thy words have rais'd a storm within me I must have stronger reasons that she 's false Men. Why then to shew you Sir how much I love you And with what Zeal I 've strove to serve my King I 'le shew these two seeming Saints but Devills Even in the Act of sin that needs must damn ' em King Ha! In the Act it is impossible Men. It is indeed to Nick the very time But I will shew you something Comes so near You may with ease imagine what 's been done But know my Liege when these dark deeds are done 'T is when they 're very certain of your absence Therefore might I be worthy to advise Early i' th' morning make some slight pretence That may detain you till the following day Then if I do not give you certain Proof Of the Queens falshood cut me into Atoms King Is 't possible O this Land-Crocodile Made of Egyptian slime Accursed woman Wou'd when I first beheld her tempting face My eyes had met with Light'ning and instead Of hearing her Inchanting tongue the shreeks Of Mandrakes had made musick to my Slumbers Men. My Lord be Patient see before you doubt King I will nay thou sha't see me wond'rous Patient For yet I cannot think Semanthe false Tho' words like thine urg'd with such Confidence To any man but me wou'd turn him mad Farewell my Lord and see you keep your promise For if thou dost not Vengance Hell and Horrour Shall certainly attend thy Canker'd Soul Ex. King Manet Men. Men. Rowl on the Chariot Wheels of my dark Plot And bear my ends to their desired Marks He 's gone with black suspition in his heart And made his Soul a slave to Jealousy Let him go on on to the Gulph of Ruine As sure he shall when I have work'd my Ends Now to my Brother O thou Credulous King The Tortur'd Ghosts that dwell i' th' dark Abyss Have pleasant Hours to what thou sha't enjoy For when the black designs that I have laid Are brought to pass then then comes all thy pain And thou sha't never tast of Peace again Exit SCENE IV. The Scene drawn discovers Marcelia sitting Melancholly A Song within I. Were I with my Orinda bless'd Of the dear Maid Possess'd It wou'd in Angells Envy breed To see our Ioys shou'd theirs exceed One minute wou'd more bliss bestow Then they in Thousand Ages know II. All over Rapture when shall I With you in Transport lye On thy soft bosom to be plac'd To be by those dear Arms Embras'd Is better far then Diadems With all the Eastern useless Iems Marcelia Rises Mar. No more of this it suites not with my sorrow For one so wretched and so lost as I The Groans of Tortur'd Ghosts were fitter Musick O Ithocles Part'ner of my Afflictions With much more Joy and vast contentedness Wou'd I embrace my death within thy Arms Then live possess'd o' th' World thus sever'd from thee O King King O my too Cruell Unckle With what a weight of sorrow do you load me Be kind and give me ease by present Death Enter a Lady Lady One from Prince Meleander Craves Admittance Mar. Altho' I hate the name of him he comes from Yet that I may have Opportunity To vent my passion by my scorn admit him Ex. Lady Re-enter with Lattinius and Exits Latt Divinest Excellence whose Conquering eyes Have made a Captive of the best of Men Do not with scorn repay his faithfull love Ah Madam hither I am sent to lay His bleeding heart before you and inform you He can no longer live without your pitty His tortur'd Soul will quickly leave its Mansion Unless your kind Consent will make him happy Mar. My my Consent Hear me you bless'd above If I do ever entertain one thought Of love to any but my Ithocles Let me continue wretched still a Pris'ner And never know the bless'd content of Freedom This tell your Lord and let him know beside There 's not one torturing Pang within his breast But what 's doubled in mine and he the cause Then guess what pitty he must e're expect From one that suffers all this pain through him Latt Alas his Crime is caus'd by too much love Oh had you heard as I too oft have done The deep-fetch'd sighs have sprung from his sad heart The many Groans beheld the tears h 'as shed His broken slumbers and his restless thoughts You 'd sure make a more kind return then scorn Mar. Never Oh never 't is not in my power My life my heart my love is Ithocles's And ' Im too firmly fix'd e're to be Chang'd Latt O on my knees let me return my thanks Keep still keep still this constant resolution