Come Reader draw thy purse and be a guest To our Paâ—…assus T is the Muses feast The entertainment needs must be divine Appollo's th' Host ' where Cockains Heads 〈◊〉 THE TRAGEDY OF OVID. Written by Sir ASTON COKAIN Baronet LONDON Printed for Francis Kirkman and are to be sold at his Shop under S. Ethelborough's Church in Bishops-gate-street 1669. TO MY Most highly honour'd Cousin CHARLES COTTON Esquire Noble Cousin AS soon as I had finished this Play of mine call'd The Tragedie of Ovid I sent it to wait upon you at your house in Berisford where it found so courteous and generous an Entertainment that I should accuse my self of much ingratitude did I not Dedicate it to you and intreat your Favour that it might visit the world under the secure Patronage of your authentick Name I beseech you therefore to afford it so much grace and to give it leave to lie in your Parlour-window since you have been pleased to signalize it with two excellent Epigrams This is but a small Testimony of my Thankfulness to you for an abundancie of high and obliging Favours that I have upon several occasions received from you To which you will infinitely adde by continuing in your good opinion Sir Your very affectionate Kinsman and most humble Servant ASTON COKAIN To the Author ON Captain HANNIBAL An Epigram YOur Captain Hannibal does snore and puff Arm'd in his hrazen face and greasie Buff 'Mongst Punks and Pandars and can rant and rore With Cacala the Turd his poor Whore But I would wish his Valour not mistake us All Captains are not like his brother Dacus Advise him then be quiet or I shall Bring Captain Hough to bait your Hannibal Charles Coâ—… Drammatis Personae PYrontus A young Lord. Philocles His Friend Bassanes A young Lord. Marullus His Friend Phoebianus Pyrontus his younger Brother called also Caralinda Hannibal A banisht Italian Captain Cacala A young fellow his man Publius Ovidius Naso Dacus A Getick Captain Clorina Bassanes his Bride Armelina Her Sister Cypassis A Bawd Spinella Her Daughter a Courtezan of Tomos Floretta A Roman Courtezan Maskers A Spectre Servants The Scene Tomos a Citie in Pontus PUBLIVS OVIDIVS NASO EQVES ROMANUS-POETARUM INGENIOSISSIMUS The sweet-tongd Ovid's Counterfeit behold Which Noblest Romans wore in rings of gold Or would you that which his owne pensil drew The Poet in his dâ—…thless Poems view The Tragedy OF OVID Actns primi Sena prima Enter Pyrontus furiously intending to fall upon his sword and Phylocles after him who with his foot strikes it away Pyrontus UNcivil man begon before my rage Increases above my troubled patience And 〈◊〉 for this unâ—…mely Courtesy Make thee to harbinger my Soul in death Phylocles Alas My Lord why will you take away The noblest Life that ever honour'd Pontus I pray you think upon 't Pyron I am resolv'd Nor 〈◊〉 I live to see Clorina made A wife to any man besides my self Phylo. Ah! who would not run mad and tear his haire And weep until his eye-ballâ—… did dissolve To see the bravest man of all this Land So passionate And for a scornful Lady Pyron Kill me Phylocles Thou wilt do a deed The gods will love thee for for I am One Full of those things that virtuous Souls abhorre Else sure Clorina would not use me thus Philo. To my own death to do you real Service You may command me readily my Lord But to entice me to advance my hand Against your Life Great â—…ove and all the gods Whom we do reverence and fear forbid Pyron Phylocles dost thou love me Phylo. You know my Lord I do above my Life In our late wars when we did aid our Friends The fortunate Romaâ—… I attended you And when your Horse's Fall left you a Prey Unto the barbarous Cruelty of the 〈◊〉 I careless of my life ran to your Aide And brought you â—…ff through many of their deathâ—… Command me any thing so you except Your noble Life and I will do it freely Pyron As well except you will not stirre a foot To do your friend the greatest favour for him Which with an ease so easy as is walking You may perform Phylo. What would you have me do Pyron Begon my Phylocles Is this a day For me to honour with my Life wherein Clorina slâ—…ghting all my years of service Which I have paid to her with as great fâ—…vour As any of our Priests adore the gods Will give away her self unto Bassanes Away my Friend and let me dye Phylo. My Lord I will obey you on condition That I may find you as I leave you safe And till I see you next untouch't and living I have some hope I may bring comfort with me Calm all these passions and create a Joy That may occasion triumphs in your heart Pyron Go then my friend and prosper but be sure Thou dost not trisse with me Thou well knowâ—… The nature of Pyrontus is a verse To suffering of abuses Phylo. I am gon With hope to bring you comfort speedily Exit Pyron False Tyrant Love I would I had thee here With thy own bow I de shoot such passions in thee As should be over strong for thee to bear Fond Boy I de make thee doat on chaste Diana And pluck thy Golden Feathers from thy Wingâ—… To write with them Repentance to the world Which of the Fatall Sisters did provoke Thee caâ—…eless of mans happines to do Those bloody deeds which thou art famous for O that I knew her I And when I am dead I de pass