ZIRIFF

Well, I will dispatch them presently. Show them the Gallery. Again? I come, I come. Gre ness, thou vainer shadow of the Princes beams, begotten by mere reflection, nourished in extremes; first taught to creep, and live upon the glance, poorly to fare, till thine own proper strength bring thee to surfeit of thy self at last. How dull a Pageant, would this States-play seem to me now; were not my love and my revenge mixed with it?— Three tedious Winter's have I waited here, Like patient Chemists blowing still the coals, and still expecting, when the blessed hour would come, should make me master of the Court Elixar, Power, for that turns all: it's in projection now; down, sorrow, down, and swell my heart no more, and thou wronged ghost of my dead father, to thy bed again, and sleep securely; it cannot now be long, for sure Fate must, as't has been cruel, so, a while be just. Such as will send the blood of hasty messages unto the heart, and make it call all that is man about you into council; where's the Princess, Sir? The King must have her— The King must have her (Sir) Put up: put up! such unbecoming anger I have not seen you wear before. What? draw upon your friend, do you believe me right now?— The same, but how preserved, or why thus long disguised to you, a freer hour must speak: That you're etraid is certain, but by whom, unless the Priest himself, I cannot guess mor than the marriage, though he knows not of: if you now send her on these early summons before the sparks are grown into a flame, you do redeem offence, or make it less; and (on my life) yet his intents are fair, and he will but besiege, not force affection. So you gain time; if you refuse, there's ut one way; you know his power and passion. Do (Sir) as Seamen, that have lost their light and way: strike sail, and lie quiet a while. Your forces in the Province are not yet in readiness, nor is our friend Zephines arrived at Delphos; nothing is ripe, beside— How poor, and how unlike the Prince is this? this trifle woman does unman us all; robs us so much, it makes us things of pity. Is this a time to lose our anger in? and vainly breathe it out? when all we have will hardly fill the sail of Resolution, and make us bear up high enough for Actium. Stay, Sir, 'twere fit Aglaura yet were kept in ignorance: I will dismiss the Guard, and be my self again. Nay, Gentlemen: there needs no force, where there is no resistance: I'll satisfy the King my self. What doubtful combats in this noble youth passion and reason have!— Madam, his wiser fear has taught him to disguise his love, and make it look a little rude at parting. Affairs that do concern, all that you hope from happiness, this night force him away: and lest you should have tempted him to stay, (Which he did doubt you would and would prevail) he left you thus: he does desire by me you would this night lodge in the little tower, which is in my command; the reasons why himself will shortly tell you. Then all my ears are true, and she is false; false as a falling Star, or Glowworms fire: This Devil Beauty is compounded strangely, It is a subtle point, and hard to know, whether't has in't more active tempting, or more passive tempted; so soon it forces, and so soon it yields— Good Gods! she seized my heart, as if from you sh'ad had Commission to have used me so; and all mankind beside—and see, if the just Ocean makes more haste to pay to needy rivers, what it borrowed first, then she to give, where she never took; me thinks I feel anger, Revenges harbinger chalking up all within, and thrusting out of doors, the tame and softer passion;— It must be so: To love is noble railtie, but poor sin When we fallen once to Love, unloved again. If there be such a Toy about you, Sister, keep't for your self, or lend it to the Prince; there is a dearth of that Commodity, and you have made it Sir. Now? what is the next mad thing you meam e to do? will you stay here? when all the Court's beset Like to a wood at a great hunt, and busy mischief hastes to be in view, and have you in her power— No wonder if that heaven for sake us, when we leave our selves: what is there done should feed such high despair? were you but safe— I understand not this, in times of envious penury (such as these are) to keep but love alive is fair, we should not think of feasting him: come (Sir) here in these lodgings is a little door, that leads unto another; that again, unto a vault, that has his passage under the little river, opening into the wood; from thence it's but some few minutes easy business unto a Servants