Love less bears a Rival than the Throne Mor. To me the cries of fighting Fields are Charms Keen be my Sable and of proof my Arms. I ask no other blessing of my Stars No prize but Fame nor Mistris but the Wars I scarce am pleas'd I tamely mount the Throne Would Aureng-Zebe had all their Souls in one With all my elder Brothers I would fight And so from partial Nature force my right Emp. Had we but lasting Youth and time to spare Some might be thrown away on Fame and War But Youth the perishing good runs on too fast And unenjoy'd will spend it self to waste Few know the use of life before 't is past Had I once more thy vigour to command I would not let it die upon my hand No hour of pleasure should pass empty by Youth should watch joys and shoot 'em as they flie Mor. Me-thinks all pleasure is in greatness found Kings like Heav'ns Eye should spread their beams around Pleas'd to be seen while Glory's race they run Rest is not for the Chariot of the Sun Subjects are stiff-neck'd Animals they soon Feel slacken'd Reins and pitch their Rider down Emp. To thee that drudgery of Pow'r I give Cares be thy lot Reign thou and let me live The Fort I 'll keep for my security Bus'ness and public State resign to thee Mor. Luxurious Kings are to their People lost They live like Drones upon the public cost My Arms from Pole to Pole the World shall shake And with my self keep all Mankind awake Emp. Believe me Son and needless trouble spare 'T is a base World and is not worth our care The Vulgar a scarce animated Clod Ne'r pleas'd with ought 'em above Prince or God Were I a God the drunken Globe should roul The little Emmets with the humane Soul Care for themselves while at my ease I sat And second Causes did the work of Fate Or if I would take care that care should be For Wit that scorn'd the World and liv'd like me To them Nourmahal Zayda and Attendants Nour. My dear Morat Embracing her Son This day propitious to us all has been You 're now a Monarch's Heir and I a Queen Your youthful Father now may quit the State And finds the ease he sought indulg'd by Fate Cares shall not keep him on the Throne awake Nor break the golden Slumbers he would take Emp. In vain I struggl'd to the Goal of Life While Rebel-Sons and an imperious Wife Still dragg'd me backward into noise and strife Mor. Be that remembrance lost and be 't my pride To be your pledge of peace on either side To them Aureng-Zebe Aur. With all th' assurance Innocence can bring Fearless without because secure within Arm'd with my courage unconcern'd I see This pomp a shame to you a pride to me Shame is but where with wickedness 't is joyn'd And while no baseness in this breast I find I have not lost the birth-right of my mind Emp. Children the blind effect of Love and Chance Form'd by their sportive Parents ignorance Bear from their birth th'impressions of a Slave Whom Heav'n for play-games first and then for service gave One then may be displac'd and one may Reign And want of Merit render Birth-right vain Mor. Comes he t' upbraid us with his innocence Seize him and take the preaching Brachman hence Aur. Stay Sir I from my years no merit plead To his Father All my designs and acts to duty lead Your Life and Glory are my onely end And for that Prize I with Morat contend Mor. Not him alone I all Mankind defie Who dares adventure more for both than I Aur. I know you brave and take you at your word That present service which you vaunt afford Our two Rebellious Brothers are not dead Though vanquish'd yet again they gather head I dare you as your Rival in renown March out your Army from th' Imperial Town Chuse whom you please the other leave to me And set our Father absolutely free This if you do to end all future strife I am content to lead a private life Disband my Army to secure the State Nor aim at more but leave the rest to Fate Morat I 'll do 't Draw out my Army on the Plain War is to me a pastime Peace a pain Emp. to Mor. Think better first To Aur. You see your self inclos'd beyond escape And therefore Proteus-like you change your shape Of promise prodigal while pow'r you want And preaching in the Self-denying Cant. Morat Plot better for these Arts too obvious are Of gaining time the Masterpiece of War Is Aureng-Zebe so known Aur. If Acts like mine So far from int'rest profit or design Can show my heart by those I would be known I wish you could as well defend your own My absent Army for my Father fought Yours in these Walls is to inslave him brought If I come singly you an armed guest The World with ease may judge whose Cause is best Mor. My Father saw you ill designs pursue And my admission show'd his fear of you Aur. Himself best knows why he his Love withdraws I owe him more than to declare the cause But still I press our duty may be shown By Arms. Mor. I 'll vanquish all his foes alone Aur. You speak as if you could the Fates command And had no need of any other hand But since my Honour you so far suspect 'T is just I should on your designs reflect To prove your self a Loyal Son declare You 'll lay down Arms when you conclude the War Mor. No present answer your demand requires The War once done I 'll do what Heav'n inspires And while the Sword this Monarchy secures 'T is manag'd by an abler Arm than yours Emp. Morat's design a doubtful meaning bears Apart In Aureng-Zebe true Loyalty appears He for my safety does his own despise Still with his wrongs I find his duty rise I feel my Virtue strugling in my Soul But stronger Passion does its pow'r controul Yet be advis'd your ruine to prevent To Aur. apart You might be safe if you would give consent Aur. So to your welfare I of use may be My life or death are equal both to me Emp. The Peoples hearts are yours the Fort yet mine Be wise and Indamora's love resign I am observ'd remember that I give This my last proof of kindness die or live Aur. Life with my Indamora I would chuse But losing her the end of living lose I had consider'd all I ought before And fear of death can make me change no more The Peoples love so little I esteem Condemn'd by you I would not live by them May he who must your favour now possess Much better serve you and not love you less Emp. I 've heard you and to finish the debate Aloud Commit that Rebel pris'ner to the State Mor. The deadly draught he shall begin this day And languish with insensible decay Aur. I hate the lingring summons to attend Death all at once would be the
nobler end Fate is unkind me-thinks a General Should warm and at the head of Armies fall And my ambition did that hope pursue That so I might have di'd in fight for you To his Father Mor. Would I had been disposer of thy Stars Thou shouldst have had thy wish and di'd in Wars 'T is I not thou have reason to repine That thou shouldst fall by any hand but mine Aur. When thou wert form'd Heav'n did a Man begin But the brute Soul by chance was shuffl'd in In Woods and Wilds thy Monarchy maintain Where valiant Beasts by force and rapine reign In Life's next Scene if Transmigration be Some Bear or Lion is reserv'd for thee Mor. Take heed thou com'st not in that Lion's way I prophecy thou wilt thy Soul convey Into a Lamb and be again my Prey Hence with that dreaming Priest Nour. Let me prepare The pois'nous draught his death shall be my care Near my Apartment let him pris'ner be That I his hourly ebbs of life may see Aur. My life I would not ransome with a pray'r 'T is vile since 't is not worth my Father's care I go not Sir indebted to my grave You pai'd your self and took the life you gave Exit Emp. O that I had more sense of vertue left Aside Or were of that which yet remains bereft I 've just enough to know how I offend And to my shame have not enough to mend Lead to the Mosque Mor. Love's pleasures why should dull devotion stay Heav'n to my Melesinda's but the way Exeunt Emperor Morat and Train Zayd Sure Aureng-Zebe has somewhat of Divine Whose virtue through so dark a clowd can shine Fortune has from Morat this day remov'd The greatest Rival and the best belov'd Nour. He is not yet remov'd Zayd He lives 't is true But soon must die and what I mourn by you Nour. My Zayda may thy words prophetic be Embracing her eagerly I take the Omen let him die by me He stifl'd in my arms shall lose his breath And Life it self shall envious be of Death Zay Bless me you Pow'rs above Nour. Why dost thou start Is Love so strange or have not I a heart Could Aureng-Zebe so lovely seem to thee And I want eyes that noble worth to see Thy little Soul was but to wonder mov'd My sense of it was higher and I lov'd That Man that God-like Man so brave so great But these are thy small praises I repeat I 'm carri'd by a Tide of Love away He 's somewhat more than I my self can say Zay Though all th'Idea's you can form be true He must not cannot be possess'd by you If contradicting int'rests could be mixt Nature herself hast cast a bar betwixt And ere you reach to this incestuous Love You must Divine and Humane Rights remove Nour. Count this among the Wonders Love has done I had forgot he was my Husband 's Sone Zay Nay more you have forgot who is your own For whom your care so long design'd the Throne Morat must fall if Aureng-Zebe should rise Nour. 