No More Learning

Her. _ Dispatch him; he will be a shrewd witness against us, if
he returns to Europe.

_Fisc. _ I have thought better, if you please,--to kill him by form of
law, as accessary to the English plot, which I have long been forging.

_Har. _ Send one to seize him strait. [_Exit a Messenger. _] But what
you said, that Towerson was guiltless of my son's death, I easily
believe, and never thought otherwise, though I dissembled.

_Van Her. _ Nor I; but it was well done to feign that story.

_1 Dutch. _ The true one was too foul.

_2 Dutch. _ And afterwards to draw the English off from his
concernment, to their own, I think 'twas rarely managed that.

_Har. _ So far, 'twas well; now to proceed, for I would gladly know,
whether the grounds are plausible enough of this pretended plot.

_Fisc. _ With favour of this honourable court, give me but leave to
smooth the way before you. Some two or three nights since, (it matters
not,) a Japan soldier, under captain Perez, came to a centinel upon
the guard, and in familiar talk did question him about this castle, of
its strength, and how he thought it might be taken; this discourse the
other told me early the next morning: I thereupon did issue private
orders, to rack the Japanese, myself being present.

_Har. _ But what's this to the English?

_Fisc. _ You shall hear: I asked him, when his pains were strongest on
him, if Towerson, or the English factory, had never hired him to
betray the fort? he answered, (as it was true) they never had; nor was
his meaning more in that discourse, than as a soldier to inform
himself, and so to pass the time.

_Van Her. _ Did he confess no more?

_Fisc. _ You interrupt me. I told him, I was certainly informed the
English had designs upon the castle, and if he frankly would confess
their plot, he should not only be released from torment, but
bounteously rewarded: Present pain and future hope, in fine, so
wrought upon him, he yielded to subscribe whatever I pleased; and so
he stands committed.

_Har. _ Well contrived; a fair way made, upon this accusation, to put
them all to torture.

_2 Dutch. _ By his confession, all of them shall die, even to their
general, Towerson.

_Har. _ He stands convicted of another crime, for which he is to
suffer.

_Fisc. _ This does well to help it though: For Towerson is here a
person publicly employed from England, and if he should appeal, as
sure he will, you have no power to judge him in Amboyna.

_Van Her. _ But in regard of the late league and union betwixt the
nations, how can this be answered?

_1 Dutch. _ To torture subjects to so great a king, a pain never heard
of in their happy land, will sound but ill in Europe.

_Fisc. _ Their English laws in England have their force; and we have
ours, different from theirs at home. It is enough, they either shall
confess, or we will falsify their hands to make them. Then, for the
apology, let me alone; I have it writ already to a title, of what they
shall subscribe; this I will publish, and make our most unheard of
cruelties to seem most just and legal.

_Har. _ Then, in the name of him, who put it first into thy head to
form this damned false plot, proceed we to the execution of it. And to
begin; first seize we their effects, rifle their chests, their boxes,
writings, books, and take of them a seeming inventory; but all to our
own use. --I shall grow young with thought of this, and lose my son's
remembrance!

_Fisc. _ Will you not please to call the prisoners in? At least inquire
what torments have extorted.

_Har. _ Go thou and bring us word. [_Exit_ FISCAL. ] Boy, give me some
tobacco, and a stoup of wine, boy.

_Boy. _ I shall, sir.

_Har. _ And a tub to leak in, boy; when was this table without a
leaking vessel?

_Van Her. _ That's an omission.

_1 Dutch. _ A great omission. 'Tis a member of the table, I take it so.

_Har. _ Never any thing of moment was done at our council-table without
a leaking tub, at least in my time; great affairs require great
consultations, great consultations require great drinking, and great
drinking a great leaking vessel.

_Van Her. _ I am even drunk with joy already, to see our godly business
in this forwardness.

_Enter_ FISCAL.

_Har. _ Where are the prisoners?

_Fisc. _ At the door.

_Har. _ Bring them in; I'll try if we can face them down by impudence,
and make them to confess.

_Enter_ BEAMONT _and_ COLLINS, _guarded. _

You are not ignorant of our business with you: the cries of your
accomplices have already reached your ears; and your own consciences,
above a thousand summons, a thousand tortures, instruct you what to
do. No farther juggling, nothing but plain sincerity and truth to be
delivered now; a free confession will first atone for all your sins
above, and may do much below to gain your pardons. Let me exhort you,
therefore, be you merciful, first to yourselves and make
acknowledgment of your conspiracy.

