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Ebook has 51 lines and 28100 words, and 2 pages

PHILASTER:

OR,

Love lies a Bleeding.

Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Persons Represented in the Play.

Actus primus. Scena prima.

hand, I am your servant.

: shrink not, worthy Sir, But add your Father to you: in whose name, We'll waken all the gods, and conjure up The rods of vengeance, the abused people, Who like to raging torrents shall swell high, And so begirt the dens of these Male-dragons, That through the strongest safety, they shall beg For mercy at your swords point.

reath troubles them: believe me boy, Care seeks out wrinkled brows, and hollow eyes, And builds himself caves to abide in them. Come Sir, tell me truly, does your Lord love me?

st enjoy her, Or let plagues fall on me, if I destroy thee not.

e a sea upon me? Have I taken Danger as stern as death into my bosom, And laught upon it, made it but a mirth, And flung it by? Do I live now like him, Under this Tyrant King, that languishing Hears his sad Bell, and sees his Mourners? Do I Bear all this bravely, and must sink at length Under a womans falshood? Oh that boy, That cursed boy? None but a villain boy, to ease your lust?

him great.

, And with this swashing blow, do you swear Prince; I could hulk your Grace, and hang you up cross-leg'd, Like a Hare at a Poulters, and do this with this wiper.

Unto his Torture: is it in the power Of flesh and blood, to carry this and live?

And vertuous still to ages, in despight of malice.

and deformed, as they at the first were; and if they were then gracious in your sight, assuredly they will now finde double favour, being reformed, and set forth suteable, to their birth, and breeding.

Thomas Walkley.'

C prefixes to the play the following Address repeated with variations of spelling in the five later quartos:

'The Stationer, To the Understanding Gentrie.

'This play so affectionatly taken, and approoved by the Seeing Auditors, or Hearing Spectators, hath received no lesse acceptance with improovement of you likewise the Readers, albeit the first Impression swarm'd with Errors, prooving it selfe like pure Gold, which the more it hath beene tried and refined, the better is esteemed; the best Poems of this kind, in the first presentation, resemble that all tempting Minerall newly digged up, the Actors being onely the labouring Miners, but you the skilfull Triers and Refiners: Now considering how currant this hath passed, under the infallible stampe of your judicious censure, and applause, and eagerly sought for, not onely by those that have heard & seene it, but by others that have meerely heard thereof: here you behold me acting the Merchant-adventurers part, yet as well for their satisfaction, as mine owne benefit, and if my hopes doe fairely arrive at their intended Haven, I shall then be ready to lade a new Bottome, and set foorth againe, to game the good-will both of you and them. To whom respectively I convey this hearty greeting: ADIEU.'

THE ACTORS NAMES.

King of Cecely Arathusa, the Princesse. Phylaster. Pharamont, a Spanish Prince, Leon, a Lord. Gleremon} Two Noble Gentlemen Trasilm } Bellario a Page, Leon's daughter. Callatea, a Lady of Honor. Megra, another Lady. A Waiting Gentlewoman. Two Woodmen. A Countrey Gallant.

An Old Captaine.

And Souldiers. A Messenger.

TRASILINE. Well ore tane my Lord.

TRANS. True Sir: and holds set counsels, to vent their braine sicke opinions with presagements what all states shall designe.

CLE. Thats as their intelligence serves.

LYON. And that shall serve as long as invention lastes, there dreames they relate, as spoke from Oracles, or if the gods should hold a synod, and make them their secritaries, they will divine and prophecie too: but come and speake your thoughts of the intended marriage with the Spanish Prince. He is come you see, and bravely entertainde.

TRAS. Hee is so, but not married yet.

TRA. And lose his head i' the asking.

CLE. He hath many friends.

LEON. And few helpers.

TRA. The people love him.

LEON. I grant it, that the King knowes too well, And makes this Contract to make his faction strong: Whats a giddy-headed multitude, That's not Disciplinde nor trainde up in Armes, To be trusted unto? No, he that will Bandy for a Monarchic, must provide Brave marshall troopes with resolution armde, To stand the shock of bloudy doubtfull warre, Not danted though disastrous Fate doth frowne, And spit all spightfull fury in their face: Defying horror in her ugliest forme, And growes more valiant, the more danger threats; Or let leane famine her affliction send, Whose pining plagues a second hel doth bring, Thei'le hold their courage in her height of spleene, Till valour win plenty to supply them, What thinke ye, would yer feast-hunting Citizens Indure this?

TRA. No sir, a faire march a mile out of town that their wives may bring them their dinners, is the hottest service that they are trained up to.

TRA. My heart is with your wishes.

LEON. And so is mine, And so should all that loves their true borne Prince, Then let us joyne our Forces with our mindes, In whats our power to right this wronged Lord, And watch advantage as best may fit the time To stir the murmuring people up, Who is already possest with his wrongs, And easily would in rebellion rise, Which full well the King doth both know and feare, But first our service wee'le proffer to the Prince, And set our projects as he accepts of us; But husht, the King is comming.

Finis.

CAP. How doe you like this, my Lord prisoner? These are mad boyes I can tell you, These bee things that will not strike top-sayle to a Foyst, And let a Man of warre, an Argosea, Stoope to carry coales.

PHAR. Why, you damn'd slaves, doe you know who I am?

CAP. Yes, my pretie Prince of puppits, we do know, and give you gentle warning, you talke no more such bugs words, lest that sodden Crowne should be scracht with a musket; deare Prince pippin, I'le have you codled, let him loose my spirits, and make a ring with your bils my hearts: Now let mee see what this brave man dares doe: note sir, have at you with this washing blow, here I lie, doe you huffe sweete Prince? I could hock your grace, and hang you crosse leg'd, like a Hare at a Poulters stall; and do thus.

PHAR. Gentlemen, honest Gentlemen--

SOUL. A speakes treason Captaine, shal's knock him downe?

CAP. Hold, I say.

OMNES. I, kill him, kill him.

CAP. Againe I say hold.

SOME CRIES. Burne him, burne him.

OTHERS. Hang him, hang him.

p. 96, ll. 8 and 9. One line. ll. 26--32. Prose. ll. 36 and 37. Prose.

p. 99, ll. 5--16. Prose. ll. 19--36. Prose.

p. 123, ll. 1--18. Prose.

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