the dreadful Waves of Phlegeton But I would find her and destroy her too Upâ—…n Ixâ—…on ' wheele I de torture her Till with her balefull Cries she did awake The Porter Corberus from his drowsy den Then would I gâ—…ve her body unto him And he should eat it and she be forgot But cruel Love hadst thou bin â—…ind to me And equal sire 〈◊〉 in Clorina's breast Noâ—… only in 〈◊〉 but throughout a 〈◊〉 Pontus I would have raised Altars to thy praise Where night and day whilst 〈◊〉 makes Night and day I would have had such Anthems carrol'd to thee â—…y happy Lovers that eternal Iove Should have wished himself to have been the god of love Enter Ovid Phylocles and Armelina Phylo. My Lord the beautious Lady 〈◊〉 Attended by the Poets â—…ilory Ovid By the â—…treaty of the excellent Bride 〈◊〉 come to woâ—…e you to your 〈◊〉 Pyron T is a miraculous kindness that thâ—… fair Clorina on this solemn â—…ay affords me Had she but pleasâ—…d t' have been so merciful In former times I had not drooped thus Now all the City Tomos layes aside Neglected â—…are and puts on Jollity Madam what is the pleasure of my Deity And â—…hou sull Soul of poetry sweet Ovid What unimmagin'd harmony of Comfort Bring you unto me Armel My Lord if that my sister Still doth retain the east of power over you By me she doth entreat you to continue Among the living â—…y
virtues of your Lady Bassanes I know her excellent body is enricht With so sublime a spirit and so pure That Vice dares not approach her thoughts Be free Therefore and tell me all thou know'st Cypassis You may command me And I will conceal Nothing from you Bassanes Good old Cypassis thanks Exeunt Ambo Scena Tertia Enter Pyrontus and Clorina Clorina For shame Pyrontus cease to prosecute A suit so much beneath your Honour and So prejudiciall to my Reputation I must not hear you Pyron What a misery To be condemn'd to an eternall penury And be forbidden to complain Fair cruell Clorina do not so insult Although I am most wretched it 's in your power to make me Happy when you shall please to be but kind Clorina I am not of a salvage nature neither Ever rejoyc'd at my bodie 's Grief I wish you all content and ever did A wife superiour unto me in all things Sink not beneath this passion of your Love You under-valued evermore your merits To think of me in that way Pyron You abuse The truest affection amorous heart did ever Pay to his Mistriss if you think I can Efface your image in my soul. The centre Of this vast Globe we breath on is not faster Fix'd then your Beauties here Here in my Bosome They sit tryumphant Aetna in its torrey-Entrals Doth nourish lesser Flames then burn me daily And yet you have no pitty for my sufferings Clorina Alas what would you have the make my self A Beast of such an horrid name I tremble But to think of it all tho Gods forbid Would you have her whom you have cast away Some kindness on become an Whore My heart Trembles to think upon 't And the swift Lightning Of Blushes flies into my Cheeks Me thinks My tongue doth burn like fire within my Mouth Since it did mention so abhord a name Pyron Will you then never think me worth your mercy Shall the vain terrors of an empty name Condemn me to a languishing life for ever Clorina You gods are Witnesses that know my thoughts I would not by the wrack of Chastity And proving to my marriage false redeem My self from the most cruel death that Tyrant Did ever invent for his most hated enemy Pyron More merciless than worst of all those Tyrants Can you refuse a Courtesy to me Which my assidnous services may plead for And such an one as can be never known Neither impoverish you in the least degree Reflect upon my misery sweet Clorina And imitate the gods in Mercy Clorina Rather the Fiends if I should be so wicked The Lord Pyrontus whom I heretofore Did look upon as a most noble Person Accomplish'd with the virtues hath declar'd Or Counterfeited himself an Atheist to Allure Clorina from her Purity The gods see every thing Nature nor Art Can any thing conceal from them Thoughts which Did never take the aire in words to them Discover'd lye And is it not far worse To have the gods to see our Crimes then men Could I prove guilty of so foul a fault I should impoverish my self to nothing A Bankrupt be in honor which who wants Is a companion fit for such wild people As never heard the name of virtue Riches Are Fortune's Trifles neither altogether To be despis'd or doted on but well us'd Poor Virtue is most rich Virtue it self Was by the Ancients held the greatest wealth Pyron In your Discourse you are too much a Stoick Young Ladies hearts should not so utterly Be void of all Compassion Clorina I must leave you Pyron Not without hope of Comfort I beseech you Let me but tast of those sweet Delicacies You cloy Bassanes with if it be possible He can be satiated with such delights Clorina I trespass on my modesty to hear you Exit Pyron In a condition she so sad hath left me Joy is become an Exile from my heart To love and not be lov'd is such a Curse Jove on his Foes cannot inflict a worse Exit Actus Tertii Scena Prima Enter Ovid and Caralinda Ovid. Trasullus is a great Astrologer In th' Mathematicks skilful to perfection For his profounder knowledge