house of mine (who for his faith and honesty, hereafter must look big in Story) there you are safe however; and when this Storm has met a little calm, what wild desire dares whisper to it self, you may enjoy, and at the worst may steal: Would this were all the ill, for these are pretty little harmless nothings; Times horse runs full as fast, hard born and curbed, as in his full career, loose-rained and spurred: come, come, let's away. Stir not from hence, Sir, till you hear from me so goodnight deer Prince. When we meet next all this will but advance— Joy never feasts so high, as when the first course is of misery. Not to punish thought, or keep it long upon the wrack of doubt, know Sir, That by corruption of the waiting woman, the common key of Secrets, I have found the truth at last, and have discovered all: the Prince your Son was by Ag aura means, conveyed last night unto the Cypress Grove, through a close vault that opens in the lodgings: he does intend to join with Carimania, but ere he goes, resolves to finish all the rites of Love, and this night means to steal what is behind. How just (Sir) rather, that would bestow this Fortune on the poor. and where your bounty had made debt so infinite that it grew desperate, their hope to pay it— By no means Sir: hope on his future Fortune's, or their Love unto his person, has so sicklied over their resolutions, that we must not trust them. Beside, it were but needless here; he through the vault alone, and I my self dertake that business, if that were all, to there is something else, this accident does prompt my zeal to serve you in. I know you love Aglaura (Sir) with passion, a worser would enjoy her; I know beside he loves him so, that whosoere shall bring the ti mgs of his death, must carry back the news of hers, so that your Justice (Sir) must rob your hope: but there is yet a way— If any partly of this rich happiness, ( ortune prepares now for you) shall owe it self unto my weak endeavours, I have enough. without doubt this night expects the , and why you should not then supply his place by stealth, and n disguise— Who trades in Love must be and adventurer, (Sir) but here is scarce enough to make the pleasure dearer: I know the Cave; your Brother and my self with , (for those w'are sure do hate him,) with few chosen more betimes will wait the Princes passing through the vault; if he comes first, he's dead; and if it be your self, we will conduct you to the chamber door, and betwixt you and danger afterwards. I must confess my Lord; had but the Princes ills proved eight, and not thus dangerous, he should have owed to me, at least I would have laid a claim unto his safety; and Like Physicians, that do challenge right in Nature's cures, looked for reward and thanks; but since 'twas otherwise, I thought it best oh save my self, and then to save the State. Safely I'm sure, my Lord! you know it's not ur custom, where the Kings dislike, once swells to hate, there to engage our selves; Court friendship is a Cable, that in storms is ever cut, and I made bold with it; here is the warrant sealed and for the execution of it, if you think we are not strong enough, we may have , for him the King did name. But is he not too much the Prince's (Sir?) Hold, do not vow my Lord, let it deserve it first; and yet (if Heaven bless honest men's intents) it's not impossible. My Lord, you will be pleased to inform him in particulars, I must be gone.— the King I fear already has been left too long alone. Eleven, under the Terrace walk; I will not fail you there. I had forgotten:— may be, the small remainder of those lost men that were of the Conspiracy, will come along with him: 'twere best to have some chosen of the Guard within our call— What ere he says believe him not Aglaura: for lust and rage ride high within him now: he knows Thersames made escape from hence, and does conceal it only for his ends: for by the favour of mistake and night, he Hope's enjoy thee in the Prince's room; I shall be missed—else I would tell thee more; But thou mayest guess, for our condition admits no middle ways, either we must send them to Graves, or lie our selves in dust:— It's about this hollow. No matter Sir, it's as proper for our purpose, as the Lobby for the waiting woman's. Stay you here, I'll move a little backward, and so we shall be sure to put him passed retreat: you know the word if't be the Prince. Here Sir, follow me, all's quiet yet.— No. Waiting within. Revenge! So let's drag him to the light, and search his pockets, there may be papers there that will discover the rest of the Conspirators. Jol S, your hand— Yes, and Zorrannes too, Illo! hoe!