pronounce me dead 'Gainst Kings results Offenders vainly plead And the most innocent the Sun can show When Kings conclude them criminal are so Nay 't is a crime t' excuse our selves to those Who by their title may our lives dispose And when they cut us off we must believe It is because we are unfit to live Pronounce my doom then Sir I will obey't The life that others love I ought to hate Nor do I think Valerius too severe He prosecutes his Mistriss murtherer I do with him against my self conspire He would my death and 't is my own desire With this distinction that I think by that To keep my honour in its present height Whereas he thinks thereby to blot that name I would perpetuate to live in Fame We rarely meet occasions Sir wherein A hearts whole stock of courage may be seen Valour acts more or less as time doth fit And as occasion serves or hinders it And manly or effeminate appears At the discretion of the censurers The common sort whose understandings be By ignorance limited to what they see Proportion force by its effects and guess At Valour as effects are more or less Expecting vainly that who wonders do Blest once by Fortune should do always so After an act illustriously bright All that seem less darken that actions light Men look we always should in every place Perform our actions with an equal grace Without considering in th' occasion What could have been or more or better done Nor seeing that in actions of less fame Th' occasion 's less the vertue still the same Great names by this injustice are defac'd Mens first Acts honours perish in their last And who once reaches a supream renown If he will hold it there must there sit down I shall not boast what honour I have got Your self great Sir saw my three Combats fought But 't will be hard ever again to find An opportunity of such a kind To crown my Valours worth with a success That must not after these exploits go less So that to give my Fame immortal breath I have no way but by immediate death I should have dy'd before nor liv'd so long I 've liv'd already to my Glory 's wrong A man like me perceives his name decays When but in danger of the least disgrace And my own hand e're this had clear'd the doubt But my blood 's yours and dare not 〈◊〉 out Without your leave Sir your allowance must Precede that action else it were unjust Rome wants no generous Warriors there are those When I am gone will fight her bravest foes As well as I have done and pluck fresh boughs Of greener Laurel to adorn her brows Then with an useless man great Sir dispence And if my acts deserve a recompence Let this be it that with this conqu'ring Arm Still with the vigour of late action warm I sacrifice my self to my own fame Without a mention of my Sisters name Scena Tertia Tullius Valerius Horace the Father Horace Sabina and Iulia. Sabina Oh hear her Sir in whose afflicted mind A Wifes and Sisters sorrows are combin'd Who desolate at your sacred feet in tears Laments her Race and for her Husband fears Not that I would by Artifice withdraw A guilty man from the offended Law Use him like one maugre his Victories But the brave Criminal in me chastise Let my unhappy blood his forfeit pay The Victim's still the same nor can you say Your justice is by pity overcome Whilst I his dearer part abide your doom His matchless love makes it appear he lives In his own person less than in his Wives And he if I be sacrific'd thereby A sadder death than in himself shall dye The death Ibeg and which I must obtain Will finishmine but aggravate his pain Behold Sir here th' excesses of my woe And the sad state my life 's reduc't unto How can I without horror e're embrace A man whose Sword has murther'd all my race And without wickedness a Husband hate For his brave Service to his Prince and State By death then Sir preserve me from the Crime Either of loving or not loving him In this extremity I shall embrace The heaviest sentence for the greatest grace I soon alas with this weak arm could do The thing for which I do so humbly sue But Death will be more welcome if thereby I may redeem my Husbands infamy If by my blood I may those Deities His severe vertue may have mov'd appease Atone Camilla's angry Ghost and save To Rome a man so fortunate and brave Horace the Father speaking to the King I that defence Sir then must undertake My Son and Daughter unconcern'd forsake They with Valerius side and are all three Combin'd together in conspiracy Against that little blood does yet remain From War and Ruine to restore my name Speaking to Sabina Thou who by fruitless sorrows which oppose The duty that a Wife the Husband owes Thy Husband would'st forsake and desperate Accompany thy Brothers in their Fate Go rather and consult their generous Ghosts 'T is true their lives by Horace hand they lost But 't was in Alba's quarrel that they dy'd And they in that are fully satisfi'd Since Heav'n destin'd Alba for a slave If there remain remembrance in the Grave They less repine at their mishap and wounds Being the glory unto us redounds Thy frantick sorrow they will all disclaim Thy sighs and tears will disapprove and blame And will condemn the horror thou putst on For such a Husband has so bravely done Sabina be their Sister try your tears And do your duty as they have done theirs Speaking to the King Valerius animates himself in vain Against this