Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A50520
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St. Cecily, or, The converted twins a Christian tragedy / written by E.M.
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Medbourne, M. (Matthew), d. 1679.
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1666
(1666)
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Wing M1583B
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39,112
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71
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storm will rise Lose not your Sea-mark Heaven but boldlysteer The Tempest past dark clouds shall disappear Next Day eternal shine Blest three adieu None shall behold your wreatths but such as you Exit Val. Come then Disasters Fire and Sword and Racks Tib. Come what can come what spiteful hell can belch Or Heaven shall please to send or shall permit Val. Or come whatsoe're it be as we embrace We 'le hug their torments What is' t once to die To live so many lives eternally Cec. My dear Valerian now as fully mine As I am yours and both linkt to a third Your dearest brother summon'd now by heaven To be ingulf'd in a tempestuous Mayne Let 's to his Standard flie who now invites His souldiers to a Combate His pure-white Of Innocence and flowing purple tells Ours must be like although no parallels SCENE 2. Enter Almachius and Officers Maximus and Attendants 1 Off. There my Lord those two we dog'd from Via Appia Alm. Valerian and Tiburtius Christians I thought as much Val. But not so much as we can act of Christians Alm. Nor could I think so much of Sorcery As can this younger Lady actuate Enter Marcus and Flavia. Lay hold of her and those her two Disciples Mar. VVhat have we here to do Disturb me in My own house Alm. And carry hence your Daughter too That 's more for Justice has no limit Take her Away Mar. It shall not need my Lord I passe My word she shall be forth coming Alm. Nay here Your house is ample we can soon dispatch Let first the Brothers come Val. VVe rather flie T' embrace the worst of deaths thou canst invent Alm. Y' are Noble adore our mighty Gods and live Tib. That were t' offend th' Almighty Power of Heaven Alm. You know the penalty to lose your goods Confiscate Val. Goods They are but breeding evils But now disburs'd amongst the poor a treasure laid up in Heaven Alm. I there she stands who Wrought this policy VVe 'l come to hear the fource of all this mischief Mean while my Lords you to resolve retire Either t' adore the Gods or be beheaded Val. VVhat two extreams are these Or make a Stock Or Stone a God renouncing him above t' incur everlasting death or die This I. Tib. And I embrace Val. To die but once Tib. Live ever Thus I am resolv'd Val. And I. Alm. Then take 'hem hence Exeunt Val. Tib. Bring in the Lady Offic. She 's here my Lord. Alm. Sitting down Cecile thou art here arraign'd for hainous crimes Which who could think were lurking in a breast So young and tender In a Damosel fair And by extraction Noble But when Vice Usurpes a hold in better Natures soon They are deprav'd like richer wines which once Corrupted taint the Vessel more where th' are Enclos'd So young yet could'st by Magick Art Enchaunt the Lord Valerian who enamour'd Was by thy powerful and bewitching charmes bound in the chains of a prodigious love Then was he wrought upon t' abjure the Gods And march among the superstitious rank Of such Impostors as thy self This done For mischief has no period you engross His Goods his Plate and Jewels Was content To feign a Marriage more t' endear your self Though 't were by prostitution Next you were content He might be publickly traduc'd For Christianisme and now to lose his head With his as Noble Brother Lord Tiburtius VVho else might have enjoy'd his full estate Lastly to cheat the Emperour of his Right VVhich comes for want of heir they have I see VVhich was a plot of yours they have no place No other Magazine where they have hid Their treasure but Beggars Rogues and Rascals Apostates and such like scum of th' earth All 's gone all given away by which you hope Forsooth to gratifie your poor-born God Is not this true and verified by many Which I could name amongst the rest Saphricius A holy Convert who was one of yours Well vers'd in all your plots But why should I Exaggerate what of it self is so Enormous No I pity Lady your More tender years and Noble Parents here Pity a beauty which deserves to be Enthron'd upon a Princely Seat rather Than be so vilified and made so base