Which binds your Arm and does your pow'r restrain Can ought rebate the Sword of Solyman Solym. My Faith my Vows and my Religion can By Alla bound I 've made this solemn tye Whilst Solyman Lives my Vizier shall not dye And by his Death I must my Peace retrieve Muft. Sir he may dye when Solyman does not live Solym. Did I for this thy Wise advice request For satisfaction in my Grave dull Priest I 'd live to be reveng'd Muft. Yes Sir you shall think not my Councels bring Such tardy Vengeance to an Injur'd King Death should flye quick as Light'ning from your frown Sir he may set before to morrow's Sun Solym. How may he dye to morrow Muft. Yes to Night Solym. My Faith unstain'd Muft. Unsully'd as the Light You are not by this promise bound to give Him immortality T' is whilst you live Yo 've sworne he shall not meet his destiny But there are hours each day in which you dye Sir whilst you sleep you are not living Solym. How Muft. To Sence and Reason man his Life does owe And when Sleep dams them up they cease to flow The soul deserts the body when it dyes What does it less in sleep it useless lyes Death 's its retreat and sleep is its disguise Sleep equals Kings and Shepheards Rich and Poor Nor can the pow'r of Death it self do more And where 's their difference Both give one stroke only one strikes more deep Sleep's a short Death Death an Eternal sleep If then whilst you are sleeping he receives The blow he does not dye whilst Solyman lives Solym. And will our Prophet this Revenge maintain And the Immortal Name take off all stain Muft. So just a cause he does and must defend Solym. Then dear Religion thou' rt a Lovers Friend Kind Priest my judgment does with thine conspire 'T is easie to believe what we desire But if his Death 's a sin the Crime be yours When our Guides stray the Errour is not ours Send him the Mourning Robe He dies to Night Exit Morat Enter Asteria Ibrahim fare well and may thy soul take flight To Paradice There be as blest above As thou wer 't here in Isabella's Love Aster Oh Cruelty who 's he that in one breath Can talk of Paradice and Ibrahim's Death Mor. I do not like her presence Aside Aster Royal Sir Forgive me if my fears have made me err Perhaps I have not rightly understood For you were always just and God like good Is it your pleasure Ibrahim should dye Solym. My Injuries give him his Death not I. Aster Can you speak Death agen a Crime so great Twice in one day one hour one voyce repeat The sound of so much horror and such rage Had singly been enough to brand an Age. Oh say that you deceiv'd me and to try My Courage told me Ibrahim should dye I would my reason and my sence distrust Rather than think that you can be unjust Solym. False to thy blood thus to oppose my will Whence comes that heat that does these tears distill Which fall when I a Criminals doom decree Aster Your Passion is that Criminal not he Oh Sultan call your glories to your aide Summon those Vertues which the World obey'd Stains in your brightness will too monstrous shew You were not rais'd so high to fall so low Solym. Heavens Have I Crimes a Daughter dares impeach Obey that will you are too bold to teach Aster Save Ibrahim and be as far obey'd As the Sun sees and Natures limits spread Repeal his Doom speak but that one dear word And be by all obey'd by all ador'd Solym. Can you that mercy for his Life implore Whom his Ingratitude bids you abhor Aster O calm the rage of your Tempestuous will And be a good and gracious Father still Solym. Stand from my Arm fond Girl expect no more T' obtain his life than you can life restore But hence know my displeasure and retire Aster If you are Angry raise your anger higher For if my dearest Ibrahim must not live Load me with all the sufferings you can give Let me your Frowns your Hate your Curses have All helps are kind that bring me near my Grave Solym. Hence with thy Pitty from my Anger flyâ— This wandring fire shall out for he shall dye Aster Since I with Tears and Prayers in vain implore Hear me but once and I will speak no more If He must dye when the dire wound is given And Ibrahim shuts out Life to take in Heav'n When the enamour'd Saints with greedy Arms embrace The brightest Guest in all the shining space To follow him I 'le leave lifes joys below