HOFFMAN

H Ence Clouds of melancholy le be no longer subject to your sismes, But thou deer soul, whose nerves and artires n dead resoundings summon up revenge, And thou shalt hate, be but appeased sweet h arse The dead remembrance of my living father And with a heart as air, swift as thought I'll excuse justly in such a cause Where ruth leads, what coward would not fight Ill acts move some, but mine a cause is right See the powers of heaven in apparitions And fight full aspects as in en ed That thus tardy am to do and act which justice and a father's death exites, Like threatening methors antedates destruction. Again I come, I come, I come, Be silent thou igies of fair virtue That Like a goodly syen wear't plucked up By murderous, winds, infectious blasts and gusts I will not leave thee, until Like thy self, I've made thy enemies, then hand in hand We'll walk to paradise—again more blessed I'll to yond promonts top, and their survey, What shipwracked passengers the belgic sea Casts from her foamy entrails by mischance. Roar sea and winds, and with celestial fires, Quicken high projects, with your highest desires. Thou liest, there lives upon the earth more easts With wide devouring throats, then can be found Of ravenous fish in the Ocean: The huge Leviathan is but a shrimpe Compared with our Balena on the land Seest thou them trembling, slave here were Arms? That served the troath less state of Luningberge. Would, would, I laugh to see how dastard fear Hastens the death doomed wretch to his distress, Say didst thou serve the duke of Luningberge. Is he that escaped the wrack young Luningberg? Revenge I kiss thee, vengeance you're at liberty, Wouldst thou having lost a father as I have, Whose very name dissolves my eyes to tears Could duty and thy love so different prove, Not to avenge his death whose better partly Was thine, thou his, when he fell partly of thee Fell with him each drop, being partly thine own And wouldst not be revenged; On him, or any man that is a i'ld Has but one unce of blood, of which he's partly He was my father, my heart still bleeds Nor can my wounds be stopped, till and incision, I've made to bury my dead father in: Therefore without protraction, sighing, or excuses Swear to be true, to aid assist me, not to stir Or contradict me in any enterprise I shall now undertake, or hereafter. Were I persuaded that thou couldst shed tears, As does the Egyptian serpents near the Nile; If thou wouldst kiss and kill, embrace and stab, Then thou shouldst live, for my inuictiue brain Hath cast a glorious project of revenge Even as thou kneelest, wilt thou turn villain speak. Forbear thy Lord is coming isle go in And royally provide for such a Prince, Say thou hast met the kindest host alive, One that adores him, with no less zeal Then rich men gold, or true religious heaven Dissemble cunningly, and thou shalt prove the minion of my thoughts, friend to my love. Before I speak to my most sacred Lord I join my soft lips to the ollid earth And with and honoured bennison I bless The hour, the place, the time of your arrive For now my savage life, led amongst beasts Shall be turned civil by your grarious help You that attend my Lord enter the cave Bring forth the homely Cakes These hands prepared While I entreat his excellence fit down Villain bring nothing buta burning Crown. Still you suspect my harmless inocence What though your father with the power state And your joust uncle duke of Brusia After my father had in thirty fights Filled all their treasures with somens spoils And paid poor soldiers from his treasury What though for this his merits he was named A prescript out law for a little debt Compelled to fly into the Belgic found And live a pirate. Then he was wronged you grant but not by you, You virtuous gentleman Sat Like a joust judge of the under-shades, And with and unchanged Rhadamantine look, Beheld the fiesh mangled with many scars Pared from the bones of my offended father And when he was a bore anatomy, You saw him chained unto the common gallows, Nay hear me patiently kind Lord My innocent youth as guilty of his sin, Was in a dungeon hidden from the sun, And there I was condemned to endless night Except I passed my vow never to steal My father's fleshless bones from that base tree I know nor who it was, I guess your mother, She kneeled and wept for me, (but you did not) Beseeching from that vow I might be freed Then did I swear if Nations foreign power Compelled me to take down those naked bones I never would release them from those chains Never entomb them, but immediately Remove them from that gallows to