ouer-runne And growest nothing when thy rage is done Is vertue bought and sold for loue of good Must Zangers rising from my fall be wonne Poore Zanger I acquire thee of my blood For I beleeue thy hart-hath no impression To ruine Mustapha of his possession Yet tell what they against me vse My fathers loue which way first did they wound Pr. Of treason towards him they thee accuse Thy fame and greatnes giues their malice ground Musta. Good world where it is danger to be good Where guilty people shall liue in good name The guiltlesse onely liue and die in shame Shew me the truth to what lawes am I bound Priest No man commanded is by God to die As long as he may persecution flie Must. To flie were to condemne my selfe and friends To honour those that would dishonor me To ruine those that should my succour be Death do thy worst thy longest paines haue end Besides where can man hide those coward feares But feares and hopes of powers will them reueale For kings haue many tongues and many eares Mischiefe is like the Cockatrices eyes Sees first and kils or is seene first and dies He that himselfe defending doth offend Breakes not the law nor needs not be forgiuen Duty doth end when kings do go astray Misguided by their owne or others will For disobedience is when it doth light To hurt but duty when vs'd as a presse It sets a princes crooked humors right Priest Vse not thy strength to shed thy fathers blood But vse thy strength to do thy father good Rossa while she attends to ruine thee Makes Soliman against his state to sinne Take armes against her do thy father free Translating heires doth ost bring ruine in And since euen vice by good successe seemes good Good fortune will make vertue vnderstood Must. O false and wicked colours of desire Eternall bondage vnto him that seekes To be possest of all things that he likes Shall I a sonne and subiect seeme to dare For Princes sake to set the realme on fire Which golden titles to rebellion are It is not feare of death which ioyes to dye They feare death that from death to mischiefe flie If I be kild I do not ill but suffer It is no paine to die for children do it It is no grace to liue the wicked haue it Let children cry and slaues do ill for feare Death is not strange to men why then repine we Death is of force to man to what end striue we Obedience goes vpright the stubborne fall God burnes his rods but we must suffer all Euen you haue told me wealth was giuen The wicked to corrupt themselues and others Greatnesse and health do make flesh proud and cruell Where with the good sicknesse mowes downe desire Death glorifies misfortune humbles Sorrow seekes peace of God sinne yeelds repentance Since therefore life is but the throne of danger Where sicknes paine desire and feare inherit Soonest escapt from him that holds it dearest Euen of men the least worth the most beloued A double death to them that hold it so And hauing nothing else must it forgo Should I that know the destinie of life Do that to liue that doth dishonor life My innocency bids me not to feare My loue and duty for a father looke Worthines he shewes that can misfortune beare The heart doth iudge of vertue not the booke I know my strength and in my strength resolue To do that wicked men may thinke me weake And now that all the world knowes I might liue That power vnto my father I freely giue Priest Wilt thou both kill thy selfe and be the cause Thy father may offend Gods holy lawes The world knowes cowards kill themselues for feare First let thy father know lie doth thee wrong They often bide death that cannot danger bide And in these duties afterwards be strong Must. Tempt me no more good will is then a paine When her words beat the heart and cannot enter I constant in my counsell doe remaine And more liues for my life will not aduenter Deere Rossa doe thou for my sake still liue By thee my father may repent my fall When thy heart of my truth shall witnesse giue Stay thou till time and destinie doe call Warne Acmat and Camena they aduise Least they like rage that doth her owne selfe beare Seeking to helpe or to preuent my fall Ruine themselues while they for me intreat My life in your liues I shall thinke preserued When you know I haue worse then I deserued Come let vs goe for kindnesse doth betray The heart that firmely on it self doth stay Chorus Tartarorum Religion thou vaine and glorious stile for weaknesse Sprung from the deepe disquiet of mans passion To dissolution and dispaire of nature The text brings princes titles into question Thy prophets sat on worke the sword of Tyrants They manacle sweet truth with their substractions Let vertue bloud teach cruelty for Gods sake Fashioning one God but him of many fashions Like many headed errours in their passions Mankinde trust not this dreame Religion Feares Idols pleasures religues sorrowes treasures She makes the wilfull hearts her onely pleasures The rebels vnto gouernment her Martyrs temples No no thou child of miracles begotten Miracles that are but ignorance of causes Lift vp the hopes of thy abiected Prophets Religion