Thomas Middleton

A Game at Chess


Source text for this digital edition:
Middleton, Thomas. A Game At Chess. In: Brooke, C. F. Tucker; Paradise, Nathaniel Burton (ed.). English Drama 1580-1642. Boston: D. C. Heath and Company, 1933. pp. 943-977.
Digital text encoding for EMOTHE:
  • Tronch Pérez, Jesús
  • Ramírez Sáenz, Elena

Note on this digital edition

For this digital edition the following changes from the print edition have been made. Abbreviated speech prefixes and characters’ names have been expanded.“Incipits” have been relocated after the Act division, editorially added between square brackets. Some “Aside” stage directions have been relocated. Contractions such as “I’m”, “You’re”, “She’s”, “Thou’rt”, “’Tis”, “T’undo”, “on’t”, have been printed without separation, as is common in modernized editions of early modern plays. The Dramatis Personae has been reproduced without editorial square brackets, and adapted to a sequential layout instead of replicating the parallel columns in the print edition.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

White King
White Knight
White Duke
White Bishop
[White] Pawns
Black King
Black Knight
Black Duke
Black Bishop
Fat Bishop
His Pawn
White Queen
Her Pawn
Black Queen
Her Pawn
[Black] Pawns
Ignatius Loyola
Error

THE PICTURE PLAINLY EXPLAINED AFTER THE MANNER OF THE CHESS-PLAY

A GAME at Chess is here display'd,
Between the Black and White House made,
Wherein crown-thirsting policy
For the Black House, by fallacy,
To the White Knight check often gives,
And to some straits him thereby drives;
The Fat Black Bishop helps also,
With faithless heart, to give the blow:
Yet, maugre all their craft, at length
The White Knight, with wit-wondrous strength
And circumspective prudency,
Gives check-mate by discovery
To the Black Knight: and so at last,
The Game thus won, the Black House cast
Into the Bag, and therein shut,
Find all their plumes and coxcombs cut.
Plain dealing thus, by wisdom's guide,
Defeats the cheats of craft and pride.

Prologue

1
WHAT of the game call'd Chess-play can be made
2
To make a stage-play, shall this day be play'd:
3
First, you shall see the men in order set,
4
States and their pawns, when both the sides are met,
5
The Houses well distinguish'd; in the game
6
Some men entrapp'd and taken, to their shame,
7
Rewarded by their play; and, in the close,
8
You shall see check-mate given to virtue's foes:
9
But the fair'st jewel that our hopes can deck,
10
Is so to play our game to avoid your check.

The Induction

Ignatius Loyola appearing, Error at his foot as asleep

Ignatius
11
Ha! where? what angle of the world is this,
12
That I can neither see the politic face,
13
Nor with my refin'd nostrils taste the footsteps
14
Of any of my disciples, sons and heirs
15
As well of my designs as institution?
16
I thought they'd spread over the world by this time,
17
Cover'd the earth's face, and made dark the land,
18
Like the Egyptian grasshoppers.
19
Here's too much light appears, shot from the eyes
20
Of Truth and Goodness never yet deflower'd:
21
Sure they were never here; then is their monarchy
22
Unperfect yet; a just reward, I see,
23
For their ingratitude so long to me,
24
Their father and their founder.
25
'Tis not five years since I was sainted by 'em:
26
Where slept my honour all the time before?
27
Could they be so forgetful to canónize
28
Their prosperous institutor? when they had sainted me,
29
They found no room in all their calendar
30
To place my name, that should have remov'd princes,
31
Pull'd the most eminent prelates by the roots up
32
For my dear coming, to make way for me;
33
Let every petty martyr and saint homily,
34
Roch, Main, and Petronill, itch- and ague-curers,
35
Your Abbess Aldegund and Cunegund,
36
The widow Marcell, parson Polycarp,
37
Cecily and Ursula, all take place of me;
38
And but for the bissextile or leap-year,
39
And that's but one in three, I fall by chance
40
Into the nine-and-twentieth day of February;
41
There were no room else for me: see their love,
42
Their conscience too, to thrust me a lame soldier
43
Into leap-year! My wrath's up, and, methinks,
44
I could with the first syllable of my name
45
Blow up their colleges. –– Up, Error, wake!
46
Father of supererogation, rise!
47
It is Ignatius calls thee, Loyola.

Error
48
What have you done? O, I could sleep in ignorance
49
Immortally, the slumber is so pleasing!
50
I saw the bravest setting for a game now
51
That ever my eye fix'd on.

Ignatius
52
Game, what game?

Error
53
The noblest game of all, a game at chess,
54
Betwixt our side and the White House; the men set
55
In their just order, ready to go to it.

Ignatius
56
Were any of my sons plac'd for the game?

Error
57
Yes, and a daughter too; a secular daughter
58
That plays the Black Queen's Pawn, he the Black Bishop's.

Ignatius
59
If ever power could show a mastery in thee,
60
Let it appear in this!

Error
'Tis but a dream,
61
A vision, you must think.

Ignatius
I care not what,
62
So I behold the children of my cunning,
63
And see what rank they keep.

Error
You have your wish:
Music.
Enter severally, in order of game, the White and Black Houses
64
Behold, there's the full number of the game,
65
Kings and their Pawns, Queens, Bishops, Knights, and Dukes.

Ignatius
66
Dukes? they're call'd Rooks by some.

Error
Corruptively;
67
Le roc the word, custode de la roche,
68
The keeper of the forts, in whom both Kings
69
Repose much confidence; and for their trust-sake,
70
Courage, and worth, do well deserve those titles.

Ignatius
71
The answer's high: I see my son and daughter.

Error
72
Those are two Pawns, the Black Queen's and Black Bishop's.

Ignatius
73
Pawns argue but poor spirits and slight preferments,
74
Nor worthy of the name of my disciples:
75
If I had stood so nigh, I would have cut
76
That bishop's throat but I'd have had his place,
77
And told the Queen a love-tale in her ear
78
Would make her best pulse dance: there's no elixir
79
Of brain or spirit amongst 'em.

Error
80
Why, would you have 'em play against themselves?
81
That's quite against the rule of game, Ignatius.

Ignatius
82
Pish; I would rule myself, not observe rule.

Error
83
Why, then, you'd play a game all by yourself.

Ignatius
84
I would do anything to rule alone:
85
'Tis rare to have the world reign'd in by one.

Error
86
See 'em anon, and mark 'em in their play;
87
Observe, as in a dance, they glide away.

[Exeunt the two Houses.]

Ignatius
88
O, with what longings will this breast be toss'd,
89
Until l see this great game won and lost.

[Exeunt.]

Actus Primi

Scena Prima

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter from the Black House, the Black Queen's Pawn, from the White House, the White Queen's Pawn

Black Queen's Pawn
1
I ne'er see that face but my pity rises;
2
When I behold so clear a masterpiece
3
Of heaven's art wrought out of dust and ashes,
4
And at next thought to give her lost eternally,
5
In being not ours, but the daughter of heresy,
6
My soul bleeds at mine eyes.

White Queen's Pawn
Where should truth speak,
7
If not in such a sorrow? they're tears plainly:
8
Beshrew me, if she weep not heartily!
9
What is my peace to her to take such pains in 't?
10
If I wander to loss, and with broad eyes
11
Yet miss the path she can run blindfold in
12
Through often exercise, why should my oversight,
13
Though in the best game that e'er Christian lost,
14
Raise the least spring-of pity in her eye?
15
'Tis doubtless a great charity; and no virtue
16
Could-win me surer:

Black Queen's Pawn
Blessed things prevail with 't!
17
If ever goodness made a gracious promise,
18
It is in yonder look: what little pains
19
Would build a fort for virtue to all memory
20
In that sweet creature, were the ground-work firmer!

White Queen's Pawn
21
It has been all my glory to be firm
22
In what I have professed.

Black Queen's Pawn
That is the enemy
23
That steals your strength away, and fights against you,
24
Disarms your soul e'en in the heat of battle;
25
Your firmness that way makes you more infirm
26
For the right Christian conflict. There I spied
27
A zealous primitive sparkle but now flew
28
From your devoted eye,
29
Able to blow up all the heresies
30
That ever sate in council with your spirit.
31
And here comes he whose sanctimonious breath
32
Can make that spark a flame. List to him, virgin,
33
At whose first entrance princes will fall prostrate;
34
Women are weaker vessels.

Enter the Black Bishop's Pawn: a Jesuit

White Queen's Pawn
By my penitence,
35
A comely presentation, and the habit
36
To admiration reverend!

Black Queen's Pawn
But the heart, the heart, lady,
37
So meek that as you see good Charity pictured still
38
With young ones in her arms, so will he cherish
39
All his young, tractable, sweet obedient daughters
40
E'en in his bosom, in his own dear bosom.
41
I am myself a secular Jesuit,
42
As many ladies are of wealth and greatness:
43
A second sort are Jesuits in voto,
44
Giving their vow in to the Father General,
45
That's the Black Bishop of our House, whose Pawn
46
This gentleman now stands for, to receive
47
The college-habit at his holy pleasure.

White Queen's Pawn
48
But how are those in voto employed, lady,
49
Till they receive the habit?

Black Queen's Pawn
They're not idle;
50
He finds 'em all true labourers in the work
51
Of the universal monarchy, which he
52
And his disciples principally aim at:
53
Those are maintained in many courts and palaces,
54
And are induced by noble personages
55
Into great princes' services, and prove
56
Some councillors of state, some secretaries;
57
All serving in notes of intelligence —
58
As parish-clerks their mortuary-bills –
59
To the Father General: so are designs
60
Oft-times prevented, and important secrets
61
Of states discovered, yet no author found,
62
But those suspected oft that are most sound.
63
This mystery is too deep yet for your entrance;
64
And I offend to set your zeal so back:
65
Checked by obedience with desire to hasten
66
Your progress to perfection, I commit you
67
To the great worker's hands; to whose grave worth
68
I fit my reverence, as to you my wishes.

Black Bishop's Pawn
69
[Aside to Black Queen's Pawn.]
Dost find her supple?

Black Queen's Pawn
There's a little passage made.

[Exit.]

Black Bishop's Pawn
70
Let me contemplate,
71
With holy wonder season my access,
72
And, by degrees, approach the sanctuary
73
Of unmatched beauty, set in grace and goodness.
74
Amongst the daughters of men I have not found
75
A more Catholical aspéct: that eye
76
Does promise single life and meek obedience;
77
Upon those lips, the sweet fresh buds of youth,
78
The holy dew of prayer lies, like pearl
79
Dropped from the opening eyelids of the morn
80
Upon the bashful rose. How beauteously
81
A gentle fast, not rigorously imposed,
82
Would look upon that cheek! and how delightfully
83
The courteous physic of a tender penance,
84
Whose utmost cruelty should not exceed
85
The first fear of a bride, to beat down frailty,
86
Would work to sound health your long-festered judgment,
87
And make your merit, which, through erring ignorance,
88
Appears but spotted righteousness to me,
89
Far clearer than the innocence of infants!

White Queen's Pawn
90
To that good work I bow, and will become
91
Obedience' humblest daughter, since I find
92
Th' assistance of a sacred strength to aid me:
93
The labour is as easy to serve virtue
94
The right way, since 'tis she I ever served
95
In my desire, though I transgressed in judgment.

Black Bishop's Pawn
96
That's easily absolved amongst the rest:
97
You shall not find the virtue that you serve now
98
A sharp and cruel mistress; her ear's open
99
To all your supplications; you may boldly
100
And safely let in the most secret sin
101
Into her knowledge, which, like vanished man,
102
Never returns into the world again;
103
Fate locks not up more trulier.

White Queen's Pawn
To the guilty
104
That may appear some benefit.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Who is so innocent
105
That never stands in need on't in some kind?
106
If every thought were blabbed that's so confessed.
107
The very air we breathe would be unblest. —
108
Now to the work indeed, which is to catch
109
Her inclination; that's the special use
110
We make of all our practice in all kingdoms;
111
For by disclosing their most secret frailties
112
Things which, once ours, they must not hide from us
113
(That's the first article in the creed we teach 'em),
114
Finding to what point their blood most inclines
115
Know best to apt them then to our designs.
116
[Aside.]
Daughter, the sooner you disperse your errors,
117
The sooner you make haste to your recovery:
118
You must part with 'em; to be nice or modest
119
Toward this good action, is to imitate
120
The bashfulness of one conceals an ulcer,
121
For the uncomely parts the tumour vexes,
122
Till 't be past cure. Resolve you thus far, lady;
123
The privat'st thought that runs to hide itself
124
In the most secret corner of your heart now,
125
Must be of my acquaintance, so familiarly
126
Never she-friend of your night-counsel nearer.

White Queen's Pawn
127
I stand not much in fear of any action
128
Guilty of that black time, most noble holiness.
129
I must confess, as in a sacred temple
130
Thronged with an auditory, some come rather
131
To feed on human object than to taste
132
Of angels' food;
133
So in the congregation of quick thoughts,
134
Which are more infinite than such assemblies,
135
I cannot with truth's safety speak for all:
136
Some have been wanderers, some fond, some sinful,
137
But those found ever but poor entertainment,
138
They'd small encouragement to come again.
139
The single life, which strongly I profess now,
140
Heaven pardon me! I was about to part from.

Black Bishop's Pawn
141
Then you have passed through love?

White Queen's Pawn
142
But left no stain
143
In all my passage, sir, no print of wrong
144
For the most chaste maid that may trace my footsteps.

Black Bishop's Pawn
145
How came you off so clear?

White Queen's Pawn
I was discharged
146
By an inhuman accident, which modesty
147
Forbids me to put any language to.

Black Bishop's Pawn
148
How you forget yourself! all actions
149
Clad in their proper language, though most sordid,
150
My ear is bound by duty to let in
151
And look up everlastingly. Shall I help you?
152
He was not found to answer his creation:
153
A vestal virgin in a slip of prayer
154
Could not deliver man's loss modestlier:
155
'Twas the White Bishop's Pawn.

White Queen's Pawn
The same, blest sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
156
An heretic well pickled.

White Queen's Pawn
By base treachery,
157
And violence prepared by his competitor,
158
The Black Knight's Pawn, whom I shall ever hate for 't.

Black Bishop's Pawn
159
'Twas of revenges the unmanliest way
160
That ever rival took; a villainy
161
That, for your sake, I'll ne'er absolve him of.

White Queen's Pawn
162
I wish it not so heavy.

Black Bishop's Pawn
He must feel it:
163
I never yet gave absolution
164
To any crime of that unmanning nature.
165
It seems then you refused him for defect;
166
Therein you stand not pure from the desire
167
That other women have in ends of marriage:
168
Pardon my boldness, if I sift your goodness
169
To the last grain.

White Queen's Pawn
I reverence your pains, sir,
170
And must acknowledge custom to enjoy
171
What other women challenge and possess
172
More ruled me than desire; for my desires
173
Dwell all in ignorance, and I'll never wish
174
To know that fond way may redeem them thence.

Black Bishop's Pawn
175
[Aside.]
I never was so taken; beset doubly
176
Now with her judgment: what a strength it puts forth! —
177
I bring work nearer to you: when you have seen
178
A masterpiece of man, composed by heaven
179
For a great prince's favour, kingdom's love;
180
So exact, envy could not find a place
181
To stick a blot on person or on fame;
182
Have you not found ambition swell your wish then,
183
And desire stir your blood?

