THis is confest Presumption for had I All that rich stock of Ingenuity Which I could wish for this yet would it be Palaemon's blot a pious Injury But as no Votaries are scorn'd when they The meanest Victim in Religion pay Not that the Pow'r they worship needs a Gum But that they speak their thanks for all with some So though the most contemptible of all That do themselves Palaemon's Servants call I know that Zeal is more than Sacrifice For God did not the Widow's Mite despise And that Palaemon hath Divinity And Mercy is his highest property He that doth such transcendent Merit own Must have imperfect Offerings or none He 's one rich Lustre which doth Rayes dispense As Knowledge will when set in Innocence For Learning did select his noble breast Where in her native Majesty to rest Free from the Tyranny and Pride of Schools Who have confin'd her to Pedantick Rules And that gentiler Errour which does take Offence at Learning for her Habit 's sake Palaemon hath redeem'd her who may be Esteem'd himself an University And yet so much a Gentleman that he Needs not though he enjoys a Pedigree Sure he was built and sent to let us know What man completed could both be and do Freedom from Vice is in him Nature's part Without the help of Discipline or Art He 's his own Happiness and his own Law Whereby he keeps Passion and Fate in awe Nor was this wrought in him by Time and Growth His genius had anticipated both Had all men been Palaemons Pride had ne're Taught one man Tyranny the other Fear Ambition had been full as Monstrous then As this ill World doth render Worthy men Had men his Spirit they would soon forbear Groveling for dirt and quarrelling for air Were his harmonious Soul diffus'd in all We should believe that men did never fall It is Palaemon's Soul that hath engrost Th' ingenuous candour that the World hath lost Whose one mind seats him quiet safe and high Above the reach of Time or Destiny 'T was he that rescu'd gasping Friendship when The Bell toll'd for her Funeral with men 'T was he that made Friends more then Lovers burn And then made Love to sacred Friendship turn 'T was he turn'd Honour inward set her free From Titles and from Popularity Now fix'd to Vertue she begs Praise of none But 's Witness'd and Rewarded both at home And in his breast this Honour 's so enshrin'd As the old Law was in the Ark confin'd To which Posterity shall all consent And less dispute then Acts of Parliament He 's our Original by whom we see How much we fail and what we ought to be But why do I to Copy him pretend My Rymes but libel whom they would commend 'T is true but none can reach what 's set so high And though I miss I 've noble Company For the most happy language must confess It doth obscure Palaemon not express To Mrs. M. A. at parting 1. I Have examin'd and do find Of all that favour me There 's none I grieve to leave behind But only only thee To part with thee I needs must die Could parting sep'rate thee and I. 2. But neither Chance nor Complement Did element our Love 'T was sacred Sympathy was lent Us from the Quire above That Friendship Fortune did create Still fears a wound from Time or Fate 3. Our chang'd and mingled Souls are grown To such acquaintance now That if each would resume their own Alas we know not how We have each other so engrost That each is in the Union lost 4. And thus we can no Absence know Nor shall we be confin'd Our active Souls will daily go To learn each others mind Nay should we never meet to Sense Our Souls would hold Intelligence 5. Inspired with a Flame Divine I scorn to court a stay For from that noble Soul of thine I ne're can be away But I shall weep when thou dost grieve Nor can I die whil'st thou dost live 6. By my own temper I shall guess At thy felicity And only like my happiness Because it pleaseth thee Our hearts at any time will tell If thou or I be sick or well 7. All Honour sure I must pretend All that is Good or Great She that would be Rosania's Friend Must be at least compleat If I have any bravery 'T is cause I have so much of thee 8. Thy Leiger Soul in me shall lie And all thy thoughts reveal Then back again with mine shall flie And thence to me shall steal Thus still to one another tend Such is the sacred name of Friend 9. Thus our twin-Souls in one shall grow And teach the World new Love Redeem the Age and Sex and shew A Flame Fate dares not move And courting Death to be our friend Our Lives together too shall end 10. A Dew shall dwell upon our Tomb Of such a quality That fighting Armies thither come Shall reconciled be We 'll ask no Epitaph but say ORINDA and ROSANIA To my dearest Antenor on his Parting THough it be just to grieve when I must part With him that is the Guardian of my Heart Yet by an happy change the loss of mine Is with advantage paid in having thine And I by that dear Guest instructed find Absence can do no hurt to Souls combin'd As we were born to love brought to agree By the impressions of Divine Decree So when united nearer we became It did not weaken but encrease our Flame Unlike to those who distant joys admire But slight them when possest of their desire Each of our Souls did its own temper fit And in the other's Mould so fashion'd it That now our Inclinations both are grown Like to our Interests and Persons one And Souls whom such an Union fortifies Passion can ne're destroy nor Fate surprize Now as in Watches though we do not know When the Hand moves we find it still doth go So I by secret Sympathy inclin'd Will absent meet and understand thy mind And thou at thy return shalt find thy Heart Still safe with all the love thou didst impart For though that treasure I have ne're deserv'd It shall with strong Religion be preserv'd And besides this thou shalt in me survey Thy self reflected while thou art away For what some forward Arts do undertake The Images of absent Friends to make And represent their actions in a Glass Friendship it self can only bring to pass That Magick which both Fate and Time beguiles And in a moment runs a thousand miles So in my Breast thy Picture drawn shall be My Guide Life Object Friend and Destiny And none shall know though they employ their wit Which is the right Antenor thou or it Engraven on Mr. John Collier 's Tomb-stone at Bedlington HEre what remains of him doth lie Who was the World's Epitome Religion's Darling Merchants Glory Mens true Delight and Vertue 's Story Who though a Prisoner to the Grave A glorious Freedom once shall have Till when no
Father save And does expose that Memphis which he gave We must now hasten or prevent his Fate His Ruine hinder or precipitate That is unsafe and this ignoble is I dread injustice or unhappiness And angry fortune each way offers me Either much danger or much infamy It is my part of chuse yours to advise What you believe to be most safe and wise Pompey's concern'd nay we the fame shall get Caesar's success to trouble or compleat And never Monarchs Fortune did afford So great a Subject for a Councel Board PHOTINUS When things Sir are determin'd by the Sword Justice is nothing but an empty word And he who then Affairs would rightly weigh Must not his Reasons but his power obey View your own strength let Pompey be survey'd Whose Fortune Droops and Valour is betray'd Who not from Caesar only takes his flight But from the Senates just reproach and sight Whose greater part were cheaply left a Prey To the keen Vultures of Pharsalia He flies lost Rome and every Roman now Who must to his defeat their Fetters owe. He flies those Kings who would chastise his Guilt Of all the blood that in this cause was spilt Their Kingdoms now of Men and Money void Their broken Scepters and their Thrones destroy'd As Author of all Woes abhor'd by all He flies the whole World shatter'd by his Fall Can you alone resist so many Foes His safety he did in himself Repose He falls and you may yield without a Blush To such a weight as Rome her self does Crush A weight which hath the Universe prest down And the yet greater Pompey overthrown He that will save whom Heaven will have wrackt By too much Justice may a Guilt Contract And a fidelity so indiscreet May a short Fame but long Repentance meet He but a more illustrious wound will have Which will not smart the less for being brave Do not for Egypt Thunderbolts provide But chuse with Fortune and the Gods to side Believe not they can an injustice do But where they favour pay your Homage too Whatever they decree for them declare And think it impious where they frown to spare With Divine Anger Pompey now beset Comes to involve you too in his Defeat His Head for which both Gods and Men do call Already shakes and seeks but where to fall His coming hither an Offence does seem And shews his hatred rather than esteem He would his safety with your ruine buy And can you doubt if he deserve to die Had he fulfill'd what we both wisht and thought And a victorious Navy hither brought We then should him a joyful welcom shew Who must the gods blame for his usage now I of his Fortune not of him complain But with regret Act what the Gods Ordain And the same Ponyard once for Caesar meant Shall with a sigh to Pompey's Heart be sent Nor can you at a less rate than his Head Secure your own and shun the storm you dread Let this be thought a Crime if so it must 'T is not a States-man's Virtue to be Just When Right and Wrong are in the Ballance laid The Interest of Kingdoms is betray'd Extreamest Rigour is the Right of Kings When Timerous Equity their Ruine brings Who fears a Crime shall ever be afraid But he 'll rule all who all things dares invade Who dangerous virtue as disgrace does shun And to an useful Crime as swiftly run This is my Thought Sir but Achillas may Or else Septimius chuse some other way But this I know whatever others like They fear no Conqueror who the conquer'd strike ACHILLAS Photin saies true Sir but though Pompey we Devested of his former Grandeur see Yet that Blood Precious does to me appear Which the Gods did in Thessaly revere Not that a crime of State