268

I may swear I am truly honest; for I pay justly
for what I take, and would be glad to be at a
certainty.

Arb. Why, do the wenches encroach upon
thee?

Mar. Ay, by this light, do they.

Arb. Didst thou sit at an old rent with 'em?
Mar. Yes, 'faith.

Arb. And do they improve themselves?
Mar. Ay, ten shillings to me, every new
young fellow they come acquainted with.
Arb. How canst live on't?

Mar. Why, I think, I must petition to you.
Arb. Thou shalt take 'm up at my price.

Enter two Gentlemen and BESSUS.

Mar. Your price?

Arb. Ay, at the king's price.

Mar. That may be more than I'm worth.
2 Gent. Is he not merry now?

1 Gent. I think not.
Bes. He is, he is.

We'll show ourselves.

Arb. Bessus! I thought you had been in Iberia
by this; I bade you haste.
entertainment for me.
Gobrias will want

Bes. An't please your majesty, I have a suit.
Arb. Is't not lousy, Bessus? what is't?
Bes. I am to carry a lady with me.
Arb. Then thou hast two suits.

Bes. And if I can prefer her to the lady Panthea, your majesty's sister, to learn fashions, as her friends term it, it will be worth something

to me.

Arb. So many nights' lodgings as 'tis thither; will❜t not?

Bes. I know not that, sir; but gold I shall be

sure of.

Arb. Why, thou shalt bid her entertain her from me, so thou wilt resolve me one thing. Bes. If I can.

Arb. 'Faith, 'tis a very disputable question; and yet, I think, thou canst decide it. Bes. Your majesty has a good opinion of my understanding.

Arb. I have so good an opinion of it; 'tis whether thou be valiant.

Bes. Somebody has traduced me to you. Do you see this sword, sir? Arb. Yes. [Draws.

Bes. If I do not make my backbiters eat it to a knife within this week, say I am not valiant.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Health to your majesty!

Mar. This is strange !-Sir, how do you?
Arb. Mardonius! my mother-

Mar. Is she dead?

Arb. Alas! she's not so happy. Thou dost
know

How she hath labour'd, since my father died,
To take by treason hence this loathed life,
That would but be to serve her. I have pardon'd,
And pardon'd, and by that have made her fit
To practise new sins, not repent the old.
She now had hired a slave to come from thence,
And strike me here; whom Gobrias, sifting out,
Took, and condemn'd, and executed there.
The careful'st servant! Heaven, let me but live
To pay that man! Nature is poor to me,
That will not let me have as many deaths
As are the times that he hath saved my life,
That I might die 'em over all for him.

Mar. Sir, let her bear her sins on her own
head;

Vex not yourself.

Conceive of me? with what unnatural sins
Arb. What will the world
Will they suppose me laden, when my life
Is sought by her that gave it to the world?
But yet he writes me comfort here. My sister,
He says, is grown in beauty and in grace;
In all the innocent virtues that become
With mourning tears, to purge her mother's ill;
A tender, spotless maid. She stains her cheeks
Her pure oblations, for my safe return.—
And 'mongst that sacred dew she mingles prayers
If any pomp or vanity of state
If I have lost the duty of a son;
Nay, further, if I have not every night
Made me forget my natural offices;
If aught unto my parent they have err'd,
Expostulated with my wand'ring thoughts,
And call'd 'em back; do you direct her arm
Unto this foul dissembling heart of mine.
But if I have been just to her, send out
Your power to compass me, and hold me safe
From searching treason; I will use no means
From mine own veins issue a deadly flood,
But prayer. For, rather suffer me to see
Than wash my dangers off with mother's blood.
Mar. I ne'er saw such sudden extremities.

[Exeunt.

[Delivers a letter.

Arb. How does he? is he well?

Mes. In perfect health.

Arb. Take that for thy good news.

[Gives money.

A trustier servant to his prince there lives not,

Mar. His blood goes back as fast.

Than is good Gobrias.

1 Gent. The king starts back.

2 Gent. And now it comes again.

Mar. He alters strangely.

[Reads.

Be it far

Arb. The hand of Heaven is on me.
From me to struggle! If my secret sins
Have pull'd this curse upon me, lend me tears
Enow to wash me white, that I may feel
A child-like innocence within
Which, once perform'd, oh! give me leave to
my breast;
stand

As fix'd as constancy herself; my eyes
Set here unmoved, regardless of the world,
Though thousand miseries encompass me!

ACT I.-SCENE II.

Another part of the same.

Enter TIGRANES and SPACONIA.

Tigr. Why, wilt thou have me fly, Spaconia ?
What should I do?

Spa. Nay, let me stay alone;

And when you see Armenia again,

You shall behold a tomb more worth than I.
Some friend, that either loves me or my cause,
Will build me something to distinguish me
From other women; many a weeping verse
He will lay on, and much lament those maids
That place their loves unfortunately high,
As I have done, where they can never reach.
But why should you go to Iberia ?

