I for you should every guilt contract And leave you for my sake not One to Act. Too much it did like to Engrossing look But finding now how highly I mistook Admit me to this Queen and you shall see I dare do more for you than you for me Sohe Who lets you act the Sin he can withstand Does himself act it by another's hand Solo. Will you not then let me a Crime commit Of which you are to have the benefit Sohe O Madam were you now what once you were Solo. What Herod forc'd me to I will repair Sohe But Oh Solo. But what Speak without more delay I 'm arm'd against whatever you dare say Sohe But wrongs which Honour and which Love endure From those who did them can admit no Cure Solo. Ungrateful Man Have I in vain for you Ruin'd my King my Fame and Brothers too Through all your Vails I see what you would hide I could not else thus rudely be deny'd Sohe Madam but hear me out Solo. I 'll hear no more 'T is Mariamne's Beauties you adore What you would not confess your blushes do I fear'd the Change and now I find it true No other Passion could so powerful be As thus to make you scorn a Crown and Me. Begone and to your Cost you soon shall prove A Woman's hatred does transcend her Love They go out several ways The Scene changes to a spacious Room all black Antipater muffl'd up with a Cloak and a Page with a Flambeau Page 'T is in this Room the Queen will watch to night Ant. Where I may see and yet be out of sight Page There you may all things see and not be seen But should this be discover'd to the Queen I shall past hope of Pardon be undone Ant. Fear not there 's your Reward and now begone He flings him a Purse which the Page takes and goes out Love only could this strange Design inspire A noise within What noise is that The Queen He looks I must retire He conceals himself The Queen and Mariana they bolt the door after them Mar. Why to these Horrors Madam will you run Queen 'T is brave to seek what 't is in vain to shun One of the Noblest Joyes that is above Is there to meet those whom we here did love Since Fate to grant that Blessing does delay I would possess what here of it I may Mar. Should the best Friend of mine that 's dead appear I should be soon as dead as he with fear Queen Poor Mariana this too much doth show Thy Soul the Charms of Love did never know Hadst thou been ever warm'd with that blest Fire What makes thy fear would then be thy desire Mar. Sure you at Herod's Ghost would startled be Queen His Ghost 't is all of him I long to see But since Hircanus and my Brother have The Priviledge to wander from the Grave And pay their Visits where they 're justliest due Why may not Antipater do it too For if Departed Souls about them bear Those Vertuous Loves which did inflame them here No place to him a place of Joy can be Where he is banish'd from attending me Mar. But durst you look on Antipater's Ghost Queen Durst I You know that I disdain to boast But though he were in that dark place of pain Which Priests do preach of and which Poets feign Yet there were I but sure with him to stay I would I would do more than I will say Mar. But an Infernal shape like his may seem Queen Nothing Infernal can resemble him A great flash of fire Mar. Bless me what means this sudden flash of light My trembling Knees do one another smite My Hair does stare I scarce can draw my Breath And a Cold seises me like that of Death A second flash of fire Queen Guard me ye blessed Angels for I find My timorous flesh strives to infect my Mind In Fears Men Sin I scorn to be involv'd What is it can resist a Soul resolv'd While terror does the mortal part invade To the Immortal it should Courage add Why Mariana dost thou tremble so Canst thou be Innocent and fearful too Mar. I dare not stay more Prodigies to see Impute this Rudeness to my fear not me Mariana goes out trembling and shuts the door after her A third and greater flash of fire Hircanus's Ghost rises drest in the High-Priest's Habit. Queen Ha 't is Hircanus Spirit does appear But why should I my Mother's Father fear See how he shakes his Head and seems to groan Oh since 't was Herod that Usurp't your Throne Why do you not him or his Ghost pursue Rather than me who still does weep for you Another flash of fire Aristobulus's Ghost rises in the like Habit. More Horrors yet 't is Aristobulus What makes you my dear Brother haunt me thus Is it because that I was Herod's Queen And that by him you both have murthered been 'T was by Hircanus and by your Command That to the Tyrant I did give my hand