But I 'll deal with thee as thy Crimes deserve Go drag him hence to the Tâ—rpeian Rock Dash him to pieces shall I ne're have Rest For Traytors Mar. O Portia O farewel for ever Por. O dismal Sound for ever Maâ— For ever Por. Sure there are Joys above for suff'ring Virtue There we shall meet again my Soul will know thee It is so full of thee I 'll not stay long Indeed I won't but reach thee in thy Flight O Heaven O Earth and thou O Neptune hear me And six eternal Racks upon my Soul If I out live my Martiâ—n many Minutes Emp. Must I speak in vain drag him away Mar. Oh! my Love farewel Por. Ah this is worse than Death â—bey force him out she Faints While they 're employ'd about Portia Perennius enters at the upper end of the Walk Peren. Now curse on Business that must thus intrude When I shou'd feast my self with Portiâ—'s Beaâ—ties Yet this is of a Nature that new arms me Against the other Fears that check'd my Love Th' Army mutining and just entring Rome â—ed on by Aurelian Must be the Emperor's Downfall and mine with him Since that is sure I 'll make my Joys as sure Grasp first the Treasure of this charming Maid Then fly with Speed from the black gathering Storm Emp. So she revives Go bear her gently to Valeria's Lodgings And bid her Maids prepare her for my Love I 'll not defer my Marriage or Enjoyment They bear her off Per. Ha! What 's this do my Eyes and Ears deceive me Is Pâ—rtia snatch'd again from my Embrace Fate presses so from every side upon me I have no Time for Thought pauses I must excuse Her Flight nor yet inform him of his Danger Least his Despair shou'd but augment his Rage Beyond my Power to calm My Lord. Emp. Perennius Ingrateful Slave how durst thou tempt my Fury Ev'n in the guilty Moment Per. 'T is true my Sov'raign If by appearance we shou'd judge of things There is too just a Cause for your Dread Anger But my dear Master Emp. No more of thy false Wiles to blind my Eyes The Veil is off that hid the cunning Villain That cou'd betray me and let my Portia go Seize him if he resists you kill him To the Guardâ— Perennius draws runs at the Emperor is stabb'd by the Guards Per. Come on I 'll not fall tamely by the Tyrant O that in'enervate Arm shou'd miss thy Life Yes cursed Prince I own the brave Design I was thy Rival and bright Portia's Lover And let her go to riâ—â—e all her Sweets Surfeit on Joy for one immortal Moment But Fortune mock'd me with a hop'd Success O that she wou'd thee too nay well I know it Aurelian comes soon to revenge me on thee The more to blast thy fancy'd Pleasures know Valeria was imposed on by my Arts And knew not Laetus more than Portia did 〈◊〉 that Device I thought to bear her off Then slew fond 〈◊〉 to secure my Love For some more lucky Hour but in vain My Life is on the Wing so Curses on thee Thou wilt not be behind me long Oh! Dies Emp. D' ye thou Prophetie Dog Spurns him What can the dying Villain mean Revenge Aâ—relian 't is no matter what Faâ—e must fly swiftly to prevent my Joy And that once gain'd she can 〈◊〉 haâ—t destroy Exit Enter Empress alone Empress Ah! wretched me I 've drain'd my Eyes of Tears But not my Heart of Woe that 's still fixt here No Plaints can move it and no Sighs redress Tho' banish'd hence from my dear cruel Lord My Treacherous Feet will still pursue his Steps I 've fought the Garden round and cannot find him What can I do or whither can I turn Horror Despair on e'ry Side besiege me Death 't is Death that only can relieve me Pauses Yes I will die my Fondness does deserve it Pausâ—s To love beyond such Slights but shall I die Thus tamely yes What! thus thus unreveng'd Pauses Ah! yes that Death best suits my tender Love Ha! there he goes my Heart bounds at the sight And strikes a Transient Joy all o're my Soul I 'll follow him and die within his Arms He 'll pity sure his bleeding Victims Groans Perhaps may kiss my pale and breathless Lips May wish he 'd been more kind and I more happy Exitâ— Scene changes to Portia's Appartment Enter Portia and her Maid Crispina Cris. Why are you Madam obstinate in Woe And shun the Indulgence of a Smiling Fortune Foâ— a vain Love and Fruitless Câ—nstancy Rome courts you for her Empress and your Prince Dies at your Feet with most unfeigned Desires Por. No more I will not hear my Love blasphem'd Is this a time to urge the impious Cause For oh the Tyrants Ministers of Murder Perhaps this Minute butcher my poor Love Pauses and fixes her Looks on one place Ha! dreadful Image of my certain Woe What horrid Scene is this thou dost present me See where he lies 〈◊〉 ouâ— upon the Floor His noble Limbs hack'd by that Cut throat Villain See if that Coward does not pierce his Bosom Where his brave Heart dwells that abhorr'd a Coward See from the gaping Wounds the Purple Flood Rowls like a Torrent down his mangleâ— Body And in it