through the eies And ears of other men it takes a tincture From every channel and still bears a relish Of Flattery or private ends Mor. But danger and necessity Dare speak the truth Abd. But commonly They speak not till it is too late And for Haly He that shall tell him of the Princes danger But tells him that himself is safe Scena Secunda Enter King Princess and Solyman King Clear up clear up sweet Erythaea That cloud that hangs upon thy brow presages A greater storm than all the Turkish power Can throw upon us me-thinks I see my fortune Setling her looks by thine and in thy smile Sits victory and in thy frown our ruine Why should not hope As much erect our thoughts as fear deject them Why should we Anticipate our sorrows 'T is like those That die for fear of death What is 't you doubt his courage or his fortune Princess Envy it self could never doubt his courage King Then let not love do worse by doubting that Which is but valours slave a wise well-temper'd valour For such is his those Giants death and danger Are but his Ministers and serve a Master More to be fear'd than they the blind Goddess Is led amongst the Captives in his triumph Princess I had rather she had eyes for if she saw him Sure she would love him better but admit She were at once a Goddess and his slave Yet fortune valour all is overborn By numbers as the long resisting Bank By the impetuous Torrent King That 's but rumour Ne're did the Turk invade our Territory But Fame and Terrour doubled still their files But when our Troops encountred then we found Scarce a sufficient matter for our fury One brings word of a Messenger Solyman conduct him in 'T is surely from the Prince Enter Post and delivers a Letter King Give it our Secretaries I hope the Prince is well Post. The Letter will inform you Enter a Mess. Mess. Sir the Lords attend you Ex. Princess Enter Lords King What news from the Army Lord. Please you to hear the Letter King Read it Lord. The Turk enraged with his last years overthrow Hath re-enforc't his Army with the choice of all his Janizars And the flow'r of his whole Empire we Understand by some fugitives that he hath commanded The Generals to return with victory or expect A shameful death what I shall further do Their numbers five times exceeding ours I desire to receive directions from your Majesties command King Send away all our Guards Let fresh supplies of victuals and of money Lord. Your Treasures Are quite exhausted the Exchequer 's empty King Send to the Bankers Ab. Sir upon your late demands They answered they were poor King Sure the Villains hold a correspondence With the enemy and thus they would betray us First give us up to want then to contempt And then to ruine but tell those sons of earth I 'le have their money or their heads Wind a horn 'T is my command when such occasions are No Plea must serve 't is cruelty to spare Another Messenger Exeunt Lords King The Prince transported with his youthful heat I fear hath gon too far 'T is some disaster Or else he would not send so thick well bring him in I am prepar'd to hear the worst of evils Enter Solyman and two Captains Cap. kisses his hand King What is the Prince besieged in his Trenches And must have speedy aid or die by famine Or hath he rashly tri'd the chance of War And lost his Army and his Liberty Tell me what Province they demand for ransom Or if the worst of all mishaps hath fallen Speak for he could not die unlike himself Speak freely and yet me-thinks I read Something of better fortune in thy looks But dare not hope it Capt. Sir the Prince lives King And hath not lost his honour Cap. As safe in honour as in life King Nor liberty Cap. Free as the air he breaths King Return with speed Tell him he shall have money victuals men With all the haste they can be levied Farewel Offers to go Cap. But Sir I have one word more King Then be brief Cap. So now you are prepar'd and I may venture King What is 't Cap. Sir a Fathers love mixt with a Fathers care This shewing dangers greater and that nearer Have rais'd your fears too high and those remov'd Too suddenly would let in such a deluge Of joy as might oppress your aged spirits Which made me gently first remove your fears That so you might have room to entertain Your fill of joy Your Son 's a Conquerour King Delude me not with fained hopes false joys It cannot be And if he can but make A fair Retreat I shall account it more Than all his former conquests those huge numbers Arm'd with despair the flow'r of all the Empire Cap. Sir I have not us'd to tell you tales or fables And why should you suspect your happiness Being so constant On my life 't is true Sir King Well I 'le no more suspect My fortune nor thy faith Thou and thy news most welcom Solyman Go call the Princess and the Lords they shall Participate our joyes as well as cares Enter Princess and Lords King Fair daughter blow away those mists clouds And let thy eyes shine forth in their full lustre Invest them with thy loveliest smiles put on Thy choycest looks his coming will deserve them Princess What is the Prince return'd with safety 'T is beyond belief or hope King I sweet Erythaea Laden with spoyls and honour all thy fears Thy wakeful terrors and affrighting dreams Thy morning sighs and evening tears have now Their full rewards And you my Lords Prepare for Masques Triumphs Let no circumstance Be wanting that becomes The greatness of our State or Joy Behold he comes Enter Prince with Captains and two Captive Bashawes King Welcom brave son as welcom to thy father As Phoebus was to Iove when he had slain Th' ambitious Giants that assail'd the sky And as my power resembles