And dying to my Rival Stars I 'le go Your poor Asteria in his Fate must joyn For know that man that wounds his heart breaks mine Must Ibrahim dye then Oh that dire word comes heavy from my tongue My breath grows short and I have talk'd too long Oh Sultan do not vanish from my sight Where are you stay why have you made it Night Swounds away Solym. Fond Girl thou hast my pitty But Remove her and her stragling sence recall This object cannot stop my Rivals fall Attendants carry her off Before Love rais'd this Torrent in my Blood Close to my heart firm as a Rock he stood But by some mighty Deluge over-borne Mountains unloose and Rocks from Rocks are torne Thro'their strong Veins the stronger flood pours in And the vast Fractures never close agen Is going Enter Roxolana Roxol. Stay Sultan stay If Perjury you think Is a mean crime at which the Gods can wink Be bold false King and sin in open day To the wide world your harden'd soul display Th' unmanly dread of th' other world out-wear And brave that Vengeance which you scorn to fear To make you yet more Barbarously great At once my Ruin and your Pride compleat Since on the Christian you my Crown bestow I come to give the head that wore it too Solym. Since the fair Christian then has been so kind To tell you what my pleasure has design'd Her word 's your Fate I Love her not so ill To make her Voyce less than an Oracle Roxol. Your falsehood is not whisper'd at that rate That I need learn your Crimes from her I hate But has your Rage so impiously decreed Yet why this wonder furious Lord proceed The prospect of my fall so open lyes That I 'm too well prepar'd for a surprize Solym. Do not so highly and so ill resent The loss of that which was not given but lent And when I take that which I lent before I but my glories to their sourse restore Roxol. Can you plead reason for your Guilts defence And thus Usurp the name of Innocence No Sultan speak like what you are and call Your self a Tyrant Monster Savage all The blackest names from injur'd Tongues can fall Since you prove false 't would be more just t' express Your Perjury in the most hateful dress Then I could bear
of her Love t' avert his Doom aside Grant Her success let Ibrahim live and may The Sultans hopes be Crown'd the gentler way Exit Aster Though life and happiness must ne're be mine Yet I 'le take care that I 'le secure 'em thine Accept that Mirva gives him a Sword Mirv. Sent from Roxolana's hand This Princess Love conspires with her command They 've both design'd your freedom to redeem Aster Which to effect we 've found this Stratagem Though of your Fate this is th' appointed Scene Yet in respect to that which you have been His Friend and Vizier you 're allow'd this Grace None but Morat has entrance to this place Mirv. The Mutes th' intended Murderers wait all Without at distance and beyond his call And but approach that minute when you fall Aster When False Morat returns to take her hence Produce this Weapon as your last defence Disarm him bind him leave him in your room Change habits with him and his form assume Lead hence your Princess and by th'help of Night Pass undiscover'd and secure you flight The Guards too not suspecting an escape Will let you pass deluded by that shape Ibrah. Alas I was before a Bankrupt made And owed too much where I 'had so little paid But now your goodness swells the Debt so high That I with shame must Live Aster Shame Dear Sir why You owe me nothing By Religious tyes When Vertue in distress and danger lyes Its rescue and defence should be the care Of all Man kind and that 's my bus'ness here Isabel. Thou art so excellently good thou best Of Rivals so much Heav'n dwells in thy Breast In Duty to perfections so Divine All my best thoughts and half my prayers are thine Enter Morat Mor. I come to tell you that your hour is past ha starts Ibrah. Keep in thy tongue or speaking speak thy last Morat How came you by that Sword Ibrah. gets between him and the Door Ibrah. No matter how Jaylor my Flight must be contriv'd by you Morat Your Flight Ibrah. 