for Eruditus with wringed hands her waiting maids keepe time Vpon their mournefull breasts as were we flint we could not chuse but melt to heare their songs wherefore my lord comfort this captiue dame And with your presence comfort her distresse Cyr. Araspas wouldest thou haue me visit her when by her beautie I may be enthralled Ara. Your Grace may looke on her and yet not loue Cyr. Dost thou not thinke that loue is violent Ara. Nay rather voluntarie my gracious lord you know that womans beautie is like fire And fire doth alwayes burne each thing alike Therefore if nature were of such great power Should euerie man by beautie be enflamed But beautious things are not in equall powers For some loue that which others do abstaine Either for feare or loue to proue this true The sister of the brother is not loued The daughter of the father not desired And yet some one loues any of them both Cyr. If loue be voluntarie as thou saiest why cannot louers leaue it when they will Ara. They may Cyr. Haue you not seene them weepe and waile for death Emptie their purse of coine their braine of wit Sending both gifts and letters to their loues Ara. They yeeld too much vnto affections T' is follie and not beautie makes them die Cyr. Men are in folly when they are in loue Vrge me no more I will not visite her For by the eie loue slips into the heart Making men idle negligent Nothing can more dishonour warriours Then to be conquered with a womans looke Araspas I resigne my part to thee Thou shalt be keeper of that Susan Queene Vse her as fits a woman of such birth Excuse me for not comming to her tent Bid her be merrie with her singing maides And say that Cyrus will entreate her faire Exeunt Musicke Finis Actus primi Enter Ctesifon and Nobles Nob. Antiochus king of Assiria So Lord of Euphrates and Babylon How long wilt thou lament thy fathers death Cast off those mourning weedes Anot. How long will I lament my fathers death Vntill proud Persia weepe for Cyrus death Ctes. Oh that will neuer be Cyrus is strong So strong my Lord that were not Babylon Fortifyed with vittailes for twentie yeeres Garded with souldiers that will neuer yeeld Sooner would he expell you from your seate Then you with open armes could anger him Ant. What is reuenge but open warres As were Antiochus a priuate man And one of you king of Assyria I would not faile to worke his ouerthrow But you that are not toucht with inward griefe will not in that attempt be resolute Ct s. Vouchsafe O Lord to tell me what it is If I attempt it not then let me die Ant. Why this it is feigne I haue iniurde thee And offer seruice to the Persian king Then being receiued as late Gobrias was How eassie maist thou slea him and escape For in the night he walkes about his campe Without a guard euen as a common man Ctes. Yet he that killes him suer is to die Ant. I thought the feare of death woulde daunt him quite A thousand talents would I freely giue To him that vndertakes this enterprise Ctes. My Lord I am resolude giue me the gold And I will venture life in this exploit Ant. My treasurer at armes shall giue it thee And Ctisifon when I receiue his head Beside this summe thou shalt haue annuall pay As much as thy reuenues mount vnto And where thou art by calling but a knight I le make thee Lord of many prouinces Ctes. As for the gold keepe it till I returne and if I die deliuer it to my friend Ant. Well Ctesiphon manage this glorious act Let me embrace him ere I take my leaue Ctes. Fare well my lord Now you Assyrian gods To whom we sacrifice our fo-mens blood Giue fauour to my lookes faith to my speach That being gracious with the Persian Lord By me Assyria may be free from bands And both the king and subiects death reuengde Nob, Fare well braue minded Ctesiphon Ant. While this is doing we will march from hence Vnto the countrey where Gobrias dwelt He hath a castell well replenished with vittailes men and furniture And as our spies giues vs to vnderstand His onely daughter stayes within the hold Not knowing of her fathers late reuolt Therefore will we surprise her vnawares and thou shalt be lieutenant in his stead when we haue made his souldiers yeeld the fort Enter Araspas solus Ara. Must I confesse that loue is violent By doting on my captiue Panthea I will not loue I le bridle those affects It cannot be resisted I must yeeld Oh what a tyrant is this cruel loue That drinkes my blood and makes me pale and wan That sucks my spirits and makes me weake and faint That teares my heart and makes me almost dead That reuels in my braines and makes me mad I am a souldier and will conquer loue I le mount me straight giue me a hors-mans staffe Proud loue sit fast for now Araspas runnes Runne and scarcely stand O Panthea Thou sets my idle fantasie thus a worke and makes me speake and thinke I know not what I would I might forget faire Panthea I cannot name her but I must say faire And that word faire makes me remember