Bless'd be the Powers that have inspir'd your breast With this unshaken faith to Ithocles For shou'd you er'e consent to Meleander That day that gives you him must give me Death Mar. What means the Youth Latt O Look on poor Statillia On her who loves above her life that man Whom you can entertain with so much scorn But by the freindship that was once between us And by the constant love you bear my Brother Lock up this Secret as you 'd guard your life Lest the too fatall breath of a discovery Shou'd Seal my everlasting Banishment Shut from that Bliss his dearest presence gives For 't is there only that Statillia lives Mar. O rise thy Brother's Part'ner in my heart And what there is in my poor power to serve you You may with Confidence Command but Sister For so I now must call you since your Brother Is made the full possessor of my love You may be kind and let me see you often For 't is a wondrous Comfort to th' afflicted To have a kind Companion in their Sorrows Latt O do not doubt it for your Company Next Meleanders is my all I covet And sometimes to divert our mournfull hours We 'le sit and talk and sigh and weep and wish T' obtain our loves but O I fear in vain Mar. We know not that Heav'n Pities the Afflicted And time brings many won'drous things to pass Mean while we twins of misery and sorrow Will comfort one another like true friends We 'le equally share happiness and grief And beg some pittying God to send relief Ex. Omn. SCENE V. A Garden Enter King and Semanthe Sem. My Lord If I did e're possess your love If you have any kindness for Semanthe Tell me the meaning of your clowded brow And why you seem thus troubled King I have cause O my Semanthe in my last nights sleep My troubled fancy has been so perplex'd With dreadfull dreams and hideous Apparitions That take away my quiet for methought O dreadfull sight methought the verge of Heav'n Was Ring'd with flames and all the upper vault Thick laid with flakes of fire i' th midst of which A Blazing Comet shot his threat'ning tail Just in my face I thought 't was terrible But Oh what after came was that distracts me I
is decreed Semanthe thou shalt sleep though but in ashes Leave me Bassanes and Lattinius leave me Lat. Sir I cannot leave you Ex. Bass. Mele. What saist thou boy Lat. Indeed I dare not leave you Your Clouded brow foretells some storm at hand And I much fear 't is on your self 't will fall Your Sisters Death is strongly working in you And makes me dread the fatal Consequence Mele. Thou art mistaken boy my Sisters death I meet with all serenity and calmness For if she 's guilty 't would be most unfit A thing so Leprous shou'd infect the Earth If innocent those Pow'rs that take her hence For all her wrongs her Thorny Coronets Her bleeding Veins and her more bleeding fame Have those bright Jemms in an immortal Crown What vast reserve of Glories to adorn her In the bright Realm of everlasting day As more then all her Losses shall repay Lat. What then disturbs you Mele. My dispairing love Lat. It may not long be so Mele. I fear for ever Then why should'st thou expect that I will live When by my violent Pains too sure I find Slaves at an Oar have greater ease then I Hard'ned to Labours they their Pains defie Dispair in Love 's the only misery We with fresh Agonies our Souls torment View the bright Tracks where th' adored Beauty went And with fresh Pains our endless Plagues deplore To think our setting Sun will rise no more Exeunt Omnes SCENE III. A Wood. Enter Orgillus Org. Where e're I go my Conscience still persues And the pale Figure of the dead Armena Is ever in my view 't was not well done So ill to gratifie the woman lov'd me Besides I only fear'd she might discover What I my self am now inclin'd to do The Queen this day must dye a publick death 'T is not too late I yet may save her from it Horns and Huntsmen at a distance What noise is that the ecchoing cries of Huntsmen Alas the hunted Stagg himself that flies From all those open Mouths of death behind him Is not alarm'd with my pursuing horrors He has but a Life but I a Soul in danger Enter Menaphon behind Men. Thus far Iâ—ve watch'd my Brother whose sad thoughts I fear bodes Ruin to our great design I find his foolish Conscience does perplex him And dare not trust my ' Life in the weak hold Of Consciencious hands