when our Sense is dispossest Our labouring Souls will heave and pant And gasp for one anothers breast Since their Conveyances they want 3. Nay we have felt the tedious smart Of absent Friendship and do know That when we die we can but part And who knows what we shall do now 4. Yet I must go we will submit And so our own Disposers be For while we nobly suffer it We triumph o're Necessity 5. By this we shall be truly great If having other things o'recome To make our victory compleat We can be Conquerors at home 6. Nay then to meet we may conclude And all Obstructions overthrow Since we our Passion have subdu'd Which is the strongest thing I know Against Pleasure Set by Dr. Coleman 1. THere 's no such thing as Pleasure here 'T is all a perfect Cheat Which does but shine and disappear Whose Charm is but Deceit The empty bribe of yielding Souls Which first betrays and then controuls 2. 'T is true it looks at distance fair But if we do approch The fruit of Sodom will impair And perish at a touch In Being than in Fancy less And we expect more than possess 3. For by our Pleasures we are cloy'd And so Desire is done Or else like Rivers they make wide The Channel where they run And either way true bliss destroys Making Us narrow or our Joys 4. We covet Pleasure easily But it not so possess For many things must make it be But one may make it less Nay were our state as we could chuse it 'T would be consum'd by fear to lose it 5. What art thou then thou winged Air More weak and swift than Fame Whos 's next successor is Despair And its attendant Shame Th' Experience-Prince then reason had Who said of Pleasure It is mad A Prayer ETernal Reason Glorious Majesty Compar'd to whom what can be said to be Whose Attributes are Thee who art alone Cause of all various things and yet but One Whose Essence can no more be search'd by Man Then Heav'n thy Throne be grasped with a Span. Yet if this great Creation was design'd To several ends fitted for every kind Sure Man the World's Epitome must be Form'd to the best that is to study thee And as our Dignity 't is Duty too Which is summ'd up in this to know and do These comely rows of Creatures spell thy Name Whereby we grope to find from whence they came By thy own Chain of Causes brought to think There must be one then find that highest Link Thus all created Excellence we see Is a resemblance faint and dark of thee Such shadows are produc'd by the Moon-beams Of Trees or Houses in the running streams Yet by Impressions born with us we find How good great just thou art how unconfin'd Here we are swallowed up and gladly dwell Safely adoring what we cannot tell All we know is thou art supremely good And dost delight to be so understood A spicy Mountain on the Universe On which thy richest Odours do disperse But as the Sea to fill a Vessel heaves More greedily than any Cask receives Besieging round to find some gap in it Which will a new Infusion admit So dost thou covet that thou mayst dispence Upon the empty World thy Influence Lov'st to disburse thy self in kindness Thus The King of Kings waits to be gracious On this account O God enlarge my heart To entertain what thou wouldst fain impart Nor let that Soul by several titles thine And most capacious form'd for things Divine So nobly meant that when it most doth miss 'T is in mistaken pantings after Bliss Degrade it self in sordid things delight Or by prophaner mixtures lose its right Oh! that with fixt unbroken thoughts it may Admire the light which does obscure the day And since 't is Angels work it hath to do May its composure be like Angels too When shall these clogs of Sense and Fancy break That I may hear the God within me speak When with a silent and retired art Shall I with all this empty hurry part To the Still Voice above my Soul advance My light and joy plac'd in his Countenance By whose dispence my Soul to such frame brought May tame each trech'rous fix each scat'ring thought With such distinctions all things here behold And so to separate each dross from gold That nothing my free Soul may satisfie But t' imitate enjoy and study thee To Mris. M. A. upon Absence 1. 'T Is now since I began to die Four Months yet still I gasping live Wrapp'd up in sorrow do I lie Hoping yet doubting a Reprieve Adam from Paradise expell'd Just such a wretched Being held 2. 