or expect A shamefull death what I shall further do Their numbers five times exceeding ours I desire to receive directions from your Majesties command King Let twenty thousand men be raised Let fresh supplyes of victuals and of money Be sent with speed Lords Sir your Treasures Are quite exhausted the Exchequer 's empty King Talke not to me of Treasures or Exchequers Send for five hundred of the wealthiest Burgers Their shops and ships are my Exchequer Abd. 'T were better you you could say their hearts Abd. aside Sir upon your late demands They answered they were poore King Sure the Villaines hold a correspondence With the enemie and thus they would betray us First give us up to want then to contempt And then to ruine but tell those sonnes of earth I le have their money or their heads Winde a horne 'T is my command when such occasions are No Plea must serve 't is cruelty to spare Another Post Exit Lords King The Prince transported with his youthfull heat I feare hath gone too farre 'T is some disaster Or else he would not send so thicke well bring him in I am prepar'd to heare the worst of evils Enter Solyman and two Captaines Cap. kisses his hand King What is the Prince besieged in his Trenches And must have speedy ayd or die by famine Or hath he rashly try'd the chance of warre And lost his Army and his Liberty Tell me what Province they demand for ransome Or if the worst of all mishaps hath fallen Speake for he could not die unlike himselfe Speak freely and yet me-thinkes I reade Something of better fortune in thy lookes But dare not hope it Cap. Sir the Prince lives King And hath not lost his honour Cap. As safe in honour as in life King Nor liberty Cap. Free as the aire he breathes King Returne with speed Tell him he shall have money victuals men With all the haste they can be levyed Farewell Offers to goe Cap. But Sir I have one word more King Then be briefe Cap. So now you are prepar'd and I may venture King What is 't Cap. Sir a Fathers love mixt with a Princes care This shewing dangers greater and that nearer Have rais'd your feares too high and those remov'd Too suddenly would let in such a deluge Of joy as might oppresse your aged spirits Which made me gently first remove your feares That so you might have roome to entertaine Your fill of joy Your sonn 's a Conquerour King Delude me not with fained hopes false joyes It cannot be And if he can but make A faire Retreat I shall account it more Then all his former conquests those huge numbers Arm'd with despaire the flower of all the Empire Cap. Sir I have not us'd to tell you tales or fables And why should you suspect your happinesse Being so constant On my life 't is true Sir King Well I le no more suspect My fortune nor thy faith Thou and thy newes most welcome Solyman Goe call the Princesse and the Lords they shall Participate our joyes as well as cares Enter Princesse and Lords King Faire daughter blow away those mists and clouds And let thy eyes shine forth in their full lustre Invest them with thy loveliest smiles put on Thy choycest lookes hee 's comming will deserve them Princesse What is the Prince return'd with safety 't is above Beleefe or hope King I sweet Erythaea Laden with spoyles and honour all thy feares Thy wakefull terrors and affrighting dreames Thy morning sighes and evening teares have now Their full rewards And you my Lords Prepare for Masques and Triumphs Let no circumstance Be wanting that becomes The greatnesse of our State or Joy Behold he comes Enter Prince with Captaines and two Captive Bashawes King Welcome brave sonne as welcome to thy father As Phoebus was to Iove when he had slaine Th' ambitious Gyants that assayl'd the skie And as my power resembles that of Ioves So shall thy glory like high Phoebus shine As bright and as immortall Prince Great Sir all acquisition Of Glory as of Empire here I lay before Your Royall feet happy to be the Instrument To advance either Sir I challenge nothing But am an humble suitor for these prisoners The late Commanders of the Turkish powers Whose valours have deserv'd a better fortune King Then what hath thine deserv'd th' are thine brave Mirzah Worthy of all thy Royall Ancestors And all those many Kindomes which their vertue Or got or kept though thou hadst not beene borne to 't But daughter still your lookes are sad No longer I le deferre your joyes goe take him Into thy chaste embrace and whisper to him That welcome which those blushes promise Exit King Prince My Erythaea why entertain'st thou with so sad a brow My long desir'd return thou wast wont With kisses and sweet smiles to welcome home My victories though bought with sweat and bloud And long expected Princesse Pardon Sir 'T is with our soules As with our eyes that after a long darknesse Are dazled at the approach of sudden light When i' th' midst of feares we are surpriz'd With unexpected happinesse the first Degrees of joy are meere astonishment And 't was so lately in a dreadfull dreame I saw my Lord so neare destruction Deprived of his eyes a wretched Captive Then shriekt my selfe awake then slept againe And dreamt the same my ill presaging fancy Suggesting still 't was true Prince Then I forgive thy sadnesse since love caus'd it For love is full of feares and feare the shadow Of danger like the shadow of our bodies Is greater then when that which is the cause Is farthest off Princesse But still there 's something That checks my joyes Nor can I yet distinguish Which is the apparition this or that Prince An apparition At night I shall resolve that doubt and make Thy dreames more pleasing Enter Haly and Mirvan Mir. The time has beene my Lord When I was no such stranger to your thoughts You were not wont to weare upon your brow A frowne or smile but still have thought me worthy At least to know the cause Ha. 