White Queen's Pawn
By virtue, never!
184
I have only in the dignity of the creature
185
Admired the maker's glory.

Black Bishop's Pawn
[Aside.]
She's impregnable;
186
A second siege must not fall off so tamely:
187
She's one of those must be informed to know
188
A daughter's duty, which some take untaught:
189
Her modesty brings her behind-hand much;
190
My old means I must fly to: yes, 'tis it. —
191
Please you, peruse this small tract of obedience:
192
'Twill help you forward well.

[Gives a book.]

White Queen's Pawn
Sir, that's a virtue
193
I have ever thought on with especial reverence.

Black Bishop's Pawn
194
You will conceive by that my power, your duty.

Enter White Bishop's Pawn

White Queen's Pawn
195
The knowledge will be precious of both, sir.

White Bishop's Pawn
196
[Aside.]
What makes yond troubler of all Christian waters
197
So near that blessed spring? But that I know
198
Her goodness is the rock from whence it issues
199
Unmoveable as fate, 'twould more afflict me
200
Than all my sufferings for her, which so long
201
As she holds constant to the House she comes of,
202
The whiteness of the cause, the side, the quality,
203
Are sacrifices to her worth and virtue;
204
And, though confined in my religious joys,
205
I marry her and possess her.

Enter Black Knight's Pawn.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Behold, lady,
206
The two inhuman enemies, the Black Knight's Pawn
207
And the White Bishop's; the gelder and the gelded.

White Queen's Pawn
208
There's my grief, my hate!

Black Knight's Pawn
209
[Aside.]
What, in the Jesuit's fingers? By this hand,
210
I'll give my part now for a parrot's feather,
211
She never returns virtuous, 'tis impossible:
212
I'll undertake more wagers will be laid
213
Upon a usurer's return from hell
214
Than upon hers from him now. Have I been guilty
215
Of such base malice that my very conscience
216
Shakes at the memory of, and, when I look
217
To gather fruit, find nothing but the savin-tree,
218
Too frequent in nuns' orchards, and there planted,
219
By all conjecture, to destroy fruit rather?
220
I'll be resolvèd now. Most noble virgin —

White Queen's Pawn
221
Ignoble villain! dare that unhallowed tongue
222
Lay hold upon a sound so gracious?
223
What's nobleness to thee, or virgin chastity?
224
They're not of thy acquaintance: talk of violence
225
That shames creation, deeds would make night blush,
226
That's company for thee. Hast thou the impudence
227
To court me with a leprosy upon thee
228
Able t'infect the walls of a great building?

Black Bishop's Pawn
229
Son of offence, forbear! go, set your evil
230
Before your eyes; a penitential vesture
231
Would better become you, some shirt of hair.

Black Knight's Pawn
232
And you a three-pound smock 'stead of an alb,
233
An epicoene chasuble. — This holy fellow
234
Robs safe and close: I feel a sting that's worse, too.
235
[Aside.]
White Pawn, hast so much charity to accept
236
A reconcilement? Make thy own conditions,
237
For I begin to be extremely burdened.

White Bishop's Pawn
238
[Aside.]
No truth or peace of that Black House protested
239
Is to be trusted; but for hope of quittance
240
And warned by diffidence, I may entrap him soonest. —
241
I admit conference.

Black Knight's Pawn
It is a nobleness
242
That makes confusion cleave to all my merits.

[Exeunt White Black Pawn and Black Knight's Pawn.]
Enter Black Knight.

Black Bishop's Pawn
243
[To White Queen Pawn.]
That treatise will instruct you fully.

Black Knight
[Aside.]
So, so!
244
The business of the universal monarchy
245
Goes forward well now! the great college-pot,
246
That should be always boiling with the fuel
247
Of all intelligences possible
248
Thorough the Christian kingdoms. Is this fellow
249
Our prime incendiary, one of those
250
That promised the White Kingdom seven years since
251
To our Black House? Put a new daughter to him,
252
The great work stands; he minds nor monarchy
253
Nor hierarchy, diviner principality.
254
I've bragged less,
255
But have done more than all the conclave on 'em,
256
Take their assistant fathers in all parts,
257
Ay, or their Father General in to boot;
258
And what I have done, I have done facetiously,
259
With pleasant subtlety and bewitching courtship,
260
Abused all my believers with delight, —
261
They took a comfort to be cozened by me:
262
To many a soul I have let in mortal poison,
263
Whose cheeks have cracked with laughter to receive it;
264
I could so roll my pills in sugared syllables,
265
And strew such kindly mirth o'er all my mischief,
266
They took their bane in way of recreation,
267
As pleasure steals corruption into youth.
268
He spies me now: I must uphold his reverence,
269
Especially in public, though I know
270
Priapus, guardian of the cherry-gardens,
271
Bacchus' and Venus' chit, is not more vicious.

Black Bishop's Pawn
272
Blessings' accumulation keep with you, sir!

Black Knight
273
Honour's dissimulation be your due, sir!

White Queen's Pawn
274
[Aside.]
How deep in duty his observance plunges!
275
His charge must needs be reverend.

Black Bishop's Pawn
I am confessor
276
To this Black Knight too; you see devotion's fruitful,
277
Sh'as many sons and daughters.

Black Knight
[Aside.]
I do this the more
278
T'amaze our adversaries to behold
279
The reverence we give these guitonens,
280
And to beget a sound opinion
281
Of holiness in them and zeal in us.
[Exit White Queen Pawn.]
282
As also to invite the like obedience
283
In other pusills by our meek example. —
284
So, is your trifle vanished?

Black Bishop's Pawn
Trifle call you her? 'tis a good Pawn, sir;
285
Sure she's the second Pawn of the White House,
286
And to the opening of the game I hold her.

Black Knight
Ay, you
287
Hold well for that, I know your play of old:
288
If there were more Queen's Pawns, you'd ply the game
289
A great deal harder. Now, sir, we're in private;
290
But what for the main work, the great existence,
291
The hope monarchal?

Black Bishop's Pawn
It goes on in this.

Black Knight
292
In this! I cannot see 't.

Black Bishop's Pawn
You may deny so
293
A dial's motion, 'cause you cannot see
294
The hand move, or a wind that rends the cedar.

Black Knight
295
Where stops the current of intelligence?
296
Your Father General, Bishop of the Black House,
297
Complains for want of work.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Here's from all parts,
298
Sufficient to employ him; I received
299
A packet from the Assistant Fathers lately;
300
Look you, there's Anglica, this Gallica.

[Gives letters.]

Black Knight
301
Ay, marry, sir, there's some quick flesh in this.

Black Bishop's Pawn
302
Germanica.

[Gives letter.]

Black Knight
303
I think they've sealed this with butter.

Black Bishop's Pawn
304
Italica this.

[Gives letter.]

Black Knight
305
They put their pens the Hebrew way, methinks.

Black Bishop's Pawn
306
Hispanica here.

[Gives letter.]

Black Knight
307
Hispanica! blind work 'tis; the Jesuit
308
Has writ this with juice of lemons sure,
309
It must beheld close to the fire of purgatory
310
Ere 't can be read.

Black Bishop's Pawn
You will not lose your jest, Knight;
311
Though it wounded your own fame.

Black Knight
312
Curanda pecunia.

Black Bishop's Pawn
313
Take heed, sir; we're entrapped, — the White King's Pawn.

Enter White King's Pawn.

Black Knight
314
He's made our own, man; half in voto yours,
315
His heart's in the Black House: leave him to me. —
[Exit Black Bishop's Pawn.]
316
Most of all friends endeared, preciously special!

White King's Pawn.
317
You see my outside, but you know my heart, Knight,
318
Great difference in the colour. There's some intelligence;
[Gives letter.]
319
And as more ripens, so your knowledge still
320
Shall prove the richer: there shall nothing happen,
321
Believe it, to extenuate your cause,
322
Or to oppress her friends, but I will strive
323
To cross it with my counsel, purse, and power;
324
Keep all supplies back both in means and men
325
That may raise strength against you. We must part:
326
I dare not longer of this theme discuss;
327
The ear of state is quick and jealous.

Black Knight
328
Excellent estimation! thou art valued
329
Above the fleet of gold that came short home.
[Exit White King's Pawn.]
330
Poor Jesuit-ridden soul! how art thou fooled
331
Out of thy faith, from thy allegiance drawn.
332
Which way soe'er thou tak'st, thou'rt a lost Pawn.

[Exit.]
Finit Actus Primus.

[ACT II] Incipit Secundus.

[SCENE I]

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter White Queen's Pawn with a book in her hand

White Queen's Pawn
1
And here again:
2
[Reads.]
It is the daughter's duty
3
To obey her confessor's command in all things,
4
Without exception or expostulation:
5
'Tis the most general rule that e'er I read of;
6
Yet when I think how boundless virtue is,
7
Goodness and grace, 'tis gently reconciled,
8
And then it appears well to have the power
9
Of the dispenser as uncircumscribed.

Enter Black Bishop's Pawn

Black Bishop's Pawn
10
She's hard upon 't; 'twas the most modest key
11
That I could use to open my intents:
12
What little or no pains goes to some people!
13
Hah! a sealed note! whence this?
[Takes up a letter.]
14
[Reads.]
"To the Black Bishop's Pawn, these." How? to me?
15
Strange! who subscribes it? The Black King: what would he?
(The Letter)
16 [Reads.] "Pawn sufficiently holy, but unmeasurably politic; we had late intelligence from our most industrious servant; famous in all parts of Europe, our Knight of the Black House, that you have at this instant in chase the White Queen's Pawn, and very likely, by the carriage of your game, to entrap and take her: these are therefore to require you, by the burning affection I bear to the rape of devotion, that speedily, upon the surprisal of her, by all watchful advantage you make some attempt upon the White Queen's person, whose fall or prostitution our lust most violently rages for."
17
Sir, after my desire has took a julep
18
For its own inflammation, that yet scorches me,
19
I shall have cooler time to think of yours.
20
Sh'as passed the general rule, the large extent
21
Of our prescriptions for obedience;
22
And yet with what alacrity of soul
23
Her eyes moves on the letters! FFF

White Queen's Pawn
Holy sir,
24
Too long I have missed you; O, your absence starves me!
25
Hasten for time's redemption: worthy sir,
26
Lay your commands as thick and fast upon me
27
As you can speak 'em; how I thirst to hear 'em!
28
Set me to work upon this spacious virtue,
29
Which the poor span of life's too narrow for,
30
Boundless obedience!
31
The humblest yet the mightiest of all duties,
32
Well here set down, a universal goodness.

Black Bishop's Pawn
33
[Aside.]
By holiness of garment, her safe innocence
34
Has frighted the full meaning from itself;
35
She's farder off from understanding now
36
The language of my intent than at first meeting.

White Queen's Pawn
37
For virtue's sake, good sir, command me something;
38
Make trial of my duty in some small service; so
39
And as you find the faith of my obedience there,
40
Then trust it with a greater.

Black Bishop's Pawn
You speak sweetly:
41
I do command you first then —

White Queen's Pawn
With what joy
42
I do prepare my duty!

Black Bishop's Pawn
To meet me,
43
And seal a kiss of love upon my lip.

White Queen's Pawn
44
Hah!

Black Bishop's Pawn
45
At first disobedient! in so little too!
46
How shall I trust you with a greater, then,
47
Which was your own request?

White Queen's Pawn
Pray, send not back
48
My innocence to wound me; be more courteous.
49
I must confess, much like an ignorant plaintiff, who,
50
Presuming on the fair path of his meaning,
51
Goes rashly on, till on a sudden brought
52
Into the wilderness of law by words
53
Dropped unadvisedly, hurts his good cause,
54
And gives his adversary advantage by it, —
55
Apply it you can best, sir. If my obedience
56
And your command can find no better way,
57
Fond men command, and wantons best obey.

Black Bishop's Pawn
58
If I can at that distance send you a blessing,
59
Is it not nearer to you in mine arms?
60
It flies from these lips dealt abroad in parcels;
61
And I, to honour thee above all daughters,
62
Invite thee home to the House, where thou may'st surfeit
63
On that which others miserably pine for;
64
A favour which the daughters of great potentates
65
Would look on envy's colour but to hear.

White Queen's Pawn
66
Good men may err sometimes; you are mistaken sure:
67
If this be virtue's path, 'tis a most strange one;
68
I never came this way before.

Black Bishop's Pawn
That's your ignorance;
69
And therefore shall that idiot still conduct you
70
That knows no way but one, nor ever seeks it?
71
If there be twenty ways to some poor village
72
'Tis strange that virtue should be put to one.
73
Your fear is wondrous faulty; cast it from you;
74
'Twill gather else in time a disobedience
75
Too stubborn for my pardon.

White Queen's Pawn
Have I locked myself
76
At unawares into sin's servitude
77
With more desire of goodness? Is this the top
78
Of all strict order, and the holiest
79
Of all societies, the three-vowed people
80
For poverty, obedience, chastity, —
81
The last the most forgot? When a virgin's ruined,
82
I see the great work of obedience
83
Is better than half finished.

Black Bishop's Pawn
What a stranger
84
Are you to duty grown! What distance keep you!
85
Must I bid you come forward to a happiness
86
Yourself should sue for? 'twas never so with me.
87
I dare not let this stubbornness be known,
88
'Twould bring such fierce hate on you: yet presume not
89
To make that courteous care a privilege
90
For wilful disobedience; it turns then
91
Into the blackness of a curse upon you:
92
Come, come, be nearer.

White Queen's Pawn
Nearer!

Black Bishop's Pawn
Was that scorn?
93
I would not have it prove so for the hopes
94
Of the grand monarchy: if it were like it,
95
Let it not dare to stir abroad again;
96
A stronger ill will cope with 't.

White Queen's Pawn
Bless me, threatens me,
97
And quite dismays the good strength that should help me!
98
I never was so doubtful of my safety.

Black Bishop's Pawn
99
'Twas but my jealousy; forgive me, sweetness:
100
Yours is the house of meekness, and no venom lives
101
Under that roof. Be nearer: why so fearful?.
102
Nearer the altar, the more safe and sacred.

White Queen's Pawn
103
But nearer to the offerer, oft more wicked.

Black Bishop's Pawn
104
A plain and most insufferable contempt!
105
My glory I have lost upon this woman,
106
In freely offering that she should have kneeled
107
A year in vain for; my respect is darkened.
108
Give me my reverence again thou hast robbed me of
109
In thy repulse; thou shalt not carry it hence.

White Queen's Pawn
110
Sir?

Black Bishop's Pawn
111
Thou'rt too great a winner to depart so,
112
And I too deep a loser to give way to it.

White Queen's Pawn
113
O heaven!

Black Bishop's Pawn
Lay me down reputation
114
Before thou stirr'st; thy nice virginity
115
Is recompense too little for my love,
116
'Tis well if I accept of that for both:
117
Thy loss is but thine own, there's art to help thee,
118
And fools to pass thee to; in my discovery
119
The whole Society suffers, and in that
120
The hope of absolute monarchy eclipsed.
121
Assurance thou canst make none for thy secrecy
122
But by thy honour's loss; that act must awe thee.

