back to the Pallace Be you in the Court Garden I 'le meet you there in the close Mirtle-walk And then confer the dear reward I mention Host. I dare not understand her meaning Now now Hostilius summon all thy vertue Call all thy Honour to thy help for all Is much too little Rom. So brave an act after so base a Treason I never knew the same hand guilty of Sp. Tarp. I cannot yet receive her for my Daughter The stain of Treason is indelible Nor has she purg'd her Crime by her late service Since she was bound to that tho she had ne're Offended She ought to die Rom. Spurius Tarpeius no You give your Prince Dishonourable Counsel Shou'd I forget Her wounds still bleeding Ingratitude 's in me Almost as great a blemish as her Treason Tarp. If you intend me any favour Sir If I have merited in my last action Do as my Father urges Take my life Since I mist that of Curtius mines a Burden A shame a Torment to me Had I but Recover'd my lost Honour Had not my Revenge my Glory my intended service Been all defeated by Hostilius coming I then cou'd have endured to live Or any fate life had not been uneasie If you 'l not give me death as a reward If I appear to ask too great a Boon Confer it as a Punishment for Treason If neither way I can have what I beg Sullen and out of favour with my fortune I 'le try to give my self what you deny me Hers. Will you Tarpeia stand to my decission Tarp. With all my Soul I 'me sure the sweet Hersilia Will give me what I ask a speedy death Since by my act she and her Romulus Were both so very near it Hers. Then with my dear Lords leave this is my Sentence Tarpeia you shall live And yet to please you I will inflict a Civil death you shall During your life be a devoted Recluse A Vestal ever serving at the Altar And Sacrifice for us whom you have wrong'd Rom. Now to Mount Palatine Come my Captive Queen And change a Prison for a Court Joys tast More sweet when relisht by afflictions past Ex. Omnes Preter Tarpeia Tarpeia alone two of the Guards at a distance Tarp. A Nun O no The thought is worse than death Can I I who have felt so many fires In my own breast whose heart has burnt so long In Love and fury that I am now all ashes Can I Tamely submit to guard the Vestal Flames Pardon me Goddess Pardon me Hersilia I have not Soul enough to live at ease O Earth Earth Earth Take me to your Embraces Lies down Why shou'd I use the air My Soul 's all fled Spent and evaporate in fruitless Passion There 's nothing left to poor Tarpeia now But a base fordid Lump of worthless mould Colour that fleeting Summer shade and all That little Beauty I once had has left me Like a false dream 't is vanisht in a moment Yet I have still a name remains Ah less Then nothing unless it cou'd survive with Glory To cleanse thy spoted name die then Tarpeia Nothing but death can give a life to fame Seeing the Guards Rising Ha! my Sorrows are betray'd Unmanner'd Villains Do you stay here as Spies upon my action Draws Guard We wait here Madam by the Kings Command Our duty is to see you safely lodged In Vesta's Temple Tarp. Forbear And know your distance base Plebeians I have not leasure yet to be Religious O! I am much opprest Too much black blood Aside Lies heavy at my heart and drowns my Spirits But I will give it vent Stay I have here Full on my breast a Sabine wound imperfect What Curtius Soldiers have begun I 'le finish Through the same Orifice I 'le send my steel Into that wound which Curtius gave my heart O loved and hated Name Since he refused The Joys of Love thus I 'le remove the pains Falls on her Sword 1. Guard O she has kill'd her self the mad Virago Has out done all her former actions here Call for more help 2. Guard Help there within Tarpeia bleeds to death Enter Tarpeius Attendants Sp. Tarp. What means this suddain out-cry Ha! Is still Tarpeia here My shame still here Not yet a Vestal 1. Guard O Sir behold your Daughter lies expiring Wild with her discontents from her own Sword She took that death which you so much desired And Romulus denyed Sp. Tarp. She bleeds Kind Heavens from her own hand she bleeds O truly Roman Let me embrace my Daughter I am not now ashamed to be her Father Kneels by her Tarp. Forgive me Sir the scandal I have given Both to my Parents and my dearer Country I am unworthy to be called a Roman A Roman is no Traytor A Roman's brave Just true and of a mind above Corruption But I have been so false I cannot speak it The Soul of my good name 's long since expired And why shou'd I survive Sp. Tarp. True true my lovely Daughter O thou art now In this last ebb of life more fair than ever Others may think thy former beauty fadeing Languid and dying-pale as a cropt Lilly To me the Roses of thy Cheeks still flourish Fresh as the blooming Spring sweet as