The fact I am charged with, and yield myself
Most miserably guilty.

Roch. Heaven take mercy
Upon your soul, then! It must leave your body.-
Now free mine eyes; I dare unmoved look on her,
And fortify my sentence with strong reasons.
[CHAR. unbinds his eyes.
Since that the politic law provides that servants,
To whose care we commit our goods, shall die,
If they abuse our trust; what can you look for,
To whose charge this most hopeful lord gave up
All he received from his brave ancestors,
Or he could leave to his posterity,

His honour, wicked woman! in whose safety All his life's joys and comforts were locked up, Which thy hot lust, a thief, hath now stolen from him;

And therefore

Char. Stay, just judge ;--may not what's lost By her one fault (for I am charitable, And charge her not with many) be forgotten In her fair life hereafter?

Roch. Never, sir.

The wrong that's done to the chaste married bed
Repentant tears can never expiate;
And be assured, to pardon such a sin,
Is an offence as great as to commit it.
Char. I may not then forgive her?
Roch. Nor she hope it.

Nor can she wish to live: No sun shall rise,
But ere it set shall shew her ugly lust
In a new shape, and every one more horrid.
Nay, even those prayers, which with such humble
fervour

She seems to send up yonder, are beat back;
And all suits which her penitence can proffer,
As soon as made, are with contempt thrown out
Of all the courts of mercy.

[He stabs her.

Char. Let her die, then. Better prepared, I am sure, I could not take her, Nor she accuse her father as a judge, Partial against her.

Beaumel. I approve his sentence,

And kiss the executioner: My lust

Is now run from me in that blood, in which
It was begot and nourished.

Roch. Is she dead, then?

[Dies.

Char. Yes, sir, this is her heart-blood, is it not?

I think it be.

Roch. And you have killed her?

Char. True, and did it by your doom.
Roch. But I pronounced it

As a judge only, and a friend to justice,
And, zealous in defence of your wronged honour,
Broke all the ties of nature, and cast off
The love and soft affection of a father.
I, in your cause, put on a scarlet robe
Of red-dyed cruelty; but, in return,
You have advanced for me no flag of mercy.
I looked on you as a wronged husband; but
You closed your eyes against me as a father.
O Beaumelle! my daughter!

Char. This is madness.

Roch. Keep from me!-Could not one good
thought rise up,

To tell you that she was my age's comfort,
Begot by a weak man, and born a woman,
And could not, therefore, but partake of frailty?
Or wherefore did not thankfulness step forth,
To urge my many merits, which I may
Object unto you, since you prove ungrateful,
Flint-hearted Charalois!

Char. Nature does prevail above your virtue.
Roch. No; it gives me eyes

To pierce the heart of your design against me:
I find it now, it was my state was aimed at.
A nobler match was sought for, and the hours
I lived, grew tedious to you: my compassion
Towards you hath rendered me most miserable,
And foolish charity undone myself.

But there's a heaven above, from whose just wreak

No mists of policy can hide offenders.

Nov. sen. [within.] Force ope the doors!—
Enter NOVALL sen. with Officers.

O monster! cannibal!

Lay hold on him. My son! my son!-O Rochfort,

'Twas you gave liberty to this bloody wolf,
To worry all our comforts :-But this is
No time to quarrel; now give your assistance
For the revenge.

Roch. Call it a fitter name,
Justice for innocent blood.

Char. Though all conspire Against that life which I am weary of, A little longer yet I'll strive to keep it, To shew, in spite of malice and their laws, His plea must speed, that hath an honest cause. [Exeunt.

SCENE I.

Enter Tailor, and two Bailiffs with LILADAM, Lilad. Why, it is both most unconscionable and untimely,

To arrest a gallant for his clothes, before He has worn them out. Besides, you said you asked

My name in my lord's bond but for form only,
And now you'll lay me up for it. Do not think
The taking measure of a customer
By a brace of varlets, though I rather wait
Never so patiently, will prove a fashion
Which any courtier or inns-of-court-man
Would follow willingly.

Tail. There I believe you.

But, sir, I must have present monies, or

The learn'd conclude, the taylor and the serjeant,
In the expression of a knave and thief,
To be synonyina. Look, therefore, to it,
And let us part in peace; I would be loth
You should undo yourself.

Enter Old NOVALL and PONTALIER.
Tail. To let you go

lord;

Let him but give his word I shall be paid,
And you are free.

