SCENE I.-The Street.

Enter GASPERO and MELITUS.

Mel. Sir, you're the very friend I wish'd to meet with,

I have a large discourse invites your ear
To be an auditor.

Gas. And what concerns it?

Mel. The sadly thriving progress of the loves
Between my lord the prince, and that great lady,
Whose insolence, and never-yet-match'd pride,
Can by no character be well exprest,
But in her only name, the proud Erota.

Gas. Alas, Melitus, I should guess the best
Success your prince could find from her, to be
As harsh as the event doth prove: But now
'Tis not a time to pity passionate griefs,
When a whole kingdom in a manner lies
Upon its death-bed bleeding.

Mel. Who can tell

By th' admiral of Venice, on a merchant
Of Candy, when the cause was to be heard
Before the Senate there, in open court
Professed, that the cruelty the admiral
Had shew'd, deserved not only fine, but death
(For Candy then and Venice were at peace :)
Since when upon a motion in the Senate,
For conquest of our land, 'tis known for certain,
That only this Gonzalo dar'd to oppose it,
His reason was, because it too much savour'd
Of lawless and unjust ambition.

The wars were scarce begun, but he, in fear
Of quarrels 'gainst his life, fled from his country,
And hither came, where, to confirm his truth,
I know, Melitus, he out of his own store,
Hath monied Cassilane the general.

Mel. What, without other pledges than Cassilane's,

Bare promise of repayment?

Gas. No, it may be

He has some pretty lordship to retire to;

But thus he hath done; now 'tis fit, Melitus, The Senate should be thankful, otherwise They should annihilate one of those laws

For which this kingdom is throughout the world Unfollowed and admired.

Mel. What laws are these, sir?

Let me so much importune you.

Gas. You shall,

And they be worth your knowledge: Briefly thus: Whoe'er he be that can detect apparently

Another of ingratitude, for any

Received benefit, the plaintiff may

Require th' offender's life; unless he please

Freely and willingly to grant remission.

Gas. And what doth add some delight more,
There is amongst the soldiers a contention
Who shall be the triumpher, and it stands
Doubtful between a father and his son,
Old Cassilane, and young Antinous.

Mel. Why may not both demand it ?
Gas. The law denies it,

But where the soldiers do not all consent,
The parties in contention are referr'd
To plead before the senate; and from them
Upon an open audience to be judg'd

The chief, and then to make demands.

Mel. You ravish me

With wonder and delight.

Gas. Come; as we walk,

I shall more fully inform you.

SCENE II.-The Senate House.

[Exeunt.

Whose confidence thou hast bewitch'd, should see
Their little god of war kneel to his father,
Though in my hand I did grasp thunder.

Ant. Sir,

For proof that I acknowledge you the author
Of giving me my birth, I have discharg'd
A part of my obedience. But if now
You should (as cruel fathers do) proclaim
Your right, and tyrant-like usurp the glory
Of my peculiar honours, not deriv'd
From successary, but purchas'd with my blood,
Then I must stand first champion for myself
Against all interposers.

Cas. Boldly urg'd,

And proudly, I could love thee, did not anger
Consult with just disdain, in open language
To call thee most ungrateful. Say freely,
Wilt thou resign the flatteries whereon
The reeling pillars of a popular breath
Have rais'd thy giant-like conceit, to add
A suffrage to thy father's merit? Speak.

Ant. Sir, hear me: Were there not a chronicle
Well penn'd by all their tongues, who can report
What they have seen you do; or had you not
Best in your own performance writ your self,
And been your own text, I would undertake
Alone, without the help of art, or character,
But only to recount your deeds in arms,
And you should ever then be fam'd a precedent
Of living victory: But as you are
Great, and well worthy to be styled great,
It would betray a poverty of spirit

In me to obstruct my fortunes, or descent,
If I should, coward-like, surrender up
The interest which the inheritance of your virtue
And mine own thrifty fate can claim in honour:
My lord, of all the mass of fame, which any
That wears a sword, and hath but seen me fight,
Gives me, I will not share, nor yield one jot,
One tittle.

Cas. Not to me?

Ant. You are my father,

Yet not to you.

Cas. Ambitious boy, how dar'st thou

To tell me, that thou wilt contend?

Ant. Had I

Been slothful, and not follow'd you in all

The streights of death, you might have justly then
Reputed me a bastard: 'Tis a cruelty,
More than to murther innocents, to take
The life of my yet infant honour from me.

