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
saw so much none suffer'd more Not the most cruel of Our conqu'ring Foes So unconcern'dly can relate our woes As not to lend a tear Then how can I Repress the horror of my thoughts which fly The sad remembrance Now th' expiring night And the declining Stars to rest invite Yet since 't is your command what you so well Are pleas'd to hear I cannot grieve to tell By Fate repell'd and with repulses tyr'd The Greeks so many Lives and years expir'd A Fabrick like a moving Mountain frame Pretending vows for their return This Fame Divulges then within the beasts vast womb The choice and flower of all their Troops in-tomb In view the Isle of Tenedos once high In fame and wealth while Troy remain'd doth lie Now but an unsecure and open Bay Thither by stealth the Greeks their Fleet convey We gave them gone and to Mycenae sail'd And Troy reviv'd her mourning face unvail'd All through th' unguarded Gates with joy resort To see the slighetd Camp the vacant Port Here lay Vlysses there Achilles here The Battels joyn'd the Grecian Fleet rode there But the vast Pile th' amazed vulgar views Till they their Reason in their wonder lose And first Tymaetes moves urg'd by the Power Of Fate or Fraud to place it in the Tower But Capis and the graver sort thought fit The Greeks suspected Present to commit To Seas or Flames at least to search and bore The sides what that space contains t' explore Th' uncertain Multitude with both engag'd Divided stands till from the Tower enrag'd Laocoon ran whom all the crowd attends Crying what desperat Frenzy 's this oh friends To think them gone Judge rather their retreat But a design their gifts but a deceit For our Destruction 't was contriv'd no doubt Or from within by fraud or from without By force yet know ye not Vlysses shifts Their swords less danger carry than their gifts This said against the Horses side his spear He throws which trembles with inclosed fear Whilst from the hollows of his womb proceed Groans not his own And had not Fate decreed Our Ruine We had fill'd with Grecian blood The Place Then Troy and Priam's Throne had stood Mean while a fetter'd pris'ner to the King With joyful shouts the Dardan Shepherds bring Who to betray us did himself betray At once the Taker and at once the Prey Firmly prepar'd of one Event secur'd Or of his Death or his Design assur'd The Trojan Youth about the Captive flock To wonder or to pity or to mock Now hear the Grecian fraud and from this one Conjecture all the rest Disarm'd disorder'd casting round his eyes On all the Troops that guarded him he cries What Land what Sea for me what Fate attends Caught by my Foes condemned by my Friends Incensed Troy a wretched Captive seeks To sacrifice a Fugitive the Greeks To Pity This Complaint our former Rage Converts we now enquire his Parentage What of their Councils or affairs he knew Then fearless he replies Great King to you All truth I shall relate Nor first can I My self to be of Grecian birth deny And though my outward state misfortune hath Deprest thus low it cannot reach my Faith You may by chance have heard the famous name Of Palimede who from old Belus came Whom but for voting Peace the Greeks pursue Accus'd unjustly then unjustly slew Yet mourn'd his death My Father was his friend And me to his commands did recommend While Laws and Councils did his Throne support I but a youth yet some Esteem and Port We then did bear till by Vlysses craft Things known I speak he was of life bereft Since in dark sorrow I my days did spend Till now disdaining his unworthy end I could not silence my Complaints but vow'd Revenge if ever fate or chance allow'd My wisht return to Greece from hence his hate From thence my crimes and all my ills bear date Old guilt fresh malice gives The peoples ears He fills with rumors and their hearts with fears ' And then the Prophet to his party drew But why do I these thankless truths pursue Or why defer your Rage on me for all The Greeks let your revenging fury fall Vlysses this th' Atridae this desire At any rate We streight are set on fire Unpractis'd in such Mysteries to enquire The manner and the cause Which thus he told With gestures humble as his Tale was bold Oft have the Greeks the siege detesting tyr'd With tedious war a stoln retreat desir'd And would to heaven they had gone But still dismay'd By Seas or Skies unwillingly they stay'd Chiefly when this stupendious Pile was rais'd Strange noises fill'd the Air we all amaz'd Dispatch Eurypilus to enquire our Fates Who thus the sentence of the Gods relates A Virgins slaughter did the storm appease When first towards Troy the Grecians took the Seas Their safe retreat another Grecians blood Must purchase All at this confounded stood Each thinks himself the Man the fear on all Of what the mischief but on one can fall Then Calchas by Vlysses first inspir'd Was urg'd to name whom th' angry Gods requir'd Yet was I warn'd for many were as well Inspir'd as he and did my fate foretel Ten days the Prophet in suspence remain'd Would no mans fate pronounce at last constrain'd By Ithacus he solemnly design'd Me for the Sacrifice the people joyn'd In glad consent and all their common fear Determine in my fate the day drew near The sacred Rites prepar'd my temples crown'd With holy wreaths Then I confess I found The means to my escape my bonds I brake Fled from my Guards and in a muddy Lake Amongst the Sedges all the night lay hid Till they their Sails had hoist if so they did And now alas no hope remains for me My home my father and my sons to see Whom they enrag'd will kill for my Offence And punish for my guilt their Innocence Those Gods who know the Truths I now relate That faith which yet remains inviolate By mortal men By these I beg redress My causless wrongs and pity such distress And now true Pity in exchange he finds For his false Tears his Tongue his hands unbinds Then spake the King be Ours who ere thou art Forget the Greeks But first the truth impart Why did they raise or to what use intend This Pile to a Warlike or Religious end Skilful in fraud his native Art his hands Toward heaven he rais'd deliver'd now from bands Ye pure Aethereal flames ye Powers ador'd By mortal men ye Altars and the sword I scap'd ye sacred Fillets that involv'd My destin'd head grant I may stand absolv'd From all their Laws and Rites renounce all name Of faith or love their secret thoughts proclaim Only O Troy preserve thy faith to me If what I shall relate preserveth thee From Pallas favour all our hopes and all Counsels and Actions took Original Till Diomed for such attempts made fit By dire conjunction with Vlysses wit
Though in the active part they cannot serve In action Learned Counsellours their Age Profession or Disease forbids t' ingage Nor to Philosophers is praise deny'd Whose wise Instructions After-ages guide Yet vainly most their Age in study spend No end of writing Books and to no end Beating their brains for strange and hidded things Whose Knowledge nor Delight nor Profit brings Themselves with doubts both day and night perplex Nor Gentle Reader please or teach but vex Books should to one of these four ends conduce For Wisdom Piety Delight or Use. What need we gaze upon the spangled Sky Or into Matters hidden Causes pry To describe every City Stream or Hill I' th World our fancy with vain Arts to fill What is 't to hear a Sophister that pleads Who by the Ears the deceiv'd Audience leads If we were wise these things we should not mind But more delight in easie matters find Learn to live well that thou may'st dye so too To live and dye is all we have to do The way if no Digression's made is even And free access if we but ask is given Then seek to know those things which make us blest And having found them lock them in thy Breast Enquiring then the way go on nor slack But mend thy pace nor think of going back Some their whole Age in these enquiries wast And dye like Fools before one step they past 'T is strange to know the way and not t' advance That Knowledge is far worse then Ignorance The Learned teach but what they teach not do And standing still