A King, and No King, Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher [best books for 20 year olds .TXT] 📗

light upon me.

Pan.

This is better Than if you had not frown'd, it comes to me, Like mercie at the block, and when I leave To serve you with my life, your curse be with me.

Arb.

Then thus I do salute thee, and again, To make this knot the stronger, Paradise Is there: It may be you are yet in doubt, This third kiss blots it out, I wade in sin, And foolishly intice my self along; Take her away, see her a prisoner In her own chamber closely, Gobrias.

Pan.

Alas Sir, why?

Arb.

I must not stay the answer, doe it.

Gob.

Good Sir.

Arb.

No more, doe it I say.

Mard.

This is better and better.

Pan.

Yet hear me speak.

Arb.

I will not hear you speak, Away with her, let no man think to speak For such a creature; for she is a witch, A prisoner, and a Traitor.

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 All this that I have said, if I may live So long; but I am desperately sick, For she has given me poison in a kiss; She had't betwixt her lips, and with her eyes She witches people: go without a word.

[Exeunt Gob. Pan. Bes. And Spaconia.

Why should you that have made me stand in war Like fate it self, cutting what threds I pleas'd, Decree such an unworthy end of me, And all my glories? What am I, alas, That you oppose me? if my secret thoughts Have ever harbour'd swellings against you, They could not hurt you, and it is in you To give me sorrow, that will render me Apt to receive your mercy; rather so, Let it be rather so, than punish me With such unmanly sins: Incest is in me Dwelling already, and it must be holy That pulls it thence, where art Mardonius?

Mar.

Here Sir.

Arb.

I pray thee bear me, if thou canst, Am I not grown a strange weight?

Mar.

As you were.

Arb.

No heavier?

Mar.

No Sir.

Arb.

Why, my legs Refuse to bear my body; O Mardonius, Thou hast in field beheld me, when thou knowst I could have gone, though I could never run.

Mar.

And so I shall again.

Arb.

O no, 'tis past.

Mar.

Pray you go rest your self.

Arb.

Wilt thou hereafter when they talk of me, As thou shalt hear nothing but infamy, Remember some of those things?

Mar.

Yes I will.

Arb.

I pray thee do: for thou shalt never see me so again.

[Exeunt.

Enter Bessus alone.

Bes.

They talk of fame, I have gotten it in the wars; and will afford any man a reasonable penny-worth: some will say, they could be content to have it, but that it is to be atchiev'd with danger; but my opinion is otherwise: for if I might stand still in Cannon-proof, and have fame fall upon me, I would refuse it: my reputation came principally by thinking to run away, which no body knows but Mardonius, and I think he conceals it to anger me. Before I went to the warrs, I came to the Town a young fellow, without means or parts to deserve friends; and my empty guts perswaded me to lie, and abuse people for my meat, which I did, and they beat me: then would I fast two days, till my hunger cri'd out on me, rail still, then me-thought I had a monstrous stomach to abuse 'em again, and did it. I, this state I continu'd till they hung me up by th' heels, and beat me wi' hasle sticks, as if they would have baked me, and have cousen'd some body wi'me for Venison: After this I rail'd, and eat quietly: for the whole Kingdom took notice of me for a baffl'd whipt fellow, and what I said was remembred in mirth but never in anger, of which I was glad; I would it were at that pass again. After this, heaven calls an Aunt of mine, that left two hundred pound in a cousins hand for me, who taking me to be a gallant young spirit, raised a company for me with the money and sent me into Armenia with 'em: Away I would have run from them, but that I could get no company, and alone I durst not run. I was never at battail but once, and there I was running, but Mardonius cudgel'd me; yet I got loose at last, but was so fraid, that I saw no more than my shoulders doe, but fled with my whole company amongst my Enemies, and overthrew 'em: Now the report of my valour is come over before me, and they say I was a raw young fellow, but now I am improv'd, a Plague on their eloquence, 't will cost me many a beating; And Mardonius might help this too, if he would; for now they think to get honour on me, and all the men I have abus'd call me freshly worthily, as they call it by the way of challenge.

Enter a Gent.

