Eud. May they fall
Eternally upon me, and increase,
When that which we call Time hath lost its name! May lightning cleave the centre of the earth, And I sink quick, before you have absolved me, Into the bottomless abyss, if ever, In one unchaste desire, nay, in a thought, I wrong'd the honour of the emperor's bed! I do deserve, I grant, more than I suffer, In that my fervour and desire to please him, In my holy meditations press'd upon me, And would not be kept out; now to dissemble, When I shall suddenly be insensible
Of what the world speaks of me, were mere mad
Of murder, my Eudocia. I will build A glorious monument to his memory; And, for my punishment, live and die upon it, And never more converse with men.
I am happy to behold this, and presume, Now you are pleased, to move a suit, in which My sister is join'd with me.
Theo. Prithee speak it;
For I have vow'd to hear before I grant ;- I thank your good instructions. [To PULCHERIA. Arcad, 'Tis but this, sir:
We have observed the falling out and in Between the husband and the wife shews rarely; Their jars and reconcilements strangely take us. Flac. Anger and jealousy that conclude in kisses, Is a sweet war, in sooth.
Arcad. We therefore, brother,
Most humbly beg you would provide us husbands, That we may taste the pleasure of't. Flac. And with speed, sir;
For so your favour's doubled.
Theo. Take my word,
I will with all convenience; and not blush Hereafter to be guided by your counsels :
I will deserve your pardon. Philanax
Shall be remember'd, and magnificent bounties Fall on Chrysapius; my grace on all.
Let Cleon be deliver'd, and rewarded. My grace on all, which as I lend to you, Return your vows to heaven, that it may please, As it is gracious, to quench in me
All future sparks of burning jealousy.
We have reason to be doubtful, whether he, On whom (forced to it from necessity) The maker did confer his emperor's part, Hath given you satisfaction, in his art Of action and delivery; 'tis sure truth, The burthen was too heavy for his youth To undergo :-but, in his will, we know, He was not wanting, and shall ever owe, With his, our service, if your favours deign To give him strength, hereafter to sustain A greater weight. It is your grace that can In your allowance of this, write him man Before his time; which, if you please to do, You make the player and the poct too.
Enter ROCHFORT and DU CROY.
SCENE I.-A Street before the Court of Justice. Enter CHARALOIS with a paper, ROMONT, and CHARMI. Char. Sir, I may move the court to serve your will;
But therein shall both wrong you and myself. Rom. Why think you so, sir? Char. 'Cause I am familiar
With what will be their answer: they will say, "Tis against law; and argue me of ignorance, For offering them the motion.
Rom. You know not, sir,
How, in this cause, they may dispense with law; And therefore frame not you their answer for them, But do your parts.
Char. I love the cause so well,
As I could run the hazard of a check for't. Rom. From whom?
Char. Some of the bench, that watch to give it, More than to do the office that they sit for:
In giving up the place you hold in court, Will prove, I fear, a trouble in the state, And that no slight one.
Roch. Pray you, sir, no more.
Rom. Now, sir, lose not this offer'd means; their Fix'd on you with a pitying earnestness, Invite you to demand their furtherance To your good purpose:- this such a dullness, So foolish and untimely, as
Du Croy. You know him?
Roch. I do; and much lament the sudden fall Of his brave house. It is young Charalois, Son to the marshal, from whom he inherits His fame and virtues only.
Rom. Ha! they name you.
Du Croy. His father died in prison two days since.
Roch. Yes, to the shame of this ungrateful state; That such a master in the art of war,
So noble, and so highly meriting
From this forgetful country, should, for want Of means to satisfy his creditors
The sums he took up for the general good, Meet with an end so infamous.
Rom. Dare you ever Hope for like opportunity?
With the most savage beast? Blest, blest be ever The memory of that happy age, when justice Had no guards to keep off wrong'd innocence From flying to her succours, and, in that, Assurance of redress! where now, Romont, The damn'd with more ease may ascend from hell, Than we arrive at her. One Cerberus there Forbids the passage, in our courts a thousand, As loud and fertile-headed; and the client That wants the sops to fill their ravenous throats, Must hope for no access: why should I, then, Attempt impossibilities; you, friend, being Too well acquainted with my dearth of means To make my entrance that way?
Rom. Would I were not!
But, sir, you have a cause, a cause so just, Of such necessity, not to be deferr'd, As would compel a maid, whose foot was never Set o'er her father's threshold, nor within The house where she was born, ever spake word Which was not usher'd with pure virgin blushes, To drown the tempest of a pleader's tongue, And force corruption to give back the hire It took against her. Let examples move you. You see men great in birth, esteem, and fortune, Rather than lose a scruple of their right, Fawn basely upon such, whose gowns put off, They would disdain for servants.
Charal. And to these
Can I become a suitor?