his great Soul Ha! Paleness Death Oh! Horror Horror Horror Poisons Daggers Dispatch me quickly e're the Tyrant comes To dragg to 's polluted Nuptial Rites Ah! my dear Martian stay for thy dying Pâ—rtia Beat the Wing awhile and I 'll be with you Cris. How strange Imagination works upon her Por. Oh! oh groans Lo now I come faâ—nâ—â— away Cris. Help here quickly help the Empress faints Enter several Women and run to her endeavour to receive her So she recovers stand off and give her Air. Por. Be gone and let me die I will not live Why did you rouse me from this Golden Vision Of Martian triumphing Mâ—rtian and endless Love Cris. Let not the anxious Dreams of Fancy rack you What boot your Pangs your Fury or Laments They can't revoke his Suff'rings nor your Doom The Emperor loves too much to quit you ever You had better Madam seem to like the Fate You can't avoid Por. I will not answer thee But loose my self in kind distracting Thought Portia thy Name shou'd now inspire thy Love And make it struggle to some Godlike Act. pauses Brutus thy Portia set the great Example To Roman Wives which I a Bride will follow pauses Ha! sure some Heav'nly Beam informs my Mind Bears it above the common pitch of Glory To a brave Deed that'â— singularly great Oh! bright Ambition of aspiring Virtue To what amazing Heighâ—s thou dost transport me For distant Ages to behold with Wonder No my dear Lord Your Portia shan't surviâ—e you Nor will she tamely fall like helpless Woman 〈◊〉 as resolv'd and bold as Catâ—â—'s Daughter My Countrys GeÌ„nius with my Love conspires To â—orm the Vengeance for lost Rome and Mâ—rtian It shâ—ll be so the
Guards Por. You hear Cleander where you soon may find me Go to my Lord and let him know the Joy 'T will ease his throbbing Heart and cure his â—riefs He 'll bless the Gods that when no help was hop'd Sent kind Relief to Vertue in Distress Mar. Madam I will and may the Pow'rs above Crown all the Pious Empresses Desires Exit Emp. Come gentle Portia use the present Hour The next perhaps may not be in our Pow'r Exeunt Ambo SCENE II. A Gallery in the Pallace Enter Perennius and Laetus in a Vestal Virgins Habit. Peren. THIS is the place the Empress order'd us To wait her in But I must not be seen Is going Gods what sudden Trembling's this that shakes me My Nerves forsake their office my knees knock Faintness and Shiv'ring chills my Heart Laet. 'T is the surprize of near approaching Joy That like a Mid-night 'Larum in a Camp Starts all your Faculties into Confusion They 'll soon into their ancient order fall And bear you bravely to the noble Onset Per. I hope they will-Hark a Noise ' st 't is the Door I will before to give you timely Notice If ought approach bring her through the back Court 'T is most remote and safe Laet. Be gon I will Exit Peren. The Door opens the Empress and Portia enter with a Candle Laetus goes to ' em Empress O! Here 's the pious Priestess that conducts you To her and to the Gods I must commend you And if the Wishes of a Wretch like me Will ought avail may they convey you safe To him you love and make your Exile easie Por. Opinion is the God that makes us happy And where my Martian is I must be so Fâ—r he is Country Friends and all to me Laet. Madam this Light mâ—st out or back with you To the Empress Por. What in the Dark Laet. The Light will discoverâ—s The Moon 's kind Beams will do our business best Por. And will you gentle Virgin bring me safe Laet. To Vesta's Temple and from thence to Martiâ—â—u It is our Duty to assist th' unhappy Por. It were Impiety indeed to doubt The highest Holy Ministers of Heav'n Laet. Nothing but Fear and Noise and worse delay Can disappoint your Happiness Emp. Portia faâ—ewel may Heav'n reward thy Virtue Por. And yours the Emperor Exit with Laetus Emp. Oh! that he wou'd It is not in Heav'ns Pow'r to bless me more But I 'll go seek him out and with fresh Tears Melt his hard Heart dissolve it into Love And in the Flames that all my Bosome Fires Consume his wandring Wishes and Desires Exit at the Door and shuts it after her Enter Emperor with Attendants and Lights Emp It was not well to leave her in Despair I might have giv'n at least some doubtful Hope Pauses I swear her tender Love was strongly moving And she is fair by Heav'n yes wondrous fair And must be lov'd by all the World but me But I am doom'd to odd Fantastic Madness To doat on Pride and vain affected Virtue That spuâ—ns me from her and disdains my Love While I avoid the willing Charms that Court me But I will shake thy Chains off cruel Portia And in my Empress's downy Arms forget thee Why dost thou fix thy beauteous Hand upon me Tear out my Heart yet by the Gods I 'll leave thee Gentle Valeâ—ia in her Breast shall shield me From the imperious fury of thy Eyes Oh! Groans Like a poor Wretch upon his Feavourish