Enter Pyniero.
Py. Did you see mine Uncle? [plague o'] these Barbarians,
How the rogues stick in my teeth, I know ye are angry,
So I am too, monstrous angry, Gentlemen,
I am angry, that I choak agen.
You hear Armusia's up, honest Arm:
Clapt up in prison, friends, the brave Arm:
Here are fine boys.
Em. We hope he shall not stay there.
Py. Stay, no, he must not stay, no talk of staying,
These are no times to stay; are not these rascals?
Speak, I beseech ye speak, are they not Rogues?
Think some abominable names—are they not devils?
But the devil's a great deal too good for 'em—fusty villains.
Ch. They are a kind of hounds.
Py. Hounds were their fathers;
Old blear-ey'd bob-tail'd hounds—Lord, where's my Uncle?
Soz. But what shall be done, Sir?
Py. Done?
Soz. Yes, to relieve him;
If it be not sudden they may take his life too.
Py. They dare as soon take fire and swallow it,
Take stakes and thrust into their tails for glisters:
His life, why 'tis a thing worth all the Islands,
And they know will be rated at that value;
His very imprisonment will make the Town [stink],
And shake and stink, I have physick in my hand for 'em
Shall give the goblins such a purge—
Enter Ruy Dias.
Ped. Your Uncle.
Ru. I hear strange news, and have been seeking ye;
They say Armusia's prisoner.
Py. 'Tis most certain.
Ru. Upon what cause?
Py. He has deserv'd too much, Sir;
The old heathen policie has light upon him.
And paid him home.
Ru. A most unnoble dealing.
Py. You are the next, if you can carry it tamely,
He has deserved of all.
Ru. I must confess it,
Of me so nobly too.
Py. I am glad to hear it,
You have a time now to make good your confession,
Your faith will shew but cold else, and for fashion,
Now to redeem all, now to thank his courtesie,
Now to make those believe that held you backward,
And an ill instrument, you are a Gentleman,
An honest man, and you dare love your [Natio[n],
Dare stick to virtue, though she be opprest,
And for her own fair sake, step to her rescue:
If you live ages, Sir, and lose this hour,
Not now redeem, and vindicate your honor
Your life will be a murmure, and no man in't.
Ru. I thank ye nephew, come along with me Gentlemen,
We'll make 'em dancing sport immediately:
We are Masters of the Fort yet, we shall see
What that can do.
Py. Let it but spit fire finely,
And play their turrets, and their painted Palaces,
A frisking round or two, that they may trip it;
And caper in the air.
Ru. Come, we'll do something
Shall make 'em look about, we'll send 'em plums,
If they be not too hard for their teeth.
Py. And fine Potatoes
Rosted in Gunpowder, such a Banquet, Sir
Will prepare their unmannerly stomachs.
Ru. They shall see
There is no safe retreat in villany;
Come, be high-hearted all.
Omnes. We are all on fire, Sir. [Exeunt.
Enter King and Governor.
King. I am ungrateful, and a wretch, perswade me not,
Forgetful of the mercy he shew'd me,
The timely noble pity—why should I
See him fast bound and fetter'd, whose true courtesie,
Whose manhood, and whose mighty hand set me free?
Why should it come from me? why I command this?
Shall not all tongues and truths call me unthankful?
Gov. Had the offence been thrown on you, 'tis certain
It had been in your power, and your discretion
To have turn'd it into mercy, and forgiven it,
And then it had shew'd a virtuous point of gratitude,
Timely, and nobly taken; but since the cause
Concerns the honor of our gods, and their Title,
And so transcends your power, and your compassion,
A little your own safety, if you saw it too,
If your too fond indulgence did not dazle you,
It cannot now admit a private pitty;
'Tis in their Wills, their Mercies, or Revenges,
And these revolts in you, shew mere rebellions.
King. They are mild and pittiful.
Gov. To those repent.
King. Their nature's soft and tender.
Gov. To true hearts.
That feel compunction for their trespasses:
This man defies 'em still, threatens destruction
And demolition of their Arms and Worship,
Spits at their powers; take heed ye be not found, Sir,
And mark'd a favourer of their dishonor;
They use no common justice.
King. What shall I do
To deserve of this man—
Gov. If ye more bemoan him,
Or mitigate your power to preserve him,
I'll curse ye from the gods, call up their vengeance.
Enter Quisara with her hands bound, Quisana, Panura.
And fling it on your Land and you, I have charge [for't;]
I hope to wrack you all.
King. What ails my Sister?
Why, is she bound? why looks she so distractedly?
Who does do this?
Quisan. We did it, pardon Sir,
And for her preservation—She is grown wild,
And raving on the strangers love and honor,
Sometimes crying out help, help, they will torture him,
They will take his life, they will murder him presently,
If we had not prevented violently
Have laid hands on her own life.