Tigr. Alas, that thou wilt ask me! Ask the

man

That rages in a fever, why he lies

Distemper'd there, when all the other youths
Are coursing o'er the meadows with their loves?
Can I resist it? am I not a slave
To him that conquer'd me?

1 you-i.e. you gods.

Spa. That conquer'd thee,

Tigranes! He has won but half of thee,
Thy body; but thy mind may be as free
As his. His will did never combat thine,
And take it prisoner.

Tigr. But if he by force

Convey my body hence, what helps it me,
Or thee, to be unwilling?

Spa. Oh, Tigranes!

I know you are to see a lady there;

To see and like, I fear. Perhaps the hope
Of her makes you forget me, ere we part.
Be happier than you know to wish! farewell!
Tigr. Spaconia, stay, and hear me what I say.
In short, destruction meet me, that I may
See it, and not avoid it, when I leave
To be thy faithful lover! Part with me
Thou shalt not; there are none that know our
love;

And I have given gold unto a captain,
That goes unto Iberia from the king,
That he would place a lady of our land
With the king's sister that is offered me.
Thither shall you, and, being once got in,
Persuade her, by what subtle means you can,
To be as backward in her love as I.

Spa. Can you imagine that a longing maid,
When she beholds you, can be pull'd away
With words from loving you?

Tigr. Dispraise my health,

My honesty, and tell her I am jealous. Spa. Why, I had rather lose you. heart

Can my

Consent to let my tongue throw out such words?
And I, that ever yet spoke what I thought,
Shall find it such a thing at first to lie!
Tigr. Yet, do thy best.

Enter BESSUS.

Bes. What, is your majesty ready?
Tigr. There is the lady, captain.

Bes. Sweet lady, by your leave. I could wish myself more full of courtship' for your fair sake. Spa. Sir, I shall feel no want of that.

Bes. Lady, you must haste; I have received new letters from the king, that require more haste than I expected. He will follow me suddenly himself; and begins to call for your majesty already.

Tigr. He shall not do so long.

Bes. Sweet lady, shall I call you my charge hereafter?

Spa. I will not take upon me to govern your tongue, sir; you shall call me what you please.

ACT II.-SCENE I.

[Exeunt.

Gob. So do I, my lord.

I sorrow for her, that so little grace

Doth govern her, that she should stretch her arm
Against her king; so little womanhood

And natural goodness, as to think the death
Of her own son.

Ara. Thou know'st the reason why,
Dissembling as thou art, and wilt not speak.
Gob. There is a lady takes not after you;
Her father is within her; that good man,
Whose tears paid down his sins. Mark how she

weeps ;

How well it does become her! And if you
Can find no disposition in yourself
To sorrow, yet, by gracefulness in her,
Find out the way, and by your reason weep.
All this she does for you, and more she needs,
When for yourself you will not lose a tear.
Think how this want of grief discredits you,
And you will weep, because you cannot weep.

Ara. You talk to me, as having got a time
Fit for your purpose; but you know, I know
You speak not what you think.

Pan. I would my heart

Were stone, before my softness should be urged
more troubled thought
Against my mother!
Should I excuse

No virgin bears about her.
My mother's fault, I should set light a life,
In losing which a brother and a king
If I seek to save
Were taken from me.

That life so loved, I lose another life,

That gave me being; I should lose a mother;
A word of such a sound in a child's ear,
That it strikes reverence through it. May the
will

Of Heaven be done, and if one needs must fall,
Take a poor virgin's life to answer all!
Ara. But, Gobrias, let us talk.

this fault

Is not in me as in another woman.

Gob. I know it is not.
Ara. Yet you make it so.

You know

[They walk apart.

Gob. Why, is not all that's past beyond your help?

Ara. I know it is.

Gob. Nay, should you publish it

Ara. I know it would not.
Before the world, think you 'twould be believed?

Gob. Nay, should I join with you,
Should we not both be torn,3 and yet both die
Uncredited?

Ara. I think we should.
Gob. Why, then,

Take you such violent courses? As for me,
I do but right in saving of the king
From all your plots.

Ara. The king!

Gob. I bade you rest

With patience, and a time would come for me
To reconcile all to your own content:
But, by this way, you take away my power.
And what was done, unknown, was not by me,
But you; your urging. Being done,

I must preserve mine own; but time may bring
All this to light, and happily for all.

Ara. Accursed be this over-curious brain,
That gave that plot a birth! Accurs'd this womb,
That after did conceive, to my disgrace!

Bac. My lord-protector, they say there are

1 think-intend.

2 paid down his sins-i.e. paid the forfeit of his sins, were sufficient to balance them.-WEBER.

3 torn-i.e. torn to death, racked.

4 mine own-i.e. Arbaces.

divers letters come from Armenia, that Bessus
has done good service, and brought again a day
by his particular valour. Received you any to
that effect?

Gob. Yes; 'tis most certain.

Bac. I am sorry for't; not that the day was won, but that 'twas won by him. We held him here a coward. He did me wrong once, at which I laughed, and so did all the world; for nor I, nor any other, held him worth my sword.

