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130 FER REX AND POR. R. E. X. [ACT 1,
In one selfe purpose do I still abide. My love extendeth egally to both,
My lande suffiseth for them both also:
. Humber shall parte the marches of theyr realmes: The sotherne parte the elder shall possesse,
. The northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule: In quiet I will passe mine aged dayes,
Free from the travaile and the painefull cares That hasten age upon the worthiest kinges.
But lest the fraude that ye do seeme to feare,
Of flattering tongues, corrupt their tender youth And wrythe them to the wayes of youthfull lust, To climyng pride or to revenging hate,
Or to neglecting of their carefull charge
Lewdely to live in wanton recklessnesse,
Or to oppressing of the rightfull cause,
Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore, To treade downe truth, or favour false deceit,
I meane to joyne to either of my sonnes,
Some one of those whose long approved faith And wisdome tryed may well assure my harte,
That mynyng fraude shall finde no way to crepe Into their fensed eares with grave advise.
This is the ende, and so I pray you all
To bear my sonnes the love and loyaltie
That I have founde within your faithfull brestes. Arostus. You, nor your sonnes, our soveraign lord,
shall want
Our faith and service while our lives do last.
Chorus. When settled stay doth holde the royall throne,
In stedfast place by knowen and doubtles right; And chiefely when discent on one alone
Makes single and unparted reigne to light;
Ech chaunge of course unjoints the whole estate And yeldes it thrall to ruine by debate.
The strength that knit by faste accorde in one, Against forrein power mightie foes,
Could itselfe defend itselfe alone,
Disjoyned once, the former force doth lose.
ofall of
sc. II. ]
FERREX AND POR REX. 131
The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine, In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine.
Oft tender minde that leades the parciall eye Of erring parents in their childrens love, Destroyes the wrongly “loved childe therby:
This doth the proud sonne of Apollo prove, Who, rashely set in chariot of his sire, Inflamed the parched earth with heavens fire.
And this great king that doth devide his lande, And chaunge the course of his descending crowne,
And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande, From blisful state of joy and great renowne,
A myrrour shall become to princes all,
To learne to shunne the cause of such a fall.
The Order and Signification of the Domme Shew before the second Acte.
First the musicke of cornettes began to playe, during which came in upon the stage a king accompanied with
a nombre of his nobilitie and gentlemen. And after he had placed himself in a chaire of estate prepared for him, there came and kneled before him a grave and
aged gentleman, and offred up a cuppe unto him of wyne in a glasse, which the king refused. After him
commes a brave and lustie yong gentleman, and pre
sentes the king with a cup of golde filled with poyson, which the king accepted, and drinking the same, imme
diately fell downe dead upon the stage, and so was carryed thence away by his lordes and gentlemen, and
then the musicke ceased. Hereby was signified, that as glasse by nature holdeth no poyson, but is clere and may easily be seen through, ne boweth by any arte; so
a faythfull counsellour holdeth no treason, but is playne
and open, ne yeldeth to anie undiscrete affection, but geveth holesome counsell, which the yll advised prince
refuseth. The delightfull golde filled with poyson betokeneth Flattery, which under faire seeming of pleasaunt wordes beareth deadly pogson, which destroyed
d * “Wrongfull,” edit, 1590.
132 F ER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT
-
the prince that receyveth As befell the two brethren Ferrer and Porrer, who, refusing the holesome advise grave counsellours, credited these young para
sites, and brought themselves death and destruction therby.
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA PRIMA.
FERR Ex, HERMon, DoRDAN.
Ferrer. king
mervaile much what reason ledde the
My father thus without my desert
To reve me halfe the kingdome, which course Of lawe and nature should remayne me.
Hermon. you with stubborne and untamed pryde Had stood against him rebelling wise,
Or with grudging minde you had envied So slow sliding his aged yeres,
Or sought before your time haste the course
Of fatall death upon his royall head,
Or stained your stocke with murder your kyn, Some face reason might perhaps have seemed,
To yelde some likely cause spoyle thus.
Ferrer. The wrekeful gods powre my cursed head
Eternall plagues and never dying woes:
The hellish prince adjudge my dampned ghost To Tantales thirste, proude Ixions wheele, Or cruell gripe gnaw my growing harte, To during tormentes and unquenched flames;
ever conceyved foule thought,
To wishe his ende
life, yet reigne.
