Delia and Rosamond augmented Cleopatra by Samuel Daniel.

ACTVS QVINTVS.

• DOLABELLA,
• TITIVS.

Dol.

COme tell mee Titius eu'ry circumstaunce How Cleopatra did receiue my newes: Tell eu'ry looke, each gesture, countenaunce, That shee did in my Letters reading vse.

Tit.

I shall my Lord so farre as I could note, Or my conceite obserue in any wise. It was the time when as shee hauing got Leaue to her Deerest dead to sacrifize; And now was issuing out the Monument,

With Odors, Incense, Garlands in her hand, When I approcht (as one from Caesar sent,) And did her close thy message t'vnderstand. Shee turnes her backe, and with her takes mee in, Reades in thy lynes thy strange vnlookt for tale: And reades, and smyles, and stayes, and doth begin Againe to reade, then blusht, and then was pale. And hauing ended with a sigh, refoldes Thy Letter vp: and with a fixed eye, (Which stedfast her imagination holds) Shee mus'd a while, standing confusedly. At length. Ah friend, (saith shee,) tell thy good Lord, How deere I hold his pittying of my case: That out of his sweet nature can afford, A miserable woman so much grace. Tell him how much my heauy soule doth grieue Mercilesse Caesar should so deale with mee: Pray him that he would all the counsell giue, That might diuert him from such crueltie. As for my loue, say Anthony hath all, Say that my hart is gone into the graue With him, in whom it rests and euer shall: I haue it not my selfe, nor cannot haue. Yet tell him, he shall more commaund of mee

Then any, whosoeuer lyuing, can. Hee that so friendly shewes himselfe to be A right kind Roman, and a Gentleman. Although his Nation (fatall vnto mee,) Haue had mine age a spoyle, my youth a pray, Yet his affection must accepted be, That fauours one distrest in such decay. Ah, hee was worthy then to haue been lou'd, Of Cleopatra whiles her glory lasted; Before shee had declyning fortune prou'd, Or scene her honor wrackt, her flower blasted. Now there is nothing left her but disgrace, Nothing but her affliction that can moue: Tell Dolabella, one that's in her case, (Poore soule,) needes rather pitty now then loue. But shortly shall thy Lord heare more of mee. And ending so her speech, no longer stayd, But hasted to the Tombe of Anthony. And this was all shee did, and all shee said.

Dol.

Ah sweet distressed Lady. What hard hart Could chuse but pitty thee, and loue thee too? Thy worthines, the state wherein thou art Requireth both, and both I vow to doo. Although ambition lets not Caesar see

The wrong hee doth thy Maiestie and sweetnes, VVhich makes him now exact so much of thee, To add vnto his pride, to grace his greatnes. Hee knowes thou canst no hurt procure vs now, Sith all thy strength is ceaz'd into our hands: Nor feares hee that, but rather labours how Hee might shew Rome so great a Queene in bands. That our great Ladies (enuying thee so much That stain'd thē all, & hell'd them in such wonder,) Might ioy to see thee, and thy fortune such, Thereby extolling him that brought thee vnder. But I will seeke to stay it what I may; I am but one, yet one that Caesar loues, And ô if now I could doe more then pray, Then should'st y^u know how far affection moues. But what my powre and prayer may preuaile, Ile ioyne them both, to hinder thy disgrace: And euen this present day I will not fayle To doe my best with Caesar in this case.

Tit.

And Sir, euen now her selfe hath Letters sent, I met her messenger as I came hither, With a dispatch as hee to Caesar went, But knowes not what imports her sending thither. Yet this hee told, how Cleopatra late

Was come from sacrifice. How ritchly clad VVas seru'd to dinner in most sumptuous state, VVith all the brauest ornaments shee had. How hauing dyn'd, shee writes, and sends away Him straight to Caesar, and commaunded than All should depart the Tombe, and none to stay But her two maides, and one poore Countryman.

Dol.