But when to that dire deed I did consent Of both your Murthers he was Innocent The two Ghosts shake their heads Then I perceive you judge that I did ill Not to kill him who both of you did kill But Heaven does know I fear'd to do amiss And by a Sin of mine to punish his Arist. Ghost You little know the blest place where we are Who think Revenge can find admittance there Nothing so Hellish up to Heaven can fly Passions in Bodies live and with them dye Hir. Ghost No Mariamne we both now appear To tell you that your hour of Death is near And then from Death you must to Judgment come To hear from Justice self your endless doom Before that Bar Actions are truly weigh'd The Kings and Slaves are in one Ballance laid Mitres and Crowns which here the World adore If ill employ'd are weights to sink us more Life 's but a Race the longest quickly ends Yet on it our Eternity depends Arist. Ghost ETERNITY That word so much does weigh As if it were pronounc'd but once a day With the Belief and Reverence that is fit For Worldly trifles who durst hazard it Since but one Moment of those Joyes w' are in Does far transcend the longest Charms of Sin Hir. Ghost Farewel Remember your last hour is near The Ghosts descend Queen Only the unprepar'd should dying fear Blest and Kind Ghosts who Heaven awhile could miss To teach me here the Glorious Way to Bliss Antip. within the Scene sayes Ant. The Queen 's great Soul is a Reproach to me She speaks with those I trembl'd but to see Now that the Ghosts are vanish't I 'll appear He makes a noise Queen More Ghosts or am I cheated by my Ear Antipater appears Ha 't is Antipater's dear Ghost I see In Death as Life he is still kind to me Stay stay you blessed Spirit for I know Assuming of that shape you must be so Come you to tell me of my dying too No news
no more in such a dangerous path Her He is too mean an Object for my wrath And does on whining Vertue set such price As makes it much more troublesome than Vice Let all my Guards in Arms e'er Midnight be 'T is the last hour the Queen shall ever see Those Stains which on my Honour she does lay Shall then in her own blood be wash'd away They go out severally The Scene the Tower of David Enter Antip. Phalt. Sam. Pollio and Hazael Sam. Discovering of your Self has ruin'd all Ant. Talk not of that which now is past recal Phalt. What you resolve must be immediately Since Herod doubts not whether you should dy But studies for that Death may be to you Most full of pain and Ignominy too Ant. The Queen her self to such strict Virtue ties That 't is from thence my greatest troubles rise Phaltiel's Page comes in hastily Page to Phal A Lady that is Veil'd and in a Mask With pressingness to speak with you does ask Her business Sir admits not of delay Ant. to Phalt. See who she is and hear what she will say Phalt. and the Page go out Haz. Such Labyrinths involve you that I doubt 'T is only Miracles can bring you out Ant. So bright and great her Vertues still appear That we may hope for Miracles for her Howe'er our Duties let us not decline And trust the Issue to the Powers Divine Phaltiel comes in hastily lending Tamar who takes off her Mask and turns up her Veil Tam. Oh if to save the Queen be in your Power You ought not to delay it Sir one hour From Herod's Palace I in hast am come His Guards begin to seize on every Room And one of them did tell me in a fright That Herod means to kill the Queen this Night They all hang down their Heads and sigh and weep And e'er she 's dead her Funeral Rites they keep While she had she the means does scorn to fly And full of Joy as Innocence would dye Ant. O Friends hearing what Tamar tells us now Can you refuse to join in this just Vow That whosoever the Queen's Murtherer is I 'll lose my Life or give an end to his We must to Arms my Friends the furious Jews Will join with us hearing the fatal news Then let us Storm the Court immediately Thus we shall save the Queen or bravely dy Poll. Consider Sir the Queen 's in Herod's Power This will but hasten on her fatal hour For if Success should on our side appear You cannot doubt but he will murther her Ant. He dare not if our Arms Victorious grow Phal What wickedness is that he dare not do I thought you better understood the Man He 'll with his ruin ruin All he can Poll. This way with too much Reason Sir I fear You 'll lose your Self instead of saving her Ant. Oh Friend to lose my Self if she be lost Is of all Blessings what I covet most If we prevent it not the Queen must dy This