sacred Briom Can there be a Cause so sacred To draw you forth from your abandon'd Kingdoms And in this poor Disguise to quit your Throne Briomar Oront Quit Thrones quit Worlds quit Earth and Heav'n my Run mad despair and dye Briom Dye Sir Oront Yes dye To Deaths short pain from lingring Tortures fly Plunge the Vast Deep and launch to that blest shore Where Clarismunda's Scorn can kill no more Briom Death I confess is Woes last certain Remedy But when the Great seek Death they ought to meet him In the fair Paths of Glory Poorly dying Is worse then basely Living Sir consider You 're born to Empire hold the Charge of Kingdoms A Royall Cause and a protected people Besides behold a gathering Storm before you Arms at your Gates and Vengeance round your Walls Advanceing Enemies and pushing Fate That Death thou seek'st seek nobly King Crown'd Heads Should not fall crusht like poor despairing slaves But build their Monuments when they digg their Graves Oront Kind Briomar I thank thy honest Love 'T is true the Charge of Empire lyes upon us Yet Heav'ns Vicegerents are not so all Gods But we have a little of the Man about us Shackled with Soveraignty and tyed up to Honour We are not so fast to golden Fetters curst But Love one Link of the long Chain may burst Oh Briomar I have that last Account yet to make up To that Fair Tyrants Ear before I dye That as thou valuest my Eternall Peace By all thy Loyalty I must conjure thee Under the shelter of this kind Disguise To gain me an Access But one blest Minute At Clarismunda's Feet Briom But in this kind Disguise can you so rule Your master'd Passion as to keep your shrow'd No frantick start to burst your guardian Cloud Sir dare you promise me Oront Yes I dare promise Shall I performe my Briomar Briom How Sir Oront No more I 'le be obey'd Briom Then Sir my Duty shall dispute no more Th' Access shall be obtain'd Though I much fear Effects too dismall Oront Leave Effects to Fate Love spurs the Leap and Danger Checks too late Exeunt Scene a Room of State Enter Celestina Rosalin and Women Ros Madam five hundred Talents from the King Cel. Have Kist my Hand this Morning Ros From Great Love A fair presented Sum. Cel. To buy me pins A small Oblation But my Royall Vassall Remembers his Allegiance knows his Duty And pays my Eyes their Tribute Now my Rosalin How dost thou like the Port our Greatness bears Say is a Monarchs Heare a Toy worth wearing Rosal Your Conquest is a perfect Raign of Wonders Cel. Nay I have conquer'd now And such a Conquest That surfeited Delight and gorged Ambition Have drunk so deep that they can thirst no more Ros Madam the Princess Cel. Ha! What brings her here perhaps The Consciencious Fool comes to Preach Honour Herminia's Wrongs and Celestina's Fraylty If so I am resolv'd I will receive her Like my great self the Mistress of a Pow'r The World 's too weak to shake Enter Clarismunda Claris. I stoop beneath My self when I descend To talk with Sin and Shame But sweet Herminia A Champion in Thy Cause commanding Justice Forgive the Faults offending Honour makes No the proud Theif the Syren has undon thee Shall not move off with Her Rich prize so tamely I 'le talk with the gay Sin and glittring Infamy Cel These happy Walls and their more happy Mistress Thus honour'd and thus grace'd Beleive me Madam You 've so surprized me with this wondrous Goodness Took me so unprepared for a Reception Worthy of such a Guest Claris. Hold there 's no need Of so much courtly Ceremony All I came to meet I 've found thy self and wish The Visitant I bring thee may receive But half this promis'd welcome Cel. If I am All You came to seek I am proud that you have found me And prouder to receive whate're Commands Honour can give or Honour can obey As such no doubt you bring me speak Your pleasure Clar. Honour Oh thou hast named the richest Jem That e're adorn'd the Fair True Honour Beauties Inestimable wealth whilst we wear Thee We have inexhausted