Fair Excellence what is 't Aph. My Death King Your Death Aph. Is the Request so wonderful My Lewis Is gone before And do you think that Patience In Heaven's a greater Virtue than on Earth When he was living hee 'd have been distracted With half so long an absence from Aphelia And do you think Heav'n where the Sun and Stars Have kept one course so many thousand years There where the Saints sing one Eternal song Where Bliss without decrease has held so long Can you think Heav'n harbours Inconstancy My Lewis when he took his last farewell Left all the world but me behind he bore My Image with him to the skyes and there Expects the sad Original should follow He is impaâ—ient languishes desires And thinks compar'd to Love the Staâ—s dimne Fires Think 's he 's but half in Heaven in his blest seat Wants Me to make his Paradise compleat I come I come Oh my most gracious King By your command let my freed Soul take wing He can't be blest without me And as you Gave him his Death give him his Glory too This Blessing you in Justice ought to grant You made the Martyr and now make the Saint King Madam is Love so barb'rous that it must Depend on Cruelty to make it constant Does it delight in blood that it requires A Mrs. Murder for a Lovers Monument No no He 'l be a Saint a milder way Your pity makes him blest without your Death My happy Brother happy in his Fall Who dyes deplored by fair Aphelia was Your Slave Conquerors may their Slaves out-live And though one of your Trophies is destroy'd Those eyes that made that shine as bright as ever And can make more of which see here the greatest France at thy feet tread on his Royalty Kneels Or if thy Nature knows not to forgive Which to believe were impious take this Sword T' appease the troubled Spirit of thy Love I find a speaking pity in thy eyes Which thence will drop upon thy gentle tongue And cry Live Clotair my unhappy Loves Repenting Murd'rer live Aph. The Penitence Of Kings would expiate a Nations sins Sure then their own may be forgiven His blood Heav'n pardon you for I do King Then I 'm pardon'd There cannot be an act you pass but Heav'n Will sign to But dear Madam in this state Of Innocence to which your Mercy has Restored me let me offer up a heart To fair Aphelia for a Sacrifice I am a full and perfect Convert now Both Murderer and Ravisher repents My heart grown Virtuous and unspotted now Approaches you with Adoration looks With piety on what it once profaned Accept a Love a Love so pure so true Nothing but You could raise nothing but You Reward Aph. Hold Sir You are my King but though Things are exempt from Laws their Crimes above Th'examining of Justice from a Judâ— Yet Kings may guilty stand at Loves Tribunal I can condemne you yet great Sir I do not But though I do not and his death I pardon Honour obey and reverence a King I can but Love I can't My heart his Right His Province I can never make a seat For any second Lord much less his Murd'rer They who forgive a Crime may not reward it King Oh my hard fate Oh more then cruel Woman Is this to honour reverence and obey A King to scorn him or can the requiting My Love be the rewaâ—ding of my Crime Oh Cruelty Concern'd so much for Blood I shed in my wild rage and moved so little At Ruines you design at deaths you give With a firm look fixt and resolved to kill Enter Lewis and Nigrello to the door Nigr. Stand here unseen and you are safe Lew. The Plot That thou hast layd to try her constancy Is excellent Nigr. He 's here expect th' event on 't Enter Burbon in hast Burbon Forgive my hasty rudeness for my Cause Requires it Sir the City 's up in Arms Your Subjects in Rebellion and their sury Seems by Revenge inspired Revenge they cry Their Rage is grounded on your Brothers Death And they 're resolved as the Incendiary Of his destruction t' have Aphelia's blood Lew. As I could wish Burbon Great Sir bethink your self King Aphelias blood The common Multitude advance their Arms Against her sacred Head Oh Hellish outrage The Gyants when they besieged Heaven attempted To Dethrone Iupiter with less impiety Her Blood Enter in hast a second Gentleman Second Gent. Great Sir your frighted Guards o're-pow'rd Your Pallace they have enter'd and resolve To lay it level with the ground if what Their loud and baâ—barous rage calls Justice this Fair Lady's Life do not appease their fury King Her Life t' appease â—em By that Life they ask Her precious Life the Sacred'st Oath That I can swear their Insolence has damn'd ' em Go instantly and tell the Rebels I Am her Protector and she shall not dye Aph. Hold gracious Sir revoke that harsh decree Tell 'em I am their Martyr and my Death King Be gon and say as I command you hast Aph. Oh no Sir say that I 'le submit and dye Consider but what dangers you will shun Think how much blood you 'l by my Sentence spare And can you be so cruel when the opening Of one poor Virgins veins that hates her Life And begs her Death repaires a Kingdoms health Lew. Oh my best Angel Oh my full-blown joys Aside King You cruel Woman how can you request That which your eyes forbid Whilst I gaze there And feel that Love their Light inspires I 'de see My Empire set on float and France lye deeper In humane gore then e're the Deluge laid The sunk Foundations of the drowning World E're I 'de behold one drop of yours let out Aph. Oh you forget your self What Marriner Would not throw over-board a worthless Fraight T' avoyd a Shipwrack King But what Fool or Mad-man Would throw away his Wealth his Life his Soul His Heav'n t' avoid that storm his courage scornes Tell the bold Rebels I 'm in person here And as I know Rebellion shrinks at nothing I 'le satisfie their rage a nobler way That blow their Impious hands dare aim at hers I through my Breast will intercept their King Their Victim sure th' Impetuous tide will stop Go then and do as I command Aph. No stay Kings are not safe in raging Crowds their fury May Murder you King What then what if they do What can the Man you hate be worth the saying Aph. Sir though I cannot Love yet my Allegiance Will never let me see my Soveraign bleed The sacred Blood of Kings King The Blood of Kings A toy a trifle do you understandâ— Your pow'r so little to esteem his Life You scorn worthy your care You wrong your self To cast a thought on such an abject thing As a poor hated Lover though a King Dull Sir be gon Aph. No kind Sir stay Dread Lord Rebellion is a thing too terrible For a soft Virgins ears
burn the Temple where his Ashes sleep And raze his Tomb to be reveng'd on 's dust for 't But now I think on 't thou shalt live for tortures I know there must be greater heads then thine In this Conspiracy which I 'le wrack from thee Then my Revenge I 'le take when 't will be glorious Less then a Massacre would be too mean A Sacrifice t' Aphelias injur'd Honour Nigr. That trouble shall be saved I doubt not Sir But you 'l believe me e're l 've done King Believe thee Slave I 'de not believe an Angel Should a Messenger from Heav'n bring me this News I would turn Athest to affront him for 't Nigrello gives him Aphelias Letter What 's this a Letter to Clarmount Reads My Lord My transports of joy have been such as your Favours merited When I consider the furious Love of a Tempestuouâ— King I cannot but reflect on the danger of your kindness in wrestling with that Love and the glory of it in subduing it Pursue that generous friendship that has been so well begun and take into the number of your Admirers the humblest of your Servants Aphelia The danger of his kindness in wrestling with my Love and his glory in subduing it That Friendship which has been so well begun then it seems He 's a more pow'rful Rival then his King Somthing a loving stile stay here 's a Postcript When I am Married and a Queen our stolne pleasures will be more difficult but shall not be less desired nor less grateful to yours still Aphelia Reads What pretty sorgery is this Betray her Virgin-honour make stolne meetings Aphelia Clarmounts Whore Nigr. Oh no Sir The World has found a gentler name his Mrs. I see Sir you are startled cease your wonder Is she not fair and in this loving Age A little Gallantry's a Venial sin King Slave do you sport with me confess who forged This Blasphemy For'tis no more her writing Then thou' rt a Saint Nigr. 