Chapter 7

Chapter 73,362 wordsPublic domain

_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 me, are harsh and rude, And have a subtilty in every thing, Which love could never know; but we fond women Harbor the easiest and smoothest thoughts, And think all shall go so; it is unjust That men and women should be matcht together.

_Enter_ Amintor _and his man_.

_Amint_. Where is he!

_Ser_. There my Lord.

_Amint_. What would you Sir?

_Asp_. Please it your Lordship to command your man Out of the room; shall deliver things Worthy your hearing.

_Amint_. Leave us.

_Asp_. O that that shape should bury falshood in it.

[_Aside_.

_Amint_. Now your will Sir.

_Asp_. When you know me, my Lord, you needs must guess My business! and I am not hard to know; For till the change of War mark'd this smooth face With these few blemishes people would call me My Sisters Picture, and her mine; in short, I am the brother to the wrong'd _Aspatia_.

_Amint_. The wrong'd _Aspatia_! would thou wert so too Unto the wrong'd _Amintor_; let me kiss That hand of thine in honour that I bear Unto the wrong'd _Aspatia_: here I stand That did it; would he could not; gentle youth Leave me, for there is something in thy looks That calls my sins in a most hideous form Into my mind; and I have grief enough Without thy help.

_Asp_. I would I could with credit: Since I was twelve years old I had not seen My Sister till this hour; I now arriv'd; She sent for me to see her Marriage, A woful one: but they that are above, Have ends in every thing; she us'd few words, But yet enough to make me understand The baseness of the injury you did her. That little training I have had is War; I may behave my self rudely in Peace; I would not though; I shall not need to tell you I am but young; and you would be loth to lose Honour that is not easily gain'd again. Fairly I mean to deal; the age is strict For single combats, and we shall be stopt If it be publish't: if you like your sword, Use it; if mine appear a better to you, Change; for the ground is this, and this the time To end our difference.

_Amint_. Charitable youth, If thou be'st such, think not I will maintain So strange a wrong; and for thy Sisters sake, Know that I could not think that desperate thing I durst not do; yet to enjoy this world I would not see her; for beholding thee, I am I know not what; if I have ought That may content thee, take it and be gone; For death is not so terrible as thou; Thine eyes shoot guilt into me.

_Asp_. Thus she swore Thou would'st behave thy self, and give me words That would fetch tears into mine eyes, and so Thou dost indeed; but yet she bade me watch, Lest I were cousen'd, and be sure to fight ere I return'd.

_Amint_. That must not be with me; For her I'le die directly, but against her will never hazard it.

_Asp_. You must be urg'd; I do not deal uncivilly with those that Dare to fight; but such a one as you Must be us'd thus.

[_She strikes him_.

_Amint_. Prethee youth take heed; Thy Sister is a thing to me so much Above mine honour, that I can endu[r]e All this; good gods--a blow I can endure; But stay not, lest thou draw a timely death upon thy self.

_Asp_. Thou art some prating fellow, One that hath studyed out a trick to talk And move soft-hearted people; to be kickt,

[_She kicks him_.

Thus to be kickt--why should he be so slow [_Aside_. In giving me my death?

_Amint_. A man can bear No more and keep his flesh; forgive me then; I would endure yet if I could; now shew The spirit thou pretendest, and understand Thou hast no honour to live:

[_They fight_.

What dost thou mean? thou canst not fight: The blows thou mak'st at me are quite besides; And those I offer at thee, thou spread'st thine arms, And tak'st upon thy breast, Alas! defenceless.

_Asp_. I have got enough, And my desire; there's no place so fit for me to die as here.

_Enter_ Evadne.

_Evad_. _Amintor_; I am loaden with events That flie to make thee happy; I have joyes

[_Her hands bloody with a knife_.

That in a moment can call back thy wrongs, And settle thee in thy free state again; It is _Evadne_ still that follows thee, but not her mischiefs.

_Amint_. Thou canst not fool me to believe agen; But thou hast looks and things so full of news that I am staid.

_Evad_. Noble _Amintor_, put off thy amaze; Let thine eyes loose, and speak, am I not fair? Looks not _Evadne_ beauteous with these rites now? Were those hours half so lovely in thine eyes, When our hands met before the holy man? I was too foul within to look fair then; Since I knew ill, I was not free till now.

_Amint_. There is presage of some important thing About thee, which it seems thy tongue hath lost: Thy hands are bloody, and thou hast a knife.

_Evad_. In this consists thy happiness and mine; Joy to _Amintor_, for the King is dead.

_Amint_. Those have most power to hurt us that we love, We lay our sleeping lives within their arms. Why, thou hast rais'd up mischief to this height, And found out one to out-name thy other faults; Thou hast no intermission of thy sins, But all thy life is a continual ill; Black is thy colour now, disease thy nature. Joy to _Amintor_! thou hast toucht a life, The very name of which had power to chain Up all my rage, and calm my wildest wrongs.