Cas. Antinous, look upon this badge of age,
Thy father's grey-hair'd beard: Full fifty years,
(And more than half of this, ere thou wert born)
I have been known a soldier, in which time
I found no difference 'twixt war and peace,
For war was peace to me, and peace was war.
Antinous, mark me well; there hath not liv'd
These fifty years a man whom Crete preferr'd
Before thy father; let me boldly boast,
Thy father, both for discipline and action
Hath so long been the first of all his nation;
Now, canst thou think it honest, charitable,
Nay human, being so young, my son, my child,
Begot, bred, taught by me, by me thy father,
For one day's service, and that one thy first,
To rob me of a glory which I fought for
A half of hundred years?

Ant. My case observes

Both equity and precedents; for, sir,

b b

That very day whereon you got your fame,
You took it from some other, who was then
Chief in repute, as you are now, and had been
Perhaps as many years deserving that
Which you gain'd in a day, as I have mine.

Cas. But he was not my father then, Antinous; Thou leav'st out that.

Ant. Sir, had he been your father,
He had been then immortal; for a father
Heightens his reputation where his son
Inherits it, as when you give us life,
Your life is not diminish'd but renew'd
In us when you are dead, and we are still
Your living images.

Cas. So be thou curs'd

In thy posterity, as I in thee,
Dishonourable boy! O, shall that sun,
Which not a year yet since beheld me mounted
Upon a fiery steed, waving my sword,

And teaching this young man to manage arms,
That was a raw, fresh novice in the feats
Of chivalry, shall that same sun be witness
Against this brat, of his ingratitude?
Who, to eclipse the light of my renown,
Can no way hope to get a noble name,

But by the treading on his father's greatness;
Thou wilt not yield?

Ant. My life, but not the prize
My sword hath purchas'd.

Enter ARCANES and DECIUS.

Arc. The senate, my lord,

Are here at hand, and all the soldiers
Begin to throng about them.

Cas. Now, Arcanes, the-
Arc. What, sir?

Cas. Trifles will affront us; that

Fine fighting stripling.

Arc. Let him have the shame on't;

'Please you withdraw on this side.

Cas. My great heart

Was never quail'd before.

Dec. [To ANTINOUS.] My lord, be confident, Let not your father daunt you.

Enter PORPHYCIO, POSSENE, three other Senators,
GONZALO, GASPERO, and Soldiers.

My good lords, I know not

What tax of arrogance I may incur,

Should I presume, though courted by your favours,
To take a place amongst you; I had rather
Give proof of my unfeign'd humility

By some, though mean, yet more becoming place,
Than run the hazard of a doubtful censure.

Pos. My lord, your wisdom is both known and tried;

We cannot rank you in a nobler friendship
Than your great service to the state deserves.
Por. Will't please you sit?

GOR. What, here, my lord Porphycio ?

It must not be.

Por. My lord, you are too modest.
Gon. It is no season to be troublesome,

Else but I have done: Your lordships are ob

serv'd.

Enter FERNANDO, led in captive by Soldiers. Gas. Is the demandant ready? Arc. He is ready.

Gas. Produce him then.

Arc. Before this sacred presence,

I, by a general consent, am made

The Soldiers' Voice, and to your gracious wisdoms, Present, as chief in arms, his country's champion. Cassilane.

Dec. Most reverend lords, you hear the lesser number

Of those who have been guardians to this country,
Approve this champion; I, in all their names,
Who fought for Candy, here present before you
The mightiest man in arms, Antinous.
Speak, fellow-soldiers.

Sol. Antinous, Antinous.

Gas. Stand by all, save the two competitors. Pos. My lords, how much your country owes you both,

The due reward of your desertful glories
Must to posterity remain: But yet
Since, by our law, one only can make claim
To the proposed honours which you both
(It seems) have truly merited, take leave
Freely to plead your rights; we shall attend ye.

Por. Wherein priority of voice is granted,
Lord Cassilane, to you; for that your rare
And long experience in the course of war,
As well doth challenge it as the best privilege
Of order and civility, for that

You are your brave opponent's worthy father.
Say, countrymen, are you content?

Sol. Ay, ay.