although a Brothers He that would manage Glorious mischief safe Shou'd guide his rouling Chariot like the Sun And singly hold the mighty Reins alone Into his Seat no aiding Partner call Lest the misguideing Phaeton hazard all Org. Shou'd I discover it and save her Life And the King's Mercy too shou'd grant me mine Where then is Menaphon What must he dye What an ungrateful wretch shou'd I be counted To leave my Brother tangled in the snare When I my self have pow'r to keep him out But yet the violent love that the King bears To beautiful Semanthe is so great That shou'd I tell him all our Villany I might with ease make Covenants of safety And sign my own and pardon'd Brother's Life Menaphon comes forward Men. Brother with Joy I 've heard your troubled Conscience And am well pleas'd your thoughts keep pace with mine O Brother Brother with such dreams of horrour Since poor Armena's death my fancy 's plagu'd That had not your Remorse of Conscience found you I shou'd alone have told it to the King Org. How My dear generous Brother Men. Yes my Orgillus An Orient Beam of Penitence dawns within me The Shadows of my once benighted Soul All vanish'd and bright day breaks forth in Glory Org. And is kind Heav'n this dear Conversion true Is my kind Brother Men. Yes see here a Profilite Kneels To Heaven Religion Honor Piety Semanthe the Innocent Semanthe dye No I will snatch her from the yawning Precipice And fix her righted Fame and rescu'd Innocence On that Immortal Pyramide of Glory That the admiring World with up lift Eyes And low bent Knees shall pay their joyful tribute At her bless'd Restauration with my own Repenting Hand I 'll twine twine a rich Chaplet Of Flowers and Roses and Eternal Sweets T' adorn her Sacred Brow Org. O my Just Brother Now thou' rt all white again most lovely fair O there 's that Rapture in Divine Repentance No wonder it unlocks the Gates of Heav'n When Oh there blows a Gale a fragrant Gale Of Persumes from the very Air it flies in That sure 't is all a breath of Parradise And shall Semanthe live come to my Arms O nearer to Breast Men. Yes to thy Heart Stabs him Org. Villain perfidious Villain thou hast kill'd me Org. falls Men. Yes lie there Pitty my great Plot was found'ring And I have stop'd the leak Org. Kis'd and Betray'd Embrac'd and Murther'd Men. Yes Religious Fool. Thou wert too good for Earth and I in pitty Have kindly giv'n thee Heav'n so sleep Conscience And now wake wake Revenge agen Org. Oh Groans Horns and Huntsmen agen Men. Ha! Company Curse on this Interruption No matter I am sure I have dispatch'd him And his short breath 's too weak to hurt me now But let me prudently retire unseen My Face has danger in 't now dear dear Vengeance Ex. hastily drawing off Orgillus SCENE IV. The Scene Changes Enter Guards making way for the Queen Guar. Room there bear back room for the Queen Enter Semanthe in white attended with six Ladies in Mourning Bassanes Guards and Attendants Quee. Kind Gentlemen there needs not this formality I am past all State Ceremony now Alas there 's no distinction in the Grave The proudest Sovereign Head when laid in Dust Sleeps on as Course a Pillow as a Pesant's And Oh! there opes that narrow Gate to Heav'n That Majesty it self must stoop as humbly For ent'rance there as the poor crawling Cottager Well Gentlemen you come to see me die To see the scatter'd ashes of your Queen Blown round the spreading Globe but oh my friends Cou'd but my spotless Soul be seen as plainly Oh! to the utmost corners of the Earth The sounding Trump of my immortal innocence Wou'd fill Fame's swelling vollume with a story So full of woe and that unequal fate As tender drowning eyes wou'd melt to read And the hard cause of poor Semanthe dead Even distant worlds and pittying ages plead Exit Omn. SCENE V. The Scene drawn discovers a great many Spikes fix'd in the Ground and a high Battlement above it Enter King Menaphon Meleander Guards and Attendants King Brother I sent for you to see a justice Done on the Monster that has wrong'd us both Haste Amyclas and bring the viper forth Ex. Amyclas Re-enter Amyclas with Ithocles chain'd in 's Shirt and Drawers a night Gown over'em Guarded Itho. My death you have decreed and Heaven permitted But know mistaken King I wear a Soul So free from that black charge for which I dye That at my Launch into Eternity I shall soare lighter then a mounting Angel