noble Hero to complain A sudden passion in the course of time Was never yet reputed for a Crime Rather than punishment it merits praise When vertue does that sudden passion raise To love even to Idolatry our foes And curse our Country for their overthrows These are call'd Crimes these the offences were He could not even in his Sister spare His love to Rome and her concerns alone Prompted his hand to execution Had not his Countries love tempted his spleen He at this instant innocent had been How strangely do I talk what was 't I meant To say he had been he is innocent Or Sir I had with my own hand e're this Punish'd the forfeit had he done amiss I should have made the sovereign pow'r known That Nature gives a Father o're his Son Sir I love honour nor can brook disgrace Much less a Crime unpunish'd in my Race pointing to Valerius Of which I only shall his witness need He can resolve you what my rage decreed When ign'rant yet of one half of the fight I thought Rome ruin'd in his shameful flight I wonder who bids him busie his cares About my private Family-affairs I wonder whence the priviledge he draws Without my leave to plead my Daughters cause Or by what right does he an int'rest claim Where I her
strife Continue still a Sister and a Wife Let us their honours above all prefer Their vertues imitate and cease to fear The death that threatens is so brave an end We fearless should the sad report attend Let us no more the Fates inhumane call Think in what cause not by whose hands they fall Let us caress them who have bravely fought Nor wrong their Valours merit with a thought Save of the glory and eternal grace Their Arms atchieve unto their noble race Nor once consider at whose bloods expence Vertue has rais'd them to that eminence Let our concerns and int'rest be the same Their Houses interests are in which I am A Daughter or a Wife so near ally'd To both their noble bloods that neither side Can of the other any triumph win But by their Swords atchievements who are mine Fortune whatever ills thou dost dispence I 've found a way t' extract some joy from thence I now can view fearless and undismay'd This Tragedy in all its terrors plaid I can behold the dead without despair And without horror see the Vanquisher Oh flattering illusion false delight Thou pleasing error and impuissant light Which with a counterfeited Ray hast shown How short thy stay was and how soon th' art gone Like Lightnings in obscurity that make By their retiring flames the night more black Mine eyes thou strook'st not with a short-liv'd beam But with more darkness to envelop them By thee my griefs too soon enchanted were And for that moments truce I pay too dear I feel my heart pierc'd thorow with the steel Just now employ'd my dearest friends to kill Contemplating their deaths I not at all Think in what quarrel but by whom they fall Nor see the Victor rais'd to eminence But I consider at whose bloods expence I find my int'rest only is the same With the afflicted house in which I am A Daughter or a Wife so near ally'd To both their noble bloods that neither side Can from the other any triumph win But by their deaths and ruine who are mine Is this the peace then I have pray'd for so Ye too propitious Gods y 'ave heard my vow What thunders do you when provok'd prepare If such dire cruelties your favours are And in what sort do you correct offence When you delight to punish innocence Scena Secunda Sabina Iulia. Sabina Is it dispatcht my Iulia tell me plain Have I a Brother or a Husband slain Or have their impious weapons made at once A Sacrifice of all the Champions And to prevent my hate to th' Vanquishers T' a general obsequy condemn'd my tears Iulia. Can you so long be ign'rant of the news Sabina Is that your wonder pray how should I choose Do you not know that shut up here within Camilla and my self have pris'ners been We are secur'd our tears are dang'rous grown We else e're this betwixt their Swords had flown And our despair sprung from chast love had won Perhaps from both the Camps compassion Iulia. An object of that pity did not need Betwixt their noble courages to plead Since their appearance was enough alone To stay their furies execution No sooner were their plumed crests beheld Waving with warlike brav'ry in the Field But through both Armies strait a murmur rose To see friends so ally'd chose out for foes This horror seizes that soft pity fires A third the fury of their zeal admires This high applauds their vertue to the sky And that condemns it for barbarity Their various thoughts met in one gen'ral voice All blame their Chieftains and detest their choice And not enduring to behold the sight Of that unnatural and bloody fight Exclaiming loud some do advance in haste And interposing part them at the last Sabina I owe you incense Gods y 'ave heard my prayer Iulia. You are not yet where you suppose you are You now may hope and moderate your fears Yet there is still to justifie your tears In vain men strive t' avert them from their fate Their generosity is deaf to that The glory of this choice their Reason blinds And has so dazled their ambitious minds That when men leave them to their desp'rate ways They 're pleas'd and take all pity for disgrace The Camps affliction foils their glories light Nay they had rather with both Armies fight And perish by those hands their