must shovel in and when you see The Head of Mithridates in this hand Then think who ever dar'd for Rome like me Or bought an Empire at a price so dreadful Then yield the Beauty I so much desire And all those Crowns to which my thoughts aspire Exeunt SCENE II. Enter Ziphares Archelaus Ziph. 'T Is late the gath'ring Clouds like meeting Armies Come on apace and Mortals now must die Till the bright Ruler of the rising Day Creates 'em new the wakeful Bird of Night Claps her dark wings to th' Windows of the dying General Good-night Arch. Sir I 'll not leave you yet I do not like the dusky boding Eve Well I remember Sir how you and I Have often on the Watch in Winter walk'd Clad in cold Armor round the sleeping Camp Till cover'd o're from head to foot with Snow The Centinels have started at our march And thought us Ghosts stalking in Winding-sheets And do you think I cannot watch you now Thus cover'd and beneath this bounteous Roof Sleep Sir I 'll guard you from suspected danger Ziph. Danger there 's none no shadow of a harm Dear General you 'l oblige me to retire We 'll meet to morrow with the earliest dawn I 'm troubled now and heavy in the morning Soon as you please you shall have entrance here And then I trust the bounteous Gods you 'll find A wondrous alteration Sleep may Charm My talking griefs and hush 'em fast for ever Arch. 'T is that I fear I tell you there are Deaths Brooding this night abroad A Recluse Priest Surpriz'd with mortal sickness was this Evening As he himself desir'd ta'n from his Bed And carry'd to the Closet of the King Where after some close conference he expir'd Immediately your Father Orders gave For doubling all his Guards and went in fury To Monima's Apartment where 't was said Pharnaces had been gone a while before Ziph. I ever thought that Brother most ambitious But what is this to me Arch. What follow'd does Concern both you and me and all the East For streight when the sick Priest had breath'd his last The sacred Oyl which for a hundred years Supply'd the Sun behind the Golden Vail Went out and all the mystick lights were quench'd Strange doleful Voices shrilly eccho'd through The darkned Fane the Monuments did open And all the Marble Tombs like Spunges squeez'd Spouted big Sweat the Curtain was consum'd With wondrous flame and every shining Altar Dissolv'd to yellow puddle which anon A flash of thirsty Lightning quite lick'd up While through the Streets your murder'd Brothers rode Arcathias Mithridates and Machares And madded all the schreaming multitude Is not this strange Ziph. The Gods reproach my slackness Aside 'T is strange most wondrous strange Once more I pray thee By all our Friendship leave me to my self Arch. Ah Prince you cannot hide Your purpose from your narrow-searching Friend I find it by the sinking of your Spirits Your hollow speech deep musings eager looks Whose fatal longings quite devour their objects You have decreed by all the Gods you have This night to end your Noble Life Ziph Away I never thought thee troublesome till now Arch. I care not spite of all that you can do I 'll stay and weep you into gentleness Your faithful Souldier this old doting Fool Shall be more troublesom than one that 's wiser By Heav'n you shall not hurt your precious life I 'll stay and wait you wake here till I die Follow you as a fond and fearful Father Wou'd watch a desperate Child Ziph. I 'll tell thee then Since thou wilt tear the Secret from my breast And dive into the bottom of my Soul This night must end me make not a reply 'T is fix'd as fast and sure as are my woes Did'st thou but know what 't is to love like me And to be so belov'd O Archelaus Yet to be past all hope of happiness Of ever tasting those desir'd Beauties Of any dawn least glimpse or spark of comfort Did'st thou not hate me much even thou wou'dst kill me Arch. If that my death for that indeed 's but little Cannot once move you from this dreadful deed Yet Prince your Country which must fall without you Your bleeding Country must obtain at least That you wou'd live to free her from her Foes Your Glory calls your sinking Father begs That you wou'd save your Country from the Romans Ziph. Much I indeed have got by Conquering Rome And to much purpose lost my dearest blood Much have my wounds deserv'd and Heav'n can tell How Nobly I have been rewarded for ' em I tell thee Archelaus I have sworn Were I to live I wou'd not fight again The World shou'd neither better be nor worse For me But I waste time and to convince thee Since thou wilt have the trouble to behold My death I bid thee now farewel for ever Arch. Hold Sir Ziph. I will and talk as calmly to thee As any dying Roman of 'em all I have consider'd well of what I do And I will perish with as little noise As Fate cou'd wish that wou'd not be accus'd Arch. I 'll follow you Ziph. I wou'd intreat thee not Thou hast no sorrows that are past the sufferance And sure my flying Soul will hang her wing When she shall feel thy weighty death upon her O Archelaus leave me to my Fate If thou must see me fall I charge thee live At least so long to tell Semandra of me Bear her some Token of my ill-star'd Love Which Empire cou'd not win to live without her Dip in the blood which trickles from my heart Thy Handkerchief and bid her keep it for me As a Remembrance now and then to mourn me Swear to do this Arch. This I will do and mark me cruel Prince If thus thou violate that Royal Frame Tearing the gallant Spirit from his Mansion I swear by what I tremble at thy death I 'll double all thy wounds upon Semandra Ziph. Ha! Arch. I 'll tear her piece-meal and so hack her limbs Thou shalt not know her in the other World Ziph. Oh torture dear good Archelaus hold I know thou canst not mean such cruelty Why dost thou rack me thus with thoughts in death That are much heavier ev'n than death it self Why dost thou make my eyes thus swim in tears I charge thee do not hurt her for the sake Of all the Gods be gentle to my Love I beg for mercy to the soft Semandra Alas if she deserv'd as she is faultless She cou'd not bear the wounds which we can bear Arch. Give me your promise then that you will live Live but this night or I have sworn her death Ziph. Thou hast found the means to Charm me into life And keep me on the Rack but no more threats Against Semandra 't was unkindly done And I grow angry at my Fates delay Arch. Why will you be thus froward Live to night Be careful of your self but till the Morn Methinks there may
