Atheist's Tragedie, The - Act 5, Scene 2
[SCENE II.]
Enter Judges and Officers. 1. Judg .
Bring forth the malefactors to the Barre.
Enter C ATAPLASMA , S OQUETTE , and Fresco .
Are you the Gentlewoman in whose house
The murders were committed? Catap .
Yes, my Lord. 1. Judg .
That worthie attribute of Gentrie which
Your habite drawes from ignorant respect
Your name deserues not, nor your selfe the name
Of woman, since you are the poyson that
Infects the honour of all womanhood. Catap .
My Lord, I am a Gentlewoman; yet
I must confesse my pouertie compels
My life to a condition lower than
My birth or breeding. 2. Judg .
Tush, we know your birth. 1. Judg .
But, under colour to professe the Sale
Of Tyres and toyes for Gentlewomen's pride,
You draw a frequentation of men's wiues
To your licentious house, and there abuse
Their Husbands — Fresco .
Good my Lord her rent is great.
The good Gentlewoman has no other thing
To liue by but her lodgings. So she's forc'd
To let her fore-roomes out to others, and
Herselfe contented to lie backwards. 2. Judg .
So. 1. Judg .
Heere is no euidence accuses you
For accessaries to the murder, yet
Since from the Spring of lust, which you preseru'd.
And nourish'd, ranne th' effusion of that bloud,
Your punishment shall come as neare to death
As life can beare it. Law cannot inflict
Too much seueritie upon the cause
Of such abhor'd effects. 2. Judg .
Receiue your sentence.
Your goods (since they were gotten by that meanes
Which brings diseases) shall be turn'd to th' use
Of Hospitalles. You carted through the Streetes
According to the common shame of strumpets
Your bodies whip'd, till with the losse of bloud
You faint under the hand of punishment.
Then that the necessarie force of want
May not prouoke you to your former life
You shall be set to painefull labour whose
Penurious gaines shall onely giue you foode
To hold up Nature, mortifie your flesh,
And make you fit for a repentant end. All .
O good my Lord! 1. Judg .
No more. Away with 'em.
Exeunt C ALAPLASMA , S OQUETTE , and Fresco .
Enter L ANGUEBEAU S NUFFE . 2. Judg .
Now, Monsieur Snuffe! A man of your profession
Found in a place of such impietie! Snuffe .
I grant you. The place is full of impuritie. So much the more neede of instruction and reformation. The purpose that caried me thither was with the Spirit of conuersion to purifie their uncleanenesse, and I hope your Lordship will say the law cannot take hold o' me for that. 1. Judg .
No, Sir, it cannot; but yet giue me leaue
To tell you that I hold your warie answere
Rather premeditated for excuse
Then spoken out of a religious purpose
Where tooke you your degrees of Schollership? Snuffe .
I am no Scholler, my Lord. To speake the sincere truth, I am Snuffe the Tallow-Chandler. 2. Judge
How comes your habits to be alter'd thus? Snuffe .
My Lord Belforest, taking a delight in the cleanenesse of my conuersation, withdrew mee from that uncleane life and put me in a garment fit for his societie and my present profession. 1. Judg .
His Lordship did but paint a rotten post,
Or couer foulenesse fairely. Monsieur Snuffe,
Back to your candle-making! You may giue
The world more light with that, then either with
Instruction or th' example of your life. Snuffe .
Thus the Snuffe is put out.
Enter D' AMVILLE distractedly with the hearses of his two Sonnes borne after him D'am .
Judgement! Judgement! 2. Judg .
Judgement, my Lord, in what? D'am .
Your Judgements must resolue me in a case.
Bring in the bodies. Nay, I'll ha' it tried.
This is the case, my Lord. By prouidence,
Eu'n in a moment, by the onely hurt
Of one, or two, or three at most, and those
Put quickly out o' paine too, marke mee, I
Had wisely rais'd a competent estate
To my posteritie. And is there not
More wisedome and more charity in that
Than for your Lordship, or your Father, or
Your Grandsire to prolong the torment and
The rack of rent from age to age upon
Your poore penurious Tenants, yet perhaps,
Without a pennie profit to your heire?
