his Knowledge to Declare And what he Sayes I hope you will Believe King Ed. To what he speaks I still will Credit give Dela I should be too Unworthy of this Trust Should I abuse a King so Great and Just When to the Warrs of Aquitaine I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Who in a Charge did such deep Wounds receive As finding that he had not long to Live A Messenger in hast for me he sent As soon as e'r I came into his Tent He told me Something on his Heart did lye Which griev'd him more then he was Griev'd to Dye Then in my Hand he did this Letter lay And in a Sigh his Soul did fly away Prin. When you have heard it Read it will Afford Proof of her Vertue King Ed. Read it then my Lord. The Earl of KENT to the Lord DELAVVARE MY Death forces me to discover by what Arts I obtained from the Prince of Wales the faire Plantagenet Before He ador'd her I did and as soon as he fell in Love not knowing mine he made me his Confident but the King being against the match the Prince the better to cloud his reall passion for Plantagenet seem'd to have one for the fair Aurelia but still trusted me with the Superscription Cypher and Seale which he used when he writ to my Plantagenet and I had the fatal employment of carrying all their Letters At length the Glory the Prince wonn at Cressy joyn'd with his grief for the King's denyal conquer'd his Father and the Day was appointed for his marrying Plantagenet which if not prevented I found would be the Day of my Death This I imparted to my Mother who had no small ascendant over Plantagenet and by my Mothers advice I got the Prince to write a Letter to Aurelia whom I seem'd to be passionatly in Love with wherein he beg'd her pardon for having counterfeited a Love to her when his was otherwise disposed of but to repair it he earnestly recommended me to her affection as most worthy of it This Letter I seal'd and superscribed with the Cypher the Prince alwayes made use of to Plantagenet Prince's passion for Aurelia that this letter being delivered to Plantagenet Prince's Prince's inconstancie that in the dictates of those resentments she gave her self to me whereunto my Mothers Friendship with her did highly contribute The Prince in despair undertakes the war with France and I soon after disguised to all but you follow'd him in hope by some great action to wash off the Guilt my Love forced me to contract but here I met my Death Tell them all this and that I hope their hatred to me will be buried in my Grave Dela This Letter till this day I have conceal'd For Causes Sir unfit to be Reveal'd Prin. I hope you find in what he did relate She was not Guilty but Unfortunate King Ed. I must confess these Arts which Kent did use Doe her forsaking you too much Excuse Prin. Since this has wash'd off her imagin'd Stain Give me your leave to love her Sir again King Ed. I would not have defam'd her but I see To cure his Love there 's but that Remedy No Prince the Sin she did last night Commit Makes her for ever for your Love unfit Prin. Oh Heaven must I endure a new Assault Tell me I beg you Sir this Fansied Fault For she is of such an unblemish'd Fame As I can give it well no better Name But Sir to try me this perhaps is done King Ed. I doe not use to trifle with my Son And I beleive you I credit what I said When I my self found hid within her Bed A Lovely Youth who since is dumb with Fear My Lord bring instantly that Pris'ner here to Latimer Exit Latimer Prince Though I my self what you have said should see Yet I would think my Eyes were False not She. King Ed Since to your Witness I did credit give Methinks what I have said You should Believe Prin. Forgive me if her Vertue and my Love Forc'd me to speak what may your Anger move Fate never man to such a streight did bring I must offend my Mistress or my King Esteem her Guilty or not Credit you That Sir I cannot this I Dare not Doe Enter Latimer and Valeria's Brother King Io. Valeria's Brother Love is just I see Since he Revenges my inconstancy And makes him punish his fair Sister 's wrong King Ed. If still thy Fear has not ty'd up thy Tongue Discover to the King and to my Son How thou by Charmes Plantagenet hast won I found thee in her Bed there 's no Excuse Valer. Broth. Sir that 's a place which few men would refuse Enter Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and all the Women Shall not one moment stay thy Destiny Plan. The Words and Anger of the King are High Alizia Sir and I but now did hear That with this Gentleman you Angry were We come to beg you to forgive his Crime King Ed. Of all the World you should not plead for Him For you by it so Great a Guilt do show As I had rather but suspect then know Plan. I know not what you mean by what you said King Ed. You know not too you hid him in your Bed Plan. Who could to you that Secret Sir declare Kig Io. Oh Heaven does she Confess then he was there Val. Bro That Sir I hope is no Offence to you do King Io. False Youth to me what worse Wrong could'st thou Val Bro. I thought my Sister had your Heart possest King Io. But did'st thou not from her to me protest She bid thee help me if I ere should be In Love with any one more Fair then She Val. Bro. And doe you Sir confess that you are so King Io. Those Charming Eyes must every Heart ore'throw Val. Bro. This Guilt in you will cause her Death I fear King Io. Thy Guilt to me is more then mine to her What do'st thou aile thou tremblest and lookst pale Val. Admire not Grief does or ' my soul prevail When to Valeria's self such Words you said taking off her Disguise As Sir does make her wish that she were Dead But though she 's killd by your Inconstancy Yet in your Armes she begs your leave to Dye she faints Plantagenet holds her up Plan. She faints Ah Sir that Guilty Change in you King Io. Oh Madam blame not what you made me doe Plan. Sir 't is not Just to charge your Fault on me King Ed. Is it Valeria then King Io. Yes Yes 't is she Her Broth'rs face so much resembles hers As I deluded by the clothes she wears Did to her self my Change in Love avow Prince The Clouds of my Despair do vanish now And Charming Hopes in me begin to Reign Plan. Give her more Air for now she Breaths again Valeria is set in a Chair King Ed. Oh I the fair Plantagenet did wrong Prince The Proofs that she is Guiltless are so strong As I now
starts and trembles Why at that Name Tremble you thus and start Dem. Oh why am I Condemn'd to Act this Part Alas how can I to that Beauty goe Whose â—…ster you by me have injur'd so Who are to one another too so Kind As Friendship them does more then Nature bind They are alike concern'd in all they do And who wrongs one does wrong the other too Try These Words have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For since their Friendship is so Firm and Gâ—…t I shall presenting Stratonice my Crown Repair what to her Sister I have done Who since the Wrong she did by you Endure 'T is just she should from You Recieve her Cure By this a Trebble Gainer you will be For you 'l obliege Yourself and Her and Me. Dem. Oh Sir forgive me if I let you know That 't is your Love not Reason argues so For to their Friendship it will give an End Should she wed him who has so wrong'd her Friend Honour would make her too the Throne despise To which she by her Sisters Fall must Rise That Family to visit I 'm unfit Having so much affronted one of it Try I wrong but one while I my Love recall But marrying th' other I obliege them All That Family will with a Fault dispence Whose Reparation does exceed th' Offence 'T was Interest my first Addres did move But this Address is the Result of Love Whatever Fault True Love does make us do Must carry with th' Offence the Pardon too On this Oblieging Embassy then goe And let me to my Friend my Mistress owe Lay at her Feet at once my Crown and Heart My Joy depends on th' Acting of your Part. Demetrius offers to speak Then Strive no more since what I ask you now Is what you owe My Friendship and Your Vow While Stratonice you to my Throne invite To Cleopatra my Excuse I 'l write Tryphon goes out Demetrius stands gazing after him Seleucus Enters Sel. You in your Looks have so much trouble shown As I dare hardly venter you alone So great and Moving your Disorders be As I partake in Griefs which I but see Dem. Alas I have reciev'd so strange a Blow As I endure more Grief then I can show Sel. To my unequall'd Friendship be so just As to commit your Secret to my Trust To cure those Sorrows under which you Bend Imploy the Life and Service of your Friend Some â—…tall Grief does now your Soul surprize Or you are too in Love with Stratonice For I perceiv'd when he pronounc'd her Name You trembled and your Face was in a Flame Dem. Admire not at those Sorrows which I show Since you their Cause at once both ask and know On me what sharper Curse could Fortune bring Then make my Rivall be my Friend and King Sel. Under the like Misfortune I did Bow And Suffer'd Lately what you Suffer Now Since his Inconstancy my Pain has Cur'd Be in my Fortune of your own affur'd Dem. Who thinks does know her Beauties Pow'r but ill That who once Lov'd her will not Love her still Sel. Doe not by that Belief your Grief Inflame Of Cleopatra's Eyes I thought the same His Friendship sure as strong for you will be As his Inconstancy has been for me Dem. Have you forgotten what he lately said 'T was a State Love he Cleopatra paid But o're this Love what can the Conquest get Which makes State Interest resign to it Than do not think he did your Fear remove By his Inconstancy but by his Love Our Stars on us with different Influence Shine What wrought your Cure makes me despair of mine Sel. Part of your Secrets trusted to my Breast To serve you I now beg to know the Rest You told me Stratonice had Conquer'd you Now let me know if she does Love you too Dem. Ah if I were not in that happy State Why should I thus exclaim against my Fate Sel. I cannot See since you are sure of her Why you the King should as a Rivall fear Since she does You and Virtue so esteem She 'l value you more then she 'l value him Dem. Her Love to me and Virtue Shine so clear As 't were a Sin her Rivallship to fear No 't is not that from whâ—…ce my Sorrows rise But I not dreaming he lov'd Stratonice Am by a Fatall yet a Solemn Vow Ingag'd to Court for him my Mistress