Part 5

ARISTIPPUS. The chiefest link lacked thereof, it must needs dissever.

CARISOPHUS. What link is that? fain would I know.

ARISTIPPUS. Honesty.

CARISOPHUS. Doth honesty knit the perfect knot in true friendship?

ARISTIPPUS. Yea, truly, and that knot so knit will never slip.

CARISOPHUS. Belike, then, there is no friendship but between honest men.

ARISTIPPUS. Between the honest only; for, _Amicitia inter bonos_,[129] saith a learned man.

CARISOPHUS. Yet evil men use friendship in things unhonest, where fancy doth serve.

ARISTIPPUS. That is no friendship, but a lewd liking; it lasts but a while.

CARISOPHUS. What is the perfectest friendship among men that ever grew?

ARISTIPPUS. Where men love one another, not for profit, but for virtue.

CARISOPHUS. Are such friends both alike in joy and also in smart?

ARISTIPPUS. They must needs; for in two bodies they have but one heart.

CARISOPHUS. Friend Aristippus, deceive me not with sophistry: Is there no perfect friendship, but where is virtue and honesty?

ARISTIPPUS. What a devil then meant Carisophus To join in friendship with fine Aristippus? In whom is as much virtue, truth and honesty, As there are true feathers in the three Cranes of the Vintree:[130] Yet their[131] feathers have the shadow of lively feathers, the truth to scan, But Carisophus hath not the shadow of an honest man. To be plain, because I know thy villainy, In abusing Dionysius to many men’s injury, Under the cloak of friendship I play’d with his head, And sought means how thou with thine own fancy might be led. My friendship thou soughtest for thine own commodity, As worldly men do, by profit measuring amity: Which I perceiving, to the like myself I framed, Wherein I know of the wise I shall not be blamed: If you ask me; _Quare_? I answer, _Quia prudentis est multum dissimulare_. To speak more plainer, as the proverb doth go, In faith, Carisophus, _cum Cretense cretizo_. Yet a perfect friend I show myself to thee in one thing, I do not dissemble, now I say I will not speak for thee to the king: Therefore sink in thy sorrow, I do not deceive thee, A false knave I found thee, a false knave I leave thee. [_Exit_.

CARISOPHUS. He is gone! is this friendship, to leave his friend in the plain field? Well, I see now I myself have beguiled, In matching with that false fox in amity, Which hath me used to his own commodity: Which seeing me in distress, unfeignedly goes his ways. Lo, this is the perfect friendship among men now-a-days; Which kind of friendship toward him I used secretly; And he with me the like hath requited me craftily, It is the gods’ judgment, I see it plainly, For all the world may know, _Incidi in foveam quam feci_. Well, I must content myself, none other help I know, Until a merrier gale of wind may hap to blow. [_Exit_.

_Enter_ EUBULUS.

EUBULUS. Who deals with kings in matters of great weight, When froward will doth bear the chiefest sway, Must yield of force; there need no subtle sleight, No painted[132] speech the matter to convey. No prayer can move, when kindled is the ire. The more ye quench, the more increased[133] the fire. This thing I prove in Pithias’ woful case, Whose heavy hap with tears I do lament: The day is come, when he, in Damon’s place, Must lose his life: the time is fully spent. Nought can my words now with the king prevail, Against the wind and striving stream[134] I sail: For die thou must, alas! thou seely Greek. Ah Pithias, now come is thy doleful hour: A perfect friend, one[135] such a world to seek. Though bitter death shall give thee sauce full sour, Yet for thy faith enroll’d shall be thy name Among the gods within the book of fame. Who knoweth his case, and will not melt in tears? His guiltless blood shall trickle down anon.