the East These closing eyes are real Jewels now Poetick fury cannot make 'em brighter Tar. O tell me Sir truly as you are noble Do not dissemble Have I redeem'd my Crime And with my blood cleans'd the foul stains of Treason Sp. Tar. Believe me then Thou art all white again my dear Tarpeia This glorious Act restores thy innocence And from this hour thou art new born to me A spotless Roman Virgin Tar. It is enough Have I all this for dying O Glory cheaply bought Come Death come quickly Come thou more lov'd than Curtius haste to meet me The grim Man hears me See! he comes I feel him Farewel I go in haste with greater Joy Than love sick Virgins lose their name to Hymen Farewel for ever Dyes Sp. Tar. Farewel my shame and glory Rising Nature wou'd shew it self it whispers me She was my Daughter True but she died bravely I ought not then to shed one tear but triumph Take up the Body Souldiers as one of us For tho she were a Virgin she was martial Such Obsequies as are to Hero 's given Shall be my Daughters A Maid of manly courage A Soul oppos'd to destiny Her shame Was Love and Life Revenge and Death her fame Exeunt Omn. SCENE II. The Pallace Portia Cloe. Por. THis welcome news must sure restore her Clo. I doubt it not at all Her late sleep too contributes Por. Where not you present Cloe when Cornelia Made the Relation to her Clo. Yes Port. How did she receive it Clo. As one of us would a surprizing Story When half a sleep She started blusht then askt A thousand little questions to no purpose Then blush't again and turn'd away her eyes As conscious and ashamed of her late weakness Port.
How long will you torment me Leave for shame To be impertinent unwelcome Woman Tarp. Wilt thou not break with this O heart too too Induring Still on the ground and weeping Enter Tatius Tat. Your Messenger has told me Curtius Of your success and how you are successful I like the event but disaprove the means 'T is base to gain by Treason But since 't is done We must not lose the advantage What Woman 's this and why in such a posture Cur. Neglect her Sir she is not worth your knowledge Tarp. O do me justice Sir if you Command The Sabines shew your self fit for rule and do me Justice Tat. Rise and now speak with assurance shou'd your cause Concern my self I 'de do you right severely Tarp. I am the unhappy Daughter of Tarpeius I need not tell you that he held this Fort Till I betray'd it to this perjured Man Who now denys me his dear purchased Marriage Tat. Thou hast condemn'd thy self unworthy Maid Why should you hope that Faith or Love from him Which you deny'd your Father and your Country A Traytors Sentence shou'd be your in Justice 'T is mercy lets you live and gives you freedom Shew me the works and then to Romulus To Curtius Exit Tatius Curtius Tarp. Slighted despised unpityed and is this All the reward the Sabines give for treason O curst deceiver curst be the hour I saw him And curst be I for seeing O damn'd damn'd Love That found out such a Villain but this is idle So are all words blood and revenge inspire me Something I 'le do to cleanse my sully'd name Or with my life lose all the the sense of shame Exit ACT. IV. SCENE I. A Prison Romulus Solus THE world and I should be at even terms Weary of one another wear it not for My dear Hersilia While she is here I cannot think of dying My Heaven 's in Rome 'T is she that holds my hand and bids me live Or else I 'le quickly give my self the freedom Which these false Sabines have deny'd me Ha! Do I dream waking Or am I really asleep And fancy this fair vision like Hersilia Enter Hersilia Hers. My dearest Lord are you not much surprized Embracing Rom. Extreamly almost as much surprized as pleased Hers. Ill news has wings I soon heard this misfortune T was death to me to be a minute from you Attended by one Servant only I flew hither Some small acquaintance and a greater bride Open'd the Guard and once again I see My Romulus my life but time admits Few words you shall not dwell in this Confinement Rom. Had you the Prison keys I know I should not Hers. Let us retire and change our habits quickly You shall return in mine and leave me here Rom. Never till now could I deny Hersilia I must not now obey you Sweet nor Love Nor honour will permit it No I will dye A thousand deaths a thousand several wayes Sooner than leave you here Hers. I beg it Rom. O do not beg that I should Love you less Ask not so much injustice Enter Tatius Curtius Tat. Did you not say he was alone how came This Woman with him To Curtius Cur. Ha! Hersilia I am amaz'd Aside Tat. My Daughter here Heavens I am more successful Than I expected Curtius the war is ended Nothing remains but Execution now In those two Criminals Do you not feel A terrour at my sight can I appear