should be refrain'd But 't is not lawful till it be constrain'd And what need is there of such Rigour here Who quits the conquer'd needs no Conqueror fear You may be Neuter as you were before And Caesar may if him you must adore But though you treat him as a Power Divine This is too great an Off'ring for his Shrine To Mars himself should this head offer'd be 'T would fix on yours too black an infamy Let him not be assisted nor destroy'd And such a Conduct will all blame avoid You owe him much Sir for Rome mov'd by him Help'd our last King his Scepter to redeem But Gratitude and Hospitality In Monarchs Breasts must regulated be Nor can a King Contract so great a debt But that his Subjects claim a greater yet And all Engagements are to Princes void To cancel which their bloud must be imploy'd Consider too what Pompey did expose When he your Father help'd against his Foes By that he made his Power the greater seem And rais'd his own Fame by restoring him He did in serving him but language spend But Caesar's Purse appear'd the better Friend Had we not Caesar's thousand Talents seen Pompey's Orations had small succours been Let him not then his verbal merits boast For Caesar's Actions have oblig'd you most But if a benefit to him be due Speak now for him as he did once for you His kindness safely thus requite you may But here receiv'd he will your Scepter sway This conquer'd Roman yet a King will brave And in your own Dominions you enslave Refuse him welcome then but spare his Head But if 't must fall this arm shall strike him dead I can obey Sir and should Jealous grow If any Hand but mine should strike the blow SEPTIMIUS Sir I 'm a Roman and these Hero's know Pompey needs aid and from you seeks it now You are his fate may his lost hopes revive Banish or kill or give him up alive The first would cost you much too dear a rate I 'le only then the other three debate His exile draws on you enraged Pow'r And does but half oblige the Conquerour Since to a long suspense you will him leave What fate his future battels shall receive And both on you Revenge when weary grown The Ills which but for you they had not known To render him to Caesar were the same Who must forgive him to augment his Fame He will a brav'ry on himself impose And swell in that false mercy he bestows Glad if that way he Pompey can o'recome And in the same Act please subjected Rome But whilst you him to this necessitate You 'll purchase his as well as Pompey's hate His danger and dishonour then prevent Both make him great and keep him innocent Whilst Pompey's Faction you in him destroy Let Caesar at your cost the fruit enjoy By this advice which you 'l I hope allow You 'l gain a Friend and need not fear a Foe But if Achillas unsafe course you choose You neither gain but both their Friendships lose PTOLOMY Let us no more debate what 's Just and fit But to the Worlds vicissitude submit Your Major votes do with my thoughts agree Who in so great a change
March 16. 1661 2. Page 145 Poem 100 A Triton to Lucasia going to Sea Page 146 Poem 101 Orinda upon little Hector Philips Page 148 Poem 102 To the Lady E. Boyle Page 149 Poem 103 To my Lord Duke of Ormond upon the late Plot. Page 150 Poem 104 To the Countess of Roscomon with a Copy of Pompey Page 151 Poem 105 On the death of the truly honourable Sir Walter Lloyd Knight Page 152 Poem 106 Orinda to Lucasia Page 153 Poem 107 To Celimena Page 154 Poem 108 An Answer to another perswading a Lady to Marriage Page 155 Poem 109 Lucasia and Orinda parting with Pastora and Phillis at Ipswich Page 156 Poem 110 Epitaph on my truly honoured P. Scipio Page ib. Poem 111 To Mr. Sam. Cooper having taken Lucasia 's Picture given December 14. 1660. Page 158 Poem 112 Parting with a friend Page 159 Poem 113 To my dearest friend upon her shunning Grandeur Page 161 Poem 114 To Pastora being with her friend Page 163 Poem 115 To my Lord and Lady Dungannon on their marriage May 11. 1662. Page 165 Poem 116 To his Grace Gilbert Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury July 10. 1664. Page 166 Poem 117 La Solitude de St. Amant in French and English Page 170 Poem 118 Tendres desers out of French Prose Page 184 Poem 119 Amanti ch' in pianti c. Page ib. Poem 120 A Pastoral of Mons de Scudery 's in the first Volume of Almahide Englished Page ibid. Poem 121 Translation of Thomas a Kempis into verse out of Mons Corneille Page 196 Poem 122 Pompey a Tragedy Poem 123 Horace a Tragedy Translated from Monsieur Corneille IMPRIMATUR Aug. 20. 1667. Roger L'Estrange POEMS Vpon the double Murther of K. CHARLES I. in Answer to a Libellous Copy of Rimes by Vavasor Powell I Think not on the State nor am concern'd Which way soever the great Helm is turn'd But as that son whose father 's danger nigh Did force his native dumbness and untie The fetter'd organs so this is a cause That will excuse the breach of Nature's laws Silence were now a sin nay Passion now Wise men themselves for Merit would allow What noble eye could see and careless pass The dying Lion kick'd by every Ass Has Charles so broke God's Laws he must not have A quiet Crown nor yet a quiet Grave Tombs have been Sanctuaries Thieves lie there Secure from all their penalty and fear Great Charles his double misery was this Unfaithful Friends ignoble Enemies Had any Heathen been this Prince's foe He would have wept to see him injur'd so His Title was his Crime they 'd reason good To quarrel at the Right they had withstood He broke God's Laws and therefore he must die And what shall then become of thee and I Slander must follow Treason but yet stay Take not our Reason with our King away Though you have seiz'd upon all our defence Yet do not sequester our common Sense Christ will be King but I ne're understood His Subjects built his Kingdom up with blood Except their own or that he would dispence With his commands though for his own defence Oh! to what height of horrour are they come Who dare pull down a crown tear up a Tomb On the numerous Access of the English to wait upon the King in Flanders HAsten Great Prince unto thy British Isles Or all thy Subjects will become Exiles To thee they flock thy Presence is their home As Pompey's Camp where e're it mov'd was Rome They that asserted thy Just Cause go hence To testifie their joy and reverence And those thâ—â— did not now by wonder taught Go to confess and expiate their fault So that if thou dost stay thy gasping Land It self will empty on the Belgick sand Where the affrighted Dutchman does profess He thinks it an Invasion not Address As we unmonarch'd were for want of thee So till thou come we shall unpeopled be None but the close Fanatick will remain Who by our Loyalty his ends will gain And he th' exhausted Land will quickly find As desolate a place as he design'd For England though grown old with woes will see Her long deny'd and Sovereign Remedy So when old Jacob could but credit give That his prodigious Joseph still did live Joseph that was preserved to restore Their lives that would have taken his before It is enough said he to Egypt I Will go and see him once before I die Arion on a Dolphin To his Majesty at his passage into England WHom does this stately Navy bring O! 't is Great Britain's Glorious King Convey him then ye Winds and Seas Swift as Desire and calm as Peace In your Respect let him survey What all his other Subjects pay And prophesie to them again The splendid smoothness of his Reign Charles and his mighty hopes you bear A greater now than Caesar's here Whose Veins a richer Purple boast Than ever Hero's yet engrost Sprung from a Father so august He triumphs in his very dust In him two Miracles we view His Vertue and his Safety too For when compell'd by Traitors crimes To breathe and bow in forreign Climes Expos'd to all the rigid fate That does on wither'd Greatness wait Plots against Life and Conscience laid By Foes pursu'd by Friends betray'd Then Heaven his secret potent friend Did him from Drugs and Stabs defend And what 's more yet kept him upright ' Midst flattering Hope and bloudy Fight Cromwell his whole Right never gain'd Defender of the Faith remain'd For which his Predecessors fought And writ but none so dearly bought Never was Prince so much besieged At home provok'd abroad obliged Nor ever Man resisted thus No not great Athanasius No help of Friends could or Foes spight To fierce Invasion him invite Revenge to him no pleasure is He spar'd their bloud who gap'd for his Blush'd any hands the English Crown Should fasten on him but their own As Peace and Freedom with him went With him they came from Banishment That he might his Dominions win He with himself did first begin And that best victory obtain'd His Kingdom quickly he regain'd Th' illustrious suff'rings of this Prince Did all reduce and all convince He only liv'd with such success That the whole world would fight with less Assistant Kings could but subdue Those Foes which he can pardon too He thinks no Slaughter-trophees good Nor Laurels dipt in Subjects blood But with a sweet resistless art Disarms the hand and wins the heart And like a God doth rescue those Who did themselves and him oppose Go wondrous Prince adorn that Throne Which Birth and Merit make your own And in your Mercy brighter shine Than in the Glories of your Line Find Love at home and abroad Fear And Veneration every where Th' united world will you allow Their Chief to whom the English bow And Monarchs shall to yours resort As Sheba's Queen to Judah's Court Returning thence constrained more To wonder envy and adore Discovered Rome will hate your Crown But she shall