that of Ioves So shall thy glory like high Phoebus shine As bright and as immortal Prince Great Sir all acquisition Of Glory as of Empire here I lay before Your Royal feet happy to be the Instrument To advance either Sir I challenge nothing But am an humble suitor for these prisoners The late Commanders of the Turkish powers Whose valours have deserv'd a better fortune King Then what hath thine deserv'd th' are thine brave Mirzah Worthy of all thy Royal Ancestors And all those many Kingdoms which their vertue Or got or kept though thou hadst not been born to 't But daughter still your looks are sad No longer I 'le defer your joys go take him Into thy chast embrace and whisper to him That welcom which those blushes promise Exit King Prince My Erythaea why entertain'st thou with so sad a brow My long desir'd return thou wast wont With kisses and sweet smiles to welcom home My victories
a gallant boldness If 't were thine Thou could'st not hear 't with such a silent scorn I am amaz'd Ha. Sir perplex your thoughts no further They have truth to make 'em bold And I have power to scorn it 't was I Sir That betray'd him and you and them King Is this impudence or madness Ha. Neither A very sober and sad truth to you Sir King A Guard there Enter Mirvan and others King Seize him Ha. Seize them now Though 't is too late to learn yet know 'Gainst you are King again what 't is to let your Subjects Dispose all offices of trust and power The beast obeys his keeper and looks up Not to his masters but his feeders hand And when you gave me power to dispense And make your favours mine in the same hour You made your self my shadow and 't was my courtesie To let you live and raign so long King Without there Enter two or three and joyn with the others What none but Traytors Has this Villain Breath'd treason into all and with that breath Like a contagious vapour blasted Loyalty Sure Hell it self hath sent forth all her Furies T' inhabit and possess this place Ha. Sir passions without power Like seas against a rock but lose their fury Mirvan Take these Villains and see 'em strangled 1. Bash. Farewell Sir commend us to your son let him know That since we cannot die his servants We 'll die his Martyrs King Farewell unhappy friends A long farewell and may you find rewards Great as your Innocence or which is more Great as your wrongs 2 Bash. Come thou art troubled Thou dost not fear to dye 1 Bash. No but to lose my death To sell my life so cheap while this proud villain That takes it must survive 2 Bash. We shall not lose our deaths If Heaven can hear the cries of guiltless blood Which sure it must for I have heard th' are loud ones Vengeance shall overtake thee Ha. Away with ' em King Stay Haly they are innocent yet life when 't is thy gift Is worse than death I disdain to ask it 1 Bash. And we to take it Ha. Do not ask it Sir For them to whom you owe your ruine they have undone you Had not they told you this you had liv'd secure And happy in your ignorance but this injury Since 't is not in your nature to forgive it I must not leave it in your power to punish it King Heaven though from thee I have deserv'd this plague Be thou my Judge and Witness from this villain 'T is undeserv'd Had I but felt your vengeance from some hand That first had suffer'd mine it had been justice But have you sent this sad return of all My love my trust my favours Ha. Sir there 's a great resemblance Between your favours and my injuries Those are too great to be requited these Too great to be forgiven and therefore 'T is but in vain to mention either King Mirza Mirza How art thou lost by my deceiv'd credulity I 'le beg thy pardon Ha. Stay Sir not without my leave Go some of you and let the people know The King keeps state and will not come in publick If any great affairs or State addresses Bring 'em to me King How have I taught the villain To act my part but oh my son my son Shall I not see thee Ha. For once you shall Sir But you must grant me one thing King Traytor dost thou mock my miseries What can I give but this unhappy life Ha. Alas Sir it is but that I ask and 't is my modesty To ask it it being in my power to take it When you shall see him Sir to dye for pity 'T were such a thing 't would so deceive the world And make the people think you were good natur'd 'T will look so well in story and become The stage so handsomly King I ne're deny'd thee any thing and shall not now Deny thee this though I could stand upright Under the tyranny of age and fortune Yet the sad weight of such ingratitude Will crush me into earth Ha. Lose not your tears but keep Your lamentations for your son or sins For both deserve 'em but you must make haste Sir Or he 'l not stay your coming He looks upon a watch 'T is now about the hour the poyson Must take effect King Poyson'd oh Heaven Ha. Nay Sir lose no time in wonder both of us Have much to do if you will see your Son Here 's one shall bring you to him Exit King Some unskilful Pylot had shipwrackt here But I not only against sure And likely ills have made my self secure But so confirm'd and fortify'd my state To set it safe above the reach of Fate Exit Haly. Enter Prince led Servant at the other door Princess and Soffy Serv. Sir the Princess and your Son Prince Soffy thou com'st to wonder at Thy wretched father why dost thou interrupt Thy happiness by looking on an object So miserable Princess My Lord methinks there is not in your voice The vigour that was wont nor in your look The wonted chearfulness Are you well my Lord Prince No but I shall be I feel my health a coming Princess What 's your disease my Lord Prince Nothing but I