a tree I kept mine oath: look Luningberg; 'tis done Behold a father hanged up by his son My Lord behold these precious twines of light Burned out by day eclipsed when as the sun For shame obscured himself this deed was done Where none but schrich owls sung, thou receptacle thou organ of the soul; Rest, go rest, and you most lovely Couplets Legs and arms reside, for ever here This is my last farewell, what do you weep? Not touch thee? yes, and thus trip down thy pride. You pla'ct my father in a Chair of state: This earth shall be your throne, villain come forth And as thou meanest to save thy forfeit life, Fix on thy Master's head my burning Crown, While in these Cords, I in eternal bans Bind fast his base and coward trembling hands. On with the Crown. My father felt this pain when thou hadst pleasure. Go let him come Lorrique This but the prologue to the'nsuing play. The first step to revenge, this seane is done Father I offer thee thy inurtherers onne. so run on fate, my destinies are good, Revenge hath made me great by shedding blood: I am supposed the heir of Luningberg, By which I am of Prussia Prince elect. Good: who is wronged by this? Only a fool: And it's not fit that idiots should bear rule. Ha'st thou the Hermets weeds for my disguise? Death certain: call in Mathias, if my plot prove good, make one brother shed the others blood. What means Mathias? My uncle, fie, who buzzed into your head This damned lie? The Hermet is a villain damned in hell Before the world's creation, if he sai't My Princely uncle purposed such a thought. Look to the Princess, ther's life in her: Cheer up your heart Prince Lodowick, courage man. Your being of comfort may recover her, While I bring forth the Hermet and disprove This false assertion: Rodorick is a slave A vile and irreligious hypocrite, No Hermet, but a devil if he dare Affirm such falsehood of Duke Ferdinand. No did? why then did you maliciously Advise Prince Lodowick and fair Lucibell To fly the Prussian court this dismal night. Not from his hermitage? 'st possible? Then there is villainy, practice, and villainy Mathias hath been wronged and drawn to kill His natural brother, with him to destroy The rarest piece of nature's workmanship, No doubt by practice and base villainy The Hermet not at court? strange! wondrous! Help Prince Mathias: Hermet, o the Heavens! The Austrian Duke Sinks down upon the earth. If I thought so, i'de fallen upon the point, But I am innocent of such and ill: Kill my good kinsman, Duke of Austria; Then were Prince Otho of Luningberg set down In sad despairs black book to rave and die; But I am free from such imprety. I pray you think me not in passion dull; I must withdraw, and weep, my heart is full. O reverent man, thou bearest the richest fruit; That ever fell in the vnripired spring, Go lay her soft, she had ill fatero fallen; But rich or fair or strong, death swallows all, Hol ! Lorrique, leave our horse; draw near. Help me to sing a hymn unto the fates Composed of laughing interjections. O my deer self: thou trusty treasurer of my re venge Kneel down, and at my bidding kiss the earth; And on her cold ear whisper this strict charge: That she provide the best of her perfumes, The fat of Lambs rap't from the bleating Ewes, The sweetest smelling wood she can devise; For I must offer up a sacrifice, To blessed occasion that hath seconded With opportune means my desire of wreak 'Tis done, go, High thee to Prince Ferdinand; Tell him how misadventure and mistrust Hath killed Prince Lodowick and bright Lucibell: By Prince Mathias hand: add to that chance, Another unexpected accident: Say that the Dukes of Austria and Saxony, Being by the Hermet Rodorick entertained, And hearing outcries in the dead of night, Came and beheld the tragic spectacle, Which sighed did so enrage the Austrian Duke, That he, assailed the Saxon, but fell slain, On his daughter, now deflowered by death. Come, come, he's dead, either by him or me, No matter, he's gone: ther's more to go. Run with the news; away. Art sure she is a sleep! She stirs not, she is fast. Sleep sweet fair Duchess, for thou sleepest thy last: Endymions love, muffle in clouds thy face, And all you yellow tapers of the heaven Vail your clear brightness in Cimerian mistmis; Let not one light my black deed beautiste; For with one stroke virtue and honour die. And yet we must not kill her in this kind: Weapons draw blood, blood shed will plainly prove The worthy Dntchesse, worthless of this death Was murdered, and the guard are witnesses, None entered but our selves. Good: kneel and help, compass her neck about, Alas