ness

But when inhuman lusts transform us, then Virtue, that was my patroness; betrayed me :
As beasts we are to suffer, not like men For, entering, nay, possessing, this young man,
To be lamented. Nor did Charalois ever It lent him such a powerful majesty,
Perform an act so worthy the applause

To grace whate'er he undertook, that freely Of a full theatre of perfect men,

I gave myself up with my liberty,
As he hath done in this. The glory got To be at his disposing. Had his person,
By overthrowing outward enemies,

Lovely I must confess, or far-famed valour,
Since strength and fortune are main sharers in it, or any other seeming good, that yet
We cannot, but by pieces, call our own : Holds a near neighbourhood with ill, wrought
But, when we conquer our intestine foes,

on me,
Our passions bred within us, and of those I might have borne it better: But, when good-
The most rebellious tyrant, powerful love,
Our reason suffering us to like no longer And piety itself, in her best figure,
Than the fair object, being good, deserves it, Were bribed to my destruction, can you blame
That's a true victory! which, were great men

me,
Ambitious to achieve by your example, Though I forget to suffer like a man,
Setting no price upon the breach of faith, Or rather act a woman?
But loss of life, 'twould fright adultery

Beaum. Good my lord !-
Out of their families; and make lust appear Nov. sen. You hinder our proceeding.
As loathsome to us in the first consent,

Charmi. And forget
As when 'tis waited on by punishment.

The parts of an accuser. Char. You have confirmed me. Who would Beaum. Pray you, remember love a woman,

To use the temper, which to me you promised. That might enjoy, in such a man, a friend ! Roch. Angels themselves must break, BeauYou've made me know the justice of my cause,

mont, that promise And marked me out the way how to defend it. Beyond the strength and patience of angels.

Rom. Continue to that resolution constant, But I have done:-My good lord, pardon me,
And you shall, in contempt of their worst malice, A weak old man, and, pray you, add to that,
Come off with honour.-Here they come. A miserable father ; yet be careful
Char. I am ready.

That your compassion of my age, nor his,

Move you to any thing, that may mis-become Enter Du CROY, CHARMI, ROCHFORT, No

The place on which you sit. VALL sen. PONTALIER, and BEAUMONT.

Charmi. Read the indictment. Nov. sen. See, equal judges, with what confi Char. It shall be needless; I myself, my dence

lords, The cruel murderer stands, as if he would Will be my own accuser, and confess Out-face the court and justice !

All they can charge me with, nor will I spare Roch. But look on him,

To aggravate that guilt with circumstance, And you shall find (for still methinks I do, They seek to load me with; only I pray, Though guilt hath dyed him black) something That, as for them you will vouchsafe me heargood in him,

ing, That may perhaps work with a wiser man I may not be denied it for myself, Than I have been, again to set him free, When I shall urge by what unanswerable reasons And give him all he has.

I was compelled to what I did, which yet, Charm. This is not well.

Till you have taught me better, I repent not. I would you had lived so, my lord, that I,

Roch. The motion's honest. Might rather have continued your poor servant, Charmi. And 'tis freely granted. Than sit here as your judge.

Char. Then I confess, my lords, that I stood Du Croy. I am sorry for you.

bound, Roch. In no act of my life I have deserved When, with my friends, even hope itself had left This injury from the court, that any here

me, Should thus uncivily usurp on what

To this man's charity for my liberty ; is proper to me only

Nor did his bounty end there, but began : De Croy. What distaste

For, after my enlargement, cherishing

The good he did, he made me master of Roch. You say you are sorry for him; His only daughter and his whole estate. A grief in which I must not have a partner. Great ties of thankfulness, I must acknowledge; Tis I alone am sorry,

that when I raised Could any one, fee'd by you, press this further The building of my life, for seventy years,

But yet consider, my most honour'd lords, Upon so sure a ground, that all the vices If to receive a favour make a servant, Practised to ruin man, though brought against And benefits are bonds to tie the taker

To the imperious will of him that gives; Could never undermine, and no way left There's none but slaves will receive courtesies, To send these gray hairs to the grave with sor- Since they must fetter us to our dishonours.

Can it be called magnificence in a prince,

Receives my lord ?

me,

row,

my

To pour down riches, with a liberal hand, Your conscience, and these judges, free you from Upon a poor man's wants, if that must bind him What you are charged with! So, farewell for To play the soothing parasite to his vices ?

ever!