_Then the_ MUSES _sing._

_Alas, what hap hast thou, poor Pithias, now to die! Woe worth the man which for his death hath given us cause to cry._ EUBULUS. _Methink I hear, with yellow rented hairs, The Muses frame their notes, my state to moan:[136] Among which sort, as one that mourneth with heart, In doleful times myself will bear a part._ MUSES. _Woe worth the man which for his death, &c._

EUBULUS. _With yellow rented hairs, come on, you Muses nine; Fill now my breast with heavy tunes, to me your plaint resign:_ _For Pithias I bewail, which presently must die, Woe worth the man which for his death hath given us cause, &c._ MUSES. _Woe worth the man which for his, &c._

EUBULUS. _Was ever such a man, that would die for his friend? I think even from the heavens above the gods did him down send To show true friendship’s power, which forc’d thee now to die. Woe worth the man which for thy death, &c._ MUSES. _Woe worth the man, &c._

EUBULUS. _What tiger’s whelp was he, that Damon did accuse? What faith hast thou, which for thy friend thy death doth not refuse? O heavy hap hadst thou to play this tragedy! Woe worth the man which for thy death, &c._ MUSES. _[Woe] worth the man, &c._

EUBULUS. _Thou young and worthy Greek, that showeth such perfect love, The gods receive thy simple ghost into the heavens above: Thy death we shall lament with many a weeping eye. Woe worth the man, which for his death, &c._ MUSES. _Woe worth the man, which for thy death hath given us cause to cry._

EUBULUS. Eternal be your fame, ye Muses, for that in misery Ye did vouchsafe to strain your notes to walk. My heart is rent in two with this miserable case, Yet am I charged by Dionysius’ mouth to see this place At all points ready for the execution of Pithias. Need hath no law: will[137] I or nil I, it must be done, But lo, the bloody minister is even here at hand.

_Enter_ GRONNO.

Gronno, I came hither now to understand, If all things are well appointed for the execution of Pithias. The king himself will see it done here in this place.

GRONNO. Sir, all things are ready, here is the place, here is the hand, here is the sword: Here lacketh none but Pithias, whose head at a word, If he were present, I could finely strike off-- You may report that all things are ready.

EUBULUS. I go with an heavy heart to report it. Ah woful Pithias! Full near now is thy misery. [_Exit_.

GRONNO. I marvel very much, under what constellation All hangmen are born, for they are hated of all, beloved of none: Which hatred is showed by this point evidently: The hangman always dwells in the vilest place of the city. That such spite should be, I know no cause why, Unless it be for their office’s sake, which is cruel and bloody. Yet some men must do it to execute laws. Me-think they hate me without any just cause. But I must look to my toil; Pithias must lose his head at one blow, Else the boys will stone me to death in the street, as I go. But hark, the prisoner cometh, and the king also: I see there is no help, Pithias his life must forego.

_Here entereth_ DIONYSIUS _and_ EUBULUS.

DIONYSIUS. Bring forth Pithias, that pleasant companion, Which took me at my word, and became pledge for Damon. It pricketh[138] fast upon noon, I do him no injury, If now he lose his head, for so he requested me, If Damon return not, which now in Greece is full merry: Therefore shall Pithias pay his death, and that by and by. He thought belike, if Damon were out of the city, I would not put him to death for some foolish pity: But seeing it was his request, I will not be mock’d, he shall die; Bring him forth.

_Here entereth_ SNAP.[139]

SNAP. Give place; let the prisoner come by; give place.

DIONYSIUS. How say you, sir; where is Damon, your trusty friend? You have play’d a wise part, I make God a vow: You know what time a day it is; make you ready.

PITHIAS. Most ready I am, mighty king, and most ready also For my true friend Damon this life to forego, Even at your pleasure.

DIONYSIUS. A true friend! a false traitor, that so breaketh his oath! Thou shalt lose thy life, though thou be never so loth.

PITHIAS. I am not loth to do whatsoever I said, Ne at this present pinch of death am I dismay’d: The gods now I know have heard my fervent prayer, That they have reserved me to this passing great honour, To die for my friend, whose faith even now I do not mistrust; My friend Damon is no false traitor, he is true and just: But sith he is no god, but a man, he must do as he may, The wind may be contrary, sickness may let him,[140] or some misadventure by the way, Which the eternal gods turn all to my glory, That fame may resound how Pithias for Damon did die: He breaketh no oath which doth as much as he can, His mind is here, he hath some let, he is but a man. That he might not return of all the gods I did require, Which now to my joy do[141] grant my desire. But why do I stay any longer, seeing that one man’s death May suffice, O king, to pacify thy wrath? O thou minister of justice, do thine office by and by, Let not thy hand tremble, for I tremble not to die. Stephano, the right pattern of true fidelity, Commend me to thy master, my sweet Damon, and of him crave liberty When I am dead, in my name; for thy trusty services Hath well deserved a gift far better than this. O my Damon, farewell now for ever, a true friend, to me most dear; Whiles life doth last, my mouth shall still talk of thee, And when I am dead, my simple ghost, true witness of amity, Shall hover about the place, wheresoever thou be.

