Yet as my dawning Soul began to rise Methoughts I knocking heard and distant cries And from the Ground a sulph'rous Vapour broke That form'd it self into a shape and spoke Matth. A Guard of Spirits walk'd to night the round And all our Souls in sleepy-fetters bound Benum'd with fatal slumbers by degrees We seem'd like an old Grove of Sapless-Trees Whose Vegetative Souls in Winter creep To their warm Roots and there securely sleep A noise within But hark a Martial noise begins to rise Phin. Loud knocking 's at the Gate They all as amaz'd look out several ways and return Sag. And horrid cries Arm Arm The Court 's beset a furious Tide Of fighting Crowds beat up on every side Phin. The Streets with glittering Spears are planted round And Bloody Rivers water all the ground Math. And see where Esau's Son 's proud Banners fly And from the Temple Walls the Town defie Sag. We are betray'd and the Angelick Pow'rs Forsook their guard to night about these Towers What shall be done in a distress so great Phin. What else but fly with speed to some retreat Matth. How shall I fear of these vile Rebels shew Rather to meet their impious rage I 'le go Sag. Alas they seek your Life nor can y' oblige Men whose Devotion lies in Sacriledge Matth. Heav'ns Will be done But better I were slain Than I my self my Diadem prophane Whose Glory should I stain with sordid fears My Sacriledge wou'd be as great as theirs Phin. I see no cause why we should vainly fight To guard those Sacred things Heav'n seems to slight Math. If Heav'n 's pleas'd t' abandon their defence I 'le guard them in the room of Providence John Eleazar and their party now break into the Room 〈◊〉 drawn Swâ—rds and chace Matthias c. oâ— the Stage 〈◊〉 retreat fighting as into some other Rooms of the Palace and at the door to hinder John 's pursuit Matth. My Guards Exit Matth. Sag. Phin. c. Omnes Pursue Joh. So quick retreat have 〈◊〉 Eleaz. Fire this accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ground This filthy Nest that does all lewdness hide Ambition Avarice hot Lust and Pride The Earth no longer shall this burden bear Joh. And greater Lewdnesses are harbour'd here Vespasian's Image and his Goddess both Queen Berenice that Romish-Ashtaroth That fair Abomination to whose eyes The Tyrant offers Daily-sacrifice Eleaz. Burn 'em together let their dust repair To play and dally in the wanton Air. 1. Phar. Fire it our time let us no longer lose 2. Phar. And see his traytrous head the Tyrant shews Matth. Sag. Phi. appear in the Balcony Matth. You Impious Rebels all which here I see Sons of Confusion Blood and Cruelty Born for our Nations and Religion's shame That would extirpate your own Tribe and Name Have wrought such ills that even the Rising Sun Startles to see the villanies y' have done What Cruel Devil does your hearts inspire To all these ills what is it you desire Eleaz. Traytor Our Countreys Freedom and thy Blood 1. Phar. And Caesar's Image here thy Molten-god Matth. What Molten-god what Image Phin. This is plain The cursed Image of some lying Brain Eleaz. This pious Man can all your doubts remove And Tyrant to thy face thy Treasons prove Matth. Villain more false than Hell Dost thou at last Add this bold Lye to all thy Treasons past To John John Oh dares this man thus confidently plead Merciful Heav'n that will not strike him dead Eleaz. Boldly reply To John John Now impudence thy aid Aside And are you not bad man of Heav'n afraid Do you not every hour expect at least Heav'n with your Tribe the hungry Earth shou'd feast It s qualmish stomach with cold meat is cloy'd Not one warm Meal since Corah's time enjoy'd But now a Dish is drest and I should fear But for these holy men to stand so near Into my Soul what great Disorders creep Zeal makes me rage and Pity makes me weep An aged man a Priest and once my Friend But in Truth 's Cause all these distinctions end Matth. And dar'st thou with so little fear or shame Thy Predecessor Rebel Corah name And not expect his fate should be thy own Whose Treasons are so much by thine out-done Oh hungry Earth to thy repast with speed But spare your tears and to your proofs proceed John Then did not I in several persons sight In the first Month on the third Watch of night But was it I that I should e're descend To so much frailty to oblige a Friend To my own goodness I am made a Prey I am too meek too ready to obey But did not I to all the Guards unknown Conveigh by night an Image into Town And when I wept and did the thing oppose You smil'd and said let us delude our Foes And play with that Leviathan a while We by these Arts shall all his Pow'r beguile But shall not we deceive our selves said I No strength or wisdom like integrity Then weeping you reply'd Alas 't is true But yet the Foe is strong what shall we do Good Heav'n I hope will no advantage take If we should