themselves make others go In vain on Study time away we throw When we forbear to act the things we know The Souldier that Philosopher well blam'd Who long and loudly in the Schools declaim'd Tell said the Souldier venerable Sir Why all these Words this Clamour and this stir Why do disputes in wrangling spend the day Whilst one says only yea and t' other nay Oh said the Doctor we for Wisdom toyl'd For which none toyls too much the Souldier smil'd Y' are gray and old and to some pious use This mass of Treasure you should now reduce But you your store have hoarded in some bank For which th' Infernal Spirits shall you thank Let what thou learnest be by practise shown 'T is said that Wisdoms Children make her known What 's good doth open to th' enquirer stand And it self offers to th' accepting hand All things by Order and true Measures done Wisdom will end as well as she begun Let early care thy main Concerns secure Things of less moment may delays endure Men do not for their Servants first prepare And of their Wives and Children quit the care Yet when we 're sick the Doctor 's fetch 't in haste Leaving our great concernment to the last When we are well our hearts are only set Which way we care not to be Rich or Great What shall become of all that we have got We only know that us it follows not And what a trifle is a moments Breath Laid in the Scale with everlasting Death What 's Time when on Eternity we think A thousand Ages in that Sea must sink Time 's nothing but a word a million Is full as far from Infinite as one To whom thou much dost owe thou much must pay Think on the Debt against th' accompting-day God who to thee Reason and Knowledge lent Will ask how these two Talents have been spent Let not low Pleasures thy high Reason blind He 's mad that seeks what no man e're could find Why should we fondly please our Sense wherein Beasts us exceed nor feel the stings of sin What thoughts Man 's Reason better can become Then th' expectation of his welcom home Lords of the World have but for Life their Lease And that too if the Lessor please must cease Death cancels Natures Bonds but for our Deeds That Debt first paid a strict account succeeds If here not clear'd no Surety-ship can Bail Condemned Debtors from th' Eternal Goal Christ's Blood 's our Balsom if that cures us here Him when our Judge we shall not find severe His yoke is easie when by us embrac'd But loads and galls if on our Necks 't is cast Be just in all thy actions and if joyn'd With those that are not never change thy mind If ought obstruct thy course yet stand not still But wind about till thou have topp'd the Hill To the same end Men several Paths may tread As many Doors into one Temple lead And the same hand into a fist may close Which instantly a Palm expanded shows Justice and Faith never forsake the Wise Yet may occasion put him in Disguise Not turning like the wind but if the state Of things must change he is not obstinate Things past and future with the present weighs Nor credulous of what vain rumour says Few things by Wisdom are at first believ'd An easie Ear deceives and is deceiv'd For many Truths have often past for Lies And Lies as often put on Truths Disguise As Flattery too oft like Friendship shows So them who speak plain Truth we think our Foes No quick reply to dubious questions make Suspence and caution still prevent mistake When any great design thou dost intend Think on the means the manner and the end All great Concernments must delays endure Rashness and haste make all things unsecure And if uncertain thy Pretensions be Stay till fit time wear out uncertainty But if to unjust things thou dost pretend E're they begin let thy Pretensions end Let thy Discourse be such that thou may'st give Profit to others or from them receive Instruct the Ignorant to those that live Under thy care good rules and patterns give Nor is 't the least of Vertues to relieve Those whom afflictions or oppressions grieve Commend but sparingly whom thou dost love But less condemn whom thou dost not approve Thy Friend like Flattery too much Praise doth wrong And too sharp censure shews an evil tongue But let inviolate Truth be always dear To thee even before Friendship Truth prefer Then what thou mean'st to give still promise less Hold fast the Power thy Promise to increase Look forward what 's to come and back what 's past Thy life will be with Praise and Prudence grac'd What loss or gain may follow thou may'st guess Thou then wilt be secure of the success Yet be not always on affairs intent But let thy thoughts be easie and unbent When our Minds Eyes are dis-ingag'd and free They clearer farther and distinctly see They quicken sloth perplexities untye Make roughness smooth and hardness mollifie And though our hands from labour are releast Yet our minds find even when we sleep no rest Search not to find how other Men offend But by that Glass thy own offences mend Still seek to learn yet care not much from whom So it be Learning or from whence it come Of thy own actions others judgments learn Often by small great matters we discern
the ancient world did know We scarce know seven who think themselves not so When Man learn'd undefil'd Religion We were commanded to be all as one Fiery disputes that Union have calcin'd Almost as many minds as men we find And when that flame finds combustible Earth Thence Fatuus fires and Meteors take their birth Legions of Sects and Insects come in throngs To name them all would tire a hundred tongues Such were the Centaures of Ixions race Who a bright Cloud for Iuno did embrace And such the Monsters of Chymaera's kind Lyons before and Dragons were behind Then from the clashes between Popes and Kings Debate like sparks from Flints collision springs As Ioves loud Thunderbolts were forg'd by heat The like our Cyclops on their Anvils beat All the rich Mines of Learning ransackt are To furnish Ammunition for this War Uncharitable Zeal our Reason whets And double Edges on our Passion sets 'T is the most certain sign the worl'd 's accurst That the best things corrupted are the worst 'T was the corrupted Light of knowledg hurl'd Sin Death and Ignorance o're all the world That Sun like this from which our fight we have Gaz'd on too long resumes the light he gave And when thick mists of doubts obscure his beams Our Guide is Errour and our Visions Dreams 'T was no false Heraldry when madness drew Her Pedigree from those who too much knew Who in deep Mines for hidden Knowledg toyls Like Guns o're-charg'd breaks misses or recoyls When subtle Wits have spun their thred too fine 'T is weak and fragile like Arachnes line True Piety without cessation tost By Theories the practick part is lost And like a Ball bandy'd 'twixt Pride and Wit Rather then yield both sides the Prize will quit Then whilst his Foe each Gladiator foyls The Atheist looking on enjoys the spoyls Through Seas of knowledg we our course advance Discovering still new worlds of Ignorance And these Discoveries make us all confess That sublunary Science is but guess Matters of fact to man are only known And what seems more is meer opinion The standers by see clearly this event All parties say they 're sure yet all dissent With their new Light our bold Inspectors press Like Cham to shew their Fathers Nakedness By whose Example after-ages may Discover we more naked are then they All humane wisdom to divine is folly This Truth the wisest man made melancholy Hope or belief or guess gives some relief But to be sure we are deceiv'd brings grief Who thinks his Wife is Vertuous though not so Is pleas'd and patient till the truth he know Our God when Heaven and Earth he did Create Form'd Man who should of both participate If our Lives Motions their 's must imitate Our knowledge like our blood must circulate When like a Bride-groom from the East the Sun Sets forth he thither whence he came doth run Into Earth's Spungy Veins the Ocean sinks Those Rivers to replenish which he drinks So Learning which from Reasons Fountain springs Back to the sourse some secret Channel brings 'T is happy when our Streams of Knowledge flow To fill their banks but not