Bed I toss and tumble turn from side to side And yet no easie posture can I find The raging Calenture still burns within Seems to muse Enter Perennius at a distance Por. Now Curses on ill Luck the Doors are fast Through which we shou'd have made our wish'd escape They must come this way back Ha! the Emperor Seeing him Studys Hell and Furys all 's lost what must be done Emp. Well I will to her dry her falling Tears Lock her within my burning Arms and swear Never to see her fatal Rival more Peren. It must be so this Laetus is unlucky His Head designs well but he has no Fortune And I still loose by vent'ring on his Bottom This Dagger as he enters shall secure me For yet this Secret is between us two And see they come Enter Laetus and Portia Laet. Dâ—spond not Madam all will yet be well Per. Ay when this Dagger has transfixt thy Heart Stabs him Laet. As he falls Ha! slain by thee Villain Dog but I deserve it Dyes Per. Aside Dye quickly then or else 't will do no good Hold Madam hold I must secure you For the Emperâ—r Lights there Portia Treason Portia is flying Aloud to Portia who shrieks at Laetus's fall and is running back Emp. Ha! what say'st thou That Sound has ruinâ—d all my best Resolves Runs to her Whither is she Flying whither and with whom Per. That Sir I can't yet tell but this will shew me Takes a Light and looks at Laetus Emp. Go instantly and seize the heedless Guards Per. O ye good Gods Sir if it ben't Religion That has conspir'd against your Happiness Seems to look moâ—e earnestly at Laetus with the Light kneeling down to the Body Emp. Throw her vile Body to the hungry Dogs Per. Ha! what is' t I see sure my Eyes must Err It is impossible it cannot be What Laetus my Friend Death to my Repose The honest Laetus slain by this curs'd Hand Was this the kind return of all thy Friendship This the best Gift Perennius cou'd bestow Emp. How 's this bemoan the Traytor in my hearing Per. Pardon me Emperor if I pay these Tears To one that lov'd me better than himself He was my Friend my faithful honest Friend At least I thought him so the best good Man The plainest open Virtue I e'er met with That and his zealous Love for you my Lord Won my Heart for I 've heard him swear He 'd dye a thousand Deaths for your least Pleasure But oh I find alas that he shou'd prove it The fairest Tongues oft hide the foulest Hearts And noisie Zeal conceals the Traytors ends Yet if he did dissemble Emp. If he did Why is' t not plain art not thou witness of it Per. 'T is true my Sov'raign and the Avenger too He from my Hand deserv'd to meet his Fate That durst impose upon my honest Nature And wrong the best of Masters and his Friend Per. Bless me Sâ—r a Man what is' t a Man Emp. A Man Madam yes a young handsom Man I find your boasted Virtue 's of a piece With that of all the rest of your frail Sex A cunning Blind to put off them you like not And to secure your sport with those you fancy Yet tell me foolish Fair how coud'st thou choose This groveling Vassal and refuse his Lord Per. O! base Valeria coud'st thou fall so low From all thy shining Virtue to Revenge So mean and so ungenerous as this Emp. Ha Valeria didst thou say the Empress Didst thou
from me with the common nasty Herd Of Knaves Sycophants Buffoons and Flaterers And with my Laurels decks his Faithless Brow All shun me like Infection therefore leave me Clean. Oh! Sir dismiss this Avarice of Woe And let your Servant share your wretched Fortune As he has done your Good I 'm no Summer Fly To love your Shine and fly your stormy Weather My Indastry has got some little Treasure Under you that may help you in your Exile Mar. Why shoâ—d'st thou love me so who by me Alone hast lost thy Freedom Cleâ—n Dear Sir I lost my Freedom in my Country's Cause And in amends Fate gave the best of Masters And may I on a Dunghill like a Dog Rot rot piece meal if eâ—er I forsake you Is it so hard to let your poor Slave starve with you Mar. Yes for 't wou'd be unjust and shock my Nature O false Aâ—eliâ—n O degenerate Rome Learn Faith and Virtue from this noble Slave Honest Cleander I have no business for thee I 'm at the end of Life's uneasie Journey And can reach Death's near Inn without thy help Cle. O Sir far be that Thought your Country calls Implores your Help to free it from Oppression Fly to the Army they will own your Cause And save lost Rome from black devou'ring Knaves Mar. 