when our Sense is dispossest Our labouring Souls will heave and pant And gasp for one anothers breast Since their Conveyances they want 3. Nay we have felt the tedious smart Of absent Friendship and do know That when we die we can but part And who knows what we shall do now 4. Yet I must go we will submit And so our own Disposers be For while we nobly suffer it We triumph o're Necessity 5. By this we shall be truly great If having other things o'recome To make our victory compleat We can be Conquerors at home 6. Nay then to meet we may conclude And all Obstructions overthrow Since we our Passion have subdu'd Which is the strongest thing I know Against Pleasure Set by Dr. Coleman 1. THere 's no such thing as Pleasure here 'T is all a perfect Cheat Which does but shine and disappear Whose Charm is but Deceit The empty bribe of yielding Souls Which first betrays and then controuls 2. 'T is true it looks at distance fair But if we do approch The fruit of Sodom will impair And perish at a touch In Being than in Fancy less And we expect more than possess 3. For by our Pleasures we are cloy'd And so Desire is done Or else like Rivers they make wide The Channel where they run And either way true bliss destroys Making Us narrow or our Joys 4. We covet Pleasure easily But it not so possess For many things must make it be But one may make it less Nay were our state as we could chuse it 'T would be consum'd by fear to lose it 5. What art thou then thou winged Air More weak and swift than Fame Whos 's next successor is Despair And its attendant Shame Th' Experience-Prince then reason had Who said of Pleasure It is mad A Prayer ETernal Reason Glorious Majesty Compar'd to whom what can be said to be Whose Attributes are Thee who art alone Cause of all various things and yet but One Whose Essence can no more be search'd by Man Then Heav'n thy Throne be grasped with a Span. Yet if this great Creation was design'd To several ends fitted for every kind Sure Man the World's Epitome must be Form'd to the best that is to study thee And as our Dignity 't is Duty too Which is summ'd up in this to know and do These comely rows of Creatures spell thy Name Whereby we grope to find from whence they came By thy own Chain of Causes brought to think There must be one then find that highest Link Thus all created Excellence we see Is a resemblance faint and dark of thee Such shadows are produc'd by the Moon-beams Of Trees or Houses in the running streams Yet by Impressions born with us we find How good great just thou art how unconfin'd Here we are swallowed up and gladly dwell Safely adoring what we cannot tell All we know is thou art supremely good And dost delight to be so understood A spicy Mountain on the Universe On which thy richest Odours do disperse But as the Sea to fill a Vessel heaves More greedily than any Cask receives Besieging round to find some gap in it Which will a new Infusion admit So dost thou covet that thou mayst dispence Upon the empty World thy Influence Lov'st to disburse thy self in kindness Thus The King of Kings waits to be gracious On this account O God enlarge my heart To entertain what thou wouldst fain impart Nor let that Soul by several titles thine And most capacious form'd for things Divine So nobly meant that when it most doth miss 'T is in mistaken pantings after Bliss Degrade it self in sordid things delight Or by prophaner mixtures lose its right Oh! that with fixt unbroken thoughts it may Admire the light which does obscure the day And since 't is Angels work it hath to do May its composure be like Angels too When shall these clogs of Sense and Fancy break That I may hear the God within me speak When with a silent and retired art Shall I with all this empty hurry part To the Still Voice above my Soul advance My light and joy plac'd in his Countenance By whose dispence my Soul to such frame brought May tame each trech'rous fix each scat'ring thought With such distinctions all things here behold And so to separate each dross from gold That nothing my free Soul may satisfie But t' imitate enjoy and study thee To Mris. M. A. upon Absence 1. 'T Is now since I began to die Four Months yet still I gasping live Wrapp'd up in sorrow do I lie Hoping yet doubting a Reprieve Adam from Paradise expell'd Just such a wretched Being held 2. 'T is not thy Love I fear to lose That will in spight of absence hold But 't is the benefit and use Is lost as in imprison'd Gold Which though the Sum be ne're so great Enriches nothing but conceit 3. What angry Star then governs me That I must feel a double smart Prisoner to fate as well as thee Kept from thy face link'd to thy heart Because my Love all love excells Must my Grief have no Parallels 4. Sapless and dead as Winter here I now remain and all I see Copies of my wild state appear But I am their Epitome Love me no more for I am grown Too dead and dull for thee to own To Mrs. Mary Awbrey SOul of my Soul my joy my crown my Friend A name which all the rest doth comprehend How happy are we now whose Souls are grown By an incomparable mixture one Whose well-acquainted Minds are now as near As Love or Vows or Friendship can endear I have no thought but what 's to thee reveal'd Nor thou desire that is from me conceal'd Thy Heart locks up my Secrets richly set And my Breast is thy private Cabinet Thou shed'st no tear but what my moisture lent And if I sigh it is thy breath is spent United thus what Horrour can appear Worthy our Sorrow Anger or our Fear Let the dull World alone to talk and fight And with their vast Ambitions Nature fright Let them despise so Innocent a flame While Envy Pride and Faction play their game But we by Love sublim'd so high shall rise To pity Kings and Conquerours despise Since we that Sacred Union have engrost Which they and all the factious World have lost In Memory of Mr. Cartwright STay Prince of Phancie stay we are not fit To welcome or admire thy Raptures yet Such horrid Ignorance benights the Times That Wit and Honour are become our Crimes But when those happy Pow'rs which guard thy dust To us and to thy Mem'ry shall be just And by a flame from thy blest Genius lent Rescue us from our dull Imprisonment Unsequester our Fancies and create A Worth that may upon thy Glories wait We then shall understand thee and descry The splendour of restored Poetry Till when let no bold hand profane thy shrine 'T is high Wit-Treason to debase thy coin Mr. Francis Finch the Excellent Palaemon
from thence 5. The chiefest thing in Friends is Sympathy There is a Secret that doth Friendship guide Which makes two Souls before they know agree Who by a thousand mixtures are ally'd And chang'd and lost so that it is not known Within which breast doth now reside their own 6. Essential Honour must be in a Friend Not such as every breath fans to and fro But born within is its own judge and end And dares not sin though sure that none should know Where Friendship 's spoke Honesty 's understood For none can be a Friend that is not Good 7. Friendship doth carry more then common trust And Treachery is here the greatest sin Secrets deposed then none ever must Presume to open but who put them in They that in one Chest lay up all their stock Had need be sure that none can pick the Lock 8. A breast too open Friendship does not love For that the others Trust will not conceal Nor one too much reserv'd can it approve It s own Condition this will not reveal We empty Passions for a double end To be refresh'd and guarded by a Friend 9. Wisdom and Knowledge Friendship does require The first for Counsel this for Company And though not mainly yet we may desire Both complaisance and Ingenuity Though ev'ry thing may love yet 't is a Rule He cannot be a Friend that is a Fool. 10. Discretion uses Parts and best knows how And Patience will all Qualities commend That serves a need best but this doth allow The Weaknesses and Passions of a Friend We are not yet come to the Quire above Who cannot Pardon here can never Love 11. Thick Waters shew no Images of things Friends are each others Mirrours and should be Clearer then Crystal or the Mountain Springs And free from Clouds Design or Flattery For vulgar Souls no part of Friendship share Poets and Friends are born to what they are 12. Friends should observe and chide each others Faults To be severe then is most just kind Nothing can ' scape their search who knew the thoughts This they should give and take with equal Mind For Friendship when this Freedom is deny'd Is like a Painter when his hands are ty'd 13. A Friend should find out each Necessity And then unask'd reliev't at any rate It is not Friendship but Formality To be desir'd for Kindness keeps no state Of Friends he doth the Benefactour prove That gives his Friend the means t' express his Love 14. Absence doth not from Friendship 's right excuse Them who preserve each others heart and fame Parting can ne're divide it may diffuse As a far stretch'd out River's still the same Though Presence help'd them at the first to greet Their Souls know now without those aids to meet 15. Constant and Solid whom no storms can shake Nor death unfix a right Friend ought to be And if condemned to survive doth make No second choice but Grief and Memory But Friendship 's best Fate is when it can spend A Life a Fortune all to serve a Friend L'Accord du Bien 1. ORder by which all things are made And this great World's foundation laid Is nothing else but Harmony Where different parts are brought t' agree 2. As Empires are still best maintain'd Those ways which first their Greatness gain'd So in this universal Frame What made and keeps it is the same 3. Thus all things unto peace do tend Even Discords have it for their end The cause why Elements do fight Is but their Instinct to Unite 4. Musick could never please the Sense But by United excellence The sweetest Note which Numbers know If struck alone would tedious grow 5. Man the whole World's Epitome Is by creation Harmony 'T was Sin first quarrell'd in his breast Then made him angry with the rest 6. But Goodness keeps that Unity And loves its own society So well that seldom we have known One real Worth to dwell alone 7. And hence it is we Friendship call Not by one Vertue 's name but all Nor is it when bad things agree Thought Union but Conspiracy 8. Nature and Grace such enemies That when one fell t'other did rise Are now by Mercy even set As Stars in Constellations met 9. If Nature were it self a sin Her Author God had guilty been But Man by sin contracting stain Shall purg'd from that be clear again 10. To prove that Nature's excellent Even Sin it self 's an argument Therefore we Nature's stain deplore Because it self was pure before 11. And Grace destroys not but refines Unveils our Reason then it shines Restores what was deprest by sin The fainting beam of God within 12. The main spring Judgment rectify'd Will all the lesser Motions guide To spend our Labour Love and Care Not as things seem but as they are 13. 