Dordan. Ne yet your father (O most noble prince)
thing you; For he with more than fathers tender love
Did ever thinke fowle
While yet the fates lende him life rule,
“Rebellious,” edit 1590.
gripe. ] gripe griffin, perhaps used here for vulture. See Cotgrave.
“Groaning,” edit. 1590.
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FER REX
(Who long might lyve
To you my lorde, and
Lo resignes his realme and royaltie;
sc.
AND POR REX. 133
prince have done,
And now geve you half his realme guide, Yea and that halfe which abounding store
Which never would wise had once misdemed that
There ever lodged unkinde
But tendre love (my lorde) and setled truste Of your good nature, and your noble minde, Made him place you thus royall throne,
Of things that serve stately cities and temperate breathing
make welthy realme,
fruteful soyle,
the milder heaven,
see your ruling well) his other sonne,
things nedefull use, which frendly sea
Transportes traffike from the forreine partes, flowing wealth, honour and force,
Doth passe the double value the parte That Porrex hath allotted his reigne.
Such your case, such your father's love.
Ferrer. Ah love, my frends? love wrongs not whom he loves.
Dordan. Ne yet wrongeth you that geveth you
large reigne ere that the course time Bring you kingdome discended right, Which time perhaps might end your time before,
Ferrer. this wrong, say you, reave from me My native right halfe great realme,
And thus match his yonger sonne with me egall power, and great degree?
Yea and what sonne? the sonne whose swelling pride Woulde never yelde one pointe reverence,
When the elder and apparaunt heire
Stoode the likelihode possesse the whole; Yea and that sonne which from his childish age Envieth myne honour, and doth hate my life, What will now do? when his pride, his rage, The mindfull malice his grudging harte
“Within,” edit 1590.
your harte thought.
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134 FER REX AND POR REX.
armed with force, with wealth and kingly state?
Hermon. Was this not wrong? yea wrong,
sharpe sworde, great missehappe,
large waye
Dordan. Alas, my lord, what griefull thing this
That your brother you can thinke ill? never saw him utter likelie signe
Whereby man might see once misdeme Such hate you, such unyelding pride:
their counsell, shamefull their ende,
That raysing such mistrustful feare you, Sowing the seede such unkindly hate,
To give mad man
To
great perill
Wide open thus set
[ACT advised
Travaile Wise Worthie
treason destroy you both. your brother and noble hope,
welde large and mighty realme; much stronger frende have you therby,
Whose strength your strength, you gree one. Hermon. nature and the goddes had pinched
Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes Of princelie qualities from you, my lorde,
And powrde them ones wastfull wise Upon your fathers yonger sonne alone,
Perhappes there that your prejudice
Would say that birth should yeld worthinese: But sithe eche good gift and princelie arte
Ye are his matche, and the chiefe all
mildnesse and sobre governaunce, Ye farre surmount; and sith there Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnesse,
you
To weld the whole and match your elders prayse; see cause why should loose the halfe,
Ne would wishe you yelde such losse, Lest your milde sufferaunce great wronge Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade; Which shall geve courage the fiery head
Of your yonge brother invade the whole.
“Acte,” edit. 1590.
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ERItEX AND POR REX. 135
While yet therfore stickes the peoples minde The lothed wrong your disheritaunce,
And ere your brother have settled power, By guilefull cloke alluring showe,
Got him some force and favour the realine:
And while the noble queene your mother lyves, To worke and practise for your availe,
Attempt redresse by-arms, and wreake yourself"—
Upon his life that gayneth your losse,
Who nowe shame you, and griefe us, your owne kingdome triumphes over you.
Shew now your courage meete for kingly state, That they which have avowed spend theyr goods,
Their landes, their lives and honours your cause, May the bolder mainteyne your parte
When they see that cowarde feare you
Shall not betray, once the death
The lords your frends eke shall appease his rage For they wise and well they can forsee,
That ere long time your aged fathers death Will bryng time when you shall well requite Their friendlie favour, their hateful spite, Yea, their slacknesse avaunce your cause. “Wise men not hang passing state “Of present princes, chiefely their age,
faile their faithfull hartes. Porrex ende the strife,
his usurped reigne, Your mother shall perswade the angry kyng,
And pay the price
“But they will further cast their reaching eye “To viewe and weye the times and reignes Ne likely though the king wrothe,
That yet will, that the realme will beare Extreme revenge upon his onely sonne;
Or woulde, what one that dare
come. ”
enterprise?