way may save her and this way I 'll try Ant. offers to go out Tam. Stay Sir I call to my Remembrance now What in this strait may be of use to you The Queen now-lies where Alexandra lay Who from that Chamber made a Vaulted way Through which she might pass to the Garden-House She did this when she fear'd Antigonus Herod himself does not this Passage know Safely that way you to the Queen may go Whence you as safely may convey her too If you can win her to escape with you For at the Garden-House no Guards I saw Phalt. There without noise I may some Souldiers draw That if the Queen you from the Palace get We safely by their help may here retreat Sam. This Sir is the most hopeful way I see Ant. Samias it does appear the same to me For by it either I shall rescue her Or else dy fighting with her Murtherer Sam. Mean while I 'll try the chiefest Jews to win Tam. Oh how I fear the Scruples of the Queen Phalt. Since Herod has resolv'd the Queen to kill You ought to save her Sir against her will Once you to do it disobedient grew Ant. Heaven knows nought else could make me do it now Come let 's away the time too fast does slide Tam. Follow me Sir for I must be your Guide They all go out The Scene Herod's Apartment Enter Asdrubal and an Officer of the Guards as passing over the Stage Offic. As through the Streets I past the news was spread That Prince Pheroras struck with Grief was dead The People did his Death with horrour bear Asdr. I doubt of greater Deaths we soon shall hear Carry that News to Solome from me Let all while I am absent watchful be They go out several ways The Scene is the Queen's Chamber with a small Throne in it The Queen appears asleep on her Bed Herod comes in with a Taper in one hand and a drawn Dagger in the other as soon as he enters he stops on a sudden Her What Horror 's this which does my heart o'ercome As soon as I but enter in this Room I who in Breaches Storm'd have often stood And flaming Cities quench'd with humane Blood Nay swom t' Usurp a Throne through Royal Gore Yet never felt what trembling was before He advances towards the Queen's Bed and when he sees her sleeping says Can guilt so calmly sleep when Death is near While I who but Revenge it shake for fear What art thou Whispers While she sleeps 't is best To send her Soul to its Eternal Rest Lest her bright Eyes which have such Power to Charm Were they awake might my fierce hand disarm Whate'er thou art darst whisper to me so Be gone Else If I can I 'll kill the too For thou would'st rob me by such guilty fears Of what in my Revenge most great appears Yes I will wake her e'er I give the blow That She and I and the whole World may know While all her Beauties in full Lustre shone To my wrong'd Honour I have Justice done But though this brave Revenge I will enjoy Yet I must sigh for what I will destroy Herod sighs the Queen wakes Queen Who 's that who wak'd me with a sigh Her 'T is I But 't is to make thee sleep Eternally The Queen sits up Queen Ha in his hand an unsheath'd Dagger too Her Thy guilt does make thee such amazement show Queen If an amazement on my Face does seize 'T is that my Tyrant comes to give me ease Nought from thy bloody hand could welcome be Unless as now when it brings Death to me Her Wer 't thou not ripe for what I now will do Thou couldst not merit Death and wish it too But thy dire guilt all others has outdone For thou hast wrong d my Bed and by my Son Queen I wrong thy Bed I scorn to undeceive Him who of me dare such vile Crimes believe The Queen lies down again Her Thus of that scorn I my revenge
tear you hence where you too long did raign All those Objections you to me did move Were now I see to triumph o're my Love And when all Obstacles I would subdue I find my greatest nay my Only You. Sohe Were I as proud or false as now you say I might with ease you by your Love betray But by my Faithfulness I make you shun Crimes which would make you hate your self when done Ah Madam 't is severe to use me thus We give not Laws to Love but Love to us Could we at will quench or revive â—is Flame You 'd kill that Love which now you blush to name If what I say cannot your wrath asswage Here in my Blood be pleas'd to drown your Rage Opening his Arms. If over Love I could the Victor prove To whom I give my Life I 'd give my Love Solo. Too deep a wound thy bold contempt affords Ere to be heal'd by Fawnings and by words Since thou with scorn my proffer'd Love dost brand 'T were too great Death to perish by my hand Striking her Breast Thus with one blow Love's Image I deface Revenge do thou ascend and take the place In thy black Empire few successless prove Whose Hearts are fill'd with Rage as once with Love Solome goes out Sohe I see her fury cannot be withstood She will allay this tempest in my Blood Yet to my Death 't is nobler to submit Than to Contract a guilt which merits it Sohemus goes out The Scene the first obscure Grotta Enter Antipater Pollio Ant. Disswade me not by all my hopes I swear Nothing shall hinder me to wait on her Poll. Your Life in doing it will hazard run Ant. 