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    A King, and No King: "See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion"
    A King, and No King: "See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion"
    A King, and No King: "See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion"
    Ebook189 pages1 hour

    A King, and No King: "See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion"

    By Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

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    About this ebook

    The English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I of England (James VI of Scotland, 1567–1625; in England he reigned from 1603).

    Beaumont & Fletcher began to collaborate as writers soon after they met. After notable failures of their solo works their first joint effort, Philaster, was a success and tragicomedy was the genre they explored and built upon. There would be many further successes to follow.

    There is an account that at the time the two men shared everything. They lived together in a house on the Bankside in Southwark, "they also lived together in Bankside, sharing clothes and having one wench in the house between them." Or as another account puts it “sharing everything in the closest intimacy."

    Whatever the truth of this they were now recognised as perhaps the best writing team of their generation, so much so, that their joint names was applied to all the works in which either, or both, had a pen including those with Philip Massinger, James Shirley and Nathan Field.

    The first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647 contained 35 plays; 53 plays were included in the second folio in 1679. Other works bring the total plays in the canon to about 55. However there appears here to have been some duplicity on the account of the publishers who seemed to attribute so many to the team. It is now thought that the work between solely by Beaumont and Fletcher amounts to approximately 15 plays, though of course further works by them were re-worked by others and the originals lost.

    After Beaumont’s early death in 1616 Fletcher continued to write and, at his height was, by many standards, the equal of Shakespeare in popularity until his own death in 1625.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStage Door
    Release dateJan 30, 2018
    ISBN9781787377516
    A King, and No King: "See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion"

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      Book preview

      A King, and No King - Francis Beaumont

      A King & No King by Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher

      The English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I of England (James VI of Scotland, 1567–1625; in England he reigned from 1603).

      Beaumont & Fletcher began to collaborate as writers soon after they met.  After notable failures of their solo works their first joint effort, Philaster, was a success and tragicomedy was the genre they explored and built upon.  There would be many further successes to follow.

      There is an account that at the time the two men shared everything.  They lived together in a house on the Bankside in Southwark, they also lived together in Bankside, sharing clothes and having one wench in the house between them. Or as another account puts it sharing everything in the closest intimacy.

      Whatever the truth of this they were now recognised as perhaps the best writing team of their generation, so much so, that their joint names was applied to all the works in which either, or both, had a pen including those with Philip Massinger, James Shirley and Nathan Field.

      The first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647 contained 35 plays; 53 plays were included in the second folio in 1679. Other works bring the total plays in the canon to about 55. However there appears here to have been some duplicity on the account of the publishers who seemed to attribute so many to the team.  It is now thought that the work between solely by Beaumont and Fletcher amounts to approximately 15 plays, though of course further works by them were re-worked by others and the originals lost. 

      After Beaumont’s early death in 1616 Fletcher continued to write and, at his height was, by many standards, the equal of Shakespeare in popularity until his own death in 1625.

      Index of Contents

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      ACTUS PRIMUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      ACTUS SECUNDUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      ACTUS TERTIUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      ACTUS QUARTUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      ACTUS QUINTUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      FRANCIS BEAUMONT – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

      JOHN FLETCHER – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

      BEAUMONT & FLETCHER – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      MEN

      Arbaces, King of Iberia.

      Tigranes, King of Armenia.

      Gobrias, Lord Protector, and Father of Arbaces.

      Bacurius, another Lord.

      Mardonius }

      Bessus  } Two Captains

      Ligones, Father of Spaconia.

      Two Gentlemen.

      Three Men and a Woman.

      Philip, a servant, and two Citizens Wives.

      A Messenger.

      A Servant to Bacurius.

      Two Sword-men.

      A Boy.

      WOMEN

      Arane, The Queen-Mother.

      Panthea, Her Daughter.

      Spaconia, A Lady Daughter of Ligones

      Mandane, A waiting woman, and other attendants.

      ACTUS PRIMUS

      SCAENA PRIMA

      Enter MARDONIUS and BESSUS, Two CAPTAINS.

      MARDONIUS

      Bessus, the King has made a fair hand on't, he has ended the

      Wars at a blow, would my sword had a close basket hilt to hold

      Wine, and the blade would make knives, for we shall have nothing

      But eating and drinking.

      BESSUS

      We that are Commanders shall do well enough.

      MARDONIUS

      Faith Bessus, such Commanders as thou may; I had as lieve set thee Perdue for a pudding i'th' dark, as Alexander  the Great.

      BESSUS

      I love these jests exceedingly.

      MARDONIUS

      I think thou lov'st 'em better than quarrelling Bessus, I'le say so much i'thy behalf, and yet thou 'rt valiant enough upon a retreat, I think thou wouldst kill any man that stopt thee if thou couldst.

      BESSUS

      But was not this a brave Combate Mardonius?

      MARDONIUS

      Why, didst thou see't?

      BESSUS

      You stood wi'me.

      MARDONIUS

      I did so, but me thought thou wink'dst every blow they strook.

      BESSUS

      Well, I believe there are better souldiers than I, that never saw two Princes fight in lists.

      MARDONIUS

      By my troth I think so too Bessus, many a thousand, but certainly all that are worse than thou have seen as much.