her Panthea is vglie blacke ill fauoured fowle And who is so beautifull as she And I must weepe for this misterming her Why should I weepe aske I the reason whie I haue abusde my loue weepe not but die Die not but liue and enioy thy loue What contrarietie consisteth in my words O reconcile them louely Panthea Thy lookes hath made me lunatike Enter Panthea and Nicasia Pan. I haue intelligence that our Lord is sicke we come to comfort him as captiues may Aras Oh welcome Panthea shall I tell my griefe Pan. Sit still my Lord why change you colour thus what troubles you Aras Something stands by and whispers in my eare A kisse of Panthea will recouer me Pan. O leaue these idle words they make you worse Ara. Nay they recouer me I am halfe well Pan. So say they that are going from the world Ara. Panthea sit downe but sit so Panthea As I may view thy face or else I die Pan. Nicasia commaund the musicke play It may be musicke will alay the fit Ara. Nicasia cause the musicke cease Musick plaies For it is harsh and mars the harmonie Come Panthea sit downe by me and let vs talke Pan. Talke is naught turne ye about and sleepe Aras Oh loue Pan. How now my Lord a souldier and loue-sicke Aras I cannot keepe it in it bursts my heart For thee sweete Panthea is Araspas sicke Pan. For me my Lord Aras Fling not away celestiall Panthea Though I were halfe dead I should follow thee Pan. The aire will hurt thee whither wilt thou go Ara. Where Panthea goes oh frowne not my faire loue Pan. Then loue me not else I will more then frowne Ara. What will a
done Exit Enter Alexandra like a page Libanio in Alexandras apparell Lib. Madame you see your page doth vndertake A costly peece of seruice for your sake For well that seruice costly may be called The ende whereof of force must cost my life For when th' Assyrian king shall vnderstand My forged habit and dissembling sex And in these female weedes shall find Libanio And Alexandra freely scapt his handes What hope but certaine death remaines for me And that with torments rare and exquisite Yet madame for the reuerence to my Lord And dutie that doth bind me to your selfe I will be Alexandra for this once and die to saue your honour and your life Alex. O trustie seruant seruant of surmounting faith Worthie to attend the person of a god Rather then daughter of poore Gobrias This sacred seruice to a sillie dame Shall be ingrauen in tables of my heart with letters and charecters so perfourmde That when this bodie is bestowde in graue No time nor yet corruption shall deface The print thereof from Alexandras breast Lab. Thankes Ladie And for your further meede Sufficeth me the honour of the deede Me thinkes I see the Assyrian stout at hand Now madame carie a couragious heart And trust your page for Alexandras part Alex. A Tragicall part I feare Libanio Enter Antiochus Seleueus Critobulus with others Ant. Bird of a traitor I presumde at last Your lot would be to light into my handes Although of cankred heart you would not yeeld Vntill your castell shaked about your eares Lib. O souereigne Lord stand gracious to this dame That neuer trespast in offence to you Ant. Thy fathers treason in reuolting backe From due alleageance to th Assyrian crowne I will reuenge vpon his daughters life Lib. What honour in a sillie virgins death That nere had power or will to harme your grace Ant. Because the plants of such corrupted stockes wil fructifie according to the roote And for Gobrias treason to his prince I will preuent like mischifes in his rase Lib. Admit Gobrias might be reclaimed Vnto his first allegiance to my Lord Would you remit the offence of his reuolt And take him to your former grace againe Ant. So let the gods stand gracious to my soule If he forsake those hatefull Persian armes And firme his faith and loyaltie to me Lib. Then prince before you wreake reuenge on me Grand passeport and safe conduite to my page That he may goe and signifie to him The desperate state wherein his daughter standes When once my father shall perceiue my plight And that my life must pay for his reuolt I know that instant houre he will returne And yeeld himselfe to mercie of my Lord Ant. Scribe giue her page safe conduct through my campe And boy when you ariue before Gobrias Tell if he returne I pardon him If other wise off goes his daughters head Alex. I will dread Lord O madam grant the gods These eyes once more may see your libertie Exit Alexander Lib. As pleaseth their dieties Libanio Ant. Dinon take you this damsell to your charge And vse her noblie though she be a thrall Dinon To vse her worse the honour were but small Exeunt omnes Enter Ctesiphon Cte. I murther Cyrus farre be such a thought Much more the execution of the deed Like as the Sunne beames to the gazers eye So is his view to daunted Ctesiphon During the rancor of my wicked minde And melting all in thoughts of sweet remorce How wise and gracious is this Persian king Who by