fury staid Than quit their int'rests in th' election made Sabina Persist they then so obstinate Iulia. They do At which both Armies to sedition grow And vote from both sides with a gen'ral voice Either for Battel or another choice Their Leaders presence can no more perswade Authority's contemn'd or disobey'd Nay their ungovern'd heat went on so far Nought could reduce them nor command nor pray'r Until the King held sometime in suspence At so undisciplin'd an insolence Was fain himself at last his pow'r to try And thus attempt t' appease the mutiny Since Souldiers thus said he you animate Your selves and fellows in this hot debate Let us consult the sacred pow'rs and try If with another choice the Gods comply What impious mortal when they once reveal Their dark decrees dares then dispute their will This said his words seem'd to be powerful charms And even from the Champions forc'd their Arms That thirst of glory which so dimm'd their eyes Blind as it was ador'd the Deities Their heat submitted unto Tullius sence And aw'd by Piety or deference A Law of his advice both Armies made As both their Scepters he alike had sway'd The rest will from the Victims deaths be known Sabina The Gods an impious Combat will not own Since 't is deferr'd my dying hopes revive And I begin to see my wishes thrive Scena Tertia Sabina Camilla Iulia. Sabina Sister I have good news Camilla I think I know What that good news is if you call it so I heard it told my Father but I find No comfort in 't to my afflicted mind This but prorogues our miseries which shall Return more violent by this interval And all the rays of comfort it doth shed Is only that our tears are respited Sabina The Gods did not in vain this tumult fire Camilla We rather do in vain of them enquire They have instructed Tullius in this choice And theirs but seldom meet the publick voice For you must know that the immortal Gods Descend more rarely to the mean abodes Of common souls than unto Princes far Who here below their own Vice-gerents are And whose unlimited pow'r's a secret beam Of the Divinity 's annext to them Iulia. To argue thus is wilfully to rear Against your self the obstacles you fear We only know Heav'ns will when mov'd by pray'r In sacred Oracles the Gods declare Neither can you despair but first you must The truth of what you late had thence distrust Camilla All Oracles do in mysterious sence Still shrowd themselves from our intelligence And when we think we understand them most The most we grope and are in error lost
publick state my happiness Try you to do as much t' allay your care And wisely weigh that you both Romans are You are become so and you yet are one A treasure above all comparison A day will come that through the Globe our Rome Dreadful as killing thunder shall become When the world daring at our Eagles Wings That glorious name shall be the pride of Kings Scena Sexta Horace the Father Sabina Camilla Iulia. Horace the Father Dost thou come to us Iulia to declare Whose noble brows the Victor's Laurels wear Iulia. Rather the Combats sad effects for Rome Is Alba's Captive and your Sons o'recome Two slain out-right her Lord survives alone Horace the Father Of a sad fight a sad conclusion Rome Alba's subject and in such a need My Son not fight whilst he had blood to bleed It cannot be you are deceiv'd 't is plain Rome is unconquer'd or my Son is slain I better do my bloods true temper know And he so well what he to Rome does owe He could not durst not but o'recome or dye Iulia. A thousand more might see 't as well as I. He acted wonders till his Brother's fall But when once left to fight against them all And half hemm'd in flight did his person save Horace the Father And th' injur'd Souldiers not dispatch 〈◊〉 Would they afford the Coward a retreat Iulia. I came away upon the fad defeat Camilla Oh! my dear Brothers Horace the Father Stay lament not all Two are so fall'n I emulate their fall Let noblest Flowers on their Tombs be laid I in their glorious death their loss am paid And 't was their vertues fortune not to be Survivors of their Countries Liberty Nor see it by a stranger Prince be sway'd Nor to a neighb'ring State a Province made Lament the base survivor and the shame His coward flight has branded on my name Lament the infamy of all our Race And the Horatian glory 's black disgrace Iulia. What should he against three have done Horace the Father Have dy'd Or by a brave despair been fortifi'd Or had he but demurr'd to his defeat Rome had been subject something later yet He then had left these aged hoary hairs As bright with honour as they 're white with years And he though he had dy'd had carried hence For a frail life a noble recompence He now accomptable to Rome remains For all the coward blood that swells his veins And every drop preserv'd by such a shame Has quench'd his glory and eclips'd his fame Each hour on 's life after an act so base His shame and mine still more and more betrays I 'le cut it short and whilst my rage puts on A Father's pow'r o're an unworthy Son I in his punishment will make it known How much the poultron's baseness I disown Sabina Be govern'd less Sir by that generous heat And do not raise our mischiefs higher yet Horace the Father Sabina you may best these mischiefs bear You in these ills have yet the easiest share You in this ruine yet