      BESSUS

      'Twas bravely done of our King.

      MARDONIUS

      Yes, if he had not ended the wars: I'me glad thou dar'st talk of such dangerous businesses.

      BESSUS

      To take a Prince prisoner in the heart of's own Country in single combat.

      MARDONIUS

      See how thy blood curdles at this, I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i'this passion.

      BESSUS

      Shall I tell you truly?

      MARDONIUS

      I.

      BESSUS

      I could willingly venture for't.

      MARDONIUS

      Um, no venture neither Bessus.

      BESSUS

      Let me not live, if I do not think 'tis a braver piece of service than that I'me so fam'd for.

      MARDONIUS

      Why, art thou fam'd for any valour?

      BESSUS

      Fam'd! I, I warrant you.

      MARDONIUS

      I'me e'en heartily glad on't, I have been with thee e're since thou cam'st to th'wars, and this is the first word that ever I heard on't, prethee who fames thee.

      BESSUS

      The Christian world.

      MARDONIUS

      'Tis heathenishly done of'em in my conscience, thou deserv'st it not.

      BESSUS

      Yes, I ha' don good service.

      MARDONIUS

      I do not know how thou mayst wait of a man in's Chamber, or thy agility of shifting of a Trencher, but otherwise no service good Bessus.

      BESSUS

      You saw me do the service your self.

      MARDONIUS

      Not so hasty sweet Bessus, where was it, is the place vanish'd?

      BESSUS

      At Bessus  desp'rate redemption.

      MARDONIUS

      At Bessus  desp'rate redemption, where's that?

      BESSUS

      There where I redeem'd the day, the place bears my name.

      MARDONIUS

      Pray thee, who Christened it?

      BESSUS

      The Souldiers.

      MARDONIUS

      If I were not a very merrily dispos'd man, what would become of thee? one that had but a grain of choler in the whole composition of his body, would send thee of an errand to the worms for putting thy name upon that field: did not I beat thee there i'th' head o'th' Troops with a Trunchion, because thou wouldst needs run away with thy company, when we should charge the enemy?

      BESSUS

      True, but I did not run.

      MARDONIUS

      Right Bessus, I beat thee out on't.

      BESSUS

      But came I not up when the day was gone, and redeem'd all?

      MARDONIUS

      Thou knowest, and so do I, thou meanedst to flie, and thy fear making thee mistake, thou ranst upon the enemy, and a hot charge thou gav'st, as I'le do thee right, thou art furious in running away, and I think, we owe thy fear for our victory; If I were the King, and were sure thou wouldst mistake alwaies and run away upon th' enemy, thou shouldst be General by this light.

      BESSUS

      You'l never leave this till I fall foul.

      MARDONIUS

      No more such words dear Bessus, for though I have ever known thee a coward, and therefore durst never strike thee, yet if thou proceedest, I will allow thee valiant, and beat thee.

      BESSUS

      Come, our King's a brave fellow.

      MARDONIUS

      He is so Bessus, I wonder how thou cam'st to know it. But if thou wer't a man of understanding, I would tell thee, he is vain-glorious, and humble, and angry, and patient, and merry and dull, and joyful and sorrowful in extremity in an hour: Do not think me thy friend for this, for if I ear'd who knew it, thou shouldst not hear it Bessus. Here he is with his prey in his foot.

      [Enter &c. Senet Flourish.

      [Enter ARBACES, TIGRANES, Two Kings and TWO GENTLEMEN.

      ARBACES

      Thy sadness brave Tigranes  takes away

      From my full victory, am I become

      Of so small fame, that any man should grieve

      When I o'recome him? They that plac'd me here,

      Intended it an honour large enough, (though he

      For the most valiant living, but to dare oppose me single,

      Lost the day. What should afflict you, you are as free as I,

      To be my prisoner, is to be more free

      Than you were formerly, and never think

      The man I held worthy to combate me

      Shall be us'd servilely: Thy ransom is

      To take my only Sister to thy Wife.

      A heavy one Tigranes, for she is

      A Lady, that the neighbour Princes send

      Blanks to fetch home. I have been too unkind

      To her Tigranes, she but nine years old

      I left her, and ne're saw her since, your wars

      Have held me long and taught me though a youth,

      The way to victory, she was a pretty child,

      Then I was little better, but now fame

      Cries loudly on her, and my messengers

      Make me believe she is a miracle;

      She'l make you shrink, as I did, with a stroak

      But of her eye Tigranes.

      TIGRANES

      Is't the course of Iberia to use their prisoners thus?

      Had fortune thrown my name above Arbace,

      I should not thus have talk'd Sir, in Armenia

      We hold it base, you should have kept your temper

      Till you saw home again, where 'tis the fashion

      Perhaps to brag.

      ARBACES

      Be you my witness earth, need I to brag,

      Doth not this captive Prince speak

      Me sufficiently, and all the acts

      That I have wrought upon his suffering Land;

      Should I then boast! where lies that foot of ground

      Within his whole Realm, that I have not past,

      Fighting and conquering; Far then from me

      Be ostentation. I could tell the world

      How I have laid his Kingdom desolate

      By this sole Arm prop't by divinity,

      Stript him out of his glories,

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