Silleus.
WEll met Iudean Lord, the onely wight
Silleus wisht to see. I am to call
tongue to strict account.
Const.
For what despight
I ready am to heare, and answere all.
But if directly at the cause I gesse
That breeds this challenge, you must pardon me:
And now some other ground of fight professe,
For I haue vow'd, vowes must vnbroken be.
Sill.
What may be your expectation? let me know.
Const.
Why? ought concerning Salom, my sword
Shall not be welded for a cause so low,
A blow for her my arme will scorne t'afford.
Sill.
It is for slandering her vnspotted name,
And I will make in vowes despight,
Sucke vp the breath that did my Mistris blame,
And swallow it againe to doe her right.
Const.
I prethee giue some other quarrell ground
To finde beginning, raile against my name:
Or strike me first, or let some scarlet wound
Inflame my courage, giue me words of shame,
Doe our Moses sacred Lawes disgrace,
Depraue our nation, doe me some despight:
I'm apt enough to fight in any case,
But yet for Salome I will not fight.
Sill.
Nor I for ough[…] but Salome: My sword
That owes his seruice to her sacred name:
Will not an edge for other cause afford,
In other fight I am not sure of fame.
Const.
For her, I pitty enough already,
For her, I therefore will not mangle :
A woman with a heart so most vnsteady,
Will of her selfe sufficient torture bee.
I cannot enuy for so light a gaine,
Her minde with such vnconstancie runne:
As with a word her loue obtaine,
So with a word she will from be wonne.
So light as her possessions for most day
Is her affections lost, to me knowne:
As good goe hold the winde as make her stay,
Shee neuer loues, but till she call her owne.
She meerly is a painted sepulcher,
That is both faire, and vilely foule at once:
Though on her out-side graces garnish her,
Her mind is fild with worse then rotten bones.
And euer readie lifted is her hand,
To aime destruction at a husbands throat:
For proofes, Iosephus and my selfe do stand,
Though once on both of vs, she seem'd to do at.
Her mouth though serpent-like it neuer hisses,
Yet like a Serpent, poysons where it kisses.
Silleus.
Well Hebrew well, bark'st, but wilt not bite.
Const.
I tell still for her I will not fight.
Sille:
Why then I call coward.
Const:
From my heart
I giue thankes. A cowards hatefull name,
Cannot to valiant mindes a blot impart,
And therefore I with ioy receiue the same.
know'st I am no coward: wert by
At the Arabian battaile th'other day:
And saw'st my sword with daring valiancy,
Amongst the faint Arabians cut my way.
The blood of foes no more could let it shine,
And inameled with some of .
But now haue at , not for Salome
I fight: but to discharge a cowards stile:
Here gins the fight that shall not parted be,
Before a soule or two indure exile.
Silleus.
sword made some windowes for my blood,
To shew a horred crimson phisnomie:
To breath for both of vs me thinkes twere good,
The day will giue vs time enough to die.
Const:
With all my hart take breath, sh[…]lt haue time,
And if list a twelue month, let vs end:
Into cheekes there a palenes clime,
canst not from my sword selfe defend.
What needest for Salome to […]ght,
her, and may'st keepe her, none striues for her:
I willingly to resigne my right,
For in my very soule I do abhorre her.
seest that I am fresh, vnwounded yet,
Then not for fe[…]re I do thi[…] offer make:
art with losse of blood, to fight vnfit,
For here is one, and there […]nother take.
Silleus.
I will not leaue as long as breath remaines
Within my wounded body: spare your word[…],
My heart in bloods stead, courage entertaines,
Salomes loue no place for feare afford[…].
Const:
Oh could soule but prophesie like mine,
I would not wonder long to die:
For Salome if I aright diuine
Will be then death a greater miserie.
Sille[…]
Then list, Ile breath no longer.
Const:
Do will,
I hateles fight, and charitably kill. I, I, they fight,
Pittie selfe Silleu[…], let not death
Intru'd before his time into hart:
Alas it is too late to feare, his breath
Is from his body now about to part.
How far'st braue Arabian? Silleus very well,
My legge is hurt, I can no longer fight:
It onely grieues me, that so soone I fell,
Before faire Salo[…]s wrong[…] I came to right.
Const:
wounds are lesse then mortall. Neuer feare,
a safe and quicke recouerie finde:
Come, I will vnto my lodging beare,
I hate body, but I loue minde.
Sille[…]s.
Thanke[…] noble Iew, I see a courtiou[…] foe,
Sterne enmitie to friendship can no art:
Had not my heart and tongue engagde me so,
I would from no foe, but friend depart.
My heart to Salome i[…] tide so fast,
To leaue her loue for friendship, yet my skill
Shall be imploy'd to make you fauour last,
And I will honour Constabarus still.
Const:
I ope my bosome to , and will take
in, […] friend, and grieue for complaint:
But if we doe not expedition make,
losse of blood I feare will make faint.
Chorus.
TO heare a tale with eares preiudicate, It spoiles the iudgement, and corrupts the sence: That humane error giuen to euery state, Is greater enemie to innocence. It makes vs foolish, heddy, rash, vniust, It makes vs neuer try before we trust.
It will confound the meaning change the words, For it our sence of hearing much deceiues: Besides no time to Iudgement it affords, To way the circumstance our eare receiue[…]. The ground of accidents it neuer tries, But makes vs take for truth ten thousand lies.
Our eares and hearts are apt to hold for good, That we our selues doe most desire to bee: And then we drowne obiections in the flood Of partialitie, that we see That makes false rumours long with credit p[…]st, Though they like rumours must conclude at l[…]st.
The greatest part of vs preiudicate, With wishing Herods death do hold it true: The being once deluded not bate, The credit to a better likelihood due. Those few that wish it not the multitude, Doe carrie headlong, so they doubts conclude.
They not obiect the weake vncertaine ground, Whereon they built this tale of Herods end: Whereof the Author scarcely can be found, And all because their wishes that way bend. They thinke not of the perill that ensu'th, If this should proue the contrary to tru[…].
On this same doubt, on this so light a breath, They pawne their liues, and fortunes. For they all Behaue them as the newes of Herods death, They did of most vndoubted credit call: But if their actions now doe rightly hit, Let them commend their fortune, not their wit.