worth abiures thy painted heauens Sicknes thy blessings are miserie thy tryall Nothing thy way vnto eternall being Death to saluation and the graue to heauen So blest be they so angel'd so eterniz'd That tie their senses to thy senselesse glories And die to cloy the after-after-age with stories Man should make much of life as natures table Wherein she writ the cipher of her glory Forsake not Nature nor mis-vnderstand her Her mysteries are read without faiths eye-sight She speaketh in our flesh and from our senses Delluers downe her wisedome to our reason If any man would breake her lawes to kill Nature doth for defence allow offence She neither taught the father to destroy Nor promis'd any man by dying ioy ACTVS IIII. SCENA I. Zanger alone Nourisht in Courts where no thoughts peace is nourisht Vs'd to behold the Tragedie of ruine Ruine from whome all Monarchies haue florisht Brought vp with feares with fellow Princes fortune Yet am I like him that hath lost his knowledge Or neuer heard one storie but of misfortune My heart doth fall away fearefull vpon me Tame Rumor that hath bin mine old acquaintance Is to me now like Monsters fear'd and wondred My loue begins to plague me with suspition My first delights beare likenes of displeasure My mothers promises of my aduancement Her doubtfull speeches her vnquiet motions Make me grow iealous of my owne aduancement The name of Mustapha so often murmured With whose name euer I haue been reioyced Now makes my heart misgiue my spirit languish Man then is Augur of his owne misfortune When his ioy yeeldes him arguments of anguish ACTVS IIII. SCENA II. Acmat Zanger Acm.
HONI SOIT Q MAL Y PENSE THE TRAGEDY OF MVSTAPHA I.W. LONDON Printed for Nathaniel Butter 1609 THE TRAGEDY OF MVSTAPHA Solyman Rossa Soly. ROssa the Eternall Wisedome doth not couet Of man his strength or reason but his Loue And not in vayne for loue of all the powers Is it which gouernes all things which are ours I speake by Mustapha for as a father How often thought I those light iudging praises Of multitudes whom my loue taught to flatter Trueths oracles and Mustaphaes true stories So deare are Ecchoes of our owne thoughts voices So dearely nature bids her owne beloued So ill a Iudge is Loue of her beloued But let vs see if loue should not be blind Forgetting selfe-respects to foster kind The praised Phoenix neuer more then one Burneth t' is true that she her like may breed But neuer till she feele all life is gone Except the life that life hath in her seed Then death which kindnesse is by estimation In her is but delight of Procreation But be it loue man hath another guide The Orbe of his affection Reason is But his loue Center 's in his priuate brest And louing his himselfe still loueth best Since Mustapha will therefore die or kill I gaue him life and giue him death I will Rossa Solyman my Lo knowledge who was father To Mustapha made me poore silly woman Thinke Nature could not her owne nest defile But now I see Imposture passion may The gold of Natures betray And pardon Lo if you were out of danger And all these stormes blowne vp to blow me ouer Feare first should fall threates strike life perish Fortune about her wheele should turne my fortune Ere I would doubt the child and know the father But you Sir now that you are brought in question You vpon whome the worlds wel-being resteth Much better were it I were in the Center A Ghost among the dead Aire neuer bodied Then my selfe-pitty womanish compassion My loue vnto the children for the father Should giue the children leaue to kill their father His fame vntimely borne strength strangely gathered Honour wonne with honouring Greatnesse with humblenesse Fault-lessnesse with bearing faults and want rewarding Liberty seeking Loue and danger praise A Monarkes Heire in courses popular Make me diuine some strange aspiring mind Yet doubtfull for it may be Art or kind But iudge him with himselfe and that by fact Persia our old imbrued enemy Treates mariage with the sonne without the father A course in all Estates to Princes doubtfull But here much more where he that Monarke is Must like the Sunne haue no light shine but his The dowry what kingdomes and hope of kingdomes What sudaine knot hath bound vp these designes Made them that onely fear'd our greater growing Study deuises for our greater growing A giddy thought may change a priuate heart But States whose loues and hearts by counsell grow Whose wisedomes are Occasion Time and Seate Haue other ends then chance in all they treat Yet be it all the world will vs obey And vnder ours all Empires Empire lay All great Estates surfet more oft then pine Because desires still multiply with might And parted power makes danger infinite No no vpon the pitch of high Attempt I see him stand playing with wrong and feare For Loue and Duty they be captiues there His hopes the hopes of all for all aspire And as Kings ruling must vse payne and law So those that rise must make the people see With present bondage future libertie Loue therefore stand aside and fare well Pitty Mustapha be cleare