1613 spelling, from EEBO-TCP A17956. Not modernized.
Const:
OH Salome, how much you wrog your name, Your race, your country, and your husband most? A straungers priuate conference is shame, I blush for you, that haue your blushing lost. haue I found, and found you to my griefe, Consorted with this base Arabian heere: Heauen knowes that you haue bin my comfort chiefe, Then doe not now my greater plague appeare. Now by the stately Carued edifice That on Mount Sion makes so faire a show, And by the Altar fit for sacrifice, I loue more then selfe doest know. with a silent sorrow haue I heard How ill Iudeas mouth censure : And did I not honour much regard, not be exhorted thus for mee. but know the worth of honest fame, How much a vertuous woman is esteem'd, wouldest like hell eschew deserued shame, And seeke to be both chast and chastly deem'd. Our wisest Prince did say, and true he said, A vertuous woman crownes her husbands head.
Salome.
Did I for this, vpreare lowe es[…]ate? Did I for this requitall begge life, That hadst forfeited haples fate? To be to such a thankle[…] wretch the wife. This hand of mine lifted vp head, Which many a day agoe had falne full lowe, Because the sonnes of Baba are not dead, To me doest both life and fortune owe.
Const.
You haue my patience often exercisde, Vse make my choller keepe within the bankes: Yet boast no more, but be by me aduisde. A benefit vpbraided, forfeits thankes: I prethy Salome dismisse this mood, doest not know how ill it fits place: My words were all intended for good, To raise honour and to stop disgrace.
Sa.
To stop disgrace? take no care for mee, Nay do worst, worst I set not by: No shame of mine is like to light on , loue and admonitions I defie. no hower longer call me wife, Iealousie procures my hate so deepe: That I from doe meane to free my life, By a diuorcing bill before I sleepe.
Const.
Are Hebrew women now trasform'd to men? Why do you not as well our battels fight, And weare our armour? suffer this, and then Let all the world be topsie turued quite. Let fishes graze, beastes, swine, and birds descend, Let fire burne downew[…]rd[…] whilst the earth aspires: Let Winters heat and Summers cold offend, Let Thistels growe on Vines, and Grapes on Briers, Set vs to Spinne or Sowe, or at the best Make vs Wood-hewers, Waters-bearing wights: For sacred seruice let vs take no rest, Vse vs as Ioshua did the Gibonites.
Salom.
Hold on your talke, till it be time to end, For me I am resolu'd it shall be so: Though I be first that to this course do bend, I shall not be the last full well I know.
Const.
Why then be witnesse Heau'n, the Iudge of sinnes, Be witnesse Spirits that eschew the darke: Be witnesse Angels, witnesse Cherubins, Whose semblance sits vpon the holy Arke: Be witnesse earth, be witnesse Palestine, Be witnesse Dauids Citie, if my heart Did euer merit such an act of : Or if the fault be mine that makes vs part, Since mildest Moses friend vnto the Lord, Did worke his wonders in the land of Ham, And slew the first-borne Babes without a sword, In signe whereof we eate the holy Lambe: Till now that foureteene hundred yeeres are past, Since first the Law with vs beene in force: You are the first, and will I hope, be last, That euer sought her husband to diuorce.
Salom.
I meane not to be led by president, My will shall be to me in stead of Law.
Const.
I feare me much you will too late repent, That you haue euer liu'd so void of awe: This is Silleus loue that makes you thus Reuerse all order: you must next be his. But if my thoughts aright the cause discusse, In winning you, he gaines no lasting blisse, I was Silleus and not long agoe Iosephus then was Constabarus now: When you became my friend you prou'd his foe, As now for him you breake to me your vowd.
Sal.
If once I lou'd you, greater is your debt: For certaine that you deserued it not. And vndeserued loue we soone forget, And therefore that to me can be no blot. But now fare ill my once beloued Lord, Yet neuer more belou'd then now abhord.
Const.
Yet Constabarus bidde[…]h farewell. Farewell light creature. Heauen forgiue sinne: My prophecying spirit foretell wauering thoughts doe yet but new beginne. Yet I haue better scap'd then Ioseph did, But if our Herods death had bene delayd, The valiant youths that I so long haue hid, Had bene by her, and I for them betrayd. Therefore in happy houre did Caesar giue The fatall blow to wanton Anthony. For had he liued, our Herod then should liue, But great Anthonius death made Herod dye. Had he enioyed his breath, not I alone Had beene in danger of a deadly fall: But Mariam had the way of perill gone, Though by the Tyrant most belou'd of all. The sweet fac'd Mariam as free from guilt As Heauen from spots, yet had her Lord come backe Her purest blood had bene vniustly spilt. And Salome it was would worke her wracke. Though all Iudea yeeld her innocent, She often bene neere to punishment.
Chorus.
THose mindes that wholy dote vpon delight, Except they onely ioy in inward good: Still hope at last to hop vpon the right, And so from Sand they leape in loathsome mud. Fond wretches, seeking what they cannot finde, For no content attends a wauering minde. If wealth they doe desire, and wealth attaine, Then wondrou[…] faine would they to honor lep: Of meane degree they doe in honor gaine, They would but wish a little higher step. Thus step to step, and wealth to wealth they ad, Yet cannot all their plenty make them glad. Yet we see that some in humble state, Are chreefull, pleasant, happy, and content: When those indeed that are of higher state, With vaine additions do their thoughts torment. Th'one would to his minde his fortune binde, T'hother to his fortune frames his minde. To wi[…]h varietie is signe of griefe, For if you like your state as now it is, Why should an alteration bring reliefe? Nay change would then be fear'd as losse of blis. That man is onely happy in his Fate, That is delighted in a setled state. Still Mariam wisht she from her Lord were free, For expectation of varietie: Yet now she […]ees her wishes prosperous bee, She grieues, because her Lord so soone did die. Who can those vast imaginations feede, Where in a propertie, contempt breede? Were Herod now to liue againe, She would […]gaine as much be grieued at that: All that she may, she euer disdaine, Her wishes guide her to she knowes not what. And sad must be their lookes, their honor sower, That care for nothing being in their power.