And here you now placed your owne,
Be minister such
Amyd your frendes, your vassalles and your strength . . We shall defende and kepe your person safe,
Till either counsell turne his tender minde, wreake yourself] i. e. revenge yourself.
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136 FER REX AND POR REX.
Or age sorrow ende his werie dayes.
[ACT
The thinges that they abhorre rascall routes. “When kinges slender quarrels runne warres,
“And then cruell and unkindely wise “Commaund theftes, rapes, murder innocents, “To spoile townes, ruines mighty realms,
“Thinke you such princes suppose themselves “Subject lawes kinde and feare gods? ” Murders and violent theftes private men
Are hainous crimes and full foule reproch;
Yet none offence, but deckt with glorious name Of noble conquestes the handes kinges. ”
But you like not yet hote devise,
Ne list take such vauntage the time, But, though with perill your owne estate,
You will not the first that shall invade,
Assemble yet your force for your defence,
But the feare goddes, and secret grudge Of natures law, repining the fact,
Witholde your courage from great attempt;
Know that lust kingdomes hath law, The goddes beare and well allow kinges
And for your safetie stand upon your garde. Dordan. heaven was there ever heard
So wicked counsell noble prince
Let me (my lord) disclose unto your grace
This hainous tale, what mischiefe contanes; Your fathers death, your brothers, and your owne,
Your present murder and eternall shame.
Heare me (O. king) and suffer not sinke So high treason your princely brest.
Ferrer. The mighty goddes forbid that ever Should once conceave such mischiefe my harts Although my brother hath bereft my realme,
And beare perhappes me hatefull minde, Shall revenge with his death therefore?
Or shall destroy my father's life
That gave me life? The gods forbid, say;
the copy 1590, this and the three preceding lines are transposed make nonsense the passage.
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ER REX AND POR REX.
137
* Cease you speake any more me,
Ne you my frend with answere once repeate
That under me they safely shall enjoye
Their goods, their honours, landes and liberties,
With whom, neither one onely brother deare, Ne father dearer, could enjoye their lives? But sith, feare my yonger brother's rage,
And sith perhapes some other man may geve Some like advise, move his grudging head
mine estate, which counsell may perchaunce
Take greater force with him, then this with me,
foule tale. silence
What lord subject shall have hope all,
will secrete
prepare myselfe,
dye
reigne, Breake forth armes or sodeine violence
may withstand his rage and keepe mine owne. Dordan. feare the fatal time now draweth on,
When civill hate shall end the noble line
Of famous Brute and his royall seede; Great Jove defend the mischiefes now at hand
that the secretaries wise advise
Had erst bene heard, when besought the king Not divide his land, nor send his sonnes
To further partes from presence his court,
Ne yet yelde them his governaunce.
Lo such are they now the royall throne As was rashe Phaeton Phoebus carre;
Ne then the fiery stedes did draw the flame
With wilder randon through the kindled skies, Than traitorous counsell now will whirle about
The youthfull heades these unskilfull kinges. But hereof their father will enforme;
The reverence him perhappes shall stay
The growing mischiefes, while they yet are greene:
this helpe not, then woe unto themselves, The prince, the people, the divided land.
As his malice his lust
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138
FER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT II
*
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA SECUNDA.
Port R. Ex. TYNDAR. PHILANDER.
Porrer. And is it thus? and doth he so prepare
Against his brother as his mortall foe 2
And now while yet his aged father lives?
Neither regardes he him, nor feares he me? Warre would he have 7 and he shall have it so.
Tyndar. I saw myselfe the great prepared store Of horse, of armour, and of weapons there,
Ne bring I to my lord reported tales,
Without the ground of seen and searched trouth. Loe secrete quarrells runne about his court,
To bring the name of you my lorde in hate; Ech man almost can now debate the cause,
And aske a reason of so great a wrong, Why he so noble, and so wise a prince,
Is as unworthy reft his heritage.
And why the king, misseledde by craftie meanes, Divided thus his land from course of right?
The wiser sort holde downe their griefull heades, Eche man withdrawes from talke and company Of those that have bene knowne to favour you To hide the mischiefe of their meaning there. Rumours are spread of your preparing here:
The rascall numbers of unskilfull sort
Are filled with monstrous tales of you and yours.
In secrete I was counselled by my frendes
To hast me thence, and brought you as you know
Letters from those that both can truely tell, And would not write unlesse they knew it well.
