He does salute you fairly, and desires
It may be understood no public hate
Hath brought him to Marseilles; nor seeks he
The ruin of his country, but aims only
To wreak a private wrong: and if from you
He may have leave and liberty to decide it
In single combat, he'll give up good pledges,
If he fall in the trial of his right,

We shall weigh anchor, and no more molest
This town with hostile arms.

Beauf. sen. Speak to the man,

If in this presence he appear to you,
To whom you bring this challenge.

Capt. 'Tis to you.

Beauf. sen. His father!

Montr. Can it be?

Beauf. jun. Strange and prodigious !

Malef. sen. Thou seest I stand unmoved: were thy voice thunder,

It should not shake me; say, what would the viper? Capt. The reverence a father's name may chalAnd duty of a son no more remember'd, [lenge, He does defy thee to the death.

Malef. sen. Go on.

Capt. And with his sword will prove it on thy Thou art a murderer, an atheist ; [head,

And that all attributes of men turn'd furies,
Cannot express thee: this he will make good,
If thou dar'st give him meeting.

Malef. sen. Dare I live!

Dare I, when mountains of my sins o'erwhelm me,
At my last gasp ask for mercy! How I bless
Thy coming, captain; never man to me
Arrived so opportunely; and thy message,
However it may seem to threaten death,
Does yield to me a second life in curing
My wounded honour. Stand I yet suspected
As a confederate with this enemy,
Whom of all men, against all ties of nature,
He marks out for destruction! you are just,
Immortal Powers, and in this merciful;

And it takes from my sorrow, and my shame
For being the father to so bad a son,
In that you are pleased to offer up the monster
To my correction. Blush and repent,
As you are bound, my honourable lords,
Your ill opinions of me. Not great Brutus,
The father of the Roman liberty,

With more assured constancy beheld

His traitor sons, for labouring to call home
The banish'd Tarquins, scourged with rods to death,
Than I will shew, when I take back the life
This prodigy of mankind received from me.
Beauf. sen. We are sorry, monsieur Malefort,
for our error,

And are much taken with your resolution;
But the disparity of years and strength,
Between you and your son, duly consider'd,
We would not so expose you.

Malef. sen. Then you kill me,
Under pretence to save me.

O my lords,
As you love honour, and a wrong'd man's fame,
Deny me not this fair and noble means

To make me right again to all the world.
Should any other but myself be chosen
To punish this apostata with death,
You rob a wretched father of a justice
That to all after times will be recorded.

I wish his strength were centuple, his skill equal
To my experience, that in his fall

He may not shame my victory! I feel
The powers and spirits of twenty strong men in me.
Were he with wild fire circled, I undaunted
Would make way to him.-As you do affect, sir,
My daughter Theocrine; as you are
My true and ancient friend; as thou art valiant;
And as all love a soldier, second me

[They all sue to the Governor. In this my just petition. In your looks I see a grant, my lord.

Beauf. sen. You shall o'erbear me ;
And since you are so confident in your cause,
Prepare you for the combat.

Malef. sen. With more joy

Than yet I ever tasted: by the next sun,

The disobedient rebel shall hear from me,

And so return in safety. [To the Captain.] My

ACT

II.

SCENE I.-An open space without the City.

Enter three Sea Captains.

2 Capt. He did accept the challenge, then? 1 Capt. Nay more,

Was overjoy'd in't; and, as it had been
A fair invitement to a solemn feast,

And not a combat to conclude with death,

He cheerfully embraced it.

3 Capt. Are the articles

Sign'd to on both parts?

1 Capt. At the father's suit,

With much unwillingness the governor
Consented to them.

2 Capt. You are inward with

Our admiral; Could you yet never learn
What the nature of the quarrel is, that renders
The son more than incensed, implacable,
Against the father?

1 Capt. Never; yet I have,

As far as manners would give warrant to it, With my best curiousness of care observed him.

I have sat with him in his cabin a day together,

Yet not a syllable exchanged between us.

Sigh he did often, as if inward grief
And melancholy at that instant would
Choke up his vital spirits, and now and then
A tear or two, as in derision of

The toughness of his rugged temper, would
Fall on his hollow cheeks, which but once felt,
A sudden flash of fury did dry up;

And laying then his hand upon his sword,

He would murmur, but yet so as I oft heard him,
We shall meet, cruel father, yes, we shall;
When I'll exact, for every womanish drop
Of sorrow from these eyes, a strict accompt
Of much more from the heart.