'T is hers I saw her write it And when she had done she gave 't me to deliver But Curiosity made me so rude To break it open which when I had read My Loyalty made me present it here To save your honour from a Syrens charms And guard my Prince from a loose Wantons arms King Thou ly'st there 's not one word on 't hers Has Lewis Corrupted thy fideliry I suspect It is his plot but I will force the secret From thy black soul or tear thy heart-strings out Nigr. I 'm not Subornd That Letter is Aphelias She wrote it and I 'le prove it I confess She 's Beautiful but what though she be fair Must that conclude she 's honest King Hold thy Athestick tongue Or speak and dye Nigr. Great Sir King Peace Slave thou that infect'st all Peace Nigr. Why are you thus distemper'd let not truth Make you so wild a Tempest Were it false Or that I sought the ruine of your Peace Your Youth or Honour then it were a time To swell to this extravagance of passion But being truth King Truth Dog avoyd my sight Fly where the ruder world ill verst in Kindred Promiscuously combines without distinction Where every Man is every Womans Husband These are a People that might bear with thee And fit for thee to dwell with Nigr. Yes Royal Sir I 'm gone but th' only way For me t' avoyd your sight must be to dye Nothing but death can separate your Slave Your loyal faithful Slave from his loved Lord His honour'd and adored Lord But if death 's My doom pray let your humble Vassal beg Kneels An honourable death Sir from your hand Let it in glory come that death which I Deserve when my great Master thinks me false But e're you give me honour right your own Rises Sir if I do not prove All I have said send my black soul to Hell Damnation for abusing Majesty Is a just due Hers and your wrongs demand King Leave off your Protestations can her Fame Be question'd or disputed Nigr. Not by one Who is all passion but by Reason King Then Let Reason be the judge I 'le show it her Nigr. Do Sir But hold She 's not so impudent in sin to own So foul a Paper If she should disown it As if you show it her no doubt she will You 've but my word for 't Then for better proof Let her be sent for and at her approach Do you retire unseen to over-hear us The first thing that I 'm certain she will ask me Will be about that Letter the discourse Between us will convince you that she sent it And make perhaps more large discoveries Of her false heart then this has pow'r to do King It is impossible her Character Gives this black scrowl the lye She cannot be That Monster which this Letter represents her Were she Unchast why then did she refuse A profferd Crown I offer'd Marriage to her And Marriage that 's the veile to Unchastity You see she shun'd Did she not choose her death Before my Love Were she in league with Clarmount Why would she for my Brothers Love have dyed Were all this truth where 's all her Vows to Lewis Her scorn of Life and her desire of Heav'n To meet him there Nigr. Where are they where they should be In the smooth tongue and oyley words of subtle Woman Where are they why Sir can't you guess Is the pretence of Constancy and Honour Such news in Woman kind Did not you love her And courted by a King could she do less Were she a Devil then appear an Angel She had promis'd Marriage to your Brother But Must you conclude her Chast for courting Death To follow him what a strange bold request Was it to beg her Death from him she knew Loved her too well to grant it her The favour She askt she ne're expected to obtain King How 's this Nigr. And for the conduct of her Love to Lewis Examine it and where 's her mighty Faith She 'd hate you as his Murderer and Love Her Murder'd Lovers memory She 'd choose To be his Sacrifice before your Queen 'T was a brave Character and she pursued it But search its depth 't was Interest an Artifice To heighten your esteem of her How common Is it to make a Conquest difficult To raise the value on 't For after all She 's not invincible nor he so pow'rful But she could yeild at last Did she not tell you That that high fate you had markt out for her Would be both welcome great and glorious And so in loving duty and kind Loyalty Her heart was at her Kings disposal King Hold I 'le hear no more Nigr. But Royal Sir you must Though the bold speaker dyes for 't When you 've Marry'd her She has her ends For then what with your Pride For your hard Conquest and your high assurance Both of her Love and Honour which her great And pious Character confirms she 's certain To raise your Passion to
's Princely Vow'd our Friend besides what ill Can we expect from her who might have sent Her murdering Ministers and slain us here Had She intended foul play No She 's Noble Dum. Noble Grant her so yet Lam. Yet what Dum. Her Murder'd Brothers memory Lam. When He fell We were too far off for Traytors Dum. But not for Torments had we been apprehended For in the high displeasure of that Queen All our Posterity was doom'd some felt the Wheel Some Wrackt some Hang'd others empaled on Stakes And had not we been then in Wittenburgh We had added to the number of the Dead And think you still we shall not Lam. By my Life 'T is Murder to suspect her We 'l to Court. Our Lives are all that we can lose our Fame Stands fair no power can reach a Souldiers Name Exeunt Enter Fredigond and Nigrello Queen What Conference did they maintain with thee Nigr. None further then the Language of their Eyes They lookt on me as if they meant me thanks Which their Amazement rob'd me of Queen Spake they not Nig. No not a word Queen Do you know ' em Nigr. No Royal Madam they appear'd to me But like the silent postures in the Arras Only the form of men with stranger faces Queen Come take 'em in They are our Enemies VVhich I have Angled with that golden bait Their Parents waded in my Brothers blood For which I 'le be reveng'd on all their Race Did they increase as fast as I could Kill I 'de ever Kill that they might still increase A bloody and a terrible mistake To right the Injuries of their Ravisht Sister They Murder'd Clâ—dymer for Clotairs fact My Brother Dyed for what my Son did act For which thus Fredigond's revenged The old Dumane the Father to this Maid VVith all his Kindred all his Race except Her wicked Brothers and that Ravisht VVhore I have already Sacrificed Is not Revenge a Pastime for the Gods Nigr. VVere but their Ravisht Sister and those Brothers VVith 'em it were a pastime for the Gods Queen VVe find thee fit Nigrello for employment I 've always found thee trusty and I love thee Nigr. I â—ay my Life at my great Mrs. feet But Madam how came this their Sister Ravisht Now for the greatest Rancour of her Soul Aside Was She such Ice or He so ill a Courtier That He your Eldest Son the Heir of France Could not subdue a Ladys heart nor steal A Pleasure but with so much Violence 'T was very hard he could not Queen Yes 't was hard 'T was my ill Fate he could not For that Lady I knew he Loved and I my dear Clarmount Glad of th ' occasion instantly used all Our Arts to make Her His. 