my self is due As Fortune favours so shall I advance The Interest of Naples or of France Enter Prince of Sallerne But ha the fierce young Prince of Sallerne here How dares he thus among the Guards appear Sal. Trivultio seek not to retrieve the Guard Shew several men Armed I will from no Accesses be debar'd Nay my unbounded Power to let you see The King shall have no other Guards but me 'T is to my interest ye high honours doe Those who make Idols must preserve 'um too Tri. I know your Interest Sir and wish your Power Were something less or Loyalty were more Sal. My Loyalty Go talk of that to dull obedient Fools Whom Laws and â—ame pedantick virtue rules My Honour 's safe in that my Cause is good And I am Loyal to my Fathers bloud And shall be bold in such a glorious Cause To tread on Kings and Loyalty and Laws By Natures high commands my Sword I draw And Natures dictates are the highest Law Tri. No doubt to Natures universal Sway Ironice All Laws must bow and Kingdoms must obey But Sir Imperious Nature might have chose A fitter time for her Commands then those When King and Kingdom are embroyl'd in war That for the Crime of one all punisht are If 't is a Crime for Monarchs to defend Their Crowns from every Sacrilegious hand But Power it seems can Change the names of things Treason Virtue and make Rebels Kings But grant your Fathers bloud unjustly spilt Must Naples suffer for their Monarchs guilt Sal. Sir I 'le Revenge my Fathers bloud on all That saw and dares survive his Funerall On all that to his Execution came And did not set all Naples in a flame Blaspheme the Heavens and in transports of Rage ' Gainst Kings and Gods in some high act engage Tri. No doubt 't was pity when he lost his Head But all mankind had suffer'd in his stead Ironcie But I must wait a more important care Sal. Stay Sir and to the King this Message bear Tell him that now his Father I 've chastis'd My high Revenges are in part suffic'd That when h'ath wipt his Eyes which for a while Must drop some tears for the old Kings Exile I am content my Passion to subdue And if he please our Friendship to renew And that th' Alliance may eternal prove I 've thought his Sister worthy of my Love And shall descend t' accept her as my Bride If I 'me petition'd for 't on every side But if my Alliance he dares disesteem Tell him I both his Sister scorn and him To wear his Crown were to descend too low Him and that trifle I 'le on Charles bestow Ex. Tri. To what prodigious heights his Spirit flyes The Fates and Crowns of Monarchs to despise These are Portentous Signs and I 'me afraid The Crown will fall from our young Monarchs head And with its heavy fall 't will ruine those Who fondly in its support their lives expose Too long I 've born the weight for no Reward Now time calls loud my Fortunes to regard And leave this barren place Which for this twenty years with bloud I 've sown And nothing reapt but beggerly Renown Exit Enter Charles Lewis of Orleance Mompensier Guards The Scene a fair Country before the Walls of Naples Ch. The day draws on the Sun appears in view And we to day have much brave work to do Send in my name a Herauld to the Town Tell King Alphonso I demand the Crown That Crown his Ancestours usurpt from mine And he the third Usurper of his Line Detains if he refuse bid him prepare For all the worst Calamities of War Lew. They dare not Sir oppose your mighty Claim The World 's subdu'd already with your Fame The Italian States like Herds to Covert flye Whilst you are like a whirlwind passing by Yes Rome her self declines her sacred head And by obsequious fawning shews her dread But this lost Kingdom upon whom the Ball Folded in Clouds of Fire designs to fall Shakes with the fears of its approching doom Whilst smoking a far off they see it come Mom. Yes Sir your Power like an impetuous tide Breaks down their yielding banks on every side That raving with despair they wildly run I' th midst of all those dangers they would shun Our spies within have all disorders sound The King is banisht and his Son is Crown'd Hurried into the Throne by crowds of those Whom now instead of guarding they oppose Within their City 's of a blazing Fire Without their Army ready to Retire Nor Town nor Army will their King obey That you will meet no Enemy to day Ch. Yes Sir the Rebels are my Enemies And every Kings concern as well as his Rebellion is a Monster would devour The Kingly dignity and Sovereign power A sort of Atheism that doth Crowns blaspheme And stiles the Sacred Power of Kings a dream And as blasphemers call the Heavenly powers To arm their Thunder this awakens ours Go to the King then e're it proves too late To Momp And if you find the Rebels desperate The party strong and the young King afraid He cannot conquer 'um I 'le lend him aid When that is done tell him the Crown 's my right And I expect that he resign