can see mortalls whom Turkish force could ne're subdue Cherseo Yet what if Bajazet our honour'd Lord bid you roule up those flaxen signes of warre and sheath the sword drawne forth against his foe when duty sayes obey what shall say no Selym. My courage and a proud contempt of all corrivall Nations could send back a no able to fright a Parlament of gods It could so but if Bajazet gaine-say my plumy valour flags my thoughts give way Chers Then thus he wills you to discard your force and send the black Tartarians to their home withall averring the Hungarian foe against whose power you have summon'd Armes is full of strength and power ne're oppos'd without the bitter downefall of our side Nor would the worlds great Monarch Bajazet empaire his fame so much as to be sayd he tam'd a Foe by Tartars borrowed ayd Sel. Ha! I am vilely non-plust Courteous Vize-roy returne our duty back to Bajazet even in the humblest termes wit can invent tell him he hath a sonne of that high spirit as doth detest a cowardly retreat Were all the dead Heroes of our foes All that are now and all that are to come met in one age I 'de face them drum to drum Bid our deare Father be secure of me and my proceedings then true valour shines most bright when busied in the great'st designes Is not this answeer faire Chers Most true and yet 't will prove distastfull Selym. No it cannot be If there be too much valour in this brest blame him that plac't it there even Bajazet My vertues and my bloud are both deriv'd from his first influence and I must either hate disgracefull calumn's or degenerate Chers All this I 'le tell your Father yet hee 'le rest as much unsatisfied as at the first he will expect the head-strong pride of youth should strike low sayle to his grave providence Selym. And so it shall say Vize-roy I obey and reverence his counsell more then feare an host of armed foes tell him I 'le come to his Court gates with neither man nor drum Cherseo I 'le tell it him with joy which when he heares hee 'le be disburden'd of a thousand feares Exit Selym. Remember my just duty 't is no matter I will retaine that till I come my selfe I am not out-reach'd yet by all these trickes my hopes are farther strong I 'le to the Court with a close march in no submissive sort and steale upon them Instantly I goe to meete my Father but a subtill foe As he goes out a Messenger meetes him gives him the Letters Messen Good health to Selymus Selym. Good health From whom Messen Isaack Mesithes Mustapha salute you Selym. Those good Trium-virj what is' t they speake Opens the Letterâ— Reads the first 1. To feede on hopes is but a slender dyet 'T is short but full of weight To feede on hope is but a slender diet Let it be descants I 'le mend my table though no feast with me Reades the second 2. Faire opportunity is bald behind 'T is true indeed Mesithes Never feare I 'le twist my fingers in her golden haire What speakes the third ' This writes more at large and comments on the prefixt principalls Reades the third 3. Your Father did proclaim who should succeed Publique denialls nullified his deede Your hast will be convenient things concurre to blesse your hopes Fate bids you not demur Yours Isaack Bassa Isaack I am thine and come to finish up our great designe Exit Actus 4. Scena 6. Enter Achomates solus Achom. Unquiet anguishments and jealous feare fly from my thoughts like night before the Sunne I 'me lifted to the highest Spheare of joy My top invelopt in the azure cloud and starry rich habiliments my feete set rampant on the face of Natures pride The rarest worke weav'd by her handmayd Art clothes my soft pleasures I 'm as great as Jove Onely I rule below he raignes above Oh! the unspoken beauty of a Crowne whose empty speculation mounts my soule up to an heavenly Paradise of toughts Father I come that thou may'st crowne my head whilst apprehensive reason stands amaz'd amidst the blisfull shades of sweet conceit Then I 'le call back my wandring intellect from dreames and those imaginary joyes I 'le teach my soule to twine about a Crowne to sweat in raptures to fill up a Throne with the bigge-swelling lookes of Majestie I 'le amble through a pleasures Labyrinth and wander in the path of happinesse as the true object of that faculty Great Bajazet I come Thou must descend from Honours high Throne and put off thy right to build me up an heaven of choice delight Exit Actus 4. Scena 7. Enter Mesithes Mustapha Isaack Mesith The Emperour begins to smell deceit I know by his ill lookes and sparkling eye that he affects us not Musta I doubt as much Young Selymus ha's wrong'd our loyalty in his so slack proceedings we were rash and indiscreetly-forward in consent when we joyn'd on to raise his government Isaack Peace 't is too late to chide at what is done we have so deepely waded in the streames of those procellous plots nor can revoke repentant footsteps or securely creepe back to the Throne of safety 't is now good to venture on and swim quite through the flood Here comes the Emperour Enter Bajazet and Asmehemedes Baja. Attend us Bassaes Ar't sure hee 's dead Asm Mahometes is dead There 's nothing moving of him but his soule and that robd of his body by this hand Baja. Enough That soule revives to see him dead that wrong'd the body Oh! my bloudy heart Must in his frenzy act an horrid part Follow thy Prince to hell Stabs him Asmeh To death Oh divellish ingratitude I 'm slaine I dye Moritur Baja. And justly would each foe and Traytor to my state were thwarted so Bassaes convay this hated body hence the sight of that damn'd villaine moves offence They carry him out Now pause a while my soule and reckon up what obstacles are yet to be remov'd Achomates must stay the peoples leasure Corcutus dally with Minervaes Nimphes The last and worst proud Selymus shall dye Thus I le compose a firme security Enter Bassaes with Cherseogles Baja. Arriv'd already noble Cherseogles You 'r carefull in our cause but speake the news from our pert Souldier What meanes Selymus Cherseo To track the path backward from whence he came to strip himselfe of martiall ornaments and to fill up the duty of a Sonne come visite you in low submission Baja. These are too fairely promis'd to be meant ambition hath already chain'd his soule too surely in the captive bonds of pride then that he now should cloath his stately hopes in the plaine sordid weedes of penitence He doth but varnish o're some treacherous plot in this smooth answer come wee 'le leade along to our Imperiall seat of Constantine that 's strongly fortified we need not feare the weake attempts an home-bred foe can dare Exeunt Bajazet and
with the twilight dawning stars whilst floods shall fall into the Ocean shall Christians tremble at Turks thundring stroaks Amurat. So am I Amurath the great King of Turks O how it glads me thus to pash their brains to rend their locks to tear these Infidels Who thundered when these heads were smitten off Stars I could reach you with my lofty hand 't is well enough enough great Amurath for now I sit in Orchanes great Throne and sacrifice due Rites to Mahomet yet why enough I le on and dung the Earth with Christians rotted trunks that from that soyl may spring more Cadmean Monsters to orecome them Captains what Countries next shall we make flow with Channels of their blood Euren. To Servia my Lord there are troups of arms gathered to resist Mahometan Chase At Bulgaria there they set on fire the Countries as they pass 't were good we haste Amur. VVhy they do well we like of their desire to make the flame in which themselves must fry Ruine destruction famine and the sword shall all invade them Sun stay thou thy flight and see the sneaks in their own River drencht whilst with their blood our furious thirst is quencht Scena 3. Actus 3. Enter in armes Lazarus Despot of Servia Sesmenos Governor of Bulgaria La. Whither Bulgaria whither must we flye the Butcherous Turk's at hand Blest Sanctity if thou didst ere guard goodnesse wall our towers bring strength into our Nerves For in thy cause our Brests upon their Rapiers we will run we 'll with just hope confront the tyrants rage meet him i' the face fury will find us armes there is a power can guard us from all harmes Ses Let us be suddain for we 'l not find scope to see our haps Who most doth fear may hope Enter to them Cobelitz Cob. Governor Captains hast unto your arms the dangers imminent and the Turk 's at hand Laz. Cobelitz must we still wade thus deep in blood and terror Cob. Yes Servia we must we should we ought Ease and lucresse keeps baseness company Shall we not blush to see the register of those great Romans and Heroick Greeks which did those acts at which our hearts are struck beneath all credence only to win fame and shall not we for that Eternal name To live without all credence even to win fame is not to know life's chief and better parts To us of future hopes calamity must help to purchase immortality Ses Well spoke trueChristian they who stil live high and snoare in prais'd applause nere know to bear a contumely or check or fate Wisely to steare a Ship or guide an Army undaunted hardinesse is requisite O then lets to our weapons make him yeild they which deny all right oft give 't ith'Field Enter Christian Souldiers falling out among them-fighting confusedly Cob. Why Gentlemen we want no foes to fight nor need we turn our weapons on our selves One Souldier speaks as drunk 1. You lazy rogue what come in my Cabinet answer the other 2. Conspiring slave you murmur'd gan'st th' allowance and wouldst perswade upon a larger pay to betray all Garrisons and turn Turk Thou half Can-carousing rascal I le teare thee and those treacherous veines of thine Will you see They all fall by the eares Blew-Jackets will you see your Corporal wrong'd well since I fight for victuals for company Use now your swords and Bucklers La. Treason the next man that speaks or strikes a blow Sold. Then shall our Laundresses fight for us 2. Why Amazons Baudicans come help to scratch Enter some Truls on both sides they fight and scratch Sesm O Cobelitz what way shall we appease them Truls scold confusedly Thus 1. Trul. Out thy Corporal huswife hath the itch you now will have foul washing Drab I le tear your mouth 2. An inch or two yet wider Cob. What souldiers think you each distasteful word given ' mongst your selves so strong an obloquie that revenge spurs you to each others death The General parts them with his sword And will not seek to wash those blasphemies in Seas of their foul blood which are belcht out by our approaching foes against the Essence of the Eternal Laz. Leave leave these factions cease these mutinies A Drum from the Turk's Camp Hark their Drums take advantage of these stirs let us oppose our strength against our foe and in our Camp let not one Souldier be who will not finde and strike his Enemie Cob. Now blest guider and great strength of arms if in thy secret and hidden decree thou hast not yet appointed the full time wherein thou meanest to tame this Tyger who dare murmur against thine hidden will Be we slain now there 's victory in store which when thou pleasest thou 't give and not before Give us still strength of patience not to wish a funeral honour unto all the world when we are perishing we 'l still believe those dangers worth our death we undergo whilst he who 's ours is alike thy foe Should Fortune lose this day when we are slain thou canst give hands and strength and men again on thee we trust then and on thee bear scorning for Heaven's sake to shed a tear Exeunt Actus 3. Scena 4. A March within excursions alarums Enter as Conquerors Cairadin Bassa Schahin leading young men Christians Prisoners Schah. Bassa we thank thy valour and discretion in finding fit occasion to invade the mutinous Christians these Captives here shall be good Presents to our worthy Master Bassa General now trust me these young slaves be full of Valor they have metal in them Schuh. Yes and to his Highness shall perform a Service which I long have thought upon and when his Turkish Majesty requires they 'l fit to be a near attendant Guard on all occasions to the Emperour therefore they shall be called Janizaries by me first instituted for our Princes safeties sake Bass Their vigor strong hearts becomes such service for to orecome them made our Souldiers sweat much Turkish blood the Servians kept the Fight with stubborn hard resistance The Bulgarians left the right wing there set I forward first and like a torrent roll'd destruction on raising huge storms of blood as doth the Whale puffe up the waves against a mighty Ship me thinks I see the Rivers of their gore their Leaders trampled on by Turkish Horse the Body of their Army quite disperst themselves all floating in Vermillian pools with their own weapons hasting to their death and such a slaughter did we make of them as Nature scarce can ere repair again One hastning t'others death pulling to ground him that held up so they each other drown'd Schah. Still are they confident upon a power they know not what who as they think can snatch their precise souls from out the jaws of death Bass Yes such a superstition doth possess them for when they lookt for nothing but their fate and danger stood in sweat upon their brows they yet scorn'd Mahomet and prophan'd his Rites