Why then I know, she sends t'haue audience now, And meanes t'experience what her state can doe: To see if Maiestie will make him bow To what affliction could not moue him to. And ô, if now shee could but bring a view Of that fresh beauty shee in youth possest, (The argument where-with shee ouer-threw The wit of Iulius Caesar, and the rest,) Then happily Augustus might relent, Whilst powrefull Loue, (far stronger thē ambition) Might worke in him, a mind to be content To graunt her asking, in the best condition. But beeing as shee is, yet doth she merite To be respected, for what shee hath been: The wonder of her kinde, of rarest spirit, A glorious Lady, and a mighty Queene. And now, but by a little weakenes falling

To doe that which perhaps sh'was forst to doe: Alas, an error past, is past recalling, Take away weakenes, and take wemen too. But now I goe to be thy Aduocate, Sweet Cleopatra, now Ile vse mine arte. Thy presence will mee greatly animate, Thy face will teach my tongue, thy loue my hart.

SCENA SECVNDA.

• NVNTIVS.

AM I ordaind the carefull Messenger, And sad newes-bringer of the strangest death, VVhich selfe hand did vpon it selfe infer, To free a captiue soule from seruile breath? Must I the lamentable wonder shew, VVhich all the world must grieue and meruaile at? The rarest forme of death in earth below, That euer pitty, glory, wonder gat.

Chor.

What newes bring'st y^u, can Egipt yet yeeld more Of sorrow then it hath? what can it add To th'already ouer-flowing store Of sad affliction, matter yet more sad?

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Haue wee not seene the worst of our calamitie? Is there behind yet something of distresse Vnseene, vnknowne? Tell if that greater misery There be, that we waile not that which is lesse. Tell vs what so it be, and tell at fyrst, For sorrow euer longs to heare her worst.

Nun.

VVell then, the strangest thing relate I will, That euer eye of mortall man hath seene. I (as you know) euen from my youth, haue stil Attended on the person of the Queene. And euer in all fortunes good or ill, With her as one of chiefest trust haue beene. And now in these so great extreamities, That euer could to Maiestie befall, I did my best in what I could deuise, And left her not, till now shee left vs all.

Chor.

VVhat is shee gone. Hath Caesar forst her so?

Nun.

Yea, shee is gone, and hath deceiu'd him to.

Chor.

What, fled to INDIA, to goe find her sonne?

Nun.

No, not to INDIA, but to find her sonne.

Chor.

Why thē there's hope she may her state recouer.

Nun.

Her state? nay rather honor, and her Louer.

Chor.

Her Louer? him shee cannot haue againe.

Nun.

VVell, him shee hath, w him she doth remaine.

Cho.

Why thē she's dead. Ist so? why speak'st not thou?

Nun.

You gesse aright, and I will tell you how. Whē she perceiu'd al hope was cleane berest her, That Caesar meant to send her straight away, And saw no meanes of reconcilement left her, VVork what she could, she could not work to stay. Shee calls mee to her, and she thus began. O thou whose trust hath euer beene the same And one in all my fortunes, faithfull man, Alone content t'attend disgrace and shame. Thou, whom the fearefull ruine of my fall, Neuer deterrd to leaue calamitie: As did those other smooth state-pleasers all, VVho followed but my fortune, and not me. Tis thou must doe a seruice for thy Queene, VVherein thy faith and skill must doe their best: Thy honest care and duty shall be seene Performing this, more then in all the rest. For all what thou hast done, may die with thee, Although tis pitty that such faith should die. But this shall euer-more remembred be, A rare example to posterity. And looke how long as Cleopatra shall In after ages liue in memory,