'T is Fancy lost Wit thrown away In trifles to imploy that Ray Which then doth in full lustre shine When both Ingenious and Divine 14. To Eyes by Humours vitiated All things seem falsly coloured So 't is our prejudicial thought That makes clear Objects seem in fault 15. They scarce believe united good By whom 't was never understood They think one Grace enough for one And 't is because their selves have none 16. We hunt Extreams and run so fast We can no steddy judgment cast He best surveys the Circuit round Who stands i' th' middle of the ground 17. That happy mean would let us see Knowledge and Meekness may agree And find when each thing hath its name Passion and Zeal are not the same 18. Who studies God doth upwards flye And height still lessens to our eye And he that knows God soon will see Vast cause for his Humility 19. For by that search it will be known There 's nothing but our Will our own And who doth so that stock imploy But finds more cause for Shame then Joy 20. We know so little and so dark And so extinguish our own spark That he who furthest here can go Knows nothing as he ought to know 21. It will with the most Learned sute More to enquire then dispute But Vapours swell within a Cloud 'T is Ignorance that makes us proud 22. So whom their own vain Heart belies Like Inflammations quickly rise But that Soul which is truly great Is lowest in its own conceit 23. Yet while we hug our own mistake We Censures but not Judgments make And thence it is we connot see Obedience stand with Liberty 24. Providence still keeps even state But he can best command his Fate Whose Art by adding his own Voice Makes his Necessity his Choice 25. Rightly to rule ones self must be The hardest largest Monarchy Whose Passions are his Masters grown Will be a Captive in a Throne 26. He most the inward freedom gains Who just Submissions entertains For while in that his Reason sways It is himself that he obeys 27. But onely in Eternity We can these beauteous Unions see For Heaven it self and Glory is But one harmonious
and various things Link'd to their Causes by such secret Springs Are held so fast and govern'd by such Art That nothing can out of its order start The World's God's watch where nothing is so small But makes a part of what composes all Could the least Pin be lost or else displac'd The World would be disorder'd and defac'd It beats no Pulse in vain but keeps its time And undiscern'd to its own height doth climb Strung first and daily wound up by his hand Who can its motions guide and understand No secret cunning then nor multitude Can Providence divert cross or delude And her just full decrees are hidden things Which harder are to find then Births of Springs Yet all in various Consorts fitly sound And by their Discords Harmony compound Hence is that Order Life and Energy Whereby Forms are preserv'd though Matters die And shifting dress keep their own living state So that what kills this does that propagate This made the ancient Sage in Rapture cry That sure the world had full Eternity For though it self to Time and Fate submit He 's above both who made and governs it And to each Creature hath such Portion lent As Love and Wisdom sees convenient For he 's no Tyrant nor delights to grieve The Beings which from him alone can live He 's most concern'd and hath the greatest share In man and therefore takes the greatest care To make him happy who alone can be So by Submission and Conformity For why should Changes here below surprize When the whole World its revolution tries Where were our Springs our Harvests pleasant use Unless Vicissitude did them produce Nay what can be so wearisome a pain As when no Alterations entertain To lose to suffer to be sick and die Arrest us by the same Necessity Nor could they trouble us but that our mind Hath its own glory unto dross confin'd For outward things remove not from their place Till our Souls run to beg their mean embrace Then doting on the choice make it our own By placing Trifles in th' Opinion's Throne So when they are divorc'd by some new cross Our Souls seem widow'd by the fatal loss But could we keep our Grandeur and our state Nothing below would seem unfortunate But Grace and Reason which best succours bring Would with advantage manage every thing And by right Judgment would prevent our moan For losing that which never was our own For right Opinion's like a Marble grott In Summer cool and in the Winter hot A Principle which in each Fortune lives Bestowing Catholick Preservatives 'T is this resolves there are no losses where Vertue and Reason are continued there The meanest Soul might such a Fortune share But no mean Soul could so that Fortune bear Thus I compose my thoughts grown insolent As th' Irish Harper doth his Instrument Which if once struck doth murmur and complain But the next touch will silence all again 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself WHen God contracted to Humanity Could sigh and suffer could be sick and die When all the heap of Miracles combin'd To form the greatest which was save Mankind Then God took stand in Christ studying a way How to repair the Ruin'd World's decay His Love Pow'r Wisdom must some means procure His Mercy to advance Justice secure And since Man in such Misery was hurl'd It cost him more to save then make the World Oh! what a desp'rate load of sins had we When God must plot for our Felicity When God must beg us that he may forgive And dye himself before Mankind could live And what still are we when our King in vain Begs his lost Rebels to be Friends again What flouds of Love proceed from Heaven's smile At once to pardon and to reconcile What God himself hath made he cannot hate For 't is one act to Love and to Create And he 's too perfect full of Majesty To need additions from our Misery He hath a Father's not a Tyrant's joy Shews more his Pow'r to save then to destroy Did there ten thousand Worlds to ruine fall One God could save one Christ redeem them all Be silent then ye narrow Souls take heed Lest you restrain the Mercy you will need But O my Soul from these be different Imitate thou a nobler Precedent As God with open Arms the World does woo Learn thou like God to be enlarged too As he begs thy consent to pardon thee Learn to submit unto thy Enemy As he stands ready thee to entertain Be thou as forward to return again As he was Crucify'd for and by thee Crucifie thou what caus'd his Agony And like to him be mortify'd to sin Die to the World as he dy'd for it then The World WE falsly think it due unto our Friends That we should grieve for their untimely ends He that surveys the World with serious eyes And strips her from her gross and weak disguise Shall find 't is Injury to mourn their Fate He only dies untimely who dies late For if 't were told to Children in the Womb To what a Stage of Mischiefs they must come Could they foresee with how much toil and sweat Men court that guilded nothing being Great What pains they take not to be what they seem Rating their bliss by others false esteem And sacrificing their Content to be Guilty of grave and serious Vanity How each Condition hath its proper Thorns And what one man admires another scorns How frequently their Happiness they miss So far even from agreeing what it is That the same Person we can hardly find Who is an hour together in one mind Sure they would beg a Period of their breath And what we call their Birth would count their Death Mankind is mad for none can live alone Because their Joys stand by comparison And yet they quarrel at Society And strive to kill they know not whom nor why We all live by Mistake delight in Dreams Lost to our selves and dwelling in Extremes Rejecting what we have though ne're so good And prizing what we never understood Compar'd t' our boisterous inconstancy Tempests are calm and Discords harmony Hence we reverse the World and yet do find The God that made can hardly please our Mind We live by chance and slip into Events Have all of Beasts except their Innocence The Soul which no man's pow'r can reach a thing That makes each Woman Man each Man a King Doth so much lose and from its height so fall That some contend to have no Soul at all 'T is either not observ'd or at the best By Passion fought withal by Sin deprest Freedom of Will God's Image is forgot And if we know it we improve it not Our Thoughts though nothing can be more our own Are still unguided very seldom known Time ' scapes our hands as Water in a Sieve We come to die e're we begin to live Truth the most sutable and noble prize Food of our Spirits yet neglected
