A King, and No King by Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher (read me like a book TXT) 📖

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p. 180, l. 31. A--D and G] 7 ll. Gobrias, meane.

p. 191, ll. 35 and 36. A--D and G] 2 ll. utterd, careleslie.

p. 192, ll. 9--12. E and F] 3 ll. And, love, thou. ll. 10--12. A--D and G] 3 ll. Advice, love, thou. ll. 16 and 17. A--D and G] 3 ll. This, caution, it (G Adds l. 18). ll. 20 and 21. A--D and G] 2 ll. it, it.

p. 194, ll. 5 and 6. A] 2 ll. cutlers, King. l. 22. A] 2 ll. will, whatsoever.

p. 195, ll. 21 and 22. A] 2 ll. in-, Monsters.

p. 196, l. 38, and p. 197, ll. 1--3. A] Prose.

p. 197, ll. 4 and 5. A] 3 ll. you, Spaconia, thus.

p. 199, ll. 9 and 10. B--D and G] 3 ll. Ladie, passe, King. ll. 12 and 13. A and G] 2 ll. from, remov'd.

p. 201, ll. 7 and 8. A] 2 ll. All, folly. l. 15. A] 2 ll. Sir, warrant. ll. 39 and 40.

p. 202, ll. 19--22. A] Prose.

p. 204, l. 6. A--D and G] 2 ll. false, letter. ll. 36--38. A] 2 ll. Truth, Prince.

p. 205, ll. 26 and 27. A--D and G] 3 ll. Another, distance, opinion.

p. 207, ll. 11--13. A--D and G] 3 ll. Toge-, man, brother. I. 24. A--D and G] 2 ll. Sir, since.

p. 209, ll. 31 and 32. A] 2 ll. me, brother.

p. 212, ll. ii and 12. A] 3 ll. Panthea, gaze, out. ll. 23 and 24. A] 2 ll. you, gone.

Act 5 is in verse in Quartos A, B, C and D, in prose in Quartos E and F from p. 214, I. 22. As the Second Folio also prints it in prose it has been decided to give here the verse of Quarto A (1619) in full.



Actus Quinti Scaena Prima.

Enter Mardonius, and Ligones.

Mar.

Sir, the King has seene your Commission, and beleeves it, and freely by this warrant gives you leave to visit Prince Tigranes your noble Master.

Lig.

I thanke his Grace, and kisse his hands.

Mar.

But is the maine of all your businesse Ended in this?

Lig.

I have another, but a worse; I am asham'd, it is a businesse.--

Mar.

You serve a worthy person, and a stranger I am sure you are; you may imploy mee if you please, without your purse, such Officers should ever be their owne rewards.

Lig.

I am bound to your noblenesse.

Mar.

I may have neede of you, and then this curtesie, If it be any, is not ill bestowed: But may I civilly desire the rest? I shall not be a hurter, if no helper.

Lig.

Sir, you shall know I have lost a foolish daughter, And with her all my patience; pilferd away By a meane Captaine of your Kings.

Mar.

Stay there Sir: If he have reacht the noble worth of Captaine, He may well claime a worthy gentlewoman, Though shee were yours, and noble.

Lig.

I grant all that too: but this wretched fellow Reaches no further then the emptie name, That serves to feede him; were he valiant, Or had but in him any noble nature, That might hereafter promise him a good man; My cares were something lighter, and my grave A span yet from me.

Mar.

I confesse such fellowes Be in all royall Campes, and have, and must be To make the sinne of coward more detested In the meane Souldier, that with such a foyle Sets of much valour: By description I should now guesse him to you. It was Bessus, I dare almost with confidence pronounce it.

Lig.

Tis such a scurvy name as Bessus, and now I thinke tis hee.

Mar.

Captaine, doe you call him? Beleeve me Sir, you have a miserie Too mighty for your age: A pox upon him, For that must be the end of all his service: Your daughter was not mad Sir?

Lig.

No, would shee had beene, The fault had had more credit: I would doe something.

Mar.

I would faine counsell you; but to what I know not: Hee's so below a beating, that the women Find him not worthy of their distaves; and To hang him, were to cast away a rope, Hee's such an ayrie thin unbodied coward, That no revenge can catch him: He tell you Sir, and tell you truth; this rascall Feares neither God nor man, has beene so beaten: Sufferance has made him wanscote; he has had Since hee was first a slave, at least three hundred daggers Set in his head, as little boyes doe new knives in hot meat; Ther's not a rib in's bodie a my conscience, That has not beene thrice broken with drie beating; And now his sides looke like to wicker targets, Everie way bended: Children will shortly take him for a wall, And set their stone-bowes in his forhead: is of so low a sence, I cannot in a weeke imagine what should be done to him.