White Queen's Pawn
123
O my distressed condition!

Black Bishop's Pawn
Dost thou weep?
124
If thou hadst any pity, this necessity
125
Would wring it from thee: I must else destroy thee;
126
We must not trust the policy of Europe
127
Upon a woman's tongue.

White Queen's Pawn
Then take my life, sir,
128
And leave mine honour for my guide to heaven!

Black Bishop's Pawn
129
Take heed I take not both, which I have vowed,
130
Since if longer thou resist me —

White Queen's Pawn
Help! O, help!

Black Bishop's Pawn
131
Art thou so cruel, for an honour's bubble
132
T'undo a whole fraternity, and disperse
133
The secrets of most nations locked in us?

White Queen's Pawn
134
For heaven and virtue's sake!

Black Bishop's Pawn
Must force confound —
(A noise within.)
135
Hah! what's that? — Silence, if fair worth be in thee.

White Queen's Pawn
136
I venture my escape upon all dangers now.

Black Bishop's Pawn
137
Who comes to take me? Let me see that Pawn's face,
138
Or his proud tympanous master, swelled with state-wind,
139
Which being once pricked in the convocation-house,
140
The corrupt air puffs out, and he falls shrivelled.

White Queen's Pawn
141
I will discover thee, arch-hypocrite,
142
To all the kindreds of the earth.

Exit.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Confusion!
143
In that voice rings the alarum of my undoing.
144
How, which way 'scaped she from me?

Enter Black Queen's Pawn

Black Queen's Pawn
Are you mad?
145
Can lust infatuate a man so hopeful?
146
No patience in your blood? the dog-star reigns, sure:
147
Time and fair temper would have wrought her pliant.
148
I spied a Pawn of the White House walk near us,
149
And made that noise o' purpose to give warning —
150
For mine own turn, which end in all I work for.

Black Bishop's Pawn
151
[Aside.]
Methinks I stand over a powder-vault,
152
And the match now a-kindling: what's to be done?

Black Queen's Pawn
153
Ask the Black Bishop's counsel; you're his pawn;
154
'Tis his own case, he will defend you mainly;
155
And happily here he comes, with the Black Knight too.

Enter Black Bishop and Black Knight

Black Bishop
156
O, y'ave made noble work for the White House yonder!
157
This act will fill the adversary's mouth,
158
And blow the Lutherans' cheek till 't crack again.

Black Knight
159
This will advance the great monarchal business
160
In all parts well, and help the agents forward!
161
What I in seven years laboured to accomplish,
162
One minute sets back by some codpiece college still.

Black Bishop's Pawn
163
I dwell not, sir, alone in this default,
164
The Black House yields me partners.

Black Bishop
All more cautelous.

Black Knight
165
Qui caute, caste; that's my motto ever;
166
I have travelled with that word over most kingdoms,
167
And lain safe with most nations; of a leaking bottom,
168
I have been as often tossed on Venus' seas
169
As trimmer, fresher barks, when sounder vessels
170
Have lain at anchor, that is, kept the door.

Black Bishop
171
She has no witness then?

Black Bishop's Pawn
None, none..

Black Knight
Gross! witness?
172
When went a man of his Society
173
To mischief with a witness?

Black Bishop
I have done't then:
174
Away upon the wings of speed! Take post-horse,
175
Cast thirty leagues of earth behind thee suddenly;
176
Leave letters ante-dated with our House
177
Ten days at least from this.

Black Knight
Bishop, I taste thee;
178
Good, strong, episcopal counsel! take a bottle on 't,
179
'Twill serve thee all the journey.

Black Bishop's Pawn
But, good sir,
180
How for my getting forth unspied?

Black Knight
There's check again.

Black Queen's Pawn
181
No, I'll help that.

Black Knight
182
Well said, my bouncing Jesuitess!

Black Queen's Pawn
183
There lies a secret vault.

Black Knight
Away, make haste then!

Black Bishop's Pawn
184
Run for my cabinet of intelligences,
185
For fear they search the house.
[Exit Black Queen's Pawn.]
— Good Bishop, burn 'em rather;
186
I cannot stand to pick 'em now.

Black Bishop
Begone!
187
The danger's all in you.

[Exit Black Bishop's Pawn.]
[Enter Black Queen's Pawn with cabinet]

Black Knight
Let me see, Queen's Pawn:
188
How formally h'as packed up his intelligences!
189
H'as laid 'em all in truckle-beds, methinks,
190
And, like court-harbingers, has writ their names
191
In chalk upon their chambers: Anglica, —
192
O, this is the English House; what news there, trow?
193
Hah, by this hand, most of these are bawdy epistles!
194
Time they were burnt indeed! whole bundles on 'em.
195
Here's from his daughter Blanche and daughter Bridget,
196
From their safe sanctuary in the Whitefriars;
197
These from two tender sisters of Compassion
198
In the bowels of Bloomsbury;
199
Three from the nunnery in Drury Lane.
200
A fire, a fire, good Jesuitess, a fire! —
201
What have you there?

Black Bishop
A note, sir, of state policy,
202
And one exceeding safe one.

Black Knight
Pray, let's see it, sir, —
203
[Reads.]
"To sell away all the powder in a kingdom,
204
To prevent blowing up:" that's safe; I'll able it.
205
Here's a facetious observation now,
206
And suits my humour better; he writes here
207
Some wives in England will commit adultery,
208
And then send to Rome for a bull for their husbands.

Black Bishop
209
Have they those shifts?

Black Knight
210
O, there's no female breathing
211
Sweeter and subtler! — Here, wench, take these papers,
212
Scorch me 'em soundly, burn 'em to French russet,
213
And put 'em in again.

Black Bishop
Why, what's your mystery?

Black Knight
214
O, sir, 'twill mock the adversary strangely,
215
If e'er the House be searched: 'twas done in Venice
216
Upon the Jesuitical expulse there,
217
When the Inquisitors came all spectacled
218
To pick out syllables out of the dung of treason,
219
As children pick out cherry-stones, yet found none
220
But what they made themselves with ends of letters. —
221
Do as I bid you, Pawn.

[Exeunt Black Knight and Black Bishop]

Black Queen's Pawn
Fear not: in all,
222
I love roguery too well to let it fall. —
Enter Black Knight's Pawn
223
How now, what news with you?

Black Knight's Pawn
The sting of conscience
224
Afflicts me so for that inhuman violence
225
On the White Bishop's Pawn, it takes away
226
My joy, my rest.

Black Queen's Pawn
This 'tis to make an eunuch!
227
You made a sport on't then.

Black Knight's Pawn
Cease aggravation:
228
I come to be absolved for 't: where's my confessor?
229
Why dost thou point to the ground?

Black Queen's Pawn
230
'Cause he went that way.
231
Come, come, help me in with this cabinet;
232
And after I have singed these papers throughly,
233
I'll tell thee a strange story.

Black Knight's Pawn
If 't be sad,
234
'Tis welcome.

Black Queen's Pawn
'Tis not troubled with much mirth, sir.

Exeunt.

[SCENE II]

[The Same]
Enter Fat Bishop with a Pawn

Fat Bishop
1
Pawn.

Fat Bishop's Pawn
2
I attend at your great holiness' service.

Fat Bishop
3
For great, I grant you, but for greatly holy,
4
There the soil alters: fat cathedral bodies
5
Have very often but lean little souls,
6
Much like the lady in the lobster's head,
7
A great deal of shell and garbage of all colours,
8
But the pure part, that should take wings and mount,
9
Is at last gasp; as if a man should gape,
10
And from this huge bulk let forth a butterfly,
11
Like those big-bellied mountains, which the poet
12
Delivers, that are brought abed with mouse-flesh.
13
Are my books printed, Pawn, my last invectives
14
Against the Black House?

Fat Bishop's Pawn
Ready for publication,
15
For I saw perfect books this morning, sir.

Fat Bishop
16
Fetch me a few, which I will instantly
17
Distribute 'mongst the White House.

Fat Bishop's Pawn
With all speed, sir.

Exit Fat Bishop's Pawn.

Fat Bishop
18
'Tis a most lordly life to rail at ease,
19
Sit, eat and feed upon the fat of one kingdom,
20
And rail upon another with the juice on 't.
21
I have writ this book out of the strength and marrow
22
Of six and thirty dishes at a meal,
23
But most on 'tout of cullis of cock-sparrows;
24
'Twill stick and glue the faster to the adversary, '
25
'Twill slit the throat of their most calvish cause;
26
And yet I eat but little butcher's meat
27
In the conception.
28
Of all things I commend the White House best
29
For plenty and variety of victuals:
30
When I was one of the Black side professed,
31
My flesh fell half a cubit; time to turn
32
When mine own ribs revolted. But to say true,
33
I have no preferment yet that's suitable
34
To the greatness of my person and my parts:
35
I grant I live at ease, for I am made
36
The master of the beds, the long acre of beds;
37
But there's no marigolds that shuts and opens,
38
Flower-gentles, Venus-baths, apples of love,
39
Pinks, hyacinths, honeysuckles, daffadowndillies:
40
There was a time I had more such drabs than beds;
41
Now I've more beds than drabs;
42
Yet there's no eminent trader deals in wholesale,
43
But she and I have clapped a bargain up,
44
Let in at water-gate, for which I have racked
45
My tenants' purse-strings that they have twanged again.
Enter Black Knight and Black Bishop
46
Yonder Black Knight, the fistula of Europe,
47
Whose disease once I undertook to cure
48
With a High Holborn halter! When he last
49
Vouchsafed to peep into my privileged lodgings,
50
He saw good store of plate there and rich hangings;
51
He knew I brought none to the White House with me:
52
I have not lost the use of my profession
53
Since I turned White-House Bishop.

Enter his Pawn with books

Black Knight
Look, more books yet!
54
Yond greasy, turncoat, gormandising prelate
55
Does work our House more mischief by his scripts,
56
His fat and fulsome volumes, than the whole
57
Body of the adverse party.

Black Bishop
O, 'twere
58
A masterpiece of serpent subtlety
59
To fetch him o' this side again!

Black Knight
And then damn him
60
Into the bag for ever, or expose him
61
Against the adverse party, which now he feeds upon;
62
And that would double-damn him. My revenge
63
Hath prompted me already: I'll confound him
64
On both sides for the physic he provided,
65
And the base surgeon he invented for me.
66
I'II tell you what a most uncatholic jest
67
He put upon me once when my pain tortured me:
68
He told me he had found a present cure for me,
69
Which I grew proud on, and observed him seriously.
70
What think you 'twas? being execution-day,
71
He showed the hangman to me out at window,
72
The common hangman!

Black Bishop
O, insufferable!

Black Knight
73
I'll make him the balloon-ball of the churches,
74
And both the sides shall toss him: he looks like one,
75
A thing swelled up with mingled drink and urine,
76
And will bound well from one side to another.
77
Come, you shall write; our second bishop absent,
78
(Which has yet no employment in the game,
79
Perhaps nor ever shall; it may be won
80
Without his motion, it rests most in ours,)
81
He shall be flattered with sede vacante;
82
Make him believe he comes into his place,
83
And that will fetch him with a vengeance to us;
84
For I know powder is not more ambitious
85
When the match meets it, than his mind, for mounting;
86
As covetous and lecherous —

Black Bishop
No more now, sir;
Enter both Houses
87
Both the sides fill.

White King
88
This has been looked for long.

Fat Bishop
89
The stronger sting it shoots into the blood
90
Of the Black adversary: I am ashamed now
91
I was theirs ever; what a lump was I
92
When I was led in ignorance and blindness!
93
I must confess,
94
I've all my lifetime played the fool till now.

Black Knight
95
And now he plays two parts, the fool and knave.

Fat Bishop
96
There is my recantation in the last leaf,
97
Writ, like a Ciceronian, in pure Latin.

White Bishop
98
Pure honesty, the plainer Latin serves then.

Black Knight
99
Plague on those pestilent pamphlets! those are they
100
That would our cause to the heart.

Black Bishop
Here comes more anger.

Enter White Queen's Pawn

Black Knight
101
But we come well provided for this storm.

White Queen
102
Is this my Pawn, she that should guard our person,
103
Or some pale figure of dejection
104
Her shape usurping? Sorrow and affrightment
105
Has prevailed strangely with her.

White Queen's Pawn
King of integrity,
106
Queen of the same, and all the House, professors
107
Of noble candour, uncorrupted justice,
108
And truth of heart, through my alone discovery —
109
My life and honour wondrously preserved —
110
I bring into your knowledge with my sufferings,
111
Fearful affrightments, and heart-killing terrors:
112
The great incendiary of Christendom,
113
The absolut'st abuser of true sanctity,
114
Fair peace, and holy order, can be found
115
In any part of the universal globe;
116
Who, making meek devotion keep the door, —
117
His lips being full of holy zeal at first, —
118
Would have committed a foul rape upon me.

White Queen
119
Ha!

White King
120
A rape? that's foul indeed; the very sound
121
To our ear fouler than the offence itself
122
To some kings of the earth.

White Queen's Pawn
123
Sir, to proceed, —
124
Gladly I offered life to preserve honour,
125
Which would not be accepted without both,
126
The chief of his ill aim being at my honour;
127
Till heaven was pleased, by some unlooked-for accident,
128
To give me courage to redeem myself.

White King
129
When we find desperate sins in ill men's companies,
130
We place a charitable sorrow there,
131
But custom, and their leprous inclination,
132
Quits us of wonder, for our expectation
133
Is answered in their lives; but to find sin,
134
Ay, and a masterpiece of darkness, sheltered
135
Under a robe of sanctity, is able
136
To draw all wonder to that monster only,
137
And leave created monsters unadmired.
138
The pride of him that took first fall for pride
139
Is to be angel-shaped, and imitate
140
The form from whence he fell; but this offender,
141
Far baser than sin's master, fixed by vow
142
To holy order, which is angels' method,
143
Takes pride to use that shape to be a devil.
144
It grieves me that my knowledge must be tainted
145
With his infected name:
146
O, rather with thy finger point him out!

White Queen's Pawn
147
The place which he should fill is void, my lord,
148
His guilt hath seized him, — the Black Bishop's Pawn.

Black Bishop
149
Ha! mine? my Pawn? the glory of his order,
150
The prime and president zealot of the earth?
151
Impudent Pawn, for thy sake at that's minute
152
Modesty suffers, all that's virtuous blushes,
153
And truth's self, like the sun vexed with a mist,
154
Looks red with anger.

White Bishop
155
Be not you drunk with rage too.

Black Bishop
156
Sober sincerity, nor you with a cup
157
Spiced with hypocrisy.

White Knight
158
You name there, Bishop,
159
But your own Christmas-bowl, your morning's draught,
160
Next your episcopal heart all the twelve days,
161
Which smack you cannot leave all the year following.