do nothing lose Heav'n has preserv'd your Brothers and your Spouse 'T is to your Country we are Subjects made Your Brothers Victors are whilst Rome's betray'd And dazled by the lustre of their fame You ne're consider our eternal shame But your affection to this beast will make Your bosom soon our miseries partake These tears you shed weak intercessors are For by the Pow'rs above I here do swear These hands shall wash e're day do quit the sky In his false blood the Roman infamy Sabina His rage transports him let us interpose Must we just Heav'n still meet succeeding woes Our ills are grown too mighty to withstand When fury threatens from a Parents hand SONG 1. BEauty that it self can kill Through the finest temper'd steel Can those wounds she makes endure And insult it o're the brave Since she knows a certain cure When she is dispos'd to save But when a Lover bleeding lies Wounded by other Arms And that she sees those harms For which she knows no remedies Then Beauty Sorrows livery wears and whilst she melts away in tears Drooping in sorrow shews Like Roses overcharg'd with morning dews 2. Nor do women though they wear The most tender character Suffer in this case alone Hearts enclos'd with iron Walls In humanity must groan When a noble Hero falls Pitiless courage would not be An honour but a shame Nor bear the noble name Of valour but barbarity The generous even in success Lament their enemies distress And scorn it should appear Who are the Conquer'd with the Conqueror CHORVS These are th' effects of War and these The Sacrifices are to peace Peace that once broken in her right Nothing but blood can reunite Wars Hand-maid Fury prompts her on To blood and devastation Nor ceases till whole Countries lye O'rewhelm'd in one calamity Or though the Sacrifice for all Should in one single person fall Yet in whatever falls amiss The publick still a loser is And as a radiant Gem out-vies Masses of Metal in her prize One Heroes loss more loss includes Then vile Plebeian multitudes A bloody Combat here we see Fought for an empty sovereignty When they lie weltring on the sand Who were the fittest to command Thus man himself still undermines And blind destroys his own designs For the victorious here may boast An Empire when the Ruler's lost Who now with better title may Rome's Battels or her Scepter sway Then they who her brave Champions were Princes then truly Princes are When with a Parents love they stake Their persons for their peoples sake Oh Rome Oh Alba what desire First set your noble breasts on fire Or what offence engag'd your steel The blood of your Allies to spill 'T is vitious Envy that has made You thus each others bounds invade Envy the souls most foul disease That pines at others happiness Has made you thus each other hate Because you both were fortunate Thus humane glories do procure The dangers which they should secure Bare reputation will suffice To make a thousand Enemies And vertue the more bright she shines Serves but to light mens dark designs To give their malice aim and guide The poyson'd dart into her side 'T is emulation animates The fury and the spleen of States And till that emulation cease The world will never be at peace The Combat now is overblown But the event not truly known The Scene will soon unto your eye Open the Tragick History Then they who may the Conquest boast When they consider what it cost Shall find the triumph they have got So empty and so dearly bought That though success have serv'd their will Their woes have made them equal still The end of the Third Act. Actus Quartus Scena Prima Horace the Father Camilla Horace the Father URge me no more Camilla do not try Your int'rest for this Son of Infamy Let him avoid my sight if he be wise As basely he outran his enemies To save the
With such a constant brow as may declare How worthy of him you his Sister are And by your noble carriage make it good That in one Womb Heav'n form'd you of one Blood Scena Quarta Camilla Yes by assured signs I 'le make him see That vertuous Love can baffle Destiny Nor yet those tyr'nnous cruel laws obeys Our froward Stars seat in a Parents place Unpitying Father on so just a score Thou call'st my sorrows womanish and poor But I the more it does afflict thee will Dote on his memory more lament him still And make that sorrow thou condemn'st to rise Equal to fortunes direct cruelties Did ever fortune in a few hours space So often vary her inconstant face So often kind and cruel good and ill And strook so often e're she strook to kill Was ever soul that in one day did bear Such turns of joy and grief of hope and fear A soul subjected unto more events And bandied so with various accidents An Oracle a Dream a Battel Peace By turns assure astonish fright appease My Nuptials are prepar'd and straight my Love Against my Brothers Arms his Arms must prove Both Camps abhor the choice and stay their rage Whom the unpitying Gods again engage Rome seems o'recome and Curiace's hand From blood of mine alone remains unstain'd Was not my grief ye Powers then too small For Rome's misfortune and my Brothers fall Did not my hopes flatter my innocence When I thought still to love him no offence His death has paid me home for 't and to that The cruel way of telling me his fate His Rival brings the news and to my face Repeats the hateful truth of his disgrace