Shall cool their feet without; this being the pickThat never fails. [lock

Montr. 'Tis true, gold can do much, But beauty more. Were I the governor, Though the admiral, your father, stood convicted Of what he's only doubted, half a dozen Of sweet close kisses from these cherry lips, With some short active conference in private, Should sign his general pardon.

Theoc. These light words, sir,

Do ill become the weight of my sad fortune;
And I much wonder you, that do profess
Yourself to be my father's bosom friend,
Can raise mirth from his misery.

Montr. You mistake me;

I share in his calamity, and only

Deliver my thoughts freely, what I should do
For such a rare petitioner: and if
You'll follow the directions I prescribe,

With my best judgment I'll mark out the way
For his enlargement.

Theoc. With all real joy

I shall put what you counsel into act,
Provided it be honest.

Tales out of school! take heed, you will be breech'd else.

1 Wom. My lady's colour changes.

2 Wom. She falls off too.

Theoc. You are a naughty man, indeed you are; And I will sooner perish with my father, Than at this price redeem him.

Montr. Take your own way,

Your modest, legal way: 'tis not your veil,

Nor mourning habit, nor these creatures taught
To howl, and cry, when you begin to whimper;
Nor following my lord's coach in the dirt,
Nor that which you rely upon, a bribe,

Will do it, when there's something he likes better.
These courses in an old crone of threescore,
That had seven years together tired the court
With tedious petitions, and clamours,
For the recovery of a straggling husband,
To pay, forsooth, the duties of one to her ;-
But for a lady of your tempting beauties.
Your youth, and ravishing features, to hope only
In such a suit as this is, to gain favour,
Without exchange of courtesy, you conceive

me

Enter BEAUFORT junior, and BELGARDE.
Were madness at the height. Here's brave young
Beaufort,

The meteor of Marseilles, one that holds
The governor his father's will and power
In more awe than his own! Come, come, ad-

vance,

Present your bag, cramm'd with crowns of the

sun;

Do you think he cares for money? he loves plea

sure.

Burn your petition, burn it: he doats on you,
Upon my knowledge: to his cabinet, do,
And he will point you out a certain course,

Be the cause right or wrong, to have your father
Released with much facility.

Theoc. Do you hear?

Take a pander with you.

Beauf. jun. I tell thee there is neither Employment yet, nor money.

Belg. I have commanded,

¡Exit.

And spent my own means in my country's service, In hope to raise a fortune.

Beauf. jun. Many have hoped so;

But hopes prove seldom certainties with soldiers. Belg. If no preferment, let me but receive

My pay that is behind, to set me up

A tavern, or a vaulting-house; while men love Or drunkenness, or lechery, they'll ne'er fail me: Shall I have that?

Beauf. jun. As our prizes are brought in ; Till then you must be patient.

Belg. In the mean time,

How shall I do for clothes?

Beauf. jun. As most captains do :

Philosopher-like, carry all you have about you. Belg. But how shall I do, to satisfy colon, monsieur ?

As a suit to me? This more than mortal form
Was fashion'd to command, and not entreat :
Your will but known is served.

Theoc. Great sir, my father,

My brave deserving father;-but that sorrow
Forbids the use of speech-

Beauf. jun. I understand you,

Without the aids of those interpreters

That fall from your fair eyes: I know you labour
The liberty of your father; at the least,

An equal hearing to acquit himself:
And, 'tis not to endear my service to you,

Though I must add, and pray you with patience hear it,

'Tis hard to be effected, in respect

The state's incensed against him: all presuming,
The world of outrages his impious son,
Turn'd worse than pirate in his cruelties,
Express'd to this poor country, could not be
With such ease put in execution, if
Your father, of late our great admiral,
Held not or correspondence, or connived

At his proceedings.

Theoc. And must he then suffer,
His cause unheard?

Beauf. jun. As yet it is resolved so,
In their determination. But suppose
(For I would nourish hope, not kill it, in you)
I should divert the torrent of their purpose,
And render them, that are implacable,
Impartial judges, and not sway'd with spleen;
Will you, I dare not say in recompense,
For that includes a debt you cannot owe me,
But in your liberal bounty, in my suit
To you, be gracious?

Theoc. You entreat of me, sir,
What I should offer to you, with confession
That you much undervalue your own worth,
Should you receive me, since there come with you
Not lustful fires, but fair and lawful flames.
But I must be excused, 'tis now no time
For me to think of Hymeneal joys.
Can he (and pray you, sir, consider it)
That gave me life, and faculties to love,
Be, as he's now, ready to be devour'd

By ravenous wolves, and at that instant, I
But entertain a thought of those delights,

In which, perhaps, my ardour meets with yours!
Duty and piety forbid it, sir.

Beauf. jun. But this effected, and your father free,

What is your answer?

Theoc. Every minute to me

Will be a tedious age, till our embraces
Are warrantable to the world.

Beauf. jun. I urge no more;

Confirm it with a kiss.

Theoc. [Kissing him.] I doubly seal it.

Ush. This would do better abed, the business ended:

They are the loving'st couple!

