting and exploit Wherewith to muffle up the serpent-eyes Of probable suspicion: Like the Fuller Who cannot live by cloth must live by colour. But see, observe the beautiful approach Of my commanding object: bless me fate. Yes, rather, so, then maids. It'll amaze The organs of attention Madam: yet Seeing you enforce and covet misery, You shall no longer be withheld: then thus: But I beseech thee Queen remember well These admonitions that exemplefy The horror of my following discourse. Imagine while you do ingurgitate My poisoned sops the beauty of your sense Of your ingenious parts (all donatives Of Nature's bounty, and the Gods above) Imagine they'le be changed with violence With unresisted lunacy; so long, Until each spirit leave her function: Till with a surfeit you sur-sease to live Neglecting mundane solace; be transformed Into a liveless image, all thy veins And vital arteries being stopped with fear: Thus much remember Queen I do premise. Your spacious? o then Arithmetic Hath taught you to augment and multiply: (Dear Madam) speak within the bounds of truth. With privilege, then Madam, I'll express The wicked meaning of your enemies: Lucilla my proud stepdame, does abhor, Sole repetition of thy harmless name: She does repose her chiefest confidence In my audacious act, who am obliged Upon surprise to kill thee. It'll amaze The organs of attention Madam: yet Seeing you enforce and cover misery, You shall no longer be withheld then thus: But I beseech thee Queen remember well These admonitions that exemplefy The horror of my following discourse. Imagine while you do ingurgitate My poisoned sops the beauty of your sense Of your ingenious parts (all donatives Of Nature's bounty, and the Gods above) Imagine they'le be changed with violence With unresisted lunacy; so long, Until each spirit leave her function: Till with a surfeit you sur-sease to live Neglecting mu dan: solace; be transformed Into a liveless image, all thy veins And vital arteries being stopped with fear: Thus much remember Queen I do premise. Your spacious? o then Arithmetic Hath taught you to augment and multiply: (Dear Madam) speak within the bounds of truth. With privilege, then Madam, I'll express The wicked meaning of your enemies: Lucilla my proud stepdame, does abhor, Sole repetition of thy harmless name: She does repose her chiefest confidence In my audacious act, who am obliged Upon surprise to kill thee. N p me (good Gracchus ) how? look pale and dead? Fetch Aquafortis (Gracchus) stab my arm, A shaking palsy does oppress my heart; How? pale, and dead? So, What malecontented humour does oppress The image of unspotted honesty, With him so frequenr? I adore and love The civil carriage that I do observe In his Employment: if a Courtier hath (Courtiers of common out-side-silkes) if they Have deer acquaintance with dame Honesty (Famished in exile to the frozen pole) Gracchus I dare avow may parallel The best of their acquaintance: ( Gracchus ) hoe? What peril imminent, Does so oppose thy noble splendour? which (without mere base descension to collogue) I must inform thee is re ulgent. What cloudy passion, wrapped in ample phrase May such a railing vehemence portend? What means thy sharp invecti e? what's involved? Have you lost all? Oh the uncertain lot of idle game! I long have known thee. Honest is now a metamorphis'd name: He that can swear, blaspheme, be riotous, Roar till the midnight echo, or beginne' Some unappeased fray, who dares commence A drunken skirmish in a bawdyhouse, Fight for his hackney whore, and hazard all, In honour of his damned associates: Dares combat with a public officer, Be (out of gunshot) most irregular, Drunk in good earnest, be to five Constables, Cozen a flock of geese compendiously: Yet after all put a smooth visage on, Seem sober, be indulgent of his same, Though a most practised knave, remembering still, To make the midnights all participate Of such enormous acts: o ees the man Reputed sociable in our age: ò he Is reckoned for the honest gentleman: Who plays the spendthrift, the voluptuous fool, Exceeds the Turk in sensualty, Is a true midnight Epic e, can hide His lewd impostures from discovery, He shall be most untouched with ; He (amongst youthful bloods) shall win wreathe Purchase the name of Loyal honest friend; But (as our adage says) observe his end. But ( Gracchus ) I am rather confident Then scrupulous of thy square honesty, Gracchus, I love thee, therefore will bestow And annual pension of fix