'T is not thy Love I fear to lose That will in spight of absence hold But 't is the benefit and use Is lost as in imprison'd Gold Which though the Sum be ne're so great Enriches nothing but conceit 3. What angry Star then governs me That I must feel a double smart Prisoner to fate as well as thee Kept from thy face link'd to thy heart Because my Love all love excells Must my Grief have no Parallels 4. Sapless and dead as Winter here I now remain and all I see Copies of my wild state appear But I am their Epitome Love me no more for I am grown Too dead and dull for thee to own To Mrs. Mary Awbrey SOul of my Soul my joy my crown my Friend A name which all the rest doth comprehend How happy are we now whose Souls are grown By an incomparable mixture one Whose well-acquainted Minds are now as near As Love or Vows or Friendship can endear I have no thought but what 's to thee reveal'd Nor thou desire that is from me conceal'd Thy Heart locks up my Secrets richly set And my Breast is thy private Cabinet Thou shed'st no tear but what my moisture lent And if I sigh it is thy breath is spent United thus what Horrour can appear Worthy our Sorrow Anger or our Fear Let the dull World alone to talk and fight And with their vast Ambitions Nature fright Let them despise so Innocent a flame While Envy Pride and Faction play their game But we by Love sublim'd so high shall rise To pity Kings and Conquerours despise Since we that Sacred Union have engrost Which they and all the factious World have lost In Memory of Mr. Cartwright STay Prince of Phancie stay we are not fit To welcome or admire thy Raptures yet Such horrid Ignorance benights the Times That Wit and Honour are become our Crimes But when those happy Pow'rs which guard thy dust To us and to thy Mem'ry shall be just And by a flame from thy blest Genius lent Rescue us from our dull Imprisonment Unsequester our Fancies and create A Worth that may upon thy Glories wait We then shall understand thee and descry The splendour of restored Poetry Till when let no bold hand profane thy shrine 'T is high Wit-Treason to debase thy coin Mr. Francis Finch the Excellent Palaemon
March 16. 1661 2. Page 145 Poem 100 A Triton to Lucasia going to Sea Page 146 Poem 101 Orinda upon little Hector Philips Page 148 Poem 102 To the Lady E. Boyle Page 149 Poem 103 To my Lord Duke of Ormond upon the late Plot. Page 150 Poem 104 To the Countess of Roscomon with a Copy of Pompey Page 151 Poem 105 On the death of the truly honourable Sir Walter Lloyd Knight Page 152 Poem 106 Orinda to Lucasia Page 153 Poem 107 To Celimena Page 154 Poem 108 An Answer to another perswading a Lady to Marriage Page 155 Poem 109 Lucasia and Orinda parting with Pastora and Phillis at Ipswich Page 156 Poem 110 Epitaph on my truly honoured P. Scipio Page ib. Poem 111 To Mr. Sam. Cooper having taken Lucasia 's Picture given December 14. 1660. Page 158 Poem 112 Parting with a friend Page 159 Poem 113 To my dearest friend upon her shunning Grandeur Page 161 Poem 114 To Pastora being with her friend Page 163 Poem 115 To my Lord and Lady Dungannon on their marriage May 11. 1662. Page 165 Poem 116 To his Grace Gilbert Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury July 10. 1664. Page 166 Poem 117 La Solitude de St. Amant in French and English Page 170 Poem 118 Tendres desers out of French Prose Page 184 Poem 119 Amanti ch' in pianti c. Page ib. Poem 120 A Pastoral of Mons de Scudery 's in the first Volume of Almahide Englished Page ibid. Poem 121 Translation of Thomas a Kempis into verse out of Mons Corneille Page 196 Poem 122 Pompey a Tragedy Poem 123 Horace a Tragedy Translated from Monsieur Corneille IMPRIMATUR Aug. 20. 1667. Roger L'Estrange POEMS Vpon the double Murther of K. CHARLES I. in Answer to a Libellous Copy of Rimes by Vavasor Powell I Think not on the State nor am concern'd Which way soever the great Helm is turn'd But as that son whose father 's danger nigh Did force his native dumbness and untie The fetter'd organs so this is a cause That will excuse the breach of Nature's laws Silence were now a sin nay Passion now Wise men themselves for Merit would allow What noble eye could see and careless pass The dying Lion kick'd by every Ass Has Charles so broke God's Laws he must not have A quiet Crown nor yet a quiet Grave Tombs have been Sanctuaries Thieves lie there Secure from all their penalty and fear Great Charles his double misery was this Unfaithful Friends ignoble Enemies Had any Heathen been this Prince's foe He would have wept to see him injur'd so His Title was his Crime they 'd reason good To quarrel at the Right they had withstood He broke God's Laws and therefore he must die And what shall then become of thee and I Slander must follow Treason but yet stay Take not our Reason with our King away Though you have seiz'd upon all our defence Yet do not sequester our common Sense Christ will be King but I ne're understood His Subjects built his Kingdom up with blood Except their own or that he would dispence With his commands though for his own defence Oh! to what height of horrour are they come Who dare pull down a crown tear up a Tomb On the numerous Access of the English to wait upon the King in Flanders HAsten Great Prince unto thy British Isles Or all thy Subjects will become Exiles To thee they flock thy Presence is their home As Pompey's Camp where e're it mov'd was Rome They that asserted thy Just Cause go hence To testifie their joy and