The Fatall Dowry: A Tragedy:

Act. primus.

Scaena prima:

[A Street before the Court of Justice]

Enter Charaloyes with a paper, Romont, Charmi.

Charmi Sir, I may moue the Court to serue your will, But therein shall both wrong you and my selfe.

Rom. Why thinke you so sir?

Charmi. ’Cause I am familiar With what will be their answere: they will say, ’Tis against law, and argue me of Ignorance [5] For offering them the motion.

Rom. You know not, Sir, How in this cause they may dispence with Law, And therefore frame not you their answere for them, But doe your parts.

Charmi. I loue the cause so well, As I could runne, the hazard of a checke for ’t. [10]

Rom. From whom?

Charmi. Some of the bench, that watch to give it, More then to doe the office that they fit for: But giue me (sir) my fee.

Rom. Now you are Noble.

Charmi. I shall deserue this better yet, in giuing My Lord some counsell, (if he please to heare it) [15] Then I shall doe with pleading.

Rom. What may it be, sir?

Charmi. That it would please his Lordship, as the presidents, And Counsaylors of Court come by, to stand Heere, and but shew your selfe, and to some one Or two, make his request: there is a minute [20] When a mans presence speakes in his owne cause, More then the tongues of twenty aduocates.

Rom. I haue vrg’d that.

Enter Rochfort: DuCroye.

Charmi. Their Lordships here are coming, I must goe get me a place, you’l finde me in Court, And at your seruice

Exit Charmi.

Rom. Now put on your Spirits. [25]

Du Croy. The ease that you prepare your selfe, my Lord, In giuing vp the place you hold in Court, Will proue (I feare) a trouble in the State, And that no slight one.

Roch. Pray you sir, no more.

Rom. Now sir, lose not this offerd means: their lookes [30] Fixt on you, with a pittying earnestnesse, Inuite you to demand their furtherance To your good purpose.—This such a dulnesse So foolish and vntimely as—

Du Croy. You know him.

Roch. I doe, and much lament the sudden fall [35] Of his braue house. It is young Charloyes. Sonne to the Marshall, from whom he inherits His fame and vertues onely.

Rom. Ha, they name you.

Du Croye. His father died in prison two daies since.

Roch. Yes, to the shame of this vngrateful State; [40] That such a Master in the art of warre, So noble, and so highly meriting, From this forgetfull Country, should, for want Of meanes to satisfie his creditors, The summes he tooke vp for the generall good, [45] Meet with an end so infamous.

Rom. Dare you euer Hope for like opportunity?

Du Croye. My good Lord!

Roch. My wish bring comfort to you.

Du Croye. The time calls vs.

Roch. Good morrow Colonell.

Exeunt Roch. Du Croye.

Rom. This obstinate spleene, You thinke becomes your sorrow, and sorts wel [50] With your blacke suits: but grant me wit, or iudgement, And by the freedome of an honest man, And a true friend to boote, I sweare ’tis shamefull. And therefore flatter not your selfe with hope, Your sable habit, with the hat and cloake, [55] No though the ribons helpe, haue power to worke ’em To what you would: for those that had no eyes, To see the great acts of your father, will not, From any fashion sorrow can put on, Bee taught to know their duties.

Char. If they will not, [60] They are too old to learne, and I too young To giue them counsell, since if they partake The vnderstanding, and the hearts of men, They will preuent my words and teares: if not, What can perswasion, though made eloquent [65] With griefe, worke vpon such as haue chang’d natures With the most sauage beast? Blest, blest be euer The memory of that happy age, when iustice Had no gards to keepe off wrongd innocence, From flying to her succours, and in that [70] Assurance of redresse: where now (Romont) The damnd, with more ease may ascend from Hell, Then we ariue at her. One Cerberus there Forbids the passage, in our Courts a thousand, As lowd, and fertyle headed, and the Client [75] That wants the sops, to fill their rauenous throats, Must hope for no accesse: why should I then Attempt impossibilities: you friend, being Too well acquainted with my dearth of meanes, To make my entrance that way?

Rom. Would I were not. [80] But Sir, you haue a cause, a cause so iust, Of such necessitie, not to be deferd, As would compell a mayde, whose foot was neuer Set ore her fathers threshold, nor within The house where she was borne, euer spake word, [85] Which was not vshered with pure virgin blushes, To drowne the tempest of a pleaders tongue, And force corruption to giue backe the hire It tooke against her: let examples moue you. You see great men in birth, esteeme and fortune, [90] Rather then lose a scruple of their right, Fawne basely vpon such, whose gownes put off, They would disdaine for Seruants.

Char. And to these Can I become a suytor?

Rom. Without losse, Would you consider, that to game their fauors, [95] Our chastest dames put off their modesties, Soldiers forget their honors, vsurers Make sacrifice of Gold, poets of wit, And men religious, part with fame, and goodnesse? Be therefore wonne to vse the meanes, that may [100] Aduance your pious ends.