Apparent joy doth on his forehead sit Pleas'd with my loss more than Romes benefit Whilst building aiery hopes in his vain head He with my Brother triumphs o're the dead But this is nothing still to what 's behind On this occasion I am joy enjoyn'd I must applaud the Conqueror's desert And kiss th' inhumane hand that gores my heart It is in such a deplorable case A crime to weep and but to sigh disgrace Their brutish vertue in this shock of fate Will have me fancy my self fortunate It is it seems a rule the vertuous have We must be barb'rous e're we can be brave Degenerate then my heart let us disclaim This Father's Vertue and this Brother's Fame 'T is honourable to be counted base Where Vertue rises by such brutish ways Break out my griefs 't is fruitless to forbear When all 's once lost what have we left to fear Let us this bloody Conqueror despise And far from shunning him confront his eyes Reproach his Victory provoke his Spleen And please your selves by your displeasing him See where he comes now let us bravely show What to a Lover's death chaste Lovers owe. Scena Quinta Horace Camilla Preculus and two Souldiers each bearing a Sword of the Curiatii Horace See Sister here the Arm that has on all The Alban Champions wreak'd our Brother's fall The Arm that with the froward Fates of Rome Single has fought and single overcome The Arm has conquer'd Alba and alone Betwixt two States struck the decision Behold the Trophies which these Romans bear These noble Ensigns of a Conqueror And pay the thanks thou ow'st those Pow'rs that bless The Roman Arms with such a fair success Camilla Then take my tears for these are all I owe. Horace Such actions should not be rewarded so And our brave Brother's noble fall appears Repaid with blood enough t' excuse your tears Losses reveng'd once to be losses cease Camilla Since then appeas'd with blood they rest in peace I shall forbear to pay that Fun'ral debt And will their deaths you have reveng'd forget But who 'l revenge me for a Lovers fall And dry those tears I pay his Funeral Horace What say'st thou wretch Camilla Ah my dear Curiace Horace Impudent woman and my bloods disgrace Does yet that name in thy remembrance live And in thy heart a love for him survive That as a publick enemy to Rome I to my deathless Glory have o'recome This criminal flame does to revenge aspire Thy mouth proclaims th' unnatural hearts desire Govern thy passion better and be wise Let me not blush to hear thy guilty sighs 'T is now high time to quench that flame and chace Those clouds of sorrow which obscure thy face That on my triumph it may smiling shine Camilla Give me a heart Barbarian then like thine And since thou wilt have me my soul explain Restore my Love or let my Passion reign My joy and grief were by his Fortune led Living I lov'd him and lament him dead Seek not thy Sister where thou leftst her last Thy cruelty that title has defac'd And having broke that bond I am become An injur'd Lover in a Sisters room Who like a fury on thy steps will wait To blast thee with reproaches for his fate Obdurate Tyger who forbid'st mine eyes Should pay their Tribute to his Obsequies Would'st have my tongue to flatter thee approve Boast and applaud the slaughter of my Love And to the Skies whilst thy exploits I rear Become a second time his murtherer May miseries consort that life of thine Till they increase that thou may'st envy mine And may'st thou by some act of horror blot The glory thy barbarity has got Horace Heav'n what a madness rages in her tongue Think'st thou I 'm grown insensible of wrong That this affront I suffer in my blood Approve his death makes for the publick good And to his memory prefer at least That which thy birth owes to Rome's interest Camilla Rome that alone does my affliction prove Rome to whom thou hast sacrific'd my Love Rome that first gave thee life that perfectly I hate because she does so honour thee May all her neighbours in one cause conspire To sack her Walls and ruine her by fire And if all Italy appear too few May East and West joyn in the mischief too Far as the frozen poles may Nations come O're Hills and Seas to sack imperious Rome May her own Walls o'rewhelm and bury her And may her own Hands her own Bowels tear May Heav'n to whose wrath I votress am Rain on her Bosom deluges of Flame May I behold a Lightning fall so just Her Buildings ashes and her Laurels dust May I of Heav'ns justice be so grac't To see the last of Romans breathe his last And lastly ye just Powers I desire I may be cause of all and pleas'd expire Horace drawing his Sword and pursuing her It is too much Patience a while give place Down into Hell to seek thy Curiace Camilla behind the Scene Oh Traytor Horace So may all offenders die That dare lament a Roman enemy Scena Sexta Horace Proculus Proculus What have you done Horace An exemplary act And a due justice for so foul a fact Proculus But to your Sister this was too severe Horace Never tell me how near ally'd we were My