DIONYSIUS. Eubulus, this gear is strange; and yet because Damon hath fals’d his faith, Pithias shall have the law. Gronno, despoil him, and eke dispatch him quickly.

GRONNO. It shall be done; since you came into this place, I might have stroken off seven heads in this space. By’r Lady, here are good garments, these are mine, by the rood! It is an evil wind that bloweth no man good. Now, Pithias, kneel down, ask me blessing like a pretty boy, And with a trice thy head from thy shoulders I will convey.

_Here entereth_ DAMON _running, and stays the sword_.

DAMON. Stay, stay, stay! for the king’s advantage, stay! O mighty king, mine appointed time is not yet fully pass’d; Within the compass of mine hour, lo, here I come at last. A life I owe, and a life I will you pay: O my Pithias, my noble pledge, my constant friend! Ah! woe is me! for Damon’s sake, how near were thou to thy end! Give place to me, this room is mine, on this stage must I play. Damon is the man, none ought but he to Dionysius his blood to pay.

GRONNO. Are you come, sir? you might have tarried, if you had been wise: For your hasty coming you are like to know the price.

PITHIAS. O thou cruel minister, why didst not thou thine office? Did I not beg thee make haste in any wise? Hast thou spared to kill me once, that I may die twice? Not to die for my friend is present death to me; and alas! Shall I see my sweet Damon slain before my face? What double death is this? but, O mighty Dionysius, Do true justice now: weigh this aright, thou noble Eubulus; Let me have no wrong, as now stands the case: Damon ought not to die, but Pithias: By misadventure, not by his will, his hour is past; therefore I, Because he came not at his just time, ought justly to die: So was my promise, so was thy promise, O king, All this court can bear witness of this thing.

DAMON. Not so, O mighty king: to justice it is contrary, That for another man’s fault the innocent should die: Ne yet is my time plainly expired, it is not fully noon. Of this my day appointed, by all the clocks in the town.

PITHIAS. Believe no clock, the hour is past by the sun.

DAMON. Ah my Pithias, shall we now break the bonds of amity? Will you now overthwart me, which heretofore so well did agree?

PITHIAS. My Damon, the gods forbid but we should agree; Therefore agree to this, let me perform the promise made for thee. Let me die for thee: do me not that injury, Both to break my promise, and to suffer me to see thee die, Whom so dearly I love: this small request grant me, I shall never ask thee more, my desire is but friendly. Do me this honour, that fame may report triumphantly, That Pithias for his friend Damon was contented to die.

DAMON. That you were contented for me to die, fame cannot deny; Yet fame shall never touch me with such a villainy, To report that Damon did suffer his friend Pithias for him guiltless to die; Therefore content thyself, the gods requite thy constant faith, None but Damon’s blood can appease Dionysius’ wrath. And now, O mighty king, to you my talk I convey; Because you gave me leave my worldly things to stay, To requite that good turn, ere I die, for your behalf this I say, Although your regal state dame Fortune decketh so, That like a king in worldly wealth abundantly ye flow, Yet fickle is the ground whereon all tyrants tread, A thousand sundry cares and fears do haunt their restless head: No trusty band, no faithful friends do guard thy hateful state, And why? whom men obey for deadly fear, sure them they deadly hate. That you may safely reign, by love get friends, whose constant faith Will never fail, this counsel gives poor Damon at his death: Friends are the surest guard for kings, gold in time does[142] wear away, And other precious things do fade, friendship will never decay. Have friends in store therefore, so shall you safely sleep; Have friends at home, of foreign foes so need you take no keep. Abandon flatt’ring tongues, whose clacks truth never tell; Abase the ill, advance the good, in whom dame virtue dwells; Let them your playfellows be: but O, you earthly kings, Your sure defence and strongest guard stands chiefly in faithful friends: Then get you friends by liberal deeds; and here I make an end. Accept this counsel, mighty king, of Damon, Pithias’ friend. O my Pithias! now farewell for ever, let me kiss thee, ere I die, My soul shall honour thee, thy constant faith above the heavens shall fly. Come, Gronno, do thine office now; why is thy colour so dead? My neck is so short, that thou wilt never have honesty in striking off this head.[143]

DIONYSIUS. Eubulus, my spirits are suddenly appalled, my limbs wax weak: This strange friendship amazeth me so, that I can scarce speak.

