THE JEWES TRAGEDY, OR, Their Fatal and Final OVERTHROW BY VESPATIAN and TITUS his Son, Agreeable To the Authentick and Famous History OF JOSEPHƲS. Never before Published.
By William Hemings, Master of Arts of OXON.
LONDON, Printed for Matthew Inman, and are to be sold by Richard Gammon, over-against Excester-House in the Strand, 1662.
THE ACTORS.
- Nero Cesar, Emperor of Rome.
- Aprippa, King of Jewry:
- Vespatian Nero's Gen: & after Emp:
- Titus Son to Vespatian.
- Ʋalerio A Roman Captain:
- Nicanor A Roman Captain:
- Ananias High Priest for Ierusalem:
- Gorion Priest,
- Joseph Son to Gorion and Captain of the Iews,
- Eleazer Seditious Captains of the Jews,
- Iehochanan Seditious Captains of the Jews,
- Simeon Seditious Captains of the Jews,
- Zareck A poor Iew,
- Miriam A Iewish Lady,
- Peter The Ladies man.
Prologus.
IUdicious friends, our Author bids me say,
That he hath labour'd to adorn his Play
With such Varieties; as may befit
The fair deportment of a sober wit.
Stories are strict, and challenge from the Stage,
The true Dimensions of their former Age:
Where Fancy guides the Plot, the Field is wide,
And freely grants what here will be deni'd;
What's wanting to his will by this defect,
Your gentle Censures, and more milde aspect
Will fairly answer; Grant him this, and he
Will study to deserve your Curtesie.
THE JEVVES TRAGEDY.
Act. I.
Scene I.
Sound Musicke, and enter NERO, Emperour of Rome, Crown'd with a Lawrel Wreath; and attended by Roman Lords, he ascends his Chair by state.
NERO.
MY Lords of Rome, since first the auspicious eye
Of Heaven look't singly on our bold attempts,
We ne'r incounter'd fortunes so advers,
Since first our Father Romulus ordain'd
The Eternal Fire, by vestal Nunns preserv'd;
And since Religious Numa did create
Our Holy Sacrifices for the Gods,
We never had such signes prodigious;
Our Bulls for Offerings to the Gods of War
Fall dead untoucht by hand of Holy Priest;
[Page 2]And such as wounded dye by sacred Knife,
Their Intralls spotted tell us all's not well,
The God are sure displeas'd.
I. Lord.
Our War, my Soveraign, can import no less,
The Perstans, Grecians, and the Galls revolts,
With ill success in Jewry, these can tell
Most mighty Cesar, that all is not well.
Nero.
Now by the Gods I swear,
That sturdy Nation shall repeat their pride.
Have we not sent Embassadors from Rome
To treat them fair, and to confirm our Truce?
Have we not sent a Bull for sacrifice?
And Sheep for offerings of a sacred Peace,
Even to the God himself whom they adore,
And in his Temple too? What could we more?
Save what we did, to give our Royal Word,
That never heneeforth Roman Prince
Should rule the Nation, but a Native born,
Even their own King Agrippa.
Hear'st thou not yet of his arrival?
2. Lord.
Our packets do inform us of his neer approach,
Each hour heis expected.
Nero.
By heaven I thirst to know the certainty of their proceedings.
Nor can I chuse but wonder at the stay of our Vespatian,
I fear all not well with him my Lords:
Haste thee Hostilius to the sacted Priests,
Exit a massenger.
Bid them again go offer sacrifice,
I long to see some luckie signs appear.
Shout within.
Go know the reason of that shout,
Exit a Lord.
The cheerful noyse should seem to speak of joy.
Lord.
The King of Iewry is at hand my Lord.
Enters agen.
Nero.
Now by my life he's welcom: go forth & meet him.
And conduct him to our presence.
Exit agen.
Lord.
I shall my lord.
Nero.
Now have we half our wish, were but Vespatian here
We had our full desire.
A Florish, and enter King Agrippa; two of of his Attendants go before him, bearing his Crown between them, with other follower; those that bear the crown kneel before the Emperor.
K. Agrip.
Thus lowe great Caesar to thy Majestie
Bowes Inrges King to do thee fealtie.
Nero.
And thus lowe Caesar steps to bid thee welcom;
Welcom Agrippa; take from Caesars hand
Thy sacred Diadem, with sole command
Hee puts the Crown upon him, & sets him by him.
Of thy rebellious Jews.
But tell K. Agrippa, where are those.
Embassadors of mine, which lately were
Dispatch't with presents to thy Nation,
With sacred offrings, and with flags of peace
Embrac't with solemn joy, and safely stowde
Within our Temple; thy Embassage done
With due regards to Romes and Iewrits honor:
But loe the fury of a frantick mind,
The factious Commons in their heat of blood
Have slain thy Roman Lords, & stoutly stand
Rebellious Captains of our holy Land.
Nero.
What!
Agrip.
Tis true great Emperor, nor was my self secure,
But forc't to flie for safety.
Nero.
Is't possible? O ye gods!
Rises and goes down.
To what a wretched time am I reserv'd,
That this final handful dares affront me thus?
Where art thou Iulius? at whose great command
The utmost ends of Europe did obey.
Where worthy Alexander? that didst swear to dwel
Within the circuit of this little Earth:
Behold a wretched caltiff in your room,
Contend despis'd, rebel'd against. O ye gods what more;
Not able to maintain what you have won.
Lord.
Most mighty Gafar,
[Page 4]Let not thy passion rob thee of thy right;
Let Caesar be himself, and then heel see
Himself as great in pow'r & greater in degrees of sovraignty.
Nero.
Away thou fawning Cur, upon my life thou Hatterst me.
Lord.
My LOrd?
Nero.
No more I say. But laugh me to scorn behind my back;
And yet, though I deserve it, take heed thou dost it not.
Upon thy life take heed; look too't —
Agrip.
Great Soveraign, give Agrippa leave to speak,
Thou canst not Mighty Caesar, now behold
Thy self, nor others, with a judging eye;
Recall thy self from passion; and be still
As great in Powre, as thou art great in Will.
Nero.
Thou gav'st the wound Agrippa, and hast heal'd it;
But yet the loss of my Embassadors was stranges, 'tvvas [vvonderous strange,
And wonderous daring too; Daring to me; to me I [say twas daring.
Agrip.
No more, most mighty Caesar.
Nero.
Well; I have done, pardon my hast Agrippa;
And you, forget what I have said.
Nero.
The News.
A shout within, & enter a messengers.
Mossen
My gracious Lord Vespatian is arriv'd,
And Prays admittance to your royal presence
Nero.
Ves [...] come? Thou brings [...] us happy news;
Exit a messenger.
Conduct him hither strait; we long to hear welcom nevvs.
He ascends his chair with King Agrippa.
Enter Vespatian with other Roman Lords.
Vesp
All happiness attend imperious Caesar:
Peace from the Gods▪ from Europe victory;
And from Vespatian duty to the King.
Nero.
Welcom Vespatian; the Gods are pleas'd indeed.
raises him.
Since with thy Victors brow we crowned stand;
Glad yet our ears more with a true and full relation
Of thy successful voyage.
Vesp
From vanquisht Persia, mighty Caesar, we
[Page 5]Were by stresse of weather forc't to touch
Vpon the Coasts of Spain; there we renew'd
Our weather beaten Barks with freth supply
Of men and Amunition: Thence we steor'd
Our course for Gallia and the Britains shore.
The Gauls at our arrival bad declare
What our intentions, whom, and whence we were
We answerd, [Mighty Caesar] we were come
To claim obedience to the Roman yoke
The haughty King deny'd, and stoutly stood
In bold desiance.
Long was the dreadful sight, and doubtful too,
Till at the length thy souldiers won the day,
And forc't their stubborn King in spight obey.
From thence great King we fteer'd to Britains shore,
Where we were entertain'd as was of old
Our famous Iulius, with a dreadful noise
Of hiddeous outcries, thieeks, and yellings out
To fright our Souldiers, while themselves made good
Their craggy Clifts with loss of Brittish blood:
Thrice were we beaten of, and thrice again
Recover'd footing: yet still great King were forc'd
To give them ground till thy Vespatian cry'd,
Fight, fight on your honour, lives, and Casars side,
For mighty Casar fight.
Hadst thou but seen, great King, thy Captains then,
And Roman Lords come bleeding on again,
Repulse the Foe, and bravely win the shore,
Maintain the On sent stillm, tho still oppos'd,
Till Chariot waves were drown'd in Brittish blood,
There hadst thou seen their ranks with fury broke,
and them subjected to thy sole command.
This Mighty Caesar is the brief of all
Since thy Commission made me General:
Nero.
Blest he the gods, Vespatian, and be thou
Blest in the favour of our gracious Brow.
And now again thrice welcom worthy Roman,
Thy valor shall be crown'd with full reward
Of fair preferment worthy thy deserts:
We therefore here create thee General
Of all Indea and the Holy Land.
O my Vespatian! I can tell the stories
Will spurte thee on in fury to revenge.
But nowi no more of that—
[Page 6]We will to triumph for our victories;
That done, set ope the Gates of Ianus wide,
Exeunt omnes.
That bloody war may quel Judea's pride.
ACT. I. SCAEN. II.
Enter Lord JEHOCHANAN, and Lord SKIMEON.
Skim.
IS the News certain that Agrippa's fled?
Iehoe.
Most certain, and to Caesar for relief.
Skim
Tush! let the venom burst, I dare the worst of fates extremity,
Death entertain'd with fear more terrifies
The frighted soul, then doth the fatal blow:
Let Pidgeon-liver'd slaves be tormented thus;
I'le meet it smiling, with as bold aspect
As e're I met the braving enemy.
Iehoc.
How full of hidden Ambiguities
Grow these distracterd times!
The factious Commons giddy censure stand
So strange and doubful, that 'twere policy indeed
To sound 'um to the bottom.
Skim.
To be a crouching, crawling, fawning Cur,
To lick the lazy bands of prating Priests,
With protestations of integrity
Devoted whole to them:
With true compuction of unfeigned grief
Submissively to crave their gracious pardon:
To paw the ragged multitude with praise
Of their ingenous care and servant love
For preservation of the Common-wealth;
To promise fair rewards to froward fools
Perhaps, with durtie feet to mire with fawnings,
And then be beaten with the shameful staffe
Of foul Reproach:
To do all this were to be born a fool,
To live a slave, and dye a coward,
Death! I will stand between the counterbuffs
Of these devouring storms in spight of Hell;
Nor Priest, nor Pesant shall inforce me stoop
An inch to either: as I have liv'd, I'le fall,
Or freed from both, or rent up root and all.
Iehoc.
Or banishment or death we must expect.
Hast thou not seen the ragged multitude,
Whose stupid brains are ftust with nothing else
But their mechanick skill, whose highest strain
Of Cunning is to get some musty meat
TO feed the hungry maw, or ragged clothes
TO cover nakednesse, proclaim us bloody tyrants?
These are they
Whose strange distractions guided by the voice
Of two or three, proclaim a traytors death:
Now save him strait, and now nor save, nor kill,
Nor yet release him; such their frantick will.
Skim.
The doting Priests believe um too:
Death and the Devil! woo'd it no [...] vex one's very soul
TO be arraign'd by these?
In what a hodge podge of confusion
Live Iewry now? Must the rough sword of War
Be guided by the rusty hand of Peace?
TO strike but when, & where, and whom she please?
Must we, whose noble actions have deserv'd
Our place of Government, by countermand —
Of babling Priests be taught our lessons how,
And when, and where, and what, and why to do?
Have our unspotted same traduc't by men
Of vulgar note, by painted Butterflyes
That buz the common rumours of the time
And know not why? Death! I could burst with rage;
Iehoc.
And I with laughter, to behold the State
And kingdom rul'd by a Mecanick pate.
Enter Lord Eleazer musted.
Skim
See where's the prologue to the bloody Scoente,
Iehoc.
Lord Eleazer mufled!
Eleaz.
Good morrow to you both.
Skim.
The like retor'd from both to Eleazer.
My Lord, this outward guise of face and gesture
May seen to speak some inward discontent.
Elea.
Nay more then seems my friends, for seems are show,
But mine is substance: would it were not so.
Iehoc.
We will be sharers then my Eleazer.
Eleaz.
Nay must, Iehochanan, and deep ones too,
So deep, I fear, your patience will not bear it.
Skim.
It mus be deeper than destruction then.
[Page 8]What e're it be u [...]bosome it.
Eleaz.
You are betray'd:
There's strict inquirie made to apprehend ye:
The City Gates are barr'd, and strait commands
On pain of death, that no man dare to stand
In opposition.
Skim.
We did expect no less.
Elea.
Occasions of importance call me hence;
Nor woo'd I be discovered in your company:
What the event will be I know not yet;
But fear your lives are aim'd at.
A fitter time shall give a fairer scope
To my dicourse and counsel, So sare ye well.
Exit Elea.
Iehoc.
Our love and thanks go with thee.
Skim.
How think'st thou now, Iehochanan?
Stand'st thou amaz'd? why, didst not thou expect
The fatal blow?
Ieho.
Skimeon, I dids nor do I sear to know
What I have heard; the Message unto me
Is but a tale twice told, whose second part
Was told by him, the first by mine own heart.
Vnto a soul whose unprepared mind
Dreams not of danger when afflictions come;
How terrible the yleok! the sudden chance
O're whelms the frame of Nature with distraction.
But to a man whose resolution stands
Vnmov'd 'twixt floods of danger and despair,
Whose sturdy stomack beats the Billows off
With Arms of constancy, when every thought
Proves traitor to the brest that gave it life;
To him no mischief fate can strive to do,
But boldly is embrac't, and scorn'd at too.
And such am I.
Skim.
I do embrace thee, and with aqual courage
Stand arm'd for all even'ts.
[Enter Officers, or apprehend them.]
Officer.
By the High Priests sacred power and stict command
We apprehend ye both as traytors to the State of Iewry.
Ieho.
We do obey. Know'st thou where L: Aeleazer is?
[They deliver their weapons.]
Offic.
We met him even now hard by the Synagogue.
Skim.
Befriend us with a Messehger that may
Intreat him come and speak with us; we shall.
Reward you for your pains.
Offic.
It shall be done my Lord.
Exeunt:
Enter Eleazer.
The City up in Arms, Agrippa fled,
The Roman Legate slain, and Rulers banish't;
And we his Son next succession;
What can we wish for more? but foft,
This day our Jewish Captains are arraign'd:
Now Eleazer is the nick of time,
That thy aspiring thoughts may bravely mount
To Jewri [...] Scepter.
How my distemper'd doubts disturb my brain,
Puzzle my will, excrutiate my soul,
Distract my judgement—! O thou sacred thirst
Of fwelling honor! with what powerful aw
Thou rul'st our erring actions!
Be wary Eleazer, and foresee
What chiefly may oppose or further thee.
If these Commanders dye, where's then thy hope
Of their united Power? No, that must not be,
Their lives are precious, and preserv'd by mine assistance,
Tyes them fast in strength and secresie.
It shall be so.
Enter Mess.
By this time our Father's preparing to the Judgement.—:
I must away to meet with him.
Mess.
My honor'd Lord, the Lord Iehothanan, with due respect unto
your Lordship desires you come and speak with him.
Elea.
Tell him, we will be with him instantly.
'Tis a I could wish it, to be sent for too!
If I can bring them off, I make them sure mine own.
I will go visit them.
Exit.
Enter Mechanicks.
1.
The zay the Captains shall be rain'd to day.
2.
J neighbor Oliver! but how do they rain um? can ye tell?
1.
Marry Neighbor I will tell ye; and for your better destruction, and more plain and perniciens understanding in the matter, I will deride my speech into sixten several Sects.
2.
Me [...]cy upon us! hold Neighbor, hold; by no means, I pray; the derision will be too long of all conscience, and I shall never remember what contains to the Discourse: Let it be but two-fold Neighbor, and I shall reprehend in much better.
1
Very good Neighbor Timothy, it shall; and I will so handle the matter, that the whole Discourse shall be derided between you and I.
2.
I marry, that will do passing well.
1.
Hum-'um, mark neighbor, and medigate upon the matter.
2.
I warra Et yee Neighbor.
1.
Why look ye Sir,
You are the Benefastor, and I am the Judge:
Now Sir your Benefactor is invited to appear before your Iudge,
And to answer to such objections as he shall be justly excused for:
Now sir am I to hear and excuse you of the crime,
And to examine and commend your defence;
And you to accuse your self of all that is alledged against you.
2.
Peace Bully, peace; here comes the Iudges.
1.
Mas! here they come indeed! by and by come your Benefactors I warrant yee.
Enter the High Priest, and Eleazer his Son talking in secret with him: Gorian Priest, and Joseph his Son, with Attendants: the High Priest ascends the Chair, the other three sit below.
H. Priest.
Bring forth the Prisoners.
A Bar set, and the Prisoners brought in.
Iechochanan and Skimeon, we do accuse ye both of treason against the state of Iewry.
Besides, we have been true inform'd, and that not by the mouth of one, but many, that those imperious dignities which we out of our pious love conferr'd upon you, have most soul abu'sd, by which our sacred Laws are violate, and we (though innocent) yet stand deprav'd.
Iehoc.
It was, and is the custom 'mongst the Iews,
That the Delinquent, how e're guilty, yet
He fairly should enjoy the priviledge
Of his Accusers opposition.
Nor do I doubt that your obsequious care
And zealous chariry can derogate
So much from nobleness, as to deny
Vs fair proceedings.
H. P.
What by our sacred power we can, we will.
Skim.
First then, we shall desire to be inform'd
Who our Accusers are, and what the ground
Of our impeachment.
Next we request the freedom of our speech,
[Page 11]That we may fairly quit our selves so far as truth
And our unspotted innocency require.
H. P.
We grant thee both. Read their Accusations.
[Roads.]
- 1. First, you are indicted for a rebellious Muteny against the State of Jewry.
- 2. Next, of a most inhumane murder executed upon the Roman Legates.
- 3. Thirdly, of Hight reason against AGRIPPA you lawful Soveraign.
L. Ieho.
Wee'l answer brief to all..
That we have slain the Roman Lords, 'tis true;
But with whatservent love & zeal unto your selves,
And to the State of Jewry, may appeare,
Most sacred Priest, by our submissions:
For had our loves prov'd traytor to the State.
