Enter three Men and a Woman. 1 Man. Come, come, run, run, run. 2 Man. We shall out-go her. 3 Man. One were better be hang'd than carry out women fiddling to these shows. Wom. Is the king hard by? What 1 Man. You heard he with the bottles said, he thought we should come too late. abundance of people here is! Wom. But what had he in those bottles? 3 Man. I know not. 2 Man. Why, ink, goodman fool. 3 Man. Ink, what to do? 1 Man. Why, the king, look you, will many times call for those bottles, and break his mind to his friends. Wom. Let's take our places; we shall have no room else. 2 Man. The man told us, he would walk o' foot through the people. 3 Man. Ay, marry, did be. 1 Man. Our shops are well look'd-to now. 2 Man. 'Slife, yonder's my master, I think. 1 Man. No, 'tis not he. Enter PHILIP, with two Citizens' Wives. 1 Cit. Lord, how fine the fields be. What sweet living 'tis in the country! 2 Cit. Ay, poor souls, God help 'em, they live as contentedly as one of us. 1 Cit. My husband's cousin would have had me gone into the country last year. Wert thou ever there? 2 Cit. Ay, poor souls, I was amongst 'em once. 1 Cit. And what kind of creatures are they, for love of God? 2 Cit. Very good people, God help 'em. 1 Cit. Wilt thou go down with me this summer when I am brought to-bed? 2 Cit. Alas, it is no place for us. 1 Cit. Why, prithee? 2 Cit. Why, you can have nothing there; there's nobody cries brooms. 1 Cit. No? 2 Cit. No truly, nor milk. 1 Cit. Nor milk! how do they? 2 Cit. They are fain to milk themselves i' the country. 1 Cit. Good lord! But the people there, I think, will be very dutiful to one of us. 2 Cit. Ay, God knows will they; and yet they do not greatly care for our husbands. 1 Cit. Do they not? alas! i' good faith, I cannot blame them: For we do not greatly care for them ourselves. Philip, I pray, chuse us a place. Phil. There's the best, forsooth. 1 Cit. By your leave, good people, a little. 3 Man. What's the matter? Phil. I pray you, my friend, do not thrust my mistress so; she's with child. 2 Man. Let her look to herself then; has she not had thrusting enough yet! If she stay shouldering here, she may, haps, go home with a cake in her belly. 3 Man. How now, goodman Squitter-breech! why do you lean on me? Phil. Because I will. 3 Man. Will you, Sir Sauce-box? 1 Cit. Look, if one ha' not struck Philip. Come hither, Philip; why did he strike thee? Phil. For leaning on him. 1 Cit. Why didst thou lean on him? Phil. I did not think he would have struck me. 1 Cit. As God save me, la, thou'rt as wild as a buck; there's no quarrel, but thou'rt at one end or other on't. 3 Man. It's at the first end then, for he'll ne'er stay the last. 1 Cit. Well, Slip-string, I shall meet with you. 3 Man. When you will. 1 Cit. I'll give a crown to meet with you. 3 Man. At a bawdy-house. 1 Cit. Ay, you're full of your roguery; but if I do meet you, it shall cost me a fall. Flourish. Enter one running. 4 Man. The king, the king, the king, the king! Now, now, now, now! Flourish. Enter ARBACES, TIGRANES, and MARDONIUS. All. God preserve your majesty! Arb. I thank you all. Now are my joys at full, All the account that I can render you All. God preserve your majesty! Arb. Now you may live securely i' your towns, Your children round about you; you may sit Under your vines, and make the miseries Of other kingdoms a discourse for you, And lend them sorrows. For yourselves, you may Safely forget there are such things as tears: And you may all, whose good thoughts I have gain'd, Hold me unworthy, when I think my life All. God bless your majesty! Arb. See, all good people; I have brought the man, Whose very name you fear'd, a captive home. Behold him; 'tis Tigranes! In your hearts Sing songs of gladness and deliverance. 1 Cit. Out upon him! 2 Cit. How he looks. 3 Wom. Hang him, hang him! Mar. These are sweet people. Tigr. Sir, you do me wrong, To render me a scorned spectacle To common people. Arb. It was far from me To mean it so. If I have aught deserv❜d, Not to revile this prince, in whom there dwells All. The Lord bless your majesty! Tigr. So, he has made me amends now with a speech in commendation of himself: I would not be so vain-glorious. Arb. If there be any thing in which I may Do good to any creature here, speak out; For I must leave you: And it troubles me, And live to see your childrens children [Flourish. Exeunt Kings and their Train. All. God bless your majesty, God bless your majesty! 1 Man. Come, shall we go? all's done. 2 Man. Away, away! all's done. 1 Cit. Away, you halter-sack, you! 2 Man. Philip will not fight; he's afraid on's face. Phil. Ay, marry; am I afraid of my face? 3 Man. Thou wouldst be, Philip, if thou saw'st it in a glass; it looks so like a visor. [Exeunt the three men and woman. 1 Cit. You'll be hang'd, sirrah. Come, Philip, walk before us homewards. Did not his majesty say he had brought us home peas for all our money? 