ours ha's grosly fail'd in his own Trade Pray bid him chuse again Sir Will. Stanly You can perswade The Princess Mrs. Stanly No I love him not so well Nor her so little Sir Will. Stanly But have Gifts no Spell To charm your Heart and dazel your young Eyes Mrs. Stanly Him and his Gifts I equally despise Sir Will. Stanly You serve your Mistress making her a Queen Mrs. Stanly Brother you know her not But had you been In presence at her secret Vows to day You would not dare to think what now you say Her Honour and Revenge she values so That she for them will Crown and Life forgo Sir Will. Stanly You have her favour and at least may try If she will yield a little and comply Mrs. Stanly Such is her Horrour of him that no Age Did so much Beauty see with so much Rage This undertaking would too dearly cost For next the Tyrant she would hate me most Sir Will. Stanly Sister with equal Joy great proofs I find Both of your faithful and her generous Mind And now suppose that I a Champion show Who will and can destroy her powerful Foe May this bold undertaker hope to prove As in her cause successful in her Love Mrs. Stanly In common Justice she can do no less Then love the Authour of such happiness Sir Will. Stanly Will she that powerful Passion for him own Which mingles Souls and makes two Lovers one So high a work should be as highly paid Who kills the Dragon must enjoy the Maid Mrs. Stanly Now you come on too fast For he must wear Of Royalty the sacred Character Who without Sacriledge attempts to be At such a holy shrine Love's Votarie Sir Will. Stanly Sister you talk in a Romantick strain Pray spare your Metaphors and be more plain Mrs. Stanly Brother the Queen and Princess Enter the Queen and the Princess Sir Will. Stanly Let us go For I have much to say and you to do Princess Madam your pardon and your leave I pray To speak one word with her Queen Daughter you may The Princess talks in private with Mrs. Stanly and the Queen advanceth forwards upon the Stage Queen To what extremes am I reduc'd by fate I give to him whom mortally I hate Her whom my heart loves most It must be so To save a child I must oblige a Foe The unconcern'd may the World's Censure weigh I Nature and Necessity obey Let Honour's Laws be scan'd by Rules of Art None but poor Mothers know a Mothers Heart The Princess comes forwards to the Queen Exeunt Sir William Stanly and Mistris Stanly SCENA VI. Queen Well may our Patience Daughter be admir'd Which ha's the Tyrant and Heaven's Anger tir'd For in the King you now a Lover meet Who lays himself and Scepter at your feet My Heart with swelling Joy is larger grown To think my Blood shall repossess the Throne To see our wither'd Hopes spring forth a new Whilst all our Ruines are repair'd in you Prin. Madam your Joy more then my own I prize When from a lawful cause your Joy does rise But Madam yet I cannot find our Fate Of the old Rigour does the least abate Till Heaven's slow Justice shall ordain a way With his own Blood to make this Tyrant pay What he so barb'rously ha's spilt of ours In wonted Sorrows we must spend our Hours Of the least joy should we be guilty found We both our Honour and our Duty wound Queen Long have we mourn'd the Dead yet all our grief To them or to our selves brings no Relief To their cold Ashes 't were a fond respect The safety of the Living to neglect Prin. If that safe way to Infamy shall lead I rather chuse the Paths of Death to tread Queen The name of Infamy can it deserve To follow Nature and our selves preserve Prin. Nature abho'rs that you should call him Son Who ha's your Children rob'd of Life and Throne Queen Do not those wounds of Fate to mind recall Because we much have lost must we lose all If we have suffer'd Ship-wrack and our best Vessels are sunk shall we not save the rest Prin. Alas are the rest sav'd when you commit Them to that Tempest which the others split Queen Repentance turns that Tempest to a Calm Prin. That Calm may soon relapse and grow the same Tempest again swelling the Purple Flood Both with the Brother's and the Sister's Blood A Calm and Tempest mingle in this Wooer The Calm betrays the Tempest does devour Queen Trust to a Mother's Judgment The sure test Of Princes meanings is their Interest That very Cause which mov'd his Crueltie Against my Sons inclines