Black Knight
162
[Aside.]
A shrewd retort!
163
H'as made our Bishop smell of burning too:
164
Would I stood farder off! were't no impeachment
165
To my honour or the game, would they'd play faster! —
166
White Knight, there is acknowledged from our House
167
A reverence to you, and a respect
168
To that loved Duke stands next you: with the favour
169
Of the White King and the 'forenamed respected,
170
I combat with this cause. If with all speed, —
171
Waste not one syllable, unfortunate Fawn,
172
Of what I speak, — thou dost not plead distraction,
173
A plea which will but faintly take thee off, neither,
174
From this leviathan-scandal that lies rolling
175
Upon the crystal waters or devotion;
176
Or, what may quit thee more, though enough nothing,
177
Fall down and foam, and by that pang discover
178
The vexing spirit of falsehood strong within thee,
179
Make thyself ready for perdition:
180
There's no remove in all the game to 'scape it;
181
This Pawn or this, the Bishop or myself,
182
Will take thee in the end, play how thou canst.

White Queen's Pawn
183
Spite of sin's glorious ostentation,
184
And all loud threats, those thunder-cracks of pride,
185
Ushering a storm of malice; House of impudence,
186
Craft, and equivocation, my true cause
187
Shall keep the path it treads in.

Black Knight
I play thus, then:
188
Now in the hearing of this high assembly
189
Bring forth the time of this attempt's conception.

White Queen's Pawn
190
Conception? O, how tenderly you handle it!

White Bishop
191
It seems, Black Knight, you are afraid to touch it.

Black Knight
192
Well, its eruption: will you have it so then?
193
Or you, White Bishop, for her? the uncleaner,
194
Vile, and more impious that you urge the strain to,
195
The greater will her shame's heap show i' th' end,
196
And the wronged, meek man's glory. — The time, Pawn?

White Queen's Pawn
197
Yesterday's cursèd evening.

Black Knight
O the treasure
198
Of my revenge! I cannot spend all on thee,
199
Ruin to spare for all thy kindred too:
200
For honour's sake call in more slanderers;
201
I have such plentiful confusion,
202
I know not how to waste it. I 'II be nobler yet,
203
And put her to her own House. — King of meekness,
204
Take the cause to thee, for our hand's too heavy;
205
Our proofs will fall upon her like a tower,
206
And grind her bones to powder.

White Queen's Pawn
What new engine
207
Has the devil raised in him now?

Black Knight
Is it he,
208
And that the time? Stand firm now to your scandal,
209
Pray, do not shift your slander.

White Queen's Pawn
Shift your treacheries;
210
They've worn one suit too long.

Black Knight
That holy man,
211
So wrongfully accused by this lost Pawn,
212
Hath not been seen these ten days in these parts.

White Knight
213
How?

Black Knight
214
Nay, at this instant thirty leagues from hence.

White Queen's Pawn
215
Fathomless falsehood! will it 'scape unblasted?

White King
216
Can you make this appear?

Black Knight
Light is not clearer;
217
By his own letters, most impartial monarch.

White King's Pawn
218
How wrongfully may sacred virtue suffer, sir!

Black Knight
219
Bishop, we have a treasure of that false heart.

White King
220
Step forth, and reach those proofs.

[Exit Black Knight's Pawn, who presently returns with papers.]

White Queen's Pawn
Amazement covers me!
221
Can I be so forsaken of a cause
222
So strong in truth and equity? Will virtue
223
Send me no aid in this hard time of friendship?

Black Knight
224
There's an infallible staff and a red hat
225
Reserved for you.

White King's Pawn
O, sir endeared!

Black Knight
A staff
226
That will not easily break; you may trust to it;
227
And such a one had your corruption need of;
228
There's a state-fig for you now.

White King
Behold all,
229
How they cohere in one! I always held
230
A charity so good to holiness
231
Professed, I ever believed rather
232
The accuser false than the professor vicious.

Black Knight
233
A charity, like all your virtues else,
234
Gracious and glorious.

White King
235
Where settles the offence,
236
Let the fault's punishment be derived from thence:
237
We leave her to your censure.

Black Knight
Most just majesty!

[Exeunt White King, White Queen, White Bishop, and White King's Pawn; Fat Bishop and Fat Bishop's Pawn.]

White Queen's Pawn
238
Calamity of virtue! my Queen leave me too!
239
Am I cast off as th' olive casts her flower?
240
Poor harmless innocence, art thou left a prey
241
To the devourer?

White Knight
No, thou art not lost,
242
Let 'em put on their bloodiest resolutions,
243
If the fair policy I aim at prospers. —
244
Thy counsel, noble Duke!

White Duke
For that work cheerfully.

White Knight
245
A man for speed now!

White Bishop's Pawn
Let it be my honour, sir;
246
Make me that flight, that owes her my life's service.

Exeunt [White Knight, White Duke, and White Bishop's Pawn.]

Black Knight
247
Was not this brought about well for our honours?

Black Bishop
248
Pish, that Galician sconce can work out wonders.

Black Knight
249
Let's use her as, upon the like discovery,
250
A maid was used at Venice; every one
251
Be ready with a penance. — Begin, majesty. —
252
Vessel of foolish scandal, take thy freight:
253
Had there been in that cabinet of niceness
254
Half the virginities of the earth locked up,
255
And all swept at one cast by the dexterity
256
Of a Jesuitical gamester, 't had not valued
257
The least part of that general worth thou hast tainted.

Black King
258
First, I enjoin thee to a three days' fast for 't.

Black Queen
259
You're too penurious, sir; I'll make it four.

Black Bishop
260
I to a twelve hours' kneeling at one time.

Black Knight
261
And in a room fillèd all with Aretine's pictures,
262
More than the twice-twelve labours of luxury:
263
Thou shalt not see so much as the chaste pommel
264
Of Lucrece' dagger peeping; nay, I'll punish thee
265
For a discoverer, I'll torment thy modesty.

Black Duke
266
After that four days' fast, to the Inquisition-house,
267
Strengthened with bread and water for worse penance.

Black Knight
268
Why, well said, duke of our House, nobly aggravated!

White Queen's Pawn
269
Virtue, to show her influence more strong,
270
Fits me with patience mightier than my wrong.

Exeunt.
Finit Actus Secundus.

[ACT III] Incipit Tertius.

[SCENE I]

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter Fat Bishop

Fat Bishop
1
I know my pen draws blood of the Black House,
2
There's never a book I write but their cause bleeds;
3
It hath lost many an ounce of reputation
4
Since I came of this side; I strike deep in,
5
And leave the orifex gushing where I come,
6
But where's my advancement all this while I ha' gaped for?
7
I'd have some round preferment, corpulent dignity,
8
That bears some breadth and compass in the gift on 't:
9
I am persuaded that this flesh would fill
10
The biggest chair ecclesiastical,
11
If it were put to trial.
12
To be made master of an hospital
13
Is but a kind of diseased bed-rid honour;
14
Or dean of the poor alms-knights that wear badges:
15
There's but two lazy, beggarly preferments
16
In the White Kingdom, and I have got 'em both:
17
My merit doth begin to be crop-sick
18
For want of other titles.

Enter Black Knight

Black Knight
19
[Aside.]
O, here walks
20
His fulsome holiness: now for the master-trick
21
T'undo him everlastingly, that's put home,
22
And make him hang in hell most seriously
23
That jested with a halter upon me.

Fat Bishop
24
[Aside.]
The Black Knight! I must look to my play then.

Black Knight
25
I bring fair greetings to your reverend virtues
26
From Cardinal Paulus, your most princely kinsman.

[Gives a letter.]

Fat Bishop
27
Our princely kinsman, say'st thou? we accept 'em.
28
Pray, keep your side and distance; I am chary
29
Of my episcopal person:
30
I know the Knight's walk in this game too well;
31
He may skip over me; and where am I then?

Black Knight
32
[Aside.]
There where thou shalt be shortly, if art fail not.

The Letter.

Fat Bishop
33"Right reverend and noble," — meaning ourself, — "our true kinsman in blood, but alienated in affection, your unkind disobedience to the mother cause proves at this time the only cause of your ill fortune: my present remove by election to the papal dignity had now auspiciously settled you in my sede vacante" — ha! had it so? — ''which at my next remove by death might have proved your step to supremacy."
34
How! all my body's blood mounts to my face
35
To look upon this letter.

Black Knight
[Aside.]
The pill works with him.

Fat Bishop
36 [Reads.] “Think on't seriously; it is not yet too late, thorough the submiss acknowledgment of your disobedience, to be lovingly received into the brotherly bosom of the conclave. "
37
[Aside.]
This was the chair of ease I ever aimed at.
38
I'll make a bonfire of my books immediately;
39
All that are left against that side I'll sacrifice;
40
Pack up my plate and goods, and steal away
41
By night at water-gate. It is but penning
42
Another recantation, and inventing
43
Two or three bitter books against the White House,
44
And then I'm in on t'other side again
45
As firm as e'er I was, as fat and flourishing. —
46
Black Knight, expect a wonder ere 't be long,
47
You shall see me one of the Black House shortly.

Black Knight
48
Your holiness is merry with the messenger;
49
Too happy to be true; you speak what should be,
50
If natural compunction touched you truly.
51
O, y'ave drawn blood, life-blood, the blood of honour,
52
From your most dear, your primitive mother's heart!
53
Your sharp invectives have been points of spears
54
In her sweet tender sides! The unkind wounds
55
Which a son gives, a son of reverence 'specially,
56
They rankle ten times more than the adversary's:
57
I tell you, sir, your reverend revolt
58
Did give the fearfull'st blow to adoration
59
Our cause e'er felt; it shook the very statues,
60
The urns and ashes of the sainted sleepers.

Fat Bishop
61
Forbear, or I shall melt in the place I stand,
62
And let forth a fat bishop in sad syrup:
63
Suffices I am yours, when they least dream on 't;
64
Ambition's fodder, power and riches, draws me:
65
When I smell honour, that's the lock of hay
66
That leads me through the world's field every way.

Exit.

Black Knight
67
Here's a sweet paunch to propagate belief on,
68
Like the foundation of a chapel laid
69
Upon a quagmire! I may number him now
70
Amongst my inferior policies, and not shame 'em.
71
But let me a little solace my designs
72
With the remembrance of some brave ones past,
73
To cherish the futurity of project,
74
Whose motion must be restless till that great work,
75
Called the possession of the world, be ours.
76
Was it not I procured a precious safeguard
77
From the White Kingdom to secure our coasts
78
'Gainst the infidel pirate, under pretext
79
Of more necessitous expedition?
80
Who made the jails fly open, without miracle,
81
And let the locusts out, those dangerous flies,
82
Whose property is to burn corn with touching?
83
The heretic granaries feel it to this minute:
84
And now they have got amongst the country crops,
85
They stick so fast to the converted ears,
86
The loudest tempest that authority rouses
87
Will hardly shake 'em off: they have their dens
88
In ladies' couches — there's safe groves and fens!
89
Nay, were they followed and found out by th' scent,
90
Palm-oil will make a pursuivant relent.
91
Whose policy was't to put a silenced muzzle
92
On all the barking tongue-men of the time?
93
Made pictures, that were dumb enough before,
94
Poor sufferers in that politic restraint?
95
My light spleen skips and shakes my ribs to think on 't.
96
Whilst our drifts walked uncensured but in thought,
97
A whistle or a whisper would be questioned
98
In the most fortunate angle of the world.
99
The court has held the city by the horns
100
Whilst I have milked her: I have had good sops too
101
From country ladies for their liberties,
102
From some for their most vainly-hoped preferments,
103
High offices in the air. I should not live
104
But for this mel aerium, this mirth-manna.
Enter his Pawn
105
My Pawn! — How now, the news?

Black Knight's Pawn
106
Expect none very pleasing
107
That comes, sir, of my bringing; I'm for sad things.

Black Knight
108
Thy conscience is so tender-hoofed of late,
109
Every nail pricks it.

Black Knight's Pawn
This may prick yours too,
110
If there be any quick flesh in a yard on 't.

Black Knight
111
Mine?
112
Mischief must find a deep nail, and a driver
113
Beyond the strength of any Machiavel
114
The politic kingdoms fatten, to reach mine.
115
Prithee, compunction needle-pricked, a little
116
Unbind this sore wound.

Black Knight's Pawn
117
Sir, your plot's discovered.

Black Knight
118
Which of the twenty thousand and nine hundred
119
Four score and five? canst tell?

Black Knight's Pawn
Bless us, so many!
120
How do poor countrymen have but one plot
121
To keep a cow on, yet in law for that?
122
You cannot know 'em all, sure, by their names, sir.

Black Knight
123
Yes, were their number trebled: thou hast seen
124
A globe stands on the table in my closet?

Black Knight's Pawn
125
A thing, sir, full of countries and hard words?

Black Knight
126
True, with lines drawn, some tropical, some oblique.

Black Knight's Pawn.
127
I can scarce read, I was brought up in blindness.

Black Knight
128
Just such a thing, if e'er my skull be opened,
129
Will my brains look like.

Black Knight's Pawn
Like a globe of countries?

Black Knight
130
Ay, and some master-politician,
131
That has sharp state-eyes, will go near to pick out
132
The plots, and every climate where they fastened;
133
'Twill puzzle 'em too.

Black Knight's Pawn
134
I'm of your mind for that, sir.

Black Knight
135
They’ll find 'em to fall thick upon some countries;
136
They'd need use spectacles: but I turn to you now;
137
What plot is that discovered?

Black Knight's Pawn
Your last brat, sir,
138
Begot 'twixt the Black Bishop and yourself,
139
Your ante-dated letters 'bout the Jesuit.

Black Knight
Discovered! how?

Black Knight's Pawn
140
The White Knight's policy has outstripped yours, it seems,
141
Joined with th' assistant counsel of his Duke:
142
The Bishop's White Pawn undertook the journey,
143
Who, as they say, discharged it like a flight,
144
Ay, made him for the business fit and light.

Black Knight
145
'Tis but a bawdy Pawn out of the way a little;
146
Enow of them in all parts.

Enter Black Bishop and both the Houses

Black Bishop
You have heard all then?

Black Knight
147
The wonder's past with me; but some shall down for 't.

White Knight
148
Set free that virtuous Pawn from all her wrongs;
149
Let her be brought with honour to the face
150
Of her malicious adversaries.

[Exit White King's Pawn.]

Black Knight
Good.

White King
151
Noble chaste Knight, a title of that candour
152
The greatest prince on earth without impeachment
153
May have the dignity of his worth comprised in,
154
This fair delivering act Virtue will register
155
In that white book of the defence of virgins,
156
Where the clear fames of all preserving knights
157
Are to eternal memory consecrated;
158
And we embrace, as partner of that honour,
159
This worthy Duke, the counsel of the act,
160
Whom we shall ever place in our respect.

White Duke
161
Most blest of kings, throned in all royal graces,
162
Every good deed sends back its own reward
163
Into the bosom of the enterpriser;
164
But you to express yourself as well to be
165
King of munificence as integrity,
166
Adds glory to the gift.

White King
Thy deserts claim it,
167
Zeal, and fidelity. — Appear, thou beauty
168
Of truth and innocence, best ornament
169
Of patience, thou that mak'st thy sufferings glorious!

[Enter White King's Pawn with White Queen's Pawn]

Black Knight
170
[Aside.]
I'll take no knowledge on 't. — What makes she here?
171
How dares yond Pawn unpenanced, with a cheek
172
Fresh as her falsehood yet, where castigation
173
Has left no pale print of her visiting anguish,
174
Appear in this assembly? — Let me alone:
175
Sin must be bold; that's all the grace 'tis born to.

