Philaster Part 21

[He offers to stab himself_.]

_King_. Stay him.

_Are_. What is discovered?

_Di_. Why my shame, it is a woman, let her speak the rest.

_Phi_. How! that again.

_Di_. It is a woman.

_Phi_. Blest be you powers that favour innocence.

_King_. Lay hold upon that Lady.

_Phi_. It is a woman Sir, hark Gentlemen!

It is a woman. _Arethusa_ take My soul into thy breast, that would be gone With joy: it is a woman, thou art fair,

And vertuous still to ages, in despight of malice.

_King_. Speak you, where lies his shame?

_Bell_. I am his Daughter.

_Phi_. The G.o.ds are just.

_Di_. I dare accuse none, but before you two The vertue of our age, I bend my knee For mercy.

_Phi_. Take it freely; for I know, Though what thou didst were undiscreetly done, 'Twas meant well.

_Are_. And for me, I have a power to pardon sins as oft As any man has power to wrong me.

_Cle_. n.o.ble and worthy.

_Phi_. But _Bellario_, (For I must call thee still so) tell me why Thou didst conceal thy s.e.x, it was a fault, A fault _Bellario_, though thy other deeds Of truth outweigh'd it: All these Jealousies Had flown to nothing, if thou hadst discovered, What now we know.

_Bell_. My Father would oft speak Your worth and vertue, and as I did grow More and more apprehensive, I did thirst To see the man so rais'd, but yet all this Was but a Maiden longing to be lost As soon as found, till sitting in my window, Printing my thoughts in Lawne, I saw a G.o.d I thought (but it was you) enter our Gates, My bloud flew out, and back again as fast As I had puft it forth, and suck't it in Like breath, then was I call'd away in hast To entertain you. Never was a man Heav'd from a Sheep-coat to a Scepter rais'd So high in thoughts as I, you left a kiss Upon these lips then, which I mean to keep From you for ever, I did hear you talk Far above singing; after you were gone, I grew acquainted with my heart, and search'd What stir'd it so, Alas I found it love, Yet far from l.u.s.t, for could I have but liv'd In presence of you, I had had my end, For this I did delude my n.o.ble Father With a feign'd Pilgrimage, and drest my self In habit of a boy, and, for I knew My birth no match for you, I was past hope Of having you. And understanding well That when I made discovery of my s.e.x, I could not stay with you, I made a vow By all the most religious things a Maid Could call together, never to be known, Whilst there was hope to hide me from mens eyes, For other than I seem'd; that I might ever Abide with you, then sate I by the Fount Where first you took me up.

_King_. Search out a match Within our Kingdom where and when thou wilt, And I will pay thy Dowry, and thy self Wilt well deserve him.

_Bell_. Never Sir will I Marry, it is a thing within my vow, But if I may have leave to serve the Princess, To see the vertues of her Lord and her, I shall have hope to live.

_Are_. I _Philaster_, Cannot be jealous, though you had a Lady Drest like a Page to serve you, nor will I Suspect her living here: come live with me, Live free, as I do, she that loves my Lord, Curst be the wife that hates her.

_Phi_. I grieve such vertues should be laid in earth Without an Heir; hear me my Royal Father, Wrong not the freedom of our souls so much, To think to take revenge of that base woman, Her malice cannot hurt us: set her free As she was born, saving from shame and sin.

_King_. Set her at liberty, but leave the Court, This is no place for such: you _Pharamond_ Shall have free pa.s.sage, and a conduct home Worthy so great a Prince, when you come there, Remember 'twas your faults that lost you her, And not my purpos'd will.

_Pha_. I do confess, Renowned Sir.

_King_. Last joyn your hands in one, enjoy _Philaster_ This Kingdom which is yours, and after me What ever I call mine, my blessing on you, All happy hours be at your Marriage joyes, That you may grow your selves over all Lands, And live to see your plenteous branches spring Where ever there is Sun. Let Princes learn By this to rule the pa.s.sions of their blood, For what Heaven wills, can never be withstood.

[_Exeunt Omnes_.

PHILASTER.

(A) Phylaster. Or, Love lyes a Bleeding. Acted at the Globe by his Majesties Servants. Written by Francis Baymont and John Fletcher. Gent. Printed at London for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his shop at the Eagle and Child, in Brittaines Bursse.

1620.

This edition contains, on the t.i.tle-page, a wood-cut representing 'The Princes' (The Princess) and 'A c.u.n.trie Gentellman' seated on the ground, and 'Phielaster' leaving them. See the scene in Act IV (_ante_, p. 125).