can lament this loss though not express Nay if those ancient Bards had seen this Herse Who once in British shades spoke living Verse Their high concern for him had made them be Apter to weep than write his Elogy When on our Land that flood of woes was sent Which swallow'd all things sacred as it went The injur'd Arts and Vertues made his breast The Ark wherein they did securely rest For as that old one was toss'd up and down And yet the angry billows could not drown So Heav'n did him in this worse deluge save And made him triumph o're th' unquiet wave Who while he did with that wild storm contest Such real magnanimity express'd That he dar'd to be loyal in a time When 't was a danger made and thought a crime Duty and not ambition was his aim Who study'd Conscience ever more than Fame And thought it so desirable a thing To be prefer'd to suffer for his King That he all Fortunes spight had pardon'd her Had she not made his Prince a sufferer For whose lov'd cause he did both act and grieve And for it only did endure to live To teach the world what man can be and do Arm'd by Allegiance and Religion too His head and heart mutual assistance gave That being still so wise and this so brave That 't was acknowledg'd all he said and did From judgment and from honour did proceed Such was the useful mixture of his mind 'T was at once meek and knowing stout and kind For he was civil bountiful and learn'd And for his Friends so generously concern'd That both his heart and house his hand and tongue To them more than himself seem'd to belong As if to his wrong'd party he would be Both an Example and Apology For when both Swords and Pens ceas'd the dispute His life alone Rebellion did confute But when his Vows propitious Heaven had heard And our unequal'd King at length appear'd As aged Simeon did his spirits yield When he had seen his dearest hopes fulfil'd He gladly saw the morning of that day Which Charles his growing splendour did display Then to Eternal joies made greater haste Because his present ones flow'd in so fast From which he fled out of a pious fear Lest he by them should be rewarded here While his sad Country by his death have lost Their noblest Pattern and their greatest boast Orinda to Lucasia 1. OBserve the weary birds e're night be done How they would fain call up the tardy Sun With Feathers hung with dew And trembling voices too They court their glorious Planet to appear That they may find recruits of spirits there The drooping Flowers hang their heads And languish down into their beds While Brooks more bold and fierce than they Wanting those beams from whence All things drink influence Openly murmur and demand the day 2. Thou my Lucasia art far more to me Than he to all the under-world can be From thee I 've heat and light Thy absence makes my night But ah my Friend it now grows very long The sadness weighty and the darkness strong My tears its dew dwell on my cheeks And still my heart thy dawning seeks And to the mournfully it cries That if too long I wait Ev'n thou may'st come too late And not restore my life but close my eyes To Celimena FOr bear fond heart say I torment no more That Celimena whom thou dost adore For since so many of her Chains are proud How canst thou be distinguish'd in the crowd But say bold trifler what dost thou pretend Wouldst thou depose thy Saint into thy Friend Equality in friendship is requir'd Which here were criminal to be desir'd An Answer to another perswading a Lady to Marriage 1. FOrbear bold Youth all 's Heaven here And what you do aver To others Courtship may appear 'T is Sacriledge to her 2. She is a publick Deity And were 't not very odd She should depose her self to be A petty Houshold God 3. First make the Sun in private shine And bid the World adieu That so he may his beams confine In complement to you 4. But if of that you do despair Think how you did amiss To strive to fix her beams which are More bright and large than this Lucasia and Orinda Parting with Pastora and Phillis at Ipswich 1. IN your converse we best can read How constant we should be But 't is in losing that we need All your Philosphy 2. How perish'd is the joy that 's past The present how unsteady What comfort can be great and last When this is gone already 3. Yet that it subtly may torment The memory does remain For what was when enjoy'd content Is in its absence pain 4. If you 'll restore it we 'll not grieve That Fate does now us sever 'T is better by your gift to live Than by our own endeavour Epitaph on my truly honoured Publius Scipio TO the officious Marble we commit A Name above the art of time or wit 'T is righteous Valiant Scipio whose life we Found the best Sermon and best History Whose Courage was no Aguish bru'tish heat But such as spoke him good as well as great Which first Engaged his Arms to prop the State Of the almost undone Palatinate And help the Nether-Lands to stem the tide Of Romes ambition and the Austrian Pride Which shall in every History be fam'd Wherein Breda or Frankendale are nam'd And when forced by his Country's angry Stars To be a Party in her Civil Wars He so much conduct by his Valour taught So wisely govern'd and so bravely Faught That the English Annals shall this Record bear None better could direct or further dare Form'd both for War and Peace was brave in fight And in Debate judicious and upright Religion was his first and highest care Which rul'd his Heart in Peace his Hand in War Which at the least Sin made him tremble still And rather stand a Breach than act an Ill For his great Heart did such a temper show Stout as Rock yet soft as melting Snow In him so prudent and yet so sinsere The Serpent much the Dove did more appear He was above the little arts of state And scorn'd to sell his peace to mend his Fate Anxious of nothing but an inward spot His hand was open but his Conscience not Just to his Word to all Religions kind In duty strict in Bounty unconfin'd And yet so modest 't was to him less pain To do great things then hear them told again Perform sad Stone thy honourable trust Unto his memory and thy self be just For his immortal name shall thee befriend And pay thee back more same then thou canst lend To Mr. Sam. Cooper having taken Lucasia 's Picture given December 14. 1660. 1. IF noble things can noble thoughts infuse Your Art might even in me create a Muse And what you did inspire you would Excuse 2. But if it such a Miracle could do That Muse would not return you half your due
will declare Their voice perhaps may strike the Ear But it can never move the heart Th' obscure and naked Word they sow But thou dost open our dim Eye And the dead letter to supply The Living Spirit dost bestow Mysterious truth 's to us they brought But thou expound'st the Riddle too And thou alone canst make us do All the great things that they have taught They may indeed the way direct But thou inablest us to walk I' th ear alone sticks all they talk But thou dost even the Heart dessect They wash the surface of the mind But all her fruit thy Goodness claims All that e're enlightens or enflames Must be to that alone assign'd POMPEY A Tragedy LONDON Printed for H. Herringman and are to be sold at his Shop at the Blew-Anchor in the lower walk of the new Exchange 1667. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Countess of Cork Madam AS some untimely Flower whose bashful head Ready to drop into her humble Bed Is rescu'd by the Sun 's prevailing Ray To share that Light with which he guilds the Day So this Translation of strict Eyes afraid With conscious blushes would have sought a shade When your resistless Power did Orders give Thus to recall the timerous Fugitive Which to your breath must all her being own Thrive when you smile and wither if you frown Yet from submission this assurance grows That you 'll protect the Person you expose Who more delight from such a shelter draws Than to obtain or to desire applause And your indulgence would much rather chuse Than to be Favorite to every Muse For even they request to wait on you Who can best judge and best reward them too You who are more than Poets can invent Of most illustrious and most innocent Under your beams their faint Ideas sink And you more nobly live than they could think In you the humble and the brave are met To shew what 's truly and what 's only great And all the Cliffords Fame in you does shine The greatest Honour of the Noblest Line To whom your debt of splendour you have paid And that and more to after times convey'd In such a Race as must those wonders do That none could act but they inspire but you But as your Merit does all Praise excel So does your Mercy all injurious zeal And you in that ador'd advantage live That nothing else is left you to forgive But ev'n your goodness will its self outshine If it can pardon this Address of mine So Altars once did Fire from Heaven enjoy Sent but to kindle what it might destroy The Printer to the Reader I Hope you expect no Eloquence from a Printer nor Regularity in a Preface which hath nothing to say to you but that Pompey being a Translation out of the French of Monsieur Corneille the Hand that did it is responsible for nothing but the English and the Songs between the Acts which were added only to lengthen the Play and make it fitter for the Stage when those that could not be resisted were resolved to have it acted and that no abuses of Transcribers though they were numerous could have prevailed to send it to the Press if the Person most concern'd had not fear'd to disobey an excellent Lady who commanded this publication more than the severity of the Censorious World The Persons of the Play Julius Caesar Marcus Antonius Lepidus Ptolomy King of Aegypt Cleopatra His Sister Photinus His Governour Achillas His Lieutenant General Septimius A Romane Tribune in the Aegyptian Kings Army Achoreus Cleopatra's Gentleman Usher Charmion Cleopatra's Maid of Honour Cornelia Pompey's Widdow Philip Pompey's Freedman Romans and Aegyptians The Scene Ptolomy's Pallace in Alexandria PROLOGUE For the Theatre at Dublin written by the Earl of Roscomon THe mighty Rivals whose destructive Rage Did the whole World in Civil Arms engage Are now agreed and make it both their Choice To have their Fates determin'd by your Voice Caesar from none but You will hear his Doom He hates th' obsequious Flatteries of Rome He scorns where once he rul'd now to be try'd And he hath rul'd in all the World beside When he the Thames the Danube and the Nile Had stain'd with Blood Peace flourish'd in this Isle And you alone may Boast you never saw Caesar 'till now and now can give him Law Great Pompey too comes as a suppliant here But sayes He cannot now begin to fear He knows your equal Justice and to tell A Roman Truth He knows himself too well Success t is true waited on Caesar's side But Pompey thinks he conquer'd when he dy'd His Fortune when she prov'd the most