White Knight
176
What's this?

White King
I'm wonder-struck!

White Queen's Pawn
177
Assist me, goodness!
178
I shall to prison again.

Black Knight
[Aside.]
At least I have mazed 'em,
179
Scattered their admiration of her innocence,
180
As the fired ships put in severed the fleet
181
In eighty-eight: I'll on with 't; impudence
182
Is mischief's patrimony. — Is this justice?
183
Is injured reverence no sharplier righted?
184
I ever held that majesty impartial
185
That, like most equal heaven, looks on the manners,
186
Not on the shapes they shroud in.

White King
That Black Knight
187
Will never take an answer; 'tis a victory
188
To make him understand he does amiss,
189
When he knows in his own clear understanding
190
That he does nothing else. Show him the testimony,
191
Confirmed by good men, how that foul attempter
192
Got but this morning to the place from whence
193
He dated his forged lines for ten days past.

Black Knight
194
Why, may not that corruption sleep in this
195
By some connivance, as you have waked in ours
196
By too rash confidence?

White Duke
I'll undertake
197
That Knight shall teach the devil how to lie.

White Knight
198
If sin were half so wise as impudent,
199
She'd ne'er seek farder for an advocate.

Enter Black Queen's Pawn

Black Queen's Pawn
200
[Aside.]
Now to act treachery with an angel's tongue:
201
Since all's come out, I'll bring him strangely in again.
202
Where is this injured chastity, this goodness
203
Whose worth no transitory piece can value?
204
This rock of constant and invincible virtue,
205
That made sin's tempest weary of his fury?

Black Queen
206
What, is my Pawn distracted?

Black Knight
I think rather
207
There is some notable masterprize of roguery
208
This drum strikes up for.

Black Queen's Pawn
Let me fall with reverence
209
Before this blessed altar.

Black Queen
This is madness.

Black Knight
210
Well, mark the end; I stand for roguery still,
211
I will not change my side.

Black Queen's Pawn
I shall be taxed, I know;
212
I care not what the Black House thinks of me.

Black Queen
213
What say you now?

Black Knight
I will not be unlaid yet.

Black Queen's Pawn
214
How any censure flies, I honour sanctity;
215
That is my object, I intend no other:
216
I saw this glorious and most valiant virtue
217
Fight the most noblest combat with the devil.

Black Knight
218
If both the Bishops had been there for seconds,
219
'T'ad been a complete duel.

White King
Then thou heard'st
220
The violence intended?

Black Queen's Pawn
'Tis a truth
221
I joy to justify: I was an agent, sir,
222
On virtue's part, and raised that confused noise
223
That startled his attempt, and gave her liberty.

White Queen's Pawn
224
O, 'tis a righteous story she has told, sir!
225
My life and fame stand mutually engaged
226
Both to the truth and goodness of this Pawn.

White King
227
Does it appear to you yet clear as the sun?

Black Knight
228
'Las, I believed it long before 'twas done!

Black King
229
Degenerate —

Black Queen
Base —

Black Bishop
Perfidious —

Black Duke
Trait'rous Pawn!

Black Queen's Pawn
230
What, are you all beside yourselves?

Black Knight
231
But I;
232
Remember that, Pawn.

Black Queen's Pawn
233
May a fearful barrenness
234
Blast both my hopes and pleasures, if I brought not
235
Her ruin in my pity! a new trap
236
For her more sure confusion.

Black Knight
Have I won now?
237
Did not I say 'twas craft and machination?
238
I smelt conspiracy all the way it went,
239
Although the mess were covered; I'm so used to it.

Black King
240
That Queen would I fain finger.

Black Knight
You're too hot, sir;
241
If she were took, the game would be ours quickly:
242
My aim's at that White Knight; entrap him first,
243
The Duke will follow, too.

Black Bishop
I would that Bishop
244
Were in my diocese! I'd soon change his whiteness.

Black Knight
245
Sir, I could whip you up a Pawn immediately;
246
I know where my game stands.

Black King
Do it suddenly;
247
Advantage least must not be lost in this play.

Black Knight
248
Pawn, thou art ours.

[Seizes White King's Pawn.]

White Knight
He's taken by default,
249
By wilful negligence. Guard the sacred persons;
250
Look well to the White Bishop, for that Pawn
251
Gave guard to the Queen and him in the third place.

Black Knight
252
See what sure piece you lock your confidence in!
253
I made this Pawn here by corruption ours,
254
As soon as honour by creation yours.
255
This whiteness upon him is but the leprosy
256
Of pure dissimulation: view him now,
257
His heart and his intents are of our colour.

His upper garment taken off, he appears black underneath.

White Knight
258
Most dangerous hypocrite!

White Queen
One made against us!

White Duke
259
His truth of their complexion!

White King
Has my goodness
260
Clemency, love, and favour gracious, raised thee
261
From a condition next to popular labour,
262
Took thee from all the dubitable hazards
263
Of fortune, her most unsecure adventures,
264
And grafted thee into a branch of honour,
265
And dost thou fall from the top-bough by the rottenness
266
Of thy alone corruption, like a fruit
267
That's over-ripened by the beams of favour?
268
Let thy own weight reward thee; I have forgot thee:
269
Integrity of life is so dear to me,
270
Where I find falsehood or a crying trespass,
271
Be it in any whom our grace shines most on,
272
I'd tear 'em from my heart.

White Bishop
273
Spoke like heaven's substitute!

White King
274
You have him, we can spare him; and his shame
275
Will make the rest look better to their game.

Black Knight
276
The more cunning we must use then.

Black King
277
We shall match you,
278
Play how you can, perhaps and mate you too.

Fat Bishop
279
Is there so much amazement spent on him
280
That's but half black? there might be hope of that man;
281
But how will this House wonder if I stand forth
282
And show a whole one, instantly discover
283
One that's all black, where there's no hope at all!

White King
284
I'll say, thy heart then justifies thy books;
285
I long for that discovery.

Fat Bishop
Look no farder then:
286
Bear witness, all the House, I am the man,
287
And turn myself into the Black House freely;
288
I am of this side now.

White Knight
Monster ne'er matched him!

Black King
289
This is your noble work, Knight.

Black Knight
Now I'll halter him.

Fat Bishop
290
Next news you hear, expect my books against you,
291
Printed at Douay, Brussels, or Spalato.

White King
292
See his goods seized on!.

Fat Bishop
'Las, they were all conveyed
293
Last night by water to a tailor's house,
294
A friend of the Black cause.

White Knight
A prepared hypocrite!

White Duke
295
Premeditated turncoat!

Exeunt [White King, White Queen, White Knight, White Duke, and White Bishop.]

Fat Bishop
Yes, rail on;
296
I'll reach you in my writings when I'm gone.

Black Knight
297
Flatter him a while with honours till we put him
298
Upon some dangerous service, and then burn him.

Black King
299
This came unlooked for.

Black Duke
How we joy to see you!

Fat Bishop
300
Now I'll discover all the White House to you.

Black Duke
301
Indeed, that will both reconcile and raise you.

[Exeunt Black King, Black Queen, Black Duke, Black Bishop, and F. Bishop.]

White King's Pawn
302
I rest upon you, Knight, for my advancement.

Black Knight
303
O, for the staff, the strong staff that will hold,
304
And the red hat, fit for the guilty mazzard?
305
Into the empty bag know thy first way:
306
Pawns that are lost are ever out of play.

White King's Pawn
307
How's this? .

Black Knight
No replications, you know me:
308
No doubt ere long you'll have more company;
309
The bag is big enough, 'twill hold us all.

Exeunt [Black Knight, White King's Pawn, and Black Knight's Pawn.]

White Queen's Pawn
310
I sue to thee, prithee be one of us!
311
Let my love win thee: thou hast done truth this day
312
And yesterday my honour noble service;
313
The best Pawn of our House could not transcend it.

Black Queen's Pawn
314
My pity flamed with zeal, especially
315
When I foresaw your marriage, then it mounted.

White Queen's Pawn
316
How! marriage?

Black Queen's Pawn
That contaminating act
317
Would have spoiled all your fortunes — a rape! God bless us!

White Queen's Pawn
318
Thou talk'st of marriage!

Black Queen's Pawn
Yes, yes, you do marry;
319
I saw the man.

White Queen's Pawn
320
The man!

Black Queen's Pawn
321
An absolute handsome gentleman, a complete one, -
322
You'll say so when you see him, — heir to three red hats,
323
Besides his general hopes in the Black House.

White Queen's Pawn
324
Why, sure thou'rt much mistaken for this man;
325
Why, I have promised single life to all my affections.

Black Queen's Pawn
326
Promise you what you will, or I or all on's,
327
There's a Fate rules and overrules us all, methinks.

White Queen's Pawn
328
Why, how came you to see or know this mystery?

Black Queen's Pawn
329
A magical glass I bought of an Egyptian,
330
Whose stone retains that speculative virtue,
331
Presented the man to me: your name brings him
332
As often as I use it; and methinks
333
I never have enough, person and postures
334
Are all so pleasing.

White Queen's Pawn
This is wondrous strange!
335
The faculties of soul are still the same;
336
I can feel no one motion tend that way.

Black Queen's Pawn
337
We do not always feel our faith we live by,
338
Nor ever see our growth, yet both work upward.

White Queen's Pawn
339
'Twas well applied; but may I see him too?

Black Queen's Pawn
340
Surely you may, without all doubt or fear,
341
Observing the right use, as I was taught it,
342
Not looking back or questioning the spectre.

White Queen's Pawn
343
That's no hard observation; trust it with me:
344
Is't possible? I long to see this man.

Black Queen's Pawn
345
Pray follow me, then, and I'll ease you instantly.

Exeunt.

[SCENE II]

Enter a Black Jesting Pawn

Black Jesting Pawn
1
I would so fain take one of these White Pawns now!
2
I'd make him do all under-drudgery,
3
Feed him with asses' milk crumbed with goats' cheese,
4
And all the whitemeats could be devised for him;
Enter a White Pawn
5
So make him my white jennet when I prance it.
6
After the Black Knight's litter.

White Pawn
And you would look then
7
Just like the devil striding o'er a nightmare
8
Made of a miller's daughter.

Black Jesting Pawn
A pox on you,
9
Were you so near? I'm taken, like a blackbird
10
In the great snow, this White Pawn grinning over me.

White Pawn
11
And now because I will not foul my clothes
12
Ever hereafter, for white quickly soils, you know —

Black Jesting Pawn
13
I prithee, get thee gone, then; I shall smut thee.

White Pawn
14
Nay, I'll put that to venture; now I have snapped thee,
15
Thou shalt do all the dirty drudgery
16
That slavery was e'er put to.

Black Jesting Pawn
I shall cozen you:
17
You may chance come and find your work undone then,
18
For I'm too proud to labour, — I'll starve first;
19
I tell you that beforehand.

White Pawn
I will fit you then
20
With a black whip, that shall not be behind-hand.

Black Jesting Pawn
21
Pugh, I have been used to whipping; I have whipped
22
Myself three mile out of town in a morning; and
23
I can fast a fortnight, and make all your meat
24
Stink and lie on your hands.

White Pawn
To prevent that,
25
Your food shall be blackberries, and upon gaudy-days
26
A pickled spider, cut out like an anchovis:
27
I'm not to learn a monkey's ordinary.
28
Come, sir, will you frisk?

Enter a Second Black Pawn

Second Black Pawn
29
Soft, soft, you! you have no
30
Such bargain on 't, if you look well about you.

White Pawn
31
By this hand,
32
I am snapped too, a Black Pawn in the breech of me!
33
We three look like a bird-spit, a white chick
34
Between two russet woodcocks.

Black Jesting Pawn
I'm glad of this!

White Pawn
35
But you shall have but small cause, for I'll firk you.

Second Black Pawn
36
Then I'll firk you again.

White Pawn
And I'll firk him again.

Black Jesting Pawn
37
Mass, here will be old firking! I shall have
38
The worst on 't; I can firk nobody.
39
We draw together now for all the world
40
Like three flies with one straw thorough their buttocks.

Exeunt.

[SCENE III]

[A Chamber, with a large Mirror]
Enter Black Queen's Pawn and White Queen's Pawn

Black Queen's Pawn
1
This is the room he did appear to me in;
2
And, look you, this the magical glass that showed him.

White Queen's Pawn
3
I find no motion yet: what should I think on 't?
4
A sudden fear invades me, a faint trembling,
5
Under this omen,
6
As is oft felt the panting of a turtle
7
Under a stroking band.

Black Queen's Pawn
That bodes good luck still,
8
Sign you shall change state speedily; for that trembling
9
Is always the first symptom of a bride.
10
For any vainer fears that may accompany
11
His apparition, by my truth to friendship,
12
I quit you of the least; never was object
13
More gracefully presented; the very air
14
Conspires to do him honour, and creates
15
Sweet vocal sounds, as if a bridegroom entered;
16
Which argues the blest harmony of your loves.

White Queen's Pawn
17
And will the using of my name produce him?

Black Queen's Pawn
18
Nay, of yours only, else the wonder halted:
19
To clear you of that doubt, I'll put the difference
20
In practice, the first thing I do, and make
21
His invocation in the name of others.

White Queen's Pawn
22
'Twill satisfy me much, that.

Black Queen's Pawn
It shall be done. —
The Invocation
23
Thou, whose gentle form and face
24
Filled lately this Egyptic glass,
25
By the imperious powerful name
26
And the universal fame
27
Of the mighty Black-House Queen,
28
I conjure thee lo be seen! —
29
What, see you nothing yet?

White Queen's Pawn
Not any part:
30
Pray, try another.

Black Queen's Pawn
You shall have your will. —
31
I double my command and power,
32
And at the instant of this hour
33
Invoke thee in the White Queen's name,
34
With stay for time, and shape the same. —
35
What see you yet?

White Queen's Pawn
There's nothing shows at all.

Black Queen's Pawn
36
My truth reflects the clearer then: now fix
37
And bless your fair eyes with your own for ever. —
38
Thou well-composed, by Fate's hand drawn
39
To enjoy the White Queen's Pawn,
40
Of whom thou shalt, by virtue met,
41
Many graceful issues get;
42
By the beauty of her fame,
43
By the whiteness of her name,
44
By her fair and fruitful love,
45
By her truth that mates the dove,
46
By the meekness of her mind,
47
By the softness of her kind,
48
By the lustre of her grace, —
49
By all these thou art summoned to this place! —
50
Hark; how the air, enchanted with your praises
51
And his approach, those words to sweet notes raises!

Music: Enter the Jesuit in rich attire, like an apparition; presents himself before the glass; then exit.

White Queen's Pawn
52
O, let him stay a while! a little longer!

Black Queen's Pawn
53
That's a good hearing.

White Queen's Pawn
54
If he be mine, why should he part so soon?

Black Queen's Pawn
55
Why, this is but the shadow of yours. How do you?

White Queen's Pawn
56
O, I did ill to give consent to see it!
57
What certainty is in our blood or state?
58
What we still write is blotted out by fate;
59
Our wills are like a cause that is law-tossed,
60
What one court orders, is by another crossed.