his wisdome winnes his followers hearts Letting them march in armour wrought with gold And he girt in a coate of complete steele O Cyrus politique and liberall How honourable and magnanimious Rewarding vertue and reuenging wrongs How full of temperance and fortitude Daring to menace Fortune with his sworde Yet mercifull in all his victories Enter Cyrus See where he comes I le falle vpon the ground And aske for pardon at his highnesse feet Cyr. Rise vp Assyrian Cyrus is no God Cte. O Cyrus know Antiochus my Lord My Lord said I no I will renounce him quite Subornd me wretch with his persuasions wordes To doe a deed of such impietie As I God knowes suborne to thinke vpon It was thy death victorious Cyrus But mightie Lord your vertues conquered me And or an enemie false and trecherous Am I become a vowed friend to Cyrus health And in that resolution prest to die Cyr. Liue long to waile for thy pretended ill As free from punishment as for reward The liues of kings are garded by the gods Nor are they in the hands of mortall men Assyrian though thy sword were at my breast The gealous angell that attends on vs Would snatch it from thy hands and fling it downe And therefore muse not at this accident Cte. Seeing knightly Cyrus is thus mercifull Vouchsafe this seruice at thy vassals hands Giue me but letters from your Maiestie To signifie how faine you would haue peace And draw your legions from Assyria And bearing them vnto Antiochus In the deliuerie I will murther him So highly do I honour Cyrus name So vildlie thinke on base Antiochus Enter Gobrias with Alexandra Cyr. Thou shalt haue letters to th' Assyrian king Free libertie to passe from this our campe And conduit monie from our Treasurie Attend our leysure I will send thee straight What virgin is it that Gobrias leades Go. My daughter mightie Cyrus and your child For I commit her to your patronage Cyr. Then princely virgin welcom to our campe But why sigh you why hang you downe the head And in your pale lookes burie beauties pride T' is pitie these lookes should be stainde with teares Alex, Euen as a doue late rifeled by the Eagle Whose breast is tainted with his forked talents So stands poore Alexandra terrified And almost dead to think of her escape If thou be Cyrus of whom Asia rings Rescue O rescue poore Libanio Cyr. From whom faire madame should I rescue him Alex. O from Antiochus that bloodie king Who when he heard my father serude your grace Besiegde his fortresse with his men at armes Where onely I and that Libanio staide By whom I liue For when the hold was lost He being bondman and of a baser birth would needes constraine me to put on his weedes And he disguisde as I was woont to go would be Gobrias daughter in my stead And so was thought of king Antiochus and all the nobles of his warlike campe But I a bondman and at his request whose care was onely to preserue my life Sent hither as a messenger from him To will my father whom they thought my Lord To leaue your campe and come to Babylon Or else Libanio his beloued childe should die for his so traitorlike reuolt And die he must least Gyrus giue him life Cyr, The deed was full of honor and deceit If gold will pay his raunsome he shall liue And therefore Alexandra be not sad Gob. So shall Gobrias beat Cyrus becke
the streame May feede my fancie with thy pleasant view If not enioy the sweetnesse I desire and leape into the waues and drowne my selfe That thou maist pittie Dinon being dead Lib. O I could pittie Dinon being aliue But that I feare my father will not come and then shall Alexandra suffer death and being dead Dinon may pittie me Dinon Loue may I call thee loue loe shee doth not frowne Her lookes giues warrant for that Epitite For thee I le kneele before Antiochus and rather then thou shalt be toucht by him I le beare thee hence as farre as Tanais Or keepe thee close in these Assyrian woods Lib. No place is secrete to Antiochus Dost thou not know that kings hath reaching hands Dinon I do yet know my sworde is sharpe and keene which when I drawe and brandish in the aire all Babylon will fight in my auaile who honour me more than Antiochus I will not say how great thy dowre shall be Nor boast what cities I commaund Let this though not a king in name In wealth and friends I am an Emperour Lib. If I should yeeld your honour might suppose That dignitie and wealth should conquer me Therefore I blush to say I loue my Lord Dinon And when thou blushes Dinons heart is fired Therefore to quench it giue a gentle grant Lib. My honor being preserude my grant is giuen Dinon Thereof am I as chairie as thy selfe And of thy loue as of my proper life O Alexandra thy wordes rauisheth me Lull me a sleepe with sweetnesse of thy voice Lib. Then shall my song be of my Dinons praise Sleepe Dinon then Libanio draw thy sword And manly thrust it in his slumbring heart There is no way to saue thy life but this And therefore feare not shall I slaughter