Kings and rulers -- Drama; Political plays; Tragicomedy
Thou knowst the evils thou hast done to me,
Dost thou remember all those witching letters
Thou sentst unto me to _Armenia_,
Fild with the praise of my beloved Sister,
Where thou extolst her beautie; what had I
To doe with that, what could her beautie be
To me, and thou didst write how well shee lov'd me,
Doest thou remember this: so that I doated
Something before I saw her.
_Gob_.
This is true.
_Arb_.
Is it, and I when I was returnd thou knowst
Thou didst pursue it, till thou woundst mee into
Such a strange, and unbeleev'd affection,
As good men cannot thinke on.
_Gob_.
This I grant, I thinke I was the cause.
_Arb_.
Wert thou? Nay more, I thinke thou meantst it.
_Gob_.
Sir I hate a lie.
As I love God and honestie, I did:
It was my meaning.
_Arb_.
Be thine owne sad Judge,
A further condemnation will not need:
Prepare thy selfe to die.
_Gob_.
Why Sir to die?
_Arb_.
Why wouldst thou live, was ever yet offender
So impudent, that had a thought of mercy
After confession of a crime like this?
Get out I cannot, where thou hurlst me in,
But I can take revenge, that's all the sweetnesse
Left for me.
_Gob_.
Now is the time, heare me but speake.
_Arb_.
No, yet I will be farre more mercifull
Then thou wert to me; thou didst steale into me,
And never gavest me warning: so much time
As I give thee now, had prevented thee
For ever. Notwithstanding all thy sinnes,
If thou hast hope, that there is yet a prayer
To save thee, turne, and speake it to your selfe.
_Gob_.
Sir, you shall know your sinnes before you doe um
If you kill me.
_Arb_.
I will not stay then.
_Gob_.
Know you kill your Father.
_Arb_.
How?
_Gob_.
You kill your Father.
_Arb_.
My Father? though I know it for a lie
Made out of feare to save thy stained life:
The verie reverence of the word comes crosse me,
And ties mine arme downe.
_Gob_.
I will tell you that shall heighten you againe, I am thy
Father, I charge thee heare me.
_Arb_.
If it should be so,
As tis most false, and that I should be found
A bastard issue, the dispised fruite
Of lawlesse lust, I should no more admire
All my wilde passions: but another truth
Shall be wrung from thee: If I could come by
The spirit of paine, it should be powr'd on thee,
Till thou allowest thy selfe more full of lies
Then he that teaches thee.
_Enter Arane_.
_Arane_.
Turne thee about,
I come to speake to thee thou wicked man,
Heare me thou Tyrant.
_Arb_.
I will turne to thee,
Heare me thou Strumpet: I have blotted out
The name of mother, as thou hast thy shame.
_Ara_.
My shame, thou hast lesse shame then anything:
Why dost thou keepe my daughter in a prison?
Why dost thou call her Sister, and doe this?
_Arb_.
Cease thou strange impudence, and answere quickly,
If thou contemn'st me, this will aske an answere,
And have it.
_Ara_.
Helpe me gentle _Gobrius_.
_Arb_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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