the Chaldeans Submit all to him Caral Therefore I have reason More strictly to observe th' advice he gave me And wait for the Accomplishment of the Fortune Which he foretold me Ovid. But fair Caralinda I would not have you either be too scrupulous Or negligent The skill which they pretend to Hath but foundation upon Probabilities The glorious Planets may incline but force not We have a Liberty within our selves Our wills are free not slaves unto the Stars Caral Though I believe you I am so superstitious I shall expect the Accomplishment of his Prophesy Further Discourse of it I shall forbear now And choose a worthier subject for our talk Tell me dear OVID therefore how thâ—… Fair Bride's Fairer sister doth enjoy her health I left her when I went to Travail like Illustrious Phoebus rising in the Spring Without a Cloud about his Temples promising A bright day to the world I left her in Her early youth but with so growing a Beauty That surely now 't is able to work wonders Ovid. Indeed she is a Miracle of Perfection Nature hath prodigally bestow'd upon her All her rich gifts she is so fine a Virgin That I should wrong her to describe her Farther Health dares not be so rude as to forsake her Nor sickness so uncivil to approach her Caral You have deliver'd her to my Amazement But I did always look that she would prove The Glory of this Province for her Beauty Ovid. But Armelina hath besides a Soul Replenish'd so with goodness and all virtue That were it lodg'd in any other body It would be lock'd up in a Cabinet Too mean for such a precious Jewel Caral Ovid She is oblig'd to you for the rich Character You have bestow'd upon her Ovid. You mistake me I cannot speak her to her merit You Will think when you shall see her I have Injur'd her Her merits do so much exceed all Language Caral We two have from our Childhood had a Friendship And she will grace me to continue it If she be such an one as you have spoke her Ovid. Ah! Caralinda I am grown too old To be a Flatterer Enter Armelina Here she comes and I Appeal to your own eyes to be my witness You grace me Armelina by this visit You seem a Deity And bring a Comfort To any Place you honor with your Presence Armelina Duty obliges me to wait upon A Person so Renowned as is Ovid One banish'd from his Friends and Native Country And in his Age confin'd to our poor City Ovid. You have a Charity equal to your Beauty This Lady is my Cozen born at Sulmo The Place of my Nativity you will honor me To favour her with your Acquaintance and As you hereafter shall approve of her With your fair Friendship too Armelina The generous Ovid New
the name of Friend Thy Crime so great is that I need not lose A Minute in hearing Lies for thy Excuse Kills him Dye and go rince in vain thy so polluted Soul in the flaming streams of Phlegeton Pyron Let my last words for they are perfect truth Find Credit with you Your Clorina's chast I here surpriz'd her when she was asleep Bassa He 's sunk to Hell Now my leud Huswife come I 'le find another Room for your disports Thy unclean Body shall no more infect My Nuptial Bed Clorina Protect Oh Gracious gods my Innocence Bassanes Walk in Marullus I have suffer'd wrong And this Adulteress Justice shall ere long Exeunt Omnes Actus Quarti Scena Prima Enter Dacus and Spinella Dacus I tell thee sweet Spinella I adore thee Have for thee a more generous affection Than the greatest Lord in all this Province hath Spin. You mean Bassanes But my doughty Captain He doth express his love in Golden Terms Which I more value than a Souldier's Oathes Dacus He loves you for himself and not for you Mine is a virtuous Flame Spin. Your Dotage is Forgetfull grown of what is past Dacus I fain Would marry you Spin. Dacus I am too young Dacus Why jests my pritty wanton so Spin. Old women that love melancholy Lives Are the fit'st Creatures to make slavish Wives Dacus Have you so small Esteem for holy Marriage And can you think it such a Bondage Spin. Yes Are not such yoak'd together And oftentimes Draw they not Contrary wayes like Dogs in Couples The tugging at an Oare in any Gally Is as much Liberty as your Matrimony Dac Fie pritty Atheist Such profaneness quit And take an Husband take thy Captain Dacus A man whose sword shall reap the Parthian Fields And bring thee in by frequent victories A large Revenue equal to thy wishes Spinel My glorious talking Captain I shall not Be won with empty words Dacus Have you no care Of future Bliss or Bare Spinel Plato and Virgil he hath read I smell him And Courts me with their trim Philosophy Dacus As you resolve to live you do not mean To serve the Gods Spinel There you come something near me But Venus is a Goddess and I shall Serve her But Dacus To be plain with you I love a Gaudy Charriot and fine Horses Servants of all sorts in rich Liveries Delicious Meats and Wines costly Apparel And Jewels of the highest value I must Out-glitter all the Femals of the Province Or I shall want my will Dacus And all this Bravery Bassanes wealth shall furnish you withall You hope as I suppose But dear Spinella Think of his Marriage He hath now a wife Of great Descent who brought a Fortune to him So vast I want Arethmetick to name it And she may look