King. Pr’ythee, to bed then; let me take it warm;
There thou shalt know the state of my body better.

Evad. I know you have a surfeited foul body;
And you must bleed.

King. Bleed!

Evad. Ay, you shall bleed! Lie still; and, if the devil,
Your lust, will give you leave, repent. This steel
Comes to redeem the honour that you stole,
King, my fair name; which nothing but thy death
Can answer to the world.

King. How’s this, Evadne?

Evad. I am not she; nor bear I in this breast
So much cold spirit to be call’d a woman.
I am a tiger; I am anything
That knows not pity. Stir not! If thou dost,
I’ll take thee unprepared; thy fears upon thee,
That make thy sins look double; and so send thee
(By my revenge, I will) to look those torments
Prepared for such black souls.

King. Thou dost not mean this; ’tis impossible:
Thou art too sweet and gentle.

Evad. No, I am not.
I am as foul as thou art, and can number
As many such hells here. I was once fair,
Once I was lovely; not a blowing rose
More chastely sweet, till thou, thou, thou foul canker,
(Stir not) didst poison me. I was a world of virtue,
Till your curst court and you (Hell bless you for’t!)
With your temptations on temptations,
Made me give up mine honour; for which, king,
I’m come to kill thee.

King. No!

Evad. I am.

King. Thou art not!
I pr’ythee speak not these things: Thou art gentle,
And wert not meant thus rugged.

Evad. Peace, and hear me.
Stir nothing but your tongue, and that for mercy
To those above us; by whose lights I vow,
Those blessed fires that shot to see our sin,
If thy hot soul had substance with thy blood,
I would kill that too; which, being past my steel,
My tongue shall reach. Thou art a shameless villain!
A thing out of the overcharge of nature;
Sent, like a thick cloud, to disperse a plague
Upon weak catching women! such a tyrant,
That for his lust would sell away his subjects!
Ay, all his Heaven hereafter!

King. Hear, Evadne,
Thou soul of sweetness, hear! I am thy king.

Evad. Thou art my shame! Lie still, there’s none about you,
Within your cries: All promises of safety
Are but deluding dreams. Thus, thus, thou foul man,
Thus I begin my vengeance!

[Stabs him.

King. Hold, Evadne!
I do command thee, hold.

Evad. I do not mean, sir.
To part so fairly with you; we must change
More of these love-tricks yet.

King. What bloody villain
Provoked thee to this murder?

Evad. Thou, thou monster.

King. Oh!

Evad. Thou kept’st me brave at court, and whor’d’st me,
king;
Then married me to a young noble gentleman,
And whor’d’st me still.

King. Evadne, pity me.


  By PanEris using Melati.

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