shall doubt with better cause Your love than you did mine Can Romulus Be kind to me and yet forbid my kindness You speak of pardon where you ne're offended My dearest Lord I 'm pleas'd at your suspicion If as th' appearance was you had not been moved Sure you had loved me less Rom. O wondrous goodness Miracle of women Can you still love me Hers. My life I can I doe Embracing Host. But Madam what must I return for this dear blessing I 'm so confounded with the mighty favour I know not where first to bestow my thanks To my sweet Mistress here who thought me worthy Or to your self who form'd my erring heart For such a Heaven Hers. Pay 'em to her Only her love deserves them See Sir her blushes keep her speechless but That very silence tells you she merits more Than you can pay her Enter a Soldier Sol. To Armes to Armes O! quick or Rome is lost The Sabines enter at Port Ianualis Led on by Tatius Curtius too half desperate Since his late loss fights now with double Courage The Guards give ground apace and they are neer Possest of all that Quarter Row A truce with Love Hostilius we are call'd To bolder actions Host. Were all their Army present I have no power to stir till thus I pay At this soft shrine of Love and innocence My first Devotions Kisses Feliciana's hand From this dear touch I take new life new Love And thus inspir'd to certain conquest move Ex. Rom. Host. Feli. He 's gone while he was here I had no power To speak to move or any thing but blush My overflowing joy met every thought And choak'd my words e're they could reach my tongue My fears my fears now give me Elocution O I shall lose your Present Sister In vain You gave me the brave Man The cruel Sabines Will rob me of Hostilius Hers. Why shou'd you fear Success have not I made a greater venture My Soul my Romulus my All I hazard In this ingagement But if I hazard all Why stand I here Can I be safe when he My better self 's in danger Cloe run Gather the Sabine Women in a body Bid 'em all meet with speed at Iuno's Temple Feli. What means my Sister Exit Cloe. Her I feel unusual joy shoot through my heart Something within me whispers that as I First caused this war so it is I must end it Swell noble thought That I may something do Worthy a Roman Wife and Sabine Daughter Enter Portia Port. Be happy Madam Heaven declares for Rome The Gods fight for us When your Romulus Found his men flying and that no perswasions Nor threats nor his example cou'd prevail To stay the Coward Fugitives to all His friends above the pious Roman calls And vows a Temple in the place to Iove Behold a Miracle they who but now Fled as so many Hares turn on the sudden Hers. I 'm seised with joy and wonder Port. But this is Madam wonderful indeed While the prevailing Sabines bore all before 'em Pursuing fiercely along by Ianus Temple A stream of Sulphur flow'd more fiercely on 'em From the offended God Drowning and burning them But giving us more time and means to rally Hers. Shall the two ever jarring Elements Of Fire and Water lay by their enmity Uniting both their powers for Rome while I The Wife of Romulus stand unconcern'd No I will lose my Nature too cast off The fears of Woman and with a Troop Of my own Sex confront the thickest danger But stay you here my sweet Feliciana Thy years are much unfit for such a hazard Fel. Unkind Hersilia Why shou'd you under-rate My love and think it less than yours Young as I am I dare as much as you For love and my Hostilius I am all fire And yet I durst not go were not he there But to meet him tho in a Grave I dare Exeunt omnes SCENE Ult. The Scene draws and discovers the Romans and Sabines ready to engage Drums and Trumpets Romulus Hostilius Tatius and Curtius come forward Tat. Forbear a while Since Romulus we meet So opportunely let us two who have The chief concern in this unhappy War Decide the quarrel singly Why shou'd we Profusely cast away a thousand lives Harmless and unconcern'd when we may better Stake all th' event of war on our own heads Rom. The offer 's just and noble I accept it Tat. Give your command then to your Roman party As I to mine who I 'm sure will obey me That they remain spectators only and Both sides yeild to him that conquers Host. Sure Tatius never heard Hostilius named Am I soe great a stranger to your ear Or has report ne're mentioned the strict friendship With which the God like Romulus has graced me 'T is time you know it now if yet you have not I cannot see my King engaged And I unactive Cur. Nor I my General Once more Hostilius fortune presents my sword To oppose yours sure now we may decide What late we left imperfect Host. With as much joy as absent Lovers meet Tarp. Is there not yet one Sabine more that dare Contest with me the Justice of this War Must I be so unhappy to stand idle A poor Spectator of brave