to overthrow Vt metit Autumnus fruges quas parturit Aestas Sic Ortum Natura dedit Deus his quoque Finem FINIS THE SOPHY As it was Acted at the Private House in Black Friars by His Majesties Servants LONDON Printed by I. M. for H. Herringman at the Sign of the Blew Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange 1667. The Prologue HIther ye come dislike and so undo The Players and disgrace the Poet too But he protests against your votes and swears He 'll not be try'd by any but his Peers He claims his priviledge and sayes 't is fit Nothing should be the Iudge of wit but Wit Now you will all be Wits and be I pray And you that discommend it mend the Play 'T is the best satisfaction he knows then His turn will come to laugh at you agen But Gentlemen if ye dislike the Play Pray make no words on 't till the second day Or third be past For we would have you know it The loss will fall on us not on the Poet For he writes not for money nor for praise Nor to be call'd a Wit nor to wear Bayes Cares not for frowns or smiles so now you 'll say Then why the Devil did he write a Play He says 't was then with him as now with you He did it when he had nothing else to do Actors Scena Persia. Abbas King of Persia. Mirza the Prince his Son Erythaea the Princess his Wife Enemies to the Prince Haly the King's Favourite Mirvan Haly's Confident Two Lords Friends to the Prince Abdall Morat Caliph Solyman a foolish Courtier Soffy the Prince his Son now King of Persia. Fatyma his Daughter 2 Turkish Bashawes 3 Captains 2 Women Physician Tormentors THE SOPHY Actus Primus Enter Abdall and Morat Mor. MY Lord you have good intelligence What news from the Army Any certainty of their design or strength Abd. We know not their design But for their strength The disproportion is so great we cannot but Expect a fatal consequence Mor. How great my Lord Abd. The Turks are fourscore thousand Foot And fifty thousand Horse And we in the whole Exceed not forty thousand Mor. Me-thinks the Prince should know That Judgment 's more essential to a General Than Courage if he prove victorious 'T is but a happy rashness Abd. But if he lose the battel 't is an error Beyond excuse or remedy considering That half the Lesser Asia will follow The Victors fortune Mor. 'T is his single vertue And terror of his name that walls us in From danger were he lost the naked Empire Would be a prey expos'd to all Invaders Abd. But is 't not necessary The King should know his danger Mor. To tell him of so great a danger Were but to draw a greater on our selves For though his eye is open as the mornings Towards lusts pleasures yet so fast a lethargy Has seiz'd his powers towards publick cares and dangers He sleeps like death Abd. He 's a man of that strange composition Made up of all the worst extremities Of youth and age Mor. And though He feels the heats of youth and colds of age Yet neither tempers nor corrects the other As if there were an Ague in his nature That still inclines to one extream Abd. But the Caliph or Haly or some that know His softer hours might best acquaint him with it Mor. Alas they shew him nothing But in the glass of flattery if any thing May bear a shew of glory fame or greatness 'T is multiplied to an immense quantity And stretcht even to Divinity But if it tend to danger or dishonour They turn about the Perspective and shew it So little at such distance so like nothing That he can scarce discern it Abd. 'T is the fate of Princes that no knowledge Comes pure to them but passing
Hell But a long sleepless night and what 's their torment But to compare past joyes with present sorrows And what can death deprive me of the sight Of day of children friends and hope of Empire And whatsoever others lose in death In life I am depriv'd of then I will live Only to die reveng'd nor will I go Down to the shades alone Prompt me some witty some revengeful Devil His Devil that could make a bloudy feast Of his own son and call the gods his guests Her 's that could kill her aged Sire and cast Her Brothers scatter'd limbs to Wolves and Vultures Or his that slew his Father to enjoy His mothers bed and greater than all those My fathers Devil Come mischief I embrace thee fill my soul And thou Revenge ascend and bear the Scepter O're all my passions banish thence All that are cool and tame Know old Tyrant My heart 's too big to break I know thy fears Exceed my sufferings and my revenge Though but in hope is much a greater pleasure Than thou canst take in punishing Then my anger Sink to the Center of my heart and there Lie close in ambush till my seeming patience Hath made the cruel Tyrant as secure Though with as little cause as now he 's jealous Whose there Enter two or three I find my nature would return To her old course I feel an inclination To some repose welcome thou pleasing slumber A while embrace me in thy leaden arms And charm my careful thoughts Conduct me to my bed Exit Enter King Haly and Caliph King How do's the Prince how bears he his restraint Ha. Why Sir as all great spirits Bear great and sudden changes with such impatience As a Numidian Lion when first caught Endures the toyl that holds him He would think of nothing But present death and sought all violent means To compass it But time hath mitigated Those furious heats he now returns to food And sleep admits the conversation Of those that are about him King I would I had not So easily believ'd my fears I was too sudden I would it were undone Cal. If you lament it That which now looks like Justice will be thought An inconsiderate rashness King But there are in nature Such strong returns That I punisht him I do not grieve but that he was my Son Ha. But it concerns you to bear up your passion And make it good for if the people know That you have cause to grieve for what is done They 'll think you had no cause at first to do it King to the Ca. Go visit him from me and teach him patience Since neither all his fury nor my sorrow Can help what 's past tell him my severity To him shall in some measure be requited By my indulgence to his children And if he desire it Let them have access to him endeavour to take off His thoughts from revenge by telling him of Paradise and I know not what pleasures In the other world Cal. I shall Sir Ex. King and C. Ma. Haly. Enter Mirvan Ha. Mirvan The King relents and now there 's left No refuge but the last he must be poysoned And suddenly lest he survive his Father Mir. But handsomly lest it appear Ha. Appear To whom you know there 's none about him But such as I have plac't and they shall say 'T was discontent or abstinence Mir. But at the best 'T will be suspected Ha. Why though 't be known We 'll say he poysoned himself Mir. But the curious will pry further Than bare report and the old King's suspitions Have piercing eyes Ha. But those nature Will shortly close you see his old disease Grows strong upon him Mir. But if he should recover Ha. But I have cast his Nativity he cannot he must not I' th' mean time I have so besieg'd him So blockt up all the passages and plac'd So many Centinels and Guards upon him That no intelligence can be convey'd But by my instruments But this business will require More heads and hands than ours Go you to the prison And bring the Keeper privately to me To give him his instructions Ex. several ways Enter Prince and Caliph Cal. Sir I am commanded by the King To visit you Prince What to give a period to my life And to his fears You 're welcome here 's a throat A heart or any other part ready to let In death and receive his commands Ca. My Lord I am no messenger nor minister of death 'T is not my function Prince I should know that voice Ca. I am the Caliph and am come to tell you your Father Is now return'd to himself Nature ha's got The victory o're passion all his rigour Is turn'd to grief and pity Prince Alas good man I pity him and his infirmities His doubts and fears and accidents of age Which first provok'd his cruelty Ca. He bid me tell you His love to yours should amply recompence His cruelty to you And I dare say 't is real For all his thoughts his pleasures and delights Are fixt on Fatyma when he is sad She comforts him when sick she 's his Physitian And were it not for the delight he takes In her I think hee 'd die with sorrow Prince But how are his affections fixt so strangely On her alone sure 't is not in his nature For then he had lov'd me or hated her Because she came from me Ca. 