Philosophers Whom with such Eloquence she does perswade That they are Captives to her reasons made I left 'em yielding up their vanquish'd cause And all the Souldiers shouting her applause Ev'n Apollonius does but faintly speak Whose voice the murmurs of th' assistants break Max. Conduct this Captive Christian to my Tent She shall be brought to speedy punishment I must in time some remedy provide Exit Valerius Lest this contagious Errour spread too wide Placid T' infected zeal you must no mercy show For from Religion all Rebellions grow Max. The silly crowd by factious Teachers brought To think that Faith untrue their youth was taught Run on in new Opinions blindly bold Neglect contemn and then assault the old Th' infectious madness seizes every part And from the head distils upon the heart And first they think their Princes faith not true And then proceed to offer him a new Which if refus'd all duty from 'em cast To their new Faith they make new Kings at last Placid Those ills by Male-contents are often wrought That by their Prince their duty may be bought They head those holy Factions which they hate To sell their duty at a dearer rate But Sir the Tribune is already here With your fair Captive Max. Bid 'em both appear Enter S. Catharine Valerius Apollonius Guards See where she comes with that high Air and meen Which marks in bonds the greatness of a Queen What pity ' t is but I no charms must see In her who to our Gods is enemy Fair foe of Heav'n whence comes this haughty pride To her Or is it Frenzy does your mind misguide To scorn our Worship and new Gods to find S. Cath. Nor pride nor frenzy but a setled mind Enlightned from above my way does mark Max. Though Heav'n be clear the way to it is dark S. Cath. But where our Reason with our Faith does go We 're both above enlightned and below But Reason with your fond Religion fights For many Gods are many Infinites This to the first Philosophers was known Who under various names ador'd but one Though your vain Poets after did mistake Who ev'ry Attribute a God did make And so obscene their Ceremonies be As good men loath and Cato blush'd to see Max. War is my Province Priest why stand you mute You gain by Heav'n and therefore should dispute Apol. In all Religions as in ours there are Some solid truths and some things popular The popular in pleasing Fables lye The truths in precepts of Morality And these to humane life are of that use That no Religion can such Rules produce S. Cath. Then let the whole Dispute concluded be Betwixt these Rules and Christianity Apol. And what more noble can your Doctrine preach Than Vertues which Philosophy does teach To keep the passions in severest awe To live to Reason Nature's greatest Law To follow Vertue as its own reward And good and ill as things without regard S. Cath. Yet few could follow those strict Rules they gave For humane life will humane frailties have And love of Vertue is but barren praise Airy as Fame nor strong enough to raise The actions of the Soul above the sence Vertue grows cold without a recompence We vertuous acts as duty do regard Yet are permitted to expect reward Apol. By how much more your Faith reward assures So much more frank our Virtue is than yours S. Cath. Blind men you seek ev'n those rewards you blame But ours are solid your's an empty name Either to open praise your Acts you guide Or else reward your selves with secret pride Apol. Yet still our Moral virtues you obey Ours are the Precepts though apply'd your way S. Cath. 'T is true your virtues are the same we teach But in our practice they much higher reach You but forbid to take anothers due But we forbid e'vn to desire it too Revenge of injuries you Virtue call But we forgiveness of our wrongs extoll Immodest deeds you hinder to be wrought But we proscribe the least immodest thought So much your Virtues are in ours refin'd That yours but reach the actions ours the mind Max. Answer in short to what you heard her speak To Apol. Apol. Where Truth prevails all arguments are weak To that convincing power I must give place And with that Truth that Faith I will embrace Max. O Traytor to our Gods but more to me Dar'st thou of any Faith but of thy Princes be But sure thou rav'st thy foolish Errour find Cast up the poyson that infects thy mind And shun the Torments thou art sure to feel Apol. Nor fire nor torture nor revenging Steel Can on my Soul the least impression make How gladly Truth I suffer for thy sake Once I was ignorant of what was so But never can abandon Truth I know My Martyrdom I to thy Crown prefer Truth is a Cause for a Philosopher S. Cath. Lose not that Courage which Heav'n does inspire To Apollonius But fearless go to be baptiz'd in fire Think 't is a Triumph not a danger near Give him your blood but give him not a tear Go and prepare my Seat and hovering be Near that bright space which is reserv'd for me Max. Hence with the Traytor bear him to his Fate Apol. Tyrant I fear thy pity not thy hate ` A Life Eternal I by Death obtain Max. Go carry him where he that Life may gain Ex. Apollonius Valerius and Guards Placid From this Enchantress all these ills are come You are not safe till you pronounce her doom Each hour she lives a Legion sweeps away She 'll make your Army Martyrs in a day Max. 'T is just this Christian Sorceress shall dy Would I had never prov'd her Sorcery Not that her charming Tongue this change has bred I fear 't is something that her Eyes have sed I love and am asham'd it should be seen Aside Placid Sir shall she dy Max. Consider she 's a Queen Placid Those claims in Cleopatra ended were Max. How many Cleopatra's live in her Aside Placid When you condemn'd her Sir she was a Queen Max. No Slave she only was a Captive then S. Cath. My joyful Sentence you defer to long Max. I never knew that Life was such a wrong But if you needs will dy it shall be so Yet think it does from your perversness flow Men say indeed that I in Blood delight But you shall find Haste take her from my sight For Maximin I have too much confest And for a Lover not enough exprest Absent I may her Martyrdom decree But one look more will make that Martyr me Exit S. Catharine Guarded Placid What is it Sir that shakes your mighty mind Max. Somewhat I am asham'd that thou shouldst find Placid If it be Love which does your Soul possess Max. Are you my Rival that so soon you guess Placid Far mighty Prince be such a crime from me Kneeling Which with the pride includes impiety Could you forgive it yet the Gods above Would never pardon me
once again could some new way invent To take upon my self your punishment I sent for you to let you know that still Though now I want the pow'r I have the will Placid Can all this Ocean of your kindness be Pour'd upon him and not one drop on me Val. 'T is pour'd but falls from this ungrateful man Like drops of water from a rising Swan Upon his breast no sign of wet remains He bears his Love more proudly than his Chains Por. This thankless man his death will soon remove And quickly end so undeserv'd a Love Val. Unthankful as you are I know not why But still I love too well to see you dye Placidius can you love and see my grief And for my sake not offer some relief Placid Not all the Gods his ruine shall prevent Your kindness does but urge his punishment Besides What is it I can for his safety do He has declar'd himself your Father's Foe Val. Give out he is escap'd and set him free And if you please lay all the fault on me Por. O do not on those terms my freedom name Freed by your danger I should dye with shame Placid I must not farther by your prayers be won To her All I could do I have already done Val. To bring Porphyrius only to my sight Was not to show your pity but your spight Would you but half oblige her you adore You should not have done this or should do more Placid Alas what hope can there be left for me When I must sink into the Mine I see My heart will fall before you if I stay Each word you speak saps part of it away Yet all my Fortune on his death is set And he may love her though he loves not yet He must and yet she says he must not dye O if I could but wink I could deny To them Albinus Alb. The Emperour expects your Pris'ner strait And with impatience for his death does wait Placid Nay then it is too late my Love to weigh Exit Alb. Your pardon Madam if I must obey Por. I am prepar'd he shall not long attend Val. Then hear my pray'rs and my submissions end Placidius know that hour in which he dyes My death so well I love shall wait on his Placid O Madam do not fright me with your death Val. My life depends alone upon his breath But if I live in him you do not know How far my gratitude to you may go I do not promise but it so may prove That gratitude in time may turn to Love Try me Placid Now I consider it I will Musing a little 'T is in your pow'r to save him or to kill I 'le run the hazard to preserve his life If after that you vow to be my Wife Val. Nay good Placidius now you are too hard Would you do nothing but for meer reward Like Usurers to men in want you prove When you would take Extortion for my Love Placid You have concluded then that he must dye Going with Porphy Val. O stay if no price else his life can buy My Love a ransom for his life I give Holding her Handkerchief before her face Let my Porphyrius for another live Por. You too much value the small merchandise My life's o're-rated