now Should I not doe it I my self Forswear And doing it I Wrong my Love and her Never Misfortune did so cruel prove I must betray my Friend or else my Love Seleucus 't is a Horrid Choice when I Rather then either choose would choose to Dy. Sel Youâ—… Case is hard it cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet Stratonice's Love is on your side I against Fortune justlier might repine For that Fate you deplore I wish were Mine That Cleopatra's Love might be for me I would consent he should my Rivall be 〈◊〉 since the King your Passion never knew 〈◊〉 since his Friendship is so firm to you 〈◊〉 â—…t from him the Pain that you are in 〈◊〉 o're Love the Victory may win Dem. Ah if I told him I his Rivall am And that his Mistress does approve my Flame Alas a much more likely Way 't wil prove To Raise his Height then to Suppress his Love My Flame must therefore be conceal'd by you Rivals in Love and Friends none ever knew Sel. My Faith in Such a Secret doe not fear Tell me the Course that you resolve to Steer That I in it may usefull be to you Demetrius studies a while Dem. I am resolv'd to Doe what I did Vow For were I Guilty of so Mean a Thing As to be False both to my Freind and King And should thereby my End in Love obtain The Joy would scarce be equall to the Pain Perhaps she will not be to me Severe When Sacred Friendship only made me err Methinks it were Injustice to suspect When that 's the Cause that shee 'll condemn th' Effect Sel. While such an Unexampled Act you do She cannot Blame so much as Pitty you Dem. To lose her yet Deserve her is more fit Then to Posses her and not Merit it They goe out The End of the Third Act THE FOURTH ACT. Stratonice Demetrius and Irene The SCENE Nicanors Pallace Ire to Str. SUch are the Sorrows he does now endure As if You be not Death will be his Cure Stra. Those Griefs Demetrius which in you I see Contagious prove and have infected me You 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since you the Cause conceal Oâ—…â—…ows whose Effect your Looks reveal Dem. Madam I hop'd you rather would deplor Those Griefs I fear then load me thus with more Judge with what Malice Fate does me pursue Since I 'm affraid to tell my Grief to you To you who only have the Pow'r to Cure Those Matchles Miseries which I endure Stra. Alas what you have told me now I find More then your Silence is to me Unkind For you lament and in a high degree
Two New TRAGEDIES THE Black Prince AND TRYPHON The first Acted at the THEATRE-ROYAL BY HIS MAIESTIE's SERVANTS The Other By his Highness the Duke of York 's Servants Both Written by the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Earl of Orrery LONDON Printed by T. N. for H. Herringman at the Sign of the Blew Anchor in the lower walk of the New Exchange 1669. PROLOGUE Spoken by the Genius of England holding a Trident in one hand and a Sword in the other IS England's Genius that Victorious Name Which shakes the World and fills the mouth of Fame So much forgot as you mispend your Witt which my Great Deeds as Greatly might have Writt To court a Fancy or improve a Dreame And seek new Worlds for a less noble Theame Can you in Armes conspiring Nations see And think on any thing but Fame and Me While the loud Cannon with prophetick sound Foretells our King must be in Paris crown'd And with such Heat once more invade the French As all the Waves between us cannot quench To the just fury of whose Fatall Blowes Fleets Walls and Armies they in vaine oppose This Trophy which so gloriously to yours Add's a fourth Crown and those four Crownes secures The Belgian Admirall usurping bore And I from him and all his Tritons tore He to another Element was blowne Who thought himself Immortall in his owne For still the Sea his Losses did Repair Till our Alcides killd him in the Ayr. This Sword which in French blood so often dyed Intail'd success on the young Edwards side Resign'd to you shall all those Arts exceed Which made him Triumph and that Kingdome Bleed Their frighted Lillies shall confess their loss Wearing the Crimson livery of your Cross And all the World shall learn by their Defeat Our Charles not theirs deserves the name of Great Dramatis Personae King Edward Mr. Moon King John Mr. Wintersell Prince Mr. Kenniston Ld. Delaware Mr. Hart. Count. Guesclin Mr. Burt. Ld. Latimer Mr. Cartwright Page Mr. Beeston Alizia Mrs. Guinn Plantaginet Mrs. Marshall Cleorin Mrs. Corey Sevina Mrs. Nepp Valeria disguis'd F. Damport A Lady Betty Damport  Attendants THE Black Prince THE FIRST ACT. The first Scene is a magnificent Palace King Edward the Third standing in the middle of the Theater environ'd with his Nobility and Guards the Lord Delaware presents the King a Letter which when he has read the King sayes King BRave Delaware my Son doth let me know How much my Empire to thy Sword does owe What generous Youth could more thy Fame advance Then with thy hand to take King Iohn of France Dela Sir What you say more Fame to me does yield Then I could gain in Peictiers glorious Field For 't is more honour to be priz'd by You Then 't is another Monarch to subdue King No Subject winning Glory can admit Such Joy as does his King rewarding it The Chape of that Kings Sword whom thou didst take The Crest for ever of thy Armes shall make In that addition to them shall be shown While the World lasts the honour thou hast won To thee thy General leaves it to relate The English Glory and the Frenchmans Fate Dela As soon Sir as the Prince to Bourdeaux came So much doth Glory his great Soul inflame He took the Field and did forthwith regain All that King Iohn possess'd in Aquitaine Then with like speed Anjou he did subdue And all his Towns but Poictiers of Pâ—…itou That place alone his Forces durst oppose Guesclin the Gallantest of all our foes Poictiers did for their Governour admit And he a while bravely defended it Yet our Success was but a while deny'd That by a greater it might be supply'd For Heav'n decreed that Poictiers Sir should yield As deathless Wreaths to you as Cressy Field The noblest Wreaths which ever Victor wore Wreaths which shall last when Time shall be no more King But tell me how King Iohn employ'd his time While those three Provinces were torn from him Dela He the mean while rais'd all the Powers of France And to relieve the City did advance The Prince had notice of a strength so great And timely might have made a fair retreat Yet since before the place he once did lie He was resolv'd to take it or to die From this resolve he could not Sir be won King He did therein but what became my Son No humane force could ever yet subdue An English Prince and English Army too Dela The French appear and Poâ—…ctiers spacious plain Was not enough their Army to contain Th' advantages of ground our General takes And plants before his Squadrons sharp'ned Stakes With the like Art but yet in thicker Ranks He strongly fortify'd his Rear and Flanks The Word was giv'n and all our Bows were bent When a French Herauld to the Prince was sent Who told him that his King had thought it good To avoid the shedding of much Christian blood To let him know he could not win the Field And all should have fair quarter would He yield The Prince unmov'd did instantly reply None does deserve to live who fears to die Go tell your King those English I command The name of Quarter hardly understand But that ere night he may have cause to know What we refuse to take we may bestow King This answer did the message well befit Dela The Herauld Sir return'd amaz'd at it Their odds in number rais'd them to that height They thought they came to take us not to fight King How many were the French Dela Themselves confess'd That eighty Thousand men they were at least King What was my Son Dela The truth I do not wrong Protesting he was but eight Thousand strong But those eight Thousand Sir were English men King And One of those may well be reckon'd Ten. Dela Sir since your Army by your Son was led We all did then believe what now you said For in his eyes we our Success did see His looks did ante-date our Victory His face that morning to us all did show Those Lawrels which that ev'ning Crown'd his Brow Now all the Drums do beat the Trumpets sound The Soldiers shout the trembling Air does wound The flying Arrows such thick clouds had made As ev'n the heat of Fight produc'd a shade Our Van brave Oxford and great Talbâ—…t lead Whose Swords that day did much increase the Dead Suffolk and Warwick did command our Rear And there deserv'd those Titles which they bear So did Audley Sir and Barkley too Whom all did imitate but none outdo King The like at Cressy by those Six was done Danger they slight where Glory may be won Dela Fortune a while did fear to ruine France But when the Prince his battle did advance He courted her with Valour so Sublime As she turn'd just and did declare from him They in three Armies did divide their Pow'rs And every one of them did treble ours By which our Prince found when the day was done That he had fought Three battels to gain One