sin a little for his sake Then as I trembling stood and wept and pray'd You are too tender humble John you said But ah said I again Matth. No more no more In pity to thy injur'd Soul give o're Thy shameless Lyes has Manhood so defam'd Of humane Nature I am almost asham'd And did not some the port of it maintain We might conceive Mankind were made in vain Nay even admire why Heaven such pains shou'd take Mischievous Tools of dirty Clay to make But to thy impudent unmanly Lye My Guards and Javelins shall with speed reply Matthias c. go out of the Balcony and John c. break open the door after which a noise of fighting is heard then Enter Phraartes and Monobazus as disturb'd with the neise and newly waked Phra. What fierce and horrid founds thus early fill My deafned Ears or am I dreaming still For snatch'd by sleep into an Ambuscade I 've all this night with Charms and Visions plaid Monob. And mighty Weights my Soul a Pris'ner kept As if beneath some Mountain I had slept Phra. This is some Magick place where Spirits flye Where every night the Trees all blasted dye And men like Watches are in pieces tane And set together in the morn again Well might the almost immortal Natives here Preserve their vigour to the thousandth year Since every night their Bodies were not worn But gently lapt and folded up till morn But what bold Spirits durst so sawey be To try these damn'd Experiments on me But hark a Noise within like clash of Arms Monob. Palace and City fill'd with strange Alarms Monobazus looks within What Vision 's that presented to my Eyes The Court with bleeding Bodies cover'd lyes The brave High-Priest amidst a Guard does stand Offering Victims up with his own hand To this fair Palace's offended Gods By impious Slaves disturb'd
been kind to these Plays I would not be so ungrateful to requite any of my Judges by giving 'em offence at least if I am so unhappy as to do it I would not willingly let it pass without some Apologie I have raised up an Hero in these Plays which appears to some pious Criticks to be an evil Spirit and makes 'em to have no good opinion of me for having such familiarity with him There are several things in his part and particularly in a Scene of dispute between him and his Mistress in the third Act in the second Play which I have been requested by many and some very considerable persons not to print To comply with 'em I have left out some few things and would willingly have done all but that on second thoughts I considered the disarming my Hero was tacitely to acknowledge him a braver man than he is and even yield him the better of the cause I therefore thought it would be fairer dealing in the behalf of Truth which needs no tricks to expose him to all his advantages so make the Victory of Truth the more glorious And Reader if you will please to peruse that Scene carefully you will find he is no such formidable person as imagined and is indebted for his reputation more to others opinion and partiality than his own strength He makes not one argument against Religion and only evades those that are made for it as any one of ordinary capacity may easily discover Indeed his cause will admit of no more I was loth then to cut off no less than a whole limb of a Wretch who if he had more Hands than Briareus had too few to fight against Heaven And certainly whatever I am imagined to have I shewed him no great kindness in sending him to storm so impregnable a Tower from whence any Child might throw him down He might easier with Hercules pull up Trees by the roots than the notion of a Deity out of the Souls of Men. A Notion so ingrafted in us it seems a part of us Let Men strive never so much to get at liberty from it any hair of their Heads will hold ' em To conclude if I cou'd have said more for Atheism it argues I have no great kindness for a Cause I have betray'd if I said all I cou'd I hope no one will believe me of an opinion for which I have so little to say This I think may suffice to recover my Reputation with these pious Criticks Before I go home I must visit a Lady or two by the way to pacifie if I can their displeasure against this Scene also They are angry not at Phraartes vigorous talk against Religion but that so vigorous a Man should talk at all they expected on his return from a Victory something more pleasing than a Dispute I confess they know much better than I what pleases their Sex but at this present I was so unhappy as not to intend to please ' em For having employ'd this and two Heroes more for almost ten Acts in nothing else but Love I thought I had given 'em enough for reasonable Women and might borrow this Hero to entertain the Men for a minute with a little reason if it were but to give him some respite to breath but I find 't is harder to give some Ladies enough than I thought it was Besides these Ladies may