Mer. 'Twas in respect, that then they were unlawful,
Unbless'd by Hymen, and left stings behind them,
Which from the marriage-bed are ever banish'd.
Let this Court be then the image of Joves throne,
Upon which grace and mercy still attend,
To intercede between him and his Justice;
And since the Law allows as much to me
As she can challenge, let the milder sentence,
Which best becomes a Mother, and a Queen
Now overcome; nor let your wisdom suffer
In doing right to her, I in my wrong
Indure a second Ravishment.
Bel. You can free him
Only from that which does concern your self,
Not from the punishment that's due to me:
Your injuries you may forgive, not mine;
I plead mine own just wreak, which will right both,
Where that which you desire robs me of justice;
'Tis that which I appeal to.
Mer. Bloody Woman,
Dost thou desire his punishment? Let him live then;
For any man to marry where he likes not
Is still a lingring torment.
Bel. For one Rape
One death's sufficient, that way cannot catch me.
Mer. To you I fly then, to your mercy Madam,
Exempting not your Justice, be but equal;
And since in no regard I come behind her,
Let me not so be undervalu'd in
Your Highness favor, that the world take notice
You so preferr'd her, that in her behalf
You kill'd that Son, you would not save for me;
Mercy, O mercy Madam.
Bel. Great Queen, justice.
Age. With what a Masculine constancy the grave Lady hath heard them both!
Leo. Yet how unmov'd she sits
In that which most concerns her!
Con. Now she rises;
And having well weigh'd both their arguments,
Resolves to speak.
Euph. And yet again she pauses;
O Conon, such a resolution once
A Roman told me he had seen in Cato
Before he kill'd himself.