Gov. Thou art my slave, and I appear above thee.
Kee. The Governor himself.
Gov. What, at your banquet?
And in such state, and with such change of service?
Kin. Nature's no glutton, Sir, a little serves her.
Gov. This diet's holsome then.
Kin. I beg no better.
Gov. A calm contented mind, give him less next;
These full meals will oppress his health, his Grace
Is of a tender, and pure constitution,
And such repletions—
Kin. Mock, mock, it moves not me sir,
Thy mirths, as do thy mischiefs, flie behind me.
Gov. Ye carry it handsomely, but tell me patience,
Do not you curse the brave and royal Lady
Your gracious sister? do not you damn her pitty,
Damn twenty times a day, and damn it seriously?
Do not you swear aloud too, cry and kick?
The very soul sweat in thee with the agony
Of her contempt of me? Couldst not [thou eat her]
For being so injurious to thy fortune,
Thy fair and happy fortune? Couldst not thou wish her
A Bastard, or a Whore, fame might proclame her;
Black ugly fame, or that thou hadst had no sister?
Spitting the general name out, and the nature;
Blaspheming heaven for making such a mischief;
For giving power to pride, and will to Woman?
Kin. No Tyrant, no, I bless and love her for it;
And though her scorn of thee, had laid up for me
As many plagues as the corrupted air breeds,
As many mischiefs as the hours have minutes,
As many formes of Death, as doubt can figure;
Yet I should love [her] more still, and more honor her;
All thou canst lay upon me, cannot bend me,
No not the stroke of death, that I despise too:
For if fear could possess me, thou hadst won me;
As little from this hour I prize thy flatteries,
And less than those thy prayers, though thou wouldst kneel to me;
And if she be not Mistriss of this nature,
She is none of mine, no kin, and I contemne her.
Gov. Are you so valiant sir?
Kin. Yes, and so fortunate;
For he that [holds his] constancy still conquers;
Hadst thou preserv'd me as a noble enemy,
And as at first, made my restraint seem to me
But only as the shadow of captivity,
I had still spoke thee noble, still declar'd thee
A valiant, great, and worthy man, still lov'd thee,
And still prefer'd thy fair love to my sister;
But to compell this from me with a misery,
A most inhumane, and unhandsome slavery—
Gov. You will relent for all this talk I fear not,
And put your wits a work agen.
Kin. You are cozen'd;
Or if I were so weak to be wrought to it,
So fearful to give way to so much poverty,
How I should curse her heart if she consented!
Gov. You shall write, and entreat, or—
Kin. Do thy utmost,
And e'en in all thy tortures I'll laugh at thee,
I'll think thee no more valiant, but a villain;
Nothing thou hast done brave, but like a thief,
Atchiev'd by craft, and kept by cruelty;
Nothing thou canst deserve, thou art unhonest;
Nor no way live to build a Name, thou art barbarous.
Gov. Down with him low enough, there let him murmur,
And see his diet be so light and little,
He grow not thus high hearted on't, I will coole ye,
And make ye cry for mercy, and be ready
To work my ends, and willingly; and your sister taken down,
Your scornful, cruel sister shall repent too,
And sue to me for grace.
Give him no liberty,
But let his bands be doubled, his ease lessened;
Nothing his heart desires, but vex and torture him:
Let him not sleep, nothing that's dear to nature
Let him enjoy; yet take heed that he dye not;
Keep him as near death, and as willing to embrace it,
But see he arrive not at it; I will humble him.
And her stout heart that stands on such defiance;
And let me see her champions that dare venture
Her high and mighty wooers, keep your guards close,
And as you love your lives be diligent.
And what I charge, observe.
Omnes. We shall be dutiful.
Gov. I'll pull your courage King, and all your bravery. [Exit Gov.
1. Most certain he is resolved nothing can stir him;
For if he had but any part about him
Gave way to fear or hope, he durst not talk thus,
And do thus stoutly too, as willingly,
And quietly he sunk down to his sorrows,
As some [men [to] their sleeps.
Keep. Yes, and sleeps with e'm;
So little he regards them, there's the wonder,
And often soundly sleeps, wou'd I durst pity him,
Or wou'd it were in my will, but we are servants,
And tied unto command.
2. I wish him better,
But much I fear h'as found his tombe already,
We must observe our guards.
1. He cannot last long,
And when he is dead, he is free.
Kee. That's the most cruelty,
That we must keep him living.
2. That's as he please;
For that Man that resolves, needs no Phisitian. [Exeunt.
Enter Armusia, Soza, Emanuel like Merchants, arm'd underneath.
Arm. Our prosperous passage was an omen to us,
A lucky and a fair omen.
Omnes. We believe it.
Ar. The Sea and Wind strove who should most befriend us,
And as they favour'd our design, and lov'd us,
So lead us forth—Where lies the Boat that brought us?
Soz. Safe lodg'd within the Reeds, close by the Castle,
That no eye can suspect, nor thought come near it.
Em. But where have you been, brave sir?