poor Lady thou sleepest here secure And never dreamest of what thou shalt endure. What ruthless hind Shall I wrong nature that did never compose One of her sex so perfect? prithee stay, Suppose we kill her thus about her neck, Circles of purple blood will change the hue Of this white porphyry and the read lines Mixed with a deadly black, will tell the world She died by violence, then will be inquired And we held ever hateful for the act. That's excellent, fetch fire, or do not, stay: The candle shall suffice, yet that burns dim; And drops his waxed tears as if it mourned To be and agent in a deed so dark. Thou were't as good, and better,—note my words: Run unto the top of dreadful scar, And thence fallen headlong on the under rocks, Or set, thy breast against a cannon fired, When iron death flies thence on flaming wings, Or with thy shoulders, Atlas Like attempt, To bear the ruins of a falling tower, Or swim the Ocean; or run quick to hell; (as dead assure thy self no better place) Then once look frowning on this angels face Confound her? black confusion be my graven Whisper one such word more, thou diest base slave. She stirs, and when she wakes observe me well, Sooth up what ere, I say, touching Prince Otho. The most indebted servant to your Grace Of any creature underneath the Moon. I saw your Highness son, Lorrique here knows, the last of any living. Your son no doubt is well, in blessed state. True madam, he did perish in the wrack When he came first by sea from Lubeck haven. I grant him and impostor, therein false But when your Highness hears the circumstance, I know your wisdom and meek piety Will Judge him well deserving in your eyes. Hear me with patience for that pities sake You showed my captive body, by the tears You shed, when my poor father dragged to death Endured all violence at their hands: By all the mercies poured on him and me That Like cool rain somewhat allayed the heat Of our sad torment, and read sufferings; Here me but speak a little to repay With gratitude the favours I received. I was his only son, whom you set free, Therefore submissively I kneel and crave, You would with patience hear your servant speak; I stood upon the top of the high scar, Where I beheld the split ship let in Devouring ruin in the shape of waves, Some God on Rafts, but were as soon cast off As they wear seated; many strid the mast, But the seas working was so violent, That nothing could preserve them from their fury, They did and were entombed in the deep. Except some two the surges washed a shore Prince Charles being one, who on Lorriques back Hung w h clasped hands, that never could unfold, Madam, your Highness errs in that conceit, For men that die by drowning, in their death, Hold surely what they clasp, while they have breath. I'll witness, when I had recovered him The Princes head being split against a Rock Passed all recover, Lorrique in desperate rage, Sought sundry means to spoil his new-gained; life Exclay minge for his master: cursing heaven, For being unjust to you, though not to him, For robbing you of comfort in your son O gracious Lady said this grieved man Could I but work a means to called me her grief. Some reasonable course to keep black care From her white bosom; I were happy then; But knowing this, her heart will sink with woe And I, am ranked with miserablest men, Within the chapel of and hermitage, Some half a mile hence. I thank your Highness, and of joust heaven crave The ground I wrong you in, may turn my graven. We'll wait upon your Grace. Son, this is somewhat, this will bear the eyes Of the rude vulgar, but this serves not me; Dukedoms I will have them my sword shall win, If any interposer cross my will, But new made mother, ther's another fire Burns in this liver lust, and hight desire, which you must quench; must? I and shall; I know Women will Like how ever they say no; And since my heart is knit unto her eyes If she, being sanctimonious, hate my vit, In love this course isle take, if she deny; Force her: true, so: si non blanditis, vi. Not to be found? hell which way is she gone? No matter what I am; tell me the way she went With that Lorrique; speak, or by heaven Hell shall receive you all. Madam, I feared you, and my heart was sick, With doubt some over-desperate accident Had drawn you to the melancholy paths, That lie within the verge of this rough scar. It were not fit you should see the sad place, That still seems dismal since the Princes death. Will you go forward, Madam? I'll wait upon your Grace, set forward there, Tricks, and devices! longings! well it's good: I'll swim to my desires, through