Actus Quartus

Enter Gobrias, Panthea, and Spaconia.

Gob.

Have you written Madam?

Pan.

Yes, good Gobrias.

Gob.

And with a kindness, and such winning words
As may provoke him, at one instant feel
His double fault, your wrong, and his own rashness?

Pan.

I have sent words enough, if words may win him
  From his displeasure; and such words I hope,
  As shall gain much upon his goodness, Gobrias.
  Yet fearing they are many, and a womans,
  A poor belief may follow, I have woven
  As many truths within ’em to speak for me,
  That if he be but gracious, and receive ’em—

Gob.

Good Lady be not fearful, though he should not
  Give you your present end in this, believe it,
  You shall feel, if your vertue can induce you
  To labour on’t, this tempest which I know,
  Is but a poor proof ’gainst your patience:
  All those contents, your spirit will arrive at,
  Newer and sweeter to you; your Royal brother,
  When he shall once collect himself, and see
  How far he has been asunder from himself;
  What a meer stranger to his golden temper:
  Must from those roots of vertue, never dying,
  Though somewhat stopt with humour, shoot again
  Into a thousand glories, bearing his fair branches
  High as our hopes can look at, straight as justice,
  Loaden with ripe contents; he loves you dearly,
  I know it, and I hope I need not farther
  Win you to understand it.

Pan.

I believe it.
  But howsoever, I am sure I love him dearly:
  So dearly, that if any thing I write
  For my enlarging should beget his anger,
  Heaven be a witness with me and my faith,
  I had rather live intomb’d here.

Gob.

You shall not feel a worse stroke than your grief,
  I am sorry ’tis so sharp, I kiss your hand,
  And this night will deliver this true story,
  With this hand to your Brother.

Pan.

Peace go with you, you are a good man.

[Exit Gob.

My Spaconia, why are you ever sad thus?

Spa.

O dear Lady.

Pan.

Prethee discover not a way to sadness,
  Nearer than I have in me, our two sorrows
  Work like two eager Hawks, who shall get highest;
  How shall I lessen thine? for mine I fear
  Is easier known than cur’d.

Spa.

Heaven comfort both,
And give you happy ends, however I
Fall in my stubborn fortunes.

Pan.

This but teaches
  How to be more familiar with our sorrows,
  That are too much our masters: good Spaconia
  How shall I do you service?

Spa.

Noblest Lady,
  You make me more a slave still to your goodness,
  And only live to purchase thanks to pay you,
  For that is all the business of my life: now
  I will be bold, since you will have it so,
  To ask a noble favour of you.

Pan.

Speak it, ’tis yours, for from so sweet a vertue,
No ill demand has issue.

Spa.

Then ever vertuous, let me beg your will
In helping me to see the Prince Tigranes,
With whom I am equal prisoner, if not more.

Pan.

Reserve me to a greater end Spaconia;
Bacurius cannot want so much good manners
As to deny your gentle visitation,
Though you came only with your own command.

Spa.

I know they will deny me gracious Madam,
  Being a stranger, and so little fam’d,
  So utter empty of those excellencies
  That tame Authority; but in you sweet Lady,
  All these are natural; beside, a power
  Deriv’d immediate from your Royal brother,
  Whose least word in you may command the Kingdom.

Pan.

More than my word Spaconia, you shall carry,
For fear it fail you.

Spa.

Dare you trust a Token?
Madam I fear I am grown too bold a begger.

Pan.

You are a pretty one, and trust me Lady
  It joyes me, I shall do a good to you,
  Though to my self I never shall be happy:
  Here, take this Ring, and from me as a Token
  Deliver it; I think they will not stay you:
  So all your own desires go with you Lady.

Spa.

And sweet peace to your Grace.

Pan.

Pray Heaven I find it.

[Exeunt.

Enter Tigranes, in prison.

Tigr.

Fool that I am, I have undone my self,
  And with my own hand turn’d my fortune round,
  That was a fair one: I have childishly
  Plaid with my hope so long, till I have broke it,
  And now too late I mourn for’t; O Spaconia!
  Thou hast found an even way to thy revenge now,
  Why didst thou follow me like a faint shadow,
  To wither my desires? But wretched fool,
  Why did I plant thee ’twixt the Sun and me,
  To make me freeze thus? Why did I prefer her
  To the fair Princess? O thou fool, thou fool,
  Thou family of fools, live like a slave still,
  And in thee bear thine own hell and thy torment,
  Thou hast deserv’d: Couldst thou find no Lady
  But she that has thy hopes to put her to,
  And hazard all thy peace? None to abuse,
  But she that lov’d thee ever? poor Spaconia,
  And so much lov’d thee, that in honesty
  And honour thou art bound to meet her vertues:
  She that forgot the greatness of her grief
  And miseries, that must follow such mad passions,
  Endless and wild as women; she that for thee
  And with thee left her liberty, her name,
  And Country, you have paid me equal, Heavens,
  And sent my own rod to correct me with;
  A woman: for inconstancy I’le suffer,
  Lay it on justice, till my soul melt in me
  For my unmanly, beastly, sudden doting
  Upon a new face: after all my oaths
  Many and strange ones,
  I feel my old fire flame again and burn
  So strong and violent, that should I see her
  Again, the grief and that would kill me.

Enter Bacurius And Spaconia.

Bac.

Lady, your token I acknowledge, you may pass;
There is the King.

Spa.

I thank your Lordship for it.

[Exit Bac.

Tigr.

She comes, she comes, shame hide me ever from her,
Would I were buried, or so far remov’d
Light might not find me out, I dare not see her.

Spa.

Nay never hide your self; or were you hid
  Where earth hides all her riches, near her Center;
  My wrongs without more day would light me to you:
  I must speak e’re I die; were all your greatness
  Doubled upon you, y’are a perjur’d man,
  And only mighty in your wickedness
  Of wronging women. Thou art false, false Prince;
  I live to see it, poor Spaconia lives
  To tell thee thou art false; and then no more;
  She lives to tell thee thou art more unconstant,
  Than all ill women ever were together.
  Thy faith is firm as raging over-flowes,
  That no bank can command; as lasting
  As boyes gay bubbles, blown i’th’ Air and broken:
  The wind is fixt to thee: and sooner shall
  The beaten Mariner with his shrill whistle
  Calm the loud murmur of the troubled main,
  And strike it smooth again; than thy soul fall
  To have peace in love with any: Thou art all
  That all good men must hate; and if thy story
  Shall tell succeeding ages what thou wert,
  O let it spare me in it, lest true lovers
  In pity of my wrong, burn thy black Legend,
  And with their curses, shake thy sleeping ashes.

Tigr.

Oh! oh!

Spa.

The destinies, I hope, have pointed out
  Our ends, that thou maist die for love,
  Though not for me; for this assure thy self,
  The Princess hates thee deadly, and will sooner
  Be won to marry with a Bull, and safer
  Than such a beast as thou art: I have struck,
  I fear, too deep; beshrow me for’t; Sir,
  This sorrow works me like a cunning friendship,
  Into the same piece with it; ’tis asham’d,
  Alas, I have been too rugged: Dear my Lord,
  I am sorry I have spoken any thing,
  Indeed I am, that may add more restraint
  To that too much you have: good Sir, be pleas’d
  To think it was a fault of love, not malice;
  And do as I will do, forgive it Prince.
  I do, and can forgive the greatest sins
  To me you can repent of; pray believe.

Tigr.

O my Spaconia! O thou vertuous woman!

Spa.

Nay, more, the King Sir.

Enter Arbaces, Bacurius, Mardonius.

Arb.

Have you been carefull of our noble Prisoner,
That he want nothing fitting for his greatness?

Bac.

I hope his grace will quit me for my care Sir.

Arb.

’Tis well, royal Tigranes, health.

Tigr.

More than the strictness of this place can give Sir,
I offer back again to great Arbaces.

Arb.

We thank you worthy Prince, and pray excuse us,
  We have not seen you since your being here,
  I hope your noble usage has been equall
  With your own person: your imprisonment,
  If it be any, I dare say is easie,
  And shall not last t[w]o dayes.

Tigr.

I thank you;
  My usage here has been the same it was,
  Worthy a royal Conqueror. For my restraint,
  It came unkindly, because much unlook’d for;
  But I must bear it.

Arb.

What Lady’s that? Bacurius?

Bac.

One of the Princess women, Sir.

Arb.

I fear’d it, why comes she hither?

Bac.

To speak with the Prince Tigranes.

Arb.

From whom, Bacurius?

Bac.

From the Princess, Sir.

Arb.

I knew I had seen her.

Mar.

His fit begins to take him now again,
’Tis a strange Feaver, and ’twill shake us all anon, I fear,
Would he were well cur’d of this raging folly:

Give me the warrs, where men are mad, and may talk what they list, and held the bravest fellows; This pelting prating peace is good for nothing: drinking’s a vertue to’t.

Arb.

I see there’s truth in no man, nor obedience,
But for his own ends, why did you let her in?

Bac.

It was your own command to barr none from him,
Besides, the Princess sent her ring Sir, for my warrant.

Arb.

A token to Tigranes, did she not?
Sir tell truth.

Bac.

I do not use to lie Sir,
’Tis no way I eat or live by, and I think,
This is no token Sir.

Mar.

This combat has undone him: if he had been well beaten, he had been temperate; I shall never see him handsome again, till he have a Horse-mans staffe yok’d thorow his shoulders, or an arm broken with a bullet.

Arb.

I am trifled with.

Bac.

Sir?

Arb.

I know it, as I know thee to be false.

Mar.

Now the clap comes.

Bac.

You never knew me so, Sir I dare speak it,
And durst a worse man tell me, though my better—

Mar.

’Tis well said, by my soul.

Arb.

Sirra, you answer as you had no life.

Bac.

That I fear Sir to lose nobly.

Arb.

I say Sir, once again.

Bac.

You may say what yo[u] please, Sir,
Would I might do so.

Arb.

I will, Sir, and say openly, this woman carries letters,
By my life I know she carries letters, this woman does it.

Mar.

Would Bessus were here to take her aside and search her, He would quickly tell you what she carried Sir.

Arb.

I have found it out, this woman carries letters.

Mar.

If this hold, ’twill be an ill world for Bawdes, Chamber-maids and Post-boyes, I thank heaven I have none I but his letters patents, things of his own enditing.

Arb.

Prince, this cunning cannot do’t.

Tigr.

Doe, What Sir? I reach you not.

Arb.

It shall not serve your turn, Prince.

Tigr.

Serve my turn Sir?

Arb.

I Sir, it shall not serve your turn.

Tigr.

Be plainer, good Sir.

Arb.

This woman shall carry no more letters back to your
Love Panthea, by Heaven she shall not, I say she shall not.

Mar.

This would make a Saint swear like a souldier.

Tigr.

This beats me more, King, than the blowes you gave me.

Arb.

Take’em away both, and together let them prisoners be, strictly and closely kept, or Sirra, your life shall answer it, and let no body speak with’em hereafter.

Tigr.

Well, I am subject to you,
  And must indure these passions:
  This is the imprisonment I have look’d for always.
  And the dearer place I would choose.

[Exeunt Tigr. Spa. Bac.

Mar.

Sir, you have done well now.

Arb.

Dare you reprove it?

Mar.

No.

Arb.

You must be crossing me.

Mar.

I have no letters Sir to anger you,
  But a dry sonnet of my Corporals
  To an old Suttlers wife, and that I’ll burn, Sir.
  ’Tis like to prove a fine age for the Ignorant.

Arb.

How darst thou so often forfeit thy life?
Thou know’st ’tis in my power to take it.

Mar.

Yes, and I know you wo’not, or if you doe, you’ll miss it quickly.

Arb.

Why?

Mar.

Who shall tell you of these childish follies
  When I am dead? who shall put to his power
  To draw those vertues out of a flood of humors,
  When they are drown’d, and make’em shine again?
  No, cut my head off:
  Then you may talk, and be believed, and grow worse,
  And have your too self-glorious temper rot
  Into a deep sleep, and the Kingdom with you,
  Till forraign swords be in your throats, and slaughter
  Be every where about you like your flatterers.
  Do, kill me.

Arb.

Prethee be tamer, good Mardonius,
  Thou know’st I love thee, nay I honour thee,
  Believe it good old Souldier, I am thine;
  But I am rack’d clean from my self, bear with me,
  Woot thou bear with me my Mardonius?

Enter Gobrias.

Mar.

There comes a good man, love him too, he’s temperate,
You may live to have need of such a vertue,
Rage is not still in fashion.

Arb.

Welcome good Gobrias.

Gob.

My service and this letter to your Grace.

Arb.

From whom?

Gob.

From the rich Mine of vertue and beauty,
Your mournfull Sister.

Arb.

She is in prison, Gobrias, is she not?

Gob.

She is Sir, till your pleasure to enlarge her,
  Which on my knees I beg. Oh ’tis not fit,
  That all the sweetness of the world in one,
  The youth and vertue that would tame wild Tygers,
  And wilder people, that have known no manners,
  Should live thus cloistred up; for your loves sake,
  If there be any in that noble heart,
  To her a wretched Lady, and forlorn,
  Or for her love to you, which is as much
  As nature and obedience ever gave,
  Have pity on her beauties.

Arb.

Pray thee stand up; ’Tis true, she is too fair,
  And all these commendations but her own,
  Would thou had’st never so commended her,
  Or I nere liv’d to have heard it Gobrias;
  If thou but know’st the wrong her beautie does her,
  Thou wouldst in pity of her be a lyar,
  Thy ignorance has drawn me wretched man,
  Whither my self nor thou canst well tell: O my fate!
  I think she loves me, but I fear another
  Is deeper in her heart: How thinkst thou Gobrias?

Gob.

I do beseech your Grace believe it not,
For let me perish if it be not false. Good Sir, read her Letter.

Mar.

This Love, or what a devil it is I know not, begets more mischief than a Wake. I had rather be well beaten, starv’d, or lowsie, than live within the Air on’t. He that had seen this brave fellow Charge through a grove of Pikes but t’other day, and look upon him now, will ne’r believe his eyes again: if he continue thus but two days more, a Taylor may beat him with one hand tied behind him.

Arb.

Alas, she would be at liberty.
  And there be a thousand reasons Gobrias,
  Thousands that will deny’t:
  Which if she knew, she would contentedly
  Be where she is: and bless her vertues for it,
  And me, though she were closer, she would, Gobrias,
  Good man indeed she would.

Gob.

Then good Sir, for her satisfaction,
Send for her and with reason make her know
Why she must live thus from you.

Arb.

I will; go bring her to me.

[Exeunt all.

Enter Bessus, And two Sword-men, and a Boy.

Bes.

Y’are very welcome both; some stools boy,
  And reach a Table; Gentlemen o’th’ Sword,
  Pray sit without more complement; be gone child.
  I have been curious in the searching of you,
  Because I understand you wise and valiant persons.

We understand our selves Sir.

Bes.

Nay Gentlemen, and dear friends o’th’ Sword,
No complement I pray, but to the cause
I hang upon, which in few, is my honour.

You cannot hang too much Sir, for your honour,
But to your cause.

Bes.

Be wise, and speak truth, my first doubt is,
My beating by my Prince.

Stay there a little Sir, do you doubt a beating?
Or have you had a beating by your Prince?

Bes.

Gentlemen o’th’ Sword, my Prince has beaten me.

Brother, what think you of this case?

If he has beaten him, the case is clear.

If he have beaten him, I grant the case;
But how? we cannot be too subtil in this business,
I say, but how?

Bes.

Even with his Royal hand.

Was it a blow of love, or indignation?

Bes.

’Twas twenty blows of indignation, Gentlemen,
Besides two blows o’th face.

Those blows o’th’ face have made a new cause on’t,
The rest were but an horrible rudeness.

Two blows o’th’ face, and given by a worse man, I must confess, as the Sword-men say, had turn’d the business: Mark me brother, by a worse man; but being by his Prince, had they been ten, and those ten drawn teeth, besides the hazard of his nose for ever; all this had been but favours: this is my flat opinion, which I’le die in.

The King may do much Captain, believe it; for had he crackt your Scull through, like a bottle, or broke a Rib or two with tossing of you, yet you had lost no honour: This is strange you may imagine, but this is truth now Captain.

Bes.

I will be glad to embrace it Gentlemen;
But how far may he strike me?

There is another: a new cause rising from the time and distance, in which I will deliver my opinion: he may strike, beat, or cause to be beaten: for these are natural to man: your Prince, I say, may beat you, so far forth as his dominion reacheth, that’s for the distance; the time, ten miles a day, I take it.