Semandra The Charms of his new Queen will vanish Hark The sacred Musick sounds The King and Queen are coming Enter Archilaus Ziphares Semandra See your Brother Semandra and her Father Phar. O my lab'ring Brest how hopes and fears Toss my wrack'd Heart like a poor Bark about But soon the Calm will come or I must perish in the Tempest Exeunt Phar. Pelop. and Andr. Ziph. By Heav'n my Love thou dost distract my Soul There 's not a Tear that falls from those dear Eyes But makes my Heart weep Blood O my Father All is not well I found her in the Morning Not like a Bride with all her Maids about her Half-smiling now half-serious with her thoughts Of what must come nor warm nor bright nor blushing But Oh the Gods I found her on the Floor In all the storm of grief yet beautiful Sighing such breath of sorrow that her Lips Which late appear'd like buds were now o'reblown Pouring forth tears at such a slavish rate That were the World on Fire they might have drown'd The wrath of Heav'n and quench'd the mighty ruine Arch. Nothing my Lord 't is all but Virgin 's fear Marriage to Maids is like a War to Men The Battel causes fear but the sweet hopes Of winning at the last still draws 'em on Sem. Alas my Lord Weeping Ziph. What but alas no more when by the Hand I led her to the Temple thus she sigh'd And hung upon me If thou truly lov'st me If I may credit my Semandra's tears Think 'em not drops of Chance like other Womens The Weather of their Souls The Christal bubbles Which they can make at will Oh satisfie The longings of my braest and tell thy sorrows Sem. That I do love you Oh all you Host of Heav'n Be Witness that you are dear to me Dearer than Day to one whom sight must leave Dearer than Life to one that fears to dye O thou bright Pow'r be Judge whom we adore Be Witness of my Truth be Witness of my Love But yet I fear Ziph. That fear give me that fear Semandra Produce it in the ugliest form it has If ought that is deform'd can come from thee Sem. I shall my Lord since you are pleas'd to hear me Uunfold my doubts the cause of all my Tears First then I must complain of my hard Stars That did not dart kind Lustre on my Birth For tho at present while your young Blood boyls Your Reason cannot get the Rein of Passion Yet it will come when long possession cloyes you Then you will think what Queens you might have had With Kingdoms for their Dower perhaps you may Prove so unkind to tell me of it too Or if you shou'd not yet your Eyes wou'd speak Weeping Enough to break the heart of poor Semandra Ziph. Why dost thou stab me with the tenderness Of thy false fears and melt me into mourning 'T is most unseasonable on our Wedding-day To be seen thus I know thou canst not doubt me No thou most lovely of the fairer kind Think not a Crown can ever change my Virtue Ah who wou'd leave the warmth of this lov'd Bosome For the cold cares which black Ambition brings Sem. Spight of ill-boding Dreams unlucky Omens You must you shall you ought to be believ'd And if I weep again it is for joy That I this Night shall be your happy Bride Ziph. Oh Mithridates mighty as thou art Before whose Throne Princes stand dumb as Death With folded Arms and their Eyes fix'd to Earth Dishonour brand me if I wou'd not chuse A private Life with her whom my Soul loves Rather than live like thee with all thy Titles The King of Kings without her Arch. Pray my Lord Defer till Mid-night these strong Extasies Fate yet may put a bar betwixt our hopes And then the loss wilt be more hardly born The Scene draws discovering the inner part of the Temple Mithridates holding Monima by the Hand his Queens Concubines Sons and Daughters attending Three Roman Captains L. Cassius Q. Oppius and Manius Aquilius bound in Gold Chains with many other Slaves standing at distance Mith. Not yet O Rome great Tyrant of the World Hast thou subdu'd the Asian Emperor In thy despight I hold my glory still Still tread upon the Necks of conquer'd Kings Still make thy Consuls tremble at my Name And in one mightiest Word to sum up all A Word which like a Charm might raise the Ghosts Of Pyrrhus and the experienc'd Hannibal To envy and be dazled at my deeds A Word a Name that comprehends all Honors All Titles Riches Power all Majesty In spight of Rome I 'm Mithridates still Aquil. The Nations must confess that Alexander Cou'd not more dreadful to the East appear Than you ev'n Rome wou'd buy her peace with joy Cou'd you at reasonable rates afford Your Royal Friendship tho by your command Most dreadful to Italian Memory In one dark Day damn'd in the Book of Fate A hundred thousand murder'd Romans fell Mith. Darest thou fomenter of these Wars to talk Thou purple Source of all these bloody streams Which have for more than thirty years o'reflow'd The Asian Banks and dy'd Euphrates red Darest thou Commissioner in chief to put The Earth in Arms and set the World on flame Once think of Peace Now by the Fire-rob'd God Thou shalt have punishment that fits thy Crimes Aquil. The bravest must submit when Fortune frowns Mith. Desire of Wealth the Lust of shining Dirt And Palace Plunder caus'd thee with Arm'd Legions T' invade a King whose Father was Rome's Friend But by the asserted Justice of my Cause The help of Heav'n and of my own Right-hand I conquer'd thee and thou art now my Slave Guards strait convey him to the Market-place Take off his wealthy Chains