— Unarm them. D'ee stare? This for my Father's injuries and mine: half Love, half Duties Sacrifice, this—for the noble Prince, and offering to friendship: Nothing—killed a Traitor, So—away with them, and leaves us, Pasithas be only you in call. No fool: it's but a difference I put betwixt the crimes: Orbella is our quarrel; and I do hold it fit, that love should have a nobler way of Justice, than Revenge or Treason; follow me out of the wood, and thou shalt be Master of this again: and then, best arm and title take it. There— 'Twas Fate that took it, when it decreed we two should meet, nor shall they mingle now we are brought together strait to partly.— To guilty men, all that appears is Devil, come Trifler, come.— What a great spreading mighty thing this was, and what a nothing now? how soon poor man vanishes into his noontide shadow? but Hope's over fed have seldom better done:— Take up this lump of vanity, and honour, and carry it the back way to my lodging, there may be use of Statesmen, when th'are dead: So.—for the Citadel now, for in such times as these, when the unruly multitude is up in swarms, and no man knows which way they'll take, it's good to have retreat. Aglaura! The same. So slow to let in such a longed for Guest? must Joy stand knocking Sister, come, prepare, prepare.— The King of Persia is coming to you strait! the King!—mark that. Is this instinct, or riddle? what King? how gone? Some sad mistake—thou hast undone us all. The Prince! the Prince! cold as the bed of earth he lies upon, as senseless too; death hangs upon his lips, Like and untimely frost, upon and early Cherry; the noble Guest, his Soul, took it so ill that you should use his old Acquaintance so, that neither prayers, nor tears, can ever persuade him back again.— hold, hold! we cannot sure partly thus! Sister! Aglaura! Thersames is not dead, It is the Prince that calls— For ever.—I: there's it! for in those groves thou talkest of, there are so many byways, and odd turnings, leading unto such wild and dismal places, that should weegoe without a guide, or stir before Heaven calls, it's strongly to be feared we there should wander up and down for ever, and be benighted to eternity!— Why it's to be benighted to eternity; to fit i'th' dark, and do I know not what; unriddle at our own sad cost and charge, the doubts the learned here do only move— How is religion fooled betwixt our loves, and fears? poor Girl, for ought that thou hast done, thy Chaplets may be fair and flourishing, as his in the Elysium: Yes, I do think so. The juster Judges of our Actions, would they have been severe upon our weaknesses, would (sure) have made us stronger.— Fie! those tears a Bride upon the marriage day as properly might shed as thou, here widows doo't and marry next day after: To such a funeral as this, there should be nothing common— Wee'll mourn him so, that those that are alive shall think themselves more buried sar than he; and wish to have his grave, to find his Obsequies: but stay—the Body. Again! Sister— Aglaura — o speak once more, once more look out fair Soul.— She's gone.— Irrevocably gone.—And winging now the Air, Like a glad bird broken from some cage: poor Bankrupt heart, when 'thad not wherewithal to pay to sad disaster all that was its endue, it broke—would mine would do so too. My soul is now within me Like a well mettled Hawk, on a blind Faulk'ners fist, me thinks I feel it baiting to be gone: and yet I have a little foolish business here on earth; I will dispatch:— All's fast too, here— They sleep to night i'their winding sheets I think, there's such a general quiet. O! here's light I warrant: for lust does take as little rest, as care, or age.— Courting her glass, I swear, fie! that's a flatterer Madam, in me you shall see trulier what you are. My business is my boldness warrant, (Madam) and I could well afford to-have been without it now, had Heaven so pleased. The King. Yes.— If to be free from the great load we sweat and labour under, here on earth be to be well, he is. Yes Madam, slain—and the Prince too. I know not, but dead they are. Yes Madam. As I see you alive. Yes, dead. What would you Madam? Madam it's not so safe to raise the Court; things thus unsettled, if you please to have— In's dead sleep by this time I'm sure. I'm gone.