'T is her desert She 's fair beyond comparison and witty Above her age and bears a manly spirit Above her sex Prince But may not I admire her Is that too great a happiness pray let her make it Her next suit to be permitted to visit me her self Ca. She shall Sir I joy to see your mind So well compos'd I fear'd I should have found A tempest in your soul and came to lay it I 'le to the King I know to him that news will be Most acceptable Prince Pray do and tell him I have cast off all my passions and am now A man again fit for society And conversation Ca. I will Sir Exit Prince I never knew my self till now how on the sudden I 'me grown an excellent dissembler to out-do One at the first that has practiz'd it all his life So now I am my self again what is 't I feel within Me thinks some vast design Now takes possession of my heart and swells My labouring thoughts above the common bounds Of humane actions something full of horror My soul hath now decreed my heart does beat As if 't were forging thunder-bolts for Iove To strike the Tyrant dead So now I have it I have it 't is a gallant mischief Worthy my Father or my Fathers Son All his delight 's in Fatyma poor innocent But not more innocent than I and yet My Father loves thee and that 's crime enough By this act old Tyrant I shall be quit with thee while I was virtuous I was a stranger to thy bloud but now Sure thou wilt love
not your passions vent nor let blind fury Precipitate your thoughts nor set 'em working Till time shall lend 'em better means and instruments Than lost complaints Where 's pretty Fatyma She must forgive my rash ungentle passion Princess What do you mean Sir Prince I am asham'd to tell you I prethee call her Princess I will Sir I pray try If sleep will ease your torments and repair Your wasted spirits Prince Sleep to those empty lids Is grown a stranger and the day and night As undistinguisht by my sleep as sight O happiness of poverty that rests Securely on a bed of living turfe While we with waking cares and restless thoughts Lye tumbling on our downe courting the blessing Of a short minutes slumber which the Ploughman Shakes from him as a ransom'd slave his fetters Call in some Musick I have heard soft airs Can charm our senses and expel our cares Is Erythaea gone Serv. Yes Sir Prince 'T is well I would not have her present at my death Enter Musick SOmnus the humble God that dwells In cottages and smoakie cells Hates gilded roofs and beds of down And though he fears no Princes frown Flies from the circle of a Crown Come I say thou powerful God And thy Leaden charming Rod Dipt in the Lethaean Lake O're his wakeful temples shake Lest he should sleep and never wake Nature alas why art thou so Obliged to thy greatest Foe Sleep that is thy best repast Yet of death it bears a taste And both are the same thing at last Serv. So now he sleeps let 's leave him To his repose Enter King King The horrour of this place presents The horrour of my crimes I fain would ask What I am loth to hear but I am well prepar'd They that are past all hope of good are past All fear of ill and yet if he be dead Speak softly or uncertainly Phy. Sir he sleeps King O that 's too plain I know thou mean'st his last His long his endless sleep Phy. No Sir he lives but yet I fear the sleep you speak of will be his next For nature like a weak and weary traveller Tir'd with a tedious and rugged way Not by desire provokt but even betray'd By weariness and want of spirits Gives up her self to this unwilling slumber King Thou hast it Haly 't is indeed a sad And sober truth though the first And only truth thou ever told'st me And 't is a fatal sign when Kings hear truth Especially when flatterers dare speak it Prince I thought I heard my Father does he think the poyson Too slow and comes to see the operation Prince Awakes Or does he think his engine dull or honest Less apt to execute than he to bid him He needs not 't is enough it will succeed To his expectation King 'T is indeed thy Father Thy wretched Father but so far from acting New cruelties that if those already past Acknowledg'd and repented of can yet Receive a pardon by those mutual bonds Nature has seal'd between us which though I Have cancell'd thou hast still preserv'd inviolate I beg thy pardon Prince Death in it self appears Lovely and sweet not only to be pardoned But wisht for had it come from any other hand But from a Father a Father A name so full of life of love of pity Death from a Fathers hand from whom I first Receiv'd a being 't is a preposterous gift An act at which inverted Nature starts And blushes to behold her self so cruel King Take thou that comfort with thee and be not deaf to truth By all that 's holy by the dying accents Of thine and my last breath I never meant I never wisht it sorrow has so over-fraught This sinking bark I shall not live to shew How I abhor or how I would repent My first rash crime but he that now Has poyson'd thee first poyson'd me with jealousie A foolish causless jealousie Prince Since you believe my innocence I cannot but believe your sorrow But does the villain live A just revenge Would more become the sorrows of a King Than womanish complaints King O Mirza Mirza I have no more the power to do it Than thou to see it done My Empire Mirza My Empire 's lost thy vertue was the rock On which it firmly stood that being undermin'd It sunk with its own weight the villain whom my breath created Now braves it in my Throne Prince O for an hour of life but 't will not be Revenge and justice we must leave to Heaven I would say more but death has taken in the out-works And now assails the fort I feel I feel him Gnawing my heart-strings Farewel and yet I would Dies King O stay stay but a while and take me with thee Come Death let me embrace thee thou that wert The worst of all my fears art now the best Of all my hopes But Fate why hast thou added This curse to all the rest the love of life We love it and yet hate it death we loath And still desire flye to it and yet fear it Enter Princess and Soffy Princess He 's gone he 's gone for ever O that the poyson had mistaken his And met this hated life but cruel Fate Envyed so great a happiness Fate that still Flies from the wretched and pursues the blest Ye Heaven's But why should I complain to them That hear me not or bow to those that hate me Why should your curses so out-weigh your blessings They come but single and long expectation Takes from their value but these fall upon us Double and sudden Sees the King Yet more of horrour then farewel my tears And my just anger be no more confin'd To vain complaints or self-devouring silence But break break forth upon him like a deluge And the great spirit of my injur'd Lord Possess me and inspire me with a rage Great as thy wrongs and let me call together All my Souls powers to throw a curse upon him Black as his crimes King O spare your anger 't is lost For he whom thou accusest has already Condemn'd himself and is as miserable As thou canst think or wish him spit upon me Cast all reproaches on me womans wit Or malice can invent I 'le thank thee for them What e're can give me a more lively sence Of my own crimes that so I may repent ' em Princess O cruel Tyrant couldst thou be so barbarous To a Son as noble as thy self art vile That knew no other crime but too much vertue Nor could deserve so great a punishment For any fault but that he was thy Son Now not content to exceed all other Tyrants Exceed'st thy self first robbing him of sight Then seeming by a fain'd and forc'd repentance To expiate that crime didst win him to A false security and now by poyson Hast rob'd him of his life King Were but my soul as pure From other guilts as that Heaven did not hold One more immaculate Yet what I have done He dying did forgive me