suit Orest Nay but Egystheus you can aggravate to doe a haynous murther and i' th Court I' th place of Justice where the King might hear upon a chief attendant of the Kings Murther it self is past all expiation a crime that nature most of all abhors and look how manhood and civility stand at the bar of Justice and there plead how much they 'r wrong'd and how much defac'd when man doth dye his hands in blood of man Now hearken King I 'll use thy Rhetorick thou didst a haynous murther in the Court not which the King did hear but which he felt when no petition could good man prevaile therefore this dies this first shall have his due Stabs it againe that the blood spirts in his face this mischief done revenge shall prompt anew Aeg. O the gods blush and heaven looks pale at this a fathers face besmear'd with his childs blood Orest My hast deceives my will tush all this yet may be call'd piety you shall tast too mother Turns it to her Clyt. O why dos't banish nature from his place Look on thy mothers tears worse then those groans and pangs she had when she first brought thee forth When of thy friends or parents thou hast wrong patience not fury doth to thee belong Is this the blessing that thy knee should ask Repay'st thou thus my kisses and my tears which flow'd from me to thee in tender years Orest O why did you so banish woman-hood when you and this damn'd villain base adulterer made in my fathers side so many wounds and brought a brave old King into this state See here 's his bones my pocket can contain Pulls bones from his pocket great Agamemnon and repayd you thus his kind embraces all his loving signs Aegystheus you are thirsty you shall drink Fills two cups with the childs blood gives it them yes you shall clear your throat by you shall Aegy. O mischief above mischief what Heniochus bred on a stony rock could e'r endure to see a fathers thirst quench'd with such blood Hast thou no measure hath revenge no end Ore Who first doth mischief may keep mean i' th deed but who revengeth must all mean exceed Nay mother wee 'l not bar you of your draught Gives one cup to her Clyt. O Nature see here all thy law infring'd a mothers prayers prevail not with her son Orest Pray with Thyestes it shall never move me But first Aegystheus Do thou haste revenge Stabs him Aegyst O I am wounded O when dost thou end Orest Nay I have scarce begun Now mother you Sabs her So now I 'll stand and look and on hell call nay my revenge must not be usual One more for thee Aegystheus only let out the blood you drank before Aegyst O my heart feels it Orest Now mother you and your love the same Clyt. O kill me quickly time prolongs my wo and since I must die let me quickly goe Orest You know your sentence Let him feel he dies who strait threats death knows not to tyrannize Aegy. This brings ten deaths Or. Would t would an 100 bring one death 's too little to revenge a King Hence hence adulterous soul to Tantalus and let hell know who 't was sent thee thither he dies Now mother you shall follow but he first lest that like Lovers you go hand in hand Clyt. Why son whose death is it thou dost revenge thy fathers but on whom upon thy mother On her which brought thee forth which took most care to bring thee up from whom thou tookst thy self thou' rt sure thou art mine but dost not know who 't was begate thee Orest Wil 't Bastardize me Yes mother yes I know I was his son Alas why what are you a senselesse peice of rotten earth can do as much to corn as you to me bear it and bring it forth but Agamemnon he that seed did sow and only unto him my self I ow and for him thou shalt die Clyt. O I confesse my conscience tells me I deserve no lesse and thus thy mother from thee doth depart leaving vexation to torment thy heart She dies Orest Now friend I see my father live again and in his royal state at Argos Court This is the night in which he first came home O blessed powers of hell divine Canidia Now am I satisfied now hath revenge perfection and nothing grieves me but that Tyndarus my mothers father did not see her die I le in and tell him my thoughts must reveale those acts I do this night who would conceale Now soul triumph whist that my deed shall shine I' th face o th Court and all the world know 't mine Actus 5. Scena 1. Enter Orestes in his gown Tyndarus Strophius Electra Pylades two Lords Ore My Lord your daughters potion works most rarely the King 's asleep God blesse his Majesty O do not wake him faith 't is pity la. Tynd. What do I see ha blood the little child dead my daughter bleed Aegystheus kill'd Orest Your Lordships eyes do fail 't is but spilt wine Tynd. Lay hands o' th villain 't is the Physicians deed Orest Nay friends hands off 't is no Physician now Discovers himself See see old Tyndarus dost thou know me yet Fetch me my Crown and robes nay I 'll ascend Is not Atrides eldest son your King Tynd. What hast thou done foul Viper to eat out thy mothers bowels what was this thy deed Thy silence sayes 't was thine What Tanais Tygris or Rhenus or what flowing sea should wash thee in the salt Meotis streame Or Tethis at full tide o'rflow thy banks still would the spots of murder stick on them Orest Why Grandsire I go not about to wash by 't was all the fruit I thought to win to think all mischief here could be no sin Tynd. See see thy mother look upon her now on her whose eyes thou hast for ever clos'd which eyes have often wakned at thy cry and hush'd thee with a lullaby to sleep See see these hands which oft with so much care wrapt gently up thy unset tender limbs See see this face wont at thy signes to smile when nature gave not leave unto thy tongue to utter thy childs meaning Orest See see these bones these nasty rotten bones which had so often lock'd his hands in hers here stood the tongue which oft had call'd her sweet dear Clytemnestra and then stopt his speech and told his love in a more speaking signe Here stood those eyes which fed upon her face and made her of thy daughter a great Queen and she made him a dish for loathed worms Tynd. Suppose she did there was but one yet dead and with ones death again should be repaid Orest No Tyndarus had I desir'd but one I should have thought I had desired none Why methinks I should too have kill'd thee the number is too little yet of three Tynd. Into what land what country wilt thou fly all earths all lands all countries will fly
Three Excellent Tragoedies Viz. THE RAGING TURK OR BAJAZET the Second THE COURAGEOUS TURK OR AMVRATH the First AND THE TRAGOEDIE OF ORESTES WRITTEN By THO. GOFF Master of ARTS and Student of Christ-Church in Oxford and Acted by the Students of the same House The second Edition carefully corrected by a friend of the Authors LONDON Printed for G. BEDELL and T. COLLINS at the middle Temple Gate Fleet-street 1656. THE RAGING TURK OR BAJAZET THE SECOND A Tragedie Written by THOMAS GOFF Master of ARTS and Student of Christ-Church in Oxford and Acted by the Students of the same House Monstra fato scelera moribus imputes Det ille veniam facilè cui venia est opus The second Edition LONDON Printed for G. BEDELL and T. COLLINS at the middle Temple Gate Fleet-street 1656. TO THE No less ingenious then zelous favouorer of ingenuity Sir RICHARD TICHBORNE Knight and Baronet SIR THis Tragedy a manuscript with another of the same Authors came lately to my hands He that gave them birth because they were his Nugae or rather recreations to his more serious and divine studies out of a nice modesty as I have learnt allowed them scarce private fostering But I by the consent of his especiall friend in that they shew him rather Omnium scenarum homo to his glory then disparagment have published them and do tender this to your most safe protection lest it wander a fatherlesse Orphan which every one in that respect will be apt to injure with calumnious censure Now if you vouchsafe to receive and shelter it you will not onely preserve unblemish'd the ever-living fame of the dead Author but assure me that you kindly accept this humble acknowledgement of Your most obliged and ready reall Servant RICH. MEIGHEN The Names of the Actors Bajazet Emperour his Sonnes Mahomates Achomates Corcutus Selymus Thrizham Mahomet Achments a Generall Cherseogles Vizerory of Greece Basses Isaack Mesithes Mustapha Solyman Selymus son Cajubus Achmates son Alexander Bishop of Rome Zemes Bajazets brother Tartarian King Armeniâ— King Asmehemedes Mahomets followers Hamon Bajazets Physician Jewish Monks Herauld Dwarfe Nemesis Capâ—aines Ambassadors Janizaries Souldiers Nuncius THE RAGING TURKE OR the Tragedie of BAIAZET the second of that name Actus 1. Scena 1. Enter Bassaes Isaack with a Crown in his hand Mustapha with a Scepter Mesithes with a Sword they Crown Corcutus youngest son to Bajazet Isaack LEt the world feel thee and those Demigods Proud with the name of Kings debase themselves To honour thee this Crowne commands as much He crowns him Wherewith I do invest thy happy brow Happy indeed if that succeeding times Shall set up vertue so to lessen crimes Thus from the ashes of dead Solyman Is rais'd another Phoenix great Corcutus Live equally adored when Princes bend To better courses all their subiects mend Must Crowns make not Kings nor can that glittering shew Perfect thine honour take another signe Of thy Imperiall dignity t is thine Gives him the Septer That addes a God-like grace unto thy brow This binds due honour that prostrates every knee Before thy throne then live and may that arme Secure thy subjects from all forraigne harme Mes What seasoned knowledg learnings prudent Queen Hath blest thee with must now initiate thee In the pathes of warre All studied Arts Are but degrees unto some wished end And steps of hope whereby we do ascend Unto the top and levell of our thoughts But Kings then prove most happy when they are Watchfull in peace and provident in warre Those are their utmost ends which that they may O'retake Art and the Sword make fairest way The Muses nours'd thee up and thou didst draw The pleasant juice of learning from their brests In thy first nonage here then we bestow The second help to which good Princes owe Much of their welfare Swords are the first ground Of peace and war they both defend and wound Thus are we vow'd to thee let thy dread fame Thunder amazement through the spacious world That when thou lifts thine arme thy foes may say Showts 3. Not Jove but great Corcutus rules the day Cor. Which that applause hath crowned and with it Will ever spight of traytors joying sit As now we do nor shall my watchfull care Be wanting to you whilst this subtil ayre Feedes mine industrious spirits I shall fill The good with joy by cutting off the ill Corrupted rags of men Jove let me stand An object in thine eye when thy swift hand Fails in the stroke of Justice Vertue returne From thy sad exile I will purge the walls From spotted vice and make this city free To entertaine so faire a Queene as shee Then Bassaes I embrace what you have throwne Upon me and these signes of honour thus Gives them back We re-bestow their power still stayes with us Could this vast body of the Common wealth Stand fast without a soule each man should see I am not greedy of this dignity This burdenous weight which some must undergoe The gods are busied with diviner things And put Earths care into the hands of Kings Actus 1. Scena 2. After some clamors of applause Enter Chersogles and Achmetes at several doores Ach. And is Bajazet arriv'd Che. So fame reports Yet how he doth digest Corcutus Raigne That every Bird sings not but sure with paine A Turkish Bajazet and suffer wrong May for a time conceale his griefe not long Eagles soare high and scorne that shorter Plumes Should reach the clouds which their proud wings can touch Corcutus must not raign to keep the right Due to his father nor will he if he might Enter Isaack Hee 's learned therefore just Arts not allow To weare a Crown due to anothers hrow Isa Dar'st thou oppose his greatnesse is not Greece Already wrackt enough have thy proud Towers reard up their loftie spires which steep'd in blood threw a reflex of red backe to the clouds and blush't at their owe ruins are thy crude wounds already stopt and is that day forgot in which the Turkish Mavors Ottoman wielded a sword of death within thy Walles Charon grew weary with hurrying souls to hell when threescore thousand Greeks in one day fell Chers We know their force and sad experience says Move not again Greece welters stil in blood and every crackling thunder of the heavens speaks the shrill eccho of the Turkish drums Then are we drawn by you so let it be about these great affairs as you decree Ach. This phrase becomes the Greeks submissive states must bend the Conqueror must rule the fates Chers And such are you our vanquisht hearts must bend but bad beginnings have a fatal end Me thinks I see great Bajazet in armes spreading his fearful Ensignes in the ayre like some prodigious Comet we may feare speedy revenge unlesse some quick advice works a prevention of his future hate T is he must sway the Scepter or we shall heare a dreadful defiance ratled in our eare hee 's strong in friends and power