Is't not more wise? more charitable? Speake 1. Judg .
He is distracted. D'am .
How? distracted? Then
You ha' no Judgement. I can giue you sence
And solide reason for the very least
Distinguishable syllable I speake.
Since my thrift
Was more judicious than your Grandsires, why
I would faine know why your Lordship liues to make
A second generation from your Father,
And the whole frie of my posteritie
Extinguish'd in a moment. Not a Brat
Left to succeede me — I would faine know that. 2. Judg .
Griefe for his children's death distempers him. 1. Judg .
My Lord, we will resolue you of your question.
In the meane time vouchsafe your place with us. D'am .
I am contented, so you will resolue me. — Ascends .
Enter C HARLEMONT and C ASTABELLA . 2. Judg .
Now, Monsieur Charlemont, you are accus'd
Of hauing murder'd one Borachio, that
Was seruant to my Lord D'amville. How can
You cleare your selfe? Guiltie or not guiltie? Charl .
Guilty of killing him, but not of murder.
My Lords, I haue no purpose to desire
Remission for my selfe. — — D'am .
Unciuill Boy!
Thou want'st humanitie to smile at griefe.
Why dost thou cast a chearefull eye upon
The object of my sorrow — my dead Sonnes? 1. Judgg .
O good my Lord, let Charitie forbeare
To vexe the spirit of a dying Man.
A chearefull eye upon the face of Death
Is the true count'nance of a noble minde.
For honour's sake, my Lord, molest it not. D'am .
Y'are all unciuill. O! is't not enough
That he uniustly hath conspir'd with Fate
To cut off my posteritie, for him
To be the heire to my possessions, but
He must pursue me with his presence.
And, in the ostentation of his ioy,
Laugh in my face and glory in my griefe? Charl .
D'amville, to shew thee with what light respect
I value Death and thy insulting pride,
Thus, like a warlike Navie on the Sea
Bound for the conquest of some wealthie land,
Pass'd through the stormie troubles of this life,
And now arriu'd upon the armed coast
In expectation of the victorie
Whose honour lies beyond this exigent,
Through mortall danger, with an actiue spirit
Thus I aspire to undergoe my death.
C ASIABELLA leapes after him . Casta .
And thus I second thy braue enterprise.
Be chearefull, Charlemont. Our liues cut off
In our young prime of yeares are like greene hearbes
Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends
For, as their vertue, gather'd when th'are greene,
Before they wither or corrupt, is best;
So we in vertue are the best for Death
While yet we haue not liu'd to such an age
That the encreasing canker of our sinnes
Hath spread too farre upon us — — D'am .
A Boone, my Lords.
I begge a Boone. 1. Judg .
What's that, my Lord? D'am .
His body when 'tis dead
For an Anatomie. 2. Judg .
For what, my Lord? D'am .
Your understanding still comes short o' mine.
I would finde out by his Anatomie
What thing there is in Nature more exact
Then in the constitution of my selfe.
Me thinkes my parts and my dimentions are
As many, as large, as well compos'd as his;
And yet in me the resolution wants
To die with that assurance as he does.
The cause of that in his Anatomie
I would finde out. 1. Judge .
Be patient and you shall. D'am .
I haue bethought me of a better way.
— Nephew, we must conferre. — Sir, I am growne
A wondrous Student now o' late My wit
Has reach'd beyond the scope of Nature, yet
For all my learning I am still to seeke
From whence the peace of conscience should proceede. Charl .
The peace of conscience rises in it selfe. D'am .
Whether it be thy Art or Nature I
Admire thee, Charlemont. Why, thou hast taught
A woman to be valiant. I will begge
Thy life. — My Lords, I begge my Nephewe's life.
He make thee my Phisitian. Thou shalt read
Philosophie to me. I will finde out
Th' efficient cause of a contented minde.