him That intertained me with such amorous wordes Such bounteous gifts and golden promises When he shall know I am Libanio And go I cannot but I shall be taine Vnlesse I slay him in his haplesse sleepe For he will quickly wake and follow me Now Dinon dies alas I cannot strike This habit makes me ouer pitifull Remember that thou art Libanio She killes him No woman but a bondman strike and flie Exit Enter the Assyrian king and his Nobles An. Now that Gobrias fortresse is our owne His daughter prisoner and his Countrie burnt Le ts march from hence to welthie Babylon And muster those resolued Citizens To meete the Persian in the open field Twice hath he led his forces by our gates Yet neuer durst to mount his battring Ramme Or warlike engine against the rampred walles Therefore we he no more in garrison But bussell out and fight for libertie Nob. My Lord behold where Dinon slaughtred lies Ant. Dinon thou art deceyde it is not he Nob. It is my Lord I know him by his scarres Ant. These scarres were giuen him in my fathers dayes And now he is dead ere I could guerdon him The greatest honour I can doe thee nowe Is to lament and kisse thy liuelesse cheekes And that will I performe for Dinons sake O that I could reuiue thee with this kisse Nob. Doubtlesse Gobrias daughter murdered him I sawe them in the morning walke abroad And since they ne're returnde into the campe Ant. Then she hath done this execrable fact And so is fled vnto her traiterous sire O that a sillie Maide should slaughter him Which not a world of Persians could subdue Is there no ende of my calamitie My father done to death by Cyrus sword Wicked Gobrias and his daughter fled False Ctesiphon resolude to murther me And now Dinon my chiefest captaine slaine Why runne we not vpon these Persians which are the authours of these miseries Come souldiers take him vp and march away Wee le emptie Babylon to meete our foes And be reuengde vnto the ninth degree Both of Gobrias and his familie Exeunt Enter Cyrus Panthea Gobrias Histaspis Pan. O Cyrus if the fortune of thy hande Haue turnde my freedome to captiuitie And of a Queene made me a captiue dame Yet thinke that vertue is not thrall to chaunce Nor honour subiect to vnhappie time But like a gallant consecrated ship That in extreamest wrath and stormes of seas Vaunts all her sailes and fights the battaile out Cyr. Madame the reason of these vehement tearmes Cyrus doth neither know nor can coniect It since the time of your captiuitie You haue not beene intreated as you ought The gods can tell t' is farre against my thought Pan. Then know my great Lord the man that tooke the charge To gard my honor and my person free Long since doted on my person so That doting he hath sought my honors wreake A tedious siege God knowes I haue endurde More hedious vnto me then hastie armes While vilde Araspas with his lewde desires Ceaselesse solicited my vnlawfull bed without repulses I haue quailed his hope which he renued with charge of fresh assaults But my denials made his purpose vaine In fine when no intreatie could preuaile To frame my fancie to his wicked will He falles to threatnings from persuasions termes And vowes to purchase his desires by force And therefore Cyrus as thou art a king Protect a Ladies honour from the spoile And let thy bondmaid liue and die vnstaind And if there rest no other hope for me But hauocke wrake and ruine of my fame O Cyrus on thy sworde let Panthea die And so preuent the daunger of my shame Cy. Ladie how farre your vsage disagrees From Cyrus meaning records be the gods As for my selfe not vainly be it saide I holde my eyes in bondage to my will And keepe my thoughts in yoke to reason loue My sight on beautie neuer surfetted And where her beames were likely to infect My iudgement was a vaile before mine eyes To beare such pearcing fancies from my heart Such as I am such must my followers be Else let them packe they shall not follow me The man that offered to dishonour you shall be so throughly chastised for his fault As you shall rest sufficiently reuenged and knowledge me a gracious conquerour Histaspis carie her to your pauilion Pan. So stand the gods assistant to your armes as you stand pittifull to my mishaps Exit Histaspis and Panthea Enter Gobrias Libanio in womans attyre Lib. My Lord the gods and fate reserues your page To doe you further seruice ere he dies Cy. Gobrias goes your page in that attyre Go. My Lord she is no page of mine Some shamelesse strumpet and lasciuious trull Lib. And hath my Lord forgot his seruant then Gob. First must I know before I can forget Thee haue I neither seene nor knowne till now Lib. O say not so my Lord for oft ere this I haue beene seene and throughly knowne to you And you I know to be my gracious Lord Gobrias that renowmde Assyrian Gob. Fond girle it seemes thy wits be not thine owne Lib. What hath my Lord forgot Libanio Gob. I know thee now thou art my sweet Libanio