sorrows Tears away Shee 's Courted by a Monarch whose Renown Does make him greater much then does his Crown To Conquer All he has resistless Pow'rs His Sword subdues His Sex his Vertues Ours Sev. Then let his Virtue which you so much Prize Suppress your Jealousie and dry your Eyes Virtue so Firm as nothing can Remove Aliz. Virtue is nothing but a Name in Love What cannot Love when he is Victor do Which makes me think their Change their Virtue too Sev. With equal Flames the King your Flames did meet And daily breath'd his Passion at your feet Myrtles when giv'n by You were Dearer held Than all those Lawrells Vanquish'd France did yield He went with Grief that Empire to subdue Hating what ever sever'd him from You. Aliz. I see his Change in spight of all his Art He suffers not but plays the Lovers part Sev. Let not such Thoughts be entertain'd by you He Courts you now more then he us'd to do Aliz. This does the Truth of what I said detect His Passion now is chang'd into Respect And Love which once was High and is decay'd Like the Sun setting casts the greater shade From all his secret Vows he does depart 'T is False Love onely needs the help of Art Sev. Such Doubts his Constancy may Over-throw Who Thinks him False provokes him to Be so Did you to him your cause of Grief unfold Aliz 'T would not deserve that Name could it be told She meanly Loves who slighted can admit Ought but her Love alone can tell her it Sev. No wonder Grief thus in your Breast does Reign When you from your Physician hide your Pain Let Him but hear from whence your Sorrow grows Aliz. 'T is Love and vain to tell him what he knows Sev. Then I will tell it him and he will fly Faster to You than to a Victory And quickly learn to clear his Fancy'd Fault Aliz. A Perfect Lover needs not to be taught And if he were with Lovers tâ—…ue Passion Fir'd He would not need to Learn hee 'd be Inspir'd Sev. At my request ease your distemper'd Mind And on my life you suddenly shall find To think him faulty is to think Amiss Aliz. He is too Guilty since I think he is Exeunt several wayes Enter Cleorin and Delaware Cleo. I hop'd your absence now three years compleat Had cur'd your Passion for Plantagenet And you would Fame to hopeless Love prefer Dela I courted Fame but more to merit Her Since I durst Love not having Fame atchiev'd Since I Ador'd her while her Husband liv'd Now that the Noble Kent three years is dead Now that with Lawrel War has Crown'd my Head How can you be dear Sister so unwise To think that Love can fall while Hope does rise Cleo. You know Dear Brother onely for your sake That I three years incessant care did take To make my self your Conquerours Confident But though I have accomplish'd my Intent Yet all I Gain'd by it is to believe She never your Addresses will Receive For since she lost her Lord the Noble Kent She thinks all time not paid to Grief mispent Dela In what you say much cause of Hope I find Since Grief tâ—… unwelcom'st Passion of the Mind She does admit within her to Reside Love the most welcome cannot be Deny'd Cleo. Do not your Hopes with such wild Fancies feed Her 's is a Grief which does from Love proceed You by your Passion strangely are mis-led Dela Is it then possible to Love the Dead We but to those Alive can Love express For when the Cause does die the Effect must cease Cleo. Your own strange Fate opposes what you said Your Love does Live and yet your hope is Dead Dela Since Love has over her Triumphant been My Flame is such to doubt Success were Sin Cleo. Nothing from Sorrow can her Soul remove And Grief is still an Enemy to Love But were her Grief subdu'd yet I must say A greater hind'rance does obstruct your way In the King's Heart a growing Flame does rise Which he discovers by his Sighs and Eyes He is the greatest Monarch of the Earth And greater by his Actions then his Birth Dela Had I her heart his Titles would not sway In Loves just ballance onely Love does weigh Cleo. The Nature of our Sex I 'le not disguise Our Servants Loves less than their Pow'rs we prise For but in Name alone their Hearts are ours But we effectually do share their Pow'rs Dela Yet Love would tell her 't is a greater thing To Conquer then it is to be a King Cleo. There 's something else which makes my Care more great Then all which I to you have mention'd yet You know the Prince of Wales did once appear Your Conquerours Lover and was lov'd by her And he to wed her gain'd the Kings Consent But unexpectedly she married Kent I often prest the Cause she would reveal Yet she the secret does from me conceal But though she on the Prince does lay the Blame Yet she will weep when she but hears his Name A thousand other Proofs do make me doubt That Fire is onely cover'd not put out Dela Ah Cleorin there 's none but I alive Of that Strange Marriage an account 〈◊〉 give You know when to the Wars of France I went I made a Friendship with the Earl of Kent Which in short time did grow so strong and high As when he found he of his Wounds should die He to strict silence first did me Engage Then told me how he gain'd his Marriage Which is so strange a story I dare swear She never can love him nor he love her Cleo. I will not beg you then to tell me why Since you have ty'd your self to secresie Brother I now must leave you for you know Our King does on King Iohn a Masque bestow To which he did Plantagenet invite And thither I must wait on her to night Dela Ah since you must be gone yet e're you go Let me at least what I may hope for know Cleo. The highest joy to which you can pretend Is that your Mistress you may make your Friend Dela If She does Friendship and not Love bestow At once she 'll make me blest and wretched too Cleo. She 'll meet your Friendship but your Love she 'll shun Despair must do what Reason should have done Dela This is a cruelty she should abhorre She should not do so much or should do more Exeunt several wayes Enter the King Alizia and Sevina Alizia 's Chamber King While your Suspition to such height does rise You wrong at once my Passion and your Eyes Ah Madam be no longer so unkind Since you to think me False must think me Blind How can you doubt of any change in me When such fair Eyes are your Security Aliz. Ah do not Sir condemn what I have done To doubt your Love does more declare my own 'T is Love not Jealousie which I detect Then for the causes sake excuse th' effect King Madam
there is but one degree you know 'Twixt doubting I am false and thinking so Aliz. To you no clearer Proof Sir I can give I think you are not false then that I live For did I doubt you guilty of that wrong My death should tell it you and not my tongue King The pow'r of Kindness Madam you confound Making your Love the Sword with which you wound If from this day my Ruine you will date Then by some other Weapon act my fate Your Anger Misery enough does prove Without ascribing of it to your Love 'T were better far I fell by your Disdain Then have your Love my blessing turn to Pain Aliz. What I have said too warmly you pursue King How can you love him whom you think untrue Admire not what you said so much does move Since if you think me false I lose your love Against such groundless Fear there 's no defence Aliz. Love feels no greater Torment then Suspense Since she who truly Loves had rather know Her Lover false than always think him so For 't is an ill more sensible and high To Live tormented still then 't is to Die But you may end those Torments I deplore If you will never see my Rival more King This is a Remedy severe and new Rudeness to her must Kindness be to you And of my Love can you no proof admit But what will make me for your Love unfit Aliz. Ah were I Blest or Curst to such degree As that you thought some other lov'd by Me I would for ever from his sight be gone And would in your contentment find my own Were your Affections but for me as great Then you no more would see Plantagenet King She is the nearest Kinswoman I have Her Lord too in my Service found his Grave Nature and Honour these respects approve And make that Duty which you doubt is Love Aliz. Alas were you not chang'd you would not be Civil to her rather than kind to me King Will this your Fatal Jealousie remove I swear I never spake to her of Love Aliz. Love is not alwayes by Discourse made known It may be spoken in a Look or Groan Some in those wayes more Passion can dispense Then others by the Charms of Eloquence Your Oath I fear is dictated by Art Your Tongue is innocent but not your Heart King This Madam too much your unkindness shows You neither will believe my Love nor Vows Aliz. Do not admire my Doubts and Fears are high When you that easie cure of them deny I saw you gaze on her much more then you Did gaze on me when I did know you true Which to my Torment Sir does let me see You lov'd Me not or lov'd Her more then Me Man's Art to such a height could never rise As love from a true Lover to disguise Oh Sir it is high time I let you know Though Love is blind yet Lovers are not so King He never yet the height of Love has known Who onely found it in a Look or Groan When I to you that Passion did express Which Madam onely with my Life shall cease Though many Looks and Sighs to you I sent Yet by Discourse too I did give it vent If through all passages it does not press It soon will kill the heart it does possess Love is so vast a Passion as the breast Is much too small to hold so great a Guest Aliz. Great Love is like great Grief and all Sir hold That Grief is weak or small which can be told Enter Lord Latymer who whispers to the King King Madam A pressing business calls me now Be therefore satisfied with this strict Vow My carriage to Plantagenet shall be Such as shall make you grant you 've injur'd me Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Aliz. Now my Sevina think you not that I Had a sufficient ground for Jealousie Sev. Madam you had but give me leave to say You to suppress it took a hopeless way Aliz. To what way else could I have had recourse Sev. A Lover never was brought back by force But since he raises Jealousie in you Madam resolve to make him Jealous too You by a double Right must gain his Heart First own it to your Beauty then your Art Love is like Health which all men value most Not while it is possest but when 't is lost Aliz. I 'le rather bear Misfortunes worst Assault Then own my blessing to a seeming Fault If what you now propose I should approve Virtue would blush at my Success in Love Honour alone shall guide my Actions still Rather than I will do I 'le suffer Ill My Rival nor the King shall ever say To gain my Right I took a guilty way She has the Happier I the Nobler part She may Possess but I Deserve his Heart Exeunt The end of the first Act. The Curtain fals THE SECOND ACT. The First SCENE The Curtain being drawn up King Edward the Third King Iohn of France and the Prince of Wales appear seated on one side of the Theater waited on by the Count of Guesclin the Lord Latymer the Lord Delaware and other Lords with the King's Guards On the other side of the Theater are seated Plantagenet Alizia Cleorin Sevina and other Ladies The Scene opens two Scenes of Clouds appear the one within the other in the hollow of each Cloud are Women and men richly apparell'd who sing in Dialogue and Chorus as the Clouds descend to the Stage then the Women and Men enter upon the Theater and dance afterwards return into the Clouds which insensibly rise all of them singing until the Clouds are ascended to their full height then onely the Scene of the Kings magnificent Palace does appear all the Company arise King Ed. SInce you are Pris'ner by the fate of War I shall not onely make it Sir my Care Your Grief by such diversions to allay But quickly too to take their Cause away Two pow'rful Motives me to this perswade The Friendship Sir you with my Son have made And that rare Fortitude which you have shown In Poictiers Field and after it was won King Jo. Sir Of that Fatal place I 'le not complain Since 〈◊〉 in it his Friendship did obtain Which I so prize as I 'de the loss repeat Rather then miss a happiness so great Embracing the Prince Prince As much as Virtue Fortune does out-shine So much your Victory surpasses mine A treaty will my bonds on you untie But yours on me will last eternally King Ed. That Treaty we to morrow will begin And you shall find I 'le so proceed therein As you and all the world Sir shall confess Justice shall guide me in it not Success Doubt not but what I promise shall be done T is what I ow my Honour and my Son King Jo. Thus using your Success the world will see How justly you deserve your Victory Force in rough Fetters may the Body bind But onely Friendship Captivates the Mind King Ed. It is already Sir