Brother, you err, ’tis fifteen miles a day,
His stage is ten, his beatings are fifteen.

Bes.

’Tis the longest, but we subjects must—

Be subject to it; you are wise and vertuous.

Bes.

Obedience ever makes that noble use on’t,
To which I dedicate my beaten body;
I must trouble you a little further, Gentlemen o’th’ Sword.

No trouble at all to us Sir, if we may
  Profit your understanding, we are bound
  By vertue of our calling to utter our opinions,
  Shortly, and discreetly.

Bes.

My sorest business is, I have been kick’d.

How far Sir?

Bes.

Not to flatter my self in it, all over, my sword forc’d but not lost; for discreetly I rendred it to save that imputation.

It shew’d discretion, the best part of valour.

Brother, this is a pretty cause, pray ponder on’t;
Our friend here has been kick’d.

He has so, brother.

Sorely he saies: Now, had he set down here
Upon the meer kick, ’t had been Cowardly.

I think it had been Cowardly indeed.

But our friend has redeem’d it in delivering
  His sword without compulsion; and that man
  That took it of him, I pronounce a weak one,
  And his kicks nullities.
  He should have kick’d him after the delivering
  Which is the confirmation of a Coward.

Brother, I take it, you mistake the question;
For, say that I were kick’d.

I must not say so;
Nor I must not hear it spoke by the tongue of man.
You kick’d, dear brother! you’re merry.

But put the case I were kick’d?

Let them put it that are things weary of their lives, and know not honour; put the case you were kick’d?

I do not say I was kickt.

Nor no silly creature that wears his head without a Case, his soul in a Skin-coat: You kickt dear brother?

Bes.

Nay Gentlemen, let us do what we shall do,
Truly and honest[l]y; good Sirs to the question.

Why then I say, suppose your Boy kick’t, Captain?

The Boy may be suppos’d is liable.

A foolish forward zeal Sir, in my friend;
But to the Boy, suppose the Boy were kickt.

Bes.

I do suppose it.

Has your Boy a sword?

Bes.

Surely no; I pray suppose a sword too.

I do suppose it; you grant your Boy was kick’t then.

By no means Captain, let it be supposed still; the word grant, makes not for us.

I say this must be granted.

This must be granted brother?

I, this must be granted.

Still this must?

I say this must be granted.

I, give me the must again, brother, you palter.

I will not hear you, wasp.

Brother, I say you palter, the must three times together; I wear as sharp Steel as another man, and my Fox bites as deep, musted, my dear brother. But to the cause again.

Bes.

Nay look you Gentlemen.

In a word, I ha’ done.

A tall man but intemperate, ’tis great pity;
Once more suppose the Boy kick’d.

Forward.

And being thorowly kick’d, laughs at the kicker.

So much for us; proceed.

And in this beaten scorn, as I may call it,
Delivers up his weapon; where lies the error?

Bes.

It lies i’th’ beating Sir, I found it four dayes since.

The error, and a sore one as I take it,
Lies in the thing kicking.

Bes.

I understand that well, ’tis so indeed Sir.

That is according to the man that did it.

There springs a new branch, whose was the foot?

Bes.

A Lords.

The cause is mighty, but had it been two Lords,
And both had kick’d you, if you laugh, ’tis clear.

Bes.

I did laugh,
But how will that help me, Gentlemen?

Yes, it shall help you if you laught aloud.

Bes.

As loud as a kick’d man could laugh, I laught Sir.

My reason now, the valiant man is known
By suffering and contemning; you have
Enough of both, and you are valiant.

If he be sure he has been kick’d enough:
  For that brave sufferance you speak of brother,
  Consists not in a beating and away,
  But in a cudgell’d body, from eighteen
  To eight and thirty; in a head rebuk’d
  With pots of all size, degrees, stools, and bed-staves,
  This showes a valiant man.

Bes.

Then I am valiant, as valiant as the proudest,
  For these are all familiar things to me;
  Familiar as my sleep, or want of money,
  All my whole body’s but one bruise with beating,
  I think I have been cudgell’d with all nations,
  And almost all Religions.

Embrace him brother, this man is valiant,
I know it by my self, he’s valiant.

Captain, thou art a valiant Gentleman,
To bide upon, a very valiant man.

Bes.

My equall friends o’th’Sword, I must request your hands to this.

’Tis fit it should be.

Bes.

Boy, get me some wine, and pen and Ink within:
Am I clear, Gentlemen?

Sir, the world has taken notice what we have done,
Make much of your body, for I’ll pawn my steel,
Men will be coyer of their legs hereafter.

Bes.

I must request you goe along and testife to the Lord Bacurius, whose foot has struck me, how you find my cause.

We will, and tell that Lord he must be rul’d,
Or there are those abroad, will rule his Lordship.

[Exeunt.

Enter Arbaces at one door, and Gob. and Panthea at another.

Gob.

Sir, here’s the Princess.

Arb.

Leave us then alone,
For the main cause of her imprisonment
Must not be heard by any but her self.

[Exit Gob.

You’re welcome Sister, and would to heaven
  I could so bid you by another name:
  If you above love not such sins as these,
  Circle my heart with thoughts as cold as snow
  To quench these rising flames that harbour here.

[P]an.

Sir, does it please you I should speak?

Arb.

Please me?
  I, more than all the art of musick can,
  Thy speech doth please me, for it ever sounds,
  As thou brought’st joyfull unexpected news;
  And yet it is not fit thou shouldst be heard.
  I pray thee think so.

Pan.

Be it so, I will.
  Am I the first that ever had a wrong
  So far from being fit to have redress,
  That ’twas unfit to hear it? I will back
  To prison, rather than disquiet you,
  And wait till it be fit.

Arb.

No, do not goe;
  For I will hear thee with a serious thought:
  I have collected all that’s man about me
  Together strongly, and I am resolv’d
  To hear thee largely, but I do beseech thee,
  Do not come nearer to me, for there is
  Something in that, that will undoe us both.

Pan.

Alas Sir, am I venome?

Arb.

Yes, to me;
  Though of thy self I think thee to be
  In equall degree of heat or cold,
  As nature can make: yet as unsound men
  Convert the sweetest and the nourishing’st meats
  Into diseases; so shall I distemper’d,
  Do thee, I pray thee draw no nearer to me.

Pan.

Sir, this is that I would: I am of late
Shut from the world, and why it should be thus,
Is all I wish to know.

Arb.

Why credit me Panthea,
  Credit me that am thy brother,
  Thy loving brother, that there is a cause
  Sufficient, yet unfit for thee to know,
  That might undoe thee everlastingly,
  Only to hear, wilt thou but credit this?
  By Heaven ’tis true, believe it if thou canst.

Pan.

Children and fools are ever credulous,
  And I am both, I think, for I believe;
  If you dissemble, be it on your head;
  I’le back unto my prison: yet me-thinks
  I might be kept in some place where you are;
  For in my self, I find I know not what
  To call it, but it is a great desire
  To see you often.

Arb.

Fie, you come in a step, what do you mean?
  Dear sister, do not so: Alas Panthea,
  Where I am would you be? Why that’s the cause
  You are imprison’d, that you may not be
  Where I am.

Pan.

Then I must indure it Sir, Heaven keep you.

Arb.

Nay, you shall hear the case in short Panthea,
  And when thou hear’st it, thou wilt blush for me,
  And hang thy head down like a Violet
  Full of the mornings dew: There is a way
  To gain thy freedome, but ’tis such a one
  As puts thee in worse bondage, and I know,
  Thou wouldst encounter fire, and make a proof
  Whether the gods have care of innocence,
  Rather than follow it: Know that I have lost,
  The only difference betwixt man and beast,
  My reason.

Pan.

Heaven forbid.

Arb.

Nay ’tis gone;
  And I am left as far without a bound,
  As the wild Ocean, that obeys the winds;
  Each sodain passion throwes me where it lists,
  And overwhelms all that oppose my will:
  I have beheld thee with a lustfull eye;
  My heart is set on wickedness to act
  Such sins with thee, as I have been afraid
  To think of, if thou dar’st consent to this,
  Which I beseech thee do not, thou maist gain
  Thy liberty, and yield me a content;
  If not, thy dwelling must be dark and close,
  Where I may never see thee; For heaven knows
  That laid this punishment upon my pride,
  Thy sight at some time will enforce my madness
  To make a start e’ne to thy ravishing;
  Now spit upon me, and call all reproaches
  Thou canst devise together, and at once
  Hurle’em against me: for I am a sickness
  As killing as the plague, ready to seize thee.

Pan.

Far be it from me to revile the King:
  But it is true, that I shall rather choose
  To search out death, that else would search out me,
  And in a grave sleep with my innocence,
  Than welcome such a sin: It is my fate,
  To these cross accidents I was ordain’d,
  And must have patience; and but that my eyes
  Have more of woman in ’em than my heart,
  I would not weep: Peace enter you again.

Arb.

Farwell, and good Panthea pray for me,
  Thy prayers are pure, that I may find a death
  However soon before my passions grow
  That they forget what I desire is sin;
  For thither they are tending: if that happen,
  Then I shall force thee tho’ thou wert a Virgin
  By vow to Heaven, and shall pull a heap
  Of strange yet uninvented sin upon me.

Pan.

Sir, I will pray for you, yet you shall know
  It is a sullen fate that governs us,
  For I could wish as heartily as you
  I were no sister to you, I should then
  Imbrace your lawfull love, sooner than health.

Arb.

Couldst thou affect me then?

Pan.

So perfectly,
That as it is, I ne’re shall sway my heart,
To like another.

Arb.

Then I curse my birth,
  Must this be added to my miseries
  That thou art willing too? is there no stop
  To our full happiness, but these meer sounds
  Brother and Sister?

Pan.

There is nothing else,
But these alas will separate us more
Than twenty worlds betwixt us.

Arb.

I have liv’d
  To conquer men and now am overthrown
  Only by words Brother and Sister: where
  Have those words dwelling? I will find ’em out,
  And utterly destroy ’em; but they are
  Not to be grasp’d: let ’em be men or beasts,
  And I will cut ’em from the Earth, or Towns,
  And I will raze ’em, and the[n] blow ’em up:
  Let ’em be Seas, and I will drink ’em off,
  And yet have unquencht fire left in my breast:
  Let ’em be any thing but meerly voice.

Pan.

But ’tis not in the power of any force,
Or policy to conquer them.

Arb.

Panthea, What shall we do? Shall we stand firmly here, and gaze our eyes out?

Pan.

Would I could do so,
But I shall weep out mine.

Arb.

Accursed man,
  Thou bought’st thy reason at too dear a rate,
  For thou hast all thy actions bounded in
  With curious rules, when every beast is free:
  What is there that acknowledges a kindred
  But wretched man? Who ever saw the Bull
  Fearfully leave the Heifer that he lik’d
  Because they had one Dam?

Pan.

Sir, I disturb you and my self too;
’Twere better I were gone.

Arb.

I will not be so foolish as I was,
  Stay, we will love just as becomes our births,
  No otherwise: Brothers and Sisters may
  Walk hand in hand together; so will we,
  Come nearer: is there any hurt in this?

Pan.

I hope not.

Arb.

Faith there is none at all:
And tell me truly now, is there not one
You love above me?

Pan.

No by Heaven.

Arb.

Why yet you sent unto Tigranes, Sister.

Pan.

True, but for another: for the truth—

Arb.

No more,
I’le credit thee, thou canst not lie,
Thou art all truth.

Pan.

But is there nothing else,
That we may do, but only walk? methinks
Brothers and Sisters lawfully may kiss.

Arb.

And so they may Panthea, so will we,
And kiss again too; we were too scrupulous,
And foolish, but we will be so no more.

Pan.

If you have any mercy, let me go
  To prison, to my death, to any thing:
  I feel a sin growing upon my blood,
  Worse than all these, hotter than yours.

Arb.

That is impossible, what shou’d we do?

Pan.

Flie Sir, for Heavens sake.

Arb.

So we must away,
Sin grows upon us more by this delay.

[Exeunt several wayes.

Actus Quintus.

Enter Mardonius And Lygones.

Mar.

Sir, the King has seen your Commission, and believes it, and freely by this warrant gives you power to visit Prince Tigranes, your Noble Master.

Lygr.

I thank his Grace and kiss his hand.

Mar.

But is the main of all your business ended in this?

Lyg.

I have another, but a worse, I am asham’d, it is a business.

Mar.

You serve a worthy person, and a stranger I am sure you are; you may imploy me if you please without your purse, such Offices should ever be their own rewards.

Lyg.

I am bound to your Nobleness.

Mar.

I may have need of you, and then this courtesie,
  If it be any, is not ill bestowed;
  But may I civilly desire the rest?
  I shall not be a hurter if no helper.

Lyg.

Sir you shall know I have lost a foolish Daughter,
And with her all my patience, pilfer’d away
By a mean Captain of your Kings.

Mar.

Stay there Sir:
  If he have reacht the Noble worth of Captain,
  He may well claim a worthy Gentlewoman,
  Though she were yours, and Noble.

Lyg.

I grant all that too: but this wretched fellow
  Reaches no further than the empty name
  That serves to feed him; were he valiant,
  Or had but in him any noble nature
  That might hereafter promise him a good man,
  My cares were so much lighter, and my grave
  A span yet from me.

Mar.

I confess such fellows
  Be in all Royal Camps, and have and must be,
  To make the sin of Coward more detested
  In the mean souldier that with such a foil
  Sets off much valour. By description
  I should now guess him to you, it was Bessus,
  I dare almost with confidence pronounce it.

Lyg.

’Tis such a scurvie name as Bessus, and now I think ’tis he.

Mar.

Captain do you call him?
  Believe me Sir, you have a misery
  Too mighty for your age: A pox upon him,
  For that must be the end of all his service:
  Your Daughter was not mad Sir?

Lyg.

No, would she had been,
The fault had had more credit: I would do something.

Mar.

I would fain counsel you, but to what I know not, he’s so below a beating, that the Women find him not worthy of their Distaves, and to hang him were to cast away a Rope; he’s such an Airie, thin unbodyed Coward, that no revenge can catch him: I’le tell you Sir, and tell you truth; this Rascal fears neither God nor man, he has been so beaten: sufferance has made him Wainscot: he has had since he was first a slave, at least three hundred Daggers set in’s head, as little boys do new Knives in hot meat, there’s not a Rib in’s body o’ my Conscience that has not been thrice broken with dry beating: and now his sides look like two Wicker Targets, every way bended; Children will shortly take him for a Wall, and set their Stone-bows in his forehead, he is of so base a sense, I cannot in a week imagine what shall be done to him.

Lyg.

Sure I have committed some great sin
That this fellow should be made my Rod,
I would see him, but I shall have no patience.

Mar.

’Tis no great matter if you have not: if a Laming of him, or such a toy may do you pleasure Sir, he has it for you, and I’le help you to him: ’tis no news to him to have a Leg broken, or Shoulder out, with being turn’d o’th’ stones like a Tansie: draw not your Sword if you love it; for on my Conscience his head will break it: we use him i’th’ Wars like a Ram to shake a wall withal. Here comes the very person of him, do as you shall find your temper, I must leave you: but if you do not break him like a Bisket, you are much to blame Sir.

[Exit Mar.

Enter Bessus And the Sword men.

Lyg.

Is your name Bessus?

Bes.

Men call me Captain Bessus.

Lyg.

Then Ca[p]tain Bessus, you are a rank rascall, without more exordiums, a durty frozen slave; and with the favor of your friends here I will beat you.

2 Sword.

Pray use your pleasure Sir,
You seem to be a Gentleman.

Lyg.

Thus Captain Bessus, thus; thus twing your nose, thus kick, thus tread you.

Bes.

I do beseech you yield your cause Sir quickly.

Lyg.

Indeed I should have told that first.

Bes.

I take it so.

1 Sword.

Captain, he should indeed, he is mistaken.

Lyg.

Sir, you shall have it quickly, and more beating, you have stoln away a Lady, Captain coward, and such an one.

beats him.

Bes.

Hold, I beseech you, hold Sir, I never yet stole any living thing that had a tooth about it.

Lyg.

I know you dare lie.

Bes.

With none but Summer Whores upon my life Sir, my means and manners never could attempt above a hedge or hay-cock.

Lyg.

Sirra, that quits not me, where is this Lady? do that you do not use to do; tell truth, or by my hand, I’le beat your Captains brains out, wash’em, and put ’em in again, that will I.

Bes.

There was a Lady Sir, I must confess, once in my charge: the Prince Tigranes gave her to my guard for her safety, how I us’d her, she may her self report, she’s with the Prince now: I did but wait upon her like a groom, which she will testife I am sure: if not, my brains are at your service when you please Sir, and glad I have ’em for you.

