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The burnt air, when the Dog reigns, is not fouler Than thy contagious name, 'till thy repentance (If the gods grant thee any) purge thy sickness. Evad. Be gone! You are my brother; that's your safety.

Mel. I'll be a wolf first! 'Tis, to be thy brother, An infamy below the sin of coward. I am as far from being part of thee,

As thou art from thy virtue: Seek a kindred 'Mongst sensual beasts, and make a goat thy brother;

A goat is cooler. Will you tell me yet?

Evad. If you stay here and rail thus, I shall tell you,

I'll have you whipped! get you to your command,
And there preach to your centinels, and tell them
What a brave man you are: I shall laugh at you.
Mel. You're grown a glorious whore! Where
be your fighters?

What mortal fool durst raise thee to this daring,
And I alive? By my just sword, he had safer
Bestrid a billow, when the angry north
Plows up the sea, or made heaven's fire his food!
Work me no higher. Will you discover yet?

Evad. The fellow's mad: Sleep, and speak sense.
Mel Force my swollen heart no further: I would

save thee.

Your great maintainers are not here, they dare not : 'Would they were all, and armed! I would speak loud;

Here's one should thunder to them! will you tell me?

Thou hast no hope to escape: He, that dares most,
And damns away his soul to do thee service,
Will sooner fetch meat from a hungry lion,
Than come to rescue thee; thou'st death about thee.
Who has undone thine honour, poisoned thy virtue,
And, of a lovely rose, left thee a canker?
Evad. Let me consider.

Mel. Do, whose child thou wert, Whose honour thou hast murdered, whose grave opened,

And so pulled on the gods, that in their justice
They must restore him flesh again, and life,
And raise his dry bones to revenge this scandal.
Evad. The gods are not of my mind; they had
better

Let them lie sweet still in the earth; they'll stink here.

Mel. Do you raise mirth out of my easiness? Forsake me, then, all weaknesses of nature, That make men women! Speak, harlot, speak truth!

Or, by the dear soul of thy sleeping father,
This sword shall be thy lover! Tell, or I'll kill thee;
And, when thou hast told all, thou wilt deserve it.
Evad. You will not murder me?

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Mel. Up, and begin your story.

Evad. Oh, I am miserable!

Mel. 'Tis true, thou art. Speak truth still.
Evad. I have offended:

Noble sir, forgive me.

Mel. With what secure slave?
Evad. Do not ask me, sir:
Mine own remembrance is a misery
Too mighty for me.

Mel. Do not fall back again.
My sword's unsheathed yet.

Evad. What shall I do?

Mel. Be true, and make your fault less.
Evad. I dare not tell.

Mel. Tell, or I'll be this day a-killing thee.
Evad. Will you forgive me then?

Mel. Stay; I must ask

Mine honour first.-I've too much foolish nature

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Are liberally rewarded. King, I thank thee! For all my dangers and my wounds, thou hast paid me

In my own metal: These are soldiers' thanks!
How long have you lived thus, Evadne?
Evad. Too long.

Mel. Too late you find it. Can you be sorry?
Evad. 'Would I were half as blameless!
Mel. Evadne, thou wilt to thy trade again!
Evad. First to my grave.

Mel. 'Would gods thou hadst been so blest! Dost thou not hate this king now? prithee hate him.

Couldst thou not curse him? I command thee, curse him.

Curse, till the gods hear, and deliver him
To thy just wishes! Yet, I fear, Evadne,
You had rather play your game out.

Evad. No; I feel

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Mel. An 'twere to kiss him dead, thou'dst
smother him.

Be wise, and kill him. Canst thou live, and know
What noble minds shall make thee, see thyself
Found out with every finger, made the shame
Of all successions, and in this great ruin
Thy brother and thy noble husband broken?
Thou shalt not live thus. Kneel, and swear to
help me,

When I shall call thee to it; or, by all

Holy in heaven and earth, thou shalt not live
To breathe a full hour longer; not a thought!
Come, 'tis a righteous oath. Give me thy hands,
And, both to heaven held up, swear, by that
wealth

This lustful thief stole from thee, when I say it,
To let his foul soul out.