consider if they please Phraartes makes not Love to them but Clarona to whom a Discourse of Love was not so pleasing as to them who care to hear nothing else she loved to talk of Religion sometimes which they never do it seems She would fain convert Phraartes which they would ne'er have troubled their heads about he on the other hand had as great a zeal for her Body and it concerned his Love as much to gain her to his opinions as it did her piety to gain him to hers that this very dispute is in pursuance of his Love removing Religion the main only and perpetual obstacle that lay in its way But perhaps a man ought not to talk Reason in Love I confess since Love has got the sole possession of the Stage Reason has had little to do there that effeminate Prince has softned and emasculated us the Vassals of the Stage The Reason why the Off-springs of the Moderns are such short-liv'd things is because the Genii that beget 'em are so given to women they court nothing but the Ladies Favours with them they waste all their strength when as the lusty Ancients who fed on the wholesom Diet of good sense and used themselves to the strong manly exercises of Reason have been the Fathers of vigorous Issue who have lived longer than the oldest Patriarchs and are like to live as long as there are men I who am a Friend both to Love and good Sense endeavoured to reconcile 'em and to bring Reason into favour not with hopes to Rule I desired only to procure him some little Office in the Stage but I find it made an uproar Love would not endure such an innovation it threatned his settled Government and Reason is not at all popular the Ladies knew not what to make of his Conversation and the men generally sleep at it that I see but little hopes of his preferment which I am sorry for since what future being I shall enjoy I shall owe solely to him Titus and Berenice as great Gallants as they have been in France and as good a shew as they have made in England have not such a substantial Fortune to maintain them for future Ages but I am afraid will be reduced to depend on Phraartes for a livelihood The whinings of Love like a pretty new Tune please for a while but are soon laid aside and never thought of more the same Notes perhaps may help to compose another but the old Air is altered and for ever forgotten But lest it should be imagined by this long defence I suppose the Plays to be correct I acknowledg there are many faults in design which I had no leisure to mend and many in Words and Phrases which I had not inclination I love not too much carefulness in small things To be exact in trifles is the business of a little Genius They therefore who pride themselves much in their knowledg of words and phraseology boast of knowing little for those skills appear considerable to none but them who know nothing Something I intended also to say in vindication of my self from theft some Persons accused me of stealing the parts of Titus and Berenice from the French Play written by Mr. Racine on the same subject but a Gentleman having lately translated that Play and exposed it to publick view on the Stage has saved me that labour and vindicated me better than I can my self I wou'd not be asham'd to borrow if my occasions compell'd me from any rich Author But all Foreign Coin must be melted down and receive a new Stamp if not an
Q. Beren Were worlds betwixt you bigger all than this Love o're 'em all would mount to flye to bliss Millions of Leagues that Hawk his aiery spies And wheresoe're you perch him home he flyes Clar. He must not flye within Religion's Grounds Q. Beren Nor ought Religion to invade his Bounds Come to some Tower let 's our selves betake Where each of us a brave defence will make Less for her own than for her Lover's sake Ex. Omnes ACT V. SCENE I. The Temple After a Noise of fighting Enter John Eleazar and the Pharisees leading Matthias bound Eleaz. KIll Kill the Priest to save whose cursed head The blood of Saints is so profusely shed 1. Phar. Make the bold Heathen King his rage repent Fix the Priests head upon the Battlement John Yes Sir you dye You have a Tyrant bin Eleaz. Bane of Religion 2. Phar. A support of sin John Greedy of wealth Eleaz. Ambitious and profane 3. Phar. Enslaving us that you alone might raign 1. Phar. Despising all that our Traditions own John Hater of Zeal because your self had none Eleaz. Patron of all that to your side you gain Proselyte Gentile or Samaritan 2. Phar. And that for which you most deserve to dye An open favourer of Idolatry 3. Phar. Yes Sir for power you would to Rome have sold Our Temple Altars and our sacred Gold And plac'd their Idols here provided you Might have been made a mighty Idol too John Rome was the Idol which you worship'd here Your Dagon Ashtaroth and Baal-Peor Eleaz. You are her Priest she plac'd you in the Chair 1. Phar. These