Lyg.

This is most likely, Sir, I ask you pardon, and am sorry I was so intemperate.

Bes.

Well I can ask no more, you will think it strange not to have me beat you at first sight.

Lyg.

Indeed I would, but I know your goodness can forget twenty beatings, you must forgive me.

Bes.

Yes there’s my hand, go where you will, I shall think you a valiant fellow for all this.

Lyg.

My da[u]ghter is a Whore, I feel it now too sensible; yet I will see her, discharge my self from being father to her, and then back to my Country, and there die, farwell Captain.

[Exit Lygo.

Bes.

Farwell Sir, farwell, commend me to the gentlewoman I pray.

1 Sword.

How now Captain? bear up man.

Bes.

Gentlemen o’th’sword, your hands once more; I have been kickt agen, but the foolish fellow is penitent, has askt me Mercy, and my honour’s safe.

2 Sword.

We knew that, or the foolish fellow had better have kickt his grandsir.

Bes.

Confirm, confirm I pray.

1 Sword.

There be our hands agen, now let him come and say he was not sorry, and he sleeps for it.

Bes.

Alas good ignorant old man, let him go, let him go, these courses will undo him.

[Exeunt clear.

Enter Lygones And Bacurius.

Bac.

My Lord, your authority is good, and I am glad it is so, for my
  consent would never hinder you from seeing your own King, I am a
  Minister, but not a governor of this State, yonder is your King,
  I’le leave you.

[Exit.

Enter Tigranes And Spaconia.

Lyg.

There he is indeed, and with him my disloyal child.

Tigr.

I do perceive my fault so much, that yet me thinks thou shouldst not have forgiven me.

Lyg.

Health to your Majesty.

Tigr.

What? good Lygones welcome, what business brought thee hither?

Lyg.

Several businesses. My publick businesses will appear by this, I have a message to deliver, which if it please you so to authorize, is an embassage from the Armenian State, unto Arbaces for your liberty: the offer’s there set down, please you to read it.

Tigr.

There is no alteration happened since I came thence?

Lyg.

None Sir, all is as it was.

Tigr.

And all our friends are well?

Lyg.

All very well.

Spa.

Though I have done nothing but what was good, I dare not see my
Father, it was fault enough not to acquaint him with that good.

Lyg.

Madam I should have seen you.

Spa.

O good Sir forgive me.

Lyg.

Forgive you, why? I am no kin to you, am I?

Spa.

Should it be measur’d by my mean deserts, indeed you are not.

Lyg.

Thou couldest prate unhappily ere thou couldst go, would thou couldst do as well, and how does your custome hold out here?

Spa.

Sir?

Lyg.

Are you in private still, or how?

Spa.

What do you mean?

Lyg.

Do you take mony? are you come to sell sin yet? perhaps I can help you to liberal Clients: or has not the King cast you off yet? O thou vile creature, whose best commendation is, that thou art a young whore, I would thy Mother had liv’d to see this, or rather that I had died ere I had seen it; why didst not make me acquainted when thou wert first resolv’d to be a whore, I would have seen thy hot lust satisfied more privately: I would have kept a dancer and a whole consort of musicians in my own house only to fiddle thee.

Spa.

Sir, I was never whore.

Lyg.

If thou couldst not say so much for thy self, thou shouldst be carted.

Tigr.

Lygones, I have read it, and I like it, you shall deliver it.

Lyg.

Well Sir, I will: but I have private business with you.

Tigr.

Speak, what is’t?

Lyg. How has my age deserv’d so ill of you, that you can pick no strumpets i’th’ land, but out of my breed?

Tigr.

Strumpets, good Lygones?

Lyg.

Yes, and I wish to have you know, I scorn to get a whore for any prince alive, and yet scorn will not help methinks: my Daughter might have been spar’d, there were enow besides.

Tigr.

May I not prosper but she’s innocent as morning light for me, and
I dare swear for all the world.

Lyg.

Why is she with you then? can she wait on you better than your man, has she a gift in plucking off your stockings, can she make Cawdles well or cut your cornes? Why do you keep her with you? For a Queen I know you do contemn her, so should I, and every subject else think much at it.

Tigr.

Let ’em think much, but ’tis more firm than earth: thou see’st thy Queen there.

Lyg.

Then have I made a fair hand, I call’d her Whore. If I shall speak now as her Father, I cannot chuse but greatly rejoyce that she shall be a Queen: but if I shall speak to you as a States-man, she were more fit to be your whore.

Tigr.

Get you about your business to Arbaces, now you talk idlely.

Lyg.

Yes Sir, I will go, and shall she be a Queen? she had more wit than her old Father, when she ran away: shall she be Queen? now by my troth ’tis fine, I’le dance out of all measure at her wedding: shall I not Sir?

Tigr.

Yes marry shalt thou.

Lyg.

I’le make these withered kexes bear my body two hours together above ground.

Tigr.

Nay go, my business requires hast.

Lyg.

Good Heaven preserve you, you are an excellent King.

Spa.

Farwell good Father.

Lyg.

Farwell sweet vertuous Daughter, I never was so joyfull in all my life, that I remember: shall she be a Queen? Now I perceive a man may weep for joy, I had thought they had lyed that said so.

[Exit Lygones.

Tigr.

Come my dear love.

Spa.

But you may see another may alter that again.

Tigr.

Urge it no more, I have made up a new strong constancy, not to be shook with eyes: I know I have the passions of a man, but if I meet with any subject that should hold my eyes more firmly than is fit, I’le think of thee, and run away from it: let that suffice.

[Exeunt all.

Enter Bacurius And his Servant.

Bac.

Three Gentlemen without to speak with me?

Ser.

Yes Sir.

Bac.

Let them come in.

Enter Bessus with the two Sword-men.

Ser.

They are entred Sir already.

Bac.

Now fellows your business? are these the Gentlemen?

Bes.

My Lord, I have made bold to bring these Gentlemen, my friends o’th’ Sword along with me.

Bac.

I am afraid you’l fight then.

Bes.

My good Lord, I will not, your Lordship is much mistaken, fear not Lord.

Bac.

Sir, I am sorry for’t.

Bes.

I ask no more in honour, Gentlemen you hear my Lord is sorry.

Bac.

Not that I have beaten you, but beaten one that will be beaten: one whose dull body will require a laming, as Surfeits do the diet, spring and fall; now to your Sword-men; what come they for, good Captain Stock-fish?

Bes.

It seems your Lordship has forgot my name.

Bac.

No, nor your nature neither, though they are things fitter I must confess for any thing, than my remembrance, or any honest mans: what shall these Billets do; be pil’d up in my wood-yard?

Bes.

Your Lordship holds your mirth still, Heaven continue it: but for these Gentlemen, they come—

Bac.

To swear you are a Coward, spare your book, I do believe it.

Bes.

Your Lordship still draws wide, they come to vouch under their valiant hands I am no Coward.

Bac.

That would be a show indeed worth seeing: sirra be wise, and take Mony for this motion, travel with it, and where the name of Bessus has been known or a good Coward stirring, ’twill yield more than a tilting. This will prove more beneficial to you, if you be thrifty, than your Captainship, and more natural: men of most valiant hands is this true?

2 Sword.

It is so, most renowned.

Bac.

’Tis somewhat strange.

1 Sword.

Lord, it is strange, yet true; we have examined from your Lordships foot there, to this mans head, the nature of the beatings; and we do find his honour is come off clean and sufficient: this as our swords shall help us.

Bac.

You are much bound to your Bil-bow-men, I am glad you are straight again Captain; ’twere good you would think on some way to gratifie them, they have undergone a labour for you, Bessus would have puzl’d hercules with all his valour.

2 Sword.

Your Lordship must understand we are no men o’th’ Law, that take pay for our opinions: it is sufficient we have clear’d our friend.

Bac.

Yet there is something due, which I as toucht in Conscience will discharge Captain; I’le pay this Rent for you.

Bes.

Spare your self my good Lord; my brave friends aim at nothing but the vertue.

Bac.

That’s but a cold discharge Sir for the pains.

2 Sword.

O Lord, my good Lord.

Bac.

Be not so modest, I will give you something.

Bes.

They shall dine with your Lordship, that’s sufficient.

Bac.

Something in hand the while, you Rogues, you Apple-squires: do you come hither with your botled valour, your windy froth, to limit out my beatings?

1 Sword.

I do beseech your Lordship.

2 Sword.

O good Lord.

Bac.

S’foot-what a heavy of beaten slaves are here! get me a Cudgel sirra, and a tough one.

2 Sword.

More of your foot, I do beseech your Lordship.

Bac.

You shall, you shall dog, and your fellow-beagle.

1 Sword.

O’ this side good my Lord.

Bac.

Off with your swords, for if you hurt my foot, I’le have you flead you Rascals.

1 Sword.

Mine’s off my Lord.

2 Sword.

I beseech your Lordship stay a little, my strap’s tied to my Cod piece-point: now when you please.

Bac.

Captain these are your valiant friends, you long for a little too?

Bes.

I am very well, I humbly thank your Lordship.

Bac.

What’s that in your pocket, hurts my Toe you Mungril? Thy
Buttocks cannot be so hard, out with it quickly.

2 Sword.

Here ’tis Sir, a small piece of Artillery, that a Gentleman a dear friend of your Lordships sent me with, to get it mended Sir, for if you mark, the nose is somewhat loose.

Bac.

A friend of mine you Rascal? I was never wearier of doing any thing, than kicking these two Foot-balls.

Enter Servant.

Serv.

Here is a good Cudgel Sir.

Bac.

It comes too late I’me weary, pray thee do thou beat them.

2 Sword.

My Lord, this is foul play i’faith, to put a fresh man upon us, men are but men Sir.

Bac.

That jest shall save your bones; Captain, Rally up your rotten Regiment and be gone: I had rather thrash than be bound to kick these Rascals, till they cry’d ho; Bessus you may put your hand to them now, and then you are quit. Farewel, as you like this, pray visit me again, ’twill keep me in good health.

[Exit Bac.

2 Sword.

H’as a devilish hard foot, I never felt the like.

1 Sword.

Nor I, and yet I am sure I have felt a hundred.

2 Sword.

If he kick thus i’th’ Dog-daies, he will be dry foundred: what cure now Captain besides Oyl of Baies?

Bes.

Why well enough I warrant you, you can go.

2 Sword.

Yes, heaven be thanked; but I feel a shrowd ach, sure h’as sprang my huckle-bone.

1 Sword.

I ha’ lost a hanch.

Bes.

A little butter, friend a little butter, butter and parseley and a soveraign matter: probatum est.

2 Sword.

Captain we must request your hand now to our honours.

Bes.

Yes marry shall ye, and then let all the world come, we are valiant to our selves, and there’s an end.

1 Sword.

Nay then we must be valiant; O my ribs.

2 Sword.

O my small guts, a plague upon these sharp-toed shooes, they are murtherers.

[Exeunt clear.

Enter Arbaces with his sword drawn.

Arb.

It is resolv’d, I bare it whilst I could, I can no more, I must begin with murther of my friends, and so go on to that incestuous ravishing, and end my life and sins with a forbidden blow, upon my self.

Enter Mardonius.

Mar.

What Tragedy is near? That hand was never wont to draw a sword, but it cry’d dead to something.

Arb.

Mardonius, have you bid Gobrias come?

Mar.

How do you Sir?

Arb.

Well, is he coming?

Mar.

Why Sir, are you thus? why do your hands proclaim a lawless War against your self?

Arb.

Thou answerest me one question with an other, is Gobrias coming?

Mar.

Sir he is.

Arb.

’Tis well, I can forbear your questions then, be gone.

Mar.

Sir, I have mark’t.

Arb.

Mark less, it troubles you and me.

Mar.

You are more variable than you were.

Arb.

It may be so.

Mar.

To day no Hermit could be humbler than you were to us all.

Arb.

And what of this?

Mar.

And now you take new rage into your eyes, as you would look us all out of the Land.

Arb.

I do confess it, will that satisfie? I prethee get thee gone.

Mar.

Sir, I will speak.

Arb.

Will ye?

Mar.

It is my duty. I fear you will kill your self: I am a subject, and you shall do me wrong in’t: ’tis my cause, and I may speak.

Arb.

Thou art not train’d in sin, it seems Mardonius: kill my self! by Heaven I will not do it yet; and when I will, I’le tell thee then: I shall be such a creature, that thou wilt give me leave without a word. There is a method in mans wickedness, it grows up by degrees: I am not come so high as killing of my self, there are a hundred thousand sins ’twixt me and it, which I must doe, and I shall come to’t at last; but take my oath not now, be satisfied, and get thee hence.

Mar.

I am sorry ’tis so ill.

Arb.

Be sorry then, true sorrow is alone, grieve by thy self.

Mar.

I pray you let me see your Sword put up before I go: I’le leave you then.

Arb.

Why so? what folly is this in thee, is it not as apt to mischief as it was before? can I not reach it thinkst thou? these are toyes for Children to be pleas’d with, and not men, now I am safe you think: I would the book of fate were here, my Sword is not so sure but I would get it out and mangle that, that all the destinies should quite forget their fixt decrees, and hast to make us new, for other fortunes, mine could not be worse, wilt thou now leave me?

Mar.

Heaven put into your bosome temperate thoughts, I’le leave you though I fear.

Arb.

Go, thou art honest, why should the hasty error of my youth be so unpardonable to draw a sin helpless upon me?

Enter Gobrias.

Gob.

There is the King, now it is ripe.

Arb.

Draw near thou guilty man, that art the authour of the loathedst crime five ages have brought forth, and hear me speak; curses more incurable, and all the evils mans body or his Spirit can receive be with thee.

Gob.

Why Sir do you curse me thus?

Arb.

Why do I curse thee? if there be a man subtil in curses, that exceeds the rest, his worst wish on thee, thou hast broke my heart.

Gob.

How Sir, have I preserv’d you from a child, from all the arrows, malice, or ambition could shoot at you, and have I this for my pay?

Arb.

’Tis true, thou didst preserve me, and in that wert crueller than hardned murtherers of infants and their Mothers! thou didst save me only till thou hadst studied out a way how to destroy me cunningly thy self: this was a curious way of torturing.

Gob.

What do you mean?

Arb.

Thou knowst the evils thou hast done to me; dost thou remember all those witching letters thou sent’st unto me to Armenia, fill’d with the praise of my beloved Sister, where thou extol’st her beauty, what had I to do with that? what could her beauty be to me? and thou didst write how well she lov’d me, dost thou remember this? so that I doted something before I saw her.

Gob.

This is true.

Arb.

Is it? and when I was return’d thou knowst thou didst pursue it, till thou woundst me into such a strange and unbeliev’d affection, as good men cannot think on.

Gob.

This I grant, I think I was the cause.

Arb.

Wert thou? Nay more, I think thou meant’st it.

Gob.

Sir, I hate to lie, as I love Heaven and honesty, I did, it was my meaning.

Arb.

Be thine own sad judge, a further condemnation will not need, prepare thy self to dy.

Gob.

Why Sir to dy?

Arb.

Why shouldst thou live? was ever yet offender so impudent, that had a thought of Mercy after confession of a crime like this? get out I cannot where thou hurl’st me in, but I can take revenge, that’s all the sweetness left for me.

Gob.

Now is the time, hear me but speak.

Arb.

No, yet I will be far more mercifull than thou wert to me; thou didst steal into me and never gav’st me warning: so much time as I give thee now, had prevented thee for ever. Notwithstanding all thy sins, if thou hast hope, that there is yet a prayer to save thee, turn and speak it to thy self.

Gob.

Sir, you shall know your sins before you do’em, if you kill me.

Arb.

I will not stay then.

Gob.

Know you kill your Father.

Arb.

How?

Gob.

You kill your Father.

Arb.

My Father? though I know’t for a lie, made out of fear to save thy stained life; the very reverence of the word comes cross me, and ties mine arm down.

Gob.

I will tell you that shall heighten you again, I am thy Father, I charge thee hear me.

Arb.

If it should be so, as ’tis most false, and that I should be found a Bastard issue, the despised fruit of lawless lust, I should no more admire all my wild passions: but another truth shall be wrung from thee: if I could come by the Spirit of pain, it should be poured on thee, till thou allow’st thy self more full of lies than he that teaches thee.

Enter Arane.

Ara.

Turn thee about, I come to speak to thee thou wicked man, hear me thou tyrant.

Arb.

I will turn to thee, hear me thou Strumpet; I have blotted out the name of Mother, as thou hast thy shame.