reverence And those thâ—â— did not now by wonder taught Go to confess and expiate their fault So that if thou dost stay thy gasping Land It self will empty on the Belgick sand Where the affrighted Dutchman does profess He thinks it an Invasion not Address As we unmonarch'd were for want of thee So till thou come we shall unpeopled be None but the close Fanatick will remain Who by our Loyalty his ends will gain And he th' exhausted Land will quickly find As desolate a place as he design'd For England though grown old with woes will see Her long deny'd and Sovereign Remedy So when old Jacob could but credit give That his prodigious Joseph still did live Joseph that was preserved to restore Their lives that would have taken his before It is enough said he to Egypt I Will go and see him once before I die Arion on a Dolphin To his Majesty at his passage into England WHom does this stately Navy bring O! 't is Great Britain's Glorious King Convey him then ye Winds and Seas Swift as Desire and calm as Peace In your Respect let him survey What all his other Subjects pay And prophesie to them again The splendid smoothness of his Reign Charles and his mighty hopes you bear A greater now than Caesar's here Whose Veins a richer Purple boast Than ever Hero's yet engrost Sprung from a Father so august He triumphs in his very dust In him two Miracles we view His Vertue and his Safety too For when compell'd by Traitors crimes To breathe and bow in forreign Climes Expos'd to all the rigid fate That does on wither'd Greatness wait Plots against Life and Conscience laid By Foes pursu'd by Friends betray'd Then Heaven his secret potent friend Did him from Drugs and Stabs defend And what 's more yet kept him upright ' Midst flattering Hope and bloudy Fight Cromwell his whole Right never gain'd Defender of the Faith remain'd For which his Predecessors fought And writ but none so dearly bought Never was Prince so much besieged At home provok'd abroad obliged Nor ever Man resisted thus No not great Athanasius No help of Friends could or Foes spight To fierce Invasion him invite Revenge to him no pleasure is He spar'd their bloud who gap'd for his Blush'd any hands the English Crown Should fasten on him but their own As Peace and Freedom with him went With him they came from Banishment That he might his Dominions win He with himself did first begin And that best victory obtain'd His Kingdom quickly he regain'd Th' illustrious suff'rings of this Prince Did all reduce and all convince He only liv'd with such success That the whole world would fight with less Assistant Kings could but subdue Those Foes which he can pardon too He thinks no Slaughter-trophees good Nor Laurels dipt in Subjects blood But with a sweet resistless art Disarms the hand and wins the heart And like a God doth rescue those Who did themselves and him oppose Go wondrous Prince adorn that Throne Which Birth and Merit make your own And in your Mercy brighter shine Than in the Glories of your Line Find Love at home and abroad Fear And Veneration every where Th' united world will you allow Their Chief to whom the English bow And Monarchs shall to yours resort As Sheba's Queen to Judah's Court Returning thence constrained more To wonder envy and adore Discovered Rome will hate your Crown But she shall
from thence 5. The chiefest thing in Friends is Sympathy There is a Secret that doth Friendship guide Which makes two Souls before they know agree Who by a thousand mixtures are ally'd And chang'd and lost so that it is not known Within which breast doth now reside their own 6. Essential Honour must be in a Friend Not such as every breath fans to and fro But born within is its own judge and end And dares not sin though sure that none should know Where Friendship 's spoke Honesty 's understood For none can be a Friend that is not Good 7. Friendship doth carry more then common trust And Treachery is here the greatest sin Secrets deposed then none ever must Presume to open but who put them in They that in one Chest lay up all their stock Had need be sure that none can pick the Lock 8. A breast too open Friendship does not love For that the others Trust will not conceal Nor one too much reserv'd can it approve It s own Condition this will not reveal We empty Passions for a double end To be refresh'd and guarded by a Friend 9. Wisdom and Knowledge Friendship does require The first for Counsel this for Company And though not mainly yet we may desire Both complaisance and Ingenuity Though ev'ry thing may love yet 't is a Rule He cannot be a Friend that is a Fool. 10. Discretion uses Parts and best knows how And Patience will all Qualities commend That serves a need best but this doth allow The Weaknesses and Passions of a Friend We are not yet come to the Quire above Who cannot Pardon here can never Love 11. Thick Waters shew no Images of things Friends are each others Mirrours