Lilad. 'Slid! I'll put him to it;

I can be but denied: or-what say you?
His lordship owing me three times your debt,
If you arrest him at my suit, and let me
Go run before, to see the action entered,
'Twould be a witty jest!

Tail. I must have earnest:
I cannot pay my debts so.

Pont. Can your lordship

Imagine, while I live, and wear a sword,
Your son's death shall be unrevenged?

Nov. sen. I know not

These hangers from my vails and fees in hell;
And where as now this beaver fits, full often
A thrifty cap, composed of broad-cloth lists,
Near-kin unto the cushion where I sat
Cross-legged, and yet ungartered, hath been seen
Our breakfasts, famous for the buttered loaves,
I have with joy been oft acquainted with;
And therefore use a conscience, though it be
Forbidden in our hall towards other men,
To me, that, as I have been, will again
Be of the brotherhood.

Officer. I know him now;

He was a 'prentice to Le Robe at Orleance. Lilad. And from thence brought by my young lord, now dead,

Unto Dijon; and with him, till this hour,
Have been received here for a complete mon-
sieur :

Nor wonder at it; for, but tithe our gallants,
Even those of the first rank, and you will find,
In every ten, one, peradventure two,
That smell rank of the dancing-school or fiddle, -
The pantofle or pressing-iron :-But hereafter
We'll talk of this. I will surrender up
My suits again; there cannot be much loss:
'Tis but the turning of the lace, with one
Addition more you know of, and what wants
I will work out.

Tail. Then here our quarrel ends:

Rom. You have them ready?

Beaum. Yes; and they will speak

In wreak of that disgrace, they yet forbear

To shake their heads, or to revile me for

A murderer; they rather all put on

(As for great losses the old Romans used) A general face of sorrow, waited on

fit

To have them called upon.

Rom. 'Tis well, and something

I can add to their evidence, to prove

murder,

A noble justice.

Beaum. In this you express

Condemn myself, as over partial

In my own cause?-Romont!

Rom. Best friend, well met!

up)

A faithful friend.

Rom. That friendship's raised on sand,
Which every sudden gust of discontent,
Or flowing of our passions, can change;

As if it ne'er had been:-But do you know
Who are to sit on him?

Beaum. Monsieur Du Croy,
Assisted by Charmi.

Rom. The advocate,

That pleaded for the marshal's funeral,

And was checked for it by Novall?
Beaum. The same.

Rom. How fortunes that?

Beaum. Why, sir, my lord Novall, Being the accuser, cannot be the judge; Nor would grieved Rochfort, but lord Charalois (However he might wrong him by his power) Should have an equal hearing.

Rom. By my hopes

Of Charalois' acquittal, I lament
That reverend old man's fortune.

Beaum. Had you seen him,

As to my grief I have, now promise patience,
And ere it was believed, though spake by him
That never brake his word, enraged again
So far as to make war upon those hairs,
Which not a barbarous Scythian durst presume
To touch, but with a superstitious fear,

As something sacred ;—and then curse his daughter,

But with more frequent violence himself,
As if he had been guilty of her fault,

By being incredulous of your report,
You would not only judge him worthy pity,

But suffer with him.-But here comes the priso

ner;

Enter Officers, with CHARALOIS.

I dare not stay to do my duty to him;
Yet, rest assured, all possible means in me
To do him service, keeps you company.
Rom. It is not doubted. [Erit BEAUMONT.
Char. Why, yet, as I came hither,

The people, apt to mock calamity,

My thankfulness that still lives to the dead, i look upon you now with more true joy, Than when I saw you married.

Char. You have reason

To give you warrant for it. My falling off From such a friendship, with the scorn that answered

Your too prophetic counsel, may well move you
To think your meeting me, going to my death,
A fit encounter for that hate, which justly
I have deserved from you.

Rom. Shall I still, then,

Speak truth, and be ill understood?

Char. You are not.

I'm conscious I have wronged you; and allow me
Only a moral man, to look on you,

Whom foolishly I have abused and injured,
Must of necessity be more terrible to me,
Than any death the judges can pronounce
From the tribunal which I am to plead at.
Rom. Passion transports you.
Char. For what I have done

To my false lady, or Novall, I can
Give some apparent cause; but touching you,
In my defence, childlike, I can say nothing
But, I am sorry for it; a poor satisfaction!
And yet, mistake me not; for it is more
Than I will speak, to have my pardon signed
For all I stand accused of.