hundred pounds, And must withal employ thee. Gracchus, who gives not credence to a zeal Of thy profession, we account him base: Be chief among my chiefest followers, They shall receive directions from thy self. Withdraw, and punish that S Which my famêlie with; And which abusive ages do afford A zeal sincere the Gods cannot reprove And we erelong will manifest out loves Let us inculcate now my father's charge, Remember what with vehemence was-vrgd, Nay was enjoined you By our most watchful father. Madam. Yes, but my meaning is emaculate Like the forgotten primitive attempts, When all things were accounted innocence. Oh might the wrathful arrogance of some (Who by a peevish-tutored vehemence, Conspire in habit of corriuallship Against one pious beauty) be so far From prejudicial meaning as my self The age and Kingdom both might live secure: Madam, I can discose a prodigee That appertains to you. Have you then female fortitude enough, A most resolved courage, to conceive, To apprehend a passion that will wound Nay penetrate, the fabric of the soul? Shoot through the centre of thy trembling blood? Infuse five shaking palsies mutual Before I finish the first perjod? Hark heaven; How careless she accounts of accident, Grief, and this woman be familiar I think, and well acquainted. With all remember, you (right noble Queen) Who may attend my tale, are but a woman. No (my compendious Lady) here's and end: Obstinate silence is the safest whip To punish a perverse disciple with. Worthy Madam no, Your supple phrase shall not again recover One vowel of narration. Oh bitter! Oh pernicious. Without your wide complaint Without all torment to enforce the same I will expound them straight; and therefore thus: Ladies by birth of late are satisfied With nature's gifts, nor seek they to resist Impediments of age, or stinking breathes, But well are guided by the heavens decree Respecting beauty less then the command, Of Gods above; be not these prodigies? They honour husbands, hallow chastity Reject all midnight offers, live within: Abhor the name of lustful visitants, Take little relish in a homebred fool; And less delight in Physic, or the knaves Who practice that purloining office well. Be not these prodigies deer Madame? speak; When Ladies do bestow their idle time In scrutination of divinity Not seeking to beguile the abused Art Of painting; or to wish five Iubiles Might be allotted to their tumbling tricks And coltish untamed pleasure; which they use To practice without intermission: speak: Be not these prodigies dee e Madame? speak When Ladies, and light-women be estranged From Para-kitos, Munkies, island-curs Coaches, and Coach-mares, masking novelties; From waspish aemulation, to exceed Some elevated Madame in her gown; Some luy-bush attire; to engross The knowledge of a fucus, deutifrice, Unguentum, plaster (for in-faith sometime Diverse scabbed sheep do perish for defect Of these restoratives) o then resolve When Madames do estrange their faculty From inquisition, from delight in these; Will not the mouldered ashes that have slept So many thousand years, again revive? Will not the crazy joints of earth dissolve? And rotten father's be resuscitate? The final extirpation of each dame Both light and sober may this tale portend Be not these prodigies deer Madame? speak. This does mollify, Nor may redemption of abuse, though late; Although abruptly offered, derogate From the large sequel; either thy belief Or my unfeigned meaning (noble Queen) But Madam you shall seriously admit A most impugned caution, ere I speak; And shall observe the same inviolate, Without base mental reservation. I'll instruct How opportunely, Madam, you may meet With her abusive malice; and exempt Your self from the suspicion of revenge. And yet revenge will be conspicuous: I think, and well acquainted. With all remember, you (right noble Queen) Who may attend my tale, are but a woman. No (my compendious Lady) here's and end: Obstinate silence is the safest whip To punish a perverse disciple with. Worthy Madam no, Your S pple phrase shall not again recover One vo ell of narration. Obitter! Oh pernicious. Without your wide complaint Without all torment to enforce the same I will expound them straight; and therefore thus: Ladies by birth of late are satisfied With nature's gifts, nor seek they to resist Impediments of age, or stinking breathes, But well are guided by the heavens decree Respecting beauty less then the command, Of Gods above; be not