Philander. My lord, yet ere you move unkindly warre, Send to your brother to demaund the cause:
Perhappes some traiterous tales have filled his eares With false reportes against your noble grace,
Which once disclosed shall end the growing strife, That els not stayed with wise foresight in time Shall hazarde both your kingdomes and your lives. Send to your father eke, he shall appease
SC. II. ] In ER REX AND POR RE x. 139
Your kindled mindes, and rid you of this feare. Porrer. Ridde me of feare? I feare him not at all,
Ne will to him, ne to my father send : If danger were for one to tary there,
Thinke ye it safetie to returne againe?
In mischiefes such as Ferrex now intendes,
The wonted courteous lawes to messengers
Are not observed, which in just warre they use.
Shall I so hazard any one of mine 2
Shall I betray my trusty frendes to him That hath disclosed his treason unto me?
Let him entreate that feares, I feare him not:
Or shall I to the king my father send ?
Yea and send now while such a mother lives,
That loves my brother and that hateth me? Shall I geve leasure by my fonde delayes
To Ferrex to oppresse me all unware? I will not, but I will invade his realme
And seeke the traitour prince within his court: Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due reward.
His wretched head shall pay the worthy price Of this his treason and his hate to me.
Shall I abide, and treate, and send and pray, And holde my yelden throate to traitours knife; While I with valiant minde and conquering force Might rid myselfe of foes and winne a realme? Yet rather when I have the wretches head,
Then to the king my father will I send,
The bootelesse case may yet appease his wrath;
If not, I will defend me as I may.
Philander. Lo here the end of these two youthful kings,
The fathers death, the ruine of their realmes. “O most unhappy state of counsellors,
“That light on so unhappy lordes and times, “That neither can their good advise be heard, “Yet must they beare the blames of successe But will the king their father haste,
Ere this mischiefe come the likely end, That the mindfull wrath of wrekefull gods,
if
I to
to
ill
! ”
140 FER REX. A N D PO. R. R. Ex.
[Act III.
Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased
With these poore remnantes of the Trojan name Have not determin’d by unmoved fate line, Out of this realme to raise the Brittishe”
By good advise, by awe of father's name,
By force of wiser lordes, this kindled hate
May yet be quenched ere it consume us all.
Chorus. When youth not bridled with a guiding stay Is left to randon of their own delight.
And welds whole realmes by force of sovereign sway, Great is the daunger of unmaistred might,
Lest skillesse rage throwes downe with headlong fall Their lands, their states, their lives, themselves and all.
When growing pride doth fill the swelling brest, And gredy lust doth rayse the climbing minde,
Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt,
Ne feare of angrie goddes, ne lawes kinde,
Ne countries care can fired hartes restrayne Whan force hath armed envie and disdaine :
When kinges of foresette* will neglect the rede” Of best advise, and yelde to pleasing tales,
That do their fansies noysome humour feede, Ne reason, nor regarde of right availes;
Succeding heapes of plagues shall teach to late
To learne the mischiefes of misguided state. Fowle fall the traitour false that undermines
The love of brethren to destroye them both. Wo to the prince, that pliant care enclynes
And yeldes minde poysonous tale that floweth
From flattering mouth; and woe That wastes itselfe with civill sworde
Loe, thus poyson golde
wretched land hande.
take,
And holsome drinke homely cuppe forsake. Brutishe” Edit. 1590.
foresight.
foresette]
Mr. Reed's opinion that foresette understood foresight seems
very questionable the meaning the line seems rather
when *f; fore-set purpose will neglect listen the best
vice. ” There instance any other author where foresight
spelt foresette.
redel. advice. See Note Gammer Gurton's Needle,
vol. II.
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FER REX AND POR REX. 141
The Order and Signification the Domme Shewe before the thirde Act.
First, the musicke flutes began playe, during which
came upon the stage company mourners all
clad blacke, betokening death and sorrowe ensue
upon the advised misgovernement and discention brethrene, befell upon the murder Ferrer, his
gonger brother. After the mourners had passed thryse
about the stage, they departed, and then the musicke ceased.
ACTUS TERTIUS. SCENA PRIMA.
