| |
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|
THE BROKEN HEART
BY JOHN FORD
THE SPEAKERS' NAMES FITTED TO
THEIR
QUALITIES
|
| AMYCLAS, Common to
the
Kings of Laconia. |
CALANTHA, Flower of
beauty,
the King's Daughter. |
| ITHOCLES, Honour of
loveliness, a Favourite. |
PENTHEA, Complaint,
Sister to Ithocles [and Wife to
Bassanes]. |
| ORGILUS, Angry,
son to
Crotolon. |
| BASSANES, Vexation, a
jealous
Nobleman. |
EUPHRANEA, Joy,
a Maid of honour [Daughter to Croto-
lon]. |
| ARMOSTES, an Appeaser,
a Councillor of State. |
| CROTOLON, Noise,
another Councillor. |
CHRISTALLA, Christal, |
}
|
Maids of honour. |
| PROPHILUS, Dear,
Friend to Ithocles. |
PHILEMA, A Kiss. |
| NEARCHUS, Young
Prince,
Prince of Argos. |
GRAUSIS, 1
Old Beldam, Overseer of Penthea. |
| TECNICUS, Artist,
a
Philosopher. |
|
| HEMOPHIL, Glutton, |
}
|
two Courtiers. |
|
PERSONS
INCLUDED. |
| GRONEAS, Tavern-haunter, |
|
| AMELUS, Trusty,
Friend
to Nearchus. |
THEASUS, Fierceness,
Father of Ithocles. |
| PHULAS, Watchful,
Servant to Bassanes. |
APLOTES, Simplicity,
Orgilus so disguised. |
| Lords, Courtiers,
Officers,
Attendants, etc. |
|
SCENE — Sparta.
|
PROLOGUE
OUR scene is Sparta. He whose
best of art
hath drawn this piece calls it THE BROKEN
HEART.
The title lends no expectation here
Of apish laughter, or of some lame jeer
At place or persons; no pretended clause
Of jests fit for a brothel courts applause
From vulgar admiration: such low songs,
Tun'd to unchaste ears, suit not modest tongues.
The Virgin Sisters then deserv'd fresh bays
When Innocence and Sweetness crown'd their lays;
Then vices gasp'd for breath, whose whole commerce
Was whipp'd to exile by unblushing verse.
This law we keep in our presentment now,
Not to take freedom more than we allow;
What may be here thought fiction, 2
when time's youth
Wanted some riper years, was known a truth:
In which, if words have cloth'd the subject right,
You may partake a pity with delight. |
Enter CROTOLON and
ORGILUS.
Crot. Dally not
further; I
will know the reason
That speeds thee to this journey.
Ory.
Reason! good sir,
I can yield many.
Crot.
Give me one, a good
one;
Such I expect, and ere we part must have.
| Athens! Pray, why to
Athens?
You intend not |
5 |
To kick against the world, turn cynic, stoic,
Or read the logic lecture, or become
An Areopagite, 4
and judge in cases
Touching the commonwealth; for, as I take it,
The budding of your chin cannot prognosticate
So grave an honour.
| Org.
All this I
acknowledge. |
11 |
Crot. You do! Then,
son,
if books and love
of knowledge
Inflame you to this travel, here in Sparta
You may as freely study.
____________________
| 1 |
Q. Gransis,
throughout. |
| 2 |
Q. a fiction. |
| 3 |
A room in Crotolon's
house. |
| 4 |
A member of the
Areopagus,
the highest judicial
court in Athens. |
770
|
|
|
Org.
'T is not that, sir.
Crot. Not that, sir! As a father, I command
To acquaint me with the truth.
Org.
Thus I obey ye.
After so many quarrels as dissension,
Fury, and rage had broacht in blood, and some-
times
With death to such confederates as sided
With now-dead Thrasus and yourself, my lord;
| Our present king,
Amyclas,
reconcil'd |
21 |
Your eager swords and seal'd a gentle peace:
Friends you profest yourselves; which to con-
firm,
A resolution for a lasting league
| Betwixt your families
was
entertain'd, |
25 |
By joining in a Hymenean bond
Me and the fair Penthea, only daughter
To Thrasus.
Crot.
What of this?
Org.
Much, much, dear sir.
A freedom of converse, an interchange
| Of holy and chaste
love, so
fixt our souls |
30 |
In a firm growth of union, that no time
Can eat into the pledge: we had enjoy'd
The sweets our vows expected, had not cruelty
Prevented all those triumphs we prepar'd for,
By Thrasus his untimely death.