these prodigies? They honour husbands, hallow chastity Reject all midnight offers, live within: Abhor the name of lustful visitants, Take little relish in a homebred fool; And less delight in Physic, or the knaves Who practice that purloining office well. Be not these prodigies deer Madame? speak When Ladies do bestow their idle time In scrutination of divinity Not seeking to beguile the abused Art Of painting; or to wish five Iubiles Might be allotted to their tumbling tricks And coltish untamed pleasure; which they use To practice without intermission; speak: Be not these prodigies deer Madame? speak When Ladies, and light-women be estranged From Para-kitos, Munkies, island-curs Coaches, and Coach-mares, masking novelties; From waspish aemulation, to exceed Some elevated Madame in her gown; Some luy-bush attire; to engross The knowledge of a f cus, dentifrice, Unguentum, plaster (for in-faith sometime Diverse scabbed sheep do perish for defect Of these restoratives) o then resolve When Madames do estrange their faculty From inquisition, from delight in these; Will not the mouldered ashes that have slept So many thousand years, again revive? Will not the crazy joints of earth dissolve? And rotten father's be resuscitate? The final extirpation of each dame Both light and sober may this tale portend Be not these prodigies deer Madame? speak. This does mollify, Nor may redemption of abuse, though late; Although abruptly offered, derogate From the large sequel; either thy belief Or my unfeigned meaning (noble Queen) But Madam you shall seriously admit A most impugned caution, ere I speak; And shall observe the same inviolate, Without base mental reservation. I'll instruct How opportunely, Madam, you may meet With her abusive malice; and exempt Your self from the suspicion of revenge. And yet revenge will be conspicuous: For all complaints and public remedy The primitive in unction does deny; You therefore shall admit my new devise, When Summer makes each field, each meadow fair; When pleasant springtide music is in tune, You may retire into this thicker-grove Loosely attended, with one maid, no more: While, Like a common soldier in disguise I suddenly rush forth, and do surprise You not misdoubting, whom I will convey Into my lodging near the City walls After all inquisition cease: till then, We may repast in some poor Country Town. (All men amazed with such a sudden chance) I will suborn a simple idiot (Being first obliged by bounty) to confess That he through wicked instigation Of my most infamous stepdame, did attempt, Nay finish the supposed murder; then That mere compunction did enforce the tale; To mitigate, his wound of conscience. No, he may craftily insert a boon Which will avoid the danger of his life. He shall beseech his death may be deferred Till my unlawful mother by the Law Taste execution, or he will profess Obstinate silence; so conceal the place Of your pretended burial; the King Nor any man alive may this deny; But I'll instruct him when he does espy Occasion; this to manifest aloud The Queen does live, though I were tempted oft By that malicious woman, now deprived Of natural bade parts, by righteous death, (Meaning my mother who shall then be dead) To slay whom I preserved, this hopeful Queen's. Subtle indeed, for my pretence implies Nothing but foggy mift to blind her eyes; When fair temptaion's weak; surprisal must Give satisfaction to my flaming lust. Life we allow, but never wish thy death, For we expect upon true diligence, And must improve the nature of thy zeal; Eunuchs, forbidden actions do conceal; Thou art and Eunuch, listen to my shame, Then give advise, and secrecy, though blame: I love; no, rather lust and love the Queen, Whom (all-supposing dead) by stratagem And strong delusion of her silly sense, I did surprise, being blinded with pretence; Nor did she seem repugnant to such ruth My Rhetoric was clad in robes of truth: Affirming she might thus revenge the spleen, Of proud Lucilla (who malign's her state) Giving no colour of revengeful hate; As to suborn a subtle wretch I vowed Who with abundant knowledge being endowed Most caitiff-like should counterfeit, no less, (For penitent compunction) heaviness; And so divulge he slew the Noble Queen, Thereto induced by poor Lucilla's spleen: Then should Lucilla live no longer day But lose each vital benefit for aye: Thus did the hope of vain revenge entice Woman to prove more valiant then wise: Whom I (as captive) do retain, till she