As to consort with sordid despicable And abject riff-raffe vipers vermines worms Which creep in th' earth and lurk in horrid Caves What say you Lady deny or guilty yield Cec. What need I traverse this Indictment all Compacted of untruths know then I am A Christian not therefore base but you Who in your Gods do homage to the Devil Christian and base O! had I breath enough To eccho in the air this glorious Name A title 't is Encomium that transcends 'Bove humane things by Christian I am made More noble than by birth more powerful than Your Caesars more victorious Tell me of Goods Gold Plate and Jewels These I more contemn Than what I trample on Unworthy Judge That call'st me prostitute I defie Thee and thy Goddesses that were but such Harlots and Queans thy Gods adulterous Va'erian is my Spouse but far more dear By that which now he is A Christian This our glory this is our true renown To gain by combate an immortal Crown Alm. Our patience is abus'd our Gods contemn'd To whom or sacrifice or die Cec. But die Die but one death must I but lose one life To purchase an eternal Oh! how good How bounteous heaven which by a quick return Renders for death a life for ever happy Alm. Bring 'hem forth there Sha't see to what thou 'st brought A wretched pair who late were Noble Lords Enter Headsman Val. and Tib. and Cec. And if good Nature be not utterly In thee deprav'd thy more relenting heart Cannot but have remorse See here they come Poor Lords dejected men that fix on thee Their heavy eyes from whence the mischief sprang Cec. Not heavy eyes not sad but chearful clear Made such by the reflexive light of heaven My Lords you my dear Spouse and you his brother You have th' honour first t' invest your selves Within the lists where I should first have been Who first shew'd you the way but y'have out-stript Your Leader as lesse worthy who shall be Happier to trace the manly steps you tread Val. Dear Spouse and Mistriss not in Venus School But that of Heaven by you we first were taught A lesson which we now have got by heart That humane love is like a coal of fire Which lies on th' hearth but by the mounting flame A love divine is figur'd which transcends Therefore salute you with a chast embrace Farewel dear Spouse Embraces her Cec. Death parts but for a while I 'le hasten after that as our bodies bed In earth-together our souls may reunite Tib. May I be Paranymph and lead the way Who though I last come hither of us two May by this birth precede Cec. O! force of love Or first or last ambitious in desire Of heaven you happy twins
shall meet again But Lords you suffer here as Kings shall reign Alm. Away with 'hem to th' place of execution O! now they 're coming back and will recant Val. Madam Cec. My Lord Val. Dear Love adieu Cec. Dear Spouse adieu Tib. We crave your prayers t' assist us in the way Exeunt Val. and Tib. Alm. Peace Cec. Blest be your night that brings eternal day Alm. Peace Sorceresse with thy enchaunting tongue Or smoke shall stop the passage of thy breath Fire shall consume thee Witch take her away into her own dry bath Beset her round with fagots and dissolve To ashes that polluted corps Away with her Cec. Thus happy may I be and lose my breath Midst flames of Love and die a Phaenix death Exit with Officers Al. Maximus Max. My Lord. Alm. Go see them beheaded Max. I will my Lord. Exit Max. Alm. Dispatch and bring me word Enter Marcus and Flavia and kneel Now my Lord Marcus and my Lady there What is' t you now petition on your knee Mar. O! Sorrow till now deny'd to give a vent To my surcharged soul Alm. What is' t you crave Mar. That th' execution of the law may be Suspended our Daughter may be reclaim'd She 's young Alm. No no you should have had a care In time 't is now too late she 's so poyson'd Enter Maximus looking up in the air an Officer following With Christian superstition Now Maximus Are the two poppy heads cut from their stems Max. Dead th' are and yet not dead see where see see Th' are mounting in the air Alm. The fellow 's mad Max. No no the glorious souls I see of that Blest pair Valerian and Tiburtius Alm. Imaginary Visions in the air Or else the Twins Pollux and Castor which We call Tyndarides Max. No 'bove the height of the rich spangled skies Two winged Wights more bright than sunny beams I see transporting of their fulgent souls Great is Valerian and Tiburtius God Alm. Yet more Witchcraft Max. No the Gods are Devils Which have bewitch'd you with their fopperies Alm. Out upon the Villain blasphemous Renegade Enter an Officer Take him away to