2 Capt. "Tis wondrous strange.

3 Capt. And past my apprehension.

1 Capt. Yet what makes

The miracle greater, when from the maintop
A sail's descried, all thoughts that do concern
Himself laid by, no lion, pinch'd with hunger,
Rouses himself more fiercely from his den,
Than he comes on the deck; and there how wisely
He gives directions, and how stout he is
In his executions, we, to admiration,
Have been eyewitnesses: yet he never minds
The booty when 'tis made ours; but as if
The danger, in the purchase of the prey,
Delighted him much more than the reward,
His will made known, he does retire himself
To his private contemplation, no joy
Express'd by him for victory.

Enter MALEFORT jun.

2 Capt. Here he comes,

But with more cheerful looks than ever yet
I saw him wear.

Malef. jun. It was long since resolved on, Nor must I stagger now [in't.] May the cause, That forces me to this unnatural act

Be buried in everlasting silence,

And I find rest in death, or my revenge!

To either I stand equal. Pray you, gentlemen,
Be charitable in your censures of me,
And do not entertain a false belief
That I am mad, for undertaking that
Which must be, when effected, still repented.
It adds to my calamity, that I have

Discourse and reason, and but too well know
I can nor live, nor end a wretched life,
But both ways I am impious. Do not, therefore,
Ascribe the perturbation of my soul

To a servile fear of death: I oft have view'd
All kinds of his inevitable darts,

Nor are they terrible. Were I condemn'd to leap
From the cloud-cover'd brows of a steep rock,
Into the deep; or, Curtius like, to fill up,
For my country's safety, and an after-name,
A bottomless abyss, or charge through fire,

It could not so much shake me, as th' encounter
Of this day's single enemy.

1 Capt. If you please, sir,

You may shun it, or defer it.

Malef. jun. Not for the world:

Yet two things I entreat you; the first is,
You'll not enquire the difference between
Myself and him, which as a father once
I honour'd, now my deadliest enemy;
The last is, if I fall, to bear my body

[it.

Far from this place, and where you please inter
I should say more, but by his sudden coming
I am cut off.

Enter BEAUFORT junior and MONTREVILLE, leading in MALEFORT senior; BELGARDE following, with others. Beauf. jun. Let me, sir, have the honour To be your second.

Montr. With your pardon, sir,

I must put in for that, since our tried friendship Hath lasted from our infancy.

Belg. I have served

Under your command, and you have seen me

fight,

And handsomely, though I say it; and if now,
At this downright game, I may but hold your
I'll not pull down the side.
[cards,

Malef. sen. I rest much bound

To your so noble offers, and I hope

Shall find your pardon, though I now refuse them;
For which I'll yield strong reasons, but as briefly
As the time will give me leave. For me to borrow
(That am supposed the weaker) any aid
From the assistance of my second's sword,
Might write me down in the black list of those
That have nor fire nor spirit of their own;
But dare, and do, as they derive their courage
From his example, on whose help and valour
They wholly do depend. Let this suffice,
In my excuse for that. Now, if you please,
On both parts, to retire to yonder mount,
Where you, as in a Roman theatre,
May see the bloody difference determined,
Your favours meet my wishes.

Malef. jun. 'Tis approved of
By me; and I command you
And leave me to my fortune.

[To his Captains.] [Lead the way,

Beauf. jun. I would gladly Be a spectator (since I am denied To be an actor) of each blow and thrust, And punctually observe them.

Malef. jun. You shall have

All you desire; for in a word or two

I must make bold to entertain the time, If he give suffrage to it.

Malef. sen. Yes, I will;

I'll hear thee, and then kill thee: nay, farewell.
Malef. jun. Embrace with love on both sides,
Leave deadly hate and fury.
[and with us

Malef. sen. From this place
You ne'er shall see both living.
Belg. What's past help,

Beyond prevention.

[They embrace on both sides, and take leave severally of the father and son.

