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Unto the wronged Amintor! Let me kiss
That hand of thine, in honour that I bear
Unto the wronged Aspatia. Here I stand,
That did it: 'Would he could not! Gentle youth,
Leave me; for there is something in thy looks,
That calls my sins, in a most hideous form,
Into my mind; and I have grief enough
Without thy help.

Asp. I would I could with credit.
Since I was twelve years old, I had not seen
My sister, till this hour; I now arrived:
She sent for me to see her marriage;

A woeful one! But they, that are above,

you,

Have ends in every thing. She used few words;
But yet enough to make me understand
The baseness of the injuries you did her.
That little training, I have had, is war:
I may behave myself rudely in peace;
I would not, though. I shall not need to tell
I am but young, and would be loth to lose
Honour, that is not easily gained again.
Fairly I mean to deal: The age is strict
For single combats; and we shall be stopped,
If it be published. If you like your sword,
Use it; if mine appear a better to you,
Change; for the ground is this, and this the time,

To end our difference.

Amin. Charitable youth,

(If thou be'st such) think not I will maintain
So strange a wrong: And, for thy sister's sake,
Know, that I could not think that desperate thing,
I durst not do; yet, to enjoy this world,
I would not see her; for, beholding thee,
I am I know not what. If I have aught,
That may content thee, take it, and be gone;
For death is not so terrible as thou.
Thine eyes shoot guilt into me.

Asp. Thus, she swore,

Thou wouldst behave thyself; and give me words,
That would fetch tears into my eyes; and so
Thou dost, indeed. But yet she bade me watch,
Lest I were cozened; and be sure to fight,
Ere I returned.

Amin. That must not be with me.
For her I'll die directly; but against her
Will never hazard it.

Asp. You must be urged.

I do not deal uncivilly with those,
That dare to fight; but such a one as you
Must be used thus.
[She strikes him.
Amin. I prithee, youth, take heed.
Thy sister is a thing to me so much
Above mine honour, that I can endure

All this. Good gods! a blow I can endure!
But stay not, lest thou draw a timeless death
Upon thyself.

Asp. Thou art some prating fellow;
One, that hath studied out a trick to talk,
And move soft-hearted people; to be kick'd

[She kicks him. [Aside.

Thus, to be kick'd!--Why should he be so slow
In giving me my death?

Amin. A man can bear
No more, and keep his flesh.
I would endure yet, if I could.
The spirit thou pretend'st, and
Thou hast no hour to live.
What dost thou mean?

Forgive me, then! Now shew understand, [They fight.

Thou canst not fight: The blows thou mak'st at me Arc quite besides; and those, I offer at thee, Thou spread'st thine arms, and tak'st upon thy breast,

Alas, defenceless!

Asp. I have got enough,

And my desire. There is no place so fit
For me to die as here.

Enter EVADNE, her hands bloody, with a knife.

Evad. Amintor, I am loaden with events,
That fly to make thee happy. I have joys,
That in a moment can call back thy wrongs,
And settle thee in thy free state again.
It is Evadne still, that follows thee,
But not her mischiefs.

Amin. Thou canst not fool me to believe again; But thou hast looks and things so full of news, That I am stayed.

Evad. Noble Amintor, put off thy amaze, Let thine eyes loose, and speak: Am I not fair? Looks not Evadne beauteous, with these rites now? Were those hours half so lovely in thine eyes, When our hands met before the holy man? I was too foul within to look fair then: Since I knew ill, I was not free till now.

Amin. There is presage of some important thing About thee, which, it seems, thy tongue hath lost. Thy hands are bloody, and thou hast a knife!

Evad. In this consists thy happiness and mine. Joy to Amintor! for the king is dead.

Amin. Those have most power to hurt us, that we love;

We lay our sleeping lives within their arms! Why, thou hast raised up Mischief to his height, And found one, to out-name thy other faults. Thou hast no intermission of thy sins,

But all thy life is a continued ill.
Black is thy colour now, disease thy nature.
Joy to Amintor! Thou hast touched a life,
The very name of which had power to chain
Up all my rage, and calm my wildest wrongs.

Evad. 'Tis done; and since I could not find a way
To meet thy love so clear as through his life,
I cannot now repent it.

Amin. Couldst thou procure the gods to speak

to me,

To bid me love this woman, and forgive,

I think I should fall out with them. Behold, Here lies a youth, whose wounds bleed in my breast,

Sent by his violent fate, to fetch his death
From my slow hand: And, to augment my woe,
You now are present, stained with a king's blood,
Violently shed. This keeps night here,
And throws an unknown wilderness about me.
Asp, Oh, oh, oh!

Amin. No more; pursue me not.

Evad. Forgive me then, and take me to thy bed We may not part.

Amin. Forbear! Be wise, and let my rage Go this way.

Evad. 'Tis you, that I would stay, not it.

Amin. Take heed; it will return with me.

Evad. If it must be, I shall not fear to meet it: Take me home.

Amin. Thou monster of cruelty, forbear! Evad. For heaven's sake, look more calm: Thine eyes are sharper than thou canst make thy sword.

Amin. Away, away!

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That calls my flesh unto them: I am cold :
Be resolute, and bear them company.
There's something, yet, which I am loth to leave.
There's man enough in me to meet the fears,
That death can bring; and yet, 'would it were
done!