are her Robes and Ornaments you wear 2. Phar. And to your mighty Moloch's bloody Shrine You did our lives in Sacrifice design Matth. Amazing Impudence John Come do not flye To such vain trisles but prepare to dye They will not here so easily believe Let not vain hopes of life your Soul deceive For though I to your Crimes express some hate I have a Jewish Charity for that Matth. Oh Heavens John What still in this disorder keep Alas the doleful Object makes me weep An aged man nay more a reverend Priest At his last hour in falshood thus persist Eleaz. Tears for such sinners ought not to be spilt 3. Phar. His Age and Office aggravates his guilt 1. Phar. A Priest sell Heav'n a little power to gain Eleaz. A Priest so proud John An aged man so vain Matth. Oh! Divine goodness lend my spirit power To rule it self in this tempestuous hour Eleaz. Come bind his Eyes Matth. What in the Temple too To Heav'n it self is there no reverence due 2. Phar. You talk of Heaven Eleaz. You Sacriledge reprove When if not hinder'd by the Power above A Tyrant's Image had defil'd this place John So much dissembling in that aged face 3. Phar. Mock Heav'n the instant you expect to dye John Do you the Being of that Power deny Methinks if Conscience no respect can gain Shame before me a little should restrain Do not I know Oh that I ne're had known It costs me many a most bitter groan Eleaz. Grieve not your self your Cause needs no defence John Oh! Divine Gift of useful impudence Aside Matth. Oh! glorious Being for thy Honour's sake Some swift revenge on these Apostates take Eleaz. Come to the work Let us no longer wait But see the Gentile King has forc'd the Gate Omnes We are betray'd Phraartes Guard enter and pursue the Rebels who retire and shut the door after them Phra. What horrid sight is this Sees Matthias bound ready to dye To what curst Demon is this Sacrifice Pursue pursue the Dogs Phin. This cursed Tower Secures the bloody Rebels from our power Phra. Fire it let Flames the savage Villains chace Phin. It lodges Sir too near this sacred place Phra. The sacred place there can be no such thing The world has nothing sacred but a King I am prophan'd and I revenge will have Matth. O Truth why dwell'st thou not in Souls so brave Calm Sir your Royal Soul your just desire Heav'n will pursue with swifter wings than fire Their crying sins that sleepy Vengeance wake Which mounted soon their Troops shall overtake But oh what Crowns in Heav'n are forming now By Angels hands for our Preserver's brow Phra. Oh! my good Father there was once an hour When you had greater Treasure in your power Now you may turn me off to Heav'n for pay For all this Treasure you have given away Matth. When I enjoy'd this Wealth I do not know Nor yet to whom I did this bounty show Phra. Nay it is that that makes my grief extreme You have bestow'd it on a Cloud a Dream An empty Shadow does my hopes destroy Were he a Mortal did the Gift enjoy With Kingdoms I would hire him to resign Or spight of him my Sword should make it mine But like Cambyses here I madly stand To fight with winds and conquer flying Sand Roving imaginations of the mind That flye around the world and Reason blind Forgive my words forc't from me by my pain 'T is of Religion Father I complain And your fair Daughter is the Gift I mean Matth. Has she the subject of this wonder been Is that the Prize shou'd be so dearly bought A poor and humble Maid below your thought She to Religion may her self bestow Who has no taste of any thing below And say Religion Sir shou'd nothing be Then nothing best with nothing will agree And she so little feels the joys of sense She 's next to nothing in indifference What shou'd she do with Subjects and a Throne Who half her life is on her knees alone She to a Lover will give small delight Who wastes in Prayer two Watches of the night Besides she beauty wants a Throne to grace And fill with pleasures such a Kings embrace Phra. Good Father you are skill'd in things above Leave Beauty to be judg'd by Youth and Love Enter Clarona Phedra Women attended with a Guard Clar. Are my Prayers heard do I my Father see And is he safe from Rebels Cruelty Matth. By this great King's protection yet I live To whom next Heav'n thou must thy praises give And wou'd Religion with her title part On whom thou oughtest to bestow thy heart Oh! Daughter we his kindness ill repay He gives us joy and we take his away Phra. Yes Madam I in insolence improve For now in spight of your Commands I love Sentence of Banishment on me you laid And I some tryals of obedience made But all my strife with mighty Love was vain It did compel me to return again And fix my self on you my place of rest You I must love and in your love be blest Clar. Still do those thoughts your mighty mind pursue Alas they torture me now more than you Before it was the Parthian King did crave But now the Prince who did my Father save He asks my love to whom my life I owe Sir ask me any thing I can bestow If then I