Less frightful then your evil genius to ye Have you forgot the injured Tatius or The Crime which you so late committed Rom. I never knew what terrour was less now Than ever If it becomes you to insult on this Base gain'd advantage it does not me to fear Tat. It least of all becomes a Man of Honour To do like Romulus Ravish invited Maids And then out-brave the Justice that attends The foul false treacherous act Rom. Speak better of such acts since they are yours You had not now been here nor I compell'd To hear such Language were it not for Treason Tho you I see have lost your temper Sir I must not lose the due respect I owe Hersilia's Father else I should tell you How falsly that it called a Rape which was Consent free and without Compulsion Tat. That which you call consent does not at all Make you less guilty but my Daughter more It shewes her to have been Confederate In her own Rape a party in the Crime Equally guilty with her Ravisher And since by natures Law the Parent has An absolute Dominion o're his issue How cou'd she give her self away to any And not rob me this is your Sentence then And were you both as dear to me as my two eyes I wou'd not bate the rigour of true Justice Since you have both been actors in a Crime Abhorr'd by Nature ye shall both die togeather You for your Rape You for your Disobedience Hers. Both die O cruel Father Sir I yeild To your just sentence on your Daughter I know I have offended much much offended In daring to bestow my Love without Your knowledge nay where I knew you hated I 'me very guilty Sir and over me I know you have the power of life and death Use it freely You have condemn'd me justly But on my kees I beg that I alone May dye and not the noble Romulus 'T was I that moved him to the Rape you mention Who would refuse a Ladies offer'd Love Besides consider Sir he is a Prince At least your equal his life 's not in your power The Law of Arms allows him to be ransom'd Rom. Hear this you Goddesses and take Example From a weak mortals Love thou Miracle Of Conjugal affection why should you injure Your own innocence so highly and all To favour one who ought not to be pitty'd Since he has been the occasion of your ruine 'T is I great Sir 't is I am only guilty Take in my blood your full revenge but spare The innocent I gladly yeild to death I 'le quit you too from all aspertion I 'le say you are not cruel not unjust If she may live Tat. My Sentence is irrevocable And you have both confest enough to clear Me of injustice You shall both die Rom. Spare your own blood Sir Tygers will not prey On their own young one 's let it not be said By mourning Lovers who shall hear this story Hersilia sweet Hersilia had no fault But that she was the inhumane Tatius Daughter Hers. O plead no more for me my d earest Husband If you must die I will not live without you 'T were cruelty to think it To Tatius Sir I beseech you Regard not what he says if when he dies You will be so unkind to spare my life I can find ways enough to follow him Should you be still more cruel and prevent me Yet grief would quickly break my heart in pity Tat. It shall not need No you shall die together Trust me I am afflicted for you both But I must
grieve in silence sacred Justice Is far more dear to me than my own life See the effects of Rash unthinking Love Take your eternal farewel of each other This hour is yours the next you are no more Curtius attend me Exeunt Tat. Cur. Romulus and Hersilia remain silent a while Rom. Tatius I cannot say your Father Madam Permits me the sad favour e're we part To take my everlasting farewel of you But with what face can I approach Hersilia Or with what eye can she behold the wretch Unto whose fatal Love she owes her ruine O had you rather chosen a poor Cottage Than my unhappy Pallace a Sabine Shepheard Before the King of Rome you had not then Known this sad change nor I the sense of such A guilt that wracks my very Soul to pieces Hers. How long has Romulus lost that great Soul Which he received from a Coelestial Father For yielding thus to fate sure he has lost it Unduly shou'd we use my dearest Lord Those small remains of life that still are left us By such ill tim'd complaints as these to whet That grief which has but too much edge already What have I done that you shou'd think I value This severe turn of fortune when compar'd To your dear Love O banish the false thought My passion sees in you something more great Than Crowns something above the power of fate 'T is Romulus I Love and not Dominion Rom. Ye Gods why should I live beyond this moment Let me die pleas'd now now before her feet From whom I hear such words When I consider The never equall'd Love of my Hersilia And what I lose rage and despair possess me What man can