rearward be your charge the right wing yours my self will guide the left this day shall crown your valour in full pride Zemes must down Enter Zemes Armenia two Captains Zem. Time hath out-stript our hast our foes do stand waving their golden plumes as if the gods were come to meet great Zemes in the field their armie 's planted and a distilling cloud hovers about their heads as if it wept at their approaching fate Armenia's King lead you the vanguard under your command the reareward shall march on the Phalance be your care brave Captains as we are inform'd Achmetes rules the left wing of our foe I le rule the right wing of ours so when I meet him in his pride I le prostrate at his feet Arme. Our men are ordered Zemes lead the way the skies look duskie black on this sad day Exeunt Trumpets sound to the battell dumb shews in skirmishes one of Zemes Captains and Cherseogles meet Zemes Captain prevailes his second and Mesithes meet Mesithes retires the King of Armenia and Mustapha meet Armenia prevailes and pursues the battaile Enter Achmetes with his sword Ach. Great Queen of chance but do I call on this unconstant Stepdame be thou propitious Mars rough god of warr steel up this weary arm and put a ten fold vigor in my bones what shall Achmetes fall and in his losse great Bajazet be wrong'd it cannot be Death comes to wound thee Zemes I am he As he goes out the King of Armenia meets him they fight Achmetes makes him retire from the stage and pursues him in his fury enters again at the one door Zemes at the other they meet drums and trumpets sounding Ach. Zemes Zem. Achmetes Opportunely met here staggers all the fortune of the field this hour must blesse me and a single fight purchase thee honour and to me my right honour to thee to die by Zemes hand my right to me an Empire to command Ach. Brave Prince I more lament thy case then can thy self that runnest with such madnesse on the edg of desperate ruin thou art but young weak manhoods soft blossoms are not fully spread upon thy downy chin but riper years have setled the compacture of my joynts and they are strongly knit 't will vex my soul in the clear morn of thy up-rising hopes to wrap thee in a fatal could of death Submit thee to thy brother thou shalt find me thy true friend him merciful and kind Zem. Submit had I a right to Joves high Throne and stood in opposition of his power should all the gods advise me to submit I would reject their counsel much more thine Guard thee Achmetes I thy stroke abide I cannot gore thy Prince but through thy side They fight and breath fight again Achmetes takes away Zemes sword Zem. The day be thine and Zemes stand thy Fate strike home I 've lost the day and life I hate Achm. Have at thee then Offers to run at him with both swords not stirre Now by my sword thou shalt have fayrer play before thy death take back thy sword in that I recommit my forfeit to thy charge thy life with it They fight again and Achmetes wounds him on the head Zemes falls Zem. Oh! hold thy conquering hand and give my soul a quiet passage to her rest my blood begins to wast and a benumming cold freezes my vital spirits Achmetes goe tell Bajazet that thou hast slain his foe Ach. Farwel brave son of Mars thy fame shall stay with us although thy soul flit hence away Zemes. I have not ly'd Achmetes thou hast slain my hopes and therefore me my wounds are shallow but my state desperate Ha! what shall I do Armenia's King is fled back to his home cold entertainment will attend me there the field is empty every man retir'd only a few dead carcasses and I then whither shall I bend my steps to Rome To Rome then let it be Bishop I come th' art a religious thing and I will trust my life to one so innocently just Exit Actus 2. Scena 4. Enter Mahomates Achomates Selymus three of Bajazets sonnes Sely. Indeed we may be thought upon in time when there be countries more then there be men we may get some preferment sit at home and prove good boyes and please our father well Bajazet aside My thoughts are too unbridled I neither can nor will endure thy curbe my comprest valor like the strangled fire breaks out in violent flames and I must rule Trizham and Mahomet are slipt in hast each to their severall province we must stay that are their Elders for another day this Court will prove our scaffold where we stand plac't in the eye of angry Bajazet who thwarts him in his fury is but dead and in that passions heat off goes his head I must not live thus Maho. I could be content He fears not death whose thoughts are innocent Sely. I thank you brother then belike some crimes lie heavy on my conscience and I fear unlesse I shift my station 't will be known You think well of me kind Mahomates Maho. As well as of a brother I can think if by a rash applying to your selfe my words have been distastful blam not me Sely. Can I apply them then unto my selfe am I so loose in manners By heaven and earth thou shalt repent this deeply Acho. Stop that oath brothers agree or walk hence but along into my garden where each springing hearb smiles on my fair content there you shall see how flowers of one stock so twisted are one in the others twinings that they shew one stands by th' others help both joyntly grow these shall suffice your quarrels to remove and dumbe examples teach a lively love Maho. Come let us go Exeunt Mahomates and Achomates Sely. Straight I will follow you Away fond wretches ô that every brest were of so dull a temper as you two But who comes here Enter Corcutus Brother Corcutus whither are you bent what from the court so soon Corcu. My father bids I go to undertake the charge his love hath thrown upon me That 's rich Ionia Sely. You go to rule there Cor. Yes Sel. Heavens speed you well Cor. Dear Selymus adieu Sel. Brother farewell Exit Corcutus Revenge and you three furious twinnes of night ascend up to our theater of ill plunge my black soul twice in your Stygian flood that by it's vertue it may be congeal'd and hardned against remorse Pluto enrich my brest with a diviner policie then every trifling braine can reach unto I le fill the world with treasons and my wit shall put new tracts to death Charon shall see his waftage still in use by company sent thither by my care ô 't will do well to blast the earth with want and furnish hell Exit Actus 2. Scena 5. Enter Isaack Bajazet Isaack Tush vertue makes men fooles Isaack be wise shake off the tender fetters of remorse and hug that chance that opens thee the way to ruinate
Achmetes Did he stand on terms of conscience neighbor-hood or love when he cashier'd my daughter from my house and to the worlds broad eye open'd her crime No he was swift and bitter in his hate and so will I he is but now return'd in triumph from the field as full of pride as I of envy hence I le ground my hate When fierce Bellona smil'd on Bajazet amidst the fiery tumults of the warre she offered Zemes to Achmetes hand they fought Achmetes conquered at his foot fell the proud rebell wounded but not slain there might Achmetes with a blow of death cut off our fears continued in his breath this shall incense the angry Emperor and crush Achmates in his fairest hopes True polititians work by others hands so I will by the Prince my plot stands firme see where he comes now sly Mercurius whet my tongue to kindle hate in Bajazet Enter Bajazet Baja. Isaack how thriv'd Achmetes in his wars Fame is of late grown dumbe of his renown surely unwelcome news clogs her swift wings else had she now bin frequent in our Court and we had fully known the chance of all Isa We had yet could not the event lie so conceal'd but Isaack found it out which when I first discovered straight it wrought tempests of passions in me joy and grief reign'd at one instant in the selfe same brest Bajazet As how Isa As thus I joy'd that Zemes fell was sorry he escap'd Baja. Fell and yet escap'd Isa Beneath Achmetes feet the traytor fell Baja. And yet escap'd good Iove how may this be Isa Thus it might be and was so when sad death was glutted with the ruine of each side when slaughtring Mars had stain'd the field with blood and cast a purple colour o'r the earth at length some milder providence desir'd an end of those hot tumults that were seen to last in Zemes breath so that their fire would be extinct when Zemes should expire then from the middle skirmish forth were brought he and Achmetes being met they fought Zemes was vanquish't by a violent blow which struck him trembling lower then his knees now whether flattering or present gifts redeem'd him from his fate I cannot show something they plotted what none yet can know Baj. Canst thou advise me Isaack how to sound the depth of all his mischief Isa Thus you may He being come from Zemes overthrow and yet luke-warme in blood and full of joy you may in way of honour and free mind call him this night to banquet Then being set when the hot spirits of caroused healths have spoyl'd his wit of smooth and painted tales and wine unlockt the passage for the truth bid him relate the manner of his war the chances and events then when he comes to Zemes if he err about his flight his ends are bad his bosome black as night Baja. Thou art my good Angel Isack I applaud thy faithfull plot Achmetes were thy soule as dark as hell and thy enclosed thoughts as subtill as a winding Labyrinth by such a guide as can remove each doubt and by a clue of thred I 'd track them out But Isack if we trap him in his wiles how shall we kill the traytor we have a trick already strange to catch him in the nick Isa Easily thus Our laws allow a custome not us'd of late yet firme still in effect and thus it is When there doth breath a man direfully hated of the Emperour and he in strickt severity of right cannot proceed against him then he may orewhelme him in a robe of mourning black which we have call'd deaths mantle that thing done the man thus us'd is forfeited to fate and a devoted sacrifice to him whom he had er'st offended neither can strength or intreaty wrest him from his death both which are treason and inexpiable Thus then you may proceed when banquets done and all their comick merriment run on to the last scene and every man expects a solemne gift due to Achmetes worth call for a robe therewith to deck your friend and perfect all his glory let that be this robe of fate in which ready at hand you may intombe the traytor and bewrap his pampred body in a vaile of death so let him die dream not on the event vice is rewarded in it's punishment Baj. I will be fierce and sudden Isaack invite Achmetes to a feast he dies this night Exit Baj. Isa I shall Would not a private warning serve but open penance must correct my child and a severe divorcement quite degrade her of her honour'd matrimoniall rights Were he as strong as steel-like joynted Mars as much applauded through our popular streets as erst Dictator Fabius was in Rome or geat Augustus yet the slave should feel the wrath of an inflamed father light heavy upon his soul that e'r the next sun appear Achmetes all thy glorie 's done Exit Actus 2. Scena 6. Enter Achmetes and Caigubus his son Caigu. I fear'd your safety and devoutly prayed the sword of justice which your hand did sway might be of conquering force Ach. Thy prayers were heard and I am here as safe as I went forth untouch'd by the rough hands of desperate war Nor did I once spie danger in the field but when I fronted Zemes then there met two streams of valor sith on us was set the chance of the whole combat others stood expecting which of us should lose his blood but heaven was just and to compose the strife this sword at one sad blow took thence his life Cai. The heavens were just indeed but who coms here Isaac Mesithes and Bajazets three sons Enter Isaak Mesithes Mahometes Achomates Selymus Ach. They come to gratulate my late success I see their errand foulded in their smiles how chearfully they look upon my joyes Omnes All happinesse attend Achmetes Ach. Thanks Noble friends How fares the Emperor Isaack Well by your guard and he hath sent us now all to invite your presence to a feast we must be frolick and this following night shall Crown your joy with revels and delight or else deprive thy soul of that good light aside Ach. We must be frolick Captains think not then on my loud drums and staring trumpeters such whose strong lungs roar out a bellowing voice would make a man daunce Antick in the fire wee l have a choicer musick and my feet shall tread a neater march then such harsh strains can teach them with more pleasure and lesse pains since it hath pleas'd the Emperor to grace our slender merits thus we shall be there to tast his bounty Mes Wee le lead on before Ach. I le follow you Isa Ne'r to return more aside Exeunt omnes Manent Achmetes and Caigubus Ach. I am happy above envy and my state not to be thwarted with injurious fate I could disburden all my jealous thoughts and shake that currish vice suspicion off from my sincere affection I have worng'd sure I have wrong'd thee Isack thy
chast love cloaks not intended mischief black deceit cannot lie hid under so pure a white but it would cast a coloured shadow out through such a slender vail thy generous thoughts nourish no base detraction thy free love thy profest actions say t' were no just fate that good mens deeds should die by ill mens hate Cai. Pray heaven they do not Ach. Fear not I am guest to Bajazet expected at the feast Exeunt Actus 2. Scena 7. Enter Bajazet and Cherseogles Baja. The day 's far spent is not Achmetes come Chers Not yet great Emperor Baja. Vice-roy of Greece say now there were a man whom my mind honored and I should command to cloath his bodie in a suite of gold studded with gems worth all the Indian shore durst any tongue gainsay it Chers Surely no. Baja. What if I hated him and should command to wrap him in a sable coloured black and sentence him to death Chers Then he must die Baja. My thoughts are troubled Chers What should these questions mean abrupt demands one to confound the other My liege your guests are come Enter Achmetes Isaack Mahomates Achomates Selymus Mesithes Caigubus Baja. Blest be the hour in which I see Achmetes safe return'd Bring in our banquet souldiers boyes kneel round Enter a banquet all kneel A ring of braver lads nere blest the ground supply us here with Nectar give it me takes the cup. Achmetes noble warriour here 's to thee a health to thy blest fortunes it shall run a compleat circle ere the course be done Ach My duty bids me pledge it I return good health to Isaack and in this wee 'l drown'd all conceal'd enmities drinks Isa Iove split me with his thunder if my brest harbour one bad thought when this draught is past and so I greet thy son Health to Caigubus drinks Caig. Mahomates the turn lights next on you drinks Mah I le pledge it freely Viceroy her 's to you drinks Chers Achomates to you I must commen the welfare of Achmetes in this cup. drinks Ach. To you Mesithes thus I prove my love drinks Mes Young Prince I do commit this health to you drinks Sely. I am the last be prodigall in wine fill up my bowle with Nectar let it rise above the goblets side and may it like a swelling Ocean flow above the banks I will exhaust it greedily 't is my due drinkes Omnes Wee 'l drink with Bacchus and his roaring crew Baj. Already done so quickly run about one health to me faith sith you are set to 't here 's a carouse to all Omnes wee 'l pledg it round As they drink round Bajazet riseth and speaks aside Bajaz. 