To have a Daughter so degenerate And thee for having by misfortune dy'd Thy noble Sword in such a Parricide Not that I do thy heat or justice blame Yet I could wish thou hadst escap'd the shame Her crime though worthy death had better far Been spar'd than thou her executioner Horace My life and death Sir in your sentence lie I thought that blow due to Romes injury But if that zeal do criminal appear If I eternal brands of shame must wear And if my arm be infamous become With one sole word you may pronounce my doom Take back that blood which my unworthy hand Has by a coward act so basely stain'd I could not suffer in your vertuous Race A crime that might your noble name disgrace Nor should you with an over-partial eye Suffer this blemish in your Family In acts where honour suffers 't is discern'd That such a Father as you are's concern'd T' excuse ill Sons even Fathers should forbear Whilst they conceal our faults they faulty are And his own fame that Father little moves Who spares that guilt his vertue disapproves Horace the Father Fathers sometimes from harsh extreams forbear And often spare their Sons themselves to spare Our age leans on their youthful strength and spares Them since in them we must be sufferers I look upon thee with a diff'rent eye From that thou censur'st thine own vertue by And though thy reputation blemish'd stand I know but see the Guards the King 's at hand Scena Secunda Tullius Valerius Horace the Father and Guards Horace the Father Great Sir you do your Servant too much grace I blush to see you in so mean a place Permit me that in gratitude thus low Tullius No Father rise and let your merit know I pay in this the least of what is due From vertuous Princes to such men as you Such services pretend to all whate're Subjects can merit or their Kings confer Valerius word was past nor could I be Just to my self till I had set him free I heard from him nor did I doubt befreo With what a noble constancy you bore Your brave Sons deaths and know that to a soul So fortifi'd as yours so right and whole What comforts I could bring would only prove Unnecessary complements of Love But now that I have heard what a sad fate Does on your conqu'ring Sons brave valour wait And that his zeal to th' publick cause has led His sudden fury to commit a deed Deprives you of an onely Daughter then Whilst I consider the most brave are men I must confess I cannot choose but fear How your great heart so great a blow can bear Horace the Father Sir with a troubled but a patient sence Tullius A brave effect of your experience Many by living long have learnt to know That happiness is but a step to woe But few apply that knowledge to the best And most mens vertues truckle when opprest If in your King's compassion you can find A comfort to th' afflictions of your mind Believe it great as them and that I do With the same friendship love and pity you Valerius Since mighty Sir into the hands of Kings Heav'n delegates the Law to order things And that within their sacred power lies Reward for vertue punishment for vice Permit a loyal Subject in this case To prompt that justice your compassion stays And say you seem this murther to forget Whilst you lament and do not punish it Permit Horace the Father What! that Romes conquering Champion die And have his service paid with infamy Tullius Let him say on Horatio and forbear I who am to determine ought to hear And do not fear but I will do you right It is at once my duty and delight When justice even and unbiass'd flows She then a Monarch for a Monarch shows Divinity shines round about him then Above the common race of common men And that which makes me most commiserate The wretched fortune of your sad estate Is to hear justice clamour'd on your Son Who has for Rome so brave a service done Valerius Permit then justest Monarch that in me All vertuous men appeal for equity 'T is not alas that our repining hearts Envy those honours crown his brave deserts All you can give short of his merit fall His glorious actions shine above them all Add new and greater still to those before We all are willing to contribute more But let him since he could obscure his fame By such an act of horror and of shame At once for merit and a crime so high A Victor triumph an Offender dye Check his wild rage and rescue those remain Of Romes brave off-spring if you mean to reign Your peoples ruine or their safety lies Or in his Pardon or his Sacrifice Few Romans ever could in Alba boast Of Alba's loss but they in Alba lost Some such relation as might force their eyes To private tears in publick Victories If such a vertuous sorrow then become Criminal to the interest of Rome If his success oblige you to dispence And priviledge so great an insolence Who will this barbarous Conquerour forbear Whose fury would not his own Sister spare Nor yet excuse the sorrow all approve In a chaste Virgin ravish'd of her Love Rome though she triumphs is Horatio's slave He has the sovereign Pow'r to kill or save Nor have we now a longer time to live Than as he 's pleas'd to sentence or forgive I could to Romes concernment add how base Mean and below a man the action was I could demand to have the murther'd Maid His Valours triumph in your presence laid You then would see the yet warm Crimson rise And blushing blame a Brother's cruelties So sad a sight no Advocate would need Her Youth and Beauty would for justice plead But I abhor in such a case as this All ways that bear a shew of Artifice To morrow you have set apart to pay Your Vows to Heav'n for this victorious day And can you think those Deities that bear Thunder t' avenge the innocent sufferer Will deign t' accept of Incense from a hand In a black