'T is true but who was ere in love and wise Why was that fatal knot of Marriage ti'd Which did by making us too near divide Divides me from my Sex for Heav'n I find Excludes but me alone of Woman-kind I stand with guilt confounded lost with shame And yet made wretched onely by a name If names have such command on humane Life Love sure 's a name that 's more Divine than Wife That Sovereign power all guilt from action takes At least the stains are beautiful it makes Zay Th'incroaching ill you early should oppose Flatter'd 'tis worse and by indulgence grows Nour. Alas and what have I not said or done I fought it to the last and Love has wonn A bloudy Conquest which destruction brought And ruin'd all the Countrey where he fought Whether this Passion from above was sent The Fate of him Heav'n favours to prevent Or as the curse of Fortune in excess That stretching would beyond its reach possess And with a taste which plenty does deprave Loaths lawful good and lawless ill does crave Zay But yet consider Nour. No 't is loss of time Think how to farther not divert my crime My artful Engines instantly I 'll move And chuse the soft and gentlest hour of Love The Under-Provost of the Fort is mine But see Morat I 'll whisper my design Enter Morat with Arimant as talking Attendants Arim. And for that cause was not in public seen But stays in Prison with the captive Queen Mor. Let my Attendants wait I 'll be alone Where least of State there most of Love is shown Nour. My Son your bus'ness is not hard to ghess To Mor. Long absence makes you eager to possess I will not importune you by my stay She merits all the Love which you can pay Exit with Zayda Re-enter Arimaut with Melesinda then Exit Morat runs to Melecinda and embraces her Mor. Should I not chide you that you chose to stay In gloomy shades and lost a glorious day Lost the first fruits of joy you should possess In my return and made my Triumph less Mel. Should I not chide that you could stay and see Those joys preferring public Pomp to me Through my dark Cell your shouts of Triumph rung I heard with pleasure but I thought 'em long Mor. The Public will in Triumphs rudely share And Kings the rudeness of their joys must bear But I made haste to set my Captive free And thought that work was onely worthy me The Fame of antient Matrons you pursue And stand a blameless pattern to the new I have not words to praise such Acts as these But take my Heart and mold it as you please Mel. A trial of your kindness I must make Though not for mine so much as Virtue 's sake The Queen of Cassimeer Mor. No more my love That onely suit I beg you not to move That she 's in Bonds for Aureng-Zebe I know And should by my consent continue so The good old man I fear will pity show My Father dotes and let him still dote on He buys his Mistris dearly with his Throne Mel. See her and then be cruel if you can Mor. 'T is not with me as with a private Man Such may be sway'd by Honour or by Love But Monarchs onely by their int'rest move Mel. Heav'n does a Tribute for your pow'r demand He leaves th' opprest and poor upon your hand And those who Stuards of his pity prove He blesses in return with public Love In his distress some Miracle is shown If exil'd Heav'n restores him to his Throne He needs no Guard while any Subjects near Nor like his Tyrant Neighbours lives in fear No Plots th' Alarm to his retirements give 'T is all Mankinds concern thaâ— he should live Mor. You promis'd friendship in your low estate And should forget it in your better Fate Such Maxims are more plausible than true But somewhat must be given to Love and you
would not delight Your grief in me such sympathy has bred To her I mourn and wish I could recall the dead Love softens me and blows up fires which pass Through my tough heart and melt the stubborn Mass. Ind. Break heart or choak with sobs my hated breath Do thy own work admit no forreign death Alas why do I make this useless moan I 'm dead already for my Soul is gone To them Mir Baba Mir. What tongue the terror of this night can tell Within without and round the Citadel A new-form'd Faction does your pow'r oppose The Fight 's confus'd and all who meet are foes A second clamour from the Town we hear And the far noise so loud it drowns the near Abas who seem'd our Friend is either fled Or what we fear our Enemies does head Your frighted Soldiers scarce their ground maintain Mor. I thank their fury we shall fight again They rouse my rage I 'm eager to subdue 'T is fatal to with-hold my eyes from you Exit with the two Omrahs Enter Melesinda Mel. Can misery no place of safety know The noise pursues me wheresoe'r I go As Fate sought onely me and where I fled Aim'd all its Darts at my devoted head And let it I am now past care of life The last of Women an abandon'd Wife Ind. Whether Design or Chance has brought you here I stand oblig'd to Fortune or to Fear Weak Women should in danger herd like Deer But say from whence this new combustion springs Are there yet more Morats more fighting Kings Mel. Him from his Mother's love your eyes divide And now her Arms the cruel strife decide Ind. What strange misfortunes my vext life attend Death will be kind and all my sorrows end If Nourmahal prevail I know my fate Mel. I pity as my own your hard estate But what can my weak charity afford I have no longer int'rest in my Lord Nor in his Mother He she owns her hate Aloud and would her self Usurp the State Ind. I 'm stupifi'd with sorrow past relief Of tears parch'd up and wither'd with my grief Mel. Dry mourning will decays more deadly bring As a North Wind burns a too forward Spring Give sorrow vent and let the sluces go Ind. My tears are all congeal'd and will not flow Mel. Have comfort yield not to the blows of Fate Ind. Comfort like Cordials after death comes late Name not so vain a word my hopes are fled Think your Morat were kind and think him dead Mel. I can no more Can no more arguments for comfort find Your boding words have quite o'r-whelm'd my mind Clattering of weapons within Ind. The noise increases as the Billows rore When rowling from afar they threat the Shore She comes and feeble Nature now I find Shrinks back in danger and forsakes my mind I wish to die yet dare not death endure Detest the Med'cine yet desire the Cure I would have death but mild and at command I dare not trust him in another's hand In Nourmahal's he would not mine appear But arm'd with terror and disguis'd with fear Mel. Beyond this place you can have no retreat Stay here and I the danger will repeat I fear not death because my life I hate And envious death will shun th' unfortunate Ind. You must not venture Mel. Let me I may do My self a kindness in obliging you In your lov'd name I 'll seek my angry Lord And beg your safety from his conqu'ring Sword So his protection all your fears will ease And I shall see him once and not displease Exit Ind. Oh wretched Queen what pow'r thy life can save A stranger and unfriended and a slave Enter Nourmahal Zayda and Abas with Souldiers Alas she 's here Indamora withdraws to the inner part of the Scene Nour. Heartless they fought and quitted soon their ground While ours with easie victory were crown'd To you Abas my Life and Empire too And what 's yet dearer my Revenge I owe. Abas The vain Morat by his own rashness wrought Too soon discover'd his ambitious thought Believ'd me his because I spoke him fair And pitch'd his head into the ready snare Hence 't was I did his Troops at first admit But such whose numbers could no fears beget By them th' Emperor's Party first I slew Then turn'd my Arms the Victors to subdue Nour. Now let the head-strong Boy my will controul Virtue 's no slave of Man no Sex confines the Soul I for my self th' Imperial Seat will gain And he shall wait my leisure for his Reign But Aureng-Zebe is no where to be found And now perhaps in Death's cold arms he lies I fought and conquer'd yet have lost the prize Zayd The chance of War determin'd well the strife That rack'd you 'twixt the Lover and the Wife He 's dead whose love had sulli'd all your Reign And made you Empress of the World in vain Nour. No I my pow'r and pleasure would divide The Drudge had quench'd my flames and then had di'd I rage to think without that Bliss I live That I could wish what Fortune would not give But what Love cannot Vengeance must supply She who bereav'd me of his heart shall die Zayd I 'll search far distant hence she cannot be Goes