him now to be As kind to you his Passion must be true In courting you he courts his Safety too Prin. Shall then the Butcher of our Familie By me and by my love protected be Two Paricides did his foul hands imbrue When he his Soveraign in his Nephew slew Shall I be Instrumental to make good His Power cemented by my Brothers Blood No Madam If it be my Fate to prove The object of his Cruelty or Love It shall not be my choice to have a Room In his loath'd Bed but in my Brother 's Tomb. Queen 'T is true a Sister's Love in some degree May these transports of Passion justifie Yet in a Sister's Love you should not smother The duty which you owe a tender Mother My Sorrows as my losses are not less Then yours though I their angry noise suppress And though I suffer not with blind Despair A Mother's Grief to drown a Mother's care Daughter submit When I prescribe the way Of safety you in Duty must obey Prin. The way prescrib'd does not to safety carry This Tyrant's Bed makes a bad Sanctuary Queen Were you a private Person did you stand Secure out of the reach of his Command I should agree with you But 't is your Fate His Love to suffer or to feel his Hate No middle way can these Extreams avoid By him you must be marry'd or destroy'd Prin. Joyn'd with my Brothers in their silent Grave Losing my Life I shall my Honour save Queen When you abandon Reason's steddy ground Honour is nothing but an empty sound 'T is a false light at which fools gazing stand Till they themselves on their own shallows strand Enter a Servant Serv. Madam the King does in your Lodgings wait Queen Tell him I come Before it be too late Exit Servant Preserve yourself and me live and obey Throw not your Life Heavens chiefest gift away Exit Queen Prin. A Mother and a Tyrant joyn to force My plighted heart to an unjust Divorce But Richmond the Temptation of a Crown Shall not divert me nor a Tyrant's frown I 'le follow thee whom powerful Heaven does lead To save the living and revenge the Dead Exit Princess ACTUS II. SCENA PRIMA Enter Sir William Stanly and Mrs. Stanly Mrs. Stanly Run not so fast you tread on slippery Ice And on both
Charlot Dispute with mine the Glory of the Day 'T would make a Monarch Bankrupt to bestow That just Reward which to thy Faith I owe. Chandew To himself What do my Eyes behold It must be she And her Disguise reveals her Infamie Richmond To Charlot Why speak'st thou not when all the World 's become So loud in praising thee canst thou be dumb Chandew Must she needs chuse the most Conspicuous Place Of the whole Earth to blazon my Disgrace Richmond What sudden damp does on thy spirits seise Chandew To himself Death of my Honour and my Souls Disease Thou art a Blot upon my Name which I Will rase out with thy Life Oxford Sir I descry A strange transport in my Lord Chandew too Richmond What Mysteries are these my Lord are you Concern'd in that brave Youth Chandew Sir 't is a Stray From my Enclosures it has broke away Richmond My Lord be well advis'd if you would gain My Credit and our former Love maintain Reproch him not Chandew I cannot much delight To bring that Creatures shame to publick sight But Sir in equal Justice you will give To the right Owner's hands a Fugitive Richmond You must not your displeasure thus express If you expect I shall my Claim release Charlot kneeling to my L d Chandew Sir I am yours and have deserv'd your Hate O let my Death end this unkind debate Take me and take my Life for 't is your due First as your Gift and now by forfeit too Chandew Since thou hast murder'd thy whole Family Offering to kill Charlot In their best Life their Honour thou shalt dye Rich. Hold Chandew hold What means this furious Heat In which you both your self and me forget 'T is well your merit weighs my anger down Chandew Pardon my Passion thus unruly grown It did my strength of Reason quite subdue Rich. More then my Pardon does belong to you But I am wrackt with Doubts Rise Boy and free My tortur'd Thoughts from this Perplexitie Charlot O Sir if I must here my Sins confess This Posture most becomes my Guiltiness And I this low submission doubly owe In presence of my Prince and Father too Rich. My Lord are you his Father Chandew Sir that Name Turns my whole Life to Sorrow and to Shame Rich. Rather to Glory and to Happiness A better Son cannot a