or fight Mom. Great Sir I shall obey Cha. Next to the Town Proclaim that I all Rebels shall disown For though 't is true I am their lawful Prince To whom they all allegiance owe yet since Titles of Kings are Mysteries too high Above the reach of ev'ry vulgar eye They must the present shrines of power adore And pry into their duty and no more For those with new Religions will be bold Who dare with high contempt profane the old And he who doth his own false God despise And with atheistick pride and scorn denies That worship which he thinks is but his due Would do the same if he ador'd the true Bid 'um be Loyal then whilst we dispute And their false worship I with arms confute Exit Act 2. The Scene A Room in the Palace Ferdinand Mompensier Ascaneo Trivultio Ferd. Your masters haughty message I despise Who knows not how to conquer but surprise He ows his victories to my distress As he derives his title from success And has my Vassals into fears betray'd With th' empty noises which his fame hath made But they are ready by a brave defence To cloud his fame and blast his false pretence Then let him know his proffer'd aid I slight And dare retain my Crown if he dare fight Perhaps his army is in some distress With tedious marches want and weariness To pay the debt he on my fame hath laid I 'le send the Rebels Forces to his aid Mom. I shall acquaint him Sir Ferd. Trivultio go To the proud enemy my Standards show And in the form that I my army drew Advance my Troops and fix 'um in their view Triv. The armies Sir already are so near That now they in each others
love so haunt my mind With bright and glorious shapes that I 'm afraid My Heart will be insensibly betray'd I feel an inward flame I dare not own And love a Prince which seeks my fathers Crown If Nature doth his passion disaprove Oh! Nature pardon my ambitious love Cor. I by this death to strange Eliziums go Not joys and Crowns to gain but to bestow That I the better VVorld forsake I fear And leaving you leave joy and Angels here But I must yield to my Imperious fate For my kind father 's the Venetian state Do at their wills dispose my Crown and me But I 've reserv'd my self this liberty Nor winds nor Seas shall intercept the share I 'le in your sorrows and misfortunes bear Isab Ah! Madam you such generous kindness shew You seem like a bright Angel sent below To comfort us in our dejected state Or like a vision to foretel our fate Such lightnings some have had when near the Grave VVhy may not dying Kingdoms Visions have Iren. My Queen great friendship ha's to her exprest Aside VVhilst still her thoughts are to the King addrest Like one that praying would his Saint conceal To a wrong Image do's devoutly kneel Jul. Do visions death foretel VVhat do I hear Aside Then I 'm afraid my death for love is near Oh Heaven If I from life so soon must flye Grant me one Vision more before I dye Cor. Could I your fate foretel I would not own Any ill news to you nor to this Throne But Madam if what fame ha's said is true Crowns and not sorrows are design'd for you 'T is said if Charles shall this fair Kingdom gain 'T is he shall triumph but 't is you shall Reign Isab Of Princes honours fame makes small esteem And speaks low things of me and false of him He scorns his ancient passion to retain And I as much a Crown from him disdain Jul. Ye Heavens what power doth my heart surprize For I as much adore what you despise Aside My inward grief I can no longer bear To my fair friend I must impart a share She whispers Irene and they both go out Cor. But love oft hovers long within the breast VVhich is by beauty upon Youth imprest I 've heard the King receiv'd his first alarms Of youthful love from your Victorious charms Isab Madam 't is true fame made a large report VVhilst I i' th' glories of the Gallique Coutt Sometimes consum'd of that young Monarch's flame He shewing me all the gallantry became A youthful Monarch but ere that pretence VVas well discover'd I retir'd from thence Cor. Against your will I fear Isab By a Command I durst not disobey of Ferdinand My Grandfather VVho then design'd me a less glorious Throne And the young Duke of Millane being grown To mans estate he sought alliance there confining me within that narrow Sphere Cor. And this great King finding his passion vain Comes to revenge himself on your disdain Isab Some would that complement on me bestow But his ambitions do not aim so low I can derive it from a truer cause For Madam know when to obey the Laws Of Heaven and Nature I subdued my mind To fix my self where the old King design'd I found the Duke of Millane when I came T' enjoy of Sovereign nothing but the name His Youth was not so tender as his Soul He and his Sceptre under the controul of wicked Sforsa who with the pretence Of being Guardian to his Innocence Betray'd th' unguarded Prince and hourly sought VVhich way