Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker

by Thomas Dekker

CARINTHA

  Pish.

  KING

  For my sake, do not.

  For your own sake, do not.Voltimar?

  VOLTIMAR

  My lord?

  KING

  Take him aside awhiles.

  VOLTIMAR

  I will.Come.

  PRINCE

  Heaven,

  Be thou a father t ome.Sur ethis woman

  Was never mother to a child.She’s cruel,

  Even in her frown.

  VOLTIMAR

  No prating.Come.[Exeunt PRINCE and VOLTIMAR.

  KING

  Thou art not well-advis’d.

  CARINTHA

  You have broke your promise.

  Make it your practise.Would you play the tyrant

  Over my wrongs, as over her’s whose honour

  Y’ave whor’d and strumpeted to your vil’d lust?

  You’d cast me off to. Here, my lords, and witness

  How much my spirit scorns to fawn on slavery.

  My firstborn shall not be a bastard’s second.

  Intolerable.

  KING

  Dear Carintha —

  CARINTHA

  Shall not.

  King, till I know thy bed and pleasures free,

  Wert thou ten times a king, thou art not for me.

  Think on’t.I am not thy bride yet. [Exit.

  KING

  Stay!Fly after;

  Entreat her back.

  CORNWALL

  Command her.

  CHESTER

  Fetch her.Force her.

  KING

  Not so.I have some private thoughts require

  Consideration.Leave us all.None stay.

  OMNES

  You are obey’d, sir. [Exeunt.

  KING

  Impudent and bloody;

  Two attributes fit only for deformity.

  True beauty in meekness, love with pity

  Keeps leagues.There is a pleurisy within me

  Requires a skilful surgeon that can lance it.

  Enter VOLTIMAR.

  VOLTIMAR

  Here, here, here, my lord, I am here.What is’t you call’d for?

  KING

  Foe thou art too officious.I am busy.

  VOLTIMAR

  Shall I be gone, sir?

  KING

  Gone, sir?

  VOLTIMAR

  Bless your majesty, I dare not bide the noise.

  KING

  Stay.Send the boy in,

  And wait some two rooms off, not within hearing.

  VOLTIMAR

  ’Tis good.You, little one!

  Enter PRINCE.

  PRINCE

  The king.

  KING

  [To VOLTIMAR.] Away; do as you are commanded.

  VOLTIMAR

  Touch himhome.’Tis my suit, heaven, I beseech thee. [Exit.

  KING

  Come hither; do not fear me.Yet nearer.

  PRINCE

  No, sir.Being with you alone

  I will not fear.Do what you will with me,

  I’ll stand you like a little harmless lamb;

  I will not cry out, neither.

  KING

  It has been told me,

  That thou art like me, boy.

  PRINCE

  My grand, sir, swore

  My chin and nose were yours, and my good mother

  Said I was but your picture.

  KING

  She was deceiv’d,

  For thou art fairer far.

  PRINCE

  That’s ‘cause I am

  But yet a child, and if you do not lay me

  In some untimely pit-hole ere I grow

  To man’s estate, I shall be as you are.

  KING

  A king, thou meanest?

  PRINCE

  No, I mean a man.

  That shall be just like you.

  KING

  Let me look on thee.

  PRINCE

  Pray do.

  KING

  Here’s a white forehead

  Of innocence whose alablaster sweetness

  Rebates my cruelties.Tell me, my boy,

  Didst never hear thy mother curse thy father,

  Or did she not teach thee to curse me?

  PRINCE

  Truly,

  My lord, I cannot lie, nor do I use to swear

  An oath, but, by my troth, you may believe me,

  I never heard her curse, but often pray for ye;

  And so have I too, heartily, every day.

  I learnt it from her mouth.

  KING

  Gone to a nunnery?

  I’ll hie me thither too; by her example,

  Learn to be good and reconcile my peace

  To hers.Alas, poor soul, how I have wrong’d her.

  PRINCE

  Why did ye?