'T is the last draught to some or I shall fail in mine intendments Let a foe escape when he was trampled down beneath his feet There must be treason in it How my blood boils in my brest with anger not the wine could work such strong effect my soul is vext A chafing heat distempers all my blood Achmetes thou must cool it when thy limbs are emptied of that moisture they suck in and thy stain'd bloud unchannel'd from thy veins then shall I be secure a quiet rest shall rock my soul asleep 't is thy last hour must set a period to my restless fears What are you merry friends drink on your course then all arise and now to consummate our happy meeting And shut up our joyes discourse Achmetes of your finisht warrs After an age of woes it proves at last A sweet content to tell of dangers past Let 's know your whole events Achm. Great Emperor Scarce had the rosie day-star from the East display'd her silver colours through the heaven but all the watchful Souldiers ready arm'd dim'd her pale cheeks with their transparent steel and added lustre to the dull-sight morne so stood we in full pride till the bright Sun climing the glassie pavement of the skies rouz'd the slow spirits of the backward foe and urg'd them to the field at length stept forth Zemes in all the trappings of his state And like a well-taught Hector rang'd his troups into their several orders all prepar'd Tiran being fearful stept behind a cloud lest when he saw our limbs bath'd all in bloud and purple streams gush't from our wounded brests like water from their springs he in fear should be eclips'd or startle from his sphear The air was thick and dim our armies joyn'd the skirmishes grew hot and angry Mars inthron'd upon the battlements of heaven left either side to tug with their own strength till their oppressing multitude bore down the justice of our cause and our whole side not daring to withstand scorning to fly stood trembling on the utmost brink of hope then the propitious Gods singled me out Zemes the life and spirit of our foes We met and fought Such was my happy fate that at the first encounter Zemes fell and I disarm'd him when in proud contempt he spit defiance in the face of death open'd his brest and dar'd me to the stroak whereby I might have sent him hence to hell But I in admiration of his worth arm'd his right hand once more and bad him fight Chance did direct my sword upon his head he fell before me and cry'd Achmetes hold I 'me wounded to the death and Captain go tell Bajazet that thou hast slain his foe I left the dying Prince our warrs were done and ceas'd with him by whom they were begun Isaak The plot has took aside Bajaz. Treason by Mahomet I left the dying Prince Isaak Pursue the project Bajaz. Worthy Achmetes well we may give but not reward by gifts and thank but not requite thee I would hate that liberality which would abate the worth of the receiver thy true fame out-strips the length of titles and a name of weighty honour is a slender price to grace thy merits with as for a voice to crown thee after death thou art the choice of everliving glory on thy crest is her abode and when the latest rest of nature hath betrai'd thee to thy grave then shall she print in characters of gold how brave a man thou wast how great how bold though we be dumb yet shall the world uplift thy name and thou shalt live without our gift Yet thy blest fates have not created thee so clearly God-like but some other chance may cross thy greatness and thy high renown the envy of some God may shoulder down then thus wee 'l make thee happy future events ne're shall oppress thy worth nor envious chance blot thy ensuing fame Achmetes know death an immortal gift we thus bestow He casts a gown of black velvet upon him called the mantle of death Caigub. Treason treason O my Father treason Help Janizaries Excurrit Bajaz. Stop the furious youth Exeunt Bassaes Bring in an Heads-man Traytor Zemes dead He lives to see this hand untwine thy thread Enter seven or eight Janizaries with swords drawn What means this outrage Janiz. 1.
Heaven what ever coast affords thee present mansion quickly thence flit hither and present unto my sense thy selfe a feeling substance let me see acknowledge and admire thy majesty Put off that ayry thinnesse which denies me to behold thee with these duller eyes then shall they sending down a powerfull flood rence thy cold members from each drop of blood and so return thee back that thou mai'st soare up to the skies much purer then before Had the just course of nature wrought thee hence I would have made the gods know their offence and back restore thy soul but thou art dead and 't was a fiercer hand that clipt thy thread fiercer and boulder which did ever thrive by mischiefe and once coffind thee alive up in deaths mantle but then would not use such open violence nor durst abuse one of such sacred worth till furie struck his reason dead and made his treacherous hand creepingly stab thee both unseen and foul as if he would have stoln away thy soul But oh Enter Isaack Jsaack But oh indeed Caigub Why what Jsaack As bad a stroke attends thee as thy Father had Princes suspicion is a flame of fire exhal'd first from our manners and by desire of rule is nourish'd fed and rores about till the whole matter dye and then goes out Cai. Unfold a scene of murders Fates work on wee 'l make a path to Heaven and being gon Down from the lofty towers of the skies throw thunder at the Tyrant will he presse the earth with weight of slaught'red carcasses Let him grow up in mischief still shall her wombe gaping reserve for him an empty tombe We do but tread his path and Bassa since it stands upon thee now to cure thy prince of his distemper'd lunacy go fetch the instrument of death whilst I a wretch expect thy sad return Isaack I go and could it stand with mine alleageance sure I should imply my service to a better end then to disrobe the Court of such a friend Exit Cai. He that is judg'd down from a steepy hill to drop unto his death and trembling still expects one thence to push him such a slave doth not deserve to live nor 's worth a grave Then Lachesis thou that divid'st the threed of breath since this dayes Sun must see me dead thus I le prevent thy paine thus I le out-run my fate and in this stroke thy work is done Stabs himselfe Eternall mover thou that whirlst about the skies in circular motion heare me out what I command see that without controule thou make Heaven clear to entertain my soule and let the nimble spirits of the ayre Print me a passage hence up to thy chaire there will I sit and from the Azure sky laugh at obsequious base mortality Vanish my soule enjoy embrace thy fate thus thus thou mount'st above a Tyrates hate Stabs himself dyes Enter Isaack with Executioners Isa We are prevented see the fates command false deeds must dye though by the Actors hand Return to Bajazet and bear that corps Exeunt So now I am alone nor need I fear to breath my thoughts out to the silent ayre my conscience will not hear me that being deaf I may joy freely First thy hated breath Achmetes vanisht next Caigubus fell thus we clime Throans whilst they drop down to hell The glorious eye of the all-seeing sun shall not behold when all our plots are done a greater Prince then Selymus 't is he must share with Jove an equal Majesty But for my self his Engineer I 'le stand above mortality and with a hand of power dash all beneath me into dust if they but crosse the currant of my lust What I but speak 't is Oracle and Law thus I will rule and keep the world in awe Sely. Noble assistant Enter Selymus Mesithes Mustapha Asmehemedes Isa Happy Selymus Sely. 'T is thou must make me so for should I stay waiting my Fathers pleasure I might stand gazing with envy at my Brothers pride my self lying prostrate even beneath their feet Towns Cities Countries and what else soever can give high thoughts content are freely theirs â— only like a spend-thrift of my yeares Idle my time away as if some god had raz'd my name out of the role of Kings which if he have then Isaack be thy hand â—s great as his to print it in again though Bajazâ—t say nay Isaack No more I will an Empire be our hopes that to obtaine wee 'l watch plot fight sweat and be cold again Exeunt Actus 3. Scena 4. Enter Zemes and Alexander Bispop of Rome Bish Cannot my words add solace to your thoughts oh you are gulft too deep in a desire of soveraigne pompe and your high thoughts aspire All the unshadowed plainenesse of my life doth but contract thick wrinckles of mislike in your Majestick brow and you distast morall receipts which I have ministred To cool Ambitions Feaver Zemes. Pardon Sir your holinesse mistakes my malady another sicknesse grates my tender brest and I am ill at heart alas I stand an abject now as well in Natures eye as erst I did in Fortunes is my health fled with mine honour and the common rest of man grown stranger to me in my grief some unknown cause hath bred through all my blood a colder operation then the juice of Hemlock can produce O wretched man look down propitious Godheads on my woes Phoebus infuse into me the sweet breath of cheerefull health or else infectious death If there an Angel be whom I have crost in my tormented boldnesse and these griefes are expiatory punishments of sin now now repentance strike quite through my heart enough of paines enough of bitter smart have ty'd me to 't I have already bin bolted from joy content can enter in not at the open passage of my heart I neither hear nor see nor feel nor touch with pleasure my vexation is so much my grave can only quit me of annoy that prevents mischief which can bring no joy Exit Bish Now I could curse what mine own hand hath don and wish that he would vomit out the draught of direful poyson which infects his blood Ambitious fire why 't is as clean extinct as if his heart were set beneath his feet grief hath boil'd out the humours of vain pride and he was meer contrition Enter a messenger What 's the news Messen Zemes as now he left you pale and wan dragging his weake leggs after him did fall dead on the stony pavement of the Hall not by unhappy chance but as he walkt folding his arms up in a pensive knot and railing at his Fate as if he stag'd the wounded Priam or some falling King so he oft lifting up his closing eye sunk faintly down groan'd out I dye I dye Bish It grieves my soul let Bajazet know this could our own shortned life but lengthen his by often sighs I would transfuse my breath into his brest and call him back from death Exit Actus 3. Scena 5. Enter
What stranger 's this my blessed Genius haunts me Isaack I take thee in with open love What speaks thy Presence Isa Good newes to Selymus Sely. From whom Isa From Bajazet Sely. 'T is strange if good Isa And full as good as strange March quickly hence I 'le tell you as we walk if constant Chance smile on our project e're this Sun go down we may salute you with a glorious Crown Sely. I follow even to death Grand Mars to thee I 'le build an Altar if thou prosper me Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 4. Enter Achomates and Souldiers Acho. Revenge my black impiety each brow seemes with a scornful laughter to deride those empty Menaces of Bajazet And Bajazet is not our Father now sith he hath wrong'd the duty of a Son but a scorn'd Enemy whose prostrate soul shall make a step by which I will ascend up to the radiant throne of heavenly State if you but lend your help and free consent Souldiers Lead us along the mysty banks of hell through Seas of danger and the house of death we are resolv'd to follow one by one to second each step of Achomates Acho. This resolution is as great as just continue it brave spirits he 's a slave that having sinn'd dares not defend his sin The world shall know I dare For though our cause be wrong yet wee 'l make good the breach of laws Exeunt Actus 5. Scena 5. Enter Bajazet and Corcutus Cor. Would I had slept with Trizham and that hand that strangled Mahomet had stopt my breath rather then live to see my selfe thus wrong'd Baja. Despaire not sweet Corcutus what I promis'd I 'le keep most true and here again I vow when I am dead this honour to thy brow I have call'd home that rebel Selymus only to tame a Traytor And that done we have no other heire no other son beside Corcutus to whose free command we do bequeath the duty of this land Enter Mesithes and Mustapha Is Isaack not return'd Mesi My Liege he is Musta And Selymus with him Baja. Let them approach Enter Selymus and Isaack as they enter speak Isa Let your high spirit shrink below it self in a dissembled shew of penitence Sely. Tush I can bow as if my joynts were oyld and tumble at his feet Isa Practise your skill Selymus fals at Bajazets feet Bajâ— Lesse shew and more good meaning Selymus Arise these crouching feates give slender proofes of inward loyalty Sely. Right noble Father mine expedition to avenge your cause upon the head of proud Achomates be my just trial Baja. Hast then May thy arm by breathless treason raise up a full joy and turn that monster back unto the earth from whence it leapt A most prodigious birth Sely. We flie to the performance who both dare and will correct his boldnesse now we tread the path to honour and methinks I heare the peoples Vivat Eccho in mine eare Exit Selymus with the Bassaes Baja. New insolence The Bassaes slipt away How the obsequious villaines honour him as if he were their Godhead Cherseogles I suspect some plotted mischief else they durst not leave your person thus unguarded Baja. Plot and hang. We weigh not all their treasons at a straw one must not rule too long 't is subjects law Exeunt Passe over the stage Bassaes and Souldiers carrying