the Result which from them all did rise My Soul to this belief did quickly win That Yielding Duty was Resistance Sin Guesc. Your Grief from Love not Friendship then does grow King It springs at once from Love and Friendship too For I observ'd during the masking Night The Prince on her did alwayes fix his Sight And often from his breast a Sigh wold steal Which as his Looks his Passion did reveal But that which made my Trouble much more great Was when her Sight did with the Prince's meet A bright Vermillion in her Face would rise Then with a Sigh she would cast down her Eyes What stronger Prooff could either of them show That he lov'd her and that she Lov'd him too Condemn not then my Grief who must contend Both with my Conquerour and with my Friend Guesc. Let that which does your Grief your Glory prove Making your Friendship overcome your Love 'T will be by all a Greater Action held Thus to Decline a Love then Gain a Field As much as Vertue above Fortune is So much your Glory will out-rival his For you a Nobler Conquest this secures Let Force his Triumph make but Friendship yours King Guesclin Such talk as this you must forbear The greatest Glory is her Chains to wear In what thou mov'st thou dost mispend thy breath None cures her Beauties Wounds but She or Death Guesc. 'T is strange to be so Vanquish'd the first hour King That does not show my Weakness but her Pow'r Her Beauty onely has the Right and Art At the first Sight to Captivate a Heart Her Eyes can be no more oppos'd then Fate Others may Raise but she does Love Create Guesc. I once believ'd the Empire of your Breast Could onely by Valeria be possest King I was my self to that belief confin'd But now Plantagenet has chang'd my Mind She claim'd my Heart in such a Charming way That to Refuse was worse then to Obey Guesclin She gives as to my cost I prove New Rules in Beauty and new Laws in Love Guesc. This sudden change I cannot Sir but dread The News of it will strike Valeria dead King Who on my Conquerours Beauty does reflect Will find the Cause does justifie th' Effect Guesc. But why have you your Heart so soon resign'd To Outward Beauties till you knew the Mind King Ah when the Mask was done I quickly found Her Mind was like her Eyes with Brightness Crown'd Such heightned Wit did in her Words appear As she subdu'd my Heart too by my Ear 'T was vain alas to think of a Defence When she had Charm'd my Soul in every Sence Then do not hope my Passion to remove But as thou art my Friend assist my Love Guesc. Though I foresee this Passion many wayes Will to your Fame and Freedom Trouble raise And that the Prince's Love obstructs your way Yet Sir since you Command me I Obey I 'le make it Sir my business now to win Your Conquerours Confident fair Cleorin To Lovers Sir the Favorite Women are The same as Outworks to a Town of War Though to the Town compar'd but small they look Yet those once gain'd the Place is sooner took King Go my dear Guesclin then and quickly try If Friendships Wings as fast as Loves can Fly Exeunt several wayes The SCENE is the Prince's Chamber The Prince and Delaware Prince Oh Delaware mine is so strange a Grief As I nor Hope nor Wish to have Relief Dela May you not to your Servant Sir declare That Grief in which he begs to have a share Pr. Ah why should I that Grief to you impart Whose Trouble for it will more Wound my Heart With my own Sorrows I can scarce contend Adde not to these the Sorrows of my Friend Dela Since you to me so high a Title give I humbly beg you by it to believe Nothing to you so Great a Grief can be As this denial Sir would prove to me I Sir your Friendship Treats me at this rate 'T will make your Kindness wound me like your Hate Should I want Pow'r to make your Grief decline I 'le not increase it by disclosing mine Pr. That deep Affliction under which I Groan Cannot alas be eas'd by being known Yet since no proof you 'll of my Friendship take But what your trouble and my own must make Rather then you should fear the Truth of it I to that proof which you desire submit I doubt not you have heard how heretofore The Fair Plantagenet I did Adore And that I had some ground to think that she Nor Cruel nor Ungratefull was to me Heav'n knows I Lov'd her with so chaste a Flame As I to Marry her did onely aim To which at last my Father did consent When she next day but one did marry Kent And which is worse if worse then this can be She for it n'ere excus'd her self to me Dela To offer at it had increas'd th' abuse Who could excuse a fault above excuse Pr. I who through all Wars dangers oft have past I who a thousand times have Death out-fac'd In all those Horrors did less Trouble see Then in Plantagenets inconstancy Dela 'T is she not you which should her Change repent Since in her Sin she found her Punishment Pr. Alas to me a sad Revenge it prov'd To see her Ruin'd whom so much I Lov'd What worse to me could She or Fortune do Then make her Punishment my Torment too A Torment which all others did out-do Since I who felt it cannot tell it you But yet at last Honour prevail'd so far As I forsook Plantagenet for War Hoping in War by Death to find Relief Or else in time to wast away my Grief Dela In her Inconstancy and in that War Heav'n shew'd it took of you a double Care With deathless Lawrels you have Crown'd your Head And mâ—…st a Wife unworthy of your Bed Pr. How dare you talk of her at such a rate For though her Usage might deserve my Hate Yet from her Eyes such conquering Light does break As none of her but with Respect should speak Dela Forgive me if the sence Sir of your Wrong Did force a Guilty Duty from my Tongue Pr. To her alone that suit you must prefer I dare not pardon an Offence to Her The Wrong I told thee of concerns not Thee Dela Yes she in Wronging you has injur'd me Prince From such Discourse I charge you to refrain Be thought by me t' Endure and not Complain If what I said thou dost so much deplore What I must say I find will grieve thee more For know she does again my Conquerour prove Dela starts I thought her Change had cur'd my Injur'd Love But when last night I saw her Beauties Shine Resentment did to Love the Throne resign And that deep Wound clos'd up by her Disdain Was open'd by one Conquering Look again As when the Murth'rer does the Murder'd see The Corps will bleed a-fresh immediately Dela Oh let it never of my Prince be said He
yields to one by whom he was Betray'd Pr. I glory more my Love that Wrong o'recame Then I can Grieve that I so Injur'd am What to my Flame a Remedy can grant When her Inconstancy that Power does want I find do what she will in me she 'll Reign Her Eyes give deeper Wounds then her Disdain Dela What her Disdain did want the Power to do Let Honours Dictates now perswade you to And Sir to arm you for this just Assault Know she has said her Mariage was your Fault Ah 't was enough the Injury to do Without attributing the Guilt to You. Malice it self at nothing worse could aim She kills your Love and then would kill your Fame And Sir to shew her Fault all Faults surpass She of the First makes use to act the Last Pr. Ah do not think this can my Love subdue Since what she charg'd me with I wish were True I at my Miseries would scarce repine Had I the Pow'r to make her Failings mine My Love for her would make me be content To have her Guilt and my own Punishment Yet I have nam'd but half the Weight I bear My Father is in Love with her I hear And I am much mistaken if last Night She the French King Subdu'd not at first Sight By which I find I must the Field maintain Against my King my Friend and her Disdain But though worse Crosses should my Hopes befall My pow'rfull Love would Overcome them all Disswade me not but try for me to win The Friendship of thy Sister Cleorin She most of all my Conquerours mind does sway Reply not if thou Lov'st Me but Obey Exit Prince Delaware alone Dela Some Fatal Planet at my Birth did Reign Since all things which should Cure Augment my pain My Sister who at last for me did get To be the Favorite to Plantagenet Which from Despair till now my Soul did free My Prince makes use of now to ruine me My Love he aims not onely to destroy But to obtain that End does Me employ Not doing it I Disobedience show And if I do it I my Love o'rethrow That Secret dying Kent reveal'd to me Which rais'd my Hopes now makes my Misery My Mistress I betray while 't is conceal'd And should betray my Love were it reveal'd What ever happens I must Wretched prove For I must Lose or not Deserve her Love Thus from Wars Dangers Crown'd with Bayes I rise Onely to fall the greater Sacrifice Yet of a Remedy I will not doubt Love which has Led me in may Lead me out Exeunt The End of the Second Act. THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE is King John's Apartment Enter King John and a Page Page THe fair Valeria has her Brother sent T' attend you Sir in your imprisonment His Sister from the Duke of Lancaster Obtain'd a Pass which brought him safely here He is but newly lighted at your Gate And begs your leave that he on you may walt King Valeria's Brother sure it cannot be Page Sir I but say the words he said to me King Which of her Brothers os't Page That Brother Sir Who e're