Parent bless Oxford Sir I perceive where all our Errour lyes Charlot suppos'd his Son his Daughter is Rich. I am opprest with Wonder Charlot rise Whilst thy disputed Sex deludes our eyes Thou dost to me a Guardian Angel seem Which did the Princess sacred Life redeem SCEN. IX Enter Queen Princess and Attendants Rich. Madam at last Propitious Heaven affords Success to the Endeavour of our Swords We at your Royal Feet our Persons lay And all the mighty Trophies of the Day Princess Sir these Submissions must not come from you No Homage from a Conqu'rer can be due Your Laurel should in Justice be a Crown For all by double Conquest is your own Rich. How gloriously your Servants you reward Princess No Sir from that I am by Duty bar'd A Parent 's leave must first the Gift allow Ere I the merited Reward bestow Richmond To the Queen Sway'd by my Love to her whom you love best I have unduly my Respects addrest This Madam for her sake you 'l not reprove All Laws of Ceremony yield to Love Queen What you oblige me in needs no Excuse And Sir I were unjust should I refuse My vote to such a Publick Happiness May all the Powers above this Union bless Richmond to the Queen To the Prin. I must with humble adoration kiss The Hand which does confer so high a bliss Now Madam what say you Princess I must obey Rich. Succeeding Times shall magnify this Day Whose Fruitful Joys shall flow to distant Age And rescue Nations from Rebellious Rage But Madam in this Publick Jubilee Charlot's Concerns must not neglected be This Fav'rite to us both does newly find A Noble Father in my greatest Friend And what is yet more strange that Fathers Eye Does here a Daughter not a Son descry Princess I 'm lost in wonder but what ere he be No Sex can equal his great Loyaltie Now Charlot ease my Mind which longs to know The secret Cause whence all these Wonders flow Charlot Can any thing but Love such Wonders do As have disguis'd the Soul and Body too Madam I drunk my Poyson when my Eye Did first his Image whom you love descry I was too young to weigh how far above The level of my Birth I rais'd my love My wounded Heart in Bretany first bled And when our Exile thence to Paris fled Leaving my Home my Parents and my Shape To follow him I made a bold Escape And to his Service I soon gain'd access Helpt by Industrious Love and this feign'd dress Princess Charlot no History shall ever show So brave a Rival and so kind a Foe Pity and Envy both attend thy Fate Thou art more Generous I more Fortunate Richmond Ah gentle Charlot in a high degree Thou hast at once oblig'd and punish'd me The Torment of great minds I undergo Paying so little where so much I owe. Strange Sir I want Merit but your Goodness may For Service yet to come advance my pay Grant me your Favour in my great design Of off ' ring my Devotions at this Shrine I long have known her and with envious Eyes Have seen above my own her Vertue rise But Madam now a double change we find To Charlot For your Sex alter'd has transform'd my Mind My Jealousie grows Love and what before With Envy I beheld I now adore Richmond Thy Passion makes me happy and I know Your Father's Judgement will this choice allow Her Fortune as her Birth shall equal you Who marries her marries our Favour too Chandew I hope that in this happy Bride Your scrup'lous Honour now is satisfi'd Chandew Not only satisfi'd but much encreast Where I unhappy was I now am blest Charlot How much must I to such Indulgence owe As on the Guilty does Reward bestow But Sir no Power can former Vows release Which bar me from this proffer'd happiness Ambitious Flames will ever upwards tend They may their Object lose but ne're descend Mine still shall rise and in a Cloister chuse The lasting Love of an Immortal Spouse Strange Ah! leave us not Heaven wants you less then we Princess Vertue will leave that Land which loseth thee Charlot All Vertue stays when you are left behind Madam in vain you urge my setled Mind SCEN. X. Enter L. Stanly L. Stanly The Field does want you Sir The Souldiers call With loud Impatience for their General In this days Booty they the Crown have found And all cry out that Richmond must be crown'd Richmond My Lord they should their duty better know For common Hands must not the Crown bestow L. Stanly High swelling Torrents you as soon may swage As stop the Current of
