The saints sacrifice

Caric. Isle answer thee Proud dame, if my Theagines live yet, I say, I am not guilty of this murder, But if by thy most damnable attempts His purer soul hath left the earthly prison Of his fair body, I declare my self Guilty of this and whatsoever else Thy malice can invent, I was the woman That poisoned then thy nurse, who trained thee up To all those goodly virtues of thy mind; I do desire to suffer, kill me straight That I may meet my lover, who so stoutly Resisted thy soul lust, and lewd enticements, Choosing to die rather then condescend.

Caric. Ile answer thee Proud dame, if my Theagines live yet, I say, I am not guilty of this murther, But if by thy most damnable attempts His purer soule hath left the earthly prison Of his faire body, I declare my selfe Guilty of this and whatsoever else Thy malice can invent, I was the woman That poison'd then thy nurse, who train'd thee up To all those goodly vertues of thy mind; I doe desire to suffer, kill me straight That I may meet my lover, who so stoutly Resisted thy soule lust, and lewd enticements, Choosing to die rather then condescend.

Arsa. Base quean, how durst thou take unto thy self Such liberty of speech? judicious sirs. And magistrates of Persia, understand That this she saith is false touching my honour; I take the gods to witness that when first This woman and her friend came to the Palace, I entertained them as became the state Of greater persons, and so long continued My favours to them till by open proof I found they came as spies to […] sent From King Hydaspes army, then indeed I did begin to draw back my affection, Many more things inciting me to do it Which I forbear to speak of, but in brief Although I loved this maid so as to make her My bosom-friend, and my most dear companion, She hath repaid me as you see, and poisoned My trusty woman, is't not to be doubted ⟨image 36⟩Her purpose stretched yet further, even to me?

Arsa. Base queane, how durst thou take unto thy selfe Such liberty of speech? judicious sirs. And magistrates of Persia, understand That this she saith is false touching my honour; I take the gods to witnesse that when first This woman and her friend came to the Palace, I entertain'd them as became the state Of greater persons, and so long continued My favours to them till by open proofe I found they came as spies to sent From King Hydaspes army, then indeed I did begin to draw backe my affection, Many more things inciting me to doe it Which I forbeare to speake of, but in briefe Although I lov'd this maid so as to make her My bosom-friend, and my most deare companion, She hath repaid me as you see, and poison'd My trusty woman, is't not to be doubted