'T was we seduced her By false pretences to that fatal place VVhere my hot Sons wild passion forced her Honour But for a different end we brought her thither For we design'd her for an easier prize In hopes She would have yeilded to his Arms That when he had once debaucht her to a Mistriss He might have been diverted by her Love And those more fweet stolne Pleasures from the thoughts Of the morose and duller Joys of Marriage And the more weighty cares of Heirs to Kingdoms And by that means we thought t' have softend him Into so loose a Life as might have render'd My Clarmounts passage easier to the Crown Nigr. Was ever such a Bawd or such a Mother Aside But She it seems more Chast then Wise refused The gracious offer of your Princely Son Queen Refused it Yes And Curse upon the Name Her Chastity that scorn'd his Love inflam'd it And drew that Rage from his unruly Passion That lost her Honour and my Brothers Life Her Enraged Kindred wanting power for open Revenge in a dark hour and silent Walk Mistook and Stab'd my Brother for my Son But see how my Revenge I have persued And what 's my Misery I am still forced To set new Plots on foot Nigr. As how Royal Madam Queen I 've laid the Platform of great Childricks death Nigr. Her Husbands death Aside Queen And they two Brothers must be thought his Murdrers Our Enemies and now new Courtiers Whom for this end I have reserv'd for Policy First that they take away the Guilt from Us Next being seiz'd to study Pains and Deaths The Heads of all our Engineers shall sit T' invent unheard of Torments for the Villains I long to see 'em greet their Kindreds Dust. Nigr. The Plot 's most admirable Queen Then I 'le commend thee to my Elder Son Where thou shalt wind into his secret thoughts As for the Younger Boy let me alone Did ever VVoman less delight in blood And shed so much as I must Oh Nigrello I once was a Kind VVife and Pious Mother But now my Husband and my Sons must dye And I must be the Traytor I can Weep To give 'em Deaths and yet I cannot save ' em Almighty Love this wondrous Change has made A Love that has my hopes of Heav'n betray'd And yet I can't resist it For my Clarmount My best-lov'd Clarmounts sake Husband and Sons Are Clouds betwixt my Love and Me and all The tyes of Blood and Nature are too small To check what Love resolves When Love bears sway All lesser powers all weaker tyes give way Enter Clarmount Sir you are welcome Your Visits have been freer but I grow old And you command the Beauties of the Time Clarm. What means my Noble Mistriss think you the blood Runs so degenerate within these Veins To stoop to any thing below the Charms Of this Divinity Queen But oh my dearest Clarmount we are betray'd Our Interview last Night was by the King Discover'd Clarm. How discover'd Queen Yes but by What Arts I cannot learn Nigr. Learn No 't is past your skill The Plots I lay I defie all the Arts of Man or Devil To countermine or what 's more subtle Then Man or Devil I defie thy pow'r The pow'r of Woman damn'd in Lust whose Breast Harbours more Hell then Zealots Fears or Poets Fables ever framed Aside Furies are Tame and burning Lakes are coolâ— To thy Insatiate Lust and monstrous Villanies Clarm. How has he dropt ambiguous words and what To Fredig His Language left imperfect spoke in Looks Queen Yes Sir but as he 's of a fearful Nature And consults safety e're his Rage speaks plain So is he of a cruel one when that rage Is ripe for action what he intends I cannot guess unless it be our deaths Which if he speedily performs not then Know he shall never for this night concludes him Nigr. Dye and to Night Aside Queen The Poyson 's drank already And wants but some few hours for operation My Sons I weigh not this They have Rebell'd And taken spirit to oppose my Will For which it is not safe that they should live The Kingdoms Heir shall bâ— a Child of thine And Kings and Queens shall follow in thy Line Enter Dumane and
especially When she is the occasion Great Sir say What is 't I would not do to save your Life And to divert my threatn'd Countreys danger I am all Duty when those are at stake And all Obedience King And do I command Lew. Oh my wrackt Patience Oh my blasted hopes Curse on my Plot Is this her Constancy Aside King Oh my large hopes How high me-thinks I rise How big me-thinks I grow What Empires nay What Worlds has this Commission made me Lord of Fair Creature must I then assume that part The Gods should only act inspire your will And teach you how t' obey Aph. Your humblest Slave Submits her Fate should wait upon your pleasure Lew. I am all torture King In my Name command Our Marshal and our other Officers Of State to give this Answer to the Rebels Aphelia I have made my Queen and an Affront don to her Sacred Person drew That rage from me that took my Brothers Life Yet 't was no more than what our Laws for his Offence would have required howe're I 'm sorry They 've lost a Favourite and I a Brother Bid 'em lay down their Arms and with their pardon Pronounce 'em free from all the Impositions Duties and Taxes due to th' Crown of France For three whole years Lew. Curst instrument of Hell Aside King Which Act of Grace say was their Queens request Exeunt Burbon and the other Gentleman Now to the Temple to confirm my Bliss Madam Aph. Sir I attend you King Then lead on Aph. Now in one act I 'le serve my King my Countrey and my Love Mistaken Prince I to the Temple go Not to be made thy Queen but Sacrifice Forgive me Heav'n for 't is a just disguise Which does from Love and from Allegiance spring It is my Loyalty that Cheats my King Aside Lewis undiscovers and comes in to them Lew. I can hold no longer King Lewis alive Nigr. The Queen She faints Aph. faints Lew. Still let her sleep sleep on For if she wakes she will appear too monstrous An object for frayle eyes to see keep their senses Oh that in Nature there were left an arâ— Could teach me to forget I ever loved This her great Master-piece Oh well built Frame VVhy doest thou harbour such unhallow'd Guests If that our Vows are Register'd in Heaven Why are they broke on Earth unkind Aphelia Oh I run mad King Rule your disorder'd Tongue Lewis what 's past I am content to think It was our Brother spoke and not our Subject Lew. I had forgot my self yet well remember That Gorgon has transformed me into Stone And since that time my Language has been harsh My words too heavy for my tongue too Earthly I was not Born so Sir When She was just My thoughts and language bore a fairer stamp But now she 's a Disease that turns my Blood And makes my veins run poyson that each sense Groans at the alteration King You 've done ill And must be taught so You capitulate Not with your Equal She 's your Queen Lew. My Queen Aph. My Lewis living Lew. Yes he lives to see You Perjur'd King Perjur'd By the Gods for such A Blasphemy thy forfeit life and soul But 't is our Wedding-day and you 've our Pardon Recover'd by your care To Nigr. Nigr. The wound you gave him proved not mortal but I 'm sorry that I brought him hither so Unluckily to interrupt you King No. You have done well I 'm glad of his Recovery For my murmuring Kingdoms sake and for my own I 'm glad to see him here to envy at My Bliss and see his Mrs. share my Crown Come my fair Innocence Aph. Stay Royal Sir Kneels And grant your pardon here 't is I that want it King How Madam Aph. I have wrong'd you King Wrong'd me Aph. Yes I promis'd to attend you to the Temple But my design of going thither was Not to be Clotairs Queen but Lewis's Martyr King Go on Lew. Go on Aph. But I 'm a Loyal Cous'ner I feared the Tumults that demanded mine Might in blind Rage assault your sacred Life And since no otherwise you 'd calm their fury My kind submission was but a design T' appease a Kingdom and preserve a King Which when I had perform'd their Arms laid down And all your danger gone I was resolved Before the Priest the Altar and that bright High Presence they attend on to refuse A Crown and beg a death and with that death Your Princely pardon that I durst not cancel Recor'ds in Heav'n my Love and Vows to Lewis Lew. Oh my Blest Saint King Saint Devil Woman-Devil Oh I 'm distracted I 'm thy own Aphelia Thou hast inspired me and I by thy example Can be as great a fury as thou art And to begin that Cruelty thou hast taught me Here. Calls in his Gâ—ards Seize her and convey her where the light May be as great a stranger to her Eyes As is my Passion to her Soul that Sun To the Capt. of the Guards who seizes her Which She once sees again thou seest no more Away Lew. Hold barbarous King can your wild rage Be so inhumane King Hold What man art thou That darest with impious hands seize on that Beauty To the Capt. of the Guards Forbear was ever Violence so profane To touch a thing so much Divine Capt. of the Guards Great Sir King Cut off his hold He lets her go Ha! 