his face was hurt resembled het King Call him Exit Page How can I on the Brother look Whose Sister is by me so soon forsook But who the Bright Plantagenet shall see Must be unjust or else must pardon me Enter the Page with Valeria's Brother whom the King embraces King You are so like your Sister I should know You were her Brother though none told me so She may increase my Debt as she thinks â—…t But nothing can the Sence I have of it The Battel I have lost I hope that She Ascribes to my Ill Fate and not to Me Fortune alas too Tyrannous would prove If what has lost my Crown should lose her Love Val. Bro. Since for your Mistress you of her made Choice She at the loss Sir does almost rejoyce For it presents her with a proof that shows Her Love is past the reach of Fortunes Blows She 'll grieve at nothing your ill Fate can do Unless at that which fevers her from you King Never Affection to this height did rise It proves her Love is matchless as her Eyes And makes me scarce repine at what I bear Since it does shew how I am lov'd by her Val. Bro. She of her Love a higher Proof does show In what she has commanded me to do For Sir She knows that England still affords Beauties which are Resistless as her Swords And has enjoyn'd me if you here should be In Love with any one more Fair then She I should assist you Sir in your Amours And Sink her Happiness to Heighten yours King She does at once in what she bid you do Declare her Love and run no hazard too For he who once is made Valeria's prize Is arm'd against all Wounds from others Eyes Enter Guesclin The King goes hastily to meet him to the other side of the Valeria's Brother list'ning to them 'T is with impatience Guesclin I have staid To learn from you the Progress you have made Guesc. In vain I try by Presents Sir to win The Assistance of the Beauteous Clâ—…in She as I 'me told was preingag'd before King Whoever told you that could tell you more Guesc. By Gifts I won a Lady who of late The Honour on your Mistress had to wait Who told me and assur'd me it was true The Prince of Wales does love your Mistress too King In this my Cruel Fate on me does send The greatest curse which I could apprehend Must I the Prince or else my Fortune blame Who thus does rival me in Love and Fame Guesc. How can you justly Sir this News deplore Since I but tell you what you thought before 'T is the least Wonder does in Love befall To think a Mistress is Ador'd by all I as a Lover to that Thought was bound But now that Thought a Certainty is found Which justly in my Soul does grief infuse Guesc. She has acquainted me with stranger News She told me Sir this is the second time The Bright Plantagenet was lov'd by him He by Despair to the French Wars was sent She leaving him to wed the Earl of Kent But she the cause of it could not relate King How strange and intricate a Pow'r is Fate The Prince of Wales finds in a slighted Flame The Noblest of all wayes to raise his Fame Glory does heal what Love made him endure And his Dispair presents him with his Cure He mist her Love a while that he might be More worthy of it by his Conquering Me A happy Planet at his Birth did Reign A seeming Loss brings him a double Gain While Fate with me so cruelly does act As by one Loss a greater I contract Successless Love his way to Fame does prove And loss of Fame does make my way to Love Guesc. You wrong your Vertue by this strange Debate The Brave are still the makers of their Fate 'T is onely Sir those men whose Souls
Provinces your Sword has Won Ask me to share with you the English Crown And that true Kindness with does me dispose Still to deny you Her would grant you Those Prin. The Empire of the world I should Disdain Unless Plantagenet with me did Reign No Charms would in that Throne to me appear Without I had your leave to place Her there But if you grant me what I now implore I cannot Ask nor can you Give me more King When first her Beauties in your Heart did Reign I had design'd to Marry you in Spain And the consent I of Don Pedro won By which you had Succeeded to his Crown But by affection for you I was led To give you leave Plantagenet to Wed. What Act of greater Kindness could be shown Then yield your Love should lose so fair a Throne You have lost Spain by your first Fatal Flame And by your second you will lose your Fame Those Wreaths which Conquer'd France for you have made By such a Guilty Fire will quickly fade Prin. I doubt not Sir but by my Sword to gain As large a Monarchy as that of Spain Fortune the Valiant may to Thrones prefer But 't is by Sufferings I must Conquer her King Ah Prince since nor your Reason nor your Fame Can cure you of so Criminal a Flame I 'le try if my Commands can make you do What Fame and Reason cannot lead you to I here enjoy you Son by every thing Which binds you to your Father and your King This sinful Love without delay decline Which should your Horror cause as well as mine For if this Passion longer you pursue You 'll lose your Fame your King and Father too Exeunt King and Lord Latymer Prin. Two Ills he offers one he bids me choose I must my Mistress or my Father Loose Why should he strive by Nature to remove The highest bond of Nature that of Love Though Nat'ral 't is t' Obey a Fathers call Yet to love her is much more Natural Since he would have me yield to Natures sway Where she most Rules there I should most Obey Dela Since She your King your Father and your Friend Oppose your Love give to your Love an End Any of them the Conquest ought to Win Then to Oppose all Four will prove a Sin Prin. Ah Delaware the Sin were much more Great Should I now cease to love Plantagenet Then I to kill my self I must needs consent My Love and Life being of like extent Dela Your Passion is Unjust while 't is so Great You pay Loves Score with what is Natures debt If in your Love so prodigal you are With what Sir will you pay your Fathers Care Prin. Ah 't is his Love for her noâ—… care for me Which makes him treat me with such Cruelty Against all Rules of Justice he does go Making himself both Judge and Party too If to Love her who wrong'd me be a Crime The self-same cause makes Love a Fault in him Dela More by a King and Father may be done Then may be by a Subject and a Son Let calmer Thoughts you to your Duty bring Pronounce the names of Father and of King With that Respect which is to either due And yield to those Effects 't will work in you Those Pow'rful Names will then Victorious be Prin. I find in either dwells Divinity For nothing less of Force enough could prove To hinder me to speak to her I Love This is the very utmost I can do And this Heav'n knows will prove my Torment too Dela Silence Sir is but half of what you owe You should suppress your Inclination too Prin. My Inclinations must be let alone For though 't is Mine yet it is not my own Dela Onely to Lovers this Distinction's known How can it Sir be yours and not your own Prin. Subjects who from their King the Pow'r have gâ—… Are still his Subjects though he Rules them not Oh Friend in my Condition there appears Two Motions like to those which Rule the Sphears My Love the Rapid Motion I may call My Duty to my King the Natural Which while it does it's Regular Course obey Loves Rapid Motion hurries it away Exeunt The End of the Third Act. THE FOURTH ACT. The Scene opening King Edward and Lord Latymer appear in a Garden discoursing Lat. SIr 't is past doubt the' Intelligence is true King What the French King the Princes Rival too Lat. And to so great a Height as I believe A period to their Friendship it will give For never any yet could soar above The fierce Resentments of a Rivalls Love King Friendship between them two can hardly be Of so much Strength as Nature is in me Since Love in me does Nature's Force subdue Doubt not in them 't will Conquer Friendship too 'T is the Prerogative of her Bright Eyes For Love of them to breake all other Ties Lat. Is it then just you on the Prince should lay Commands above his Pow'r Sir to obey King Oh Latymer I grant I am to Blame But 't is not Love alone does me Inflame Glory in that I act does bear a part Glory does fire my Mind as Love my Heart Nothing for me seems Worthy to Pursue But what my Son Attempting Fail'd to do Since he to such an Envied Fame does rise Mine will Burn dimme if it Outshine not his Lat. Oh Sir can you who have such Glory won Grow Jealous of the Glory of your Son King He never Glory Lov'd who could Admit Of any thing which might Outrival it From this Resolve nothing can me remove Nature must yield to Glory and to Love Enter King John and the Prince who lock the Chamber-door Lat. Sir I perceive the Prince and the French King Something Important does them hither bring For they are come alone and lock the gate If Sir conceal'd a while you here will wait Perhaps you 'll learn what in their Loves they 'll Do. King That 's a discourse deserves my list'ning to King Edward and Lord Latymer conceal themselves behind the Scene King Io. 'T is such a Secret as shall clearly show The perfect Friendship which to you I owe Since what to tell my self is scarcely fit I to your Secresie shall now commit Prin. Though nothing can to me more Pleasure give Then Proofs Sir of your Frienship to receive Yet among Friends there may such Secrets be As to disclose them were an Injury But you too well the Laws of Friendship know And are too Generous to use me so King Io. That Friend must to himself appear Unjust Who takes as Injuries the Marks of Trust Yet tell me Sir what can that Secret be Which to Reveal would be an Injury Prin. Shoul'd you have brib'd your Guards to set you free 'T would be an Injury to tell it me For I should be what ever I should do False to my King and Father or to you King Io. Could I corrupt or else his Guards deceive I 'de not return to France without his
