Dear
Arethusa, do but take this sword,
And search how temperate
a heart I have;
Then you and this
your boy, may live and raign
In lust without
control; Wilt thou Bellario?
I prethee kill me;
thou art poor, and maist
Nourish ambitious
thoughts, when I am dead:
This way were freer;
Am I raging now?
If I were mad I
should desire to live;
Sirs, feel my pulse,
whether have you known
A man in a more
equal tune to die?
Bel.
Alas my Lord, your pulse keeps madmans time,
So does your tongue.
Phi.
You will not kill me then?
Are.
Kill you? Bell.
Not for a world.
Pha.
I blame not thee,
Bellario;
thou hast done but that, which gods
Would have transform'd
themselves to do; be gone,
Leave me without
reply; this is the last
Of all our meeting.
Kill me with this sword;
Be wise, or worse
will follow: we are two
Earth cannot bear
at once. Resolve to do, or suffer.
Are.
If my fortunes be so good to let me fall
Upon thy hand, I
shall have peace in death.
Yet tell me this,
will there be no slanders,
No jealousies in
the other world, no ill there?
Phi. No.
Are.
Shew me then the way. Phi.
Then guide
My feeble hand,
you that have power to do it,
For I must perform
a piece of justice. If your youth
Have any way offended
Heaven, let prayers
Short and effectual
reconcile you to it.
Are.
I am prepared.
Enter
a Country fellow.
Coun.
I'le see the King if he be in the Forest, I have hunt-
ed him these two
hours; if I should come home and not see
him my Sisters would
laugh at me; I can see nothing but
people better horst
than my self, that outride me; I can
hear nothing but
shouting. These Kings had need of good
brains, this whooping
is able to put a mean man out of
his wits. There's
a Courtier with his sword drawn, by this
hand upon a woman,
I think.
Phi.
Are you at peace?
Are.
With Heavens and Earth.
Phi.
May they divide thy soul and body
Coun.
Hold dastard, strike a Woman! th'art a craven I
warrant thee, thou
wouldst be loth to play half a dozen of
venies at wasters
with a good fellow for a broken head.
Phi.
Leave us good friend.
Are.
What ill bred man art thou, to intrude thy self
Upon our private
sports, our recreations?
Coun.
God 'uds, I understand you not, but I know the
Rogue has hurt you.
Phi.
Pursue thy own affairs: it will be ill (to.
To multiply bloud
upon my head; which thou wilt force me
Coun.
I know not your Rhetorick, but I can lay it on if
you touch the woman.
[They
fight.
Phi.
Slave, take what thou deservest.
Are.
Heavens guard my Lord.
Coun.
Oh do you breath?
Phi.
I hear the tread of people: I am hurt.
The gods take part
against me, could this Boor
Have held me thus
else? I must shift for life,
Though I do loath
it. I would find a course,
To lose it, rather
by my will than force. Exit
Phil.
Coun.
I cannot follow the Rogue. I pray thee wench
come and kiss me
now.
Enter
Phara. Dion, Cle. Thra. and Woodmen.
Pha.
What art thou?
Coun.
Almost kil'd I am for a foolish woman; a knave
has hurt her.
dam?
Pha.
The Princess Gentlemen! Where's the wound Ma-
Is it dangerous?
Are.
He has not hurt me.
Coun.
I'faith she lies, has hurt her in the breast, look
else.
Pha.
O sacred spring of innocent blood! |
Di.
'Tis above wonder! who should dare this?
Are.
I felt it not.
Pha.
Speak villain, who has hurt the Princess?
Coun.
Is it the Princess? Di.
I.
Coun.
Then I have seen something yet.
Pha.
But who has hurt her?
Coun.
I told you a Rogue I ne're saw him before, I.
Pha.
Madam who did it?
Are.
Some dishonest wretch, Alas I know him not,
And do forgive him.
Coun.
He's hurt too, he cannot go far, I made my Fat
hers old Fox flie
about his ears.
Pha.
How will you have me kill him?
Are.
Not at all, 'tis some distracted fellow.
Pha.
By this hand, I'le leave ne'er a piece of him bigger
than a Nut, and
bring him all in my Hat.
Are.
Nay, good Sir;
If you do take him,
bring him quick to me,
And I will study
for a punishment,
Great as his fault.
Pha.
I will.
Are.
But swear.
Pha.
By all my love I will: Woodmen conduct the Prin
cess to the King,
and bear that wounded fellow to dressing
Come Gentlemen,
we'l follow the chase close.
[Ex. Are. Pha. Di. Cle. Thra. and 1 Woodman
Coun.
I pray you friend let me see the King.
2
Wood. That you shall, and receive thanks. [Exeunt.
Coun.
If I get clear with this, I'le go see no more gay
sights
Enter
Bellario. [4.6]
Bell.
A heaviness near death sits on my brow,
And I must sleep:
Bear me thou gentle bank,
For ever if thou
wilt: you sweet ones all,
Let me unworthy
press you: I could wish
I rather were a
Coarse strewed o're with you,
Than quick above
you. Dulness shuts mine eyes,
And I am giddy;
Oh that I could take
So sound a sleep,
that I might never wake.
Enter
Philaster.
Phi.
I have done ill, my conscience calls me false,
To strike at her,
that would not strike at me:
When I did fight,
me thought I heard her pray
The gods to guard
me. She may be abus'd,
And I a loathed
villain: if she be,
She will conceal
who hurt her; He has wounds,
And cannot follow,
neither knows he me.
Who's this; Bellario
sleeping? If thou beest
Guilty, there is
no justice that thy sleep [Cry
within.
Should be so sound,
and mine, whom thou hast wrong'd,
So broken: Hark
I am pursued: you gods
I'le take this offer'd
means of my escape:
They have no mark
to know me, but my wounds,
If she be true;
if false, let mischief light
On all the world
at once. Sword, print my wounds
Upon this sleeping
boy: I ha' none I think
Are mortal, nor
would I lay greater on thee. [Wounds
him.
Bell.
Oh death I hope is come, blest be that hand,
It meant me well;
again, for pities sake.
Phi.
I have caught my self,
[Phi. falls.
The loss of bloud
hath stayed my flight. Here, here,
Is he that stroke
thee: take thy full revenge,
Use me, as I did
mean thee, worse than death:
I'le teach thee
to revenge; this luckless hand
Wounded the Princess,
tell my followers
Thou didst receive
these hurts in staying me,
And I will second
thee: Get a reward.
Bell.
Fly, fly my Lord and save your self.
Phi.
How's this?
Wouldst thou I
should be safe?
Bell.
Else it were vain
For me to live.
These little wounds I have,
Ha' not bled much,
reach me that noble hand,
I'le help to cover
you. Phi.
Art thou true to me?
Bell.
|