't is the fair Aphelia The fair Aphelia No the false Aphelia The falsest of her Sex the Cruellest That e're had Eyes to Charm and Scorn to kill Seize her again I did forget my self Her Treachery and Cruelty have banisht All that was Sacred in her She 's no Saint now All her Divinity 's expired she 's turn'd A Monster as deform'd as chang'd and black As Angels when they fell Away with her Lew. Hold your rude hands take my Life before she goes Offers to draw upon the Guards who disarm him Aph. Lewis farewell To Love and Life farewell The worst that I can suffer is but death Which if I do Know at that hour when I my Life resign My Blood 's his Sacrifice but my Heart thine Exit Guarded Lew. Stay bloody Dogs King Thou' rt a rash Fool to struggle for a Beauty Must be a Queen or nothing Twixt extreams In common things there is a Mean as Light And Darkness there 's a Dawn 'twixt Day and Night But such bright forms no middle course can have She rises to a Throne or sinks t' a Grave Exit Lew. I 'le follow him and brave the Tyrants rage Nigr. Stay for her Safety I 'le my Life engage Be calm and you 're secure Lew. You saved my Life And I 'le entrust you with defending hers Thus far I 'm blest I 've heard with how much Zeal In constancy to Me She scorn'd a King And when my Hirelings made that false Alarme How freely her demanded head she offer'd And chose the Temple for the place to publish
amazement But what I want in words I 'le speak in deeds Offers to draw at which Nigrello stamps and the former villains rush in seize and disarm him You are too rash Kings may be Kings in Pallaces But not in Dungeons 'T is I am Monarch here Clotair it would be Charity to kill you For you 've outliv'd your pow'r This day your Brother By my Conspiracy converts that force You lent him to assist the Rebels cause And you shall live to see him crownd Release him The Villains let him go King Thou black Infernal Dog Thank Heav'n that gave thee A Face of such a dye as cannot blush Or rather thank the Devil that lent thee Impudence To be bejond the use or fear of blushing Nigr. But now I think on 't better Life 's a burthen And I will ease you on 't Have at your heart Aph. Hold hold Nigrello stay stay save the King Interposing And I 'le forgive thee all thy wrongs to Me. Nigr. Peace foolish Woman I that kill one King Have rais'd another one too that shall make Aphelia Queen But King before thou dyest I le shew thee my Experience in Murder A Curtain drawn Clarmount and Fredigond appear dead King My Mother dead Inhumane Villain though I scorne to fear my Death or ask my Life Of thee I 'le condescend t 'as mean an act As King was ever guilty of I 'le stoope To talk to thee and ask thee what strange cause Made thee this Traytor Nigr. Think upon the wrongs Of the abused Chlotilda King What 's her wrongs to thee Nigr. I 'le not capitulate my Injuries Within Long Live Lewis King of France Nigr. I hear my time is short King My Brother Crownd How can the Slave speak truth Nigr. Now for thy blood I cannot strike him Oh relenting heart What Awe hangs on the brow of Majesty Faint heart A Man so long and now turn Woman In the last action of my Life Here take This Sword But I conjure you by the wrongs That I have heap'd upon you by the loss Of fair Aphelia To guide the point directly at my heart Gives him his Sword King What means this turn But I 've no time for questions A Villain and a Traytor dye with thee Kills him Enter Lewis Brisac Burbon Lamot Dumane and Attendants Lewis Aphelia welcome to my Armes Clotair Thou art thy Brothers Prisoner King No Usurper This gives me freedom falls on his Sword Lew. Hold your hand King No Rebel Your Mercy comes too late after your Treason I cannot loose Aphelia and out-live That loss Nigrello tell me who thou art For by thy glorious Villany thy Wit Thy Courage and thy Conduct I am sure That blackness hides some noble blood What art Nigr. Chlotilda Lam. How my Sister All. Chlotilda Nigr. Ravisht by thee Clotair betrayd by Clarmounâ— And Fredigond for which they are no more 'T was they seduced me to that fatal place Where you my Honour stole 't was they that spilt My Guiltless Parents blood and in requital 'T was I betray'd them hither where at once I took Revenge both on their Lives and Souls But when I came to my last stroke of Vengeance After I had rob'd thee of a Crown and Mrs. To kill thee King there there my sury stopâ—â— Thou hadst injur'd me yet I would dye by Thee And though I had worne so long a masculine shape For all my other Scenes of Cruelty I put on my own Sex agen to dye Dumâ— Our Sister and our Patroness This Revenge Is an Estate to th'Family 't will make The Dumane race immortall Nigr. Now I dye To Lewis Grant me this favour for the Crown I gave you Though I have justly wrought your Brothers fall I must not blast his Fame after his Death He was no Murd'rer till I made him one Your Fathers Destiny was your Mothers Crime But oh I dye When elder time shall rip This story up be courteous to my Fame Call not these Ruines Treason but Revenge A satisfaction due to an Injur'd Lady Call me and honourable Murderer And finish there as I do Dyes King Art thou gone Farewell thy Sexes Champion thou hast acted A cruel part so high so well that it Commands applause from those it has destroy'd And Rival Brother if you dare be just Build her a Pyramid for a Monument But whilst I'give her Cruelties pardon I forget To ask if for my own Injur'd Aphelia Forgive a sin greater then what thy Chains And this black Dungeon brands me with Forgive My Impious Faith that durst believe a wanton And unchast thought could harboâ—r in thy Breast A Seat Divinities would choose to dwell in Here I would gaze for ever but an envyous darkness Hangs on my Eyes farewell Must we part then Is King and Lover such a mortal name Where 's all my mighty Vows Where 's all My passionate Devotion to the fair Aphelia Shrunk to a poor faint Sigh a dying look A cold farewell to Love and then no more dyes Aph. Farewell great Soul when in thy glorious flight Thou hast reacht thy high Immortal Seat above Forget thy harsh and rigid Fate below And borrow so much Mercy from that Heav'n Of which thou makest a part to pardon faults Unkind Aphelia had not pow'r to shun Who to such kindness could so cruel prove Wanting a heart to pay so great a Love Lew. What strange intrigues has Fate wrought up to day Disguis'd Nigrello the abus'd Chlotilda And I by false suggestions blindly led Have aimd a Sword against a guiltless head Deposed a Brother to Revenge a Father Thy Rage was just but mine was too severe The sad resentments of my fatal errour And thy wrongs spread a darkness o're my Soul That mis-becomes this day But Tears are all we to the dead can pay And whilst I view such happiness so near My griefs at this bright Object disappear But injur'd Prince t' appease thy angry doom I'lle be a pious Mourner at thy Tomb When my great joys and my Aphelias charms Will give me time t' attend thy Sacred Dust And Love afford me leisure to be just Exeunt omnesâ— FINIS POST-SCRIPT THis Play is founded on a Tragedy call'd the Fatal Contract And in the two First Acts there is much of the Original Copy remaining But from Page 25th 't is entirely New to the End excepting the Last Scene in the 4th Act and a little Scene beween Dumane Lamot and Burbon For in the Fatal Contract after the supposed Death of Lewis in the 2d Act Aphelia in the very next Scene after at First Word asking much like the Ephesian Marton Marries the King her Lovers Murderer which quite varied the Intrigue to the End of the Play I could make Excuses for putting an ill Head upon Worse Shoulders Or tell you as some of our Impertinent Tribe do that 't was Written in three Weeks or a Months time if I thought any Reasonable Man would be more Favourable to the Defects of the Play for such an Apology But as I am Sensible that that Excuse to a Play would be much like that of a Builder that after the fall of a House shall tell you truly he Built slightly and chose in ill Foundation I will not urge that Plea for the Plays Defence which in the best Interpretation must render an Author Lazy if not Dull In the first of which he shews himself Impudent when he dares be so Disrespectful to an Audience as to obtrude such incorrect Stuff uponâ—em as he is or ought to be ashamed of Or else proves himself a Blockhead and makes that Excuse when really â—e wanted Abilities not Leisure to write better
