THE
QUEEN
AND
CONCUBINE
A
COMEDIE
BY
RICHARD BROME.
Aſperius nihil eſt Humili cum ſurgit in Altum.
—ſi vis vincere, diſce pati.
LONDON:
Printed for A. Crook, and Hen. Brome, at the
Gun in Ivy Lane. 1659.
[A]
[Av]
Drammatis Perſonæ
[Link]
| Gonzago. King of Sicilie. | |
| Gonzago. His Son the Prince. | |
| Horatio. An old humorous Courtier. | |
| Lodovico. Eulalia’s faithful Counſellor. | |
| Flavello. alias Alphonſo, Alinda’s Sycophant. | |
| Four Lords, two Biſhops. | |
[Link]
Sforza.
Petruccio. | } | Two Rivall Generals. |
[Link]
| Two other Captains and Souldiers. | |
[Link]
Strozzo.
Fabio. | } | Two caſhier’d Lieutenants. |
[Link]
A Doctor.
A Midwife. | } | Suborned falſe witneſſes againſt Eula-
lia. |
[Link]
| Pedro. A Gentleman of Palermo. | |
[Link]
Poggio.
Lollio. | } | Two chief Inhabitants of Palermo. |
[Link]
| Three or four Countrey-men of Palermo. | |
[Link]
Curat.
Cryer.
Guard. | } | Of Palermo. |
| |
[Link]
[Link]
Jago.
Rugio. | } | Two other her Servants. |
[Link]
| Jaylor. | Women. |
| Kings Guard | Eulalia, The Baniſh’d Queen. |
| Petruccio’s ſervant. | Alinda,the veil’d Concubine. |
| Genius of Eulalia. | Three or four Girls. |
The Scœne Sicilie
[A2]The
The firſt Song,for pag. 88.
[Link] VVHat if a Day, or a moneth, or a year
With a thouſand wiſh’d contentings?
May not the chance of a Night or an Hour
With as many ſad Tormentings?
Fortune, Honour, Beautie, Birth,
Wanton Pleaſures, doating Mirth,
The ſecond Song,for pag. III.
HOw bleſs’d are they that waſt their wearied
In ſolemn Groves, and ſolitarie Bowers,
Where neither eye nor Ear
And falſe Delights of frolique earth:
Where they may ſit and pant,
And breath their purſy Souls;
Where neither grief conſumes, nor griping want
Afflicts; nor ſullen care controuls.
Away falſe Joys, ye Murther where ye kiſſe.
There is no Heaven to that, no Life to this.
[A2v]ACT.
ACT. I. Scœn. I.
Enter Horatio, Lodovico.
Hor.THe clouds of Doubts and Fears are now
And Joy, like the reſplendent ſun, ſpreads
New life and ſpirit over all this Kingdom,
That lately gaſp’d with ſorrow.
Puts on her rich Attire, and like freſh
Flora,
After the blaſts of winter, ſpreads her Mantle,
Deck’d with delightful Colours, to receive
The jocund Spring, that brings her this new life.
Scœn. II.
Enter Flavello bare before the Prince, the Queen
Eulalia, Alinda, Attendants, Hoboys,
Hor.The Queen comes on, Joy in that face ap-
That lately was overwhelmed in her tears,
Eul.Thanks my good Lords, I am prepar’d to
Hor.At hand, my Soveraign.
Eul.Welcome that happy word that leads the way,
BBut
The Q U E E N
But yet he is not come, he is not here:
Never ſo ſweet an expectation
Appear’d ſo tedious: pray ſet on apace,
That I may live yet to an interview
With my lov’d honour’d Lord.
May ſeem leſs grievous, hear this by the way,
A brief relation of the Kings ſucceſs
In this his late well-won Battail.
But mention not his dangers, good my Lord.
Hor.That were to make his Conqueſt nothing
It would make Victory upon his head,
As ſhe had flown into his Burgonet,
To ſhrowd her from a ſtorm, and not to ſit
Or rather ſtand triumphant on a foot,
With diſplay’d wings upon the utmoſt Sprigg
Of his high ſtouriſhing Plume, vaunting her ſafety
So perch’d and ſo ſupported by his Valour.
