Five Old Plays

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1828 Excerpt: ...Fate; you rest excusde. None can be deemed faultie for her Fate. Guenevora. No Fate, but manners fayle when we offende. Impute mishaps to Fates--to manners faultes. Angharat. Love is an error that may blinde the best. Guenevora. A mightie error oft hath seemde a Sinne. My death is vowed and death must needes take place. But such a death as stands with just remorse: Death to the world and to her slipperie joyes: A full divorce from all this courtly pompe, Where dayly pennance done for each offence May render due revenge for every wrong. Which to accomplish, pray my deerest friends That they forthwith, attyrde in saddest guise, Conduct me to the Cloister next hereby, There to professe, and to renounce the world. Angharat. Alas! what chaunge were that! from kingly rooffes To cloistered eelles--to live and die at once! To want your stately troupes, your friends and kinne, To shun the shewes and sights of stately court; To see in sort alive your countries death. Yea, what so'er even death it selfe withdrawes From any els, that life withdrawes from you. Yet since your highnes is so fully bent Iwillobay: the whiles asswage your griefe. Exit. THE FOURTH SCENE. MORDRED. GuENEVORA. CoNAN. Mordred. The houre which erst I alwaies feared most, The certaine mine of my desperate state, Is happened now! why turnst thou (minde) thy back? Why at the first assault doest thou recoile? Trust to't: the angry Heavens contrive gome spight, And dreadfulLdbometaugment thy cursed hap. Oppose to ech revenge thy guiltie heade, And shun no paine, nor plague fit for thy fact. What shouldst thou feare, that seest not what to hope? No danger's left before--all's at thy backe. He safely stands, that stands beyond his harmes. Thine (death) is all that East and West can see: For thee we live,...