save thy Brother Org. What Remedy Time Patience Opportunity The fiercest Torrents of a womans Passion Has both its Ebbs and Flows her tide of Hate Strong as it is and bears down all before it May turn and turn to Love try her again You know the King now Wars with the Sicillians And leaves the Queen and Kingdom to your Care Cou'd any thing more favour your design Brother be ruled by me you know this Garden Is ev'ry night her walk before she sleeps Here meet with her and once more own your passion If she refuses you again forget her And leave the Scornfull Beauty to her self Men. Forget Semanthe 't is impossible Sooner the Glorious Sun shall turn its Course Motion and Nature their great work give o're And the Eternall Axis Rowle no more Enter Semanthe Org. Brother no more the Queen is coming this way Now if you ever hope to gain your wishes Be bold and your undaunted Passion speak Mean while I will retire to yonder Grove That Secresy and Silence may befriend you Exit Org. Men. Oh how I burn when I behold that face Turn turn Semanthe Cruell woman turn Sem. Bless me what mournfull Sound was that Men. Mournfull indeed And from the wretched'st man that sound was sent That ever sigh'd for Beauty great as your's Sem. This villain here how my heart shakes to see him aside What mean you Menaphon to him â—en O I must speak Though Death with Torments Tyrants ne're found out Stood ready for me I must say I love you Sem. As a Subject and t' will become you Men. O Gracious Princess if that blessed form kneels E're harbour'd pity for a wretch distressâ—d Shew some to me to me whom violent love Has tortur'd on the wrack of fruitless hope And anchor'd down my Soul in Seas of woe Sem. I understand you not Men. Then farewell Circumstance rises And since you are not pleas'd to understand me Tho' I have oft discours'd this Subject to you But by a plain and easy way of speech All Superstitious reverence layd by I love you as a man and as a man I wou'd enjoy you why d' ye start and fly me I am no monster and you 'r but a woman A woman made to yield and by example Told it is Lawfull favours of this nature Are in our Age no Miracles I' th greatest And therefore Madam approaching her Sem. Villain stand farther off Ungratefull Monster A Crime which Creatures wanting reason fly from Are all the Princely Bounties Favours Honours Which with some prejudice to his own wisdom Thy Lord and Raiser has Confer'd upon thee In such a short time bury'd has he made thee From one obscure allmost without name The envy of great Fortunes have I grac'd thee Beyond thy Rank and entertain'd thee as A Friend and not a servant and is this This Insolent attempt upon my Honour The fair return of both our ventured favours Men. Hear my excuse Sem. The fall'n Angells may plead mercy And with as much assurance as thou hope it This is not the first time Your treach'rous tongue has utter'd this wild outrage Think not I 'le Longer bear your Insolence What Smiles what friendships has my Lord showr'd on thee What a vast trust has he reposed in thee By leaving both his Kingdom and my self To thy protectian Villain think on this And let it quench the Feavour in thy bloud Men. All this I've done and many a weary night Have call'd these thoughts to my most strict rememb'rance Brought my soul up to honours bar and try'd The Cause of love at Conscience high Tribunall But oh in vain for now too late I find There is no Medicine for a tortur'd mind But freedom from the torture it sustains Therefore Divinest Princess Sem. Cease your Insolence Darst thou again with thy invenom'd breath After I had forbid thee strive to tempt me To Act a deed which my soul shakes to think on Know Traytor to reward this sawcy boldness I will not only paint thy barb'rous Guilt In its most hideous black Infernal form And to the Injur'd King present the Gorgon But rouse too my own Justice and Revenge Th' unquall'd Crime with forfeit of thy Head offers to go Men. Stay stay bright Angell hear me but one word O! tho' my fault deserves a Punishment Men. kneels she returns Greater then his who stole Joves fire from Heav'n Be you Compassionate and shew some mercy I must confess my fault unpardonable But oh consider what the force of Love is But yet indeed to