I can find nothing in the whole discourse
Of death, I durst not meet the boldest way;
Yet stili, betwixt the reason and the act,
The wrong I to Aspatia did stands up :
I have not such another fault to answer.
Though she may justly arm herself with scorn
And hate of me, my soul will part less troubled,
When I have paid to her in tears my sorrow.
I will not leave this act unsatisfied,

If all that's left in me can answer it.

I've heard, if there be any life, but bow
The body thus, and it will shew itself.
Oh, she is gone! I will not leave her yet.
Since out of justice we must challenge nothing,
I'll call it mercy, if you'll pity me,

Ye heavenly powers! and lend, for some few years,
The blessed soul to this fair seat again.
No comfort comes; the gods deny me too!
I'll bow the body once again. Aspatia!
The soul is fled for ever; and I wrong
Myself, so long to lose her company.
Must I talk now? Here's to be with thee, love!
[Kills himself.

Enter Servant.

Serv. This is a great grace to my lord, to have

Asp. Was it a dream? There stands Amintor the new king come to him: I must tell him he

still;

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Asp. And talked of tears and sorrow unto her? Amin. Tis true; and 'till these happy signs in thee

Did stay my course, 'twas thither I was going. Asp. Thou'rt there already, and these wounds are hers:

Those threats, I brought with me, sought not re-
venge;

But came to fetch this blessing from thy hand.
I am Aspatia yet.

Amin. Dare my soul ever look abroad again?
Asp. I shall surely live, Amintor; I am well:
A kind of healthful joy wanders within me.

Amin. The world wants lives to excuse thy loss!
Come, let me bear thee to some place of help.
Asp. Amintor, thou must stay; I must rest here;
My strength begins to disobey my will.
How dost thou, my best soul? I would fain live
Now, if I could: Wouldst thou have loved me,

then?

Amin. Alas!

All that I am's not worth a hair from thee.

is entering. Oh, heaven! Help, help!

Enter LYSIPPUS, MELANTIUS, CALIANAX, CLEON,
DIPHILUS, and STRATO.

Lys. Where's Amintor?
Serv. Oh, there, there.
Lys. How strange is this!
Cal. What should we do here?

Mel. These deaths are such acquainted things

with me,

That yet my heart dissolves not. May I stand
Stiff here for ever! Eyes, call up your tears!
This is Amintor: Heart! he was my friend;
Melt; now it flows. Amintor, give a word
To call me to thee.

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Diph. Oh, brother!

Here lies your sister slain; you lose yourself
In sorrow there.

Mel. Why, Diphilus, it is

A thing to laugh at, in respect of this:
Here was my sister, father, brother, son:

All that I had! Speak once again: What youth

Asp. Give me thy hand; my hands grope up Lies slain there by thee?

and down,

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Amin. 'Tis Aspatia.

My last is said. Let me give up my soul
Into thy bosom.

[Dies.

Cal. What's that? what's that? Aspatia!
Mel. I never did

Repent the greatness of my heart till now:
It will not burst at need.

Cal. My daughter dead here too! And you
have all fine new tricks to grieve; but I never
knew any but direct crying.
Mel. I am a prattler; but no more.
[Offers to kill himself.

Diph. Hold, brother.

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To stop my breath? or, if you tie down those,
I vow, Amintor, I will never eat,

Or drink, or sleep, or have to do with that,
That may preserve life! This I swear to keep.
Lys. Look to him tho', and bear those bodies in.
May this a fair example be to me,

To rule with temper: For, on lustful kings,
Unlooked-for, sudden deaths from heaven are sent;
But curst is he, that is their instrument.
[Exeunt omnes.

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Enter DION, CLEREMONT. and THRASILINE. Cle. HERE'S nor lords nor ladies! Dion. Credit me, gentlemen, I wonder at it They received strict charge from the king to attend here. Besides, it was boldly published, that no officer should forbid any gentlemen, that desire to attend and hear.

Cle. Can you guess the cause?

Dion. Sir, it is plain, about the Spanish prince, that's come to marry our kingdom's heir, and be

our sovereign.

Thra. Many, that will seem to know much, say, she looks not on him like a maid in love.

Dion. Oh, sir, the multitude (that seldom know any thing but their own opinions) speak that, they would have; but the prince, before his own approach, received so many confident messages from the state, that I think she's resolved to be ruled.

Cle. Sir, it is thought, with her he shall enjoy both these kingdoms of Sicily and Calabria.

Dion. Sir, it is, without controversy, so meant. But 'twill be a troublesome labour for him to enjoy both these kingdoms with safety, the right heir to one of them living, and living so vir tuously; especially, the people admiring the bravery of his mind, and lamenting his injuries. Cle. Who? Philaster?

Dion. Yes; Whose father, we all know, was by our late king of Calabria unrighteously deposed from his fruitful Sicily. Myself drew some blood in those wars, which I would give my hand to be washed from.

Cle. Sir, my ignorance in state policy will not let me know, why, Philaster being heir to one of these kingdoms, the king should suffer him to walk abroad with such free liberty.

Dion. Sir, it seems your nature is more constant than to enquire after state news. But the king, of late, made a hazard of both the kingdoms, of Sicily and his own, with offering but to imprison Philaster. At which the city was in arms, not to

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