deeds and want One noble Enemy among so many Two or three Sabines are coming forward io answer Tat. Retire and keep your places You see Tarpeius Here are enow that strive for the like honour But since your King agrees to fight me single I 'le have no more engaged than are already Hostilius has indeed put in no common claim Or else he too had been refused Rom. Be not displeased thou brave and worthy Roman 'T is sit I leave one friend alive to tell Embracing Tarp. Posterity how much I die Hersilia's How much my heart abhorr'd to live Unless in her How my last sillable was her's And how my Soul flew in a trembling sigh Up with her name to Heaven Tarp. retires Tat. We lose too many minutes Roman advance And meet me as a Foe implacable Respect me not as Father to Hersilia Rather than so I cancel all Relation Quit my Alliance and disown my blood They all pass Enter Hersilia Feliciana and other Women who all run in between ' em Hers. Do kill us first and then your selves Add this To the great List of all your Glorious Acts That you have Murdered all these unarm'd Women Where am I now arriv'd Is that my Father He is or shou'd be This I 'me sure 's my Husband Feli. And this to me more dear than thousand Husbands I 'le be Hostilius shield weak as I am He that wounds him must do it through my breast Hers. Sir To Tatius Kneeling Tat. Woman away Hers. Have I no nearer Name Tat. Hersilia Hers. Still that has too much distance methinks I hear my Mothers Soul from her blest seat Of rest call out and say I am your Daughter Tat. You were till disobedient Love blotted that name And
Fortune Command Rule Reign over my Rome and me Have I a City Subjects Crown and my Friend not the same Is not Hostilius Romulus and Romulus Hostilius Take and enjoy then all that makes me happy but leave your mournful silence Host. Aside Oh Royal bounty oh unheedful kindness he knows not what he sayes nor I to answer to this invidious Friendship Enter Feliciana Feli. Oh Sister O dear Hersilia what will become of us Hers. Why Sister what surprizing fright has caus'd this Question Feli. The City 's all allarm'd While from the Tarrace yonder I saw the distant-hills towards the west-gate covered with Armed Sabines drawing this way I hear they come to have us back alive or dead are these the effects of your Heroick Passions indeed Hersilia tho I respect you dearly you had not had my Company if I had thought I shoud have dyed for Love Rom. Innocently pretty fear not Feliciana these are but shews of terrour there 's nothings real in ' em Come Hostilius let us go view the Enemy and give such orders as may secure the Ladies fears and make the Sabines know Romans and Lovers are not to be Conquered Exeunt Rom. Host. Feli. Sister how great a change do we find here from the still life we 'mongst the Sabines led while at our Fathers Silvan Pallace there frighter from love and seldome seen of Men we spent so many dayes in the adjoyning Groves that all the wild Inhabitants knew us as part of them the Thorstle Nightingale and little Redbrest with all the other pretty feather'd Quire at our approach wou'd flock about and fill the Air with a compleat and chearful consort The speckled Dear woud fearless bring their Fawns and seek their food from me Hers. True Feliciana those were our softer hours Thoughtless in that calm state we past the year And knew not what it was to love or fear But now I have learnt both since the brave Romulus first met me in those shades Ah fatal hour yet hour I still must love we often met and full of angry tears at the approaching night as often parted You know Feliciana how we dispairing ever to procure the severe Tatius to approve our love the generous Youth of Rome by my consent forc'd us and all our Train of Sabine Ladies from the great feast and Sacred Rights of Consus Feli. I know too much Woud I had never known more then the harmless joyes of our own dwelling Widdow'd for loss of me how will the Turtles grieve which I so often fed and kist in feeding Were they now here methinks I could instruct 'em to sigh and Coo and mourn with better Emphesis then their own feather'd Parents in a Grove of Cypress Weeps Hers. Alas my pretty Sister weep not however If the sweet toiles of Lovers are uneasie to you you may return Command a Chariot and a Convoy when you please why shoud I force my Sister to pertake my troubles Feli. Sure Hersilia cannot have so mean a thought of me to think I 'de leave her no I 'le die here Yet wear you not my Sister I coud not go from Rome I know not what it is but something here about my heart afflicts me and often pants and heaves and almost stops my breath and will not suffer me so much as wish to be again amongst the Sabines and my once loved pleasure Of late I alwayes weep and sigh when private yet know not why I seek to