Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker

by Thomas Dekker

  —— Si quid Nouisti rectius istis,

  Candidus imperti: Si non, His vtere mecum:

  FINIS.

  WORKE FOR ARMOROURS: OR, THE PEACE IS BROKEN.

  THE CHIEFE THINGS CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKE.

  THE PREPARATION OF two mighty Armies to come into the field.

  Their leaders names.

  Their Discipline.

  The place of Battaile.

  The manner of their weapons.

  The Euils that follow both Armies.

  TO THE WORTHY DESERUER OF THAT ANTIENT AND HONORABLE TITLE, SIR THOMAS HEWET KNIGHT.

  SIR THOMAS,

  YOU shall behold drawne (on this paper) certaine Plat-formes of ground, vppon which two mightie, and (almost) inuincible Armies are this present Summer to ioyne Battaile: Here you may knowe what Trenches they cast vp, what fortifications they raise, what Rampires, what Parapets, what Counterscapes, &c. Let it not appeare strange, that from the Regiment of knights Military, I make choise of you, to be a Chiefe in the best of these armies (you beeing no professed Warriour.) But I my selfe serue on the one side, and the World markes you out to be an able Commaunder in the other. Before the Allarum be strucke vp, behold I offer my selfe (and all the forces which I leade) into your hands. With the Pen, (a most daungerous peece of Artillery) doe I vse to come into the field: That shall be discharged to do you all the Honour it may, and I be ready, in any seruice fitting such a souldier, to Fight.

  Yours vnder the Cullors of your Loue, Thomas Dekker.

  TO ALL THAT EITHER HAUE BENE, OR STILL ARE THE PROFESSORS OF ARMES AND TO ALL THOSE THAT, TO WINNE FAME, HAUE NOW AN INTENT OR DESIRE TO FOLLOW THE WARRES.

  SOVLDIERS,

  AND to a Name more full of antient Honour, or of more Honorable worth, I cannot speake: You haue for a long time scarce made sauing voyages into the Field: So far as the Red Sea (of bloud) haue you venturde, and yet instead of Purchasing Glory, haue brought home nothing but Contempt and Begg•…ry, or atleast little or no money. The Hollander and the Spaniard haue bene (and I thinke still are) your best Lords and Maisters: If euer Captaines did pray, they haue prayed for them onely. Cutlers and Armorers, haue got more by them within these few yeares, then by any fowre Nation (besides them) in Christendome all their whole liues. But for this Beyond-sea quarell, the people of this vtmost end of the world (if all the Fence Schooles had bene put downe too) had (I thinke) forgotten how to handle their weapons. The Low-Countries therefore haue (in Renowne) gone beyond kingdomes of higher Fame, onely for thus repairing and keeping open those old and Ruinated Temples of Bellona, which had beene shut vp in these latter Ages, and stood despised because defaced. Yet euen those Dutch warres, haue bene vnto you that seru’d in them, but as wares in these dead times are to Merchants and Tradsemen: you were the richer for hauing them in your hands, but you had not such hot doings, as you desired. You came often to the cracking of crownes, but neuer to the true cutting of throats: your Commanders had too much of the Martiall Theoricke, your souldiers too little of the Practicke. But be of good courage, the wind shifts his point, better dayes are comming vp, the sicke world lies on the Mending hand: For in this present yeare of 1609 drummes will be strucke vp, and cullors spread, vnder which you may all fight, and all haue good pay: Forsake therefore the townes where you lye ingarison’d (during this Abstinence from warre) leaue your drinking there, sithence here you may be in action, and drinke healths in bloud; The battaile is expected, the place appointed, the General’s well knowne, the Armie’s leauying, their munition preparing: If you desire either to be Voluntaries, or to be Prest, giue your names presently: for this is the Muster-booke, Farewell.

  T. D.

  WARRES.