have tane a Cordial Sent by the King or Haly in requital Of all my miseries to make me happy The pillars of this frame grow weak As if the weight of many years oppress 'em My sinews slacken and an Icy stiffness Benums my blood Princess Alas I fear he 's poysoned Call all the help that Art or Herbs or Minerals Can minister Prince No 't is too late And they that gave me this are too well practis'd In such an Art to attempt and not perform Princess Yet try my Lord revive your thoughts the Empire Expects you your Father 's dying Prince So when the ship is sinking The winds that wrackt it cease Princess Will you be the scorn of fortune To come near a Crown and only near it Prince I am not fortunes scorn but she is mine More blind than I. Princess O tyranny of Fate to bring Death in one hand and Empire in the other Only to shew us happiness and then To snatch us from it Prince They snatch me to it My soul is on her journey do not now Divert or lead her back to lose her self I' th' amaze and winding labyrinths o' th' world I preethee do not weep thy love is that I part with most unwillingly or otherwise I had not staid till rude necessity Had forc'd me hence Soffy be not a man too soon And when thou art take heed of too much vertue It was thy Fathers and his only crime 'T will make the King suspitious yet ere time By natures course has ripened thee to man 'T will mellow him to dust till then forget I was thy Father yet forget it not My great example shall excite thy thoughts To noble actions And you dear Erythaea Give
of much Plot May repent that false Accusation Having plotted and penn'd Six plays to attend The Farce of his Negotiation 3. Before you were told How Satan the old Came here with a Beard to his middle Though he chang'd face and name Old Will was the same At the noise of a Can and a Fiddle 4. These Statesmen you believe Send straight for the Sheriffe For he is one too or would be But he drinks no Wine Which is a shrewd sign That all 's not so well as it should be 5. These three when they drink How little do they think Of Banishment Debts or dying Not old with their years Nor cold with their fears But their angry Stars still defying 6. Mirth makes them not mad Nor Sobriety sad But of that they are seldom in danger At Paris at Rome At the Hague they are at home The good Fellow is no where a stranger To Sir John Mennis being invited from Calice to Bologne to eat a Pig 1. ALL on a weeping Monday With a fat Bulgarian Sloven Little Admiral Iohn To Bologne is gone Whom I think they call old Loven 2. Hadst thou not thy fill of Carting With Aubrey Count of Oxon When Nose lay in Breech And Breech made a Speech So often cry'd a Pox on 3. A Knight by Land and Water Esteem'd at such a high rate When 't is told in Kent In a Cart that he went They 'll say now hang him Pirate 4. Thou might'st have ta'ne example From what thou read'st in story Being as worthy to sit On an ambling Tit As thy Predecessor Dory 5. But Oh! the roof of Linnen Intended for a shelter But the Rain made an Ass Of Tilt of Canvas And the Snow which you know is a Melter 6. But with thee to inveigle That tender stripling Astcot Who was soak'd to the skin Through Drugget so thin Having neither Coat nor Wastcoat 7. He being proudly mounted Clad in Cloak of Plymouth Defy'd Cart so base For Thief without Grace That goes to make a wry-mouth 8. Nor did he like the Omen For fear it might be his doom One day for to sing With Gullet in string A Hymne of Robert Wisdom 9. But what was all this business For sure it was important For who rides i' th' wet When affairs are not great The neighbors make but a sport on 't 10. To a goodly fat Sow's Baby O Iohn thou had'st a malice The old driver of Swine That day sure was thine Or thou hadst not quitted Calice Natura Naturata WHat gives us that Fantastick Fit That all our Judgment and our Wit To vulgar custom we submit Treason Theft Murther all the rest Of that foul Legion we so detest Are in their proper names exprest Why is it then sought sin or shame Those necessary parts to name From whence we went and whence we came Nature what ere she wants requires With Love enflaming our desires Finds Engines fit to quench those fires Death she abhors yet when men die We are present but no stander by Looks on when we that loss supply Forbidden Wares sell twice as dear Even Sack prohibited last year A most abominable rate did bear T is plain our eyes and ears are nice Only to raise by that device Of those Commodities the price Thus Reason's shadows us betray By Tropes and Figures led astray From Nature both her Guide and way Sarpedon's Speech to Glaucus in the 12th of Homer Thus to Glaucus spake DIvine Sarpedon since he did not find Others as great in Place as great in Mind Above the rest why is our Pomp our Power Our flocks our herds and our possessions more Why all the Tributes Land and Sea affords Heap'd in great Chargers load our sumptuous boards Our chearful Guests carowse the sparkling tears Of the rich Grape whilst Musick charms their ears Why as we pass do those on Xanthus shore As Gods behold us and as Gods adore But that as well in danger as degree We stand the first that when our Lycians see Our brave examples they admiring say Behold our Gallant Leaders These are They Deserve the Greatness and un-envied stand Since what they act transcends what they command Could the declining of this Fate oh friend Our Date to Immortality extend Or if Death sought not them who seek not Death Would I advance Or should my vainer breath With such a Glorious Folly thee inspire But since with Fortune Nature doth conspire Since Age Disease or some