'T is a proposal may seem strange But Sir we two our habits must exchange And you must yield to stay here gag'd and bound Till by your shape we move t' a safer ground If at this price you 'l buy your Life you may Morat What do you think to frighten me to play The Traytor Ibrah. Know 't is Death to disobey Morat Submit to save my Life for one hours time To dye the next by tortures for my Crime No though your Arm is so renown'd I 'le try My chance for Life Ibrah. Then take thy choyce and dye they fight Aster Hold Villain hold how dare you lift an arm Against his Life Interposing Ibrah. Dear Madam fear no harm Mor. How dare you Save what Solyman Condemnes to Aster Ibrah. Do not dispute her goodness nor my Crimes But yield and Live Mor. Yield no at thy false heart fights agen Hold thou hast kill'd me Traytor as thou art Bears himself up reeling upon his Sword In all my hopes all my Ambition crost By a fond foolish Girl betray'd and lost Aster You are not wounded Ibrah. No! you Genius was my guard Mor. Thou Treacherous Fool take that for thy reward Kills Aster and falls Ibrah. Down to thy Hell and there in torments howl Sticking him to the ground Oh speak dear Madam ease my tortur'd soul The Gods their charge must better understand Then to ordain your Fate from such a hand Say you 're not hurt Aster No! let your trouble cease He has only sent a wretched thing to peace Isabel. She bleeds she bleeds Ibrah. Oh! this detested hour Aster Alas Sir I was dying long before Deaths cold hand strook me when I first lost you A lingering Fate the slow Consumption drew Then do not Sir this happy stroke deplore That ends a tedious Journey in an hour Isabel. A Lovers absence and a Fathers hate My three years pains were easie to this weight Horror ne're seiz'd me in this dismal shape Ibrah. Infernal Dog Aster Think think of your escape Ibrah. Is an escape a fit reward for him Who bears the weight of my accursed Crime Aster My Death is not your Crime Kind dear Sir flye Oh do not stay leave me alone to dye Ibrah. Desert you Aster I conjure you do not stay I' th path to Heav'n the Good can never stray I need no help to guide me in my way Ibrah. How can I flye Aster This unkind language cease Fly as you 'd have my Soul in Heav'n find peace Ibrah. How can I promise you Aster Oh Sir you must Will you deny me Rest when I am Dust Is saving of your Life so hard Ibrah. Is leaving you So easie basely to desert you now And guard my forfeit blood when I have been A fatal instrument in shedding thine Aster Nay then I 'm destin'd to dye wretched all I beg'd of Heaven was to divert your fall My saving Ibrahim's Life was all my pride And must that only blessing be deny'd Ibrah. Well Madam I 'le submit to any thing Aster Now with an Angels voyce I hear you speak And at that word my heart-strings gently break My well-pleas'd Ghost will find eternal rest To think that I have made my Ibrahim blest And must I dye in my dear Ibrahim's Arms Now you transport me with too mighty charms In this dear Heav'n like a blest Star I 'm plac'd But oh my Joy's too violent to last dies Ibrah. She 's gone Yes generous Saint I 'le do thee right But if I flye my Death must be my flight I 'm too much loaded with my shame and grief To leave this killing â—ight to save a life Isabel. Farewell unhappy Maid sure there must be No common joys above reserv'd for thee Thou had'st so little happiness below Heav'ns debts are certain though the payment 's slow Enter a Bassa as sent from Solyman Bassa Morat stays long What 's here Guards Guards Exit Bassa retreating at the same door he enterd Ibrah. Stay stay I am your Prisoner and your pow'r obey Alas there needs no Crowds to take me now Re-enter the Bassa with Guards Bassa Seize him Guards seize him Ibrah. It is the kindest office you can do Bassa Remove the Bodys hence And keep those Prisoners safe till my return Till from the Sultan's will their Fates I learn Exit Ibrahim and Isabel. led in by Guards part of the Guards carry off Morat and Asteria and the Bassa returns at the same door he entred at Manet Mirva Mirv. How dismally to Roxolana's ear Will this strange story sound But see she 's here Enter Roxolana Roxol. Have I success Is Isabella fled Has that dire Planet hid its threatning head I fear thy Answer will not be so kind An Ominous load hangs on my burden'd mind Mirv. Let me in silence my Allegiance pay Roxol. No Mirva speak the worst thou hast to â—ay Mirv. The fair Asteria's dead kill'd by Morat But in revenge of her unhappy Fate By