'T is true Thy breast hath ever beene the Cabinet Where I have lockt my secrets Mir. And did you ever finde That any art could picke the locke or power Could force it open Ha. No I have ever found thee Trusty and secret But is 't observ'd i' th' Court That I am sad Mir. Observ'd 't is all mens wonder and discourse That in a Joy so great so universall You should not beare a part Ha. Discour'st of too Mir. Nothing but treason More commonly more boldly spoken So singular a sadnesse Must have a cause as strange as the effect And griefe conceal'd like hidden fire consumes Which flaming out would call in helpe to quench it Ha. But since thou canst not mend it To let thee know it will but make thee worse Silence and time shall cure it Mir. But in diseases when the cause is knowne 'T is more
Civill aswell as militarie for the one You have given the world an ample proofe already Now exercise the other 't is no lesse To governe justly make your Empire flourish With wholesome lawes in riches peace and plenty Then by the expence of wealth and bloud to make New acquisitions Prince That I was borne so great I owe to fortune And cannot pay that debt till vertue set me High in example as I am in title Till what the world calls fortune's gifts my actions May stile their owne rewards and those too little Princes are then themselves when they arise More glorious in mens thoughts then in their eyes Ha. Sir your fame Already fils the world and what is infinite Cannot receive degrees but will swallow All that is added as our Caspian sea Receives our rivers and yet seemes not fuller And if you tempt her more the winde of fortune May come about and take another point And blast your glories Prince No My glories are past danger they 're full blowne Things that are blasted are but in their bud And as for fortune I nor love nor feare her I am resolved goe Haly flatter still your aged Master Still sooth him in his pleasures and still grow Great by those arts Well farewell Court Where vice not onely hath usurp't the place But the reward and even the name of vertue Wee 'le goe and hunt it is a Princely sport And much resembles warre Cap. Such warres as ours Where we have us'd to follow chases Prince It shewes us pretty dangers and acquaints us With scituations while I view the hills The thickets and the rivers here me-thinkes With best advantage I could pitch my campe Here range my Army there the battaile joyne Here make a safe retreat and there enclose The enemie as beasts within a toyle And yet I can observe the chased Stagge How he can cast about to seeke his safety And when he sees his death is unavoydable How he will weepe I can observe the Dogs too How some in swiftnesse some in scent excell Others in cry But let us lose no time Me-thinkes the Courts a prison Ex Man Ha. Still still Sleighted and scorn'd yet this affront Hath stampt a noble title on my malice And married it to Justice The King is old And when the Prince succeedes I 'me lost past all recovery then I Must meet my danger and destroy him first But cunningly and closely or his sonne And wife like a fierce Tygresse will devoure me There 's danger every way and since 't is so 'T is brave and noble when the falling waight Of my owne ruine crushes those I hate But how to doe it that 's the worke he stands So high in reputation with the people There 's but one way and that 's to make his father The instrument to give the name and envie To him but to my selfe the prize and glory He 's old and jealous apt for suspitions gainst which tyrants ears Are never clos'd The Prince is young Fierce and ambitious I must bring together All these extreames and then remove all Mediums That each may be the others object Enter Mirvan Mir. My Lord Now if your plots be right you are befriended With opportunity The King is melancholy Apted for any ill impressions Make an advantage of the Princes absence Urge some suspected cause of his departure Use all your art hee 's comming Exit Mir. Enter King Ha. Sir have you knowne an action of such glory Lesse swel'd with ostentation or a minde Lesse tainted with felicitie 'T is a rare temper in the Prince King Is it so rare to see a sonne so like His father Have not I perform'd actions As great and with as great a moderation Ha. I Sir but that 's forgotten Actions o'th' last age are like Almanacks o' th' last yeare King 'T is well but if with all his conquests what I get in Empire I lose in fame I thinke my selfe no gainer But am I quite forgotten Ha. Sir you know Age breeds neglect in all and actions Remote in time like objects Remote in place are not beheld at halfe their greatnesse And what is new findes better acceptation Then what is good or great yet some old men Tell Stories of you in their chimney corners King No otherwise Ha. They 're all so full of him some magnifie His courage some his wit but all admire A greatnesse so familiar King Sure Haly Thou hast forgot thy selfe art thou a Courtier Or I a King my eares are unacquainted With such bold truthes especially from thee Ha. Sir when I am call'd to 't I must speake Boldly and plainly King But with what eagernesse what circumstance Unaskt thou tak'st such paines to tell me onely My sonne 's the better man Ha. Sir where Subjects want the priviledge To speake there Kings may have the priviledge To live in ignorance King If 't were a secret that concern'd my life Or Empire then this boldnesse might become thee But such unnecessary rudenesse savours Of some designe And this is such a false and squint-ey'd praise Which seeming to looke upwards on his glories Lookes downe upon my feares I know