Artabanus all in Flames Nay 't is the same I know it by the Portal look Look How the Rabble scramble for the Plunder What thankless Care they take to save The Plate and Furniture see how some venture Burning to be Rogues and yet would Tremble Should an Honest Cause Require ' em Rabble within Away with her c 1st Sold. And see the Torrent Rowles this way Offi. Ha! By Heav'n the Lady too Tamira And her Child rudely Drag'd along the Streets Within Away with her to the Palace to the King away with her 1st Sold What 's to be done We are no number to oppose ' em Offi. Let us run back to Artabanus and if Possible bring him down to her Relief Before they carry her to the King Run They are upon us Exeunt Enter Tamira Plunder'd her Hair and Cloaths disorder'd the Rabble with her Child she striving to recover it Tam. O Barbarous Cruel Men If you are Men be touch'd with Human Pitty If you seek Blood take mine but spare That harmless Babe Tear not my Heartstrings from me You once were Young and Innocent your selves And now perhaps have Children of your own O! Could you bear to see 'em torn by Cruel Hands From off their tender Mothers Breasts Wou'd it not make you Bleed and tear your Hair And pierce the Heav'ns with your shreiking Sorrows 1. Rab. Come I say give her the Child it has done us No harm and will do us no good 2. Rab. The Child 's my lawful Plunder and I will keep it Tam. Kneeling Dear Sir You look with Eyes of Mercy on me If you have Power Command if Pity speak him fair So at your latest Hour may you sweet Mercy find Of Heav'n as now you show it me But see His Bloody Arm is Rais'd O stop She Rises The Fatal Blow O hold For pity hold See Sir I 've that will charm you to Compassion This Diamond Takes it from her Bosom 2 Rab. Ay! That Diamond Tam. The first dear Pledge of my Unhappy Love To save a more Endearing One Weeping I bestow you 'T is all i' th' World Of Value I have left me And were I starving now for want of Food If this were only left to feed me wou'd I starve So much beyond my Life I prize its worth But oh so far beyond 'em both I love my Child 2. Rab. Ay! now I feel thee Woman let 's see the Ring Tam. Here Gentle Sir and with it take Ten Thousand Prayers Sir 2. Rab. You must have no Child till I have such another Diamond Tam. By all my Woes I am a Beggar You cannot be so Cruel to refuse me now Believe me search take all strip me To pinching Cold to every thing but shame Tear off this Idle Robe it misbecomes me While that tender Infant needs it 3. Rab. Pshah away with her must we stand to hear A Woman Prate 2. Rab. Ay! Ay! away with her c. Tam. My Child O Savage Creatures Catching at the Fellow she falls on the Ground Om. To the King to the Palace away with her Tam. Ha! The King Not all your force shall drag me Thus will I Dash the Ground and tear a Passage To escape him Fierce Thunder strike me to the Grave Gape Earth and take me living down to Horror Torments any Hell But Life and Shame O! Omn. Drag her away with her c. They drag her by the Hair Tam. O Cruel Cruel Men As they are going off Enter Mardonius Aranthes and their Party Mar. What means this strange Disorder Friends Why swarm you thus like angry Bees unhiv'd That sting in wild Revenge or Friend or Foe Is it because you want a Head to lead you Or do you blindly serve a Tyrant's Will Why is this Woman rudely drag'd along They loose her as half afraid Tam. Relieve me Heav'n Mar. Now by my Soul the Fair Tamira Help ho They Raise her Tam. Protect me Brave Mardonius Mar. Protect Yes and Revenge thee too Villains Tam. Hold I conjure you hold Good Sir be mild And speak 'em fair or that Revenge May cost me dearer than my Life my Child Mar. Ha! Forego the Infant Slaves Or by the lifted Fury of this Arm Tam. Oh! do not fright 'em Sir see they 're merciful And kind they will not hurt the Babe They set down the Child which runs into her Arms. Mar. Whence comes this Insolence you Hounds You hungry yelping Curs that run at all Whence Mischeif cries Halloo Is Innocence your Game Hence to your Kennels Dogs Omn. Fly Fly c. Beats 'em off Aran. Let 'em run on they are not worth pursuit Their Fear will soon disperse ' em Tam. But where 's my Lord my Artabanus Sir Why is it he 's not with you Mar. Having expected him er'e this to join us We sent to know th' occasion of his delay And every Moment wait his Answer Aran. And see Sir the Messenger is return'd Enter an Officer Mar. Now Have you seen the General Offi. My Lord I found him Posted on a little Hill Without the City From whence Enrag'd he saw his House in Flames And led his Men with Fury down to join you As he was Marching on An Officer whom just before h 'had sent To find and bring his Lady to him With breathless haste Inform'd him that the Rabble Were that very moment dragging her to the Palace At