Or to thy sacred self in this attempt,
We had by our command sufficient power
To have oppos'd both thee and that:
But our intents were fair,
'Tis not unknown with what a heavy weight
Of sad oppression wretched Jewry stood,
Basely subjected, till by us made free.
And call you this Rebellion?
But when I call to mind that mungril Prince,
That sacriligious thief; that any thing,
Saving the sacred Name of Soveraign:
That Bastard-Issue, sprung from Herod's Race,
Of low discent in bloud, obscure and base;
Not once regarded till by Caesar's Power
A snatch't the Royal Scepter—
H.P.
No more of that.
We gave thee no Commission to revile
Nor hadst thou power to kill, nor yet to save
Those Roman Legates: What by thee was done
Without our leave was flat Rebellion.
Nor is this all we do object against ye.
Read the Petition.
[One reads.]
An humble Petition from the grieved Commons for the execution of justice upon the two, seditions Captains, Jehochanan and Skimeon.
Skim.
The common bawling Curs? O heaven! must we he weigh'd
with them? with their simplicity? Death! I disclaim from their
Mechanick spleen, and this ignoble tryal.
H. P.
Read out the grievances in the Petition.
Skim.
Sir, I will hear no further.
H. P.
Boiles your hot bloùd so high with our preferment?
Wee'l quench the fire, and then the heat will swage.
We here dismisse thee of thy place of Government
Now Sir ye are a private man, and we
Have sacred Power, and sole Authority
To save or kill. And, for we will not dive
Too deep into your warlike cruelty,
Nor lean too much to private lenity;
For thy rebellion and thy bold affront
We doom thee banishment:
We give thee three dayes liberty for thy departure:
And do command thee here on pain of death
Not to approach within our sacred walls, nor yet Iudea's confines
Skim.
I must, I do obey.
Exit.
H. P.
And for you Iehochanan, upon submission of your self to us, we do release thee: But we charge thee, as thou lovest thy life and liberty, thou give us not henceforward any cause of just proceedings: So we dismisse thee.
Iehoc.
My humble thanks unto your sacred Power: Nor do I crave more favour at your hands then I shall strive hencesorward to deserve.
[Exit and excunt Officers and Attendants.]
H. P.
Now we are private. O Ierusalem!
Is thy decrepid Age already come!
Or art hou hastned by untimely means
To end thy dayes of honor?
Is't not strange, that we
Have sacred power to touch their cruelty,
Yet dare not strike!
Iehochanan we know as deep in blood as Skimeon,
Both equal guilty; yet should both be banish't
Their equal strength, united with their will,
May much endanger us; mean while we stand
As friend with one that we may both command.
Weep Gorian, weep, or else our hearts will break,
Our eyes will tell more then our tongues can speak.
But I have done, the times are so extreme
VVe have not leisure to lament our state;
Our sudden danger summons us to sit
In counsel strait to take some speedy course
About our safety.
Go.
Heaven give a blessing to our fair proceedings.
[A table brought, and they sts.]
H. P.
How truly doth experience teach us now,
That fear once grounded in a Commonwealth,
Proves oftentimes hereditary.
[Page 13]The common rumor of Vespatians Host
Strikes terror to the people. O the power
Of this distracted sear! Even death it self
Appears not half so terrible: But we trifle time.
We are inform'd by sure intelligence,
That he intends within these three dayes space
Set footing in Iudea: How appointed
Yet we know not [...] but to be suppos'd
In all points like unto Vespatian.
O Gorion, how methinks that Name
Begets abortive twins of horrid grief
Within this brest of mine! Those streams of blood
Which by that fatal hand were lately spilt,
Bleeds fresh within my soul.
Gor.
So would they do in mine if not repeld:
To grieve our selves with what's impossible
To be represt, is to desire to be
More wretched then we are.
Io.
'Tis true; it such is Nature that it strives to know
It self in wretchedness, how truly we
Acquire the center of our misery.
H. P.
Wel, No more of this; now tó our present business,
That you are zealous for your countries good
I rest assur'd: Nor do I doubt your care
And actual courage in a fair desence:
Such I have ever deem'd ye.
Nor do I fear but I shall find ye now
The same. Now your attentions, then your fair assents
To what I have to utter.
To broach a war, and not to be assur'd
Of certain means to make a fair defence,
How e're the ground be just, may justly seem
A wilful madness: Such is Iewries case.
Are not our Towers defac't! our Walls unbuilt?
Our Forces weakned, and our treasure spent?
Our countrey ruinate, our people too
Imbroile in native blood? O Gorion see,
Iudea wars with Rome, Rome with the world.
The world is conquer'd, and yet Iewry stands
In opposition: Is not this to be
Our own tormenters in self-cruelty?
Go.
We know the weakness of our State to be
Vnable to resist, yet know not how
To yeeld, or not to yeeld, or what to do:
[Page 14]The furious tempest drives us on the Rocks
Of Forreign and Domestick Enemies:
The raving multitude will not endure
To pay the Roman- tribute.
Elea.
VVhere common dangers meet with equal power,
It stands not with our Honors to expose
Our lives and fortunes to a base repulse.
H.P.
VVe will proclaim it death to him that dares
Deny the tribute Money.
Josep.
That were to blow the fire that burns so hot already.
Such is our fate that we are forc't to sight
VVith Rome, or with our selves.
H.P.
Since so it is, we will not sheath our sword
In our own bosom; we will rather dye
By Roman sword, then native butchery.
Elea.
Bravely resolv'd; nor do I doubt to see
Iudea's ruines, loss and poverty
Made good again with loss of Roman blood.
Entera Messenger.
Mess.
Peace to this sacred Meeting, but to Iudea bloody wars:
Vespatian with ten thousand horse, and forty thousand foot is now arriv'd.
H.P.
Hast thee' immediate to Iehocanan, bid him proclaim Vespacian coming, command him in our Name to muster up his forces, and to attend your further pleasure.
Mess.
I shall my Lord.
H.P.
Is it possible, already come! we must be speedy then in our designs.
Iosep.
'Twere best with speed to send Embassadors
To crave a truce for some small time whilest we
Prepare our selves in fair hostility.
Elea
Shame blast thy tongue, shall Iewry seek
To Heathen Nation? Let their venom burst
Into the worst of malice; we will stand
In terms of equal Honor.
Go.
Thy judgement Eleazer is too rash,
Thy youthful blood boils fury in thy brests
And captivates thy reason unto passion.
Elea.
Gorian I tell thee —
Iosep.
Ioseph tells thee first,
That if thou blast my Fathers tongue with shame
As thou hast blasted mine, may Ioseph lose his Name
Of sacred Priesthood; but —
H.P.
I do command you cease, the blood of strife
Begins already to seize our sacred streets:
[Page 15]I therefore will assign to each by Lot
His several command, nor will my self stand free,
But bear a part in this hostility.
VVe will, even in the period of our age
Grow strong, again, instam'd with holy rage
Of our dishonor. VVithin thore, bring forth the Lots.
Elea.
To me the country of the Edomites.
One brings Lots, they draw and open them.
Iosep
To me Galilee.
H.P.
To us Ierusalem.
Go.
To all success from Heaven, may each man be
Inspir'd with holy Zeal Chivalry.
Exeunt omnes.
Finit Actus Primus.
ACT. II. Incipit Actus Secundus, Scoena Secunda.
Sound Droms, and enter VESPATIAN and TITUS his Son: VALERIO and NICANOR, two Captains, with others.
Vesp.
VALERIO.
Val.
My gracious Lord.
Vesp.
Since now we are thus happily arriv'd
VVithin Iudea's Confines, March thou
To Galilee, say we offer peace
To Iewries Priests from Romes great Emperor;
But on thy life take heed thou speak us not
In too rough Language: Let thy milder phrase
Sute thy Embassage with a pleasing stile,
Adorn'd with powerful Eloquence;
Yet with such graceful brave aspect, that thou
Eclips not Roman Honor.
The [...] lews are stout and losty, therefore Art
Shall give the first Alarum: If they refuse,
Let then our Roman Eagle be displaid
VVith all her sable Feathers, soaring high
O're sad Iudea's desolation.
Val.
My Lord I shall obey.
Exit.
Vesp.
Is the Ammunition safely landed?
Titus
My Lord it is, and brought from Antioch, within a dayes journey of Gamala.
Vesp.
See it be safely stow'd, and let our Iron Rams be strongly fitted for the battory.
Ni.
It shall be done.
Vesp.
I'le make this sturdy Nation's greatness stoop
To Romes command, or spend my aged blood
In the Attempt.
See there be store of strong Scaladoes too;
VVe'el force their breaches in despight of death,
And raze their sacred buildings to the ground.
Lead on to Galilee.
Excunt.
Enter ZARECK.
Zare
To be a piece of walking c [...]ay, a thing
VVhose highest happines hath ever been
To keep it self alive, and that life too
Not for it selfe preserv'd, but others; is
To be worse then a Beast; for they
(However miserable in effect)
Yet live contented, void of Reasons eye;
They cannot see nor seel their misery.
To be man whose wretched life is fraught
As full of fears as minutes, whose calamities
the world laments, and yet not know his plague,
Is to be happy: Why should Nature give
More priviledge to beast then man?
Lives there a Deity whose powerful hand
Moves the great Module of this Vniverse;
And can this be? Soft, Who comes here— Iehochannan—
I will withdraw my self.
Enter JEHOCHANAN.
The Letter shall be writ immediately;
I but the means, the trusty means to send it:
For to begin a work of such importance,
And in the midst, even when the brave design
Grows ripe with action, to be jaded then
Woo'd prove a piece of policy to be
Laught at by School-boyes. VVhat a secret maze
Of hidden danger may the working brain
Securely trade in, if not guided by
The wary judgement! Certainly there is
More crafty wiles and ambiguities
VVithin this secret trade of villany.
Then in the world beside: something must be done
With speed and safety.
Zareck blows the Wind [...] in that Door.
If I reveal the secret to a man
[Page 17]Whose frighted soul shrikes from the undertaking,
I loose my self for ever; and to be
Assur'd in this, is impossible.
Since then the weighty project must depend
Vpon uncertainty, advise Iehochanan
Vpon some secret way, whose circumstances
Bar apparent danger—Stay, that must not be,
To break it to a near Ally,
Were to invite is zealous charity
To countermand the Plot. No—I must find a man
Whose pining carcase wearied out with wo,
Gapes after Gold; there—there must be the pill
To work it.
Zare.
If my genius fail me not, I am the man: I'le shew my self.
a part.
Iehoc. Well, I'le about it—ha!
There stands a fellow whose deject Estate
Proclaims him truly wretched; cruel Fate
Looks frowningly upon him: what a troop
Of sorrows muster in his face, and yet
He looks me thinks as if a did despise
His present Fortune: I'le try what's in him.
Come hither fellow, why didst thou gaze even now
With such a serious eye on those despised rags?
Za.
Yet these (how e're despis'd) will not afford
A ragged answer to resolve your doubt;
This ruin'd outside may for ought you know
Have afair inside: Did your Lordship think
That that was tatter'd too:
Why what have you to do to question me?
Should I have ask't your Lordship what even now
Your brains were busied on, you would have call'd
Me sawcy fellow for my pains, I'me sure.
And yet behold, Nature hath been to me
As freely loving in distributing
Her sundry gifts, as she hath been to you;
My Limbs right shap't, my faculties endu'd
With as much vigor as the best of yours;
My thoughts as free; nor is my will confin'd
With streighter limits then anothers is:
VVheres then the difference? Is't because I wear
These ragged Robes? why these do clothe me too;
Yours do no more, nay not so much perhaps;
For these (however poor) yet keep me warm
apart.
Iehoc.
I have not seen such boldness in such distress.
apart.
I'le yet try him further.
Why thou despised wretch, thou pittiful
Patch't piece of misery, made for nothing else
But to be pointed at [...] thou nasty thing,
Whose noisom savour poisons those that meet it:
How dar'st thou be so impudent?
Za.
But that I do desire to vex thee more,
I would not answer thee:
I dare! did I but know the way to doo't, vex thee to death;
And (for I know 'twill case thee now to rail)
I'le leave thee to thy self.
About to go out.
Iehoc.
I prethee stay, by this light I do love thoe beyond expression.
Za.
How should I know that?
Iehoc.
Do but come back, and I will give thee proof of my affection:
Thy Name?
Comes back.
Za.
ZARECK.
Iehoc.
Take that, and if thou dar'st but do what I command
Gives him Gold
Thou shalt not want preferment.
Za.
'Tis Gold! If I dare do! if perform not what's in man to do,
Let me be curs't into more misery then I have endur'd.
Jehoc.
Canst thou be secret too?
Za.
I can be any thing.
Jehoc.
Hark then, and take a weighty secret from me,
Thou know'st L. Skimeon?
Za.
Very well.
Jehoc.
Hast heard the time, the manner in each circumstance
Of his late banishment?
Za.
I have.
Jehoc.
And yet thou seest that I have freedom. Now mark:
The fawning Prelates under fair pretence
Of love and liberty, intend my ruine;
My life is aim'd at Zareck.
Which (for they dare not publikely attempt,
Fearing the Commons which on my side stand)
They'le act in private; bur Jehochanan
Will live in spight of all their policy.
Thou know'st the City Gates are slightly kept,
This third succeeding night I have designd
Lord Skimeons entrance with ten thousand men:
This briefly shall acquaint him with the plot
VVrites.
Which thou shalt carry; but as thou lov'st thy life,
Be secret Zareck.
Za.
Silence it self shall not be more my Lord.
Iehoc.
This done, return again with expedition.
[Page 16]And then—I, there's the master-piece indeed,
The Gates, the City-Gates must be surpriz'd.
Za.
Let me alone for that.
Jehoc.
The watchmen must be murder'd Zareck, and I fear
Least in revealing of the plot to many.
We be discover'd.
Za.
Not for a world.
Jehoc.
How then?
Za.
I'le doo't my self.
Jehoc.
Thy self! thou canst not.
Za.
Tush [...]ear not my Lord:
The drowsie whatchmen in the dead of night
(void of suspition) will be taken napping
Jehoc.
Dar'st thou attempt it then alone?
Za.
Rest you secure, if I perform it not
I lose my self, you stand still undiscovered.
Jehoc.
Well, I will build upon thy trusty resolution.
Enter a Messenger.
Jehoc.
To whom thy Message?
Mess.
Vnto you my Lord.
The sacred Priesthood greets you well, and doth command you muster up your Forces ready to attend their further pleasure.
Jehoc.
It. shall be done.
Exit Mess.
Vespatian is at hand, and we have power
To raise our Forces; what a blessed hour
This Message came in! Skimeon let in,
Our Forces joind; the Citizens will turn
to us for fear: Now Zareck play thy part,
And I will hug thee for thy precious Art.
Exeunt.
Enter JOSEPHUS and Captains.
Josep.
What think ye Soldiers, is not Jewry mad
to wage a war with such a potent Prince
Whose territories do extend as far
As Britain, and the Kingdom of the Gauls.
I Cap.
I fear the factious Commons are seduc't
And gatherhead against the sacred priests.
Josep.
Tis to be fear'd indeed: I wonder much
The Messenger returns not from Jerusalem:
The News is certain that Vespatian means
To give the first assault to us in Galilee;
We must be therefore sudden in our actions:
I muse what good effect our Letters take.
2 Ca.
See here my Lord, the Messenger.
Josep.
Of peace I hope, so it may stand with [...]onor,
Enter a Mess.
thou com'st in happy time, we shall
reward thy pains and care.
Mess.
My Lord, about to deliver your Letters to the sacred Priesthood,
I was prevented by Jehochanan, and dispatcht away with this unto your Lordship.
Delivers the Letter, and exit.
Josep.
Our Letter's intercepted all's not wel I fear.
Opens the Let. & reads Josephus, we have received thy Letters, and know not whether we may question thy wisdom or thy valour; we will at this time censure neither, but leave them to a further tryal of thy actions: But on thy life take heed thou treat not with Vespatian for a peaco. So fare thou well, or ill, which thou deservest: Jehochanan.
Call'd Coward to my face! Oh heaven
Be [...] witness now with what disdainful scorn
I entertain that title!
Jchochanan thou lyest, and wou [...]d to Heaven I were
Within the distance of this trusty Blade
to make it good: Death! have I outliv'd my reputation?
1 Cap.
Nay good my Lord.
Josep.
Indeed I trifle time, we have no leisure to be passionate.
You see in what a maze of misery
the State of Jen [...]y stands; if therefore we
Wil pris [...] our Honours, or our Countreys good,
we must with resolution bid defiance to Vespatian.
If we embrace a peace, we raise a war
Amongst our selves; and so we make a breach
For Rome to enter: Hark! hark! Vespatian is at hand:
Drums best afar off.
Courage brave Soldiers, let not Romes command
Abate your valours; make speed to muster up your Forces;
to morrow early e're the break of day,
I mean to give them battel.
Exeunt.
Enter an Herauld, and VALERIO with a white Flag; the Herauld summons the town to a parley, is answered; and enter IOSEPH and Captains upon the wall.
Valerio.
To thee the chief Commander of this place,
And to the rest, my Master bid me say
He sends this Flag of Peace, and wills thee pay
the wonted tributo to the Roman-State: this done,
A doth command thy late subjection.
Josep.
Bold Roman tell thy Master we defie
His proud Command; nor will Judea pay
The wonted tribute: Bid Vespatian come
[Page 13]Himself, and do his Message.
Val.
Rebels take heed, if great Vspatian come,
He comes in blood.
Jo.
Proud Roman, tel thy Master, Ioseph scorn [...]
to parley with a meaner then himself;
tell proud Vespatian, that Iudea stands
In equal terms of honour with his Lord.
Val.
Jew, thou't repent this arrogancy.
Io.
Roman, I tell thee, ere this Holy Land
Shall yeild obedience to the Roman yoke,
Ioseph will make the Roman Eagle totter.
Val.
Rebel farewel, when next we meet, I'le try
How well thou canst maintain this bravery.
Exeunt omnes.
Enter Vespatian, Titus and Captains, with D [...]ums and Colours.
Vesp.
How far are we now from Jorpata?
Tit.
Within the distance of a League my Lord.
Vesp.
