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A50520
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St. Cecily, or, The converted twins a Christian tragedy / written by E.M.
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Medbourne, M. (Matthew), d. 1679.
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1666
(1666)
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Wing M1583B
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39,112
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71
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St. CECILY OR The Converted Twins A Christian Tragedy Written by E. M. Never before Published Licensed June 11. 1666. LONDON Printed by J. Streater M.DC.LXVI To Her Sacred MAJESTY THE QUEEN-Consort MADAME THere is so great a distance between the Meanness of a Comedian and the Majesty of a Crown'd Head that the presumption of this Address may occasion some to charge me with an Oblivion of the former and want of reverence to the Sacrednesse of the latter 'T is true at the first blush it might appear so but I have this self-encouragement that my applications are made to a Greatnesse surrounded with Goodnesse to an equal transcendency of Power and Piety and These regard not so much the Merit as the Humility of the Supplyant But MADAME when I finde represented in this small Piece the Triumphs of Divine Love over all the most alluring Concerns of Sublunary Happinesse When I reflect on a tender Virginity defying all the charming enjoyments of this World nay what 's most harsh to the delicacy of that fair sex Torture When I see enflam'd Youth by an Heroick contempt spurning the greatest Pleasures to court the Cross of Christ When I observe the sudden yet efficacious Operations of that Winde which bloweth where it listeth converting a Saul into a Paul a Persecutor into a Sufferer And lastly when I consider how the want of an humble Perseverance like an unexpected Wrack within the Port made way to the Apostasie of one ready to lay hold on the Crown of Martyrdom When these Reflexions fill my thoughts how should I conceive any Patronage too great for so great Examples These MADAME were the Inducements prevail'd with me to offer them to that of your Sacred Majesty For where should Innocency Vertue Piety and all the other amazing heights of Christian life expect to be more kindly entertain'd than where they are in the highest degree practis'd Whilest then they are admitted into so Royall a Presence if I can but press in as the meanest Attendant after so Noble a Train it will be only with this hope that Your Majesty may though at a great distance shed some providential Graces upon MADAME Your Majesties most dutifull and most Obedient Servant M. MEDBVRNE THE ARGUMENT CECILIE Daughter of Marcus and Flavia was a young Virgin beautiful well descended and though she had secretly vow'd Virginity yet out of compliance with the disposal of her parents married to a Nobleman of Rome named Valerian then a Worshipper of Idols but afterward by her perswaded to embrace the Christian ' Faith That done they both joyn their endeavours for the Conversion of Tiburtius Younger Brother to Valerian and his Corrival and these also prov'd effectual The two Brothers having declar'd themselves Christians were by the Praetor Almachius condemn'd to die which Sentence being first executed on Tiburtius occasion'd his precedence in the Martyrology before his Elder Brother Valerian Maximus the Principal Officer appointed to see this Execution rendring Almachius an account of it averrs that he had seen their souls convey'd to heaven by two bright Angels which acknowledgement inducing divers present to profess Christianity Maximus is beaten to death with Staves having Plummets of Lead fasten'd to the ends of them Cecilie the Worker of all these Enchauntments as they thought is for these Crimes especially her debauching the Two Brothers from the service of the gods condemn'd to the flames and to that end dispos'd into a dry Bath surrounded with fire but that not approaching her body in the space of a Day and Night order was given for her beheading In that Execution after she had receiv'd three blows which seem'd to have sever'd her head from her body she liv'd three dayes during which she gain'd her Parents and made this her last request that the House wherein she had liv'd might be converted into a Church which it was and afterward consecrated by Bishop URBAN If any be desirous of a more particular Information concerning the persons before mentioned as also of the strange and remarkable accident which happen'd between Saphricius