and melt 'em down Then for a terrible Example to All sordid Wretches Souls made up of Avarice Pour down his Throat the rich dissolved Mass And gorge his Entrails with the burning Gold Mon. Not my dear Lord upon your Nuptial Day Mith. On any Day my Queen to do a Justice Which all the Gods and all good Men must like For Lucius Cassius and for Quintus Oppius A milder Destiny 's in store Away with him And now proceed we to the sacred Rites Aquil. Yet e're you join hear me proud Emperour Hear what the Fates have put into my brest I see my Death by Roman Arms reveng'd And what Lucullus had so well begun Pompey shall end Pompey thy glory's ruine This hour that gives me Death shall be the last Of all thy quiet swift domestick jars Shall overtake thee thou shalt add more blood To that already shed from thy own Bowels And when at last subdu'd in all thy Wars Spoil'd of thy Queens thy Sons and Daughters slain Thou seek'st some corner of thy conquer'd Empire To hide thy abandon'd Head in then the load Of all thy woes shall come one whom thou least Shalt fear long nourish'd in thy impious breast Shall stab thee to the
at distance Phar. T is almost empty Honour Courtship all But gaudy Nonsense O Pelopidas Rather than buy my Pleasure with such baseness I 'de be a Brute Now by my Life methinks The happier Creature cast before thy eyes The generous Horse loose in a Flow'ry Lawn VVith choice of Pasture and of Chrystal Brooks And all his chearful Mistresses about him The white the brown the black the shining bay And every dappled Female of the Field Now by the Gods for ought we know as Man Thinks him a Beast Man seems a Beast to him Pelop. Be more considerate less rash and hot I have thought of an Expedient to gain her Phar. Thou art my better Genius and shalt flourish VVhen Archelaus like a blasted Tree Lies rotting to the ground Pelop. Did Mithridates Know of your Love to Monima Phar. He did As publickly I show'd it as Ziphares Yet he who like the Hesperian Dragon thinks The Golden Fruit of Beauty all his own Flew at me as a Thief who while he slept Had stoln his Prize and made me pay it back Or swore my life shou'd be the fatal forfeit Pelop. 'T is as I cou'd have wish'd thus then the King VVhose Heart Semandra kindles into Flame Cools every hour to his new-marry'd Bride And will not Bed her till the Coronation A meer put off wading in deep disgust And wishing for pretence to part for ever Phar. VVhich he shall have this Head of thine has thought it Pelop. I and the needful Andravar VVho feels the Pulse of his Affection VVill swear boldly As Witnesses who had both seen and heard The jealous Monima inrag'd with Love But more for what her vast Ambition lost Strove to revive the passion that you bore her But you most generously oppos'd her Charms Which with unwillingness you shall confess And beg your fiery Father to forgive her Phar. Pithy and short thou art the Soul of Counsel Pelop. The very breaking of the business throws Her into Prison where while I guard the door Your Highness may with as much ease perform Your pleasure as your faithful servant thought it Phar. In thanks the vilest fawning lying Slave Wou'd speak thee fairer than Pharnaces shall But let my deeds be grateful to my Souldier Enter Andravar What news my Andravar Andr. Your Guardian-spirit Now lays about him and invisibly Acts wonders for you madding all the Court Semandra weeping and your Father burning Monima like a Widow'd-Turtle mourning Old Archelaus pushing on his Fate And Amorous Ziphares led by love To tumble from the top of all his hopes Defiance from the Roman Consul Glabrio I sent and the third Pontick War renew'd But Love so rocks your Fathers drouzy brain That all the Trumpets of the thundring Legions Can scarce awake him See where he comes Enter Mithridates attended His haughty courage scarce submitting to The weight which presses him but striking out Mith. She must be mine this admirable Creature Her Charms are now inevitable grown And while I seem to fright her from my Son I talk and gaze and dote to my undoing See her no more lose her with weighty thoughts And drown her in the Ocean of thy Power In vain I strive with cares to keep her down In vain does business sink her to the bottom This Bladder Love still bears her up again Phar. Like a caught Lyon raging in the snare He plunges in his passion spends his force And struggles with the Toil that holds him faster Mith. See her no more and live Impossible As well I might bid Meteors keep their lustre When all the shining Exhalation's spent That fed their short-liv'd glory Enter Monima Mon. O Mithridates O my cruel Lord I come with all the violence of grief To take my last farewel Mith. What means the Queen Mon. The Queen O mockery of State Pageant of Greatness wondred at a while But strait neglected like a common thing I come my Lord to beg O Heav'ns your leave Your Royal License to retire from Court And since my Father by your bounty Reigns At Ephesus I there wou'd go to mourn And languish out my wretched Life's remain Mith. Why will you add new troubles to my Bosom Already burthen'd with the Wrath of Heav'n By your unnecessary grief Mon. From Earth I fear And not from Heav'n those Cloudy Cares are drawn Mith. No matter whence they 're dangerous to partake The tender Face of Beauty cannot bear 'em For if from Earth they come their Damp will stifle And if from Heav'n their Influence is blasting Mon. Were you but kind my Lord as once you were What blasting cou'd I fear what dangers drest In all the horrours of most dreadful Death But you are pleas'd that I shou'd not complain Andr. Semandra by your Majesty's appointment Attends without Mith. Fair Monima retire You will oblige me by a confidence I cannot be but yours affairs of State Now take me from you Mon. Say the affairs of Love I wou'd my Royal Lord but cannot blame you I feel a Spirit within me which calls up All that is Woman