thou hat'st him And like infected persons faine would'st rub The ulcer of thy malice upon me Ha. Sir I almost beleeve you speake your thoughts But that I want the guilt to make me feare it King What meane these guilty blushes then Ha. Sir if I blush it is because you doe not To upbraid so try'd a servant that so often Have wak'd that you might sleepe and beene expos'd To dangers for your safety King And therefore think'st Thou art so wrapt so woven into all My trusts and counsells that I now must suffer All thy Ambition aymes at Ha. Sir if your love growes weary And thinks you have worne me long enough I 'me willing To be left off but hee 's a foolish Sea-man That when his shippe is sinking will not Unlade his hopes into another bottome King I understand no Allegories Ha. And hee 's as ill a Courtier that when His Master 's old desires not to comply With him that must succeed King But if He will not be comply'd with Ha. Oh Sir There 's one sure way and I have knowne it practiz'd In other States King What 's that Ha. To make The fathers life the price of the sonnes favour To walke upon the graves of our dead Masters To our owne securitie King starts and scratches his head Ha. aside 'T is this must take Does this plainnesse please you Sir King and Haly thou know'st my nature too too apt To these suspitions but I hope the question Was never mov'd to thee Ha. In other Kingdomes Sir King But has my sonne no such designe Ha. Alas You know I hate him and should I tell you He had you 'd say it was but malice King No more of that good Haly I know thou lov'st me But least the care of future safety tempt thee To forfeit present loyaltie or present loyaltie
behinde him Enter Morat as in haste Mor. Sir with hazard of my life I 've ventur'd To tell you you are lost betray'd undone Rouze up your courage call up all your counsells And thinke on all those stratagems which nature Keepes ready to encounter sudden dangers Prince But pray my Lord by whom for what offence Mor. Is it a time for story when each minute Begets a thousand dangers the gods protect you Ex. Prince This man was ever honest and my friend And I can see in his amazed looke Something of danger but in act or thought I never did that thing should make me feare it Princesse Nay good Sir let not so secure a confidence Betray you to your ruine Prince Prethee woman Keepe to thy selfe thy feares I cannot know That there is such a thing I stand so strong Inclosed with a double guard of Vertue And Innocence that I can looke on dangers As he that stands upon a Rocke Can looke on stormes and tempests Feare and guilt Are the same thing and when our actions are not Our feares are crimes And he deserves it lesse that guilty beares A punishment then he that guiltlesse feares Ex. Enter Haly and Torturers Ha. This is the place appointed assist me courage This houre ends all my feares but pause a while Suppose I should discover to the Prince The whole conspiracie and so retort it Upon the King it were an handsome plot But full of difficulties and uncertaine And hee 's so fool'd with downe-right honesty Hee 'le ne're beleeve it and now it is too late The guards are set and now I heare him comming Enter Prince stumbles at the entrance Prince 'T is ominous but I will on destruction O'retakes as often those that fly as those that boldly meet it Ha. By your leave Prince your father greets you Prince Unhand me traytors Haly casts a scarfe over his face Ha. That title is your owne and we are sent to let you know it Is not that the voyce of Haly that thunders in my eares Ha. I vertuous Prince I come to make you exercise One vertue more your patience Heat the irons quickly Prince Insolent villaine for what cause Ha. Onely to gaze upon a while untill your eyes are out Prince O villaine shall I not see my father To aske him what 's my crime who my accusers Let me but try if I can wake his pitty From his Lethargicke sleepe Ha. It must not be Sir Prince Shall I not see my wife nor bid farewell To my deare children Ha. Your pray'rs are all in vaine Prince Thou shalt have halfe my Empire Haly let me but See the Tyrant that before my eyes are lost They may dart poys'nous flashes like the Basiliske And looke him dead These eyes that still were open Or to fore-see or to prevent his dangers Must they be closed in eternall night Cannot his thirst of bloud be satisfied With any but his owne And can his tyrannie Finde out no other object but his sonne I seeke not mercy tell him I desire To die at once not to consume an age In lingring deathes Ha. Our eares are charm'd Away with him Prince Can ye behold ye Gods a wronged innocent Or sleepes your Justice like my fathers Mercy Or are you blinde as I must be Finis Act. Tertii Actus Quartus Enter Ab. and Morat Ab. I ever fear'd the Princes too much greatnesse Would make him lesse the greatest heights are neare The greatest precipice Mor. 