What think ye Souldiers, shall we be receive'd in peace?
Nica.
My Lord I doubt it.
Ves.
Well, how ere it be, we are prepar'd.
Tit.
I give to thee the sole Command
Of the right wing; to thee the left, Nicanor.
My self will stand betwixt ye both,
that I may see your equal Valour strive
For equal Honor in the Victory.
Tit.
My Lord—Valerio!
Vesp.
Welcome Valerio, com'st thou in peace?
Val.
My Lord prepare to fight,
the sturdy Citizens intend this night
to bid you battel.
Vesp.
What! are they stil so stout?
By Heaven I'le scourge their pride.
Val.
My Lord, I saw them troop upon the hill,
Not two mile distant: Hark! their Drums do beat,
they march.
Droms beat a far off.
Vesp.
Courage my Roman Souldiers, let me see
this day your brave attempts for Rome and me.
They come: Valerio, make good the Vanguard.
Val.
I shall my Lord.
Enter Joseph and Captains, with Drum [...] and Colours.
Jo.
What mean'st thou Roman, to disturb your peace?
Vesp.
Rebel, I do command thee kneel in Cesar's name.
Io.
Command thy slaves, for Ioseph scorns to bend
Were Cesar here himself.
Titus.
How's that?
Jo.
Titus I tell thee, Joseph is a Prince,
Deputed for the State of Galilee,
Royal in Blood; and Cesar is no more,
Nor thou so much.
Vesp
Com'st thou to brave it out bold Jew, with words?
Wee'l shew thee deeds to prove our Honors by, Draws
And when thou seest our pedegrees made good
Write thou thine own descent in Roman blood.
Drums beat, and exeunt.
They fight within, and enter Titus and Joseph at several doors, they fight: Joseph retires: And enter Vespatian wounded in the Leg with an Arrow.
Titus.
How fares my Father?
Vesp.
Lead me aside Titus, I am hurt.
Exeunt. Leads him out.
Enter Valerio and Nicanor.
Val.
The fight was bravely man'd on either part:
Pray Heaven the General be well.
Nica.
I saw his silver tresses circled round
With troops of Souldiers, till his valiant Son
Bravely reliev'd him.
Val.
The Jewish Captain bravely stood it out,
Even when his ranks had lest him:
Didst thou not see him when he was begirt
With troops of Romans, with what brave advantage
A still maintain'd the fight? and then, even then
When death stood gazing on him, and his men
Adjudg'd him lost, through what a bleeding Lane
A bravely made his way, and so escap't?
Ni.
This way a took; come let's pursue the chase.
Exeunt.
Enter Joseph wounded, leaning upon his Sword.
Io.
This way, or that? is't so? then I have caught my selfe, and
must take neither. So—I must obey—
Lies down.
Lye there thou wretched carcass, and prepare
thy self for dissolution. O Heavens! see
the strange desires of base Mortality.
Canst thou desire to live, thou wretched Earth,
[Page 23]And see thy Honour dye? O misery
Beyond expression.
Enter Josephs two Captains.
1 Cap.
This way our Leader took.
2 Cap.
See where he lyes.
1 Cap.
How fares my Lord?
Ioseph.
Even at the Lyon fares,
When strong entangled in the Hunters toil,
A chafes his Royal heart with rage, to see
Himself intrapt.
Cry within, follow, follow, follow.
1 Cap.
My Lord, we are persu'd even at the heels,
Shift for your life.
Ios.
Away and save your selves, my wounds will not give leave.
1. Cap.
Come, we will bear you hence.
Ios.
Your hands, stay:
Within this Vale there is a secret Cave,
Whose private entrance now o'regrown with moss,
Will hardly be discern'd: Lead me to that.
1 Cap.
Happily thought of.
They enter the cave.
Enter Titus, Valerio, Nicanor.
Titus.
'Tis beyond my understanding which way their General hath scap't us.
Val.
And mine too, my Lord; but sure I am a cannot be far hence [...]
Nor can a long continue where a is:
Vnless Camelion like a feeds on air.
Ti.
Well, hee's a noble fellow; if thou find'd him Valerio, use him with equal honor to his worth.
Val.
My Lord I shall.
Ti.
Tell him on the faith of great Vespatians Son,
A shall be gently us'd. So fare thee well, I wish thee good success.
Val.
My Lord I shall obey.
Exit Titus.
What course shall we take now, Nicanor?
Ni.
Troth we may wink and chuse; our first and second course is all but Sallets: Physick, Physick Valerio, most inexpressible Physick; why I have walkt my self into such an abstract of abstinence that I can relish ye the distinct nourishment of the thicker, thinner, and more refined air, and shall in time, no doubt, attain to the perfection of the Camelions diet.
Val.
Prethee be serious now,
And lets pursue the search.
Ni.
Contents but by this hand I swear
I will endur't no longer then this night.
Exeunt.
Enter the two Captains out of the Cave.
1 Cap.
Death, I am almost starv'd,
My hungry maw devours my vital blood.
What is to be done?
2. Cap.
To make escape's impossible▪
We are begirt with Romans round about.
1 Cap.
Death, shall we dye like Dogs?
2 Cap.
No, in despight of hunger, we will dye like men.
Draws. takes the weapon.
Here, take this weapon, and despatch me first.
1. Cap.
Stay, swear to be constant in the brave performance.
2 Cap.
I do, do thou the like.
Kisses the Sword.
1 Cap.
I vow the same: we are agreed,
And now in honour to our brave farewel,
Wee'l kill our Captain first
2 Cap.
Content, let's call him out.
1 Cap.
What, ho, Ioseph, come forth, prepare thy self to dye.
Ioseph comes out with his weapon drawn.
Jo.
Are we discovered?
2 Cap.
Yes, hunger has spy'd us in her grannam [...] den,
And sent her Sister Famine to devour us
Jos.
What means this mad Discourse?
1 Cap.
Know brave Commander, we have cal'd thee out
To lead thy Souldiers in the march of death.
As thou hast liv'd, so thou shalt bravely dye,
thou art the Prologue to our tragedy.
We mean to kill thee; therefore prepare thy self.
Ios.
Villains ye dare nor.
1 Cap.
Dare not—
Offers a thrust at him.
Ios.
Hold—ask counsel first of Heaven, & tel me then
Which of your bold rebellious tongues dare speak
So fowl a word: O ye wretched fools!
Where is that better part of man become,
whose nobler Nature hunger cannot touch,
that can endure to feel the Carcase pine,
Yet scorn to yeild, till by a power Divine
It's summon'd to obey? Lo, where's your valour now?
Lives it within this wretched lump of earth?
Or is it seated in the sacred soul?
O Heavens! have we power to make
the most despised creature breathing here?
And shall our daring hands presume to take
Away the noblest? For shame remember—
1 Cap.
No more, by heaven we will endure no longer:
Thinkst thou with words to alter our intent?
Come, prepare thy self, for we have sworn.
Ioseph.
Hold—I do consent:
But let me crave a little time of truce
To make my peace with Heaven
2 Cap.
We grant it thee.
Jo. prays apart.
Io.
I am resolv'd to dye:
But ere I do receive the fatal blow,
I do command ye by the sacred tye
Of solemn Oaths, to grant me one request.
1 Cap.
Except thy life and ours, we yeild to any thing.
Io.
I do embrace your offer.
Here, swear on your Honours to perform what I command.
Cap.
We swear to do it.
They swear upon his Sword.
Io.
Since then our dying minutes do depend
upon each others fatal Execution,
to free each person from the bloody guilt
Of wilful slaughter, I ordain by lots,
Each man receive his death:
the manner shall be this.
Our number in the Cave is forty just,
We will unite our selves by two and two,
then cast by lots which couple shall dye first:
the couple first to dye shall likewise cast
Which of them two shall kill his fellow, then
He that remaineth shall make choice of one
Of the next lot to take his life away.
This done, each may in order fairly dye
Without the guilt of wilful butchery.
1 Cap.
We like thy counsel well, make thou the lots,
And let us to the Execution.
they enter the cave.
Enter Nicanor, and Valerio.
Ni.
This search is endless, which way now Valerio?
Va.
Faith even to bed I think.
Ni.
Into what secret angle of the earth
Is this distressed Iew retired?
Va.
Hee's not above ground sure, or if a be,
Hee's metamorphosed to some other shape.
Groan in the Cave.
Ni.
Hark, what noise was that?
Va.
Your fancy sure, I heard no noise.
Ni.
Prethee be still and listen. Hark,
Groan agen.
[Page 26]I hear it now, let us go forward and enquire the cause.
Ni.
Which way came it?
Va.
That way:
Ni.
Let us go soft and listen.
They go soft along, and Exeunt
Enter Ioseph, and his follow with weapons.
Cap.
Why dost thou lead me out?
Io.
To kill thee if thou make resistance, thoufool —
Canst thou beleeve that Ioseph means to dye
Without his makers leave?
Curst be that hand that dares be listed up
Against the power that made it,
Even by that sacred power, whose awful name
I dare not utter, tis not I fear to dye,
But to offend so great a Majesty:
Cap.
Tush I will not hear thee, prepare thy self to fight,
I am resolvd to dye.
Io.
Be wise thou wretched man, and do not fool
thy life away, remember who I am
that hath preserv'd thee in the lot with me,
Beware thou tempt me not too far,
If thou resist me, by all thats good, I vow
to kill thee, and preserve my self.
Cap.
Thou hast prevaild, do with me what thou wilt,
Io.
Retire we then into the Cave agen, left we be discovered
They enter the Cave.
Enter Valerio and Nicanor agen following.
Ni.
By this light Ile follow thhee no further.
Va.
Prethee be patient lets search this vale,
And on a Romans word we will retire,
Didst thou not hear it since?
Ni.
No, or if I did I woo'd not tell thee so,
For fear we amble out another night:
But sure I am we are not far remote
From whence we heard it first:
Va.
There's surely some enchantment in this place,
I will enquire the cause:
What ere thou art that in this shady grove
Do'st shroud thy self from sight, whose dismal voice
Declares the story of some sad distress.
Be thou infernal feind confined here,
To dwell in darkness for a thousand year,
Or be thou some sad soul enforc't to dwell
[Page 27]Within this place, till thou return to hell,
Or be thou Goblin, Fairy Elf or Hag,
Or Witch in shape wolf that lov'st to drag
Poor infants to the den; what ere thou be
If thou have power to speak, I charge thee answer me.
Speaks in the Cave.
Jo.
If thou wilt tye thy self by solemn vow.
Not to discover me, I will declare
Both who, and where I am:
Ni.
Art thou there old boy?
Val.
Tye me to any thing but that, and I will grant it thee,
And swear to doo't.
Jo.
Art thou a Roman?
Va.
I am.
Io.
Swear then to bring me safe unto Vespatian.
Va.
By all the gods I will:
Io.
Tell me thy name,
Va.
Valerio.
Io.
Make now a Covenant 'twixt thy self and me,
That what thou hast protested may appear
Vnder thine hand and seal.
Write that thou wilt conduct both me and mine
In safety to thy Lord Vespatian.
Writes, and reaches it to him on the end of his Lance, and th [...]n Io. and the Capt. comes out.
Va.
To give thee satisfaction I will doo't:
Where art thou now?
Opens the Cave.
Io.
Here.
Doo'st thou not know me Roman?
Va.
Art thou that brave Commander of the Iews,
Whose Martial Prowess Rome doth so admire?
Ios
Lo I am he brave Roman that have stood
The furious shock of my distressed fate;
Behold me now, and whilst thou lookst upon
This lump of earth captivd to thee and Rome,
Know then that Ioseph dares, but cannot dye,
Our sacred Law forbids such cruelty.
Va.
By all the tyes of a true Roman word,
Thou art nobly welcome.
Ni.
Welcome to us both.
Io.
To both my equal thanks,
N.
Where are the Souldiers that escaped with thee?
Io.
Dead all, save this, whom I desire you both
To favour as my special friend, and one
Whose valour may deserve your love:
The circumstances of the others loss
We will refer untill some fitter time.
Va.
Let it be so.
Come my brave Souldier, great Vespatians son
Will joy to see thee safe.
Exeunt
Sound Musick, and enter a Dumb Shew, Vespatian and Titus two Souldiers follow bearing a Crown, Vespa. conf [...]rreth with Titus, then enter Valerio and Nicanor with Ioseph and the Cap. they present Ioseph to Vespa. Ioseph kneels, Vespatian and Titus imbrace him; Valerio and Nicanor whisper with the Souldiers, take the Crown of them, and present it kneeling to Vespatian, he refuseth twice, they draw and force him to ascend and take it; Titus kneeleth, Vespatian imbraceth him: Ioseph takes leave of Titus and the rest, and exit with Vespatian, and the Captains consult, and exeunt at the other doors.
Chorus.
Romes great Commander, Nero, lately dead,
Behold, now good Vespatians aged head
Enjoyes the Diadem, conceive him now
Ariv'd at Rome there with a solemn vow
Of bloody war, he raiseth fresh supply
to aid his valiant son in Galile:
Ioseph is sent to Rome by Cesars son,
there lives a captive till the wars begun
Against Ierusalem, mean time we pray
Let pleasing musick charm the time away.
Finis Actus Secundies.
Incipit Actus tertius, Scena secunda.
Enter Zareck, with Ieho. Letter.
THe times steals on apace, I must be brief in my delivery.
Knock [...] within.
Who knocks!
Za.
A servant to the Lord Ichochanan,
Serv.
Your business?
Za.
Tis private to yor Lord,
Serv.
I will inform him so:
Enter Skimeon.
Skim.
From whom thy business?
Za.
Read this my Lord, and you shall be resolv'd.
Skim.
My Lord, multiplicity of words protract time, the third night from the date of this you shall have entrance into the City, be sudden, strong, a bold farewel.
Reads the Letter.
[Page 37]I shall not fail, commend me to thy Lord, and bid him rest assured of my appearance.
Exit.
Za.
I will my Lord.
Skim.
Farewel, be sudden, strong, and bold; Za. I will be all.
Exit.
But 'tis Ichochanan to work thy fall.
Enter Eleazer.
Elea.
To be, or not to be, I there's the doubt,
For to be Sovereign by unlawful means,
Is but to be a slave to base desire,
And where's my honour then?
What a strange buzzing of ambition
Pusues my thirsty soul?
O Eleazer! can thy traytor breast
Give harbour to a thought of Paricide▪
It is thy father, O the sacred tye
Of filial duty, how that awful name
Affrighteth all my faculties with fear —
With fear? — of what? — with foolery by heaven;
If there be ought within this awful name
That can extort obedience from a son,
'Tis but the rotten Carcass, there's the thing
That for to please its self begets another,
So does a beast, and yet 'twixt them we see
An equal freedome of society:
As for the nobler part of man we know
That's of a higher birth, if it be so,
Thus low my knee shall bend, but thou my heart
Bends his knee.
Scorn to obey, remember where thou art:
I am resolv'd, the times are bloody, and the peoples hearts
I hear, are bent on me: Ichochanans the man
that I must fairly close withall, this done,
We shall be strong for opposition.
Soft, here a comes.
Enter Jehochanan.
Iehoc.
My Lord Eleazer.
Elea.
Iehochanan, well met.
Ie.
My Lord, if without a breach of manners, I might be bold to question with your Lordship; I should desire to know the secret cause of your accustomed sadness, which good my Lord (pardon my boldness) as tender of your Lordships health and honour, I have of late observed.
Elea.
O my Iehochanan, I know thou lovest me well
imbraces him.
Nor will I in words or actions give the cause
To say I am unthankful, though I must confess
The greatest part of my requital, is
Too mean for thy deserts, the means Iehochanan,
I want the means to counterpoise thy worth.
Io.
O my gracious Lord, your love hath ever been
A full requital to my poor deserts:
But, good my Lord, the cause of this your sadness?
Elea.
O I have been tormented to the soul,
To see the strange distraction of the times,
To see the sacred City rul'd by those
Whose poor decrepid brains are fi [...]ter far
For drowsing pillows, than for bloody war.
Ie.
My Lord your father —
Elea.
O that cheating name,
With what a magick spell it doth bewitch
The crazy judgement, and besot the soul
With adoration of this lump of earth?
Ie.
You know my Lord there is a sacred tye
Enjoyns obedience.
Elea.
Tush, meer policy,
A trick, a cheat, to keep the world in aw:
Death, I am vext to think how men are gull'd.
Ie.
My Lord, I understand not what you mean,
Elea.
Thou canst not be so dull:
Is't so? I dare not utter now, what I conceive,
O my good Lord remember that your father —
Apart,
Elea.
No more, by all that's good I hate the name of father.
Ie. Death, I am discover'd
Ie.
Now I have found ye Sir, and must have leave
To tell your Lordship that you do me wrong,
From which of all my actions have ye pickt
Even but a shew of treason to the state?
Elea.
How? ye forget your self.
Ie.
Tis you my Lord that both forget your slef and me.
Elea.
Agen?
Ie.
Nay I must tell ye, 'twas not for your honour,
Vpon the buzzing of some bare report,
To undermine your friend.
Elea.
Speakst thou this in earnest?
Ie.
I do, and will in earnest, stand
Against that traytor whose presumptuous hand
Dare touch your aged father.
Elea.
Vngrateful slave, the traytor I return
[Page 39]With interest of what thou dost deserve,
Traytor to me, and traytor to the state.
Ie.
This, but to play another time upon me,
Which ended, still Iehochanan's the same.
Elea.
Dar'st thou not stand for Eleazer then?
Ie.
I neither dare, nor will:
Elea.
Then I dare kill thee.
They draw and sight.
Ie.
Hold, art thou in earnest?
Elea.
The to'ther bout will tell thee;
Ie.
Swear by the honour of a loyal friend,
And I beleeve it.
Elea.
By heaven I swear, and by the sacred tye
Of settled friendship, what my words express,
My actions shall confirm.
Ie.
Then thus I do imbrace your love. Now my Lord,
What ere the project be,
I vow assistance and fidelity:
Elea.
Then take it thus,
Thou hast command to muster up thy forces,
Let it be done with expedition,
My doting father hath devis'd this plot
To cheat the Citizens, whose greedy souls
thirst for Vespatians blood; but fearful, they
while thus they gull the people, mean to pay
the wonted tribute money, and with slavish fear
to crave a peace of the proud Emperour.
