The Maid's Tragedy by F. Beaumont and J. Fletcher - HTML preview

Act V

 

Enter Evadne and a Gentleman.

 

Evad.       Sir, is the King abed?

 

Gent.       Madam, an hour ago.

 

Evad.       Give me the key then, and let none be near;

                   'Tis the Kings pleasure.

 

Gent.       I understand you Madam, would 'twere mine.

                   I must not wish good rest unto your Ladiship.

 

Evad.       You talk, you talk.

 

Gent.       'Tis all I dare do, Madam; but the King will wake,

                  and then.

Evad.      Saving your imagination, pray good night Sir.

 

Gent.      A good night be it then, and a long one Madam;

                  I am gone.

 

Evad.       The night grows horrible, and all about me

                   Like my black purpose: O the Conscience

                                                            [King abed.

 

                   Of a lost Virgin; whither wilt thou pull me?

                   To what things dismal, as the depth of Hell,

                   Wilt thou provoke me? Let no [woman] dare

                   From this hour be disloyal: if her heart

                   Be flesh, if she have blood, and can fear, 'tis a daring

                   Above that desperate fool that left his peace,

                   And went to Sea to fight: 'tis so many sins

                   An age cannot prevent 'em: and so great,

                   The gods want mercy for: yet I must through 'em.

                   I have begun a slaughter on my honour,

                   And I must end it there: he sleeps, good heavens!

                   Why give you peace to this untemperate beast

                   That hath so long transgressed you? I must kill him,

                   And I will do't bravely: the meer joy

                   Tells me I merit in it: yet I must not

                   Thus tamely do it as he sleeps: that were

                   To rock him to another world: my vengeance

                   Shall take him waking, and then lay before him

                   The number of his wrongs and punishments.

                   I'le shake his sins like furies, till I waken

                   His evil Angel, his sick Conscience:

                   And then I'le strike him dead: King, by your leave:

                                           [Ties his armes to the bed.

 

                   I dare not trust your strength: your Grace and I

                   Must grapple upon even terms no more:

                   So, if he rail me not from my resolution,

                   I shall be strong enough.

                   My Lord the King, my Lord; he sleeps

                   As if he meant to wake no more, my Lord;

                   Is he not dead already? Sir, my Lord.

 

King.       Who's that?

 

Evad.       O you sleep soundly Sir!

 

King.       My dear Evadne,

                   I have been dreaming of thee; come to bed.

 

Evad.       I am come at length Sir, but how welcome?

 

King.      What pretty new device is this Evadne?

                  What do you tie me to you by my love?

                  This is a quaint one: Come my dear and kiss me;

                  I'le be thy Mars to bed my Queen of Love:

                  Let us be caught together, that the Gods may see,

                  And envy our embraces.

 

Evad.       Stay Sir, stay,

                   You are too hot, and I have brought you Physick

                   To temper your high veins.

 

King.       Prethee to bed then; let me take it warm,

                   There you shall know the state of my body better.

 

Evad.       I know you have a surfeited foul body,

                  And you must bleed.

 

King.      Bleed!

 

Evad.      I, you shall bleed: lie still, and if the Devil,

                 Your lust will give you leave, repent: this steel

                 Comes to redeem the honour that you stole,

                 King, my fair name, which nothing but thy death

                 Can answer to the world.

 

King.      How's this Evadne?

 

Evad.       I am not she: nor bear I in this breast

                  So much cold Spirit to be call'd a Woman:

                  I am a Tyger: I am any thing

                  That knows not pity: stir not, if thou dost,

                  I'le take thee unprepar'd; thy fears upon thee,

                  That make thy sins look double, and so send thee

                  (By my revenge I will) to look those torments

                  Prepar'd for such black souls.

 

King.      Thou dost not mean this: 'tis impossible:

                  Thou art too sweet and gentle.

 

Evad.      No, I am not:

                  I am as foul as thou art, and can number

                  As many such hells here: I was once fair,

                  Once I was lovely, not a blowing Rose

                  More chastly sweet, till tho[u], thou, thou, foul

                  Canker,

                  (Stir not) didst poyson me: I was a world of vertue,

                  Till your curst Court and you (hell bless you for't)

                  With your temptations on temptations

                  Made me give up mine honour; for which (King)

                  I am come to kill thee.

 

King.      No.

 

Evad.      I am.

 

King.      Thou art not.