'T is in worldly accidents As in the world it selfe where things most distant Meet one another Thus the East and West Upon the Globe a Mathematick point Onely divides Thus happinesse and miserie And all extreames are still contiguous Ab. Or if 'twixt happinesse and miserie there be A distance 't is an Aery Vacuum Nothing to moderate or breake the fall Mor. But oh this Saint-like Devill This damned Caliph to make the King beleeve To kill his sonne 's religion Ab. Poore Princes how are they mis-led While they whose sacred office 't is to bring Kings to obey their God and men their King By these mysterious linkes to fixe and tye Them to the foot-stoole of the Deity Even by these men Religion that should be The curbe is made the spurre to tyrannie They with their double key of conscience binde The Subjects soules and leave Kings unconfin'd While their poore Vassals sacrifice their blouds T'Ambition and to Avarice their goods Blinde with Devotion They themselves esteeme Made for themselves and all the world for them While heavens great law given for their guide appeares Just or unjust but as it waytes on theirs Us'd but to give the eccho to their words Power to their wills and edges to their swords To varnish all their errors and secure The ills they act and all the world endure Thus by their arts Kings awe the world while they Religion as their mistresse seeme t' obey Yet as their slave command her while they seeme To rise to Heaven they make Heaven stoope to them Mor. Nor is this all where feign'd devotion bends The highest things to serve the lowest ends For if the many-headed beast hath broke Or shaken from his necke the royall yoake With popular rage religion doth conspire Flowes into that and swells the torrent higher Then powers first pedigree from force derives And calls to minde the old prerogatives Of free-borne man and with a saucy eye Searches the heart and soule of Majestie Then to a strict account and censure brings The actions errors and the ends of Kings Treads on authority and sacred lawes Yet all for God and his pretended cause Acting such things for him which he in them And which themselves in others will condemne And thus ingag'd nor safely can retire Nor safely stand but blindly bold aspire Forcing their hopes even through despaire to climbe To new attempts disdaine the present time Grow from disdaine to threats from threats to armes While they though sonnes of peace still sound th' alarm's Thus whether Kings or people seeke extreames Still conscience and religion are their Theams And whatsoever change the State invades The pulpit either forces or perswades Others may give the fewell or the fire But they the breath that makes the flame inspire Ab. This and much more is true but let not us Adde to our ills and aggravate misfortunes By passionate complaints nor lose our selves Because we have lost him for if the Tyrant Were to a sonne so noble so unnaturall What will he be to us who have appear'd Friends to that sonne Mor. Well thought on and in time Farewell unhappy Prince while we thy friends As strangers to our Countrey and our selves Seeke out our safety and expect with patience Heavens Justice Ab. Let 's rather act it then expect it The Princes injuries at our hands require More then our teares and patience His army is not yet disbanded And onely wants a head thither wee 'le fly And all who love the Prince or hate the Tyrant
then halfe the cure You have my Lord My heart to counsell and my hand to act And my advice and actions both have met Successe in things unlikely Ha. But this Is such a secret I dare hardly trust it To my owne soule And though it be a crime In friendship to betray a trusted Counsell Yet to conceale this were a greater crime And of a higher nature Mir. Now I know it And your endeavour to conceale it Speakes it more plainly 'T is some plot upon the Prince Ha. Oh thou hast toucht my soare and having searcht it Now heale it if thou canst The Prince doth hate me Or loves me not or loves another better Which is all one This being knowne in Court Has rendred me despis'd and scorn'd of all For I that in his absence Blaz'd like a starre of the first magnitude Now in his brighter sun-shine am not seene No applications now no troopes of suitors No power no not so much as to doe mischiefe Mir. My Lord I am asham'd of you So ill a master in an art so long Profest and practiz'd by you to be angry And angry with a Prince And yet to shew it In a sad looke or womanish complaint How can you hope to compasse your designes And not dissemble 'em Goe flatter and adore him Stand first among the crowd of his admirers Ha. Oh I have often spread those nets but he Hath ever beene too wise to thinke them reall Mir. However Dissemble still thanke him for all his injuries Take 'em for favours if at last You cannot gaine him some pretty nimble poyson May doe the feat Or if he will abroad Finde him some brave and honourable danger Ha. Have I not found him out as many dangers As Iuno did for Hercules yet he returnes Like Hercules doubled in strength and honour Mir. If danger cannot doe it then trie pleasure Which when no other enemie survives Still conquers all the Conquerours Endeavour To soften his ambition into lust Contrive fit opportunities and lay Baytes for temptation Ha. I le leave nothing unattempted But sure this will not take for all his Passions Affections and Faculties are slaves Onely to his ambition Mir. Then let him fall by his owne greatnesse And puffe him up with glory till it swell And breake him First betray him to himselfe Then to his ruine From his vertues suck a poyson As Spiders doe from flowers praise him to his father You know his nature Let the Princes glory Seeme to ecclipse and cast a cloud on his And let fall something that may raise his jealousie But least he should suspect it draw it from him As fishers doe the bayte to make him follow it Ha. But the old King is so suspitious Mir. But withall Most fearefull He that viewes a Fort to take it Plants his Artillerie gainst the weakest part Worke on his feares till feare hath made him cruell And cruelty shall make him feare againe Me thinkes my Lord you that so oft have sounded And fathom'd all his thoughts that know the deeps And shallowes of his heart should need no instruments To advance your ends his passions and his feares Lye Liegers for you in his brest and there Negotiate their affaires Enter King Solyman and Lords to them King Solyman be it your care to entertaine the Captaines And the Prisoners and use them