sacred Briom Can there be a Cause so sacred To draw you forth from your abandon'd Kingdoms And in this poor Disguise to quit your Throne Briomar Oront Quit Thrones quit Worlds quit Earth and Heav'n my Run mad despair and dye Briom Dye Sir Oront Yes dye To Deaths short pain from lingring Tortures fly Plunge the Vast Deep and launch to that blest shore Where Clarismunda's Scorn can kill no more Briom Death I confess is Woes last certain Remedy But when the Great seek Death they ought to meet him In the fair Paths of Glory Poorly dying Is worse then basely Living Sir consider You 're born to Empire hold the Charge of Kingdoms A Royall Cause and a protected people Besides behold a gathering Storm before you Arms at your Gates and Vengeance round your Walls Advanceing Enemies and pushing Fate That Death thou seek'st seek nobly King Crown'd Heads Should not fall crusht like poor despairing slaves But build their Monuments when they digg their Graves Oront Kind Briomar I thank thy honest Love 'T is true the Charge of Empire lyes upon us Yet Heav'ns Vicegerents are not so all Gods But we have a little of the Man about us Shackled with Soveraignty and tyed up to Honour We are not so fast to golden Fetters curst But Love one Link of the long Chain may burst Oh Briomar I have that last Account yet to make up To that Fair Tyrants Ear before I dye That as thou valuest my Eternall Peace By all thy Loyalty I must conjure thee Under the shelter of this kind Disguise To gain me an Access But one blest Minute At Clarismunda's Feet Briom But in this kind Disguise can you so rule Your master'd Passion as to keep your shrow'd No frantick start to burst your guardian Cloud Sir dare you promise me Oront Yes I dare promise Shall I performe my Briomar Briom How Sir Oront No more I 'le be obey'd Briom Then Sir my Duty shall dispute no more Th' Access shall be obtain'd Though I much fear Effects too dismall Oront Leave Effects to Fate Love spurs the Leap and Danger Checks too late Exeunt Scene a Room of State Enter Celestina Rosalin and Women Ros Madam five hundred Talents from the King Cel. Have Kist my Hand this Morning Ros From Great Love A fair presented Sum. Cel. To buy me pins A small Oblation But my Royall Vassall Remembers his Allegiance knows his Duty And pays my Eyes their Tribute Now my Rosalin How dost thou like the Port our Greatness bears Say is a Monarchs Heare a Toy worth wearing Rosal Your Conquest is a perfect Raign of Wonders Cel. Nay I have conquer'd now And such a Conquest That surfeited Delight and gorged Ambition Have drunk so deep that they can thirst no more Ros Madam the Princess Cel. Ha! What brings her here perhaps The Consciencious Fool comes to Preach Honour Herminia's Wrongs and Celestina's Fraylty If so I am resolv'd I will receive her Like my great self the Mistress of a Pow'r The World 's too weak to shake Enter Clarismunda Claris. I stoop beneath My self when I descend To talk with Sin and Shame But sweet Herminia A Champion in Thy Cause commanding Justice Forgive the Faults offending Honour makes No the proud Theif the Syren has undon thee Shall not move off with Her Rich prize so tamely I 'le talk with the gay Sin and glittring Infamy Cel These happy Walls and their more happy Mistress Thus honour'd and thus grace'd Beleive me Madam You 've so surprized me with this wondrous Goodness Took me so unprepared for a Reception Worthy of such a Guest Claris. Hold there 's no need Of so much courtly Ceremony All I came to meet I 've found thy self and wish The Visitant I bring thee may receive But half this promis'd welcome Cel. If I am All You came to seek I am proud that you have found me And prouder to receive whate're Commands Honour can give or Honour can obey As such no doubt you bring me speak Your pleasure Clar. Honour Oh thou hast named the richest Jem That e're adorn'd the Fair True Honour Beauties Inestimable wealth whilst we wear Thee We have inexhausted Mines of endless Treasure Enough t' enrich the world Where Honour Shines Our Eyes are Sparks of Heaven 'T is that kind Sun That lights 'em into Stars The Great just Powers Made us the fairest work of their Creation Till our own faults our own defacing Shame Unmakes the work of Gods Celest Ay now you charm my Ear with ravishing Musick Honour our Sexes warmest Pride Our whole Devotion Saint Heaven All we kneel and pray to And Madam if those Powers you name have made Beauty the Master-stroak of their Creation I thank their Generous Moulding Hands These Eyes Are not their poorest stamp And to do Justice To Heavens unfinisht Peice I shall take care In the bright sphear to which my charms have rais'd me Not to unmake but mend the work of Gods Claris The Sphear thy Charms have rais'd thee to No thou Gay gilded Vanity call 'em thy Sorceryes The ' infatuating false deluding Fires Of Sin plumed up with Power thou vile Usurper Celest Usurper That diminitive Imp of Majesty That puny poor Prerogative no Madam Your kinder Justice sure can find my Glories A fairer name Claris. A fairer name Celest perhaps The little Murmures Envy and Ignorance Have been too buisy with your Royall Ear And breath'd my Name with their unhallow'd Lips But to correct th' ill manner'd Grin of Fools Let the Kings Heart and these victorious Eyes Tell the vain babling world I raign by Conquest Claris. What do I hear Oh thou amazing Front Of blushless Guilt Thou sit'st enthron'd in Sin then Hold'st thy black seate of shame by Claim and Title And stampst a Royall Soverainty on Damnation Cel. Madam this Language But no more You are too blame mistaken angry Princess For when I shall enform that Peevish Snarler For whom thou playst the Champion what good Offices I 've done her with the King She 'le have but small Occasion of Complaint For I must tell you As my peculiar Grace I have given him Leave T' allow her a fair Court Guards and Attendants And all the Decency that suits her Quality Nay and to shew you I 'm more generous still I have permitted him to pay her the Civilityes of a Wife Claris. Civilityes Celest And let me tell you 'T is not A Common Condescension in a Mrs. To give a Wife that Liberty Claris. Great Gods This is beyond all mortall Patience She gives her Husband Leave 't is she allows her Her Favours all Oh poor Herminia whither art thou fall'n aside Brought thy rich Royall Veins from thy fair India To be a Pensioner to a vile Wanton Raign the Precarious Partner of a Throne But thou rank Weed thou poysonous plant of Death Oh that thou'dst give thy Soul but so much Leisure As even to think Cel. Think I have Thought For Thinking's half