this he Trembl'd and his Lips grew Pale But on a sudden starting from the Fit He March'd his Numbers in disorder'd haste Strait on to th' Palace resolving there To force the Guards to Dye or Rescue her And this delays him Sir Mar. Ill Tim'd and dangerous Error But hast away again and tell him His Tamira's safe with me If he shou'd force The Guards he runs into the Jaws of Death Tam. O! Fly before the Danger meets him Ex. Officer Mar. Some on before to stop the Fire Tamira be your Care Aranthes While I with these March on to his Assistance Ex. Tam. and Aran. Enter a Second Officer Wounded Offi. Arm Arm Mar. How now Soldier What mean these Wounds Offi. My Lord they faintly speak our General 's Danger Mar. Where is he Offi. This Moment Storming at the Palace Gate I left him there demanding his Tamira And threatning if refus'd to bury it in 〈◊〉 At which the King in mad Revenge grown desperate Threw him an Handkerchief Distain'd with Blood And cry'd take there There 's all that 's left Of thy Tamira now the rest of her is Cold. Swell'd with that Sight he flew with Fury on the Guards And now Impatient of Revenge like Wildfire throws Destruction round him for a Time But must at last Expire and let his curious Foes With safe Amazement view the wondrous shell that held it Alas I fear you 'll be too late But yet There 's Hope in haste my Lord to stem this Flood of Ruin Mar. O Fatal Error on to the Palace March Exeunt SCENE The Palace An Allarm is heard several
A Commander Mr. Scudamore Memnon Artabanus's Lieutenant Mr. Freeman Cleontes the King's Creature Mr. Thurmond Poet. An Impudent Fellow Mr. Boin Tamira Wife to Artabanus Mrs. Berry Maskers Magi Soldiers c. The Scene PERSIA XERXES ACT I. The Scene Near Xerxes Pallace Enter Mardonius and Aranthes Aran. HAVE Patience brave Mardonius Mar. Patience 'T is the Coward 's Virtue I 'm a Soldier brought up in Arms And when the noble End of Life is gone My Country's Honour lost my King with shame repuls'd Our Foes insulting we still hopeless of Revenge Where is there room for Patience Aran. I am a Soldier Sir Mar. Then talk like one Aran. I wou'd not talk the Tongue 's a Woman's weapon While there 's a Greek on Earth my Arm shall speak my Thoughts Mar. Why didst thou mention Patience then Aran. Because I knew ' twoud Anger you I bat oppos'd you like a rapid Stream To make you Foam and Rowl with double force Mar. Or'e whom Aran. Th' Athenians Think on Salamis In that deep Sea the Persian Honour sunk 'T was there our dazling Sun Great Xerxes Glory set for ever Mar. Confusion Aran. Does then the Name of Salamis offend you Mar. Furies and Hell Canst thou be pleas'd to hear it Aran. I am To hear it does offend you And now I 've rais'd you to my End propos'd Iv'e that shall keep your brave Resentment warm Read there the List of our surviving Troops Giving a Scrole Which I with utmost care have join'd If yet you think it not too late to Head 'em To Morrow's Sun shall see a General Muster Where every Face will speak an Heart resolv'd 'T is true they 're scarce an Handful To the Numbers we set out with yet still A brave Revenge Revenge for Glory lost Is such an animating Cause As must inspire our Arms with double Fury Mar. Ay now the Soldier speaks This Talk becomes thee Methinks the Voice of Fate informs me now That proud Themistocles shall dearly buy His boasted Spoils of Persia. My Heart 's on fire at the reviving Thought And bounds to be in Action No more remains but that we seek the Drooping King And Form him for the vast Exploit Aran. Brave Artabanus is in search of him 'T is said on Information that the Enemy Had a Design to hinder his Retreat He Posted privately to th' Hellespont But er'e he cou'd arrive a furious Storm Had quite dispers'd his Bridge of ships And that way stopt his Passage How he Escap'd I hear not See Sir Artabanus comes We probably may learn of him Enter Artabanus Dejected My Lord You 're Wellcome Doubly Wellcome now but say How have the Gods dispos'd our Master Xerxes Mar. If thou canst utter'ought That may advance our eager Hopes be bold And let thy Words come forth as if the Fate Of Greece were lodg'd upon thy Tongue For know Mardonius stands with you resolv'd On brave Revenge or Death Art Then Wellcome Death for brave Revenge is lost Mar. What! while our Lives are Ours Art Nothing is ours Xerxes is no more Himself Mar. I grant Thermopylae and Salamis Have Alter'd him But yet he lives and while he lives there 's hope Art Far less than ev'n his Death cou'd give us 'T is true his Body crawls and drags A Frantick Being his Soul is drown'd in lethe Insensible and deaf to Glory or Dishonour O! were it possible my Silence cou'd Conceal his shame By Heav'n This loyal Hand shou'd stop my Tongue for ever Mar. Amazement seizes me relate the Scene For my