Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/176

156 He is my father and thy sovereign!

'Tis wickedness, dear friend, we go about to punish;

And, when we have murther'd him,

What difference is there 'twixt him and ourselves,

But that he first was wicked? Thou now wouldst kill

Him, 'cause he kill'd thy father; and when thou'st killed,

Have not I the self-same quarrel?

Zir. Why, sir, you know you would yourself have done it.

Ther. True;

And therefore 'tis I beg his life.

There was no way for me to have redeem'd

Th' intent, but by a real saving of it.

If he did not ravish from thee thy Orbella,

Remember that that wicked issue had

A noble parent—love.

Remember how

He lov'd Zorannes, when he was Ziriff!

There's something due to that.

If you must needs have blood for your revenge, [Offers his breast Take it here.

Despise it not, Zorannes.

The gods themselves,

Whose greatness makes the greatness of our sins,

And heightens 'em above what we can do

Unto each other, accept of sacrifice

For what we do 'gainst them. Why should not you?

And 'tis much thriftier too. You cannot let

Out life there, but my honour goes; and all

The life you can take here, posterity

Will give me back again. See, Aglaura weeps!

That would have been ill rhetoric in me;

But, where it is, it cannot but persuade.

Zir. Th' have thaw'd the ice about my heart: I know

Not what to do.

King. Come down, come down! I will be king again.

There's none so fit to be the judge of this

As I. The life you show'd such zeal to save

I here could willingly return you back;

But that's the common price of all revenge.