Gov. These are tokens,
The gods displeasure is gone out, be quick,
And e'r it fall, doe something to appease 'em.
You know the sacrifice—I am glad it works thus.
Quisa. How low and base thou lookst now, that wert noble!
No figure of a King, methinks shews on you.
No face of Majesty, foul, swarth ingratitude
Has taken off thy sweetness, base forgetfulness
Of mighty benefits, has turned thee Devil:
Thou hast persecuted goodness, innocence;
And laid a hard and violent hand on virtue,
On that fair virtue that should teach and guide us;
Thou hast wrong'd thine own preserver, whose least merit,
Pois'd with thy main Estate, thou canst not satisfie,
Nay, put thy life in too, 'twill be too light still:
What hast thou done?
Gov. Goe for him presently,
And once more we'll try if we can win him fairly:
If not, let nothing she says hinder ye, or stir ye;
She speaks distractedly—Do that the gods command ye,
Do you know what ye say Lady?
Quisar. I could curse thee too,
Religion and severity has steel'd thee,
Has turn'd thy heart to stone; thou hast made the gods hard too,
Against their sweet and patient natures, cruel:
None of ye feel what bravery ye tread on?
What innocence? what beauty?
King. Pray be patient.
Quisar. What honourable things ye cast behind [ye]?
What monuments of man?
Enter Armusia and Guard.
King. Once more Armusia,
Because I love ye tenderly and dearly,
And would be glad to win ye mine, I wish ye,
Even from my heart I wish and wooe ye—
Ar. What Sir,
Take heed how ye perswade me falsly, then ye hate me:
Take heed how ye intrap me.
King. I advise ye,
And tenderly and truly I advise ye,
Both for your souls health, and your safety.
Ar. Stay,
And name my soul no more, she is too precious,
Too glorious for [you[r] flatteries, too secure too.
Gov. Consider the reward, Sir, and the honor
That is prepared, the glory you shall grow to.
Arm. They are not to be consider'd in these cases,
Not to be nam'd when souls are question'd;
They are vain and flying vapors—touch my life,
'Tis ready for ye, put it to what test
It shall please ye, I am patient; but for the rest
You may remove Rocks with your little fingers,
Or blow a Mountain out o' th' way, with bellows,
As soon as stir my faith; use no more arguments.
Gov. We must use tortures then.
Arm. Your worst and painfull'st
I am joyful to accept.
Gov. You must the sharpest,
For such has been your hate against our Deities
Delivered openly, your threats and scornings,
And either your repentance must be mighty,
Which is your free conversion to our customs,
Or equal punishment which is your life, Sir.
Arm. I am glad I have it for ye, take it Priest,
And all the miseries that shall attend it:
Let the gods glut themselves with Christian bloud,
It will be ask'd again, and so far followed,
So far reveng'd, and with such holy justice,
Your gods of gold shall melt and sink before it;
Your Altars and your Temples shake to nothing;
And you false worshipers, blind fools of ceremony,
Shall seek for holes to hide your heads, and fears in,
For seas to swallow you from this destruction,
Darkness to dwell about ye, and conceal ye;
Your mothers womb agen—
Gov. Make the fires ready,
And bring the several tortures out.
Quisar. Stand fast, Sir,
And fear 'em not, you that have stept so nobly
Into this pious Trial, start not now,
Keep on your way, a Virgin will assist ye,
A Virgin won by your fair constancy,
And glorying that she is won so, will dye by ye:
I have touch'd ye every way, tried ye most honest,
Perfect, and good, chaste, blushing chaste, and temperate,
Valiant, without vain-glory, modest, stayed,
No rage, or light affection ruling in you:
Indeed, the perfect school of worth I find ye,
The temple of true honor.
Arm. Whether will she?
What do you infer by this fair argument, Lady?
Quisar. Your Faith, and your Religion must be like ye,
They that can shew you these, must be pure mirrors,
When the streams flow clear and fair, what are the fountains?
I do embrace your faith, Sir, and your fortune;
Go on, I will assist ye, I feel a sparkle here,
A lively spark that kindles my affection,
And tells me it will rise to flames of glory:
Let 'em put on their angers, suffer nobly,
Shew me the way, and when I faint, instruct me;
And if I follow not—
Arm. Oh blessed Lady,
Since thou art won, let me begin my triumph,
Come clap your terrors on.
Quisar. All your fell tortures.
For there is nothing he shall suffer, brother,
I swear by [a] new faith, which is most sacred,
And I will keep it so, but I will follow in,
And follow to a scruple of affliction,
In spight of all your gods without prevention.
Gov. Death! she amazes me.
King. What shall be done now?
Gov. They must dye both,
And suddenly, they will corrupt all else;
This woman makes me weary of my mischief,
She shakes me, and she staggers me, go in Sir,
I'll see the execution.
Kin. Not so suddain:
If they go, all my Friends and Sisters perish.
Gov. Wou'd I were safe at home agen.