Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
_Bacha._ Hell take you all, or if there be a place
Of torment that exceeds that, get you thither:
And till the devils have you, may your lives
Be one continued plague, and such a one,
That knows no friends nor ending.
May all ages that shall succeed, curse you as I do:
And if it be possible, I ask it heaven,
That your base issues may be ever Monsters,
That must for shame of nature and succession,
Be drown'd like dogs.
Would I had breath to [poyson] you.
_Leu._ Would you had love within you, and such grief
As might become a Mother: look you there,
Know you that face? that was _Urania_:
These are the fruits of those unhappy Mothers,
That labour with such horrid births as you do:
If you can weep, there's cause; poor innocent,
Your wickedness has kill'd her: I'll weep for you.
_Isme._ Monstrous woman,
_Mars_ would weep at this, and yet she cannot.
_Leu._ Here lies your Minion too, slain by my hand,
I will not say you are the cause: yet certain,
I know you were [to] blame, the gods forgive you.
_Isme._ See, she stands as if she were inventing
Some new destruction for the world.
_Leu. Ismenus_, thou art welcome yet to my sad company.
_Isme._ I come to make you somewhat sadder, Sir.
_Leu._ You cannot, I am at the height already.
_Isme._ Your Fathers dead.
_Leu._ I thought so, Heaven be with him: Oh woman, woman, weep
now or never, thou hast made more sorrows than we have eyes to
utter.
_Bac._ Now let Heaven fall, I am at the worst of evils, a thing
so miserably wretched, that every thing, the last of humane
comforts hath left me: I will not be so base and cold, to live
and wait the mercies of these men I hate, no, 'tis just I die,
since fortune hath left me, my step discent attends me: hand,
strike thou home, I have soul enough to guide; and let all
know, as I stood a Queen, the same I'll fall, and one with me.
[_She stabs the Prince with a knife._
_Leu._ Ho.
_Isme._ How do you, Sir?
_Leu._ Nearer my health, than I think any here, my tongue
begins to faulter: what is man? or who would be one, when he
sees a poor weak woman can in an instant make him none.
_Dor._ She is dead already.
_Isme._ Let her be damn'd already as she is: post all for
Surgeons.
_Leu._ Let not a man stirr, for I am but dead:
I have some few words which I would have you hear,
And am afraid I shall want breath to speak 'em:
First to you my Lords, you know _Ismenus_ is
Undoubtedly Heir of _Lycia_, I do beseech you all,
When I am dead, to shew your duties to him.
_Lords._ We vow to do't.
_Leu._ I thank you.
Next to you Cosin _Ismenus_, that shall be the Duke,
I pray you let the broken Image of _Cupid_
Be re-edified, I know all this is done by him.
_Isme._ It shall be so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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