Prin.Pray Mother hear the dangers too; the worſt
Will make the beſt the ſweeter: I could hear
Of dangers yet to come; and Women may
Diſcourſe of Perils paſt each Holy-day.
Hor.Well ſaid, young Prince, right of the Kings
And gracious Madam, let me tell you, though
You do not love to hear of blood and danger,
Y’ have brought a Warrior forth, I do foreſee’t:
I love to ſpeak my thoughts, I hope you truſt me,
A right old Courtier I, ſtill true to th’ Crown.
Prin.How this old fellow talkes! you ſaid, my Lord,
You would diſcourſe the Battail.
I was i’th’ way: but the Queen put me out on’t.
Eul.Well, well my Lord, deliver’t your own way.
Hor.Then, humph, humh, humh, in my own way.
But by the way, no way to derogate
[B1v]From
and C O N C U B I N E.
From the Kings matchleſs reſolution.
A word or two of the beſt Soldier
In all the world, (under the King I mean,
I know my limits) that’s our brave General,
Lord
Sforza, Madam, your ſtout Country-man,
Though our Kings Subject now; that bore him ſo
At the great marriage-Triumph in Tourneament,
Tumbling down Peers and Princes, that e’er ſince,
He’s cal’d your Champion, and the Queens old Soul-
Eul.But what of him now in the battail?
Hor.Marry but this, That as we have a King,
And as the King brings victory, nay life,
Home to his Queen, his Country and our comforts,
Next under Heaven we are to give the praiſe
To this old Souldier, to this man, the man
Indeed, another man is not to be
(Except the King) nam’d in this Victory.
Eul.You ſeem my Lord to honour
Sforza yet
Hor.Excuſe me gracious Madam,
I know my limits: what? before the King?
I am an old Courtier I, ſtill true to th’ Crown,
But thus it is declar’d, that in the battail,
When in the heat of fight the mingled bloods
Of either Army reek’d up to the Sun,
Dimming its glorious light with gory vapour,
When ſlaughter had rang’d round about the field,
Searching how by advantage to lay hold upon our
Hor.At laſt ſhe ſpied and circled him about
With Spears and ſwords ſo thickly pointed on him,
That nothing but his ſacred valour could
Give light for a ſupply to his relief,
Which ſhin’d ſo through and through his wals of foes,
B2As
The Q U E E N.
As a rich Diamond ’mongſt an heap of Ruines,
And ſo was found by the quick eye of
Sforza,
When like a Deitie arm’d with wrath and Thunder,
He cut a path of horror through the Battail
Raining down blood about him as he flew,
Like a prodigious Cloud of pitch and fire,
Until he pierc’d into the ſtraight, wherein
The Royal Perſon of our King was at
His laſt bare ſtake of one life to a thouſand.
Eul.I dare not hear it, yet.
Hor.Then in a word, old
Sforza fetcht him off,
And with his ſword which never touch’d in vain,
Set him i’th’ heart of’s Army once again.
Hor.That did your Champion, Madam,
The Queens old Souldier, and your Father, Lady:
D’ye ſimple at it? ſuch a Souldier breaths not,
Only the King except: now note the Miracle,
The King receiv’d and gave new life at once
Of and unto his Army, which new life
Was ſtraight way multipli’d, as if the lives
Of all the ſlain on both ſides were transfus’d
In our remaining part, who with a preſent fury
Made on with that advantage on the Foe,
That the whole field was won as at one blow.
I am prevented.
[Shout within, Victory]
Scœn. III.
Enter Captain, Drum and Colonrs, King and
Sforza, Souldiers.
The King embraces and kiſſes the Queen, the Prince
and Alinda.
King.Now ceaſe our Drums, and furle our En-
[B2v]Diſmiſs
and C O N C U B I N E.
Diſmiſs the Souldiers, hoſtile Armes ſurceaſe,
Whiles we rejoyce, ſafe in theſe Armes of Peace.
Sfor.Go Souldiers, better never ſtood the ſhock
Of danger, or made good their Countreys cauſe.
Drink this to the Kings health and victory.