PITHIAS. O mighty king, let some pity your noble heart meve; You require but one man’s death, take Pithias, let Damon live.

EUBULUS. O unspeakable friendship!

DAMON. Not so, he hath not offended, there is no cause why My constant friend Pithias for Damon’s sake should die. Alas, he is but young, he may do good to many. Thou coward minister, why dost thou not let me die?

GRONNO. My hand with sudden fear quivereth.

PITHIAS. O noble king, show mercy upon Damon, let Pithias die.

DIONYSIUS. Stay, Gronno, my flesh trembleth. Eubulus, what shall I do? Were there ever such friends on earth as were these two? What heart is so cruel that would divide them asunder? O noble friendship, I must yield; at thy force I wonder. My heart this rare friendship hath pierc’d to the root, And quenched all my fury: this sight hath brought this about, Which thy grave counsel, Eubulus, and learned persuasion could never do. [_To_ DAMON _and_ PITHIAS] O noble gentlemen, the immortal gods above Hath made you play this tragedy, I think, for my behoof: Before this day I never knew what perfect friendship meant. My cruel mind to bloody deeds was full and wholly bent: My fearful life I thought with terror to defend, But now I see there is no guard unto a faithful friend, Which will not spare his life at time of present need: O happy kings, who in[144] your courts have two such friends indeed! I honour friendship now, which that you may plainly see, Damon, have thou thy life, from death I pardon thee; For which good turn, I crave, this honour do me lend, O friendly heart, let me link with you, to you[145] make me the third friend. My court is yours; dwell here with me, by my commission large, Myself, my realm, my wealth, my health, I commit to your charge: Make me a third friend, more shall I joy in that thing, Than to be called, as I am, Dionysius the mighty king.

DAMON. O mighty king, first for my life most humble thanks I give, And next, I praise the immortal gods that did your heart so meve, That you would have respect to friendship’s heavenly lore, Foreseeing well he need not fear which hath true friends in store. For my part, most noble king, as a third friend, welcome to our friendly society; But you must forget you are a king, for friendship stands in true equality.

DIONYSIUS. Unequal though I be in great possessions, Yet full equal shall you find me in my changed conditions. Tyranny, flattery, oppression, lo, here I cast away; Justice, truth, love, friendship, shall be my joy: True friendship will I honour unto my life’s end; My greatest glory shall be to be counted a perfect friend.

PITHIAS. For this your deed, most noble king, the gods advance your name, And since to friendship’s lore you list your princely heart to frame, With joyful heart, O king, most welcome now to me, With you will I knit the perfect knot of amity: Wherein I shall instruct you so, and Damon here your friend, That you may know of amity the mighty force, and eke the joyful end: And how that kings do stand upon a fickle ground, Within whose realm at time of need no faithful friends are found.

DIONYSIUS. Your instruction will I follow; to you myself I do commit. Eubulus, make haste to fet new apparel, fit For my new friends.

EUBULUS. I go with joyful heart. O happy day! [_Aside._] [_Exit._

GRONNO. I am glad to hear this word. Though their lives they do not lese, It is no reason[146] the hangman should lose his fees: These are mine, I am gone with a trice. [_Exit_.

_Here entereth_ EUBULUS _with new garments_.

DIONYSIUS. Put on these garments now; go in with me, the jewels of my court.

DAMON _and_ PITHIAS. We go with joyful hearts.

STEPHANO. O Damon, my dear master, in all this joy remember me.

DIONYSIUS. My friend Damon, he asketh reason.