— But Madam, why make you choice of him, from whom if the succession meet disturbance, all must come of danger? Pardon me Madam, if before I go I must unlock a secret unto you; such a one as while the King did breathe durst know no air, Zorannes lives. And in the hope of such a day as this has lingered out a life, snatching, to feed his almost famished eyes, sights now and then of you, in a disguise. If you did love him, as they say you did, and do so still; it's now within your power! Excuse it? Though I confess I loved his father much, and pity him, yet having offered it unto your thoughts: I have discharged a trust; and zeal shall stray no further. Your pardon Madam: But such another word, and half so loud, and th'art.— I do not know my temper— Look here vain thing, and see thy sins full blown: There's scarce a partly in all this face, thou hast not been forsworn by, and Heaven forgive thee for't! for thee I lost a Father, Country, friends, my self almost, for I lay buried long; and when there was no use thy love could pay too great, thou madest the principle away: had I but stayed, and not began revenge till thou hadst made and end of changing, I had had the Kingdom to have killed: As wantons entering a Garden, take the first fair flower, they meet, and treasure't in their laps. Then seeing more, do make fresh choice again, throwing in one and one, till at the length the first poor flower overcharged, with too much weight withers, and die: so hast thou dealt with me, and having killed me first, I will kill— So rises day, blushing at nights deformity: and so the pretty flowers blubbered with Due, and ever washed with rain, hang down their heads, I must not look upon her: I dare not grant it.— It's about this hollow. No matter Sir, it's as proper for ou purpose, as the Lobby for the waiting woman's: stay you here, I'se move a little backward, and so we shall be sure to put him passed retreat, you know the word if it be the Prince. Here Sir, follow me, all's quiet yet. No. Waiting within. Revenge!— Bring them forth.— Yes, and the Princes friend— D'you know this face? 'Twas Fate that took it, when it decreed we two should meet, nor shall they mingle now, we are but brought together strait to partly.— To guilty men, all that appear is Devil; come trifler, come,— Why then it seems my star's as great as his, I smile at thee, thou now wouldst have me kill thee, and it's a courtesy I cannot afford thee, I have bethought my self, there will be use of thee,— Pasithas —to the rest with him. Good gods, and I o'the party too. Unfortunate mistake! I never did intend our safety by thy hands: Pasithas, go instantly and fetch Andrages from his bed; how is it with you Sir? Now all the gods defend this way of expiation; Thinkest thou thy crime, Aglaura would be less, by adding to it? or canst thou hope to satisfy those powers, whom great sins do displease, by doing greater. My griefs besot me: his soul will sail out with this purple tide, and I shall here be found staring after't, Like a man that's come too short o'th' ship, and's left behind upon the land. O welcome, welcome, here lies, Andrages, alas too great a trial for thy art. O it's no time for story. Hark, the Prince does live. Still in despairs: I did not think till now 'twas in the power of Fortune to have robbed Thersames of himself, for pity, Sir, and reason live; if you will die, die not Aglaura's murdered, that's not so handsome: at least die not her murdered, and her murderer too; for that will surely follow. Look up, Sir, this violence of Fortune cannot last ever: who knows but all these clouds are shadows, to set off your fairer days, if it grows blacker, and the storms do rise, this harbour's always open. And by that time it may be Heaven will give our Misery's some ease: come Sir, repose upon a bed, there's time enough to day. All fast too, here They sleep to night i'their winding sheets I think, there's such a general quiet. O! here's light I warrant you: for lust does take as little rest, as care, or age. Courting her glass, I swear, fie! that's a flatterer Madam, in me you shall see trulier what you are. My business is my boldness warrant, (Madam) and I could well afford to-have been without it now, had Heaven so pleased. The King— Yes,— If to be on's journey to the other world be to be well, he is. Yes, Madam, dead. I do not know particulars. Yes (Madam). Madam I know him as certainly dead, as I know you too must die hereafter Yes, dead. What would you Madam? (Madam) it's no so safe to raise the Court, things thus unsettled, if you please to have— In's dead sleep by this time sure. I'm gone.