Selymus aloft and crying out Long live Selymus Vivat Selymus Magnificent Emperor of the Turks Exeunt Enter Bajazet and Cherseogles Baja. Hell and the furies vex their damned souls What people Ha! what Nation is' t we live in Is' t our State and Monarchy Good gods two Emperors at once Live Selymus Can slavish vassals thus supplant their Prince What 's this enshrines my head a type for fooles to flear at a divided ornament Faile not my sense and courage let me live to finde my self again Vize-roy of Greece didst thou not see a Bajazet withdraw and vanish hence tell thou most faithful man what is become of that forgetful name or who hath stole it from me Selymus Oh that damn'd viliaine with his treacherous plot hath rob'd me of that glory Death of sense I have a soul of Adamant or Steel else had that hated noise reft it in twain Enter Mesithes What art thou or whence com'st thou Mesi From a Prince Ba. Yet I believe thee Mesi From thine enemy Ba. Yet I believe thee Mesith From the Emperour Baja. And I beleeve thee still yet slave thou liest these pâ—rts must know no Emperour but me unlesse base usurpation hath stept up unto my chaire of honour Right 't is so 't is so indeed Wel then what wil your Emperour Mesi That by my hand you yeeld him up his crown Baja Traytor his crown so now I am resolv'd I have forgone my selfe else had this hand tore out thy spottedheart and that one word of yeelding had been cause enough to spoyle thee and thy generation Heartlesse slave why sneak'st thou from our presence stay behold here commend this gorgeous ornament these trappings to thy Emperour as full bestead with curses as my heart with woes that it my clogge his eares and vex his head with daily terrours Hence thy prince is sped Exit Mesithes Vize-roy of Greece to thee our last farewell thou worthiest truest best deserving man that ever made us happy if thy faith respect me not my fortune do this charge fly to Achomates and rather aide him then this faithlesse Bastard Selymus the scandall of our race the mark for heaven to shoot revenge But all in vaine I strive to word away my inward paine Cherseo Nor this nor that I 'le favour may I speed Bajazet shall live to see both bleed Exit Baja. Maske up thy brighthesse Phoebus lovely night hurle thy thick mantle over all the heavens let this black day for ever be forgot in the eternall registers of time which of you sacred powers are not asham'd to see a Prince so sinfully abus'd by his owne issue and unreveng'd Enter Selymus and Bassaes But stand we who comes here a face of brasse else would it blush now thou Saturnine Jove thou God of great men thunder that the world drench'd all in sin may shake and feare that noise that horrid scourge of villanies Sely. Father Baja. Slave avaunt I feele a strong Antipathy t'wixt thee and me thy sight makes my dead heart distill fresh drops of blood and work new smart Exit Sely. What furious Bajazet and raging hot I hugge the amorous pleasure that I feel creep through my joynts Observe our Father Exeunt Bassaes else by some wilfull murder hee 'le prevent my purpos'd project I 'de not lose the guilt of his destruction for a crown heaven knows I love him better then to let him digge himself a grave whilst I may take the paines Now mount my soul and let my soaring plumes brush the smooth surface of the Azure skie Crown in his hand With this I charme obeysance from the world thou golden counterfeit of
all the heavens see how the shining starres in carelesse ranks grace the composure and the beauteous Moone holds her irregular motion at the height of the four poles this is a compleat heaven and thus I weare it But methinks 't is fixt but weakly on my brow whilst there yet breath any whose envie once reflect on it and those are three the angry Bajazet puling Corcutus proud Achomates One of these three is car'd for that 's Corcutus who ere the blushing morn salutes the Sun shall be dispatcht by two most hideous slaves whom I have bred a purpose to the fact The other rival wise Achomates I 'le bear a side by force of men and armes which ready Mustred but attend the stroke Then attend our Fathers Enter Hamon Here 's one deales for him shall send him quick to hell It is decreed he that makes lesser greatness soon shall bleed Hamon draw near most welcome my dear Hamon what guesse you of your patient Bajazet Is he all healthful Ham. No my gracious prince Neither his body nor his mind is free from miserable anguish Sely. A sad case Hamon I love him would rid him from 't were I so skill'd in naturals as you Ham. All that my art can work to cure his grief shall be applied Sely. Unapprehending fool I must speak broader Hamon is he ill in minde and body both Ham. Exceeding ill Sely. Then should I think him happier in his death then in so hateful life and so weak breath Ham. And that 's the readier way to cure his ill Sely. H 'as found me now But Hamon can thy Art reach to the cure Ham. With easie diligence Sely. Then let it Ham. I 'me yours Exit Hamon Sely. Walk and thy paines shall be rewarded highly with the like as thou bestowest on Bajazet the Court makes it a fashion now first to bring the event about and then hang up the instrument Actus 5. Scena 6. Enter Cherseogles above disguised like a common Souldier Chers Thus Cherseogles hast thou wound thy self out of thy self to act some fearful plot by which the Authors of this publick woe shall skip into their graves It is confirm'd a deed of lawful valour to defeat those of their lives that rob'd the world of peace On this side the false hearted Selymus with his confederate Bassaes lie incampt just opposite the proud Achomates The Sun now sunk into the VVestern lap bids either part unlace their warlike helmes until to morrow light where both intend the hazard of a battel but you powers that with propitious cares tender the world and us frail mortals help me to prevent a general ruine by the fall of some assist my spirits in a deed of blood cruel yet honest and austerely good VVho Selymus as I expected Enter Selymus Sely. VVhat A souldier thus licentious in his walks a stranger Ha! VVhat art thou Che. A sworn friend a servant to thy greatness Sely. Then return back into thy ranks and orders no edict from me hath ratified this liberty to scout at randome from the standing camp Cher. 'T is true my honour'd Lord nor have I dared for some poor trivial prey thus to remove my self but for a cause of greater weight the ruine of our enemies Sely. How 's that The ruine of our enemies Cher. No lesse The quick fall of great Achomates can work it Sely. Souldier as thou hop'st to live mock not my thoughts with false and painted tales of a supposed stratagem Cher. I sweare Sely. What wilt thou sweare Cher. By all the heavenly powers I speak the truth and if I fail in ought grind mine accursed body into dust Sely. Enough unfold the meaning and the way by which this happy project must be wrought Cher. 'T is thus at the 12th hour of this black night Achomates I have induc'd to walk forth to this valley weapon'd but unmand in expectation of your presence there where being met hee 'l urge a single fight 'twixt you and him after a stroake or two I have ingag'd my self closely to start from ambush and against you take his part Sely. Then thou art a traytor Cher. Worse then a divel should my heart have made that promise with my tongue but heaven bear witness that my inward thoughts labour his welfare only whom you powers have prov'd most worthy therefore only yours Meet but this foe whom I have flattered thus to his destruction and great Selymus shall see my strength imployed to offend Achomates and stand thy faithful friend Sely. Oh wert thou faithful Cher. If I shrink in ought that I profess death shall strike me to the grave so thrive all falshood and each perjur'd slave Sely. Th' ast won our credit bear a noble mind about thee then to find me forward trust this night when sleep triumphant hath subdu'd her wakeful subjects and the mid-night clock sounded full twelve in this appointed place expect my presence and till then adieu our next shall be a tragick enterview Chers The first is car'd for here a second comes Enter Achomates Assist me thou quick issue of Joves brain and this one night shall make their labors vain Acho. It shall be so my fears are too to great to joyn all in one on-set a strong band shall with a circle hem the traytor round and intercept the passage of their flight How now from whence com'st thou what art thou Cher. A Liege-man to Achomates Acho. To me Cher. Yes noble Prince and one whose life is vowd to further your desert and therefore yours Acho. We thank you and pray you leave us Cher. I can unfold an easie stratagem would crown the hopes of great Achomates Acho. What means the fellow Cher. to secure your state by Selymus his fall Acho. What i' st thou breath'st speak it again for many careful thoughts possesse my Soul that every blessed voice steales in the passage twixt my eare and haste By Selymus his fall to secure my state Cherse I can Achom. Delude me not and I will rain such an unmeasured plenty in thy lap heap such continuall honors on thy head that thou shalt shrink and stagger with the waight Cher. Judge of the means This night I have induc'd young Selymus to walk forth in this grove at the twelfth hour in hope to meet you here where having urg'd a combat and both met in eager conflict I have pawn'd my vow to rush from yonder thicket and with him joyne against you Acho. Villaine Cher. And Divel had my heart made promise with my tongue but heaven bears witness that my soul affects none but Achomates Try but my faith and meet this foe whom I have bayted thus with golden hopes and you will finde my deed in your defence all promise shall exceed Acho. I 'm resolv'd souldier when day is past and the full fancies of mortality busie in dreames and playing visions at the sad melancholy hour of twelve I le meet thee in this plaine Cher. And you shall find
thy god Apollo teach thee to divine my fall What hath thy cursed Genius tract my steps through the Meanders of dark privacie and will he dwell with me in these close shades to vex my banisht soul banisht from joy remov'd from the worlds eye I am accurs'd and hated by the Synod of the gods a knot of envious deceits the day will be when they shall smart for this indignity Enter solemn Musick the Ghost of Mahomates Zemes Trizham Mahomet Achmetes Caigubus Asmehemides with each a sword and burning Tapers led in by Nemesis with a sword they encompasse Bajazet in his bed Nem. Triumph my Plantiffes Nemesis your Queen is pierc'd quite through with your continual groanes See see the prostrate body of a King clad in the weedes of pining discontent lieth open to your wrath and doleful hate But I conjure you not to touch his skin nor hurt his sacred person those three Fates those frightful sisters told me they decree for Bajazet another destinie But vex his soul with your deluding blows and let him dream of direful anguishments each in the proper order of his Fate vent the comprest confusion of his hate One after another strike at Bajazet with their swords Nemesis puts by their blows Exeunt in a solem dance Neme. Awake awake thou tortured Emperor look with the eye of fury on the heavens threaten a downfall to this mortal stage and let it crack with thee thy life is run to the last Scene thy Tragick part is done Exit Bajazet awakes in fury ariseth You meager divels and infernal haggs where are you Ha! what vanisht am I found Did I not feele them teare and rack my flesh and scramble it amongst them Heaven and earth I am deluded what thin ayrie shapes durst fright my soul I 'le hunt about the world search the remotest angles of the earth till I 've found out the clymate holds these fiends or build a bridg by Geometrick skill whom lineal extension shall reach forth to the declining borders of the skie on which I 'le lead mortality along and break a passage through the brazen walls from whence Jove triumphs o're this lower world then having got beyond the utmost sphere besiege the concave of this universe and hunger-starve the gods till they confess what furies did my sleeping soul oppresse Ha! did it lighten or what nimble flame ha's crept into my blood me thinks it steals through my distemper'd joynts as if it fear'd to urge me to impatience Hamon accursed Hamon stand my soul above the power of these invenom'd drugs Am I in hell alive the Stygian flames could not produce an heat so violent as burns within my body Oh I feel my heart drop into cinders I am dust Jove for thine own sake Jove confine my soul within these walls of earth for in the skie when I am there none shall be Jove but I. Still still I boyle and the continued flames are aggravated He is done subdu'd by the base Art of a damn'd Emperick whose empty name sent terrour through the world Is not the heaven bespangl'd all with starrs and blazing Meteors whose bright glimmering flames like ceremonial Tapers should adorne my solemne Hearse what doth the golden Sun ride with it's wonted motion are the waves bridled within their narrow Continent No deluge not an earthquake shall a Prince an Emperor a Bajazet decease and make no breach in nature fright the world with no prodigious birth Are you asleep you thundring Beggards that so awe the world I 'le hasten to revenge this strong neglect of my deceasing spirits mount my soul brush off this cloddy heavy element So Jove I come excorporate divine immortal as thy self I must contest with thee proud god with thee to arme my mind only my soul ascends earth stayes behind Moritur Enter the Ghosts as before and bear him out Actus 5. Scena 10. Enter Solymon as newly Crowned Souldiers Attendants warlike Musick Soly. Is Selymus deceased Sould. He is my Lord. Soly. Who Selymus what Fate durst be so bold Oh I could act an holy frenzy now Selymus deceas'd What did not Atlus tremble at such a