But if I cannot profit in't then 'tis
No more good being my Phisitian,
But infuse
A little poyson in a potion when
Thou giu'st me Phisick, unawares to me.
So I shall steale into my graue without
The understanding or the feare of death.
And that's the end I aime at. For the thought
Of death is a most fearefull torment; is it not? 2. Judg .
Your Lordship interrupts the course of law. 1. Judg .
Prepare to die. Charl .
My resolution's made.
But ere I die, before this honour'd bench,
With the free voice of a departing soule,
I heere protest this Gentlewoman cleare
Of all offence the law condemnes her for. Casta .
I haue accus'd my selfe. The law wants power
To cleare me. My deare Charlemont, with thee
I will partake of all thy punishments. Charl .
Uncle, for all the wealthie benefits
My death aduances you, graunt me but this:
Your mediation for the guiltlesse life
Of Castabella, whom your conscience knowes
As justly cleare, as harmlesse innocence. D'am .
Freely. My Mediation for her life
And all my int'rest in the world to boote;
Let her but in exchange possesse me of
The resolution that she dies withall
— The price of things is best knowne in their want.
Had I her courage, so I value it:
The Indies should not buy 't it out o' my hands. Charl .
Giue mee a glasse of water. D'am .
Mee of wine. — —
This argument of death congeales my bloud.
Colde feare, with apprehension of thy end,
Hath frozen up the riuers of my veines. —
I must drinke wine to warme me and dissolue,
The obstruction; or an apoplexie will
Possesse mee. — Why, thou uncharitable Knaue,
Dost thou bring mee bloud to drinke? The very glasse
Lookes pale and trembles at it. Seru .
'Tis your hand, my Lord. D'am .
Canst blame mee to be fearefull, bearing still
The presence of a murderer about me? Charl .
Is this water? Seru .
Water, Sir. Charl .
Come, thou cleare embleme of coole temperance,
Be thou my witnesse that I use no art
To force my courage nor haue neede of helpes
To raise my Spirits, like those weaker men
Who mixe their bloud with wine, and out of that
Adulterate coniunction doe beget
A bastard valour. Natiue courage, thankes.
Thou lead'st me soberly to undertake
This great hard worke of magnanimitie. D'am .
Braue Charlemont, at the reflexion of
Thy courage my cold fearefull bloud takes fire
And I begin to emulate thy death.
— Is that thy executioner? My Lords,
You wrong the honour of so high a bloud
To let him suffer by so base a hand. Judges .
He suffers by the forme of law, my Lord. D'am .
I will reforme it. Downe, you shagge-hair'd curre.
The instrument that strikes my nephew's bloud
Shall be as noble as his blood. I'll be
Thy executioner selfe. 1. Judge .
Restraine his fury. Good my Lord, forbeare. D'am .
I'll butcher out the passage of his soule
That dares attempt to interrupt the blow. 2. Judge .
My Lord, the office will impresse a marke
Of scandall and dishonour on your name. Charl .
The office fits him: hinder not his hand,
But let him crowne my resolution with
An unexampled dignitie of death.
Strike home. Thus I submit me. Casta .
So doe I.
In scorne of Death thus hand in hand we die. D'am .
I ha' the trick on't, Nephew. You shall see
How eas'ly I can put you out of paine — Ooh!
As he raises up the Axe strikes out his owne braines. Staggers off the Scaffold. Execu .
In lifting up the Axe
I thinke h's knock'd his brains out. D'am .
What murderer was hee that lifted up
My hand against my head? Judge .
None but your selfe, my Lord D'am .
I thought he was a murderer that did it. Judge .
God forbid! D'am .
Forbid? You lie, Judge. He commanded it
To tell thee that man's wisedome is a foole.
I came to thee for Judgement, and thou think'st
Thy selfe a wise man. I outreach'd thy wit
And made thy Justice Murder's instrument
In Castabella's death and Charlemont's.
To crowne my Murder of Montferrers with
A safe possession of his wealthie state Charl .