and should be Clearer then Crystal or the Mountain Springs And free from Clouds Design or Flattery For vulgar Souls no part of Friendship share Poets and Friends are born to what they are 12. Friends should observe and chide each others Faults To be severe then is most just kind Nothing can ' scape their search who knew the thoughts This they should give and take with equal Mind For Friendship when this Freedom is deny'd Is like a Painter when his hands are ty'd 13. A Friend should find out each Necessity And then unask'd reliev't at any rate It is not Friendship but Formality To be desir'd for Kindness keeps no state Of Friends he doth the Benefactour prove That gives his Friend the means t' express his Love 14. Absence doth not from Friendship 's right excuse Them who preserve each others heart and fame Parting can ne're divide it may diffuse As a far stretch'd out River's still the same Though Presence help'd them at the first to greet Their Souls know now without those aids to meet 15. Constant and Solid whom no storms can shake Nor death unfix a right Friend ought to be And if condemned to survive doth make No second choice but Grief and Memory But Friendship 's best Fate is when it can spend A Life a Fortune all to serve a Friend L'Accord du Bien 1. ORder by which all things are made And this great World's foundation laid Is nothing else but Harmony Where different parts are brought t' agree 2. As Empires are still best maintain'd Those ways which first their Greatness gain'd So in this universal Frame What made and keeps it is the same 3. Thus all things unto peace do tend Even Discords have it for their end The cause why Elements do fight Is but their Instinct to Unite 4. Musick could never please the Sense But by United excellence The sweetest Note which Numbers know If struck alone would tedious grow 5. Man the whole World's Epitome Is by creation Harmony 'T was Sin first quarrell'd in his breast Then made him angry with the rest 6. But Goodness keeps that Unity And loves its own society So well that seldom we have known One real Worth to dwell alone 7. And hence it is we Friendship call Not by one Vertue 's name but all Nor is it when bad things agree Thought Union but Conspiracy 8. Nature and Grace such enemies That when one fell t'other did rise Are now by Mercy even set As Stars in Constellations met 9. If Nature were it self a sin Her Author God had guilty been But Man by sin contracting stain Shall purg'd from that be clear again 10. To prove that Nature's excellent Even Sin it self 's an argument Therefore we Nature's stain deplore Because it self was pure before 11. And Grace destroys not but refines Unveils our Reason then it shines Restores what was deprest by sin The fainting beam of God within 12. The main spring Judgment rectify'd Will all the lesser Motions guide To spend our Labour Love and Care Not as things seem but as they are 13. 'T is Fancy lost Wit thrown away In trifles to imploy that Ray Which then doth in full lustre shine When both Ingenious and Divine 14. To Eyes by Humours vitiated All things seem falsly coloured So 't is our prejudicial thought That makes clear Objects seem in fault 15. They scarce believe united good By whom 't was never understood They think one Grace enough for one And 't is because their selves have none 16. We hunt Extreams and run so fast We can no steddy judgment cast He best surveys the Circuit round Who stands i' th' middle of the ground 17. That happy mean would let us see Knowledge and Meekness may agree And find when each thing hath its name Passion and Zeal are not the same 18. Who studies God doth upwards flye And height still lessens to our eye And he that knows God soon will see Vast cause for his Humility 19. For by that search it will be known There 's nothing but our Will our own And who doth so that stock imploy But finds more cause for Shame then Joy 20. We know so little and so dark And so extinguish our own spark That he who furthest here can go Knows nothing as he ought to know 21. It will with the most Learned sute More to enquire then dispute But Vapours swell within a Cloud 'T is Ignorance that makes us proud 22. So whom their own vain Heart belies Like Inflammations quickly rise But that Soul which is truly great Is lowest in its own conceit 23. Yet while we hug our own mistake We Censures but not Judgments make And thence it is we connot see Obedience stand with Liberty 24. Providence still keeps even state But he can best command his Fate Whose Art by adding his own Voice Makes his Necessity his Choice 25. Rightly to rule ones self must be The hardest largest Monarchy Whose Passions are his Masters grown Will be a Captive in a Throne 26. He most the inward freedom gains Who just Submissions entertains For while in that his Reason sways It is himself that he obeys 27. But onely in Eternity We can these beauteous Unions see For Heaven it self and Glory is But one harmonious