Soul so near till kill'd Even by the wounds of his own bleeding Sacrifice He Dies where he ' has destroy'd so dies But she Deaf to his Wound and blind to her own Happiness By what infatuating Female Folly Her own caprichious Frenzy best can tell Disdains his Love and all his offer'd Diadems And strangly flies that only Bed of Honour Where her dryed Tears and her hush't Wrongs may sleep In a long Halcion Rest of endless Glory Celest Well talking Sir if her too deep Resentments And tender Sense of her dead Lovers Bloud Pours down this Scorn on his unpardon'd murderer Scythian what then Art Thou thou bold impeacher A Judge of Honour Is Imperial Vengeance A Depth for every groveling Fool to fathom Briom How Celestina thou' rt a Scythian Born And dar'st thou plead a Cause against thy King Have Clarismunda's Smiles her darling Minion Brib'd thee this partiall Advocate for Cruelty Cel. Against my King Against the World an Advocate In Beauties Quarell Beauty that commands When Kings but kneel that more then Soveriagn power That holds the Scales of Crowns Briom Well Celestina thou correctst my Fault But to perform my Kings Commission that I hope 's my Province in his name I beg Thy powerfull Intrest with thy Angry Princess To gain him his Admission to her Feet Tell her 't is his last Prayer Nor dares he use A Conquerours Right to gain him his Access Love has disarm'd that power and now no more Then her Petitioning Slave th' Approach to those Offended Eyes is only on his Knees Celest Well Scythian tell him my prevailing Eloquence Shall gain him his Request Exit Briomar So Rosalin Thou look'st as thou d'st survey me If thou hast read me round which think'st thou best My Face or Pride becomes me Or dost think That the kind Clarismunda's Royall Smiles Have rais'd me higher than my Beauty merits Or my Ambition covets Rosal Truly neither If Beauty can deserve perhaps that Face Has a fair Title and for thy Ambition I durst defy all the once bold Aspirers That battayl'd Heaven to match thee Celest Truth thou draw'st So near the Life that thou might'st play my Painter Ros 'T is not thy Beauty that 's the gift of Chance Nor is 't thy Towring Pride for that 's but woman No Celestina 't is thy wondrous Fortune That takes up my amazement Celest That such wonder Ros With Thy course Veins an humble low born Creature That hardly ownst a Mother or a Name You see I love plain-dealing Cel. Yes I find so Ros With nothing but a Face all the whole Patrimony Thy little unknown Father had to leave thee Perk't up the Darling Favourite of a Princess Cel. A Princess Favourite Ay and a Kings too If Fortune play me fair I 'm not the First Of my soft Sex perhaps with Birth as mean As Celestina's and a stock of Charms Not more then mine has baited Hooks for Monarchs For Monarchs Girle Imperiall Slaves my Rosalin Whilst the fair Hand of the poor Spawn of Cottages Has struck a Royall Game and troll'd out Princes Ros 'T is true such Gamesters there have been and faith 'T is pity but Thy Hooks should be so baited For if those Eyes were born to catch a King Not the fair proudest She that carthborn Flutterer Rig'd up in Ermine and trick't out with Title That ever betray'd Monarch or sold Kingdom Could bear her upstart power with half thy Vanity Celest Why Earth-born Flutterer still thou gratest hard On that mean Shame my Birth Why must this Beauty Be a base Cottage Brat They talk of Fairies That snatch the sleeping Infant from the Cradle And leave a witless Bastard of their own For the poor Cheated Mother And who knows Instead of some course half-sould Fairy Changeling The kinder Hand of some diviner Genius In my poor Cradle made a Nobler Change And in my Sooty Mothers Raven nest Hatch'd a fair Eagles Egg Ros Why truly some Such wondrous Change might be For give thy due Thou hast those tow'ring hopes wou'd out-soar Eagles Cel. And I have reason for those towring Hopes For by a famous Reverend Scythian Sybil Even in my Infant Dawn my Beauties Nonage Nay in my Native shade I have been told These Eyes the Soveraign Arbiters of Fate Are born to Conquer Kings and Ruin Kingdoms Ros A very large Prediction But art sure Thy Witches Oracle spoke Truth Cel. Truth Girle Ros Art sure her Prophecying Devills are honest Cel. Yes dear kind Heaven I hope so Oh Loves soft Fires my Eyes my snares my Charms Lodge but some doating Monarch in these Arms To mount me a Court-Star fill my fair Seat The Fear of Slaves and Envy of the Great Round my bright Sphear my rapid Gloryes hurld In Powers proud Orb to drive the truckling World But This one Blessing let my Prayers implore And curse me Heaven if ere I ask thee more Exeunt Finis Actus Primi ACT. II. SCENE I. A Pavilion Royal. Discovers Clarismunda seated attended by Celestina and Rosalin Clar. ORsanes Oh that ever bleeding Martyr Murder so black enough to shame the World And blot the Blushing Skies Yet why oh why Is Suff'ring Virtue that neglect of Heav'n Not the least care of shielding Providence Steps in to guard nor one just Bolt t' avenge it But can my Sighs or Prayers recall his Breath Ah no th'irrevocable Doom's gone forth And posting Angells speed in vain to catch it Enter Orontes Oront If trembling Adoration may presume T' approach so near and these unhallow'd Knees May humbly bend to the Eternall Throne To beg down Bessings on that sacred Brow Claris. Thou wish me Blessings Fool why dost thou lose That ineffectuall prayer thou who hast entaild That lasting shame and load of Curses on me That distant Blessings and remoter Peace Stand those wide Worlds remov'd from Clarismunda That bliss and I must never meet again Oront That I have sin'd against that Heav'nly-Fair Committed that dire deed of Execration That not the whole detesting World alone But the whole Blushing Host above the Stars Confront my Impious Guilt That I 've don this Tormenting Conscience with ten thousand Horrours Haunts all my sleepless nights Clar. A sleepless night And is that all thy punishment Each puny Crime May wound as deep as that But can'st thou think Orsanes Blood and all my wrongs demand no more Oront Thy wrongs demand All all fates Bloodiest Shafts the heaviest Load That ere crusht Guilt or struck confusion dead This single Criminal Head deserves 'em all Unless a kind Reprieving Mercy dawn From those fair Twins of Life Claris. Mercy to Thee Thy Crimes thou dire Destroyer Can thy baseness Dare lodge so vile a Thought of Clarismunda The Sacred Blood of the immortall Cyrus That tame forgiving Fool. Oront Alas dear Madam Clar. No King I have a Lucrecian Soul within me With more then all her Wrongs my Hope Peace Life All ravish't by thy worse then Tarquin Cruelty And if perhaps
thee still But oh so love thee Love thy bright Glory thy unenvyed Happiness Thy Monarchs Arms and all thy Nuptiall Blisses My whole unmurmuring Souls divinest Musick Enter Messenger Mess Sir some Officers wait your Command Enter Officers Tygr. Admit e'm Well my Warriours How fare my valiant Hearts Offi. Tough as our Arms And cheerfull as our Cause Tygr. Thou speakst my Souldier 1. Offi. As all our Veins and all our Lives shall speak 2. Offi. Already Sir Your great Allies have joyn'd us A noble Train of War From Western Nile To Eastern Indus Streams united Asia Brings her proud Banners to your Royall Standard By this good Sword and this old Arm I think More gallant Troops nor more resolv'd Battalions A fairer Front of the bold Sons of Glory Ne'er shook the Earth beneath them 1. Offi. And great Sir May I presume to add one bold Word more To cheer our Hearts after our last lost Battle And edg our Swords for a new fairer Game Persia fought then but Clarismunda now Tygr. Yes my kind Souldier in your last lost Game A weaker Quarrell and a fainter Arm Only Powers wanton Luxury Ambition Fought then But a Diviner Cause wrong'd Honour And Sacred Vengeance now Enter King and Herminia Mirvan Amorin Guards c. King My best Tygranes Life of my Cause thou Eldest Son of War And boldest Heir of Fame my waiting Armyes Call thy Commanding Arm to lead 'em forth to Glory Tygr. As far as humane Strength can push for Glory This Arm shall lead and Sir to joyn that Arm I hope the Great Deciding Powers that hold The Fate of War and turn the Scales of Battle Have one