impatient Soul 's all Ear to know The Worst that Fate can Threaten Art Behold him then this fatal Monarch Xerxes Late Universal Master of the Earth and Seas First of so Formidable so vast an Army That as they mov'd whole Rivers still were drain'd To quench 'em on their thirsty March Th' or'e-bunden'd Earth grew weary of her Load And when they clos'd their Squadrons groan'd to bear ' em Mar. By Arms a glorious Host and wanting nothing but an Head Art And that Alas grown weak the noble Body dies Ev'n by an handful at the Fam'd Thermopylae Fam'd indeed to Graecian Glory 't was mangled All Most shamefully subdu'd and lost Mar. Nothing but a Xerxes cou'd ha' lost ' em Art Behold him yet a second time The Master of his Fate A Fleet so numerous Their vast Provision left a raging Famine on The Neighbouring Coasts The spacious Earth Was stript of Men and Women till'd the Ground Ev'n the wide Element of Air cou'd scarce Afford 'em Breath to fill their swelling Sails By Arms a glorious Body too Invincible To Mortal Thought But conscious Heav'n Foreseeing while it thus bestrid the Seas It must in Time have led the Earth in Chains Decreed it Xerxes for the fatal Head And that way Totter'd it to Ruin And now behold the amazing Change of Greatness By Heav'n it strikes my Soul to think This awful Man that Muster'd half the World In Arms at Salamis shou'd be Reduc'd So low that ev'n a common Fisher-Boat Without one Slave to wait his Nod was All He cou'd Command to save his Person in a shameful Flight Mar. Wer 't not for shame my Eyes wou'd melt to hear The moving Tale But Tears are too Effeminate No! Let Girls and Lovers weep A Soldier shou'd Resent his Fate Why doest thou fold thy Arms And sighing shake thy Head Is there beyond This shameful Flight yet more of shame For that 's the only pain that galls a Soldier Art There is alas and a severe one too His Vain His Proud and what the History of Man Cou'd never Parallel his Monstrous Resolution After Flight He says he made th' Athenians Fly He lost no Battle Greece still Trembles at his Name In Arms more Fam'd than ever And that the Envious World should know And when amaz'd I urg'd the contrary He turn'd away and talk'd to Sycophants Who as I spoke still sooth'd his lethargy To summ the Tale in spight of all Opposing sense He has resolv'd to enter Persia In a splendid Triumph I saw him move Amidst his shameful Pageantry in all The Haughty Pride and State of an Insutling Conqueror Poor Slaves and Vagabonds are Hir'd To Personate the seeming Captives of A Real Victory vast Empty Coffers Suppos'd of Treasure taken from the Enemy High Castled Elephants Rich Gilded Trophies Spoils and Armour Trumpets and Songs prepare his way The People stare upon the Gawdy show And Rend the Skies with Ecchoed Wellcomes While he in solemn Pace stalks Proudly on And ev'n out swells the Hero of a Theatre Aran. O Vile Disgrace of Arms A Triumph Hell Mar. Impossible Art Then it can't be true Would it were not Mar. Gods No more I 'll hast and stop this Vile Procession Charge his Folly home my Honest Tongue Ev'n from this Precipice of Towring Pride Shall break his Fall and catch him back to Glory Exiturus Art Yet stay my Lord this Rashness may be Fatal 'T is Madness to oppose
forth Imagine now the eager Arms of Victory Extending to embrace us sound as if The Glorious Scene were here in real Action Sound and wake the Ghost of this departed Hero Art O Glorious Harmony They Sound a Charge Aran. O Powerful Charm Mar. By Arms it sets my glowing Veins on fire I burn my Spirits rave with fury for the War Away to Horse to Arms why stand you Sir unmov'd As if a low born Fear had fix'd you here Inanimate Can you be deaf when great Revenge and Honour call Are there such Charms in a detested Sloth and Ease God's where have you Tameness lest to stand thus long Suspected not to dare Sound a fresh Allarm And let the Martial Din ungrave the Dead To rouze him Xer. On Forfeit of your Lives forbear your Insolence Audacious Traitor thus to Brand My Hallow'd Pleasures with the Name Of Slothful Ease and Fear I 'll have thee think Unknowing Slave That nothing in it self Is Good or Ill but as it pleases me Mar. I say no! There will be shame in Cowardice Tho' Xerxes were a Soldier Xer. Ha! Aran. Forbear my Lord consider 't is your King that hears you Mar. I ha' no King 't is Merit not a Crown That makes a King when Pride and Sloth debase The Soul of Majesty The Crown 's a Toy No more in Worth than what it weighs in Gold I scorn a King whose Robes can only speak him Royal. Xer. Witness ye Gods How loth I am to wake And crush this Slave who like a Crawling Insect dares Disturb the sleeping Lyon Mar. A Lyon By Heav'n I 've seen a Hare a Womans Courage Dare beyond thee the Martial Artemisia Whose Aiding Arm in Fight supported and