quickly bring her back Achillas then the great Head did expose Which still to speak it self seem'd to dispose At this new injury some warm remain Did in imperfect groans seem to complain I thought his open mouth and ghastly look Recall'd the Soul which scarce her leave had took And his last anger seem'd with dying breath To charge the gods with his Defeat and Death Caesar seem'd Thunder-stricken at this view As not resolv'd what to believe or do Immoveably on that sad Object ty'd He long from us his inward thought did hide And I would say if I durst make a guess By what our Nature uses to express Some such malignant pleasure he enjoy'd As his offended honour scarce destroy'd That the whole World now in his power lies Could not but bring some flattering surprize But though a while this conflict he endur'd Yet his great Soul it self soon re-assur'd Though he loves Power yet he Treason hates Himself he judges on himself debates Each joy and grief at Reason's Bar appears At length resolv'd he first let fall some Tears His Virtues Empire he by force regains And noblest thoughts by that weak sign explains The horrid present from his sight expell'd His Eyes and Hands he up to Heaven held In a few words their insolence repress'd And after did in pensive silence rest Nor even to his Romans could reply But with a heavy sigh and furious eye At last with thirty Cohorts come to Land To seiz the Gates and Ports he does command The Guards he set and secret Orders sent Shew his distrust as well as discontent Egypt he speaks of as a Province won And now calls Pompey not a Foe but Son This I observ'd CHARMION By which the Queen may find The just Osiris to her Vows inclin'd Whilst with this happy News to her I flye Do you preserve her your Fidelity ACHOREUS Ne're doubt it but here Caesar comes go then Describe the Consternation of our Men And whatsoever proves to be their Fate I 'le first observe and then to her relate SCEN. II. Caesar Ptolomy Lepidus Photinus Achoreus Roman and Egyptian Souldiers PTOLOMY Great Sir ascend the Throne and govern Us. CAESAR Do you know Caesar and speak to him thus What worse could envious Fortune offer me Who alike hate a Crown and Infamy This to accept would all my boast confute That Rome did me unjustly persecute Rome who both scorns gives Crowns every where And nothing sees in Kings to love or fear Nay at our Birth does all our Souls enflame To slight the Rank and to abhor the Name This truth you might have learn'd from Pompey who If he such Offers lik'd could shun them too Both Throne and King had honour'd been t' afford Service to him who had them both restor'd So glorious had been even ill success In such a Cause that Triumphs had been less And if your Fortune safety had deny'd To have bestow'd it had been Caesar's pride But though you would not own so brave a strife What right had you to that illustrious Life Who that rich blood to wash your hands allow'd That to the meanest Roman should have bow'd Was it for you Pharsalia's Field I won Wherein so many Nations were undone And did I purchase at so high a rate That you should be the Arbiters of Fate If I in Pompey that could ne're admit Shall you escape o're him assuming it How much is my success abus'd by you Who attempt more than ever I durst do What Name think you will such a blow become Which has usurp'd the Soveraignty of Rome And in one Person did affront her more Than could the Asian Massacre before Do you imagine I shall e're agree You would have been more scrupulous for me No had you Pompey here Victorious seen My Head to him had such a Present been I to my Conquest your Submissions owe When all wrongs had pursu'd my Overthrow You do adore the Conqueror not me I but enjoy it by Felicity Dangerous Friendship Kindness to be fear'd Which turns with Fortune and by her is steer'd But speak this silence does encrease your sin PTOLOMY Never hath my Confusion greater been And I believe Sir you 'l allow it me Since I a King born now a Master see Where at my frown each man did trembling stand And every word of mine was a Command I see a new Court and another sway And I have nothing left but to obey Your very look abates my spirits force And can it be regain'd by your Discourse Judge how I can from such a Trouble cease Which my Respects create and Fears encrease And what can an astonisht Prince express Who anger sees in that Majestick Dress And whose Amazements do his Soul subdue That Pompey's Death should be reveng'd by You. Yet I must say whatever he bestow'd We owe you more then ever him we ow'd Your Favour was the first to us exprest And all he did was done at your Request He did the Senate move for injur'd Kings And them that Prayer to our Assistance brings But all that He for Egypt could obtain Without your Mony Sir had been in vain By that his Rebels our late King