Org. From this time
sprouted up that poison-
ous stalk
Of aconite, whose ripened fruit hath ravisht
All health, all comfort of a happy life;
For Ithocles, her brother, proud of youth,
| And prouder in his
power,
nourisht closely |
40 |
The memory of former discontents,
To glory in revenge. By cunning partly,
Partly by threats, 'a woos at once and forces
His virtuous sister to admit a marriage
| With Bassanes, a
nobleman,
in honour |
45 |
And riches, I confess, beyond my fortunes.
Crot. All this is no
sound
reason to impor-
tune
My leave for thy departure.
Org.
Now it follows.
Beauteous Penthea, wedded to this torture
| By an insulting
brother,
being secretly |
50 |
Compell'd to yield her virgin freedom up
To him who never can usurp her heart,
Before contracted mine, is now so yok'd
To a most barbarous thraldrom, misery,
| Affliction, that he
savours
not humanity, |
55 |
Whose sorrow melts not into more than pity
In hearing but her name.
Crot.
As how, pray?
Org.
Bassanes,
The man that calls her wife, considers truly
What heaven of perfections he is lord of
| By thinking fair
Penthea
his: this thought |
60 |
Begets a kind of monster-love, which love
Is nurse unto a fear so strong and servile
As brands all dotage with a jealousy:
All eyes who gaze upon that shrine of beauty
| He doth resolve 1
do homage to the miracle; |
65 |
Some one, he is assur'd, may now or then,
If opportunity but sort, 2
prevail.
So much, out of a self-unworthiness,
His fears transport him; not that he finds
cause
| In her obedience, but
his
own distrust. |
70 |
Crot. You spin out your discourse.
Org.
My griefs are violent:
For knowing how the maid was heretofore
Courted by me, his jealousies grow wild
That I should steal again into her favours,
| And undermine her
virtues;
which the gods |
75 |
Know I nor dare nor dream of. Hence, from
hence
I undertake a voluntary exile;
First, by my absence to take off the cares
Of jealous Bassanes; but chiefly, sir,
| To free Penthea from a
hell
on earth; |
80 |
Lastly, to lose the memory of something
Her presence makes to live in me afresh.
Crot. Enough, my Orgilus, enough. To Ath-
ens,
I give a full consent. — Alas, good lady! —
We shall hear from thee often?
Org.
Often.
Thy sister comes to give a farewell.
Enter
EUPHRANEA.
Euph.
Brother!
Org. Euphranea, thus
upon
thy cheeks I
print
A brother's kiss; more careful of thine honour,
Thy health, and thy well-doing, than my life.
| Before we part, in
presence
of our father, |
90 |
I must prefer a suit t' ye.
Euph.
You may style it,
My brother, a command.
Org.
That you will promise
To pass never to any man, however
Worthy, your faith, till, with our father's
leave,
I give a free consent.
I'll promise for her, Orgilus.
Org.
Your pardon;
Euphranea's oath must yield me satisfaction.
Euph. By Vesta's
sacred
fires I swear.
Crot.
And I,
By Great Apollo's beams, join in the vow,
| Not without thy
allowance to
bestow her |
100 |
On any living.
Org.
Dear Euphranea,
Mistake me not: far, far 't is from my thought,
As far from any wish of mine, to hinder
Preferment to an honourable bed
Or fitting fortune; thou art young and hand-
And 't were injustice, — more, a tyranny, —
Not to advance thy merit. Trust me, sister,
It shall be my first care to see thee match'd
| As may become thy
choice and
our contents. |
109 |
I have your oath.
Euph.
You have. But mean
you, brother,
To leave us, as you say?
Crot.
Ay, ay, Euphranea;
____________________
771
|
|
|
He has just grounds direct
him. I
will prove
A father and a brother to thee.
Euph.
Heaven
Does look into the secrets of all hearts:
Gods, you have mercy with ye, else —
Thy brother will return in safety to us.
Org. Souls sunk in
sorrows
never are without
'em.
They change fresh airs, but bear their griefs
about 'em.
Exeunt omnes.
Flourish.
Enter
AMYCLAS
the King, ARMOS-
TES, PROPHILUS, [Courtiers,] and Attendants.
Amy. The Spartan
gods are
gracious; our
humility
Shall bend before their altars, and perfume
Their temples with abundant sacrifice.
See, lords, Amyclas, your old king, is ent'ring
| Into his youth again!