Mines of endless Treasure Enough t' enrich the world Where Honour Shines Our Eyes are Sparks of Heaven 'T is that kind Sun That lights 'em into Stars The Great just Powers Made us the fairest work of their Creation Till our own faults our own defacing Shame Unmakes the work of Gods Celest Ay now you charm my Ear with ravishing Musick Honour our Sexes warmest Pride Our whole Devotion Saint Heaven All we kneel and pray to And Madam if those Powers you name have made Beauty the Master-stroak of their Creation I thank their Generous Moulding Hands These Eyes Are not their poorest stamp And to do Justice To Heavens unfinisht Peice I shall take care In the bright sphear to which my charms have rais'd me Not to unmake but mend the work of Gods Claris The Sphear thy Charms have rais'd thee to No thou Gay gilded Vanity call 'em thy Sorceryes The ' infatuating false deluding Fires Of Sin plumed up with Power thou vile Usurper Celest Usurper That diminitive Imp of Majesty That puny poor Prerogative no Madam Your kinder Justice sure can find my Glories A fairer name Claris. A fairer name Celest perhaps The little Murmures Envy and Ignorance Have been too buisy with your Royall Ear And breath'd my Name with their unhallow'd Lips But to correct th' ill manner'd Grin of Fools Let the Kings Heart and these victorious Eyes Tell the vain babling world I raign by Conquest Claris. What do I hear Oh thou amazing Front Of blushless Guilt Thou sit'st enthron'd in Sin then Hold'st thy black seate of shame by Claim and Title And stampst a Royall Soverainty on Damnation Cel. Madam this Language But no more You are too blame mistaken angry Princess For when I shall enform that Peevish Snarler For whom thou playst the Champion what good Offices I 've done her with the King She 'le have but small Occasion of Complaint For I must tell you As my peculiar Grace I have given him Leave T' allow her a fair Court Guards and Attendants And all the Decency that suits her Quality Nay and to shew you I 'm more generous still I have permitted him to pay her the Civilityes of a Wife Claris. Civilityes Celest And let me tell you 'T is not A Common Condescension in a Mrs. To give a Wife that Liberty Claris. Great Gods This is beyond all mortall Patience She gives her Husband Leave 't is she allows her Her Favours all Oh poor Herminia whither art thou fall'n aside Brought thy rich Royall Veins from thy fair India To be a Pensioner to a vile Wanton Raign the Precarious Partner of a Throne But thou rank Weed thou poysonous plant of Death Oh that thou'dst give thy Soul but so much Leisure As even to think Cel. Think I have Thought For Thinking's half
thee still But oh so love thee Love thy bright Glory thy unenvyed Happiness Thy Monarchs Arms and all thy Nuptiall Blisses My whole unmurmuring Souls divinest Musick Enter Messenger Mess Sir some Officers wait your Command Enter Officers Tygr. Admit e'm Well my Warriours How fare my valiant Hearts Offi. Tough as our Arms And cheerfull as our Cause Tygr. Thou speakst my Souldier 1. Offi. As all our Veins and all our Lives shall speak 2. Offi. Already Sir Your great Allies have joyn'd us A noble Train of War From Western Nile To Eastern Indus Streams united Asia Brings her proud Banners to your Royall Standard By this good Sword and this old Arm I think More gallant Troops nor more resolv'd Battalions A fairer Front of the bold Sons of Glory Ne'er shook the Earth beneath them 1. Offi. And great Sir May I presume to add one bold Word more To cheer our Hearts after our last lost Battle And edg our Swords for a new fairer Game Persia fought then but Clarismunda now Tygr. Yes my kind Souldier in your last lost Game A weaker Quarrell and a fainter Arm Only Powers wanton Luxury Ambition Fought then But a Diviner Cause wrong'd Honour And Sacred Vengeance now Enter King and Herminia Mirvan Amorin Guards c. King My best Tygranes Life of my Cause thou Eldest Son of War And boldest Heir