'T will run more hazard if it be not done For Life on no account to me is dear But only as it does belong to her Poll. Lose not that Life which for her sake you prize Ant. Ah 't is not Life while banish'd from her Eyes To them Phaltiel and Samias Phalt. Sir from the Judgment-Hall we now are come Where forty noble Jews receiv'd their doom Th' Arabians putting many to the Rack Which in the Plot did not at all partake The rest urg'd by a Vertue most sublime The guiltless clear'd and did confess their Crime But those which were absolv'd did boldly say They 'd rather perish than be sav'd that way Sam. Never did men so generously contend Each would have lost his Life to save his Friend Ant. My Father's Crown and Life in danger lies Attempted thus by them who Death despise Sam. He that in this great Action led the way Was Abner's Father aged Barzillai All hop'd the favour Herod shews the Son Would for the Father a Reprieve have won But as we came out of the Hippodrome The Orders that he first should dye were come Ant. What is this Abner for whose sake you thought My Father might from his revenge be brought Since my disgrace he did to favour climb Phalt. To draw him Sir at length requires much time He is to give his Character in short In War most fierce most humble in the Court Who merits favour yet obtains it not In him unask'd an Advocate has got Respect for him he in all hearts has bred Because it is not sought but merited Malice does fear such Vertue to pursue Which makes him favour'd without Envy too Enter Hazael hastily who takes Antip. aside Haz. Tamar your Trust did with such Joy receive And in such Raptures learnt you were alive That in disguise as you desir'd she 's gone To Nathan's Tomb to meet you there alone Your stay with her she begs may be so short As none may mind her absence from the Court Where over her there are suspicious Eyes Ant. My Joys from this blest meeting take their Rise My generous Friends excuse me for one hour I 'm drawn from hence by Love's Resistless Power Mean while disperse your selves in several ways For this rough Justice must a Tempest raise And drive into despair the furious Jews What ere you learn let me soon hear the News Ant. and Haz. go out hastily Phalt. I 'll try to stay him Sam. Do not 't is in vain Reason and Love never together reign Sam. Phalt. and Poll. go out The Scene is the Palace-Garden Enter Herod and the Queen Her 'T is to Agrippa Madam that I owe At once my Liberty and Kingdom too With such success he did my Cause debate As he did alter what was thought my Fate Queen Does it not meanly in a Monarch show Both those to a Proud Roman King to owe. But to his Subject thus in Debt to run Is what I should elect by Death to shun Her Freedom you seem and Empire to abhor Queen No I love both but I love Glory more For those who do not Glory more esteem Than Life and Empire cannot merit them Her You my Return so coldly entertain As if some other in your heart did reign Queen I for your absence had no cause to mourn Nor can I joyful be for your Return Neither in me had reason to prevail Since I but change my Jaylor not my Jayl Your part Sohemus acted you being gone And now you are return'd you act your own Her While Rules of Honour you on me obtrude You quite forget your Debts of gratitude 'T was I that rais'd you to my Bed and Crown When all your House were by their Fate cast down Queen You made them Victims to your Pride and Hate And then ascribe their Ruins to their Fate With them I rather would have lost my Life Than be Condemn'd to live their Murtherers Wife Her Madam there are affronts which press so near That 't is beyond the strength of Love to bear Queen And there be Loves which so offensive are That to be hated were more pleasant far Her Take heed your Death may end so bold a strife Queen You should not threaten me with Death but Life Her Oh Cursed Herod to give all thy heart To her who is unworthy of a part Queen 