kind Lawrell for the poor Tygranes For 't is but Justice Heav'n one Smiling Day For all the melancholly niggard Portion Your unkind Stars have dealt me And for all The Massy Favours you have heap'd upon me Great Sir permit my bending Duty fall Thus low to take up the fair Load of Honour King Rise my Tygranes This too humble Gratitude Orepays the Gift I make Tygr. Orepays No! Sir You 've lodg'd in this Young Arm a Trust so glorious King And thou'lt discharge it with a Faith more glorious Tygr. I hope indeed I shall This I dare promise I go so keâ—n for War so arm'd for Battle My Cause so Precious and my Life so worthless That the Great Game of Death was never play'd By a less shaking Hand King So speak the Souls Of our Great Race the transmigrating Fires That warm thy noble Breast Tygr. But Sir before I go take my Last Prayer May all the Sweets of ever fragrant Love Heap your full Joâ—s 'Twixt that fair Heaven and You Eternall Jo Peans sing before you Smiles wake Your Morns and Angells lull your Sleeps King This is too kind Tygranes Tygr. And when in my Rough Toyls and heavyer Marches Amidst the Shriller Louder Voice of War Some softer Trump of Fame shall sweetly Chant In my pleass'd Ears how fair Herminia loves How that all Nuptiall Truth all Bridall Sweetness With all the Riot o unmeasur'd blisses Crowns the dear Love of her embracing Lord When I shall hear that dear that blessed Sound With open Arms I 'le meet the darling Joy And clasp it as the Mrs. of my Soul Thus I may love Herminia Herm. Love me Prince Yes such a Love Tygranes Oh thou matchless Originall of Virtue Love like Thine How shall I e're return Go then brave Warriour Go where bright Honour calls and when thy Sword Thro grappling Dangers hews thy path to Glory Be thou Herminia's Champion and I Thine For oh Tygranes to adorn that brow And pull down Victory on that blest Head I 'le borrow from the Arms of my kind Lord A bending Knee to Heâ—v'n for dear Tygranes Tygr. And will the kind Herminia do all this For lost Tygranes the Divine Herminia A Beauteous Suppliant to th' immortall Throne Breath a soft Prayer and melt the listning Gods And all for worthless me Then I am orepay'd For all my bleeding sighs So blest Herm. So blest if she can give thee blessings all my Orisons My tendrest Vows for Thy Success I 'le pay With so much Zeal the pious offering giv'n Whilst thou shalt combat Earth I 'le wrestle Heav'n King Hold my Herminia thou too Godlike Goodness And take me with thee in this generous Contest A Prayer for dear Tygranes Prayers and Hecatombs Incense and Sacrifice all Pomp Divine Altars shall smoak and blazing Temples Shine United Heaven and Earth shall joyn for Thee Thou and the World brave Youth the Gods and we Enter Messenger Mess Your Royall Sister Conducted by ten-thousand Scythian Horse Sent by the Mercy of her pitying Conquerour Free and unransom'd is returning home King Free and unransom'd Yes relenting Tyrant Like flowry Garlands to a bleeding Victim A poor amends for Clarismunda's Wrongs Tygr. For the Reception of our Royall Sister Haste Orimon draw forth a thousand Horse That these embracing Arms may fly to meet her Exit King My dear Herminia the soft sweets of Love Till this blest Minute have been all my Theme But now my fairest I am forc'd to borrow From the kind Arms of Joy one hour for pity I have a mourning Sister A wrong'd one my Herminia whose Returne Must call one Tear even from the Eyes of Love Queen A Tear for Clarismunda Yes my dear Lov'd Lord if that wrong'd Sister does demand The Royall Tribute of those richer Pearle I hope you 'll give these Eyes the Leave to add Their pious Offring too King Thine my Herminia Queen Mine and all Eyes At bleeding Virtues Sufferings Our Griefs are but our Sympathetick pains Each melting Eye at that sad Object mourns The Loadstar draws and trembling Pity turns Enter Tygranes Leading Clarismunda Celestina Rosalin c. Clars My Brother and my King Take to thy Arms thy generous pitying Arms This Load of Misery Despair and Ruin King Fair Flower of Paradice the sweetest Rose Set in the Thorns of Life dear Royall Mourner My Souls best half my own immortall Veins Clar. Thy Veins No Sir that once fair Christall Fountain By the embitter'd Gall of Woes all poyson'd The King gazes on Celestina My blood runs Death and I am thy Veins no more King What do I see Great Gods Clar. But oh dread Sir In my affrighting Wounds my Savage Wrongs I have brought home King Those Eyes my Clarismunda Clar. Eyes Sir King Those Wrongs my Sister But proceed Clar. Those Wrongs indeed So wrong'd There 's not that ministring Saint at Heavens high Throne But midst his Scenes of everlasting Joys Looks down on Clarismunda's hideous Ruines Mine mine 's a Cause King By Heavens amazing Fair Clar. What says my King King Thy Cause my Sweet go on Clar. Yes my dear Brother and what 's more then Brother My Champion and my King By those great Names I call and challenge thy avenging Sword Thy Sword my Soverain Justice King Artaban withdrawing from Clarismunda and whispering Clarismunda strikes
thy Clouds bear thy fair Head above The frowning World and mount a smiling Star In all thy Loads too low disdain to stoop 'T is brave to suffer when 't is poor to droop Queen Herm. Oh Prince thou hast read me so Divine a Lesson And painted Ruine in a Face so lovely That thou hast tuned my Soul to all the Musick Of a whole Quire of Angels Yes Tygranes To my too cruel Lord I will return Return to all the Pangs to all the Miseries Of ever mourning Love Life 's bitter Draught Lift to my Lips with that unshaking Hand For oh thou hast taught me to be greatly wretched To be Divinely Blest Tygr. Do this Herminia Queen No more my wandring Pilgrimage no Prince I 'll build my House of Sorrow in a Palace Under my Roof of Gold a Hermit dwell A Court my Cloyster and a Throne my Cell Exeunt all but Mirv. Mirv. So now the Toil is set and dear Destruction Comes rolling on apace What a vast Pile Of Ruine shall I build 'T is hard Herminia And I could pity thee Why should I pity My bloody Cradle and my barbarous Parents And shall I feel remorse when ev'n my Father To his own Blood ne'r felt it No vain pity Seek softer Breasts mine has no room to lodge thee Besides I move by that commanding Influence I know not Celestina by what Charm But thou hast bound my Soul and Nerv'd my Arm Joyn'd in thy Cause we that bright Comet Reign Thou the Fair Star and I the Blazing Train Exit ACT V. Enter Celestina Mirvan and Rosalin Cel. REturning home Victorious Mir. If to leave A hundred thousand Foes in Battle slain If Conquer'd Scythia and the great Orontes Led home in Persian Chains can write Victorious Tygranes wears that Title Cel. And to grace His Victory he brings the beauteous Fugitive A fair Attendant t' his Triumphant Chariot To court the Kind forgiving King's Reception Of the returning Wanderer Mir. If her Religious Ramble as I 've manag'd it Has not a little pav'd her Path too rough Some such good natur'd Office he intends her Cel. And thou my little Harbinger kindly com'st Before 'em to prepare me for their Welcome Mir. Yes Madam That 's my Errand For to give My self and dear sweet Villany their due Mischief and I have both rid Post to serve you Cel. My dearest little Devil how I love thee But Mirvan after this first lucky hit Darest thou be generous and play out thy Game Mir. Dare Can you doubt my Courage or my Constancy Is glorious