THE BLOODY BROTHER.
Act I. Scene I.
Enter
Gisbert and Baldwin.
THe brothers then are mett?
Gis.
They are, sir.
Bald.
'Tis thought, they may be reconcil'd.
Gis.
Tis rather wish't, for such, whose reason doth direct their thoughts without selfe flattery
[...] dare not hope it,
Baldwin.
The fires of Love, which the dead Duke beleev'd
His equall care of both would have united,
Ambition hath divided: and there are
Too many on both parts, that know they cannot
Or rise to wealth or honour, their maine ends,
Unlesse the tempest of the Princes fury
Make troubled seas, and those seas yeeld fit billowes
In their bad arts to give way to a calme,
[Page]Which yeilding rest and good, prove their ruine,
And in the shipwrack of their hopes and fortunes,
The Dukedome might be sav'd, had it but ten
That stood affected to the generall good,
With that confirm'd zeale which brave
Aubrey does.
Gis.
Hee is indeed the perfect character
Of a good man, and so his actions speak him.
Bald.
But did you observe the many doubts, and c
[...]ution
[...]
The brothers stood upon before they mett?
Gis.
I did; and yet, that ever brother should
Stand on more nice termes, than sworn enemies
After a warre proclaim'd, would with a stranger
Wrong the reporters credit; they saluted
At distance; and so strong was the suspition
Each had of other, that before they durst
Embrace, they were by sev'rall servants searcht,
As doubting conceal'd weapons, antidotes
Tane openly by both, fearing the roome
Appoynted for the enter-view was poyson'd,
The chaires, and cushions, with like care survay'd;
And in a word in every circumstance
So jealous on both parts, that it is more
Than to be fear'd, Concord can never joyne
Minds so divided.
Bald.
Yet our best endeavours
Should not bee wanting,
Gisbert.
Gis.
Neither shall they.
Ent.
Grandpree and
Verdon
But what are these?
Bald.
They are without my knowledge;
But by their Manners, and Behaviours,
They should expresse themselves.
Grand.
Since wee serve
Rol
[...]o
The Elder brother, we
[...]le be
Rollians,
Who will maintaine us, l
[...]ds, as brave as
Romans;
You stand for him?
Ver.
I doe.
Gra
[...]d.
Why, then observe
[Page]How much the businesse, your so long'd for businesse,
By men that are nam'd from their swords concernes you.
Lechery, our common freind, so long kept under,
With whips, and beating fatall hemps, shall rise,
And bawdery, in a French-hood plead, before her
Virginity shall be catted.
Ver.
Excellent!
Grand.
And Hell but grant, the quarrell that's between
The Princes may continue, and the businesse
That's of the sword, t'outlast three suits in Law,
And we will make Atturnies lansprisadoes,
And our brave gown-men practisers of back-sword;
The pewter of all Serjeants maces shall
Be melted, and turn'd into common flaggons,
In which it shall be lawfull to carouse
To their most lowsie fortunes.
Bald.
Here's a Statesman.
Grand.
A creditor shall not
[...] dare, but by petition,
To make demand of any dept; and that
Only once every leap-yeere, in which, if
The debtor may be won for a French crowne
To pay a Saulz, hee shall be registred
His benefactor.
Ver.
The Chancellor heares you.
Grand.
Feare not, I now dare speak as loud as hee,
And will be heard, and have all I speak, Law;
Have you no eyes? there is a reverence due,
From children of the Gown, to men of Action:
How's this?
Grand.
Even so; the times, the times are chang'd
All businesse is not now preferrd in parchment,
Nor shall a grant passe that wants this broad seale;
This seale d'ye see? your gravity once layd
My head and heeles together in the dungeon,
For cracking a scall'd officers crowne, for which
A time is come for vengeance, and expect it;
For know, you have not full three houres to live.
Gis.
[Page]
Yes, somewhat longer.
Gran.
To what end?
Gis.
To hang you; think on that Ruffian.
Gran.