Evad. Here I swear it;

And, all you spirits of abused ladies,
Help me in this performance!

That slight contrition, that's no sacrifice
For what I have committed.

Amin. Sure I dazzle:

There cannot be a faith in that foul woman,
That knows no god more mighty than her mis
chiefs.

Thou dost still worse, still number on thy faults,
To press my poor heart thus. Can I believe
There's any seed of virtne in that woman,
Left to shoot up, that dares go on in sin,
Known, and so known as thine is? Oh, Evadne!
'Would there were any safety in thy sex,
That I might put a thousand sorrows off,
And credit thy repentance! But I must not :
Thou hast brought me to that dull calamity,
To that strange misbelief of all the world,
And all things that are in it, that I fear
I shall fall like a tree, and find my grave,
Only remembering, that I grieve.

Evad. My lord,

Give me your griefs: You are an innocent, A soul as white as heaven; let not my sins Perish your noble youth. I do not fall here To shadow, by dissembling with my tears, (As, all say, women can) or to make less, What my hot will hath done, which heaven and you Know to be tougher than the hand of time Can cut from inan's remembrance. No, I do not: Mel. Enough. This must be known to none I do appear the same, the same Evadne, But you and I, Evadne; not to your lord, Drest in the shames I lived in; the same monster! Though he be wise and noble, and a fellow But these are names of honour, to what I am : Dares step as far into a worthy action I do present myself the foulest creature, As the most daring; ay, as far as justice. Most pois'nous, dang'rous, and despised of men, Ask me not why. Farewell. [Exit Mel. Lerna e're bred, or Nilus! I am hell, Evad. 'Would I could say so to my black dis-Till you, my dear lord, shoot your light into me, grace! The beams of your forgiveness. I am soul-sick, And wither with the fear of one condemned, 'Till I have got your pardon.

Oh, where have I been all this time? how 'friended,
That I should lose myself thus desperately,
And none for pity shew me how I wandered?
There is not in the compass of the light
A more unhappy creature: Sure, I am monstrous!
For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs,
Would dare a woman. Oh, my loaden soul,
Be not so cruel to me; choke not up

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Amin. Stand up.

This is a new way to beget more sorrow:
Heaven knows I have too many! Do not mock me:
Though I am tame, and bred up with my wrongs,
Which are my foster-brothers, I may leap,
Like a hand-wolf, into my natural wildness,
And do an outrage. Prithee, do not mock me.
Evad. My whole life is so leprous, it infects
All my repentance. I would buy your pardon,
Though at the highest set; even with my life.

Amin. Rise, Evadne.

Those heavenly powers, that put this good into thee,
Grant a continuance of it! I forgive thee:
Make thyself worthy of it; and take heed,
Take heed, Evadne, this be serious.
Mock not the powers above, that can and dare
Give thee a great example of their justice
To all ensuing eyes, if thou playest
With thy repentance, the best sacrifice.

Evad. I have done nothing good to win belief,
My life hath been so faithless. All the creatures,
Made for heaven's honours, have their ends, and

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Men pray against; and, when they die, like tales
Ill told and unbelieved, they pass away,
And go to dust forgotten! But, my lord,
Those short days I shall number to my rest
(As many must not see me) shall, though too late,
Though in my evening, yet perceive a will;
Since I can do no good, because a woman,
Reach constantly at something, that is near it :
I will redeem one minute of my age,

Or, like another Niobe, I'll weep

'Till I am water.

Amin. I am now dissolved:

My frozen soul melts. May each sin thou hast, Find a new mercy! Rise; I am at peace. Hadst thou been thus, thus excellently good, Before that devil king tempted thy frailty, Sure thou hadst made a star! Give me thy hand. From this time I will know thee; and, as far As honour gives me leave, be thy Amintor. When we meet next, I will salute thee fairly, And pray the gods to give thee happy days. My charity shall go along with thee, Though my embraces must be far from thee.

I should have killed thee, but this sweet repent

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Cal. Yes, myself.
King. No more,

I mean, there were that heard it.
Cal. How! no more?

Would you have more? why, am not I enough
To hang a thousand rogues?