Treason a design too great Or this Young Arm too dastard Have I launch'd Thus far and stood thus firm to stagger now By my fair Truth this poor Suspicion wrongs me Cel. It does indeed sweet Youth forgive my Fears I know thy honest Truth too well to trust it aside But my kind Boy I am afraid I have kept thee Awake too long I know this Nights hard Travel Has tired thy tender Limbs and thou want'st Rest To Bed my Boy and when thou hast repos'd awhile I 'll send my pretty Engineer and call thee Retire sweet Boy and Sleep Exit Mirvan Thy last young Fool. Thy Bed thy Grave Yes my kind honest Traytor Thy hand has done me too much faithful Service To leave thee a dangerous Tongue alive to spoil it Besides my little Tool my ripining Plot Has business for thy Death And bet thy Glory As thou hast liv'd so thou shalt serve me Dead And therefore sleep thy last Now my designs Are all in my own Breast Treason 's a Jewel When the rich Cabinet has but one Key They 're only truly Great who are safely so Ros Well Madam Your Propheticks are all Oracles And the mad roving Queens amazing Ramble Has fill'd the World with wonder Cel. Fame indeed Talks something loud Ros 'T is true the Prince has sent a soft Express And smoothly laid it all upon Religion Cel Religion in a Camp Ah Girl if the Soft King has easie Faith enough about him To think no warmer a Devotion hatch'd This gentle Pilgrimage than Zeal and Prayer-Books No Rosalin he 's not that blind believer I fear thou 'lt find that rougher Faith about him A gathering that black Storm as will rain Blood Ros Herminia's Blood and Celestina's Glory Her Scaffold and your Coronation Cel. Right That fullen Hour that wraps her head in Dust Wreaths mine in Diadems Herminia's Grave The Basis of my Pyramide 'T is true It is a little hard thou poor Herminia To cut so keen as I must But Ambition Ambition gives the blow and when that strikes Remorse nor Pity no faint check controuls That two-edg'd Fate tho' bar'd with Lives and Souls Exeunt Enter Tygranes Herminia and Orontes Prisoner Guards and Attendants 1 Atten. A nobler Game of Glory ne'er was play'd Fortune set high a Kingdom on a Battle And one bold Throw has swept the mighty stake 2 Atten. By this dear Light that Sun that smil'd to see The richest Crimson that the Earth e'er dy'd Not the proud Jove from the defeated Gyants Return'd with fairer Laurels than Tygranes Tygr. Enough my generous sharers of my Fame Your lavish Goodness plays too much the Prodigal My Victory dares not challenge half this Triumph 'T is true the Fortunate Tygranes fought But 't was the Justice of his Quarrel Conquer'd Courage is only ours Success is Heav'ns And for thy Fate Orontes Oront Mine Tygranes Is to curse Life and Thee my Life alone Too much to bear but Life and Shame together That double load of Misery Oh Prince When thy keen Sword cut through my Conquer'd Kingdom Had it been kind and carv'd my Heart too dying I could have loved thee but must hate thee Living Tygr. If thou repinest at thy ill Chance of War Blame thy bad Cause If overtaking Destiny Has dealt thee that hard Lot that does not please thee Remember King thy Ruine is no more Than thy Desert thy Punishment Orontes And sufferers are not choosers of their pain But to perform my last just Rites of Victory Thou Orimon go Visit our wrong'd Sister And in a Brothers Name bear her that Trophy A present from her own Triumphant Vengeance Oront To Clarismunda My too generous Conqueror This is so kind I 'll thank thee for this Goodness Even in my Grave For Oh! a Grace so high Thou givest me leave at those dear Feet to die Exit Guarded Tygr. But hark the King approaches My Beauteous Charge I am thy Champion now A prouder Cause than all my Scythian Conquests Enter King attended My Royal Lord low at your Sacred Feet With the fair Harvest of your own rich Field Thus prostrate kneels the proudest of your Vassals By your great Cause that fair inspiring Genius Led forth to Victory King Mine Tygranes my Inspiring Genius No a little sure Of that fair Cause that soft Inspirer Tygr. How my dread Liege King That Beauty those fair Eyes They were so kind to See you Conquer Tygr.
Sir King To stand the kind Spectator of your Victory Oh the fair Hand of a soft melting Venus To buckle on the Sword of her proud Mars To plume his Crest and send him forth to Battle Tygr. Death and Confusion Queen Oh my blassed Ears Tygr. Oh thou amazing Voice of Royal Thunder Break forth from thy dark-Cloud thou louting Heav'n And say what mean these Mystick Sounds of Horror King Mean Is that a Question At this loud Hour of all thy Ecchoing Treason The crying Shame of that incestuous Devil Queen Good Gods Tygr. Oh King what false infernal Malice Dares blast the Fame of that all beauteous Truth Queen For the last Blow to all my bleeding Sufferings My Loyal Faith and all my Mourning Innocence Transform'd into this hideous Gorgon King Innocence But my tame Justice sleeps too long Sieze this brace of Monsters Tygr. Hold angry King Oh stop your headlong Fury Till the wrong'd Virtue of that brightest Saint Has wiped the spots from her fair Ermin Whiteness Stab'd the foul Falshood through the Canker'd Throat And Seer'd the Tongues of Blasphemy King No doubt on 't Run to a Camp to cool her burning Hell And in the height of the ingendring Crocadiles Whine Heav'n and Sanctity Queen How can I hear these dismal Sounds and Live Tygr. Plot rank Conspiracy The Camp That undesigning Chance the foolish Error Of an unlucky Boy But if so slight A shadow can assume a shape so dreadful Sir let the Boy be call'd the fatal Cause Of this accurst Mistake young Mirvan King How that young Bawd Dost thou call him thy Witness No thou Grand-Fiend thou know'st thy wiser Politicks Have husht that Traytor with a Dose of Poyson Tygr. Riddles and Death Still more mysterious Horror Poyson King Yes Poyson Your Midnight Purveyor your trusty Pandar In a return for all his faithful Services Your dark designs too great for that weak Counsel-keeper By a kind Drug sent Sleeping from the World But your thin Arts and all your Cobweb-Veils Tygr. Some most accursed Engine of Damnation King Dull canting Fool But hence I 'll hear no more Queen Yes Royal Sir Hear your poor wrong'd Herminia By yon fair Lamps and fairer Heav'n that lights 'em By all the hopes of my Eternal Peace King Whining Syren But Treason ne'r wants a Knee nor Guilt a Tongue Sighs Prayers and Tears are the false Tools they cheat with Take 'em away and house 'em in a Dungeon Tygr. Yet hold your mad blind Rage Till some kind God the guard of pittied Innocence In the dear Cause of that all Angel Goodness King Silence that poison'd Breath vain talking Slave Exit Tygr. Oh thou all-ruling Providence what an Ungovern'd World thy great first Mover turns If Truth has this Reward And Thou bright Virtue Thy most inhumane Wrongs hard-fated Fair Oh how can the Almighty Justice give Prevailing Hell this strange unbridl'd Pow'r Queen Yes Prince Hell has prevail'd and 't is a sad Sad Portion but if the Divine Dispenser Has so ordain'd 't is not our part to quarrel Omnipotence we may wail Misery But must not murmure at it Tygr. Miracle Of Goodness Queen No Tygranes if the Toil Of Fate is set and our pursuing Blood hounds Have caught our hunted Lives our Stars have dealt us The hardest-Lot on Earth only to purchase The fairest Crown in Heaven Enter a Messenger who speaks to the Officer that has the Custody