  THE purple whip of vengeance, (the Plague hauing beaten many thousands of me¯, women, & children to death, and still marking the people of this Cittie, (euery weeke) by hundreds for the graue, is the onely cause, that al her Inhabitance walke vp & downe like mourners at some great solome funeral, the Citie her selfe being the Chiefe mourne•…s. The poyson of this Lingering infection, strikes so déepe into all mens harts, that their cheekes (like cowardly Souldiers) haue lost their colours their eyes, (as if they were in debt, and durst not looke abroad,) doe scarce peepe out of their heads; and their tongues (like phisitions ill payd) giue but cold comfort. By the power of their Pestilent Charmes, all merry meetings are cut off. All frolick assemblyes dissolued, and in their circles are raised vp, the Blacke, Sullen and Dogged spirits of Sadnesse, of Melancholy, and so (consequently) of Mischiefe Mirth is departed, and lyes dead & buryed in mens bosomes, Laughter dares not looke a man in the face; Iests, are (like Musicke to the Deafe, not regarded: Pleasure it selfe finds now no pleasure, but in Seghing, and Bewailing the Miseries of the Time. For (alack) what string is there (now) to bée played vpon whose tench can make as merry? Play-houses, stand (like Tauernes, that haue cast out their Maisters) the dores locked vp, the Flagges (like their Bushes) taken down, or rather like Houses lately infected, from whence the affri•…ed dwellers are fled, in hope to liue better in the Country. The Players themselues did neuer worke till now, there Comodies are all turned to Tragedies, there Tragedies to Nocturnals, and the best of them all are weary of playing in those Nocturnall Tragedies. Thinke you to delight your selues by kéeping company with our Poets? Proh Dolor! their Muses are more Sullen then old Monkeys, now that mony is not stirring, they neuer Plead chéerfully, but in their Tearme times, when the T•…o-peny Chents, and Peny Stinkards swarme together to héere the Stagerites: Playing vocations are Diseases now as common and as hurtful to them, as the Fowle Euill to a Northen Man, or the Pox to a French man. O Pittifull Poetry, what a lamentable prentiship hast thou serued, and (which is the greatest spite) caust not yet be made Free! no, no, there is no good doings in these dayes but amongst Lawyers, amongst Vintners, in Bawdy houses and at Pimlico. There is all the Musick, (that is of any reckning) there all the meetings, there all the mirth, and there all the m•…ny. To walke euery day into the fields is wearisome; to drink vp the day and night in a Tauerne, loathsome: to bée euer rydiug vpon that Beast with two Heades, Letchery) most damnable, and yet to be euer idle, is as detestable.

  What merry Gale shall wée then wish for? vnles it bée to Ferry ouer the Hellespont, and to crosse from Sestus to Abidus, that is to say, from London to the Beare Garden? The company of the Beares hold together still; they play their Tragi-Comaedies as liuely as euer they did: The pide Bul héere kéepes a tossing and a roaring, when the Red Bull dares not stir. Into this Ile of Dogs did I therefore transport my selfe, after I had made tryall of all other pastimes.

  No sooner was I entred but the very noyse of the place put me in mind of Hel: the beare (dragd to the stake) shewed like a black rugged soule, that was Damned, and newly committed to the infernall Charle, the Dogges like so many Diuels, inflicting torments vpon it. But when I called to mind, that al their tugging together was but to make sport to the beholders, I held a better and not so damnable an opinion of their beastly doings: for the Beares, or the Buls fighting with the dogs, was a liuely represe¯tation (me thought) of poore men going to lawe with the rich and mightie. The dogs (in whom I figured the poore creatures) and fitly may I doe so, because when they stand at the dore of Diues, they haue nothing (if they haue the¯ but bare bones throwne vnto them, might now & then pinch the great ones, & perhaps vex them a little by drawing a few drops of blood from them: but in the end, they commonly were crushed, & either were carried away with ribs broken, or their skins torne & hanging about their eares, or else (how great so euer their hearts were at the first encounter) they (stood at the last) whining and barking at their strong Aduersaries, when they durst not, or could not bite them. At length a blinde Beare was tyed to the stake, and in stead of baiting him with dogges, a company of creatures that had the shapes of men, & faces of christians (being either Colliers, Carters, or watermen) tooke the office of Beadles vpon them, and whipt monsieur Hunkes, till the blood ran downe his old shoulders: It was some sport t
o sée Innocence triumph ouer Tyranny, by beholding those vnnecessary tormentors go away wt scratchd hands, or torne legs from a poore Beast, arm’d onely by nature to defend himselfe against Violence: yet me •…hought this whipping of the blinde Beare, moued as much pittie in my breast towards him, as ye leading of poore starued wretches to the whipping posts in London (when they had more neede to be reléeued with foode) ought to moue the hearts of Cittizens, though it be the fashion now to laugh at the punishment.