seas of blood. What? are you gadding sir? what moves your flight? Coin not excuses in your crouching come, What cause have you to j and seek strange hoards For your wealth got by my liberal gift? Well be it your desert; But what's the cause you'll fly this country? You are a villain damned as low as hell; And hypocrite, a fawning hypocrite: I know thy heart, come Spaniel up, arise, And think not with your antics and your lies To go beyond me, you have played the slave, Betrayed me to the Datchesse, told her all, Disappointing all my Hope's with your base tongue, Over rn'd the height of my intendments, For which isle hurl thee from my mountain wrack, Into the lowest Cavern of pale death. Thou hast betrayed me, therefore never talk. Oh hell! why shouldst thou think on heaven. Thou hast a tonge e as glib and smooth to lies, As full of false inventions, and base fraud, As prove to circumvent believing souls, As ever heretic or traitor used, Whose speeches are as honey, their acts gall, Their words raise up, but their hands ruin all. Blasphemer peace, swear not by that thou hatest; Virtue, and thou have no more sympathy, Then day with night, Heaven with Hell. Thou knowest, I know thy Villanyes excel May I believe thee? No more, have done. Tha'st wone me to continue thee my friend; But I can tell thee somewhat troubles me, Some dreadful misadventure my soul doubts, And I conceive it with no common thought, But a most potent apprehension; For it confounds imaginary sense, Sometime inflames my blood, another while 'Nums all the Currents that should comfort life, And I remain as 'twere a senseless stone. Yes, I do. O my good vi lain! how I hug thy plots, This shall be done, she's mine: run swi to slow hours, Make a short night hasten on day apace, Rough arms wax soft soft beauty to embrace. Thou wilt not talk of this? I have a neither secret, but— Thou must be secret, it's a thing of weight concerns thee near. Hark in thine ear, I would not have the air Be privy to this purpose, wilt thou swear? Thou hast thy wish, down villain, keep this close. Go fool; now thou art dead, I need not fear. Yet as thou Wertenberg my servant joust and true, I'll hide thee in the ditch: give dogs there endue, He that will prove a mercenary slave To murder, seldom finds so good a graven, He's gone, I can now spare him, Lorrique farewell; Commend me to our friends thou meetest in hell: Next plot for Mathias and old Saxony, There ends shall finish our black tragedy. I wonder much why you ask me for Lorrique, What is Lorrique to you, or what to me? I tell you he is damned, inquire no more, His name S hatefuller then death. He is no friend of mine whom you affect, Pardon me Madam, such a fury reigns Over my boiling blood, that I envy Any one on whom you cast anamorous eye. I, but you must. Yield to my love, and then with meekest word And the most humble actions, isle entreat Your sacred beauty; deny me? isle turn fire, More wild then wrath, come then agree, If not to marry, yet in unseen sports To quench these Lawless heats that burn in me. By heaven I do not jest, go to, believe me, It's well you laugh; smile on, I Like this: Say, will you yield? Fairer then Dido, or loves amorous Queen; I know a cave, where in the bright days eyes Look't never but a skance through a small creek, Or little cranny of the fretted scar; There I have sometime lived, there are fit seats, To fit and chat, and coll, and kiffe, and steal Loves hid n pleasures, come, are you disposed To venture entrance? if the be, assay, It's death to quick desire, use no delay. I am crowned the King of pleasure. 'Sdeath who stands here? What's that? Lorriques pale ghost? I am amazed: nay slave stand of: Thy weapons sure, the prize is ours. How now whats here? am I betrayed? By dotage, by the falsehood of a face? O wretched fool fallen by a woman's hand From high revenges sphere, the bliss of souls. What do you mean? Whom have I murdered; wherefore bind ye me; Why Otho thy sons, and that's my father's by him. In charity and prayer To no purpose without charity. So do not I for yours, nor pardon you; You killed my father, my most warlike father, Thus as you deal by me, you did by him; But I deserve it that have slacked revenge Through fickle beauty, and a woman's fraud; But Hell the hope of all despairing men, That wring the poor, and eat the people up, As greedy beasts the harvest of their spring: That Hell, where cowards have their seats prepared And barbarous asses, such as have robbed souldrers of Reward, and punish true desert with scorned death. O peace, had he by judge himself, he would