burden Can he support the Orb that holds up Selymus is not yet the Pole crackt with his weight do not the heavens prepare his funeral Exequies Jove I invoke thee now command the heavens that the prone Chandler shops command that idle Phoebus that he exhale matter from earth to make thy Funeral Tapers Or I 'le make Torches of the universe in stead of Comets flaming Countries Cities shall be thy ceremonial Tapers Or if not this I 'le ransack Christendome Kings Daughters I 'le embowel for a Sacrifice their fat with vestal fire will I refine and offer virgins wax unto thy shrine Start back bright Phoebus let thy fiery Steeds keep Holyday for Selymus Tell thy host proud Neptune now expects another deluge that all the earth may weep for Selymus What do you smile you heavens are ye conscious and guilty of this execrable treason What dare the fields to laugh to when I do mourn I 'le dye your motly colour'd weedes in scarlet and cloath the world in black destruction Nemesis I 'le nayl thee to my greedy sword destruction shall serve under me a Prentiship Courage brave Selymus with thy Princely boat through Styx even all mortality shall float I 'le leavy Souldiers through the Universe with which thou shalt begirt Elizeum Thus barren Nature shall repent thy fall grieving that she did not the event fore-stall Death I will hate thee the world shall wear thy sable livery embroydred with fear Thy Trophies every where the world shall gaze on Thy Armes in sable and in gules I 'l blazon Soul My Lord this Crown intreats you leave off these ground-creeping meditations and to think of Majesty wherefore we invest your brow with this rich robe of glory and do vow to it our due alleageance thus you shall mount up aloft above your Fathers fall Soly. Thus our deare Father those bright robes of state for which so lately thou hast sweat in blood thou wear'st upon my shoulders in thy stead thus are we crown'd and thus our labours be made gainful unto thine though not to thee Sould. Live then and raign most mighty Emperor whilst that our care and watchful providence shall fence thy safety and keep Sentinel over thy sacred person were black treasons hatcht in the Center of the darkest earth the massie element should be prospective for all our piercing eyes should Pluto send his black Apparator to summon thee to appear before him by that Mahomet we would confront him boldly and excuse thy absence unto Pluto by our presence death we 'le disarm thee if thou dar'st arrest thy fury on our Solymon or we 'le bale his person with our imprisonment By our death thou shalt live our City walls may with warlike ruine be battered but our alleageance that European Bull shall ne'r push from us with his golden hornes nor shall his
Emperors nor all the Gemmes that so inwreath the browes can so allure Fortune unto their gaze as she should still be constant O she 's blind nor doth she know her selfe where she is kind Those those are Kings and Queenes whose brest 's secure like brazen walles Lust's entrance not endure Where impotent ambition not intrudes nor the unstable talke of multitudes Fortune serves such they happiness command more than all Lybia's gold all Tagus sand as heaven hath given us no more conspicuous things than forme or beaury so like a forward spring Nothing more short Menthe. Madam divine not of a change Beliefe is too too prone in entertaining griefe Eum. Our Lord attends to enter in and surely sleepe envyeth his delight for he sits heavy on my drowsie lids draw all our Curtaines sleepe be guiles our eares Men. Madam good night time helpes suspicious fears Exit Menthe. This Song is to be sung in the Musick roome to soft Musicke now when she lookes she 's dreaming sent to Elisium Drop golden showers gentle sleepe And all the Angels of the Night Which doe us in protection keepe Make this Queene dreame of delight Morpheus be kind a little and be Deaths now true Image for 't will prove To this poore Queene that then thou art hee Her grave is made i' th Bed of love Thus with sweet sweets can Heaven mix gall And marriage turne to Funerall Scaena 3. Actus 2. Enter Amurath in his Night robes a Taper in his hand seemes much disturbed speakes Amur. Turke Amurath slave nay something baser King For all airy titles which the Gods have blasted man withall to make them swell with puft up honour and ambitious wind this name of King holds greatest antipathy with manly government for if we waigh 'T is subjects and not Kings beare all the sway Each whispered murmur from their idle breath condemnes a King to infamy to death Were there a Metempseucosis of soules and nature should a free Election grant what things they afterwards would reinforme the vaine and haughtiest minds the Sun ere saw Would chuse it's Cottage in some Shepherds flesh nay be confin'd within some Dog or Cat than Antique-like pranck in a Kings gay-clothes Were I no King and had no Majesty I had more then all Kings blest liberty And without rumor might enjoy my choyce not fearing Censure of each popular voyce Poore men may love and none their wils correct but all turne Satyres of a Kings affect O my base greatnesse What disasterous starre profest it selfe a Midwife at my birth to shape me into such prodigious States But hence regard of tongues Were we a Saint some envious tongue would dare our names to taint and he from slander is at securest rest not that hath none but that regards it least Open you envious Curtaines here 's a sight Drawes the Curtain that might commend the act of Love so Chast Were now the chariot-guider of the Sunne weary o's taske and would intreat a day of Heaven to rest in here 's a radiant Looke that might be fixt i th' midst o th' Axletree and in despight of darke conspiring Clouds she would out-shine Sunne Moone and all the Stars O I could court thee now my sweet a fresh mixing a kisse with every period Telling the Lillies how they are but wanne earth in the vernant spring is dull and darke compar'd with this aspect the Aeasterne ayre fann'd with the wings of Mercury and Jove infectious but compar'd with this perfume Hence then th' ambition of that furious * youth Alexis who knew not what a crime his rashnesse was I might orecome more Kingdomes have more dominion enthrone my selfe an Emperor o th' world I might I might Amurath thou mightst The Christians now will scoffe at Mahomet Perchance they sent this wretch thus to inchant me O my perplexed thoughts Tush I le to bed should the commanding Thunder of the Gods prohibite me or strike me in the act Talke on vaine rumor fame I dare thy worst Call me a Lusty Lazy wanton coward should I win all the world my breath once fled my bad would still survive all good be dead Eumorphe sweet I come you sacred powers who have bestowed some happenssse on man to helpe to passe away this sinful life Grant me a youthfull vigor yet a while full veines free strength compleat and manly sense to know and take a beauty most immense Scena 4. Actus 2. Amurath makes haste to the Bed on a suddaine enter Schahin disguised like the Ghost of Orchanes father to Amurath Scabin Amurath Amurath Amurath Divel Divel what Dar'st thou appeare before an Angell Fiend Scah. O Amurath why doth intemperate Lust raging within thy furious youthfull veines burst through thy fathers Tombe Disturbe his soule Know all the torments that the fabulous age dream't did afflict deceased impious Ghosts heartbiting-hunger and soule-searching thirst the ne're consumed yet ever eaten prey that the devouring Vulture feeds upon are not such tortures as our off-springs crimes They they sit heavy on us and no date Makes our compassionate affection cease O thou hereditary Ulcer hearke by the name of Father and by all those cares which brought me to my grave to make thee great Thou that hast nothing of me but my crowne My enterprize surpast the boundlesse Sea cutting the churlish Waves of Hellespont when the flood stood which wind for to obey Euxinum groan'd beneath my burdenous ships I was the first of all the Turkish Kings that Europe knew and the fond Christians plague What coward blood ran flowing in my veines when thou wert first begot who marrest all thy Fathers acts by thy untam'd desires Wherefore with Stygian curses I will lade thee First may she prove a Strumpet to thy Bed be her lips poyson and let her loose embraces be venemous as Scorpions If she conceive a Generation from thee let it be as ominous as thou hast beene to me Rebellious to thy Praecepts printing cares upon thy aged browes O may they prove as Faries for to lash thee in thy rest But Amurath if thou canst quench this flame if thou wilt cut this Gordian thred and rend hence that putrid Wenne which cleaves unto they flesh be all thine actions prosperous Mahomet shall be auspitious unto each designe Fortune to shew thee favour shall be proud Farewel If what men doe speake last before they die take root then dead mens should take more Exit Schahin Amur. What art thou vanisht Know thou carefull spright thou shalt no sooner pierce the wandring clouds with unperceived flight than my resolve shall expiate my former Vanity Looke on thy sonne thou airy intellect and see him sacrifice to thy command Now Titan turne thy breathing coursers backe start hence bright day a sable Cloud invade this universall Globe breake every prop and every hindge that doth sustaine the Heavens For straight must die a woman I have nam'd a crime that may accuse all Nature guilty The Sexe wisely considered deserves a
they shall know no place is free from wrath when boyling bloud is stirr'd in Amurath Exeunt An alarme excursions fight within Enter at one doore a Christian at another a Turke fight both kild so a new charge the Turkes kill most Enter Lazarus Schahin kils him Enter Eurenoses Cobelitz they fight Cobelitz faints falls for dead A showt within a token of Victory on the Turkes side a Retrait sounded Scena 4. Actus 5. Enter above Amurath Bajazet Nobles to see the spoyle Schah. Here mighty Prince take view of Victory and see the field too narrow for thy spoyles Erynnus hides her head as if afraid to see a slaughter she durst never hope for Earth hath the Carkasses and denies them Graves and lets them ly and rot and fat her wombe scorning to be unto the slaves a Tombe Am. Where are become those ominous Comets now What are those pissing Candles quite extinct leave their disacterous snuffes no stench behind them 't is something yet that their God seeth their slaughter lending sulphurious Meteors to behold the blest destruction of these Parasites I knew the Elements would first untye the Nerves of th' Universe then let me dye Here Cobelitz riseth as awakt amazed leaning on his Sword stumbling ore the dead bodies lookes towards Amurath Euren. See King heres 's one worme yet that dare confesse he breaths and lives which once this hand crusht downe Amur. Ha ha by Mahomet and we are weary now Some Mercy shall lay Victory asleepe It will a Lawreat prove to this great strife ' mongst all these murdred to give one his life so we 'll descend He goeth from aloft Cob. From what a dismall grave am I awak'd entomb'd within a Golgatha of men Have all these Soules prevented me in blesse and left me in a dreame of happinesse But soft me thoughts he sayd he would descend Then Heavens one minutes breath that 's all I aske and then I shall performe my lifes true taske Amurath descends on the Stage Cobelitz staggers towards him Amur. Poore slave wouldst live Here Cobelitz is come to him seeming to kneele stabs him with a pocket Dagger Cob. Yes Turke to see thee dye Howle howle grim Tartar yel thou grisly Wolfe force forth the bloud from out thy gaping Wound Dii tibi non mortem quae cunctis poena paratur Sed sensum post fata tuae dent impie morti Amur. My spirit makes me not to feele thy weapon Hold you crackt Organs of my shattered life I 'm not toucht yet can I not mocke my death and thinke 't is but a dreame tells me I 'm hurt Dar'st thou then leave me bloud Canst be so bold as to forsake these veynes to flow on Earth And must I like th' unhappy Roman dye by a slaves hand Cob. Tyrant 't is knowne He 's Lord of others lives that scornes his owne Am. I that could scarce ere sleepe can I ere die And will none feare my life when I am dead Tortures and torments for the murderer Cob. Ha ha ha Leaning on his sword I thanke thee great omnipotent that I shall here laugh out the lag end of my life Am. Villaine thy laugh wounds worse then did thy Dagger Are you Lethargick Lords in cruelty Cob. Nay heare me Turke now will I prompt their rage Locke me up in the Bull of Phalaris cut off these eye-lids bid me then out-gaze the parching Sunbeames flea this tender skin set nests of Hornets on my rawest flesh let the Siconian Clouds drop brimstone on me powre boyling Lemnos on my greenest wounds put on my shoulder Nessus poyson'd shirt bind all these bloudy faces to my face Racke me Procrastes like The Lord that holds up Amurath offers to touch his wounds Amur. Hell oh I cannot brooke your smallest touch Cob. Ha Ha! each groane is Balsome to my wounds I am perfect well Bajazet offers to kill Gobelitz a Nobleman holds his hand Schah. Rascall dar'st deride us Cob. Yea and while your witty furies shall invent for me some never heard of punishment I see a guard of Saints ready to take me hence Take then free flight my new rewarded soule and seate thee on the winged Seraphims hast to the Empyreum where thy welcome shall be an Haleluia anthem'd forth By the Chorus of the Angell-Hierarchy Pierce with swift plumes the concave paths o th' Moone Where the black aire enlightened is with starres Stay not to wonder there at wandring Signes at bi-horn'd Gemini or Amphions Harpe at Arctos or Bootes or the Beare Which are to please wizard Astrologers Soare higher with thy pitch and then looke downe to laugh at the hard trifles of the world Perchance some oft have knowne a better life Never did one