unkind Chang'd his Condition but not Cato's Mind Then of what Doubt can Pompey's Cause admit Since here so many Cato's Judging sit But you bright Nymphs give Caesar leave to woo To the Ladies The greatest Wonder of the World but you And hear a Muse who has that Hero taught To speak as gen'rously as e're he fought Whose Eloquence from such a Theme deters All Tongues but English and all Pens but Hers. By the just Fates your Sex is doubly blest You Conquer'd Caesar and you praise him best And You Illustrious Sir receive as due A present Destiny reserv'd for You. To the Lord Lieutenant Rome France and England join their Forces here To make a Poem worthy of your Ear. Accept it then and on that Pompey's Brow Who gave so many Crowns bestow one now POMPEY ACT I. SCENE I. Ptolomy Achillas Photinus Septimius PTOLOMY FAte hath declar'd her self and we may see Th' Intrigue of the great Rivals Destiny That quarrel which did all the Gods divide Pharsalia hath the Honour to decide Whose Rivers swelling with new bloody Tides Sent thither from so many Parricides The Horrour of torn Ensigns Chariots Shields Spread in Confusion o're th' infected Fields Those slaughter'd heaps whose shades no rest obtain'd By Nature to their own revenge constrain'd Their Putrefactions seeming to revive The War with those that do remain alive Are dreadful rules by which the Sword thinks fit Pompey to cast and Caesar to acquit That distress'd Leader of the Juster Side Whose wearied Fortune hath all Help deny'd A terrible Example will create To future times of the Extreams of Fate He flies whose happy Courage had till now Confin'd the Bay to his Victorious Brow He in our Ports chuses his last Retreat And wanting Refuge from a Foe so great His bold Misfortune seeks it in abodes Which from the Titans once preserv'd the Gods And from so fam'd a Climate doth expect That it should Earth as well as Heav'n protect And lending his Despair a kind Effort It should the staggering Universe support Yes the World's Fortune Pompey with him brings And hopes a Land whose Fame such Wonder sings A Prop or Tomb might to her Freedom give And Pompey's Fall attend if not relieve This Friends the Subject is of our debate Our Triumphs he or Ruine will create He hazards me who did my
but what 's my own You ne're shall anger from your Sister find Though you 're a cruel Brother I 'le be kind PTOLOMY But yet methinks you do discover pride CLEOPATRA Time is the Standard whereby things are try'd PTOLOMY Your present carriage that doth plainly shew CLEOPATRA Caesar is come and you 've a Master now PTOLOMY I made him mine who the Worlds Master is CLEOPATRA Pay him your homage while I look for his In this Address you may your self be seen But I 'le remember that I am a Queen Photin will help you to receive him now Advise with him he 'll tell you what 's to do Act. II. SCEN. IV. Ptolomy Photinus PTOLOMY I have observ'd thy Counsel but find since To flatter her but swells her insolence For with her Pride she did affront me so That I at last fell into Passion too This Arm enrag'd by her could scarce forbear Without a Thought that Caesar was so near Dispatching her as safe as she does seem To have complain'd to Pompey not to him She talks already at that haughty rate That if great Caesar please her Pride and Hate And she o're him her boasted Empire have Her Brother and her King must be her Slave No no we needs must Frustrate that intent Nor poorly wait the Ills we may prevent Let 's spoil her of her Power to disdain And break those Charmes whereby she hopes to reign Nor after such indignities let 's brook That she should buy my Scepter with a look PHOTINUS Do not for Caesar Sir pretence provide That Egypt should be to his Triumphs ty'd For this Ambitious Man which through the world Hath War and Slavery together hurl'd Swell'd with his Conquest and a Rage so smart As such a loss writes in a Lovers Heart Though you but act what Equity approves Will thence ground his revenge for what he loves As for a crime Hee 'l you to Bondage bring Though you did only what became a King PTOLOMY If Cleopatra sees him shee 's a Queen PHOTINUS But if she dye your Ruine is foreseen PTOLOMY Who ruines me should on my fall attend PHOTINUS To ruine her you must your self befriend PTOLOMY What must my Crown upon her Temples shine No if my Scepter I must needs resign The Conquerour shall rather it command PHOTINUS You 'l sooner force it from a Sisters hand How great soever now his flames appear He must be gone and leave You Master here Love in such Men seldom that room can find Which to their Interest will not be resign'd With Juba Scipio and with Pompey's Sons Spain to Revenge he knows with Affrick runs And while that Party are not yet o'rethrown He cannot safely call the World his own Caesar's too great a Captain to o'resee The Pursuit of Pharsalia's Victory And leave such fierce Hearts on revenge intent To rise from their so late Astonishment If he his ends Obtain and them o'recome He his gain'd Empire must secure at Rome And there the fruit of his success enjoy Whilst he at pleasure does her laws Destroy Judge in that time what great things you may do See Caesar then and strive to please him too Resign him all but yet this Rule intend That future things on accidents Depend Your Throne and Scepter give into his hand And without murmur yield to his Command He will believe that Justice he shall do If he your Father's Testament pursue Besides this signal service you have done Will give you still some Title to your Throne Entire submission to his Orders shew Applaud his Judgment but then let him go That time for our Revenge will be most fit When we can Act as well as think of it With temper let these Passions then be born Which were excited by your Sisters scorn Boasts are but Air and he revenges best Who Acts his braver Thoughts yet talks the least PTOLOMY O thy Advice my greatest Comfort brings A Prudent Counsellour's the bliss of Kings Come dear Supporter of my Throne let 's go And to save all on Caesar all bestow His Pride let 's flatter with an empty State And with our whole Fleet on him hither Wait. After the second Act this Song is to be sung by two Egyptian Priests on the Stage 1. SEE how Victorious Caesar's Pride Does Neptune's Bosom sweep And with Thessalian Fortune ride In Triumph o're the Deep 2. What Rival of the Gods is this Who dare's do more then they Whose Feet the Fates themselves do kiss And Sea and Land obey 1. What can the Fortunate withstand For this resistless He Rivers of Blood brings on the Land And Bulwarks on the Sea 2. Since Gods as well as Men submit And Caesar's favour woe Virtue her self may think it fit That Egypt court him too 1. But Pompey's Head 's a rate too dear For by that impious price The God less Noble will appear Than do's the Sacrifice 2. If Justice be a thing divine The Gods should it maintain For us t' attempt what they decline Would be as rash as vain Chorus How desperate is our Princes Fate What hazzard doe's he run He must be wicked to be great Or to be just undone Act. III. SCEN. I. Charmion Achoreus CHARMION YEs whilst the King himself is gone to meet Caesar and lay his Scepter at his Feet To her Appartment Cleopatra went And there unmov'd expects his Complement What words have you to cloath this Humour in ACHOREUS 'T is Noble Pride and worthy of a Queen Who with Heroick courage does make good The Honour of her Rank and of her Blood May I speak to Her CHARMION No but she hath sent Me to enquire this meetings great event How Caesar on this Gift himself explain'd Whether it wene acknowledg'd or disdain'd If he the fierce takes or the gentler way And what he to our Murtherers could say ACHOREUS The head of Pompey hath already cost More than they will have any cause to boast For whether Caesar be or seem severe Yet I for them have ground enough to fear If they lov'd Ptolomy they serv'd him ill You saw him part and I pursu'd him still When from the City his well order'd Fleet Advanc'd a League that they might Caesar meet He with spread Sails arriv'd and as in Wars He still had been the Favourite of Mars So Neptune to his Navy was so kind His Fortune was not fairer than his Wind. Our Prince was so astonish'd when they met As if he did his Crowned head forget Through his false joy his terrour he confess'd And all his Actions his low Thoughts express'd I my self blush'd as at a shameful thing There to see Ptolomy but not the King Caesar who saw his Courage thus expire In pity flatter'd him to raise it higher He with low voice offering his fatal gift Now Sir says he you have no Rival left What in Thessalia not the gods could do I give you Pompey and Cornelia too Here 's one and though the other flight did take Six Ships of mine will
