Cal. And should I help thee? Now thy treacherous mind betrays itself. Mel. Come, delay me not; Give me a sudden answer, or already Thy last is spoke! refuse not offer'd love, When it comes clad in secrets.

Cal. If I say

I will not, he will kill me; I do see it
Writ in his looks; and should I say I will,
He'll run and tell the king.-I do not shun
Your friendship, dear Melantius, but this cause
Is weighty; give me but an hour to think.
Mel. Take it.-I know this goes unto the king;
But I am armed.
[Exit MELANTIUS.

Cal. Methinks I feel myself
But twenty now again! this fighting fool
Wants policy! I shall revenge my girl,
And make her red again. I pray, my legs
Will last that pace, that I will carry them:
I shall want breath, before I find the king. [Exit,

Enter MELANTIUS, EVADNE, and a Lady.
Mel. Save you!

Evad. Save you, sweet brother!
Mel. In my blunt eye,

Methinks, you look, Evadne--

Ecad. Come, you would make me blush. Mel. I would, Evadne: I shall displease my ends else.

Exad. You shall, if you commend me; I am bashful.

Come, sir, how do I look ?

Mel. I would not have your women hear me Break into commendation of you; 'tis not seemly. Evad. Go, wait me in the gallery.--Now speak. [Exeunt Ladies.

Mel. I'll lock the door first.
Evad. Why?

Mel. I will not have your gilded things, that

Look you intrude no more! There lies your way. Mel. Thou art my way, and I will tread upon thee, "Till I find truth out.

Evad. What truth is that, you look for?
Mel. Thy long-lost honour. 'Would the gods
had set me

Rather to grapple with the plague, or stand One of their loudest bolts! Come, tell me quickly,

Do it without enforcement, and take heed
You swell me not above my temper.

Evad. How, sir! where got you this report?
Mel. Where there were people, in every place.
Evad. They and the seconds of it are base
people:

Believe them not, they lied.

Mel. Do not play with mine anger, do not,

wretch!

I come to know that desperate fool, that drew thee

From thy fair life: Be wise, and lay him open. Evad. Unhand me, and learn manners: Such another

Forgetfulness forfeits your life.

Mel. Quench me this mighty humour, and then tell me

Whose whore you are; for you are one, I know it. Let all mine honours perish, but I'll find him, Though he lie lock'd up in thy blood! Be sudden;

There is no facing it, and be not flatter'd !

The burnt air, when the Dog reigns, is not fouler Than thy contagious name, 'till thy repentance (If the gods grant thee any) purge thy sickness. Evad. Be gone! You are my brother; that's your safety.

Mel. I'll be a wolf first! 'Tis, to be thy brother,

An infamy below the sin of coward.

I am as far from being part of thee,

As thou art from thy virtue: Seek a kindred 'Mongst sensual beasts, and make a goat thy brother;

A goat is cooler. Will you tell me yet?

Ecad. If you stay here and rail thus, I shall tell you,

I'll have you whipp'd! get you to your command,
And there preach to your centinels, and tell them
What a brave man you are: I shall laugh at you.
Mel. You're grown a glorious whore! Where
be your fighters?

What mortal fool durst raise thee to this daring,
And I alive? By my just sword, h’ad safer
Bestrid a billow, when the angry north
Plows up the sea, or made heaven's fire his food!
Work me no higher. Will you discover yet?
Evad. The fellow's mad: Sleep and speak

opened,

And so pulled on the gods, that in their justice
They must restore him flesh again, and life,
And raise his dry bones to revenge this scandal.
Evad. The gods are not of my mind; they had
better

Let 'em lie sweet still in the earth; they'll stink here.

Mel. Do you raise mirth out of my easiness? Forsake me, then, all weaknesses of nature, That make men women! Speak, you whore, speak truth!

Or, by the dear soul of thy sleeping father,
VOL. I.

This sword shall be thy lover! Tell, or I'll kill thee;

And when thou hast told all, thou wilt deserve it. Evad. You will not murder me?

Mel. No! 'tis a justice, and a noble one, To put the light out of such base offenders. Evad. Help!

Mel. By thy foul self, no human help shall help thee,

If thou criest! When I have killed thee, as I have Vow'd to do, if thou confess not, naked,

As thou hast left thine honour, will I leave thee; That on thy branded flesh the world may read Thy black shame, and my justice. Wilt thou bend yet?

Evad. Yes.

Mel. Up, and begin your story.
Evad. Oh, I am iniserable!

Mel. 'Tis true, thou art. Speak truth still.
Evad. I have offended:

Noble sir, forgive me.

Mel. With what secure slave?

Evad. Do not ask me, sir:
Mine own remembrance is a misery
Too mighty for me.

Mel. Do not fall back again :
My sword's unsheathed yet.

Evad, What shall I do?