3 Gent.

Good morrow, Captain Bessus.

Bes.

Good morrow Sir.

3 Gent.

I come to speak with you.

Bes.

You're very welcome.

3 Gent.

From one that holds himself wrong'd by you some three years since: your worth he says is fam'd, and he doth nothing doubt but you will do him right, as beseems a souldier.

Bes.

A pox on 'em, so they cry all.

3 Gent.

And a slight note I have about me for you, for the delivery of which you must excuse me; it is an office that friendship calls upon me to do, and no way offensive to you; since I desire but right on both sides.

Bes.

'Tis a challenge Sir, is it not?

3 Gent.

'Tis an inviting to the field.

Bes.

An inviting? O Sir your Mercy, what a Complement he delivers it with? he might as agreeable to my nature present me poison with such a speech: um um um reputation, um um um call you to account, um um um forc'd to this, um um um with my Sword, um um um like a Gentleman, um um um dear to me, um um um satisfaction: 'Tis very well Sir, I do accept it, but he must await an answer this thirteen weeks.

3 Gent.

Why Sir, he would be glad to wipe off his stain as soon as he could.

Bes.

Sir upon my credit I am already ingag'd to two hundred, and twelve, all which must have their stains wip'd off, if that be the word, before him.

3 Gent.

Sir, if you be truly ingag'd but to one, he shall stay a competent time.

Bes.

Upon my faith Sir, to two hundred and twelve, and I have a spent body, too much bruis'd in battel, so that I cannot fight, I must be plain, above three combats a day: All the kindness I can shew him, is to set him resolvedly in my rowle, the two hundred and thirteenth man, which is something, for I tell you, I think there will be more after him, than before him, I think so; pray you commend me to him, and tell him this.

3 Gent.

I will Sir, good morrow to you.

[Exit 3 Gent.

Bes.

Good morrow good Sir. Certainly my safest way were to print my self a coward, with a discovery how I came by my credit, and clap it upon every post; I have received above thirty challenges within this two hours, marry all but the first I put off with ingagement, and by good fortune, the first is no madder of fighting than I, so that that's referred, the place where it must be ended, is four days journey off, and our arbitratours are these: He has chosen a Gentleman in travel, and I have a special friend with a quartain ague, like to hold him this five years, for mine: and when his man comes home, we are to expect my friends health: If they would finde me challenges thus thick, as long as I liv'd, I would have no other living; I can make seven shillings a day o'th' paper to the Grocers: yet I learn nothing by all these but a little skill in comparing of stiles. I do finde evidently, that there is some one Scrivener in this Town, that has a great hand in writing of Challenges, for they are all of a cut, and six of 'em in a hand; and they all end, my reputation is dear to me, and I must require satisfaction: Who's there? more paper I hope, no, 'tis my Lord Bacurius, I fear all is not well betwixt us.

Enter Bacurius.

Bac.

Now Captain Bessus, I come about a frivolous matter, caus'd by as idle a report: you know you were a coward.

Bes.

Very right.

Bac.

And wronged me.

Bes.

True my Lord.

Bac.

But now people will call you valiant, desertlesly I think, yet for their satisfaction, I will have you fight with me.

Bes.

O my good Lord, my deep Engagements.

Bac.

Tell not me of your Engagements, Captain Bessus, it is not to be put off with an excuse: for my own part, I am none of the multitude that believe your conversion from Coward.

Bes.

My Lord, I seek not Quarrels, and this belongs not to me, I am not to maintain it.

Bac.

Who then pray?

Bes.

Bessus the Coward wrong'd you.

Bac.

Right.

Bes.

And shall Bessus the Valiant, maintain what Bessus the Coward did?

Bac.

I pray thee leave these cheating tricks, I swear thou shalt fight with me, or thou shall be beaten extreamly, and kick'd.

Bes.

Since you provoke me thus far, my Lord, I will fight with you, and by my Sword it shall cost me twenty pound, but I will have my Leg well a week sooner purposely.

Bac.

Your Leg? Why, what ailes your Leg? i'le do a cure on you, stand up.

Bes.

My Lord, this is not Noble in you.