subdu'd And you have Right to all our Gratitude We Pompey as your Friend and Son rever'd But when he your Competitour appear'd When of your Fortune he suspicious grew Tyranny sought and dar'd to fight with you CAESAR Forbear your hatreds Thirst his Blood supplies Touch not his Glory let his Life suffice Say nothing here that Rome still dares deny But plead your Cause without a Calumny PTOLOMY Then let the Gods be Judges of his Thought I only say that in the Wars last fought To which so many Wrongs did you perswade Our Vows for your success were only made And since he ever sought your Blood to spill I thought his Death a necessary Ill. For as his groundless Hatred daily grew He would by all ways the Dispute renew Or if at length he fell into your Hand We fear'd your Mercy would your Right withstand For to that Pitch your sense of Honour flies As would to Fame your Safety sacrifice Which made me Judge in so extream an Ill We ought to serve you Sir against your will My forward Zeal th' occasion did embrace Without your leave and to my own disgrace And this you as a Crime in me disclaim But nothing done for you deserves that Name I stain'd my Hands your Danger to remove Which Act you may enjoy and disapprove Nay by my Guilt my Merit higher grows Since I my Glory gave for your Repose And by that greatest Victim have procur'd Your Glory and your Power to be assur'd CAESAR You employ Ptolomy such Crafty Words And weak Excuses as your Cause affords Your Zeal was false if 't were afraid to see What all Mankind beg'd of the Gods should be And did to you such subtleties Convey As stole the Fruit of all my Wars away Where Honour me engag'd and where the end Was of
so ill-guarded it By you I swear it then Mournful remain My only Deity now he is slain That no extinction or decay shall be In that revenge which must enoble me To Caesar Ptolomy by base surprize Rome of thy Pompey made a Sacrifice And I thy injur'd walls will never see Till Priest and God to him shall offer'd be Put me in mind and my just hate sustain O Ashes now my hope as well as Pain And to assist me in that great design Shed in all Hearts what now is felt by mine But Thou who on so infamous a shore Gavist him a flame so Pions though so Poor Tell me what God thy Fortune made so great To pay to such a Hero such a Debt PHILIP Cover'd with Blood and much more dead then he When I had curs'd the Royal Treachery My wandring Feet were by my grief convey'd Where yet the wind upon the Water plaid After long search I on a Rock did stand And saw the Headless Trunk approach the Sand Where th' angry Wave a pleasure seem'd to take To cast it off and then to snatch it back I to it leap'd and thrust it to the banks Then gathering a heap of Shipwrack'd Planks An hasty artless Pile I to him rais'd Such as I could and such as Fortune pleas'd 'T was hardly kindled when Heaven grew so kind To send me help in what I had design'd Codrus an Ancient Roman who lives here Returning from the City spy'd me there And when he did a headless Carcass view By that sad mark alone he Pompey knew Then weeping said O thou who e're thou art To whom the Gods such honours do impart Thy fortune's greater then thou dost believe Thou shalt rewards not Punishments receive Caesar's in Egypt and Revenge declares For him to whom thou pay'st these Pious Cares These Ashes to his Widow thou mayst bear In Alexandria for now she is there By Pompey's Conquerour so entertain'd As by a God it would not be disdain'd Go on till I return this said he went And quickly brought me this small Monument Then we betwixt us into it convey'd That Hero's Ashes which the fire had made CORNELIA With what great Praises should this act be crown'd PHILIP Entring the Town I great disorders found A numerous People to the Port did flye Which they believ'd the King would fortifie The eager Romans fiercely these pursu'd Rage in their eyes their hands with blood imbrew'd When Caesar with brave Justice did Command Photin to perish by a Hangmans hand On me appearing he vouchsaf'd to look And with these words my Masters Ashes took Remainders of a Demi-god whose Name I scarce can equal Conquerour as I am Behold guilt punish'd and till Altars call For other Victims let these Traytors fall Greater shall follow To the Court go thou On Pompey's Widow this from me bestow And whilst with it she makes with grief some truce Tell her how Caesar her Revenge pursues That great Man sighing then from me did turn And humbly kissing did restore the Urne CORNELIA O Formal Grief how easie is that Tear That 's shed for Foes whom we no longer fear How soon revenge for others fills that brest Which to it is by its own danger prest And when the Care we take to right the dead Secures our Life and does our glory spread Caesar is generous 't is true but he By the King wrong'd and from his Rival free Might in an envious mind a doubt revive What he would