This on my life is true, but wee'l prevent it.
Ie.
I but the means my Lord?
E.
To morrow morning ere the break of day
Muster thy forces to the market place,
there I will meet thee with a warlike troop
Of youthful Citizens, then wee'l command
On pain of death that none presume to stand
for peace, or for the payment of the tribute money;
This done, what's he that dares deny it.
Ie.
My Lord, I do approve of the design,
But fear a potent opposition,
I therefore do advise, that we provide
Some speedy aids to give assistance to
Our enterprize.
Elea.
But how shall this be done?
Ie.
Leave that to me, mean while be sure to keep the time appointed:
Elea.
I will not fail, farewel Iehochanan.
Exit Eleazer.
Ie.
Adew my Lord:
Why let the Mungril Curs go play,
And lordly Lions fight.
The braver beast shall win the day,
And so my Lord good night:
But I forget my self:
Tis now about the time the lazy watch
With wary steps begin to walk the round:
And this the night that Zareck must be here,
I will withdraw my self, for what noise is that?
Enter the Watch.
1 W.
Come neighbor, come; 'tis we must stand too't when all's done.
2 W.
I neighbour, wee'l stand to our tacklings Je. I warrant ye.
The Watch, I' [...]e steal aside.
1
What was that that went by, neighbour?
2
Where, where, neighbour, where?
1
Marry there, just there something stole along,
2
Was it not a spright, God bless us?
1
No, no, no, 'twas nothing but a diffusion. But as I was saying, neighbour; 'tis we must stand too't, because we be not book-learn'd, as they say, they count us but unlitter'd fellows, but let um say what they will, we are the very legs of the Commonwealth; for when we be drunk, the City reels fort I'me sure.
2
Mas neighbour, and ye say true.
1
I woo'l stand toot, that a Watchman hath more torrity than a Justice a Peace.
2
What wool ye neighbour, how prove ye that?
1
Marry thus I prove it: Yer watchman (taking him in his office of presermity) may be drunk by torrity of his place, because he watches the City, and no body watches him, so cannot your Justice. Agen, your watchman may issue out, and reprehend any person for any fribolous offence, as murder, or the like, and for a feeling, as they call it, let him go without further excommunication, so cannot your Justice; for when the Benefactor is before him, he must nilli willi reign him according to the vigour of the Law.
2
How say by that.
1
Nay I heard my neighbour Timothy say, that if all your chief officers should dye in a night, your watchman should be a Justice a peace himself: nay I tell ye neighbours, the depth or our places is very high
3
See, see.
1 W.
Well▪ come let us take our stand here, we shall see some vacant fellow, rambling this way anon, I warrant you.
2
What must we do then neighbour?
1
Marry we must remit um to prison, and then ask 'um whither they were going
3
But what if they run away neighbour?
1
Why then we must knock um down, and bid 'um stand. Nay I warrant ye neighbour, I have all ye'r points of law Barbatim.
1
This gate neighbour (you wood 'mire to hear it)
This gate—for I am sure I speak within my compass:
This gate—Lord how the time runs away, me thinks 'twas e'ne but yesterday.
This very Gate—
Thunder.
What was that, what was that neighbour?
2
'Twas a clap of thunder.
1
Ma [...] if this weather hold, we shall have a stormy night on't.
Where did I end neighbour, can ye tell?
2
At [gate] neighbour Oliver:
1
Well. Well, this very gate was directed that very night that I was made a watchman, which did pronosticate (as I may say) the good service that I shoo'd do here.
Thunders agen.
2
Trust me truly neighbour, if this weather hold, we shall have a soul night on't as you say.
1.
'Twas e'ne in such a night as this that my neighbour Timothy and I ran away from the Constable; for I tell ye neighbour, we are not to repose our selve to the danger of such seasonable weather.
2
Ma [...] neighbour I'me e'ne of your minde for that, let's go get some shelter.
1
Content, content.
Exeunt.
Thunder, and enter Zareck with a Rapier, and a wrenching Iron.
Za.
Lye there a while till I have use for thee:
Layes down the Iron, and goes sofe to the Gate.
A, as I could wish it, this stormy night hath driven the watch away
Beyond my hopes; why it may now be done
With ease and safety.
Thunder.
Speak lowder, lowder yet thou dreadful sky,
Whose flaming face speaks terror to the world;
The daring Lion now dares not approach
The craggy mountain to devour his prey.
[Page 42]the ravening Wolf lies lurking in his den,
And howls to hear this strange combustion,
the fatal bird of night, whose dismal voice
Foretels some ill event, cryes now for fear:
Nor man, nor beast dares budg, yet unto me
thou art as pleasing as the rosie morn,
Whose lovely cheeks look smiling on the day,
How fit thou comest to give assistance too
My brave exploit? for now no sooner shall
the thunder speak, but I will thunder too
upon the gates: now, now the sport begins:
It thunders, and he wrenches the gate.
the gates unbar'd, and Edomites let in,
Ile post immediately to the Synagogue,
And there relate with admiration
the strange effect of the late fearful thunder,
till I have maz'd the learned fools with wonder:
thunder agen, he opens the gates.
Agen, agen, agen, once more, and then 'tis done
And bravely too, without suspicion.
Enter L. Skimeon with others, with torches, Rapiers, and a Drum.
Za.
My Lord?
Sk.
Thou art a trusty fellow, I will reward thy pains,
Where is thy Lord?
Za.
Follow me, I will conduct ye to him.
About to go out.
Enter Jehochanan, and others, with torches and Rapiers.
Je.
Welcome, my dearest friend, come wee'l away,
And take our stand within the market place,
Strike up the Drum, the dreadful noise will fright
the drowsie Prelats in the dead of night.
Exeunt.
Enter H. Priest and Gorion at several doors in haste, with Night-gowns and tapers.
H. P.
O Gorion we are lo [...]t,
the Rebel Skimeon with his ragged band
of theeves, and Cut-throats, this tempestuous night
Hath gotten entrance, Jechochanan I fear
will joyn his forces too, speak Gorion, speak,
What's to be done?
Go.
Wee'l take the temple for our sanctuary,
thither the Citizens will boldly come.
H. P.
We must be speedy then, O Gorion, we
want time to weep for our calamity.
Enter Mechanicks with Weapons.
Cap.
Come on my brave bilbow blades, my roaring Renegadoes, and my ragged Ruffians, which side shall we take now?
1
Marry my brave Captain of the ragged Regiment, we will take the strongest.
Cap.
Mark me my valiant Mirmidons.
2. Me.
Mark him, mark him.
C.
I will instruct ye in the Rudiments of war;
1. M.
A will instruct us rudely in the war; mark him, mark him.
Cap.
When I your brave Commander bid you stand,
Be sure ye budg not, Hum, Hum, Stand:
1 M.
Why so we do, don't we?
C.
March up in equal rank.
2 M.
We are not such fools I trow; did not a bid us stand?
1 M.
I marry did a, we wont budg an inch I warrant him.
Cap.
By the bright honour of mine Eminence
My reputation will be quite defac't.
I must indoctrinate their dull capacities
With a more ample measure of my meaning:
Advance your Bilbows thus:
They advance. Look over their shoulders.
Now faces about.
C.
Now Mars defend me, what a rabblement
Of rude disorderd Rebels have I met with all?
1 M.
O ho faces about; follow me, follow me.
Cap.
Well done my valiant Varlets,
Now march each man with fury in his face,
And I your valiant Don
will lead you on
unto the Market place.
Enter Zareck.
M.
O ho, here comes one, knock him down, down with him.
Ca.
Hold I say, he comes perhaps to joyn in our Batalio,
Whose side art thou on fellow? speak, why dost not speak? Ha.
Za.
Your patience, and Ile declare my business.
1 Me.
Patience? we scorn patience, we must ma [...]ch in fury.
2 M.
Down with him, down with him, do's a talk of patience?
Cap.
Silence, I say, ye shallow-brain'd simplicians,
For we are pleas'd to hear his embassie.
1
Silence, silence, and listen to the emphasis.
Apart. Za.
Vnless [...] speak in some unheard of stile
Tis sure impostible to get fairly off:
Most indefatigable Commander, and cabalistical Captain of this most enormious equipage.
Cap.
The stile is most profound, and enigmatical,
Za.
From the three Captains of the Regiment
I was commanded to acoast thy greatness:
Cap.
Hum, hum, declare the sum of thy concernancy.
Za.
I will be most concise,
By the energetical power of this my embassie, I do command thee tell why thou art up in Arms.
Cap.
Thou hast concocted the crudities of my stomack into choller, and I am displeased at thy most profuse evaporation.
Talk'st thou of commanding fellow, Hah?
Za.
Mistake me not, most mighty man at Arms.
Cap.
Avant thou vapour of indingity,
Go tel thy Lord, I'le parly with himself.
Za.
I will return thy most elaborate encounter.
Exit.
Cap.
Now by mine honour, I am mov'd with mighty indignation, and will approach in my fury: Come follow my boyes, follow.
M.
Follow, follow.
Exeunt.
Enter Ananias and Gorion with weapons, and Eleazar, Jeho, Skimeon, with weapons at several doors.
Ananias.
Goodness defend me, am I awake? or do I dream of horror?
Starts back at the sight of his son.
Look up ye wretched eyes, and gaze your fill,
Glut all the greedy faculties of soul
With this prodigiuos sight:
Rebellious boy, I do command thee kneel:
Elea. smiles.
By all that's good a laughs, laughs me to scorn,
And still persists, even to my face persists with mockery.
Assist me heaven, and thou distressed earth,
Extend thy forces to the highest strain
Of mans invention; let this fatal hour
Extort the noblest of thine aged powr:
Ignoble, irreligious, Paricide,
Monster of men, rebellious runnagate;
By the Celestial powers severe commands,
By filial duty, and the sacred tye
Of Iewries Law, or if by none of, these,
By that eternal vengeance that shall
Fall upon thy cursed head; I do command thee kneel.
Guard me ye blessed ones, and look up
E. laughs.
the great affliction of a poor old man.
Elea.
I knew the froward humor must have vent:
Now it has eas'd it self, and will not be so tutchy.
Why thou impetuous fool, canst thou expect
Obedience from a Son?
Look, look but upon thy self, and see
Of what decrepped age and misery
thou art compos'd: Behold the reeling State
Distracted, feeble, sick, and ruinate,
turn'd topsie-turvy by thy doating brain.
And canst thou dream of Soveraignty?
An.
O my distressed Fate!
Ingrateful Cur, that hast been bred to prove
An open shame to all posterity.
Behold me wretch, and whilst thou look'st upon
A Sons Rebellion, and a Fathers wrong;
Curse the detested hour that did beguile
Thy erring soul with this pernicious plot.
Elea.
Peace dotard, I will hear no more:
the rotten tooth insects the wholsom gunt,
Is noisom, painful, loose and troublesom,
Hinders the growth of that that must succeed,
And must be drawn.
Enter Mechanicks.
Cap.
Come follow, follow my boys, follow.
Go.
Welcome my worthy citizens, thrice welcom all.
Cap.
Gramarcy old bully.
Go.
Behold—
Sk.
If ye respect your lives and liberties, hear not the babler speak.
Go.
Behold dear countrey-men, behold a man,
Points to the high-priest.
Your Priest, your Prophet, and your Soveraign:
Religious, wise, and zealous for the state,
Even from his Infancy immaculate.
Cap.
Be brief, be brief old boy.
Behold a Son; O heaven! why do I call
Him son? behold a villain most unnatural,
A cursed wtetch, that dares devise a plot
to cheat te State, and cut the Kingdoms throat.
Cap.
How's that? how's that? cheaters and cut-throats, cheaters and cut-throats, I like not that Barlady.
Me.
Look to your pockets boyes, look to your pockets, they be cheaters.
Go.
O can ye see those precious tears run down,
And not be mov'd with pity?
Ananias w [...]ps.
M.
Pity! hang pity, we are Souldiers, we scorn pity.
Ie.
Dear friends, wise Citizens, and valiant countrey men]
Salutes them.
M.
I, I, let us alone for Wisdom and Valour.
Cap.
Let the circle of thy circumference be mov'd to his proper place.
1 M.
What dee mean I what dee mean? pray be cover'd.
2 M.
Go not too near him Captain, for all this, the more curtsie, the more craft.
An.
Ingrateful slave, dar'st thou oppose thy self 'gainst him that gave thee life and liberty?
Go.
O hear him not dear friends, a will beguile
Your honest understandings.
C.
Beguile a pudding, speak on Jocky, speak on.
Ie.
That you are zealous for your Countries good,
I nothing doubt; nor do I fear your love
And fair attentions.
Mark then dear Countreymen, mark I beseech you,
And with your deep discretions truly weigh
the scope of our proceedings.
Cap.
Hum, hum, begin my man of mettle.
Ie.
In the black tempest of a shipwrackt State,
When Prince and People stagger'd with the load
Of sad Oppression; when the peoples groans,
When Mothers tears, and Infants miseries
Were at the full; where, where was then the man
that durst oppose this strange confusion?
Was it not I, my valiant Coutrey-men?
Behold Iehochanan dar'st boldly say,
'twas he that forc'd that bastard King from hence,
that slew the Roman Lords, that did deny
to yeild to Romes outragious cruelty:
Tis not unknown unto the meanest here?
M.
What's that? does a make mean fellows of us?
Ie.
Mistake me not, I know ye worthy all,
All men of judgement, wise and valiant all.
Yet give me leave dear friends to let ye know
there are degrees of worth,
M.
O ho, we mistoost him, we mistook him, we are mean in worth that's well, that's well; go on my brave Captain.
Ie.
'Tis not unknown I say, what heavy yokes
Observe the word dear friends, for 'tis emphatical.
Cap.
Very good, an emphatical yoke.
Ie.
What heavy yokes I say have been impos'd
Vpon this injur'd Nation.
What loads of sorrows have been laid upon
[Page 39]Our weary loins, and yet (O heavens) to see
M. O Heaven [...]
With what strange patience and humility
We have endur'd it.
Are not your Kings depos'd, your freedoms lost,
Your Laws transacted, and your goods despoil'd,
Your Wives abus'd, your children massacred,
Your Rulers banisht, and your selves become
A scorn to all posterity?
Will ye be asses still, and bear this heavy load?
Will ye be slaves for ever? Can there be
At least a thought of such stupidity?
M.
How's that! how's that! a calls us slaves and asses:
Down with him, Captain, down with him.
Cap.
Hold, hold I say, my ragged rusticks,
For his Emphasis will bear it.
M.
His Emphasis bear it! his Emphasis's an ass,
We scorn to bear it; down with him I say, down with him.
Cap.
Now by the might of my omnipotence, he that dares strike a blow, a sahll feel the fury of mine indignation.
Elea.
And now dear Countrey-men behold the man,
Your Priest, your Prophet, and your Soveraign.
An.
Dar'st thou to boast in thy impiety?
Skim.
If ye be free-men let me hear ye cry,
Lord Eleazer, Life and Liberty.
All M.
A Free-man, a Free-man, a Freeman; down with old gray beard, down with gray beard.
Go.
Curse on that wicked hand that dares a blow against that sacred head; let it be seiz'd with death by a Divine revenge;
Or let it ever be
A withered member of impiety.
But if the wicked fury must have vent,
Vpon my knees I beg, let it be poured out
Vpon this head of mine.
O Eleazer, canst thou look upon
the great afflictions of this good old man,
And not be drownd in tears of penitence?
Behold the torrent of his grief is such,
A has not power to express his misery.
A has no eyes to weep no tongue to speak,
No sence to comfort, but a heart to break.
Elea.
Theres something in this old enchanters tongue that will beguile me; peace, I will hear no more.
Go.
Then mayst thou ne're be heard of heaven.
Behold, the highest strain of misery,
old Gorion begs even of his enemy.
Elea.
Peace impotent fool, I say, I will hear no more.
Go.
Then thou must stop thine ear, for I must speak:
Elea.
Come Souldiers, let's away, hear not the babler speak.
M.
No, no, no, wee'l hear no impudent old men.
Cap.
March on my man of mettle, we will follow thee through thick and thin, up ro rhe chin In blood, my bonny buntings.
Exeunt omnes, but high Priest and Gorion
Go.
Heaven give thee strength to bear this misery.
An.
In what a labyrinth of wretchedness
Dwells this forsaken City! how the streets
Swarm with the sons of death! the sons of death 1
O may that name of son for ever dye,
And yet nought but the Name, the wretched Name:
Long my the Substance live: the Substance—why?
What is the Substance? If the Name be foul,
Farewel the rest for ever. And yer methinks it were
too short a time to take so long a leave:
Stay then, what is the Substance? the Substonce is my son,
Agen my son: Ile say it is my self,
My very self divided from my self:
And then methinks 'tis wondrous strange to see
(And yet 'tis wondrous true my self to be
A butcher to my self: And then—if it be so,
Why do I blame a Son— was it not I.
that gave him shape, and life, his faculties
Of will and reason? to do well or ill, are from above.
Had a been born a beast, a had been free
From such unheard-of, cursed crueltie,
Go.
How strongly Nature works, ere it can part
With that it woo'de effect.
An.
O Eleazer, if thou wert not mine,
I could be happy in my misery.
Thou art a villain, yet thou art my son,
My son, and yet a villain; there's a word
Able to make a Fathers heart-strings crack,
Go.
No more good man.
An.
Strange actions I have heard
have sometimes wrought strange alterations.
Were it not strange to see the Sun go back,
Or borrow light of the unconstant Moon!
Were it not strange to see the Cedar bend,
And do his homage to the lowly shrub
Or to behold the stately Lion crouch,
And stand in fear of the dejected Lamb;
[Page 41]If none of these may yet seem strange, behold
A thing more strange; the head must serve the heel,
The Villain Son must stand, the Father kneel.
O Gorion! if one spark of love be left
In that ingrateful breast; or if there be
At least one dram of goodness yet remaining,
this act will penetrate his erring soul,
Startle his Conscience, and amaze the will,
Affright the judgement, and divert the plot,
the bloody plot: O! I am lost with grief,
And do I know not what— And yet it must be done:
Come, go with me I say, for I will kneel.
Go.
Heaven send thee comfort in this extasie.
Exeunt.
Enter a Carter with his whip, at one door whistling, and the Lady Miriams man, Peter, at another.