'T is hard to credit I have all your heart Sure Mariana does possess a part Love that divided is must quickly fall Her Then Mariana shall possess it all Unworthy 't is of Monarchs nay of Men To pay their Loves where they 're not lov'd again He merits scorn who tamely scorn endures Yes I 'll recal my heart as you do yours Queen The losing such a heart should I take ill Which you can give and take when ere you will Pray teach me too how I should grieve for it Yet such a Passion is for her most fit Whose Family you for her sake thought good To waft to Heaven through a Sea of blood Of this new Love let this new proof appear By the like passage pray Sir send me there The greatness of your Love will more be seen In making me your Martyr than your Queen Her Spight of affronts so sensible and high Yet for your Beauties sake you shall not dye Since while you scorn me
I my wrath subdue Judge how I 'd love you would you love me too Queen Love you Methinks at those two words alone I hear the Ghosts of all th' Asmoneans groan Should I once more that guilty motion hear Out of their bloody Urns they 'd all appear And could I grant that Love which now you crave They 'd fright me with their looks into my Grave Her As well your weakness as your hate I see Can you fear Ghosts and not fear angring me The dead nere to the living durst appear Ghosts are but shadows painted by our fear But were your House reviv'd did they all reign My looks would fright them into Ghosts again Looks which if you your Crimes do not redeem Shall act on you what I but talk'd of them Queen Your trembling Limbs could not your weight sustain If once you saw me head that Ghastly Train The sight would make the Crown upon your brow Totter as much as Usurpation now If you doubt this let me to them be sent Heavens how I long to try th' Experiment Her Imperious Woman by thy Pride and hate Thou hast at length hurl'd on thy self thy Fate Were I as timorous as thy weak Sex Me thy Contempt more than thy Ghost would vex Ho who waits there Enter Gentleman Go instantly and call Some of the Arabian Guards and Asdrubal Exit Gentleman Since thou so longst in hope to frighten me To be a Ghost that Ghost thou now shalt be In my Apartment thou thy Life shalt lose And I that place before all others chose That if thy Ghost to me it self dare show The trembling shape shall not have far to go Queen Though all the Asmoneans dy'd by your Command Yet let your Wife pray dy by your own hand You should in Justice some distinction place In murth'ring her and others of her Race I do not beg you would delay my Fate But that your self would shed the blood you hate Since I the Title of your Queen possest Do not deny my first and last request Here let your Sword your own Revenge pursue Opening her Arms. And pierce that Heart your feign'd Love could not do Her Feign'd Love Witness ye Sacred Powers above What she calls feign'd till now was Real Love A Love which here did with such Empire Reign As nothing could have quench'd but her disdain Ah what to prove it could I more have done Enter Asdr. and the Arabian Guards hastily Than for thy sake to kill my only Son Seize on the Queen and let her then be led To my Apartment there to lose her Head Asdr. The Queen Sir Her Yes the Queen Didst thou not hear Or is that Question ask'd me by thy fear Asdr. How should I touch the Partner of your Bed Her Her Death delay'd shall forfeit thy own Head Asdr. Madam Thus at your Feet my self I lay To beg your Pardon that I dare obey Queen You have it Sir why should you troubled be At once obeying him You pleasure me Asdrubal takes the Queen by the Hand to lead her out Her Now let her to her Death be sed away Queen 'T is your first Order I with Joy obey Asdrubal leading her out but still looks back toward Herod Her Heavens with what Tortures is my Bosom torn I neither can Revenge nor bear her scorn My Soul was rack'd till I her Death decreed And now the Doom is given my Heart doth bleed When Asdrubal has almost led the Queen off the Theatre Herod goes hastily and taking her from him says How dar'st thou on my Queen thus lay thy hands Asdr. The Sin I do is Sir by your Commands Her To wait on Kings thy Judgment is too weak Thou knowst not when Justice or Rage does speak If Passion hurls us out of Reasons way 'T is the best Duty then to Disobey Queen If you Reprieve me from the wish'd for Blow You 'll grieve at it e're long as I shall now Her Your Hate and your Disdain I will outbrave Love has reverst the Doom which Anger