his death might be with safety wrought When I the treason came to understand I speedy aid from Naples did demand The Villane least we should his Plots surprize And his unfinish'd Vilanies chastise Raises these storms of War on Naples Throne To sink the power he fear'd and save his own Cor. Would Franc that does so much at Glory aim At such a Traytors call pursue his claim Isab Princes in eager chase of Crowns near mind The way they take but ride o're all they find Cor. Since France this War had to the world declar'd How came th' old King thus strangely unprepar'd Isab The good old Monarch of a peaceful mind More to devotion then to armes inclin'd Grown credulous and dull with age and sloth Lov'd all those false reports that flatter'd both And so by Sforza was with lyes betray'd That France some other Crown design'd t' invade And till the French in Italy were come Was unprepar'd for all things but his Tomb. Then when his life and Crown he could not save He quitted both and crept into his Grave And left my father in a ruin'd state Opprest with wars and with the peoples hate Whose most unhappy Reign was scarce begun E're he resign'd the Kingdom to his son Cor. But what becomes of wicked Sforza still Durst he proceed in his intended ill Isab The rest like a dark secret from the dead Told by some walking discontented shade Too full of direful guilt and horrour grows Safely to hide or freely to disclose The Vilane having rais'd by Magick skill These throngs of Martial Spirits at his will To fill with noise of war th' Italian air Whilst near his Circle no one durst repair Now takes th' occasion of this cursed time When he with safety might pursue his crime When none might hear his dying Sovereign groan Or could revenge the murder when 't was done To bring the poor young Duke to his command And wring the Sceptre from his tender hand And to acquaint you with a fatal truth Poisons at last the sweet and Princely youth Cor. Oh Monster What will not some men do high power to gain And wear a while a guilty Crown with pain Isab I must retire my grief imperious grows And on my reason doth too much impose Exit Isab Isabella goes out weeping As Cornelia follows Sylvia enters Syl. Gonsalvo Madam do's your pleasure wait Cor. I know the hast of the Venetian state To have my Crown but since I must away My Masters haughty pleasures I 'le obey Admit him in Enter Gons Your Galleys Sir prepare Gons Madam they 'r ready and the Wind is fair The storms that lately rag'd upon the Coast Are out o'breath and all their fury lost But whilst the Sea is smooth and air is clear Madam we meet another tempest here A storm not from the Sea but from the Court The King ha's stopt your Galleys in the Port. Enter Ferdinand Fer. Yes Madam seeing my just accuser come I came to own my crime and know my doom For on my honour I have wars begun And own the great offence my love hath done Cor. Am I your Subject Sir doth Naples own Dues from my Kingdom yet to me unknown Ferd. Naples its Crown and Monarch claims no due But as theyâ—r conquer'd to be rul'd by you Cor. Am I by Laws of Nations captive made Cause without leave I did your Shores invade For so 't is said When unarm'd Princes to
view appear And only want their Kings commands to joyn Fer. Let all my Squadrons stand prepar'd for mine Exit Tri. Ah! my Ascanio Heaven doth still provide New ways and arts to have my courage try'd I do not mean by all those angry Stars Which thus begins my Reign with various Wars By all the Clouds that o're my Crown impend And in black Tempests ev'ry hour descend Threatning my liâ—e my father and my Throne Beset with foes and Rebels left alone T' encounter all whilst fearful Spirits flye In Panick terrour from their Loyalty These meaner griefs my courage can remove But I am tortur'd with despairing love Asc Why Sir should you afflict your Royal mind With griefs for which you soon redress may find Time and some little patience will destroy Those griefs which lye but in your way to joy Your own despairs the blushes of the Queen And all the other Guards which stand between Will soon remove their stations and be gone When all the empty forms of love are done Ferd. Alas thou speak'st as if the piercing dart That wounded me had toucht her gen'rous heart No her unconquer'd heart is too severe For all the happy time she hath been here Too much I fear against her will confin'd By the kind force of an obliging wind With all my services I ne're could gain The least allay to my insulting pain Asc Love in her Sex must some resistance make To a brave enemy for Honour's sake But Sir to better news I can pretend From the fair mouth of her own beautious friend For I who in my confident address To her fair friend have met with more success Do find by her that Sir your noble flame Is not contemn'd nor doth she hate your name Ferd. What is 't thou say'st