betray'd Dum. There 's justice in our Cause Why not our Swords I 'le dye before I 'le yeild Lam. Than dye by me Yeild up your Sword or you shall fall by mine The Guards seize'em Dum. Must we be Prisoners then and Traytors too Lam. No. The first name's enough a name too haish For Souldiers Did not our King command it and the last Too horrid for Man-kind or ought but Devil The disobeying of a Kings so heinous That you deserved your death for your resistance His will is we are Prisoners but for Traytors Poysoners of Kings Know mighty Prince and You Whom Blood and Duty bids our King call Mother We 're injur'd baâ—ely wrong'd Madam from you Queen Yes 't is from Me you have receiv'd the name Of Murderers if you acquit your selves I shall be still the gracious Queen I was Till then expect Oh my much injur'd Lord What Vengeance hangs upon the blood of Kings But what more heavy burden on my heart A load that sinks me Go convey'em hence Let 'em be strictly guarded till to morrow Lam. Fetters or Death are things that we can bear Dum. 'T is not the Wrack that can our courage tame Our only Torture is a â—ullied Name The Queen well knows Queen Oh Sir command 'em hence I know too much to have so tame a sense Of my dear Lords lou'd blood Lam. But Sir Queen Away To Prison strait they kill me if they stay Who patiently can brook a Traytors sight But they who in a Traytors Crimes delight Exeunt Dumane and Lamot forced out by the Guards Enter Nigrello Clotair Madam dry up your tears Expect to hear that Justice done that 's due To a Murder'd Monarâ—hs Blood and Fathers too But to Aphelia first if kind Nigrello Be but successful in this Nights design This Night I 'le in her Arms my Passion Crown But stay My Father dyed but now his Fate calls down For thoughts of Vengeance and my tender breast Should be with dreams of piety possest With thoughts of Blood and Death of Funeral Beds Of Martyr'd Monarchs and of Traytors heads A Mothers Tears and walking Fathers Ghost Disturb'd i' th' other world for what in this was lost These should I think on but to night sleep sorrow For Love to night and for Revenge to morrow The world has much mistaken been to say That walking Spirits love the Night not Day Prisoners as well in Dungeons may delight They 're doom'd to shades and therefore pleas'd with Light It is not Ghosts but Lovers walk by Night Exit Manent onely Queen and Nigrello Queen Their Blood thou seest must for my Crimes be spilt Mine is the Innocence and theirs the Guilt But hold Nigrello say the Cloud we rais'd Should be transparent and my Arts that gave 'Em Fetters have not pow'r to work a Grave Suppose they clear themselves What though the King Has in a heat of fury built his Faith Upon my Tears and has decreed their death Yet when he comes to a more calm debate His senses may be cleared and we may find His Justice when more Tardy is less blind Nigr. Revenge that moves most slowly is most wise When it has fiercest hands has weakest eyes Queen But to dispel that fear be it your care To Poyson'em before their Tryal comes Which done I will give out and get it sworn They Poyson'd their own selves and chose that death T' avoid those fiercer torments that they knew Were to their guilt a Monarchs Murder due Do this and we are safe Perform this act And think what Debts you from your Queen contract Nigr. It shall be done and done without a pause Doubt not my Service in so great a Cause Exit Queen No Monster-Woman neither of 'em Bleeds My Vengeance aimes at more Heroick deeds My Rage shall at the Heads of Princes flye 'T is thou and thy Adulterate Race shall dye Exit Enter Lewis and Brisac Lew. Your Sister not return'd yet This late hour And her strange absense makes me all amazement Brisac My Father Sir is all Distraction for her In pious Rage one while he storms at Her Another at the Court So far i th' Night And his Aphelia â—absent he 's undone Courts are no Sanctuaries She no Vestal Then prays to Heav'n to mend the one and guard The other Lew. For her Virtue that I fear not I know whatever outward force may do Within She has no Traytor The Suns eye Views not a fairer outside nor can Heav'n Inspire a brighter Soul Brisac But Sir Nigrello Has just now sent me word that there 's a business Requires your Company and mine to Night In such a private Chamber for there 's something That 's near my Honour and your Heart in danger Lew. Then 't is no idle fear Shew me the place Ghosts keep your Beds you Centinels of Night Goblins and Specters do not walk your round A general Lethargy seize on this hour Whilst I alone the Watchman of the Night Will wake in spight of Fate Argus thy Eyes To find Aphelia and her Injuries Exeunt Enter Aphelia and Nigrello with a Light Aph. Into what Labyrinth do you lead me Sir Had you not used his Name which is to Me A strength 'gainst Terrour and himself so good Occasion cannot vary nor the night Youth nor his wilde desires otherwise A silent sorrow from my Eyes would steal And tell sad stories for me Nigr. You are too tender of your Honour Madam Leave your vain fears The Prince has no desires But what are just nor does he own that heat Which were you Snow would thaw a tear from you Aph. Is this the place appointed Nigr. Yes I 'le call him Here is a Book will bear you company Till my return Hither I send the King not that I mean To give him time to cool his burning Lust For Lewis shall present him in the fact And thus I shall indear my self to both Lewis enraged I 'm certain will conceive Such mortal hatred 'gainst his Lustful Brother For such an outrage offer'd to his Mistriss As will prepare his breast for the impressions I must make there My skill must faile me if I do not set Thy Crown upon thy Brothers head Clotair Thy Canker'd heart wants Lancing and thy Brother Shall by my Art administer that cure Which France will thank him for Thy Mother too With her Incarnate Devil Clarmount shall be The next whom my Revenge shall damne if Hell Be but as just as I for 't is their Right Hell then be kind and let 's joyn force to Night Exit Aph. Poor Ravisht Philoâ—el thy Lot was ill To meet that Violence from a Brother Enter Clotair in a Cloak Aphelia sits down and Reads Clot. She has Sworn Faith to Lewis and to woe her Into my Arms suppose 't were possible 'T is not a work of so few hours as I have To accompish it The flattery of to morrow Is a smooth Stile for a calm-blooded Lover But Seiges will not down
Sir came from your Mothers Bed chamber She can raise a Spirit But such an old dry heary Apparition 'T is well 't was but a Vision for I know So well her Constitution That 't is a younger substance must pleas Her But Clarmount thanks t' his Stars under that frozen out side Clot. How What say you Nigr. Sir not t' abuse your Patience He has had as free access to her as e're Your Father had Clot. But art thou sure on 't Nigr. Ha! What a look was there to ask that question Aside Sir if I 've wrong'd your Honour or her Virtue May the just Gods Clot. No troubling Heaven to witness it Tell me art confident Nigr. Of what Clot. What have we Been talking of Th'intrigue between my Mother And Clarmount Nigr. By your unconcern for her Dishonour I suspect you understand me not Clot. 