  The last Chorus that came in, was an old Ap•…e drest vp in a coate of changeable cullers (on horsebacke) •…d he rode his circuit with a couple of curres muzled, that like two footemen ran on each side of his old Apes face, euer and anon lea•…ing vp towards him and making a villanous noise with their chappes, as if they had had some great suites to his Apishues, and that he by the haste he •…ade had no leisure to heare such base and bashfull Petitioners.

  The hunny that I sucked out of this weede, was this: That by seeing these, I called to minde the infortunate co¯dition of Soldiers and old seruitors, who when the stormes of troubles are blowne ouer, being curbd of meanes and so hurying that courage and worth that is in their bosoms, are compeld (by the vilenesse of the time) to follow ye héeles of Asses with gay trappings, not daring so much as once to open their lips in reprehension of those apish beastly and ridiculous vices, vpon whose monstrous backes they are carried vp and downe the world, and they are flattered onely for their greatnes, whilst those of merit liue in a slauish subiection vnder them.

  No pleasure thus, nor any place being able to giue perfect contentment to the minde: I left swimming in those common sensuall streames, wherein the world hath béene so often in danger of beeing drowned, and waded onely in those cleare brookes, whose waters had their currents from the springs of learning. I spent my howres in reading of Histories, and for the laying out of a little time, receiued larger interest then the greatest vsurers doe for their money. By looking on those perspectiue glasses. I beheld kingdomes and people a farre off, came acquainted with their manners, their pollicies, their gouernement, their risings, and their downefalles: was present at their battailes, and (without danger to my selfe) vnlesse it were in greeuing to sée States so ouerthrowne by the mutabilitie of Fortune, I saw those Empires vtterly brought to subu•…rsion, which had béene terrours and triumphers ouer all the nations vppon earth. The backe of Time which was next to mine eie, (because he was gone from me) was written full of Tragicall wonders: but the hinder part of his reuerend head was bare and made bald by mens abusing it. O Histories! you soueraigne balmes to the bodyes of the dead, that preserue them more fresh then if they were aliue, kéepe ye fames of Princes from perishing, when marble monuments cannot saue their bones from being rotten, you faithfull entelligensers, betwéene Kingdomes and Kingdomes, your truest councellors to Kings, euen in their greatest dangers! Hast thou an ambition to be equall to Princes! read such bookes, as are the Chronicles of Ages, gone before thee: there there maiest thou find lines drawne (if vertue be thy guide) to make thee paralell with the greatest Monarch: wouldest thou be aboue him, there is ye scale of him ascending. Huntst thou after glory? marke in those pathes how others haue run, and follow thou in the same course. Art thou ficke in minde? (and so to be diseased, is to be sicke euen to ye death) there shalt thou finde physicke to cure thée. Art thou sad? where is swéeter musicke then in reading? Art thou poore? open those closets, and inualuable treasures are powred into thy hands.

  Whilest I dwelt vpon the contemplation of this happinesse, the dreames of Infants were not more harmelesse then my thoughts were, nor the slumbers of a conscience that hath no sting to kéepe it waking more delicate then the musicke which I found in reading: but the swéetest flower hath his withering, and euery pleasure his ending. This full Sea had a quicke fall, and the day that was warme and bright in the morning, had frosts and gloomy darknesse to spoile the beauty of it ere it grew to be noone: for on a suddaine all the aire was filled with noise, as if heauen had bin angry, and chid the earth for her Villanies, people rush headlong together, like torrents running into the sea, full of fury in shew, but loosing the effect of doing violence because they know not how to do it, their rage and madnesse burning in them like fire in wet straw, it made a great stinking smoake, but had no flame. Wildnesse and afrightment were ill fauouredly drawne in euery face, as if they had all come from acting some fresh murder, and that at euery step they were pursued, arme was cryed, and swords were drawne, but either they had no hearts to strike, or no hands, for (like so many S. Georges on horse-backe) they threatned, but gaue not a blow, euery one fearing to smite first, least the rest should make that an occasion to kill him for beginning the quarrell. But at the last drun•…nes were heard to thunder, and trumpets to sound alarums, murmure ran vp & downe euery streete, and confusion did beate at the gates of euery City, men met together, and ran in heards like Deere frighted, or rather like Beares chased, or else seeking for prey. But what wild beasts (thinke you) were these that thus kept such a roaring? it was a people sauage and desperate, a nation patchd vp (like a beggers cloake of ye worst péeces) that could be gathered out of all nations and put into one. They were more scattered then the Iewes, and more hated, more beggerly then the Irish, and more vnciuill, more hardy then the Switzers, and more brutish: giuen to drinke, more then the Dutch, to pride more then the French, to irreligion more then the Italian. They were like the Dunkirkes, a mingle mangle of countries, a confusion of languages, yet all vnderstanding one another. Such as the people were, such was the Princesse whom they followed, she had all their conditions, & they all hers, seeming to be made for no other purpose then to gouerne them, because none else could be bad inough to be their gouernour. They obeyed her not for loue, nor feare, but made her onely great amongst them, because it was their will to haue it so, she (amongst a number of vices, that reigned in her) hauing onely this vertue of a Prince, not to see her people take wrong.