to be maintain'd at th' height Of all his Means And then your hopes will proove Fleeting as shadows vanish in the Air. Spinel ' Twit me not with his wedlock For our Crime Will now be greater And he shall be brought To buy his Pleasure at an higher value Enter Hannibal Cacala and Floretta The Roman Captain his Mistris and his servant Dacus How 〈◊〉 it with my mighty man of War Lets us shake our victorious Hands in Peace And pray to Mars to set the world in uproar Hannibal That Timerous Princes may grow Bountiful Court us to take Employment on us while Their Luxuries they may securely follow Dacus Brave Captain Hannibal such Iron-Times Would be a Golden Age to us shall we Together walk and drink an health or two To all the Sons of Battail Hannibal I am for you Spinel Then I 'le retire and keep my Mother Company Exeunt Han. Dac Spin. Caca. Gentle Floretta stay Let me not lose This opportunity to wooe thy love Floretta Where learnt your folly those fine words Caca. Your eyes have taught me to express my heart They have infus'd a Spirit of speech into me Flor. You have been certainly with some Pedagogue And hired him to pen this Courtship for you Caca. I love thee better then I love my Captain Flor. And I your Captain much above you affâ—…ct Caca. What delicate eyes you have I 'le kiss them out And wear them in my ears Flor. You shall be hang'd first I 'de rather scratch thy heart out with my nails And stuff a Cushion with 't Caca. To sit and fart upon 't and keep it warm Thou art a pretious Rogue and I had rather Have thee to be my wife than any Damsel That lives in the Saburra Give me a wench In all the Gamesome frailty of â—…er youth Especially wo'd she turn honest afterwards Flor. Thou talk'st at such a Random Cacala That th' art a Pastime to me But why rather Wouldst thou elect a Beauty broken up Than one that 's sound Caca. To tell you the plain Truth An honest woman is a Bugbear to me I never took Delight in their Acquaintance Flor. Run after your Master tell him I would speak with him Caca. I 'le pimp no more But will henceforth grow honest Flor. I doubt me Cacala thou hast of late Been troubled with some terrible Dreams Hast seen Pluto and his dark Region in thy sleep What else should make thee talk of Virtue Caca. The goodwill Floretta that I bear to you Engages me to this discourse I pray thee Take me unto thy Husband And we then Will run away together leave Captain Hannibal To his new Fortune And resolve both of us To lead our lives Honestly for the future Flor. Out thou Villain Turn Traytor to aÌ„ Master So liberal to thee as my Captain is But that I know he would frown thee to death I would acquaint him with this Parley Amend Or neither he nor I will be thy Friend Exit Flor. Caca. I know not what to make of this wench and yet I would fain Make her my Wife But I think I am a Fool for my Labour She 'l hold her Peace I hope That 's all my Care And then to get her I will not despair Exit Scena Secunda Enter Bassanes Marullus and Clorina with Servants Bassanes So place her in that Chair and to the sides Tye fast her Arms keep her hands open thus Here the servants tye her fast and fasten Pyrontus heart in her hands Thus That she may not close them or remove them And put her Paramour's Heart into them So Now Foul Adulteress Thou may'st contemplate Of the Affection it did bear thee once Reflect upon the Mountain of thy Sins Which hath over-whelm'd the false Pyrontus Look Thou most libidinous woman what a Ruine Thy Lust hath brought upon him and thy self Clor. I have at large calling the gods to witness That what I told swerv'd not a jot from truth Related to you all the Particulars Of his unruly Love that he surpriz'd me Came in at my window whilst I was asleep With what an horror I was stricken at it When I perceiv'd 't was he how I rail'd at him Call'd
generous Captain And good night Han. Farewell Sir And expect me as I promis'd Rise thou unmannerly Beast and let 's to bed Caca. Good Master and thrice-valiant Captain Hannibal See me in bed first and asleep I beseech you And let me have Mistress Floretta For I dare not lye alone Han. Follow me and undress me Caca. Sir I beseech you have a little patience Say that I shall not lye alone to night And you will comfort me I otherwise Shall be so weak with fear I shall not be Able to pluck your stockins off Han. Get whom Thou wilt to be thy bedfellow but Floretta For her I cannot spare Caca. Then I entreat you Let me lye in the same bed with you both Han. You must some other Lodging find Caca. Is 't so Then I must old Cypassis try Perhaps A bottle of strong water will prevail So far with her That she may give me leave To lye with her And yet I had much rather Lye with my old Grand-mother or Grandfather Han. 