wrong'd and bids me chide But you are Mithridates that dear man Whom my Soul loves else were you all the Kings All Worlds all Gods I cou'd let loose upon you For those deep injuries which I must suffer Cou'd like the fighting Winds disturb all Nature With venting of my wrongs but I am hush'd As a spent Wave and all my fiery Powers Are quench'd when I but look upon your Eyes Where like a Star in water I appear A pretty sight but of no Influence And am at best but now a shining Sorrow Exit led by Pharnaces Mith. O Love if that the Face of such Affection Such modest Sweetness and such humble Virtue As my Queen bears fix not my wandring Heart Break break thy Bow and burn thy useless Arrows By Heav'n her kindness strikes my troubled Soul Enter Semandra with Andravar attending But see she 's lost again Semandra comes Who drowns like blushing Noon her paler dawn And shows like Summer to the Infant Spring Semandra what still weeping will not all The Wealth which the Sun sees throughout the East Dry up your Tears methinks an Empire might Suffice for any loss I give you all my Power And with it such a heart as nought but Love Cou'd bow I throw it bleeding at your Feet Behold behold Semandra while I blush The great effects of your Commanding Beauty Sem. Were you yet greater than you are which scarce The Gods can make you tho no bounds but Heav'n Did limit your large Sway tho in your person all The Graces met that ever Man adorn'd The Blush of Rising Youth the Conquering Eyes The Noble Smiles and those most passionate Beauties Which drew my Heart to Idolize your Son I cou'd not love you Mith. Oh unmerciful Sem. You said my Lord but now You blush'd to think of your degraded Power How then ought I to blush I who shou'd be The daily Curse of your repining Subjects I
who am bound by Oaths and solemn Vows To love Ziphares By my Father's Order And by the tenderest Inclination too Mith. You strike me dead Sem. Oh do but think my Lord How wou'd Mankind when they shall read my Story Tear all the Rolls or throw 'em to the Flames How wou'd the weeping Maids curse my remembrance Shou'd I for pride of Power a Golden Promise A gaudy Nothing prove ingrateful perjur'd Leave all the goodness of the Earth to languish And break for ever with his matchless Virtue Mith. You have said and I confess it to be Heav'nly I know and till I saw your Eyes I lov'd The Virtue of my Son I lodg'd him near My Heart and set him down my Successor But now Oh hear and wonder at your Power Spight of his Noble Acts tho to his Arm I owe my Life tho Justice speaks so loud And the soft Tongue of Nature pleads so well I hate him more than I did ever love him Sem. Alas wou'd I had dy'd when first you saw me Mith. Had he conspir'd my Death usurp'd my Throne Perhaps I might have doom'd him to be slain Yet sure I shou'd have wept to see him die But now since he must Ravish that lov'd Gem I prize above the World tearing you from me Giving me twenty Deaths and cutting through My very Soul shou'd I my Empire give To buy his Fate I 'de think it vastly sold. Sem. Then blasted be the Form that charm'd your Eyes His Fate Oh Gods then you design his Death To reap the Bloody Harvest of his Life And Atreus-like to feed on your own Bowels But know Proud Monarch there are Powers who see And punish Crimes like yours Nor can I doubt But they will save from your most Impious Rage My poor lov'd Lord the Innocent Ziphares Weeping Mith. Those Waters more inrage my Jealous Flame And those heav'd Sighs but spread my Anger 's Wings Your Fatal Kindness hastens on his Death And that untimely Doom which I forbore To execute seems necessary now You give him all your Stock of richest Love Your Tears your longing Looks your Smiles your Groans And over-bless him with your lavish kindness But niggardly to me you will not spare A pitying Glance one Pearly drop to Ransom The Soul of this despairing Mithridates Andravar go and bear the Prince to Prison Sem. Stay Andravar the King has call'd you back See he repents Nay I must hold you then And if you stir you take Semandra with you O Mithridates O ungrateful Prince What was it you did order But behold His Eyes are fix'd upon the ground he blushes To think he cou'd so monstrously Decree To murder the sweet hopes of all his Kingdoms The Gods be prais'd for this Serene Repentance Yet with the fright I fear I shall not sleep Till Death does close my Eyes Mith. O rise Semandra Sem. Never I never will Oh all you pitying Powers will not my cryes And piercing Woes move you to melt his Soul Can you be deaf Oh Cruel Mithridates Did you but know the workings you have made The heavy plight the panting Passions here If you had but a Grain of all that World Of Love you swore you once had for Semandra You cou'd not see me thus Misery distracts My Reason shou'd you turn to a new rage Which I must fear unless you Vow to save him I cou'd not bear it you shou'd see me fall Cold pale and with my Deaths Convulsions grasping Your water'd feet but never more rise Mith. Give me your Beauteous Hand I swear upon it By all those Powers we worship by our Self When e're Ziphares dies Semandra kills him She shall alone have Power to give him Death Or to recal his most untimely Fate Enter Ziphares and Archelaus Thus dearly do I buy the Red Impression Which my Lips make but take it take it from me My Blood boils up again my Spirits kindle That lovely Brand has lent my wishes flame And I am lost again in vast desire Ziph. Semandra live I once to see thee more Tho in my Father's Arms 'T is Heav'n to gaze On thy assaulted Honour thus to see thee Thus tempted from me with the Charms of Empire Yet not consenting No I 'll not think the World Laid at thy Feet Cou'd win thy Faith Yet O dread Sir forgive me If that my boding Heart suspects you more Then all that Heav'n cou'd send down great and charming Or Hell cou'd raise up horrid to destroy me Mith. O Glory Arch. O consider Sir on that Think how the Romans will despise your Wars If Love now drive you Speak my Lord he yields Ziph. Oh Royal Sir or if the Name of Father Can move you more by that I will Conjure you By all the Charms of Stratonice's Eyes When first they drew you to adore their lustre By all the Pains you gave her when she bore me By all the Obedience I have paid you long And by the Blood I yet intend to lose In your behalf oh grant me my Semandra Sem. Ev'n by the Passion my unhappy Beauty First kindled in you but I hope is dying Give me Ziphares give him to my Longings Mith. 