King. But, so, you may

Hang honest men too, if you please.
Cal. I may!

'Tis like I will do so: There are a hundred
Will swear it for a need too, if I say it-
King. Such witnesses we need not.
Cal. And 'tis hard

If my word cannot hang a boisterous knave.
King. Enough. Where's Strato.

Stra. Sir!

Enter STRATO.

King. Why, where is all the company? Call

Amintor in;

Evadne. Where's my brother, and Melantius?
Bid him come too; and Diphilus. Call all,
[Exit Strato.

That are without there.-If he should desire
The combat of you, 'tis not in the power
Of all our laws to hinder it, unless
We mean to quit them.

Cal. Why, if you do think
"Tis fit an old man, and a counsellor,
Do fight for what he says, then you may grant it.
Enter AMINTOR, EVADNE, MELANTIUS, DI-
PHILUS, LYSIPPUS, CLEON, STRATO.

King. Come, sirs! Amintor, thou art yet a bridegroom,

And I will use thee so: Thou shalt sit down.
Evadne, sit; and you, Amintor, too:
This banquet is for you, sir. Who has brought
A merry tale about him, to raise laughter
Amongst our wine? Why, Strato, where art
thou?

Thou wilt chop out with them unseasonably,
When I desire them not.

Stra. 'Tis my ill luck, sir, so to spend them then.

King, Reach me a bowl of wine. Melantius, thou

Art sad.

Mel. I should be, sir, the merriest here,
But I have ne'er a story of my own
Worth telling at this time.

King. Give me the wine.
Melantius, I am now considering
How easy 'twere, for any man we trust,
To poison one of us in such a bowl.

Mel. I think it were not hard, sir, for a knave.
Cal. Such as you are.

King. I'faith, 'twere easy: It becomes us well. To get plain-dealing men about ourselves;

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Mel. And what's your resolution?

Cal. Why, this is very fine.

Mel. I cannot tell

What 'tis you mean; but I am apt enough
Rudely to thrust into an ignorant fault.

Cal. You shall have it, soundly, I warrant you. But let me know it: Happily, 'tis nought

King. Reach to Amintor, Strato.

Amin. Here, my love,

This wine will do thee wrong, for it will set
Blushes upon thy cheeks; and, 'till thou dost

A fault, 'twere pity.

King. Yet, I wonder much

At the strange desperation of these men,

That dare attempt such acts here in our state:
He could not 'scape, that did it.

Mel. Were he known,

Impossible.

King. It would be known, Melantius.

Mel. It ought to be: If he got then away,
He must wear all our lives upon his sword.
He need not fly the island; he must leave
No one alive.

King. No; I should think no man
Could kill me, and 'scape clear, but that old man.
Cal. But I heaven bless me! I! should I,
my liege?

King. I do not think thou would'st; but yet
thou might'st;

For thou hast in thy hands the means to escape,
By keeping of the fort. He has, Melantius,
And he has kept it well.

Mel. From cobwebs, sir,

'Tis clean swept: I can find no other art
In keeping of it now: 'Twas ne'er besieged,
Since he commanded it.

Cal. I shall be sure

Of your good word: But I have kept it safe
From such as you.

Mel. Keep your ill temper in:

I speak no malice. Had my brother kept it,
I should have said as much.

King. You are not merry.

Brother, drink wine. Sit you all still!-Calianax,
I cannot trust this: I have thrown out words,
That would have fetched warm blood upon the
cheeks

Of guilty men, and he is never moved:
He knows no such thing.

Cal. Impudence may 'scape,

When feeble virtue is accused.

King. He must,

If he were guilty, feel an alteration

[Apart.

At this our whisper, whilst we point at him:
You see he does not.

Cal. Let him hang himself:

What care I what he does? This he did say.

King. Melantius, you can easily conceive
What I have meant; for men, that are in fault,
Can subtly apprehend, when others aim
At what they do amiss: But I forgive
Freely, before this man. Heaven do so too!

But misconstruction; and, where I am clear,
I will not take forgiveness of the gods,
Much less of you.

King. Nay, if you stand so stiff,

I shall call back my mercy.

Mel. I want smoothness

To thank a man for pardoning of a crime,
I never knew.