Malef. sen. Now we are alone, sir;

And thou hast liberty to unload the burthen
Which thou groan'st under. Speak thy griefs.
Malef. jun. I shall, sir;

But in a perplex'd form and method, which
You only can interpret: Would you had not
A guilty knowledge in your bosom, of
The language which you force me to deliver,
So I were nothing! As you are my father,
I bend my knee, and, uncompell'd, profess
My life, and all that's mine, to be your gift;
And that in a son's duty I stand bound
To lay this head beneath your feet, and run
All desperate hazards for your ease and safety:
But this confest on my part, I rise up,
And not as with a father, (all respect,
Love, fear, and reverence cast off,) but as
A wicked man I thus expostulate with you.
Why have you done that which I dare not speak,

And in the action changed the humble shape
Of my obedience, to rebellious rage,

And insolent pride? and with shut eyes con-
To run my bark of honour on a shelf [strain'd me
I must not see, nor, if I saw it, shun it?
In my wrongs nature suffers, and looks backward,
And mankind trembles to see me pursue

What beasts would fly from. For when I advance
This sword, as I must do, against your head,
Piety will weep, and filial duty mourn,

To see their altars which you built up in me,
In a moment razed and ruin'd. That you could
(From my grieved soul I wish it) but produce,
To qualify, not excuse, your deed of horror,
One seeming reason, that I might fix here,
And move no further!

Malef. sen. Have I so far lost

A father's power, that I must give account
Of my actions to my son? or must I plead
As a fearful prisoner at the bar, while he
That owes his being to me sits a judge
To censure that, which only by myself
Ought to be question'd? mountains sooner fall
Beneath their valleys, and the lofty pine
Pay homage to the bramble, or what else is
Preposterous in nature, ere my tongue
In one short syllable yield satisfaction
To any doubt of thine; nay, though it were
A certainty disdaining argument!

Since, though my deeds wore hell's black livery,
To thee they should appear triumphal robes,
Set off with glorious honour, thou being bound
To see with my eyes, and to hold that reason,
That takes or birth or fashion from my will.
Malef. jun. This sword divides that slavish
Malef. sen. It cannot :
[knot.
It cannot, wretch; and if thou but remember
From whom thou hadst this spirit, thou dar'st not
hope it.
[thee
Who train'd thee up in arms but I? Who taught
Men were men only when they durst look down
With scorn on death and danger, and contemn'd
All opposition, till plumed Victory

Had made her constant stand upon their helmets?
Under my shield thou hast fought as securely
As the young eaglet, cover'd with the wings
Of her fierce dam, learns how and where to prey.
All that is manly in thee, I call mine;
But what is weak and womanish, thine own.
And what I gave, since thou art proud, ungrateful,
Presuming to contend with him, to whom
Submission is due, I will take from thee.
Look, therefore, for extremities, and expect not
I will correct thee as a son, but kill thee
As a serpent swollen with poison; who surviving
A little longer, with infectious breath,
Would render all things near him, like itself,
Contagious. Nay, now my anger's up,
Ten thousand virgins kneeling at my feet,
And with one general cry howling for mercy,
Shall not redeem thee.

Malef. jun. Thou incensed Power,
Awhile forbear thy thunder! let me have
No aid in my revenge, if from the grave
My mother

Malef. sen. Thou shalt never name her more. [They fight. BEAUFORT junior, MONTREVILLE, Belgarde, and the three Sea Captains, appear on the Mount. Beauf. jun. They are at it.

I would search, and find it and howe'er to some
I may seem cruel thus to tyrannize

Upon this senseless flesh, I glory in it.—
That I have power to be unnatural,
Is my security; die all my fears,

And waking jealousies, which have so long
Been my tormentors! there's now no suspicion :
A fact, which I alone am conscious of,
Can never be discover'd, or the cause
That call'd this duel on, I being above
All perturbations; nor is it in

The power of fate, again to make me wretched.
Re-enter BEAUFORT junior, MONTREVILLE, BELGARDE, and
the three Sea Captains.

Beauf. jun. All honour to the conqueror ! who My friend of treachery now? [dares tax

Belg. I am very glad, sir,

You have sped so well: but I must tell you thus much,

To put you in mind that a low ebb must follow Your high-swoll'n tide of happiness, you have This honour at a high price.