[untit

Cas. Right grave, right gracious fathers, how It is for me, that all my life time have Been practis'd in the school of blood and slaughter, To bandy words now in my life's last farewell, Your wisdoms will consider: were there pitch'd Another, and another field, like that

Which, not yet three days since, this arm hath scatter'd,

Defeated, and made nothing, then the man
That had a heart to think he could but follow
(For equal me he should not) through the lanes
Of danger and amazement, might in that,
That only of but following me, be happy,
Reputed worthy to be made my rival;
For 'tis not, lords, unknown to those about me,
(My fellow-soldiers) first, with what a confidence
I led them on to fight, went on still, and
As if I could have been a second Nature,
As well in heartening them by my example,
As by my exhortation, I gave life
To quicken courage, to inflame revenge,
To heighten resolution; in a word,

To out-do action: it boots not to discover,
How that young man, who was not fledg'd nor skill'd
In martial play, was even as ignorant

:

As childish but I list not to disparage,
His non-ability: The signal given
Of battle, when our enemies came on,
(Directed more by fury, than by warrant
Of policy and stratagem) I met them,

I in the fore-front of the armies met them;
And as if this old weather-beaten body
Had been compos'd of cannon-proof, I stood
The volleys of their shot. I, I myself

Was he that first disrank'd their woods of pikes :
But when we came to handy strokes, as often

As I lent blows, so often I gave wounds,
And every wound a death. I may be bold
To justify a truth, this very sword

Of mine slew more than any twain besides;
And, which is not the least of all my glory,
When he, this young man, hand to hand in fight,
Was by the general of the Venetians,
And such as were his retinue, unhors'd,
I stept between, and rescu'd him myself,
Or horses' hoofs had trampled him to dirt;
And whilst he was remounting, I maintain'd
The combat with the gallant general,

Till having taken breath, he throng'd before me,
Renew'd the fight, and with a fatal blow,
Stole both that honour from me, and his life
From him, whom I before, myself alone,

Had more than full three-quarters kill'd: A man
Well worthy only by this hand to have died,
Not by a boy's weak push: I talk too much,
But 'tis a fault of age: if to bring home
Long peace, long victory, even to your capitol;
If to secure your kingdom, wives, and children,
Your lives and liberties; if to renown

Your honours through the world, to fix your names,
Like blazing stars admir'd, and fear'd by all
That have but heard of Candy, or a Cretan,
Be to deserve th' approvement of my manhood,
Then thus much have I done: what more, examine
The annals of my life; and then consider
What I have been, and am. Lords, I have said.
Gon. With rev'rence to the senate, is it lawful,
Without your custom's breach, to say a word?
Pos. Say on, my lord Gonzalo.

Gon. I have heard,

And with no little wonder, such high deeds
Of chivalry discours'd, that I confess,

I do not think the worthies, while they liv'd
All nine, deserv'd as much applause, or memory,
As this one but who can do ought to gain
The crown of honour from him, must be somewhat
More than a man: [To ANTINOUS.] You tread
a dang'rous path,

Yet I shall hear you gladly; for believe me,
Thus much let me profess, in honour's cause,
I would not to my father, nor my king,
(My country's father) yield: If you transcend
What we have heard, I can but only say,
That miracles are yet in use. I fear

My lords, judge you) the chief, the great commander, The head of that huge body, whose proud weight Our land shrunk under, him I found and fought with,

Fought with, and slew. Fellows in arms, speak you, Is't true or not?

Sol. True, true.

Ant. When he was fall'n,

The hearts of all our adversaries

Began to quail, till young Fernando, son

To the last duke of Venice, gather'd head,
And soon renew'd the field; by whose example
The bold Venetians, doubling strength and courage,
Had got the better of the day; our men,
Supposing that their adversaries grew

Like Hydra's head, recoil, and 'gan to fly :

I follow'd them; and what I said, they know ; The sum on't is, I call'd them back, new rank'd them;

Led on, they follow'd, shrunk not till the end:
Fellows in arms, is't true, or no?

Sol. True, true.

Ant. Lastly, to finish all, there was but one,
The only great exploit; which was to take
Fernando prisoner, and that hand to hand
In single fight I did: myself, without
The help of any arm, save the arm of Heaven.
Speak soldiers, is it true, or no?

Sol. Antinous! Antinous!

Ant. Behold my prisoner, fathers.
Fer. This one man

Ruin'd our army, and hath glorified

Crete in her robes of mightiness and conquest.

