Nou. se. You hinder our proceeding.
Charmi. And forget
The parts of an accuser.
Bau. Pray you remember
To vse the temper which to me you promis’d. [40]
Roch. Angels themselues must breake Baumont, that promise
Beyond the strength and patience of Angels.
But I haue done, my good Lord, pardon me
A weake old man, and pray adde to that
A miserable father, yet be carefull [45]
That your compassion of my age, nor his,
Moue you to anything, that may dis-become
The place on which you sit.
Charmi. Read the Inditement.
Cha. It shall be needelesse, I my selfe, my Lords,
Will be my owne accuser, and confesse [50]
All they can charge me with, or will I spare
To aggrauate that guilt with circumstance
They seeke to loade me with: onely I pray,
That as for them you will vouchsafe me hearing:
I may not be, denide it for my selfe, [55]
When I shall vrge by what vnanswerable reasons
I was compel’d to what I did, which yet
Till you haue taught me better, I repent not.
Roch. The motion honest.
Charmi. And ’tis freely granted.
Cha. Then I confesse my Lords, that I stood bound, [60]
When with my friends, euen hope it selfe had left me
To this mans charity for my liberty,
Nor did his bounty end there, but began:
For after my enlargement, cherishing
The good he did, he made me master of [65]
His onely daughter, and his whole estate:
Great ties of thankfulnesse I must acknowledge,
Could any one freed by you, presse this further
But yet consider, my most honourd Lords,
If to receiue a fauour, make a seruant, [70]
And benefits are bonds to tie the taker
To the imperious will of him that giues,
Ther’s none but slaues will receiue courtesie,
Since they must fetter vs to our dishonours.
Can it be cal’d magnificence in a Prince, [75]
To powre downe riches, with a liberall hand,
Vpon a poore mans wants, if that must bind him
To play the soothing parasite to his vices?
Or any man, because he sau’d my hand,
Presume my head and heart are at his seruice? [80]
Or did I stand ingag’d to buy my freedome
(When my captiuity was honourable)
By making my selfe here and fame hereafter,
Bondslaues to mens scorne and calumnious tongues?
Had his faire daughters mind bin like her feature, [85]
Or for some little blemish I had sought
For my content elsewhere, wasting on others
My body and her dowry; my forhead then
Deseru’d the brand of base ingratitude:
But if obsequious vsage, and faire warning [90]
To keepe her worth my loue, could preserue her
From being a whore, and yet no cunning one,
So to offend, and yet the fault kept from me?
What should I doe? let any freeborne spirit
Determine truly, if that thankfulnesse, [95]
Choise forme with the whole world giuen for a dowry,
Could strengthen so an honest man with patience,
As with a willing necke to vndergoe
The insupportable yoake of slaue or wittoll.
Charmi. What proofe haue you she did play false, besides [100]
your oath?