_Beam. _ What conspiracy?

_Fisc. _ Why la you, that the devil should go masked with such a
seeming honest face! I warrant you know of no such thing.

_Har. _ Were not you, Mr Beamont, and you, Collins both accessary to
the horrid plot, for the surprisal of this fort and island?

_Beam. _ As I shall reconcile my sins to heaven, in my last article of
life, I am innocent.

_Col. _ And so am I.

_Har. _ So, you are first upon the negative.

_Beam. _ And will be so till death.

_Col. _ What plot is this you speak of?

_Fisc. _ Here are impudent rogues! now after confession of two
Japanese, these English starts dare ask what plot it is!

_Har. _ Not to inform your knowledge, but that law may have its course
in every circumstance, Fiscal, sum up their accusation to them.

_Fisc. _ You stand accused, that new-year's day last past, there met at
captain Towerson's house, you present, and many others of your
factory: There, against law and justice, and all ties of friendship,
and of partnership betwixt us, you did conspire to seize upon the
fort, to murder this our worthy governor; and, by the help of your
plantations near, of Jacatra, Banda, and Loho, to keep it for
yourselves.

_Beam. _ What proofs have you of this?

_Fisc. _ The confession of two Japanese, hired by you to attempt it.

_Beam. _ I hear they have been forced by torture to it.

_Har. _ It matters not which way the truth comes out; take heed, for
their example is before you.

_Beam. _ Ye have no right, ye dare not torture us; we owe you no
subjection.

_Fisc. _ That, sir, must be disputed at the Hague; in the mean time we
are in possession here.

_2 Dutch. _ And we can make ourselves to be obeyed.

_Van Her. _ In few words, gentlemen, confess. There is a beverage ready
for you else, which you will not like to swallow.

_Col. _ How is this?

_Har. _ You shall be muffled up like ladies, with an oiled cloth put
underneath your chins, then water poured above; which either you must
drink, or must not breathe.

_1 Dutch. _ That is one way, we have others.

_Har. _ Yes, we have two elements at your service, fire, as well as
water; certain things called matches to be tied to your finger-ends,
which are as sovereign as nutmegs to quicken your short memories.

_Beam. _ You are inhuman, to make your cruelty your pastime: nature
made me a man, and not a whale, to swallow down a flood.

_Har. _ You will grow a corpulent gentleman like me; I shall love you
the better for it; now you are but a spare rib.

_Fisc. _ These things are only offered to your choice; you may avoid
your tortures, and confess.

_Col. _ Kill us first; for that we know is your design at last, and
'tis more mercy now.

_Beam. _ Be kind, and execute us while we bear the shapes of men, ere
fire and water have destroyed our figures; let me go whole out of the
world, I care not, and find my body when I rise again, so as I need
not be ashamed of it.

_Har. _ 'Tis well you are merry; will you yet confess?

_Beam. _ Never.

_Har. _ Bear them away to torture.

_Van. Her. _ We will try your constancy.

_Beam. _ We will shame your cruelty; if we deserve our tortures, 'tis
first for freeing such an infamous nation, that ought to have been
slaves, and then for trusting them as partners, who had cast off the
yoke of their lawful sovereign.

_Har. _ Away, I'll hear no more. --Now who comes the next?
[_Exeunt the English with a Guard. _

_Fisc. _ Towerson's page, a ship-boy, and a woman.

_Har. _ Call them in. [_Exit a Messenger. _

_Van Her. _ We shall have easy work with them.

_Fisc. _ Not so easy as you imagine, they have endured the beverage
already; all masters of their pain, no one confessing.

_Har. _ The devil's in these English! those brave boys would prove
stout topers if they lived.

_Enter Page, a Boy, and a Woman, led as from torture. _

Come hither, ye perverse imps; they say you have endured the water
torment, we will try what fire will do with you: You, sirrah, confess;
were not you knowing of Towerson's plot, against this fort and island?

_Page. _ I have told your hangman no, twelve times within this hour,
when I was at the last gasp; and that is a time, I think, when a man
should not dissemble.

_Har. _ A man! mark you that now; you English boys have learnt a trick
of late, of growing men betimes; and doing men's work, too, before you
come to twenty.

_Van Her. _ Sirrah, I will try if you are a salamander and can live in
the fire.