I claime the just aduantage of his words. Judge .
Descend the Scaffold, and attend the rest. D'am .
There was the strength of naturall understanding
But Nature is a foole There is a power.
Above her that hath ouerthrowne the pride
Of all my proiects and posteritie,
For whose suruiuing bloud
I had erected a proud monument,
And struck 'em dead before me. For whose deathes
I call'd to thee for Judgement. Thou didst want
Descretion for the sentence. But you power
That strucke me knew the Judgement I deseru'd,
And gave it — O! the lust of Death commits
A Rape upon me as I would ha' done
On Castabella. Judge .
Strange is his death and iudgement With the hands
Of Joy and Justice I thus set you free.
The power of that eternall prouidence
Which ouerthrew his proiects in their pride
Hath made your griefes the instruments to raise
Your blessings to a greater height then euer. Charl .
Only to Heau'n I attribute the worke,
Whose gracious motiues made me still forbeare
To be mine owne Reuenger. Now I see
That Patience is the honest man's reuenge . Judge .
In stead of Charlemont that but e'en now
Stood readie to be dispossess'd of all
I now salute you with more titles both
Of wealth and dignitie, then you were borne to.
And you, sweet Madame, Lady of Belforest ,
You haue that title by your Father's death. Casta .
With all the titles due to me encrease
The wealth and honour of my Charlemont
Lord of Montferrers, Lord D'amville Belforest, —
And for a cloze to make up all the rest — Embrace
The Lord of Castabella. Now at last
Enioy the full possession of my loue,
As cleare and pure as my first chastitie. Charl .
The crowne of all my blessings! — I will tempt
My Starres no longer, nor protract my time
Of marriage. When those Nuptiall rites are done
I will performe my kinsmen's funeralles. Judge .
The Drums and Trumpets! Interchange the sounds
Of Death and Triumph. For these honour'd lives,
Succeeding their deserued Tragedies. Charl .
Thus, by the worke of Heau'n, the men that thought
To follow our dead bodies without teares
Are dead themselves, and now we follow theirs
Enter Judges and Officers. 1. Judg .
Bring forth the malefactors to the Barre.
Enter C ATAPLASMA , S OQUETTE , and Fresco .
Are you the Gentlewoman in whose house
The murders were committed? Catap .
Yes, my Lord. 1. Judg .
That worthie attribute of Gentrie which
Your habite drawes from ignorant respect
Your name deserues not, nor your selfe the name
Of woman, since you are the poyson that
Infects the honour of all womanhood. Catap .
My Lord, I am a Gentlewoman; yet
I must confesse my pouertie compels
My life to a condition lower than
My birth or breeding. 2. Judg .
Tush, we know your birth. 1. Judg .
But, under colour to professe the Sale
Of Tyres and toyes for Gentlewomen's pride,
You draw a frequentation of men's wiues
To your licentious house, and there abuse
Their Husbands — Fresco .
Good my Lord her rent is great.
The good Gentlewoman has no other thing
To liue by but her lodgings. So she's forc'd
To let her fore-roomes out to others, and
Herselfe contented to lie backwards. 2. Judg .
So. 1. Judg .
Heere is no euidence accuses you
For accessaries to the murder, yet
Since from the Spring of lust, which you preseru'd.
And nourish'd, ranne th' effusion of that bloud,
Your punishment shall come as neare to death
As life can beare it. Law cannot inflict
Too much seueritie upon the cause
Of such abhor'd effects. 2. Judg .
Receiue your sentence.
Your goods (since they were gotten by that meanes
Which brings diseases) shall be turn'd to th' use
Of Hospitalles. You carted through the Streetes
According to the common shame of strumpets
Your bodies whip'd, till with the losse of bloud
You faint under the hand of punishment.
Then that the necessarie force of want
May not prouoke you to your former life
You shall be set to painefull labour whose
Penurious gaines shall onely giue you foode
To hold up Nature, mortifie your flesh,
And make you fit for a repentant end. All .
O good my Lord! 1. Judg .
