LAELIO

Most opportunely did you prae-acquaint My place with a design so requisite. What policy procures the famishment? A project most irreprehensible. To supper you'll invite the honest King— I; simple, indiscreet, bloud-raw, Of small experience to beguile, suspect, Frown, laugh, kill, flatter with a tyrant's face; A King too-open-breasted for this age; And so the world does honest men accou to By way of high reproach. To supper you'll invite this honest King; He (not misdoubting homebred violence) With a select strong military troop I, and the Guard together, will invade Murder (amidst the cups and Magistrates) Him; who shall surfeit of each fatal wound; Shall rather die then see Pheudippe crowned. Strike this ignoble traitor, Cockatrice, The subtle vermin base Pheudippe, strike, Strike fellows, strike, as does your General, Who hath withstood temptation actual. Hold from the rescue of my royal King? Revenge a traitors ignominious death? We'll fly with expedition; follow friends. Oh sir the final stab of mischiefs end Hath struck him dead; he cannot now amend. Damnation claps, Oh damnation laughs Kings may indeed deprive their Senate-house Of some pretence, and may (let others prate) Conceal affairs belonging to the State. A Poets rapture Kings have wished to feel Which some despise because uncapable. A Poet (precious sir) He does pronounce with volubility. I agree. They approach. The longer life, the lose more eminent: Know (Lords) I am a witness ocular, And may with privilege inform you both Of a most new and fatal accident: The King, Maenander, did produce a Scoene, A Scoene of Ai x, that unhappy play (Pretending sport) became a Tragedy For blood, and breath's efluxion: five deep wounds (wearing Maenanders badge) at once deprived The sister Royal, next allied, by law Of birth, and native consanguinity, From hope of all succession to the chair. With her Mantesio sleeps: Each life was tributary to the rage Of our mad King; but each accused it self As privy, to that arch-conspiracy So long forgotten; to Pheudippe's crime. A question doubtful; but Maenander says And apparition did reveal the truth. Never the same, yet the similitude, A doting age. No man does deny A theme so irrepugnable and true: Reasons own self will be our advocate In proving what you speak; for punies know The world's lame reuoluti'on hath been long, And all partake of mundane giddiness: The turning round of earth hath touched our brain; The longer age, the more absurd and vain. Where is the King? I carry news of joy— The sentence of Hamilcar let's attend. May tretchery be then accounted zeal? To his persuasive lines I do appeal. Read them, they do contain Apostasy, Foul matter of sedition: I avouch The guard to witness, I implore the Gods In their omnipotence, to testify The zeal of my affection; to resolve Whither this kingdom had not suffered woe, Thy Majesty been trampled under foot, Thy sinews cracked, thy bones unburied, Sparta been battered with intestine war, If through disloyal humour, through neglect Of homage, we had harkened to the false, But honey-mouth of this rebellious man.