'T is done the Conquest is at last obtain'd And Manly Virtue Lords it o're my Passion It shall be so away thou feeble God I banish thee my Bosom hence I say Be gone or I will tear the Strings that hold thee And stab thee in my Heart The Wars come on By Heav'n I 'll drown thy laughing Deity In Blood and drive thee with my brandish'd Sword To Rome I will yes to the Capitol There to resume thy Godhead once again And vaunt thy Majesty without controul But never Reign in Mithridates Soul Arch. O wonderful effect of highest Virtue O Conquest which deserves more Triumphs than A hundred Victories in Battel gain'd Ziph. You must you shall be now the Lord of Rome Her Fate shall bow beneath your Awful Scepter O let me not enjoy the Life you promis'd The vast possession of the rich Semandra If I strike not Rome's Eagles to the Earth Take the Imperial Standard Chase their Legions And bring in Triumph all their Leaders bound Mith. Andravar haste Proclaim throughout the City My Son Ziphares General against the Romans Exit Andravar Come to my Breast once more my dearest Son In spight of Love thou art again my Child Thus with a Father's bowels I receive thee Thus melting o're thee with the tenderest Nature I pray the Gods to Crown thy Youth with glory Ziph. Oh Happiness Oh Joy Oh blessed Tears Reward this Goodness Heav'n for Poor Ziphares Is now so lost he knows not what to say Let me devour your hands with Filial dearness Were my whole Life to come one heap of Troubles The pleasure of this moment wou'd suffice And sweeten all my griefs with its remembrance Sem. Oh happy hour if I not set thee down The whitest that the Eye of Time e're saw Let me ne're smile when I remember thee
is certain Death with loss of Honour Exit Mith. Farewel Semandra thou most wrong'd of Women But I 'll this instant go to Monima And if I find what I suspect Pharnaces I 'll cut thee off as an infectious limb And for those Villains I shall quickly know The wrong she has had whose accus'd Innocence If your foul words have sully'd with black slander Think not to scape for shou'd you ride on Charms Take Winds to bear you or the Lightning's speed With panting horrour to the brink of Hell I 'de sweep you from the Verge to flames beneath And sink your Villanies with weighty death Exit Phar. First sink your self your Crown and Love together Pelopidas this comes of your cool counsel Had I been heard Monima had been gone By this enjoy'd and Crown'd my Royal Bride And we receiv'd as Conquerors by the Romans Hast thou not heard how when Tygranes came And cast his Diadem at Pompey's feet He call'd him King and rais'd him by that Name To sit as Equal to the Roman Consul By all the Gods I will not stay a moment But take immediately my flight except You swear to side with Rome call Pompey hither And haste with all the Forces we can make To joyn his Army and betray my Father Pelop. A sudden thought of lucky mischief comes Old Archelaus is arriv'd but left The labour'd Army some few furlongs hence You know the violent love the Souldiers bear The Prince your Brother and we know too well And so do all the murmuring Citizens How cruelly your Father lately us'd him But that great Mole the Multitude ne're sees Who works their Prince but still take all on trust Therefore I instantly will spread amongst em How Archelaus was Conspirator Against the Prince and finding more advantage To have the King his Son in-law by Letters Basely compell'd his Daughter to the Marriage Phar. Millions to one but this will set 'em on To tear curst Archelaus like mad Dogs Besides I find by frequent murmures how His Subjects are quite tir'd with length of War And but last night I know no less than twelve All Captains who conspir'd to take the part Of Pompey and intreated me to Head ' em Andr. Pursue the Treason and be sure it cool not While I with Tryphon hasten to the Army A Priest will colour well our enterprise There will we give out all that Treachery Can raise to fire 'em how the King has doom'd The Prince to death having first ravish'd from him The Fair Semandra for whose sake he dies Phar. While I immediately to Pompey send Who comes I hear on hasty march to fight Our Army and besiege us in our Walls Pelop. Thus shall the Prince and I rule all within And you with the High-Priest my Brother play Your Parts without Phar. I long to be in action And sure Rome must for the great overthrow Give me my Father's Crowns which gratitude Shall distribute to both your utmost wishes Pelop. We must not doubt your bounty But away Enter Ziphares with Ismenes at distance Your melancholy Brother may o're-hear us Ex. Phar. Pelop. Andr. Ziph. Oh my hard Fate why did I trust her ever What Story is not full of Womans falshood The Sex is all a Sea of wide destruction We are the vent'rous Barks that leave our home For those sure dangers which their smiles conceal At first they draw us in with flatt'ring looks Of Summer-Calms and a soft gale of Sighs Sometimes like Syrens Charm us with their Songs Dance on the Waves and show their Golden Locks But when the Tempest comes then then they leave us Or rather help the new Calamity And the whole Storm is one injurious Woman The Lightning follow'd with a Thunder-bolt Is Marble-hearted Woman all the Shelves The faithless Winds blind Rocks and sinking Sands Are Women all the wracks of wretched