Shall manumit my self, (her bondslave) free Here; and thy self though sprung of humane eed As Jailer to my Goddess I aread. Faithfully wise we do account thy love; And managing of this design will prove Thy elegant enforcements, touching me, Which (happily perchance) may set both free. Oh now my blood and reason be at war With apparition of this fatal star: Fatal to me, because enchanted beams Shoot from her eyelids into lovesick streams: See where she comes with excellence enough For fifty thousand of the female sex, Beauty's which bless the owner, neighbours vex. Madame he is the blessing of my fate Born to my Fortune's, and my whole estate. Titan roused up from darkness by the day Shrunk with amazement of the fatal morn, (Remembering what a mischief should befall) For cloudy nightcaps he again did call, When my suborned vassal gave consent To swim (for satisfaction of our sake) Through deep damnations gulf, so, through the lake Of undigested horror, to accuse My stepdame, young Lucilla, of your death: He, a dissembling caitiff, deeply read In irreligious acts; with doubtful face More doubted voice, and miserable groan Salutes the footstep of Maenanders throne; Then weeping said, the Worm of Conscience in my blood; tortures my broken soul; Haunted I am with terror while live Who to my life a perjod will give? A final perjod: for I live too long Let vila fortune be my fatal song, With which the so y King was somewhat moved, And (after silence) did exact his name Proceeding to the circumstantial cause; My rude impostor did prevent the clause, And seeming to afflict his pensive heart, Back from the royal footsteps does he start: Help, o defend me from her hateful frowns, See where Medusalike she comes, (he cried) Clad all in torchlight Like the Queen of hell Her sealpe's encircled with a Crown of flames: Much lean-jawed horror hangs about her eyes; The gaping wound for greedy vengeance cries. What madness now affrights thee, quoth our king? Fair Favourina's shadow he replies, For through enticements of Lucilla's spleen I slew the gallant Bride, and Sparta's Queen: Lucilla, by consent, was doomed to death And my Impostor also, whom I taught For life's own safeguard to beseech the King, That his vprighteous judgement of grim death Might fail of execution, joust so long As the condemned Lucilla did survive Thinking by this, then to discover all And say he did preserve whom she conspired to kill. The King, enraged with sorrow, did repel This poor petition of my totur'd slave: Who then despairing to escape from death Drew forth a dagger, gave one fatal stab Into the Kings own bosom, with which wound He Like a lofty Turret, nodding low, Clape his victorious palms above his head, And swo e a mighty oath, MENANDER'S DEAD. My slave torn piecemeal did enjoy his fate, Lucilla burr to a before the Palace gate. Yes, but Pheudippe's King. Now quickly (Madam) to disclose you live Were dangerous, and prejudicial I doubt: Therefore expect on opportunity, Least you infringe the league of unity; Till I advise, live (as you do) sec re: Safety's no less accepted of obscure And Country Peasants, then of Courted Kings: Place cannot change the nature of good things. I burn the rather, and by rape will quench My lastfull famine, were she loves own wench, You were not lousy (knave) not ragged, no Nor sick, I condescend; yet sirrah know The plagues of Egypt all began to march Full-mouth upon thee (Like devou king dogs Ready enough to rend a breathless Fox) When I with noble pity being oppressed, Flew forth Like lightning to thy rescued life, Which is indeed my proper donative. Do not reply thou true insulting toad, Squint-eyed caitiff, you pernicious rat, You gelded rascal, you most lousy rogue: Do not reply, mad masti e, do not swell, And think (because you can discover well My tricks of youth) to stop the fervent rage Of our untamed affections; future age Must, and shall, witness my fierce violence, If thou discover but one syllable; Nay, if thou entertain a piece of thought, Which by unmasking me does hope revenge: Swear, swear (you thick-lip'd rascal) kindly swear Without compulsion, or base-minded fear, To be Like midnight, as a sepulchre, Dumb as a Turkish executioner, Nay, as a marble statue, void of signs Touching the substance of my secrecy. Swear (slave) and think my soul a fury mad, Able to force wide rupture through the face Of threatening Horror to endamage thee; As to demand account of perjury. Do not seem loath, expecting