'T is said she was a Beauty in her Youth Caca. Sure no man can report it that hath seen it For I believe her birth was in the daies Of Lucius Brutus who was Rome's first Consul Exeunt Scena Septima Enter Marullus and Armelina to Clorina fastned in a Chair with the heart of Pyrontus in her hand Arme. Y 'ave made me such a terrible Relation Of his strange Jealousie and his foul Murther And 's barbarous usage of your dear sweet self That my Clorina I 'm deficient Of Language to express my admiration But my dull eyes â—…an you so long refrain From dissolution into showers of tears My heart is sure of stone or it would break At these effects of 's impious proceedings Clor. Have patience my best Sister 'T is enough For me to be so miserable I would not My suffrings should beget a grief in you Arme. Then I more stupid were then Salvages Then any beast in any Wilderness Or any Fury in black Hell it self Clor. Oh! Armelina how am I beholding Unto you for your pity of my wrongs And yet I needs must grieve to see you thus Afflict your self at the sad sense of them But I beseech you to assume a courage Worthy our Noble Family to o'recome it I shall but a few minutes longer trouble you With my unfortunate company I find My heart too weak to make resistance longer Against th' impetuous storm of my vast injuries I find Death stealing sensibly upon me Arme. The Heavens forbid Clor. Prayers come too late now to divert my Fate I pray you therefore good Marullus hast To my dear Husband and your faithful Friend Tell him I beg but so much favour from him As I may breathe my soul out in his presence And see him once again and I shall die Contentedly and pardon him my wrongs Mar. Madam I do beseech you to have patience I will go for him and have hope he will Be very shortly reconcil'd unto you For from my soul I pitty your misfortunes Exit Marullus Clor. Shed no more tears You have my Armelina Spent too much of that precious dew already On poor unworthy me Arme. You are Clorina my Elder and My only Sister And can I perceive Your innocency persecuted thus And seem an unconcern'd Spectator of it It is impossible Give me leave therefore T' express all sorrow I am capable of As tribute of my cordial affection To your so lovely sweet and injur'd person Enter Bassanes and Marullus Clor. Welcom my too unkind though my dear Husband To your Clorina welcom my Bassanes My eyes grow dim and I my heart-strings feel To crack Your harsh suspition of my Loyalty And so severe an usage of me have Cut off my life in prime of all my youth Here with my parting breath in presence of The Gods within the hearing of your friend Marullus And of my Sister I declare I dye Free from all guilt and never injur'd you And so farewell for ever Gods I come Afford my Innocency in Heaven a room She dies Mar. She hath took leave of life Arme. I did not think Her death had been so near Farewell for ever all content and pleasure Since she is gone No thought of joy shall ever Possess my heart hereafter She that was My only happiness is vanish'd from me Look Monster of Mankind This is a sight Only befits the eyes of such a Villain Here thou hast murther'd the most virtuous wife That ever Hymen knew And one that was In her affection over-fond of thee Bassa Your passion makes you speak you know not what Your Sister injur'd me in such high nature That she hath justly brought upon her self The end that 's come upon her Arme. Th' Anthropophagians that devour mans flesh By thee may be instructed in worse Cruelties What hellish wretch but thy more hellish self Would thus have us'd a Lady of her beauty To fasten with strong wires in a Case of Male A mans heart in his wife 's own hand and lock her With Chains into a Chair fast is a mischief None out Bassanes durst have done What Tyrant In History did ever act so ill Perillâ—…s was an Innocent to thee The vengeance of high Jove hangs o're thy head To strike thee with his forked-Thunder dead Bassa No Husband but a Wittal would have suffer'd The Prostitution of his Wife Arme. You slander her basely belye her virtues She to us all hath clear'd her self Marullus And I heard her relate the story It was The suddest that did ever fall from tongue Which she before had told thee all at large She doated on thee to her death and with Her last expiring breath protested freely Her Innocency from thy imputed Crime Bassa I care not what you say She was as foul In her base actions as her face was fair Arme. Thou dost traduce in humanely her virtue And I believe forbad'st she should have meat Bassa I did not think of it And therefore gave Forth no such Order Arme. If the least Humanity Remains yet in thee let her be releas'd From these so barbarous bonds this heart remov'd Oâ—…t of her hands it with Pyrontus body Deliver'd to his Friends for Sepulchre And I will take care for the funeral-Rites Of sweet Clorina my poor murther'd Sister Bassa 'T will ease me of some trouble and a Charge Therefore I will consent to that demand And the Gods keep me from a second Marriage Arme. Thou needst not fear that thou canst not find a woman So lost to Virtue and to Honor that Dare be a Wife to such a bloody Butcher Sure there 's no woman in the world so senseless And wicked as to give her self to thee I 'le tell thy story unto all I meet And thy reproach shall ring through every street Bassa Your Larum may run on whilst I 'le declare To all the world how false you women are Exeunt Omnes Actus Quinti Scena Prima Enter Ovid Philocles and Caralinda