less noble End Though not less certain doth our days attend Since 't is decreed and to this period lead A thousand ways the noblest path we 'll tread And bravely on till they or we or all A common Sacrifice to Honour fall Martial Epigram Out of an Epigram of Martial PRithee die and set me free Or else be Kind and brisk and gay like me I pretend not to the wise ones To the grave to the grave Or the precise ones T is not Cheeks nor Lips nor Eyes That I prize Quick Conceits or sharp Replies If wise thou wilt appear and knowing Repartie Repartie To what I 'm doing Prithee why the Room so dark Not a Spark Left to light me to the mark I love day-light and a candle And to see and to see As well as handle Why so many Bolts and Locks Coats and Smocks And those Drawers with a Pox I could wish could Nature make it Nakedness Nakedness It self were naked But if a Mistress I must have Wise and grave Let her so her self behave All the day long susan Civil Pap by night pap by night Or such a Divel Friendship and single life against Love and Marriage 1. LOve in what poyson is thy Dart Dipt when it makes a bleeding heart None know but they who feel the smart 2. It is not thou but we are blind And our corporeal eyes we find Dazle the Opticks of our Mind 3. Love to our Cittadel resorts Through those deceitful Sally-ports Our Sentinels betray our Forts 4. What subtle Witchcraft man constrains To change his Pleasures into Pains And all his freedom into Chains 5. May not a Prison or a Grave Like Wedlock Honour's title have That word makes Free-born man a Slave 6. How happy he that loves not lives Him neither Hope nor Fear deceives To Fortune who no Hostage gives 7. How unconcern'd in things to come If here uneasie finds at Rome At Paris or Madrid his Home 8. Secure from low and private Ends His Life his Zeal his Wealth attends His Prince his Country and his Friends 9. Danger and Honour are his Joy But a fond Wife or wanton Boy May all those Generous Thoughts destroy 10. Then he lays by the publick Care Thinks of providing for an Heir Learns how to get and how to spare 11. Nor fire nor foe nor fate nor night The Trojan Hero did affright Who bravely twice renew'd the fight 12. Though still his foes in number grew Thicker their Darts and Arrows flew Yet left alone no fear he knew
flight the Gods inforce And that must justifie our sad Divorce Since I must you forsake would Fate permit To my desires I might my fortune fit Troy to her Ancient Splendour I would raise And where I first began would end my days But since the Lycian Lotts and Delphick God Have destin'd Italy for our abode Since you proud Carthage fled from Tyre enjoy Why should not Latium us receive from Troy As for my Son my Fathers angry Ghost Tells me his hopes by my delays are crost And mighty Ioves Ambassadour appear'd With the same message whom I saw and heard We both are griev'd when you or I complain But much the more when all complaints are vain I call to witness all the Gods and thy Beloved head the Coast of Italy Against my will I seek Whilst thus he speaks she rowls her sparkling eyes Surveys him round and thus incens'd replies Thy Mother was no Goddess nor thy stock From Dardanus but in some horrid rock Perfidious wretch rough Caucasus thee bred And with their Milk Hircanian Tygers fed Dissimulation I shall now forget And my reserves of rage in order set Could all my Prayers and soft Entreaties force Sighs from his Breast or from his look remorse Where shall I first complain can Mighty Iove Or Iuno such Impieties approve The just Astraea sure is fled to Hell Nor more in Earth nor Heaven it self will dwell Oh Faith him on my Coasts by Tempest cast Receiving madly on my Throne I plac'd His Men from Famine and his Fleet from Fire I rescu'd now the Lycian Lotts conspire With Phoebus now Ioves Envoyé through the Air Brings dismal tydings as if such low care Could reach their thoughts or their repose disturb Thou art a false Impostor and a Fourbe Go go pursue thy Kingdom through the Main I hope if Heaven her Justice still retain Thou shalt be wrackt or cast upon some rock Where thou the name of Dido shalt invoke I 'le follow thee in Funeral flames when dead My Ghost shall thee attend at Board and Bed And when the Gods on thee their vengeance show That welcom news shall comfort me below This saying from his hated sight she fled Conducted by her Damsels to her bed Yet restless she arose and looking out Beholds the Fleet and hears the Seamen shout When great Aeneas pass'd before the Guard To make a view how all things were prepar'd Ah cruel Love to what dost thou inforce Poor Mortal Breasts again she hath recourse To Tears and Prayers again she feels the smart Of a fresh wound from his tyrannick Dart. That she no ways nor means may leave untry'd Thus to her Sister she her self apply'd Dear Sister my resentment had not been So moving if this Fate I had fore-seen Therefore to me this last kind office do Thou hast some interest in our scornful Foe He trusts to thee the Counsels of his mind Thou his soft hours and free access canst find Tell him I sent not to the Ilian Coast My Fleet to aid the Greeks his Fathers Ghost I never did disturb ask him to lend To this the last request that I shall send A gentle Ear I wish that he may find A happy passage and a prosp'rous wind That contract I not plead which he betray'd Nor that his promis'd Conquest be delay'd All that I ask is but a short Reprieve Till I forget to love and learn to grieve Some pause and respite only I require Till with my tears I shall have quencht my fire If thy address can but obtain one day Or two my Death that service