So long shall thy cleere fame endure withall, And therefore thou must not my sute deny; Nor contradict my will. For what I will I am resolu'd: and this tis thou must doe mee: Goe finde mee out with all thy arte and skill To Aspicqs, and conuay them close vnto mee. I haue a worke to doe with them in hand, Enquire not what, for thou shalt soone see what, If the heauens doe not my disseignes withstand, But doe thy charge, and let mee shyft with that. Beeing thus coniur'd, by her t'whom I'had vow'd My true perpetuall seruice, forth I went, Deuising how my close attempt to shrowde, So that there might no arte my arte preuent. And so disguis'd in habite as you see, Hauing foūnd out the thing for which I went, I soone return'd againe, and brought with mee The Aspicqs, in a basket closely pent. Which I had fill'd with figges, and leaues vpon. And comming to the Guarde that kept the dore, What hast thou there? said they, and lookt thereon. Seeing the figgs, they deem'd of nothing more, But sayd, they were the fairest they had seene. Taste some, said I, for they are good and pleasant.

No, no, sayd they, goe beare them to thy Queene. Thinking mee some poore man y^t brought a Present. Well, in I went, where brighter then the Sunne, Glittering in all her pompous ritch aray, Great Cleopatra sate; as if she'had wonne Caesar and all the world beside this day. Euen as shee was when on thy cristall streames, O CYDNOS shee did shew what earth could shew. VVhen Asia all amaz'd in wonder, deemes VENVS from heauen was come on earth below. Euen as shee went at first to meete her Loue, So goes shee now at last againe to finde him. But that first, did her greatnes onely proue. This last her loue, that could not liue behind him. Yet as shee sate, the doubt of my good speed, Detracts much from the sweetnes of her looke: Cheere-marrer Care, did then such passions breed, That made her eye bewray the care shee tooke. But shee no sooner sees mee in the place, But straight her sorrow-clowded brow shee cleeres, Lightning a smile from out a stormy face, Which all her tempest-beaten sences cheeres. Looke how a stray'd perplexed trauailer, When chas'd by thieues, and euen at poynt of taking,

Discrying suddainly some towne not far, Or some vnlookt-for ayde to him-ward making; Cheeres vp his tired sp'rits, thrusts forth his strength To meete that good, that comes in so good houre: Such was her ioy, perceiuing now at length, Her honor was t'escape so proude a powre. Foorth from her seate shee hastes to meet the present, And as one ouer-ioyd, shee caught it straight. And with a smyling cheere in action pleasant, Looking among the figges, findes the deceite. And seeing there the vgly venemous beast, Nothing dismayde, shee stayes and viewes it well. At length, th'extreamest of her passion ceast, VVhen shee began with words her ioy to tell. O rarest Beast (sayth shee) that Affrick breedes, How deerely welcome art thou vnto mee? The fayrest creature that faire Nylus feedes Mee thinks I see, in now beholding thee. VVhat though the euer-erring world doth deeme That angred Nature fram'd thee but in spight: Little they know what they so light esteeme, That neuer learn'd the wonder of thy might. Better then Death, Deathes office thou dischargest, That with one gentle touch canst free our breath:

And in a pleasing sleepe our soule inlargest, Making our selues not priuie to our death. If Nature err'd, ô then how happy error, Thinking to make thee worst, shee made thee best: Sith thou best freest vs from our liues worst terror, In sweetly bringing soules to quiet rest. VVhen that inexorable Monster Death That followes Fortune, flyes the poore distressed, Tortures our bodies ere hee takes our breath, And loades with paines th'already weake oppressed. How oft haue I begg'd, prayd, intreated him To take my life, and yet could neuer get him? And when he comes, he comes so vgly grim, That who is he (if he could chuse) would let him? Therefore come thou, of wonders wonder chiefe, That open canst with such an easie key The dore of life, come gentle cunning thiefe, That from our selues so steal'st our selues away. VVell did our Priests discerne something diuine Shadow'd in thee, and therefore first they did Offrings and worshyps due to thee assigne, In whom they found such misteries were hid. Comparing thy sweet motion to the Sunne, That mou'st without the instruments that moue:

And neuer waxing old, but alwaies one, Doost sure thy strange diuinitie approue. And therefore to, the rather vnto thee In zeale I make the offring of my blood, Calamitie confirming now in mee A sure beliefe that pietie makes good. Which happy men neglect, or hold ambiguous, And onely the afflicted are religious. And heere I sacrifize these armes to Death, That Lust late dedicated to Delights: Offling vp for my last, this last of breath, The complement of my loues deerest rites. With that shee bares her arme, and offer makes To touch her death, yet at the touch with-drawes, And seeming more to speake, occasion takes, Willing to die, and willing to to pause. Looke how a Mother at her sonnes departing For some far voyage, bent to get him fame, Doth intertaine him with an idle parling. And still doth speake, and still speakes but the same; Now bids farewell, and now recalls him back, Tells what was told, and bids againe fare-well, And yet againe recalls; for still doth lack Something that loue would faine and cannot tell.

Pleas'd hee should goe, yet cannot let him goe. So shee, although shee knew there was no way But this, yet this shee could not handle so But shee must shew that life desir'd delay. Faine would shee entertaine the time as now, And now would faine y^t Death would seaze vpō her. Whilst I might see presented in her brow, The doubtfull combat tryde twixt Life and Honor. Life bringing Legions of fresh hopes with her, Arm'd with the proose of Time, which yeelds we say Comfort and Help, to such as doe refer All vnto him, and can admit delay. But Honor scorning Life, loe forth leades he Bright Immortalitie in shyning armour: Thorow the rayes of whose cleere glory, shee Might see Lifes basenes, how much it might harm her. Besides, shee saw whole Armies of Reproches, And base Disgraces, Furies fearefull sad, Marching with Life, and Shame that still incroches Vppon her face, in bloody collours clad. Which representments seeing worse then death Shee deem'd to yeeld to Life, and therfore chose To render all to Honour, hart and breath; And that with speede, least that her inward foes

False flesh and blood, ioyning with lyfe and hope, Should mutinie againsther resolution. And to the end shee would not giue them scope, Shee presently proceeds to th'execution. And sharply blaming of her rebell powres, False flesh, (sayth shee,) and what dost thou cōspire With Caesar to, as thou wert none of ours, To worke my shame, and hinder my desire? Wilt thou retaine in closure of thy vaines, That enemy Base life, to let my good? No, know there is a greater powre constraines Then can be countercheckt with fearefull blood. For to the minde that's great, nothing seemes great. And seeing death to be the last of woes, And life lasting disgrace, which I shall get, What doe I lose, that haue but life to lose? This hauing said, strengthned in her owne hart, And vnion of her selfe sences in one Charging together, shee performes that part That hath so great a part of glory wonne. And so receiues the deadly poysning touch. That touch that tryde the gold of her loue pure, And hath confirm'd her honor to be such, As must a wonder to all worlds endure. Now not an yeelding shrinke or touch of feare. Consented to bewray least sence of paine:

But still in one same sweete vnaltred cheere, Her honor did her dying thoughts retaine. Well, now this work is done (saith she,) here ends This act of life, that part of Fates assign'd mee: What glory or disgrace heere this world lends, Both haue I had, and both I leaue behinde mee. And now ô Earth, the Theater where I Haue acted this, witnes I dye vnforst. Witnes my soule parts free to Anthony, And now proude Tyrant Caesar doe thy worst. This sayd, shee stayes, and makes a suddaine pause, As twere to feele whither the poyson wrought: Or rather els the working might be cause That made her stay, as likewise may be thought. For in that instant I might well perceiue, The drowsie humor in her falling brow: And how each powre, each part opprest did leaue Theyr former office, and did sencelesse grow. Looke how a new-pluckt branch against the Sunne, Declynes his fading leaues in feeble sort, So her disioyned ioyntures as vndonne. Let fall her weake dissolued limmes support.