I
shall shake off |
5 |
This silver badge of age, and change this snow
For hairs as gay as are Apollo's locks;
Our heart leaps in new vigour.
Arm.
May old time
Run back to double your long life, great sir!
Amy. It will, it
must,
Armostes: thy bold
Death-braving Ithocles, brings to our gates
Triumphs and peace upon his conquering
sword.
Laconia is a monarchy at length;
Hath in this latter war trod under foot
| Messene's pride;
Messene
bows her neck |
15 |
To Lacedaemon's royalty. O, 't was
A glorious victory, and doth deserve
More than a chronicle — a temple, lords,
A temple to the name of Ithocles. —
Where didst thou leave him, Prophilus?
Most gracious sovereign; twenty of the noblest
Of the Messenians there attend your pleasure,
For such conditions as you shall propose
In settling peace, and liberty of life.
Amy. When comes your
friend, the general?
To follow with all speed convenient.
Enter CALANTHA, EUPHRANEA;
CHRISTALLA
and PHILEMA [with a garland;] and CROTO-
LON.
Amy. Our daughter! —
Dear
Calantha, the
happy news,
The conquest of Messene, hath already
Enrich'd thy knowledge.
Cal.
With
the circumstance
| And manner of the
fight,
related faithfully |
30 |
By Prophilus himself: — But, pray, sir, tell me
How doth the youthful general demean
His actions in these fortunes?
Pro.
Excellent princess,
Your own fair eyes may soon report a truth
| Unto your judgment,
with
what moderation, |
35 |
Calmness of nature, measure, bounds, and limits
Of thankfulness and joy, 'a doth digest
Such amplitude of his success as would
In others, moulded of a spirit less clear,
| Advance 'em to
comparison
with heaven: |
40 |
But Ithocles —
Cal.
Your friend —
Pro.
He is so, madam,
In which the period of my fate consists:
He, in this firmament of honour, stands
Like a star fixt, not mov'd with any thunder
| Of popular applause or
sudden lightning |
45 |
Of self-opinion; he hath serv'd his country,
And thinks 't was but his duty.
Crot.
You describe
A miracle of man.
Amy.
Such, Crotolon,
On forfeit of a king's word, thou wilt find
Hark, warning of his coming! All attend him.
Enter ITHOCLES,
HEMOPHIL,
and GRONEAS;
the rest of the Lords ushering him in.
Return into these arms, thy
home,
thy sanctuary,
Delight of Sparta, treasure of my bosom,
Mine own, own Ithocles!
Ith.
Your humblest
subject.
Arm. Proud of the
blood I
claim an interest
in.
| As brother to thy
mother, I
embrace thee, |
55 |
Right noble nephew.
Ith.
Sir, your love's too
partial.
Crot. Our country
speaks
by me, who by thy
valour,
Wisdom, and service, shares in this great ac-
tion;
Returning thee, in part of thy due merits,
A general welcome.
| Ith.
You exceed in
bounty. |
60 |
Cal. Christalla,
Philema, the chaplet. [Takes
the chaplet from them.] — Ithocles,
Upon the wings of Fame the singular
And chosen fortune of an high attempt
Is borne so past the view of common sight,
That I myself with mine own hands have
To crown thy temples, this provincial garland: 2
Accept, wear, and enjoy it as our gift
Deserv'd, not purchas'd.
Ith.
Y' are a royal maid.
Amy. She is in all
our
daughter.
Ith.
Let me blush,
| Acknowledging how
poorly I
have serv'd, |
70 |
What nothings I have done, compar'd with th'
honours
Heap'd on the issue of a willing mind;
In that lay mine ability, that only:
For who is he so sluggish from his birth,
| So little worthy of a
name
or country, |
75 |
That owes not out of gratitude for life
A debt of service, in what kind soever
Safety or counsel of the commonwealth
Requires, for payment?
____________________
| 1 |
A room in the palace. |
| 2 |
The laurel wreath . .
.
conferred on those who
added a province to the empire. (Gifford.) |
772
|
|
|
Cal.
'A speaks truth.
Ith.