men Prithee Ismenes while I lay me here Charm me with some sad Song into a slumber SONG by Sir Car Scroop 1. ONe night when all the Village slept Myrtillo's sad despair The wand'ring Shepherd waking kept To tell the Woods his care Be gone said he fond thought be gone Eyes give your sorrows o're Why shou'd you waste your tears for one That thinks on you no more 2. Yet all the Birds the Flocks and Pow'rs That dwell within this Grove Can tell how many tender hours We here have pass'd in Love Yon' Stars above my cruel Foes Have heard how she has sworn A thousand times that like to those Her Flame shou'd ever burn 3. But since she 's lost Oh! let me have My wish and quickly dye In this cold Bank I 'll make a Grave And there for ever lye Sad Nightingales the Watch shall keep And kindly here complain Then down the Shepherd lay to sleep But never wak'd again Enter Archelaus Arch. How now Ismenes Prithee gentle Boy Instruct me where to find thy Royal Master VVhat dost thou weep I charge thee bring me to him Isme. See there my Lord. Arch. Bless me you Heav'nly Pow'rs Upon the Earth It cannot be thy Master Is that a posture for a Conqueror He who so bravely beat the Romans back A General and Triumpher Haste and show me Isme. By Heav'n it 's true my Lord there lies the Prince Arch. Something my heart presag'd when having left The Army I came posting to the Court And scarce receiv'd a welcom from my Friends They said the Prince had Triumph'd but I saw Not the least track of such a Glory left No glimmering twilight of so full an Honour There has been foul play and I 'll find it out Ziph. Away Semandra cruel VVoman leave me Arch. Ha! goes it there Ziphares Prince arise Ziph. Ha! who is there old Archelaus Arch. VVhy Do I not see you in a Chariot VVith all the Pride of Asia's brightest Gems VVhy mount you not the Throne which you deserve The Lords of Colchis waiting as your Slaves Give me some reason why I see you thus Ziph. Alas he had no hand in her revolt Nor knows not yet perhaps how she has us'd me VVhy do I seem thus strange then Oh Archelaus For I must never call thee Father more Pardon my faulty carriage Arch. Forbear these strict imbraces Your tears your hanging on my Bosom thus Your sighs reduce my Age to sobbing Childhood And make an Infant of your poor Old Man Ziph. Did I not say I never more must call Thee Father Arch. Yes you did Ziph. Fond foolish sorrow Thou art thou-shalt thou must be still my Father My Brother Sister Mistress all my Friend For all but thou have left me no kind eye Pities the suff'rings of abus'd Ziphares They fly all fly from my infectious Fortune Arch. Nay good dear Prince stand up you smother all Your words with groans dry up this womanish grief And speak dear Sir declare the cursed cause The baleful Spring the Source of all this mischief Ziph. VVou'd you believe it scarce can I my self Oh Heav'ns and oh
be wonders wrought e're then Ziph. O Archelaus 't is impossible Had she been Ravish'd by another Man I cou'd have clear'd her with the Villains Blood But by my Father touch'd what Miracle Can work me into hope Heav'n here is Bankrupt The wondring Gods blush at their want of pow'r And quite abash'd confess they cannot help me Arch. Sure by you lifted Torches I discern Your Father moving this way Ziph. Ha! my Father How my flesh trembles I cou'd do a deed Wou'd make us both run mad Draw Archelaus Yet stay what Devil starts thus in my blood And turns my Reason to this maze of folly No let us suffer more if possible Yet I will shun his Presence Oh you Pow'rs Is that a Crime answer me if it be And I will meet him tho his sight should blast me Exeunt as Mithridates Captain of the Guards and Attendants enter Mith. Betray'd and by my Son given up a Prey For the Insulting Romans to devour Pharnaces is the Traytor that Pharnaces Who was t' inherit all that space of Empire Which Fortune gave to this unhappy King O Friends when from the Palace-gate we sally'd And drove the bold Assailants through the City The Impious Boy Charg'd as I foremost rode And brav'd my Fury with his Bever up But Oh the Gods I who before had crimson'd My Arms with Blood of Rebels I who mov'd With Whirlwinds swiftness still on every side And tost like Leaves the weightiest Foes about me Now stood as if Gorgonian Charms had fixt me Nor know I more Capt. Your Sword Great Sir when you A while had gaz'd on that Audacious Prince Fell from your hand your mighty Spirit left you And as some famous piece of Antick-work When the sunk Props and wasted Beams decay Staggers and nods before the ruine comes So wav'd your Royal Fabrick e're it fell And as our Arms receiv'd you curs'd Pharnaces Born by Ambition to a murder new Offer'd a wound and 't was with great expence Of lives we bore your Body to the Palace Mith. My Senses blaze my last I know is come My last of hours 't is wondrous horrid now My lawless love and boundless pow'r reproach me But I will think no more on 't Come my Friends Let 's meet these Romans and my Rebel-Son Let 's kill till we are weary then lye down And rest for ever O 't is Noble Ruine Creatures of vilest make upon disgust With Knives or Cords set loose their Coward Souls But we will live in spite to grieve the World While life will last or any Spirits hold O that like Serpents hewn we still might move Our Limbs lopt off and kill with every parcel Enter Semandra Sem. 