Parricide so lately stain'd So great a Sacriledge would draw on you The vengeance that to him alone is due Look on him then as one whom Heav'n does hate And that wherein he has been fortunate Romes stars have more by their own influence done Than by the Valour of their Champion Since the same Gods who did his Conquest crown Permit him thus to blemish his renown And in one day after exploits so high To claim a Triumph and deserve to dye This Sir is that your judgment must decide Rome here has suffer'd the first Parricide The consequence and Heaven's displeasure are The things Religion teaches us to fear Preserve your people from his insolence And appease Heav'n by cens'ring his offence Tullius Horace make your defence Horace Sir to what end Should I an act you know so well defend Your judgment 's Law though it
Father unoffended am But 't is objected as a politick care That others may the like misfortune share Sir we are only jealous of the shame That in particular concerns our name And letting others infamies alone Do only bash at those which are our own Turning to Valerius Thou may'st Valerius weep before his face He 's only angry at the Crimes on 's Race None save those of his blood can blast those boughs Of living Laurel that adorn his brows Ye sacred wreaths that Envy wishes dead You who from thunder have secur'd his head Will you that sacred head abandon now Unto a despicable Hangman's blow Will ye O Romans on a day like this See and permit the bloody Sacrifice Of that victorious Champion but for whom And his brave Valour Rome had been no Rome And suffer here a Roman to defame With accusations his illustrious name Valerius say where would'st thou have him dye What Scene is proper for his Tragedy Within these Walls where still the people raise High Acclamations to his Valours praise Or in the Camp yet fuming with a flood Of the late conquer'd Curiatiis blood Or else amongst the Alban Heroes Tombs Sure that place worst the Tragedy becomes That honourable Field that witnesses At once his prowess and our brave success Thou canst not possibly choose out a place To be the Theatre of his disgrace Wherein his noble conquests will not rise In glory to reproach your cruelties The Camp the Lists within without the Town All places eccho with his high renown All things oppose and all men disapprove The vain attempts of thy unjuster Love That would with blood so Roman and so pure The glory of so bright a day obscure Alba her self that object cannot see And Rome with tears will stay that Tragedy Speaking to the King But Sir your justice will prevent that doom You understand the interests of Rome What he has done he yet may do again And once more may her liberty maintain Give nothing to my Age Sir in this case To day I Father of four Children was Of which three in Rome's Quarrels buried are One I have left reserve him Sir for her Rob not this City by his Sacrifice Of that defence which in his Valour lies And give me your permission that I may Direct to him what I have left to say Speaking to Horace Horatio do not think the common bruit Can raise or lessen a brave man's repute The rabble ever do delight in noise But in a trice change their inconstant voice And the renown they give us bears no date But perishes as illegitimate It is for Kings great ones for souls that are Advanc'd above the common pitch by far To censure vertue to discern and know The noble spirits from the mean and low From them alone a true renown proceeds And they alone record illustrious deeds Do always like thy self thy glory then Shall live and flourish amongst worthy men Although a less occasion may perchance Abuse short-sighted vulgar ignorance Abhor thy life no more but live at least For mine thy Kings and Countries interest Live Romes opposers bravely to oppose And fight her Battels with the bravest foes Sir I have said too much though the affair May well excuse a Father in his care I have pronounc'd the general sence of Rome And now expecting stay your final doom Valerius Sir give me leave Tullius Valerius no more I yet retain all you have said before And have consider'd every circumstance Reason and word that serves to prove th' offence This bloody fact committed in despight Of Law and Justice almost in our sight Violates Nature nay doth higher rise With humane rage to wound the Deities And sudden passions that such crimes produce For facts like this are but a weak excuse Our most indulgent Laws herein speak high And by their censure he deserves to die If by another way and less severe We do consider the offender here His crime though inexcusable proceeds From the same Sword and Arm have done those deeds By whose effects Rome bravely overcame And I a King of two great people am The double Crown on Romes Imperial Head In favour of his life does highly plead But for his Valour I who now do sway A two-fold Scepter had been forc'd t' obey And where I sit a double Monarch Crown'd Had been a Captive made subdu'd and bound Many good Subjects in their Countries Wars Can only serve their Princes by their pray'rs All men may love their Kings but every one Cannot secure their States as he has done The art and power to establish Thrones Are vertues Heaven gives few private ones Such Servants are the Nerves and strength of Kings The Props of Kingdoms and the glorious things They do and