Mel. Be true, and make your fault less.
Evad. I dare not tell.

Mel. Tell, or I'll be this day a-killing thee.
Evad. Will you forgive me then?
Mel. Stay; I must ask

Mine honour first.

In me: Speak.

I've too much foolish nature

Evad. Is there none else here?

Mel. None but a fearful conscience; that's too many.

Who is it?

Evud. Oh, hear me gently! It was the king. Mel. No more. My worthy father's and my

services

Are liberally rewarded. King, I thank thee! For all my dangers and my wounds, thou hast paid me

In my own metal: These are soldiers' thanks! How long have you liv'd thus, Evadne ?

Evad. Too long.

Mel. Too late you find it. Can you be sorry?
Evad. 'Would I were half as blameless!
Mel. Evadne, thou wilt to thy trade again!
Evad. First to my grave.

Mel. 'Would gods th' hadst been so blest! Dost thou not hate this king now? prithee hate him.

Couldst thou not eurse him? I command thee, curse him.

Curse, till the gods hear, and deliver him
To thy just wishes! Yet, I fear, Evadne,
You had rather play your game out.

Evad. No; I feel

Too many sad confusions here, to let in
Any loose flame hereafter.

Mel. Dost thou not feel, among all those, one brave anger,

F

Mel. An 'twere to kiss him dead, thou'dst smother him.

Be wise, and kill him. Canst thou live, and know
What noble minds shall make thee, see thyself
Found out with every finger, made the shame
Of all successions, and in this great ruin
Thy brother and thy noble husband broken?
Thou shalt not live thus. Kneel, and swear to
help me,

When I shall call thee to it; or, by all
Holy in heaven and earth, thou shalt not live
To breathe a full hour longer; not a thought!
Come, 'tis a righteous oath. Give me thy hands,
And, both to heav'n held up, swear by that
wealth

This lustful thief stole from thee, when I say it,
To let his foul soul out.

Evad. Here I swear it ;
And, all you spirits of abused ladies,
Help me in this performance!

Mel. Enough. This must be known to none
But you and I, Evadne; not to your lord,
Though he be wise and noble, and a fellow
Dares step as far into a worthy action
As the most daring; ay, as far as justice.
Ask me not why. Farewell.

[Erit MEL. Evad. 'Would I could say so to my black disgrace!

Oh, where have I been all this time? how 'friended,

That I should lose myself thus desp'rately,
And none for pity shew me how I wander'd?
There is not in the compass of the light

A more unhappy creature: Sure, I am monstrous!

For I have done those follies, those mad mis

chiefs,

There cannot be a faith in that foul woman,
That knows no god more mighty than her mis-
chiefs.

Thou dost still worse, still number on thy faults,
To press my poor heart thus. Can I believe
There's any seed of virtue in that woman,
Left to shoot up, that dares go on in sin,
Known, and so known as thine is? Oh, Evadne !
'Would there were any safety in thy sex,
That I might put a thousand sorrows off,
And credit thy repentance! But I must not :
Thou hast brought me to that dull calamity,
To that strange misbelief of all the world,
And all things that are in it, that I fear
I shall fall like a tree, and find my grave,
Only remembering, that I grieve.

Evad. My lord,

Give me your griefs: You are an innocent,
A soul as white as heav'n; let not my sins
Perish your noble youth. I do not fall here
To shadow, by dissembling with my tears,
(As, all say, women can) or to make less,
What my hot will hath done, which heav'n and

not:

I do appear the same, the same Evadne,
Drest in the shames I lived in; the same monster!
But these are names of honour, to what I am :
I do present myself the foulest creature,
Most pois'nous, dang'rous, and despis'd of men,
Lerna e'er bred, or Nilus! I am hell,

"Till you, my dear lord, shoot your light into me,
The beams of your forgiveness. I am soul-sick,
And wither with the fear of one condemn'd,
'Till I have got your pardon.

Amin. Rise, Evadne.

Those heavenly pow'rs, that put this good into thee,

Grant a continuance of it! I forgive thee
Make thyself worthy of it; and take heed,

Take heed, Evadne, this be serious.

Mock not the pow'rs above, that can and dare
Give thee a great example of their justice
To all ensuing eyes, if thou playest
With thy repentance, the best sacrifice.

Evad. I have done nothing good to win belief, My life hath been so faithless. All the creatures, Made for heav'n's honours, have their end, and good ones,

All but the cozening crocodiles, false women! They reign here like those plagues, those killing

sores,

Men pray against; and, when they die, like tales
Ill told and unbeliev'd, they pass away,
And go to dust forgotten! But, my lord,
Those short days I shall number to my rest
(As many must not see me) shall, though too late,
Though in my evening, yet perceive a will;
Since I can do no good, because a woman,
Reach constantly at something, that is near it :
I will redeem one minute of my age,
Or, like another Niobe, I'll weep
'Till I am water.