For you, schoolemaster,
You have a pretty daughter; let me see,
Neere three a clock, (by which time I much feare,
I shall be
[...]yrd with kil
[...]ing some five hundred)
Provide a bath, and her to entertaine me,
And that shall be your ransome.
Bald.
Impudent Rascall.
Enter to them Trevi
[...]e and Duprete.
Gis.
More of the crew.
Gran.
What are you?
Rollians?
Tre.
No; this for
Rollo, and all such as serve him;
We stand for
Otto.
Gran.
You seeme men of fashion,
And therefore I'le deale fairely, you shall have
The honour this day to be chronicled
The first men kild by
Grandpree; you see this sword
[...]
A pretty foolish toy, my valour's servant,
And I may boldly say a gentleman,
It having made when it was
Charlemaignes,
Three thousand knights; this sir, shall cut your throat,
And doe you all faire service else.
Tre.
I kisse your hands for the good offer; here's another too, the servant of your servant
[...] shall be proud to be scour'd in your sweet gutts; till when pray you command me.
Gran.
Your Idolater,
[...]ir.
Exeunt: manent Gisb.
& Bald.
Gis.
That e're such should hold the names of men,
Or Justice be held cruelty, when it labours
To pluck such weeds up!
Bald.
Yet they are protected, and by the great ones.
Gis.
Not the good ones,
Baldwin.
Enter to them
Aubrey.
Aub.
Is this a time to be spent thus by such
As are the principall ministers of the State?
When they that are the h
[...]ads, have filld the Court
[Page]With factions, a weake woman only left
To s
[...]ay their bloody hands? can her weake armes
Alone divert the dangers ready now
[...]o fall upon the Common-wealth, and bury
The honours of it, leaving not the name
Of what it was. Oh
Gisbert, the faire trialls
And frequent proofs which our late master made,
Both of your love and faith, gave him assurance,
To chuse you at his death a Guardian; nay,
A father to his sons; and that great trust
How ill doe you discharge? I must be plaine,
That, at the best, y' are a sad looker on
Of those bad practices you should prevent
[...]
And where's the use of your Philosophy
In this so needfull a time? be not secure;
For,
Baldwin, be assur'd, since that the Princes
When they were young, and apt for any forme,
Were given to your instruction, and grave ordering;
'Twill be expected that they should be good,
Or their bad manners will b' imputed yours.
Bald.
'Twas not in one, my Lord, to alter nature,
Gis.
Nor can my counsells work on them that will
[...]o.
Vouchsafe me hearing.
Aub.
Doe these answers sort,
Or with your place, or persons, or your yeeres;
Can
Gi
[...]bert being the pillar of the Lawes,
See them trod under foot, or forc'd to serve
The Princes unjust ends; and with a frowne
Be silenc'd from exclaiming on th'abuse;
Or
Baldwin only weep the desp'rate madnesse
Of his seduced pupills? see their minds,
Which with good artes he labour'd to build up
Examples of succeeding Times, o'returnd
By undermining parasites; no one precept
Leading to any Arte, or great, or good,
But is forc'd from their memory, in whose roome
Black councells are receiv'd, and their retirements,
[Page]And secret conference producing only
Dev'lish designes, a man would shame to father;
But I talk when I should doe, and chide others
For that I now offend in: See't confirm'd,
Now doe, or never speak more.
Gis.
We are yours.
Enter
Rollo, Latorch, Trevile, Grandpree, Otto, Verdon, and
Duprete.
Rol.
You shall know whom I am.
Ot.
I doe, my equall.
Rol.
Thy Prince
[...] give way,—were we alone, I'de force thee,
In thy best blood, to write thy selfe my subject,
And glad I would receive it.
Aub.
Sir.
Gis.
Deare Lord.
Ot.
Thy subject?
Rol.
Yes, nor shall tame patience hold me
A minute longer, only halfe my selfe;
My birth gave me this Dukedome, and my sword
Shall change it to the common grave of all
That tread upon her bosome, ere I part with
A peece of earth, or title that is mine.
Ot.