suffer in their Countries Cause Seats them above the censure of the Laws Let them be silent then and here let Rome Forbear to utter an ungrateful doom On an offence she saw before when yet She had no name her Romulus commit In her Deliverer she may forbear The fault she could in her rash Founder spare Live then brave Souldier spirit too sublime Thy vertue sets thy glory 'bove thy Crime Since generosity th' offence did make Th' effect we pardon for the causes sake Live to thy Countries noblest bravest ends But I must have you and Valerius friends And in a friendship such as shall permit Fury nor malice to extinguish it And whether love or obligation were The motives made him prosecute you here Of what is past no memory retain But reconcile him to your love again And sweet Sabina let your great heart chase These marks of frailty from your lovely face You can their Sister you lament express In nothing more than in lamenting less But we to morrow set apart to pay Thanks to the Gods for this victorious day And Heaven would with an averted face Receive our Vows and would withdraw his grace Should not our Priests e're we begin take care To purifie th' unhappy Conqueror Be that his Fathers task he may with ease At the same time Camilla's Ghost appease I pity her and wish her soul may have What satisfaction can be in the Grave Since in one day one zeal's ungovern'd heat Did her brave Lovers and her Fate compleat The day that saw them dye e're hence he goes Shall see one Monument their Corps enclose The King rises and all follow him except Julia. Scena Quarta Iulia. Heav'n sweet Camilla did foretell The Tragical event drew nigh But did the secret part conceal From the most piercing Judgment 's eye It seem'd to speak of Nuptial Joys It seem'd to sooth thy innocence And did thy Death the while disguise Deluding our intelligence Alba and Rome to morrow shall surcease Their Iars thy Vows are heard they shall have peace And thou be joyn'd to Curiace in a tie Never to be dissolv'd by Destiny SONG 1. HOw frailty makes us to our wrong Fear and be loth to dye When Life is only dying long And Death the remedy We shun eternity And still would grovel here beneath Though still in woe and strife When Life 's the path that leads to Death And Death the door to Life 2. The Fear of Death is the disease Makes the poor patient smart Vain apprehensions often freeze The vitals in the heart Without the dreaded Dart. When fury rides on pointed steel Deaths fear the heart doth seize Whilst in that very fear we feel A greater sting than his 3. But chaste Camilla's vertuous fear Was of a nobler kind Not of her end approaching near But to be left behind From her dear Love disjoyn'd When Death in courtesie decreed To make the fair his prize And by one cruelty her freed From humane cruelties CHORVS Thus Heav'n does his will disguise To scourge our curiosities When too inquisitive we grow Of what we are forbid to know Fond humane nature that will try To sound th' Abiss of Destiny Alas what profit can arise From those forbidden scrutinies When Oracles what they foretel In such Aenigma's still conceal That self-indulging man still makes Of deepest truths most sad mistakes Or could our frailty comprehend The reach those riddles do intend What boots it us when we have done To foresee ills we cannot shun But 't is in man a vain pretence To know or prophesie events Which only execute and move By a dependence from above 'T is all imposture to deceive The foolish and inquisitive Since none foresee what shall befal But Providence that governs all Reason wherewith kind Heav'n has blest His creature man above the rest Will teach humanity to know All that it should aspire unto And whatsoever fool relies On false deceiving prophesies Striving by conduct to evade The harms they threaten or perswade Too frequently himself does run Into the danger he would shun And pulls upon himself the woe Fate meant he should much later know By such delusions vertue strays Out of those honourable ways That lead unto that glorious end To which the noble ever bend Whereas if vertue were the guide Mens minds would then be fortifi'd With constancy that would declare Against supineness and despair We should events with patience wait And nor despise nor fear our Fate The end of the Fifth and last Act. FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for Henry Brome since the dreadful Fire in London THE History of the Life of the Duke of Espernon the great Favourite of France wherein the History of France is continued from 1598. where D' Avila leaves off down to our times 1642. in folio price 16 s. Scarronnides or Virgil Travestie a Mock-Poem on the first and 4th Book of Virgil in English Burlesque price 1 s. 6. d. Both by Charles Cotton Esquire Elvira a Comedy or the worst not always true by the Earl of Bristol price 1 s. Mr. Simpsons Division Viol in folio price 8 s. His Compendium of Practical Musick octavo price bound 2 s. Erasmus Colloquies in English price 5 s. A Treatise wherein is demonstrated that the Church and State of England are in equal danger with the Trade in quarto price I s. 6 d. By Roger Coke Esquire Bromes Songs and Poems in octavo price 3 s. His Translation of Horace with other worthy Persons price 4 s. The Gentleman Apothecary being a late and true Story turned out of French price 6 d.