you his power 's so little Ibrah. No so great When yours joyns too to make that pow'r compleat 'T is infinite like that bright boundless space Where light and Saints their endless glories place Within it all things and beyond it nothing Solym. Say then from whence does all this darkness come Have I done injury to Christendom Have any of my forreign pow'rs by steel Or Rapine wrong'd those Altars where you kneel Ibrah. Love pardon dutys sin when I reveal My lesser sorrows but the great conceal Aside Sir when I bring The Lowness whence you drew me to my thought The change which your Almighty hand has wrought Though he that rais'd it can support my state With trembling I behold my dang'rous height Malice and Envy will my life persue And strive to make me hated be by you How many of my Predecessors fell Nor could their Services their Dooms repel The faithful Vizier Achmat Rais'd Bajazet the Second to his Throne And little less had Valiant Chassan done For your great Father Yet in all their pride Both by their jealous Lords suspected dy'd The fear of death my trouble does not make My Life and Honours you may freely take But when I think the fatal time may be When you will but suspect my Loyalty 'T is that strikes horrour through my staggering sence No Torture like mistaken Innocence Solym. I thought to you I 'had made my breast so clear That you had nothing left to wish or fear But since my kind conjectures are not sure At once your weakness I 'le forgive and cure I swear by Alla and to bind my Vow Heâ—v'n make me happy as I 'm just to you Whilst Solyman Lives his Ibrahim shall not dye By any violent death Ibrah. Your favours are so high Solym. Forbear your thanks 't is only what I owe Men thanks for Gifts and not for Debts bestow Roxol. No Sir your constancy he cannot doubt He knows his Prince too well for such a thought Why this disguise Solym. I 'le take this surer way Though Friendship have no influence Love may Here be your looks as Conqu'ring as your Sword I call you Friend and she shall call you Lord. Gives him Asteria Aster That word my ravish'd sence does overcome I feel my joys too mighty to be dumb Aside Solym. Be to my blood as to my soul ally'd Now have you thoughts you from your King can hide Have I not bought 'em yet Ibrah. What shall I say Aside Aster My Bliss was never perfect till this day Aside Rox. This Lady whom in Chains you could subdue Admiâ—'d by all deserv'd By none but you Enrich'd with Solyman's favours and above All other Ornaments her greater Love Meets you with all the kindness souls e're shar'd Your Glories prize your Loyalties reward Aster Do not too high her little Merit raise Who blushes but too much without this praise Yet Sir By your commands I should all shame remove I need not blush when Duty bids me Love But mighty Sir if the o're-hasty guest to Ibrahim By a too early Raign this Seat possest points to her Breast Let th' easie prize not make the value less Nor Love its merit loose for its excess A Love which could not be by force expell'd And now wants pow'r to keep its joyes conceal'd Solym. To make her yet more worthy Ibrah. Great Sir hold Let me alone this Beauties worth unfold 'T is I can best describe such excellence Aster I feel new raptures in my softn'd sence Aside Ibrah. Some Heroe whom Imperial Crowns adorn To greatness rais'd and as much greatness born Some Prince that has so much Man-Kind ouâ—-done As should make Solyman's equal in his Son 'T is such a one should meet Asteria's charms But I the most unworthy of her Armes Roxol. Where will this end Aside Aster Some God that pitty's Love divert my fear Aside Ibrah. So little pow'r of Gratitude dwells here points to his Breast That I 'am beneath your scorn so wretched I To reconcile my Fate beg leave to dye Yes take my heart but when 't is yours it must Be offer'd up in blood to make it just To give me back my Chains would be too kind Let me in Death Yours and his Justice find Solym. Has Ibrahim crimes make him deserve to dye Ibrah. I Criminal Oh none so much as I. I am below the state of Infidels I view that face where Soveraign Beauty dwells Beauty which homage next to Gods receives And commands hearts more than the Sultan Lives Yet I to neither can