                  I prethee speak not these things; thou art gentle,

                  And wert not meant thus rugged.

 

Evad.      Peace and hear me.

                  Stir nothing but your tongue, and that for mercy

                  To those above us; by whose lights I vow,

                  Those blessed fires that shot to see our sin,

                  If thy hot soul had substance with thy blood,

                  I would kill that too, which being past my steel,

                  My tongue shall teach: Thou art a shameless Villain,

                  A thing out of the overchange of Nature;

                  Sent like a thick cloud to disperse a plague

                  Upon weak catching women; such a tyrant

                  That for his Lust would sell away his Subjects,

                  I, all his heaven hereafter.

 

King.      Hear Evadne,

                  Thou soul of sweetness! hear, I am thy King.

 

Evad.      Thou art my shame; lie still, there's none about you,

                  Within your cries; all promises of safety

                  Are but deluding dreams: thus, thus, thou foul man,

                  Thus I begin my vengeance.

 

                                                             [Stabs him.

 

King.      Hold Evadne!

                  I do command thee hold.

 

Evad.      I do not mean Sir,

                 To part so fairly with you; we must change

                 More of these love-tricks yet.

 

King.      What bloody villain

                  Provok't thee to this murther?

 

Evad.       Thou, thou monster.

 

King.       Oh!

 

Evad.       Thou kept'st me brave at Court, and Whor'd me;

                   Then married me to a young noble Gentleman;

                   And Whor'd me still.

 

King.      Evadne, pity me.

 

Evad.      Hell take me then; this for my Lord Amintor;

                  This for my noble brother: and this stroke

                  For the most wrong'd of women.

                                                             [Kills him.

 

King.      Oh! I die.

 

Evad.      Die all our faults together; I forgive thee.

 

                                                                 [Exit.

 

  Enter two of the Bed-Chamber.

 

1.               Come now she's gone, let's enter, the King expects

                  it, and will be angry.

 

2.               'Tis a fine wench, we'I have a snap at her one of these

                  nights as she goes from him.

 

1.               Content: how quickly he had done with her! I see

                  Kings can do no more that way than other mortal people.

 

2.               How fast he is! I cannot hear him breathe.

 

1.               Either the Tapers give a feeble light, or he looks very

                  pale.

 

2.               And so he does, pray Heaven he be well.

                  Let's look: Alas! he's stiffe, wounded and dead:

                  Treason, Treason!

 

1.               Run forth and call.

                                                          [Exit Gent.

 

2.               Treason, Treason!

 

1.               This will be laid on us: who can believe

                  A Woman could do this?

 

  Enter Cleon and Lisippus.

 

Cleon.    How now, where's the Traytor?

 

1.               Fled, fled away; but there her woful act lies still.

 

Cle.        Her act! a Woman!

 

Lis.         Where's the body?

 

1.               There.

 

Lis.         Farewel thou worthy man; there were two bonds

                  That tyed our loves, a Brother and a King;

                  The least of which might fetch a flood of tears:

                  But such the misery of greatness is,

                  They have no time to mourn; then pardon me.

                  Sirs, which way went she?

 

                                                      [Enter Strato.

 

Strat.      Never follow her,

                  For she alas! was but the instrument.

                  News is now brought in, that Melantius

                  Has got the Fort, and stands upon the wall;

                  And with a loud voice calls those few that pass

                  At this dead time of night, delivering

                  The innocent of this act.

 

Lis.         Gentlemen, I am your King.

 

Strat.      We do acknowledge it.

 

Lis.          I would I were not: follow all; for this must have

                   a sudden stop.

                                                            [Exeunt

 

  Enter Melant. Diph. and Cal. on the wall.

 

Mel.        If the dull people can believe I am arm'd,

                  Be constant Diphilus; now we have time,

                  Either to bring our banisht honours home,

                  Or create new ones in our ends.

 

Diph.      I fear not;

                 My spirit lies not that way. Courage Calianax.

 

Cal.        Would I had any, you should quickly know it.

 

Mel.        Speak to the people; thou art eloquent.

 

Cal.        'Tis a fine eloquence to come to the gallows;

                  You were born to be my end; the Devil take you.

                  Now must I hang for company; 'tis strange

                  I should be old, and neither wise nor valiant.

 

    Enter Lisip. Diag. Cleon, Strat. Guard.

 

Lisip.      See where he stands as boldly confident,

                  As if he had his full command about him.