  Into armes therfore as well for her owne chastity as defence of her subiects doth she dote•…ine to put her selfe presently. A faithful & serious •…tion mad•… I to vndersta¯d the cause of this suddaine and vniuersall vprore, and by true intelligence (from persons o•… side) found that ye quarrell was old, the e•…ty mortall, the enemies puissant and fierce, many leagues had béene made, and all were broken, no conditions of peace would now be looked vpon, open warre must be the the sword to st•…ke open wrong.

  The fires (kindled by Guizian Leagues) set not France in hotter combustions then these are likely to proue if the flames in time be not wisely quenched. The showers of bloud which once rained downe vpon the heads of the two kingly families in England, neuer drowned more people, not that braue Romane tragedy acted in our time, at ye battel of Neuport, not the siege of Bommell, where heads flew from sholders faster then bullets from the Cannon. No, nor all those late acts of warre and death, commenced by Hispaniolized Netherlanders, able to make vp a Chronicle to hold all the world reading: did euer giue rumour cause to speak so much as the battailes of these two mighty enemies (so mortally falling out) will force her to proclaime abroade, vnlesse they grow to a reconcilement, to which, by the coniecture of all strangers, that haue trauailed into both their dominions, and know the hot and ambitious spirits of the quarrellers, they cannot easily be drawne: for no one paire of scales being able to hold two Kings at one time: and this law being ingrauen on ye very inside of euery Kings crowne (because it is the wedding ring of his Empire to which hee is the Bride-groome) that,

  Nulla fides socijs Regni: omnisque potestas, Impatiens Consortis erit.

  At the sterne of a kingdome, two Pilots must not sit, nor principality endure a partner, and againe, that

  Non capit Regnum duos,

  A Kingdome is heauen, and loues not two suns shining in it. How is it possible, or how agréeable to ye politick grounds of state, that two such potentates should be vnited in firme friendship, sithence their quarrel is deriued from an equall claime of soueraignety.

  Ouer
Citties is there ambition to bée Superiours, yet not together but alone. and not onely ouer London (the great Metropolis of England) but also ouer Paris in the kingdom of Fraunce; ouer Ciuil, and Madril in Spaine; ouer Rome in Italy: Francfurt and Colin in high Germany: Antwerp in Brabant, Elsinor in Denmarke, Prage in Bohemia; Craconia in Poland: Belgrad in Hungary, and so ouer all the other Capitall Citties, that bewtifies the greatest Kingdomes of Europe. For Signority in these doe they contend.

  Haue you not a longing desire, to know the names of the generals that are to commaund these expected armies; and from what countries they come? what forces march with them? and what warlike Stratagems they st and vpon?

  I haue a little before roughly drawne the picture of one of them; the Princesse her selfe being barbarous, néedy, of great power by, reason of her people, but far vnable to keepe them in pay, or in order, they themselues (how valiant soeuer they bée) being likewise all together, vntrained and indisciplinable, yet full of courage, and desire to set vpon the Enemy.

  Whose Army though it consist not of such multitudes, (number being oftentimes the confusions of battailes) yet is the Empresse, vnder whose collours they fight, full of riches (which are the sinews of Warre) of great commaund, feared and loued, yea adored as a Die•…y, of a Maiesticall presence of incomparable bewty Such a one, that euen the very sight of her is a Charme strong enough to make me venture their liues in the quarrell of her right.