when your Love 's the price Enter Albinus Alb. I long have list'ned to your generous strife As much concern'd for brave Porphyrius life For mine I to his favour ow'd this day Which with my future Service I will pay Placid Lest any your intended flight prevent I 'le lead you first the back-way to my Tent Thence in disguise you may the City gain While some excuse for your escape I feign Val. Farewel I must not see you when you part Turning her face away For that last look would break my tender heart Yet let it break I must have one look more Looking on him Nay now I 'm less contented than before For that last look draws on another too Which sure I need not to remember you For ever yet I must one glance repeat But quick and short as starving people eat So much humanity dwells in your brest Sometimes to think on her who loves you best Going he takes her hand and kisses it Por. My wandring steps where ever Fortune bear Your memory I in my breast will wear Which as a precious Amulet I still Will carry my defence and guard from ill Though to my former vows I must be true I 'le ever keep one Love entire for you That Love which Brothers with chaste Sisters make And by this Holy kiss which now I take From your fair hand This common Sun which absent both shall see Shall ne're behold a breach of Faith in me Val. Go go my death will your short vows restore You 've said enough and I can hear no more Exit Valeria one way and Porphy and Alb. another Placid Love and good Nature how do you betray Misleading those who see and know their way I whom deep Arts of State could ne're beguile Have sold my self to ruine for a smile Nay I am driv'n so low that I must take That smile as Alms giv'n for my Rivals sake He like a secret Worm has eat his way And lodg'd within does on the kernel prey I creep without and hopeless to remove Him thence wait only for the husk of Love Enter Maximin talking with Valerius Max. And why was I not told of this before Val. Sir she this evening landed on the shore For with her Daughter being Pris'ner made She in another Vessel was convey'd Max. Bring hither the AEgyptian Princess strait To Placid And you Valerius on her Mother wait Exit Valerius Placid The Mother of th' AEgyptian Princess here Max. Porphyrius death I will a while defer And this new opportunity improve To make my last effort upon her Love Exit Placidius Those who have youth may long endure to court But he must swiftly catch whose Race is short I in my Autumn do my Siege begin And must make haste e're Winter comes to win This hour no longer shall my pains endure Her Love shall ease me or her death shall cure Enter at one door Felicia and Valerius at the other S. Catharine and Placidius S. Cath. O my dear Mother Fel. With what joy I see My dearest Daughter from the Tempest free S. Cath. Dearer than all the joys vain Empire yields Or then to youthful Monarchs conquer'd fields Before you came my Soul All fill'd with Heav'n did earthly joys disdain But you pull back some part of me again Placid You see Sir she can owne a joy below Max. It much imports me that this truth I know Fel. How dreadful death does on the waves appear Where Seas we only see and Tempest hear Such frightful Images did then pursue My trembling Soul that scarce I thought of you Placid All Circumstances to your wish combine Her fear of death advances your design Fel. But to that only pow'r we serve I pray'd Till he who
Maximin struggles with him and gets the Dagger from him Max. Thus I return the strokes which they have giv'n Stabbing Placid Thus Traytor thus and thus I would to Heav'n Stabbing upward with his Dagger Placidius falls and the Emperour staggers after him and sits down upon him the Guards come in to help the Emperour Max. Stand off and let me e're my strength be gone Take my last pleasure of revenge alone Enter a Centurion Cen. Arm arm the Camp is in a mutiny For Rome and Liberty the Souldiers cry Porphyrius mov'd their pity as he went To rescue Berenice from punishment And now he heads their new-attempted crime Max. Now I am down the Gods have watch'd their time You think To save your credit feeble Deities But I will give my self the strength to rise He strives to get up and being up staggers It wonnot be My body has not strength my mind to bear I must return again and conquer here Sits down upon the Body My coward Body does my will controul Farewel thou base Deserter of my Soul I 'le shake this Carcass off and be obey'd Reign an Imperial Ghost without its aid Go Souldiers take my Ensigns with you fight And vanquish Rebels in your Soveraign's right Before I die Bring me Porphyrius and my Empress dead I would brave Heav'n in my each hand a head Placid Do not regard a dying Tyrants breath To the Souldiers He can but look revenge on you in death Max. Vanquish'd and dar'st thou yet a Rebel be Thus I can more than look revenge on thee Stabs him again Placid Oh I am gone Dyes Max. And after thee I go Revenging still and following ev'n to th' other world my blow Stabs him again And shoving back this Earth on which I sit I 'le mount and scatter all the Gods I hit Dyes Enter Porphyrius Berenice Albinus Souldiers Porphyrius tooks on the Bodies entring and speaks Por. 'T is done before this mighty work of Fate And I am glad our Swords are come too late He was my Prince and though a bloody one I should have conquer'd and have mercy shown Sheath all your Swords and cease your enmity They are not Foes but Romans whom you see Ber. He was my Tyrant but my Husband too And therefore duty will some tears allow Por. Placidius here And fair Valeria new depriv'd of breath Who can unriddle this dumb-show of death Cyd. When Sir her Father did your life deny She kill'd her self that she with you might dye Placidius made the Emp'rours death his crime Who dying did revenge his death on him Porphyrius kneels and takes Valeria's hand Por. For thy dear sake I vow each week I live One day to fasting and just grief I 'le give And what hard Fate did to thy life deny My gratitude shall pay thy memory Cen. Mean time to you belongs th' Imperial pow'r We with one voice salute your Emperour Souldiers Long live Porphyrius Emperour of the Romans Por. Too much my Country men your Love you show That you have thought me worthy to be so But to requite that Love I must take care Not to ingage you in a Civil War Two Emperours at Rome the Senate chose And whom they chose no Roman should oppose In Peace or War let Monarchs hope or fear All my ambition shall be bounded here Kissing Berenice's hand Ber. I have too lately been a Prince's Wife And fear th' unlucky Omen of the life Like a rich Vessel beat by storms to shore 'T were madness should I venture out once more Of glorious troubles I will take no part And in no Empire reign but of your heart Por. Let to the winds your golden Eagles flye To the Souldier Your Trumpets sound a bloodless Victory Our Arms no more let Aquileia fear But to her Gates Our peaceful Ensigns crown'd with Olives bear While I mix Cypress with my Myrtle Wreath Joy for your life and mourn Valeria's Death Exeunt omnes Epilogue Spoken by Mrs. Ellen when she was to be carried off dead by the Bearers To the Bearer HOld are you mad you damn'd confounded Dog I am to rise and speak the Epilogue To the Audience I come kind Gentlemen strange news to tell ye I am the Ghost of poor departed Nelly Sweet Ladies be not frighted I 'le be civil I 'm what I was a little harmless Devil For after death we Sprights have just such Natures We had for all the World when humane Creatures And therefore I that was an Actress here Play all my Tricks in Hell a Goblin there Gallants look to 't you say there are no Sprights But I 'le come dance about your Beds at nights And faith you 'l be in a sweet kind of taking When I surprise you between sleep and waking To tell you true I walk because I dye Out of my Calling in a Tragedy O Poet damn'd dull Poet who could prove So sensless to make Nelly dye for Love Nay what 's yet worse to kill me in the prime Of Easter-Term in Tart and Cheese-cake time I 'le fit the Fopp for I 'le not one word say T' excuse his godly out of fashion Play A Play which if you dare but twice sit out You 'l all be stander'd and be thought devout But farewel Gentlemen make haste to me I 'm sure e're long to have your company As for my Epitaph when I am gone I 'le trust no Poet but will write my own Here Nelly lies who though she liv'd a Slater'n Yet dy'd a Princess acting in S. Cathar'n