Sold.Heaven bleſs the King, and our good General
Again.Long live the King and
Sforza, Sforza
Kin.The King and
Sforza, Sforza and the King,
Equal at leaſt, and ſometimes three notes higher,
Exit Capt. and Sould.
Sound
Sforza’s name then doth the Kings: the voyce
Of the wild People as I paſs’d along
Threw up his praiſes neerer unto Heaven
Ever methought then mine: but be it ſo,
He has deſerv’d well, now let me again
Embrace the happie comforts of my life.
Through deadly dangers, yea through death it ſelf,
I am reſtor’d unto my Heaven on Earth,
My wife and Son: a thouſand bleſſings on thee.
Say, deareſt life, whoſe prayers I know have been
Succeſsful to me in this doubtful War,
Eul.That’s more than I can ſpeak:
For ſhould I bring compariſons of the Spring,
After a Froſty winter to the Birds,
Or rich returns of ventures to the Merchant,
After the twentieth currant news of Shipwrack,
Redemption from captivity, or the Joyes
Women conceive after moſt painful Childbirths,
All were but Fabulous nothings to the Bliſs
Your preſence brings in anſwer to my Prayers:
Heaven heard me at the full: when I forget
To ſend due praiſes thither, let me die
Moſt wretched, though my gratitude ſhall never
C3Sleep
The Q U E E N
Sleep to th’ inferior means, e’en to the meaneſt
Souldier aſſiſtant to your ſafe return,
Eſpecially to you good
Sforza, Noble Souldier,
I heard of your fidelitie.
King.Are you one of his great Admirers too?
The world will make an Idol of his Valour,
While I am but his ſhadow: Ile but think on’t,
Indeed he’s worth your favour, he has done won-
Sfor.Let me now ſpeak, I may not hear theſe
King.You do forget your ſelf.
Gonzago, you and I have chang’d no words yet;
I have brought Victory home, which may perhaps
Be checkt at when my heat ſhall fall to aſhes.
How will you maintain your Fathers quarrels ore his
Prin.I do not hope t’ outlive you Sir, but if I muſt,
I ſure ſhall hope to keep your name and right
Alive whilſt I live, though I cannot hope
To have ſo good a Souldier at my Standard
King.This is more and worſe
Then all the reſt: the childe has ſpoken plainly,
I had been nothing without Warlike
Sforza:
Ile make him nothing, and no longer ſtand
His Cypher that in number makes him ten.
My Lords, my thanks to you for your due care
As we are old Courtiers Sir, ſtill true to th’ Crown.
King.I have found you faithful.
Watchful to be at home ’gainſt civil harms,
When Kings expoſe themſelves to hoſtile Arms.
[B3v]King.
and C O N C U B I N E.
King.There’s a ſtate-Rime now: but
Horatio,
Has not
Petruccio viſited the Court
Bleſs me, and be good to me: how thinks your
Grace of my Allegiance, and can ask
King.Now he is in his Fit.
Hor.The Hangman take him.
Petruccio King?
Peugh, peugh; I hate to name him.
How can you think your State had been ſecur’d
If he had breath’d amongſt us? That vile wretch,
Whom in your Kingly wiſdom you did baniſh
The Court for a moſt dangerous Male-content,
After his juſt repulſe from being your General,
When he durſt ſtand in Competition
VVith brave deſerving
Sforza here, the beſt
Moſt abſolute Souldier of the world.
King.There is an Exception wrung out,
Hor.He come at Court by my permiſſion?
I ſhould as ſoon be won to ſet your Court
On fire, as ſee him here.
King.Send for him ſpeedily.
Hor.
[Starts] Your Majeſty is pleas’d to have it ſo.
King.And upon your Allegiance
Which you ſo boaſt of, let me have him here,
And very ſpeedily; Ile have your head elſe.
Hor.Nay ſince it is your Highneſs pleaſure, and
So ſeriouſly commanded, I will ſend
My own head off my ſhoulders, but wee’l have him:
In what you can command, I dare be Loyal.
King.Look to it,
[goes to the Queen]
be ſo, this is one of his un-to-be-examin’d haſtie Hu-
mours, one of his ſtarts: theſe and a devilliſh gift
He has in Venerie, are all his faults.