Ara.

My shame! thou hast less shame than any thing; why dost thou keep my Daughter in a prison? why dost thou call her Sister, and do this?

Arb.

Cease thy strange impudence, and answer quickly if thou contemnest me, this will ask an answer, and have it.

Ara.

Help me Gentle Gobrias.

Arb.

Guilt [dare] not help guilt though they grow together in doing ill, yet at the [punishment] they sever, and each flies the noise of other, think not of help, answer.

Ara.

I will, to what?

Arb.

To such a thing, as if it be a truth think what a creature thou hast made thy self, that didst not shame to do, what I must blush only to ask thee: tell me who I am, whose son I am without all circumstance, be thou as hasty as my Sword will be if thou refusest.

Ara.

Why, you are his son.

Arb.

His Son? swear, swear, thou worse than woman damn’d.

Ara.

By all that’s good you are.

Arb.

Then art thou all that ever was known bad, now is the cause of all my strange mis-fortunes come to light: what reverence expectest thou from a child, to bring forth which thou hast offended heaven, thy husband, and the Land? adulterous witch, I know now why thou wouldst have poyson’d me, I was thy lust which thou wouldst have forgot: then wicked Mother of my sins, and me, show me the way to the inheritance I have by thee: which is a spacious world of impious acts, that I may soon possess it: plagues rot thee, as thou liv’st, and such diseases, as use to pay lust, recompence thy deed.

Gob.

You do not know why you curse thus.

Arb.

Too well; you are a pair of Vipers; and behold the Serpent you have got; there is no beast but if he knew it, has a pedigree as brave as mine, for they have more descents, and I am every way as beastly got, as far without the compass of Law as they.

Ara.

You spend your rage and words in vain, and rail upon a guess; hear us a little.

Arb.

No, I will never hear, but talk away my breath, and die.

Gob.

Why, but you are no Bastard.

Arb.

How’s that?

Ara.

Nor child of mine.

Arb.

Still you go on in wonders to me.

Gob.

Pray you be more patient, I may bring comfort to you.

Arb.

I will kneel, and hear with the obedience of a child; good Father speak, I do acknowledge you, so you bring comfort.

Gob.

First know, our last King, your supposed Father was old and feeble when he married her, and almost all the Land thought she was past hope of issue from him.

Arb.

Therefore she took leave to play the whore, because the King was old: is this the comfort?

Ara.

What will you find out to give me satisfaction, when you find how you have injur’d me? let fire consume me, if ever I were a whore.

Gob.

For-bear these starts, or I will leave you wedded to despair, as you are now: if you can find a temper, my breath shall be a pleasant western wind that cools and blasts not.

Arb.

Bring it out good Father. I’le lie, and listen here as reverently as to an Angel: if I breath too loud, tell me; for I would be as still as night.

Gob.

Our King I say, was old, and this our Queen desir’d to bring an heir, but yet her husband she thought was past it, and to be dishonest I think she would not: if she would have been, the truth is, she was watcht so narrowly, and had so slender opportunities, she hardly could have been: but yet her cunning found out this way; she feign’d her self with child, and posts were sent in hast throughout the Land, and humble thanks was given in every Church, and prayers were made for her safe going and delivery: she feign’d now to grow bigger, and perceiv’d this hope of issue made her fear’d, and brought a far more large respect from every man, and saw her power increase, and was resolv’d, since she believ’d, she could not hav’t indeed, at least she would be thought to have a child.

Arb.

Do I not hear it well? nay I will make no noise at all; but pray you to the point, quickly as you can.

Gob.

Now when the time was full, she should be brought to bed, I had a Son born, which was you, this the Queen hearing of mov’d me to let her have you; and such reasons she shewed me, as she knew would tie my secrecie, she swore you should be King, and to be short, I did deliver you unto her, and pretended you were dead, and in mine own house kept a funeral, and had an empty coffin put in Earth, that night this Queen feign’d hastily to labour and by a pair of women of her own, which she had charm’d, she made the world believe she was delivered of you. You grew up as the Kings Son, till you were six years old; then did the King dye, and did leave to me Protection of the Realm; and contrary to his own expectation, left this Queen truely with child indeed, of the fair Princess Panthea: then she could have torn her hair and did alone to me, yet durst not speak in publick, for she knew she should be found a traytor: and her tale would have been thought madness, or any thing rather than truth. This was the only cause why she did seek to poyson you, and I to keep you safe; and this the reason, why I sought to kindle some sparks of love in you to fair Panthea, that she might get part of her right again.

Arb.

And have you made an end now? is this all? if not,
I will be still till I be aged, till all my hairs be Silver.

Gob.

This is all.

Arb.

And is it true say you too Madam?

Ara.

Yes heaven knows it is most true.

Arb.

Panthea then is not my Sister?

Gob.

No.

Arb. But can you prove this?

Gob.

If you will give consent, else who dares go about it?

Arb.

Give consent? why I will have ’em all that know it rackt, to get this from ’em, all that wait without, come in, what ere you be, come in and be partakers of my joy, O you are welcome.

Enter Bessus, Gentlemen, Mardonius, And other attendants.

Arb.

The best news, nay draw no nearer, they all shall hear it, I am found no King.

Mar.

Is that so good news?

Arb.

Yes the happiest news that ere was heard.

Mar.

Indeed ’twere well for you if you might be a little less obey’d.

Arb.

One call the Queen.

Mar.

Why she is there.

Arb.

The Queen Mardonius, Panthea is the Queen and I am plain Arbaces; go some one, she is in Gobrias house, since I saw you there are a thousand things delivered to me, you little dream of.

[Exit a Gent.

Mar.

So it should seem my Lord, what fury’s this?

Gob.

Believe me ’tis no fury, all that he saies is truth.

Mar.

’Tis very strange.

Arb.

Why do you keep your hats off Gentlemen? is it to me? I swear it must not be; nay, trust me, in good faith it must not be; I cannot now command you, but I pray you for the respect you bare me, when you took me for your King, each man clap on his hat at my desire.

Mar.

We will, you are not found so mean a man, but that you may be cover’d as well as we, may you not?

Arb.

O not here, you may, but not I, for here is my Father in presence.

Mar.

Where?

Arb.

Why there: O the whole story would be a wilderness to lose thy self for ever: O pardon me dear Father for all the idle and unreverent words that I have spoke in idle moods to you: I am Arbaces, we all fellow-subjects, nor is the Queen Panthea now my Sister.

Bes.

Why if you remember fellow-subject Arbaces; I told you once she was not your sister: I, and she lookt nothing like you.

Arb.

I think you did, good Captain Bessus.

Bes.

Here will arise another question now amongst the Sword-men, whether I be to call him to account for beating me, now he is proved no King.

Enter Lygones.

Mar.

Sir here’s Lygones, the agent for the Armenian_ State.

Arb.

Where is he? I know your business good Lygones.

Lyg.

We must have our King again, and will.

Arb.

I knew that was your business: you shall have your King again, and have him so again as never King was had, go one of you and bid Bacurius bring Tigranes hither; and bring the Lady with him, that Panthea, the Queen Panthea sent me word this [morning], was brave Tigranes mistress.

[Ex. two Gent.

Lyg.

’Tis Spaconia.

Arb.

I, I, Spaconia.

Lyg.

She is my Daughter.

Arb.

She is so: I could now tell any thing I never heard: your King shall go so home, as never man went.

Mar.

Shall he go on’s head?

Arb.

He shall have chariots easier than air that I will have invented; and ne’re think one shall pay any ransome, and thy self that art the messenger, shalt ride before him on a horse cut out of an intire Diamond, that shall be made to go with golden wheeles, I know not how yet.

Lyg.

Why I shall be made for ever? they beli’d this King with us, and said he was unkind.

Arb.

And then thy Daughter, she shall have some strange thing, wee’l have the Kingdom sold utterly, and put into a toy which she shall wear about her carelesly some where or other. See the vertuous Queen; behold the humblest subject that you have kneel here before you.

Enter Panthea And 1 Gent.

Pan.

Why kneel you to me that am your Vassal?

Arb.

Grant me one request.

Pan.

Alas what can I grant you? what I can, I will.

Arb.

That you will please to marry me if I can prove it lawfull.

Pan.

Is that all? more willingly than I would draw this air.

Arb.

I’le kiss this hand in earnest.

2 Gent.

Sir, Tigranes is coming though he made it strange at first, to see the Princess any more.

Enter Tigranes And Spaconia.

Arb.

The Queen thou meanest, O my Tigranes. Pardon me, tread on my neck, I freely offer it, and if thou beest so given take revenge, for I have injur’d thee.

Tigr.

No, I forgive, and rejoyce more that you have found repentance, than I my liberty.

Arb.

Mayest thou be happy in thy fair choice, for thou art temperate. You owe no ransom to the state, know that I have a thousand joyes to tell you of, which yet I dare not utter till I pay my thanks to Heaven for ’em: Will you go with me and help me? pray you do.

Tigr.

I will.

Arb.

Take then your fair one with you; and you Queen of goodness and of us, O give me leave to take your arm in mine: come every one that takes delight in goodness, help to sing loud thanks for me, that I am prov’d no King.

On the back of the last page is printed a list of books printed or sold by William Leake.

A contains on the title-page a wood-cut representing Arbaces with his crown partly lifted from his head by a hand emerging from a cloud.

A prefixes the following dedication]

To the Right Worshipfull and Worthie Knight, Sir Henrie Nevill. Worthy Sir, I Present, or rather returne unto your view, that which formerly hath beene received from you, hereby effecting what you did desire: To commend the worke in my unlearned method, were rather to detract from it, then to give it any luster. It sufficeth it hath your Worships approbation and patronage, to the commendation of the Authors, and incouragement of their further labours: and thus wholy committing my selfe and it to your Worships dispose I rest, ever readie to doe you service, not onely in the like, but in what I may.

Thomas Walkley.

p. 149, l. 4. A and B omit the List of Persons Represented in the Play. C—F] The Personated Persons. G] The Persons Represented. G omits] in the Play. G includes in its List of The Persons Represented the names of the players of the chief parts, viz.] Arbaces, Mr Hart; Tigranes, Mr Kynaston; Gobrias, Mr Wintershall; Bacurius, Mr Lydall; Mardonius, Mr Mohun; Bessus, Mr Lacy, or Mr Shottrell; Lygones, Mr Cartwright; Two Sword-men, Mr Watson, Mr Haynes; Arane, Mrs Corey; Panthea, Mrs Cox; Spaconia, Mrs Marshall. l. 12. Folio misprints] Ligoces. l. 21. C—G and Folio] The Queenes Mother. l. 27. A—G omit] Actus primus. Scena prima. G] Act I. l. 29. A omits] he. ll. 35 and 36. B] had’s.

p. 150, l. 2. A] them. l. 3. A] thou art. l. 5. A] and thou couldst. l. 8. A] with me. l. 9. A—F] winkst. G] winkedst. l. 10. A] strake. 1. 17. A] I am glad. l. 19. A] of his owne. l. 21. A] cruddles. B and G] crudles. l. 22. A] wouldst. A] in this passion. l. 25. A] for it. I. 26. A] neither good Bessus. l. 27. A] it is. l.30. A] I famed, I, I warrant you. I. 31. A] I am verie heartily. I. 32. A] ever. A] ath’ warres. B—G omit] is. l. 39. A, B and G] in shifting a.

p. 151, 11. 4 and 5. A] desperate. l. 5. A omits] At. l. 8. A] Prethee. l. 9. A, B and G] The Souldier. l. 10. A] meerely. l. 12. E] compasion. F] compassion. l. 14. B—F] a’th. l. 19. A, B and G] not I. l. 21. A] mean’st. B, C and G] meant’st. D, E and F] meanest. l. 26. A] the enemie. B] shouldest. l. 31. A—G] proceedst. l. 33. A] Come, come. l. 34. A] comst. l. 37. A] extreamities. l. 40. A] the prey.

p. 152, ll. 1 and 2. In place of these lines A] Enter Arbaces and Tigranes, with attendants. l. 2. B and C] two Kings, &c. The two Gentlemen. l. 4. A] fall victorie. l. 9. A—G] are free as I. l. 18. A, B, C and G] yeare. l. 27. A omits] Tigr. l. 28. A—D and G] Arbaces. l. 29. A] talkt: for in Armenia.

p. 153, l. 11. A] Tigranes, no. l. 16. A] an Act. l. 17. A and G] Fit for a God. B—F omit] man. l. 20. A] Its. l. 26. A] spoke. A] not mee. l. 40. A] are something.

p. 154, l. 8. A] to take. B and G] her for to take. l. 17. A] no owne of. l. 18. A] Would finde. l. 19. A] off her damning. l. 20. A] twenty times. l. 29. Folio] sight. l. 40. A] Some two.

p. 155, l. 3. For Exit Tigranes A] Exe. l. 8. B and G omit] don’t. A] don. l. 20. A] ift. l. 21. A and G] with you. l. 22. A] sunke. l. 28. A] th’ eare. l. 29. B and G] runne about his head. A] bloud runne abouts head. l. 30. A] didst thou learn that at. B—F] learn’st that at. G] learn’st thou that at. l. 31. A] Pust, did I not. l. 33. A—F] Talke. l. 34. A] While you. A—G] words.

p. 156, l. 6. A] to a chaire. l. 8. A—F] other. A] will take. l. 14. A] give mee audience. G omits] me. l. 16. A] soone one of you. ll. 29 and 30. G omits] but I am grown To balk, but I defie. l. 30. A] but I desire, let. l. 32. B, C and G] draulst. D] drawlst. l. 34. G] in an instant. l. 36. A] An’t. l. 38. A, B and G] As yet you. l. 39. A] command mee else.

p. 157, l. 11. B, C and G] Were great as. l. 12. A] that I might. l. 14. A] with. l. 28. A omits] puffe. B and G omit the bracket, and print ‘puffe’ in roman type as part of the speech. l. 29. D, E and F] rules. l. 34. A] Will you be gone. l. 35. A] My word mooves. C—F] My words moves. l. 36. A] 2 Gent. l. 39. A] That they will. B omits] you. A omits] Exeunt all but Arb. and Mar. l. 40. Folio] the.

p. 158, l. 7. Folio] scare. l. 17. A] doted, because. B—F omit] it. l. 35. A omits] but. A] of your faults. l. 39. A] above the earth.

p. 159, l. 4. Folio] safe. l. 15. A, B and G] would. l. 21. A] these wilde moodes. l. 22. A] honest. l. 23. A, B and G] would. l. 25. A] would. l. 34. A, B, C and G] Give thee. l. 37. Folio misprints] paron. l. 40. C] doest. F omits] I.

p. 160, l. 4. B, C and D] i’ thine eare. F] thy eare. l. 10. A] Ith those. G] in those. l. 12. B] they wenches. l. 18. B by mistake Adds] Enter Bessus, and the two Gent. l. 22. A omits this stage-direction. l. 25. A] I am. l. 26. A] 1 Gent. l. 27. A] 2 Gent. l. 30. A] I bad you; halfe. l. 31. A] An’t. l. 35. A] Panthan. l. 38. A] will not. l. 39. A omits] Sir.

p. 161, l. 6. E and F] a good an opinion. l. 15. A omits] a. G] Enter a Messenger, with a Packet. l. 21. A] Thanke thee for. l. 29. A] teares enough. B—F] tears I’now. G] tears Enow. l. 32. C—F] set her.

p. 162, l. 2. A] now has hired. l. 7. F] them. l. 12. A] laden. l. 16. E and F] that come. l. 18. A—D and G] mourning. l. 19. A] her sacred dew. l. 32. A] prayers. l. 34. A] dangers. l. 35. A omits] Exeunt.

p. #163#, l. 3. A, B and G] either loves. l. 7. A—G] place. A] unfortunately too light. l. 17. A omits] thee. l. 24. Folio] make. l. 31. B and G] gi’n. A, B and G] to. l. 33. A] would place.

p. #164#, l. 11. Folio misprints] could. l. 15. A—G] requires. A] more speed. l. 18. B] He shall not doe so Lord. l. 21. A Adds] Finis Actus Primi. B and C Add] The end of the First Act. l. 24. A] attendance. G Adds] and Guards.

p. #165#, l. 5. A] paid downe. l. 20. A] let light. l. 25. A—D] eare. l. 30. A] another woman. l. 36. A] twill. F] ‘twood not. l. 37. F omits] not.

p. #, l. 9. A] mine own. l. 21. B—F] a did. l. 23. A] held time. l. 25. A—G with variations in spelling] my Lord Protectour. l. 29. Folio misprints] Cammanders.