ere leav ' it more willingly Am. Feare your death Gods for I have lost my life and what I most complaine my tyranny Cob. Soule to detaine thee from thy wished rest were but an envious part arise farewell To stay thee to accuse or fate or man would shew I were unwilling yet to leave thee But deare companion hence cut through the ayre let not the grosenesse of my Earth ore-lime thy speedy wings fly without weight of crime He dyes Am. O now have I and Fortune try'd it out With all her best of favours was I crown'd and suffred her worst threats when most she frown'd Stay Soule a King a Turke commands thee stay Sure I am but an actor and must strive to personate the Tragicke ends of Kings And so to winne applause unto the Scene with fained passion thus must graspe at death O but I see pale Nemesis at hand Art thou dull fate and dost not overspread Cimmerian wings of death throughout the world What Not one Earthquake One blazing Comet T' accompany my soule t' his Funerall Is not this hour the generall period to nere returning time Last breath command a new Deacalions deluge that with me the world may swim to his Eternall Grave Cracke hindge that holds this globe and welcome death Wilt thou not stay Soule Friend not stay with Kings Sinke then and sink beneath the Thracian Mount Sinke beneath Athos be the Brackish Waves Of Acheron thy Tombe I le want a Grave So all parts feare which first my Corps shall have For in my Grave I le be the Christians foe here like a massie pyramide I le fall I le strive to sinke all the whole fabricke with me quake pluto for 't is I that come a turke tyrant and a conquerour and with this groane like thunder will I cleave the timerous earth whilst thus my last I breath He dyes Bajaz. O easie powers to give us all at first but in their losse they make us most accurst Here all the Nobles kneele to Bajazet Schah. The Taper of your Fathers life is spent We must have light still and adore a Sunne that next is rising therefore mighty Prince upon your shoulders must the pondrous load of Empire rest Bajaz. Why Lords we have a Brother who as in
top there should one spreading branch grow up and flourish Aegyst Now thou art thy self yes yes my love there shall one spring from us shall be a lofty Pine let this be cropt murder must murder guard guilt add to guilt after one drop whole streams of blood be spilt walks away Scen. 3. Enter Pylades Orestes Electra Strophius Pyl. Dear friend what mean you to o'rwhelm your self in such a sea of grief Orest Father deare Agamemnon Pyl. Nay cease this tempest thou hast lost a father why 't is but change my father shall be thine I 'll be thy brother nay I 'll be thy selfe weep when thou weep'st and where thou go'st I 'll goe and bring thee on thy pilgrimage of woe Elect. Brother look up have not I lost a father yes yes and would a river of fresh teares turne Lethes stream and bring him from the wharf with a North gale of windy blowing sighs I would expire my soul become all teares Stro. Come you have lost a father I a brother the Queen a Husband all the Land a King yet all this but a man therefore must dye Our woes may all be in one balance poys'd His book of life the Fates had over-read and turn'd the leafe where his last period stood Now an immortal wreath circles his brow and makes him King in heaven who was before at most a God on earth Hence difference springs Kings are earths Gods and Gods are heavenly Kings Orest Let us joyne words then now and Swan-like sing the doleful dirge to a departed King Thou friend didst of this misery divine therefore the burthen of the song is mine words Orators for woe which plead the cause when griefe 's the judge and sighs are all the laws each one a sob for Diapason beares our tunes shall drown the musick of the spheares O what Hirudo with unsatiate thirst could draw the blood from out those Princely veines from whence flow'd comfort to so many souls Spies his mother goes to her Mother when wept you last here take a scarf dry your eyes now by you need none what shine of comfort hath dry'd up your teares Clyt. Our son 's too sawcie with his mother Queen Why Sir shall you tell us a time to weep Orest Us good Who is' t makes the plurality 'T was wont to be my father does he live Clyt. Sir curb this lavish speech or I 'll forget you are my son and make you but a subject Aegyst Good Cousin add not disobedience unto your mothers griefs Orest My mother no she is not here no she hath hid her self in some odd nooke or angle unperceiv'd she might not see this impious stygian world Cly. Aegystus canst thou still suffer thy dull sword i' th sheath Take the rank head from this o'r-growing weed Stro. Remember Clytemnestra he 's your son Clyt. He is so and I 'll learn him to be so Had I a brazen bull it should be heat hotter then for the Tyrant Disobedient More harsh then Adders hisses is thy voyce Sir you shall dye but with a living death he still shall live but live to know he dies who strait threats death knows not to Tyranize Exeunt Aegystheus Clytemnestra Stro. What temper 's grown on the distracted Queen Hath grief conceiv'd for her late husbands death brought her so far she hath forgot her self Orest No Uncle no by I do suspect O my prophetick soul divines much ill Well I will flie But hear this stratagem it shall be rumor'd i' th eare of the Court I was found dead I 'll put a new shape on and live alone to heare how things go here Pyl. Nay not alone Orestes whilst I live shouldst make thy bed upon the rigid Alps or frozen Caucasus wrapt in sheets of snow I 'd freeze unto thy side we will tell tales of Trojan warriers and deposed Kings Tell of strange shipwrack of old Priams fall how mad Andromacha did teare her hayre when the wild horses tore brave Hectors limbs Wee 'l think they all do come and weep with us grief loves companions and it helpeth woe when it heares every one groane forth his Oh! it easeth much and our plaints fall more sweet when a whole consort in one tune do meet The half-dead ship-man which hath shipwrack borne seeing many drown'd it makes him lesse to mourn It made Deucalion care the lesse to die when he had all the world in company Thus we will sit and our teares turnes shall keep thou for thy father I for thee will weep If actors on the Stage having no cause but for to win an hearers hands applause can let fall teares wee 'l think we Actors be and only do but play griefs Tragedie Orest O but deare friend should we but act a part the play being ended passion left the heart and we should share of joy but my whole age must never move from off this woful Stage But we must take our leave Uncle farwel remember what I spake and Sister you must tarry here my thoughts shall busied be to finde the man that let my father blood Can I but finde Aegystheus did consent to spill one drop O I would pierce his heart with venom'd daggers and so butcher him that all Apollos skill in physicke hearbs nor Aesculapius th' Epidaurian God should keepe his soule out of Enio's hand Come my deare friend to all the rest farewell If heaven relate it not I 'll know 't from hell Exeunt Pylades Orestes Scena 4. Enter Aegysteus Clytemnestra Mysander Strophius Electra another way Aegyst What is Orestes fled sure there 's some plot if you deare Queen but search Electra well you 'll finde she knowes whither her brothers gone Clyt. If in her heart there be but lodg'd a thought unknown to mee this hand shall rip her brest and search her inparts but I 'll finde it out Mysander call Electra Aegist O were that moat tane from our comforts beams no cloud e'r then could overshade our joyes his life must be cut off without delay mischiefe by mischiefe findes the safest way But here 's Electra Cly. Why how now Minion what a blubbering still Huswife pray where 's your brother wher 's my sonne Elect. Mother pray where 's my father wher 's your husband Enter Stropheus and speaks Haile to my my gracious Queene here 's one at doore brings you a message hee will not relate to any but your selfe he saies t is sad Clyt. Why the more dismal the more welcome ' t is But as for you Elect. Good mother do your worst no plague can ever make me more accurst nothing is worse then death that I 'll not flie Clyt. Yes life is worse to those that faine would die But where 's the messenger Scena 5. Enter Nuncius What whirlwinde rising from the womb of earth doth raise huge Pelion unto Ossa's top that both being heapt I stand upon them both and with an hundred Stentor-drowning voice relate unto the world the saddest tale that ever burdned
the weak jaws of man Aegyst Why what portentous newes Amaze us not tell us what e'r it be Nun. Were my mind settled would the gellid feare that freeseth up my sense set free my speech I would unfold a tale which makes my heart throb in my intrals when I seem to see 't Clyt Relate it quickly hold 's not in suspence Nun. Upon the mount of yonder rising cliffe which th' earth hath made a bulwark for the sea whose pearelesse head is from the streams so high that whosoe'r looks down his brain will swim with a vertigo The space remov d so far the object from the eye that a tall ship seem'd a swift flying bird upon this top saw I two men making complaints to heaven one's voyce distinctly still cry'd Father King great Agamemnon whose diviner soul fled from thy corps exil'd by butchers hands his friend still sought to keepe his dying life with words of comfort that it should not rush too violently upon the hands of Fate He deafe as sea to which he made his plaints still cryed out Agamemnon I will come and find thy blessed soul where e'r it walk in what faire Temple of Elysium so e'r it be my soul shall find it out With that his friend knit him within his arms striving to hold him but when t was no boot they hand in hand thus plung'd into the maine strait they arose and striv'd me thought for life but swelling Neptune not regarding friends wrapt their embraced limbs in following waves Until at last their deare departing souls hastned to Styx and I no more could see Stro. O 't was Orestes 't was my Pylades which arm in arm did follow him to death Elect. O my Orestes O my dearest brother 'T is he 't is he that thus hath drown'd himself Aegyst Why then if Agamemnon and his son have brought their lease of life to the full end I am Thyestes son and the next heire to sit in Argos Throne of Majesty Thanks to our Alpheus sea who as 't'ad striv'd to gratifie Aegystheus rais'd his force and gathered all his waters to one place they might be deep enough to drown Orestes But come my Queen let us command a feast To get a kingdome who 'ld not think it good to swim unto it through a sea of blood Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Tyndarus Misander Tynd. Our daughter sends for us how fares she well she mournes I 'm sure for her husbands death Mis My Lord she took it sadly at the first But time hath lessen'd it Tind I grief soon ends that flows in teares they still are womens friends But how is' t rumord now in Argos though that Agamemnon died Mis Why he was old and death thought best to seize on him at home Tynd. 'T was a long home he got by coming home Well well Misander I like not the course the peoples murmure makes my cheeks to blush Mis My gracious Lord who trusts their idle murmur must never let the blush go from his cheek They are like flags growing on muddy banks whose weak thin heads blown with one blast of winde they all will shake and bend themselves one way Great minds must not esteem what small tongues say All things in state must ever have this end the vulgar should both suffer and commend if not for love for feare great Majesty should do those things which vulgars dare not fee. Tynd. O Sir but those that do commend for feare do in their hearts a secret hatred beare Ever learn this the truest praise indeed must from the heart and not from words proceed I feare some soul play doth Aegystheus meane then totally for to invest himself in Agamemnons seate Where 's young Orestes Mis Why my Lord he for the great grief conceiv'd being young not knowing well to rule himselfe with sway of reason ranne upon his death and threw himselfe with my lord Strophius sonne into the midst of Alpheus so was drown'd Ty. How took my daughter that Mys Why wisely too and like her selfe not being in despaire her royal wombe will bring forth many more shall be as deare as e'r Orestes was Tynd. I feare heaven cannot look with equall eyes upon so many deaths but meanes to send plague after plague for in a wretched state one ill begets another dismal Fate But go and tell my daughter I will come and help to solemnize her nuptial night Her hasty wedding and the old Kings neglect makes my conjectural soul some ill suspect Exeunt Scen. 2. Enter Orestes and Pylades Orest If ever God lent any thing to earth whereby it seem'd to sympathize with heaven it is this sacred friendship Gordian knot which Kings nor Gods nor Fortune can undoe O what Horoscopus what constellation held in our birth so great an influence which one affection in two minds unites How hath my woe been thine my fatal ill hath still been parted and one share been thine Pyl. Why dearest friend suppose my case were thine and I had lost a father wouldst not thou in the like sort participate my grief Ores Yes witnesse heaven I would Pyl. So now thou hast lost a father Orest True Pylades thou putst me well in mind I have lost a father a dear dear father a King a brave old King a noble souldier and yet he was murdered O my forgetful soul Why should not I now draw my vengeful sword and strait-way sheath it in the murderers heart Minos should never have vacation whilst any of our progeny remain'd Well I will go and so massacre him I 'll teach him how to murder an old man a King my father and so dastardly to kill him in his bed Pyl. Alas Orestes Grief doth distract thee who is' t thou wilt kill Orest Why he or she or they that kill'd my father Pyl. I who are they Orest Nay I know not yet but I will know Pyl. Stay thy vengeful thoughts and since thus long we have estrang'd our selves from friends and parents let 's think why it is and why we had it noised in the Court we both were dead the cause was thy revenge that if by any secret private meanes we might but learn who 't was that drench'd their swords in thy deare fathers blood we then would rouze black Nemesis in flames from out her cave and she should be the umpire in this cause Mans soul is like a boistrous working sea swelling in billows for disdain of wrongs and tumbling up and down from day to day grows greater still in indignation turns male-content in pleaselesse melancholy spending her humours in dull passion still locking her senses in unclosed gins till by revenge she 's set at liberty Orest O now my thirsty soul expects full draughts of Ate's boyling cup O how twoul'd ease my heart to see a channel of his blood streaming from hence to hell that kill'd my father Pyl. I but deare friend thou must not let rage loose and like a furious Lion from whose den the