Well, I muſt go, and ſtill be true to th’ Crown.
Exit Horatio.
B4Lod.
The Q U E E N.
Lod.Petruccio ſent for! who for braving of
Brave
Sforza here, ſo lately was confin’d.
Flav.I cannot think the Court muſt hold ’m both
At once, leſs they were reconcil’d, which is
As much unlikely: what do you think my Lord?
Lod.I know not what to think.
King.She
Sforza’s Daughter, ſay you?
King.She’s a right handſome one: I never knew he
Eul.He brought her o’er a Childe with me, when
happily I came your Bride, bred her at home, ſhe
never ſaw the Court, till now I ſent for her to be
ſome comfort in your long abſence.
King.Sforza’s abſence, I fear you mean.
[aſide]
Eul.And truſt me ſir, Her ſimple Countrey In-
Bred ſuch delight in me, with ſuch affection,
That I have call’d her Daughter, to embolden her.
A prettie lively ſpirit, which becomes her
Methinks ſo like her Fathers.
Eul.What was that ſhe ſaid
Gonz.That Heaven might ha’ pleaſed
T’ have faſhion’d her out to have been a Queen.
Sfor.Reconcile all quickly,
Or you had better never have been born,
Then diſobey my laſt command, which was
Never to ſee the Court till I induc’d you.
Alin.I but obey’d the Queen.
Sfor.No more, Ile talk with
[B4v]King.
and C O N C U B I N E.
King.Come
Sforza. Welcome to Court, ſo is your
Daughter too, I have tane notice of her: O faireſt,
welcome.
Kiſſes her. Sforza ſtorms.
Come you both with me this night, weel Feaſt:
Pray bid us welcome all, as but one Gueſt.
Eul.I ſhall in all obey you.
Leſs then a King I ſhall abhor to kiſs.
Exeunt.
Scœn. IV.
Enter Petruccio.
Petr.Repuls’d? diſgrac’d? and made the ſcorn o’th’
Is the advancement of an upſtart ſtranger,
Becauſe he is the Queens dear Countrey-man?
Have I for all my many Services,
Found the reward of being made an outcaſt?
Could not the King be pleas’d, though he advanc’d
Sforza unto the Honour I deſerv’d,
To truſt me in his ſervice? could he think
My ſword could be an hinderance in the Battail,
Or have delay’d the winning of the Field!
And muſt his Court and preſence which I have
VVith my obſervance dignifi’d, reject me
Now, as a dangerous and infectious perſon!
Tis a new way to gratifie old Souldiers.
So ſoon return’d? I do commend thy ſpeed.
The news at Court.
Enter Servant in haſte: ſwitch.
Serv.The King’s come bravely home,
And every ear is fill’d with Victory,
But chiefly with the Fame of
Sforza’s Valour.
Ser.Lord
Sforza Sir, I cry him mercy,
Petr.Thou com’ſt too faſt
[ſtrikes him]
me thinks too, leſs ’twere to better purpoſe.
[B5]Petr.
The Q U E E N
Petr.The Fame of
Sforza’s Valour, good if it laſt.
Serv.I have told you all the beſt.
Petr.If thou haſt worſe, let’s have it quickly.
Serv.You ſhall, That you may flie the danger.
Petr.VVhat is’t, without your Preface?
Serv.Here are Meſſengers ſent from the King to
you; pray Heaven all be well. Ther’s the old tutchie
teſtie Lord, that rails, and never could abide you,
ſince the King look’d from your Honour.
Petr.Th’ haſt made me amends, ther’s for thy news.
Serv.Truely my Lord, I think ſo:
For if the King had ſent to you for good,
I think he would have ſent one lov’d you better.
Petr.VVhat? then the old Courtier? thou knowſt
Ile ſhew him thee. He is the onely man
That does the King that ſervice, juſt to love
Or hate as the King does, ſo much and ſo long,
Juſt to a ſcruple or a minute, and then he has an
ignorant Loyaltie, to do as the King bids him, though
he fear immediate death by it.
Scœn. V.
Enter Horatio and guard.
Hor.My maſters, come along, and cloſe up to me:
my Loyaltie defend me, I ſhall not dare to truſt me
in this devilliſh fellows reach elſe. And thus it is Sir.