own a love to you Was too presumptuous and I do repent it Sem. Can it be hoped After a practise so abhorr'd as thine Repentance e're can find thee Men. By your self By your bright self divinest Queen I swear And all those Powers that guard your Innocence Henceforth I never will in word or deed Make Repetition of my Lawless Love 'T is not the fear of Death makes me sue thus But a loath'd detestation of my madness That makes me wish to live to have your pardon Which Granted in your presence whom I 've wrong'd I 'le let out that Ranck bloud which caus'd my folly Sem. No rise rise Menaphon you have my pardon And shall my favour if you keep your Oath But if you do not by the Pow'rs that rule us By all the fury of an injur'd Princess I 'le lay aside all thoughts of gentle pitty And when thy life shall answer thy black deed Stand by with pleasure to behold thee bleed Ex. Sem. Manet Men. Men. She 's Gone for ever gone and I am lost Ne're speak of Love on forfeit of my life O why was I pick'd out from all Mankind To fix my Love on so much scorn and beauty And why since fate had destin'd me to love her Should any other man in peace possess her No if he do may fortune still pursue me With all her utmost and severest malice O 't would be rare revenge for my scorn'd passion To throw a burning brand in the Kings breast And make his Soul feel tortures great as mine Work stronger in my heart thou dear revenge For thou art now all Musick to my sense Enter Orgillus Whose there My Brother Orgillus Org. The same What have you spoke to her Men. Yes I have sued Kneel'd wept and begg'd but tears and vows and words Move her no more then Summer winds a Rock She threat'ned to discover to the King All that I ever mention'd of my love Which had she done I know my Orgillus My Life must needs have been the fatall forfiet Which to prevent I 've bound my self by Oath Never to mention my rash love again Org. And will you keep that Oath Men. By Heav'n I will But yet I will not loose her unreveng'd This King that detains all my happyness Shall live in Torments great as I endure Curss'd Jealousy that Poys'ner of Content Shall put an end to all his quiet here And O take heed Semanthe for the Plot
Of thy bless'd presence makes me feel new life On to the Temple where when we have given Our thanks to the great Powers that have preserv'd us Impatiently I 'le wait the approach of night Then wrap'd in loves Immortall Paradice I 'le revell in unutterable Bliss Exit Omnes Praetor Itholes Itho. Strike home dear Thunder end my ling'ring pains Did ever Lover feel my Pangs and live Never was man surrounded with my Glory Th' intire possessor of the Constant love Of one so Beauteous so divinely fair And yet am doom'd to famish in despair So the poor naked Slave diggs in the mine And sees the Glittering Ore around him shine But does with hopeless eyes that wealth behold Wretched and starv'd amidst a mine of Gold Exit The End of the Second Act. The Third ACT. SCENE I. Meleander discover'd in 's Night-Gown Mele. NIght Clad in black mourns for the loss of day And hides the Silver spangles of the Sky That not a spark is left to light the world Whilst quiet sleep the Nourisher of life Takes full possession on mortality All Creatures take their rest in soft repose No Spirit moves upon the breast of Earth But howling Dogs night-Crows and Screeching Owles Despairing Lovers and Pale Meager Ghosts Enter Lattinius Lattinius here why dost thou break thy rest This is an hour wretches shou'd only wake Why weeps my pretty Boy Latt To see your Sorrow And think it is not in my Power to help you For by those Sacred Guardians over us I cannot think that dang'rous Enterprize I wou'd refuse to purchase your content Mele. Alas my sufferings are past thy redress But yet I thank thee for thy care and Love I doat on one colder then Alpine Snow One that would rather dye to please my Rivall Then live the Empress of the World with me Is there a cure for this O there is none For were there any pittying God above Touch'd with Commiseration of my grief And shou'd descend to plead in my behalf By Heav'n I think she wou'd with scorn receive him Stand the Temptation of a Golden show'r And Jove himself in all his shapes unalter'd Latt Might I without offence declare my thoughts I 'de have you cast your eyes on other