of fault for Kingdoms wrong Turnes all the powers of Nature into fury Mercy ioyes to be cruell Truth is a tyrant Loue hates Hate in reuenge doth glory The fall of Angels made not Heauen sorie Solyman feare is broke loose within my spirits What will or may be seemes already happens His power thus great well fixt occasion ready Shadowes of ruyne to my heart deliuer Confused noise within my eares doth thunder Of multitudes that with obeying threaten Solyman feare of thee makes me wish for death And feare againe to leaue thee feareth death Solym. Rossa I scorne there should because of feare In one mans rage for hard then were our State That reynes of all the worlds desire beare But thy disquiet shall increase my hate Thy wishes vaine to thee yet neuer were Exempt thou art from lawes of my Estate For Loue and Empyre both alike haue pleasure Part of themselues vpon desires to measure And but that all my ioyes beare sorrowes Image My hopes resemble feare my wit confusion Nature me thinks her-selfe becomes a Monster And that euen Mustapha makes all this Chaos I could say I tooke pride in thy affection For Power may be feared Empire obeyed Good fortune wooed and followed for ambition Reward makes knees to bow makes selfe-loue humble Honor whose throane is vnder Princes scepter May make aspiring thoughts delight in danger But Loue is onely that which Princes couet And for they haue it least they most doe loue it Care therefore for thy selfe I hold thee deare And as for me Though Fortune be of glasse and easily broken Yet doubt not my Armor is against their spite And such all-dating spirits are sildome borne That vpon Princes graues dare sow their corne Rossa Sir few in number are Times present children Where man ends there ends discontentments empire Nouelty hath alwayes had a fleshly dwelling Then tell me Lord what man would choose his roome That must expect in wickednes a meane Or else be sure to find a fatall doome Can that stay in the midst whose center 's lowest Old age is natures pouerty and scorne Desires riches liues in Princes children Their youths are Comets within whose corruption Men prophecy new hope of better fortune Baiazeth showes no man turnes from a Kingdome For humblenes to aske his fathers blessing Nature corrupted is and wit preferreth The wisedome that for selfe-aduantage erreth Solym. Wisedome is not vnto herselfe indebted That leaueth nothing but a God aboue her Rossa Sir wickednes is forc'd that modest is He flatters that allowes her not be cruell Solym. Is there returne from death vnto the liuing Rossa No Sir but much may hap before his death Who thinking nothing worse and nothing after Knowes thought of wrong is death if Princes liue Where dead all heires their owne guilt doe forgiue Solym. I sent he com's and come is in my power Rossa Before he comes who knowes your fatall houre The wicked wrastle both with power and slight While Princes liue each mans life gardeth theirs When they are dead mens loues goe with their feares Slaine by the way least grudge most safely were Solym. Wrong is not princely and much lesse is feare Ross. Those glorious hazards tempt and hasten fate They well become a man but not a State Solym. This feare in women showes a kindnes too And is for men to thanke but not to doe Rossa We call them great hearts
neuer to be repaired And honour lost mankind hath lost his fashion Honour and shame are slaues to them that prosper Ross. One signe that humaine worth with power is raised Is that Kings do to make their doings praised Rosten Who forceth man is fear'd but not beloued Praises of feare are tyranous dispraises Rossa Praises for feare do shew that we are great Who seeke for loue and may commaund a feare Are sitter to clime vp then tarry there I whome most men haue thought haue ruled all And with my Lord his ruine vndertaken Now liue in this life to behold my fall Our credit with our Soueraigne is our honor And ere thou suffer that to haue despight Thinke Innocencie harme vertue dishonour Wound truth and ouerthrow the state of right Sexes haue vertues apart States haue there fashions The vertues of authority are passions But stay looke where our messenger returneth ACT. II. SCENA IIII Rossa Rosten Belyarby Nuntius Beliar. Rossa and Rosten while you stand debating The ioyes are fortunes of your priuate fortune Rossa Rosten make haste goe hence and carrie with thee My life my fame desire and my fortune You vgly Angels of infernall Kingdome You spirits resolute to dwell in darknesse You who haue vertuously maintain'd your being In equall power like riualls to the heauens If as they say who say it for reproch You are at hand to those that on you call Refusing none but such as doe refuse you Reuenge your selues of this false title vertue This vertue which hath sildome beene assailed By you but she hath still her seruants failed My shame my feare my loue I offer to you Let me raigne while I liue in my desires Or dead liue with you in eternall fires Rossa doing not praying merits heauen or hell Mischiefes doe rise and set themselues against