Rom. Without loss:
Would you consider, that, to gain their favours, Our chastest dames put off their modesties, Soldiers forget their honours, usurers Make sacrifice of gold, poets of wit,
And men religious part with fame and goodness. Be therefore won to use the means that may Advance your pious ends.
Charal. You shall o'ercome.
Rom. And you receive the glory. Pray you now
The way to win my lord; he must not hear this, But I, as one in favour, in his sight
May hearken to you for my profit.-Sir! Pray hear them.
Nov. sen It is well.
Lilad. Observe him now.
Nov. sen. Your cause being good, and your proceedings so,
Without corruption I am your friend; Speak your desires.
2 Cred. Oh, they are charitable; The marshal stood engaged unto us three Two hundred thousand crowns, which, by his death We are defeated of: for which great loss We aim at nothing but his rotten flesh; Nor is that cruelty.
That talks of nothing but of guns and armour, And swears he'll be a soldier; 'tis an humour I would divert him from; and I am told, That if I minister to him, in his drink, Powder made of this bankrupt marshal's bones, Provided that the carcass rot above ground, 'Twill cure his foolish frenzy.
Nov. sen. You shew in it
A father's care. I have a son myself, A fashionable gentleman, and a peaceful; And, but I am assured he's not so given, He should take of it too.
The worst of spirits, that strive to rob the tombs Of what is their inheritance, the dead: For usurers, bred by a riotous peace,
That hold the charter of your wealth and freedom By being knaves and cuckolds; that ne'er pray, But when you fear the rich heirs will grow wise, To keep their lands out of your parchment toils; And then, the devil your father's call'd upon, To invent some ways of luxury ne'er thought on. Be gone, and quickly, or I'll leave no room Upon your foreheads for your horns to sprout on- Without a murmur, or I will undo you; For I will beat you honest.
Rom. I am somewhat eased in this yet. Char. Only friend,
To what vain purpose do I make my sorrow Wait on the triumph of their cruelty? Or teach their pride, from my humility,
To think it has o'ercome? They are determined What they will do; and it may well become me, To rob them of the glory they expect From any submiss entreaties.
Rom. Think not so, sir:
The difficulties that you encounter with
Will crown the undertaking-heaven! you weep: And I could do so too, but that I know There's more expected from the son and friend Of him whose fatal loss now shakes our natures, Than sighs or tears, in which a village nurse, Or cunning strumpet, when her knave is hang'd, May overcome us. We are men, young lord, Let us not do like women. To the court,
And there speak like your birth: wake sleeping Or dare the axe. This is a way will sort [justice, With what you are: I call you not to that I will shrink from myself; I will deserve Your thanks, or suffer with you-O how bravely That sudden fire of anger shews in you! Give fuel to it. Since you are on a shelf Of extreme danger, suffer like yourself.
SCENE II-The Court of Justice.
Enter ROCHFORT, NOVALL senior, Presidents, CHARMI, DU CROY, BEAUMONT, Advocates, three Creditors, and Officers.
Du Croy. Your lordships seated, may this meeting prove
Prosperous to us, and to the general good Of Burgundy!
Nov. sen. Speak to the point.
With honour to dispose the place and power Of premier president, which this reverend man, Grave Rochfort, whom for honour's sake I name, Is purposed to resign; a place, my lords, In which he hath with such integrity Perform'd the first and best parts of a judge, That, as his life transcends all fair examples Of such as were before him in Dijon,
So it remains to those that shall succeed him, A precedent they may imitate, but not equal. Roch. I may not sit to hear this.
Du Croy. Let the love
And thankfulness we are bound to pay to goodness, In this o'ercome your modesty.
For this great favour shall prevent your trouble. The honourable trust that was imposed Upon my weakness, since you witness for me It was not ill discharged, I will not mention; Nor now, if age had not deprived me of The little strength I had to govern well The province that I undertook, forsake it. Nov. sen. That we could lend you of our years! Du Croy. Or strength !
Nov. sen. Or, as you are, persuade you to continue
The noble exercise of your knowing judgment ! Roch. That may not be; nor can your lordships' goodness,
Since your employments have conferr'd upon me Sufficient wealth, deny the use of it:
And, though old age, when one foot's in the grave, In many, when all humours else are spent, Feeds no affection in them, but desire
To add height to the mountain of their riches, In me it is not so. I rest content With the honours and estate I now possess: And, that I may have liberty to use What heaven, still blessing my poor industry, Hath made me master of, I pray the court To ease me of my burthen, that I may Employ the small remainder of my life In living well, and learning how to die so.
Enter ROMONT and CHARALOIS.
Rom. See, sir, our advocate.
Du Croy. The court entreats
Your lordship will be pleased to name the man, Which you would have your successor, and, in me, All promise to confirm it.
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