Petr.’Tis thus Sir, I can tell you.
[draws]
Hor.Good friends look well to me.
Petr.You come with ſtrength of armed men, to
[B5v]From
and C O N C U B I N E.
From mine own Houſe which was my appointed Pri-
Petr.The King it ſeems now that his Nignion
General is Landed, cannot think him ſafe, and I not
Faſter: which though I can prevent, I will not.
Come, what Gaol will you remove me to?
Hor.I would thou wert in Hell for me:
No Sir, I come to call you to the King.
Self. I know thou loveſt not me.
leſs the King could love thee.
Petr.Why perhaps he does, you ſee he ſends for
Hor.Why if he does, I do, but ’tis more then I
know or can collect yet by his Majeſties affection.
Petr.Here’s an Humour now.
Loyalty, and I know the King has ſent for you; But
to what end I know not: and if it be to hang thee
I cannot help it. Look to me now my maſters. Nor
do I care, that’s the plain troth on’t, while the King
is pleas’d, and thou wert my Brother. I am an old
Courtier I, ſtill true to the Crown.
Petr.I commend your Loyaltie: Come, we are
Hor.Look to me for all that.
Petr.Were you afraid, you came ſo arm’d and
Hor.That’s becauſe I would not be afraid: look
Petr.Indeed my Lord you are welcome.
Hor.Yes, as much as I look for.
Petr.VVhat ſhould the King intend by this? I
For I have done none; therefore I may go.
Perhaps he thinks to make me honour
Sforza
[B6]Now
The Q U E E N
Now in his time of Jollitie, and be friends:
I need not go for that; he cannot do’t,
Yet I will go to tell him ſo: my Lord,
My joy to ſee the King will poſt me faſter
Than your grave Loyaltie, or Maſſie Bill-men.
Hor.Yes, prethie keep afore with thy back to-
wards me, and ſo long I dare truſt thee.
Have an eye though.
Exeunt Omnes.
Scœn. VI.
Enter King and Flavello.
King.Her Father hath ſurpriz’d her then?
Flav.Yes, and means to hurry her away from
Court this night: I heard him threaten it.
King.But he muſt not do’t, ſhe is too ſweet
Fla-
vello, and too fit for my embraces, to be ſnatch’d
Flav.Now that ſhee’s ripe and ready for your uſe,
Like fruit that cryes, Come eat me. Ile not boaſt
The pains I took to fit her to your Appetite, before
King.How, my carefull Agent?
of her Feature, I foreſaw
She was compliable to your affection.
Then by diſcourſe I found ſhe was ambitious,
I ply’d her then with Pills that puff’d her up
To an high longing, till ſhe ſaw the hopes
She had to grow by. Pray ſtand cloſe, they come.
[B6v]Enter
and C O N C U B I N E.
Enter Sforza and Alinda.
Sfor.Has the air of Court infected you already?
Has the Kings kiſſes mov’d by adulterate heat,
Swoln you into a ſtubborn loathſomneſs
Of wholſom Counſel? Come your wayes; Ile try
If Countrey-Air and Diet can reſtore you
To your forgotten modeſtie and Duty.
Alin.VVhat have I done amiſs?
But ſo much ſatisfaction as may make
Thee ſenſible of ſhame, I will afford thee:
Didſt thou not after Banquet, when the King
Heated with wine, and luſt rais’d in his eyes,
Had kiſs’d thee once, twice, thrice, though I
And all the Preſence whiſpered their cold fears
Of the Kings wantonneſs and the Queens abuſe;
Didſt thou not then ſtill gaze upon his Face,
As thou hadſt long’d for more? O impudence!
Alin.Impudence? Sir, pray give it the right name,
Courtſhip, ’twas Courtſhip Sir, if I have learn’d
King.Brave metal’d wench!
Alin.Beſides Sir, the Kings kiſſes
Are great ineſtimable Honours, and
VVhat Lady would not think her ſelf the more
Honour’d, by how much the King did kiſs her?
Sfor.And ſhould he more then kiſs, ſtill the more
Alin.It might be thought ſo.
[B7]Alin.
