ARDEN OF FEVERSHAM. AN HISTORICAL TRAGEDY, IN FIVE ACTS.-BY GEO. LILLO. ACT I. SCENE I.-The Street before Arden's door. MOSBY discovered. BRADSHAW. BLACK WILL. SHAKEBAG. Mos. The morning's dark and horrid as my purpose. Thrice have my snares been laid for Arden's life, ADAM FOWL OFFICERS. SERVANT. ALICIA. MARIA. Some fancied right. Michael, the trencher fav'rite; She must, she shall comply: when to my arms She could deny me nothing. This to try. [Exit into Arden's house. SCENE II.-A Chamber. ARDEN in his night-gown. Plead not the ruin you have made; but say Ard. Unhappy Arden, whither canst thou By corresponding with a menial slave? wander To lay thy heavy load of sorrows down? And let me pour my griefs into thy bosom, Enter ALICIA. Ali. Why, Arden, do you leave your bed thus Have cold and darkness greater charms than I? me. Ard. This deep dissembling, this hypocrisy, (The last worst state of a degenerate mind) Speaks her in vice determin'd and mature. (Aside.) Ali. What maid, that knows man's variable Would sell her free estate for marriage bonds? The holy nuptial bond leaves him at large; Yet vests him with a power that makes us slaves. 'Tis heavenly this Ard. To stop my just reproach, Art thou the first to tax the marriage state? ear Ali. Thou canst not think that I have wrong'd thy bed? Ard. Would I could not! Ali. By heaven! Ard. No perjuries. But now, as you lay slumb'ring by my side, KA I still awake, anxious and full of thought, eyes,) With gentle accents thrilling with desire, You call'd on Mosby; love made me doubt my ears, And question if the dark and silent night Which glow'd, adult'ress, with infernal heat! Ali. A dream, indeed, if e'er I call'd on him. Ali. I know I'm simple, thoughtless, and un- And what is carelessness, you construe guilt. Ard. But such a dream! Ali. Yet were it but a dream, Do you not give And mourn with tears, because it gives you pain. To vain surmises and malicious tongues, Ard. And would'st thou make me author of the Thy guilt has brought on us? I'll bear no longer. Ard. That base, mechanic slave Shall answer with his blood. Ali. Oh, hear me speak. (Aside.) Ard. No, I am deaf; as thou hast ever been Ard. Adult'ress, dost thou kneel And weep, and pray, and bend thy stubborn heart (Recovering himself.) No; not the hell thou'st kindled in this bosom Shall make me shed thy blood. Ali. I do not hope it. Ard. For me be as immortal as thy shame. To see your hand and honour tain'd with blood; Your ample fortune seiz'd on by the state; Oh, Arden, blend compassion with your rage, Ard. Not for my sake Are all thy tears; then had you felt them sooner: mariners, When struggling with the raging seas for life, Ali. Oh, jealousy, thou fierce, remorseless fiend, Ard. What's past may be forgotten. Your future conduct Ali. You distract me, Arden. Say, how shall I convince you of my truth? Alt. Oh, how shall I conceal Serv. (To Maria.) Madam, your brother MosbyAli. Where is Mosby? Serv. He waits below. Ali. Oh! haste, and lead me to him. Serv. Madam, he but desires to see his sister. Ali. His sister! What, did he not ask for me? Mar. Perhaps Ali. Pray, give me leave-looks he in health? Serv. He seems in health. Ali. Here, and not ask for me! Seems he or angry, then, or melancholy? Serv. Truly, I can't say. Ali. Thou canst say nothing. Get thee from my sight. Yet, stay-no matter. I'll myself go seek him. [Exeunt Alicia and Serv. Mar. Where reason is, can passion thus prevail? [Exit. SCENE III-A Parlour in Arden's House. Enter ALICIA meeting MOSBY. Ali. Mosby, that brow befits our wayward fate. The evil hour, long fear'd, is fall'n upon us, And we shall sink beneath it. Do not frown; If you're unkind, to whom shall I complain? name, The cause abhorr'd of shame, of blood, and ruin, Thou'lt be expos'd and hooted thro' the world. Ali. Oh! hide the dreadful image from my view Chaste matrons, modest maids, and virtuous wives, Scorning a weakness, which they never knew, To drive me to despair. Fain would I hope- My fate's resolv'd: and thee the instrument; Ali. False indeed; But not to thee, cruel, injurious Mosby. Mos. Injurious! false one, might not all these dangers