shall repay Thus she intreats such messages with tears Condoling Anne to him and from him bears But him no Prayers no Arguments can move The Fates resist his Ears are stopt by Iove As when fierce Northern blasts from th' Alpes descend From his firm roots with struggling gusts to rend An aged sturdy Oak the ratling sound Grows loud with leaves and scatter'd arms the ground Is over-layd yet he stands fixt as high As his proud head is raised towards the Sky So low towards Hell his roots descend With Pray'rs And Tears the Hero thus assail'd great cares He smothers in his Breast yet keeps his Post All their addresses and their labour lost Then she deceives her Sister with a smile Anne in the Inner Court erects a Pile Thereon his Arms and once lov'd Portraict lay Thither our fatal Marriage-bed convey All cursed Monuments of him with fire We must abolish so the Gods require She gives her credit for no worse effect Then from Sichaeus death she did suspect And her commands obeys Aurora now had left Tithonus bed And o're the world her blushing Raies did spread The Queen beheld as soon as day appear'd The Navy under Sail the Haven clear'd Thrice with her hand her Naked Breast she knocks And from her forehead tears her Golden Locks O Iove she cry'd and shall he thus delude Me and my Realm why is he not pursu'd Arm Arm she cry'd and let our Tyrians board With ours his Fleet and carry Fire and Sword Leave nothing unattempted to destroy That perjur'd Race then let us dye with joy What if the event of War uncertain were Nor death nor danger can the desperate fear But oh too late this thing I should have done When first I plac'd the Traytor on my Throne Behold the Faith of him who sav'd from fire His honour'd houshold gods his Aged Sire His Pious shoulders from Troy's Flames did bear Why did I not his Carcase piece-meal tear And cast it in the Sea why not destroy All his Companions and beloved Boy Ascanius and his tender limbs have drest And made the Father on the Son to Feast Thou Sun whose lustre all things here below Surveys and Iuno conscious of my woe Revengeful Furies and Queen Hecate Receive and grant my prayer if he the Sea Must needs escape and reach th' Ausonian land If Iove decree it Iove's decree must stand When landed may he be with arms opprest By his rebelling people be distrest By exile from his Country be divorc'd From young Ascanius sight and be enforc'd To implore Forrein aids and lose his Friends By violent and undeserved ends When to conditions of unequal Peace He shall submit then may he nor possess Kingdom nor Life and find his Funeral I' th' Sands when he before his day shall fall And ye oh Tyrians with immortal hate Pursue his race this service dedicate To my deplored ashes let there be 'Twixt us and them no League nor Amity May from my bones a new Achilles rise That shall infest the Trojan Colonies With Fire and Sword and Famine when length Time to our great attempts contributes strength Our Seas our Shores our Armies theirs oppose And may our Children be for ever Foes A ghastly paleness deaths approach portends Then trembling she the fatal pile ascends Viewing the Trojan relicks she unsheath'd Aeneas Sword not for that use bequeath'd Then on the guilty bed she gently
Prince How does my Father Princess Still talks and plays with Fatyma but his mirth Is forc'd and strain'd In his look appears A wild distracted fierceness I can read Some dreadful purpose in his face but where This dismal cloud will break and spend his fury I dare not think pray heaven make false his fears Sometimes his anger breaks through all disguises And spares not gods nor men and then he seems Jealous of all the world suspects and starts And looks behind him Enter Morat as in haste Mor. Sir with hazard of my life I 've ventur'd To tell you you are lost betray'd undone Rouze up your courage call up all your counsels And think on all those stratagems which nature Keeps ready to encounter sudden dangers Prince But pray my Lord by whom for what offence Mor. Is it a time for story when each minute Begets a thousand dangers the gods protect you Ex. Prince This man was ever honest and my friend And I can see in his amazed look Something of danger but in act or thought I never did that thing should make me fear it Princess Nay good Sir let not so secure a confidence Betray you to your ruine Prince Prethee woman Keep to thy self thy fears I cannot know That there is such a thing I stand so strong Inclosed with a double guard of Vertue And Innocence that I can look on dangers As he that stands upon a Rock Can look on storms and tempests Fear guilt Are the same thing when our actions are not Our fears are crimes And he deserves it less that guilty bears A punishment than he that guiltless fears Ex. Enter Haly and Torturers Ha. This is the place appointed assist me courage This hour ends all my fears but pause a while Suppose I should discover to the Prince The whole conspiracy and so retort it Upon the King it were an handsom plot But full of difficulties and uncertain And he 's so fool'd with down-right honesty He 'l ne're believe it and now 't is too late The guards are set and now I hear him coming Enter Prince stumbles at the entrance Prince 'T is ominous but I will on destruction O'retakes as often those that fly as those that boldly meet it Ha. By your leave Prince your father greets you Prince Unhand me traytors Haly casts a scarf over his face Ha. That title is your own and we are sent to let you know it Prince Is not that the voice of Haly that thunders in my ears Ha. I vertuous Prince I come to make you exercise One vertue more your