have showed He had been clearer then the Crystal morn! But wretches sentenced never find defence, How ever guiltless be their innocence, No more did he, no more shalt thou, no ruth Pitied his winter age, none helps thy youth. Faithful Lorrique in thy unfaithfulness: I kiss thy cheek, and give thee in that kiss The more tie of all my earthly bliss. Princes in pity of your youth, your love, Your virtues, and what not, that may move ruth, I offer you the tender of your lives, Which yet you may preserve: but if you stay, Death and destruction waits your delay. The Duke of Prussia, doting on this face; Worthy indeed of wonder, being so fair, This night hath plotted, first to murder you; The guard are set that you may not escape, Within, without, and round about the court; Only one way, thorough Prince Otho his lodging Is left; here is the key, and for more proof Of my great zeal and care, on with these robes. Within are Grecian habits for your heads; Nay if you love life do not stand amazed, But take the path towards my hermitage, Yet I advise you, that you go not in; There may be plots to, for ought I know; But turn down by the river, ther's a way Leads to a little Chapel; in that porch Stay, till I visit you with better news; That were a going never to return: I'll send him after you, be well assured. so run to mischief: O my deer Lorrique When I have summed up my account of death, And robbed those father's of there life's and joy, That robbed me of my joy, my father's life, Thus thy hand clasped in mine, we'll walk and meditate, And boast in the revenges I have wrought; That done; isle seat thee by m throne of state, And make thee rival in those governments, That by thy secrecy thou li ' to me to; Shalt be a Duke at least. A pre jous villain: a good villain too W ll if he be no worse; that is do worse, And honey me in my death-stinging thoughts, I will prefer him: he shall be preferred To hanging peradventure; why not? it's well His sufferance here may save his soul from hell. He comes; what news my faithful servant? where's the Prince. Well god-a-mercy friend, thou gottest me grace: But more of that at leisure: take this gown; My cloak, a chair; I must turn melancholy. Second what ere I say, approve my words, That we may move Mathias to mad rage. For what? O Prince Mathias! it is ill combined When honour is with fickle beauty joined. Where is your most Princely brother? But she has God another love, Dishonoured all this rich assembly, Left the m moriall of such infamy, As cannot die while men have memory. she with a Grecian is but new fled hence, Belike some other love of hers before: Our tilt and tournament is spoiled and crossed. The fair we should defend, her faith hath lost. I, I, I saw them go. My true servant knows, How at the sighed of such inconstancy My gentle heart was smit with inward grief And I sunk down with sorrow. Nay then you add and irreligious work, To there lascivious act; follow your self, I and my man will bear your company Lorrique, as I think, thou nam'dst a chapel, A Hermet, some such thing: I have lost the form. I'll guide you to the chapel, aid your arm In your revenge, against that Grecian, But for the Lady spare her, she is fair. no , would smite his soul in sunder, split his heart, If he should hear of such adulterate wrong, Cover the fault or punish as you please: Yet I would save her feign, for she deserve pity for beanty. Follow Lorrique; we are in the right way. Unhuman deed to kill both. But I am wretcheder, that from the lou Devoted to the house of Saxony, Have thus begotten this monster cruelty: I lay within and arbour, whence I saw The princess, and your self in this disguise Departing secretly my uncle's court: I judged you for a Greek as you appeared. Told Prince Mathias of your secret flight; And he led on by fury followed you Where thus deceased by night and your attire, Hath robbed your heart of life, his own of joy. I see them not my most honoured uncle; pity I beseech These silly people, that offend as babes, Not understanding, how they do ffend: And S ffer me chief agent in this wrong, To plead their pardons with a peaceful tongue. If any bosom meet the brunt of war, Mine shall be first opposed; these honest men That rise in arms for my young Cozens right Shall be Protected whilst Prince Charles can stand. Forbear a little worthy Countrymen. But hear me. Oh I beseech you save your lives and goods, For the Dukes squadrons armed with wrath and death, Watch but the signal when to cease on you, That can no more with stand their approved strength's Then sparrows can contend with towering