A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
English drama
PET. My joy had been too great if he had liv'd;
The thrifty heavens mingle our sweets with gall,
Lest, being glutted with excess of good,
We should forget the giver. Rise, Sebastiano,
With thy happy choice; may'st thou live crown'd
With the enjoyment of those benefits
My prayers shall beg for [thee]: rise, Aurelia,
And in some place, bless'd with religious prayers,
Spend thy left remnant.[47]
AUR. You advise well: indeed, it was a fault
To break the bonds of duty and of law;
But love, O love! thou, whose all-conquering pow'r
Builds castles on the hearts of easy maids,
And makes 'em strong e'en to[48] attempt those dangers
That, but rehears'd before, would fright their souls
Into a jelly. Brother, I must leave you;
And, father, when I send to you a note
That shall desire a yearly stipend to
That holy place my tired feet has found
To rest them in, pray, confirm it.
And now, great king, Aurelia begs of you
To grace Antonio in the mournful march
Unto his grave, which be where you think fit:
We need not be interr'd both in one vault.
KING. Bless'd virgin, thy desires I will perform.
AUR. Then I leave you; my prayers shall still attend you,
As I hope yours shall accompany me.
Father, your blessing, and ere long expect
To hear where I am entertain'd a nun.
Brother and sister, to you both adieu;
Antonio dead, Aurelia marries new.
[_Exit._
PET. Farewell, [my] girl; when I remember thee,
The beads I drop shall be my tears.
_Enter_ VERMIN _in a cloak for the prologue_.
KING. She's to all virgins a true mirror.
They that would behold true love, reflect on her:
There 'tis engross'd.
3D TAI. Great king, our grace----
O. TAI. The king is sad, you must not act.
3D TAI. How? not act? Shall not Vermin act?
O. TAI. Yes, you shall act, but not now; the king is indispos'd.
3D TAI. Well, then, some other time, I, Vermin; the king will act
before the king.
O. TAI. Very good; pray, make your _exit_.
3D TAI. I'll muster up all the tailors in the town, and so tickle
their sides.
[_The_ KING _and_ GIOVANNO _whisper_.
O. TAI. Nay, thou'rt a right Vermin; go, be not troublesome.
[_Exit_ VERMIN.
GIO. Upon my truth and loyalty, great king, what they did was but
feign'd, merely words without a heart: 'twas by Antonio's counsel.
KING. Thou art all truth: rise.
[_The Colonels kneel._
OMNES. Long live King Philip in the calm of peace to exercise his
regal clemency!
KING. Take up Antonio's body, and let the rest
Find Christian burial: mercy befits a king.
Come, trusty tailor,
And to all countries let swift fame report
King Philip made a tailor's house his court.
O. TAI. Your grace much honours me.
KING. We can't enough pay thy alone deserts;
Kings may be poor when subjects are like thee,
So fruitful in all loyal virtuous deeds:
March with the body, we'll perform all rites
Of sable ceremony: that done,
We'll to our court, since all our own is won.
[_Exeunt._[49]
* * * * *
LUST'S DOMINION
OR
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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