in Nour. This wondrous Master-piece I fain would see This fatal Helen who can Wars inspire Make Kings her Slaves and set the World on fire My Husband lock'd his Jewel from my view Or durst not set the false one by the true Re-enter Zayda leading Indamora Zay Your frighted Captive ere she dies receive Her Soul 's just going else without your leave Nour. A fairer Creature did my eyes ne'r see Sure she was form'd by Heav'n in spite to me Some Angel copi'd while I slept each grace And molded ev'ry feature from my face Such Majesty does from her forehead rise Her cheeks such blushes cast such rays her eyes Nor I nor Envy can a blemish find The Palace is without too well design'd Conduct me in for I will view thy mind To her Speak if thou hast a Soul that I may see If Heav'n can make throughout another Me. Ind. My tears and miseries must plead my cause Kneeling My words the terror of your presence awes Mortals in sight of Angels mute become The Nobler Nature strikes th' Inferiour dumb Nour. The Palm is by the Foes confession mine But I disdain what basely you resign Heav'n did by me the outward model build It s inward work the Soul with rubbish fill'd Yet Oh! th' imperfect Piece moves more delight 'T is gilded o'r with Youth to catch the sight The Gods have poorly robb'd my Virgin bloom And what I am by what I was o'rcome Traitress restore my Beauty and my Charms Nor steal my Conquests with my proper Arms. Ind. What have I done thus to inflame your hate I am not guilty but unfortunate Nour. Not guilty when thy looks my pow'r betray Seduce Mankind my Subject from my Sway Take all my Hearts and all
my Eyes away My Husband first but that I could forgive He onely mov'd and talk'd but did not live My Aureng-Zebe for I dare own the name The glorious sin and the more glorious flame Him from my beauty have thy eyes misled And starv'd the joys of my expected Bed Ind. His love so sought he 's happy that he 's dead O had I courage but to meet my Fate That short dark passage to a future state That melancholly Riddle of a breath Nour. That something or that nothing after death Take this and teach thy self Giving a D Ind. Alas Nour. Why dost thou shake Dishonour not the vengeance I design'd A Queen and own a base Plebeian mind Let it drink deep in thy most vital part Strike home and do me reason in thy heart Ind. I dare not Nour. Do 't while I stand by and see At my full gust without the drudgery I love a Foe who dares my stroke prevent Who gives me the full Scene of my content Shows me the flying Soul's convulsive strife And all the anguish of departing life Disdain my mercy and my rage defie Curse me with thy last breath and make me see A Spirit worthy to have Rival'd me Ind. Oh I desire to die but dare not yet Give me some respite I 'll discharge the debt Without my Aureng-Zebe I would not live Nour. Thine Traitress thine that word has wing'd thy fate And put me past the tedious forms of hate I 'll kill thee with such eagerness and haste As Fiends let loose would lay all Nature waste Indamora runs back as Nourmahal is running to her Clashing of Swords is heard within Sold. Yield y' are o'r pow'r'd resistance is in vain Within Mor. Then death 's my choice submission I disdain Within Nour. Retire you Slaves Ah whether does he run At the door On pointed Swords Disarm but save my Son Enter Morat staggering and upheld by Souldiers Mor. She lives and I shall see her once again I have not thrown away my life in vain Catches hold of Indamora 's Gown and falls by her she sits I can no more yet ev'n in death I find My fainting body byass'd by my mind I fall toward you still my contending Soul Points to your breast and trembles to its Pole To them Melesinda hastily casting her self on the other side of Morat Mel. Ah wo wo wo the worst of woes I find Live still Oh live live ev'n to be unkind With half-shut eyes he seeks the doubtful day But Ah! he bends his sight another way He faints and in that sigh his Soul is gone Yet Heaven's unmov'd yet Heav'n looks careless on Nour. Where are those Pow'rs which Monarchs should defend Or do they vain Authority pretend O'r humane Fates and their weak Empire show Which cannot guard their Images below If as their Image he was not Divine They ought to have respected him as mine I 'll waken them with my revenge and she Their Indamora shall my Victim be And Helpless Heav'n shall mourn in vain like me As she is going to stab Indamora Morat raises himself and holds her hand Mor. Ah what are we Who dare maintain with Heav'n this wretched strife Puft with the pride of Heav'ns own gift frail life That blast which my ambitious Spirit swell'd See by how weak a Tenure it was held I onely stay to save the Innocent Oh envy not my Soul its last content Ind. No let me die I 'm doubly summon'd now First by my Aureng-Zebe and since by you My Soul grows hardy and can death endure Your Convoy makes the dang'rous way secure Mel. Let me at least a Funeral Marriage crave Nor grudge my cold embraces in the Grave I have too just a Title in the strife By me unhappy me he lost his life I call'd him hither 't was my fatal breath And I the Screech-Owl that proclaim'd his death Shout within Abas What new Alarms are these I 'll haste and see Exit Nour. Look up and live an Empire shall be thine Mor. That I contemn'd ev'n when I thought it mine Oh I must yield to my hard Destinies To Indamora And must for ever cease to see your eyes Mel. Ah turn your sight to me my dearest Lord Can you not one one parting look afford Ev'n so unkind in death but 't is in vain I lose my breath and to the Winds complain Yet 't is as much in vain your cruel scorn Still I can love without this last return Nor Fate nor You can my vow'd faith controul Dying I 'll follow your disdainful Soul A Ghost I 'll haunt your Ghost and where you go With mournful murmurs fill the Plains below Mor. Be happy Melesinda cease to grieve And for a more deserving Husband live Can you forgive me Mel. Can I Oh my heart Have I heard one kind word before I part I can I can forgive is that a task To love like mine Are you so good to ask One kiss Oh 't is too great a blessing this Kisses him I would not live to violate the bliss Re-enter Abas Abas Some envious Devil has ruin'd us yet more The Fort 's revolted to the Emperor The Gates are open'd the Portcullis drawn And deluges of Armies from the Town Come pow'ring in I heard the mighty flaw When first it broke the crowding Ensigns saw Which choak'd the passage and what least I fear'd The waving Arms of Aureng-Zebe appear'd Display'd with your Morat's In either's Flag the golden Serpents bear Erected Crests alike like Volumes rear And mingle friendly hissings in the Air. Their Troops are joyn'd and our destruction nigh Nour. 'T is vain to fight and I disdain to flie I 'll mock the Triumphs which our Foes intend And spite of Fortune make a glorious end In pois'nous draughts my liberty I 'll find And from the nauseous World set free my mind Exit At the other end of the Stage Enter Aureng-Zebe Dianet and Attendants Aureng-Zebe turns back and speaks entring Aur. The lives of all who cease from combat spare My Brother 's be your most peculiar care Our impious use no longer shall obtain Brothers no more by Brothers shall be slain Seeing Indamora and Morat Ha! do I dream is this my hop'd success I grow a Statue stiff and motionless Look Dianet for I dare not trust these eyes They dance in mists and dazle with surprise Dia. Sir 't is Morat dying he seems or dead And Indamora's hand Aur. Supports his head Sighing Thou shalt not break yet heart nor shall she know My inward torments by my outward show To let her see my weakness were too base Dissembled Quiet sit upon my face My sorrow to my eyes no passage find But let it inward sink and drown my mind Falshood shall want its Triumph I begin To stagger but I 'll prop my self within The specious Tow'r no ruine shall disclose Till down at once the mighty Fabrick goes Mor. In sign that I die yours reward my love To Ind. And seal my Pasport to