_Page. _ Sure you think my father got me of some Dutchwoman, and that I
am but of a half-strain courage; but you shall find that I am all over
English as well in fire as water.

_Boy. _ Well, of all religions, I do not like your Dutch.

_Fisc. _ No? and why, young stripling?

_Boy. _ Because your penance comes before confession.

_Har. _ Do you mock us, sirrah? To the fire with him.

_Boy. _ Do so; all you shall get by it is this; before I answered no;
now I'll be sullen and will talk no more.

_Har. _ Best cutting off these little rogues betime; if they grow men,
they will have the spirit of revenge in them.

_Page. _ Yes, as your children have that of rebellion. Oh that I could
but live to be governor here, to make your fat guts pledge me in that
beverage I drunk, you Sir John Falstaff of Amsterdam!

_Boy. _ I have a little brother in England, that I intend to appear to
when you have killed me; and if he does not promise me the death of
ten Dutchmen in the next war, I'll haunt him instead of you.

_Har. _ What say you, woman? Have compassion of yourself, and confess;
you are of a softer sex.

_Wom.
_ But of a courage full as manly; there is no sex in souls; would
you have English wives shew less of bravery than their children do? To
lie by an Englishman's side, is enough to give a woman resolution.

_Fisc. _ Here is a hen of the game too, but we shall tame you in the
fire.

_Wom. _ My innocence shall there be tried like gold, till it come out
the purer. When you have burnt me all into one wound, cram gunpowder
into it, and blow me up, I'll not confess one word to shame my
country.

_Har. _ I think we have got here the mother of the Maccabees; away with
them all three. [_Exeunt the English guarded. _] I'll take the pains
myself to see these tortured.
[_Exeunt_ HARMAN, VAN HERRING, _and the two
Dutchmen with the English: Manet_ FISCAL.

_Enter_ JULIA _to the_ FISCAL.

_Jul. _ Oh you have ruined me! you have undone me, in the person of my
husband!

_Fisc. _ If he will needs forfeit his life to the laws, by joining with
the English in a plot, it is not in me to save him; but, dearest
Julia, be satisfied, you shall not want a husband.

_Jul. _ Do you think I'll ever come into a bed with him, who robbed me
of my dear sweet man?

_Fisc. _ Dry up your tears; I am in earnest; I will marry you; i'faith
I will; it is your destiny.

_Jul. _ Nay if it be my destiny--but I vow I'll never be yours but upon
one condition.

_Fisc. _ Name your desire, and take it.

_Jul. _ Then save poor Beamont's life.

_Fisc. _ This is the most unkind request you could have made; it shews
you love him better: therefore, in prudence, I should haste his death.

_Jul. _ Come, I'll not be denied; you shall give me his life, or I'll
not love you; by this kiss you shall, child.

_Fisc. _ Pray ask some other thing.

_Jul. _ I have your word for this, and if you break it, how shall I
trust you for your marrying me?

_Fisc. _ Well, I will do it to oblige you. But to prevent her new
designs with him, I'll see him shipped away for England strait.
[_Aside. _

_Jul. _ I may build upon your promise, then?

_Fisc. _ Most firmly: I hear company.

_Enter_ HARMAN, VAN HERRING, _and the two Dutchmen, with_ TOWERSON
_prisoner. _

_Har. _ Now, captain Towerson, you have had the privilege to be
examined last; this on the score of my old friendship with you, though
you have ill deserved it. But here you stand accused of no less crimes
than robbery first, then murder, and last, treason: What can you say
to clear yourself?

_Tow. _ You're interested in all, and therefore partial:
I have considered on it, and will not plead,
Because I know you have no right to judge me;
For the last treaty betwixt our king and you
Expressly said, that causes criminal
Were first to be examined, and then judged,
Not here, but by the Council of Defence;
To whom I make appeal.

_Fisc. _ This court conceives that it has power to judge you, derived
from the most high and mighty states, who in this island are supreme,
and that as well in criminal as civil causes.

_1 Dutch. _ You are not to question the authority of the court, which
is to judge you.

_Tow. _ Sir, by your favour, I both must, and will:
I'll not so far betray my nation's right;
We are not here your subjects, but your partners:
And that supremacy of power, you claim,
Extends but to the natives, not to us:
Dare you, who in the British seas strike sail,
Nay more, whose lives and freedom are our alms,
Presume to sit and judge your benefactors?
Your base new upstart commonwealth should blush,
To doom the subjects of an English king,
The meanest of whose merchants would disdain
The narrow life, and the domestic baseness,
Of one of those you call your Mighty States.