neither Men nor Walls His force sustain the torn Port-cullis falls Then from the hinge their strokes the Gates divorce And where the way they cannot find they force Not with such rage a Swelling Torrent flows Above his banks th' opposing Dams orethrows Depopulates the Fields the Cattel Sheep Shepherds and folds the foaming Surges sweep And now between two sad extreams I stood Here Pyrrhus and th' Atridae drunk with blood There th' hapless Queen amongst an hundred Dames And Priam quenching from his wounds those flames Which his own hands had on the Altar laid Then they the secret Cabinets invade Where stood the Fifty Nuptial Beds the hopes Of that great Race the Golden Posts whose tops Old hostile spoils adorn'd demolisht lay Or to the foe or to the fire a Prey Now Priams fate perhaps you may enquire Seeing his Empire lost his Troy on fire And his own Palace by the Greeks possest Arms long disus'd his trembling limbs invest Thus on his foes he throws himself alone Not for their Fate but to provoke his own There stood an Altar open to the view Of Heaven near which an aged Lawrel grew Whose shady arms the houshold Gods embrac'd Before whose feet the Queen her self had cast With all her daughters and the Trojan wives As Doves whom an approaching tempest drives And frights into one flock But having spy'd Old Priam clad in youthful Arms she cry'd Alas my wretched husband what pretence To bear those Arms and in them what defence Such aid such times require not when again If Hector were alive he liv'd in vain Or here We shall a Sanctuary find Or as in life we shall in death be joyn'd Then weeping with kind force held embrac'd And on the sacred seat the King she plac'd Mean while Polites one of Priams sons Flying the rage of bloudy Pyrrhus runs Through foes swords ranges all the Court And empty Galleries amaz'd and hurt Pyrrhus pursues him now oretakes now kills And his last blood in Priams presence spills The King though him so many deaths inclose Nor fear nor grief but Indignation shows The Gods requite thee if within the care Of those alone th' affairs of mortals are Whose fury on the son but lost had been Had not his Parents Eyes his murder seen Not That Achilles whom thou feign'st to be Thy Father so inhumane was to me He blusht when I the rights of Arms implor'd To me my Hector me to Troy restor'd This said his feeble Arm a Javelin flung Which on the sounding shield scarce entring rung Then Pyrrhus go a messenger to Hell Of my black deeds and to my Father tell The Acts of his degenerate Race So through His Sons warm bloud the trembling King he drew To th' Altar in his hair one hand he wreaths His sword the other in his bosom sheaths Thus fell the King who yet surviv'd the State With such a signal and peculiar Fate Under so vast a ruine not a Grave Nor in such flames a funeral fire to have He whom such Titles swell'd such Power made proud To whom the Scepters of all Asia bow'd On the cold earth lies th' unregarded King A headless Carkass and a nameless Thing FINIS On the Earl of Strafford's Tryal and Death GReat Strafford worthy of that Name though all Of thee could be forgotten but thy fall Crusht by Imaginary Treasons weight Which too much Merit did accumulate As Chymists Gold from Brass by fire would draw Pretexts are into Treason forg'd by Law His Wisdom such at once it did appear Three Kingdoms wonder and three Kingdoms fear Whilst single he stood forth and seem'd although Each had an Army as an equal Foe Such was his force of Eloquence to make The Hearers more concern'd than he that spake Each seem'd to act that part he came to see And none was more a looker on than he So did he move our passion some were known To wish for the defence the Crime their own Now private pity strove with publick hate Reason with Rage and Eloquence with Fate Now they could him if he could them forgive He 's not too guilty but too wise to live Less seem those Facts which Treasons Nick-name bore Than such a fear'd ability for more They after death their fears of him express His Innocence and their own guilt confess Their Legislative Frenzy they repent Enacting it should make no President This Fate he could have scap'd but would not lose Honour for Life but rather nobly chose Death from their fears then safety from his own That his last Action all the rest might crown On my Lord Croft's and my Iourney into Poland from whence we brought 10000 l. for his Majesty by the Decimation of his Scottish Subjects there 1. TOle tole Gentle Bell for the Soul Of the pure ones in Pole Which are damned in our Scroul 2. Who having felt a touch Of Cockram's greedy Clutch Which though it was not much Yet their stubbornness was such 3. That when we did arrive 'Gainst the stream we did strive They would neither lead nor drive 4. Nor lend An Ear to a Friend Nor an answer would send To our Letter so well penn'd 5. Nor assist our affairs With their Monies nor their Wares As their answer now declares But only with their Prayers 6. Thus they did persist Did and said what they list Till the Dyet was dismist But then our Breech they kist 7. For when It was mov'd there and then They should pay one in ten The Dyet said Amen 8. And because they are loth To discover the troth They must give word and Oath Though they will forfeit both 9. Thus the Constitution Condemns them every one From the Father to the Son 10. But Iohn Our Friend Mollesson Thought us to have out-gone With a quaint Invention 11. Like the Prophets of yore He complain'd long before Of the Mischiefs in store I and thrice as much more 12. And with that wicked Lye A Letter they came by From our Kings Majesty 13. But Fate Brought the Letter too late 'T was of too old a date To relieve their damned State 14. The Letter 's to be seen With seal of Wax so green At Dantzige where t' as been Turn'd into good Latin 15. But he that gave the hint This Letter for to Print Must also pay his stint 16. That trick Had it come in the Nick Had touch'd us to the quick But the Messenger fell sick 17 Had it later been wrought And sooner been brought They had got what they sought But now it serves for nought 18. On Sandys they ran aground And our return was crown'd With full ten thousand pound On Mr. Tho. Killigrew's Return from his Embassie from Venice and Mr. William Murry's from Scotland 1. OUr Resident Tom From Venice is come And hath left the Statesman behind him Talks at the same pitch Is as wise is as rich And just where you left him you find him 2. But who says he was not A man
dig for your living A Second Western Wonder YOu heard of that wonder of the Lightning and Thunder Which made the lye so much the louder Now list to another that Miracles Brother Which was done with a Firkin of powder Oh what a damp struck through the Camp But as for honest Sir Ralph It blew him to the Vies without beard or eyes But at least three heads and a half When out came the book which the News-Monger took From the Preaching Ladies Letter Where in the first place stood the Conquerours face Which made it shew much the better But now without lying you may paint him flying At Bristol they say you may find him Great William the Con so fast he did run That he left half his name behind him And now came the Post saves all that was lost But alas we are past deceiving By a trick so stale or else such a tale Might mount for a new Thanksgiving This made Mr. Case with a pitiful face In the Pulpit to fall a weeping Though his mouth utter'd lyes truth fell from his eyes Which kept the Lord Maior from sleeping Now shut up shops and spend your last drops For the Laws of your Cause you that loath 'um Lest Essex should start and play the Second part Of Worshipful Sir Iohn Hotham News from Colchester Or A Proper new Ballad of certain Carnal passages betwixt a Quaker and a Colt at Horsly near Colchester in Essex To the Tune of Tom of Bedlam 1. ALL in the Land of Essex Near Colchester the Zealous On the side of a bank Was play'd such a Prank As would make a Stone-horse jealous 2. Help Woodcock Fox and Nailor For Brother Green 's a Stallion Now alas what hope Of converting the Pope When a Quaker turns Italian 3. Even to our whole profession A scandal 't will be counted When 't is talkt with disdain Amongst the Profane How brother Green was mounted 4. And in the Good time of Christmas Which though our Saints have damn'd all Yet when did they hear That a damn'd Cavalier Ere play'd such a Christmas gambal 5. Had thy flesh O Green been pamper'd With any Cates unhallow'd Hadst thou sweetned thy Gums With Pottage of Plums Or prophane minc'd Pie hadst swallow'd 6. Roll'd up in wanton Swine's-flesh The Fiend might have crept into thee Then fullness of gut Might have caus'd thee to rut And the Devil have so rid through thee 7. But alas he had been feasted With a Spiritual Collation By our frugal Mayor Who can dine on a Prayer And sup on an Exhortation 8. 