be alone hate Company yet know not well the cause of this uneasie humour Hers. Why these are all the innocent signs of stifled Love Feli. sighing Indeed it may be so Had it been any thing but that I might perhaps have known the cause and sought a cure but love 's so great a stranger I can't So much as guess at his proceedings Her How long have you been thus Fel. E're since the willing force that brought us hither I need not tell you for you well remember how at those publick Shews where we were taken Prisoners of Love when at the signal given Your Romulus seiz'd you and every Roman youth that Lady whom his choice or chance presented Hostilius for my quality no doubt as being your Sister not for my person made me his care and entertained me then with so much gallantry and such obliging kindness that I have never since had any ease but when I see him yet I had rather die than he should know it Hers. Fear not dying my Felciana I know Hostilius by his silent sighs melts with loves kindly flames as much as you Fel. That that 's my torment for silly as I am I see he loves but see withal I 'am not the Object Since that dear time of our first encounter he never treated me with one kind word But wheresoever I 'm present he looks another way and sighs and never speaks to me Hers. Pretty Feliciana weep no more but trust your Cares to me I will find out a Cure for this sweet innocent Passion Mean time let 's seek my Romulus I have not patience to endure his absence I know his friend is with him too Come Sister you shall see Hostilius Fel. O hold I dare not Sister Since I have told you all my weakness for Hostilius I am ashamed to let you see me see him Hers. Away you foolish Innocent remove Such idle scruples or ne're thrive in Love Exeunt ACT. I. SCENE II. Enter Romulus Hostilius Spurius Tarpeius Rom. THE Western Gate that fronts the Enemy with the adjoyning Fort Tarpeius I commit to your experienc'd Loyalty and Conduct Sp. Tar. It is an honour Sir which when I give you cause to wish undone take off my head Rom. Hostilius to you belongs all the Command I have my self in my own City Hostil Why shou'd you be so prodigal of favours Why shou'd you lavish thus my best of friends what Heaven and your own merits have conspired to make you only worthy of On me on me too One that can taste no happiness one whose dull sence has lost all relish of a blessing one born to be a wretch a curst unhappy wretch Rom. This is extravagancy sure friend you are not well Hostil My tongue too much betrays me woud I coud spit it out I must confess great Sir my mind of late is much distempered Which often makes my language out of order It is a causless transiant Cloud I know and soon will over I beg you take no notice of it I am too sensible of my own imperfection and am ashamed to have it known to others Rom. 'T is reason nobly urged I 'm silent but see Hersilia Enter Hersilia Feliciana Tarpeia c. Rom. Be safe my Love as your own wish can fancy Nor let the pretty Feliciana fear since Rome is now so guarded that the Sabines may as well hope to storm the Cloud as prevail here No arms but those of friendship can pass these Walls Her I think my Lord your cause will raise an Army
have this skirmish grow into a Battle Ho Lausus Bid those Rutilian succours halt till further Orders 1. Sab. The Romans Sir draw from their works apace Cur. No matter I know they are too brave To use their odds O are you come Sir Enter Hostilius and other Romans Host. To his party Stand here approach no nearer As you respect your lives Cur. To his Withdraw to the same distance And leave me single to my Generous Enemy Host. Curtius I see you are Noble and dare be brave I ought in Justice then to ask your Pardon That I e're questioned it they were rash words And I repent ' em Cur. Spare your Apologies First try what truth Is in the appearance If I indeed have Courage You may have cause enough Sir to repent But if you find me shrink chastize me for it Host. The same for me Come Sir this is for Romulus The best of Men and sweet Hersilia's cause They fight and pause Cur. Sure Hostilius you but dally and hardly think me Such an Enemy as may deserve you utmost force Know then if you are Romulus Champion I am his secret Rival I love Hersilia Tho she her self yet never knew it And with so strong a Passion That were not Tatius for this war should he Forget his Daughter yet I my self Would raise an Army to redeem my Mistress This sure will make you fight in earnest Host. Unhappily discovered O I am wounded In the most tender part about me thou hast Unkindly rob'd me of my Honour That which I late design'd my dear Friends quarrel Is now my own my boasted Friendship spight Of all my reason basely yeilds to love The near extinguished flame rages again Now I have found a Rival Hold Curtius