burn with the Enchauntresse If she already be not burn Exit Maximus with Officers Headsman Not burnt my Lord The flames at distance keep and dare not touch So much as that which doth her body vest Alm. Yet more sorcery why hast thou not a sword To sever head from shoulders Headsman Yes my Lord Sharp as a razor Alm. Hast a vigorous arm Headsm And dextrous too to slice as from the stalke A limber Dasie or a Daffadil Alm. Then come with me I 'le be spectator Exeunt Almach Attendants Mar. Come Flavia shall we not see our daughter Fla. Our Daughter murther'd Can the loving Ewe Behold her tender lamb snatch'd from her side And see it slaughter'd by the Butchers hand I cannot husband be a cruel witness Of the disasterous death of my dear lamb Mar. If flames could not consume why should the sword Be more injurious to an innocent Or if her God with a more powerful hand Could curb the raging fire why may not he Contract the Nerves of that more cruel Butcher Or arm her Neck against the dint of Steel Enter Headsman looking on his Sword But see our hopes are vain She 's dead she 's dead Behold his murthering Sword besmear'd with blood Headsman Hum what prodigy is this my Sword 's not dull Nor was my arm bereav'd of wonted strength Why then while thrice I struck and thrice my sword Had passage as I thought 'twixt joynt and joynt Why fell not down her mown off tottring head Like ice on cragged rock dissolv'd by heat Enter Cecilie lead by her servants See here she comes what soder could she have To cement what this sword dis joynted thrice Or this is Magick Art or else she has An Esculapius 'bove all power of Gods Mar. Lives still our daughter or by your support Is she but held Fla. Breaths still this virgin head Which has a languid yet a sweet aspect Cec. Dear Parents yet I live could you believe The fabulous story of your Hercules Who slic'd off Hydru's heads which grev again In number moe yet not believe your eyes VVhich see I live or ears which hear me speak Mar. Still may'st thou live whom now we living see Cec. Still would you have me live Dos't not suffice That bounteous heaven has granted me three dayes At my more humble suit to intercede For your Conversion Fla. Alas what are three dayes To enjoy a Child Cec. This was the boon I begg'd That with your leave this house may be transform'd And consecrated to the power above To be a Church where true believers may Adore their Maker and by frequent prayer Appease his wrath by whose permission now Enter Angel and stands by her Th' are persecuted Soft what whispering voice Is that which by prophetick spirit tells That this my body to be buried here Shall when a thousand and four hundred years Are fully past and gone be found entire Mar. I Daughter might we live till then and see it I then would be a Christian Flae So would I. Cec. You would Ah! Infidelity when thou Hast long been fostred in a darksome breast How hard it is for light to be transfus'd Or heat of love into decrepit age Happy who young begin to live and love Dos't hear Angusta Ang. Yes forsooth Madam Cec. Thou weep'st I see there can no richer pearls Adde listre to a virgins face than tears VVhich are distill'd for expiation of A fin-sick soul Tiburtius thou didst love Valeaian was my Spouse They are gone before T'eternal happiness I follow myne O! may'st thou emulate succeed to thyne Palinodio Pal. Here Madam Cec. Thou 'st been But staggering in thy Faith suiting too much VVith Palinodie ready to recant When but a whipping menac'd to thy skin A transitory pain Pal. 'T is true Madam I never lov'd such transitory things Which by the world entic'd or threaten'd me Cec. Thou 'st been my Gentleman-usher Pal. Yes forsooth I have been so Cec. Henceforth shall be no more To usher thee to Heaven I go before Metricio Met. Here sweet Madam Cec. Thou hast been My Poet to compose in facred Verse Spiritual Sonnets ayres that suited best With th'Organ my delight at vacant hours Yet much adoe I had to curb that strain Of levity thou hadst which too propense To amorous Ditties did profusely vent It self to please the humour of the time In vainer Raptures of Prophaning Love Desist from this and in a pious way Thy strayns shal raise dull thoughts to things on high Vertue 's the soul of Verse not Vanity Phantasio my Musitian where are you Phan. Here Madam I. Cec. Insist not much on that That I or self-conceit predominates In thee too much What is' t to have a Voyce To raise 'bove Ela while the drooping soul Below the base of abject things descends Thou tun'st mine Organ Tune thy