prove to your entreaties rude Call me a Monster of ingratitude Phra. For the too cruel doom to me decreed I know you Nature and Religion plead That both have firmly against love combin'd Nature has made it hateful to your mind Religion has deform'd it into sin But Madam I am all a storm within My Reason cannot hear one word you say My raging love blows all the sound away Matth. Pity such stormy Passions Sir shou'd blow In a brave heart where such great Vertues grow Clar. With love so generous I cou'd comply Did not Religion and my Vows deny Phra. No more to me that Dream Religion name On more substantial Causes lay the blame Say I have something does your hatred move Or that I am not worthy of your love That I 'm a banish'd King and want a Crown And have not yet reveng'd my wrong'd Renown Say this and I will satisfied remain 'Till I my Honour right my Empire gain 'Till Rome nay 'till the Captive world I bring To beg you to have pity on their King Clar. Sir for your love no Beauty upon earth But might adore the Stars that rul'd their birth In you Sir all their longings may be crown'd Do they love Glory here 't is to be found If Valour never was a man so brave If Love here 's all that they can wish to have If Noble Form here they may please their sight With all that is in Nature exquisite Phra. Say all these things and love deny Clar. I at this Price Eternal Glory buy Phra. Eternal Glory Oh! that sounding word Did it the joy of one hour's love afford Or what a minute's pleasing Dream bestows Then you gain'd something for the joys you lose But do not sacrifice me to a sound Where no delight or meaning can be found Matth. Your Royal Soul has only yet perus'd The Book of Nature which is all confus'd Religion shews you more of heavenly good Than ever Nature taught or understood Clar. Or truth or falshood which so e're it be If I believe it it is truth to me Then Sir forgive me if I dare not love I dare not to Religion faithless prove Suppose Sir I had vow'd my self to you Wou'd you be willing I shou'd prove untrue And if I break my Vows with Powers above Consider I may then prove false to Love Phra. Then give to Heav'n the Soul which you have vow'd But let these Beauties be on Love bestow'd Let me enjoy those Hands those Lips those Eyes Which only flesh and blood know how to prize And will not Heaven's estate at all impair And I will be contented with my share Clar. All is Religion's Phra. Do not tell me all Clar. It is too late my Vows Sir to recall Phra. All or not all Heaven's right retain or give Love must have something that he may but live Clar. What Father can be done Matth. I do not know Fain wou'd I pay the mighty debt we owe. Clar. Me from my birth your self to Altars vowed Matth. But by the Law Redemption is allowed Phra. Oh! blessed News some hope is drawing nigh Can I her freedom with my Kingdom buy Matth. Much lower price will do it keep your Crown Heav'n needs it not the world is all his own Clar. I 've vow'd my self Matth. That is as I allow Subjects and Children have no right to vow When Kings or Parents their consent deny A Solemn League is solemn Villany But oh I gave you my consent with joy Matth. Oh! do not now my infant hopes destroy Matth. Alas my Reason no more aid can lend Phra. How long shall I with Shadows here contend I 'm kept a Pris'ner in religious Rules Aside And holy Laws the common Jail of Fools That I cou'd travel to some happy Star Or other worlds remov'd from this so far Where the great Bell Religion is not heard Nor men out of the use of Reason scar'd Where happy Souls enjoy unbroken rests And have not their delights disturb'd by Priests Who dayly tolling of this Bell are found And no man lives out of the frightful sound Matth. I see I 'm thrust on ill deny or grant I must rob Heaven or let you starve for want Men are all cruelty but Heav'n will spare I 'le trust him and religious sufferings bear Take her but know I steal from wealth divine And for your use the Gold of Altars coin Clar. Who gave my being may of me dispose I yield the Gift a Fathers right bestows Phra. Soul summon all thy force thy joy to bear Whilst on this hand eternal love I swear Clar. Now I am wholly at the Kings Commands I kneel and beg most humbly at his hands My joy my peace my everlasting Crown All which I've humbly at his feet laid down Phra. What means my Queen what is it she wou'd have Clar. What I have sworn to carry to my Grave And must or perish in its just defence I mean my spotless Virgin innocence Phra. Was e're such a request to Lover made Think you that such Commands can be obey'd Clar. Yes or for ever I must wretched prove Phra. Ask not unless you think I do not love Clar. Sir if you do then