patience Heat the Irons quickly Prince Insolent villain for what cause Ha. Only to gaze upon a while until your eyes are out Prince O villain shall I not see my Father To ask him what 's my crime who my accusers Let me but rry if I can wake his pity From his Lethargick sleep Ha. It must not be Sir Prince Shall I not see my wife nor bid farewell To my dear Children Ha. Your pray'rs are all in vain Prince Thou shalt have half my Empire Haly let me but See the Tyrant that before my eyes are lost They may dart poys'nous flashes like the Basilisk And look him dead These eyes that still were open Or to fore-see or to prevent his dangers Must they be closed in eternal night Cannot his thirst of bloud be satisfied With any but his own And can his tyranny Find out no other object but his Son I seek not mercy tell him I desire To die at once not to consume an age In lingring deaths Ha. Our ears are charm'd Away with him Prince Can ye behold ye Gods a wronged Innocent Or sleeps your Justice like my Fathers Mercy Or are you blind as I must be Finis Actus Tertii Actus Quartus Enter Abd. and Morat Ab. I ever fear'd the Princes too much greatness Would make him less the greatest heights are near The greatest precipice Mor. 'T is in worldly accidents As in the world it self where things most distant Meet one another Thus the East and West Upon the Globe a Mathematick point Only divides Thus happiness and misery And all extreams are still contiguous Ab. Or if 'twixt happiness and misery there be A distance 't is an Aery Vacuum Nothing to moderate or break the fall Mor. But oh this Saint-like Devil This damned Caliph to make the King believe To kill his son 's religion Ab. Poor Princes how are they mis-led While they whose sacred Office 't is to bring Kings to obey their God and men their King By these mysterious links to fix and tie Them to the foot-stool of the Deity Even by these men Religion that should be The curb is made the spur to tyranny They with their double key of conscience bind The Subjects souls and leave Kings unconfin'd While their poor Vassals sacrifice their blouds T' Ambition and to Avarice their goods Blind with Devotion They themselves esteem Made for themselves and all the world for them While heavens great Law given for their guide appears Just or unjust but as it waits on theirs Us'd but to give the eccho to their words Power to their wills and edges to their swords To varnish all their errors and secure The ills they act and all the world endure Thus by their arts Kings aw the world while they Religion as their Mistress seem t' obey Yet as their slave command her while they seem To rise to heaven they make heaven stoop to them Mor. Nor is this all where feign'd devotion bends The highest things to serve the lowest ends For if the many-headed beast hath broke Or shaken from his neck the royal yoke With popular rage Religion doth conspire Flows into that and swells the torrent higher Then powers first pedigree from force derives And calls to mind the old prerogatives Of free-born man and with a saucy eye Searches the heart and soul of Majesty Then to a strict account and censure brings The actions errors and the end of Kings Treads on authority and sacred Laws Yet all for God and his pretended cause Acting such things for him which he in them And which themselves in others will condemn And thus engag'd nor safely can retire Nor safely stand but blindly bold aspire Forcing their hopes even through despair to climb To new attempts disdain the present time Grow from disdain to threats from threats to arms While they though sons of peace still sound th' alarms Thus whether Kings or people seek extreams Still conscience and religion are their Theams And whatsoever change the State invades The pulpit either forces or perswades Others may give the fewel or the fire But they the breath that makes the flame inspire Ab. This and much more is true but let not us Add to our ills and aggravate misfortunes By passionate complaints nor lose our selves Because we have lost him for if the Tyrant Were to a son so noble so unnatural What will he be to us who
have appear'd Friends to that son Mor. Well thought on and in time Farewel unhappy Prince while we thy friends As strangers to our Countrey and our selves Seek out our safety and expect with patience Heavens Justice Ab. Let 's rather act it than expect it The Princes injuries at our hands require More than our tears and patience His Army is not yet disbanded And only wants a head thither we 'll fly And all who love the Prince or hate the Tyrant Will follow us Mor. Nobly resolv'd and either we 'll restore The Prince or perish in the brave attempt Ye Gods since what we mean to execute Is your high office to avenge the innocent Assist us with a fortune equal to The justice of our action lest the world Should think it self deluded and mistrust That you want will or power to be just Ex. Enter Haly. Ha. 