_Fisc. _ You spend your breath in railing; speak to the purpose.

_Har. _ Hold yet: Because you shall not call us cruel,
Or plead I would be judge in my own cause,
I shall accept of that appeal you make,
Concerning my son's death; provided first,
You clear yourself from what concerns the public;
For that relating to our general safety,
The judgment of it cannot be deferred,
But with our common danger.

_Tow. _ Let me first
Be bold to question you: What circumstance
Can make this, your pretended plot, seem likely?
The natives, first, you tortured; their confession,
Extorted so, can prove no crime in us.
Consider, next, the strength of this your castle;
Its garrison above two hundred men,
Besides as many of your city burghers,
All ready on the least alarm, or summons,
To reinforce the others; for ten English,
And merchants they, not soldiers, with the aid
Of ten Japanners, all of them unarmed,
Except five swords, and not so many muskets,--
The attempt had only been for fools or madmen.

_Fisc. _ We cannot help your want of wit; proceed.

_Tow. _ Grant then we had been desperate enough
To hazard this; we must at least forecast,
How to secure possession when we had it.
We had no ship nor pinnace in the harbour,
Nor could have aid from any factory:
The nearest to us forty leagues from hence,
And they but few in number: You, besides
This fort, have yet three castles in this isle,
Amply provided for, and eight tall ships
Riding at anchor near; consider this,
And think what all the world will judge of it.

_Har. _ Nothing but falsehood is to be expected
From such a tongue, whose heart is fouled with treason.
Give him the beverage.

_Fisc. _ 'Tis ready, sir.

_Har. _ Hold; I have some reluctance to proceed
To that extremity: He was my friend,
And I would have him frankly to confess:
Push open that prison door, and set before him
The image of his pains in other men.

_The_ SCENE _opens, and discovers the English tortured, and the
Dutch tormenting them. _

_Fisc. _ Now, sir, how does the object like you?

_Tow. _ Are you men or devils! D'Alva, whom you
Condemn for cruelty, did ne'er the like;
He knew original villany was in your blood.
Your fathers all are damned for their rebellion;
When they rebelled, they were well used to this.
These tortures ne'er were hatched in human breasts;
But as your country lies confined on hell,
Just on its marches, your black neighbours taught ye;
And just such pains as you invent on earth,
Hell has reserved for you.

_Har. _ Are you yet moved?

_Tow. _ But not as you would have me.
I could weep tears of blood to view this usage;
But you, as if not made of the same mould,
See, with dry eyes, the miseries of men,
As they were creatures of another kind,
Not Christians, nor allies, nor partners with you,
But as if beasts, transfixed on theatres,
To make you cruel sport.

_Har. _ These are but vulgar objects; bring his friend,
Let him behold his tortures; shut that door. [_The Scene closed. _

_Enter_ BEAMONT, _led with matches tied to his hands. _

_Tow. _ [_Embracing him. _]
Oh my dear friend, now I am truly wretched!
Even in that part which is most sensible,
My friendship:
How have we lived to see the English name
The scorn of these, the vilest of mankind!

_Beam. _ Courage, my friend, and rather praise we heaven,
That it has chose two, such as you and me,
Who will not shame our country with our pains,
But stand, like marble statues, in their fires,
Scorched and defaced, perhaps, not melted down.
So let them burn this tenement of earth;
They can but burn me naked to my soul;
That's of a nobler frame, and will stand firm,
Upright, and unconsumed.

_Fisc. _ Confess; if you have kindness, save your friend.

_Tow. _ Yes, by my death I would, not my confession:
He is so brave, he would not so be saved;
But would renounce a friendship built on shame.

_Har. _ Bring more candles, and burn him from the wrists up to the
elbows.

_Beam. _ Do; I'll enjoy the flames like Scævola;
And, when one's roasted, give the other hand.

_Tow. _ Let me embrace you while you are a man.
Now you must lose that form; be parched and rivelled,
Like a dried mummy, or dead malefactor,
Exposed in chains, and blown about by winds.

_Beam. _ Yet this I can endure.
Go on, and weary out two elements;
Vex fire and water with the experiments
Of pains far worse than death.

_Tow. _ Oh, let me take my turn!
You will have double pleasure; I'm ashamed
To be the only Englishman untortured.