your Daughter Sir are here Por. What dangers in those charming Eyes appear Looking on the Empress How my old wounds are open'd at this view And in my murd'rers presence bleed anew Max. I did expect your coming to partake To the Ladies The general gladness which my Triumphs make You did Porphyrius as a Courtier know But as a Conquerour behold him now Ber. You know I read it in your blushing face To Por. To merit better than receive a grace And I know better silently to own Than with vain words to pay your service done Por. Princes like Gods reward e're we deserve Kneeling to kiss hâ—â—â— And pay us in permitting us to serve Oh might I still grow here and never move lower Ber. How dangerous are these extasies of Love He shows his passion to a thousand Eyes He cannot stir nor can I bid him rise That word my heart refuses to my tongue Aside Max. Madam you let the General kneel too long Por. Too long as if Eternity were so Aside Ber. Rise good Porphyrius since it must be so Aside Por. Like Hermits from a Vision I retire rising With Eyes too weak to see what I admire Aside Val. The Empress knows your worth but Sir there be To Porphyrius who kisses her hand Those who can value it as high as she And 't is but just since in my Fathers cause You fought your Valour should have my applause Placid O Jealousie how art thou Eagle-ey'd She loves and would her Love in praises hide How am I bound this Rival to pursue Who ravishes my Love and Fortune too Aside A Dead March within and Trumpets Max. Somewhat of mournful sure my Ears does wound Like the hoarse murmurs of a Trumpets sound And Drums unbrac'd with Souldiers broken cryes Enter Albinus Albinus Whence proceeds this dismal noise Alb. Too soon you 'l know what I want words to tell Max. How fares my Son Is my Charinus well Not answer me Oh my prophetique fear Alb. How can I speak or how Sir can you hear Imagine that which you would most deplore And that which I would speak is it or more Max. Thy mournful message in thy looks I read Is he oh that I live to ask it dead Alb. Sir Max. Stay if thou speak'st that word thou speak'st thy last Some God now if he dares relate what 's past Say but he 's dead that God shall mortal be Alb. Then what I dare not speak look back and see Charinus born in dead by Souldiers Max. See nothing Eyes henceforth but Death and wo You 've done me the worst office you can do Youv'e shown me Destinies prepost'rous crime An unripe fate disclos'd e're Nature's time Placid Asswage great Prince your passion lest you show There 's somewhat in your Soul which Fate can bow Por. Fortune should by your greatness be controul'd Arm your great mind and let her take no hold Max. To tame Philosophers teach constancy There is no farther use of it in me Gods but why name I you All that was worth a pray'r to you is gone I ask not back my Vertue but my Son Alb. His too great thirst of fame his ruine brought Though Sir beyond humanity he fought Placid This was my Vision of this fatal day Alb. With a fierce hast he led our Troops the way While fiery showrs of Sulphur on him rain'd Nor left he till the Battlements he gain'd There with a Forest of their Darts he strove And stood like Capaneus defying Jove With his broad Sword the boldest beating down While Fate grew pale lest he should win the Town And turn'd the Iron leafs of its dark Book To make new dooms or mend what it mistook Till sought by many Deaths he sunk though late And by his fall asserted doubtful Fate Vale. Oh my Dear Brother whom Heav'n let us see And would not longer suffer him to be Max. And didst not thou a Death with Honour chuse To Alb. But impudently liv'st to bring this news After his loss how did'st thou dare to breath But thy base Ghost shall follow him in death A decimation I will strictly make Of all who my Charinus did forsake And of each Legion each Centurion Shall dye Placidius see my pleasure done Por. Sir you will lose by this severity Your Souldiers hearts Max. Why they take Pay to dye Por. Then spare Albinus only Max. I consent To leave his life to be his punishment Discharg'd from trust branded with infamy Let him live on till he ask leave to dye Ber. Let me petition for him Max. I have said And will not be intreated but obey'd But Empress whence does your compassion grow Ber. You need not ask it since my birth you know The Race of Antonin's was nam'd the Good I draw my pity from my Royal Blood Max. Still must I be upbraided with your Line I know you speak it in contempt of mine But your late Brother did not prize me less Because I could not boast of Images And the Gods own'd me more when they decreed A Thracian Shepherd should your Line succeed Ber. The Gods O do not name the pow'rs divine They never mingled their Decrees with thine My Brother gave me to thee for a Wife And for my Dowry thou didst take his life Max. The Gods by many Victories have shown That they my merits and his death did own Ber. Yes they have own'd it witness this just day When they begin thy mischiefs to repay See the reward of all thy wicked care Before thee thy succession ended there Yet but in part my Brothers Ghost is pleas'd Restless till all the groaning world be eas'd For me no other happiness I owne Than to have born no Issue to thy Throne Max. Provoke my rage no farther lest I be Reveng'd at once upon the Gods and thee Por. aside What horrid tortures seize my lab'ring mind O only excellent of all thy kind To hear thee threatned while I idle stand Heav'n was I born to fear a Tyrants hand Max. to Ber. Hence from my sight thy blood if thou dost stay Ber. Tyrant too well to that thou know'st the way going Por. Let baser Souls from falling Fortunes flye I 'le pay my duty to her though I dye Exit leading her Max. What made Porphyrius so officious be The action look'd as done in scorn of me Val. It did indeed some little freedom show But somewhat to his Services you owe. Max. Yet if I thought it his presumption were Placid Perhaps he did not your displeasure hear Max. My anger was too loud not to be heard Placid I 'm loth to think he did it not regard Max. How not regard Val. Placidius you foment On too light grounds my Father's discontent But when an action does two faces wear 'T is Justice to believe what is most fair I think that knowing what respect there rests For her late Brother in the Souldiers breasts He went to serve the Emp'rour and design'd Only to calm the tempest in her mind Lest some
grant Such Graces sure your Empress does not want Max. Beauty has bounds And can no more to every heart be so Than any Coin through every Land can go Some secret Grace which is but so to me Though not so great may yet more pow'rful be All guard themselves when stronger Foes invade Yet by the weak surprizes may be made But you my Son are not to judge but aid Por. What is it Sir you can require of me Max. I would from Berenice's bonds be free This yoke of Marriage from us both remove Where two are bound to draw though neither love Por. Neither the Gods nor man will give consent To put in practice your unjust intent Max. Both must consent to that which I decree Por. The Souldiers love her Brother's memory And for her sake some Mutiny will stir Max. Our parting therefore shall be sought by her Go bid her sue for a Divorce or dye I 'le cut the knot if she will not untye Haste to prepare her and thy self return Thy Hymen's Torch this day with mine shall burn Exit Por. Rather my Funeral-torch for though I know Valeria's fair and that she loves me too Gainst her my Soul is arm'd on every part Yet there are secret Rivets to my heart Where Berenice's Charms have found the way Subtile as Lightnings but more fierce than they How shall I this avoid or gain that Love So near the Rock I to the Port must move To him Valeria attended Val. Porphyrius now my joy I may express Nor longer hide the Love I must possess Should I have stay'd till Marriage made us one You might have thought it was by duty done But of my heart I now a present make And give it you e're it be yours to take Accept it as when early fruit we send And let the rareness the small gift commend Por. Great Monarchs like your Father often give What is above a Subject to receive But faithful Officers should countermand And stop the gift that passes through their hand And to their Prince that mass of wealth restore Which lavish'd thus would make whole Nations poor Val. But to this gift a double right you have My Father gives but what before I gave Por. In vain you such unequal presents make Which I still want capacity to take Such fatal bounty once the Gaules did show They threw their Rings but threw their Targets too Bounty so plac'd does more like ruine look You pour the Ocean on a narrow Brook Val. Yet if your Love before prepares a Boat The stream so pour'd drowns not but makes it float Por. But when the Vessel is on Quick-sands cast The flowing tide does more the sinking hast Val. And on what Quick-sands can your heart be thrown Can you a Love besides Valeria's own Por. If he who at your feet his heart would lay Be met with first and robb'd upon the way You may indeed the Robbers strength accuse But pardon him who did the Present lose Val. Who is this Thief that does my right possess Name her and then we of her strength may guess From whence does your unwonted silence come Por. She bound and gag'd me and has left me dumb Val. But of my wrongs I will aloud complain False man thou would'st excuse thy self in vain For thee I did a Maidens blush forsake And own'd a Love thou hast refus'd to take Por. Refus'd it like a Miser midst his store Who grasps and grasps till he can hold no more And when his strength is wanting to his mind Looks back and sighs on what he left behind Val. No I resume that heart thou didst possess My Father shall my injuries redress With me thou losest his Imperial Crown And speedy death attends upon his frown Por. You may revenge your wrongs a nobler way Command my death and I will soon obey Val. No live for on thy life my cure depends In Debters deaths all obligation ends 'T will be some ease Ungrateful thee to call And Bankrupt-like say trusting him lost all Por. Upbraided thus what gen'rous man would live But Fortune will revenge what you forgive When I refuse as in few hours I must This offer'd grace your Father will be just Val. Be just say