quickly bring her back Achillas then the great Head did expose Which still to speak it self seem'd to dispose At this new injury some warm remain Did in imperfect groans seem to complain I thought his open mouth and ghastly look Recall'd the Soul which scarce her leave had took And his last anger seem'd with dying breath To charge the gods with his Defeat and Death Caesar seem'd Thunder-stricken at this view As not resolv'd what to believe or do Immoveably on that sad Object ty'd He long from us his inward thought did hide And I would say if I durst make a guess By what our Nature uses to express Some such malignant pleasure he enjoy'd As his offended honour scarce destroy'd That the whole World now in his power lies Could not but bring some flattering surprize But though a while this conflict he endur'd Yet his great Soul it self soon re-assur'd Though he loves Power yet he Treason hates Himself he judges on himself debates Each joy and grief at Reason's Bar appears At length resolv'd he first let fall some Tears His Virtues Empire he by force regains And noblest thoughts by that weak sign explains The horrid present from his sight expell'd His Eyes and Hands he up to Heaven held In a few words their insolence repress'd And after did in pensive silence rest Nor even to his Romans could reply But with a heavy sigh and furious eye At last with thirty Cohorts come to Land To seiz the Gates and Ports he does command The Guards he set and secret Orders sent Shew his distrust as well as discontent Egypt he speaks of as a Province won And now calls Pompey not a Foe but Son This I observ'd CHARMION By which the Queen may find The just Osiris to her Vows inclin'd Whilst with this happy News to her I flye Do you preserve her your Fidelity ACHOREUS Ne're doubt it but here Caesar comes go then Describe the Consternation of our Men And whatsoever proves to be their Fate I 'le first observe and then to her relate SCEN. II. Caesar Ptolomy Lepidus Photinus Achoreus Roman and Egyptian Souldiers PTOLOMY Great Sir ascend the Throne and govern Us. CAESAR Do you know Caesar and speak to him thus What worse could envious Fortune offer me Who alike hate a Crown and Infamy This to accept would all my boast confute That Rome did me unjustly persecute Rome who both scorns gives Crowns every where And nothing sees in Kings to love or fear Nay at our Birth does all our Souls enflame To slight the Rank and to abhor the Name This truth you might have learn'd from Pompey who If he such Offers lik'd could shun them too Both Throne and King had honour'd been t' afford Service to him who had them both restor'd So glorious had been even ill success In such a Cause that Triumphs had been less And if your Fortune safety had deny'd To have bestow'd it had been Caesar's pride But though you would not own so brave a strife What right had you to that illustrious Life Who that rich blood to wash your hands allow'd That to the meanest Roman should have bow'd Was it for you Pharsalia's Field I won Wherein so many Nations were undone And did I purchase at so high a rate That you should be the Arbiters of Fate If I in Pompey that could ne're admit Shall you escape o're him assuming it How much is my success abus'd by you Who attempt more than ever I durst do What Name think you will such a blow become Which has usurp'd the Soveraignty of Rome And in one Person did affront her more Than could the Asian Massacre before Do you imagine I shall e're agree You would have been more scrupulous for me No had you Pompey here Victorious seen My Head to him had such a Present been I to my Conquest your Submissions owe When all wrongs had pursu'd my Overthrow You do adore the Conqueror not me I but enjoy it by Felicity Dangerous Friendship Kindness to be fear'd Which turns with Fortune and by her is steer'd But speak this silence does encrease your sin PTOLOMY Never hath my Confusion greater been And I believe Sir you 'l allow it me Since I a King born now a Master see Where at my frown each man did trembling stand And every word of mine was a Command I see a new Court and another sway And I have nothing left but to obey Your very look abates my spirits force And can it be regain'd by your Discourse Judge how I can from such a Trouble cease Which my Respects create and Fears encrease And what can an astonisht Prince express Who anger sees in that Majestick Dress And whose Amazements do his Soul subdue That Pompey's Death should be reveng'd by You. Yet I must say whatever he bestow'd We owe you more then ever him we ow'd Your Favour was the first to us exprest And all he did was done at your Request He did the Senate move for injur'd Kings And them that Prayer to our Assistance brings But all that He for Egypt could obtain Without your Mony Sir had been in vain By that his Rebels our late King subdu'd And you have Right to all our Gratitude We Pompey as your Friend and Son rever'd But when he your Competitour appear'd When of your Fortune he suspicious grew Tyranny sought and dar'd to fight with you CAESAR Forbear your hatreds Thirst his Blood supplies Touch not his Glory let his Life suffice Say nothing here that Rome still dares deny But plead your Cause without a Calumny PTOLOMY Then let the Gods be Judges of his Thought I only say that in the Wars last fought To which so many Wrongs did you perswade Our Vows for your success were only made And since he ever sought your Blood to spill I thought his Death a necessary Ill. For as his groundless Hatred daily grew He would by all ways the Dispute renew Or if at length he fell into your Hand We fear'd your Mercy would your Right withstand For to that Pitch your sense of Honour flies As would to Fame your Safety sacrifice Which made me Judge in so extream an Ill We ought to serve you Sir against your will My forward Zeal th' occasion did embrace Without your leave and to my own disgrace And this you as a Crime in me disclaim But nothing done for you deserves that Name I stain'd my Hands your Danger to remove Which Act you may enjoy and disapprove Nay by my Guilt my Merit higher grows Since I my Glory gave for your Repose And by that greatest Victim have procur'd Your Glory and your Power to be assur'd CAESAR You employ Ptolomy such Crafty Words And weak Excuses as your Cause affords Your Zeal was false if 't were afraid to see What all Mankind beg'd of the Gods should be And did to you such subtleties Convey As stole the Fruit of all my Wars away Where Honour me engag'd and where the end Was of
so ill-guarded it By you I swear it then Mournful remain My only Deity now he is slain That no extinction or decay shall be In that revenge which must enoble me To Caesar Ptolomy by base surprize Rome of thy Pompey made a Sacrifice And I thy injur'd walls will never see Till Priest and God to him shall offer'd be Put me in mind and my just hate sustain O Ashes now my hope as well as Pain And to assist me in that great design Shed in all Hearts what now is felt by mine But Thou who on so infamous a shore Gavist him a flame so Pions though so Poor Tell me what God thy Fortune made so great To pay to such a Hero such a Debt PHILIP Cover'd with Blood and much more dead then he When I had curs'd the Royal Treachery My wandring Feet were by my grief convey'd Where yet the wind upon the Water plaid After long search I on a Rock did stand And saw the Headless Trunk approach the Sand Where th' angry Wave a pleasure seem'd to take To cast it off and then to snatch it back I to it leap'd and thrust it to the banks Then gathering a heap of Shipwrack'd Planks An hasty artless Pile I to him rais'd Such as I could and such as Fortune pleas'd 'T was hardly kindled when Heaven grew so kind To send me help in what I had design'd Codrus an Ancient Roman who lives here Returning from the City spy'd me there And when he did a headless Carcass view By that sad mark alone he Pompey knew Then weeping said O thou who e're thou art To whom the Gods such honours do impart Thy fortune's greater then thou dost believe Thou shalt rewards not Punishments receive Caesar's in Egypt and Revenge declares For him to whom thou pay'st these Pious Cares These Ashes to his Widow thou mayst bear In Alexandria for now she is there By Pompey's Conquerour so entertain'd As by a God it would not be disdain'd Go on till I return this said he went And quickly brought me this small Monument Then we betwixt us into it convey'd That Hero's Ashes which the fire had made CORNELIA With what great Praises should this act be crown'd PHILIP Entring the Town I great disorders found A numerous People to the Port did flye Which they believ'd the King would fortifie The eager Romans fiercely these pursu'd Rage in their eyes their hands with blood imbrew'd When Caesar with brave Justice did Command Photin to perish by a Hangmans hand On me appearing he vouchsaf'd to look And with these words my Masters Ashes took Remainders of a Demi-god whose Name I scarce can equal Conquerour as I am Behold guilt punish'd and till Altars call For other Victims let these Traytors fall Greater shall follow To the Court go thou On Pompey's Widow this from me bestow And whilst with it she makes with grief some truce Tell her how Caesar her Revenge pursues That great Man sighing then from me did turn And humbly kissing did restore the Urne CORNELIA O Formal Grief how easie is that Tear That 's shed for Foes whom we no longer fear How soon revenge for others fills that brest Which to it is by its own danger prest And when the Care we take to right the dead Secures our Life and does our glory spread Caesar is generous 't is true but he By the King wrong'd and from his Rival free Might in an envious mind a doubt revive What he would do were Pompey yet alive His courage his own safety does provide Which does the Beauty of his actions hide Love is concern'd in 't too and he does fight In Pompey's Cause for Cleopatra's Right So many Int'rests with my Husband 's met Might to his Virtue take away my debt But as Great Hearts judge by themselves alone I chuse to guess his honour by my own And think we only make his fury such Since in his Fortune I should do as much SCEN. II. Cleopatra Charmion Cornelia Philip. CLEOPATRA I come not to disturb a grief so due To that affliction which hath wounded you But those remains t' adore which from the wave A faithful freed-man did so lately save To mourn your fortune Madam and to swear You 'd still enjoy'd a man so justly dear If Heaven which did persecute you still Had made my power equal to my will Yet if to what that Heaven sends you now Your grief can any room for joy allow If any sweetness in revenge there be Receive the certainty of yours from me The false Photinus But you may have heard CORNELIA Yes Princess that he hath his just reward CLEOPATRA Have you no comfort in that news discern'd CORNELIA If there be any you are most concern'd CLEOPATRA All hearts with joy receive a wish'd event CORNELIA Our thoughts are as our int'rests different Though Caesar add Achillas death 't will be To you a satisfaction not to me For nobler Rites to Pompey's Ghost belong These are too mean to expiate his wrong No reparation by such blood is made Either to my grief or his injur'd shade And the revenge which does my Soul