Whom heaven
| Is pleas'd to style
victorious, there to such |
80 |
Applause runs madding, like the drunken
priests
In Bacchus' sacrifices, without reason,
Voicing the leader-on a demi-god;
Whenas, indeed, each common soldier's blood
Drops down as current coin in that hard pur-
As his whose much more delicate condition
Hath suckt the milk of ease: judgment; com-
mands,
But resolution executes. I use not,
Before this royal presence, these fit slights 1
| As in contempt of such
as
can direct; |
90 |
My speech hath other end; not to attribute
All praise to one man's fortune, which is
strengthen'd
By many hands. For instance, here is Prophilus,
A gentleman — I cannot flatter truth —
| Of much desert; and,
though
in other rank, |
95 |
Both Hemophil and Groneas were not missing
To wish their country's peace; for, in a word,
All there did strive their best, and 't was our
duty.
Amy. Courtiers turn
soldiers! — We vouch-
safe our hand.
[HEMOPHIL and GRONEAS kiss
his
hand.]
Observe your great example.
| Hem.
With all
diligence. |
100 |
Gron. Obsequiously
and
hourly.
Amy.
Some
repose
After these toils is 2 needful. We must think
on
Conditions for the conquered; they expect 3
'em.
On! — Come, my Ithocles.
Euph.
Sir, with your
favour,
I need not a supporter.
| Pro.
Fate instructs
me. |
105 |
Exeunt. HEMOPHIL stays CHRIS-
TALLA; GRONEAS, PHILEMA.
Chris. With me?
Phil.
Indeed, I dare not
stay.
Hem.
Sweet lady.
Soldiers are blunt, —
your lip.
Chris.
Fie, this is
rudeness:
You went not hence such creatures.
Gro.
Spirit
of valour
Is of a mounting nature.
Phil.
It appears so. —
| Pray, in earnest, how
many
men apiece |
110 |
Have you two been the death of?
Gro.
'Faith, not many;
We were compos'd of mercy.
Hem.
For our daring,
You heard the general's approbation
Before the king.
Chris. You "wish'd
your
country's peace;"
That show'd your charity: where are your
Such as the soldier fights for?
Phil.
They are coming.
Chris. By the next
carrier, are they not?
Gro.
Sweet Philema,
When I was in the thickest of mine enemies,
Slashing off one man's head, another's nose,
Another's arms and legs, —
| Phil.
And all
together. |
120 |
Gro. Then would I with a sigh remember
thee,
And cry "Dear Philema, 't is for thy sake
I do these deeds of wonder!" — Dost not love
me
With all thy heart now?
Phil.
Now as heretofore.
| I have not put my love
to
use; the principal |
125 |
Will hardly yield an interest.
Gro.
By Mars,
I'll marry thee!
Phil.
By Vulcan, you 're
forsworn,
Except my mind do alter strangely.
Gro.
One word.
Chris. You lie
beyond all
modesty: — for-
Hem. I'll make thee mistress of a city; 't is
Mine own by conquest.
Chris.
By petition; sue
for 't
In forma pauperis. — City! kennel. —
Gallants,
Off with your feathers, put on aprons, gallants;
| Learn to reel, thrum, 4
or trim a lady's dog, |
134 |
And be good quiet souls of peace, hobgoblins!
Hem. Christalla!
Chris.
Practise to drill
hogs, in hope
To share in the acorns. — Soldiers! corncutters,
But not so valiant; they ofttimes draw blood,
Which you durst never do. When you have
practis'd
| More wit or more
civility,
we'll rank ye |
140 |
I' th' list of men: till then, brave things-at-
arms,
Dare not to speak to us, — most potent Gro-
neas! —
Phil. And Hemophil
the
hardy! — at your
services.
Exeunt
CHRISTALLA and
PHILEMA.
Gro. They scorn us
as they
did before we
went.
Hem. Hang 'em! let
us
scorn them, and be
Gro. Shall
we?
Hem. We will: and
when we
slight them thus,
Instead of following them, they'll follow us;
It is a woman's nature,
Gro.
'T is a scurvy one. Exeunt.
Enter
TECNICUS, a
philosopher, and ORGILUS
disguised like a Scholar of his.
Tec. Tempt not the
stars;
young man, thou
canst not play
With the severity of fate: this change
Of habit and disguise in outward view
Hides not the secrets of thy soul within thee
From their quick-piercing eyes, which dive at
____________________
| 1 |
Appropriately
belittling
terms. |
| 2 |
Q. are. |
| 3 |
Await. |
| 4 |
Weave. |
| 5 |
The gardens of the
palace. A
grove. |
773
|
|
|
Down to thy thoughts: in thy
aspect I note
A consequence of danger.
Org.