rather he will cruel prove To kill that only person I can love Yet so it is Your int'rest in the Army is so high That he must make you his or you must dye It is resolv'd who e're my Rival be Aside after a pause I 'le show that I deserve him more than she And if at last he does ingrateful prove My constancy it self rewards my Love Exit Por. She 's gone and gazing round about I see Nothing but death or glorious misery Here Empire stands if I could Love displace There hopeless Love with more Imperial Grace Thus as a sinking Hero compass'd round Beckens his bravest Foe for his last wound And him into his part of Fame does call I 'le turn my face to Love and there I 'le fall To him Berenice Erotion Ber. I come Porphyrius to congratulate This happy change of your exalted Fate You to the Empire are I hear design'd And fair Valeria must th' Alliance bind Por. Would Heav'n had my succession so decreed That I in all might Maximin succeed He offers me th' Imperial Crown 't is true I would succeed him but it is in you Ber. In me I never did accept your Love But you I see would handsomly remove And I can give you leave without a frown I always thought you merited a Crown Por. I never sought that Crown but on your brow But you with such indifference would allow My change that you have kill'd me with that breath I feel your scorn cold as the hand of death Ber. You 'l come to life in your Valeria's arms 'T is true I cannot boast of equal Charms Or if I could I never did admit Your Love to me but only suffer'd it I am a Wife and can make no return And 't were but vain in hopeless fires to burn Por. Unkind can you whom only I adore Set open to your Slave the Prison-door You use my heart just as you would afford A fatal freedom to some harmless bird Whom breeding you ne're taught to seek its food And now let flye to perish in the Wood. Ber. Then if you will love on and disobey And lose an Empire for my sake you may Will a kind look from me pay all this score For you well know you must expect no more Por. All I deserve it will not all I wish But I will brave the Tyrants rage for this If I refuse my death must needs ensue But you shall see that I dare dye for you Ber. Would you for me A Beauty and an Empire too deny I love you now so well that you shall dye Dye mine 't is all I can with honour give Nor should you dye if after I would live But when your Marriage and your Death I view That makes you false
Yet man by pleasures seeks that Fate which he would shun And suck'd in by the stream does to the Whirl-pool run Max. How Madam are you to new ways inclin'd To Ber. I fear the Christian Sect perverts your mind Ber. Yes Tyrant know that I their Faith embrace And owne it in the midst of my disgrace That Faith which abject as it seems to thee Is nobler than thy Purple Pageantry A Faith which still with Nature is at strife And looks beyond it to a future life A Faith which vitious Souls abhor and fear Because it shows Eternity to near And therefore every one With seeming scorn of it the rest deceives All joyning not to owne what each believes S. Cath. O happy Queen whom pow'r leads not astray Nor youth's more pow'rful blandishments betray Ber. Your Arguments my reason first inclin'd And then your bright example fix'd my mind Max. With what a holy Empress am I blest What scorn of Earth dwells in her heav'nly brest My Crown 's too mean but he whom you adore Has one more bright of Martyrdom in store She dyes and I am from the envy freed Aside She has I thank her her own death decreed No Souldier now will in her rescue stir Her death is but in complaisance to her I 'le haste to gratifie her holy will Heav'n grant her zeal may but continue still To Val. Tribune a Guard to seize the Empress strait Secure her Person Pris'ner to the State Exit Maximin Val. going to her Madam believe 't is with regret I come To execute my angry Prince's doom Enter Porphyrius Por. What is it I behold Tribune from whence Proceeds this more than barbarous insolence Val. Sir I perform the Emperour's Commands Por. Villain hold off thy sacrilegious hands Or by the Gods retire without reply And if he asks who bid thee say 't was I. Valerius retires to a distance Ber. Too generously your safety you expose To save one moment her whom you must lose Por. 'Twixt you and death ten thousand lives there stand Have courage Madam the Praetorian Band Will all oppose your Tyrants cruelty S. Cath. And I have Heav'n implor'd she may not dye As some to witness truth Heav'ns call obey So some on Earth must to confirm it stay Por. What Faith what Witness is it that you name Ber. Knowing what she believes my Faith 's the same Por. How am I cross'd what way so e're I go To the unlucky every thing is so Now Fortune thou hast shown thy utmost spight The Souldiers will not for a Christian fight And Madam all that I can promise now Is but to dye before death reaches you Ber. Now death draws near a strange perplexity Creeps coldly on me like a fear to dye Courage uncertain dangers may abate But who can bear th' approach of certain Fate S. Cath. The wisest and the best some fear may show And wish to stay though they resolve to go Ber. As some faint Pilgrim standing on the shore First views the Torrent he would venture o're And then his Inn upon the farther ground Loth to wade through and lother to go round Then dipping in his staff do's tryal make How deep it is and sighing pulls it back Sometimes resolv'd to fetch his leap and then Runs to the Bank but there stops short agen So I at once Both heav'nly Faith and humane fear obey And feel before me in an unknown way For this blest Voyage I with joy prepare Yet am asham'd to be a stranger there S. Cath. You are not yet enough prepar'd to dye Earth hangs too heavy for your Soul to flye Por. One way and Heav'n I hope inspires my mind I for your safety in this straight can find But this fair Queen must farther my intent S. Cath. Name any way your reason can invent Por. to Ber. Though your Religion which I cannot blame Because my secret Soul avows the same Has made your life a forfeit to the Laws The Tyrants new-born passion is the cause Were this bright Princess once remov'd away Wanting the food the flame would soon decay And I 'le prepare a faithful Guard this night T' attend her person and secure her flight Ber. to S. Cath. By this way I shall both from death be freed And you unforc'd to any wicked deed S. Cath. Madam my thoughts are with themselves at strife And Heav'n can witness how I prize your life But 't is a doubtful conflict I must try Betwixt my pity and my piety Staying your precious life I must expose Going my Crown of Martyrdom I lose Por. Your equal choice when Heav'n does thus divide You should like Heav'n still lean on mercy's side S. Cath. The will of Heav'n judg'd by a private brest Is often what 's our private interest And therefore those who would that will obey Without their int'rest must their duty weigh As for my self I do not life despise But as the greatest gift of Nature prize My Sex is weak my fears of death are strong And whate're is it 's Being would prolong Were there no sting in death for me to dye Would not be conquest but stupidity But if vain Honour can confirm the Soul And sense of shame the fear of death controul How much more then should Faith uphold the mind Which showing death shows future life behind Ber. Of death's contempt Heroick proofs you give But Madam let my weaker Vertue live Your Faith may bid you your own life resign But not when yours must be involv'd with mine Since then you do not think me fit to dye Ah how can you that life I beg deny S. Cath. Heav'n does in this my greatest tryal make When I for it the care of you forsake But I am plac'd as on a Theater Where all my Acts to all Mankind appear To imitate my constancy or fear Then Madam judge what course I should pursue When I must either Heav'n forsake or you Por. Were saving Berenice's life a sin Heav'n had shut up your flight from Maximin S. Cath. Thus with short Plummets Heav'ns deep will we sound That vast Abyss where humane Wit is drown'd In our small Skiff we must not launce too far We here but Coasters not Discov'rers are Faith's necessary Rules are plain and few We many and those needless Rules pursue Faith from our hearts into our heads we drive And make Religion all Contemplative You on Heav'ns will may witty glosses feign But that which I must practise here is plain If the All-great decree her life to spare He will the means without my crime prepare Exit S. Cath. Por. Yet there is one way left it is decreed To save your life that Maximin shall bleed ' Midst all hisGuards I will his death pursue Or fall a Sacrifice to Love and you Ber. So great a fear of death I have not shown That I would shed his blood to save my own My fear is but from humane frailty brought And never mingled with a wicked thought Por. 'T