of an Heroick Poem 'T was dedicated to you in my heart before 't was presented on the Stage Some things in it have pass'd your approbation and many your amendment You were likewise pleas'd to recommend it to the King's perusal before the last hand was added to it when I receiv'd the favour from him to have the most considerable event of it modell'd by his Royal Pleasure It may be some vanity in me to add his Testimony then and which he graciously confirm'd afterwards that it was the best of all my Tragedies in which he has made Authentick my private opinion of it at least he has given it a value by his Commendation which it had not by my Writing That which was not pleasing to some of the fair Ladies in the last Act of it as I dare not vindicate so neither can I wholly condemn till I find more reason for their Censures The procedure of Indamora and Melesinda seems yet in my judgment natural and not unbecoming of their Characters If they who arraign them fail not more the World will never blame their conduct And I shall be glad for the honour of my Countrey to find better Images of Virtue drawn to the life in their behaviour than any I could feign to adorn the Theatre I confess I have onely represented a practicable Virtue mix'd with the frailties and imperfections of humane life I have made my Heroine fearful of death which neither Cassandra nor Cleopatra would have been and they themselves I doubt it not would have outdone Romance in that particular Yet their Mandana and the Cyrus was written by a Lady was not altogether so hard-hearted for she sat down on the cold ground by the King of Assyria and not onely piti'd him who dy'd in her defence but allow'd him some favours such perhaps as they would think should onely be permitted to her Cyrus I have made my Melesinda in opposition to Nourmahal a Woman passionately loving of her Husband patient of injuries and contempt and constant in her kindness to the last and in that perhaps I may have err'd because it is not a Virtue much in use Those Indian Wives are loving Fools and may do well to keep themselves in their own Countrey or at least to keep company with the Arria's and Portia's of old Rome some of our Ladies know better things But it may be I am partial to my own Writings yet I have labour'd as much as any man to divest my self of the self-opinion of an Author and am too well satisfi'd of my own weakness to be pleas'd with any thing I have written But on the other side my reason tells me that in probability what I have seriously and long consider'd may be as likely to be just and natural as what an ordinary Iudge if there be any such amongst those Ladies will think fit in a transient Presentation to be plac'd in the room of that which they condemn The most judicious Writer is sometimes mistaken after all his care but the hasty Critick who judges on a view is full as liable to be deceiv'd Let him first consider all the Arguments which the Author had to write this or to design the other before he arraigns him of a fault and then perhaps on second thoughts he will find his Reason oblige him to revoke his Censure Yet after all I will not be too positive Homo sum humani à me nihil alienum puto As I am a Man I must be changeable and sometimes the gravest of us all are so even upon ridiculous accidents Our minds are perpetually wrought on by the temperament of our Bodies which makes me suspect they are nearer alli'd than either our Philosophers or School-Divines will allow them to be I have observ'd says Montaign that when the Body is out of Order its Companion is seldom at his ease An ill Dream or a Cloudy day has power to change this wretched Creature who is so proud of a reasonable Soul and make him think what he thought not yesterday And Homer was of this opinion as Cicero is pleas'd to translate him for us Tales sunt hominum mentes quali pater ipse Jupiter auctiferâ lustravit lampade terras Or as the same Anthor in his Thusculane Questions speaks with more modesty than usual of himself Nos in diem vivimus quodcunque animos nostros probabilitate percussit id dicimus 'T is not therefore impossible but that I may alter the conclusion of my Play to restore my self into the good Graces of my fair Criticks And your Lordship who is so well with them may do me the Office of a Friend and Patron to intercede with them on my promise of amendment The Impotent Lover in Petronius though his was a very unpardonable crime yet was receiv'd to mercy on the terms I offer Summa excusationis meae haec est placebo tibi si culpam emendare permiseris But I am conscious to my self of offering at a greater boldness in presenting to your view what my meanness can produce than in any other error of my Play And therefore make haste to break off this tedious Address which has I know not how already run it self into so much of Pedantry with an excuse of Tully's which he sent with his Books De Finibus to his Friend Brutus De ipsis rebus autem saepenumerò Brute vereor ne reprehendar cum haec ad te scribam qui tum in Poesi I change it from Philosophiâ tum in optimo genere Poeseos tantum processeris Quod si facerem quasi te erudiens jure reprehenderer Sed ab eo plurimùm absum nec ut ea cognoscas quae tibi notissima sunt ad te mitto sed quià facillimè in nomine tuo acquiesco quia te habeo aequissimum eorum studiorum quae mihi communia tecum sunt aestimatorem judicem Which you may please my Lord to apply to your self from him who is Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant DRYDEN PROLOGVE OUr Author by experience finds it true 'T is much more hard to please himself than you And out of no feign'd modesty this day Damns his laborious Trifle of a Play Not that its worse than what before he writ But he has now another taste of Wit And to confess a truth though out of time Grows weary of his long-lov'd Mistris Rhyme Passion 's too fierce to be in Fetters bound And Nature flies him like Enchanted Ground What Verse can do he has perform'd in this Which he presumes the most correct of his But spite of all his pride a secret shame Invades his breast at Shakespear's sacred name Aw'd when he hears his Godlike Romans rage He in a just despair would quit the Stage And to an Age less polish'd more unskill'd Does with disdain the foremost Honours yield As with the greater Dead he dares not strive He wou'd not match his Verse with those who live Let him retire betwixt two Ages cast
of the King to seize Solym. To all his former Issue she has shown Long hate and labour'd to advance her own Ab. These Troops are his Surat he took and thence preventing Fame By quick and painful Marches hither came Since his approach he to his Mother sent And two long hours in close debate were spent Arim. I 'll to my Charge the Cittadel repair And show my duty by my timely care To them the Emperor with a Letter in his hand after him an Ambassador with a Train following Asaph But see the Emperor a fiery red His Brows and glowing Temples does o'r-spread Morat has some displeasing Message sent Amb. Do not great Sir misconstrue his intent Nor call Rebellion what was prudent care To guard himself by necessary War While he believ'd you living he obey'd His Governments but as your Vice-Roy sway'd But when he thought you gone T' augment the number of the Bless'd above He deem'd 'em Legacies of Royal love Nor arm'd his Brothers Portions to invade But to defend the present you had made Emp. By frequent Messages and strict Commands He knew my pleasure to discharge his Bands Proof of my life my Royal Signet made Yet still hearm'd came on and disobey'd Amb. He thought the Mandat forg'd your death conceal'd And but delay'd till truth should be reveal'd Emp. News of my death from Rumor he receiv'd And what he wish'd he easily believ'd But long demurr'd though from my hand he knew I liv'd so loath he was to think it true Since he pleads ignorance to that command Now let him show his duty and disband Amb. His Honour Sir will suffer in the Cause He yields his Arms unjust if he withdraws And begs his Loyalty may be declar'd By owning those he leads to be your guard Emp. I in my self have all the Guard I need Bid the presumptuous Boy draw off with speed If his audacious Troops one hour remain My Cannon from the Fort shall scour the Plain Amb. Since you deny him entrance he demands His Wife whom cruelly you hold in Bands Her if unjustly you from him detain He justly will by force of Arms regain Emp. O'r him and his a right from Heav'n I have Subject and Son he 's doubly born my Slave But whatsoe'r his own demerits are Tell him I shall not make on Women War And yet I 'll do her Innocence the grace To keep her here as in the safer place But thou who dar'st this bold defiance bring May'st feel the rage of an offended King Hence from my sight without the least reply One word nay one look more and thou shalt die Exit Ambassador Re-enter Arimant Arim. May Heav'n great Monarch still augment your bliss With length of days and every day like this For from the Banks of Gemna news is brought Your Army has a bloudy Battel fought Darah from Loyal Aureng-Zebe is fled And fourty thousand of his Men lie dead To Sujah next your conquering Army drew Him they surpris'd and easily o'r-threw Emp. 