Ovid. I am amaz'd much and afflicted more With the sad news you have imparted to us Philo. All my entreaties could not win him thence And therfore missing him too long from home And knowing upon what design he staid I did enquire of Armelina who Made me the sad Relation you have heard Oh brave Pyrontus I lament thy Fate That hast in love prov'd so unfortunate Gara It is so sad a story you have made us That it draws tears from my eyes Though I was A stranger to their persons my weak Sex Allows me liberty to weep A man Would not be tax'd of softness to relent At so deplorable an History Philo. Madam I am so far from blaming you For gracing with your tears their cruel Fates That my heart chides mine own eyes for not melting Hell never plotted a worse Tragedy Nor ever did so great a Lover find So merciless a death as Lord Pyrontus Neither did ever Virtue and Beauty meet So hideous a Treatment as Clorina Ovid. Have you their bodies seen since they were dead Oh Philocles If you those woful objects Have look'd upon you have beheld a sight More sad than ever Tomos was acâ—…us'd for Philo. Alas I brought the Heart and mangled body Of my dear Friend Pyrontus to his house And did attend the Corse of fair Clorina To Armelina's Palace where alas No April-shower ever fell so sweetly As she 〈◊〉 weep over her Sister Cara. A word with you dear Cozen Ovid. My eyes Are big with tears and my poor heart is loaden With grief A thousand showers cannot drain them And Time wants years enough to wear away The Sense and Memory of this woful day Ovid. I must beseech you to have patience Cara. I have too much dear Ovid Much too much But I will all the Fortitude collect That my poor heart is capable of and shall Suppress all signs exterior of a grief You know the Fortune which Trasullus told me I find it now points at me And will therefore Go walk abroad You are acquainted well With Philocles I 'le leave you with him Ovid. I will attend upon you Cara. By no means You are old and sickly And I will not be So troublesome Ovid. You shall not go alone Good Philocles My Cosin Caralinda Is something undispos'd and hath a mind To take the Air abroad You will oblige me To bear her company She is a stranger Which is the cause I crave the trouble from you Philo. The Noble Ovid may command me any thing But you confer much Grace on me to give Me leave to wait upon a gallant Lady Of so suâ—… passing Excellencies Cara. You complement Sir with me Ovid. Hereafter you may like better of her Company When you are more acquainted with her Beware I pray you what you do Take heed Speaks to Caralinda aside You give not too much Credit to Predictions Take heed your vengeance be not rash Beware You bring not ruine on your flourishing youth Cara. I will not play the Amazon believe it And so best Poet for a while farewell Philo. Your servant generous Ovid Ovid. Sir I 'm yours Exeunt Caralinda and Philocles O Love and Jealousie What mighty power You mighty passions have o're humane hearts How you too often joyn within one brest And joys that would aspire keep low supprest To be enamour'd on a beautiful object As natural to us is as t' eat and drink But to suspect whom we affect is a Crime Declares a guiltiness within one's self A want of Merit Then a wise man should Make himself worthy of his Mistress Love Or never prosecute his amorous suit A discreet Lover in a beauteous out-side Expects a mind adorn'd with all the virtues And holds it an impiety to think So rich a soul can ever stoop to vice Therefore the Lover that is rightly bred Admits no jealous thoughts into his head I wish Bassanes had prov'd such then he Might have enjoy'd an happy life on earth Too passionate Pyrontus then had liv'd And in some time might have overcome himself The admirable and innocent Clorina Had been alive this Tragedy had never Been acted here which will be famous ever Exit Scena Secunda Enter Bassanes and Marullus Mar. If you would give me leave as your known Friend Whom you have long grac'd with your Amity To tell you freely my Opinion And no offence take it I should tell you My Lord Bassanes I conceive you have Been much too rash in your proceedings Bassa How If such a thought you harbour of my actions I needs must tell Marullus that he thinks me Guilty of my Wife's blood Do not imagine Your friend aspers'd with such a Crime She was A gallant Palace to do her beauty right Where all the Devils of Lust inhabited Mar. I cannot tell but if one might give credit To her so often serious Protestations And to her vows utter'd with her last breath She was an Innocent Bassa They that dare play So foul a Game value not what they say Enter Caralinda and Philocles What Lady 's that Mar. I never saw her before Bassa She is a Miracle of such handsomness She can no other be but Venus self Philo. Yonder 's the Murtherer of my Lord Pyrontus And the base user of the best of women My blood is all on sire at this Encounter My Hilt seems Loadstone and my hand of Iron I cannot keep it longer from my Sword A sudden vengeance he deserves which shall Fall on him At this present I 'le revenge The slaughter of my friend and the sad death Of his so barbarously abus'd Clorina Cara. Dear Philocles forbear I do conjure you By all the love you bore unto Pyrontus Suppress your anger for a while yet know I wish him but a short Reprieve and hate him As much as you He at