Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 06 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_1. Dau._ The children of as great as _Rome_, as noble,
Our names before her, and our deeds her envy;
Must we guild ore your Conquest, make your State,
That is not fairly strong, but fortunate?
No, no, ye _Romans_, we have ways to scape ye,
To make ye poor again, indeed our prisoners,
And stick our triumphs full.
_Petill._ 's death, I shall love her.
_1. Dau._ To torture ye with suffering, like our slaves;
To make ye curse our patience, wish the world
Were lost again, to win us only, and esteem
The end of all ambitions.
_Bond._ Do ye wonder?
We'll make our monuments in spite of fortune,
In spight of all your Eagles wings: we'll work
A pitch above ye; and from our height we'll stoop
As fearless of your bloody soars; and fortunate,
As if we prey'd on heartless doves.
_Swet._ Strange stiffness.
_Decius_, go charge the breach. [_Exit Decius._
_Bond._ Charge it home, _Roman_,
We shall deceive thee else. Where's _Nennius_?
_Enter_ Nennius.
_Nen._ They have made a mighty breach.
_Bond._ Stick in thy body,
And make it good but half an hour.
_Nen._ I'll do it.
_1. Dau._ And then be sure to dye.
_Nen._ It shall go hard else.
_Bond._ Fare well with all my heart; we shall meet yonder,
Where few of these must come.
_Nen._ Gods take thee, Lady. [_Exit Nennius._
_Bond._ Bring up the swords, and poison.
_Enter one with Swords, and a great Cup._
_2. Dau._ O my fortune!
_Bond._ How, how, ye whore?
_2. Dau._ Good mother, nothing to offend ye.
_Bond._ Here, wench:
Behold us, _Romans_.
_Swet._ Mercy yet.
_Bond._ No talking:
Puff, there goes all your pitty. Come, short prayers,
And let's dispach the business: you begin,
Shrink not; I'll see ye do't.
_2. Dau._ O gentle mother,
O _Romans_, O my heart; I dare not.
_Swet._ Woman, woman,
Unnatural woman.
_2. Dau._ O perswade her, _Romans_:
Alass, I am young, and would live. Noble mother,
Can ye kill that ye gave life? are my years
Fit for destruction?
_Swet._ Yield, and be a Queen still,
A mother and a friend.
_Bond._ Ye talk: come, hold it,
And put it home.
_1. Dau._ Fie, sister, fie,
What would you live to be?
_Bond._ A whore still.
_2. Dau._ Mercy.
_Swet._ Hear her, thou wretched woman.
_2. Dau._ Mercy, mother:
O whither will you send me? I was once
Your darling, your delight.
_Bond._ O gods,
Fear in my family? do it, and nobly.
_2. Dau._ O do not frown then.
_1. Daugh._ Do it, worthy Sister:
'Tis nothing, 'tis a pleasure; we'll go with ye.
_2. Daugh._ O if I knew but whither.
_1. Daugh._ To the blessed,
Where we shall meet our Father.
_Swet._ Woman.
_Bond._ Talk not.
_1. Daugh._ Where nothing but true joy is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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