[purchased

Malef. 'Tis, Belgarde, Above all estimation, and a little To be exalted with it cannot savour Of arrogance. That to this arm and sword Marseilles owes the freedom of her fears, Or that my loyalty, not long since eclipsed, Shines now more bright than ever, are not things To be lamented; though, indeed, they may Appear too dearly bought, my falling glories Being made up again, and cémented With a son's blood. 'Tis true, he was my son, While he was worthy; but when he shook off His duty to me, (which my fond indulgence, Upon submission, might perhaps have pardon'd,) And grew his country's enemy, I look'd on him As a stranger to my family, and a traitor Justly proscribed, and he to be rewarded That could bring in his head. I know in this That I am censured rugged, and austere, That will vouchsafe not one sad sigh or tear Upon his slaughter'd body: but I rest Well satisfied in myself, being assured that Extraordinary virtues, when they soar Too high a pitch for common sights to judge of, Losing their proper splendor, are condemn'd For most remarkable vices.

Beauf. jun. "Tis too true, sir,

In the opinion of the multitude;

But for myself, that would be held your friend,

And hope to know you by a nearer name,
They are as they deserve, received.

Malef. My daughter

Shall thank you for the favour.

Beauf. jun. I can wish

No happiness beyond it.

1 Capt. Shall we have leave

To bear the corpse of our dead admiral,
As he enjoin'd us, from this coast?
Malef. Provided

The articles agreed on be observed,

And you depart hence with it, making oath
Never hereafter, but as friends, to touch
Upon this shore.

1 Capt. We'll faithfully perform it.

Malef. Then as you please dispose of it: 'tis an object

That I could wish removed. His sins die with him! So far he has my charity.

1. Capt. He shall have

A soldier's funeral.

SCENE II.-A Room in MALEFORT'S House.

Enter THEOCRINE, Page, and Waiting-women. Theoc. Talk not of comfort; I am both ways wretched,

And so distracted with my doubts and fears,
I know not where to fix my hopes. My loss
Is certain in a father, or a brother,

Or both; such is the cruelty of my fate,

And not to be avoided.

1 Wom. You must bear it

With patience, madam.

2 Wom. And what's not in you

To be prevented, should not cause a sorrow
Which cannot help it.

Page. Fear not my brave lord,

Your noble father; fighting is to him
Familiar as eating. He can teach

Our modern duellists how to cleave a button,
And in a new way, never yet found out
By old Caranza.

1 Wom. May he be victorious, And punish disobedience in his son!

Whose death, in reason, should at no part move

Page. Thou art an ass,

And this is a sweet burthen. Ush. Peace, you crack-rope!

SCENE III.-A Street.

[Exeunt.

Loud Music. Enter MONTREVILLE, BELGARDE, BEAUFORT senior, BEAUFORT junior; MALEFORT, followed by MoNTAIGNE, CHAMONT, and LANOUR.

Beauf. sen. All honours we can give you, and rewards,

Though all that's rich or precious in Marseilles
Were laid down at your feet, can hold no weight
With your deservings: let me glory in
Your action, as if it were mine own;
And have the honour, with the arms of love,
To embrace the great performer of a deed
Transcending all this country e'er could boast of.
Mont. Imagine, noble sir, in what we may
Express our thankfulness, and rest assured
It shall be freely granted.

Cham. He's an enemy

To goodness and to virtue, that dares think There's anything within our power to give, Which you in justice may not boldly challenge. Lan. And as your own; for we will ever be At your devotion.

Malef. Much honour'd sir,

And you, my noble lords, I can say only,
The greatness of your favours overwhelms me,
And like too large a sail, for the small bark
Of my poor merits, sinks me. That I stand
Upright in your opinions, is an honour
Exceeding my deserts, I having done
Nothing but what in duty I stood bound to :
And to expect a recompense were base,
Good deeds being ever in themselves rewarded.
Yet since your liberal bounties tell me that

I may, with your allowance, be a suitor,
To you, my lord, I am an humble one,
And must ask that, which known, I fear you will
Censure me over bold.

Beauf. sen. It must be something
Of a strange nature, if it find from me
Denial or delay.