[Erit ROCHFORT. Or any man, because he saved my

hand,

Nov. sen. I'll be mine own guide. Passion, nor Presume my head and heart are at his service ?

example,
Or, did I stand engaged to buy my freedom Shall be my leaders. I have lost a son,
(When my captivity was honourable)

A son, grave judges ! I require his blood
By making myself here, and fame hereafter, From his accursed homicide.
Bond-slaves to men's scorn, and calumnious Charmi. What reply you,

tongues?
-

In your defence, for this? Had his fair daughter's mind been like her fea Char. í but attended tures,

Your lordship's pleasure. For the fact, as of Or, for some little blemish, I had sought

The former, I confess it; but with what For my content elsewhere, wasting on others Base wronys I was unwillingly drawn to it, My body and her dower; my forehead then To few words there are some other proofs, Deserved the brand of base ingratitude:

To witness this for truth. When I was married, But if obsequious usage, and fair warning, (For there I must begin) the slain Novall To keep her worth my love, could not preserve Was to my wife, in way of our French courther

ship, From being a whore, and yet no cunning one, A most devoted servant; but yet aimed at So to offend, and yet the fault kept from me, Nothing but means to quench his wanton heat, What should I do? Let any free-born spirit His heart being never warmed by lawful fires, Determine truly, if that thankfulness,

As mine was, lords : and though, on these preChoice form, with the whole world given for a

sumptions, dowry,

Joined to the hate between his house and mine, Could strengthen so an honest man with pa- I might, with opportunity and ease, tience,

Have found a way for my revenge, I did not; As with a willing neck to undergo

But still he had the freedom as before, The insupportable yoke of slave, or wittol ! When all was mine: and, told that he abused it Charmi. What proof have you she did play with some unseemly licence, by my friend, false, besides

My approved friend, Romont, I gave no credit Your oath?

To the reporter, but reproved him for it, Chur. Her own confession to her father. As one uncourtly and malicious to him. I ask him for a witness.

What could I more, my lords ? Yet, after this, Roch. 'Tis most true.

He did continue in his first pursuit,
I would not willingly blend my last words Hotter than ever, and at length obtained it;
With an untruth.

But, how it came to my most certain knowledge, Chur. And then to clear myself,

For the dignity of the court, and my own honour, That his great wealth was not the mark I shot at, I dare not say. But that I held it, when fair Beaumelle

Nov. sen. If all may be believed Fell from her virtue, like the fatal gold

A pasionate prisoner speaks, who is so foolish, Which Brennus took from Delphos, whose pos- That durst be wicked, that will appear guilty ? session

No, my grave lords; in his impunity Brought with it ruin to himself and army, But give example unto jealous men Here's one in court, Beaumont, by whom I sent To cut the throats they hate, and they will never All grants and writings back which made it Want matter or pretence for their bad ends. mine,

Charmi. You must find other proofs to strengthen Before his daughter died by his own sentence,

these As freely as, unasked, he gave it to me.

But mere presumptions. Beaum. They are here to be seen.

Du Croy. Or we shall hardly Charmi. Open the casket.

Allow your innocence. Pernse that deed of gift.

Char. All your attempts Rom. Half of the danger

Shall fall on me, like brittle shafts on armour, Already is discharged: The other part

That break themselves; or waves against a rock, As bravely, and you are not only free,

That leave no sign of their ridiculous fury But crowned with praise for ever.

But foam and splinters : my innocence like these Du Croy. 'Tis apparent.

Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serve Charmi. Your state, my lord, again is yours. But for a trumpet to proclain my conquest. Roch. Not mine;

Nor shall you, though you do the worst fate can,
I am not of the world. If it can prosper, Howe'er condemn, affright an honest man.
(And yet, being justly got, I'll not examine Rom. May it please the court, I may be heard!
Why it should be so fatal) do you bestow it Nov. sen. You come not
On pious uses : I'll go seek a grave.

To rail again ? But do you shall not find
And yet, for proof I die in peace, your pardon Another Rochfort.
I ask; and, as you grant it me, may Heaven,

Rom, In Novall I cannot;

merce

OUR scene is Sparta. He whose best of art Then vices gasp'd for breath, whose whole come
Hath drawn this piece, calls it The Broken Heart.'
The title lends no expectation here

Was whipp'd to exile by unblushing verse. Of apish laughter, or of some lame jeer

This law we kept in our presentment now, At

place or persons; no pretended clause Not to take freedom more than we allow; Of jests fit for a brothel courts applause What may be here thought a fiction, when time's From vulgar admiration : such low songs,

youth Tun'd to unchaste ears, suit not modest tongues. Wanted some riper years, was known a truth: The virgin sisters then deserv'd fresh bays, In which, if words have cloath'd the subject right, When innocence and sweetness crown'd their You may partake a pity with delight.

lays:

* This whimsical enumeration of the Dramatis Personæ has been carefully preserved from the old copy.

