And gods do punish most when men do break,
He touched her not.-Take heed, Bellario,
How thou dost drown the virtues thou hast shown

With perjury.-By all the gods, 'twas I!
You know she stood betwixt me and my right.

Pha. Thy own tongue be thy judge!

Cle.

Dion. Is't not a brave boy?

100

It was Philaster.

Well, sirs, I fear me we were all deceived.

Phi. Have I no friend here?

Dion.
Phi.

Yes.

Then show it: some

Good body lend a hand to draw us nearer.
Would you have tears shed for you when you
Then lay me gently on his neck, that there
I may weep floods and breathe forth my spirit.
'Tis not the wealth of Plutus, nor the gold

die?

[Embraces Bellario.
Locked in the heart of earth, can buy away
This arm-full from me: this had been a ransom
To have redeemed the great Augustus Cæsar,
Had he been taken. You hard-hearted men,
More stony than these mountains, can you see
Such clear pure blood drop, and not cut your flesh
To stop his life; to bind whose bitter wounds, 119
Queens ought to tear their hair, and with their tears
Bathe 'em.-Forgive me, thou that art the wealth
Of poor Philaster!

King.

Enter King, Arethusa, and Guard.

Is the villain ta'en?

Pha. Sir, here be two confess the deed; but say

King.

Thou ambitious fool,

King. Did not you know him?

Are.

Thou that hast laid a train for thy own life!- 130
Now I do mean to do, I'll leave to talk.

Bear them to prison.

Are. Sir, they did plot together to take hence
This harmless life; should it pass unrevenged,
I should to earth go weeping: grant me, then,
By all the love a father bears his child,

Their custodies, and that I may appoint
Their tortures and their deaths.

Dion. Death! Soft; our law will not reach that for this fault.

King. 'Tis granted; take 'em to you with a guard.—140 Come, princely Pharamond, this business past,

We may with more security go on

To your intended match.

[Exeunt all except Dion, Cleremont, and Thrasiline. Cle. I pray that this action lose not Philaster the hearts of the people.

Dion. Fear it not; their over-wise heads will think it but a trick.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH

SCENE I

Before the Palace.

Enter Dion, Cleremont, and Thrasiline.

Thra. Has the King sent for him to death?

Dion. Yes; but the King must know 'tis not in his power to war with Heaven.

Cle. We linger time; the King sent for Philaster and the headsman an hour ago.

Thra. Are all his wounds well?

Dion. All; they were but scratches; but the loss of

Enter Philaster, Arethusa, and Bellario.

Are. Nay, faith, Philaster, grieve not; we are well.
Bel. Nay, good my lord, forbear; we are wondrous well.

Phi. Oh, Arethusa, oh, Bellario,

Leave to be kind!

I shall be shot from Heaven, as now from earth,

If you continue so. I am a man

False to a pair of the most trusty ones

That ever earth bore: can it bear us all?

Forgive, and leave me.

But the King hath sent

To call me to my death: oh, show it me,
And then forget me! and for thee, my boy,
I shall deliver words will mollify

The hearts of beasts to spare thy innocence.
Bel. Alas, my lord, my life is not a thing

Worthy your noble thoughts! 'tis not a life,
'Tis but a piece of childhood thrown away.
Should I outlive you, I should then outlive
Virtue and honour; and when that day comes,
If ever I shall close these eyes but once,
May I live spotted for my perjury,
And waste by limbs to nothing!

Are. And I (the woful'st maid that ever was,

Phi.

Forced with my hands to bring my lord to death)
Do by the honour of a virgin swear

To tell no hours beyond it!

Make me not hated so.

Are. Come from this prison all joyful to our deaths!
Phi. People will tear me, when they find you true
To such a wretch as I; I shall die loathed.
Enjoy your kingdoms peaceably, whilst I