p. #167#, l. 7. A omits] as you. l. 12. A, B and G] prayers are. A] I will. l. 20. A omits] Arane. l. 23. A] Betweene. l. 36. A] heare it. l. 37. A] I, I prethee.

p. #168#, l. 1. F] Captain. l. 3. A] neere a Captaine. l. 4. A] of the. l. 7. A—G] whom. l. 11. A] prethee. l. 14. F] was given. l. 18. A] I, but I. l. 20. A] saide. ll. 21 and 22. A] when one. l. 23. A] Marshallists. l. 30. F] doest. l. 31. A] twas so. B—G] so ’twas. l. 36. A] An’t. l. 37. A and B] neerer. G] nearer. l. 39. A] kindnesses.

p. #169#, l. 1. A and G] Thalestris. l. 10. A] for her honestie. l. 17. A] on her. l. 33. A Adds] Exit. B—G with various abbreviations Add] Exit Bessus. l. 34. A, B and G Add] Exit. l. 35. A—G omit stage-direction. l. 39. F] speeks them.

p. #170#, l. 1. A] vertuous. l. 6. A] or feeles. l. 7. A—G] hope. l. 11. A—D and G] love. l. 16. E and F] where bargain’d. l. 18. A] find time worthy. l. 20. A, B and G] there is. l. 22. A] with this. l. 27. A] to see you Madam. l. 29. A omits] Gob. l. 35. A omits] Exeunt Women.

p. #171#, l. 9. F] a stake. l.14. F] if foole. l. 20. A] prethee. l.22. F] noble sharp. l. 33. A] desire too. E and F] his one desire.

p. #172#, l. i. A—D and G] those tender. l. 4. A, B and G] I shall. l. 13. B, C and F] Thalectris. l. 16. B, C and G] others. l. 26. A, B and G] women out. l. 29. A] say. l. 35. A—D and G] those. l. 37. A] places quickly. l. 38. A, D and F] a foote. B, C and E] afoote. G] afoot.

p. #173#, l. 2. A] looke. l. 5. A] Enter two Citizens wives, and Philip. l. 15. A, B and G] with me downe. l. 16. A] abed. l. 17. A] tis. l. 18. A] prethee. l. 29. A] In good faith. l.34. A] I. l. 35. A omits] you. l. 37. A] had thrusting. G] shoving. l. 38. A] hap to go.

p. #174#, l. 2. A] so on me. l. 5. A] have not. l. 10. A] law, thou art. A] there is. l. 11. A] thou art. A] of it. l. 12. A] he will never. l. 13. A] stripling. l. 17. A] you are. l. 18. B—F] cast. l. 19. A omits this line. l. 20. A—D and G] The King, the King, the King, the King. l. 21. A omits] Flourish. A] Enter Arbaces, Tigranes, Mardonius, and others. l. 23. E and F] I think. l. 29. A] without our blouds. B and G] but with our. G] bloud. l. 31. A] in your Townes. l. 32. A—D and G] about you; you may sit. l. 37. A, B and G] may you. F] you may fall. l. 38. A, B and G] when I.

p. 175, l. 5. E and F] beheld. l. 6. A] hearts. l. 9. A] Hang him, hang him, hang him. l. 13. A, B and G] was farre. l. 14. E and F] nor to revile. l. 15. A—D and G] the nature. l. 19. A] made that name. l. 21. C and D] and well for. l. 22. B—G] word. l. 25. A] commendations. l. 29. A] Thus my. l. 30. A] calles. l. 36. A] Eate at. l. 40. In place of this line A] Exeunt.

p. 176, l. 1. A omits one ‘God bless your Majesty.’ l. 7. A] n*. l. 10. A omits] so. B, C, D and G] women. A] Exeunt 1, 2, 3, and Women. l. 11. A—G] afore. l. 12. A] homeward. l. 13. A omits] all. l. 15. A] They are. A—G] heard on. l. 18. A Adds] Finis Actus Secundi. B and C Add] The end of the Second Act. l. 19. A] Actus Tertii Scaena Prima. l. 23. A] doth. l. 29. A—D and G] where you will have her. l. 37. A omits] I do hope she will not.

p. 177, l. 6. A] Sir, sheele not. l. 15. B and G] would. l. 18. C—F omit] you. l. 24. A omits] I Gent. and. l. 25. A] here’s. l. 29. A] them. B and G Add] Exit Gobrias. l. 35. A omits] and two Gentlemen. G Adds] Attendants, and Guards.

p. 178, l. 11. A, B and G] sorrow. l. 14. A Adds] Exit. l. 15. A omits] Exit Arane. l. 32. G] words and kind ones. l. 35. C] doest. l. 36. D] forth my selfe. l. 38. A and G] thence. l. 40. A] wounded flesh.

p. 179, l. 1. A, B and G] a quill. l. 2. A, B, C and G] wanton wing. l. 3. A] in thy bloud. l. 16. A, B and G omit] it. l. 33. A by mistake gives the words ‘some one that hath [A has] a wit, answer, where is she’ to Gobrias, with the result that the names of the speakers of the following four speeches are transposed.

p. 180, l. 18. A] sleepe. l. 27. A] Is a long life of yet, I hope. l. 31. C, D and E] doest. ll. 33—35. A omits these lines.

p. 181, l. 11. A] If shee were any. l.14. D] dispute. l. 16. F and G] naked. l. 19. A, B and G] is she not. l. 39. A, B and G] your brother.

p. 182, l. 6. A] them. l. 8. A] yet so. l. 9. Folio prints] langish. l. 17. A] sudden change. l. 19. A, B and G] Pray God it doe. l. 24. A] prisoner. l. 31. A] in the.

p. 183, l. 13. A, B and G] And how dare you then. C and D] And how then dare you. l. 21. A, B and G] that breath. l. 24. A] law.

p. 184, l. 11*. A] subtiller. G] subtiler. l. 13. A and G] Tyrants. B] Tirants. F] mightest. l. 14. A] in the depth. B] i’ the depth. C and G] i’ the deepe. l. 18. A omits] Exeunt Tigr. and Bac. l. 21. G Adds] Exit Spaconia. l. 39. A and B] then to; here I. G] then too; here I.

p. 185, l. 11. A] still in doubt. l. 12. A] This, this third. l. 25. A, B, C and G] A poysoner. l. 26. A by mistake gives this speech to Bacurius and the following one to Gobrias. l. 32. A] had it twixt. A] Exeunt omnes, prae. Ar. Mar. G] Exeunt Gob. Pan. and Bes.

p. 186, l. 9. A] I prethee. l. 10. B and G] Am not I. l. 19. F] O do. l. 25. A] I prethee. l. 26. A Adds] Mar. I warrant ye. l. 28. G] of game. l. 30. B and G omit] it.

p. 187, l. 2. A] them. l. 3. A] In this state (omits I). B, C, D and G] I’ this state. l. 4. B—F] b’ the. A] with. l. 5. A] with. l. 10. A, B and G with variations of spelling] God cald. C and D] heaven cald. l. 11. A] pounds. l. 17. A and G] afraid. l. 21. G] A pox. A—G] of their. l. 23. A] of me. l. 24. A] freshly to account, worthily. l. 25. B and G omit] the. l. 26. A omits] a. l. 27. Here and throughout the scene ’3 Gent’ is in A described as ‘Gent.’ l. 30. A] you are. l. 32. A] he nothing doubts.

p. 188, l. 2. A—D, F and G with variations of spelling] O cry you mercie. E] O cir you mercy. l. 3. A, B, C and G with variations of spelling] agreeablie. l. 4. Here and in the following three lines A reads only one ‘um’ in place of three. l. 12. A by mistake omits] Bes. l. 19. A] plaine with you. l. 20. A] can doe him. A] resolutely. l. 21. B and C] hundreth. l. 22. F] no more. l. 23. A] pray ye. l. 26. A simply] Exit. l. 30. D] these two houres. l. 32. F omits] that. A] reserv’d. l. 34. A] are there. l. 35. A] likely to hold him this time here for mine. l. 36. B, C and G] yeare. D] these five yeares. l. 37. A] send me.

p. 189, l. 27. A] I prethee. l. 28. A—D and G] beate. l. 31. A] pounds. l. 32. A omits] well. F] well and walk sooner. l. 33. C] I do. l. 36. C] doest.

p. 190, l. 5. A—G] Come, unbuckle, quicke. l. 7. C—F] Unbuckle say. l. 17. A omits] Bac. l. 24. A] will I. l. 25. A] that this is all is left. G] that is left. l. 26. A omits] Bessus. l. 28. G] he’s. l. 32. A, B and G] await. l. 35. A omits this stage-direction. l. 39. A] in their eyes.

p. 191, l. 3. A—G] lies. l. 5. A—G] vex me. l. 6. G] thou art. l. 8. A omits] do. l. 12. F] fire. l. 14. A, B and G] is not that. G] there is. l. 18. A, B and G] I shall not. l. 20. A—G] I know ’tis. l. 21. A] hath … 22. A] or fall. l. 34. A] of all this.

p. 192, l. 2. A, B and G] shall I. l. 6. A] But what, what should. B and G] should. l. 11. A, B and G] on more advice. l. 17. A omits] a. l. 19. Folio misprints] faithul. l. 21. F] doe’t. l. 23. C—F] doest. l. 24. A, B and G] I hope I. l. 37. E and F] doest.

p. 193, l. 4. A, B and G] cause. l. 5. A, B, C and G omit] ha. l. 7. A, B, C and G] blow about the world. l. 8. A, B and G] his cause. l. 9. A] deare Mardonius. l. 12. A, B and G] Pray God you. l. 24. A, B and G] God preserve you, and mend you. l. 26. A, B and G] require. l. 30. A, B and G] use of. l. 32. A Adds] to them.

p. 194, l. 2. A] I am. l. 4. A, B, F and G] I am. A includes the words ‘I am glad on’t’ in the following speech of Mardonius. l. 5. A, B and G] to that. ll. 7—9. A omits these lines. l. 11. A, B and G] occasions. l. 15. A, B, C and G] to the. l. 16. A—D and G] for his. l. 17. A omits] Mar. l. 19. A] Doe for. The letters ‘ith’ are in C cut off at the end of the line. l. 23. A, B and G] a thing. l. 26. G] would fain have thee. l. 27. A] understands. G] understandest. l. 30. A] dost make. l. 32. A, B and G] tell me, it shall. C has the same reading, though the word ‘tell’ is by mistake cut off from the end of the line. A omits] too. l. 35. A, B and C] and mayst yet.

p. 195, l. 2. A—D and G] that I have ever. l. 3. A, B and G omit] the. l. 8. A, B, C and G] your businesse. l. 12. A, B and G omit] now. l. 29. A—F] Gods and mans. l. 30. G] nature. l. 36. A Adds] Finis Actus Tertii. B and C Add] The end of the Third Act.

p. 196, l. 1. A] Actus Quarti Scaena Prima. l. 2. A—G omit] and. l. 11. A, B, C and G] Yet fearing since they. A] th’ are many. l. 13. F] them. l. 14. F] them. l. 15. A] fearefull; if he. l. 18. A] labour out this. l. 19. A] against. ll. 25 and 26. A encloses the words ‘never … humour’ within brackets. l. 26. D, E and F] shot. l. 30. F] no farther. l. 33. A omits] But.

p. 197, l. 3. A Adds] Exit. l. 4. A omits] Exit Gob. l. 13. A] yours. l. 29. G] I’m. A] if no more. l. 36. B—G] these. l. 37. A] That have Authority. l. 38. F] besides.

p. 198, l. 1. A] words. l. 4. A] Ime. l. 12. A, B and G] Pray God. l. 13. A omits] in prison. l. 15. A and F] mine. A] turne. l. 27. A, B and G] deserv’d it. l. 33. A] griefes. l. 35. A] womans. F] woman. l. 36. A] lost. l. 39. G] unconstancy.

p. 199, l. 7. A] kill me Ladie. l. 9. A omits] Lady. l. 15. A] for were. l. 20. A] in the. l. 26. A, B and G] is as firme. l. 27. A] and as lasting. l. 28. A, B and G] in the. C] in th’ ayre. l. 31. A] murmurs. l. 37. A—D and G] wrongs.

p. 200, l. 1. A by mistake omits] Spa. l. 2. A, B, C and G] Our ends alike. l. 9. A] hee’s asham’d. l. 17. A] pray believe me. l. 19. A, B and G] No more. l. 20. A] and Mardonius. l. 32. A—G] outlast. Folio misprints] too. l. 38. A] is that.

p. 201, l. 5. A] know. l. 10. A] pratling. l. 11. A] to it. l. 15. A—G] Beside. l. 17. A] Sirra. l. 23. A] Staffe poak’t. A, B, C and G] through. F] throw. l. 24. A—D and G] broke. l. 25. D, E and F] stifled with. l. 30. F] worst. l. 35. A] you may say Sir what. Folio misprints] you. l. 36. A gives this line to Mardonius.

p. 202, l. 3. A, B and G] I thank God. l. 5. A] doe it. l. 6. A omits] Doe. l. 13. A Adds] and a Souldier like a termogant. l. 16. A] let um be prisoners. l. 18. F] them. ll. 19 and 20. A gives these lines to Bacurius. ll. 21 and 22. A and G give these lines to Spaconia. l. 22. A, B, C and G] deare. l. 23. A] Ex. Bacu. with Tig. and Spa. l. 24. A, B, C and G] have you. l. 25. F] prove. l. 30. A] Sadlers. l. 32. A, D and F] darest. l. 33. A] knowest. l. 34. G] will not. l. 37. A] shall then tell. B] of this. l. 40. A] Where. F] them.

p. 203, l. 1. A Adds after off] doe, kill me. l. 2. A omits] worse. l. 4. A, B, C and G] a dead sleepe. l. 5. A] Like forraigne swords. l. 10. A] all thine. l. 12. G] Wilt. A] with me good Mardonius. l. 20. A, B and G] and all beautie. l. 22. F] she is not. l. 23. A] doe enlarge her. l. 26. A] that would have. l. 29. E and F] heat. l. 30. E] To here wretched. F omits] a. l. 38. A] knew of. B, C and D] knewst the.

p. 204, l. 7. A] is it. l. 15. A—D and G omit] a. l. 16. A omits] Thousands. E and F] Thousand. A] denie it. l. 18. A, B and G] vertue. l. 24. A omits] all. l. 26. A—G] stooles there boy. l. 32. A, B and G] and my deare. l. 33. B, C and G] to th’ cause. l. 35. F omits this line. l. 37. A prints the words ‘be wise, and speake truth’ as the conclusion of the second Sword-man’s speech.

p. 205, l. 4. A] If he have. l. 5. B—E] If a have. F] If I have. l. 12. A] case. l. 13. A, B and G] an honourable. l. 15. A, B and G] we Sword-men. l. 17. A, B and G] drawne ten teeth. A—G] beside. l. 18. A] all these. l. 21. B—E] a crackt. l. 22. A] with crossing. l. 26. A—G] There’s. l. 30. A, B, C and G] mile. l. 32. A—G] mile. l. 34. A, B and C] ’Tis a the longest. G] o’ the longest. l. 35. A by mistake gives this line to Bessus and the following speech to the first Sword-man.

p. 206, ll. 5 and 6. F] word forc’d. l. 9. A—D and G] case. l. 12. A] sit. G] sat. l. 13. A] it had. l. 15. E and F] delivery. l. 19. B—E] A should. F] And should. A—D and G] deliverie. l. 24. A] by th’. l. 25. A] you are. l. 28. A omits] the. l. 32. B and G] that we. l. 33. Folio misprints] honesty. A] good Sir to th’. l. 35. A] The boy may be supposd, hee’s lyable; but kicke my brother.

p. 207, l. 7. A] Still the must. l. 9. A—D and G omit] I. A] againe, againe. l. 12. F omits] my. l. 20. A] at the kicke. l. 22. F] baren scorn, as I will call it. l. 27. A—G] sore indeed Sir. l. 29. A] the foole. l. 30. A] Ah Lords. l. 32. A, B, C and G] laught.

p. 208, l. 5. A—G] size, daggers. F] sizes. l. 16. A] To abide upon’t. l. 20. A, B, C and G omit] me. F] Both get me. l. 21. F] cleane. l. 22. G] what you have done. l. 27. F] Go will, and tell. l. 28. A—D] Or there be. l. 29. A omits and before Gob. l. 33. A omits] Exit Gob. l. 34. A] you are. A, B, C and G] and I would. A, B and G] to God. l. 38. G] the rising. l. 39. B, C and G] I shall. l. 40. Folio misprints] Ban.