2 Cit. Yes, marry, did he. 1 Cit. They're the first I heard of this year, by my troth. I long'd for some of 'em. Did he not say, we should have some? 2 Cit. Yes, and so we shall anon, I warrant you, have every one a peck brought home to our houses. [Exeunt. ACT III. Enter ARBACES and GOBRias. Arb. My sister take it ill? Something unkindly she does take it, sir, Arb. Why, Gobrias, let her: I must have her know, My will, and not her own, must govern her. What, will she marry with some slave at home? Gob. Oh, she is far from any stubbornness; You much mistake her; and, no doubt, will like Where you will have her. But, when you behold her, You will be loth to part with such a jewel. Arb. To part with her? Why, Gobrias, art thou mad? She is my sister. Gob Sir, I know she is: But it were pity to make poor our land, With such a beauty to enrich another. Arb. Were she my father, and my mother too, And all the names for which we think folks friends, She should be forced to have him, when I know 'Tis fit. I will not hear her say, she's loth. Gob. Heaven, bring my purpose luckily to pass! You know 'tis just.—She will not need constraint, She loves you so. Arb. How does she love me? Speak. Gob. She loves you more than people love their health, That live by labour; more than I could love Arb. She is not like her mother, then. Gob. Oh, no! When you were in Armenia, I durst not let her know when you were hurt: For at the first, on every little scratch, She kept her chamber, wept, and could not eat, I know not how I shall requite her well. Gob. Sir, I have. Enter 1 Gentleman and TIGRANES. 1 Gent. Sir, here is the Armenian king. Arb. He's welcome. 1 Gent. And the queen-mother and the princess wait Without. Arb. Good Gobrias, bring 'em in. [Erit GOBRIAS. Enter GOBRIAS, ARANE, PANTHEA, SPACO- Tigr. Will you speak, sir? Arb. Speak! am I what I was? Hither, from thence. You shall not tarry there! Tigr. Oh, misery! why should he be so slow! far From kind words? Yet, to save my modesty, Ara. As low as this I bow to you; and would Let her not kneel, and talk neglected thus. Thankful for all your mercies. Arb. Oh, stand up, And let me kneel! the light will be ashamed Arb. You are my mother. Rise! As far be all your faults from your own soul, A tree would find a tongue to answer her, Arb. You mean this lady. Lift her from the Why do you let her kneel so long? Alas! Mar. What, is he mad? Arb. Gobrias, where is she? Arb. Where is she, man? Arb. Who? hast thou forgot my sister? Arb. Your sister, sir? Some one that hath a Answer, where is she? Gob. Do you not see her there? Speak boldly to me; for I am a man, I know, she could not make a wish to change No more of this! Here I pronounce him traitor, She is no kin to me, nor shall she be : And which of you can question this? My power Bes. No, marry, she is not, an't please your I never thought she was; she's nothing like you. Pan. Sir, I will speak but once: By the same You make my blood a stranger unto yours, By your unquestion'd word; else I shall live Arb. I will hear no more. Why should there be such music in a voice, And leave mankind as unconfin'd as beasts; As freely as they drink when they desire. The king will alter: 'Tis some sudden rage, And Pan. Pray Heaven it do! Tigr. Though she to whom I swore be here, I Tigr. Dare do it! Why, you brought me hither, sir, To that intent. Arb. Perhaps, I told you so: If I had sworn it, had you so much folly To credit it? The least word that she speaks Spa. Blest be that breath! For theft. My tongue be temper'd? I must speak, Arb. You will? Spa. Alas, my fortune! Tigr. Do not fear his frown. Dear madam, hear me. Arb. Fear not my frown? But that 'twere base To fight with one I know I can o'ercome, Mar. He has one ransom with him already; methinks, 'twere good to fight double or quit. Arb. Away with him to prison! Now, sir, see Tigr. Touch me not. Arb. Help there! Tigr. Away! 1 Gent. It is in vain to struggle. 2 Gent. You must be forced. Bac. Sir, you must pardon us; We must obey. Arb. Why do you dally there? Drag him away by any thing. Bac. Come, sir. Than if you had not frown'd; it comes to me Arb. I must not stay the answer. Do it! Arb. No more! Do it, I say! Arb. I will not hear you speak. Away with her! Let no man think to speak Gob. Madam, this office grieves me. Pan. Nay, 'tis well; the king is pleased with it. Arb. Bessus, go you along too with her. I will prove Tigr. Justice, thou ought'st to give me strength All this that I have said, if I may live enough To shake all these off. This is tyranny, Arb. Let him be close, Bacurius. [Exeunt TIGRANES and BACURIUS. Gob. You will not let your sister So long. But I am desperately sick; [Exeunt GOB. PAN. BES. and SPAC. Why should You, that have made me stand in war Like Fate itself, cutting what threads I pleased, Arb. By no means, Gobrias: I have done her Let it be rather so, than punish me wrong. And made myself believe much of myself, With such unmanly sins. Incest is in me Arb. I pray thee, bear me, if thou canst. |