'T is done my Ruine is at last reveng'd And cruel Mithridates is no more That famous wicked man shall kill no more Faln is the Murderer he shall love no more Another's right shall Ravish now no more Mith. O horrour snatch me Furies from her presence Gape wide O Earth and swallow me alive Sem. I go before and never shall we meet On Earth again inhumane Mithridates Yet I rejoyce not be my Witness Heav'n At those Calamities that come upon thee But think 'em just and with a dread reflection Behold thy Fate and wonder at the Gods Not but thy Son my Love my lost Ziphares And I in lamentable Shapes made up By Death 's own hand will tell 'em all thy Story For ever thus thou Ravisher of Honour I leave thee to the Vultures of thy Conscience To all the Stings Ambition feels in death Or Lust the Rape committed O you Pow'rs Make firm my hand for an Exploit to Crown My Life whose bus'ness shall be quickly done Exit Mith. Away to Arms to Arms plunge deep in blood Be quick to die Were all the Roman Piles And Scythian Darts and Parthia's poyson'd Arrows Shot through this Body her words wou'd be more I 'll not endure 't rush to the fatal War I wou'd be drunk with Death and steaming Slaughter To stupifie the sense of inward torment Haste then and wallow in the murd'ring Field Through all the Avenues to battel flie They who have liv'd in blood in blood must die Exeunt Trumpets Enter Pelopidas Andravar their Swords drawn with a Lamp Pelop. Yonder he Sallies furious for Destructions And now full scope is given to act our bus'ness And end the sad Ziphares Andr. I am glad The chance is faln to us to death nay more To Hell I hate him and to have him slain By any hand but mine wou'd pall the Murder Pelop. The Palace now is drawn Of all the glitt'ring Host that twinkled here Following their King to shoot the Gulph of Ruine And it was order'd well by Prince Pharnaces While with the Romans he dispatch'd his Father That we shou'd kill his drooping Brother Ha! I hear some tread your Lamp must wink awhile Enter Ziphares Ziph. Oh 't is too much I never shall sleep more How loud the Voice of Fate sounds every-where Trumpets and Drums yet old Archelaus With grief and watching spent in spite of all Those Tides of Care that swell'd e're-while so high Lies like a Child that braul'd himself asleep Ismenes too that wept to see me mourn Falls on his breast and nods his tears away So sleeps the Sea-boy on the Cloudy Mast Safe as a drowzy Tryton rock'd with Storms While tossing Princes wake on Beds of Down Pelop. 'T is he prepare Andr. Both perish if he escape Ziph. This darkness fills my breast with horror now Now I may do the deed which done all 's sure It shall be so and thus I will deceive him But then he kills Semandra Whence this light Swords Vizors what Assasinates are these Wou'd they were more for ruine is my wish Yet I disdain to fall by Villains hands Beats 'em off Enter Semandra with a Dagger in her hand Sem. Where do I wander in the dismal Shades Of this black night there 's not a Soul beneath Who dy'd as I must do for fatal Love Knows better all the gloomy Arbours there Than I each Chamber in this House of Death 'T was here the God-like Prince did wooe me first Sigh'd his first Vows and wept me into passion Where shall I find him that most perfect Soul Whose whiteness will to after-ages answer For all the spotted loves of perjur'd men Meet him I must and run into his arms But with a Roman blow which first shall drive This Ponyard to my heart then rush upon him Then clasp him close then he 'll believe me true Enter Ziphares Ziph. This way the Cowards fly this way the noise goes I think thou hast it there and canst not scape me Sem. I thank the Gods I shall not Let me kiss The hand that kills me Oh too gracious Heav'n Semandra now is happy Ziph. Semandra what What say'st thou Speak again thou dismal voice Sem. Oh that I cou'd see your face before I die Those eyes where I wou'd look my Soul away Ziph.
Awake what ho Ismenes haste a light Haste hither Father Archelaus haste My heart bodes ruine we are all undone Enter Archelaus and Ismenes with a Light Oh Father either I am Charm'd or here Semandra lies slain by this dreadful hand Arch. Our Guardian-spirits shield us 't is my Daughter Ziph. Curs'd Fate malicious Stars you now have drain'd Your selves of all your poys'nous influence Ev'n the last baleful drop is shed upon me Sem. Give me thy hand most matchless of thy kind O joyn us Father joyn us thus in death Now thou art mine and we 'll be wedded too In th' other World our Souls shall there be mixt Who knows but there our joys may be compleat A happy Father thou and I perhaps The smiling Mother of some little Gods Ziph. Oh Archelaus if thou lov'st her memory Fly to the King and let him understand The truth of all if he be pleas'd to hear her Intreat him haste the pangs of death are on her Arch. I will if tears will let me find the way And by your leave these Weapons shall be mine Ziph. That I expected Ha! she faints Ismenes Run to my Closet haste where thou wilt find A Golden Vial of rich Juice to bring the Spirits Back to their Seat go pour it in a Bole With speed to save her Exit Ismenes Hast thou not a word A syllable fair Soul Speak speak Semandra I feel a trembling warmth about thy heart It pants Sem. As Cowards do before a Battel Oh the Great March is sounded Ziph. Stay thee one moment Ismenes re-enters with a Bole. And I will lead thee on Away Ismenes Watch thou the King's approach and bring me word Exit Ism. Here seest thou this my Love look up Semandra Thou dying Spark glimmer a little while Behold this Cordial this sure warmth at heart This faithful Off'ring of Eternal Love Sem. VVhither oh where Death's Myst comes fast upon me What is 't you drink Ziph. A Draught which makes me thine The pow'rful Cordial which my Father gave me A Noble Compound of his fatal skill He charg'd me when I cou'd not live with Honour To taste it and be free Sem. Methinks your Voice is faint As distant Ecchoes and I am now far off Alas I know not where Dies Ziph. I 'll fold thee thus And Mithridates shall not part us now Fan thus the dying flame with my last breath She 's out the damp of Death has quench'd her quite These spicy-doors her lips are shut close lock'd Which never gale of life shall open more I come Oh Father Oh thou true Physitian Thou work'st me Nobly now and oh 't is welcom Thy Drugs are quick once more O Love I come Thou most of Life in Death Ambition Fame 