of Fame my waiting Armyes Call thy Commanding Arm to lead 'em forth to Glory Tygr. As far as humane Strength can push for Glory This Arm shall lead and Sir to joyn that Arm I hope the Great Deciding Powers that hold The Fate of War and turn the Scales of Battle Have one kind Lawrell for the poor Tygranes For 't is but Justice Heav'n one Smiling Day For all the melancholly niggard Portion Your unkind Stars have dealt me And for all The Massy Favours you have heap'd upon me Great Sir permit my bending Duty fall Thus low to take up the fair Load of Honour King Rise my Tygranes This too humble Gratitude Orepays the Gift I make Tygr. Orepays No! Sir You 've lodg'd in this Young Arm a Trust so glorious King And thou'lt discharge it with a Faith more glorious Tygr. I hope indeed I shall This I dare promise I go so keâ—n for War so arm'd for Battle My Cause so Precious and my Life so worthless That the Great Game of Death was never play'd By a less shaking Hand King So speak the Souls Of our Great Race the transmigrating Fires That warm thy noble Breast Tygr. But Sir before I go take my Last Prayer May all the Sweets of ever fragrant Love Heap your full Joâ—s 'Twixt that fair Heaven and You Eternall Jo Peans sing before you Smiles wake Your Morns and Angells lull your Sleeps King This is too kind Tygranes Tygr. And when in my Rough Toyls and heavyer Marches Amidst the Shriller Louder Voice of War Some softer Trump of Fame shall sweetly Chant In my pleass'd Ears how fair Herminia loves How that all Nuptiall Truth all Bridall Sweetness With all the Riot o unmeasur'd blisses Crowns the dear Love of her embracing Lord When I shall hear that dear that blessed Sound With open Arms I 'le meet the darling Joy And clasp it as the Mrs. of my Soul Thus I may love Herminia Herm. Love me Prince Yes such a Love Tygranes Oh thou matchless Originall of Virtue Love like Thine How shall I e're return Go then brave Warriour Go where bright Honour calls and when thy Sword Thro grappling Dangers hews thy path to Glory Be thou Herminia's Champion and I Thine For oh Tygranes to adorn that brow And pull down Victory on that blest Head I 'le borrow from the Arms of my kind Lord A bending Knee to Heâ—v'n for dear Tygranes Tygr. And will the kind Herminia do all this For lost Tygranes the Divine Herminia A Beauteous Suppliant to th' immortall Throne Breath a soft Prayer and melt the listning Gods And all for worthless me Then I am orepay'd For all my bleeding sighs So blest Herm. So blest if she can give thee blessings all my Orisons My tendrest Vows for Thy Success I 'le pay With so much Zeal the pious offering giv'n Whilst thou shalt combat Earth I 'le wrestle Heav'n King Hold my Herminia thou too Godlike Goodness And take me with thee in this generous Contest A Prayer for dear Tygranes Prayers and Hecatombs Incense and Sacrifice all Pomp Divine Altars shall smoak and blazing Temples Shine United Heaven and Earth shall joyn for Thee Thou and the World brave Youth the Gods and we Enter Messenger Mess Your Royall Sister Conducted by ten-thousand Scythian Horse Sent by the Mercy of her pitying Conquerour Free and unransom'd is returning home King Free and unransom'd Yes relenting Tyrant Like flowry Garlands to a bleeding Victim A poor amends for Clarismunda's Wrongs Tygr. For the Reception of our Royall Sister Haste Orimon draw forth a thousand Horse That these embracing Arms may fly to meet her Exit King My dear Herminia the soft sweets of Love Till this blest Minute have been all my Theme But now my fairest I am forc'd to borrow From the kind Arms of Joy one hour for pity I have a mourning Sister A wrong'd one my Herminia whose Returne Must call one Tear even from the Eyes of Love Queen A Tear for Clarismunda Yes my dear Lov'd Lord if that wrong'd Sister does demand The Royall Tribute of those richer Pearle I hope you 'll give these Eyes the Leave to add Their pious Offring too King Thine my Herminia