kindly Sol. Sir I am not for entertainments now I am melancholy King What griev'd for our good fortune Sol. No Sir but now the warres are done we want pretences To put off Creditors I am haunted Sir King Not with Ghosts Sol. No Sir Materiall and Substantiall Devils King I know the cause what is 't thou ow'st them Sol. Not much Sir but so much as spoyles me for a good fellow 'T is but 2000 Dollars A small summe to you Sir King Well it shall be paid Sol. Then if the Devill come for drinking let me alone with him Well Drinke I love thee but too well already But I shall love thee better hereafter I have often Drunke my selfe into debt but never out of debt till now Exeunt Finis Act. Primi Actus Secundus Scaena Prima Enter Prince Haly Captaines and Prisoners Bashawes Prince Captaines me-thinkes you looke like fishes out of water I see the Court is not your element You must to the warres againe 1. Cap. Faith Sir These young Gallants are so taken up with Their Mistresses I doubt their edge is taken off from The warres 2. Cap. I and their backes too 1. Cap. But for us old ones we 're weary of being laught at By these Court hobby-horses for making legges and Kissing hands unhandsomely 2. Cap. And to be censured by the she criticks because our Legges are bigger then the Court standard And therefore out of fashion 1. Cap. And such a gigling because ones band 's unpin'd Anothers beard not well turn'd up And such a Fiddle faddle 't is not to be endur'd Prince Well howsoever you are dealt with Pray let these strangers finde such entertainment As you would have desir'd Had but the chance of warre determin'd it For them as now for us and you brave enemies Forget your Nation and ungratefull Master And know that I can set so high a price On valour though in foes as to reward it With trust and honour 1. Bashaw Sir your twice conquered Vassals First by your courage then your clemencie Here humbly vow to sacrifice their lives The gift of this your unexampled mercy To your commands and service Prince to Haly. I pray my Lord second my suite I have already mov'd the King in private That in our next yeares expedition they may have Some command Ha. I shall my Lord And glad of the occasion aside I wonder Sir you 'le leave the Court the sphere Where all your graces in full lustre shine Prince I Haly but the reputation Of vertuous actions past if not kept up With an accesse and fresh supply of new ones Is lost and soone forgotten and like Palaces For want of habitation and repaire Dissolve to heapes of ruine Ha. But can you leave Sir Your old indulgent father and forsake The embraces of so faire so chaste a wife And all the beauties of the Court besides Are mad in love and dote upon your person And is 't not better sleeping in their armes Then in a cold Pavilion in the campe Where your short sleepes are broke and interrupted With noyses and alarms Prince Haly thou know'st not me how I despise These short and empty pleasures and how low They stand in my esteeme which every Peasant The meanest Subject in my fathers Empire Enjoyes as fully in as high perfection As he or I and which are had in common By beasts aswell as men wherein they equall If not exceed us pleasures to which wee 're led Onely by sence those creatures which have least Of reason most enjoy Ha. Is not The Empire you are borne to a Scene large enough To exercise your vertues There are vertues
Forfeit thy future safety I le be your reconciler call him hither Ha. Oh Sir I wish he were within my call or yours King Why where is he Ha. He has left the Court Sir King I like not these excursions why so suddenly Ha. 'T is but a sally of youth yet some say hee 's discontented King That grates my heart-strings What should discontent him Except he thinke I live too long Ha. Heaven forbid And yet I know no cause of his departure I 'me sure hee 's honoured and lov'd by all The Souldiers god the peoples Idoll King I Haly The Persians still worship the rising sunne But who went with him Ha. None but the Captaines King The Captaines I like not that Ha. Never feare it Sir 'T is true they love him but as their Generall not their Prince And though he be most forward and ambitious 'T is temper'd with so much humility King And so much the more dangerous There are some that use Humilitie to serve their pride and seeme Humble upon their way to be the prouder At their wisht journeys end Ha. Sir I know not What wayes or ends you meane 't is true In popular States or where the Princes Title Is weake and must be propt by the peoples power There by familiar wayes 't is necessary To winne on mens affections But none of these Can be his end King But there 's another end For if his glories rise upon the ruines Of mine why not his greatnesse too Ha. True Sir Ambition is like love impatient Both of delayes and rivalls But Nature King But Empire Ha. I had almost forgot Sir he has A suit to your Majestie King What is 't Ha. To give the Turkish prisoners some command In the next action King Nay then 't is too apparent He feares my Subjects loyaltie And now must call in strangers come deale plainly I know thou canst discover more Ha. I can discover Sir The depth of your great judgement in such dangers King What shall I doe Haly Ha. Your wisdome is so great it were presumption for me to advise King Well wee 'le consider more of that but for the present Let him with speed be sent for Mahomet I thanke thee I have one faithfull servant honest Haly Exit King Enter Mirvan Mir. How did he take it Ha. Swallow'd it as greedily As parched earth drinkes raine Now the first part of our designe is over His ruine but the second our securitie Must now be thought on Mir. My Lord you are too sudden though his furie