  KING

  Gentle boy, wilt thou forgive me?

  PRINCE

  I?Yes, indeed, father.

  KING

  My blessings on thee.

  I’ll call thee now mine heir.Let me bethink thee.

  PRINCE

  If ever a poor child’s prayer was accepted,

  Good heaven, I beg thee pity my poor mother,

  And turn my father’s heart now, I beseech thee.

  How does the king my father?

 

  I forgone,

  An angel for a devil; a companion

  osft as doves, for a thing fram’d

  ambition.

 

  < >ke< >s,

  You promis’d me to lve me as my mother doth,

  And she would talk to me, she would, my lord.

  KING

  It shall be so.I’ll try to what strange height

  Th’one’s wickedness will mount, to what humility

  The other’s goodness creeps.Joy of my soul.

  Desires may stray, our souls are precious things,

  All men are dear to heaven, but chiefly kings.

  Attendance.

  Enter VOLTIMAR.

  VOLTIMAR

  I am here.

  KING

  Lock fast the door,

  ’Tis death to enter.Come you back.

  VOLTIMAR

  I shall. [Exit.

  KING

  Be not afraid, child.

  PRINCE

  Well, I will not then.

  KING

  I’ll teach thee

  A policy of state even in thy cradle.

  PRINCE

  I’ll learn it if I can.

  Enter VOLTIMAR.

  KING

  Now, is all sure?

  VOLTIMAR

  As fast as key and bold can ward.

  KING

  Thine ear.[Aside to VOLTIMAR.] This boy must be dispatch’d.

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] How?

  KING

  [Aside to VOLTIMAR.] Suddenly

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] Good.He dies.

  KING

  [Aside to VOLTIMAR.] Shall I depend?

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] Remember the words, “’Tis done.”

  PRINCE

  [Aside.] I do not like this man’s wild looks.Methinks

  Upon his forehead hand a thousand earthquakes.

  Pray, stand between us, sir.

  KING

  [Aside to VOLTIMAR.] But dost thou know

  What ’tis to cut off a young innocent infant?

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] Yes, to cut’s throat, knock out his brains, writh his neck off, anything.

  PRINCE

  [Aside.] Bless me!What does this fellow talk?

  KING

  [Aside to VOLTIMAR.] A villain’s language;

  A minister of horror, born to live

  And die a monster.

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] Fine stuff, king, admirable di
ssimulation.It becomes ye.

  KING

  [Aside to VOLTIMAR.] Mark what remains for thee.

  VOLTIMAR

  [Aside to KING.] A brave reward?

  KING

  I will resign my royal office up

  And plant my crown here on this princely head.

  He shall be king, for since thou hast my promise

  Of pardon, I’ll not be thy judge.That day

  Whereon my boy makes entrance to his reign

  Shall be renowned for an act of justice

  On such a man of mischief as thou art.

  VOLTIMAR

  Heyday, how scurvy it shows!

  KING

  The evidence

  Against thee I myself will give.The world

  Shall know how miserable I have been

  By Penda’s ruin acted by thy hand.

  PRINCE

  ’Tis strange and very pitiful.

  KING

  Myself in person shall be the accuser.

  VOLTIMAR

  Dare ye?

  KING

  Oh, boy, if not for my sake, for thy mother’s,

  I charge thee by the duty of a son,

  Give him a heavy doom; let him die groaning.

  Revenge the manly Penda, that brave soldier.

  Take heed, my charge is great.

  PRINCE

  Should this be true,

  When I am king, a’ smarts for’t.

  KING

  Guard, a guard!

  VOLTIMAR

  Sir, what dee mean?

  KING

  I’ll never hear thee again.I’ll call < >

  PRINCE

  Why dost not speak?Trust me, I’ll ou

  Raths< >.

  VOLTIMAR

  Will you babble?

  KING

  He’ll infect thee or do thee mischief.

  PRINCE

  But a’ shall not; nay,

  I’ll tell my father, my good father, now.

