Act 4 — [Scene IV.][3255]

Bel. A heaviness near death sits on my brow, And I must sleep. Bear me, thou gentle bank, For ever, if thou wilt. You sweet ones all, [Lies down.] Let me unworthy press you; I could wish I rather were a corse strew’d o’er with you5 Than quick above you. Dulness[3256] shuts mine eyes, And I am giddy: oh, that I could take So sound a sleep that I might never wake! [Sleeps.]

Phi. I have done ill; my conscience calls me false To strike at her that would not strike at me.10 When I did fight, methought I heard her pray The gods to guard me. She may be abus’d, And I a loathed villain; if she be, She will conceal who hurt her. He has wounds And cannot follow; neither knows he me.15 Who ’s this? Bellario sleeping! If thou be’st Guilty, there is no justice that thy sleep Should be so sound, and mine, whom thou hast wrong’d, So broken. (Cry within.) Hark! I am pursued. You gods I ’ll take this offer’d means of my escape.20 They have no mark to know me but my blood, If she be true; if false, let mischief light On all the world at once! Sword, print my wounds Upon this sleeping boy! I ha’ none, I think, Are mortal, nor would I lay greater on thee. Wounds Bellario.25 Bel. Oh. death, I hope, is come! Blest be that hand! It meant me well. Again, for pity’s sake! Phi. I have caught myself; Falls. The loss of blood hath stay’d my flight. Here, here,29 Is he that struck thee: take thy full revenge; Use me, as I did mean thee, worse than death; I ’ll teach thee to revenge. This luckless hand Wounded the princess; tell my followers[3257] Thou didst receive these hurts in staying me, And I will second thee; get a reward.35 Bel. Fly, fly, my lord, and save yourself! Phi. How ’s this? Wouldst thou I should be safe? Bel. Else were it vain For me to live. These little wounds I have Ha’ not bled much. Reach me that noble hand; I ’ll help to cover you. Phi. Art thou then true to me?40 Bel. Or let me perish loath’d! Come, my good lord, Creep in amongst those bushes; who does know But that the gods may save your much-lov’d breath? Phi. Then I shall die for grief, if not for this, That I have wounded thee. What wilt thou do?45 Bel. Shift for myself well. Peace! I hear ’em come. [Philaster creeps into a bush.] [Voices] within. Follow, follow, follow! that way they went. Bel. With my own wounds I ’ll bloody my own sword. I need not counterfeit to fall; Heaven knows That I can stand no longer. Falls.50

Pha. To this place we have trackt him by his blood. Cle. Yonder, my lord, creeps one away. Dion. Stay, sir! what are you? Bel. A wretched creature, wounded in these woods54 By beasts. Relieve me, if your names be men, Or I shall perish. Dion. This is he, my lord, Upon my soul, that hurt her. ’T is the boy. That wicked boy, that serv’d her. Pha. Oh, thou damn’d In thy creation! What cause couldst thou shape To hurt the princess? Bel. Then I am betrayed.60 Dion. Betrayed! No, apprehended, Bel. I confess, (Urge it no more) that, big with evil thoughts I set upon her, and did make my aim, Her death. For charity let fall at once The punishment you mean, and do not load65 This weary flesh with tortures. Pha. I will know Who hir’d thee to this deed. Bel. Mine own revenge. Pha. Revenge! for what? Bel. It pleas’d her to receive Me as her page and, when my fortunes ebb’d, That men strid o’er them careless, she did shower70 Her welcome graces on me, and did swell My fortunes till they overflow’d their banks, Threat’ning the men that crost ’em; when, as swift As storms arise at sea, she turn’d her eyes To burning suns upon me, and did dry75 The streams she had bestow’d, leaving me worse And more contemn’d than other little brooks, Because I had been great. In short, I knew I could not live, and therefore did desire To die reveng’d. Pha. If tortures can be found80 Long as thy natural life, resolve to feel The utmost rigour. Philaster creeps out of the bush. Cle. Help to lead him hence. Phi. Turn back, you ravishers of innocence! Know ye the price of that you bear away So rudely? Pha. Who ’s that? Dion. ’T is the Lord Philaster.85 Phi. ’T is not the treasure of all kings in one, The wealth of Tagus, nor the rocks of pearl That pave the court of Neptune, can weigh down That virtue. It was I that hurt the princess. Place me, some god, upon a pyramis[3258]90 Higher than hills of earth, and lend a voice Loud as your thunder to me, that from hence I may discourse to all the under-world The worth that dwells in him! Pha. How ’s this? Bel. My lord, some man Weary of life, that would he glad to die.95 Phi. Leave these untimely courtesies, Bellario. Bel. Alas, he ’s mad! Come, will you lead me on? Phi. By all the oaths that men ought most to keep, And gods to punish most when men do break, He touch’d her not.—Take heed, Bellario,100 How thou dost drown the virtues thou hast shown With perjury.—By all that ’s good, ’t was I! You know she stood betwixt me and my right. Pha. Thy own tongue be thy judge! Cle. It was Philaster. Dion. Is ’t not a brave boy?105 Well, sirs, I fear me we were all deceived. Phi. Have I no friend here? Dion. Yes. Phi. Then show it: some Good body lend a hand to draw us nearer. Would you have tears shed for you when you die? Then lay me gently on his neck, that there110 I may weep floods and breathe forth my spirit. ’T is not the wealth of Plutus, nor the gold [Embraces Bel.] Lockt in the heart of earth, can buy away This arm-full from me; this had been a ransom114 To have redeem’d the great Augustus Cæsar, Had he been taken. You hard-hearted men, More stony than these mountains, can you see Such clear pure blood drop, and not cut your flesh To stop his life, to bind whose bitter wounds. Queens ought to tear their hair, and with their tears120 Bathe ’em?—Forgive me, thou that art the wealth Of poor Philaster!

King. Is the villain ta’en? Pha. Sir, here be two confess the deed; but sure It was Philaster. Phi. Question it no more; It was. King. The fellow that did fight with him,125 Will tell us that. Are. Aye me! I know he will. King. Did not you know him? Are. Sir, if it was he, He was disguis’d. Phi. I was so.—Oh, my stars, That I should live still. Aside. King. Thou ambitious fool, Thou that hast laid a train for thy own life!— Now I do mean to do, I’ll leave to talk.131 Bear them to prison. Are. Sir, they did plot together to take hence This harmless life; should it pass unreveng’d, I should to earth go weeping. Grant me, then, By all the love a father bears his child,135 Their custodies, and that I may appoint Their tortures and their deaths. Dion. Death! Soft; our law will not reach that for this fault. King. ’T is granted; take ’em to you with a guard.—140 Come, princely Pharamond, this business past, We may with security go on To your intended match. [Exeunt all except Dion, Cleremont, and Thrasiline.]