A Collection of Old English Plays, Vol. II - Various
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[[125]_Cla_. Alas,
I feare shees Irrecoverable. Twas
Ill don to affright her thus.
_Mag_. Expect the best:
The Gentleman will perswade her.
_Tho_. O, dispaire,
Grimme homicide of soules, how thou involvst
More haplesse creatures in distracted Ills
Ore [w]home thou triumpst; but Ile fright thee hence:
No feind shall add a trophy to thy acts
For victory over her.] Deare madam, heare me:
You had a noble husband, while he livd;
And I beleive
That no perswasion cold have forcd you yeild
To vitiation of his honord bed,
Not with a prince. And will you give your soule,
Which heaven in its creation had designd
A bride to faire eternity of blisse,
By vild procurement of hells bawd, despaire,
To prostitution of unnaturall death
And then of woes erelasting which admit
Noe diminution? Can you heare this, Madam,
And does the flintie substance of your heart
Not thaw, like to a hill of _Russian_ Ice
When fires applid to't? Yes, your eyes demonstrate
It[126] melts already.
_Cla_. Deare Mother, please you walke
Into your Chamber: here the wind is cold
And may disease your weaknes.
_Mag_. Here is your vayle, and't please your ladiship.
_Lady_. Let me alone, you trouble me; I feele
A soddaine change; each organ of my soule
Suffers a strong vicissitude; and, though
I do detest a voluntary death,
My Conscience tells me that it is most iust
That the cursd author of such impious ills
Ought not to live.
_Tho_. O thinke not soe: those words
Retaine affinity with that passion
I hop'd youd left. The greatest of your Sinns
Mercy will smile at, when you doe implore
Its unconsuming grace: the dullest cloud
Will, when you pray, be active as the ayre
In opening to receive that breath to heaven
Thats spent to purge your ills. Why, you may live
To make a faire lustration for your faults
And die a happie Convert.
_[Ho]llow within_: Follow, follow, follow! that way he went.
_Enter Young Marlowe, Alexander, [Consta]ble and [office]rs_.
_Y. M_. Hell, I will flie no farther; since my hand
Is guilt in murder it shall sacrifice
Some of my apprehenders.
_Tho_. Whats the matter?
Deare Sir, what ayles you?
_Lady_. O my Sonne! I feare.
_Alex_. Stand back, goe to; what meanes this rudenes.
I say goe to, keepe back.
_Con_. Sir, we must enter: here he is. I charge you
Asist us to lay hold on him.
_Lady_. Why, how now,
Fellowes? what makes you presse in here thus rudely?
Whom do you follow?
_Con_. Madam, Ime sorry my authority
Enforces me to doe it: your sonn iust now
Has slaine one Mr. _Thurstone_, and the law
Commaunds us apprehend him.
_Y. M_. Here take my sword:
When I but doe waigh the iustnes of the cause
For which I suffer, though I could escape,
My Conscience would forbid me. Come, Ile goe
Whither you please.
_Lady_. Stay, officers; all accessaries are
As liable to punishment for murder
As those who act it. I confesse twas I
Enforcd my son to slay that gentleman.
Your warrant extends to take me with him.
_Tho_. Alas, beleive her not; greife for her sonne
Has made her franticke.
_Lady_. By heaven tis truth!
If you refuse to execute your office
I shall confesse my act unto the Judg
And soe condemne you of partiality.
My Sonn knowes this is truth.
_Y. M_. I must acknowledge
Mr. _Alexander_ oft did instigate me
To kill him.
_Con_. Sir, you must clere your selfe of this.
_Alex_. Who? I? Goe, take the babe from its Mothers teat and taxe him
with this crime. I accessary to a murder! goe to.
_Con_. Why, and goe to, sir, and avoid resistance;
You must goe. Will your ladiship walke with us?
_Lady_. Yes, most willingly.
I doe this most abhorrid life despise
Since tis to iustice a iust sacrifice.
[_Exeunt omnes_.
(SCENE 2.)
_A Table: Enter Judge,[127] Sir Geffery, Crackbie,
Suckett, and Bunch_.
_Sir Hu_. I doe admire this accident: since I have sat Judge I have not
knowne any such tryall.
_Sir Gef_. Tis certaine, sir; but looke you, sir, Ile tell you. You do
perceive me sir: as Ime a gentleman I lov'd the lady; but she, out of
her pride, I thinke, or else I were to b[lame] to say soe, scornd me.
Marke you that, sir? understand you that?