Pos. We need not use long circumstance of Antinous, thou art conqueror: the senate, [words. The soldiers, and thy valour have pronounc'd it. All. Antinous! Antinous !

Por. Make thy demand.

Cas. Please ye, my lords, give leave That I may part.

Pos. No, Cassilane, the court

Should therein be dishonour'd; do not imagine We prize your presence at so slight a rate. Demand, Antinous.

Ant. Thus, my lords; to witness How far I am from arrogance, or thinking I am more valiant, though more favoured Than my most matchless father, my demand is, That for a lasting memory of his name, His deeds, his real, nay his royal worth, You set up in your capitol, in brass, My father's statue, there to stand for ever, A monument and trophy of his victories, With this inscription to succeeding ages: "Great Cassilane, patron of Candy's peace, Perpetual triumpher."

Por. and Pos. It is granted. What more? Ant. No more.

Cas. How, boy?

Gon. Thou art immortal,

Both for thy son-like piety, and beauties
Of an unconquer'd mind.

Ant. My prisoner, lords,

To your more sacred wisdoms I surrender :
Fit you his ransom; half whereof I give
For largess to the soldiers: the other half
To the erection of this monument.
Cas. Ambitious villain!

Gon. Thou art all unimitable.

My lords, to work a certain peace for Candy

With Venice, use Fernando like a prince;
His ransom I'll disburse, whate'er it be:
Yet you may stay him with you, till conditions
Of amity shall be concluded on:
Are ye content?

Por. We are, and ever rest

Both friends and debtors to your nobleness.

Gon. Soldiers, attend me in the market-place,

I'll thither send your largess.

Sol. Antinous! Antinous !

Cas. I have a suit, too, lords.

Por. and Pos. Propose it,

'Tis yours, if fit and just.

Cas. Let not my services,

[Exeunt.

My being forty years a drudge, a pack-horse
To you, and to the state, be branded now
With ignominy ne'er to be forgotten:
Rear me no monument, unless you mean

To have me fam'd a coward, and be stamp'd so.
Pos. We understand you not.

Cas. Proud boy, thou dost,

And tyrant-like, insult'st upon my shame.

Ant. Sir, Heaven can tell, and my integrity, What I did was but only to enforce The senate's gratitude. I now acknowledge it. Cas. Observe it, fathers, how this haughty boy Grows cunning in his envy of mine honours: He knows no mention can of me be made, But that it ever likewise must be told, How I by him was master'd; and for surety That all succeeding times may so report it, He would have my dishonour and his triumphs Engrav'd in brass: hence, hence proceeds the falsehood

Of his insinuating piety.

Thou art no child of mine: thee and thy blood,
Here in the capitol, before the senate,
I utterly renounce: so thrift and fate
Confirm me! Henceforth never see my face,
Be, as thou art, a villain to thy father!—

SCENE I.-An Apartment in the Palace of

EROTA.

Enter GONZALO and GASPERO.

Gas. Now, to what you have heard; as no man Better than I, give you her character; [can For I have been both nurs'd and train'd up to Her petulant humours, and been glad to bear them: Her brother, my late master, did no less. Strong apprehensions of her beauty, hath Made her believe that she is more than woman: And as there did not want those flatterers 'Bout the world's conqueror, to make him think, And did persuade him that he was a god; So there be those base flies, that will not stick To buz into her ears, she is an angel, And that the food she feeds on is ambrosia.

Gon. She should not touch it then, 'tis poets' fare.

Gas. I may take leave to say, she may as well Determine of herself to be a goddess, With lesser flattery than he a god:

For she does conquer more, although not further.

Every one looks on her dies in despair,
And would be glad to do it actually,
To have the next age tell how worthily,
And what good cause he had to perish so:
Here beauty is superlative; she knows it,
And knowing it, thinks no man can deserve,
But ought to perish, and to die for her:
Many great princes for her love have languish'd,
And given themselves a willing sacrifice,
Proud to have ended so: and now there is
A prince so madded in his own passions,
That he forgets the royalty he was born to,
And deems it happiness to be her slave.

Gon. You talk as if you meant to wind me in. And make me of the number.

Gas. Sir, mistake me not; the service that I o Shall plead for me: I tell you what she is, [50 What she expects, and what she will effect, Unless you be the miracle of men,

That come with a purpose to behold,
And go away your self.

Gon. I thank you, I will do it: but pray r How is she stor'd with wit? [solve a