p. 209, l. 3. A] does. l. 6. A] I prethee. l. 8. A, B and G] I am. l. 23. A, B and G] In as equal a degree. C and D] In equal a degree. l. 27. A] I prethee. l. 33. C, D and E] and there is. E] no cause. F] and there is none can see.

p. 210, l. 6. D, E and F] stop. l. 11. A, B and G] God keepe you. l. 12. A, B and G] cause. l. 19. A] innocents. l. 20. A, B and G omit] that. l. 24. A, B and G] it is. l. 27. A, B and G] as it lists. l. 33. A encloses ‘Which I beseech thee doe not’ within brackets. l. 36. A, B and G] For God knows. l. 39. A] start eye to.

p. 211, l. 2. F] them. l. 5. A] should. l. 11. F] them. l. 20. A, B and G] sinnes. l. 32. A] no steppe.

p. 212, ll. 1-6 and 8. F] them. l. 2. A] them. l. 5. Folio] and them. l. 6. A] drinke them off. l. 25. A gives this line to Panthea. l. 27. D, E and F] brother. l. 29. B] i’ this. l. 35. A omits] Why. l. 38. A, B and G] I know thou.

p. 213, l. 4. A, B and G omit too before scrupulous. ll. 8 and 9. In place of these lines G reads] I dare no longer stay. l. 9. A and B] hotter I feare then yours. l. 11. A, B and G] for God’s sake. l. 14. A omits stage-direction. B and G omit] several wayes. A Adds] Finis Actus Quarti. B and C Add] The end of the Fourth Act. l. 15. A] Actus Quinti Scaena Prima. l. 19. A] leave to visit. l. 20. A] hands. l. 26. A] officers.

p. 214, l. 3. B—F] were a valiant. l. 6. A] something lighter. l. 28. A—D omit] he. G] h’as. l. 29. B—F] a was. l. 30. A] in his. E and F] in in’s. l. 31. A—E] a my. F] in my. G] i’my. l. 33. A, B and G] like to wicker Targets. l. 35. A omits] he. A] so low a sence. l. 36. A] should. l. 38. A, B and G] That this strange fellow.

p. 215, l. 3. A—D and G] broke. A—G] or a shoulder out. A—F] ath’ stones. l. 4. A] of my. l. 10. A omits] the. l. 13. Folio misprints] Catain. l. 16. A omits] Sword. l. 19. A] thus kicke you, and thus. B and G] thus kicke, and thus. l. 21. A—D and G] told you that. l. 23. A omits] Sword. A—F] a should. l. 25. A, B, C and G] a one. l. 26. A omits] beats him. l. 29. A, B and G] Sir I know. l. 30. A prints ‘Bes.’ at the beginning of the following line, thus making this line part of Lygones’ speech.

p. 216, l. 6. A, B and G] you would. l. 7. A, B, C and G] strange now to have. l. 12. Folio misprints] danghter. l. 13. A, B and G] of being. l. 15. A omits] Lygo. l. 18. A omits] Sword. l. 19. A] ath’ sword. l. 20. G] h’as. l. 23. A] a kick’t. l. 24. A omits ‘Bes.,’ thus making this line part of the second Sword-man’s speech. l. 25. A omits] Sword. A gives the words ‘Now let him come and say he was not sorry, And he sleepes for it’ to ’2,’ i.e., the second Sword-man. l. 26. B—F] a was not. B—F] a sleepes. l. 28. A omits] clear. G] Exeunt omnes. l. 34. A prints this stage-direction after the words ‘There he is indeed’ in l. 35.

p. 217, l. 3. A, B, C and G] businesse will. l. 5. B] the Armenia state. l. 9. F omits] is. l. 20. A—G] couldst prate. l. 28. A] vild. B and C] vilde. B—F] commendations. l. 30. A, B and G] or rather would I. l. 34. A and F] mine own. l. 38. A] and like it.

p. 218, l. 3. A] in the. B, C, D and G] i’ the. l. 6. B misprints] my Prince. l. 8. A] beside. l. 12. A] men. l. 13. C] Cawdle. l. 14. A] your Queene. l. 21. A] should speake. l. 27. A] a Queene. l. 33. A, B and G] Good God. l. 37. A, B and G omit] all.

p. 219, l. 4. A] that shall. l. 6. A omits] all. l. 7. A] a servant. l. 11. A] and Swordmen. In A this stage-direction is printed after the following line. l. 15. A—F] ath’ sword. l. 17. A—D and G omit] much. l. 20. A] I can aske. l. 23. A] will require launcing. l. 24. A] and full. l. 28. A omits] must. l. 31. A, B and G] God continue it. l. 32. F misprints] they to it.

p. 220, l. 5. The two Sword-men are throughout the scene referred to in A as ’2’ or ’1.’ l. 6. A omits ‘Bac.,’ thus giving the line to the second Sword-man. l. 13. A—G omit] on. F] them, that have. l. 16. A—F] ath’ law. l. 22. F] That is. A] their paines. l. 26. A] ye rogues, ye apple-squiers. l. 31. A] a many of. F] a beautie of. l. 33. E] I do beseech. l. 35. A—F] A this side.

p. 221, l. 4. A] in your pocket slave, my key you. B and G] in your pocket slave, my toe. l. 5. A] with’t. l. 11. A—G] doing nothing. l. 12. A omits this stage-direction. B] Enter Servant, Will. Adkinson. l. 13. A—D] Here’s. l. 14. A] I am. A] prethee. l. 15. A] beate um. l. 17. A omits] Sir. l. 18. A omits] Captain, Rally. A] up with your. F] rally upon. l. 20. A] cride hold. l. 22. E and F] vit me. l. 23. A, B and G] breath. A omits] Exit Bac. l. 25. A] Ime sure I ha. l. 26. B—F] a kicke. B—F] a will. l. 27. C—F] beside. l. 29. A, B and G] yes, God be thanked. l. 33. A, B, C and G] is a. l. 34. A] hands.

p. 222, l. 2. A omits] clear. G] Exeunt omnes. l. 4. A—D and G] bore. After this line A Adds]—Hell open all thy gates, And I will thorough them; if they be shut, Ile batter um, but I will find the place Where the most damn’d have dwelling; ere I end, Amongst them all they shall not have a sinne, But I will call it mine: l. 5. A—D and G] friend. A, B and G] to an. l. 13. B, C and D] a comming. l. 14. A—G] does your hand. l. 19. This line from ‘I can’ and the next line are given by A to Mardonius. l. 24. A] humblier.

p. 223, l. 4. A, B and G omit] and. l. 12. A] thinkest. l. 13. G] these are tales. l. 15. A—D and G] should get. l. 17. A] Farre other Fortunes. l. 19. A, B and G] God put. G] temporall. l. 20. A Adds] Exit. B and. G Add] Exit Mar. l. 21. A—D and G] errors. l. 27. A, B and G omit] more. l. 35. A—D and G omit] my.

p. 224, l. 4. F] knowest. l. 9. A] doest. l. 12. A] and I when I. F] knowest. l. 16. B and F] meanst. l. 17. A, B, C and G] a lie. A, B and G] God and. l. 22. A, B and G] wouldst. l. 28. A] gavest. l. 31. A] your selfe. B and G] it thy selfe. l. 38. A and G] know it. l. 39. E and F] staind.

p. 225, l. 7. A, B, C and G] allowest. l. 15. C—F] doest … doest. l. 17. A—D and G] Cease thou strange. l. 18. A] contemn’st. ll. 20 and 21. Folio misprints] dear … punishnment. l. 35. A and C] expects. B] expectes. D] expectst. G] expect’st. l. 39. A] thou wicked.

p. 226, l. 10. A, B, C and G] of a law. l. 19. A omits] you. ll. 25 and 26. A—G] Land as she. l. 29. A misprints] Arb. l. 31. A—D and G omit] a.

p. 227, l. 2. A] opportunitie. ll. 4 and 5. A, B and G] and God was humbly thankt in every Church, That so had blest the Queene, and prayers etc. l. 12. A—D and G] quicke. l. 14. A] abed. l. 16. A] sware. l. 20. A] the Queene. l. 23. A—G] yeare. l. 28. A] her talke. l. 32. A] sparke. l. 35. A, B and G] till I am. A] are silver. l. 37. A omits] too. I. 38. A, B and G] yes God knowes.

p. 228, l. 2. A by mistake omits] Gob. A] dare. l, 3. A] them. l. 4. A—G] waites. l. 7. A] Ent. Mar. Bessus, and others. l. 8. A omits] Arb. A] Mardonius, the best. B misprints] Mar. l. 11. E and F] happie. l. 14. A] On, call. l. 19. A omits] Exit a Gent. l. 24. A omits] I swear it must not be; nay, trust me. l. 26. B and C] beare. l. 28. A] but you are not.

p. 229, l. 1. A] I say she. l. 8. A] Armenian king. I. 15. Folio misprints] morrning. l. 16. A omits this stage-direction. l. 24. A and G] He shall. B] A shall. C] An shall. l. 25. A—G] shall. l. 26. F omits] that. l. 31. A misprints] thinke. l. 35. In place of this stage-direction A after the word ‘Queen’ in l. 33 reads] Enter Pan.

p. 230, l. 6. A gives this speech to Mardonius. l. 7. A omits] at first. l. 8. In A this stage-direction occurs after ‘Queen’ in the following line. l. 14. A and F] Maist. G] May’st. l. 17. F] them. l. 20. A—G] your Queene. l. 23. A—G Add] Finis.

A King and No King. Verse and Prose Variations p. 152, ll. 8 and 9. A—D and G] 3 ll. dare, day, I. l. 27. A] 2 ll. of, thus. ll. 33—35. A] 3 ll. Earth, Prince, Acts.

p. 157, l. 20. A] 2 ll. king, away.

p. 159, ll. 3—8. A—D and G] 8 ll. praise, worthy, death, lies, there, though, dust, envy. ll. 11 and 12. A—D and G] 3 ll. windes, I, speake. ll. 29—38. A—D and G] 14 ll. lives, said, truth, bin, see, parts, world, farre, yeares, mee, thee, wilt, I, thus. l. 40 and p. 160, ll. 1—4. A—D and G] 6 ll. Take, which, love, I, mee, eare.

p. 160, ll. 6 and 7. A, B and G] 2 ll. Mardonius, Jewell.

p. 161, ll. 21 and 22. A—D and G] 3 ll. newes, not, Gobrias. ll. 27—33. A—D and G] 9 ll. farre, sinnes, teares, feele, brest, stand, eyes, world, me. ll. 37—39 and p. 162, ll. 1—7. A—D and G] 14 ll. know, died, life, pardon’d, fit, olde, thence, out, there, live, me, deathes, life, him.

p. 163, ll. 16—22. A, B, C and G] 9 ll. of (C = halfe), free, thine, prisoner, force, me, unwilling, Tigranes, there. D] 7 ll. halfe, free, thine, force, me, Tigranes, there.

p. 164, ll. 1 and 2. A—D and G] 2 ll. health, jealous. ll. 25—35 and p. 165, ll. 1 and 2. A—D and G] 16 ll. regard, prisoner, escape, prisoner, woman, me, say, her, Lord, grace, arme, womanhood, death, sonne, why, speake.

p. 165, ll. 14—17. A—D and G] 5 ll. Time, know, thinke, heart, urgd. ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. it, believ’d. ll. 38 and 39. A—D and G] 3 ll. you, die, uncredited (D = should).

p. 166, ll. I and 2. A—D and G] 4 ll. Then, me, King, plots (D adds l. 3). ll. 5—8. A—D and G] 5 ll. me, content, power, me, done. ll. 19—23. A—and G] Prose. ll. 25 and 26. A] These, these.

p. 167, ll. 9 and 10. A] 2 ll. well, so. l. 19. A—D and G] 2 ll. readie, morrow. ll. 21—28. A] 10 ll. hereafter, office, discourse, how, victorie, doe, danger, long, while, beate. ll. 21—24. B—D and G] 4 ll. hereafter, office, discourse, victory. ll. 25—28. B—D and G] Prose.

p. 168, ll. 11 and 12. A—D and G] 2 ll. Bessus, nothing. ll. 39 and 40. A—D and G] 2 ll. kindnesses, name.

p. 169, ll. 2—5. A—D and G] 5 ll. letter, enough, you, me, me. ll. 25 and 26. A and G] 2 ll. Already, foolish. ll. 37—40 and p. 170, ll. 1—4. A—D and G] 12 ll. Lord, live, um, Just, um, mee, heare, way, care, you, enjoyes, worth.

p. 170, ll. 5—10. A—D and G] Prose. ll. 13—18. A—D and G] 8 ll. you, power, leave, like, him, humours, lesse, offer’d. ll. 27—29. A] 2 ll. pleasure, Madam.

p. 171, ll. 10—15. A—D and G] 9 ll. unreasonably, seeme, ill, ought, faire, good, prayer, me, you. ll. 31—40 and p. 172, ll. 1—6. A—D] 24 ll. weepe, words, sorrow, me, him, Thalestris, me, sweare, slay, thee, himselfe, me, yet, face, you, eares, eyes, him, hope, dead, him, fast, ceremony, him.

p. 172, ll. 15—21. A—D and G] 11 ll. not, desire, others, me (or not), wrong, birth, injure, hither, commanded, ready, servand.

p. 174, l. 20. A—D] 2 ll. king, now. ll. 23—29. A—D and G] 11 ll. full, subjects, love, height, you, me, warre, imagine, word, blouds, peace.

p. 175, ll. 4—6. A—D and G] 4 ll. man, home, hearts, deliverance. ll. 11—22. A—D and G] 17 ll. wrong, spectacle, people, me, deserved, you, dwels, man, compare, selfe, you, too, name, fall, loves, content, worke. ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. Children, is.

p. 176, ll. 23—35. A—D and G] 14 ll. Sir, hands, know, her, home, stubbornnesse, like, her, Jewell, mad, sister, is, Land, another.

p. 177, ll. 1—10. A—D and G] 11 ll. Too, friends, know, loth, passe, constraint, so, speake, health, love, againe.

p. 178, ll. 16 and 17. A—D and G] 3 ll. die, returne, life. ll. 30—32. A—D and G] 4 ll. ill, kneele, gaine, you.

p. 179, ll. 21—25. A—D and G] 7 ll. earth, alas, command, me, short, sister brought.

p. 180, l. 31. A—D and G] 7 ll. Gobrias, meane.

p. 191, ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. utterd, careleslie.

p. 192, ll. 9—12. E and F] 3 ll. And, love, thou. ll. 10—12. A—D and G] 3 ll. Advice, love, thou. ll. 16 and 17. A—D and G] 3 ll. This, caution, it (G Adds l. 18). ll. 20 and 21. A—D and G] 2 ll. it, it.

p. 194, ll. 5 and 6. A] 2 ll. cutlers, King. l. 22. A] 2 ll. will, whatsoever.

p. 195, ll. 21 and 22. A] 2 ll. in-, Monsters.

p. 196, l. 38, and p. 197, ll. 1—3. A] Prose.

p. 197, ll. 4 and 5. A] 3 ll. you, Spaconia, thus.

p. 199, ll. 9 and 10. B—D and G] 3 ll. Ladie, passe, King. ll. 12 and 13. A and G] 2 ll. from, remov’d.

p. 201, ll. 7 and 8. A] 2 ll. All, folly. l. 15. A] 2 ll. Sir, warrant. ll. 39 and 40.

p. 202, ll. 19—22. A] Prose.

p. 204, l. 6. A—D and G] 2 ll. false, letter. ll. 36—38. A] 2 ll. Truth, Prince.

p. 205, ll. 26 and 27. A—D and G] 3 ll. Another, distance, opinion.

p. 207, ll. 11—13. A—D and G] 3 ll. Toge-, man, brother. I. 24. A—D and G] 2 ll. Sir, since.

p. 209, ll. 31 and 32. A] 2 ll. me, brother.

p. 212, ll. ii and 12. A] 3 ll. Panthea, gaze, out. ll. 23 and 24. A] 2 ll. you, gone.

Act 5 is in verse in Quartos A, B, C and D, in prose in Quartos E and F from p. 214, I. 22. As the Second Folio also prints it in prose it has been decided to give here the verse of Quarto A (1619) in full.

Actus Quinti Scaena Prima.

Enter Mardonius, and Ligones.

Mar.

Sir, the King has seene your Commission, and beleeves it, and freely by this warrant gives you leave to visit Prince Tigranes your noble Master.

Lig.

I thanke his Grace, and kisse his hands.

Mar.

But is the maine of all your businesse
Ended in this?