No more. Away with 'em.
Exeunt C ALAPLASMA , S OQUETTE , and Fresco .
Enter L ANGUEBEAU S NUFFE . 2. Judg .
Now, Monsieur Snuffe! A man of your profession
Found in a place of such impietie! Snuffe .
I grant you. The place is full of impuritie. So much the more neede of instruction and reformation. The purpose that caried me thither was with the Spirit of conuersion to purifie their uncleanenesse, and I hope your Lordship will say the law cannot take hold o' me for that. 1. Judg .
No, Sir, it cannot; but yet giue me leaue
To tell you that I hold your warie answere
Rather premeditated for excuse
Then spoken out of a religious purpose
Where tooke you your degrees of Schollership? Snuffe .
I am no Scholler, my Lord. To speake the sincere truth, I am Snuffe the Tallow-Chandler. 2. Judge
How comes your habits to be alter'd thus? Snuffe .
My Lord Belforest, taking a delight in the cleanenesse of my conuersation, withdrew mee from that uncleane life and put me in a garment fit for his societie and my present profession. 1. Judg .
His Lordship did but paint a rotten post,
Or couer foulenesse fairely. Monsieur Snuffe,
Back to your candle-making! You may giue
The world more light with that, then either with
Instruction or th' example of your life. Snuffe .
Thus the Snuffe is put out.
Enter D' AMVILLE distractedly with the hearses of his two Sonnes borne after him D'am .
Judgement! Judgement! 2. Judg .
Judgement, my Lord, in what? D'am .
Your Judgements must resolue me in a case.
Bring in the bodies. Nay, I'll ha' it tried.
This is the case, my Lord. By prouidence,
Eu'n in a moment, by the onely hurt
Of one, or two, or three at most, and those
Put quickly out o' paine too, marke mee, I
Had wisely rais'd a competent estate
To my posteritie. And is there not
More wisedome and more charity in that
Than for your Lordship, or your Father, or
Your Grandsire to prolong the torment and
The rack of rent from age to age upon
Your poore penurious Tenants, yet perhaps,
Without a pennie profit to your heire?
Is't not more wise? more charitable? Speake 1. Judg .
He is distracted. D'am .
How? distracted? Then
You ha' no Judgement. I can giue you sence
And solide reason for the very least
Distinguishable syllable I speake.
Since my thrift
Was more judicious than your Grandsires, why
I would faine know why your Lordship liues to make
A second generation from your Father,
And the whole frie of my posteritie
Extinguish'd in a moment. Not a Brat
Left to succeede me — I would faine know that. 2. Judg .
Griefe for his children's death distempers him. 1. Judg .
My Lord, we will resolue you of your question.
In the meane time vouchsafe your place with us. D'am .
I am contented, so you will resolue me. — Ascends .
Enter C HARLEMONT and C ASTABELLA . 2. Judg .
Now, Monsieur Charlemont, you are accus'd
Of hauing murder'd one Borachio, that
Was seruant to my Lord D'amville. How can
You cleare your selfe? Guiltie or not guiltie? Charl .
Guilty of killing him, but not of murder.
My Lords, I haue no purpose to desire
Remission for my selfe. — — D'am .
Unciuill Boy!
Thou want'st humanitie to smile at griefe.
Why dost thou cast a chearefull eye upon
The object of my sorrow — my dead Sonnes? 1. Judgg .
O good my Lord, let Charitie forbeare
To vexe the spirit of a dying Man.
A chearefull eye upon the face of Death
Is the true count'nance of a noble minde.
For honour's sake, my Lord, molest it not. D'am .
Y'are all unciuill. O! is't not enough
That he uniustly hath conspir'd with Fate
To cut off my posteritie, for him
To be the heire to my possessions, but
He must pursue me with his presence.
And, in the ostentation of his ioy,
Laugh in my face and glory in my griefe? Charl .