 

Strat.      He looks as if he had the bet[t]er cause; Sir,

                  Under your gracious pardon let me speak it;

                  Though he be mighty-spirited and forward

                  To all great things; to all things of that danger

                  Worse men shake at the telling of; yet certainly

                  I do believe him noble, and this action

                  Rather pull'd on than sought; his mind was ever

                  As worthy as his hand.

 

Lis.        'Tis my fear too;

                 Heaven forgive all: summon him Lord Cleon.

 

Cleon.    Ho from the walls there.

 

Mel.       Worthy Cleon, welcome;

                 We could have wisht you here Lord; you are honest.

 

Cal.        Well, thou art as flattering a knave, though I dare

                  not tell you so.

 

    [Aside.

 

Lis.         Melantius!

 

Mel.        Sir.

 

Lis.          I am sorry that we meet thus; our old love

                  Never requir'd such distance; pray Heaven

                  You have not left your self, and sought this safety

                  More out of fear than honour; you have lost

                  A noble Master, which your faith Melantius,

                  Some think might have preserv'd; yet you know best.

 

Cal.         When time was I was mad; some that dares

                  Fight I hope will pay this Rascal.

 

Mel.        Royal young man, whose tears look lovely on thee;

                  Had they been shed for a deserving one,

                  They had been lasting monuments. Thy Brother,

                  Whil'st he was good, I call'd him King, and serv'd him

                  With that strong faith, that most unwearied valour;

                  Pul'd people from the farthest Sun to seek him;

                  And by his friendship, I was then his souldier;

                  But since his hot pride drew him to disgrace me,

                  And brand my noble actions with his lust,

                  (That never cur'd dishonour of my Sister,

                  Base stain of Whore; and which is worse,

                  The joy to make it still so) like my self;

                  Thus have I flung him off with my allegiance,

                  And stand here mine own justice to revenge

                  What I have suffered in him; and this old man

                  Wrong'd almost to lunacy.

 

Cal.        Who I? you'd draw me in: I have had no wrong,

                  I do disclaim ye all.

 

Mel.        The short is this;

                  'Tis no ambition to lift up my self,

                  Urgeth me thus; I do desire again

                  To be a subject, so I may be freed;

                  If not, I know my strength, and will unbuild

                  This goodly Town; be speedy, and be wise, in a reply.

 

Strat.      Be sudden Sir to tie

                  All again; what's done is past recal,

                  And past you to revenge; and there are thousands

                  That wait for such a troubled hour as this;

                  Throw him the blank.

 

Lis.         Melantius, write in that thy choice,

                  My Seal is at it.

 

Mel.         It was our honour drew us to this act,

                  Not gain; and we will only work our pardon.

 

Cal.         Put my name in too.

 

Diph.      You disclaim'd us but now, Calianax.

 

Cal.        That's all one;

                  I'le not be hanged hereafter by a trick;

                  I'le have it in.

 

Mel.        You shall, you shall;

                  Come to the back gate, and we'l call you King,

                  And give you up the Fort.

 

Lis.         Away, away.

                                                     [Exeunt Omnes.

 

Enter Aspatia in mans apparel.

 

Asp.       This is my fatal hour; heaven may forgive

                 My rash attempt, that causelesly hath laid

                 Griefs on me that will never let me rest:

                 And put a Womans heart into my brest;

                 It is more honour for you that I die;

                 For she that can endure the misery

                 That I have on me, and be patient too,

                 May live, and laugh at all that you can do.

                 God save you Sir.

 

                                                       [Enter Servant.

 

Ser.        And you Sir; what's your business?

 

Asp.        With you Sir now, to do me the Office

                  To help me to you[r] Lord.

 

Ser.        What, would you serve him?

 

Asp.        I'le do him any service; but to haste,

                  For my affairs are earnest, I desire to speak with

                  him.

 

Ser.        Sir, because you are in such haste, I would be loth

                  delay you any longer: you cannot.

 

Asp.        It shall become you tho' to tell your Lord.

 

Ser.        Sir, he will speak with no body.

 

Asp.        This is most strange: art thou gold proof? there's

                  for thee; help me to him.

 

Ser.         Pray be not angry Sir, I'le do my best.

 

                                                                [Exit.

 

Asp.       How stubbornly this fellow answer'd me!

                 There is a vile dishonest trick in man,

                 More than in women: all the men I meet

                 Appear thus to