'T is empty all and nothing but a Name Dies Archelaus Mithridates supported bleeding Pharnaces Pelopidas Andravar bound Arch. Behold behold my Lord how I 'm rewarded For faithful service for the numerous scars Which in your Cause have mark'd my aged body My Daughter 's slain Ha! let me never rise If that the brave Ziphares be not kill'd Was this the Cordial wicked Boy thou brought'st him Mith. Blame not the guiltless for by me he 's poyson'd By this inhumane Tyrant Monster Parricide By me the Drugs were mixt and dol'd about To my unhappy Children left surpriz'd They shou'd be born to Rome for Royal Slaves Arch. Dead art thou dead O lovely Royal Plant Blown down by gusty Heav'n in all thy bloom My hour is come and thus I follow thee Mith. Hold him What means the frantick General Disarm and bring him hither Kneel O kneel Before these Bodies Arch. What wou'd you sacred Sir Mith. Swear swear to live I have a Royal Race of Little Ones Live I Conjure thee to defend those Infants From Roman Rage intreat Victorious Pompey And he 'll be gentle to 'em Swear to live Arch. I swear but after that Mith. Rise and no more My blood leaks fast and the great heavy lading My Soul will quickly sink therefore revenge Yes you pale figures you most precious forms Who where you walk for sure you tread the Stars Shame brightest Gods and add new light to Heav'n First in most dreadful manner will I give Those Traytors lives who drew me to your ruine Hence burn the Slaves the curs'd Pelopidas And Villain Andravar away with ' em For thee but sure I shall disdain to name thee The Palace yet is ours Arch. But cannot long Be so Pompey the Great is entred And those who took your part are all revolted Mith. Away then bear him to the middle Turret Whose Brazen-head rises above the rest In sight of Pompey throw him from the top And give his most aspiring life an end Phar. I know thou canst not long out-live me Tyrant Accurs'd be Fortune which too forward bore me To be thy Prey and rot the hand that seiz'd me Yet when my Ghost is from this body dash'd If such a Goblin as a Ghost there be I 'll rise and wing the mid-way Air to wait thee Hurl'd shalt thou be as Saturn was by Jove And flag beneath me while I reign above Mith. O General behold and wonder with me How swiftly Fate can make or unmake Kings How empty is Death's Pomp compar'd with Life Where now are all the busie Officers The supple Courtiers and big Men of War That bustled here and made a little World Revolted all Support me for I go My Soul is on the Beach and strait must lanch Into th' Abyss of the black Sea of death Where Furies stand upon the smoaky Rocks Prepar'd to meet one greater than themselves Here lay me bleeding by these murder'd Lovers And oh when I am dead let Sorrow stalk In sacred silence to my gaping Tomb. Forget that ever Mithridates was No tongue relate the deeds this Hand has done Let thought be still or work beneath the ground But oh he 's come cold Tyrant I obey And hug thy Dart that bears my Life away Dies FINIS Epilogue by Mr. Dryden YO 've seen a Pair of faithful Lovers die And much you care for most of you will cry 'T was a just Judgment on their Constancy For Heav'n be thank'd we live in such an Age When no man dies for Love but on the Stage And ev'n those Martyrs are but rare in Plays A cursed sign how much true Faith decays Love is no more a violent desire 'T is a meer Metaphor a painted Fire In all our Sex the name examin'd well Is Pride to gain and Vanity to tell In Woman 't is of subtil int'rest made Curse on the Punk that made it first a Trade She first did Wits Prerogative remove And made a Fool presume to prate of Love Let Honour and Preferment go for Gold But glorious Beauty is not to be sold Or if it be 't is at a rate so high That nothing but adoring it shou'd buy Yet the rich Cullies may their boasting spare They purchase but sophisticated Ware 'T is Prodigality that buys deceit Where both the Giver and the Taker cheat Men but refine on the old Half-Crown way And Women fight like Swizzers for their Pay Prologue by Mr. Lee. NOt careful Leaders when the Trumpets call Their Martial Squadrons on to stand or fall Toss'd with more doubts than careful Poets are When vent'rous Wit for Sally does prepare When Humming Voices bid the Play begin And the last flourish calls the Prologue in Here you like dreadful Warriours judging sit And in full Councel try all Writers Wit To some for Sense Renown'd our Authors bow And what you Doom for a just Fate allow But sure far less such Judges Poets dread Than those Raw Blades who will not let 'em Plead But e're they can be heard cry shoot 'em dead These Pyrats they both Arms and Wits debase Who Fields and Poems with their Spleen disgrace Poets and Warriours both shou'd have in Chase These Libellers who noblest Fights despise Yet when a Pan but flashes shut their Eyes They who write Lampoons vilely get a Name By others Infamy and live in shame Fifes Whiflers and the silly'st Sense not fit To be the Powder-Monkeys of true Wit Mimies like Apes what 's ill for head they cover And live upon the Vermin of a Lover Nauseous to all like Pills by Fortune hurl'd And coated o're with Gold to Purge the World Neglecting these and rusting to your aid To Beauty our last Vows like yours are made Beauty which still adorns the op'ning List Which Caesar's Heart vouchsafes not to resist To that alone devoted is this day For by the Poet I was bid to say In the first draught 't was meant the Ladies Play Persons Represented By Mithridates King of Pontus Mr. Mohun Ziphares Pharnaces his Sons M. Hart. M. Goodman Archelaus General under Ziphares M. Griffin Pelopidas Andravar two Courtiers M. Wintershul M Powell Aquilius a Roman Captive M. Clark Another Roman Officer M. Wiltshire Ismenes Page to Ziphares  Monima Contracted to Mithridates Mrs. Corbett Semandra Daughter to Archelaus Mrs. Boutel Priests and Attendants Mutes  Scene Synope