Amin. I am now dissolvd :

My frozen soul melts. May each sin thou hast,
Find a new mercy! Rise; I am at peace.
Hadst thou been thus, thus excellently good,
Before that devil king tempted thy frailty,
Sure thou hadst made a star! Give me thy hand.
From this time I will know thee; and, as far
As honour gives me leave, be thy Amintor.
When we meet next, I will salute thee fairly,
And pray the gods to give thee happy days.
My charity shall go along with thee,
Though my embraces must be far from thee.

I should have kill'd thee, but this sweet repent

ance

Locks up my vengeance; for which thus I kiss thee

The last kiss we must take! And 'would to heav'n
The holy priest, that gave our hands together,
Had given us equal virtues! Go, Evadne;
The gods thus part our bodies. Have a care
My honour falls no farther: I am well then.
Evad. All the dear joys here, and, above,
hereafter,

Crown thy fair soul! Thus I take leave, my lord;
And never shall you see the foul Evadne,
Till she have tried all honour'd means, that may
Set her in rest, and wash her stains away.

[Exeunt.

King. Why, where is all the company? Call
Amintor in ;

Evadne. Where's my brother, and Melantius?
Bid him come too; and Diphilus. Call all,
[Exit STRATO.
That are without there.-If he should desire
The combat of you, 'tis not in the pow'r
Of all our laws to hinder it, unless
We mean to quit 'em.

Cal. Why, if you do think 'Tis fit an old man, and a counsellor, Do fight for what he says, then you may grant it. Enter AMINTOR, EVADNE, MELANTIUS, DIPHILUS, LYSIPPUS, CLEON, STRATO. King. Come, sirs! Amintor, thou art yet a bridegroom,

And I will use thee so: Thou shalt sit down.
Evadne, sit; and you, Amintor, too:
This banquet is for you, sir. Who has brought
A merry tale about him, to raise laughter
Amongst our wine? Why, Strato, where art
thou?

Thou wilt chop out with them unseasonably,
When I desire them not.

Stra. 'Tis my ill luck, sir, so to spend them
then.

King. Reach me a bowl of wine. Melantius,

Art sad.

thou

Mel. I should be, sir, the merriest here, But I have ne'er a story of my own Worth telling at this time.

King. Give me the wine. Melantius, I am now considering How easy 'twere, for any man we trust,

To poison one of us in such a bowl.
Mel. I think it were not hard, sir, for a knave.
Cal. Such as you are.

King. I'faith, 'twere easy: It becomes us well
To get plain-dealing men about ourselves;
Such as you all are here. Amintor, to thee;
And to thy fair Evadne.

Mel. Have you thought of this, Calianax ?

Cal. Yes, marry, have I.

Mel. And what's your resolution?

[Apart.

This wine will do thee wrong, for it will set Blushes upon thy cheeks; and, 'till thou dost A fault, 'twere pity.

King. Yet, I wonder much

At the strange desperation of these men,
That dare attempt such acts here in our state:
He could not 'scape, that did it.

Mel. Were he known,

Impossible.

King. It would be known, Melantius.
Mel. It ought to be: If he got then away,
He must wear all our lives upon his sword.
He need not fly the island; he must leave
No one alive.

King. No; I should think no man
Could kill me, and 'scape clear, but that old man.
Cal. But I heaven bless me! I! should I,
my liege?

King. I do not think thou would'st; but yet thou might'st;

For thou hast in thy hands the means to 'scape, By keeping of the fort. He has, Melantius, And he has kept it well.

Mel. From cobwebs, sir,

'Tis clean swept: I can find no other art
In keeping of it now: 'Twas ne'er besieged,
Since he commanded it.

Cal. I shall be sure

Of your good word: But I have kept it safe
From such as you.

Mel. Keep your ill temper in:

I speak no malice. Had my brother kept it,
I should have said as much.

King. You are not merry.

Brother, drink wine. Sit you all still!--Calianax, I cannot trust thus: I have thrown out words, That would have fetch'd warm blood upon the cheeks

Of guilty men, and he is never mov'd:

He knows no such thing.

Cal. Impudence may 'scape,

When feeble virtue is accused.

[Apart.

At this our whisper, whilst we point at him:
You see he does not.

Cal. Let him hang himself:

What care I what he does? This he did say.

King. Melantius, you can easily conceive What I have meant; for men, that are in fault, Can subtly apprehend, when others aim

King. Nay, if you stand so stiff,

I shall call back my mercy.

Mel. I want smoothness

To thank a man for pardoning of a crime
I never knew.

King. Not to instruct your knowledge, but shew you

My ears are every where, you meant to kill me And get the fort to 'scape.

Mel. Pardon me, sir;