_Evad_. 'Tis done; and since I could not find a way To meet thy love so clear, as through his life, I cannot now repent it.

_Amint_. Could'st thou procure the Gods to speak to me, To bid me love this woman, and forgive, I think I should fall out with them; behold Here lies a youth whose wounds bleed in my brest, Sent by his violent Fate to fetch his death From my slow hand: and to augment my woe, You now are present stain'd with a Kings blood Violently shed: this keeps night here, And throws an unknown wilderness about me.

_Asp_. Oh, oh, oh!

_Amint_. No more, pursue me not.

_Evad_. Forgive me then, and take me to thy bed. We may not part.

_Amint_. Forbear, be wise, and let my rage go this way.

_Evad_. 'Tis you that I would stay, not it.

_Amint_. Take heed, it will return with me.

_Evad_. If it must be, I shall not fear to meet it; take me home.

_Amint_. Thou monster of cruelty, forbear.

_Evad_. For heavens sake look more calm; Thine eyes are sharper than thou canst make thy sword.

_Amint_. Away, away, thy knees are more to me than violence. I am worse than sick to see knees follow me For that I must not grant; for heavens sake stand.

_Evad_. Receive me then._Amint_. I dare not stay thy language; In midst of all my anger and my grief, Thou dost awake something that troubles me, And sayes I lov'd thee once; I dare not stay; There is no end of womens reasoning.

[_Leaves her_.

_Evad_. _Amintor_, thou shalt love me once again; Go, I am calm; farewell; and peace for ever. _Evadne_ whom thou hat'st will die for thee.

[_Kills her self_.

_Amint_. I have a little humane nature yet That's left for thee, that bids me stay thy hand. [_Returns_.

_Evad_. Thy hand was welcome, but came too late; Oh I am lost! the heavy sleep makes haste.

[_She dies_.

_Asp_. Oh, oh, oh!

_Amint_. This earth of mine doth tremble, and I feel A stark affrighted motion in my blood; My soul grows weary of her house, and I All over am a trouble to my self; There is some hidden power in these dead things That calls my flesh into'em; I am cold; Be resolute, and bear'em company: There's something yet which I am loth to leave. There's man enough in me to meet the fears That death can bring, and yet would it were done; I can find nothing in the whole discourse Of death, I durst not meet the boldest way; Yet still betwixt the reason and the act, The wrong I to _Aspatia_ did stands up, I have not such a fault to answer, Though she may justly arm with scorn And hate of me, my soul will part less troubled, When I have paid to her in tears my sorrow: I will not leave this act unsatisfied, If all that's left in me can answer it.

_Asp_. Was it a dream? there stands _Amintor_ still: Or I dream still.

_Amint_. How dost thou? speak, receive my love, and help: Thy blood climbs up to his old place again: There's hope of thy recovery.

_Asp_. Did you not name _Aspatia_?

_Amint_. I did.

_Asp_. And talkt of tears and sorrow unto her?

_Amint_. 'Tis true, and till these happy signs in thee Did stay my course, 'twas thither I was going.

_Asp_. Th'art there already, and these wounds are hers: Those threats I brought with me, sought not revenge, But came to fetch this blessing from thy hand, I am _Aspatia_ yet.

_Amint_. Dare my soul ever look abroad agen?

_Asp_. I shall live _Amintor_; I am well: A kind of healthful joy wanders within me.

_Amint_. The world wants lines to excuse thy loss: Come let me bear thee to some place of help.

_Asp_. _Amintor_ thou must stay, I must rest here, My strength begins to disobey my will. How dost thou my best soul? I would fain live, Now if I could: would'st thou have loved me then?

_Amint_. Alas! all that I am's not worth a hair from thee.

_Asp_. Give me thy hand, mine hands grope up and down, And cannot find thee; I am wondrous sick: Have I thy hand _Amintor_? _Amint_. Thou greatest blessing of the world, thou hast.

_Asp_. I do believe thee better than my sense. Oh! I must go, farewell.

_Amint_. She swounds: _Aspatia_ help, for Heavens sake water; Such as may chain life for ever to this frame. _Aspatia_, speak: what no help? yet I fool, I'le chafe her temples, yet there's nothing stirs; Some hidden Power tell her that _Amintor_ calls, And let her answer me: _Aspatia_, speak. I have heard, if there be life, but bow The body thus, and it will shew it self. Oh she is gone! I will not leave her yet. Since out of justice we must challenge nothing; I'le call it mercy if you'l pity me, You heavenly powers, and lend for some few years, The blessed soul to this fair seat agen. No comfort comes, the gods deny me too. I'le bow the body once agen: _Aspatia_! The soul is fled for ever, and I wrong My self, so long to lose her company. Must I talk now? Here's to be with thee love.

[_Kills himself_.

_Enter_ Servant.