new delay; For I can stab you (capon) to the quick, Cut off your Eunuch-nose, then laugh and kick Your lousy stinking neats-jowl to the dogs. No, but remember if you shall bewray My dark designments, or use cheating play In prosecution of my private cause, (Hoping for payment from the Spartan laws) Remember that thy life, and interest Of being rich, both owe a special rend With homage, and knight-service unto me, Remember you do hold in Capite. I leave addition, but consider well, You are as deep engaged almost as I; Which depth, of both engagements, reach to hell, If any (but our selves) the depth espy. Let me again obtest the waking Gods, Or (beyond them) your beauteous diety, (Which to abuse, were vild impiety) Thy glad fr ition were a ransomed soul, Or kingdoms conquest in my rich account Of gloriou beauty; giving more content Then soul imagine, or great kingdoms may. We call to ness thy imperious hate, And do appeal to virtue of thy love, (If hate and love may both together lodge) Thy love surmounts my valve, does infuse A sudden rapture to my longing soul, Does change dull nature, quicken up my brain, Put a presume into my sordid breath, And is indeed restorative to death. Madam, the vow mayes me monastical, I have protested a true single life, Which did engender a Dilemma, long, But religious indeed. I never will be yoked, by consequence No drawing beast, no big laborious ox, I must not marry madame. But be familiar (Madam) and recall I was a target once to thee condemned, Both by Lucilla, and Pheudippe's doom; Remember Madam, I did turn the edge Of quick Lucilla's wrath upon her self, Took thy confiscate beauty from the snare Of imminent subversion, drew thee out As from a gulf which gaping, ready stood To swallow down thy honour, sing thy hurt, So change thy golden dignity to dirt. I did (remember Madam) banish hate, For I did wrestle with uprising fate. (Queen) I contemn your points of chastity, Laugh at such idle tricks to colour sin: You are a captive in my custody, Consider well the law of time and place Be at my proper nod; if naked lust Bribe me to some injustice, do not blame A smooth acceptance; for the frugal age Wherein I live, does bark aloud for fees Which in themselves be bribes; if to the knees, Or neck, some rascal knave be drenched in blood, The scarlet can absolve a scarlet sin And call deep slaughter a corrective deed. Then blame the bribes which did injustice feed, Blame not the man (I pray;) so blame our lust Not met Hamilcar, if enjoy we must. Take her (good Gracchus ) to your custody Be thou my bawd, and purge Phlebotomy. Fetch forth Pigmalious Image, I will dote, And so become Cupid's Idolater: Stay Gracchus, we will both accompany Her sacred passage to the public air: What shaking palsy does detain thy steps? Where is the Queen? speak (trembling coward) speak. I am undone (you fragment) I'm undone, I am detected, whither shall I run? The harvest of my long laborious toil, Now I have swom through death and swallowed fire. Given doubtful fury a most brave repulse Put back suspense, and all approaching fears Almost concluded things impossible; Made smooth my way, and tilted in the face Of frowning mischief ready to take place; Now, now is all subverted; I am lost In a large Wood, a winding labyrinth: I am excluded from all native power, Am Like the rubbish of a ruined Tower; I am abused, I am to death betrayed, By thee a doctor villain; not afraid To swear me homage, and unlace my heart: The blessings of your body, breath, and soul Be so engaged, as their existence knows Not one redeemer among all the Gods, (Fabulous things to you) except my self; Thus did you swear, and swore I gave thee life, Nay did bestow a whole creations work Upon thee offal-caitiff, who adored Impression of my footsteps that was all Expecting hourly on the happy time When I should dare command what you durst do, When with advantage, I would but pronounce Oh Gracchus give me of thy blood and ounce: Thus did you swear, you dog-day-villaine, thus; And yet your actions be malicious: Teach me, some devil, to torment the rogue, Else take the righteous rigor of his fault In the depth of hels extremity; Rescue, o rescue this offending wretch (Some powers above) from my most fatal-wrath, For to afflict thee as the crime deserves Would lose a double partly in Paradise: Yet must I punish thee (thou Spiders-gall)— Repent? compassion? I would rather whip My weakened carcase with a Scorpions tail; Dwell in a nest