her Bosom pray be free Is she not warm to him and cold to me Mrs. Stanly Sir you mistake the Temper of her Heart Where grief holds all Love can pretend no part King If she be free from Love her Duty may With less reluctancy her King obey I wish I had more cause to thank your care In my concerns Madam your Brothers are My greatest Friends methinks you should inherit With their high Blood some of their loyal merit Madam be kind and let me not despair That Heaven ha's made you good as well as fair Madam I will attend your Daughter strait To the Queen To learn of her mine and the Kingdoms Fate Exit King L. Strange Uncle farewel would I might stay with you Sir W. Stan. You must obey your King and Father too Exit Strange SCENA VI. Queen Sir Will. Stanly Mrs. Stanly Queen Did you not mark how his contracted brow Did curle like Waves which to a Tempest grow Sir W. Stan. Madam this gath'ring Storm if not withstood Will end in a Prodigious Rain of Blood Queen Too well I know the Ills these Signs presage This Storm on me and mine will shortly rage How often cruel man must I be stain In every Child and yet not end my Pain Ere thou didst tear away each tender shoot Would thou hadst laid thy Hatchet to the Root Sir Will. Stanly Madam he wants the Bowels of a Man Who sees your Grief and does not all he can In your Redress When you my Sword command 'Twixt him and yours I will a Bulwark stand Queen Sir were your offer more then complement I should such kindness to its worth resent But by his favours you are prepossest And wear the Tyrant's Chains though not opprest Sir Will. Stan. Those seeming favours which he does impart Are no true marks of kindness but of Art When he propitious to my Vows appears He does but sacrifice to his own Fears Queen Alas I am not worth a new design Of farther ruine You need not combine By subtle ways to draw me to my woe I am past falling now Ily so low Sir Will. Stanly Let all in Heaven and Earth who sacred be The great and good be Witnesses for me That I to you and yours will loyal prove Queen Such ardent Zeal and such a sudden Love From him who seem'd a Foe must well be scan'd Ere they by Force of Words my Faith command Mrs. Stanly I know my brother's Int'rest and his Heart His Passion wears no false disguise of Art Queen If his deep Vows and those confirm'd by you Should move my willing heart to think them true What means has he from threatning Storms to free The small remainder of my Familie Sir William Stanly None can be sav'd unless they first believe Madam the great deceiver I 'le deceive You cannot see the depths of my design But you shall hear it when I spring the Mine Queen These mighty Promises advanc'd by you Ask time for thanks and for acceptance too Exit Queen SCENA VII Sir William Stanly Mrs. Stanly Mrs. Stanly Brother what 's your Design I fear you move In these Attempts provok't by your rash Love Sir Will. Stan. Though Love be the great Cause yet I should do The same by Honour mov'd and Justice too Mrs. Stanly To save true Princes from a Tyrant's doom Is that which may a Stanly well become But with unlawful Passion to invade What mutual Vows and Heaven have sacred made Will all the Glory of your Life deface And tarnish all the Lustre of our Race Do you not see the great Design of Fate That peacefully would quench the fierce Debate In which this harrass'd Land too long ha's bled By planting these two Roses in one Bed Sir Will. Stanly The truth of what you say I know too well But Love against my Reason does rebel The Enterprise less difficult will prove To vanquish Richard then to conquer Love Mrs. Stanly Such hopeless Love no longer entertain The Saint whom you adore you but prophane It will both mortal and unglorious be To touch the Fruit of this Forbidden Tree Sir Will. Stanly Though between me and my Pretentions lyes A Chaos void of Possibilities Yet I must on Those things I mean to do Shall make you say I did not rashly wooe If Love's Religion Merit will allow He may find Grace who ha's perform'd his Vow Exeunt ACTUS TERTIUS SCEN. I. Enter King Princess L d Strange Guards and Attendants L d Strange apart The Tyrant now will our poor Princess bait With Kindness far more Cruel then his Hate King Madam be pleas'd to let your Guards withdraw Prin. My Guards And must