'T is well Arim. But well what more could at your wish be done Than two such Conquests gain'd by such a Son Your pardon mighty Sir You seem not high enough your Joys to rate You stand indebted a vast sum to Fate And should large thanks for the great Blessing pay Emp. My fortune owes me greater every day And should my joy more high for this appear It would have argu'd me before of fear How is Heav'n kind where I have nothing won And Fortune onely pays me with my own Arim. Great Aureng-Zebe did duteous care express And durst not push too far his good success But lest Morat the City should attack Commanded his victorious Army back Which left to march as swiftly as they may Himself comes first and will be here this day Before a close-form'd Siege shut up his way Emp. Prevent his purpose hence hence with all thy speed Stop him his entrance to the Town forbid Arim. How Sir your Loyal your Victorious Son Emp. Him would I more than all the Rebels shun Arim. Whom with your pow'r and fortune Sir you trust Now to suspect is vain as 't is unjust He comes not with a Train to move your fear But trusts himself to be a pris'ner here You knew him brave you know him faithful now He aims at Fame but Fame from serving you 'T is said Ambition in his breast does rage Who would not be the Hero of an Age All grant him prudent prudence interest weighs And interest bids him seek your love and praise I know you grateful When he march'd from hence You bad him hope an ample recompence He conquer'd in that hope and from your hands His Love the precious pledge he left demands Emp. No more you search too deep my wounded mind And show me what I fear and would not find My Son has all the debts of duty paid Our Prophet sends him to my present aid Such virtue to distrust were base and low I 'm not ungrateful or I was not so Inquire no farther stop his coming on I will not cannot dare not see my Son Arim. 'T is now too late his entrance to prevent Nor must I to your ruine give consent At once your Peoples heart and Son 's you lose And give him all when you just things refuse Emp. Thou lov'st me sure thy faith has oft been tri'd In ten pitch'd Fields not shrinking from my side Yet giv'st me no advice to bring me ease Arim. Can you be cur'd and tell not your disease I ask'd you Sir Emp. Thou should'st have ask'd again There hangs a secret shame on guilty men Thou shouldst have pull'd the secret from my breast Torn out the bearded Steel to give me rest At least thou should'st have ghess'd Yet thou art honest thou could'st near have ghess'd Hast thou been never base did Love ne'r bend Thy frailer Virtue to betray thy Friend Flatter me make thy Court and say It did Kings in a Crowd would have their Vices hid We would be kept in count'nance sav'd from shame And own'd by others who commit the same Nay now I have confess'd Thou seest me naked and without disguise I look on Aureng-Zebe with Rivals eyes He has abroad my enemyes o'recome And I have sought to ruin him at home Arim. This free confession showes you long did strive And virtue though opprest is still alive But what success did your injustice find Emp. What it deserv'd and not what I design'd Unmov'd she stood and deaf to all my prayers As Seas and Winds to sinking Mariners But Seas grow calm and Winds are reconcil'd Her Tyrant beauty never grows more mild Pray'rs promises and threats were all in vain Arim. Then cure your self by generous disdain Emp. Virtue disdain despair I oft have tri'd And foil'd have with new Arms my Foe defi'd This made me with so little joy to hear The Victory when I the Victor fear Arim. Something you swiftly must resolve to do Lest Aureng-Zebe your secret Love should
and courage in distress Are more than Armies to procure success Exit ACT III. Arimant with a Letter in his hand Indamora Arim. ANd I the Messenger to him from you Your Empire you to Tyranny pursue You lay commands both cruel and unjust To serve my Rival and betray my trust Ind. You first betray'd your trust in loving me And should not I my own advantage see Serving my Love you may my Friendship gain You know the rest of your pretences vain You must my Arimant you must be kind 'T is in your Nature and your Noble Mind Arim. I 'll to the King and streight my trust resign Ind. His trust you may but you shall never mine Heav'n made you love me for no other end But to become my Confident and Friend As such I keep no Secret from your sight And therefore make you judge how ill I write Read it and tell me freely then your mind If 't is indited as I meant it kind Arim. reading I ask not Heav'n my freedom to restore But onely for your sake I 'll read no more And yet I must Reading Less for my own than for your sorrow sad Another line like this would make me mad As reading Heav'n she goes on yet more and yet more kind Each Sentence is a Dagger to my mind Reading See me this night Thank Fortune who did such a Friend provide For faithful Arimant shall be your Guide Not onely to be made an Instrument But preingag'd without my own consent Ind. Unknown t' ingage you still augments my score And gives you scope of meriting the more Arim. The best of men Some int'rest in their actions must confess None merit but in hope they may possess The fatal Paper rather let me tear Than like Bellerophon my own Sentence bear Ind. You may but 't will not be your best advice 'T will onely give me pains of writing twice You know you must obey me soon or late Why should you vainly struggle with your Fate Arim. I thank thee Heav'n thou hast been wondrous kind Why am I thus to slavery design'd And yet am cheated with a free-born mind Or make thy Orders with my reason sute Or let me live by Sense a glorious Brute She frowns You frown and I obey with speed before That dreadful Sentence comes See me no more See me no more that sound methinks I hear Like the last Trumpet thund'ring in my ear Enter Solyman Solym. The Princess Melesinda bath'd in tears And toss'd alternately with hopes and fears If your affairs such leisure can afford Would learn from you the fortunes of her Lord. Arim. Tell her that I some certainty may bring I go this minute to attend the King Ind. This lonely Turtle I desire to see Grief though not cur'd is eas'd by Company Arim. to Solym. Say if she please she hither may repair And breathe the freshness of the open Air. Exit Solym. Ind. Poor Princess how I pity her estate Wrapt in the ruines of her Husbands Fate She mourn'd Morat should in Rebellion rise Yet he offends and she 's the Sacrifice Arim. Not knowing his design at Court she staid Till by command close pris'ner she was made Since when Her Chains with Roman Constancy she bore But that perhaps an Indian Wife's is more Ind. Go bring her comfort leave me here alone Arim. My love must still be in obedience shown Exit Arim. Enter Melesinda led by Solyman who retires afterwards Ind. When graceful sorrow in her pomp appears Sure she is dress'd in Melesinda's tears Your head reclin'd as hiding grief from view Droops like a Rose surcharg'd with morning Dew Mel. Can Flow'rs but droop in absence of the Sun Which wak'd their sweets and mine alas is gone But you the noblest Charity express For they who shine in Courts still shun distress Ind. Distress'd my self like you confin'd I live And therefore can compassion take and give We 're both Love's Captives but with Fate so cross One must be happy by the others loss Morat or Aureng-Zebe must fall this day Mel. Too truly Tamerlain's Successors they Each thinks a World too little for his sway Could you and I the same pretences bring Mankind should with more ease receive a King I would to you the narrow World resign And want no Empire while Morat was mine Ind. Wish'd freedom I presage you soon will find If Heav'n be just and be to Virtue kind Mel. Quite otherwise my mind foretels my Fate Short is my life and that unfortunate Yet should I not complain would Heav'n afford Some little time ere death to see my Lord. Ind. These thoughts are but your melancholy's food Rais'd from a lonely life and dark abode But whatsoe'r our jarring fortunes prove Though our Lords hate me-thinks we two may love Mel. Such be our Loves as may not yield to Fate I bring a heart more true than fortunate Giving their hands To them Arimant Arim. I come with haste suprising news to bring In two hours time since last I saw the King Th' affairs of Court have wholely chang'd their face Unhappy Aureng-Zebe is in disgrace And your Morat proclaim'd the Successor Is call'd to awe the City with his power Those Trumpets his triumphant Entry tell And now the Shouts waft near the Cittadel Ind. See Madam see th' event by me foreshown I envy not your chance but grieve my own Mel. A change so unexpected must surprise And more because I am unus'd to joys Ind. May all your wishes ever prosp'rous be But I 'm too much concern'd th' event to see My eyes too tender are To view my Lord become the publick scorn I came to comfort and I go to mourn Taking her leave Mel. Stay I 'll not see my Lord Before I give your sorrow some relief And pay the charity you lent my grief Here he shall see me first with you confin'd And if your virtue fail to move his mind I 'll use my int'rest that he may be kind Fear not I never mov'd him yet in vain Ind. So fair a Pleader any Cause may gain Mel. I have no taste me-thinks of coming joy For black presages all my hopes destroy Die something whispers Melesinda die Fulfil fulfil thy mournful Destiny Mine is a gleam of bliss too hot to last Watry it shines and will be soon o'r-cast Indamora and Melesinda re-enter as into the Chamber Arim. Fortune seems weary grown of Aureng-Zebe While to her new-made Favourite Morat Her lavish hand is wastefully profuse With Fame and flowing Honours tided in Born on a swelling Current smooth beneath him The King and haughty Empress to our wonder If not atton'd yet seemingly at peace As Fate for him that Miracle reserv'd Enter in Triumph Emperor Morat and Train Emp. I have confess'd I love As I interpret fairly your design So look not with severer eyes on mine Your Fate has call'd you to th' Imperial Seat In duty be as you in Arms are great For Aureng-Zebe a hated name is grown And