_Ser_. This is a great grace to my Lord, to have the new King come to him; I must tell him, he is entring. O Heaven help, help;

_Enter_ Lysip. Melant. Cal. Cleon, Diph. Strato.

_Lys_. Where's _Amintor_?

_Strat_. O there, there.

_Lys_. How strange is this!

_Cal_. What should we do here?

_Mel_. These deaths are such acquainted things with me, That yet my heart dissolves not. May I stand Stiff here for ever; eyes, call up your tears; This is _Amintor_: heart he was my friend; Melt, now it flows; _Amintor_, give a word To call me to thee.

_Amint_. Oh!

_Mel_. _Melantius_ calls his friend _Amintor_; Oh thy arms Are kinder to me than thy tongue; Speak, speak.

_Amint_. What?

_Mel_. That little word was worth all the sounds That ever I shall hear agen.

_Diph_. O brother! here lies your Sister slain; You lose your self in sorrow there.

_Mel_. Why _Diphilus_, it is A thing to laugh at in respect of this; Here was my Sister, Father, Brother, Son; All that I had; speak once again; What youth lies slain there by thee?

_Amint_. 'Tis _Aspatia_. My senses fade, let me give up my soul Into thy bosom.

_Cal. What's that? what's that? _Aspatia_!

_Mel_. I never did repent the greatness of my heart till now; It will not burst at need.

_Cal_. My daughter dead here too! and you have all fine new tricks to grieve; but I ne're knew any but direct crying.

_Mel_. I am a pratler, but no more.

_Diph_. Hold Brother.

_Lysip_. Stop him.

_Diph_. Fie; how unmanly was this offer in you! Does this become our strain?

_Cal_. I know not what the mat[t]er is, but I am Grown very kind, and am friends with you; You have given me that among you will kill me Quickly; but I'le go home, and live as long as I can.

_Mel_. His spirit is but poor that can be kept From death for want of weapons. Is not my hand a weapon good enough To stop my breath? or if you tie down those, I vow _Amintor_ I will never eat, Or drink, or sleep, or have to do with that That may preserve life; this I swear to keep.

_Lysip_. Look to him tho', and bear those bodies in. May this a fair example be to me, To rule with temper: for on lustful Kings Unlookt for sudden deaths from heaven are sent! But curst is he that is their instrument.

%THE MAIDS TRAGEDY%.

The editions prior to the Folio of 1679 are as follows:

In the following notes each of these quartos is referred to by the capital letter prefixed to it in the above list. A--F contain a wood-cut representing Amintor stabbing Aspatia.

p. I, l. 3. A--G] Speakers. l. 6. A and B _omit_] a Noble Gentleman. C after the list of Speakers _adds_ the following verses, repeated with variations of spelling in D--G]

_The Stationers Censure_.

Good Wine requires no Bush, they say, And I, No Prologue such a Play: The Makers therefore did forbeare To have that Grace prefixed here. But cease here (Censure) least the Buyer Hold thee in this a vaine Supplyer. My office is to set it forth When Fame applauds it's reall worth.

l.26. A possibly correctly gives this speech to Lysippus. l.27. A] You are brother. l. 30. B, C and D _omit_] thou. ll. 31 and 32. A and B] masks. l. 33. A _omits_] their King. l. 34. A] groome. l. 38. A _omits_] to Rhodes. l. 39. A] blowes abroad bringst us our peace at home.

p. 2, l. 1. A _omits_] too. l. 2. A] welcome. A--E] above his or. l. 3. A] world. l. 16. A] straight. l. 18. A] most true. l. 19. A] solemnities. l. 22. A] Yes, and have given cause to those, that here. l. 29. A _omits_] with armes. l. 33. A _omits_] my friend. l. 34. A _omits_] and temperate.

p. 3, l. 3. A] weighes. l. 5. A] Enter Aspatia passing with attendance. ll. 14 and 15. Printed as one line in G and the Folio. The _Exit Aspatia_ has been printed in the text at the end of Aspatia's speech, as in A--F.

l. 16. A] You are mistaken sir, she is not married. A full-stop has been substituted for a comma at the end of the line here, and elsewhere in similar cases. l. 21. G _omits_] he. l. 25. A] has. l. 27. B] about. l. 28. G _omits_] the fair. l. 37. A] 'a should not thinke. l. 38. A] Could I but call it backe. l. 39. A] such base revenges. l. 40. A _omits_] holds he still his greatness with the King.

p. 4, l. 1. A] O t'were pittie for this Lady sir. l. 2. A] sits. l. 3. A] in unfrequented woods. l. 4. A] where when. l. 5. A] flowers, Then she will sit, and sigh, and tell. l. 8. A] and strow them over her like a corse. l. 12. A] And swound, and sing againe. l. 13. A] your young. l. 14. A] fils. l. 27. G _omits_] much. l. 36. A, B and C] thine innocence. l. 39. A, B and C] I am poore in words. l. 40. A] could do no more but weep. G] could no more weep.