  My lord —

  VOLTIMAR

  Peace, or —

  PRINCE

  Indeed, this soldier, if a’ be not

  An honest man, a very honest man,

  Is truly a very knave.’Twas he that taught me

  What I should say; he fetch’d me to be rul’d by him;

  Told me he was not cruel as he seem’d,

  But of a gentle nature, and indeed,

  To speak the truth, he still has us’d me kindly

  As if a’ had been my man.

  KING

  Would yet a’ had

  A heart to melt in penitence for Penda,

  Unluckily by him misdone.

  VOLTIMAR

  The prince

  Somewhat too early hath prevented me

  In my designs.Upon my knew, my lord,

  I humbly crave your favour.

  KING

  Kneel to heaven,

  I am too low to be crept to.

  VOLTIMAR

  Then know, sir,

  That hitherto I have but given you physic

  And now your health is purchas’d.

  KING

  Oh, why wilt thou

  Flatter mine infinite guilt?

  VOLTIMAR

  I can restore

  All your discomforts in a rich discovery

  Of honest duty, would you be but pleas’d

  To take truce with your griefs.

  KING

  Thou canst not, Voltimar.

  Penda is fall’n.

  VOLTIMAR

  Heaven can work by miracles.

  I’ll cure that wound too.

  KING

  Ha?

  PRINCE

  I’ll pass my word.

  I have commission for it from my mother.

  KING

  Oh, boy —

  VOLTIMAR

  Sir, be but contented.

  PRINCE

  I’ll entreat you.

  KING

  Do what you will.I am lost as I am found.

  All present joys are short, the best come after.

  Better to live in tears than die in laughter.

  Come, child, thy hand.

  PRINCE

  Here, father, we’ll attend ye. [Exeunt.

  Act Five, Scene Two

  ENTER CLOWN IN his study, writing; one knocks within.

  CLOWN

  Who does molest our comtemplations?What are you?

  ELDRED

  [Within.] ’Tis Reese ap Meridith, ap Shon, ap Vaughan, ap Llewellins, ap Morris.

  CLOWN

  So many of you?Come all in.

  Enter ELDRED.

  ELDRED

  Please you, Master Kernicler, from all your good studies and wise meditations.

  CLOWN

  Oh, Master Rice, I thought more of your countrymen had knock’d at door with you.Bring ’em all in.

  ELDRED

  More, yes, and more will come to her and kanog somebody’s nightcaps; there is a great teal of prepples and high urds to up and town to on rascal’s Brian MacTeagues about our countries.I beseese you now upon your quarnicle books; tell her which is praver country, Wales or Ireland, for antickities and for e sentlemen, and awl materials besides.

 

  er country?Oh, Wales, by any means.

 

  so too; Wales for ap Sean’s money.

  < >

  CLOWN

  Look how much a’ Saint Thomas’ onion is a sweeter salad than poor s< >.

  ELDRED

  Right; ’tis well spoken and in elegancies.

  CLOWN

  Or, as a fat Shropshire cheese outweighs a pound of hairy Irish b< >, so Wales with her mountains is higher in stature and therefore older in antiquities than Ireland.

  ELDRED

  No cambro Britain in the orld can tauge finer.

  CLOWN

  Welshmen, why you are descended from the warlike Troyans and the mad Greeks.

  ELDRED

  ’Tis awl true as steel.

  CLOWN

  So that two famous nations jumbled together to make up a Welshman, but alas, Irishmen make one another.

  ELDRED

  Now you tawge of Greeks and Troshans, it was a Troshan pair away the lady Helens and prave Greeks fought almost a towzen years for her.So a Welseman that has true Prittish plod in her, ere he loose his ense will swear and fide and run up to his nose above his chin in embruings and be awl dyed in sanguins.

  CLOWN

  Nay, you awl carry metel enough about you, that’s certain.

  ELDRED

  Mac Breean also says that Cupit was an Irish boy; put I say a Welse boy, because Welse men are so loving.