That threaten to involve us both in ruin, Ali. Ha! Say on. Mos. And not preventing, art not thou the cause? Ali. Ah! whither, Mosby, whither would'st thou drive me? Mos. Nay, didst thou love, or would'st secure thy fame, Preserve my life, and bind me yours for ever, 'Tis yet within your power. Ali. By Arden's death! Mean'st thou not so? speak out, and be a devil. Mos. Is there another way? Oh! think, Alicia. Ali. I will, for that will make me mad: and madness Were some excuse. come, Come, kind distraction! Mos. My friend seems rapt in thought: I came to advise him, That Green, by virtue of a former grant His father long enjoy'd- Ard. For my estate, The law and this good seal is my security; To them I leave Green and his groundless claim. (So dearly purchas'd with a husband's name, I shall assert myself, and thus secure From further violation. Mos. Her known virtue Renders the injury your fancy forms, A thing of air. Frank. Impossible to thought. My spirits fail-I shake-I must retire. For I must learn to live without her, Franklin. Ard. To hate her, to forget her, if I can: No easy task for one who doats like me. Of all its horrors robb'd the blackest night, ACT II. SCENE I.-The Street. Enter GREEN and MOSBY. Green. You pity me, and know not my estate. Mos. Base and ungen'rous Arden! (Draus.) To beg or starve. Green. By heaven! I will do neither: Who threats his enemy, lends him a sword Whence, Arden, comes this sudden madness on To guard himself. thee, That your Alicia, ever dear esteem'd, Ard. Out on the vile adult'ress! But thou demure, insinuating slave, (To Mosby.) Mos. This I can bear from you. Why hangs that useless weapon by your side, Ard. Shall shameful cowardice protect a villain! Ard. Go on. I'll follow to the ocean's brink, Enter BRADSHAW. Brad. Save, save you, gentlemen. Mos. We thank you, neighbour. But whither in such haste? Brad. To the isle of Sheppey, To wait on good Lord Cheyney. As he holds Brad. One I know not; but judge him from his comrade. The foremost of the two I knew at Boulogne, Brad. No worse than he deserves. name? What's his Brad. Why, you are not easily_forgotten, Will. But, pr'ythee, what brings thee to Feversham? B. Will. A soldier, you know, is at home whereever he comes. Omne solum forti patri. There's Latin. Give's a tester. Brad. In time of peace we should apply to some honest, creditable business, and not turn the name of soldier into vagabond. B. Will. Yes, as you have done. I'm told, you keep a goldsmith's shop here in Feversham; and, like a mechanical rogue, live by cheating. I have more honour. Brad. Would thou hadst honesty! B. Will. Where do our honesties differ? I take a purse behind a hedge, and you behind a coun ter. Brad. Insolent slave! B. Will. You cent. per cent. rascal! I may find a time to teach you better manners. And courage writ upon your manly brows. B. Will. What hellish villany has this fellow in hand, that makes him fawn upon us? (Aside.) Mosby. I fear the world's a stranger to your merit. If this may recommend me to your friendship(Gives a pause.) B. Will. Of what damn'd deed is this to be the wages? Shake. Hast ever an elder brother's throat to cut? B. Will. Or an old peevish father to be buried? Mosby. Neither of these. Shake. A rival then, mayhap. Mosby. There your come nearer to me. We're honest, sir. B. Will. Trusty, and very poor. Mosby. Metal too fit for me. (Aside.) Then, hear me, sir. But you must both, ere I disclose my purpose, Promise, and bind that promise by your oaths, Never-(They both laugh.)—Why this unseasonable mirth? B. Will. You'd have us swear? Mosby. Else why did I propose it? B. Will. There's the jest. Are men who act in despite of all law, honour, and conscience; who live by blood; (as it is plain you think we do ;) are we free-thinkers, like silly wenches and canting priests, to be confined by oaths? Shake. Would you bind us, let the price equal the purchase, and we'll go to hell for you with pleasure. Mosby. Horrid! they shock ev'n me who would I apprehend: the business, then, is this: I have been happy long in her affections; He's jealous, too, of late, and threatens me. B. Will. Rich, you say? |