Black Queen's Pawn
61
I find no fit place for this passion here,
62
'Tis merely an intruder. He is a gentleman
63
Most wishfully composed; honour grows on him,
64
And wealth pil'd up for him; h'as youth enough, too,
65
And yet in the sobriety of his countenance
66
Grave as a tetrarch, which is gracious
67
In the eye of modest pleasure. Where's the emptiness?
68
What can you more request?

White Queen's Pawn
I do not know
69
What answer yet to make; it does require
70
A meeting 'twixt my fear and my desire.

Black Queen's Pawn
71
[Aside.]
She's caught, and, which is strange, by her most wronger.

Exeunt.
Finit Actus Tertius.

[ACT IV] Incipit Quartus.

[SCENE I]

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter Black Knight's Pawn meeting the Black Bishop's Pawn richly accoutred

Black Knight's Pawn
1
[Aside.]
'Tis he, my cónfessor; he might ha' passed me
2
Seven year together, had I not by chance
3
Advanced mine eye upon that lettered hat-band,
4
The Jesuitical symbol to be known by,
5
Worn by the brave collegians with consent:
6
'Tis a strange habit for a holy father,
7
A President of poverty especially;
8
But we, the sons and daughters of obedience,
9
Dare not once think awry, but must confess ourselves
10
As humbly to the father of that feather,
11
Long spur, and poniard, as to the alb and altar,
12
And happy we're so highly graced to attain to 't. —
13
Holy and reverend!

Black Bishop's Pawn
How! hast found me out?

Black Knight's Pawn
14
O sir, put on the sparkling'st trim of glory,
15
Perfection will shine foremost; and I knew you
16
By the catholical mark you wear about you,
17
The mark above your forehead.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Are you grown
18
So ambitious in your observance? Well, your business?
19
I have my game to follow.

Black Knight's Pawn
I have a worm
20
Follows me so, that I can follow no game:
21
The most faint-hearted pawn, if he could see his play,
22
Might snap me up at pleasure. I desire, sir,
23
To be absolved: my conscience being at ease,
24
I could then with more courage play my game.

Black Bishop's Pawn
25
'Twas a base fact.

Black Knight's Pawn
26
'Twas to a schismatic pawn, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
27
What's that to the nobility of revenge?
28
Suffices I have neither will nor power
29
To give you absolution for that violence.
30
Make your petition to the Penance-chamber:
31
If the tax-register relieve you in 't
32
By the Black Bishop's clemency, you have wrought out
33
A singular piece of favour with your money;
34
That's all your refuge now.

Black Knight's Pawn
The sting shoots deeper.

Exit.
Enter White Queen's Pawn and Black Queen's Pawn

Black Bishop's Pawn
35
Yonder's my game, which, like a politic chess-master,
36
I must not seem to see.

White Queen's Pawn
O my heart!

Black Queen's Pawn
37
That 'tis.

White Queen's Pawn
38
The very self-same that the magical mirror
39
Presented lately to me.

Black Queen's Pawn
And how like
40
A most regardless stranger he walks by,
41
Merely ignorant of his fate! You are not minded,
42
The principall'st part of him. What strange mysteries
43
Inscrutable love works by!

White Queen's Pawn
The time, you see,
44
Is not yet come.

Black Queen's Pawn
45
But 'tis in our power now
46
To bring time nearer — knowledge is a mastery —
47
And make it observe us, and not we it.

White Queen's Pawn
48
I would force nothing from its proper virtue;
49
Let time have his full course. I'd rather die
50
The modest death of undiscovered love
51
Than have heaven's least and lowest servant suffer,
52
Or in his motion receive check, for me.
53
How is my soul's growth altered! that single life,
54
The fittest garment that peace ever made for 't,
55
Is grown too strait, too stubborn, on the sudden.

Black Queen's Pawn
56
He comes this way again.

White Queen's Pawn
O, there's a traitor
57
Leaped from my heart into my cheek already,
58
That will betray all to his powerful eye,
59
If it but glance upon me!

Black Queen's Pawn
By my verity,
60
Look, he's passed by again, drowned in neglect,
61
Without the prosperous hint of so much happiness
62
To look upon his fortunes! How close fate
63
Seals up the eye of human understanding,
64
Till, like the sun's flower, time and love uncloses it!
65
'Twere pity he should dwell in ignorance longer.

White Queen's Pawn
66
What will you do?

Black Queen's Pawn
67
Yes, die a bashful death, do,
68
And let the remedy pass by unused still:
69
You are changed enough already, an you'd look into it. —
70
Absolute sir, with your most noble pardon
71
For this my rude intrusion, I am bold
72
To bring the knowledge of a secret nearer
73
By many days, sir, than it would arrive
74
In its own proper revelation with you.
75
Pray, turn and fix: do you know yond noble goodness?

Black Bishop's Pawn
76
'Tis the first minute my eye blessed me with her,
77
And clearly shows how much my knowledge wanted,
78
Not knowing her till now.

Black Queen's Pawn
79
She's to be liked, then?
80
Pray, view advisedly: there is strong reason
81
That I'm so bold to urge it; you must guess
82
The work concerns you nearer than you think for.

Black Bishop's Pawn
83
Her glory and the wonder of this secret
84
Puts a reciprocal amazement on me.

Black Queen's Pawn
85
And 'tis not without worth: you two must be
86
Better acquainted.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Is there cause, affinity,
87
Or any courteous help creation joys in,
88
To bring that forward?

Black Queen's Pawn
Yes, yes, I can show you
89
The nearest way to that perfection
90
Of a most virtuous one that joy e'er found.
91
Pray, mark her once again, then follow me,
92
And I will show you her must be your wife, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
93
The mystery extends, or else creation
94
Has set that admirable piece before us
95
To choose our chaste delights by.

Black Queen's Pawn
Please you follow, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
96
What art have you to put me on an object
97
And cannot get me off! 'tis pain to part from 't.

Exit [with Black Queen's Pawn].

White Queen's Pawn
98
If there prove no check in that magical glass,
99
But my proportion come as fair and full
100
Into his eye as his into mine lately,
101
Then I'm confirmed he is mine own for ever.

Enter again [Black Queen's Pawn and Black Bishop's Pawn]

Black Bishop's Pawn
102
The very self-same that the mirror blessed me with,
103
From head to foot the beauty and the habit! —
104
Kept you this plate still? did you not remove, lady?

White Queen's Pawn
105
Not a foot farder, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Is't possible?
106
I would have sworn I'd seen the substance yonder,
107
'Twas to that lustre, to that life presented.

White Queen's Pawn
108
E'en so was yours to me, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Saw you mine?

White Queen's Pawn
109
Perfectly clear; no sooner my name used
110
But yours appeared.

Black Bishop's Pawn
111
Just so did yours at mine now.

Black Queen's Pawn
112
Why stand you idle? will you let time cozen you,
113
Protracting time, of those delicious benefits
114
That fate hath marked to you? You modest pair
115
Of blushing gamesters, — and you, sir, the bathfull'st,
116
l cannot flatter a foul fault in any, —
117
Can you be mote than man and wife assigned,
118
And by a power the most irrevocable?
119
Others, that be adventurers in delight,
120
May meet with crosses, shame, or separation,
121
Their fortunes hid, and the events locked from 'em:
122
You know the mind of fate, you must be coupled.

Black Bishop's Pawn
123
She speaks but truth in this: I see no reason then
124
That we should miss the relish of this night,
125
But that we are both shamefaced,

White Queen's Pawn
126
How? this night, sir?
127
Did not I know you must be mine, and therein
128
Your privilege runs strong, for that loose motion
129
You never should be. Is it not my fortune
130
To match with a pure mind, then am I miserable.
131
The doves and all chaste-loving wingèd creatures
132
Have their pairs fit, their desires justly mated;
133
Is woman more unfortunate, a virgin,
134
The May of woman? Fate, that has ordained, sir,
135
We should be man and wife, has not given warrant
136
For any act of knowledge till we are so.

Black Bishop's Pawn
137
Tender-eyed modesty, how it grieves at this! —
138
I'm as far off, for all this strange imposture,
139
As at first interview. Where lies our game now?
140
You know I cannot marry by my order.

Black Queen's Pawn
141
I know you cannot, sir; yet you may venture
142
Upon a contract.

Black Bishop's Pawn
143
Ha!

Black Queen's Pawn
Surely you may, sir,
144
Without all question, so far without danger,
145
Or any stain to your vow; and that may take her:
146
Nay, do't with speed, she'll think you mean the better, too.

Black Bishop's Pawn
147
Be not so lavish of that blessed spring;
148
Y'ave wasted that upon a cold occasion now
149
Would wash a sinful soul white. By our love-joys,
150
That motion shall ne'er light upon my tongue more
151
Till we're contracted; then, I hope, y' are mine.

White Queen’s Pawn
152
In all just duty ever.

Black Queen's Pawn
Then? do you question it?
153
Pish! then y' are man and wife, all but church-ceremony:
154
Pray, let's see that done first; she shall do reason then. —
155
[Aside.]
Now I'll enjoy the sport, and cozen you both
156
My blood's game is the wages I have worked for.

Exeunt.

[SCENE II]

[An Apartment in the Black House]
Enter Black Knight with his Pawn

Black Knight
1
Pawn, I have spoke to the Fat Bishop for thee;
2
I'll get thee absolution from his own mouth.
3
Reach me my chair of ease, my chair of cozenage;
4
Seven thousand pound in women, reach me that:
5
I love a' life to sit upon a bank
6
Of heretic gold. O, soft and gently, sirrah!
7
There's a foul flaw in the bottom of my drum, Pawn:
8
I ne'er shall make sound soldier, but sound treacher
9
With any he in Europe. How now? qualm?
10
Thou hast the puking'st soul that e'er I met with;
11
It cannot bear one suckling villainy:
12
Mine can digest a monster without crudity,
13
A sin as weighty as an elephant,
14
And never wamble for 't.

Black Knight's Pawn
15
Ay, you have been used to it, sir;
16
That's a great help. The swallow of my conscience
17
Has but a narrow passage; you must think yet
18
It lies in the penitent pipe, and will not down:
19
If I had got seven thousand pound by offices,
20
And gulled down that, the bore would have been bigger.

Black Knight
21
Nay, if thou prov'st facetious, I shall hug thee.
22
Can a soft, rear, poor-poached iniquity
23
So ride upon thy conscience? I'm ashamed of thee.
24
Hadst thou betrayed the White House to the Black,
25
Beggared a kingdom by dissimulation,
26
Unjointed the fair frame of peace and traffic,
27
Poisoned allegiance, set faith back, and wrought
28
Women's soft souls e'en up to masculine malice
29
To pursue truth to death, if the cause roused 'em,
30
That stares and parrots are first taught to curse thee —

Black Knight's Pawn
31
Ay, marry, sir, here's swapping sins indeed!

Black Knight
32
All these, and ten times trebled, has this brain
33
Been parent to; they are my offsprings all.

Black Knight's Pawn
34
A goodly brood!

Black Knight
Yet I can jest as lightly,
35
Laugh and tell stirring stories to court-madams,
36
Daughters of my seducement, with alacrity
37
As high and hearty as youth's time of innocence
38
That never knew a sin to shape a sorrow by:
39
I feel no tempest, not a leaf wind-stirring
40
To shake a fault; my conscience is becalmed rather.

Black Knight's Pawn
41
I'm sure there is a whirl-wind huffs in mine, sir.

Black Knight
42
Sirrah, I have sold the groom-o'-the-stool six times,
43
And received money of six several ladies
44
Ambitious to take place of baronets' wives:
45
To three old mummy matrons I have promised
46
The mothership o' the maids: I have taught our friends, too,
47
To convey White-House gold to our Black Kingdom
48
In cold baked pasties, and so cozen searchers:
49
For venting hallowed oil, beads, medals, pardons,
50
Pictures, Veronica's heads in private presses,
51
That's done by one i' th' habit of a pedlar;
52
Letters conveyed in rolls, tobacco-balls:
53
When a restraint comes, by my politic counsel,
54
Some of our Jesuits turn gentlemen-ushers,
55
Some falconers, some park-keepers, and some huntsmen;
56
One took the shape of an old lady's cook once,
57
And despatched two chares on a Sunday morning,
58
The altar and the dresser. Pray, what use
59
Put I my summer-recreation to,
60
But more to inform my knowledge in the state
61
And strength of the White Kingdom? No fortification,
62
Haven, creek, landing-place about the White coast,
63
But I got draft and platform; learned the depth
64
Of all their channels, knowledge of all sands,
65
Shelves, rocks, and rivers for invasion proper'st;
66
A catalogue of all the navy royal,
67
The burden of the ships, the brassy murderers,
68
The number of the men, to what cape bound:
69
Again, for the discovery of the inlands,
70
Never a shire but the state better known
71
To me than to her best inhabitants;
72
What power of men and horse, gentry's revénues,
73
Who well affected to our side, who ill,
74
Who neither well nor ill, all the neutrality:
75
Thirty-eight thousand souls have been seduced, Pawn,
76
Since the jails vomited with the pill I gave 'em.

Black Knight's Pawn
77
Sure, you put oil of toad into that physic, sir.

Black Knight
78
I'm now about a masterpiece of play
79
To entrap the White Knight, and with false allurements
80
Entice him to the Black House, — more will follow,—
81
Whilst our Fat Bishop sets upon the Queen;
82
Then will our game lie sweetly.

Enter Fat Bishop [with a book]

Black Knight's Pawn
He's come now, sir.

Fat Bishop
83
Here's Taxa Poenitentiaria, Knight,
84
The Book of General Pardons, of all prices:
85
I have been searching for his sin this half hour,
86
And cannot light upon 't.

Black Knight
87
That's strange; let me see it.

Black Knight's Pawn
88
Pawn wretched that I am! has my rage done that
89
There is no precedent of pardon for?

Black Knight
90
[Reads.]
"For wilful murder thirteen pound four shillings
91
And sixpence," — that's reasonable cheap,— "For killing,
92
Killing, killing killing, killing, killing" —
93
Why, here's nothing but killing, Bishop, of this side.

Fat Bishop
94
Turn the sheet over, and you shall find adultery
95
And other trivial sins.

Black Knight
Adultery? O,
96
[Reads.] "For adultery a couple
I'm in't now. —
97
Of shillings, and for fornication fivepence," -—
98
Mass, those are two good pennyworths! I cannot
99
See how a man can mend himself. — "For lying
100
With mother, siter, and daughter," — ay, marry, sir, —
101
"Thirty-three pound three shillings, three-pence," —
102
The sin's gradation right, paid all in threes too.

Fat Bishop
103
You have read the story of that monster, sir,
104
That got his daughter, sister, and his wife
105
Of his own mother?

Black Knight
106
[Reads.]
"Simony, nine pound."

Fat Bishop
107
They may thank me for that; 'twas nineteen
108
Before I came;
109
I have mitigated many of the sums.

Black Knight
110
[Reads.]
"Sodomy, sixpence" — you should put that sum
111
Ever on the backside of your book, Bishop.

Fat Bishop
112
There's few on's very forward, sir.