DAMON. Stephano, for thy good service be thou free. [_Exeunt_ DION.[147]

STEPHANO. O most happy, pleasant, joyful, and triumphant day! Poor Stephano now shall live in continual play:[148] _Vive le roy_, with Damon and Pithias, in perfect amity. _Vive tu_, Stephano, in thy pleasant liberality:[149] Wherein I joy as much as he that hath a conquest won, I am a free man, none so merry as I now under the sun. Farewell, my lords, now the gods grant you all the sum of perfect amity, And me long to enjoy my long-desired liberty. [_Exit._

_Here entereth_ EUBULUS _beating_ CARISOPHUS.

Away, villain! away, you flatt’ring parasite! Away, the plague of this court! thy filed tongue, that forged lies, No more here shall do hurt: away, false sycophant! wilt thou not?

CARISOPHUS. I am gone, sir, seeing it is the king’s pleasure. Why whip ye me alone? a plague take Damon and Pithias! since they came hither, I am driven to seek relief abroad, alas! I know not whither. Yet, Eubulus, though I be gone, here after time shall try, There shall be found even in this court as great flatterers as I. Well, for a while I will forego the court, though to my great pain: I doubt not but to spy a time, when I may creep in again. [_Exit._

EUBULUS. The serpent that eats men alive, flattery, with all her brood, Is whipp’d away in princes’ courts, which yet did never good. What force, what mighty power true friendship may possess, To all the world Dionysius’ court now plainly doth express: Who since to faithful friends he gave his willing ear, Most safely sitteth on his seat, and sleeps devoid of fear. Purged is the court of vice, since friendship ent’red in, Tyranny quails, he studieth now with love each heart to win: Virtue is had in price, and hath his just reward; And painted speech, that gloseth for gain, from gifts is quite debarr’d. One loveth another now for virtue, not for gain; Where virtue doth not knit the knot, there friendship cannot reign; Without the which no house, no land, no kingdom can endure, As necessary for man’s life as water, air, and fire, Which frameth the mind of man all honest things to do. Unhonest things friendship ne craveth, ne yet consents thereto. In wealth a double joy, in woe a present stay, A sweet companion in each state true friendship is alway: A sure defence for kings, a perfect trusty band, A force to assail, a shield to defend the enemies’ cruel hand; A rare and yet the greatest gift that God can give to man; So rare, that scarce four couple of faithful friends have been, since the world began. A gift so strange and of such price, I wish all kings to have; But chiefly yet, as duty bindeth, I humbly crave, True friendship and true friends, full fraught with constant faith, The giver of all friends, the Lord, grant her, most noble Queen Elizabeth.

_The Last Song._

_The strongest guard that kings can have, Are constant friends their state to save; True friends are constant both in word and deed, True friends are present, and help at each need; True friends talk truly, they glose for no gain, When treasure consumeth, true friends will remain; True friends for their true prince refuseth not their death: The Lord grant her such friends, most noble Queen Elizabeth._

_Long may she govern in honour and wealth, Void of all sickness, in most perfect health; Which health to prolong, as true friends require, God grant she may have her own heart’s desire: Which friends will defend with most steadfast faith, The Lord grant her such friends, most noble Queen Elizabeth._

FINIS.

[1] [This preface was found among my father’s dramatic collectanea, formed about 1850, and I have printed it with a few additions.--_W.C.H._]

[2] It was acted on the 2d and 3d September 1566.

[3] [Warton’s “H.E.P.,” by Hazlitt, iv., 215-16.]

[4] “Annals of the Stage,” iii., 1.

[5] “British Bibliographer,” Introduction to the “Paradise of Dainty Devices,” p. vi. The reader may also be referred to Brydges’ “Restituta,” i., 367; “Brit. Bibl.” i., 494; “Censura Literaria,” first edit. vii., 350.

[6] [Warton’s “H.E.P.,” by Hazlitt,” iv., 215.]

[7] See “Nugæ Antiquæ,” vol. ii., p. 392, ed. 1804.

[8] [As to the song of the “Willow Garland,” mentioned by Warton as by Edwards, see “H.E.P.” by Hazlitt, iv., 216.]

[9] “History of English Poetry,” by Hazlitt, iv., p. 21. [A writer in the “Shakespeare Society’s Papers,” vol. ii., printed from what he supposed to be a fragment of a later impression of this book the story of the “Waking Man’s Dream,” which is also to be found narrated in Burton’s “Anatomy of Melancholy,” 1621.]