Queen Mine and all Eyes At bleeding Virtues Sufferings Our Griefs are but our Sympathetick pains Each melting Eye at that sad Object mourns The Loadstar draws and trembling Pity turns Enter Tygranes Leading Clarismunda Celestina Rosalin c. Clars My Brother and my King Take to thy Arms thy generous pitying Arms This Load of Misery Despair and Ruin King Fair Flower of Paradice the sweetest Rose Set in the Thorns of Life dear Royall Mourner My Souls best half my own immortall Veins Clar. Thy Veins No Sir that once fair Christall Fountain By the embitter'd Gall of Woes all poyson'd The King gazes on Celestina My blood runs Death and I am thy Veins no more King What do I see Great Gods Clar. But oh dread Sir In my affrighting Wounds my Savage Wrongs I have brought home King Those Eyes my Clarismunda Clar. Eyes Sir King Those Wrongs my Sister But proceed Clar. Those Wrongs indeed So wrong'd There 's not that ministring Saint at Heavens high Throne But midst his Scenes of everlasting Joys Looks down on Clarismunda's hideous Ruines Mine mine 's a Cause King By Heavens amazing Fair Clar. What says my King King Thy Cause my Sweet go on Clar. Yes my dear Brother and what 's more then Brother My Champion and my King By those great Names I call and challenge thy avenging Sword Thy Sword my Soverain Justice King Artaban withdrawing from Clarismunda and whispering Clarismunda strikes
thy Clouds bear thy fair Head above The frowning World and mount a smiling Star In all thy Loads too low disdain to stoop 'T is brave to suffer when 't is poor to droop Queen Herm. Oh Prince thou hast read me so Divine a Lesson And painted Ruine in a Face so lovely That thou hast tuned my Soul to all the Musick Of a whole Quire of Angels Yes Tygranes To my too cruel Lord I will return Return to all the Pangs to all the Miseries Of ever mourning Love Life 's bitter Draught Lift to my Lips with that unshaking Hand For oh thou hast taught me to be greatly wretched To be Divinely Blest Tygr. Do this Herminia Queen No more my wandring Pilgrimage no Prince I 'll build my House of Sorrow in a Palace Under my Roof of Gold a Hermit dwell A Court my Cloyster and a Throne my Cell Exeunt all but Mirv. Mirv. So now the Toil is set and dear Destruction Comes rolling on apace What a vast Pile Of Ruine shall I build 'T is hard Herminia And I could pity thee Why should I pity My bloody Cradle and my barbarous Parents And shall I feel remorse when ev'n my Father To his own Blood ne'r felt it No vain pity Seek softer Breasts mine has no room to lodge thee Besides I move by that commanding Influence I know not Celestina by what Charm But thou hast bound my Soul and Nerv'd my Arm Joyn'd in thy Cause we that bright Comet Reign Thou the Fair Star and I the Blazing Train Exit ACT V. Enter Celestina Mirvan and Rosalin Cel. REturning home Victorious Mir. If to leave A hundred thousand Foes in Battle slain If Conquer'd Scythia and the great Orontes Led home in Persian Chains can write Victorious Tygranes wears that Title Cel. And to grace His Victory he brings the beauteous Fugitive A fair Attendant t' his Triumphant Chariot To court the Kind forgiving King's Reception Of the returning Wanderer Mir. If her Religious Ramble as I 've manag'd it Has not a little pav'd her Path too rough Some such good natur'd Office he intends her Cel. And thou my little Harbinger kindly com'st Before 'em to prepare me for their Welcome Mir. Yes Madam That 's my Errand For to give My self and dear sweet Villany their due Mischief and I have both rid Post to serve you Cel. My dearest little Devil how I love thee But Mirvan after this first lucky hit Darest thou be generous and play out thy Game Mir. Dare Can you doubt my Courage or my Constancy Is glorious Treason a design too great Or this Young Arm too dastard Have I launch'd Thus far and stood thus firm to stagger now By my fair Truth this poor Suspicion wrongs me Cel. It does indeed sweet Youth forgive