'T will be in vain for Knaves will still be uppermost They float aloft like Chaff upon the Water Which though by moving you a while disperse Soon as the ruffl'd Element is settl'd They gather all a top again Clean Think of your Portia then When you are gone where will be her Rescue Mar. Ay there Cleander thou hast touch'd the Note That breaks the drowsie Charm of lazy Death And makes my Soul exert its Native Fire What leave her to the Tyrant's Will and Pow'r For him to brood o're all her chaster Sweets Gods good Gods how that wild Thought distracts me No I will live for her thus curs'd will live And rouse the sleeping Soldier in my Bosome To win the Army to revenge her Wrongs Crush the black Tyrant and deliver Rome Force may be swifter than their distant Rescue Therefore I will secure my Portia first And she in safety I can't perish all It shall be so Cleander I 'll employ thee Clean. Blessings on you Sir let me embrace your Knees Kneeles and embraces ' em For this kind Word you shall see your Slave Fly through impervious Dangers ev'n to death Swift as Revenge or Jealousie to serve you Mar. You say the Guard takes you for Pâ—rtia's Slave Clean. I have been with her often since the Evening Went with her in the crowd too from the Temple Trusting my Faith she sent me oft to find you And beg you hasten to deliver her Mar. She shall be obey'd for I 'le now to her Clean. Sir Mar. With her consult of means for her escape Clean. The Army Sir is the only means she hopes Mar. Th' Army 's uncertain for they are Romans too Romans and once my Friends therefore must be false Clo. This way you perish known to all the Court. Mar. No I will take thy Habit and so pass Cle. Consider Sir Mar. No more I am resolv'd thou 'lt find me in the Porch of Vestaâ— Clean. I must obey may all the Gods protect you Thunders Mar. A sudden clap of Thunder without Clouds A waving Sword i' th' Air 't is wondrous strange pauses Avaunt be gone ye dreadful boding Omens For I will on since Love will have it so If I have err'd ye ruling Powers above 'T is by the force of a resistless Love Spare her for I alone am Criminal And on my head let all your vengeance fall Give me relentless Gods this one relief With this Encrease enrich my Barren Grief Then shall I have the Cordial Joy to see My Pâ—rtia happy by my Misery In that vast pleasure loose my wretched state And smile at the vain Impotence of Fate Exit The End of the Second Act. ACT III. SCENE I. Portia's Apartment in the Pallace Enter Portia at one Door and Martian in Cleander Habit at the other Por. WEll good Cleander hast thou seen my Lord And will he haste to rescue his lost Portia Mar. With all the speed of longing eager Love Runs to her and embraces her Port. Unhand me Slave What means this Insolence She starts from him Mar. What does not then my charming Portia know me And can a thin disguise conceal her Martian He pulls off his Beard Methinks her Heart should beat at my Approach And by its Sympathetick Throbs reveal me She looks earnestly at him while he speaks and after the first word runs into his Arms. Por. Martian ha My Lord my Love my Life Mar. Portia my Soul my Bliss my Heav'n They Embrace Oh! do I hold thee once more in my Arms The full Amends of all my Suff'rings past Port. Where hast been poor Wand'rer Where hast been What hast thou done How have the Gods dealt with thee Since thou wert ravish'd from me at the Altar Where is the Army Will they own thy Cause Are they come with thee Am I free from Bonds Answer me tell me all Oh! tell me quickly For I have yet a thousand things to ask And horrid strange prodigious things to tell thee Mar. Speak on I 'll answer thee with Kisses press thee Close to my Heart while on thy panting Bosome I breath the dear Distractions of my Fondness Loose all my Griefs all thoughts of pressing Fortune In this Abyss of Joy of beamy Heav'n Eternal Raptures of Almighty Love Dance round my Heart and make me grow Immortal Por. Oh! I am faint with Joy Convulsive Heavings Extend my Bosome and my throbing Heart Flutters about as if 't wou'd beat its last Mar. Gods good Gods give me Oh! give me Portia Give me but her and cast your Crowns and Glory Victory and Fame to the poor busie Slaves That wou'd be great with her I wou'd sit down In peaceful and unenvy'd Poverty Above the anxious Greatness of Renown Por. O! all ye Heav'nly Powers that fixt this World With the Cement of Universal Love Why is such tender Passion not your Care Such Virtue and such Truth by all forsaken Can you view Mortal Joys with envyous Eyes Or grudge the scanty Riv'lets of our Pleasures Amidst such â—orrents of surrounding Wo Ah! no 't is I 't is my contagious Fate 'T is cursed I have â—uin'd my poor Martian O! that I rather never had been born Or scalded o're with frightful Leprosies Wrinkl'd with Age and loath'd Deformities Mar. Accuse not Heav'n nor curse thy Beauteous Form My Crimes alone have made me thus unhappy Por. And can'st thou love me still after the Sufferings That I have cost thee Mar. Sure thou dost not doubt it Love thee still Yes by my dearest Hopes Thy very Name yields Joy thy Talk darts Raptures An oh thy self oh 't is not to be spoke 'T is mighty extasie beyond unfolding Heav'n is most just withholds