bid it rise the Tempest laid Max. You are a Christian then To Felicia For death this very hour you must prepare I have decreed no Christians life to spare Fel. For death I hope you but my courage try Whatever I believe I dare not dye Heav'n does not sure that Seal of Faith require Or if it did would firmer thoughts inspire A Womans witness can no credit give To Truths Divine and therefore I would live Max. I cannot give the life which you demand But that and mine are in your Daughter's hand Ask her if she will yet her Love deny And bid a Monarch and her Mother dye Fel. Now mighty Prince you cancel all my fear My life is safe when it depends on her How can you let me languish thus in pain To S. Cath. Make haste to cure those doubts which yet remain Speak quickly speak and ease me of my fear S. Cath. Alas I doubt it is not you I hear Some wicked Fiend assumes your voice and face To make frail Nature triumph over Grace It cannot be That she who taught my Childhood Piety Should bid my riper age my Faith deny That she who bid my hopes this Crown pursue Should snatch it from me when 't is just in view Fel. Peace peace too much my age's shame you show How easie 't is to teach how hard to do Mylab'ring thoughts are with themselves at strife I dare not dye nor bid you save my life Max. You must do one and that without delay Too long already for your death I stay I cannot with your small concerns dispence For deaths of more importance call me hence Prepare to execute your office strait To his Guards Fel. O stay and let 'em but one minute wait Such quick Commands for death you would not give Ah if you knew how sweet it were to live Max. Then bid her love Fel. Is duty grown so weak To S. Cath. That Love 's a harder word than Death to speak S. Cath. Oh! Fel. Mistake me not I never can approve privately to S. Cath. A thing so wicked as the Tyrants Love I ask you would but some false promise give Only to gain me so much time to live S. Cath. That promise is a step to greater sin The hold once lost we seldom take agen Each bound to Heav'n we fainter Essays make Still losing somewhat till we quite go back Max. Away I grant no longer a reprieve Fel. O do but beg my life and I may live To S. Cath. Have you not so much pity in your brest He stays to have you make it your request S. Cath. To beg your life Is not to ask a grace of Maximin It is a silent bargain for a sin Could we live always life were worth our cost But now we keep with care what must be lost Here we stand shiv'ring on the Bank and cry When we should plunge into Eternity One moment ends our pain And yet the shock of death we dare not stand By thought scarce measur'd and too swift for sand 'T is but because the Living death ne're knew They fear to prove it as a thing that 's new Let me th'Experiment before you try I 'le show you first how easie 't is to dye Max. Draw then that Curtain and let death appear And let both see how easie 't will be there The Scene opens and shews the Wheel Fel. Alas what torments I already feel Max. Go bind her hand and foot beneath that Wheel Four of you turn the dreadful Engine round Four others hold her fast'ned to the ground That by degrees her tender breasts may feel First the rough razings of the pointed steel Her Paps then let the bearded Tenters stake And on each hook a gory Gobbet take Till th' upper flesh by piece-meal torn away Her beating heart shall to the Sun display Fel. My dearest Daughter at your feet I fall Kneeling Hear Oh yet hear your wretched Mothers call Think at your Birth ah think what pains I bore And can your eyes behold me suffer more You were the Child which from your infancy I still lov'd best and then you best lov'd me About my neck your little arms you spred Nor could you sleep without me in the bed But sought my bosom when you went to rest And all night long would lye across my brest Nor without cause did you that fondness show You may remember when our Nile did flow While on the Bank you innocently stood And with a Wand made Circles in the flood That rose and just was hurrying you to death When I from far all pale and out of breath Ran and rusht in And from the waves my floating pledge did bear So much my Love was stronger than my fear But you Max. Woman for these long tales your life 's too short Go bind her quickly and begin the sport Fel. No in her arms my Sanctuary's plac'd Running to her Daughter Thus I will cling for ever to her waste Max. What must my will by women be controll'd Haste draw your Weapons and cut off her hold S. Cath. Thus my last duty to you let me pay Kissing her Mother Yet Tyrant I to thee will never pray Though hers to save I my own life would give Yet by my sin my Mother shall not live To thy foul lust I never can confent Why dost thou then defer my punishment I scorn those Gods thou vainly dost adore Contemn thy Empire but thy Bed abhor If thou would'st yet a bloodier Tyrant be I will instruct thy rage begin with me Max. I thank thee that thou dost my anger move It is a Tempest that will wreck my Love I 'le pull thee hence close hidden as thou art Claps his hand to his breast And stand with my drawn Sword before my heart Yes you shall be obey'd though I am loth Go and while I can bid you bind 'em both Go bind 'em e're my fit of Love return Fire shall quench fire and anger Love shall burn Thus I prevent those follies I should do And 't is the nobler Fever of the two Fel. Torn piece by piece alas what horrid pains S. Cath. Heav'n is all mercy who that death ordains And that which Heav'n thinks best is surely so But bare and naked shame to undergo 'T is somewhat more than death Expos'd to lawless eyes I dare not be My modesty is sacred Heav'n to thee Let not my body be the Tyrant's spoil Nor hands nor eyes thy purity defile Amariel descends swiftly with a flaming Sword and strikes at the Wheel which breaks in pieces then he ascends again Max. Is this th' effect of all your boasted skill These brittle toys to execute my will A Puppet-show of death I only find Where I a strong and sinewy pain design'd By what weak infant was this Engine wrought Val. From Bilbilis the temper'd steel was brought Metall more tough the Anvil ne're did beat Nor from the Forge did hissing waters heat Placid I saw a Youth descend all Heav'nly
Sedition in the Camp should rise Max. I ever thought him loyal as he 's wise Since therefore all the Gods their spight have shown To rob my Age of a successive Throne And you who now remain The only Issue of my former bed In Empire cannot by your Sex succeed To bind Porphyrius firmly to the State I will this day my Caesar him create And Daughter I will give him you for Wife Val. O day the best and happiest of my life Placid O day the most accurst I ever knew Aside Max. See to my Son perform'd each Funeral due Then to the toyls of War we will return And make our Enemies our losses mourn Exeunt ACT II. SCENE I. The Royal Camp Berenice Porphyrius Ber. POrphyrius you too far did tempt your Fate In owning her the Emperour does hate 'T is true your duty to me it became But praising that I must your conduct blame Por. Not to have own'd my zeal at such a time Were to sin higher than your Tyrants crime Ber. 'T was too much my disgrace t' accompany A silent wish had been enough for me Por. Wishes are aids faint Servants may supply Who ask Heav'n for you what themselves deny Could I do less than my respect to pay Where I before had giv'n my heart away Ber. You fail in that respect you seem to bear When you speak words unfit for me to hear Por. Yet you did once accept those vows I paid Ber. Those vows were then to Berenice made But cannot now be heard without a sin When offer'd to the Wife of Maximin Por. Has then the change of Fortune chang'd your will Ah! why are you not Berenice still To Maximin you once declar'd your hate Your Marriage was a Sacrifice to th' State Your Brother made it to secure his Throne Which this man made a step to mount it on Ber. Whatever Maximin has been or is I am to bear since Heav'n has made me his For wives who must themselves of pow'r devest When they love blindly for their peace love best Por. If mutual love be vow'd when faith you plight Then he who forfeits first has lost his right Ber. Husbands a forfeiture of love may make But what avails the forfeit none can take As in a general wreck The Pirate sinks with his ill-gotten gains And nothing to anothers use remains So by his loss no gain to you can fall The Sea and vast destruction swallows all Por. Yet he who from the shore the wreck descrys May lawfully inrich him with the prize Ber. Who sees the wreck can yet no title plead Till he be sure the Owner first is dead Por. If that be all the claim I want to love This Pirate of your heart I 'le soon remove And at one stroke the world and you set free Ber. Leave to the care of Heav'n that world and me Por. Heav'n as its instrument my courage sends Ber. Heav'n ne'r sent those who fight for private ends We both are bound by trust and must be true I to his Bed and to his Empire you For he who to the bad betrays his trust Though he does good becomes himself unjust Por. When Brutus did from Caesar Rome redeem The Act was good Ber. But was not good in him You see the Gods adjudg'd it Parricide By dooming the event on Caesar's side 'T is vertue not to be oblig'd at all Or not conspire our Benefactors fall Por. You doom me then to suffer all this ill And yet I doom my self to love you still Ber. Dare not Porphyrius suffer then with me Since what for him I for my self decree Por. How can I bear those griefs you disapprove Ber. To ease'em I 'le permit you still to love Por. That will but haste my death if you think fit Not to reward but barely to permit Love without hope does like a torture wound Which makes me reach in pain to touch the ground Ber. If hope then to your life so needful be Hope still Por. Blest News Ber. But hope in Heav'n not me Por. Love is too noble such deceits to use Referring me to Heav'n your gift I lose So Princes cheaply may our wants supply When they give that their Treasurers deny Ber. Love blinds my Vertue if I longer stay It will grow dark and I shall lose my way Por. One kiss from this fair hand can be no sin I ask not that you gave to Maximin In full reward of all the pains I 've past Give me but one Ber. Then let it be your last Por. 