of Adders, make them sting Till patience could endure; then wash my wounds With burning pitch and lamp-oile, both in lead, Or make a poultice of some swelling toad, Rather then take one cruel thought from 'load. Dare you then buzz (you beetle) and advance Your voice to contradict superiors? Proud slave come nearer; he may live among rats, Who will be daunted with a swarm of gnats, Much less with one poor mushrump; petty sir Pray leave to grumble, (you mad factious cur) Torments shall mitigate and make you tame Pains woe S then death, shall make thee deadly lame. Impudent devil, didst not hear the voice Of threatening tortures; Like so many toads, Night-ravens, or scritch owls which together sing Thy death's decree, as a funeral dirge? Repent, repent (slave) and consider well, Who is now sailing to the gates of hell. (Servants) come apprehend this Eunuch; hoe, Reserve him till the rigor of my doom Demands sharp execution; tie the wretch With loading manacles, and crucify This false condemned railer fifty times, Till with excess of pain the Traitor die. President of shame! Shoot (hell) a bonfire of unbounded flame, And may each heavenly star augment his light To make this woman famous; may each night Change foggy darkness to prodigious day, And (by some sign) a subtle whore display To be the miracle of monstruous age Worthy of judgements quill, and nature's stage. Are you the vestal? that religious Nun, Who speak no sillable but Innocence, Sacred devotion, Virgin chastity? Rail at our fleshly sins, concupiscence, Temptations actual, and yet embrace, Nay, hug hels bosom? creep into the vice (Which you would seem so lively to abhor) Gaping at small occasion? (Madam) know Affection is my servant, Will my slave, Passion my drudge, Temptation is my page And I more easily can command them all, Then may a Turk his tugging Galleyslave: Know, I contemn that courteous venery Which is afforded scotfree; such nice dams Would seem to cover when they covet flames. Of puddle-water no sick patient drinks; A precious odour, cheaply valued, stinks. And, that you may conceive how I esteem Your beauty; thus will I deform— Am I then betrayed? Oh give me oil of Mandrakes, Poppey juice Or poison of infected Helleber. To deceive all these Were policy above the rules of Art: I have concluded to prevent the shapes Of torture; death by death alone escapes. All fear is fled: The worst of woman's fear, Lucilla's dead: Yes; but MENANDER'S DEAD. Death & damnations plague to boot! how long Must I abstain (you smooth-tongued flatterer) Till doomsday? do not urge my flaming wrath, Least you provoke a Lion to the spoil. By Cupid's Sacraments of lust and love, I will no more delay (thou lazy dog) Dost trifle? speak forbearance, and delay? I do begin to be suspicious Of thy proceedings: tell us of delay? No, as the Falcon does a Pheasant seize, I will both seize upon her (prating daw) And truss her up in my Imperious claw. (Sirrah) rememer, I did give you meat, Clothes, coin, and such good poor commodities, When you were quite blown up with gamesters luck, Rags and fowl linen, scabs and scurvy lice, The quick associates of all cheating dice, Did honestly begin to set up house In your old single suit, pray do not make Me a disseizor of frank-tenements, By tortious dealing with your freeholders, Who had a better Title then my self If you do prove unthankful; so consider. Say I am lousy sir. And think withal, I who have coin bestowed, Clothes, and fair countenance, with store of meat, Can also give sharp sauce, which will procure Digestion to the stomach, else (proud sir) You will disgorge the vomit in my face; If kindness do recoil, let fear take place: And did she melt? The sad remembrance of my foolish vow, Vexes meek apprehension; yielding forth In stead of answer, ambiguities. You may command us. We both be vassals to your celsitude. ( Gracchus my deer) how dost? What answer makes my Goddess? does she melt? Does she recant and ask my pardon? speak. —I must (you creeping cur) and would refuse Rather to be a God, then to forgive A thing so capital; and thou escape; But and arch-devil would I ever be A fiend of horror beneath all degree, Eat flames and brimstone to beget me fierce That with astonished fury I might pierce And split each sinew; fear thy plumpest vain, So rack thy feeling with perpetual pain. No (thievish tumbler) leave thy cheating tricks And swear allegiance to some puny Lord, Make those believe that lack intelligence, For I am lashed