Let me reward your secret with a another That 's yet unknown to all the world I love Hersilia I wish I cou'd not say Equal to Romulus and if my flame So hardly yeild to what I owe to him The Good the Great the God-born Romulus How can I hear thy Claim Have at thy heart Cur. Guard well thy own Hostilius my heart can know No wounds but what Hersilia gave Fight both Wounded Cur. How just and how invincible so e're You think your cause I see 't will not protect you You are not invulnerable You can bleed As well as I. Host. It is my glory Curtius I never loved my blood till now that it appears So ready to be spent in her dear cause For whom I have it Flow flow for ever You immortal Fountains the streams you see O Sabine Are not the Ebbs of life but springs of love Cur. That shall be thus determined Fight 1. Sab. Should we stand here and see the noble Curtius Fight to death 2. Sab. It is not reason His life 's not all his own but partly ours 1. Rom. See yonder Sabines move to assist their Leader We must not see the brave Hostilius fall opprest by number The Soldiers draw to their Principals and all engage Enter Romulus Rom. My Friend engaged and wounded it was a lucky Chance that brought me to this quarter He engages the Sabines beaten off Host. Ill timed assistance had not he appear'd Either I might have kill'd or dyed Fortune I cannot thank thee for this kindness Aside Rom. Still brave and still in noble danger why Are you so covetous of Honour Friend As thus to steal it from your Romulus And not acquaint me with the envy'd purchase Why that emphatick sigh I know 't is not your wounds Host. A wound how deep soever was never worth it But these are slight Rom. Slight as they are I 'le urge the cause no further Till I have seen 'em drest Host. I 'de rather make 'em wider why do we not Pursue the Enemy Let me but once again Engage with Curtius and I will never ask Another favour Rom. You shall not go Holds him I never us'd my power upon my friend till now Indeed you shall not go Host. Under how greivous a restraint am I Who can with pleasure neither live nor dye Exeunt SCENE II. The Pallace Enter Tarpeia Portia Port. WHat a sad sight Tarpeia have we had From yonder Tarrace The memory still afflicts me Methinks it is a most undecent thing To see brave men whom nature sure ordain'd For better ends and more to her advantage Like Tygers fight and wory one another Tarp. You tremble Portia that which chills your blood Has heated mine to noble Emulation Had I been man I had not stood with you Idle spectator of the brave engagement But run among 'em wild to the thickest action Port. Sure you but jest can any woman have Thoughts so extravagant Tarp. Nature as wrong'd me when she made me Woman Or else when I was form'd she heedless and hastily Snatch't the next Soul for me and left my Sex Imperfect Port. Love is our Province Women know no Wars But of the passions Hope Fear soft desires Sorrows and suddain joys make all our Battels Happy are you Tarpeia since your heart Thus arm'd seems proof against that passion Which kills and even damns so many of us Tarp. Wou'd it were so my Portia as you fancy But waveing this I prithee tell me freely Which you esteem the most deserving Men Our Romans or your Sabines Port. Ay this I like indeed I 'de rather talk Of gallant Men than see 'em fight and kill By Iuno then Tarpeia I esteem Your Roman Meen it speaks a Soul more great A finer shape a face more pleas'd a look More amorous than ours Tarp. Come this is all but Complement to me Methinks your Sabines much excel our Men Solid Majestical of such a look As speaks 'em truly just and even tempered More noble than to give a wrong but when Received duly requiting Port. Call 'em severe Tarpeiu and revengeful O did you know how strict they guard their Women Seldome or never seen abroad but at A Sacrifice or publick Rites to Heaven Thus Tatius kept his Daughters a Man so just He knows no mercy Tarp. But what of Curtius prithee Port. You have named the only he of all our Nation That 's like a Man indeed such as I 'de have him Young Courtly Brave well made and Noble born Mighty obliging and of as mighty Courage Tarp. She reads my closer thoughts before she spake My Soul had fram'd this Character of Curtius aside Port. But for that one we have a world of others Who though indu'd with vertue upon vertue Are yet of such a sullen gravity And so morosely wise you 'd think 'em out Of humour with the world yet more contented In a small House and Garden than Kings in Courts Tarp. But Curtius Port. Seems more a Roman than a Sabine he Scorns the low thoughts of dull Philosophy And since the Gods gave him a Princes Soul He overlooks the fate of a Plebeian Rome Rome must Rule the World it can't be otherwise Since she alone can shew a thousand such I fancy Romulus