it And Sir you are oblig'd by Honours Laws T' excuse Effects where Friendship is the Cause Prin. Admire not that my Rival I reprove For too much Friendship and too little Love But pardon me since I therein express I prize her Right above my Happiness King Ah generous Prince such Vertues shine in you That you in Love as War must all subdue Prin. Since Sir together we resolve to go And from Plantagenet our Fate to know 'T is fit that we no longer should defer To beg her leave this night to wait on her King But e're we know the Sentence she will give Let us from one another Sir receive A mutual Vow that still we Friends will be Prin. That to our Friendship were an injury It is its own Security you know And does more strongly bind than any Vow Against our Friendship Love in vain contends For though we Rivals are wee 'll both be Friends Yet give your Friend that pity he does seek Who to obey Loves Law must Natures break Exeunt King Edward and Lord Latymer King Never an Act so Insolent was done Affronted by my Pris'ner and my Son Both know Plantagenet is lov'd by me And yet my Rivals both presume to be In my Revenging it I 'le lose no Time Their Sufferings shall be equal to their Crime I 'le make them feel that 't is a dangerous thing To dare to court the Mistress of a King Lat. I beg you not for their sakes but your own Let first this storm of Anger be o'reblown ' Ere you determine what is fit to do Then such Resolves you safely may pursue If Patience guide you not they will esteem Your Passion onely Sir does punish them King Delay in the Affront they cast on me Would be not Patience but Stupidity Lat. Consider I beseech you Sir how they The â—…ow'r of Love not Reasons Pow'r obey Such strange Effects that Passion does produce As for all â—…aults Love is its own Excuse Love does our Noblest Faculties controul 'T is in effect the Feaver of the Soul King My Lord such talk as this I 'le not admit Share not their Guilt by thus excusing it But follow them and let them understand They now are both confin'd by my command This night in which their Love they should have shown I am determin'd to declare my own Since by their Love my Pow'r they injure so I by my Pow'r their Love will punish too Exeunt several wayes Plantagenet Delaware Cleorin The Scene Plantagenets Chamber Dela Those Fires of Love have still most 〈◊〉 been Which though they highly Burn'd have Burn'd unseen And under those which I discover'd now For many years my Conquer'd Heart did bow Admire not yet I could so long disguise From your own Sight the Acting of your Eyes For though the Sun on the Earths face but shines Yet by his Influence he does ripen Mines Your Eyes which Shine at least as Bright as He Perform like him things which you could not see But yet this Breast in which your Beauty Shin'd May boast of Love purer than Gold Refin'd Your Eyes alone perform within may Heart More then the Sun on Mines though help'd by Art As it was just my Love I should display So 't is as just your Will I should Obey Which I shall do when you but speak the word Though 't were to pierce my Heart with my own Sword And nothing in that Action I shall fear But to offend your Image which is there Plan. My Lord I think you from your Sister know The Friendship which I always had for you Yet since your words th' occasion does admit I will my self give you a Proof of it Though your declaring of your Love for me Is in it self no little Injury Yet for my Friendships sake I 'le pardon you If you th' Offence will not again pursue Dela Madam your Justice should this Usage blame You cloud your Cruelty with Friendships name As Judges to the Tortur'd Respite give To lengthen Pain but not to make them live Such Usage yet were for that Servant sit Who durst Adore you and not tell you it Though 't is some Guilt to say I Die for you Yet is that Guilt Madam a Duty too Ah Madam sure you ought not to deny To take the Debt or bid the Debter die You Sentence is too Heavy or too Light You either should me Kill or Save me quite Plan. Since by your self my Lord I now am told Your Love for me is more refin'd than Gold I 'le put it to a Tryal but so vast As never yet that Courted Metal past Know then my Love for which so much you strive Is not alas in my own Pow'r to give The Prince of Wales Dela In Pity say no more Fate never had a Curse like this in store Rais'd to the Charming'st Hope of all the World Into Despair I now from thence am hurl'd You keep that Word to which your self you ty'd And Try me more then ever Gold was Try'd That Glitterring Earth when it has pass'd the Fire Is the Refiners Wonder and Desire But I having Loves Fiery Tryal past Like the Neglected Dross away am cast Cleo. Oh Brother had not Love your Mind deprav'd You 'd think you were not Cast away but Sav'd The Crime you act she calmly does reform Dela Ah! such a Calm is worse than any Storm Cleo. How can the Princess more obliging prove Than to give Friendship when she cannot Love Dela Oh Sister he who to her Love aspires To nothing less can limit his Desires Loves Pow'r must always Friendships pow'r outdo For Love at once is Love and Friendship too Cleo. You should with Joy what she bestows receive She Gives in Friendship all she has to Give And to convince you hers is Great and True She the first hour her Secrets Trusts with you Dela Since to Receive my Love she does deny She by her Anger ought to make me Die That 's the best Proof of Friendship she can give And therefore that alone I can receive He for her Love does grant himself unfit Who can be won t' outlive the loss of it Plan. What I have yet perform'd can but pretend To let you see how much I am your Friend But that my Lord which now I do Design Shall let you see how much I think you mine For by your Councel and Assistance too The life of all my Hopes I will pursue Admire not Shame thus in my Face prevails When I confess I love the Prince of Wales For though th' Affront which I from you receiv'd Does make me blush that after it I liv'd Yet I whether by Weakness or by Fate Still Love that Prince whom I ought most to Hate And how that Love with Honour to pursue Is that in which I ask advice of you Dela starts For he esteems you in such high Degree As you the fittest are to give it me Dela Oh Fate Oh Love why do you both agree To give such Beauty
condescend Or else my Grief my tortur'd Life shall end Dela Such were the Arts us'd by the Earl of Kent As both seem'd Guilty yet were Innocent Cleo. Madam while you such scrupulous Vertue show The Prince may of your Love suspicious grow That moveing sorrow which he does express Invites your kindness now to make it cease Plan. Sooner then you such Grief Sir shall admit I will obey what ever you think fit I rather Sir will an Injustice doe To my own self then seem unkind to you Prin. Ah Madam in those happy words I find You are to me at once both Just and Kind No Satisfaction e're was hop'd by me But that you might that Innocency see Which Delaware's great Friendship made appear Who is thereby for ever setled here Where Madam next to you he still shall grow Dela Ah could a Prince ought to his Subject owe I might then think to me you are in debt Prin. To me your Friendship has bin always great Yet I must Tax it of a seeming wrong Since this blest Secret you conceal'd so long Cleo. What Justice does this seeming wrong excuse Shall Sir present you with more welcome news While your great Father was in Love with her He as a Subject Sir had cause to fear A Secret so important to declare As might perhaps have caus'd a Civill War But Sir now that the King has this blest day Resum'd his Love for fair Alizia And has by Vowes which oft he did repeat Renounc'd his Passion for Plantagenet Which from her sef this very hour we know My Brother lost no time to tell it you Prin. These charming Words which now from you I hear His Justice shews and ends my greatest Fear Nothing from Heaven was left me to implore But that my Father Rivall'd me no more Cleo. What fitter time can Fortune give to you Then thus your Ends in Love still to pursue Lose not one Moment of it for perhaps Those Conquering Eyes may make him soon relaps Prin. What you advise your care of me does show Forgive me Madam If I leave you now Since 't is so vast a Blessing to implore As granted I shall never leave you more Plan. That Grant the noblest Blessing Sir would be Could it make you as happy as 't will me The Prince offers to goe out Dela Stay Sir I scorn your Goodness to abuse Or own your Pardon to her Feign'd Excuse Fear made me not the Secret Sir conceal Nor the King's Change the Secret now reveal For those were Motives of such mean degree As Sir I blush that they were nam'd for me Those Reasons Sir of which shee did make use Obtain'd but did not Merit your Excuse My guilty Doubts a while have kept me Dumb But Love and Honour have those doubts oâ—…e'come Plan. My Cleorin what will your Brother doe Cleo. I am as ignorant of it as you Dela Now all the Truth shall be to you reveal'd For 't is too Glorious Sir to be conceal'd Know Sir those Beauties which did conquer you Became while Kent did live my Conquerors too At Poitiers they did me to Glory bring And made me grace your Triumph with a King And though some Honour I acquir'd that day Yet Sir that prosperous Action I may say Did on no score to me so welcome prove As making me more fit to Court her Love Rais'd by this thought for England Sir I came Where soon her Beauties did revive your Flame And Fortune against me was so much bent As you your Rival made your Confident And by a Cruelty unknown to you You in your Love my help Commanded too Prin. I â—…m amaz'd my Lord at what you say Dela Though that Command I wanted pow'r to Obey Yet â—…eaven my witness is how much I strove To make my Duty overcome my Love But when I found by what I did endure That she alone the Wounds she gave could cure I meant the Secret never to disclose And when your Father did your Flame oppose I try'd your Love by reason to subdue But that attempt Sir proveing fruitles too Inspir'd by Love or guided by Despair I to her self my Passion did declare Cleo. Of this Discovery I Fear the event Plan. It merits Wonder and not Punishment Dela But when I for her Favour Sir did sue Alas she said her Love was given to you So given as nothing could recall her Grant Since your forsakeing her that pow'r did want And in her Words and Accents made appear Her Flames for you did equall yours for her Convinc'd by this that following my Design Would blast your joyes but not procure memine In which I was confirm'd by Cleorin The Noble Fatal Conquest I did win And forc'ed my self that Secret to declare Which builds your Blessings on my own Despair Cleor. Yet Glory must on that Despair attend In which you serv'd your Mistress Prince and Friend Dela Though Sir t was much your Mistress to adore To help you while your Rival yet is more Now Sir my Story to an end is brought Or Praise my merit or condemn my Fault Prin. Oh you so nobly have orecome your flame As your Despair cannot transcend your Fame That Heightned Friendship which our Loves secures In our Contentment will present you yours Your Friendship yet on me such Debts does lay As I must too Despair those Debts to pay Plan. 