Enter BESSUS and SPACONIA.

Bes. Health to my lord-protector! From the king these letters; and to your grace, madam, these.

Gob. How does his majesty?

Bes. As well as conquest, by his own means and his valiant commanders, can make him. Your letters will tell you all.

Pan. I will not open mine, till I do know
My brother's health. Good captain, is he well?
Bes. As the rest of us that fought are.
Pan. But how's that? is he hurt?

Bes. He's a strange soldier that gets not a knock.

Pan. I do not ask how strange that soldier is That gets no hurt, but whether he have one. Bes. He had divers.

Pan. And is he well again?

Bes. Well again, an't please your grace? Why, I was run twice through the body, and shot i' th' head with a cross arrow, well again. and yet am

Pan. I do not care how thou do'st: is he well? Bes. Not care how I do? Let a man, out of the mightiness of his spirit, fructify foreign countries with his blood, for the good of his own, and thus he shall be answered. may live to relieve, with spear and shield, such Why, I a lady as you distressed.

Pan. Why, I will care; I'm glad that thou art I pr'ythee is he so?

[well;

Gob. The king is well, and will be here to

morrow.

Pan. My prayer is heard. Now will I open [Reads.

mine.

Gob. Bacurius, I must ease you of your charge.-
Madam, the wonted mercy of the king,

That overtakes your faults, has met with this,
And struck it out; he has forgiven you freely.
Your own will is your law; be where you please.
Ara. I thank him.

Gob. You will be ready

To wait upon his majesty to-morrow?
Ara. I will.

Bac. Madam, be wise hereafter. I am glad
I have lost this office.

[Exit ARANE.

Gob. Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse1
Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how
We got the victory.

Pan. I pr'ythee do;

And if my brother were in any danger,

Let not thy tale make him abide there long,
Before thou bring him off; for all that while
My heart will beat.

Bes. Madam, let what will beat, I must tell
truth, and thus it was: they fought single in
lists, but one to one. As for my own part, I was
dangerously hurt but three days before; else,
perhaps, we had been two to two;
some thought we had. And the occasion of my
cannot tell,
hurt was this: the enemy had made trenches-

1 discourse was formerly used with great latitude. Weber says it here means transaction; but Dyce thinks it is equal to story, full particulars of what took place.

Be much material to this business,
Gob. Captain, without the manner of your hurt,
We'll hear't some other time.

Pan. I pr'ythee, leave it, and go on with my
brother.

Bes. I will; but 'twould be worth your hearing. gauntlet was their fight. To the lists they came, and single sword and

Pan. Alas!

Bes. Without the lists there stood some dozen captains of either side mingled, all which were chance to stand next a captain of the enemies' sworn, and one of those was I: and 'twas my side, call'd Tiribasus; valiant, they said, he was. Whilst these two kings were stretching themselves, this Tiribasus cast something a scornful look on me, and ask'd me, whom I thought would overcome? I smiled, and told him, if he would fight with me, he should perceive by the event of swer'd, and a scuffle was like to grow, when one that whose king would win. Something he anZipetus offered to help him: I—

Pan. All this is of thyself; I pr'ythee, Bessus, Tell something of my brother; did he nothing?

Bes. Why, yes; I'll tell your grace. They were not to fight till the word given; which, for my own part, by my troth, I confess, I was not to give.

Pan. See, for his own part!

Bac. I fear, yet, this fellow's abused with a

good report.

Bes. Ay, but I

Pan. Still of himself!

of them say, Tigranes was stooping: but the
Bes. Cried, Give the word;' when, as some
word was not given then; yet one Cosroes, of
the enemies' part, held up his finger to me, which
is as much with us martialists, as, 'I will fight
with you.' I said not a word, nor made sign
during the combat; but that once done-
Pan. He slips over all the fight.

Bes. I call'd him to me: 'Cosroes,' said I-
Pan. I will hear no more.

Bes. No, no, I lie.

Bac. I dare be sworn thou dost.
Bes. 'Captain,' said I; so 'twas.

Pan. I tell thee, I will hear no further.
Bes. No? Your grace will wish you had.
Pan. I will not wish it. What, is this the lady
My brother writes to me to take?

Bes. An't please your grace, this is she.-
Charge, will you come nearer the princess?

Pan. You are welcome from your country;
and this land

Shall show unto you all the kindnesses
That I can make it. What's your name?

Spa. Thalestris.

Fan. You're very welcome. You have got a

letter

To put you to me, that has power enough
To place mine enemy here; then much more you,
That are so far from being so to me,

That you ne'er saw me.

Bes. Madam, I dare pass my word for her truth.
Spa. My truth?

Pan. Why, captain, do you think I am afraid

she'll steal.

Bes. I cannot tell; servants are slippery; but I dare give my word for her, and for her honesty. She came along with me, and many favours she did me by the way; but, by this light, none but what she might do with modesty, to a man of my rank.

Pan. Why, captain, here's nobody thinks other

wise.

Bes. Nay, if you should, your grace may think your pleasure; but I am sure I brought her from