Lig.

Sure I have committed some great sinne, That this strange fellow should be made my rod: I would see him, but I shall have no patience:

Mar.

Tis no great matter if you have not, if a laming of him, or such a toy may doe you pleasure Sir, he has it for you, and Ile helpe you to him: tis no newes to him to have a leg broke, or a shoulder out, with being turnd ath' stones like a Tanzie: Draw not your sword, if you love it; for my conscience his head will breake it: we use him ith' warres like a Ramme to shake a wall withall; here comes the verie person of him, doe as you shall find your temper I must leave you: but if you doe not breake him like a bisket, you are much too blame Sir. Ex. Mardo. Enter Bessus and Sword-men.

Lig.

Is your name Bessus?

Bes.

Men call me Captaine Bessus.

Lig.

Then Captaine Bessus you are a ranke rascall, without more exordiums, a durty frozen slave; and with the favour of your friends here, I will beate you.

2.

Pray use your pleasure Sir, you seem to be a gentleman.

Lig.

Thus Captaine Bessus, thus; thus twinge your nose, thus kicke you, and thus tread you.

Bess.

I doe beseech you yeeld your cause Sir quickly.

Lig.

Indeed I should have told you that first.

Bess.

I take it so.

1.

Captaine, a should indeed, he is mistaken:

Lig.

Sir you shall have it quickly, and more beating, You have stolne away a Lady Captaine Coward, And such a one.

Bes.

Hold, I beseech you, hold Sir, I never yet stole any living thing That had a tooth about it.

Lig.

Sir I know you dare lie With none but Summer Whores upon my life Sir.

Bes.

My meanes and manners never could attempt Above a hedge or hey-cocke.

Lig.

Sirra that quits not me, where is this Ladie, Doe that you doe not use to doe, tell truth, Or by my hand Ile beat your Captaines braines out. Wash um, and put um in againe, that will I.

Bes.

There was a Ladie Sir, I must confesse Once in my charge: the Prince Tigranes gave her To my guard for her safetie, how I usd her She may her selfe report, shee's with the Prince now: I did but waite upon her like a Groome, Which she will testifie I am sure: If not, My braines are at your service when you please Sir, And glad I have um for you?

Lig.

This is most likely, Sir I aske your pardon, And am sorrie I was so intemperate.

Bes.

Well, I can aske no more, you would thinke it strange Now to have me beat you at first sight.

Lig.

Indeed I would but I know your goodnes can forget Twentie beatings. You must forgive me.

Bes.

Yes, ther's my hand, goe where you will, I shall thinke You a valiant fellow for all this.

Lig.

My daughter is a Whore, I feele it now too sencible; yet I will see her, Discharge my selfe of being Father to her, And then backe to my Countrie, and there die; Farewell Captaine.

Exit.

Bes.

Farewell Sir, farewell, commend me to the Gentlewoman I praia.

1.

How now Captaine, beare up man.

Bes.

Gentlemen ath' sword your hands once more, I have Beene kickt againe, but the foolish fellow is penitent, Has ask't me mercy, and my honor's safe.

2.

We knew that, or the foolish fellow had better a kick't His Grandsire. Confirme, confirme I pray.

1.

There be our hands againe.

2.

Now let him come, and say he was not sorry, And he sleepes for it.

Bes.

Alas good ignorant old man, let him goe, Let him goe, these courses will undoe him.

Exeunt.

Enter Ligones, and Bacurius.

Bac.

My Lord your authoritie is good, and I am glad it is so, for my consent would never hinder you from seeing your owne King. I am a Minister, but not a governour of this state; yonder is your King, Ile leave you.

Exit.

Lig.

There he is indeed, Enter Tig. and Spaco. And with him my disloyall childe.

Tig.

I doe perceive my fault so much, that yet Me thinkes thou shouldst not have forgiven me.

Lig.

Health to your Maiestie.

Tig.

What? good Ligones, welcome; what businesse brought thee hether?

Lig.

Severall Businesses. My publique businesse will appeare by this: I have a message to deliver, which If it please you so to authorise, is An embassage from the Armenian state, Unto Arbaces for your libertie: The offer's there set downe, please you to read it.

Tig.

There is no alteration happened Since I came thence?

Lig.

None Sir, all is as it was.

Tig.

And all our friends are well.

Lig.

All verie well.

Spa.

Though I have done nothing but what was good, I dare not see my Father: it was fault Enough not to acquaint him with that good.