Peter.
What, brother [...]ennel, what a mutren mak'st thou here.
Nay, nay, nay, I prethee leave thy whewing, and tell me what thou mak'st here—*apart no! I'le hold a groat I'le make ye leave anon; why firrah, if thou didst but behold what a pittiful pernicious face thou mak'st with whistling, thou wouldst take up stones and throw at it.
Pen.
Take heed thou dost not whistle Peter.
P. O. I thought I should put ye out a tune.
Pet.
Why prethee?
Pen.
I can hardly endure thy face without it.
If thou shouldst whistle, thou wert utterly undone,
I should never for bear throwing at it.
Pet.
Well contorted efaith boy!
Ped.
Nay I can tell ye Peter, for wit and understanding I am not regenerate, as they say, for my Father had as much knowledge as any man of his understanding in the town I woos.
Pet.
Well, well, well, I have nothing to do with knowledge and understanding
Pen.
The thou'rt a [...]ool Peter.
Pet.
I am won of your making then, and indeed it may well be for they say won fool makes many: I think I was even w'ye there for the fool.
Pen.
Excellent good efaith Peter.
Pet.
Nay I can tell ye, I had a Father too; well, well, I know what
I know; but all's one for [...]—um, um: But I prethee boy tell me,
tell me what mak'st thou here?
Pen. whistles.
By this hand if thou wil [...]hor leave whistling,
I le throw stones.
Pen.
Why canst not thou tell what I make here?
Pet.
Not I as I am a Gentleman.
Pen.
Why thou hearst I make musick bully.
Pet.
Musick with a pox, prethee leave making Musick, and make me an answer.
Pen.
Marry then I will tell thee what I make here:
I am come to follow the wars my boy:
They say the new Captains entertain all comers,
And I am all on fire to be at it.
O—methinks I could so pepper thee now.
Pet.
Oh—oh—prethee hold, or else I shall need to be salted too:
But efaith boy, art in earnest? if thou beest, shake hands, shake hands.
Pen.
Why thou art not run away from thy Lady too, art?
Pet.
No—but I am sent of an everlasting Errand, and will leave the answer to my Executors: I'me for push a pike boy.
Pen.
Stand close, stand close, here come, the Captains.
Enter Eleazer, Skimeon, and Zareck with a Paper in his hand.
Elea.
The Commons are in arms against us Skimeon,
And resolutely take our Fathers part;
Yet he, I hear, gives no allowance too't,
But rhinks with fair perswasions to prevail:
But we are arm'd with resolution.
Sk.
We must be wise my Lord; those aged hairs
Are taught by long experience to intrap
our younger brains; and this may be a plot
to take us at' advantage.
Therefore my Lord, in time let me advise
that we encrease our forces speedily:
Let us make know [...] the Proclamation.
Elea.
Read the [...]ntents of it once again.
Zareck reads. Whosoever listeth to be rid from the bondage of his Master, or hath any injury in his Countrey; or what servant soever desireth to beset at liberty; or who so cannot abide the rule of his father or his mother; all that be in debate, and stand in fear of their Creditors, or fear the Iews for shedding innocent blood▪ If there be any man that is accused of any notorious crime, & in danger therefore: To be short, whosoever i [...] disposed to rob, to haunt Whores, to murder, and to live freely at other mens cost, let him come to me, and I will relieve him.
Pet.
O rare! I am ravished, I am ravished, the wenches, the w [...]nches boy
Elea.
I do not like the Proclamation,
the subject sounds too harsh, and will beget
Distractions in the graver Citizens.
Skim.
Death, what need we care for that,
So we be strong for opposition.
Elea.
Delays are dangerous, and we may be surpriz'd
Indeed upon the sudden: well—let it be done,
But in thy Name, for I must seem to be
Vpright and zealous for their liberty.
Enter the High Priest and Gorion, the High Priest kneels.
Ananias,
Behold young man, thy aged Father kneels;
And knnels to thee, even unto thee his Son,
And begs with tears, with tears of bitterness,
the ransom of thy soul, and of the State,
Both lost for ever, ever lost if thou persist.
Elea.
Patience defend me, or I shall be o'recom.
Sk.
Take heed ye be not caught.
Elea.
Caught! is't possible for man to view this sight,
Apart.
this most prodigious sight, and not be caught?
O Heavens! Did I not hear him say a was my Father?
Go this passion I hope, wil work some good effect. the Carter comes.
Have I not heared him beg, and seen him kneel?
Had a been Jewries slave, a could have done no more.
Is't possible these Rivolets of blood should flow
From such a Fountain. Come hither fellow.
Time and Maturity do seem to say
Pet. Hee'l hang him sure.
thou mayest have been a Father to a Son:
tell me, hadst thou e're a son?
Cart.
Had, I, and have too, an't like your Worship, or chood be zorry.
Elea.
The power of Nature works as strong in thee
As in thy Prince; thou lov'st him too, I know.
Cart.
By th'mass I zee your Worship's vilely cunning: I do indeed.
Elea.
Couldst thou afford upon some weighty cause,
(Suppose to save thy life) to kneel unto thy son?
Car.
Kads nails, kneel, I scorn that esaith,
Chil make the Looby kneel to me, chil warrant him.
El.
Come hither; seest thou this old man? Car. Ay,
Canst thou believe this man to be my Father?
C.
Vather ketha, no by my troth not I.
El.
Vp thou decrepped lump of vanity.
thou base impostor that wouldst cheat the world
With a supposed Name; thou beastly shame
Of Age and Honour, thou indignity
Vnto thy self, and thy Posterity.
Come, come, disrobe thy self, I say, and yeild
Whilst he speaks, he disrobes him.
these ornaments to him that scorns to kneel:
Here fellow, put um of [...]; put um on, I say, for I will have it so.
Let our Proclamation be publisht.
Za.
It shall my Lord.
Exit Elea. Skim. and Zareck at one door, and Anna. & Gor. at the other, weeping, and after them the Carter whistling
Pet.
St Pennel, 'st Pennel.
The heighth of his preserment will not let him answer me,
Well, I am astonished to think what honor I shall come too.
Finis Actus primus.
Incipit Actus Quartus.
Enter Titus, Valerio, Nicanor.
Titus.
NOw fellow-Souldiers, what? Methinks ye look
Not smiling on Vespatians Son.
Let not the miss of your old Captain strike
Your manly hearts with grief: Come, come let me
See your cheerful countenances speak
My hearty welcome; Courage noble friends,
For know, there's not a dram of worth infus'd
Within Vespatians noble loins, but lives
Invested here: these lusty Roman veins
Swell high as ere did his, with hopeful pride
Of happy victory; this loyal brest
Harbours a heart as full of Clemency
If gently sought unto; but slighted once,
the daring Lyon harbours one more mild,
More merciful the I▪ I tell ye Lords,
I'le not expect more duty from your hands,
then my deserving actions truly weigh'd,
Shall justly challenge: And be thus assur'd,
My aged Father thus far Ile out-do,
there's not a ti [...]tle of his former promises
to either here, but shall by me be crown'd
With fair performance.
To witness which, we give you joint Command
And Martial Pow'r, as next unto our self.
Val.
My gracious Lord, the best of my endeavours
Shall strive to merit what your noble hand
Hath now conferr'd; my hearts best blood my Lord
Shall seal my faithful protestation.
Ni.
My actions, my good Lord, shall better speak
My humble th [...]nks, then my unskilful phrase:
Mean time your Lordships pardon for my silence.
Ti.
Tis well: Now I must tell ye Lords,
As I have ript my heart to let you see
My lifes Compendium. I expect that you
Should shape your actions to deserve my love:
For I must tell ye Lords, 'tis not a formal shew
of gilded words that can perswade me so:
[Page 45]Let me behold your brave attempts pursue
Imperious victory through seas of blood;
Your panting souls in midst of Massacre,
thirst after Honour, till the reaking blade
cry, 'tis enough.
Have ye not seen when in a bloody fray
My Noble Father hath been left alone,
Alone, begirt with ranks of Enemies,
Whose strong Batalio's kept all rescue from him:
How then, even then when horror infinite
Stood gazing on him with a grim aspect,
How then (I say) his daring countenance
Stood in defiance of them all at once:
How the more danger, still the more he durst,
Like a strange Mastiff fiercely set upon
by mungril Curs in number ten to one,
With angry teeth, and courage bravely bold,
A snarles, and snaps; now this, now that doth bite,
And stoutly still maintains the unequal fight
with equal fury, till the bawling cur [...]es
be quite disperst: So he,
but with such Kingly awful Majesty,
as if in midst of this confusion
A found but sport of recreation.
Such and so daring must you be my Lords,
to gain my love, and win your countrey honor.
Ni.
My Lord, our lives & Fortunes weigh'd with either,
We prize at nothing; nor can we desire
more felicity then to enjoy
the least of either.
Va.
My honored Lord, your most exact command
will teach us Valour had we ne're been, train'd
in Martial Discipline.
Ti.
I like your answers wel, saving that yours Valerio,
[...]avours too much of [...]lattery—and yet
upon life thou art not that way guilty.
And trust me souldiers I am confident
Your words and actions will in all points sympathize:
But we trifle time, and most redeem it
by a strict surveigh of our proceedings.
Enter Joseph from Rome.
Ie.
From great Vespatian my most honor'd Lord,
I come to do thee humble service.
[Page 46]Ti.
Now by my life thou it welcome, welcome worthy friends
Our Royal Father ne'er could send a man
More deer in our affection.
Thou com'st as we could wish thee, Ioseph;
to morrow we intend to parley with Ierusalem;
thy friendly presence may perchance perswade
thy Countreymen to yeild subjection:
If they refuse, by the Majestick power
Of mighty Cesar's sacred Diadem,
I'le scourge their pride with such severity,
shall make the Rebels curse their misery.
Exeunt.
Come my endeared friend.
Takes Jo. by the hand.
Enter Zareck.
The three seditious Captains are at odds,
Each hunts the other's lifes yet all do bear
A fair pretence of friendship to each other;
Each seeks for soveraignty; whilst, Sinon, I
With protestations of integrity
And zealous love, do fairly close with all;
For being friends to all in time of league,
'twill be a riddle to the wisest pate,
Whose love I prized most; then I protest
With what obsequious care and [...]ling pains,
My wits are wearied to design a plo [...]
Whose wary circumstances may discry
All shew of falshood in the enterprize,
to trip the heels of either enemy;
then shew the time, the place, the manner how
to do't: O I am tickled with the fine conceit.
My Father in a fair and good e [...]tate,
Was by these Rebels rob'd and spoil'd of all,
And I his son left naked to the world,
poor and dejected, till my working brain
Projected this employment to relieve me;
Since when, I have been busied for revenge:
O how methinks that very word Revenge,
Allaies the fury of my discontent!
But soft; 'tis much about the time they should be here:
I will withdraw my self.
Zareck stands behind the hangings.
Enter Eleazer.
I must be wise, and cloath my pleasing phrase,
With fair pretence of peace and amity.
[Page 47]The blustring wind commands with angry brow,
The toiling travellier to leave his Cloak;
the storm encreases, but the pelting man
still gripes it faster, till the pleasing Sun
By gentle rayes intreats him lay it down.
Enter L. Jehochanan and L. Skimeon
Ieho.
Good morrow to the Lord Eleazer.
A tubla set, and Zareck stands behind the Arras.
Elea.
Welcome Iehochanan, welcome noble friends,
Come, sit we down, and each man freely speak
His cause of grievance: Ah my worthy friends,
Dissention is amongst us: Vpon my life I dare
presume there is some strange mistake,
For else it cannot be that we should differ.
Ie.
Some strange mistake? Indeed my Lord 'twas strange
Your Lordship should mistake your self so much,
And us your friends (your friends! nay more my Lord, then friends,
For friends are formal now:) the strength of your designs:
To send to us a publike messenger
to summon us upon command to be
Attendants on your Lordships pleasure!
My Lord, this was not fair nor friendly.
E.
Not fair my Lords, nor friendly! which of you
that stood in equal terms of honor with my self,
Woo'd lose one tittle of that Dignity
that fairly rank't this state and quality [...]
Was it for me to say, I woo'd intre [...]t [...]
Was not the Message publike?
Had it been private, you should then have seen
My fair respect, and friendly love to either.
But, as it was my Lord—
L. Skim.
Nay, then I must have leave to tell ye Sir,
Your Honour swells too high, and must be qualifi'd
In equal terms of Honor with your self:
My Lord, I dare affirm thus Simeon stands
In equal terms of honour with your self.
Elea.
How's that?
Sim.
Nay good my Lord, your Father's yet alive,
And you are then a private man [...] we.
Elea.
This—is in jest, to see how I can poize
A Friends affection, or perchance—totry the bent of mine.
Sim
Your Honour may do we [...] to pass i [...] so,
[Page 48]Or else, perchance your Lordship may be angry.
And then—how much your helth may be impair'd
With such distemper, may perhaps—
Elea.
No more.
I was not wont to be ridiculous:
Nor did I come to hear such airy talk.
If this be earnest, let me hear who dares
pronounc'tagen.
Ie.
Who dares! that brave reflects on me,
that dare stand up spurn at that, and thee.
El [...].
Is't possible!
S.
Iehochanan, thou dost me open wrong to intercept me:
The cause was mine; to me it did belong
to give an answer. Wer't thou not who thou art,
I should not take this well.
Ie.
Simeon, I am as deep engag'd as thou,
And will have leave to prize mine Honor highest.
S.
And will have leave!
Ie.
I say, and will have leave, and say't agen.
S.
Death, thou dar'st not say't agen.
Za. Apart, is works,
Ie.
Dare not!
Elea.
I do command ye cease
For shame give o're this rash behaviour:
Is this a time to broach a Faction,
When Cesars son has conquer'd Galile [...],
And now is marching to Ierusalem
Ie.
Command thy slaves, proud man, for I am free,
And will command my self.
E.
Villain.
Ie.
Thou lyest.
E.
O my inraged sould, must I endure all this?
S.
All this and more, thou must endure me too.
E.
Must Simeon?
S.
I must I say, and shall:
Couldst thou dart lightnings from thy countenance,
Thus woo'd I meet thee, and out-face thee thus.
E.
O I am lost in rage, and can endure no longer.
They draw, and a trumpet soun [...] from within.
Enter an Merauld.
Her.
From Cesar's sons, brave Lords, I come to say
He offers parley to Jerusalem:
The time prefixt is the next morning sun.
Elea.
Go tell thy Master we accept it.
H.
I shall return your answer.
Exit.
El.
This is no time to sight, nor will I now
Stand to defend mine honor: But stay,
before we sheath our weapons let us swear
Howe're our private quarrel may proceed,
That we will still maintain each other's part
Against Vespaian's son.
Both:
We are content.
E.
Your hands.
Lay hands on the Sword.
By a true souldiers Honour we do swear,
Fairly to friend each other in the field,
And jointly to oppose Vespatian.
Both:
We swear to do't.
E.
The same swear I.
I shall expect you both to morrow early.
Both.
We will not miss the hour
Exeunt at several wayes.
Za.
The Furies are broke loose, if either fall,
Zarech may rise to be a General.
Exit.
Enter Perter with a Sword and Buckler, leading Gorion manicled with an halter about his neck, apparel'd in a Canvase suit.
Pet.
Come, come sir, come away, sir, come away.
G.
Nay, prethee friend be not so rigorous,
Give me a little time to breathe a while.
Pet
Breathe a while! I, I, I'le breathe ye, I warrant ye.
Come, come follow me, follow me, I say,
Ye shall want for no breathing.
Go.
Inhumane wretch, I cannot follow thee:
Thou hast already wearied out my limbs
With thy ingrateful usage.
P.
Nay, nay, nay sir, all's one for that,
Limbs, or not limbs; I say, Folllow me.
Drags him along, & exeunt.
Beat Drom within, and enter Titus, Joseph, Vallerio and Nicanor at one door, and the three Captains at the other, and after them Peter, leading old Gorion in the Halter.
P.
Come forward I say, a comes like a, Bear to the stake.
Titus.
What means this spectacle of misery?
Io.
O Titus, 'tis my Father.
Wert thou enthral'd in more captivity,
Thus low would Ioseph bow to do thee honor.
Jo. kneels, & Go weeps.
[Page 50]I never felt my self so far surpriz'd
With sudden passion; Nature is or'e charg'd,
And fain woo'd have some vent. I fear
I shall forget my self: [...]ye Ioseph, fie,
apart.
Art thou a souldier? So—now the stream is turn'd.
Ti.
Now my brave Lords of Jewry, which of you stands chief Commander in this bold Rebellion?
Elea.
Rebellion, Titus!
S.
Speak that word agen,
And Simeon dares reply that Titus lyes.
Ti.
Should Titus speak't agen, 'twere still the same,
Nor is it less spoke once,
Ie.
Then know bold Roman, Jewries sons are free,
And scorn to bend to Cesar, or to thee
Ti.
The sturdy stick that will not bend, must break.
E.
But not with Titus Arm, nor Cesar too.
Jo.
A [...] dearest countreymen, I come not here
to lift mine arm against Jerusalem,
But to lament it, Lords; for well I know,
the heavens have fore-decreed your overthrow:
The great Caldeans Golden Head is laid,
the mighty Persians silver Arms are lopt;
the Grecians thighs of brass are broken down:
What's then remaining but those Iron Legs
On which the sturdy Roman Empire stands,
And stamps the World to Powder: Ah my Lords
Will ye contend with Fa [...]e?
Iehoc.
Peace thou base coward, that to save thy life
Hast lost thine honor.
Thou com'st with fawning zeal to beg for mercy.
Ioseph.
To beg for mercy! then mercy ne're protect me.
Forgive me Heaven, that I am forc't to draw
My sword against my self, my Native countreymen.
Draws.
Tit.
Now by my life they come to brave me here.
Rebels, those lordly hearts of yours shall bleed;
By all the Gods they shall—
Deliver up that aged prisoner,
Or by the Roman Powers ye shall repent it.
Schim.
Not for the Roman Crown.
Elea.
Lead him away to torture.
Come, come, come away sir, I'le tickle him with tortures.
Io.
O my distressed Fate!
Ti.
Villains, there's not a torture you inflict
[Page 51]Vpon those aged limbs, but I'le return
With millions on your own.