thee Misfortune hath euen now conspired thy ruine Intreat no enemies for they forgiue not But humble thou thy selfe vnto the heauens I feare to tell I tremble to conceale it Thy blood euen with thy destiny is infected I would yet would I not I durst reueale it Fortune vnto the death is then displeased When remedies doe ruine her diseased Rost. Vse not these parables of coward feare Feare hurts lesse when it strikes then when it threatens If Mustapha shall liue all feare is fallen Danger lighted desire lost hope banisht If Mustapha shall die then feare from hope Losse from desire danger and paine are vanisht Bel. If Mustapha shall die his death miscarries Part of thy End thy Fame thy Friends thy Ioyes No man to hurt his foes his friends destroyes Ross. Friends who are they but those that serue desire My Gods my Friends my Father and my Mother Are but those steps that helpe me to aspire Duty and loue tooke knowledge of no other Let me and all the world with him be staine I will not wish to be aliue againe But tell what is the worst Bel Aske not in rage rage brings it selfe to woe Vnlesse the wings whereon it flies be slow Ross. I charge you tell me how I am fortune-bound That if I harme him I my selfe confound Bel. Camana must with him a traytor be Or Mustapha for her sake must be free Ross. O cruell Fates that doe in loue plant woe And in delight make our despaires to grow But speake what hath she done Bel. Vndone thy doing Discouered vnto Mustapha his danger Vertues sweete fame with loue of mercy wooing And great suspitions from these relicks grow That what she knowes both Sonne and Father know I that am yours durst not make you a stranger And yet was loth with duty to offend In childrens faults a mothers wisdome showes Loues perfect try all is in flame of anger Malice to Mustapha must be forgot That your belou'd Camena perish not Rossa Nay pale Auernus I doe so adore thee As I lament my wombe hath bin so barren To yeeld but one to offer vp before thee Who thinkes the daughter harme can mother stay From end whereon a mothers heart is set Knowes not wisedome wickednesse beget Boldnesse in malice dazels humane reason Camaena thy false blood shall doe me right Bel. Rossa is rage so mad as to imagine It masters heauen Ross. Is rage so mad As it will stay reuenge to hope for heauen Where ages are but houres Bel. Is wrath so cruell Are lawes of loue so soone forgotten Is mercy dead Ross. Would you haue wrath so foolish As it should stay vntill it be abused Is Nature vnder such fond lawes be gotten As Loue must giue it selfe to be abused Bel. Yet by the Loue of mothers to their children By all the paines of trauell with your children Punish but spare the life of faulty children Life may amend and well deceiue an other Death doth but cut off one to warne an other Ross. I doe protest before you spirits infernall That gouerne in your darknes vniform'd By all your plagues and miseries eternall By all your vgly shapes and soules transform'd Neither to haue bin made a heauenly Angell Honour'd aliue and after this life famous Would I loue of my children haue disclaymed But since by her my life is brought in question Since she is out of daughters duty gotten My mothers tender care shall be forgotten They still that haue good will to kill or perish And they do erre that others erruor cherish Camena then since thy desires would make Thy mothers harme examples of thy glory Since thou do'st leaue me for a brothers sake Since thy heart feeles not what makes others sorry Thy triumphe shall bee death thy glory shame For so die they that wrong a mothers name Thy treasures with thine owne arts are discarded I will do something not to be forgotten The giuers of examples are regarded CHORVS ACT. III. SCENA I. Achmatt alone Achmat. Who standing in the shade of humble valley Lookes vp and wondèrs at the height of hils When he with toyle of weary lims ascends And feeles his spirits melt with Phaebus glaies Or sinewes starke with AEolus bitter breathing Or thunder blasts which comming from the skie Do fall most heauy on the places high Then knowes though further seene and further seeing They multiply in woes that adde in glories Who weary is of natures quiet vallyes A meane estate with chast and poore desires Whose vertue longs for knees blisse for opinion Who iudgeth pleasure paradise in purple Let him seeme no gouernor of Castle No pitty princes choise whose weake dominions Make weake vnnoble councels to be currant But Basha vnto Solyman whose scepter Nay seruants haue dominion ouer Princes Vnder whose feet the foure forgotten Monarches The foote-stooles lie of his eternall glory Euen I thus raised this Solymans beloued Thus caried vp by fortune to be tempted Must for my Princes sake destroy succession Or suffer ruine to preserue succession O wretched state of ours wherein we liue Where doubt giues loues which nature can forgiue Where rage of Kings not onely ruine be But where