a fitter time May sind his Destiny Let it not be said He dy'd i' th' presence of a tender mind Philo. I must obey you Madam Bassa She is an object so extremely ravishing I must speak to her Mar. I had thought you had Done with that Sex for ever Bassa I resolv'd so But beauty such a potent Charm is known Strong'st Resolutions it hath overthrown Hail Female Goddess or if of woman-kind Hail rich Epitome of all the beauty That ever yet in several women Nature Reveal'd to humane eyes Cara. Good Philocles Draw back a little I would find to what His fine words aim and he will be more sparing If y' are too near us to express himself Philo. I will retire a little But beware His flatteries win not on your heart Cara. I warrant you Bassa My friend Marullus I beseech you walk aside Mar. I shall my Lord obey you Good day to Philocles Pray shun me not For I am much afflicted at the Tragedies Bassanes Rage and jealousie have acted I had no hand in them and could I have Prevented them they had not been perform'd Cara. You both provoke my wonder and my blushes
Thou hast broke Thy Innocent Ladies heart with usages More horrid then a Scythian ever practis'd Therefore unless you will die basely draw Bassa You are a glorious Talker sine young man But I shall presently allay your pride And the fond confidence you seem to have In your own valour Phoebia Let us try your skill Bassa Y 'ave sought your ruine by provoking me Phoebia So Have you yet enough Bassa Oh! you have slain me I have receiv'd so home a thrust I dye Without another word Bassanes dies Enter Marullus Phoebia Marullus in an equal Duel I Have kill'd your friend The Gods did guide my Sword Justice was on my side He slew my Brother And I in Roman honor could do no less And to preserve my Reputation clear Among the Getes my Countrymen then to Fight fairly with him Mar. My mind mis-gave me some disastrous Fate Would overtake him for so foul a murther Though I am griev'd at his sad death I 'm glad You are my Lord return'd so safely home Phoebia You 'l see his body convey'd unto hi house Mar. I shall not fail Phoebia The Gods preserve you Mar. Farewell brave Phoebianus Phoebia Friend Philocles Calls aloud Phil. I 'm at your service here Phoebia Stay and I 'le come to you Exit Mar. Draw near you that his servants are and bear Enter Servants This sad Lord to his Palace Exeunt Scaena Quinta Enter Captain Dacus Cacala Cypassis Floretta and Spinella Cypas. It was a lamentable Spectacle We met withall as we came hither Dacus An usual one a dead man We Souldiers smile upon a thousand such Cypas. Bassanes was an extraordinary person Dacus Caesars and Lords must die Caca. You talk of trifles The story I related you Of my Master Captain Hannibal's being took away with Devils Deserves to be call'd terrible indeed Hell broke loose on him Devils and Devils-Dams Seiz'd both upon him He would fain have hung An arse but no resistance could prevail Away they hurried him and left me in So great a fear I know not how I came home Flor. Thou hast told us too much of this already And too often Caca. 'T will never out of my Memory Flor. Nor from thy tongue I fear Caca. Oh fear the Gods Mistress Floretta fear them Take heed the Devils show you not such a Trick Turn virtuous pretty One and marry me For I do love thee above woman-kind Show thy self therefore to me a kind woman Flor. Though I am sorry my Hannibal is perish'd so I cannot call him back And must some care Take of my self And therefore Cacala I 'le be thy wife All his remaining Goods Are ours Caca. And I have something too to trust to In my own Country Cypas. Here 's a Match soon made up Flor. We will return to Rome Caca. With all my heart Dacus And will my fair Spinella prove as kind Spinel Now Lord Bassanes is dead I am content To receive Captain Dacus for my Husband Mother I hope of your allowance to it Cypas. And you shall have it The gods grant you joy Dacus My Mother Cypassis now indeed Cypas. You knew her Father He was your Countryman And a fine Gentleman when he in Rome Did marry me I else should never have been Content t' have liv'd in so remote a Province Though his good nature and many losses at Sea Melted a way most of his Land we have Silver and Gold enough to make you live In plenty Dacus Mother I kiss your reverent hand In gratitude What my own means may prove Deficient in my valour shall supply Spin. We 'l have no fighting nor any quarrelling I am for Peace Love hates the noise of War Dacus You are too timorous grow as affectionate For thus I print my Soul upon thy lips Caca. Let us go home send for a Priest of Hymens And presently each Couple on 's be married Omnes Agreed agreed Caca. I dare not lye alone to night for fear My Captain or his Friends should give me a visit Spinel Was Hannibal a Gentleman by birth Dacus My pretty One Brave Hannibal the famous Carthaginian Who march'd like Mars even to the walls of Rome And fought against that Senate for the worlds Empire In one of 's Winter-Quarters at Salapia Obtain'd th' affection of a Beautiful Lady Call'd Issidora And from them he was Descended lineally as he lately told me Spinel And is now Descended to the Devil we have heard how Exeunt omnes Scaena Sexta Enter