GoR BoDUc. EUBULUs. Ross Us. PHILANDER. NUNTI Us,
Gorboduc, cruell fates, mindful wrath goddes,
Whose vengeance neither Simois stayned streames Flowing with bloud Trojan princes slaine;
Nor Phrygian fieldes made ranck with corpses dead
Of Asian kinges and lordes can yet appease, Ne slaughter unhappie Pryam's race,
Nor Ilions fall made levell with the soile,
Can yet suffise but still continued rage
Pursues our lyves, and from the farthest seas
Doth chase the issues destroied Troye.
Oh man happie till his ende seene’ any flowing wealth and seemynge joye
present yeres might make happy wight, Happie was Hecuba, the wonderfullest wretch
That ever lyved make myrrour
And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes,
And happie till nowe. Alas, see
And feele my most unhappie wretchednessel Beholde, my lordes, read this letter here,
Loe conteins the ruine our realme, timelie spede provide not hastie helpe.
Yet, (O goddes,) ever wofull kyng
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142 FERREX AND POR. R. Ex.
[ACT III.
Might move ye, kings of kinges, wreke it on me And on my sonnes, not on this giltlesse realme.
Send downe your wasting flames from wrathfull skies, To reve me and my sonnes the hateful breath.
Read, read my lordes: this is the matter why I called ye nowe, to have your good advyse.
The letter from Dordan the counsellour of the elder prince.
My soveraigne lord, [Eubulus readeth the letter. what I am loth to write
But lothest am to see, that I am forced
By letters nowe to make you understande.
My lord Ferrex, your eldest sonne, misledde By traitorous fraude of yong untempred wittes, Assembleth force agaynst your yonger sonne,
Ne can my counsell yet withdrawe the heate And furious panges of his enflamed head:
Disdaine (saith he) of his disheritance,
Armes him to wreke the great pretended wrong *
With civyll sword upon his brother's life.
If present helpe do not restraine this rage,
This flame will wast your sonnes, your land and you.
Your majesty's faithfull, and most humble subject, Dordan.
Arostus, O king, appease your griefe and stay your plaint.
Great is the matter and a wofull case;
But timely knowledge may bring timely helpe.
Send for them both unto your presence here: The reverence of your honour, age, and state,
Your grave advice, the awe of father's name Shall quicklie knit agayne this broken peace:
And if in either of my lordes your sonnes Be suche untamed and unyelding pride
As will not bende unto your noble hestes”;
* i. e. intended wrong. See note 48 to the Jew of Malta, vol. VIII. where various instances of the use of pretend for intend given,
Wol,
*] -
Commands. See note Tancred and Gismunda
o
C.
5 to
are
sc. I. ]
FERREX AND PORREX. 143
If Ferrex th’ elder sonne can bear no peere, Or Porrex not content, aspire to more
Than you him gave above his native right, Joyne with the juster side; so shall you force Them to agree, and holde the lande in stay.
Eubulus. What meaneth this 7 loe yonder comes in hast
Philander from my lord your yonger sonne. Gorboduc, The goddes sende joyful newes?
Philander. The mightie Jove Preserve your majestie, O noble king.
Gorboduc. Philander, welcome : but how doth my sonne 7
Philander. Your sonne, sir, lyves and healthie I him left:
But yet (O king) this want of lustfull health Could not be halfe so griefefull to your grace,
As these most wretched tidynges that I bryng.
Gorboduc, O heavens, yet more? no ende of woes to me?
Philander. Tyndar, O king, came lately from the COUlrt
Of Ferrex, to my lord your yonger sonne, And made reporte of great prepared store
For warre, and sayth that it is wholly ment Agaynst Porrex, for high disdayne that he
Lyves now a king and egall in degree
With him, that claimeth to succede the whole, As by due title of discending right.
Porrex is nowe so set on flaming fire,
Partely with kindled rage of cruell wrath, Partely with hope to gaine a realme thereby,
That he in hast prepareth to invade
His brother's land, and with unkindely warre
Threatens the murder of your elder sonne:
Ne could I him perswade that first he should Send to his brother to demaunde the cause:
Nor yet to you to staie this hateful strife. Wherefore sith there no more I can be hearde,
*
I come myselfe now to enforme your grace,
144 FER REx-AND POR REX's [ACT III.
And to beseche you, as you love the life
And safetie of your children and your realme, Now to employ your wisdome and your force To staye this mischiefe ere it be too late.
Gorboduc. Are they in armes? would he not sende to me?
Is this the honour of a father's name 2
In vain we travaile to asswage their mindes,
As if their hartes, whom neither brother's love,
Nor father's awe, nor kingdomes care can move, Our counsells could withdrawe from raging heat.