Lig.

I have another, but a worse; I am asham’d, it is a businesse.—

Mar.

You serve a worthy person, and a stranger I am sure you are; you may imploy mee if you please, without your purse, such Officers should ever be their owne rewards.

Lig.

I am bound to your noblenesse.

Mar.

I may have neede of you, and then this curtesie,
  If it be any, is not ill bestowed:
  But may I civilly desire the rest?
  I shall not be a hurter, if no helper.

Lig.

Sir, you shall know I have lost a foolish daughter,
And with her all my patience; pilferd away
By a meane Captaine of your Kings.

Mar.

Stay there Sir:
  If he have reacht the noble worth of Captaine,
  He may well claime a worthy gentlewoman,
  Though shee were yours, and noble.

Lig.

I grant all that too: but this wretched fellow
  Reaches no further then the emptie name,
  That serves to feede him; were he valiant,
  Or had but in him any noble nature,
  That might hereafter promise him a good man;
  My cares were something lighter, and my grave
  A span yet from me.

Mar.

I confesse such fellowes
  Be in all royall Campes, and have, and must be
  To make the sinne of coward more detested
  In the meane Souldier, that with such a foyle
  Sets of much valour: By description
  I should now guesse him to you. It was Bessus,
  I dare almost with confidence pronounce it.

Lig.

Tis such a scurvy name as Bessus, and now I thinke tis hee.

Mar.

Captaine, doe you call him?
  Beleeve me Sir, you have a miserie
  Too mighty for your age: A pox upon him,
  For that must be the end of all his service:
  Your daughter was not mad Sir?

Lig.

No, would shee had beene,
The fault had had more credit: I would doe something.

Mar.

I would faine counsell you; but to what I know not:
  Hee’s so below a beating, that the women
  Find him not worthy of their distaves; and
  To hang him, were to cast away a rope,
  Hee’s such an ayrie thin unbodied coward,
  That no revenge can catch him:
  He tell you Sir, and tell you truth; this rascall
  Feares neither God nor man, has beene so beaten:
  Sufferance has made him wanscote; he has had
  Since hee was first a slave, at least three hundred daggers
  Set in his head, as little boyes doe new knives in hot meat;
  Ther’s not a rib in’s bodie a my conscience,
  That has not beene thrice broken with drie beating;
  And now his sides looke like to wicker targets,
  Everie way bended:
  Children will shortly take him for a wall,
  And set their stone-bowes in his forhead: is of so low a sence,
  I cannot in a weeke imagine what should be done to him.

Lig.

Sure I have committed some great sinne,
That this strange fellow should be made my rod:
I would see him, but I shall have no patience:

Mar.

Tis no great matter if you have not, if a laming of him, or such a toy may doe you pleasure Sir, he has it for you, and Ile helpe you to him: tis no newes to him to have a leg broke, or a shoulder out, with being turnd ath’ stones like a Tanzie: Draw not your sword, if you love it; for my conscience his head will breake it: we use him ith’ warres like a Ramme to shake a wall withall; here comes the verie person of him, doe as you shall find your temper I must leave you: but if you doe not breake him like a bisket, you are much too blame Sir. Ex. Mardo. Enter Bessus and Sword-men.

Lig.

Is your name Bessus?

Bes.

Men call me Captaine Bessus.

Lig.

Then Captaine Bessus you are a ranke rascall, without more exordiums, a durty frozen slave; and with the favour of your friends here, I will beate you.

Pray use your pleasure Sir, you seem to be a gentleman.

Lig.

Thus Captaine Bessus, thus; thus twinge your nose, thus kicke you, and thus tread you.

Bess.

I doe beseech you yeeld your cause Sir quickly.

Lig.

Indeed I should have told you that first.

Bess.

I take it so.

Captaine, a should indeed, he is mistaken:

Lig.

Sir you shall have it quickly, and more beating,
You have stolne away a Lady Captaine Coward,
And such a one.

Bes.

Hold, I beseech you, hold Sir,
I never yet stole any living thing
That had a tooth about it.

Lig.

Sir I know you dare lie
With none but Summer Whores upon my life Sir.

Bes.

My meanes and manners never could attempt
Above a hedge or hey-cocke.

Lig.

Sirra that quits not me, where is this Ladie,
  Doe that you doe not use to doe, tell truth,
  Or by my hand Ile beat your Captaines braines out.
  Wash um, and put um in againe, that will I.

Bes.

There was a Ladie Sir, I must confesse
  Once in my charge: the Prince Tigranes gave her
  To my guard for her safetie, how I usd her
  She may her selfe report, shee’s with the Prince now:
  I did but waite upon her like a Groome,
  Which she will testifie I am sure: If not,
  My braines are at your service when you please Sir,
  And glad I have um for you?

Lig.

This is most likely, Sir I aske your pardon,
And am sorrie I was so intemperate.

Bes.

Well, I can aske no more, you would thinke it strange Now to have me beat you at first sight.

Lig.

Indeed I would but I know your goodnes can forget
Twentie beatings. You must forgive me.

Bes.

Yes, ther’s my hand, goe where you will, I shall thinke
You a valiant fellow for all this.

Lig.

My daughter is a Whore,
  I feele it now too sencible; yet I will see her,
  Discharge my selfe of being Father to her,
  And then backe to my Countrie, and there die;
  Farewell Captaine.

Exit.

Bes.

Farewell Sir, farewell, commend me to the Gentlewoman I praia.

How now Captaine, beare up man.

Bes.

Gentlemen ath’ sword your hands once more, I have
Beene kickt againe, but the foolish fellow is penitent,
Has ask’t me mercy, and my honor’s safe.

We knew that, or the foolish fellow had better a kick’t
His Grandsire.
Confirme, confirme I pray.

There be our hands againe.

Now let him come, and say he was not sorry,
And he sleepes for it.

Bes.

Alas good ignorant old man, let him goe,
Let him goe, these courses will undoe him.

Exeunt.

Enter Ligones, and Bacurius.

Bac.

My Lord your authoritie is good, and I am glad it is so, for my
  consent would never hinder you from seeing your owne King. I am a
  Minister, but not a governour of this state; yonder is your King,
  Ile leave you.

Exit.

Lig.

There he is indeed, Enter Tig. and Spaco.
And with him my disloyall childe.

Tig.

I doe perceive my fault so much, that yet
Me thinkes thou shouldst not have forgiven me.

Lig.

Health to your Maiestie.

Tig.

What? good Ligones, welcome; what businesse brought thee hether?

Lig.

Severall Businesses.
  My publique businesse will appeare by this:
  I have a message to deliver, which
  If it please you so to authorise, is
  An embassage from the Armenian state,
  Unto Arbaces for your libertie:
  The offer’s there set downe, please you to read it.

Tig.

There is no alteration happened
Since I came thence?

Lig.

None Sir, all is as it was.

Tig.

And all our friends are well.

Lig.

All verie well.

Spa.

Though I have done nothing but what was good,
I dare not see my Father: it was fault
Enough not to acquaint him with that good.

Lig.

Madam I should have scene you.

Spa.

O good Sir forgive me.

Lig.

Forgive you, why I am no kin to you, am I?

Spa.

Should it be measur’d by my meane deserts,
Indeed you are not.

Lig.

Thou couldst prate unhappily
Ere thou couldst goe, would thou couldst doe as well.
And how does your custome hold out here. Spa. Sir.

Lig.

Are you in private still, or how?

Spa.

What doe you meane?

Lig.

Doe you take money? are you come to sell sinne yet? perhaps I can helpe you to liberall Clients: or has not the King cast you off yet? O thou wild creature, whose best commendation is, that thou art a young Whore. I would thy Mother had liv’d to see this: or rather would I had dyed ere I had seene it: why did’st not make me acquainted when thou wert first resolv’d to be a Whore? I would have seene thy hot lust satisfied more privately. I would have kept a dancer, and a whole consort of Musitions in mine owne house, onely to fiddle thee. Spa. Sir I was never whore.

Lig.

If thou couldst not say so much for thy selfe thou shouldst be
Carted.

Tig.

Ligones I have read it, and like it, You shall deliver it.

Lig.

Well Sir I will: but I have private busines with you.

Tig.

Speake, what ist?

Lig.

How has my age deserv’d so ill of you,
That you can picke no strumpets in the Land,
But out of my breed.

Tig.

Strumpets good Ligones?

Lig.

Yes, and I wish to have you know, I scorne
  To get a Whore for any Prince alive,
  And yet scorne will not helpe me thinkes: My daughter
  Might have beene spar’d, there were enough beside.

Tig.

May I not prosper, but Shee’s innocent
As morning light for me, and I dare sweare
For all the world.

Lig.

Why is she with you then?
  Can she waite on you better then your men,
  Has she a gift in plucking off your stockings,
  Can she make Cawdles well, or cut your Comes,
  Why doe you keepe her with you? For your Queene
  I know you doe contemne her, so should I
  And every Subject else thinke much at it.

Tig.

Let um thinke much, but tis more firme then earth
Thou seest thy Queene there.

Lig.

Then have I made a faire hand, I cald her Whore,
  If I shall speake now as her Father, I cannot chuse
  But greatly rejoyce that she shall be a Queene: but if
  I should speake to you as a Statesman shee were more fit
  To be your Whore.

Tig.

Get you about your businesse to Arbaces,
Now you talke idlie.

Lig.

Yes Sir, I will goe.
  And shall she be a Queene, she had more wit
  Then her old Father when she ranne away:
  Shall shee be a Queene, now by my troth tis fine,
  Ile dance out of all measure at her wedding:
  Shall I not Sir?

Tigr.

Yes marrie shalt thou.

Lig.

He make these witherd Kexes beare my bodie
Two houres together above ground.

Tigr.

Nay, goe, my businesse requires haste.

Lig.

Good God preserve you, you are an excellent King.

Spa.

Farewell good Father.

Lig.

Farewell sweete vertuous Daughter;
  I never was so joyfull in my life,
  That I remember: shall shee be a Queene?
  Now I perceive a man may weepe for joy,
  I had thought they had lied that said so.

Exit.

Tig.

Come my deare love.

Spa.

But you may see another
May alter that againe.

Tigr.

Urge it no more;
  I have made up a new strong constancie,
  Not to be shooke with eyes; I know I have
  The passions of a man, but if I meete
  With any subject that shall hold my eyes
  More firmely then is fit; Ile thinke of thee,
  and runne away from it: let that suffice.

Exeunt.

Enter Bacurius, and a servant.

Bac.

Three gentlemen without to speake with me?

Ser.

Yes Sir.

Bac.

Let them come in.

Ser.

They are enterd Sir already.

Enter Bessus, and Swordmen.

Bac.

Now fellowes, your busines, are these the Gentlemen.

Bess.

My Lord I have made bold to bring these Gentlemen my Friends ath’ sword along with me.

Bac.

I am afraid youle fight then.

Bes.

My good Lord I will not, your Lordship is mistaken,
Feare not Lord.

Bac.

Sir I am sorrie fort.

Bes.

I can aske no more in honor, Gentlemen you heare my Lord is sorrie.

Bac.

Not that I have beaten you, but beaten one that will be beaten: one whose dull bodie will require launcing: As surfeits doe the diet, spring and full. Now to your swordmen, what come they for good Captaine Stock-fish?

Bes.

It seemes your Lordship has forgot my name.

Bac.

No, nor your nature neither, though they are things fitter I confesse for anything, then my remembrance, or anie honestmans, what shall these billets doe, be pilde up in my Wood-yard?

Bes.

Your Lordship holds your mirth still, God continue it: but for these Gentlemen they come.

Bac.

To sweare you are a Coward, spare your Booke, I doe beleeve it.

Bes.

Your Lordship still drawes wide, they come to vouch under their valiant hands, I am no Coward.

Bac.

That would be a shew indeed worth seeing: sirra be wise and take money for this motion, travell with it, and where the name of Bessus has been knowne, or a good Coward stirring, twill yeeld more then a tilting. This will prove more beneficiall to you, if you be thriftie, then your Captaineship, and more naturall; Men of most valiant hands is this true?

It is so most renowned,
Tis somewhat strange.

Lord, it is strange, yet true; wee have examined from your Lordships foote there to this mans head, the nature of the beatings; and we doe find his honour is come off cleane, and sufficient: This as our swords shall helpe us.

Bac.

You are much bound to you bilbow-men, I am glad you are straight again Captaine: twere good you would thinke some way to gratifie them, they have undergone a labour for you Bessus, would have puzzled hercules, with all his valour.

Your Lordship must understand we are no men ath’ Law, that take pay for our opinions: it is sufficient wee have cleer’d our friend.

Bac.

Yet here is something due, which I as toucht in conscience will discharge Captaine; Ile pay this rent for you.

Bess.

Spare your selfe my good Lord; my brave friends aime at nothing but the vertue.

Bac.

Thats but a cold discharge Sir for their paines.

O Lord, my good Lord.

Bac.

Be not so modest, I will give you something.

Bes.

They shall dine with your Lordship, that’s sufficient.

Bac.

Something in hand the while; ye rogues, ye apple-squiers: doe you come hether with your botled valour, your windie frothe, to limit out my beatings.

I doe beseech your Lordship.

O good Lord.

Bac.

Sfoote, what a many of beaten slaves are here? get me a cudgell sirra, and a tough one.

More of your foot, I doe beseech your Lordship.

Bac.

You shall, you shall dog, and your fellow beagle.

A this side good my Lord.

Bac.

Off with your swords, for if you hurt my foote, Ile have you fleade you rascals.

Mines off my Lord.

I beseech your Lordship stay a little, my strap’s tied to my codpiece point: Now when you please.

Bac.

Captaine, these are your valiant friends, you long for a little too?

Bess.

I am verie well, I humblie thanke your Lordship.

Bac.

Whats that in your pocket slave, my key you mungrell? thy buttocks cannot be so hard, out with’t quicklie.

Here tis Sir, a small piece of Artillerie, that a gentleman a deare friend of your Lordships sent me with to get it mended Sir; for it you marke, the nose is somewhat loose.

Bac.

A friend of mine you rascall, I was never wearier of doing nothing, then kicking these two foote-bals.

Ser.

Heres a good cudgell Sir.

Bac.

It comes too late; I am wearie, prethee doe thou beate um.

My Lord this is foule play ifaith, to put a fresh man upon us;
Men, are but men.

Bac.

That jest shall save your bones, up with your rotten regiment, and be gone; I had rather thresh, then be bound to kicke these raskals, till they cride hold: Bessus you may put your hand to them now, and then you are quit. Farewell, as you like this, pray visit mee againe, twill keepe me in good breath.

Has a divellish hard foote, I never felt the like.

Nor I, and yet Ime sure I ha felt a hundred.

If he kicke thus ith dog-daies, he will be drie founderd: what cure now Captaine, besides oyle of bayes?

Bess.

Why well enough I warrant you, you can goe.

Yes, God be thanked; but I feele a shrewd ach, sure he has sprang my huckle bone.

I ha lost a haunch.

Bess.

A little butter friend, a little butter; butter and parselie is a soveraigne matter: probatum est.

Captaine, we must request your hands now to our honours.

Bess.

Yes marrie shall ye, and then let all the world come, we are valiant to our selves, and theres an end.

Nay, then we must be valiant; O my ribbes.

O my small guts, a plague upon these sharpe toe’d shooes, they are murderers.

Exeunt.

Enter Arbaces with his Sword drawne.

Arb.

It is resolv’d, I bore it whilst I could,
  I can no more, Hell open all thy gates,
  And I will thorough them; if they be shut,
  Ile batter um, but I will find the place
  Where the most damn’d have dwelling; ere I end,
  Amongst them all they shall not have a sinne,
  But I may call it mine: I must beginne
  With murder of my friend, and so goe on
  To an incestuous ravishing, and end
  My life and sinnes with a forbidden blow
  Upon my selfe.

Enter Mardonius.

Mardo.

What Tragedie is here?
That hand was never wont to draw a Sword,
But it cride dead to something:

Arb.

Mar. have you bid Gobrius come?

Mar.

How doe you Sir?

Arb.

Well, is he comming?

Mar.

Why Sir are you thus?
Why does your hand proclaime a lawlesse warre
Against your selfe?

Arb.

Thou answerest me one question with another,
Is Gobrius comming?

Mar.

Sir he is. Arb. Tis well.

Mar.

I can forbeare your questions then, be gone
Sir, I have markt.

Arb.

Marke lesse, it troubles you and me.

Mar.

You are more variable then you were.

Arb.

It may be so.

Mar.

To day no Hermit could be humblier
Then you were to us all.

Arb.

And what of this?