of the Queen and Tygranes Mes 'T is the King's Pleasure That Execution be dispatch'd immediately The Queen and Prince are both those popular Darlings Delay may be unsafe and for that reason He calls this hastning blow Officer Curse on the Office Aside If forc'd Obedience to the King's Command Kneels to the Queen and Prince And the ungrateful Duty I must pay May hope a Pardon Queen If the King Commands Rise and Obey Thy Part poor Slave is innocent If he must Kill and guiltless Veins must bleed The Axe is blameless 't is the Judge that 's cruel Tygr. But cruel King thou merciless Arm of Fate Have all my Laurels And what 's more than Laurels Has that chaste Mourner deserv'd his hard hard Fate Queen What we have deserv'd Tygranes Is ours no more What we must suffer Prince Is all our Business now We must prepare For Death Death Is that all Witness ye Pow'rs That I dare Die The only pain in Dying Will be to leave a blotted Name behind me The branding Blazon of Recorded Infamy Tygr. No thou fair Saint To Die's too much fear not a Second Murder Treason and Perjury may have pow'r to Kill The Innocent but not Innocence The Martyrdom Of Honour Slander'd Truth and traduced Virtue Are so Divine a Charge that care of Providence That if no earlier Justice wakes to right 'em The very Prodigies of Heav'n and all Their aiding Miracles rise up their Champions Thy Fame Herminia must not dye though thou must Queen Shall my Fame live Nay then to death lead on Lye white my Winding-Sheet and soft my Grave But Prince must thou bleed too Herminia's Ruines Pull down thy Fate with mine Thy Blood Tygranes This is too much ye Gods How shall I make My last great Audit at th' Eternal Throne For thy unhappy Death At my own Grave There I can smile but I must weep for thine Tygr. A tear that fair rich Pearl of Life for me My poorer Veins not worth the care of Heav'n When such neglected brighter Virtue bleeds But if the generous Fair must play the Prodigal Oh! let me teach thee how to give me Blessings Beyond the price of Lives When on thy Throne Thy radiant Throne of Stars those Eyes I meet T' obtain in Heaven what was on Earth too great Shall I have leave to kneel at those dear Feet Queen Yes Prince thou shalt kneel there And if there be One richer fairer Coronet above For wondrous Truth and more prodigious Love O're that dear Brow with the Jemm'd Wreath I 'll stand And Crown thee Martyr with my own kind Hand Tygr. Nay then to Death to Life to Glory all At one kind Blow Queen And oh to meet that Blow With all the pomp of Martyrdom we 'll go And Shine above to Light the World below Exeunt Scene Changes Enter Orontes and Clarismunda Oront To Heaven the dearest and on Earth the Fairest Thy Guardian Gods have done thee Justice now A Hundred thousand slaughter'd Scythian Ghosts In the fresh Blushes of their Crimson Gore Walk the black Strand to tell the trembling Shades The wondrous Tale of Clarismunda's Vengeance Clar. Yes King my Stars at last are just Oront So Just that all yon bright Eternals The Pow'rs that gild the Night and guide the Day Rank'd their embattell'd Fires for Clarismunda All the proud Champions in thy darling Cause So keen the Sword that arming Beauty draws Clar. If aiding Heav'n has battel'd on my side It has no more than plaid its own Revenger Mine are Heavens wrongs their own Divinest Image Stabb'd
Despair e're swallowd Herm. Oh generous Prince if all my blushing shame My aking heart and bleeding Soul for Thy Poor suff'ring pains can be prevailing Orators Recall thy banisht Peace Tygr. My Peace Herm. Thy Peace Let my imploring Pity beg it of thee Be thy great self and let surmounting Reason Put out this hopeless Fire Droop not but wait A fairer Fate The Guardian Gods of Virtue Bid thee look up and hope those great Rewarders Of ever cherisht Honour have no doubt Reserv'd some worthyer Beauty for thy Arms. Tygr. A second Wound where those bright Eyes have kill'd No fair Destroyer do not flatter Death Herm. Cruell Tygranes cease this fatal Language I sicken at the sound Commanding Honour Has seald my Ears and I dare hear no more Tygr. Commanding Honour then shall be obey'd And you shall hear no more Yes fair Commissioner of Fate thou dear All Angel Forme I will repine no more Since I was born to wear thee to my Grave I but perform the Work of my Creation And 't is my Glory to fulfill my Destiny Trumpets But hark the King Now Madam Love and Empire Come suppliant to your Feet Cyrus proud Heir And fair Herminia's prouder slave comes blest With all the Joys of a possessing Lover To circle that fair Brow with Persia's Diadem Enter King attended King Welcome fair Star descending Brightness welcome But oh Thus kneeling let me meet the mighty Bliss Kneel Is that all For every common Blessing We pay that Gratitude But when Heav'n gives Heav'n The blest Receiver with his bending Homage And prostrate Soul makes but too poor Acknowledgment Tygr. Oh King we Two divide the Stars thine All aside The smiling all the blasting Planets mine King But whilst my Ravisht Soul at these dear feet All buisy in the Count of thousand Vows My Souls long hoarded sum to Soverain Love Their mighty Tribute pay endebted Honor Demands some payment too My dear Tygranes Thou Champion of my Love thou ushering Phosphor To all my rising Bliss my more then Brother Friend All oh let these gratefull Arms receive thee Embraces But ha what do I see methinks I view A Cloud hang on thy Brow Tygr. A Cloud my King Would be a Blessing here Indeed I want one For I have stood too near too near that Sun From the bright Beams of whose too fatal Fires Oh for a Cloud dark as my Grave to shrowd me King How my Tygranes Have Herminia's Eyes Brought me a Rivall home Tygr. A Rivall No. Rivall's a Title for Aspiring Gazers Beauties bolder Homagers Where kindled Hope and warm Ambition burn A Name too towring for the lost Tygranes King In this surprizing Language Tygr. I have profan'd Your Royall Ear but the offending Criminall Pardon his First Last Fault shall Sin no more Here take this dazling Beauty to your Arms Take her adorn'd with all Loves thousand Charms Myriads of Blisses star your happy Nights Thick as the Galaxy and Angel Quires Salute your smiling Days Herm. Virtue like Thine aside Tygr. And now if my small Services deserve it And this young Arm may be that bold Petitioner Grant me the Glory in your Royall Cause Against your Honours and your Kingdoms Foes To wield a Sword Yes send me to the Wars The walks of Death and Scenes of Desolation Far far from Courts that I may live remov'd From those destroying Eyes For oh my King I would not stay within that dangerous Air Where the least Rebell Murmur may but rise To envy your fair Bliss King I am all Confusion Tygr. So dear so sacred your Divine Felicity I wou'd not blot my Soul but with a Thought My King can be too blest Herm. Oh Prince Thy generous Goodness loads me with that shame As fires my glowing Cheeks But if thy heart Thy poor lost Heart has play'd th' unhappy Fugitive Into that barren Starving Feild of Love By all my Hopes I 'le drop a tear to Heav'n To call the wanderer home Tygr. A Tear Herm. A Tear Tygranes Shed from that melting pity till the Gods Soften'd to Mercy a kind Ear encline And grant thee peace or else deny me mine King Thou Miracle of Truth and Life of Honour There 's something in this moving Tale of pity Breaths with so sweet an Accent that if ought Less then resigning