A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Xiv Part 21

KING. Antonio was thy son; I sent for thee For to confirm it, but he is dead: Be merciful, and do not curse the hand That gave it him, though it deserve it.

AUR. O my griefs, are you not strong enough To break my heart? Pray, tell me--tell me true Can it be thought a sin? or is it so By my own hand to ease my breast of woe?

KING. Alas! poor lady, rise; thy father's here.

PET. Look up, Aurelia; ha! why do you kneel?

[_To_ GIOVANNO.

GIO. For a blessing.

PET. Why she is not Aurelia----do not mock me.

KING. But he is Sebastiano, and your son; Late by our hand made happy by enjoying The fair Evadne, dead Antonio's sister: [Her,] for whose sake he became a tailor, And so long lived in that mean disguise.

PET. My joy had been too great if he had liv'd; The thrifty heavens mingle our sweets with gall, Lest, being glutted with excess of good, We should forget the giver. Rise, Sebastiano, With thy happy choice; may'st thou live crown'd With the enjoyment of those benefits My prayers shall beg for [thee]: rise, Aurelia, And in some place, bless'd with religious prayers, Spend thy left remnant.[47]

AUR. You advise well: indeed, it was a fault To break the bonds of duty and of law; But love, O love! thou, whose all-conquering pow'r Builds castles on the hearts of easy maids, And makes 'em strong e'en to[48] attempt those dangers That, but rehears'd before, would fright their souls Into a jelly. Brother, I must leave you; And, father, when I send to you a note That shall desire a yearly stipend to That holy place my tired feet has found To rest them in, pray, confirm it.

And now, great king, Aurelia begs of you To grace Antonio in the mournful march Unto his grave, which be where you think fit: We need not be interr'd both in one vault.

KING. Bless'd virgin, thy desires I will perform.

AUR. Then I leave you; my prayers shall still attend you, As I hope yours shall accompany me.

Father, your blessing, and ere long expect To hear where I am entertain'd a nun.

Brother and sister, to you both adieu; Antonio dead, Aurelia marries new.

[_Exit._

PET. Farewell, [my] girl; when I remember thee, The beads I drop shall be my tears.

_Enter_ VERMIN _in a cloak for the prologue_.

KING. She's to all virgins a true mirror.

They that would behold true love, reflect on her: There 'tis engross'd.

3D TAI. Great king, our grace----

O. TAI. The king is sad, you must not act.

3D TAI. How? not act? Shall not Vermin act?

O. TAI. Yes, you shall act, but not now; the king is indispos'd.

3D TAI. Well, then, some other time, I, Vermin; the king will act before the king.

O. TAI. Very good; pray, make your _exit_.

3D TAI. I'll muster up all the tailors in the town, and so tickle their sides.

[_The_ KING _and_ GIOVANNO _whisper_.

O. TAI. Nay, thou'rt a right Vermin; go, be not troublesome.

[_Exit_ VERMIN.

GIO. Upon my truth and loyalty, great king, what they did was but feign'd, merely words without a heart: 'twas by Antonio's counsel.

KING. Thou art all truth: rise.

[_The Colonels kneel._

OMNES. Long live King Philip in the calm of peace to exercise his regal clemency!

KING. Take up Antonio's body, and let the rest Find Christian burial: mercy befits a king.

Come, trusty tailor, And to all countries let swift fame report King Philip made a tailor's house his court.

O. TAI. Your grace much honours me.

KING. We can't enough pay thy alone deserts; Kings may be poor when subjects are like thee, So fruitful in all loyal virtuous deeds: March with the body, we'll perform all rites Of sable ceremony: that done, We'll to our court, since all our own is won.

[_Exeunt._[49]

l.u.s.t'S DOMINION

OR

THE LASCIVIOUS QUEEN.

_EDITION._

_l.u.s.ts Dominion; or, The Lascivious Queen. A Tragedie. Written by Christofer Marloe, Gent. London, Printed for F. K., and are to be sold by Robert Pollard, at the sign of Ben Johnson's head, on the back-side of the Old-Exchange._ 1657. 12^{mo}.

DRAMATIS PERSON?.

ELEAZAR, _the Moor, Prince of Fez and Barbary_.

PHILIP, _King of Spain, father to Fernando, Philip, and Isabella_.

FERNANDO, _King of Spain_, } } _sons to Philip_.