hawks: Or against the Eagles air : This act of yours by gathering to a head, Is treason capital, and without grace Your lives are forfeit to extremest law. Yes, there is remedy: cast your weapons down, And arm your selves with mercy of your Prince Who Like a gracious shepherd ready stands To take his lost sheep home in gentle hands. As for your Prince, I will for him entreat That he may be restored again in love, And unto offices of dignity, as either Taster, Sewer, Cupbearer, the place himself thinks Fittest for his state, and for my partly when That unhappy time of Princely Ferdinand's Sad death shall, come:— Which moment:— But should I as I say behold that hour, Although I am elected for your Prince, Yet would I not remove this gentleman, Bat rather serve him as his councillor. Well, rest ye quiet; Sovereign on my knees I beg your Highness grant to there request: Suppose them silly, simple, and your own; To shed their blood were joust, yet rigorous, The praise of Kings is to prove gracious. I'll wait your Highness to that house of woe, Where sad mischance sits in a purple chair, And vnderncath her beetle cloudy brows smiles at unlocked for mischsefes; o there Does grief unpainted, in true shape appear. It's most expedient, be obsequious. No doubt his xcellence will l e that well. Welcome my friend, ha'st any suit to me? I am not he you look for gentlemen, My cozen is the true and lawful Prince. No doubt he is some cunning gentleman Your Grace may do a deed befitting you To entertain this stranger. Well sir, I will be careful, never doubt; Now scarlet Mistress from thick sable clouds Thrust forth thy bloodstained hands, applaud my plot, That giddy wonderers may amazed stand While death smytes down suspectless Ferdinand. See Princely uncle black dormitory, Where Austria and Prince Lodowick are laid On the cold bed of earth, where they must sleep Till earth and air, and sea consume by fire. Is Lucibella in this monument? Heaven help her, here she comes; Alas her tender hands smiting the ston Beweep their mistress rage in tears of blood. A heavenly motion full of charity, Your self to kill you self were such a sin As most divines hold deadly. Alas poor Lady. A virtuous, noble resolution. Is the Dukes taster there? Fill for the Duke good cozen, taste it first. I thank you kindly, i'll not be so bold, It is your office; fill unto my Lord. Not I kind cozen, I list not to drink. Heaven keep that fortune from my dread Lord. Who should intend us treason? I never gave thee cause. Physicians for the Duke, y vncie faints. What's become of him? Away, distur be us not with idle talk. How cheers my royal uncle Would God I were, but my sad stars reserve This simple building for extremer ruin: O that French doctor. Lords take this body, bear it to the court, And all the way found a sad heavy march, Which you may truly keep, then people tread A mournesfull march indeed, Go on afore, isle stay a while, and weep My tributary tears paid on the ground Where my true joy your Princemy uncle fell: I'll follow to driven from you all distress And comfort you, though I be comfortless. Art not thou plumped with laughter my Lorrique, Whats that Lorrique? what can fortune do That may divert my strai e of policy. I they suppose me to be Otho her son, And son to that false Duke whom I will kill Or curse my stars Had I Briareus hands, i'de strine with heaven For executing wrath before the hour, But wishes are in vain, he's gone. Lorrique, now or never play thy partly: This Act is even our Tragedies best heart. I do remember the Admiral that kept the Island of Burtholme Was by the Duke of Prussia adjudged To have his head feared with a burning crown, And after made a bore Anatomy, Which by his son was from the gallows stolue; Why she will be missed. Do old dog, thou helpest to worry my dead Father And must thou kill me too? it's well, it's fit, I that had sworn unto my father's soul To be revenged on Austria, Saxony, Prussia, Luningberg, and all there heirs: Had prospered in the downfall of some five; Had only three to offer to the fiends, And then must fallen in love; o wretched eyes That have betrayed my heart; be you accursed; And as the melting drops run from my brows, So fallen they on the strings that guide your heart Whereby their oily heat may crack them first, I so, boil on thou foolish idle brain, For giving entertainment to loves thoughts. A man resolved in blood, bound by a vow For no less vengeance, then his father's death, Yet become amorous of his foes wife! O sin against all conceit! worthy this shame And all the tortures that the world can name.