D'amville, to shew thee with what light respect
I value Death and thy insulting pride,
Thus, like a warlike Navie on the Sea
Bound for the conquest of some wealthie land,
Pass'd through the stormie troubles of this life,
And now arriu'd upon the armed coast
In expectation of the victorie
Whose honour lies beyond this exigent,
Through mortall danger, with an actiue spirit
Thus I aspire to undergoe my death.
C ASIABELLA leapes after him . Casta .
And thus I second thy braue enterprise.
Be chearefull, Charlemont. Our liues cut off
In our young prime of yeares are like greene hearbes
Wherewith we strow the hearses of our friends
For, as their vertue, gather'd when th'are greene,
Before they wither or corrupt, is best;
So we in vertue are the best for Death
While yet we haue not liu'd to such an age
That the encreasing canker of our sinnes
Hath spread too farre upon us — — D'am .
A Boone, my Lords.
I begge a Boone. 1. Judg .
What's that, my Lord? D'am .
His body when 'tis dead
For an Anatomie. 2. Judg .
For what, my Lord? D'am .
Your understanding still comes short o' mine.
I would finde out by his Anatomie
What thing there is in Nature more exact
Then in the constitution of my selfe.
Me thinkes my parts and my dimentions are
As many, as large, as well compos'd as his;
And yet in me the resolution wants
To die with that assurance as he does.
The cause of that in his Anatomie
I would finde out. 1. Judge .
Be patient and you shall. D'am .
I haue bethought me of a better way.
— Nephew, we must conferre. — Sir, I am growne
A wondrous Student now o' late My wit
Has reach'd beyond the scope of Nature, yet
For all my learning I am still to seeke
From whence the peace of conscience should proceede. Charl .
The peace of conscience rises in it selfe. D'am .
Whether it be thy Art or Nature I
Admire thee, Charlemont. Why, thou hast taught
A woman to be valiant. I will begge
Thy life. — My Lords, I begge my Nephewe's life.
He make thee my Phisitian. Thou shalt read
Philosophie to me. I will finde out
Th' efficient cause of a contented minde.
But if I cannot profit in't then 'tis
No more good being my Phisitian,
But infuse
A little poyson in a potion when
Thou giu'st me Phisick, unawares to me.
So I shall steale into my graue without
The understanding or the feare of death.
And that's the end I aime at. For the thought
Of death is a most fearefull torment; is it not? 2. Judg .
Your Lordship interrupts the course of law. 1. Judg .
Prepare to die. Charl .
My resolution's made.
But ere I die, before this honour'd bench,
With the free voice of a departing soule,
I heere protest this Gentlewoman cleare
Of all offence the law condemnes her for. Casta .
I haue accus'd my selfe. The law wants power
To cleare me. My deare Charlemont, with thee
I will partake of all thy punishments. Charl .
Uncle, for all the wealthie benefits
My death aduances you, graunt me but this:
Your mediation for the guiltlesse life
Of Castabella, whom your conscience knowes
As justly cleare, as harmlesse innocence. D'am .
Freely. My Mediation for her life
And all my int'rest in the world to boote;
Let her but in exchange possesse me of
The resolution that she dies withall
— The price of things is best knowne in their want.
Had I her courage, so I value it:
The Indies should not buy 't it out o' my hands. Charl .
Giue mee a glasse of water. D'am .
Mee of wine. — —
This argument of death congeales my bloud.
Colde feare, with apprehension of thy end,
Hath frozen up the riuers of my veines. —
I must drinke wine to warme me and dissolue,
The obstruction; or an apoplexie will
Possesse mee. — Why, thou uncharitable Knaue,
Dost thou bring mee bloud to drinke? The very glasse
Lookes pale and trembles at it. Seru .
'Tis your hand, my Lord. D'am .
Canst blame mee to be fearefull, bearing still
The presence of a murderer about me? Charl .
Is this water? Seru .
Water, Sir. Charl .
Come, thou cleare embleme of coole temperance,
Be thou my witnesse that I use no art
To force my courage nor haue neede of helpes
To raise my Spirits, like those weaker men
Who mixe their bloud with wine, and out of that
Adulterate coniunction doe beget
A bastard valour. Natiue courage, thankes.