their Pris'ner give them Law King Madam your are their Queen Both these and I And with us all the Nation prostrate lye Begging the Honour of your Government Prin. What you in pleasant Rallery present Your serious Conscience knows is all my Due This with the rest I must endure from you And to the will of Heaven I can resign What you have ravish'd both from me and mine But though you tye my Person as your Slave Yet let my Thoughts the common Freedom have The Thoughts of Pris'ners cannot be confin'd No fetter'd Slave can love against his mind King Though I confess that for the Publick Good And safety of the Realm I have drawn blood Heaven knows against my will yet Madam you Are grown the greater Tyrant of us two The Realm's inflam'd and wounded you may quench This Inflamation and the Bleeding stench Though I am much unworthy of your Love Yet England's Safety should your Pity move Madam your love vouchsaf'd to me ha's Charms Which can dissolve all Enmities and Arms All our Divisions close the War is done When Right and Power consent to joyn in one Prin. Sir could your cruel Rhet'rick rudely chuse No Subject but Compassion to abuse Is Pity that which you pretend to teach O Sir that you had practis'd what you preach Then had you not the Royal Plants cut down To clear your Passage to the sacred Crown The Blood you spilt provokes Heaven's striking Flame Whose long Forbearance takes but surer aim King Madam I need not fear a Punishment Out of the Clouds Heaven spares the Innocent The Thunder which I dread does only lye In your contracted Brow or angry Eye Repeal that Censure which misjudging Grief Lays on the Guiltless and gives small Relief To your great Losses making those my Crimes Which were effects of the distracted times I mourn'd as much as you the hasty Fate Of that lamented Pair whose lives short Date I rather would have lengthen'd with my own To be their Subject then to wear their Crown Prin. You robb'd me of my Blood and Regal Due Would you deprive me of my Sense too My Reason is reverst with me alas Richard the third for a mild Prince must passe King Did you believe me Cruel at that rate Which you pretend you would not tempt your Fate By Provocations
Exit Strange Sir W. Stanly Sister pray tell the Queen by her Command That I wait here to kiss the Princess hand Mrs. Stanly If you reveal your madness you will lose The Glory of that Rescue you propose For such a daring Lover she 'l despise More then she hates her rudest Enemies Sir W. Stanly So far my sense with your advice accords That I 'le shew Deeds more daring then my Words Pray go O Coward Heart shall sudden fear Exit Mrs. Stanly Possess my Breast that was a Stranger there Must I now tremble at a Woman's sight Who was not born for Terrour but Delight Thus Natures Law is by Love's Power controll'd Which men disheartens and makes Women Bold Enter Princess SCEN. II. Princess Sir William Stanly Mrs. Stanly Madam I humbly beg that I may have Leave to expose my Life your Life to save My Zeal has long lain speechless though not weak And 't is your Danger now that makes it speak Prin. Sir by the Queen's Advertisement I learn How great a sense you have in my Concern You have a Brother too whose Constant Love By many secret Tryals I approve And though Court-Favours on his Person shine His Outside is the King 's his Inside mine Sir W. Stanly 'T is my Misfortune Madam that I must More then my own to others Merit trust And yet ere long I may deserve your Ear Without the help of an Interpreter I in your Favour should to none submit If more then all the World I merit it I hope if I relieve your present State You will my Love by my Performance rate Prin. Your Language too mysterious is more plain Expressions sooner will my Credit gain In your pretended Love you must not vye With those who wish me well by Natures tye Sir W. Stanly Madam There is a Love which does outgo All that of Sisters and of Mothers too Prin. Hold Sir These aiery Notions pray forbear For I am deaf to what I should not hear Give me no Cause to make a Foe of him Whose Friendship to my House I would esteem For I the Tyrant's Rage shall more approve Then the rude Boldness of a Subject's Love Sir W. Stanly So far from us below you are remov'd As makes you fit to be ador'd not lov'd Yet from such Love as does Heaven's