Allegiance pay Love my Preserver or my Prince obey Fair Mistress of my Life and Liberty The founder of my Fame all I enjoy Th' ungrateful Creature of your smiles destroy Roxol. Are Solymans favours and his blood abus'd And so much Love thus barbarously us'd Solym. Ibrahim I am unwilling to believe Such Disrespect I can from Man receive Much less from Favourites say then what is That Pow'r has destin'd me to suffer this Aster Ask not the reason of his disrespect Let her describe the Cause who feels th' effect My sighs with scorn too fatally are paid My Love 's despis'd for some more happy Maid Look Sir on this sad object and in me to Ibrah. The sudden change of fading Greatness see When I came hither oh my short-liv'd Bliss I 'd not have chang'd my hopes of happiness To have been Empress of the World but now Not the most wretched of my Sex so low Nor am I in my slighted Love alone Unfortunate but guilty too I 've done What neither to my Sex nor Birth was due Transgrest the Laws of modesty for you So weak my heart so great my sufferings are I cannot hide my Love nor my Despair offers to go Roxol. What do I live to hear Asteria stay Aster No! let me take my hated sight away This freedom to the lost Asteria give In Crowds the Prosperous not the Wretched live Exit Asteria Roxol. Who is that pow'rful Rival for whose sake Your stubborn heart her Beauty cannot shake For whom Asteria's favours and her blood Are priz'd as little as they 're understood Yet name her not already I have heard Too much if Solyman you lov'd or fear'd You would not treat him thus You 've wrong'd him more Then all your Victories oblig'd before Exit Solym. Go tryumph in her suff'rings and my shame And add this one proud Title to your Fame You from an injur'd King this Grace receiv'd You are the first disturb'd my peace and liv'd Exit with his Train all but Ibrahim Ibrah. Ruin'd at once so sure Fate has made haste Who could believe that so few hours are past Since this undone lost despicable thing Was fear'd by all the World and favour'd by his King But now her Love refus'd his blood disgrac'd How are those Titles at one blast defac'd Oh Love Oh Isabella When thy Ear Shall the dire sound of my misfortunes hear Give me at once thy pitty and applause And whilst my
thy Victorious Arms the World command Thy Sword 's grown weak plac'd in a guilty hand Solym. T' increase your Courage think it weaker yet And to chastise thy rudeness when we meet When in an Armys Head thy Fâ—ce I see I 'le tell thee then thou 〈◊〉 fit to fall by Me. Exit Solym. Roxol. When Empress of the World I stood on hallow'd ground With all my pomp and greatness circl'd round Then 〈◊〉 train of Worshippers what crowd Of Vassaâ—â— as my 〈◊〉 all prostrate bow'd On humble Mortals I in state look'd down Who gaz'd on glorys sparkling from my Crown Life waited on my Smiles Death on my Frown Fear'd and ador'd on their bow'd Neeks I trod Whilst to my Throne I mounted like a God But in my â—all where 's that Devotion gone Of all those thousands Fate has left but one Ulam So great your Merit and your Slaves so few Those thousands lost be God-like and raise new Permit me but to meet this Threatning King And see what force so just a Cause can bring To right your Honour and rebuild your Throne Vouchsafe to call my Sword and Life your own Rather than your lowd wrongs shall go unpaid I will exhaust an Empire in your aid Here at his Gates I will his Guâ—lt defie I and my Persia nay the Gods and I Roxol. Hold Angry Prince your Zeal in my just Cause Whilst it was Innocent had my applause Forbear then to pull down my hate tho He Has lost his Vertue broke his Faith to Me I have not lost the Duty of a Wife Tho I abhor his Crimes I prize his Life Who holds a Sword against his Breast wounds me His Foe is Roxolana's Enemy Exit Roxol. Ulam Fool that I was to ask her her consent Without her leave her ruin I 'le prevent Her pious Vengeance points me out the way 'T was but her superstition bad me stay To morrow I 'le towards Persia go and bring My utmost pow'r against this Perjur'd King If time enough I 'le stop her Fall if late Revenge it if I fail I 'le share her Fate Lost though I am and in despair I 'le try To wast an Empire in her Cause and dye Exit Ulam The End of the Fourth Act. ACT the FIFTH The SCENE a Chamber Enter Ibrahim meeting Isabella and Morat Morat SIr from the Sultan I am hither sent To Councel you your ruin to prevent If by consent you can for ever part And make a present of a Mrs. Heart You have your Life else when he sleeps you dye You have an hour allow'd for your reply Ex. Morat Isabel. 