_Sir Hu_. You question my understanding very much, good Sir
_Geffe[rey]_. But pray you, sir, being here more conversant then I,
c[ould] you informe me how this quarrell grew twixt her [and Mr.]
_Thurston_?
_Sir Gef_. Yes, yes, I can;--but let me see, I have almost forgott;
to say truth, I never heard the reason, but as the wisest guess--hum,
hum--he should have had her daughter.
_Crac_. I might have had her my self, you know, uncle.
_Sir Gef_. Peace, Nephew, peace, give Justice leave to speake.--As I
related, the reason I related, Sir, was as I told you.
_Sir Hu_. You told me nothing yet, Sir _Geffery_.
_Sir Gef_. Noe? did I not say he should have had her daughter?
_Sir Hu_. You did; but what does that conduce to their dissention?
_Sir Gef_. Oh sir, the originall efficient cause,--you understand me?
for suspition whispers he had given her a foule blow and would have left
her.
_Crac_. Nay, by my birthright, uncle, the child was not his alone, for I
dare sweare I had a hand at least in it. I did endevor fort, did I not,
Captaine?
_Suc_. Yes, there are others to as well as you; yes, she has struck her
top sayle to a man of warr; she has bin boarded, sir, I can assure you.
_Sir Hu_. What impudent slaves are these!--But are you sure the
gentlewoman is with child?
_Sir Gef_. Sure? doe you question it, Sir? _Bunch_, be ready, _Bunch_,
to write their confessions quickly.
_Bunch_. They are not come yet to confession, sir.
_Sir Gef_. Noe matter for that, _Bunch_; with the Judges leave weele
here their confession before they come, that we may know the better to
state the cause when they doe come. Ist not best, thinke you?
_Sir Hu_. Who shall speake for them, thinke you?
_Sir Gef_. No matter whether any man speake nor noe: we know he killed
the man, and she comanded him, ergo they are guilty; ergoe that must be
their confession, scilicet that they are guilty. Write this, _Bunch_,
and then we will perpend, as law and Judgment guides us, whether we will
save or condemne. How say you, sir?
_Crac_. Oh well don, uncle! I knew[128] he would prove what he said,
otherwise I would have venturd a sillogisme in Baraly[p]ton to have made
it evident.
[_Suc_.[129] But with your favour, gentlemen; suppose he did unlive
_Thurston_ in faire duell?
_Sir Hu_. No duell can be fayre, cause tis against
The kingdomes lawes.
_Suc_. The kingdomes lawes! how shall
A Gent[leman] that has a blemish cast
Upon his life, faire reputac[i]on,
Have satisfaction then? allow no duells!
Hel! a man of armes had better live in woods
And combate wolves then among such milke sops.
The kingdomes lawes!
_Crac_. Patience, good Captaine; we will have duells lawful.
_Suc_. Tis fit they should, being legitimacy managd, sir.]
_Enter Constable and Prisoners_.
_Sir Gef_. O, soe; are you come? weele tickle you ifaith.
_Con_. Soe please you, heare are the prisoners.
_Sir Hu_. Tis well, we have waited them. Madam,
I should have bin more fortunate to have scene you
In any place but this; and here,
In any other cause then this, I would use you
As the precedent carridge of your life
Has merited, but cannot: y'are a prisoner
Convict of murder, a most hideous crime
Gainst law and nature.
_Sir Gef_. Yes, marry is it, and that she shall find ere we have don.
_Bunch_, read their indictments, _Bunch_. She had as good have married
me, I warrant her.
_Sir Hu_. Good Sir _Geffrey_, silence a while. Who is the accuser?
_Con_. Here.
_Sir Hu_. What have you, freind, to object against this lady?
_Con_. That she confesd it was by her procurement and comaunde her sonn
murderd young _Thurston_.
_Lady_. Please you, sir, that a poore prisoner may entreate one favour.
_Sir Gef_. Yes, you shall have favour!
_Sir Hu_. Any thing mercy can graunt unpreiudiciall to Iustice.
_Lady_. Then this:
You shall not need to produce witnesses
Or charge a Iury to designe me guilty
Of _Thurstons_ murder. I confess it to you,
Twas only I that slew him.
_Sir Gef_. Marke that, Sir: shee that slew him! do you hear?
_Sir Hu_. Pray disturbe her not.--How comes it then, Madam, to be
affirmd your Sonn did kill him?
_Sir Gef_. I, lets heare that, how it comes: well remembred, you did
even speake before me.
_Crac_. O how learnedly could I speake now, might I have licence!