spectator been Unto our baleful hideous rights Ne're acted but in darkest nights Now in this fatal hears-bred hour Shew to my rites the greatest power Erictho when my torch shall twinkle A vernal water thou shalt sprinkle About the room now let us kneele Our heavy burthen hell shall feele Le ts all coyn words now we may see Who 't was did work this prodigie Omnes Pluto great Pluto we command Thou send unto us out of hand The shapes of them that kill'd the King Great Agamemnon Infernal Musick Enter in a dumb shew Aegistheus and Clytemnestra with their bloody daggers look upon the bed go to it and stab and then make a shew of gladnes and depart Or. O'tis above my bearing were I linkt here with chains I would like Cerberus draw Alcides back Stay stay by revenge shall take you here nay I will follow you should they take their cave where Etna vomits fire I would in my mother Clytemnestra Aegystheus was it they Nay I will o'rtake them Can. O son remember what I told you son many a rockie hill and stoney mount many a sea and vast Charybdis gulf stands betwixt them and thee though they seem near Orest O piety O most prodigious nature What creatures hast thou made to live on earth How hast thou cloath'd black darknesse with a scarf of unstain'd purity and put a godly face upon portentous devils Oh how my mother wept How Clytemnestra how that Hyena wept No more my mother I abjure the name she did not bring me forth I know she did not But I 'll o'rtake 'em shew me Canidia where which way they went where have they hid themselves Should they mount up to the chariot of the Sun and in his Car fly to the Antipodes or in the farthest nook of yonder sphear get up and place themselves 'twixt Taurus horns the fire-breathing bull or Lerna's Hydra were there no entrance but ten Lions jaws I 'd run through all and make my way my self I 'd fix them to the Axel-tree of heaven where their infectious carcasses should hang a bait for flying spirits in the Ayre Canidia I thank thee for thy pains still may thy sacred Art reveale such deeds still keep the gates of Orcus yawning ope make the dark powers ready at command Pyl. But let us hast deare friend this vast worlds roome allows us none but thy dead fathers Tombe here 's nought but ayres of death no bed but stones 〈◊〉 pillow 's a dead scull companions bones â—â—â—s's all our comfort if we needs must die 〈◊〉 have a Grave prepar'd wherein to lie Orest Now pale Tisiphone O for thy Snakes 〈◊〉 that renowned spirit that more than man â—hom all the Trojan host could not o'rwhelm murdred But what brave warrier wore a crown by guilding a dire sword in his dear blood Hector nor Priam no nor Mars himself onely his Wife was his Bellona now O miserable valour to scape foes and come for to be murdred of his friends O shameful conquest O most coward Fate that a weak Woman was competitor in Agamemnons death had it been any yet it should have been a Goddess at the least and yet she 's but a Queen a mortal Woman Were she a Goddess I would make her mortal Dull coward that I am and worse than all after so many wrongs yet unreveng'd their Palace now should fire o'r their heads and the huge beams dash out their guilty brains The roof should fall on me so 't fell on them Begin revenge and now perform an act may give a theam to all posterity ever to talk of fraught so full of horrour Aegystheus and my Mother may wish their's yet none was ever greater yes my deed Revenge is lost unless we do exceed Pyl. But a bad mother friend thou shouldst not hurt the Law of Nature doth forbid such thoughts Orest Nor Gods nor Nature shall keep me in awe why towards my mother by heavens Parliament who is most guilty is most innocent Can. Shall I thus by some Magick Art my son take both their pictures in pure virgin wax And wound the place where that the hurt should stand and so wound them Orest Tush this is too little Can. Shall I breed them hate Orest Too little too Can Shall I consume their children Orest All this too little Hell and the Furies shall stand all amaz'd Alecto shall come there for to behold new kinds of murthers which she knew not yet and Nature learn to violate her self I 'll instantly to th' Court and what I do my self will see done yes and act it too Thanks great Canidia this black night being done Revenge now knows her game whereat to run Exeunt omnes Actus 4. Scena 1. Enter in state Aegystheus Clytemnestra Tyndarus Strophius Electra Nutrix cum novo partu Aegyst NEver but when a royal off-spring comes from a Kings loyns can he be truly King Then doth he sit firm rooted in his state then is he truly man and then the gods he knows do love him which when Kings do want the curse of Nature doth deny them fruit and brands their bed with loath'd sterility Tynd. Aegystheus since the gods have bless'd you so have care their blessings turn not to your wo. Your joy my daughters joy and my joy too have care it be preserv'd and brought up well And take heed son of Agamemnon's blood Pierce not with envie the Babes tender heart Aegyst Tush Father now not without grief I speak all brooks which from the Princely Ocean ran are quite dry'd up only Electra here our dear Electra whose great weight of love is in our balance equally so poys'd that she shall ever think her Father lives our heart shall be so parallel with hers El. Yes great Aegystheus wer 't but our mothers will what she thinks good of I must not think ill Besides your love e'r since my fathers death as if it came from his departing soul and forth-with had reviv'd again in you hath held a prospective for me to see his care redoubled though the objects chang'd And for I lost a brother if you please that I may challenge in your royal blood here do I tie with all affections bands my self unto this Babe which is as dear unto my soul as were Orestâ—s here Clyt. Daughter your heart now with obedience strung makes a sweet musick sounding from your tongue Nurse Bring the Babe Give it Electra so you daughter shall have oversight of it Nutr. O shall I part from 't then Cly. No good Nurse no Electra with her care you with your pains Nutr. Now by Lucina had it gone away I should have sit and sob'd away my heart 'T is the sweetest Babe that ever Nurse did kiss Aegyst Look here good father look my nobles here upon this Babe scarce crept yet out of earth for you shall grow an Autumn of ripe years when time hath brought it to maturity Look on thy grandchild Tyndarus see 't is thine this came from
I give shall make a heart to bleed and prove a true Physician so indeed Enter Mysander having o'r-heard their talk Mys 'T was my good Genius guided me here now to hear Conspiracy wherefore I 'll attach them Save you Gentlemen Ore Save you too if you please Pyl. Sir 't was small manners to interrupt our talk and give no warning of your being neer Mys Warning you shall have warning yes I know I heard you both and understood your plot you 'll turn Physician Sir and give rare Clysters shall work like Stibium to purge our hearts You thought to act well true Physicians parts Orest Therefore on thee our Medicine first shall work Stabs him Mys Help murder Orest Nay Parasite I 'll gag you you shall not fawn again or wag your tayl when the King nods Mys O help me I am slain Pyl. Stop his breath quickly if but he be dead we may escape the danger of the treason Orest Nay he is silent O but we are beset Scena 3. Enter a Lord and others at the out-cry Lor. Look out me thought I heard one cry out murder some voice I am sure did disturbe the Court it was Mysanders voice me thought that cried Spies him dead and see hee 's slain one whom the Kings esteem did rank among the best there are the Murderers Fellows how durst you thus abuse the Court Go haste to ' th' King tell him the men be here Pylad. Gentlemen we as lovers to the Court came here as strangers for to see the King this man being coming out too soon for us and for himself us'd us uncivilly we have been Gentlemen though our Fortunes now have put on Beggars weeds upon our backs who answering in the same sort he propos'd he struck us and men cannot endure blows so thinking much to be struck again he grew so hot he drew and made a Stab at which encounter both inclosing him 'twixt us he took a wound worse than we thought to give for we did think to have given none But since 't is thus we must appeal to th' King Lor. Yes and here comes his Majesty in person Scena 4. Enter Aegystheus with a Guard Aegy. A Guard there on us here is murder done What is Mysander kil'd our trusty servant Where are the vilians Orest O hold good heart hark hark he calls us villains Aegy. What is the matter speak how came he dead They shall die two deaths that did cause him one O est O I am now undone he must sit judge to condemne us that should massacre him Pyl. Nay keep a temper hold good friend a while Lord. My gracious sovereign these two be the men which have confess'd the deed Aegyst Are you the men which thus abus'd our state Was 't one or both if both you both shall die if one that one w 're just in our Decree Scen. 5. Enter Clyt. Tynd. Strophius Electra What is my Queen come here to hear the Cause We 'll then ascend and judge them instantly Ascends the Throne Or. O crack my ey-strings let these balls drop out or the quick sights like darts fly to their souls and pierce their entrails he King my mother Queen The Briseis and Achilles that in my dream We come to be condemn'd amongst our friends I will speak to them Electra's there And Storphius your old Father Pylades Pyl. Shew thy self valorous o'recome thy self If we be known we surely are condemn'd Aegyst Father Lord Strophius sit and hear the cause Clyt. Why my Lord what is' t makes the business thus Aegyst My Queen shall straitway know Bring them away Although it is not fallen out of our minde of a free act of pardon of all faults commited in the date of such a time our hand of mercy must not be so soft to cover o're with gentle lenity such ulcerous sores as these there is no place for mercy left murder must not finde grace Therefore our doom is past one needs must die blood still for blood unto the gods will cry Orest Then if thy doom be spent great King here stands the man that did it shewing his guilty hands Pylad. O hold thy doom a while it was not he His serious studies in the learned Arts hearing acute Philosophers dispute 'twixt life and death and of a future state would fain haste to it but the man was I beleeve not him 't was his desire to die Orest No King 't is he which in his desperate thoughts would loose the bands betwixt his soul and him ones self against ones self is witness store my self confesses what wouldst thou have more Pyl. Believe him not upon my knees I vow Kneels these hands are only branded with the guilt and for ones blood let not two lives be spilt Orest And on my knees I the like Oath do take I gave the stab my Dagger 's bloody yet Pyl. That was my Dagger King he took 't from me Or. He do's me wrong by 't was ever mine Aegyst This doth amaze us I ne're yet saw two turn Rhetoricians so to plead for death Would not the pardon of this odious fact like a foul stench or an unwholsom air send an infectious vapour through the Land and choak up Justice this fidelity should for this one time set two murderers free Cly. Now good my love methinks I pity them and prethee for my sake I know them not abate thy edge of Justice for this once Orest O what she spoke to damne it had been better Aegyst My love thou knowst I never look too stern upon a fault that could ask lenity But this is so transcendent and so great it must not be slipt with impunity To do a heynous murder and i'th'Court i' th place of Justice where the King might hear upon a chief attendant of the Kings Murder it self is past all expiation the greatest crime that Nature doth abhor not being is abominable to her and when we be make others not to be 't is worse than bestial and we did not so when only we by natures ayd did live a Heterogenious kind as semibeasts when reason challeng'd scarce a part in us but now doth manhood and civility stand at the Bar of Justice and there plead how much they 'r wronged and how much defac't when man doth dye his hands in blood of man Judgement it self would scarce a Law enact against the murderer thinking it a fact that man ' gainst man would never dare commit since the worst things of nature do not it Orest O how his words now rail against a sin which beat upon his Conscious thoughts within His tongue speaks fair his inparts look on them and they like Jury-men himself condemne Aside Pyl. But O great King if justice must have right let me stand only guilty in thy sight Orest No 't is not King 't was I that did the deed and for my action let no other bleed Aegyst In troth this makes my Doom it cannot fall Will none of you