A Select Collection of Old English Plays Part 31

[_Exeunt._

ELE. Many good nights consume and d.a.m.n your souls!

I know he means to cuckold me this night, Yet do I know no means to hinder it: Besides, who knows whether the l.u.s.tful king, Having my wife and castle at command, Will ever make surrender back again?

But if he do not, with my falchion's point I'll lance those swelling veins, in which hot l.u.s.t Does keep his revels; and with that warm blood, Where Venus' b.a.s.t.a.r.d cooled his swelt'ring spleen, Wash the disgrace from Eleazar's brow.

SCENE VI.

_Enter_ MARIA.

MARIA. Dear Eleazar!

ELE. If they lock the gates, I'll toss a ball of wildfire o'er the walls.

MARIA. Husband! sweet husband!

ELE. Or else swim o'er the moat, And make a breach th[o]rough the flinty sides Of the rebellious walls.

MARIA. Hear me, dear heart.

ELE. Or undermine the chamber where they lie, And by the violent strength of gunpowder Blow up the castle and th' incestuous couch, In which l.u.s.t wallows; but my labouring thoughts, Wading too deep in bottomless extremes, Do drown themselves in their own stratagems.

MARIA. Sweet husband, dwell not upon circ.u.mstance, When weeping sorrow, like an advocate, Importunes you for aid; look in mine eye, There you shall see dim grief swimming in tears, Invocating succour. O, succour!

ELE. Succour! zounds! for what?

MARIA. To shield me from Fernando's unchaste love, Who with uncessant prayers importun'd me----

ELE. To lie with you! I know't.

MARIA. Then seek some means how to prevent it.

ELE. 'Tis [im]possible: For, to the end that his unbridled l.u.s.t Might have more free access unto thy bed, This night he hath enjoined me To fetch back Philip and the cardinal.

MARIA. Then this ensuing night shall give an end To all my sorrows; for before foul l.u.s.t Shall soil the fair complexion of mine honour, This hand shall rob Maria of her life.

ELE. Not so, dear soul; for in extremities Choose out the least: and ere the hand of death Should suck this ivory palace of thy life, Embrace my counsel, and receive this poison Which, in the instant he attempts thy love, Then give it him: do, do, Do poison him. [_Aside_.] He gone, thou'rt next-- Be sound in resolution, and farewell.

By one and one I'll ship you all to h.e.l.l.

[_Aside._]

Spain, I will drown thee with thine own proud blood, Then make an ark of carcases: farewell!

Revenge and I will sail in blood to h.e.l.l.

[_Exit._

MARIA. Poison the king! alas! my trembling hand Would let the poison fall; and through my cheeks Fear, suited in a bloodless livery, Would make the world acquainted with my guilt.

But thanks, prevention: I have found a means, Both to preserve my royal sovereign's life And keep myself a true and loyal wife.

[_Exit._

ACT III., SCENE 1.

_Enter_ QUEEN-MOTHER _with a torch_.

QUEEN-M. Fair eldest child of love, thou spotless night, Empress of silence, and the queen of sleep, Who with thy black cheeks' pure complexion, Mak'st lovers' eyes enamour'd of thy beauty, Thou art like my Moor; therefore will I adore thee For lending me this opportunity, O, with the soft-skinn'd negro. Heavens, keep back The saucy staring day from the world's eye, Until my Eleazar make return: Then in his castle shall he find his wife Transform'd into a strumpet by my son: Then shall he hate her, whom he would not kill; Then shall I kill her, whom I cannot love.

The king is sporting with his concubine.

Blush not, my boy; be bold like me thy mother.

But their delights torture my soul like devils, Except her shame be seen: wherefore awake!

Christophero! Roderigo! raise the court; Arise, you peers of Spain; Alvero, rise; Preserve your country from base infamies.

_Enter at several doors, with lights and rapiers drawn_, ALVERO, RODERIGO, _and_ CHRISTOPHERO, _with others_.

ALL. Who rais'd these exclamations through the court?

QUEEN-M. Sheathe up your swords; you need not swords, but eyes To intercept this treason.

ALV. What's the treason?

Who are traitors? ring the larum-bell; Cry _Arm_ through all the city: once before The horrid cry of treason did affright Our sleeping spirits.

QUEEN-M. Stay; You need not cry _Arm, arm!_ for this black deed Works treason to your king, to me, to you, To Spain, and all that shall in Spain ensue.

This night Maria (Eleazar's wife) Hath drawn the king by her lascivious looks Privately to a banquet; I (unseen) Stood and beheld him in her l.u.s.tful arms; O G.o.d! shall b.a.s.t.a.r.ds wear Spain's diadem?

If you can kneel to baseness, vex them not; If you disdain to kneel, wash off this blot.

ROD. Let's break into the chamber, and surprise her.

ALV. O miserable me! do, do, break in; My country shall not blush at my child's sin.

QUEEN-M. Delay is nurse to danger, follow me; Come you and witness to her villany.

ALV. Hapless Alvero, how art thou undone In a light daughter and a stubborn son!

[_Exeunt_ OMNES.

SCENE II.

_Enter_ KING, _with his rapier drawn in one hand, leading_ MARIA, _seeming affrighted, in the other_.

MARIA. O, kill me, ere you stain my chast.i.ty.

KING. My hand holds death; but love sits in mine eye.

Exclaim not, dear Maria; do but hear me.

Though thus in dead of night, as I do now, The l.u.s.tful Tarquin stole to the chaste bed Of Collatine's fair wife, yet shall thou be No Lucrece, nor thy king a Roman slave, To make rude villany thine honour's grave.