Black Knight
113
What's here, sir?
114
[Reads.]
"Two old precedents of encouragement''.

Fat Bishop
115
Ay, those are ancient notes.

Black Knight
116 [Reads.] "Given, as a gratuity, for the killing of an heretical prince with a poisoned knife, ducats five thousand."

Fat Bishop
117
True, sir; that was paid.

Black Knight
118 [Reads.] "Promised also to Doctor Lopez for poisoning the maiden queen of the White Kingdom, ducats twenty thousand; which said sum was afterwards given as a meritorious alms to the nunnery at Lisbon, having at this present ten thousand pound more at use in the town-house of Antwerp."

Black Knight's Pawn
119
What's all this to my conscience, worthy holiness?
120
I sue for pardon; I have brought money with me.

Fat Bishop
121
You must depart; you see there is no precedent
122
Of any price or pardon for your fact.

Black Knight's Pawn
123
Most miserable! Are fouler sins remitted,
124
Killing, nay, wilful murder?

Fat Bishop
True, there's instance
125
Were you to kill him, I would pardon you;
126
There's precedent for that, and price set down,
127
But none for gelding.

Black Knight's Pawn
128
I have picked out understanding now for ever
129
Out of that cabalistic bloody riddle:
130
I'll make away all my estate, and kill him,
131
And by that act obtain full absolution.

Exit.
Enter Black King

Black King
132
Why, Bishop, Knight, where's your removes, your traps?
133
Stand you now idle in the heat of game?

Black Knight
134
My life for yours, Black sovereign, the game's ours;
135
I have wrought underhand for the White Knight
136
And his brave Duke, and find 'em coming both.

Fat Bishop
137
Then for their sanctimonious Queen's surprisal,
138
In this state-puzzle and distracted hurry,
139
Trust my arch-subtlety with.

Black King
O eagle pride!
140
Never was game more hopeful of our side.

[Exeunt Black King and Fat Bishop.]

Black Knight
141
If Bishop Bull-beef be not snapped next bout,
142
As the men stand, I'll never trust art more.

Exit.

[SCENE III]

[Dumb Show]
Enter Black Queen's Pawn, as conducting the White to a chamber; then, fetching in the Black Bishop's Pawn, the Jesuit, conveys him to another, puts out the light, and she follows.

[SCENE IV]

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter White Knight and White Duke

White Knight
1
True, noble Duke, fair virtue's most endeared one;
2
Let us prevent their rank insinuation
3
With truth of cause and courage, meet their plots
4
With confident goodness that shall strike 'em grovelling.

White Duke
5
Sir, all the gins, traps, and alluring snares,
6
The devil has been at work since eighty-eight on,
7
Are laid for the great hope of this game only.

White Knight
8
Why, the more noble will truth's triumph be:
9
When they have wound about our constant courages
10
The glittering'st serpent that e'er falsehood fashioned,
11
And glorying most in his resplendent poisons,
12
Just heaven can find a bolt to bruise his head.

White Duke
13
Look, would you see destruction lie a-sunning?
Enter Black Knight
14
In yonder smile sit blood and treachery basking;
15
In that perfidious model of face falsehood
16
Hell is drawn grinning.

White Knight
What a pain it is
17
For truth to feign a little!

Black Knight
O fair knight,
18
The rising glory of that House of Candour,
19
Have I so many protestations lost,
20
Lost, lost, quite lost? Am I not worth your confidence?
21
I that have vowed the faculties of soul,
22
Life, spirit, and brain, to your sweet game of youth,
23
Your noble, fruitful game? Can you mistrust
24
Any foul play in me, that have been ever
25
The most submiss observer of your virtues,
26
And no way tainted with ambition,
27
Save only to be thought, your first admirer?
28
How often have I changed, for your delight,
29
The royal presentation of my place
30
Into a mimic jester, and become,
31
For your sake and th' expulsion of sad thoughts,
32
Of a grave state-sire a light son of pastime,
33
Made three-score years a tomboy, a mere wanton!
34
I'll tell you what I told a Savoy dame once,
35
New-wed, high, plump, and lusting for an issue:
36
Within the year I promised her a child,
37
If she could stride over Saint Rumbant's breeches,
38
A relique kept at Mechlin: the next morning
39
One of my followers' old hose was conveyed
40
Into her chamber, where she tried the feat;
41
By that, and a court-friend, after grew great.

White Knight
42
Why, who could be without thee?

Black Knight
I will change
43
To any shape to please you; and my aim
44
Has been to win your love in all this game.

White Knight
45
Thou hast it nobly, and we long to see
46
The Black-House pleasure, state, and dignity.

Black Knight
47
Of honour you'll so surfeit and delight,
48
You'll ne'er desire again to see the White.

Exeunt.
Enter White Queen

White Queen
49
My love, my hope, my dearest! O, he's gone,
50
Ensnared, entrapped, surprised amongst the Black ones!
51
I never felt extremity like this;
52
Thick darkness dwells upon this hour; integrity,
53
Like one of heaven's bright luminaries, now
54
By error's dullest element interposed,
55
Suffers a black eclipse. I never was
56
More sick of love than now I of horror:
57
I shall be taken; the game's lost, I'm set upon! —
Enter Fat Bishop
58
O, 'tis the turncoat Bishop, having watched
59
The advantage of his play, comes now to seize on me!
60
O, I'm hard beset, distressed most miserably!

Fat Bishop
61
'Tis vain to stir; remove which way you can,
62
I take you now; this is the time we've hoped for:
63
Queen, you must down.

White Queen
No rescue, no deliverance!

Fat Bishop
64
The Black King's blood burns for thy prostitution,
65
And nothing but the spring of thy chaste virtue
66
Can cool hi inflammation; instantly
(Enter White Bishop)
67
He dies upon a pleurisy of luxury,
68
If he deflower thee not.

White Queen
O strait of misery!

White Bishop
69
And is your holiness his divine procurer?

Fat Bishop
70
The devil's in 't, I'm taken by a ringdove!
71
Where stood this Bishop that l saw him not?

White Bishop
72
You were so ambitious you looked over me!
73
You aimed at no less person than the Queen,
74
The glory of the game; if she were won,
75
The way were open to the master-check,
Enter White King
76
Which, look you, he or his lives to give you;
77
Honour and virtue guide him in his station!

White Queen
78
O my safe sanctuary!

White King
Let heaven's blessings
79
Be mine no longer than I am thy sure one!
80
The dove's house is not safer in the rock
81
Than thou in my firm bosom.

White Queen
I am blest in 't.

White King
82
Is it that lump of rank ingratitude,
83
Swelled with the poison of hypocrisy?
84
Could he be so malicious, has partaken
85
Of the sweet fertile blessings of our kingdom? —
86
Bishop, thou'st done our White House gracious service,
87
And worthy the fair reverence of thy place. —
88
For thee, Black Holiness, that work'st out thy death
89
As the blind mole, the proper'st son of earth,
90
Who, in the casting his ambitious hills up,
91
Is often taken and destroyed i' the midst
92
Of his advancèd work; 'twere well with thee
93
If, like that verminous labourer, which thou imitat'st
94
In hills of pride and malice, when death puts thee up,
95
The silent grave might prove thy bas for ever;
96
No deeper pit than that: for thy vain hope
97
Of the White Knight and his most firm assistant,
98
Two princely pieces, which I know thy thoughts
99
Give lost for ever now, my strong assurance
100
Of their fixed virtues, could you let in seas
101
Of populous untruths against that fort,
102
'Twould burst the proudest billows.

White Queen
My fear's past then,.

White King
103
Fear? you were never guilty of an injury
104
To goodness, but in that.

White Queen
It stayed not with me, sir.

White King
105
It was too much if it usurped a thought:
106
Place a good guard there.

White Queen
Confidence is set, sir.

White King
107
Take that prize hence; go, reverend of men,
108
Put covetousness into the bag again.

Fat Bishop
109
The bag had need be sound, or it goes to wrack;
110
Sin and my weight will make a strong one crack.

[Exeunt.]
Finit Actus Quartus.

[ACT V] Incipit Quintus et Ultimus.

[SCENE I]

[Before the Black House]
Music.
[Black Bishop's Pawn discovered above.]
Enter the Black Knight in his litter: calls

Black Knight
1
Hold, hold!
2
Is the Black Bishop's Pawn, the Jesuit,
3
Planted above for his concise oration?

Black Bishop's Pawn
4
Ecce triumphante me fixum
5
Caesaris arce!

Black Knight
6
Art there, my holy boy? sirrah, Bishop Tumbrel
7
Is snapped in the bag by this time.

Black Bishop's Pawn
8
Haeretici pereant sic!

Black Knight
9
All Latin! Sure the oration has infected him.
10
Away, make haste, they're coming.

Hautboys.
Enter Black King, [Black] Queen, [Black] Duke, meeting the White Knight and Duke: Black Bishop's Pawn from above entertains him [i.e., White Knight] with this Latin oration.
The Oration

Black Bishop's Pawn
11
Si quid mortalibus unquam oculis hilarem et gratum aperuit diem, si quid peramantibus amicorum animis gaudium attulit peperitve laetitiam, Eques Candidissime, praelucentissime, felicem profecto tuum a Domo Candoris ad Domum Nigritudinis accessun promisisse, peperisse, attulisse fatemur: omnes adventus tui conflagrantissimi, omni qua possumus laetitia, gaudio, congratulatione, acclamatione, animis observantissimis, affectibus devotissimis, obsequiis venerabundis, te sospitem congratulamur!

Black King
12
Sir, in this short congratulatory speech
13
You may conceive how the whole House affects you.

Black Knight
14
The colleges and sanctimonious seed-plots.

White Knight
15
'Tis clear and so acknowledged, royal sir.

Black King
16
What honours, pleasures, rarities, delights,
17
Your noble thought can think —

Black Queen
18
Your fair eye fix on,
19
That's comprehended in the spacious circle
20
Of our Black Kingdom, they're your servants all.

White Knight
21
How amply you endear us!

White Duke
They are favours
22
That equally enrich the royal giver,
23
As the receiver, in the free donation.
24
Music. An altar discovered and statues, with a song.

Black Knight
25
Hark, to enlarge your welcome, from all parts
26
Is heard sweet-sounding airs! abstruse things open
27
Of voluntary freeness; and yond altar,
28
The seat of adoration, seems to adore
29
The virtues you bring with you.

White Knight
There's a taste
30
Of the old vessel still, the erroneous relish.
Song
31
Wonder work some strange delight,
32
(This place was never yet without),
33
To welcome the fair White-House Knight,
34
And lo bring our hopes about!
35
May from the altar flames aspire,
36
Those tapers set themselves afire!
37
May senseless things our joys approve,
38
And those brazen statues move,
39
Quickened by some power above,
40
Or what more strange, to show our love!

The images move in a dance.

Black Knight
41
A happy omen waits upon this hour;
42
All move portentously the right-hand way.

Black King
43
Come, let's set free all the most choice delights,
44
That ever adornèd days or quickened nights.

Exeunt.

[SCENE II.]

[Field between the two Houses]
Enter White Queen's Pawn

White Queen's Pawn
1
I see 'twas but a trial of my love now;
2
H'as a more modest mind, and in that virtue
3
Most worthily has fate provided for me.
(Enter Jesuit)
4
Ha! 'tis the bad man in the reverend habit:
5
Dares he be seen again, traitor to holiness,
6
marble-fronted impudence! and knows
7
How much he has wronged me? I'm ashamed he blushes not.

Black Bishop's Pawn
8
Are you yet stored with any woman's pity?
9
Are you the mistress of so much devotion,
10
Kindness, and charity, as to bestow
11
An alms of love on your poor sufferer yet
12
For your sake only?

White Queen's Pawn
13
Sir, for the reverence and respect you ought
14
To give to sanctity, though none to me,
15
In being her servant vowed and wear her livery,
16
If I might counsel you, you should ne'er speak
17
The language of unchasteness in that habit;
18
You would not think how ill it does with you.
19
The world's a stage on which all parts are played:
20
You'd think it most absurd to have a devil
21
Presented there not in a devil's shape,
22
Or, wanting one, to send him out in yours;
23
You'd rail at that for an absurdity
24
No college e'er committed. For decorum's sake, then,
25
For pity's cause, for sacred virtue's honour,
26
If you'll persist still in your devil's part,
27
Present him as you should do, and let one
28
That carries up the goodness of the play
29
Come in that habit, and I'll speak with him;
30
Then will the parts be fitted, and the spectators
31
Know which is which: they must have cunning judgments
32
To find it else, for such a one as you
33
Is able to deceive a mighty audience;
34
Nay, those you have seduced, if there be any
35
In the assembly, if they see what manner
36
You play your game with me, they cannot love you.
37
Is there so little hope of you, to smile, sir?

Black Bishop's Pawn
38
Yes, at your fears, at the ignorance of your power,
39
The little use you make of time, youth, fortune,
40
Knowing you have a husband for lust's shelter,
41
You dare not yet make bold with a friend's comfort;
42
This is the plague of weakness.

White Queen's Pawn
So hot burning!
43
The syllables of sin fly from his lips
44
As if the letter came new-cast from hell.

Black Bishop's Pawn
45
Well, setting aside the dish you loathe so much,
46
Which has been heartily tasted by your betters,
47
I come to marry you to the gentleman
48
That last enjoyed you: 'hope that pleases you;
49
There's no immodest relish in that office.

White Queen's Pawn
50
[Aside.]
Strange of all others he should light on rum
51
To tie that holy knot that sought to undo me! —
52
Were you requested to perform that business, sir?

Black Bishop's Pawn
53
I name you a sure token.

White Queen's Pawn
As for that, sir,
54
Now y' are most welcome; and my fair hope's of you,
55
You'll never break the sacred knot you tie once
56
With any lewd solicitings hereafter.

Black Bishop's Pawn
57
But all the craft's in getting of it knit:
58
You're all on fire to make your cozening market.
59
I am the marrier and the man — do you know me?
60
Do you know me, nice iniquity, strict luxury,
61
And holy whoredom? — that would clap on marriage
62
With all hot speed to solder up your game:
63
See what a scourge fate hath provided for thee!
64
You were a maid; swear still, y' are no worse now,
65
I left you as I found you: have I startled you?
66
I am quit with you now for my discovery,
67
Your outcries, and your cunnings: farewell, brokage!

White Queen's Pawn
68
Nay, stay, and hear me but give thanks a little,
69
If your ear can endure a work so gracious;
70
Then you may take your pleasure.

Black Bishop's Pawn
I have done that.

White Queen's Pawn
71
That power, that hath preserved me from this devil —

Black Bishop's Pawn
72
How?

White Queen's Pawn
73
This that may challenge the chief chair in hell,
74
And sit above his master —

Black Bishop's Pawn
Bring in merit.

White Queen's Pawn
75
That suffered'st him, through blind lust, to be led
76
Last night to the action of some common bed —

Black Queen's Pawn
77
(Intus.)
Not over-common, neither.

Black Bishop's Pawn
78
Ha, what voice is that?

White Queen's Pawn
79
Of virgins be thou ever honoured! —
80
Now you may go; you hear I have given thanks, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
81
Here's a strange game! Did not I lie with you?