Yet loe that face the wonder of her life, Retaines in death, a grace that graceth death, Couller so liuely, cheere so louely rife, That none wold think such beauty could want breath. And in that cheere, th'impression of a smile Did seeme to shew shee scorned Death and Caesar, As glorying that shee could them both beguile, And telling death how much her death did please her. VVonder it was to see how soone shee went, Shee went with such a will, and did so haste it, That sure I thinke shee did her paine preuent, Fore-going paine, or staying not to taste it. And sencelesse, in her sinking downe shee wryes The Diadem which on her head shee wore, Which Charmion (poore weake feeble mayd) espyes, And hastes to right it as it was before. For Eras now was dead, and Charmion too Euen at the poynt, for both would imitate Theyr Mistres glory, striuing like to doo. But Charmion would in this exceede her mate, For shee would haue this honour to be last, That should adorne that head that must be seene To weare a Crowne in death, that life held fast, That all the world might know shee dyde a Queene.

And as shee stood setting if fitly on, Lo in rush Caesars Messengers in haste, Thinking to haue preuented what was doone, But yet they came too late, for all was past. For there they found stretch'd on a bed of gold, Dead Cleopatra, and that proudly dead, In all the riche attyre procure shee could, And dying Charmion trymming of her head. And Eras at her feete, dead in like case. Charmion, is this well doone? said one of them. Yea, well sayd shee, and her that from the race Of so great Kings discends, doth best become. And with that word, yeelds too her faithful breath, To passe th'assurance of her loue with death.

Chor.

But how knew Caesar of her close intent?

Nun.

By Letters which before to him shee sent. For when shee had procur'd this meanes to die, Shee writes, and earnestly intreates, shee might Be buried in one Tombe with Anthony. Whereby then Caesar gess'd all went not right. And forth-with sends, yet ere the message came Shee was dispatcht, he crost in his intent, Her prouidence had ordred so the same That shee was sure none should her plot preuent.

CHORVS.

THen thus we haue beheld Th'accomplishment of woes, The full of rutne, and The worst of worst of ills. And seene all hope expeld, That euer sweet repose Shall re-possess: the Land That Desolations fills, And where Ambition spills With vncontrouled hand, All th'issue of all those, That so long rule haue hell'd: To make vs no more vs, But cleane confound vs thus.

And canst O Nylus thou, Father of floods indure, That yellow Tyber should With sandy streames rule thee? Wilt thou be pleas'd to bow To him those feete so pure,

Whose vnknowne head we hold A powre diuine to bee? Thou that didst euer see Thy free banks vncontroul'd Liue vnder thine owne care: Ah wilt thou beare it now? And now wilt yeeld thy streams A pray to other Reames?

Draw backe thy waters floe To thy concealed head: Rockes strangle vp thy waues, Stop Cataractes thy fall. And turne thy courses so, That sandy Dezarts dead, (The world of dust that craues To swallow thee vp all,) May drinke so much as shall Reuiue from vastie graues A lyuing greene, which spredd Far florshing, may gro On that wide face of Death. Where nothing now drawes breath.

Fatten somepeople there, Euen as thou vs hast doone, With plenties wanton store, And feeble luxurie: And them as vs prepare Fit for the day of mone Respected not before. Leaue leuell'd Egipt dry, A barraine pray to lye, Wasted for euer-more. Of plenties yeelding none To recompence the care Of Victors greedy lust, And bring forth nought but dust.

And so O leaue to bee, Sith thou art what thou art: Let not our race possess Th'inheritance of shame, The see of sin, that wee Haue left them for theyr part: The yoke of whose distress Must still vpbraid our blame, Telling from whom it came.

Our weight of wantonnes, Lyes heauy on their hart, Who neuer-more shall see The glory of that worth They left who brought vs forth.

O thou all seeing light, High President of heauen, You Magistrates the starres Of that eternall court Of Prouidence and Right, Are these the bounds y'haue giuen Th'vntr anspassable barres, That limit pride so short, Is greatnes of this sort, That greatnes greatnes marres, And wracks it selfe, selfe driuen On Rocks of her owne might? Doth Order order so Disorders ouer-thro?

FINIS.