I 'll view this Captive Queen to let her see Pray'rs and complaints are lost on such as me Mel. I 'll bear the news Heav'n knows how much I 'm pleas'd That by my care th' afflicted may be eas'd As she is going off Enter Indamora Ind. I 'll spare your pains and venture out alone Since you fair Princess my protection own But you brave Prince a harder task must find To Morat kneeling who takes her up In saving me you would but half be kind An humble Suppliant at your feet I lie You have condemn'd my better part to die Without my Aureng-Zebe I cannot live Revoke his Doom or else my Sentence give Mel. If Melesinda in your love have part Which to suspect would break my tender heart If Love like mine may for a Lover plead By the chaste pleasures of our Nuptial Bed By all the int'rest my past suff'rings make And all I yet would suffer for your sake By you your self the last and dearest tie Mor. You move in vain for Aureng-Zebe must die Ind. Could that Decree from any Brother come Nature her self is sentenc'd in your doom Piety is no more she sees her place Usurp'd by Monsters and a savage Race From her soft Eastern Climes you drive her forth To the cold Mansions of the utmost North. How can our Prophet suffer you to Reign When he looks down and sees your Brother slain Avenging Furies will your life pursue Think there 's a Heav'n Morat though not for you Mel. Her words imprint a terror on my mind What if this death which is for him design'd Had been your Doom far be that Augury And you not Aureng-Zebe condemn'd to die Weigh well the various turns of Humane Fate And seek by Mercy to secure your State Ind. Had Heav'n the Crown for Aureng-Zebe design'd Pity for you had pierc'd his generous mind Pity does with a Noble Nature suit A Brother's life had suffer'd no dispute All things have right in life our Prophet's care Commands the beings eve'n of Brutes to spare Though int'rest his restraint has justifi'd Can life and to a Brother be deni'd Mor. All Reasons for his safety urg'd are weak And yet me-thinks 't is Heav'n to hear you speak Mel. 'T is part of your own being to invade Mor. Nay if she fail to move would you perswade Turning to Inda My Brother does a glorious Fate pursue I envy him that he must fall for you He had been base had he releas'd his right For such an Empire none but Kings should fight If with a Father he disputes this prize My wonder ceases when I see these Eyes Mel. And can you then deny those Eyes you praise Can Beauty wonder and not pity raise Mor. Your intercession now is needless grown Retire and let me speak with her alone Melesinda retires weeping to the side of the Theatre Queen that you may not fruitless tears employ Taking Indamora 's hand I bring you news to fill your heart with joy Your Lover King of all the East shall Reign For Aureng-Zebe to morrow shall be slain Ind. The hopes you rais'd y 'ave blasted with a breath Starting back With Triumphs you began but end with Death Did you not say my Lover should be King Mor. I in Morat the best of Lovers bring For one forsaken both of Earth and Heav'n Your kinder Stars a nobler choice have given My Father while I please a King appears His Pow'r is more declining than his Years An Emperor and Lover but in show But you in me have Youth and Fortune too As Heav'n did to your eyes and form Divine Submit the Fate of all th' Imperial Line So was it order'd by its wise Decree That you should find 'em all compris'd in me Ind. If Sir I seem not discompos'd with rage Feed not your fancy with a false presage Farther to press your Courtship is but vain A cold refusal carries more disdain Unsetled Virtue stormy may appear Honour like mine serenely is severe To scorn your person and reject your Crown Disorder not my face into a frown Turns from him Mor. Your Fortune you should rev'rently have us'd Such offers are not twice to be refus'd I go to Aureng-Zebe and am in haste For your Commands they 're like to be the last Ind. Tell him With my own death I would his life redeem But less than Honour both our Lives esteem Mor. Have you no more Ind. What shall I do or say Aside He must not in this fury go away Tell him I did in vain his Brother move And yet he falsly said he was in love Falsly for had he truly lov'd at least He would have giv'n one day to my request Mor. A little yielding may my love advance She darted from her eyes a sidelong glance Just as she spoke and like her words it flew Seem'd not to beg what yet she bid me do To her A Brother Madam cannot give a day A Servant and who hopes to merit may Mel. If Sir coming to him Mor. No more set speeches and a formal tale With none but States-men and grave Fools prevail Dry up your tears and practise every Grace That fits the Pageant of your Royal place Exit Mel. Madam the strange reverse of Fate you see To Ind. I piti'd you now you may pity me Exit after him Ind. Poor Princess thy hard Fate I could bemoan Had I not nearer sorrows of my own Beauty is seldom fortunate when great A vast Estate but overcharg'd with Debt Like those whom want to baseness does betray I 'm forc'd to flatter him I cannot pay O would he be content to seize the Throne I beg the life of Aureng-Zebe alone Whom Heav'n would bless from Pomp it will remove And make their wealth in privacy and Love Exit ACT IV. Aureng-Zebe solus DIstrust and darkness of a future state Make poor Mankind so fearful of their Fate Death in it self is nothing but we fear To be we know not what we know not where Soft Music. This is the Ceremony of my Fate A parting Treat and I 'm to die in State They lodge me as I were the Persian King And with luxurious Pomp my death they bring To him Nourmahal Nour. I thought before you drew your latest breath To smooth your passage and to soften death For I would have you when you upward move Speak kindly of me to our Friends above Nor name me there th' occasion of your Fate Or what my Interest does impute to Hate Aur. I ask not for what end your Pomp's design'd Whether t'insult or to compose my mind I mark'd it not But knowing Death would soon th' Assault begin Stood firm collected in my Strength within To guard that breach did all my Forces guide And left unmann'd the quiet Senses side Nour. Because Morat from me his being took All I can say will much suspected look 'T is little to confess your Fate I grieve Yet more than you would easily believe Aur. Since my inevitable death you know
please to lengthen out his date A day and take a pride to cozen Fate Nour. 'T will not be safe to let him live an hour Mor. I 'll do 't to show my Arbitrary pow'r Nour. Fortune may take him from your hands again And you repent th' occasion lost in vain Mor. I smile at what your Female fear foresees I 'm in Fate 's place and dictate her Decrees Let Arimant be call'd Exit one of his Attendants Aur. Give me the poison and I 'll end your strife I hate to keep a poor precarious life Would I my safety on base terms receive Know Sir I could have liv'd without your leave But those I could accuse I can forgive By my disdainful silence let 'em live Nour. What am I that you dare to bind my hand To Mor. So low I 've not a Murder at command Can you not one poor Life to her afford Her who gave up whole Nations to your Sword And from th' abundance of whose Soul and Heat Th'o'rflowing serv'd to make your mind so great Mor. What did that greatness in a Woman's mind Ill lodg'd and weak to act what it design'd Pleasure 's your portion and your slothful ease When Man 's at leisure study how to please Soften his angry hours with servile care And when he calls the ready Feast prepare From Wars and from affairs of State abstain Women Emasculate a Monarch's Reign And murmuring Crouds who see 'em shine with Gold That pomp as their own ravish'd Spoils behold Nour. Rage choaks my words 't is Womanly to weep Aside In my