Thou lead'st me soberly to undertake
This great hard worke of magnanimitie. D'am .
Braue Charlemont, at the reflexion of
Thy courage my cold fearefull bloud takes fire
And I begin to emulate thy death.
— Is that thy executioner? My Lords,
You wrong the honour of so high a bloud
To let him suffer by so base a hand. Judges .
He suffers by the forme of law, my Lord. D'am .
I will reforme it. Downe, you shagge-hair'd curre.
The instrument that strikes my nephew's bloud
Shall be as noble as his blood. I'll be
Thy executioner selfe. 1. Judge .
Restraine his fury. Good my Lord, forbeare. D'am .
I'll butcher out the passage of his soule
That dares attempt to interrupt the blow. 2. Judge .
My Lord, the office will impresse a marke
Of scandall and dishonour on your name. Charl .
The office fits him: hinder not his hand,
But let him crowne my resolution with
An unexampled dignitie of death.
Strike home. Thus I submit me. Casta .
So doe I.
In scorne of Death thus hand in hand we die. D'am .
I ha' the trick on't, Nephew. You shall see
How eas'ly I can put you out of paine — Ooh!
As he raises up the Axe strikes out his owne braines. Staggers off the Scaffold. Execu .
In lifting up the Axe
I thinke h's knock'd his brains out. D'am .
What murderer was hee that lifted up
My hand against my head? Judge .
None but your selfe, my Lord D'am .
I thought he was a murderer that did it. Judge .
God forbid! D'am .
Forbid? You lie, Judge. He commanded it
To tell thee that man's wisedome is a foole.
I came to thee for Judgement, and thou think'st
Thy selfe a wise man. I outreach'd thy wit
And made thy Justice Murder's instrument
In Castabella's death and Charlemont's.
To crowne my Murder of Montferrers with
A safe possession of his wealthie state Charl .
I claime the just aduantage of his words. Judge .
Descend the Scaffold, and attend the rest. D'am .
There was the strength of naturall understanding
But Nature is a foole There is a power.
Above her that hath ouerthrowne the pride
Of all my proiects and posteritie,
For whose suruiuing bloud
I had erected a proud monument,
And struck 'em dead before me. For whose deathes
I call'd to thee for Judgement. Thou didst want
Descretion for the sentence. But you power
That strucke me knew the Judgement I deseru'd,
And gave it — O! the lust of Death commits
A Rape upon me as I would ha' done
On Castabella. Judge .
Strange is his death and iudgement With the hands
Of Joy and Justice I thus set you free.
The power of that eternall prouidence
Which ouerthrew his proiects in their pride
Hath made your griefes the instruments to raise
Your blessings to a greater height then euer. Charl .
Only to Heau'n I attribute the worke,
Whose gracious motiues made me still forbeare
To be mine owne Reuenger. Now I see
That Patience is the honest man's reuenge . Judge .
In stead of Charlemont that but e'en now
Stood readie to be dispossess'd of all
I now salute you with more titles both
Of wealth and dignitie, then you were borne to.
And you, sweet Madame, Lady of Belforest ,
You haue that title by your Father's death. Casta .
With all the titles due to me encrease
The wealth and honour of my Charlemont
Lord of Montferrers, Lord D'amville Belforest, —
And for a cloze to make up all the rest — Embrace
The Lord of Castabella. Now at last
Enioy the full possession of my loue,
As cleare and pure as my first chastitie. Charl .
The crowne of all my blessings! — I will tempt
My Starres no longer, nor protract my time
Of marriage. When those Nuptiall rites are done
I will performe my kinsmen's funeralles. Judge .
The Drums and Trumpets! Interchange the sounds
Of Death and Triumph. For these honour'd lives,
Succeeding their deserued Tragedies. Charl .
Thus, by the worke of Heau'n, the men that thought
To follow our dead bodies without teares
Are dead themselves, and now we follow theirs
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