Jove slay them both, and end the cursed line ! . For though perhappes feare of such mightie force
As I, my lordes, joyned with your noble aides, Maye yet raise, shall represse their present heate,
The secret grudge and malice will remayne:
The fire not quenched, but kept in close restraint Fedde still within, breakes forth with double flame. Their death and myne must peaze” the angrie gods,
Philander. Yelde, not, O king, so much to weake dispeire;
Your sonnes yet lyve, and long I trust they shall. If fates had taken you from earthly life,
Before beginning of this civyll strife,
Perhaps your sonnes, in their unmaistered youth, Loose from regarde of any lyvyng wight,
Would runne on headlong, with unbridled race To their owne death, and ruine of this realme:
But sith the gods that have the care for kinges, Of thinges and times dispose the order so .
That in your life this kindled flame breakes forth, While yet your lyse, your wisdome and your power May stay the growing mischiefe, and represse
The fierie blaze of their inkindled heate,
It seemes, and so ye ought to deeme thereof, That lovyng Jove hath tempred so the time
*peaze. ] i. e. appease. S.
It is used in the same way in the first scene of the next act. The printer of the copy of 1590, perhaps, not thinking that it would be understood, printed it appease. C.
|
sc. I. ]
FER REX AND POR REX. 14. 5
Of this debate to happen in your dayes, That you yet lyving may the same appeaze,
And adde it to the glory of your age”,
And they your sonnes may learne to live in peace.
Beware (O. king) the greatest harme of all,
Lest by your waylefull plaints your hastened death
Yelde large roume unto their growing rage : * Preserve your life, the onely hope of stay:
And if your highnes herein list to use
Wisdome or force, counsell or knightly aide, Loewe, our persons, powers, and lyves are yours; Use us tyll death, O king, we are your owne.
Eubulus. Loe here the perill that was erst foresene,
When you (O. king) did first devide your lande, And yelde your present reigne unto your sonnes.
But now (O noble prince) now is no time
To waile and plaine, and wast your wofull life, Now is the time for present good advise,
Sorow doth darke the judgement of the wytte; “The hart unbroken and the courage free “From feble faintenesse of bootelesse despeire “Doth either ryse to safetie or renowne,
“By noble valure of unvanquisht minde,
“Or yet doth perishe in more happy sort. ”
Your grace may send to either of your sonnes Some one both wise and noble personage,
Which with good counsell and with weightie name Of father shall present before their eyes
Your hest, your life, your safetie, and their owne; The present mischiefe of their deadly strife:
And in the while assemble you the force
Which your commaundement and the spedy hast
Of all my lordes here present can prepare: The terrour of your mightie power shall staye
The rage of both, or yet of one at lest.
* your age. ] The second and third editions read, your latter age.
The alteration by Mr. Spence.
* The edit. of 1590 has this line thus:
“Yelde larger roume unto this growing rage;”
which is an improvement of the metre; and so Mr. Hawkins re
printed it in his Origin of the English Drama. C. vol. I.
L
146 FERREx AND, POR REx. :
[Act Iv.
Nuntius. O king, the greatest griefe that ever prince dyd heare,
That ever wofull messenger did tell,
That ever wretched land hath sene before
I bryng to you. Porrex your yonger sonne With soden force invaded hath the lande
That you to Ferrex did allotte to rule:
And with his owne most bloudy hand he hath His brother slaine, and doth possesse his realme.
Gorboduc. O heavens send down the flames of your revenge
Destroy, I say, with flash of wreakefull fier
The traitour sonne, and then the wretched sire. But go, that yet perhappes may
Die with revenge, and peaze the hatefull gods.
kingdome knowes no sacred
regarde right,
feare heaven's wrath, goddes, and man's despite. Through blodie slaughter doth prepare the waies,
To fatall scepter and accursed reigne.
The sonne lothes the father's lingering daies, Ne dreades his hand brother's blode staine.
wretched prince, dost thou yet recorde The yet fresh murthers done within the lande
Of thy forefathers, when the cruell sworde
Bereft Morgan his life with cosyn's hand Thus fatall plagues pursue the giltie race,
Whose murderous hand, imbrued with giltlesse blood,
Askes vengeance still before the heavens face, With endlesse mischiefes on the cursed broode.