Char. You shall orecome.

Rom. And you receiue the glory, pray you now practise. ’Tis well.

Enter Old Nouall, Liladam, & 3 Creditors.

Char. Not looke on me!

Rom. You must haue patience—— Offer’t againe.

Char. And be againe contemn’d?

Nou. I know whats to be done.

1 Cred. And that your Lordship [105] Will please to do your knowledge, we offer, first Our thankefull hearts heere, as a bounteous earnest To what we will adde.

Nou. One word more of this I am your enemie. Am I a man Your bribes can worke on? ha?

Lilad. Friends, you mistake [110] The way to winne my Lord, he must not heare this, But I, as one in fauour, in his sight, May harken to you for my profit. Sir, I pray heare em.

Nou. Tis well.

Lilad. Obserue him now.

Nou. Your cause being good, and your proceedings so, [115] Without corruption; I am your friend, Speake your desires.

2 Cred. Oh, they are charitable, The Marshall stood ingag’d vnto vs three, Two hundred thousand crownes, which by his death We are defeated of. For which great losse [120] We ayme at nothing but his rotten flesh, Nor is that cruelty.

1 Cred. I haue a sonne, That talkes of nothing but of Gunnes and Armors, And sweares hee’ll be a soldier, tis an humor I would diuert him from, and I am told [125] That if I minister to him in his drinke Powder, made of this banquerout Marshalls bones, Provided that the carcase rot aboue ground ’Twill cure his foolish frensie.

Nou. You shew in it A fathers care. I haue a sonne my selfe, [130] A fashionable Gentleman and a peacefull: And but I am assur’d he’s not so giuen, He should take of it too, Sir what are you?

Char. A Gentleman.

Nou. So are many that rake dunghills. If you haue any suit, moue it in Court. [135] I take no papers in corners.

Rom. Yes As the matter may be carried, and hereby To mannage the conuayance——Follow him.

Lil. You are rude. I say, he shall not passe.

Exit Nouall, Char: and Aduocates

Rom. You say so. On what assurance? [140] For the well cutting of his Lordships cornes, Picking his toes, or any office else Neerer to basenesse!

Lil. Looke vpon mee better, Are these the ensignes of so coorse a fellow? Be well aduis’d.

Rom. Out, rogue, do not I know, (Kicks him) [145] These glorious weedes spring from the sordid dunghill Of thy officious basenesse? wert thou worthy Of anything from me, but my contempt, I would do more then this, more, you Court-spider.

Lil. But that this man is lawlesse; he should find that I am valiant. [150]

1 Cred. If your eares are fast, Tis nothing. Whats a blow or two? As much—

2 Cred. These chastisements, as vsefull are as frequent To such as would grow rich.

Rom. Are they so Rascals? I will be-friend you then.

1 Cred. Beare witnesse, Sirs. [155]

Lil. Trueth, I haue borne my part already, friends. In the Court you shall haue more.

Exit.

Rom. I know you for The worst of spirits, that striue to rob the tombes Of what is their inheritance, from the dead. For vsurers, bred by a riotous peace: [160] That hold the Charter of your wealth & freedome, By being Knaues and Cuckolds that ne’re prayd, But when you feare the rich heires will grow wise, To keepe their Lands out of your parchment toyles: And then, the Diuell your father’s cald vpon, [165] To inuent some ways of Luxury ne’re thought on. Be gone, and quickly, or Ile leaue no roome Vpon your forhead for your hornes to sprowt on, Without a murmure, or I will vndoe you; For I will beate you honest.

1 Cred. Thrift forbid. [170] We will beare this, rather then hazard that.

Ex: Creditor.

Enter Charloyes.

Rom. I am some-what eas’d in this yet.

Char. (Onely friend) To what vaine purpose do I make my sorrow, Wayte on the triumph of their cruelty? Or teach their pride from my humilitie, [175] To thinke it has orecome? They are determin’d What they will do: and it may well become me, To robbe them of the glory they expect From my submisse intreaties.

Rom. Thinke not so, Sir, The difficulties that you incounter with, [180] Will crowne the vndertaking—Heaven! you weepe: And I could do so too, but that I know, Theres more expected from the sonne and friend Of him, whose fatall losse now shakes our natures, Then sighs, or teares, (in which a village nurse [185] Or cunning strumpet, when her knaue is hangd, May ouercome vs.) We are men (young Lord) Let vs not do like women. To the Court, And there speake like your birth: wake sleeping justice, Or dare the Axe. This is a way will sort [190] With what you are. I call you not to that I will shrinke from my selfe, I will deserue Your thankes, or suffer with you—O how bravely That sudden fire of anger shewes in you! Give fuell to it, since you are on a shelfe, [195] Of extreme danger suffer like your selfe.

Exeunt.