'T is gone Like Souldiers prodigal of their Arrears One minute spends the Pay of many years Let but one more be added to the sum And pay at once for all my pains to come Ber. Unthrifts will starve if we before-hand give Pulling back her hand I 'le see you shall have just enough to live Enter Erotion Ero. Madam the Emperour is drawing near And comes they say to seek Porphyrius here Ber. Alas Por. I will not ask what he intends My life or death alone on you depends Ber. I must withdraw but must not let him know Aside How hard the precepts of my Vertue grow But what e're Fortune is for me design'd Sweet Heav'n be still to brave Porphyrius kind Exit cum Erotio Por. She 's gone unkindly and refus'd to cast One glance to feed me for so long a fast Enter Maximin Placidius Guards Max. Porphyrius since the Gods have ravish'd one I come in you to seek another Son Succeed him then in my Imperial state Succeed in all but his untimely fate If I adopt you with no better grace Pardon a fathers tears upon my face And give 'em to Charinus memory May they not prove as ominous to thee Por. With what misfortunes Heav'n torments me still Why must I be oblig'd to one so ill Aside Max. Those offers which I made you Sir were such No private man should need to ballance much Por. Who durst his thoughts to such ambition lift Kneeling The greatness of it made me doubt the gift The distance was so vast that to my view It made the object seem at first untrue And now 't is near the sudden excellence Strikes through and flashes on my tender sence Max. Yet Heav'n and Earth which so remote appear raising him Are by the Air which flows betwixt 'em near And 'twixt us two my Daughter be the chain One end with me and one with you remain Por. You press me down with such a glorious Fate Kneeling again I cannot rise against the mighty weight Permit I may retire some little space And gather strength to bear so great a grace Exit bowing Placid How Love and Fortune lavishly contend Which should Porphyrius wishes most befriend The mid-stream's his I creeping by the side Am shoulder'd off by his impetuous Tide Enter Valerius hastily Val. I hope my business may my haste excuse For Sir I bring you most surprizing news The Christian Princess in her Tent confers With fifty of your learn'd
a Christian Love Max. Thou ly'st there 's not a God inhabits there But for this Christian would all Heav'n forswear Ev'n Jove would try more shapes her Love to win And in new birds and unknown beasts would sin At least if Jove could love like Maximin Placid A Captive Sir who would a Martyr dye Max. She courts not death but shuns Captivity Great gifts and greater promises I 'le make And what Religion is 't but they can shake She shall live high Devotion in distress Is born but vanishes in happiness Exit Maximin Placid solus His Son forgot his Empress unappeas'd How soon the Tyrant with new Love is seiz'd Love various minds does variously inspire He stirs in gentle Natures gentle fire Like that of Incense on the Altars laid But raging flames tempestuous Souls invade A fire which every windy passion blows With pride it mounts and with revenge it glows But I accurs'd who servilely must move And sooth his passion for his Daughters Love Small hope 't is true attends my mighty care But of all passions Love does last despair Exit ACT III. SCENE I. The Royal Pavilion Maximin Placidius Guards and Attendants Max. THis Love that never could my youth engage Peeps out his coward head to dare my age Where hast thou been thus long thou sleeping form That wak'st like drowsie Sea-men in a storm A sullen hour thou chusest for thy birth My Love shoots up in tempests as the Earth Is stirr'd and loosen'd in a blust'ring wind Whose blasts to waiting flowers her womb unbind Placid Forgive me if I say your passions are So rough as if in Love you would make War But Love is soft And with soft beauty tenderly complies In lips it laughs and languishes in eyes Max. There let it laugh or like an Infant weep I cannot such a supple passion keep Mine stiff with age and stubborn as my arms Walks upright stoops not to but meets her charms Placid Yet fierceness suits not with her gentle kind They brave assaults but may be undermin'd Max. Till I in those mean Arts am better read Court thou and fawn and flatter in my stead Enter S. Catharine She comes and now methinks I could obey Her form glides through me and my heart gives way This Ironheart which no impression took From Wars melts down and runs if she but look Exit Maximin Placid Madam I from the Emperour am come T'applaude your Vertue and reverse your doom He thinks whatever your Religion be This Palm is owing to your constancy S. Cath. My constancy from him seeks no renown Heav'n that propos'd the course will give the Crown Placid But Monarchs are the Gods Vicegerents here Heav'n gives rewards but what it gives they bear From Heav'n to you th'AEgyptian Crown is sent Yet 't is a Prince who does the gift present S. Cath. The Deity I serve had he thought fit Could have preserv'd my Crown unconquer'd yet But when his secret Providence design'd To level that he levell'd too my mind Which by contracting its desires is taught The humble quiet of possessing nought Placid To Stoicks leave a happiness so mean Your Vertue does deserve a nobler Scene You are not for obscurity design'd But like the Sun must cheer all humane kind S. Cath. No happiness can be where is no rest Th' unknown untalk'd of man is only blest He as in some safe Cliff his Cell does keep From thence he views the labours of the Deep The Gold-fraught Vessel which mad tempests beat He sees now vainly make to his retreat And when from far the tenth wave does appear Shrinks up in silent joy that he 's not there Placid You have a Pilot who your Ship secures The Monarch both of Earth and Seas is yours He who so freely gives a Crown away Yet asks no tribute but what you may pay One smile on him a greater wealth bestows Than AEgypt yields when Nilus overflows S. Cath. I cannot wholly innocent appear Since I have liv'd such words as these to hear O Heav'n which dost of chastity take care Placid Why do you lose an unregarded pray'r If happiness as you believe be rest That quiet sure is by the Gods possest 'T is greatness to neglect or not to know The little business of the world below S. Cath. This doctrine well besitted him who thought A casual world was from wild Atoms wrought But such an order in each chance we see Chain'd to its cause as that to its decree That none can think a workmanship so rare Was built or kept without a Workman's care To them Maximin Attendants and Guards Max. Madam you from Placidius may have heard Some news which will your happiness regard Th' AEgyptian Crown I to your hands remit And with it take his heart who offers it She turns aside Do you my person and my gift contemn S. Cath. My hopes pursue a brighter Diadem Max. Can any brighter than the Roman be I find my proffer'd Love has cheapned me Since you neglect to answer my desires Know Princess you shall burn in other fires Why should you urge me to so black a deed Think all my anger did from Love proceed S. Cath. Nor threats nor promises my mind can move Your furious anger nor your impious Love Max. The Love of you can never impious be You are so pure That in the Act 't would change th' impiety Heav'n would unmake it sin S. Cath. I take my self from thy detested sight To my respect thou hast no longer right Such pow'r in bonds true piety can have That I command and thou art but a Slave Exit S. Cath. Max. To what a height of arrogance she swells Pride or ill nature still with Vertue dwells Her death shall set me free this very hour But is her death within a Lovers pow'r Wild with my rage more wild with my desire Like meeting tides but mine are tides of fire What petty promise was 't that caus'd this frown Placid You heard no less than the AEgyptian Crown Max. Throw AEgypt's by and offer in the stead Offer the Crown on Berenice's head I am resolv'd to double till I win About it straight and send Porphyrius in Exit Placid We look like Eagles tow'ring in the Sky While her high flight still raises mine more high To him Porphyrius Por. I come Sir to expect your great commands Max. My happiness lyes only in thy hands And since I have adopted thee my Son I 'le keep no secret from thy breast unknown Led by the int'rest of my rising Fate I did espouse this Empress whom I hate And therefore with less shame I may declare That I the Fetters of thy Captive wear Por. Sir you amaze me with so strange a Love Max. Pity my Son those flames you disapprove The cause of Love can never be assign'd 'T is in no face but in the Lover's mind Por. Yet there are Beauties which attract all hearts And all mankind lyes open to their darts Whose Soveraignty without dispute we