The Q U E E N
Alin.I know he dares not beat me here. Pray Sir.
Let me but ask you this, then uſe your pleaſure:
(Cauſe you ſtile Impudence, that which I call Court-
VVhat Courtier ſits down ſatisfied with the firſt
Office or Honour is confer’d upon him?
If he does ſo, he leaves to be a Courtier.
And not the thing we treat of. Did your ſelf
After the King had grac’d you once, twice, thrice,
(As he kiſs’d me) expect no further from him?
Sfor.She’s wonderouſly well read in Court alreadie:
VVho i’th’ Devils name has been her Lecturer?
Flav.Do but your Majeſty obſerve that, and think
VVhat pains I took with her.
Did you run through before you were made General?
And as the more the King confers upon us,
Is more our Honour, ſo ’tis more the Kings,
VVhen moſt his Favours ſhine upon Deſert.
King.I like her better ſtill.
Dar’ſt thou call any thing in thee Deſert?
Or mention thoſe baſe Favours which the King
Maintains his Luſt by, with thoſe real Honours
Confer’d on me, who have preſerv’d his life?
Is it ſuch Dignity to be a VVhore?
Alin.Pray Sir, take heed: Kings Miſtriſſes muſt not
Sfor.Dar’ſt thou talk thus to me?
If you dare think me worth the Kings embraces,
In that neer kind, howe’er you pleaſe to ſtile it:
Sure I ſhall dare, and be allow’d to ſpeak.
King.That word makes thee a Queen.
King.And that coſts you your Head.
Alin.Dear Sir, take heed; Proteſt I dare not hear
[B7v]Sup-
and C O N C U B I N E
Suppoſe I were advanc’d ſo far above you
To be your Queen, would you be therefore deſperate,
And fall from what you are to nothing? Pray
Utter no more ſuch words, I’d have you live.
Flav.She vexes him handſomelie.
Sfor.As I live ſhe’s mad. Do you dream of being
Alind.VVhy if I ſhould, I hope that were no
Nor if I were a Queen, were that ſufficient
VVarrant for you, to utter Treaſon by,
Becauſe you were my Father; No dear ſir,
Let not your Paſſion be Maſter of your Tongue.
Sfor.How ſhe flies up with the conceit? d’yee
Alind.Becauſe you were my Father.
Soveraignty you know, admits no Parentage.
Honour, poor petty Honour forgets Deſcent.
Let but a ſilly Daughter of a City
Become a Counteſſe, and note how ſqueamiſhly
She takes the wind of her Progenitors.
Sfor.She has ſwallowed an Ambition
That will burſt her: I’ll let the humour forth.
Alin.You will not kill your Child?
Sfor.Though all Poſterity ſhould periſh by it.
Alin.Not for the Jewel in your Ear.
Sfor.Impudent Harlot! ſhe has heard me value
This Jewel, which I wear for her dead Mother,
I would not part with, whilſt I wore my Head;
And now ſhe threatens that: a Kingdom ſhall not
Alin.Know where you are, ſir, at Court, the Kings
Sfor.Were it a Church, and this unhallowed Room
Sanctum Sanctorum, I will bring you to your knees,
And make me ſuch a Recantation
[B8]As
The Q U E E N
As never follow’d Diſobedience;
I’ll take thy life elſe, and immediately.
Omn.Heaven ſave the King.
Enter Capt. & Guard.
King.Lay hold on
Sforza, the dangerous Traytor.
Sfor.’Tis
Sforza is betray’d.
King.Away with him,ſee he be kept cloſe Priſoner.
Flavello, ſee that his daughter have convenient Lodg-
Sfor.Let me but ſpeak; I hope your Majeſty----
King.Let not a word come from him: hence, away.
VVhat a moſt dangerous eſtate even Kings do live in?
VVhen thoſe that we do lodge ſo neer our Breaſt
Study our Death, when we expect our Reſt.
Exeunt.
Scœn. VII.
Enter Lodovico and Eulalia.
Lod.Be comforted good Queen, and I beſeech
Your Grace to pardon me in this command
The King has laid upon me.
