Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10Fletcher, John
General
Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 10 of 10
Fletcher, John
English drama
Made such a battery in the choisest Castle
That ever nature made to defend life,
That strait it shook, and sunk.
_Thier._ Stay, dares any
Presume to shed a tear before me? or
Ascribe that worth unto themselves to merit:
To do so for her? I have done, now on.
_Mart._ Fall'n thus, once more she smil'd, as if that death
For her had studied a new way to sever
The soul and body, without sense of pain;
And then tell him (quoth she) what you have seen,
And with what willingness 'twas done: for which
My last request unto him is, that he
Would instantly make choice of one (most happy
In being so chosen) to supply my place,
By whom if heaven bless him with a daughter,
In my remembrance let it bear my name
Which said she dy'd.
_Thier._ I hear this, and yet live;
Heart! art thou thunder proof, will nothing break thee?
She's dead, and what her entertainment may be
In th'other world without me is uncertain,
And dare I stay here unresolv'd?
_Mart._ Oh Sir!
_Brun._ Dear son.
_Prot._ Great King.
_Thier._ Unhand me, am I fall'n
So low, that I have lost the power to be
Disposer of my own life?
_Mart._ Be but pleas'd
To borrow so much time of sorrow, as
To call to mind her last request, for whom
(I must confess a loss beyond expression)
You turn your hand upon your self, 'twas hers
And dying hers, that you should live and happy
In seeing little models of your self,
By matching with another, and will you
Leave any thing that she desir'd ungranted?
And suffer such a life that was [l]aid down
For your sake only to be fruitless?
_Thier._ Oh thou dost throw charms upon me, against which
I cannot stop my ears, bear witness heaven
That not desire of life, nor love of pleasure[s]
Nor any future comforts, but to give
Peace to her blessed spirit in satisfying
Her last demand, makes me defer our meeting,
Which in my choice, and suddain choice shall be
To all apparent.
_Brun._ How? doe I remove one mischief
To draw upon my head a greater?
_Thier._ Go, thou only good man, to whom for her self
Goodness is dear, and prepare to interr it
In her that was; oh my heart! my _Ordella_,
A monument worthy to be the casket
Of such a jewel.
_Mart._ Your command that makes way
Unto my absence is a welcome one,
For but your self there's nothing here _Martel_,
Can take delight to look on; yet some comfort
Goes back with me to her, who though she want it
Deserves all blessings. [_Exit._
_Brun._ So soon to forget
The loss of such a wife, believe it will
Be censur'd in the world.
_Thier._ Pray you no more,
There is no arg[u]ment you can use to cross it,
But does increase in me such a suspition
I would not cherish--who's that?
_Enter_ Memberge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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