Cu. In happy hour then is Cusay come. JOAB. What news then brings lord Cusay from the king? Cu. His majesty commands thee out of hand To send him home Urias from the wars, For matter of some service he should do. UR. 'Tis for no choler hath surpris'd the king, I hope, lord Cusay, 'gainst his servant's truth? Cu. No; rather to prefer Urias' truth. JOAB. Here, take him with thee then, and go in peace; And tell my lord the king that I have fought Against the city Rabbah with success, And scaled where the royal palace is, The conduit heads, and all their sweetest springs: The glory of the conquest to my name. Cu. We will, lord Joab; and, great Israel's God Bless in thy hands the battles of our king! [Exeunt Cusay and Urias. ABIS. Let us descend, and ope the palace' gate, Taking our soldiers in to keep the hold. JOAB. Let us, Abisai:—and ye, sons of Judah, Be valiant, and maintain your victory. [Exeunt. AMMON, JONADAB, JETHRAY and AMMON's Page. JONAD. What means my lord, the king's beloved son, That wears upon his right triumphant arm, power of Israel for a royal favour, That holds The upon the tables of his hands Banquets of honour, and all thought's content, To sit and feed upon his fainting cheeks, JONAD. Then from her heart thy looks shall be reliev❜d, And thou shalt 'joy her as thy soul desires. AM. How can it be, my sweet friend Jonadab, Since Thamar is a virgin and my sister? JONAD. Thus it shall be: lie down upon thy bed, Feigning thee fever-sick, and ill at ease; And, when the king shall come to visit thee, To dress some dainties for thy malady: Then when thou hast her solely with thyself, See, where she comes; entreat her in with thee. Enter THAMAR. THA. What aileth Ammon with such sickly looks, To daunt the favour of his lovely face? AM. Sweet Thamar, sick, and wish some whole some cates, Dress'd with the cunning of thy dainty hands. THA. That hath the king commanded at my hands; Then, come, and rest thee, while I make thee ready Some dainties, easeful to thy crazed soul. Aм. I go, sweet sister, eased with thy sight. [Exeunt. Restat Jonadab. JONAD. Why should a prince, whose power may command, Obey the rebel passions of his love, When they contend but 'gainst his conscience, And may be govern'd, or suppress'd by will? Now, Ammon, loose those loving knots of blood, VOL. II. C Sinew'd with vigour of his kindless* love: Where cedars, stirr'd with anger of the winds, Beating the clouds into their swiftest rack, To bear this wonder round about the world. [Exit. AMMON thrusting out THAMAR. Aм. Hence from my bed, whose sight offends my soul, As doth the parbreak † of disgorged bears. THA. Unkind, unprincely, and unmanly Ammon, To force, and then refuse thy sister's love; Adding unto the fright of thy offence The baneful torment of my publish'd shame! O, do not this dishonour to thy love, Nor clog thy soul with such increasing sin! This second evil far exceeds the first. Aм. Jethray, come, thrust this woman from my sight, And bolt the door upon her if she strive. * kindless] i. e. unnatural. † parbreak] i. e. vomit. JETH. Go, madam, go, away, you must be gone; My lord hath done with you: I pray, depart. [He shuts her out. THA. Whither, alas! ah, whither shall I fly, With folded arms, and all-amazed soul? Cast as was Eva from that glorious soil, (Where all delights sat bating wing'd with thoughts, Ready to nestle in her naked breasts,) To bare and barren vales with floods made waste, To desert woods, and hills with lightning scorch'd, With death, with shame, with hell, with horror sit; There will I wander from my father's face, There Absalon, my brother Absalon, Sweet Absalon shall hear his sister mourn, * There will I live with my windy sighs, Night ravens and owls to rend my bloody side, Enter ABSALON. Rend hair, and garments, as thy heart is rent With inward fury of a thousand griefs, And scatter them by these unhallow'd doors, To figure Ammon's resting cruelty, And tragic spoil of Thamar's chastity. ABS. What causeth Thamar to exclaim so much? live] Qy.' "lure." |