Rom. You much weaken

The strength of your good cause, should you but think,

A man for doing well could entertain

A pardon, were it offered. You have given
To blind and slow-paced justice wings and eyes,
To see and overtake impieties,

Which from a cold proceeding had received
Indulgence or protection.

Char. Think you so?

Rom. Upon my soul! nor should the blood you challenged,

And took to cure your honour, breed more scruple

In your soft conscience, than if your sword
Had been sheathed in a tyger or she-bear,

me,

To injure innocence is more than murder:

To pour down riches, with a liberal hand,
Upon a poor man's wants, if that must bind him
To play the soothing parasite to his vices?
Or any man, because he saved my hand,
Presume my head and heart are at his service?
Or, did I stand engaged to buy my freedom
(When my captivity was honourable)

By making myself here, and fame hereafter, Bond-slaves to men's scorn, and calumnious tongues?

Had his fair daughter's mind been like her fea

tures,

Or, for some little blemish, I had sought
For my content elsewhere, wasting on others
My body and her dower; my forehead then
Deserved the brand of base ingratitude :
But if obsequious usage, and fair warning,
To keep her worth my love, could not preserve
her

From being a whore, and yet no cunning one,
So to offend, and yet the fault kept from me,
What should I do? Let any free-born spirit
Determine truly, if that thankfulness,

Choice form, with the whole world given for a dowry,

Could strengthen so an honest man with patience,

As with a willing neck to undergo
The insupportable yoke of slave, or wittol!
Charmi. What proof have you she did play
false, besides

Your oath?

Char. Her own confession to her father. I ask him for a witness.

Roch. 'Tis most true.

I would not willingly blend my last words With an untruth.

Char. And then to clear myself,

Your lordship's pleasure.-For the fact, as of
The former, I confess it; but with what
Base wrongs I was unwillingly drawn to it,
Το my few words there are some other proofs,
To witness this for truth. When I was married,
(For there I must begin) the slain Novall
Was to my wife, in way of our French court-
ship,

A most devoted servant; but yet aimed at
Nothing but means to quench his wanton heat,
His heart being never warmed by lawful fires,
As mine was, lords: and though, on these pre-
sumptions,

Joined to the hate between his house and mine,
I might, with opportunity and ease,

Have found a way for my revenge, I did not;
But still he had the freedom as before,
When all was mine: and, told that he abused it
With some unseemly licence, by my friend,
My approved friend, Romont, I gave no credit
To the reporter, but reproved him for it,
As one uncourtly and malicious to him.
What could I more, my lords? Yet, after this,
He did continue in his first pursuit,

Hotter than ever, and at length obtained it;
But, how it came to my most certain knowledge,
For the dignity of the court, and my own honour,

Nov. sen. If all may be believed

session

Brought with it ruin to himself and army, Here's one in court, Beaumont, by whom I sent All grants and writings back which made it

mine,

Before his daughter died by his own sentence,
As freely as, unasked, he gave it to me.

Beaum. They are here to be seen.
Charmi. Open the casket.
Peruse that deed of gift.

Rom. Half of the danger

Already is discharged: The other part
As bravely, and you are not only free,
But crowned with praise for ever.
Du Croy. 'Tis apparent.

Charmi. Your state, my lord, again is yours.
Roch. Not mine;

I am not of the world. If it can prosper,
(And yet, being justly got, I'll not examine
Why it should be so fatal) do you bestow it
On pious uses: I'll go seek a grave.

And yet, for proof I die in peace, your pardon
I ask; and, as you grant it me, may Heaven,

A pasionate prisoner speaks, who is so foolish,
That durst be wicked, that will appear guilty?
No, my grave lords; in his impunity
But give example unto jealous men

To cut the throats they hate, and they will never
Want matter or pretence for their bad ends.
Charmi. You must find other proofs to strengthen
these

But mere presumptions.

Du Croy. Or we shall hardly Allow your innocence.

Char. All your attempts

Shall fall on me, like brittle shafts on armour,
That break themselves; or waves against a rock,
That leave no sign of their ridiculous fury
But foam and splinters: my innocence like these
Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serve
But for a trumpet to proclaim my conquest.
Nor shall you, though you do the worst fate can,
Howe'er condemn, affright an honest man.

Rom. May it please the court, I may be heard?
Nov. sen. You come not

To rail again? But do-you shall not find
Another Rochfort.

Rom. In Novall I cannot ;