Determine rashly yet his colder feare Before it executes consults with reason And that not satisfied with shewes or shadowes Will aske to be convinc't by something reall Now must we frame some plot and then discover it Ha. Or intercept some letter which our selves Had forg'd before Mir. And still admire the miracle And thanke the providence Ha. Then we must draw in some body To be the publique Agent that may stand 'Twixt us and danger and the peoples envy Mir. Who fitter then the grand Caliph And he shall set a grave religious face Upon the businesse Ha. But if we cannot worke him For hee 's so full of foolish scruples Or if he should prove false and then betray us Mir. Betray us sure my Lord your feare ha's blinded Your understanding for what serves the King Will not his threats worke more then our perswasions While we looke on and laugh and seeme as ignorant As unconcern'd and thus appearing friends To either side on both may worke our ends Enter Mess. Mess. My Lord the Turkish Bashawes Desire accesse Ha. Admit 'em I know their businesse Mir. They long to heare with what successe you mov'd The King in their behalfe Ha. But now they 're come I 'le make 'em doe my businesse Better then I did theirs Mir. Leave us a while Exit Mir. Enter two Bashawes Ha. My Lords my duty and affection to the Prince And the respects I owe to men of honour Extort a secret from me which yet I grieve to utter The Prince departing left to me the care Of your affaires which I as he commanded Have recommended to the King but with so unlookt for A successe 1. Bas. My Lord feare not to speake our doome while we Feare not to heare it we were lost before And can be ready now to meet that fate We then expected Ha. Though he that brings unwelcome newes Ha's but a losing Office yet he that shewes Your danger first and then your way to safety May heale that wound he made you know the King With jealous eyes hath ever look't awry On his sonnes actions but the fame and glory Of the last warre hath rais'd another spirit Envy and Jealousie are twin'd together Yet both lay hid in his dissembled smiles Like two concealed serpents till I unhappy I Moving this question trod upon them both And rouz'd their sleeping angers then casting from him His doubts and straight confirm'd in all his feares Decrees to you a speedy death to his owne sonne A close restraint but what will follow I dare not thinke you by a sudden flight may finde your safety 2. Bas. Sir Death and we are not such strangers That we should make dishonour or ingratitude The price of life it was the Princes gift And we but weare it for his sake and service Ha. Then for his sake and service Pray follow my advice though you have lost the favour Of your unworthy master yet in the Provinces You lately governed you have those dependances And interests that you may raise a power To serve the Prince I 'le give him timely notice To stand upon his guard 1. Bas. My Lord we thanke you But we must give the Prince intelligence Both when and how to imploy us Ha. If you will write Commit it to my care and secrecie To see it safe convey'd 2. Bas. We shall my Lord Exit Ha. These men were once the Princes foes and then Unwillingly they made him great but now Being his friends shall willingly undoe him And which is more be still his friends What little Arts governe the world we need not An armed enemy or corrupted friend When service but misplac't or love mistaken Performes the worke nor is this all the use I 'le make of them when once they are in armes Their Master shall be wrought to thinke these forces Rays'd against him and this shall so endeare me To him that though dull vertue and the gods O'recome my subtle mischiefe I may finde A safe retreat and may at least be sure If not more mighty to be more secure Exeunt Finis Act. Secundi Actus Tertius Scena Prima Enter King and Haly. King But Haly what confederates ha's the Prince In his conspiracie Ha. Sir I can yet suspect None but the Turkish prisoners and that onely From their late sudden flight King Are they fled for what Ha. That their owne feares best know their entertainment I 'me sure was such as could not
minister Suspition or dislike but sure they 're conscious Of some intended mischiefe and are fled To put it into act King This still confirmes me more But let 'em be pursu'd let all the passages Be well secur'd that no intelligence May passe betweene the Prince and them Ha. It shall be done Sir King Is the Caliph prepar'd Ha. Hee 's without Sir And waytes your pleasure King Call him Enter Haly and Caliph King I have a great designe to act in which The greatest part is thine In briefe 't is this I feare my sonnes high spirit and suspect Designes upon my life and Crowne Ca. Sure Sir your feares are causelesse Such thoughts are strangers to his noble soule King No 't is too true I must prevent my danger And make the first attempt there 's no such way To avoyde a blow as to strike first and sure Ca. But Sir I hope my function shall exempt me From bearing any part in such designes King Your function Laugh's do you thinke that Princes Will raise such men so neare themselves for nothing We but advance you to advance our purposes Nay even in all religions Their learnedst and their seeming holiest men but serve To worke their masters ends and varnish o're Their actions with some specious pious colour No scruples doo 't or by our holy Prophet The death my rage intends to him is thine Ca. Sir 't is your part to will mine to obey King Then be wise and suddaine Enter Lords as to Councell Ab. Mor. Ca. My Lords it grieves me to relate the cause Of this Assembly and 't will grieve you all The Prince you know stands high in all those graces Which