_Lady_. Pray, Sir,
Let me not be oppresd with noyse; my cause
Beares not so slender waight. For my owne life,
So many reasons forfeit it to death
That 'twere a Sinn, had I a will to live,
To plead to save it; but for this my sonn
I do beseech a hearing.
_Sir Hu_. Speake freely, lady.
_Lady_. Thus then:
Suppose the wrested rigor of your lawes
Uniustly sentenc'd any here to death,
And you enforce on some unwilling man
The present execution of your act,
You will not after cause the instrument
Of your decree, as guilty of his blood,
To suffer as a Homicide: how then
Can your impartiall Judgment
Censure my sonn for this which was my fact?
_Thurston_ the malice of my will wishd dead:
My instigation and severe comaund
Compeld him to atcheiv't, and you will graunt
Noe princes lawes retaine more active force
To ingage a subiect to performe their hests
Then natures does astring a dewtious child
To obey his parent.
_Sir Gef_. Pish, all this is nothing: there is a flat statute against
it,--let me see,--in Anno vigessimo tricessimo, Henerio octavo be it
enacted,--what followes, _Bunch_?
_Sir Hu_. Nay, good Sir, peace--
Madam, these are but wild evasions
For times protraction; for your paritie,
It cannot hold; since Nature does enforce
Noe child to obey his parent in an act
That is not good and iust.
_Lady_. Why, this seemd both
To his obedience; but relinquish that
And come to Conscience: does it not comaund
In its strict Canons to exact no more
Then blood for blood, unlesse you doe extort
Worse then an usurer. For _Thurstons_ life
I offer myne, which if it be to meane
To appease your Justice, let it satisfie
Your mercie. Spare my Sonn and I shall goe
As willingly to death as to my rest
After a painfull child birthe. Looke on him!
How fitt the subiect is to invite your pittie!
What Tyrant hand would cut this Cedar up
Ere its full groath (at which it stately head
Would give a shade to heaven), or pluck this Rose
As yet scarce blossomd?
_Sir Gef_. Hum, what says _Bunch_?
_Lady_. Mercy wilbe proud
T'infold him gently in her Ivory armes,
And, as she walkes along with him, each word
He speakes sheele greedily catch at with a kisse
From his soft lipps such as the amorous Fawnes
Enforce on the light Satyrs. Let[130] me dy
Who, like the palme, when consious that tis void
Of fruite and moysture, prostratly doe begg
A Charitable headsman.
_Sir Hu_. So bad a cause
Deserves not to be pleaded thus. Deere madam,
Greife overwhelmes me for you, that your guilt
Has damp'd the eyes of mercy and undone
All intercession. Please you desist:
We must proceed to th'examination
Of the other prisoners.--
Sir _Geffrey_, we shall need your grave assistance:
Sir _Geffrey_, be more attentive.
_Sir Gef_. Tis very necessary. I wilbe sworne she did bewitch me; I
thinke I was almost asleepe. But now to yee, I faith; come on, what can
you say that Judgment shall not passe against you?
_Tho_. Sir, you are the Judge here?
_Sir Hu_. Yes, sir, why question you my power?
_Tho_. Noe, scarlett man, I question thy witt,
At least thy Humanity and the Conscience
That dares imagine to destroy this wealth,
To hang this matchless diamond in the eare
Of _Ethiope_ Death. Send him to file thy house,
Strike with his dart thy Children and thy selfe,
Gray bearded miscreant, whose best acts compard
With _Thurstons_ murder (cause this lady did [it])
Are full iniquity.
[_Suc_.[131] The man speaks home and boldly.]
_Sir Hu_. Sir, you are fitter for a Jayle, a Bedlam,
Then to stand free before us.
What? art thou mad, man?
_Sir Gef_. Yes, what are you, Sir. I aske to, though
I know y[ou well] enough. What are you?
_Tho_. I am one,
To expresse my selfe in my true character,
Soe full of civill reason and iust truth
That to denie my owne peculiar act
I should esteeme as base and black a sinne
As _Scythians_[132] doe adultery: twas I
That gave this lady councell to invade
That _Thurstons_ life, and out of cowardise,
Feareing my person, set this bold young man
To be his murderer. Ime the principall,
The very source from whence this brooke of bloode
Fetches its spring.
_Sir Hu_. Still more of the conspiracy! Sir, what say
You to these designements?
_Suc_. Say, sir, you slew the man in equall duell:
Twill bring you off, I warrant you.
_Sir Gef_. Answere, you youth of valour, you that dare
See men of credit bleede. Ha!