let your love be seen Phra. It quickly shall I 'le make you such a Queen Clar. You may the happiest that did ever Reign By your restoring Heaven to me again Phra. To night I 'le give it in your Bridal Bed Clar. First round the world let me in Chains be led Phra. These are not sure your thoughts think once again Clar. The resolution I 'le to death retain Phra. Is this my Bridal Song a sweeter sound Should in that heavenly voice methinks be found Altars to your omnipotence I bow From me you force what Armies cou'd not do What you will have no power can retain Fair Saint I give you to your Vows again Sleep on and dream of mighty things above I will not wake you any more with love Matth. Live King Phraartes let Jerusalem ring Clar. All chaste and holy Maids his praises sing All. Long live King Phraartes Phra. But must I all of you to Heaven resign May not this Hand those charming Eyes be mine Clar. I 'le grant the King sure any modest Prayer Phra. Pray give me all of you that Heaven can spare Clar. You shall have all the joys in friendship's store Phra. I 'le be content since I must have no more You shall remain my sacred Maiden Queen A glorious Treasure only to be seen All. Long live King Phraartes Enter Messenger Sagan and Phineas Mess Ah Sir new terrour the whole City fills An Army covers all the Neighbouring Hills A dreadful shadow o're each Valley falls And Roman Eagles hover near our Walls Queen Berenice transported with the sight Prepares her Chariots to be gone to night The raging People rouz'd with these Alarms In wild distractions all betake to Arms. Phra. Friend thou dost glorious tydings to me bring Now there is business worthy of
be troubled whom he best does love No doubt to crown you Empress he aspires And sinds Rome will not bow to his desires Is it unnatural a gen'rous mind Shou'd grieve to be from gen'rous acts confin'd That he in spite of him ignoble proves And cannot act as bravely as he Loves Ber. Thy fond defence does but accuse him more As if Rome durst oppose her Emperour Do not I know her Emperours to please She both her Laws and Gods will Sacrifice But what though she denies her mighty Throne His passion sure entirely is his own No Laws did ever yet to Love forbid And having him can I an Empire need Who want a Throne that they may happy prove Have hearts too great or else too little Love By none but Caesar I can be undone And I will be appeas'd by him or none But ha a shout Sem. It shou'd a Triumph be It sounds like the glad voice of Victory Ber. Inquire the cause and ease me of my fear I 'm on the wrack till I the tidings hear Sem. goes out and immediately re-enters Sem. Madam it is a Triumph as we thought The Army have a glorious Vict'ry got Not o're the Rebels but their General 's mind Your Lord it seems this fatal Morn design'd To head his Squadrons and expose in fight Himself the Worlds both glory and delight A thought his loyal Legions could not bear His resolution by the earnest pray'r Of all his Kings and Captains is subbu'd And now the glad victorious multitude With joys triumphant make the ecchoes ring Whilst their great Captive to his Tent they bring Ber. To the whole world he wou'd have injury done All have a right in him as in the Sun Heav'n one so brave for common good does frame I once an int'rest in him too might claim But that I fear is lost weeps I 'le run to him my thoughts he shall set free I cannot live in this uncertainty 'T is worse then death his kindness to suspect Or live one moment under his neglect Ex. Enter Titus Tiberius Malchus Antiochus Tit. The humble prayers your Loyalties have made My resolution with success invade Go and discharge my Legions on the Town Each moment now is laden with renown The Gods and I will faithfully take care The living and the dead rewards shall share We 'l Laurels place on each victorious head I 'le crown the living and the Gods the dead Are th' Engines mounted Tib. All upon the wheel Ant. The Tow'rs already seem with fear to reel Mal. To th'inner wall we now have near access The City's stately Robes and upper dress Of Suburbs burnt she now no longer bold With some few rags stands shivering in the cold Tit. How do these men compell me to deface The charming beauty of this goodly place Tib. And that the obstinate and rebel Jews May hope no more your mercy to abuse We on the Plain have drawn before their eyes A lively Scheme to shew their destinies They need not vex the Stars or trouble Art The Hills and Valleys can their fates impart The vocal Forrest is transplanted there From groaning Trees they Oracles may hear The Hills are shaded with a horrid Wood And Valleys fill'd with Vineyards weeping blood Crucisi'd bodies cover all the Plain Let 'em view them and obstinate remain Tit. These men distort my nature wrest my mind And torture me lest they shou'd mercy find Titus talks