'T is done and 't was my master-piece to work My safety 'twixt two dangerous extreams Now like a skilful sayler have I past Scylla and Charybdis I have scap't the rock Of steep Ambition and the gulf of Jealousie A danger less avoyded 'cause less fear'd Enter Mirvan Mir. What 's done my Lord Ha. Enough I warrant you imprison'd and depriv'd of sight Mir. No more This but provokes him Can you think Your self secure and he alive Ha. The rest o' th' business will do it self He can as well endure a prison as a wild Bull the net There let him struggle and toyl himself to death And save us so much envy Mir. But if his Father should relent such injuries Can receive no excuse or colour but to be Transfer'd upon his Counsellours and then The forfeiture of them redeems his errour Ha. We must set a mark upon his passion And as we find it running low What ebbs from his into our rage shall flow Why should we be more wicked Than we must needs Mir. Nay if you stick at Conscience More gallant actions have been lost for want of being Compleatly wicked than have been perform'd By being exactly vertuous 'T is hard to be Exact in good or excellent in ill Our will wants power or else our power wants skill Ex. Enter Solyman and Tormentors Sol. But Gentlemen was the King in earnest I can scarce believe it Tor. You will when you feel it Sol. I pray have any of you felt it to tell me what it is Tor. No Sir but Some of your fellow Courtiers can tell you That use something like it to mend their shapes 'T will make you so straight and slender Sol. Slender because I was slender in my wits must I be drawn Slender in my waste I 'de rather grow wise And corpulent like him they call Abdomen Tor. Come Sir 't is but a little stretching Sol. No no more 's hanging and sure this will be the death of me I remember my Grandmother died of Convulsion fits Tor. Come Sir prepare prepare Sol. I for another world I must repent firk Tor. Quickly then Sol. Then first I repent that sin of being a Courtier And secondly the greatest sin one can commit in that place the speaking of truth Tor. Have you no more sins Sol. Some few trifles more not worth the remembring Drinking and whoring and swearing and such like But for those let 'em pass Tor. Have you done now Sol. Only some good counsel to the standers by Tor. We thank you for that Sir Sol. Nay Gentlemen mistake me not 'T is not that I love you but because 't is a thing of course For dying men Tor. Let 's have it then Sol. First then if any of you are fools as I think that But a needless question be fools still and labour still In that vocation then the worst will be but whipping Where but for seeming wise the best is racking But if you have the luck to be Court-fools those that have Either wit or honesty you may fool withal and spare not But for those that want either You 'll find it rather dangerous than otherwise I could give you a modern Instance or two but let that pass but if you happen to be State-fools then 't is But fooling on the right side and all 's well then you shall at least be Wise mens fellows if not wise mens masters But of all things take heed of giving any man good counsel You see what I have got by it and yet like a foo must I be doing on 't again Tor. Is this all Sol. All but a little in my own behalf Remember Gentlemen I am at full growth and my joynts are knit and yet My sinews are not Cables Tor. Well we 'll remember 't Sol. But stay Gentlemen what think you of a bottle now Tor. I hope you are more serious Sol. If you knew but how dry a thing this sorrow is Especially meeting with my constitution which is As thirsty as any Serving-mans Tor. Let him have it it may be 't will make him confess Sol. Yes I shall I shall lay before you all that 's within me And with most fluent utterance Here 's to you all Gentlemen and let him that 's good Natur'd in his drink pledge me Drinks So me-thinks I feel it in my joynts already It makes 'em supple Drinks again Now I feel it in my brains it makes 'em swim Tor. Hold Sir you have no measure of your self Sol. What do you talk of measure you 'll take Measure of me with a vengeance Tor. You are witty Sir Sol. Nothing but a poor clinch I have a thousand of them a trick I learn't amongst the States-men Drinks again Well rack I defie thee do thy worst I would thou wer't Man Gyant or Monster Gentlemen now if I happen to fall asleep Upon this Engine pray wake me not too suddenly You see here 's good store of wine and if it be Over-rackt 't will come up with lees and all There I was with you again and now I am for you Exeunt Enter Prince being blind solus Prince Nature How didst thou mock mankind to make him free And yet to make him fear or when he lost That freedom why did he not lose his fear That fear of fears the fear of what we know not While yet we know it is in vain to fear it Death and what follows death 't was that that stamp't A terrour on the brow of Kings that gave Fortune her Deity and Iove his thunder Banish but fear of death those Giant names Of Majesty Power Empire finding nothing To be their object will be nothing too Then he dares yet be free that dares to die May laugh at the grim face of Law and scorn The cruel wrinkle of a Tyrants brow But yet to die so tamely O'recome by passion and misfortune And still unconquer'd by my foes sounds ill Below the temper of my spirit Yet to embrace a life so poor so wretched So full of deaths argues a greater dulness But I am dead already nor can suffer More in the other world For what is