Favour gain I need not Madam as from Sin abstain If Heavenly objects you resemble most Can Heaven be gain'd and you the same way lost Prin. Hold Sir This vain Discourse does ill become Her who is newly summon'd to her Tomb. Sir W. Stanly Madam those Summons ' you shall ne're obey I or the Tyrant first shall lead the Way Your Death design'd shall forfeit him his Crown The Grave he digs for you shall be his own Prin. What sure Foundation Sir can I descry Of this bold Promise which you raise so high Sir W. Stanly Foundations Madam are laid under Ground And mine though not expos'd to View are sound By painful Flattery and by long Address I to the Tyrant's Bosom have Access And Death by Steel or Poyson is his Due Who forms a black Design to murther you Prin. Those Southern Arts to stab or poyson Foes Become the Climates where such Poyson grows He that is born of a true English Race Never destroys a Foe but to his Face Sir W. Stanly But Madam can you give your Life away And to the Tyrant be a willing Prey Prin. To see him fairly kill'd I would resign All Right to what he holds and should be mine Sir W. Stanly Verst in the World but yet not knowing you Madam I ne're till now true Honour knew I am your Convert and so taught I may Ere long to perfect Glory find the way And Madam for a Tryal I this Vow Here solemnly declare to Heaven and you The Tyrant shall be slain and you releast Nobly by him whom Madam you love best In the Suns Eye and in the open Field Fierce Richard shall by Richmond's Sword be kill'd You Honour's Mistris when this Work is done Without Reproch your Proselite may owne Prin. I fear you take great pleasure to surprise My thoughts with Riddles and dark Prophecies I shall refer my Faith to their Event Now my last hours must otherwise be spent Exit Princess Sir W. Stanly As Chymists vex themselves and Nature too When her Elixir they in vain pursue And yet their toyl does other Secrets find Which improve Art and benefit Mankind So though a hidden Love I seek in vain Yet in the Pursuit I shall Glory gain Exit The Scene is changed to a Field adjoyning to Richmond's Quarters SCEN. III. Enter Earl of Richmond Lord Stanly Richmond Talk not of Victory Heaven can confer No Blessing on that Man who loseth Her L. Stanly I know the Tyrant when all hopes are past Reserves that bloody Stroke for the last Cast Surprise him with a Charge that may prevent The Execution of his dire Intent Richmond Could I destroy with the same ease and speed Him and his Camp as he can make her bleed Your Counsel then were good But else her Fate By my Attache I should accelerate The bloody Tyrant stung with Jealousie Will prest by Danger twice revenged be Including me in Her He cannot chuse But hastily destroy what he must lose L d Stanly It still has been the Care of Providence From sudden strokes to shelter Innocence Richmond I Providence adore But to expect A Miracle and so the means neglect When now the Danger of her Life is near Were to deserve the mischief which we fear L d Stanly No way but Conquest can prevent her Doom Richmond I 'le yield my self a Pris'ner in her Room L d Stanly Can the Restraint of her Preserver be The safest way to set the Pris'ner free Richmond 'T is all the way because the Tyrant's Fear Of Richmond makes his Cruelty to Her When I am in his gripe his Appetite Will in my Blood more then in hers delight L d Stanly Sir you mistake him both will please him best By drinking Blood the Thirst is still encreast Sir your important Life you freely may Lay out for her But throw it not away Richmond I am resolv'd that secretly to night You shall convey me to the Princess sight Stanly Shall I conduct you where you Death must meet Here let me rather perish at your Feet Richmond O friend my Love in this great Exigent Must Dangers seek which yours would fain prevent Nor can those Dangers be avoided here My Life and Safety are confin'd in Her Come guide me to the Princess that I may If not secure her Life her Death delay And be assur'd my Lord that her Commands With your Advice shall wholly guide my hands L d Stanly Sir I both yours and her Discretion know And on your Terms propos'd I yield to go But this great Enterprise you must disguise As well to your best Friends as Enemies For should it be divulg'd your Absence here May prove