It needs not, and I would scorne to receive,
Though offerd, what I want not: therefore know
From me, though not deliver'd in great words,
Eyes red with rage, poore pride, and threatned action:
Our father at his death, then, when no accent,
Wer't thou a son, could fall from him in vaine,
Made us Coheires
[...] our part of Land and Honours
Of equall waight; and to see this confirm'd,
The oaths of these are yet upon record,
Who though they should forsake me, and call downe
The plagues of perjury on their sinfull heads,
I would not leave my selfe.
Tre.
Nor will we see the Will of the dead Duke infring'd.
Lat.
Nor I the elder rob'd of what's his right.
Grand.
[Page]
Nor you?
Let me take place, I say, I will not see't;
My sword is sharpest.
Aub.
Peace you tinder-boxes,
That only carry matter to make a flame
Which will consume you.
Rol.
You are troublesome,
To
Baldwi
[...]
[...]
This is no time for arguments, my Title
Needs not your schoole-defences, but my sword,
With which the Gordian of your Sophistry
Being cut, shall shew th' Imposture. For your laws,
To
Gisbert.
It is in me to change them when I please,
I being above them;
Gisbert would you have me protect them
[...]
Let them now stretch their extreamest rigour,
And seize upon that traytour; and your tongue
Make him appeare first dangerous, then odious;
And after, under the pretence of safety,
For the sick State, the Lands and Peoples quiet,
Cut off his head: and I'le give up my sword,
And fight with them at a more certain weapon
To kill, and with authoritie.
Gis.
Sir, I grant the Laws are usefull weapons, but found ou
[...]
T'assure the Innocent, not to oppresse.
Rol.
Then you conclude him Innocent?
Gis.
The Power your father gave him, must not prove a Crime,
Aub.
Nor should you so receive it.
Bald.
To which purpose,
All that dare challenge any part in goodnesse,
Will become suppliants to you.
Rol.
They have none
That dare move me in this; hence, I defie you,
Be of his party, bring it to your lawes,
And thou thy double heart, thou popular foole,
Your morall rules of Justice and her ballance;
I stand on mine owne guard.
Ot.
Which thy injustice
Will make thy enemies; by the memory
[Page]Of him, whose better part now suffers for thee,
Whose reverend ashes with an impious hand
Thou throw'st out to contempt, in thy repining
At his so Just decree; thou art unworthy
Of what his last Will, not thy merits, gave thee,
That art so swoln
[...] within, with all those mischiefes
That e're made up a Tyrant, that thy brest,
The prison of thy purposes, cannot hold them,
But that they break forth, and in thy ow
[...]e words
Discover, what a monster they must serve
That shall acknowledge thee.
Rol.
Hee o
[...]fers his sword at Otto.
the fa
[...]ion joyning, Aubrey
between severs t
[...]e brothers.
Thou shalt not live to be so happy.
Aub.
Nor your miseries begin in murther,
Duty, allegeance, and all respects of what you are, forsake me:
Doe you stare on? is this a Theater?
Or shall these kill themselves, like to mad fencers,
To make you sport? keep them asunder, or
By heaven I'le charge on all.
Grand.
Keep the peace.
I am for you, my lord, and if you'le have mee,
I'le act the Constables part.
Aub.
Live I to see this?
Will you doe that your enemies dare not wish,
And cherish in your selves those furies, which
Hell would cast out? Doe, I am ready
[...] kill mee,
And these, that would fall willing sacrifices
To any power that would re
[...]tore your reason,
And make you men againe, which now you are not
[...]
Rol.
These are your bucklers boy.
Ot.
My hinderances;
And were I not confirm'd, my Justice in
The taking of thy life, could not weigh downe
The wrong, in shedding the least drop of blood
Of these whose goodnesse only now protects thee,
Thou should'st feele I in act would prove my selfe
What thou in words do'st labour to appeare.
Rol.
Heare this, and talke againe? I'le break through all
[...]
[Page]But I will reach thy heart.
Ot.
'Tis bettes guarded.
Enter
Sophia.
Soph.
Make way, or I will force it, who are those
[...]