  CLOWN

  What country boy Cupid is I know not, but I’m sure Mercury was a Welshman and kept both sheep and goats, and your Welsh hook came from his sheep hook.

  ELDRED

  ’Tis mighty prave, and I am sure Arion was a Welseman and play’d passing melodiously upon her harp.

  CLOWN

  He did so, and it was a Welsh dolphin he rode upon.

  ELDRED

  I think your kernicles some times tell lies, for in Wales are no dolphins but at inn doors as signs.

  CLOWN

  I have read it so in heathen Greek.

  ELDRED

  Not in Christian Welse, I assure you, but pray sustify awl this of Wales under your pens and inkhorns, for Mac Teages and I are to kill one of us upon it.I will pay you and be ever pound in my poddies to you, shall come anon py and py. [Exit.

  Knock within; enter EDMOND.

  CLOWN

  Come in.Oh, Master Mac Teage, this may be chronicled to see you here.

  EDMOND

  Sawest thou Reece dat coggin rascals?

  CLOWN

  Not I.

  EDMOND

  I priddy tell me, for Reece and I quarrel upon it, whedder is Ireland or Wales more ancient or finer country?

  CLOWN<
br />
  Oh, Ireland, Ireland! Any question of that?

  EDMOND

  ‘I’faat, I tink so too.Dow and I jump into one hole.

  CLOWN

  Look how much difference is between Mile End and Gravesend or between Dover pier and one of the peers of France, so short comes Wales of Ireland.

  EDMOND

  Dow know’st our country too has no vermin in’t.

  CLOWN

  Oh no, yet more cattle by far than Wales.

  EDMOND

  And dat der is not a toad or spider in Ireland.

  CLOWN

  No, that’s certain, there are fewer spider-catchers in your country than in any else.

  EDMOND

  Reece says to that A Welshman runs faster den an Irish.

  CLOWN

  Fie, fie, Rice is an ass.Your countrymen are footmen to lords and ladies and so run after honour.

  EDMOND

  ‘I’faat, after a great teal of honour, and if king Atelstanes himself were here, I should tell him I myself was as well born in my moder’s belly as the prowdest comrague in Wales.

  CLOWN

  My head upon that, Brian.

  EDMOND

  And priddy now, tell me who is more terrible in batails, de Irish or de Welsh?

  CLOWN

  Oh, Irish, Irish; every Irishman with a dart looks like death; only death has not so much hair on’s head.

  EDMOND

  Yet, ap Morris says in wars his Britain is more fierce.

  CLOWN

  Ap Morris lies.

  Enter ELDRED.

  ELDRED

  Which ap Morris; lug you, you Master Hobbadery coscomb?The same ap Morris can mage your learned chronological nose lie here now.

  EDMOND

  Crees sa me, one Irishman and one Welshman is abl fools out of ten bushels such as dow art.

  ELDRED

  You cut out threadbare questions up< > of your left-handed wits, and ’tis not an < >.

  EDMOND

  Sholl de crow tow whoreson teef b to pck < y ms d >

  ELDRED

  And to nay down her ears so her hearing was not urse for it.

  ELDMOND

  And i’fait’la, ripe away di guts only in merriments.

  CLOWN

  And I, now your bolt’s are shot, to see you both like hangiloes in new suits handsomely truss’d up, capering i’th’air, leaping at a daisy, and to accord together in a noose of brotherhood not be undone, and then that know would I chronicle.

  ELDRED

  Der is one know for anoder den.

  EDMOND

  And so, awl friends.

  CLOWN

  Is the masque tonight at court?

  ELDRED

  So master Capten Voltimars sends his petitionary urds to your urship to pring you quarnicles along by you and to shag your heels amond the masquers.

  EDMOND

  What do put in dy ten toes for a share into der company?

  CLOWN

  For a share, yet, and these my ten hobnails too.I am to speak in the masque, brave sport.One English dancer and two harpers, who mew at all three are malicious carpers.Come, I am ready for a caranto already.

  EDMOND

  Tree merry men, and tree merry men.