Black Queen's Pawn
82
(Intus.)
No.

Black Bishop's Pawn
83
What a devil art thou?

White Queen's Pawn
84
I will not answer you, sir,
85
After thanksgiving.

Black Bishop's Pawn
86
Why, you made promise to me
87
After the contract.

Black Queen's Pawn
88
(Intus.)
Yes.

Black Bishop's Pawn
A pox confound thee!
89
I speak not to thee — and you were prepared for 't,
90
And set your joys more high —

Black Queen's Pawn
91
(Intus.)
Than you could reach, sir.

Black Bishop's Pawn
92
Light, 'tis a bawdy voice; I'll slit the throat on 't!

Enter Black Queen's Pawn

Black Queen's Pawn
93
What, offer violence to your bedfellow?
94
To one that works so kindly without rape?

Black Bishop's Pawn
My bedfellow?

Black Queen's Pawn
95
Do you plant your scorn against me?
96
Why, when I was probationer at Brussels,
97
That engine was not known; then adoration
98
Filled up the place, and wonder was in fashion:
99
Is't turned to the wild seed of contempt so soon?
100
Can five years stamp a bawd? Pray, look upon me,
101
I have youth enough to take it: 'tis no more
102
Since you were chief agent for the transportation
103
Of ladies' daughters, if you be remembered:
104
Some of their portions I could name; who pursed 'em, too:
105
They were soon dispossessed of worldly cares
106
That came into your fingers.

Black Bishop's Pawn
Shall I hear her?

Black Queen's Pawn
107
Holy derision, yes, till thy ear swells
108
With thy own venom, thy profane life's vomit:
109
Whose niece was she you poisoned, with child twice,
110
Then gave her out possessed with a foul spirit,
111
When 'twas indeed your bastard?

Black Bishop's Pawn
I am taken
112
In mine own toils!

Enter White Bishop's Pawn and White Queen

White Bishop's Pawn
113
Yes, and 'tis just you should be.

White Queen
114
And thou, lewd Pawn, the shame of womanhood!

Black Bishop's Pawn
115
I'm lost of all hands!

Black Queen's Pawn
And I cannot feel
116
The weight of my perdition; now he's taken,
117
'T 'as not the burden of a grasshopper.

Black Bishop's Pawn
118
Thou whore of order, cockatrice in voto!

Enter Black Knight's Pawn

Black Knight's Pawn
119
Yond's the White Bishop's Pawn; have at his heart now.

White Queen's Pawn
120
Hold, monster-impudence! would'st thou heap a murder
121
On thy first foul attempt? O merciless blood-hound,
122
'Tis time that thou wert taken!

Black Knight's Pawn
Death! prevented!

White Queen's Pawn
123
For thy sake and yond partner in thy shame,
124
I'll never know man farder than by name.

Exeunt.

[SCENE III

In the Black House]
Enter Black King, [Black] Queen, [Black] Duke, Black Knight, [Black Bishop], with the White Knight and his Duke

White Knight
1
Y'ave both enriched my knowledge, royal sir,
2
And my content together.

Black King
'Stead of riot
3
We set you only welcome: surfeit is
4
A thing that's seldom heard of in these parts.

White Knight
5
I hear of the more virtue when I miss on 't.

Black Knight
6
We do not use to bury in our bellies
7
Two hundred thousand ducats, and then boast on 't;
8
Or exercise the old Roman painful idleness
9
With, care of fetching fishes far from home,
10
The golden-beaded coracine out of Egypt,
11
The salpa from Eleusis, or the pelamis,
12
Which some call summer-whiting, from Chalcedon,
13
Salmons from Aquitaine, helops from Rhodes,
14
Cockles from Chios, franked and fatted up
15
With far and sapa, flour and cocted wine;
16
We cram no birds, nor, Epicurean-like,
17
Enclose some creeks of the sea, as Sergius Crata did,
18
He that invented the first stews for oysters
19
And other sea-fish, who, beside the pleasure of his
20
Own throat, got large revenues by th' invention,
21
Whose fat example the nobility followed;
22
Nor do we imitate that arch-gormandizer
23
With two-and-twenty courses at one dinner,
24
And, betwixt every course, he and his guess
25
Washed and used women, then sat down and strengthened,
26
Lust swimming in their fishes, which no sooner
27
Was tasted but was ready to be vented.

White Knight
28
Most impious epicures!

Black Knight
We commend rather,
29
Of two extremes, the parsimony of Pertinax,
30
Who had half-lettuces set up to serve again;
31
Or his successor Julian, that would make
32
Three meals of a lean hare, and often sup
33
With a green fig and wipe his beard, as we can.
34
The old bewailers of excess in those days
35
Complained there was more coin bid for a cook
36
Than for a war-horse; but now cooks are purchased
37
After the rate of triumphs, and some dishes
38
After the rate of cooks; which must needs make
39
Some of your White-House gormandizers, 'specially
40
Your wealthy, plump plebeians, like the hogs
41
Which Scaliger cites, that could not move for fat,
42
So insensible of either prick or goad,
43
That mice made holes to needle in their buttocks,
44
And they ne'er felt 'em. There was once a ruler,
45
Cyrene's governor, choked with his own paunch;
46
Which death fat Sanctius, King of Castile, fearing,
47
Through his infinite mass of belly, rather chose
48
To be killed suddenly by a pernicious herb
49
Taken to make him lean, which old Corduba,
50
King of Morocco, counselled his fear to,
51
Than he would hazard to be stunk to death,
52
As that huge cormorant that was choked before him.

White Knight
53
Well, you're as sound a spokesman, sir, for parsimony,
54
Clean abstinence, and scarce one meal a day,
55
As ever spake with tongue.

Black King
Censure him mildly, sir;
56
'Twas but to find discourse.

Black Queen
He'll raise't of any thing.

White Knight
57
I shall be half afraid to feed hereafter.

White Duke
58
Or I, beshrew my heart, for I fear fatness,
59
The fog of fatness, as I fear a dragon:
60
The comeliness I wish for, that's as glorious.
61
W, Knight. Your course is wondrous strict: I should transgress, sure,
62
Were I to change my side, as you have wrought me.

Black Knight
63
How you misprize! this is not meant to you-ward:
64
You that are wound up to the height of feeding
65
By clime and custom, are dispensed withal;
66
You may eat kid, cabrito, calf, and tons,
67
Eat and eat every day, twice, if you please;
68
Nay, the franked hen, fattened with milk and corn,
69
A riot which the inhabitants of Delos
70
Were first inventors of, or the crammed cockle.

White Knight
71
Well, for the food I'm happily resolved on;
72
But for the diet of my disposition,
73
There comes a trouble; you will hardly find
74
Food to please that.

Black Knight
75
It must be a strange nature
76
We cannot find a dish for, having Policy,
77
The master-cook of Christendom, to dress it:
78
Pray, name your nature's diet.

White Knight
The first mess
79
Is hot ambition.

Black Knight
80
That's but served in puff-paste;
81
Alas, the meanest of our cardinals' cooks
82
Cat dress that dinner: your ambition, sir,
83
Can fetch no farder compass than the world?

White Knight
84
That's certain, sir.

Black Knight
We're about that already;
85
And in the large feast of our vast ambition
86
We count but the White Kingdom, whence you come from,
87
The garden for our cook to pick his salads;
88
The food's lean France, larded with Germany;
89
Before which comes the grave, chaste signiory
90
Of Venice, served in, capon-like, in white broth;
91
From our chief oven, Italy, the bake-meats;
92
Savoy the salt, Geneva the chipped manchet;
93
Below the salt the Netherlands are placed,
94
A common dish at lower end o' the table,
95
For meaner pride to fall to: for our second course,
96
A spit of Portugals served in for plovers;
97
Indians and Moors for blackbirds: all this while
98
Holland stands ready-melted to make sauce
99
On all occasions: when the voider comes,
100
And with such cheer out crammed hopes we suffice,
101
Zealand says grace for fashion; then we rise.

White Knight
102
Here's meat enough, o' conscience, for ambition!

Black Knight
103
If there be any want, there's Switzerland,
104
Polonia, and such pickled things will serve
105
To furnish out the table.

White Knight
You say well, sir:
106
But here's the misery; when l have stopped the mouth
107
Of one vice, there's another gapes for food;
108
I am as covetous as a barren womb,
109
The grave, or what's more ravenous.

Black Knight
We are for you, sir:
110
Call you that heinous, that's good husbandry?
111
Why, we make money of our faiths, our prayers;
112
We make the very deathbed buy het comforts,
113
Most dearly pay for all her pious counsels,
114
Leave rich revénues for a few sale orisons,
115
Or else they pass unreconciled without 'em:
116
Did you but view the vaults within our monasteries,
117
You'd swear then Plutus, which the fiction calls
118
The lord of riches, were entombed within 'em.

Black Duke
119
You cannot pass for tuns.

White Knight
Is't possible?

White Duke
120
But how shall I bestow the vice I bring, sirs?
121
You quite forget me; I shall be locked out
122
By your strict key of life.

Black Knight
Is yours so foul, sir?

White Duke
123
Some that are pleased to make a wanton on 't,
124
Call it infirmity of blood, flesh-frailty;
125
But certain there's a worse name in your books for 't.

Black Knight
126
The trifle of all vices; the mere innocent,
127
The very novice of this house of clay, — venery:
128
If I but hug thee hard, I show the worst on 't;
129
'Tis all the fruit we have here after supper;
130
Nay, at the ruins of a nunnery once,
131
Six thousand infants' heads found in a fish-pond.

White Duke
132
How!

Black Knight
How, ay; how? how came they thither, think you?
133
Huldrick, bishop of Augsburg, in his Epistle
134
To Nicholas the First, can tell you how;
135
May be he was at cleansing of the pond:
136
I can but smile to think how it would puzzle
137
All mother-maids that ever lived in those parts
138
To know their own child's heads. But is this all?

Black Duke.
139
Are you ours yet?

White Knight
One more, and I am silenced:
140
But this that comes now will divide us questionless;
141
'Tis ten times, ten times worse than the fore-runners.

Black Knight
142
Is it so vild there is no name ordained for 't?
143
Toads have their titles; and creation gave
144
Serpents and adders those names to be known by.

White Knight
145
This of all others bears the hidden'st venom.
146
The smoothest poison; I am an arch-dissembler, sir.

Black Knight
147
How?

White Knight
148
'Tis my nature's brand; turn from me, sir;
149
The time is yet to come that e'er I spake
150
What my heart meant.

Black Knight
And call you that a vice? —
151
Avoid all profanation, I beseech you, —
152
The only prime state-virtue upon earth,
153
The policy of empires; O take heed, sir,
154
For fear it take displeasure and forsake you!
155
It is a jewel of that precious value,
156
Whose worth's not known but to the skilful lapidary;
157
The instrument that picks ope princes' hearts,
158
And locks up ours from them, with the same motion:
159
You never yet came near our souls till now.

Black Duke
160
Now y'are a brother to us.

Black Knight
What we have done
161
Has been dissemblance ever.

White Knight
There you lie then,
162
And the game's ours; we give thee check-mate by
163
Discovery, King, the noblest mate of all!

Black King
164
I'm lost, I'm taken!

A great shout and flourish.

White Knight
Ambitious, covetous,
165
Luxurious falsehood!

White Duke
Dissembler, that includes all.

Black King
166
All hopes confounded!

Black Queen
Miserable condition!

Enter White King, [White] Queen, [White Bishop, White Queen's Pawn, and other] White Pawns

White King
167
O, let me bless mine arms with this dear treasure,
168
Truth's glorious masterpiece! See, Queen of sweetness,
169
He's in my bosom safe; and yond fair structure
170
Of comely honour, his true blest assistant.

[Embracing White Knight and White Duke.]

White Queen
171
May their integrities ever possess
172
That peaceful sanctuary!

White Knight
As 'twas a game, sir,
173
Won with much hazard, so with much more triumph.
174
We gave him check-mate by discovery, sir.

White King
175
Obscurity is now the fittest favour
176
Falsehood can sue for; it well suits perdition:
177
'T is their best course that so have lost their fame
178
To put their heads into the bag for shame;
179
And there, behold, the bag's mouth, like hell, opens
180
The bag opens, the Black Side in it.
181
To take her due, and the lost sons appear
182
Greedily gaping for increase of fellowship
183
In infamy, the last desire of wretches,
184
Advancing their perdition-branded foreheads
185
Like Envy's issue, or a bed of snakes.

Black Bishop's Pawn
186
[In the bag.]
See, all's confounded; the game's lost, King's taken.

Fat Bishop
187
[In the bag.]
The White House has given us the bag, I thank 'em.

Black Jesting Pawn
188
[In the bag.]
They had need have given you a whole bag by yourself:
189
'Sfoot, this Fat Bishop has so squelched and squeezed me,
190
So overlaid me, I have no verjuice left in me!
191
You shall find all my goodness, an you look for 't,
192
In the bottom of the bag.

Fat Bishop
Thou malapert Pawn.
193
The Bishop must have room; he will have room,
194
And room to lie at pleasure.

Black Jesting Pawn
195
All the bag, I think,
196
Is room too scant for your Spalato paunch.

Black Bishop's Pawn
197
Down, viper of our order! art thou showing
198
Thy impudent whorish front?

Black Queen's Pawn
Yes, monster-holiness!

White Knight
199
Contention in the pit! is hell divided?

White King
200
You'd need have some of majesty and power
201
To keep good rule amongst you: make room, Bishop.

[Puts Black King into the bag.]

Fat Bishop
202
I am not so easily moved; when I'm once set,
203
I scorn to stir for any king on earth.

White Queen
204
Here comes the Queen; what say you then to her?

[Puts Black Queen into the bag.]

Fat Bishop
205
Indeed a Queen may make a Bishop stir.

White Knight
206
Room for the mightiest Machiavel-politician
207
That e'er the devil hatched of a nun's egg!

[Puts Black Knight into the bag.]

Fat Bishop
208
He'll peck a hole in the bag and get out shortly;
209
But I'm sure I shall be the last creeps out,
210
And that's the misery of greatness ever.
211
Foh, your politician is not sound i' the vent.
212
I smell him hither.

White Duke
213
Room for a sun-burnt, tansy-faced beloved,
214
An olive-coloured Ganymede! and that's all
215
That's worth the bagging.

Fat Bishop
Crowd in all you can,
216
The Bishop will be still uppermost man,
217
Maugre King, Queen, or politician.

White King
218
So, now let the bag close, the fittest womb
219
For treachery, pride, and malice; whilst we, winner-like,
220
Destroying, through heaven's power, what would destroy,
221
Welcome our White Knight with loud peals of joy.

Exeunt.
Finis.

EPILOGUE

White Queen's Pawn

222
My mistress, the White Queen, hath sent me forth,
223
And bade me bow thus low to all of worth,
224
That are true friends of the White House and cause,
225
Which she hopes most of this assembly draws:
226
For any else, by envy's mark denoted,
227
To those night glow-worms in the bag devoted,
228
Where'er they sit, stand, and in comers lurk,
229
They'll be soon known by their depraving work;
230
But she's assured what they'd commit to bane,
231
Her White friends' loves will build up fair again.