'T was meer impulse of Spirit Though he us'd the weapon carnal Filly Foal quoth he My Bride thou shalt be And how this is lawful learn all 9. For if no respect of Persons Be due 'mongst the Sons of Adam In a large extent Thereby may be meant That a Mare 's as good as a Madam 10. Then without more Ceremony Not Bonnet vail'd nor kist her But took her by force For better for worse And us'd her like a Sister 11. Now when in such a Saddle A Saint will needs be riding Though we dare not say 'T is a falling away May there not be some back-sliding 12. No surely quoth Iames Naylor 'T was but an insurrection Of the Carnal part For a Quaker in heart Can never lose perfection 13. For as our Masters teach us The intent being well directed Though the Devil trepan The Adamical man The Saint stands un-infected 14. But alas a Pagan Jury Ne're judges what 's intended Then say what we can Brother Green's outward man I fear will be suspended 15. And our Adopted Sister Will find no better quarter But when him we inroul For a Saint Filly Foal Shall pass her self for a Martyr 16. Rome that Spiritual Sodom No longer is thy debter O Colchester now Who 's Sodom but thou Even according to the Letter A SONG SOmnus the humble God that dwells In cottages and smoaky cells Hates gilded roofs and beds of down And though he fears no Princes frown Flies from the circle of a Crown Come I say thou powerful God And thy Leaden charming Rod Dipt in the Lethaean Lake O're his wakeful temples shake Lest he should sleep and never wake Nature alas why art thou so Obliged to thy greatest Foe Sleep that is thy best repast Yet of death it bears a taste And both are the same thing at last On Mr John Fletchers Works SO shall we joy when all whom Beasts and Worms Had turn'd to their own substances and forms Whom Earth to Earth or Fire hath chang'd to Fire We shall behold more then at first entire As now we do to see all thine thy own In this thy Muses Resurrection Whose scatter'd parts from thy own race more wounds Hath suffer'd then Acteon from his Hounds Which first their Brains and then their Bellie fed And from their excrements new Poets bred But now thy Muse enraged from her Urn Like Ghosts of Murdered bodies does return T' accuse the Murderers to right the Stage And undeceive the long abused Age Which casts thy praise on them to whom thy wit Gives not more Gold then they give dross to it Who not content like Felons to Purloyn Adde treason to it and debase thy Coyn. But whither am I straid I need not raise Trophies to thee from other mens dispraise Nor is thy Fame on lesser ruines built Nor needs thy juster Title the soul guilt Of Eastern Kings who to secure their reign Must have their Brothers Sons and Kindred slain Then was wits Empire at the Fatal height When labouring and sinking with its weight From thence a Thousand lesser Poets sprung Like petty Princes from the fall of Rome When Iohnson Shakespear and thy self did sit And sway'd in the triumvirate of wit Yet what from Iohnson's oyl and sweat did flow Or what more easie Nature did bestow On Shakespear's gentler Muse in thee full grown Their graces both appear yet so that none Can say here Nature ends and Art begins But mixt like th' Elements and born like twins So interweav'd so like so much the same None this meer Nature that meer Art can name 'T was this the Antients mean't Nature and Skill Are the two tops of their Parnassus Hill To Sir Richard Fanshaw upon his Translation of Pastor Fido. SUch is our Pride our Folly or our Fate That few but such as cannot write Translate But what in them is want of Art or voice In thee is either Modesty or Choice Whiles this great piece restor'd by thee doth stand Free from the blemish of an Artless hand Secure of Fame thou justly dost esteem Less honour to create than to redeem Nor ought a Genius less than his that writ Attempt Translation for transplanted wit All the defects of air and soil doth share And colder brains like colder Climates are In vain they toil since nothing can beget A vital spirit but a vital heat That servile path thou nobly dost decline Of tracing
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
lays Her self and softly thus lamenting prays Dear Reliques whilst that Gods and Fates gave leave Free me from care and my glad soul receive That date which fortune gave I now must end And to the shades a noble Ghost descend Sichaeus blood by his false Brother spilt I have reveng'd and a proud City built Happy alas too happy I had liv'd Had not the Trojan on my Coast arriv'd But shall I dye without revenge yet dye Thus thus with joy to thy Sichaeus flye My conscious Foe my Funeral fire shall view From Sea and may that Omen him pursue Her fainting hand let fall the Sword besmear'd With blood and then the Mortal wound appear'd Through all the Court the fright and clamours rise Which the whole City fills with fears and cries As loud as if her Carthage or old Tyre The Foe had entred and had set on Fire Amazed Anne with speed ascends the stairs And in her arms her dying Sister rears Did you for this your self and me beguile For such an end did I erect this Pile Did you so much despise me in this Fate My self with you not to associate Your self and me alas this fatal wound The Senate and the People doth confound I 'le wash her Wound with Tears and at her Death My Lips from hers shall draw her parting Breath Then with her Vest the Wound she wipes and dries Thrice with her Arm the Queen attempts to rise But her strength failing falls into a swound Life's last efforts yet striving with her Wound Thrice on her Bed she turns with wandring sight Seeking she groans when she beheld the light Then Iuno pitying her disastrous Fate Sends Iris down her Pangs to Mitigate Since if we fall before th' appointed day Nature and Death continue long their Fray Iris Descends This Fatal lock says she To Pluto I bequeath and set thee free Then clips her Hair cold Numness strait bereaves Her Corps of sense and th' Ayrs her Soul receives A Preface to the following Translation GOing this last Summer to visit the Wells I took an occasion by the way to wait upon an Ancient and Honourable Friend of mine whom I found diverting his then solitary retirement with the Latin Original of this Translation which being out of Print I had never seen before when I looked upon it I saw that it had formerly passed through two Learned hands not without approbation which were Ben Johnson and Sir Kenelme Digby but I found it where I shall never find my self in the service of a better Master the Earl of Bristol of whom I shall say no more for I love not to improve the Honour of the Living by impairing that of the Dead and my own Profession hath taught me not to erect new Superstructions upon an old Ruine He was pleased to recommend it to me for my companion at the Wells where I lik'd the entertainment it gave me so well that I undertook to redeem it from an obsolete English disguise wherein an old Monk had cloathed it and to make as becoming a new Vest for it as I could The Author was a Person of Quality in Italy his name Mancini which Family matched since with the Sister of Cardinal Mazarine he was co-temporary to Petrarch and Mantuan and not long before Torquato Tasso which shews that the Age they lived in was not so unlearned as that which preceded or that which followed The Author writ upon the four Cardinal Vertues but I have Translated only the two first not to turn the