the Divine Herminia Cou'd bless thy soft Desires my bounding Soul Shou'd leap all Bars to crown thy tenderest Wishes Tygr. This is too kind King But since a Sword a Sword Is all the Boon thy modest Prayers can ask And Love can give no more Thou shalt have thy Desire Yes my Tygranes I have a Cause that wants an Arm like Thine For in thy Absence I have lost a Battle Persia's proud Foe th' insulting Scythian Tyrant Wears my lost Honour on his conquering Sword Nor is this all I have lost a Sister too Tygr. And with that Sister Sir the noblest Martyr Tyrannick Sword e're butcher'd poor Orsanes That Royall Syrian our unhappy Friend By Wars rough chance the barbarous Scythian's Prisoner By his inhumane Rivall Jaylors Rage In his cold bloud sent t' his untimely Grave My Dear wrong'd Sister thou too wretched Mourner The Lord of all thy Vows that bloudy sacrifice So loud thy Ruines and so deep thy Wounds That bleeding Persia groans for thy Revenge Thine Thine's a Cause King Reserv'd for brave Tygranes For Thee young Worthy thy Illustrious Arme Shâ—ll lead my fighting Legions to the Field Wash thou the Persian Stains and Scourge that Tyrant Whilst Clarismunda's Wrongs edge thy keen steel With mine and Heav'ns Commission'd Vengeance strike Tygr. Ye Gods I ask no more King Yes go my Souldier Go where Fame calls But thus far far from Courts Whilst to rough Wars a Rivall I remove Think how I send thee to a Lawrell Grove To plume in Honour whilst I blush in Love Exeunt SCENE changes to a Pavilion Enter Briomer meeting Celestina and Rosalin Briom Good morrow my Sweet enemy the Smiles Of a kind Morn gay as your Eyes Salute You. I come my pretty one t' inquire the Health Of that bright Excellence the fair Clarismunda Say is your Princess waking Celest Is she sleeping Had been a properer Question to her Miseries Briom Then Madam in my Royall Masters name Sycthia's proud Monarch but her humblest Suppliant Celest Her Tyrant thou woud'st say be honest fawning Parasite And give thy proud Barbarian Lord his Titles Briom Her Tyrant then if that hard Name befits Her humble Kneeling Slave Celest Hard name Can there Be names too hard for brave Orsanes Murderer What though that Royall Beauty and her dear Illustrious Lover by th' unhappy Fortune Of a lost Battle wore the Tyrants Chains Could his too Barbarous Rage descend to that Low-Spirited Murder to remove a Rivall By such a shamefull Blow unparalled Infamy Brim 'T is true I own wild Rage and wilder Love Have play'd the Savage But t' atone his Crime Has not the sense of his Detested shame Touch'd his Relenting
the pleasure Claris. No thou too hardend Brow didst thou but know What t is to be Cel. The Mrs. of a King Yes very well Clar. The Mrs. of a King no fair Perdition Change that gay name and call thy self a Prodigy Celest A Prodigy Right all made up of Wonders The very Thing I would be Claris Barbarous Creature Is thy Lethargick Sleep of Death so deaf To all th' Alarms of Infamy and Vengeance That not one frighting Dream nor waking Horror Tells thee what hideous Loads of Woe thou hast heap'd On Wayling Innocence the wrong'd Herminia Snatch'd a lov'd Lord from her embracing Arms And left her mourning Days and widow'd Nights Rob'd all her Dearest Joys Celest 'T is true I have so And I confess the Loss is something hard But to repair that Loss tell the fair Mourner Her Charms are not so lost but thousand Cupids With thousand Darts and every Shaft a Heart Attend the dayly Triumphs of her Eyes Claris. Oh my Chast Ears aside Cel. What though th' ungratefull King Has play'd the Wanderer can that fair Shrine Want Homagers The world is not so poor Claris. Hold profane Insolent stop that sulphurous Breath Rooted with horrour I have heard thee out And a chill Damp about my trembling Heart Has but just left me blood enough to blush That thou wert born of Woman Quick Let me fly that cloven footed Treason Least yawning Earth and swallowing Graves receive me Exit Cel. Poor angry thing farewell such chattring Daws Dismount my Eagle Flight That bugbear Conscience No I 've Loves whole Feast before me And let those Dull puny squeamish Fools that dare not carve Hug their Lean Virtue pine Despair and starve Exit Scene Changes Enter Herminia and Amorin Herm. Art sure this is the Kings Retiring Hour And this the place to meet him Amor. Ev'ry Minute His Presence is expected But dear Madam I have one humble pray'r that this small service Of your Obedient slave be kept a Secret This is forbidden Ground and 't will be more Then half the price of my poor Life to serve you Her Fear not sweet Youth I 'le guard thee from that Danger Ex. Amo. Forbidden Ground Is Love a Crime so mortall And am I grown that poyson to his Eyes Oh for the Spirit of the great Semiramis To meet my wrongs and stemm the storm that sinks me No I 've too much the Mothers Milk within me Weep like a Girle and bend beneath my sufferings Nature intended me some humble shepherdess A Creature born to breath her plaints to Woods And helpless Groves to mix her feeble Tears In murmuring Brooks too weak to weild the Thunder And rowze the sleeping Rage of injur'd Majesty Enter King King Herminia Ha! That Face and in these Walls Methinks I feel a chilling Damp within me A secret check from those accusing Eyes Let my retiring shame going back Herm. My Lord my King King Madam Herm. I have a Grace to beg Not that I 'd ask Ungratefull Favours from You. But methinks From all your long long Hours of happier Blisses Herminia sure may beg one borrow'd Minute King That painfull Minute aside Her There was once a day When underneath my Native Royall Roof Th' Imperiall Towrs of the proud Indian Court To my first Virgin Charms a gawdy Train Of suppliant Kings all Captives to my Eyes Knelt at my Feet unless their Sighs deceive'd me For they were men and 't is a flattering World I think if you have not quite forgot my Lord Was one of that fair Train and loved me too Or else my Virgin heart was poorly won I think you lov'd But if I am mistaken Correct my Fault and I will weep and mend it King This is too much thou murmuring Sweetness Dry up thy Tears and weep no more Herm. No more King No more for trust me It is a showr too rich to fall for me Herm. Ah King to dry these ever streaming Sorrows Is not my work but Thine To stop these Fountains Shut thou the springs that feed ' em Ah my Lord Remove the fatal cause of all these Tears And then I 'le cease to mourn King Alas Herminia Upbraid my Guilt no more but think me punisht Even in my very Sin for when I am false To so much Truth a Love like thine 't is with That conscious Shame and those accusing Horrours Herm. That pleasing Pride and those transporting Charms Thou woud'st say Poor Herminia has no Charms Or if she e'er had any even their very Remembrance like a last nights Dream the thin And vanishing Shaddow gone they are all lost In Celestina's Arms that fatall Ravisher Of all my hopes my Joys my Life King Ah Madam Cease this too killing Theme consider me As a poor helpless Wretch driven headlong by An unaccountable resistless Power Alas I wou'd be faithfull if I cou'd All that I can command my bleeding heart My bending Neck my Head beneath thy Feet These I can grant but do not ask impossibles Herm. Impossibles nay then I read my Fate King If it be Fate 't is past our humane power To reverse Destiny and in submitting T' immutable Decree exalted Virtue Exerts her noblest Wisdom