'T is Nobler much if you dare credit me To be th' Obliger than th' Obleig'd to be But in that Heart your Prince did first obtain By Freindship plac'd you shall for ever Reign Dela If ought could cure the Grief of loosing you What you both said that Miracle would doe Exeunt Enter King Edward King Iohn Lord Latimer Count Guesclin and all the Men. King Ed. What as a Lover could I less have Done Hearing what past betwixt you and my Son Strange are th' Effects which Jealousy produce But fully Sir to purchase your Excuse I come to visit you and let you know That I no more a Rival am to you My Anger though 't were great yet it was Short K. Iohn Sir I admire no more at your Transport O're hearing all we in the garden said But you have now full Reparation made Enter Delaware and Prince Prin. Sir I more Greive I did a Fault Commit Then I am Pleas'd that you have Pardon'd it But Sir I hope that Freedome you 'd restore Is but an Earnest that you 'l grant me more My Great Request Sir is Renew'd by me Granting me that is more then Liberty Such Strange Discoveries I have made this day As all the favour for which now I pray Is that to let me court her you 'll consent When you your self have judg'd her Innocent King Ed. But will you cease to court her when I prove You being judge she Merits not your Love Prin. This by my Duty Sir I promise you K. Ed. Then what you beg'd of me I grant you too Prince Be pleas'd then Sir to order Delaware Without Reserve
soon some late but all must Burn at last Your Fate you rather should Applaud then Blame Since you must Burn that 't is in such a Flame Try To wear her Chaines Seleucus is to Me A Happiness transcending Liberty Then doe no longer think it is my Love But 't is my Friendship does my Torment prove Since with Demetrius I did once contract I never yet in Thought or Word or Act Yielded to what might it in Question call But now I feare Seleucus that I shall For while that he by me employ'd has been To Court fair Cleopatra for my Queen This other Beauty has so Conquer'd me As without her thy Prince must Wretched be Which justly my Demetrius will offend Hard choice when I must wrong my Love or Friend Sel. Is this Sir the Misfortune you Lament Try You ask as if Fate could a Worse have sent Sel. Demetrius would not Merit your Esteem If that which makes your Joy should Trouble him Try Yet that I shall offend him I must Grieve Sel. Such an Offence as this hee 'l soon Forgive Try My Grief though he forgave it would not end 'T is sad to need the Pardon of a Freind Sel. 'T is more when Fortune does a Subject bring To such a height as to Forgive his King That Glory will the heaviest Wrong outweigh Try Through all this Darkness I might see some Day If my Demetrius e're in Love had bin For then hee 'd judge this Change my Fate not Sin Lovers still pay to Love a deep Respect And where Love is Causes excuse th' Effect Sel. At my request Sir banish all your Care Leave it to me to manage this Affair Try Ah if to this thou giv'st a Happy End Thou hast for ever made thy King thy Freind Embracing him 'T is not enough that he forgives my Sin He must be still my Friend as he hath been For know I need my Sorrows to remove As much his Freindship as my conquerors Love Since if to Win the Last I Lose the First I shall thereby at once be Blest and Curst They goe out The End of the second Act THE THIRD ACT. The SCENE an obscure grove Enter Cleopatra and Hermione Cleo. DOe not my Deare Hermione admire That to this Gloomy Grove I did retire Since here I thought I could my Heart Reveal While the kind Shade my Blushes did Conceal But now I find I 'm in as High a Fright To tell my Fate in Darkness as in Light Shame like the World when it in Chaos lay Knows not distinction betwixt Night and Day Ah judge what are my Troubles since I fear Their sad Relation from my self to hear Her No such Just cause of Grief your Fate can send As Madam at this rate to use your Friend 'T is by that Pow'rfull Name I beg again That you 'l from me no longer hold your Pain Perhaps I may the Cause of it remove Cleo. Oh tell me first have you been e're in Love Her Why Madam doe you ask Cleo. Because I know That none can ease my Pain that is not so Her I was but Love to Friendship did submit Cleo. Ah 't was not Love if ought could Conquer it You lov'd not well or knew his Pow'r but Ill That say you were in Love and are not still The Name of Love for Love it self you took Since Reall Love can never be forsook Had yours been True you might as well have swore You doe not Live as that you Love no more Her What you have spoken does methinks declare You to the Pow'r of Love no stranger are But would you thus reproach me if you knew That what you now condemn I did for you Cleo. Why did you cease to be in Love for me Her By many Proofs I did so clearly see That such a Pleasing Sadness conquer'd you As I to Love could judge it only due And since Your Heart and Mine were still so like I fear'd one Arrow both of us did strike Cleo. Ah say not that your Heart resembles Mine Since you once Lov'd and could your Love decline Not can I fancy who this Man can be Whom you could leave yet think could Conquer me Her Aretus is Cleo. Aretus did your name Her And at that word your Face is in a Flame What Friendship should have done your Blushes doe They are to me more Kind and Just then you Why has Hermione been thus abus'd Cleo. May not one blush that 's wrongfully accus'd Her But my Belief on a sure ground is built I see your Love to him to me your Guilt Madam a Blush when Love is in the case Is in Effect the Conscience of the Face Though in this Secret you my Faith did doubt Deny it not now I have found it out Cleo. Too much your Friendship I have Wrong'd and Try'd My Blushes tell you what my Words deny'd Alas I fear I for Aretus prove That Fatall State the World does call in Love Yet doe not since I did but Hide my Flame Condemn my Friendship but Commend my Shame Nor blame me if to you I fear'd to show What of my self I am asham'd to know But my Hermione since you could see That Pow'rfull Passion which has Conquer'd me Spight of my Care to Cloud it oh I fear It may to others as to you appear Should that befall me which so much I dread Honour and Grief would justly strike me dead Her That Fear you ought not Madam to admit Cleo. How did you then come to discover it Her That Grief which when retir'd you still exprest Made me Suspect what now you have confest For she who Greives while courted by a King Shews that such Grief alone from Love can spring And when I found you Lov'd I quickly knew Your Love could be but to Aretus due Which since you have acknowledg'd give me leave To aske why Tryphon's Love you did receave Was not Ambiton in your soul too strong Cleo. Doe not at once my Love and Viâ—…tue wrong For if I had Aretus Passion known I would have valu'd it above a Throne Her But now t is known why is it not embrac'd Cleo. Because my word was first to Tryphon past Her As you my Love so I your Love must blame Since you before your Love prefer your Fame Cleo. I should appear unfit for his Esteem Did I not value more my Word then Him And this great Pleasure to my Act is due That which does lose me him deserves him too Ah why did not Aretus let me see That Passion which you say he has for me Before my Promise was to Tryphon past Her But why to give it did you make such hast Cleo. I fear'd that he who did my Heart subdue Would my Hermione have seen it too And I his Love for ever would decline Rather then he should first discover mine T was fitter since I ow'd it to my Fame To suffer Ruine then to merit Shame Her But e're you did admit the Kings Address Aretus looks did
Ar. Ah you your self what now you said must blame Or must think Justice but an empty Name Who has the Right has on his side the Odds Else chance does Rule the World and not the Gods Dem. The Right Antiochus had on his side And yet alas by Tryphon's Sword he dy'd Ar. You know that hapless Monarch did not dye By Tryphon's Force but by his Trechery Those onely then to bear his Yoke are fit Who can Fear ought more than to suffer it Do not a Guilt so great as this pursue Dem. I have more Cause to be his Foe than you For he is fall'n in Love with Stratonice And me he did into a Vow surprize Before to me his Conqueress he did name That I would Help and Serve him in his Flame By which the Death of Tryphon you may see Cannot more Grateful prove to you than me But my concerns from Syria are above Even those I have for Stratonice's Love Then doe not Blame me if I hinder you From Doing what I think is Sin to Doe Ar. The Justice of the Gods in this you see He punishes in you your Guilt to me You Cross my Love and bind me to my Oath Tryphon alike Revenges me in both 'T is Heaven permits him thus to do you Wrong Because his Death you have delay'd so long Dem. That Wrong you mention I with Patience take Since I 'me convinc'd it is for Syria's sake By me be taught to give your Passion Lawes And Bâ—…avely Suffer for your Contry's cause Farewell to Sacred Virtue let us trust The Gods would not be Gods were they not Just. Demetrius offers to gâ—… 〈◊〉 Aretus drawes his Sword Ar. Demetrius stay Dem. Ha! what meane you now Ar. Since you Deny to free me from my Vow By which my Hopes of Cleopatra End And Syria must under a Tyrant Bend Either of which too Cleerly you must see Is worse a thousand times then Death to me Thus I cast off that Friendship which does prove So Fatall to my Country and my Love My Death must End the Grief of losing both Or yours Absolve me from my Guilty Oath Dem. Put up your Sword for when this Storm is Laid You 'll Curse your self for what you now have said Though to your Rage your Friendship you Resign Yet you shall see nothing can alter mine Ar. How dare you mention Friendship 's Sacred Name And yet Oppose my Country Love and Fame By that Enchanting Word you shall not now That payment Stop which to