my Fears I know thy honest Truth too well to trust it aside But my kind Boy I am afraid I have kept thee Awake too long I know this Nights hard Travel Has tired thy tender Limbs and thou want'st Rest To Bed my Boy and when thou hast repos'd awhile I 'll send my pretty Engineer and call thee Retire sweet Boy and Sleep Exit Mirvan Thy last young Fool. Thy Bed thy Grave Yes my kind honest Traytor Thy hand has done me too much faithful Service To leave thee a dangerous Tongue alive to spoil it Besides my little Tool my ripining Plot Has business for thy Death And bet thy Glory As thou hast liv'd so thou shalt serve me Dead And therefore sleep thy last Now my designs Are all in my own Breast Treason 's a Jewel When the rich Cabinet has but one Key They 're only truly Great who are safely so Ros Well Madam Your Propheticks are all Oracles And the mad roving Queens amazing Ramble Has fill'd the World with wonder Cel. Fame indeed Talks something loud Ros 'T is true the Prince has sent a soft Express And smoothly laid it all upon Religion Cel Religion in a Camp Ah Girl if the Soft King has easie Faith enough about him To think no warmer a Devotion hatch'd This gentle Pilgrimage than Zeal and Prayer-Books No Rosalin he 's not that blind believer I fear thou 'lt find that rougher Faith about him A gathering that black Storm as will rain Blood Ros Herminia's Blood and Celestina's Glory Her Scaffold and your Coronation Cel. Right That fullen Hour that wraps her head in Dust Wreaths mine in Diadems Herminia's Grave The Basis of my Pyramide 'T is true It is a little hard thou poor Herminia To cut so keen as I must But Ambition Ambition gives the blow and when that strikes Remorse nor Pity no faint check controuls That two-edg'd Fate tho' bar'd with Lives and Souls Exeunt Enter Tygranes Herminia and Orontes Prisoner Guards and Attendants 1 Atten. A nobler Game of Glory ne'er was play'd Fortune set high a Kingdom on a Battle And one bold Throw has swept the mighty stake 2 Atten. By this dear Light that Sun that smil'd to see The richest Crimson that the Earth e'er dy'd Not the proud Jove from the defeated Gyants Return'd with fairer Laurels than Tygranes Tygr. Enough my generous sharers of my Fame Your lavish Goodness plays too much the Prodigal My Victory dares not challenge half this Triumph 'T is true the Fortunate Tygranes fought But 't was the Justice of his Quarrel Conquer'd Courage is only ours Success is Heav'ns And for thy Fate Orontes Oront Mine Tygranes Is to curse Life and Thee my Life alone Too much to bear but Life and Shame together That double load of Misery Oh Prince When thy keen Sword cut through my Conquer'd Kingdom Had it been kind and carv'd my Heart too dying I could have loved thee but must hate thee Living Tygr. If thou repinest at thy ill Chance of War Blame thy bad Cause If overtaking Destiny Has dealt thee that hard Lot that does not please thee Remember King thy Ruine is no more Than thy Desert thy Punishment Orontes And sufferers are not choosers of their pain But to perform my last just Rites of Victory Thou Orimon go Visit our wrong'd Sister And in a Brothers Name bear her that Trophy A present from her own Triumphant Vengeance Oront To Clarismunda My too generous Conqueror This is so kind I 'll thank thee for this Goodness Even in my Grave For Oh! a Grace so high Thou givest me leave at those dear Feet to die Exit Guarded Tygr. But hark the King approaches My Beauteous Charge I am thy Champion now A prouder Cause than all my Scythian Conquests Enter King attended My Royal Lord low at your Sacred Feet With the fair Harvest of your own rich Field Thus prostrate kneels the proudest of your Vassals By your great Cause that fair inspiring Genius Led forth to Victory King Mine Tygranes my Inspiring Genius No a little sure Of that fair Cause that soft Inspirer Tygr. How my dread Liege King That Beauty those fair Eyes They were so kind to See you Conquer Tygr.