I do, and muſt no leſs ſubmit my ſelf
To the Kings ſoveraign will then you: and though
I am committed to your houſe and cuſtody,
I am his Highneſs Priſoner: and more,
Though I know not my crime, unleſs it be
My due Obedience, I am ſtill ſo far
From grudging at his pleaſure, as I fear
To ask you what it is ſuppos’d to be;
But rather wait th’ Event, which though it bring
My Death ’tis welcom from my Lord and King.
Lod.VVas ever Vertue more abus’d then hers?
Eul.Yet thus much, good my Lord, vvithout of-
[B8v]Let
and C O N C U B I N E.
Let me demand, Is
Sforza ſtill cloſe Priſoner?
Lod.Yes, and
Petruccio his Adverſarie
Governs his Place, and high in the Kings Favour.
Eul.I will not ask his Treſpaſs neither, it
Sufficeth it is the Kings high pleaſure. But
Alinda,
Sforza’s fair Daughter, what becomes of her?
Poor vertuous Maid, is ſhe thrown out of Favour
Eul.What do you weep? nay then all is not well
Lod.Good Queen, I fear ſo too;
And that all ill proceeds from her to you.
Eul.I may not underſtand thee,
Lodovico:
I’ll ſtill retain the duty of a wife,
Which though it be rejected, ſhall not throw
Me from the path a Subject ought to go.
Lod.Two ſuch wives more might ſave a Nation.
But ſee
Petruccio the now-powerful man, under the
Eul.Horatio with him too, are they ſuch Friends?
Lod.None greater ſince the King was pleas’d to
Scœn. VIII.
Enter Petruccio and Horatio.
Petr.Madam, howe’er my Perſon, no leſs then my
Authority, I know is moſt unwelcom to you; I muſt
appear, and lay the Kings Command upon you, which
Eul.I muſt? ſee,
Lodovico, here’s a plain-
Dealing Lord, that knows, my Love and my
Obedience to the King, and warnes me
Faithfully to obſerve it: good my Lord,
I will obey the Kings Command in you:
Lay’t on me. What muſt I do?
CPetr.
The Q U E E N
Petr.You muſt go to the Bar, to anſwer to
Thoſe Accuſations that will be brought
Againſt your Life and Honour, as touching
Your foul Diſloyaltie unto the King.
Eul.He is a Traytor to the King and Me,
That dares accuſe me of Diſloyaltie.
Patience aſſiſt me, and controul my Paſſion.
The greateſt Crime that ever I committed
Againſt my Soveraign, was, To be ſo neer
The Vice of Anger in the preſence of
One that he lov’d ſo well; but pray your Pardon,
Though truly thoſe ſharp-pointed words drew Blood
From my oppreſſed heart: and though you love me
I hope you think me innocent.
Petr.I would I durſt ſpeak what I
Eul.My Lord, you ever lov’d me, can you think?
Hor.Come, what I think, I think; my love to
Was the Kings love, if it were love at all:
If he will ſay, he ever lov’d you, I can ſay ſo too.
But to ſpeak truth, I know not if I did,
Or I did not; but now you’re hateful to me;
That I dare ſpeak, becauſe he hates you ſoundly.
And your old Ruffian
Sforza, that fell Traytor,
That would have kill’d the King: do you look up at
You may look down with ſorrow enough:
Your Country-man, your brave old Champion,
He has Champion’d you ſweetly it ſeems.
Is there no honeſt VVoman?
Eul.VVhat means this unknown Language?
Hor.VVomen are alwayes ignorant of Reproof:
I’ll tell you what it means, for that loves ſake
You thought I lov’d you once. Or do you know
[C1v]VVhat
and C O N C U B I N E.
VVhat
Mars and
Venus meant, when injur’d
Vulcan
Had e’m in’s Net? Good King, how wert thou a-
And this good honeſt, faithful, loyal Lord,
Full to the brim, of Merit, and true Valour,
By that Blade-brandiſhing
Sforza, that meer Fencer,
To this great Martialiſt: but he is faſt enough,
And all’s come out, howe’er you’l anſwer it.
Eul.VVhat muſt I anſwer? I know not yet your
Hor.Nor ever ſhall, for me.
I fear, anon. Come, Madam, vvill you go?