Nature seconded by fortune gives Wisedome he ha's and to his wisedome courage Temper to that and unto all successe But Ambition the disease of Vertue bred Like surfets from an undigested fulnesse Meets death in that which is the meanes of life Great Mahomet to whom our Soveraigne life And Empire is most deare appearing thus Advis'd me in a vision Tell the King The Prince his sonne attempts his life and Crowne And though no creature lives that more admires His vertues nor affects his person more Then I yet zeale and duty to my Soveraigne Have cancel'd all respects nor must we slight The Prophets revelations Abd. Remember Sir he is your sonne Indeared to you by a double bond As to his King and father And the remembrance of that double bond Doubles my sorrowes 'T is true Nature and duty binde him to obedience But those being placed in a lower sphere His fierce ambition like the highest mover Ha's hurried with a strong impulsive motion Against their proper course But since he has forgot The duty of a sonne I can forget The affections of a father Abd. But Sir in the beginning of diseases None trye the extreamest remedies King But when they 're suddaine The cure must be as quicke when I 'me dead you 'le say My feares have beene too slow Treasons are acted Assoone as thought though they are ne're beleeved Untill they come to act Mor. But consider Sir The greatnesse of the attempt the people love him The lookers on and the enquiring vulgar Will talke themselves to action thus by avoyding A danger but suppos'd you tempt a reall one King Those Kings whom envy or the peoples murmure Deterres from their owne purposes deserve not Nor know not their owne greatnesse The peoples murmure 't is a sulphurous vapour Breath'd from the bowels of the basest earth And it may soyle and blast things neare it selfe But ere it reach the region we are plac't in It vanishes to ayre we are above The sence or danger of such stormes Cap. True Sir they are but stormes while Royaltie Stands like a Rocke and the tumultuous vulgar Like billowes rais'd with winde that 's with opinion May roare and make a noyse and threaten But if they rowle too neare they 're dash't in pieces While they stand firme Abd. Yet Sir Crownes are not plac't so high But vulgar hands may reach 'em King Then 't is when they are plac't on vulgar heads Abd. But Sir Looke backe upon your selfe why should your sonne Anticipate a hope so neare so certaine we may wish and pray For your long life But neither prayers nor power Can alter Fates decree or Natures Law Why should he ravish then that Diadem From your gray temples which the hand of time Must shortly plant on his King My Lords I see you looke upon me as a sunne Now in his West halfe buryed in a cloud Whose rayes the vapours of approaching night Have rendred weake and faint But you shall finde That I can yet shoot beames whose heat can melt The waxen wings of this ambitious boy Nor runnes my bloud so cold nor is my arme So feeble yet but he that dares defend him Shall feele my vengeance and shall usher me Into my grave Ab. Sir we defend him not Onely desire to know his crime 'T is possible It may be some mistake or mis-report Some false suggestion or malicious scandall Or if ambition be his fault 't was yours He had it from you when he had his beeing Nor was 't his fault nor yours for 't is in Princes A crime to want it from a noble spirit Ambition can no more be separated Then heat from fire Or if you feare the vision Will you suspect the noble Prince because This holy man is troubled in his sleepe Because his crazie stomack wants concoction And breedes ill fumes or his melancholy spleene Sends up fantastick vapours to his braine Dreames are but dreames these causelesse feares become not Your noble soule King Who speakes another word Hath spoke his last Great Mahomet we thanke thee Protector of this Empire and this life Thy cares have met my feares this on presumptions Strong and apparent I have long presag'd And though a Prince may punish what he feares Without account to any but the Gods Wise States as often cuts off ills that may be As those that are and prevent purposes Before they come to practise and foule practises Before they grow to Act you cannot but observe How he dislikes the Court his rude departure His honour from the people and the souldiers His seeking to oblige the Turkes his prisoners Their sudden and suspected flight And above all his restlesse towring thoughts A Horne winded without King If the businesse be important Admit him Enter Post with a Letter Post Sir upon your late command To guard the passages and search all packets This to the Prince was intercepted King opens it and reades it to himselfe King Here Abdall reade it Abdall reades The Letter Ab. reades Sir we are assured how unnaturally your fathers intentions Are towards you and how cruell towards us we have Made an escape not so much to seeke our owne As to be instruments of your safety We will be In armes upon the borders upon your command Either to seeke danger with you or to