Ovid Phoebianus Philocles Armelina and Servants Phoebia My Father on his death-bed did enjoyn me For Educations sake to stay so long You grace me excellent Armelina much After so long a Tryal to receive me Arme. I nothing have worthy your acceptation But my reciprocal return of Love Phoebia I kiss your hand for so immense a bounty But why my fairest would you never honor My many Letters with one single answer Arme. I durst not fearing among the Roman Ladies You might have made a second choice and then Have left me blasted in my Reputation Phoebia I was too true and you was too severe Arme. But wherefore came you so disguis'd and why From me would you conceal your self Phoebia 'T is reasonable that I should satissie you Just upon my departure out of Italy My Curiosity led me to Trasullus One of the chief Astrologers of these times And happy in fore-telling future fortunes I made Friends to him and receiv'd these verses Return disguis'd in Womans Cloaths and you The Murtherer of your Friend shall pay his due Obtain your Mistress to become your Bride And with her gain a world of wealth beside Ovid. Bassanes his death and fair Clorinas's wealth You being her Heir added to your great Portion Confirm for truth the Sooth-sayers Prediction Arme. And I again must thank you for so bravely Revenging on Bassanes his soul Cruelties But why my Phoebianus would you not Disclose your self to me Phoebia You are my Country-woman And I fear'd So doing I should have broken my Injunctions But now divinest Lady when shall I Be made so happy by your gracious self As to receive you for my Bride Arme. As soon As I can give some stint unto my tears After my Sisters Obsequies are past Philo. Pray listen What noise is that without I think I hear an horn and 't is some Post. Enter a Post. Phoebia From whence my friend come you Post. From Rome Phylo. What news Post. I 've Letters for the famous Poet Ovid Ovid. Deliver them I 'm that unfortunate man Ovid breaks open his Letters and reads I am undone for ever No more hope For my return must ever flatter me My Wife writes to me she hath us'd the utmost Of her endeavour assisted by the chiefest Of both our Friends and of most power with Casar For my Repeal or but at least Removal To a more temperate Clime and that th' are both Refus'd her and she enjoyn'd perpetual silence In my behalf Besides my Friend Graecinus A Roman of high note hath writ me word The gracious Princess Julia our great Empress And my best friend is in Trimerus dead One of these News were much too much to strike My poor and crazy body into my grave But joyning both their poysonous stings together I needs must to the world this truth impart That Ovid dies here of a broken heart Dies Phil. It was too sad a truth his last breath did Express for he alas is dead indeed Arme. Death is too prodigal of his Tragedies In this small City I must spare from my Clorina's Fate one shower of tears to shed Upon his Grave Phil. Not only we but all the Getick Nation Were worse then barbarous paid we not that duty To Excellent Ovid's infelicious end Arme. He was a most accomplish'd Gentleman A person asfable and sweet-condition'd And of the Roman Poets the most ingenious Phil. He was in Italy at Sulmo born A pleasant City within the Territory Of the Peligni and descended of The Ancient Family of the Nasones Who had preserv'd the Dignity of Roman Knights from the first Original of that Order I' th' Astatick wars he under Varro Had eminent Command and well discharg'd it Who now alas after seven years Exilement Hopeless of a Repeal hath breath'd his last Arme. Take up his Noble Body and bear it gently To his own house we all will wait on it thither Phoebia I 'le have a stately Monument erected Without our City-walls near the chief Gate To his fair Memory to declare the gratitude Of Tomos to him for the Honour it Receiv'd by his so long abode among us Inclos'd in which within a Marble-urn Curiously wrought his ashes shall for ever Remain in peace An endless grace to Pontus Phil. No Poet ever did more glory contribute Unto the Latin Language then his Pen. The Soul of Poetry feels a Convulsion By his Decrease He no superiour knew In that sweet Art and was great Virgils Equal His works have an Eternity stamp'd on them Do far exceed the Consul Cicero's verses And all the lines sacred Augustus ever Writ in a numerous strain All the fine Poems The Darling of the People the Facetious And valiant Prince Caesar Germanicus Hath publish'd with applause and all such things Though writ by hands that were the spoils of Kings Ovids Body being removed Exeunt omnes THE EPILOGUE NOble and generous Spectators stay A word at Parting and then go your way Our Author is stoln hence in mighty hast Because he thought the House was overcast With Clouds on every Brow and was in dread A storm would else have faln upon his head I am his friend left purposely behind T' inform him how his Fate proves harsh or kind Beseech you Ladies smile Their general Frown Portends the Men will hiss our Tragedy down Command them clap their hands for it is strange If men forbear when women bid them clap I thank you Ladies thank you Gentlemen To morrow you may be welcom here agen FINIS