The High-Court ſtayes your coming.
Eul.I muſt ſubmit me to it, and its Laws;
But to a higher Judge refer my Cauſe.
Lod.Good Queen, thy wrongs are manifeſt, though
Muſt dare to utter them, but in our Mone.
Exeunt Omnes.
Scœn. IX.
Enter Alinda.
Alin.Mount, mount, my thoughts, above the earthy
Of Vaſſal minds, whilſt ſtrength of womans wit
(pitch
Props my Ambition up, and lifts my hope
Above the flight of Envy. Let the baſe
And abject mindes be pleas’d with ſervile Bondage;
My Breaſt breeds not a thought that ſhall not flie
The lofty height of towring Majeſty.
My power upon the weakneſs of the King
(Whoſe raging Dotage to obtain my Love,
Like a devouring flame, ſeeks to conſume
C2All
The Q U E E N
All interpoſed Lets) hath laid a Ground-vvork
So ſure upon thoſe Ruines, that the power
Of Fate ſhall not controul, or ſtop my building
Up to the top of ſoveraignty, vvhere I’ll ſtand
And dare the VVorld to dis-commend my Act:
It ſhall but ſay, when I the Crown have won,
The vvork was harſh in doing, but well done.
Enter Flavello.
Flav.Hail, my ſoveraign Queen.
Alin.’Tis a brave ſound, and that vvhich my ſoul
But do not mock mine Ears.
Joyn your attention but vvith one hours patience,
And you ſhall hear the gen’ral Voice o’th’ Kingdom.
Give you that ſtile, vvith large and loud allowance.
Alin.Stile thy ſelf happy then, in vvhat Reward
A Subject can receive, or a Queen give.
How moves our great proceedings?
Eulalia, for now I muſt no more
Give her the Title that belongs unto
Your Execellence, of Queen.
Flav.Eulalia is brought unto the Bar, accus’d,
Convicted of that high offence, that inſtantlie
Shall pull that Judgement on her, that ſhall cruſh
Alin.Appear the proofs manifeſt?
Flav.That vvas my care, it behoov’d me to work
the VVitneſſes, vvho ſwore (in brief) moſt bravely,
that they heard Lord
Sforza, vvhom you alſo may
forget now to call Father.
Alin.That vvithout your inſtruction.
Flav.They ſwore, I ſay, they heard that
Sforza
The knovvledge of the Queen in carnal Luſt.
[C2v]Alin. VVas
and C O N C U B I N E.
The queſtion to her, Was it true or not?
No, cries the Queen, nor can I think that
Sforza
Would lay that ſcandal on himſelf and me.
Thoſe Witneſſes were two caſhier’d Lieutenants
That
Sforza ſhould have hang’d for Mutinies
In the late war, but threw ’em by, it ſeems,
To ſerve him in this Office: me they coſt
Five hundred Crowns apiece, and well they got it.
But where I left: the Queen denies their Oath.
And though it had been true that
Sforza had
Affirm’d as much, that had not found her guilty.
Alin.What Witneſſes were next?
Birds, a Doctor and a Midwife, who accus’d
Themſelves for Bawds i’th’ Action, and depos’d
I know not how many, how many, how many times,
They ſaw ’em link’d in their unlawful pleaſures.
Theſe were the Queens own people, and deſerv’d
A thouſand Crowns apiece, and had it inſtantly,
Alin.What could the Queen ſay
Flav.She denied all, but in ſuch a patient way,
After her fooliſh faſhion, that it gave ſtrength
To th’ Evidence again her; then ſhe wept
For their iniquity, and gave them a
God forgive ye.
And ſo attends the cenſure of the Court,
VVhich ſtraightway will be given: they’l be ſet
Alin.Haſt,
Flavello, haſt,
And let thy next news be to this a Crown,
That ſhe is not a Queen, and I am one.
Exit Flav.
This Father and this Queen I now could pity,
For being hew’d out and ſquar’d thus to my uſe,
But that they make thoſe neceſſary ſteps
By which I muſt aſcend to my Ambition.
C3They
The Q U E E N
They that will riſe unto a ſupream Head
Should not regard upon whoſe Necks they tread.