their very loue brings miserie Most happie men that know not or else feare The slipperie second place of honours steppe Which we with enuie get and danger keepe But Kings whome strength of heart did first aduance Be sure what rais'd you first keepes you aboue Man subiect made himselfe it was not chance Loue treateth trueth and Ll. rule the world with feare loue Iustice not kindnesse reuerence doth inhaunce For subiects to your selues when you descend To doate on Subiects Maiestie hath end Here as in weaknesse flatterie prints her hart And priuate spight dare vse a Princes hand He error enters trueth and right depart And Princes scorne the newes from hand to hand As Rossa prints her selfe in our Lords loue And with her mischiefe doeth his malice moue First of her selfe shee durst send Rosten forth To murther Solyman his dearest sonne He found him onely garded with his worth Suspecting nothing and yet nothing done Rosten is now return'd for wicked feare Did euen make him wickednesse for beare A Beliarby dispatcht is sent to call him hither With colour of a warre against the Persian Indeede to suffer force of tyrannie From his inforced Fathers iealousie Who vtters this is to his Prince a traitour Who keepes this guiltie is his life is ruth And dying liues euer denying truth Thus hath the fancy-law of Kings ordained That who betrayes them most is most esteemed Who saith they are betrayed is traytor deemed I sworne am to my king and to his humor His humor No which they that follow most Wade in the sea wherein themselues are lost But Acmat stay who wrests his princes mind Presents his faith vpon the stage of chance Where vertue to the world fortune vnknowne Is oft misiudg'd because she is ouerthrowne Nay Acmat stay not who truth enuirons With circumstance of mans failing wit For feare for loue for hope for malice erreth Nature to Natures bankrupts he engageth And while none dare shew kings they go amisse Euen base obedience their corruption is Then feare dwell with the I ll Truth is assured Opinion be and raigne with Princes Fortunes Pollicy go peere the faults of mortall kingdomes Death threaten them that doubt to dye for euer I first am natures subiect then my Princes I will not serue to innocencies ruine Whose heauen is earth let them beleeue in princes My God is not the God of subtile murther Solyman shall know the worst I looke no further Act. 3. Scaen. 2. Enter Solyman and Acmat Soly. Acmat foolish naturall affection Openeth too late the wisedome of my fathers Who onely in their deaths decreed succession If Mustapha had neuer beene intitled In my life to the hope of my estate My life more then my death had him auailed Example might haue beene perswasion That high desires are borne out of occasion But kindnesse with her owne kinde folly beaten Like crooked sticks made straight with ouer-bending What she hath strooke too much must ouer-threaten Hath kings loue taught kings raigning giue offences That long life in the best kings discontenteth And false desires within false glasses shewed By Mustaphaes example learne to know Who hewes aboue his head shall hurt his eye Acmat giue order Mustapha shall die Acns. My fortune doth me witnesse beare That my hopes neede not stand vpon succession Where hopes want all but onely woe and feare Then Lord doubt not my faith though I withstand The fearefull counsell which you haue in hand Sir I confesse where one man ruleth all There feare and care are secret keies of witt Where all may rise and one may onely fall Their thoughts aspires and power must master it For worlds repine at those whome birth or chance Aboue all men and but a man aduance I know where easie hopes doe nurse desire The dead men onely of the wise are trusted And though crook'd feare do seldome rightly measure As thinking all things but it selfe dissembled Yet Solyman let feare direct kings counsels But feare not destinies which doe not altar Nor things impossible which cannot happen Feare false Stepmothers rage woman ambition Whereof each age to other is a glasse Feare them that feare not for desire to shame And loose their faiths to bring their wills to passe Establish Bassaes children for your heyres Let Mustaphaes hopes faile translate his right Let their ambitious thirst once glutted be Streight enuie dies feare will appeare no more For as ill men but in felicitie Where enuie feares and freedome sleepes seeme good So heyres to crownes tenants to miserie Their good is but in ill lucke vnderstood But Sir put of this charme of cunning spight Which makes you to yourselfe inuisible Make it not knowne deere Lord by your example That onely Enuy fuire and suspition In euery kinde and state keepe their condition If Mustapha haue one fault but his mother If else where then in her heart he be guiltie Let those deafe heauens which punnish and forgiue not Let hels most plagues vnto her best beloued Mallice and rage which without mischiefe liues not Thunder torment burne ruine and destroy mee If Mustapha haue one thought to annoy thee Solim. Mallice is like the lightning of the sommer Which when the skies are cleerest lights and burneth Her end is to doe hurt and not to threaten Iustice vniustly doth to