Act 5 — [Scene I.][3398]

Evad. Sir, is the King a-bed? Gent. Madam, an hour ago. Evad. Give me the key, then, and let none be near; ’T is the King’s pleasure. Gent. I understand you, madam; would ’t were mine! I must not wish good rest unto your ladyship.5 Evad. You talk, you talk. Gent. ’T is all I dare do, madam; but the King Will wake, and then, methinks— Evad. Saving your imagination, pray, good night, sir. Gent. A good night be it, then, and a long one, madam.10 I am gone. Exit. Evad.[3399] The night grows horrible; and all about me Like my black purpose. Oh, the conscience King abed. Of a lost virgin,[3400] whither wilt thou pull me? To what things dismal as the depth of hell15 Wilt thou provoke me? Let no woman dare From this hour be disloyal, if her heart be flesh, If she have blood, and can fear. ’T is a daring Above that desperate fool’s that left his peace, And went to sea to fight: ’t is so many sins,20 An age cannot repent ’em; and so great, The gods want mercy for. Yet I must through ’em: I have begun a slaughter on my honour, And I must end it there.—’A sleeps. Good Heavens!24 Why give you peace to this untemperate beast, That hath so long transgrest you? I must kill him, And I will do it bravely: the mere joy Tells me, I merit in it. Yet I must not Thus tamely do it as he sleeps—that were To rock him to another world: my vengeance30 Shall take him waking, and then lay before him The number of his wrongs and punishments. I ’ll shape his sins like Furies, till I waken His evil angel, his sick conscience, And then I ’ll strike him dead.—King, by your leave;—35 Ties his arms to the bed. I dare not trust your strength; your grace and I Must grapple upon even terms no more. So, if he rail me not from my resolution, I shall be strong enough.—My lord the King! My lord!—’A sleeps, as if he meant to wake40 No more.—My lord!—Is he not dead already?— Sir! My lord! King. Who ’s that? Evad. Oh, you sleep soundly sir! King. My dear Evadne, I have been dreaming of thee; come to bed. Evad. I am come at length, sir; but how welcome?45 King. What pretty new device is this, Evadne? What, do you tie me to you? By my love, This is a quaint one. Come, my dear, and kiss me; I ’ll be thy Mars; to bed, my queen of love. Let us be caught together, that the gods50 May see and envy our embraces. Evad. Stay, sir, stay; You are too hot, and I have brought you physic To temper your high veins. King. Prithee, to bed, then; let me take it warm; There thou shalt know the state of my body better.55 Evad. I know you have a surfeited foul body; And you must bleed. [Draws a knife.] King. Bleed! Evad. Ay, you shall bleed. Lie still; and, if the devil, Your lust, will give you leave, repent. This steel Comes to redeem the honour that you stole,60 King, my fair name; which nothing but thy death Can answer to the world. King. How ’s this, Evadne? Evad. I am not she; nor bear I in this breast So much cold spirit to be call’d a woman: I am a tiger; I am any thing65 That knows not pity. Stir not! If thou dost, I ’ll take thee unprepar’d, thy fears upon thee, That make thy sins look double, and so send thee (By my revenge, I will!) to look those torments Prepar’d for such black souls.70 King. Thou dost not mean this; ’t is impossible; Thou art too sweet and gentle. Evad. No, I am not: I am as foul as thou art, and can number As many such hells here. I was once fair, Once I was lovely; not a blowing rose75 More chastely sweet, till thou, thou, thou, foul canker,[3401] (Stir not!) didst poison me. I was a world of virtue, Till your curst court and you (Hell bless you for ’t!) With your temptations on temptations Made me give up mine honour; for which, King,80 I am come to kill thee. King. No! Evad. I am. King. Thou art not! I prithee speak not these things. Thou art gentle, And wert not meant thus rugged. Evad. Peace, and hear me. Stir nothing but your tongue, and that for mercy To those above us; by whose lights I vow,85 Those blessed fires[3402] that shot to see our sin, If thy hot soul had substance with thy blood, I would kill that too; which, being past my steel, My tongue shall reach. Thou art a shameless villain; A thing out of the overcharge of nature90 Sent, like a thick cloud, to disperse a plague Upon weak catching[3403] women; such a tyrant, That for his lust would sell away his subjects, Ay, all his Heaven hereafter! King. Hear, Evadne, Thou soul of sweetness, hear! I am thy King. Evad. Thou art my shame! Lie still; there ’s none about you,96 Within your cries; all promises of safety Are but deluding dreams. Thus, thus, thou foul man, Thus I begin my vengeance! Stabs him. King. Hold, Evadne! I do command thee hold. Evad. I do not mean, sir,100 To part so fairly with you; we must change More of these love-tricks yet. King. What bloody villain Provokt thee to this murder? Evad. Thou, thou monster! King. Oh! Evad. Thou kept’st me brave[3404] at court, and whor’d me, King;105 Then married me to a young noble gentleman, And whor’d me still. King. Evadne, pity me! Evad. Hell take me, then! This for my lord Amintor. This for my noble brother! And this stroke For the most wrong’d of women! Kills him. King. Oh! I die.110 Evad. Die all our faults together! I forgive thee. Exit.

1 Gent. Either the tapers give a feeble light, Or he looks very pale. 2 Gent. And so he does: Pray Heaven he be well; let ’s look.—Alas! He ’s stiff, wounded, and dead! Treason, treason! 1 Gent. Run forth and call.125 2 Gent. Treason, treason! Exit. 1 Gent. This will be laid on us: Who can believe a woman could do this?

Cleon. How now! where ’s the traitor? 1 Gent. Fled, fled away; but there her woeful act Lies still.130 Cleon. Her act! a woman! Lys. Where’s the body? 1 Gent. There. Lys. Farewell, thou worthy man! There were two bonds That tied our loves, a brother and a king. The least of which might fetch a flood of tears; But such the misery of greatness is,136 They have no time to mourn; then, pardon me! Sirs, which way went she?

Stra. Never follow her; For she, alas! was but the instrument. News is now brought in that Melantius140 Has got the fort, and stands upon the wall, And with a loud voice calls those few that pass At this dead time of night, delivering The innocence of this act. Lys. Gentlemen, I am your King. Stra. We do acknowledge it.145 Lys. I would I were not! Follow, all; for this Must have a sudden stop. Exeunt.