do were Pompey yet alive His courage his own safety does provide Which does the Beauty of his actions hide Love is concern'd in 't too and he does fight In Pompey's Cause for Cleopatra's Right So many Int'rests with my Husband 's met Might to his Virtue take away my debt But as Great Hearts judge by themselves alone I chuse to guess his honour by my own And think we only make his fury such Since in his Fortune I should do as much SCEN. II. Cleopatra Charmion Cornelia Philip. CLEOPATRA I come not to disturb a grief so due To that affliction which hath wounded you But those remains t' adore which from the wave A faithful freed-man did so lately save To mourn your fortune Madam and to swear You 'd still enjoy'd a man so justly dear If Heaven which did persecute you still Had made my power equal to my will Yet if to what that Heaven sends you now Your grief can any room for joy allow If any sweetness in revenge there be Receive the certainty of yours from me The false Photinus But you may have heard CORNELIA Yes Princess that he hath his just reward CLEOPATRA Have you no comfort in that news discern'd CORNELIA If there be any you are most concern'd CLEOPATRA All hearts with joy receive a wish'd event CORNELIA Our thoughts are as our int'rests different Though Caesar add Achillas death 't will be To you a satisfaction not to me For nobler Rites to Pompey's Ghost belong These are too mean to expiate his wrong No reparation by such blood is made Either to my grief or his injur'd shade And the revenge which does my Soul enflame Till it hath Caesar Ptolomy doth claim Who though so much unfit to reign or live Caefar I know will for his safety strive But though his love hath dar'd to promise it Yet juster Heaven dares it not permit And if the Gods an Ear to me afford They shall both perish by each others Sword Such an event would my hearts grief destroy Which now is such a Stranger grown to joy But if ye gods think this too great a thing And but one fall O let it be the King CLEOPATRA Heaven does not govern as our Wills direct CORNELIA But gods what causes promise will effect And do the guilty with revenge pursue CLEOPATRA As they have justice they have mercy too CORNELIA But we may judge as here events have past They now the first will act and not the last CLEOPATRA Their Mercie oft does through their Justice break CORNELIA Queen you as Sister I as Widow speak Each hath her cause of kindness and of hate And both concern'd are in this Princes Fate But by the blood which hath to day been shed We shall perceive whose vows have better sped Behold your Achoreus SCEN. III. To them Achoreus CLEOPATRA But alas I read no good presages in his Face Speak Achoreus let us freely hear What yet deserves my sorrow or my fear ACHOREUS Assoon as Caesar did the Treason know CLEOPATRA 'T is not his Conduct I enquire of now I know he cut and stopt that secret vault Which to him should the Murtherers have brought That to secure the Streets his men he sent Where Photin did receive his Punishment Whose sudden fall Achillas so amaz'd That on th' abandon'd Port he quickly seiz'd Whom the King follow'd and that to the land Antonius all his Souldiers did command Where Caesar join'd him and I thence do guess Achillas punishment and his success ACHOREUS His
made it known He us'd no more words but these were commands They snatch the Arms from the six Champions hands And that blind thirst of Fame they so intend Sence of Religion does a while suspend Bysome new scruple or a great respect Our Princes Counsel they resolve t' effect Which in both Camps so great a Reverence found As if both Nations had our Tullus Crown'd The Victims death will give us farther light SABINA The Gods will never own that Guilty Fight From this delay some new hopes may be drawn And sure my happiness begins to dawn SCEN. III. Camilla Sabina Julia. SABINA I have news Sister that will please you much CAMILLA I think I know it if you call it such My Father heard it now and so did I But nothing thence my hopes can fortify This delay'd mischief threatens sorer blows And does but lengthen our too certain woes And by the hinderance of this new Contest Our tears are but suspended not supprest SABINA This Tumult was not vainly sure inspir'd CAMILLA But vainly they have of the Gods enquir'd For the same Gods guided our Princes choice Nor speak they often in the Peoples Voice Their counsel shines not in a Vulgar Brest But Kings that represent them know it best In whose Supream Authority we see A secret Ray of their Divinity JULIA You will contribute to your own distress To seek their will but in their Oracles And that which yesterday reliev'd your Care May serve to day to banish your despair CAMILLA An Oracle is so wrapt up in doubt The more we guess the less we find it out There 's nothing certain in 't but this remarque Who thinks all clear must know that all is dark SABINA