enflame Till it hath Caesar Ptolomy doth claim Who though so much unfit to reign or live Caefar I know will for his safety strive But though his love hath dar'd to promise it Yet juster Heaven dares it not permit And if the Gods an Ear to me afford They shall both perish by each others Sword Such an event would my hearts grief destroy Which now is such a Stranger grown to joy But if ye gods think this too great a thing And but one fall O let it be the King CLEOPATRA Heaven does not govern as our Wills direct CORNELIA But gods what causes promise will effect And do the guilty with revenge pursue CLEOPATRA As they have justice they have mercy too CORNELIA But we may judge as here events have past They now the first will act and not the last CLEOPATRA Their Mercie oft does through their Justice break CORNELIA Queen you as Sister I as Widow speak Each hath her cause of kindness and of hate And both concern'd are in this Princes Fate But by the blood which hath to day been shed We shall perceive whose vows have better sped Behold your Achoreus SCEN. III. To them Achoreus CLEOPATRA But alas I read no good presages in his Face Speak Achoreus let us freely hear What yet deserves my sorrow or my fear ACHOREUS Assoon as Caesar did the Treason know CLEOPATRA 'T is not his Conduct I enquire of now I know he cut and stopt that secret vault Which to him should the Murtherers have brought That to secure the Streets his men he sent Where Photin did receive his Punishment Whose sudden fall Achillas so amaz'd That on th' abandon'd Port he quickly seiz'd Whom the King follow'd and that to the land Antonius all his Souldiers did command Where Caesar join'd him and I thence do guess Achillas punishment and his success ACHOREUS His
He was preceded by his Brother's fate CAMILLA Alas VALERIUS Yet breathless his revenge begun But quickly gives new conquest to your Son Who soon defeated all the Arts he try'd And laid him gasping by his Brothers side The Air resounds with noises thither sent From Roman Joy and Alban discontent Our Hero when so near his triumph drew Not only conquers now but braves them too I to my Brothers shades give what is past But to thee Rome I sacrifice this last Accept dear Country this so noble Blood Says he and flies to make his promise good The victory did scarce admit suspence The wounded Alban making small defence But as a Victim to the Altar goes And his Throat offers to the deadly blows So he gave up his undefended breath Securing Rome's Dominion by his Death Old HORACE O! my brave Son true heir of all renown Onely supporter of a falling Crown O Vertue worthy of Romes boast and mine Thy Country's succour glory of thy Line When into tenderness shall I convert All my injustice to thy great desert When shall I my repenting kindness show And with glad tears bathe thy victorious Brow VAL. That your Endearments may soon find a place The King will hasten him to your Embrace And therefore till to morrow is delay'd The Sacrifice which must to heav'n be paid This day no other Gratitude allows But Songs of Triumph and the publick Vows Where Horace waits the King by whom I 'm sent To ease your Grief and heighten your content But this is not enough for him to pay He 'll come himself and that perhaps to day This noble action does oblige him so That his own thanks he will on you bestow Who have resign'd your Sons to save his Throne Old HOR. That honour is too great for me to own And I 'm requited by what you have said For all the Blood my Sons have spilt or shed VAL. The King who no imperfect bounty knows His rescu'd Scepter from insulting Foes Values so much that all that he can do He thinks below either your Son or You But I shall tell him with what noble fire Heroick Vertue does your Soul inspire And how much Loyal Zeal to him you bear Old HOR. You 'l much oblige me by so kind a care SCEN. III. Old Horace Camilla Old HOR. Daughter your Tears are out of season now And misbecome the place where Honours grow Domestick losses we may well excuse When they do publick Victories produce It is enough Rome does o're Alba sway And all our sufferings that one word must pay You but a man lost when your Lover fell Whom you may quickly now repair as well What noble Roman after this success But would be proud to make you an address But to Sabina I this news must bear Whose blow must needs be very rude to her And her three Brothers by her Husband slain Will give her much more reason to complain But I despair not to appease her yet And she who is so brave and so discreet Will without pain her generous Soul dispose To that submission which her honour owes Till when suppress your grief you now resent Nor entertain him with this discontent In brief let him a Sister meet and find In the same blood the same heroick mind SCEN. IV. CAMILLA Yes I shall quickly to that Brother prove That none can fear to die who dares to love Nor can submit to those stern Parents sway Whom cruel Heav'n condemns us to obey You blame my grief you call it mean and poor But in revenge I 'll cherish it the more Relentless Father and my tears shall flow Till their streams rapid as their causes grow Never did Fortune shift her treacherous part So many times to break a single heart Sometimes she flatter'd and sometimes did fright Never in one day did one heart appear So toss'd from grief to joy from hope to fear An Oracle assures a Dream torments The Battel threatens and the Peace contents Just on my Marriage Eve the Cities chose My Lover and my Brother to be Foes The Souldiers murmure and revoke the choice The gods again confirm it by their voice Rome seems subdu'd and with my Brothers blood My Curtius only unpolluted stood But did my Heart too little grief contain To see my Country stoop and Brothers slain Or did my Fancy give too large a scope To love yet guiltless and yet living hope His death revenges on me that abuse With the sad way wherein I heard the news Valerius tells it and to brave my Fate The sad event does odiously relate An open gladness did his visage dress Less by Rome's glory caus'd than my distress Since by his Rival's death his hopes renew He seems to share my Brother's triumph too But this is nothing to my present wo I am requir'd with joy to meet the blow I to the Conqueror must my praise impart And kiss a hand that stabs me to the heart And when my grief so justly great appears They place an infamy upon my tears I must rejoice at what afflicts me thus And to be noble must be barbarous But from this Father I 'll degenerate And will deserve this gallant Brother's hate For humane frailty sure illustrious grows When brutishness for vertue they impose Appear my griefs why should you now forbear When all is lost what hath one left to fear This savage Conqueror I will not flye But will upbraid him with his Victory Offend his Conquest irritate his rage And if ought can let that my grief asswage He comes let my just sorrow now disclose What to a Lover slain a Mistress owes SCEN. V. Horace Camilla HORACE Sister this arm our Brothers has reveng'd And Rome's declining Destiny has chang'd Has to Rome's sway subjected Alba's Fate And in one day dispos'd of either State Behold what Trophies I have won and pay What 's due from you to such a glorious day CAMILLA Receive my tears then which are all I owe. HORACE Rome in her Triumphs will not those allow Bloud hath too well appeas'd our Brothers slain For you by tears to wash away their stain A loss that is reveng'd should be forgot CAMILLA Since then our hapless Brothers need them not I shall not think my tears to them are due Who are so fully satisfi'd by you But who will make my happiness return Or call that Lover back for whom I mourn HORACE How 's that CAMILLA My Curtius ah too brave too dear HORACE Ha! what are those audacious words I hear Can my degenerate Sister then retain Love for a publick Foe whom I have slain Thy guilty passion to revenge aspires But govern better thy unjust desires Remove my blushes and thy flame suppress And be in love only with my success Let these great Trophies thy delight confine CAMILLA Give me Barbarian then a heart like thine And since my thoughts I can no more disclaim Restore my Curtius or excuse my flame All my delight with his dear life is fled I lov'd him living and lament him dead If thou the Sister seek'st thou left'st behind An injur'd Mistress only thou wilt find Who like a Fury still must thee pursue And still reproach thee with his murther too Inhumane Brother who forbid'st my tears To whom my ruine such a joy appears Who of thy cruel slaughters growing vain Would'st have me kill my Curtins o're again May such incessant sorrows follow thee That thou may'st be reduc'd to envy me And by some wretched action soon defame Thy so ador'd and yet so brutish Name HORACE O Heavens who ever saw such raging love Believ'st thou nothing can my temper move And in my blood can I this shame permit Love love that blow which so ennobles it And the remembrance of one man resign To th' interests of Rome if not to mine CAMILLA To Rome the only object of my hate To Rome whose quarrel caus'd my Lover's Fate To Rome where thou wert born to thee so dear Whom I abhor ' cause she does thee revere May all her neighbours in one knot combine Her yet unsure foundations t' undermine And if Italian Forces seem too small May East and West conspire to make her fall And all the Nations of the barbarous World To ruine her o're Hills and Seas be hurl'd Nor these loath'd Walls may her own fury spare But with her own hands her own bowels tear And may Heaven's angel kindled by my wo Whole deluges of fire upon her throw May my eyes see her Temples overturn'd These Houses ashes and thy Lawrels burn'd See the last gasp which the last Roman draws And die with joy for having been the cause HORACE CAMILLA Ah Traitor HORACE Perish and be that their doom Who dare lament an Enemy of Rome SCEN. VI. Horace Proculus PROCULUS What have you done HORACE An honourable act Such an offence does such revenge exact FINIS