Give me leave,
Grave Tecnicus, without foredooming destiny,
Under thy roof to ease my silent griefs,
| By applying to my
hidden
wounds the balm |
10 |
Of thy oraculous lectures. If my fortune
Run such a crooked by-way as to wrest
My steps to ruin, yet thy learned precepts
Shall call me back and set my footings straight.
I will not court the world.
Neglects in young men of delights and life
Run often to extremities; they care not
For harms to others who contemn their own.
Org. But I, most
learned
artist, am not so
much
| At odds with nature
that I
grudge the thrift |
20 |
Of any true deserver; nor doth malice
Of present hopes so check them with despair
As that I yield to thought of more affliction
Than what is incident to frailty: wherefore
| Impute not this
retired
course of living |
25 |
Some little time to any other cause
Than what I justly render, — the information
Of an unsettled mind; as the effect
Must clearly witness.
Tec.
Spirit of truth
inspire thee!
| On these conditions I
conceal thy change, |
30 |
And willingly admit thee for an auditor. —
I'll to my study.
Org.
I to contemplations
In these delightful walks. Exit
TECNICUS.
Thus metamorphos'd
I may without suspicion hearken after
| Penthea's usage and
Euphranea's faith. |
35 |
Love, thou art full of mystery! The deities
Themselves are not secure 1
in searching out
The secrets of those flames, which, hidden,
waste
A breast made tributary to the laws
| Of beauty: physic yet
hath
never found |
40 |
A remedy to cure a lover's wound. —
Ha! who are those that cross yon private walk
Into the shadowing grove in amorous foldings?
PROPHILUS passeth over,
supporting 2
EUPHRA-
NEA, and whispering.
My sister! O, my sister! 't
is
Euphranea
| With Prophilus:
supported
too! I Would |
45 |
It were an apparition! Prophilus
Is Ithocles his friend: it strangely puzzles me.
Again! help me, my book; this scholar's habit
Must stand my privilege: my mind is busy,
Mine eyes and ears are open.
Walks by, reading.
Re-enter
PROPHILUS and
EUPHRANEA.
The span of this stol'n time, lent by the gods
For precious use, in niceness. 3
Bright Eu-
phranea,
Should I repeat old vows, or study new,
For purchase of belief to my desires, —
Org. [Aside.] Desires!
| Pro.
My service, my
integrity, — |
55 |
Org. [Aside.]
That's better.
Pro.
I should but repeat a
lesson
Oft conn'd without a prompter but thine eyes.
My love is honourable.
Ory. [Aside]
So was
mine
To my Penthea, chastely honourable.
Pro. Nor wants there
more
addition to my
Of happiness than having thee a wife;
Already sure of Ithocles, a friend
Firm and unalterable.
Org. [Aside.]
But a brother
More cruel than the grave.
Euph. What Can you
look
for,
| In answer to your
noble
protestations, |
65 |
From an unskilful maid, but language suited
To a divided mind?
Org. [Aside.]
Hold
out, Euphranea!
Euph. Know,
Prophilus, I
never undervalu'd,
From the first time you mentioned worthy love,
| Your merit, means, or
person: it had been |
70 |
A fault of judgment in me, and a dulness
In my affections, not to weigh and thank
My better stars that offered me the grace
Of so much blissfulness. For, to speak truth,
| The law of my desires
kept
equal pace |
75 |
With yours; nor have I left that resolution:
But only, in a word, whatever choice
Lives nearest in my heart must first procure
Consent both from my father and my brother,
Ere he can own me his.
| Org. [Aside.]
She is forsworn else. |
80 |
Pro. Leave me that
task.
Euph.
My brother, ere he
parted
To Athens, had my oath.
Org. [Aside.]
Yes, yes, 'a
had, sure.
Pro. I doubt not,
with the
means the court
supplies,
But to prevail at pleasure.
Org. [Aside.]
Very likely!
Pro. Meantime, best,
dearest, I may build
On the foundation of thy constant suff'rance
In any opposition.
Euph.
Death shall sooner
Divorce life and the joys I have in living
Than my chaste vows from truth.
Pro.
On thy fair hand
Org. [Aside.]
There is no
faith in woman.
Passion, O, be contain'd! My very heart-strings
Are on the tenters.4
Euph.
Sir, we are
overheard.
Cupid protect us! 'T was a stirring, sir,
Of some one near.
| Pro.
Your fears are
needless, lady; |
95 |
None have access into these private pleasures
Except some near in court, or bosom-student
From Tecnicus his oratory, granted
By special favour lately from the king
Unto the grave philosopher.
I hear one talking to himself, — I see him.
____________________
| |