kindness I intended to him into an injury for the two last are little more then repetitions and recitals of the first and to make a just excuse for him they could not well be otherwise since the two last Vertues are but descendants from the first Prudence being the true Mother of Temperance and true Fortitude the Child of Iustice. Of Prudence WIsdoms first Progress is to take a View What 's decent or un-decent false or true Hee 's truly Prudent who can separate Honest from Vile and still adhere to that Their difference to measure and to reach Reason well rectify'd must Nature teach And these high Scrutinies are subjects fit For Man's all-searching and enquiring wit That search of Knowledge did from Adam flow Who wants it yet abhors his wants to show Wisdom of what her self approves makes choice Nor is led Captive by the Common voice Clear-sighted Reason Wisdoms Judgment leads And Sense her Vassal in her footsteps treads That thou to Truth the perfect way may'st know To thee all her specifick forms I 'le show He that the way to Honesty will learn First what 's to be avoided must discern Thy self from flattering self-conceit defend Nor what thou dost not know to know pretend Some secrets deep in abstruse Darkness lye To search them thou wilt need a piercing Eye Not rashly therefore to such things assent Which undeceiv'd thou after may'st repent Study and Time in these must thee instruct And others old experience may conduct Wisdom her self her Ear doth often lend To Counsel offer'd by a faithful Friend In equal Scales two doubtful matters lay Thou may'st chuse safely that which most doth weigh 'T is not secure this place or that to guard If any other entrance stand unbarr'd He that escapes the Serpents Teeth may fail If he himself secure not from his Tayl. Who saith who could such ill events expect With shame on his own Counsels doth reflect Most in the World doth self-conceit deceive Who just and good what e're they act believe To their Wills wedded to their Errours slaves No man like them they think himself behaves This stiff-neckt Pride nor Art nor Force can bend Nor high-flown hopes to Reasons Lure descend Fathers sometimes their Childrens Faults regard With Pleasure and their Crimes with gifts reward Ill Painters when they draw and Poets write Virgil and Titian self admiring slight Then all they do like Gold and Pearl appears And others actions are but Dirt to theirs They that so highly think themselves above All other Men themselves can only Love Reason and Vertue all that Man can boast O're other Creatures in those Brutes are lost Observe if thee this Fatal Errour touch Thou to thy self contributing too much Those who are generous humble just and wise Who nor their Gold nor themselves Idolize To form thy self by their Example learn For many Eyes can more then one discern But yet beware of Councels when too full Number makes long disputes and graveness dull Though their Advice be good their Counsel wise Yet Length still loses Opportunities Debate destroys dispatch as Fruits we see Rot when they hang too long upon the Tree In vain that Husbandman his Seed doth sow If he his Crop not in due season mow A General sets his Army in Array In vain unless he Fight and win the day 'T is Vertuous Action that must Praise bring forth Without which slow advice is little worth Yet they who give good Counsel Praise deserve
starts and scratches his head Ha. aside 'T is this must take Does this plainness please you Sir King Haly thou know'st my nature too too apt To these suspitions but I hope the question Was never mov'd to thee Ha. In other Kindoms Sir King But has my Son no such design Ha. Alas You know I hate him and should I tell you He had you 'd say it was but malice King No more of that good Haly I know thou lov'st me But lest the care of future safety tempt thee To forfeit present loyalty or present loyalty Forfeit thy future safety I le be your reconciler call him hither Ha. Oh Sir I wish he were within my call or yours King Why where is he Ha. He has left the Court Sir King I like not these Excursions why so suddenly Ha. 'T is but a sally of youth yet some say he 's discontented King That grates my heart-strings What should discontent him Except the think I live too long Ha. Heaven forbid And yet I know no cause of his departure I 'me sure he 's honoured and lov'd by all The Souldiers god the Peoples Idol King I Haly The Persians still worship the rising sun But who went with him Ha. None but the Captains King The Captains I like not that Ha. Never fear it Sir 'T is true they love him but as their General not their Prince And though he be most forward and ambitious 'T is temper'd with so much humility King And so much the more dangerous There are some that use Humility to serve their pride and seem Humble upon their way to be the prouder At their wisht journeys end Ha. Sir I know not What ways or ends you mean 't is true In popular States or where the Princes Title Is weak must be propt by the peoples power There by familiar ways 't is necessary To win on mens affections But none of these Can be his end King But there 's another end For if his glories rise upon the ruines Of mine why not his greatness too Ha. True Sir Ambition is like love impatient Both of delays and rivals But Nature King But Empire Ha. I had almost forgot Sir he has A suit to your Majesty King What is 't Ha. To give the Turkish prisoners some command In the next action King Nay then 't is too apparent He fears my Subjects loyalty And now must call in strangers come deal plainly I know thou canst discover more Ha. I can discover Sir The depth of your great judgment in such dangers King What shall I do Haly Ha. Your wisdom is so great it were presumption for me to advise King Well we 'll consider more of that but for the present Let him with speed be sent for Mahomet I thank thee I have one faithful servant honest Haly. Exit King Enter Mirvan Mir. How did he take it Ha. Swallow'd it as greedily As parched earth drinks rain Now the first part of our design is over His ruine but the second our security Must now be thought on Mir. My Lord you are too sudden though his fury Determine rashly yet his colder fear Before it executes consults with reason And that not satisfied with shews or shadows Will ask to be convinc'd by something real Now must we frame some plot and then discover it Ha. Or intercept some Letter which our selves Had forg'd before Mir. And still admire the miracle And thank the providence Ha. Then we must draw in some body To be the publick Agent that may stand 'Twixt us and danger and the peoples envy Mir. Who fitter than the grand Caliph And he will set a grave religious face Upon the business Ha. But if we cannot work him For he 's so full of foolish scruples Or if he should prove false and then betray us Mir. Betray us sure my Lord your fear has blinded Your understanding for what serves the King Will not his threats work more than our perswasions While we look on and laugh and seem as ignorant As unconcern'd and thus appearing friends To either side on both may work our ends Enter Mess. Mess. My Lord the Turkish Bashaws Desire access Ha. Admit 'em I know their business Mir. They long to hear with what success The King in their behalf Ha. But now they 're come I 'le make 'em do you mov'd Better than I did theirs my business Mir. Leave us a while Ex. Mir. Enter two Bashaws Ha. My Lords my duty and affection to the Prince And the respects I owe to men of honour Extort a secret from me which yet I grieve to utter The Prince departing left to me the care Of your affairs which I as he commanded Have recommended to the King but with so unlookt for A success 1. Bas. My Lord fear not to speak our doom while we Fear not to hear it we were lost before And can be ready now to meet that fate We then expected Ha. Though he that brings unwelcom news Has but a losing Office yet he that shews Your danger first and then your way to safety May heal that wound he made You know the King With jealous eyes hath ever lookt awry On his Sons actions but the fame and glory Of the last war hath rais'd another spirit Envy