Malef. Thus then, my lord,

Since you encourage me: You are happy in
A worthy son, and all the comfort that
Fortune has left me, is one daughter; now,

D

If it may not appear too much presumption,
To seek to match my lowness with your height,
I should desire (and if I may obtain it,
I write nil ultra to my largest hopes)
She may in your opinion be thought worthy
To be received into your family,

And married to your son: their years are equal,
And their desires, I think, too; she is not
Ignoble, nor my state contemptible,
And if you think me worthy your alliance,
'Tis all I do aspire to.

Beauf. jun. You demand

That which with all the service of my life
I should have labour'd to obtain from you.
O sir, why are you slow to meet so fair
And noble an offer? can France shew a virgin
That may be parallel'd with her? is she not
The phoenix of the time, the fairest star
In the bright sphere of women?

Beauf. sen. Be not rapt so:

Though I dislike not what is motion'd, yet
In what so near concerns me, it is fit
I should proceed with judgment.

Enter Usher, THEOCRINE, Page, and Waiting-women.
Beauf. jun. Here she comes:

Look on her with impartial eyes, and then
Let envy, if it can, name one graced feature
In which she is defective.

Malef. Welcome, girl!

My joy, my comfort, my delight, my all,
Why dost thou come to greet my victory
In such a sable habit? This shew'd well
When thy father was a prisoner, and suspected;
But now his faith and loyalty are admired,
Rather than doubted, in your outward garments
You are to express the joy you feel within :
Nor should you with more curiousness and care
Pace to the temple to be made a bride,

Than now, when all men's eyes are fixt upon you,
You should appear to entertain the honour
From me descending to you, and in which
You have an equal share.

Theoc. Heaven has my thanks,

With all humility paid for your fair fortune,
And so far duty binds me; yet a little
To mourn a brother's loss, however wicked,
The tenderness familiar to our sex
May, if you please, excuse.

Malef. Thou art deceived.

He, living, was a blemish to thy beauties,
But in his death gives ornament and lustre
To thy perfections, but that they are
So exquisitely rare, that they admit not
The least addition. Ha! here's yet a print
Of a sad tear on thy cheek; how it takes from
Our present happiness! with a father's lips,

A loving father's lips, I'll kiss it off,
The cause no more remember'd.
Theoc. You forget, sir,
The presence we are in.

Malef. 'Tis well consider'd;

And yet, who is the owner of a treasure
Above all value, but, without offence,
May glory in the glad possession of it?
Nor let it in your excellence beget wonder,
Or any here, that looking on the daughter,
I feast myself in the imagination

Of those sweet pleasures, and allow'd delights,
I tasted from the mother, who still lives
In this her perfect model; for she had
Such smooth and high-arch'd brows, such spark.
ling eyes,

Whose every glance stored Cupid's emptied quiver,
Such ruby lips,-and such a lovely bloom,
Disdaining all adulterate aids of art,
Kept a perpetual spring upon her face,
As Death himself lamented, being forced
To blast it with his paleness: and if now,
Her brightness dimm'd with sorrow, take and
please you,

Think, think, young lord, when she appears herself,
This veil removed, in her own natural pureness,
How far she will transport you.

Beauf. jun. Did she need it,

The praise which you (and well deserved) give to
Must of necessity raise new desires

In one indebted more to years; to me
Your words are but as oil pour'd on a fire,
That flames already at the height.

Malef. No more ;

I do believe you, and let me from you

Find so much credit; when I make her yours,

I do possess you of a gift, which I

[her,

With much unwillingness part from. My good lords,
Forbear your further trouble; give me leave,
For on the sudden I am indisposed,

To retire to my own house, and rest: to-morrow,
As you command me, I will be your guest,
And having deck'd my daughter like herself,
You shall have further conference.

Beauf. sen. You are master

Of your own will; but fail not, I'll expect you.
Malef. Nay, I will be excused; I must part
with you. [To young BEAUFORT and the rest.
My dearest Theocrine, give me thy hand,
I will support thee.

Theoc. You gripe it too hard, sir.

Malef. Indeed I do, but have no further end in it But love and tenderness, such as I may challenge, And you must grant. Thou art a sweet one; yes, And to be cherish'd.

Theoc. May I still deserve it!

[Exeunt several ways.

To please all kinds of appetites.

Beauf. sen. 'Tis well.

I love a table furnish'd with full plenty,

And store of friends to eat it: but with this caution,

I would not have my house a common inn,
For some men that come rather to devour me,