[not

Our late great admiral: though I know you need
Instructions from me, how to dispose of
Yourselves in this man's trial, that exacts
Your clearest judgments, give me leave, with fa-
To offer my opinion. We are to hear him, [vour,
A little looking back on his fair actions,
Loyal, and true demeanour; not as now
By the general voice already he's condemn'd.
But if we find, as most believe, he hath held
Intelligence with his accursed son,

Fallen off from all allegiance, and turn'd
(But for what cause we know not) the most bloody
And fatal enemy this country ever

Repented to have brought forth; all compassion

Malef. sen. Live I once more

[often,

To see these hands and arms free! these, that
In the most dreadful horror of a fight,
Have been as seamarks to teach such as were
Seconds in my attempts, to steer between
The rocks of too much daring, and pale fear,
To reach the port of victory! when my sword,
Advanced thus, to my enemies appear'd
A hairy comet, threatening death and ruin
To such as durst behold it! These the legs,
That, when our ships were grappled, carried me
With such swift motion from deck to deck,
As they that saw it, with amazement cried,
He does not run, but fiies!

Mont. He still retains

The greatness of his spirit.

Malef. sen. Now crampt with irons,

Hunger, and cold, they hardly do support me-
But I forget myself. O, my good lords,
That sit there as my judges, to determine

The life, and death of Malefort, where are now Those shouts, those cheerful looks, those loud applauses,

With which, when I return'd loaden with spoil,
You entertain'd your admiral? all's forgotten:
And I stand here to give account of that
Of which I am as free and innocent
As he that never saw the eyes of him,
For whom I stand suspected.

Beauf. sen. Monsieur Malefort,

Let not your passion so far transport you,
As to believe from any private malice,

Or envy to your person, you are question'd:
Nor do the suppositions want weight,

That do invite us to a strong assurance,
Your son-

Malef. sen. My shame!

Beget a treacherous issue? was't in me, With as much ease to fashion up his mind, As, in his generation, to form

The organs to his body? Must it follow,
Because that he is impious, I am false ?-
I would not boast my actions, yet 'tis lawful
To upbraid my benefits to unthankful men.
Who sunk the Turkish gallies in the streights
But Malefort? Who rescued the French mer-

chants,
When they were boarded, and stow'd under hatches
By the pirates of Argiers, when every minute
They did expect to be chain'd to the oar,
But your now doubted admiral? then you fill'd
The air with shouts of joy, and did proclaim,
When hope had left them, and grim-look'd despair
Hover'd with sail-stretch'd wings over their heads,
To me, as to the Neptune of the sea,
They owed the restitution of their goods,
Their lives, their liberties. O, can it then
Be probable, my lords, that he that never
Became the master of a pirate's ship,
But at the mainyard hung the captain up,
And caused the rest to be thrown over-board;
Should, after all these proofs of deadly hate,
So oft express'd against them, entertain
A thought of quarter with them; but much less
(To the perpetual ruin of my glories)
To join with them to lift a wicked arm
Against my mother-country, this Marseilles,
Which, with my prodigal expense of blood,
I have so oft protected!

Beauf. sen. What you have done

Is granted and applauded; but yet know
This glorious relation of your actions

Must not so blind our judgments, as to suffer
This most unnatural crime you stand accused of,

Cham. No; you must produce

Reasons of more validity and weight,

To plead in your defence, or we shall hardly
Conclude you innocent.

Mont. The large volume of

Your former worthy deeds, with your experience, Both what and when to do, but makes against you. Lan. For had your care and courage been the

same

As heretofore, the dangers we are plunged in
Had been with ease prevented.

Malef. sen. What have I

Omitted, in the power of flesh and blood,
Even in the birth to strangle the designs of
This hell-bred wolf, my son? alas! my lords,
I am no god, nor like him could foresee
His cruel thoughts, and cursed purposes:
Nor would the sun at my command forbear
To make his progress to the other world,
Affording to us one continued light.

Nor could my breath disperse those foggy mists,
Cover'd with which, and darkness of the night,
Their navy undiscern'd, without resistance,
Beset our harbour: make not that my fault,
Which you in justice must ascribe to fortune.—
But if that nor my former acts, nor what
I have deliver'd, can prevail with you,
To make good my integrity and truth;
Rip up this bosom, and pluck out the heart
That hath been ever loyal. [A trumpet within.

Beauf. sen. How! a trumpet?
Enquire the cause.

[Exit MONTREVILLE,

Malef. sen. Thou searcher of men's hearts, And sure defender of the innocent, (My other crying sins-awhile not look'd on) If I in this am guilty, strike me dead, Or by some unexpected means confirm, I am accused unjustly!

Re-enter MONTREVILLE with a Sea Captain.

Beauf. sen. Speak, the motives

That bring thee hither?

Capt. From our admiral thus:

[Aside.

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

good lords,

To all my service.-I will die, or purchase
Rest to Marseilles; nor can I make doubt,
But his impiety is a potent charm,

To edge my sword, and add strength to my arm.
[Exeunt.

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.