The wicked childe thus bringes wofull sire The mournefull plaintes wast his very life: Thus the cruell flames civyll fier
Destroy the parted reigne with hatefull strife.
And hence doth spring the well from which doth flow,
The dead black streames mourning, plaints and WOe.
Bereft Morgan life, &c. ] See Act Sc,
Chorus. The lust faith,
reason, No kindely love,
No rule
But with contempt
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FER REx AND Port R. Ex. 147
The Order and Signification the Domme Shew before the fourth Act.
First the musick howeboies began playe, during which there came from under the stage, though out hell, three furies, Alecto, Megera, and Ctisiphone, clad blacke garmentes sprinkled with bloud and
flames, their bodies girt with snakes, their heds spred with serpentes stead heire, the one bearing her
hand snake, the other whip, and the third burn ing firebrand; ech driving before them king and
queene, which moved furies unnaturally had slaine their owne children. The names the kings and queenes were these, Tantalus, Medea, Athamas, Ino,
Cambises, Althea;
passed about the stage thrise, they departed, and than
after that the furies and these had
the musick ceased: hereby was signified the unnaturall murders follow, that say, Porrer, slaine his owne mother; and king Gorboduc, and queen
Widena, killed their owne subjects.
ACTUS QUARTUS. SCENA PRIMA. VI DEN sola.
Why should lyve and linger forth my time longer life double my distresse?
me most wofull wight whome mishappe Long ere this day could have bereved hence. Mought not these handes fortune fate Have perst this brest, and life with iron reft
Or this palace here where long
Have spent my daies, could not that happie houre
Once, once have hapt which these hugie frames
With death fall might have oppressed me? Or should not this most hard and cruell soile,
So oft where have prest my wretched steps, Some time had ruthe myne accursed life, To rende twayne and swallow me therein’ So. . . had my bones possessed now peace Their happie grave within the closed grounde,
in
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148 FER. R. ex A. N. D. POR Rex.
[Act Iv.
And greadie wormes had gnawen this pyned hart Without my feeling payne: so should not now This lyving brest remayne the ruthfull tombe Wherin my hart, yelden to death, is graved;
Nor driery thoughts with panges of pining griefe
My dolefull minde had not afflicted thus.
O my beloved sonne, O my swete childe,
My deare Ferrex, my joye, my lyves delight,
Is my beloved sonne, is my sweete childe,
My deare Ferrex, my joye, my lyves delight Murdred with cruell death? O hatefull wretch,
O heynous traitour both to heaven and earth,
Thou Porrex, thou this damned dede hast wrought,
Thou Porrex, thou shalt dearly bye” the same! Traitour to kinne and kinde, to sire and me,
To thine owne fleshe, and traitour to thyself. The Gods on thee in hell shall wreke the wrath,
And here in earth this hand shall take revenge
On thee Porrex, thou false and caitife wight.
If after bloud so eigre were thy thirst,
And murderous minde had so possessed thee, If such hard hart of rocke and stomie flint
Lived in thy brest, that nothing could like Thy cruel tyrantes thought but death and bloud,
Wilde savage beasts mought not their slaughter serve, To fede thy greedie will, and the middest
Of their entrailes staine thy deadly handes
With blood deserved, and drinke thereof thy fill?
Or nought els but death and bloud man
Mought please thy lust, could none Brittaine land, Whose hart betorne out his panting brest
With thine owne hand, worke what death thou wouldst,
But who the selfe same wombe was wrapped, Where thou dismall hower receivedst life?
Or nedes, nedes thy hand must slaughter make, Moughtest thou not have reached mortall wound,
bye] aby. See Note George Green, vol. III. “Appease,” edit. 1590.
Suffice make sacrifice
That deadly minde and murderous thought thee,
peaze"
**
if he
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sc. II. ]
FER REX AND POR. R. F. X. 149
And with thy sword have pearsed this cursed wombe That the, accursed Porrex, brought to light,
And geven me a just reward therefore?
So, Ferrex, yet sweet life mought have enjoyed
And to his aged father comfort brought, - With some yong sonne in whom they both might live.