(B) Philaster. Or, Love lies a Bleeding. As it hath beene diverse times Acted, at the Globe, and Blacke-Friers, by his Majesties Servants. Written by Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher. Gent. The second Impression, corrected, and amended. London, Printed for Thomas Walkley, and are to be solde at his shoppe, at the signe of the Eagle and Childe, in Brittaines Bursse. 1622.

(C) Philaster, or Love lies a Bleeding. Acted at the Globe, and Blackfriers. By his Majesties Servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher. Gentlemen. The third Impression. London, Printed by A.M. for Richard Hawkins, and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-lane, adjoyning to Sarjeants Inne gate. 1628.

(D) Philaster, or Love lies a Bleeding. Acted at the Globe, and Blackfriers. By his Majesties Servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher. Gentlemen. The fourth Impression. London, Printed by W.J. for Richard Hawkins, and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-lane, adjoyning to Sarjeants Inne gate. 1634.

(E) Philaster or Love lies a Bleeding. Acted at the Globe, and Blackfriers. By his Majesties Servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher. Gent. The fourth Impression. London, Printed by E. Griffin for William Leak, and are to be sold at his shop in Chancerie Lane neere the Rowles. 1639.

(F) Philaster: or, Love lies a bleeding. Acted at the Globe, and Blackfriers, By his Majesties Servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher, Gent. The fifth Impression. London: Printed for William Leake, and are to be sold at his shop at the Sign of the Crown in Fleetstreet, between the two Temple Gates. 1652.

This edition contains on the t.i.tle-page a small device of fleurs-de-lis.

(G) Philaster or, Love lies a bleeding. Acted at the Globe, and Black-friers, By his Majesties Servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher, Gent. The fifth Impression. London: Printed for William Leake, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Crown in Fleet street, between the two Temple Gates. 1652.

On the back of the t.i.tle-page (which contains the device of a crown) is a list of books printed or sold by William Leake. (H) Philaster or, Love lies a Bleeding: Acted at the Globe, and Blackfriers, By his Majesties servants. The Authors being Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher, Gent. The sixth Impression. London, Printed for William Leake, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Crown in Fleet street, between the two Temple Gates.

This edition, conjecturally dated 1660 in the British Museum Catalogue, contains, on the back of the t.i.tle-page and at the foot of the list of persons represented, lists of books printed or sold by William Leake at the Crown in Fleet Street.

A The first few pages and the last few pages of the play as printed in A vary so completely from the other texts that it has been necessary to print them separately. See _post_, pp. 401--3, 413--17.

B contains the following Address to the Reader:

_'To the Reader_.

'Courteous Reader. _Philaster_, and _Anthusa_ his love, have laine so long a bleeding, by reason of some dangerous and gaping wounds, which they received in the first Impression, that it is wondered how they could goe abroad so long, or travaile so farre as they have done. Although they were hurt neither by me, nor the Printer; yet I knowing and finding by experience, how many well-wishers they have abroad, have adventured to bind up their wounds, & to enable them to visite upon better tearmes, such friends of theirs, as were pleased to take knowledge of them, so mained [? maimed] and deformed, as they at the first were; and if they were then gracious in your sight, a.s.suredly they will now finde double favour, being reformed, and set forth suteable, to their birth, and breeding.

_By your serviceable Friend_,

Thomas Walkley.'

C prefixes to the play the following Address repeated with variations of spelling in the five later quartos:

'The Stationer, To the Understanding Gentrie.

'This play so affectionatly taken, and approoved by the Seeing Auditors, or Hearing Spectators, (of which sort, I take, or conceive you to bee the greatest part) hath received (as appeares by the copious vent of two [D and E three; F, G and H four] Editions,) no lesse acceptance with improovement of you likewise the Readers, albeit the first Impression swarm'd with Errors, prooving it selfe like pure Gold, which the more it hath beene tried and refined, the better is esteemed; the best Poems of this kind, in the first presentation, resemble [D--H resembling] that all tempting Minerall newly digged up, the Actors being onely the labouring Miners, but you the skilfull Triers and Refiners: Now considering [D--H consider] how currant this hath pa.s.sed, under the infallible stampe of your judicious censure, and applause, and (like a gainefull Office in this Age) eagerly sought for, not onely by those that have heard & seene it, [F--H _omit_ heard and] but by others that have meerely heard thereof: here you behold me acting the Merchant-adventurers part, yet as well for their satisfaction, as mine owne benefit, and if my hopes (which I hope, shall never lye like this LOVE A BLEEDING,) doe fairely arrive at their intended Haven, I shall then be ready to lade a new Bottome, and [D--H _omit_ and] set foorth againe, to game the good-will both of you and them.

To whom respectively I convey this hearty greeting: ADIEU.'