_Y. M_. Sir, I am to dy, and should I now speake false
Twould be a maine addicon to the ill
What I alone comitted: for this man,
Howsoere his fury does transport his tongue,
Hees guiltlesse on't: I must confesse my Mother
Did, for some private wrong which he had don,
Wish me to call him to account; but this
Steward did with all violence sollicit
That I should slay him.
_Alex_. Whoe? I? goe to; ist come to this?
_Sir Hu_. Sir, you must answer this.
_Sir Gef_. Marke how the mischeife lookes.
_Alex_. I doe defie thy mallice, thou falce Judge.
Goe to; my [Mrs.] I appeal to, she that knowes my vertue and Integrity.
_Sir Hu_. Away with him toth Jayle: a publique Sessions may [ere] long
from thence deliver him to the gallowes.
_Const_. Come, Sir.
[_Exeunt Const, and Alex_.
_Sir Hu_. Madam, for you and for your Sonn, your crimes
Being soe manifest, I wish you would
Prepare your selves for heaven. Meantime you must remaine
Saffe prissoners untill the Judges sitt,
Who best may give a sentence on your fact.
_Tho_. And what for me?
_Sir Gef_. I, what for him, Mr Justice?
_Sir Hu_. Sure your words
Rather proceed from some distraction
Then from similitude of truth. You may
Begon, we do quitt you.
_Tho_. And Ile quit my selfe
Of what you will not, [of] my hated life.
You have condemnd a lady who may claime
As many slaves to wait on her in death
As the most superstitious _Indian_ prince
(That carries servants to attend ith grave)
Can by's prerogative; nor shall she want
Waiters, while you and I, my reverend Judg,
Are within reach of one another.
[_Offers att the Record_.
_Suc_. Death, Sir!
Dare you presume to draw before us men
Of stout performance?
_Sir Gef_. You sir, weele have you hangd to, sir, with the Steward.
_Sir Hu_. We doe forgive him; twas his passion.
Tis manly to forbeare infirmities
In noble soules.
Away with the delinquents, officers![133]
_Sir Gef_.[134] I charge you looke to them: there is
some rescue intended, I warrant you.
_Con_. Sir, yonder are some six or seaven without,
Attird like Masquers, that will not be denied
Admittance.
_Sir Hu_. What are they?
_Con_. [Faith[135]] we know not,
Nor will they tell us, only this they say:
Heareing of the lady _Marlowe's_ condemnation,
They are come
With shew of death to make her more prepard fort.
_Sir Hu_. We will deny none of her freinds to see her;
They can intend noe rescue.
_Con_. Noe, my life ont, sir: they come unarm'd.
_Sir Hu_. Be still; letts see this misterie.
_Florish, Horrid Musike. Enter Death, Gri., and Furies_.
_Gri_. If in charnell houses, Caves,
Horrid grots and mossie graves,
Where the mandraks hideous howles
Welcome bodies voide of soules,
My power extends, why may not I
Hugg those who are condemd to dy?
Grimme _Dispaire_, arise and bring
_Horror_ with thee and the king
Of our dull regions; bid the rest
Of your Society be addrest,
As they feare the frowne of chaunce,
To grace this presense with a daunce.
_Recorders. Enter Hymen and the Lovers_.
_Tim_. _Death_, avaunt! thou hast no power;
This is _Hymens_ happie hower.
Away to the dark shades! hence!
And, grim _Dispaire_, let _Innocence_
Triumph, and bring eternall peace
To all your soules and Joys increase.
Smile, smile, sweet ayre, on us that come
To sing _Deaths_ Epicedium.
Extract from roses gentlest winds,
Such odors as young _Hymen_ finds
At sweet _Arabian_ nuptialls; let
The youthfull graces here beget
Soe smooth a peace that every breath
May blesse this marriage of _Death_.
Feare nothing, lady, whose bright eye
Sing'd _Deaths_ wings as he flew by:
Wee therefore, trust me, only come
To sing _Deaths_ Epicedium. [_discover_,
_Tim_. Stay, stay, by your leave Mr. Justice.--
Madam,[136] your servant _Timothy_ brings you newes
You must not dy. Know you this Gentleman?
_Sir Gef_. Now, on my knighthood, Mr. _Thurston_.
_Lady_. Amazement leave me: is he living?
_Sir Hu_. Are we deluded?
_Tim_. So it appeares, Sir: the gent[leman] never had hurt; hees here,
and let him speake for himselfe and this gentlewoman his wife.