But whereunto waste I this ruthfull speche
To thee that hast thy brother's bloud thus shed? . Shall I still thinke that from this wombe thou sprong’
That I thee bare, or take thee for my sonne' No traitour, no : I thee refuse for mine: - Murderer, I thee renounce, thou art not mine. Never, O wretch, this wombe conceived thee,
*Nor never bode I painfull throwes for thee; Changeling to me thou art, and not my childe,
Nor to no wight that spark of pitie knew,
Ruthelesse unkinde, monster of natures worke, * Thou never suckt the milke of woman's brest,
But from thy birth the cruell tigers teates
Have nursed thee, nor yet of fleshe and bloud
Formde is thy hart, but of hard iron wrought; And wilde and desert woods bredde thee to life.
But canst thou hope to scape my just revenge,
Or that these hands will not be wrooke” on thee? Doest thou not know that Ferrex mother lives
That loved him more dearly than herselfe? And doth she live, and is not venged on thee?
ACTUS QUARTUS. SCENA SECUNDA.
GoR BoDUc. ARost Us. EUBULUs. Port R. Ex. MARcELLA.
Gorboduc. We marvell much wherto this lingring stay Falles out so long: Porrex unto our court
By order of our letters is returned;
* Nor never bode I, &c. ] bode, from the verb to bide. S.
brest,
Thou never suckt the milke of woman's &c. ]
yerb to wreak. S.
Nec tibi diva parens, generis nec Dardanus auctor, Perfide, sed duris genuitte cautibus horrens
Caucasus, Hyrcanaeque admorunt ubera tigres. VIRGIL.
Revenged,
* wrooke] from the
150 FER REX AND POR Rex.
[Act Iv.
And yet we have no worde whereof he stayes.
Arostus. Lo where he commes, and Eubulus with him. Eubulus. According to your highnesse hest to me
Here have I Porrex brought, even in such sort As from his weried horse he did alight,
For that your grace did will such hast therein.
Gorboduc. We like and praise this spedy will in you To worke the thing that to your charge we gave.
Porrex, if we so farre should swarve from kinde, And from those boundes which lawes of nature sets, As thou hast done by vile and wretched deede
In cruell murder of thy brother's life,
Our present hand could stay no longer time,
And Eubulus receaved from us byhest,
At his arrivall heere to geve him charge Before our presence straight to make repaire,
- But straight should bathe this blade in bloud of thee,
As just revenge of thy detested crime.
No, we should not offend the lawe of kinde
-
If now this sword of ours did slay thee here:
For thou hast murdered him, whose henious death
Even nature's force doth move us to revenge
By bloud againe: and justice forceth us
To measure death for death, thy due desert.
Yet sithens thou art our childe, and sith as yet, In this hard case what worde thou canst alledge For thy defence by us hath not bene heard,
We are content to staye our will for that Which justice biddes us presently to worke,
And geve thee leave to use thy speche at full, If ought thou have to lay for thine excuse.
Porrer. Neither, O king, I can or will denie But that this hand from Ferrex life hath reft:
Which fact how much my dolefull hart doth waile, Oh woulde it mought as full appeare to sight
As inward griefe would poure it forth to me:
So yet perhappes if ever ruthefull hart w
Melting in teares within a manly brest, "" Through depe repentance of his bloudy fact, Ifever griefe, ifever wofull man -- . . . . .
2
SC. II. ] FERR EX AND POR REX. 151
Might move regreite with sorrowe of his faulte,
I thinke the torment of my mournefull case
Knowen to your grace, as I do feele the same,
Would force even wrath herselfe to pitie me. But as the water troubled with the mudde
Shewes not the face which els the eye should see, Even so your irefull minde with stirred thought,
Cannot so perfectly discerne my cause.
But this unhappe, amongst so many heapes
I must content me with, most wretched man, That to myselfe I must reserve my woe
In pining thoughtes of mine accursed fact: Since I may not shewe my smallest griefe” Suche as it and my brest endures. Which esteeme the greatest miserie
Of mishehappes that fortune now can send. Not that restin hope with plaint and teares To purchase life: for the Gods clepe”
For true recorde this my faithful speche,
Never this hart shall have the thoughtfull dread
To dye the death that your graces dome By just desert shall pronounced me;
Nor never shall this tongue once spend the speche,
Pardon crave, seeke meane not this though
With care dreadfull death,
Life contempt; but that
Stoupes dread, although the flesh fraile; And for my gilt, yelde the same great
As myselfe
For graunt Gorboduc.
find fear sue life.
vaine, wretch thou shewest wofull hart? Ferrex now lyes grave,
Slaine thy hand.
The edit. 1590 has this line more perfectly
“Since may not shewe heere my smallest griefe.