'Sdeath but I do Where lyes the Mystery My Mother holds an amorous League with Clarmount And the next Night after her Husbands Death Admitted him t' her Bed and then for fear Of a Discovery disguis'd him In her Dead Husbands habit Wit I love thee By Heav'ns 't was witty Nigr. Does it please you Sir Clot. Please me Yes above expression I would not Have mist this knowledg for a Kingdoms wealth Good kind Informer tell me does she practise These wanton Revels often Bless my Eares With the discovery speak is it often Nigr. Sir you amaze me to be thus transported I thought the news would not have been so welcome Clot. Not welcome Yes I pardon her and thank her I find the sin of Lust is not so Capital My Father but last Night by Poyson Dyed And I at the same time by Lust inflamed Lest the concern due to a Fathers Murder To flye into a Mistresses embrace I but a Father lost and by that loss I gain'd a Throne She lost a King and Husband And with that loss a Crown Yeâ— Love had power To make her losses King and Crown forget And the next Night flye to a Lovers Arms. Why then should I be troubled when my sin If it be one runs in my Blood My Mother Was kind before me and if Such pleasant harmless Crimes must needs be punisht My Parents then Ought to be sufferers for my Offences Nature's in fault I act but what I 'm born to Nigr. Shall Clarmâ—â—â—â— live then shall this Insolent Villain Profane your Blood and have his own unspilâ— Clot. I hate th' Offender though I love the Guilt She is my Mother and her Favourites Blood Must expiate the injuries of Majesty He dyes for 't Think not Because I practise it I can forgive it What Nature pardons Honour punishes But say how fares Aphelia Nigr. Wrapt in sorrow As her ill fate requires Clot. As so much Beauty Does not deserve I once was of a Nature Unmoved by any thing in Woman-kind But the Enjoyment I esteem'd 'em Vassals To our desires not Soveraigns over ' em But why her Beauty Virtue or her wrongs Have alâ—eâ—'d me I know not but am sensible Of a strange Change of which I feel th' effects But cannot tell the Cause a shining light Shoots through me and my yeilding heart gives way Where the Usurping Guest raigns Lord and I his Slave obey Exit Nigr. So far I 'm happy Clarmounts Doom is Sealed I know he has so much Honour that I doubt not His profecution of so infamous And black a guilt and though his own stains cannot His Mothers I am sure will fret his Heart strings Enter Lewis disguis'd Lew. My kind Preserver my dear dear Nigrello Nigr. Sir your recovery to life the health Of France the Hopes of Kingdoms and the pride Of Europe Lew. Hold Nigrello by my life That life â— owe to thee thou flatterâ—â—t me Heav'n when it gave me breath ordain'd me for My Countreys humble Slave â— and now thou hast Restored that Breath they Creature Nigr. Sir no more The action has so well it self rewarded That I 'm o'repaid with half this Complement But Sir why do you walk abroad so soon Your wounds being so fresh the Ayre may hurt you Lew. Oh fear not that the cause that brings me hither Has perfected my cure I come to ask My fair Aphelias safety Nigr. Sir be satisfied Her Life her Honour and her Love are safe The king 't is true Doats on her even to madness After you had faln and he had in blind rage Sent her to Prison toucht with sudden sense Of his own Guâ—lt her Innocence and Wrongs And the bright stamp her Beauty had imprinted He 's grown so Passionate and chang'd a Lover As 't may be feared that if no other means Can conquer her He'â— Marry her t' enjoy her Lew. Marry her The voyce of Schreichowls o're the Graves of Traytors Is Musick to this Language Nigr. Cease your Fears Your Image in her Bosom and my power Step in between A crown can neither tempt her Nor shall he wrong her Let my Arts alone To countermine her Danger and his Lust. Lew. Your Friendship kind Nigrello Nigr. Call it Justice A service due to injur'd Innocence But Sir as I 'm a suffering Ladys Champion Be you a bleeding Kingdoms I 've a story Will wrack your Ears and scorch your Royal blood Into a Feavour Duâ—ane and Lamâ—t The Kings suspected Murderers you know Were sent to Prison But your Zealous Brother Out of a pious horrour even to hear The story of a Fathers Death repeated Gave me Commission privately in Prison To Poyson 'em before their Tryal came Lew. Good Gods What do I hear Nigr. Then 't was resolved To have it publisht to the World they poyson'd Themselves t' avoyd that certain Execution It would be thought they expected and deserved And thus this Artâ—fice he imagin'd would Silence all farther dangerous inquiries Into so great a secret Lew. Hell and Devils But kind Nigrello as my preservation Convinces me thou' rt honest yet Nigr. Yes Sir I guess your trouble you would have me prove This Imputation yes 't is just I shou'd And though you 've found me honest yet believe My honesty in such a weighty cause No farther then your eyes Then to convince you That I had the disposal of their Lives Instead of Poysoning 'em I have releast ' em Lew. Releast ' em Nigr. Yes and satisfied the King Whose confidence in my dispatch had made him Apt for th' impression that he thinks 'em dead And to confirm you in few hours you 'l hear The train has took and that the City's loud With the discourse both of their Guilt and Deaths Lew. Thou hast a Wit great as thy Loyalty And their deliverance is a proof of both This process of a Fathers Death has rowz'd My Soul and shew'd me Horrors in a shape Too terrible to enter Loyal hearts And not bring thoughts of Vengeance with them France 'T is I must disabuse thee Nigr. Sir the Prisoners Thus Rescued for my safety walk in Clouds And under borrow'd Names
they I intend Shall visit you and make the business plain Lew. My Resentments Of my wrong'd Fathers death a while must pause I 'le Right a Kings but first a Mistress's Cause Nigr. Sir I 'le contrive to place you where you 'l hear What passes the next interview between 'em But keep on your disguise wear your Mask still 'T is not yet known you live which if it were Your access would be difficult besides You 'l have the greater tryal of her Faith By th' greater hate she expresses to your Murd'rer Which your disclosed Recovery would frustrate Lew. Do this and I am blest What scene of Love Could be more pleasant Be my self Spectatour Of my Loves Funeral Rites Behold the Tears Aphelia pays my Tomb What voyce more charming What nobler Monument nay what Bliss more high Than Love paid to a Lovers Memory No Constancy like what Death cannot shake What Saint would not this Paradise forsake Could he invisibly to Earth return To see a faithful Mistress at his Urne Exit Nigr. How my designs succâ—eed which that they 're just Heav'n by his preservation has confirm'd In saving of his Life to make him Agent In my Revenge The King though I know he hates him VVill be extreamly glad of his Recovery If but t' appease his murmuring peoples Anger VVho he knows are more then Mourners for his Death And for the Prince whose heart my Services To him and his Aphelia have made mine His Mistress's Injuries and Fathers Murder VVhich I have artfully made the Kings Guilt VVill raise a fire within him Too hot and fierce to smother or be stopt Till it break out in a Rebellion VVhich His Interest in the French hearts will animate VVhat could I wish for more then to engage The fury of a Kingdom in my Rage Exit Scene the Second The Scene a Dungeon Aphelia is discover'd on a Couch Enter Clotair King Now I am justly punisht for my sins That Violence I offer'd to thy Honour Thou on my Breast hast acted Ravisht thence My Freedom and my Heart All thoughts of rest And hopes of Peace are banisht from this Seat Thy Tyrant-pow'r has seiz'd Nay Crown and Life Turn Vassals at thy feet they prostrate lye Yet though their Fall is low their Object 's high Though at thy Feet they humble homage pay Up to thy Eyes they look the Heavens to which they pray And if she be not all Disdain all Marble I 'le shake her pious constancy to Lewis Make her admire my Love if not reward it Aph. The King Rises King Is this a Lodging for so fair a Guest Is this a Shrine for such a Saint Is this A Temple fit for such a bright Divinity VVho waits without there Enter Burbon Burb. Royal Sir your pleasure King How came this Lady hither Burb. By command From you King Lyar and Slave from Me Strikes him My Guards there Enter Guards Here kill that Dog but stay A death so gentle VVould be an act of Mercy not of Justice Oh impudence unpardonable I send so great a Beauty to a Dungeon Convey him hence and let him dye by tortures Wrackt limb from limb let his torn Carcass bleed And feel such pains so black a Guilt and such A Blasphemy deserves A Dungeon Burb. Hold great Sir do but remember King Good Gods The Traytor has the Impudence To speak Be gone Has not thy tongue been