with true experience: Though on thy bosom thou wouldst therefore crawl, And, Like a Serpent, live upon the dust: Though by continual creeping thou didst wear Thy breast and belly, (so become submiss In a most new degree) didst lick paths clean Where I should walk, and scrape away the filth: Employ each servile sinew to my ends, Yet you and I must never more be friends. Fill flat upon thy face (thou parricide) Fallen down as ready (captive) to abide Our indignation, which in childbirth lies, Big with a thousand swelling lunacies: Expecting all to be delivered out, And by vexation of thy falling strength, To be and orb in breadth, and age in length: Fallen (thou condemned Shismaticke) and charm The killing rage of my advanced arm; For I shall prove so desperately mad And full of rigor, in my sharp revenge; As to reuoule the terror of my doom Phanfy does tremble, but my rage makes room: (Sally wretch) I must forget humanity, And fallen acquainted with some forest Wolf; He, and such bloody Tutors shall instruct The shameless Art of savage cruelty, To kill thee, and become exorbitant; I will a ato ife thy limbs alive; Will small gobbets of thy quaking flesh And eed my Hawks, while life continues fresh Within the bloody morsel; make the sluice To Queen ver when they swallow down the juice: The Turk shall teach me to extend some plague Of most vn-suffering nature: till the day, And thy blaspheming breath do both decay. But orrow seize me) what avails This villains torture to my living woe? For I (except I quickly be transformed Into a Rat, a Hedgehog, Lowfe, or To de, Some base and obscure animal) must feel Torments more tedious then tongues may express, A Equal to which is doubtful heaviness: Nay. our attempts and high abuses done Be of such horrid shape, such ample strain; As to absolve them would require a Saint With special pardon from almighty Jove: Yes, though I should obtain that idle wish Of transmigration; yet the shameful troop Of sins which we are my scarlet livery Would follow fast, and (as Actions dogs) Tear me to pieces, not remembering, once, That I was master of the family: If, to become a new conformitant, Implied a venial act; each virtuous thought Should be my fellow: it's the fault of all, We do despair to stand, because we fallen. One maxim I retain by privilege; Such secrets, they do seldom thrive, nor can, Where we depend upon the breath of man: Oh had my drudge, my Vassal be but true, And faithful to the forecast of my Hope's, I had be brave confederate of Kings, Nay, might have called some Kings my feodars. (Oh devil) hadst thou be to my desires A sudden knave and dutiful enough: But for a time hadst thou continued so Until some limitation did expire With such observance as rank devils use Upon the precious mortgage of a soul I had be ready to depart with all; With pleasures, titles, all things, to enrich Thy budding Fortune's; all did I reserve Till death determined my approaching fate, Only to thee, then all, was consecrate, By endue surrender; but (young prodigal) Your Hope's and life (poor slave) be pawned to me Whom no sworn-devils Broker shall exceed In scurvy usage, though my heartstrings bleed. A squib, a squib, crack, flash, and spit apace, Break (my oxe-bladder) vanish into breath, A screechowl bids thee sing before thy death, Squeak our rare bagpipe; flesh-flye buzz again, Seem to insult with voice, (thou very found) Take thy last leave, bequeathe short life to ground. Presaging tempests (Pilot) in the straights. With false Pheudippe did conspire we two. Sparta behooves to'acknowledge thee her friend. Yielded? (base caitiff) be our Hope's all dead? My labour, lies, delusion, studied care, All turned to smoke through yielding of a drudge? All our engagements, my benevolence, My projects, aims, and large gratuities, All come to this? the centre of my thoughts, My double tricks, and cunny-catching-slights, All come to this? the rich felicity Whereon my faith was grounded, come to this? Come ghastly horror to consummate all, Add ruin likewise to my witless fallen. Oh my loud curse! delusion was my bait And I am now deluded; learning fails; No new invented stratagem avails; And virtue I am not acquainted with. Oh you damned rogue, it's holiday at home, You hope the Queen (sir) will advance you high, And hope so still, but (very, very knave) I will disjoint your elevated Hope's; And make you (sir) and Alcibiades: The Queen departed? Without desert As hitherto; but I will endeavour.