loose occasion Hazards it selfe to force and to perswasion Acmat Sir hastie power is like the rage of thunder Whose violence is seldome well bestowed Danger not ment needs not to be preuented Reuenge still in your power is not repented Solim. Danger already come is past preuenting Princes whose Scepters must be feard of many Are neuer safe that liue in feare of any Acmat Tirants they are that punnish out of feare States wiser then the truth decline and weare Wisedome in man is but the print and doubt Whose inke is either blood secrets of states Which safely walls with gouernment about Solim. In princes dangers iustice euer goes Before the fact that all els ouerthrowes Besides my Bassaes in whose faith I trust As staies to mine estate with one consent Shew my sonnes fault and vrge me to be iust Thy selfe alone per chance with good intent Art crosse wisedome is not faiths Relative For oftentimes faith growes for lacke of wit And sees no perill till he feeles of it Acmat Doubt wounds within For as in kings when feare to kill hath might Both wrong and danger must be infinite And Sir we Bassaes whom you Monarches please To heare much further are from princely hearts Then eares for fauour growes the states disease When more then seruice it to vs imparts Base bloud hath narrow thoughts which set aboue Sees more of greatnesse then it comprehends And for all is not to our partiall ends We faile kings with themselues we take their might And vse to our reuenge make lawes a snare To ruine all but instruments our friends Till kings euen let in lease to two or three Are made of vs the to be
good shewes lesse ills greater then they bee There Saturne feeds on children that be his A fatall winding sheete succession is This pleasing horrour of our turnd delight Doth figure forth the Tyrannie of feare Where truth lies bound and nature looseth right Poore innocencie vainely spending breath To plead where nothing is of trust but death Malice heere aged lies in doublenesse Blowing out rumour from her narrow breast To spread abroad with infinite successe The visions and opinions of vnrest Eating the hearts wherein they harboured bee Like wormes in wood whose holes men onely see These precious hills where daintinesse seemes wast By natures art that all art will exceede In carelesse finenesse shews the sweet estate Of strength and prudence both togither plac't Two intercessors reconciling hate And giuing feare euer of itselfe a taste These waues that beat vpon the cliftes doe shew The cruell stormes which Enuie hath below This border round about in Charact hath The minde of all which in effect is this T is hard to know but hard and harder too VVhen men doe know to bring their hearts to doe Soly. VVhat said she when you shewed her this worke Ro. Like them which are descryed faine would lurke So while she would haue made her selfe seeme cleere She made her faults still more and more appeere Soly. How brookt she that the wicked onely feare Her death I meane with what heart did she beare The wicked hearts are plac't farre from their voice Ro. As whē they mourne you would think they reioice She neuer mourn'd nor sigh'd nor was afraid But this vnto me ere she died she said Mother I am your owne by mothers right You may cut of my life which you did giue Might and a mothers name will you acquite If in your owne selfe you your selfe forgiue But Mustapha his death will be his shame To father mother and the Turkish race For reuerence vnto a fathers name Hath brought him guiltlesse to this guiltie case He neuer sought nor wisht his fathers death And in that minde I liu'd and leaue my breath She neither stubborne was nor yet deprest She but for his life neuer made request As though his wounds had onely beene her owne Such Lordship had false glorie in her breast As she tooke ioy to haue her mischiese knowne Yet had she this against myne owne selfe done My selfe against my selfe she should haue wonne Solyman take heede dispaire hath bloody heeles Malice wound vp like clocks to watch the Sunne Hasting a headlong course with many wheeles Hath neuer done vntill it hath vndone I slew my child my child would haue slaine thee All bloody faults in my blood written bee Sol. What hills hath nature rais'd aboue the fier What state beyond them is that will conspire I sweare by all the Saints my sonne shall die Reuenge is iustice and no crueltie Actus tertius Scena quinta Enter Priest Mustapha Pr. False Mahomet thy lawes Monarchall are Vniust ambitious full of spoile and blood Hauing not of the best but greatest care To whome still thou dost sacrifice thy good Must life yeeld vp it selfe to be put out Before this frame of nature be denied Must blood the tribute be of princes doubt O wretched flesh in which must be obaid Gods lawes that wills impossibilities And princes willes which worke in crueltie With faith an art borne of false Prophets word Wee blind our selues and with our selues the rest To humblenesse the sheath of tyrants sword Each worst vnto himselfe approuing best People beleeue in God wee are vntrue Spirituall