could make a bloudy feast Of his owne sonne and call the gods his guests Her 's that could kill her aged Sire and cast Her brothers scatter'd limbs to Wolves and Vultures Or his that slew his father to enjoy His mothers bed and greater then all those My fathers Devill Come mischiefe I embrace thee fill my soule And thou revenge ascend and beare the Scepter O're all my other passions banish thence All that are coole and tame Know old Tyrant My heart 's to big to breake I know thy feares Exceed my sufferings and my revenge Though but in hope is much a greater pleasure Then thou canst take in punishing Then my anger Sinke to the Center of my heart and there Lye close in ambush till my seeming patience Hath made the cruell Tyrant as secure Though with as little cause as now hee 's jealous Whos 's there Enter two or three I finde my nature would returne To her old course I feele an inclination To some repose welcome thou pleasing slumber A while embrace me in thy leaden armes And charme my carefull thoughts Conduct me to my bed Exit Enter King Haly and Caliph King How doe's the Prince how beares he his restraint Ha. Why Sir as all great spirits Beare great and sudden changes with such impatience As a Numidian Lyon when first caught Endures the toyle that holds him He would thinke of nothing But present death and sought all violent meanes To compasse it But time hath mitigated Those furious heats he now returnes to food And sleepe admits the conversation Of those that are about him King I would I had not So easily beleev'd my feares I was too sudden I would it were undone Cal. If you lament it That which now lookes like Justice will be thought An inconsiderate rashnesse King But there are in nature Such strong returnes that I punish't him I doe not grieve but that he was my sonne Ha. But it concernes you to beare up your passion And make it good for if the people know That you have cause to grieve for what is done They 'le thinke you had no cause at first to doe it King to the Ca. Go visit him from me and teach him patience Since neither all his furie nor my sorrow Can helpe what 's past tell him my severitie To him shall in some measure be requited By my indulgence to his children And if he desire it Let them have accesse to him endeavour to take off His thoughts from revenge by telling him of Paradise and I know not what pleasures In the other world Cal. I shall Sir Exit King and Ca. Man Ha. Enter Mirvan Ha. Mirvan the King relents and now there 's left No refuge but the last he must be poysoned And suddenly lest he survive his father Mir. But handsomely lest it appeare Ha. Appeare To whom you know there 's none about him But such as I have plac't and they shall say 'T was discontent or abstinence Mir. But at the best 'T will be suspected Ha. Why though 't be knowne Wee 'le say he poysoned himselfe Mir. But the curious will pry further Then bare report and the old Kings suspitions Have piercing eyes Ha. But those nature Will shortly close you see his old disease Growes strong upon him Mir. But if he should recover Ha. But I have cast his nativitie he cannot he must not I' th' meane time I have so besieg'd him So block't up all the passages and plac't So many Centinels and Guards upon him That no intelligence can be convey'd But by my instruments But this businesse will require More heads and hands then ours Goe you to the prison And bring the Keeper privately to me To give him his instructions Ex. severall wayes Enter Prince and Caliph Cal. Sir I am commanded by the King To visite you Prince What to give a period to my life And to his feares You 're welcome here 's a throat A heart or any other part ready to let In death and receive his commands Ca. My Lord I am no messenger nor minister of death 'T is not my function Prince I should know that voyce Ca. I am the Caliph and am come to tell you your father Is now returned to himselfe Nature ha's got The victory o're passion all his rigour Is turn'd to griefe and pitty Prince Alas good man I pitty him and his infirmities His doubts and feares and accidents of age Which first provok't his crueltie Ca. He bid me tell you His love to yours should amply recompence His cruelty to you And I dare say 't is reall For all his thoughts his pleasures and delights Are fixt on Fatyma when he is sad She comforts him when sicke shee 's his Physitian And were it not for the delight he takes In her I thinke hee 'de dye with sorrow Prince But how are his affections fixt so strangely On her alone sure 't is not in his nature For then he had lov'd me or hated her Because she came from me Ca. 'T is her desert Shee 's faire beyond comparison and witty Above her age and beares a manly spirit Above her sexe Prince But may not I admire her Is that too great a happinesse pray let her make it Her next suit to be permitted to visit me her selfe Ca. She shall Sir I joy to see your minde So well compos'd I fear'd I should have found A tempest in your soule and came to lay it I 'le to the King I know to him that newes will be Most acceptable Prince Pray doe and tell him I have cast off all my passions and am now A man againe fit for societie And conversation Ca. I will Sir Exit Prince I never knew my selfe till now how on the sudden I 'me growne an excellent dissembler to out-doe One at the first that ha's practiz'd it all his life So now I am my selfe againe what is 't I feele within me thinkes some vaste designe Now takes possession of my heart and swels My labouring thoughts above the common bounds Of humane actions something full of horror My soule hath now decreed my heart does beat As if 't were forging thunderbolts for Jove To strike the Tyrant dead so now I have it I have it 't is a gallant mischiefe Worthy my father or my fathers sonne All his delight 's in Fatyma poore innocent But not more innocent then I and yet My father loves thee and that 's crime enough By this act old Tyrant I shall be quit with thee while I was vertuous I was a stranger to thy bloud but now Sure thou wilt love me for this horrid crime It is so like thy owne In this I 'me sure Although in nothing else I am thy sonne But when 't is done I leave him yet that remedie I take my selfe Revenge but I aswell Will rob him of his anger as his joy And having sent her to the shades I 'le follow her But to returne againe and dwell In his dire thoughts for there 's