Sound Drums, and exeunt omnes.
Beat Droms, and they fight within; then enter Joseph and fights with Eleazer, and exeunt. Enter Valerio and fights with Jehoc. and exeunt. Enter Nicanor, fights with Simeon, and exeunt: The three seditious are repulst: then enter Titus, and meets with Eleazer, they fight: then enter Jehoc. and Simeon at several Doors: Titus fights with the three: Eleazer cryes, kill him: Jehochanan, take him alive: Simeon cryes the second time, kill him: Jehochanan, take him alive. Eleazer the third time kill him: Jehochanan, take him alive. Titus makes way through them wounded, and escapes.
E.
Death and the Devil, why did ye let him scape?
S.
O we are finely cheated of the booty,
And shall be laught to scorn: Death, I could tear my flesh.
Ie.
Stand ye to beat the air with idle words?
Let's follow close, and find him out agen.
Disperse your selves, and follow.
Exeunt at several wayes
Enter Peter.
Call ye this Honour? a pox of honor,
Give me honesty, down-right honesty!
Souns, break ones head, and give him no warning!
I woo'd not have Honor come so fast upon me neither.
Looks who comes.
Im'e pepperd with a vengeance: Farewel Honor,
Ile to my Lady agen.
Exit.
Enter Titus wounded: Iosephus, Valerio, Nicanor, follow.
Io.
How fares my Lord?
Ti.
Well my Iosephus, trust me, passing well:
'tis Titus glory to be bath'd in blood:
Now by mine Honor Ioseph, I am glad
to see such valour in thy Countrey-men:
the charge was hot, and bravely seconded.
Didst thou not see where I was forc't to fight,
to man the Front, that then began recoile.
Io.
My Lord I did.
Tit.
There my brave Lords, mine Honor lay at stake,
there was I round begirt with Enemies,
and must be ransomed by mine own desert:
O my Valerio! then I call'd to mind
[Page 52]the great Vespatian: the Tiberius;
then mighty Julius: and then—
Arm'd with disdain and envy, I assail'd
the stout Jehochanan, then Skimeon,
then Lordly Eleazer, then all; and then
Stood all their bold repulses back agen.
There I receiv'd these wounds; and then, at last
Rapt into rage with fury and revenge,
Sweating, and bleeding, in despight of all
this arm maintain'd me still a General.
But now no more of this:
A more convenient time shal fitter serve
For this discourse. Come worthy Souldier:
Exeunt o [...].
My wounds are stiff, I must retire my self.
Enter L. Eleazer with his Rapier drawn.
The glorious prey is lost:
Puts his Rapier.
Now Eleazer, to thy other business.
I do remember wel, a sed, my father was alive:
And then—as if my fathers life were my disgrace,
A slighted me with scorn—It must be so,
My father must not live: I am resolv'd.
Exit.
Enter Jehochanan, his Rapier drawn.
A pair of pretious Villains! By this light
Puts up his Rapier.
I laugh to think how [...]inely they are cheated.
The Lordly Eleazer woo'd be King;
And so woo'd Simeon too. Both aim at me:
But I wil live in spight of policy.
Exit.
Enter Simeon wounded.
The game is ended, and the Deer escap't;
the night draws on apace, and I am hurt.
Exit.
Enter Eleazer and Zareck.
Elea.
The time's within this hour: make haste, I say,
And fit thy self with instruments of death,
Smal pocket-daggers. But be sure thou hast
A special care that no o're reaching eye
Detect the plot.
Then with a cloak of seeming sanctity,
Deject behaviour, visage meanly sad,
Eies full of tears; but heart replete with blood:
Low bending to my aged father; Say—
What thy more wary wits shall think upon:
But on thy life take heed thou fail not.
Zar.
Not for the world.
Elea.
The time draws on apace they should be here:
[Page 53]I must disarm my self and wait their coming.
disarms
Theres something troubles me, all is not well within.
I would not see him fall: and yet I must.
O Eleazer—but I forget my self:
Exit.
A noise of still musick; and Enter the high Priest with attendants, Guards, and Quiresters: they sing. An Alter and Tapers set:
See those buildings where once thy glorie liv'd in,
with heavenly essence:
See how it droopeth, and how nakedly it looketh
Without thy presence:
Hark how thy captive people mourn
With heavy moaning,
and grevious groaning,
For thy being absent,
And for the heathens scorn:
Because thy people are by thee forlorn.
See those tapers, which once enflam'd those vapours
Of our sweet Peace.
See those places, where we once injoy'd those graces,
Which now do cease.
O See the Altar whereas we
Enjoy'd those blisses,
With heavenly kisses
From thy free love,
And from thy Clemency:
Whilst we did sing to thee mellodiously:
Exeunt Quir.
H. P.
leave us to our Devotion.
Enter Za. he bowes to the high Priest, and declares by sig [...]s his sons submission: he lifts up his hands in token of Thankfulness, and weeps.
H. P.
Thou comst with happie news: go call him in.
Calls him
Enter Eleazer, and kneels.
E.
Ah my much wronged Father!
An.
This is beyond my hopes: stand up young man:
Heaven give thee pardon for thy great offence.
Where are thy confederates?
E.
I would not be o're. heard.
A.
Dismiss the guard there, we would be private.
E.
My Lord, I have a secret to disclose,
Za. looks if none be coming in.
Of such importance, that I fear—
A.
I will not be disturb'd, what ere it be.
For heavens love let me ha'te.
Za.
Thou hast thine own desire
Stabs him.
A.
O Eleazer.
Za.
Tis done.
E.
Tis bravely done: I will reward the Zareck.
Z.
Tush, I am happie in the fine exploit.
E.
Now for the crafty close,
puts the dagger into his hand.
Conveigh this instrument into his hand.
[Page 54]Be brief, be brief, then it may be suppos'd
A did this bloody act upon himself.
Exeunt
Enter his Atten. and Guard.
Atten.
My Lord—ha!—Murder'd;
Curse on that wretched hand that did it:
But see—O see! a gripes the dagger fast
That gave the wound—I am amaz'd
And know not what to think.
Come let us bear him hence.
Exeunt
CHORVS.
Horror, confusion, hunger, plague and Death
Have seiz'd our Sacred streets, my fainting breath!
Fails me to give the sad relation
Of sad Judea's desolation.
Suppose the famine now to grow extream,
Within the City walls; The hungry dream
Of food, but tast it not, a Cab is sold
Of noisom dung for thrice the weight in Gold?
A bloody Sword hangs blazing in the Sky?
A Strange and uncouth voice was heard to cry,
Come, let's away from hence? the Iron gate
Ope's of it self to let in Jewries fate:
To tell ye more my aking heart would break,
The sad Catastrophe let action speak.
Enter L. Jehochanan.
The famine is extream;
And will be guile us of our lives and honors.
Enter Chorus
Musick, and the Lady Miriam Sings In her Chamber.
Hark—hark—give ear a while and listen.
when the Musick has plaid a while she Sings
The Song
Weep, O weep, mine eyes, a flood of tears:
Break, O break, my heart, with endless feares:
Fly hence, fly hence, my soul, from such sad grief;
Then weeping sing, and singing weep to see
Such pretious comfort in thy misery.
Ie.
This is the Lady Miriam,
Shee's rich, shee's rich, exceeding rich
And may perhaps have some provision left,
I'le in and rifle her.
She drawes her window Curten
La.
Ay me, the Lord Iehocanan:
I fear some violence.
Knock [...]
Pet.
Who knocks there?
La.
keep fast the door.
Knocks again.
Ie.
Ope the door Sirrah, or Ile break it ope.
Pet.
Marry Sir and Ile break your pate then.
Breaks ope the door, and goes in.
Enter Peter with head broke.
Wars, or not wars, all [...] one for that,
For honor will find me out, I see;
I am not so good as my word, hee's better than his,
For he has broke the door, and my pate too.
But I'le in and save my Lady from ravishing,
What ere comes on't:
If I take him at it, I'le so pepper him.
Exit
Enter Iehochanan with a wallet, dragging The Lady by the hair, and her little Son following weeping.
Boy.
Now good my Lord even on my knees I beg:
Vse not my mother so unkindly.
Ie.
Peace brawling brat;
Confess, confess I say, I know this is not all,
Thou hast conceal'd thy best provision
La.
If there be truth in heaven I have no more,
Ah gentle Sir, for pitie take not all,
Leave me one loaf to keep my little one.
Ie.
Not a bit, bold begger.
Exit
Boy
Good mother weep no more.
Exit Lady weeping.
Enter Peter.
My Lady has sent me to get wormes?
But the wormes are more liker for to get me
Marry I think if they had me and could speak,
They'd curse the Cook that sent u'm such a break-fast;
For I am so impenirrable for want of moisture,
They had better Seize upon a starv'd Vserer by far:
Enter Zaruck.
I have observ'd of late a seeming show
Of some distempers in Lord Eleazer:
His lookes are wild and stareing: something sure
Does strangely trouble him.
Pe.
That's the Captains man that broke my pate.
And rob'd my Lady: now is he studying
Whose throat he shall cut next; I'de best be gone,
I'me pestilence affraid of him.
Za.
[...]erchance the murder of his Father troubles him.
P.
A talkes of murder already.
Za.
If it be so, I hope 'twill make him mad,
Trembles.
And I shall be reveng'd—What followes that?
P.
A has spi'd mee, I must stand too't now.
Za.
What art thou?
Pet.
What am I; Why I am hungry, very hungry:
So hungry, that I could eat my flesh,
If I had any flesh to eat.
Za.
You are very pleasant, Sir.
Does the musick of the time, cause your wits to daunce.
P.
Ye say right, Sir. If any part of me daunce, it is my brains, for they are alwayes in action: my legs are far enough from't I me sure.
Za.
Whither art thou going?
P.
No wither, ye see, I stand still:
I think your wits are daunc't out of your head.
Za.
Whither wert thou going?
P.
The man's mad sure: why hither, was I not?
Za.
Excellent, Ifaith wither wilt thou go?
P.
Marry they were wise could tell that;
I will go whither my legs will carry me:
Marry how far that is I cannot tell;
For I am altogether for the Carriers pace,
I can neither amble, nor trot now.
Za.
How accurately the knave answers;
Tis hunger sure has made his wits so nimble.
P.
Ye're in the right Sir.
For a spare diet, saies your Philosopher,
Makes a man fit for study,
But sure a meant to get more vittails.
Za.
Better and better—fellow, what's thy business▪
P.
What a question's that now?
Why look on my P [...]is [...]o my, and read it there.
Za,
I'st written in thy fore-head, knave?
P.
No, but 'tis written a both sides my face.
Z.
Extremity of hunger sure has made him mad:
P.
No, no, no Sir; No such matter:
Why hark ye Sir, hark ye; don't you know me?
Za.
Not I, by this Light.
P.
I cannot much blame ye, for I hardly know my self;
But if I had ne're known your Lord, ye might a knowen me better.
Za.
Sure that fellow was born with Riddles in's mouth.
P.
Fare ye well Sir, fare ye well:
My Lady said I should get something, though I staid all night:
But I'me more liker to stay till dooms-day, for I think I shan't live
Till morning; fare ye well Sir.
Exit Pet.
Za.
This is sure the Lady Miriams man,
Whom Lord Iehochanan hath lately rifled:
Here Comes the Lord Eleazer, I will withdraw.
steps aside
Enter Eleazer.
Elea.
Cozen'd and cheated, gull'd and fool'd I am:
O man, man, man most miserable!
How truly vain,
How absolutely base,
Are thy lost actions? yet how infinite
The Se [...]s of sorrow that thou wadest through,
To make thee miserable.
Ere thy polluted face was yet produc't,
To face of heaven, the wofull womb foretold
With griping throws thy native wretchedness:
And when thou wert brought forth, what worlds of care
And greif, and pains the tender mother takes
To bring thee up! what tedious daies and nights
Are thrown away upon thine infant age:
Then—when thy fruitfull branches bear the buds
Of hopefull youth when understanding blooms
The beautious blossoms of a riper wit:
VVhat daies, and nights, and hours, and minutes spent
On tedious papers, whose enigma's dull
The slender judgement of the youthfull brain
Till when—Maturity proclaims thee man
Then, loomes this goodly vessel on the main
Of mutabilitie, with all the sails
Of honour swelling high. But see—O see—
A sable cloud of sin with angry brow [...]
Threatens distruction, now the Venoms burst:
Down with the main, sails ere the gust approach,
Alas, 'tis now too late, all's over whelm'd,
Turn'd upside down, the pre [...]ious lading lost,
The shipwrack't soul, for ever, ever lost
in lake of death, Eternall death: Woo'd I
Had been destroyd within the house of sin,
The cursed wombe, or been abortive born,
Ne're to have seen that hatefull light that sees
My wretched fall.
Curst be the fantacy that shap't the thought
Of my conception, ten times curst the act?
The lustfull act! ten thousand times the hour
Of my nativity: may that ever be
An hour of horrour, plague, and misery.
Za. it works it works.
Enter the Lady Miriam
Lady.
For charity, good courteous Sir, take pitie on a poor distressed
Lady: Even for the love ye bear unto the womb that bred ye. She kne [...]
[Page 58]Elea.
The Love I bear? the love I bear is hate.
Hate most unatterable▪ so inveterate,
That I could curse my primogenitors,
S [...]fut I could curse my father Adam too.
La.
A lass Sir I am rob'd and spoild of all.
Ah gentle Sir, afford me some relief,
And I will beg a blessing for your sweet benevolence.
Elea.
Blessing for me? there's not a scruple left
Mongst the great waight of heavenly charity,
Vex me no more.
Exit La. Weeping.
Eleaz.
The Silent tamer of diurnall care [...]
That charms our weary limbs with sweet repose,
Yields not relief to me? my wearied soul
Lives in perpetual torment; for if I
Chance to get a minutes rest, my frighted Ghost
Sees ghastly Shapes? more horrible then death?
Even now mine eyes grow dull for want of sleep:
Lie there distressed carcass, and forget
Thy self to be in misery.
he Sleeps
Enter Persiphone with the three furies, they Cir [...]le him about, and Pers [...]phone Sings.
FRom the infernal Kingdom wee
Come to read thy destinie:
Know thy hands imbru'd in blood
Must be bath'd in Stigian flood:
Mortall thou art damn'd for this
Down, down, down, down, down,
Down, down, down, down, down,
Down, to the deep Abyss.
Endless shall thy torment be;
Horrour, plague and miserie
Shall afflict thy sooty soul,
Whilst the tortur'd spirits howl,
Banisht from eternall bliss
Down, down, &c.
Freezing cold and scorching fires
Shal reward thy soul desires.
Loss of heaven shall vex thee too
More then fire and frost can do:
Whilst the furious S [...]akes shall hiss
Down, down, &c.
Not a thousand ages shall
Expiate thy bitter thrall?
Not a flood of tears asswage
Ought of thy enflamed rage
This thy doome for deeds amiss
Down, down, &c.
Musick to thy meat shall be,
Damned fiends shal laugh at thee;
Laugh to scorn thy griping pain,
Laugh to hear thee curse in va [...]
Curse thine endless miseries.
Down, down, &c.
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Laugh all and Exeunt.
Zareck.
Ha, ha, ha, heres sport alone for mee,
The murder of his father troubles him
With ghastly apparitions: horrour and despair
Pursue thy guilty soul, til I may see
My ful revenge in by calamity.
Exit
[Page 59]Agen, agen, agen, without I saw
Eleazer rises.
The Furies here; the sudden apparition
Has so appal'd my guilty soul, that I
Am lost in terror; all my Vitals shrink
With ghastly fear, my intermissive pulse
Speaks the disorder of my panting heart:
No comfort for a poor distressed man!
Down, down rebellious knees; so stubborn still!
I bear a burden of such massie weight
Woo'd crack the mighty Axletree of Heaven,
Yet cannot force these sturdy limbs to bend:
My Ovens mouth is damm'd with dirty sin,
No vent for sorrow; not a peeping-hole
To steal a dram of comfort for my soul.
O—Eleazer thou art lost for ever.
Exit.
ACTUS QUINTUS.
Enter VALERIO.
WHat a Devil ails the General!
I have observ'd in him of late a strange and uncouth
Carriage to his near attendants:
His looks distracted, and his words compos'd
With strange disturbance—Sure all it not well:
But I'le observe—
Enter Titus, crosses the stage, and exit with an angry look upon Valerio.
Val.
Death, what should this mean?
Enter Nicanor.
Ni.
Valerio? Well met; saw'st thou the General lately?
Val.
Yes, I have seen him lately,
Heaven bless me from the sight of him agen.
Ni.
Why man, what is the matter?
Val.
Whats the matter!
Why a has star'd me into such a strange distemper,
I shall not be my self this hour agen.
A looks—like Vulcan, when his fiery face
Looks red (with rage) upon the Rival God:
A walks—by sembreess with such stately gait,
As if a scorn'd to tread on Casars Earth.
A speaks—by riddles, and such strange enigmae's,
[Page 60]that sure 'two'd pose old Oedipus to answer.
Hast not thou seen him in this musty mood?
Ni.
Yes, yes, yes, I have seen him, and self him too,
Pox on's fingers for' [...].
He askt me last night what store was in the Magazine:
I told him—about a Months provision.
A steps him back—and stares—and stamps—and says—
What?—Is't possible?—No more?
Why dost not speak?—No more, I say?
Art sure there is no more? Death woo't not speak?
and then his truncheon walks; [...]'fu [...] had I not warded we [...]
I had been mall'd, I knew not what to say;
And then a call'd me [...]o [...], and went his way.
Va.
Now by this hand I am lighter by a Roman dram,
to hear thee in for a share too:
Why now I could sing, or daunce,
Or rime, or jest, or do any thing.
Stand, stand thou here, and I will act the General.
And do thou speak to me as if he were in presence.
Ni.
Content.
Val.
Nicanor!
Ni.
My Lord.
Val.
Come hither:
What store of prisoners were taken in the skirmish
Ni.
My Lord—
Ni.
My Lord! what nothing [...]ut [...]y Lord!
Souns, must I dance attendance on your answer.
Strikes him.
Now sir—what my Lord?—
Ni.
Souns, what d'ye strike me.
Va.
Fye, fye, vilely spoken, very vilely spoken,
Ask his Lordship why a strikes?