guilty Enough already but thou still darest breath After so damn'd a Lye A Dungeon Heav'ns Aph. Let me Sir be his Advocate Thus low kneels King Aphelia on her knees That posture Madam From such a fair Petitioner's too humble When paid to Heav'n Commanding Lady rise And be obey'd Aph. Great Sir remember 't was Your act of Grace that doom'd me to this Lodging A Lodging fit for an Inhabitant So wrapt in Sorrows and disguis'd in Tears That any nobler roofe would mock my Fortune The darkness of the place becomes her Griefs That dwells in 't King VVere you then brought here by my Command Aph. By your Command Sir and the Breath That gave that kind command pronounced a Fate So glorious that I am bound to honour My Sentencer this melancholy place Agrees both with my wishes and misfortunes You in this favour just and generous prove So dark a scene befits a mourning Love King If you affirm it Madam what you say Is Oracle 'T was I that sent you hither You came by my command into this Dungeon But durst the Slave obey that breath that sent you Away with him to th' VVrack and let his tortures Be doubled How obey me Villain Obedience To a command so barb'rous and so monstrous Deserves more than an enraged King can utter Or torments act What if you had been commanded To Whore your Sister Stab your Father Ravish Your Mother Curse your God or Kill your King Dog would you have obey'd and done all this Away with him Aph. Stay Sir remember 't was His King commanded him and had the deed He acted been a Crime as this was none This was a blessing and so great a blessing As on my Knees I would have beg'd from Heav'n Yet sure your hand can't punish what your tongue Was Authour of King I Author of why Madam 'T is therefore that I punish him I Authour I do not doubt it in the least I was the only cause I gave the Sentence I order'd you this Lodging and no wonder Had I not made attempt to Ravish you Had I not Kill'd my Brother And do ye think Less then a Mad-man could commit such outrage A Man all Rage all Lunacy all Devil But this dull sottish ignorant Slave obey'd me Obey me are the looks And deeds of Kings no better understood Be gone His ignorance forfeits his Life What could he have done more to merit death Then to think Mad-men ought to be obey'd To Tortures Aph. Hold If I have any pow'r King If you have any Pow'r Pow'r did you say I 'de quit my Kingdom and turn Anchoret Or Pilgrim if I thought that Heav'n had more Aph. You are too kind That little pow'r I have Is in my Tears let those Sir beg his Life King Is it your pleasure Madam he should live Aph. Yes for what you 're pleas'd to call a Crime I think he merits a reward not punishment King You bid him live live then and live unpunisht Thank Her But Slave next let me hear you 've ransackt A Temple raz'd a Pallace burnt a City And if this Lady pardons you you Live Your Pleasure is so absolute your Pow'r So uncontroulable what you forgive So free from punishment that your Mercy Madam Would shut up Hell and make Damnation cease Had you but half that Influence over Heav'n You have o're Me. Aph. These shining Titles Sir Believe me are too gay But since you 're pleas'd Thus to adorn me with these borrow'd glories I will persue the Character you lend me And beg a favour greater than his Life King
so vast a height That all she wishes is her own What greater Security for a loose Womans pleasure Then the fond kindness of an amourous Husband Such liberty and safety waits on Marriage That Clarmount then securely King Cease this rudeness They who raise Thunder may not be so bold To sport with it Yonder it comes Nigr. What Sir King That wondrous thing thou talk'st of Nigr. Retire but for a minute if I do not Prove all I 've told you let my Blood appease Your Anger and her Injuries The King abscoâ—ds Enter Aphelia Aph. Nigrello Nigr. The generous and the worthy Clarmount thanks you Aph. My Letter you pâ—esented King Can 't be true She owns that impious Libell Nigr. Yes and he Accepted it with so much joy such extasie No common influence could raise Aph. Kind Sir I am your Debtor King Yes in justice She ought to pay her Bawd his Office merits it Aph. He is a generous and a faithful Friend And whilst th'obliged Aphelia has breath T' express and pow'r to gratifie his favours I 'le pay my thanks in heaping honours on him King How fond she is She can't forbear to praise him If her loose tongue can be so Prodigal To one whom she supposes thinks her honest What are her private thoughts I am distracted Aph. This kind good man King Damnation seize him for 't 'T is but too plain Since she can be Unchast If such a sacred form can bear such stains I cannot wonder at the ancient Romans That made their Gods Adulterers Nigrello What read'st thou in our brow Nigr. A fond desire To be deceived A flattering kind of hope That fair Apâ—elia may be honest still King A setled resolution my black Genius Not to be alter'd by the brackish Tears That flow in pregnant eyes of easie Woman Aph. Why looks my King so alter'd What strange errour Has Fate committed for if any ill Attend so good a King 't is Heav'ns mistake It can't be so unjust as to design it What chance has made this change you look as if A load hung on your thoughts King Yes did man kind Think half so bad of Hell as I of thee There would not be a Sinner in the World Aph. Am I so terrible There was a time Your language flow'd more gently and Aphelia Appear'd less frightful Where 's the alteration Trust me my Lord I feel it not I fear Some Villany has your pure thoughts infected King Why did the over-sight of Heav'n lay out Such vast expence to Beautifie a Face And form the Soul of such a different mould Crule Aphelia cruel to thy self T' obscure such Excellence Eclipse such Light Is that a Brow fit for eternal Night How could a wanton heat or loose desire Lodge in that Breast till the fair seat took fire Whose spreading flames have all your glories crusht Ruin'd your Fame and laid your Pride in dust Why this strange fall why this Lethardick passion I am too milde for an affronted King Thy Treasons are too loud to be discours'd So tamely Oh thou infamous base Woman What sawcy Devil tempted thy hot blood To prostitute thy Virtue shame thy Birth Betray thy Credulous King and damn thy Soul Aph. I am all horrour Oh my startled senses What means my King King To use thee just as coursly As thou hast done thy honour Take her hence Aph. Sir do but hear me King Convey her hence and let her talk to morrow My ears have been too busie for one day Aph. Then I am satisfied if I have leave To speak my Innocence before my Death I thank kind Heav'n my courage is so high Whate're's my doom I can obey and dye Exit Nigrello leading Aphelia King If so much Innocence and so much Beauty Can be corrupted if Aphelia can Turn Whore why may not all man kind Mistrust their Fathers and suspect their Births Their Mothers are less fair and why more honest Who knows but whilst the Husbands arms embrace The seeming honest Wife her wanton fancy May in a stragling fit fix on a Satyr Or some more lustful favourite and her issue Though 't is got lawfully be conceiv'd a Bastard Exit Scene the last The Scene a Grotto Enter Lewis Brisac Souldiers with a Page carrying a dark Lanthorn Lew. Upon your Lives let no man pass that way Make that your Post. Bris. Your Grace shall be obey'd Lew. So if the darkness of the place protects him If he escapes my hands he 'l fall in yours Exeunt The Scene open'd Clarmount and Fredigond are discover'd together Enter Lewis Clarm. Here all our joys are safe no envious eyes No rudeness will this humble Seat surprize Nor can ill Fate our secure Loves betray No fire can guide a Jealous King this way Fred. Oh my dear Clarmount 't was unkindly done To have my pleasures hinder'd by my Son Considering 't was I that made him King 'T was I that set his Fathers soul on wing Lew. Ye Gods what a discovery have I made Had she a hand too in my Fathers Murder Aside Fred. And yet Heav'n knows how I abhor'd the sin Yet for thy sake could act it o're agen To kill a Husband was a crime so horrid As startled me to enter