Asc Yes Sir I say the Queen With Eyes betraying love hath oft been seen To glance on yours but with such caution move As Poets make the gods in stealths of Love VVatching with care the motions of your eyes To guard her timerous honour from surprize And then retreating e're she was betray'd Falls into the ambush which her blushes made Nay once Pursu'd to her retreats by her fair friend She was o're heard to sigh Prince Ferdinand And to the private ecchoes of the Grove Intrust the dang'rous secrets of her love Ferd. Prithee no more such pleasant tales as these As hard to faith as Heavenly Mysteries Thou think'st with Golden dreams and pleasing art To fan this burning Feaver in my heart And blindly lead'st me to the wars of love VVith tales of Paradise and joys above My hope or faith as Turkish Priests delude To VVar and death their cheated multitude Yet if 't were true and I in vain have mourn'd The inconstant wind is with my fortune turn'd At the same view in which I saw to day The French their standards on the Hills display Another sight appear'd which griev'd me more All the Queens Galleys rowing from the Shore Fitting their Oars and Tackling to be gone VVhilst sporting VVaves smil'd on the rising Sun Asc Your Royal Orders may remove that fear And for a while confine her Galleys here And though in Honour she displeas'd may seem All her lost favour you may soon redeem And clear the guilt contracted on that score For Sir perhaps you can't oblige her more Ferd. No more my friend these flatteries are vain Thou like an artist doth delude my pain With gentle promises and hopes of Cure VVhen th'anguish grows too violent to endure But since All ways are fled to in a desp'rate case Thy dang'rous Counsels I 'le for once embrace And will resume my Courage Prithee go And let the Adm'ral of her Galleys know I must confine him in the Port to day But then from me assure him that his stay Not the least dammage to the Fleet shall bring And his compliance will oblige a King Asc Sir I shall hasten on the bless'd design Since the concern is both my Kings and mine Exit Ferd. I 'le to the Queen and by confession own The devout crime my trembling Love hath done Like those who still in hopes of pardon sin And all their crimes with penitence begin Exit Enter Isabella followed by Salerne Isab Rebel begone thy passion I disdain Sal. And I those frowns which you employ in vain The debt which to my fathers bloud I owe I yet have paid with a revenge too low The abject bloud of Vassals I have spilt And blush that fame on such mean crimes I 've built To kill your Brother were revenge sublime And the great cause would consecrate the Crime But yet that debt I shall in part forgive And for your sake shall let your brother live The Regal style I 'le suffer him to bear But I shall ease him from the Regal care I have another enemy beside The hopes of Charles which nourishes your pride But from those flames I shall your heart redeem For I 'le at once both kill your hopes and him And pull your pride and all his glories down And fetch that Monarch's head or lose my own Exit Sal. Isab Who ever heard an insolence like this But this is rather fortunes crime then his He finds successes smile on his offence And now he swells to all this insolence And does so proud of his Rebellion grow He thinks all virtues must to treason bowe Enter Portia Por. Madam the Cyprian Queen is coming here Isab To take her last adieus of us I fear Enter Cornelia Julia Irene Sylvia Cor. Madam I come with sorrows to complain Of my hard fate with which I strive in vain My friends the Winds and Seas have all combin'd To make me both ungen'rous and unkind And force me from you in your great distress The only time my friendship to express Isab Madam in this your friends do faithful prove And act like Heav'n who always doth remove The Souls he loves from evils he fore-knows And kindly takes them to their blest repose Cor. Madam this sacred truth I can't deny It is the same to part with friends or dye Weeps Jren. I find it so yet must my joys resign Aside E're by possession I can call 'em mine That I the brave Ascanio n'ere had seen Or could command my friendship to the Queen My love and Loyalty my Soul divide I flatter both and dare take neither side Isab Madam this death you safely may embrace Since you will only leave a mournful place Which seems like some wild Melancholy shade For the dark walks of guilty spirits made Nothing but terrour haunts us every where Pale sighing Cowards turn'd to Ghosts with fear Shouts of the Valiant fainting womens cryes All intermixt with the loud Martial noise Of Guns and Swords and which is yet more loud The saucy Clamours of the Rebel Croud Which like the groans of Spirits in the night Women and Cowards with the noise affiright Jul. This is our dismal state and yet I find Aside The last nights dreams of