King. Not to instruct your knowledge, but to
shew you

My ears are every where, you meant to kill me,
And get the fort to escape.

Mel. Pardon me, sir;

My bluntness will be pardoned: You preserve
A race of idle people here about you,
Facers and talkers, to defame the worth
Of those, that do things worthy. The man, that
uttered this,

Had perished without food, be it who it will,
But for this arm, that fenced him from the foe.
And, if I thought you gave a faith to this,
The plainness of my nature would speak more.
Give me a pardon (for you ought to do it)
To kill him, that spake this.

Cal. Ay, that will be

The end of all: Then I am fairly paid
For all my care and service.

Mel. That old man,

Who calls me enemy, and of whom I
(Though I will never match my hate so low)
Have no good thought, would yet, I think, ex-

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Frantic with age and sorrow, make a breach
Betwixt your majesty and me? Twas wrong
To hearken to him; but to credit him,
As much, at least, as I have power to bear.
But pardon me whilst I speak only truth,
I may commend myself-I have bestowed
My careless blood with you, and should be loth
To think an action, that would make me lose
That, and my thanks too. When I was a boy,
I thrust myself into my country's cause,
And did a deed, that plucked five years from time,
And styled me man then. And for you, my king,
Your subjects all have fed by virtue of

My arm. This sword of mine hath plowed the ground,

And reaped the fruit in peace;

And you yourself have lived at home in ease.
So terrible I grew, that, without swords,

My name hath fetched you conquest: And my

heart

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masque,

Diagoras knows, he raged, and railed at me,
And called a lady whore, so innocent,
She understood him not. But it becomes
Both you and me too to forgive distraction :
Pardon him, as I do.

Cal. I'll not speak for thee,

For all thy cunning. If you will be safe,
Chop off his head; for there was never known
So inpudent a rascal.

King. Some, that love him,

Get him to bed. Why, pity should not let
Age make itself contemptible; we must be
All old; have him away.

Mel. Calianax, The king believes you; come, you shall go home, And rest; you have done well.-You'll give it up, When I have used you thus a month, I hope.

[Apart.

Cal. Now, now, 'tis plain, sir; he does move me still.

He says, he knows I'll give him up the fort, When he has used me thus a month. I am mad, Am I not, still ?

Omnes. Ha, ha, ha!

Cal. I shall be mad indeed, if you do thus! Why should you trust a sturdy fellow there (That has no virtue in him; all's in his sword) Before me? Do but take his weapons from him, And he's an ass; and I'm a very fool, Both with him, and without him, as you use me. Omnes. Ha, ha, ha!

King. 'Tis well, Calianax. But if you use This once again, I shall entreat some other To see your offices be well discharged. Be merry, gentlemen; it grows somewhat late. Amintor, thou wouldst be a-bed again,

Amin. Yes, sir.

King. And you, Evadne. Let me take Thee in my arms, Melantius, and believe Thou art, as thou deservest to be, my friend Still, and for ever. Good Calianax,

Sleep soundly; it will bring thee to thyself. [Exeunt.

Manent MELANTIUS and CALIANAX. Cal. Sleep soundly! I sleep soundly now, I hope; I could not be thus else. How dar'st thou stay Alone with me, knowing how thou hast used me? Mel. You cannot blast me with your tongue, and that's

The strongest part you have about you.

Cal. Ay,

Do look for some great punishment for this:
For I begin to forget all my hate,
And take it unkindly, that mine enemy
Should use me so extraordinarily scurvily.
Mel. I shall melt too, if you begin to take
Unkindnesses: I never meant you hurt.

Cal. Thou'lt anger me again. Thou wretched

rogue,

Meant me no hurt! Disgrace me with the king;
Lose all my offices ! This is no hurt,
Is it ? I prithee, what dost thou call hurt ?

Mel. To poison men, because they love me not;
To call the credit of men's wives in question;
To murder children betwixt me and land;
This is all hurt.

Cal. All this thou think'st, is sport; For mine is worse: But use thy will with me; For, betwixt grief and anger, I could cry.

Mel. Be wise then, and be safe; thou may'st

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