My sonnes? my shames; turne all your swords on mee,
And make this wretched body but one wound,
So this unnaturall quarrell find a grave
In the unhappy wombe that brought you forth:
Dare you remember that you had a mother,
Or look on these gray haires, made so with teares,
For both your goods, and not with age; an
[...] yet
Stand doubtfull to obey her? from mee you had
Life, nerves, and faculties, to use these weapons;
And dare you raise them against her, to whom
You owe the meanes of being what you are?
Ot.
All peace is meant to you.
Soph.
Why is this warre, then?
As if your armes could be advanc'd, and I
Not set upon the rack? your blood is mine,
Your dangers mine, your goodnesse I should share in
[...]
I must be branded with those impious markes
You stamp on your own foreheads and on mine,
If you goe on thus: for my good name therefore,
Though all respects of honour in your selves,
Bee in your fury choackt, throw down your swords;
Your duty should beswifter than my tongue;
And joyne your hands while they be innocent;
You have heate of blood, and youth apt to Ambition,
To plead an easie pardon for what's past:
But all the ills beyond this houre committed,
From gods or men must hope for no excuse,
Gis.
Can you heare this unmov'd,
No syllable of this so pious charme, but should have powe
[...]
To frustrate all the juggling deceits,
With which the divell blinds you.
Ot.
I begin to melt, I know not how.
Rol.
[Page]
Mother, I'le leave you;
And sir, be thankfull for the time you live,
Till wee meeet next (which shall bee soon and sudden)
To her perswasion for you.
Soph.
O yet, stay,
And rather than part thus, vouchsafe mee hearing
As enemies; how is my soule divided?
My love to both, is equall, as my wishes;
But are return'd by neither; my griev'd heart,
Hold yer a little longer, and then break.
I kneele to both, and will speak so, but this
Takes from mee th' authority of a mothers power;
And therefore, like my selfe,
Otto, to thee,
(And yet observe, son, how thy mothers teares
Outstrip her forward words, to make way for'em.)
Thou art the yonger,
Otto, yet be now
The first example of obedience to mee,
And grow the elder in my love.
Ot.
The meanes to be so happy?
Soph.
This; yeeld up thy sword,
And let thy piety give thy mother strength
To take that from thee which no enemies force
Could e're dispoyle thee of: why do'st thou tremble,
And with a fearefull eye fixt on thy brother,
Observ'st his ready sword, as bent against thee?
I am thy armour, and will be pierc'd through,
Ten thousand times, before I will give way
To any perill may arrive at thee;
And therefore feare not.
Ot.
'Tis not for my selfe,
But for you, mother; you are now ingag'd
In more that lies in your unquestion'd vertue;
For, since you have disarm'd me of defence,
Should I fall now, though by his hand, the world
May say it was your practise.
Soph.
All worlds perish,
Before my piety turne treasons parent,
[Page]Take it againe, and stand upon your guard,
And while your brother is, continue arm'd;
And yet, this feare is needlesse, for I know,
My
Rollo, though hee dares as much as man,
So tender of his yet untainted valour,
So noble, that he dares doe nothing basely.
You doubt him; he feares you; I doubt and feare
Both; for others safety, and not mine owne.
Know yet, my sons, when of necessity
You must deceive, or be deceiv'd; 'tis better
To suffer treason, than to act the traytor;
And in a war like this, in which the glory
Is his that's overcome: consider then
What 'tis for which you strive: is it the dukedome?
Or the command of these so ready subjects?
Desire of wealth? or whatsoever else
Fires your ambition? This still desp'rate madnesse,
To kill the people which you would be lords of;
With fire, and sword, to lay that countrey waste
Whose rule you seeke for: to consume the treasures,
Which are the sinewes of your government,
In cherishing the factions that destroy it:
Far, far be this from you: make it not questiond
Whether you have intrest in that dukedome,
Whose ruine both contend for.
Ot.
I desire but to enjoy my owne, which I will keep.
Rol.
And rather than posterity shall have cause
To say I ruin'd all, devide the dukedome,
I will accept the moytie.