and Nicephorus they may consult the Writers of Ecclesiastical History who have given an account of them But those being not so obvious they may shorten their satisfaction by looking into the Collection of Saints Lives set out by some late Authors of the Roman Church wherein they shall find those of Tiburtius Valerian Maximus c. on the 14th day of April and that of St. Cecilie on the 22th of November in the year of our Lord CCXXV. in the Persecution under the Emperour Alexander Severus To his ingenious and learned Friends the Author and Publisher of this Christian Tragedy IT is the custome of this brainsick Age To boast with boldness and fanatick Rage An imitation of that Doctrine pure For which the Primitive Christians did endure Afflictions Torments nay the losse of life Each vying in a holy Zeal and Strife t'outgo the other but if once it come To feel the Persecutions that in Rome First Catechumens suffred straight they cry Quis requisivit such Hyperbole Of Faith as should produce in any one Such Works of Supererogation Alas Weak Fondlings it is not enough To cloak Religion with new-fangled stuffe And then cry out Antiquity You must Believe and honour the Old Martyrs dust Reason and True Religion best agree As Discords make compleatest Harmony Happy the strain of your ingenious Pen That doth refresh the memory agen Of Pious Martyrs and Thy labour too For publishing the same deserves its due Which shall be this still to preserve your Name To equal date with St. Cecilia's Fame Who living did in Vertue so excel That even her Death became a Miracle And if hereafter you no more shall do To second this yet we will boast that you Have so to life the Martyrs drawn herein As would invite a Heathen to begin To live and do and then like them to die Inroll'd i th' Records of Eternity Cease then vain World to rail against a Play Since this shews pure Religion If you say Therefore it is Prophane change but the Name Call it a Sermon and it is the same With Use and Doctrine too and since you make Religion so much Droll ne're shame to take From hence a Pattern better than have none By Acting seem to have Religion T. M. Med. Tem. Soc. WEre I the Author had an Angel's Pen I think I scarce should ever write agen Unlesse the Criticks will contract and swear They 'l out of pity pardon me this Year And give me leave freely to vend a Book I hazarded to print which seem'd forsook Because the Author had no Name that might Conjure and charm the Reader at first sight As 't is with Stationers so with the Theatre too The Author must be famous else ' two'nt do But stay what need I fear the Criticks spite While they are ignorant who it is do's write They neither know whom to condemn nor praise But if they did his
storm will rise Lose not your Sea-mark Heaven but boldlysteer The Tempest past dark clouds shall disappear Next Day eternal shine Blest three adieu None shall behold your wreatths but such as you Exit Val. Come then Disasters Fire and Sword and Racks Tib. Come what can come what spiteful hell can belch Or Heaven shall please to send or shall permit Val. Or come whatsoe're it be as we embrace We 'le hug their torments What is' t once to die To live so many lives eternally Cec. My dear Valerian now as fully mine As I am yours and both linkt to a third Your dearest brother summon'd now by heaven To be ingulf'd in a tempestuous Mayne Let 's to his Standard flie who now invites His souldiers to a Combate His pure-white Of Innocence and flowing purple tells Ours must be like although no parallels SCENE 2. Enter Almachius and Officers Maximus and Attendants 1 Off. There my Lord those two we dog'd from Via Appia Alm. Valerian and Tiburtius Christians I thought as much Val. But not so much as we can act of Christians Alm. Nor could I think so much of Sorcery As can this younger Lady actuate Enter Marcus and Flavia. Lay hold of her and those her two Disciples Mar. VVhat have we here to do Disturb me in My own house Alm. And carry hence your Daughter too That 's more for Justice has no limit Take her Away Mar. It shall not need my Lord I passe My word she shall be forth coming Alm. Nay here Your house is ample we can soon dispatch Let first the Brothers come Val. VVe rather flie T' embrace the worst of deaths thou canst invent Alm. Y' are Noble adore our mighty Gods and live Tib. That were t' offend th' Almighty Power of Heaven Alm. You know the penalty to lose your goods Confiscate Val. Goods They are but breeding evils But now disburs'd amongst the poor a treasure laid up in Heaven Alm. I there she stands who Wrought this policy VVe 'l come to hear the fource of all this