_Van. Her. _ You soon should have your wish, but that we know
In him you suffer more.

_Har. _ Fill me a brim-full glass:
Now, captain, here's to all your countrymen;
I wish your whole East India company
Were in this room, that we might use them thus.

_Fisc. _ They should have fires of cloves and cinnamon;
We would cut down whole groves to honour them,
And be at cost to burn them nobly.

_Beam. _ Barbarous villains! now you show yourselves

_Har. _ Boy, take that candle thence, and bring it hither;
I am exalted, and would light my pipe
Just where the wick is fed with English fat.

_Van Her. _ So would I; oh, the tobacco tastes divinely after it.

_Tow. _ We have friends in England, who would weep to see
This acted on a theatre, which here
You make your pastime.

_Beam. _ Oh, that this flesh were turned a cake of ice,
That I might in an instant melt away,
And become nothing, to escape this torment!
There is not cold enough in all the north
To quench my burning blood. [FISCAL _whispers_ HARMAN.

_Har. _ Do with Beamont as you please, so Towerson die.

_Fisc. _ You'll not confess yet, captain?

_Tow. _ Hangman, no;
I would have don't before, if e'er I would:
To do it when my friend has suffered this,
Were to be less than he.

_Fisc. _ Free him. [_They free_ BEAMONT.
Beamont, I have not sworn you should not suffer.
But that you should not die; thank Julia for it.
But on your life do not delay this hour
To post from hence! so to your next plantation;
I cannot suffer a loved rival near me.

_Beam. _ I almost question if I will receive
My life from thee: 'Tis like a cure from witches;
'Twill leave a sin behind it.

_Fisc. _ Nay, I'm not lavish of my courtesy;
I can on easy terms resume my gift.

_Har. _ Captain, you're a dead man; I'll spare your torture for your
quality; prepare for execution instantly.

_Tow. _ I am prepared.

_Fisc. _ You die in charity, I hope?

_Tow. _ I can forgive even thee:
My innocence I need not name, you know it.
One farewell kiss of my dear Isabinda,
And all my business here on earth is done.

_Har. _ Call her; she's at the door. [_Exit_ FISC.

_Tow. _ [_To_ BEAM. _embracing. _]
A long and last farewell! I take my death
With the more cheerfulness, because thou liv'st
Behind me: Tell my friends, I died so as
Became a Christian and a man; give to my brave
Employers of the East India company,
The last remembrance of my faithful service;
Tell them, I seal that service with my blood;
And, dying, wish to all their factories,
And all the famous merchants of our isle,
That wealth their generous industry deserves;
But dare not hope it with Dutch partnership.
Last, there's my heart, I give it in this kiss: [_Kisses him. _
Do not answer me; friendship's a tender thing,
And it would ill become me now to weep.

_Beam. _ Adieu! if I would speak, I cannot-- [_Exit. _

_Enter_ ISABINDA.

_Isab. _ Is it permitted me to see your eyes
Once more, before eternal night shall close them?

_Tow. _ I summoned all I had of man to see you;
'Twas well the time allowed for it was short;
I could not bear it long: 'Tis dangerous,
And would divide my love 'twixt heaven and you.
I therefore part in haste; think I am going
A sudden journey, and have not the leisure
To take a ceremonious long farewell.

_Isab. _ Do you still love me?

_Tow. _ Do not suppose I do;
'Tis for your ease, since you must stay behind me,
To think I was unkind; you'll grieve the less.

_Har. _ Though I suspect you joined in my son's murder,
Yet, since it is not proved, you have your life.

_Isab. _ I thank you for't, I'll make the noblest use
Of your sad gift; that is, to die unforced:
I'll make a present of my life to Towerson,
To let you see, though worthless of his love,
I would not live without him.

_Tow. _ I charge you, love my memory, but live.

_Har. _ She shall be strictly guarded from that violence
She means against herself.

_Isab. _ Vain men! there are so many paths to death,
You cannot stop them all: o'er the green turf,
Where my love's laid, there will I mourning sit,
And draw no air but from the damps that rise
Out of that hallowed earth; and for my diet,
I mean my eyes alone shall feed my mouth.
Thus will I live, till he in pity rise,
And the pale shade take me in his cold arms,
And lay me kindly by him in his grave.

_Enter_ COLLINS, _and then_ PEREZ, JULIA _following him. _

_Har. _ No more; your time's now come, you must away.