to Tib. Enter Berenice Semandra Malc Antioc gaze on Ber. Mal. The Queen with beauty let me fill my fight And take before hand the reward of fight My Sword in Caesar's service I employ But to see her whose Love he does enjoy Ant. The fair young Queen with beauty I 'm opprest Oh Caesar Caesar for a man too blest The Gods more happiness on thee bestow Then they themselves are capable to know Tib. Mal. Ant. Ex. Titus sees the Queen and starts Tit. The Queen I at the sight of her grow chill Like one in view of him he means to kill Ber. May I of Caesar crave without offence The favour of a moments conference Tit. Is it the Queen says this Is she to know That all things here allegiance to her owe And that she no way can oblige me more Then in commanding what she does implore Ber. I never shall survive the happy day When I on Caesar obligations lay Since so much glory were too great to bear I have already had too great a share Of pleasures in the sole belief that I Cou'd contribute to his felicity Tit. Shou'd the fair Queen the moment not outlive In which her Love to me does pleasure give How often must that beauteous Princess dye Since all my thoughts I on her Love employ And ev'ry thought affords my soul delight But oh my injur'd passion I must right Was all my Love not real but deceit And did you but believe my kindness great Ber. Far be all ill suspicions from my breast I should my self and justly too detest If a mean thought of Caesar e're shou'd find Any the least reception in my mind All his past Love I do not dare not wrong But I the glory have enjoy'd too long Caesar is pleas'd to let it now decline Which I impute to some offence of mine For he can think no thought but what is brave No I some great offence committed have But what is wholly to my soul unknown If I might know it I my crime wou'd own Tit. To what do these unkind expressions tend You make me think indeed you can offend Since you to these suspicions can be wrought Ber. I do not Sir accuse you of a fault Caesar can erre in nothing he can do So great a glory never was my due Much less when I have something done or said Which all my right has justly forfeited Tit. Now truth assist me this unkind debate Argues not mine but your own cruel hate You sure encline to what you faign wou'd prove And have a mind I shou'd no longer Love This is too hard too painfull to be borne I swear as I a thousand times have sworne But that the day the sight of you does shew I care not if the Sun wou'd shine or no That all the joy that does by Life accrue Is but to Love and be belov'd by you Ber. My Lords displeasure I too justly bear That I to doubt his constancy shou'd dare But he may pardon me when he does know All my suspicions from my kindness flow I trouble have on Caesar's brow espy'd And he his thoughts and person too does hide My tender heart with sorrow pines away If I behold my Lord but once a day And I much less can his retir'dness bear And not his grief as well as kindness share Tit. Oh! how with Love she overwhelms my heart After such Love I never can impart A secret that to you may trouble prove To me be all the grief to you the Love Oh Rome oh glory oh renown which way Will
you the loss of so much Love repay Ex. Ber. Again in secret sorrow from me part Oh my distraction oh my tortur'd heart What can the sense of these disorders be Sem. I must confess they are too dark for me Ber. Fate to our mutual Love no good designs Whatever he pretends his heart declines Love treats not thus the person that 's belov'd Common compassion wou'd have kinder prov'd Sem. My counsel can afford but small relief But do not too much listen to your grief An alarm Enter a Centurion followed by Romans Sem. Souldier the news Cent. The Parthian King is here That name 's enough to shew what danger 's near I cannot talk there 's bus'ness to be done Ex. Ber. My Lord in danger Sem. Whither do you run Ber. To dye with him Sem. Oh fear not Heav'n will save Were all his Legions slain a man so brave An alarm the Centurion returns with Monobasus Ber. Centurion the success relate with speed Cent. My Lord is from the Parthian Monarch freed By this brave Stranger 's aid who to defend His glorious Enemy oppos'd his Friend Ber. Prince my resentments I want words to tell This deed does all past services excell Sure you have some command from my good Fate My Friends and me with diligence to wait All your deserts I will to Caesar own And for reward procure some vacant Crown If I have int'rest still but l 'm affraid I rather need an Intercessor's aid Ex. Mon. Oh Heav'ns what pleasing sweetness does she wast Intirely lost to my disorder'd tast I little pleasure in that kindness take Which she bestows but for another's sake Now heart but hold till I my passions speak And then with sorrow and confusion break Ex. Scene a Street Enter Mathias