think that so Divine a Soul Must leave that fair abode unjustly too And in his heart at the same time not feel Compassion sharper than the Tyrants Steel Hers. Why shou'd you be concern'd where I am not I kiss my Sentence whatsoever it be To live or die it is the same thing to me Shou'd I appear to weep Judge when I do Whether those tears fall for my self or you Rom. No more my Love O spare a breaking heart You peirce my Soul in the most tender part O rather flatter my credulity Tell me to save your life that I must die If at that price your safety cou'd be bought How blest were I there 's Heaven in such a thought Hers. My Romulus is in his Love fevere He 'd be a God alone and leave me here Much kinder was my Father in that breath That spoke our fate he Marry'd us in death O happy happy Sentence when we die With equal pace we 'l both ascend the skie While as we mount Mortals that see the Ray Of our United flames out-shine the day Shall call us happy Lovers envy us And think no joyes of Love like dying thus Rom. The Gods the Gods invite us up I know Something within me sayes it must be so Let us make haste my Love and leave behind The names to which this world as been unkind I will be thy Quirinus thou shalt be Heber the ever fair and young to me When seated in our new Coelestial state How we shall smile at Tatius and his hate All Romans with our favours we will bless But be most kind to Lovers in distress Hers. No mournful youth in vain shall shed a tear No hapless Maid shall sigh but we will hear Rom. We 'l ease their inward wounds heal their despair And against fate fight for the brave and fair Hers. But where a matchless pair of Lovs I find Wrong'd by a Parent cruelly unkind I 'le her Hersilia call him Romulus We needs must favour them for they are us Rom. We wrong our selves and all our joys delay Let 's seek out death and meet fate half the way Hers. Come my dear Lord Taking his hand Thus Joyn'd we 'l rise to a Divinity 'T is death to live when 't is so sweet to die Exeunt SCENE II. Scene the Pallace in Rome A Couch Cornelia Cloe. Cloe. WHat 's to be done Cornelia We are left Methinks like travellers that lose their guides Unknowing both the Language and the Country Romulus they have made Captive Hersilia Will have no Liberty without him but gives her self To the same Prison freely yet shou'd I tell Her Sister this it would but more undoe her Cor. Poor Lady since Hostilius went from Rome She is no longer she we have lost her too Cloe. I have a Captain my most obedient servant Tho I confess he does me little service He being now continually on duty I 'de be content to lose my man for ever Could I but bring Hostilius back to give The harmless Maid her pretty wits again Cor. In an ill hour the Romans have committed That which our Parents call a Rape if thus Our men themselves so soon are Ravisht from us Cloe. But who Ravish't Hostilius Nothing but his own Heroick Friendship a shame take these Honourable intrigues They cause more harm than good all our misfortunes Are owing to his absence Cor. Cloe no more See where she comes with such a pitty'd air In her distracted innocence that makes me weep to see her Enter Feliciana Feli. Why did you tell me Cornelia that my Sister Is rid away behind Hostilius Indeed you are to blame For tho I know he does not love me I 'me sure Hersilia wou'd not do it for a kingdome Yet were it true cou'd you be so unkind To tell it me Cor. I never said it Madam Feli. I ask your pardon heartily Cornelia It was not you indeed See where my Sister Stands yonder sorting pretty Pinks and Dasies With Violets and yellow Crocus's To make a wedding Garland for Hostilius Yet will not give me one poor flower among ' em No matter I have Roses of my own Enough to strew me when I 'm dead SINGS White as the Lilly will she lye When the foolish Maid shall die For she carry'd with her her Viginity O fie O fie Is not that Cloe Cor. Yes Madam Feli. Then it is not my Sister I knew so much Already tho you think I know nothing Cloe. When will you try to sleep dear Madam Feli. O Cloe I shall never sleep again Hostilius will not let me sleep least I Should dream of him Is not that unkind Cor. Pray try what charmes there are in Musick Madam Feli. Let it be mournful then for should they play A Cheerful air and I so merry as I am Twou'd make me mad ha ha ha ha But t is no matter I 'le sit down here and weep Soft Musick No more I hate these Viols Hostilius is a Souldier Let me hear voices Sing a Trumpet to me To a Martial Air. SONG Make hast fair Queen of Cyprus tarry not Have-you the impatient Love of Mars forgot He bleeds he bleeds from wounds unseen That know no cure but such a Queen You are the only Surgeon has the art To cure a God ' that 's wounded in