mischief Mean while my Lords you to resolve retire Either t' adore the Gods or be beheaded Val. VVhat two extreams are these Or make a Stock Or Stone a God renouncing him above t' incur everlasting death or die This I. Tib. And I embrace Val. To die but once Tib. Live ever Thus I am resolv'd Val. And I. Alm. Then take 'hem hence Exeunt Val. Tib. Bring in the Lady Offic. She 's here my Lord. Alm. Sitting down Cecile thou art here arraign'd for hainous crimes Which who could think were lurking in a breast So young and tender In a Damosel fair And by extraction Noble But when Vice Usurpes a hold in better Natures soon They are deprav'd like richer wines which once Corrupted taint the Vessel more where th' are Enclos'd So young yet could'st by Magick Art Enchaunt the Lord Valerian who enamour'd Was by thy powerful and bewitching charmes bound in the chains of a prodigious love Then was he wrought upon t' abjure the Gods And march among the superstitious rank Of such Impostors as thy self This done For mischief has no period you engross His Goods his Plate and Jewels Was content To feign a Marriage more t' endear your self Though 't were by prostitution Next you were content He might be publickly traduc'd For Christianisme and now to lose his head With his as Noble Brother Lord Tiburtius VVho else might have enjoy'd his full estate Lastly to cheat the Emperour of his Right VVhich comes for want of heir they have I see VVhich was a plot of yours they have no place No other Magazine where they have hid Their treasure but Beggars Rogues and Rascals Apostates and such like scum of th' earth All 's gone all given away by which you hope Forsooth to gratifie your poor-born God Is not this true and verified by many Which I could name amongst the rest Saphricius A holy Convert who was one of yours Well vers'd in all your plots But why should I Exaggerate what of it self is so Enormous No I pity Lady your More tender years and Noble Parents here Pity a beauty which deserves to be Enthron'd upon a Princely Seat rather Than be so vilified and made so base As to consort with sordid despicable And abject riff-raffe vipers vermines worms Which creep in th' earth and lurk in horrid Caves What say you Lady deny or guilty yield Cec. What need I traverse this Indictment all Compacted of untruths know then I am A Christian not therefore base but you Who in your Gods do homage to the Devil Christian and base O! had I breath enough To eccho in the air this glorious Name A title 't is Encomium that transcends 'Bove humane things by Christian I am made More noble than by birth more powerful than Your Caesars more victorious Tell me of Goods Gold Plate and Jewels These I more contemn Than what I trample on Unworthy Judge That call'st me prostitute I defie Thee and thy Goddesses that were but such Harlots and Queans thy Gods adulterous Va'erian is my Spouse but far more dear By that which now he is A Christian This our glory this is our true renown To gain by combate an immortal Crown Alm. Our patience is abus'd our Gods contemn'd To whom or sacrifice or die Cec. But die Die but one death must I but lose one life To purchase an eternal Oh! how good How bounteous heaven which by a quick return Renders for death a life for ever happy Alm. Bring 'hem forth there Sha't see to what thou 'st brought A wretched pair who late were Noble Lords Enter Headsman Val. and Tib. and Cec. And if good Nature be not utterly In thee deprav'd thy more relenting heart Cannot but have remorse See here they come Poor Lords dejected men that fix on thee Their heavy eyes from whence the mischief sprang Cec. Not heavy eyes not sad but chearful clear Made such by the reflexive light of heaven My Lords you my dear Spouse and you his brother You have th' honour first t' invest your selves Within the lists where I should first have been Who first shew'd you the way but y'have out-stript Your Leader as lesse worthy who shall be Happier to trace the manly steps you tread Val. Dear Spouse and Mistriss not in Venus School But that of Heaven by you we first were taught A lesson which we now have got by heart That humane love is like a coal of fire Which lies on th' hearth but by the mounting flame A love divine is figur'd which transcends Therefore salute you with a chast embrace Farewel dear Spouse Embraces her Cec. Death parts but for a while I 'le hasten after that as our bodies bed In earth-together our souls may reunite Tib. May I be Paranymph and lead the way Who though I last come hither of us two May by this birth precede Cec. O! force of love Or first or last ambitious in desire Of heaven you happy twins