Patience Herm. Patience Enter Tygranes Yes Sir you take the nearest way to teach it me For when your strange unkindness gives me death I shall be husht all Patience in my Grave King Madam my Charity takes me from your sight The greatest Height of pity we express To shut our Ears from Greifs we can't redress Offring to go Herm. Oh stay upon my Knees I do conjure you Move not that way That killing passage leads To Celestina And in all your Cruelty Shew that poor Mercy to the lost Herminia To stay one little Minute from her Arms. Tygr. Oh King can so much Beauty plead in vain All those rich pearle those dear fair Streams of Life Drop from those Eyes and unreguarded fall King My Brother Tygr. My dread Lord coud'st thou but think What Glory waits on Majesty where Virtue Shines the bright Jem of Diadems that sweetness Need not have Knelt thus long King Tygranes Tygr. Thou dear all Soveraign Goodness turn but one Kind look and veiw that lovely Kneeling Mourner Charming in Tears and beauteous even in Ruines Herm. Kind Prince no more spend not thy prodigall Breath On a poor Outcast Wretch not worth his Thought Tygr. But one one Look Think but what charms invite thee Humanity Religion Nature the Whole pitying World intreats thee back to Love Oh Sir consider rayse your mounting Thoughts To the exalted charms of Godlike Vertue Think what soft Down in Loves rich Bed of Honour Fills the calm pillows of embracing Innocence King Oh my Tygranes Herm. Yes my dear lov'd Lord In these incircling Arms these chast Embraces No guilty Dreams the starts of frighted sin And pangs of aking guilt will wake your sleeps But fair all Heav'nly Forms seale your clos'd Eyes And Quires of Angells lull your Golden slumbers King Alas my
to answer Your Innocent meaning with an Equall Innocence That downright Truth your Bounty merits from me How can I love the Court who hate the World Cel. Thou hate it What have Thy young Years to quarrell at That thou should'st hate the World Mirv. I had a Father in 't And for his sake I hate it Cel. For his sake Mirv. A poor meanspirited Slave that got me Man And for a wretched Bribe of the Court Gold Unmade the Thing he got me For which I owe him My honest hearty Curses in his Grave And for his sake hate the whole loath'd Creation Cel. How Mirvan if thou hate'st the whole Creation Thou must hate me and 't is not safe to talk with thee Mirv. Nay Madam and beleive I Scorn to flatter Of all the hated World I love you best Because I fancy all those Charms were given you To do a little Mischeif in the World That darling Mistress of Eyes dear Mischief Cel. Hate the whole world beside and I alone The favourite Nay this is kind indeed But may I trust that Kindness Mir. Trust me Madam Now by those Eyes I swear those brigâ—t Incendiaryes What is 't I dare not do to serve that fair Destruction Play the proud Juno and command me Labours Like a young Hercules and if I shrink or tire Say I 've a Soul as abject and as base As the poor frame the Imp of man that holds it Cel. This is so generous Mirv. Trust me say you Nay I will trust you First and with a secret Of that prodigious weight Cel. The rarest Tool Mirv. Know then the Queen the more then Widow'd Queen Too sad a Mourner at your fatall Triumph In pure Despair for her deserting Lord Resolves this very night Cel. Oh my big Hopes aside Mir. In a disguise to leave the Court and Kingdom And bury all her Sorrows in a Cloyster Cel. To my best wish aside Mir. For this Religious Voyage Who should she choose her Pilot but my self Her singular Trust of my confiding Truth Has pickt out Me her only leading Guide T' her Melancholy Cell Peruse this Letter Committed to my Care to leave behind her As her last farewell to her unkind Lord. Cel. Reads Letter That I have lov'd you even to a Superstition planted my very Heav'n in Love the Transports of my Despair too plainly testify But when my feeble fraylty can bear my Wrongs no longer pardon the Effects of what Your Vnkindness is but the too fatal Cause when I thus fly from so much Inhumanity to the Arms of a kinder Heaven Herminia Mir. Now Madam as you like it make your best on 't Cel. Oh Mirvan now I must beleive thou lovest me This is so kind a Trust Thou toldst me too That thou lov'dst Mischief Mir. Faith won'd You durst try How much I love it Cel. Sayst thou so my Boy Nay then darst thou be kind and let me in A Party to this Plot a kind Assistant To hand this Mourning Wanderer to her Cell Say darst thou let me choose her Cloyster for her Mir. With all my Soul If any Noble Spight Glow warm within your Breast set it a blazing At that sweet Game form your own dearest Wish And mould Your slave to serve you Cel. To my Arms Thou kindest little Engine serve me but As the Rewards I 'le pay thee shall deserve And melt me into Gold Mir. Alas dear Madam There needs not a Reward to buy my Faith Be but your Great Designs what I can wish 'em Without the needless Bribe of Gold or Treasure I wou'd give Wealth to purchase such a pleasure Exeunt Scene Changes Enter Orontes disguis'd Oron. From Scythia's Throne and my proud Armies Head From softer Majesty and rougher Wars All glittering Plumes all my once bright Regalia Stript to this narrow Shrowd to wrap my Woes And bring my Death to Clarismunda's Feet Oh Love How unaccountable's thy Power Enter Clarismunda attended Clar. From that loath'd Name Oront From that loath'd Name Orontes To that lov'd Heaven his cruel Clarismunda He has commanded these Commission'd Knees To beg one listning Minute Clar. Your Petition Is an Ungrateful Theme Yet I am not So deaf to my worst Foe but my kind Patience Shall lend the Ear thou ask'st Oront Thus then by me That Sentenc'd Criminal speaks If by that fairest Hand Death shakes his Glass and waves his Brandish'd Shaft If executing Destiny 's gone forth And meager Graves with all their hungry Yawn Wait their last Gorge of poor Orontes Blood To his ador'd destroying Angels Ear Thus breath his Dying Accents Oh Bright Madam If Tears that would melt Rocks if Groans enough To wake the Sleep of Tombs if tortur'd Conscience Above the very Pangs of lost Eternity And to all these a Penitence so true Enough to unlock Heaven If these all these Might beg his Life from Cruel Clarismunda Clar. Could all these beg his Life Oront And with that Life His Clarismunda's Love Clar. My Love Oront Thy Love Dear all Divine For without Love 't is Death still Oh could that dear forgiving Mercy take A pardon'd Penitent to those dear Arms Not Ransom'd Slavery not Life Reprieved Not Crown'd Ambition nor translated Martyr Half half so bless'd as he To those fair Eyes He 'd raise those Monuments of mighty Love Should out-live Worlds and finishing Time close up His last Recorded Volume with the Story How bless'd Orontes loved Clar. Mistaken Advocate To have tryed the Eloquence of those soft Sounds They should have spoke before Orsanes Death Oront And does that Louring Vision wake for ever The lost Orontes Crime so all impardonable Clar. So impardonable that To leave the World with my loud wrongs unrighted When I shall meet my great Forefathers Souls 'T would make me blush in Heaven Oront Too Cruel Fair Clar. Sir I must hear no more Go bear your Master This Answer as my fix'd Eternal Vow I will have my Revenge But tell him too So much I owe to his Repenting Tears That when my Arming Wrongs that hunted Blood Shall spill I 'll give the Executing Blow Calm as the Priestess at an Altar Kills Yet still must Kill Oront But can that Beauteous Priestess Accept no gentler Sacrifice no less Appeasing Victim than the poor Orontes All streaming Blood And is one Thought of Mercy That strange Impossible Clar. So much Impossible Perhaps beyond the Grave I may forgive him On this side Death I must not Oront Then dear Cruelty Discovers himself Take take my thirsted Blood Clar. Good Gods Orontes Oh King How poorly thou hast thy self undone Hast put thy wretched Life into my Power And I must tamely take it Hadst thou met My Nobler Vengeance in thy Armies head Thrust thy bold Breast against ten thousand Javelins Thou might'st have fall'n with Honour Honour King But now now I must take this poor Advantage Thou kill'st Orsanes poorly Forget thou art a King Uncrown'd Unthroned Led like a Vulgar Slave bound in Vile Chains And at the