is not a Crime since one of you must dye Or is excus'd by the necessity Ber. I cannot to a Husband's death consent But by revealing will your crime prevent The horrour of this deed Against the fear of death has arm'd my mind And now less guilt in him than you I find If I a Tyrant did detest before I hate a Rebel and a Traitor more Ungrateful man Remember whose Successor thou art made And then thy Benefactors life invade Guards to your charge I give your Pris'ner back And will from none but Heav'n my safety take Exit with Valerius and Guards Por. solus 'T is true what she has often urg'd before He 's both my Father and my Emperour O Honour how can'st thou invent a way To save my Queen and not my trust betray Unhappy I that e're he trusted me As well his Guardian-Angel may his Murd'rer be And yet let Honour Faith and Vertue flye But let not Love in Berenice dye She lives That 's put beyond dispute as firm as Fate Honour and Faith let Argument debate Enter Maximin and Valerius talking and Guards Max 'T is said but I am loth to think it true To Porphy That my late Orders were contemn'd by you That Berenice from her Guards you freed Por. I did it and I glory in the deed Max. How glory my Commands to disobey Por. When those Commands would your Renown betray Max. Who should be Judge of that Renown you name But I Por. Yes I and all who love your fame Max. Porphyrius your replies are insolent Por. Sir they are just and for your service meant If for Religion you our lives will take You do not the offenders find but make All Faiths are to their own believers just For none believe because they will but must Faith is a force from which there 's no defence Because the Reason it does first convince And Reason Conscience into fetters brings And Conscience is without the pow'r of Kings Max. Then Conscience is a greater Prince than I At whose each erring call a King may dye Who Conscience leaves to its own free command Puts the worst Weapon in a Rebels hand Por. It 's Empire therefore Sir should bounded be And but in acts of it's Religion free Those who ask Civil pow'r and Conscience too Their Monarch to his own destruction woo With needful Arms let him secure his peace Then that wild beast he safely may release Mix. I can forgive these liberties you take While but my Counsellor your self you make But you first act your sense and then advise That is at my expence you will be wise My Wife I for Religion do not kill But she shall dye because it is my will Por. Sir I acknowledge I too much have done And therefore merit not to be your Son I render back the Honours which you gave My liberty 's the only gift I crave Max. You take too much but e're you lay it down Consider what you part with in a Crown Monarchs of cares in Policy complain Because they would be pity'd while they raign For still the greater troubles they confess They know their pleasures will be envy'd less Por. Those joys I neither envy nor admire But beg I from the troubles may retire Max. What Soul is this which Empire cannot stir Supine and tame as a Philosopher Know then thou wert adopted to a Throne Not for thy sake so much as for my own My thoughts were once about thy death at strife And thy succession's thy reprieve for life Por. My life and death are still within your pow'r But your succession I renounce this hour Upon a bloody Throne I will not sit Nor share the guilt of Crimes which you commit Max. If you are not my Caesar you must dye Por. I take it as the nobler Destiny Max. I pity thee and would thy faults forgive But thus presuming on thou canst not live Por. Sir with your Throne your pity I restore I am your Foe nor will I use it more Now all my debts of gratitude are paid I cannot trusted be nor you betray'd Is going Max. Stay stay in threat'ning me to be my Foe You give me warning to conclude you so Thou to succeed a Monarch in his Seat Enter Placidius No Fool thou art too honest to be great Placidius on your life this Pris'ner keep Our enmity shall end before I sleep Placid I still am ready Sir when e're you please To Porphy To do you such small services as these Max. The sight with which my eyes shall first be fed Must be my Empress and this Traitors head Por. Where e're thou standst I 'le level at that place My gushing blood and spout it at thy face Thus not by Marriage we our blood will joyn Nay more my arms shall throw my head at thine Exit guarded Max. There go adoption I have now decreed That Maximin shall Maximin succeed Old as I am in pleasures I will try To waste an Empire yet before I dye Since life is fugitive and will not stay I 'le make it flye more pleasantly away Exit ACT V. SCENE I. Valeria Placidius Val. IF as you say you silently have been So long my Lover let my pow'r be seen One hours discourse before Porphyrius dye Is all I ask and you too may be by Placid I must not break The order which the Emperour did sign Val. Has then his hand more pow'r with you than mine Placid This hand if given would far more pow'rful be Than all the Monarchs of the World to me But 't is a bait which would my heart betray And when I 'm fast will soon be snatcht away Val. O say not so for I shall ever be Oblig'd to him who once obliges me Placid Madam I 'le wink and favour your deceit But know fair Coz'ner that I know the cheat Though to these eyes I nothing can refuse I 'le not the merit of my ruine lose It is enough I see the hook and bite But first I 'le pay my death with my delight Kisses her hand and Exit Val. What can I hope from this sad interview And yet my brave design I will pursue By many signs I have my Rival found But Fortune him as deep as me does wound For if he loves the Empress his sad Fate More moves my pity than his scorn my hate To her Placidius with Porphyrius Placid I am perhaps the first Who forc'd by Fate and in his own despight Brought a lov'd Rival to his Mistress sight Val. But in revenge let this your comfort be That you have brought a man who loves not me However lay your causeless envy by He is a Rival who must quickly dye Por. And yet I could with less concernment bear That death of which you speak than see you here So much of guilt in my refusal lyes That Debtor-like I dare not meet your eyes Val. I do not blame you if you love elsewhere And would to Heav'n I could your suff'rings bear Or
fair Who in his hand a flaming Sword did bear And Whirlwind-like around him drove the Air. At his rais'd arm the rigid Iron shook And bending backwards fled before the stroke Max. What! Miracles the tricks of Heav'n to me I 'le try if she be wholly Iron free If not by Sword then she shall dye by fire And one by one her Miracles I 'le tire If proof against all kind of death she be My Love 's immortal and she 's fit for me S. Cath. No Heav'n has shown its pow'r and now thinks fit Thee to thy former fury to remit Had Providence my longer life decreed Thou from thy passion hadst not yet been freed But Heav'n which suffer'd that my Faith to prove Now to its self does vindicate my Love A pow'r controls thee which thou dost not see And that 's a Miracle it works in thee Max. The truth of this new Miracle we 'll try To prove it you must take the pains to dye Bring me their heads Fel. That mercy Tyrant thou deny'st to me At thy last breath may Heav'n refuse to thee My fears are going and I death can view I see I see him there thy steps pursue And with a lifted arm and silent pace Stalk after thee just aiming in his chace S. Cath. No more dear Mother ill in death it shows Your peace of mind by rage to discompose No streak of blood the reliques of the Earth Shall stain my Soul in her immortal birth But she shall mount all pure a white and Virgin mind And full of all that peace which there she goes to find Exeunt S. Catharine and Felicia with Valerius and Guards The Scene shuts Max. She 's gone and pull'd my heart-strings as she went Were penitence no shame I could repent Yet 't is of bad example she should live For I might get th' ill habit to forgive Thou soft Seducer of my heart away Who ling'ring would'st about its confines stay To watch when some Rebellion would begin And ready at each sigh to enter in In vain for thou Dost on the outside of the body play And when drawn nearest shalt be whirl'd away What ails me that I cannot lose thy thought Command the Empress hither to be brought To Placid I in her death shall some diversion find And rid my thoughts at once of woman-kind Placid 'T is well he thinks not of Porphyrius yet Aside Exit Max. How hard it is this Beauty to forget My stormy rage has only shook my will She crept down lower but she sticks there still Fool that I am to struggle thus with Love Why should I that which pleases me remove True she should dye were she concern'd alone But I love not for her sake but my own Our Gods are Gods 'cause they have pow'r and will Who can do all things can do nothing ill Ill is Rebellion 'gainst some higher pow'r The World may sin but not its Emperour My Empress then shall dye my Princess live If this be ill I do my self forgive To him Valerius Val. Your will 's obey'd for mighty Emperour The Princess and her Mother are no more Max. She is not dead Val. Great Sir your will was so Max. That was my will of half an hour ago But now 't is alter'd I have chang'd her Fate She shall not dye Val. Your pity comes too late Betwixt her Guards she seem'd by Bride-men led Her cheeks with cheerful blushes were o'respred When smiling to the Ax she bow'd her head Just at the stroke AEtherial musick did her death prepare Like joyful sounds of Spousals in the Air. A radiant light did her