gave You with the Guards have leave now to retire Asdrubal and the Guards go out Queen Death is deny'd because I Death desire Her Madam retire and do not by your stay Augment that Storm which Love strives to allay Queen Heaven knows I go from hence with greater grief Condemn'd to Live than now to lose my Life The Queen goes out Her How great a Soul does this Asmonean show Her generous Heart will rather break than bow While I who have Battles and Kingdoms won Yield to her Pride and blush for it when done Herod walks in deep melancholy about the Stage Enter Solome who having consider'd a while Herod's disorders says Solo. What fitter time to tell it him than now When Grief and Rage sit mingl'd on his Brow All Passions must in him at once combine To make him act those mischiefs I design I met the Queen as she from hence did go To Herod She scarce would look on me Her It may be so Solo. Your Sister with respect should treated be Her Respect for you Why she hath none for me Solo. How can one Woman's Pride keep you in awe Whose word alone gives to two Kingdoms Law Her Ah 't is by much an easier task to guide Two mighty Kingdoms than one Womans Pride Solo. Your Fame is lost if aw'd thus by your Wife You ought to take away her Pride or Life Her To one who begs I death to her would give 'T is the worst Punishment to let her live Solo. If Death she does desire why should she strive For that from you she to her self can give Her Perhaps she would have me her-Murth'rer prove Solo. Life Sir is sweet to one that is in Love Her In Love Solo. Yes Sir in Love I say Her With who Hold I would think your malice speaks not You. Solo. No 't is my Love and Duty makes me tell A Truth which 't were a Sin should I conceal Nor could they both more generously appear Than now in telling what you dare not hear Her No more Why should I let into my Breast What would for ever rob me of my Rest Aside A thousand horrors in that narrow Room Have found their Cradle and may find their Tomb. This fatal Subject do not then pursue To Solo. But pity both your King and Brother too Who to the other Torments of his Life Knows he should hate but cannot hate his Wife They both go out ACT III. The Scene opens Herod appears asleep under a Magnificent Pavilion Hircanus and Aristobulus's Ghosts enter attended by several other Ghosts in white having great stains of blood over all their Garments They dance Antick Dances with black Iavelins in their hands The Dances ended they fall all in into one Rank and march up to Herod brandishing the Points of their Weapons towards him Herod wakes of a sudden starts up and draws his Sword at which all the Ghosts vanish He stares about him a while and then sayes Her
lessen Herod's rage My Brother 's guiltless Madam but you know The King thinks no one who he hates is so Queen May Heaven direct you in the Happiest way While I what you desire of me obey They go out several ways The Scene Herod's Apartment Herod with Asdrubal and some of the Guards comes from within the Scene on the Theatre at the same time Sohemus by another of the Theatre Doors enters on it Sohe The Princess Sir bad me here wait on you Her Now Guards perform that which I bad you do The Guards immediately seize on Sohemus and disarm him Her Thy guilt without my telling lets thee know For what Crime 't is that I have us'd thee so Sohe Though I must judge your usage Sir severe Yet I with Joy would this Oppression bear Were I the only guiltless you pursue Her That name of all belongs the least to you To thee whose Lust has to my Queen confest That Secret I intrusted to thy Breast Which She of all the World should not have known Traytor in vain thou wilt thy Guilt disown My Sister who reveal'd will prove thy Sin Heaven's How I fear'd that it had been the Queen Sohe aside lifting up his Hands and Eyes Her His lifting up to Heaven his Hands and Eyes Does Evidence his Crime by his Surprize This Storm which thou hast rais'd dost thou not dread Look on me Look Have I not star'd thee dead Sohe Looks cannot make one of my Courage fall Her What my Looks cannot do my Dagger shall Herod stabs Sohemus thrice who falls Sohe By my Compliance I thy Throne have built My Death 's the Justice due to that base guilt Which by my Hand I had aton'd on thee Had not thy bloody hand prevented me Thunder the Sword of Heaven does sure design That Death for thee which it deny'd to mine Tyrant receive this Truth from my last Breath If Man has an Existence after Death My Ghost shall haunt thhee out in every place My gaping Wounds shall stare thee in the Face Till thou thy Life a burthen shalt esteem Great as thy Subjects found it was to them Sohemus dies Her Would every Foe of mine all hope had lost But that of frighting of me with his Ghost Guards to his Grave bear that perfidious Man There let him tell my Secrets if he can They all go out the Guards bearing off Sohemus's Body ACT IV. The Scene the Queens Bed-Chamber The Queen Seated Tamar and Dina stand on each hand of her Tam. 