'T is a hard choyce you must be false or dye To save your Life what is 't I would not give Ibrah. What would you have me quit your Love Live Isabel. No though I value you so high above My Ibrahims Life I prize my Ibrahims Loâ—e If nothing but Inconstancy can give You Life dye mine since mine you cannot live But do not think when you are gone I shall Have pow'r long to out-live your Funeral There 's a Contagion in a Lovers fall Weak are his Threats and vain his subtlest Art His Tyranny may all but Lovers part Ibrah. Do I not dye to seal my Faith to you What juster act what braver can I do Then do not murmur at my glorious Fall Is this his Cruelty Is dying all What 's Death The meanest Slaves dye every day Even Infancy and Age that Debt to Nature pay A Feavourish fit can stop our fleeting breath Our Tast Smell Touch each Sence can let in Death And we who Beauties infinite pow'r adore For great Almighty Love can do no more Isabel. But can I say I love and bid you dye No! for your safety this one Art I 'le try I 'le strait to Solyman and Summon all Those angry pow'rs that injur'd Love can call Not depos'd Kings shall rage so much as I. With so much scorn his baseness I 'le defie Till I 've incenst his rage to that degree That he shall spare your Life and Murder me In me he can but Isabella Doom In you he takes a prop from Christendom Live Ibrahim then Religion to defend His Favourit live to be the Christians Friend Leave Death to me and think my Life well given At once in saying you and serving Heav'n Ibrah. These melting sounds all sence of Death destroy Who wou'd not choose my Fate for half my Joy But do not hope to dye for me Think not your charms so little nor my King So Savage though unkind that any thing Will make him dare to shed your precious blood No my best life he must not if he cou'd Isabel. Must I so tamely then behold your Fall No 'gainst your Murderer I 'le muster all My Rage Despair Revenge what is 't I will not do I 'le treat him so but why this passion now Since 't is decreed we must so soon divide My parting looks shou'd all their fierceness hide Furies till then lay all your Scorpions by Our last dear minutes shou'd more gently flye Kind Heav'n let but this span of Life be blest Love reign this hour and horror all the rest Ibrah. Best of thy Sex Embracing her But I in vain shall this short Tryumph boast Gazing on what must be for ever lost Isabel. For ever why can death destroy our Love Shall we not meet and be as blest above Cease Sir oh cease this too unkind despair Are there all Joys in Heav'n and Love not there Ibrahim Fill'd with that hope I 'le my short time improve And sum an Ages bliss in one hours Love Low at your Feet your humble Vassal bows Kneels And here on this fair hand seals his last Vows kisses her hand Turn turn your eyes this way look all Divine In your full Lustre let your kindness shine Oh Love I am all Extasie delight Soaring in joys I 'm giddy with my height kissing her hand often But hide those eyes take this soft Magick hence lets go her hand My happiness so much transports my sence That such another look will make me grow Too fond of Life ever to let you go Isabel. Great blessings like swiâ—t torrents always run Too rapid to stay long Ibrah. What have I done Restore those pleasing looks give me your hand agen My Light Day Sun shut not your glories in Spight of his pow'r in this soft knot I 'le fold She gives him her Hand agen And when I dye let him cut off my hold I 'le twine so fast that when he gives the blow And cuts me by the Roots up from below These dying branches still shall grasp you all And grasp and grasp and wither e're they fall Enter Asteria Mirva and Morat Aster So close so kind how happy should I be aside entring Were half this dear Devotion paid to me Mor. Madam the Sultans orders were severe But Solymans command admits you here And I dare take your word to Asteria No doubt she 's come By th' offer