Why this [...]avours of too much arrogance,
and woo'd incense him beyond measure:
Ye should rather have said, My Lord,
I am sorry I have trespast on your patience,
Or I crave your Lordships pardon for my du [...]ess,
Or the like.
Ni.
Pox a patience, and your Lordship too,
Why did ye strike me so hard?
Val.
Out upon't, worse and worse by this light,
Limit his Lordship how hard to strike!
Why this were to tell his Lordship what to do,
How to command, and where to punish:
this woo'd not be endur'd.
Ni.
I prethee leave thy jesting,
Or by this light I shall fall out in earnest,
and let your Lordship know I am displeased.
Val.
Well I have done; but prethee canst thou tell
the cause of this distemper?
For in himself (what e're hath alter'd him)
He is a Captain of as mild a nature,
As brave Command, and of as sweet converse,
as Rome hath ever bred.
Ni.
Faith I am ignorant, nor can I judge the cause. But—
Val.
Peace, the General.
Enter Titus.
Ti.
Valerio!
Val.
My Lord?
Ti.
Come hither; nearer—yet nearer—nearer yet I say,
Souns, must I trumpet my Oration?
Or dost thou think my throat's an Organ-pipe?
There has been lately a great out-rage done
within the Camp; know you ought of it?
Val.
Not I my Lord.
Ti.
Take heed I trap thee not, upon thy life take heed:
By Heaven if I do—
I say agen, there has been lately acted
A most inhumane murder—on the Jews—
the Captive Jews that fled to us for mercy;
Know'st thou ought yet?
V.
My Lord, I know not ought, nor ought have ever heard of this inhumane act.
Ti.
Nor you? why dost not speak? speak I say. Death, if I ask agen—
Ni.
My Lord, Nor I.
Ti.
Nor I!—what nor I?
Death, are ye so sparing of your speech sir?
Take heed I do not frame an answer for thee;
By Heaven if I do, 'twill cost thee dear the penning.
Ni.
My gracious Lord—
Ti.
Comma.
Ni.
I am—
Ti.
Comma.
Ni.
Altogether—
Ti.
Colon.
Ni.
Ignorant—
Ti.
Period. Troth I believe thee.
Ni.
Of this proceeding:
Ti.
What's all this put together now?
Ni.
My Lord!
Ti.
My contumelious Coxcomb,
Why was not this mishapen answer given
without distraction? If thy soul be clear,
Why did thy guilty looks proclaim thee evil?
Why didst thou vail the face of honesty,
and innocence, within the mask of fear?
Thou wert begotten sure in some distraction,
When Nature was disturb'd to get a man:
Go—get thee hence, and get more Faith—but yet.
look to't, look to't I say, for if I find thee guilty,
thy life shall pay the ransome of thy sin:
Go—get thee hence—stay, read that,
going away. He reads.
and read it out.
A Catalogue of the Massacre of the Captive Jews, who fled to us for mercy.
Vnder Valerio's Squadron, four hundred.
Vnder Nicanor's, five hundred.
Murdred out of the camp and ript for their Jewels
VVhich they had swallowed for fear of rifling eleven hundred;
The whole number amounting to two thousand.
Ni.
This is strange my Lord.
Gives him the Paper.
Ti.
Yes, 'tis wondrous strange that we
Whose Princely-Valour, Power and Clemency
the world admires, should be so foul abus'd,
Abus'd by you, by you I say abus'd,
And say't agen: Death—if, t [...]were not so,
who durst attempt? attempt! durst think to do
An act so foul, so most inhumane?
Have we not given the sole command to you?
and you to do what you think fit?
And must we have our Honor now traduc't,
Trampled, and trod upon, through your neglect?
Must we, when we have past our princely word
For fair protection, have our Subjects snatcht
By such discorder from our Princely bosom?
By heaven this is not well; I say it is not,
Look too't: look too't, I say, I hear no more of this,
For by a Romans honour if I do—go to I say, look too't:
Va.
Now by my life but this is wondrous strange,
Exit
Two thousand Jews destroi'd and we not know' [...]
Ni.
Tis so; nor can I blame the General.
[Page 63]To be distemperd. But now the storm is over,
Let us by strict inquiry search the truth:
Perchance he may be mis-inform'd, and we abus'd:
Va.
Content, let us about it.
Exeunt
Enter the Lady Miriam with a knife in her hand.
How tedious are our daies of miseries,
And yet how breefe the means to cut them off?
What multitudes of Wretched dayes and nights,
In whose each minute the affrighted soul
Lives on the wrack of grief and discontent,
W [...]'d this smal instrument of death dispatch:
And why do I then; VVretched I, protract
My dayes of misery?
I'st not enough that I have liv'd to see
My parents slain by native crueltie?
My countrey Sackt? and my religion Scorn'd,
My self forsaken, and my stripling live
To ask me food, and I not food to give?
Can I have brains to know, and wil to do,
Reason to judge, and hands to help me too▪
And still procrastinate my daies of wo [...]
Doo't Miriam, doo't I say, it must be so:
Goes to stab her self
VVhat ist that barrocadoes back mine arm
Nor will, nor brain, nor heart, nor hand are mine;
All stand subjected to a power divine.
Tush—I am deceived;
Henceforward I nor God, nor good will know:
Religion is a thing fantasticall,
And heaven and hell are meer Poeticall:
Hence coward fear, tis thou that dost command
Mine arm to slack, thou makst my shaking hand
Let fall the fatal instrument of death:
I will no more be subject to thy Law
But in a minute—
Goes to stab her self agen
Alas how cruell mercifull am I,
To free my self from sad calamity,
And leave my pretty child to suffer more,
Ile kill him first—and that once bravely done,
Ile kill the mother that has kild her son:
Enter boy
Now swift occasion tempt us to do evil?
See where the stripling comes,
How pretily a looks upon me: and must I doest?
Was ever mother so unatural?
Shee weeps
And yet I must.
[Page 64]My pretty boy: art thou not very sick for want of meat?
Boy.
Yes, very sick indeed, and feeble too;
So feeble, I have much adoe to go.
La.
Had'st thou not rather die, then live
In this extremity?
Boy.
Alas good mother, I am loath to die,
I wood fain live to see you get some food.
La.
would'st therefore live, my boy, Why thou shalt be my food▪
When I have kill'd thee, I will feed on thee.
Boy:
Good God forbid such Crueltie.
I hope you do not mean to kill me mother
La.
Yes, my sweet Lamb, look; heres the knife prepar'd.
Boy.
Nay then I see I shall be kill'd indeed:
Alass what have I done, what deed so foul
To make you so unkinde?
Weeps
Indeed I did not think you could have been so cruell.
La.
How prettily a talks.
Boy.
have I forgotten ought of those respects
That duty binds me too. Or through forgetfulness
Not done that service which you did command;
Is this the cause? O hold, pray hold your hand:
My duty shall observe ye ten times more
Kneels
Then ever my obedience did before.
La.
How hard a pleads for life; the Gentle Phrase
Weeps agen
Begins to mollifie my cruell breast.
In what a sad dilemma stands my choise:
Affection bids me spare [...] affliction strike:
Nor can I well approve? nor yet dislike—
Of either—Something must be done:
Forgive me heaven, for I must kill my Son.
Boy.
O—I am Kill'd indeed, farewell.
She stabs him
La.
That well sound's ill:—tis done—it may be no,
For still a sturs, and sturs—but now tis done indeed:
Come take him up?—and Quarter him—and then
Invite the cruell Captain to a feast,
That they may see a mother eat her Son,
She takes him, up, and Exit.
And kill her self before the feast be done.
Come take him up I say.
Enter Eleazer with his sleeves stript up to the Elbowes, with two Attendants following.
I have washt, and washt, and washt, and cannor wash this blood away [...]
Att.
What blood my Lord.
Elea.
The blood of batts put out thine eyes:
Doo'st thou not see how red, and fresh it lookes?
[Page 65]Tis very not too: reaking hot; so hot
It Scaldes the cunduit pipes of life,
Fryes all my vitalls into Aetna's flames,
And makes a bonfire of my burning heart.
My Spoongy bellows that were wont to blow
Cool fannings to my bodies center,
Are Suffocate with Sulphrous heat▪ no crany left
To cool a tortur'd Soul.
Go fetch me Vulcans bellows, they'l doo't sure;
Or—if not they,
I' [...] force a passage through this house of clay,
and let in air
Att.
Lay hands upon him till the fit be past.
E.
These flaming Lampes burn red with fury rage
To feel my marrow broil; my singed scull
Reverberates the fury to my brain,
And makes me mad. All this whole mass of man
Is metamorphi [...]'d to confusion.
Hurry me strait unto the Eolean cave,
That Boreas may bore me through and through
There shall ye see this active torrid Zone
Tug for the mastry with the windy King;
That fire with air, and air with fire may burn,
Till fire and air do into Chaos turn.
The devil sure's a rare Doctor: of ancient standing too. I'le have him sent for, and — to bid him welcome a shall break his fast with braines, twill be a rare breakfast, they are already frying in my scull. For—to have them cookt in a Kitchin-pan woo'd shew poor, and not Suit with his greatness? But let the Mercurian messenger make hast, they will be fry'd too much else, and then all's not worth a button. Hark—hark—hark—how the furies laugh to see me tortur'd See—See—See▪ where they come from Erebus—There's Megara, Alecto, there Tisiphone? ho ho ho ho: thats not she, tis some bastard fury made of Air to cheat my fancy. I am abused, Ile not indur't:
Can your inky King
Cure my black soul? my soul, I there's the thing.
Att.
See now the [...]it is past
How temperate he walks. With what a serious eye
A views the heaven, and then the earth: and then
Himself with wonder: As if heaven and earth.
VVere there infused: See now a starts agen,
I fear another fit.
Elea.
The soul's the thing indeed, this but a reaking dunghil:
Stay: what i'st made of? tis extracted sure
From the pure Essence of refined air,
[Page 66]Puff'd—for when the wind is gone,
Commend me to the Car [...]ion carcass.
There's nothing left but meat for mistress maggot.
Of your Philosophers, give me Pythagoras,
For all the rest are fools: meer fools: dee mark me Sir,
Why may not this same windy soul of mine,
Make musick in a musty midwife?
Or in a mouldy bawd: O—twood' do rare in her:
twoo'd make her mumpe out mischiefs by the dozen:
Marry—of all your beasts—I wood not be
A post horse: Souns then I should be trotted,
and trotted, and trotted to the devil:
No, no, no, Ile no poast horse.
Enter his Fathers Ghost in white.
Room, room, room for the miller:
Ma [...] now I think ont, tis as bad to be mil horse:
For he goes round about, and round about,
goes round his Father
And round about—
Ghost.
Fool: thou art posting to the stage of death!
Adiew, adiew, adiew: expect thy doom.
Exit:
Eleaz.
by this light a rare miller.
Wo, ho, ho, wo, ho, ho: Miller, Miller.
Exit
Atten.
We must not leave him.
Exeunt.
Enter Jehocanan and Simeon upon the Walls:
Sim.
their valour yet lives fresh within the walls:
They man the breaches bravely.
Je.
Call ye this valour, meer dunghil cocks by heaven,
S [...]ut, put a Coward in the face of death,
Extremity of fear will make him fight,
Fight Valiantly too. Give me the man
That mans a breach in breaking through the rancks
Of Romans foes, their Courages dismaid,
the walls will man themselve:
A trumpet sounds, and Enter Joseph in Compleat Arms:
Jo
My honored Lords, and deerest Countrymen,
From the right noble Titus I am come
to Offer mercy. Ah! my worthy friends,
Even on my knees I beg you to imbrace it.
Jeho.
Bring forth the rack and torture the old r [...]ffin.
Gorion brought out and put on the rack:
Jo.
hold—hold—O hold. Let not your fury fall
On those decreppid lims, for heavens sake hold,
And here but Joseph speak.
Sim.
Torture him I say.
Go: Oh—O—O—
Jo.
Tortures and torments endless vex your Souls:
O hold—yet hold, for heavens love hold, not yet:
Go: oh—O—O—
Must I indure to see those Sinews strecht,
And not relieve them Must I basely beg,
And kneel? and supplicate: and not be heard?
Wrack on—wrack on I say! thou cruell wretch:
Tear the distressed Carcass from the soul,
And send it up to heaven to cry for vengeance:
Agen they torture him. O I am tortured too,
Go Oh—
And torne in peices with the spectacles.
Villains, tormentors, Rebells.
they beat him down with a stone.
S.
Forsake the walls, and take him.
Enter Jehochanan and Simeon at one door, and Valerio and Nicanor as another, they repulse the Jewish Captains, and Joseph riseth.
Va.
How fares Josephus?
Io.
Hurt my good friends, I thank you for this rescue
they lead him away and Exeunt
Enter Zareck.
Lord Elazer's mad: there's my revenge on him.
A comes, a comes:
Now the sport begins.
Enter Eleazer.
My conscience is a bawling curr?
Buz, buz, buz: Hee's gone, hee's gone?
Ile, creep, and creep, and creep away,
And then I'le laugh to think how I have gulld him.
Enter his two Atten.
Whist; whist, whist, and catch a mouse.
Zareck?
Za.
My Lord?
E.
For heavens love help me, Zareck:
Za.
Why, what's the matter now?
E.
O vengeance, I am pesterd with a Rascal beyond measure: And knocks, and knocks, and knocks, both day and night to speak with me, and will have no denyal.
Za.
VVho i'st, who i'st my Lord?
E.
A Sooty fellow, black, exceeding black:
And wonderous lean too. Very lean, and hungry.
And but e'ne now I stole, and stole away:
Could ye but get a truce for some:—three dayes,
VVe woo'd be wonderous merry, Zareck:
Za.
Methinks we should prevail:
Let's sooth him in this humour, and we shall have excellent sport anon.
Atten.
Content, content:
Za.
My Lord, I'le warrant ye, let me alone to deal with him.
El:
Ye must be wondrous earnest, for I tell ye, he's a pestilent knave:
Tell him at three days end. I'l hear him all;
Mean while. I'le hide me here:
[...] thinde the orras: Exit za.
st' st st: Zareck: if a ask for me,
Be sure thou dost not tell him where I am.
Stand close. stand close. hah. whats that.
Att.
A ratt behinde the hangings.
Elea.
A comes, a comes, a comes.
Enter Za.
Att.
Be not afraid my Lord; tis Zareck comes:
coms out soft.
Za.
Tis done my Lord I warrant ye.
E.
For three whole dayes.
Za.
For three whole dayes.
E.
And nights.
Za.
And nights.
El.
Gramerrcy boy, Ifaith.
There were three fidlers at a fray,
For scraping of their strings in tway,
And jenkin jobson ran away,
With hay tralolly lolly.
Methinkes it were a rare thing to be a Jig-maker.
Come shall wee dance-shall we dance? hay-hay.
2 Att.
Certainly a will fall into as much extremity of mirth.
Za.
I told ye wee should have rare sport anon.
E
Excellent good Ifaith, twill do passing well.
Hark ye boyes, hark ye. I have excellent crotchets in my head.
Za.
What be they, what be they?
E.
Musical, musical crotchets, my bullyes;
And therefore I'l have a noise of fidlers dwell there
To run division? wilt not do rare my boyes?
Za.
O passing rare my Lord.
E.
Vory good, and then—
1 Att.
What then.
E.
And then will I turn ballet singer.
You shall carry my pack, and you
I'l think of some imployment whorthy your deserts.
Will not this be fine Ifaith? hah. speak.
2 Att.
very fine, very fine.
E.
And then wee'l sing, and laugh conscience out of countenance; Fare yo well: fare ye wel, my boys.
Exit.
Za.
If a should meet his conscience by the way now,
We should have an old racket with him.
1 Att.
No, no, hee'l be wholly taken vp now with making ditties, Most inexpressible ditties, we shal have such fustian we meet him next
2 Att.
Death, I'l lay my life 'tis he.
E. Bounces at the door.
Za.
Did not I prejudicate the issue?
What will become of us now?
What shall we do?
knocks agen.
Elea.
Ope the door, ope the door, ye musty rascalls.
Att.
If we ope not the door hee'l break it ope,
And then a will be ten times worse.
Za.
Stay, is there no trick to pacify his fury?
Hum—I have found out one I think will doo't.
Att.
What i'st: what i'st?
Za.
There dwells a fellow not far off:
knocks agen.
Elea.
Rake-hells: hell hounds: ope the door.
Att.
By and by:
Za.
Whose Meager looks will surely couzen him:
He is in all description like his conscience:
A wears black too, him wee'l produce fast bound
To give him satisfaction.
knocks agen.
Elea.
Rogues, Rascalls, Cheaters:
Za.
Come ope the doors, ope the door.
Enter Eleazer.
Za.
Why how now my Lord, what's the matter?
E.
My conscience slaves: my conscience.
Za.
Has a been at home; has a been at home since?
E.
You, you, you, know a has: You know a has rascalls.
Za.
O perfidious conscience, how did a swear to us
Not to mollest him till the time expir'd.
My Lord, my Lord, have but a little patience,
And if I bring him not fast bound—
E.
'Vm—if you do not bandogs
Exeunt: & E pulls back on [...].
Nay, nay, nay; you shall be pawn'd for the reckoning:
I, I, I, wil so Jerk ye, if a brings him not,
I will have thee cut out into a town-top, and whipt;
And—Petrusio [...]s Skin shall make scourges.
Att.
Any thing: any thing my Lord: do with me what ye will:
But woo'd I were fairly quit: pray heaven they bring the fellow.
E.
Nay, nay, nay, I wool doo't, and to purpose too.
Att.
See, see my lord: see where a comes.
they bring on [...] bound
E.
Hah: is a fast: is a fast bound?
Att.
I warrant ye, fear not.
E.
Look too't?
Za.
come foreward man, fear nothing.
Pet.
Why do's a gape so, will a not bite?
Za.
No, no, no, I warrant thee,
P.
I am peslance affraid of my nose it hangs but by the Skin.
If a should but touch it 'twere utterly lost.
Elea.
Fury, why dost thou hunt me?
Pe.
What must I say now?
[...]a.
Say, for food.
P.
For food.
Eleaz
For food? what food will [...] thy hungry [...]?
P.
Let me alone to answer now? Pouderd-beef.
Elea.