'T Was Mariana's sad and fatal Chance To meet the Body as they bore it thence As soon as she beheld her Brother dead From her fair Face the bright Vermilion fled And in an instant in her Charming Eyes We saw a Cloud blacker than Night arise Her Limbs seem'd by their trembling to declare Her Sorrow was too great a weight to bear Then on his bloody Corps her Self she threw Whilst from her Breast extorted Curses flew Din. She his pale Cheeks a thousand times did kiss Till her red Lips infected were with his And to the Wound which through his Breast had made A passage to his Heart her Heart she laid In hope which was the end she did pursue By the like Sympathy 't would kill her too Then with a look in which Death Printed was Through her cold Lips these moving words did pass Herod Thy Steel my Friendships Truth has Crown'd Since to kill both thou didst but give one Wound Then in a Groan she gave her Sorrows vent A Groan so vast her Breath at once it spent Which to her Soul to Heaven a passage gave The only brighter dwelling it could have Din. To such a Death our stock of Tears was due And Sorrow after so contagious grew As those who bore them to one Grave to rest Seem'd by their Looks of more than Life divest Queen She in that Fate which you deplore is blest Her storms of Life are past and she at Rest And to her Death this envy'd Praise is due She taught such Friendship as the World ne'er knew Yet for my Loss in her these Tears I owe And truer Tears no Friend did e'er bestow The Queen weeps Leave me for my Disorders such are grown As I am only fit to be alone Tamar and Dina go out The Queen having mus'd a while Antip. discovers himself the Queen starts steps back and stands amaz'd Queen Ha! Antipater Ant. Yes Madam it is he Queen At such a guilty hour to visit me Prince 't is your first offence but 't is too vast Ant. I come to beg that it may be my last Since without seeing you I cannot live And since that leave your Virtue will not give Thus prostrate Madam at your Feet I lye Kneeling And humbly beg you 'll give me leave to dye Queen What brought you hither and who hid you there Ant. The highest Love and most undone Despair Queen Ah Prince What is it that you now have done Ant. That which I had nor Power nor Will to shun But as I paid what to my Flame is due So Madam I will be as just to you Justice would lose her Name could she deny That who offends you merits not to dye And since my Love into this Crime has run This hand shall punish what my Love has done He rises draws his Sword turns the Hilt to the ground and when he is going to cast himself upon the Point she snatches up the Sword by the Hilt Queen Oh Heavens What was it that you meant to do Ant. To end my Torments and be just to you Queen Though I your guilty visit much deplore To kill your Self I should lament much more Ant. You cannot to my Death such Sorrows give As I shall feel if doom'd by you to live Queen How ill those words do with your Love agree Is Life a Curse while you can live with me Oh Antipater this is too severe I have my share in all those griefs you bear And nothing can alas my Sorrows heal Unless kind Heaven would Iudah's Laws repeal Which were a Sin to wish or to implore Ant. Then Madam let 's resolve to live no more If th' other Life be what is taught us here Such Loves as ours must needs be happy there Queen Those who the Blessings of that Life would win Must not leave this by any Act of Sin Did not the dread of that our Journey stay I would not hinder you but lead the way Tamar comes in hastily Tam. Madam forgive the rudeness of my fear Oh Heavens the Prince alas how came he here Herod with Abner through the Gallery comes And all his Guards have seiz'd the Passage-Rooms Sure he has learnt Antipater's here Ant. draws his Sword Ant. Now Madam Fate does on my side appear For Herod or else you and I must fall Our Safeties for my ready Arm do call And to that Sword no Sin ascrib'd can be Who takes his Life that first took you from me Hee 'll think you guilty