_Lady_. Who? _Clariana_?
_Thu_. With your leave, reverend father.--To you, Madam,
Whome I must now call Mother, first your pardon
That the conceivd report of my faind death
Has brought you to this triall: next
For this your daughter and your sonn, whose virtues
Redeemd [me] from the death your rage had thought
I should have suffred, he agreeing with me
Consented to appeach himselfe of that
He nere intended, and procurd this man
As his accuser of my murder, which
Was but contrivd to let you see the error
Of your sterne malice; that, acquainted with
The foulenesse of the fact, by the effect
You might repent it and bestow your blessing
On us your Suppliant Children.
_Cla_. Which we beg
With hearty sorrow, if we have transgresd
Our duty to you.
_Sir Hu_. I am happie to see so blesd a period.
_Sir Gef_. Ha, ha, widdow, are you come of thus, widdow? You may thanke
me: I hope youle have me now, widdow.
_Lady_. This soddaine comfort,
Had I not yet a relique left of greife,
Would like a violent torrent overbeare
The banks of my mortallity. Oh, _Thurston_,
Whom I respect with a more sacred love
Then was my former; take my blessing with her
And all the wishes that a ioyfull mother
Can to a child devote: had my _Belisia_
And her deare _Bonvill_ livd, this happy day
Should have beheld a double wedding.
[_Suc_.[137] Death, must he have her then?]
_Sir Hu_. Spoake like a mother.
_Tho_. Madam,
The surplusage of love that's in my breast
Must needs have vent in gratulation
Of your full ioyes. Would you mind your promise,
And make me fortunate in your love!
_Lady_. Sir, I have vowd,
Since by my meanes my daughter and her love
Perishd unhappily, to seclude my selfe
From mans Society.
[_Bonvil, Belisia, and Grimes discover_.
_Tho_. Weele cancell
That obligation quickly.--Lady, I now
Will urge your promise: twas a plot betwixt us
To give them out for drownd, least your pursuite
Should have impeachd their marriage, which is now
Most iustly consummate; and[138] only I
Remaine at your devotion for a wife.
_Lady_. Take her,
And with me a repentance as profound
As Anchorites for their sin pay.
_Sir Hu_. Madam, how blest am I
To see you thus past hope recovered,
My mirth at your faire wedding shall demonstrate.
_Sir Gef_. I will daunce too, that[s] certain, though
I breake my legs or get the tissick.
[_Suc_.[139] Doe you know me, Sir?
_Bon_. Yes, very well, sir.
_Suc_. You are married, sir.
_Bon_. I, what of that?
_Suc_. Nothing, but send you Joy, sir?]
_Lady_. But where's my Steward? hees not hangd I hope:
This mirth admits no Tragedy.
_Gri_. Behold the figure.
_Alex_. I crave forgivenesse.
_Lady_. Goe to, you have it.
_Alex_. Thanke you, madam,--I, I will goe to and goe to, and there be
ere a wench to be got for love or money, rath[er] then plot murder: tis
the sweeter sinn of [the two]; besides, theres noe danger of ones cragg;
[the] worst is but stand in one sheet for ly[ing] in two: and therefore
goe to and goe to, I [say] and I sayt agen.
_Sir Gef_. _Bunch_ take my cloake, _Bunch_; it shal [not] be sed, so
many weddings and nere a Da[nce]: for soe many good turnes the hangman
ha done you, theres one for all, hey!
_Tho_. Well said, Sir _Geffrey_.
_Sir Gef_. Hey, when I was young! but come, we loose [time]: every one
his lasse, and stricke up Musick!
_Daunce_.
_Lady_. Now, gentlemen, my thanks to all, and since
[I]t is my good hap to escape these ills,
Goe in with me and celebrate this feast
With choyse solemnitie; where our discourse
Shall merrily forgett these harmes, and prove
Theres no Arraingment like to that of love.
[_Exeunt omnes_.
FINIS.
_This Play, call'd the Lady Moth[er] (the Reformacons observ'd) may be
acted. October the xvth_, 1635.
WILL. BLAGRAVE, _Dept. to the [Master] of the Revell[s]_.
INTRODUCTION TO THE TRAGEDY OF SIR JOHN VAN OLDEN BARNAVELT.
I have never met anywhere with the slightest allusion to this fine
historical play, now for the first time printed from a MS.[140] in the
British Museum (Add. MS. 18,653). It is curious that it should have been
left to the present editor to call attention to a piece of such
extraordinary interest; for I have no hesitation in predicting that
Barnavelt's Tragedy, for its splendid command of fiery dramatic
rhetoric, will rank among the masterpieces of English dramatic
literature.