beauties Search natures Store and find some noble'r choice T' adorn your Nuptial bed Mel. O if I cou'd Embrace thy Counsell I were truly happy But know I love and dye for that dear Charmer And Cruell as she is must still persist Another Choice No 't is impossible The rest of that fair Compar'd with her Wou'd seem like drossy mettalls to pure Gold Latt O dismal sound in all this mighty Transport I find but little hopes for poor Statillia Aside But yet my Lord Mel. O talk no more Lattinius Unless thy words are praises of her beauty Describe each grace of the Divine Marcelia Let every thing thou utter'st sound her name And I will sit and listen to thy Musick As sweet as the Melodious Quires of Heav'n Or sure Salvation to departing Souls Latt Why should it be so sweet to hear the name Of one whose Pride is to be your Tormentor Who is the Cause of all your sighs Marcelia Who is 't that makes you curse your fate Marcelia Who is it that unmans you but Marcelia Who is 't that pays your constant love with scorn Who is 't that doats on Ithocles your Rivall Marcelia still whose very name is Musick Sweeter then the Melodious quires of Heav'n Marcelia is the cause Mel. No more I charge you For your Officious love grows troublesome Away begone and leave me to my thoughts Still art thou here Latt Alas I cannot leave you Upon my knees I beg if you e're lov'd Forgive my forward Zeal and let me serve you I 'le to this Cruell woman tell her all Describe each Pang that tears your Love-sick heart Count o're the hours you wast in sad Complaints If she was nurs'd by any thing but Tygers I doubt not but to move Compassion in her Try me my Lord Mel. Alas 't will be in vain She 's Colder then the North Impenitrable As Rocks of Adamant and scarce will hear A message sent from me Latt Fear not my Lord. Mel O I have wondrous reason But since I find thou wou'dst fain do me service For once I will Imploy thee tell her then If Possible each sigh thou 'st heard me utter How much above the world I prize her Love Tell her what dangers I wou'd undertake To Gain one smile from her wilt thou do this Latt Indeed my Lord I will Mel. My better self But see the morning-Star breaks from the East To tell the world her great Eye is awak'd To take his Journey to the western Vales. And now the Court begins to rise with him Go to her then my faithfull dear Lattinius Lay if thou canst my Dying Groans before her And Bath her feet with tears to move her Soul Latt I will do all that lies within my Power Mel. Farewell my Pretty Boy and some kind Angell Instruct thee with the means to gain her Pitty Exit Mele. Latt O misery was ever fate like mine To Languish for the love of that dear man Whose heart alass is Conquer'd by another The rest Of my more prosperous Sex compared with me Are Goddesses in Glitt'ring Chariots ride And make their Lovers vassalls to their Pride But I poor I seek mine and am deny'd Exit SCENE II. Enter Menaphon and Orgillus Men. Now Brother does the fatall time draw on That must or give me Death or full revenge For all the Scorn and slights were thrown on me By that Proud haughty and disdainfull Beauty This hour shall put an end to all her quiet For I will work the King to that degree Of Rage and Jealousy that if his Soul Can harbour any sence of those great wrongs As he most Certain shall believe is done him I know Immediate Death must be her Lot And sure destruction to the man you hate Org. O that the wish'd for deed were once effected That I might see this Rivall to my Glory Fix'd in a Dungeon or his hated Soul Sent to the place where I cou'd wish it Hell Men. Doubt not my Brother but that time 's at hand Look on the Liquor this small Glass Contains Infuse three drops of it i' th wine he drinks So many hours his Sences will be shut And Lay him in the Leaden hand of sleep Which when perform'd we may with as much ease Work our designs on him as 't is to think it Org. By Heav'n thy Plot deserves Eternall Fame But Brother near as we can guess the hour Let it be when the Queen prepares for Supper Armena at that time by Instructions Shall give Semanthe the same sleeping Draught Men. Haste then my Brother tell her our design Whilst I infect the King with Jealousy He comes this way retire leave me alone And doubt not but we shall have wish'd success Org. Farewell And in each