and hadst thou been present Thou wouldst have done the same for thou art happy Compar'd to me I am not only miserable But wicked too thy miseries may find Pity and help from others but mine make me The scorn and the reproach of all the world Thou like unhappy Merchants whose adventures Are dasht on rocks or swallowed up in storms Ow'st all thy losses to the Fates but I Like wastful Prodigals have cast away My happiness and with it all mens pity Thou seest how weak and wretched guilt can make Even Kings themselves when a weak womans anger Can master mine Princess And your sorrow As much o'recomes my anger and turns into melting pity King Pity not me nor yet deplore your husband But seek the safety of your son his innocence Will be too weak a guard when nor my greatness Nor yet his fathers vertues could protect us Go on my Boy the just revenge of all To Soffy Our wrongs I recommend to thee and Heaven I feel my weakness growing strong upon me Exeunt Death thou art he that wilt not flatter Princes That stoops not to authority nor gives A specious name to tyranny but shews Our actions in their own deformed likeness Now all those cruelties which I have acted To make me great or glorious or secure Look like the hated crimes of other men Enter Physician King O save save me who are those that stand And seem to threaten me Phy. There 's no body 't is nothing But some fearful dream King Yes that 's my brothers ghost whose birth-right stood 'Twixt me and Empire like a spreading Cedar That grows to hinder some delightful prospect Him I cut down Next my old Fathers Ghost whom I impatient To have my hopes delay'd hastned by violence before his fatal day Then my enraged Son who seems to becken And hale me to him I come I come ye Ghosts The greatest of you all but sure one hell 's Too little to contain me and too narrow For all my crimes Dies Enter Mirvan and Haly at several doors Haly. Go muster all the City-Bands pretend it To prevent sudden tumulrs But indeed to settle the succession Mir. My Lord you are too sudden you 'l take 'em unprepar'd Alas you know their consciences are tender Scandal and scruple must be first remov'd They must be pray'd and preach'd into a tumult But for succession Let us agree on that there 's Calamah The eldest Son by the Arabsan Lady A gallant youth Ha. I too gallant his proud spirit will disdain To owe his greatness to anothers gift Such gifts as Crowns transcending all requital Turn injuries No Mirvan he must be dull and stupid lest he know Wherefore we made him King Mir. But he must be good natur'd tractable And one that will be govern'd Ha. And have so much wit to know whom he 's beholding to Mir. But why my Lord should you look further than your self Ha. I have had some such thoughts but I consider The Persian State will not endure a King So meanly born no I 'le rather be the same I am In place the second but the first in power Solyman the Son of the Georgian Lady Shall be the man what noyse is that Enter Messenger Mess My Lord the Princes late victorious Army Is marching towards the Palace breathing nothing But fury and revenge to them are joyn'd All whom desire of change or discontent Excites to new attempts their Leaders Abdal and Morat Ha. Abdal and Morat Mirvan we are lost fallen from the top Of all our hopes and cast away like Saylers Who scaping Seas and Rocks and Tempests perish I' th' very Port so are we lost i' th' sight And reach of all our wishes Mir. How has our intelligence fail'd us so strangely Ha. No no I knew they were in mutiny But they could ne're have hurt us Had they not come at this instant period This point of time had he liv'd two days longer A pardon to the Captains and a largess Among the Souldiers had appeas'd their fury Had he dy'd two days sooner the succession Had as we pleas'd been settled and secur'd By Soffy's death Gods that the world should turn On minutes and on moment Mir. My Lord lose not your self In passion but take counsel from necessity I 'le to 'em and will let them know The Prince is dead and that they come too late To give him liberty for love to him Has bred their discontents I 'le tell them boldly That they have lost their hopes Ha. And tell them too As they have lost their hopes o' th' one they have lost Their fears o' th' other tell their Leaders we desire Their counsel in the next succession Which if it meet disturbance Then we shall crave assistance from their power Which Fate could not have sent in a more happy hour Exit Mirvan Enter Lords Caliph Cal. My Lord Ye hear the news the Princes Army is at the gate Ha. I I hear it and feel it here Aside But the succession that 's the point That first requires your counsel Cal. Who should succeed but Soffy Ha. What! in such times as these when such an Army Lies at our gates to chuse a Child our King You my Lord Caliph are better read in story And can discourse the fatal consequences When Children reign Cal. My Lords if you 'l be guided By reason and example Enter Abdal and Morat Ha. My Lords you come most opportunely we were entring Into dispute about the next succession Ab. Who dares dispute it we have a powerful argument Of forty thousand strong that shall confute him Cal. A powerful argument indeed Ab. I such a one as will puzzle all your Logick And distinctions to answer it And since we came too late for the performance Of our intended service to the Prince The wronged Prince we cannot more express Our loyalty to him than in the right Of his most hopeful Son Ha. But is he not too young Mor. Sure you think us so too but he and we Are old enough to look through your disguise And under that to see his Fathers Enemies A Guard there Enter Guard Mor. Seize him and you that could shew reason or example Ha. Seize me for what Ab. Canst thou remember such a name as Mirza And ask for what Ha. That name I must remember and with horrour But few have dyed for doing What they had dy'd for if they had not done It was the Kings command and I was only Th' unhappy minister Ab. I such a minister as wind to fire That adds an accidental fierceness to Its natural fury Mor. If 't were the Kings command 't was first thy malice Commanded that command and then obey'd it Ha. Nay if you have resolv'd it truth and reason Are weak and idle arguments But let me pity the unhappy instruments Of Princes wills whose anger is our fate And yet their love 's more fatal than their hate Ab. And how well that love hath been requited Mirvan your