Ar. I have broke the Ice Boyes:
I have begun the game, fair fortune guide it,
Suspectless have I travell'd all the Town through,
And in this Merchants shape won much acquaintance,
Survey'd each strength and place that may befriend us,
View'd all his Magazines, got perfect knowledge
Of where the Prison is, and what power guards it.
Soz. These will be strong attempts.
Ar. Courage is strong:
What we [beg[a]n] with policy, my dear friends,
Let's end with manly force; there's no retiring,
Unless it be with shame.
Em. Shame his that hopes it.
Ar. Better a few, and clearer fame will follow us,
However, lose or win, and speak our memories,
Than if we led our Armies; things done thus,
And of this noble weight, will stile us worthies.
Soz. Direct, and we have done, bring us to execute,
And if we flinch, or fail—
Ar. I am sure ye dare not.
Then farther know, and let no ear be near us,
That may be false.
Em. Speak boldly on, we are honest;
Our lives and fortunes yours.
Ar. Hard by the place then
Where all his Treasure lies, his Armes, his Women,
Close by the Prison too where he keeps the King,
I have hir'd a lodging, as a Trading Merchant,
A Celler to that too, to stow my Wares in,
The very Wall of which, joynes to his store-house.
Soz. What of all this?
Ar. Ye are dull, if ye apprehend not:
Into that Cellar, elected friends, I have convey'd,
And unsuspected too, that [that] will do it;
That that will make all shake, and smoak too.
Em. Ha?
Ar. My thoughts have not been idle, nor my practice:
The fire I brought here with me shall do something,
Shall burst into material flames, and bright ones,
That all the Island shall stand wondring at it,
As if they had been stricken with a Comet:
Powder is ready, and enough to work it,
The Match is left a-fire, all, all husht, and lockt close,
No man suspecting what I am but Merchant:
An hour hence, my brave friends, look for the fury,
The fire to light us to our honour'd purpose,
For by that time 'twill take.
Soz. What are our duties?
Ar. When all are full of fear and fright, the Governor
Out of his wits, to see the flames so imperious,
Ready to turn to ashes all he worships,
And all the people there to stop these ruins,
No man regarding any private office;
Then flie we to the prison suddenly,
Here's one has found the way, and dares direct us.
Em. Then to our swords and good hearts,
I long for it.
Ar. Certain we shall not find much opposition,
But what is must be forced.
Soz. 'Tis bravely cast Sir,
And surely too I hope.
Ar. If the fire fail not,
And powder hold his nature, some must presently
Upon the first cry of th' amazed people,
(For nothing will be markt then, but the misery)
Be ready with the boat upon an instant,
And then all's right and fair.
Em. Bless us dear fortune.
Ar. Let us be worthy of it in our courage,
And fortune must befriend us, come all sever,
But keep still within sight, when the flame rises
Let's meet, or either doe, or dye.
Soz. So be it. [Exeunt.
Enter Governor, and Captain.
Gov. No Captain, for those Troops we need 'em not,
The Town is strong enough to stand their furies;
I wou'd see 'em come, and offer to do something.
They are high in words.
Cap. 'Tis safer Sir then doing.
Gov. Dost think they dare attempt?
Cap. May be by Treaty,
But sure by force they will not prove so froward.
Gov. No faith, I warrant thee, they know me well enough
And know they have no Child in hand to play with:
They know my nature too, I have bit some of 'em,
And to the bones, they have reason to remember me,
It makes me laugh to think how glorious
The fools are in their promises, and how pregnant
Their wits and powers are to bring things to pass;
Am I not grown lean with loss of sleep and care
To prevent these threatnings, Captain?
Cap. You look well Sir:
Upon my conscience you are not like to sicken
Upon any such conceit.
Gov. I hope I shall not:
Well, wou'd I had this Wench, for I must have her,
She must be mine; and there's another charge Captain;
What betwixt love and brawling I got nothing,
All goes in maintenance—
Heark, What was that, [The Train takes.
That noise there? it went with a violence.
Cap. Some old wall belike Sir,
That had no neighbor help to hold it up,
Is fallen suddenly.
Gov. I must discard these Rascals,
That are not able to maintain their buildings,
They blur the beauty of the Town.
Within. Fire, Fire.
Gov. I hear another tune, good Captain,
It comes on fresher still, 'tis loud and fearful,
Look up into the Town, how bright the ayr shewes;
Upon my life some sudden fire. [Ex. Cap.
The bell too? [Bell Rings.
I hear the noise more clear.
Enter Citizen.
Cit. Fire, fire.
Gov. Where? where?
Cit. Suddenly taken in a [Merchan[t]s] house sir,
Fearful and high it blazes; help good people.
Gov. Pox o'their paper-houses, how they smother,
They light like Candles, how the rore still rises!
Enter Captain.
Cap. Your Magazine's a fire Sir, help, help suddenly,
The Castle too is in danger, in much danger,
All will be lost, get the people presently,
And all that are your Guard, and all help, all hands Sir,
Your wealth, your strength, is burnt else, the Town perisht;
The Castle now begins to flame.
Gov. My soul shakes.
Cap. A Merchants house next joyning? shame light on him,
That ever such a neighbour, such a villain—
Gov. Raise all the Garrison, and bring 'em up.
Enter other Citizens.