and Guard pursued by John Eleazar and the Pharisees John in his Pontifical Vestments Joh. Seize 'em alive prophane and wicked men Phar. seize Mat. c Now Heav'n to justice brings you once agen And vengeance surely long enough has staid Behold the desolations you have made Look in the Streets and see each corner fill'd With carkasses of Saints your sins have kill'd Listen to ev'ry house and hear the groans Of many starving dying Holy ones Who cry not oh the Famine oh the Pest But oh th' Apostates oh the Romish Priest For your Idolatries in Plagues we lye Yet for these sins no doubt you grutch to dye Yet you the Romans can with rage pursue Alas not Romans ruine us but you They 'r but your Instruments your guilt affords Force to their Arms and edges to their Swords Had you good nature you wou'd wish to dye To free the Nation from the misery Not of the Plague the Famine or the Foes But of your impious selves our greatest woes Mat. Cou'd height of impious boldness Saintship give Thou surely wert the greatest Saint alive Of that vile kind of Saints thy followers are Thou sure art excellent without compare For thou hast taken all degrees in sin Didst first in little villanies begin With whisp'ring murmurings dissemblings lies So didst to Murder and to Treason rise And now at length the crawling Snake is grown A Royal Basilisk and has a Crown Horrid when we are plagu'd such various ways Is it a season to be acting Plays Here in a house of horror death and woe To mock Religion with Theatrick shew And must you too the holiest things abuse For sport no subject but Religion chuse 1 Pha. Sport dost thou call it thou wilt find I fear The Saints are all in serious earnest here 2 Pha. And mean to stone thee if that be a jest Of such a fatal pleasure make thy best Joh. No wicked man we act this weighty part With all the saddest deepest thoughts of heart I know I walk upon the brink of Laws Near both to sin and to perdition's jaws And had not I a strong impulse within And mighty call without that I shou'd sin My angry conscience wou'd my soul condemn In wearing of this Holy Diadem 1 Pha. But you are sav'd from all these pious fears Joh. I am anointed by the Brethrens tears Call'd by the groaning of the suffering Cause And voice of providence more loud then Laws By strong impulses knocking ev'ry hour I cou'd not rest till I assum'd the Power Where e're I went methoughts a voice wou'd cry John John take up the fallen dignity That if there any usurpation be The Priesthood's guilty of usurping me I sought not Pow'r but Pow'r did me invade But thou vile man shouldst not the Saints upbraid Our dangers thou shouldst rather weep to see Expos'd to things so scandalous by thee Mat. Was ever heard of impudence like this Elea. Hale him to Judgment Mat. To eternal bliss To an abode which blest enough wou'd be From men so impious only to be free Enter a Pharisee running 3 Pha. Be gone be gone the Pagan King is nigh Return'd out of the Field with Victory Joh. Curse on that Infidel the Priest he 'l save Elea. Why shou'd a Heathen such successes have Enter Phraartes and Guard who beat John c. off the Stage Mathias pursues After an alarm Phra. and Mat. return Phr. Why Father do you thus expose your age To Rebels treachery and Roman rage Can your Gray-hairs by you forgotten be Or does it shame you to be sav'd by me Mat. It does that you should bleed for us each day Who Sir for you can nothing do but pray Phr. Good man I am rewarded far above All I can merit in your Daughters Love Mat. Ex. Several with baskets of provision There I have brought rich plunder for the Crowd Not to supply their treasures but their bloud To their repast the hungry rabble call Go scatter life throw souls among 'em all Ex. with provisions A shout Phra. Ex Scene a Chamber Enter Clarona weeping a Book in her hand sets her self in a Chair Clar. Oh my devotion I shall let thee go For deadly deadly sick with Love I grow No sight of him but does my strength decay And yet I cannot keep my eyes away To these clear Springs of life no more I go looks on the Book Cause they my souls decaying beauty shew Enter Phraartes who starts to see her weeping Phr. In tears what villany has fortune done To my best Soul whilst I to Arms was gone What have I spy'd now I the cause divine I see a Book that is no friend o' mine And does that trash still please your sickly mind Love has not wrought a thorough cure I find Clar. You with Religion still will be severe You wou'd think much shou'd I as harsh appear To your friend Love Phr. Wou'd it not pity breed To see thee climbing Mountains for a Weed Chain'd like Prometheus rather to the brow Of barren Rocks for ever clad in Snow And there Religion gnawing of thee still Who wou'd not the devouring Vulture kill Clar. How poor Cymmerians to the Sun unknown Think ev'ry Land all darkness like their