swoll'n breast my close revenge I 'll keep I 'll watch his tender'st part and there strike deep Exit Aur. Your strange proceeding does my wonder move Yet seems not to express a Brother's love Say to what Cause my rescu'd life I owe. Mor. If what you ask would please you should not know But since that knowledge more than Death will grieve Know Indamora gain'd you this Reprieve Aur. And whence had she the pow'r to work your change Mor. The pow'r of Beauty is not new or strange Should she command me more I could obey But her request was bounded with a day Take that and if you 'll spare my farther crime Be kind and grieve to death against your time Enter Arimant Remove this Pris'ner to some safer place He has for Indamora's sake found grace And from my Mother's rage must guarded be Till you receive a new Command from me Arim. Thus Love and Fortune persecute me still And make me Slave to every Rivals will Aside Aur. How I disdain a Life which I must buy With your contempt and her inconstancy For a few hours my whole content I pay You shall not force on me another day Exit with Arimant Enter Melesinda Mel. I have been seeking you this hour 's long space And fear'd to find you in another place But since you 're here my jealousie grows less You will be kind to my unworthiness What shall I say I love to that degree Each glance another way is robb'd from me Absence and Prisons I could bear again But sink and die beneath your least disdain Mor. Why do you give your mind this needless care And for your self and me new pains prepare I ne'r approv'd this passion in excess If you would show your love distrust me less I hate to be pursu'd from place to place Meet at each turn a stale domestic face Th'approach of jealousie Love cannot bear He 's wild and soon on wing if watchful eyes come near Mel. From your lov'd presence how can I depart My eyes pursue the object of my heart Mor. You talk as if it were our Bridal night Fondness is still th' effect of new delight And Marriage but the pleasure of a day The Metall 's base the Gilding worn away Mel. I fear I 'm guilty of some great offence And that has bred this cold indifference Mor. The greatest in the world to flesh and bloud You fondly love much longer than you shou'd Mel. If that be all which makes your discontent Of such a crime I never can repent Mor. Would you force Love upon me which I shun And bring course fare when appetite is gone Mel. Why did I not in Prison die before My fatal freedom made me suffer more I had been pleas'd to think I dy'd for you And doubly pleas'd because you then were true Then I had hope but now alas have none Mor. You say you love me let that love be shown 'T is in your power to make my happiness Mel. Speak quickly to command me is to bless Mor. To Indamora you my Suit must move You 'll sure speak kindly of the man you love Mel. Oh! rather let me perish by your hand Than break my heart by this unkind command Think 't is the onely one I could deny And that 't is harder to refuse than die Try if you please my Rival's heart to win I 'll bear the pain but not promote the sin You own what e'r perfections man can boast And if she view you with my eyes she 's lost Mor. Here I renounce all love all Nuptial ties Hence forward live a stranger to my eyes When I appear see you avoid the place And haunt me not with that unlucky face Mel. Hard as it is I this command obey And haste while I have life to go away In pity stay some hours till I am dead That blameless you may court my Rival's Bed My hated face I 'll not presume to show Yet I may watch your steps where e'r you go Unseen I 'll gaze and with my latest breath Bless while I die the Author of my death Weeping Enter Emperor Emp. When your Triumphant Fortune high appears What cause can draw these unbecoming tears Let cheerfulness on happy Fortune wait And give not thus the Counter-time to Fate Mel. Fortune long frown'd and has but lately smil'd I doubt a Foe so newly reconcil'd You saw but sorrow in its waning form A working Sea remaining from a Storm When the now weary Waves roul o'r the Deep And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep Emp. Your inward griefs you smother in your mind But Fame's loud voice proclaims your Lord unkind Mor. Let Fame be busie where she has to do Tell of fought Fields and every pompous Show Those Tales are fit to fill the Peoples ears Monarchs unquestion'd move in higher Spheres Mel. Believe not Rumor but your self and see The kindness 'twixt my plighted Lord and me Kissing Morat This is our State thus happily we live These are the quarrels which we take and give Aside to Mor. I had no other way to force a Kiss Forgive my last Farewel to you and Bliss Exit Emp. Your haughty carriage shows too much of scorn And love like hers deserves not that return Mor. You 'll please to leave me judge of what I do And not examine by the outward show Your usage of my Mother might be good I judg'd it not Emp.
Nor was it fit you shou'd Mor. Then in as equal Ballance weigh my deeds Emp. My Right and my Authority exceeds Suppose what I 'll not grant Injustice done Is judging me the duty of a Son Mor. Not of a Son but of an Emperor You cancell'd Duty when you gave me pow'r If your own Actions on your Will you ground Mine shall hereafter know no other bound What meant you when you call'd me to a Throne Was it to please me with a Name alone Emp. 'T was that I thought your gratitude would know What to my partial kindness you did owe That what your Birth did to your Claim deny Your merit of Obedience might supply Mor. To your own thoughts such hopes you might propose But I took Empire not on terms like those Of business you complain'd now take your ease Enjoy what e're decrepid Age can please Eat Sleep and tell long Tales of what you were In flow'r of Youth if any one will hear Emp. Pow'r like new Wine does your weak Brain surprise And its mad fumes in hot discourses rise But time these giddy vapours will remove Mean while I 'll taste the sober joys of Love Mor. You cannot Love nor pleasures take or give But life begin when 't is too late to live On a tir'd Courser you pursue delight Let slip your morning and set out at night If you have liv'd take thankfully the past Make as you can the sweet remembrance last If you have not enjoy'd what Youth could give But life sunk through you like a leaky Sieve Accuse yourself you liv'd not while you might But in the Captive Queen resign your right I 've now resolv'd to fill your useless place I 'll take that Post to cover your disgrace And love her for the honour of my Race Emp. Thou dost but try how far I can forbear Nor art that Monster which thou wouldst appear But do not wantonly my passion move I pardon nothing that relates to Love My fury does like jealous Forts pursue With death ev'n Strangers who but come to view Mor. I did not onely view but will invade Could you shed venom from your reverend shade Like Trees beneath whose arms 't is death to sleep Did rouling Thunder your fenc'd Fortress keep Thence would I snatch my Semele like Iove And midst the dreadful Rack enjoy my Love Emp. Have I for this ungrateful as thou art When Right when Nature struggl'd in my heart When Heav'n call'd on me for thy Brother's claim Broke all and fulli'd my unspotted Fame Wert thou to Empire by my baseness brought And wouldst thou ravish what so dear I bought Dear for my Conscience and its peace I gave Why was my Reason made my passion's slave I see Heav'ns Justice thus the Pow'rs Divine Pay Crimes with Crimes and punish mine by thine Mor. Crimes let them pay and punish as they please What Pow'r makes mine by Pow'r I mean to seize Since 't is to that they their own greatness owe Above why should they question mine below Exit Emp. Prudence thou vainly in our Youth art sought And with Age purchas'd art too dearly bought We 're past the use of Wit for which we toil Late Fruit and planted in too cold a Soil My Stock of Fame is lavish'd and decay'd No profit of the vast profusion made Too late my folly I repent I know My Aureng-Zebe would ne'r have us'd me so But by his ruine I prepar'd my own And like a naked Tree my shelter gone To Winds and Winter-storms must stand expos'd alone Exit Aureng-Zebe Arimant Arim. Give me not thanks which I will ne'r deserve But know 't is for a Nobler Price I serve By Indamora's will you 're hither brought All my reward in her command I sought The rest your Letter tells you See like Light She comes and I must vanish like the Night Exit Enter Indamora Ind. 