forges vnto princes might God doth require what 's onely best for you But we doe preach your bodies to the warre Your goods to spoile your freedome into bands duties by which you aw'de of others are And feare which to your harmes doth lead your hands Who preach that God who made all flesh alike Bids you lay downe your necks for kings to strike I am the diuels friend Hells Mediatour Truths spight ruines hand and sinnes occasion A furie vnto man a man to furies Oh vertue if thou any where haue essence But in sweet Mustapha whome I haue ruind And you faire-orderly-confused Planets If you be more then ornaments in heauen And that you worke in destinies of the mortall Shew vs that destinies be not confus'd Not euill to the good good to the euill Confusion is the iustice of the diuell Saue Mustapha fates course well changed is Where constancie leades her to doe amisse Change or turne backe your course let Asia know That earth doth hatch her owne ill destinie Which in aspects the starres but onely shew Lay forth the hatefull vilde conspiracie Wherein this tyrant meanes to ouerthrow His sonne the hope of all humanitie In Mustapha with influence worke so As he is full and strength at once may see Whom monster I haue hither made to come Guiltlesse through guiltie feare to take his doome Now hell and paine if you else where be seated Then absence and my presence Call me againe in hast to come vnto you If worse I be not with my selfe then with you Must. Whēce grows this sudaine rage thy gesture vtters These agonies and furious blasphemies Is rage become the Lord of humane reason For rage doth shew that reason is defaced When rage thus shews it selfe with reason graced Priest If thou hast felt thy selfe accusing warre Where knowledge is the endlesse hell of thought Where hope and feare in equall ballance are My state of minde is by the feeling taught For what dispaire the conscience doth feare My wounds bleed euer for remorse they beare Must. Remorse and pride in nature opposite The one makes errour great the other small But rooted ill brings no remorse with it Iudge not thy selfe with troubled will at all But shew thy harts when passions streames breake forth Euen woes we wondred at proue nothing worth Preist I haue offended nature God and thee My hart and soule the seates of mischiefe bee Musta. Of God his mercy is the greatest power Nature is sweet her wounds heale vp againe For me tell how and teach me to forgiue Which he that cannot doe knows not to liue Pr. Forgiuenes is to take away the cause It forceth God to plague or breake his lawes Musta. Forgiuenes is to put away the wrongs At least so much as to my selfe belongs Pr. It is a praise to pardon it is true But keepe me rather from vndoing you Musta. What should I doe tell me I doe not feare Pr. Preserue thy father with thy selfe and mee Else guiltie of each others death we be Musta. Tell how Pr. Thy father purposeth thy death I did aduise thou offredst vp thy breath Musta. What haue I to my father done amisse Pr. That wicked Rossae thy stepmother is Musta. Wherein of Rossae haue I ill deserued Pr. In that the Empire is for thee preserued Musta. I cannot choose but be my fathers sonne As bold ambition which like water-flouds Not channell-bound doth neighbours
O Kings why swell you so against your maker Is rais'd equality so soone growne wilde Dare you depriue your people of succession Which kinges and kingdomes on their heades did build Is fortune of forgetfulnes with child Haue feare or loue in greatnes no impression Since people who did raise you to the crowne Are ladders standing still to let you downe O wretched state of man in Tyrants fauour Like men throwne vpon sands in ebbing water Dead if they trust and stay drown'd if they venture Zan. Acmat what strange euents breed these strange passions Acm. Nature is ruin'd humanity fallen asunder Our Alchoran prophan'd Empire defac'd Hell 's broken loose truth dead hope banished Darke feare and sorrow doe both strike and threaten My heart is full my voice doth saint and tremble Zang. Yet tell the worst for cowards death vnarmeth When need resolues vs to endure all terror And sorrowes vttere are like wines which vented Both purge themselues and doe not breake the vessell By counsell and comparison things lessen Acm. No counsell or comparison can lessen The losse of Mustapha so vildly murthered Zan. How dead what chance or malice hath preuented Mankinds good fortune Acm. Fathers vnkindly malice Zan. Tell how Acm. When Solyman by Rostens cunning spight And Rossaes witchcraft from his heart had banisht Iustice of Kings and louingnes of fathers To wage and lodge such campes of heauy passions As cunning stepdames iealousie could gather Enuy tooke hold of worth doubt did misconster Renowne was made a lie and yet a terrour Nothing could rage remoue or moue compassion Mustapha must die to which end fetcht he was Loden with hopes and promises of fauour But Mustapha neither hoped nor feared Per chance foresaw the stormes of danger comming Yet comes and comes accompanied with power But neither