Tomb of the great Cyrus there There through thy humble naked yielding Throat Hew out my Vengeance carve thy bleeding Heart A Sacrifice to Clarismunda's wrongs My Guards my Slaves there Enter Attendants Guards 1 Attend. Madam Your Commands Clar. If your lost Honour and your bleeding Country An injur'd Monarch and a Kingdoms shame Can rouze your Swords Oront Strike strike 'em through this Breast Yes generous Persians behold before ye The black Orontes Scythias Tyrant Lord Stain'd in the Blood of Thousand Thousand Persians And the deplored Orsanes barbarous Murderer But bear me to the Tomb of your great Cyrus There hew your Vengeance carve my bleeding Heart A Sacrifice to Clarismundas Wrongs Clar. So pleas'd with Fate Then thou' rt in love with Death Oront So much in Love that on my Knees I 'll meet it I wear a Load of useless Life about me And thou' rt so kind to ease me of my Burthen Now Gentlemen perform your Royal Charge Bear me to Death to Death with the Vile Monster Loaded with Chains led forth a publick Spectacle To pointing Infamy and hissing Scorn For that fair Doom will have it so Clar. Will have it so Orant Quick quick ye tedious Slaves Can she speak Death and you want Wings to execute Let not Crown'd-Head nor King those titular Sounds Tye up your Hands those forfeit Names my Crimes And this wrong'd Fair But bear me to my Death to Scaffolds Gibbets Stript to a Naked Dungeon Malefactor Tread my crush'd Soul Clar. Stand off ye Impious Villains A Monarch's Blood and shed by Hangmens hands Oh whither was my Fleeting Glory going His bending Neck like a tame bleating Sacrifice A stroke beneath my Scorn But haste Arsaces Raise all my Persian Guards and in their Head Go bear him back back to his moving Armies Safe to his headed Legions There Orontes At the Proud Front of all thy Royal Squadrons With Groves of Spears and walling Shields around thee Rich in thy Crested Plumes and Glittering Steel Worthy the Persian Swords and Clarismundas Vengeance Strike then my Arm of Fate Oront Oh wondrous Honour Even in amazing Cruelty Clar. Yes Scythian Though all the Persian Bolts Are levell'd at that Heart thy Blood Orontes My whole rich Game of Death yet not to snare My hunted Lyon in Ignoble Toils No King Return return thy Crown thy Arms And Royal Standard want thy leading Sword Oront So brave a Foe Clar. Reserve thy Sword thy Answer Arm'd at the head of slaughter'd Fields there Scythian Fall thy great self Die warm my Royal Enemy To morrows hotter Veins my Vengeance pay Thy Blood Orontes is too cold to Day Exit Oront Die warm Yes Generous Foe thy envy'd Glory Shall light my Fire Despair to Fury turn In my last Flash my brightest Blaze shall burn Through Blood and Death move on ' gainst all thy odds Thy Wrongs the Arming World and battailing Gods For by those Eyes a Sacrifice decreed 'T is just I should a glorious Victim bleed Exit Scene Changes Enter Celestina and Rosalin Cel. The Bolt is shot and now a Crown stand fair aside Ros Madam I 'm all Amazement at the News Cel. Amaz'd at what To hear a mad young wife Has took a Midnight's Ramble Ros But the Queen Oh Madam Certainly some strange Despair Has caused this Secret Flight perhaps to seek Some solitary Grot to Sigh and Die Cel. To Sigh and Die Poor innocent Simplicity What if she 's stoln to some retiring Solitude To meet a private Lover Ros How a Lover Cel. Mark the Truth I tell thee That very thing a Lover Ros 'T is impossible Such Tears and so much Nuptial Faith Cel. Why All That 's nothing Womans Truth like Womans Beauty Is not a thing Immortal Ros But dear Madam Herminias rigid Principles of Honour And her fond Sighs even for her Faithless Lord Admit a Lawless Love Cel. Though it be Lawless Is it not Love still Fool Enter King King Dear Sovereign of my Soul Asia's fair Pride and Persia's more than Conqueror Thou all amazing Brightness to my Bosom Cel. Oh Prince Encircled in these Arms methinks The Transport of my Joys bears my wing'd soul so high Till I look down on Under-Worlds beneath me King Look down indeed thou dear Triumphant Fair Whilst those poor Under-Worlds all blushing own Their whole Creation cannot match these Eyes Cel. Nay now you flatter King By those sweets I cannot For thine are Charms above the reach of Flattery But Madam t' add one Trophy to your Eyes The poor Resenting Queen wouldst thou believe it Is this Night fled from Court Cel. Alas poor pittied Sweetness King Prithee be kind and Read this murmuring Scrole A Farewel Letter she has left behind her Celest Reads That I have Loved you to a Superstition planted my very Heaven in Love Your Vnkindness is the too Fatal Cause when I thus fly to the Arms of a kinder Heaven Herminia King That she is gone and th' angry Cause that drives her Her Letter speaks too plain But whither gone That she has wrap'd in Mystery I suppose I must be kept in Darkness from that Secret Gel. Darkness and Mystery Why is there any thing In this plain easie naked honest Letter Writ in that Cypher that it wants a Key to 't King Why Canst thou Read her meaning Cel. Fie my Lord Can you not Read it Why this idle Question You will not Read it Sir And 't is so generous I love you for this goodness King Will not Read it Cel. Ay will not must not And 't is Noble in you A little innocent Ignorance is sometimes A Manly Virtue worthy even a King King Madam This is all Riddle Cel. Riddle Nay Sir as if you did not know Where and to whose Embracing Arms she 's gone King Arms and Embraces Cel. Ah poor Lady We little guess the pains of slighted Love But her Despair has took the wisest remedy Her Griefs found a very gentle Cure Nay she 's so kind to make it her Confession And you 're more kind to wink at little Frailties King Still you talk in Clouds Has she made you the Confident of her Flight Or is there ought coucht in that mystick Scrole My shallow Reason has not depth to fathom If so 't were kind you would instruct my weakness Cel. Nay if you 'll force me then to play th'Interpreter T' explain a Ladies blushing weakness Mark Sir She tells you first she lov'd t' a Superstition Planted her very Heav'n in your embraces And when that slighting unkind Heav'n forsakes her Tells you as honestly to supply your room She 'as chose the Arms of a much kinder Heav'n And pray what Heav'n what Arms but kind Tygranes King My Brother ha Cel. You know he 's gone to th' Camp And she 's as kindly gone to meet him there King God's 't is impossible Cel. Nay to convince you 'T is now stale news even Boys and Varlets talk it King Confusion Cel. The young Mirvan Sir's my Oracle