in my thoughts Till Love presented me objects so gay As instantly drew the dark Scene away Clarm. We are betray'd Lew. Stir Traytor and thou dyest Holds a Dagger at his Breast Brisac Enter Brisac Nigrello and Souldiers Bris. My Lord. Lew. That Monster is thy charge Clarm. Nigrello in the Plot. Oh credulous Fool Lew. Thou glorious Light that in thy natural Orbe Did'st comfortably shine upon this Kingdom How is thy worth Ecclips'd what a dull darkness Hangs round about thy Fame in all this piece To every limb whereof I once owed duty I know not now where to find out my Mother Queen The Devil and disobedience blinds your eyes Lew. Oh that I had no eyes so you no shame Murder your Husband to arrive at Lust And then to lay the blame on Innocence Blush blush thou worse then Woman Queen Ha ha Leâ— Hold my heart You 're impudent in sin has your lustful Villain Made you thus Valiant Queen How darest thou cloath thy speech in such a phrase To me thy Mother Lew. Adultrate Woman shame of Royalty I blush to call thee Mother yes to think it Whilst I reflect upon thy tainted blood I doubt the pureness of my own The spring head Defiled who knows but the under stream may be Corrupted I am all distraction And dare not talk too long on such a subject Least wildness conquering my softer sense Thrust forth my hand into an act of horrour Queen Insolent Boy wilt thou turn Parracidâ— Lew. The justice of my cause would well excuse Me if I should Nigrello Nigr. Sir your pleasure Lew. Nature forbids me spill my Mothers blood And Clarmount is unfit for my Revenge For I must study torments for the Villain This is the Night that the Confederates Begin
part Are Childricks Souldiers Souls of blood and fire A fiercer Troop and spirits more resolved Life never put in action King Let 'em come on This Castle will endure A Fortnights Siege Before which time 's expired My Brother with the noblest blood of France Whom I have Commission'd to suppress their out-rage Shall lash these Rebels for their insolence Leave us Nigrello Exit Lord. Nigr. Sir King Bring Aphelia in Exit Nigrello Love thou hast had thy flight now Hate take thine Whilst my blind Faith believed her Chast my Faith Made my Devotion I believ'd that Heav'n Was lodged in her and so I kneelt and worshipt But now I see I have misplaced my prayers And find that Idol-Beauty I adored No true Divinity To expiate My misled Zeal I 'le put the false light out And down in dust low as the grave degrade That painted God my Superstition made Enter Nigrello and Aphelia Aph. Is this my King why wears your angry brow So dark a Cloud I have deserved no frowns Yet by the calculation of your looks I find I have not long to Live Nigr. Yes Live Confess and turn thy Fate Tell me what damnd Infernal Fury tempted thee to quit Thy Innocence and leave a stain behind it So deep as spreads Contagion o're thy Soul Aph. How Royal Sir what means King Hold Confess thy Crimes but make 'em not too horrid Say that thy sin was not so black say that The lustful Villain offer'd Marriage to thee And by a Trecherous and Perfidious craft Gilded the sin till it look'd fair and lovely Abused thy tender years and weaker knowledge To take a possession of thy Virgin Honour Before the deeds were sealed that should convey it Say he betray'd thee Aph. Hold Sir King That too much still Say that he gave thee philters and so poyson'd Thy purer Nature till the infectious herbs Had stupified that sense which was the guard Of thy untainted Honour till thy Soveraign Reason was from its Royal seat deposed And so thy Frenzy not thy Lust undid thee Aph. I am all horrour King Hold That shape 's too black still Say that the Villain did it by surprize Found thee alone or sleeping and his Dagger Pointed against thy heart by force extorted The fatal prize whilst fear not guilt betray'd thee Say any thing to make thee seem less monstrous Whilst I behold that face I love so well still I would not have thee â—aln from all that 's good I â—ain would think thee Virtuous if I could Aph. Stay Royal Sir and hear an injur'd Maid I 've felt the Tyranny of Prisons Chains My Soveraigns frowns and those I 've born with courage But t' hear my King accuse me of a Crime Of which my thoughts nor dreams were never guilty If I betray'd my Virtue I must lay The Scene of Treason in some strange dark place As Sun ne're saw For after such a stain I could not look Light in the face and live King How impudent is Lust she never thought Not she nor dreamt an ill Because some Charity For her Soul and some little kindness for her Beauty Made me so fond to wish her Crime might be As little as it could she at next word Has Innocence enough to stock a Saint And takes the borrow'd Name without a blush Aph. Mistaken Sir you are abused What Monster Has some malicious Traytor rendred me King Ask your Gallant your Clarmount Aph. You distract me Clarmount Sir what of him King You 'd have me tell you The sport 's so Ravishing that by this Light She 's for the pleasure of the repetition on 't Aph. Why do you shake my tender sense offer Such Violence to my chast ears Indeed If you could read my Soul you would not talk So like a Stranger to 't What-ever malice Conspires against your quiet and my Life By my best hopes of Heav'n Heav'n that should guard The fame of Virtue and the peace of Kings I 'm injur'd basely wrong'd and am so far From what my King suspects me that I never spoke To Clarmount King You 're wondrous good at signs then Sure you rated Your Honour at low price to make no words At parting with it 'Sdeath not speak to himâ— What numerous Crimes Attend on Lust All other sins came singly The Murder kills a Man the Sacrilegious Plunders a Temple the Blasphemer Curses His God and who makes more on 't But a Woman That 's Damnd in Lust commits all sorts of sins The Hypocrite she must be she appears The thing she is not Perjury's her study For she protests for Chastity If she Marries Her antidated Monster in the Bridal Night Wrapt in false light snaâ—ches at unknown joys And cheated with a Conquest that required Not half the pains he takes sor't thinks he has gain'd An infinite spoyle when Heav'n knows long since The Mine was ransackt and the Treasure gone And next perhaps the Issue of her Groom Or Page is made her cousen'd Husbands Heir And thus not only her own blood 's defiled But the base Canker spreads through Families And so one minutes sin leaves stains to Ages But to unridle this dumb show of Virtue Though you were modest and you durst not speakâ— I 'le try if you dare read Is not that yours Shews her the Letter Aph. Yes Sir and where 's the offence of this King She 's witty with me Where 's the offence on 't says she Aph. What 's this I see what a black line is here Reads Be careful of my Honour when I am Married and a Queen our stolne pleasures will be more difficult but shall not be less desired nor less grateful to yours still Aphelia The greatest favour that you e're can grant me Tell me who gave you this Nigr. I gave it him Aph. I am betrayd This false Nigrellâ— told me That Clarmount had prevail'd with you to quit All Love to me and give me to your Brother And then perswaded me to write my thanks To Clarmount in acknowledgment of such An eminent favour I surprized at such A sudden bliss what by my Brother who Confirm'd his words King Brisac too in the Treason Aph. And my own passionate desires too apt To take impression from so fair a stamp Which ease believ'd so wisht a story and In height of extasy exprest my sense Of Clarmounts Friendship in that Letter to him Which this unkind ill man to spot my fame And shake your peace has Treacherously corrupted And by that last forg'd line subverted all My innocent meaning King Did you write that Postscript Nigr. Yes King And abused her Innocence Nigr. Aye Sir King Can I believe my Ears Nigr. I know no reason To th'contrary King How Slave Art thou in earnest Nigr. Why Sir do I look As if I jested King Death Hell and the Devii Nigr. Death Hell and Devil you do well to call 'em But trouble not your self they 're near enough To come without a call King I 'm all