Let 's give our confidence a larger scope And entertain a reasonable hope When Heaven begins to grant what we have sought They that distrust its smiles deserve them not We hinder often what we so suspect And send back comfort by that rude neglect CAMILLA Heaven governs us without our own consents And we are passive in these great events JULIA Hope then with me that when we meet again A gentler Theam our thoughts shall entertain And that this evening with a welcome care We for your marriage only shall prepare SABINA I hope as much CAMILLA 'T is more than I dare do JULIA Th' event will shew us whose presage is true SCEN. IV. Sabina Camilla SABINA Sister your sorrows I must needs condemn Unless their causes did more warrant them What would you do and at what rate lament Had you my reason for your discontent And if from what these fatal Arms design Your losses could be thought as great as mine CAMILLA Let both our sorrows equally be known For we are all too partial to our own But when compar'd to my distress'd extreams Your griefs will seem but melancholy dreams A Husband's danger is your only care With whom your Brothers never can compare When to another Family ally'd From our own kinred we are quite unty'd Parents with Husbands no dispute admit To follow these we those can gladly quit But love when by a Father's will made good Is less than marriage yet not less than blood And so betwixt them our concern is tost Our choice suspended and our wishes lost But you may find a way amidst your fears To raise your wishes and restrain your tears When if Heav'n still its cruelty intend I can wish nothing but all apprehend SABINA Against each other when such foes are bent There 's small conviction in your argument For blood as well as marriage is a Knot We quit our Kinred but forget them not Never does Hymen Nature undermine Who loves her Husband does not hate her Line Since neither tye will their pretensions lose When life 's concern'd one knows not what to chuse On this side and on that by turns we fall Extremity of sorrow equals all Whereas a Lover most esteem'd is still But a dependent on your sovereign will And a capricious or a jealous hour May make your rigour equal to your power What fancie can your reason may perswade So love no more will Nature's rights invade For 't is a crime to pay no more respect To tyes born with us than those we elect Thus if Heav'ns angry cloud will farther spread I nothing have to hope but all to dread But duty offers to dry up your Tears Aim for your wishes Limits for your fears CAMILLA Ah! Sister I perceive your setled Heart Never knew Love nor felt his venom'd Dart At first indeed we may the Boy resist Who once receiv'd can never be dismiss'd When Duty to his flame does fuel bring He grows a Tyrant from a Lawful King He enters gently but by force he reigns And when a heart once wears his golden chains To cast them off our wills too weak are grown Because that will no longer is our own The fetters glitter but are fetters still SCEN. V. Old Horace Sabina Camilla Old HOR. Daughters I bring you news that 's very ill But it would be in vain now to forbear Since you the fatal story soon must hear Your Brothers fight for so the Gods ordain SAB. I must confess it horrour does contain And the Divinity had once my trust To be more kind at least if not more just Comfort us not for reason tedious grows When such a tide of sorrow 't would oppose In our own hands our remedy we have For who dares dye may all misfortunes brave Perhaps we our despair might seem to scorn And with false constancy our selves adorn But when without a blush we may admit Of grief 't were weakness to dissemble it We to your sex can such a cunning spare And will pretend only to what we are Nor expect we a courage of your strain Should stoop by our example to complain Receive this cruel news without a groan Behold our tears and never mix your own And in a Fortune that is so Forlorn Be still unmov'd but suffer us to mourn OLD HORACE I think your tears so due to your distress That all my Courage scarce can mine suppress And ev'n that Virtue might surrender too Were I as much concern'd in it as you Not that the Albâ—n choice makes me so stern To Sab. To rob your Brothers of my first concern But friendship would in vain pretend to sway When Love and Nature will dispute the Day And my heart no such renderness receives By which a Sister or a Mistress grieves I can look on them as the publick Foes And give my Sons my undivided Vows I thank the Gods their Countrey without shame May assert them as they have done their Fame I saw what Glory all their Brows adorn'd When the compassion of both Camps they scorn'd If any weakness had that pity sought Nay had they not abhorr'd so poor a thought My arm for such a wrong to Vengeance bent Had punish'd that degenerate content But when the Field would needs the choice renew I must confess