On a first rapid inspection I assumed, with most uncritical
recklessness, that Chapman was the author. There are not wanting points
of general resemblance between Chapman's Byron and the imperious,
unbending spirit of the great Advocate as he is here represented; but in
diction and versification, the present tragedy is wholly different from
any work of Chapman's. When I came to transcribe the piece, I soon
became convinced that it was to a great extent the production of
Fletcher. There can, I think, be no reasonable doubt about the
authorship of such lines as the following:--
"_Barnavelt_. My noble Lords, what is't appeares upon me
So ougly strange you start and fly my companie?
What plague sore have ye spide, what taynt in honour,
What ill howre in my life so cleere deserving
That rancks in this below your fellowships?
For which of all my cares, of all my watches,
My services (too many and too mightie
To find rewards) am I thus recompenced,
Not lookd on, not saluted, left forgotten
Like one that came to petition to your honours--
Over the shoulder slighted?
_Bredero_. Mounsieur _Barnavelt_,
I am sorry that a man of your great wisdom
And those rare parts that make ye lov'd and honourd,
In every Princes Court highly esteemd of,
Should loose so much in point of good and vertue
Now in the time you ought to fix your faith fast,
The credit of your age, carelessly loose it,--
dare not say ambitiously,--that your best friends
And those that ever thought on your example
Dare not with comon safetie now salute ye" (iii. 1).
Such a verse as,--
"In every Princes Court highly esteemd of,"
or,--
"Now in the time you ought to fix your faith fast,"
can belong only to Fletcher. The swelling, accumulative character of the
eloquence is another proof; for Fletcher's effects are gained not by a
few sharp strokes, but by constant iteration, each succeeding line
strengthening the preceding until at last we are fronted by a column of
very formidable strength. Let us take another extract from the same
scene:--
"_Barnavelt_. When I am a Sychophant
And a base gleaner from an others favour,
As all you are that halt upon his crutches,--
Shame take that smoothness and that sleeke subjection!
I am myself, as great in good as he is,
As much a master of my Countries fortunes,
And one to whom (since I am forc'd to speak it,
Since mine own tongue must be my Advocate)
This blinded State that plaies at boa-peep with us,
This wanton State that's weary of hir lovers
And cryes out 'Give me younger still and fresher'!
Is bound and so far bound: I found hir naked,
Floung out a dores and starvd, no friends to pitty hir,
The marks of all hir miseries upon hir,
An orphan State that no eye smild upon:
And then how carefully I undertooke hir,
How tenderly and lovingly I noursd hir!
But now she is fatt and faire againe and I foold,
A new love in hir armes, my doatings scornd at.
And I must sue to him! be witnes, heaven,
If this poore life were forfeyt to his mercy,
At such a rate I hold a scornd subjection
I would not give a penney to redeeme it.
I have liv'd ever free, onely depended
Upon the honestie of my faire Actions,
Nor am I now to studdy how to die soe."
The whole scene is singularly fine and impressive; it shows us Fletcher
at his highest.
But in other passages we find a second hand at work. In the second scene
of the third act there is far less exuberance of language and a
different style of versification, as may be seen in the following
lines:--
"_Orange_. My grave Lords,
That it hath byn my happines to take in,
And with so little blood, so many Townes
That were falne off, is a large recompence
For all my travell; and I would advise
That (since all now sing the sweet tunes of Concord,
No Sword unsheathd, the meanes to hurt cut off
And all their stings pluckd out that would have usd them
Against the publique peace) we should end here
And not with labour search for that which will
Afflict us when 'tis found. Something I know
That I could wish I nere had understood,
Which yet if I should speake, as the respect
And duty that I owe my Country bids me,
It wilbe thought 'tis rather privat spleene
Then pious zeale. But that is not the hazard
Which I would shun: I rather feare the men
We must offend in this, being great, rich, wise,
Sided with strong friends, trusted with the guard
Of places most important, will bring forth
Rather new births of tumult, should they be
Calld to their Triall, then appease disorder
In their just punishment; and in doing Justice
On three or four that are delinquents, loose
So many thousand inocents that stand firme
And faithfull patriots. Let us leave them therefore
To the scourge of their owne consciences: perhaps
Th'assurance that they are yet undiscoverd,
Because not cyted to their answeare, will
So work with them hereafter to doe well
That we shall joy we sought no farther in it."