these three I Owe. Draw or I 'll kill thee Dem. Heare me but one Word Ar. I will not hear thee till thou draw'st thy Sword Dem. Then thus I draw it but to Heaven I Vow I 'l soner Kill my self with it then You. Ar. Thy Guilt to me thy Courage has betray'd It makes Demetrius now of Death affraid Dem. When thou reflect'st the King my Rivall is How by my Oath I have lost Stratonice And how thy self on whom I did rely Art from my Friend become my Enemy It may perhaps to thee a Truth appeare That Death is what I Wish not what I Feare What I have told thee now I thus make good Opening his doublet and spreading his armes Here quench thy Rage in my â—…guarded Bâ—…ood And in such Death no 〈◊〉 I shall endure But that thy Rage not Friendship acts the Cure Aretus turns away Why dost thou turn away we are Agreed My Death is what thou Seek'st and what Need. Ar. Oh my Demetrius that which now you doe Is worse then not to Free me from my Vow 〈◊〉 For Friendship 's sake methinks you should not give Words worse then Death yet after let me Live Dem If this appears a Cruelty to thee Then be not Guâ—…lty of the like to me Ar. I buâ—… provok'd you to that High Degree To get that Death from you you seek from me Dem. Such Wounâ—…s from You and Fate I now Recieve As I much rather Death would Take then Give Ar. I hop'd for me your Friendship was so High As when you found Tryphon oâ—… I must Dye You then to Kill him your Consent would give Or let me the Denyal not Survive But now alas both are refus'd by you Dem. Ah doe not blame what Honour makes me doe You know how much Tryphon my Friend has bin Ar. Call you him Friend who 's Guilty of the sin Of Tying you by Oath from Stratonice Dem. He does not know that he my Rivall is But she whom I acquainted with it now And how I was surpris'd into my Vow Does Scorn his Passion and Condemn my Crime In being False to her and true to him For thus she tearmes what my Oath binds me to By which I am under such Torments now As if the Gods should but one day deny The Cure I need the Grief will make me die So long your Aimes at Tryphons Death suspend 'T is but one day and beg'd too by your Friend Ar. So long I 'le respite Justice for your sake But know so long I shall be on the Racke Dem. Heaven Knows which on us both such Ills has thrown That I lament Your Sufferings as my Own They goe out embracing Enter Tryphon and Nicanor The SCENE Tryphons Pallace Try Yes in my first Address my chiefest End Was by Alliance to make you my Friend And this Address to the like End does move But with th' Addition of a Deathless Love The Bond between us nothing can â—…doe When ty'd by Love and by Alliance too Nic. That Honor you to Stratanice design Deserves her best Acknowledgements and mine Try You then Consent I place her in my Throne Nic. Sir it were fit you first Obtain'd her Own For as by Natures Dictates she is led Not without my Consent her self to Wed So 't would â—…n me Unnaturall appear Should I without her leave dispose of Her Try 'T would much Advance the Union I pursue If I could tell her 't is Approv'd by you Nic. Too much to me it like Injustice showes T' Approve that Union till I know she Does Try You 'l make me doubt your Scruples are so nice That you on it do set too Low a Price Nic. No Sir I doe Esteem her 〈◊〉 I ought Call not my Duty to my Child a Fault Try I Know what e'r you Please shee 'll alwayes Do And therefore I 'll alike Ascribe to you Those Charming Joy Iâ—…m her Love shall find As all my â—…orments should she prove Unkind To you Nicanor I this Evâ—…ning give T' ingage her my Addresses to receive But if to be Rejected be my Fate Know I 'l resent it at the Highest Rate Nic. I 'l Rather to a Punishment submit Then to the Guilt of what may Merit it Tryphon and Nâ—…canor goe out severall wayes Enter Cleopatra and Seleucus The SCENE Nicanors Pallace Sel. Though Tryphon does to me much Favour show Yet Madam the Respect to you I owe Makes me abhor th' Affront he did to you And makes me offer to Revenge it
leave That Generous Usage he to me does show Secures me here more then his Guards can do And though this Bond do Strong enough appear Yet a far stronger does Confine me here By your great Friendship Sir I here am ty'dâ—… But tell me freely is there ought beside Which by a Friend a Secret may be thought Which told a Friend his Friend may think a Fault Prin. Yes Sir yet I will mention but one more Looking fixedly on the King Suppose two Friends one Beauty did Adore If he whose Heart her eyes the last o're came Should to his Rival Friend disclose his Flame He well might think the Injury was Great King I hope you do not love Plantagenet Prin. Yes Sir I do and with a Love so High As it can never Cease until I Die King Ah Since you Love her and to that Degree Why was your Passion not Reveal'd to me Telling you first she does my Conquerour prove You make your Friendship Guiltier then my Love Prin. Why should I tell you what you needs must know For whosoeuer sees must love her too King Since such high Pow'r does to her Eyes belong Think not in loving her I do you Wrong Prin. To love such Charming Eyes no wrong can be But 't is a Wrong to tell your Love to me King Since all who Look on her she must Subdue Is it a wrong to tell you what you knew Because you thought your Love was known to me You judg'd your Silence was no Injury But I as soon as I her Lover grew Judg'd it a Duty Sir to Tell it you Consider which of us has done the worst Prin. I who first saw her must have lov'd her First Therefore my Passion must be known to you King I hear'd you Lov'd Her and she Lov'd You too But afterwards she did Inconstant prove And I believ'd that Wrong had Cur'd your Love Prin. Her Beauties were unworthy my Esteem If any thing more Powerful were then Them King Knowing their Pow'rs admire not if you see That Love more strong then Friendship is in me Prin. Yet since I to her Beauties first did bow Your Love 's a Wrong to me not mine to you King Io. Affronts the Ties of Friendship may undo Yet you still love her though she injur'd you You clearly have Declar'd in what you Did That her Fair Eyes does Friendships strength exceed And she who spight of Wrongs triumphs o're you Triumphs o're me in spight of Friendship too Since she o're you the greatest Pow'r has shewn Blaming my Passion you more blame your own Our Love in both or neither is amiss Yours above wrongs mine above Friendship is But the Success of mine I may dispair Since now I know that you my Rival are I with Disgrace am cloath'd but you with Fame Which makes me merit Pity more then Blame Prin How can I Sir that Pity give to you Which o my own Case is more justly due Besides her change for which my Soul does mourn Besides my Friend who does my Rival turn As high an I â—…as both of these I feel King May you that Secret Sir to me Reveal To me who though as Rival you may blame Yet I your Friend more than your Rival am For at this Name I Grieve at that Rejoyce This is th' Effect of Force but that of Choice Embracing him Prin. Oh I did err and in a high degree Repining that you Rival were to me Since 't is more fit that pain I should abide Then that her Eyes this Triumph were deny'd As both in Love and Friendship I exceed So both Disdain in common paths to tread Unjust to Her and Love I should appear Would I without a Rival conquer her King This Declaration I unmov'd receive Since you to be your Rival give me leave But to Plantagenet should prove unkind Yet in my Friendship I some ease shall find For should the worst of Fortunes be my share Your Trophies I should raise in Love as War Thus I by Friendships Pow'r shall be supply'd With what to me my Fate and Love deny'd My Friendship for you nothing can impair Since it stands firm though you my Rival are For I who best her Beauties pow'r do know Find your excuse from thence for being so And to confirm this Truth I now will show That Secret to you which you ask'd to know Prin. Those conquering Beauties which did us subdue Have made my Father turn my Rival too King I thought he Lov'd the Fair Alizia Prin. And Sir I thought you Lov'd Valeria King Our Conquerours Eyes must every Heart reduce In my own Fate I find the Kings Excuse Prince 'T is She alone with the high Pow'r is blest Of Captiavating Freedoms prepossess'd King She does in the same Fare such is her Pow'r Involve the Conquer'd and the Conquerour Prin. But 't is not Sir at this that I repine I know where e're her Beauties please to slime They ought to Conquer as their Native Right Me by his Rivalship he does not Fright For 't is Her choice alone which can improve The highest Lover to deserve her Love And Sir my Flame which brightest shall appear Would make it Sin should I a Rival fear But that which does my Soul with Grief subdue Is his forbidding me to Love her too Oh why should the Paternal Right oppose The nobler Right which Love on her bestows King Oh Prince your Case is difficult I see He should have treated you as you treat me But in the Fatal strait which you are in You must against your Love and Nature sin What Resolution think you to pursue Prin. Ah 't is much easier to Resolve than Do For once I thought I could so far Obey As silently to Mourn my Life away But Love the Monarch Passion of the Soul That Resolution quickly did controul Making me find that her Triumphant Eyes Are much more pow'rful then all Natures ties Yet that no odds of you I may receive But what my greater Love to me does give I let you know on her this night ' I le wait And from her Sentence I 'le receive my Fate Sir if you please you may there go with me And both together learn our Destiny I hope if mine does prove a happy Doom My Father by Submission to o'recome But if a Fatal Doom she does dispence That will Revenge my Disobedience King Since you allow me I on you will wait Of that bright Beauty to receive my Fate Though I already cannot but foresee The certain Ruine that must fall on me For she must be Unjust as she is Fair If of her Love she makes me not Dispair Or if she should me with her Favour bless Your Grief for it will Kill my Happiness Fate neither way to me nor hope allow Prin. The value of her Love you injure now Since whosoe're her Favour does possess In part the relish of unhappiness King If of her Love such Thoughts I do admit My height'ned Friendship is the cause of