disgrac'd thee The Warlike Woman shew'd a Manly Rage The Courtly King a Womans Trembling Fear Ever wer't thou last in Battle formost In the Flight humble in Danger and when Thy Danger 's past Insulting Xer. Seize the Traitor hence and bear him to a Dungeon There let the surly Lyon Growle and Champ His Galling Chains in vain I 'll try him in the Den Hard Fare perhaps Darkness and Gives may tame him Mar. A Dungeon Now by the Power of Arms thou 'st found The only place an honest Man can bear in Persia Thou poor Inverted King whose Favour is Disgrace Whose Frowns are Honour now Thou canst not raise My Glory more than thus proclaiming to the World Thou hatest me But when This Lyon grumbles or'e his Chains alone Beware Thou send no Persian Fools to gaze at me Lest in my round of thought I should believe 'em Greeks That keep me there and bounding from my Couch Grasping with Fury the mistaken Prey With Flaming Eyes should stare their Souls away Exit Xer. To the Dungeon hence and load him down with Massy Fetters By Heav'n I 'll find a way to take An undisturb'd Repose I 'll have my Streams Of Christial Pleasure clear'd of all these Martial Weeds I 'll tear 'em by the Roots and throw 'em useless by Art My Lord Hower'e your Soldiers heat Xer. I 'll have no more to do with saucy War Were now Ten Thousand times the Millions I ha' lost in Arms Intreating Begging as for life One animating Word to bid 'em move I 'd not unsheath my Sword to be Enthron'd with Jove Exit Art Why why ye Pow'rs has such a tainted Soul The Care of th' Empire Or if the Gods have stampt Divinity on Kings fixing them far above The Reach of Common Men why then have we The Eyes of Reason to Inspect their Faults Why are we Born with Souls to loath Dishonour And yet by Honour bound to bear it Aran. How To bear it No! That Loyalty's Dishonorable That bids me bear Dishonour When Subjects Are no more the Care of Kings we then Have only left the Laws of Nature to Protect us And Nature tyes us all to Self Defence We must in time resent the Blows we 've taken Mardonius's Freedom must be sought and suddenly The Current of our Treasure ebbs too fast It must be stopt by Right and Priviledge The late Expences of our Gaudy Shame Exceeds th' Account of Necessary War And shall we sleep when from our Hands by Force The Gripe of Tyranny has wrung our Fortunes More I cou'd say If I believ'd that Words cou'd win you to An Honourable Action Art Aranthes I was never slow to such a Call Nor needs the Cause a Tongue But yet the Undertaking's difficult And will require our Friends best Counsel To Night at my own House I 'll Summon 'em There speak our Griefs at large And may the Blest Event to Ages prove No Crown sits safe without the Peoples Love Exeunt ACT III. The Scene The House of Artabanus Enter Memnon with a Paper Mem. HOnesty's a Notion and only Reigns Like Womens Chastity in cold Untempted Minds It must be so I ever thought that Villany Had an ugly Face but now I view it In the Flattering Glass of Interest it seems No Monster Of a fairer form than half starv'd Virtue Yet let me think a little Here I am trusted with the Names of several Men Who have combin'd to free th' Imprison'd General To seize the King and force him to renew The War with Greece Nay I 've subscrib'd my own T' assist 'em too and now am going to inform The General of it The Undertaking is but Just For Old Mardonius lov'd the King and lies In Chains because he offer'd proof on 't Xerxes Is unfit to hold the Reins of Empire He throws 'em loose and lets it run to shame And Luxury Why don 't I haste to stop him then And by the Execution of what I 've sworn to act Prevent my Countries Ruine But stay suppose I fail in my Design as sure 't is dangerous If I am taken can my Country save me Or if I succeed am I sure my Country Will be grateful They 'll say perhaps 't was Interest Led me on And let me starve while they partake the Blessing They may be base and probably they will Then 'T is not safe to trust 'em nor can I On th' other side be sure of Life if I delay This great Discovery Why then 'T is fixt I 'll take the surest way to find Reward from Xerxes And when my Pardon and Reward are sign'd Then let 'em call me Fool or tell the King I am a Villain Exit Enter Artabanus Aranthes c. Art Never was Cause my Friends more chearfully Embrac'd never were Hands more fit for Action Nor ever greater Glory waiting on success 'T is not the Thirst of others Wealth or Dignities Nor Envy of a favour'd Faction that inflames us No Mercenary end 'T is Bleeding Honour calls us To revenge her Wounds 't is Xerxes not the King That stands accus'd If Xerxes can relent Still let him wear the Crown if not the Crown By us remov'd can dignify Another Head for Empire Aran. 'T is not who Reigns but who Reigns well is King Art