'T is now that I begin to live again Heav'ns I forgive you all my fear and pain Since I behold my Aureng-Zebe appear I could not buy him at a Price too dear His name alone afforded me relief Repeated as a charm to cure my grief I that lov'd name did as some God invoke And printed kisses on it while I spoke Aur. Short ease but long long pains from you I find Health to my eyes but poison to my mind Why are you made so excellently fair So much above what other Beauties are That ev'n in cursing you new form my breath And make me bless those Eyes which give me death Ind. What reason for your curses can you find My Eyes your conquest not your death design'd If they offend 't is that they are too kind Aur. The ruines they have wrought you will not see Too kind they are indeed but not to me Ind. Think you base Interest Souls like mine can sway Or that for Greatness I can Love betray No Aureng-Zebe you merit all my heart And I 'm too Noble but to give a part Your Father and an Empire am I known No more or have so weak a judgment shown In chusing you to change you for a Throne Aur. How with a Truth you would a Falshood blind 'T is not my Father's love you have design'd Your choice is fix'd where Youth and Pow'r are joyn'd Ind. Where Youth and Pow'r are joyn'd has he a name Aur. You would be told you glory in your shame There 's Music in the Sound and to provoke Your pleasure more by me it must be spoke Then then it ravishes when your pleas'd ear The sound does from a wretched Rival hear Morat's the name your heart leaps up to meet While Aureng-Zebe lies dying at your feet Ind. Who told you this Aur. Are you so lost to shame Morat Morat Morat You love the name So well your e'ry question ends in that You force me still to answer you Morat Morat who best could tell what you reveal'd Morat too proud to keep his joy conceal'd Ind. Howe'r unjust your jealousie appear It shows the loss of what you love you fear And does my pity not my anger move I 'll fond it as the froward Child of Love To show the truth of my unalter'd breast Know that your life was given at my request At least Repriev'd When Heav'n deni'd you aid She brought it she whose falshood you upbraid Aur. And 't is by that you would your falshood hide Had you not ask'd how happy had I dy'd Accurst Reprieve not to prolong my breath It brought a ling'ring and more painful death I have not liv'd since first I heard the news The gift the guilty giver does accuse You knew the price and the request did move That you might pay the Ransome with your love Ind. Your accusation must I see take place And I am guilty infamous and base Aur. If you are false those Epithets are small You 're then the things the abstract of 'em all And you are false you promis'd him your love No other price a heart so hard
could move Do not I know him could his Brutal mind Be wrought upon could he be just or kind Insultingly he made your love his boast Gave me my life and told me what it cost Speak answer I would fain yet think you true Lie and I 'll not believe myself but you Tell me you love I 'll pardon the deceit And to be fool'd my self assist the cheat Ind. No 't is too late I have no more to say If you 'll believe I have been false you may Aur. I would not but your crimes too plain appear Nay even that I should think you true you fear Did I not tell you I would be deceiv'd Ind. I 'm not concern'd to have my truth believ'd You would be cozin'd would assist the cheat But I 'm too plain to joyn in the deceit I 'm pleas'd you think me false And whatsoe'r my Letter did pretend I made this meeting for no other end Aur. Kill me not quite with this indifference When you are guiltless boast not an offence I know you better than your self you know Your heart was true but did some frailty show You promis'd him your Love that I might live But promis'd what you never meant to give Speak was 't not so confess I can forgive Ind. Forgive what dull excuses you prepare As if your thoughts of me were worth my care Aur. Ah Traitress Ah ingrate Ah faithless mind Ah Sex invented first to damn Mankind Nature took care to dress you up for sin Adorn'd without unfinish'd left within Hence by no judgment you your loves direct Talk much ne'r think and still the wrong affect So much self-love in your composures mix'd That love to others still remains unfix'd Greatness and Noise and Show are your delight Yet wise men love you in their own despight And finding in their native Wit no ease Are forc'd to put your folly on to please Ind. Now you shall know what cause you have to rage But to increase your fury not asswage I found the way your Brother's heart to move Yet promis'd not the least return of Love His Pride and Brutal fierceness I abhor But scorn your mean suspitions of me more I ow'd my Honour and my Fame this care Know what your folly lost you and despair Turning from him Aur. Too cruelly your innocence you tell Show Heav'n and damn me to the pit of Hell Now I believe you t is not yet too late You may forgive and put a stop to Fate Save me just sinking and no more to rise She frowns How can you look with such relentless eyes Or let your mind by penitence be mov'd Or I 'm resolv'd to think you never lov'd You are not clear'd unless you mercy speak I 'll think you took th' occasion thus to break Ind. Small jealousies 't is true inflame desire Too great not Fan but quite blow out the Fire Yet I did love you till such pains I bore That I dare trust my self and you no more Let me not love you but here end my pain Distrust may make me wretched once again Now with full Sails into the Port I move And safely can unlade my breast of Love Quiet and calm why should I then go back To tempt the second hazard of a Wrack Aur. Behold these dying eyes see their submissive awe These tears which fear of death could never draw Heard you that sigh from my heav'd heart it past And said If you forgive not 't is my last Love mounts and rowls about my stormy mind Like Fire that 's born by a tempestuous Wind. Oh I could stifle you with eager haste Devour your kisses with my hungry taste Rush on you eat you wander o'r each part Raving with pleasure snatch you to my heart Then hold you off and gaze then with new rage Invade you till my conscious Limbs presage Torrents of joy which all their banks o'rflow So lost so blest as I but then could know Ind. Be no more jealous Giving him her hand Aur. Give me cause no more The danger 's greater after than before If I relapse to cure my jealousie Let me for that 's the easiest parting die Ind. My life Aur. My Soul Ind. My all that Heav'n can give Death's life with you without you death to live To them Arimant hastily Arim. Oh we are lost beyond all humane aid The Citadel is to Morat betraid The Traitor and the Treason known too late The false Abas deliver'd up the Gate Ev'n while I speak we 're compass'd round with Fate The Valiant cannot fight or Coward flie But both in undistinguish'd Crouds must die Aur. Then my Prophetic fears are come to pass Morat was always bloudy now he 's base And has so far in Usurpation gone He will by Paricide secure the Throne To them the Emperor Emp. Am I forsaken and betray'd by all Not one brave man dare with a Monarch fall Then welcome death to cover my disgrace I would not live to Reign o'r such a Race My Aureng-Zebe Seeing Aureng-Zebe But thou no more art mine my cruelty Has quite destroy'd the right I had in thee I have been base Base ev'n to him from whom I did receive All that a Son could to a Parent give Behold me punish'd in the self-same kind Th' ungrateful does a more ungrateful find Aur. Accuse your self no more you could not be Ungrateful could commit no crime to me I onely mourn my yet uncancell'd score You put me past the pow'r of paying more That that 's my grief that I can onely grieve And bring but pity where I would relieve For had I yet ten thousand lives to pay The mighty sum should go no other way Emp. Can you forgive me 't is not fit you shou'd Why will you be so excellently good 'T will stick too black a brand upon my name The Sword is needless I shall die with shame What had my age to do with Love's delight Shut out from all enjoyments but the sight Arim. Sir you forget the danger 's imminent This minute is not for excuses lent Emp. Disturb me not How can my latest hour be better spent To reconcile my self to him is more Than to regain all I possess'd before Empire and Life are now not worth a pray'r His love alone deserves my dying care Aur. Fighting for you my death will glorious be Ind. Seek to preserve your self and live for me Arim. Lose then no farther time Heav'n has inspir'd me with a sudden thought Whence your unhop'd for safety may be wrought Though with the hazard of my bloud 't is bought But since my life can ne'r be fortunate 'T is so much sorrow well redeem'd from Fate You Madam must retire Your Beauty is its own security And leave the conduct of the rest to me Glory will crown my life if I succeed If not she may afford to love me dead Aside Aur. My Father's kind and Madam you forgive Were Heav'n so pleas'd I now could wish to live And I shall live With