Mar.

And now you take new rage into your eies,
As you would looke us all out of the Land.

Arb.

I doe confesse it, will that satisfie,
I prethee get thee gone.

Mar.

Sir I will speake.

Arb.

Will ye?

Mar.

It is my dutie,
  I feare you will kill your selfe: I am a subject,
  And you shall doe me wrong in’t: tis my cause,
  And I may speake.

Arb.

Thou art not traind in sinne,
  It seemes Mardonius: kill my selfe, by heaven
  I will not doe it yet; and when I will,
  Ile tell thee then: I shall be such a creature,
  That thou wilt give me leave without a word.
  There is a method in mans wickednesse,
  It growes up by degrees; I am not come
  So high as killing of my selfe, there are
  A hundred thousand sinnes twixt me and it,
  Which I must doe, I shall come toot at last;
  But take my oath not now, be satisfied,
  And get thee hence.

Mar.

I am sorrie tis so ill.

Arb.

Be sorrie then,
True sorrow is alone, grieve by thy selfe.

Mar.

I pray you let mee see your sword put up
Before I goe; Ile leave you then.

Arb.

Why so?
  What follie is this in thee? is it not
  As apt to mischiefe as it was before?
  Can I not reach it thinkest thou? these are toyes
  For children to be pleas’d with, and not men;
  Now I am safe you thinke: I would the booke
  Of Fate were here, my sword is not so sure,
  But I should get it out, and mangle that
  That all the destinies should quite forget
  Their fix’t decrees, and hast to make us new
  Farre other Fortunes mine could not be worse,
  Wilt thou now leave me?

Mar.

God put into your bosome temperate thoughts,
He leave you though I feare.

Exit.

Arb.

Goe, thou art honest,
  Why should the hastie errors of my youth
  Be so unpardonable, to draw a sinne
  Helpelesse upon me?

Enter Gobrius.

Gob.

There is the King, now it is ripe.

Arb.

Draw neere thou guiltie man,
  That are the author of the loathedst crime
  Five ages have brought forth, and heare me speake
  Curses incurable, and all the evils
  Mans bodie or his spirit can receive
  Be with thee.

Gob.

Why Sir doe you curse me thus?

Arb.

Why doe I curse thee, if there be a man
Subtill in curses, that exceedes the rest,
His worst wish on thee. Thou hast broke my hart.

Gob.

How Sir? Have I preserv’d you from a childe,
From all the arrowes, malice or ambition
Could shoot at you, and have I this for pay?

Arb.

Tis true thou didst preserve me, and in that
  Wert crueller then hardned murderers
  Of infants and their mothers; thou didst save me
  Onely till thou hadst studdied out a way
  How to destroy me cunningly thy selfe:
  This was a curious way of torturing.

Gob.

What doe you meane?

Arb.

Thou knowst the evils thou hast done to me,
  Dost thou remember all those witching letters
  Thou sentst unto me to Armenia,
  Fild with the praise of my beloved Sister,
  Where thou extolst her beautie; what had I
  To doe with that, what could her beautie be
  To me, and thou didst write how well shee lov’d me,
  Doest thou remember this: so that I doated
  Something before I saw her.

Gob.

This is true.

Arb.

Is it, and I when I was returnd thou knowst
  Thou didst pursue it, till thou woundst mee into
  Such a strange, and unbeleev’d affection,
  As good men cannot thinke on.

Gob.

This I grant, I thinke I was the cause.

Arb.

Wert thou? Nay more, I thinke thou meantst it.

Gob.

Sir I hate a lie.
As I love God and honestie, I did:
It was my meaning.

Arb.

Be thine owne sad Judge,
A further condemnation will not need:
Prepare thy selfe to die.

Gob.

Why Sir to die?

Arb.

Why wouldst thou live, was ever yet offender
  So impudent, that had a thought of mercy
  After confession of a crime like this?
  Get out I cannot, where thou hurlst me in,
  But I can take revenge, that’s all the sweetnesse
  Left for me.

Gob.

Now is the time, heare me but speake.

Arb.

No, yet I will be farre more mercifull
  Then thou wert to me; thou didst steale into me,
  And never gavest me warning: so much time
  As I give thee now, had prevented thee
  For ever. Notwithstanding all thy sinnes,
  If thou hast hope, that there is yet a prayer
  To save thee, turne, and speake it to your selfe.

Gob.

Sir, you shall know your sinnes before you doe um
If you kill me.

Arb.

I will not stay then.

Gob.

Know you kill your Father.

Arb.

How?

Gob.

You kill your Father.

Arb.

My Father? though I know it for a lie
  Made out of feare to save thy stained life:
  The verie reverence of the word comes crosse me,
  And ties mine arme downe.

Gob.

I will tell you that shall heighten you againe, I am thy
Father, I charge thee heare me.

Arb.

If it should be so,
  As tis most false, and that I should be found
  A bastard issue, the dispised fruite
  Of lawlesse lust, I should no more admire
  All my wilde passions: but another truth
  Shall be wrung from thee: If I could come by
  The spirit of paine, it should be powr’d on thee,
  Till thou allowest thy selfe more full of lies
  Then he that teaches thee.

Enter Arane.

Arane.

Turne thee about,
I come to speake to thee thou wicked man,
Heare me thou Tyrant.

Arb.

I will turne to thee,
Heare me thou Strumpet: I have blotted out
The name of mother, as thou hast thy shame.

Ara.

My shame, thou hast lesse shame then anything:
Why dost thou keepe my daughter in a prison?
Why dost thou call her Sister, and doe this?

Arb.

Cease thou strange impudence, and answere quickly,
If thou contemn’st me, this will aske an answere,
And have it.

Ara.

Helpe me gentle Gobrius.

Arb.

Guilt dare not helpe guilt, though they grow together
  In doing ill, yet at the punishment
  They sever, and each flies the noyse of other,
  Thinke not of helpe, answere.

Ara.

I will, to what?

Arb.

To such a thing as if it be a truth,
  Thinke what a creature thou hast made thy selfe,
  That didst not shame to doe, what I must blush
  Onely to aske thee: tell me who I am,
  Whose sonne I am, without all circumstance;
  Be thou as hastie, as my Sword will be
  If thou refusest.

Ara.

Why you are his sonne.

Arb.

His sonne?
Sweare, sweare, thou worse then woman damn’d.

Ara.

By all thats good you are.

Arb.

Then art thou all that ever was knowne bad. Now is
  The cause of all my strange misfortunes come to light:
  What reverence expects thou from a childe
  To bring forth which thou hast offended Heaven,
  Thy husband and the Land: Adulterous witch
  I know now why thou wouldst have poyson’d me,
  I was thy lust which thou wouldst have forgot:
  Thou wicked mother of my sinnes, and me,
  Shew me the way to the inheritance
  I have by thee: which is a spacious world
  Of impious acts, that I may soone possesse it:
  Plagues rott thee, as thou liv’st, and such diseases
  As use to pay lust, recompence thy deed.

Gob.

You doe not know why you curse thus.

Arb.

Too well:
  You are a paire of Vipers, and behold
  The Serpent you have got; there is no beast
  But if he knew, it has a pedigree
  As brave as mine, for they have more discents,
  And I am every way as beastly got,
  As farre without the compasse of a law,
  As they.

Ara.

You spend your rage, and words in vaine,
And raile upon a guesse: heare us a little.

Arb.

No I will never heare, but talke away
My breath, and die.

Gob.

Why but you are no Bastard.

Arb.

Howe’s that?

Ara.

Nor childe of mine.

Arb.

Still you goe on in wonders to me.

Gob.

Pray be more patient, I may bring comfort to you.

Arb.

I will kneele,
  And heare with the obedience of a childe;
  Good Father speake, I doe acknowledge you,
  So you bring comfort.

Gob.

First know our last King your supposed Father
  Was olde and feeble when he marryed her,
  And almost all the Land as shee past hope
  Of issue from him.

Arb.

Therefore shee tooke leave
To play the whoore, because the King was old:
Is this the comfort?

Ara.

What will you find out
  To give me satisfaction, when you find
  How you have injur’d me: let fire consume mee,
  If ever I were whore.

Gob.

Forbeare these starts,
  Or I will leave you wedded to despaire,
  As you are now: if you can find a temper,
  My breath shall be a pleasant westerne wind,
  That cooles, and blastes not.

Arb.

Bring it out good Father,
  He lie, artd listen here as reverentlie
  As to an Angell: If I breathe too loude,
  Tell me; for I would be as still as night.

Gob.

Our King I say was old, and this our Queene
  Desired to bring an heire; but yet her husband
  Shee thought was past it, and to be dishonest
  I thinke shee would not; if shee would have beene,
  The truth is, shee was watcht so narrowlie,
  And had so slender opportunitie,
  Shee hardly could have beene: But yet her cunning
  Found out this way; shee fain’d her selfe with child,
  And postes were sent in haste throughout the Land,
  And God was humbly thankt in every Church,
  That so had blest the Queen, and prayers were made
  For her safe going, and deliverie:
  Shee fain’d now to grow bigger, and perceiv’d
  This hope of issue made her feard, and brought
  A farre more large respect from everie man.
  And saw her power increase, and was resolv’d,
  Since shee believ’d shee could not have’t indeede;
  At least shee would be thought to have a child.

Arb.

Doe I not heare it well: nay, I will make
No noise at all; but pray you to the point,
Quicke as you can.

Gob.

Now when the time was full,
  Shee should be brought abed; I had a sonne
  Borne, which was you: This the Queene hearing of,
  Mov’d me to let her have you, and such reasons
  Shee shewed me, as shee knew would tie
  My secresie: shee sware you should be King;
  And to be short, I did deliver you
  Unto her, and pretended you were dead;
  And in mine owne house kept a Funerall,
  And had an emptie coffin put in earth:
  That night the Queene fain’d hastilie to labour,
  And by a paire of women of her owne,
  Which shee had charm’d, shee made the world believe
  Shee was deliver’d of you: you grew up
  As the Kings sonne, till you were six yeere olde;
  Then did the King die, and did leave to me
  Protection of the Realme; and contrarie
  To his owne expectation, left this Queene
  Truly with Childe indeed of the faire Princesse
Panthea: Then shee could have torne her heire,
  And did alone to me yet durst not speake
  In publike; for shee knew shee should be found
  A Traytor, and her talke would have beene thought
  Madnesse or any thing rather then truth:
  This was the onely cause why shee did seeke
  To poyson you, and I to keepe you safe:
  And this the reason why I sought to kindle
  Some sparke of love in you to faire Panthea,
  That shee might get part of her right agen.

Arb.

And have you made an end now, is this all?
If not, I will be still till I am aged,
Till all my heires are silver.

Gob.

This is all.

Arb.

And is it true say you Maddam?

Ara.

Yes, God knowes it is most true.

Arb.

Panthea then is not my Sister.

Gob.

No.

Arb.

But can you prove this?

[Gob.]

If you will give consent: else who dare goe about it.

Arb.

Give consent?
  Why I will have them all that know it rackt
  To get this from um: All that waites without
  Come in, what ere you be come in, and be
  Partakers of my Joy: O you are welcome.

Ent. Mar: Bessus, and others.

Mardonius the best newes, nay, draw no neerer They all shall heare it: I am found no King.

Mar.

Is that so good newes?

Art.

Yes, the happiest newes that ere was heard.

Mar.

Indeed twere well for you,
If you might be a little lesse obey’d.

Arb.

On, call the Queene.

Mar.

Why she is there.

Arb.

The Queene Mardonius, Panthea is the Queene,
  And I am plaine Arbaces, goe some one,
  She is in Gobrius house; since I saw you
  There are a thousand things delivered to me
  You little dreame of.

Mar.

So it should seeme: My Lord,
What furi’s this.

Gob.

Beleeve me tis no fury,
All that he sayes is truth.

Mar.

Tis verie strange.

Arb.

Why doe you keepe your hats off Gentlemen,
  Is it to me? in good faith it must not be:
  I cannot now command you, but I pray you
  For the respect you bare me, when you tooke
  Me for your King, each man clap on his hat at my desire.

Mar.

We will: but you are not found
So meane a man, but that you may be cover’d
As well as we, may you not?

Arb.

O not here,
You may, but not I, for here is my Father in presence.

Mar.

Where?

Arb.

Why there: O the whole storie
  Would be a wildernesse to loose thy selfe
  For ever; O pardon me deare Father,
  For all the idle, and unreverent words
  That I have spoke in idle moodes to you:
  I am Arbaces, we all fellow subjects,
  Nor is the Queene Panthea now my Sister.

Bes.

Why if you remember fellow subject Arbaces, I tolde you once she was not your sister, I say she look’t nothing like you.

Arb.

I thinke you did good Captaine Bessus.

Bes.

Here will arise another question now amongst the Swordmen, whether I be to call him to account for beating me, now he’s prov’d no King.

Enter Ligones.

Ma.

Sir, heres Ligones
The Agent for the Armenian King.

Arb.

Where is he, I know your businesse good Ligones.

Lig.

We must have our King againe, and will.

Arb.

I knew that was your businesse, you shall have
  You King againe, and have him so againe
  As never King was had. Goe one of you
  And bid Bacurius bring Tigranes hither,
  And bring the Ladie with him, that Panthea
  The Queene Panthea sent me word this morning
  Was brave Tigranes mistresse.

Lig.

Tis Spaconia.

Arb.

I, I, Spaconia.

Lig.

She is my daughter.

Arb.

Shee is so, I could now tell any thing
I never heard; your King shall goe so home
As never man went.

Mar.

Shall he goe on’s head?

Arb.

He shall have Chariots easier than ayre
  That I will have invented; and nere thinke
  He shall pay any ransome; and thy selfe
  That art the Messenger shall ride before him
  On a Horse cut out of an entire Diamond,
  That shall be made to goe with golden wheeles,
  I know not how yet.

Lig.

Why I shall be made
For ever, they belied this King with us
And sayd he was unkind.

Arb.

And then thy daughter,
  She shall have some strange thinke, wele have the Kingdome
  Sold utterly, and put into a toy.
  Which she shall weare about her carelesly
  Some where or other.
  See the vertuous Queene.

Enter Pan.

Behold the humblest subject that you have
Kneele here before you. Pan. Why kneele you
To me that am your vassall?

Arb.

Grant me one request.

Pan.

Alas, what can I grant you?
What I can I will.

Arb.

That you will please to marry me,
If I can prove it lawfull.

Pan.

Is that all?
More willingly, then I would draw this ayre.

Arb.

Ile kisse this hand in earnest.

Mar.

Sir, Tigranes is comming though he made it strange
To see the Princesse any more.

Arb.

The Queene,

Enter Tig. and Spa.

Thou meanest: O my Tigranes pardon me,
  Tread on my necke I freely offer it,
  And if thou beest so given; take revenge,
  For I have injur’d thee.

Tig.

No, I forgive,
And rejoice more that you have found repentance,
Then I my libertie.

Arb.

Maist thou be happie
  In thy faire choice; for thou art temperate:
  You owe no ransome to the state, know that;
  I have a thousand joyes to tell you of,
  Which yet I dare not utter, till I pay
  My thankes to Heaven for um: will you goe
  With me, and helpe me; pray you doe.

Tig.

I will.

Arb.

Take then your faire one with you and your Queene
  Of goodnesse, and of us; O give me leave
  To take your arme in mine: Come every one
  That takes delight in goodnesse, helpe to sing
  Loude thankes for me, that I am prov’d no King.

Finis

The following verse variations have also been noted between the Act printed above from A and the quartos B, C, D and G.

p. 434, ll. 46 and 47. B, C, D, G] two lines, hint, rope.

p. 436, ll. 19 and 20. B—D] two lines, better, Grandsire.

p. 437, ll. 16—18. B, C, D, G] six lines, Whore, satisfied, Dancer, Musilians, thee, whore.

p. 438, ll. 40 and 41. B, C, D, G] four lines, laming, fall, Sword-men, Stock-fish.

p. 442, ll. 22 and 23. B, C, D, G] two lines, in-, affection.

p. 443, ll. 24 and 25. B, C, D, G] three lines, impudence, me, answere. ll. 44 and 45. Three lines, All, cause, light.

p. 446, ll. 17 and 18. B, C, D, G] one line, This. ll. 19 and 20. B, C, D, G] one line, Truth. l. 26. Two lines, hat, desire.

p. 447, ll. 16 and 17. B, C, D, G] two lines, ever, us. ll. 23 and 24. B, C, D, G] one line, Queene. ll. 29 and 30. B, C, D, G] one line, will.

Notes

¹ The prose printings of E and F have not been recorded.

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