To glory in revenge; by cunning partly,

ACT I.

Partly by threats, he wooes, at once, and forces, SCENE I.--An Apartment in the House of His virtuous sister to admit a marriage CROTOLON.

With Bassanes, a nobleman, in honour

And riches, I confess, beyond my fortunes. Enter CROTOLON and ORGILUS.

Crot. All this is no sound reason to importune Crot. Dally not further; I will know the reason, My leave for thy departure. That speeds thee to this journey.

Org. Now it follows, Org. Reason, good sir?

Beauteous Penthea, wedded to this torture I can yield many.

By an insulting brother, being secretly Crot. Give me one, a good one,

Compellid to yield her virgin freedom up Such I expect, and e'er we part must have: To him, who never can usurp her heart, Athens ? pray, why to Athens ? you intend not

Before contracted mine, is now so yok'd To kick against the world, turn cynic, stoic, To a most barbarous thraldom, misery, Or read the logic lecture, or become

Affliction, that he savours not humanity, An areopagite; and judge in causes

Whose sorrow melts not into more than pity, Touching the commonwealth? for, as I take it, In hearing but her name. The budding of your chin cannot prognosticate

Crot. Ås how, pray? So grave an honour.

Org. Bassanes, Org. All this I acknowledge.

The man that calls her wife, considers tru Crot. You do? Then, son, if books and love What heaven of perfections he is lord of, of knowledge

By thinking fair Penthea his: This thought Inflame

you to this travel, here in Sparta Begets a kind of monster love, which love You may as freely study.

Is nurse unto a fear so strong, and servile, Org. 'Tis not that, sir.

As brands all dotage with a jealousy. Crot. Not that, sir? As a father, I command All eyes who gaze upon that shrine of beauty, thee

He doth resolve, do homage to the miracle ; To acquaint me with the truth,

Some one, he is assur'd, may now and then Org. Thus I obey you:

(If opportunity but sort) prevail ; After so many quarrels, as dissentions,

So much out of a self unworthiness Fury, and rage, bad broach'd in blood, and some His fears transport him: not that he finds cause times

In her obedience, but his own distrust.
With death to such confederates, as sided Crot. You spin out your discourse,
With now dead Thrasus, and yourself, my lord, Org. My griefs are violent;
Our present king Amyclas reconciled

For, knowing how the maid was heretofore
Your eager swords, and scal'd a gentle peace :

Courted by me, his jealousies grow wild Friends you profess'd yourselves, which to con That I should steal again into her favours,

And undermine her virtues ; which the gods A resolution for a lasting league

Know, I nor dare, nor dream of: hence, from Betwixt your families was entertain’d,

hence By joining, in a Hymenean bond,

I undertake a voluntary exile.
Me and the fair Penthea, only daughter First, by my absence to take off the cares

Of jealous Bassanes ; but chiefly, sir,
Crot. What of this?

To free Penthea from a hell on earth; Org. Much, much, dear sir.

Lastly, to lose the memory of something, A freedom of converse, an interchange

Her presence makes to live in me afresh. Of holy and chaste love, so fixt our souls

Crot. Enough, my Orgilus, enough : To Athens In a firm growth of holy union, that no time I give a full consent: Alas, good lady !Can eat into the pledge; we had enjoy'd

We shall hear from thee often? The sweets our vows expected, had not cruelty

Org. Often. Prevented all those triumphs we prepared for,

Crot. See,
By Thrasus his untimely death.

Thy sister comes to give a farewell.
Crot. Most certain.
Org. From this time sprouted up that poison-

Enter EUPHRANIA.
pus stalk

Euph. Brother! Of aconite, whose ripen’d fruit hath ravished Org. Eupbrania, thus upon thy cheeks I print All health, all comfort, of a happy life:

A brother's kiss, more careful of thine honour, For Ithocles her brother, proud of youth, Thy health, and thy well doing, than my

life. And prouder in his power, nourish'd closely Before we part, in presence of our father, of former discontents,

I must prefer a şuit t you.
Euph. You may stile it,

firm,

To Thrasus.

The memory