Ot.
I embrace it.
Soph.
Devide mee first, or teare mee limbe by limbe,
And let them finde as many severall graves
As there are villages in
Normandy:
And 'tis lesse sinne than thus to weaken it.
To heare it mentiond doth already make mee
Envie my dead lord, and almost blaspheme
Those powers that heard my prayer for fruitfullnesse,
[Page]And did not with my first birth close my wombe:
To mee alone my second blessing proves
My first of misery, for if that heaven
Which gave mee
Rollo, there had stayd his bounty,
And
Otto, my deare
Otto, ne're had been,
Or being, had not been so worth my love,
The streame of my affection had runne constant
Iu one faire current, all my hopes had been
Layd up in one; and fruitfull
Normandy
In this division had not lost her gloryes:
For as tis now, tis a faire diamond,
Which being preserv'd intire, exceeds all value,
But cut in peeces (though these peeces are
Set in fine gold by the best work-mans cunning)
Parts with all estimation: So this Dukedome,
As 'tis yet whole, the neighbouring Kings may covet,
But cannot compasse; which divided, will
Become the spoile of every barbarous foe
That will invade it.
Gis.
How this works in both!
Bal.
Prince
Rollos eyes have lost their fire.
Gis.
And anger, that but now wholly possessed
Good
Otto, hath given place to pitie.
Aub.
End not thus Madam, but perfect what's so well begun.
Soph.
I see in both, faire signes of reconcilement,
Make
[...]hem sure proofes they are so: the Fates offer
To your free choyce, either to live Examples
Of pietie, or wickednesse: if the later
Blinds so your understanding, that you cannot
Pierce through her painted out-side, and discover
That she is all deformity within,
Boldly transcend all presidents of mischiefe,
And let the last, and the worst end of tyrannies,
The murther of a mother, but begin
The staine of blood you after are to heighten:
But if that vertue, and her sure rewards,
Can win you to accept her for your guide,
[Page]To lead you up to heaven, and there fix you
The fairest Starres in the bright Spheare of Honour;
Make me the parent of an hundred sonnes,
All brought into the world with joy, not sorrow,
And every one a father to his countrey,
In being now made mother of your concord.
Rol.
Such, and so good, loud fame for ever speake you.
Bal.
I, now they meet like Brothers.
The Brothers cast away their swords and embrace.
Gis.
My hearts joy flows through my eyes.
Aub.
May never womans tongue
Hereafter be accus'd, for this ones Goodnesse.
Ot.
If we contend, from this houre, it shall be
How to orecome in brotherly affection.
Rol.
Otto is
Rollo now, and
Rollo, Otto,
Or as they have one mind, rather one name:
From this attonement let our lives begin,
Be all the rest forgotten.
Aub.
Spoke like
Rollo.
Soph.
And to the honour of this reconcilement,
Wee all this night will at a publick Feast
With choice wines drowne our late feares, and with musick
Welcome our comforts.
Bald.
Sure and certaine ones.
Exeunt.
Manent
Grandpree, Verdon, Trevile, and
Duprete.
Gran.
Did ever such a hopefull businesse end t
[...]us?
Ver.
Tis fatall to us all, and yet you
Grandpree,
Have the least cause to feare.
Gran.
Why; what's my hope?
Ver.
The certainty that you have to be hang'd
[...]
You know the Chancellours promise.
Gran.
Plague upon you.
Ver.
What think you of a Bath and a Lords daughter
To entertaine you?
Gran.
Those desires are off.
Frayle thoughts, all friends, no Rollians now, nor Ottoes
[...]
The sev'rall court
[...]sies of our swords and servants
[Page]Deferre to after consequence; let's make use
Of this nights freedome, a short Parlament to us,
In which it will be lawfull to walk freely.
Nay, to our drink we shall have meat too, that's
No usuall businesse to the men o'th'sword.
Drink deep with me to night, we shall to morrow
Or whip, or hang the merryer.
Tre.
Lead the way then.
Exeunt.