— But (Madam) why make you choice of him, from whom if the succession meet disturbance, all must come of danger? Pardon me (Madam) if before I go I must unlock a secret to you; such a one as while the King did breathe durst know no air, Zorannes lives. And in the hope of such a day as this has lingered out a life, snatching, to feed his almost famished eyes, sights now and then of you, in a disguise. If you did love him, as they say you did, and do so still' it's now within your power: Excuse it? Though I confess I loved his father much, and pity him, yet having offered it unto your thoughts: I have discharged a trust; and zeal shall stray no further. (Your pardon Madam:) Look here vain thing, and see thy sins full blown: There's scarce a partly in all this face, thou hast not been forsworn by, and Heaven forgive thee for't! for thee I lost a Father, Country, friends, my self almost, for I lay buried long; and when there was no use thy love could pay too great, thou madest the principle away:— Prompt. — As wantons entering a Garden, take the first fair flower they meet, and treasure't in their laps. Then seeing more, do make , throwing in one and one, till at the length the first poor flower overcharged, with too much weight withers, and die: so hast thou dealt with me, and having killed me first, I will kill— So rises day, blushing at nights deformity: and so the pretty flowers blubbered with Due, and overwashed with rain, hang down their heads, I must not look upon her. I dare not grant it.— Pasithas —away with her. Awake; how is it with you, ? And more than thanks I hope we yet shall ive to pay him. How old's the night? I have a cause that should be herd yet ere day break, and I must needs entreat you Sir to be the Judge in't. When you have promised— Confidence! (thou paint of women, and the Statesman's wisdom, valour for Cowards, and of the guilties Innocence,) assist me now. Sir, send these Starers off: I have some business will deserve your privacy. The very same, the wronged Zorannes, —King— D'you stare,— away with them where I appointed. Poor Counterfeit, how feign thou now wouldst act a King, and art not: stay you,— Unhand him,— Leave us now.— We are alone, follow me out of the wood, and thou shalt be Master of this again, and then best arm and title take it. Now by my father's soul, I do almost repent my first intents, and now could kill thee scurvily, for thinking if I had a mind to rule, I would not rule alone, let not thy easy faith (lost man) fool thee into so dull and heresy; Orbella is our quarrel, and I have thought it fit, that love should have a nobler way of Justice, than Revenge, or Treason. If thou darest die handsomely, follow me. There,— Have I not pitched my nets Like a good Huntsman? Look, Sir, the noblest of the Heard are here. This place is yours.— Remember, Sir, your promise, I could do all I have to do, alone; but Justice is not Justice unlesse't be justly done: here then I will begin, for here began my wrongs. This woman (Sir) was wondrous fair, and wondrous kind,—I, fair and kind, for so the story runs, she gave me look for look, and glance for glance, and every sighs Like echo's was returned, we sent up vow by vow, promise on promise, so thick and strangely multiplied, that sure we gave the heavenly Registers their business, and other mortals oaths then went for nothing, we felt each others pains, each others joyces, thought the same thought, and spoke the very same; we were the same, and I have much ado to think she couldbe ill, and I not be so too, and after this, all this (Sir) she was false, loved him, and him, and had I not begun revenge, till she had made and end of changing, I had had the Kingdom to have killed, what does this deserve? I thank you, Sir, for him I will not trouble you, his life is mine, I wone it fairly, and his is yours, he lost it foully to you— to him, Sir, now: A man so wicked that he knew no good, but so as't made his sins the greater for't. Those ills, which singly acted bred de pair in others, he acted daily, and never thought upon them. The grievance each particular has against him I will not meddle with, it were to give him a long life, to give them hearing, I'll only speak my own. First then the Hope's of all my youth, and a reward which Heaven had settled on me, (if holy contracts can do any thing) he ravished from me, killed my father, Aglaura's father, Sir, would have whored my sister, and murdered my friend, this is all: and now your sentence, Sir. I humbly thank you, Sir. Is this all you have to say?— What mean you, Sir? Why Sir, you know you would your self have done it. Th'have thawed the ice about my heart; I know nor what to do. Death: what's this?