crown'd Temples guild And all the place with fragrant scents was fill'd The Balmy mist came thick'ning to the ground And sacred silence cover'd all around But when its work perform'd the Cloud withdrew And day restor'd us to each others view I sought her head to bring it on my Spear In vain I sought it for it was not there No part remain'd but from afar our sight Discover'd in the Air long tracks of light Of charming Notes we heard the last rebounds And Musick dying in remoter sounds Max. And dost thou think This lame account fit for a Love-sick King Go from the other World a better bring Kills him then sets his foot on him and speaks on When in my breast two mighty passions strove Thou had'st err'd better in obeying Love 'T is true that way thy death had follow'd too But I had then been less displeas'd than now Now I must live unquiet for thy sake And this poor recompence is all I take Spurns the bodâ— Here the Scene opens and discovers Berenice on a Scaffold the Guards by her and amongst them Porphyrius and Albinus like Moors as all the Guards are Placidius enters and whispers the Emperour whilst Porphyrius speaks Por. From Berenice I cannot go away But like a Ghost must near my Treasure stay Alb. Night and this shape secure us from their eyes Por. Have courage then for our bold enterprise Duty and Faith no tye on me can have Since I renounc'd those Honours which he gave Max. The time is come we did so long attend To Berenice Which must these discords of our Marriage end Yet Berenice remember you have been An Empress and the Wife of Maximin Ber. I will remember I have been your Wife And therefore dying beg from Heav'n your life Be all the discords of our Bed forgot Which Vertue witness I did never spot What errors I have made though while I live You cannot pardon to the dead forgive Max. How much she is to piety inclin'd Behead her while she 's in so good a mind Por. Stand firm Albinus now the time is come To free the Empress Alb. And deliver Rome Por. Within I feel my hot blood swell my heart And generous tremblings in each outward part 'T is done Tyrant this is thy latest hour Porphyrius and Albinus draw and are making at the Emperour Ber. Look to your self my Lord the Emperour Treason help help my Lord Maximin turns and defends himself the Guards set on Porphyrius and Albinus Max. Disarm 'em but their lives I charge you spare After they are disarm'd Unmask 'em and discover who they are Good Gods is it Porphyrius whom I see Placid I wonder how he gain'd his liberty Max. Traytor Por. Know Tyrant I can hear that name Rather than Son and bear it with less shame Traytor 's a name which were my arm yet free The Roman Senate would bestow on thee To Ber. Ah Madam you have ruin'd my design And lost your life for I regard not mine Too ill a Mistress and too good a Wife Ber. It was my duty to preserve his life Max. Now I perceive To Porphyriu In what close walks your mind so long did move You scorn'd my Throne aspiring to her Love Ber. In death I 'le owne a Love to him so pure As will the test of Heav'n it self endure A Love so chast as Conscience could not chide
But cherisht it and kept it by its side A Love which never knew a hot desire But flam'd as harmless as a lambent fire A Love which pure from Soul to Soul might pass As light transmitted through a Crystal glass Which gave Porphyrius all without a sin Yet kept entire the Right of Maximin Max. The best return that I to both can make Shall be to suffer for each others sake Por. Barbarian do not dare her blood to shed Who from my vengeance sav'd thy cursed head A flight no Honour ever reach'd before And which succeeding Ages will adore Ber. Porphyrius I must dye That common debt to Nature paid must be But I have left a debt unpaid to thee To Maximin I have perform'd the duty of a Wife But saving his I cast away thy life Ah what ill Stars upon our Loves did shine That I am more thy Murd'rer than he mine Max. Make haste Por. So hasty none in execution are But they allow the dying time for pray'r Farewel sweet Saint my pray'r shall be to you My Love has been unhappy but 't was true Remember me Alas what have I sed You must dye too But yet remember me when you are dead Ber. If I dye first I will Stop short of Heav'n and wait you in a Cloud For fear we lose each other in the crowd Por. Love is the only Coyn in Heav'n will go Then take all with you and leave none below Ber. 'T is want of knowledge not of Love I fear Lest we mistake when bodies are not there O as a mark that I could wear a Scroul With this Inscription Berenice's Soul Por. That needs not sure for none will be so bright So pure or with so small allays of light Max. From my full eyes fond tears begin to start Dispatch they practise treason on my heart Porphyrius kisses his hand and blows it to Berenice saying Por. Adieu this farewel sigh I as my last bequeath Catch it 't is Love expiring in a breath Berenice kissing hers in the same manner Ber. This sigh of mine shall meet it half the way As pledges giv'n that each for other stay Enter Valeria and Cydon her Woman Val. What dismal Scene of Death is here prepar'd Max. Now strike Val. They shall not strike till I am heard Max. From whence does this new impudence proceed That you dare alter that which I decreed Val. Ah Sir to what strange courses do you fly To make your self abhorr'd for cruelty The Empire groans under your bloody Reign And its vast body bleeds in every vein Gasping and pale and fearing more it Iyes And now you stab it in the very eyes Your Caesar and the Partner of your Bed Ah who can wish to live when they are dead If ever gentle pity touch'd your brest I cannot speak my tears shall speak the rest Weeping and sobbing Por. She adds new grief to what I felt before And Fate has now no room to put in more Max Away thou shame and slander of my blood To Val. Who taught thee to be pitisul or good Val. What hope have I The name of Vertue should prevail with him Who thinks ev'n it for which I plead a crime Yet Nature sure some Argument may be If them you cannot pity pity me Max. I will and all the World shall judge it so I will th' excess of pity to you show You ask to save A dangerous Rebel and disloyal Wife And I in mercy will not take your life Val. You more than kill me by this cruelty And in their persons bid your Daughter dye I honour Berenice's Vertue much But for Porphyrius my Love is such I cannot will not live when he is gone Max. I 'le do that Cure for you which on my self is done You must like me your Lovers life remove Cut off your hope and you destroy your Love If it were hard I would not bid you try The Med'cine but 't is but to let him dye Yet since you are so soft which you call good And are not yet confirm'd enough in blood To see his death Your frailty shall be favour'd with this grace That they shall suffer in another place If after they are dead their memory By any chance into your mind be brought Laugh and divert it with some other thought Away with ' em Exeunt Berenice Porphyrius Albinus carried off by Guards Val. Since pray'rs nor tears can bend his cruel mind Looking after Porphy Farewel the best and bravest of Mankind How I have lov'd Heav'n knows but there 's a Fate Which hinders me from being fortunate My Father's Crimes hang heavy on my head And like a gloomy Cloud about me spread I would in vain be pious that 's a grace Which Heav'n permits not to a Tyrant's race Max. Hence to her Tent the foolish Girl convey Val. Let me be just before I go away Placidius I have vow'd to be your Wife Take then my hand 't is yours while I have life One moment here I must anothers be But this Porphyrius gives me back to thee Stabs her self twice and then Placidius wrests the Dagger from her Placid Help help the Princess help Max. What rage has urg'd this act which thou hast done Val. Thou Tyrant and thy Crimes have pull'd it on Thou who canst death with such a pleasure see Now take thy fill and glut thy sight in me But I 'le th' occasion of my death forget Save him I love and be my Father yet I can no more Porphyrius my dear Cyd. Alas she raves and thinks Porphyrius here Val. Have I not yet deserv'd thee now I dye Is Berenice still more fair than I Porphyrius do not swim before my sight Stand still and let me let me aim aright Stand still but while thy poor Valeria dyes And sighs her Soul into her Lovers eyes Dyes Placid She 's gone from Earth and with her went away All of the Tyrant that deserv'd to stay I 've lost in her all joys that life can give And only to revenge her death would live Aside Cyd. The Gods have claim'd her and we must resign Max. What had the Gods to do with me or mine Did I molest your Heav'n Why should you then make Maximin your Foe Who paid you Tribute which he need not do Your Altars I with smoke of Gums did crown For which you lean'd your hungry nostrils down All daily gaping for my Incense there More than your Sun could draw you in a year And you for this these Plagues on me have sent But by the Gods by Maximin I meant Henceforth I and my World Hostility with you and yours declare Look to it Gods for you th' Aggressors are Keep you your Rain and Sun-shine in your Skies And I 'le keep back my flame and Sacrifice Your Trade of Heav'n shall soon be at a stand And all your Goods lie dead upon your hand Placid Thus Tyrant since the Gods th' Aggressors are Stabbing him Thus by this stroke they have begun the War