English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Pem_. O yet a little longer, gracious time,
Detayne his princely spirit in his brest
That I may tell him he is misse-inform'd
And purge my selfe unto my dying friend.
But death hath layd his num-cold hand upon me:
I am arrested to depart this life.
Deare Ferdinand, although thou be my death,
On thee Ile friendly breathe my latest breath.
_Enter Forrester_.
_For_. How full of pleasure is this Forrest life!
My Parke I liken to a Common wealth
In which my Bucks and Does are Citizens;
The Hunters Lodge the Court from whence is sent
Sentence of life or death as please the King;
Onely our government's a tyranny[135]
In that wee kill our subjects upon sport.
But stay; what Gentlemen do heere lye slayne?
If any sparke of life doe yet remayne
Ile helpe to fanne it with a nymble hand.
The organ of his hand doth play apace;
He is not so far spent but that with helpe
He may recover to his former state.
How is the other? I doe feel soft breath
Breake from between his lips. Oh for some ayd
To beare them to the Forrest to my Lodge,
But as I am Ile try my utmost strength
To save their lives. First seene shall be the first:
Patience and Ile returne and fetch the other.
[_Exit_.
_Enter Fisherman_.
_Fisher_. My angle-rod is broke, my sport is done,
But I will fetch my net to catch some fish;
To lose both fish and pleasure is too much.
Oh what contentment lives there in the brooke!
What pretty traines are made by cunning hands
To intrap the wily watry Citizens[136]!
But what art thou that lyest on the ground?
Sleepst thou or art thou slaine? hath breath his last?
No sparke of life appeares, yet from his eye
Me thinks I see a glymmering light breake forth,
Which, wanting strength, is like a twilight glimse.
If there be any hope to save his life
Ile try my utmost cunning. To my house,
Poore Gentleman, Ile beare thee as a ghest,
And eyther cure thy wounds or make thy grave.
[_Exit_.
_Enter Forrester, missing the other taken away,
speaks anything, and exit_.
_Enter Clowne and Katharine_.
_Clow_. Just in this circle I left the two Princes ready to draw; for I
read the whole discourse of the Combate in their red eyes.
_Kath_. Heere lye their weapons and heere flowes their bloud.
_Clow_. Have they not slayne one another and buryed themselves?
_Kath_. Peace, foole; [i]t is too sure that they are slayne.
_Clow_. O Lord, then let mee turne my selfe into a Ballad and mourne
for them?
_Kath_. Thou angrest me with jesting at my sorrow.
Hence from my sight! my heart is full of griefe
And it will breake, the burthen is so great.
_Clow_. Goe from your sight? then let me goe out of your company,
for I had as leeve leave your sight as your company. Is this my reward
for watching and watching? Oh, Mistris, doe not kill mee with
unkindnesse[137]: I shall, I shall--
_Kath_. What shall you?
_Clow_. Weepe out mine eyes and fill the holes with salt water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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