and Jealousie are twin'd together Yet both lay hid in his dissembled smiles Like two concealed serpents till I unhappy I Moving this question trod upon them both And rouz'd their sleeping angers then casting from him His doubts and straight confirm'd in all his fears Decrees to you a speedy death to his own son A close restraint but what will follow I dare not think you by a sudden flight may find your safety 2 Bas. Sir Death and we are not such strangers That we should make dishonour or ingratitude The price of life it was the Princes gift And we but wear it for his sake and service Ha. Then for his sake and service Pray follow my advice though you have lost the favour Of your unworthy Master yet in the Provinces You lately governed you have those dependances And interests that you may raise a power To serve the Prince I le give him timely notice To stand upon his guard 1 Bas. My Lord we thank you But we must give the Prince intelligence Both when and how to imploy us Ha. If you will write Commit it to my care and secrecy To see it safe convey'd 2 Bas. We shall my Lord. Ex. Ha. These men were once the Princes foes and then Unwillingly they made him great but now Being his friends shall willingly undo him And which is more be still his friends What little Arts govern the world we need not An armed enemy or corrupted friend When service but misplac'd or love mistaken Performs the work nor is this all the use I 'le make of them when once they are in Arms Their Master shall be wrought to think these forces Rais'd against him and this shall so endear me To him that though dull
vertue and the gods O'recome my subtle mischief I may find A safe retreat and may at least be sure If not more mighty to be more secure Exeunt Finis Actus Secundi Actus Tertius Scena Prima Enter King and Haly. King But Haly what confederates ha's the Prince In his conspiracy Ha. Sir I can yet suspect None but the Turkish prisoners and that only From their late sudden flight King Are they fled For what Ha. That their own fears best know their entertainment I 'me sure was such as could not minister Suspition or dislike but sure they 're conscious Of some intended mischief and are fled To put it into act King This still confirms me more But let 'em be pursu'd let all the passages Be well secur'd that no intelligence May pass between the Prince and them Ha. It shall be done Sir King Is the Caliph prepar'd Ha. He 's without Sir And waits your pleasure King Call him Enter Haly and Caliph King I have a great design to act in which The greatest part is thine In brief 't is this I fear my Sons high spirit and suspect Designs upon my Life and Crown Ca. Sure Sir your fears are causeless Such thoughts are strangers to his noble soul. King No 't is too true I must prevent my danger And make the first attempt there 's no such way To avoid a blow as to strike first and sure Ca. But Sir I hope my function shall exempt me From bearing any part in such designs King Your function Laughs Do you think that Princes Will raise such men so near themselves for nothing We but advance you to advance our purposes Nay even in all Religions Their Learned'st and their seeming holiest men but serve To work their Masters ends and varnish o're Their actions with some specious pious colour No scruples do 't or by our holy Prophet The death my rage intends to him is thine Ca. Sir 't is your part to will mine to obey King Then be wise and sudden Enter Lords as to Council Ab. Mor. Ca. My Lords it grieves me to relate the cause Of this Assembly and 't will grieve you all The prince you know stands high in all those graces Which Nature seconded by fortune gives Wisdom he ha's and to his Wisdom Courage Temper to that and unto all Success But Ambition the disease of Virtue bred Like surfets from an undigested fulness Meets death in that which is the means of life Great Mahomet to whom our Soveraigns life And Empire is most dear appearing thus Advis'd me in a Vision Tell the King The Prince his Son attempts his Life Crown And though no creature lives that more admires His vertues nor affects his person more Than I yet zeal and duty to my Soveraign Have cancell'd all respects nor must we slight The Prophets Revelations Abd. Remember Sir he is your Son Indeared to you by a double bond As to his King and Father King And the remembrance of that double bond Doubles my sorrows 'T is true Nature and duty bind him to Obedience But those being placed in a lower sphere His fierce ambition like the highest mover Has hurried with a strong impulsive motion Against their proper course But since he has forgot The duty of a son I can forget The affections of a Father Abd. But Sir in the beginning of diseases None try the extreamest remedies King But when they 're sudden The cure must be as quick when I 'me dead you 'll say My fears have been too slow Treasons are acted Assoon as thought though they are ne're believed Until they come to act Mor. But consider Sir The greatness of the attempt the people love him The lookers on and the enquiring vulgar Will talk themselves to action thus by avoyding A danger but suppos'd you tempt a real one King Those Kings whom envy or the peoples murmur Deters from their own purposes deserve not Nor know not their own greatness The peoples murmur 't is a sulphurous vapour Breath'd from the bowels of the basest earth And it may soyl and blast things near it self But ere it reach the region we are plac'd in It vanishes to ayr we are above The sence or danger of such storms Cap. True Sir they are but storms while Royalty Stands like a Rock and the tumultuous vulgar Like billows rais'd with wind that 's with opinion May roar and make a noise and threaten But if they rowl too near they 're dash't in pieces While they stand firm Abd. Yet Sir Crowns are not plac'd so high But vulgar hands may reach 'em King Then 't is when they are plac'd on vulgar heads Abd. But Sir Look back upon your self why should your son Anticipate a hope so near so certain we may wish and pray For your long life but neither prayers nor power Can alter Fates decree or Natures Law Why should he ravish then that Diadem From your gray temples which the hand of time Must shortly plant on his King My Lords I see you look upon me as a Sun Now in his West half buryed in a cloud Whose rays the vapours of approaching night Have rendred weak and faint But you shall find That I can yet shoot beams whose heat can melt The waxen wings of this ambitious Boy Nor runs my bloud so cold nor is my arm So feeble yet but he that dares defend him Shall feel my vengeance and shall usher me Into my grave Ab. Sir we defend him not Only desire to know his crime 'T is possible It may be some mistake or mis-report Some false suggestion or malicious scandal Or if ambition be his fault 't was yours He had it from you when he had his being Nor was 't his fault nor yours for 't is in Princes A crime to want it from a noble spirit Ambition can no more be separated Than heat from fire Or if you fear the Vision Will you suspect the noble Prince because This holy man is troubled in his sleep Because his crazy stomach wants concoction And breeds ill sumes or his melancholy spleen Sends up phantastick vapours to his brain Dreams are but dreams these causeless fears become not Your noble soul. King Who speaks another word Hath spoke his last Great Mahomet we thank thee Protector of this Empire and this life Thy cares have met my fears this on presumptions Strong and apparent I have long presag'd And though a Prince may punish what he fears Without account to any but the Gods Wise States as often cut off ills that may be As those that are and prevent purposes Before they come to practise aud foul practises Before they grow to act You cannot but observe How he dislikes the Court his rude departure His honour from the people and the souldiers His seeking to oblige the Turks his prisoners Their sudden and suspected flight And above all his restless towring thoughts A Horn winded without King If the business be important Admit him Enter Post with a
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