I will have him shut up a Cr [...]mming, wilt not do well Zareck?
Za.
Exceeding well▪
Elea.
And then I will make him a chopping boy
[...].
O rare! does a speak in earnest [...]ow?
Elea.
Petrusio: I will have him [...]ed with chopt hay. And then I will cut him out in steaks for my breakfast.
Pet:
A had better feed upon C [...]w-beef for I shall eat monstrous tuff.
E.
Away with him Zareck; ho, ho, ho, I have him fast now. I'st Petrusio:
Exeunt all three with Peter:
Att.
My Lord?
E.
Feed him with a Pitchlork, l [...]st a bite th [...] by the fingers.
Ho, ho, ho, I have caught the woodcock in a [...]ring.
Exit.
A table brought out, and spread, and Enter Peter.
We have rare cheer towards Ifaith,
And I am monsterous sharp set,
But I am pestelence affraid of these same hungry Captains;
If they should invite themselves to dinner now,
What woo'd become of me?
One knocks.
Heres one come already, Ile lay my life on't,
Who knocks there?
Ie.
Ope the door, sirrah.
Pe.
Tis he; tis he: I kn [...]w him by his terrible voice:
Madam madam lady madam;
Heres my lord Iochy come agen.
Ie.
Ope the door I [...]ay.
Pe:
By and by▪
Knocks agen.
P.
now is the edg of [...]ine appeti [...]e as d [...] as a beetle.
Hay, hay [...]eres a whole rabblement of captains:
Why madam-lady.
One knocks at other door.
I must ope the door, or [...] they'l break my pa [...]e agen.
Opens the door.
Enter L. Iehochanan.
Ie.
Rost-meat; rost-meat-I smel rost-meat.
P.
Pox a your quick sent.-, by and by.
Knocks agen, and opens the door.
Enter Simion.
S.
Death, I am almost starv'd. A share, a share.
I cry a share, this fellow smells of fa [...],
Of pretious [...]at; firrah confess, confess.
they draw: Laye [...] hold on him
What hast thou [...] to [...]ys
I [...].
Thou sme [...] of roast-meat: [...]ave, where i [...]t▪
[Page 71]Where 'ist I say? for I wool have it all.
Pe.
They'l eat me up between um sure.
S.
Thou sha' [...] take me too then: Rascal, go fetch it me.
P.
If they don't eat me up, they'l pull me in peeces.
Oh—Oh—I wool Sir, I wool Sir.
Enter Eleazer with his rapier drawn.
E.
Give me some food, you hungry Canniballs.
Pe.
Heres another, here's another.
Ie.
Keep off thou frantick fool.
Pe.
Why Madam, Lady; look to the Rost-meat▪ the Captains; the captains.
Ie.
Minion Come down; come down I say, or by my life Ile fetch thee down.
Exit.
L:
Mir. Patience my Lord I pray, and you shall see
She drawes her Window curten.
That Miriam has reserv'd a part for you;
A plenteous part, enough to feast ye all.
E.
There stands the queen of heaven: what ho! Ch [...]h [...]a.
Enter the Lady.
Bring forth the bak't meats: Come, Lords sit ye down,
Pe: Brings [...]
Ile feed ye with such Cates so rare, and delicate,
And of such sturring nature, you will wonder,
When you shal feel their powerfull operation.
See? theres a hand for you; for you a foot;
For you my Lord the heart, the p [...]e [...]ious heart.
Now-good my Lords fall to; fall to I pray.
Elea.
The heart is raw-and bloudy, Ile not eat it: It stur [...]s-it stur [...]s.
Rises
Lady
What stur [...]?
Elea.
My fathers heart, Ile not endure to [...]ee;'t.
Exit.
Pet.
I have a monstrous quame come over my stomack now.
Lady.
What; not a bitt my Lord▪ Ah, my beloved sonn!
She weeps.
How sweet and pleasing was thy Company,
Whilst thou wert yet a live? and even in death,
Thou still art sweet and pretious; for by thee
These Cruell, Captains are be [...]ome my friends,
By the I am sustain'd and kept alive.
Sim.
I am amaz'd:
Rise all.
Ie.
Far [...] the [...] well, thou [...] woman [...]
Exeunt softly
Lady.
For shame my Lords, let nor a womans heart
Out-brave a soldiers: dare ye not [...]aste a bit?
Was't not your Cruelty that cau [...]d me kill him?
She Weeps.
And will ye then refuse to eat apart?
Exit.
Peter.
Now have I a conceit, that some thing sturrs in my belly.
I am in travail sure: fo my [...] wambles and wambles,
[Page 72]And I shall be deliver'd on't e [...]e long.
Exit Pe.
Drums beat, and they fight within.
Enter Eleazer.
E.
where art thou Caesar, where art thou Caesar?
Ile sight with none but Caesar.
Enter Val.
Here comes Achilles, brave Achilles:
O—I am fal'n for Ever.
They fight and E:falls.
Enter Lo: Iehochanan: wounded.
Ie.
Give fire to the Temple; give fire to the Temple:
Exit
The Temple fir'd [...] and enter Titus.
Ti.
Forbear; forbear, ye cursed wretches; to destroy
Those sacred walls,—how glorious they appear!
O ye rebellious Slaves! how dare ye tempt
So Great a Deity? By all the gods it burns, it burns▪
The raving fire has seiz'd the battlements.
Horrors and vengeance, plagues and punnishments
Seiz on your stubborn souls; it burns, it burns afresh;
The heavens are angry sure, they [...]hi [...]e with me.
Thunder.
Forbear-Forbear, thou flaming firmament,
To chide Vespatians sonn; for tis not he
Hath done thee this dishonor.
Exit.
Thunder: Enter Simion, his rap: drawn, with a robe and a crown vnder his arms.
S.
Sure the black mantle of the M [...]mphitists,
That muzled once the face of Egypt aire:
The dreadfull darkness of Cimmerian foggs,
Whose neighbour nation to the frozen pole,
For ever's banisht from the Glimps of light:
Nor hel it self, nor ought, (if ought there be).
More dark then hell, can be more horrible.
Then is this dreadfull night, this night of death.
I heard a mighty voice within the Temple cry,
Come away, come away; Let us depart from hence.
Strange apparitions have been seen by many:
Sure Heaven, and Earth, and hell have all conspir'd
Our ruin. I am a maz'd. within this darkesome dale
There is a secret cave will shelter me.
Tis here this strange disguise perchance may save my life.
Feels about, and Enter [...] the cave
Enter Iehocha: his rapier drawn.
This way, or that, I know not which to take▪
I am perfued one every side, I will take this.
Exit.
Enter Valerio and Nicanor.
Va.
The two Seditious Captains are escape,
But sure they cannot long conceal themselves.
[Page 73]Extremity of hunger will betray them.
Where is the Generall?
Ni.
Retreating to his tent, and wondrous sad
To see the ruins of the Sacred Temple.
Va.
Hee's of a noble nature; prethy Nicanor
Let us invent some pleasing way
To Cure him of his discontent.
Ni.
With all my heart: let us present the Maske
We late intended.
Va.
Happily thought of; we [...] will ha' [...]e to night.
Ni.
Content; content.
Enter Simeon out of the Cave, with a Robe vpon him, and a Crown on his head.
Va.
Defend me heaven! what apparition's that?
Ni.
Hah:—let's speak to it.
Simi.
Extremity of hunger has compel'd
Me to reveal my self:
This strange disguise perchance may save my life:
The Romans are afraid.
Beckons them.
Va.
A beckons us; let us go near:
What art thou, that dost wear those Kingly Robes?
Sim.
I am of Sacred Linage Romans;
Sprung from the Kings of Iuda; shelter'd here
To save my life. Conduct me to your Lord the General.
Ni.
Lay hands upon him: Now by my life tis Simeon.
Come Villain, wee'l conduct thee to the General.
Va.
Now By this hand this prize was finely caught:
Exeunt, and drag him along two follow
This wool please Titus well.
Enter a Drum cover'd with black, beating a sad Retreat; with black pendants: Than enter Titus, Gorion, and Joseph, with attendants.
Titus.
Come good old man, now on a Romans word
Thou art welcome, nobly welcome:
Come sit down, sit there; nay I will have it so.
Sits by Titus
[...]rust me I joy to se thee safe at liberty.
Gor.
Thanks to my honor'd Lord.
Tit.
How fares thy aged Wife?
Gor.
Shee's well, my gracious Lord,
But somewhat weak with long imprisonment.
Tit.
O my Josephus! how I grieve to see
the ruines of they fair Jerusalem:
But as it is, I give the sacred power
to be dispos'd by thee.
Jos.
Thanks, my most honored Lord.
[Page 74]Tit.
Thy Father it grown old, and will desire to spend his days in peace.
A flourish from within.
What means that Musick?
Exit Joseph and comes in agen.
Jos.
Thy Captains, gracious Prince, desire to shew thee some pastime.
Tit.
We do accept it, give them entrance: 'twill rellish well to pass our discontent.
THE MASQVE.
Enter Time bearing an Escutcheon, [...] Roman Champions crown'd with Lawrel follow, each bears an Escutcheon: Jehochanan and Simeon follow guarded: Time presents his Escutcheon to the General.
Tit.
What's here? six Roman Champions leading the world captive: the Motto: Not one; but all: subscrib'd.
Times winged speed doth here present
Six Moral Virtue's fair Event.
Six Roman Champions, whilst they live,
to these Six Virtues harbour give.
The Champions present their Escutcheons in order.
Tit.
Piety pourtraied in a black Man [...], in her left hand a S [...]or [...] an Embleme of reciprocal love, her right arme stretcht over an Altar, with a sword in her hand, to shew her resolution for Religion: the Motto, Semper ea [...].
Your inventions have done well to give this Virtue priority,
For 'tis the Basis of our glorious actions:
the firm foundation that our [...] laid
When first a did ordain the Vestal-fires:
It would have been more proper had ye limm'd her
Smiling, and pointing to a sumptuous house
Built on the rowling land: the Motto this,
Sine me peris Impensa: well, the next.
Temperance decipher'd in a white Robe, with a sober countenance, in her left hand a Cornucopia, with this Motto, In abundanti [...] abste [...]io: the next.
Chastity pictur'd in a green Robe, a Lion couching by her side, she points to a Lilly: the Mooto, Pares nos sumus.
Friendship binding a fardle of sticks together: the Motto, Concordio regna florent.
Constancy depainted in a purple Robe, her left hand pointing to the Moon, her right to her Bosom: the Motto, Mutabile qui [...]quid extra, nil imus.
Patience limm'd in a Violet Robe, pointing to—mee: Hah, it's not so? 'tis so: the Motto, Dispares nos sumus, and under, Sa [...] ciro [...] sat bent;
This was a good conceit, it likes me passing well:
For now I see, my Lords, yee will not flatter me:
Well, I'le indevour to amend it, Lord:
[Page 75]Come, now to your sports.
Musick, and they dance: the Mask ended, Time presents the Prisoners, and exeunt.
Jehoch.
Mercy, my gracious Lord▪
The Prisoners kneel.
Titus.
What stately Prisoner's he [...], that wears the Diadem.
Je.
My honor'd Lord, this is the cruel Simeon; And this Jehochanan.
Tit.
What! art sure tis he?
Je.
Most certain, mighty Prince.
Sim.
Mercy, my honor'd Lord.
Tit.
Look down, look down, ye powers above, and see
the basest scum of all mortality,
Is't possible to see the Villains kneel,
And beg?
Seaven daies together let the Slaves be led
In triumph; to be mocks, and scorn'd, and kick [...];
And each day tortur'd to extremity,
then put them to an ignominious death.
Si.
Curses and plagues reward thee.
Exeunt Prisoners and Guard.
Ti.
Now worthy Gorion thou hast liv'd to see thy self reveng'd of all thine injury,
Gor.
Ah my good Lord! I joy not in revenge, that I must leave to heaven.
Shout within.
Ti.
Enquire the cause of that shout.
1. Attendant.
More prisoners brought, my Lord.
Ti.
Let them have entrance▪
Enter Officers leading Zareck and the Lady Miriam Prisoners, another following leading Peter with an haste [...] about his neck, the Lady weeps.
1. Officer.
Come along Sir, Come along [...] you have no stomach to go too't.
P [...]t.
I have more stomach beha' [...]e to eat, if I had some vittail [...] hark ye Sir, pray do not pull too hard, least ye pull my head off; it's held on by nothing but skin and dry bones, the marrow is wasted long since; I believe I shall never hold the han [...]g.
Tit.
What Lady's that, whose sad behaviour speaks such discontents
Gor.
Ah Noble Titus, to relate the story
Of her sad fate, will prove a task too weighty
For a woful breast to utter—
Let others speak her sad calamity,
Weeps.
For me it is enough to weep her misery.
Titus.
Rise up distressed woman: by all that's good,
Lady [...]
I joy not in so sad a spectacle.
Tell me thy cause of grie [...]ance: If there be
[Page 76]A way to make thee happy, leave it to me,
And I will see thee righted.
Lady.
A way to make me happy? ay the poor wretch:
the world to me is a distastfull thing,
Full of affrighting Objects: pensive thoughts and fears,
Horrors, amazements, anguish, greefe and [...]ears,
Attend my restless hours: no room is left
For the least hope of comfort: no starting hole
to ease the torture of a wearied soul.
She weeps
Ti.
Know'st thou this Lady, Ioseph.
Io.
My honor'd Lord, this is the Lady Miriam [...]
Extracted from a noble family:
the sad Epitome of grief and misery:
the wofull mother of a murther'd? son.
Titus.
Murther'd? by whom?
Lady Miriam.
By me, by this accursed arme, en [...]ombed here within the wretched womb that gave it life.
She weeps
Peter.
Me thinks I feel a great [...] stir in my stomack [...]w.
Lady.
Ah my dear son! thy wounds bleed fresh
In my remembrance: the bloudy act
Si [...] sad upon my soul [...]ghts my guilty breast,
Distracts my working brain: Iustice, my Lord:
I cry for Justice against my cruel [...]
And must not be den [...]e [...] [...]
She weeps
Titus.
The vnpleasing Spectacle disturbs me,
Lead her away, and see her s [...]f [...]ly kept,
And gently vs'd; let war [...]st eyes
Attend her actions, least she offer
Violence to her unhappy self▪
La.
Were I at liberty for that, I would not linger out
a moment I hate to live, and yet I feel to dy
By mine own hand [...] for Heavens love [...]et me—
Titus
Leadher away; and comfort her.
Lady.
Ah! be not so vnkind: can ye [...] pi [...]y see a Ca [...]iffon the wrack of misery, and not relieve her.
Gorion.
Passion I [...]ear will over co [...] [...], if she persist in this extremity.
Lady.
Open a passage to my guilty soul, and send it to eternal vengeance—or if there be one drop of mercy le [...] [...] misery, [...] [...]o heaven to begg it—
Weeps.
Titus.
My soul relents to see [...] A
Peter.
Thats old gray-beard, that was led a way
Eyes Gorion.
by me to tortures, if he remembers me,
I go to pot: 'st Madam, Lady, Madam,
Speak a good word for me.
Titus.
What's he that wears that livery of Death?
Gorion.
A servant to the Lady Miriam, the very same
that led my aged limbs to torture,
but by cumpulsion of the rebel Iews:
I therefore humbly beg his pardon.
Peter.
I, I, I, must to't, now a has spy'd me.
Titus.
Come hither sirrah.
Peter.
Now I go, now I go, now I go, Lady, madam:
Titus.
Although I know thee to be guilty of an offence
Deserving death; yet for thy Ladies sake,
And this good man's, I give thee life and liberty:
Loose him, and leave him to his lady's service:
See thou be careful of her preservation.
Lady.
Ay me most miscrable.
They take the Halter off.
Peter.
O rare! now could I leap out of my skin for Joy.
Come away Madam, come a way:
the sight of the halter makes my stomack wamble.
Come away, I say.
Zareck.
A ha, ha, ha, ha; Confusion play thy part,
And hatch up mischief to the highest strain
Of mans invention.
Titus.
What daring prisoner's he,
Whose uncouth laughter scorns at misery?
Iosephus.
The most unheard of piece of villany
that ever Nature gave a being to:
this is that cursed wretch that blew the coles
Of hot dissention 'twixt the Citizens:
that murdred the high Priest, and promted on
the three seditious Captains to ambition;
that rob'd this wretched Lady, and gave fire
to Jewries sacred temple.
Titus.
Villain, What saist thou for thy self?
Is all this true?
Peter.
A broke my pate too:
Za.
Ha, ha, ha.—all this! all this and ten times more
all this is nothing, not the thousand part
Of my unknown designs: did'st thou but know
the danger that is in me, thou wouldst not venture me
So near thy person.
Titus.
Halter him, and lead him to the wrack.
[Page 78]Let him be tortur'd with the greatest rigour
Can be invented.
They halter him.
Za.
Ha ha ha ha—Could'st thou devise
As many tortures as have e're bin born
By all the sons of Adam; thus wood I slight
Spurns at it.
Both them and thee.—
Tit.
I shall unmask this hellish bravery:
Lead him away, I say,
Zar.
Thou canst not, Roman, in spight of cruelty,
Zareck will triump in the Victory.
Officers.
Come along Sir, come along.
Pet.
Hark yee Sir, when ye begin to cry Oh—
Remember whose pate yee broke, Sir.
Zar.
Peace, Babler.
Exeunt Officers with Zareck.
Tit.
Come honor'd friends, upon a Romans word
Ye're nobly welcome: let not Jewrys fall
Descends his throne.
Dismay your Princely hearts: Romes General
Will find a way to raise your ruin'd State.
The gods are just; we must submit to fate:
Take care of that distressed Lady.
Pet.
Now do I long to see the Captains at it.
Exeunt omnes, the Lady weeping.
Finis Actus Quinti.
EPILOGVS.
THE lofty Buskin, and the learned Bay,
Are not exspected to adorn our Play;
Our Author d [...]meth these fair trophies fi [...]
To grace the raptures of a riper wit.
The stately lines of Sophocles high strain
Flow from the fountain of Minerva's brain [...]
Instead of Bayes, and Buskins, if our stile
May fairly merit your deserved smile;
'Tis all we aime as; either grant us this,
Or gently pardon what you judge amiss.
FINIS.