power that warranted his hast Nor selfe-defence that makes offences lawfull Could hold him from obedience to his father So foolish to the world is honest Wisedome Zang. Alas could neither truth appease his fury Nor his vnlook't humility of comming Nor any secret witnessing remorses Can Nature from her selfe worke such diuorces Tell on that all the world may rue and wonder Acm. There is a place enuironed with trees Vpon whose shadowed center there is pitched A large imbrodered sumptuous Pauilion The stately throne of tyrany and murder Where mighty men whome fearefull murder feares With cruelty are slaine before they know That they to other then to honor goe Mustapha vnto the Campe no sooner came But thether he is sent for and conducted By sixe slow Eunuches either taught to colour Mischiefe with reuenge or taught by nature To reuerence euen vertue in misfortune But Mustapha whose heart was now resolued Not fearing death which he might haue preuented If he to disobedience had consented Nor crauing life which he might well haue gotten If he would other duties haue forgotten But glad to speake his last thought to his father He will'd the Eunuches to entreate it for him They did they wept and kneel'd vnto his father But bloudy rage that glories to be cruell And iealousie that feares she is not fearefull Made Solyman refuse to heare or pitty He bids them hast their charge and bloudy ey'd Beheld his sonne while he obeying died Zang. How did that dying heart endure to suffer Tell on Quicken my spirits hard and dull to good That yet heare tell of brothers blood Acm. While these sixe Eunuches to this charge appointed Whose hearts had neuer vs'd their hands to pitty Whose hands were onely now afraid of murder With reuerence and feare stood still amazed Loath to cut off such worth afraid to saue it Mustapha with thought resolued and vnited Assures their feare and comforteth their sorrow Bids them refuse their charge and looke no further Their hearts afraid to bid their hands be doing Shaking and trembling do refuse to offer The cord the hatefull instrument of murder They lifting vp let fall and falling lift it Each sought to helpe and helping hindred other Till Mustapha in haste to be an Angell Guided their hands to his death directed Sweetely forgaue their charge and thanke their loue Which he saw in them did compassion moue With heauenly smiles and quiet words foreshewing The ioy and peace of those where he was going His last words were O father now forgiue mee Those thinges which thou thy selfe doest thinke offences O Mahomet my other sinnes forgiue me Forgiue them too that worke my ouerthrow Let my graue neuer minister offencee For since my father joyeth in my death Behold with ioy I offer him my breath The Eunuches crie Solyman he is glutted His thoughts diuine of vengeance for his murder Rumor flies vp and downe the people murmur Sorrow giues lawes before men know her story Feare prophesies in men and makes them sorry Zang. Remisse and languish are mens coward spirits Where Gods forbid reuenge and patience too Yet to the dead Nature ordaineth rites Which idle loue I feele hath power to doe I will goe hence and shew to them that liue The Gods cannot offences all forgiue ACTVS IIII. SCENA III Acm. Rossa Rosten Acm. What euer craft of base false-hearted wit Long working on the worst of Princes thoughts May bring to passe yonder to vs is brought without shame the state corrupt with it Rossa Acmat thy sorrow whether vniust or iust Bootes not duty and faith loues still them that liue Noble example bring forth danger must The forces of Natolia do giue Tokens of mutinie vnto the state Shewing no reuerence but vnto thee Wherefore the great Lord wils you to repaire To him for by you they must gouern'd be Acm. I goe and care not so I go from thee Rossa Let them that cannot heare desires trauaile Who dare not vndertake for feare of danger Let them take children fearing spirits Runne and beare witnes them still their owne amazement While they flie from themselues and blame their fortune For fortune on thy wisedome complaine But they in thee neither hope nor raigne Rosten where vertue ends and reason failes When dangers threaten feare makes sharpest warre When fame with all her infamies assailes Then fortunes fauours shew'd most liuely are She neuer helpes till helpe be ouerthrowne For heauenly Powers by myracles are knowne Now Mustapha is dead rage flesht and pittie broken Rosten there rests no more to interrupt vs But Acmat in whome Solyman yet trusteth The thanks and sacrifices our God requires For graces past are not those idle praiers Which done to on the staires Goodlucke the god of highly plac'd desires No other duty but noble deeds requires Let Acmat the Fortune loues them that venture Rost. Acmat is wise and Solyman beloued Euen Tyrants couet to vphold their fame Not fearing euill deeds but euill name For Princes skill is to make Greatnes shew Rich in the good where of it hath least part And to conceale that which within they know So that at once he will not shed the blood Of Acmat